the Socinian Writers there is a Necessity of openly adhering to some Congregation professing Christ's discipline and that Congregation must be such as they think to be purer than the rest This is the whole design and subject of Socinus's book De Officio hominis Christiani to shew that they must be of some Church and particularly of those who were then call'd Arians or Ebionites That is in plain terms those who are of the Anti-Trinitarian perswasion must have a Gather'd Church and there make publick profession of their belief and openly teach those Doctrines which they are perswaded to be true And yet I offer it to be taken notice of that though this be profess'd in their Writings to be an Indispensable Point of Religion c. yet they regard not the practising of it None of our English Socinians have any Set Meetings for the propagating of their doctrine as men of other perswasions have at this day We cannot but take notice that all Parties who think their Way to be True and Good hold distinct Congregations on the Lord's day or at other Solemn times and then make profession of their particular Way and Worship It is well known that this is the usage and practice of all the different Parties of Religion They did it even when they had a Prohibition from the Government but now much more openly when they are not restrained by Publick Authority But there is not so much as one single Meeting in the way of Religion and Worship upheld by the Socinians tho it is certain that their way of worship differs from that of all Other Parties because the very Object of Worship is different I mean as to their consideration of it for they look upon our Saviour as a Creature and no other Which one thing should make them assemble together in a distinct place and manner from all other Professors of Religion They should if they acted according to their own Principles have a peculiar Church and openly preach up their Perswasions and declare against the false and Idolatrous Worship of all Professors of Christianity but themselves for so it seems they esteem it Thus I say they are obliged to do if they will be consistent to themselves They must form an Assembly of their own and if they want Members they know where to have them it is but sending for some more of their brethren in Transylvania Poland c. and so they may be stock'd I do not see how they can possibly omit the Meeting together as a Church suppose in London or some other convenient place for their Principles of Ecclesiastical Government or Discipline oblige them to this If they say that some Prudential Considerations prevail with them to do otherwise then it is clear that their Prudence is of such a sort that it outweighs yea wholly excludes their Duty and surely men of their Reason and Judgment will not boast much of such a Prudence Besides if they pretend Discretion and Prudence for their not Assembling together then in so doing they tax all the Meetings and Congregations of other Perswasions as herds of Imprudent and Impolitick Men and whether such a Charge as this savours of Prudence I leave it to themselves to judg To say the truth these Gentlemen can be as smart upon the Dissenters when they think fit as upon Church-men we are told in the Trinitarian Scheme of Religion that the former have separated from the Church of England for small and inconsiderable causes And in an other of their late Essays they rattle all Dissenters at a high rate charging them with great inconsistency to themselves and their own principles and afterwards they call them Wiâ—…-Worshippers telling them that their worship is without any warrant of Scripture either by precept or so much as one example nay against the full current of Scripture-Worship Then they add their Worship iâ—… of their own invention and soon after they call it a Popish Invention Now one would think that these men who thus condemn all Dissenters and declare forâ—… Purer Congregation and Worship than other men should have Particular and Distinct Assemblies of their own but they have not they mix with others and particularly sometimes with the Churches of the Conformists yea some of them have been and are still professed Members of the Church of England joyning in that Service particularly the Liâ—…any where the Three Persons of the God-head are invoked and the Doxology which is so frequently repeated wherein the Deity not only of the Father but of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is publickly professed and owned Socinus had other thoughts when he endeavour'd to prove that the people of the kingdom of Poland and of the Great Dutchy of Lithuania ought to joyn themselves to the Assemblies of those that were call'd Arians that is those who profess'd Socinus's doctrine Now will not any rational and considerate man infer hence that our English Socinians are very cold and unconcerned in their Religion for though according to the Scheme of their Church-Government they ought to Meet together in a visible and solemn manner yet they are so Indifferent that they will not or so Cowardly that they dare not do it Which breeds a suspicion of them that they only act a Part and that at another time they will be at something else Which appears from this likewise that tho they under hand manage their Cause and write in defence of it yet they conceal their Names and Persons They are against Mysteries but they keep in the Clouds and will not let the world know who they are This evidently convinces us how Indifferent they are for if they were verily perswaded that their doctrine is really True and that it contains in it Substantial and Necessary Points of Faith and Religion they would not they could not act thus under a disguise but they would be sensible that it is absolutely requisite to discover themselves and to deal above board and to be plain and free in their owning of the Cause for if they be Verities of Necessary Concern in Religion as they sometimes pretend then they are worth the Publick owning and these persons may glory in the defence of them But we see they dare not even in this Juncture when Liberty was allow'd them and they might safely speak their minds appear with open face and set their Names before their Writings This shews that they have no true Zeal for their Cause yea that at the bottom they are but little or not at all concerned And if they be not deeply concerned for that which is their Darling Point what can we think of them as to the rest But it is not only Cowardize but something of a worse nature that makes them thus mask themselves These Knights Errant who come not like those of old to do kindnesses to the distressed will not vouchsafe to lift up the beavers of their helmets and let us see who they are because
done but to give an Impartial Account of them in such Particulars wherein it is plain and evident that they swerve from the Truth and profess such doctrines as have a direct tendency to Irreligion and Impiety Nor do I comprehend all Socinianized persons in this Character I entertain some hope that there are some Innocent and Well-meaning people among them who being inveigled by the plausible pretences of their Leaders have taken up some of their Notions but are ready upon a discovery of the Falshood and Perniciousness of them to lay them down and wholly to abandon them Those that are of this sober disposition will I question not find this Present Undertaking beneficial to them and will be so far from censuring them that they will thankfully acknowledg my setting them Right in Perswasions of so great moment and importance such as are either of the Foundation of Religion or have a near alliance to it or have a necessary influence on our Christian Practice In short when Principles and Truths of the Highest Nature are struck at by bold Assailants when the Main Doctrines of Religion are depraved and perverted and when Christianity it self is endanger'd shall we sit still and not be concern'd * If these foundations be destroy'd if these Forts these Bulwarks these Strong-holds as some render the word be demolish'd what can the righteous do if these Fundamental Principles be overthrown what a wretched state will Religion and the Professors of it be reduced to Which is the very thing which we may justly fear at this time when we behold such a great and signal Defection from the Truths of Christianity from the Faith of the Gospel even in the Christian World How few are there at this day that can endure sound doctrine how many are there that call themselves Protestants and yet grow weary of those Main Articles of Religion which have been owned ever since the Reformation and have been defended and vindicated by the Pens of the Religious and Learned And shall we silently and tamely permit this No certainly That Charity which beareth all things endureth all things cannot suffer this Yea it is the highest Charity in such a dangerous juncture to acquaint persons with the true State of affairs to discover the Methods and Artifices of Seducers to lay open before the world their Cheats and Delusions and to shew what Errors they substitute in the place of Truth And this is that which is design'd in my present Performance wherein I have all along discover'd the Poyson of our Adversaries Doctrines in the first place and then I have been careful to administer an Antidote ERRATA PAge 6. line 1. before is insert it p. 29. l. penult for to the first of r. first to p. 35. l. 10. place ‖ before Episcopius p. 95. l. 13. f. of r. or p. 103. l. 7. r. needs p. 108. l. 13. r. deletion p. 123. l. 14. r. strange p. 125. l. 3. before it insert in p. 126. l. 6. before And begin the parenthesis p. 183. l. 5. f. professed r. pretended p. 184. l. 24. f. this r. that p. 197. l. 16. after as insert to p. 214. l. 13. r. Looks p. 243. l. 5. after it make THE TENDENCY OF THE Socinian Doctrines TO Irreligion Atheism CHAP. I. There is an obligation on the Author to give the World an account of the Irreligious Sentiments of the Socinians Their Abusing of the Holy Scriptures is a proof of their Prophane genius They hold there are Mistakes and Errors in the Bible as to lesser matters They disparage the Books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes the Epistle to the Hebrews and the Writings of St. John They are wild and extravagant though very crafty and subtile in their interpreting and expounding of Scripture A particular instance of it in their interpretation of I John 1 2. Other instances of their false and perverse dealing Their notion of a Double Ascension of Christ confuted and the Texts which they alledge for it explain'd Their vilisying wresting and perverting of Scripture are tokens of their Irreligion I Am obliged to let the World see that I did not reproach and injure the Socinians when I laid to their charge the favouring and promoting of Atheism and consequently that what I said of them was not as they have suggested hastily and rashly spoken or written without due premeditation And thence it will appear that I am not to be represented as a Censorious or Uncharitable person which are imputations which I always abhorr'd and have carefully laboured to avoid Thus then I make good what I said Some of this sort of men cannot well be thought to have any true and right Sense of God and Religion especially the Christian because they have in their Publick Writings renounced some of the most Considerable things relating to Doctrine Worship Discipline and Practise in the Church of Christ. These are the four General Heads of my following Discourse I begin with the First As to the Doctrinal part of Religion these men are very faulty and upon examination will be found to be favourers of very Irreligious and Prophane Opinions And here I will reduce what I have to say unto these five Particulars viz. Their Notions concerning the Scriptures concerning God concerning the First Man concerning the Future State and concerning Christianity it self First It is no mean proof of their Prophane genius that they delight to vilifie and abuse the Holy Scriptures As to some lesser matters and such as are of small moment the Bible hath Repugnancies and Mistakes saith the Great Founder of Socinianism i. e. He from whom it takes its denomination And herein he is follow'd by Volkelius another Great and Admired Writer among those of the Racovian perswasion Smalcius grants some depravation in Scripture as to things of no great moment Episcopius who is owned to be a Socinian by the Party themselves tells us that the Penmen of the Scriptures were left to their own humane frailty in delivering those things which appertain to circumstances of Fact as time and place and the like And in the same place he attributes these Mistakes and Errors in the Bible to the want of Knowledge or weakness of Memory in the Writers Where then is their Infallibility which hath been owned by all Christian Churches Or can they be Infallible and yet Err What is the difference between these Writers and others but this that they were Immediately Inspired by the Holy Ghost and consequently are not liable in the least to Mistakes and Misapprehensions Those then that deny this must needs deny the Writers of the Holy Scripture to have been Inspired and to have been Infallible yea they must say that they were like other men faulty and erroneous in their Writings This you will say and that justly is an Ill Beginning here is a Bad specimen of their Sentiments concerning the Doctrinal part of Religion of which our Right Conceptions concerning the Holy
Offender saith the Apostle or have committed any thing worthy of death I refuse not to die Both Capital Judicatures and Punishments are authorized by the same Apostle Rom. 13. 4. where speaking of the Magistrate he saith He beareth not the sword in vain i. e. he beareth it so as strike with it to do execution with it when there is occasion So ridiculous is that Exposition of the place which One of the Socinian Writers gives viz. It is said He bears the sword but yet he must not use it It is evident from this Text as well as from those before mention'd that God himself hath put this Weapon into the Magistrate's hand and why then should any presume to disarm him I acknowledge a Christian Ruler ought to be very Cautious and Tender in the point of mens Lives and perhaps it would be better to be sparing of them in some cases where generally according to the Laws as they are now in force there is a forfeiture of Life It was very rare heretofore among our Ancestors to inflict death for some of those Crimes which now are made Capital The Executioner had not so much work when Banishment and Confiscations were more in use But it is certain that there are such flagitious enormities such heinous and detestable villanies as require no less a recompence than Death it self Especially in the case of Blood-shedding a Retaliation is due for blood calls for blood This fatal Retribution is founded not only on the foremention'd Positive Law given to the Patriarchs and never since repeal'd and also on the Allowance of the New Testament as you have heard but on the Common Law of Equity and justice Wherefore the Magistrate hath authority when publick Justice and Necessity require it to take away mens lives Which our Church thought fit to make one of her Articles The Laws of the Realm may punish Christian Men with death for heinous and grievous offences Nay the Publick Ministers of Justice are so far from offending in doing this that they are extraordinarily guilty if they omit it especially if they suffer Murderers to go thus unpunish'd for blood-shed is the way by Gods appointment for the avenging of willful homicide and murder I mention these things that we may see how injurious the Unitarians are both to the Ecclesiastical and Civil Ministers They not only null the function and Jurisdiction of the former as I shew'd you but they rob the latter of a great and considerable part of their Office They will not allow them a power to punish Offenders especially Capitally With the Donatists of old and some Anabaptists afterwards they agree to defend this Proposition that no man ought to be put to death let his Crime be never so black and bloody they hold that the Effusion of humane blood is in all cases unlawful They had this immediately from the Italian Innovator who knew it would serve his followers to very considerable purposes For it was convenient to begin first with the Magistrate lâ—…st he should have begun with them They take away his Punitive Power and then they know he can't hurt them They are against all Capital Inflictions lest they should tast of them themselves The design of these Opposers of Magistracy is that they may have a Licence to vent what Doctrines they please that they may even expel out of the world some of the Fundamental Truths which have been embraced in all ages of the Church It is to be fear'd that the design at the bottom is that all Magistrates should throw away their Swords divest themselves of their power to Punish that hereby there may be a Liberty to do what they please and then at last it is likely they will usurp the Sword and take upon them that Office which they denied to the Magistate Though they despoil the Praetor of his Axe as well as Rods yet they will make use of them themselves Here I might let you see likewise that it is their opinion that it is not lawful for a Christian Man to go to war Thus their Great Casuist determines and in other places he saith We may not repel force with force by taking up Arms though we are justly assaulted And he is back'd by Smalcius who peremptorily asserts the same But I believe the Reader would think it loss of time to insist here and to shew the unreasonableness of this Opinion and therefore I dismiss it CHAP. IX The Socinians agree with the Papists in the doctrine of Evangelical Counsels and several other Tenents The Author 's designed Brevity The Socinian Creed summ'd up and faithfully represented in its several Articles An Objection Answered Another Objection more particularly and distinctly answer'd THUS I have gone through the Several Particulars and Members which make up the Body of Socinianism and I have now only this further to adjoyn that both as to some of the Instances before mention'd and as to one or two which I have not yet taken notice of they apparently symbolize with the Papists They joyn hands with them in asserting Evangelical Counsels as we may satisfie our selves from what their Great Doctor and Dictator saith on Mat. 5. 43 44. It is true in his Explication of v. 17. of that Chapter he rejects the Popish Distinction of Precepts and Counsels as it is there on that occasion applied But behold his shifting In this place he makes out his Opinion by using that Distinction only he disguises it under the term of Monitions instead of Counsels He holds that of Solomon Prov. 25. 21. If thine enemy be hungry give him bread to eat c. to be of this sort it is an Advice which we may follow or not as we please it is not a Command no man is enjoyn'd to do this But after this rate any of the Plain Commands in Holy Scripture may be evaded for we may alledg this which Socinus here starts that though the words are propounded in the way of a Precept yet they have not the force of one but only are Admonitions or Counsels which a man may observe if he thinks fit else not And so in other Particulars I have hinted their Correspondence with Rome as in their vilifying of the Scriptures and holding them to be Corrupted likewise in their notion of Divine Worship which they say is not proper and peculiar to God the Papists excuse the Worship which is paid by them to Angels and Saints by alledging that this Honour may be communicated to others besides the Deity and so doth Socinus stiffly maintain that this Divine Honour is not appropriated to him that is by nature God Both parties agree in the doctrines of Merit and Perfection Both accord in this likewise that the Magistrate must not meddle with the Church that he hath no Authority to punish Offenders in point of Religion Moreover they agree in the distinction of Venial and Mortal Sins See Crellius Eth. l. c. 5. and Volkelius
Clergy of this Nation and they are the far Greatest Part of those that dissent from our Church in the point of Discipline and Ceremonies They are all the Sober Heads of both these Perswasions who unite in the Main Articles of Religion profess'd and subscrib'd to by the Church of England Nay they are the Whole Body of the Protestant and Reformed Churches abroad as well as at home These are the Men of Art who by this Gentleman's friends are at other times call'd Systematick-Men and sometimes Mystery-Men and by way of derision Orthodox These are the Men of Art who are also so called you must know in Contradistinction to the Plain Fellows for so the Racovians stile themselves in their Treatise of the Trinitarian Scheme of Religion But when this writer saith these men of Art are in an Evil Conspiracy what is the meaning of that It is no other than this that they joyntly agree to disallow of and condemn a late upstart Conceit viz. that the belief of One sole Article of Christianity is sufficient not only to denominate but to constitute any Man a Christian. Now would not a Considerate Man perswade himself that this Unanimous Concurrence of all the Learned Wise Sober and Religious in this matter is rather to be deemed a Happy Union than a Conspiracy and that an Evil one And whereas this Writer tells us that the book of the Reasonableness of Christianity is of eminent use to overthrow and ruine Faction p. 51 I must needs declare that I 'm of the contrary opinion and I conceive I have abundantly proved in a late Discourse I publish'd that the Notions which the Treatise of the Reasonableness of Christianity is fraught with administer to Faction and something Worse amongst us which I have been warning the Reader of in the preceding Discourse The short is this Gentleman and I can't agree about Mr. L.'s Book for he at least saith for we are not certain of his Thoughts and that without any Proof that it is one of the best books that hath been publish'd for at least these sixteen hundred years p. 52 but I 'm of opinion and I 'm sure I have Proved it that it is one of the Worst that hath appear'd in the world since the date of Christianity FINIS * Vindication of the Reasonableness of Christianity p. 3. * Preface to his Discourse concerning Christ's Satisfaction * P. 33 Psal. 11. 3. * Socin de Author S. Script cap. 1. †De Vera Relig l. 5. c. 5. ‖ Cat. Racov. de Scriptura cap. 1. * Institut Theolog. lib. 4. ‖ A brief History of the Unitarians ‖ Socin Epist. 2. ad Dudith * Explicat 5. Mat. 4â—… †Ostorodus in Institut cap. 30. * Smalc cont Frantz ‖ Bishop Stillingfleet's Pref. to the Discourse of Christ's Satisfaction * Considerations on the Explications of the Doctrine of the Trinity p. 49 50. ‖ Eccles. Hist. l. 3. c. 24. lib. 5. cap. 8. * Sandius de Script Eccles. †Considerations on the Explications c. p. 49. * Preface to the Discourse of Christ's Satisfaction * An Accurate Examination of the Principal Texts alledged for Christ's Divinity p. 24 25 26. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrat. hist. l. 1. c. 3. †Sulpit. lib. 2. ‖ An Answer to a Letter touching the Trinity * An Accurate Examination of the principal Texts alledg'd for Christ's Divinity chap. 5. * Socin in Catechesi †De Divin Christi cip 4. Cont. Frantz Exam. cent errorum ‖ In Epist. ad Hebr. cap. 1. v. 6. ** Commentar in Heb. 1. 6. ††De V. R. l. 3. c. 5. ‖‖ An Accurate Examination of the principal texts alledg'd for Christ's Divinity chap. 5. * On the 2d Article of the Creed †Considerations on the Explications of the doctrine of the Trinity * Smalc Hom. 8. in cap. 1. Johan †De Servatore cap. 6. * De Deo Attributis * Disp. de Repub. l. 1. c. 11. †De Deo Attrib cap. 5. ‖ Cap. 6. * H. Grotii Pietas ad Ordines Holland * Praelect cap. 2. * Considerations on the Explications of the doctrine of the Trinity * Crellius de Deo Attribut cap. 15. †Commentar in Johan 4. 24. ‖ Comment in 1. Epist. ad Corinth cap. 15. v. 45. * Scripture Catechism Chap. 2. †Sine corpore ullo Deum vult esse ut Graeci dicunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Nat. Deor. l. 1. * Tractat. breves de diversis materiis c. †Socin in Catechismo * Cont. Frantz Disp. 1. de Trin. †De Deo Attrib cap. 27. ‖ Institut l. 4. c. 13. ** Bidle Scripture-Catechism Chap. 2. The Exceptions of Mr. Edw. in his Causes of Atheism examined p. 18. * Plin. Nat. Hist. l. c. 7. * Cont. Frantz Disp. 1 and 12. †De Deo Attrib Cap. 24. ‖ Cap. 9. 11. * Socin Praelect cap. 8 9 10. * Praelect cap. 8. †Not. ad Disp. 5. de Deo †De Deo cap. 18. ‖ Considerations on the Explications of the doctrine of the Trinity ** The Trinitarian Scheme of Religion p. 4. Praelect cap. 8. * Socin cont Wiek cap. 9. †Moscorov cont Smiglecium Slichting cont Meisnerum * A Letter to the Clergy of both Universities p. 11. * P. 5. †Lib. 1. de Trinit Error ‖ An Answer to a Letter touching the Trinity ** A Postscript to the Answer to a Letter touching the Trinity * Letter to the Clergy of both Universities p. 15. †P. 24. ‖ P. 26. ** Of worshiping the Holy Ghost p. 12. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. Orat 32. * Socin de Servat par 1. c. 2 3. †De Servat par 3. c. 5. ‖ De V. R. l. 5. c. 20. ** Praelect cap. 18. ††De Christo Servatore par 3. cap. 4. * Cat. Racov. de Prophet Christi munere †Socin de Servat par 2. c. 15. Praelect cap. 24. Cat. Racov. c. 8. de Prophet Christi munere Item de munere Christi Sacerdotali qu. 8. ‖ Praelect Theolog. ** De Christo Servat ††Smalc de Satisfactione contr Smiglec Cat. Racov. de Prophet Christi mun cap. 8. Crellius contr Grotium * Cat. Racov. cap. eod * Theodoret. de Provid Serm. 6. * Rom. 3. 25. 1 John 22. 4. 10. †Rom. 5. 11. ‖ Chap. 9. 26. 10. 10 12. and other places * Cont. Frantz Disp. 4. †Ibid. ‖ Disp. 6. ** Homil 4. in 1. Johan * De Morte Christi qu. 12. †De Servatore ‖ A Letter of Resolution concerning the doctrine of the Trinity p. 7. * The Antitrinitarian Scheme of Religion p. 18. * Chap. 6. and 8. †Heb. 10. 29. * Prâ—…ct cap. 3. †Instit. cap. 1. * Smalc contr Smiglec de Dei filio cap. 7. * Praelect cap. 4. De Christo Servatore par 4. cap. 6. De Officio viri Christiani cap. 5. †Volkelius de
that they lately presented the world with a Paper entituled The Trinitarian Scheme of Religion and now I hope they will not be offended I am sure they ought not when I publish the Anti-Trinitarian Scheme of Religion if I may so call it or rather to speak plainly and impartially of their Irreligious Opinions and Placits They had no Credible Authors to vouch their Scheme but fill'd it up with what they thought fit But I have taken another course and have all along annex'd the Particular Authors whose Assertions I mention and I have set down the particular places in their Writings I have been very exact and faithful in rehearsing their words that I might neither wrong them nor the Truth And in order to this I have perused the Authors themselves and have taken nothing on trust Nor have I gather'd their Opinions from some few or dubious expressions in their Writings or from some Scraps and Sentences but from the plain Tenour and Scope of what they write So that the Reader may absolutely depend upon what I offer to him concerning their Sentiments All the Socinian Writings till some few of late being in Latin the Learned can consult the places which I have cited when they please and bear witness to my faithfulness in alledging them But I knew it would be of no use to the mere English Reader to transcribe the quotations in that Language wherefore I chose rather to give him them in his own Tongue And besides it is to be supposed that the Learned are not unacquainted with these things but because Others who are the greatest numbers are in great measure ignorant of them I thought it requisite to publish them to the world that it may be known what are the Wild and extravagant Notions which are wafted over to us from Racovia If I had not read their Books I might peradventure have entertain'd a more favourable opinion of them than I now have saith the Excellent Bishop before mention'd And so without doubt many others would have entertain'd a tolerable opinion of these Gentlemen if they had not perused their Writings and found what a numerous train of Unsound Propositions are there upheld and if they had not observ'd that pernicious tendency and drift of them People hear Socinianism much talk'd of of late and one or two of the most Vulgar Points of it are partly known to them and they are sollicited perhaps to give their assent to them But if they had a discovery of all the rest of their Opinions it is probable they would be moved by them to disapprove of those others Most men may think perhaps that the Socinians fail only in their disbelief of the Trinity and particularly their disowning the Deity of the Son of God but that as to other Principles of Christianity they believe and profess the same Divine Truths which are embraced by the generality of Christians For as in the late Reign Popery was misrepresented all its Doctrines were dress'd up in a very specious and plausible garb by the Bishops of Meaux and Condom and other dexterous Penmen in so much that it did not seem to be what it was said to be before for they knew that Popery truly represented would never go down with us therefore when the Roman Catholicks had hopes of gaining this Nation once again to their Church it was thought requisite to set their Religion before us in a wrong posture so hath it fared lately with Socinianism the English Racovians have given us such a Character of it that it appears to be quite different from what it was yea and what it really is they have given it such a gloss and varnish that many are thence perswaded to have a good opinion of it for they were sensible that if it were set forth and known in its true nature few Wise and Considerate persons would imbrace it therefore they found it necessary to give us a False Account of it to render it if possible plausible and acceptable But if we narrowly look into it we shall find it to be another thing than it is pretended to be we shall see that it is a Dreadful Compound of Errors and Heterodoxies a Detestable Farce of Exploded Heresies a Horrid Perverting of the Christian Faith and the Nurse of Irreligion and Prophaness To be plainer yet he that hath any close thoughts and remarks of things at this day must needs be sensible that the great Indifferency and Scepticism which reign among us have open'd a door to Socinianism which is a sure Project for Deism and this for Atheism For it is apparent that the Atheists of our times politickly make use of this Engine to compass their designs that is to banish the Deity and Religion out of the world and to introduce universal Licentiousness Immorality and Debauchery I appeal to any Thoughtful Serious and Observing Man whether this be not a true and right View of our present affairs with relation to the matter in hand I apprehended therefore it would be good service to my Countreymen to represent this Monster to them in its true and genuine Colours in its native and proper features which will certainly acquaint them with its Deformity and as the effect of that render it Loathsome and Abominable as it ought to be to all that are concerned for Religion This is the design of the following Discourse and the Holy and Blessed Trinity whose Cause I defend knoweth that herein I intend not the aspersing of any sort of men I aim not at the exposing of or reflecting upon any Party but my whole business is to assert and vindicate the Truth which hath been owned by the Catholick Church in all ages of Christianity and to obviate the growing Evil and Mischief of Socinianism In undertaking of this I will suggest nothing out of heat and passion I will labour to refute not to reproach our Adversaries I will endeavour to approve my self an Advocate for Truth without being an Enemy to Civility and Candour But yet I shall by the Divine Aid which most heartily I implore and beg the Reader to joyn his earnest Devotions with mine use that Freedom and Plainness which become the Truth and an Unprejudic'd Asserter of it My faults in my former book it seems were Wit and Eloquence if he who wrote the Vindication of the late Treatise concerning the Reasonableness of Christianity be a Judg of either Now I hope I have mended these faults or chang'd them for two others viz. Argument and Down-right Language which yet will be as much disliked by that Gentleman and his Partisans However I will venture it and perhaps this Free and Open dealing may have some good effect even upon the minds of our Adversaries at least on some of those that are in part tinctur'd with their Opinions especially when they shall see that it is not my intention to represent the Disciples of Socinus worse than they are which as to some things can hardly be
the custom and manner of Reformed Churches and more particularly of Ours And that he makes himself merry with the Protestant not Popish manner of administring the Lord's Supper is evident further from this that he mentions not only the giving a bit of Bread but a sup of Wine which latter is not given to the People in the Church of Rome as is well known and this Author knows as well as any man Wherefore he must of necessity speak of the Sacraments as they are administred in the Protestant Churches and you see what jolly work he makes of it Mother-Church is with him a term for any Eminent Reform'd Church as it is indeed the Style of these men they in their late Writings usually call any Church of Note that differs from them Mother-Church The Lawful Minister that attends on the Sacred Institutions of Baptism and the Lord's Supper hath no better Title with them than the man in black Baptism forsooth is the Churches Water and the other Sacrament cannot be more decently express'd by him than by a bit of Bread and a sup of Wine and the words of Institution pronounc'd by our Saviour himself are scoffingly call'd the wonder-working words and which is yet more prophane and impious an Incantation a Charm a Spell Then he scandalously uses the terms of Devil Hell and Heaven as if he believ'd no such things and to confirm us in this perswasion concerning him he proceeds after he had jeer'd the Elect to compare the Solemn and Evangelical Ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper to the Lewdest Vilest and most prophane things imaginable yea to the Feats of Magick Art It is no wonder that the most Sacred matters of our Religion are derided by this sort of men who by such passages as these discover themselves to be of a very unsanctified temper It is no wonder that those who give themselves up to this wild and prophane way of talking blaspheme even the Son of God and the Holy Ghost vilifying the blessed undertaking of the former and disregarding the powerful assistance and aids of the latter and denying the Divinity of both It is no wonder that they abuse and debauch Christianity and all the Excellent Principles of it when they give themselves this Liberty and let fly against all that is Sacred and Venerable Who will not say and that on just grounds that here is more than a Vergency to that cursed genius which I have before mention'd But let us go on and enquire more particularly into their apprehensions about Baptism Concerning this they have espoused this groundless conceit that now among Christians it is an Insignificant Rite The determination of their Great Master is this Baptism was prescribed to none but Heathens among those who make publick profession of Christianity there is no need of it at this time it doth not concern the Church at all but is a mere indifferent thing Most of his followers represent it after the like manner and say there was no Command for Water-Baptism as they call it Baptism is ceas'd saith Volkelius it belonging only to those First Times And if you urge the express words of the Institution of it Mat. 28. 19. Go teach all nations baptizing them Socinus answers that it is not meant of the Baptism of Water And in the same place he undertakes to prove that this was not enjoyn'd by Christ but was only freely taken up by the Apostles and was a Temporary Rite To which their Chief Doctors say Amen And if you ask the Reason why it is not obligatory now they will put you off by saying the Christian Religion is Internal and Spiritual and admits not of such an external and corporal Ceremony as Baptism And yet these Sons of Reason apply not this to the Other Sacrament but acknowledge it to be perpetual in the Christian Church though it be an Outward Sensible Rite this interferes not with the Spirituality of the Christian Religion Which lets us see how Partial they are in their Arguing Further let us mark the inconsistency of these men notwithstanding there is no Precept for this Sacrament notwithstanding it is a mere Ceremonial Rite notwithstanding it is abolish'd for all this they hold and maintain yet they defend the Lawfulness of retaining it It may be used they say in the Christian Church especially when they have any Turkish or Jewish Proselytes for they mention these particularly for because they are come over to the Turks in the point of the Trinity they expect I suppose that some of them will return the kindness and be Converts to some parts of their Religion So it seems the Sacrament of Baptism is kept up only for the sake of some Mahometans and Jews who are expected to honour Socinianism with their Conversion But though Baptism as it hath respect to Adult Persons is in some sort tolerated by these men yet the Baptizing of Infants is utterly condemned by them all as a practice founded on no Precept or Example They agree with the Old Pelagians and Anabaptists that Children have nothing to do with this Rite and they give the same Reasons if we may call them so for their Tenent that they did as appears from the very words of the Racovian Catechism which excludes Infants because they cannot themselves by reason of their age acknowledge Christ for their Saviour And one of their Chief Rabbies determines in brief thus Infants not knowing what they do or what is done to them are not to be baptized And therefore an other calls it a Vain and Childish action And he thinks he is facetious when a little after he stiles it the Childish Baptism of Children And this is the sense of the Unitarians of the last Edition The Baptists or Anabaptists say they worthily labour in the vindicating of Baptism to those that are capable of it from those that are uncapable of it They determine that Baptism was appointed by Christ to initiate Jews and Heathens into the Christian Church and consequently none but these are to be enter'd into the Church by this Rite herein exactly following their Master Socinus who tells us that if any heretofore left their Judaism or Paganism they were to be baptised but those that are born of Christian Parents are not to be baptised Then they add in the same place that no person is capable of baptism but such as can profess and intend the thing signified by Baptism viz. a clean conscience and a new life consequently all Infants are excluded And now who would not think that Paedobaptism were wholly discarded by the Socinians and that they cannot with a safe Conscience allow of it But behold yet a farther proof of their Repugnancies of their jarring with themselves as well as with the Truth of their contradicting their own sentiments as well as those of the Christian Church Though they have spoken so contemptibly of this Sacred
Institution though they openly confess that Children are not capable of it though they publish to the world that there is neither Command nor Practice for it yet some of their Authors whom I have mention'd hold it may be practised in the Church What therefore is it that these men will not say or do if they have a mind to it The whole Sect of Anabaptists are against Paedobaptism and so far they are to be commended that they approve not of that in others which they are perswaded is unlawful in it self But here is a sort of Religionists that cry down the Baptising of Children as an empty and childish Ceremony as void of all Allowance from Scripture and unreasonable and absurd in it self and yet the practice of it is not unlawful in the Church He that hath a Talent of solving Contrarieties let him use it here for here is great occasion for it But this must be said indeed that some of the High-fliers among them who are most consistent with themselves and their own principles cry out against the Baptising of Children as Anti-Christian and not to be tolerated by any means in the Christian Church for truly if it be of that nature which we have heard it represented to be there is no reason it should be suffer'd any longer Wherefore those of the Party before mention'd are guilty of a double Irreligion first in slandering this Sacrament in prophanely scoffing at this Institution this Evangelical Rite ordain'd by our Lord himself Secondly in allowing the administring of it in the Church notwithstanding they have thus reproach'd it and represented it as a thing utterly unlawful What will the Impious Despisers of Religion what will the Atheists say to this Are they not hereby confirm'd in their dislike and contempt of what is Sacred Are they not taught to open their mouths against God and whatever is Religious and yet notwithstanding that to make some shew of outward allowing them Is not here an Example set them for this purpose and do we not see it daily followed Thus it appears that these men strike at Religion yea strike it down and then would pretend to raise it up as it were but this is only adding Dissimulation to their gross Impiety which renders their Guilt the greater and mightily aggravates their Crime CHAP. VIII The Socinians deny that there is any Distinct Order of men in the Christian Church This is disproved from the Evangelical Writings Though they are for Gather'd Churches yet they contradict this in their practice They can give no account of this and of their censuring other Congregations Their Indifferency in Religion is inferr'd from their having no Publick Assemblies As also from their concealing their Names and Persons Something worse than Cowardize is taken notice of in them They hold Officious Lies to be lawful The ground of this Opinion is shewed to be unreasonable Socinus's Explication of Mat. 5. 28. justly censured They assert that Immodesty Intemperance Wantonness Impure Desires and Lusts were not forbid under the Law The Badness of this assertion laid open They are enemies to the Civil Powers They will not permit them to punish any Offenders no not Murderers with death Herein they oppose themselves to the authority of the Old and New Testament The reason guessâ—…d at why they take the Sword out of the Magistrates hand They condemn all going to War as unchristian and unlawful HAving dispatch'd Two of the General Heads which I propounded I pass to the Third viz. Ecclesiastical Discipline or Government The Socinians deny that there is any Distinct Order of Men in the Church to whom it peculiarly and solely belongs to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments Socinus indeed grants that one Man may be chosen out of the rest to preach the Word of God and he sees no reason to the contrary he saith But neither he nor his followers admit of any Call or Mission requisite in order to this The †Racovian Catechism positively determines it so for though it seems to grant that it is more fitting and decent that professed and set Ministers should perform the publick offices in the Church and the Primitive Churches they grant observed this yet they assert that it is not Necessary because the Scripture doth not require it Smalcius expresly maintains this Volkelius gives us his judgment in these words That the Pastor or Minister should dispense to the rest the Supper of the Lord is wholly an indifferent thing seeing it is not commanded us by Christ nor can there be any reason given why it ought to be done at all It cannot be proved saith an Other that it is lawful for no man to do those things which he mention'd just before viz. preaching baptizing administring the Lord's Supper unless he be call'd and sent for that purpose and he endeavours to prove it by alledging several Arguments The Racovian Catechism hints that the Eucharist may be administred by the hands of Private Christians and such as are not devoted to the Ministry And what saith their famous Master As to the Lord's Supper there is no reason why we should suspect that it may not be celebrated by any one that professes the Name of Christ. And again Any Christian Man may exercise the office of Preaching and administring the Sacraments And the rest of them agree with him that there is not a necessity of a Distinct Order of persons in the Church and that a Layman may administer the Sacraments What their opinion concerning Preaching is may be learnt from the Racovian Catechism which tells us that there is no use of it since the Conversion of the Gentiles and since Christianity is setled in the world There is no Necessity of it saith an other Friend of theirs And yet in the Evangelical Writings which are the infallible Rule we are to direct our selves by and whence we are to learn what Ecclesiastical Constitutions are to take place we find that the Distinction and Peculiarity of the Ministerial Office and its Peculiar Function are settled 1 Cor. 12. 28 29. Eph. 4. 11 12. A peculiar Mission is expresly required Rom. 10. 15. 1 Tim. 5. 5. Tit. 1. 5. A Particular Call is made necessary Acts 14. 23. Heb. 5. 4. Upon which that Article of our Church is grounded It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of Publick Preaching or Ministring the Sacraments in the Congregation before he is lawfully call'd and sent to execute the same But this is disregarded by our New Modellers of Religion And who could expect any other thing for they who have so abused and perverted Christianity it self would not fail to treat the Ministers of it with contempt and disgrace yea wholly to make void their Office and Charge This is a fresh evidence of the truth and reality of what I formely tax'd them with One thing further I will observe that according to
by steps That is the reason they have not in their Writings touch'd upon some of the foresaid Opinions But it is not to be question'd but that they have a good esteem of them and will in time when they have dispatch'd their Main Business betake themselves to the hearty defence of them But fourthly if I were to give a Scheme of the Roman or Popish Religion should I not discharge that Province sufficiently if I gave a true account of it from the Writings of the generality of Divines of that Communion and Profession in other Countries though I had not consulted every individual Papist in England about the Points Yes surely And so it is here Socinianism was not begot in Britain it is of Foreign Breed and therefore the Writings of those Foreigners who were profess'd Socinians are to be consulted and produced when we are to give a True Pourtraiture of Socinianism and accordingly this Method I have taken It was not necessary to ask every Little Pretender or Retainer to it in every corner of this Countrey whether he was exactly of the same Cut with the Outlandish Writers in every thing as if Socinianism were to be measured altogether by their sentiments and perswasions No Socinianism is not to be defined by what one or two Upstart Writers dictate this as Popery is to be judged and estimated according to the Generality of the persons that profess it And that is it which I have been doing I have been giving an estimation of it according to the Greatest Numbers of those who own themselves to be Socinians In this I have dealt fairly and no man can blame me for it Nay fifthly I have decipher'd Socinianism not only according to the judgment of the Most who own and profess it but of the Chiefest and Learnedest I have not only brought upon the Stage the Opinions which are held by the Main Body of them but I have consulted the Choicest Writers on the several subjects There are other Socinian Writers whom I have not mention'd as Goslavius Voidovius Gittichius c. but I chose out those that are renowned among them I could have produced the Assertions which are to be found in Servetus Valentinus Gentilis Bernardinus Ochinus Franciscus Davidis Sommerus Georgius Blandrata who made way for the reception of Socinus's doctrine against the Holy Trinity I could have quoted a later Author one Prâ—…ovius who in his Writings hath said something concerning most of the Points before mentioned Yea this Volume of his is order'd by the Party to be adjoyn'd to the Bibliotheca Patrum Polonorum And besides the Reprinting of it in the year 1692 shews that it is Authentick among the Modern Socinians But I have omitted this Polonian Knight for such they tell us he was he being not so well known to the world as the rest that I have named I chose rather to make use of those Names which are of general Repute and Credit among the Unitarians and whose Writings they have a great and universal regard for so great and universal that they take all they say from them If I had always listned to the Majority of Voices to only what the Biggest part of them say though that were sufficient it is likely they would have blamed me but now seeing I have likewise attended to the determination of those who are reckon'd the most Eminent among them I 'm sure they can have nothing to object against me They must not think to shuffle us off by saying the Foreign and English Unitarians are not the same for you see that these latter are included in the former and both of them make up One Body of Men who are known by the name of Socinians and who are all of them profess'd and sworn Opposers of the Sacred Trinity Thus I suppose I have fully answer'd what was Objected and it is manifest that our own Countreymen no less than Foreigners are concern'd in the Character which I have given of these men CHAP. X. The Author concludes with Inferences from the whole viz. 1. Socinianism is a Complication of Old and New Errors Quakers and Muggletonians sprang thence 2. It is strange boldness in the Socinians to pretend to ground their Opinions on Scripture 3. What hath been said gives us a right Idea of these persons It appears they are no Christians but great favourers of Judaism and Turcism especially of the latter 4. We must entertain none of their Principles 5. We are to take notice of the tendency of them to Irreligion and Atheism Socinians and Atheists at this day friendly agree Yet the former have the confidence to charge the Trinitarians with Idolatry and Atheism The Author writes nothing in way of Recrimination but from a sense of the Reality of the things themselves He appeals to the judgment of the Sober and Religious He thinks not himself concern'd to take notice of every scurrilous or trifling Opponent NOw from the whole I will make some brief Remarks and Reflections and so conclude First see how faulty how erroneous how dangerous how pernicious the Theology of the Socinians is It fails not in one or two Points only but in a vast number as I have let you see It is patch'd up of several different Opinions fetch'd from sundry quarters it is a Fardle of mix'd and disagreeing Notions it is a Nest of Heterodoxies a Gallimafrey of Old and New Errors a Medley of Heresies taken from Ebion and Cerintâ—…us the Sabellians Samosatenians Arians Photinians Macedonians who corrupted the doctrine of the Holy Trinity They joyn with Jews Pagans and Mahometans in disowning and denying this Great Mystery of Religion Other false opinions they have borrow'd from the Pelagians a sort of Antient Hereticks concerning Adam's fall and the Effect of it and man's Natural strength and ability in spiritual matters so that these men deal in Brokers ware Old Opinions trimmed up anew Again They comply with the Papists as I have shew'd in several of their sentiments and perswasions and if there be any Idolatry in the Church of Rome it is certain the Socinians cannot clear themselves of that crime They tread in the steps of the Old Sadducees and of the Epicureans and of several Antient and Modern Libertines about the nature of Spirits of Separate Souls of the Resurrection of humane bodies of the Last Judgment and of Hell They espouse the cause of Anabaptists they follow those Enthusiasts who disallow of the solemnizing of any special Time particularly the Lord's day who disbelieve the benefit and use of the Sacraments and deride the Office and Call of Ministers in the Church It is observable that in their late Pamphlets they with great rudeness and incivility speak of Preaching In one place I remember School-boys and Preachers Rhetorick are joyn'd together by them and in five or six other places they have a fling at the Pulpit which they mention with great disdain It seems the Profess'd Instructors of the people are very much
had not been desperate I should have heard from them before this for 't is well known that our Modern Unitarians court all opportunities of setting the Press on work And they had time to do it before his Majesty's Injunctions were publish'd not to say that some of them have ventured to the Press since Besides these Injunctions I conceive debar them not not from clearing themselves if they could from those substantial Objections and Exceptions which have been made against their Assertions Wherefore I take it to be an unquestionable verity that these men who were voted such Champions by the Party are vanquished and that they have not Answered because they could not But from all hands I hear that their more retired language and countenances speak their extraordinary disturbance and disorder of Mind It is observed that some of them cannot conceal their great Regret and Passion but in a Raving Manner express their dislike of what I have writ Which I take to be an Infallible Argument that they are baffled that they are wounded under the fifth rib For they having no supports from Reason and Arguments therefore they fly to down-right Raillery Thus they let their Cause die because they cannot keep it alive And indeed as it is observ'd of less perfect Animals which are hastily form'd and produced that they are short-lived so fares it with Opinions that are defective and imperfect and found out of a sudden they are generally exploded in a short time and scarcely survive their Chief Authors This it is probable will be the fate of the foresaid Deficient and Maim'd Opinion about One Article this Mushrom Notion that hath no root and foundation will soon decay and come to nothing Another Dangerous Notion relating to the Christian Religion is that every thing in it is to be submitted to the exactness of Reason and what will not bear that Test is no part of Christianity Socinianism was first of all founded on this basis this was the main thing that was insisted upon Socinus makes it his business to destroy the doctrines of Original Sin of the Holy Trinity of Christ's Satisfaction of Baptism c. by force of Reason Demonstrations are to be required in all things that concern our Salvation saith Smalcius And even at this day this Suggestion of theirs is as useful to the New Socinians as the Rain-deers of Lapland to the inhabitants of that Country which serve them for all uses They can evade plain places of Scripture they can overturn the foundations of Religion they can settle their own Opinions they can impose upon the belief of mankind by this one Artifice It is but setting up this Idol and then presently they sacrifice all the Great Mysteries and Truths of Christianity to it When the Trinitarians assert the doctrine of Christ's Divinity when they maintain the Incarnation of the Son of God when they affirm that there are Three Personalities or Subsistencies in the Deity and when they profess their assent to other the like Articles of the Christian Faith they are cried out against because they are not level to humane conceptions no Idea can be formed of them they contradict our Natural Notions and for this reason alone they are laid aside by them as Contradictions Absurdities Impossibilities Pure Non-sense for so they are wont to express themselves in their late Writings They boast that theirs is an Accountable and Reasonable Faith when they deny the Trinity In an other place they reject this doctrine because it is against the dictate of Reason and they argue from this against the Incarnation or the Union of the Two Natures in Christ. At an other time they are for reducing all things to Common Sense And lastly they peremptorily determine that what is above our Reason to apprehend is also above our belief and consequently because the doctrine of the Trinity as well as some other sublime Points is above their Reason it staggers their belief nay which is more it is utterly renounced by them I thought fit to add these passages out of their Modern Prints to those which I had occasion to mention before in my Discourse concerning the Causes of Atheism that it may appear whatever the Late Unitarians pretend that they own this Maxim that every thing in Religion is to be submitted to the searches of Reason But certainly this is a Principle that destroys Christianity for a great part of this is founded on mere Revelation and the discoveries of God's will which transcend our reasonings and therefore it is a vanity to think that Reason must determine all in the Christian Religion It is true Natural Reason was placed in us by Him who is the Father of Lights and we must not attempt to extinguish it but neither must this Candle presume to take upon it the office of the Sun to act beyond its proper strength and power Reason is like the Rule with which we measure things to know the length or breadth of them we apply the Rule to them and so find out the just dimensions of them But then we undertake to measure Bodies which are of a certain length and breadth such as our Rule will serve to measure else there is no use of the Rule In a resembling sort what we would measure and comprehend by the Rule of Reason must be Finite i. e. proportioned to our Reason The things which are Infinite and Immense are not to be measured by this Scanty Rule such are the Divine Nature the Sacred Trinity the Union of God and Man c. Reason must act according to its due Measures and be employed according to the Strengths which are allow'd it It must not determine in those things which are not of its cognizance and such are Supernatural and Divine Mysteries There are no Demonstrative Arguments in things of this nature neither are they necessary We are to acquiesce in God's Word that is sufficient Reason And accordingly all the Great and Wise Men of this age as well as of former ones all persons of the most penetrating judgment of the most extraordinary sagacity rest in this and are satisfied But the New Disciples of Socinus pretend to be men of greater sense and understanding and demand of us to make out every thing in the Christian Religion even the profoundest matters of it by strict rules of Reason and Logick Thus as I had occasion not long since to observe they joyn with the Deists to root out Christianity and use the same methods and art that they do They irrationally extol humane Reason and extravagantly oppose it to Reveal'd Religion so as to exclude this latter and to vilifie the Author of it And thus it will appear at last that Atheism lurks under the refined name of Deism This very Notion of the excessive sway of Natural Reason in matters of Religion hath had a great and malignant influence upon some Others who are not Profess'd Socinians as a Learned Writer
though of a different perswasion from the Church of England hath observed In pursuit saith he of the same Principles with those of the men of this way not a few begin absolutely to submit the Scripture and every thing contain'd in it to the judgment and sentence of their own Reason which is the true Form and Spirit of Socinianism visibly acting it self with some more than ordinary confidence What is suited unto their Reason they will receive and what is not so let it be affirmed an hundred times in the Scripture they will reject with the same ease and confidence as if they were Imaginations of men like themselves Both books that are written to this purpose and the common discourses of many do fully testifie this advance of the Pride of the minds of men And he is careless about these things who seeth not that the next Stage is downright Atheism This is that Dunghil which such blazing exhalations of Pride at last fall into It seems there are Others besides me that have had an apprehension that Socinianism tends directly to Atheism But see the mighty Prevalency of Truth It will forcibly make its way even from the mouths of its professed Adversaries The Old and New Socinians as you heard before agreed in this that Reason is the sole Judg in matters of Faith and that what is above Reason is not the object of our belief And yet both these sorts of men at other times abjure these Propositions as false and erroneous and thereby palpaby contradict themselves Smalcius expresly avers that Faith is above though not contrary to Reason And in his Catechism he lets us know the knowledg of the way to immortal life and happiness far exceeds humane Reason and he quotes 1 Cor. 2. 14. for it Again he grants that there are things which we ought to believe though we cannot render any reasons of them And in the Margin things expresly written are to be believed although the reasons of them appear not And more fully yet in the name of the Racovian Brethren he makes this Confession We freely acknowledg that there are many things in the Christian Religion which surpass Reason but yet they are of necessity to be believ'd by us on this very consideration that though they exceed Reason yet they are deliver'd in Sacred Scripture and they are very agreeable to that Reason which they exceed But how do our late Penmen approve of this Very well for they declare that Revelation is to be preferred before the clearest Demonstration of our Reason Whence it appears that the Unitarians deny what they have in other places affirm'd they disown what at other times they assert And so they betray their own Cause and patronize ours so Truth discovers and defends it self though for a while stifled or disguised And thus it is manifest that We are in the right even our Enemies themselves being judges Only here it is worth observing how fliâ—…ting how shifting how changeable Sozzo's Pupils are Are they not to be deem'd very slippery Gentlemen when they thus say and unsay They have alter'd the Racovian Catechism more than once and they may do it again when they see occasion And it is visible how our English Socinians vary their Note and affect to differ from themselves Whereby they let us know that they are unmindful of the Jewish Proverb When occasion serves we may gainsay others but at no time must a man contradict himself The Third Beloved Conceit of theirs concerning Christianity is that there are no Mysteries in it Which indeed follows upon the former Opinion for if nothing is to be believ'd in the Christian Religion but what is made out by Exact Reason then there is nothing Mystical and Obscure in it This is a Point mightily urg'd of late by our homebred Racovians and their Adherents who have publish'd a small Essay entituled An Impartial Account of the word Mystery as it is taken in the Holy Scripture where they cantingly tell us that MYSTERY is the Tutelar God of the New Systems framed by Worldly Christians and it is the Vail of Absurdities and such like foolish representations they make of it and think themselves very Witty and Piquant when they call the Trinitarians Mystery-men as doth the Examiner of the Exceptions against Mr. L's Reasonableness c. But which is far worse they pervert the meaning of the Sacred Writ and wilfully I fear represent the word Mystery otherwise than it is used in the New Testament of which I hope to give the Reader an account some other time and to settle the true sense and import of the word as it is applyed in those Holy Writings All that I will say at present is that True and Substantial Reason informs us if we attend to it that God's bare Word is sufficient to determine our assent and belief and the Holy Scriptures acquaint us that there are Unsearchable Mysteries in the Christian Religion that there is hidden wisdom 1 Cor. 2. 7. that there are deep things of God v. 10. that there are things hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3. 16. that we know in part and see through a glass darkly 1 Cor. 13. All which and many other passages in Sacred Writ assure us that there are Unfathomable Depths Unconceivable Abstrusities in Christianity and that it is out of our ken and reach to apprehend them Therefore we are obliged to believe some things which are unaccountable to our knowledg and reason Yea indeed the proper matter of Faith are those things which we cannot have any notice of by the mere natural exercise of our faculties Revelation here is enough as was said before and we ought and that with the greatest Reason to depend upon it entirely because we know it is Infallible But because I intend at another time to insist particularly on the proof of this Proposition that Christianity not only was but is a Great Mystery I will not prevent my self here Let it only suffice at present that I have caution'd the Reader against our Adversary's groundless Assertion that there is nothing dark and obscure in the Christian doctrines that there is no such thing as Mystery in any of the Articles belonging to this Holy Institution They pretend to oblige the world by divulging and laying all open to the Vulgar Others are dark intricate perplex'd and muddy but they only are the Authors that are Clear and Bright and write with shining Japan Ink. In brief they and the Deists talk much of the Oracles of Reason and brag of their making all things out by these though generally they prove as vain and idle as the Reasons of Etymologists and the common Rationale's of the Roman Service and Rites But here perhaps it will be Objected that I have in this and the foregoing particular misrepresented these men for it will be said that in one of their Writings it is positively asserted that there are some Mysteries and incomprehensible