Articles of the Synod of Dort [pp. 239-255]

2 rticles of the Synod of Dort
racters of such celebrated men as Calvin, Beza, Zanchius,
and Martyr; and he was so confident in his own opinions,
that he challenged Francis Junius, the most celebrated pro fessor of theology at Leyden, to a conference on the disputed
points.
But when, A. D. 1602,-Junius, to the great grief of all
the Belgic Churches, was snatched away by death, Arminius
was strongly recommended by Utenbogard to the trustees of
the University of Leyden, as a suitable person to fill the va cant chair of theology. This proposal, however, gave much
uneasiness to the deputies of the churches; for they greatly
feared, that if a man whose orthodoxy was so suspicious,
should be placed in a situation so important as that of pro fessor of theology at Leyden, the effects would probably be
contentions and schisms in the churches; they, therefore,
earnestly entreated the curators, that they would not expose
the churches to those perils, but would rather think of ap pointing some other suitable person. And they also admon ished Utenbogard, to desist from recommending a person
who did not enjoy the confidence of the churches; but he dis regarded their admonitions, and did not cease until he had
accomplished his object, and Arminius was invited to the va cant theological chair in the University of Leyden. At first,
the classis or presbytery of Amsterdam hesitated to dismiss
Arminius, lest a man whom they knew to be so fond of inno vation by being advanced to be a professor in an institution in
which so many youth were trained for the holy ministry,
might be the cause of incalculable evils. But the curators of
the University, and Utenbogard the special friend of Armi nius, pressed theirsuit with so much earnestness, that, at length,
all obstacles were overcome, and it was agreed that he should
be translated to Leyden, on condition that he should consent
to hold a conference with Francis Gomar, a learned and or thodox professor of theology in the University, in which he
should remove from himself all suspicion of heterodoxy, by
an explicit declaration of his opinion, on all the principal
heads of doctrine; and, also, that he should solemnly promise
that if he held any peculiar opinions, he would never attempt
to propagate them among the students. To all this, Arminius
readily consented, and the conference was held in the presence
of the trustees of the University, in which he, in the most
solemn manner, renounced the errors of Pelagius, respecting
grace, freewill, predestination, original sin, perfection in this
life, &c. and declared his agreement with Augustin and the
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