Hague where 't was their care in each of the Five Articles to show an Agreement between themselves and the Heidelberg Catechism the Belgick and other Reformed Confessions There is so much to this purpose in Bertius his Scripta Adversaria Collationis Hagiensis that the mention of a very small part thereof would fill up more Room than I can spare for this purpose besides this very Method hath been taken by some later Arminians Curcel Dissert 4. de Justisica Sect. 7. Curcellaeus to clear himself from the Charge of Heresie doth in the Doctrine of Justification protest That he doth not think any Man is justified in the sight of God for the Merit or Dignity of his Works But only through the mere Grace which is in Christ's Blood do we obtain the Remission of Sin we amending our Ways not walking according to the Flesh but according to the Spirit Rom. 8.13 When it s objected that his making Repentance necessary to Justification which includes good Works destroys its being freely of Grace he Answers Not that Repentance Curcel ubi sup Sect. 14 or our Works do Merit any thing from God or are so perfect as that if God should strictly search into them they could stand before him in Judgment God forbid that I should assert any such thing but this I say they are necessary because God will not make us partakers of the Salvation purchased by Christs Blood by any other Rule or Condition And that he may the more plausibly insinuate into the Minds of his Readers his Orthodoxy in this Matter he tells us That they who hold Repentance and Conversion to be required in order to Pardon as the greatest part of Protestants he thinks at this time do cannot contradict this Doctrine For saith he Remission of Sins and Justification are with them equipollent which may be safely enough asserted For though they may be as things divers separated from each other yet God according to the Tenor of the Gospel-Covenant forgives no Man's Sins but at the same time esteems him Righteous and promises to give him the Reward of Righteousness which is Eternal Life which is also carried in the full Pardon of all our Sins For seeing our Sins must be reduced to these two Heads namely Sins of Commission and of Omission He Curcel ubi sup Sect. 9â— whose Sins of both sorts are pardon'd must be consider'd as perfectly Righteous and therefore worthy of the Reward SECT VI. The Difference between the Arminians and the Orthodox BUT what Care soever Arminius and his Partakers heretofore and the more wary and fearful have since taken to cover the dangerous Notions they are for and appear as like the Orthodox as may be yet unless they would abandon all Essays to propagate their Dogmata 't was impossible for them when most cautious perfectly to conceal either their Notions or Designs 'T was therefore a vexatious Affliction to Arminius Epist Vytenbog p. 55. as he oft told Vytenbogardus that he could not meet with Men of Learning to whom he might freely impart his Sentiments This one thing I greatly bewail and lament Epist Vytenbog p. 121. saith he that there is no one I can venture to converse with The Reason he assigns for this his Complaint was the prevailing Humour then amongst the Orthodox to call every thing Heresie which they approv'd not even when they themselves either neglected close Study or were destitute of that Learning See his Epiâ—â—lâ— to Vytenbogard p. 57. which was necessary to search into those deep Mysteries whereby Arminius whose Learning and Abilities were too great to be confin'd within the old narrow Circle of solid Divinity where Men of as much Learning and deeper Judgment delighted to abide breaks out and makes Inquiries into the profound and unscrutable things of God where he was bewildred and scon lost himself Had he been as gently treated by all as he was by that profound Scholar Arminius's Intimacy with Juni was A. D. 1597. Junius dyed A.D. 1602. Franciscus Junius he might have escaped the Snare but this great Man soon dying after Arminius had freely opened himself unto him and others being severe in their Condemning his Inquiries he had none to Confer with but Vytenbogard and Adrian Borrius Men whose Inclinations too much suited his own to be a Balance to him in his Indagations By these Men Arminius is confirmed in the Errors his own Mind disposed him unto and were then thrown in his way by the Socinians who had furbish'd up several Pelagian Heresies about Predestination These Writings were burnt A.D. 1598. Orig'nal Sin and Free Will which about this time on the burning the Writings of Ostorodius and Voidovius were as an Introduction to Socinianism Vid. Frid. Spanhem F. Elench coâ—troâ— p. 219 crastily insinuated by Theodore Kemp Koornhert and others Arminius being thus provok'd by the angry Passions of some entic'd by the Flatteries of others and undoubtedly instigated too much by his own Spirit is fixedly set against the Calvinian Doctrines which he labours to Undermine even when he professed the most Zeal for them For altho' in pursuance of Vytenbogardus's earnest Request Armin. Epist Vytenbog p. 213. Arminius was very careful as he assur'd him he would be to mention nothing Dissonant from the Heidelberg Catechism and Belgick Confession Armin. Epist Vytenbog p. 213 and boldly undertook to defend all he wrote by them yet 't was only that thereby he might the more effectually ensnare his Scholars to a Closure with his unsound Principles for 't was his labour to get a review of the Catechism and Confession in order to a substantial Change or total Remove Ep. Armin. Vytenb p. 202. In a Declaration of his Judgment made unto the States of Holland and West-Friezland he ventures to offer his Reasons for the Review of both which being promised by a late Synod of South Holland he was emboldened to do Some of his Reasons are that it might appear to all they leaned chiefly on the word of God in matters Religious that the Cathechism and Confession being written by Men who are Fallible might contain in them some one Error or other and it was not at all unmeet for a National Synod to enquire whether they did agree in every part with the word of God even for the words and manner of speaking as well as touching their real Sence Whether there be not somewhat in them made necessary to Salvation which is not in Truth so whether there be not some Words and Forms of speech used which may be diversly understood and so give too much occasion to strifes and contentions Whether there be not some things in them repugnant to each other many other enquires he made which sufficiently show that Arminius could not heartily close with all he had subscribed unto and therefore as he rejoyc'd at the news of a n = a Epist Vytenbog p. 212. 213. Ubi sup p. 123. review so
he had been a Sinner from which 't will not follow that therefore Christ made Satisfaction for us or endured the same Punishment that was due to us We all acknowledge that on him who knew no Sin the Punishment that was due unto Sinners was inflicted but not the same Punishment nor what was Equivalent unto it was or could be laid on him wherefore what we have said concerning laying the Punishments due for our Sins on Christ By Punishments we mean Afflictions which signifies no more than what was carefully delivered a Page or two before Smalc ubi sup p. 226. Slicht Annot. in 2 Cor. 5.21 Crell Respons ad Grot. de satisf c. 4. Apol. Pol. Equit. p. 13.14 Przipcov Cogit in â—oc when he desires it may be Remarked That when they speak of Christ's being Punished for our Sins they mean only that he was Afflicted The same is affirmed both by Slichtingius and Crellius Again they own no other Imputation of Righteousness besides that of our Faith for saith the Polonian Knight in his Apology The Scriptures makes no mention of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness but simply of a Righteousness imputed unto us by God through Christ which is when God doth of his Grace and Mercy raise our Faith in Christ a living Faith working by Love so high that by it we who are guilty of most gross Sins may be esteemed Just and Righteous which is also called the Righteousness of God not ours because it 's given us freely and not for any Merit in us Now as they do thus set the Imputation of an Inherent Righteousness of our own in the stead of Christ so notwithstanding their many Pretences about ascribing Conversion to the Power of the Spirit they mean nothing less Ruarus in his Epistle to Peuschelius Ruar ad Joan. Peuschel Epist 9. doth very fully express the Socinian Sence Conversion which lyeth in a Reformation of the Vnderstanding approving the Gospel and of the Will resolved to Obey or actually observing it is caused immediately by that Conception we have in the Mind concerning God and Christ and the things appertaining to Religion and by such Arguments as move the Vnderstanding to approve and the Will to obey the Gospel This Conception is begotten in the Mind either by hearing the Word Preached or Reading it whence it is that the Word whether by Voice or Writing expressed is a kind of Remote Cause of Conversion yet such as ought necessarily to go before and if diligently heard or Read is ordinarily sufficient to begin it in all excepting some dull Persons whose Minds are too much under the influence of wicked Opinions and Wills distorted by a long custom in Sin I say that the Word is sufficient to begin our Conversion for I do not deny but that after we have rightly used our Natural Faculties the Help of the Divine Spirit is given for the encreasing the Strength is in us to the compleating and finishing of our Conversion which yet we could not know how to use to so Holy an End unless we had been first moved by God and excited by his Word Hence it doth appear that it is God who works in us both to Will and to iâ—o the first when invited by a putting us in mind of the Gospel the other when by the moving of his Spirit he strengthens us yet so that there is still Room left for the being excited to Vertue by the Proposals of Rewards and deterr'd from Vice by the threatning of Punishments To which I add That if any will have it that this Knowledge in our Mind which precedes our Assent be rather a part of our Conversion than a Cause I will not content with him only then the Word of God Preached or Read must not be esteemed the Mediate but immediate Cause of our Conversion Thus far Ruarus who makes it very manifest that the Socinian Notion touching the Power of the Spirit to Convert lyeth in ascribing the great turn from Darkness unto Light and from the Power of Satan to God unto the Hearing or Reading of the Word without any special Help of God's Spirit There being then so great a Difference between the Orthodox Expressions used by the Socinians and the corrupt Sense foâ—sâ—ed in under their Covert we need not wonder at Ruarus his asserting that the Papists amongst all other Sects have most Reason to be kind unto the Socinian for how Orthodox soever they would seem to be they embrace the most corrupt and hurtful parts of the Popish Religion I will clear this Assertion by giving you Ruarus his own Words which are amongst the Reasons given by him to show why the Papists ought not to be so very angry with the Vnitarians whom they call Socinians or Arians Another Reason saith he is Ruar because in the chief Articles of the Christian Faith they agree with the Church of Rome more than any other Sect whatsoever namely in the Doctrine of Predestination â—lection and Conditional Reprobation the Vniversality of God's Grace and Fruits of Christ's Death of free Will and its Interest in the Conversion of Man to the Faith of Justification which is made effectual by Charity of the Necessity of Good Works which they urge more vehemently than any other Church of the Possibility of keeping all God's Commands of the Difference between the Old and New Testament preferring the New before the Old with respect to the Promises and Precepts of the Difference between Venial and deadly Sins It is also manifest That how Orthodox soever Przipeovius would have his afflicted Innocence esteemed and though he differs from Socinus about the Divinity of Christ affirming him to be God truly in a proper Sence and by Nature Yet he is as far from the Truths he would be thought to embrace as any of that Gang. For in that very place where he opposes them who ascribe to Jesus Christ Divine Attributes and yet deny his Divine Nature to expose the Ridiculousness of this Notion he tells his Readers that it 's as Absurd as the Doctrine received by the Orthodox about Distinction of Persons in the same Essence And although he speaks of Christ's being God truly in a proper Sence yet denies him to be Co-eternal and Co equal with the Father and makes him to be but a Subordinate God Przipcov Hypera p. c. 4. not properly God and Man at the same but at distinct Seasons first Man then God Nor doth he hold that the Holy Ghost is a Person distinct from the Father and is of the same Opinion with the Socinians about Satisfaction giving the same Interpretation of those Texts that speak of Christ's being made Sin and giving himself a full Price that Wolzogenius Crellius and Slichtingius have done before him as may be seen in his Cogitations on the New Testament What Socinus and his Followers have herein done it 's very probable they learned from their chief Leader Bernhardinus Ochine who Writing more Academicorum did not
it self which they do so closely urge that the Remonstrants in their Examen are forc'd to be more free in their Acknowledgements than their open â—â—igns would otherwise have admitted 'T is true Episcopius in his answer to Homnius and in his Bodecheruâ— Inepâ—â—ens would fain clear himself and his Partners from this Charge and to do them right for I would not willingly misrepresent them I must confess that in an instance or two the Report made of Episcopius was not so well grounded as might be wished For Homnius in his Specimen Quotes Episcopius for denying that we can attain unto the knowledge of God by the Light of Nature which is a Notion advanced by Socinus Episcop disput privat de Cognit Dei Corol. 2. Vid. Fest Homn. Spec. Controver Art 3. that Festus might fasten this imputation on Episcopius he refers his Reader to his private Disputations about the knowledge of God where the question is whether the knowledge of God be Natural To which Episcopius is said to answer by a distinction thus We distinguish whether the knowledge of God which is attained unto by Nature be Natural and holds it in the Negative This very passage is several years after the Synod of Dort repeated by Peltius To this Episcopius doth Satyrically enough reply charging Homnius for being a Falsarius who not only perverted his sense but changed his very words putting into his corollary Naturalis instead of Salutaris This charge if true being so very high I could not satisfie my self till I had examin'd the Place to which Homnius doth refer and whatever was in the Manuscript in the Print I found it thus viz. in the close of Episcopius his Disputation about the knowledge of God there are three Corollaries the second and third being in these words 2. An Cognitio Dei sit Naturalis 3. An Cognitio Dei quae ex Natura habetur Salutaris sit N. This third Corollary supposing the knowledge of God to be Natural cannot without a too severe Reflection on Episcopius his understanding be taken as Homnius hath Represented it for as it 's thus the question must be whether the knowledge of God had from Nature be Natural whereby as the question is it self an absurdity so the denyal carries in it a contradiction as gross as that Light is not Light that what is from Nature is not Natural can signifie no less than that what is Natural is not Natural But to hold that the knowledge of God which is from Nature is not saving is a truth aptly enough express'd and what the Remonstrants profess to be for as I hope on another occasion more fully to observe However the Matter of Fact concerning the Remonstrants disposition towards the Socinians is too manifest to admit of doubt and there is much more said by Homnius Bodecherus Peltius Vedelius and many others about their Agreement in Principles than hath been fully answer'd either by Grotius Episcopius or any other that I have met with Besides the Applauses given the Remonstrants by the Socinians and the numbring them amongst the supporters of their Dogmata with the Remonstrants declining to condemn them the Reasons why they do so their setting them in a higher Class than the Calvinists and maintaining Communion with them amongst the Mennonists sets it above all Dispute Vorstius tho a celebrated Remonstrant yet in good earnest a Socinian as may be inferr'd from what Smalcins a great defender of Socinus in an Epistle represents him to be namely a most useful Man for whom many Prayers were sent to Heaven by their Churches in Poland It 's true Sandius was a while in doubt whether he should place this Vorstius among the Antitrinitarian Writers but when he considered how much he valued the Writings of the Sarmatian Vnitarians that he was the Author of the Compendium Socinianismi answer'd by Cloppenburg and supposed to have been written by Ostorodius and Voidovius that the Lublinse Synod did in the Year 1600 call him to the Government of one of their Schools and had seen a Confession of his Faith composed by him on his Dying Bed where he spake more freely of God and Jesus Christ When Sandius Sand. Biblioth Anti-trin pag. 98 99. had weighed these things he doth with utmost assurance give him a place in the Antitrinitarian Bibliothec as he also doth his Son William Henry Vorstius Pastor of a Church among the Remonstrants and Curcellaeus who succeeded Episcopius in the Professors Chair at Amsterdam Furthermore I add out of Bogermanus his Notes on the defence of Vorstius and the Remonstrants Praef. Lib. de Authorit S Script made by Grotius that Vorstius his zeal for Socinianism remarkably appear'd in his publishing Socinus his Discourse concerning the Authority of the Holy Scriptures which he recommended to the Reader as solid nervous profitable and almost necessary for those times tho 't was really full of Socinianism and esteem'd by that Party as an introduction to their Religion What therefore hath been urg'd by Grotius Episcopius or others in defence of Vorstius or by Vorstius himself to throw off the charge of Socinianism doth serve only to convince us of the Hypocrisie of the Man and that according to the fears of some of his Socinian Friends Epist Smalc Vorstio he had got so much of the Serpentine Craft as to have lost the Innocency of the Dove What less than this can be the Import of Vorstius's recommending a Book in which Socinus had laid the Foundation of his Heretical Superstructure as nervous profitable and necessary and yet in a Letter to David Paraeus Vorst Epist â—araeo declares that he condemned the Errors of Socinus about the Person and Office of Christ of Faith Justification and the like and whatever smelt of Socinianism But this deceitful method they learned of Ochinus who sometime before Faustus Socinus wrote any thing vended the very Errors that are now called Socinianism who as I have already observed whilst he brought many Arguments against the Truth would be thought an embracer of it And as Vorstius Father and Son with Curcellaeus Vid. Dedi cat Pesâ—iâ— ad Harmon Remonst Socin are set in the Anti-trinitarian Bibliothec so Arminius himself as Peltius out of Paraeus averrs is received by the Socinians as theirs His words are Paraeus in an Epistle dated the first of March 161â— writes thus the Socinians in Poland have expressly named your Arminius as their own together with Bonfinius and Acontius their secret Followers by whose Authority they demanded Admittance to the Communion of the Orthodox but 't was Resolutely denyed them And as the Socinians Reckoned the Remonstrants amongst their Worthies even such as Arminius himself Applauding them for supporting their Dogmata in like manner tho the Socinians deny the Deity of Christ and of the Holy Spirit as also the satisfaction of our Redeemer the Remonstrants in return to their Socinian Brethren will by no means allow them to be Hereticks Episcopius tho
wrong Sense on Orthodox Terms and Phrases To clear this I will only observe That as they will have the Term Instrument when spoken of Faith in Justification to signifie the same with Condition whereby there is a great Turn made in Controverse as the Arminians Improve it so they impose on the Phrases Vice nostra Loco nostro a Sense most contrary to their ancient and constant Meaning It's well known that Socinus Crellius and their nearest Followers did concur with the Orthodox about what was the Genuine Imports of those Phrases holding that they signified a Proper Surrogation where one is put into the Place State or Condition of another sustaining his Person and one with him In conspectu fori Sabrogatam sapit naturam ejus in cujus Locum Sabrogatur These Phrases taken in this Sense the Socinians stoutly opposed loading the Orthodox with all the horrid Consequences which slow only from an Assertion that Christ did take on him the Condition of the Sinner in every little Circumstance or Accident But my Lord Bishop of Worcester hath cleared the Maxim of Surrogation from the least Pretence of such a Charge by distinguishing Inter Naturam Primordialem Accidentalem and proving that Sarrogatum sapit tantum naturam Primordialem non Accidentalem That in this Sense the Orthodox Universally understand these Phrases Vice nostra Loco nostro is so manifest that whoever is acquainted with their Writings can't but acknowledge it And it 's no less Evident from the Scriptures That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for when it 's said Christ Suffered for us signifieth a Proper Surrogation which is Essential unto Satisfaction made to Punitive or Vindictive Justice However there are a set of Men of the Arminian Tang who will have it That Vice nostra or Loco nostro signifie no more than nostro â—â—co that when it 's said Christ dyed in our stead the meaning is Christ dyed to besâ—â—â—ad us and only that the Blessed Effect of his Death might be made ours Another expresseth it thus If Christ dyed for our Benefit so as some way or other by Virtue of his Death and Sufferings to save us from the Wrath of God this for ought he knows is All that any body means by his dying in our stead By such Practices as these it is that many are unawares ensnared into divers Pernicious and hurtful Errors First to the entertaining corrupt Apprehensions about Christâ—s Satisfaction and then to a downright denyal of it whence it is apparent that the Arminian Errors lead the way to the Socinian as the Socinian do to the Abomination of the Deist Thus much may suffice touching the Methods taken by Forreign Socinians and the Arminians to instill and propagate their Doctrines I will go on in the next place to consider what Arts are used by our English Socinians to spread their Heresies CHAP. IV. Some of the Various Methods taken by the English Socinians to Insinuate and spread their Errors Detected SECT I. The English Socinians can't agree in any one Particular Formula of Faith or Catechism Sundry Differences amongst themselves in Matters of Importance Their Unanimity in taring up the Foundations and commonly received Systems of Divinity IT being the Expectation of our English Socinians that Consid â—n the explic of the Trin. p. 32. if we attack the Doctrine of their Books or describe their Opinions we do it out of their own Writings not from the Books of Forreigners I will confine my self in the Account I give of them to their own Prints First then it must be observed That the English Socinians have not made such Advances in their New Divinity as to be able to give a distinct Idea of what it is they do Believe The Reason is Obvious To Invent 〈◊〉 Improve a New Religion which they who Reject the Old must do if they will have any is not Easy Nor is there a Man amongst them Great enough to Prescribe to the Party And the Fondness Hereticks have for their own Particular Notions is such as will not suffer them to Part with any thing of their Own for the sake of a Scheme or System of anothers Composure Though Mr. Biddle did some Years ago Emit a Confession Reprinted 1691. and a Catechisme yet I cannot find that the English Socinians do Adhere thereunto any more than the Followers of Socinus beyond the Sea's have done to the Racovian Catechisme which as My Lord of Worcester Observes was so far from Pleasing all that the New Editions were with some Important Alterations And whoever will Consult what hath been Written by our Gentlemen since 1690 will see that they Pretend not to give a Particular Summary of the Positive Parts of their Religion 'T is true they Generally Profess a Zeal for the Apostles Creed One of 'em tells us That he Resolves his System into the Creed of the Vniversal Church Some Thought supâ—â— Dr. Stel. Vindic. p. â—8 which by Reason of it's Antiquity but especially of the Authority of its Doctrines is Rightly called the Apostles Creed and Admitted of all Christians notwithstanding their Implacable Hatreds and Divisions Thus they Confining themselves to Generals leave us in the Darkâ— about the Particular Articles of their Faith besides their Presences about the ANTIQUITY of this Creed are as hath been Unanswerably Proved by the Learned Vossius most Weak and without the least Shaddow of Reason and their Sense of it if in favour of their Anti-Trinitarianism Contrary to that Received in the Churches ever since its first Composure whereby we are as much at a loss touching the System of their Faith as if they had said nothing at all of it We will therefore Look into the Brief Hystory of these Vnitarians Letter 1. p. 3. as they call themselves and see what they say there Sir In Answer to Yours Demanding a Brief Account of the Vnitarians called also Socinians also their Doctrine concerning GOD in which only they differ from other Christians the Remonstrants PROFESSEDLY Agreeing with them in other Points of Faith and Doctriney and the Defence they usually make of their Haeresie They Affirm GOD IS ONLY ONE PERSON not THREE They make our Lord Christ to be the Messenger Minister Servant and Creature of GOD They Confess He is also the Son of GOD because He was Begotten on Blessed Mary by the Spirit or Power of GOD Luke 1.35 But they Deny that He or any other Person but the Father is GOD Almighty and Eternal The Holy Ghost or Spirit according to them is the Power and Inspiration of GOD Luke 1.35 Tho' we might Reasonably Expect a very Particular and Exact Account in this History of what they hold yet they stick in Generals Referring Us to the Remonstrants for a Catalogue of all besides their Renouncing the Blessed Loctrine of the Trinity so that we are still where we were before we saw this History For as the Remonstrants do not PROFESSEDLY Agree with them in the other Points of
to be Hereticks who Affirm him to be so If we take the word Heretick in the most common Acceptation for one who is without the Pale of the Church in which Sense it 's manifest that Volanus himself uses the Word in this Place that they do greatly Err I firmly Believe But I do not therefore Exclude them from the Fellowship of the Saints so long as in other Respects they Persevere in the Right Way to Salvation approving themselves Obedient unto Christ Nor were they so Fond of the Mahometan Religion as not to think it a Reproach to be numbred amongst its Favourers This is sufficiently Cleared by Ruarus For whereas Beza Epist 16. â— 122 123. in an Epistle to Peter Statorius mentions Valentilis Gentilis his Accusing Paulus Alciatus for turning Turk Abraham Calovius no sooner mentions this Story in a Letter to Ruarus but Ruarus as one who Abhorr'd the Mahometan Religion Epist 47. p. 225 226. doth what he can to Vindicate Alciatus from so Vile a Calumny Most Worthy Sir saith he to Calovius Forgive me that I attempt to Free you from a Mistake in a Point of History It is about what is Reported of Paulus Alciatus and Nuserus closing with the Turkish Religion as if they had abandon'd Christianity and had taken up with the Alcoran I am apt to think Beza in one of his Epistles lead you into this Mistake when he mentions what Gentilis accused him of before the Magistrates of Bern. But this might be done by Gentilis only to Ingratiate himself with the Magistrates especially seeing he knew Alciatus did acknowledge only the Father of Jesus Christ to be the most High God And he himself after a sort making a Profession of Three Gods might be the more easily Induced to load him with the reproachful Charge of Turcism But whatever Gentilis imagined you know very well that Alciatus did for many Years in this City lead a Pious Life according to the Christian Rules and when he dyed he commended his Soul to Christ the Saviour Thus much hath been Attested by many and some now Living c. But tho' Socinus and Ruarus were so kind as to clear us from the Guilt of Idolatry and Heresie Reckoning us to be Members of that Church in which Salvation may be had yet so much Candor must not be look'd for from the English Socinians For They esteem us so Byassed against their Religion by Prejudices and the like Exhort to â—ice Enqu p. 3. that we use not a reasonable Diligence to obtain the Knowledge of what they call Truth and therefore we are told That as to the Jenâ—s and Turks Nâ—tes on Athanas p. 3â— who Believe and Worship the One True God and him only perhaps they are in a Nearer Proximity to Salvation than such as against sufficient Opportunities of a right Information and for Worldly Interests have Apostatized from the Christian Faith to the Athanasiam Thus they make us Apostates from Christianity further off from Salvation than Jews or Turks And that we may see what Charity they have for the Mahometans and their Religion they add Divers Historians will have it Reâ—â—lâ—â— coâ—â—â—â—â—ng the Tâ—â—â—iâ—â— and Incarnat p. 18 19. that Mahomet meant not his Religion should be esteemed a New Religion but only the Restitution of the true Intent of the Christian Religion They affirm moreover that the Mahometan Learned Men call themselves the True Disciples of the Messias or Christ intimating thereby that Christians are Apostates from the most Essentians Parts of the Doctrine of the Messiah This Plea our English Socinians make for Mahomet and his Religion Representing the Turkish Topperies to be a more Refined Christianity than that Embraced by the Orthodox brings to my Remembrance an Old Prophecy of Simler which on the Reviving of the Errors of Servetus by â—oelius Socinus Blandrata and others he wrote Anno 1568. A part of it is to this Purpose When Matters Religious are in Agitation I would not willingly Immix with them what are of a Civil Nature nor would I rashly Fore bode Evil to any Man However if we may make a Judgment of things Future by what hath heretofore fâ—ln out I am afraid this Doctrine viz. of the Socinians will prepare the way for Mahometanism and Portend Ruin to those Flourishing Countries in which it is sown c. The whole Prophecy is in the Close of that Historical Preface which Cloppenhurch hath set before his Conâ—rtation of the Compendiâ—lum â—ocinianismi supposed by him to have been Written by Ostorodius and â—oidovius but as Sandias hath it by Conradus Vortius To return The Malignity of these English Socinians runs higher they can't consent themselves to throw us into a worse state than the Turks are in Placing us in the next Rank to them But to vent their Spight they make our very Religion as bad as the Impostures and Dotages of the Egyptian and Roman Pagans Touching the Mystery of the Trinity they say There is no Parallel for it in all Trinitarian Scheme p. 7. either History or Nature but the Mysteries of the Egyptians For as the Egyptians were at prodigious Cost in making and setting up a great number of Images in and about their Temples by which Lieroglyphicks they pretended to Teach men the Secrets of Natural Philosophy But when ask'd to Explain their meaning they gave a very mean and triffling sense or a sense very absurd and false So after Trinitarians have long Amused their Disciples with Terms as mystical as the Egyptian Hieroglyphicks such as Trinity We would easily forgive them the foll of their Mysteries if their Hieroglyphick Language were not as False and Contradictory as it is Vain and Trifling A little after this speaking of the Blessed Trinity This is Egyptian all over 'T is the very Genius and Spirit of the old Mystical Hieroglyphicks That is to say Partly Foolish and Partly False Once more For my Part I never think of these whether Dotages or Impostures without such an Inclimation as I hardly Resist of applying to our Athanasian Doctors what Cato said of the Roman Augures and Aruspices He knew their pretended Learning and Discipline was the Religion Establish'd by Law warranted by Custom and Prescription and Authâ—rized by the Consent of Laws For all that 't was a Cheat so Gross and Palpable that he could not but Admire the Augures were such stark Fools or such perfect Knaves that meeting they could carry a grave look upon one another This is the Kindness the English Socinians have for the Orthodox and more especially for the Religion by Law Establisht They make us worse than Turks and as bad as Pagans as if all we teach were a Gross and Palpable Cheat. And by their Complaints of the Evils arising from Church Preferments Considâ—◠〈…〉 p. 44. and the Care and Favour of a Wealthy Mother they show they have an aking Tooth at the Church Revenues Let the Bishops Deans and Chapters
Account thereof The Ministers and Elders of the Church at Vilna were much movâ—d at Calvin's writing against him and therefore after they had reprovâ—d him do advise him to reconcile himself unto Blandrata who was to their Knowledge Ubi sup 258. a most sincere Man free from the least Suspicion of Errors For they believed not a word of what Calvin had said to the contrary However Calvin persists in the Opinion he had of Blandrata and can by no means be taken off from exposing his Heresies and evil Practices expressing his Trouble to observe him by his crafty method to get such an Interest in the favour of so eminent a Person as his Anonymous Friend was In his Letter to Stanislaus saith he I cannot but observe how all men in a manner as if they had been under a Fascination admire Blandrata 't is you alone who begin to suspect the Truth of what is said of him but that you may obtain a more certain Knowledge of him I must tell you that Valentinus Gentilis whose wild Notions I have confuted is of the same Faction and another Blandrata altho the one will not give place unto the other If his Frauds his Ensnaring and crafty Courses had not been taken notice of in Poland it might have been more tolerable but I am amaz'd to think that a Man who hath nothing else but Pride and Ostentation to recommend him should get such a Reputation amongst you as to be esteemed the Atlas that bears the Church on his Shoulders In his Answer to Felix Cruciger and his Collegues and other faithful Pastors and Ministers in Lesser Poland There is oâ—e thing I cannot but suggest unto you saith he that they who did with so much Humanity and Respect entertain Blandrata were not so cautiâ—ns and wary nor did they consult your Reputation as they should have done and am more surprized that some of the Chiefest Rank are greatly offended because I did as it became me discover the Man I beseech you not to believe that I have hastily taken up any Reports I have written a Narrative which will clear the Truth of Matter of Fact And to the Ministers and Elders of the Church at Vilna Tho you saith he have no Suspicion touching Blandrata his Errors and Practices yet with me he is clearly convicted and so he is before this Church Ye believe not what I say why then should I believe what you say You have much time to spare to call Synods about such Tristes You admire him as if he had been an Angel dropt down from Heaven but he is in other Nations a Man of no Account A brief History of him I will give you and lest you should have no regard to what I say it is attested by the Elders of the Italian Church with us and by the Renowned Peter Martyr The History they give of him is to this purpose 〈◊〉 â—â—orge Blandrata a Physician demeanâ—d himself amongst us for some time very peaceably and with much Temper desirous of Instruction so that we innocently receivâ—d him into our Number At length he began to talk as if he designed to call in question the Article of Christ's Divinity and privately spread this Notion amongst the more ignorant Then would he weary Calvin with his Enquiries and seem abundantly satisfy'd with his Answers but carry'd it so that at last Calvin discover'd his persidious and deceitful Courses and his Carriage to be such as made it necessary for the Senate to deal with hâ—m where altho he was convicted of notorious Falshoods against Calvin yet never blush'd His intimate Friend and Companion was Johannes Paulus Alciatus who said that we worship three Devils much worse than all the Popish Idols because we hold Three Persons There arose a fresh Complaint of the Italian Church against him for using Clandestine Arts to ensnare the Vulgar to a Closure with his Dotages Thus this Man a real Enemy to the Fundamental Doctrines of Christian Religion the great Patron of Socinus and his Partizans to the end he might the more effectually propagate his Errors pretends a Zeal for the Truth joyns himself to the Orthodox subscribes sound Confessions gains a Reputation amongst the châ—efest of the Orthodox for being sound and sincere This deceitful Method of â—landrata hath been exactly observ'd as by many of the same Principles abroad so by the Socinians in our Country who notwithstanding the Contradiction there is in the Doctrines by Law established to their Tenents and the strict Subscriptions required of all that enter into the Ministry get into the Church and fix their Communion there That they may pave the way for the Consciences of others their Attempts are to make the Subscription to the Thâ—rty-nine Articles to signify nothing The Belief of the Athanasian Creed not requiâ—ed by the Châ—ef Eng. p. 2. Those Thirty-nine Articles say they are not Articles of Faith but Peace As several of her most learned Bishops have declared and in a word the Title of the Articles says as much and the Preface before them And yet in the Title 't is declared that these Articles were agreed upon for the avoiding Diversities of Opinion and for the Establishing of Consent touching true Religion And in the Preface 't is declared That the Articles do Contain the True Doctrine of the Church of England agreeable to Gods word And the Charge his Majesty gives is That no Man shall either Print or Preach to draw the Article aside any way but shall submit to it in the Plain and full meaning thereof And shall not put his own sense or Comment to be the Meaning of the Article but shall take it in the Literal or Grammatical Sense So that whatever any Bishops have declared The Import of the Title and Preface is That the Subscribers Agree in Believing the Doctrines contained in the Articles to be True that the Articles taken in the Literal and Grammatical Sense are agreeable to God's word How can a Socinian then subscribe the first Article where 't is said There is but One Living and True God and in Unity of this Godhead there be Three Persons of one Substance Power and Eternity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Doth this Article contain in it the Truth If it doth the Socinian Principle is False If it doth not they subscribe to a Lye And tho' the Church did not Require the Belief of the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity as delâ—vered in the Athanasian Creed as Necessary to Salvation Yet seeing it Requires the Belief of this Doctrine as True they who deny this Doctrine can't without being guâ—lty of grossest Hypocrisy subscribe it But what can't a designing English Socinian do Thus you see that tho' the Thirty-nine Articles are as expressly against the Dogmata of our â—nglish Socinians as words can make them yet can they not keep an English Socinian out of the Church And having broken their Subscriptions they go on to tell us Trinitar Scheme