Jacobus Trigland
Encyclopedia
Jacobus Trigland (22 July 1583 – 5 April 1654) was a Dutch Reformed theologian. After the Synod of Dort
of 1618-19, he worked and wrote against the Remonstrants
.
, he was sent, in 1597, to some priests at Amsterdam to study theology. Toward the end of 1598 he went to Leuven
where doubts arose in his mind which ultimately led him to break with Catholicism. He was entrusted with a mission to Haarlem
by the head of the Collegium Pontificium, and never returned to Leuven. After a few weeks at Gouda, where his foster relations rejected him, he sought refuge in the house of his parents, where he studied Reformed tenets, meanwhile seeking occupation to gain his livelihood.
In 1602 he was made rector of the school at Vianen, and in the following year entered the Reformed Church. Having prepared privately for the ministry, he was ordained pastor at Stolwijk
in 1607; and was pastor at Amsterdam
, from 1610. Here, in 1614, he became involved in affairs of Church and state which ended only with his death. In 1617 he received leave of absence to the Reformed church at The Hague
, and was a deputy of the provincial synod of North Holland to the Synod of Dort, which appointed him a member of the committee to draw up the Canons of Dort.
Trigland was professor of theology at the University of Leiden, succeeding André Rivet
in 1633. He lectured on the exegesis of the Old Testament, on the Loci Communes
, 1639-50, and later on cases of conscience. He was also pastor of the Reformed church at Leiden (1637-45). He died at Leiden.
back to Wessel Gansfort, and claimed that the doctrine of election in Philipp Melanchthon
and Heinrich Bullinger
was compatible with the outcome of the Synod of Dort.
Writing against the Remonstrants, his feeling was that their teachings were pernicious and not to be allowed. This is plain in his Den rechtghematichden Christen (Amsterdam, 1615). In his Verdedigingh van de Leere end' Eere der Ghereformeerde Kerken, ende Leeraren (1616) he defends Reformed dogmatics. He opposed civil intervention in ecclesiastical affairs in his Antwoordt op drij vraghen dienende tot advys in de huydendagsche kerklijke swarigheden (1615), and his Christelijcke ende nootwendighe verclaringhe (1615).
, was his son. Another Jacobus Trigland, also a professor at Leiden, was his grandson.
Synod of Dort
The Synod of Dort was a National Synod held in Dordrecht in 1618-1619, by the Dutch Reformed Church, to settle a divisive controversy initiated by the rise of Arminianism. The first meeting was on November 13, 1618, and the final meeting, the 154th, was on May 9, 1619...
of 1618-19, he worked and wrote against the Remonstrants
Remonstrants
The Remonstrants are the Dutch Protestants who, after the death of Jacobus Arminius, maintained the views associated with his name. In 1610 they presented to the States of Holland and Friesland a remonstrance in five articles formulating their points of disagreement from Calvinism.-History:The five...
.
Life
He was born at Vianen to Roman Catholic parents. Brought up by relatives at GoudaGouda
Gouda is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Gouda, which was granted city rights in 1272, is famous for its Gouda cheese, smoking pipes, and 15th-century city hall....
, he was sent, in 1597, to some priests at Amsterdam to study theology. Toward the end of 1598 he went to Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
where doubts arose in his mind which ultimately led him to break with Catholicism. He was entrusted with a mission to Haarlem
Haarlem
Haarlem is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland, which at one time was the most powerful of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic...
by the head of the Collegium Pontificium, and never returned to Leuven. After a few weeks at Gouda, where his foster relations rejected him, he sought refuge in the house of his parents, where he studied Reformed tenets, meanwhile seeking occupation to gain his livelihood.
In 1602 he was made rector of the school at Vianen, and in the following year entered the Reformed Church. Having prepared privately for the ministry, he was ordained pastor at Stolwijk
Stolwijk
Stolwijk is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Vlist, and lies about 6 km southeast of Gouda.In 2005, the town of Stolwijk had 4980 inhabitants...
in 1607; and was pastor at Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, from 1610. Here, in 1614, he became involved in affairs of Church and state which ended only with his death. In 1617 he received leave of absence to the Reformed church at The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, and was a deputy of the provincial synod of North Holland to the Synod of Dort, which appointed him a member of the committee to draw up the Canons of Dort.
Trigland was professor of theology at the University of Leiden, succeeding André Rivet
André Rivet
André Rivet was a French Huguenot theologian.-Life:He was born at Saint-Maixent, 43 km southwest of Poitiers, France. After completing his education at Berne, he studied theology privately at Berne and La Rochelle, and from 1595 to 1620 was at Thouars, first as chaplain of the duke of La...
in 1633. He lectured on the exegesis of the Old Testament, on the Loci Communes
Loci Communes
Loci Communes or Loci communes rerum theologicarum seu hypotyposes theologicae was a work by the Lutheran theologian Philipp Melancthon published in 1521...
, 1639-50, and later on cases of conscience. He was also pastor of the Reformed church at Leiden (1637-45). He died at Leiden.
Works
His Kerckelycke Geschiedenissen (Leiden 1650) was an important work on Calvinist church histories. In it he commented on the work of Johannes Uytenbogaert, who had published a Remonstrant Church History in 1646. His own distinctive view traced the Protestant ReformationProtestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
back to Wessel Gansfort, and claimed that the doctrine of election in Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon , born Philipp Schwartzerdt, was a German reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, intellectual leader of the Lutheran Reformation, and an influential designer of educational systems...
and Heinrich Bullinger
Heinrich Bullinger
Heinrich Bullinger was a Swiss reformer, the successor of Huldrych Zwingli as head of the Zurich church and pastor at Grossmünster...
was compatible with the outcome of the Synod of Dort.
Writing against the Remonstrants, his feeling was that their teachings were pernicious and not to be allowed. This is plain in his Den rechtghematichden Christen (Amsterdam, 1615). In his Verdedigingh van de Leere end' Eere der Ghereformeerde Kerken, ende Leeraren (1616) he defends Reformed dogmatics. He opposed civil intervention in ecclesiastical affairs in his Antwoordt op drij vraghen dienende tot advys in de huydendagsche kerklijke swarigheden (1615), and his Christelijcke ende nootwendighe verclaringhe (1615).
Family
Cornelis Trigland, tutor to the future William III of EnglandWilliam III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
, was his son. Another Jacobus Trigland, also a professor at Leiden, was his grandson.
Further reading
- H. W. Ter Haar (2008), Jacobus Trigland