Anti-Socinianism, Part 24
Antonius VVotonus Anglus.
Anglia quid de te meruit, Wotto…e, quòd illam,
Haereſibus divis perdere tute velis?
SIngularity in conceit concerning matters of Religion, is as perilous, as to follow a plurality or multitude in the cuſtome of evil: Yet Wotton blinded therewith, was led aſide himſelf, and endeavoured to miſguid others. This is the laſt perverſe Publiſher of this damnable Hereſie, that we ſhall think fit to name; and who firſt openly profeſſed it in England, and by manuſcript Pamphlets, and Printed books, diſperſed it in London; a place as much adicted to, and taken with novelty, as any other whatſoever: For let the Doctrine be what it will, if it ſmell not of novelty, it hath there, for the moſt part, no better enterta…nment then Chriſt among the Gadarens, they regard it n…t; from thence it was carryed as a diſcovery of ſome new truth, into ſeveral places of the Country; and this about forty years ago. But being detected, hotly purſued, and ſtrenuo…ſly oppoſed, by that ſtout Champ…on for the Truth, Mr George Walker, Paſtor of St John the Evangeli…t, London; and by his Zeal, together w…th the induſtry of ſome other Miniſters in that City, he was quickly quell'd; and his opinion ſeemingly ſuppreſſed: But yet, becauſe he would ſtill uphold a ſecret faction: He wrote a Book in Latine, wherein he ſeemed to retract, or rather to run from ſome deſparate opinions, which he formerly maintained, and wild ſpeeches and expreſsions, which he had uttered, which are to be ſeen in his private Manuſcripts, given by him to thoſe of his party, and ſo delivered over from hand to hand, and formerly diſperſed: But the Plaiſter was nothing neer ſo broad as the ſore. For his retraction, if any, was clandeſtine and ſecret, whereas his endeavours to propagate this pernicious hereſie, were notoriouſly manifeſt by his writings, wherein he profeſſeth in plain words his deſent from all our Orthodox Divines, which had before written any thing concerning the neceſſary Doctrine of a ſinners juſtification before God; ſaying, I am forced to diſſent from them all: In that very Book he ſhews, how skilful he is in the art of diſsimulation, wh…ch is able to deceive thouſands: For therein he makes a ſhew of conſent with them, and endeavours to perſwade them to beleeve it, whereas he wreſts their doubtful ſpeeches to countenance, and to cover his errour and ſocinianiſm, which he would have his ſeduced Diſciples to embrace and follow. This Book, ſome of them, h…ving more Zeal then knowledge, more faction then Religion, with much difficulty; after it was rejected at L…y…en, and (which is wonderful to tell) at Amſterdam, procured privately to be Printed at their own coſt elſewhere brought over the Copies and ſold them in London, where they thought they might make the beſt market of ſuch wicked and deceitful ware: But by the bleſſing of God upon the careful endeavours of thoſe that ſtood up in the gap againſt it, it was utterly extirpate, and might have lyen rotting with the carcaſe of him, that firſt brought it over, and brought it into England, to get him a name, though but an evil one, by poyſoning his country with the contagious infection of this damnable hereſie: but that our Dialogue by the New-Engliſh Gentleman revived ſome, Iohn Biddle others, of theſe diabolical doctrines: The one having the very words, the other the opinions of Socinus, and his followers. And are not we all beholding to theſe, and ſuch as theſe that go before, for raiſing the duſt to put out the eyes, or at leaſt for the preſent to blind the ſight of all thoſe, that follow after? He that hath an eye left to ſee, let him ſee, and he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear, and the Lord touch his heart that he may underſtand, what God is yet doing, and ſpeaking to the Churches,
Quod ſcripſi, ſcripſi; was Pilates anſwer to the Jews, that that I have written; I have written, and ſo ſay I, What I have written, I have written, for the good of my poor ſeduced Countrimen that are taken, but miſtaken with theſe upſtart, revived hereſies, inſteed of new lights, or new diſcoveries of truth, which theſe ſeducers pretend, they meet with, and are miſled by the errours and erroneous doctrines of Socinus, and his followers: ſo that they may ſee, out of what puddles they were raked, and by whom they had their firſt riſe and publication; and may not give credit any longer unto thoſe ſeducers, which vent them as their own.
The bondage of this land was lamentable, under the tyranny of Anti-Chriſt; when we were driven to eat the bread of ſuperſtition, and to drink the wine of fornication, or faſt. But God hath delivered us and confirmed our deliverance for many years together: if we ſhall now apoſtate, and revolt from the integrity of his ſeruice, our latter end will be worſe then our beginning; Inſteed of Popery we ſhall find errour, and hereſie, Turciſme and Deviliſme, til we can only ſay, Here was once the Church of God; No ſurer way, no ſpeedier courſe for the effecting of this, then to be carryed away with the deſperate, and damnable opinions of the Socinians, whom ſome have thought not worthy of the name of Chriſtians, and ſo not fit to live among us, who profeſſe the faith of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; We will bring the matter into further queſtion, and ſee what may be ſaid concerning it, whether the Socinian Religion be the Chriſtian Religion, and ſo Socinians true Chriſtians, yea or no?
Socinians above others pretend to the name of Chriſt and boaſt of it; for that purpoſe they entitle their Catechiſes, The Institutions of Christian religion, as is manifeſt by thoſe of Socinus and Oſtorrodus, they only will have their denomination from Chriſt; Smalcius againſt Franc: reaſoneth thus; If thoſe, which do not confeſſe Chriſt, are not Christians; then it muſt needs follow, that thoſe which do confeſſe Chriſt, are Christians; We both by word of mouth, writings and endevour, do profeſſe Chriſt before the whole Christian world, witneſs ſo many books that are written, and ſo many confeſsions that have bin made by us, (ſaith Muſcorovius), another of the ſame train. Yea we are not only Christians, but the only true Chriſtians, if they may be Judges in their own cauſe; and for that purpoſe they argue thus, Every Spirit that confeſſeth that Jeſus is the Chriſt, is of God; But our Churches, and they alone do confeſſe that Jeſus is the Chriſt; Therefore are they of God: Seducers will ſay or do any thing, ſo they may deceive; Abſolom, what expenſive bravery doth he put himſelfe unto, what liberal promiſes doth he make, what courtly policie doth he uſe, that he might ſeduce the hearts of the people, from their due and true obedience. Inſomuch that the common acclamation muſt needs be this, O courteous, beau…eous, bounteous Abſolom! So who can be by and hear the outſide profeſſion, the ſeeming Chriſtian confeſsion, which is made by theſe Socinians, and forbear to cry out, O Vertuous, Pious, Religious, Socinian, who would not take part with thee, and be on thy ſide? But, O this heart of man! how deceitful is it upon the weights? how apt to be deceived, and to dece…ve? for do but ſearch th…m, ſift them, ſound them, and you ſhall find 'tis no ſuch matter, their pure oare is but droſs; their ſweet fruits but bitter to the taſt, and all this glorious boaſting, nothing but diſſembling.
To ſtop their mouths, and the mouths of all their adherents and complices, we ſhall conſider the name and appellation of Chriſtian under this twofold Notion. Firſt, foreign generally or improperly. Secondly, foreign ſpecially or properly. We do not deny the Socinians to be called Chriſtians, in the firſt ſenſe, that is, the general or improper ſignification of the word; for whoſoever does acknowledge that Jeſus is that promiſed Meſsias, and that his Doctrine is only to be embraced and obeyed by us, are ſuch Chriſtians, making a difference between them and Jews, who deny that the Meſsias is already come; and Turks who profeſſe and follow the Doctrine of Mahomet contained in their Alchoran: We give them this to diſtinguiſh them from Infidels which know not Christ, and from Jews which deny Chriſt; but we cannot give them the title of Chriſtians in that ſpecial ſenſe, in which the Scriptures uſe it; nor may they proudly arrogate it to themſelves, for they are not worthy of it: And this we make good by theſe enſuing Arguments.
Firſt, Becauſe Chriſtians are the peculiar Diſciples of Christ and his Apoſtles, Act. 11.26. But the Socinians are not the peculiar Diſciples of Christ and his Apoſtles, ſeeing they diſſent from the Doctrine of Christ and his Apoſtles, in very many myſteries and principal foundations of the Chriſtian faith, and do their utmoſt endeavour by their ſubtilties, to overthrow them: Therefore the Socinians, notwithſtanding their glorious outſide profeſsion, are not Chriſtians.
Secondly, There is required to the compleating, and making up of a true Chriſtian, a true and lively faith, or an acknowledging, and ſincere profeſsion of the true faith, Rom. 10.9. 1 Pet. 3.15. But they whoſe faith and profeſsion concerning God and Chriſt, is not true, but falſe, erroneous and heretical, are not to be accounted for true Chriſtians: But the faith and profeſsion of the Socinians, both concerning God and Chriſt, is falſe and erroneous, yea and heretical too, as we ſhall ſhew out of the Scriptures, and ſhall ſet forth to the judgment of the whole Chriſtian world: Therefore the Socinians are not to be accounted or eſteemed as true Chriſtians.
Thirdly, They which worſhip any other, then the only true God, are not true Chriſtians. But the Socinians worſhip another, and not the true God; for they adore not, neither do they worſh…p the holy and ever bleſſed Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, one God in Eſſence, in three diſtinct perſons, whom the whole Chriſtian world doth acknowledge and adore; but frame another God to themſelves, who is only one in perſon and eſſence, who is not the eternal Father; nor hath he an eternal Son, of the ſame eſſence with himſelf, and ſo they worſhip an Idol deviſed by themſelves, far different from the true God of the Chriſtians, but the true God of the Chriſtians in whom we are baptized; rhe Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, the Holy Trinity, bleſſed for ever, they provoke, and revile, with horrid and moſt execrable blaſphemies: Therefore they are not true Chriſtians.
Fourthly, They which deny the proper Eſſence of Chriſt, are not to be counted Chriſtians: For as he which denyeth the Eſſence of Man, taketh away man; ſo he which denyeth the proper Eſſence of Chriſt, taketh away Chriſt, and ſo is not truly a Chriſtian. But the Socinians deny the proper Eſſence of Christ, becauſe they deny the Divine Nature of Chriſt, which is his proper Eſſence, being Jehovah, Jer. 23.6. God bleſſed for ever, Amen, Rom. 9.5. For he can no more be true God, without the Divine Nature, then man w…thout his humane nature: Therefore they cannot be true Chriſtians.
Fiftly, he which confeſſeth not that Jeſus Chriſt is come in the fleſh, or denies, that Jeſus is the Chriſt, is not truly a Christian, but is to be accounted as an Anti-chriſt. 1 Iohn 2.22.23. 1 Ioh 5.7. But the Socinians deny that Chriſt is come in the fleſh, becauſe they deny the incarnation of the Son of God, which is urged by St. Iohn 1. Epistle. 4.2. and 1. of his Goſpel, 14. againſt Ebion and Cerinthus, as predeceſſors of the Socinian hereſie. And although in words they confeſſe that Jeſus is the Son of God, and the Chriſt; yet in deed they deny it, both becauſe they take away his filiation or Son-ſhip, whereby he is the Son of God by generation of the ſubstance of the Father; and alſo becauſe they overthrow the office principally deſigned to him by his name Chriſt, whereby he is anointed a Prieſt, and is the Saviour of the world, when as they make void the ſatisfaction of Chriſt, without which, he is not properly either a Prieſt or Redeemer, or Saviour to us, but is ſo made or conceived metaphorically by them: Therefore they are not truly Chriſtians.
Laſtly, They which ſerve the creature beſides God the Creator, and do Religiouſly worſhip him, which is not God, they as ſuch, are rather Pagans and Infidels then Chriſtians: But the Socinians do ſerve the creature, beſides God the Creator, and adore him with Religious worſhip, who by nature is not God, namely their falſe, and fained Christ, who they themſelves ſay, is not God, yet give him divine adoration. Therefore the Socinians are rather Pagans and Infidels, then true Chriſtians; and are ſo to be accounted by us.
Thus my dear Country men, You have ſeen what theſe men are; whoſe damnable opinions do miſlead us, what in their lives, what in their Doctrines: why ſhould we rake the Sinks of Italy, or drain the Puddles of Germany, for thoſe Hereſies which have both infeſted, and infected the Churches of God in thoſe parts, and in diverſe other places beſide? Let them keep their damnable opinions to themſelves, ſo we may walk the plain way to Heaven; what need we ſeek out by-paths to our ſelves, to bring our ſelves in danger thereby? Let them Mahomatize, Judaize, or what they will; it behoovs us to look wel to our ſelvs that we follow not or be ſeduced by them. Let us keep our ſelves in that Station wherein God hath ſet us; and perform that duty which he therein requires of us. Let us ſeriouſly conſider what infinite miſchief hath ari…en to the Church of God, from the preſumption of ignorant and unletterd men, that have taken upon them to interpret the moſt obſcure places of Scripture, and pertenaciouſly defended their own ſenſe, when they have done, though there be neither ſenſe in it, nor reaſon for it. How contrary is this to all practiſe in other vocations? In the Taylors trade, every man can ſtitch a ſeam; yet every man cannot cut out a garment. In the Sailers Art, every one may be able to pull at a cable, when they are wheighing, but every one cannot guid the helm, or direct the courſe; when they are ſailing; In the Phyſicians profeſſion, every goſsip can give ſome ordinary receipts upon common experience; but to find the nature of the diſeaſe, and to preſcribe proper remedies from the juſt grounds of Art, pertains only to the profeſſors of that ſcience; and we think it, and that juſtly to, abſurd and dangerous to allow every ignorant Mountebank to practiſe therein: And ſhall we think it ſafe, that in Divinity which is the Miſtreſs of all Sciences, and in matters, which concern the eternal ſafety of the ſoul, every man ſhould take upon him to ſhape his own Coat, to ſteer his own Courſe, or to preſcribe his own Doſe? It was an old ſaying among us, but it ſeems that it is quite worn out of uſe, That Artiſts were worthy to be truſted in their own Trade. Wherefore hath God given men skill in Arts and Tongues? Wherefore do the apteſt wits ſpend their time and ſtudies, even from their Infancy, upon theſe ſacred Imployments, if men altogether in expert in all the grounds both of Art and Language, can be able to paſs as ſound a judgment, in the depths of Theological truths as they? How happy were it, if we could all learn (according to that word of the Apoſtle) To keep our ſelves within our own lines; As Chriſtians, the Scriptures are ours, but to uſe, to enjoy, to read, to hear, to learn, to meditate, to practiſe; not to wreſt to our fancy, or to interpret according to our private conceit, for this faculty we muſt look out of our ſelves, expect it ſome where elſe, and from ſome others; and the Lord himſelf hath taught us where we ſhal ſeek and find it too. Mal. 2.7. The Prieſts lips ſhall preſerve knowledge, and they ſhall ſeek the Law at his mouth: for he is the Meſſenger of the Lord of Hosts. Let us then ever ſuſpect our own abilities, and look unto thoſe whom God hath ſet as watchmen over vsus; yet not ſo, as that this whole work were theirs; and that God required nothing at all of us, but being inſtructed by them, let us do what is required of us, in thoſe places wherein he hath ſet us, and leave the reſt to them, and Gods bleſſing upon them, and their endeavours. Let us but abate our pride, that ſpiritual pride, which lies lurking in us, and our contentions and quarrels in Religion will dye alone. Now the moſt Omnipotent and moſt glorious Lord God, for his ineffable mercy and goodneſs, more and more illuminate our minds with the light of his Heavenly truth; encreaſe the gifts and graces of his holy and bleſſed Spirit in us, recall the wandring into the way of righteouſneſs and Salvation; and confirm them and us, in the true & ſaving knowledge of Chriſt; diſperſe and bring to nought the crafty ſleights and wilie deluſions of Errors and Sophiſtications; root out of the Church (the Spouſe of thy dear Son Jeſus) thoſe moſt deſtructive and hurtful diviſions, which do ſo much infeſt it, and all the ſeeds of falſe Doctrine and Hereſie, which the envious man, by his wicked Inſtruments, hath ſown therein, and
End of the text · Nicholas Chewney, Anti-Socinianism (1656)