ARNAUD, ANTHONY, was born at Paris, on the 6th day of February 1612. He was the twentieth child of Anthony Arnaud, the celebrated advocate, who pleaded the cause of the university of Paris against the Jesuits, in 1594. He seems to have inherited all his father's sentiments respecting that society ; and, in opposing their tenets, the most active part of his life was very successfully employed. He studied the languages, and passed through a course of philosophy, in the college of Calvi, and then proceeded to the study of theology in the Sorbonne. While engaged in this pursuit, he adopted the opinions of the Jansonistst on the doctrine of grace, in preference to those of the Jesuits ; and, when taking the degree of bachelor, he opposed, in his thesis, the sentiments of his professor, M. L'Escot, on that subject. L'Escot resented very keenly this pre sumption in his pupil, and exerted himself to the utmost, but without effect, to prevent the young theologian from being admitted a member of the society of the Sorbonne. In 1643, Arnaud published a treatise on fre quent communion ; in which he attacked, with great ability, the notions of the Jesuits on that subject. He next entered very keenly into the disputes which pre vailed, about this time, in the university of Paris, on the subject of grace ; and which had been excited chiefly by the work of Jansonius, bishop of Ypres. The opi nions of this writer, concerning human liberty and di vine grace, which were drawn from the writings of Au gustine, and in direct opposition to those of the Jesuits, were ably supported by Arnaud in a great variety of publications. His opponents, unable to stand before him in the field of fair argument, called the arm of au thority to their aid. Some of his sentiments were judi cially condemned by the faculty of theology of Sor bonne; and, by a small majority of voices, he was de clared to be no longer a member of that body. Mea sures, even still more violent, were attempted against him ; and, during a space of more than twelve years, he found it necessary to remain in retirement. He passed the greater part of this period in the learned society of Port-Royal, and took a very active share in their literary pursuits. He was at length freed from this life of re straint, by what is usually called the peace of Clement IX., which took place in 1669, and which granted a toleration to the opinions of Jansonius. Arnaud enjoyed the full benefit of this short season of tranquillity, was presented to the king and nuncio, and was engaged, at their request, in defending the catholic faith against the pressing attacks of the Protestant writers. But, with
all his learning and ingenuity, he was not able to sup port the doctrine of transubstantiation, and similar ab surdities, against the severe satire of Jurieu, and the powerful eloquence of Claude. In 1676, Louis XIV. at the instigation of the Jesuits, began to violate the peace of Clement, and the Jansonists were pursued with re newed malignity. Arnaud was rendered an object of suspicion to the king ; and, in 1679, he voluntarily with drew into the Low Countries. The place of his retreat was known only to a few confidential friends ; but his influence was very extensively felt, and the greater part of the churches in the Netherlands, as well as the Romish congregations in Holland, were engaged, by his means, to join the party of the Jansonists. His ene mies were not ignorant of his exertions ; but he expe rienced no other effects of their rage, than a contempti ble decree, by six superiors assembled at Liege, in 1690, condemning him as a heretic, and prohibiting all intercourse with him, under the name of cerium Arnol dum. He died at Brussels, on the 8th of August, 1694, in the 83d year of his age.
As an author, the reputation of Arnaud is deservedly very high. His learning appears to have been of the most extensive nature, and he must have possessed a very acute and vigorous mind. He wrote a great va riety of treatises, in polite literature, in mathematics, in moral philosophy, but particularly in controversial divi nity. Many pieces have been falsely ascribed to his pen; for which, see Bayle's Dict. Arnaud, Note M. He was a man of genuine and fervent piety ; a zealous supporter of pure Christian morals ; and though too much addicted to unmeaning and unavailing austerities, yet this was more the fault of the times in which he lived, than a peculiar error of his own. In opposing the corruptions which then prevailed in the church of Rome, reproving the degenerate manners of the Catholic cler gy, and restraining the licentiousness of the monastic orders, Arnaud and his friends may have very naturally passed to the opposite extreme of needless severity ; but he deserves the respect of every good man, for hav ing stood forth, in a vicious age, the able and undaunted advocate of pure, practical religion. See Bayle's Dict. Arnaud. Mosheim's Ch. Hist. vol. v. p. 214, 219, 227, 251. Histoire abregee de la vie et des ouvrages de III. dr naud, pub. a Cologne, 8vo. (q)