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
Grace and his adherents are sufficiently knowne nor a true teaching Church as shall evidently be demonstrated in the next Chapter CHAP. VI The Religion so violently contended for by the Archbishop of Canterbury and his adherents is not the true pure Protestant Religion I Intend not to transcribe overmuch out of Bishop Mountague Shelford Pocklington Dr. Potter Mr. Chillingworth Dr. Dowe Dr. Heylin c. Their Books are commonly sold and I have given a taste already in the third and fourth Chapters of some of these Authors ex ungue leonem as they say there are a great many passages collected and published already by severall men so that I am forestalled and by some happily prevented there is a Booke entituled Ladensium {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} closely penned and never answered in which their Heresies are filled up by dozens There will come forth a Booke very shortly in which the Designe of Reconciling or rather uniting Rome and Canterbury for there was no great quarrell betweene them will be more fully discovered for these reasons I may well shorten my journey Let any man that desires satisfaction but peruse those Bookes which were Printed in England betweene 1630. and 1639. and compare them with the Harmony of Confessions of the Reformed Churches and then hee may easily judge Mr. Chillingworth proves undeniably that the Church of Rome is not Infallible but to what end and purpose why that Rome and Canterbury may shake hands the Pope may abate something in point of Supremacy his Primacy being grounded upon his Infallibility but if the Pope Cardinals c. the Archbishop of Canterbury and his adherents were united the people would be unwilling to part with their Masse why for that if they will but yeild thus farre as to turne their Masse into English the good men are agreed for Mr. Chillingworth tels the Papists that no Godly Lay man that is an ignorant Papist that is well conceited of the Masse who is verily perswaded that there is neither impiety nor superstition in the use of their Latine Service shall be damned as he hopes for being present at it Excellent Divinity A strong perswasion will turne superstition and impiety into godlinesse Yet he saith there is some danger as long as the Service is in Latine because the want of that devotion which the frequent hearing the offices understood might happily beget in them the want of that instruction and edification which it might afford them may very probably hinder the salvation of many which otherwise might have beene saved that is might have beene saved if the Service had beene in English this is plaine dealing the men are likely to agree the Masse in English may beget such devotion afford such instruction and edification as is sufficient for salvation Can the Papists desire fairer quarter or a foller acknowledgement Is not this doctrine sufficient to effect an Accommodation betweene Rome and Canterbury I dare say all the Papists in England will fight for such a Protestant Religion Mr. Chillingworth in his Epistle Dedicatory gives his Majesty to understand That the Papists allow Protestants as much charity as Protestants allow them and therefore such Protestants and true Papists will easily be reconciled or indeed are already reconciled I cannot stand to reckon up Mr. Chillingworths principles consider these that follow 1. God is not offended with us for not doing what hee knowes we cannot doe Whiles we are unregenerate God knowes we cannot repent and beleeve is not God offended with us even then for our impenitence and unbeleefe besides he conceives that unaffected ignorance joyned with Implicite faith and generall repentance is not damnable 2. Mr. Chillingworth is verily perswaded that God will not impute errours to them as sinnes who use such a measure of industry in finding truth as humane prudence and ordinary discretion their abilities and opportunities their distractions and hinderances and all other things considered shall advise them unto in a matter of such consequence Sure God will judge men with more then ordinary discretion and therefore though we may justifie our selves when our opinions and practises are scanned by humane prudence yet God may justly condemne us for not attending upon him without distraction Such loose principles as these will nurse men up in security and ignorance or else betray them to indifferency in religions to that * Arminian Libertinisme which hath been so much admired of late dayes and cryed up as the only way to maintain peace For if a man poysoned with this principle be seduced by a Papist Arminian Socinian he need use but ordinary discretion and therefore take but ordinary care to resist the seducer Alas his abilities are not great his distractions not few and his hinderances many besides if he have time to consider the Arguments propounded yet hee wants opportunity and therefore all things considered he had as good yeeld as stand out for it is in the eye of humane prudence a matter of no great consequence for Mr. Chillingworth saith a Papist may be saved especially if he have the Masse in English and Socinians are a company of Christians which though they are erroneous in explicating mysteries and take too great a liberty in Speculative matters yet they explicate and maintaine the Lawes of Christ with lesse indulgence to the flesh then the Papists 3. Mr. Chillingworth thinkes it sufficient to beleeve all those bookes of Scripture to be Gods Word of whose Authority there was never any doubt made in the Church hee cannot in reason beleeve the * other bookes so undoubtedly as those books which were never questioned and he hath the example of Saints in heaven to justify or excuse his doubting nay his denyall Sect. 38. There is no necessity of conforming our selves to the judgement of any Church concerning the rest that were never questioned for that also he urges the Authority of some Saints in Heaven ancient Fathers whole Churches by their difference about this point shewed that they knew no necessity of conforming themselves herein to the judgement of any Church Sect. 34. and yet of this controversy whether such or such bookes be Canonicall the Church is to judge Sect. 35. And the Churches testimony is though no demonstrative Enforcement yet an highly probable inducement and so a sufficient ground of faith What kind of faith this is like to prove I know not which is grounded upon a probable testimony to which no man need to subseribe or conform 4. It is enough to beleeve by a kind of Implicite faith that the Scripture is true in Gods own sense and meaning though you know not what God meant if you use such industry as ordinary discretion shall advise for the knowing of Gods meaning of which I have said enough already this may suffice for a taste Dr. Potter is very charitable to the Papists because they receive the Apostles Creed but whether they receive it in the Apostles sense
THE Rise Growth and Danger OF SOCINIANISME Together with A plaine discovery of a desperate designe of corrupting the Protestant Religion whereby it appeares that the Religion which hath been so violently contended for by the Archbishop of Canterbury and his adherents is not the true pure Protestant Religion but an Hotchpotch of Arminianisme Socinianisme and Popery It is likewise made evident That the Atheists Anabaptists and Sectaries so much complained of have been raised or encouraged by the doctrines and practises of the Arminian Socinian and Popish Party By FR. CHEYNELL late Fellow of Merton College Vt Judai olim volebant audire Populus Domini cùm essent non populus Osc. 1. 9. jactabant patrem Abraham cùm essent ex Diabolo Job 8. 44. Sic Sociniani quoque titulum Christianorum sibi arrogant Fratres nostri Spirituales haberi petunt cùm unum nobiscum Patrem Deum Trin-unum minimè agnoscant Vide D. Stegman Photinianism Disp. 1. p. 4. 5. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} inquit Philosophus parum itaque Rationales sunt Sociniani qui deteriora sequuntur LONDON Printed for SAMUEL GELLIBRAND at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard 1643. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE the Lord Viscount Say and Seale c. Peace NOBLE SIR LEarned Casaubon assures me that when the Greek Fathers wrote to a wicked man they were wont to salute him with that Apostolicall benediction Grace be unto you but when they wrote to a religious man they used the ordinary Hebraisme Peace be unto you because Peace doth suppose Grace and doth comprehend all outward blessings I am sure your very enemies gave you this testimony at Oxford that you were a man of Peace but as it followes in the Psalme when you spake for peace they were for warre Psalme 120. 7. All that your Honour desired was that as it became gowned men they would take up their bookes and lay down their armes that they would not protect Delinquents any longer but yeeld them up to a legall tryall You desired that nothing might be tumultuously attempted but all things orderly reformed You engaged your Honour to them that what Plate you found in places fit for Plate the Treasury or the Buttery should remaine untouched and most Societies engaged themselves by a solemne promise that they would never give their consent that their Plate should be put to any other use then what was sutable and according to their oath and the intention of the Donours their successors having in all these respects as great an interest in the Plate as themselves Nay they generally confessed that they had no more power to aliene their Plate then their Lands In confidence of their promise you told them you did leave their Plate in their owne custody which otherwise you would have secured and in confidence of your Honours promise they brought forth their Plate and made publique use of it even whilest the souldiers were in towne Your Lordship found the University as the Reverend Doctours had left it groaning under a kinde of Anarchy for it was thought fit by the Round-house that the University should be dissolved and every man left to doe what seemed good in his owne eyes It was suggested by a Doctor well read in Politiques that if they did not dissolve the University the Parliament would dissolve it But your Honour made it appear how much you did abhorre an Anarchy and honour the Vniversity you assembled those few Governours of private Colledges which were at home and the Substitutes of all that were absent you consulted them how the Vniversity might be put into its right posture You assured them that it was not the intent of the Parliament to change the Government or infringe the Liberties of the Vniversity that though the new Statutes were justly complained of yet you conceived it fit that the Vniversity should for the present be governed by Lawes that were none of the best rather then left quite without Rule or government they all confessed that you behaved your selfe more like a Chauncellour then a souldier for the Vniversity was not over-awed by a garrison or over-ruled by a Councell of warre You did not impose any Taxes upon the University you did not go about to perswade them that Guns were Mathematicall Instruments and therefore they might buy guns with that very money which was bequeathed and set apart for Mathematicall Instruments you did not importune any Scholars to list themselves in your Regiment nor did you desire that Doctours would turne Commanders or that any Commanders should be created Doctours or boyes created Masters lest there might be an Anarchy even in Convocation by such a Premeditated Confusion and yet such counsells and practises have been suggested by some that are none of the meanest Ranke When I was commanded by speciall warrant to attend your Honour deputed by both houses of Parliament for the service of King and Parliament to settle Peace and truth in the Vniversity of Oxford and to reduce the said Vniversity to its ancient order right Discipline and to restore it to its former priviledges and liberties there was notice given of a pestilent book very prejudiciall both to truth and peace and upon search made the book was found in the chamber of Mr. Webberly who had translated this Socinian Master-Peece into English for his own private use as he pretended to which vain excuse I replyed that I made no question but he understood the book in Latine and therefore had he intended it only for his own private use he might have saved the paines of translating it Besides the Frontispice of the book under Mr. Webberlies own hand did testify to his face that it was translated into English for the benesit of this Nation Moreover there was an Epistle to the Reader prefixed before the booke I never heard of any man yet that wrote an Epistle to himselfe and therefore sure he intended to print it Finally he submits all to the consideration of these times of Reformation and the Reformers have thought fit that it should be answered and published I desired at the first Intimation to decline the service because it were better to confute Socinianisme in Latine but I have since considered that 1. The opinions of Abailardus Servetus Socinus are already published in English in a book entitled Mr. Woâ—â—ns defence against Mr. Walker and therefore if this Treatise had been suppressed their opinions would not be unknown for they are already divulged 2. The opinions being published in English without a confutation it is very requisite that there should be some Refutation of the errours published also for it is not fit that a Bedlam should goâ— abroad without a Keeper 3. If there be but just suspition of a Designe to introduce damnable heresies it is requisite that the grounds of suspition should be manifested especially if it be such a pestilent heresy aâ—Socinianisme is which corrupts the very vitalls of Church
Faustus not grown up to his maturity Sabellius he saith was an Heretike for saying that the Father did not differ from the Son but he is not so forward to call them heretikes who deny that the Son hath the same nature with the Father he tells us that we must beleeve Christ to be the Sonne of God and to be made man but he doth not presse us to beleeve that Christ is God We need not wonder at his moderation when he is very tender even about Transubstantiation and unwilling to appear on either side Magna jamdudum fuit vere tragica controversia de Interpretatione verborum corum Accipite hoc est corpus meum non necesse est autem me hoc loco utrarum sim partium aperire tantum catenus quidem utrarumque esse me profiteor quod utrosque adveram Dei ecclesiam pertinere nihil prorsus dubitem lib. 3. and a little after De verborum sententiâ lis est non de veritate this is an excellent device indeed to help off the grossest Heretikes and say that they only differ from us about the meaning of some places of Scripture Christ saith he bids all come unto him that are heavy laden and what saith he will you of your own head say to any man that is comming to Christ Heus tu frustra accedis qui hoc illud non credas But if you reply that Acontius hath not reckoned some points of religion which are of high concernment and therefore you may safely tell a man unlesse he beleeve them he cannot be saved he hath endeavoured to prevent your reply by this excuse Si miraris inter ea quae recensuimus cognitu necessaria non numerari quosdam summo quamvis loco habitos Religionis apices evolve diligenter Examine saith he whether those high points could be known under the old Testament to the people of Israel c. This is just the Socinian Device I will not trouble you any longer with the unsavory discourse of that rotten Author whose main Stratageme was a pretended Moderation and feigned Charity Let us now passe on to some later Authours Doctor Francis White was a man countenanced by the Arch-Bishop to write against the Sabbath and in his Epistle Dedicatory to the Arch-Bishop well knowing what would please his Graces tooth he saith that we are beholding to the Testimony of the Bishops for the weightiest matters in religion and amongst the rest he saith for the eternall Deity of the blessed Saviour It seemes if the Christian world had not given credit to the testimony of Bishops the eternall Deity of Christ had not been acknowledged by Christians what if Bishops had lost their Votes and credit some ages since must Christ have lost his Deity or at least the honour of it Is there nothing written in Scripture concerning the eternall Deity of Christ this is just indeed as Tertullian saith Nisi Deus homini placuerit Deus non erit This book was printed in the year 1635. I need say nothing of that little Pamphlet about Schisme printed not long since because other men have said so much of it I am credibly informed that when the Author of it was asked by a great person in this Kingdome what he thought of the Socinians he answered If you could secure my life I would tell you what I think and truly he hath told us what he thinkes in this little tract viz. that Arianisme was but a Rent in the Church upon matter of opinion p. 9. that those passages in our publique formes which offend the Arians are but private fancies and therefore he desires there may be such a Leiturgy as the Arians may not dislike p. 10. and then the Socinians and Protestants might joyn in one congregation But must we not say that Christ is very God of very God that he is the great God the true God God blessed for ever for fear we offend the Arians Socinians c. must we not worship the Trinity of persons in the unity of the Godhead His Grace will peradventure thinke it long till he heare what I have to say to his own learned book I must confesse there is good learning in that book of his which was printed 1624. I should doe him wrong if I should deny it and though there are some passages which sound ill yet I have charity enough to put a good construction upon most of them but if a prudent Reader will but compare that book and the enlargement of it together which was printed in the yeare 1639. he will find a great deale of alteration in that second Edition or rather second book for it is indeed another book I shall give you a taste of some passages in the latter book which are not in the former that you may see how much his Grace had altered his Religion in those 15. yeares In the 76. Page he saith the Mysteries of Faith doe not contradict Reason for Reason by her own light can discover how firmly the principles of Religion are true He doth not say reason by the light of Scripture or by the light of the Spirit but reason by her own light can discover how firmly the Principles of Religion are true The Socinians lay this principle as their foundation and keep so close to it that they reject the weightiest Articles of the Christian faith because Reason cannot discover them to be true by her own light that is reason ante Spiritus sancti illustrationem before the illumination of the Holy Ghost as they explain themselves in their Brevis Disquisitio cap. 3. de Spiritu Sancto And upon the same ground they doe reject the Received interpretations of Scripture because Reason cannot discover how firmly they are true Can the Arch-Bishop make it appeare by the light of Reason that there shall be a Resurrection of these selfe same bodies that there are three persons and one God that the Word was made flesh that God was made man that Christ was born of a Virgin that God justifies many thousands of the ungodly by the obedience and satisfaction of one man must we not beleeve these Articles till Reason by her own light without the illumination of the Holy Ghost doth discover them to be true and how firmly they are to be beleeved because true for that I suppose the Arch-Bishop means when he saith Reason can discover how firmly these principles of Religion are true Why doe the Socinians so often challenge us to be tryed by reason by common sense by the Judgement of all men but because they conceive Reason by her own light can discover how firmly the principles of religion are true I know the Socinians doe talk much of the offices of Christ but they receive nothing from the Scripture concerning Christs offices but what is as they say agreeable to Reason They say likewise that it is necessary to salvation to know the promises of God but they affirme that it will
suffice if a man be but acquainted with the substance of them if he doth but hope for a better life after this which even some Heathens did without the knowledge of Christ or his Gospell Reason by its own light did discover unto them that the good and great God had prepared eternall happinesse for our immortall soules if this then be enough as the Socinians say it is to receive all things as Principles of Religion which Reason by her own light can discover to be true and how neer the Arch-Bishop comes to them let the Reader judge then the Philosophers especially the Platonists were in an happy condition it will be lawfull for a man to cry out aloud Sit anima mea cum Philosophis and he shall never be thought an Atheist nay shall passe for a good Christian There was a Sermon preached to Sir Iohn Byron when he was in Oxford which favoured strong of this Heathenish Divinity and Sir John gave the Preacher solemne thanks for his paines Let us then Canonize the Heathens for Saints and put Hermes Phocylides Pythagoras Socrates Plato Plotinus Cicero Zoroaster Iamblichus Epictetus Simplicius into our Rubrike and let not Aristotle Alexander or Averroes be left out The Heathens did endeavour to keep Gods commands in hope of a better life What doe the Socinians or indeed Arminians require more Now Reason by her own light can discover that I ought to love God better then the world or my selfe because he is the chiefest good Reason tells me that I must doe as I would be done to the Law of nature is written in the hearts of Heathens the writings of Philosophers doe abound with principles of morality and good life and Socinus saith it is sufficient for a mans salvation to know what God hath commanded and forbidden and if he erre in other points he shall not be shut out of Heaven for such errours as reason cannot by her own light discover to be errors In like manner the Arch-Bishop if he will be true to this Principle he hath laid down must affirm that no man shal be daÌ„ned for rejecting any Articles of the Christian Faith which reason by her own light cannot discover to be true and so manifestly true that they ought to be firmly beleeved If this be not Socinianisme in the highest let the impartiall Reader judge That the Arch-Bishop hath added this passage to his old book perchance upon Master Chillingworths weighty inducements will appear if the Reader be pleased to compare the 76. page of his new Book with the 21 page of his old Book There is another suspicious passage in the 25. section of the Arch-Bishops Relation he descants upon a place of Epiphanius pag. 185. and 186. Epiphanius said that in Peter were found even {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The very Niceties and exactnesse of the Christian faith saith the Arch-Bishop and presently gives this reason For he professed the Godhead of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost pag. 186. How will the Socinians triumph when they heare the Primate of all England discoursing of the Godhead of Christ and the Holy Ghost as Niceties I grant the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is most commonly used in an ill sense but certainly Epiphanius used it here in a good sense which the Arch-Bishop could not but see and therefore used the word exactnesse but to gratify the Socinians he puts in niceties as if he had said If you will be exact you may say that Christ is God but that 's but a nicety somewhat more then needs a man may be saved without it for the Arminians say Athanasius was too bold to prefixe that Proud Preface before his Creed Whosoever will be saved c. and I make no doubt but his Grace was led much by them he had such high thoughts of the Arminian conceits The Arch-Bishop doth acknowledge that in the old Latine Edition at Paris pag. 497. it is thus translated In hoc omnes Quaestiones â—c Subtilitates Fidei inveniuntur therefore hee might have said that all the mysteries of Faith were maintained by Peter though by the malice of Anti-spirituall men even the Godhead of the Holy Ghost and such like Mysteries were made Questions or at best counted subtilties and Niceties Moreover when the Arch-Bishop comes to speak of the proceeding of the Holy Ghost from the Sonne he perswades the Church of Rome to moderation and then le ts fall a sweet bit for the Socinians to feed upon pag. 25. And Rome saith he in this particular should be more moderate if it be but because this Article Filiog was added to the Creed by her self and it is hard to adde and Anathematize too The Socinians are apt enough to say that many of the Articles of our faith were framed at Rome and it seemes his Grace would confirme them in that opinion This was added also to his new book as will appeare if you compare the 25. page of the new book and the 6. of the old It is the common practice of men addicted to the Socinian way to speak very favourably in this point These I call very suspitious passages you must not expect Demonstrations in this point for I know the Arch-Bishop was too wise to speak plain though some of these passages are plain enough And I must professe that I doe not beleeve the Arch-Bishop ever intended to bring in all points of Arminianisme Socinianisme or Popery but to pick out such points as might stand with the great Desigâ—e he was to humour all these three factions that all three might joyn with him to suppresse Calvinisme and then admire him as the Astolike Patriarch Pope of this other world of Britaine for he would not have us ignorant that Pope Urbane the second even in a Councel accounted his Graces worthy Predecessour Saint Anselme as his own Compeere or fellow-Pope and said he was as the Apostolike and Patriarch of the other world so he then termed this Iland pag. 171. of the new book But I beleeve his Oecumenicall Grace had such a thirst to be a Governour of this little world and yet such a liking to the Universall Grace of the Arminians and the Right Reason of the Socinians that no man that hath one dram of right reason can possibly free his Grace from contradicting himselfe and thwarting his own Designe by crying up some opinions which could not stand with his own Principles in his old book and his Plot which now then peeps out in his new and yet he hath jumbled all together for no other reason that can be imagined unlesse it were his Master-plot to countenance other mens opinions that they might promote his Designe and for a copy of his countenance adore him as the Primate and Patriarch of the Britaines whose Judgement is Finall and therefore there lies no appeale from him to Rome or Cracovia no not to Right Reason assisted by Universal Grace
which spring from a Licentious and prostituted Presse Let us single out some that have lately studied this weighty controversy and it may be it will appear that they who are said to write against the King have setled established his lawfull Authority upon surer grounds and better principles then those very men who pretend to write for the King Every man is now accounted an Anabaptist if he doe not maintain Monarchy to be Iure Divino heare then what Dr. Ferne saith We confesse that neither Monarchy nor Aristocracy or any other forme is Iure Divino Nay he saith that that Power or sufficiency of Authority to govern which is the ordinance of God is to be found not only in Monarchy but in Aristocracy Sect. 3. Moreover if we consider the qualification of this governing power and the manner ofexecuting it even according to Monarchicall government Dr. Ferne grants that it is the Invention of man and hath not so much as Gods Permissive approbation till that qualification or Forme is orderly agreed upon by Men in the selfe same Sec. Be pleased now to hear Mr. Burroughes However Princes may be exasperated against Puritanicall Preachers sai M. Burroughes yet they are as much beholding to them as to any people in their kingdomes for bringing people out of conscience to obey Authority You see here the people are pressed to obey the lawfull Authority of the King out of Conscience by such as are counted Puritanicall Preachers In the answer to the observations printed at Oxford by his Majesties command I find that Monarchy is not much younger then man himselfe that Regall Power sprang first from Paternall a Regall power belonged to the Pater-familias pag. 3. as if he meant onely to conclude the subjection of the Kings children and family the Patriarchs were Patres Patriae without a Metaphor they begat their own Subjects But how came divers families to be subjected to one King or common Father why reason saith he did direct the people to choose one common Father p. 6. Monarchy then is grounded upon the peoples Reason and yet quite thorowout his book he talkes as if the people had no Reason for he tells them that there may be reasonable motives why a people should consent to slavery as the Turkes and French peasants have done he teaches them how to perish with a great deale of discretion or else how to be safe by the benefit of slavery p. 10 11. The Observatour saith that Regall dignity was erected to preserve the Commonalty It was so saith the Answerer p. 8. and when Routs became Societies they placed an head over them to whom they paid the Tribute of Reverence for the benefit of Protection What if the people be not protected must they pay no tribute God send his Majesty better Protectours then this Champion Dr. Fern discourses just as wisely when he propounds Davids rewarding of false Ziba as a pattern to our King he would perswade the King to trust Papists as false as Ziba to seise upon the estates of his good Subjects and bestow their estates upon arrant Ziba's men that abuse his Majesty and seek their own ends when the innocency of the Subject and treachery of these Ziba's Papists or Pickthankes is discovered yet the King must not reverse his sentence pronounced in favour of the Papists though to the ruine of good Subjects and their posterity all this Divinity is closely involved by this conscientious Doctour in the 7. Section How farre the Divines of this time differ from the doctrine of Papists is clearly shewen by Mr. Burroughes Mr. Bridge and therefore it is strange the Papists should be counted the better Subjects Mr. Burroughes doth acknowledge the Kings Supremacy The King saith he is Supreme but not Absolute because his Authority is limited both by the Law of God and of the Land For we may and ought saith Doctour Ferne to deny obedience to such commands of the Prince as are unlawfull by the Law of God yea by the established lawes of the Land for in these we have his will and consent given upon goood advice and to obey him against the lawes were to obey him against himselfe his suddain will against his deliberate will Sect. 1. For instance it is the Kings deliberate wil that this Parliament shall not be dissolved or any forces levyed without consent of both houses of Parliament as appeares by two severall Acts made this Parliament If then any take up armes either without consent of Parliament or on purpose to dissolve this present Parliament they doe certainly take up armes against the King himselfe as Dr. Ferne says because against the deliberate will of the King If any Commissions then should be issued out in the Kings name to any persons to encourage them to take up Armes without the consent of the Parliament or against the Parliament such Commissions must be interpreted to proceed from the Kings suddaine will which is not to be obeyed saith Dr. Ferne against the Kings Deliberate Will They are not the Kings friends who advise him to send forth any Illegallcommands There is another answer to Dr. Ferne intitled a fuller answer in which there is much Law and Logick viz that in a Mixt Monarchy there is a Co-ordinate Supremacy and Coordinata invicem supplent and a great many things which the common people understand not This Respondent saith as Dr. Fern doth that Monarchy is not Gods ordinance but then he tells the people their duty in plaine English namely that it is Gods ordinance that men should submit without Resistance to that kind of government which they have by consent established and therefore they must submit to this Coordinate Supremacy though it be the Ordinance of man for the Lords sake as Saint Peter saith pag. 17. Here is Submission out of Conscience for the Lords sake to all Legall Supremacy what can be desired more unlesse they would make the King an Absolute Monarch and so give him an absolute Supremacy which the King himselfe doth utterly disclaime in his answer to the 19. Propositions The zealous Divines of this very time doe abhorre the seditious practises and opinions of all Anabaptists who because the Church had not Christian Kings at first cry out with open mouth a that the Church cannot be safe if there be any King or Magistrate in the Church nay they adde that if a King turn Christian he must cease to be a King because Christianity it selfe is repugnant to Magistracy and no b Magistrate ought to look after any thing that concernes Religion They maintain that Christians ought not to have any Judiciall tryalls before Magistrates that no Christians ought to punish offendors with death or imprisonment but with Excommunication only They would not have Heretikes punished by the Magistrate c but every man should be left to his liberty to beleeve what he thinks fit just as the Arminians and Socinians dreame I
suo superâ—am istam prâ—sationeÌ„ prascripsit The Canterburians Selfe-Conviction shewes 1. Their avowed Arminiâ—nisme 2. Their affection to the Pope and Popery in the grosse cap. 3. 3. The Canterburians joyn with Rome in her grossest 1. dolatries cap. 4. 4. Their embracing of Popish heresies and grossest errors cap. 5. 5. Their Superstitions cap. 6. 6. The Canterburians embrace the Masse it self cap. 7. 7. Their Maxims of tyranny cap. 8. See the third Edition of this Canterb. Self-Conviction with the large Supplement which containes sundry very materiall passages Mr. Chillingworths Answer to the Preface of Charity Maintained which is as it were a second Preface for it followes the Preface joyned with an Answer to the Direction to N. N. p. 9. Sect. 7. The answer to the Preface p. 19. In the same Freface The second Preface p. 19. * Vide Vedelium de Arcâ—nu Arminianismi the foure Professours of Leyden in their approbation of that book declare them to be willfully blind who do not see that it was the scope of the Arminians to introduce Libertinisme Vtnemo deinceps quinon sponte cacutire velit de corum ad Libertinismi Introductionem Scopo dubitare possit Approbatio Facultatu Theologica Leydensis Mr. Chilling first Preface Sect. 29. Cap. 2 pag 64. * The book of Esther Job Ecclesiastes the Epistle of James and Jude the second of Peter the third of John the Epistle to the Hebrews the book of the Revelation We live in a questioning age no man knows how soon all the rest may be questioned You may read more of Mr. Chillingworths principles in a book entitled Christianity maintained the passage about Henry the 8 c. is too famous to be mentioned Nos in diem viviâ— mus quodcunque nostros animos probabilitate percussit illud dicimus It aque soli sumusliberi hoc est Sceptici vide Ciceron. Tusc. quast lib. 5. Answer to the Preface Sect. 26. The Arch-Bishop himselfe is more sound A Church may hold the fundamentall point Literally yet erre damnably in the exposition of it and this is the Church of Romes case it hath in the Exposition both of Creeds Councels quite changed and lost the sense meaning of some of them The Arch Bishops Relat. pag. 320. Vide Vedelium de Deo Synagoga Dr. Kellet his Tricenium The Laick must trust in his Priest the Clergyman in his Church p. 630. The â—uâ—harist to be adored p. 637. and received with our hands framed like a Crosse 655. Altars adored p. 644. The Arch Bishop of Caâ—t his Relat. pag. 147. This is the Protestant Religion which the Papists fight for in thes fighting dayes Behold the Protestant Religion which the Armiminians maintain Mr. Chillingworth might have questioned the salvation of the Iesuites as well as of the Dominicans Ans. to the Preface pag. 20. First Preface with an Answer to the Directions to N. N. Sect. 26. Mr. Wethereld his Sermon at Saint Maries The Arch-Bishop of Canterbury his Relat. Sect. 35. punct. 5. p. 307. A probable conjecture of his Graces Reason why he altered the Service-book The difference between the Scotch Liâ—uâ—gy and the English is exactly set down in the Canterburians selfe conviction p. 97. to 113. See M. Newcomen his Sermon preached on the fifth of Novemb. The large supplement of the Canterburian selfe-conviction pag. 19 20. Bishop Mountaguâ— saith that the â—igne of the crosse is the Instrument of divine power and sufficient to drive away Devills it is to be made in the breast or forehead c. Orig. Eccles. Tom. prioris parte poster ' pag. 80. Scripture and Reason c. Set forth by divers Ministers The book called Iesuitica Negotiatio gave Iesuited persons leave to professe the Protestant religion to keep any office to passe sentence of death upon any person according to his office so he was as favourable as possible and gave timely intelligence of any severe sentence pag. 74. Just like the Iesuise Dr Potter speaks of who hoped well of honest Pagans rashly daÌ„ned the best part of Christians sect. 2. p. 45. I say nothing of Dr. Sheldon his Latine Sermon in which he did highly advance the Power of the Priest Dr Potter 2 edit. sect. 3. pag. 68. * Impuritas non in dogmatibus fidei reperitur sed vel in conclusionibus minus certis vel in ritibus alioqui si impuritas ipsum cor medullam occupet actum esse de tali ecclesiâ omnes Orthodo â—i censent Profess Leyd. Censur. Praefat. Remonst Praefix confess sect. 23. That proud and curst Dame of Rome c. saith Dr. Potter p. 11. She doth poyson her own children gives them serpents instead of fishes p. 14. their charity is contrary to the true nature of Charity p 16 they have more Charity for a Iew and a Turk then a Calvinist p. 17. we are persecuted with fire sword and cursed into eternall fire by the Romane Charity as Dr. Potter saith p. 13 * Read the ceÌ„sure of Reverend Dr. Twisse upon this passage of Dr. Potter in his treatise of the morality of the fourth Commandement pag. 34. Damnable iâ— themselves is in both editioâ—s only corrected in the Errata of the second edition damnable in their issue D. Twisse gives the reason See Dr Potter 2d edition p. 254 255. We shall find that in those Propositions which without al controversy are universally received in the whole Christian World so much truth is contained as being joyned with holy obedience may be sufficient to bring a manunto everlasting salvation p. 255. The Arminians say no man is an Herelike who denies a point which is or may be controverted and so they may deny the whole creed De harcticu quaritur non qut ea quâ— in scrip turis aperte decisâ— sunt convellere audent sed qui eâ— quâ— controversa sunt aut controverti pessunt in dubium voâ— cant Exam. Cens. cap. 24. p. 276. The Arch-Bishop of Cant. his Relat. pag. 309 310. Dr. Potter his Prayer
Socinians say that there is not as yet any triumphant Church above nor is it necessary there should bee any militant Church here below It was no errour in the Donatists that they held it possible that the Church might bee contracted from a larger extent to a lesser as Mr. Chillingworth observes but their error was that they held it done de Facto when they had no just ground or reason to doe so chap. 3. p. 162. But the Author of the Tract concerning Schisme doth quite outleape Mr. Chillingworth It is saith he a thing indifferent the Church may be in any number more or lesse it may be in any place Countrey or Nation it may be in all and for ought I know it may be in none pag. 7. Sure the Brownist is more moderate he saith there must be a Church 6. But the great quarrell with the Brownist is that hee would have the Common-prayer Booke taken away To which I answer in a word that they are not all Brownists who desire to have that Law abrogated by which the Common-prayer Booke is established Mr. Chillingworth desires that there might be this triall made betweene us and the Papists That there might be some Forme of Worshipping God propounded which is wholly taken out of the Scripture and herein saith he to the Papists if we refuse to joyne with you then and not till then may you justly say we have utterly and absolutely abandoned your Communion Answer to the Preface Sect. 23. May not some that are not Brownists say the same to us we keepe our distance from you meerely because your Forme of worshipping God is not taken wholly out of Scripture though for the present then wee joyne not with you yet doe not say till that be done that wee doe utterly and absolutely abandon your Communion The Author of the Tract of Schisme would have such a Forme of service as Donatists Arians Papists all that call themselves Christians might joyne in p 9 10. You see he dislikes the Common-prayer Booke and sure dislikes the best part of it the Creeds he is farre worse then a Brownist Be pleased to observe that Liturgies were first composed to expell Socinianisme and now this Author would have a Liturgie composed to let in Arianisme or at least to humour the Arians and sooth them up in their Heresie as if the Articles of our Creed were but private fancies and it concerned us more to please Hereticks then preserve our Creed But there is a learned man of a more moderate opinion and sounder judgement then either of the former though they bee both very learned men it is Dr. Featley be pleased to heare him speake There is nothing saith he in the Protestant Liturgie or Service which the Romanists do or by their owne Rules can except at The Confession forme of Absolution Prayers Hymnes Collects c. are either such as the Papists themselves use or at least such as they dislike not in his Annotations on Vertumnus Romanus p. 16 17. Now this is the very reason the Papists bragge so much and why some that are not Brownists take offence at our Liturgy And this learned Doctor tels us that all who love the truth in sincerity should with bended knees humbly desire that his Majesty and the high Court of Parliament would make some more certaine distinctive signe betweene Papists and Protestants then monthly comming to Church and taking the oathes of Allegiance and Supremacy Now how this present Liturgy which the Papists like so well can make any such distinction let the prudent judge I intend not to run out into the large question about the necessity or Antiquity of Liturgies but let men that are so violent in this point consider 1. How corrupt those Liturgies are which are voted for ancient 2. How much Bishop Hall is forced to grant when this question was agitated betweene him and the Smectymnâ—ans 3. To passe by what is said about the lawfulnesse of a Set-forme let them consider what Arguments are produced against the Imposition of a Set-forme 4. If it were granted that a Set-forme may be imposed yet those many cart-loads of Arguments which are produced against this Set-forme are considerable 5. It is confessed that a Minister should be able to pray as well as preach and should give and even devote himselfe to prayer he should meditate and study how to pray 6. It is granted on all sides that wee ought to pray according to the occasion and how we should foresee all the wants and straits of a Church and compose a Set-forme for them before-hand it concernes them to declare When K. Iames was to advise Prince Henry how to pray hee did not thinke it sufficient to leave him to the Church-Liturgy or to any prayers composed by man the onely Rule of Prayer saith he is the Lords Prayer he advised him to study the Psalmes of David because they being composed by a King hee might collect prayers out of them most sutable to his wants and so he should be enabled to pray according to the occasion he disswaded him from following the common ignorant sort that prayes nothing but out of bookes for that would breed an uncouth coldnesse in him towards God hee bids him take heed that hee be not over-homely in his expressions for that would breed a contempt of God nay he counsels him farther to pray as his heart moves him pro re natâ Reade his {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} pag 151. 152. Let these things be well weighed and considered and then our fierce men will not terme every man a Brownist who desires to have that Law abrogated by which this Common Prayer booke is established and enjoyned I need not adde what the Arminians and Socinians think of Liturgies onely observe that though the Arminians beyond Sea were prevailed with to write something for the Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons c. in England yet they write but faintly Exam. Censurae cap. 21. and they could not be prevailed with to write a word in defence of our Liturgy they will not admit no not of the most received Creeds there is they say too much majesty in them they call the Preface to Athanasius his Creed Whosoever will be saved must hold c. a proud Preface for this is say they to give divine Authority to humane Formes and into the assembly of such bold men let not our soule ever enter you see what they think of humane Formes Exam. Censurae Praef. pag. 6. 7. and lastly the Brownists had beene in the right if the Archbishop of Canterbury could have compassed his Designe for his project was to root out all that would not comply which if he had effected he had made good the Brownists opinion for them for then there would have beene no true Church of God in England indeed not a true governing Church for his government would have beene tyranicall not a true practising Church the practises of his