A DISCOURSE Concerning the Nominal and Real Trinitarians Non Partûm Studiis agimur sed sumsimus arma Consiliis inimica tuis Discordia vecors Printed in the Year 1695. Of the Nominal and Real TRINITARIANS The Distinction of Trinitarians into Nominals and Realists and the Design of these Sheets IT will easily appear to all that have seen the late Prints between the Trinitarians and Unitarians That the Questions controverted between us are managed here on another Foot as they speak in another Method and by different Arguments than in Foreign parts or by the Latin Writers Among other remarks that we have made and urged the English Vnitarians show That their Opposers do indeed all go under the common name of Trinitarians but are in truth a great many several and contrary Sects They all cast up their Caps and cry Trinity Trinity But the Ideas they have of the Trinity and consequently their Faiths concerning this pretended Mystery are so many and so contrary that they are less one Party among themselves than the far more Learned and far greater Number of them I mean hereby the Nominal Trinitarians are one Party with Us. As much as the Socinians are clamour'd on for abominable intolerable Hereticks there is nothing more certain than that the Nominal Trinitarians who are truly and properly the Church and who are by much the Majority of Christians are altogether in the same Sentiments concerning Almighty GOD and the Person of our Saviour that we are This is one of the Points that I shall insist on and evince in these Sheets but I shall argue divers other Matters these two especially That the several Sects of Real Trinitarians are guilty of a manifest Tritheism their Doctrine necessarily and immediately infers three Gods and that the Nominal Trinitarians have causlesly innovated the Language of the Holy Scripture and of the Primitive Church concerning GOD and the Person of the Lord Christ I said in the Language of Scripture and of the antient Church for they have retained the Primitive and true Doctrine only they have not kept to the Form of sound Words I will speak first of our Brethren the Nominal Trinitarians then of the Tritheistick Tribes or Realists Of the Nominal Trinitarians that these are the Church THE first observation to be made on the Nominals is that these are the Church which I prove by two incontestable Arguments 1. Their Doctrine has been espoused by a General Council The Council assembled at the Lateran in the Year 1215 established in the most ample manner and most express Terms the Doctrine of the School-Divines or Nominal Trinitarians and condemns in the Person and Writings of Abbat Joachim the Doctrine of the Real Trinitarians as Heretical and Mad I use the very words of the 2d Canon of that Council To this Argument I must note two things First This Council was more truly General than almost any of the Councils that are so called Here were present 1200 Fathers the Ambassadours of the Emperour of Constantinople the King of the Romans the Kings of France England Arragon Hungary Jerusalem Cyprus and divers others Here also were the five Patriarchs partly in Person partly by their Legats the Roman Constantinopolitan he of Jerusalem the Antiochian and Alexandrian whose Presence by themselves or their Legats is supposed necessary towards constituting an Oecumenical or General Council Secondly Divines and Canonists do not give the name of Heresy to any Doctrine because 't is rejected by a great number of Learned Men or by a National Council but they reckon it Heresy if it has been censur'd by a General Council which represents the Vniversal Church Be the mistake never so great let it have been condemned by never so many Writers whether Fathers or Moderns or both 't is only Error 't is not Heresy unless it has been Anathematiz'd by the Catholick or Universal Church and the Catholick Church is never understood to speak but by a General Council which for that reason is called the Church Representative Briefly Heresy and the Faith can be declared but only by a General Council the General Council at the Lateran in Rome has avowed the Doctrine of the Nominal Trinitarians and Anathematiz'd the Hypothesis and Explication of the Real Trinitarians therefore say I the former are the Church the latter are Hereticks I am amazed when I hear some Real Trinitarians say in their Books That the Doctrine of the Nominals never had any other publick Authority but the Creed and 2d Canon of the Council of Lateran for what other equal Authority thereto can it have is not a General Council the highest Court of the Church Her Canons declare the Faith her Anathemas Heresy And what other Council ever was so General as this in which were assembled the Emperour and Kings of the East and West the Latin and Greek Churches 1200 Fathers and what especially makes a General Council the five Patriarchs of Christendom What will the Realists say here that this was a Popish Council First it would be News indeed that the Roman Catholicks are not Orthodox in the Questions concerning the Trinity and the Incarnation It has ever been granted to them both by the Lutherans Calvinists and Church of England that they are sound in Fundamentals in the Doctrines of the Trinity the Incarnation the Satisfaction and such like their Error consists in the Additions they have made to the Fundamentals and namely by their Doctrines of Indulgences Transubstantiation Worship and Invocation of Images and Saints and the rest And is the Greek Church also Heretical in the Doctrine of the Trinity for in this Council the Greek Emperour and Church were represented as well as the Latin Church nay of the five Patriarchs here present four of them belong to the Orient or Greek Church When the Realists have turned themselves all ways they will find themselves held and even bound by the Authority of this Council which is too Great and Venerable to be openly or directly disclaimed 'T is objected to this Council by Mr. Spanheim the present Learned Professor at Leyden that they assented to and published 70 Canons in 20 days Time and that the Canons were not framed by the Fathers but by the Pope These are frivolous Exceptions unworthy of so Learned an Historian for 't is not at all to the purpose who contrived these Canons seeing they were approved assented to and published by the Council Canons are oft-times composed by some particular Father in a Council sometimes by a Committee of the Council sometimes as in the present Case by the President but by whomsoever they are drawn up they are not the Canons of that Person or Persons but of the Council when the Council has examined approved and voted them But Mr. Spanheim doth not find Fault with this Council for their Explication of the Doctrine of the Trinity or the Canons that refer to any part of that Article but because it was convened under pretence indeed to carry on
a proper physical and natural Sense of the word God for the words God and Man are specifical Terms the former implies divers personal Gods as the other implies many personal and individual Men. He is so far from being ashamed of all this that he adds again Page 85. The Fathers of the Nicene Council nay the whole Eastern Church did appropriate a the title one God to the Father and God of God to the Son The Fathers meant thereby the Son is God not of or from himself but from or by or of the Father See what use Mr. J. B. makes of this at pag. 91. The Phrase God of God does necessarily imply a Multiplication of the term God in some Sense or other And one and the same numerical God in concreto can never be God of God and not God of God these two cannot be verified of the same Subject of one and the same God in concreto or in Person 'T is Heresy in excelsis and the last words in Person designed only to blind his true meaning or to mollifie it to those that happen to understand him do but increase the grossness of his Tritheism He hath said in those words in effect the Nicene Creed and Oriental Church acknowledging one who is God of God this God who is God of or from God cannot be the same God with him from or of whom he is God namely with God the Father these two must be several Subjects different Gods This avowed Tritheism I say is neither hid nor sofmed by adding different Gods in concreto or in Person for it was never said or so much as thought before that the multiplication of Persons in the Godhead or these expressions God the Father God the Son God the H. Spirit would warrant any one to say several Gods or that God of God is not the same both Subject and God with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit In short that which this Author and his Party of Realists intend and say though somewhat Covertly and Artificially is that as all the Men in the World in concreto are notwithstanding sometimes expressed by the general abstract word Man So the three Gods in concreto three Personal really subsisting Gods may also be expressed but they care not how seldom the seldomer the better by that scurvy Socinian abstract word God I have not made these short remarks on Mr. J. B. with a malevotent Intention to create Envy or to raise up Enemies to him I shall confess that as broadly as he has spoke St. Sasil Gregory Nyssen and other Fathers after the Year 380 so Taught and so Spoke and I have before given some instances of it as I shall give more in the Continuation of my Answer to Dr. BuII's Defence of the Nicene Faith and Judgment of the Catholick Church But all that I design is only to appeal to the World whether the Realists have not notoriously owned and professed their Tritheism with which they are charged not only by the Socinians but by the Nominals which is to say by the Church Dr. S th is but one Man he is only a private Doctor but he has rightly understood the Doctrine of the Church if a General Council were again to assemble they would certainly espouse his two Books he hath said neither more nor less nor otherwise than the Catholick Church since the Council of Lateran has constantly taught Mr. J. B. is a Learned and very discerning Person so are other Realists of this Nation I must not say of the English or of the Catholick Church for they are departed from both who have lately written against the Socinians but they have opposed to ours such an Explication of the words God Persons Trinity as Dr. S th hath deservedly called a Trinity of Gods nor will they be ever able to wipe off the Imputation Mr. J.B. must not think he has answered Dr. S th he hath only sometimes mistaken him sometimes misreported or perverted his plain and obvious Meaning or quarrelled with the Doctrine of the Schools and of the Lateran Council which is to say of the Catholick Church to make room for the exploded Tritheism of St. Basil and some other Fathers The Doctrine of the Catholick Church Mr. J.B. knows well can be fetched only from General Councils the Church is never understood to speak but by a General Council particular Fathers are but only particular Doctors they are not the Church how many soever they are Therefore I desire Mr. J. B. to tell me what Council ever used his Language that one Divine Person is one God as perfectly one God as one Angelical Person is one perfect Angel In what Council shall we find that the word God is equivalent to a Species which is to say the Divinity no less than the Humanity or the Manhood comprehends several Individuals of the same both Nature and Denomination as there are many Men in concreto so there are divers Gods also in concreto Can he direct us to that Council which teaches that God of God and God not of God that is Father and Son are not the same God or that the term God implies any Multiplication Did ever any Council so far apostatize from Christianity as to deny that there is but one numerical God and call that Doctrine the Faith of Jews Mahometans and Heathens But this is Mr. J. B's Language and the Doctrine of all the Realists they all intend as he has said nor will any of them censure his Book but applaud it as a great and extraordinary Performance I do not regard the Impertinences of Mr. Tho. Holdsworth of North-Stoneham near Southampton in his late Impar Conatui which he hath opposed to Mr. J. B. This Orlando has vomited up his Crudities on a Person too much above him to take notice of him and all that I shall trouble my self to say of him is that if as he has been careful to tell us the Place of his Residence and of his Vicinage so he had also told us his Age we might have guessed with more certainty than now we well can whether he raves or dotes The Realists speak much more Mystically or Absurdly than the Nominals I Must make another Remark on the Realists namely That the absurd contradictory and impossible Things partly expresty said by 'em partly implied in their Doctrine are far less tolerable or accountable than the forced Improprieties in the use of Words and Terms by the Nominals are I confess both Parties so often depart from the common use of Terms and Words that one as well as the other is frequently forced to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Mystery when they cannot assoil the Difficulties objected to themselves by each other or by the Socinians to both when they find that the use of Words and the nature of Things are both against them they cry Mystery their Doctrine then they confess though a Truth is however a Mystery above the Capacity whether of themselves
Christ and in Heaven by his Exaltation above the Angels And secondly That neither is there any need of this for those Texts may be thus translated all things were made for him and without regard to him was nothing made that was made Were made for him that is to say they were originally made by God for the Messiah namely to subject them in fulness of Time to him and to his Law Which is the Interpretation of St. John Chrysostom a most Learned Trinitarian in the Opus Imperfectum on St. Matthew In short I would not have it said that the current of Scripture is much less is clearly on their side who contend for a Trinity of Divine subsisting Persons because 't is so well known that this senseless extravagant boast of some small Writers of Controversy is the Jest and Sport of their own Criticks and Interpreters of Note who have far more scorn for such Sciolists than they have Enmity to the Socinians Of the Unitarians their Agreement with the Church THE Unitarians called also Socinians are a Sect or Party or Denomination of Christians who have indeavoured to perfect that Reformation that was so happily begun by Dr. M. Luther Mr. J. Calvin and here in England by Archbishop Cranmer Dr. Luther subverted the Infallibility and Supremacy of the Pope the Worship and Invocation of Angels and Saints the superstitious monastick Vows the Merchandize of Indulgencies by which poor Sinners had been long cozen'd into a Belief that they could buy the Pardon of their Sins from the Pope and his Factors and this not only without Restitution Amendment or Repentance but without Confession for that also was sometimes a Clause in their Bulls of Indulgence that the Purchaser should be absolved of all his Sins whether Confessed or not Confessed The forms of Indulgences were so ample that is so General and Comprehensive that Men of any Wealth never cared what Sins they were guilty of because they knew they could at any time whether Dead or Alive purchase their Pardon if they had neglected it in their Life Time 't was but leaving so much Money by Will for Masses and Indulgences and they were sure all should be forgiven The Story of the French Gentleman is well known who being admonished by his Friend of his horrible Cursing and Blaspheming answered Man there is no fear cannot I buy my Pardon of the Friars Austins I would be forgiven for an Ounce of Gold though I had ravish'd the Mother of God and cut off both her Breasts This was the state of Things when Dr. Luther appeared and opposed himself so successfully to these Corruptions as I said he intirely ruin'd the Market of Indulgences Monastick Vows Invocation of Saints and Angels the Supremacy and Infallibility of the Chair of Rome Mr. J. Calvin besides that he greatly strengthned and confirmed what Dr. Luther had begun by his extraordinary Erudition fine Wit and indefatigable Diligence in all which Mr. Calvin excelled the very greatest of the first Reformers he carried the Reformation somewhat farther than Luther had done He took away the use of Images which can serve only for a snare to the Weak and for an Avocation and Amusement to the Discerning His Doctrine concerning the Sacraments has fewer Follies than not only that of Rome but than Luthers he rejected the Consubstantiation as well as the Transubstantiation and was not imposed on by the Doctrine of Ubiquity I need say nothing of Arch-bishop Cranmer because his Reformation is known to every Englishman his Doctrine and Discipline being expressed in the 39 Articles the Books of Homilies of Canons and the Common-Prayer All Protestants have a great Reverence for these famous and excellent Men even those of us who think that their Reformation is yet very incompleat I may add that as much as these Reformers are detested by the Papists the very Papists all Orders of them from the highest to the lowest from the Pope to the Begging and discalceate Friar are greatly in their Debt For now they have Learned Priests Holy Popes and the Kings and States of the Roman Communion are no longer the Slaves of the Pope all which was otherways when there were no Protestants of whom the Pope and Conclave and the rest of their Hierarchy might stand in some awe The Popes consider now that they must act Soberly live Exemplarily and inspect the Conduct and Sufficiency of the Clergy else the Princes and People now in their Communion will desert to the Protestants It was Dr. Luther as odious as his Name among them is who took off the Yoke and filed the Chains from the Necks and Hands of Emperours of Kings and Nations From laying prostrate under the Feet of the Pope from holding his Bridle and his Stirrup from expecting after their Election by the Princes of the Empire till the Pope should please to crown them and thereby give them the Name and Power of Emperours from Trembling every time that a crouching Friar was turned into a boisterous Pope I say from this miserable Vassalage the German Emperors and other Catholick Kings and States are delivered and care now just so much and no more for his Holiness's Love or Anger as the Example of his Life or the actual Assistance he can lend to 'em shall merit Since Luther the Clergy also of the Roman Communion are Learned and exemplary Men in their own Defence and for their own Security they must be so And they dare now withstand any new Incroachments on their Privileges or their Revenues by the Court of Rome Nay they have retrieved in some Degree their antient Rights and Authority for Rome dreads and ever will dread another Luther in case she should unjustly or rashly either oppress or offend the inferior Clergy Those of the Lay-Communion of that Church are now led with a Pastoral-Staff not hared with the Church's Thunder Excommunications and deliverings up to Satan They are sent of no more Errands to Syria and Asia in pretence to rescue the Holy Sepulchre in Deed to inlarge the Papal Bounds and Authority They are fed now with much sounder Doctrine and led by a better Example For now the necessity of Repentance and Amendment are taught Indulgences are now owned to be only Prudential and Charitable relaxations of Penance Images are now used only as Memorials of departed Saints and Incentives to imitate their Example the Sacrifice of the Mass is now only a commemorative Sacrifice which even Protestants believe it to be the Virgin Mary and the Saints are prayed to only to pray with us and for us and the like abatement is made in other Articles And whereas with reference to the Example of their Priests it has been a Proverb in some Places He that will give his Child to the Devil let him make him a Priest now and for almost two Ages last past their danger from the Protestants as was said before has reformed their Manners These are the Services done by the first Reformers as well