to be a little into Consideration The first thing I shall take notice of is their Agreemâ—…nt and Harmony wâ—…th the Church of Rome in the Words of Ruarus one of their own Writers who says That the Papists of all others have the most Reason to be kind to the Socinians because in the chief Articles of the Christian Faith they agree with the Church of 〈◊〉 more than any other Sect viz. in the Doctrine of Predestination Election and Conditional â—…eprobation the Universality of God's Grace and Fruits of Christ's Death of Free Will and its Interest in the Conversion of Man to the Faith of Justification which is made effectual by Charity of the Necessity of Good Works which they urge more vehemently than any other Church of the Possibility of Keeping all God's Commandments of the Difference betwixt the Old and New Testament preferring the New before the Old with respect to the Promises and Precepts of the Difference betwixt Venial and Deadly Sins c. If this be duly considered it will not appear to be any uncharitable or ill-grounded Conjecture for us to think that the Revival of the Socinian Heresie with so much vigour since the Revolution is an Effect of Popish Subtilty and Malice to prevent a further Growth of the Reformed Religion and to disturb His Majesty's Government especially considering their deep Silence before that time and that J. T. and other Socinians of late have been so busie to create an ill Opinion in the People of the present Administration by virulent ill-natur'd Pamphlets and for that very Reason fall in with the Jacobites and Commonwealths-men This probablâ—… is the Cause why J. T. and others are so much enraged at the Act against Blasphemy last Sessions and therefore it appears plainly to be His Majesty's Interest to pâ—…ess the Enacting of further Laws against it as he has graciously done in his Speech We have no Reason to doubt but the Italians are as much concern'd to form a â—…ombination to disturb the Reformation now as they did by Leonardâ—…s Abbas Bussâ—…lis Laelius Socinus c. in Calvin'â—… Time as has been formerly mentioned The 〈◊〉 thing I shâ—…ll take notice of is thâ—…ir Agreement with the Turks in Maâ—…ters of Râ—…ligion I have already â—…inted that the Author of the Notes on Athanasiâ—… p. 3â—… saâ—…s That the Jews and Turkâ—… who believe and worship the one true God and him only are perhaps in a nearer Proximity to Salvation than such as against sufficâ—…ent Opportunities of a right Information and for Woâ—…ldly Interest have 〈◊〉 from the Châ—…istian Faith to the Athanasian And thâ—… in another of their Pamphlets intitulâ—… Râ—…solutions concerning the Trinity and 〈◊〉 p. 18. and 19. they tell us That divers Historians will have it that Mahomet meant not his Religion should be esteem'd a new Religion but only the Restitution of the True Intent of the Christian Religion They affirm moreover That the Learned Mahometans call themselves the Tâ—…ue Disciples of the Mâ—…ssias â—…r Christ â—…ntimating thereby That Christians are Apostates from the most essential Parts of the Christian Doctrine In order to fix this Charge upon the Generality of English Socinians we shall make use of the Authority of Socinus himself who in his Answer to the same Charge of Mahometanism by 〈◊〉 could not free himself and his Followers from it by any other Argument but that they gave Divine Worship to Jesus Christ And in his Institutions of the Christian Religion Tom. 1. p. 50. he says That they who are against the Worship of Christ cannot be Christians But the Generality of the English Socinians reject the Adoration of Christ and say that there are no Acts of Worship ever requir'd to be paid to the Lord Jesus Christ but such as may be paid to a Civil Power to a Person in high Dignity and Office to Prophets and Holy Men oâ—… to such as are actually possess'd of tâ—…e Heavenly Beatitudes Answer to Milborn p. 50. Ergo by the Authority of Socinus himself the Generality of the English Socinians are Mahometans and not Christians And from the Answer to Milborn it likewise appears that they fall in with the Papists in worshipping Saints dâ—…parted So that their Religion is a Medly of Mahometanism and Popery In the next place it may be proved from the Authority of the learnedst Man who favours their Party and of whom J. T. says that he is the greatest Philosopher that hath been in the World since Cicero p. 1. 17. It may â—…say say be proved by his Authority that the Mahometans are as good Christians as the English Socinians thus in his Reasonableness of Christianity p. 26. c. and p. 192. he says the great Proposition controverted concerning Jesus of Nazareth was whether he was the Messiah or not and challenges any Man to shew that there was any other Doctrine upon their Assent to which or Disbelief of it Men â—…ere pronounc'd Believers or Unbelievers But in the Second Chapter of the Alcoran Jesus of Nazareth is declared to â—…e the Messias in these Words among others Oh! Mary God declarâ—…th unto thee a Word from which shall proceed the Messias named Jesus the Son of Mary full of Honour in this World and that shaâ—…l be in the other of the number of Intercessors with his Divine Majesty Ergo the Mahometans are according to the Author of the Reasonableness of Christianity as good Christians as the English Sâ—…cinians and indeed for any thing I know they deserve the Preference for chap. 5. of the Alcoran they say God hath imprinted Indsidâ—…lity in the â—…arts of the Jews bâ—…use amongst other things they boasted that they had sâ—…ain the Messiah â—…esus the Son of Mary whereas as I have said before the Socinians according to their Principles must nâ—…eds approve of the Jews having put him to Death for his Blasphemy in making himself God Another thing wherein the Mahometans and our English Socinians agree iâ—… about the Worship of Jesus Christ. We have heard that the latter will only allow him such Worship as may be given to a Civil Power c. and Sandius in his Hist. Eâ—…e lib. 3. a Work mightily â—…eem'd by the Socinians tells us the Turks maintain that Christ ought to be Worship'd but not with that highest sort of Worship wherewith the â—…ord his God is Worshipâ—…ed and yet at the same time Mahomet owns in the Alcoran that Jesus Christ is on the Right Hand of God and he himself on the Left I shall insist no further on the Agreement betwixt the English Socinians and the Turks What is already done being enough to shew that they subvert the very Foundations of Christianity and therefore ought not to be tolerated in a Christian Nation The next thing I shall take notice of is the abominable Hypocrisie and Dissimulation of the Socinians by which in a Jesuitical manner they transform themselves into all Shapes make no Conscience of Fraudulent Subscriptions and Perjury but Subscribe and Swear to what they
never beliâ—…v'd nor intended and don't care what Methods they make use of provided they can thereby subvert the Doctrine of the Trinity and Christ's Satisfaction This Charge is made plain upon the Italian Combination formerly mention'd by Wissowatius in his Narrat Compend Biblioth Antitrin and Lubienescius's Hist. Reform Polon Calvin in his Theological Tracts c. and is as plainly prov'd against our English Socinians by their Book of the Athanâ—…sian Creed not requir'd by the Church of England wherâ—…in they say the Thirty Nine Articles are not Articles of Faith but Peace tho' in the Title it is declared that those Articles were agreed upon for the avoiding diversity of Opinions and for the establishing of Consent touching true Religion And the Charge given by his Majesty is that no Man shall either print or preach to draw the Article aside any way but shall submit to it in the plain and full meaning thereof and shall nâ—…t put his own Sense or Comment to be the Meaning of the Article but shall take it in the Literal or Grammatical Sense By which it is plain that a Socinian cannot subscribe the First Article where 't is asserted that in the Unity of the Godhead there be Three Persons of one Substance Power and Eternity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost without the groslest Hypocrisie and Dissimulation Then as to the Sacraments according to the Principles they have laid down in the Trinitarian Scheme considered they can joyn in them with Papists Lutherans Church-of England-Men Presbyterians Independants or Anabaptists for say they p. 28. They don't place Religion in Worshipping God by themselves or after a particular Form or Manner but in right Faith and a Just and Charitable Conversation So that if they can but perswade themselves that their Faith is Right and their Conversation Just and Charitable they can with the same Liberty go to the Turkish Mosque the Popish Maâ—…s House and the Meetings of Protestants of all Denominations they don't think themselves oblig'd to have any regard whether the Administration be according to the Word and Institution of God or not The Mahometans and Papists have a Right Faith they believe Jesus to be the Messiah which according to them is the only Characteristick that distinguishes a Believer from an Unbeliever therefore they can frequent their Assemblies And as to the Sacraments they tell us in that same Book that he that is baptiz'd is only to resolve a Newness of Life which by the way destroys Insant-Baptism and declares their falling in with the Anabaptists And in the Lord's Supper they say they are only to commemorate the shedding of his Blood and breaking of his Body So that let it be a meer Layman or a Minister duely ordain'd that Administers or let it be a Consecrated Wafâ—…r or Bread and Wine it is all one to them What a vast deal of Blood and Treasure might this have sav'd to this Nation and to the French and other Protestants had they been so happy as to be thus principled What Millions of Men and Money might Christendome have sav'd had the Gentlemen of this Latitude been of an earlier Rise ' Its all one to them whether the Cross or the Crescent be predominant nay it is much better that the latter should carry it for as we have heard already Mahomet intended only the Restitution of the true Intent of the Christian Religion Nay I have read it somewhere that the Learned Socinians ascribe the Propagation of Mahometism to their Denial of the Trinity and not to the Sword Then let any Christian judge what can be too vile or base for Men of such Principles to attempt or act so they can but attain their Ends of overturning the chief Principles of Christianity that so they may be at Liberty to take a full swinge in pursuing the Lusts of the Flesh and other Impurities in which the Mahometans do so much delight There 's little reason to doubt but J. T. and others of his Kidney how much soever they may be against a Comprehension amonst Protestants in this Nation which they know would strengthen the Reformed Interest throughout Europe would soon come to a Comprehension with the Mahometans as to the point of the Bottle which seems to be the only material Point in difference betwixt them except it be that the Turks as Nicholaus Cardinal de Cusa in his Cribâ—…atio Alcorani informs us have more respect for the New Testament than J. T. for they prefer the Gospel to their own Law whereas J. T. when a Student at one of the Scotch Universities threw away his Greek New Testament because he could not understand the Language as some of his Coâ—…rades have told the Story and in a great Rage cried Damn the Galatians which was the Place where he was then reading and I am informed he now brags that he hath banish'd all Divinity out of his Closet whence 't is to be suppos'd that it was always a Stranger in his Heart yet this is the mighty Man of so great knowledge and Light to whom there is nothing Mysterious in Christianity Another Instance of their Dissimulation is That they good Men have a mighty Esteem for the Church of England they approve of known Forms of Prayers and Praises as also in administring Baptism the Lord's Supper Marriage and the other Religious Offices they like well of the Discipline of the Church by Bishops and Parochial Ministers they communicate with the Church as far as they can and contribute their Interâ—…st to favour her against all others who would take the Chair as they tell us in their Trinitarian Scheme Considered p. 28. yet in the 24th Page of that same Book as I have already hinted they ridicule the Sacraments thus Let a Man say they in black sprinkle you with some of the Churches Water or give you a bit of Bread or sup of Wine over which he hath pronounced the Wonder-working Words prescribed in Mother Churches Ritual and yet they pretend to approve of the Church of England's Form in the Administration of the Lord's Supper tho' by Nature continue they you are aâ—… bad as the Devil you shall presently be inclin'd to as much Good as will save you from Hell and qualifie you for Heaven and this no less certainly if you are one of the Elect for else the Churches Incantation produces only a momentary Effect and a false Appearance of Good No less certainly I say than by tying the Norman Knot you may gain the Love of the Person you desire or by other Devices recorded in the Learned Books so Fools esteem them of Magick you may cause Hatred raise Winds and do a thousand other Feats which have no more Natural or Real Agreement with those Causes that are said to produce them than Faith and Obedience have with a bit of Bread or with a sprinkling of Water Therefore when St. Augustine defin'd a Sacrament to be the Outward Visible Sign of an Inward Invisible
Grace or Energy the good Father should have consider'd that this is the Definition of a Charm Thus the Socinians shew their Respect to the Church of England by Ridiculing her Description of a Sacrament and after some more prophane Raillery of the same Nature they conclude So that let them turn themselves which way soever they can they have turn'd the Gospel Sacraments into Charms and Spells If this be not villainous Dissimulation and dreadful Blasphemy there can be no such thing The Church of England pronounces no other Words over the Elements but those pronounc'd by our Saviour Matt. 26. 26 27. and by the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. And is that Mother-Churches Ritual and her Wonder-working Words Don't those Men know that the Church of England believes nor teaches no such thing as Transubstantiation nor ascribes no other Efficacy to the receiving of the Lord's Supper by Faith but what the Scripture ascribes to it But perhaps this is J. T 's meaning when he tells us as before that he ceases to wonder how so many Supposititious Pieces come to be charged upon Christ and his Apostles The whole New Testament is only Mother Churches Ritual Yet these are the Men that ought to have a Toleration tho' they impiously ridicule and blaspheme our Saviour and his Church whom they pretend to revere I have already taken notice of J. T 's Respect to the Church of England her Bishops Liturgy c. by his taking together all that Mr. Milton thought fit to bespatter them with yet he good Man is for sâ—…curing the National Church in her Worship and Emoluments tho' impertinently and without any relation to a History of Mr. Milton's Liâ—…e he brings him in comparing the Bishops to Five Gouty Toes with a Linen Sock over them and the Metropolitan Toe sending up a foul Stench to Heaven and calls them the Gulfs and Whirlpools of Benefices Their Liturgy he says is fantastical and senseless and in the Litany Neither Priest nor People speak any entire Sense of themselves thro' the 〈◊〉 and it is far from the Imitation of any warranted Prayer but has been the Pattern of many a Jig p. 48 49. If J. T. does not approve of these Sayings of Mr. Milton why did he take such Care to extract them from his Works and publish them in his Life And if he do approve them is he not a gross Hypocrite to wish the Church may be secur'd in a senseless fantastical Worship which is a Pattern for Jigs and in her Emoluments which send up a soul Stench to Heaven More might be said to prove the fraudulent hypocritical versatile Temper of J. T. and his Party but this is more than enough The last thing I shall take notice of is their mighty Declamations against Perscution the Reason of which is that they know themselves to be liable to all the Punishments appointed by those Laws which establish Christianity in the Nation but not that they are really against using Force in Matters of Religion which will be manifest if we consider the malicious and vindictive Temper which J. T. and the rest of his Party have discover'd against King William the Church of England and the Presbyterians for the Law enacted against the Socinian Heresie last Sessions Their Malice against the King has been sufficiently evidenc'd by their libelling his Administration in all their Pamphlets against Standing Armies and by J. T 's bringing the Argument in again by Head and Shoulders into Mr. Milton's Life p. 118. where from Mr. Milton's saying the Army meaning that left by Cromwell lately Renowned for the Civilest best Order'd and most Conscientious Army in the Universe did for no Cause at all subdue the Supreme Power that set them up if says he an Army deserving this Character was capable of enslaving their Country what may be expected from any other as most are of a worse disposition Their Malice against the Church of England I have just now prov'd and that this is the Cause of their Malice against the Presbyterians he fairly insinuates himself p. 79. Then let any reasonable Man judge whether a Party who have discover'd so much Malice and Rage against those that oppose them would not Persecute if they had Power to do it But I proceed to give a Proof of their Temper that way from matter of Fact as related by themselves in their Brief History Letter 4. p. 48. where we have an Account that the prevailing Party Persecuted their Brethren severely That those in Transilvania would admit none into the Ministry without obliging themselves before-hand by Subscription not to speak against Worshipping Jesus Christ They in Poland were more Rigid Depos'd and Excommunicated such as held Christ might not be Worship'd with Divine Worship which was so much the more extraordinary that the Persecutors did not think themselves oblig'd to call upon and worship Christ but only that they might lawfully do it And Socinus himself in his Premonition to what he wrote against Francis Davidis says It is a Sin to omit the Worshiping of Christ when we join with them in Worship who call upon his Name or when the Spirit moves us to do it and in their Answer to Milborn they own that the Question about the Invocation of Christ has very much divided them Nor can any Reason be given why they who are in a manner of the same Religion with the Mahometans as has been already prov'd should not according to Mahomet's Command in the 9th Chapter of the Alcoran Break Truce with their Enemies Kill them where-ever they meet them take them for Slaves detain them Prisoners and lay Ambushes for them And therefore it were but just that J. T. and such as he who are a dishonour to the Christian Name should be sent to their Brethren in Turky for there they will have no occasion to undermine their Religion seeing it is the same with their own but they may perhaps do them some kindness as to the Inspiring them with more Masculine Principles against Slavery for blessed be God we stand in need of no such Patriots for Liberty and Property in England there are Orthodox Christians enough in the Nation to defend that without the assistance of those who are for â—…cino 〈◊〉 Tho' J. 〈◊〉 sets up so â—…ously to be a Dictator here and may perhaps vie with Mahomet â—…or most ill Qualities he is not like to be imbraced as the Head of a Numerous Sect in Britain and Ireland therefore it were best for him to take a turn into the Ottoman Dominions and make a tryal of skill there the Turks have a long time look'd for Mahomet's Return and who knows but he may persuade them that he is the Man POSTSCRIPT I Thought to have concluded here but cannot omit taking notice that though the Socinians agree in tearing up the Fundamental Doctrines of the Christian Religion they never could nor cannot yet agree among themselves in any one System or Confession of Doctrine Thus Valentinus