Dordt stated that in reaction to the Arminian and Remonstrant Articles and Opinions, that Arminius and the Remonstrants, “summon back from hell the Pelagian error.”[1] They said that Arminianism “deceive(s) the simple,”[2] “is an invention of the human brain,”[3] is a “pernicious error,”[4] “smacks of Pelagius,”[5] “runs counter to the entire Scripture,”[6] is “gross error,”[7] “militate(s) against the experience of the saints and is contrary to Scripture,”[8] “contradict(s) Scripture,”[9] “attempt(s) to give the people the deadly poison of Pelagianism,”[10] “contradict(s) the apostle” and “contradict(s) the Savior,”[11] “is an insult to the wisdom of God,”[12] “is opposed to the plain testimonies of Scripture,”[13] “is a teaching that is entirely Pelagian and contrary to the whole of Scripture.”[14] Christians should know that “the early church already condemned this doctrine long ago in the Pelagians,”[15] “is obviously Pelagian,”[16] and “nullifies the very grace of justification and regeneration.”[17]
The orthodox professors, theologians, and ministers of Holland and England sought incessantly to suppress the teaching of the Arminians and to prohibit the exercise of that faith which they were firm in condemning as heretical. This they were able to do quite effectively by the convening of the Synod of Dort. Arminianism, for these reasons, has always been viewed as not only error, but heresy.
[1] Synod of Dordt, Canon 2 Article 3 in the Rejection of Errors.
[2] Synod of Dordt, Canon 1 Article 1 in the Rejection of Errors.
[3] Synod of Dordt, Canon 1 Article 2 in the Rejection of Errors.
[4] Synod of Dordt, Canon 1 Article 3 in the Rejection of Errors.
[5] Synod of Dordt, Canon 1 Article 4 in the Rejection of Errors.
[6] Synod of Dordt, Canon 1 Article 5 in the Rejection of Errors, and Synod of Dordt, Canon 3 Article 4 in the Rejection of Errors.
[7] Synod of Dordt, Canon 1 Article 6 in the Rejection of Errors.
[8] Synod of Dordt, Canon 2 Article 1 in the Rejection of Errors.
[9] Synod of Dordt, Canon 2 Article 4 in the Rejection of Errors.
[10] Synod of Dordt, Canon 2 Article 6 in the Rejection of Errors.
[11] Synod of Dordt, Canon 2 Article 7 in the Rejection of Errors.
[12] Synod of Dordt, Canon 3 Article 1 in the Rejection of Errors.
[13] Synod of Dordt, Canon 4 Article 4 in the Rejection of Errors.
[14] Synod of Dordt, Canon 3 Article 7 in the Rejection of Errors.
[15] Synod of Dordt, Canon 3 Article 9 in the Rejection of Errors.
[16] Synod of Dordt, Canon 5 Article 2 in the Rejection of Errors.
[17] Synod of Dordt, Canon 5 Article 3 in the Rejection of Errors.
