The Five Arminian Articles. A.D.1610.
[The official Dutch text is taken from the first edition of 1612, as printed in De Remonstrantie en het Remonstrantisme. Historisch onderzoek door Dr. Joannes Tideman, Predikant bij de Remonstrantsch-Gereformeerde Gemeente te Rotterdam (Te Haarlem, 1851), pp.17-20. I procured a copy from my friend, Dr. J. J. van Oosterzee, of Utrecht. The Latin translation of Petrus Bertius was literally copied for me by another friend in Holland, Dr. M. Cohen Stuart, from the Scripta adversaria Collationis Hagiensis, Lugd. Batav.1616. The English translation is made for this edition. An older English version, with the Latin (but with several omissions), is given by Peter Heylin, in his Historia Quinquarticularis, London, 1660, pp.50-53. The Preface, the five negative Articles, and Conclusion (see Tideman, pp.8-27) are omitted.
Niemeyer excludes the Remonstrance from his Collection of Reformed Confessions, but it is necessary to the proper understanding of the Canons of the Synod of Dort. Böckel (pp.545 sqq.) gives a German translation. Comp. Vol. I. § 65, pp.508 sqq.]
Art. I. Art. I. Art. I.
Dat Godt door een eeuwich, onveranderlyck besluyt, in JESU CHRISTO, synen Soone, eer des werelts grondt gheleydt was, besloten heeft, uyt het ghevallene sondighe Menschelyck geslachte, die ghene in CHRISTO, om CHRISTUS wille, ende door CHRISTUM salich te maecken, die door de ghenade des heylighen Gheestes, in den selven synen Soone JESUM ghelooven, ende in den selven gheloove, ende ghoorsaemheyt des gheloofs, door de selve ghenade, totten eynde toe volherden souden: en daer tegens, de onbekeerlycke, en ongelovige in de sonde, en onder de toorne te laten, en te verdoemen, als vreemt van CHRISTO: naer 't woordt des H. Evangelij by Johannem iii.36: 'Wie in den Sone ghelooft, die heeft het eeuwighe leven, ende wie den Soone ongehoorsaem is, die en sal Deus æterno et immutabili decreto in Christo Jesu Filio suo, ante jacta mundi fundamenta, statuit ex genere humano in peccatum prolapso, eos in Christo, propter Christum, et per Christum salvare, qui per gratiam Spiritus Sancti in eundem Filium suum credituri, inque ea ipsa fide et obedientia fidei, per eandem gratiam, usque ad finem essent perseveraturi; contra vero contumacio et incredulos, sub peccato et ira relinquere et condemnare, tanquam a Christo alienos; juxta verbum Evangelii Joh. iii.36: 'Qui credit in Filium, habet vitam æternam, qui vero Filio non obtemperat, non videbit vitam, sed ira Dei manet super ipsum.' That God, by an eternal, unchangeable purpose in Jesus Christ his Son, before the foundation of the world, hath determined, out of the fallen, sinful race of men, to save in Christ, for Christ's sake, and through Christ, those who, through the grace of the Holy Ghost, shall believe on this his Son Jesus, and shall persevere in this faith and obedience of faith, through this grace, even to the end; and, on the other hand, to leave the incorrigible and unbelieving in sin and under wrath, and to condemn them as alienate from Christ, according to the word of the gospel in John iii.36: 'He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the
het leven niet sien, maer de toorne Gods blyft op hem,' ende andere plaetsen der schrifturen meer. Cui alia quoque Scripturæ dicta respondent. wrath of God abideth on him,' and according to other passages of Scripture also.
Art. II. Art. II. Art. II.
Dat desen volghende, Jezus Christus de salichmaecher des Werelts, voor alle ende yeder Mensch ghestorven is: alsoo dat hyse alle door den doodt des Cruyces, de versoeninghe ende verghevinghe der sonden verworven heeft; alsoo nochtans dat niemandt deselve verghevinghe der sonden dadelyck gheniet, dan de Gheloovighe: mede naer 't Woort des Euangely by Johannem, Cap. iii.16: 'Soo lief heeft Godt de Werelt gehadt, dat hy synen eenighen Soone ghegeven heeft, opdat al, die in hem ghelooft, niet en vergae, maer het eeuwighe leven hebbe.' Ende in den eersten Brief Johannis int ii. vers2: 'Hy is de versoeninge voor onse sonden; en niet alleene voor onse, moer voor des gantsche Werelts sonden. Proinde Jesus Christus, Mundi Salvator, pro omnibus et singulis hominibus mortuus est, omnibusque per mortem crucis promeritus reconciliationem et remissionem peccatorum; ita tamen ut nemo remissionis illius reipsa particeps fiat, præter credentes, idque etiam secundum verba Evangelii Joannis iii.16: 'Ita Deus dilexit Mundum, ut Filium suum unigenitum dederit, ut quisquis credit in eum, non pereat, sed habeat vitam æternam.' Et epistola priore Joannis, Cap. ii. v.2: 'Ipsa est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris, nec pro nostris tantum, sed etiam pro totius Mundi peccatis.' That, agreeably thereto, Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, died for all men and for every man, so that he has obtained for them all, by his death on the cross, redemption and the forgiveness of sins; yet that no one actually enjoys this forgiveness of sins except the believer, according to the word of the Gospel of John iii.16: 'God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' And in the First Epistle of John ii.2: 'And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.'
Art. III. Art. III. Art. III.
Dat de Mensche 't salichmaeckende Gheloove van hem selven niet en heeft; noch uyt cracht van synen vryen wille, alsoo hy in den stant der afwyckinghe ende der sonden niet goets, dat waerlyck goet is (gelych insonderheyt is het salichmaeckende Homo salvificam fidem non habet a se, neque ex liberi arbitrii sui viribus, quandoquidem in statu apostasiæ et peccati nihil boni (quod quidem vere bonum sit, cujusmodi in primis est fides salvifica) ex se et a se potest cogitare, velle aut That man has not saving grace of himself, nor of the energy of his free will, inasmuch as he, in the state of apostasy and sin, can of and by himself neither think, will, nor do any thing that is truly good (such as saving Faith eminently
gheloove) uyt ende van hem selven, can dencken, willen ofte doen. Maar dat het van noode is, dat hy van Godt, in Christo; door synen heilighen Geest, werde herboren en vernieut, in verstant, affectie, oft wille, ende alle crachten, opdat hy het ware goet te recht moge verstaen, bedencken, willen, ende volbrenghen, naer 't woordt Christi, Johann. xiii.5: 'Sonder my en condt ghy niet doen.' facere; sed necessarium est ut a Deo, in Christo, per Spiritum ipsius Sanctum regeneretur atque renovetur, intellectu, affectibus seu voluntate, omnibusque viribus, ut vere bonum recti possit intelligere, meditari, velle atque proficere sicut scriptum est Joh. xv.5: 'Sine me nihil potestis facere.' is); but that it is needful that he be born again of God in Christ, through his Holy Spirit, and renewed in understanding, inclination, or will, and all his powers, in order that he may rightly understand, think, will, and effect what is truly good, according to the Word of Christ, John xv.5: 'Without me ye can do nothing.'
Art. IV. Art. IV. Art. IV.
Dat dese ghenade Godts is het beginsel, de voortganck ende volbrenginghe alles goets, oock soo verre, dat de wedergeboren Mensche selfs, sonder dese voorgaende ofte toecommende, opweckende, volgende ende medewerckende ghenade, noch het goede dencken, willen ofte doen can, noch oock eenighe tentatien ten quade wederstaen: soodat alle goede daden, ofte werckinghen die men bedencken kan de ghenade Godts in Christo moeten toegeschreven worden. Maer soo vele de maniere van de werckinghe derselver ghenade aengaet, die en is niet onwederstandelyck: want daer staet van velen geschreven, dat sy den heyligen Geest wederstaen heben. Actor. vii. ende elders op vele plaetsen. Hæc Dei gratia est principium, progressus et complimentum omnis boni; adeo quidem ut ne ipse quidem regenitus absque præcedente sive præveniente ista, excitante, prosequente et cooperante gratia, bonum cogitare, velle, aut peragere possit, ullisve ad malum tentationibus resistere, ita ut omnia bona opera actionesque, quas quis cogitando potest adsequi, gratiæ Dei in Christo adscribenda sint. Coeterum, quod ad modum operationis ejus gratiæ attinet, non est ille irresistibilis, quandoquidem scriptum est de multis, quod 'Spiritui Sancto restiterint.' Act. vii. et alibi locis compluribus. That this grace of God is the beginning, continuance, and accomplishment of all good, even to this extent, that the regenerate man himself, without prevenient or assisting, awakening, following and cooperative grace, can neither think, will, nor do good, nor withstand any temptations to evil; so that all good deeds or movements, that can be conceived, must be ascribed to the grace of God in Christ. But as respects the mode of the operation of this grace, it is not irresistible, inasmuch as it is written concerning many, that they have resisted the Holy Ghost. Acts vii., and elsewhere in many places.
Art. V. Art. V. Art. V.
Dat die Jesu Christo, door een ware gheloove syn inghelyft, ende oversulcx syns levendighmaeckenden Gheestes deelachtig zyn gheworden, overvloedighe cracht hebben, omme teghens den satan, de sonde, de Werelt, ende haer eygen vleesche te stryden, en de overwinninge te vercrygen. Welverstaende altydt, door den bystand van de ghenade des heyligen Geestes: ende dat Jesus Christus haer door synen Gheest in alle tentatien bystaet, de handt biet, ende, so sy maer alleene ten stryde bereyt zyn, ende syn hulpe begeeren, ende in geenen ghebreke zyn, staende hout, alsoo dat se door gheene listichheyt noch ghewelt des Satans verleyt, oft uyt Christi handen connen ghetrocken worden, near 't woordt Christi, Joh. x.: 'Niemandt en salse uyt myne handen rucken.' Maer of de selve niet en connen, door naelaticheyt, het beginsel haers Wesens in Christo verlaten; de teghenwoordighe Werelt wederom aennemen: van de Heylighe Leere, hen eenmael ghegheven, afwycken: de goede conscientie verliesen: de ghenade verwaerloosen: soude eerst moeten naerder uyt de Heylige Schriftuere Ei qui Christo vera fide insiti, ac per consequens vivificantis ejus Spiritus participes facti sunt, abunde instructi sunt viribus, quibus adversus Satanam, peccatum, Mundum, suamque carnem possint pugnare, atque adeo etiam victoriam ab iis referre; semper tamen (quod cautum volumus) auxilio gratiæ Spiritus Sancti; et Jesus Christus ipsis, per Spiritum suum, in omnibus tentationibus adsistit, manum porrigit, ac eosdem (si modo ad pugnam ipsi parati sint, ejusque opem deposcant, sibique ipsis non desint) fulcit ac confirmat, ita ut nulla fraude aut vi Satanæ seduci, aut ex Christi manibus eripi possint, juxta dictum Christi Joh. x.: 'Oves meas nemo rapiet ex manu mea.' Coeterum, utrum iidem non possint per socordiam ten archen tes hupostaseos christou kataleipein, [839] et præsentem mundum iterum amplecti, a sancta doctrina ipsis semel tradita recedere, bonam conscientiam amittere, gratiamque negligere; esset prius accuratius ex Sacra Scriptura inquirendum quam nos illud possemus That those who are incorporated into Christ by a true faith, and have thereby become partakers of his life-giving Spirit, have thereby full power to strive against Satan, sin, the world, and their own flesh, and to win the victory; it being well understood that it is ever through the assisting grace of the Holy Ghost; and that Jesus Christ assists them through his Spirit in all temptations, extends to them his hand, and if only they are ready for the conflict, and desire his help, and are not inactive, keeps them from falling, so that they, by no craft or power of Satan, can be misled nor plucked out of Christ's hands, according to the Word of Christ, John x.28: 'Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.' But whether they are capable, through negligence, of forsaking again the first beginnings of their life in Christ, of again returning to this present evil world, of turning away from the holy doctrine which was delivered them, of losing a good conscience, of becoming
ondersocht zyn, eer wy 't selve met volle verseeckeringhe onses ghemoets souden connen leeren. alios cum plerophoria animi nostri docere. [840] devoid of grace, that must be more particularly determined out of the Holy Scripture, before we ourselves can teach it with the full persuasion of our minds.
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Dese puncten alsoo voorgedragen ende geleert, houden sy Remonstranten den woorde Godts gelyckformich te wesen, stichtelyck, ende in dese materie ghenoechsaem ter salicheit, sonder dat het van noode zy, oft oock stichtelych, hooger te climmen,
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