Imprimatur March 30 1691. Z. Isham R. P. D. Hen. Episc Lond. à Sacris AN ANSWER TO A Socinian Treatise CALL'D The Naked Gospel WHICH WAS Decreed by the University of Oxford in Convocation August 19 Anno Dom. 1690. to be Publickly Burnt as containing divers Heretical Propositions WITH A POSTSCRIPT in Answer to what is added by Dr. Bury in the Edition just Published By THOMAS LONG B. D. One of the Prebendaries of St. Peter's Exon Contra rationem nemo Sobrius contra Scripturam nemo Christianus contra Ecclesiam nemo pacificus senserit August de Trinitate l. 4. c. 6. Sanctius reverentius visum est de actis Deorum credere quam Scire Tacitus London Printed by Freeman Collins and are to be Sold by Randal Taylor near Stationers-Hall 1691. TO THE Right Reverend Father in GOD JONATHAN By Divine Permission Lord Bishop of EXON I May justly fear that in the Dedication of these Exercitations I have done as some inconsiderate Persons who seek to excuse a less by committing of a greater Offence It was I confess a great Presumption that I prefixt your Lordship's Name to a Hasty Scrible against the Crime of Persecution charged on the Church of England and now I presume upon your Lordship's Patience and Patronage in a Case of greater Importance it is not a Scandalum Magnatum nor any of the Plea's of a Temporal Crown but a Crime Laesae Majestatis an Overt Attempt to overthrow the Crown and Kingdom of our Blessed Saviour as if he also were a King de Facto and not de Jure which I now lay before your Lordship it is the Crown and Dignity of him in whose Person and Due Worship and Honour our common Salvation is wrapt up The Sanction of our Law viz. de Heretico comburendo was I confess too severe but if there be not some Powerful Restraint laid on such Damnable Heresies as deny the LORD that bought them the Sons of Belial will not forbear to deny him on Earth with a Non Obstante to our Saviour's threatning Him will I deny before my Father which is in heaven The Ecclesiastical Laws are but as Bruta Fulmina to such as wilfully Excommunicate themselves and unless the Temporal Power supply the Defects of the Spiritual we are like to run into a worse Confusion than hitherto we have this sort of Men being as great Enemies to the one as to the other Ruarus who incurred a Banishment for his Socinianism though as modest as any of them in a Tract of Magistracy printed with his Epistles p. 461. says The times may be such and if we consider the state of all Ages and Nations they have been and still are such that it is more hard for a Christian to discharge the Office of a Magistrate especially of a Supreme than for a rich Man to enter into the kingdom of heaven They are for an Independent Ministry no Friends to either of our Lord's Institutions the Sacraments of Infant Baptism and the Eucharist and though while they are under the Power of the Civil Magistrate they plead for an enlarged Charity yet if at any time they get the Sword to hang at their sides their Cruelty will be much more extensive This I speak the more positively because First Their Principles lead them to it for if the Papists with whom we agree in the chiefest Articles of Religion be such implacable Enemies as to design the utter Extirpation of our Church how much more will the Socinians who condemn us as Polytheists and Idolators for worshipping those whom they account meer Creatures execute their Fury on us But 2ly their Practices have abundantly declared their Inveterate Malice for when one Arian Presbyter had drawn Constantius to be of his Opinion I tremble to relate what Havock was made in the Church and before that time under Dioclesian having gotten the Donatists and other Hereticks to strengthen their Party they committed more Outrages on the Catholicks than Dioclesian himself though that was the fluctus Decumanus the most impetuous Wave that overflowed the Church I shall give a brief Account from a Witness above all Exceptions Vincent Lirinensis Ch. 6. Contr. Her with whom St. Augustine agrees in his Discourses against the Arians Vol. 7. and Socrates l. 2. c. 10. l. 4. c. 13. and Sozomen l. 3. c. 6. the words of Vincentius are these Cùm prophana ipsa Arrianorum Novitas velut quaedam bellona aut furia Capto prius omnium Imperatore cuncta deinde Palatii culmina legibus novis subjugasset nequaquam deinceps destitit Universa Miserere atque vexare privata publica sacra prophanaque omnia nullum boni veri genere descrimen sed quoscunque collibuisset tanquam deloco superiore percutere tunc temeratae conjuges depopulatae viduae prophanatae Virgines monasteria demolita desturbate clerici verberati Levitae acti in exilium sacerdotes oppleta sanctis ergastula carceres Metalla quorum pars Maxima interdictis urbibus protrusi atque extorres inter deserta spleluncas feras saxa nuditate fame siti affecti contrite tabe facti sunt Atque haec omnia nunquid ullam aliam ob causam nisi utique dum pro caelesti dogmate humanae superstitiones introducuntur dum bene fundata antiquitas scelesta novitate subruitur dum superiorum instituta violantur dum rescinduntur scita patrum dum convelluntur definita Majorum dum sese intra sacratae atque incorruptae veritatis castissimos limites prophanae ac novellae curiositatis libido non continet This one Testimony of so good an Author is enough to make us abhor the Authors of the Arian and much more of the Socinian Heresie which is more Impious and guilty of the greater Blasphemy the more sacrilegious Novelty and of such intollerable Pride and Contempt of all Mankind but themselves even while they are under severe Laws that I believe if their Power were equal it would be as well for our Temporal as Spiritual Condition to live under the Roman as the Racovian Harrows The Statute 29 Car. 2. which abrogated that De Heretico Comburendo declares That it doth not take away or abridge any Iurisdiction of Protestant Archbishops Bishops or other Iudges of his Majesty's Ecclesiastical Courts in Causes of Atheism Blasphemy Heresie Schism or other Damnable Doctrines or Opinions but they may proceed to punish the same according to the Ecclesiastical Laws by Excommunication Deprivation Degradation and other Ecclesiastical Censures not extending to Death So as before the Act the Learned Judge Hales in the beginning of his Plea's of the Crown gives an Account of the manner of Conviction of Hereticks which he says is First By the Common Law Whereof he gives some Instances Secondly By Archbishops and Bishops in a General Synod Thirdly By the Bishop in his Diocess The Common Law he says inflicts no Forfeiture neither indeed doth the Ecclesiastical if the Criminal abjure his Opinions being pro salute Animae but if he
granted and all sort of Heresies were impunely permitted and Orthodox Doctrines discountenanced there are so few persons infected with Heresie and so many learned persons left us to vindicate the Truths of the Gospel yet are there some Thousands infected with Anabaptism and Quakerism among whom the Pelagian and Socinian Doctrines have got the Ascendent They talked formerly of being Godded with God and Christed with Christ and now they deny the Godhead of Christ and Man it with Man what number of such Hereticks are now among us the Author of the NAKED GOSPEL may know better than others doubtless he presumes of a large Muster otherwise he would not appear as a Leader to head them but that he should appear under the Notion of a Son of the Church of England is the greatest Affront that could be done it for as Plutarch says he had rather Men should say there was never such a Man as Plutarch than that they should say he was a Vicious Person So is it a less reproach for the Papists to say there never was such a Church as the Church of England than to say it is a Church professing Pelagian and Socinian Doctrines The Fathers and Sons of our Church have not and by the Grace of God will not be wanting in their Duty to Assert her Doctrines and to Silence all her Adversaries The University of Oxford have manifested their Abhorrence of it in Condemning the Book to the Fire And the Right Reverend the Bishop of Exeter Visitor of that Colledge whereof the Author was Rector hath as the Statutes of the Colledge directed him in Case of Heresie very seasonably repremanded him whereby it is hoped the Gangreen of his Heresies will be mortified and cut off from infecting the Members of that Famous Colledge Nor do I doubt but all that have any Authority in Causes Ecclesiastical will shew the like Detestation of that Damnable Heresie that denieth the Lord that bought them The Ancient Fathers were very severe against such Ignatius mentioning that passage in Jer. 17. Cursed is the man that trusteth in man saith that they are under the Curse that affirm Christ to be a meer man Origen on Job l. 1. c. 4. Whatever men shall do without Faith in the Holy Trinity they do in vain and shall have no reward Fulgentius de fide p. 9. saith he cannot be a Christian that shall not confess the Lord Christ to be his God The Fathers have said as much concerning the Arians that they were Antichristians rather than Christians Yea they say the like of Arius as of Julian That they were both guilty of the Sin against the Holy Ghost and if to the rest of our National Sins we should add this to suffer the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity to be thus publickly derided and made the Subject of profane Pamphlets that the Writers should confidently own them and falsely profess themselves Sons of the Church of England that there should be a Secret Press still in Labour to be delivered of such Monsters that there should be a Club to Father them and such Hectors to defend and support them and so many to applaud them and such Books as were long since written in Latin are taught to speak English and French and our English Books in requital are taught to speak Latin and French Arrianism is one of the great Provocations for which the Lord's hand is not withdrawn but is still stretched out to be avenged on us Luther on his Death bed was wont to exhort those who came to visit him Oremus pro Domino nostro ejus Evangelio Let us pray for our Lord and for his Gospel The Gospel was then reviving and gaining its liberty it is now imprisoned in all Countries where Popery doth prevail and it is like to be stript Naked at home if some charitable Hand doth not seasonably prevent it to which that Doom which our Saviour hath denounced Mat. 25.43 Go ye cursed for I was naked and ye cloathed me not should excite every good Christian otherwise we may justly fear that for all the Affronts and Indignities which the Prophane on the one hand and the Hereticks and Blasphemers on the other hand between whom our blessed Saviour is crucified afresh and put to open shame he deal with us as he did with the Church of Ephesus Rev. 2.5 I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick except thou repent And the great haste which so many do make to banish the true knowledge of God out of the Land is a fearful Prognostick that our Saviour will come quickly to be avenged on such a People My present Undertaking is only to do the Office of a Watch-man or Sentinel to discover the approach of an Adversary and to sound an Alarme to such as are better furnished with Arms and Abilities to vanquish them of which by the Blessing of God our Church is provided with many thousands who I doubt not will fight it out Usque ad Triarios If I have for the sake of my Country-men collected a few Arguments against the Socinian Tenets it is what the Discourse of the Author led me to my intent was to discover the dangerous Design of the Naked Gospel which the Author pretends was for the enlarging of Charity and for condemning of Impositions in Matters of Faith under which Notion he industriously condemns those Doctrines of the Nicene Fathers and of Athanasius which have been received in the Church of England not only from them but from the most Primitive Times But the Doctor says We have no firm ground to go upon not from Scripture because the Arrians capt Scripture with the Orthodox nor from Antiquity which they claimed with the same confidence nor from Councils which determined sometimes on one side and sometimes on the other p. 37. c. 1. Yet he grants that the Catholicks have the advantage of long possession and that after Sentence and at last leaves both the Arrian and Athanasian Doctrines on the same level with Roman Impositions equally unworthy of our Faith or Study By this and what I shall further urge from the Naked Gospel it will evidently appear that if the Doctor be of any Religion that names the Name of Christ he must be a Socinian As to the Author's design he pretends it to be 1. For the enlarging of Charity i. e. for a Toleration of his Opinions 2. To prevent Impositions in Matters of Faith to both which I have replyed and shewn that the real design is to ridicule the Athanasian Creed and the Council of Nice and to prefer a Natural Religion above that which is taught by them which he accounts among his unreasonable Impositions as having 1. No footing in Scripture in answer whereto I have shewn the Harmony of the Old and New Testament in Confirmation of those Doctrines 2. Whereas he says they have no Foundation in the Fathers I have produced their Authorities And thirdly as for the Councils Because the Socinians decline
See Gothofrede p. 46. Chap. 8. p. 34. The Doctor amuseth us with the variety of Creeds published by Councils under the influence of the Emperor Constantius whereof I shall give the Reader this brief account After that Athanasius fell under Constantines displeasure and was banished it is said he never saw his face more though it is reported that Constantine did it out of kindness to secure him from the Attempts of such as sought to take away his life and Constantine his Son declared as much and that it was his Fathers mind to recal him and some say he would have put it on his Will had not Eusebius of Nicomedia hindred it Athanasius himself was of the same mind and evident it is that his Son Constantine recalled him soon after his Fathers death and sent Letters to the people of Alexandria on his behalf A Synod at Alexandria vindicate him and write to Julius Bp of Rome on his behalf but a Synod being met at Antioch which had the favour of Constantius they coyn new Creeds in opposition to the Nicene Faith there are in Ecclesiastical History fower sorts one is of a larger size which hath this Preface We are not the disciples of Arius yet they consented to the Condemnation of Athanasius who made his Appeal to Julius Bishop of Rome who summoned the Eastern Bishops intending a hearing of Athanasius his cause in a full Synod but they refusing to come the Synod acquitted Athanasius and condemned Photinus Constans befriended Athanasius so far as to write to his Brother Constantius on his behalf not without threatning to restore him by Arms if it were denyed They therefore agreed that there should be a general Council summoned at Millan but that requiring a long time there was a Synod held at Sardica where the Arrian Party thought that Athanasius durst not appear but he deceived them and came so provided that they thought not fit to revive their accusations against him though a Party of the Arrians decreed to omit the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and without hearing condemned Julius Bishop of Rome Hosius of Corduba and Athanasius But the Council of Sardica confirmed the Nicene Faith acquitted Athanasius and found the Arrian Party guilty of divers Tumults which had occasioned much shedding of blood they Condemned George who had intruded to the Bishoprick of Alexandria as a person not worthy of the name of a Christian and wrote their Letters to Julius to confirm their Decree for the restoring of Athanasius which was agreed to by more than Three Hundred Bishops and sent Letters also to the people of Alexandria to receive their Bishop and it hapning that George the Intruder having been slain in a Tumult Constantius himself fearing the consequence of such Tumults wrote to the Citizens on the behalf of Athanasius And thus that Church injoyed some respite Constantius being employed in a War against Magnentius In his March towards Mursa where the Battle was fought he made a stop at a Church under the Jurisdiction of Valens the Arrian Bishop waiting the Success of the Battle in which retirement Valens carest the Emperor and as Sulpitius Severus relates the matter Valens had provided some Messengers to attend the Army and as soon as they saw to which Party the Victory inclined to bring him the News with all possible speed designing that if the Emperour was overcome he might secure himself by flight if he conquered Valens might ingratiate himself by giving the first Intelligence of a Victory which accordingly fell out for Magentius was totally routed and the News came when the Emperour seemed much dejected but on hearing of it by Valence the Emperour could scarce believe it demanding to speak with the Messenger but Valens told him He might be confident of it for it was revealed to him by an Angel and shortly after the Messenger entred to confirm the News of the Victory This so ingratiated Valens with the Emperour that he was wont to say The Victory was owing more to the Merits of Valens than to the Valour of his Army Sulp. Sever. l. 2. p. 143. Edit Amstel 1641. After this Battel Valens having regain'd the good Opinion of the Emperour which he had almost lost by his inconstancy declaring sometimes for and other times against the Nicene Faith And now was a fit opportunity to mind the Emperour of his Promise for Summoning a General Council at Millan the Emperour being then resident there and the Council being met Valens pursues his design against Athanasius requiring Subscriptions for his Condemnation but the Orthodox Party perceiving many Arians there desired that Matters of Faith might have the precedency and so propounded the Nicene Creed to be first subscribed which Valens opposing it was cast in his teeth That he had formerly subscribed it more than once and therefore it was hoped he would not refuse it now yet when Dyonisius Bishop of Millan took his Pen ready to subscribe his Name Valens snatcht it out of his hand and bid him forbear until Athanasius 's Case was decided and then was an Arian Creed read and Subscriptions required thereunto which the Catholiks refused and thereupon arose a great Tumult among the People insomuch that the Emperour fearing the event adjourned them to meet at his Court where the Accusations against Athanasius being renewed the Catholicks pleaded that they had been adjudged to be false viz. in the Synod at Tyre Anno 335 where the Woman that was brought to accuse him for Incontinency was convicted of a false Accusation for Timotheus who accompanied Athanasius stood up as if he had been Athanasius and asked her Whether he ever used any force or other temptation to deprave her which she confidently affirmed and thereupon that sham was detected So was the Second Accusation about the Death of Arsenius who being deprived by Athanasius and denied Communion with the Church at Alexandria the Arian Party perswaded him to withdraw and lie hid for a while and in the mean time they gave out that Athanasius had been the cause of destroying him but there were two sufficient Witnesses produced to prove that Arsenius was alive and that they saw him lately in good health They accused him also of several other Crimes but wanting sufficient Evidence the Emperour being present stood up and said That he himself accused Athanasius and knew him to be a turbulent and seditious Person and demanded who would refuse his Testimony Liberius Bishop of Rome was the first whose Subscription to the Condemnation of Athanasius was required who stoutly refused it and argued against the Emperour and others who urged it and still refusing was banished by the Emperour then Hosius Bishop of Corduba was assaulted sometime by Promises and then by Threats and being of great Age and overcome by Reproaches as if he alone withstood the Emperour's Pleasure and the Church's Peace and having suffered in his Body as well as his good Name at last to save his Carcase as the Historians say
wicked Mâ—n were risen up in his Diocess teaching such a Defection as may be rightly called A Fore-running of Antichrist I could wish says he this mischief might have been confined among the Apostates but seeing Eusebius of Nicomedia undertakes their Patronage and hath written Letters to recommend them and their Heresie I could not forbear to forewarn you of these Apostates and their Opinions and that you attend not to the Writings of Eusebius The Names of those that have forsaken the Church Arius Achillas Aithales Carpones another Arius Sarmates Euzoius Lucius Julianus Menas Hellodius Gaius and with these Secundus and Theanas who were formerly called Bishops That which they rashly publish is this God was not alway a Father the Word of God was not alway but had its beginning of nothing for God which is created him that was not out of that which was not and so the Son they say is a Creature not like his Father in Substance nor the True Word of God nor his True Wisdom but one of his Works and Creatures but abusively so called being made by the Word and Wisdom which is in God that made him and all things That the Son knows not the Father nor can perfectly know him nor doth he know his own Substance what it is but was made as an Instrument by which God would create us nor had he been made unless God would have made us by him To them that ask whether the Word of God could be changed as the Devil was they answer Yea that he is of a mutable Nature because he was created Arius with great impudence affirming these Things We together with almost an hundred Bishops of Egypt and Lybia did anathematize him and his Adherents but Eusebius hath received them that he may joyn Impiety to Piety Falshood to Truth but they shall not prevail for Truth will overcome for whoever heretofore heard such things or now hearing them doth not stop his Ears who hearing St. John say In the beginning was the Word will not condemn these Mens sayings There was a time when he was not c. These Letters had various effects on a great many and not much to the advantage of Alexander for Arius and his Party were very diligent in writing on the contrary behalf Eusebius also Bishop of Nicomedia heartily espoused his Cause partly out of a private grudge between him and Bishop Alexander and partly through his own Opinion which agreed with those of Arius and the Emperour being then at Nicomedia with whom he was in favour and by this opportunity he had great influence on the neighbouring Bishops to whom he wrote divers Letters on the behalf of Arius he wrote also to Alexander himself admonishing him to receive Arius again into his Communion and by these means the Divisions were so great that not only the Bishops but the People also ran into Parties and the Meletians also joyned with Arius so that they wrote to Alexander to recall the Excommunication against him pleading that his Opinions were right for Arius did so palliate his Heresie as that to the unwary and more ignorant sort both of Clergy and People it seemed nothing different from the Orthodox Doctrine The Emperor also wrote to a contrary purpose to the Church of Alexandria Socrates p 30. That all things concerning the Controversies that were moved had been acurately discussed and examined by the Council But O! what great and grievous Blasphemies some did declare against our Saviour and our Hope of Eternal Life producing things contrary to the Scripture inspired from above and to the Faith yet professing their belief of them whereas therefore more than 300 Bishops which were to be admired for their modesty and diligence conformed by their unanimous consent that which according to the Rule of the Divine Law is the only Faith Arius only was found who overcome by diabolical fraud and design did first sow this mischievous Evil among you and others but let us embrace the Opinion which Almighty God hath delivered and return to our Brethren from whose Fellowship that impudent Minister of the Devil hath separated them for that which hath been decreed by more than 300 Bishops is to be esteemed as the Divine Sentence seeing that the Holy Ghost residing in their Minds hath revealed his Divine Will unto them He assured them also That the Definitions of the Council were not made without diligent examination Wherefore in another Epistle to the Bishops and People mentioned by Socrates p. 32. of the Edition by Valesius he says That the Arians following evil and malitious Men deserved to suffer the same infamous punishment with them and as Porphyry who wrote against the Christian Religion had his Books destroyed and himself branded to Posterity so it is my Command That Arius and his Followers shall be call'd Porphyrians and that if any Book written by Arius be found that it be consumed by Fire that no remembrance of him may remain and that such as conceal his Books shall suffer Death These were the Emperour's second thoughts It hapned that Constantia the Emperour's Sister had entertained an Arian Presbyter who often talkt of Arius complaining to her how much he was wronged by the Council at Nice but she durst not commend his Case to the Emperour till being sick and often visited by the Emperour she commended this Presbyter to the Emperour as a devout and faithful Person who having got into the Emperour's favour he told him as he had done his Sister of the hard measure Arius had from the Council whom he affirmed to be of the same Judgment with them and that if he might be admitted to the Emperour's presence he would declare his consent to their Decrees The Emperour wondered to hear this and said That if Arius would subscribe those Decrees he would not only admit him to his presence but send him home to Alexandria with Honour and wrote to him to that purpose See the Letter Socrat. Hist l. 1. c. 25. wondering that he had not declared sooner seeing as the Historian says the Emperour had often exhorted him to it but being come to Constantinople he with Euzoius and some others presented the Emperour an Account of their Faith in Writing which was this To believe in One God the Father Almighty and in the Lord Jesus Christ his Son who was made by him before all Ages God the Word by whom all things in Heaven and Earth were made who came down and was incarnate who suffered and rose again and ascended and shall come to judge the Quick and Dead and in the Holy Ghost the Resurrection of the Flesh and the Life to come in One Catholick Church of God from one end of the World to the other this we believe as God shall judge us now and in the World to come On this Confession the Emperour ordered his Return to Alexandria whether he went and revived the Divisions among the People framing new Accusations against Alexander the Emperour therefore