I am determined (he writes in one of his let*ters) not to regard what others, who hold no " mean rank among our brethren, may think or fay of me. This fhall be my only concern, not on the account thereof, to remit any thing of my "ftudies for the whole Church." And again in the fame letter," As for myself, if you regard the "flesh, my lot hath been fevere; but if you confider its reference to the foul, not to be re"gretted. Nay I thank God, whofe will it was I fhould fuffer any thing for his glory and that of CHRIST, and that he in the mean time granted σε me firmness of mind, whereby 'I am more ani "mated to fulfil my courfe and calling" And there was not room for calumny itself to afperfe him with the leaft fufpicion of worldly views. For if he had not put out the little money he had to intereft, it would all have been expended in two or three years, and he and his daughter would have been reduced to extreme want. And although for five years together he lived in the house, and was freely entertained at the table of M. BUCCELLA, yet at the end of that term he was worth lefs money than when he firft went to refide with that Gentleman. Nay, he was fo difinterefted, that whilft he enjoyed his kindness and hospitality, and fo was fupplied E 2 *Soc. Opera, tom. i. p. 459. col. 2. & p. 46c. col. I. plied with every neceffary, he abfolutely refused to accept a present which a wealthy friend intended to make him, though he expreffed the warmest fenfe of the favour. So far was he from making a gain of Godliness*. SECTION III. His Candour and Moderation. Deny, faith a good Writer, that any Caufe or any Truth, though ever fo important, can "enfure the title of Chriftian Zeal to an ill spirit "in contending for it; a fpirit of haughtiness and "arrogance, of falfhood and impatience of con"tradiction: though a man fill the world with ne"ver fo much noife about Orthodoxy, or about Liberty, or about any thing, let it be called by "fome name proper to it, for with this fpirit true "Zeal it cannot be, no more than the blufters of "a tempeft or the flames of an Etna t. Nay, * Soc. Opera, tom. i. p. 457. col. 2. & p. 473. col. 1. + GROVESNOR'S Cruelty in Religion no Service of GOD. Preface, p. 13. Nay, this malignant spirit of arrogance and ran cour, equally betrays a defect in the mental power of the man, as it indicates the want of the fpirit and temper of a Chriftian. "The lowest under"standing (to use the expreffive language of the "excellent and candid Dr. DODDRIDGE) the "meaneft education, the moft contemptible abili"ties may fuffice to give hard names and to pro"nounce fevere cenfures. A harsh anathema may "be learnt by heart, and furioufly repeated by one "that could fcarce read it, and, as was in truth "the cafe in fome antient Councils, may be figned 66 1 t*༄』 by those that cannot write their names. But true "Catholicifm of temper is a more liberal thing, it "proceeds from enlarged views, it argues a fupe"rior greatnefs of mind, and a riper knowledge "of men and things. On thefe principles a prefumption arifes in favour of FAUSTUS SOCINUS; that a perfon of his great capacities, and whofe conduct afforded striking indications of laudable Zeal and firm Faith, would in his deportment and writings exprefs a fuitable Candour and Liberality of heart. The evidences of this are now to be laid before the Reader; and impartiality requires us to confider those particular inftances of his behaviour that appear to breath a contrary spirit. If fuch fhould be found, it may serve to leave on our minds an affecting conviction of the weakness of human nature, which in its moft excellent and amiable forms is never free from fome imperfection, fcarcely from some great blemish and stain. One would think that it should be no very laudable exercise of candour, to allow to an adversary all the merit of the worthy and great qualities he poffeffes; yet the rareness of this virtue gives it a value, SOCINUS appears to have been willing on all occafions to do juftice to the character and learning of those who differed from him, and against whom he took up his pen. Thus he speaks of THEODORE BEZA, as having among the CALVINIST Divines but few equals, either in erudition or in penetration of mind or elegance of genius*. And he freely owns that in Poland, and other parts, the CALVINIST churches abounded with men of eminent learning and wisdom t. In the preface to the large piece of his against PALEOLOGUS On the province of the magiftrate, he fays, "to fpeak the truth, it appears even to myself somewhat ઃઃ furprising when I confider who I am, that I "fhould not hesitate to enter the lifts with so great a man as PALEOLOGUS, who fo much exceeds *SOCINI Opera, tom. i. p. 706. col. I. "me "me in learning and eloquence; neither could I "approve my conduct, did I not regard religion "as no private bufinefs, but the public concern "of every perfon *" To others, whofe fentiments he deemed it incumbent upon him to controvert, he paid the respect due to them, as men of distinguished fagacity and extensive learning †. ་ But SOCINUS seems to have poffeffed a liberality of temper superior to that which merely allows to an adverfary the praise of diftinguished literary furniture and mental endowments. He expreffes fentiments of chriftian affection for those whom he confidered as involved in great errors, and was far from confining falvation to his own views and party. It appeared, indeed, rather wonderful to him that any who embraced the orthodox doctrine of Juftification through the righteoufnefs of Chrift, fhould live in a manner worthy the chriftian name: "Yet, fays "he, I confefs there have been and now are "those who receive it and live the life of Chriftians; "but either they have not heartily imbibed it "or felt its influence, or have not closely attended "to the confequences that flow from it, or on E 4 "fome SOCINI Opera, tom. ii. p, 1. + Namely FRANCIS PUCCIUS and ANDREAS VOLA NUS, vol. ii. p. 264, 375, |