Vindication of the Doctrine of the Trinity, Discourse · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. The Occasion and Design of this Discourse.
IT is now above twenty years since I first published a Discourse about the reasons of the Sufferings of Christ, (lately reprinted) in answer to some Socinian Objections at that time. But I know not how it came to pass, that the Socinian controversy seemed to be laid asleep among us for many years after; and so it had continued to this day, if some mens busie and indiscreet zeal for their own particular Opinions (or rather Heresies) had not been more prevalent over them, than their care and concernment for the common interest of Christianity among us. For it is that which really suffers by these unhappy and very unseasonable Disputes about the Mysteries of the Christian Faith, which could never have been started and carried on with more fatal consequence to all revealed Religion, than in an age too much inclined to Scepticism and Infidelity. For all who are but well-wishers to that, do greedily catch at any thing which tends to unsettle mens minds as to matters of Faith, and to expose them to the scorn and contempt of Infidels. And this is all the advantage which they have above others in their writings. For upon my carefull Perusal of them (which was occasion'd by re…rinting that Discourse) I found nothing extraordinary, as to depth of Judgment, or closeness of Reasoning, or strength of Argument, or skill in Scripture or Antiquity, but the old stuff set out with a new dress, and too much suited to the Genius of the age we live in, viz. brisk and airy, but withal too light and superficial. But although such a sort of Raillery be very much unbecoming the weight and dignity of the subject▪ yet that is not the worst part of the character of them; for they seem to be written,Considerat. on the explications of the Trinity, by Dr. W. &c. p. 22, 32. Defence of the History of the Unit. p. 5. Answer to the Archbishop's Sermon, p. 4. not with a design to convince others, or to justifie themselves, but to ridicule the great Mysteries of our Faith, calling them Iargon, Cant, Nonsense, Impossibilities, Contradictions, Samaritanism, and what not? any thing but Mahometism and Deism. And at the same time they know, that we have not framed these Doctrines our selves; but have received them by as universal a Tradition and Consent of the Christian Church, as that whereby we receive the Books of the new Testament, and as founded upon their authority. So that, as far as I can see, the truth of these Doctrines and authority of those Books must stand and fall together: For from the time of the writing and publishing of them all persons who were admitted into the Christian Church by the Form of Baptism, prescribed by our Saviour, were understood to …e received Members upon profession of …e Faith of the Holy Trinity; the Hymns and Doxologies of the Primitive Church were to Father, Son and Holy Ghost; and those who openly opposed that Doctrine were cast out of the Communion of it: which to me seem plain and demonstrative arg…ments, that this was the Doctrine of the Christian Church from the beginning, as will appear in the progress of this Discourse. The chief design whereof is to vindicate the Doctrine of the Trinity, as it hath been generally received in the Christian Church, and is expressed in the Athanasian Creed, from those horrible Imputations of Nonsense, Contradiction and Impossibility; with which it is charged by our Vnitarians (as they call themselves;) and that in the answer to the Sermon lately reprinted, about the Mysteries of the Christian Faith: which I first preached and published some years since, upon the breaking out of this controversie among us, by the Notes on Athanasius his Creed, and other mischievous Pamphlets one upon another. I was in hopes to have given some check to their insolent way of writing about matters so much above our reach, by shewing how reasonable it was for us to submit to divine Revelation in such things, since we must acknowledge our selves so much to seek, as to the nature of Substances, which are continually before our Eyes; and therefore, if there were such difficulties about a Mystery which depended upon Revelation, we had no cause to wonder at it; but our business was chiefly to be satisfied, whether this Doctrine were any part of that Revelation. As to which I proposed several things, which I thought very reasonable, to the finding out the true sense of the Scripture about these matters. After a considerable time, they thought fit to publish something, which was to pass for an answer to it; but in it, they wholly pass over that part which relates to the sense of Scripture, and run into their common place about Mysteries of Faith; in which they were sure to have as many Friends, as our Faith had Enemies: and yet they managed it in so trifling a manner, that I did not then think it deserved an Answer. But a worthy and judicious Friend was willing to take that task upon himself, which he hath very well discharged: so that I am not concerned to meddle with all those particulars, which are fully answer'd already, but the general charge as to the Christian Church about the Doctrine of the Trinity, I think my self oblig'd to give an answer to upon this occasion. But before I come to that, since they so confidently charge the Christian Church for so many ages, with embracing Errors, and Nonsense, and Contradictions for Mysteries of Faith, I desire to know (supposing it possible for the Christian Church to be so early, so generally and so miserably deceived in a matter of such moment) by what light they have discovered this great Error. Have they any new Books of Scripture to judge by? Truly they had need, for they seem to be very weary of the old ones; because they find they will not serve their turn.Answer to the Archb. Serm. p 50. Explic… of the T… nity, p. 29. Answer to Milbourn, p. 15, 23. History of the Unit. p. 43. Answer to the Archb. p. 29, 30. Therefore they muster up the old Objections against them, and give no answer to them; they find fault with Copies, and say, they are corrupted and falsified to speak the Language of the Church: they let fall suspicious words, as to the Form of Baptism, as though it were inserted from the Churches Practice; they charge us with following corrupt Copies and making false Translations without any manner of ground for it.
And doth not all this discover no good will to the Scriptures, at least, as they are received among us? And I despair of meeting with better Copies, or seeing a more faithfull Translation than ours is. So that it is plain, that they have no mind to be tried by the Scriptures. For these exceptions are such, as a Malefactor would make to a Jury, he is afraid to be condemned by.
But what then is the peculiar light which these happy men have found in a corner, the want whereof hath made the Christian Church to fall into such monstrous Errors and Contradictions? Nothing (they pretend) but the mere light of common sense and reason; which they call after a more refined way of speaking, clear Ideas and distinct Perceptions of things.
But least I should be thought to misrepresent them; I will produce some of their own Expressions. In one place they say, We deny the Articles of the new Christianity, or the Athanasian religion, not because they are Mysteries, or because we do not comprehend them; we deny them, because we do comprehend them; we have a clear and distinct Perception, that they are not Mysteries, but Contradictions, Impossibilities, and pure Nonsense. We have our reason in vain, and all science and certainty would be destroy'd▪ if we could not distinguish between Mysteries and Contradictions. And soon after,Answer to my Sermon p. 4. we are not to give the venerable name of Mystery to Doctrines that are contrary to nature's and reason's Light, or which destroy or contradict our natural Ideas. These things I have particular reason to take notice of here, because they are published as an Answer to the foregoing Sermon about the Mysteries of the Christian Faith: and this shews the general grounds they go upon, and therefore more fit to be consider'd here. To which I shall add one passage more, wherein they insinuate, that the Doctrine of the Trinity hath been supported only by interest and force. Their words are (after they have called the Doctrine of the Trinity, a monstrous Paradox and Contradiction) This is that, Ans. to Dr. Wallis's four Letters, p. 4.say they, which because all other arguments failed them in their disputations with the Photinians and Arians, they at last effectually proved, by the Imperial Edicts, by Confiscations and Banishments, by Seizing and Burning all Books written against it or them, by capital Punishments, and when the Papacy (of which this is the chief Article) prevailed, by Fire and Faggot. This is a new discovery indeed, that the Doctrine of the Trinity, as it is generally receiv'd in the Christian Church, is the chief Article of Popery; although it were embraced and defended long before Popery was known; and I hope would be so, if there were no such thing as Popery left in the world. But if every thing which displeases some men must pass for Popery, I am afraid Christianity it self will not escape at last: for there are some who are building apace on such foundations as these; and are endeavouring what they can, to remove out of their way all revealed Religion, by the help of those two powerfull Machines, viz. Priest-craft and Mysteries.
But because I intend a clear and distinct Discourse concerning the Doctrine of the Trinity, as it hath been generally received among us; I shall proceed in these four Enquiries.
(1.) Whether it was accounted a monstrous Paradox and Contradiction, where Persons were not sway'd by Force and Interest?
(2.) Whether there be any ground of common reason, on which it can be justly charged with Nonsense, Impossibilities and Contradiction?
(3.) Whether their Doctrine about the Trinity or ours, be more agreeable to the sense of Scripture and Antiquity?
(4.) Whether our Doctrine being admitted, it doth overthrow all certainty of reason, and makes way for believing the greatest Absurdities under the pretence of being Mysteries of Faith?