as they can for their own Use without sending them to your Field of Honour Upon what pretence do you claim the Christian Privilege of marking Men out to destruction I suppose you will justify your self by saying that the Doctrine which you would have Penally established is contained in the Articles of the Church of England but to make good this Point 't will be necessary for you to show that the Convocation which drew up the 39 Articles were priviledged from Error and had a just Authority over the Faith of all Englishmen in their succeeding Generations But on the contrary 't is evident even to you as appeareth by your Complaint of the Increase of Arminianism that the present Clergy do very much vary from some Doctrines contain'd in the 39 Articles And have not the present Clergy in Convocation as much right to repeal as the former to declare Articles and may not a future Clergy declare contrary to the present so that were we as well built as the Antediluvian Patriarchs we were not like to reach their Years but must be forc'd to breath our last in your Field of Honour should the Parliament of every Age penally establish the Clergy-Opinions unless we could conform to their successive contrary Sentiments The Protestants agree with the Papists that the Word of God is the Rule of Faith the Difference is about the Interpreter of this Rule The Papists depend upon the Interpretation of Authority whilst the Protestants rely upon their own Reason with all the helps it can get for the Interpretation of Holy Scripture but do not submit to any Antient Writers besides the Inspired as Masters of their Faith And why should we do otherwise The Fathers had no more Right to interpret Scripture for themselves or future Generations than we have to interpret it for our selves or Successors or future Ages for themselves and those who shall come after them Upon these Principles I cannot see what Obligation lieth upon the present Parliament in 1697 from the Authority of the Convocation held Anno 1562 to establish the Articles so long since agreed upon under the penalty of Sanguinary Laws But suppose the Article of the Trinity the first of the 39 were established upon pain of Death I do not see any certain danger that will from thence arise to the Unitarians The Article is this There is but one Living and True God Everlasting without Body Parts or Passions of infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness the Maker and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible and in Vnity of this Godhead there be three Persons of one Substance Power and Eternity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Now the Unity and Nature of God with all his Attributes declared in the former part of this Article they are known to believe the Belief of the three Persons is the only thing they can be questioned upon And if their Trial should proceed upon the words contain'd in the latter part of the Article they are safe for by some of their late Prints I perceive that they for peace sake submit to the Phrase of the Church and expresly own three Persons c. tho they think the word Person not so proper as another word might be But if their Trial must proceed upon the Sense of this latter part of the Article the Event will be doubtful because 't will depend on the Judg his desining the word Person If the three Persons should be defined by three distinct Minds Spirits or Substances the Unitarian will be cast but if Person be defined by Mode Manifestation or outward Relation he will be acquitted and where is the Blasphemy in disowning three infinite distinct Minds and Spirits I pray consider who are those you call blasphemous Socinians whom you would put to death they believe all the Articles of the Apostles Creed which was heretofore thought a full and sufficient Summary of Faith they believe the Law of Christ contained in the 4 Gospels to be the only and everlasting Rule by which they ought to live here and by which they shall be judged hereafter 'T is the Principle of these Men to fear the Lord of Heaven and Earth and to walk humbly before him as likewise thankfully to lay hold on the Message of Redemption by Christ Jesus and they strive to express their Thankfulness by the Sincerity of their Obedience to the Law of Christ upon which account they are heartily sorry when they come short of their Duty and walk more watchfully in the denial of themselves holding no Correspondency with any Lust or known Sin 'T is their Principle to be just in their Actions charitable to all Men and sincere in their Devotions and to have their Hope and Conversation in Heaven Now suppose these Men after serious Consideration should not be convinced of a Trinity of Infinite Minds and Spirits each of which is a God and suppose they could believe nothing whereof they have no Idea 't is hard to revive the Writ de Haeretico comburendo for their sakes when they believe all things contained in the first Article of the Church of England and all the Articles contain'd in the Apostles Creed and sincerely endeavour to lead quiet and peaceable Lives in all godly Conversation and Honesty It may be after all you will say that the Socinians do not believe what is declared in the Gospel concerning the Trinity and Incarnation but rather oppose it and therefore their Doctrine is blasphemous and they deserve Death I confess this is the Pretence under which every Party of Christians when in Power destroys one another by turns Bonner said the Doctrine of Transubstantiation was plainly revealed in Scripture this Opinion of Bonner Latimer oppos'd and was therefore sent to the Field of Honour for what for denying Scripture says Bonner which expresly declares This is my Body Now in this particular Case every Protestant sees that Bonner's Accusation of Latimer for denying Scripture was but a meer Pretence to uphold his Power and cover his Malice Latimer own'd the Scripture as much as Bonner and believed the Divine Authority of that particular Expression This is my Body as much as he the Matter in difference was not the Text but the Interpretation which the one held to be literal the other figurative so that Latimer was not burnt for disbelieving the Scripture but for disbelieving and in words opposing that Interpretation of it which Bonner and the Roman Clergy gave out So Mr. Gailhard under the Banner of the Church of England may cite Texts of Scripture to prove his own Notion of the Trinity Incarnation c. and upon this he will charge the Unitarians with Blasphemy and an heretical Opposition to Holy Scriptures whereas the Unitarians are convinced of the Truth and Authority of the Scriptures as much as he is The Matter in difference is only this the Unitarians do not interpret the Scripture as he doth nor do they therefore infer from the Text so
as he doth He will interpret these words of St. John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so as from thence to infer that the only one Great God was incarnate the Unitarian interprets the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by ratio rather than verbum because it signifies Reason more primarily than Word or Speech for it signifies a Word or Speech only as that Word or Speech proceeds from reasonable Creatures and then all he infers from that Text the Word was made Flesh is that the Reason or Wisdom of God was communicated to Jesus Christ and we all know that Divine Wisdom may be communicated to Men without the Incarnation of God So that if the Unitarians must be sent to Smithfield it is not for blaspheming God or his holy Word but because they according to the best of their Judgment interpret and infer otherwise than Mr. Gailhard doth But Bonner had this Advantage that the Roman Clergy of his Days were agreed together with him in the Point upon which he condemned Latimer But you complain that the present Clergy of the Church of England are not agreed in their Defence of the Trinitarian Doctrine by reason that most of them maintain it upon Arminian Principles and you think it cannot well be defended but upon the Calvinian Hypothesis And it must indeed be granted that the Divines of this Age are not agreed either in explaining or maintaining this Doctrine which shews how wild a thing it was of you when there are such Differences amongst Learned Clergy-men to solicit the Parliament that your Lay-Sense should be by Law established especially when you stand almost single in your way of defending your Doctrine for you say there is but one Reverend Person who taketh that way 'T is a dangerous thing to pitch your Camp by your self with a small Party when a Numerous Army is near If Dr. Parker late Bp. of Oxford were living he would tell you that you and your Predestinarians are Blasphemers of God For I well remember that in one of his Prints he said that the Calvinistical Hypothesis represented God as an Omnipotent Devil Now tho the Doctor needed not have used such hard words to express his Sense of that Horrible Decree which some Men think to have been of God's making yet when a Man shall consider how contrary the Reprobation-System is to the best Idea we can form of God he will think it little less than blaspheming the Divine Goodness and if the Arminians of this Age had the same furious Zeal for the Glory of God which you have shown the blasphemous Calvinists might be in danger of following Bartholomew Legat to the Field of Honour and Mr. Gailhard could have no other Election but to choose whether like Haman he would hang under a Gallows of his own erecting or like Perillus would roar in his own Bull. Truly Sir it was never well with Christians since any one Party of them calling themselves the Church took upon 'em an Authority to impose their Interpretations of and Inferences from Scripture upon others nor can it ever be well among Protestants till they permit one another a free liberty to make Interpretations and Inferences for themselves If we deny this Authority to the Church of Rome and take it to our selves we love the Treason tho we hate the Traitor we plunder the Robber but we restore not the lost Goods to their proper Owner Every Man who is indued with Reason has thereby an original natural Right of using that Reason for the direction of his Soul as much as he has a right to use his own Eyes to direct his Feet Besides God gave his Word originally into the Hands of the People not the Priesthood to all Israel God spake from Mount Sinai and Christ spake his Law to all Persons who promiscuously followed him so that both the Word of God and the best Means of understanding it are originally and uncontroulably given to every Man and whoever shall under any Penalties endeavour to abridg Mankind of the use of these Means is an Enemy to the common Rights and Liberties of Human Nature Upon this Principle our Ancestors grounded their Reformation from Popery they would not be led aside by the Authority of the Church against their own Sense and Reason but by the use of their own Reason in the Interpretation of Holy Writ they saw the Roman Church not only to be obnoxious to Error but also actually erroneous and upon this Foot of Reason was it that they cast off the Authority of that Church which then called it self Catholick and Apostolick But how do you answer for setting one Party of Protestants who disclaim Infallibility to persecute their Brethren who interpret differently from them You alledg the Glory of God in your behalf But did God tell you it was for his Glory that your Interpretation should be the Standard of other Mens Faith or that 't is for his Glory that the Interpretation of this or that Doctor or Convocation must be imposed upon the Realm Have not all Doctors and all Convocations equal Power and are not Mankind of differing Minds and are they not all equally engaged to promote the Glory of God And what is the Consequence of all this Whilst every Party by Impositions and Persecutions are forcing their own Opinions upon others for the Glory of God there can never be Peace upon Earth nor good Will amongst Men. 'T would be a happy World Mr. Gailhard if you and every one else who cry down Human Reason would but seriously consider what your selves say upon that Subject viz. that our Understandings are darkened thro' natural Corruption whereupon we are all subject to Error and very prone to be misled by the Prejudices of our Education by Interest by evil Inclination by Example Passion Inadvertency by Pride or any other Immorality nay the very natural Constitution and Temperament of Mens Bodies dispose them to contrary Opinions as the Melancholy are apt to receive and retain differing Impressions from the Sanguine Methinks this one Consideration of the Infirmity our Intellectuals are subject to should restrain us from imposing our Opinions upon others But yet since Human Reason such as it is is the only Guide which God hath given us whereby to judg 1st Whether there be any such thing as a Revelation from God or not 2ly In what Books that Revelation is contained and 3ly What is the Sense contained in those Books Since our Reason I say is the only Guide in these momentous Matters every Man hath a natural Right to use it for his own Direction in any or all of these Points and herein no Man whatsoever hath any Right to impose his Opinion upon another tho common Humanity requireth every Man to use his Reason for the Instruction and Assistance of others What then shall we say touching the Authority of the Fathers and Antient Writers Truly if in their Writings we find a Spirit of Probity unbiassed with Passion Pride or
of England Besides this too a Man cannot foresee what will come to pass and so a Doctrine which at one time may be convenient may be otherwise when Circumstances of Times shall alter As suppose all the Lay-men of England had subscribed only the 35th Article of our Church which is The two Books of Homilies contain godly and wholsome Doctrine necessary for these Times and suppose in these Books of Homilies we shall read these Doctrines viz. The High Power and Authority of Kings with their making of Laws Judgments and Offices are the Ordinances not of Man but of God that all Persons owe even in Conscience Obedience Submission and Subjection to them as being God's Lieutenants God's Presidents God's Officers God's Commissioners God's Judges 1st part of the Sermon of Obedience And suppose in the second part of the same Sermon we should read these Words Christ taught us plainly that even the wicked Rulers have their Power and Authority from God and therefore it is not lawful for the Subjects to withstand them altho they abuse their Power Suppose I say we Lay-men had subscribed to these Doctrines as necessary for these Times had we not consented to the total Subversion of our Laws and Liberties to the Slavery of Europe and the Destruction of the Protestant Interest throughout the World Howbeit since General Councils for as much as they be an Assembly of Men whereof all be not governed by the Spirit and Word of God may err and sometimes have erred even in things pertaining unto God as is declared in the 21st Article of our Church 't is no Heresy for us Laymen to believe that Convocations have erred in Doctrines necessary for these Times and may err in Doctrines necessary for any Times and from hence it will be no Heresy to conclude that a Parliament may err should they establish the Convocation-Doctrines upon the Foot of Sanguinary Laws There is one Reason yet remaining why there is no need of making new Penal Laws even against blasphemous Socinians which is because there are Laws already in force against Blasphemers of all Sorts or Sects whatsoever without any Proviso that the blasphemous Socinians as your Title-page speaks shall be exempted from the Penalty And 't is only your Title-page and Preface which I have in this Letter considered not at all designing to dispute with you in behalf of the Socinian or of the Unitarian Doctrines my only Aim herein being to shew some Reasons why it was not necessary for the Parliament to enact Sanguinary Laws against those who differ from you in Opinion The ill-natur'd Turn of your Title-page and the malicious and persecuting Design of your Preface convinced me that if we may believe our Saviour Christ you know neither the Father nor his Son Thus our Lord Jesus taught his Disciples John 16. 2d 3d Verses That they should be put out of the Synagogues and that the Time should come that whosoever killeth them should think that he doth God service and these things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me Now Sir if he who would stir up a Persecution against those who sincerely endeavour to know and do the Will of God as 't is revealed by Jesus Christ knoweth neither the Father nor the Son I did from thence conclude that the Holy Ghost who proceedeth from the Father and the Son was also unknown to him and for this Reason I thought you an unsit Writer in behalf of the Trinity and therefore did not so much as read over your Book A Second Letter to Mr. Gailhard SIR I Am thinking whether ought more to be reverenc'd the Noble Names of Vere and Sidney whose martial Skill and well-tried Valour made havock of their Country's Enemies abroad when the Good and Gracious Elizabeth rul'd and lov'd her loving People or of Bonner and Gardner whose slaming Zeal made Bonfires of Hereticks at home under the dire Auspices of her persecuting Sister Indeed once I was of opinion that the Memory of the bloody Bishops had been justly hated and curs'd and did deserve to be and was like to be hated and curs'd for ever but I am now tempted to despise the Conquering Heroes with all their Civic Crowns and proud triumphant Wreaths of Lawrel as Men that fought only their Country's not the Lord's Battels But that Man has a Heart illi Robur Aes triplex that can without weak Remorse of Conscience murder his dislenting Fellow-Citizen and bravely burn his misbelieving Brother at a Stake With a world of School-Cant which now a days goes for deep Learning and ill-applied Fragments of Scripture after the Example of no very good Master but Fas est ab Hoste doceri the thrice Orthodox Mr. J. Gailhard Gent. labours to kindle this religious merciless Fire in the Breasts of the Parliament of England to that end therefore he offers them for a Field of Honour not Flanders but Smithfield for making good the former they have 't is true happily provided Capitation and Land-Tax Tunnage and Excises but as Fate would have it they are rose without the least Care of but so much as Brush-wood for the latter Mr. Gailhard had rather they had been blown up It is a Fault to do the Work of the Lord negligently but not to do it at all to leave the good necessary and great Work of burning Hereticks wholly on the Hands of Providence is a great Disappointment for Fire does not fall from Heaven every day and it troubles Mr. Gailhard's righteous Soul the more because he does not know but God may forgive the Hereticks for his part he will forgive nor them nor the Parliament But by his favour are not the Parliament of England to be excused tho they have taken no care about sending Mr. Gailhard's Enemies to the Devil for they were prorogu'd by his Majesty's Order as soon as they had done their King and Country every other needful Service Why then let the King look to 't from whom to say Truth no better could be expected as having declar'd when he accepted the Crown that He would not be obliged to be a Persecutor He thinks himself too good to do the persecuting Drudgery of any Body of bloody-minded right or wrong Believers if He can but defend the Liberties of Europe from the Tyrant of France and teach his own Subjects of different Perswasions to live amicably together that 's all he cares for Nay 't is long of the King too that Parliaments are summon'd and sit annually without Convocations A Convocation would have consider'd as Mr. Gailhard observes that time is short and uncertain and if not well improv'd for the burning of Hereticks the Opportunity may happen to be irrecoverably lost for Mr. Gailhard judiciously notes That to time things well is one of the best parts of Prudence and he acutely adds one of the most essential Circumstances of our Actions Whence I learn these four things 1. That Human Actions have their