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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79465	Anti-Socinianism, or, A brief explication of some places of holy Scripture, for the confutation of certain gross errours, and Socinian heresies, lately published by William Pynchion, Gent. in a dialogue of his, called, The meritorious price of our redemption, concerning 1. Christ's suffering the wrath of God due to the elect. 2. God's imputation of sin to Christ. 3. The nature of the true mediatorial obedience of Christ. 4. The justification of a sinner. Also a brief description of the lives, and a true relation of the death, of the authors, promoters, propagators, and chief disseminators of this Socinian heresie, how it sprung up, by what means it spread, and when and by whom it was first brought into England, that so we be not deceived by it. / By N. Chewney, M.A. and minister of God's Word.	Chewney, Nicholas, 1609 or 10-1685.	1656 (1656)	Wing C3804; Thomason E888_1; ESTC R207357	149,812	257

are believed and esteemed to be the saving axiomes of Christian Religion which he presumptuously takes upon him to demonstrate to be very dangerous and pernicious errours and would fain shape us out a form of Religion according to his own fancy as if the Doctrine of Christ and the true Religion stood in need of such a tricker and trimmer of it to make it saleable This disputation was after printed and published by a friend and follower of Socinus Elias Arcissevius a Polonian with the Authours name to it which was never done before in any of his other writings which is so magnified by this beastly merchant on purpose to prostitute it to every customer and of which he doth so exceedingly boast that he is not ashamed to say that there is so much knowledge of Christ and his office contained in it as could possible be desired when as on the contrary it may be more truly said of it that there is so much perversion of the Doctrine of Christ and his offices as could be imagined and more then ever was before published Before Socinus could fi●●sh his book de Servatore he was interrupted with sickness and by his absence from the City for all his treasure namely the writings of his uncle Laelius out of which as himself confesseth he was principally instructed concerning the matter in controversie was conteined within the Walls of Basil from whence he was constrained to absent himself by reason of the plague vvhich vvas there begun so that he could make no progresse in his intended purpose That God which d●d for a time retard could have wholly hindered and prevented the comming forth of this pestiferous book but he often permitteth such things to be for the glo●y of h●s name in bringing good out of evil and that those which are stedfast might be made manifest Besides we see what a Doctor Faustus was who was able to do nothing of h●mself without the help and directions of his Uncles writings h●s confidence was more then his ab●lity otherwise he had never waded so far into these great and mysterious matters by which he hath cast away him●elf and all that follow him While he remained at Tigurum he had another disputat●o● with Francis Puccius a Florentine concerning whom more hereafter of the state of the fi●st man wherein it was debated whether Adam in his fi●st estate were mortal or no What and how necessary such questions as these are to salvation let any man judge yet such curious questions as these were commonly the subject of all his disputations whereas indeed matters of a far lower stra●n would better have sorted with the indifferency both of his arts and parts to discusse them Q●aeries that are too nice rather torment the understanding then inform it and are more apt to puzzle our judgment then to rectifie it Subtilty of questio●s I know not whether it hath more convinced or begotten errour or improved us in our knowledge or staggered us And hence I suppose was the substance of the Apostles advice to the Romans cap. 14.1 He that is weak in faith receive you but not to doubtfull disputations Curiosity of questio●s have ever b n the very engines and stales to heresie and therefore to be avoyed by us He wrote many and divers things and so far he went that at last he brought this heresy into a more perfect form and raised as he thought a goodly structure on that foundation which was laid by Laelius following that rule which Architecture layes before us the higher we build the deeper to lay our foundation laying the foundation of t●is his monstrous religion even in the depth of Hell that he might raise if possible this his Babylonical structure up to Heaven What others have done or attempted to do by peece-meale he hath effected as it were at once upon the very body of religion For there is almost no article of our religion to which he hath not offered some violence and hath as much as ●n him lay endeavoured either utterly to overthrow it or to pluck it up by the very roots thinking it worth the while by defacing or turning off the old to bring in another form of religion under his own name and according to his own liking He was a man of a crafty and quick wit but insufferably audacious and petulant specie formâ magis quàm virtute religiosus sed gloriae novitatis improbe cupidus as Ruffinus saith of Arius In vertue not so much refined as in the depor●ment of the outward man which promised some gravity though no truth of religion violently th●rsting and pursuing a●ter honour and novelty He was guilty o● very much levity being drawn partly from the nature of the Country where he was borne partly from the family out of which he sprung and partly from the Court in which he was bred Insomuch that he was constant in nothing but inconstancy which yet was not in any thing so pernicious as in those sacred mysteries with which he above measure desired to be tampering and into which diving though he drowned himself therein For he had but a light tincture of learning as the writer of his life affirms and he himself is not ashamed to confesse what exquisite judgment saith he or deep understanding in these kind of Philosophical Theological and hard disputes could be expected from me a man who neither learned Philosophy nor at any time could attain to the knowledge and understanding of that Divinity which they call Scholastick nor tasted but o●ly of the rudiments of Logick and that very late to And ●n his Epistles pag. 587. he complains that he spent a great part of his time in Italy his native country but yet the very seat of idleness and va●ity and therefore it was no wonder if he came short in the knowledge both of humane and Divine mat●ers So that he ●oared up to those sacred mysteries meerly upon the confidence or his own wit having not had time for the laying of any solid f●undation T●at height of Spirit which he had either gotten or augmented while he was a Courtier he ever afterwards retained and often declared in overturning and demollishing the very foundations of all Catholick Antiquity and Christian Religion As also in curbing and subduing those which were his companions or had yeilded themselves up to be guided by his crooked direction He must be chief among them and Lord over them or else it is no bargain He was indeed very proud and high minded scorning to receive ●nstruction from any being in his own judgment inferiour to none Trimness and court-like gaudiness was strongly riveted to him and deeply rooted in him his apparel and deportment much unbeseeming such a man as he professed himself to be like unto those ancient Arians of whom Hilarie speaks that were rather Bishops of the Court then of the Church Of all those books which he wrote and truly there are many under his name and the names

beastly soever it be Servetus being now a Divine in repute but a Devil in practise raketh up and reviveth many wicked and desperate opinions among the rest that damnable heresie against the blessed Trinity in which he was so deeply rooted that he left no stone unturned whither by preaching or writing to overthrow the Article of the Christian faith concerning the same invading it with many execrable blasphemies thereby endeavouring to corrupt the faith of others and divert them from the the truth The fire of dissention which had some time now laine raked up in the embers of oblivion began to break out again and to flame about the eares of the Churches in those parts which for the present was somewhat smothered but could never be wholly quenched unto this day For this Factor for Hell being taken had deserved punishment inflicted on him being publickly burnt at Geneva to the example of all those that were seduced by him But this fact was heynously token of those that were his friends and adversaries to Calvin who to work him a spIght did publish it abroad for truth that that slaughter as they called it was long before plotted and contrived by him and at last cruelty effected by his only means when as indeed the Councel of Geneva did nothing in the busines without the judgment and approbation of the Senates of Bernen Zuring Basil and Schaffuse the advise also of many Cities and Churches of Christ being required and received How ever these friends of his and adversaries of the truth have censured the fact and opened their mouths wide to condemne it yet other un-by assed men of as great ability and more integrity then they have highly approved of it Melancthon in his Ep●stle to Bullenger writeth thus concerning it I have read saith he your answers to the blasphemies of Servetus and I Commonly your piety and judgment Also I suppose the Senate of Geneva hath done w●ll and performed a noble act in taking away that obstinate wretch who was resolved never to cease blaspheming so long as he had here a being But I wonder that any should accuse them of severity in inflicting just vengeance on a person guilty of so much impiety Also famous Rivet Alexander More Jacob Trigland with divers others do commend the zeale of that Senate in this very matter Yet farther to cleer Calvin from this false imputation that it was not his malice but Servetus just desert that brought him to that shameful and painful end may evidently appear by that great endeavour which he used to reduce this blasphemous monster to a better mind but when he saw it would not do nor any gentle and fair perswasions prevaile with him he sought to mitigate the rigour as he then thought of that Sentence which was past upon him And sure there was something more then ordinary in it that he who was alwayes severe towards other offenders of a far lower form should be so courteous and gentle towards such a monster of mankind so blasphemous an heretick and such a disturber of the peace both of Church and Common-weal as he declared himself to be He wrote some books but so stuft with impiety and detestable blasphemy that they are not without danger and horrour to be received and read among us Beza writing to Andrew Dudithius of whom we shall speak hereafter doth thus expostulate with him Who hath bewitched thee my dear Brother that thou shouldest take so desperate a course and be led away by such damnable opinions what hath Servetus that Arch-heretick done it Who maketh the very substance of God to be mutable and teacheth that he is part of all things who denies the eternity of the Son of God and taketh away the Hypostatical Union of the two natures in him who gain saies the substance and Divinity of the blessed Spirit of God who often terms obstupui steteranque comae c. I tremble to rehearse it the Father Son and Holy Ghost the three-headed Cerberus of Hell who affirmeth the Soul to be mortal calling Moses a ridiculous Imposter the Ancient Church of the Jews an heard of Swine maintaining Cata-baptisme denying redemption by Christ and thirty years and more hath never ceased to blaspheme the living God What wilt thou be ruled and over-ruled b● such an one as he Can any Christian say yet some there are that do affirm that he was burnt for Religion a●d not ra●her for his horrible impiety and execrable blasphemy By the good opinion which they had of this man his piety and holiness they would fain make a Martyr of him but it will be but a stinking one when all his done Well neither better nor worse burnt he is but indeed too late who if it had bin the good pleasure of God I would had never b●n borne to poyson the Church and seduce so many poor Souls from the truth with his pestoferous and damnable Doctrines Calvin then whom no man was more diligent in the perusal of his blasphemous writings which he published and commended to his seduced Disciples in the confutation hereof doth testifie that in more th●n an 100 several places he impiously calls the Holy and ever blessed Trinity the three headed Cerberus a Diabolical phansie the monstrous Geryon of whom the Poets of old had strang fictions and by some strang mysterie of Philos●●hy they feigned to have three bodies Good God! what pains did this man take to out-doe all the hereticks that went before him and to un-doe both himself and all those who by his strang delusious should follow after him or be led by him But what shall we say negamus potius hor●emus vocem Errours that are so insolent are to be exploded not di●puted to be spit at rather then con●r●u'd Confutat●on bears no rule no sway here it is Authority that must do it And therefore the State did well to rid the Church of such a violent enemy to the truth of her profession Melanchion wrote an excellent and pithy admonition to the States of Venice wherein he adviseth them to take special heed and beware of the blasp●mous errours and heresies of Servetus which to omit those which he had drawn out of the works of others are briefly these 1. He denied and opposed the eternity of the Son of God affirming that he might be the Son of the eternal God but not the eternal Son of God 2. He denied the power of Original sin that we are not lyable to it nor to be punished for it with divers others of the same kind Thus this wretched Man having consulted with Jews Turks with all manner of Hereticks his Predecessours was taken with their heresies and justly punished for them Valentinus Gentilis Campanus Csentinus Gentili falso nulli impietate secundo Supplicie capitis digna ruina fuit THE Church of God having by those excellent instruments of Gods glory the Senators of Geneva rid her hands of blasphemous Servetus could not rid her self of those blasphemies which were

Christianisme Is it not rather a surer course to harden them in their old and unprofitable Religion and to pervert such as professe the Christian Religion to Judaisme and to bring all to confusion yet for all this our Socinian is in his pomp and flourisheth like a green bay tree but look for him anon and his place shall not be found For like the proud man in the Psalmes he stands in slippery places and with him is suddenly destroyed perished and brought to an unexpected and fearful end The sore-mentioned positions being questioned and examined the matter debated and the obstinacy of this wicked wretch observed he was by the most Illustrious Renowned Prince of Transylvania Christophorus Bathoraeus cast into prison where by the just judgment of God he who was mad for so many years before published maintained and defended against even all reason and Religion such heady and hayr-braind positions fell into a phrenzy and there and there n● miserably finished the course of this mortal life Anno 1580. Raemundus reporteth of him that being in prison distracted of his wits the Devils in horrid and dreadful shapes appeared to him at the sight of which be cryed out to some that were there loe saith he these are they which wait upon me as companions of my journey If God will not suffer his own Children sinning against him to go unpunished was it likely that such a desperate blasphemous wretch as this should escape Gods judgments are for the most part slow but they are sure and his hand when it strikes will give a blow to the purpose He was a man altogether unlearned obstinate foolish and besotted by the Devil in his impious and blasphemous opinions so that he neither cared for God nor man nor himself but wholly bent his purpose and made it his utmost endeavour to overthrow and exterminate all true and sincere Religion and to set up in the room thereof that which he vainly called his own which was either none at all or a Devilish one as may be gathered out of his positions of which while he lived he so much boasted that among many that had any understanding he was and that justly made ridiculous But there are some that will down with any thing be it never so grosse heynous or diabolical Otherwise it could not be expected that his damnable positions should have passed for new and undoubted Truths Franciscus Stancarus Mantuanus Mantua te genuit sed tu Stancare venenum Ex Orco petitum Spargis ubique tuum WE had to do even now with a downright mad-man and if we look well about us we would think every head frantick with a strange opinion and t●at some wild-fancy doth possesse all we meet with For behold here is another this Frano scus Stancarus a Mantuan cannot be quiet if the Churches of God newly setled in Polonia enjoy any peace and tranqu●llity but must needs busy himself to supplant them i. possible even in the●r first planting by an upstart opinion of his own namely that Christ was our Mediatour only in or according to his humane nature and not as the reformed Churches do hold and professe according ●o both his humane and Divine hypostatically united in one person Which he urged upon this ground but God knows 't is but sand that if Christ were a Mediatour according to his Divine nature then he should be lesse then the Father which seemed to him to be meer Arianisme and therefore he durst not hold otherwise Thus poor man being ignorant of the truth he drove out one Devil by or with another the Devil of Arianisme with the Devil of Socinianisme and the latter may prove the worser This opinion Blandrata liked well and did both defend it and confirm it But reverend Calvin took great pa●ns to stifle it if it could have bin as very obnoxious to the truth by sending over a timely admonition to the Churches wherein also he advised them as well how they might prevent and turn off the cavillations of Stancarus as also how they should avoid another errour into which they might run themselves namely to imagine a three-fold essence in God by being distinguished into three persons which was taken kindly by the Churches and for a time did some good among them But the folly of Stancarus rested not here but besides this corrupt opinion of his he laboured to confound the Doctrine of the Trinity imagining or framing out to himself which he would presse upon the belief of others that there is one God in a confused Trinity among whom the man Christ performeth the office of a Mediatour He traduced all persons and Churches which were not of his judgment as Arian as appears by the letters of the Ministers of Polonia written from the Pincovian Synode to the Divines at Strasburge to which they added an Orthodox confession of the faith fully cleering the Doctrine of the Trinity and the Deity of Christ against the Arians as they were then called subscribed among others by Georgius Paulus superintendent of the Churches in the Diocesse of Cracovia and Francis Lismanninus whom this very heresy not long after diverted from the truth Stancarus did many times offer a disputation before the Synode and was very importunate to have the grant thereof refusing none that would undertake to oppose him such was his delight in and confidence of his own abilities But the Synode wisely refused it not thinking it fit to call in question by publick disputation the common received faith of the Church to please the fancy or satisfie the humour of one turbulent and arrogant person I would al men that professe the truth would take the same course and we should quickly see errour and heresy dye of the sullen because none will trouble themselves to meddle with or take notice of them that make it their business to broach the same This Synode took rather another course with him censured him for an heretick condemned his books and committed them to the fire there to be consumed as they justly deserved He wrote something but very vainly as our Socinians use to do of the Doctrine of Justification That you may see what an arrogant Spirit he had and how highly he thought of himself as all hereticks do hear the proud vaunt he makes in his wonted manner One Doctor saith he brought up in my school is of more account or worth then an hundred Luthers then two hundred Melanchtons three hundred Bullingers four hundred Peter Martyrs and five hundred Calvins all which quoth he if any one would take the pains to beat in a mortar there could scarce begotten one ounce of Divinity from them all But that stone which slander casts at another ever in the end lights on herself and wounds herself insteed of another So Stancarus overvaluing himself and his Disciples was justly undervalued by the Professors of the Truth and lived and dyed without that reputation which he expected yea went out like the snuffe of

confidence as if Orpheus like he meant to charm all to follow him that did but once vouchsafe to hear him Spiritual arrogance is so much more mischievous as the soul is beyond all earthly pelf For when we are once come to advance and admire our own judgments we are at first apt to hugge our own inventions then to esteem them too precious to be smothered within our own closets the World must know of how happy an issue we are delivered and must applaud it to or else abide a contestation So that the Wiseman well noteth Prov. 13.10 only by Pride cometh contention So Puccius grew so high in the in-step by reason of this new-light which only he had discovered and these new opinions which he broaching defended that there grew some trouble thereby in the City of London for which he as the ring-leader was clapt up into prison Out of which being again delivered and perceiving that this was not a place for his purpose he again crossed the Seas being before crossed by Land and betook himself to Bavau From hence he sent divers times to solicite Socinus to a conference about their mutual opinions certain conditions were agreed upon and Moderators appointed to that end Socinus returns answer that he was in a readinesse to make his appearance there and to accomplish whatsoever should in reason be requested or required of him But Puccius either in confidence of his own ability or else induced by some other weighty argument takes a journey on purpose by way of prevention For he which for Socinus his sake came to Basil to meet him comes now for his sake also to Cracovia in Polonia where after they had met and had had divers disputations between them and could not agree for it is next to a wonder to see hereticks though never so neerly linkt together to agree in all things unlesse it be in the opposition of truth he returning from thence became a companion of some that studied magick with whom he came to Prague and there like an Apostate as he was fell to his old superstitious devotion again of cringing and crouching to every stock and joyned in Communion with the Church of Rome whom he had openly renounced and defyed as the whore of Babylon We see here the inconstancy of mans nature even in that wherein he should be most constant and that is religion Apostacy of manners cannot but be dangerous of faith deadly together with truth it looseth shame and not seldom swells up to the sin against the Holy Ghost for which there is no forgiveness in Heaven because there can be no remorse on earth This is a most perilous effect of spiritual pride which bears such sway in the heart of man that neither he himself is nor shall the Church of God be if he can help it at any quiet through his misgrounded novelty and most dangerous heresy to which he stands extreamly affected Can it be any other then an height of pride for a man to think himself wiser then the whole Church of God upon earth wiser then the Church of God that hath bin upon earth ever since the Apostles of Christ inclusively in all successions to this present time It was this pride that undid Puccius and brought him back with shame to that religion which he had disclaimed And many such examples have we of divers who have strayed from the truth to the Samosatenian or Socinian assemblies ye tat length have foully miscarryed either returning back to Popery from whence at first they took their flight or else to Iudaisme or Turcisme which is worst of all That Spirit which beareth rule in the hearts of the Children of disobedience bringeth them about with such a giddiness of mind that without Gods special preventing grace there is no help for them And no marvel they are so ready to turn Turcks or Jews that are once entred into the Socinian Doctrines For they are so like that there is not a pin to chuse Christophorꝰ Ostorrodus Smiglensis caetus Minister Ecclesiae pacem quis conturbavit amaenam Ostorrodus erat Daemonis arte potens CHristopher Ostorrodus a Germane Minister of the Socinian congregation at Smiglen is another of this heretical crew who did mightily infest the Churches of God in divers parts And sure the trouble that befell his Master Socinus in the University of Cracovia where by the rising of the Students for the suppressing of his heresies he was hardly entreated insomuch that he scarce escaped from thence with life was the cause of the travail and dispersing abroad of many of his most intimate disciples and followers and the coming of Ostorrodus into Holland and Friesland Who with Andraeas Voivodius a companion of his and fellow-Socinian brought thither their Masters book de Christo Servatore printed and divers others of the same kind both manuscripts and printed books prepared and provided for that very purpose to propagate the Socinian heresie in those parts also hoping to build their nest there and to settle themselves with more quiet and advantage then they could in Polonia But their project being discovered and their close underminings of the peace and tranquillity of the Churches by Gods good providence timely detected divers copyes of their pestiferous books were taken and brought before the States General of the United Provinces by whose especial command they were exhibited to the faculty of Divines in the University of Leyden whose Rescript together with the States decree which I conceived both necessary and worthy to be inserted I have here presented to the Reader A true Copy of the Rescript REnowned Lords the Copies of those books which ye commanded to be sent unto us we have now thorrowly perused some part whereof we have seen before and have found out by diligent search divers others of the same argument That we may not be tedeous to your Lordships we judge those writings to come neer to Turcisme endeavouring to overthrow the true and eternal Deity of Jesus Christ the Son of the living God and also of the Holy Ghost the office of Christ his saving benefits satisfaction redemption justification c. the institution of Holy Baptism and our religious duty to Christ consisting in prayer and invocation which they deny to be due unto him not being God and true Creator of the World with many other grosse errours As for example in the book de Servatore are these very words That the Justice of God could not require that our sins should be punished Also that Christ by his death and sufferings did not satisfie the Justice of God for our sins yea that Christ could not satisfy Divine Justice for us by undergoing those punishments in our place and steed which by the Law of God we were liable to have undergone Lastly though there be many more to this purpose that Christ could not satisfie the Justice of God for us by performing those things in our place and stead which we by the Law were

enjoyned to perform Such execrable blasphemies are therein contained which without inevitable danger of contagion may not be suffered to passe among Christians being no small disparagement to their holy profession and an high measure of despight done to the Spirit of Grace Which things being so we are in hope your Honors will wisely and speedily take a course that these men which have brought in and dispersed abroad these cursed writings and books may not long abide with you or remain within your coasts and also that the writings and books themselves may not come into the hands of any to whom they may be a snare either through simplicity or curiosity Renowned Lords we beseech God that he would bestow upon you more and more the Spirit of truth and wisedome and would be present with you from Heaven in all your affairs and especially in this great and weighty cause which pertains so much to establishing of the truth of God and the common salvation of his people that those things which are pious holy and just may be seasonably provided for by you and perfected in the Lord That those things also which have any tincture of errour or heresy may be wholly extirpated by you Dated at Leyden the 12. of August 1598. An extract of the Resolution of the Lords States General of the United Princes March and September 1598. taken out of the Registry THE States General of the United Provinces being informed that there are certain books found with and in the possession of two Persons here present at the Hague which came lately from the Kingdome of Polonia into these united Provinces the one named Christopher Ostorrodus the other Andraeas Voidovius which books being examined in Leyden by the faculty of Divines there are divers things therein found to agree with the Doctrine or religion of the Turks denying the Divinity both of the Son of God and of the Holy Ghost And that the foresaid persons openly professing the same Doctrine came purposely into these Provinces that they might publish the same herein and so disturb the present State and quiet of the Church hereby We therefore be●ng willing to prevent ●n time the ensuing mischief hereof for the maintaining of the honour of God together with the profit and commodity of the United Provinces which like Democritus Twins do laugh and cry l●ve and dye together have decreed that the foresaid books in the presence of the foresaid persons shall openly be burnt to morrow before noon opposite to our Chamber of General meeting A●ter that the aforesaid two persons shall be charged and straitly commanded as by these presen●s they are charged and commanded that within the space of ten dayes next to come they shall depart out of these united Provinces under the penalty of such punishment as shall be inflicted on them according to discretion if afterwards they be found or taken herein All which we thought fit to ordain for the peace and quiet of the Church of Christ and for the benefit and commodity of the united Provinces Conceiving it also very necessary for the better and more due accomplishing hereof that all the Provinces should be admonished of th●s and a Copy of this Attestation be conveyed to them which is above written and subscribed by the faculty of Divines at Leyden concerning the foresaid books that the foresaid persons be not suffered to tarry or abide longer in these Provinces then the time limitted for them and that their abominable Doctrine may be expelled hence also Mar. 1599. What better course could have been taken for the dispatch of these Brethren in evill with all their trumpery with them out of these parts But what are good and wholesome Laws without execution even like a body without a soul for as a body without a soul doth quickly perish and come to nothing So the best Laws that can be made without due execution do dye in the very letter For notwithstanding this decree made and published with so much strictness and good intention on the States part there was some connivence in the matter by which these persons thus proscribed were yet retained and secured If it be true which John Uytenbogardus saith who wrote the story they remained still in Friesland and there privily drew up an Apologie to the decree of the States General which they printed and published both in the Latine and high Dutch tongues I cannot but wonder at the mad folly or foolish madness of those that professe either reason or religion that they should be so far transported with the novell Doctrines of the●e half Lunatick Teachers that they should keep them and secure them within their own bosoms who watch all opportunities to destroy them Yet a new fashion does not more take a proud Lady nor a new Tavern a drunkard nor a new drug an Emperick then a new opinion does those that are affected to heresy be it never so divelish and blasphemous And I beleeve they made a great I cannot say a good reurn of them For I have heard of above thirty Sects and sorts of Religion in one Town in those parts so that come will you be of our Church was a solicitation as frequent as the ordinary salutation one to another of good morrow or good even To be w●lling to be seduced hath given occasion to divers to attempt it which otherwise had never been attempted so did these Hereticks play with and play upon those that gave them entertainment This Ostorrodus was a notable factour for the Devil deceiving many with his cousening trash For besides that disputation against Tradelius which he had concerning the Deity of Christ which was the mark they all shot at the Deity also of the blessed Spirit to deny which I take to be an high degree of the sin against the holy Ghost the expiation of our sins the imputatio● of sin to Christ the satisfaction he made to Divine Justice paying the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of our redemption that it stood not with the freeness of Gods mercy in pardoning sin to require satisfaction for it by which and many other damnable opinions destructive to the very essence of Religion he drew many away after him to the liking and embracing of his Socinian tenets He wrote also certain institutions of the cheif Articles and principal points of Christian he would he should have said Socinian Religion which have perverted divers yet are learnedly opposed and confuted by Iacobus ad Portum that excellent instrument of Gods glory and painful labourer in his vineyard Jacobus Palaeologus Graius Si quaeras cur iste Pal'ologus igne crematur In promptu causa est haeresiarcha fuit TO be loose in the main joynts of Religion is very bad and gives the Devil and his instruments great advantage against us we may see the truth of this in the example here set before us Jacob Palaeologus of the ancient and Jmperial family of the Graecian Palaeologi came from his own country to Rome

and erroneous doctrines of Socinus and his followers so that they may see out of what puddles they were raked and by whom they had their first rise and publication and may not give credit any longer unto those seducers which vent them as their own The bondage of this land was lamentable under the tyranny of Anti-Christ when we were driven to eat the bread of superstition and to drink the wine of fornication or fast But God hath delivered us and confirmed our deliverance for many years together if we shall now apostate and revolt from the integrity of his seruice our latter end will be worse then our beginning Insteed of Popery we shall find errour and heresie Turcisme and Devilisme til we can only say Here was once the Church of God No surer way no speedier course for the effecting of this then to be carryed away with the desperate and damnable opinions of the Socinians whom some have thought not worthy of the name of Christians and so not fit to live among us who professe the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ We will bring the matter into further question and see what may be said concerning it whether the Socinian Religion be the Christian Religion and so Socinians true Christians yea or no Socinians above others pretend to the name of Christ and boast of it for that purpose they entitle their Catechises The Institutions of Christian religion as is manifest by those of Socinus and Ostorrodus they only will have their denomination from Christ Smalcius against Franc reasoneth thus If those which do not confesse Christ are not Christians then it must needs follow that those which do confesse Christ are Christians We both by word of mouth writings and endevour do professe Christ before the whole Christian world witness so many books that are written and so many confessions that have bin made by us saith Muscorovius another of the same train Yea we are not only Christians but the only true Christians if they may be Judges in their own cause and for that purpose they argue thus Every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus is the Christ is of God But our Churches and they alone do confesse that Jesus is the Christ Therefore are they of God Seducers will say or do any thing so they may deceive Absolom what expensive bravery doth he put himselfe unto what liberal promises doth he make what courtly policie doth he use that he might seduce the hearts of the people from their due and true obedience Insomuch that the common acclamation must needs be this O courteous beau●eous bounteous Absolom So who can be by and hear the outside profession the seeming Christian confession which is made by these Socinians and forbear to cry out O Vertuous Pious Religious Socinian who would not take part with thee and be on thy side But O this heart of man how deceitful is it upon the weights how apt to be deceived and to dece●ve for do but search th●m sift them sound them and you shall find 't is no such matter their pure oare is but dross their sweet fruits but bitter to the tast and all this glorious boasting nothing but dissembling To stop their mouths and the mouths of all their adherents and complices we shall consider the name and appellation of Christian under this twofold Notion First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generally or improperly Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 specially or properly We do not deny the Socinians to be called Christians in the first sense that is the general or improper signification of the word for whosoever does acknowledge that Jesus is that promised Messias and that his Doctrine is only to be embraced and obeyed by us are such Christians making a difference between them and Jews who deny that the Messias is already come and Turks who professe and follow the Doctrine of Mahomet contained in their Alchoran We give them this to distinguish them from Infidels which know not Christ and from Jews which deny Christ but we cannot give them the title of Christians in that special sense in which the Scriptures use it nor may they proudly arrogate it to themselves for they are not worthy of it And this we make good by these ensuing Arguments First Because Christians are the peculiar Disciples of Christ and his Apostles Act. 11.26 But the Socinians are not the peculiar Disciples of Christ and his Apostles seeing they dissent from the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles in very many mysteries and principal foundations of the Christian faith and do their utmost endeavour by their subtilties to overthrow them Therefore the Socinians notwithstanding their glorious outside profession are not Christians Secondly There is required to the compleating and making up of a true Christian a true and lively faith or an acknowledging and sincere profession of the true faith Rom. 10.9 1 Pet. 3.15 But they whose faith and profession concerning God and Christ is not true but false erroneous and heretical are not to be accounted for true Christians But the faith and profession of the Socinians both concerning God and Christ is false and erroneous yea and heretical too as we shall shew out of the Scriptures and shall set forth to the judgment of the whole Christian world Therefore the Socinians are not to be accounted or esteemed as true Christians Thirdly They which worship any other then the only true God are not true Christians But the Socinians worship another and not the true God for they adore not neither do they worsh●p the holy and ever blessed Trinity the Father Son and Holy Ghost one God in Essence in three distinct persons whom the whole Christian world doth acknowledge and adore but frame another God to themselves who is only one in person and essence who is not the eternal Father nor hath he an eternal Son of the same essence with himself and so they worship an Idol devised by themselves far different from the true God of the Christians but the true God of the Christians in whom we are baptized rhe Father Son and Holy Ghost the Holy Trinity blessed for ever they provoke and revile with horrid and most execrable blasphemies Therefore they are not true Christians Fourthly They which deny the proper Essence of Christ are not to be counted Christians For as he which denyeth the Essence of Man taketh away man so he which denyeth the proper Essence of Christ taketh away Christ and so is not truly a Christian But the Socinians deny the proper Essence of Christ because they deny the Divine Nature of Christ which is his proper Essence being Jehovah Jer. 23.6 God blessed for ever Amen Rom. 9.5 For he can no more be true God without the Divine Nature then man w●thout his humane nature Therefore they cannot be true Christians Fiftly he which confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh or denies that Jesus is the Christ is not truly a Christian but is to be accounted as an

of others whom he borrowed the better to vend his false and deceitful ware by which the Church of God sustained much detriment none pleased him more then that which he wrote against Eutropius as Hieronymus Muscorovius a bird of the same feather reporteth of him as from his own mouth and l●kewise adds this of his own unto it that Socinus in that very work had much out-done himself But how much to be esteemed that book is or what account is to be made of his judgment who so much cryes it up may appear by the d sputation of the Trinity which is the argument of that transcendent peece of work We will not spend time to reckon up these writ●ngs in order or to set down the number I would they had bin fewer but if any of them shall happen to come to our hands as it is much if some of h●s or other such Doctors do not in the perusal thereof it is very necessary to employ our greatest judgm●nt and utmost diligence lest when we think we are tak●ng meat to nourish us we take in poyson to destroy us we cannot expect two contrary effects from one and the same thing So Tertullian no man can be built up by that by which he is destroy●d no man can be illuminated by that by which he is darkened and obscured This man now is Haereticorum Patriarcha the support of he●eticks and ●he prop of heresies and therefore gives denomina●ion to the whole Sect Of Socinus then are they called Socinians who professe any of those heresies which were either collected or broached by him And how should it be otherwise if we look upon Laelius Soci●us as the first Authour Faustus Socinus his Nephew as the chief amplifier and propugnator of this wretched heresy To the one is rightly referred the original of th●s pseudo divinity if it be considered materially to the other if we look upon it formally from him in respect of invention from this in respect of disposition from both by Divine permission To passe by all other arguments let this be sufficient that Socinus with the utmost endeavour that he could did first propagate this his heresy in Sarmatia and Transylvania where the seeds were sown partly by Laelius who about the year 1555. is said to disperse his errours in Polonia partly by his complices in Transylvania but after that of Faustus the whole heresy being compacted and neatly made up as it is at this day maintained among them was planted in these and in divers other places beside whose Doctrine although it were for somtime opposed and that in the chief heads and f●ndamentals as concerning the satisfaction which was made by Christ unto the Justice of God for our sins vvhich he strongly opposed as also his sacrifice compleated in Heaven and not on Earth of the Kingdome of Christ of Justification of Baptism and the like which at first suffered divers contradict●ons yet at last vvere embraced and accounted as the Oracles of God Insomuch that vvhole Churches and they of no small number and concernment vvere not only fallen to this heresy but vvere ready vi armis to maintain it against all opposition Neither vvas he sparing of any labour or toyle so that he m●ght disseminate and disperse abroad this heresy thus composed and compounded by him Witness his so many vvritings his frequen● letters of solicitation his private and publique disputations so many informations of those vvhom he had as interpreters of his mind and meaning his so long and tedeous journeyes from the utm●st confines of Silesia even into the heart of Lituania compassing Sea and Land as our blessed Saviour speaks of the Pharisees to make proselytes and to gain others to embrace their dangerous and deadly Doctrines Hence forth then we know them no more by the distinct name of Arian Ebionite Photinian Samosatenian Abaila●dian or Servetian but by this compound de●ominati●n of Socinian as including and comprehending all the rest I know that there are divers causes of heresy the ambition of some the contention of others may be and many times are causes of the springing and growing up of m●st damnable heresies In Socinus both these did concur being both ambitious to get a name by and to give a name to this lovely babe o● innovation and contagion And also contentious never g●ving over quarrelling and contending with those that held any thing contrary to his mind or liking till he had brought them to that passe that he would have them his own wicked and desperate designs to that issue which he desired Thus l ved he to be a trouble and vexation to al the Churches in Italy his own Country Germany Polonia the great D●kedome of Lituania Trans●lvania and where not by setting up and setting forth his deadly and destructive Doctrines and qualis vita finis ita as he oppos d Christ in his li●e Christ must needs deny him that comfort at his death which perhaps he might expect for faith Christ he that denyeth me before men him will I al●o deny before my father which is in Heaven and if Christ den us who will own us but own we him and he will own and honour us before God and his Holy Angels Franciscus Davidis Superintendens Audet Franciscus superis indicere bellum De summâ Christum trudere sede suâ THE next fire-brand of sedition and broacher of this blasphemous Doctrine which the Devil cast into the Church of God by which it was enflamed and which he set on work by which it was molested is this Francis Davidis Superintendent one as it were fitted on all hands to do mischief but to do good he had little knowledge and lesse will He was Authour with Blandrata of that hellish confutation which was written against George Major fraught full of blasphemy against the sacred Trinity For although he agreed with them of the Socinian party in opposing the Trinity of the persons in the Unity of the essence as the Orthodox professe and the Deity of Jesus Christ Yet he dissented from them and went beyond them in his opinion concerning the invocation of Christ Est illud mirabile saith Athanasius cum omnes haereses invicem pugnent in falsitate omnes consentire It is greatly to be wondered at that notwithstanding all heresies jar among themselves yet they agree well enough on opposition of the truth He was with them in all the rest he out-went them in this affirming that Christ ought not to be worshipped because he was not God not true God of the same essence with his Father Hence much contention and divers hot disputations arose among them in which they seem at once both bountiful and injurious to the Lord Jesus willing to invest him with the title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but d sr●be him of that glorious and his own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 granting him a like essence with the Father but not the same equal to him in power but not eternity By