A Vindication of the Doctrine of the Holy and Ever Blessed Trinity, and the Incarnation of the Son of God

VINDICATION

OF THE

DOCTRINE

OF THE

Holy and Ever Bleffed TRINITY,

AND THE

INCARNATION

O F

The Son of God.

OCCASIONED

By the Brief NOTES on the Creed of
St. Athanafius, and the Brief HISTORY
of the Unitarians, or Socinians, and
containing an Answer to both.

By WILLIAM SHERLOCK D. D.

LONDON,

Printed for W. Rogers at the Sun over-against St. Dun-
ftan's Church in Fleet-ftreet. I 6 9 0.

་

Eliz. 4. Lewis
Univ. pla
place
12-5-45.

5 ૩૧૩૦

TO THE

READER.

Will make no Apology for publishing this Vindication of the Great and Fundamental Mysteries of our Religion, for if ever it were necessary, it is now, when Atheists and Hereticks, fome openly, Some under a difguife, confpire together to ridicule the Trinity, and the Incarnation.

I confess, the Book is too big, could I have made it les, as at first I intended; but when I was once engaged, I faw a neceffity of going farther; and I hope no man will have reafon to complain, that I have faid too. much, but those, who will find a great deal too much faid, for them to answer.

My Original Defign was to vindicate the Doctrines An. Sh he p 19. of the Trinity and Incarnation, from those pretended Abfurdities and Contradictions,which were foconfidently charged on them: and this I'm fure I have done; for Í have given a very eafie and intelligible Notion of a Trinity in Unity, and if it be possible to explain this Doctrine intelligibly, the Charge of Contradictions vanishes; and whether men will believe this Account or not, they can't deny, but that it is very poffible and intelligible, and if we could go no farther, that is enough in Matters of Revelation.

But I hope, I have done a great deal more than this,

A 2

and

Angh hep 362

Txith p 315

Trith p 303.

and proved, That it is the true Scripture Account of it, and agreeable to the Doctrine of the Ancient Fathers; and have vindicated the Scripture Proofs of a Trinity and Incarnation from the pitiful Sophiftries of the late Socinian Historian.

I have not indeed answered particularly the whole Book in Order and Method, as it lies, which was too tedious a Work, and not necessary; but I have confidered whatever was most material in it, and have avoided nothing, because it was hard to Answer, but because it needed no Anfwer, as I am ready to fatisfie the World, whenever a juft Occafion calls for it: for having dipt my Pen in the Vindication of fo glorious a Caufe, by the Grace of God, I will never defert it, while I can hold a Pen in my Hand.

I must thankfully own, that the writing of this Book has given me clearer and more diftinct Notions of this Great Mystery, then I had before, which is the Reafon why the Reader will find fome things explained towards the end, which I spoke doubtfully of at first, as particu larly the difference between the Eternal Generation of the Son, and the Proceffion of the Holy Ghoft; and I hope this is a pardonable Fault.

The writing this Book has coft me many Thoughts and those who have a mind throughly to understand it must not think much if it cost them fome; and if they cannot be contented to bestow fome serious Thoughts on it, it will be lost labour to read it. I pray God give fucceß to it, and open the Eyes of those Men before it be too late,who are fo induftrious to write or difperfe fuch Brief Notes and Brief Hiftories, as are valuable for nothing but Blafphemy and Nanfenfe; for Iwill be bold to Say That Socinianifin (after all its pretences to Reafon is one of -the most stupid fenfless Heresies, that ever infested the Christian Church.

THE

CONTENTS.

Oncerning the Nature of a Contradiction, and how

SECT. I.

1.C to know it,

Page 1

Many Contradictions pretended, where there are nones as in the No-