However I can do no less than conclude and expect every judicious Man's Assent to it 1. That the Doctrine of the Trinitarians is no necessary or fundamental Doctrine of Christianity 2. That 't is unjust and unchristian to lay the Vnitarians or Socinians under any Penalties or Forfeitures upon the account of their Doctrine 3. That Trinitarians ought to own the Vnitarians for Christian Brethren and behave themselves towards them as such First I said the Doctrine of the Trinitarians is no necessary or fundamental Doctrine of Christianity For to say it is doth 1. Reflect upon the Goodness of God and his Love to Mankind as making that fundamental and necessary to Salvation the Truth whereof must be confessed to be so very obscure and uncertain that where the Prejudices of Education Respect of Men and Fear of Penalties do not prevail the vulgar who are ten to one of Mankind either do not believe it at all or confess it as Parrots speak Words without Understanding 2. To make the Doctrine of the Trinity fundamental is to joyn Hands with Papists in contradiction to Protestant Doctrine owning with them that the Scriptures are obscure and unsufficient even in Fundamentals and so bringing in a necessity of admitting and believing unscriptural Traditions Of this the Papists are so sensible that it is the chief of those Arguments with which they attack Protestants and which they urge in their former and latter Writings wherein they not only seem to have but have in reality great Advantage as will I am perswaded appear to those that impartially consider it It will not be here impertinent to tell you a story that hapned in the present Reign A certain great Lord was assaulted in his Faith by a Jesuit or other Seminary who began with him thus My Lord I know you believe the Creed of Athanasius to which the Lord wisely perceiving what he would build upon that Concession answer'd Who told you so which quick Answer by Question did so surprize and disappoint the Seminary that he had no more to say It seems his intended Arguments leaned on that Pillar alone to wit the Belief of the Creed commonly called the Athanasian 3. The Trinitarian Doctrine reflects Weakness and Unsufficiency upon the whole Christian Church and Faith of the first Ages which as our Author has noted knew or professed no other but the Apostles Creed which doth fully agree with the Vnitarian or Socinian but by no means with the Trinitarian Doctrine of fundamental Faith. 4. They that urge the Doctrine of the Trinity as fundamental do clearly impugn the sixth Article of the Church of England which saith Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to Salvation So that whatsoever is not read therein nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any Man that it should be believed as an Article of the Faith. Such also was the Judgment of Mr. Chillingworth that eminent Defender of Protestantism ch 6. n. 56. where he saith By the Religion of Protestants I understand that wherein they all agree THE BIBLE THE BIBLE I say THE BIBLE only is the Religion of Protestants Whatever else they believe besides it and the plain irrefragable and indubitable Consequences of it well may they hold it as a matter of Opinion but not as a matter of Faith or Religion neither can they with Consistence to their own Grounds believe it themselves nor require the Belief of it from others without most high and most scismatical Presumption Secondly I said it follows from the foregoing Discourses that it is unjust and unchristian to lay the Vnitarians or Socinians under any Penal Laws or other Hardships on the account of their Conscience and Doctrine For we may see here that an honest and sincere Man may in the Pursuit of his own Salvation and in adhering to Protestant Principles of the Clearness and Sufficiency of Scripture in Fundamentals as also in reverence of the ancient Faith held forth in the Apostolick Creed and of the Church of the first Ages he may I say with clear Satisfaction in his own Conscience disbelieve the Trinitarian Doctrine But how can Christians with Satisfaction to their Consciences punish such a Man As for the publick Peace there is not only nothing in the Nature of their Doctrine that inclines them to Unpeaceableness but they have also always been extremely candid to those that differ from them from a Principle common I think to them and the Remonstrants only that Conscience ought to be free in matters of Faith This is a Principle with the Socinians and the Remonstrants other Families of Christians take it up as an expedient when they have need of it Briefly If the Socinians appear to be as careful and diligent to know the Truth as Athanasians if they are in their Stations as learned as they and as innocent and virtuous Men in their Conversations how can any Christian judg and condemn them without incurring our Saviour's Judgment and Condemnation He that believes the whole Bible heartily and indeavours sincerely to know the Mind of God and Christ therein and to purge himself from those carnal Affections and worldly Interests that hinder Men from seeing and obeying the Truth and perhaps as a Testimony thereof suffers the Loss of Advantages and Goods Kinsfolk and Country nay undergoes Penury and other Hardships in foreign Countries as many do at this Day how can any who pretend to give Obedience to the Law of common Reason of Moses and the Prophets and of Christ himself in his Sermon on the Mount to wit of doing to others as we would they should do to us how I say can such think a Socinian so qualified as we have but now described him doth deserve Punishment for his Faith And how can any Man without transgressing Christ's Law of Charity judge such a one to be guilty without any Appearance of Guilt more than may be easily seen in himself Is it not the common Principle of all Protestants to believe the Holy Scriptures are sufficient to all Religion and clear in all Necessaries of Faith and Manners and that every Man is obliged by our Lord Christ to believe and practise according to his own Knowledg Light and Understanding of the Scriptures He that does so is not only a Christian but a Protestant that is a reformed Christian I am fully assured says Mr. Chillingworth and consequently those learned Persons the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford the Regius Professor and others who licensed and approved his Book that God does not and therefore Men ought not require more of any Man than this to believe the Scripture to be God's Word to endeavour to find the true sense of it and to live according to it ch 6. n. 56. The same Author says ch 5. n. 96. I have learnt from the ancient Fathers that nothing is more against Religion than to force Religion and of St. Paul that the Weapons of the Christian Warfare are not carnal The famous Salvian of
A Brief History OF THE UNITARIANS Called also SOCINIANS In Four Letters Written to a Friend Acts 17. 11. They searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Printed in the Year 1687. The First Letter Concerning the Unitarians vulgarly called Socinians SIR IN Answer to yours demanding a brief account of the Vnitarians called also Socinians their Doctrine concerning God in which only they differ from other Christians the Remonstrants professedly agreeing with them in other points of Faith and Doctrine and the Defence they usually make of their Heresy They are called Socinians from F. Socinus an Italian Noble-Man and a principal Writer of their Party They affirm God is only one Person not three They make our Lord Christ to be the Messenger Minister Servant and Creature of God they confess he is also the Son of God because he was begotten on blessed Mary by the Spirit or Power of God Luke 1. 35. But they deny that he or any other Person but the Father the God and Father of the said our Lord Christ is God Almighty and Eternal The Holy Ghost or Spirit according to them is the Power and Inspiration of God Luke 1. 35. That the Lord Christ was a Man the Son Prophet Messenger Minister Servant and Creature of God not himself God they think is proved by these as they call them Arguments 1. If our Lord Christ were himself God there could be no Person greater than he none that might be called his Head or his God none that could in any respect command him But the Holy Scriptures teach that the Father is greater than Christ is the Head and the God of Christ and gave Commandment to him what he should say and what he should do John 14. 28. My Father is greater than I. 1. Cor. 11. 3. The Head of Christ is God. John 20. 17. I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God. John 12. 49. The Father which sent me he gave me a Commandment what I should say John 14. 31. As the Father gave me Commandment so do I. 2. If our Lord Christ were indeed God it could not without Blasphemy be absolutely and without Restriction affirmed of him that he is the Creature the Possession the Servant and Subject of God or that for his Obedience he was rewarded and advanced by God. But the inspired Authors of Holy Scripture do say that the Son our Lord Christ is the Creature of God the Possession of God the Servant of God was obedient to God and for that cause by him rewarded and exalted also that when God shall have subjected all Men to his Son our Lord Christ yet even then shall he remain subject to God. Col. 1. 15. The first-born from the dead ver 18. of every Creature Heb. 3. 1 2. Consider the Apostle and high Priest of our Profession Jesus Christ who was faithful to him that appointed him In the Greek and in the Margin of our Bibles 't is faithful to him that made him 1 Cor. 3. 23. Ye are Christ's and Christ is God's Matth. 12. 17 18. That it might be fulfilled that was spoken by Isaias Behold my Servant Phil. 2. 8 9. He humbled himself and became obedient Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every Name 1 Cor. 15. 28. When all things shall be subdued to him then shall the Son also be subject to him that put all things under him that God may be all in all 3. He that is true God is not the Minister or Priest of any other Person or Persons he neither doth nor will being himself Omnipotent and All-sufficient mediate or intercede with any whomsoever for his Servants and People But 't is certain that our Lord Christ is the Minister and Mediator of God and Men a Priest that appeareth in the Presence of God and intercedeth with him for Men. Heb. 8. 6. Now hath he obtained a more excellent Ministry 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is one God and one Mediator between God and Men the Man Jesus Christ. Heb. 2. 17. A merciful and faithful High-Priest in things pertaining to God. Heb. 9. 24. Christ is not entred into the Holy place made with Hands but into Heaven it self now to appear in the Presence of God for us Heb. 7. 25. He ever liveth to make Intercession for them 4. Almighty God doth all things in his own Name and by his own Authority He ever doth his own Will and seeketh his own Glory he declares himself to be the prime Object of Faith and Worship and pronounces all Doctrines or Religions to be vain which proceed not from Him alone But in our Lord Christ all things are contrary for he declares that he came not into the World in his own Name or Authority not to do his own Will or seek his own Glory or propound himself as the principal Object of our Faith or Worship or to publish a Doctrine of his own John 17. 28. I am not come of my self John 5. 43. I am come in my Father's Name John 8. 42. I proceeded forth and came from God neither came I of my self but he sent me John 5. 30. I seek not my own Will. John 8. 50. I seek not my own Glory John 12. 44. He that believeth on me believeth not on me but on him that sent me Phil. 2. 11. That every Tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father John. 7. 16. My Doctrine is not mine but his that sent me 5. God was always most wise never ignorant of any thing He needeth not the concurrence of any other Person to assure him that he judgeth right He cannot saith St. James chap. 1. ver 13. be tempted And as he is infinitely great so he is no less Good. But the sacred Writers do not speak of the Lord Christ after this Tenor They say our Lord Christ increased in Wisdom that he professed himself ignorant of some things that he ascribed the Certainty and Infallibility of his Judgment to the Father's Presence with him that he was tried by great Temptations being thereto exposed by the Holy Ghost that he refused to be called Good because God only is Good. Luke 2. 52. Jesus increased in Wisdom and in Favour with God and Men. Mark 13. 32. Of that Day and Hour knoweth no Man In the Greek tis none knoweth no not the Angels which are in Heaven neither the Son but the Father S. Matthew Mat. 24. 36. adds But the Father only John 11. 34. Where have ye laid him They say unto him Lord come and see John 8. 16. My Judgment is true for I am not alone but I and the Father that sent me Matth. 4. 1. Then was Jesus led of the Spirit to be tempted of the Devil Luke 18. 19. Why callest thou me good there is none good save one that is God. 6. God giveth what and to whom himself pleaseth he needs not the Aid of any other he entreateth
14. After the way which they call Heresy so worship I the God of my Fathers believing all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets Printed in the Year 1687. A Second Letter Concerning the Unitarians vulgarly called Socinians SIR THE Texts and Arguments from them objected to the Doctrine of the Vnitarians and Saoinians concerning God are so many that 't is impossible to give a tolerable account of what they answer to the Orthodox in a Letter their Answers would indeed require a Volume Yet because I would not wholly disappoint your Expectations and Demands I will in several Letters lay before you some part of what they reply to the Texts and Arguments taken from the Old Testament what to those that are found in the Gospels and Acts what to those out of the Epistles and Revelation The Texts objected to them out of the Old Testament are of two sorts 1. Those which singly and alone prove the Trinity or the Divinity of the Son or Spirit 2. Those which perhaps would not if alone considered prove the Orthodox Doctrine but do it sufficiently when compared with and interpreted by some Texts of the New Testament I will propound both these in the order of Scripture 1. Gen. 1. 26. Let Vs make Man in our Image Answ 1. This Text hath been considered in the foregoing Letter 2. But 't is to be also farther observed that some Rabbies render the Original Hebrew thus Let Man be made in our Image Meaning say they in the Likeness of God and Angels for he speaketh to the Angels who were all present Job 38. 4. 7. Yet God speaketh to them not as Adjutants but as Spectators of his Work. They note that this Translation agreeth with the stile used all along in this chapter ver 3. Let there be Light. ver 6. Let there be a Firmament ver 20. Let the Waters bring forth ver 24. Let the Earth bring forth the living Creature 2. Gen. 3. 22. God said The Man is become as one of Vs to know Good and Evil. Answ 1. It may be and is by very many learned Men said that God speaketh here to the Angels 2. But others translate the Hebrew words thus the Man is become one of himself knowing Good and Evil. And thus also 't is expressed in the Chaldee Translation by Onkelos 3. Gen. 11. 6 7. The Lord said Let Vs go down and there confound their Language Answ 1. It is said by some that God speaketh here to the Angels and the Ministers and Executors of his Decree 2. Others say Let their Language be confounded for so the Hebrew may be rendred is an Hebrew Phrase signifying I will confound their Language For so he saith Gen. 1. 3 6 20 24 26. Let there be Light. Let there be a Firmament Let the Waters Let the Earth bring forth Let Man be made that is I will make Light I will make a Firmament I will cause the Waters and Earth to bring forth I will make Man. Note that God is said to go down because his Power accompanied his Angels who were either Ministers or Spectators of his miraculous Work. 4. Gen. 19. 24. The Lord Heb. Jehovah rained Fire from the Lord Heb. Jehovah out of Heaven Answ The Translation of Seb. Castalio is generally approved by the most learned Criticks as agreeing to the Genius and manner of the Hebrew Tongue he renders the original Words thus Jehovah rained Fire from himself from Heaven But see also what they say on Zech. 3. 2. a place parallel to this 5. 2 Sam. 23. 2 3. The Spirit of God â—ake by me the God of Israel said Answ The Spirit of God that is the Inspiration of God q. d. God inspired and spake by me 6. Psal 2. 7. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Answ Paul hath taught us that this Text so far forth as it respecteth Christ and is a Prophecy of him and what God would do for him was not intended of his supposed eternal Generation from the Essence of the Father or God but of his being begotten to Life again from the dead Acts 13. 34. God hath fulfilled the same in that he raised up Jesus from the dead as it is written in the second Psalm Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Col. 1. 18. The Head of the Body the Church the first born from the dead 7. Psal 45. 6 7. Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever thou hast loved Righteousness therefore thy God hath anointed thee with the Oyl of Gladness above thy Fellows These Words are interpreted of Christ by the Author to the Hebrews Heb. 1. 8 9. Vnto the Son he saith Thy Throne O God is for ever c. Answ In the Hebrew and in the Greek 't is God is thy Throne i. e. thy Seat resting-place or Establishment for ever 8. Psal 68. 18. Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led Captivity captive thou hast received Gifts for Men or as 't is in the Syriac and Eph. 4. 8. hast given Gifts to Men. These Words manifestly spoken of God are interpreted of Christ Eph. 4. 8 9 11 Whereforh he saith when he ascended up on high he led Captivity captive and gave Gifts to Men. Now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the Earth He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things And he gave some Apostles some Prophets and some Evangelists c. Answ 1. Those Words descended first into the lower parts of the Earth are to be understood of our Lord's descent into the Grave and Hell from whence he arose and afterwards ascended into Heaven 2. These Words ascended far above all Heavens that he might fill all things had been better rendred that he might fulfil all things namely all the Prophecies of himself and others concerning his Death and Descent into the Grave and Hell and his Ascension into the highest Heavens far above all the visible Heavens all the Heavens and Orbs in which the Sun and Stars move 3. Thou hast ascended and given Gifts to Men are in the Psalm litterally meant of God and of Christ only by way of Prophecy or rather of Emblem and Accommodation And that Paul in the Ephesians intended no more than an Accommdation or as Grotius speaks a mystical or allegorical Interpretation of the words in the Psalm is evident by the Gifts he mentioneth He gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists that is he advanced some to be Apostles others to be Prophets and Evangelists in the Christian Church These Gifts not being given or received till about one thousand Years after David's time Paul could not possibly intend a literal Interpretation of David's Words but only to accommodate them to Christ because Christ also did ascend on high and give Gifts to Men. To this effect speak Grotius Dr. Patrick and other famous Interpreters on this Text. 9.
Marseils who wrote about the Year of our Lord 460 saith thus concerning one sort of Vnitarians viz. Arians They are Hereticks but not knowingly They do so much judg themselves Catholicks that they defame us with the Name of Hereticks They err but with a good Mind not of Hatred but of the Love of God. How they shall be punish'd in the Day of Judgment for this Error of a false Opinion none can know but the Judg. De Gubern Dei. l. 5. where may be read more to the same purpose Though this Author according to the Vogue of Those times calleth the Arians Hereticks yet that which he says farther of them shows they were not so for the Character he gives of them shews them to be conscientious Christians and Lovers of God. St. Austin against the Manichees a sort of People that held there were two Gods one good the other evil saith thus Let them be fierce against you who know not how laborious a thing it is to find out the Truth and how difficultly we escape Errors Let them be fierce against you who know not how rare and hard a thing it is to overcome carnal Imaginations by the Serenity of a pious Mind c. Contr. Ep. Fausti Thirdly I added that the Trinitarians ought to own the Vnitarians for Christian Brethren and to behave themselves towards them as such For Protestants do agree that all necessary and fundamental matters of Faith are clear and plain in Scripture but other matters not so evident but that good Christians may err concerning them as we see they did even in the times of the Apostles now this Doctrine of the Trinitarians appearing to be no fundamental Doctrine it does by no means unchristian those that hold the contrary nor excuse the Trinitarians from those Offices which are due to them as Christians And the rather because they are not only willing to make Confession of Faith in all the forms of Words contained in the Holy Scripture but in the Words also of the Apostles Creed as also because they are not liable to any charge of Idolatry or Superstition in their Worship or of Uncharitableness in condemning those of contrary Minds as the Confederacy of Rome is Therefore I cannot but wonder at some learned Men that are so far carried away with an overweaning Opinion of their own Judgment that they will not allow those the name of Christians who do not believe besides the Bible and the Creed of the Apostles also the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds Nay some account the Trinitarian Doctrines to be so necessary to Christianity that though those who deny them be otherways very pious and useful Men yet going against the sense of the Catholick Church they err not for want of Instruction but from a certain Wantonness and Pride of Vnderstanding and are guilty of such unpardonable Immodesty as admits of no Excuse If what is hinted in these Letters concerning the Catholick Church of the Apostles times and first Ages be true then that Author builds his Condemnation upon a false and rotten Foundation and the Building falling impresses Rashness and Uncharitableness upon himself I mean as to this particular Case for otherways I readily acknowledg the Worth and Learning of the Author Neither can I sufficiently admire that another learned Man and a Sufferer for his Conscience should in a Pacifick Discourse treat the Socinians in the same contumelious manner not allowing them worthy of the Name of Christians because they go about saith he to overthrow the whole frame of the Christian Doctrine by arrogant Presumptions of false Reasonings and Sophistical Arguments Yea it is commonly objected against them that they exalt their Reasonings above plain and express Revelation in Scripture Which Crimination seems to me to be clearly taken away by the four Letters in which it appears by the many Unconcluding Texts false Translations unintelligible Reasonings and Distinctions cited and urged on the Behalf of the Trinitarian Doctrine and on the other hand by the numerous clear Texts allowed Translations Reasonings and Distinctions common to Mankind produced by the Vnitarians that these last may reasonably retort this great Objection on their Opposites the Trinitarians who in a thousand express Texts of Scripture do exalt their Reasonings to maintain another sense than the plain Words require For one Instance how many express Texts ascribe Parts and Members Affections and Passions Shape and Figure Place and Circumscription to God all which as the Author of these Letters notes are otherways expounded by learned Men because they judg these things in reason unsuitable to God. But what Principle more clear both in Reason and Scripture than this that there is but one God or that God is one All Christians and all Jews and all Mahometans who are said to be more in Number than Christians besides the wise Heathens do acknowledg it and all these understand by the term God a necessary existent Person Upon these clear Grounds the Vnitarians deny that there are three such as contrary to that Unity and introducing into the Godhead two unnecessary or superfluous Persons For if one be sufficient and he cannot be God if he be not sufficient then the two more are supernumerary and unnecessary and consequently not God. For my own part I was bred up in the Trinitarian Faith and took the Truth of it for granted but when these Scriptures and Reasons came into my View and I had got over the Fear of examining what some Men who name themselves the Church call Fundamentals I conld not avoid the Force of them though it grieves me that I cannot continue in consent with my old Friends as well in this as other parts of Christian Doctrine But certainly as in Philosophy Truth should be more dear to us than Plato or Socrates so in Theology the Testimony of plain Scripture agreeing with evident Reason should prevail with those who believe the Scriptures Divine more than obscure Texts dissonant to the clear Reason of Mankind And it may well allay any ones Fear of examining and judging concerning pretended Fundamentals when he shall consider that even the Church of England in another of her Articles says that as the Church of Jerusalem Alexandria and Antioch have errred so also the Church of Rome which contends that she is the Catholick Church hath erred not only in her living and manner of Ceremonies but also in matter of Faith. So also Chillingworth with his Approvers says I see plainly and with mine own Eyes that there are Popes against Popes Councils against Councils some Fathers against others the same Fathers against themselves a consent of Fathers of one Age against a consent of Fathers of another Age. There is no sufficient Certainty but in the Scripture only for any considering Man to build upon As to the boast of their Numbers 't is well known there was a time when the Christian World was Arian that is Vnitarian so that the Council of Ariminum and Seleucia in which 560 Bishops were present the greatest Convention of Bishops that ever was decreed for the Vnitarian Faith. Was number in those times an Argument of Truth If not how can it be so now The Author of these Letters has well observed besides that the Doctrine of the Trinitarians in these days is widely different from the Doctrine decreed in the first Council of Nice from whence I infer that their Boast of Antiquity is as vain as the other of Number I will only add to this Observation that though the more ancient and the modern Trinitarians may agree in terms yet those times and these have different senses of the same Words and Phrases SIR I pray accept of my hearty Thanks for this Publication and shew the Author how great an Honour I have for him I am Yours c. FINIS