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

his standard bearer and doth much condesmne him for his opinions yet commends him for his good conversation and austerity of life utinam tàm sanae esset Doctrinae quàm districta est vitae no bad wish I assure you would to God saith he he had bin as sound in his Doctrine as he was strict in his life Epist c x c v. Cujus conversatio mel doctrina venenum whose course of life was as Honey but his Doctrine as poyson Epist cxv I. Cui caput columbae cauda Scorpionis who had the head of a dove but the taile of a Scorpion whom Brixia spewed out Rome abhorred France refused Germany abominated and Italy would not entertain This purity of life in the Scholler doth much condemn the loose and licentious conversation of the Master for without question he was it boon companion and one that loved his belly well otherwise he had not bin taken and overtaken with such libidinous crimes of which he was accused For according to the old rule sine Cerere Baccho friget Venus concupiscence waxeth could where it is not heightened with wine and pampered with lusty and lustfull meats which being as fewel abstracted the fire either goeth out of it self or is quickly extinguished But this filthy wretch it seems took not this course for giving way to his untamed lust he defloured and defiled a May'd for which he was taken and guelded in so much as that he that for al his high intendments would not make himself an Eunuch for the Kingdome of God's sake must by others be made an Eunuch for his beastly lust sake and by reason of his blasphemons heresies which he maintained and published to the subversion of many others he was by the means of Bernard and the Bishops of France condemned for an heretick himself excommunicate and his books to be openly burned in the sight of all those that would behold them It is no marvel he took him to a solitary place as one that might well be ashamed to see or to be seen by others Now these are the chief heads of that corrupt doctrine which were noted to be in this perverse and blasphemons heretick and which he being full of the Spirit of pride and errour did in disputing and by writing principally endeavour to maintain 1. That Reason was to be Judge of the Articles of faith affirming that he could comprehend within the bounds of humane reason that whole immense which is God himself 2. That the Doctrine of the blessed Trinity as the reformed Churches did believe and hold it was not to be credited For he made degrees in the Trinity he denyed the Holy Ghost to be of the essence of the Father and called it the soul of the World 3. That Original sin was nothing else but that very debt of damnation in which we were bound when we were made obnoxions to eternal punishment for the fault of our Originall that is of our first parents from whom we took our original referring it rather to the punishment for then to the guilt of sin and he gives this reason for it but what reason there is in it let any indifferent Reader judge because saith he he who could not as yet make any use of free will nor had as yet any exercise of his reason could have no transgression or negligence imputed to him 4. That Christ did not satisfie the Justice of God for our sins For after a tedeons dispute which he had against the Satisfaction of Christ he saith that Christ dyed nostro bono for our good and nostro exemplo for our example but as our surety and nostro loco in our place or nostra vice in our steed are words which neither he nor any of his followers can abide 5. That the Law conteineth not any promise of life in it and that it did consist of imperfect precepts because our blessed Saviour Matt. 5. gives a cleer and full exposition of it he publisheth likewise many figments concerning it This is the Authour and these the chief heads of those vile and direfull opinions which he maintained and though he have gone far and done much for the furtherance of this gracelesse babe which he had begotten yet there are some that come after him that are in this matter to be preferred before him both for addition hereunto and propagation hereof using such execrable and damnable expressions that are far unbeseeming the ears of a Christian but Ordine quisq suo every one in his own place and according to his own order And therefore this Abailardus challengeth the first place as the revier of the old heresies of Arius Ebion Photinus and Samosatenus with others of the like sort who out of these as also the Turkish Alcaron and Jewish Talmude patched up a new one of his own as they that came after him did revive his with their additions and augmentations also For the Devil will loose nothing by lying still for a time but makes a gain of his losse and that to his very great advantage Michael Servetus Hispanus Medicus Tarraconensis Ignibus errorurm Ecclesiam vastâsse triumphas Servaté ex meritis ignibus ipse peris THE next instrument of the Devil after him mentioned in former Histories is Michael Servetus a Spaniard of Tarracon by profession at first a Physician Honest and Honorable in respect of it self but growing weary of this a notable argument of the inconstancy or selfe conceit of the man he betook himself to the study and profession of Divinity Plato sets it down for a rule that the beginnings of all councels are in our Will but the performance in the destinies so may we make the first choise of the pitch which we mean to fly but after we begin to mount and soare above the common sight Nullum medium inter summa praecipitia there is mean or middle course between the breaking of our necks and the satisfying of our humours Thus fared it with this unhappy man For soaring a loft and having now pitcht upon the best profession became worse in it then he was before and by the just judgment of God falls upon those tookes by which he was ruined A the black fly called the Beetle passing over all thy pleasant and fragrant flowers of choice and comely garden doth light upon an heap of dung So this man passing by the many glorious truths of Divinity in the study and practise of which he might have found much comfort pitcheth upon such contagious errours and such damnable heresies the pursuite and publishing of which could effect no lesse then the destruction both of body and soul Thus men overborne with the strength of a self conceit are so precipitated and drawn on with the swindge of an unruly fancy that leaving the beaten road and more usual way of truth they run into by-pathes of errour and so at length lose both their judgment and their faith so that then no way comes amisse to them how foul or

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

3.13 expresseth himself Christ saith he hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law when he was made a curse for us For it is written cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree that the blessing of Abraham c. Which words we take as an answer to an objection occasioned from the 10. verse thus If they be accursed that continue not in all things written in the Law to do them then all men are accursed and the Gentiles are not partakers of the blessing of Abraham as is before declared To this the Apostle applyeth these words Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law that is to them that believe there is full redemption from this curse of the Law to which they were lyable Christ himself having undergone the curse for them For the more cleer illustration of this answer the Apostle gives us a description of our Redemption in these three particulars 1. The Authour Christ hath redeemed us 2. The form or manner being made a curse for us 3. The end which is two-fold 1. More generally that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles 2. More particularly that we might receive the promise of the Spirit In the first and the last the Authour and the end we all agree the difference between us lyes in the manner or form of our Redemption expressed in these words Who was made a curse for us For the better understanding whereof these four things are to be enquired after First what this curse is Secondly how Christ is said to become a curse Thirdly in what nature Christ was accursed Lasty how far forth Christ was accursed First we will enquire what this curse is Here Socinus Gitichius Ostorodius Smalcius Muscorovius Crellius with all the rest do croud in and would fain be heard But let us hear the Dialogue and we hear them all who now lispeth not but expresly useth the same Language and to the very same intent and purpose with them which is that the Apostle speaks in this Chapter of a two-fold curse of the eternal curse vers 10. of the outward temporary curse vers 13. Namely such a curse as all men do suffer that are hanged upon a Tree which curse the Apostle brings in speaking in a Rhetorical manner only thus Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law namely from the eternal curse at the very self same time when he was made not that q Christus non nostram sed aliam quandam subiit execrationem Socinus de Christo Servatore curse but a curse for us according to that in Deut. 21.23 and thus the Dialogue with them endeavoureth fictis illudere verbis with a shadow to deprive us of the substance But to deal truly and uprightly with the Reader we are to know that the Apostle in the 10. vers Speaks of the eternal or moral curse and in the 13. vers both of the eternal and ceremonial in neither of which is there any need of Rhetorick or any Rhetorical expressions What a strange imaginary or illusory curse would these men frame to themselves if they might have their own wills and make others believe our Saviour under-went When as St. Paul tells us in plain terms he was made that very curse that they had deserved which continued not in all things written in the book of the Law to do them And this doth appear by that place forecited r Deut. 21.23 Cursed even with that moral curse is every one that hangeth upon a Tree Besides this is made more evident by proving that the person hanged upon a Tree and accursed was a Type of Christ For if the type bare the ceremonial 't is then manifest that the Anti-type bare the moral that is the eternal curse If not only the curse of every one that is hanged upon a Tree be signified but also Christs redemption of us from the curse of the Law by being made a curse for us * Deus Ideò suscepit carnem ut maledictum carnis peccatricis ab●lerot factus est pro nobis maledictum ut benedictio absorberet ma edictionem integritas peccatum c. Abrosius de Fuga seculi cap. 7. Maledictionem condemnationem cui obnoxii eramus assumpsit Christus ultroque in serecepit quae pati debucramus illa ipse pertulit Theodoras Abucara disput 15. c. 5. be both signified and fore-told in that place of Deuteronomie then that place hath not only a proper but a typical signification But not only the curse of every one that is hanged upon a Tree is signified and fore-told in that place Therefore that place hath not only a proper but a typical signification which typical signification being taken away namely Christs bearing the moral curse upon the Tree all the Hebrew Doctors whose judgment in other things our Dialogue doth so highly esteem and magnify are now at a non-plus to give a sufficient yea probable reason why hanging upon a Tree should so much defame or fasten this special curse upon the person hanged above all other capital sufferings whatsoever I suppose Mr. Norton in his answer to the Dialogue hath written very fully and satisfactorily to this purpose to which I referre the impar●i●l and judicious Reader that so we may proceed This curse saith Abrahamus Callovius ſ Nihil aliud est quàm damnatoria s ntentia de subcundis paenis peccatu debitis vel i●s● paena à sent nti● legis damnaturia dependens de Satisfact Christi Pastor of the Church of Wittenberg is nothing else but the condemning sentence of the Law whereby a man is adjudged to undergo such punishment as is due to the offence committed Or else it is the very pun shment it self depending upon that condemnatory sentence of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is according to Aretius t Ar●tius in Gal. 3.13 the due punishment of sin that is the wrath and high displeasure of God yea even eternal death due to the Elect by reason of their transgressions which he in a manner and in some kind u Qu● ad acerbitate● etsi non quoad durationem D● Prid. de redem may justly be said to suffer for them We come to the second namely how Christ is said to be a curse For answer He is not so by nature for he is the very natural Son of God but first by voluntary dispensation Secondly by mutual combination between the three Persons of the Deity Father Son and Holy Ghost Thirdly by manifest and apparent Ordination w 1 Pet. 1.20 and that before the foundation of the World was laid Fourthly by Divine obsignation x Iohn 6.27 Fiftly by a seasonable and timely consecration and that first by his Baptisme in which saith Mr. Perkins y Perkins on the Gal. he took upon him our guilt as we put off the same in ours and secondly by his bitter crosse and passion in which he underwent the punishment of our sin and thus

suffer for us the one being infinite in time the other infinite in weight and measure The Son of God then truly suffered eternal death in respect of the greatness of those miseries which he endured and the sense of Gods wrath in those sufferings t Ex gravitate dolorum quos perpessus est filius Dei mortem aeternam subiit c. which he sustained Here the Dialogue by an imperfect and impertinent description of Hell torments labours to betray and beguile his over-confident and unwary Reader inferring from thence that because Christ suffered not circumstantially that is in al the circumstances of time place c. therefore he can in no sense be said to suffer any part or degree of the same as if the Devil because not alwayes in the place of torment cannot be therefore said to be tormented The New-English answer hereunto u Mr. Norton pag. 29. hath made such a breach in this Fort that every eye may sufficiently discern the weakness hereof and so put no trust to or confidence in it But yet again some may Object 3 object and say could temporal death or the suffering of the curse for so short a time counter-vail the suffering and substaining of that eternal death and destruction to which we by reason of our great impiety and Rebellion were lyable To which we give this affirmative answer Answ Yes if we do but consider that which is here worthy of our consideration namely the person that did suffer w Etsi enim temporalia tantum ac finita fuerint quae fecit ac perpissus est a persona tamen ejusmo●i quatis ipse fuit praestita equalis saltem meriti fuerunt ad justitiae Divinae cùm satisfactionem cùm illustrationem c. Bradshaw de Justificat For as our sin though not infinite in it self yet in respect of the object against whom it is committed the infinite Majesty of God may therefore be said to be infinite So the passion of Christ may be said to be infinite to in respect of the subject which did endure it the everlasting Son of the Father who thought it no robbery to be equall with God the least of whole sufferings for the least moment of time was more and of more esteem then if all the men in the World had suffered infinite and unspeakable torments unto all eternity Therefore the death of Christ the beloved Son of the Father both in respect of the measure of the punishment as also in respect of the worth and dignity of the person doth every way counter-vail and fully satisfie for that eternall death to which we were lyable and which we should have suffered to all eternity Object 4 Lastly it is objected could God be so angry with his own only begotten most innocent and alwayes obedient Son in whom he was for ever well pleased as to inflict so great wrath upon him Answ Answer If any where that distinction be to be used which the Dialogue would have so often remembred that is that Christ suffered as a Malefactor and as a Mediatour at one and the same time it is here though not in that sense in which the Dialogue takes it Christ is to be considered under a double notion as the Son of God and so at all times and for ever beloved of him and as our Pledge and surety and so lyable to the curse of God by reason of the guilt of our sins that lay upon him Neither is there any such contradiction in this as the Socinians dream of to say that Christ was grievously afflicted and yet highly beloved of God both a curse and a sacrifice of a sweet Savour unto his Father at one and the same time because it is not spoken in one and the same respect Christ was grievously afflicted x Afflictus execrabilis factus est Christus quae nostri locum sustinuit qui irae Dei maledictioni obnoxii eramus Calovius de satisfactione Christi and made a curse as he stood in our steed and took our place and case upon him who were our selves Children of wrath and obnoxious to the curse of God yet was he beloved of God and most dear to him in respect of his most holy and perfect obedience which he performed to all his commands likewise a sacrifice of a sweet Savour in regard of the Effect God being thereby pacified and reconciled to us So that God inflicted wrath upon him not as his only beloved Son but as our surety and one that undertook to bear the penalty for us that Gods Justice being in him fully satisfied we might be freed from that wrath which otherwise might and that justly have bin inflicted on us I suppose by this time we have sufficiently proved against the Dialogue and in him Socinus and all his followers that Christ Jesus as our Pledge and surety did suffer the wrath of God * Ira Dei peccata nostra in filio sponsore nostro vindicantis tenebrarum horrore sancitur Beza in Mar. 15. being made a curse for us yea that very curse which we should have suffered or else the Apostles Argument could not hold there being in it four terms in respect of the diversity of the signification of the word curse Hence are two things to be proved by us one that Christ suffered the curse for us to declare which we thus argue either Christ suffered the curse due to us for our sins or we suffer it our selves or the curse is not executed But we suffer it not our selves neither is the curse not executed for then the truth of the commination and Divine Justice should fail Therefore Christ suffered the curse due to us for our sins The other that he suffered that very curse to which we were lyable this is plain 1. From the Rule of interpretation rightly laid not having recourse to Tropes or Figures where there is no necessity for them 2. From the Apostles alternation we are freed from the curse of the Law Christ is made the curse of the Law for us which very variation or inversion doth evidently declare to any ordinary capacity that Christ was made the very true curse of the Law for us For the whole argument lyes thus As Christ freed us from the curse so did he suffer the curse But Christ did so free us from the curse that he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly redeemed us from the punishment and damnatory Sentence of the Law to which we were lyable Therefore he hath also so suffered the curse that he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly bin obnoxious to the punishment and damnatory Sentence of the same 3. From the quality of the curse He is made a curse the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 maledictus not in respect of men only as all the Socinian party would have it but also in respect of God for so we read that place of Moses y Deut. 21.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉

and 15. In the begining was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God c. Moreover in the same Gospel t Joh. 5.17 and 27. where Christ doth both assert his equality with the Father as God and testify all judgment to be committed to him as man and yet further the same Evangelist u Joh. 10.30 bringeth in Christ thus expressing himself I and my Father are one where he professeth himself to be true man and yet attesteth himself to be one with the Father confer with this verse the 33. and 38. of the same Chapter St. Paul w Act. 20 ●8 adviseth those that have the charge of souls to look to them and provide well for them by feeding the flock of God which he hath purchased with his own bloud So to the Colossians x Col. 2.9 in him dwelleth all the fullness of the God-head bodily attributing and ascribing unto the Lord Jesus both a Deity and a body at one and the same time See also the Apostle in the same Epistle y Col. 1.18 and 15. where he sets him before us not only as the first born from the dead but even the first born to of every Creature One glorious description there is of him concerning which setting the rest aside we cannot chuse but speak z Heb. 1.1 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath in these last dayes spoken by his Son who being the brightness of his glory and the expresse image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high where the Apostle prefers the preaching of the new Testament before that of the old for then God spake to the Fathers by his Prophets meer men and such as were lyable to infirmities as well as others but now by his Son his only begotten Son manifested in the flesh Man true man and yet not meer man but true God also whose excellency he describes by many transcendent expressions and glorious demonstrations The fourth from plain and distinct words such as make evident and apparent the two natures of Christ by which he is proposed to our consideration both according to the flesh that is his humane and according to the Spirit which is his Divine nature To this purpose is that of the Apostle a Rom. 1.3 concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh Christ our Lord declaring his Divine made of the seed of David expressing his humane nature both Hypostatically United in one and the same person And the same Apostle speaking of the precious priviledges of the Saints saith b Rom. 9.5 whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever conferred with that place in St. Iohn c Joh. 1.14 the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld the glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of the Father full of grace and truth with that to the Hebrews also d Heb. 2.14 for as much as Children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death that is the Devil The fifth from those sayings of Scripture which do maintain partly the Divine partly the humane qualities and operations in Christ which if he had not bin both true God and true Man could never have suited with him So the Wiseman doth describe him by his Divine Attributes and works e Prov. 8.22 The Lord possessed me speaking of Christ the wisdome of the Father in the beginning of his way before his works of old So the Prophet Micah f Mic. 5.2 and thou Beth-leem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Iuda yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel whose goings forth have bin from old even from everlasting Thus also the Apostle Paul g Gal. 4.4 5. by his humane workings as he was man and by his Divine workings as he was God you have killed the Prince of Peace working peace and reconciliation both in Heaven and Earth To which purpose especially do tend these classical places describing as it were a posteriori both his Divine and humane nature united together i Joh. 3.23 ye are from beneath saith Christ I am from above k Joh. 17.5 Father glorify me with that glory which I had with thee before the World was The Apostle exhorteth the Philippians l Phil. 2.5 6. that they would have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet made himself of no account and took c. and to the Hebrews m Heb. 7.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ratione humanae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ratione Divinae nuturae without Father in respect of his humane without Mother in respect of his Divine nature without beginning of time or end of dayes in respect of his eternal Being and God-head The sixth from those Testimonies of Scripture which describe the Mediatorial office of Christ for seeing this office cannot be convenient for one that is a meer man by nature because it is in it self truly Divine and importeth Divine actions agreeable only to the true God such as are forgiving of sins redemption of mankind communication of righteousness and eternal Salvation it is necessary tha● Christ the Mediator be not only true man but true God also The chief Testimonies to confirm this are as I take it these that follow The Spirit of God speaking by Isaiah n Isa 35.4 saith behold your God will come with vengeance even God with a recompence he will come and save you Also in the same Prophesy o Isa 43.13 14 15. before the day was I am he and there is none that can deliver out of mine hand I work and who shall let it Thus saith the Lord your Redeemer the holy one of Israel c. and yet the farther p Isa 45.21 22. I the Lord have told it and there is none beside me a just God and a Saviour there is none beside me Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the Earth for I am God and there is none else The bloud of Jesus Christ his Son saith St. Iohn q 1 Joh. 1.7 cleanseth us from all sin The last even from a supposition of one of their own and he none of the least of the Socinian worthies r Smalcius de Divinitate Christi cap. 10. pag. 49. If Christ saith he had Divine power which was proper and peculiar to him and alwayes residing in him it must necessarily follow that there must be in him not only a bare humane but also a Divine nature and his

reason is because the D●vine power cannot be separated from the Divine Essence But Christ had Divine power which was alwayes proper to him and resident with him Therefore he hath not a bare humane but also a Divine nature Indeed they cannot possibly be severed For the God-head doth not redeem us without the Man-hood nor the Man-hood without the God-head yet to keep to our question Christ as God and man may both obey and satisfie For as there are in Christ as we have proved two distinct natures So there are two distinct operations of the said natures And as the said natures united make one Mediator So the operations concurring and being united in one make out and compleat the compound work of this Mediator Therfore the obedience of Christ being the work of a Mediator hath in it the operations of both natures The support strength and sufficiency is from the God-head the practise exercise or execution of obedience is from the Manhood Obedience is properly a subjection of the will in reasonable creatures to the will of God now the will of the God-head is one and the same in all the persons Christ therefore becomes obedient and yeelds subjection only in respect of the will of the Man-hood in which he performs obedience and the operation of the God-head in this great and mysterious work is to make the said obedience meritorious So that it is not only the thing done but the Person by whom namely God-Man that hath procured the Fathers mercifull Atonement of which the Diologue makes so much mention and in which he is so mistaken In this respect do I understand those expressions of the Apostle ſ 2 Cor. 5.18 God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself Also speaking concerning the Church of God t Act. 20.28 saith it was purchased with the bloud of God That is to say in that nature which the Son of God assumed Hence then say we ariseth the true value price and dignity of the obedience of Christ being such a person who did and suffered these things for us and our redemption I have bin somewhat longer about this question then at first I intended because I perceive they have all gotten more or lesse a tang of this insteed of magnifying as they pretend to debase as much as may be the Lord Jesus Christ both in his person and sufferings for us Our third question then for the further cleering Quest 3 hereof shall be this How the obedience of Christ comes to be made ours To which we answer Answ by the free donation of God bestowing it upon us and imputing it unto us Christ did perform this obedience and hath this righteousness to no other end then that he might impute it unto us Therefore saith Jossanus u Tenenda igitur sunt hac Axiomata Christum non sibi sed nobis factum logi obnoxiunt Sibi non natus sed nobis natuus datus Junius de Iust sect 4. these Axioms are to be held by us Christ was not made subject to the Law for himself but for us And that the whole obedience of Christ is ours as being truly imputed to us Now Christ saith Mr. Perkins is really given to us in the Word and Sacraments and so consequently what is Christs yea his whole obedience is made ours Even as when a parcel of Land is made ours all the profits and emoluments arising and accrewing thereof are ours also More might be said to this purpose but I refer it to its proper place We have now seen what the Mediatorial obedience of Christ is and which his Father as our Surety a term of relation which the Dialogue and his party are not willing to apprehend strictly exacted of him without any injustice or tyrannie at all and therefore his passionate blasphemy might well have bin forborn But quo semet est imbuta c. Socinians I see cannot forbear it Object 1 Yet suppose some should soberly object is not that Law two severe that exacteth both the obedience and the penalty to Answ To which we frame this answer In the State of innocency the Law only exacted the obedience and threatned the penalty Since mans deviation from that integrity wherein at first he was created it requireth the obedience and the penalty also The threatning of the Law exacts the penalty the precepts exact obedience Object 2 But yet farther may some say doth not the Scripture it self in many places tell us plainly that we are redeemed by the sufferings of Christ only As by the bloud of Christ w Heb. 9.12 we have entrance into the holy place Answ Answ Indeed this is one thing which the Dialogue seems much to drive at but we will endeavour to shew him his mistake for by the bloud of Christ we are Synechdochically to understand his passion which cannot be severed from his active and voluntary obedience The reason is plain because Christ in suffering obeyed and in obeying suffered in his life he performed a passive action in his death he sustained an active passion That distinction which he makes of Christs obedience into Legal and Mediatoriall is by no means to be admitted by us for Christ did not perform two sorts of obedience as the Dialogue and the rest of the Socinian party would perswade us the one Legal for himself and to which as being man he was bound and for which they joyntly urge but much amisse that place of the Apostle x Gal. 4.4 in the fulness of time God sent his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to redeem those that were under the Law we read not here that Christ was born under the Law the Words are distinctly set down the Son of God made of a Woman and afterward made under the Law not for himself or his own cause but for those that were under the Law that he might redeem them He himself is distinguished from them that were under the Law as a Redeemer from those that are redeemed Therefore he was not under the Law for himself * Cum non esset proprie Legis debitor in se neque respectu humanae naturae alias enim proptèr identitatem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 logos ipse pro se ad legis ob sequium teneretur quod in legis authorem foret contumeliosum nec respectu personae sed respectu dispositionis v●luntariae omni tamen ex parte legi satisfecit ut exuberans infiniti planè meriti plenitude nobis in Christo parata c. Junius de Iusti. Sect. 7 least in so subjecting him to the Law we should be driven to conceive that he stood in need of a Redeemer as much as others which is no small derogation to the Son of God the Redeemer of the World The other Mediatorial for us and in our behoof but these are but one and the same obedience Christ performed nothing in way of obedience to the will of his Father but for us as

way of digression a little for satisfaction to others and confutation of this audacious Arian who dares thus undervalue the Lord of Glory might we have leave to strip one heretick to clothe another put on this what Tertullian did on Marcion we should quickly and quietly discover the truth Quid dimidi●s mendacio Christū Why doest thou thus peece-meal a Deity and half God as it wer● the Son of the Almigh●y Totus veritas he is the Spirit of truth and Oracle o● his Father the brightness of his glory in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge by whom God made the World So the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. stiles Christ the power and wisdome of God If the Son of God be the power and wisdome of God and that God was never without power and wisdome how can wee scant the Son of a co-eternity with the Father For either we must grant that there was alwayes a Son or that God had somtimes no wisdome which this Socinian in the height of his madness will be loath to affirm Ego pater unum sumus saith Christ Joh. 10. I and the Father are one u●um to shew he was the same thing in respect of essence and to manifest a consent both in power and eternity I often find that those of the shallowest capacities are ever most prone to dive into the deepest mysteries but I know not the reason unlesse to verifie the Proverb There 's none so bold as blind Bayard In sacred matters the most nimble Criticisms are as obnoxious to desperateness as danger to be curious here is to be quaintly mad and thus to thrust as these poor sneaks presume into the bed Chamber of the Almighty is a frantick sawciness who can unlock those coffers of omnipotency but he that breaks in peeces the gates of brass and cuts in sunder the bars of Iron Who those Cabinets of abstruf●r knowledge but he that gives thee the treasure of darkness and hidden riches of secret places How can our low built apprehensi●ns but flagg in the expression of those hidden mysteries which have transported Prophets and Apostles with wonderful admiration yet some wil venture to untwist them though to their own wrong and the confusion both of them●elves and others So this Davidis never dispu●ing but about such questions as were ●ar better to be let al●ne then to trouble and stagger many thousands by the starting of them He disputed much concerning this matter with Socinus who had alwayes a party of that company with whom he was ready to counter-porse him and those that stood on his side of whom was Simo● Budnaeus Christianus Francken and divers others There is extant an Epistle of Socinus to him wherein he answers him to those arguments by which he endeavoured to prove from that place of John 20.28 where Thomas cryes out my Lord and my God that Christ was not there called God but he had better have taken a Wolf by the ears Besides a fragment of a more smooth and placide stile being an answer to the writing of Franciscus Davidis concerning praying to or calling upon Christ in our needs and necessities remaineth among the works of Socinus where also are some of his nice and needlesse questions with the others answers thereunto He published divers Theses by which may be easily discovered what a dangerous and desperate heretick he was we find them in order thus 1. That invocation being a part of Divine worship is not any where found in Scripture to be attributed unto Christ 2. That if Christ at any time confer Grace and Peace it is so to be understood as that he shews the way and means to attain them and not that he truly and effectually confers them on us 3. That if we read in Scripture of any power ascribed unto Christ it is no otherwise to be understood then of that power which he shall assume hereafter when he shall be constituted Judge both of the quick and dead and is not to be interpreted of or applyed to any present power which he exerciseth or doth execute 4. That Christ when he was on earth was careful of his Church but being departed hence he hath committed and commended that care to the Father who shall exercise the same till the appointed time 5. That wheresoever we find any thing in Scripture concerning the Goverment of Christ and the care which he taketh of the Church it is either to be referred to the power of the ministry or is to relat to the time to come 6. That it is contrary to the truth of the Holy Scriptures that Christ can hear our prayers and knows our works 7. That when the word Saviour is appropriated to Christ it signifies that he shews us the way which leadeth to salvation and doth truly and carefully instruct us therein 8. That if we worship God in Christ we may as well worship the Sun the Moon and the Stars and so all Idolaters are hereby excused who pretend they worship God in their images 9. That that is a truth which is in the Turkish Alcaron concerning Christ that he is not able to help and succour those who bestow Divine worship on him with such others Horresco referens What a strange Gospel is here What monstrous positions are these What Devil could more b●aspheme the Lord of life and glory God blessed for ever Amen then this wretched caitiff hath done Who●e ears do not tingle and whose hayr not stand an end to he●r these horrid and execrable blasphemies But opinion once seeded in errour shoots out into heresies and after some growth of time into blasphemy So that men once entred are still going on a malo ad peju● ●rom bad to wor●e till sudden destruction seize upon them and stop their course These hell-hatcht Doctrines were opposed by Socinus himself but he that hath but half an eye may discerne that he had a mind to let the matter coole in his hands For there is neither that solidity nor integrity manifested in it which was fitting and requisite for so great and weigh●y a business And indeed how could i● be otherwise Could any imagine that he could with a good stomack confute tho●e opinions ●n another w●ich he was known to justify in himselfe For though they seemed to be different in some yet were they linked last t●gether in many of the same opinions e●pecially concerning the person of Christ which did much weaken if not quite overthrow the true and proper ground of giving Divine adoration to him If Christ be inferiour to his Father as ●ocinus ●eld It is ranck idolatry to give him the same worship which we give to the Father as Davidis held I cannot better compare them then to Sampsons foxes whose heads may be different but I am sure their tailes meet and with those firebrands which are between them do set the whole Church of God in an open combustion Is this the way think you to convert the Jews to

Anti-christ 1 Iohn 2.22.23 1 Ioh 5.7 But the Socinians deny that Christ is come in the flesh because they deny the incarnation of the Son of God which is urged by St. Iohn 1. Epistle 4.2 and 1. of his Gospel 14. against Ebion and Cerinthus as predecessors of the Socinian heresie And although in words they confesse that Jesus is the Son of God and the Christ yet in deed they deny it both because they take away his filiation or Son-ship whereby he is the Son of God by generation of the substance of the Father and also because they overthrow the office principally designed to him by his name Christ whereby he is anointed a Priest and is the Saviour of the world when as they make void the satisfaction of Christ without which he is not properly either a Priest or Redeemer or Saviour to us but is so made or conceived metaphorically by them Therefore they are not truly Christians Lastly They which serve the creature besides God the Creator and do Religiously worship him which is not God they as such are rather Pagans and Infidels then Christians But the Socinians do serve the creature besides God the Creator and adore him with Religious worship who by nature is not God namely their false and fained Christ who they themselves say is not God yet give him divine adoration Therefore the Socinians are rather Pagans and Infidels then true Christians and are so to be accounted by us Thus my dear Country men You have seen what these men are whose damnable opinions do mislead us what in their lives what in their Doctrines why should we rake the Sinks of Italy or drain the Puddles of Germany for those Heresies which have both infested and infected the Churches of God in those parts and in diverse other places beside Let them keep their damnable opinions to themselves so we may walk the plain way to Heaven what need we seek out by-paths to our selves to bring our selves in danger thereby Let them Mahomatize Judaize or what they will it behoovs us to look wel to our selvs that we follow not or be seduced by them Let us keep our selves in that Station wherein God hath set us and perform that duty which he therein requires of us Let us seriously consider what infinite mischief hath ari●en to the Church of God from the presumption of ignorant and unletterd men that have taken upon them to interpret the most obscure places of Scripture and pertenaciously defended their own sense when they have done though there be neither sense in it nor reason for it How contrary is this to all practise in other vocations In the Taylors trade every man can stitch a seam yet every man cannot cut out a garment In the Sailers Art every one may be able to pull at a cable when they are wheighing but every one cannot guid the helm or direct the course when they are sailing In the Physicians profession every gossip can give some ordinary receipts upon common experience but to find the nature of the disease and to prescribe proper remedies from the just grounds of Art pertains only to the professors of that science and we think it and that justly to absurd and dangerous to allow every ignorant Mountebank to practise therein And shall we think it safe that in Divinity which is the Mistress of all Sciences and in matters which concern the eternal safety of the soul every man should take upon him to shape his own Coat to steer his own Course or to prescribe his own Dose It was an old saying among us but it seems that it is quite worn out of use That Artists were worthy to be trusted in their own Trade Wherefore hath God given men skill in Arts and Tongues Wherefore do the aptest wits spend their time and studies even from their Infancy upon these sacred Imployments if men altogether in expert in all the grounds both of Art and Language can be able to pass as sound a judgment in the depths of Theological truths as they How happy were it if we could all learn according to that word of the Apostle To keep our selves within our own lines As Christians the Scriptures are ours but to use to enjoy to read to hear to learn to meditate to practise not to wrest to our fancy or to interpret according to our private conceit for this faculty we must look out of our selves expect it some where else and from some others and the Lord himself hath taught us where we shal seek and find it too Mal. 2.7 The Priests lips shall preserve knowledge and they shall seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts Let us then ever suspect our own abilities and look unto those whom God hath set as watchmen over vs yet not so as that this whole work were theirs and that God required nothing at all of us but being instructed by them let us do what is required of us in those places wherein he hath set us and leave the rest to them and Gods blessing upon them and their endeavours Let us but abate our pride that spiritual pride which lies lurking in us and our contentions and quarrels in Religion will dye alone Now the most Omnipotent and most glorious Lord God for his ineffable mercy and goodness more and more illuminate our minds with the light of his Heavenly truth encrease the gifts and graces of his holy and blessed Spirit in us recall the wandring into the way of righteousness and Salvation and confirm them and us in the true saving knowledge of Christ disperse and bring to nought the crafty sleights and wilie delusions of Errors and Sophistications root out of the Church the Spouse of thy dear Son Jesus those most destructive and hurtful divisions which do so much infest it and all the seeds of false Doctrine and Heresie which the envious man by his wicked Instruments hath sown therein and 〈…〉