Sermons & Devotionals by James Arminius

II. THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD I consider Divine Providence to be "that solicitous, continued, and universally present inspection and oversight of God, according to which he exercises a general care over the whole world, but evinces a particular concern for all his [intelligent] creatures without any exc... Read More

I. ON PREDESTINATION The first and most important article in religion on which I have to offer my views, and which for many years past has engaged my attention, is the Predestination of God, that is, the Election of men to salvation, and the Reprobation of them to destruction. Commencing with this a... Read More

DISPUTATION 4 ON THE NATURE OF GOD RESPONDENT: JAMES ARMINIUS -- WHEN HE STOOD FOR HIS DEGREE OF D. D. I. The very nature of things and the Scriptures of God, as well as the general consent of all wise men and nations, testify that a nature is correctly ascribed to God. (Gal. iv, 8; 2 Pet. i, 4; Ari... Read More

ORATION V ON RECONCILING RELIGIOUS DISSENSIONS AMONG CHRISTIANS Never since the first entrance of sin into the world, have there been any ages so happy as not to be disturbed by the occurrence of some evil or other; and, on the contrary, there has been no age so embittered with calamities, as not to... Read More

X. THE REVISION OF THE DUTCH CONFESSION, AND THE HEIDELBERG CATECHISM But, besides these things, I had some annotations to make on the Confession of the Dutch Churches and on the Heidelberg Catechism; but they will be discussed most appropriately in our Synod, which at the first opportunity we hope ... Read More

DISPUTATION 2 ON THE SUFFICIENCY AND PERFECTION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES IN OPPOSITION TO TRADITIONS RESPONDENT: ABRAHAM VLIET I. When we ascribe Perfection to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, we do not mean by that word, the perfection described by the Apostle in 1 Corinthians xiii, 10; f... Read More

DISPUTATION 3 ON THE SUFFICIENCY AND PERFECTION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES IN OPPOSITION TO HUMAN TRADITIONS RESPONDENT: DE COIGNEE Because the Papists contend for unwritten traditions, against the entire perfection of Scripture, as if it were for every thing sacred and dear to them. that they may be ab... Read More

VI. THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION With regard to the certainty [or assurance] of salvation, my opinion is, that it is possible for him who believes in Jesus Christ to be certain and persuaded, and, if his heart condemn him not, he is now in reality assured, that he is a son of God, and stands in the gr... Read More

ORATION II THE AUTHOR AND THE END OF THEOLOGY They who are conversant with the demonstrative species of oratory, and choose for themselves any subject of praise or blame, must generally be engaged in removing from themselves, what very readily assails the minds of their auditors, a suspicion that th... Read More

DISPUTATION 1 ON THE AUTHORITY AND CERTAINTY OF THE SACRED SCRIPTURES RESPONDENT: BERNARD VESUKIUS I. The authority of Scripture is nothing else but the worthiness according to which it merits (1.) CREDENCE, as being true in words and true in significations, whether it simply declares anything; or a... Read More

ORATION III THE CERTAINTY OF SACRED THEOLOGY Although the observations which I have already offered in explanation of the Object, the Author and the End of sacred Theology, and other remarks which might have been made, if they had fallen into the hands of a competent interpreter, although all of the... Read More

VIII. THE DIVINITY OF THE SON OF GOD With regard to the Divinity of the Son of God and the word autoqeov both of which have been discussed in our University in the regular form of scholastic disputations, I cannot sufficiently wonder what the motive can be, which has created a wish in some persons t... Read More

DISPUTATION 7 ON THE FIRST SIN OF THE FIRST MAN RESPONDENT: ABRAHAM APPART THE USE OF THE DOCTRINE I. When an inquiry is instituted concerning this first evil, we do not agitate the question for the purpose of unworthily exposing to disgrace the nakedness of the first formed pair, which had been clo... Read More

III. THE FREE-WILL OF MAN This is my opinion concerning the free-will of man: In his primitive condition as he came out of the hands of his creator, man was endowed with such a portion of knowledge, holiness and power, as enabled him to understand, esteem, consider, will, and to perform the true goo... Read More

IV. THE GRACE OF GOD In reference to Divine Grace, I believe, 1. It is a gratuitous affection by which God is kindly affected towards a miserable sinner, and according to which he, in the first place, gives his Son, "that whosoever believers in him might have eternal life," and, afterwards, he justi... Read More

DISPUTATION 6 ON THE HOLY SPIRIT RESPONDENT: JAMES MAHOT As the preceding Disputation treated of God the Father and God the Son, order requires us now to enter on the subject of the Holy Ghost. I. The word Spirit signifies primarily, properly, and adequately, a thing which in its first act and essen... Read More

IX. THE JUSTIFICATION OF MAN BEFORE GOD I am not conscious to myself, of having taught or entertained any other sentiments concerning the justification of man before God, than those which are held unanimously by the Reformed and Protestant Churches, and which are in complete agreement with their exp... Read More

ORATION I THE OBJECT OF THEOLOGY To Almighty God alone belong the inherent and absolute right, will, and power of determining concerning us. Since, therefore, it has pleased him to call me, his unworthy servant, from the ecclesiastical functions which I have for some years discharged in the Church o... Read More

VII. THE PERFECTION OF BELIEVERS IN THIS LIFE Beside those doctrines on which I have treated, there is now much discussion among us respecting the perfection of believers, or regenerated persons, in this life; and it is reported, that I entertain sentiments on this subject, which are very improper, ... Read More

V. THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS My sentiments respecting the perseverance of the saints are, that those persons who have been grafted into Christ by true faith, and have thus been made partakers of his life-giving Spirit, possess sufficient powers [or strength] to fight against Satan, sin, the wor... Read More