{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ingeniose quidem ut illis videtur foeliciter comminiscuntur quae omnia cùm ridicula magna ex parte appareant efficitur proh dolor ut Jesu Christi religio Judaeis Turcis exteris denique omnibus maximè sit ludibrio Explicat cap. prim Ioh. pag. 9. Our superstitious men of late pressed us to comply with them in hope of converting Papists from their superstition by conforming our selves to the selfe same superstition and now the Socinians would have us to deny Christ to be God that we may convert Turkes and Iewes to the Christian faith as if the best way to convert men to the Christian faith were to deny a prime Article of our Christian faith or as if Jews and Turks would have a better opinion of Christ if the Christians should deny him to be God and so harden them in their beloved blasphemies and yet Faustus Socinus saith his friends did encourage him to write against that inveterate figment of the divine nature of Christ Hac enim ratione Iudaeos Turcas ad Christianam religionem allici posse qui portentosis istis opinionibus quae Christianae fidei Axiomata esse creduntur ab eâ amplectenda semper sunt deterriti Faustus ubi supra pag. 2. I should tyre out my Reader if I should but reckon up the tricks and devices of this Faustus for he pretended just as our Translator here to be a Reformer of the Reformers nay of the Reformation it selfe he makes many glorious pretences in his booke called Solutio Scrupulorum God saith he in this last Age intends to make many new discoveries and to Reforme his Church more thorowly then ever Luther he confesses hath discovered truths enough to carry us to Heaven Zuinglius and Oecolampadius reformed the Church in matters of great weight and moment they are justly to be extolled because they have purged the Church from superstition and Idolatry and caused all false worships to be abhorred but he doth very slily intimate that it was now left to him to confute all errors which Luther Zuinglius and Oecolampadius had not observed in the Church for saith he though the Idols Temple is laid levell with the ground no man hath as yet set up the Temple of Christ nay he goes farther Nec caementa lapides ad illud extruendum parari and we may truly say Socinus lapides loquitur as the Comedian said and he knows full well how to daube with untempered morter He hath written two other pestilent Books in which he hath most cunningly vented his poyson one is a booke which I never saw De ss. Scripturae authoritate which Calovius tels is one of his most subtile pieces and seemes to be one of his first Essayes Dominicus Lopez a Jesuit was so taken or mistaken with it as to print it in the yeare 1588. The other Pamphlet is a briefe discourse De causâ ob quam creditur aut non creditur Evangelio Iesu Christi In this second he speakes plainer then in the former as they say who have read both and they conceive that it was purposely put forth as a Commentary upon the other for Socinus did speake more freely still every yeare then other accordingly as hee saw his Discourses entertained and applauded by potent Abettours he did not put his name to his Commentary upon Iohn till he saw how it would take Libuit antequam nomen nostrum prodamus aliorum exigui hujus laboris nostri judicius cognoscere Explic. Ioh. p. 4. And Calovius saith he did not put his name to it till whole Churches Congregations I suppose he meanes had subscribed to Socinus his Tenets Calovius de Origine Theol. Soc. p. 19. He gained very much by his feigned modesty he saith it was his hearty desire to bring all men to his opinion yet such was his charity and modesty that he would account them brethren who counted him an Hereticke and held his opinions to be pernicious upon condition they did their best to live in obedience to Christs precepts and sought in a faire way to convince him by Scripture Explic. cap. prim Ioh. pag. 4. But though he pretended to be ruled by Scripture it is most evident that all his Art was to withdraw men from hearkning to the plainest Texts of Scripture which doe contradict blinde carnall reason He taught the world a new way of disputing in Divinity we were wont to argue thus Whatsoever God saith is true but God saith thus and thus ergo but he taught us to prove That such and such a proposition is true by the causes and proper effects first or else saith he it is absurd to thinke that God said any thing but truth and therefore unlesse it can appeare by some demonstrative argument that such a proposition is true we must not pitch upon that proposition as the minde of the holy Ghost in any Text of Scripture what ever the words of the Text seeme to hold forth unto us wee must goe looke out for some other sense which is agreeable to right Reason Rationis lumen quo Deus nos donavit aperte ostendit non debere nec posse corporalem poenam quam unus debeat ab alio persolvi idque etiam omnium gentium ac seculorum legibus ac consuetudinibus perpetuo maximo consensu comprobatum sit as Socinus in his Tract Deservatore Behold how the light of Reason the Laws nay the Customes and perchance some of them unreasonable of Nations must over-rule God so that God himselfe shall not be believed if he doe not speake consonantly to my corrurpt reason and our vaine Customes It is cleare and evident that whatsoever Socinus produces against Christs satisfaction or our Justification is a meere figment of his owne braine for he onely urges some colourable arguments which have but a shew or shadow of reason But I shall not instance in more particulars now because I desire to passe on and discover Socinus his subtilty in scattering his errors abroad in Sarmatia Transylvania c. and therefore this shall suffice for the Rise of Socinianisme CHAP. II. The Growth of Socinianisme ILL weeds thrive apace Laelius had sowne his errors as hath beene already shewen in some five or sixe yeares within ten yeares space there were whole Congregations submitted themselves to the Socinian yoake in Sarmatia as Doctor Calovius assures mee Intra decennium integra Ecclesiae accesserunt haeresi ejusdem in Sarmatia Consid Th. Soc. Prooemial pag. 65. And this Heresie did spread so fast in Transylvania that within twenty yeares after there were some hundreds of Congregations infected Ut vix triginta elapsis annis aliquot Centuriae Coetuum talium ibidem numeratae fuerint Ibid. What they maintained upon their first Apostasie may bee seene in a Booke De falsa vera unius Dei Patris Filii S. Sti. cognitione It pleased God that Franciscus Davidis the
calls them to oppose the Parliament Now can I or any man beleeve that Mr. Chillingworth doth intend to maintaine Calvinisme I mean pure Protestant Religion I appeale to the conscience of* Dr. Sheldon whether he hath not reserved more charity for an Infidel then a Calvinist he hath expressed himselfe very slily in his Sermons and yet plainly enough to intelligent Auditours but I will take the counsell of his Text and judge nothing before the time I remember his observations upon that Text Good Master what shall I doe that I may inherit eternall life it is not saith he what shall I beleeve as the Calvinists would have it or to that effect but what shall I doe Sure the good Dr. forgot the Jaylours question What shall I doe to be saved and the Apostles answer Beleeve c. Is this the Calvinisme he jerkes at Knot I beleeve had some ground to say that the infection was so generall that it had overspread All Soules I would there had been no need of such discoveries but since things are grown to this passe it is folly to complement we are compelled to speak Plain English in Sober Sadnesse If our faith will be lost except it be kept by a controversy it is an act both of faith and love for Orthodoxe men to undertake the controversy Dr. Potter doth acknowledge the Church of Rome to be a member of the Church universall and saith the Church of England hath a true and reall union still with that Church in Faith and Charity nay pag. 76. We doe not forsake the Communion of the Church of Rome any more then we forsake the Body of Christ whereof we acknowledge the Church of Rome a member though * corrupted But it seems in 8. or 9. yeares Dr. Potter had altered his opinion for in his Sermon preached at the Consecration of the Bishop of Carlslie in the yeare 1628. I find these words I am confident were the Fathers now alive they would all side with us in our necessary separation from the abominations idolatry and tyranny of the papacy with which no good Christian can hold any union in faith any communion in Charity p. 64 65. The learned and reverend Bishop Davenant did maintain that the Church of Rome was Apostaticall in his sad determinations if it be Apostatized from faith as Bishop Davenant saith and hath no more charity then Dean Potter saith it hath how can we especially since our separation from Rome be said to have a true and reall union with it still in Faith and Charity It is in vaine for him now to distinguish between the Church of Rome and the Court of Rome though there was once ground for that distinction for Rome is all Court now if he will have me use Charrons similitude the Church is the apple and the Câ—ur the worme the worme hath eaten up the apple the Court hath devoured the Church we distinguish between Fundamentalls and superstructions and some talke as if the Papists were sound in Fundamentalls but the case is cleare that they have overthrown the old foundation and all their superstructions are upon a new foundation or upon no foundation at all For if their Churches authority be the foundation of all their faith and their Churches Authority be built lastly and wholly upon Prudentiall motives as Mr. Chillingworth shewes cap. 2. pag. 64. Sect. 35. then sure here is a new Foundation or else their Church is a Castle in the ayre a Church without foundations I dare appeale to Master Chillingworth whether the Papists doe not erre grossely and therefore Fundamentally in those things which belong to the covenant between God and man in Christ See whether my inference be not grounded on his Assertion pag. 17. the answer to the Preface Sect. 26. Dr. Potter tells us * that their errours and practises for which they have been forsaken of Protestants are not damnable in themselves to men who beleeve as they professe but the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury is more Orthodoxe or else the man that gave him this note was more Orthodoxe for doubtlesse the materialls of that faire fabrick were brought in by men of different religions the principles are so crosse he saith that errour in points not Fundamentall may be damnable to some men though they hold it not against their conscience Sect. 37. Numb. 6. pag. 320. Dr. Potter and some others have a fancy of resting in the profession of such truths as all Christians in the whole world agree upon Master Chillingworth will put in the Socinians for a company of Christians I hope Dr. Potter will not joyn with him but the Arch-Bishop dislikes this plot as it comes from A. C. or at least shewes the danger of it and would be better advised in this point He saith he doth not think it safest in a controverted point of faith to beleeve that only which the dissenting parties agree upon or which the adverse party confesses the Arch-Bishop instances in the Doctrine between the Orthodoxe and the Arian if that rule be true which was mentioned before then saith he 't is safest for a Christian to beleeve that Christ is of like nature with God the Father and be free from beleefe that he is Consubstantiall with him c. His second instance is about the Resurrection His third about the unity of the Godhead if we will rest in the acknowledgement of one God he meanes and not confesse the Trinity of Persons in the unity of the Godhead for his Grace hath not framed his argument right then Iewes Turkes and Socinians will be as good Christians as we are The fourth instance is about the verity of Christs Godhead The Arch-bishops Relat. p. 309 310 c. You see whither this charitable principle would lead us we must take in the Socinian first as a Christian and then we may turn Turkes with credit I will conclude all with a part of Dr. Potters prayer The Lord take out of his Church all dissention and discord all Heresies and Schismes all Abuses and false doctrines all Idolatry Superstition and tyranny and unite all Christians in one holy band of truth and Peace that so with one minde and one mouth we may all joyne in his service and for ever glorify the holy name of the most holy and glorious Trinity Amen Amen Amen The Printer to the Reader The Author being called from London to a businesse of higher concâ—rnment could not oversee the Presse but some few sheets being sent to him he returned some brief Corrections which he hath desired me to communicate that the Reader might blot out those things which are redundant and rectify such mistakes as alter the sense of the Author Be pleased to take speciall notice of these that follow S. G. Errata In Pag. 2. lin. 6. r. he will not confesse that they pag. 3. l. 19. dele if Smalcius be Judge in pag. 3. l. 6. marg. dele Sociniani in pag. 6. l. 18. r. with him but
know whether there were any Scripture or no chap. 2. pag. 65 66. I thought it had beene necessary to have received those materiall objects or Articles of our Faith upon the authority of God speaking in the Scriptures I thought it had beene Anabaptisticall to have expected any Revelation but in the Word of God for a Revelation nay a supernaturall revelation is necessary to help naturall reason as the same Mr. Chillingworth acknowledges Knot had very unhappily branded Mr. Chillingworth for a Socinian because he maintaineth That nothing ought or can bee certainly believed farther then it may be proved by evidence of naturall reason where I conceive saith Mr. Chillingworth naturall reason is opposed to supernaturall revelation and whosoever holds so let him be Anathema Sect. 28. in his Answer to Knots Direction to N. N. Now let Mr. Chillingworth say that either there is a Revelation to be expected out of the Word as the Enthyfiasts do or else let him acknowledge that God hath ordained the Scriptures as the meanes and instruments to reveale saving truths and let him teach men to depend upon the Ordinances of God and not make men stand at a gaze to expect a Revelation in an extraordinary way Or else let him speake plaine and say there is truth enough written in the hearts of every man by nature to save him or that it may be learnt from Philosophers writings let him say as Socinus doth that the substance of the promises is eternall life that the maine thing God lookes after is practise that Heathens and Christians have the same practicall rules written in their heart and so if a man doe but hope for eternall life by observing these practicall rules as many Heathens did witnesse that verse of Phocylides {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and the Discourses of Socrates Plato Hermes c. hee may be eternally saved and then we shall know how free he is from Socinidnisme Or else let him confesse that naturall Reason being helped by a supernaturall Revelation in the Word is not able to discerne saving truths so as to beleeve them after a saving manner without the speciall assistance of the holy Ghost such assistance as is vouchsafed to none but the Elect of God and then I will acknowledge that he is no Socinian But otherwise if either he thinke as he seemes to thinke that all the materiall objects which are necessary to salvation may be knowne out of some other booke then Scripture or by some other meanes and that if a man beleeve them meerely as truths probable by reason and doe not receive those truths as the Oracles of God but dictates of Reason then sure he may be a Socinian still nay if he hold a supernaturall Revelation by the Word to be necessary it being the meanes which God hath ordained and so is made necessary to us by Gods ordinance yet if hee thinke this outward revelation to be sufficient without the inward and speciall revelation of the Spirit he may be a Socinian still But this by the way I shall say the lesse of Mr. Chillingworth when I come to touch upon his Booke sure I am such dangerous principles as these will beate greene heads from the study of the Scriptures if they be not censured upon every occasion I know Master Chillingworth protests that he is willing to stand to the judgement of the Catholique Church of this and former ages to the consent of Protestants the Church of England but if he put in the Papists into the Catholicke Church as I beleeve he will then he will say the Papists doe not agree and therefore the Catholick Church of this age is not against the Socinians nay the Fathers doe not all agree and so there is not a Catholick consent of the Ancients as Mr. Chillingworth I beeleeve did purposely shew at large in the eighteenth Section of his Answer to N. N. that so he might winde himselfe out the better in this 28. Section Nay peradventure he will put the Socinians in for to give a vote if you aske for the consent of the Catholique Church of this Age for hee cals them a company of Christians in the 29. Section and though he saith They are erroneous in explicating he doth not say in denying the mysteries of Religion allowing greater liberty in speculative matters so the Socinians call the Articles of the Christian faith then any other company of Christians doth or they should doe yet for their honour he saith they explicate the Lawes of Christ with more rigour and lesse indulgence to the flesh then the Papists doe and that is true but not much for their commendation because they thereby disgrace the Morall Law of God and say it was imperfect till Christ gave new Lawes but Mr. Chillingworth was willing to take any occasion to commend them Moreover if Mr. Chillingworth by the Church of England meane the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and his faction then indeed there will not be a generall consent of the Church of England against the Socinians Once more if he take in all the Arminians and some Iesuited Papists that as Vertumnus Romanus prescribes come to Church and heare our Common prayers and receive the Sacrament in some Congregations in this Kingdome though they bee of Mr. Fisher or Mr. Flued his minde and ranke all these amongst Protestants for we have had strange kinde of Protestants for these twelve yeares last past then I beleeve there will not be a generall consent of such Protestants against the Socinians and so Mr. Chillingworth may oppose Socinianisme when all these agree together to oppose it But indeed hee hath one Argument which makes me beleeve that he and more of that faction who countenance many Socinian errors doe not agree with the Socinians in all points because Socinianisme if it be taken in all its demensions is such a Doctrine by which no man in his right minde can hope for any honour or preferment either in this Church or State or in any other Many men do indeed adventure as farre as they dare this way onely they are afraid of thwarting the great Designe as I shall hereafter shew I dare not excuse Mr. Chillingworths dangerous principles though I account him a very rationall man yet I beleeve him to be the more dangerous I dare not therefore give him that liberty which he gives others and cry Quisque abundet in sensusuo because they are not the words of S. Paul though Mr. Chillingworth father them upon him chap. 2. pag. 92. the words of the Apostle are Let every man be fully perswaded or assured in his own minde Rom. 14. 5. I goe on to shew the danger of Socinianisme It is an Hotch-potch of Gentilisme Turcisme Judaisme and I know not what they have put in some scruples of Christianity to make up the messe The Centuriatours say that Mahomet did compose his Alcoran by the helpe of the Iewes and Iohannes Antiochenus an Arian and
truly Turcisme doth much savour of Iudaisme and Arianisme Now Socinianisme is compounded of the selfe same ingredients Socinus borrowed very much from Servetus and Servetus from the Alcoran as Wajekus proves and Socinus doth acknowledge vide Antiwajek Soc. pag. 33. They say we hinder the conversion of the Turks by departing so far from them whereas they agree with Turks in denying the Godhead eternall generation meritorious satisfaction of Christ in blaspheming the Trinity Paul Alciat and Adam Neuser two Socinians turned Turks nay the Turks discourse more solidly about the Prescience of God then the Socinians or Arminians doe The Resurrection of these very bodies was believed by none but Iewes and Turkes at first as the Socinians would make us believe and the Protestants have received it from them They open a gap to an Atheisticall Libertinisme by promising salvation to all Hereticks ignorant persons if they live but chast sober just lives and expect eternall life for that is the summe of the promises and they need not know or beleeve more all the mysteries of faith are by them counted but meere notions speculations at best and it is no great matter if men have diverse and contrary opinions about them they may all fare well enough truly I thinke one as well as another if there be neither heaven nor hell Socinians are not to be permitted in any Church for they deny that there is as yet any Triumphant Church above nor is it necessary that there should be any Militant Church here below The Arminians jumpe with them in the same conceit they say Christ may bee a King without a kingdome an Head without a body Neque verò necesse esse credimus ad hoc ut Christus rex caput maneat in terris Ecclesiam veram semper esse Their reasons are because Christs kingdome doth rather consist in his owne Soveraigne Authority then in the obedience and subjection of any people Besides if there were a necessity of it that there must be a Church on earth then Christs people would not be a free willing people and so there would be no spirituall Church if they are not left at liberty to accept or refuse Christ sure that is a rebellious Liberty for a liberty to reject Christ is a liberty to rebell No man they say need inquire after the true Church much lesse is it necessary that he should be a member of the true Church Ubinam quaeso est scriptum Christum praecepisse ut unusquisque inquirat norit quaenam sit vera Ecclesia Socinus de Eccles. Thes. They would not have any marks given of a true Church I suppose for fear theirs should be discovered to be a false but especially they deny that the pure preaching of the word is a note of the true Church for with jeasting Pilate they aske What is Truth How shall it appeare say they that any Church preaches the saving Truth Nay Arminians and Socinians both tell us that there is no need of preaching saving Truths are sufficiently manifested they say and yet it seemes it is not sufficiently manifested to them for they cannot tell what it is They doe not see any great use of the Sacraments they cannot believe that the sprinkling of water upon the body should have any spirituall effects upon the soule they cannot believe that our faith can bee strengthened our pardon sealed Christ and his benefits imparted to us by eating of Bread and drinking Wine Now sure a Church that is without Ministers Sacraments markes or signes of a true Church would be but an empty Titular Church and to such a Church onely should Socinians be admitted Socinians are not to be suffered in any State for they will not shew any obedience or respect to Magistrates they say they have no power to punish hainous offenders in time of peace nor have they power to defend themselves or the people by the Sword in time of Warre But especially they charge the Magistrates to beware how they meddle with good honest Hereticks for all Hereticks in the opinion of Arminians and Socinians who speake favourably in their owne cause are good pious men What they say of the Law of Nations or of a particular State I had rather you should reade in their Writings then in mine I beleeve your patience is already tyred with this briefe narration if any desire to be farther satisfied in particulars let them reade this book CHAP. IV. Whether England hath been or still is in danger to be farther infected with Socinianisme FArther infected I say for it is too evident that it hath been in some measure already infected with this pestilent heresie I know the Archbishop of Canterbury did pretend to crush this cockatrice of Socinianisme but all things being considered it is to be feared that his Canon was ordained for concealing rather then suppressing of Socinianisme for he desired that none but his own party should be admitted to the reading of Socinian books it was made almost impossible for any that were not of his party to take the degree of Batchelour of Divinity I can say more in that point then another or at least improbable they should have means to pay a groat a sheet for Socinian books It is well known that the Arch-Bishop did highly favour and frequently employ men shrewdly suspected for Socinianisme Master Chillingworth to speak modestly hath been too patient being so deeply charged by Knot for his inclining towards some Socinian Tenets no man in Saint Ieromes opinion ought to be patient in such a a case and sure no innocent man would be patient Mr. Chillingworth hath not yet answered Christianity maintained The Protestants doe not own many of those principles which are scattered in Master Chillingworths book and Knot could observe that he proceeded in a destructive way just as the Socinians doe The Reformed Churches abroad wonder that we could finde no better a Champion amongst all our Worthies they who travailed hither out of forrain parts blessed themselves when they saw so much froath and grounds so much Arminianisme and vanity in Master Chillingworths admired peece What doth it advantage the Protestant cause if the Pope be deposed from his infallible chair and Reason enthroned that Socinianisme may be advanced But I am afraid Doctor Potter may take it unkindly that I have named Master Chillingworth before him for his Grace employed Doctour Potter first and he was cryed up as a Patrâ—ne of the Protestant Profession but he sowred his Calvinisme with so much Arminian leaven and sweetned Popery with some such gentle Scruples of Moderate Divinity as they call it that the Jesuites laughed in their sleeves and Knot was so pleasant that he could scarce refrain from laughing openly That these two great Champions doe vent Arminian principles is manifest to any man that hath but peeped into their books Now that Arminianisme is a fair step to Socinianisme hath been sufficiently proved by
it seemssuch slaves he had who to satisfy his ambition and their own would deny both their Principles and his that the Master-plot might thrive and prosper For it is observable that our English Arminians and Socinians are nothing so true to their own principles as the Ringleaders of these factions are beyond the Seas His Grace both in his old book and in his new saith that Reason and ordinary grace superadded by the help of Tradition doe sufficiently enlighten the soul to discern that the Scriptures are the oracles of God here is the Socinians sound or right reason before the illumination of the Spirit but to please the Arminians Ordinary or Universall grace comes in also and the name of Tradition to please the Popish party and what all these are like to doe without the speciall Grace of the holy Spirit I leave it to any Protestant to judge There is another Rule which his Grace holds fast in both his bookes namely That the Churches Declaration can bind us to peace and externall obedience where there is not expresse letter of scripture and sense agreed on What Sir must there be no deduction no consequences allowed must there be expresse letter of Scripture there 's one Socinian rule Secondly when the letter of the text is expresse must not the point contained in the Text and expressed in the letter be accounted Fundamentall because the sense is not agreed upon but the point called into question by some learned Socinian or bold Arminian is the sense of that place of Scripture which hath been received by so many Fathers Councels Reformed Churches Martyrs not true or the point not necessary because it is now called into question by some wanton wits that can hardly agree upon any point Must we then subscribe to that Arminian and Socinian principle Nullum dogma controversum est fundamentale When a point begins to be controverted shall it cease to be Fundamentall By this meanes we may bring in an Atheisticall Libertinisme into the Church we shall have no more Articles of our Faith then the Arminians or Socinians please to leave us I beleeve we shall have a very short Creed one of these dayes if this rule be followed for as fast as they please to question our Articles we must part with them especially if our great Patriarch interpose his Authority his Declaration must passe for the Churches Declaration if he say such a point is controverted and I command you silence it is not Fundamentall now because controverted then we must be silent and let the truth fall to the ground This was the old muzle which was put upon the Ministers mouthes to make them lie still like dumbe dogs whiles the theeves stole away what they pleased this and that Commandement this and the other Article of the Christian faith we must it seemes for Peace sake part with our religion and disobey God that we may obey the Church sure he that hath the head of a Scholar and the heart of a Christian will scarce have any inward Peace if he perform externall obedience in such a case This may suffice for a taste of the Arch-Bishops Divinity nor the young Students could not but take notice of such passages and therefore whet their wits to maintain those opinions which his Grace countenanced There was a great Scholar who asked one of the Canterburian faction what he thought of the Primate of Irelands treatise concerning Christs Incarnation in which he demonstrates that the Word was made flesh and that therefore Christ is God and man the Canterburian answered that indeed there was as much produced upon that argument as could be said upon it but under correction saith he I conceive the Primate hath not cleared the point which he undertook to prove The men of this strain when they were at their height began to vary their expressions they called Christ their great Master or our Lord and Master at the highest so that you could scarce tell by their prayers whether they did respect Christ or their Patrone most for the Chaplaines styled their Patrone their very good Lord and Master Dr. Taylour in his epistle Dedicatory to the Arch-Bishop before the sermon on the Gun powder treason seems to affect that expression of calling Christ our great Master the Socinians will beare them company in such generall expressions and some have thought of composing such a Liturgy as might give no offence to Arminians or Socinians that would be an inoffensive Liturgy indeed and they may doe well to enlarge their Charity and make their Liturgy inoffensive to the Turkes and Jewes as well as the Socinians for any Liturgy which will please one that is a thorow Socinian will please Turkes and Jewes also if it be but warily composed and they will keep themselves in such generall expressions as some doe too much affect But of all that I have met with none comes neer Mr Webberly a Batchelour of Divinity and fellow of Lincolne Colledge who hath translated a Socinian book into English for the benefit of this Nation and prepared it for the presse Now they think they may own the businesse they dare appeare in their proper colours and blaspheme Christ in plaine English But because some parts of Socinianisme strike directly at the superstition of Rome so highly extolled in our dayes and at the pompe of the Clergy which must be maintained by the sword for what care they though England swimme in bloud so they swimme in wealth and pleasure therefore Mr. Webberly tells us very honestly that Socinianisme was to be corrected and chastised with respect to the nature of our climate What need I adde more take all in a word There are some mysterious parts of Socinianisme that seâ—m Rationall these I think in good earnest the men of this age have too much doted on Secondly some parts of Socinianisme they qualify and chastise a little because there is a little too much quick-silver in them Thirdly some parts they doe totally reject because they thwart the maine Designe Fourthly some parts of Socinianisme are instilled into the people that they might be made a meer prey to their Courts in times of Peace and to their army in times of warre Mr. Webberly for instance may be so farre irrationall as to be of the Councell of warre which no strict Socinian would allow but then Mr. Webberly would teach the people that they must not defend their possessions against invading enemies by force of Armes because God hath not given his people any earthly possessions by Covenant under the Gospell as he did under the Law Surely they have heard of Iulian who boxed the Christians on one eare and bid them turn the other eare that they might be boxed on both sides in obedience to their Masters command CHAP. V. Shewes that the famous Atheists Anabaptists and Sectaries so much complained of have been raised or encouraged by the doctrines and practises of the Arminian Socinian and
Val. Gent. Vide Beza Prâ—â—â—â— Confessiâ— fidei edita in Italica Ecclesia Genevae habetur in Explicat perfidia Val. Gentilis pag. 1. Ibid. pag 3. Vide Explicat Prafidia Valent Gentilis p. 14 15 16. Ubisupra pag. 17. Epistola Valentini Gentilis ad SenatuÌ„ Genevensem habetur in Explicat Perfidia Val. Gent. p. 27. Abjuratio Val. Gentilis ipsius manu sponte scripta et ad Senatum Genevensem missa vide explicat perfidia Val. Gentilis p. 28. Erâ—t in confinio pagus Fargiarum ubi habitabat Gribaldus aderant ibidem Alciatus in praefecturâ Gaiensi ditionis mag. Dom. BerneÌ„sium Aretius Histor. Val. Gent. Gratianopoli Lugduni Quid interea bonus ille Hosius Cardinalis cum suis Catholieis nempe ridere suaviter nostros undique ad extingueÌ„dum hoc incendtum accurreÌ„tes probrosis libellu lacessere Regiam denique MajestateÌ„ de coercendis istis blasphemiis cogitantem arectis consiliis provirtbus avoeare as merito quidem Quorsu enim Satanadversus seipsum depugnaret Beza Prafat. ubi supra Neglecta juramÅti religione ad errores abjuratos postliminiâ— redibat Aretii Hist. Val. Gent. cap. 2. p 11. August 1566 Rescript Senat. Genev. habetur in Explicat persidiae Val Gent. p. 20. Ortgo Socinianisma a Lalto fuit ratione Inventiones a Fausto ratione Dispositionis Eques Polonus in vitâ F Socini Dissortatio quam eques Polonus F. Socini opeâ—bus pramitti voluit Abraham Calov Decas Dissertat I icet Tiguri apud Helvetios sedem fixisses ad alias tamen Europa regtoâ—es non semelex â—urrebat Veruntamen ut unicuique sua constet laus Me sententiam illam in Iohannis Evangel. Verbis explicandis quae ad eam asserendam vel jam dixi vel posthac dicturus suÌ„ magna ex parte ex Laelii Socini Senensis sermonibus dum adhuc viveret post ejus morteÌ„ ex aliquibus ipsius scriptis quae in manus meas non absque mirabili Dei opera atque consilio pervonerunâ— hausisse desumpsisse non minus libenter quam ingenue fateâ— or Frag. 4. duorum Sâ—ript F. Socini pag. 4. 5. Vide Calovium de origine Theol. Soci pag. 6 sect. 16. * Haerâ—tici Alogi sive Alogiani dictâ— quia {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} à Iohanne descriptum proindeipsum etiam EvangeliuÌ„ secundum IohanueÌ„ rejiciebant Vide Aug. de Hares 30. Vide Petrum Carolinum in Explicat doctr. de uno vere Deo p. 16. Nec non EniedinuÌ„ Explic. loc. V. N. T. pag. 136. Viderem Romani quidem Antichristi regnuÌ„ ab omnibus dirui atque vastari Idolorumque templâ— everti interim tamen Christi regnum non resurgere eâ—usque templum nedum à quoquam extrui sed ne Caementa quidem lapides ad illud extruenduÌ„ ab aliquo parari Socin. Explicat Priâ—n ca. Ioh. p. 2. Vide libellum ministr. Sarmat Transyl Alba Iulia edit de falsa et vera c. D. Wigandi Servetianismum In Brestensi Synodo in sinibus Lithuania An. 1589. in Synodo Lublinensi Non exigua indiet facta est accesisâ— pracipue inobilibâ—â— in aula educatis ut â— lunierum Pastorum ordine quippe qui propensiores in nova dogmata nâ—c adeo in veritate confirmati fuerant Calov de Orig Soc. pag. 70. D. calovde dist. Theol. Soc à Theol. SSâ—i pag. 73. H. Grotit Pietas ad ord. Hollande Error Christi Essentiam personam negaus fidem destruit Christianismum tollit D. Stegm Photin p 6. Vide Smalciâ— contra nova monstra Deum invocamus tanquam omnium bonorum solam ac primariam causam Christum verâ— tanquam secundariam Causam a primaria illâ plane pendentem à Deo quacunque bona petimus à Christe ea solum qua ad Ecclesiam Christi spectant Deus enim Christo ea largiendi potestateÌ„ concessit non alia inquit Socinus Disp. de Adorat Christi cum Chr Frank Vide D. Stegman Photin Disp. 1. pag. 6. SocinianismuÌ„ Barlaus Pestem â—verrâ—culuÌ„ esse Christiana fidei dudum credâ—dâ—t vianoque sternere ad {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ejus religionis quam precioso suo saÌ„guine aspersit aterâ—us aterni Dei silius Vindis C. Barlai pag. 8. Ea quae negantur a Socintanu ad duo capita revocari possunt {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} seu articulum de ss. Trinitate {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} seu Articulum de humani geueru Salute vide Calâ—v Dist. Th. Socin a priscis hares p. 111. Vide Stegman Disput. 56. p. 656. a Neque Patres propterea recipiuÌ„t quia cum Scripturâ consentiunt sed scripturam â—o mode in intelligendaÌ„ censenâ— quia Patres ita ex plicarunt Ideoque priâ—s de unanimi PatruÌ„ ConcilioruÌ„que consensu quà m de vero Scriptura sensu sunt solliciti Brev. Disq p. 7. b Malle se Patribus istis Conciliisque adhâ—rere quà m Privatum ubi vâ—cant Suum de scripturâ— sequi iudicium Iâ— pag. 7. Hoe autâ—m annâ—â— est Ecclesiâ— ejusque Doctoribus contrâ—versias cum alioruÌ„ obligatione judicaÌ„di Potestatem adscribere Brev. Disq. cap. 2. pag. 8 9. Nimirum iudicem ipsi SpirituÌ„ SanctuÌ„ statnunt Saltem fine eo nullum cutquam de sacrâ— judicium concedere volunt Quo ipso Rationis Sanae judicium ante Spiritus sancti illustrationem plane tollitur Disq br cap. 30. pag. 9. Brev. Disq cap. 4. Vera de judice sententia Itaque neg andum est nullum câ—rto assequi verum Quare qui istis sive naturali ingenii bâ—nitate sive experientiâ vel mediocriter instructus est is â—psas Scripturas sacras esse cognoscet c. Brev. Disq. p. 35. Quid quod principâ—orum â—storum ope etiam is qui sâ—cras literas vel legere non potest vel nunquam vidit vel exstare â—â—scit c. lb. cap. 7. p. 35. Reason is in some sort Gods word saith Mr. Chillingworth Answer to the Preface p. 20. Arch-Bishop of Cant. his Relation pag. 150. The Church of Rome did promulgate an Orthodoxe truth which was not then Catholickely admitted in the Church namely the Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son if she erred in this fact confesse her error The generall Councell held at Ariminum did deny the Sonnes equality with the Father the Councell at Ephesus did confound the two natures in Christ Vide Calovium de Consensu Patrum ante Concilium Nicenum Sociniani Trinitatem Cerberum Christum Spurium IncarnationeÌ„ Christi monstrum absurditatis Satisfactionem commentum appellitant D. Stegman pag. 22. En Christianos Chillingworthianos Criminantur Resurrectionem ejusdem carnis esse prorsus Mahometanam Iudaicam Calov Dist. Theol. Soc. à pris hares p. 104. Regem ' sine regnâ— Caput sine memoris vitem sine ranis