About the middle and towards the close of the six teenth century, the heresy of the Socinians began to ap pear in different parts of Europe, and especially in Po land. This heresy derives its name from its chief pa trons, Lxlius and Faustus Socinus : the former, a man of considerable learning as well as acuteness; the latter, distinguished by his resolution and his prudence. The heresy in question may be regarded as an extension of the Arian doctrine, respecting the nature and the person of Christ, his inherent dignity, and the worship which is paid to him. Arius, indeed, went no farther than maintaining, that there was a time hid in the depths of eternity, when the Son of God (lid not exist ; Socinus and his followers contended, that he had no existence at all, previous to his miraculous conception in the womb of the virgin. Arius regarded our Saviour as the crea tor of the visible world ; Socinus acknowledged him only as a messenger from heaven, and a true prophet. In a word, the Polish sectaries maintained that Christ, in his nature or essence, was a man, and nothing more, (4..o0; cokwyro;); but, with a strange inconsistency, they allow ed that he was produced by extraordinary and heavenly generation ; and that it was incumbent OH all Christians to address him as an object of worship. They denied the plenary inspiration of the sacred books, and rejected the personality of the holy Ghost. The tenets of the Socinians are fully set forth in the Racovian catechism ; and their interpretations of scripture are to be found at large in the complete collection of their writings, enti tled, the Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum. " The ancient catechism," says Mosheim, " which was no more than a rude and incoherent sketch, was 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 Soeinian doctors of any note ; and, having thus acquired a competent degree of accuracy and perfection, was published under the title of the " Ca techism of Racow," and is still considered as the " Con fession of Faith of the whole sect." In later times a certain modification of the Socinian doctrine was proposed by Dr Priestley, and represented, in his numerous writings, as the only doctrine contained in the sacred books. More daring than the first patrons of the cause, the modern heresiarch declares that Jesus Christ is a man in every sense of the word, born of Jo seph and Mary, in the way of ordinary generation ; that he was put to death as some of the apostles and early Christians were, in consequence of the hatred and the power of his enemies; and that he is to be distinguished from the primitive preachers of our religion only by the circumstances of rising from the dead, and of presiding at the general judgment. Dr Priestley likewise con tended, and with perfect consistency, that every act of worship addressed to Jesus is an act of idolatry ; disre garding, as it appears, the prayer of the holy martyr Stephen, when expiring under the fury of his persecu tors. In conjunction with their predecessors, the pa trons of the new doctrine deny the plenary inspiration of the sacred writings; find out, with a discernment not very easily communicated to their disciples, what pas sages we are to reject, and what portions we are bound to receive; and even venture to affirm, without awe or concern, that they have detected the great apostle of the Gentiles 44 in reasoning inconclusively." The mo dern system, too, is coupled with certain philosophical and recondite speculations, about the materiality of the human soul, and the necessity of moral actions ; and, when its parts are taken together, or put into juxtapo sition, it forms, beyond all question, the most extra ordinary phenomenon which the theology of the eigh teenth century can produce. The antagonists of Dr Priestley, were, Dr Price in the philosophical depart ment, and Dr Horsley, bishop of St Asaph, in the cri tical and historical ; and the latter, in particular, is un derstood to have established the primitive or Nicene faith with singular and tremendous ability, and with tri umphant success.
The third and last heresy which we shall mention, is that which derives its name from Arminius. It is mere
ly a less repulsive form of the doctrine proposed in the fifth century by Pelagius, a man once famous in the estimation of the learned, but now so far moved from his place, and clouded in the lustre of his Jeputation, that no country in Europe contends with our native island for the honour of his birth. He is the father of the sect denominated Pelagians. Arminius, whom we have just mentioned as adopting, with some variety. the tenets of this sect, was the disciple of Beza, and professor of divinity at Leyden. In a controversial point of view, he is to be considered as the antagonist of Calvin; and he is justly recorded as the first who attacked the theology of Geneva with any measure of success. The tenets of Arminius were solemnly condemned in a synod, which met at Dort in the year 1618. They are usually called tho 44 five Armi nian points ;" and the doctrine contained in them is expressed in the following propositions. The Armi nian sectaries hold, 1. That God, from all eternity, has determined to bestow salvation on those only, with re gard to whom he has foreseen, that they will persevere unto the end in their faith in Christ Jesus ; and to in flict everlasting punishments upon those who shall con tinue in their unbelief, and resist unto the end his di vine succours ; so that election is conditional, and re probation, in like manner, the result of foreseen infide lity and persevering wickedness. 2. That Jesus Christ, by his sufferings and death, has made an atonement for the sins of all mankind in general, and of every indivi dual in particular: but that none, excepting those who believe in him, can be partakers of this divine benefit. 3. That true faith cannot proceed from the exercise of our natural faculties and powers, nor from the force and operation of free will; since man, in consequence of his natural conception, is incapable either of thinking or of doing any good thing; and that therefore it is neces sary to his conversion and salvation, that he be regene rated and renewed by the operation of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God, through Jesus Christ. 4. That this divine grace, or energy of the Ghost, which heals the disorder of our corrupted nature, begins, ad vances, and brings to perfection, every thing that can be called good in man ; and that, consequently, all good works, without exception, are to be attributed to God alone, and to the operation of hi, grace : that, neverthe less, this grace does not force the man to act against his inclination, but may be resisted and rendered ineffectual, by the perverse will of the impenitent sinner. 5. That they who are united to Christ by faith are furnished with abundant strength, and with succours sufficient to enable them to triumph over the seductions of Satan and the allurements of the A% ovId ; but that the question, " Whe ther such may fall from their faith, and forfeit filially this state of grace?" has not yet been resolved with suf ficient perspicuity ; and must therefore be yet mote carefully examined by an attentive study of what the holy scriptures have declared, in relation to this important point. This is the fifth article as it was originally pro pounded by Simon Episcopius and the other Armenians in the Synod of Dort. 44 It is to be observed, however," says Mosheim with regard to this article, " that it was afterwards changed by the Arminians, who in process of time declared their sentiments with less caution, and po sitively affirmed, that the saints might fall away Jrom a state of grace. For a kill account of the Arminian con troversy, the reader may consult the works of Arminius himself, together with those of Episcopius and Grotius, Brandt's History of the Reformation in the United Pro vinces, vol. ii. and iii.; Whitby's Treatise on the Five ?irminian Points; and a work of great pretensions, lately set forth by Dr Tomlinc, Bishop of Lincoln. On the other hand, he may consult the volumes of Calvin and Gill, and a very profound and masterly Treatise on Free will, by the celebrated Dr Jonathan Edwards of Ame• rica.