The Growth of Error, Chapter 4 · Section 5
SECT. V.
They fall in with the Papiſts in ſome momentous Points. They imitate the QUAKERS, in their crying down LEARNING, a LEARNED MINISTRY, and in REVILING THEIR ADVERSARIES.
§. 1. THE Papiſts we confeſs, that they may ſupport their Temporal Grandeur and Dominating Will, when preſſed by the invincible Arguments of Proteſtants, lower the Myſteries of the Bleſſed Trinity and Incarnation; and level them with their Ʋnſcriptural, Ʋnreaſonable, and Nonſenſical Doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation, rather than Hazard their Temporalties, which they do by placing Tranſubſtantiation and theſe Myſteries in the ſame Rank.
Now, altho' the Doctrines of the Trinity and Incarnation, are moſt firmly believed by Proteſtants, as ſupported by the cleareſt Revelations in Holy Writ, yet the Engliſh Socinians, as if their Deſign had been to prepare the Minds of the People,Acts of Great Athanaſius pag. 3. to cloſe with the moſt pernicious part of Popery, are bold to declare, that the whole of Popery hath as much Evidence for it, as theſe Foundations of Chriſtianity.Biddles Catechiſm Preſ. They do not only preſs us with the Aſſertion of the Popiſh Doctors, that the Doctrine of the Trinity is Founded, not in the Scriptures, but on the Tradition of the Church? and with the Charge, that we Blaſphemouſly make the Holy Scriptures a Noſe of Wax. But are (I cannot forbear ſaying) ſo Impudent, as to tell us,Letter of Reſolu. concerning the Trinity and Incarnation p. 1…. That the Supremacy of the Pope, was the Firſt-born of the Trinity; that from the Doctrine of the Incarnation, aroſe the Worſhiping of the Bleſſed Virgin, the Apoſtles and other Saints, Tranſubſtantiation, and the Worſhip of Images.
But, what Connection can there be betwixt the Trinity and the Pope's Supremacy? Or why muſt the Apoſtles be Religiouſly Worſhiped, becauſe the Humane Nature of Chriſt, who is God, was born of the Virgin? Is there any Senſe, or any Learning in ſuch Sophiſtry? No certainly, and therefore,
§. 2. They do with the Quakers, in the next place,Acts of Athanaſius pag. 4. cry down Learning. They Charge us, for doing what is next to the Denial of the Holy Scriptures, in that we elude (ſay they) the Plaineſt Text by Scholaſtick, and Metaphyſical Subtilties. I know very well (ſaith One,Some Thoughts pag. 12. ſpeaking of Us) why they fancy Socinians to be Subtile Men; It is becauſe they oppoſe that Vain Learning, which hath been introduced into the moſt Popular Catechiſms, and unto which, moſt Men are Inured— The Dirty Spring, which hath Afforded their Falſe Learning, is the Gnoſticiſm, which boaſted of Great Myſteries; but of no Holy Practices. They were the firſt Hereticks, who made Perfection to conſiſt in High Knowledge.
They alſo talk of the Miſchievous Feats of Learning, confirmed by Diſputes, between Proteſtants and Papiſts. Both of 'em (ſay they) will make uſe of Metaphyſicks, and by the Help of ſuch Theological Inſtruments, each one will free himſelf from Difficulties, and it ſhall not be known, which of them gets the better. In Effect, each one will avoid the moſt preſſing Arguments, by contriving a Diſtinction more abſurd than the very Opinion which he maintains, one abſurdity helping on another; or by finding out a New Senſe of the Authority brought againſt them.
They being ſenſible, that, when we Diſcourſe of the Bleſſed Trinity, and Incarnation, by the help of ſuch Learning as their Sophiſtical Arguments are Detected, and Expoſed, do find themſelves neceſſitated to cry it down, or give up their Cauſe. The Latter they are not willing to do, and therefore oppoſe the Former, whereby the Herd of that Party are led Blindfold to a cloſure with ſuch Notions of God, as are Deſtructive of his very Being. For, whilſt they are arguing againſt Scholaſtick Terms, ſuch as Trinity, Coeſſentiality, Modality, Perſonality, Eternal Generation, Proceſſion, Incarnation, Hypoſtatical Ʋnion and the like; They meet with another Army of School Terms; which are neceſſary to give us the clearer Ideas, of what may be known of God, ſuch as Infinity, Eternity, Immenſity, Abſolute Simplicity, Pure Act, Incorporeity, Incomprehenſibility, And that they may the more roundly reject the Trinity, and Incarnation, they ſet themſelves againſt the Infinity, Immenſity, Simplicity, Incomprehenſibility, &c. of the Deity;Some Thoughts p. 14. and thereby turn the Glory of the Incorruptible God into the Image of Corruptible Man.
To know (ſaith One of 'em) whether there is an Immenſity of Eſſence or of Operation, theſe are Metaphyſicks, out of my Reach—Revelation doth not ſpeak preciſely about this. A page or two before— The Confeſſions of Faith which are puffed with Metaphyſical Terms are nothing elſe but a Debaucht Faith.
What Notion then have they formed of God? Their Admired Biddle will tell you, God hath a Shape, Pr…ſace to his Catechiſm.hath his place in the Heavens, and knoweth not our free Actions, till they come to paſs — Thus they make God to be another ſuch as themſelves, which is the Effect of that Contempt they caſt upon Learning. For when once they have with the Papiſts made Ignorance the Mother of Devotion they ſoon impoſe what they liſt on their Illiterate Admirers.
But ſeeing ſo long as Learned Men are amongſt us in Reputation, 'twill be impoſſible for them to conceal from every body the real worth of ſuch Studies; or, for themſelves to eſcape the ſtrength of their Arguments. To make ſure work therefore of it, their next Endeavour is to load ſuch Perſons with the v…leſt Reproaches.
§. 3. They vilify the Learned now, as the Quakers formerly have done. The Learned ſay they (if you ſpeak of ſuch as are Prieſts, …, to Fre… Enquity. p. 3.and Miniſters, or Beneficed Men) have ſuch a Braſs given to their Minds by the Awe of their Superiours, to whom they are Accountable by Fears of Deprivation, in Caſe of Profeſſed Heterodoxy, by their Subſcriptions (before they were able to Judge) to the Articles of their ſeveral Churches; that it may be ſaid their Learning gives no Authority to their Opinion. 'Tis plain enough their Opinions are ſuch as the Conditions and Terms of Preferment, (appointed by the Laws of the Country) do Require of them, except when a Party is grown Powerful enough to deſpiſe or to evade the Laws.— While they are ſhackled by early Subſcriptions, Hopes of Preferment, Fears of Puniſhment, and the like Reſtraints, they are fitter to ſupport the Kingdom of Darkneſs, than to revive the true Light, and Genuine Goſpel of our Lord Chriſt.
None can eſcape their Revilings, neither my Lord of Worceſter, nor my Lord of Gloceſter: No, not his Grace the late Arch-Biſhop. Anſwer to the Arch-biſhop. p. 44.Theſe are made the great Penſioners of the World.
'Tis certain (ſay they) we have a mighty Propenſity to believe, as is for our Intereſt and Turn. Men will perſwade themſelves to a great deal, only to be Quiet. But if you bribe 'em too, with great Rewards, what w…ll they not ſay? what will they not do? But the Church hath taken a further care to keep her Sons in the Right way; for the Fears, and Awes, ſhe propoſes are even Greater than her Bribes. For as they who beſtow their Children upon the Church, reckon they are Amply provided for, in the Care and Favour of ſo Wealthy a Mother; and therefore ſeldom give thoſe Children any further Inheritance: So this is the Occaſion that theſe Adopted Sons, ſhould they do, or affirm any thing contrary to the Commands, or the Declarations of the Church, they are ſure to ſtarve, becauſe they are ſure to be caſt out. I think therefore it's no Immodeſty to ſay, that our Oppoſers being under the Power of ſuch Fatal Biaſſes; their Doctrine is the more to be ſuſpected, and the more to be examined, becauſe 'tis theirs. They are Great Men indeed, every way great, that Defend againſt us the Doctrine of the Trinity; but then, 'tis that they muſt maintain it. Set 'em at Liberty, Diſcharge 'em of their Awes and Fears: Let the Church Preferments be propoſed only as the Rewards of Learning and Piety, as they were firſt intended, not of holding theſe, or thoſe Opinions and Doctrines; and it ſhall be ſoon ſeen how many Eyes this Liberty would open.
Theſe Paſſages do ſhew with what Tenderneſs, Reſpect and Modeſty, Engliſh Socinians do Calumniate their Learned Adverſaries: Repreſenting them as Guilty of ſome great Hypocriſy and vile Senſuality.
To paſs ſuch Fury towards ſingle Perſons (as when they call one Trifling Ʋndertaker, and ſpeak of the Farce of his Life;Anſwer to Mi…h. and another muſt be not Furious Jehu, but Mad Driver) I cannot forbear intimating how they deal with the Orthodox by whole ſale. And firſt for the French: Such as know the French Miniſters (ſay they) know very well that they are ſo far from being Socinians, Anſwer to L…m. p. 20.that they never rightly underſtood what Socinianiſm is. They are ſo perfectly ignorant of the Merits of the Socinian Cauſe, and Queſtions: And 'tis notoriouſly known, they are not Converſant enough in good Books to Diſtinguiſh Socinianiſm from Remonſtrantiſm. Ubi ſup. p. 21. If he, and his Fraternity would not be further expoſed, not only here, but in France— they will for the time to come take ſome Ho… ſter Courſe. Anſwer to Lam. p. 21.Nor is their Rage only againſt their Doctrines, but ſo great, that as French Refugees, they Repreſent them for Peepers, Lurchers, Trepans, Vile Informers, Perjured Perſons, and the like; as if the Deprivation of their Liberty, Property, and Native Air in their own Land, did not ſatisfy their Malice, unleſs they expoſed them as much as they could in another. The Learned Calviniſts then next, in Holland, are made to be as ſottiſhly Ignorant as the French. But I will forbear ſuch Quotations; and returning to our own Country Men, I cannot but take particular Notice of one Paſſage, in Reference to the Reverend and Learned Doctor Bull. Anſwer to Dr. Bull. p. 77.Take their own words. Doctor Bull hath (ſay they) expreſſed ſuch Male-volence, and hath ſo Notoriouſly and Infamouſly broke the Chartal of Honour and Civility; —that no Reſpect nor Tenderneſs can be ſhown to him, by any Ʋnitarian. His Barbarities, and Immanities, towards a Perſon ſo little deſerving that uſage, and ſo much above Mr. Bull in all regards, as Sandius was, and his Arrogance towards, and hair-brain'd Contempt of all Ʋnitarians, whether Ancient or Modern. I ſay his Temerity, and Extravagancy in this kind, is ſo exceſſive, or rather ſo Outragious, that he hath left to himſelf no manner of Right or Claim, to the very leaſt Degree of Humanity, or good manners towards him.
But what has this Learned Doctor done to deſerve all this. He never calls the Arians by any other Name but Ariomanitae, the Mad Arians; and Socinianiſm is always with him, the Atheiſtical Hereſie. Of Sandius he ſaith, He hath ſhipwrackt his Conſcience, as well as his Faith. He complements the Author of Irenicum Irenicorum (who was Dr. Zwicker, M. D. a Socinian) with ſuch Flowers as theſe—Bipedum ineptiſſimus, The Greateſt …op in Nature: Omnium od…o, qui veritatem & Candorem amant, dignus.
This is a Summary of the Provocations given to the Engliſh Socinian by Doctor Full; Whether they deſerve that Wrath, and Rage, with which they have Treated him, I will diſtinctly Examine.
1. As to the Doctor's eſteeming Socinianiſm an Atheiſtical Hereſie, as there is too much Reaſon for ſuch an eſtimate, ſo in due time, it may be fully Cleared.
2. That the Dr. calls the Arians, Arinmanitae, Ju…ce. Eccleſ. …ath. de ne…ſ. …re…end….is no more than what ſome Fathers and many others have done before him, as the Doctor himſelf hath Obſerv…d againſt Epiſcopius, where he ſhews, that as Fuſebius, in Repreſenting the Madneſs of the Manich…es alludes into the Name of Manes, as ſignif…ing ſo much;De A… Orat. 20. Ari…i vocantur foreign ab Epiphanio Haereſi LXIX. p. 311. ab Athanaſio Tra…ian. de Synod. Tom. 1. p. 929. Su…er. Theſau… verb… foreign Brief Hiſt. p. 12. Even ſo Gregory Nazianzen makes the ſame Obſervation on the Name of Arius, foreign — A furore nomen habens Arius. On which, the Note of Nicaetas, is, Arius foreign— à Marte dictus furioſo. & bellaciſſimo Daemone. And what harm in Rehearſing what the Ancients have done. But,
3. The Doctor ſaith that Sandius hath ſhip-wrackt his Conſcience. Whether this be true, or not, let an Engliſh Socinian Determine, who ſaith, That Sandius, in all his Books, Refuſes in Words to be called either Arian or Socinian, but hath written an Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory on purpoſe to prove, that all Antiquity was Arian, or Socinian—He hath alſo under the Borrowed Name of Cingallus, written a ſmall Treatiſe, with this Title; Scriptura Trinitatis Revelatrix: Here, under Pretence of Aſſerting the Trinity, he hath as much as he could defeated all the Strengths of the Catholick Cauſe.
Thus this Learned Sandius openly declares againſt the Arian, and Socinian Hereſies, and Pretends to write in Defence of the Trinity, and therein doth his utmoſt to enervate all the Arguments brought to ſupport this Beſſed Doctrine, and Defeat the Cauſe of the Orthodox, which is ſuch an Evincement of a deliberated double-dealing, lived and delighted in, that none but an Engliſh Socinian, can look on it to be leſs, than a Shipwracking of his Conſcience.
4. Zuicker is called Socinian by our Author, and for ought I know, might be in his Heart ſo, altho he poſitively Declares, He is neither Lutheran, Calviniſt, Irenicomaſt. perpet. convict. p. 8.11.Remonſtrant or Socinian. However according to the New Rule of theſe Gentlemen, he may be a very Sincere one.
But what is it that moved Doctor Bull to write ſo contemptibly of this Zuicker: What it is in Particular, being a perfect Stranger unto the Learned Doctor, I'll not pretend to Determine: And yet am apt to think, that amongſt other Reaſons, this may be one, viz, Daniel Zuicker, being a Phyſician, Publiſheth a Diſcourſe, Entituled Irenicum Irenicorum, in which he pretends to do Wonders, boaſting of his Infallible and Univerſal Remedy for the moſt obſtinate Mental Diſtempers, which he doth with as much Vanity, and as little Reaſon, as ever Quack hath done of his Elixir Salutis, or Orvietan. That the Reader may ſee I have not by this ſuggeſtion broke the Chartal of Honour and Civility, I will Tranſcribe ſome of Zuicker's Boaſts, and then add his Infallible Cure.
In the Title Page, of his Book, we have enough of his boaſts. For there he hath it thus—Irenicum Irenicorum, ſeu Norma Triplex Fxemplo peculiari Theologico, eoque Illuſtriſſimo—it à ob oculos Poſit a; ut fi ſecundum ejus Fundamentales Infallibileſque Deciſiones procedatur, Controverſiae quaevis, etiamſi Graviſſimae, feliciter, breviter, & ſine tumultu, conciliorumque Convocatione ullâ decidi; amiſſa, ignorata hactenus Veritas recuperari; Adverſarii autem Quilibet vel pertinaciſſimi, juxtim cum Conciliis Haereticis, judicari, convinci, & confundi queant.
And leſt any ſhould be frightned with this Rhodomontado-Title, he doth what he can in his Preface to Cajole his Reader to think well of it: Noli (ſays he) mirari Lector Titulum hujus libri, Talia tibi Promittere, quae à multis retro ſeculis, imo ab ipſo paene Apoſtolorum aevo inaudita fuêre.
Once more I muſt Obſerve that this Renowned Zuicker, was ſo puffed up with the Conceit he had of his Catholicon, that he cannot forbear making a Break in the Beginning of his Book, to the end he might inſert another Pompous Title, before the third Branch of his Argument, by which he endeavours to Prove the Soundneſs of his Conciliatory Rule. The Title begins thus, ORBIS CATHOLICUS in potiſſi…is ſuis Traditionibus de Fide primorum Chriſtianorum EXTREME ERRANS— ſeu VERA primae Antiquitatis fideique primorum Chriſtianorum MONUMENTA: Ad dudum aniſſam Veritatem, pacemque Eccleſiae poſt liminio reſtituendam, ORBI CHRISTIANO clarius quam unt quam antehac ob oculos poſita.
This is it our Socinian Doctor tells the World: He hath a rare Secret, ſcarce heard of ſince the Apoſtles Days, till he Diſcovered it, but now ſo admirably well done, that if there be an Obſerving his Fundamental, and Infallible Deciſions, 'twill without any other help, ſafely and ſuddenly decide the moſt Important Controverſies, Recover loſt Truth, Judge, Convince, Confound any Adverſary with their Heretical Counſels, be they never ſo Pertinacious and Obſtinate. And whereas the Catholick World, hath been ext…eamly Ignorant of the Traditions of the Primitive Chriſtians, unknown to every body, … he took 'em out of Petavius, and Publiſhed them.
But what is this rare Secret? this Wonderful Catholicon, I mean his Conciliatory Rule? It lyeth only in the Denial of Chriſts Divinity. All, if they will have Peace with them, muſt hold that Jeſus Chriſt is not the moſt high God. This is his healing Truth; which he undertakes to prove from the Holy Scriptures, Sound Reaſon and Ancient Tradition, being induced to pitch on this, as the moſt likely Expedient,…nicamaſt. pag. 14. by the Obſervations he made, of Men's caſting off, their malevolent Humour on their turning Socinians; Of the certainty and clearneſs with which 'twas Demonſtrated, and the Hopes he hereupon conceived of the Converſion of Infidels.
But can any Man, in his Wits, think; that we, who are fully Perſwaded in our Conſciences, of the Truth of Chriſt's Divinity, and that the Belief of it is abſolutely Neceſſary to Salvation, can renounce this Principle for the ſake of Peace with them? This is as if one, amongſt us, ſhould ſtart up and cry earneſtly for a Peace with France, propoſing no other Terms, than an ent…re Reſignation of our Laws. Liberty and Property, to the Pleaſure of their Grand Monarch. What could the Engliſh think of ſuch a Fellow? would they think him Compos Mentis? or would they not be for ſending him to Bedlam? And yet of this Nature is Zuicker's Project for a Catholick Union: And that made Doctor Bull ſpeak ſo Rightfully of it. Whether the Doctor, hath herein broke the Chartel of Honour, and Civility; or deſerved ſuch Ʋſage from this Engliſh Socinian, I leave to the Palate of the whole Engliſh Church, unto whom a Belief of Chriſt's Deity, which he would have us Reject, is as Neceſſary to our Future Bliſs, as our Laws, Liberties, and Properties are to the Preſent Peace, and Tranquillity of the Nation.
Theſe few Intimations are ſufficient to convince us, that the Engliſh Socinians have undertaken the Defence of a bad Cauſe, and therefore are driven to ſo many miſerable ſhifts; one while ſtriking in with the Papiſts, yet otherwile with the Quakers. crying down Learning, Railing at Learned Men, and become more ſhameful Revilers of their Adverſaries than others.