Dordtse Leerreëls
Hierdie Belydenisskrif was die beslissing van die Nasionale Sinode van die Gereformeerde Kerke van die Verenigde Nederlande, wat in die jare 1618 en 1619 in Dordrecht gehou is, oor die bekende vyf leerstellings van die Remonstrante waaroor daar in die Gereformeerde Kerke verskil ontstaan het.
Voorwoord
IN DIE NAAM VAN ONS HERE EN SALIGMAKER JESUS CHRISTUS, AMEN
Die Here, ons Verlosser Jesus Christus, het ‘n uiters groot aantal vertroostinge in hierdie ellendige bestaan aan sy strydende kerk gegee. Tereg word die troos wat Hy, by sy vertrek na sy Vader in sy hemelse heiligdom, vir die kerk agtergelaat het, as die belangrikste beskou. Hy het naamlik gesê:
“Ek is met julle al die dae tot aan die voleinding van die wêreld” (Matt. 28:20).
Die waaragtigheid van hierdie allersoetste belofte skitter duidelik in die kerk van alle tye. Dit is immers van die begin af nie alleen deur openlike geweld van die vyande daarvan en deur die goddeloosheid van ketters geteister nie, maar ook deur die openlike slinksheid van verleiers. As die Here sy kerk trouens ooit in die heilsame bystand van die belofte van sy nabyheid in die steek sou gelaat het, sou dit lankal deur die geweld van tiranne onderdruk of deur die bedrog van bedrieërs die verderf in verlei gewees het. Maar Hy, die goeie Herder, het sy kudde vir wie Hy sy lewe afgelê het, met die grootste standvastigheid liefgehad; Hy het altyd betyds en dikwels met sy uitgestrekte hand die woede van die vervolgers van die kerk wonderbaarlik onderdruk en die kronkelpaaie en bedrieglike planne van verleiers ontmasker en vernietig. In albei gevalle het Hy getoon dat Hy sy kerk ten nouste naby is.
Daar bestaan voortreflike getuienis hiervan in die annale van godvrugtige keisers, konings en prinse wat die Seun van God so dikwels verwek het om sy kerk by te staan en met heilige ywer vir sy huis laat brand het. Deur hulle toedoen het Hy nie alleen die woede van tiranne aan bande gelê nie, maar ook die middels van heilige Sinodes aan die kerk voorsien wanneer dit in ‘n stryd met valse leraars gewikkel was wat die godsdiens op verskillende maniere vervals het. In hierdie Sinodes het getroue diensknegte van Christus met gesamentlike gebede, besluite en inspanning ten behoewe van die kerk en die waarheid van God moedig stand gehou en die kerk onverskrokke teen die dienaars van die Satan beskerm, ten spyte daarvan dat hulle hulle in engele van die lig verander het. Verder het hulle die saad van dwalings en tweedrag uit die weg geruim, die kerk in eensgesindheid van die suiwer godsdiens bewaar en die opregte diens aan God onvervals aan die nageslag oorgelewer.
Ons getroue Verlosser het sy genadige nabyheid in hierdie tyd met ‘n soortgelyke weldaad aan die kerk in Nederland betuig wat verskeie jare lank tot die uiterste toe beproef is. Hierdie kerk is trouens deur die magtige hand van God van die tirannie van die Roomse Antichris en die verskriklike afgodediens van die pousdom verlos; so dikwels is dit in die gevare van langdurige oorlog wonderbaarlik beskerm en dit het tot lof van sy God, tot wonderlike groei van die staat en tot blydskap van die ganse Gereformeerde wêreld in die eensgesindheid van die ware leer en tug geblom.
Jakobus Arminius en sy navolgers, wat as Remonstrante bekendstaan, het dit daarna egter eers in die geheim maar uiteindelik in die openbaar met verskeie onbekende sowel as nuwe dwalinge aangeval. Hierdeur is die kerk hardnekkig deur afstootlike twis en skeuring in beroering gebring en hulle het dit in so ‘n groot krisis gedompel dat die mees bloeiende kerk as gevolg van die verskriklike brand van twiste en skeuring uiteindelik in vlamme sou opgegaan het as die ontferming van ons Verlosser nie betyds tussenbeide getree het nie.
Maar aan die Here kom lof toe tot in ewigheid. Nadat Hy vir ‘n rukkie sy aangesig vir ons verberg het omdat ons sy toorn en verontwaardiging op baie maniere uitgelok het, het Hy aan die hele wêreld bewys dat Hy sy verbond nie vergeet het nie en dat Hy die versugtinge van dié wat aan Hom behoort nie verontagsaam nie. Menslikerwys kon daar beswaarlik enige teenmiddel te voorskyn tree. Daarom het Hy die ingewing aan beroemde maghebbers in die State Generaal van die Nederlandse verbond gegee om volgens die advies en aanwysing van die deurlugtige en moedige Prins van Oranje die beslissing te neem om hierdie euwels wat hulleself uitwoed, met wetlike middels teen te gaan.
Hierdie middels was volgens die voorbeeld van die apostels en dié wat daarop gevolg het, met die lang verloop van tye deur die Christelike kerk goedgekeur en tevore ook met groot vrug in die Nederlandse kerk gebruik. Hulle het ook besluit om uit al die provinsies waaroor hulle bevel gehad het, op hulle eie gesag ‘n Sinode by Dordrecht byeen te roep nadat hulle daartoe versoek is en hulle ook begunstig is deur die baie vriendelike en magtige koning van Groot Brittanje, Koning Jakobus, uitmuntende prinse, rade en state en hulle hierbenewens ook ‘n baie groot aantal van die belangrikste teoloë bekom het.
Hulle doel was dat die leerstellings van Arminius en sy navolgers deur ‘n algemene oordeel van soveel teoloë sorgvuldig in ‘n plegtige Sinode ondersoek kon word; sodat daaroor uit die Woord van God alleen geoordeel kon word; verder dat die ware leer bevestig en die valse leer verwerp kon word, en dat eensgesindheid, vrede en rus met God se seën weer in die kerke in Nederland herstel kon word. Dit is oor hierdie weldaad van God waaroor die Nederlandse kerke verheug is, en hulle erken nederig die getroue medelye van hulle Verlosser en verkondig dit met dankbaarheid.
Hierdie agbare Sinode is gevolglik op gesag van die hoogste owerheid in al die kerke in Nederland voorafgegaan deur die aansegging en huldiging van vas en gebede om God se toorn af te bid en Hom om sy genadige bystand te smeek. Die Sinode is aangevuur deur liefde vir die mag van God en vir die welvaart van die kerk en het in Dordrecht in die Naam van die Here vergader. Na aanroeping van God se Naam, is die Sinode deur ‘n heilige eed daartoe verbind om die Heilige Skrif alleen as maatstaf vir sy beoordeling te aanvaar en in die ondersoek en oordeel van hierdie saak met ‘n goeie en onpartydige gewete op te tree.
Die Sinode het ywerig en met groot geduld daaraan gewerk om die belangrikste voorstanders van hierdie leerstellings voor hulle te daag en hulle daartoe te beweeg om hulle opvatting oor die vyf bekende hoofpunte van hulle leer en die redes vir hulle opvattings vollediger uiteen te sit. Hulle het egter die oordeel van die Sinode verwerp en geweier om op ‘n billike manier op die vrae te antwoord. Nóg die teregwysing van die Sinode, nóg die opdragte van die uitmuntende en magtige verteenwoordigers van die State Generaal, ja, selfs nie eens die bevele van die uitnemende maghebbers van die State Generaal kon by hulle enige vordering maak nie.
Daarom is die Sinode op las van dieselfde maghebbers en volgens ‘n gewoonte wat al lankal reeds in Sinodes van ouds in swang was, genoodsaak om ‘n ander weg te betree. Daar is dus ‘n ondersoek ingestel na daardie vyf hoofpunte van hulle leerstellings uit hulle geskrifte, belydenisse en verklarings wat gedeeltelik reeds tevore uitgegee is en gedeeltelik aan hierdie Sinode beskikbaar gestel is.
Deur die sonderlinge genade van God is hierdie ondersoek met die grootste sorgvuldigheid, betroubaarheid en goeie gewete, en met die instemming van almal saam en elkeen afsonderlik afgehandel. Gevolglik het hierdie Sinode besluit om tot Gods eer en met die oog daarop om die suiwerheid van die heilswaarheid, die rustigheid van ons gewetens en die rus en welvaart van die Nederlandse kerk ter harte te neem, die volgende beslissing bekend te stel. Hierin word die Sinode se opvatting wat waaragtig en in ooreenstemming met die Woord van God is, oor die voorgenoemde vyf hoofpunte van hulle leer uiteengesit en as vals en in stryd met die Woord van God verwerp.
Canons of Dort
This Confession was the decision of the National Synod of the Reformed Churches of the United Netherlands, held in the years 1618 and 1619 in Dordrecht, concerning the well-known five articles of the Remonstrants about which controversy had arisen in the Reformed Churches.
Foreword
IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, AMEN
The Lord, our Redeemer Jesus Christ, has given an exceedingly great number of consolations to His Church militant in this miserable existence. Rightly the consolation which He left to the Church at His departure to His Father in His heavenly sanctuary is considered the most important. He said:
“I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).
The truth of this most sweet promise shines clearly in the Church of all ages. For from the beginning it has been assailed not only by the open violence of its enemies and the godlessness of heretics, but also by the open craftiness of seducers. Indeed, if the Lord had ever forsaken His Church by withdrawing the saving assistance of His promised presence, it would long ago have been oppressed by the violence of tyrants or led to destruction by the deceit of impostors. But He, the Good Shepherd, who laid down His life for His flock, loved them with the greatest constancy; He always intervened in time and often with His outstretched hand wonderfully suppressed the fury of the Church’s persecutors and unmasked and destroyed the winding paths and deceitful schemes of seducers. In both cases He showed that He is most closely present with His Church.
There is excellent testimony of this in the annals of godly emperors, kings, and princes whom the Son of God so often raised up to assist His Church and made them burn with holy zeal for His house. Through their efforts He not only restrained the fury of tyrants, but also provided the Church with the means of holy synods whenever it was engaged in a struggle with false teachers who had corrupted the faith in various ways. In these synods, faithful servants of Christ courageously stood firm with united prayers, resolutions, and exertion on behalf of the Church and the truth of God, and fearlessly defended the Church against the servants of Satan, despite the fact that they had transformed themselves into angels of light. Furthermore, they cleared away the seeds of errors and discord, preserved the Church in the unity of pure religion, and handed down the genuine worship of God uncorrupted to posterity.
Our faithful Redeemer demonstrated His gracious presence at this time with a similar blessing to the Church in the Netherlands, which had been tested to the utmost for several years. For this Church had been delivered by the mighty hand of God from the tyranny of the Roman Antichrist and the dreadful idolatry of the papacy; it had been wonderfully preserved so often in the dangers of prolonged war, and had flourished in unity of true doctrine and discipline, to the praise of its God, to the wonderful growth of the state, and to the joy of the entire Reformed world.
Jacobus Arminius and his followers, known as the Remonstrants, subsequently attacked this Church, first in secret but eventually in public, with various unknown as well as new errors. Thereby the Church was stubbornly thrown into turmoil by repulsive strife and schism, and they plunged it into such a great crisis that the most flourishing Church would eventually have gone up in flames as a result of the terrible fire of disputes and schism, had the mercy of our Redeemer not intervened in time.
But to the Lord be praise forever. After He had hidden His face from us for a while because we had provoked His wrath and indignation in many ways, He proved to the whole world that He had not forgotten His covenant and that He does not disregard the longings of those who belong to Him. Humanly speaking, there could scarcely have been any remedy. Therefore He gave the inspiration to the renowned magistrates in the States General of the Dutch confederation, in accordance with the advice and direction of the illustrious and courageous Prince of Orange, to take the decision to oppose these evils, which were raging unchecked, by lawful means.
These means had been approved by the Christian Church over the long course of time, following the example of the apostles and those who followed them, and had previously been used with great fruit in the Dutch Church. They also resolved to convene a Synod at Dordrecht from all the provinces under their authority, on their own initiative, after they had been requested to do so and had also been favoured by the very friendly and powerful King of Great Britain, King James, distinguished princes, councils, and states, and had furthermore secured a very large number of the most important theologians.
Their purpose was that the doctrines of Arminius and his followers could be carefully examined by the general judgment of so many theologians in a solemn Synod; that judgment could be rendered from the Word of God alone; further, that the true doctrine could be confirmed and the false doctrine rejected, and that unity, peace, and rest could be restored with God’s blessing in the churches of the Netherlands. It is over this blessing of God that the Dutch churches rejoice, and they humbly acknowledge the faithful compassion of their Redeemer and proclaim it with gratitude.
This venerable Synod was consequently preceded, on the authority of the highest government, in all the churches of the Netherlands by the announcement and observance of fasting and prayers to avert God’s wrath and to entreat Him for His gracious assistance. The Synod was fired by love for the power of God and for the welfare of the Church and assembled at Dordrecht in the Name of the Lord. After the invocation of God’s Name, the Synod was bound by a holy oath to accept the Holy Scripture alone as the standard for its judgment and to act with a good and impartial conscience in the examination and judgment of this matter.
The Synod worked zealously and with great patience to summon the principal advocates of these doctrines before them and to persuade them to set forth their views on the five well-known main points of their doctrine and the reasons for their views more fully. However, they rejected the judgment of the Synod and refused to answer the questions in a fair manner. Neither the admonition of the Synod, nor the instructions of the excellent and powerful delegates of the States General, indeed, not even the commands of the distinguished magistrates of the States General could make any progress with them.
Therefore the Synod was compelled, on the order of the same magistrates and according to a custom that had long been in use in synods of old, to take a different course. An investigation was therefore made into those five main points of their doctrines from their writings, confessions, and declarations, which had partly already been published previously and partly been made available to this Synod.
By the singular grace of God, this investigation was completed with the greatest care, trustworthiness, and good conscience, and with the agreement of all together and each individually. Consequently, this Synod resolved, to the glory of God and with the aim of taking to heart the purity of the truth of salvation, the quietness of our consciences, and the peace and welfare of the Dutch Church, to publish the following decision. In this decision the Synod’s view, which is true and in accordance with the Word of God, concerning the aforementioned five main points of their doctrine is set forth, and that which is false and contrary to the Word of God is rejected.