Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/358

 3 22 A R M I N I U S. admired the ftrength of argument and folid learning which he (hewed in -ill his leclures : this expofed him to the envy of his brethren, who treated him with great outrage. In 1607, he wrote an excellent letter to the embaflador of the elector Palatine, to vindicate his conduft with regard to the contcfts about religion, in which he was engaged [E] : and Id. F-. 377- the fame year gave a full account to the States of Holland, of 3 3 * his fentiments with regard to the controverted points. Thefe contefts, however, his continual labour, and his uneafinefs ac feeing his eputation blafted by a number of {landers, threw him into a fit of ficknefs, of which he died the igth of Olo- ber, 1609. Dominic Baudius and Hugo Grotius wrote each of them a poem upon his death ; and Daniel Heinfius did Id. p. 435, the fame, but his poem was afterwards fupprefled in the edi- tion of his works. Id.p.437. Arminius was efteemed an excellent preacher: his voice was low, but very agreeable; and his pronunciation ad- mirable : he was eafy and affable to perfons of all ranks, and facetious in his converfation amongft his friends. His great defue was, that Chriftians would bear with one another in all controverfies which did not affect the fundamentals of their religion ; and when they perfecuted each other for points of indifference, it gave him the utmoft diiTatisfaclion. His enemies endeavoured to reprefent him in the moft difad- vantageous light [F], but his memorv has been fufficiently vindicated by men of the greateft diftin&ion [G], He left feveral works [H], ARMSTRONG [E] Mr. Brandt gives us this letter had attempted to difturb not only the in his life of Arminius, p. 341. 346. churches, but even the civil govern- [r] King fames I. in his letter to ment itfeif. Brandt, p. 447, 448. the States of (he United Provinces, [G] Brandt takes notice that Armi- wpon the affair of Conrade Vorftius in ni'js himfelf had fully confuted moft I6II, falls very feverely upon theme- of the imputations caft Ufcn him. Af- mory of Arminius, and calls him "the ter his death, his conduct was fully enemy of God ;" charges him with di- vindicated by Bertius, Epifcopius, Cur- reft herefy ; and puts the States in cellaeu?, and others. The curators of the mind, that the difputes raifed by him univerfity of Leyden had fo great a re- had embroiled their country, and broke gard for him, that they fettled a penfion them into faclions. Collier's Lcclef. upon his wife and rhildren. Hift. part ii. lib. 8. Hornbeck re:-re- [H] The titles of Arminius's writ- fents him as a man fond of his own no ing^ are as follows : i. " Dilputationes ticns and fpeculations, and ftrong'y in- ' de divcrfis Chiiftianae religionis capj- clined to oppofe the fentiments of " tibus." 2. '' Orationes, itemque ethers : he calls him a covenant- " tradlatns infigniores aliquot." 3. breaker, who, having abjured the faith, " Examen modefti libelli Gulielmi and the doflrine of Cbrift, at fitft fe- " Peikijifii De predeftinatinnis mocio et cretly, and afterwards openly, by his " ordine, itemque de amplitudine pra- ewa efl'oru and thofe of his difciplcs, tis divin*." 4. f Anal^fis capitis " noni