ARMINIANS

ARMINIANS, a religious Sect or Party, which arose in Holland, by a Separation from the Calvinists.

See ARMINIANISM.

The Arminians are sometimes also called Remonstrants;by reason of a Remonstrance which they presented to the States General in 1611, wherein the chief Articles of their Faith were laid down. See REMONSTRANT.

The latter Arminians carried 'Things much further than Arminius himself, and even came very near to Socinianism:—Especially under Simon Episcopius—When the Calvinists upbraided them with renewing an ancient Heresy already condemned in the Pelagians, and Semi-Pelagians; they replied, that the mere Authority of Men could not be allowed a legitimate Proof anywhere but in the Church of Rome; that it was not enough to show any Opinion had been condemned, without showing it had been condemned justly: Nec satis est damnatam Olim Sententiam esse, nisi damnandam; aut jure at rite damnatam esse, constet. On this Principle, which the Calvinists cannot well gainsay, the Arminians retrench abundance of those called fundamental Articles of Religion. Not finding them all clearly expressed in Scripture, they laughed at all the Catechisms and Formulas of Faith which they would have restrained them to; and accordingly were condemned at the famous Synod of Dort, held in 1618, whereat Divines from all the Reformed Churches were present.



Many among them have quitted the Doctrine of their Master relating to the Points of eternal Election and Predestination— Arminius taught, that God elected the Faithful out of a Foreknowledge of their Faith: But Episcopius, and others, think he elects no Person from all Eternity, and only elects the Faithful, at the Time when they actually believe. They speak very ambiguously of the Prescience of God, which was the principal Strong-Hold of Arminius:They look on the Doctrine of the Trinity as a Point not necessary to Salvation; and many of them hold there is no Precept in Scripture, by which we are enjoined to adore the Holy Ghost; and that Jesus Christ is not equal to God the Father. And they generally avoid the Word Satisfaction of Christ. Though Episcopius declares, that Jesus Christ has made Satisfaction to God, so far as to render him propitious to Mankind. They press with a great deal of Earnestness, a general Toleration of all those who profess the Christian Religion;maintaining that all Christians are agreed in the essential Points: As it has never been decided by any infallible Authority, which of the many Ways is the true one, and the most agreeable to the Word of God; they ought all to combine on the same Footing, to compose one Church, without obliging any to quit their own Sentiments, or embrace those of others.

Their principal Writers are Arminius, Episcopius, and Grotius, to which may be added Curcellaeus, who has collected a System of Theology out of the large diffusive Writings of Episcopius, with the Addition of many Things of his own:—Though Curcellaeus, it must be owned, is ranked by the Socinians among the Number of their Writers;

ARMINIANS