Socinianism in the Fundamental Point of Justification Discovered, Chapter 1 · Preface – Analysis
THE ANSWERERS PREFACE To the first Chapter.
THE question which is propounded and the state and drift thereof laid down in this first Chapter, is (in the Authors own words) this, whether the faith of him that truely beleeves, or the righteousnesse of CHRIST be imputed for righteousnesse in the act of justification. In this question the imputing of Faith is opposed to the imputing of Christs righteousnesse, for righteousnesse to justification, which no Orthodox Christian durst atten… to doe at any time: for the godly learned in the Scriptures, and acquainted with the writings of Orthodox divines both ancient and Moderne from the time of the Apostles to this day, doe alwayes joyne Faith with Christs righteousnesse in the act of justification, and do never account them such opposites as doe the one exclude the other, and cannot both stand together, and be reputed for righteousnesse to beleevers in justification. Though the Apostle doth oppose justification by faith, to justification by works of the Law performed by every man in his owne person, as two opposites which cannot stand together in GODS justification of sinners; And this all true Christians receive, imbrace, and hold for a solid truth, and a fundamentall article of Christian Religion: Yet they abhorre and detest the opposing of Faith, and Christs righteousnes in GODS imputing of righteousnes to beleevers; and doe with an unanimous consent teach, that in this justifying act of GOD, Christs righteousnesse of which all true beleevers have communion, is that which GOD in a proper sense is said to accept, and repute for righteousnesse; and Faith as it receives and applies Christs righteousnesse, is said to be imputed, but in an improper speech; the name of the act being used to signifie the object, which we see frequently in Scripture, as for example, Gal. 3.2.25. where the name (Faith) is used to signifie the thing beleeved, that is, the doctrine of the Gospell, and Coloss. 1.5. where the name [Hope] is used, to signifie the thing hoped for; that is, the inheritance and reward laid up for us in Heaven, of which kind many more instances may be produced. But as for them who have called into controversie the imputation of Christs righteousnesse; and having propounded this question, whether Faith or the righteousnes of Christ is imputed in the act of justification, have set up Faith and thrust out Christs righteousnesse, they have ever beene branded by all true Churches of Christ for pestilent Heretikes, and enemies of GODS saving truth. The first mover of this question was one Petrus Abilardus, a pestilent and blasphemous Heretick, who being full of the spirit of pride and error, did in disputing and writing, deny the communion of Christs perfect satisfaction, obedience and righteousnesse; and the imputation of them for righteousnesse in the justification of true beleevers. This filthie wretch was gelded for corrupting and defiling of a Maid, and for his blasphemous heresies, Saint Bernard, and the Bishops of France caused him to be excommunicated and condemned for an Heretike, and his blasphemous books to be burned publikely.
The next instrument of the Devill after him mentioned in former Histories was Servetus that blasphemous Heretike, who for heresies and blasphemies which hee dispersed as a vagabond in several Countries, in divers books, was by Master Calvin discovered & apprehended at Geneva, condemned and burned, and dyed blaspheming Christ most horribly, as Beza testifieth, in vita Calvini.
The third notorious Heretike who in writing and bookes published, did maintaine this wicked errour, and by his Disciples dispersed it in Transilvania, Polonia, and other adjoyning Countries, was Faustus Socinus, whose blasphemous faction and sect still continueth, and infesteth those Countries at this day.
The fourth Grand Master and propagatour of this heresie, who brought it into Holland nearer unto us was Arminius; He did first secretly teach and instill it into the eares and hearts of many disciples; and afterwards did openly professe it, as we read in his Epistle ad Hyppolytum de collibus, wherein he confesseth that he held, Faith to be imputed for righteousnesse to justification, not in a Metonymicall, but in a proper sense: And although this and other errours held by him are condemned in the late Synod of Dort: yet his disciples the Remonstrants doe obstinately persist in this errour, though some of that sect, would seeme to decline and disclaime it.
The fift perverse publisher of this heresie, who first openly professed it in England, and in manuscript Pamphlets and Printed Bookes, dispersed it in London, and from thence into severall places of the Countrie about 28. yeares agoe, was Anthony Wotton, who being discovered and hotly opposed by the Author of this answer was by his zeale, and the industrie of some other Preachers in London quickly quelled, and his opinion suppressed: but yet because he would uphold a secret faction, he wrote a booke in Latine, wherein he seemed to retract, or rather to run from some desperate opinions and speeches, which are to bee seene in his private manuscripts given by him from hand to hand, and formerly dispersed. For whereas in divers of them he professeth in plaine words, his dissent from all our Orthodox Divines, which had beene before written of Justification, saying, I am inforced to dissent from them all; He in that booke laboured to make a shew of consent with them, and did wrest some of their doubtfull speeches to countenance his Socinianisme. This booke intituled De Reconciliatione some of his fiery factious, and zealous disciples with much difficulty, after it was rejected at Leiden and Amsterdam, procured it to be printed at their owne cost, brought over the Copies and sold them under hand in London. And out of it (wee may justly suspect, that this Scribler and babler hath stollen the most part of his conclusions, arguments and distinctions, for I am informed that he is a great admirer of that book, and of the Author also. So that if this Socinian Iohn will and must needs have, and usurpe that high Title which our Saviour gave to Iohn the Baptist, and will bee called (as his disciples stick not to stile him) the shining light of the Church in these last dayes: Surely he is but a borrowed light or rather a wandring light, like that ignis fatuus which in darke nights leadeth the followers into ditches, loggs, praecipces, and breakneck downfalls, as the Philosophers write of it.
For the recalling of the ignorant who are by him seduced, for the confounding of them who are by him perverted, and for the stopping of the foule lying, and slanderous mouthes of those factious sectaries his followers, of a scarred conscience, who as they have his person in high admiration, so also are bold to revise and defame all godly and learned Preachers, who oppose his errours and preach against them. I will spend a few spare houres to sift his written discourse, at least so much of it as is come to my hands; hoping by evidence of truth, plaine Scriptures, solid reasons, and testimonies of the best writers, to make it manifest to GODS people, that he is a mere Socinian Sophister, and dangerous seducer, and that his discourse is an hotch potch of pestilent errours, and full of …e…giversations, contradictions, and perverse wrestlings of Scriptures, and of the words and writings both of Ancient and moderne Divines. And that neither he himselfe▪ nor his clamarous disciples may have the least colour, or occasion to complaine, that I have not dealt fairely with him. I will first set downe his Socinianisme, word for word out of his owne writings, without concealing any word or sentence. And to every part thereof I will oppose the contrary doctrine of Christ under the name of Christianisme. And first I begin with his preface, with which he begins his first Chapter.
The Preface to Socinianisme.
FOr the cleare understanding of the state and drift of the question, something would be premised, which for the evidence sake might be privileddg and exempted, from passing under much dispute and contradiction: yet if any thing be not sufficiently prepared for assent in the briefe proposall of it, the ensuing discourse will labour to reconcile the disproportion; And in the progresse make satisfaction for what it shall receive upon curtesie in the beginning.
The Answer to the Preface.
THis short Preface doth by the affected stile, and phrase of it discover the Author to bee one, who hath studied to preach himselfe more then Christ, and to set forth his owne absurd conceits in the entising words of carnall wisedome, not to declare the Testimony of GOD in Apostolicall plainenesse, nor in demonstration of the Spirit,1 Cor. 2.12. and of power as Saint Paul did. The loftie words, and short cut speech which hee useth here, and in this ensuing discourse, are so farre beyond the capacity of his rude unlearned followers, that his wooden pulpit shall assoone as they understand them, unlesse he first teach them his Grammaticall skill, before hee admit them into his Theologicall auditorie. But belike hee knowes the ready way to catch the wavering, unstable, and giddie multitude, those wandering Starres of these last times, who are like clowdes without water▪ carried about with windes of every new and strange Doctrine, and of all people are the fittest to bee his disciples. For the mouth which speaketh great swelling words, is admired of them who have mens persons in admiration; and farre fetcht phrases are fine fooleries to tickle the itching eares, and win the hearts of such as desire to seeme and bee counted something, when indeed they are nothing but bubbles, and empty bladders, who as they admire every bewitching Simon Magus, as the great power of GOD, and extoll to the Skies his most cursed errours: So they abhorre and revile all sincere and godly Preachers, rebukers of their madnesse, blaspheme GODS word in their mouthes, and speake evill of the good things, which they understand not, untill in the gainsaying of Core they utterly perish.
Moreover, to give him his due, he appeares to mee in his stile and phrase, a very skilfull Artist in his owne way, as cunning as the subtle Serpent, in cloathing and trimming his strange Doctrines, with strange conceited words fited to them, by which they who affect strange novelties, may easily be allured and insnared. But when the children of truth hunt him by the smell, and strong savours of his rankling errours (which stink as well as fret like an eating Cancer) and are ready to catch him; hee doth by his inkhorne termes so obscure and darken his meaning, that onelyonly they who have a sharp, quick and strong sight, can lay fast and sure hold on him. Wee may well resemble him to the crafty fish Sepia of which we read, that when she is pursued and ready to be taken, she spueth forth a black inke wherewith she darkneth the waters round about, and so escapes away in thick darknesse, through which she cannot be seene and discerned.
But to omit his stile, and to come to the matter of his preface, it is a promise and pretence of somewhat by him premised, which shall serve for the cleare understanding of the state of the question, and for evidence sake might be priviledged, from passing under much dispute and contradiction; but hoc aliquid nihil est, this something is nothing, we find no performance of promise nor truth, in what hee pretendeth; neither his briefe proposall, nor his ensuing discourse gives us any satisfaction; neither can his beginning, progresse, or ending receive from us any thing upon curtesie. For if any come to us and bring not the true Doctrine of Christ, but damnable Socinianisme, errour, and heresie, we must not show so much curtesie, as to bid him God speed. 2 Iohn 10.
The Analysis of his first Chapter in generall.
THe first Chapter of his Socinianisme, which he cals his premising of somewhat for cleare underderstanding of the state, and drift of the question, consists of sixe parts. In the first part he goeth about to rehearse the severall significations of the words justification and justifying, and to determine in what sense the words are used in those Scriptures, which speake of the justification of a sinner before GOD.
In the second he layes downe 4. Propositions, which he takes for granted on all hands, and by none denyed but Heretikes.
In the third he comes to speak of imputation of righteousnesse, for justification, or rather of somewhat which God in the act of every mans justification doth impute, for or instead of righteousnesse, to invest him in all priviledges of a man perfectly righteous; and withall to shew the reason of this imputation, and afterward to determine that Faith is that somewhat imputed.
In the fourth part hee shewes first negatively, how Faith is not imputed, and excludes out of his question fiue severally quaeres. Secondly affirmatively, that Faith (as he holds it to be imputed) is opposed to the righteousnesse of Christ, as to a competitor which receives the repulse.
In the fift part (to cover the shame and scandall of his Hereticall opinion) he doth admit Christs righteousnesse into part of the honour for peace, and fashion sake, as Esau was admitted unto some vanishing participation▪ of some temporary blessings with Iacob. For he forgeth a strange and false kind of imaginary imputation of Christs righteousnesse, unto which he laboureth to wrest the words of Luther, Calvin, and the Homilies and Articles of our English Church.
In the last part hee undertaketh to shew more light, that it may be seene to the bottome clearely, what he affirmes and what he denyes in the question propounded; The particulars whereof we shall see when I come to the answer of them. But first I will begin with the first part, and will proceed to answer the rest in order.