The Protestants Plea for a Socinian: Justifying His Doctrine from Being Opposite to Scripture or Church Authority; and Him from Being Guilty of Heresie, or SchismR. H.
Religion
The Protestants Plea for a Socinian: Justifying His Doctrine from Being Opposite to Scripture or Church Authority; and Him from Being Guilty of Heresie, or Schism
R. H.
Socinianism -- Early works to 1800
Where the self-clearness of the sense of Scriptures, not mistakable in
Fundamentals, or necessaries, upon a due industry used (of which also
rightly used, men may be sufficiently assured,) being made the ground,
as you see, of the Protestants and Socinians Faith, before these two
proceed to any further conference, give me leave, to interpose a word
between them, concerning this certainty so much spoken of, and
presumed on.
§. 10.
And here first, from this way, lately taken by many Protestants, there
seems to be something necessarily consequent, which I suppose they
will by no means allow, _viz._ That instead of the Roman Church her
setting up some men, (the Church Governors,) as infallible in
necessaries, here is set up by them every Christian, if he will, both
infallible in all necessaries; and certain that he is so. For the
Scripture they affirm most clear in all necessaries to all using a due
industry, and of this due industry they also affirm, men may be
certain, that they have used it; being not all, _possible_, endeavour,
but such a measure thereof _as ordinary discretion_, &c. _adviseth
to_. (See Mr. _Chillingworth_, p. 19.) And next, from this affirmed,
that every one may be so certain in all Fundamentals, it must be
maintained also, that their spiritual Guides, in a conjunction of
them, nay more, every single Prelate, or Presbyter, if they are not,
yet may be, an infallible Guide to the people in all Points necessary.
And therefore M. _Chillingworth_ freely speaks to this purpose[21]----_That
these also may be both in Fundamentals, and also in some points
unfundamental, both certain of the infallibility of their Rule, and
that they do manifestly proceed according to it: and then, in what
they are certain that they cannot be mistaken, they may_ (saith
he[22]) _lawfully decide the controversies about them, and without
rashness propose their decrees, as_ certain, divine _Revelations: and
excommunicate or anathematize any man persisting in the contrary
error._ And there seems reason in such _Anathema_; because all others
either do or may know the truth of the same decrees by the same
certain means, as these Governors do. Now then; what certainty the
Guides of a particular Church may have, I hope may also those of the
Church Catholick: and then, obedience being yielded to these by all
their inferiors, this will restore all things to their right course.
All this follows upon certainty, 1. That Scriptures are plain in
Fundamentals; And 2. That due industry is used to understand them.
But, if you should deny that men can have a _certainty_ of their
industry _rightly used_; then again, is all the fair security these
men promise their followers of their not erring in necessaries quite
vanished.
But now, to pass from this consequence, (to which I know not what can
be said), and to enquire a little after the true grounds of our
certainty in any thing, which is here so much pretended.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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