John Prideaux

From SOCINIANISM IN SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY ENGLAND, 1951 by John McLachlan

It is plain from contemporary theological tracts and treatises that the Socinian criticism of orthodox Christianity was regarded very seriously indeed by Anglicans, Presbyterians, and Independents.   [..]   Many . . . theologians had conned the books from Poland and Holland and replied to them either in pulpit,¹ lecture-room, or press. A typical instance of a scholar familiar with Socinian arguments was John Prideaux (1578-1650), Rector of Exeter College (1612-41), and Vice-Chancellor of the University for five years between 1619 and 1642. He it was whom Laud asked in 1636 to make a final revision of Chillingworth's Religion of Protestants before that work was sent to the press. Regius professor of divinity, friend of Casaubon and many continental scholars, in theology Prideaux was a moderate conservative who thought it his duty seriously to consider and combat the Socinian position. In his lectures he dealt with controversial issues, and referred again and again to the writings of the Socinian school. Thus, for example, in a lecture on the Holy Trinity delivered at Oxford on 11 July 1632, he mentions among those who do not accept the doctrine the 'Servetiani, Sociniani and crudiores nonnulli Remonstrantes',² and cites the works of Smalcius and Goslavius. Lecturing 'de Christi satisfactione' (10 July 1634) he traces back the doctrine of Faustus Socinus on this subject trough Sebastian Castellio to Bernardino Ochino's Dialogues, especially the tenth, gives Socinus's chief reasons for denying the satisfaction of Christ, and cites the books in which they may be found.³ He pays the Socinian theologians the compliment of calling them 'the most acute and astute critics of the doctrine of satisfaction'.⁴ In another lecture on the doctrine of original sin, he considers various objections to it and declares that none are 'more insidious and more dangerous among the more recent impugners of this doctrine than those who take Faustus Socinus of Sienna as the master of their opinions.'.⁵ Prideaux was well acquainted with the writings of both Socinians and Remonstrants, but considered the former the more formidable antagonists.⁶ Controversial divinity seems to have been his forte. His Fasciculus controversiarum theologicarum ad juniorum aut occupatorum captum sic collegiatus . . . (1649) . .  frequently mentions Socinian writers and their books. Moreover, he deals at length with the Socinian objections to orthodox positions. He evidently realized that these objections carried weight and must be answered with care.   (Etc.)

      ¹ [Obadiah Sedgwick ; Thomas Hodges.]
      ² John Prideaux, &nbps; Viginti-duae lectiones [etc].
      ³ Ibid., p. 296, e.g. Socinus in "prolegomenis quae postremis (15) Lectionibus' (i.e. in the Prolegomena to his Praelectiones theologicae) and in 'de Christo Servatore, Catechismus Racoviensis, et Institution Generalis cuiusdam Anonymi Contractissima' (i.e. Institutio Christianae religionis brevissima). He also mentions as important works in this connexion : Ostorod's Institutio, Smalcius against Wolfgang Franzius, Michael Gittichius against Ludovicus Lucius, John Crell against Grotius, John Stoinski's Disputatio Lubliana against John Maria the Carmelite, and John Völkel 'contra omnes', (i.e. de vera religione).
      ⁴ John Prideaux, Vigint-duae lectiones, &c., p. 297     ⁵ Ibid., p. 330.
      ⁶ Lincoln College Library possesses Prideaux's own autographed copy of V. Smalcius, Refutatio thesium . . . contra Jocobum Schopperum (1613) et Hermannum Ravenspergerum de Trinitate, 4^o Racoviae (1614). It bears a not also on the fly-leaf in his hand giving the contents of the volume.   Occasional underlining and faded ink-stains witness to its having been carefully studied.

Oxford 1951, pages 127-128.

Selected bibliographic ( University of California )

Author Prideaux, John, 1578-1650. Title Viginti-duae lectiones de totidem religionis capitibus, praecipue hoc tempore controversis, prout public� habebantur Oxoniae in vesperiis. Quibus accesserunt Tredecim orationes inaugurale ... Subnectuntur sex Conciones pro more habitae, ad artium baccalaurios in die cinerum. Per Ionnem Prideaux ... Edition Edito tertia, prioribus emaculatior, & cuplo fere auctior ... Publisher Oxoniae, Excudebat Hen. Hall: Impemsis Hen. Cripps [etc.] 1648. Description 3 pt. in 1 v. 30 cm. Note The third part, Conciones sex, has imprint: Oxoniae, Excudebat L. Lichfield [etc.] Language Latin