XVI. SECT. III. trine, which they had before treated with indig- CENT. nation and contempt. They, in effect, laid aside all feuds and controversies, and formed themselves into one community under his superintendency and direction [c]. PART II. tarian reli XII. Thus did Socinus introduce a consider- The Uniable change into the ancient Unitarian system, gion chanwhich, before his time, was ill digested, ill ex-ged by Sopressed, and chargeable in many places with am. cinus. biguity and incoherence. He disguised its inconsistencies, gave it an air of connexion, method, and elegance, and defended it with much more dexterity and art than had ever been discovered by its former patrons [d]. And, accordingly, [c] See Bayle's Dictionary, at the article Socinus, tom. iv. p. 2741.-Sandii Biblioth. Anti-Trin. p. 64.-Sam. Przypcopii Vita Socini, which is prefixed to the works of Socinus.-Lamy, Histoire du Socinianisme, part I. ch. xxiv. p. 101. part II. ch. xxii. p. 375, &c. [d] Hence it appears, that the modern Unitarians are very properly called Socinians. For certainly the formation and establishment of that sect were entirely owing to the labours of Lælius and Faustus Socinus. The former, indeed, who was naturally timorous and irresolute, died at Zurich, in the year 1562, in the communion of the Reformed church, and seemed unwilling to expose himself to danger, or to sacrifice his repose, by founding a new sect, that is, by appearing professedly and openly in this enterprize. Besides, many circumstances concur to render it highly probable that he did not finish the religious system of which he had formed the plan, but died, on the contrary, in a state of uncertainty and doubt with respect to several points of no small importance. But, notwithstanding all this, he contributed much to the institution of the sect now under consideration. For he collected the materials that Faustus afterwards digested and employed with such dexterity and success. He secretly and imperceptibly excited doubts and scruples in the minds of many, concerning several doctrines generally received among Christians; and, by several arguments against the divinity of Christ, which he left behind him committed to writing, he so far seduced, even after his death, the Arians in Poland, that they embraced the communion and sentiments of those who looked upon Christ as a mere man, created immediately, like XVI. PART IL CENT. the affairs of the Unitarians put on a new face. Under the auspicious protection of such a spirited SECT. III. and insinuating chief, the little flock, that had been hitherto destitute of strength, resolution, and courage, grew apace, and all of a sudden arose to a high degree of credit and influence. Its number was augmented by proselytes of all ranks and orders. Of these, some were distinguished by their nobility, others by their opulence, others by their address, and many by their learning and eloquence. All these contributed, in one way or another, to increase the lustre and to advance the interests of this rising community, and to support it against the multitude of adversaries which its remarkable prosperity and success had raised up against it from all quarters: the rich maintained it by their liberality, the powerful by their patronage and protection, and the learned by their writings. But now the system of the Unitarians, being thus changed and new-modelled, required a new confession of faith to make known its principles, and give a clear and full account of its present state. The ancient Catechism, which was no more than a rude and incoherent sketch, was therefore laid aside, and a new form of doctrine was drawn up by Socinus himself. This form was corrected by some, augmented by others, and revised by all the Socinian doctors of any note; and having thus acquired a competent degree of Adam, by God himself. What Lælius had thus begun Faustus carried on with vigour, and finished with success. It is indeed difficult, nay scarcely possible, to determine precisely what ma terials he received from his uncle, and what tenets he added himself; that he added several is plain enough. This difficulty arises from hence, that there are few writings of Lælius extant, and of those that bear his name some undoubtedly belong to other authors. We learn, however, from Faustus himself, that the doctrine he propagated with respect to the person of Christ was, at least the greatest part of it, broached by his uncle Lælius. XVI. SECT. III. PART II. accuracy and perfection, was published under the CENT. gation of nia and XIII. From Poland, the doctrine of Socinus The propa- [e] See Wissowatii Narratio de Separatione Unitariorum a VOL. IV. K K SECT. III. PART II. CENT. no means, prejudiced in favour of the Socinians; but that sect was grown so powerful by its numbers and its influence, that they could not, in prudence, attempt to suppress it [f]. Such also was the case with the successors of the Batori; they desired ardently to extirpate this society, but never could bring this desire into execution; so that to this day the Socinians profess their religion publicly in this province, and, indeed, in it alone, and, relying on the protection of the laws, and the faith of certain treaties that have been made with them, have their churches and seminaries of learning, and hold their ecclesiastical and religious assemblies, though exposed to perpetual dangers and snares from the vigilance of their adversaries [g]. About the same time the Socinians endeavoured to form settlements in Hungary [h] and Austria [i]; but these attempts were defeated by the united and zealous opposition both of the Roman Catholic and Reformed churches. In Holland land. XIV. No sooner had the Socinians obtained a and Eng- solid and happy settlement at Racow, but the dictates of zeal and ambition suggested to them views of a still more extensive nature. Encouraged by the protection of men in power, and the suffrages of men of learning and genius, they began to lay several plans for the enlargement of their community, and meditated nothing less than the [f] See Sandii Biblioth. Anti-Trinit. p. 28. & 55.-Pauli Debrezeni Historia Ecclesiæ Reformatæ in Hungaria, p. 147.Mart. Schmeizelii De Statu Eccles. Lutheranæ in Transylvania, p. 55.-Lamy, Hist. du Socinianisme, part I. ch. xiii. p. 46.— Salig, Histor. Aug. Confessionis, vol. ii. lib. vi. cap. vii. p. 847. [9] Gustav. Georg. Zeltneri Historia Crypto-Socinismi Altorfini, cap. ii. p. 357. 359. [h] Debrezeni Histor. Eccles. Reform. in Hungaria, p. 169. [i] Henr. Spondani Continuat. Annal. Baronii, ad a. 1568. n. χχίν. p. 704. propagation of their doctrine through all the states of Europe. The first step they took towards the execution of this purpose was the publication of a considerable number of books, of which some were designed to illustrate and defend their theological system, and others to explain, or rather to pervert, the sacred writings into a conformity with their peculiar tenets. These books, which were composed by the most subtile and artful doctors of the sect, were printed at Racow, and dispersed with the utmost industry and zeal through different countries [k]. They also sent missionaries to several places, towards the conclusion of this century, as appears evident from authentic records, in order to make proselytes, and to erect new congregations. These missionaries seemed every way qualified to gain credit to the cause in which they had embarked, as some of them were distinguished by the lustre of their birth, and others by the extent of their learning, and the powers of their eloquence; and yet, notwithstanding these uncommon advantages, they failed almost every where in their attempts. A small congregation was founded at Dantzic, which subsisted, for some time, in a clandestine manner, and then gradually dwindled to nothing [7]. The first attempts to promote the cause of Socinianism in Holland were made by a person whose name was Erasmus Johannis [m]. After him Chris [k] A considerable number of these books were republished together, in the year 1656, in one great collection, consisting of six volumes in folio, under the title of Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum. There are, indeed, in this collection many pieces wanting, which were composed by the most eminent leaders of the sect; but what is there published is, nevertheless, sufficient to give the attentive reader a clear idea of the doctrine of the Socinians, and of the nature of their institution as a religious community. [] Gustav. Georg. Zeltneri Hist. Crypto-Socinismi Altorfini, p. 199. [m] Sandius, Bibliotheca Anti-Trinit. p. 87. CENT. XVI. SECT. III. PART II. |