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as equivalent to Unitarian . The con- i Usion of terms may be accounted for on the same principle in this case as in the former . It arose from the want of correct discrimination , by which all persons , denying the Trinitarian faith , were called either Unitarians , Arians
or Socinians , merely because it was known that there was a general similarity of sentiment among them . Although the people at large , and perhaps some of the orthodox writers , confounded together the generic and the specific names , using them all with
an equal latitude , yet the Unitarian authors , whether Arians or Socinians , appear to have preserved the distinction with perfect accuracy . I extract from their writings the following passages as examples to prove that the term Unitarian was then universally applied and understood in ii&vxtensive
sense . 1 . Sandius { Bibl . p * 52 ) gives the following account of one of the leaders of the Arians .
u Stanislaus Farnovivs , orFar-Nesigs , a Pole . About the year 1568 he separated from the other Unitarians ?' «• He held the same opinion with Gonesins concerning the person of Christ , whose pre-existenee he warmly
defended agreeably to the doctrine of Arius , and on this account made the above-mentioned separation . " " Farnesius practised the baptism of adults by immersion in the same manner as the other Unitarians . " " After his death
his followers joined those other Unitarians , who held the opinions of Socinus . " 2 . Wissowatius ( Brief History of the Separation of the Unitarian Christians in Poland from the Reformed
Trinitarians , p . 209 ) relates , that John Sigismuud , * having held a conference during ten days at Alba Julia , in his principality of Transylvania , upon the principles of religion , and especially the doctrine of a Tri-une God , approved of the opinion of those , who
confess that God is in person as well as essence one , that the Father alone is God , and that his only Son was conceived of the Holy Spirit , and born of the Virgin Mary ; who on this account are there called Unitarians ; arid rejoice in their religious liberty , confirmed by that prince . "
3 . The anonymous author of the * ' Epistle , giving an account of Wissowatiua and of the Unitarian churches
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inhtstime ( p . 225 ) , after stating that the members of those churches wer comttaonly , though improperly cal ]^ Arians and Anabaptists , and that thev themselves wished to be called simply Christians , relates , that , " for the sake of distinction from those who chose to be named after the Trinity , they have
assumed the appellation of Unitarians : because , abiding by the authority of the Sacred Scriptures , of the Apostles' Creed , and of the Primitive Church , and abhorrhjg the Idea of any sort of division or multitude in the Deity , they acknowledge simply One Supreme Being , who is one in
person as well as in essence , the Only True God , the Creator of Heaven and Earthy and who alone is the Father . " 4 . The author of " the Acts of the great Athanasius" ( Unit . Tracts , vol . i , p ; 6 ) applies the name Unitarian to Eusebius of Cesarea , Eusebius of
Nicomedia , Constantine the Great , and Constantius ; by which the writer could only mean , that they "were believers in the simple unity of God as
one person . 5 . The author of the " Brief History of the Unitarians" ( Unit . Tracts , Vol . i . p . 11 , 1 £ ) uses these words : " I > . Petavius , the moat learned of the Jesuits , has granted , that the Fathers ( generally , ) who lived before the Nicene Council , arid whose writings
are preserved , agreed in their doctrine concerning &vd with the Unitarian , that is , the Nazarenes or Phorinians , ( now called Socinians , ) and the Arians . and concerning the Son onr Lord Christ and the H ^ ly Spirit with the Arians . For 'tis to- be noted that the Arians
and Socinians agree in their doctrine concerning God ; they both say , that he is only one . person , even the God and Father of our Lord Christ ; but they differ concerning the Son and Holy Spirit . " After describing tins difference , { the inrthor adds , that
because they agree in the principal ar tide , that 1 here is but one Person who is God , «« both parties , Socinians and Arians , are called Unitarians , aria esteem of one another as Christiati s ana
true believers . " , ., 6 . Mr . Ewilyn , who to ****?} maintaii ^ d the pre-existenca of Cnrm and his subordinate ageirty i * < £ * Sl f 4 he wotld , alWays « pealcs afV *^ as a Uiiitarisiii . In almost . *^ iSS of his w ¥ i « ng * w ^^ nd ^ the appeH * « " ^ employed in its extensive settflCi an
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476 Mr . J \) &ites on the Term Unitarian .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1815, page 476, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1763/page/12/
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