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RATIFIED IN THE
NATIONAL SYNOD OF THE REFORMED CHURCH
Held at Dordrecht
in the years 1618 and 1619
FIFTH HEAD
OF DOCTRINE
Of the Perseverance
of the Saints
Article
1
Whom God calls, according to His purpose,
to the communion of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and regenerates
by the Holy Spirit, He delivers also from the dominion and slavery
of sin in this life; though not altogether from the body of
sin and from the infirmities of the flesh, so long as they continue
in this world.
Article
2
Hence spring daily sins of infirmity, and
hence spots adhere to the best works of the saints, which furnish
them with constant matter for humiliation before God, and flying
for refuge to Christ crucified; for mortifying the flesh more
and more by the spirit of prayer, and by holy exercises of piety;
and for pressing forward to the goal of perfection, till being
at length delivered from this body of death, they are brought
to reign with the Lamb of God in heaven.
Article
3
By reason of these remains of indwelling
sin, and the temptations of sin and of the world, those who
are converted could not persevere in a state of grace if left
to their own strength. But God is faithful, who having conferred
grace, mercifully confirms and powerfully preserves them therein,
even to the end.
Article
4
Although the weakness of the flesh cannot
prevail against the power of God, who confirms and preserves
true believers in a state of grace, yet converts are not always
so influenced and actuated by the Spirit of God, as not in some
particular instances sinfully to deviate from the guidance of
divine grace, so as to be seduced by, and comply with the lusts
of the flesh; they must, therefore, be constant in watching
and prayer that they be not led into temptation. When these
are neglected, they are not only liable to be drawn into great
and heinous sins by Satan, the world and the flesh, but sometimes
by the righteous permission of God actually fall into these
evils. This the lamentable fall of David, Peter, and other saints
described in Holy Scripture demonstrates.
Article
5
By such enormous sins, however, they very
highly offend God, incur a deadly guilt, grieve the Holy Spirit,
interrupt the exercise of faith, very grievously wound their
consciences, and sometimes lose the sense of God's favor for
a time, until on their returning into the right way of serious
repentance, the light of God's fatherly countenance again shines
upon them.
Article
6
But God, who is rich in mercy, according
to His unchangeable purpose of election, does not wholly withdraw
the Holy Spirit from His own people, even in their melancholy
falls; nor suffers them to proceed so far as to lose the grace
of adoption, and forfeit the state of justification, or to commit
the sin unto death; nor does He permit them to be totally deserted,
and to plunge themselves into everlasting destruction.
Article
7
For in the first place, in these falls He
preserves in them the incorruptible seed of regeneration from
perishing or being totally lost; and again, by His Word and
Spirit, certainly and effectually renews them to repentance,
to a sincere and godly sorrow for their sins, that they may
seek and obtain remission in the blood of the Mediator, may
again experience the favor of a reconciled God, through faith
adore His mercies, and henceforward more diligently work out
their own salvation with fear and trembling.
Article
8
Thus, it is not in consequence of their own
merits or strength, but of God's free mercy, that they do not
totally fall from faith and grace, nor continue and perish finally
in their backslidings; which, with respect to themselves, is
not only possible, but would undoubtedly happen; but with respect
to God, it is utterly impossible, since His counsel cannot be
changed nor His promise fail, neither can the call according
to His purpose be revoked, nor the merit, intercession and preservation
of Christ be rendered ineffectual, nor the sealing of the Holy
Spirit be frustrated or obliterated.
Article
9
Of this preservation of the elect to salvation
and of their perseverance in the faith, true believers for themselves
may and do obtain assurance according to the measure of their
faith, whereby they arrive at the certain persuasion that they
ever will continue true and living members of the church; and
that they experience forgiveness of sins, and will at last inherit
eternal life.
Article
10
This assurance, however, is not produced
by any peculiar revelation contrary to, or independent of the
Word of God; but springs from faith in God's promises, which
He has most abundantly revealed in His Word for our comfort;
from the testimony of the Holy Spirit witnessing with our spirit
that we are children and heirs of God (Rom. 8:16); and lastly,
from a serious and holy desire to preserve a good conscience
and to perform good works. And if the elect of God were deprived
of this solid comfort that they shall finally obtain the victory
and of this infallible pledge or earnest of eternal glory, they
would be of all men the most miserable.
Article
11
The Scripture moreover testifies that believers
in this life have to struggle with various carnal doubts and
that under grievous temptations they are not always sensible
of this full assurance of faith and certainty of persevering.
But God, who is the Father of all consolation, does not suffer
them to be tempted above that they are able, but will with the
temptation also make a way to escape that they may be able to
bear it (1 Cor. 10:13), and by the Holy Spirit again inspires
them with the comfortable assurance of persevering.
Article
12
This certainty of perseverance, however,
is so far from exciting in believers a spirit of pride or of
rendering them carnally secure, that on the contrary, it is
the real source of humility, filial reverence, true piety, patience
in every tribulation, fervent prayers, constancy in suffering,
and in confessing the truth, and of solid rejoicing in God;
so that the consideration of this benefit should serve as an
incentive to the serious and constant practice of gratitude
and good works, as appears from the testimonies of Scripture
and the examples of the saints.
Article
13
Neither does renewed confidence of persevering
produce licentiousness or a disregard to piety in those who
are recovering from backsliding; but it renders them much more
careful and solicitous to continue in the ways of the Lord,
which He hath ordained, that they who walk therein may maintain
an assurance of persevering, lest by abusing His fatherly kindness,
God should turn away His gracious countenance from them, to
behold which is to the godly dearer than life, the withdrawing
whereof is more bitter than death, and they in consequence hereof
should fall into more grievous torments of conscience.
Article
14
And as it hath pleased God, by the preaching
of the gospel, to begin this work of grace in us, so He preserves,
continues, and perfects it by the hearing and reading of His
Word, by meditation thereon, and by the exhortations, threatenings,
and promises thereof, as well as by the use of the sacraments.
Article
15
The carnal mind is unable to comprehend this
doctrine of the perseverance of the saints and the certainty
thereof, which God hath most abundantly revealed in His Word,
for the glory of His Name, and the consolation of pious souls,
and which He impresses upon the hearts of the faithful. Satan
abhors it; the world ridicules it; the ignorant and hypocrite
abuse, and heretics oppose it; but the spouse of Christ hath
always most tenderly loved and constantly defended it as an
inestimable treasure; and God, against whom neither counsel
nor strength can prevail, will dispose her to continue this
conduct to the end. Now, to this one God, Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit, be honor and glory forever. Amen.
The true doctrine (concerning perseverance)
having been explained, the Synod rejects the errors of those
who teach:
Rejection
1
That the perseverance of the true believers
is not a fruit of election or a gift of God gained by the death
of Christ, but a condition of the new covenant, which (as they
declare) man before his decisive election and justification
must fulfill through his free will. For the Holy Scripture testifies
that this follows out of election, and is given the elect in
virtue of the death, the resurrection and intercession of Christ:
"but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded"
(Rom. 11:7). Likewise: "He that spared not His own Son,
but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also
freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge
of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?
It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who
is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession
for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?"
(Rom. 8:32-35).
Rejection
2
That God does indeed provide the believer
with sufficient powers to persevere and is ever ready to preserve
these in him, if he will do his duty; but that though all things
which are necessary to persevere in faith and which God will
use to preserve faith are made use of, it even then ever depends
on the pleasure of the will whether it will persevere or not.
For this idea contains an outspoken Pelagianism, and while it
would make men free, it makes them robbers of God's honor, contrary
to the prevailing agreement of the evangelical doctrine, which
takes from man all cause of boasting and ascribes all the praise
for this favor to the grace of God alone; and contrary to the
apostle, who declares that it is God "Who shall also confirm
you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our
Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 1:8).
Rejection
3
That the true believers and regenerate not
only can fall from justifying faith and likewise from grace
and salvation wholly and to the end, but indeed often do fall
from this and are lost forever. For this conception makes powerless
the grace, justification, regeneration, and continued keeping
by Christ, contrary to the expressed words of the apostle Paul:
"That, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much
more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved
from wrath through Him" (Rom. 5:8, 9). And contrary to
the apostle John: "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit
sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because
he is born of God" (1 John 3:9). And also contrary to the
words of Jesus Christ: "I give unto them eternal life;
and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them
out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than
all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand"
(John 10:28, 29).
Rejection
4
That true believers and regenerate can sin
the sin unto death or against the Holy Spirit. Since the same
apostle John, after having spoken in the fifth chapter of his
first epistle, verses 16 and 17, of those who sin unto death
and having forbidden to pray for them, immediately adds to this
in verse 18: "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth
not (meaning a sin of that character); but he that is begotten
of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not"
(1 John 5:18).
Rejection
5
That without a special revelation we can
have no certainty of future perseverance in this life. For by
this doctrine the sure comfort of the true believers is taken
away in this life and the doubts of the papist are again introduced
into the church, while the Holy Scriptures constantly deduce
this assurance, not from a special and extraordinary revelation,
but from the marks proper to the children of God and from the
constant promises of God. So especially the apostle Paul: "Nor
any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love
of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:39).
And John declares: "And he that keepeth His commandments
dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abideth
in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us" (1 John 3:24).
Rejection
6
That the doctrine of the certainty of perseverance
and of salvation from its own character and nature is a cause
of indolence and is injurious to godliness, good morals, prayers
and other holy exercises, but that on the contrary it is praiseworthy
to doubt. For these show that they do not know the power of
divine grace and the working of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
And they contradict the apostle John, who teaches the opposite
with express words in his first epistle: "Beloved, now
are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall
be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like
Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath
this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure"
(1 John3:2-3). Furthermore, these are contradicted by the example
of the saints, both of the Old and the New Testament, who though
they were assured of their perseverance and salvation, were
nevertheless constant in prayers and other exercises of godliness.
Rejection
7
That the faith of those who believe for a
time does not differ from justifying and saving faith except
only in duration. For Christ Himself, in Matthew 13:20, Luke
8:13, and in other places, evidently notes, besides this duration,
a threefold difference between those who believe only for a
time and true believers, when He declaresthat the former receive
the seed in stony ground, but the latter in the good ground
or heart; that the former are without root, but the latter have
a firm root; that the former are without fruit, but that the
latter bring forth their fruit in various measure with constancy
and steadfastness.
Rejection
8
That it is not absurd that one having lost
his first regeneration, is again and even often born anew. For
these deny by this doctrine the incorruptibleness of the seed
of God, whereby we are born again, contrary to the testimony
of the apostle Peter: "Being born again, not of corruptible
seed, but of incorruptible" (1 Peter 1:23).
Rejection
9
That Christ has in no place prayed that believers
should infallibly continue in faith. For they contradict Christ
Himself, who says: "I have prayed for thee (Simon), that
thy faith fail not" (Luke 22:32); and the evangelist John,
who declares that Christ has not prayed for the apostles only,
but also for those who through their word would believe: "Holy
Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given
Me," and: "I pray not that Thou shouldest take them
out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the
evil"; "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them
also which shall believe on Me through their word" (John
17:11, 15, 20).
Conclusion
And this is the perspicuous, simple, and
ingenuous declaration of the orthodox doctrine respecting the
five articles which have been controverted in the Belgic churches,
and the rejection of the errors with which they have for some
time been troubled. This doctrine the Synod judges to be drawn
from the Word of God and to be agreeable to the confessions
of the Reformed churches. Whence it clearly appears that some
whom such conduct by no means became, have violated all truth,
equity, and charity, in wishing to persuade the public:
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That the doctrine of the
Reformed churches concerning predestination,
and the points annexed to it, by its own genius
and necessary tendency, leads off the minds
of men from all piety and religion; that it
is an opiate administered by the flesh and the
devil, and the stronghold of Satan, where he
lies in wait for all; and from which he wounds
multitudes, and mortally strikes through many
with the darts both of despair and security;
that it makes God the author of sin, unjust,
tyrannical, hypocritical; that it is nothing
more than interpolated Stoicism, Manicheism,
Libertinism, Turcism; that it renders men carnally
secure, since they are persuaded by it that
nothing can hinder the salvation of the elect,
let them live as they please; and therefore,
that they may safely perpetrate every species
of the most atrocious crimes; and that if the
reprobate should even perform truly all the
works of the saints, their obedience would not
in the least contribute to their salvation;
that the same doctrine teaches that God, by
a mere arbitrary act of His will, without the
least respect or view to any sin, has predestinated
the greatest part of the world to eternal damnation;
and has created them for this very purpose;
that in the same manner in which the election
is the fountain and the cause of faith and good
works, reprobation is the cause of unbelief
and impiety; that many children of the faithful
are torn guiltless from their mothers' breasts
and tyrannically plunged into hell; so that
neither baptism nor the prayers of the Church
at their baptism, can at all profit by them";
and many other things of the same kind which
the Reformed Churches not only do not acknowledge,
but even detest with their whole soul. Wherefore,
this Synod of Dort, in the name of the Lord,
conjures as many as piously call upon the name
of our Savior Jesus Christ, to judge of the
faith of the Reformed Churches not from the
calumnies, which on every side are heaped upon
it; nor from the private expressions of a few
among ancient and modern teachers, often dishonestly
quoted or corrupted and wrested to a meaning
quite foreign to their intention; but from the
public confessions of the Churches themselves
and from the declaration of the orthodox doctrine,
confirmed by the unanimous consent of all and
each of the members of the whole Synod. Moreover,
the Synod warns calumniators themselves to consider
the terrible judgment of God which awaits them
for bearing false witness against the confessions
of so many churches, for distressing the consciences
of the weak, and for laboring to render suspect
the society of the truly faithful. Finally,
this Synod exhorts all their brethren in the
gospel of Christ to conduct themselves piously
and religiously in handling this doctrine, both
in the universities and churches; to direct
it, as well in discourse as in writing, to the
glory of the divine Name, to holiness of life,
and to the consolation of afflicted souls; to
regulate, by the Scripture, according to the
analogy of faith, not only their sentiments,
but also their language; and to abstain from
all those phrases which exceed the limits necessary
to be observed in ascertaining the genuine sense
of the holy Scriptures, and may furnish insolent
sophists with a just pretext for violently assailing
or even vilifying the doctrine of the Reformed
churches. |
May Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, who, seated at the Father's right hand, gives
gifts to men, sanctify us in the truth, bring to the truth those
who err, shut the mouths of the calumniators of sound doctrine,
and endue the faithful minister of His Word with the spirit
of wisdom and discretion, that all their discourses may tend
to the glory of God and the edification of those who hear them.
Amen. That this is our faith and decision we certify
by subscribing our names. Here follow the names, not only of
President, Assistant President, and Secretaries of the Synod,
and of the Professors of Theology in the Dutch Churches, but
of all the Members who were deputed to the Synod as the Representatives
of their respective Churches, that is, of the Delegates from
Great Britain, the Electoral Palatinate, Hessia, Switzerland,
Wetteraw, The Republic and Church of Geneva, The Republic and
Church of Bremen, The Republic and Church of Emden, The Duchy
of Gelderland and of Zutphen, South Holland, North Holland,
Zeeland, The Province of Utrecht, Friesland, Transylvania, The
State of Groningen and Omland, Drent, The French Churches.
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