An answer to Dr. Wallis's three letters concerning the Doctrine of the Trinity Nye, Stephen, 1648?-1719. 1691 Approx. 42 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 11 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-08 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A52605 Wing N1504 ESTC R7845 12028264 ocm 12028264 52701 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A52605) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 52701) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 37:6) An answer to Dr. Wallis's three letters concerning the Doctrine of the Trinity Nye, Stephen, 1648?-1719. Wallis, John, 1616-1703. Doctrine of the blessed Trinity briefly explained. Wallis, John, 1616-1703. Second letter concerning the Holy Trinity. Wallis, John, 1616-1703. Explication and vindication of the Athanasian creed. 21 p. s.n., [S.l. : 1691] Caption title. Attributed to Stephen Nye. Cf. Halkett & Laing (2nd ed.). Reproduction of original in Harvard University Libraries. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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SEeing our Adversaries the Trinitarians , cannot be content , modestly to acknowledge their Doctrine as a meer Mystery , and to rely upon the Authority of the Church , and Tradition for the same ; but have of late also ventur'd , even to prove the same agreeable to the common Notions of Humane Reasoning , it may not be amiss to shew them their Errour , and to humble them a little more in their pretences for the future . I must confess , 'thas been but of late , that any have presum'd to this confidence ; but as it now happens , a Unitarian is the absurdest Creature in the World. Dr Wallis , and Dr. S — together , have undertaken even to demonstrate their weakness ; but whether their Endeavours may not be more likely to reflect on themselves , than the Unitarians , I dare trust to the issue of this ensuing Treatise . To put the Case therefore , the Unitarian having taken the Scriptures in hand , and examining thereby how he ought to address his Worship , streight concludes himself to be directed , by the first Commandment , viz. Thou shalt have none other Gods but me : But the more subtle Trinitarian , tho' in several places of the Old and New Testament , he find that One to be intended , as that we ought to acknowledge and worship but One God : yet streight he has an evasion , says he , there may be many Persons in that One God , and therefore the Commandment , That we should have but Oue God , shall not debar me of Deifying and Eqalling my Saviour Christ Jesus to his Father ; and after that , to compleat a Trinity , flings in the Holy Ghost also . The Case then of the Unitarian is thus , He dreading the guilt of Idolatry , thinks this Evasion , of saying , That this One God can have several Persons in it , but frivolous and weak ; especially when he considers , that he never met with such Direction or Construction , neither in the Old or New Testament . No , says the Trinitarian , there is no such thing expressed ; but the Grounds for the Inferences of it are so clear , that it needs not . The Unitarian upon this , jealous of a Juggle ; especially when this Inference is not to be rais'd , till several hundred Years after Christ , reflects , whether such a thing can be put upon the First Commandment , and whether 't is within the nature of that Precept to bear it . He argues thus therefore , with himself : What was that Commandment made for ? What ? to prevent Polytheism . Why how , says he , is that to be done ? By denying many ; that is , several Personal Gods , surely it must , if it is not made to deny Personal Gods , 't is made to no purpose ; and if therefore we can admit a Man afterwards to be a co-equal to this God , this Commandment seems to be made but to little effect . And I pray then , may not a Unitarian upon this very well conclude , a Trinity in Unity is absurd ; surely he may , without any manner of Contempt to the Scripture . What ? is the Divinity of Christ implied in the New Testament ? 't is denied in the first Commandment , and I that thus regard that solemn and set Precept of the First Commandment that was delivered even by God himself , may surely in such case , be allow'd to submit my Reasoning entirely to the Scripture , and yet deny this implied co equal Divinity of Christ. 'T is true indeed , I cannot say , that there is a contradiction , in holding , that there may be Three Persons in God ; because I have not the definition of the Word God so exact , as to be assur'd , it cannot admit many Persons in it ; but this I am sure , that when God has ordered me to acknowledge him but as One , and I know I cannot rationally make him more , but by many Persons , I vitiate the Commandment by an inconsistent absurdity , to bring in new Persons after in co equality with him . Methinks this Reasoning is so obvious , that I wonder our great Doctors can pore it over : And yet whether I wonder or not , they do : they think , because they can tell us , that a thing can be unum , and tres diverso respectu ; that is , One and Three in several respects : that therefore it is consistent with the First Commandment , to add several Persons to their One God ; tho' they are particularly prohibited it by it , and yet not break it . Nor does this Errour end here neither , for our Adversaries are not always so lucky , as to see Consequences ; for should a lying Revelation , ( which is not impossible , ) Deifie more Men then ever the Heathens did , here is no Fence left . Is there Three Persons in God ? why but Three ? No ; God , you say , reveal'd but Three by Christ. Yes , since in a fuller Manifestation he has been pleas'd to acquaint us of a Thousand more . And 't is in vain , in such case , to pretend that the Number would be of Offence to us ; for if we consider it aright , there is no more Reason for one Number then another : Indeed , if we once destroy the Unity of the Personality of God , I think it were more honourable to think the Godhead consisted in infinite Personalities , then one ; all between One and Infinite's imperfect . But yet after all this , we Unitarians are more fair , then to press our Adversaries with this one Argument only , tho' this alone were enough too , to a sincere Man , but we have gone on further , even to let go this Principle with them , and to fight them at their own Weapons , to shew them no such Trinity is reveal'd in the New Testament , and granting it were not absurd and inconsistent to the first Commandment , yet that it is unscriptural . And herein , would Dr. Wallis but examine , whatever he has gloried , that Dr. Sherlock has answered the History of the Unitarians , 3 Letter , p. 42. Dr. Sherlock has such an Answer ; by the Vindication of the Arrian , and the Acts of Athanasius , that neither Dr. Sherlock , nor Dr. Wallis neither will be able to Answer , whatever they may do by Suppression and Reproaches . But least Dr. Wallis should think I tell him of an Answer , and have none to give him my self , I shall give my self that trouble , as to enquire more particularly into his Reasoning , and to shew him , that for all he deals in Cubes , all he alledges is not Demonstration . The Doctors reasoning therefore , as I take it is this , he endeavours to illustrate the Trinity , by an Example in a Cube , where three sides , he says , make one Cube , ( Pag. 11. Letter 1. ) and which Cube , he says , is not to be made without all three sides , and yet all three make but one Cube , ( Page 12. Letter 1. ) and to compleat the Parallel , he tell us , ( Page 9. Letter 2. ) that that broad thing is a Cube , that long thing is a Cube , in Answer to the Father , is God , and the Son is God , &c. Nor doth he stop here neither , for ( Page 13. of the first Letter ) he tells us , That that long thing begets the broad thing , and the long and broad thing , has that deep thing proceeding from them , exactly conforming it , to the generation and procession of the Son and Holy Ghost . And his reasoning upon this Parallel in his 3 Letter , page 38. ) is this , If such a Trinity can be form'd in gross Corporeals , much more may we expect it possible in Spirituals . Now I say , not to suppose this simile altogether impertinent , as I have shewn it is in our Case ; for our Debate is not whether there may not be Three Persons in God ; but whether many Personal Gods will not necessarily break the first Commandment ? I say therefore , to suppose the first Commandment is not broke by many Personal Gods , yet this Simile is most absurd ; for it is of Commensuration or Relation , and not of a Body , as he would insinuate ; 't is of a meer Chymera or Idea , not a Quality , and much less a Corporiety or Substance . But to state his Cube therefore more to his purpose for him , to wit , a Cube of Marble generating hardness , and both producing coldness ; I say in this case , there were three Cubes more for him , and those real ones too , that is , of Substance and Quality , and yet in such case they would all be distinct Cubes , and yet but one Cube , that is , a Cube of Hardness , another of Coldness , and another of Corporiety , and yet all three but one Cube of Marble ; I say , to put his Similes from Chymera's to Beings , yet , what parity can we make between the Unity of Substances with Qualities , and the Unities of Persons together . The Doctor forgets , that Personation is the greatest perfection of Being , and that different personation is answerably the greatest perfection of Quality ; I am sure , I never could apprehend any other real Unity than Personation , and the higher this Personation arose , the more distinct I always apprehended it ; thus one Man , one Angel , and one God , and if the Doctor has found a more perfect , real , and proper Unity than that , let him discover it , and not cite a meaner to prove it . The Doctor should rather therefore have propos'd some Monster , born with three Heads , but that , I conceive he would have seen , to have been too gross to have impos'd upon the World , not I mean , that I think he sought to impose the other neither , for I am perswaded of his sincerity , in what he has done , but I take the freedom to represent my Argument so for its more perfect Illustration . Nor is my Answer , to his simile of Memory , Will , and Understanding , and of our Powers , to be to do and to know ; much otherwise , ( 1 Letter , p. 17 , 18. ) for to my mind , 't is a strange Illustration of a most perfect Union of Persons , even perfecter than Personality itself , to tell us of the Union of parts to the Mind , Faculties to the Soul , &c. So for his unum verum & bonum , wherein indeed the Doctor is so modest , as to confess , that the distinction is not equal to that of the Trinity , ( p. 18. 1. Letter ) so for his three Groats in a Shilling , and three Nobles in twenty ( p. 42. 3. Letter . ) Similes indeed that the Doctor himself seems asham'd of , and methinks alledged to a strange purpose , he had near as good have wrote , that because a Man has two Hands and an Head , therefore a Trinity in Unity is necessary to the perfection of the Godhead . 'T has been a general Rule with me , always where I have brought a simile , to illustrate any thing , that I have formed it of something adequate , and that may really prove the matter I design'd , if urg'd by way of Argument , but these are such similes , that my Adversary had as good urge , that there are three Personal Gods , because they have three Letters in their Name , or because that three times three makes nine . In short , these are such similes , that to repeat them is to answer them . Nor are his Arguments , drawn from sustineo tres personas mei Iudicis & adversarii ; that is , I personate three Men , my self the Iudge and my Adversary ; and from a man's having three Names , or Titles , as William Henry Nassau , King of England , Scotland , and France , or a Noble Duke , Marquess , and Earl , Iess ridiculous ( p. 40. Letter 3. ) I would fain ask Doctor Wallis , what it is to Personate a Man , surely but to compose ones Actions as near as one can in likeness or favour of him ; is it so ? then a Man may as well personate three hundred Men as three , for one cannot personate three together , and one may three hundred one after another : In short , the Doctor had as good have said , there must be three Personal Gods , because a Man can walk three ways , for 't is the same that he represents by his personating in his Mind , as walking in the Body , and is not this a pretty simile then , to prove that there must be three personally distinct Gods , and for the Doctor to conclude upon it as he does , ( p. 41. third Letter ) What , shall a man bear three Persons , and shall not God be able to do it ? Well may the Doctor as he has done , quite undermine the very Idea of the word Person , for if he had not , he could never have forc'd himself to such absurd conclusions , but when as he has done , he has quite destroy'd all the distinction of the Idea of that word , 't is no difficulty for him , to conclude as he has done , p. 10. Letter 1. That there may be three somewhats in one God , diverso respectu . After all therefore , I say , granting that the being of three personal Gods , were not repugnant to the very Precept of the first and greatest Commandment ; Yet has the Doctor been able by simile , or otherwise to make out , that there may be rationally three Persons in one God ? Laying aside even the first Commandment , yet surely he has not , for these Examples and Illustrations are as Foreign from his purpose , as even his Enemies can wish , and therefore , I hope for the future the Doctor will learn more Modesty , than to set up such Trumpery , to give us similes of Unions , of Chimerical Relations , of Measure , of Faculties , of Parts , and Titles , for the probability , that the most compleat Unity in the Godhead may be in an unheard of manner , and not of Persons . The Doctor must needs have been more successful , as well as ingenuous , had he taken a plainer Method ; thus for instance , Had he said God is as a name of Office , and may receive therefore many Persons into the Idea of it ; and the Foundations of the Unitarians Error is this , they apprehend the word to signifie the Office or Supreme Power , to be confin'd to Personality in its Unity . Now I say , had the Doctor fairly done thus , we should have known how to have attack'd him , but at present , having touched his Subject so warily as he has done , we are put to the trouble to undermine his Reasonings , to buffet at him in the dark , through similes , wary doubts , and twenty other little blinds . I say this , because had the Doctor fairly told us that God signified an Office , we should not have been so weak , as to have quarrelled at him for distorting the signification of the word , but we should have turn'd to Arguments , to prove the thing ; we should only have desired him , to have thrust in Iupiter , Bacchus , Venus , &c. into the Office with them , and we should have been content , and let him take the Idea as he pleases . Nor does this very Notion fail of opening my Eyes more neither , for now methinks , I understand why it is we say , that we have but one God in Natural Religion , that is , we have but one Council of Gods personal , who having all power among them , and always agreeing , never contradict one another , and consequently manage all things with the same Rule of Providence , and there is no power besides sufficient to oppose them . But if this be our Adversaries Idea , as it must be , if they make the Word God to signifie an Office , and not a Person , as is necessarily inferr'd , from saying there are many Persons in the Godhead : I say , if this be our Adversaries Idea , they would do well to speak it out more plainly , that the World may no longer remain in darkness , and that we may have the fairer occasion given us , to set them in a better way if this be wrong . Nor shall my Adversaries confused Notion of the word Person obstruct my reasoning in this case , by his Artful falling from the proper signification of the word , to call it a somewhat ; for if there be any regard to be had to Scripture , I shall shew by and by , that the Trinity are Persons as really , as properly , and as fully personally distinct as three Angels ; and if so , I hope the Doctor will not therefore leave his Rule of Faith because it turns Unitarian against him . But before I proceed further , there seems to be two Objections , that present themselves from the Doctor , and 't is fit we should make our way plain , says he , p. 9. first Letter , 't is hard to conclude an impossibility in the Nature of God ; right , so it is ; but the Doctor is mistaken , that is not what we pretend to ; we endeavour to make his first Commandment and his Unity sense , and methinks a sincere Man , till he is able to do that , will have but little reason to value the rest and less material subsequent Revelation . And methinks here our Adversaries should be ashamed to charge us as they do , that we stick to Chymera Idea's of Impossibility , and disregard Scripture , for pray , what Scripture shall we regard , in competition with this Commandment , written by the Finger of God , and one of the only Precepts he himself immediately delivered ? Did our Adversaries deal ingenuously with us , they would shew us where this Commandment is solemnly abrogated or explained , and not by blind Implications , thus tear up the very Roots of Revelation ; methinks I cannot but blush for them , when I read their charging us thus unjustly ; but I hope 't is in their Ignorance , and God forgive them for it . The second Objection is , That our Absurdity in denying the Trinity , is like theirs who deny the Resurrection , ( Page 6. Letter 1. ) Alas , what will not mistaken Zeal alledge , we neither deny the Scriptures , nor the Power of God , which they that deny the Resurrection must ; indeed we can rather believe that God can make us almost infinitely more glorious . And what we deny , is neither the Power of God , nor the Scriptures ; our Case is , we are afraid of Idolatry , we only beg the priviledge of understanding how to keep the Commandments ; and surely , if we are jealous that we are in any Errour about them , we may have leave innocently to examine it , till we either have , or give satisfaction . In short , Dr. Wallis might as well have compar'd us to Man-eaters ; for if there is any thing common in our offences , 't is perversness , and a blindness against Conscience , and in that the Man-eaters are as much guilty as the Unitarians , and therefore I think he had done as well if he had compared us to them ; only indeed in this the Man-eaters would not serve his turn , they would not cast so black a Reflection , as the other does by their false and unjust Inferences . Nor is this the first time , that even the best of our Adversaries have shewn their uncharitableness to us ; nor is this the least footsteep of it that I find even in Dr. Wallis ; thus he seems to insinuate a general aspersion upon us , That we believe not Angels , 1 Letter , page 16. so that the Socinians reject the Scriptures , tho' not barefac'd , yet on the slight inference of their impossibilities , ( Page 5 , 8. Letter 1. ) Indeed he would seem to insinuate , he has a little more Charity for some Unitarians ; but I would fain know , whether that general Imputation , be not a ground for a particular Offence ? for is it not to begin with Calumnies ? I shall not say the Doctor has no better Arguments then such Topicks of Prejudice , but methinks if he has , he might let those alone , which are more likely to harden then convince us . I cannot presume he has so mean a design , as to set up our Opinions like a Scarecrow , and then make sport by pelting of them ; and yet whether he designs so or no , that must be the effect of the Basis of an Opinion so expos'd . I am not concern'd that he cannot think us Orthodox Christians , Page 1. Letter 1. or that he can say , Socinus , or any other Author , has dropt imprudent words ; tho' I must confess , some of those he has quoted against him , no Protestant I should think should be angry with him , for Page 45. Letter 3. but I am concern'd at his general uncharitable Charges Page 48. Letter 3. that he should say , That we will not believe even what God says , Letter 1. Page 19. I am sure a Refiection , he would very unwillingly bear , if flung upon the Trinitarians , in destroying the first Commandment . And just such another Answer , I think , I may justly pass on those Passages of his , where he as good as declares us Reprobates , as , where he tell us , If any man list to be contentious , &c. but the humble God will teach , Page 20. Letter 1. so , bearing ye shall not hear , &c. Page 55. Letter 3. so Page 58. Letter 3. That our bottom reason against the Trinity , is because it is Nonsense . I should be unwilling , I say , to retort all this upon Dr. Wallis , and yet if I should , have I not as just a cause for it as ever he had , yes surely I have ; but my Charity forces to hope the best , to think the best , that Truth has not yet approach'd him in full light , that otherwise certainly he would have embrac'd it , and that if he is in any Errour , whether he , or his Fellow Trinitarians , I say , 't is through Ignorance or Mistake . Not that I write this , that God doth not harden some neither ; but who shall judge who they are ; who shall say , just such a Sect ? When we condemn just such a Principle , we know not what we do , and we are in a capacity honourably to make it out when we are call'd to it , but to condemn the Methods of whole Sects , we know not what we do . The next thing I shall take notice of to the Doctor , is , the Incarnation , which he says he that believes not must be damn'd ; but the Doctor forgets here , that he writes against Arrians as well as Socinians , and that they own an Incarnation as well as he , ( Vide Page 1. Letter 1. and 14 of the third Letter ) If the Doctor give me leave therefore to tell him , the Arrian Incarnation hath some Sense , and possibility in it , but the Trinitarian is impossible . The Doctor does very well ( Page 25. Letter 3. ) to acquaint us of our Ignorance , and to shew us that we know not all things , and that even in those things we do know , we are not infallible . A very good Argument indeed , if applied ; we know not something , therefore we know nothing ; methinks this does not become a Master in Geometry and Demonstration : or if it does , why did he argue further after it . I say then , for since he has reasoned on , I hope I may , that tho' a God in the Arrian Idea may become incarnate , according as is urged in the late Vindication against Dr. Sherlock ; yet , for the Supream God to become incarnate , is impossible , absurd , and blasphemy to say . Pray Sir , what do you make of God , a variable , changeable , dying thing ? In short , if such be your God , 't is not only against your own Attributes of him , which call him Immortal , but against all the known and acknowledg'd Principles of the Light of Nature . Forsooth , you can allow one side of your Cube to be foil'd , ( Page 34. Letter 3. ) that is , one of your God 's to dye ; and if you can one , why not all ? And what a World we shall have then . No , but you say all can't ; And why not ? that which is mortal in the parts , is mortal in the whole ; and till you degrade the Son's Coequality , you will make me afraid that one time or other the whole God may dye too . In short , Sir , you must excuse me ; that I do not search further into these Reasonings , but refer you to that Answer , I mention'd before to Dr. Sherlock . I must confess , 't is not pleasant to me , to unravel into continual Absurdities , and tho' in Charity I would not omit to give you and the world due Information in such case ; yet my own sense bids me me put your self and others to this further Referrence , that I might be the better spar'd pains , and you satisfied . But lest I should seem pretendedly to refer my Reader , and to leave the Doctor 's Objections unanswer'd , I shall at least descend a lsttle further after them , and then I am sure I shall have done enough , when I can honestly think to my self I have omitted nothing in his Book considerable . You say then , ( pag. 28. Third Letter ) The Soul moves the Body , and we know not how ; and what say you , can there be so heterogenous or disagreeable a Union , as of Soul and Body ; material and immaterial possible , and should this be impossible with God ? A formidable Objection indeed ; we do not doubt that God cannot move Matter ; but we doubt whether God can die , or suffer , join'd with Matter ; we doubt whether that Man could be a God too , that could cry out , My God , my God , why hast thou forsaken me upon the Cross. Just thus , as it were at cross purposes , our Adversaries assault us , we insist on one thing , they alledge another ; they tell us of the Suffering , Death , and Merits of a God to Redeem them ; and when we tell them , to say , that the Supream God can be alter'd , much less suffer or die , 't is Blasphemy : they answer us , What cannot God move a Body or Matter , as well as a Soul ? No ; Dr. Wallis knows no impossibility , to have one side of his infinite Cube or Godhead foil'd , ( pag. 34 , 35. Third Letter ) . He knows no absurdity , in reducing Infinite Power to the weakness of an Infant ; and that too , in an infinite Power , that another time he sholl say is Immortal . Good God! how happy should I be , had I but a pair of Spectacles to see these things too . A second Objection of the Doctor 's in this , I take to be , That an Atheist can puzzle us in the same manner , with an , Ex nihilo , nihil fit : And the manner of God's making the World , as how it was possible , first to make something out of nothing : And thus by a likeness of difficulty , he thinks to get of by a Problem , a real absurdity . Pag. 32 , 33. Letter 3. Alas , the Doctor forgets , that the meer extent of the Power of God , is what we have no adequate Idea of , and that it is quite another thing , then for us to have an Idea of some things that may dishonour God ; I may very well say , God cannot die , tho' I know not the extent of his Power or Wisdom ; so I may well say , he is prudenter than I , tho' I never heard him speak , nor never receiv'd any Notion immediately from him ; and yet never by that , limit how far the Wisdom of his Providence may possibly extend . And methinks these Illustrations might make the Doctor ashamed , when they shew him how much he has abus'd Truth by them . But what ? may be Dr. Wallis doth not think , that God in Christ was tempted , suffered , or dyed , but only the Man ? Does he not ? How then will he found the Merits on the Godhead , in plain terms , if Christ were only a Man extraordinarily assisted by God , and thereupon merited by his Sufferings and Death , 't was the Man redeem'd us by his Blood , and not God , who was no more concern'd in him than one of us . By this time I presume , I have sufficiently examined into the Doctor 's force in meer Reasoning ; and now it will rest upon me , to shew what a slender pretence he has even in Revelation also ; indeed , at first he seem'd to take it for granted , as if he was sure of Christ's Revelation against the First Commandment ; but I dare promise him to prove , that the New Testament is doubly more agreeable to the Arrians , if not the Socinian , than the Trinitarians ; and whenever he shall undertake this Challenge , he shall not want an Abstract in Print , to make it good ; and in the mean time , I shall content my self to shew , that all that he has hitherto cited , does not make to his purpose . And first , to shew him that his Idea of the word Person is heterodox , and unscriptural , I shall repeat but one Text , which if duly considered , were not only enough to make him leave that opinion , but turn Unitarian also ; but I shall leave it to take what effect it can ; it is Iohn 16. 13 , &c. Howbeit , when he , the spirit of truth is come , he will guide you into all truth ; for he shall not speak of himself : but whatsoever he shall hear , that shall he speak : and he will shew you things to come : he shall glorifie me , for he shall receive of mine , and shall shew it unto you . All things that the Father hath are mine : therefore said I , that he shall take of mine , and shall shew it unto you , a little while , &c. Now would I fain appeal to any Man whatever , with what words can a compleat distinction of Personation , I mean of such a Personation as is in Men and Angels , more plainly be set forth , and that both in the Son and Holy Ghost ? For first : Doth not this Text demonstrate each Person to be compleat and entire in himself . And secondly : Does it not shew them so distinct , and separate also , that they plainly rely upon one another for information . I say , after this , what colour can there be for any Man , as my Adversary has done , to destroy as good as the very Personality of the Trinity , under pretence of not defining , I say , does not this look shrewdly suspicious , that he twisted this Idea , to support the unaccountable Illustrations of his Simile . Besides this , I might add many other Texts , but as this is sufficient , and as Scripture-proof is not the main Argument , so I shall pass them by at present ; only this I must tell the Doctor , that whenever he shall please to command them , they shall be ready , and at his Service . Having therefore clear'd this general difficulty of his , I shall now proceed to his particular Texts , but yet not without this previous Observation : 'T is strange that so known a Truth , as the Mystery of the Trinity is presumed to be , should be necessitated at every turn , to be thus supported by a new quirk , as it is ; Dr. S — finds a loop-hole in Self-consciousness , and Dr. Wallis having destroy'd the Distinction of Personation , thunders in upon us by the three sides of a Cube ; but to leave their dreadful Machines , and to return to the particular Texts . One Text the Doctor alledges against us is , That we are baptized in the Name of Christ , ( pag. 60. Third Letter ) . But as to that , methinks he has been so often answered , that it has been only as our Spiritual Governours , and that even by the very Scripture interpretation of it , 1 Cor. 12. that I admire how he can insist on it . A second Text is , Iohn 10. 30. to which may be added also , 1 Iohn 5. 7. But whatever the Doctor pretends , these Texts so wholly tend to a Unity in Harmony , and not in Essence , which is so contrary to the same phrase in like case in Scripture , Iohn 17. that that Doctor must excuse me , if I tell him he can require no better Answer ; and he must farther give me leave to tell him , that what he writes in Apology for the genuineness of the latter Text , is by no means sufficient ; for however he may asperse the Arrians , with that Forgery , that has been the sole Prerogative of their Enemies , yet there is no ground for it , that Text ha ving been all along so supicious , that many Copies have had it only in the Margent , and not in the Text , which is no sign , the Transcribers should ever have omitted it in forgetfulness or negligence . Another Text he cites , is Rom. 9. 5. God over all blessed for ever . Right , and did the Doctor ever know a Unitarian , especially an Arrian , deny him that Character ? Indeed , we are apt to clog the Title with that limitation the Scriptures themselves have given it , to wit ; But unto the Son he saith , Thy Throne , O God , is for ever and ever , a Scepter of righteousness is the Scepter of thy Kingdom , thou hast loved righteousness , and hated iniquity , and therefore God , even thy God , has anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows ; viz. Angels in the Context , Heb. 1. But under that restriction , we can be as liberal of the Title of God to Christ , as any Trinitarian whatever . Nor will all the Art the Doctor has , be able to bring him over this rub , for surely Scripture must interpret Scripture , and if it must , this great Chapter , which is purposely writ to declare the superiour Nature of Christ , must needs confound him , and set up Arrianism in his stead ; nor in this case , will it excuse him to pretend the Humanity of Christ here is spoke of , for what , is the Humanity of Christ called God ? Is the Humanity preferred before Angels ? or , did the Humanity frame the Worlds ? Surely the Orthodox cannot dote so , if they can't , let them ingenuously acknowledge , that this is an over-ruling Text for the whole Divinity of Christ , till they shall instance a plainer to illustrate it . Another Text is , Matth. 4. 10. to shew we ought to worship Christ , and that from the words of Christ to Satan , when he tempted him , Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God , and him only shalt thou serve ; whereas that Text alas , was design'd quite for another purpose , that is , it was an answer , whereby Christ signified to Satan , that he did know his Duty to be , to worship the Lord his God only , and not Satan . To be short , there is no other Text he has alledg'd , but what deserves no Answer , unless it be his excellent Art of turning , Iohn 17. 3. and 1 Cor. 8. 4 , 5 , 6. ( p. 51. & 53. third Letter ) viz. This is life eternal , to know thee , the only true God , and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent . Wherein , the Doctor by his Criticism , as well as in the other Text , would fain perswade us , that the sole Deity of the Father is not contain'd in it , but alas , his Allegations are such , that he might as well say , neither Father nor Son , are the true God , and pretend that to know Thee , viz. the Father , is one Person , the only true God , a second , and Jesus Christ , whom he hath sent , a third . In short , this is so plain an Artifice , that methinks when the Doctor considers it , he will not for shame for the future , think that we abuse Scripture more than himself . But before I quite leave this Subject , there is another Text that my Adversary insists upon , to wit , the first of St. Iohn , In the beginning was the Word , and the Word was with God , and the Word was God. Now I say , though the Doctor in this case may think hard of the Socinians , yet as he writes against the Arrians too , he ought to leave a little room for their sense , which is , may I say , doubly more rational , and agreeable to Scripture too , than the Doctor 's . I would fain ask the Doctor , Does this Text insinuate that these two Gods , to wit , the Father and the Word , are one ? or does it not rather acquaint us , they are two , and separate ? If so , does not the Text I have already repeated in the first of the Hebrews , plainly declare the difference between these two Gods , to wit , that the first is the Original Fountain of Power and all things , that the other , is but by him exalted , but yet as preferr'd before the very Angels , that God , and Son , by whom the God of all , not only fram'd all things , as by an Instrument , but redeem'd them also , as 't is plainly insinuated by the Text , and the rest of the Chapter . I shall trace no further into these Scripture-Proofs , because I have no further occasion from the Doctor , and as for any body else , I dare presume to say , whatever the Doctor has done , in taking it for granted , that the Trinity is sufficiently proved by Scripture , that there are Unitarian Books , even lately extant , that have sufficiently evidenced the falsity of his pretences , and that not by means of wresting and forcing of Scripture-words and phrases , but in construing them with all the integrity and fairness imaginable . And the reason I have not troubled my self to repeat those things over again , is , that I am asham'd to see they have so little effect upon our Adversaries ; for to what end is it , to run out into nice Controversies , when men have the face to deny the most manifest first Principles ? However , I hope that this Reign and Tyranny of blindness will not last always ; I hope in time we shall meet with some men of that Courage and Sincerity , as may countenance our Cause , and rescue distressed Truth from her Suppressors . I shall now draw towards a Conclusion , and as I have hitherto taken care to avoid the Errors of my Adversary , in refuting them , so I now shall do him that Justice , as to acknowledge , he writes with a Charity like a Divine , and though he is in an Error , yet 't is with so much Softness , Generosity , and Charity , that his very Enemies cannot rebuke him for want of it . I cannot say , whether the first Composers of the Athanasian Creed were of his mind or not , and whether they intended the Damnatory Sentences with his Limitations ; but whether they did or no , which I must confess I am very apt to question , they ought to have done so , and wherein they did otherwise , they were to blame . Indeed 't is an Enthusiastick Doctrine , to damn unbaptized Infants , the invincibly ignorant , all before Christ , Fools , Madmen , as our rigid Trinitarians have too often done ; I think Dr. Wallis has done what ought ever to be reverenced . In short , the Doctor in this , has shewn himself so good a Man , that methinks I cannot but envy his Party , that he is against us . But it may be questioned possibly , why have I wrote against him then , if I had such a Respect for him ? I say not in resentment to him so much , for he has the Charity of an Angel , but least , that others relying on his strength of Reasoning , should embrace his Argument without his Charity , or else I could be content , that the Doctor , or any man , should enjoy Opinions so Innocent to themselves . For my part , I am glad to hear such healing words , as that men have abused the Damnatory Sentences , as that there is no Anathema to the Greek Church , or the sincere of any Perswasion , let it be as he says , in an extraordinary way , or as he pleases , in short , the Principle , on whatever it is grounded , is Heavenly , and breaths the true Method to Peace , Unity , and Concord , whereas the contrary censures , as he himself excellently observes , were enough to make the Creed too formidable to be approv'd of , ( p. 21. third Letter . ) Therefore , without examining further into this matter , for I shall never discourage Charity , and therefore I say , let the Damnatory Sentences be annexed to the generals of the Creed , or otherwise , for it shall never concern me : I say , there is but one thing herein wherein I have reason to be concerned in at what he says , and that is , that he should tack his Damnatory Sentence to an explanation of the Church , and not rather to the Scriptures themselves . Nor do I write this , that even in this case too , he has not left room for the invincibly Ignorant ; but only that I am sorry to see him , so much to countenance a meer humane Imposition , in forreign and unscriptural Words , as Trinity in Unity , whatever they signifie , plainly are . And therefore hence it is , that I desire to be excus'd to put a difference , between he that believeth not shall be damn'd in the Scripture , and he that believeth not a Trinity in Unity shall be damn'd , by the Athanasian Creed ; for surely , any Man may be justly excus'd , that puts a difference between the direct Word of God , and the Traditions and Interpretations of Men ; and if so , there may be just cause to disallow the parallel ; and as long as we stick cordially and sincerely to the Scripture , not to confine our selves to any particular Man's , I may say Church's Interpretation whatever . Indeed this slip or oversight in the Doctor , almost makes me admire at it ; for when a Man has reason'd so candidly and fairly as he has done , rejected the little prejudices of Quotations , acknowledg'd our uncertainty in understanding the Idea's of Scripture words ; nay , granted us that disputableness that there has been , Whether the Creed itself were Athanasius ' s , or not ? I say , when a Man can be so candid , generous , and charitable in his Reasoning , as to grant us , That the word Person , the hinge of the Controversie , is at least to us uncertain , and at best but metaphorical , and that it is no guilty ignorance not to define it , and that 't is the harshness of the Idea of it , that confounds us ; p. 62. Third Letter . I say , when a Man has gone so much further , as even to blame the Fathers , for not admitting these words without adequate Idea's , and defining them as he has done , ( p. 4 First Letter ) . I say , when he has done thus , methinks I wonder , how he can justifie their enforcement , and plead for what he himself at the same time , by an oversight condemns . These in short are my Sentiments of the Doctor 's Book , and if the World think them fair and honest , let them cherish them accordingly , and in the mean time , let us all be ready and willing , not to let these Controversies be lost upon us , but endeavour by them to recover or vindicate the Truth , as she shall appear to us . I must confess , some Men make light and sport of this Dispute , as if it were but of a Trifle , or a Ceremony ; but when they come into another World , they may know , that this is a Controversie of weight , that God is jealous of his Honour , and that he does not love his Creatures to be set up , to Rival him , and tho' in his Mercy , he may bear with us in such things , the better to draw us , if possible , to him any other way ; yet then we shall know , 't is not trifling to vilifie the God of Heaven , to rob him of his Honour , and to give it to his Dependants , thô never so excellent . The God of all Grace grant therefore , that these things may so sink into Mens Minds , that they may no longer persist in such Evils , and that they may , let us all with one accord , address our selves to his Almighty Throne ; I say , let us never cease to sollicite him with our Prayers and Tears , thro' his dearest Son Christ Jesus . Amen . Glory be to the Father , thro' the Son , and by the Holy Ghost . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A52605-e10 Nota , These Quotations and the Texts , as they relate to the Socinians , I do not meddle with , out leave them to his learned Adversary before the Socinian to handle them .