[See _Crellius_ in the Preface to his Book _De uno Deo Patre_,----_Hæc de uno Deo Patre sententia_ plurimis, _ac_ clarissimis _sacrarum literarum testimoniis nititur_----Evidens _sententiæ veritas, & rationum_ firmissimarum _è sacris literis spontè subnascentium_ multitudo, _ingenii nostri tenuitatem sublevat, &c._----_Argumenta, quæ ex sacris literis deprompsimus, per se_ plana _sunt, ac_ facilia _adeo quidem, ut eorum vim declinare aliâ ratione non possint adversarii, quam ut â verborum simplicitate tum ipsi deflectant, tum nos abducere conentur._ And see the particular places of Scripture which they urge (where, as to the expression, and other Texts being laid aside, that seems to be said, as it were _totidem verbis_, which the Socinians maintain), _Joh._ 14. 28. 17. 3. _Ep._ 1 _Cor._ 8. 6.----_Col._ 1. 15. _& Rev._ 3. 14. I set not down this to countenance their Cause, but to shew their Confidence.]
_Prot._ O strange Presumption! And is not your judgment, then, liable to mistake in the true sense of these Scriptures, because you strongly persuade your self, they are most evident on your side?
_Soc._ 'Tis true, that I may _mistake_ in the sense of _some_ Scripture; but it follows not from hence, that I can be _certain_ of the sense of _no_ Scriptures. To answer you in the words of Mr. _Chillingworth_[10]----_Tho' I pretend not to certain means in interpreting all Scripture, particularly such places as are obscure and ambiguous; yet this methinks should be no impediment, but that we may have certain means of not erring in, and about the sense of those places which are so plain and clear, that they need no Interpreters; and in such this my Faith is contained. If you ask me, how I can be sure, that I know the true meaning of these places? I ask you again; Can you be sure you understand what I, or any man else saith; They that heard our Saviour and the Apostles Preach, can they have sufficient assurance that they understood at any time what they would have them do? If not, to what end did they hear them? If they could, why may not I be as well assured, that I understand sufficiently, what I conceive plain in their Writings?_ Again; I pray tell me, whether do you certainly know the sense of these Scriptures, for the evidence of which you separated from the Church that was before _Luther_, requiring conformity to the contrary Doctrines, as a condition of her Communion? _If you do, then give us leave to have the same means, and the same abilities to know other plain places, which you have to know these. For if all the Scripture be obscure, how can you know the sense of these places? If some places of it be plain, why should I stay here?_----[11] _If you ask, seeing I may possibly err, how can I be assured I do not? I ask you again, seeing your eyesight may deceive you, how can you be sure you see the Sun, when you do see it?_ [12] _A Judge may possibly err in Judgment, can he therefore never have assurance that he hath judged rightly? a Traveller may possibly mistake his way; must I therefore be doubtful whether I am in the right way from my Hall to my Chamber? Or can our_ London _Carrier have no certainty in the middle of the day, when he is sober, and in his wits, that he is in his way to_ London?[13]--_This I am certain of, that God will not require of me a certainly unerring belief, unless he had given me a certain means to avoid error, and if I use those which I have, will never require of me, that I use that which I have not_[14].----This is Mr. _Chillingworth_'s solid Plea, against the Papist's grand Objection, for the proving an uncertainty in the Protestant's Faith upon any their pretence of _evident_ Scripture.