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THE HISTORY OF RELIGION: Particularly of the Principal Denominations of CHRISTIANS, VIZ.

  • Of the Church of Rome,
  • Of the Church of England,
  • Of the Church of Scotland,
  • Of the Nonjurors,
  • Of the Lutherans,
  • Of the Preſbyterians,
  • Of the Independents,
  • Of the Baptiſts in general,
  • Of the Quakers,
  • Of the Antinomians,
  • Of the Moravians,
  • Of the Methodiſts in general.

CONTAINING A ſuccinct and genuine Account of their original and preſent CONSTITUTION, DISCIPLINE, DOCTRINES, WORSHIP, and CEREMONIES: With a general Account of the various Sectaries of leſs Note, ſince the firſt Eſtabliſhment of Chriſtianity.

Including a general Hiſtory of the REFORMATION, and ſo much of Civil and Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory as is connected with, or neceſſary to explain and illuſtrate the WORK.

To which is added, A DICTIONARY of the principal Religious ORDERS, OFFICES, DAYS, RITES, CUSTOMS, HABITS, and CHARACTERS; the moſt important TRANSACTIONS of Eccleſiaſtical COUNCILS, SYNODS, &c. explaining all ſuch ambiguous Words and Phraſes as have a proper Connexion with the Subject of this Hiſtory.

By an IMPARTIAL HAND.

VOL. IV.

LONDON: Printed for C. HENDERSON, at the Royal Exchange; W. NICOLL, in St. Paul's Church Yard; and J. JOHNSON, oppoſite the Monument.

MDCCLXIV.

THE HISTORY OF RELIGION.

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CHAP. XIII. Of the State of RELIGION from the Revolution 1689 to the death of King George II. 1760.

WILLIAM had been invited to England by a coalition of parties, united by a common ſenſe of danger; but this tie being broken, they flew aſunder, and each reſumed its original prejudices. Their mutual jealouſy and rancour revived, and was heated by diſpute into intemperate zeal and enthuſiaſm. Thoſe, who at firſt acted from principles of patriotiſm, were inſenſibly warmed into partizans; and King William ſoon found himſelf at the head of a faction. As he had been bred a Calviniſt, and always expreſſed an abhorrence of ſpiritual perſecution, the Proteſtant Diſſenters conſidered him as their peculiar Protector, and entered into his intereſts with the moſt zealous fervour and aſſiduity. For the ſame reaſons, the friends of the church became jealous of his proceedings, and employed all their influence, firſt in oppoſing his elevation to the throne, and afterwards in thwarting his meaſures. William began his reign with a proclamation for confirming all Proteſtants in the offices [2]which they enjoyed on the firſt day of December. Having choſe his Council, they reſolved to convert the convention into a parliament, that the new ſettlement might be ſtrengthened by a legal ſanction, which was now ſuppoſed to be wanting, as the aſſembly had not been convoked by the King's writ of ſummons. The experiment of a new election being deemed too hazardous, the Council determined that the King, by virtue of his own authority, ſhould change the convention into a parliament, by going to the houſe of Peers, with the uſual ſtate of a Sovereign, and pronouncing a ſpeech from the throne to both houſes: which expedient was accordingly practiſed.

Whatever promiſes William had made, and whatever ſentiments of reſpect he entertained for the church of England, he ſeemed now in a great meaſure alienated from it, by the oppoſition he had met with from its members, particularly from thoſe Prelates * who had, by abſenting themſelves from the parliament, and refuſing the oaths, plainly diſowned his title. He therefore reſolved to mortify the church, and gratify his own friends at the ſame time, by removing the obſtacles affixed to non-conformity, that all Proteſtant Diſſenters ſhould be rendered capable of enjoying and exerciſing civil employments. He recommended the eſtabliſhing a new oath, in lieu of thoſe of allegiance and ſupremacy. It was propoſed to abrogate the old, and appoint new oaths, by which the ſacramental teſt was declared unneceſſary to render any perſon capable of enjoying [3]any office or employment. This was however rejected by a great majority in the houſe of Lords. Another propoſal for the ſame purpoſe, though in different terms, met with the ſame fate. Theſe fruitleſs efforts, in favour of Diſſenters, augmented the prejudice of the churchmen againſt William, who would have willingly compromiſed the difference by excuſing the clergy from the oaths, provided the Diſſenters might be exempted from a ſacramental teſt. But this was deemed the chief bulwark of the church, and therefore the propoſal was rejected. The church-party in the houſe of Lords moved, that inſtead of obliging the clergy to take the oaths, the King ſhould be empowered to tender them; and in caſe of their refuſal, they ſhould incur the penalty, becauſe deprivation, or the apprehenſion of it, might make them deſperate, and excite them to form deſigns againſt the government. After a long and warm debate, all the mitigation that could be obtained, was a clauſe to inveſt the King with a power to indulge any twelve clergymen, deprived by virtue of the act, with a third part of their benefices during pleaſure.

The King, though baffled in his deſign againſt the ſacramental teſt, Note: Act for toleration. reſolved to indulge the Diſſenters with a toleration; and a bill for this purpoſe, was, after ſome debate, paſſed into a law, under the title of An act for exempting their Majeſties Proteſtant ſubjects diſſenting from the penalties of certain laws. It enacted, that none of the penal laws ſhould be conſtrued to extend to thoſe Diſſenters who ſhould take the oaths to the preſent government, and ſubſcribe the declaration of the thirtieth year in the reign of Charles II. provided, that they ſhould hold no private aſſemblies or conventicles with the doors ſhut; and that nothing ſhould be conſtrued to exempt them from the payment of tithes or other parochial duties. That in caſe of being choſen [4]into the offices of conſtables, overſeers, churchwardens, &c. and of ſcrupling to take the oaths annexed to ſuch offices, they ſhould be allowed to execute the employment by deputy. That the preachers and teachers in congregations of diſſenting Proteſtants, who ſhall take the oaths, ſubſcribe the declaration, together with all the articles of religion, except the thirty fourth, and the two ſucceeding articles, and part of the twentieth, ſhould be exempted from the penalties decreed againſt Non-conformiſts, as well as from ſerving upon Juries, or acting in pariſh-offices; yet all Juſtices of the Peace were empowered to require ſuch Diſſenters to ſubſcribe the declarations, and take the oaths; and in caſe of refuſal to commit them to priſon, without bail or mainprize. The ſame indulgence was extended to Anabaptiſts, and even to Quakers, on their ſolemn promiſe, before God, to be faithful to the King and Queen; and the latter's aſſenting by profeſſion and aſſeveration to thoſe articles which the others ratified upon oath: they were likewiſe required to profeſs their belief in the trinity and the holy ſcriptures.

A bill of comprehenſion had been brought into the houſe of Peers, by which moderate Diſſenters might be reconciled to the church, and admitted into eccleſiaſtical benefices. This was extremely agreeable to the King, who had the ſcheme of comprehenſion very much at heart. In the progreſs of the bill ſeveral warm debates aroſe, ſome of which were carried in favour of the Diſſenters: however the bill was rejected by the Commons, after it had paſſed the Lords with great difficulty. All the clamour that was raiſed againſt it could not prevent the King from proſecuting the ſcheme. He granted a commiſſion under the great ſeal to ten Biſhops, and twenty dignitaries of the church, authoriſing them to meet from time to time in the Jeruſalem-chamber, to prepare ſuch alterations of the liturgy and canons, and ſuch propoſals for the reformation of eccleſiaſtical courts, as might moſt conduce [5]to the good order, edification, and uniting of the church; and tend to reconcile all religious differences among the Proteſtant ſubjects of the kingdom. However, all William's endeavours at this time proved ineffectual.

A. D. 1691.] The Biſhop of Ely's being accuſed of having been concerned in a conſpiracy with Lord Preſton and others, furniſhed the King with a plauſible pretence for filling up the ſees vacated by the deprivation of the Nonjuring Biſhops. The deprived Biſhops had been given to underſtand, that an act of parliament might be obtained to excuſe them from taking the oaths, provided they would perform their epiſcopal functions; but as they declined this expedient, the King now reſolved to ſupply their places. Accordingly he conferred the vacant ſee of Canterbury, Glouceſter, Ely, Norwich, Bath and Wells, Peterborough, Chicheſter and Worceſter, on Dr John Tillotſon, Edward Fowler, Simon Patrick, John Moore, Richard Kidder, Richard Cumberland, Robert Grove, and Edward Stillingfleet. Several of the inferior clergy had likewiſe ſacrificed their benefices to their ſcruples of conſcience with regard to taking the oaths, ſo contrary to thoſe they had taken to King James, and were therefore denominated Nonjurors; but theſe were but a ſmall number in proportion to thoſe who complied, though they declared that they took the oaths in no other ſenſe than that of a peaceable ſubmiſſion to the powers that were; affirming that the legiſlature had allowed the diſtinction of a King de facto and a King de jure, as they had dropped the word rightful, when the form of the oath was under debate.

A. D. 1694.] This year died, on November 22, Archbiſhop Tillotſon, greatly regretted by the King and Queen; and generally lamented by the public, as a pattern of elegance, ingenuity, meekneſs, charity, and moderation. Queen Mary did not long ſurvive him: [6]ſhe was taken ill of the ſmall pox, and died on December 28, in the thirty-third year of her age, and the ſixth of her reign. She was a zealous Proteſtant, ſcrupulouſly exact in all the duties of devotion, of an even temper, and calm, mild converſation. She was ruffled by no paſſion, and ſeems to have been a ſtranger to the emotions of natural affection; for ſhe aſcended, without compunction, the throne from which her father had been depoſed, and treated her ſiſter, the Princeſs Anne, as an alien to her blood.

A. D. 1698.] At this period, Dr. Thomas Bray, an active divine, formed a plan for propagating the goſpel in foreign countries. Miſſionaries, catechiſms, liturgies, and other books for the inſtruction of ignorant people, were ſent to the Engliſh colonies in America. This laudable deſign was ſupported by voluntary contribution; and the bill having been brought into the houſe of Commons for the better diſcovery of eſtates given to ſuperſtitious uſes, Dr. Bray preſented a petition, praying, that ſome part of the eſtates might be ſet apart for the propagation of the reformed religion, in Maryland, Virginia, and the Leeward Iſlands. At this time likewiſe a Society for the Reformation of Manners was formed, under the King's countenance and encouragement. Conſiderable collections were made for maintaining clergymen to read prayers at certain hours in places of public worſhip, and adminiſter the ſacrament every Sunday.

A. D. 1700.] The parliament having received a petition from the Lancaſhire clergy, complaining of the inſolence and attempts of Popiſh prieſts, a bill was brought in, decreeing a further reward to ſuch perſons as ſhould diſcover and convict Popiſh prieſts and Jeſuits; and perpetual impriſonment for thoſe convicted on the oath of one or more witneſſes. It enacted, that no perſon born after the twenty-firſt day of March next enſuing, being a Papiſt, ſhould be capable of inheriting any title of honour or eſtate within the [7]kingdom of England, dominion of Wales, or town of Berwick upon Tweed; and that no Papiſt ſhould be capable of purchaſing any lands, tenements or hereditaments, either in his own name, or in the name of other perſon in truſt for him. After ſome alterations it was ſent up to the Lords, and obtained the royal aſſent, contrary to the expectation of thoſe who proſecuted the meaſure, on the ſuppoſition that the King was a favourer of Papiſts. However the bill was deficient in neceſſary clauſes to enforce execution; ſo that the law was very little regarded in the ſequel.

A. D. 1701.] A bill was this year brought into the parliament for abjuring the pretended Prince of Wales (the ſon of James II. who died the ſixteenth of September at St. Germain) and ſwearing to his Majeſty by the title of rightful and lawful King, and his heirs, according to the act of ſettlement. Warm debates aroſe upon the queſtion, "Whether the oath ſhould be impoſed, or voluntary?" And, at length, it was carried for impoſition by the majority of but one voice.

A. D. 1702.] King William's health had been for ſome time very much impaired, and a fall from his horſe, by which his collar-bone was fractured, probably haſtened his end. He died on March 8, in the fifty-ſecond year of his age, after having reigned thirteen years. In courage, fortitude, and equanimity, he rivalled the moſt eminent warriors of antiquity. He was religious, temperate, a ſtranger to violent paſſions, and might have paſſed for an excellent Prince, had he never aſcended the throne of Great Britain, after which he was oppoſed in the moſt generous attempts for the good of the public, and through his whole reign was the ſacrifice to the faction and parties amongſt the people he had ſaved from ruin.

A. D. 1702.] Anne Princeſs of Denmark, daughter of James II. by his firſt wife, aſcended the throne upon the deceaſe of William, in the thirty-eighth year of her [8]age, to the general ſatisfaction of all parties. Even the Jacobites ſeemed pleaſed with her elevation, on the ſuppoſition that, as in all probability, ſhe would leave no heirs of her own body, the dictates of natural affection would induce her to alter the ſucceſſion in favour of her own brother. She had been taught to cheriſh warm ſentiments of the Tories, whom ſhe conſidered as the friends of monarchy. Her inclination for them plainly appeared in her choice of miniſters; which were moſtly of that party. The Queen ſummoned a new parliament, which met on October 20. The Commons of this parliament had nothing more at heart than a bill againſt occaſional conformity. On November 4, a bill was brought into the houſe for that purpoſe. In the preamble all perſecution for conſcience ſake was condemned: nevertheleſs it enacted, that all thoſe who had taken the ſacrament and teſt for offices of truſt, or the magiſtracy of corporations, and afterwards frequented any meeting of Diſſenters, ſhould be diſabled from holding their employments, pay a fine of five hundred pounds, and five pounds a day for the time in which they continued to act in their employments, after having been at any ſuch meeting. But after ſeveral warm debates the bill miſcarried. A bill was brought into the lower houſe, granting another year's conſideration to thoſe who had not taken the oath of abjuration. The Lords added three clauſes, importing that thoſe perſons, who ſhould take the oath within the limited time, might return to their benefices and employments, unleſs they ſhould be already legally filled: that any perſon endeavouring to defeat the ſucceſſion to the crown, as now limited by law, ſhould be deemed guilty of high treaſon: and that the oath of abjuration ſhould be impoſed on the ſubjects of Ireland. The Commons made ſome oppoſition to the firſt clauſe; but, at length, the queſtion being put, Whether they ſhould agree to the amendments? it was carried in the affirmative by one voice.

[9]The two houſes of convocation, which were ſummoned with the parliament, bore a ſtrong affinity with that aſſembly, by the different intereſts which prevailed in the upper and lower. The laſt, in imitation of the Commons, was deſirous of branding the preceding reign; and it was with great difficulty that they concurred with the prelates in an addreſs of congratulation to her Majeſty. The lower houſe deſired, in an application to Thomas Teniſon Archbiſhop of Canterbury, and his ſuffragans, that the matters in diſpute concerning the manner of ſynodical proceedings, and the right of the lower houſe to hold intermediate aſſemblies, might be taken into conſideration, and ſpeedily determined. The Biſhops propoſed, that, in the intervals of ſeſſions, the lower houſe might appoint committees to prepare matters; and when buſineſs ſhould be brought regularly before them, that they ſhould have ſufficient time to ſit and deliberate on the ſubject. This did not ſatisfy the lower houſe: and the prelates refuſed to depart from the Archbiſhop's right of proroguing the whole convocation, with conſent of his ſuffragans. The lower houſe propoſed to refer the controverſy to the Queen's deciſion: but the Biſhops declined this expedient, as inconſiſtent with the epiſcopal authority, and the Archbiſhop's preſidency. The lower houſe, having incurred the imputation of favouring Preſbytery, by this oppoſition to the Biſhops, entered in their books a declaration, acknowledging the order of Biſhops as ſuperior to Preſbyters, and to be a divine apoſtolical inſtitution. Then they deſired the Biſhops, in an addreſs, to concur in ſettling the doctrine of the divine apoſtolical right of Epiſcopacy, that it might be a ſtanding rule of the church. They likewiſe preſented a petition to the Queen, complaining, that, in the convocation called in the year 1700, after an interruption of ten years, ſeveral queſtions having ariſen concerning the rights and liberties of the lower houſe, the Biſhops had [10]refuſed a verbal conference; and, afterwards, declined a propoſal to ſubmit the diſpute to her Majeſty's determination. They therefore fled to her Majeſty for protection, begging ſhe would call the queſtion into her own royal audience. The Queen promiſed to conſider the petition, and ordered their council to examine the affair, how it conſiſted with law or cuſtom. Whether their report was unfavourable to the lower houſe, or the Queen was willing to encourage the diviſion, no other anſwer was made to their addreſs. Theſe conteſts produced diviſions through the whole body of the clergy, who ranged themſelves in different factions, diſtinguiſhed by the names of High Church and Low Church. The firſt conſiſted of eccleſiaſtical Tories; and the other included thoſe who profeſſed revolution-principles, and recommended moderation towards the Diſſenters. At preſent, however, the Tories, both in church and ſtate, triumphed in the favour of their Sovereign.

A. D. 1703.] The bill againſt occaſional conformity was revived this year in the houſe of Commons. In the new draught however the penalties were lowered, and the ſeveral clauſes mitigated. After ſeveral debates it paſſed; and was ſent up to the Lords. It was oppoſed by a ſmall majority of the Biſhops, and particularly by Burnet Biſhop of Sarum, who exclaimed againſt it as a ſcheme to ſet the church and Proteſtants at variance: and, the queſtion being put for a ſecond reading, it was carried in the negative.

A. D. 1704.] On February 7, the Queen ordered Secretary Hedges to tell the houſe of Commons, Note: Firſt fruits and tenths granted to the poor clergy. that ſhe had remitted the arrears of the tenths to the poor clergy: that ſhe would grant her whole revenue ariſing out of the firſt fruits and tenths, as far as it ſhould become free from incumbrance, as an augmentation of their maintenance: and that, the houſe of Commons could find any method by which her intention [11]to the poor clergy might be made more effectual, it would be an advantage to the public, and acceptable to her Majeſty. The Commons immediately brought in a bill, enabling her to alienate this branch of the revenue, and create a corporation by charter, to direct the application of it to the uſes propoſed: they likewiſe repealed the ſtatute of mortmain, ſo far as to allow all men to bequeathe by will, or grant by deed, any ſum they ſhould think fit to give towards the augmentation of benefices. Addreſſes of thanks, from all the clergy of England, were preſented to her Majeſty for her gracious bounty. But very little regard was paid to Gilbert Burnet Biſhop of Sarum, although the Queen declared that Prelate author of the project *.

A. D. 1705.] Some debates having paſſed in the houſe of Lords upon the ſuppoſed dangers to which, the Tories affirmed, the church was expoſed, the queſtion was put, Whether the church was in danger? and carried in the negative by a great majority. Then the houſe reſolved, that the church of England, as by law eſtabliſhed, which was reſcued from the extremeſt danger by King William III. of glorious memory, is now, by God's bleſſing, under the happy reign of her Majeſty, in a moſt ſafe and flouriſhing condition; and that whoever goes about to ſuggeſt or inſinuate that the church is in danger, under her Majeſty's adminiſtration, is an enemy to the Queen, church, and the kingdom. The Commons concurred in this determination, and joined the Lords in an addreſs to the Queen, communicating this reſolution, beſeeching her to take effectual meaſures for making it public; and alſo for puniſhing the authors and ſpreaders of the ſeditious and ſcandalous reports of the church's being in danger. The convocation, inſtead of imitating the union and harmony of the parliament, revived the former diviſions, [12]and the two houſes ſeemed to act with more determined rancour againſt each other. The upper houſe having drawn up a warm addreſs to the Queen, for her affectionate care of the church, the lower houſe refuſed to concur; nor would they give any reaſon for their diſſent. They prepared another in a different ſtrain, which was rejected by the Archbiſhop. In conſequence of this diſſention the addreſs was dropped, and a ſtop put to all further communication of the two houſes. The Dean of Peterborough proteſted againſt the irregularities of the lower houſe. The Queen, in a letter to the Archbiſhop, ſignified her reſolution to maintain her ſupremacy, and the due ſubordination of Preſbyters to Biſhops. She expreſſed her hope that he and his ſuffragans ſhould act conformably to her reſolution, in which caſe they might be aſſured of the continuance of her favour and protection. She required him to impart this declaration to the Biſhops and clergy, and to prorogue the convocation to ſuch time as ſhould appear moſt convenient. When he communicated this letter to the lower houſe, the members were not a little confounded; nevertheleſs they would not comply with the prorogation, but continued to ſit in defiance of her Majeſty's pleaſure.

A. D. 1706.] The union between England and Scotland, which had been ſo often attempted in vain, was this year ratified by the Queen and the parliaments of both nations, though not without a ſtrong oppoſition, eſpecially on the part of the Scotch. Before the Engliſh parliament began to inveſtigate the articles of the Union, the houſe of Lords, at the inſtance of the Archbiſhop of Canterbury, brought in a bill for the ſecurity of the church of England, to be inſerted as an eſſential and fundamental part of that treaty. It paſſed through both houſes without oppoſition, and received the royal aſſent, and the Union of the two kingdoms commenced on May 1, 1707.

[13]A. D. 1707.] The lower houſe of convocation ſtill continued to wrangle with their ſuperiors; and, though they joined the upper houſe in a congratulatory addreſs to the Queen, on the ſucceſs of her arms, they reſolved to make application to the houſe of Commons againſt the Union. The Queen, being appriſed of their deſign, deſired the Archbiſhop to prorogue them for three weeks, before the expiration whereof the act of Union had paſſed in parliament. The lower houſe delivered a repreſentation to the Biſhops, in which they affirmed, no ſuch prorogation had ever been ordered during the ſitting of parliament. The Biſhops found, in their records, ſeveral precedents of ſuch prorogations, and a great many inſtances of the convocation's having ſat ſometimes when the parliament was diſſolved. The Queen, informed of theſe proceedings, wrote a letter to the Archbiſhop, intimating that ſhe looked upon the lower houſe as guilty of an invaſion of her royal ſupremacy: and that, if any thing of the ſame nature ſhould be attempted for the future, ſhe would uſe ſuch means of puniſhing offenders as the law warranted. The Prolocutor abſenting himſelf from the convocation, the Archbiſhop pronounced ſentence of contumacy againſt him: and the lower houſe, in a proteſtation, declared this ſentence unlawful, and altogether null. Nevertheleſs, the Prolocutor made a full ſubmiſſion, with which the Archbiſhop was ſatisfied; and the ſentence was repealed *.

[14]A. D. 1709.] On the 13th of December, Mr. Dolben made a complaint to the houſe of Commons of two ſermons, preached, and publiſhed, by Dr. Henry Sacheverel, Rector of St. Saviour's in Southwark, as containing poſitions contrary to revolution-principles, to the preſent government, and the Proteſtant ſucceſſion. Dolben's complaint was ſeconded by Sir Peter King and other members: and the ſermons being read, were voted ſcandalous and ſeditious libels. Sacheverel, being brought to the bar of the houſe, owned himſelf the author of both: and the Doctor being ordered to withdraw, the houſe reſolved he ſhould be impeached of high crimes and miſdemeanours, and Mr. Dolben was ordered to impeach him at the bar of the houſe of Lords, in the name of all the Commons of England. A committee was appointed to draw up articles, and Sacheverel was taken into cuſtody. Being impeached at the bar of the upper houſe, he petitioned that he might be admitted to bail; but this indulgence was refuſed, and the Commons ſeemed bent upon proſecuting him with ſuch ſeverity as gave diſguſt to men of moderate principles. Mean while the Tories were not idle. They boldly affirmed that the Whigs had formed a deſign to pull down the church; and that this proſecution was intended to try their ſtrength, before they would proceed openly to the execution of their project. Theſe aſſertions were ſupported, and even credited by ſome part of the clergy; who did not fail to alarm and inflame their hearers; while emiſſaries were [15]employed to raiſe a ferment among the populace. The articles againſt Sacheveral being exhibited *, his perſon was committed to the Deputy Uſher of the Black Rod; and the Lords admitted him to bail: and appointed February 27 for his trial in Weſtminſter Hall.

This extraordinary trial engaged the attention of the whole kingdom. It laſted three weeks, during which all other buſineſs was ſuſpended; and the Queen herſelf was every day preſent, though in quality of a private ſpectator. A vaſt number of people attended Sacheverel every day to and from Weſtminſter Hall, ſtriving to kiſs his hand, and praying for his deliverance, as if he had been a martyr or confeſſor. The Queen's ſedan was beſet by the populace, exclaiming, "God bleſs your Majeſty and the church. We hope your Majeſty is for Dr. Sacheverel." When the Doctor's council had finiſhed his defence, he himſelf recited a ſpeech, wherein he ſolemnly juſtified his intentions towards the Queen and her government; and ſpoke in reſpectful terms of the revolution, and the Proteſtant ſucceſſion. He maintained the doctrine of non-reſiſtance in all caſes whatſoever, as a maxim of the church in which he was educated; and, by many pathetical expreſſions, endeavoured to excite the compaſſion of the audience. He was ſurrounded by the Queen's chaplains, who encouraged and extolled him as the champion of the church; and he was privately favoured by the Queen herſelf, who could not but reliſh a doctrine [16]ſo well calculated for the ſupport of regal authority. After obſtinate diſputes, and much virulent altercation, Sacheverel was found guilty by a majority of ſeventeen voices; but four and thirty Peers entered a proteſt againſt this deciſion . He was prohibited from preaching for the term of three years: his two ſermons were ordered to be burned by the hands of the common hangman, in preſence of the Lord Mayor, and the two Sheriffs of London and Middleſex. The lenity of the ſentence paſſed upon Sacheverel, which was in a great meaſure owing to the dread of popular reſentment, his friends conſidered as a victory obtained over a Whig faction, and they celebrated their triumph with bonfires and illuminations.

The Queen now ſo apparently favoured the Tories, that the Whig miniſtry were entirely removed, and their places ſupplied by the other party. There was not one Whig left in any office of ſtate, except the Duke of Marlborough: and he was greatly on the [17]decline in the Queen's favour. That the triumph of the Tories might be more complete, her Majeſty diſſolved the Whig parliament, after ſuch precautions were taken, as could not fail to influence the new election, in favour of the high-church party. To this end nothing ſo effectually contributed as did the trial of Sacheverel, who was uſed as a tool to wind and turn the paſſions of the vulgar. Having been preſented to a benefice in North Wales, he went in proceſſion to that country with all the pomp and magnificence of a ſovereign Prince. He was ſumptuouſly entertained by the univerſity of Oxford, and divers noblemen: and was received in ſeveral towns, by the magiſtrates of the corporation in their formalities, and often attended by a body of a thouſand horſe. Nothing was heard but the cry of "the church and Dr. Sacheverel." The clergy were actuated by a ſpirit of enthuſiaſm, which ſpread through all ranks and degrees of people, and had ſuch an effect upon the elections of the new parliament, that few were returned as members but ſuch as had diſtinguiſhed themſelves by their zeal againſt the Whig adminiſtration.

A. D 1711] The houſe of Commons, in order to demonſtrate their attachment to the church, in conſequence of an addreſs from the lower houſe of convocation, and a quickening meſſage from the Queen, paſſed a bill for building fifty new churches in the ſuburbs of London and Weſtminſter, and appropriated for this purpoſe the duty upon coals, which had been granted for the building of St. Paul's cathedral. Of the convocation, which was aſſembled with the new parliament, the lower houſe choſe Dr. Francis Atterbury for their prolocutor. He was an enterpriſing eccleſiaſtic, of extenſive learning, acute talents, violently attached to Tory principles, and intimately connected with the prime miniſter Robert Harley, lately created Earl of Oxford, and Earl Mortimer; ſo that he directed all the proceedings in the lower houſe of convocation [16] [...] [17] [...] [18]in concert with that miniſter. The Queen, in a letter to the Archbiſhop, ſignified her hope that the conſultations of the clergy might be of uſe to redreſs the attempts of looſe and prophane perſons. She ſent a licence under the broad ſeal, empowering them to ſit and do buſineſs, in as ample a manner as ever had been granted ſince the reformation. The Biſhops were purpoſely ſlighted and overlooked, becauſe they had lived in harmony with the miniſtry. A committee being appointed to draw up a repreſentation of the preſent ſtate of the church and religion, Atterbury undertook the taſk, and compoſed a remonſtrance that contained the moſt keen and ſevere ſtrictures upon the adminiſtration, as it had been exerciſed ſince the time of the revolution. Another was penned by the Biſhops in more moderate terms; and ſeveral regulations were made: but in none of theſe did the two houſes agree. They concurred however in cenſuring ſome tenets favouring Arianiſm, broached and ſupported by Mr. Whiſton, mathematical profeſſor at Cambridge. He had been expelled the univerſity, and wrote a vindication of himſelf, dedicated to the convocation. The Archbiſhop doubted, whether this aſſembly could proceed againſt a man for hereſy: the Judges being conſulted, the majority of them gave in their opinions, that the convocation had a juriſdiction. The Queen, in a letter to the Biſhops, ſaid, that as there was no doubt of their juriſdiction, ſhe expected they would proceed in the matter before them. Freſh ſcruples ariſing, they determined to examine the book, without proceeding againſt the author, and this was cenſured accordingly. An extract of the ſentence was ſent to the Queen; but ſhe did not ſignify her pleaſure on the ſubject, and the affair remained in ſuſpence. Whiſton publiſhed a work in four volumes, juſtifying his doctrine, and maintaining, that the apoſtolical conſtitutions were not only canonical, but alſo preferable in point of authority to the epiſtles and the goſpels. The [19]bill againſt occaſional conformity was now revived in parliament by the Earl of Nottingham, in more moderate terms than thoſe that had been formerly rejected; and it paſſed both houſes by the connivance of the Whigs, upon the Earl's promiſe, that if they would conſent to this meaſure, he would bring over many friends to join them in matters of greater importance.

A. D. 1713.] In conſequence of the treaty of Utrecht, by which the French King obliged himſelf to abandon the Pretender (generally diſtinguiſhed by the name of the Chevalier de St. George, ſince 1708) and acknowledge the Queen's title and the Proteſtant ſucceſſion, the Chevalier had repaired to Lorrain. The parliament deſired that the Queen would preſs the Duke of Lorrain, and all the Princes and States in amity with her, to exclude him from their dominions. Her Majeſty taking little notice of this addreſs, the Whigs were alarmed: they concluded that the dictates of natural affection had biaſſed her in favour of the Chevalier. Whatever ſentiments of tenderneſs and compaſſion ſhe might feel for that unfortunate exile, the acknowledged ſon of her own father, it does not appear that ſhe ever thought of altering the ſucceſſion as by law eſtabliſhed. The term of Sacheverel's ſuſpenſion being now expired, extraordinary rejoicings were made upon the occaſion: he was deſired to preach before the houſe of Commons, who thanked him for his ſermon; and the Queen promoted him to the rich benefice of St. Andrew's in Holborn, London.

A. D. 1714.] At this period died the Princeſs Sophia, Electreſs Dowager of Hanover (daughter of Frederic King of Bohemia, and grand-daughter of James I. of England) upon whoſe heirs the ſucceſſion to the crown of England, by the act of ſettlement, devolved, as the neareſt branch of the royal family in the Proteſtant line. She was in all reſpects one of the moſt accompliſhed Princeſſes of the age in which ſhe [20]lived. The court of England went in mourning at her death; and the Elector of Brunſwic, her ſon, afterwards King of England, was prayed for by name in the liturgy of the church of England. On May 12, Sir William Wyndham made a motion for a bill to prevent the growth of ſchiſm, and for the further ſecurity of the church of England as by law eſtabliſhed. The deſign of it was to prohibit Diſſenters from teaching in ſchools and academies. It was accordingly prepared, but eagerly oppoſed in both houſes as a ſpecies of perſecution. Nevertheleſs, it made its way through both, and received the royal aſſent; but the Queen dying on the day it was to take place, the law was rendered ineffectual.

Her Majeſty's conſtitution was now quite broke, one fit of ſickneſs ſucceeded another; and what compleated the ruin of her health was the anxiety of her mind, occaſioned by the diſcontents which had been raiſed by the enemies of her government, and by the diſſentions among her miniſters. At laſt ſhe was ſeized with a lethargic diſorder, and, notwithſtanding all the medicines which the phyſicians could preſcribe, the diſtemper gained ground ſo faſt, that, on July 30, they deſpaired of her life. The council immediately aſſembled, and took all the neceſſary precautions for ſecuring the peace of the kingdom. They diſpatched a meſſenger to the Elector of Brunſwic, informing him of the meaſures they had taken, and deſiring he would, with all poſſible ſpeed, repair to Holland; where he ſhould be attended by a Britiſh ſquadron to convoy him to England, in caſe of her Majeſty's deceaſe. The Queen continued to doſe in a lethargic inſenſibility, with very ſhort intervals, till Auguſt 1, in the morning, when ſhe expired, in the fiftieth year of her age, and the thirteenth of her reign. The capacity of Anne Stuart, Queen of Great Britain, was naturally good, but not much cultivated by learning; nor did ſhe exhibit any marks of extraordinary [21]genius, or perſonal ambition. She was not deficient in that firmneſs of mind by which a Prince ought to preſerve his independence, and avoid the ſnares and fetters of ſycophants and favourites: but whatever might have been her weakneſs in that particular, the virtues of her heart could not be queſtioned. She was a pattern of conjugal fidelity and affection, a warm friend, an indulgent miſtreſs, a munificent patron, and a merciful Princeſs, during whoſe reign no ſubject's blood was ſhed for treaſon. She was zealouſly attached to the church of England, from conviction rather than from prepoſſeſſion, unaffectedly pious, juſt, charitable and compaſſionate. She felt a mother's fondneſs for her people, by whom ſhe was univerſally beloved, with a warmth of affection which even party-prejudice could not abate. In fine, if ſhe was not the greateſt, ſhe was certainly one of the beſt and moſt unblemiſhed Sovereigns that ever ſat on the throne of England; and well deſerved that expreſſive, though ſimple epithet, "The good Queen Anne."

A. D. 1714.] King George I. aſcended the throne of Great Britain in the fifty-fifth year of his age, without the leaſt oppoſition, tumult, or ſign of popular diſcontent; and many were now convinced that no deſign had ever been concerted by Queen Anne and her miniſtry in favour of the Chevalier de St. George. On September 17, his Majeſty arrived in the river, and, landing at Greenwich, was received by George Fitz-Roy Duke of Northumberland, Captain of the life-guards ſoon removed and the Lords of the council. It was the misfortune of this Prince, as well as a very great prejudice to the nation, that he had imbibed a ſtrong prepoſſeſſion againſt the Tories, who conſtituted ſuch a conſiderable part of his ſubjects. They were now excluded from all ſhare of the royal favour, which was wholly engroſſed by their enemies; and theſe early marks of averſion, which he was at no [22]pains to conceal, alienated the minds of many from his perſon and government who would otherwiſe have ſerved him with fidelity and affection. The number of malecontents conſiderably increaſed by the King's attachment to the Whig faction. The clamour of the church's being in danger was revived; jealouſies were excited, ſeditious libels diſperſed, and dangerous tumults raiſed in different parts of the country. Birmingham, Briſtol, Chippenham, Norwich, Reading, &c. were filled with licentious riot. The party-cry was, "Down with the Whigs; Sacheverel for ever!" Many gentlemen of the Whig party were abuſed; magiſtrates in towns, and juſtices in the country, were reviled and inſulted by the populace in the execution of their office. Religion was ſtill mingled in all political diſputes. The high churchmen complained, that impiety and hereſy daily gained ground, from the connivance, or at leaſt the ſupine negligence, of the Whig prelates.

The lower houſe of convocation had, before the Queen's death, declared that a book publiſhed by Dr. Samuel Clarke, under the title of "The ſcripture-doctrine of the Trinity," contained aſſertions contrary to the Catholic faith. They ſent up extracts from this performance to the Biſhops; and the Doctor wrote an anſwer to their objections. He was prevailed upon to write an apology, which he preſented to the upper houſe; but, apprehending it might be publiſhed ſeparately and miſunderſtood, he afterwards delivered an explanation to the Biſhop of London. This was ſatisfactory to the Biſhops; but the lower houſe reſolved, that it was no recantation of his heretical aſſertions. The diſputes about the Trinity increaſing, the Archbiſhops and Biſhops received directions, which were publiſhed, for preſerving unity in the church, the purity of the Chriſtian faith concerning the Holy Trinity, and for maintaining the peace and quiet of the ſtate. By theſe, every preacher was reſtricted from [23]delivering any other doctrine, than what is contained in the holy ſcriptures, with reſpect to the Trinity; and from intermeddling in any affairs of ſtate or government. The like prohibition was extended to thoſe who ſhould write, harangue, or diſpute, on the ſame ſubjects.

A. D. 1715] The proceedings againſt the late Queen's miniſter, and partiality to the Whigs, increaſed the ſpirit of diſcontent, which was ſo much fomented by the friends of hereditary right, both in England and Scotland, that it broke out into open rebellion, the ſuppreſſion of which proved fatal to ſome of the firſt families in both kingdoms.

A. D. 1717.] The deliberations of the convocation turned chiefly upon two performances of Dr. Benjamin Hoadly Biſhop of Bangor. One was intitled, A preſervative againſt the principles and practices of the Nonjurors. The other was a ſermon preached before the King, at the chapel royal at St. James's, on March 31, under the title Of the nature of the kingdom or church of Chriſt. An anſwer to this diſcourſe was publiſhed by Dr. Snape, Maſter of Eaton college: and the lower houſe of convocation took ſo great offence, and were ſo highly ſcandalized at ſome of the doctrines advanced by that prelate, in thoſe two pieces, that they unanimouſly appointed a committee of ſix of their members (Dr. Moſs, Dr. Sherlock, Dr. Friend, Dr. Sprat, Dr. Cannon, and Dr. Biſs) to examine the Biſhop's two performances. They drew up a repreſentation, in which the preſervative and the ſermon were cenſured, as "tending to ſubvert all government and diſcipline in the church of Chriſt; to reduce his kingdom to a ſtate of anarchy and confuſion; to impugn, and impeach, the royal ſupremacy in cauſes eccleſiaſtical, and the authority of the legiſlature, to inforce obedience in matters of religion by civil ſanctions." This repreſentation was not carried to the upper houſe; for the King or his miniſtry, being informed of the [24]matter, took care to prevent the heats and animoſities which this diſpute, if not timely checked, might have occaſioned: and therefore his Majeſty ſent a writ to the Archbiſhop of Canterbury to prorogue the convocation. As for the conſequences it produced afterwards, among the contending parties, who, upon a trivial incident, in which their own reputations indeed were concerned, but the merits of the cauſe not in the leaſt affected, grew ſo outrageous, as, by advertiſement in the public news-papers, ſigned by their own hands, to give one another the lye, and thereby not only expoſe themſelves to the deriſion of the ſober part of mankind, but even the church of England to the attacks and inſults of her enemies; I have neither room nor inclination to inſert them. The Biſhop's chief antagoniſts were Dr. Snape and Dr Sherlock, whom his Majeſty removed from the office of his chaplains. The convocation has not been permitted to ſit and do buſineſs ever ſince that period, unleſs it be to make complimentary addreſſes to the throne *.

On December 13, Earl Stanhope declared in the houſe of Lords, Note: The acts to prevent occaſional conformity, and the growth of ſchiſm, repealed. that, in order to unite the hearts of the well-affected to the preſent eſtabliſhment, he had a bill to offer under the title of "An act for ſtrengthening the Proteſtant intereſt in theſe kingdoms." It was accordingly read, and appeared to be a bill repealing the acts againſt occaſional conformity, the growth of ſchiſm, [25]and ſome clauſes in the corporation and teſt acts. This had been concerted by the miniſtry, in private meetings with the moſt eminent Diſſenters. The Tory Lords were aſtoniſhed at this motion, for which they were altogether unprepared: nevertheleſs they ſtrenuouſly oppoſed it. They alledged that the bill, inſtead of ſtrengthening the church of England, would certainly weaken her, by plucking off her beſt feathers, inveſting her enemies with power, and ſharing with churchmen the civil and military employments, of which they were then wholly poſſeſſed. Earl Cowper declared himſelf againſt that part of the bill, by which ſome clauſes of the teſt acts were repealed; becauſe he looked upon thoſe acts as the main bulwark of our excellent conſtitution in church and ſtate, which ought to be inviolably preſerved. Archibald Earl of Ilay (late Duke of Argyle) oppoſed the bill, becauſe, in his opinion, it infringed the pacta conventa of the treaty of union, by which the bounds, both of the church of England and that of Scotland, were fixed and ſettled; and he was apprehenſive, if the articles of the union were broke with reſpect to one church, it might afterwards be a precedent to break them with reſpect to the other. William Wake Archbiſhop of Canterbury ſaid, the acts, which were by this bill to be repealed, were the main bulwark and ſupporters of the Engliſh church. He expreſſed all imaginable tenderneſs for well-meaning conſcientious Diſſenters; but he could not forbear obſerving, that ſome among that ſect made a wrong uſe of the favour and indulgence ſhewn to them at the revolution, though they had the leaſt ſhare in that happy event: it was therefore thought neceſſary for the legiſlature to interpoſe, and put a ſtop to the ſcandalous practice of occaſional conformity. He added, that it would be needleſs to repeal the act againſt ſchiſm, ſince no advantage had been taken of it to the prejudice of Diſſenters. Dr. Hoadly Biſhop of Bangor [26]endeavoured to prove, that the occaſional and ſchiſm acts were in effect perſecuting laws; and that, by admitting the principle of ſelf defence and ſelf-preſervation in matters of religion, all the perſecutions maintained by the heathens againſt the profeſſors of Chriſtianity, and even the Popiſh inquiſition, might be juſtified. With reſpect to the powers, of which many clergymen appeared to be ſo fond and zealous, he owned the deſire of power and riches was natural to all men; but that he had learned, both from reaſon and from the goſpel, that this muſt be kept within due bounds, and not intrench upon the rights and liberties of their fellow creatures and countrymen. After a long debate, the houſe agreed to leave out ſome clauſes, concerning the teſt and corporation acts: then the bill was committed, and afterwards paſſed. It met with great oppoſition in the lower houſe, but was carried by the majority.

While the bill was depending, a clauſe was propoſed, whereby all perſons, who came to qualify themſelves for offices, were obliged to acknowledge the holy ſcriptures to be a divine inſpiration, and their faith in the holy Trinity; but was rejected as too great a reſtraint.

On November 27, the Rev. Mr. Edward Byſſe, Rector of Portbury, and of St. George, in Somerſetſhire, was brought to the court of King's-Bench, Weſtminſter, to receive the judgment of that court for the ſeveral facts of which he had been convicted; viz. at the aſſizes at Saliſbury, in Wiltſhire, July 25, for ſpeaking at Abury, in that county, the following words: "George has no buſineſs here: we have had no laws theſe thirty years, never ſince the time of King James II. nor ſhall until King James comes; he is my maſter, and my rightful King." At the aſſizes at Ayleſbury, in the county of Buckingham, July 28, he was convicted for ſpeaking the ſame words at Slough [27]in that county. At the aſſizes at Wells, in the county of Somerſet, Auguſt 29, he was convicted for ſpeaking the ſame words in the ſaid city of Wells. At the ſame aſſizes he was convicted for uttering at St. George's in the ſaid county, theſe words: "King George is an uſurper; King James is my lawful King." He was alſo convicted at the ſame aſſizes, at Wells, for preaching, in the pariſh-church at Portbury, in theſe words: "However God may in judgment allow uſurpation, yet God will never proſper or bleſs the ſame: I need not go to foreign countries for proof of this, but confine ourſelves to our own iſland, where we have groaned under that plague theſe thirty years. We have had neither King, parliament, nor laws, theſe thirty years. Things have never been right theſe thirty years; that is, ſince the misfortune of the father; and things will never be right till the reſtoration of his ſon, my maſter." He was, moreover, convicted at the ſame aſſizes, at Wells, for preaching, in the pariſh-church of St. George, in theſe words: "King George is an uſurper." For the above-mentioned preaching, at Portbury church, he was ſentenced to ſtand in the pillory for an hour at Charing-croſs, on the firſt of December, with this inſcription over his head, "For ſeditious and treaſonable preaching;" to be impriſoned four years, and to find ſureties for his good behaviour during life; himſelf in 200 l. penalty, and two ſureties in 100 l. each. For his before-mentioned preaching in St. George's church, he was adjudged to ſtand in the pillory at the Royal Exchange, on the ſecond of December, for an hour, with the ſame inſcription over his head, and to pay a fine of 200 l. For his four other offences, above-mentioned, he was fined 100 l. each.

A. D. 1721.] Joſeph Hall, Eſq having wrote a blaſphemous pamphlet, intitled, A ſober reply to Mr. Higg's merry argument, or the Tritheiſtical doctrine of the Trinity, was tried for the ſame on March 6, and being [28]found guilty, was, on June 15, ſentenced to ſtand on the pillory at Charing-croſs; to pay a fine of 200 l. to be impriſoned for three months, and to find ſecurity for his good behaviour for ſeven years. Mr. Hall had 150 l. of his fine remitted, and his ſtanding in the pillory diſpenſed with: but Mr William Wilkins, who only printed off the ſaid pamphlet, was adjudged to pay a fine of 100 l. to be impriſoned for three months, and to find ſecurity for his good behaviour for ſeven years, and had no mitigation of his ſentence.

A. D. 1722.] The Quakers preſented a petition to the houſe of Commons, Note: Act in favour of the Quakers. praying that a bill may be brought in for omitting in their ſolemn affirmation the words, "In the preſence of Almighty God," as enjoined in an act paſſed in the reign of King William, for making their ſolemn affirmation to be equivalent to an oath, and made perpetual by a ſtatute in 1715. The houſe complied with their requeſt; but the bill gave riſe to a warm debate among the Peers. Dr. Francis Atterbury Biſhop of Rocheſter ſaid, he did not know why ſuch a diſtinguiſhing mark of indulgence ſhould be allowed to a ſet of people who were hardly Chriſtians. His Lordſhip was ſeconded by the Earl of Strafford, Lord North and Grey, and the Archbiſhop of York: but they were oppoſed by the Earl of Sunderland, the Duke of Argyle, White Kennet Biſhop of Peterborough, the Earl of Ilay, and the Earl of Macclesfield: and the queſtion being put for committing the bill, it was carried in the affirmative by ſixty-four voices againſt fourteen. On January 17, their Lordſhips were to go into a grand committee upon the ſaid bill, but were prevented by an unexpected petition from ſome of the London clergy, which was preſented by Sir William Dawes Archbiſhop of York, and was as follows:

[29]

To the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in parliament aſſembled,

The humble petition of the clergy in and about London, with all ſubmiſſion, ſheweth,

That there is a bill now depending in your Lordſhips houſe, intitled, An act for granting the people called Quakers, ſuch a form of affirmation or declaration, as may remove the difficulties which many of them lie under. Which bill, ſhould it paſs into a law, as it may in its conſequences nearly affect the property of the ſubject in general, ſo it will, in a more eſpecial manner, endanger the legal maintenance of the clergy by tithes; inaſmuch as the people called Quakers pretend to deny the payment of tithes upon a principle of conſcience; and therefore, as your petitioners apprehend, may be under ſtrong inducements to eaſe their conſciences in that reſpect, by violating them in another, when their ſimple affirmation in behalf of friends of the ſame perſuaſion ſhall paſs in all courts of judicature for legal evidence.

However, the injuries that your petitioners in their private affairs may poſſibly ſuffer, are, as they ought to be, of ſmall account with them, in compariſon of the miſchiefs which may redound to the ſociety from the indulgence intended, as it ſeems to imply, that juſtice may be duly adminiſtered, and government ſupported, without the intervention of any ſolemn appeal to God, as a witneſs of the truth of what is ſaid, by all perſons, in all caſes, of great importance to the common welfare; whereas your petitioners are firmly perſuaded, that an oath was inſtituted by God himſelf, as the ſureſt bond of fidelity among men, and hath been eſteemed, and found to be ſo, by the wiſdom and experience of all ages and all nations.

But that which chiefly moves your petitioners to apply to your Lordſhips, is their ſerious concern, leſt the minds of good men ſhould be grieved and wounded, [30]and the enemies of Chriſtianity triumph, when they ſhall ſee ſuch condeſcenſions made, by a Chriſtian legiſlature, to a ſet of men who renounce the divine inſtitutions of Chriſt, particularly that by which the faithful are initiated into his religion, and denominated Chriſtians; and who cannot, on this account, according to the uniform judgment, and practice of the Catholic church, be deemed worthy of that ſacred name.

Your petitioners moreover crave leave to repreſent to your Lordſhips, that, upon the beſt information they can get, the inſtances wherein any Quaker hath refuſed the ſolemn affirmation, preſcribed by an act in the ſeventh and eighth year of William III. have, from the paſſing that act to this day, been exceeding rare; ſo that there might be ground to hope, that the continued uſe of the ſaid ſolemn affirmation would, by degrees, have entirely cured that people of all thoſe unreaſonable prejudices againſt an oath, which the favour deſigned them by this bill may tend to ſtrengthen and confirm.

And your petitioners humbly leave it to your Lordſhips wiſe deliberations, whether ſuch an extraordinary indulgence granted to a people already, as is conceived, too numerous, may not contribute to multiply their ſect, and tempt perſons to profeſs themſelves Quakers, in order to be exempted from the obligation of oaths, and to ſtand upon a foot of privilege, not allowed to the beſt Chriſtians in the kingdom. Your petitioners therefore humbly hope, that theſe and other conſiderations, which may offer themſelves to your Lordſhips great wiſdom, may induce your Lordſhips not to give your conſent to the paſſing of this bill into a law *.

And your petitioners ſhall ever pray, &c.

[31]The Archbiſhop of York ſpoke in behalf of this petition, and moved that it might be read; and he was ſeconded by ſeveral Biſhops and Noblemen. However the petition was branded by the miniſtry as a ſeditious libel, and rejected by the majority. On January 18, the Lords went into a committee on the Quakers bill, and after reading the firſt clauſe, the Archbiſhop of Canterbury moved, that the Quakers affirmation might not be allowed in courts of judicature, but among themſelves; and the Archbiſhop of York moved for a clauſe, that the Quakers affirmation ſhould not go in any ſuit at law for tithes: but after ſome debate the queſtion being put thereupon, was carried in the negative by fifty two voices againſt twenty-one: and the queſtion being put in the houſe, whether the bill ſhould paſs? it was reſolved in the affirmative.

The next affair that engaged the attention of the public, Note: Proceedings againſt Dr. Atterbury, Biſhop of Rocheſter. with regard to the eſtabliſhed church, was the proſecution of Dr. Francis Atterbury, Biſhop of Rocheſter. This Prelate had eminently [32]diſtinguiſhed himſelf as an high-churchman, and was promoted to his ſee by Queen Anne in 1713. After the acceſſion of George I. he appeared generally among the proteſters againſt the meaſures of the adminiſtration, and drew up the reaſons of the proteſts with his own hand. This expoſed him to the reſentment of the miniſters, and on Auguſt 24, 1722, he was committed to the Tower on an accuſation of high-treaſon; ſeveral noblemen and gentlemen, being alſo taken into cuſtody, on the ſame pretence, about that time or before the end of the year *. The confinement of the Biſhop was conſidered, by the eccleſiaſtics throughout the whole kingdom, as an outrage upon the church of England and the epiſcopal order; and moſt of the clergy, in and about London and Weſtminſter, offered up public prayers, in their ſeveral churches and chapels, for his health. About the end of March, this year, a bill for inflicting pains and penalties on his Lordſhip was brought into the houſe of Commons, when Sir William Wyndham affirmed, that there was no evidence againſt him, but conjectures and hearſays. The Biſhop, as a member of the upper houſe, made no defence before the Commons: but when the bill was carried up to the Peers, his Lordſhip and counſel were heard, and ſupported by many of the ableſt ſpeakers and lawyers in that aſſembly, who pointed out the inſufficiency of the evidence. However, his antagoniſts not being ſo ſolicitous about anſwering reaſons, as eager to put the queſtion, the bill was carried by a majority of eighty-three againſt forty-three, [33]but not without proteſts, and on May 27 received the royal aſſent. By this act his Lordſhip was deprived of all offices, benefices, and dignities, and rendered incapable of enjoying any for the future: he was baniſhed the realm, and ſubjected to the pains of death, in caſe he ſhould return, as were all perſons who ſhould correſpond with him during his exile, unleſs authoriſed under the privy-ſeal; and the royal prerogative ſo far retrenched, that the King could not pardon him without an act of parliament. His Lordſhip being put on board the Aldborough man of war on June 19, landed on the 21ſt at Calais, and died on February 13, 1732, in the 70th year of his age, at Paris, whence his corpſe was brought to England, and interred in Weſtminſter abbey .

This was the laſt material tranſaction, relating to the church, in the reign of King George I. who being ſuddenly ſeized with a paralytic diſorder on the road to Hanover, loſt the faculty of ſpeech, became lethargic, and on June 11, 1724, expired at Oſnaburgh, in the 68th year of his age, and 13th of his reign. George I. was plain and ſimple in his perſon and addreſs, grave and compoſed in his deportment; though eaſy, familiar, and facetious in his hours of relaxation. Before he aſcended the throne of Great Britain, he had the character of a circumſpect General, a juſt and merciful Prince, and a wiſe politician. If afterwards he ſeemed to deviate from theſe principles, we may take it for granted, that he was miſled by the venal ſuggeſtions of a miniſtry, who had engroſſed all his favour, and whoſe power and influence were ſupported by corruption.

An attempt of the Quakers to get themſelves relieved from the payment of tithes, church-rates, and [34]other eccleſiaſtical dues; an intended general naturalization of foreign Proteſtants; a propoſed review and alteration of the liturgy; adapting the calendar in the book of Common Prayer to th [...] Gregorian or new ſtile; the marriage-act; and the act for naturalizing the Jews, which however was but of ſhort duration, being repealed the next ſeſſion after it paſſed, were (unleſs the gin-act, &c. be included, as affecting the morals of the people) the moſt important tranſactions relating to the intereſts and conſtitution of the church of England during the reign of King George II. who departed this life at St. James's palace on October 25, 1760, in the 34th year of his reign, and the 77th of his age.

The Hiſtory of the CHURCH of SCOTLAND.

THE church-government in Scotland was epiſcopal, from the time of their converſion to the Chriſtian religion, which was begun by Palladius about the year 430 * after the birth of our Saviour; or rather, from the firſt eſtabliſhment of Chriſtian churches in that kingdom, in the fifth and ſixth centuries, and ſo continued till the reformation took place, in the reigns of Mary, mother of James I. and of Mary I. of England; but the Preſbyterian diſcipline was not finally eſtabliſhed therein until the reign of King William and Mary, A. D. 1689, when epiſcopacy was totally aboliſhed.

[35]Mr. John Knox, a native of Scotland, and a bold and courageous divine, was the inſtrument, in the hands of Providence, to bring about the work of reformation in that kingdom, for which he was well qualified by his undaunted ſpirit, his learning, and his eloquence, which were extraordinary for thoſe times. He had been a public preacher, in King Edward VI.'s reign, in England; was, in the next, an exile at Franckfort, and afterwards one of the Paſtors of the Engliſh congregation at Geneva: from thence he came to Edinburgh, May 2, 1559, being then 54 years of age. He ſettled at Perth; but was unwearied in his travels and labours over the whole kingdom . He had the boldneſs to maintain this poſition, "That if Kings and Princes refuſed to reform religion, inferior magiſtrates and the people, being directed and inſtructed in the truth by their preachers, may lawfully reform within their own bounds themſelves; and if all, or the far greater part, be enlightened by the truth, they may make a public reformation."

Upon this principle Knox and his brethren petitioned the Queen-mother, who was Regent for her daughter Queen Mary, then in France, for liberty to aſſemble publickly or privately, for the performance of religious duties and offices in the vulgar tongue, and for adminiſtring the ſacrament of the Lord's ſupper in both kinds, according to the inſtitution of Jeſus Chriſt. Their petition, tho' ſo reaſonable, not being admitted, an aſſociation was formed by a conſiderable number of the nobility, who reſolved to riſk their lives and fortunes in behalf of the indulgence they had requeſted. They encouraged the curates of the pariſhes within their reſpective diſtricts to read the prayers and leſſons in Engliſh; but not to expound the ſcriptures till liberty was obtained from the Queen. This being practiſed, with ſucceſs, at Perth and ſome neighbouring [36]places, and no diſturbance enſuing, the aſſociation was entered into by greater numbers, and even at Edinburgh, the capital, many ſigned it

Having made ſuch a multitude of proſelytes, they again petitioned the Queen-Regent, and repreſented to her the unreaſonableneſs of the r [...]gour ſhe exerciſed againſt the Proteſtants, conſidering their numbers: but the Regent continued deaf to their remonſtrances, and rejected every moderate meaſure to which ſhe was adviſed.

When the parliament met, the congregation, or chiefs of the aſſociation, preſented a ſet of articles to the Regent, relative to liberty of conſcience, to be laid before the houſe; but ſhe would not admit them to be debated; whereupon they drew up the following proteſtation, and deſired it might be recorded: "That ſince they could not procure a reformation, agreeable to the word of God, from the government, that it might be lawful for them to follow the dictates of their own conſciences: that none that joined them in the profeſſion of the true faith ſhould be liable to any civil penalties, or incur any damages for ſo doing. If any tumults ariſe on the ſcore of religion, they proteſt the imputation ought not to lie upon them, who now humbly entreat for a regular remedy; and that in all other things they will be moſt loyal ſubjects."

The Regent having acquainted the court of France with the ſituation of affairs, received orders to ſuffer no other religion but the Roman Catholic. and a promiſe to ſupply her with forces to back her proceedings. Hereupon ſhe ſummoned the inhabitants of Perth, and the reformed miniſters, to appear before her at Stirling; and they accordingly attended, followed by multitudes of people, well armed, and determined to defend them, if any violence were offered to their perſons. This ſight filled the Regent with apprehenſions for her ſafety, and ſhe prayed the multitude might retire, giving her word that nothing ſhould be decreed [37]againſt the miniſters. However, as ſoon as they had yielded to her perſuaſions, and were retired quietly home, ſhe condemned them for non-appearance.

The falſification of her promiſe no [...]ooner reached Perth, than the burghers, encouraged by the neighbouring nobility and gentry, formed an army of 7000 men, which was put under the command of the Earl of Glencairn, for the defence of their miniſters againſt the Regent, who marched againſt them with an army compoſed of French and Scotch, in order to drive them out of their country. Seeing the burghers had made preparations to give her a warm reception, ſhe was willing to conſent to a treaty, by which it was agreed ſhe ſhould be received into the city with all due honour, and ſuffered to reſide there ſome days, provided ſhe promiſed to make no alteration in religion, but referred what related thereto to the parliament, and the Scotch forces, on both ſides, to be diſmiſſed. But the wily Regent had no ſooner entered the city, and the reformed had diſmiſſed their troops, than ſhe broke the articles, ſet up the maſs, and left a French garriſon in the town, with a reſolution to make it a place of arms. She alſo declared that "promiſes were not to be kept with hereticks;" whereupon the congregations of Fife, Perth, Dundee, Angus, Merns, and Montroſe, raiſed a body of men, and engaged to ſtand by one another, in maintenance of the reformation, with their lives and fortunes. Mr. Knox inſpirited them by his prea [...]hing, and the common people, warm with reſentment, pulled down altars and images, deſtroyed the Popiſh ornaments in churches, and plundered many monaſteries. The Regent marched againſt them at the head of 2000 French, and 2000 Scotch, in French pay; but not being inclined to hazard a battle, ſhe retired to Dunbar, and the reformers made themſelves maſters of Perth, Scoon, Stirling, and Linlithgow, which ſoon produced a truce, and the reformed miniſters had liberty to preach in the pulpits [38]at Edinburgh, for the preſent. But the ſcene was ſoon changed, and upon receiving the recruits and money from France, the Regent took poſſeſſion of Leith, fortified it, and ſtored it with every thing neceſſary for its defence. The confederates complained of this breach of the truce, and beſought her to demoliſh the works; but ſhe commanded them not to violate their allegiance, and to lay down their arms. To inforce her commands, ſhe marched ſuddenly to Edinburgh, and obliged them to deſert that capital and retire to Stirling; but the French troops following them cloſe at the heels, they were diſperſed into the mountains. The ſpirit which actuated them was far from being abated in this diſtreſs, and they even publiſhed a proclamation, wherein they deprived the Regent of her authority, and threatened to treat all thoſe as enemies who obeyed her orders. Theſe ſort of acts, tho' they were tokens of their fortitude, yet could not enable them to face the Regent's forces, whereupon they reſolved to put themſelves under the protection of Queen Elizabeth. That wiſe Princeſs weighing the nature of the caſe, and perceiving the danger that would ariſe to her own crown, as well as the Proteſtant religion, if Scotland became entirely attached to Popery, under the government of a Popiſh Queen, who was alſo Queen of France, and claimed the crown of England, entered into an alliance with the confederate reformers, to ſupport them in their religious and civil liberties; and the treaty was ſigned at Berwick, February 27, 1560. By this treaty the Queen engaged to ſend forces into Scotland, to continue there till Scotland was reſtored to its liberties and privileges, and the French driven out of the kingdom. Elizabeth purſuant thereto ſent a body of forces, conſiſting of 7000 foot and 1200 horſe, which joined an army of the ſame force, raiſed by the confederates. This combined army was, ſometime afterwards, reinforced from the northern marches, by a large detachment, [39]commanded by the Duke of Norfolk; and upon this junction they reduced Leith, and obliged the Regent to ſhut herſelf up in the caſtle of Edinburgh, where ſhe deceaſed June 10, 1560.

The French alarmed at this progreſs would have reſtored Calais, provided Elizabeth would recall her forces from Scotland; but this ſhe abſolutely refuſed. But the troubles in France laid the French, ſoon after, under a neceſſity of ſending for their troops home, for which purpoſe they diſpatched plenipotentiaries into Scotland to treat with thoſe of Elizabeth about the method of withdrawing them, and the reſtoration of the Scotch to their parliamentary government.

At the beginning of the month of Auguſt * a treaty was concluded, by which a general amneſty was granted; the Engliſh and French troops were to withdraw in two months; and a parliament was to be aſſembled with all convenient ſpeed to ſettle the affairs of religion and the kingdom. Though Francis and Mary refuſed to ratify this treaty, the parliament aſſembled in Auguſt 1560, by virtue thereof, without any direct authority from the crown for that purpoſe. Francis indeed died before they met, and left his wife, Queen Mary, a young, and not very prudent widow, being entirely and zealouſly attached to Popery, and under the management of her French relations.

The barons and gentlemen petitioned the parliament to ſuppreſs the doctrines of the church of Rome, in certain exceptionable points; to revive the ancient church-diſcipline, and to aboliſh the Pope's uſurped authority.

All this received their approbation, and the miniſters were deſired to draw up a confeſſion of faith: this they performed, in twenty-ſix articles, following therein the ſentiments of Calvin and the foreign reformers. [40]This confeſſion being read, was carried in the parliament, only three voices diſſenting therefrom, and the Popiſh prelates offering no arguments in defence of the old religion

By another act they aboliſhed the authority of the Pope, and reading maſs was to be puniſhed; for the firſt offence with loſs of goods; for the ſecond, with baniſhment; and for the third, with death. This laſt puniſhment was certainly not to be defended in theſe reformers: difference of ſentiment may ariſe from want of underſtanding, or from the prejudices of education; and no man, as a good writer has obſerved, ſhould be deſtroyed for his ſincerity, unleſs his opinions tend to mutiny and treaſon, and ſap the foundations of civil ſociety.

When the parliament broke up, a commiſſion directed to Mr. Knox, Mr. Willock, Mr. Spotſwood, and ſome other divines, to draw up a ſcheme of diſcipline for the church, was executed by them nearly upon the plan of the church at Geneva; ſave that they admitted ſuperintendants in the name of Biſhops, and, in the ordination of miniſters, rejected the impoſition of hands; their reaſon for the latter omiſſion was, that they apprehended miracles formerly accompanied that ceremony, which they now imagined had ceaſed. They appointed ſuperintendants, to the number of ten or twelve, to plant and erect kirks, and to appoint miniſters where there were none already. "But," ſay they, "theſe men muſt not live like idle Biſhops, but muſt preach themſelves twice or thrice a week, and viſit their diſtricts every three or four months, to inſpect the lives and behaviour of the parochial miniſters, to redreſs grievances, or bring them before an aſſembly of the kirk." Theſe ſuperintendants were to be elected by the miniſters and elders of the ſeveral provinces, and to be deprived by them for miſbehaviour. The aſſemblies of the kirk [41]were to be claſſical, provincial and national, in which laſt the ſupreme kirk juriſdiction was repoſed.

The reformers warmly expected that when this plan of diſcipline was laid before the eſtates, it would meet with a parliamentary ſanction; but inſtead thereof it was referred to future conſideration. Upon which, after the receſs of parliament, many of the nobles, barons and chief men of the nation, met together, at the inſtance of Mr. Knox, and ſigned the plan, reſolving to abide by the new diſcipline, till it ſhould be confirmed or altered by parliament: thus, in effect, without the authority of an act of parliament, the hierarchical government was laid aſide, and the kirk of Scotland eſtabliſhed, though, as will be ſeen, it had the ſanction of no law, till ſome years after.

It may not be improper, before we proceed, to explain the motives of the firſt reformers for making ſo great a difference in the new model of church-government, from that which had been ſo long eſtabliſhed, and to reflect a little upon the proceedings already related.

* As the vices of the clergy had at firſt excited the indignation of mankind, and rouſed that ſpirit of enquiry which proved ſo fatal to the whole Popiſh ſyſtem: as this diſguſt at the vices of eccleſiaſtics was ſoon tranferred to their perſons, and ſhifting from them, by no violent tranſition, ſettled at laſt on the offices they enjoyed; the effects of the reformation would naturally have extended not only to the doctrine, but to the government of the Popiſh church, and the ſame ſpirit which aboliſhed the former would have overturned the latter. But in Germany, England, and the Northern kingdoms, its operations were checked by the power and policy of their Princes, and the ancient epiſcopal juriſdiction, under a few limitations, [42]was ſtill continued in thoſe churches. The epiſcopal hierarchy appears to be more conformable to the practice of the church, ſince Chriſtianity became the eſtabliſhed religion of the Roman empire. The eccleſiaſtical government was, at that time, plainly copied from the civil; the firſt not only borrowed its form, but derived its authority from the latter, and the dioceſes and juriſdiction of Patriarchs, Archbiſhops and Biſhops, correſponded with the diviſion and conſtitution of the empire. In Switzerland and the Low Countries, the nature of the government allowing full ſcope to the genius of the reformation, all pre-eminence of order in the church was deſtroyed, and an equality eſtabliſhed more ſuitable to the ſpirit of republican policy. The ſituation of the primitive church ſuggeſted the idea, and furniſhed the model of the latter ſyſtem, which has ſince been called Preſbyterian. The firſt Chriſtians, oppreſſed by continual perſecutions, and obliged to hold their religious aſſemblies by ſtealth and in corners, were contented with a form of government extremely ſimple. The influence of religion concurred with the ſenſe of danger, in extinguiſhing among them the ſpirit of ambition, and in preſerving a parity of rank, the effects of their ſufferings, and the cauſe of many of their virtues — Calvin *, whoſe deciſions were received among the Proteſtants of that age, with incredible ſubmiſſion, was the patron and reſtorer of this ſcheme of eccleſiaſtical policy. The church of Geneva, formed under his eye, and by his direction, was eſteemed the moſt perfect model of this government, and Knox, who during his reſidence in that city had ſtudied and admired it, warmly recommended it to the imitation of his countrymen.

Among the Scotch nobles ſome hated the perſons, others coveted the wealth of the dignified clergy, [43]and, by aboliſhing that order of men, the former indulged their reſentment, and the latter hoped to gratify their avarice. The people, inflamed with the moſt violent averſion to Popery, and approving every ſcheme that departed fartheſt from the practice of the Romiſh church, were delighted with a ſyſtem ſo admirably ſuited to their predominant paſſion; while the friends of civil liberty beheld, with pleaſure, the Proteſtant clergy putting down-with their own hands, that fabric of eccleſiaſtical power, which their predeceſſors had reared with ſo much art and induſtry, and flattered themſelves, that, by lending their aid to ſtrip churchmen of their dignity and wealth, they might entirely deliver the nation from their exorbitant and oppreſſive juriſdiction. The new mode of government eaſily made its way among men thus prepared by their various intereſts and paſſions for its reception.

But, on the firſt introduction of his ſyſtem, Knox did not deem it expedient to depart altogether from the ancient form *; inſtead of Biſhops, he propoſed to eſtabliſh ten or twelve ſuperintendants in different parts of the kingdom: theſe, as the name implies, were impowered to inſpect the life and doctrine of the other clergy, as before obſerved; they preſided in the inferior judicatories of the church, and performed ſeveral other parts of the epiſcopal functions: their juriſdictions however extended to ſacred things only, they claimed no feat in parliament, and pretended no rights to the dignity or revenues of the former Biſhops.

The number of inferior clergy, to whom the care of parochial duty could be committed, was ſtill extremely ſmall. They had embraced the principles of the reformation at different times, and from various motives: during the public commotions, they were ſcattered, merely by chance, over the different provinces of the kingdom, and in a few places only were formed [44]into regular claſſes or ſocieties. The firſt general aſſembly of the church which was held, December 20, 1560, bears all the marks of an infant, unformed church or ſociety; the members were but few in number, and of no conſiderable rank; no uniform or conſiſtent rule ſeems to have been obſerved in electing them. From a great part of the kingdom no repreſentatives appeared; in the name of ſome counties only one perſon was preſent, while other ſingle towns deputed ſeveral. A convention ſo feeble and irregular could poſſeſs no great authority; and, conſcious of their weakneſs the members put an end to their debates, without venturing upon any deciſion of much importance *.

Knox, as already obſerved, with the aſſiſtance of his brethren, in order to give greater ſtrength and conſiſtency to the Preſbyterian plan, compoſed the firſt book of diſcipline, which contains the model or platform of the intended policy. They preſented it to a convention of the eſtates in 1561; and whatever regulations were propoſed with regard to eccleſiaſtic diſcipline and juriſdiction, would have eaſily obtained the ſanction of that aſſembly; but a deſign to recover the patrimony of the church, which was therein inſinuated, met with a very different reception .

In vain did the clergy diſplay the advantages which would accrue to the public by a proper application of eccleſiaſtical revenues; in vain did they propoſe, by an impartial diſtribution of this fund, to promote true religion, to encourage learning, and to ſupport the poor; in vain did they even intermingle threatnings of the divine diſpleaſure, againſt the unjuſt detainers of what was appropriated to a ſacred uſe. The nobles treated this as a project altogether viſionary, and, ſo far attached to their intended reformation, they would admit of no pleas to retard it.

[45]But to return to the thread of our hiſtory: Mary, Queen of Scots, returned to Scotland in Auguſt 1561, and might have had a ſafe-conduct through England, if ſhe had conſented to ratify the treaty of Aug 1560; but rather than comply, ſhe choſe to r [...]n all riſks, and, to her great mortification, found her people in general, with very few exceptions, converted to Proteſtantiſm. She herſelf was, by the aſſembly in 1565, confined to have maſs only in her private chapel, and unaccompanied with that pomp and oſtentation which perhaps alone rendered it the favourite ſervice of the votaries of the church of Rome. The Queen, bred up in a reverence for that church, would certainly have merited a gentler treatment than ſhe received; but the reformed did not, in her caſe, conſider the prejudices of education: the general aſſembly petitioned her to ratify the acts of parliament for aboliſhing the maſs, and for obliging all her ſubjects to frequent the reformed worſhip. She replied, that ſhe ſaw no impiety in the maſs, and was determined not to quit the religion in which ſhe was bred, being ſatisfied it was founded in the word of God, and that her change would alſo be prejudicial to her temporal intereſt. Without any ſtretch of Chriſtian charity, theſe were certainly her ſentiments; and the return of the general aſſembly was very coarſe, and very little to the purpoſe, viz. "That Turciſm ſtood upon as good ground as Popery." What followed, in their replication, was more worthy of the venerable aſſembly, when they required her, "in the name of the eternal God, to inform herſelf better, by frequenting ſermons, and conferring with learned men." However, the Queen was not to be moved, and continued, with a blind zeal, to perſiſt in the errors ſhe had embraced.

In 1567, the Pope's authority in matters eccleſiaſtical was again aboliſhed in the parliament and aſſembly at Edinburgh; and the act of 1560, for renouncing the juriſdiction of the court of Rome, was [46]confirmed, and all acts paſſed in former reigns, for the ſupport of Popiſh idolatry, were annulled; the new confeſſion of faith was ratified, and the Proteſtant miniſters, and thoſe of their communion, declared to be the true and only church within the realm. The examination and admiſſion of miniſters was declared to be only in the power and diſpoſition of the church, with a ſaving clauſe for lay patrons. By another act, the future Kings, at their coronation, were to take an oath to maintain the reformed religion, as then profeſſed; and by a third act, none but thoſe who profeſſed the reformed religion, as then eſtabliſhed, were to be capable of being judges or proctors, or of practiſing in any of the courts of juſtice, excepting the right of offices hereditary, or for life.

The general aſſembly declared their approbation of the diſcipline of the reformed churches of Geneva and Switzerland, and of a parity among miniſters, in oppoſition to the ſuperior claim of Biſhops. However, as theſe acts of aſſembly were not confirmed by parliament, epiſcopal government could not be ſaid to be legally aboliſhed, though it was tacitly ſuſpended till the King came of age, and all church-affairs managed by preſbyteries and general aſſemblies. But the general aſſembly aſſerted their power of the keys at this period, by depoſing the Biſhop of Orkney, for marrying the Queen to the Earl of Bothwell, and by making the Counteſs of Argyle do penance for aſſiſting at the marriage.

Eccleſiaſtical affairs, after this, lay dormant for a conſiderable time, while the civil government underwent many extraordinary revolutions; though the church was under many uneaſy apprehenſions from the conſequences that might reſult from them, in regard to the peace and happineſs of the eccleſiaſtical body. Two things chiefly ingroſſed the attention of the clergy. The one was, the forming a ſyſtem of diſcipline or eccleſiaſtical polity, which, with much difficulty, [47]was in ſome meaſure effected; the other was, the abolition of the epiſcopal order. This was in the year 1581. And in the year 1582. another general aſſembly of the preſbytery met at Glaſgow, wherein, with much warmth, the dignities, honours, emolum [...]nts, and the very function of Biſhops, were attacked. The nobles viewed their power with jealouſy; the common people conſidered their lives as profane, and wiſhed their downfal with equal ardour; and at length an act was paſſed, declaring the office of Biſhop, as it was then exerciſed within the realm, to have neither foundation nor warrant in the word of God; and required, under pain of excommunication, all who now poſſeſſed that office, inſtantly to reſign it, and to abſtain from preaching or adminiſtering the ſacrament, till they ſhould receive permiſſion from the aſſembly. Some of the proceedings of the aſſembly were laid before the court, and the decree which followed thereupon; but the court did not acquieſce therein: and very warm repreſentations enſued, both from the Epiſcopalian and Preſbyterian parties *.

However, an attention to civil affairs prevented any thing conſiderable to be done; inſomuch that many of the nobles, and many others of the people, who profeſſed to be actuated by a religious zeal, and provoked by the injuries offered to the church, determined to protect the Proteſtant religion by force of arms: they therefore conjured the King not to diſappoint their hopes and wiſhes, nor to refuſe the ſuffering church that aid which ſhe ſo much needed: but ſo little ſucceſs attended their meaſures, that the King called a convention of eſtates on June 5, 1597, who humbled the power of the church, and abridged the privileges of the city of Edinburgh. The city was declared to have forfeited its privileges as a corporation; the capital of the kingdom was deprived of magiſtrates, at [48]leaſt not allowed to elect their own magiſtrates, nor their own miniſters; many new burdens were impoſed on them, and a great ſum of money was exacted by way of peace-offering.

King James having thus far ſucceeded in his meaſures, he was now very aſſiduous in forming and executing other ſchemes to complete his deſign: and in order, if poſſible, to gain the clergy, whom he had in vain attempted to ſubdue, popular agents were ſet to work all over the kingdom; promiſes, flattery, and threats were employed; the uſurpations of the brethren, near the capital, were aggravated; the jealouſy of their power, which was growing in the diſtant provinces, was augmented, and two different general aſſembles were held, in both which, notwithſtanding the zeal and boldneſs wherewith a few leading clergymen defended the privileges of the church, a majority declared in favour of thoſe meaſures which were agreeable to the King. Many practices, which had continued ſince the reformation, were condemned; many points of diſcipline, which had hitherto been reckoned ſacred and uncontroverted, were given up: the licence with which miniſters diſcourſed of political things was reſtrained, the freedom with which they inveighed againſt particular perſons cenſured, the convoking a general aſſembly without the King's permiſſion prohibited, and the right of nominating miniſters in the principal towns veſted in the crown. Thus, the clergy themſelves ſurrendered privileges which it would have been dangerous to invade by force, and ſubjected themſelves and ſucceſſors to an intolerable yoke, which leſſened the popular topic of the encroachments of the King, and turned the general out-cry of the people on the corruptions of their own order *.

[49]The King however found it no eaſy matter to carry his point, though he was ſo intent upon new-modelling the church as to neglect other objects of government. Towards the end of the year 1598, a parliament was held in order to confer certain privileges and honours upon the Biſhops; and an act was paſſed, by which thoſe miniſters on whom the King ſhould confer the vacant biſhoprics, ſhould be intitled to vote in parliament; and that the clergy might conceive no jealouſy of any encroachments on their privileges, it was remitted to the general aſſembly to determine what ſpiritual juriſdiction or authority in the government of the church, theſe perſons ſhould poſſeſs: but though the clergy perceived it would be an acceſſion of honour to be admitted into the ſupreme council of the nation, their abhorrence of epiſcopacy was extreme; and to this they ſacrificed every conſideration of intereſt or ambition. All the King's profeſſions of regard for the preſent conſtitution of the church did not convince them of his ſincerity; their own experience had taught them with what inſinuating progreſs the hierarchy advances, and though admitted at firſt with moderate authority, and under ſpecious pretences, how rapidly it extends its dominion. "Varniſh over this ſcheme," ſaid one of the clergymen, "with what colours you pleaſe; deck the intruder with the utmoſt art; under all this diſguiſe, I ſee the horns of his mitre." The ſame ſentiments prevailed among many of his brethren, and induced them to reject power and honours, with as much zeal as ever thoſe of their order courted them. Many, however, were allured by hopes of preferment. The King himſelf and his miniſters employed the ſame arts which they had tried ſo ſucceſsfully laſt year; and after long debates and much oppoſition the general aſſembly declared, that it was lawful for miniſters to accept of a ſeat in parliament; that it would be highly beneficial to the church to have its repreſentatives in that ſupreme [50]court; and that fifty-one perſons, a number nearly equal to that of the eccleſiaſtics who were antiently called to parliament, ſhould be choſen from among the clergy for that purpoſe; but the manner of their election, together with the power with which they ſhould be inveſted, were left undecided for the preſent, and furniſhed matter for future deliberation *.

The queſtions with regard to the election and power of the repreſentatives of the church were finally determined in the year 1600, by the general aſſembly, which met at Montroſe; and it was there agreed, that the general aſſembly ſhould recommend ſix perſons to every vacant benefice, which gave a title to a ſeat in parliament, out of whom the King ſhould nominate one: that the perſon ſo elected ſhould neither propoſe nor conſent to any thing there, that may affect the intereſt of the church, without ſpecial inſtructions for that purpoſe: that he ſhall ſubmit to its cenſure without appeal: that he ſhall diſcharge the duty of a paſtor in a particular congregation: that he ſhall not uſurp any eccleſiaſtical juriſdiction ſuperior to that of his other brethren: that he ſhould annually reſign his commiſſion to the general aſſembly, which may be reſtored to him or not, as the aſſembly, with the King's approbation, ſhall judge moſt expedient for the good of the church .

In the year 1617, James (who aſcended the Engliſh throne on the twenty-third of March 1603, and ſoon after went to reſide in England) to advance the epiſcopal cauſe, made a progreſs into Scotland, and his chapel at Edinburgh was adorned with ſtatues and pictures. Two acts were paſſed, one relative to the choice of Archbiſhops and Biſhops, and the ſecond for the reſtitution of chapters; and the miniſters proteſting againſt them, many of them were ſuſpended, and ſome baniſhed.

[51]In 1618, in a convention held at Perth, the court and Biſhops, with ſome difficulty, made a ſhift to carry five articles, importing, that the holy ſacrament ſhould be received kneeling; that miniſters ſhould be enabled to adminiſter the ſacrament in private houſes to the ſick; that they ſhould baptize children privately at home, if requeſted ſo to do; that they ſhould confirm ſuch children as can ſay their catechiſm, and repeat the Lord's prayer, creed, and ten commandments; and that the feſtivals of Chriſtmas, Eaſter, Whitſuntide, and aſcenſion of our Saviour, ſhould for the future be commemorated in the kirk of Scotland. Theſe articles were ordered to be publiſhed at the market-croſſes, and to be read by the miniſters in the pulpits; but the greateſt number of them refuſed, as there was no penalty incurred by the omiſſion, ſave the King's diſpleaſure. Notwithſtanding the oppoſition of the miniſters, the court got theſe articles ratified by the parliament in 1621, contrary to the ſenſe of the kirk and nation. This raiſed ſo much ill blood, that a new perſecution was carried on throughout the kingdom; numbers of the Preſbyterian miniſters were fined, impriſoned, and baniſhed by the high commiſſion; and this they ſuffered, though from their intereſt with the people they could have turned their oppreſſors out of the kingdom.

Things remained much in the ſame ſtate till the reign of King Charles the Firſt. That unhappy Monarch, preſſed on by Laud, made a progreſs into Scotland, in the year 1633, with a view to advance the epiſcopacy; for notwithſtanding Biſhops had exiſted in Scotland for ſome years, they had little more than the name, being ſubject to an aſſembly that was purely Preſbyterian. To advance their juriſdiction, he had renewed the high commiſſion, and forbid all general aſſemblies of the kirk. He was crowned at Edinburgh, June 18, and on the 20th the parliament met, and very complaiſantly gave him a large ſum of money; but in the matter of [52]the acts concerning his royal prerogative, and the apparel of kirkmen, and for the ratification of former acts touching religion, he behaved to his parliament with ſuch arbitrary, overbearing haughtineſs, and carried them through with ſuch barefaced craft, that he diſguſted all ranks and orders of people; which, together with the contempt he poured upon the Scots clergy, and the high hand with which he attempted to introduce the ceremonies of the church of England, alienated the affections of the generality of his Scotch ſubjects: nor did Laud's behaviour there do him the leaſt credit, or redound at all to his maſter's intereſt. The mouths of the Scots clergy were opened; and they inveighed bitterly againſt the hierarchy of England. To widen the breach, in 1635, a book of canons for Scotland was drawn up by the new Biſhops of that kingdom, and reviſed by Laud, Juxon and Wren, which was confirmed by the King under his great ſeal, May 23, though ſubverſive of the whole conſtitution of Scotland, in kirk and ſtate. The Scots Preſbytery declared peremptorily againſt it.

In the year 1637, a new liturgy, in ſubſtance the ſame with the Engliſh, was ſent into Scotland, accompanied with a royal proclamation, dated Dec 12, 1636, commanding all the King's loving ſubjects of that kingdom to receive it with reverence, as the only form his Majeſty thinks fit to be uſed in that kirk, without ſo much as laying it before a ſynod, convocation, general aſſembly, or parliament of that nation; ſo precipitant and imprudent was this head-ſtrong ill-adviſed Prince, in all the meaſures he purſued relative to that kingdom, the genius of whoſe inhabitants he ſeemed totally unacquainted with. The reading it in the pulpits was oppoſed by the people in a moſt violent and tumultuous manner; and notwithſtanding the repreſentation of the conſequences likely to enſue, from the Lords of the privy-council to the court, they were peremptorily ordered to go on with their work. [53]The oppoſers publiſhed their reaſons; two petitions were preſented againſt it to the Lord Chancellor and Council, one from all the men, women, children and ſervants of Edinburgh, another in the names of the noblemen, barons, gentry, miniſters and burgeſſes, which were tranſmitted to the King, who, inſtead of returning a ſoft anſwer, iſſued a proclamation againſt the late tumults, forbidding all aſſemblies or convocations of people to frame or ſign petitions, upon pain of high treaſon, and ordering the term or ſeſſion to be moved from Linlithgow to Stirling, twenty-four miles from Edinburgh, with a ſtrict injunction that no ſtranger ſhould reſort thither without ſpecial licence. Upon the publication of this proclamation, ſundry noblemen, miniſters and others, ſigned a proteſt; four TABLES, as they were called, were erected at Edinburgh, one of the nobility, another of the gentry, a third of the burroughs, and a fourth of the miniſters. Theſe prepared matters for the general Table, formed of commiſſioners from the other ſour, where the laſt and binding reſolutions were taken. One of the firſt things tranſacted by theſe tables, was the renewing their confeſſion of faith and ſolemn league and covenant, which had been ſubſcribed by King James, March 2, 1580-1, and by the whole Scots nation in the year 1590. To this covenant was now added, a narrative of ſundry acts of parliament, by which the religion of the reformed had been ratified ſince that time, with an admonition, wherein the late innovations were renounced, and a band of defence for adhering to each other in the preſent cauſe. This ſolemn league and covenant, in ſupport of their religious and civil liberties, and in oppoſition to Popery, tyranny and oppreſſion, was ſworn to and ſubſcribed with great ſeriouſneſs and devotion, firſt at Edinburgh, in Feb. 1637-8, and afterwards in all places of the kingdom, where it was received by the common people as a ſacred oracle, [54]and ſubſcribed by all who had any zeal for the Proteſtant religion and their country.

Hereupon the King ſent the Marquis of Hamilton as his high commiſſioner into Scotland, one part of his commiſſion being to induce them to give up the covenant, upon which he was to conſent to the calling a general aſſembly or parliament; but the covenanters declared they would ſooner renounce their baptiſm than their covenant. Finding them full of this reſolution, and nothing to be done but by force of arms, he returned to England: but was ſoon ſent back again, and inſtructed, if neceſſity required, to revoke the liturgy, canons, the high commiſſion, and the five articles of Perth. He might call a general aſſembly and parliament within a competent time, but was to endeavour to exclude the laity from the aſſembly.

On Nov. 21, 1638, the Marquis publiſhed a proclamation for a general aſſembly, to meet at Glaſgow. The covenanters carried their elections every where, a ſilenced miniſter, Mr. Henderſon, was choſen moderator; and though the Biſhops preſented a Declinator, declaring the aſſembly to be unlawful, &c. &c. and the Marquis, finding them not of a proper temper for the court, diſſolved them, after having preſided ſeven days, forbidding them to continue their ſeſſions upon pain of high treaſon, the aſſembly continued ſitting, and next day publiſhed a juſtification of their proceedings. They ſat for ſome weeks, till they had paſſed ſeveral acts, viz. An act for diſannulling ſix late aſſemblies, viz. thoſe of 1606, 8, 10, 16, 17, 18, with the reaſons: An act for abjuring and aboliſhing epiſcopacy: An act for condemning the five articles of Perth: An act for condemning the ſervice book, book of canons, book of ordination, and the high commiſſion: An act for condemning Archdeacons, Chapters, and preaching Deacons: An act for reſtoring Presbyteries, provincial and national aſſemblies, to their conſtitution of miniſters and elders, and to their power and juriſdiction contained in the book of policy; [55]with many others of like nature. They afterwards pronounced ſentence of depoſition againſt the Biſhops; eight of whom were excommunicated, four excluded from the miniſterial function, and two only allowed to officiate as paſtors or preſbyters. At the cloſe of the ſeſſion the aſſembly drew up a letter to the King, complaining of the Marquis of Hamilton, who had proclaimed them traitors, and forbid the people to pay any regard to their acts; and praying him ſtill to look upon them as good and faithful ſubjects. They publiſhed alſo an addreſs to the good people of England, in their own vindication, which the King ſuppreſſed, and iſſued a proclamation againſt the covenanters.

Thus matters between the King and his Scottiſh ſubjects were brought to ſuch a criſis as could not but end in a war. Charles fitted out a fleet of ſixteen ſhips, and raiſed an army of 21,000 horſe and foot. On the other hand, the covenanters ſecured the caſtles of Edinburgh. Dumbritton and Frith, raiſed an army, and ſent for their old General Leſley, from Germany, who brought with him many experienced officers. On the the 27th of March 1639, the King marched northwards, and was met, upon the borders by the Scots army; but after facing each other, for ſome time, the King perceiving his Engliſh Proteſtant nobility and ſoldiers not hearty in the cauſe, came to a pacification with the covenanters, June 17, by which all points of difference were referred to a general aſſembly, to be held at Edinburgh, Auguſt 12 enſuing, and to a parliament which was to meet a fortnight after. Both armies, in the interim, were to be diſbanded; the tables broke up, and no meetings held, but ſuch as were warranted by act of parliament. The King accordingly diſmiſſed his army, ſcarcely affording thanks to them for their affection and loyalty. The Scots delivered up the King's caſtles and forts, and diſbanded their troops; but cautiouſly kept their officers in pay.

[56]The general aſſembly met according to the treaty, at Edinburgh; but being conſtituted as the laſt, the King having given up the point of the lay-elders, the Biſhops, who preſented another Declinator, were excuſed attendance by the King. The aſſembly then, without any oppoſition, confirmed the proceedings of that of Glaſgow, appointed the covenant to be taken throughout the kingdom, voted away the new ſervicebook, &c. &c. and, nemine contradicente, determined that dioceſan epiſcopacy was unlawful, and not to be allowed in their kirk.

The parliament met Aug 31, and confirmed all the acts of the general aſſembly; but having mentioned epiſcopacy as unlawful, the King forbid the Earl of Traquair, his commiſſioner, to conſent to the word, leſt it ſhould be interpreted abſolutely; whereupon he firſt prorogued the parliament for fourteen days, and then, by the King's expreſs command, for nine months, without ratifying any of their acts.

The pacification between the King and the Scots was not of long duration; for, puſhed on by Laud and Strafford, he reſolved to humble his northern ſubjects, who had dared to diſpute his prerogative. The Scots dreading the impending ſtorm, were, many of them, for ſeeking ſuccour from France; and accordingly wrote a letter to the King of France, which however was not ſent. The majority of the Scots nation caſt their eye towards the Engliſh parliament, which was called together to aid in their deſtruction, and met April 13, 1640, and, upon application to their friends at London, were aſſured, by a letter written by Lord Saville, "That the hearts of the people of England were with them; that they were convinced the liberties of both nations were at ſtake, and therefore they might depend upon their aſſiſtance, as ſoon as a fair opportunity offered." Upon this aſſurance the Scots reſolved to raiſe another army, and to march into England. Mean time Charles, not meeting [57]with a behaviour he expected, diſſolved the parliament, and, to carry on the war againſt the Scots, ſet every engine of arbitrary power at work, ſuch as loans, benevolences, ſhip-money, &c. &c. by which he got an army together compoſed of Papiſts and preſſed men, who had no affection for the ſervice. However, with this army the King met the Scots upon the borders; but ſoon found that the Engliſh nobility were not for conquering them. After a ſmall ſkirmiſh the Scots army paſſed the Tweed, Aug. 21, and on the 30th took poſſeſſion of Newcaſtle, whilſt the King retreated before them as far as York, leaving them maſters of Northumberland, Cumberland, and Durham, from which counties they ſubſiſted their army, and levied what contributions they pleaſed. When they entered Newcaſtle, they ſent an expreſs to aſſure the city of London, that they would not interrupt the trade between it and that town, but would cultivate all manner of friendſhip and brotherly correſpondence. They alſo diſpatched meſſengers to the King, petitioning his Majeſty "to confirm their late acts of parliament, reſtore their ſhips and merchandiſe, recal his proclamation which ſtiles them rebels, and call an Engliſh parliament, to ſettle the peace between both kingdoms." This petition was backed by others from ſeveral of the Engliſh nobility and the city of London. The King finding he muſt come to terms, appointed commiſſioners to treat with the Scots at Rippon, who agreed to a ceſſation of arms for three months, from Oct. 26; the Scots to have 850l. per diem, for the maintenance of the army, and the treaty to be adjourned to London, where a free parliament was to be immediately called. This famous long parliament was opened Nov. 3, in which the late commiſſioners exhibited articles againſt Archbiſhop Laud, and, by co-operating with them in their oppoſition to the King's meaſures and miniſters, contributed greatly to their future ſucceſs againſt monarchy and epiſcopacy.

[58]In the year 1641, when King Charles was greatly diſtreſſed by the vigorous proceedings of the parliament of England againſt the Biſhops, and other grievances, knowing they were greatly encouraged therein by their confederacy with the Scots, whoſe army in the north was entirely in their intereſt, it was reſolved in council, if poſſible, to diſunite that nation from the parliament, and bring them over to the King, by granting them all their deſires; and for that purpoſe he reſolved upon a progreſs into Scotland. Aug. 10 the King ſet out poſt, and arrived there in three or four days; but the Engliſh parliament, aware of his deſign, appointed one lord and two commoners to follow his Majeſty, in order to keep up a good correſpondence with the parliament of that nation. Aug. 19, he opened the parliament there with a very conciliating ſpeech, and agreeable thereto he allowed of their late oppoſition to the liturgy, and their erecting Tables; he confirmed the acts of the aſſembly at Glaſgow; he followed their manner of worſhip, conferred titles upon many of their gentry; and, when he left the kingdom, all parties ſeemed contented. But, from all accounts, the King ſoon repented of his compliances, and as to the Scots, they ſtill thought themſelves obliged to cultivate a good underſtanding: with the Engliſh parliament.

The Scots, now eaſy at home, and in full poſſeſſion of their religious and civil rights, yet did not look with indifference upon affairs in England, and dreaded the ruin of the Engliſh parliament, as well through gratitude for the favours they had received from them, as for their future ſafety; and therefore the Scots commiſſioners at London offered their mediation between the King and the two houſes, telling his Majeſty, in their petition, "That the liberties of England and Scotland muſt ſtand and fall together," and beſeeching him "to have recourſe to the faithful advices of both houſes of parliament, which will not only quiet the minds of his Engliſh ſubjects, but remove the jealouſies [59]and fears that may poſſeſs the hearts of his ſubjects in his other kingdoms." In their addreſs to the Engliſh parliament they acknowledge their obligations to them, and beſeech the two houſes "to conſider of the faireſt and moſt likely methods to compoſe the differences in church and ſtate." Biſhop Burnet ſays, their deſign was to get Epiſcopacy brought down, and Preſbytery ſet up; to the "firſt of which moſt of the members were willing to conſent, but few were cordial for the latter."

The King was much diſpleaſed with the Scots mediation, and commanded them not to tranſact between him and his parliament, without firſt communicating their propoſitions to him, in private; and in Scotland he uſed methods to keep that kingdom neutral. On the other hand, the parliament threw themſelves into the arms of the Scots, they thanked the commiſſioners for their kind and ſeaſonable interpoſing, and prayed them to continue their endeavours to remove the preſent diſtractions, and to preſerve the union between the two kingdoms. They writ to Scotland alſo to the ſame purpoſe. In May 1642, they again renewed their offers of a mediation, which the King rejected as before; but the parliament accepted of it, and ſeemed to come heartily into their ſcheme of church-government, ſo that a perfect union took place between the two kingdoms. The King alarmed hereat, ſent a warm remonſtrance to the council of Scotland, Auguſt 26, wherein he very juſtly obſerves, that "the parliament no more believed the divine inſtitution of Preſbytery, than the others did of dioceſan Prelacy; for though they were content, in order to ſecure the aſſiſtance of the Scots nation, to vote away the hierarchy of Archbiſhops and Biſhops, yet when they had conquered the King, and had nothing to fear from their neighbours, they could not be prevailed with to eſtabliſh the Scots Preſbytery, without a reſerve of the power of the keys to themſelves."

[60]It is foreign to my purpoſe to enter too deeply into the civil and military hiſtory of this unfortunate reign, further than to elucidate the hiſtory of the kirk of Scotland; and therefore I ſhall next take notice, that, in the year 1643, the general aſſembly of Scotland agreed to aſſiſt the Engliſh for the recovery of their civil and religious liberties, and appointed delegates to the aſſembly of divines at Weſtminſter. On Sept. 25, the Engliſh houſe of Commons and the aſſembly of divines, to ſecure the aſſiſtance of the Scots, took the ſolemn league and covenant, after many debates in relation to the renunciation of Epiſcopacy, and ſome other points, by ſubſcribing their names thereto, the houſe of Commons in one parchment-roll, and the aſſembly in another, in St. Margaret's church, Weſtminſter. On the Sunday following it was tendered to all perſons within the bills of mortality, after being read in the ſeveral churches. October 15, it was likewiſe taken by the houſe of Lords. In Scotland it was inforced, all over the kingdom, under the ſevereſt penalties. February 1644, it was ordered to be taken throughout the kingdom of England, by all perſons above the age of eighteen years, an exhortation from the Weſtminſter aſſembly of divines being drawn up and publiſhed for that purpoſe. The greateſt number were zealous for the covenant on a religious account, and others in obedience to the parliament, being convinced of the diſtreſſed circumſtances of their affairs, and that the aſſiſtance of the Scots was to be obtained upon no other terms. The impoſing it as a teſt, however, was far from being juſtifiable, for ſeveral evident reaſons. The King publiſhed a declaration againſt it in England, and ſent one, to the ſame purpoſe, into Scotland, which had no other effect than to produce the reaſons for their conduct, and advice to his Majeſty to take the covenant himſelf.

January 19, 1643-4 [...] the Scots army entered England, under the command of General Leven: the [61]two houſes ſent a committee to meet them, which being joined by another of that nation, was called the Committee of both kingdoms, and this committee directed the army's motions. Soon after it was joined by an Engliſh army, under Lord Fairfax, the Earl of Mancheſter, and Cromwell; and the combined a [...]y laid ſiege to York, which brought on the battle of Marſtonmoor, wherein the royal army, under Prince Rupert, was defeated, with great loſs. Afterwards the combined army reduced all the northern garriſons, which concluded the war in thoſe parts.

The King's affairs becoming deſperate, on the 27th of April 1646, he eſcaped from Oxford, and threw himſelf into the hands of the Scots army, then lying before Newark. Little or nothing occurred relative to the kirk during the nine months the King continued with the Scots, but altercations between them and the Engliſh parliament and aſſembly, relative to the eſtabliſhment of Preſbytery and toleration of Separatiſts in England, which the Preſbyterians now as much inveighed againſt, as ever the Papiſts, or church of England had done in Queen Elizabeth's days. "We are perſuaded, ſays the parliament of Scotland, that the piety and wiſdom of the honourable houſes will never admit toleration of any ſects or ſchiſms, contrary to our ſolemn league and covenant."

The King, determining not to aboliſh Epiſcopacy, and withſtanding the ſolicitations and prayers of his friends, nay even the advice of his Queen, all attempts at an accommodation with his parliament proved abortive; therefore, as the clergy of Scotland would not ſuffer him to come into that kingdom, unleſs he took the ſolemn league and covenant, and did all they deſired, and their parliament reſolved the kingdom ſhould be ſecured without him, and that they ſhould leave the King in England to his two houſes of parliament, upon their agreeing to pay the Scots army their arrears, and 200,000l. one moiety thereof on the delivering up the King into the hands of the Engliſh parliament's commiſſioners, [62]he was delivered up, and conducted to Holmby houſe, in Northamptonſhire.

The further tranſactions of this reign have very little relation to the affairs of the kirk of Scotland, who were entirely averſe to the ſecret treaty with the King, in purſuance of which Duke Hamilton marched into England with an army, and was defeated at Preſton by Cromwell, after which he marched triumphantly to Edinburgh, Auguſt 17, 1648. They indeed, by their commiſſioners, declared and proteſted againſt putting the King to death, as abſolutely inconſiſtent with their ſolemn league and covenant.

In June 1650, the Commonwealth of England having departed from the ſolemn league and covenant, the Scots, who at the King's death proclaimed the Prince of Wales, entered into a treaty with the exiled King at Breda, ſubjecting him thereby to the following very mortifying conditions: That all perſons excommunicated by the kirk, ſhould be forbid the court: that the King, by his ſolemn oath, and under his hand and ſeal, declare his allowance of the covenant: that he confirm thoſe acts of parliament which enjoin the covenant: that he eſtabliſh the Preſbyterian worſhip and diſcipline, and ſwear never to oppoſe or endeavour to alter them: that all civil matters be determined by parliament; and all eccleſiaſtical affairs by the kirk: that his Majeſty ratify all that has been done in the parliament of Scotland, in ſome late ſeſſions, and ſign the covenant upon his arrival in that kingdom, if the kirk deſired it. He arrived June 16, but was obliged to ſign both the covenants before he ſet his feet on ſhore. The Covenanters raiſed an army of 16,000 foot and 6000 horſe for his ſervice; whereupon the Engliſh parliament ſent General Cromwell againſt them, who entered Scotland, at the latter end of July, with an army of 11,000 foot and 5000 horſe. After various marches and counter-marches, and ſome altercations between the Engliſh aſſembly and Cromwell, [63]he was obliged, not being able to bring the Scots to action, to retire to Dunbar, for want of proviſions, with a weak and ſickly army, and an enemy hovering over them 27,000 ſtrong; but, however, he totally routed this great hoſt, in the battle of Dunbar, fought September 13, killing 4000 in the battle and purſuit, and taking 10,000 priſoners, with great quantities of arms, ammunition, &c. &c. and with the loſs to the Engliſh of ſcarce 300 men . Cromwell, immediately after the battle, took poſſeſſion of Edinburgh and Leith, and ſent to the miniſters, who had fled to the caſtle, to reſume their functions in the churches; but this they refuſed to do, whereupon Cromwell appointed Engliſh miniſters to officiate in their places.

The Scots committees of the kirk and eſtates having fled to Stirling, and being joined by thoſe who had eſcaped from Dunbar, endeavoured to aſſemble another body of forces; but they were ſo divided amongſt themſelves that little was done to the purpoſe. The ruling party was for the King and kirk; the Reſolutioners were ſo called from their adhering to the reſolution of the kirk and ſtates, "that thoſe who had been too backward, ought to be admitted to make profeſſion of their repentance, and afterwards, in the preſent extremity, might be admitted to defend and ſerve their country:" The Proteſters proteſted againſt this reſolution: the Remonſtrators, in the weſtern counties, formed an aſſociation apart, as well againſt the King and the defection in the kirk party, as againſt the army of ſectaries. Whilſt theſe debated and wrangled, Cromwell reduced Darlington houſe, Roſlan caſtle, and obtained a victory over the Remonſtrators, at Hamilton. Soon after he reduced the maiden caſtle of Edinburgh.

January 1, 1650-1, the Covenanters crowned the King at Scoone, who ſet up his ſtandard at Aberdeen, whilſt the Engliſh reduced Hume and Tantallon caſtles. [64]The King having got together an army of 20,000 men, encamped at Torwood near Stirling, and afterwards at Kelſyth, from which ſituations all Cromwell's generalſhip could not draw him to an engagement; hereupon he reduced Calendar houſe in ſight of their army, and afterwards a detachment of his army croſſing to Fife, defeated a ſtrong body of Scots with great ſlaughter. This overthrow threw the Scots army into much conſternation, which decamped and marched into Stirling park, whilſt detachments from the Engliſh army made themſelves maſters of Bruntiſland and St. Johnſtown, by which it hindered any ſupply of men and proviſions being ſent from the Highlands to the King's army. The King thus diſtreſſed, a reſolution was taken to make an irruption into England, and, on the laſt of July 1651, he began his march from Stirling for that purpoſe, and on the 6th of Auguſt entered this kingdom by the way of Carliſle, which cauſed great conſternation to the powers at Weſtminſter. The indefatigable Cromwell was ſoon, however, at his heels, and finally defeated him, at Worceſter, on September 3, with the loſs of almoſt all the Scots army killed or taken priſoners.

Major-General Monk, whom Cromwell had left to command in Scotland, ſoon finiſhed the reduction of that kingdom, after which, for eight years, it enjoyed a ſtate of calm, under the uſurpation; a ſtrong Engliſh army was kept there under good pay and good diſcipline, a ſort of union of the three kingdoms took place, in one parliament, to which the Scots ſent their repreſentatives, and thoſe eight years were reckoned a time of peace and proſperity to Scotland, as Biſhop Burnet obſerves. As to the power of the kirk, it was reduced into a narrow compaſs *; "for though they had the liberty to excommunicate offenders, or debar them the communion, they might not ſeize their [65]eſtates, or deprive them of their civil rights and privileges. No oaths or covenants were to be impoſed but by direction from Weſtminſter; and as all fitting encouragement was to be given to the miniſters of the eſtabliſhed kirk, ſo others, not ſatisfied with their form of church-government, had liberty to ſerve God after their own manner; and thoſe who would live peaceably, and yield obedience to the commonwealth, were protected in their ſeveral perſuaſions. This occaſioned a great commotion among the clergy, who complained "of the loſs of their covenant and churchdiſcipline, and exclaimed againſt the toleration, as opening a door to all kinds of error and hereſy." The parliament of England ſending Independent commiſſioners to viſit the Scots univerſities, and to ſettle liberty of conſcience, the aſſembly at Edinburgh publiſhed a Teſtimony againſt the preſent incroachments of the civil power upon the eccleſiaſtical juriſdiction. When the general aſſembly met again at Edinburgh, and were juſt entering upon buſineſs, Colonel Cotterel told them, that no eccleſiaſtical judicatories were to ſit there but by authority of the parliament of England; and without giving them leave to reply, he commanded them to retire, conducted them out of the weſt-gate of the city, with a troop of horſe, and a company of foot, and having taken away the commiſſions from the ſeveral claſſes, injoined them not to aſſemble any more above three in a company.

In 1654, Oliver Cromwell Protector, the kingdom of Scotland was, by his ordinance, incorporated with England into one-commonwealth, and proviſion made, that in every parliament thirty members ſhould be called from thence to ſerve for Scotland.

Upon the reſtoration of Charles II. a parliament being choſen according to the mind of the court, all went againſt the Covenanters; Epiſcopacy was reſtored, and Deacons, Prieſts, and Biſhops, ordained and conſecrated, according to the rites of the church of England. All [66]this was performed by the ſole virtue of the King's prerogative (for it was not till the next year that a parliament decided the matter) in breach of the ſolemn league and covenant, which he had, indeed, been forced to take. Several of the Scots miniſters preached boldly againſt theſe meaſures; for which Mr. James Guthrie, miniſter of Stirling, was convicted of ſedition and treaſon, and executed June 14, 1661, dying with all the holy confidence of a Chriſtian, and the fortitude of a martyr. A young officer who ſuffered with him, in the ſame cauſe, made uſe of theſe expreſſions: "I bear witneſs with my blood, to the perſecuted government of this church, by ſynods and preſbyteries; I bear witneſs to the ſolemn league and covenant, and ſeal it with my blood. I likewiſe teſtify againſt all Popery, Prelacy, Idolatry, Superſtition, and the Service Book, which is no better than a relick of Popiſh idolatry." Soon afterwards the rights of patronages were reſtored, and all the Preſbyterian miniſters ſilenced, though the court had not a ſupply of men of any ſort to fill the vacancies occaſioned thereby. The ſilenced clergy had been moſt exemplary in their lives and converſations, conſtant preachers, and expounders, indefatigable in the diſcharge of their functions, and almoſt adored by the people, though they kept up a very ſevere diſcipline in the church: but their ſucceſſors the Biſhops and clergy were of a quite different ſtamp; moſt of them very mean divines, vicious in their morals, idle and negligent of their cures; ſo that they became obnoxious to the whole nation, and could hardly, even with the aſſiſtance of the civil power, ſupport their authority. The people, generally of the Preſbyterian perſuaſion, ſtood firm by one another, forſook the churches, and many of them were thrown into priſon, and ill uſed, ſome were fined, and the younger ſort whipped about the ſtreets; ſo that great numbers tranſported themſelves to Ulſter in Ireland, where they [67]were well received, and where their poſterity flouriſh to this day.

In 1666, Sir James Turner being ſent into the Weſt, to levy fines at diſcretion, the people roſe in arms, and took him and all his ſoldiers priſoners; but were ſoon diſperſed by the King's forces, forty of them killed, and 130 taken priſoners, many of whom were hanged before their own doors. Their miniſter was put to the torture, and died with great firmneſs, crying out, "Farewel ſun, moon, and ſtars; farewel kindred and friends, world and time, and this weak and frail body; and welcome eternity, welcome angels and ſaints, welcome Saviour of the world, and God the judge of all!" Conventicles abounded in all parts; the Preſbyterian miniſters preached in their own houſes to the people, who ſtood without doors to hear them; and when diſperſed by the magiſtrates, they went out into the fields, to hear the word, carrying arms with them for their defence. A ſevere act was publiſhed againſt houſe and field conventicles; but the people ſtill met together in defiance of the law: and many, who were called Cameronians, from Cameron their preacher, were outlawed, and therefore left their habitations, and travelled about the country: at length, collecting themſelves into a body, they were routed by the Duke of Monmouth, at Bothwell-bridge, 400 of them killed, and 1200 taken priſoners. Two of their miniſters were hanged, and 200 baniſhed to the plantations, who were all loſt at ſea. In ſhort, a perſecution ſpread thro' the iſland, during the greateſt part of this reign, almoſt as cruelly and oppreſſively carried on as the Romiſh inquiſition.

The parliament that met at Edinburgh, upon the acceſſion of James II. in 1685, very compliantly declared their abhorrence of all principles derogatory of the King's abſolute power, and offered their lives and fortunes to ſupport it, againſt all oppoſers. They declared it high treaſon to give or take the national covenant, [68]or even to write in defence of it; and paſſed an act, whereby it was made death to reſort to any field or houſe conventicles. They likewiſe obliged the ſubjects of Scotland to take an oath, when ſo required to do, to maintain the King's abſolute power, on pain of baniſhment. Popery began now to lift up its head in that kingdom, and ſeveral perſons of diſtinction changed to that religion, and accommodated themſelves to the times for the ſake of private intereſt. The populace, on the other hand, were very tumultuous; they broke into the Earl of Perth's private chapel for maſs, and defaced and deſtroyed all they could lay their hands on, for which one of them was taken and hanged. When the King diſpenſed with the penal laws and teſts, the Scots parliament agreed to a ſuſpenſion of them for the King's life; but James inſiſting upon an entire repeal, which they had firmneſs to oppoſe, he diſſolved them, with tokens of reſentment. The Epiſcopal clergy, who were obſequious ſlaves to the court, were ſunk into ſuch miſerable ſloth and ignorance, as to render their hearers, particularly the common people, quite indifferent to the affairs of religion: but the Preſbyterians, on the other hand, ſeemed to have gained new ſtrength from perſecution, and though, by the King's diſpenſing power, freed, in 1687, from the ſeverities under which they had for ſo many years ſuffered, it did not cool their zeal againſt Popery; their averſion to that corrupt church was more and more apparent: their oppoſition, at length, rouſed the whole nation from the lethargy into which it was apparently ſunk. Their behaviour at this critical time, when it was natural to ſuppoſe, after they had fared ſo ill, that they would with joy and without reſerve have fallen in with the meaſures of the King, which gave them preſent relief from their burdens, will ever redound to the honour of the church of Scotland, and evince that the principles of religion, firmly fixed and rooted in the heart, are eſſentially different [69]from mere profeſſions, which generally change with the times, and give no ſtability or firmneſs to thoſe who embrace them. The Scots perceived, that the King's view in taking off the penal laws and teſts was only to ſerve the Papiſts; and therefore, when preſſed by him to concur in that meaſure, they very wiſely anſwered in cold and general terms.

At length, the perſecuted, the ſuffering church of Scotland, was redeemed from its perils by the Revolution, which had reſtored liberty and religion in its ſiſter kingdom. On the 11th of April 1689 a convention, like that in England, for ſettling the government, was called in Scotland, which paſſed judgment of forfeiture on King James, and voted King William and Queen Mary, King and Queen of Scotland. One article of the claim of rights they drew up, was, that "the reformation in Scotland having been begun by a parity among the clergy, prelacy in the church was a great and inſupportable grievance to the kingdom." As the Biſhops and Epiſcopalians left the convention, becauſe not ſummoned by the abdicated King, and continued to adhere to him, the Preſbyterians carried all before them. The malecontents ſent for King James to come into Scotland, and the Earl of Dundee got together a conſiderable army of Highlanders; but was routed by General Mackay, at Killicrankey, and the Earl himſelf ſlain. Thus, with King James, Epiſcopacy was baniſhed from Scotland, and the kirk-diſcipline and worſhip reſtored; without a toleration, however, to Diſſenters from that church.

By the act of union, for uniting the two kingdoms into one, anno 1707, the filth year of Queen Anne, by the name of Great Britain, it was enacted, that the Preſbyterian church-government is to remain eſtabliſhed in Scotland; but by the 10th of Anne, cap. 7, that it ſhall be lawful for thoſe of the Epiſcopal communion in Scotland, to aſſemble for divine worſhip, to be performed by paſtors ordained by Proteſtant Biſhops, [70]without diſturbance, except in pariſh-churches: ſuch paſtors of the epiſcopal perſuaſion to exhibit their orders at the quarter-ſeſſions of the peace, and the ſame to be regiſtered, paying one ſhilling One hundred pounds penalty to be levied on any diſturber of their congregations: their paſtors to baptize and marry, provided the chriſtenings be regiſtered, and banns three times publiſhed in the Epiſcopal congregation. No pain or forfeiture to be incurred by any perſon, on any excommunication by the church-judicatories in Scotland. Miniſters are to pray for the royal family. By cap. 12. patrons of churches, &c. are reſtored to their right of preſentation. By act 5 Geo. I. cap. 29, proviſion was made for rendering more effectual the laws appointing the oaths for the ſecurity of the government to be taken by miniſters and preachers in churches and meeting houſes in Scotland: and by act 9 Geo. I. cap. 24, Papiſts and Nonjurors are obliged to regiſter their eſtates. Theſe are the principal proviſions made ſince the union, relative to religious affairs in Scotland, where, under the mild and auſpicious ſway of the illuſtrious houſe of Hanover, the church has long enjoyed that repoſe it in vain ſought and ſtruggled for under many of their predeceſſors, and all perſecution for conſcience ſake is laid aſide. With religious and civil liberty, learning, arts, and ſciences flouriſh, politeneſs and civility every where reign, and her clergy and univerſities have abounded with elegant and fine writers, in every branch of literature, who have done credit to humanity, and ſpread the reputation of their country to the remoteſt parts of the world.

It muſt be obſerved, that ſome internal differences and diviſions have happened in the church of Scotland, from the eſtabliſhed judicatories of which a Seceſſion has taken place; the hiſtory of which, and the ſchiſms in that ſeceſſion, I ſhall now give (before I enter upon my account of the doctrine and diſcipline of that church) excellently drawn up by a reverend divine of [71]Haddington, who has therein preſerved a Chriſtian temper, and a laudable moderation.

The Seceſſion from the eſtabliſhed judicatories of the church of Scotland took place, in conſequence of a continued courſe of offences to the ſtrict party therein. Theſe, like their anceſtors, zealouſly adhered to the Weſtminſter confeſſion of faith, catechiſm and form of Preſbyterian church-government; they maintaining the binding obligation of the Scots covenant, and of the ſolemn league and covenant of the three nations; they allowed the civil magiſtrate a ſovereignty over all church-members in all civil cauſes, but refuſed that he had any ſpiritual headſhip over her doctrine, worſhip, diſcipline or government; hence they conceived no ſmall diſguſt at their clergy for ſo tamely yielding to the diſſolution or prorogation of their general aſſembly by King William and Queen Anne; they were exceedingly grieved with the Scots parliament for conſenting that the perpetual eſtabliſhment of prelacy in England ſhould be an eſſential condition of the union between the two kingdoms, and afterwards with the Britiſh for reſtoring the power of patrons in the ſettlement of miniſters; the former accounted a moſt ſinful burying of the ſolemn league, whereby the Scots not only ſwore againſt prelacy themſelves, but alſo to endeavour the reformation of England from it; the latter they deteſted, as annexing the ſpiritual privileges of the church to civil rights, as if Chriſt's kingdom were of this world; as tending to place the management of the church in the hands of Chriſt's enemies; as opening a door for ſimoniacal pactions between the patron and preſentee, and for filling the church with an indolent, naughty and erroneous miniſtry: but as the Preſbyterian clergy remonſtrated againſt this procedure of the parliament, together with their act for toleration of all ſorts of opinions except popery and blaſphemy, the people could not take offence at them on theſe accounts. It was otherwiſe in the affair of the act [72]impoſing the abjuration oath upon the clergy: the ſtrict Preſbyterians, whether miniſters or people, heartily deteſted Popery and the Pretender for its ſake; but obſerving that this oath was extended to Preſbyterian miniſters by Jacobitiſh influence, that it was originally calculated for the maintenance of the Engliſh church as well as ſtate; that it referred to two Engliſh acts of parliament, requiring the ſovereign to be of the epiſcopal communion; that it implied an approbation of the union ſettlement, and conſequently of the abovementioned ſinful term thereof; that ſome of its expreſſions were ambiguous and hard to be underſtood; that though it was ſuſpected few miniſters would have taken it but for fear of the penalty, yet they were obliged therein to ſwear they took it heartily and willingly. For theſe and the like reaſons, many truly loyal, ſenſible, and godly miniſters declined taking it; and not a few as loyal people declined hearing thoſe who took it eſpecially where they had acceſs to hear ſuch as did not. Scarce was this woful re [...]ding of the church commenced, when Mr. John Simſon, Profeſſor of Divinty at Glaſgow, being by Mr. James Webſter, miniſter at Edinburgh, proceſſed for error before the general aſſembly, did in his defence and other papers maintain, that Heathens have an implicit diſcovery of redemption through Chriſt; that if they or others do with natural ſeriouſneſs uſe the means of happineſs God hath given them, they ſhall certainly obtain ſaving grace and laſting felicity; that all infants are formed as holy and free of ſin as Adam was, and dying in nonage ſhall probably be ſaved; that no proper covenant of works was made with Adam as the repreſentative of his poſterity; that our own happineſs ought to be our chief end and motive in glorifying God; that there is no immediate divine pre-courſe with the actions of rational creatures; and that there will be no ſinning in hell after the laſt judgment.

[73]After tedious altercations at that and ſome former meetings, the aſſembly of 1717 found theſe notions no more than opinions not neceſſary to be taught in divinity, opinions not evidently founded upon ſcripture, and ſome of them tending to attribute too much to natural reaſon and the power of corrupt nature; and prohibited him and all others to uſe ſuch expreſſions, or teach ſuch poſitions for the future. But the very ſame day they declared the following poſition, viz "It is unſound to teach that we muſt forſake our ſin in order to come to Chriſt, and inſtating us in covenant with God," moſt unſound and deteſtable; and thus indirectly declared, that we ought and are able to forſake and ſave ourſelves from the reign and practice of our ſin, before we come to Jeſus, the alone Saviour from it. To ſtop the current of this and other legal doctrines, a new edition of that truly valuable Engliſh book, intitled, The marrow of modern divinity, was publiſhed, with a recommendatory preface, by Mr. James Hog, one of the holieſt miniſters in the kingdom. This book, after it had paſſed for about eighty years with conſiderable reputation and eſteem among moſt of the truly ſerious perſons who read it, was attacked with great warmth by the general aſſembly of 1720; and though it is ſhrewdly ſuſpected the greater part of the members had never peruſed it, an act was made, charging all miniſters in connection with them to warn their people againſt reading it.— In their attack upon this book, the aſſembly plainly condemned the offering of Chriſt as a Saviour to ſinners as ſuch, and the aſſerting that believers are wholly delivered from the law as a covenant of works: they maintained that holineſs is a federal or conditional means of obtaining eternal happineſs; and that ſlaviſh fear of endleſs miſery, and legal hope of future felicity, ought to influence the ſaints in their ſtudy of goſpel holineſs: theſe almoſt entirely ſcriptural expreſſions, "That believers are not under the law, do not commit ſin; that the Lord can ſee no ſin in them, nor be [74]angry with them for ſin," they declared Antinomian paradoxes; and condemned, the diſtinguiſhing between the law as a covenant of works, and as a binding rule of obedience in the hand of a Mediator, in order to explain them: Meſſ. Thomas Boſton, Ebenezer and Ralph Erſkines, with nine others, remonſtrated againſt this conduct: theſe twelve repreſenters had their own ſhare of trouble from the judicatories; the commiſſion poſed them with twelve queſtions relative to the affair in diſpute, in the anſwers to which they ſet ſeveral goſpel truths in a very clear light. The aſſembly of 1722 took the matter into further conſideration, and made an act explaining and confirming the acts of 1720: this the repreſenters proteſted againſt as ſtill injurious to the truths of the goſpel, though it muſt be owned it was not near ſo groſs as thoſe of the aſſembly of 1720. To avoid even the moſt diſtant approaches towards favouring the condemned ſentiments or expreſſions of the marrow, many of the Scots clergy ſeemed now to become more legal in their doctrine than ever, which tempted multitudes of ſerious Chriſtians to crowd to hear the repreſenters, who, notwithſtanding diſtinguiſhed holineſs in practice, and a zealous warmth in recommending it to their hearers, were exceedingly reproached as Antinomian encouragers of a licentious life.—It is probable theſe twelve miniſters harraſſment and reproach had been more laſting, had not a rumour ſpread, in the end of 1725, that Mr. John Simſon above-mentioned had not only continued to teach his former errors contrary to the prohibition of the aſſembly, but had taught that Jeſus Chriſt is not neceſſarily exiſtent; that the perſons of the Godhead are not the very ſame in ſubſtance; that neceſſary exiſtence, ſupreme deity and being the only true God, may be taken for the perſonal property of the Father, and ſo not belonging to the Son and Holy Ghoſt. The teaching of his former errors was fully proved, but nothing was done to him upon that account: his teaching the above Arian tenets was alſo ſufficiently [75]manifeſted; but he, giving in declarations of his ſentiments on theſe heads in orthodox language, and after much tergiverſation, profeſſing ſorrow for ſome of the offenſive expreſſions proved againſt him; the aſſembly of 1728 ſuſpended him from the exerciſe of all eccleſiaſtic power and function till another general aſſembly ſhould think fit to take off this ſentence. The aſſembly of 1729 further declared that it was not fit to intruſt him any more with training up of young men for the holy miniſtry: multitudes were offended he was ſo ſlightly cenſured. During this proceſs paſtors began to be violently obtruded upon reclaiming congregations; and the aſſembly of 1730 enacted, that no proteſts nor diſſents ſhould be recorded in their minutes; againſt which, and other corruptions, about forty miniſters, and fourteen hundred elders and private Chriſtians, gave in a warm remonſtrance, and craved the aſſembly would aſſert the truth, in direct oppoſition to Mr. Simſon's errors. The aſſembly of 1732 refuſed to hear theſe repreſentations, and, contrary to inſtructions from the far greater part of the Preſbyteries who ſent any, enacted, that Proteſtant heritors, whether prelatic Jacobites or not, and elders, ſhould be the only voters in the election of goſpel miniſters: the aſſembly of 1733 diſcharged the Preſbytery of Dunfermline, under pain of the higheſt cenſure, to adminiſter ſealing ordinances to thoſe whoſe conſciences could not ſubmit to the miniſtry of paſtors violently impoſed upon them. Mean while Mr. Ebenezer Erſkine abovementioned, having, in his ſermon before the ſynod at Perth, October 1732, teſtified againſt the act of the laſt aſſembly relative to the choice of miniſters, and having decried patronage and ſome other prevalent corruptions, the ſynod, after three days diſpute, appointed him to be rebuked at their bar, for the matter and manner of his conduct: twelve miniſters and two elders diſſented: himſelf appealed to the aſſembly in 1733, but received no redreſs: that ſupreme judicatory ordered him to be rebuked at the bar. Conceiving [76]that the truths of God he had in his ſermon ſupported, were hereby injured, he proteſted that he could not, without violating his conſcience, ſubmit to this ſentence. Meſſ. William Wilſon, Alexander Moncrief, and James Fiſher, for the exoneration of their conſciences, proteſted againſt the prevailing courſe of defection. Without allowing theſe four brethren to attempt a defence of their conduct, the aſſembly appointed their commiſſion to proceed againſt them by ſuſpenſion, and higher cenſure, if they ſhould not retract their proteſt, and profeſs their ſorrow for taking it. When the commiſſion met in Auguſt, the proteſting brethren were hardly allowed to declare their mind; and becauſe they continued adhering to their proteſt, they were ſuſpended from the exerciſe of their miniſtry. The next meeting of the commiſſion, in November, by their Moderator's caſting vote, ſuſpended them alſo from their miniſtration in their reſpective congregations. Hereupon theſe brethren declared a ſeceſſion, not from the conſtitution of the Scots church, but from the prevailing party in her judicatories; and, that they might regularly adhere to their principles, and afford relief to thoſe people that were oppreſſed with intruſion of paſtors, they conſtituted themſelves into an eccleſiaſtic court, which they called the Aſſociate Preſbytery. Their minutes ſhew, that, quickly after their erection, Meſſ. Wilſon and Moncrief drew up a paper, intitled, "A teſtimony to the doctrine, worſhip, diſcipline, and government of the church of Scotland" This paper was judicially conſidered and approved in their meetings at Colfargy and Dunfermline, and in it they exhibit their reaſons of ſeceſſion from the prevailing party in the judicatories of the eſtabliſhed church, viz. 1. That that party were breaking down the Preſbyterian conſtitution of churchgovernment, by their trampling upon and making deciſions quite contrary to the barrier acts and rules which had been enacted by the Scots church in her [77]pureſt times, for aſcertaining due deliberation in the framing of ſtanding laws and general rules; by their exerciſing a lordly tyranny over men's conſciences, in impowering heritors and elders to impoſe upon Chriſtians what ſpiritual guides they pleaſed; by their promoting violent intruſion of miniſters as opportunity permitted; by their cenſuring and ejecting miniſters from their congregations, merely for proteſting againſt a ſinful act of aſſembly; by threatening the higheſt cenſures to ſuch as ſhould adminiſter baptiſm or the Lord's ſupper to thoſe who could not in conſcience ſubmit to the miniſtry of intruders, and allowing the commiſſion to take the Preſbytery's power in ſettlement of miniſters, if theſe Preſbyteries refuſed to promote the violent impoſition of miniſters upon reclaiming congregations. 2. That they were purſuing ſuch methods as tended to corrupt the doctrine contained in their confeſſion of faith, in ſo eaſily diſmiſſing Profeſſor Simſon's proceſs, and refuſing to aſſert the truth, in oppoſition to his various errors: in careſſing Mr. Campbell, Profeſſor of Church Hiſtory at St. Andrew's, notwithſtanding his ridiculing practical goodneſs as enthuſiaſm, and his declaring that ſelf-love is the chief motive and ſtandard of all virtuous and religious actions; that the being of God and immortality of the ſoul cannot be known by the mere light of nature; and yet the laws of nature are a certain and ſufficient rule to direct rational minds to happineſs, and our obſerving them the great means of our real and laſting felicity: and finally, in their permitting or encouraging preachers to entertain their hearers with dry harangues of almoſt mere Heathen morality, inſtead of the goſpel of Chriſt. 3. That they were impoſing upon miniſters, as a term of communion, the ſinful breaking of their ordination-vows, by neglecting all proper oppoſition to the prevailing courſe of apoſtacy from the doctrine, worſhip, government and diſcipline of the Scots church. 4. That they [78]were continuing obſtinate in their evil ways, notwithſtanding of all ordinary means uſed to recal them.

Moreover, in this teſtimony, theſe four brethren declared their adherence to their ordination-vows, and to the ſtandards of the mother church; and that they intended to hold eccleſiaſtic communion with all ſuch of her miniſters and members as oppoſed the abovementioned courſe of backſliding, as they ſhould have opportunity.

The ſtrict party of the Scots church having vigorouſly exerted themſelves in the choice of members, the aſſembly of 1734 was very different from ſeveral of the preceding: ſundry corrupt courſes were checked; the ſeceding brethren were appointed to be reponed to their charges; but as the act of aſſembly repreſented this as done without condemning the act of aſſembly of 1733, or the conduct of their commiſſion, theſe brethren reckoned the truths that ſuffered along with them not duly vindicated, and therefore declined joining the eſtabliſhed judicatories on that footing, and publiſhed the reaſons of their conduct: however, they waited about two years and a half, looking and wiſhing for an opportunity of returning to the judicatories, during which time they kept their meetings of Preſbytery for almoſt nothing but prayer and conference: at length, obſerving the eſtabliſhed judicatories faſt returning to, or proceeding in their fore-mentioned corruptions, intruſions promoted, Profeſſor Campbell diſmiſſed without cenſure, and his error concerning ſelf-love inadvertently approved by the general aſſembly: her own excellent act againſt violent ſettlements, and another for orthodox preaching, generally diſregarded, they began to preach to thoſe oppreſſed Chriſtians who petitioned for it, and appointed Mr. Wilſon, one of their number, to train up ſtudents for the holy miniſtry.

Mean while, in the beginning of 1737, Meſſ. Ralph Erſkine and Thomas Mair joined them, declaring, that they joined them not as different from, but as a [79]part of the church of Scotland, witneſſing againſt the corruption of the prevailing party in her eſtabliſhed judicatories; that they intended no withdrawment from ſuch godly miniſters as were groaning under and wreſtling againſt the then courſe of backſliding; and that they propoſed to return to the eſtabliſhed judicatories whenever they ſhould return to their duty.

About the ſame time the Aſſociate Preſbytery publiſhed a ſecond teſtimony, calculated not to enumerate the cauſes of Seceſſion, but to repreſent the grounds of the Lord's anger againſt the generation; to approve former reformations, to condemn the ſteps of defection from it, and the moſt prevalent errors of the times, and aſſert the truth in oppoſition thereto. In this paper they particularly rehearſed and condemned the principal defections of church and ſtate between 1650 and 1737: they expreſsly condemned the errors of Meſſ. Simſon and Campbell, and ſhewed them to be contrary to the word of God, and to the Weſtminſter confeſſion of faith and catechiſms: they ſolemnly aſſerted, that the Old and New Teſtament are not only a ſufficient and principal, but the ONLY rule to direct us how to glorify and enjoy God: that Jeſus Chriſt is the ſupreme, only true, and neceſſarily exiſtent God, of the ſame ſubſtance with his eternal Father: that God from eternity decreed all things merely according to the counſel of his will, and elected his people to everlaſting life, without any regard to their good works as the motive or condition of his choice: that God entered into a covenant of works with Adam as the repreſentative of all his natural ſeed: that, in conſequence of the breach of this covenant, all men are conceived and born in ſin, are by nature children of wrath, and can do nothing ſpiritually good: that tho' there be no neceſſary connexion between natural ſeriouſneſs and our obtaining of ſaving grace; yet it is the duty of all unregenerate perſons ſeriouſly to attend goſpel ordinances, whether public, private or ſecret, as the means whereby God conveys his converting [80]influence: that the light of nature is not ſufficient to guide fallen men to true or laſting happineſs: that Chriſt aſſumed our nature, is very God and very man in two diſtinct natures, and one perſon for ever: that he, as our ſurety, undertook for all the elect, and gave to the law and juſtice of God whatever obedience and ſatisfaction they could require of us: that his righteouſneſs imputed to us; is the ONLY foundation of our pardon, acceptance with God, and title to eternal life, and not any thing wrought in or done by us: that want of conformity to God's law, in heart or life, is truly and properly ſin: that ſinning and ſuffering will be the miſery of the damned in hell thro' eternity: that all believers in Chriſt are fully delivered from the moral law as a covenant of works, ſo as to be thereby neither juſtified nor condemned, but are for ever under it as a binding rule of obedience given by Jehovah the Creator and Redeemer of men: that God needs nothing from, nor can be profited by any creature, and therefore rewards their good actions entirely of his own free will and abſolutely gracious bounty: that not ſelf-intereſt or pleaſure, but the holy law of God, is the ſupreme and only ſtandard of all religious and virtuous actions: that not ſelf-love, but a view of the glorious excellencies of God, as revealed in Chriſt, and a regard to his authority, is the leading motive of our love and obedience to him: that no believer can ever totally fall from a ſtate of grace, nor did Chriſt's diſciples, while he lay in the grave, look upon him as a downright impoſtor: that Chriſt alone is King and [...]ead of his church; to him alone it belongs to give her laws, ordinances, and officers; to him alone her officers are ſubject in their ſpiritual adminiſtrations: that he hath warranted them to hold general aſſemblies, and other church judicatories, as often as neceſſary: that he hath appointed the Preſbyterian form of government, and no other, to continue in his church till the end of time: that Chriſt having in his word preſcribed [81]a government in his church, diſtinct from, and not ſubordinate to the civil magiſtrate, he hath intruſted it not to all church-members, but only to her office-bearers, whoſe power is entirely ſubordinate to the laws declared in his word: that theſe officers ought to be ſet over congregations by the call and conſent of the majority of ſuch therein as are admitted to full communion with the church in all her ſealing ordinances, no perſon's vote being preferred upon any ſecular account. Along with theſe aſſertory declarations of their belief, they condemned and profeſſed their deteſtation of the contrary errors; and finally declared their hearty adherence to the Weſtminſter confeſſion of faith, catechiſms, directory for worſhip, and form of church-government, and to the national covenant of Scotland, as explained to abjure Prelacy and the articles of Perth, and to the ſolemn league and covenant of the three kingdoms, and to all acts of aſſembly, or other teſtimonies, tending to promote or ſupport their anceſtors covenanted work of reformation; and particularly to their own repreſentations to the commiſſion of the general aſſembly in 1733, their firſt teſtimony, and their reaſons of not acceding to the judicatories of the eſtabliſhed church.

Though this teſtimony was not intended for a new ſtandard, but as an open appearance in favour of thoſe that had been long acknowledged by the nation; yet perſons at their acceſſion to, or joining with the Seceding miniſters, did commonly profeſs their approbation of it, as far as they underſtood it: but that the preſbytery did not tyrannically require ſuch as joined them to believe the certainty of the various narratives of fact contained therein, is fully evident; Mr. Wilſon, the principal defender of the Seceding cauſe, boldly avers, that Mr. Currie his antagoniſt, in charging it with twenty-four miſtakes reſpecting hiſtorical facts, did not affect its proper ſubſtance, but merely wrangled about circumſtances; and that the plain meaning [82]of acceders approving this teſtimony, was their ſignifying their conjunction with the Aſſociate Preſbytery, in the ſame confeſſion of the truths of God held forth from his word in our received ſtandards of doctrine, worſhip, diſcipline, and government.

Now nothing can be more certain, that neither the word of God, nor ſtandards of the Scots church, but acts of parliament, acts of aſſembly, and other like fallible vouchers, hold forth the hiſtorical aſſertions of that paper.

Not long had this teſtimony been publiſhed, when multitudes of private Chriſtians, a good number of elders, and two more miniſters, being offended with the growth of apoſtacy above-mentioned, and anew grieved with a great part of the eſtabliſhed clergy, for publickly rea [...]ing on the Sabbath, and thus ſolemnly acquieſcing in an act relative to the murderers of Captain Porteous, in which the parliament claimed a ſpiritual headſhip over the church, conſt [...]uting themſelves judges of miniſters fitneſs to ſit in her courts, and threatening eccleſiaſtic penalties for diſobedience to their civil authority, did join the Aſſociate Preſbytery upon the footing of it. Now many from different corners of the land petitioned this preſbytery for ſermons; their requeſts were deliberately granted: the Seceding miniſters preached, and eſpecially held faſts, in moſt corners of the ſouth part of the country.

The plainneſs of this ſecond teſtimony, and the crowding of the common people after the authors of it, mightily provoked the managers in the eſtabliſhed judicatories: the Seceding miniſters were libelled, and cited before the aſſembly of 1739. When they appeared, the aſſembly declared their willingneſs to drop the libel, overlook every thing foregoing, and receive them with open arms into all manner of church-fellowſhip: but theſe aſſociate brethren, conſidering that the aſſembly conſiſted chiefly of intruders, and others deeply guilty of the growing defection, declined her [83]authority, as a not rightly conſtituted court of Chriſt. This daring attack, added to the former provocation, mightily chagrined the managers; wherefore the aſſembly, in 1740, without pretending to find theſe miniſters guilty of error in doctrine, or immorality in practice, depoſed them from being miniſters of the church of Scotland. This ſentence occaſioned a mighty run of the common people after the Seceding brethren; but as their followers increaſed, ſo did their trials. Sundry, if not moſt of theſe miniſters, had ere now believed, that a magiſtrate has only power to appoint faſts and thankſgivings, with the diets and cauſes thereof, in extraordinary caſes, and where he has not acceſs to conſult with a church that he judges rightly conſtituted: but ſome of their people, who had acceded to them, now prompted them to determine, Whether it was lawful for them to obſerve a faſt on the day appointed by the King for that effect? In a pro re nata meeting of preſbytery, deſigned for other buſineſs, and while 14 out of 22 members were abſent, this queſtion was irregularly hawled in by Meſſ. Alexander Moncrief, Thomas Nairn, and Thomas Mair; and becauſe they judged the eſtabliſhed church had practically given up their power of appointing faſts and thankſgivings into the hand of the Sovereign, they carried it by, I think, one vote, that the Seceders obſerving faſts on theſe occaſions, was a ſinful connivance at the King's exerciſing a ſpiritual headſhip over the church. The deep ſilence, concerning this matter, in their after confeſſion of ſins, prefixed to their covenant-bond, indeed plainly demonſtrates, that this deciſion was never generally approved by the Seceding clergy: but their people being once, many of them, tinctured with the above notion, they ſeldom found it for edification to obſerve faſts or thankſgivings on the days appointed for that end by the civil magiſtrate: nevertheleſs, on theſe occaſions, they uſed to recommend private faſting, or to forbear giving offence with public labour; ſo that except a few [84]forward and leſs judicious perſons, it may be juſtly averred, that the Seceders gave as little open offence to the government on that head as moſt in the nation, who pretended to be zealous obſervers of the Sovereign's faſts.

By Mr. Whitfield's miſſives to Mr Ralph Erſkine, and other like circumſtances, ſeveral of the Seceding brethren had conceived a very favourable opinion of him; but finding, upon converſe with him, that he decried all particular forms of church government as a mere human device, and being exceedingly offended with his printed enthuſiaſtic account of God's dealing with his ſoul, they turned their favour into warm oppoſition. In 1742, and ſome following years, a ſurpriſing commotion in the ſouls and bodies of men, while they attended ſermon, happened at Cambuſlang, near Glaſgow, and other places: this Mr. Whitfield's admirers extolled as a wonderful work of the Spirit of God; but the Seceders, tho' they could not deny that the lives of many were, for the preſent, thereby reformed, and that ſome divine influence might attend the truths there delivered; yet, becauſe of the bodily convulſions, diſorderly noiſe, imaginary views of Chriſt, averſion at a covenanted work of reformation, nauſeous boaſting, and other irregularities attending it, they decried it as in a great meaſure deluſive. In the warm contention upon ſo critical a topic, no doubt both parties ſometimes run into extremes, and became ſtumbling blocks to one another: however, the return of multitudes of the ſubjects of the ſurpriſing influence to their wonted courſes, mightily confirmed the Seceders in their ſentiment.

Mean while the Seceding body had another trial from among themſelves: it was their earneſt deſire and prayer to God, to make our Sovereign King George, and every ſubordinate magiſtrate, zealous friends to a covenanted work of reformation; but they were firmly perſuaded, that difference in religion deprives [85]no civil ruler of his juſt power and authority; they openly teſtified againſt Mr. M'Milian's party, and others that thought otherwiſe: not a few of them bore arms againſt the Pretender; not one of them can be charged with appearing on his ſide: their miniſters often debarred from the Lord's table ſuch as denied the lawful authority of our preſent government, in all things civil; and they formally excommunicated ſome few of their followers that preſumed to do ſo.

In 1742, Mr. Thomas Nairn, a perſon too volatile for a witneſſing miniſter, took it into his head to maintain, that none but a Preſbyterian and covenanted perſon could be rightful Sovereign of this realm: his aſſociated brethren quickly oppoſed him with great vigour; proceeded to cenſure him; publiſhed a judicial declaration, wherein they ſhewed, from the word of God, our ſtandards and covenants, that it is the duty of the whole nation to obey the preſent civil government, in all things lawful, for conſcience ſake

After about ſeven years deliberation, the Aſſociate Preſbytery agreed upon the form of a bond of public covenanting with God; and, in December 1743, themſelves began to enter into it. Next year their act on this head was publiſhed, together with another, vindicating the doctrine of God's free grace from the injury done it by the general aſſemblies of 1720 and 1722 above-mentioned. The form of the Seceders covenant had been ſhort, and moſtly plain, had it not reduplicated upon a long confeſſion of ſins, that it is to be feared few of their people could fully know the import and certainty of: not a few, therefore, condemned the preſbytery's act, declaring, that the ſwearing of this bond ſhould be the term of miniſterial and Chriſtian communion with them. It was thought very unreaſonable, that a perſon of an eminently holy life, and zealouſly attached to all the truths of God, to the Scots ſtandards and covenants, ſhould be excluded from the ſeals of God's covenant, merely becauſe he could [86]not underſtand the meaning or certainty of ſome things in this bond, and the acknowledgment of ſins prefixed to it; or would not ſwear to what he underſtood not. Many of the Seceding clergy were afterwards ſenſible that this act was ſinful; nor do I know that ever the moſt zealous acted up to the tenor of it, with reſpect to their people.

About the beginning of the year 1745, the Aſſociate Preſbytery was ſo far increaſed, that they divided themſelves into three preſbyteries, under one ſynod. Soon after which, the Lord, to puniſh their management of his cauſe, gave them up to angry contentions, and an unprecedented breach. Tho' in many of their public papers they had ſolemnly declared their adherence to the ordination-vows uſed, and conſequently to the religion profeſſed in the eſtabliſhed church; tho' in their principles concerning magiſtracy, publiſhed in the year 1743, p. 50, they had judicially declared their thankfulneſs to God that their own religion had ſuch ſecurity by the preſent civil government, as no nation on earth enjoyed the like: yet at the very firſt meeting of their Aſſociate Synod, they began warmly to debate, whether it was lawful for Seceders to ſwear that clauſe in ſome Scots burgeſs-oaths, viz. I profeſs and allow with my heart the true religion preſently profeſſed within this realm, and authoriſed by the laws thereof; I ſhall abide at and defend the ſame to my life's end, renouncing the Roman religion called Papiſtry. Meſſ. Ebenezer and Ralph Erſkines, James Fiſher, and others, maintained, that ſince it was the true, the divine religion itſelf, profeſſed and ſettled in Scotland, and not the human and faulty manner of profeſſing or ſettling it, that was ſworn to in theſe oaths: that ſince, in their ſeceſſion, they had never pretended to ſet up a new religion, but to cleave more cloſely to that whereinto they had been baptiſed: that ſince in their teſtimonies they had eſpouſed the very ſame ſtandards with the eſtabliſhed church, had frequently and ſolemnly declared their adherence to the [87]ordination-vows, ſundry of them had taken therein, and whereby they were engaged to the religion, doctrine, worſhip, diſcipline and government profeſſed and ſettled in the land: that ſince, tho' in their public papers they had quarrelled with the manner in which the true religion is preſently profeſſed and ſettled in the realm, and teſtified againſt the various corruptions of church and ſtate; yet they had been ſo far from quarrelling with the true religion profeſſed and ſettled, that no more than two years before they had judicially declared the religion ſecured by the preſent civil government to be their own; and therefore could not, without the moſt glaring ſelf contradiction, prohibit the ſwearing of the above clauſe, as in itſelf ſinful, for thoſe of their way. Meſſ. Alexander M [...]ncrief, Thomas Mair, Adam Gib, and others, comended, that Seceders ſwearing of this clauſe was exceeding ſinful, and a giving up the whole of their teſtimony; becauſe, ſaid they, ſwearing to the true religion preſently profeſſed and authoriſed in this realm, imports a ſwearing to it as preſently profeſſed and ſettled, and ſo an approving by oath of all the corrupt acts of church and ſtate. After much hot contention, thoſe who defended the burgeſs-oath, and who now began to be called Burghers, offered, for the ſake of peace, to agree to an act forbidding Seceders to ſwear the ſaid clauſe, as inexpedient in the preſent circumſtances. This peaceful propoſal the Antiburghers refuſed, as altogether inſufficient; and, in a pretty thin meeting of ſyned, Apr. 9, 1746, puſhed and carried a vote, condemning the preſent ſwearing of the above religious clauſe by Seceders, as ſinful, and inconſiſtent with their teſtimony and bond for renewing the covenants. Part of the Burgher miniſters and elders proteſted againſt this ſentence; but the Antiburghers anſwers to their reaſons of proteſt, not being ready, as they ought, againſt next meeting of ſynod, and ſome of the more zealous having in the mean time publickly debarred the defenders of the burgeſs-oath [88]from the Lord's table, a new queſtion was introduced, Whether the above ſentence relative to the religious clauſe of ſome burgeſs-oaths ſhould be a term of miniſterial and Chriſtian communion? After much warm altercation at two meetings, and a diſſent and proteſtation of the Antiburghers againſt putting this queſtion, it was voted, and carried, that the ſaid ſentence ſhould not be a term of miniſterial or Chriſtian communion, at leaſt till the affair ſhould be deliberately conſidered in preſbyteries and ſeſſions, their mind obtained, and further means uſed, by prayer and conference, for ſeeing eye to eye in the truth. No ſooner was this ſentence carried, than Mr. Thomas Mair, a zealous Antiburgher, declared and proteſted, that thereby his oppoſers had forfeited all ſynodical power, and that the lawful authority of the Aſſociate Synod was devolved upon a conſtituted meeting of his party, and of ſuch as ſhould cleave to them; all whom he called to meet next day in Mr. Gib's houſe for that effect; and then, with twenty-two others, and without either moderator or clerk, withdrew from thirty-two or thirty-three of their brethren, conſtituted in Chriſt's name, and with their moderator and clerk attending them. The day following, the Burghers aſſembled and conſtituted ſynod in the ordinary place: but the Antiburghers conſtituted themſelves into another ſynod in Mr. Gib's houſe, and aſſerted themſelves ſole judges of their own anſwers, diſſents and proteſts; enacted, that the Burgher miniſters had forfeited all power pertaining to their office; and that no Seceding preſbytery or ſeſſion, not conſtituted in ſubordination to their preſent meeting, could be a lawful court of Chriſt. This act was the baſis of their next meetings of preſbytery; hence the Antiburghers of the preſbytery of Edinburgh deſerted their appointed place of next meeting, and took another [...] thoſe of the preſbytery of Perth refuſed their brethren a ſeat with them, and they univerſally refuſed to ſit in ſeſſion with thoſe elders that would [89]not ſubmit to their above conſtitution of ſynod. Mournful was the ſtumbling and alienation of affection that enſued among the people; multitudes were perplexed how to ſide themſelves; and no doubt many did it entirely by gueſs. To remedy this awful confuſion, the Burgher clergy wrote twice to their brethren that deſerted them, earneſtly begging a meeting for prayer and conference, in order to their uniting in the Lord's cauſe. The Antiburghers, whether from unwillingneſs to convince the Burghers of the ſins they laid to their charge, or from conſciouſneſs that they had not ſufficient arguments for that end, or from ſome different view; returned no other anſwer, than that they could not, conſiſtently with their teſtimony, comply with any ſuch propoſal; and that their brethren's only way for peace was to preſent themſelves penitent pannels at their bar. The Burghers could not in conſcience ſubmit to their brethren's conſtitution of ſynod. None of them therefore appeared at their bar, except Mr. Hutton, who did it for no other purpoſe than to read a formidable attack upon the conſtitution of their court, which to this moment has received no proper refutation. The Burghers continued exerciſing their miniſtry, and holding their judicatories as formerly: they even made an act, declaring the Antiburgher conſtitution in Mr. Gib's houſe void and null, everſive of preſbytery, and contrary to ſcripture and reaſon: For theſe, and other above-mentioned inſtances of oppoſition, the Antiburghers depoſed, excommunicated, and delivered them over to Satan. Theſe ſentences had no effect: the Meſſ. Erſkines, and other Burghers, lived as holily, preached as edifyingly, and died as comfortably, as any of their oppoſers. The Antiburghers having proceeded two years in thus cenſuring their brethren, were obliged to confeſs, that all along themſelves had been lying under ſcandal with reſpect to partaking with their brethren in their ſin; and, at a meeting of ſynod, purged one another from it by judicial [90]rebukes and adm [...]ons. [...]ow ſcandalous perſons were fit to cenſure others, or to purge one another, was not underſtood by m [...]ny. However, this was ſcarce well finiſhed, when M [...]. Patrick Mathew, an Antiburgher, deſerted to the B [...]rghers, and was cenſured as they had been.—Not long after Mr. Thomas Mair, the founder of the conſtitution in Mr. Gib's houſe, for maintaining that Chriſt in ſome ſenſe died for all mankind, was proſecuted, a [...]d cenſured by his brethren as guilty of Arminian error. Nothing tranſacted ſince, on either ſide, deſerves a place in a general hiſtory of religion: it remains briefly to repreſent the preſent agreement and difference of the two parties. Since their rupture in 1747, both have retained their reſpective ſynod, preſbyteries and ſeſſions: both have ſupplied the male [...]ontents in their oppoſers congregations with preaching: the congregations belonging to both amount to about [...], in ſundry whereof are ſome thouſand examinable perſons; but the greater part much below that number. Which party have the greateſt number of followers, I know not; but the Antiburghers having the teacher of philoſophy and profeſſor of divinity on their ſide at the breach, then carried off almoſt all the ſtudents, and to this day have the greateſt number of miniſters; tho' even here the Burghers ſeem to gain ground. Both parties agree in public profeſſion of acherence to the ſcriptures, as the only rule of ſaith and practice; and to the confeſſion of faith, catechiſms, form of church-government, and public covenants, of their Preſbyterian anceſtors. Both, I hope, preach the goſpel of Chriſt in purity, and endeavour to commit the miniſtry to faithful men. I heir form of worſhip is much the ſame with that of their mother-church: with both, miniſters endeavour publickly to catechiſe, and privately to viſit, their congregations once a-year, without reſpect of perſons; both deteſt and avoid private b [...]ptiſm; both uſe to adminiſter the Lord's ſupper in their congregation once a-year, [91]and ſundry of the Burghers do it twice. Neither party allow themſelves to admit to the ſacraments any but ſuch as have ſome viſible appearance of ſaintſhip: Groſs ignorance of the Chriſtian ſaith, neglect of the worſhip of God in ſecret or in families, drunkenneſs, ſwearing in ordinary converſation, even tho' it be in a paſſion, idleneſs, or unneceſſary travelling or labouring on the Sabbath, playing at cards and dice, ſmuggling of goods, lying, reviling, apparent hatred of others, diſhoneſty, obſcene language, fornication, and the like, are with both reckoned ſcandalous, and ſufficient reaſon for ſuſpending a perſon from the ſacraments. With reſpect to difference, none can be admitted to the ſacraments by the Antiburghers, except he at leaſt indirectly declare his perſuaſion that it is very ſinful for Seceders to ſwear the above-mentioned clauſe of ſome burgeſs-oaths: they contend, that the conſtitution of the Scots revolution church is Eraſtian, and could never be lawfully joined with: they aver that their religion is different from that of the eſtabliſhed church, but have not hitherto declared what divine truth they hold that is not comprehended in her public ſtandards: they ſeem to equal, if not ſometimes prefer, the ſecond teſtimony above-mentioned, to the confeſſion of faith, and other ſtandards of their mother church, and meanwhile renounce the ordination-vows, together with ſuch parts of the firſt teſtimony and repreſentations adhered to in it, as approve of the religion at preſent profeſſed in the realm. Tho', in their preſent form of ordination-vows, they plainly approve of that declaration of principles concerning the civil magiſtrate, in which it is declared that their own religion has unmatched ſecurity by the preſent civil government; yet they ſeparated from their brethren, becauſe they would not allow that every one ſhould be excluded from miniſterial and Chriſtian communion with them, who believed it lawful to ſwear to profeſs and abide in the religion at preſent authoriſed by the civil government: they ſeparated [92]without pretending to make any ſchiſm; and tho', at the breach, no more than about two-fifths of the ſynod, they met in a different place, and aſſumed the whole power of it; and tho' confeſſedly under ſcandal themſelves, proceeded as above to cenſure their brethren, who never once acknowledged their authority; and frequently they faſt and pray, that God may bleſs the cenſures they have paſſed upon them: they reckon public covenanting a very diſtinguiſhing article of their religion, and hence puſh their people into it; but, it is ſhrewdly alledged, with [...]ut due pains to inſtruct them in the knowledge of the bond, and confeſſion of ſins, to which they ſwear, or due care to reſtrain ſuch as do not underſtand that oath; in conſequence whereof, it is hard to find many whoſe practice is a whit bettered by their covenanting work. — On the other hand, the Burghers, though they generally conceive the religious clauſe of the burgeſs-oath to be lawful, require none either directly or indirectly to be of their mind in that matter: with them, one that thinks it ſinful may be as readily admitted to the ſacrament, or even to the miniſtry, as if he thought it lawful; their maxim being, "Him that is weak in the faith, receive ye, but not to doubtful diſputations:" they contend, that though the glory of the revolution-church is indeed inferior to that between 1638 and 1650, her conſtitution is nevertheleſs ſcriptural, and was lawfully joined with; and declare their intention to join with the eſtabliſhed judicatories, whenever they ſhall earneſtly reform from the various defections introduced ſince the revolution: they maintain, that though the human appearances for religion, the manner of profeſſing and ſettling it, be different, yet the religion of the revolution-church is the very ſame with that profeſſed between 1638 and 1650; and generally contend, that what themſelves profeſs is the very ſame religion profeſſed in the eſtabliſhed church, ſince their ſtandards of doctrine, worſhip, diſcipline and government are [93]the ſame; though their method of profeſſing and adhering to them be more ſtrict: they eſteem the ſecond teſtimony as no ſtandard, but as an appearance in favour of their ſtandards: they acknowledge that in the hiſtorical parts of it there are a few miſtakes, or ill-guarded expreſſions; but cleave to the ſubſtantial part of it without exception: when their brethren ſeparated from them, they purſued after peace and union, even while it fled from them; being the majority at the breach, they kept poſſeſſion of their ſeat in judicatories. Though they declared the Antiburghers conſtitution in Mr. Gib's houſe null and void, and maintained their brethren's above-mentioned cenſuring of them, and their frequent faſting and prayer for God's ratification thereof, an almoſt unmatched profanation of the name of Chriſt; yet they could not ſee it warrantable from ſcripture to proceed to cenſure their brethren, while there was no appearance of its tending to the general edification. They heartily approve of publickly covenanting, when ſeaſonable, and done in truth, judgment and righteouſneſs: they conſtantly maintain the continued obligation of their anceſtors covenants; and at ordinations, and on other occaſions, ſolemnly declare their adherence to them: but finding from ſcripture that public covenanting is not a ſtanding but occaſional duty; that it neither took place in the reign of David nor Solomon, thoſe religious Kings, who together reigned eighty years over Iſrael, nor appears to have been ever recommended by the Apoſtles as a preſent duty for their hearers; that it is only to be done with knowledge and underſtanding; and that it is better not to vow, than to vow and not pay by a tender and holy practice; and fearing that the preſent broken ſtate of the church, when the godly are ſo divided, may not be altogether proper for it; finding that, beſides ſome inadvertent miſtakes, the confeſſion of ſins, publiſhed in 1744, and now uſed by the Antiburghers, is ſuch as they could not hope to make the twentieth [94]part of their hearers to underſtand; and being determined never to allow perſons to ſwear it ignorantly; and finally, being exceedingly ſtumbled at the raſh, ignorant, proud, party-like and fruitleſs covenanting, they think they obſerve among their brethren Antiburghers, they have never yet proceeded to ſuch work; and on that account are repreſented by the Antiburghers as moſt wicked and wilful apoſtates from the cauſe of Chriſt.

The Government, Worſhip and Diſcipline of the Church of SCOTLAND.

THere are in Scotland about 1000 pariſhes, each of which is divided, in proportion to its extent, into particular diſtricts, and every diſtrict has its own ruling elders and deacons; the ruling elders are men of the beſt quality and intereſt in their pariſhes, and the deacons are perſons of a good character, for manners and underſtanding. A conſiſtory of miniſters *, elders * and deacons *, is called a kirk-ſeſſion, which is the loweſt eccleſiaſtical judicatory, and convenes once a week, to conduct the affairs of the pariſh *. The miniſter is always Moderator, but wit [...] out a negative; appeals lie from thence to their own preſbyteries, which are the next higher judicatories.

Scotland is divided into ſixty-nine preſbyteries, each conſiſting of from twelve to twenty-four contiguous pariſhes: the miniſters of theſe pariſhes, with one ruling elder, choſen half-yearly at every kirk-ſeſſion, compoſe a preſbytery. They meet in the principal town, from which they are denominated, and chuſe their Moderator, who muſt be a miniſter, half-yearly: from theſe preſbyteries appeals lye to provincial ſynods, which are compoſed of ſeveral adjacent preſbyteries, two, three, four, or eight. There are fifteen provincial ſynods in all: the members are, a miniſter and a ruling elder out of every pariſh. Theſe ſynods meet twice [95]a year, at the principal town of its bounds. They chuſe a Moderator, who is their Prolocutor. The acts of the ſynods are ſubject to the review of the general aſſembly, which is the laſt reſort of the kirk of Scotland.

The general aſſembly conſiſts of commiſſioners from preſbyteries, royal burghs, and univerſi [...]ies. A preſbytery of twelve miniſters, ſends two miniſters and one ruling elder; a preſbytery of between twelve and eighteen, ſend [...] three miniſters and one ruling elder; of between eighteen and twenty-four, four miniſters and two ruling elders; a preſbytery of twenty-four, ſends five miniſters and two ruling elders; every royal burgh ſends one elder, and Edinburgh two; every univerſity ſends one commiſſioner, who is generally a miniſter.

The general aſſembly meets once a year, in the month of May, and is opened and adjourned by the King's Royal Commiſſioner, appointed for that purpoſe *, who, however has no vote.

Upon the day appointed for the meeting of the general aſſembly, the preceding Moderator makes a ſermon before the King's Commiſſioner and the members. After ſermon they go to the aſſembly houſe, where the Commiſſioner being upon the throne, they proceed to chuſe a Moderator. The election is thus managed: The laſt Moderator nominates two or three miniſters, to whom the aſſembly adds whom they ſee fit; the nominees are ſaid to be upon the liſt. Every man upon the liſt gives his vote and withdraws then the aſſembly votes, and he that has the majority is choſen, and takes the chair at the fo [...]t of the throne.

The Moderator being choſen, the High Commiſſioner produces his commiſſion, impowering him to ſit there, with his Majeſty's letter to the aſſembly; both [96]which are read by the clerk, all the members ſtanding. The Commiſſioner then makes a ſpeech, which is anſwered by the Moderator, and then committees are appointed. Next day is ſet apart for prayers, the Commiſſioner certainly attending. The Moderator nominates eight or nine to pray ſucceſſively; after which the aſſembly adjourns.

Next day they fall to buſineſs. The Moderator has no negative; he only ſums up the debates, and puts the queſtion. The firſt buſineſs is always to anſwer the King's letter, which is done by a committee, whoſe draught is read and examined, and altered if need be, and then finally approved by the houſe. Then the Moderator ſigns it in their preſence, and delivers it to the Commiſſioner, who diſpatches it to the King. Though the buſineſs is uſually tranſacted by committees, yet any member may propoſe what he pleaſes in the aſſembly. When a motion is made, or any buſineſs is brought in by a committee, the Moderator names two or three of the moſt eminent members to ſpeak to it; after whom any member may ſpeak that is ſo inclined. When the debate is over, it is put to the vote, and carried, agreed, or diſagreed, by the majority.

Matters of great weight, that bind the whole church, are firſt brought in by way of overtures, and then debated in the houſe; after which, if approved, they are tranſmitted to every preſbytery in Scotland, who return their anſwers by their commiſſioners to the next aſſembly, who, according as they find them approved by the preſbyteries, paſs them into acts of aſſembly, or reject them.

During every aſſembly, a diet is appointed to inſpect the acts of the provincial ſynods, as they had before inſpected the proceedings of the preſbyteries. Before they riſe, they nominate a ſtanding commiſſion of miniſters and ruling elders, choſen out of every ſynod, to attend the affairs of the church, till the next aſſembly [97]meets. Of theſe twenty-one is a quorum, of whom fifteen muſt be miniſters. The Moderator of the aſſembly moderates in the commiſſion, if preſent. They were obliged to ſit the firſt week in every quarter, all parliament-time, before the union, and as often elſe as they thought fit. They have the power of the aſſembly in all matters referred to them from it: regularly they can act in nothing but what is recommended from the aſſembly; but then that recommendation often includes a general clauſe, impowering them to act in every thing that may be for the good of the church. They are accountable to the next general aſſembly, and therefore keep a regiſter of their proceedings.

When the aſſembly are to riſe, the Moderator tells them that it is time to diſſolve themſelves, and appoint another aſſembly in the name of their maſter, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: then he ſpeaks to the Commiſſioner, in the name of the aſſembly, who returns an anſwer, and then diſſolves them in the King's name, and fixes the time and place for the new aſſembly, which is always to be within a year and a day after the diſſolution of the old one. The Moderator then prays, and the aſſembly ſing a pſalm; after which the Moderator bleſſes them, and they ſeparate.

The deacon, whoſe office is for life, is choſen by the kirk-ſeſſion in every pariſh, approved by the congregation, and ſolemnly ſet apart by the miniſter, after a ſermon and prayer for the occaſion. He collects the offerings for the poor, inquires into their neceſſities, and diſtributes to them as the kirk-ſeſſion appoints; he aſſiſts at the communion, and attends the miniſters and elders in their viſitations and examinations. He has no vote in the kirk-ſeſſions, but may give his opinion, if aſked; nor has he any ſtipend from the pariſh.

The ruling elders are choſen out of the pariſh by the kirk-ſeſſion, and ordained before the congregation, after ſermon and prayer; their office is alſo for [98]life, in caſe of no miſdemeanor. They aſſiſt the miniſters in overſeeing and correcting the manners of the people, attend them in viſiting and catechiſing their diſtricts in the pariſhes, in praying with the ſick, in private admonitions, and at the communion-table. In all matters of government and diſcipline they have an equal vote with the miniſters.

Miniſters, or preaching preſbyters, only can preach and adminiſter the ſacraments, catechiſe, pronounce church-cenſures, ordain deacons and ruling elders, aſſiſt at the impoſition of hands upon other miniſters, and moderate, or preſide, in all eccleſiaſtical judicatories. Severe ſcrutinies are made into their qualifications, reſpecting life and manners; they muſt be competently ſkilled in the ſcriptures, the learned languages, and all ſorts of divinity. They are always tried by the preſbytery, before they are licenſed to preach, in order to have calls to be miniſters of any pariſh. Indeed, in Scotland, all their miniſters have an univerſity-education, and at leaſt have commenced Maſter of Arts. They are not ordained till they have obtained a call to a particular flock, and when that is obtained, they cannot deſert it, without the authority of a preſbytery, or ſome ſuperior judicatory. To be guilty of non-reſidence merits deprivation. If the call is agreed to by the congregation, the miniſter preſent atteſts it by his ſubſcription, in their preſence, and then reports it to the preſbytery, who acquaint the perſon concerned, as ſoon as poſſible. If on trial he ſatisfies the preſbytery, they then iſſue out an edict, that all who can object any thing againſt this nominee, ſhould appear before the preſbytery, there to make good their allegations. If the objections are of weight, or even doubtful, the ordination is ſuſpended, till a more perfect trial, otherwiſe they proceed to ordination. On the ordination-day, a faſt is ſtrictly kept to implore God's bleſſing upon the work they are about; the Moderator preaches upon the nature and dignity of the miniſterial office, the perſon [99]to be ordained is examined of his faith and aſſent to the doctrine and diſcipline of the kirk, the motive of his coming into the miniſtry, and whether by any indirect means he has obtained his preſentation or call, of his reſolution to do his duty faithfully, &c. &c. &c. If he anſwers to the Moderator's ſatisfaction, the pariſhioners ratify their choice by lifting up their hands. The Moderator and miniſters preſent, then lay their hands upon his head, and ſo ordain him miniſter of the goſpel, and paſtor of that congregation. The ordination being over, the elders, heritors, and chief pariſhioners, take their miniſter by the hand. If the nominee had been ordained before, he is only recommended to the people, with a ſuitable ſermon and prayers, by the Moderator, and the people take him by the hand. The patron, for at preſent every pariſh has a patron, is bound to nominate, or preſent, in ſix months after a vacancy, otherwiſe the preſbytery fills the place, jure devoluto; but that privilege does not hold in royal burghs. Patronages were reſtored by 10 Anne.

The ſtipends of miniſters ſhould, at the very loweſt, be 50 l. ſterling per annum. Some are 150l. per ann. out of which they pay a proportionable tax for the ſupport of the widows and orphans of miniſters.

Such as are found guilty of aſſaulting the lives of miniſters, or robbing their houſes, or actually attempting the ſame, ſhall be puniſhed by death, and eſcheat of moveables. Five hundred merks is allowed to the diſcoverer, and three hundred merks to the apprehender of the criminals, to be paid out of the King's treaſury. For their better accommodation, they are provided with convenient parſonage houſes (manſes), and where they are not fitting, the heritors of the pariſh ſhall build complete ones for them, not exceeding 1000 l. nor under 500 merks value.

The kirk-ſeſſion can judge in matters of leſſer ſcandal; they can ſuſpend from the Lord's ſupper for a time: their conſent in the call of a miniſter and precentor [100](pariſh-clerk) is neceſſary. They provide all neceſſaries for the communion, regulate all particulars relative to public worſhip, and give notice of all catechiſings and parochial viſitations. They have a treaſurer, who is choſen out of the deacons, to keep and diſtribute the poor's money: they keep two regiſters, one of births and marriages, the other of their own proceedings, which they muſt lay before the preſbytery. Appeals lie from them, in all caſes, to their own preſbytery, whom they muſt not contradict.

Preſbyteries have no juriſdiction beyond their own bounds. They determine all appeals from kirk-ſeſſions; but can try nothing at the firſt inſtance, which is cognizable before a kirk-ſeſſion. They compoſe all differences between miniſters and people, for which they hold preſbyterial viſitations in every pariſh, where they examine the regiſters of kirk-ſeſſions, and cenſure or commend as they find cauſe. They inquire into repairs of churches, and ſee that glebes and manſes ſuffer no dilapidation. They appoint ſchools, and ſee that the funds ſettled by act of parliament for that purpoſe be not miſemployed; and the ſchoolmaſters are ſubject to their cenſure and examination. They only can inflict the greater excommunication, i. e. abſolute prohibition of the communion. They licence probationers, interpoſe in all calls and ordinations of miniſters, ſuſpend and depoſe them, and, in fine, determine eccleſiaſtical matters of all kinds within their bounds; but ſo as not to contradict any act of parliament. There lies an appeal, in all caſes, from the preſbyteries to the provincial ſynods. Before they inflict private cenſures, they obſerve a faſt. In theſe private cenſures every miniſter withdraws by turns, and the Moderator inquires of the reſt concerning his conduct, and, according to the report, they are called in, and commended or cenſured. All eccleſiaſtical judicatories, it may be here obſerved, begin, adjourn, and diſſolve themſelves by prayer.

[101]Preſbyteries are ſubject to the privy cenſures of the ſynods, as miniſters are to thoſe of the preſbyteries. At every ordinary ſeſſion of the provincial ſynods, a diet is appointed, i. e. one certain time, in which theſe privy cenſures are performed.

Before every communion, the miniſter viſits and examines every family in his pariſh, once at leaſt; of which viſits notice is given the preceding Lord's day, that every diſtrict may know when he intends to viſit them. To live ſix weeks in a pariſh makes a man a pariſhioner; after which, if he leaves it, he muſt get a certificate of his good behaviour, ſigned by the miniſter or kirk-ſeſſion clerk, in the name, and with conſent, of the kirk-ſeſſion. If the new comer only removes from another family in the pariſh, his name is transferred in the regiſter (or examination-book) to its proper place. The miniſter, on his viſit, marks and enters the children in his examination-book, if they are of a fit age. He then exhorts every one to a ſtrict obſervance of their reſpective duties, and particularly to family-prayer, reading the ſcriptures, and ſinging of pſalms. To omit family-prayer is eſteemed very ſcandalous; and the omiſſion is often puniſhed by excommunication. At parting, the miniſter uſually prays with every family. Viſitation being over, the miniſter gives notice when he will examine the perſons marked in his book. Every diſtrict comes to church by themſelves, at the time appointed; and the miniſter, accompanied by the elder and deacon of that diſtrict, examines them, in order as they ſtand in the examination-book. He examines them out of the ſhorter Catechiſm; and if the perſon anſwers, he catechiſes upon thoſe queſtions, and inſtructs them in what is difficult. He marks at every one's name how they anſwer. Grown perſons, who have been often examined, are not catechiſed, when they are found to be ſufficiently knowing; this exerciſe being chiefly intended for children and ignorant perſons.

[102]Every Lord's day there is public worſhip twice in every pariſh-church in Scotland *. Firſt a pſalm is ſung, which is read, and then tuned by the miniſter, or pariſh-clerk; after which the miniſter prays, and then reads a chapter or two out of the Bible, which he expounds for about half an hour; this they call lecturing: then another pſalm is ſung, then another prayer offered up; after which ſermon begins, and that ended, there is another prayer, and another pſalm, and then all is concluded with the miniſter's bleſſing. In the afternoon there is no lecturing.

Baptiſm, in the church of Scotland, is adminiſtered by none but the miniſter, who does it by ſprinkling; and whether it is performed at church or at home, there is always a ſermon before it. The father, or, in his abſence, ſome reputable neighbour, preſents the infant to the miniſter, who aſks the parent, if he deſires the child ſhall be received into the viſible church, and receive the ſigns and ſeals of the covenant of grace, by baptiſm? Upon his anſwering yea, the miniſter diſcourſes on the nature of baptiſm, &c. &c. and then ſprinkles a little water in the child's face, in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt.

Some time before the Lord's ſupper is adminiſtered, the congregation is to have notice thereof from the pulpit. The week before, the kirk-ſeſſion meets, and draws up a liſt of all the communicants in the pariſh, according to the miniſter's examination-book, and the reſtimony of the elders and deacons. According to this liſt, tickets are delivered to each communicant, if deſired, and the miniſters and elders alſo give tickets to ſtrangers who bring ſufficient teſtimonials. None are allowed to communicate without ſuch tickets, which are produced at the table. Thoſe who never received are inſtructed by the miniſter, ſeverally, and by themſelves, in the nature of the ſacraments, and taught [103]what is the proper preparation thereunto. The communion is always celebrated upon the Lord's day. The Wedneſday or Thurſday before there is a ſolemn faſt, and on the Saturday there are two preparatory ſermons. On Sunday morning, after ſinging and prayer as uſual, the miniſter of the pariſh preaches a ſuitable ſermon; and, when the ordinary worſhip is ended, he, in the name of Jeſus Chriſt, forbids the unworthy to approach, and invites the penitent to come and receive the ſacrament. Then he goes into the body of the church, where one or two tables, according to its width, are placed, reaching from one end to the other, covered with a white linen cloth, and ſeats on both ſides, for the communicants. The miniſter places himſelf at the end or middle of the table, on which the elements are placed. After a ſhort diſcourſe, he reads the inſtitution, and bleſſes the elements; then he breaks the bread, and diſtributes it and the wine to thoſe that are next him, who tranſmit them to their neighbours; the elders and deacons attending to ſerve, and to ſee that the whole is performed with decency and order. Whilſt theſe communicate, the miniſter diſcourſes concerning the nature of the ſacrament. When the firſt company has received, they withdraw, and others take their places; and whilſt this is performing, a pſalm is ſung, and ſo they continue till all have communicated. The miniſter then returns to the pulpit, and diſcourſes concerning the particular caſes of communicants; and, with thankſgiving and ſinging of pſalms, the morning ſervice is concluded. Then the congregation is diſmiſſed for an hour, and ſo meet again, when they have the uſual afternoon worſhip; and on Monday, about nine o'clock in the morning, there is public worſhip and two ſermons, which cloſe the whole.

On theſe occaſions, the pariſh-miniſter is aſſiſted by two or three of his neighbours, and ſeldom preaches [104]oftener than the morning of the ſacrament-day. No private communions are allowed in Scotland.

No holy-days are obſerved in Scotland, beſides the Lord's-day, which is obſerved with great exactneſs. They likewiſe obſerve faſts and thankſgivings; in appointing which, tho' they attribute a power to the church, yet they have the ſanction of the Privy Council, as thereby they may be more ſtrictly kept.

Marriage is ſolemnized by the miniſter, and none can marry that are nearer than couſin germans; prohibited degrees in blood hold alſo in affinity. Banns are aſked, on three ſeveral Lord's days, in churches where both parties live, before marriage can be contracted. The miniſter firſt prays, then diſcourſes upon the inſtitution, riſe, and ends of matrimony, and the duties the parties owe to each other. The reſt of the ceremony, ſave the uſe of the ring, as well as the form of words uſed, are nearly the ſame as thoſe in the church of England. The whole is concluded with a prayer.

The diſcipline of the church of Scotland is regulated by two acts of aſſembly, one dated April 4, 1705, the other April 18, 1717, which declare that nothing ſhall be accounted ſcandalous, but what is accounted ſo by the word of God, or by ſome act or univerſal cuſtom of the church of Scotland agreeable thereto. If a ſcandal be not notified in five years, it ſhall not be revived ſo as to form a proceſs thereanent, unleſs it becomes again flagrant; but in ſuch caſes, the conſciences of the offenders ought to be dealt with in private, to bring them to a ſenſe of their ſin and duty. All church-judicatories have power to convene, examine, and cenſure every perſon within their own bounds, in all eccleſiaſtical cauſes cognizable before every ſuch judicatory. Perſons living without the bounds of any judicatory, ſhall not, for order ſake, be cited by them; but they ſhall deſire the judicatory, under whom ſuch perſons live, to cauſe him to appear before the judicatory, before whom the cauſe is to be examined. [105]Miniſters are not ſubject to their own kirk-ſeſſions, but to the ſuperior judicatories of the church. In ſcandals, private admonition is to be firſt uſed. Where perſons or parties are concerned, the court muſt give them, firſt, a legal and timely citation, ſetting forth the cauſes thereof: if the perſon reſides in the pariſh, forty-eight hours notice is ſufficient, and the officer muſt certify his having properly executed the ſummons, by calling the party at his door. No man is to be declared contumacious till he has been three times cited, either perſonally or at his dwelling houſe, if the cauſe be tried at the firſt inſtance; but if it be in the caſe of a reference or appeal, where the perſon had actually appeared already before an inferior court, a citation apud acta, to appear before his ſuperior, is ſufficient if it be minuted; and if inſtructed, infers contumacy if not obeyed. Though in theſe caſes a man may be pronounced, forthwith, contumacious, upon his non-appearances, and not producing any relevant (ſufficient) excuſe; yet the court is adviſed to examine and try the cauſe, either by witneſſes upon oath, or otherwiſe, before they pronounce the perſon cited contumacious. If the party appears, the Moderator is to acquaint him with the cauſe, and to give him, if deſired, a note of the cauſe, and the witneſſes that are to be made uſe of. Where there is no formal complaint, there is no need of accuſers or informers, but the party cited is peremptorily to anſwer the queſtions put to him by the court: but then, if he be acquitted, the court, whether he requires it or not, ſhould cenſure the informers for calumny or impudence. The defender ſhould have a liſt of the names of the witneſſes, ſome time before, or at his appearance. Theſe ought alſo to have timely notice, that they may appear and give their evidence. If they do not appear after the third ſummons, they may be proceeded againſt as contumacious, and application may be made to the civil magiſtrate to oblige them to appear. What the party can object in his own [106]vindication, is to be diſcuſſed, before the witneſſes can be judicially examined: if the court thinks his objections juſt, the witneſſes are to be caſt. An informer may be a witneſs, where he does not formally complain for his own intereſt, or where there are no preſumptions of malice in the accuſation. Witneſſes, even where there is no relevant objection, muſt purge themſelves of malice, bribes, good deed done, or to be done, and partial counſel. Witneſſes are to be ſworn and examined before the Moderator and the perſon accuſed; and, if he appears, the accuſed may deſire to have the witneſſes croſs-examined, when they have given in all their evidence. Before the proof is made, the accuſed may offer grounds of exculpation, i. e. bring witneſſes to prove his innocence, which if he inſiſts upon, it muſt be allowed. If the exculpation be fully proved, e. g. if he can prove an alibi, he muſt be acquitted. But there is no room for exculpation, after depoſitions are once taken. Witneſſes muſt ſubſcribe all their depoſitions if they can write; or, if they cannot, the Moderator muſt ſubſcribe it for them. Depoſitions being taken, the parties withdraw, and the matter is calmly debated by the preſbytery. Fugitives, whilſt proceſs is depending, muſt firſt be cited to appear, from the pulpits of their reſpective pariſhes; then from the pulpit of every pariſh in the preſbytery. If they do not at laſt appear, they are to be declared fugitives from church-diſcipline, and that declaration muſt be intimated in all the bounds of the preſbytery; and proceſs is to be ſtopped, till notice can begot of thoſe perſons. In caſe of drunkenneſs, diſobedience to parents, Sabbath-breaking, ſwearing, curſing, ſcolding, fighting, lying, cheating, or ſtealing, the perſons guilty are ordinarily admoniſhed in private only for the firſt offence; for the ſecond offence, rebuked by the ſeſſion, and, on promiſe of amendment, there they are to ſtop. If no amendment follows, the kirk-ſeſſion ſhould proceed to the ſentence of leſſer excommunication, under [107]which the perſon is to lie, till amendment appears. If the guilty perſon neglects to take the ſentence off, and relapſes into the vices for which he is cenſured, it may be conſtrued into ſuch a degree of contumacy, as may merit the greater excommunication, which may be inflicted or not, as ſhall be judged convenient. Other crimes that come before the eccleſiaſtical judicatories, are caſes of uncleanneſs, where there is no child—of a married woman's being with child whoſe huſband has been abſent longer than the uſual time of her going with child—of an unmarried woman being with child, who ſhould be pronounced contumacious if ſhe will not diſcover the father—of the delated father of the child —of inceſt—adultery—relapſe in fornication—murder —atheiſm—idolatry—witchcraft—maiming—hereſy—error publickly vented—ſchiſm, &c. &c. Theſe acts above-mentioned ſettle the manner of appeal to the preſbytery, &c. the manner of treating complaints againſt miniſters, &c. &c. which ſome of my readers would think tedious, and for which the more curious had better conſult the acts themſelves *.

In ordinary caſes the leſſer excommunication only is inſlicted, which is done after much deliberation and tenderneſs to the criminal, and with great ſolemnity; the people are exhorted not to hold unneceſſary-communion with him. The greater excommunication the church only inflicts upon the moſt obſtinate offenders. It is the expulſion of the offender from the communion of the faithful, a debarring him from all the privileges of church-memberſhip, and, in the words of the apoſtle, a delivery of him over to Satan. However, excommunication diſſolves no civil or natural rights, nor does it exempt from the duties belonging to them.

[108]If when all this is done, it be found ineffectual for the purpoſes intended, the civil magiſtrate ſhould be deſired to uſe his coercive power to ſuppreſs all ſuch offences, and to vindicate the diſcipline of the church from contempt.

The end of church-cenſure being the repentance of the ſinner, if he ſhews real ſigns of godly ſorrow, and if, upon application to the preſbytery firſt made, they give a warrant for his abſolution, he is to be brought before the congregation, and there confeſs his ſin, and expreſs his ſorrow for it. This is to be repeated as often as the preſbytery and kirk-ſeſſion ſhall judge convenient. When the congregation is thus ſatisfied of his repentance, the miniſter is, in a prayer with the congregation, to deſire our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who has inſtituted the ordinance of excommunication, i. e. of binding and looſing the ſins of men upon earth, with a promiſe of ratifying above, the rightful ſentence that ſhall be paſſed here below, to accept of this man's repentance, to forgive his former diſobedience, and to aſſiſt him with his ſpirit, that he may never again relapſe into the like offences. And then, prayer being ended, he pronounces the ſentence of abſolution, by which he wholly takes off the former ſentence, and receives him into the communion of the church, and the free uſe of all the ordinances of Chriſt. Sentence being paſſed, the miniſter exhorts him, as a brother, to perſeverance in his godly reſolution; the elders embrace him, and the congregation, thence forward, communicate with him as a member of their own body; and wherever the ſentence of excommunication hath been publiſhed, the ſentence of abſolution is alſo expreſsly intimated.

In all matters of church-diſcipline, there never is one penny of fee or reward required or taken *: citations, examinations, cenſures, and abſolutions, are never [109]expenſive in the leaſt, to the delinquent: nor have any members of any eccleſiaſtical judicatory in Scotland any gain thereby: nor is there any civil penalty incurred, by being cenſured by the church, all the ſevere laws againſt excommunicated perſons, formerly in force, having been repealed ſince the happy revolution.

At burials of the dead the church of Scotland uſes neither funeral ſermons or any public prayers; they are performed without any ceremony of words, only the bodies are decently attended to the graves, by all that pleaſe to go; of which they have notice (at Edinbugh particularly) by ringing of a hand-bell thro' the ſtreet, by the cryer, who ſays, "All brethren and ſiſters, I let you to wot that there is a brother— or ſiſter—departed at the pleaſure of Almighty God, &c." and then gives notice when he or ſhe is to be interred. When the corpſe is ſilently laid in the grave, the funeral rites are ended, and every one retires to their ſeveral habitations.

For the advancement of religion in Scotland, the ſociety for propagating Chriſtian knowledge, was erected by letters-patent from Queen Anne, "granting them full power to receive ſubſcriptions, mortifications, donations, legacies, ſums of money, lands, goods and gear, and therewith to erect and maintain ſchools to teach to read, eſpecially the holy ſcriptures, and other good and pious books; and alſo to teach writing and arithmetic, and ſuch like degrees of knowledge, in the highlands, iſlands, and remote corners of Scotland," appointing their meetings, &c. &c. Theſe letterspatent bear date May 25, 1709, which year the general aſſembly paſſed an act to encourage the deſign of erecting charity-ſchools. Both theſe inſtitutions have met with deſerved ſucceſs: in every pariſh there is a charity-ſchool, whoſe maſter has a ſalary from the public, and the ſcholars allow them ſome ſmall matter quarterly. In country-ſchools they teach writing, arithmetic, [110]and reading Engliſh, and in ſome Latin. In the royal burghs they teach Latin and Greek, and have tolerable ſalaries; beſides that each ſcholar gives 2 s. or 2 s. 6 d. a quarter; and in theſe ſchools they teach nothing elſe, having Engliſh and writing ſchools beſides, in all places where they have grammar ſchools. In country-pariſhes, the ſchoolmaſter is uſually precentor and kirk-ſeſſion clerk, which brings him in ſome advantage; for he receives 1 s. and ſometimes 1 s. and 8 d. for aſking banns of marriage; 8 d. for regiſtering a child that is chriſtened; and 3d. for a certificate for any perſon that removes out of the pariſh. The ſchoolmaſters are obliged to take the oath of allegiance, to ſubſcribe the confeſſion of faith, and muſt ſubmit to a trial from the preſbytery of the bounds.

For a continual ſupply of miniſters in the church of Scotland, it was ordained by the general aſſembly, in 1645, that a number of pious youths, of good expectations and approved ability, ſhould be choſen and ſent burſars or exhibitioners, to the univerſities, by the ſeveral preſbyteries of Scotland. Theſe burſars are to be allowed for their maintenance 100 l. Scots, per annum at leaſt, to be taken out of the kirk-penalties, and to be collected by the Moderator of each preſbytery, by equal divided portions; the one half to be brought in at the winter-ſynod, and given to the burſars, and the other half at the ſummer-ſynod, to be ſent to them. The burſar not to continue at the univerſity above four years, and when any are removed by death, or called to a particular charge, others are to ſucceed in their room. All burſars of theology are obliged to bring ſufficient teſtimonies from the univerſities, where they are bred, of their proficiency and good behaviour, and be alſo ready to give proof of their labours, at the ſeveral ſynods, if it ſhall be required: and if they are found deficient, their exhibitions are taken away, and given to others.

[111]Beſides burſars from the preſbyteries, there are others maintained by noblemen and gentlemen, miniſters and others, who have left great ſums of money for that end; the intereſt whereof is applied to maintain poor ſtudents: and by a gift of King William III. divers ſtudents have conſiderable allowances to ſtudy beyond ſeas; which gift is charged upon the revenues of the late Biſhops.

In the year 1578, the city of Edinburgh founded their high ſchool, by warrant and encouragement from King James VI. whence it took the name of the King's ſchool; it has a maſter, four uſhers, a writing maſter, and a janitor; all which have fixed, competent ſalaries, except the writing maſter, whoſe benefit is caſual. It hath a public library erected by the town-council in 1658, principally conſiſting of the Latin and Greek claſſics.

The univerſities of Scotland are four, St. Andrew's, Glaſgow, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh, beſides the Mariſchal college at Aberdeen.

Faith and Doctrines of the Church of SCOTLAND.

AS I have already ſaid ſo much of Calvin and his principles of religion *, and ſo many particulars of the faith and doctrines of the church of Scotland have occurred in the foregoing pages, it will be ſufficient to give a ſummary of the doctrines of that church, in as few words as poſſibly can be employed to that purpoſe.—They believe, that the Old and New Teſtament is the only rule of faith and practice.—That the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, three perſons, are one God; the ſame in ſubſtance, equal in power and glory.—That God hath fore-ordained all that ſhall come to paſs.—The doctrine of original ſin, or that all mankind, by the fall of their firſt parents, loſt [112]communion with God, are under his wrath and curſe, and ſo made liable to all the miſeries in this life, to death itſelf, and to the pains of hell for ever *.—The doctrine of election; that God, out of his mere good pleaſure, from all eternity, elected ſome to everlaſting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of ſin and miſery, and to bring them into an eſtate of ſalvation by a redeemer.—That the only redeemer of God's elect is Jeſus Chriſt, who being the eternal Son of God, became man, and ſo was, and continueth to be God and man, in two diſtinct natures and one perſon.—That effectual calling is the work of God's ſpirit.—That we are juſtified by God's free grace, only for the righteouſneſs of Chriſt imputed to us, and received by faith alone.—That the ſouls of believers are at their death made perfect in holineſs, and do immediately paſs into glory, and their bodies ſtill being united to Chriſt, do reſt in their graves till the reſurrection.—That every ſin deſerveth God's wrath and curſe, both in this life and that which is to come; to eſcape which wrath and curſe, due to us for ſin, God requireth of us faith in Jeſus Chriſt, which faith is a ſaving grace, whereby we receive, and reſt upon him alone for ſalvation, as he is offered to us in the goſpel.—That repentance is a ſaving grace, whereby a ſinner, out of a true ſenſe of his ſin, and apprehenſion of the mercy of God in Chriſt, doth with grief and hatred of his ſin turn from it unto God, with full purpoſe of, and endeavour after a new obedience.—That the outward and ordinary means, whereby Chriſt communicateth to us the benefits of redemption, are his ordinances, eſpecially the word, ſacraments and prayer, all which are made effectual to the elect, for ſalvation.—That the Spirit of God maketh the reading, but eſpecially the preaching of the word, an effectual means of convincing and converting ſinners, and of [113]building them up in holineſs and comfort, through faith, unto ſalvation.—That the word muſt be attended unto with diligence, preparation and prayer; received with faith and love, laid up in our hearts, and practiſed in our lives, to make it effectual to ſalvation.—That the ſacraments become effectual means of ſalvation, not from any virtue in them, or in him that doth adminiſter them, but only by the bleſſing of Chriſt, and the working of the ſpirit in them that by faith receive them.—That the ſacrament is an holy ordinance, inſtituted by Chriſt, wherein by ſenſible ſigns, Chriſt and the benefits of the new covenant are repreſented, ſealed, and applied to believers.—That the ſacraments of the New Teſtament are baptiſm and the Lord's ſupper.—That baptiſm is a ſacrament wherein the waſhing with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt, doth ſignify and ſeal our ingrafting into Chriſt, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord's.—That baptiſm is to be adminiſtered to ſuch only as profeſs their faith in Chriſt and obedience to him; but the infants of ſuch as are members of the viſible church are to be baptiſed.—That the Lord's ſupper is a ſacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Chriſt's appointment, his death is ſhewed forth, and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their ſpiritual nouriſhment and growth in grace.—That it is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord's ſupper, that they examine themſelves of their knowledge to diſcern the Lord's body, of their faith to feed upon him, of their repentance, love, and new obedience, leſt coming unworthily, they eat and drink judgment to themſelves. That prayer is an offering up of our deſires to God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Chriſt, with confeſſion of our ſins, and thankful acknowledgment [114]of his mercy.—That the ſpecial rule of direction for prayer, is the Lord's prayer.

I have purpoſely gathered theſe heads of belief and doctrine from the aſſembly's ſhorter catechiſm, as ſince reviſed by a miniſter of the goſpel, knowing it to be moſt agreeable to the ſentiments of the moderate members of the church of Scotland. Two catechiſms were formed out of the Weſtminſter confeſſion of Faith; one larger, for the ſervice of a public expoſition in the pulpit, according to the cuſtom of foreign churches; the other ſmaller, in both which the articles relating to church-diſcipline are omitted. The ſmaller is a very accurate ſummary of the confeſſion of faith, which contains the eſtabliſhed doctrine of the kirk.—To thoſe who would ſee the ſentiments of the more rigid kirkmen, if the foregoing hiſtories are not ſufficient, I would recommend a peruſal of the confeſſion of 1580, or the above-mentioned confeſſion, with the national covenant of 1638, the ſolemn league and covenant, and the ſolemn acknowledgment of public ſins and breaches of the covenant, the republication of which would not be conſiſtent with the neceſſary brevity of my deſign.

The Hiſtory of the PRESBYTERIANS.

THIS denomination of Proteſtant Diſſenters have been called by different names at different periods of time. In their firſt attempts for a further reformation of the church, they were, by way of reproach, termed Puritans, a name derived from the Cathari or Puritani of the third century after Chriſt. The ungenerous and cruel perſecutions they ſuffered for conſcience ſake, in the reigns of Elizabeth, James I. and Charles I. will ever reflect diſgrace upon the memory of thoſe Princes.

I might ſay that Wickliffe, the firſt Engliſh reformer, maintained many of thoſe points, by which the Puritans were afterwards diſtinguiſhed, or trace them from the reign of Edward VI. when many excellent [115]divines were endeavouring a further reformation from the ceremonies and fopperies of the church of Rome, particularly with regard to the Popiſh veſtments. But I ſhall obſerve that the reformed exiles, who were driven to Franckfort, to avoid the cruelties of Mary I. (and who being outed from thence by thoſe reformers, who ſtickled for King Edward's liturgy in 1556, which the others ſcrupled the uſe of) and who afterwards ſet up congregations at Baſil and Geneva, and there followed the Geneva diſcipline, were firſt called Puritans, as their opponents obtained the name of Conformiſts. The hiſtory of the church of England, foregoing, has particularly recited their various ſufferings, for their oppoſition to the habits *, and their ſcruples in regard to the act of uniformity, with their ſeparation from the church thereon. But they had other objections againſt the hierarchy, beſides thoſe for which they were deprived, which they laboured inceſſantly throughout the reign of Elizabeth to remove; they complained of the Biſhops affecting to be thought a ſuperior order to Preſbyters, and claiming the ſole right of ordination, and the uſe of the keys. They diſliked the temporal dignities and lordſhips annexed to their offices, and their engaging in ſecular employments, and truſts, &c. as tending to exalt them too much above their brethren, and not ſo agreeable to their characters, as miniſters of Chriſt, nor conſiſtent with the due diſcharge of their ſpiritual function.—They excepted to the titles and offices of Archdeacons, Deans, Chapters, and other officials belonging to cathedrals, as having no foundation in ſcripture, or primitive antiquity, but intrenching upon the privileges of the preſbyters of the ſeveral dioceſes. They complained of the exorbitant power and juriſdiction of the Biſhops and their Chancellors in their ſpiritual courts, as derived from the canon law of the Pope, and not [116]from the word of God, or the ſtatute law of the land: of their fining, impriſoning, depriving, and putting men to exceſſive charges for ſmall offences; and that the higheſt cenſures, ſuch as excommunication and abſolution, were in the hands of laymen, and not in the ſpiritual officers of the church.—They lamented the want of a godly diſcipline, and were uneaſy at the promiſcuous and general acceſs of all perſons to the Lord's table. The church being deſcribed in her articles as a congregation of faithful perſons, they thought it neceſſary that a power ſhould be lodged ſomewhere, to inquire into the qualifications of ſuch as deſired to be of her communion.—Though they did not diſpute the lawfulneſs of ſet forms of prayer, provided a due liberty was allowed for prayers of their own compoſure, before and after ſermon; yet they diſliked ſome things in the public liturgy, eſtabliſhed by law; as the frequent repetition of the Lord's prayer, the reſponſes, ſome paſſages in the offices of marriage, burial, &c. ſuch as, with my body I thee worſhip; i [...] ſure and certain hope of the reſurrection to eternal life, to be pronounced over the worſt of men, if not excommunicated, &c.—They diſliked the reading of the apocryphal books in the churches, whilſt ſome parts of the canonical books were omitted; dumb miniſters, pluraliſts, and non-reſidents, and that preſentations to benefices were in the hands of the Queen, Biſhops, or ſome lay patron, which ought to ariſe from the election of the people.—They diſapproved of the approbation of ſundry of the church feſtivals, or holidays, as having no foundation in ſcripture, or primitive antiquity; ſuch as ſaints days, faſting on Friday, &c. in Lent, &c.— They diſallowed of the cathedral mode of worſhip; of ſinging their prayers, and of the Antiphone, o [...] chanting of the pſalms, by turns, trumpets, organs, &c. which were not in uſe in the church, for above 1200 years after Chriſt.—They ſcrupled conformity to certain rites and ceremonies, which were injoined [117]by the rubrick, or the Queen's injunctions; viz. To the ſign of the croſs in baptiſm; baptiſm by midwives; the manner of churching women; the uſe of godfathers and godmothers, to the excluſion of the parents from being ſureties for the education of their own children, &c. &c. the cuſtom of confirming children, as ſoon as they could repeat the Lord's prayer and catechiſm, by which they had a right to come to the ſacrament without any other qualification; this might be done by children of five or ſix years old; kneeling at the ſacrament of the Lord's ſupper; bowing to the name of Jeſus; the ring in marriage; to the wearing of the ſurplice and other veſtments to be uſed in divine ſervice. There was no difference in points of doctrine; ſo that one article more, and my readers have the chief heads of controverſy between the church of England and the Proteſtant Diſſenters at this time, viz. "The natural right that every man has to judge for himſelf, and make profeſſion of that religion he apprehends moſt agreeable to truth, as far as it does not affect the peace and ſafety of the government he lives under, without being determined by the prejudices of education, the laws of the civil magiſtrate, or the decrees of councils, churches or ſynods."

In the maintenance of their conſcientious ſeparation, they ſeemed inſpired with all the courage and fortitude of the primitive confeſſors and martyrs; in point of argument they had much the better of their adverſaries; but had no protection againſt the pains, penalties, impriſonments and fines impoſed by the governing powers; under which however they in general behaved with Chriſtian meekneſs and unexampled patience.

The firſt Preſbyterian church in England was erected at Wandſworth, a village near London, and, on the 20th of November 1572, eleven elders were choſen, and their offices deſcribed, in a regiſter, intitled the order of Wandſworth. Other churches, notwithſtanding [118]proclamations for uniformity, &c. were ſoon erected in other counties, though with the utmoſt privacy and ſecreſy. Under James the Firſt's perſecution, numbers of Puritan miniſters and others left the kingdom, and retired to Amſterdam, Rotterdam, the Hague, Leyden, Utrecht, &c. &c. and erected churches in thoſe places after the Preſbyterian model; thoſe churches were maintained by the ſtates, according to treaty with Queen Elizabeth, as the French and Dutch churches were in England.

The Puritans were far from finding any relaxation, of the ſeverities exerciſed againſt them, in the reign of the unfortunate Charles I. who following the violent advice of Archbiſhop Laud, reduced them to the neceſſity of quitting the kingdom in ſtill greater numbers, by his eſpouſing Arminianiſm, and oppoſing the old Calviniſtical doctrines. Arminianiſm and Popery may be ſaid to have been prevalent in his court; but were warmly oppoſed by the Calviniſts. Laud introduced Popiſh ornaments into the churches, turned the communion-tables into altars, puniſhing thoſe that oppoſed him with the utmoſt ſeverity, and with a total diſregard to the laws of the land. The oppoſers to theſe and other innovations were ſtiled doctrinal Puritans, and the patroniſers doctrinal Papiſts. Indeed it ſeemed to be Laud's favourite ſcheme to bring about a union of the churches of England and Rome, to which he ſacrificed the intereſts of the kingdom, of his maſter, and finally his own life. By his own arbitrary will he made many alterations in the book of Common Prayer, by which he rendered it ſtill more exceptionable to the Puritans; numbers of worthy clergymen were deprived, and ſuffered the utmoſt rigours for not reading and inforcing the declaration for the allowance of revels, may-games, &c. &c. on the Sabbath-day; and, in ſhort, the Puritan divines and others, on theſe accounts, underwent as cruel a perſecution as could be carried on by an inquiſition. [119]If ſome of theſe conſcientious people were too ſtrict and preciſe in their oppoſition, they could not be much blamed, as there ſeemed ſuch a viſible deſign to defeat the bleſſed effects of the reformation, by countenancing and adopting all the ceremonies and fopperies of the Romiſh church. Theſe perſecutions occaſioned the ſettlement of the colonies of New England, where many learned and pious miniſters, eminent merchants, and ſome thouſands of families, tranſported themſelves to avoid the rage of their enemies. Heylin obſerves, "the ſevere preſſing of the ceremonies made the people in many trading towns tremble at a viſitation; but when they found their ſtriving in vain, and that they had loſt the comfort of their lecturers *, who were turned out for not reading the ſecond ſervice at the communion-table in their hoods and ſurplices, and for uſing other prayers beſides that of the fifty-fifth canon, it was no hard matter for thoſe miniſters to perſuade them to tranſport themſelves into foreign parts. The ſun (ſaid they) ſhines as comfortably in other places, and the ſun of righteouſneſs much brighter; 'tis better to go and dwell in Goſhen, find it where we can, than tarry in the midſt of ſuch Egyptian bondage as is among us; the ſinful corruptions of the church are now grown ſo general, that there is no place free from the contagion; therefore go out of her, my people, and be not partaker of her ſins.

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[120]The body of the Puritans were, however, not now Preſbyterians; in the reigns of Elizabeth and James I. they were for the moſt part of that opinion, though even then there were many Epiſcopalians among them; but from the time that Arminianiſm prevailed in the church, and the whole body of Calviniſts were to be diſtinguiſhed by the name of Doctrinal Puritans, both parties ſeemed to unite in a moderate Epiſcopacy; for there was little or no mention of the old book of diſcipline, for twenty years before the beginning of the civil war, all the controverſy being upon points of Calviniſm; upon a reduction of the exorbitant power of the Biſhops, and upon innovations (as they were called) and ceremonies; there were few, either among the clergy or laity, that had a zeal for Preſbytery, or deſired any more than to be rid of their oppreſſions.

Many of the ceremonies and innovations complained of by the Puritans were removed, by the long parliament, in 1641, and lectures again eſtabliſhed. They voted away the hierarchy of the church of England; but ſtill, at the beginning of the civil war, no other diſcipline was erected in its room; nor, as Mr. Neale obſerves, was the name, ſtile, and dignity of Archbiſhops and Biſhops taken away by ordinance of parliament, till September 5, 1646, i. e. till the war was over, and the King their priſoner. In this interval there was properly no eſtabliſhed form of church-government, the clergy being permitted to read more or leſs of the liturgy as they pleaſed, and to govern their pariſhes according to their diſcretion. The veſtments were left indifferent, ſome wearing them, and others, in imitation of the foreign Proteſtants, making uſe of a cloak. In the place of that profaneneſs and contempt of religion viſible before the civil war, all orders of men in the city, army, and country, became devout and pious. "The generality of thoſe people *, throughout [121]out England, who went by the name of Puritans, Preciſians, Preſbyterians, who followed ſermons, prayed in their families, read books of devotion, and were ſtrict obſervers of the Sabbath, being avowed enemies to ſwearing, drunkenneſs, and all kinds of profaneneſs, adhered to the parliament."—"Of the clergy, thoſe who were of the ſentiments of Calvin, who were conſtant preachers of the word of God themſelves, and encouragers of it in others, who were zealous againſt Popery, and wiſhed for a reformation of the diſcipline of the church, were on the parliament's ſide. Among thoſe were ſome of the elder clergy, who were preferred before the riſe of Archbiſhop Laud; all the deprived and ſilenced miniſters, with the whole body of lecturers and warm popular preachers, both in town and country; theſe drew after them great numbers of the more ſerious and devout people, who were not capable of judging between the King and parliament, but followed their ſpiritual guides, from a veneration they had for their integrity and piety." No wonder with ſuch inſtruments the parliament did ſuch great things; for even the ſober men who were againſt the parliament, uſed to ſay, "The King had the better cauſe, but the parliament had the better men."

On June 12, 1643, both houſes of parliament jointly publiſhed an ordinance for the calling an aſſembly of divines, for ſettling the government and liturgy of the church of England, to meet July 1, in Henry VII.'s chapel in Weſtminſter abbey, hence called the Weſtminſter aſſembly. This famous aſſembly drew up the well known confeſſion of faith, a larger and ſhorter catechiſm, and a form of church-government after the Preſbyterian mode, being principally urged thereto by the low ſtate of the parliament, and the indiſpenſible neceſſity there was for the aſſiſtance of the Scots, whoſe commiſſioners were ſent to join with them (as obſerved p. 60, before going) they admitted of the ſolemn [122]league and covenant. Our commiſſioners, as Burnet obſerves, preſſed for a civil league, but the Scots would have a religious one; to which the Engliſh were obliged to yield, but took care, at the ſame time, to leave a door open for the latitude of interpretation. "The Engliſh in foreign parts were not exempted from this teſt. December 20, 1643, it was ordered by the Lords and Commons, that no perſon ſhould be capable of being elected a common council-man of the city of London, or ſo much as have a voice in ſuch elections, who has not taken the covenant. January 29, 1644, it was ordered by the Commons, that the ſolemn league and covenant be, upon every day of faſting and public humiliation, publickly read in every church and congregation within the kingdom; and every congregation is obliged to have one, fairly printed in a large letter, in a table fitted to be hung up in a public place of the church or congregation, to be read by the people. All young miniſters were required to take the covenant at their ordination; none of the laity were continued in any office of truſt, civil or military, who refuſed it. Thus the very perſons who had oppoſed teſts and ſubſcriptions under Epiſcopacy, now were forward to impoſe them, in the ſevereſt manner, upon their fellow ſubjects and fellow Chriſtians. Indeed the aſſembly, though compoſed in general of men of learning and excellent divines, yet had a perſecuting zeal, and hurt themſelves by running into heats upon the divine right of Preſbyterian government, which loſt them, together with their enmity to toleration, the hearts and ſupport of the parliament and their beſt friends. The Epiſcopal party had no concern in the government of the church from the time of the taking the covenant to the reſtoration, though the hierarchy was not yet ſet aſide by an ordinance of parliament. There were no more eccleſiaſtical courts, no wearing the habits, no regard paid to the canons or ceremonies, [123]nor even to the common prayer itſelf. Whilſt the aſſembly of divines ſat, all church-buſineſs went thro' their hands; the pariſhes choſe their miniſters, the aſſembly examined and approved, and the parliament confirmed them in their benefices, without any regard to the Archbiſhop or his Vicar. In the diſtant counties the miniſters were put in by the parliament Generals, as appears by an ordinance of February 27, 1643, giving authority to Lord Fairfax to ſupply the churches in the North, the preamble to which recites, that "the houſes being credibly informed that many miniſters, in the county of York, were not only of a ſcandalous life, but having left their churches and cures, had withdrawn themſelves wilfully from the ſame, and joined ſuch forces as had been raiſed againſt the parliament, and aſſiſted them with men, money, horſes and arms; therefore it is ordained, that Lord Fairfax be authoriſed to fill up their places with ſuch learned and godly divines as he ſhall think fit, with advice of the aſſembly." In 1644 the univerſities were purged, and many of the officers deprived, with above 200 graduates and ſcholars, whoſe places were ſupplied by the aſſembly of divines, principally with Calviniſt miniſters, &c. &c. and the livings from which the hierarchical clergy were ejected, were alſo ſupplied by Preſbyterian divines; ſo that preſbytery was now the reigning religion; and it muſt be confeſſed, the Preſbyterians were as determined againſt toleration as ever the church of England had lately been. But it muſt be ſaid they brought religion to be the reigning faſhion, the Lord's day was ſtrictly obſerved, all profaneneſs and immorality were diſcouraged, and the care and pains of the new governors of the church was abundantly viſible in the lives and behaviour of all ranks of people throughout the kingdom.

After many and long debates in the Weſtminſter aſſembly and the parliament, on the divine right of [124]preſbytery, the power of the keys, &c. the Preſbyterian form of church-government became the national eſtabliſhment, in 1645, by way of probation, as far as an ordinance of parliament could make it; for the preamble ſets forth, "That if upon trial it was not found acceptable, it ſhould be reverſed or amended: that the two houſes found it very difficult to make the new ſettlement agree with the laws and government of the kingdom: that therefore it could not be expected that a preſent rule, in every particular, ſhould be ſettled at once; but that there will be need of ſupplements and additions, and perhaps alterations, as experience ſhall bring to light the neceſſity thereof."—"The parliament apprehended * they had now eſtabliſhed the fundamentals of the Preſbyterian diſcipline, tho' it proved not to the ſatisfaction of any one party of Chriſtians; ſo hard it is to make a good ſettlement when men dig up old foundations all at once. The Preſbyterian government was as narrow as the prelatical; and as it did not allow a liberty of conſcience, but claimed a civil, as well as eccleſiaſtical authority, over men's perſons and properties, was equally, if not more, inſufferable."—"The ſettling preſbytery was ſupported by the fear and love of the Scots army; and when theſe were gone home, it was better managed by the Engliſh army, who were for Independency, and a better principle of toleration; but as things ſtood, no-body was pleaſed; the Epiſcopalians and Independants were excluded; and becauſe the parliament would not give the ſeveral preſbyteries an abſolute power over their communicants, but reſerved the laſt appeal to themſelves, neither the Scots nor Engliſh Preſbyterians would accept of the ordinance."

The aſſembly petitioned the houſes of parliament, aſſerting the divine right of the Preſbyterian government, [125]and complaining of a clauſe in the late ordinance, which eſtabliſhed an appeal from the cenſures of the church to a committee of parliament. Hereupon they voted the aſſembly guilty of a praemunire; and whereas they inſiſted ſo peremptorily on the jus divinum of the Preſbyterian government, the committee of parliament drew up certain queries, which they ſent to the aſſembly by three of their members, and deſired they would reſolve to their ſatisfaction. The three members alſo ſet before them their raſh and imprudent conduct, and ſhewed wherein they had exceeded their province, which was "to adviſe the houſes in ſuch points as they ſhould lay before them, but not to dictate to thoſe to whom they owed their being an aſſembly." The aſſembly, terrified at what they heard, appointed a ſolemn faſt; and the next year, 1646, the Independants having left them, and the Eraſtians dividing them in the committee appointed to conſider the queſtions, and entering their diſſent, when the anſwer was laid before them, it was not called the anſwer of the committee, but of ſome brethren of the committee; and when the queſtion was put, the Eraſtians withdrew from the aſſembly, and left the high Preſbyterians to themſelves, who agreed with but one diſſenting voice, that "Jeſus Chriſt, as King of the church, hath himſelf appointed a church-government diſtinct from the civil magiſtrate." After more ſquabblings with the parliament, the Preſbyterian miniſters complied to put the Preſbyterial government in practice, according to the preſent eſtabliſhment, with a reſerve of certain conſiderations and cautions, which they drew up.

Hereupon the kingdom, inſtead of ſo many dioceſes, was divided into a certain number of provinces, made up of repreſentatives from the ſeveral claſſes within their boundaries. Every pariſh had a congregational or parochial preſbytery for the affairs of the pariſh; [126]the parochial preſbyteries were combined into claſſes: theſe choſe repreſentatives for the provincial aſſemblies, as the provincial did for the national. "Thus the Preſbyterian church-government began to riſe and appear in its proper form; but new obſtructions being raiſed by the miniſters to the choice of repreſentatives, the provincial aſſembly of London did not meet till the year 1647, nor did it ever obtain but in London and Lancaſhire. The parliament never came heartily into it; however, the Preſbyterian miniſters had their voluntary aſſociations for church-affairs in moſt counties, tho' without any authoritative juriſdiction."

It ſhould have been obſerved, that the Preſbyterians had refuſed to come to a toleration of their brethren the Independants, in 1645, after much altercation and many papers had paſſed relative thereto, in a committee of accommodation, as it was ſtiled, conſiſting of a committee of Lords and Commons appointed to treat with the Scots commiſſioners and the committee of divines, to endeavour a union, if poſſible, or to find out "how far tender conſciences, who cannot in all things ſubmit to the ſame rule, may be borne with, according to the word of God, and conſiſtent with the public peace. "Little did the Preſbyterian divines think, ſays Neale, that in leſs than twenty years all their artillery would be turned againſt themſelves; that they ſhould be excluded the eſtabliſhment by an act of prelatical uniformity; that they ſhould be reduced to the neceſſity of pleading for that indulgence, which they now denied their brethren; and think it their duty to gather churches for ſeparate worſhip, out of others which they allowed to be true ones. If the leading Preſbyterians in the aſſembly and city had come to a temper with the Independants, on the foot of a limited toleration, they had, in all likelihood, prevented the diſputes between the army and parliament, which were the ruin of both; they might then have ſaved the conſtitution, and made [127]their own terms with the King, who was now their priſoner; but they were enchanted with the beauties of covenant uniformity, and the divine right of their preſbytery, which after all the parliament would not admit in its full extent."

From the year 1647 to the death of Charles I. matters with regard to the Preſbyterians continued much upon the ſame footing; yet tho' they filled moſt of the livings, and had the city and great part of the parliament at their devotion, they met with many mortifications from the Independants and army, who were moſtly of that ſect; but principally for their rigid and intolerant ſpirit, which diſguſted all the other ſects: they had done all they could while the army was marched againſt the Scots, in 1648, to bring about a peace with the King; but the unhappy Prince obſtinately refuſed to comply with their terms, nor would the Preſbyterians relax in them, ſo that the army had an opportunity given them to break all their meaſures.

It is my opinion, after carefully conſulting every account pro and con, that the Preſbyterians are cleared from any ſhare in the guilt of putting the King to death; nay, the London miniſters publiſhed a ſerious and faithful repreſentation, againſt doing any violence to the perſon of the King, addreſſed to the general and his council of officers, Jan. 18, 1648. To wipe away the calumnies thrown out againſt them on that account, they publiſhed a paper alſo, intitled, a vindication of the London miniſters from the unjuſt aſperſions caſt upon their former actings for the parliament, as if they had promoted the bringing the King to capital puniſhment. In this vindication, after declaring over again their diſlike of the proceedings againſt the King, they conclude in words to this effect: "Therefore, according to our covenant, we do, in the name of the great God, warn and exhort all that belong to our reſpective charges, or to whom we have adminiſtered the ſaid covenant, to abide by their vow, and not to ſuffer themſelves to be perſuaded [128]to ſubſcribe the * agreement of the people, which is ſubverſive of the preſent conſtitution, and makes way for the toleration of all hereſies and blaſphemies, and will effectually divide the two kingdoms of England and Scotland. We earneſtly beſeech them to mourn for the ſins of the parliament and city, and for the miſcarriages of the King himſelf, in his government, which have caſt him down from his excellency, into an horrid pit of miſery almoſt beyond example; and to pray, that God would give him effectual repentance, and to ſanctify the bitter cup of divine diſpleaſure, which divine providence has put into his hands; and that God would reſtrain the violence of men, that they may not dare to draw upon themſelves and the kingdom the blood of their ſovereign." In ſhort, they ſhewed themſelves, in the ſecond civil war, almoſt unanimous for accommodating matters with the King; but, as before obſerved, the ſtiffneſs of both parties rendered their deſigns abortive, and brought on a cataſtrophe to which they were utterly averſe, and uſed every means in their power to prevent.

That the reader may ſee the principles of the Preſbyterians of thoſe days, I ſhall firſt make an extract from a teſtimony of the truth of Jeſus Chriſt, and to our ſolemn league and covenant; as alſo againſt the errors, hereſies, and blaſphemies of theſe times, and the toleration of them; to which is added a catalogue of the ſaid errors, &c. publiſhed by the London clergy, and dated from Sion college, Dec. 14, 1647. It was ſubſcribed by 58 of the moſt eminent paſtors in London, 17 of whom were of the aſſembly of divines, to which 64 of the miniſters of Glouceſterſhire, 84 of Lancaſhire, 83 of Devonſhire, and 71 of Somerſetſhire, ſubſcribed their concurrence. [129]Touching errors and hereſies, they declare their deteſtation and abhorrence of the following, inter alia: "1. That the holy ſcriptures are not of divine authority, and the only rule of faith. 2. That God hath a bodily ſhape; that God is the name of a perſon; and, that God is the author of ſin, having a greater hand in it than men themſelves. 3. That there is not a Trinity of perſons in the Godhead; that the Son is not co-equal with the Father; and, that the Holy Ghoſt is only a miniſtering Spirit. 4. That God has not elected ſome to ſalvation, from eternity; and rejected or reprobated others; and, that no man ſhall periſh in hell for Adam's ſin. 5. That Chriſt died for the ſins of all mankind; that the benefits of his death were intended for all; and that natural men may do ſuch things as whereunto God has by way of promiſe annexed grace and acceptation. 6. That man hath a free-will and power in himſelf to repent, to believe, to obey the goſpel, and to do every thing that God requires to ſalvation. 7. That faith is not a ſupernatural grace, and that faithful actions are the only things by which a man is juſtified. 8. That the moral law is not the rule of life; that believers are as clean from ſin as Chriſt himſelf; that ſuch have no occaſion to pray for pardon for ſin; that God ſees no ſin in his people, nor does he ever chaſtiſe them for it. 9. That there is no church nor ſacraments, nor Sabbath; the opinion of the Seekers (now called Quakers). 10. That the children of believers ought not to be baptized, nor baptiſm continued amongſt Chriſtians; that the meaning of the third commandment is, Thou ſhalt not forſwear thyſelf. 11. That perſons of the next kindred may marry; and that indiſpoſition, unfitneſs, or contrariety of mind, ariſing from natural cauſes, are a juſt reaſon of divorce. 12. That the ſoul of man is mortal; that it ſleeps with the body; and that there is neither heaven or hell till the day of judgment." They alſo witneſſed againſt the error of toleration, patronizing [130]and promoting all other errors, hereſies, and blaſphemies whatſoever, under the groſsly abuſed notion of liberty of conſcience. Herein they complain, as a very great grievance, "that men ſhould not have liberty to worſhip God, in the way and manner as ſhall appear to them moſt agreeable to the word of God, and no man be puniſhed or diſcountenanced by authority for the ſame; and that an inforced uniformity of religion throughout a nation or ſtate confounds the civil and religious, and denies the very principles of Chriſtianity and civility." They then bear their teſtimony to the covenant, and to the divine right of Preſbytery. They lament the imperfect ſettlement of their diſcipline by the parliament, and lay the foundation of all their calamities in the countenancing a public and general toleration: and conclude, "Upon all theſe conſiderations, we, the miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt, do hereby teſtify to our flocks, to all the kingdom, and to the reformed world, our great diſlike of Prelacy, Eraſtianiſm, Browniſm, and Independency; and our utter abhorrence of Anti-ſcripturiſm, Popery, Ariamſm, Socinianiſm, Arminianiſm, Antinomianiſm, Anabaptiſm, Libertiniſm, and Familiſm; and that we deteſt the forementioned toleration, ſo much purſued and endeavoured in this kingdom, accounting it unlawful and pernicious."

Secondly, An extract from the ordinance againſt blaſphemy and hereſy, by the parliament; to which, when the army marched from London towards Scotland, the deprived Preſbyterian members had returned, and, having the ſuperiority, took occaſion to diſcover their principles and ſpirit. It will hardly be credited, that perſons who had themſelves experienced all the horrors of perſecution and penal ſtatutes, ſhould diſplay ſo perſecuting, ſo unchriſtian a diſpoſition. The ordinance was dated May 2, 1648, and ordains, "That all perſons who ſhall willingly maintain, publiſh, or defend, by preaching or writing, the following hereſies [131]with obſtinacy, ſhall, upon complaint or proof, by the oaths of two witneſſes, before two juſtices of the peace, or confeſſion of the party, be committed to priſon, without bail or mainprize, till the next goal-delivery; and in caſe the indictment ſhall then be found, and the party upon his trial ſhall not abjure the ſaid error, and his defence and maintenance of the ſame, he ſhall ſuffer the pains of death, as in caſe of felony, without benefit of clergy; and if he recant or abjure, he ſhall remain in priſon till he find ſureties that he will not maintain the ſaid hereſies or errors any more; but if he relapſe, and is convicted a ſecond time, he ſhall ſuffer death as before." The hereſies are as follow: "1. That there is no God. 2. That God is not omnipreſent, omniſcient, almighty, eternal, and perfectly holy. 3. That the Father is not God, that the Son is not God, that the Holy Ghoſt is not God, or that theſe three are not one eternal God; or, that Chriſt is not God equal with the Father. 4. The denial of the manhood of Chriſt, or that the godhead or manhood are diſtinct natures; or that the humanity of Chriſt is pure and unſpotted of all ſin. 5. The maintaining that Chriſt did not die, nor riſe again, nor aſcend into heaven bodily. 6. The denying that the death of Chriſt is meritorious on the behalf of believers; or that Jeſus Chriſt is the Son of God. 7. The denying that the holy ſcriptures of the Old and New Teſtament are the word of God. 8. The denying of the reſurrection of the dead, and a future judgment." Some other errors of leſs demerit are then mentioned, as, "1. That all men ſhall be ſaved. 2. That man, by nature, hath free-will to turn to God. 3. That God may be worſhipped in or by pictures or images. 4. That the ſoul dies with the body, or, after death, goes neither to heaven or hell, but to purgatory. 5. That the ſoul of man ſleeps, when the body is dead. 6. That the revelations or workings of the Spirit are a rule of faith and Chriſtian life, tho' diverſe [132]from, or contrary to the written word of God. 7. That man is bound to believe no more than by his reaſon he can comprehend. 8. That the moral law contained in the Ten Commandments, is no rule of Chriſtian life. 9. That a believer need not repent, or pray for pardon of ſin. 10. That the two ſacraments of baptiſm and the Lord's ſupper are not ordinances commanded by the word of God. 11. That the baptiſm of infants is unlawful and void; and that ſuch perſons ought to be baptiſed again. 12. That the obſervation of the Lord's day, as injoined by the ordinances and laws of the realm, is not according, or is contrary to the word of God. 13. That it is not lawful to join in public or family prayer, or to teach children to pray. 14. That the churches (Preſbyterian) of England are no true churches, nor their miniſters and ordinances true miniſters and ordinances; or, that the church-government by Preſbyters is antichriſtian or unlawful. 15. That magiſtracy, or the power of the civil magiſtrate, by law eſtabliſhed in England, is unlawful. 16. That all uſe of arms, though for the public defence, and be the cauſe never ſo juſt, is unlawful." Theſe hereſies and errors were taken from the ſpeeches and writings of the Papiſts, Arminians, Antinomians, Arians, Papiſts, Quakers, &c. of thoſe times. "Whoſoever ſhall maintain or defend theſe laſt errors, ſhall, upon application, &c. and conviction, by the oath of two witneſſes, or by his own confeſſion, &c. be ordered to renounce his ſaid error or errors in the public congregation of the pariſh from whence the complaint comes, or where the offence was committed; and, in caſe of refuſal, he ſhall be committed to priſon till he find ſureties, that he ſhall not publiſh or maintain the ſaid errors any more."

How different the principles of the Preſbyterians of the preſent times, the reader will preſently ſee. The Preſbyterians, under the various uſurpations, till the reſtoration of Charles II. acted in concert with the [133]Scots, for reſtoring the King upon the foot of the covenant; ſeveral of their miniſters carried on a correſpondence privately with the chiefs of that nation; and inſtead of taking the engagement to the preſent powers, called them uſurpers, and declined praying for them in their churches; they alſo declared againſt a general toleration, which the army and parliament contended for; and, to widen the breach, the latter took away all the penal ſtatutes for religion, Sept. 20, 1650, by an ordinance.

While the Scots were raiſing forces for the King's ſervice, a private correſpondence was carried on between the Preſbyterians in England and the Scots: large ſums of money were collected privately to forward an expedition into England; but the commonwealth ſoon defeated their deſigns, ſeveral miniſters and others were taken into cuſtody, and Mr. Love, one of them, and Mr. Gibbons, were tried and executed.

Under Oliver Cromwell's uſurpation, though their diſcipline was diſarmed of its co-ercive power, he ſtill left them all that was ſufficient for religious purpoſes; they had their monthly or quarterly claſſical preſbyteries in every county, for the ordination of miniſters, by impoſition of hands, according to the directory. In the diſtant counties they entered into friendly aſſociations for brotherly counſel and advice, and were ſtill retained in the public miniſtry; but as the Protector was for the liberty of conſcience, their church-cenſures were now of no force, and the churches were indiſcriminately beſtowed on miniſters of the Independants and other perſuaſions.

Upon Richard Cromwell's reſigning the protectorate, the Preſbyterians ſeeing no probability of reſtoring the covenant, or coming into power by the rump parliament, which was principally made up of enthuſiaſts and declared enemies to monarchy, they entered into a ſort of confederacy with the royaliſts to reſtore the King and the old conſtitution; and ſeveral [134]of their miniſters appeared in the inſurrection of Sir George Booth, a Preſbyterian, in Cheſhire, whoſe party however was defeated by General Lambert.

General Monk having reſtored the ſecluded members of 1648, to their ſeats in the houſe, who were of the Preſbyterian party, they then carried all before them, and the city-miniſters petitioned the parliament to take a more effectual courſe againſt Papiſts; to prohibit the Quakers opening their ſhops on the Sabbath-day, and that the public miniſters may not be diſturbed in their public ſervices. They alſo beſought them to eſtabliſh the aſſembly's confeſſion, directory and catechiſms, &c. &c. All or moſt of theſe things the houſe complied with, and they ordered the ſolemn league and covevant to be reprinted, and ſet up in every church in England, and read publickly by the miniſter, once every year: the preſbytery was reſtored to all its powers, and the miniſters of that perſuaſion were put in full poſſeſſion of all the livings in England. By their credulity, and the artifices of General Monk, they were made to believe that preſbytery was to be the eſtabliſhed government of the church of England, alſo, under King Charles II. in whoſe reſtoration they heartily concurred, and in fact brought it about, which they were capable of doing, as they were at that time in poſſeſſion of the whole power of England; the council of ſtate, the chief officers of the army and navy, and the governors of the chief forts and garriſons, were theirs; and their clergy were in poſſeſſion not only of the livings, but of both univerſities. In ſhort, they brought in the King without any ſtipulation or conceſſion on his part. Strange infatuation, which they ſoon after had reaſon to repent! For they might be ſure that the old conſtitution muſt return with the King; that dioceſan Epiſcopacy was the only legal eſtabliſhment; and that all that had been done in favour of preſbytery, not having had the royal aſſent, was void in law: therefore they and their friends who had [135]not Epiſcopal ordination and induction into their livings, muſt be looked upon as intruders, and not legal miniſters of the church of England. The King, to carry on the farce, as it was really on his ſide, when the miniſters waited upon him in Holland, gave them ſuch encouraging promiſes as raiſed in ſome of them high expectations. When he came to Whitehall, he made ten of them his chaplains *, at the inſtance of the Earl of Mancheſter; but before the expiration of the year 1660, many of the parochial clergy were proſecuted for not uſing the book of Common Prayer; the juſtices and others inſiſting, that the laws returned with the King, and that they ought not to be diſpenſed with in the neglect of them. The ſequeſtered clergy came out of their hiding places, and took poſſeſſion of their former livings, by which ſome hundreds of the preſbyterian clergy were at once diſpoſſeſſed. The two univerſities were reſtored to their old diſcipline and government, and the heads of colleges, &c. &c. ejected in 1648, were put in again. New creations were made in both univerſities, in favour of any, almoſt, who would declare their averſion to Preſbytery, and hearty affection of Epiſcopal government. Deans and Chapters were alſo again reſtored, and Biſhops were promoted to the vacant ſees; and thus the church of England was reſtored to its former power, except only the peerage of the Biſhops .

[136]The King and the Duke of York were for a general toleration, in order to include the Papiſts; and the Biſhops, and Lord Clarendon at their head, were againſt any comprehenſion for, or conceſſions to the Preſbyterians. The reaſons of the Biſhops angry behaviour were, "their high notions of the Epiſcopal form of government, as eſſentially neceſſary to the very eſſence of a Chriſtian church: The reſentments that remained in their breaſts againſt all who had engaged with the long parliament, and had been the cauſe of their ſufferings: The Preſbyterians being legally poſſeſſed of moſt of the benefices in church and ſtate, it was thought neceſſary to diſpoſſeſs them; and, if there muſt be a ſchiſm, rather to have it out of the church than within it." For it had been obſerved, that the [137]half-conformity of the Puritans before the war, had in moſt cities and corporations occaſioned a faction between the main body and the lecturers, which latter had endeavoured to make themſelves popular at the expence of the hierarchy of the church. Beſides, the Preſbyterians had too much credit in the elections of parliament-men: therefore they reſolved (ſays Burnet) to ſeek the moſt effectual means to caſt them out of the church.

The well meaning Preſbyterians were, therefore, ſtriving againſt the ſtream, and making intereſt with a ſet of men, who were now laughing in their ſleeves at the abject condition to which the folly of their adverſaries had reduced them. "They offered Archbiſhop Uſher's model of primitive Epiſcopacy, as a plan of accommodation; that the ſurplice, the croſs in baptiſm, and kneeling at the communion, ſhould be left indifferent; they were content to ſet aſide the aſſembly's confeſſion, and let the articles of the church of England take place, with ſome amendments." His Majeſty deſired a number of their miniſters, who were introduced to him by the Earl of Mancheſter, to crave his interpoſition for reconciling the differences of the church, to draw up ſuch propoſals as they thought meet, for an agreement about church-government, and to ſet down the moſt they could yield. Accordingly the city-miniſters, with ſome of their country brethren, met at Sion college, and after two or three weeks deliberation agreed upon a paper, which, together with Archbiſhop Uſher's reduction of Epiſcopacy, they offered to the King with a proper addreſs. To this paper the Biſhops publiſhed a reply; upon which the Preſbyterians ſent a warm remonſtrance to the Biſhops, and a defence of their propoſals; which concludes thus, "We perceive your counſels againſt peace are not likely to be fruſtrated. Your deſires concerning us are likely to be accompliſhed. You are like to be gratified with our ſilence and ejection; and yet we will believe, that bleſſed are [138]the peace-makers; and though we are prevented by you in our purſuits of peace, and are never like, thus publickly, to ſeek it more, yet are we reſolved, as much as poſſible, to live peaceably with all men."

Their eyes now began to open, and they perceived, with regret, their credulity in expecting an agreement with the Biſhops, who appeared to be exaſperated, and determined to bind them over to the old eſtabliſhment. The former ſeverities were already revived, and the laws to be put in execution againſt ſuch as did not make uſe of the old liturgy. Many were ſuſpended and turned out of their livings on this account. Upon application for redreſs to the King, he told them he would put what he thought fit to grant them into the form of a declaration, which they ſhould peruſe before it was made public. A copy was accordingly delivered to them, with liberty to make exceptions: they petitioned for ſome further amendments and alterations; upon which the King appointed a day to hear what could be ſaid on both ſides, and came to Chancellor Hyde's houſe, October 22, 1660, attended by the Dukes of Albemarle and Ormond, the Earls of Mancheſter and Angleſea, and Lord Hollis, for that purpoſe *. As the Chancellor read over the declaration, each party were to make their exceptions, and the King to determine. The chief debates were on the high powers of the Biſhops, and the neceſſity of re-ordination. Upon hearing the whole, the King told them what he thought proper ſhould ſtand in the declaration; and appointed Biſhops Morley and Henchman, Dr. Reynolds, and Mr. Calamy, to determine upon proper words, and, if they diſagreed, the Earl of Angleſea and Lord [139]Hollis were to decide. If this declaration did not pleaſe all the miniſters, the greateſt number in London and the country were content; but as it went upon the plan of dioceſan Epiſcopacy, which they had covenanted againſt, others were not ſatisfied. Some of them ventured upon a ſecond addreſs to the King, renewing their requeſts for Archbiſhop Uſher's plan, &c. However, the Preſbyterians about London were ſo much pleaſed, that they drew up a warm addreſs of thanks to the King, which was preſented November 16 *.

When the parliament read the King's declaration, they agreed to wait upon him in a body, and return him thanks; notwithſtanding which, the bill, to paſs into a law, was rejected by the Houſe of Commons after the firſt reading .

The doctrines of paſſive obedience and non-reſiſtance were now revived, men obnoxious and inveterate to the Preſbyterians were preferred to biſhoprics, and were compenſated for their late ſufferings, by the large ſums [140]they raiſed by renewing leaſes, which were almoſt all expired .

From this time perſecution againſt the Preſbyterians commenced. One Mr. Zach. Crofton was impriſoned and turned out of his living, for writing in favour of the covenant, tho' he had a wife and ſeven children, and had been remarkably zealous for the reſtoration. Another (Mr. Parſons, rector of Wem, in Shropſhire) was taken from his wife by ſoldiers, for ſeditious preaching and non-conformity to the ceremonies, and fined two hundred pounds, with impriſonment till paid. "Spies (ſays Mr. Neale) were ſent into all the congregations of Preſbyterians throughout England, to obſerve and report their behaviour to the biſhops; and if a miniſter lamented the degeneracy of the times, or expreſſed his concern for the ark of God; if he preached againſt perfidiouſneſs, or glanced at the vices of the court, he was marked for an enemy of the King and government. Many eminent and loyal Preſbyterians were ſent to priſon upon ſuch informations, and when they came to their trials, the court was guarded with ſoldiers, and their friends not ſuffered to attend them. Many were ſequeſtered from their livings, and cited into the eccleſiaſtical courts, for not uſing the ſurplice and other ceremonies, whilſt the diſcipline of the church was under a kind of ſuſpenſion. So eager were the ſpiritual courts to revive the exerciſe of their power; and ſo ſtrongly did the tide run againſt the unhappy Preſbyterians!" By the act for reſtoring the old ſequeſtered clergy, ſome hundreds of the non-conformiſt [141]miniſters were diſpoſſeſed of their livings, before the act of uniformity was formed. "Here was no diſtinction between good and bad; but if the perſon had been epiſcopally ordained, and in poſſeſſion, he muſt be reſtored, tho' he had been ejected upon the ſtrongeſt evidence of immorality or ſcandal." The miniſtry ſoon after did every thing in their power to throw the odium of plots and conſpiracies upon the Preſbyterians, for which many were taken into cuſtody, but releaſed afterwards, without proſecution; by theſe devices they facilitated the paſſing the penal ſtatutes that were coming upon the carpet. They could not, conſiſtent with the declaration from Breda, or with decency, attack the Preſbyterians purely upon account of their religion; they were therefore to be accuſed, right or wrong, of raiſing diſturbances in the ſtate. By the act for the well-governing and regulating corporations, all non-conformiſts were turned out of every branch of magiſtracy at once, and could not ſerve their country, even in the meaneſt offices of a commoncouncil man, or a burgeſs or bailiff of a corporation. Commiſſioners appointed hereupon were ſent to viſit the ſeveral corporations, who executed their commiſſion ſo rigorouſly, that every member of them was turned out who was not entirely devoted to the King and church.

The Savoy conference ended without any good effect, and the act of uniformity received the royal aſſent, May 19, 1662, by which the terms of conformity were higher than before the civil wars, and the common-prayer book rendered more exceptionable. By inforcing this act *, the calamities of the ejected miniſters were very terrible. "Many hundreds of them (ſays Baxter) with their wives and children, had neither houſe nor bread; the people thus left were not able to relieve them, nor durſt they if they had been able, becauſe [142]it would have been called maintenance of ſchiſm and faction. Many of the miniſters being afraid to lay down their miniſtry after they had been ordained to it, preached to ſuch as would hear them, in fields and private houſes, till they were apprehended and caſt into gaols, where many of them periſhed.—The people were no leſs divided, ſome conformed, and others were driven to a greater diſtance from the church, and reſolved to abide by their faithful paſtors at all events. They murmured at the government, and called the Biſhops and conforming clergy, cruel perſecutors; for which, and frequenting of the private aſſemblies of their miniſters, they were fined and impriſoned, till many families left their native country, and ſettled in the plantations."—"The Preſbyterian miniſters, tho' men of gravity (ſays Neale) and far advanced in years, were rallied in the pulpits under the opprobrious names of ſchiſmatics and fanatics; they were expoſed in the play-houſe, and inſulted by the mob, inſomuch that they were obliged to lay aſide their habits, and walk in diſguiſe ."

[143]Various were the hardſhips and perſecutions of the Preſbyterians before the fire of London, the parliament and miniſtry diſcovering on every occaſion an unrelenting animoſity to them; and if the King ſhewed any compaſſion, it was purely owing to his deſire of eaſing the Papiſts from their difficulties, by a general toleration. Even that awful viſitation the great plague gave them no reſpite; but regardleſs of the diſpleaſure of Heaven, the miniſtry and biſhops purſued them with the more malignant barbarity. After the fire of London they were ſomewhat connived at, they built wooden tabernacles to preach in, and their places of worſhip were crowded with penitent and devout auditors. The diſgrace of their bitter enemy the Earl of Clarendon was likewiſe favourable to them; but after a ſhort reſpite, and ſeveral attempts for a toleration and comprehenſion had failed, the perſecution was revived in the year 1668, and their private meetings were broken up again, Mr. Baxter and other learned and pious preachers impriſoned, and they were abuſed in many hot writings, particularly by Dr. Patrick and Dr. Parker, (afterwards Biſhops) but the latter was wittily and farcaſtically anſwered by the famous Andrew Marvel. In 1670, the conventicle-act was revived, which the court forwarded with a view of reducing the Preſbyterians to the neceſſity of petitioning for a general toleration, by which a door would be opened for the introduction of popery *. The act was ſo ſeverely executed, that there was ſoon not a conventicle to be heard of all over England. Great numbers were proſecuted on it, and many induſtrious families reduced to poverty. Many miniſters were confined in goals and [144]cloſe priſons; and warrants were iſſued out againſt them and their hearers, and diſtraints made, to the amount of a great ſum of money. Informers were every where at work, and having crept into religious aſſemblies, in diſguiſe, levied great ſums upon miniſters and people. Soldiers broke into the houſes of honeſt farmers, under pretence of ſearching for conventicles, and where ready money was wanting, they plundered their goods, drove away their cattle, and ſold them for half price; even the ſick had their beds taken from under them, and themſelves laid upon the floor. During the time that Charles's declaration of indulgence * continued in force, the Preſbyterians and Independants ſet up the merchants lecture at Pinners hall, to ſhew their agreement among themſelves, as well as to ſupport the doctrines of the reformation againſt the prevailing errors of Popery, &c. ſupported by the contributions of the principal merchants and tradeſmen of their perſuaſions in the city. They continued united till 1695, when the Preſbyterians removed to Salters hall, and the Independants continued their lecture at Pinners hall, both which have continued ever ſince. The teſt-act of 1673 was the laſt penal ſtatute againſt the non-conformiſts in this reign ; and as the Diſſenters in general had, with great generoſity, ſupported that meaſure againſt the court, through their dread of the increaſe of Popery, the court next year let looſe again all their engines of cruelty upon them, and the fines, impriſonments and other ſeverities exerciſed were exceſſive. Thence to the year 1681, various attempts were made, by the ſucceſſive parliaments, for a toleration of Diſſenters, and putting the laws in execution againſt Popiſh recuſants, and many books and pamphlets were publiſhed in their defence, which unanſwerably vindicated their principles. But in that year, and to the end of this reign, ſham plots were [145]contrived, to render them odious, and ſet on by the court and the Papiſts, they felt all the rage of the high church-party, who diſplayed their hatred by encouraging infamous informers, and inflicting exorbitant fines and cruel impriſonments, under which many pious and learned divines found a refuge in death from all their troubles.

I have now gone as comprehenſively as I could thro' this gloomy reign, in which ſo many thouſands of pious and good perſons were ruined for conſcience ſake; but it muſt be remembered, that the public liberty was ruined with them, and that the whole conſtitution, at the time of Charles's death, was in a manner brought to its diſſolution. Yet, when the nation was groaning under every oppreſſion, when every vice ſtalked abroad in open day light, and corruption of manners, and proſtitution of heart and tongue, were even faſhionable, remember, readers, and bluſh for your country, there were wretches abandoned enough to addreſs this voluptuous Monarch, in ſtrains that were impious, and could with propriety be only aſcribed to God himſelf.

James II. at the beginning of his ſhort reign, revived the perſecution againſt the Proteſtant Diſſenters, the majority of whom were Preſbyterians; which was carried on with the moſt barbarous rigour, and even exceeded thoſe in his brother's reign; but the favourite ſcheme, which had proved abortive under that Prince, was ſedulouſly purſued by James, of making the Preſbyterians and other Diſſenters tools to obtain a general toleration, by which the Papiſts were to be relieved from the penal laws and teſts. As he imagined it impracticable to obtain his deſire legally, he determined to attempt it by his diſpenſing power, and began to careſs the Non-conformiſts, and to ſhow them great favour; their miniſters were encouraged to ſet up their conventicles, which had been diſcontinued or held very ſecretly for ſome years; and the King had it intimated [146]timated every where, that he would not have their meetings diſturbed. But the Diſſenters ſeeing the King's drift, now joined with their perſecutors of the Church of England, generouſly giving up their private reſentments, however juſt, to their fears of Popery and ſlavery, which were making large ſtrides towards the deſtruction of religious and civil liberty, of which the diſpenſing power, and the declaration for liberty of conſcience, were to be the principal engines *. This wiſe conduct of the Diſſenters certainly ſaved the church and ſtate.

Thus, however, an end was put to the proſecution of the Proteſtant Diſſenters by the penal laws, though the laws themſelves were not legally repealed or ſuſpended till after the revolution .

Tho' in purſuance of the declarations for liberty of conſcience, &c. the Diſſenters were not only at their liberty to worſhip in their ſeveral ways, and were admitted to ſerve in all offices of profit and truſt, they could not be brought to acknowledge diſpenſing power; tho' many to them addreſſed the King with thanks for the freedom they now enjoyed from perſecution; a meaſure, however, that was not approved by their elders and more cautious miniſters. In ſhort, they were now courted both by King and church; by the [147]latter of which they were promiſed, in caſe they now ſtood firm to the common intereſt, they would in better time come into a comprehenſion of ſuch as could be brought into a conjunction with the church, and to a toleration of the reſt.

The Preſbyterians concurred heartily in the Revolution; and when the Prince of Orange came to St. James's, December 18, 1688, ſeveral of their miniſters attended him, with the Biſhop of London, and many of the clergy, to congratulate him upon his ſucceſs. January 2, about ninety of the Non-conformiſt miniſters waited upon the Prince with a ſeparate addreſs, to which they received a moſt cordial anſwer. When King William and Queen Mary were ſettled on the throne, the Diſſenting miniſters waited on their Majeſties with addreſſes of congratulation, which were delivered by Dr. Bates: and though many generous attempts made by the King for a comprehenſion were rendered abortive by the oppoſition of the Jacobites and Tories; yet the memorable bill for toleration of Proteſtant Diſſenters, which is the baſis of their preſent liberty, was paſſed in their favour *. Every body remembers the gratitude of their new friends, in the reign of Queen Anne .

Little elſe has occurred ſince that happy aera, of the revolution, but fruitleſs attempts for a repeal of the corporation and teſt acts, which have been conſtantly oppoſed by the church of England: but it is to be hoped ſome future time will reſtore the Diſſenters to that entire liberty which is the birth-right of every Engliſhman, and that they may have the privilege of ſerving their country indiſcriminately with their fellowſubjects of the eſtabliſhed church, which they can never, upon their preſent principles, wiſh overturned; though they may deſire that the ſtumbling blocks to their union therewith were removed.

[148]I now come to give ſome account of the religious principles of the Preſbyterians, who continue to be the moſt numerous ſect of Proteſtant Diſſenters in England, and have almoſt entirely forſaken the rigid and ſevere maxims of their fore-fathers.

Preſbyterians are ſo called, from their aſſertion, that the government of the church, as appointed in the New Teſtament, is by preſbyters, i. e. miniſters and ruling elders, aſſociated for government and diſcipline; they maintain that there is no order in the church ſuperior to that of preſbyter; that all miniſters being ambaſſadors of Chriſt, are equal by commiſſion; and that elder, preſbyter, and biſhop, tho' different in name, are the ſame in office.

The Preſbyterians acknowledge Jeſus Chriſt alone ſupreme head in his church; and that in matters purely ſpiritual, they are under no human authority and juriſdiction *. For this reaſon they diſſent from the 20th article, viz. That the church hath power to decree rites and ceremonies, and authority, in matters of faith : and, for the ſame reaſon, in ſubſcribing to articles which are appointed, or required of them to qualify them for the miniſtry, this, among others, is left out. And with reſpect to the 8th article (the authority of the three creeds) one of thoſe to which a ſubſcription was required, the Diſſenters were firſt admitted to give their ſenſe of them, and excluded ſuch part as they could not conſcientiouſly ſubſcribe. Accordingly Dr. Calamy ſays, "The Diſſenting miniſters about the the city, in a body, gave in their ſenſe of the articles when they ſubſcribed them, and among the reſt, of this 8th article, in the gloſs upon which the damnatory clauſes of the Athanaſian creed are expreſsly excluded the ſubſcription. They ſay none in the [149]Chriſtian church have a right to make new articles of faith: none have a right to impoſe their particular ſenſe of, or authoritatively, explain thoſe articles of faith: that none have any lawful power to adjudge or condemn thoſe who do not ſubmit to their interpretation *.

The principal articles of Faith profeſſed by the Preſbyterians in England, in which their agreement with the Preſbytery of Scotland, and their real ſentiments in former and latter times, are generally repreſented.

Of GOD.

According to the original conſtitution of the Preſbyterian church or congregation, they acknowledge the unity and equality of three perſons in the Godhead .

That there is but one living and true God; yet three perſons in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, and theſe three are one God —three perſons to which the perſonal terms, I, thou, and he, are applied, and yet the one true Godhead is aſcribed to each of them §.

But the greater part of the Preſbyterians at preſent do not profeſs to believe in the three perſons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, as coequal; but "that God the Father is ſupreme, a ſpirit, infinite, eternal, unchangeable in his being, wiſdom, power, holineſs, juſtice, goodneſs, and truth; the maker and preſerver of all things viſible and inviſible : that God is one, ſelfexiſting, and independent, the one living and true God, and the alone object of prayer and interceſſion [150] *.—to us Chriſtians there is but one God ſupreme , and one Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and we are ſaved by him ;—that there is but one neceſſary, ſelf-exiſting being, immenſe, incomprehenſible, ſupreme, eternal, unchangeable, divine, all-powerful, good and happy, whom we acknowledge abſolute in eternity, and all perfections.

Of JESUS CHRIST.

That the Son of God, very and eternal God, in the fulneſs of time took man's nature, with all the eſſential properties and infirmities thereof; yet without ſin, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghoſt in the womb of the virgin; very God and very man, who, by the perfect obedience and ſacrifice of himſelf, which he, thro' the eternal Spirit, once offered unto God, hath fully ſatisfied the juſtice of his Father, and purchaſed not only reconciliation with him, but an everlaſting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all thoſe whom the Father hath given him §.

Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God, being conſtituted mediator between God and man, in the fulneſs of time God ſent him into the world, to execute the purpoſes of his grace in the ſalvation of mankind, as their Prophet, Prieſt, and King; who having, in obedience to the divine will, offered himſelf a ſacrifice for the ſins of the whole world, God, in teſtimony of his acceptance, raiſed him again from the dead: —that he then aſcended into Heaven, and there ever lives to make interceſſion for all that came to God by him—by whom alſo God will judge the world **: —that Jeſus Chriſt is the Son of God, ſignifies that God was his Father in [151]ſo peculiar and extraordinary a manner, as he never was of any creature whatſoever, and that his body was immediately formed by the power of God, without the ordinary laws of human generation *—commiſſioned and qualified by God for the execution of the important offices of Prophet, Prieſt, and King—evidenced by the excellency of his doctrine, the accompliſhment of prophecies, and the performance of miracles: who, tho' he was innocent, thro' the wickedneſs and malice of his enemies, was put to death; and, becauſe he conſented to die, as the propitiation for the ſins of the world, the juſt for the unjuſt, that he might bring us to God, he was raiſed by the power of the Father, and exalted to the higheſt ſtate, both of dignity and power, next to God his Father:—that the ſupreme, incomprehenſible God, in ſome moment of his eternity, communicated, produced, or begot, by his eternal power and will, a being endued with all poſſible communicable perfection, in the higheſt degree, that a dependent being is capable of, called the Son of God, the Divine Logos, not unbegotten like God, nor yet made like his creatures:—that the Father of all things hath appointed this divine word, as a mediator between himſelf and man, to act the part of a ruler to his ſubjects, and erect his kingdom of grace in the world:—that ſubordinate creative power, and univerſal dominion, is given to this divine perſon: he is therefore called God, the Great Archangel, the Prince of Peace, in whom God eminently reſides, Creator of angels and men:— that in the fulneſs of time, that he might execute all his important offices, according to the councils and will of his Father, and by his own voluntary obedience, he aſſumed human nature, in which he taught the mind of God, lived a life of holineſs, died on the croſs, a propitiation for the ſins of the whole world, roſe again and aſcended into heaven, ſitteth on the [152]right hand of God, and is conſtituted the diſpenſer of grace and favour to all his ſincere diſciples and votaries *.

We believe in Jeſus Chriſt, the one mediator, who condeſcended to come into our world, aſſume our natures, and unite with our infirmities, on purpoſe to beſtow divine bleſſings upon us: he tabernacled in our fleſh, that he might aſſume the moſt friendly characters and offices, inſtruct us in the ways of truth and righteouſneſs, ſet before us the charms of a virtuous and heavenly converſation, ſuffer and die a propitiation for ſin, and by that expedient interpoſe a conſideration for the promiſes of pardon, acceptance, and juſtification, to eternal life, on the terms of the goſpel; for God, in wiſdom, thought fit to communicate the mercy he deſigned us, in ſuch a way, as ſhould be no diminution to the purity of his nature, or to the authority of his government, and to treat with ſimple creatures conſiſtently with his ſupremacy and dignity thro' a mediator .

Of the HOLY GHOST, or HOLY SPIRIT, its offices, &c.

By the Holy Spirit of God we are made partakers of the deliverance from ſin and miſery, by the powerful conveying of the benefits of this redemption to us.— The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchaſed by Chriſt, working faith in us (a truſt in Chriſt) uniting us to Chriſt (as the head and members are one) in our effectual calling—convincing us of our ſin and miſery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Chriſt, and, by renewing our wills, he doth perſuade and enable us to embrace Jeſus Chriſt freely offered to us in the goſpel .—I believe that divine perſon who is called the Holy Ghoſt, to be the Spirit of God, by whom he [153]inſpired and taught the ancient prophets, and that he was ſent by Chriſt on his apoſtles, and many of the primitive Chriſtians, in very extraordinary and miraculous gifts, for the final confirmation of Chriſtianity, and that by his influences ſinners are converted, the minds of good Chriſtians are filled with joy and peace in believing, and their lives adorned with all thoſe virtues which are, by Jeſus Chriſt, to the glory and praiſe of God the Father *.

Of the HOLY SCRIPTURES, their authority and ſufficiency to ſalvation.

The ſcriptures alone are the form of ſound words, and the only ſtandard of Chriſtian faith, worſhip, and practice .

The more we look into the admirable contents of the ſacred ſcriptures, the more we ſhall be convinced they powerfully inforce the practice of religion, and lead to happineſs by a courſe of virtue .

Of the Nature and Conſequences of the FALL of MAN, ORIGINAL SIN, &c.

Queſtion, What is ſin?

Anſwer, Any want of conformity to, or tranſgreſſion of the law of God.

Queſ. Did all mankind fall in Adam's firſt tranſgreſſion?

Anſ. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himſelf but all his poſterity, all mankind deſcending from him, by ordinary generation, ſinned in him, and fell with him.

Queſ. Into what eſtate did the fall bring mankind?

[154] Anſ. Into a ſtate of ſin and miſery, becauſe he fell from his obedience, and from the favour of God.

Queſ. Wherein conſiſts the ſinfulneſs of that eſtate?

Anſ. In the want of original righteouſneſs, and the corruption of his whole nature, evil inclinations, with all actual tranſgreſſions which proceed from it.

Queſ. What is the miſery of that ſtate?

Anſ. Mankind loſt communion with God, are under his wrath, liable to the miſeries of this life, death itſelf, and all the pains of hell for ever *. But more moderate perſons among the Preſbyterians entertain different notions, e. g.

All corruption and depravity is contracted, or natural contracted corruption is the reſult of repeated actions, and conſequently a perſon is no otherwiſe the author of this corruption, than as he is the author of the actions from which it flows: but he is not the immediate author, according to the doctrine of original ſin, which fin is conſidered as predetermined.—Now ſuppoſing the action of eating the forbidden fruit to have been as much the action of any other individual, as it was Adam's; it will not therefore follow that it was his, becauſe rightly conſidered it will appear not to have been Adam's.—Adam, on that ſcheme, could not act without being predetermined, any more than his poſterity: their will, at leaſt, to that which is bad, muſt have as much power as his; and why was Adam predetermined? No recourſe can be had here to an antecedent corruption. Adam, therefore, was not guilty of the firſt ſin; and if Adam was not, much leſs are we; and not being guilty of the firſt ſin, we are not accountable for the corruption which is brought into human nature, nor the cauſe of God's predetermining us to actions on account of this corruption. The iſſue this drives us upon is, that God is the only cauſe of all diſconformity between human actions and his [155]own law. The law is from God as its author, ſo likewiſe is the action, and both the terms proceeding from him, the contrariety between them muſt be his too. Predetermination therefore, in ſpite of this evaſion, makes God the author of ſin; a worſe thing than which, I defy any man to ſay of the devil himſelf *.

Of the Reſtoration and Recovery of Man by JESUS CHRIST.

Queſt. Did God leave all mankind to periſh in that eſtate of ſin and miſery to which Adam's ſin ſubjected them?—Anſw. God having, out of his mere good pleaſure, from all eternity, elected ſome to everlaſting life, did enter into a covenant of grace to deliver them out of that eſtate of ſin and miſery, and bring them into an eſtate of ſalvation, by the only Redeemer of God's elect.—Queſt. What are the offices Chriſt executes as our Redeemer?—Anſ. As a Prophet, revealing the will of God. As a Prieſt, offering himſelf a ſacrifice to ſatisfy divine juſtice, and reconcile us to God, and in making continual interceſſion for us.— And, as a King, in ſubduing us to himſelf, by ruling in us, and defending us from all his and our enemies, and as an example of holineſs.—Queſt. How are we made partakers of the redemption purchaſed for us by Chriſt?—Anſ. By the effectual application of it by his holy ſpirit .

Of JUSTIFICATION.

The doctrine of the atonement of Chriſt for ſin ſeems to me to be an eſſential part of Chriſtianity, becauſe ſo many of the peculiar privileges, and chief [156]duties of it, are ſo deeply intereſted therein, and are founded upon it *.

Juſtification is an act of God's free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our ſins, and accepteth us as righteous in his ſight, only for the righteouſneſs of Chriſt imputed to us, i. e. reckoned to our account and advantage, and received by faith.

Of BAPTISM.

We believe, ſays Mr. Pearce, baptiſm is a pledge and token both of the benefits which God is graciouſly pleaſed to beſtow upon us, and of our acceptance of them; and the promiſe whereby we oblige ourſelves to him, and that therefore no other ſign hereof ſhould be uſed .

Baptiſm, Dr. Watts ſays, is an ordinance which initiates us into Chriſtianity .—It is a ſacrament, wherein the waſhing with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt, doth ſignify and ſeal our ingrafting into Chriſt; our partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagements to be the Lord's, i. e. entirely given up to the ſervice of Chriſt.—And pag. 314. he defines baptiſm to be a waſhing with water in token of regeneration and remiſſion of ſins.

The ſacrament of baptiſm, is that wherein by being waſhed with water, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the baptized perſon ſolemnly gives up himſelf to God, through his Son, to be governed by the goſpel he taught, in expectation of the aids of that Spirit, whoſe miraculous gifts proved the truth of the goſpel; and whereby he obliges himſelf to forſake all his former impurities, which he thus acknowledges, while, [157]at the ſame time, by this rite, he is encouraged to hope for God's pardoning mercy, through Chriſt, and the cleanſing influences of the Spirit: it is certainly a ſuitable and reaſonable inſtitution.—The baptizing the children, of Chriſtian parents, in their infancy, is an action in itſelf reaſonable, and it is fit that parents ſhould dedicate their children to God, the former of their bodies, and the father of their ſpirits, in acknowledgement they have received them from him, and ſolemnly oblige themſelves to endeavour the training them up in a religious and virtuous life; and it is a great encouragement to them that God will accept the dedication, and, by the influences of his Spirit, bleſs and ſucceed their endeavours; all which is juſtly expreſſed by this external rite *.

Of the LORD's SUPPER.

Dr. Watts tells us plainly, it is eating bread and drinking wine in the church, in remembrance of the death of Chriſt .

Of Church Diſcipline and Government, Church Authority, &c.

It is not only the right, but the indiſpenſible duty of Chriſtians, to ſeparate from the fellowſhip of thoſe who are called brethren, and walk diſorderly, that is, as the apoſtle deſcribes them, fornicators, idolators, drunkards, extortioners, &c. or who, in any other like inſtances, notoriouſly tranſgreſs the plain and eſſential precepts of the goſpel; and the apoſtle exhorts the Corinthians to put away the inceſtuous perſon from among them, and aſſerts their right, which is ſo far [158]the right of all Chriſtian churches, viz. to judge them that are within *.

Touching eccleſiaſtical authority, this can by no means bind the conſcience; for, in all ſuch caſes, the only foundation upon which a man can act conſcientiouſly, is his private perſuaſion; it limits and circumſcribes the extent of human authority and is not limited and circumſcribed by it; if a deciſion of men binds any perſon, it is in matters wherein he thinks they have power; when they carry their pretenſions farther, and determine things wherein his judgment does not allow their authority, their decrees muſt be regarded by him as void; and, conſequently, if any one's conſcience diſſallows human authority, in the loweſt inſtances wherein it is exerciſed, its acts can produce no obligation upon him; elſe the rights of private judgment might be invaded in all caſes, and conſcience given up to the will of men; for it is as really injured if a man be forced to act againſt its light, in a circumſtance or matter of ceremony, as an article of faith; for whatſoever is not of faith, is ſin; from whence it is plain, that eccleſiaſtical authority has no power over conſcience; indeed none at all but what conſcience gives it, and therefore muſt yield to its ſuperior where their voices differ.

The direction given to the Corinthians, "Let all things be done decently and in order," is alledged by many to be a ſufficient foundation for the churches power, in points of external order; but what thoſe points are, even Proteſtants are not agreed; ſome extend them to ceremonies and modes of worſhip, which are neither expreſsly commanded nor forbidden by the word of God; others limit them to the natural circumſtances of actions: upon their different opinions, different ſchemes of eccleſiaſtical conſtitutions are erected; [159]but it will appear that no proper authority can be binding without the authority of conſcience. Since the magiſtrate is not capable of knowing how the ſubject's conſcience is grieved by ſuch impoſitions, when the plea of conſcience is real or only pretended, and whether, if it be an error, how it was led into it, and whether its errors be culpable; he muſt run the hazard of puniſhing the innocent, which ought never to be done when it can be avoided without danger to the ſtate *. Grove.

Of the DOCTRINE of PREDESTINATION.

1. Phyſical predetermination, ſays Mr. Grove, does not conſiſt with the nature of man, as a rational agent. —2. Is needleſs, contrary to what is affirmed of its being abſolutely neceſſary to action.—3. Will not conſiſt with human liberty.—4. It makes God the author of ſin; for, taking away human freedom, a man ceaſes to be accountable for any thing he does, and his actions ought not to be imputed to him, but to the Being that lays him under a neceſſity ſo to act. An inſpired writer hath told us, that "God is not tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:" but, if this hypotheſis was true, he would more than tempt men; he would compel them .

Of the CIVIL MAGISTRATE.

With reſpect to the authority of the magiſtrate in matters of mere conſcience and religion, to make our worſhip and obedience acceptable to God, it muſt proceed from an inward conviction that it is agreeable to his will; and to practiſe any thing as religion, out of obedience to human authority, is a regarding men [160]more than God; conſequently no magiſtrate can have a right to compel perſons to profeſs or practiſe that which he does not inwardly approve.—Abſolute toleration, therefore, and a general liberty of conſcience, where perſons violate not the rights of others, and propagate no doctrines deſtructive of ſociety, are the unalienable right of all.—And, perhaps, ſuch a power may with reaſon be granted, when no more than a juſt proportion of the public revenue is taken, and when this is applied not to the ſpreading doctrines and practices of a doubtful nature, and of no immediate good influence on the virtue and happineſs of a nation; but to recommend the great and plain principles and rules of natural and revealed religion *, and as Chriſtianity is the only ſcheme of religion which contains a pure, complete, and well-connected ſyſtem of thoſe principles and duties, a government, upon the ſole principle of public utility, may be juſtified in eſtabliſhing it.

An abſtract of a profeſſion of Faith made at a public ordination at the Old Jewry, in 1750, which is agreeable to many others I have procured.

Art. I. The firſt and great article of my belief (from natural and revealed religion) is the exiſtence of one God, whoſe power is uncontroulable, whoſe knowledge is infinite, whoſe preſence is immenſity, whoſe being is eternity, whoſe beneficence is boundleſs mercy, whoſe name is love, a Spirit immutable in his nature, and unchangeable in all his perfections; the Creator of all worlds, and of all beings that exiſt.—I believe that his providence is univerſal, and that his ſupreme government is over all his works; exerciſed with the moſt perſect wiſdom, and invariable goodneſs, moſt conducive to his own glory and the happineſs of his creatures.—I believe that this all-wife and good God [161]ought to be worſhipped in ſpirit and truth, free from corrupt affections, and with the moſt pious and devout diſpoſitions.

Art. II. I believe that God, the parent of all nature, directed by the eſſential beneficence of his own perfect mind, formed man for the purpoſes of wiſdom, virtue, and happineſs, and furniſhed him with all abilities ſuitable to anſwer theſe important ends: but that our firſt parent, by violating the expreſs law of his Maker, fell from his innocence, his dignity and happineſs, and when ſin entered into the world, death entered by ſin. —I believe that in pity to the unhappy ſtate of mankind, and in condeſcenſion to the weakneſs and imbecility of human nature, God, at ſundry times and in diverſe manners, afforded ſuch revelation of himſelf, as was moſt agreeable to the ſtate and circumſtances of his creatures: that as reaſonable beings, capable of a law, they had life and death ſet before them, had liberty of choice conſequently, and were accountable to God for their conduct.

Art. III. I believe alſo, that, in the moſt ſuitable and fitting time, God ſent his only Son into the world, that the world thro' him might be ſaved:—that the goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt reveals the moſt noble ſentiments of the Deity, and of that duty we owe to him:—that it contains the moſt ſublime precepts of morality, with all the evidences of reaſon, and all the dignity of divine authority.—From hence I am led to believe what is therein farther taught, the forgiveneſs of ſins and everlaſting life, on the conditions of our repentance, faith in Jeſus Chriſt as the one mediator, and obedience to his goſpel. Theſe doctrines of the goſpel I believe to be the wiſeſt and beſt ſyſtem of religion, and this method of ſalvation moſt conſiſtent with the perfections of God, with the ſtate and circumſtances of mankind, and moſt conducive to their higheſt perfection and happineſs.

[162] Art. IV. I believe that Jeſus Chriſt inſtituted two poſitive ordinances, baptiſm and the Lord's ſupper; by the firſt of theſe we are initiated into the Chriſtian religion, and by the latter we are to commemorate our Lord's death till he come.

Art. V. I believe that Jeſus Chriſt, by his holy and unblameable life, hath left us a perfect example; that, by his death, he perfected his obedience, and made a proper oblation to God for us; that he aroſe again from the dead, to procure and aſcertain our reſurrection to immortality; that he aſcended to his God and our God, and ever liveth as our advocate with the Father, and that through him our ſincere, tho' imperfect, obedience will be accepted.

Art. VI. I believe that God hath promiſed the direction and aſſiſtance of his Spirit to all thoſe who ſincerely and humbly implore it; and that the aid of the divine Spirit, in conjunction with our own endeavours, is ſufficient to the duty required of us; that the Holy Spirit was given to the Apoſtles of our Lord in an extraordinary manner, for the propagation and confirmation of the goſpel, and is ſtill continued and employed in a general way, to promote the happineſs and ſalvation of mankind.

Finally, I believe that whatſoever circumſtances may confound the diſtinctions betwixt men in this world, there will be a future ſtate, a ſtate of impartial and righteous retribution, when every one will receive according to his deeds done in the body, whether they were good, or whether they were evil.

Theſe are the articles of my belief, all that I eſteem eſſential to a Chriſtian; and whatever controverſies may have ariſen in matters of leſs conſequence, as they are not clearly revealed, cannot be neceſſary to ſalvation, and, therefore, ſuſpend my concluſions concerning them, till that deciſive day when all difficulties ſhall be removed, and the ſecrets of all hearts will be manifeſt.

[163]After this general confeſſion of faith, the following queſtions were propoſed to the miniſter by the ſenior of officiating preſbyter.

Queſtion I. As the work in which you are now engaging is certainly very important and difficult, and the credit and promotion of religion much depends on the due diſcharge of it, pleaſe to let us know what are the governing motives to your undertaking therein?

Anſwer. Whatever reflections Chriſtian miniſters have been expoſed to, I ſhall always diſclaim being influenced by any other than the nobleſt motives; the glory of God, the happineſs of my own ſoul, and that of others. I profeſs myſelf devoted to no maſter but Chriſt, and I embrace this profeſſion with no other views, than of preaching the important truths and doctrines of the goſpel, in their genuine nature; inculcating the precepts and duties of the Chriſtian religion, and inforcing them by rational and goſpel motives.

Queſ. II. As we have been long employed in this important work, and find the neceſſity of frequent application to the means of improvement, will you diligently attend to reading, meditation, and prayer, for theſe ends?

Anſ. Conſcious of my own weakneſs and inſufficiency, I ſhall frequently and ſeriouſly apply myſelf to ſtudy, and all thoſe exerciſes which may enable me more honourably and more ſucceſsfully to diſcharge that office in which I have engaged, in obedience to the command of my great Maſter, and in duty to that ſociety over which I am placed.

Queſ. III. Will you endeavour to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour by a holy and upright converſation?

Anſ. As I profeſs to make the promotion of religion the invariable purport of my actions, I ſhall eſteem a good example the nobleſt proof I can give of my ſincerity, [164]as a Chriſtian miniſter, and the moſt promiſing means of its ſucceſs.

Queſ. IV. Miniſters are ſet for the defence of the goſpel; will you endeavour to maintain the truths of the goſpel, pure and unmixed, free from all Popiſh corruption and human tradition and inventions, and allow to others the ſame right of judging for themſelves which you claim?

Anſ. Popery I look upon as a groſs corruption of the ſacred ſcriptures, as the moſt palpable inſult upon the common underſtanding of mankind, an invaſion of the natural rights and privileges of conſcience, and even of civil liberty. I believe that the ignorance, ſuperſtition, and cruelty of the church of Rome, are evident marks of her apoſtacy. I eſteem the reformation as a ſingular inſtance of the providence of God, from the greatneſs of the advantages attending it, and I ſhall always think it my duty, as a faithful miniſter, to maintain and defend that liberty which as a man I eſteem ſacred, and to ſupport and vindicate the genuine principles of Chriſtianity and of Proteſtantiſm. What may befal me in my life, I cannot tell; but it is my preſent reſolution never to abandon this worthy cauſe, but, with invariable ſincerity and diligence, to perſevere therein unto my life's end, in the remembrance of God's omniſcience, and in hopes of obtaining his favour, which I ſhall always eſteem the completion of my everlaſting happineſs.

Queſ V. (ſometimes omitted), viz. For what reaſons do you profeſs yourſelf a Proteſtant Diſſenter, and deſire to have your ordination by Preſbyters?

Anſ. When I declare myſelf a Proteſtant Diſſenter, I can ſincerely ſay I am not led to it by any prejudices of education, by any fondneſs of ſingularity, or by any views of worldly advantages; but from a regard to the rights of conſcience, the purity of the Chriſtian doctrines, and the ſimplicity of their worſhip, gov [...]ment &c.—Ordination in this manner I eſteem [165]valid, and of primitive apoſtolic authority;—that ſeveral paſſages in ſcripture ſpeak of elders or preſbyters and Biſhops, as the ſame; and that the Biſhop's duty extended no farther than that Chriſtian church by whoſe ſuffragan he was appointed. But though I prefer Preſbytery to Epiſcopacy, &c. I profeſs my eſteem of every faithful miniſter of every denomination and it ſhall be always my endeavour to cultivate that friendſhip that ought to ſubſiſt betwixt the miniſters of the goſpel of the grace of God.

Then the miniſter ſtanding or kneeling, the preſbytery preſent lay each of them a hand on his head, and the eldeſt preſbyter or other miniſter appointed to officiate, prays.

QUESTIONS propoſed to the Rev. Mr. Thomas Wright, at his Ordination, May 31, 1759, with the ANSWERS returned.

Queſ. I. We, your brethren in Chriſt, are at your requeſt here aſſembled in the preſence of God, and of this congregation, to acknowledge, receive, and approve you, in the full exerciſe of that Chriſtian miniſtry, for which you have been prepared by a regular and learned education; and we do it with the greater pleaſure, as during ſeveral years you have given ſatiſfactory proof of your abilities, and qualifications for it, as an aſſiſtant miniſter in this church.

We pretend to no dominion over your faith, or authority to inveſt you with any new powers or rights, by the impoſition of our hands; which we retain only as an ancient rite or ceremony whereby we bear our public and ſolemn teſtimony, that we eſteem you worthy of that ſacred miniſtry which you have choſen to devote yourſelf to, and of diſcharging all the paſtoral duties without exception, which Chriſt has appointed to be performed in his church, recommending you to God [166]by prayer, and to the church of Chriſt by our unanimous ſuffrages.

We preſume not to offer to you any articles of faith or religion in the words of men, or canons of human contrivance, for your aſſent and ſubſcription. But as there is a propriety in the thing itſelf, and as it is the religion of Chriſt only, in its native and uncorrupted ſimplicity, of which we would be underſtood to approve and declare you a miniſter, will you give us, on this occaſion, your own ideas of the general plan of that excellent and divine religion of Jeſus Chriſt, which has been, and is from henceforth, by this ſolemn dedication of yourſelf to it, to be the chief and important ſubject of the labours of your life?

Anſ. In the view, Sir, that you are pleaſed to repreſent it, I readily conſent to lay before you, and this aſſembly, a general account of the religious principles which I profeſs, and apprehend I have drawn from the pure fountains of religious knowledge.

By the exerciſe of my rational powers upon myſelf and other objects, I am led into the firm belief of the exiſtence of an eternal, independent, immenſe Being, which we call God, poſſeſſed of infinite power, wiſdom, and goodneſs, with all conceivable, all poſſible perfection of nature, character, and ſtate; the original cauſe of all other beings, the ſource of all the excellence, perfection, and happineſs that obtain in the univerſe; the preſerver of the whole world, the righteous governor and judge of moral agents, amongſt whom is the race of mankind.

But the character and moral government of this glorious Being, eſpecially his diſpenſations towards the human race, with their duty, are more particularly and clearly repreſented in the ſcriptures, which are of divine original, and contain a juſt account of all neceſſary truth relating to religion.

From them I learn, that the ſupreme governor of the world, to ſhew his diſpleaſure againſt ſin, baniſhed our [167]firſt parents from paradiſe in which he had placed them, for diſobedience to a poſitive prohibition; and inflicted upon them the penalty threatened to their tranſgreſſion, though not without giving them the promiſe of a deliverer from the evils to which they had ſubjected themſelves and their poſterity.

In the ſucceeding ages of the world this promiſe was repeated for the encouragement of well-diſpoſed perſons; and various means were made uſe of by the wiſe and and merciful God, to preſerve or reſtore true religion amongſt men; particularly it was renewed to Abraham, one branch of whoſe family he choſe and diſtinguiſhed from the reſt of the world by peculiar laws and rites of worſhip, to convey to poſterity the knowledge of this promiſe with ſeveral important doctrines and duties of religion.

At the time appointed by infinite wiſdom, as moſt proper for it, he ſent the long-expected perſon into the world, to ſave men from perdition, and bring them to everlaſting life.

The well-beloved Son of God, in obedience to his Father, and from compaſſion to mankind, took fleſh, and was born of a Virgin, lived in a mean condition, converſed familiarly with men, taught the great doctrines and duties of true religion, then very much unknown and neglected, corrupted by traditions, and human inventions; illuſtrated by his own temper and conduct the pure doctrines and rules of duty which he taught; ſetting an example of ſtrict purity, of warm benevolence, of ſublime piety, of univerſal holineſs; and proved alſo his divine commiſſion and character, as the Meſſiah, by miraculous works.

Thus did this divine teacher proceed for a conſiderable time, gloriouſly diſplaying the excellency of the divine perfections and government, and his own good will to mankind, till he was ſeized by wicked men, who unjuſtly condemned and crucified him. But the violent oppoſition which they made to his cauſe, and [168]the evils they inflicted on his perſon, were ſo far from fruſtrating the great deſign on which he came into the world, from putting a ſtop to the exerciſe of his piety to God, and his beneficence to men, that they afforded him an opportunity of promoting it in the moſt effectual manner; for as by theſe laſt ſufferings he ſet us an example of a ſteady adherence to the cauſe of righteouſneſs, under the greateſt natural and temporal evils that can befal us, ſo in death he gave himſelf for us an offering and a ſacrifice to God of a ſweet ſmelling ſavour.

Nor did he long remain under the dominion of death, for on the third day he was raiſed again by the mighty power of God; appeared to, and converſed with many of his diſciples, eſpecially the Apoſtles, who were particularly appointed to be witneſſes of this great event, by which he was declared in the moſt convincing manner, to be the Son of God and Saviour of the world. And after converſing with them ſeveral times for the ſpace of forty days, and inſtructing them in the things relating to the kingdom of God, commanding them to proſelyte all nations, baptiſing them into the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt, teaching them to obſerve whatever he had commanded them; he was taken up into heaven from among them, and ſeated at the right-hand of the Majeſty on high, as a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and remiſſion of ſins unto all people.

Veſted with all power both in heaven and earth, ſoon after his aſcenſion, he conferred the gifts of the Holy Ghoſt upon them, which qualified them in the beſt manner for propagating his religion in the world.

This religion, as publiſhed by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, and contained in the ſcriptures, is a moſt excellent and perfect inſtitution, admirably adapted to the ſtate and circumſtances of mankind. It contains the laws of nature, with various additional directions, aſſiſtances, promiſes, and motives ſuited to our unhappy circumſtances of ignorance, weakneſs, and guilt, and [169]directly tending to promote our purity, comfort, and eternal felicity. For as it has provided a remedy for the [...]ears and ſorrows of humble perſons, ſenſible of their guilt and infirmities, by off [...]ring a free pardon to them who believe and repent; effectual aſſiſtance to all who are deſirous of holineſs, and exert themſelves in the way appointed for obtaining it, and eternal life to them who perſevere in well doing; ſo, on the other hand, it has taken away all ground of hope from impenitent and careleſs men, by aſſuring them, that, without holineſs, none ſhall ever ſee the Lord, but that all who obey not the goſpel, ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction, from the preſence of the Lord and the glory of his power.

For preſerving the knowledge of this excellent religion, and accompliſhing its ends in the world it is agreeable to the will of Chriſt that ſocieties be formed, in which the doctrines and duties of his goſpel are taught and inculcated, and the Father worſhipped through him, the only Mediator between God and men. And he appointed two peculiar ſervices of religion, viz. Baptiſm and the Lord's ſupper; the former to be obſerved only once, as a token of admiſſion into his church, and of a right to the bleſſings of his kingdom; the latter to be celebrated often, in commemoration of his dying for us, and as an acknowledgment of our Chriſtian obligations.

Though the apoſtolic office ceaſed with the lives of thoſe who were firſt ordained to it by Chriſt himſelf, yet it is ſuitable to his directions, that paſtors and teachers be continued throughout all ages, for preaching his religion, offering up prayers, and adminiſtering his ordinances.

And notwithſtanding the gifts which were conferred on the firſt miniſters of the goſpel are not continued, I apprehend that faithful diligent men, who give themſelves to reading, meditation, and prayer, that they may underſtand the will of God, enter into the true [170]ſpirit of the goſpel, and qualify themſelves for diſcharging the duties of the Chriſtian miniſtry, have encouragement to hope for a bleſſing on their ſtudies and labours from the Head of the church. For excellently as this kingdom is conſtituted, and well as it is furniſhed with means for its preſervation and proſperity, it is not left to the mere natural operation of thoſe means, but our Lord conſtantly preſides in it, directing its affairs, and by his influence promoting the improvement and happineſs of his diſciples.

Thus does our Lord exerciſe his power and grace towards mankind at preſent; but they will be more ſenſibly and gloriouſly diſplayed hereafter, when, deſcending from heaven in his own and his Father's glory, he ſhall raiſe the dead, convene all men before his tribunal, with unerring judgment ſeparate the good from the bad; and aſſigning the wicked to miſery proportioned to their guilt, ſhall reward the righteous with everlaſting life and happineſs, riſing according to the perfection of their obedience and holineſs, though infinitely above their deſerts. Then cometh the end, when he ſhall deliver up the kingdom unto the Father, that God may be all in all.

This I ſincerely deliver as a general idea of that religion which I firmly believe; and according to which I hope, by divine aſſiſtance, to form both my public and private conduct, that I may ſave myſelf and others.

Queſ. II. As we have in common with all the reformed churches, both at home and abroad, renounced the authority of the church of Rome, notwithſtanding her arrogant pretenſions to be the only true Catholic church; and her anathemas denounced againſt all that have departed from her communion as heretics and ſchiſmatics, divided from the body of Chriſt; give us leave to aſk you, what are your ſentiments concerning the Reformation, and the reaſon and foundation of the Proteſtant profeſſion?

[171] Anſ. The church of Rome appears to me to be different not only in her ceremonies, and many of her doctrines, but in her very ſpirit and conſtitution from the church of Chriſt; particularly, as ſhe claims dominion over the faith and religious practice of men, and inforceth her injunctions by the terrors of this world, without which her anathemas are objects of contempt: and I avow it as a fundamental principle of Chriſtianity, "That every man hath a right, and is required by Chriſt, to judge for himſelf in matters of religion, and to act agreeably to his own judgment, formed by the holy ſcriptures, which is the only rule of faith and practice to Chriſtians.

I cannot therefore but look upon the Reformation as a neceſſary, and, as far as it hath proceeded, an excellent work; and heartily pray that all who have rejected the authority of the church of Rome, may renounce her impoſing ſpirit, with all her corruptions of the Chriſtian religion.

Queſ. III. As there remain ſome differences ſtill in the conſtitution and worſhip of the Proteſtant churches themſelves, though profeſſedly agreed in one common fundamental principle of the ſufficiency and authority of the ſacred ſcriptures alone, as the rule and ſtandard of Chriſtian faith, worſhip, and practice, will you pleaſe to let us hear why you think it more eligible to exerciſe your Chriſtian miniſtry among the Proteſtant Diſſenters, under the toleration, than in the church eſtabliſhed by law?

Anſ. The great principle of true religion, "That it is the right and duty of every one to ſearch the ſcriptures, and act agreeably to his own judgment in religious matters," obligeth me to diſſent from the church eſtabliſhed by law; ſince ſhe aſſumes power "to decree rites and ceremonies, and authority in controverſies of faith." The acknowledging this authority would be in an high degree improper, as I do not find that Chriſt hath delegated ſuch power to any man, or [172]body of men, on earth, and ſeems to me to be directly inconſiſtent with allegiance to him who is the ſole head and lawgiver of the Chriſtian church .

In her ſervice alſo there are ſome things that appear to me inconſiſtent with the ſimplicity and purity of the goſpel, which requires us to worſhip the FATHER in the name of CHRIST .

For theſe, and ſuch like reaſons, which are not founded upon ſcruples relating to ceremonies, conſidered in themſelves, but upon a regard to what I apprehend the important principles of truth and Chriſtian liberty, I think it my duty, conſidered either as a miniſter, or a private Chriſtian, to diſſent from the church eſtabliſhed by law §.

By exerciſing my miniſtry among the Proteſtant Diſſenters (which I deſire to do peaceably, and in brotherly love to thoſe of the eſtabliſhment, and all other denominations) I appear publickly in behalf of the natural rights of men and Chriſtians; keep my mind more open to conviction from reaſon and the word of God, endeavour to promote the pure worſhip of the goſpel, and can better uſe thoſe means which I judge conducive to the great ends of religion.

Queſ. IV. As an higher object of inquiry ſtill, and as I doubt not but you can aſſign the moſt laudable motives and ends, will you acquaint us with thoſe that have the principal influence upon your mind, in inclining you to engage and proceed in the Chriſtian miniſtry, rather than in any of the moſt neceſſary, lawful, and profitable ſecular employments, for which your abilities might equally qualify you?

Anſ. Though I judge many other employments lawful and honourable, yet the ſacred miniſtry appears to me above all, to afford advantages for promoting [173]the ſcheme of God's righteous and beneficent government, and anſwereng moſt compleatly the principal ends for which we are all ſent into the world, viz. to improve our own natures in holineſs, and aſſiſt others in improving theirs. The conſideration of which, I truſt, has had the principal influence in determining me to engage, and chearfully to proceed, in the work of the Chriſtian miniſtry, rather than the moſt profitable ſecular employment, in which I might, perhaps, with equal application have ſucceeded.

Queſ. V. Will you conſider yourſelf, in what you are doing, as coming under a ſolemn obligation of attending, with a conſcientious diligence and ſincerity, to all the great duties and purpoſes of the Chriſtian miniſtry, in the various occaſions and circumſtances wherein divine Providence may direct you; of preſerving an exemplary behaviour in your life, of living in harmony with your brethren, as far as in you lies, in inoffenſiveneſs and peace with your fellow Chriſtians of other denominations, and in Chriſtian charity and benevolence towards all men, utterly diſclaiming all perſecuting principles and practices in every degree and kind? And as difficulties and diſcouragements may ariſe, ſome of which may be foreſeen, and others not, may we not hope, that you have conſidered this, and that you ſtand prepared and determined in your own mind, in humble dependence upon the divine aſſiſtance, to acquit yourſelf with integrity in the ſervice of your and our great Lord and judge, that you may be approved by him at his appearing, and, as a good and faithful ſervant, enter into your Maſter's joy?

Anſ. I conſider myſelf as a diſciple and miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt; and would be looked upon as publickly acknowledging myſelf under the moſt ſacred obligations to obey his laws, to profeſs his religion, and, to the utmoſt of my ability, promote the intereſt of his kingdom, which is a kingdom of purity, peace, and love, to the end of my life.

[174]Though gratitude obligeth me to acknowledge, that through my ſituation in this ſociety, and the countenance and friendſhip of thoſe with whom I have been, and am principally connected, I have experienced few difficulties, and may hope for further peace and comfort from the ſame means; yet I am not inſenſible that difficulties generally attend a faithful diſcharge of the miniſterial office, and that various diſcouragements may ariſe in the courſe of Providence. But I truſt that by attending with prudence to the duties of my ſtation, and paying a due regard to the advice of my worthy brethren in the miniſtry, and other Chriſtian friends, eſpecially by humbly imploring the aſſiſtance of God, I ſhall be furniſhed with wiſdom and fortitude ſufficient for every exigency; enabled to maintain my fidelity, diſcharge my duty with diligence and ſucceſs, and finiſh my courſe with the joyful expectation of a crown of righteouſneſs, which the Lord the righteous Judge will give unto all his faithful ſervants, at the great day of retribution.

With a view to which important ends, I deſire the further prayers and inſtructions of you my fathers in the miniſtry.

The Hiſtory of the INDEPENDANTS.

THE original of the Independants may be deduced from a ſet of religious and conſcientious people, called Browniſts, ſo ſtiled from Mr. Robert Brown, a Puritan preacher in the dioceſe of Norwich *, [175]whoſe followers were ſo prejudiced by the ſeverities exerciſed upon the Puritans, that, about the year 1580, they totally ſeparated from the church of England, and would not allow her to be a true church, nor her miniſters true miniſters, renouncing all communion with her, not only in ceremonies, but in hearing the word, and in the ſacraments *.

The Browniſts held the ſame articles of faith with the church of England; but were very rigid in matters of diſcipline, and maintained that of the church of England to be Popiſh and antichriſtian. They apprehended every church ought to be confined within the limits of a ſingle congregation, and that the government ſhould be democratical .

[176]Theſe people ſuffered much, with the reſt of the Puritans, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and many of them died with remarkable conſtancy for the principles they profeſſed; and in 1592 they were become ſo numerous, that Sir Walter Raleigh declared in the parliament-houſe, that they were not leſs than 20,000, divided into ſeveral congregations, in Norfolk, Eſſex, and the parts about London: many learned men were then at their head, as Meſſ. Smith, Jacob, the learned Mr. Ainſworth, &c. &c. In that year they laid their caſe before the Lords of the Council, wherein they ſet forth their very grievous ſufferings; but the council did not chuſe to move [...]n the affair, as it lay before the high commiſſion. Hereupon they petitioned the Lord Treaſurer, ſetting forth their hardſhips; which petition was ſigned by fifty-nine of them, then priſoners in the Gatehouſe, Fleet, Newgate, Bridewell, Clink, White Lion, and the Compters. But this and other of their petitions were rejected; and "thus," as Mr. Neale obſerves, "theſe pious and conſcientious perſons, after a long and illegal impriſonment, were abandoned to the ſeverity of [177]an unrighteous law (the ſtatute againſt recuſants); ſome of them being publickly executed as felons, and others proſcribed and ſent into baniſhment." Theſe perſecutions obliged many of them to fly into Holland *, where their chiefs, Meſſ. Johnſon, Smith, Ainſworth, Robinſon, Jacob, &c. were before gone, and were ſetting up churches at Amſterdam, Arnheim, Middleburgh, Leyden, &c. &c. That at Amſterdam flouriſhed for more than one hundred years. In the reign of James I. ſtill greater numbers were compelled to leave their native country; and though there happened many differences and ſchiſms in their churches in Holland, they continued to increaſe every year by the acceſſion of more of their perſecuted brethren. Mr. Henry Jacob , one of the former exiles, having conferred with Mr. Robinſon , paſtor of the church at Leyden, embraced his ſentiments of church-diſcipline, now known by the name of Independancy. About the year 1610, he returned to his native country; and having called ſeveral of his friends together, and obtained their conſent to unite in church-fellowſhip, for the enjoying the ordinances of Chriſt in the pureſt manner, he laid the foundation of the firſt Independant or congregational church in England , in the [178]year 1616. Mr. Jacob was ſucceeded in his paſtoral charge by Mr. Lathorp; but the little ſociety being diſcovered by the Biſhop's purſuivant, April 29, 1632, at a houſe in Blackfriars, forty-two of them were apprehended, only eighteen eſcaping. Some of thoſe that were made priſoners were confined in the Clink, others in New Priſon and the Gatehouſe, and continued there two years or more, and were then ſuffered to be bailed out. But no favour could be obtained for their paſtor; upon which he petitioned the King for liberty to depart the kingdom, which was granted; and, in 1634, he, with about thirty of his followers, went and ſettled in New England. Mr. Canne *, who was choſen in his room, for a year or two preached to them in private houſes, and then was driven, by the rage of perſecution, into Holland, where he became paſtor of the Browniſt congregation at Amſterdam. Mr. Samuel Howe was their next paſtor, who was thrown into priſon, where he died. Mr. Stephen More, a layman, ſucceeded him; and now, 1640-41, the times being more favourable, after ſhifting about from place to place for ſo many years, they ventured to meet in public, in Deadman's place, Southwark, on the 18th of January. They were ſoon, however, on a [179]Lord's day, ſurpriſed by the marſhal of the King's Be [...]ch, and committed to priſon. Next day they were carried before the houſe of Lords, and accuſed of denying the King's ſupremacy in eccleſiaſtical matters, and with preaching, contrary to the ſtatute of Eliz. 35. * The houſe, however, ſo much the times were changed, inſtead of referring them to the eccleſiaſtical courts, diſmiſſed them with a gentle reprimand; and the next Lord's-day, ſome of the members came out of curioſity to their aſſembly, to hear their preaching, and to ſee their adminiſtration of the ſacrament, and were ſo much pleaſed as to contribute to their collection for the poor.

Many of their miniſters, now returned from exile, ſat in the famous Weſtminſter aſſembly of divines, and made a bold ſtand againſt the proceedings of the high Preſbyterians; they had increaſed prodigiouſly by this time; and preſented an apologetical narration to the houſe of Commons, to remove all the cenſures and ill-natured ſuggeſtions againſt them . Of the Committee to bring about a comprehenſion of the Independants within the eſtabliſhment of preſbytery, the [180]reader has ſeen the iſſue ; but it ſhould be remarked, that as the preſbyterial form of church-government was eſtabliſhed, the Independants mildly moved only for an indulgence or toleration, which was refuſed them. They ſeemed, in fact, not only concerned for themſelves, but for tender conſciences of all perſuaſions. At this time the Independants were courted by the King; but, though they were enemies to the Preſbyterian diſcipline, they dared not truſt a Monarch whoſe profeſſions ſeemed directed by nothing but his own intereſt.

When the Preſbyterians, in 1646, petitioned the houſe againſt the toleration of ſectaries, which was ſeconded by the Scots; the Independants procured a counter petition from the city, with a great number of hands, "applauding the labours and ſucceſſes of the parliament in the cauſe of liberty, and praying them to go on with managing the affairs of the kingdom, according to their wiſdoms, and not ſuffer the free-born people of England to be inſlaved on any pretence whatſoever; nor to ſuffer any ſet of people to preſcribe to them in matters of government or conſcience, and the petitioners will ſtand by them with their lives and fortunes." The Preſbyterians were hereupon preſſed, by the wiſe parliament, who only wanted to gain time, to anſwer, in the aſſembly, their queſtions relating to the jus divinum of preſbytery. Accordingly the aſſembly went to work for that purpoſe; but the [181]Independants took the opportunity to leave them, refuſing abſolutely to be concerned in the affair. The King, who was in the Scots army, when the treaty with the parliament was broken off, attempted to bring the Scots nation over to his intereſt by playing the Independants againſt them, but to little purpoſe, though he told them the beſt way to deſtroy the ſectarians was to join with the Epiſcopalians, and admit of the eſtabliſhment of both religions; "that they could not imagine there was any hopes of ſilencing the Independant party, which undoubtedly will get a toleration in religion from the parliament of England, unleſs you join with me, in that way that I have propoſed for the eſtabliſhing of my crown."

The army, at this time, was compoſed of Independants, with a mixture of Anabaptiſts and other ſectaries, who, when they found the Preſbyterians, even in their treaty with the King, of 1648, inſiſting upon Preſbyterian uniformity, without making the leaſt proviſion for that liberty of conſcience they had been contending for, grew outrageous, and at length buried King, Parliament, and Preſbytery, in the ruins of the conſtitution *. However, they are not ſo chargeable with the death of Charles I. as their adverſaries generally imagine; for though it was not poſſible for the few Independant miniſters in London to join the Preſbyterians in their addreſſes againſt that meaſure , becauſe they were not poſſeſſed of parochial livings, nor members of the provinicial aſſembly of London, nor admitted to their weekly conſultations at Sion college, but were a ſort of Diſſenters from the public eſtabliſhment, and for other reaſons as concluſive, yet none of their miniſters but Hugh Peters and John Goodwin declared their approbation of the proceedings of the council of officers in the trial of the King: nay, ſome of the Independant miniſters in the country joined the [182]Preſbyterians in proteſting againſt it. There were, no doubt, among them, as well as amongſt other parties, men of Republican principles, who had a large ſhare in the guilt of the fatal day, that, for ſo many years, deprived the nation of Monarchy.

As Oliver Cromwell was averſe to church-power, and a friend to univerſal toleration, they were one of his chief ſupports during his protectorſhip. They petitioned him for liberty to hold a ſynod, in order to publiſh to the world a uniform confeſſion of their faith; for they were become a conſiderable body, their churches were increaſed both in city and country, and many rich and ſubſtantial perſons had joined them; but they were not agreed upon any ſtandard of faith or diſcipline; tho' their brethren in New England had done it ten years before *. The Protector yielded to their importunity, but did not live to ſee the fruits of it. It met at the Savoy, Oct. 12, 1658, and conſiſted of miniſters and meſſengers from above 100 congregational churches; of which the majority were laymen, the reſt paſtors of churches. They opened their ſynod with a day of faſting and prayer, and appointed a committee to draw up a new confeſſion, which was ſoon after publiſhed, in quarto, under the title of A declaration of the faith and order owned and practiſed in the congregational churches in England, agreed upon and conſented unto by their elders and meſſengers in their meeting at the Savoy, Oct. 12, 1658. It conſiſts of thirty-three chapters, in which are almoſt two hundred diſtinct [183]articles of faith and diſcipline; though the whole time of the ſynod's ſeſſions was not above eleven or twelve days. "In moſt places this confeſſion runs in the very words of the aſſembly's confeſſion; and the difference (ſays Neale) between the two confeſſions, in points of doctrine, are ſo very ſmall, that the modern Independants have, in a manner, laid aſide the uſe of it in their families, and agreed with the Preſbyterians in the uſe of the aſſembly's catechiſm." At the end of the confeſſion there is a chapter of diſcipline, in which they aſſert, "that every particular ſociety of viſible profeſſors agreeing to walk together in the ſaith and order of the goſpel is a complete church, and has full power within itſelf to elect and ordain all church-officers, to exclude all offenders, and to do all other acts relating to the edification and well-being of the church. That the way of ordaining officers, that is, paſtors, teachers, or elders, is, after their election, by the ſuffrage of the church, to ſet them apart with faſting and prayer, and impoſition of the hands of the elderſhip of the church, tho' if there be no impoſition of hands, they are nevertheleſs rightly conſtituted miniſters of Chriſt; but they do not allow that ordination to the work of the miniſtry, tho' it be by perſons rightly ordained, does convey any office-power, without a previous election of the church. That no perſons may adminiſter the ſacrament but ſuch as are ordained and appointed thereunto. Nor are the paſtors of one church obliged to adminiſter the ſacraments to any other, than to the members of that church to whom they ſtand related in that capacity. Nor may any perſon be added to the church, as a private member, but by the conſent of the church, after a confeſſion of his faith, declared by himſelf, or otherwiſe manifeſted. They diſallow the power of all ſtated ſynods, preſbyteries, convocations, and aſſemblies of divines, over particular churches; but admit that in caſes of difficulty, or difference relating to doctrine or [184]order, churches may meet together by their meſſengers in ſynods or councils, to conſider and give advice, but without exerciſing any juriſdiction. Laſtly, They agree that churches conſiſting of perſons ſound in the faith, and of good converſation, ought not to refuſe communion with each other, tho' they walk not in all things according to the ſame rule of church order; and if they judge other churches to be true churches, tho' leſs pure, they may receive to occaſional communion ſuch members of thoſe churches as are credibly teſtified to be godly, and to live without offence. Theſe opinions, they add, "may appear new to a great many people, becauſe they have not been openly and publickly profeſſed in the Engliſh nation; but we are able to trace the footſteps of an Independant congregational way in the ancienteſt practice of the church, and in the writings of the ſoundeſt proteſtant divines. That their principles do not, in the leaſt, interfere with the authority of the civil magiſtrate, nor do they concern themſelves upon any occaſions with him, any further than to implore his protection, for the preſervation of the peace and liberty of their churches." They glory in this, that ever ſince they appeared in the world, they have diſtinguiſhed themſelves in the cauſe of Chriſtian liberty. "We have always maintained (ſay they) this principle, That among all Chriſtian ſtates and churches there ought to be a forbearance and mutual indulgence to Chriſtians of all perſuaſions, that keep to, and hold faſt, the neceſſary foundations of faith. This principle we have maintained for the ſake of others, when we ourſelves had no need of it." They conclude with thankfulneſs to their preſent governors, for permitting thoſe who could not comply with the Preſbyterian eſtabliſhment, to enjoy the liberty of their conſciences, and equal encouragement and protection with others; and that this liberty is eſtabliſhed by a law, as long as they diſturb not the public peace. "This ſhould engage us (they conclude) to promote the honour and [185]proſperity of ſuch a government; to be peaceably diſpoſed one towards another, and to love as brethren, foraſmuch as the differences between Preſbyterians and Independants, are differences between fellow-ſervants, and that neither of them have authority from God or man, to impoſe their opinions upon one another." The reader will join with me in thinking this a moſt rational and Chriſtian concluſion, and that it does great credit to the ſynod.

When General Monk cloſed with the Preſbyterians, tho' before he had inclined to the Independants, and kept an Independant chaplain about him; when every thing went in their way, and the parliament lay at their mercy, the Independants offered to ſtand by their friends in the houſe, to raiſe four new regiments from among themſelves, to force Monk back into Scotland, and to raiſe 100,000l. for the uſe of the army, provided they would protect them in their religious liberties, which they apprehended Monk and the Presbyterians deſigned to ſubvert; but it was too late for ſuch propoſals to be accepted; the old regiments were diſlodged, and Monk in poſſeſſion of the city. And thus ended the power of the army and the Independants.

When the King and the hierarchy were reſtored, the Independants and Anabaptiſts petitioned for a toleration, but during the whole reign of Charles II. they were ſubject to the ſame perſecutions and ſeverities with the reſt of the Diſſenters, and ſuffered very ſeverely on many occaſions. Upon the mad attempt of Venner and his followers in 1660 , which gave the court a handle to renew their ſeverities againſt the Diſſenters, the Independants thought fit publickly to diſown and renounce that inſurrection. They in their declaration diſowned the principles of a fifth monarchy, or, the perſonal reign of King Jeſus on earth, as diſhonourable to him and prejudicial to his church; and abhor the propagating this, [186]or any other opinion, by force or blood, &c. &c. &c. §.

When James the Second publiſhed his declaration for liberty of conſcience, the Independants, at leaſt ſome of them, addreſſed the King for the indulgence therein ſhewn them, tho' they were far from approving the diſpenſing power which produced it. With the other denominations of Diſſenters (for from this time the hiſtory of one includes all) they ſincerely joined in the revolution with great zeal, and were finally bleſſed with peace and reſt from all their ſufferings by the equitable and wiſe act of toleration.

The Independants, though characteriſed and diſtinguiſhed by the forementioned conſtitution of their churches, are, in theſe days, like ſome other denominations of Chriſtians, greatly divided in their ſentiments. The far greateſt part of them are what is called orthodox, with reſpect to the equality of the three perſons in the Trinity, and of ſtrict Calviniſtical principles in the points of predeſtination, final perſeverance, juſtification by faith, &c. and are extremely ſolicitious to preſerve and propagate theſe ſentiments, as tho' they were fundamental and eſſential to ſalvation; nay, the greateſt part of them will not ſcruple to aſſert it, of which many of their writings are my vouchers .

The Independants, of this denomination, have a fund for the ſupport of an academy, for the training up and educating perſons for the miniſtry; tho' they do not aſſert ſuch an education is eſſentially neceſſary for that office, yet they deem it a proper expedient. The ſtudents admitted, are firſt taught the rudiments of Grammar, Latin, and Greek, and are then initiated [187]by the more immediate inſtruction of the maſter or principal tutor of the academy, who muſt be approved of by the committee of the ſaid fund, for that purpoſe. The pupils are not only recommended, but carefully examined upon their admiſſion, touching their firm belief and reſolution to be ſtedfaſt in maintaining (what they call, the orthodox ſaith; and at frequent opportunities, their ſentiments are ſcrutinized, and eſpecially upon any ſuſpicion of their deviating from it. Towards the expiration of the time of their continuance of the more common preparatory exerciſes, and when any are deemed properly qualified, to give public ſpecimens or their abilities for the miniſtry, a ſubject is pitched upon by the maſter, or principal tutor, on which they are publickly to exhibit an oration, ſometimes before ſome perſons ſelected by the committee; and if, from the ambiguity of their expreſſions, or any particular explanation of texts of ſcripture, they are ſuſpected of entertaining any heterodox opinions, it is uſual for a perſon appointed, to lay before them a ſet of articles, a creed, or ſummary of the Chriſtian faith, concerning which they are interrogated, touching their belief; to which, if they anſwer in the affirmative, and ſatisfactorily, they are permitted to continue in the academy, and receive the conſequent benefits of it, as long as may be thought neceſſary: but if it ſo happens, as is ſometimes the caſe, that, from their impartial inquiry, they indulge a more free way of thinking, and will not, cannot, bona fide, declare their belief of thoſe articles, and are found privately to call them in queſtion, let their mental qualifications, and their moral characters, be ever ſo valuable and recommendatory to eſteem, they are diſcarded the academy, deprived of any farther benefit from the fund, leſt not only unprovided for, and treated as aliens from the faith, but ſcarcely with Chriſtian charity. This was the caſe of ſome not long ago, who are now miniſters in other ſocieties of Chriſtians, whoſe diſtinguiſhing [188]abilities, and amiable lives, are an honour to their character and office.

But there are other Independant ſocieties, who diſclaim any pretenſions to dictate to their miniſters, or to impoſe on them particular creeds and articles of faith, or making ſuch the boundaries of communion. They have not learned to place religion in unintelligible myſteries, nor in the Calviniſtical tenets of predeſtination, juſtification by faith, effectual calling, final perſeverance, &c. They admit and encourage a much greater latitude of thinking, and ſeem to center Chriſtianity in this grand article of the Chriſtian religion, that Jeſus Chriſt is the Son of God, and that moral virtue is the great cement of Chriſtian ſocieties.

One of the miniſters of a reſpectable body of this denomination at Pinner's hall was, ſome years ago, the Rev. Dr. JAMES FOSTER, who, tho' a General Baptiſt, embraced and defended catholic communion, and likewiſe accepted, at the ſame time, an invitation to preach an evening-lecture at the Old Jewry, where his miniſterial capacity was ſo much diſcovered, and evidenced by the univerſal applauſe of the vaſt numbers who attended his lectures.

Nor can I forget a laudable example in another miniſter of that ſociety, who ſucceeded Dr. Foſter, I mean the Rev. Mr. Caleb Fleming. When he was called to accept the paſtoral care of this congregation, at the time of his ordination, in oppoſition to orthodox creeds, of mere human invention, taking the Greek Teſtament in his hand, he ſaid, This I believe to be the word of God, the rule of faith and practice to Chriſtians: as ſuch, I ſhall endeavour to underſtand the true ſenſe of it, to inculcate the genuine truths and duties of it, and to live according to it. This declaration, as to the ſubſtance of it, has been the only profeſſion of faith made, alſo, by ſome of the Preſbyterian and General Baptiſt miniſters ſince, at the time of their ordination. [189]However, I have thought proper to give the ſubſtance of a ‘CONFESSION of FAITH, at the public Ordination of Mr. Thomas Bradbury, London, July 10, 1707, which perhaps is moſt agreeable to the principles of the majority of the Independants.’

FORASMUCH as, upon theſe occaſions, many have taken in hand to ſet forth, in order, a declaration of thoſe things which are moſt ſurely believed amongſt us: I deſire to make the ſame good profeſſion before many witneſſes, and according to my meaſure of the gift of Chriſt, give a reaſon of the hope that is in me, with meekneſs and fear, and eſpecially at this time, when, by faſting and prayer, and laying on of hands, I am to be ſeparated for the work whereunto the Lord hath called me; tho' I be leſs than the leaſt of all ſaints, and not worthy of this grace, to preach the unſearchable riches of Chriſt.

Article I. I therefore declare my belief, that the books of the Old and New Teſtament, which are commonly received amongſt us, came not by the will of man, but the holy men of God ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt, and are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and inſtruction in righteouſneſs.

Art. II. This, thro' grace, I will always adhere to, as the great rule of my faith and miniſtry—to this law and teſtimony I profeſs to bring every opinion—this I promiſe, in a dependance upon him who has the reſidue of the ſpirit—I apply to theſe ſcriptures as the beſt diſcovery God hath made of himſelf in this life—I here learn what God is, and what he doth. This includes both his nature and glorious perfections: it includes both his eternal unity and a trinity of perſons.

Art. III. I believe that the Lord our God is one Lord, there is none beſides him.

[190] Art. IV. I believe there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghoſt, and that theſe three are one. This I would avow as a truth, and humbly adore as a myſtery.

Art. V. I believe that this one God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, is a ſpirit. The King eternal, immortal, inviſible, from everlaſting to everlaſting— merciful and gracious, long ſuffering, and abundant in goodneſs and truth, but who will take vengeance on his adverſaries, and not at all acq [...]it the wicked.

Art. VI. I believe that he created all thin [...]s, and for his pleaſure they are, and were created—that his government reaches over the whole creation, that his providence extends to all creatures and their actions, and that the foreknowledge of God over rules the corruptions of men.

Art. VII. I believe that God made a covenant with our firſt parents, as the common root of all their poſterity, and gave them a righteous law, with this eſtabliſhment, that he that does theſe things ſhall live by them; but in the day that he offended he ſhould ſurely die.

Art. VIII. I believe that by one man's diſobedience our natures are not only guilty but impure, and that we lie dead in treſpaſſes and ſins.

Art. IX. I believe that God reſolved to glorify himſelf by redeeming ſome of the loſt race:—that he did, from all eternity, predeſtinate ſome to the adoption of children, whoſe names are written in heaven:—that this election was free, and it will have a certain iſſue: —that the remnant are ſaved, according to the election of grace, not for the works which they ſhould afterwards do; but according to his own purpoſe and grace before the world began.

Art. X. I believe that this deſign will be effectual to the happineſs of all thoſe.

Art. XI. I believe that the only method of obtaining this happineſs was by appointing one mediator between God and man; the man Chriſt Jeſus; giving a certain number to him, and ſetting him forth to be a [191]propitiation, thro' faith in his blood, for the remiſſion of ſins, that God might be juſt, and yet the elect be ſaved.

Art. XII. I believe the divinity of our great Lord Redeemer; that he is over all, God bleſſed for evermore; that he thought it no robbery to be equal with God, but receives a divine homage.—I believe this word was made fleſh, and dwelt among us:—this is the myſtery of godlineſs, great without controverſy, that God was manifeſt in the fleſh.—I believe him to be a teacher come from God:—that he was made a prieſt for ever:—that he is the King of ſaints, of whoſe kingdom there ſhall be no end.—In all theſe capacities he is head of the church, and the Saviour of the body—appointed to be the heir of all things; but more eſpecially lord over them who are given to him.

Art. XIII. I believe he went about doing good, delighting to do the will of him that ſent him, by the which will we are ſanctified:—that he was made a curſe for us, ſuffering in both the parts of his human nature: that he was the Meſſiah, who ſhould be cut off to finiſh tranſgreſſion, and make an end of ſin: that there is no other name given under heaven whereby men can be ſaved.

Art. XIV. I believe when he had by himſelf purged our ſins, he was buried, and lay part of three days and three nights in the belly of the earth.

Art. XV. I believe that God raiſed him to heaven, looſed the pains of death, becauſe it was not poſſible he ſhould be holden of it. I believe he aſcended up on high, is ſeated on the right hand of God, as the advocate of his people and the judge of the world.

Art. XVI. I believe that whom he predeſtinated, them the alſo called, and whom he has called, them he alſo juſtifies freely by his grace. The bleſſedneſs of this conſiſts in God's imputing righteouſneſs without works.—I believe that we lay hold on this mercy by faith, and that not of ourſelves, but of the gift of God: —that the people of God receive the adoption of [192]ſons, and there is a change in the diſpoſition of thoſe who are heirs of the grace of life, owing to free love and to almighty power.—I believe that the ranſomed of the Lord grow in grace, and that he who has begun a good work in them, will perform it unto the day of Jeſus Chriſt. No man ſhall be able to pluck them out of his hands.

Art. XVII. I believe he is to be worſhipped with reverence and godly fear.—I believe that we are to own this Lord in ſocieties, and that there is a communion with all that in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, both theirs and ours, and that Jeſus Chriſt will be with them to the end of the world.

Art. XVIII. I believe he hath given us ſeveral commands and inſtitutions, which we, as Chriſtians, are obliged to perform; one of which is baptiſm in water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt—taught us all things whatſoever he has commanded—admoniſhing one another in Pſalms, Hymns, and ſpiritual Songs.—And by eating bread and drinking wine, in remembrance of him, we are to continue ſtedfaſt in doctrine and fellowſhip, and in breaking of bread and in prayer.

Art. XIX. I believe, that in all theſe parts of worſhip, one is our Maſter, even Chriſt; no man having dominion over our faith and liberty.

Art. XX. I believe that the Chriſtian, at his death, enters upon two bleſſings, a complete purity and ſatiſfying enjoyment, that the ſpirits of juſt men are made perfect—ſee Chriſt and know him, as themſelves are known; that more perfect felicity which will follow the reſurrection and univerſal judgment. For,

Art. XXI. I believe there ſhall be a reſurrection of the dead, both of the juſt and unjuſt:—that Chriſt hath authority to execute judgment, becauſe he is the Son of Man: that the angels, who ſinned, are delivered into chains of darkneſs; both they and the wicked, [193]who know not God, nor obey the goſpel of his dear Son, ſhall go into everlaſting puniſhment; but the righteous into life eternal.

The Hiſtory of the BAPTISTS, commonly called ANABAPTISTS.

THE BAPTISTS (or Anabaptiſts) were ſo ſtiled from their practice of baptiſing believers, thinking them the only proper ſubjects of that inſtitution, and that the mode of baptiſm ſhould be performed by immerſion, the method made uſe of by the primitive Chriſtians for the three firſt centuries after the promulgation of the goſpel *: thus they claim an immediate deſcent from the Apoſtles, and aſſert that the conſtituion of their churches is from the authority of Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, and his immediate ſucceſſors.

Some Hiſtorians, indeed, deduce their origin, as a ſect, from much later times, and affirm they firſt ſprang up in Germany, and ſeparated themſelves from the Lutherans, becauſe the doctrine of theſe reformers was imperfect, or not brought to the primitive ſtandard; as the proper mode and ſubject of baptiſm was not allowed by them to be neceſſary in the performance of the rite . Therefore they re-baptiſed their followers, condemning infant-baptiſm as unſcriptural and of no effect, whence they acquired the reproachful name Anabaptiſts. They inſiſted on ſtrict morality, mortification, faſting, and ſimplicity of dreſs. They not only exclaimed againſt the authority and tyranny of the church of Rome, but againſt every authority that oppoſed the rights of conſcience.

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[194]The antiquity of baptiſm by immerſion is fixed, however, upon too firm a baſis to be removed, as may be ſhewn from the conſent and teſtimony of the moſt approved antient * and modern writers, and even ſome of their greateſt oppoſers acknowledge the riſe of the Baptiſts, as a ſect, to be at leaſt five hundred years before the confuſions at Munſter. In Germany, Italy, Switzerland, France, &c. their opinions had multitudes of abettors, numbers of whom were martyred for their adherence thereto, in the the 15th and 16th centuries, by thoſe who had the civil and religious government in their hands. The martyrology of the foreign Anabaptiſts is a large book in folio; and the account it gives of the number of their martyrs and confeſſors, as well as of the cruelties that were uſed towards them, very much exceeds any thing that has been done in England. However, according to their number in this land, and the degree to which perſecution has at any time ariſen, they have always had their full ſhare of it.

It is pretty clear, from the conſent of many learned authors, that Wickliffe, the firſt Engliſh reformer, denied infant-baptiſm to be lawful; for one of his tenets was, "That thoſe are fools and preſumptuous, which affirm ſuch infants not to be ſaved, which die without baptiſm; and he denied, that all ſins are aboliſhed in baptiſm §." As it was the opinion that baptiſm waſhed away original ſin, and by a ſecret virtue regenerated the perſon, and that the infant dying without it, was in danger of damnation, that opinion began, and eſtabliſhed the practice of infant-baptiſm; therefore, this foundation being removed, that practice [195]falls of courſe *. Some of his followers maintained, "That the children of believers are not to be ſacramentally baptiſed; and that it was unprofitable to give children eccleſiaſtical baptiſm, ſaying, they were ſufficiently clean and holy, becauſe they were born of holy and Chriſtian parents ." But to commence my hiſtory:

Though ſeveral Anabaptiſts were put to death, and baniſhed, for their opinions, in the reign of Henry VIII. yet I ſhall begin their hiſtory with the words of Biſhop Burnet , and which I look upon to be proper for my purpoſe. "At this time, 1547, there were many Anabaptiſts in ſeveral parts of England; they were generally Germans, whom the revolutions there had forced to change their ſeats. Upon Luther's firſt preaching in Germany, there aroſe many, who, building on ſome of his principles, carried things much further than he did. The chief foundation he laid down was, that the ſcripture was to be the only rule of Chriſtians. Upon this many argued, that the myſteries of the Trinity, and Chriſt's incarnation and ſufferrings, of the fall of man, and the aids of grace, were indeed philoſophical ſubtilities, and only pretended to be deduced from ſcripture, as almoſt all opinions of religion were, and therefore they rejected them. Amongſt theſe the baptiſm of infants was one. They held that to be no baptiſm, and ſo were rebaptiſed. But from this, which was moſt taken notice of, as being a viſible thing, they carried all the general name of Anabaptiſts. On the 12th of April there was a complaint brought to the council, that with the ſtrangers that were come into England, ſome of that perſuaſion had come over, and were diſſeminating their errors, and making proſelytes: ſo a commiſſion was ordered [196]for the Archbiſhop of Canterbury, the Biſhops of Ely, Worceſter, Weſtminſter, Chicheſter, Lincoln, and Rocheſter, Sir William Petre, Sir Thomas Smith, Dr. Cox, Dr. May, and ſome others, three of them being a quorum, to examine and ſearch after all Anabaptiſts, heretics, or contemners of the Common-prayer. They were to endeavour to reclaim them, to enjoin them penance, and give them abſolution, or, if they were obſtinate, to excommunicate and impriſon them, and to deliver them over to the ſecular power, to be further proceeded againſt. Some tradeſmen in London were brought before theſe commiſſioners in May, and were perſuaded to abjure their former opinions, one of which was, that the baptiſm of infants was not profitable. One of thoſe, who thus abjured, was commanded to carry a faggot, next Sunday, at St. Paul's, where there ſhould be a ſermon, ſetting forth his hereſy. But there was another of theſe extreme obſtinate, Joan Bocher, commonly called Joan of Kent. She denied that Chriſt was truly incarnate of the Virgin, whoſe fleſh being ſinful, he could take none of it; but the word, by the conſent of the inward man in the Virgin, took fleſh of her; theſe were her words. They took much pains about her, and had many conferences with her; but ſhe was ſo extravagantly conceited of her own notions, that ſhe rejected all they ſaid with ſcorn. Whereupon ſhe was adjudged an obſtinate heretic, and ſo left to the ſecular power *." In 1550, the Anabaptiſts were excepted out of a general pardon. Theſe Anabaptiſts were certainly of an untractable and obſtinate temper; "but (ſays Burnet) for the other ſort of the Anabaptiſts, who only denied infant-baptiſm , I find no ſeverities uſed to them, but ſeveral books were written againſt them, to which they wrote ſome anſwers. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth the Baptiſts greatly increaſed, and [197]were ſubjected to impriſonment and baniſhment *. Some few indeed recanted their errors, as Fuller obſerves; but two were burnt in Smithfield. In the reign of James I. among the perſecuted exiles that fled to Holland were ſeveral Anabaptiſts, who ſet up a church under the paſtorſhip of Mr. John Smith, who had been a miniſter of the eſtabliſhed church; but they were violently oppoſed by the other Puritan exiles, from whom they received much abuſe in books written againſt their opinions. In this reign Edward Wightman, a Baptiſt, of Burton upon Trent, was burnt at Litchfield. He was the laſt martyr that ſuffered by this cruel kind of death in England; and it may be remarked, that William Sawtre, the firſt that ſuffered in that manner, for his religious opinions, was ſuppoſed to have denied infant-baptiſm: ſo that this ſect had the honour both of leading the way, and bringing up the rear of all the martyrs, who were burnt alive in England, as well as that a great number of thoſe who ſuffered this death for their religion, in the 200 years between, were of this denomination. In 1620, ſeveral Anabaptiſts tranſported themſelves into New England, where for a time they met with but hard meaſure from their congregational brethren, who, tho' they had fled from perſecution themſelves, yet could give no great latitude to the tender conſciences of the Baptiſts and Quakers. Dr. Mather, in his eccleſiaſtical hiſtory, has indeed acknowledged many of the Baptiſts to be worthy and honeſt men; and that Mr. Williams, one of their preachers, being baniſhed from Salem, ſettled at a place called Providence, where he gathered a church together, and was very inſtrumental in obtaining a charter for the government of Rhode Iſland, of which he was ſometimes choſen governor, and that he did all in his power to convert the Indians in his neighbourhood; of the manners, [198]language and tempers of whom, he publiſhed a relation. When they were reſtored to a peaceable ſtate, the Baptiſts ſpread greatly in the colonies of New England, increaſed much in Penſilvania, where they had, in 1714, nine churches, and there are now Baptiſt churches in many other colonies in the Britiſh America. But to return home:

In 1616, the more moderate Baptiſts publiſhed a ſmall treatiſe, wherein they endeavoured to juſtify their ſeparation from the church of England, and to prove that every man has a right to judge for himſelf in matters of religion; and that to perſecute any on that account, is illegal and antichriſtian, contrary to the laws of God, as well as to ſeveral declarations of the King's Majeſty. They alſo aſſert their opinion concerning baptiſm, and ſhew the invalidity of the baptiſm which was adminiſtered, either in the eſtabliſhed church, or among the other Diſſenters; and clear themſelves of ſeveral errors unjuſtly caſt upon them. It appears to be written, or approved of, by the whole body of Baptiſts who then remained in England. They ſubſcribe themſelves Chriſt's unworthy miniſters, and his Majeſty's faithful ſubjects, commonly called Anabaptiſts.

I ſhall, from this treatiſe, inform my readers what were, in general, the opinions of this denomination at this period. They acknowledge magiſtracy to be God's ordinance; and that Kings, and ſuch as are in authority, ought to be obeyed in all civil matters, not only for fear, but alſo for conſcience ſake. They allow the taking of an oath to be lawful; and declare that all their profeſſion were willing, in faithfulneſs and truth, to ſubſcribe the oath of allegiance. They proteſt againſt the doctrine of the Papiſts, that princes excommunicated by the Pope may be depoſed or murdered by their ſubjects: calling it a damnable and accurſed doctrine, which their ſouls abhor; and alſo againſt the errors of the Familiſts, who, to avoid perſecution, can comply with [199]any external form of religion. They confeſs that Chriſt took his fleſh of the virgin Mary; and, for their orthodoxy in theſe and other points, refer the reader to their confeſſion of faith, publiſhed in 1611. They acknowledged that many called Anabaptiſts held ſeveral ſtrange opinions contrary to them; but lament it, and clear themſelves from deſerving any cenſure upon that account, by ſhewing that it was ſo in the primitive church, and yet Chriſt did not condemn all for the errors of ſome. But that which they chiefly inveigh againſt, is the pride, luxury, and oppreſſion of the Lords Biſhops, or pretended ſpiritual power, whereby they were expoſed to great hardſhips and cruel perſecutions. Having in their preface mentioned that text, The Kings of the earth ſhall give their power unto the beaſt; "If it be granted (ſay they) that the Kings of this nation formerly have given their power to the Romiſh beaſt, it ſhall evidently appear that our Lord the King, and all magiſtrates under him, do give their power unto the ſame beaſt, tho' the beaſt be in another ſhape."—"Our moſt humble deſire of our Lord the King is, that he would not give his power to force his faithful-ſubjects to diſſemble, to believe as he believes, in the leaſt meaſure of perſecution; tho' it is no ſmall perſecution to lie many years in filthy priſons, in hunger, cold, idleneſs, divided from wiſe, family, calling, left in continual miſeries and temptations, ſo as death would be to many leſs perſecution." Again, ſhewing how near the prelatical power and uſurpation came to the bloody ſpiritual power of the Roman Catholics, they ſay, "How many, only for ſeeking reformation, have been put to death by your power, in the days of Queen Elizabeth? and how many, both then and ſince, have been conſumed to death, in priſons? Yea, ſince that ſpiritual power hath been ſet up, hath not hanging, burning, exile, impriſonments, and all manner of contempts, been uſed, and all for religion, altho' ſome, for grievous errors, and yet you ſee not this to be a bloody [200]rellgion!" — "Let (they ſay in another place) Mr. Fox, or any others who have deſcribed the ſpiritual power of Rome, let but their deſcription thereof be compared with the ſpiritual power, in all their laws, courts, titles, pomp, pride, and cruelty, and you ſhall ſee them very little differ, except in their cruelties, which, glory be to God, the King's Majeſty, who thirſteth not after blood, hath ſomewhat reſtrained. Altho' it is moſt grievous cruelty to lie divers years in moſt noiſome and filthy priſons, and continual temptations of want, their eſtates overthrown, and never coming out, many of them, till death; let it be well weighed, and it is little inferior to the cruel ſudden death in times of the Romiſh power in this nation." After all, they conclude with an hearty prayer for their enemies, "That the Lord would give them repentance; that their ſins may not be laid to their charge, even for Chriſt's ſake."

Notwithſtanding this declaration, their ſufferings were rather increaſed than leſſened. They were not only harraſſed in the ſpiritual courts, but the temporal ſword was uſed againſt them; their goods ſeized, their perſons confined, for many years, in ſtinking goals, where they were deprived of their wives, children and friends, till God was pleaſed to releaſe numbers of them by death.

Many other attempts they made in the reign of James, to obtain a toleration, but without effect; yet they daily gained ground. In that of Charles the Firſt, they ſuffered with the reſt of the Puritans ſtill greater perſecutions; and in the year 1633, the Baptiſts began to ſeparate themſelves from the Puritans, and to form ſocieties diſtinct and apart of thoſe of their own perſuaſion. In 1642, was a diſpute between the famous Dr. Featley and four Anabaptiſts, in Southwark; an account of which the Doctor publiſhed, tho' a very doubtful and partial one; in the dedication to which he ſays, that "he could hardly dip his pen in any thing [201]but gall;" a ſure proof of his unrighteous ſpirit. It was publiſhed with the following title, "The dippers dipped, or the Anabaptiſts dipped and plunged over head and ears, in a diſputation lately held in Southwark, &c. &c."

What greatly contributed to the increaſe of Antipoedobaptiſm in theſe times was, that ſome of the greateſt writers for reformation ſpoke favourably of that opinion, and the reaſonableneſs of granting liberty to thoſe who held it; ſuch were Robert Lord Brooke, Mr. Daniel Rogers, Biſhop Taylor, and Dr. Hammond. In 1043, the Baptiſts publiſhed their confeſſion of faith, of which ſeveral editions were printed in 1644 and 1646, one of which was licenſed by authority, and dedicated to the parliament. Their very adverſaries were obliged to own this confeſſion was, in general, orthodox, and could object very little againſt it, except the denial of infant-baptiſm, and making immerſion neceſſary to the right adminiſtration of that ordinance. However, they were now perſecuted by the intolerant Preſbyterians, as they had before been by the rigid Epiſcopalians: but, in March 1647, a declaration of the Lords and Commons was publiſhed in their favour, induced thereto by the great numbers of them then in the army, and in moſt corporations of England. It had the following words:

"The name of Anabaptiſm hath, indeed, contracted much odium, by reaſon of the extravagant principles and practices of ſome of that name in Germany, tending to the diſturbance of the government and peace of all ſtates; which opinions and practices we abhor and deteſt: but for their opinion againſt the baptiſm of infants, it is only a difference about a circumſtance of time in the adminiſtration of an ordinance, wherein, in former ages, as well as this, learned men have differed both in opinion and practice. And though we could wiſh that all men would ſatisfy themſelves, and join with us in our judgment and practice [202]in this point; yet herein we hold it fit that men ſhould be convinced by the word of God, with great gentleneſs and reaſon, and not beaten out of it with force and violence, &c." It ſhould ſeem, however, this Chriſtian temper in the parliament was but of ſhort duration; for, in 1648, they publiſhed a cruel ordinance for the puniſhing of blaſphemies and hereſies, by which every ſect but the rigid Preſbyterians were condemned: and upon this ordinance ſeveral Baptiſts were proſecuted for denying the validity of infant-baptiſm.

The ſhort reſt they enjoyed towards the cloſe of the uſurped government had a period by the reſtoration of King Charles II. in which they concurred with ſincerity, from whom (or rather his miniſters and clergy) they ſoon experienced equal hardſhips with other Diſſenters, and were perſecuted in all parts of the kingdom, with impriſonment, loſs of goods, &c. &c. Upon Venner's inſurrection, they publiſhed two apologies, wherein they proteſted againſt the principles and practices of him and his adherents; and it is certain there were no Baptiſts amongſt them. Nevertheleſs, the perſecution of them was not ceaſed, and, if poſſible, they ſtill met with harder meaſure than beſore, ſo that, in about eighteen weeks only, many, upon account of that inſurrection, were kept cloſe priſoners. Above four hundred were crowded into Newgate, beſides what were in other priſons; but at the coronation an act of indemnity being granted to all offenders, ſave murderers, they were all ſet at liberty. Yet in vain were all their petitions and remonſtrances, in vain the many ſenſible vindications they publiſhed of their principles and practices: they were every where, in this reign, loaded with fines, hardſhips, reproach, and abuſe. About the year 1676, the Baptiſts had ſeveral diſputes with the Quakers, which ended to their advantage. In 1677, they publiſhed "A confeſſion of their faith, put forth by the elders and brethren of many congregations of Chriſtians baptiſed [203]upon profeſſion of their faith, in London and the country."

To ſurvey the ſufferings of the pious and worthy perſons who encountered all perils for the ſake of a good conſcience, amongſt the Baptiſts, though it would draw tears from the ſympathetic eye, yet muſt, at the ſame time, inſpire the reader with the ſame holy confidence and reſolution they in general exerted, under their perſecutions and bonds; and I muſt think their fortitude proceeded from the ſecret influence of a ſuperior and unſeen power, which ſtrengthened them in the day of trial.

The Baptiſts ſuffered ſeverely in the reign of James II. till his declaration for liberty of conſcience relieved them and their perſecuted brethren of the other denominations of Diſſenters. At length the glorious Revolution, and the conſequent toleration of Proteſtant Diſſenters, reſtored them to the public profeſſion of their principles. "The face of things being thus changed, it preſently appeared how ineffectual thoſe cruel and barbarous methods, fines, impriſonments, &c. were to ſtop the growth and increaſe of the Engliſh Baptiſts: for, ſoon after, it appeared by the narrative of the proceedings of a general aſſembly, there were more than one hundred congregations of them aſſembled together, to conſult of proper ways and means to advance the glory of God, and the well being of their churches. A general faſt was ordered by this aſſembly to be kept by all the congregations, and the cauſes and reaſons thereof ſent to all the churches." "At this general aſſembly, which was every day opened and concluded with ſolemn prayer, were preſent upwards of one hundred and fifty perſons; and ſo united were their hearts in the ſpirit of love and ſweet concord, that, in their debates, conſultations, and reſolves, they ſay, ſcarcely one brother diſſented from the aſſembly in the ſentiments of his mind, in any one thing propoſed to their ſerious conſideration. This general aſſembly, [204]Sept. 5. conſidered and concluded that a public fund or ſtock was neceſſary towards maintaining and ſupporting a regular miniſtry, and came to a reſolution how to raiſe it; and unanimouſly concluded that it ſhould be raiſed by a free-will offering; that every perſon ſhould communicate according to his ability, and as the Lord ſhall make him willing, and enlarge his heart; and that the churches ſeverally among themſelves do order the collection of it with all convenient ſpeed, that the ends propoſed may be put into preſent practice.

The uſes to which this fund was to be applied were, 1. To communicate thereof to thoſe churches that are not able to maintain their own miniſtry; and that their miniſters may be encouraged wholly to devote themſelves to the great work of preaching the goſpel. 2. To ſend miniſters that are ordained, or at leaſt ſolemnly called, to preach both in city and country, where the goſpel hath or hath not been preached, and to viſit the churches; and theſe to be choſen out of the churches in London, or the country; which miniſters are to be approved of, and ſent forth by two churches at the leaſt; but more, if it may be. 3. To aſſiſt thoſe members that ſhall be found in any of the aforeſaid churches that are diſpoſed for ſtudy, have an inviting gift, and are ſound in fundamentals, in attaining to the knowledge and underſtanding of the languages, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew."

The Baptiſts hiſtory from this happy aera of the act of toleration is not ſuch as to come within the compaſs of my propoſed plan. I have brought them to the ſafe enjoyment of their religious liberties: ſince that was afforded to them, by the wiſdom of the legiſlature, their hiſtory, to the preſent day, can conſiſt of little but acts of internal diſcipline, the meetings and acts of their aſſemblies, and a few controverſies which have agitated them relating to the doctrine of the Trinity, pſalmſinging, &c. &c. They have dutifully, with the other [205]denominations, addreſſed the throne upon all intereſting public occaſions, and have been concerned with them in the ſeveral applications for the repeal of the corporation and teſt acts.

As the Baptiſts are divided into two bodies, called general and particular, before I lay before my readers their ſentiments in point of doctrine, I ſhall give an account of their method of performing the rite of baptiſm, in which they are all agreed, with very little variation; particularly as it is that peculiar practice by which they are diſtinguiſhed.

It will be proper to premiſe, that the perſon to be baptiſed is previouſly inſtructed in the principles of the Chriſtian religion, of the nature of baptiſm, the deſign, pre-requiſite qualifications, the manner in which it ought to be adminiſtered, and the advantages reſulting from it; that from a perſuaſion of its being then his duty, he may voluntarily offer and deſire to be baptiſed. The miniſter then, with ſome of that ſociety, converſe with him or her; after which, at the time and place appointed, which is uſually the next Sabbath-day, ſometimes after the morning-ſervice, at other times after the afternoon-ſervice, and at other times on ſome other day of the week, the rite is performed, when there is uſually a ſermon ſuitable to that occaſion; and the miniſter uſes a ſhort addreſs to the perſon to be baptiſed, to the following purpoſe.

In preſenting yourſelf before God, and theſe witneſſes and members of his church, to be baptiſed, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and into the profeſſion of the Chriſtian religion, we preſume, in charity, and have good reaſon to believe you are determined by the clear and ſtrong ſenſe of your duty, and with ſuch diſpoſitions as your own conſcience approves, ſuch as are acceptable to God, and, thro' his bleſſing upon your faithful endeavours, will terminate in the improvement and happineſs of your ſoul, &c.

[206]Then the miniſter enlarges on the grounds and authority of Chriſt's inſtituting the ordinance of baptiſm: unleſs a ſermon is preached on the ſubject.

The miniſter proceeds to explain what is properly to be underſtood by being baptiſed into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt —He likewiſe enlarges on the moral uſe and influence of baptiſm,—on the qualifications demanded in ſcripture, of all perſons to whom Chriſtian baptiſm is to be adminiſtered, as that which can juſtify a miniſter therein, and in vindication of this mode of baptiſm.

Then the miniſter, addreſſing himſelf to the perſon, aſks him theſe queſtions:

Miniſter. Will you declare in the church and preſence of God, who cannot be deceived, and will not be mocked, that you believe that Jeſus Chriſt is the Son of God?

Anſwer. I believe that Jeſus Chriſt is the Son of God.

Miniſ. Is it your affectionate reverence for the authority and inſtitution of Jeſus Chriſt, that induces you at this time to offer yourſelf to be baptiſed into the profeſſion of his holy name and religion?

Anſ. Yes.

Miniſ. Are you reſolved to renounce every known and preſumptuous ſin, to obey the precepts, and follow the example of your Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, and in an humble dependance upon God, to adorn the profeſſion of Chriſtianity you this day put on, by maintaining to the end of your life a converſation becoming the goſpel?

Anſ. Yes.

Then, in ſome congregations, they ſing a pſalm or hymn adapted to the occaſion, and then pray; at others they proceed to prayer without ſinging; the matter and form of which, as recommended in Harriſon's Office of Baptiſm, printed in 1759, and given as a ſpecimen, [207]appears to be well adapted; but I muſt refer the curious to the book itſelf.

The miniſter then withdraws to dreſs himſelf for the adminiſtration, as do the perſons to be baptiſed; for they have proper dreſſes for men and women, and different apartments, with proper attendants on each. In the time of intermiſſion another miniſter or deacon generally reads Pſ. xxvi. cxviii. 1 Peter iii. Acts viii. Romans vi. or ſome other parts of ſcripture.

Upon the miniſter's, &c. return to the baptiſtry (which at Barbican * is admirably commodious), the miniſter addreſſing himſelf to the perſon to be baptiſed, ſays, "In conſequence of your voluntary, public, and ſolemn profeſſion of your Chriſtian faith, penitence, and holy reſolutions, it becomes my duty to baptiſe you:" then, taking the perſon by the hand, they go down together into the water, uſing theſe or ſuch like phraſes: They went down into the water, Philip with the eunuch, and he baptiſed him.—Who ſhall forbid water that theſe ſhould not be baptiſed, who have made a good profeſſion before many witneſſes?

Sometimes, where the former addreſs to the perſon has been omitted, the miniſter ſays, immediately before the baptiſm, "As thou haſt profeſſed thy faith in Jeſus Chriſt, and deſireſt to be baptiſed, I baptiſe thee in his name." At other times only the ſcripture form is uſed, I baptiſe thee, in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt. At coming up out of the water, ſome ſignificant phraſe is uſually made uſe of, as—We are buried with him by baptiſm.—Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteouſneſs, &c.

Then the miniſter and the baptiſed retire, and ſome other miniſter generally concludes with ſinging a pſalm or hymn, and then prayer. The perſon thus baptiſed is deemed a member of the ſociety, and conſequently has a right to partake of the Lord's ſupper, in that church, or any other of the ſame denomination.

[208]But here, in many congregations, it muſt be acknowledged, they practiſe laying on of hands of the miniſter on the party baptiſed, with prayer, before their admiſſion to communion. This is ſometimes conſidered as a primitive practice, which was always at leaſt generally performed ſoon after baptiſm, and mentioned Heb. vi. &c.—Others aſſert, that the impoſition of hands by the Apoſtles and firſt miniſters of the Chriſtian church was generally attended with extraordinary effects, as evidences of their miſſion. But as no mention is made of this in the hiſtory of our Saviour's life, and theſe effects ceaſed with the Apoſtles, it is thought by many, who ſubmit to baptiſm, of no ſtanding obligation in the Chriſtian church, and is conſequently diſpenſed with by miniſters of ſeveral congregations, where there is not a perſuaſion of its lawfulneſs and expedience.

The two parties of Baptiſts in England, which have ſubſiſted ever ſince their firſt appearance as a ſect, are, the particular Baptiſts, viz. thoſe that have followed the doctrines of Calvin, and from the principal point thereof, perſonal election, are ſo called *; the general Baptiſts, who profeſs the Arminian or remonſtrant tenets, and have, from the chief of thoſe doctrines, univerſal redemption , been ſo denominated. Theſe laſt have alſo their general aſſembly annually held at London, in the Whitſun-week.

The chief heads of belief and doctrine of the particular Baptiſts I muſt draw from the various confeſſions of their faith which have appeared in the world, from time to time, which vary little from each other, noting afterwards in what ſome of the preſent particular Baptiſts differ. This I ſhall be obliged to do as briefly as poſſible.

They believe in one God, whoſe ſubſiſtence is in himſelf, whoſe eſſence cannot be comprehended by any [209]but himſelf; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light, which no man can approach unto; who is in himſelf moſt holy, every way infinite, in greatneſs, power, wiſdom, love; merciful and gracious, longſuffering, and abundant in goodneſs and truth; who giveth being, moving, and preſervation to all creatures: that in God there is the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; yet one God: that God hath decreed concerning all things, before the world was created, whether neceſſary, accidental, or voluntary; yet without being the author of ſin: that he hath pre-ordained ſome men to eternal life, through Jeſus Chriſt, to the praiſe and glory of his grace; leaving the reſt in their ſin, to their juſt condemnation, to the praiſe of his juſtice: that God made all things good; but, by Adam's tranſgreſſion, death came upon all his poſterity, who now are conceived in ſin, and by nature the children of wrath, the ſubject of death, and every miſery in this world, and for ever, unleſs Chriſt ſet them free: that neither good or evil befal any by chance, or without God's Providence; and that whatſoever befals the elect is by his appointment, for his glory and their good: that all the elect are redeemed, not by themſelves, nor their own works, but only by the free grace and mercy of God, through Jeſus Chriſt: that the ſcriptures are the only rule for holineſs and obedience: that Jeſus Chriſt is the Son of God, by whom he made and upholdeth the world; that he was begat by the Holy Ghoſt, born of the Virgin Mary, was tempted as we are, yet without ſin: that Jeſus Chriſt is the Mediator, and Prophet, Prieſt, and King of the church of God, for ever: that he was appointed by God unto this office from everlaſting; and in reſpect of his manhood, from the womb called, ſeparated, and anointed, moſt fully and abundantly with all gifts neceſſary, God having without meaſure poured out his ſpirit upon him: that he is, by the ſpecial promiſe of God, ordained to the office of Mediator; which promiſe is, [210]that Chriſt ſhould be made a ſacrifice for ſin, &c. all of mere free and abſolute grace towards God's elect, and without any condition foreſeen in them to procure it: that the office of Mediator, that is, to be Prophet, Prieſt, and King of the church of God, cannot be transferred from Chriſt to any other: that he might be a prophet every way complete, it was neceſſary he ſhould be God, and alſo that he ſhould be man; for unleſs he had been God, he never could perfectly have underſtood the will of God; and unleſs he had been man, he could not ſuitably have unfolded it in his own perſon to men: that, by the ſacrifice of Chriſt for ſin, he hath finally finiſhed and ſuffered all things required for the ſalvation of God's elect, &c. that Jeſus Chriſt, by his death, did purchaſe ſalvation to the elect that God gave unto him: that theſe only have intereſt in him, and fellowſhip with him, for whom he makes interceſſion with his father in their behalf, and to them alone doth God, by his ſpirit, apply this redemption; as alſo the free gift of eternal life is given to them, and none elſe: that faith is the gift of God, wrought in the hearts of the elect by the Spirit of God: that all thoſe who have that precious faith wrought in them by the Spirit can never finally nor totally fall away; ſeeing the gifts of God are without repentance, and the names of the elect have been written in the book of life from all eternity: that faith is ordinarily begotten by the preaching of the goſpel or word of Chriſt, without any power or agency in the creature; but it being wholly paſſive, and dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, doth believe and is converted by no leſs power than that which raiſed Chriſt from the dead: that all believers are by Chriſt united to God; that they are the ſons of God, and joint heirs with Chriſt, to whom belong all the promiſes of this life, and that which is to come: that they are juſtified from all their ſins by the blood of Chriſt: that ſanctification is a ſpiritual grace: that all believers, in the time of this life, are [211]in a continual warfare and combat againſt ſin, ſelf, the world, and the devil, being predeſtinated and appointed thereunto; and whatſoever the ſaints enjoy or poſſeſs of God ſpiritually, is by faith; and outward and temporal things are lawfully enjoyed, by a civil right, by them who have no faith: that Jeſus Chriſt hath here on earth a ſpiritual kingdom, which is his church, whom he hath purchaſed and redeemed to himſelf as a peculiar inheritance; which church is a company of viſible ſaints, called and ſeparated from the world, by the word and Spirit of God, to the viſible profeſſion of the faith of the goſpel, being baptiſed into that faith, and joined to the Lord, and each to other, by mutual agreement, in the practical enjoyment of the ordinances commanded by Chriſt, their Head and King: that to this church he hath made his promiſes, and giveth the ſigns of his covenant, preſence, acceptation, love, bleſſing, and protection: that being thus joined, every church hath power given them from Chriſt, for their well-being, to chuſe among themſelves meet perſons for elders and deacons: that the miniſters lawfully called, as aforeſaid, ought carefully to feed the flock of Chriſt committed to them, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind: that the miniſters of Chriſt ought to have whatſoever they ſhall need, ſupplied freely by the church, that, according to Chriſt's ordinance, they that preach the goſpel ſhould live of the goſpel, by the law of Chriſt: that baptiſm is an ordinance of the New Teſtament, given by Chriſt to be diſpenſed upon perſons profeſſing faith, or that are made diſciples; who, upon profeſſion of faith, ought to be baptiſed, and after to partake of the Lord's ſupper: that the way and manner of diſpenſing this ordinance is dipping or plunging the body under water, that it being a ſign, muſt anſwer the things ſignified, which is, that intereſt the ſaints have in the death, burial, and reſurrection of Chriſt; and that as certainly as the body is buried under water, and riſen again, ſo [212]certainly ſhall the bodies of the faints be raiſed by the power of Chriſt, in the day of the reſu [...]rection, to reign with him: that the perſon deſigned by Chriſt to diſpenſe baptiſm, the ſcripture declares ſhould be a diſciple; it being no where tied to a particular church-officer, or perſon extraordinarily ſent, the commiſſion enjoining the adminiſtration, being given to them as conſidered diſciples, being men able to preach the goſpel: that Chriſt hath given power to his church to receive in and caſt out any member that deſerves it; and this power is given to every congregation, and not to one particular perſon, either member or officer, but in relation to the whole body, in reference to their faith and fellowſhip: that every member of each church is ſubject to this cenſure and judgment; and that the church ought not, without great care and tenderneſs, and due advice, but by the rule of faith, to proceed againſt her members: that, for the keeping of this church in holy and orderly communion, he placeth ſome ſpecial men over the church, who by their office are to govern, overſee, viſit, watch; ſo likewiſe for the better keeping thereof, in all places by the members, he hath given authority, and laid duty upon all to watch over one another: that ſuch to whom God hath given gifts in the church, may and ought to propheſy, according to the proportion of faith, and ſo to teach publickly the word of God, for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of the church: that this being rightly gathered, and continuing in obedience to the goſpel of Chriſt, none are to ſeparate faults and corruptions (for as long as the church conſiſts of men ſubject to failings, there will be no difference in the true conſtituted church) until they have in due order and tenderneſs ſought redreſs thereof: that although the particular congregations be diſtinct, and ſeveral bodies, yet are they all to walk by one rule of truth; are to have the counſel, and help one another, if neceſſity require it, as members of one body, in the common [213]faith, under Chriſt their head: that all due ſubjection be yielded to the civil magiſtrate, and ſupplication and prayers be made for Kings, and all that are in authority, that under them we may live a quiet and peaceable life, in all godlineſs and honeſty: that we are to witneſs to the truth of the ſcriptures unto death, if required, in the midſt of all trials and afflictions, as his ſaints of old have done; not accounting our goods, lands, wives, children, &c. &c. yea and our own lives, dear unto us, ſo we may finiſh our courſe with joy; remembering always, that we ought to obey God, rather than men, who will, when we have finiſhed our courſe, and kept the faith, give us a crown of righteouſneſs; to whom we muſt give an account of all our actions, and no man being able to diſcharge us thereof: that it is lawful for a Chriſtian to be a magiſtrate or civil officer, to take an oath for confirmation of truth: that there ſhall be a reſurrection of the dead, both of the juſt and unjuſt, and every one ſhall give an account of himſelf to God, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad.

Some of the particular Baptiſts differ from the majority in the following particulars, viz. 1. They deny that the ſecond perſon in God is either begotten or ſet up; applying all thoſe ſcriptures that ſpeak of Chriſt's being brought forth, ſet up, &c. to the human nature; ſo maintaining a perfect equality among the perſons in the Godhead *. 2. They deny an abſolute predeſtination of whatſoever ſhould come to paſs; believing only that God predeſtinated a certain number of men to the adoption of children by Jeſus Chriſt to himſelf: in ſubſerviency whereunto all other things in heaven and earth were created (2 Cor. iv. 15.), and are governed . Of conſequence they believe, that God could [214]accompliſh this without obliging man to be a ſinner *. And then naturally, 3. They deny that God is the author of ſin, as ſome have aſſerted .

They alſo differ from the others concerning what faith is, and concerning redemption; for an account of which ſee Evangelical Truths, &c. chap. 2. and The Election of God undiſguiſed, p. 23—36.

A Brief CONFESSION of FAITH of the General Baptiſts, printed firſt in 1660, and afterwards reprinted, with the addition of more ſubſcribers, in 1691.

I. WE believe, and are very confident, that there is but one God the Father, of whom are all things, from everlaſting to everlaſting, glorious and unwordable in all his attributes. 1 Cor. viii. 6. Iſa. xl. 28.

II. That God in the beginning made man upright, and put him into a ſtate and condition of glory, without the leaſt mixture of miſery; from which he, by tranſgreſſion, fell, and ſo came into a miſerable and mortal eſtate, ſubject unto the firſt death. Gen. i. 31. Eccleſ. vii. 29. Gen. ii. 17. and iii. 17, 18, 19.

III. That there is one Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom are all things, who is the only begotten Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary; yet as truly David's lord, and David's root, as David's ſon and David's off-ſpring; whom God freely ſent into the world, becauſe of his great love unto the world; who as freely gave himſelf a ranſom for all; taſting death for every man; a propitiation for our ſins; and not for ours only, but alſo for the ſins of the whole world. Luke xx. 24. Rev. xxii. 16. 1 Tim. ii. 5, 6. 1 John ii. 2. Heb. ii. 9.

IV. That God is not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance, 2 Pet. iii. 9. and the [215]knowledge of the truth, that they might be ſaved, 1 Tim. ii. 4. For which end Chriſt hath commanded that the goſpel (to wit, the glad tidings of remiſſion of ſins) ſhould be preached to every creature, Mark xvi. 15. So that no man ſhall eternally ſuffer in hell (that is, the ſecond death) for want of a Chriſt that died for them; but, as the ſcripture ſaith, for denying the Lord that bought them, 2 Pet. ii. 1. or becauſe they believe not in the name of the only begotten Son of God, John iii. 18. Unbelief therefore being the cauſe why the juſt and righteous God will condemn the children of men; it follows, againſt all contradiction, that all men, at one time or other, are put into ſuch capacity, as that (thro' the grace of God) they may be eternally ſaved. John i. 7. Acts xvii. 30. Mark vi. 6. Heb. iii. 10, 18, 19. 1 John v. 10. John iii. 17.

V. That ſuch who firſt orderly come into, and are brought up in the ſchool of Chriſt's church, and waiting there, come to degrees of Chriſtianity, rightly qualified, and conſiderably gifted by God's Spirit, ought to exerciſe their gifts, not only in the church, but alſo (as occaſion ſerves) to preach to the world (they being approved of by the church ſo to do) Acts xi. 22, 23, 24. ch. xi. 19, 20. and that among ſuch ſome are to be choſen by the church, and ordained by faſting, prayer, and laying on of hands, for the work of the miniſtry. Acts xiii. 2, 3. and i. 23. Such ſo ordained (and abiding faithful in their works) we own as miniſters of the goſpel; but all ſuch who come not firſt to repent of their ſins, believe on the Lord Jeſus, and ſo are baptiſed in his name for the remiſſion of ſins, but are only brought up in the ſchools of human learning, to the attaining human arts, and variety of languages, with many vain curioſities of ſpeech, 1 Cor. i. 19, 21. 2 Cor. ii. 1, 4, 5, ſeeking rather the gain of large revenues, than the gain of ſouls to God: Such (we ſay) we utterly deny, being ſuch as have need rather to be [216]taught themſelves, than fit to teach others. Rom. ii. 21.

VI. That the way ſet forth by God for men to be juſt fied in, is by faith in Chriſt, Rom. v. 1. That is to ſay, when men ſhall aſſent to the truth of the goſpel, believing, with all their hearts, that there is remiſſion of ſins, and eternal life to be had in Chriſt. And that Chriſt therefore is moſt worthy their conſtant affections, and ſubjection to all his commandments; and therefore reſolve, with purpoſe of heart, ſo to ſubject unto him in all things, and no longer unto themſelves. 2 Cor. v. 15. And ſo ſhall (with all godly ſorrow for the ſins paſt) commit themſelves to his grace, conſidently depending upon him, for that which they believe is to be had in him: Such ſo believing are juſtified from all their ſins, their faith ſhall be accounted unto them for righteouſneſs. Rom. iv. 22, 23, 24. and iii. 25, 26.

VII. That there is one only holy Spirit, the precious gift of God, ſreely given to ſuch as obey him, Eph. iv. 4. Acts v. 32. that thereby they may be thoroughly ſanctified, and made able (without which they are altogether unable) to abide ſtedfaſt in the faith, and to honour the Father, and his Son Chriſt, the author and finiſher of their faith. 1 Cor. vi. 11. There are three that bear record in heaven; the Father, the Word, the Holy Spirit, and theſe three are one, 1 John v. 7. which ſpirit of promiſe ſuch have not yet received (though they ſpeak much of him) that are ſo far out of love, peace, long-ſuffering, gentleneſs, goodneſs, meekneſs, and temperance (the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. v. 22, 23.) as that they breathe out much cruelty, and great envy againſt the liberties, and peaceable living of ſuch as are not of their judgment, though holy as to their converſations.

VIII. That God hath, even before the foundation of the world, choſen (or elected) to eternal life, ſuch as believe, and ſo are in Chriſt, John iii. 16. Eph. i. 4. [217]2 Theſſ. ii. 13. yet confident we are, that the purpoſe of God, according to election, was not in the leaſt ariſing from foreſeen faith in, or works of righteouſneſs done by the creature, but only from the mercy, goodneſs, and compaſſion dwelling in God, and ſo it is of him that calleth, Rom. ix. 11. whoſe purity and unwordable holineſs cannot admit of any unclean perſon (or thing) to be in his preſence; therefore his decree of mercy reaches only the godly man, whom (ſaith David) God hath ſet apart for himſelf, Pſal. iv. 3.

IX. That men not conſidered ſimply as men, but ungodly men, were of old ordained to condemnation, conſidered as ſuch, who turn the grace of God into wantonneſs, and deny the only Lord God, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Jude 4. God indeed ſends a ſtrong delulion to men, that they might be damned, but we obſerve that they are ſuch (as ſaith the Apoſtle) that received not the love of the truth, that they might be ſaved, 2 Theſſ. ii. 10, 11, 12, and ſo the indignation and wrath of God, is upon every ſoul of man, that doth evil, living and dying therein, for there is no reſpect of perſons with God, Rom. ii. 9, 10, 11.

X. That all children dying in infancy, having not actually tranſgreſſed againſt the law of God in their own perſons, are only ſubject to the firſt death, which comes upon them by the ſin of the firſt Adam, from whence they ſhall be all raiſed by the ſecond Adam; and not that any one of them (dying in that eſtate) ſhall ſuffer for Adam's ſin, eternal puniſhment in hell (which is the ſecond death) for to ſuch belongs the kingdom of heaven, 1 Cor. xv. 22. Matt. xix. 14. not daring to conclude with that uncharitable opinion of others, who though they plead much for the bringing of children into the viſible church here on earth by baptiſm; yet nevertheleſs, by their doctrine, that Chriſt died but for ſome, ſhut a great part of them out of the kingdom of heaven for ever.

[218]XI. That the right and only way of gathering churches (according to Chriſt's appointment, Matt. xxviii. 19, 20.) is firſt to teach, or preach the goſpel, Mark xvi. 16. to the ſons and daughters of men; and then to baptiſe (that is, in Engliſh, to dip) in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, or in the name of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, ſuch only of them as profeſs repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Acts ii. 38. ch. viii. 12. ch. xviii. 8. And as for all ſuch who preach not this doctrine, but inſtead thereof, that ſcriptureleſs thing of ſprinkling of infants (falſely called baptiſm) whereby the pure word of God is made of no effect, and the New Teſtament way of bringing in members into the church by regeneration, caſt out; when as the bond woman and her ſon, that is to ſay, the Old Teſtament way of bringing in children into the church by generation is caſt out, as ſaith the ſcripture, Gal. iv. 22, 23, 24, 30. Matt. iii. 8, 9. All ſuch we utterly deny; foraſmuch as we are commanded to have no fellowſhip with the unfruitful works of darkneſs, but rather to reprove them, Eph. v. 11.

XII. That it is the duty of all ſuch who are believers baptiſed, to draw nigh unto God in ſubmiſſion to that principle of Chriſt's doctrine, to wit, prayer, and laying on of hands, that they may receive the promiſe of the Holy Spirit, Heb. vi. 1, 2. Acts viii. 12, 15, 17. ch. xix. 6. 2 Tim. i. 6. Whereby they may mortify the deeds of the body, Rom. viii. 13. and live in all things anſwerable to their profeſſed intentions and deſires, even to the honour of him, who hath called them out of darkneſs into his marvellous light.

XIII. That it is the duty of ſuch, who are conſtituted as aforeſaid, to continue ſtedfaſtly in Chriſt's and the Apoſtle's doctrine, and aſſembling together, in fellowſhip, in breaking of bread and prayers, Acts ii. 42.

XIV. That although we thus declare for the primitive way and order of conſtituting churches; yet we [219]verily believe, and alſo declare, that unleſs men ſo profeſſing and practiſing the form and order of Chriſt's doctrine, ſhall alſo beautify the ſame with a holy and wiſe converſation, in all godlineſs and honeſty; the profeſſion of the viſible form will be rendered to them of no effect; for without holineſs no man ſhall ſee the Lord, Heb. xii. 14. Iſa. i. 11, 12, 15, 16.

XV. That the elders or paſtors which God hath appointed to overſee, and feed his church (conſtituted as aforeſaid) are ſuch, who firſt being of the number of diſciples, ſhall, in time, appear to be vigilant, ſober, of good behaviour, given to hoſpitality, apt to teach, &c. not greedy of filthy lucre (as too many national miniſters are) but patient, not a brawler, not covetous, &c. and as ſuch choſe, and ordained to office (according to the order of ſcripture, Acts xiv. 23.) who are to feed the flock with meat in due ſeaſon, and in much love to rule over them with all care, ſeeking after ſuch as go aſtray: but as for all ſuch who labour to feed themſelves with the fat, more than to feed the flock, Ezek. xxxiv. 2, 3. ſeeking more after theirs than them, expreſsly contrary to the practice of the miniſters of old, who ſaid, we ſeek not yours but you, 2 Cor. xii. 14. All ſuch we utterly deny, and hereby bear our continued teſtimony againſt them, as ſuch whom the prophets of old bore teſtimony againſt. Ezek. xxxiv.

XVI. That the miniſters of Chriſt that have freely received from God, ought freely to miniſter to others, 1 Cor. ix. 17. and that ſuch who have ſpiritual things freely miniſtered to them, ought freely to communicate neceſſary things to the miniſters (upon the account of their charge) 1 Cor. ix. 11. Gal. vi. 6. and as for tithes, or any forced maintenance, we utterly deny to be the maintenance of goſpel miniſters.

XVII. That the true church of Chriſt ought, after the firſt and ſecond admonition, to reject all heretics, Tit. iii. 10, 11. and in the name of the Lord to withdraw from all ſuch as profeſs the way of the Lord, but [220]walks diſorderly in their converſations, 2 Theſſ. iii. 6. or any ways cauſes diviſions or offences, contrary to the doctrine (of Chriſt) which they have learned, Rom. xvi. 17.

XVIII. That ſuch who are true believers, even branches in Chriſt the Vine (and that in his account, whom he exhorts to abide in him, John xv. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.) or ſuch who have charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conſcience, and of faith unfeigned, 1 Tim. i. 5. may nevertheleſs, for want of watchfulneſs, ſwerve and turn aſide from the ſame, ver. 6, 7. and became as withered branches, caſt into the fire and burned, John xv. 6 But ſuch who add unto their faith virtue, and unto virtue knowledge, and unto knowledge temperance, &c. 2 Pet. i. 5, 6, 7. ſuch ſhall never fall, ver. 8, 9, 10. it is impoſſible for all the falſe chriſts and falſe prophets that are, and are to come, to deceive ſuch; for they are kept by the power of God, through faith unto ſalvation. 1 Pet. i. 5.

XIX. That the poor ſaints belonging to the church of Chriſt, are to be ſufficiently provided for by the churches, that they neither want food or raiment; and this by a free and voluntary contribution, and not of neceſſity, or by the conſtraint or power of the magiſtrate, 2 Cor. ix. 7. 1 Cor. viii. 11, 12. and this through the free and voluntary help of the deacons (called overſeers of the poor) being faithful men; choſen by the church, and ordained by prayer and laying on of hands to that work, Acts vi. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. So that there is no need in the church of Chriſt of a magiſterial compulſion in this caſe, as there is among others, who being conſtituted in a fleſhly and generational way, are neceſſitated to make uſe of a carnal ſword, to compel even a ſmall, mean, and ſhort maintenance for their poor; when as many other members of their churches can and do part with great large ſums of money to maintain their vain faſhions, gold, pearls, and coſtly array; [221]which is expreſsly contrary to the word of God, 1 Tim. ii. 9, 10. 1 Pet. iii. 3. Alas! What will ſuch do when God riſeth up? and when he viſiteth, what will they anſwer him? Job xxxi. 14.

XX. That there ſhall be (through Chriſt, who was dead, but is alive again from the dead) a reſurrection of all men from the graves of the earth, Iſa. xxvi 19. both the juſt and unjuſt, Acts xxiv. 15. that is, the fleſhly bodies of men, ſown into the graves of the earth, corruptible, diſhonourable, weak, natural (which ſo conſidered, cannot inherit the kingdom of God) ſhall be raiſed again, incorruptible, in glory, in power, ſpiritual; and ſo conſidered, the bodies of the ſaints (united again to their ſpirits) which here ſuffer for Chriſt, ſhall inherit the kingdom, reigning together with Chriſt. 1 Cor. xv. 21, 22, 42, 43, 44, 49.

XXI. That there ſhall be after the reſurrection from the graves of the earth, an eternal judgment, at the appearing of Chriſt and his kingdom, 2 Tim. iv. 1. Heb. ix. 27. at which time of judgment, which is unalterable and irrevocable, every man ſhall receive according to the things done in his body, 2 Cor. v. 10.

XXII. That the ſame Lord Jeſus who ſhewed himſelf alive after his paſſion, by many infallible proofs, Acts i. 3. which was taken up from the diſciples, and carried up into heaven, Luke xxiv. 51. ſhall ſo come in like manner as he was ſeen go into heaven, Acts i. 9, 10, 11. And when Chriſt, who is our life, ſhall appear, we ſhall alſo appear with him in glory, Col. iii. 4. For then ſhall he be King of kings, and Lord of lords, Rev. xix. 16. For the kingdom is his, and he is the governor among the nations, Pſal. xxii. 28. and king over all the earth, Zech. xiv. and we ſhall reign with him on the earth, Rev. v. 10. The kingdoms of this world (which men ſo mightily ſtrive after here to enjoy) ſhall become the kingdoms of our Lord, and his Chriſt, Rev. xi. 15. For all is yours (O ye that overcome this world) for ye are Chriſt's, and Chriſt is God's, 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23. For [222]unto the ſaints ſhall be given the kingdom, and the greatneſs of the kingdom under (mark that) the whole heaven, Dan. vii. 27. Though (alas) now many men be ſcarce content that the ſaints ſhould have ſo much as a being among them; but when Chriſt ſhall appear, then ſhall be their day, then ſhall be given unto them power over the nations, to rule them with a rod of iron, Rev. ii. 26, 27. Then ſhall they receive a crown of life, which no man ſhall take from them, nor they by any means turned, or overturned from it; for the oppreſſor ſhall be broken in pieces, Pſal. lxxii. 4. and their now vain rejoicings turned into mourning and bitter lamentations; as it is written, Job xx. 5, 6, 7. The triumphing of the wicked is ſhort, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment: though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds, yet ſhall he periſh for ever, like his own dung; they which have ſeen him ſhall ſay, Where is he?

XXIII. That the holy ſcripture is the rule whereby ſaints, both in matters of faith and converſation, are to be regulated; they being able to make men wiſe unto ſalvation, through faith in Chriſt Jeſus; profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for inſtruction in righteouſneſs, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furniſhed unto all good works, 2 Tim. iii. 15, 16, 17. John xx. 31. Iſa. viii. 20.

XXIV. That it is the will and mind of God (in theſe goſpel times) that all men ſhould have the free liberty of their own conſciences in matters of religion or worſhip, without the leaſt oppreſſion or perſecution, as ſimply upon that account; and that for any in authority otherwiſe to act, we confidently believe is expreſsly contrary to the mind of Chriſt; who requires, that whatſoever men would that others ſhould do unto them, they ſhould even ſo do unto others, Matt. vii. 12. and that the tares and the wheat ſhould grow together in the field (which is the world) until the harveſt (which is the end of the world) Matt. xiii. 29, 30, 38, 39.

[223]XXV. We believe, That there ought to be civil magiſtrates in all nations, for the puniſhment of evil doers, and for the praiſe of them that do well, 1 Pet. ii. 14. and that all wicked lewdneſs and fleſhly filthineſs, contrary to juſt and wholſome (civil) laws, ought to be puniſhed according to the nature of the offences; and this without reſpect of any perſons, religion, or profeſſion whatſoever; and that we, and all men are obliged by goſpel rules, to be ſubject to the higher powers, to obey magiſtrates, Tit. iii. 1. and to ſubmit to every ordinance of man for the Lord's ſake, as ſaith Pet. ii. 13. But in caſe the civil power do, or ſhall at any time impoſe things about matters of religion, which we, through conſcience to God, cannot actually obey; then we, with Peter alſo, do ſay, That we ought in ſuch caſes to obey God rather than men, Acts v. 29. and accordingly do hereby declare our whole and holy intent and purpoſe, That through the help of grace we will not yield, nor in ſuch caſe in the leaſt actually obey them; yet humbly purpoſing, in the Lord's ſtrength, patiently to ſuffer whatſoever ſhall be inflicted upon us for our conſcionable forbearance.

Theſe things, O ye ſons and daughters of men, we verily believe to be the Lord's will and mind, and therefore cannot but ſpeak! And if herein we differ from many, yea, from multitudes, from the learned, the wiſe and prudent of this world, we, with Peter and John, do herein make our ſolemn and ſerious appeal; namely, Whether it be right in the ſight of God to hearken unto men (of a contrary perſuaſion) more than unto God. O let the judicious judge righteous judgment, Acts iv. 19, 20. And in the belief and practice of theſe things, it being the good old apoſtolical way, our ſouls have found that reſt and ſoul-peace which the world knows not, and which they cannot take from us. Of whom then ſhall we be afraid? God is become our ſtrength, our light, our ſalvation; therefore are we reſolved, through [224]grace, to ſeal the truth of theſe things, in a way of ſuffering perſecution; not only to the loſs of our goods, freedoms, or liberties, but with our lives alſo, if called thereunto.

Moreover, we do utterly, and from our very hearts, in the Lord's fear, declare againſt all thoſe wicked and deviliſh reports and reproaches, falſely caſt upon us, as though ſome of us (in and about the city of London) had lately gotten knives, hooked knives, and the like, and great ſtore of arms beſides what was given forth by order of parliament, intending to cut the throats of ſuch as were contrary-minded to us in matters of religion; and that many ſuch knives and arms, for the carrying on ſome ſecret deſign, hath been found in ſome of our houſes by ſearch: we ſay, from truth of heart, in the Lord's fear, that we do utterly abhor and abominate the thoughts thereof, and much more the actions; and do hereby challenge both city and country (in our innocency herein) as being not able to prove the things whereof they accuſe us; and do for evermore declare the inventors of ſuch reports, to be liars, and wicked deviſers of miſchief, and corrupt deſigns. God that is above all will juſtify our innocency herein, who well knows our integrity in what we here declare, the Lord lay it not to their charge. In the time of building the decayed houſe of God, Sanballat and Tobiah (wicked counſellors) hired Shemaiah to make good Nehemiah afraid; and laboured againſt him, that they might have matter for an evil report; that they might reproach him, and hinder the building of the houſe of God, Neh. vi. 12. For I have heard, ſaith the prophet, the defaming of many; Report, ſay they, and we will report it, Jer. xx. 10.

Subſcribed by certain elders, deacons and brethren, met at London, in the firſt month called March, 1660, in the behalf of themſelves, and many others unto whom [225]they belong in London, and in ſeveral counties of this nation who are of the ſame faith with us,

  • Joſeph Wright,
  • William Jeffery,
  • Thomas Monk,
  • John Hartnol,
  • Benjamin Morley,
  • Francis Stanley,
  • George Hammon,
  • William Smart,
  • John Reeve,
  • Thomas Parrot,
  • John Wood,
  • Francis Smith,
  • Edward Jones,
  • Humphry Jones,
  • Matthew Caffen,
  • Samuel Loveday,
  • John Parſons, ſen.
  • Thomas Stacey,
  • Edward Stanley,
  • Jonathan Jennings,
  • John Hammerſly,
  • William Ruſſell,
  • Joſeph Keech,
  • Nicholas Newbery,
  • Samuel Lover,
  • George Wright,
  • John Parſons, jun.
  • Thomas Grantham,
  • John Claton,
  • Thomas Steele,
  • Michael Whitticar,
  • Giles Brown,
  • John Wells,
  • Stephen Torie,
  • Thomas Lathwel,
  • William Chadwel,
  • William Raph,
  • Henry Browne,
  • William Paine,
  • Richard Bowin,
  • Thomas Smith.

Owned and approved by more than twenty thouſand.

Many of the Baptiſts believe the Millennium, or the ſaints living and reigning with Chriſt upon earth 1000 years, for which there have not been wanting many judicious advocates; others, that it is a duty to abſtain from blood, and things ſtrangled, Acts xv. 19. that there is an intermediate ſtate, or hades. Several congregations are Sabbatarians, or obſervers of the Saturday, or ſeventh-day Sabbath; others practiſe praying over the ſick, and anointing them with the holy oil, of the bleſſings on which practice proofs are not wanting. Others think the impoſition or laying on of [226]hands (confirmation) not neceſſary. But if the reader deſires to ſee the reaſons for theſe opinions, he is adviſed to conſult Mr. Grantham Killingworth's judicious account of the principles and practices of the General Baptiſts, in his letter to the Rev. Mr. William Whiſton, before quoted; the Appendix to his fifth edition of the Supplement to the ſermons preached againſt Popery at Salter's hall, 1735, with his other tracts.

Method of ordaining Paſtors and Deacons amongſt the Baptiſts, exemplified in the ordination of the Rev. Mr. Joſeph Burroughs, Paſtor, and Meſſ. Matthew Shelſwell and George Reynolds, Deacons, of the church at Barbican, in London, May 1, 1717 *.

The church ſent meſſengers to thoſe miniſters whom they particularly deſired to act in this affair, and gave a general invitation to all the reſt to honour them with their preſence on this occaſion.

The aſſembly being come together, at the meetinghouſe in Barbican, on the day appointed, Mr. Foxwell went firſt up into the pulpit, and read the third and fourth chapters of the firſt epiſtle to Timothy; after which he prayed for that church, for the perſons called to offices in it, for the preſence of God, and the aſſiſtance of his grace in the duties to be that day performed. Next Mr. Benj. Stinton went up, and preached a ſermon from Phil. i. 1. from whence, according to the province aſſigned him, he endeavoured to explain the office and duties both of an elder and deacons. Then followed Mr. Nathaniel Hodges, who choſe for his text, Tit. i. 5. from whence he took occaſion, among other things, to explain and vindicate the form of ordination. After this, the miniſters, and thoſe who were to be ordained, being together in the middle of the meeting-place, where the communiontable [227]uſed to ſtand, Mr. Stinton, according to appointment, ſtood up and ſaid, "It is deſired that all thoſe who are members of the church which uſually meets in this place, would draw together in the middle of the meeting-houſe, and that the reſt of the aſſembly would ſeparate themſelves, either by going into the galleries, or the remote parts of the place." Then, directing his ſpeech particularly to the church, he ſaid, "We have been informed by meſſengers from you, that you have choſen our honoured and beloved brother, Mr. Joſeph Burroughs *, to be your elder or overſeer, in the Lord, and have accordingly deſired him to take that office upon him; it will, however, be proper, that you ſhould now, in a more public manner, and before this aſſembly, declare and confirm your ſaid choice. All you, therefore, who do approve of, and confirm the choice you have made of Mr. Joſeph Burroughs to be your paſtor, and deſire that he ſhould now be ordained to that office, be pleaſed to ſignify it by the lifting up of your hands." When they had ſo done, the negative was put, but no hand lifted up againſt it. Then he turned to Mr. Joſeph Burroughs, and ſaid, "Brother Joſeph Burroughs, as this church has unanimouſly choſen and called you to be their paſtor, and do earneſtly deſire that you would take upon you that honourable, though difficult office; ſo we deſire you to ſignify unto us, whether you do accept of their call, and are willing, for the ſake of Chriſt, and the good of this community, to be put into this office?" Hereupon Mr. Burroughs ſignified, that it had been his deſire, for many years paſt, to be uſeful to the ſouls of men in the work of the miniſtry; and that this continued to be the free choice of his mind, in preference to any other employment; [228]that, in purſuance of this deſire, he had applied himſelf to the ſtudy of the holy ſcriptures, and to other exerciſes that might prepare him for public uſefulneſs; that he wiſhed he had made better improvement of his time, and was deeply ſenſible of his inſufficiency for diſcharging the work to which he was called, ſuitably to its great importance; but was willing to uſe his beſt endeavours, and placed his hope in the goodneſs of God, who, he was aſſured, was able to make him ſucceſsful; that the unanimity which this church had ſhewn, in chuſing him for their paſtor, gave him an encouraging proſpect of doing good amongſt them: and therefore he declared, that he took the overſight of this flock, not by conſtraint, but willingly, and ſhould reckon himſelf obliged, by his acceptance of this people's call to be their paſtor, and by being ſolemnly ſet apart for the office, to be their remembrancer in the doctrines and precepts of the Chriſtian religion, and to watch for their ſouls, as one that muſt hereafter give an account; and that he was determined, in every part of his proceeding, to make the holy ſcripture his only rule and ſtandard. Then, after a ſhort prayer ſuitable to the occaſion, the miniſters preſent laid their right hands upon his head, and Mr. Stinton, in the name of the whole, pronounced the words of ordination, as followeth:

"Brother Joſeph Burroughs, we do, in the name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and with the conſent of this church, ordain thee to be an elder, biſhop, or overſeer of this church of Jeſus Chriſt." And their hands continuing on his head, Mr. Stinton put up a ſhort prayer to God for him and the congregation *.

[229]After the ordination of Mr. Burroughs, they proceeded to the ordination of two deacons, which was after this manner: Mr. Stinton ſtood up and ſaid, "We muſt now addreſs ourſelves again to you, the members of the congregation, that ſtatedly worſhip God in this place. We were informed by your meſſengers aforeſaid, that you have choſen two perſons from amongſt yourſelves unto the office of deacons, in this church of Chriſt, viz. brother Matthew Shelſwell, and brother George Reynolds: it will therefore be neceſſary that you ſhould in this, as you have in the other caſe, declare and confirm your election. All you, therefore, that do approve and confirm your former choice of brother Matthew Shelſwell to be a deacon in this church, and deſire that he may now be ordained to that ſervice, be pleaſed to ſignify it by the lifting up of your hands." And then the negative was put. After this the ſame queſtion was put, both in the affirmative and negative, with reſpect unto the other; and it appeared they were both unanimouſly choſen: and upon being aſked; whether they accepted the church's call to this work, and were willing to take this office upon them? they anſwered, they were. Then the deacons elect kneeled down, and the miniſters, laying their right hands upon their heads, ordained them, Mr. Mulliner putting up a prayer to God, ſuitable to this part of the ſolemnity; and then he went up into the pulpit, and preached from 1 Theſſ. v. 12, 13. in which, according to the province aſſigned him, he treated of the duties of the members of a Chriſtian church to their officers, both elders and deacons; after [230]which he prayed, then a pſalm of thankſgiving was ſung, at the concluſion of which the aſſembly was diſmiſſed with one of the apoſtolical benedictions.

The Hiſtory of the QUAKERS.

THE hiſtory of this ſect or brotherhood ſhould be drawn with a very impartial pen: they have, from their differing not only in the fundamentals, but in dreſs and form of ſpeech, from other Chriſtians (if I may be permitted to call them ſo), been ſubject to the moſt low and illiberal abuſe. The writers of other ſentiments have ſtored up ſo many calumnies and falſehoods, when they have had occaſion to mention them, that it is a difficult taſk to ſeparate fiction from fact. Therefore, as my intent is to afford impartial juſtice to my ſubject, I think I cannot better do ſo than by recurring to their own writers, not only for their hiſtory, but for an account of their doctrine and diſcipline.

The appellative QUAKERS was beſtowed upon them as a name of reproach and contempt, taken from the ſtrugglings and agitations viſible in their ſpeakers or preachers, when under thoſe influences they eſteemed divine. They modeſtly acquieſce in making uſe of this term when they addreſs the throne, and in their common tranſactions with the world: but the name they uſe amongſt themſelves is that of friends *, which they borrow from primitive example, viz. The friends ſalute thee.—Greet the friends, &c. &c. John iii. Eph. xiv. Acts xxvii. 3, &c.

However agreeable to the goſpel the ſentiments of theſe people may be found (for from different ſenſes [231]and interpretations of ſcripture moſt of the ſects amongſt us derive themſelves), it is certain the firſt leader of this ſect, as a ſeparate body, was George Fox, born in Leiceſterſhire, about the year 1624 *. He was deſcended of honeſt and ſufficient parents, who brought him up in the national religion : but from a child he appeared religious, ſtill, ſolid, and obſerving, beyond his years, and uncommonly knowing in divine things. He was brought up to huſbandry, and other country-buſineſs, and was particularly inclined to the ſolitary occupation of a ſhepherd; "an employment," ſays my author, "that very well ſuited his mind in ſeveral reſpects, both for its innocency and ſolitude; and was a juſt emblem of his after miniſtry and ſervice." In the year 1646, he entirely forſook the national church, in whoſe tenets he had been brought up, as before obſerved; and in 1647 he travelled into Derbyſhire and Nottinghamſhire, without any ſet purpoſe of viſiting particular places, but in a ſolitary manner he walked through ſeveral towns and villages, which way ſoever his mind turned. "He faſted much," ſays Sewell, "and walked often in retired places, with no other companion but his Bible." "He viſited the moſt retired and religious people in thoſe parts," ſays Penn; "and ſome there were, ſhort of few, if any, in this nation, who waited for the conſolation of Iſrael night and day; as Zacharias, Anna, and Simeon, did of old time. To theſe he was ſent, and theſe he ſought out in the neighbouring counties, and among them he ſojourned till his more ample miniſtry came upon him. At this time he taught, and was an example of ſilence, endeavouring to bring them from ſelf-performances; teſtifying of, and turning them to the light of Chriſt within them, and encouraging them to wait in patience, and to feel the power of [232]it to ſtir in their hearts, that their knowledge and worſhip of God might ſtand in the power of an endleſs life, which was to be found in the Light, as it was obeyed in the manifeſtation of it in man: for in the word was life, and that life is the light of men. Life in the word, light in men; and life in men too, as the light is obeyed; the children of the light living by the life of the word, by which the word begets them again to God, which is the regeneration and new birth, without which there is no coming into the kingdom of God, and to which whoever comes is greater than John; that is, than John's diſpenſation, which was not that of the kingdom, but the conſummation of the legal, and fore running of the goſpel-times, the time of the kingdom. Accordingly ſeveral meetings were gathered in thoſe parts; and thus his time was employed for ſome years."

In the year 1652, "he had a viſitation of the great work of God in the earth, and of the way that he was to go forth, in a public miniſtry, to begin it." He directed his courſe northward, "and in every place where he came, if not before he came to it, he had his particular exerciſe and ſervice ſhewn to him, ſo that the Lord was his leader indeed." He made great numbers of converts to his opinions, and many pious and good men joined him in his miniſtry *. Theſe were drawn forth eſpecially to viſit the public aſſemblies, to reprove, reform, and exhort them; ſometimes in markets, fairs, ſtreets, and by the highway-ſide, "calling people to repentance, and to return to the Lord, with their hearts as well as their mouths; directing them to the light of Chriſt within them, to ſee, examine, and conſider their ways by, and to eſchew the evil, and do the good and acceptable will of God."

[233]They were not without oppoſition in the work they imagined themſelves called to, being often ſet in the ſtocks, ſtoned, beaten, whipped and impriſoned, tho', as my author obſerves, honeſt men, of good report, that had left wives, children, houſes and lands, to viſit them with a living call to repentance. But theſe coercive methods rather forwarded than abated their zeal, and in thoſe parts they brought over many proſelytes, and amongſt them ſeveral magiſtrates, and others of the better ſort. They apprehended the Lord had forbid them to pull off their hats to any one, high or low, and required them to ſpeak to the people, without diſtinction, in the language of thou and thee. They ſcrupled bidding people good-morrow, or good-night; nor might they bend the knee to any one, even in ſupreme authority. Both men and women went in a plain and ſimple dreſs, different from the faſhion of the times. They neither gave nor accepted any titles of reſpect or honour, nor would they call any man maſter, on earth. Several texts of ſcripture they quoted in defence of theſe ſingularities; ſuch as, Swear not at all.—How can ye believe who receive honour one of another, and ſeek not the honour which comes from God only? &c. &c. They placed the baſis of religion in an inward light, and an extraordinary impulſe of the Holy Spirit.

In 1654, their firſt ſeparate meeting in London was held in the houſe of Robert Dring, in Watling ſtreet, (for by that time they had ſpread themſelves into all parts of the kingdom, and had in many places ſet up meetings or aſſemblies, particularly in Lancaſhire and the adjacent parts) but they were ſtill expoſed to great perſecutions and trials of every kind. One of them, in a letter to the Protector, Oliver Cromwell, repreſents, "That tho' there are no penal laws in force obliging men to comply with the eſtabliſhed religion, yet the Quakers are expoſed upon other accounts; they are fined and impriſoned for refuſing to take an oath; for [234]not paying their tithes; for diſturbing the public aſſemblies, and meeting in the ſtreets, and places of public reſort; ſome of them have been whipped for vagabonds, and for their plain ſpeeches to the magiſtrate."

Under favour of the then toleration they opened their meeting at the Bull and Mouth inn, in Alderſgate ſtreet, where women as well as men were moved to ſpeak. Their zeal tranſported them to ſome extravagances, which laid them ſtill more open to the laſh of their enemies, who exerciſed various ſeverities upon them throughout the next reign. Upon the ſuppreſſion of Venner's mad inſurrection *, the government having publiſhed a proclamation, forbidding the Anabaptiſts, Quakers, and Fifth-monarchy men, "to aſſemble or meet together under pretence of worſhipping God, except it be in ſome parochial church, chapel, or in private houſes, by the perſons there inhabiting," all meetings in other places being declared to be unlawful and riotous, &c. &c. &c. the Quakers thought it expedient to addreſs the King thereon, which they did in the following words:

Oh King CHARLES!

Our deſire is, that thou mayeſt live for ever in the fear of God and thy council. We beſeech thee, and thy council, to read theſe following lines, in tender bowels, and compaſſion for our ſouls, and for your good.

And this conſider, we are about four hundred impriſoned, in and about this city, of men and women from their families, beſides, in the county goals, about ten hundred, we deſire that our meetings may not be broken up, but that all may come to a fair trial, that our innocency may be cleared up —.

London, 16th day, eleventh month, 1660.

[235]On the 28th of the ſame month they publiſhed the declaration referred to in their addreſs, intitled, A declaration from the harmleſs and innocent people of God called Quakers, againſt all ſedition, plotters and fighters in the world, for removing the ground of jealouſy and ſuſpicion, from both magiſtrates and people in the kingdom, concerning wars and fightings. It was preſented to the King the 21ſt day of the eleventh month, 1660, and he promiſed them upon his royal word, that they ſhould not ſuffer for their opinions, as long as they lived peaceably; but his promiſes were very little regarded afterwards.

In 1661, they aſſumed courage to petition the houſe of Lords for a toleration of their religion, and for a diſpenſation from taking the oaths, which they held unlawful, not from any diſaffection to the government, or a belief that they were leſs obliged by an affirmation, but from a perſuaſion that all oaths were unlawful; and that ſwearing upon the moſt ſolemn occaſions was forbidden in the New Teſtament. Their petition was rejected, and inſtead of granting them relief, an act was paſſed againſt them, the preamble to which ſet forth, "That whereas ſeveral perſons have taken up an opinion, that an oath, even before a magiſtrate, is unlawful, and contrary to the word of God; and whereas, under pretence of religious worſhip, the ſaid perſons do aſſemble in great numbers in ſeveral parts of the kingdom, ſeparating themſelves from the reſt of his Majeſty's ſubjects, and the public congregations and uſual places of divine worſhip:" be it therefore enacted, That if any ſuch perſons, after the 24th of March 1661-2, ſhall refuſe to take an oath when lawfully tendered, or perſuade others to do it, or maintain in writing, or otherwiſe, the unlawfulneſs of taking an oath; or if they ſhall aſſemble for religious worſhip to the number of five or more, of the age of fifteen, they ſhall for the firſt offence forfeit five pounds; for the ſecond, ten pounds; and for the third ſhall abjure [236]the realm, or be tranſported to the plantations: and the juſtices of peace at their open ſeſſions may hear and finally determine in the affair."

This act had a moſt dreadful effect upon the Quakers, tho' it was well known and notorious theſe conſcientious perſons were far from ſedition or diſaffection to the government. George Fox, in his addreſs to the King, acquaints him, that three thouſand and ſixtyeight of their friends had been impriſoned ſince his Majeſty's reſtoration; that their meetings were daily broken up by men with clubs and arms, and their friends thrown into the water, and trampled under foot, till the blood guſhed out, which gave riſe to their meeting in the open ſtreets. A relation was printed, ſigned by twelve witneſſes, which ſays, that more than four thouſand two hundred Quakers were impriſoned; and of them five hundred were in and about London, and the ſuburbs; ſeveral of whom were dead in the goals.

However, they even gloried in their ſufferings, which increaſed every day; ſo that in 1665, and the intermediate years, they were harraſſed without example. As they perſiſted reſolutely to aſſemble, openly, at the Bull and Mouth, before-mentioned, the ſoldiers, and other officers, dragged them from thence to priſon, till Newgate was filled with them, and multitudes died of cloſe confinement, in that and other goals.

Six hundred of them, ſays an account publiſhed at this time, were in priſon, merely for religion-ſake, of whom ſeveral were baniſhed to the plantations. "In ſhort (ſays Mr. Neale) the Quakers gave ſuch full employment to the informers, that they had leſs leiſure to attend the meetings of other Diſſenters."

Yet, under all theſe calamities, they behaved with patience and modeſty towards the government, and upon occaſion of the Rye-houſe plot * in 1682, thought [237]proper to declare their innocence of that ſham plot, in an addreſs to the King, wherein, appealing to the ſearcher of all hearts, they ſay, " * Their principles do not allow them to take up defenſive arms, much leſs to avenge themſelves for the injuries they receive from others: that they continually pray for the King's ſafety and preſervation; and therefore take this occaſion humbly to beſeech his Majeſty to compaſſionate their ſuffering friends, with whom the goals are ſo filled, that they want air, to the apparent hazard of their lives, and to the endangering an infection in divers places. Beſides, many houſes, ſhops, barns, and fields, are ranſacked, and the goods, corn, and cattle, ſwept away, to the diſcouraging of trade and huſbandry, and impoveriſhing great numbers of quiet and induſtrious people; and this for no other cauſe, but for the exerciſe of a tender conſcience in the worſhip of Almighty God, who is ſovereign Lord and King in men's conſciences —."

On the acceſſion of James II. they addreſſed that monarch honeſtly and plainly, telling him, " We are come to teſtify our ſorrow for the death of our good friend Charles, and our joy for thy being made our governor. We are told thou art not of the perſuaſion of the church of England, no more than we; therefore we hope thou wilt grant us the ſame liberty which thou alloweſt thyſelf; which doing, we wiſh thee all manner of happineſs."

When James, by his diſpenſing power, granted liberty to the Diſſenters, they began to enjoy ſome reſt from their troubles; and indeed it was high time, for they were ſwelled to an enormous amount. They, the year before this (to them glad releaſe), in a petition to James for a ceſſation of their ſufferings, ſet [239]forth, " * That of late above one thouſand five hundred of their friends, both men and women, were in priſon, and that now there remain one thouſand three hundred and eighty-three; of which two hundred are women, many under ſentence of praemunire; and more than three hundred near it, for refuſing the oath of allegiance, becauſe they could not ſwear. Three hundred and fifty have died in priſon ſince the year 1680; in London, the goal of Newgate has been crowded, within this two years, ſometimes with near twenty in a room, whereby ſeveral have been ſuffocated, and others, who have been taken out ſick, have died of malignant fevers within a few days. Great violences, outrageous diſtreſſes, and woeful havock and ſpoil, have been made upon people's goods and eſtates, by a company of idle, extravagant, and mercileſs informers, by perſecutions on the conventicle-act, and others ; alſo on qui tam writs, and on other proceſſes, for twenty pounds a-month, and two thirds of their eſtates ſeized for the King. Some had not a bed left to reſt on; others had no cattle to till the ground, nor corn for ſeed or bread, nor tools to work with; the ſaid informers and bailiffs in ſome places breaking into houſes, and making great waſte and ſpoil, under pretence of ſerving the King and the church. Our religious aſſemblies have been charged [238]at common law with being riotous routs and diſturbances of the peace, whereby great numbers have been confined in priſons, without regard to age or ſex, and many in holes and dungeons. The ſeizures for twenty pounds a-month have amounted to ſeveral thouſand pounds; ſometimes they have ſeized for eleven months at once, and made ſale of all goods and chattles, both within doors and without, for payment. Several, who have employed ſome hundreds of poor families in manufacture, are by thoſe writs and ſeizures diſabled, as well as by long impriſonment; one, in particular, who employed two hundred people in the woollen manufacture. Many informers, eſpecially imprudent women, whoſe huſbands are in priſon, ſwear for their ſhare of the profits of the ſeizures. The fines upon one juſtice's warrant have amounted to many hundred pounds; frequently ten pounds a warrant, and five warrants together for fifty pounds to one man; and for non-payment, all his goods carried away by cartloads. They ſpare neither widow nor fatherleſs, nor poor families, nor leave them ſo much as a bed to lie upon. Thus the informers are both witneſſes and parties, to the ruin of great numbers of ſober families; and juſtices of peace have been threatened with the forfeiture of one hundred pounds, if they do not iſſue out warrants upon their informations." With this petition they preſented a liſt of their friends in priſon in the ſeveral counties, amounting to 1460.

Upon the declaration of King James for liberty of conſcience (and as before the King had ſent an order to the Lord Mayor of London to diſpenſe with the Quakers not ſwearing, or, at leaſt, not to fine them if they refuſed to ſerve) they addreſſed the King thus

May it pleaſe the KING,

Tho' we are not the firſt in this * way, yet we are not the leaſt ſenſible of the great favours we are [240]come to preſent the King our humble, open, and hearty thanks for. We rejoice to ſee the day that a King of England ſhould, from his royal ſeat, ſo univerſally aſſert this royal principle, that conſcience ought not to be reſtrained, nor people forced for matters of religion, &c. &c.

*
Of addreſſing.

They partook, with the other Diſſenters from the legal eſtabliſhment of religion, of that invaluable bleſſing, liberty of conſcience, at the revolution; and the reader is already acquainted with the fate of their petition to have theſe words, "in the preſence of Almighty God," omitted in their ſolemn affirmation *. And, ſince that, they have made an attempt to get themſelves eaſed of the burden of tithes, which they could not conſcientiouſly pay, and for refuſal of which they have ſo greatly ſuffered; but it did not ſucceed.

The ſettlement of Penſilvania, where the Quakers, the firſt ſettlers, are the majority of the inhabitants, and the hiſtory of that colony, the moſt flouriſhing of North America, do not come within the compaſs of my plan; and as to the affairs of their ſeveral aſſemblies ſince the revolution, what is neceſſary to mention thereof, will properly occur under the head of their diſcipline, &c. &c.

They are in the preſent days a very praiſe-worthy and inoffenſive ſet of people, and, by their wiſe regulations, do honour to themſelves, and are of infinite ſervice in the community.

Of the religious Principles of the QUAKERS.

Their principal diſtinguiſhing tenet is, the doctrine of an inward light, wherewith Chriſt enlighteneth every man, and to which they profeſs to take heed. But I ſhall, for the information of my readers, be more particular in pointing out what may be called the articles of their [241]faith; and this I ſhall do by an impartial abſtract of their belief, publiſhed in 1693, and ſigned by the principal perſons of that denomination.

ARTICLES of BELIEF in GOD, JESUS CHRIST, and the HOLY SPIRIT.

WE ſincerely profeſs faith in God, by his only begotten Son Jeſus Chriſt, as being our light and life, and our only way to the Father, and alſo our only mediator and advocate with the Father:—We believe that God created all things; he made the world by his Son Jeſus Chriſt, and that the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, are one in divine being, inſeparable, one true living and eternal God, bleſſed for ever:—yet that this Word or Son of God, in the fulneſs of time, took fleſh, became perfect man according to the fleſh, was miraculouſly conceived by the Holy Ghoſt, and born of the Virgin Mary; and alſo farther declared to be the Son of God, according to the ſpirit of ſanctification, by the reſurrection from the dead: that in this Word was life, and the ſame life was the light of men; the life and light within us: and that men are to believe in this light, Chriſt Jeſus: that as man he died for our ſins, roſe again, and was received up into glory, he having, by that one great univerſal offering, became a ſacrifice for peace, atonement, and reconciliation between God and man:—that Jeſus Chriſt, who ſitteth on the right hand of the throne of the Majeſty, in the heavens, is our King, High Prieſt, and Prophet in his church, and by his ſpirit alſo maketh interceſſion in our hearts:—that the goſpel of the grace of God ſhould be preached in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, being one in power, wiſdom, and goodneſs, and indiviſible in the great work of man's ſalvation; and that divine worſhip is to be paid to the Son, from his union or oneneſs of the Father and Son, and that our prayers are accepted thro' him:— [242]that Chriſt's body that was crucified, was not the Godhead; yet, by the power of God, was raiſed from the dead, changed into a more glorious condition, and aſcended into heaven and glory. True and living faith in Chriſt Jeſus the Son of the living God, reſpects his being and fulneſs, and alſo his making himſelf known in the ſoul in every degree of his light, life, ſpirit, grace and truth, the immediate cauſe, author, object, and ſtrength of our living faith, &c. Which light and life of the Son of God, within, truly obeyed and followed, will bring us to the adoption of ſons. It is true, we are not to undervalue the holy ſcriptures, nor ſlight the preaching of the word, as being outward helps and inſtruments in the hand of God for the converſion of ſinners: nor do we ſet them in oppoſition to the light or ſpirit of God or Chriſt within; for his faithful meſſengers are miniſters thereof, to turn people to the ſame light and ſpirit in them.

It is certain that great is the myſtery of godlineſs in itſelf: that God ſhould be manifeſted in the fleſh, &c. —and it is a great and precious myſtery of godlineſs and Chriſtianity, that Chriſt ſhould be ſpiritually and effectually manifeſted in mens hearts:—Chriſt is revealed in every true believer, freeing them from the bondage of ſin, as their wiſdom, righteouſneſs, ſanctification, and redemption. This myſtery of godlineſs in its own being and glory (in many hid, and in ſome revealed) hath been, and muſt be teſtified, preached, and believed, where God is pleaſed to give commiſſion, and prepare peoples hearts for the ſame.

As touching the reſurrection of the dead, we believe, as the ſcripture teſtifies, that if in this life only we have hope in Chriſt, we are of all men moſt miſerable: that the ſoul or ſpirit of every man and woman ſhall be reſerved in its own diſtinct and proper being (ſo as there ſhall be as many ſouls in the world to come as in this) and every ſeed (yea every ſoul: ſhall have its proper body, as God is pleaſed to give it. A natural body is ſown, a [243]ſpiritual body is raiſed; and, tho' this corruptible ſhall put on incorruption, and this mortal ſhall put on immortality, the change ſhall be ſuch, as fleſh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; ſo we expect our ſpiritual bodies, in the reſurrection, ſhall far excel what our bodies now are; but how the dead are raiſed, or with what body they come, we ſubmit to the wiſdom and pleaſure of Almighty God, for we cannot preſume to determine.

As to the doctrine of the eternal judgment, we belive that God hath committed all judgment unto the Son, Jeſus Chriſt, and he is both judge of quick and dead, and of the ſtates and ends of all mankind. That this Son of man, who hath ſo deeply ſuffered, and endured ſo great indignities, ſhall, in the laſt and great day, manifeſtly appear in glory, attended with all his glorious heavenly hoſt and retinue, to the terror and amazement of thoſe who have denied him; but to the glory and triumph of the righteous, the faithful followers and friends of Chriſt. It is a righteous thing with God, that they who ſuffer with him ſhould appear with him in glory and dignity, when he ſhall appear at laſt judge of the world and prince thereof:— whilſt thoſe who now evade and reject the inward convictions and judgment of the light, and ſhut up the records or books thereof in their own conſcience, they ſhall be at laſt opened, and every one judged of theſe things recorded therein, according to their works.

Signed in behalf of our Chriſtian profeſſion and people,

  • George Whitehead,
  • Ambroſe Rigg,
  • William Fallowfield,
  • James Parke,
  • Charles Marſhall,
  • John Bowater,
  • John Vaughton,
  • William Bingley.

Beſides theſe ſeveral articles, which were in general received and approved, there were four articles drawn up and preſented to parliament by George Whitehead, occaſioned by a charge of Socinianiſm, at that time, which are as follow:[244]Be it known to all, that we ſincerely believe and profeſs,

I. That Jeſus of Nazareth, who was born of the Virgin Mary, is the true Meſſiah, the Chriſt, the Son of God, to whom all the Prophets gave witneſs, and that we do highly value his death, ſufferings, works, offices, and merits, for the redemption of mankind, together with his laws, doctrine, and miniſtry.

II. That this very Chriſt of God, who is the Lamb of God, that takes away the ſins of the world, was ſlain, was dead, and is alive for ever in his divine eternal glory, dominion and power, with the Father.

III. That the holy ſcriptures are of divine authority, as being given by inſpiration of God.

IV. And that magiſtracy or civil government is God's ordinance, the good ends thereof being for the puniſhment of evil doers, and the praiſe of them that do well.

Some other points of faith or opinion, or wherein they are diſtinguiſhed from the eſtabliſhed church and other denominations of Chriſtians, viz.

Of the SACRAMENTS.—Of the LORD'S SUPPER they ſay,

As for the word Sacrament, we do not read of it in the ſcripture; but as for the body and blood of Chriſt, I own, and that there is no remiſſion without blood: we do believe, according as it is written, that Chriſt, at his laſt ſupper, took bread and brake it, and gave it to his diſciples, and alſo took the cup and bleſſed it, and ſaid unto them, and as often as ye do this, you ſhew forth the Lord's death till he come; and this we believe they did, and did eat their bread in ſingleneſs of heart: but when Chriſt came again to them, according to his promiſe, they ſaid, we being many are one bread, for we are all partakers of this one bread; for there is a difference between that bread which he brake at his laſt [245]ſupper, wherein they were to ſhew forth his death as in a ſign, and this whereof they ſpake, they being many are one bread, for herein they were come more into the ſubſtance, and, to ſpeak more myſtically, as they knew it in the Spirit. R. HUBBERTHORN.

Baptiſm, any more than the Lord's ſupper, is not practiſed by this people. As to the former they ſay, "It is not outward waſhing with water that maketh the heart clean, by which men are fitted for heaven." Mr. Barclay * endeavours to prove this propoſition, viz. "As there is one Lord and one faith, ſo there is one baptiſm, which is not the putting away the filth of the fleſh, but the anſwer of a good conſcience before God, by the reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt. And this baptiſm is a pure and ſpiritual thing, to wit, the baptiſm of the ſpirit and fire, by which we are buried with him, that being waſhed and purged from our ſins, we may walk in newneſs of life: of which the baptiſm of John was a figure, which was commanded for a time, and not to continue for ever. As to the baptiſm of infants, it is a mere human tradition, for which neither precept nor practice is to be found in all the ſcripture." Concerning the Lord's ſupper, he advances in his 13th propoſition, "that the communion of the body and blood of Chriſt is inward and ſpiritual, which is the participation of his fleſh and blood, by which the infant man is daily nouriſhed in the hearts of thoſe in whom Chriſt dwells; of which things the breaking of bread by Chriſt with his diſciples was a figure, which they even uſed in the church for a time, who had received the ſubſtance, for the cauſe of the weak; even as abſtaining from things ſtrangled, and from blood; the waſhing one another's feet, and the anointing of the ſick with oil; all which are commanded with no leſs authority and ſolemnity than the former; yet ſeeing they are but the ſhadows of better things, they ceaſe in ſuch as have obtained the ſubſtance." It is not [246]within my province to declare my ſentiments of the ſucceſs with which this famous Apologiſt has endeavoured to demonſtrate theſe propoſitions; but I can declare with truth, that many pieces in anſwer thereto, which I have read, do little honour to the cauſe they eſpouſe, and betray a very rigid and perſecuting ſpirit.

The CHURCH DISCIPLINE and GOVERNMENT of the People called QUAKERS.

"IN the year 1667, I was moved (ſays George Fox *) to recommend the ſetting up of monthly meetings throughout the nation, friends hitherto having only had their general quarterly meetings ; and the Lord opened unto me, and let me ſee what I muſt do, and how mens and womens monthly and quarterly meetings ſhould be ordered and eſtabliſhed in England and other nations; and that I ſhould write to them, where I came not, to do the ſame. Accordingly, having recommended the ſetting up of five monthly meetings in the city of London, to take care of God's glory, and to admoniſh and exhort ſuch as walked diſorderly, and not according to truth; then I paſſed forth into the counties again, and adviſed that monthly meetings ſhould be ſettled there alſo, for the ſame purpoſes, which was done according to the goſpelorder, in and by the power of God, the authority of our meetings being the power of God; and in the year 1668, I writ to Ireland and to Scotland, Holland, Barbadoes, and other parts of America, adviſing friends to ſettle their monthly meetings in thoſe countries [247]alſo, which was accordingly done *; and, indeed, the good effects of the ſettlement of thoſe meetings ſoon appeared."—"They did make a great reformation amongſt people, inſomuch that the very juſtices took notice of the uſefulneſs and ſervice thereof; and ſeveral who had run out were brought to condemn what they had done amiſs, and through repentance came in again; and many have bleſſed the Lord God that ever he did ſend me forth in this ſervice, now all coming to have a concern and care for God's honour and glory, that his name be not blaſphemed, which they do profeſs, and to ſee that all who profeſs the truth do walk in the truth, and in righteouſneſs and holineſs."

Thus were monthly meetings for men and women formed: for their authority in the latter caſe ſee Exod. xxxv. 25, 26. Rom. xvi. 1, 2, 3. Phil. iv. 3. Titus ii. 3, 4, 5. 1 Cor. xi. George Fox has thus given us the uſe of them, "That the faithful women who were called to the belief of the truth, being made partakers of the ſame precious faith, and heirs of the ſame everlaſting goſpel of life and ſalvation, might in like manner come into the poſſeſſion and practice of the goſpel-order, and be therein meet-helps to the men in the reſtoration, in the ſervice of the truth, in the affairs of the church, as they are outwardly in civil or temporal things, that ſo the family of God, women as well as men, might know, poſſeſs, perform and diſcharge their offices and ſervices in the houſe of God, whereby the poor might be the better taken care of, the younger ſort inſtructed and informed in the way of God, the looſe and diſorderly reproved and admoniſhed in the fear of the Lord, the clearneſs of perſons propounding marriage more cloſely and ſtrictly enquired into, in the wiſdom of God; and all the members [248]of the ſpiritual body, the church, might watch over and be helpful to one another in love."

" * The monthly meetings ſo ſet up were more or fewer, as the caſe required, in every reſpective county, four or ſix meetings of worſhip uſually making one meeting of buſineſs, and theſe monthly meetings in each county made up one quarterly meeting, where the moſt zealous and eminent friends of the county aſſembled to communicate, adviſe, and help one another, eſpecially when any buſineſs ſeemed difficult, or a monthly meeting was tender of determining a matter; and theſe ſeveral quarterly meetings digeſted the reports of their monthly meetings, and prepared one for each reſpective county againſt the yearly meeting, in which all quarterly meetings reſolve, which is held in London, where the churches in this nation, and other nations and provinces meet, by choſen members of their reſpective counties, both mutually to communicate their church-affairs, and to adviſe and be adviſed in any depending caſe to edification. The minutes of the yearly meeting upon the ſeveral matters that have been under conſideration therein, are drawn up (to the end that the reſpective quarterly and monthly meetings may be informed of all proceedings) together with a general exhortation to holineſs, purity and charity. Theſe meetings are opened and uſually concluded in their ſolemn waiting upon God; and it is further to be noted, in theſe ſolemn aſſemblies for the church's ſervice, there is no one preſides among them, after the manner of the aſſemblies of other people; Chriſt only being their preſident, as he is pleaſed to appear in life and wiſdom in any one or more of them, to whom, whatever be their capacity and degree, the reſt adhere with a firm unity; not of authority, but conviction, which is the divine authority, and way of Chriſt's power and ſpirit in his people, making good his bleſſed promiſe, that [249]he would be in the midſt of his, where and whenever they were met together in his name, even to the end of the world."

"Such, ſays Dr. Rutty, was the conſtitution of the ſeveral meetings for diſcipline, and the orderly ſubordination of monthly to quarterly, and of theſe to the yearly meeting, this laſt being the repreſentative of the whole body of the people. Thus, if any brother apprehend himſelf injured by the determination of a monthly meeting, he hath liberty of appeal from thence to the quarterly, and from this laſt, if ne [...]d be, to the yearly or national meeting. And monthly meetings are ſo far ſubordinate to the quarterly, that at the yearly meeting 1715 it was agreed, that no monthly meeting ſhall divide itſelf into two ſeparate monthly meetings, either by reaſon of the decreaſe of love, or any other difference among them in that meeting; nor without the conſent or concurrence of the quarterly meeting. Before I cloſe my account of the meetings for diſcipline, it is neceſſary to obſerve that there is alſo another meeting which convenes for the benefit of the whole body, in the intervals of the yearly meeting, being a deputation or committee of the yearly meeting, commonly called The meeting for ſufferings, which holds correſpondence with the ſeveral counties, and even with other nations, in order to ſolicit for eaſe from the government in any caſe of ſuffering for conſcience ſake, or to be otherwiſe helpful to any of the inferior meetings on any emergency *.

The power and authority exerciſed by theſe meetings, "is ſuch as Chriſt has given to his own people to the end of the world, in the perſons of his diſciples, viz. to overſee, exhort, reprove, and, after long ſuffering and waiting upon the diſobedient and refractory, to [250] diſown them as any more of their communion, or that they will any longer ſtand charged in the ſight and judgment of God or men, with their converſation or behaviour, or any of them, until they repent. The ſubjectmatter about which this authority, in any of the foregoing branches of it, is exerciſed, is, firſt, in relation to common and general practice; and, ſecondly, about thoſe things that more ſtrictly refer to their own character and profeſſion, and which diſtinguiſh them from all other profeſſors of Chriſtianity; avoiding two extremes upon which many ſplit, viz. perſecution and libertiniſm, that is, a coercive power to whip people into the temple; that ſuch as will not conform, though againſt faith and conſcience, ſhall be puniſhed in their perſons or eſtates; or leaving all looſe and at large, as to practice, and ſo unaccountable to all but God and the magiſtrate: to which hurtful extreme nothing more has contributed than the abuſe of church-power, by ſuch as ſuffer their paſſion and private intereſts to prevail with them to carry it to outward force and corporal puniſhment; a practice they have been taught to diſlike, by their extreme ſufferings, as well as their known principle for an univerſal liberty of conſcience. On the other hand, they equally diſlike an independency in ſociety; an unaccountableneſs in practice and converſation to the rules and terms of their own communion, and to thoſe that are the members of it. They diſtinguiſh between impoſing any practice that immediately regards faith or worſhip (which is never to be done or ſuffered, or ſubmitted unto), and requiring Chriſtian compliance with thoſe methods that only reſpect churchbuſineſs in its more civil part and concern, and that regard the diſcreet and orderly maintenance of the character of the ſociety as a ſober and religious community. In ſhort, what is for the promotion of holineſs and charity, that men may practiſe what they profeſs, live up to their own principles, and not be at liberty to give the lye to their own profeſſion without rebuke, is their uſe [251]and limit of church-power. They compel none to them, but oblige thoſe that are of them to walk ſuitable, or they are denied by them: that is all the mark they ſet upon them, and the power they exerciſe, or judge a Chriſtian ſociety can exerciſe, upon thoſe that are members of it.

The way of their proceeding againſt ſuch as have lapſed or tranſgreſſed is this. He is viſited by ſome of them, and the matter of fact laid home to him, be it any evil practice againſt known and general virtue, or any branch of their particular teſtimony, which he, in common, profeſſeth with them. They labour with him in much love and zeal, for the good of his ſoul, the honour of God, and reputation of their profeſſion, to own his fault and condemn it, in as ample a manner as the evil or ſcandal was given by him; which for the moſt part is performed by ſome written teſtimony under the parties hand: and if it ſo happen, that the party prove refractory, and is not willing to clear the truth, they profeſs, from the reproach of his or her evil doing or unfaithfulneſs, they, after repeated intreaties and due waiting for a token of repentance, give forth a paper to diſown ſuch a fact, and the party offending; recording the ſame as a teſtimony of their care for the honour of the truth they profeſs. And if he or ſhe ſhall clear their profeſſion and themſelves, by ſincere acknowledgment of their fault, and godly ſorrow for ſo doing, they are received and looked upon again as members of their communion: for as God, ſo his true people, upbraid no man after repentance."

"As thoſe meetings became eſtabliſhed, and friends grew in the exerciſe of Chriſtian diſcipline, it was, in divers places, judged expedient to chuſe out of them perſons of approved integrity, to viſit the families of friends, whoſe buſineſs in general ſeems to have been well deſcribed, in thoſe terms which the nature of the thing rendered familiar among the brethren, of watching over one another in love. This branch of Chriſtian [252]diſcipline ſtill remains to be exerciſed in this nation *, as well as divers parts of Great Britain and America, though let drop in ſome places where it was formerly in practice."

"Theſe viſitors being appointed by the monthly meetings, whereof they were members, commonly performed their viſit to the ſeveral families within the limits of their reſpective meetings once a-year, or oftener, as occaſion might require, and returned an account of their labours to the meeting which conſtituted them; and when they had performed their viſit, a new nomination of perſons was made for this ſervice. The qualifications required in theſe men are thus deſcribed, in general terms, in the records of the national meeting at the firſt inſtitution of them, viz. "That they ſhould be juſt in dealings among men, free from worldly incumbrances, and all coming up in their places to anſwer their high and honourable calling, according to their capacities and abilities." And the general tenor of their commiſſion is thus deſcribed, "That friends might be cautioned againſt running into any exceſs or extreme in trading or farming; that they might be kept out of airineſs in deportment, and multiplicity of words in bargaining, buying, or ſelling; and ſuperfluity in apparel, furniture, or houſeholdſtuff." They were not, however, reſtricted to theſe particulars only; but, in the courſe of their exerciſe in this weighty ſervice, were led to many other neceſſary ſubjects of counſel and admonition; and indeed the zeal and vigilance of the brethren in Ireland, in this branch of diſcipline, was truly memorable; of which I think it well worth while to give a ſhort ſpecimen from the writings of an experienced elder , and other records, viz. Firſt of all, they that were choſen for viſitors met together, and after waiting for a time [253]in ſilence upon the Lord, any one, as he found it upon his mind, ſpoke what appeared to him ſuitable to the occaſion, and every one, in a tender, brotherly manner, ſubmitted himſelf to the examination of his brethren, viz. how far each one ſtood clear himſelf with reſpect to thoſe things concerning which he was about to adviſe others. Such examination being premiſed, they thus proceeded in their viſits. When they came to a family, they ſat down with them, and firſt waited a while upon the Lord, and then, as it aroſe upon the minds of any, advice was given them ſuitable to their reſpective ſtates and conditions; ſometimes to all the family together, and ſometimes to particular perſons apart, as they ſaw occaſion, particularly and principally directing them to the witneſs of God, and gift of his Holy Spirit in themſelves, as that by which alone they could grow in truth, and witneſs their hearts cleanſed, which would work an effectual regulation in their outward demeanour; and then they proceeded to the mention of ſome inſtances of this, as occaſion offered, and recommended to their obſervation the particular minutes or advices which had been given forth from meetings. But, more particularly, in theſe family-viſits, friends were exhorted to diligence in the worſhip of Almighty God, and a zealous attendance on the meetings appointed for that purpoſe, both on the firſt days and on other days of the week; and not only ſo, but to a fervent exerciſe of ſpirit in thoſe meetings; and parents, maſters, and miſtreſſes of families, were adviſed to encourage their children and ſervants in this religious exerciſe. They were alſo ſeverally adviſed to anſwer the high and holy calling of the Lord, in coming up in their ſervices in the church, according to the underſtanding received, and ability of body and ſubſtance.

Next, as to trading and dealing,—That none might involve themſelves in the cares and incumbrances of the world, ſo as to be hindered from ſerving the Lord [254]with that freedom of ſpirit which becomes a people called by his name; alſo, that none profeſſing truth and righteouſneſs might run into debts, or contract great trades beyond the bounds of moderation, or their capacities to manage;—that they ſhould be punctual in keeping their words and promiſes;—that they ſhould be circumſpect in their lives and converſations at all times;—avoid unneceſſary frequenting of alehouſes and taverns, and faſhioning themſelves according to the vain, unſettled cuſtoms of the world, whether in apparel or houſe-furniture. Laſtly, the good education of youth was ſtrongly recommended to parents, particularly in plainneſs of habit and ſpeech, honeſt labour, and ſuitable trades and employments; and that they ſhould reſtrain them as much as in their power from all unfit liberties in recreations, and thoſe hurtful pleaſures that youth is inclined unto."

The crimes and irregularities which render the Quakers liable either to be admoniſhed or diſowned as brethren, are, a neglect of the meetings appointed for the worſhip of God, injuſtice and frauds of all kinds, defamation, breach of the marriage-covenant, whoredom, drunkenneſs, gaming, and ſwearing. But beſides the above enumerated evils condemned by them, in common with other profeſſors of Chriſtianity, there were alſo certain practices, which ſeemed to be either leſſer degrees of thoſe evils, or to have a tendency to promote them, or, in the view of this people, to be hurtful to the ſouls of men and their ſpiritual proſperity, and inconſiſtent with that Chriſtian teſtimony God had called them to bear againſt the corruptions of the world, which became the ſubjects of the church's care to preſerve her members from, e. g. the unneceſſary frequenting of alehouſes or taverns, drinking of healths, ſuperfluities of proviſions at marriages or burials, the abuſe of our precious time in divers exerciſes called recreations; as cock-fighting, horſe-races, and attending play-houſes and muſic-meetings; alſo extravagance [255]and ſuperfluity in habit, furniture, ſpeech, and even in trading and farming; all theſe were and are deemed proper ſubjects of reproof and admonition. There are yet ſome other inſtances of unfaithfulneſs peculiarly cognizable by the church among this people, viz. 1. One brother going to law with another. 2. Fighting, whether private or public. 3. The payment of tithes or church-rates, ſo called, by any of this profeſſion, was always cenſured among this people, as a deviation from the known ſenſe and judgment of the brethren, with regard to the ſupport of a Chriſtian miniſtry, and a trampling upon that teſtimony which they believed God had called them to bear againſt this antichriſtian yoke of oppreſſion, and was faithfully maintained by divers of the ancient brethren, by ſuffering impriſonment, even unto death, upon this account. A mean ſubmiſſion to this yoke, for fear of ſuffering, was further condemnable, becauſe of its tendency to increaſe the ſufferings of the faithful, and ſtrengthen the hands of their adverſaries. This hath been always deemed ſo eſſential a point, that, from the firſt publication of the epiſtles from the yearly meeting of London to this preſent time, accounts are tranſmitted from thence of the ſufferings of friends in that behalf; and not only ſo, but exhortations to faithfulneſs, in this reſpect, are rarely omitted.

Their method of procedure in regard to diſorderly perſons has been given above, in general terms; beſides which, there are certain particularities of conduct, ſuited to particular caſes.

Their care to ſupply the neceſſities of their poor, and that their offspring ſhall be properly educated, is a well-known branch of their diſcipline, a query to this purpoſe being conſtantly to be anſwered from the particular to the general meetings: nor is their charity confined to their own poor, but extended to all others.

Their miniſters *, although, according to the [256]Apoſtle's advice, 1 Tim. v. 17. they are eſteemed worthy of double honour, yet do not, as among ſome others, exerciſe a lordſhip over their brethren, nor deem themſelves to be of a claſs or order ſo far above other men, as not to need the aſſiſtance of their brethren, or to be unaccountable to them for their conduct; but do willingly own themſelves alſo to be proper objects of the church's care, and as ſuch reſponſible to them in the following important particulars, whereof an account is required to be returned to the quarterly meetings, viz. 1. How are miniſtering friends in love and unity one with another, and with faithful brethren in their own meeting? 2. Do none of them travel abroad, in the work of the miniſtry, without a certificate from their own monthly meeting? 3. Do they give way to each other, and to ſtrangers, in the exerciſe of their gifts? 4. Do none overcharge themſelves with buſineſs, to the hindrance of their ſervice? 5. Are they found in their miniſtry? 6. Do any of them burthen their hearers with words without life? 7. Do they adorn their doctrine by a ſuitable conduct and converſation, as good examples in all reſpects?

Their diſcipline, in relation to marriage, merits the attention of other profeſſors of Chriſtianity: *The man and woman preſent themſelves to the men and womens monthly meetings for church-affairs where they reſide, and there declare their intentions of taking each other as man and wife, if the ſaid meeting have no material objection againſt it.’

The principal conditions of their acceptance are theſe:

1. It is an eſtabliſhed rule, that no man propoſe marriage to a woman without the previous conſent of his own and her parents or guardians; and if the unbridled affections of any ſhould have precipitated him into a breach of this rule, he is required, purſuant to [257]the advice of the yearly meeting of London 1707, to remove the offence, and give ſatisfaction to ſuch parents and guardians, and to the meeting to which they do belong, by a due and open acknowledgment of the offence, and condemnation of himſelf for it, and to get the conſent of ſuch parents or guardians before he ſhall be permitted to proceed to accompliſh his intended marriage.

2. That the parties be of the ſame faith and judgment in matters of religion, and profeſſed members of this ſociety.

3. That none ſhall marry within ſuch degrees of conſanguinity or affinity as are forbidden by the law of God.

4. Whereas the admiſſion of any marriage to be celebrated, according to the rules of this ſociety, is an acknowledgment of the perſons thus admitted as brethren and ſiſters of the community; if either of theſe ſhould formerly have been guilty of any miſdemeanour, whereby ſcandal had been brought on the ſociety, it hath, in ſuch caſe, been the conſtant practice in this nation, that, upon this ſolemn occaſion, ſuch ſhould condemn their fault, which, for the moſt part, is done in writing.

Where no obſtacles on any of theſe accounts appear, or having appeared, are removed, the meeting paſſes the propoſals of marriage, takes a minute thereof, and appoints proper perſons to enquire into the clearneſs of the parties from all others, and to hold correſpondence with other monthly meetings to the ſame purpoſe, if the parties have reſided in different places. It alſo orders the intentions of marriage to be publiſhed at leaſt in two ſundry public meetings where the man and woman reſide, or have reſided, before the marriage be ſolemnized, in order that convenient time may be allowed [258]for ſatisfaction concerning their clearneſs from all ſcandal, pre-contracts, &c.

The parties are required to give their attendance a ſecond time at the monthly meeting, which is uſually the next enſuing, or the next after, where the perſons appointed to make the enquiry above mentioned return an account of the reſult, which if it prove ſatiſfactory to the meeting, the parties are at liberty to proceed to the accompliſhment of their marriage, for which purpoſe it was the ancient practice to appoint a particular meeting, whereat twelve faithful witneſſes, at leaſt, were required to be preſent; but of later years marriages in this nation have been commonly ſolemnized in the ordinary public meetings for worſhip, which hath had this good effect, to make public and ſtrongly recommend this decent and comely order to all ſober and impartial obſervers. Here the man and woman take each other as huſband and wife, and promiſe each other, with God's aſſiſtance, to be loving and faithful in that relation till death ſeparate them. Of all theſe proceedings a narrative is kept in the way of certificate, to which the ſaid parties firſt ſet their hands, thereby making it their own act and deed, and then divers of the relations, ſpectators, and auditors, ſet their names, as witneſſes of what they have ſaid and ſigned; and this certificate is afterwards regiſtered in the record belonging to the meeting where the marriage is ſolemnized.

There is yet another thing that always, in this nation, becomes the ſubject of the care of the ſame monthly meeting, viz. to appoint two perſons as overſeers, to take care that the marriage be ſolemnized with modeſty and gravity, and to diſcourage ſuperfluities of eating, drinking, apparel, wanton behaviour, &c. upon this occaſion.

As to ſecond marriages, theſe two things chiefly fall under their care and cognizance:

[259]1. If the man be a widower, or the woman a widow, and have children by a former wife or huſband, that proviſion be previouſly made for ſuch children where it can conveniently be done.

2. Friends ſhould not proceed in ſecond marriages until a year is elapſed from the death of the former wife or huſband; and the practice accordingly hath been ſuch, and more early procedure condemned and forbidden as indecent.

To their yearly meeting held in London every Whitſuntide, which ſometimes laſteth four, five, or more days, are admitted ſuch as are ſent from all churches of that ſociety in the world, to give an account of the ſtate of their particular churches, which from ſome places is done only by writing; and from this meeting is ſent a general epiſtle to all the churches, which commonly is printed, and ſometimes particular epiſtles are ſent to churches reſpectively, by which it is known in what condition their churches are every year; and in the ſaid epiſtle there is always recommended a godly life and converſation, and due care about the education of children. If it happens that the poor any where are in want, then that is ſupplied by others that have in ſtore, or ſometimes by an extraordinary collection. I have ſubjoined one of thoſe epiſtles for my readers ſatisfaction.

An EPISTLE from the annual meeting in London, held by adjournment from the 10th day of the fourth month, to the 14th of the ſame incluſive, 1717, to the quarterly and monthly meeting of friends in Great Britain and elſewhere.

OUR ſalutation in the love of Chriſt Jeſus our bleſſed Lord is freely extended to you, whoſe tender care over, and favour to this our annual aſſembly, we do humbly and thankfully acknowledge, in the love, amity, tender condeſcenſion, and peaceable procedure thereof, [260]with regard to the divine power and goodneſs of the Lord our God, and the ſervice of his church and people, ſincerely deſiring the proſperity of his whole heritage, even in all the churches of Chriſt among us, in his dear love, unity, and peace, to his eternal glory, and our univerſal comfort and perpetual joy in the kingdom of the dear Son of God.

We are truly comforted in that we underſtand there is ſuch a general concurrence and union among friends, which was our former earneſt deſires and counſel for true and univerſal love, unity, peace, and good order to be earneſtly endeavoured and maintained amongſt us, as a peculiar people choſen of the Lord out of this world, to bear a faithful teſtimony to his holy name and truth in all reſpects; and that all that is contrary be watched againſt and avoided, as ſtrife, diſcord, contentions, and diſputes tending to diviſions, may be utterly ſuppreſſed and la [...]d aſide, as the light and righteous judgment of truth require.

Oh! that all the churches and congregations of the faithful would be excited by the Spirit of the dear Son of God, fervently to pray for the proſperity of his church and people throughout the world, that Sion may more and more ſhine in the beauty of holineſs, to the glory and praiſe of the King of Glory.

The friends and brethren, come up from the ſeveral quarterly meetings in this nation, have given a good account, to this meeting, of truth's proſperity, and that friends are generally at love and unity with one another; and by ſeveral epiſtles from North Carolina, Jerſey, Penſylvania. Maryland, Barbadoes, Holland, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, which have been read in this meeting, as alſo by verbal accounts given by ſeveral friends that have lately travelled in divers parts of America and elſewhere, we have received comfortable a counts of the ſtate of truth and friends in thoſe parts, by which we are encouraged to hope truth prevails in many places, and a concern grows upon friends [261]for the proſperity thereof, and that there is an inclination in people to hear the truth declared.

By the accounts brought up this year we find, that friends ſuffering in England and Wales amount to 4290l. chiefly for tithes, prieſts wages, and ſteeplehouſe rates; and that notwithſtanding four friends were diſcharged laſt year, there yet remain twenty friends priſoners on theſe accounts.

We adviſe that a tender care remain upon friends, in all places, to be faithful in keeping up our Chriſtian teſtimony againſt tithes, as being juſtly perſuaded it is that whereunto God hath called his people in this our day, we ſeeing by daily experience that ſuch as are not faithful therein, do thereby add to the ſufferings of other friends, and hinder their own growth and proſperity in the moſt bleſſed truth.

As touching the education of friends children, for which this meeting hath always a tender concern, we think it neceſſary to recommend to you the neceſſity there is of a care of preſerving of them in a plainneſs of ſpeech and habit ſuitable to our holy profeſſion; and alſo that no opportunity be omitted, nor any endeavours wanting, to inſtruct them in the principles of truth which we profeſs, that thereby they being ſenſible of the operation thereof in themſelves, may find not only their ſpirits ſoftened and rendered fit to receive the impreſſions of the divine image, but may alſo from thence find themſelves under a neceſſity to appear clear in the ſeveral branches of our Chriſtian teſtimony: and as this will be moſt beneficial to them, being the fruits of conviction, ſo it is the moſt effectual way of propagating the ſame throughout the churches of Chriſt: and there being times and ſeaſons wherein their ſpirits are more than at others diſpoſed to have theſe things impreſſed upon them, ſo we deſire that all parents, and others concerned in the overſight of youth, might wait in the fear of God to know themſelves divinely qualified for that ſervice, that in [262]his wiſdom they may make uſe of every ſuch opportunity which the Lord ſhall put into their hands. And we do hereby warn and adviſe friends in all places to flee every appearance of evil, and to avoid pride, and following the vain faſhions and cuſtoms of this world, as recommended in our epiſtle 1715.

And as we always found it our concern to recommend love, unity, and concord in the churches of Chriſt every where, ſo, as a means to effect the ſame, we earneſtly deſire that friends, but more eſpecially ſuch who are concerned in meetings of buſineſs, do labour to know their own ſpirits, to be ſubjected by the ſpirit of truth, that thereby, being baptiſed into one body, they may be truly one in the foundation of their love and unity, and that therein they may all labour to find a nearneſs to each other in ſpirit, this being the true way to a thorough reconciliation, where-ever there is or may have been any difference of apprehenſion; thereby friends will be preſerved in that ſweetneſs of ſpirit that is and will be the bond of true peace throughout all the churches of Chriſt.

And, dear friends, the friends of this meeting, to whom the inſpection of the accounts was referred, made report, that having peruſed the ſame, they found the ſtock nearly expended; whereupon this meeting thinks it neceſſary to recommend unto you, that a general and free contribution be made in every county, and that what ſhall be thereupon collected be ſent up to the reſpective correſpondents.

Finally, dear friends and brethren, be careful to walk unblameable in love and peace among yourſelves, and towards all men in Chriſtian charity; and be humbly thankful to the Lord, our moſt gracious God, for the favour he hath given us in the eyes of the King and civil government, in the peaceable enjoyment of our religious and Chriſtian liberty under them; and the God of peace, we truſt, will be with you to the end.

[263]The grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt be with your ſpirits.

Signed in and on the behalf, and by the order of their meeting, by BENJ. BEALING.

NOTE, In 1696, an act was paſſed, that the ſolemn affirmation of the people called Quakers ſhall be deemed of the ſame force and validity in law as an oath. This act was renewed and confirmed, anno 1702, and again renewed and made perpetual, to extend to Scotland and the plantations, by act Geo. I. 1715. By act 8 Geo. I. cap. 6. they were further indulged to have the name of GOD ſtruck out of their ſolemn affirmation and declaration.

Account of the NON-JURORS.

THE NON-JURORS differ in little or nothing from the eſtabliſhed church of England in their eccleſiaſtical doctrine or diſcipline *. Their riſe and ſeparation from her was at the Revolution, and they were ſo denominated on account of their refuſing to take the oaths to King William and Queen Mary, as they have refuſed to do to the ſucceeding monarchs of this kingdom, de facto.

They maintain, that the doctrines of paſſive obedience and non-reſiſtance, and of the hereditary indefeaſible right of Sovereigns, were the diſtinguiſhing principles of [264]the church of England, in her political character; and that theſe doctrines were confirmed by every ſanction derived from the laws of God and man. By the ſecond canon of the church of England *, they affirm, the King therein mentioned is to be underſtood of that perſon who is poſſeſſed of the throne, according to the civil inſtitution of the hereditary Engliſh monarchy; and that whoever diſowns his authority, &c. incurs the ſentence of excommunication ipſo facto, according to that canon. They inſiſt, that if King James II. had a right, the compliers with the Revolution were by this canon excommunicated; as in depriving their rightful Sovereign, they diſavowed his authority, &c. King James had a right, they ſay, which he continued to claim till the day of his death; and that his ſon (whoſe right as a ſon they declare to be as unqueſtionable as his father's) has always kept up and aſſerted his claim. So much for their political creed.

With regard to their eccleſiaſtical tenets, they maintain the neceſſity of an uninterrupted ſucceſſion, from the Apoſtles, of thoſe who adminiſter Chriſt's ordinances: that the deprivation of Biſhops by lay-authority is invalid of itſelf, and ſhould not be acknowledged: that the interpoſition of lay-power has interrupted the ſucceſſion, as to all who ſubmit to, or own their interpoſition: that the authority of the church of England, and of conſequence the church of England itſelf, was reſident in the deprived Biſhops and clergy, and remains in the Non-Jurors, their ſucceſſors, who have immutably adhered to her true conſtitutions and principles: [265]and that all who depart from them are at leaſt in a ſtate of ſchiſm. To ſupport theſe tenets, they advance, that the canonical metropolitan Archbiſhop Sancroft was not only diſplaced, but Dr. Tillotſon, a ſubject preſbyter of his, placed in his room; and when God had removed him, another, Dr. Tenniſon, was ſet up in his place as head of the ſchiſm: that under the Biſhops, who actually did this, or thoſe who approve of ſuch doings, by joining in communion with them, in oppoſition to the true canonical Biſhops, have all the parochial clergy acted, and joined with them againſt the canonical deprived Prelates, and their ſucceſſors; and being thus joined with them, they become ſchiſmatics; and that thoſe, tho' canonically ordained and placed over a flock, yet by cloſing with ſchiſmatics, have forfeited all the privileges of their function, and cannot diſpenſe the ordinances of religion, with any benefit.

The Non-Jurors of Scotland maintain the ſame principles with thoſe of England; they both make uſe of the book of Common Prayer in their worſhip; tho' the Scots generally officiate by the communion ſervice in the prayer-book, compoſed for their country in the reign of King Charles I.

Dr. Hicks, Dr. Kettlewell, the Rev. Mr. John Lindſay, and others their champions, have written learned treatiſes, in defence of their principles; and the Non-Jurors aver that the above, with Dr. Charles Leſlie *, have publiſhed more in their behalf, than all their adverſaries (and even the late Dr. Benjamin Hoadley , the learned Biſhop of Wincheſter) have been able to refute. [See more, to make this hiſtory complete, pages 2 and 5 of this volume, and note p. 24.]

[266]The Non-Jurors are dwindling away inſenſibly; the zeal which actuated the firſt adherents to their principles, does not ſeem to operate ſo forcibly upon their children and deſcendants, and, perhaps, in half a century, there may be none ſuch in being. As conſcientious perſons they certainly merit the indulgence of the government, whilſt they behave with that reſpect and inoffenſiveneſs it has a right to expect from them, and which are cultivated by the ſenſible perſons of their perſuaſion.

The Hiſtory of the LUTHERANS.

SO much has been already neceſſarily ſaid of Luther, the progreſs and eſtabliſhment of his opinions, and the doctrines of the Lutheran church, in vol. ii. of this work, p. 115—122, and p. 128—130, as to render any thing further on that head ſuperfluous, and therefore I content myſelf with referring my readers to that volume.

The Hiſtory of the METHODISTS.

COntrary to my uſual method, I think proper to begin with the principles of this popular ſect, before I give an account of their riſe and progreſs; and, firſt, I ſhall lay before my readers the character of a Methodiſt, as drawn by the Rev. Mr. John Weſley, who, tho' he may differ in a few points from the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield, the founder of Methodiſm, yet ſpeaks, in moſt things, the ſenſe of the whole body .

[267]

1. The diſtinguiſhing marks of a Methodiſt are not his opinions of any ſort. His aſſenting to this or that ſcheme of religion, his embracing any particular ſet of notions, his eſpouſing the judgment of one man or of another, are all quite wide of the point. Whoſoever therefore imagines, that a Methodiſt is, a man of ſuch or ſuch an opinion, is groſly ignorant of the whole affair: he miſtakes the truth totally. We believe indeed, that all ſcripture is given by inſpiration of God; and herein we are diſtinguiſhed from Jews, Turks, and Infidels. We believe the written word of God to be the only and ſufficient rule, both of Chriſtian faith and practice; and herein we are fundamentally diſtinguiſhed from thoſe of the Romiſh church. We believe Chriſt to be the eternal ſupreme God; and herein are we diſtinguiſhed from the Socinians and Arians. But as to all opinions which do not ſtrike at the root of Chriſtianity, we think and let think. So that whatſoever they are, whether right or wrong, they are no diſtinguiſhing marks of a Methodiſt.

2. Neither are words or phraſes of any ſort. We do not place our religion, or any part of it, in being attached to any peculiar mode of ſpeaking, any quaint or uncommon ſet of expreſſions. The moſt obvious, eaſy, common words, wherein our meaning can be conveyed, we prefer before others, both on ordinary occaſions, and when we ſpeak of the things of God. We never therefore willingly or deſignedly deviate from the moſt uſual way of ſpeaking; unleſs when we expreſs ſcripture truths in ſcripture words (which we preſume no Chriſtian will condemn.) Neither do we affect to uſe any particular expreſſions of ſcripture, more frequently than others, unleſs they are ſuch as are more frequently uſed by the inſpired writers themſelves. So that it is as groſs an error, to place the marks of a Methodiſt in his words, as in opinions of any ſort.

3. Nor do we deſire to be diſtinguiſhed by actions, cuſtoms, or uſages, of an indifferent nature. Our religion [268]does not lie in doing what God hath not enjoined, or abſtaining from what he hath not forbidden. It does not lie in the form of our apparel, in the poſture of our body, or the covering of our heads; nor yet in abſtaining from marriage, nor from meats and drinks, which are all good if received with thankſgiving. Therefore neither will any man who knows whereof he affirms, fix the mark of a Methodiſt here; in any actions or cuſtoms purely indifferent, undertermined by the word of God.

4. Nor, laſtly, is he to be diſtinguiſhed by laying the whole ſtreſs of religion on any ſingle part of it. If you ſay, "Yes, he is; for he thinks we are ſaved by faith alone:" I anſwer, you do not underſtand the terms. By ſalvation he means, holineſs of heart and life. And this he affirms to ſpring from true faith alone. Can even a nominal Chriſtian deny it? Is this placing a part of religion for the whole? Do we then make void the law thro' faith? God forbid! Yea we eſtabliſh the law. We do not place the whole of religion (as too many do, God knoweth) either in doing no harm, or in doing good, or in uſing the ordinances of God: No, nor in all of them together; wherein we know, by experience, a man may labour many years, and at the end have no true religion at all, no more than he had at the beginning. Much leſs in any one of theſe; or, it may be in a ſcrap of one of them: like her who fancies herſelf a virtuous woman, only becauſe ſhe is not a proſtitute; or him who dreams he is an honeſt man, merely becauſe he does not rob or ſteal. May the Lord God of my fathers preſerve me from ſuch a poor, ſtarved religion as this! Were this the mark of a Methodiſt, I would ſooner chuſe to be a ſincere Jew, Turk, or Pagan.

5. What then is the mark? Who is a Methodiſt according to your own account? I anſwer: A Methodiſt is one, who has the love of God ſhed abroad in his heart, by the Holy Ghoſt given unto him: one [269]who loves the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his ſoul, and with all his mind, and with all his ſtrength. God is the joy of his heart, and the deſire of his ſoul; which is conſtantly crying out, "Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I deſire beſide thee! My God and my all! thou art the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever!"

6. He is therefore happy in God, yea always happy, as having in him a well of water, ſpringing up into everlaſting life, and overflowing his ſoul with peace and joy. Perfect love having now caſt out fear, he rejoices evermore. He rejoices in the Lord always, even in God his Saviour: and in the Father, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom he hath now received the atonement. Having found redemption thro' his blood, the forgivenneſs of his ſins, he cannot but rejoice, whenever he looks back on the horrible pit out of which he is delivered, when he ſees all his tranſgreſſions blotted out as a cloud, and his iniquities as a thick cloud. He cannot but rejoice, whenever he looks on the ſtate wherein he now is, being juſtified freely, and having peace with God, thro' our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. For he that believeth hath the witneſs of this in himſelf: being now the Son of God by faith; becauſe he is a Son, God hath ſent forth the Spirit of his Son into his heart, crying out, Abba, Father! And the Spirit itſelf beareth witneſs with his ſpirit, that he is a child of God. He rejoiceth alſo, whenever he looks forward in hope of the glory that ſhall be revealed: yea, this his joy is full, and all his bones cry out, Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten me again to a living hope—of an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reſerved in heaven for me.

7. And he who hath this hope thus full of immortality, in every thing giveth thanks; as knowing that this (whatſoever it is) is the will of God in Chriſt Jeſus [270]concerning him. From him therefore he chearfully receives all, ſaying, Good is the will of the Lord; and whether the Lord giveth or taketh away, equally bleſſing the name of the Lord. For he hath learned in whatſoever ſtare he is, therewith to be content. He knoweth both how to be abaſed, and how to abound. Every where and in all things he is inſtructed, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to ſuffer need. Whether in eaſe or pain, whether in ſickneſs or health, whether in life or death, he giveth thanks from the ground of the heart to him who orders it for good: knowing that as every good gift cometh from above, ſo none but good can come from the Father of Light, into whoſe hands he has wholly committed his body and ſoul, as into the hands of a faithful Creator. He is therefore careful (anxiouſly or uneaſily careful) for nothing; as having caſt all his care on him that careth for him, and in all things reſting on him, after making his requeſt known to him with thankſgiving.

8. For indeed he prays without ceaſing. It is given him always to pray and not to faint. Not that he is always in the houſe of prayer; tho' he neglects no opportunity of being there. Neither is he always on his knees, altho' he often is, or on his face, before the Lord his God. Nor yet is he always crying aloud to God, or calling upon him in words. For many times the Spirit maketh interceſſion for him with groans that cannot be uttered: but at all times the language of his heart is this, "Thou brightneſs of the eternal glory, unto thee is my mouth, tho' without a voice, and my ſilence ſpeaketh unto thee." And this is true prayer, —the lifting up the heart to God. This is the eſſence of prayer, and this alone. But his heart is ever lifted up to God, at all times and in all places. In this he is never hindered, much leſs interrupted by any perſon or thing. In retirement, or company, in leiſure, buſineſs or converſation, his heart is ever with the Lord. Whether he lie down or riſe up, God is in all his thoughts; [271]he walks with God continually, having the loving eye of his mind ſtill fixed upon him, and every where ſeeing him that is inviſible.

9. And while he thus always exerciſes his love to God, by praying without ceaſing, rejoicing evermore, and in every thing giving thanks, this commandment is written in his heart, that he who loveth God, loves his brother alſo. And he accordingly loves his neighbour as himſelf; he loves every man as his own ſoul. His heart is full of love to all mankind, to every child of the Father of the ſpirits of all fleſh. That a man is not perſonally known to him, is no bar to his love: no, nor that he is known to be ſuch as he approves not, that he repays hatred for his good-will; for he loves his enemies, yea and the enemies of God, the evil and the unthankful: and if it be not in his power to do good to them that hate him, yet he ceaſes not to pray for them, though they continue to ſpurn his love, and ſtill deſpitefully uſe him and perſecute him.

10. For he is pure in heart. The love of God has purified his heart from all revengeful paſſions, from envy, malice, and wrath, from every unkind temper or malign affection. It hath cleanſed him from pride and haughtineſs of ſpirit, whereof alone cometh contention; and he hath now put on bowels of mercies, kindneſs, humbleneſs of mind, meekneſs, long ſuffering: ſo that he forbears and forgives, if he had a quarrel againſt any, even as God in Chriſt hath forgiven him. And indeed all poſſible ground for contention, on his part, is utterly cut off; for none can take from him what he deſires, ſeeing he loves not the world, nor any of the things of the world, being now crucified to the world, and the world crucified to him; being dead to all that is in the world, both to the luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eye, and the pride of life; for all his deſire is unto God, and to the remembrance of his name.

11. Agreeable to this his one deſire, is the one deſire of his life, namely, not to do his own will, but the [272]will of him that ſent him. His one intention at all times, and in all things, is, not to pleaſe himſelf, but him whom his ſoul loveth. He has a ſingle eye; and becauſe his eye is ſingle, his whole body is full of light. Indeed, where the loving eye of the ſoul is continually fixed upon God, there can be no darkneſs at all, but the whole is light, as when the bright ſhining of a candle doth enlighten the houſe God then reigns alone. All that is in the ſoul is holineſs to the Lord. There is not a motion in his heart but is according to his will. Every thought that ariſes points to him, and is in obedience to the law of Chriſt.

12. And the tree is known by its fruits; for as he loves God, ſo he keeps his commandments; not only ſome, or moſt of them, but all, from the leaſt to the greateſt. He is not content to keep the whole law, and offend in one point, but has in all points a conſcience void of offence towards God and towards man. Whatever God has forbidden, he avoids; whatever God hath enjoined, he doth; and that whether it be little or great, hard or eaſy, joyous or grievous to the fleſh. He runs the ways of God's commandments, now he hath ſet his heart at liberty. It is his glory ſo to do; it is his daily crown of rejoicing, to do the will of God on earth, as it is done in heaven; knowing it is the higheſt privilege of the angels of God, of thoſe that excel in ſtrength, to fulfil his commandments, and hearken to the voice of his word.

13. All the commandments of God he accordingly keeps, and that with all his might; for his obedience is in proportion to his love, the ſource from whence it flows; and therefore, loving God with all his heart, he ſerves him with all his ſtrength. He continually preſents his ſoul and body a living ſacrifice, holy, acceptable to God; entirely and without reſerve devoting himſelf, all he has, and all he is, to his glory. All the talents he has received he conſtantly employs, according to his Maſter's will; every power and faculty [273]of his ſoul, every member of his body. Once he yielded them unto ſin and the devil, as inſtruments of unrighteouſneſs: but now, being alive from the dead, he yields them all, as inſtruments of righteouſneſs, unto God.

14. By conſequence, whatſoever he doth, it is all to the glory of God. In all his employments of every kind, he not only aims at this (which is implied in having a ſingle eye) but actually attains it. His buſineſs and refreſhments, as well as his prayers, all ſerve to this great end. Whether he ſit in his houſe or walk by the way, whether he lie down or riſe up, he is promoting in all he ſpeaks or does, the one buſineſs of his life: whether he put on his apparel, or labour, or eat and drink, or divert himſelf from too waſting labour, it all tends to advance the glory of God, by peace and good-will among men. His one invariable rule is this, Whatſoever ye do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jeſus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

15. Nor do the cuſtoms of the world at all hinder his running the race that is ſet before him. He knows that vice does not loſe its nature, though it becomes ever ſo faſhionable; and remembers, that every man is to give an account of himſelf to God. He cannot, therefore, even follow a multitude to do evil. He cannot fare ſumptuouſly every day, or make proviſion for the fleſh to fulfil the luſts thereof. He cannot lay up treaſures upon earth, no more than he can take fire into his boſom. He cannot adorn himſelf (on any pretence) with gold or coſtly apparel; he cannot join in, or countenance any diverſion which has the leaſt tendency to vice of any kind. He cannot ſpeak evil of his neighbour, no more than he can lie, either for God or man. He cannot utter an unkind word of any one; for love-keeps the door of his lips. He cannot ſpeak idle words: no corrupt communication ever comes out of his mouth, as is all that which is not good, to the [274]uſe of edifying, not fit to miniſter grace to the hearers. But whatſoever things are pure, whatſoever things are lovely, whatſoever things are juſtly of good report, he thinks, and ſpeaks, and acts, adorning the doctrine of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt in all things.

16. Laſtly, as he has time, he does good unto all men; unto neighbours and ſtrangers, friends and enemies; and that in every poſſible kind; not only to their bodies, by feeding the hungry, cloathing the naked, viſiting thoſe that are ſick or in priſon; but much more does he labour to do good to their ſouls, as of the ability which God giveth: to awaken thoſe that ſleep in death; to bring thoſe who are awakened to the atoning blood, that, being juſtified by faith, they may have peace with God, and to provoke thoſe who have peace with God to abound more in love and in good works; and he is willing to ſpend and be ſpent herein, even to be offered up on the ſacrifice and ſervice of their faith, ſo they may all come unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſs of Chriſt.

17. Theſe are the principles and practices of our ſect, theſe are the marks of a true Methodiſt. By theſe alone do thoſe who are in deriſion ſo called, deſire to be diſtinguiſhed from other men. If any man ſay, "Why theſe are only the common, fundamental principles of Chriſtianity!" Thou haſt ſaid: ſo I mean; this is the very truth; I know they are no other; and I would to God both thou and all men knew, that I, and all who follow my judgment, do vehemently refuſe to be diſtinguiſhed from other men, by any but the common principles of Chriſtianity. The plain, old Chriſtianity that I teach, renouncing and deteſting all other m [...]rks of diſtinction; and whoſoever is what I preach (let him be called what he will, for names change not the nature of things) he is a Chriſtian, not in name only, but in heart and in life. He is inwardly and outwardly conformed to the will of God, as revealed in the written word. He thinks, ſpeaks, and [275]lives according to the method laid down in the Revelation of Jeſus Chriſt. His ſoul is renewed after the image of God, in righteouſneſs and in all true holineſs; and having the mind that was in Chriſt, he ſo walks as Chriſt alſo walked.

18. By theſe marks, by theſe fruits of a living faith do we labour to diſtinguiſh ourſelves from the unbelieving world, from all thoſe whoſe minds or lives are not according to the goſpel of Chriſt. But from real Chriſtians, of whatſoever denomination they be, we earneſtly deſire not to be diſtinguiſhed at all; not from any who ſincerely follow after what they know they have not yet attained. No: whoſoever doth the will of my Father which is in heaven, the ſame is my brother, and ſiſter, and mother: and I beſeech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that we be in no wiſe divided among ourſelves. Is thy heart right, as my hart is with thine? I aſk no farther queſtion. If it be, give me thy hand. For opinions, or terms, let us not deſtroy the work of God. Doſt thou love and ſerve God? it is enough. I give thee the right-hand of fellowſhip. If there be any conſolation in Chriſt, if any comfort of love, if any fellowſhip of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, let us ſtrive together for the faith of the goſpel, walking worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, with all lowlineſs and meekneſs, with long-ſuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit, in the bond of peace; remembering there is one body and one ſpirit, even as we are called with one hope of our calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptiſm; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all!

The PRINCIPLES of a METHODIST, by the ſame Author. Of Juſtification by Faith.

I believe juſtification by faith alone; for I am firmly perſuaded, that every man of the offspring of [276]Adam is very far gone from original righteouſneſs, and is of his own nature inclined to evil: that this corruption of our nature, in every perſon born into the world, deſerves God's wrath and damnation: that therefore, if ever we receive the remiſſion of our ſins, and are accounted righteous before God, it muſt be only for the merits of Chriſt, by faith, and not for our own works or deſervings of any kind. Nay, I am perſuaded, that all works done before juſtification have in them the nature of ſin; and that conſequently, till he is juſtified, a man has no power to do any work which is pleaſing and acceptable to God.

I believe three things muſt go together in our juſtification; upon God's part, his great mercy and grace; upon Chriſt's part, the ſatisfaction of God's juſtice, by the offering his body, and ſhedding his blood, and fulfilling the law of God perfectly; and upon our part, true and living faith in the merits of Jeſus Chriſt: ſo that in our juſtification there is not only God's mercy and grace, but his juſtice alſo: and ſo the grace of God does not ſhut out the righteouſneſs of God in our juſtification, but only ſhuts out the righteouſneſs of man, that is, the righteouſneſs of our works; and therefore St. Paul requires nothing on the part of man, but only a true and living faith. Yet this faith does not ſhut out repentance, hope, and love, which are joined with faith in every man that is juſtified; but it ſhuts them out from the office of juſtifying; ſo that although they are all preſent together in him that is juſtified, yet they juſtify not all together. Neither does faith ſhut out good works, neceſſarily to be done afterwards; but we may not do them to this intent, to be juſtified by doing them. Our juſtification comes freely, of the mere mercy of God: for whereas all the world was not able to pay any part towards their ranſom, it pleaſed him, without any of our deſerving, to prepare for us Chriſt's body and blood, whereby our ranſom might be paid, his law fulfilled, and his juſtice [277]ſatisfied. Chriſt therefore is now the righteouſneſs of all them that truly believe in him. He for them paid the ranſom by his death. He for them fulfilled the law in his life. So that now in him, and by him, every believer may be called a fulfiller of the law.

But let it be obſerved, the true ſenſe of thoſe words, "we are juſtified by faith in Chriſt only," is not, that this our own act, to believe in Chriſt, or this our faith which is within us, juſtifies us (for that were to account ourſelves to be juſtified by ſome act or virtue that is within us): but that altho' we have faith, hope, and love within us, and do never ſo many good works, yet we muſt renounce the merit of all, of faith, hope, love, and all other virtues and good works, which we either have done, ſhall do, or can do, as far too weak to deſerve our juſtification: for which therefore we muſt truſt only in God's mercy, and the merits of Chriſt. For it is he alone that taketh away our ſins. To him alone are we to go for this; ſorſaking all our virtues, good words, thoughts, and works, and putting our truſt in Chriſt only. In ſtrictneſs therefore, neither our faith nor our works juſtify us, i. e. deſerve the remiſſion of our ſins: but God himſelf juſtifies us, of his own mercy, through the merits of his Son only. Nevertheleſs, becauſe by faith we embrace the promiſe of God's mercy, and of the remiſſion of our ſins, therefore the ſcripture ſays, that faith does juſtify, yea, faith without works. And as it is all one to ſay, faith without works, and faith alone juſtifies us, therefore the antient fathers from time to time ſpeak thus; Faith alone juſtifies us. And becauſe we receive faith thro' the only merits of Chriſt, and not thro' the merit of any virtue we have, or work we do; therefore in that reſpect we renounce, as it were, again, faith, works, and all other virtues. For our corruption thro' original ſin is ſo great, that all our faith, charity, words, and works, cannot merit or deſerve any part of our juſtification for us: and therefore we thus ſpeak, humbling [278]ourſelves before God, and giving Chriſt all the glory of our juſtification. But it ſhould alſo be obſerved, what that faith is, whereby we are juſtified. Now that faith which brings not forth good works, is not a living faith, but a dead and deviliſh one. For even the devils believe, "That Chriſt was born of a virgin, that he wrought all kind of miracles, declaring himſelf to be very God; that for our ſakes he died and roſe again, and aſcended into heaven, and at the end of the world ſhall come again, to judge the quick and the dead." This the devils believe, and ſo they believe all that is written in the Old and New Teſtament; and yet ſtill, for all this faith, they are but devils. They remain ſtill in their damnable eſtate, lacking the true Chriſtian faith. The true Chriſtian faith is, not only to believe the holy ſcriptures and articles of our faith are true, but alſo to have a ſure truſt and confidence to be ſaved from everlaſting damnation by Chriſt, whereof doth follow a loving heart, to obey his commandments. And this faith neither any devil hath, nor any wicked man. No ungodly man hath or can have this ſure truſt and confidence in God, that by the merits of Chriſt his ſins are forgiven, and be reconciled to the favour of God.

Of CHRISTIAN PERFECTION.

Perhaps the general prejudice againſt Chriſtian perfection may chiefly ariſe from a miſapprehenſion of the nature of it. We willingly allow, and continually declare, there is no ſuch perfection, in this life, as implies a diſpenſation from doing good, and attending all the ordinances of God; or a freedom from ignorance, miſtake, temptation, and a thouſand infirmities neceſſarily connected with fleſh and blood. Firſt, we not only allow, but earneſtly contend (as for the faith once delivered to the ſaints) that there is no ſuch perfection in this life, as implies any diſpenſation from attending [279]all the ordinances of God, or from doing good unto all men while we have time, tho' eſpecially unto the houſhold of faith. And whoſoever they are who have taught otherwiſe, we are convinced are not taught of God. We dare not receive them, neither bid them God ſpeed, leſt we be partakers of their evil deeds. We believe that not only the babes in Chriſt, who have newly found redemption in his blood, but thoſe alſo, who are grown up unto perfect men, unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſs of Chriſt, are indiſpenſibly obliged (and that they are obliged thereto is their glory and crown of rejoicing) as oft as they have opportunity to eat bread and drink wine, in remembrance of him; to ſearch the ſcriptures; by faſting (as well as temperance) to keep their bodies under, and bring them into ſubjection; and above all, to pour out their ſouls in prayer, both ſecretly, and in the great congregation. We ſecondly believe, and therefore ſpeak, and that unto all men, and with much aſſurance, that there is no ſuch perfection in this life, as implies an entire deliverance, either from ignorance or miſtake in things not eſſential to ſalvation, or from manifold temptations, or from numberleſs infirmities, wherewith the corruptible body, more or leſs, preſſes down the ſoul. This is the ſame thing which we have ſpoken from the beginning; if any teach otherwiſe, they are not of us. We cannot find any ground in ſcripture to ſuppoſe, that any inhabitant of an houſe of clay is wholly exempt either from bodily infirmities, or from ignorance of many things; or to imagine any mere man is incapable of miſtake, or of falling into divers temptations: No; the diſciple is not above his maſter, nor the ſervant above his Lord. It is enough that every one who is perfect ſhall be as his maſter. But what then, it may be aſked, do you mean by one that is perfect, or one that is as his maſter? We mean, one in whom is the mind which was in Chriſt, and who ſo walketh as he alſo walked; a man that hath [280]clean hands and a pure heart; or that is cleanſed from all filthineſs of fleſh and ſpirit: one in whom there is no occaſion of ſtumbling, and who accordingly doth not commit ſin. To declare this a little more particularly, we underſtand by that ſcriptural expreſſion a perfect man, one in whom God hath fulfilled his faithful word, "From all your filthineſs and from all your idols will I cleanſe you.—I will alſo ſave you from all your uncleanneſſes." We underſtand hereby, one whom God hath ſanctified throughout, even in body, ſoul, and ſpirit: one who walketh in the light, as he is in the light, in whom is no darkneſs at all; the blood of Jeſus Chriſt his Son having cleanſed him from all ſin. This man can now teſtify to all mankind, I am crucified with Chriſt; nevertheleſs I live; yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me. He is holy, as God who hath called him is holy, both in heart and in all manner of converſation. He loveth the Lord his God with all his heart, and ſerveth him with all his ſtrength. He loveth his neighbour (every man) as himſelf; yea, as Chriſt loved us: them in particular that deſpitefully uſe him and perſecute him, becauſe they know not the Son, neither the Father. Indeed his ſoul is all love, filled with bowels of mercies, kindneſs, meekneſs, gentleneſs, long ſuffering. And his life agreeth thereto, full of the work of faith, the patience of hope, the labour of love: and whatſoever he doth either in word or deed, he doth it all in the name, in the love and power of the Lord Jeſus. In a word, he doth the will of God on earth, as it is done in heaven. This it is to be a perfect man, to be ſanctified throughout, created anew in Chriſt Jeſus: even to have a heart ſo all-flaming with the love of God (to uſe Archbiſhop Uſher's words) as continually to offer up every thought, word, and work, as a ſpiritual ſacrifice, acceptable unto God thro' Chriſt. In every thought of our hearts, in every word of our tongues, in every work of our hands, to ſhew forth his praiſe, who hath called us out of darkneſs, [281]into his marvellous light! O that both we, and all who ſeek the Lord Jeſus in ſincerity, may thus be made perfect in one!

If there be any-thing unſcriptural in theſe words, any-thing wild or extravagant, any-thing contrary to the analogy of faith, or the experience of adult Chriſtians, let them ſmite me friendly and reprove me; let them impart to me of the clearer light God has given them. How knoweſt thou, O man, but thou mayeſt gain thy brother? but he may at length come to the knowledge of the truth? and thy labour of love, ſhewn forth with meekneſs of wiſdom, may not be in vain?

Of the ASSURANCES of JUSTIFICATION.

I believe that converſion (meaning thereby juſtification) is an inſtantaneous work; and the moment a man has living faith in Chriſt, he is converted or juſtified: which faith [...]e cannot have, without knowing that he has it.

I believe the moment a man is juſtified he has peace with God: which he cannot have, without knowing that he has it.

The firſt ſenſe of forgiveneſs is often mixed with doubt or fear: but the full aſſurance of faith excludes all doubt and fear, as the very term implies.

I believe to be juſtified is the ſame as to be born of God; and he that is born of God ſinneth not. Which deliverance from ſin he cannot have, without knowing that he has it.

Of the CONDITIONS of JUSTIFICATION.

I believe every man is penitent before he is juſtified; he repents, before he believes the goſpel. But it is never before, and generally long after he is juſtified, [282]that Chriſt is formed in him; and that this penitence and contrition is the work of the Holy Ghoſt.

Yet I believe that all this is nothing towards, and has no influence on our juſtification.

Again, I believe that in order to obtain juſtification I muſt go ſtrait to Chriſt, with all my ungodlineſs, and plead nothing elſe.

Yet I believe we ſhould not inſiſt upon any-thing we do or feel, as if it were neceſſarily previous to juſtification. No, not on any-thing elſe.

Of the EFFECTS of JUSTIFICATION.

I believe a man may have a ſtrong aſſurance he is juſtified, and not be able to affirm he is a child of God.

A man may be fully aſſured that his ſins are forgiven, yet may not be able to tell the day when he received this full aſſurance; becauſe it grew up in him by degrees.

A man may have a weak faith, at the ſame time that he has peace with God, and no unholy deſires.

A man may be juſtified, who has not a clean heart, neither the indwelling of the ſpirit.

To ſum up the whole, Mr. Weſley deſires not a more conſiſtent account of his principles than the following words:

Our ſpiritual ſtate ſhould be conſidered, and diſtinctly, under each of theſe views.

1. Before juſtification; in which ſtate we may be ſaid to be unable to do any-thing acceptable to God: becauſe then we can do nothing but come to Chriſt; which ought not to be conſidered as doing any-thing, but as ſupplicating (or waiting) to receive a power of doing for the time to come. For the preventing grace of God, which is common to all, is ſufficient to bring us to Chriſt, though it is not ſufficient to carry us any farther, till we are juſtified.

[283]2. After juſtification. The moment a man comes to Chriſt (by faith) he is juſtified, and born again; that is, he is born again in the imperfect ſenſe (for there are two [if not more] degrees of regeneration); and he has power over all the ſtirrings and motions of ſin, but not a total freedom from them. He has Chriſt with him, but not Chriſt in him. Therefore he hath not yet, in the full and proper ſenſe, a new and clean heart, or the indwelling of the ſpirit. But being expoſed to various temptations, he may, and will fall again from this condition, if he doth not attain to a more excellent gift.

3. Sanctification; the laſt and higheſt ſtate of perfection in this life. For then are the faithful born again in the full and perfect ſenſe. Then have they the indwelling of the ſpirit. Then is there given unto them a new and clean heart, and the ſtruggle between the old and new man is over.

Mr. Weſley, in An earneſt Appeal to Men of Reaſon and Religion, thus further expreſſes himſelf in regard to the principles of the Methodiſts:

Although it is with us a very ſmall thing to be judged of you or of man's judgment, ſeeing we know God will make our innocency as clear as the light, and our juſt dealing as the noon-day; yet are we ready to give any that are willing to hear, a plain account both of our principles and actions; as having renounced the hidden things of ſhame, and deſiring nothing more, than by manifeſtation of the truth to commend ourſelves to every man's conſcience in the ſight of God.

We ſee (and who does not) the numberleſs follies and miſeries of our fellow-creatures. We ſee on every ſide, either men of no religion at all, or men of a lifeleſs, formal religion. We are grieved at the ſight, and ſhould greatly rejoice, if by any means we might convince ſome, that there is a better religion to be attained, a religion worthy of God that gave it. And this we [284]conceive to be no other than love; the love of God and of all mankind; the loving God with all our heart, and ſoul, and ſtrength, as having firſt loved us, as the fountain of all the good we have received, and of all we ever hope to enjoy; and the loving every ſoul which God hath made, every man on earth, as our own ſoul.

This love we believe to be the medicine of life, the never-failing remedy, for all the evils of a diſordered world, for all the miſeries and vices of men. Wherever this is, there are virtue and happineſs, going hand-in-hand. There is humbleneſs of mind, gentleneſs, long-ſuffering, the whole image of God, and at the ſame time a peace that paſſeth all underſtanding, and joy unſpeakable and full of glory.

This religion we long to ſee eſtabliſhed in the world, a religion of love and joy and peace, having its ſeat in the heart, in the inmoſt ſoul, but ever ſhewing itſelf, by its fruits, continually ſpringing forth not only in all innocence (for love worketh no ill to his neighbour) but likewiſe in every kind of beneficence, ſpreading virtue and happineſs all around it.

This religion have we been following after for many years, as many know if they would teſtify: but all this time, ſeeking wiſdom we found it not; we were ſpending our ſtrength in vain. And being now under full conviction of this, we declare it to all mankind: for we deſire not that others ſhould wander out of the way, as we have done before them; but rather that they may profit by our loſs, that they may go (tho' we did not, having then no man to guide us) the ſtreight way to the religion of love, even by faith.

Now faith, ſuppoſing the ſcripture to be of God, is the demonſtrative evidence of things unſeen, the ſupernatural evidence of things inviſible, not perceivable by eyes of fleſh, or by any of our natural ſenſes or faculties. Faith is that divine evidence, whereby the ſpiritual man diſcerneth God and the things of God. It is with regard to the ſpiritual world, what ſenſe is with [285]regard to the natural. It is the ſpiritual ſenſation of every ſoul that is born of God.

Perhaps you have not conſidered it in this view; I will then explain it a little further.

Faith, according to the ſcriptural account, is the eye of the new born ſoul. Hereby every true believer in God ſeeth him who is inviſible. Hereby (in a more particular manner ſince life and immortality have been brought to light by the goſpel) he ſeeth the light of the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt; and, beholdeth what manner of love it is, which the Father hath beſtowed upon us, that we (who are born of the Spirit) ſhould be called the ſons of God.

It is the ear of the ſoul, whereby a ſinner hears the voice of the Son of God and lives; even that voice which alone wakes the dead, Son, thy ſins are forgiven thee.

It is (if I may be allowed the expreſſion) the palate of the ſoul: for hereby a believer taſtes the good word, and the powers of the world to come; and hereby he both taſtes and ſees that God is gracious, yea, and merciful to him a ſinner.

It is the feeling of the ſoul, whereby a believer perceives, thro' the power of the Higheſt overſhadowing him, both the exiſtence and the preſence of him, in whom he lives, moves, and has his being; and indeed the whole inviſible world, the entire ſyſtem of things eternal. And hereby, in particular, he feels the love of God ſhed abroad in his heart.

By this faith we are ſaved from all uneaſineſs of mind, from the anguiſh of a wounded ſpirit, from diſcontent, from fear, and ſorrow of heart, and from that inexpreſſible liſtleſsneſs and wearineſs, both of the world and of ourſelves, which we had ſo helpleſly laboured under for many years; eſpecially when we were out of the hurry of the world, and ſunk into calm reflection. In this we find that love of God, and of all mankind, which we had elſewhere ſought in vain. This we know [286]and feel, and therefore cannot but declare ſaves every one that partakes of it, both from ſin and miſery, from every unhappy and every unholy temper.

If you aſk, "Why then have not all men this faith? all at leaſt who conceive it to be ſo happy a thing? why do they not believe immediately?"

We anſwer (on the ſcripture-hypotheſis) It is the gift of God. No man is able to work it in himſelf. It is a work of Omnipotence. It requires no leſs power thus to quicken a dead ſoul, than to raiſe a body that lies in the grave. It is a new creation; and none can create a ſoul anew but he who at firſt created the heavens and the earth.

May not your own experience teach you this? Can you give yourſelf this faith? Is it now in your power to ſee, or hear, or taſte, or feel God? Have you already, or can you raiſe in yourſelf, any perception of God, or of an inviſible world? I ſuppoſe you do not deny that there is an inviſible world: you will not charge it in poor old Heſiod, to Chriſtian prejudice of education, when he ſays, in thoſe well-known words,

Millions of ſpiritual creatures walk the earth
Unſeen, whether we wake, or if we ſleep.

Now, is there any power in your ſoul, whereby you diſcern either theſe, or him that created them? Or, can all your wiſdom and ſtrength open an intercourſe between yourſelf and the world of ſpirits? Is it in your power to burſt the veil that is on your heart, and let in the light of eternity? You know it is not. You not only do not, but cannot (by your own ſtrength) thus believe. The more you labour ſo to do, the more you will be convinced, it is the gift of God.

It is the free gift of God, which he beſtows not on thoſe who are worthy of his favour, not on ſuch as are previouſly holy, and ſo fit to be crowned with all the bleſſings of his goodneſs; but on the ungodly and unholy; on thoſe who, till that hour, were fit only for everlaſting deſtruction; thoſe in whom was no good [287]thing, and whoſe only plea was, God be merciful to me a ſinner. No merit, no goodneſs in man, precedes the forgiving love of God. His pardoning mercy ſuppoſes nothing in us but a ſenſe of mere ſin and miſery: and to all who ſee, and feel, and own their wants, and their utter inability to remove them, God freely gives faith, for the ſake of him in whom he is always well pleaſed.

This is a ſhort rude ſketch of the doctrine we teach. Theſe are our fundamental principles; and we ſpend our lives in confirming others herein, and in a behaviour ſuitable to them.

After a great deal of ſhrewd and pertinent reaſoning, he goes on to vindicate theſe doctrines in a manner peculiar to himſelf.

Perhaps the firſt thing that now occurs to your mind relates to the doctrine which we teach. You have heard that we ſay, "Men may live without ſin;" and have you not heard, that the ſcripture ſays the ſame (we mean, without committing ſin)? Does not St. Paul ſay plainly, that thoſe who believe do not continue in?—that they cannot live any longer therein? Rom. vi. 1, 2. Does not St. Peter ſay, He that hath ſuffered in the fleſh hath ceaſed from ſin?—that he no longer ſhould live—to the deſires of men, but to the will of God? 1 Pet. iv. 1, 2. And does not St. John ſay moſt expreſsly, He that committeth ſin is of the devil?—For this purpoſe the Son of God was manifeſt, that he might deſtroy the works of the devil. Whoſoever is born of God, doth not commit ſin; for his ſeed remaineth in him, and he cannot commit ſin, becauſe he is born of God, 1 John iii. 8, &c. And again, We know that whoſoever is born of God ſinneth not, ch. v. 18.

You ſee, then, it is not we that ſay this, but the Lord. Theſe are not our words, but his. And who is he that replieth againſt God? Who is able to make God a liar? Surely he will be juſtified in his ſaying, [288]and cleared when he is judged! Can you deny it? Have you not often felt a ſecret check, when you was contradicting this great truth? And how often have you wiſhed what you was taught to deny? Nay, can you help wiſhing for it at this moment? Do you not now earneſtly deſire to ceaſe from ſin? to commit it no more? Does not your ſoul pant after this glorious liberty of the ſons of God? And what ſtrong reaſon have you to expect it? Have you not had a foretaſte of it already? Do you not remember the time when God firſt lifted up the light of his countenance upon you? Can it ever be forgotten? the day when the candle of the Lord firſt ſhone upon your head? You then had power not to commit ſin. You found the Apoſtle's words ſtrictly true, He that is begotten of God keepeth himſelf, and that wicked one toucheth him not. But thoſe whom you took to be experienced Chriſtians, telling you, "this was the only time of your eſpouſals; this could not laſt always; you muſt come down the mount," and the like, ſhook your faith. You looked at men more than God, and ſo became weak, and like another man; whereas, had you then had any to guide you according to the truth of God, had you then heard the doctrine which now you blame, you had never fallen from your ſtedfaſtneſs; but had found, that in this ſenſe alſo the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Have you not another objection nearly allied to this, namely, that we preach perfection? True; but what perfection? The term you cannot object to, becauſe it is ſcriptural. All the difficulty is, to fix the meaning of it, according to the word of God: and this we have done again and again, declaring to all the world, that Chriſtian perfection does not imply an exemption from ignorance or miſtake, or infirmities, or temptations; but that it does imply, the being ſo crucified with Chriſt, as to be able to teſtify, I live not, but Chriſt liveth in me (Gal. ii. 23.), and hath purified my heart [289]by faith (Acts xv. 9.). It does imply the caſting down every high thing that exalteth itſelf againſt the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chriſt. It does imply the being holy, as he that hath called us is holy in all manner of converſation (2 Cor. x. 5. 1 Pet. i. 15.); and, in a word, the loving the Lord our God with all our heart, and ſerving him with all our ſtrength.

Now, is it poſſible for any one who believes the ſcripture to deny one tittle of this? You cannot; you dare not; you would not for the world; you know it is the pure word of God: and this is the whole of what we preach; this is the height and depth of what we (with St. Paul) call perfection; a ſtate of ſoul devoutly to be wiſhed, by all who have taſted of the love of God. O pray for it without ceaſing; it is the one thing you want. Come with boldneſs to the throne of grace, and be aſſured, that when you aſk this of God, you ſhall have the petition you aſk of him. We know indeed, that to man, to the natural man, this is impoſſible; but we know alſo, that as no work is impoſſible with God, ſo all things are poſſible to him that believeth.

For we are ſaved by faith. But have you not heard this urged as another objection againſt us, That we preach ſalvation by faith alone? And does not St. Paul do the ſame thing? By grace, ſaith he, ye are ſaved through faith. Can any words be more expreſs? And elſewhere, Believe in the Lord Jeſus, and thou ſhalt be ſaved, Acts xvi. 31.

What we mean by this (if it has not been ſufficiently explained already) is, that we are ſaved from our ſins, only by a confidence in the love of God. As ſoon as we behold what manner of love it is which the Father has beſtowed upon us, we love him (as the Apoſtle obſerves) becauſe he firſt loved us; and then is that commandment written in our heart, that he who loveth God love his brother alſo; from which love of God [290]and man, meekneſs, humbleneſs of mind, and all holy tempers, ſpring. Now theſe are the very eſſence of ſalvation, of Chriſtian ſalvation, ſalvation from ſin; and from theſe outward ſalvation flows, that is, holineſs of life and converſation. Well, and are not theſe things ſo? If you know in whom you have believed, you need no further witneſſes.

But perhaps you doubt, whether that faith whereby we are thus ſaved, implies ſuch a truſt and confidence in God as we deſcribe. "You cannot think faith implies aſſurance; an aſſurance of the love of God to our ſouls, of his being now reconciled to us, and having forgiven all our ſins." And this we freely confeſs, that if number of voices is to decide the queſtion, we muſt give it up at once; for you have on your ſide, not only ſome who deſire to be Chriſtians in deed, but all nominal Chriſtians in every place, and the Romiſh church, one and all. Nay, theſe laſt are ſo vehement in your defence, that, in the famed council of Trent, they have decreed, "If any man hold (fiduciam) truſt, confidence, or aſſurance of pardon, to be eſſential to faith, let him be accurſed."

Thus does that council anathematiſe the church of England; for ſhe is convict hereof, by her own confeſſion. The very words in the homily on ſalvation are, "Even the devils believe, that Chriſt was born of a virgin; that he wrought all kind of miracles, declaring himſelf very God; that for our ſakes he ſuffered a moſt painful death, to redeem us from death everlaſting. Theſe articles of our faith the devils believe; and ſo they believe all that was written in the Old and New Teſtament; and yet, for all this faith, they be but devils. They remain ſtill in their damnable eſtate, lacking the very true Chriſtian faith."

The right and true Chriſtian faith is, not only to believe the holy ſcriptures and the articles of our faith are true, but alſo to have a ſure truſt and confidence to be ſaved from everlaſting damnation through Chriſt; [291]or (as it is expreſſed a little after) "a ſure truſt and confidence which a man hath in God, that by the merits of Chriſt his ſins are forgiven, and he reconciled to the favour of God."

Indeed the Biſhop of Rome ſaith, "If any man hold this, let him be an Anathema Maran-atha." But it is to be hoped Papal anathemas do not move you. You are a member of the church of England. Are you? Then the controverſy is at an end. Then hear the church. Faith is a ſure truſt which a man hath in God, that his ſins are forgiven. Or if you are not, whether you hear our church or no, at leaſt, hear the ſcriptures. Hear believing Job declaring his faith, I know that my Redeemer liveth. Hear Thomas (when having ſeen he believed) crying out, My Lord and my God. Hear St. Paul clearly deſcribing the nature of his faith, The life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himſelf for me. Hear (to mention no more) all the believers who were with Paul when he wrote to the Coloſſians, bearing witneſs, We give thanks unto the Father, who hath delivered us from the power of darkneſs, and hath tranſlated us into the kingdom of his dear Son; in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveneſs of ſins, c. i. v. 12, 13, 14.

But what need have we of diſtant witneſſes? You have a witneſs in your own breaſt. For am I not ſpeaking to one that loves God? How came you then to love him at firſt? Was it not, becauſe you knew that he loved you? Did you, could you love God at all, till you taſted and ſaw that he was gracious? that he was merciful to you a ſinner? What avails then controverſy or ſtrife of words? out of thy own mouth! You own you had no love to God, till you was ſenſible of his love to you. And whatever expreſſions any ſinner who loves God uſes, to denote God's love to him, you will always, upon examination, find, that they directly or indirectly imply forgiveneſs. Pardoning [292]love is ſtill at the root of all. He who was offended is now reconciled. The new ſong which God puts in every mouth, is always to that effect, O Lord, I will praiſe thee: though thou waſt angry with me, thine anger is turned away. Behold, God is my ſalvation. I will truſt and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my ſtrength and my ſong: he is alſo become my ſalvation, Iſa. xii. 1, 2.

A confidence then in a pardoning God is eſſential to true faith. The forgiveneſs of ſins is one of the firſt of thoſe unſeen things, whereof faith is the evidence. And if you are ſenſible of this, will you quarrel with us concerning an indifferent circumſtance of it? Will you think it an important objection that we aſſert, that this faith is uſually given in a moment? Firſt, let me intreat you to read over that authentic account of God's dealings with men, the Acts of the Apoſtles. In this treatiſe you will find, how he wrought from the beginning on thoſe who received remiſſion of ſins by faith. And can you find one of theſe (except perhaps St. Paul) who did not receive it in a moment? But abundance you find of thoſe who did, beſides Cornelius and the three thouſand. And to this alſo agrees the experience of thoſe who now receive the heavenly gift. Three or four exceptions only have I found in the courſe of ſeveral years. (Perhaps you yourſelf may be added to that number, and one or two more whom you have known). But all the reſt of thoſe, who from time to time among us have believed in the Lord Jeſus, were in a moment brought from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.

And why ſhould it ſeem a thing incredible to you, who have known the power of God unto ſalvation (whether he hath wrought this in your ſoul or no, for there are diverſities of operations by the ſame ſpirit), that the dead ſhould hear the voice of the Son of God, and in that moment live? Thus he uſeth to act, to ſhew, that when he willeth, to do is preſent with him. [293]Let there be light, ſaid God, and there was light. He ſpake the word, and it was done. Thus the heavens and the earth were created, and all the hoſts of them. And this manner of acting in the preſent caſe, highly ſuits both his power and love. There is therefore no hindrance on God's part; ſince, as his majeſty is, ſo is his mercy: and whatever hindrance there is on the part of man, when God ſpeaketh, it is not. Only aſk then, O ſinner, and it ſhall be given thee, even the faith that brings ſalvation; and that without any merit or good work of thine; for it is not of works, leſt any man ſhould boaſt. No; it is of grace, of grace alone: for unto him that worketh not, but believeth on him that juſtifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteouſneſs.

"But by talking thus you encourage ſinners." I do encourage them — to repent; and do not you? Do not you know, how many heap ſin upon ſin, purely for want of ſuch encouragement? Becauſe they think "they can never be forgiven; there is no place for repentance leſt?" Does not your heart alſo bleed for them? What would you think too dear to part with? What would you not do, what would you not ſuffer, to bring one ſuch ſinner to repentance? Could not your love endure all things for them? Yes — if you believed it would do them good, if you had any hope they would ever be better." Why do you not believe it would do them good? Why have you not a hope that they will be better? Plainly, becauſe you do not love them enough; becauſe you have not that charity, which not only endureth, but at the ſame time believeth and hopeth all things.

You ſtill think we are ſecretly undermining, if not openly deſtroying the church. What do you mean by the church? A viſible church (as our article defines it) is, a company of faithful (or believing) people: coetus credentium. This is the eſſence of a church; and the properties thereof are (as they are deſcribed in the [294]words that follow) that the pure word of God be preached therein, and the ſacraments duly adminiſtered. Now then (according to this authentic account) what is the church of England? What is it indeed, but the faithful people, the true believers of England? It is true, if theſe are ſcattered abroad, they come under another conſideration. But when they are viſibly joined, by aſſembling together to hear the pure word of God preached, and to eat of one bread, and drink of one cup, they are then properly the viſible church of England.

It were well if this were a little more conſidered by thoſe who ſo vehemently cry out, The church! the church! (as thoſe of old, The temple of the Lord! the temple of the Lord!) not knowing what they ſpeak, nor whereof they affirm. A provincial or national church, according to our article, is, the true believers of that province or nation. If theſe are diſperſed up and down, they are only a part of the inviſible church of Chriſt: but if they are viſibly joined by aſſembling together to hear of his word and partake of his ſupper, they are then a viſible church, ſuch as the church of England, France, or any other.

This being premiſed, I aſk, how do we undermine or deſtroy the church? the provincial, viſible church of England? The article mentions three things as eſſential to a viſible church: 1ſt, Living faith, without which indeed there can be no church at all, neither viſible nor inviſible; 2dly, Preaching (and conſequently hearing) the pure word of God, elſe that faith would languiſh and die; and, 3dly, A due adminiſtration of the ſacraments, the ordinary means whereby God increaſeth faith. Now come cloſe to the queſtion: in which of theſe points do we undermine or deſtroy the church?

Do we ſhut the door of faith? do we leſſen the number of believing people in England? Only remember what faith is, according to our homilies (viz. "a ſure [295]truſt and confidence in God, that through the merits of Chriſt my ſins are forgiven, and I reconciled to the favour of God,") and we appeal to all mankind, do we deſtroy this faith, which is the life and ſoul of the church? Is there, in fact, leſs of this faith in England than there was before we went forth? I think this is an aſſertion which the father of lies himſelf will ſcarce dare to utter or maintain.

With regard then to this firſt point, it is undeniable, we neither undermine nor deſtroy the church. The ſecond thing is, the preaching and hearing the pure word of God. And do we hinder this? Do we hinder any miniſter from preaching the pure word of God? If any preach not at all, or not the pure word of God, is the hindrance in us or in themſelves? Or, do we leſſen the number of thoſe that hear the pure word of God? Are then the hearers thereof (whether read or preached) fewer than they were in times paſt? Are the uſual places of public worſhip leſs frequented by means of our preaching? Whereſoever our lot has been caſt for any time, are the churches emptier than they were before? Surely none that has any regard left either for truth or modeſty, will ſay, that in this point we are enemies to, or deſtroyers of, the church.

The third thing requiſite (if not to the being, at leaſt) to the well-being of a church, is the due adminiſtration of the ſacraments, particularly that of the Lord's ſupper. And are we, in this reſpect, underminers or deſtroyers of the church? Do we either by our example or advice draw men away from the Lord's table? Where we have laboured moſt, are there the feweſt communicants? How does the fact ſtand in London, Briſtol, Newcaſtle? O that you would no longer ſhut your eyes againſt the broad light, which encompaſſes you on every ſide!

I believe you are ſenſible by this time, not only how weak this objection is, but likewiſe how eaſy it would be, terribly to retort every branch of it upon moſt of [296]thoſe that make it; whether we ſpeak of true living faith, of preaching the pure word of God, or of the due adminiſtration of the ſacraments, both of baptiſm and the Lord's ſupper. But I ſpare you. It ſufficeth that our God knoweth, and will make manifeſt in that day, whether it be by reaſon of us or you that men abhor the offering of the Lord.

Others object, "That we do not obſerve the laws of the church, and thereby undermine it." What laws? The rubrics or canons? In every pariſh where I have been curate yet, I have obſerved the rubrics with a ſcrupulous exactneſs, not for wrath, but for conſcience ſake: and this, ſo far as belongs to an unbeneficed miniſter, or to a private member of the church, I do now. I will juſt mention a few of them, and leave you to conſider which of us has obſerved or does obſerve them moſt.

1. Days of faſting or abſtinence to be obſerved:

  • The forty days of Lent,
  • The Ember-days at the four ſeaſons,
  • The three rogation-days,
  • All Fridays in the year, except Chriſtmas day.

2. So many as intend to be partakers of the holy communion, ſhall ſignify their names to the curate, at leaſt ſome time the day before:

And if any of theſe be an open and notorious evil liver,—the curate ſhall advertiſe him, that in any wiſe he preſume not to come to the Lord's table until he hath openly declared himſelf to have truly repented.

3. Then (after the Nicene creed) the curate ſhall declare unto the people what holydays or faſting-days are in the week following to be obſerved.

4. The miniſter ſhall firſt receive the communion in both kinds himſelf, and then proceed to deliver the ſame to the biſhops, prieſts, and deacons, in like manner, if any be preſent, and after that, to the people.

5. In cathedral and collegiate churches, and colleges, where there are many prieſts and deacons, they [297]ſhall always receive the communion with the prieſt, every Sunday at the leaſt.

6. The children to be baptiſed muſt be ready at the font, immediately after the laſt leſſon.

7. The curates of every pariſh ſhall warn the people, that, without great neceſſity, they procure not their children to be baptiſed at home is their houſes.

8. The curate of every pariſh ſhall diligently, upon Sundays and holydays, after the ſecond leſſon at evening prayer, openly in the church, inſtruct and examine ſo many children as he ſhall think convenient in ſome part of the Catechiſm.

9. Whenſoever the Biſhop ſhall give notice for children to be brought unto him for their confirmation, the curate of every pariſh ſhall either bring or ſend in writing, with his hand ſubſcribed thereunto, the names of all ſuch perſons within his pariſh as he ſhall think fit to be preſented to the Biſhop.

Now the queſtion is not, Whether theſe rubrics ought to be obſerved (you take this for granted in making the objection) but whether in fact they have been obſerved, by you or me, moſt? Many can witneſs, I have obſerved them punctually, yea, ſometimes at the hazard of my life: and as many, I fear, that you have not obſerved them at all, and that ſeveral of them you never pretended to obſerve. And is it you that are accuſing me, for not obſerving the rubrics of the church? What grimace is this! "O tell it not in Gath! publiſh it not in the ſtreets of Aſkelon!"

With regard to the canons, I would in the firſt place deſire you to conſider two or three plain queſtions.

1ſt, Have you ever read them over?

2dly, How can theſe be called "the canons of the church of England?" ſeeing they were never legally eſtabliſhed by the church? never regularly confirmed in full convocation?

3dly, By what right am I required to obſerve ſuch canons as were never legally eſtabliſhed?

[298]And then I will join iſſue with you in one queſtion more, viz. Whether you or I have obſerved them moſt?

To inſtance only a few.

Can. 29. No perſon ſhall be admitted godfather or godmother to any child—before the ſaid perſon hath received the holy communion.

Can. 59. Every parſon, vicar, or curate, upon every Sunday and holyday, before evening prayer, ſhall, for half an hour, or more, examine and inſtruct the youth, and ignorant perſons of his pariſh.

Can. 64. Every parſon, vicar, or curate, ſhall declare to the people every Sunday, whether there be any holydays or faſting-days the week following.

Can. 68. No miniſter ſhall refuſe or delay to chriſten any child that is brought to the church to him upon Sundays or holydays to be chriſtened, or to bury any corps that is brought to the church or church-yard.

(N. B. Inability to pay fees does not alter the caſe).

Can. 75. No eccleſiaſtical perſons ſhall ſpend their time idly, by day or by night, playing at dice, cards, or tables.

Now let the clergyman who has obſerved only theſe five canons for one year laſt paſt, and who has read over all the canons in his congregation; (as the King's ratification ſtraitly enjoins him to do once every year) let him, I ſay, caſt the firſt ſtone at us, for not obſerving the canons (ſo called) of the church of England.

However we cannot be (it is ſaid) friends to the church, becauſe we do not obey the governors of it, and ſubmit ourſelves (as at our ordination we promiſed to do) to all their godly admonitions and injunctions. I anſwer, in every individual point of an indifferent nature. We do and will (by the grace of God) obey the governors of the church: but the teſtifying the goſpel of the grace of God, is not a point of an indifferent nature. The miniſtry which we have received of the Lord Jeſus, we are at all hazards to fulfil. It is the burthen of the Lord which is laid upon us here; and we are to obey God rather than man. Nor yet do [299]we in any ways violate the promiſe which each of us made, when it was ſaid unto him, "Take thou authority to preach the word of God, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt." We then promiſed to ſubmit (mark the words) to the godly admonitions and injunctions of our ordinary. But we did not, could not promiſe to obey ſuch injunctions, as we know are contrary to the word of God.

But why then, ſay ſome, do ye leave the church? Leave the church! what can you mean? do we leave ſo much as the church-walls? your own eyes tell you, we do not. Do we leave the ordinances of the church? you daily ſee and know the contrary. Do we leave the fundamental doctrine of the church, namely, ſalvation by faith? It is our conſtant theme, in public, in private, in writing, in converſation. Do we leave the practice of the church, the ſtandard whereof are the ten commandments? which are ſo eſſentially inwrought in her conſtitution (as little as you may apprehend it) that whoſoever breaks one of the leaſt of theſe, is no member of the church of England. I believe you do not care to put the cauſe on this iſſue. Neither do you mean this, by leaving the church. In truth, I cannot conceive what you mean. I doubt you cannot conceive yourſelf. You have retailed a ſentence from ſomebody elſe, which you no more underſtand than he.

Mr. Weſley then takes a retroſpective view of the ſtate of religion before the Methodiſt doctrines were preached, and the happy change produced thereby, in the following words:

Before I conclude, I cannot but intreat you who know God, to review the whole matter from the foundation. Call to mind what the ſtate of religion was, in our nation, a few years ſince. In whom did you find the holy tempers that were in Chriſt? Bowels of mercies, lowlineſs, meekneſs, gentleneſs, contempt of the world, patience, temperance, long-ſuffering? A burning love to God, rejoicing evermore, and in every [300]thing giving thanks; and a tender love to all mankind, covering, believing, hoping, enduring all things? Perhaps you did not know one ſuch man in the world. But how many, that had all unholy tempers? What vanity and pride, what ſtubbornneſs and ſelf will, what anger, fretfulneſs, diſcontent, what ſuſpicion and reſentment, what inordinate affections, what irregular paſſions, what fooliſh and hurtful deſires might you find in thoſe who were called the beſt of men? in thoſe who made the ſtricteſt profeſſion of religion? and how few did you know who went ſo far as the profeſſion of religion, who had even the form of godlineſs? Did you not frequently bewail, wherever your lot was caſt, the general want of even outward religion? how few were ſeen at the public worſhip of God? how much fewer at the Lord's table? and was even this little flock zealous of good works, careful, as they had time, to do good to all men? On the other hand, did you not with grief obſerve, outward irreligion in every place? Where could you be for one week, without being an eye or an ear witneſs, of curſing, ſwearing, or prophaneneſs, of ſabbath-breaking or drunkenneſs, of quarrelling or brawling, of revenge or obſcenity? Were theſe things done in a corner? did not groſs iniquity of all kinds overſpread our land as a flood? yea, and daily increaſe, in ſpite of all the oppoſition which the children of God did or could make againſt it?

If you had been then told, that the jealous God would ſoon ariſe and maintain his own cauſe; that he would pour down his ſpirit from on high, and renew the face of the earth; that he would ſhed abroad his love in the hearts of the outcaſts of men, producing all holy and heavenly tempers, expelling anger, and pride, and evil deſire, and all unholy and earthly tempers; cauſing outward religion, the work of faith, the patience of hope, the labour of love, to flouriſh and abound; and wherever it ſpread, aboliſhing outward irreligion, deſtroying all the works of the devil: if [301]you had been told, that this living knowledge of the Lord would in a ſhort ſpace overſpread our land; yea, and daily increaſe, in ſpite of all the oppoſition which the devil and his children did or could make againſt it: would you not vehemently have deſired to ſee that day, that you might bleſs God and rejoice therein?

Behold the day of the Lord is come. He is again viſiting and redeeming his people. Having eyes, ſee ye not? having ears, do ye not hear? neither underſtand with your hearts? At this hour the Lord is rolling away our reproach. Already his ſtandard is ſet up. His ſpirit is poured forth on the outcaſts of men, and his love ſhed abroad in their hearts. Love of all mankind, meekneſs, gentleneſs, humbleneſs of mind, holy and heavenly affections, do take place of hate, anger, pride, revenge, and vile or vain affections. Hence wherever the power of the Lord ſpreads, ſprings outward religion in all its forms. The houſes of God are filled; the table of the Lord is thronged on every ſide: and thoſe who thus ſhew their love of God, ſhew they love their neighbour alſo, by being careful to maintain good works, by doing all manner of good (as they have time) to all men. They are likewiſe careful to abſtain from all evil. Curſing, ſabbath-breaking, drunkenneſs, with all other (however faſhionable) works of the devil, are not once named among them. All this is plain, demonſtrable fact. For this alſo is not done in a corner. Now, do you acknowledge the day of your viſitation? do you bleſs God and rejoice therein?

What hinders? Is it this, that men ſay all manner of evil of thoſe whom God is pleaſed to uſe as inſtruments in his works? O ye fools, did ye ſuppoſe the devil was dead? or that he would not fight for his kingdom? and what weapons ſhall he fight with if not with lies? Is he not a liar, and the father of it? Suffer ye then thus far. Let the devil and his children ſay all manner of evil of us; and let them go on deceiving [302]each other, and being deceived: but ye need not be deceived alſo. Or if you are, if you will believe all they ſay: be it ſo, that we are weak, ſilly, wicked men; without ſenſe, without learning, without even a deſire or deſign of doing good: yet I inſiſt upon the fact. Chriſt is preached, and ſinners are converted to God. This none but a madman can deny. We are ready to prove it by a cloud of witneſſes. Neither therefore can the inference be denied, that God is now viſiting his people. O that all men may know in this their day, the things that make for their peace!

Mr. Weſley, in his Farther Appeal, thus anſwers the charge of enthuſiaſm brought againſt the Methodiſts:

I aſſert, that till a man receives the Holy Ghoſt, he is without God in the world; that he cannot know the things of God, unleſs God reveal them unto him by his Spirit: no, nor have even one holy or heavenly temper, without the inſpiration of the Holy One." Now ſhould one who is conſcious to himſelf, that he has experienced none of theſe things, attempt to confute theſe propoſitions, either from ſcripture or antiquity, it might prove a difficult taſk. What then ſhall he do? Why, cry out, "Enthuſiaſm! Enthuſiaſm!" and the work is done.

But what does he mean by enthuſiaſm? Perhaps nothing at all: few have any diſtinct idea of its meaning. Perhaps, "ſomething very bad," or, "ſomething I never experienced and do not underſtand." Shall I tell you then, what that "terrible ſomething" is? I believe, thinking men mean by enthuſiaſm, a ſort of religious madneſs; a falſe imagination of being inſpired by God; and by an Enthuſiaſt, one that fancies himſelf under the influence of the Holy Ghoſt, when in fact he is not.

Let him prove me guilty of this, who can. I will tell you once more the whole of my belief on theſe heads: [303]and if any man will ſhew me (by arguments, not hard names) what is wrong, I will thank God and him.

Every good gift is from God, and is given to man by the Holy Ghoſt. By nature there is in us no good thing; and there can be none, but ſo far as it is wrought in us by that good ſpirit. Have we any true knowledge of what is good? This is not the reſult of our natural underſtanding. The natural man diſcerneth not the things of the ſpirit of God: ſo that we never can diſcern them, until God reveals them unto us by his ſpirit: reveals, that is, unveils, uncovers; gives us to know what we did not know before. Have we love? It is ſhed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghoſt which is given unto us. He inſpires, breathes, infuſes into our ſoul, what of ourſelves we could not have. Does our ſpirit rejoice in God our Saviour? It is joy in (or by) the Holy Ghoſt. Have we true inward peace? It is the peace of God, wrought in us by the ſame ſpirit. Faith, peace, joy, love, are all his fruits: and, as we are figuratively ſaid to ſee the light of faith, ſo by a like figure of ſpeech we are ſaid to feel this peace and joy and love: that is, we have an inward experience of them, which we cannot find any fitter word to expreſs.

The reaſons why in ſpeaking of theſe things I uſe thoſe terms (inſpiration particularly) are, 1. Becauſe they are ſcriptural. 2. Becauſe they are uſed by our church. 3. Becauſe I know none better. The word "Influence of the Holy Ghoſt," which I ſuppoſe you uſe, is both a far ſtronger and a leſs natural term than inſpiration. It is far ſtronger, even as far as "flowing into the ſoul" is a ſtronger expreſſion than "breathing upon it:" and leſs natural; as breathing bears a near relation to ſpirit; to which flowing in has only a diſtant relation.

"But you thought I had meant immediate inſpiration." So I do, or I mean nothing at all. Nor indeed ſuch inſpiration as is ſine mediis. But all inſpiration, [304]tho' by means, is immediate. Suppoſe, for inſtance, you are employed in private prayer, and God pours his love into your heart. God then acts immediately on your ſoul: and the love of him which you then experience, is as immediately breathed into you by the Holy Ghoſt, as if you had lived 1700 years ago. Change the term. Say, God then aſſiſts you to love him?" Well, and is not this immediate aſſiſtance? Say, "His ſpirit concurs with yours." You gain no ground. It is immediate concurrence or none at all. God a ſpirit acts upon your ſpirit. Make it out any otherwiſe if you can.

I cannot conceive how that harmleſs word immediate came to be ſuch a bugbear in the world: "Why, I thought you meant ſuch inſpiration as the Apoſtles had: and ſuch a receiving the Holy Ghoſt as that was at the day of Pentecoſt." I do, in part: indeed I do not mean, that Chriſtians now receive the Holy Ghoſt in order to work miracles; but they do doubtleſs now receive, yea, are filled with the Holy Ghoſt, in order to be filled with the fruits of that bleſſed ſpirit. And he inſpires into all true believers now, a degree of the ſame peace and joy and love, which the Apoſtles felt in themſelves on that day, when they were firſt filled with the Holy Ghoſt.

I have now conſidered the moſt material objections I know, which have been lately made againſt the great doctrines I teach. I have produced, ſo far as in me lay, the ſtrength of thoſe objections, and then anſwered them, I hope, in the ſpirit of meekneſs. And now I truſt it appears, that theſe doctrines are no other than the doctrines of Jeſus Chriſt: that they are all evidently contained in the word of God, by which alone I deſire to ſtand or fall; and that they are fundamentally the ſame with the doctrines of the church of England, of which I do, and ever did profeſs myſelf a member.

By theſe extracts my readers will ſee the principles of theſe honeſt (if miſtaken) people, and will come to [305]ſuch concluſion as his reaſon and underſtanding will afford him. It will not be expected of me to give my opinion; it is the buſineſs of an hiſtorian to relate facts, and not to comment upon them, particularly in caſes where religion is the concern, and in which, I think, every man has a natural right to follow the determinations of his own judgment: but before I give a brief hiſtory of their riſe, &c. after this recapitulation of their principles and doctrines, I ſhall ſet before my readers what they ſay in anſwer to one or two of the moſt popular objections or calumnies raiſed againſt them; the firſt of which is, "That they create diviſions in private families." Their able Apologiſt * thus refutes it. "Accidentally, we do. For inſtance, ſuppoſe an entire family to have the form but not the power of godlineſs, or to have neither the form nor the power; in either caſe, they may in ſome ſort agree together. But ſuppoſe, when theſe hear the plain word of God, one or two of them are convinced, "This is the truth; and I have been all this time in the broad way that leadeth to deſtruction:" theſe then will begin to mourn after God, while the reſt remain as they were. Will they not therefore of conſequence divide, and form themſelves into ſeparate parties? Muſt it not be ſo, in the very nature of things? and how exactly does this agree with the words of our Lord? "Suppoſe ye that I came to ſend peace upon earth? I tell you nay: but rather diviſion. For from henceforth there ſhall be five divided in one houſe, three againſt two, and two againſt three. The father ſhall be divided againſt the ſon, and the ſon againſt the father: the mother againſt her daughter, and the daughter againſt the mother: the mother-in-law againſt the daughterin-law, and the daughter-in-law againſt the mother-inlaw. (Luke xii. 51, 52, 53.) And the foes of a man, ſhall be they of his own houſhold. (Matt. x. 36.)

[306]Thus it was from the very beginning. For is it to be ſuppoſed, that a Heathen parent would long endure a Chriſtian child? or that a Heathen huſband would agree with a Chriſtian wife? unleſs either the believing wife could gain her huſband; or the unbelieving huſband prevailed on the wife to renounce her way of worſhipping God: at leaſt, unleſs ſhe would obey him in going no more to thoſe ſocieties or conventicles, as they termed the Chriſtian aſſemblies.

Do you think now, I have an eye to your caſe? Doubtleſs I have; for I do not fight as one that beateth the air. Why have not I a right to hinder my own wife or child from going to a conventicle? and is it not the duty of wives to obey their huſbands? and of children to obey their parents?" Only ſet the caſe ſeventeen hundred years back, and your own conſcience gives you the anſwer. What would St. Paul have ſaid to one whoſe huſband forbad her, to follow this way any more? What direction would our Saviour have given to him, whoſe father enjoined him, not to hear the goſpel? His words are extant ſtill, "He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me. And he that loveth ſon or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me." Matt. x. 37, 38. Nay more, "If any man cometh to me, and hateth not (in compariſon of me) his father and mother, and wife and children, yea and his own life, he cannot be my diſciple." Luke xiv. 26.

O, but this is not a parallel caſe; for they were Heathens; but I am a Chriſtian." A Chriſtian! Are you ſo? Do you underſtand the word? Do you know what a Chriſtian is? If you are a Chriſtian, you have the mind that was in Chriſt; and you ſo walk as he alſo walked. You are holy, as he is holy both in heart and in all manner of converſation. Have you then the mind that was in Chriſt? and do you walk as Chriſt walked? are you inwardly and outwardly holy? I ſear, not even outwardly. No; you live in known [307]ſin. Alas! how then are you a Chriſtian? What a railer, a Chriſtian? a common ſwearer, a Chriſtian? a ſabbath-breaker, a Chriſtian? a drunkard or whoremonger, a Chriſtian? Thou art a Heathen barefaced? the wrath of God is on thy head, and the curſe of God upon thy back. Thy damnation ſlumbereth not. By reaſon of ſuch Chriſtians it is that the holy name of Chriſt is blaſphemed. Such as thou they are, that cauſe the very ſavages in the Indian woods to cry out, "Chriſtian much drunk, Chriſtian beat men, Chriſtian tell lies, Devil-Chriſtian! me no Chriſtian."

It may be obſerved above, that the Methodiſts do not ſeparate from the church, nor * diſpute about the externals or circumſtantials of religion; they approve of and adhere to them, all that they learned when they were children, in their Catechiſm and Common Prayer book. They were born and bred up in the church of England, and deſire to die therein. They always were, and now are (they ſay) zealous for the church; only not with a blind zeal. They do not, indeed, lay the main ſtreſs of their religion, on any opinions, right or wrong; neither do they ever begin, or willingly join, in any diſpute concerning them. The weight of all religion, they apprehend, reſts on holineſs of heart and life; and, conſequently, wherever they come, they preſs this with all their might. How wide then is their caſe from that of the Proteſtant Diſſenters in general? They avowedly ſeparated from the church: the Methodiſts utterly diſavow any ſuch deſign. They ſeverely, and almoſt continually, inveighed againſt the doctrine and diſcipline of the church they left: theſe approve both the doctrines and diſcipline of our church, and inveigh only againſt ungodlineſs and unrighteouſneſs. They ſpent great part of their time and ſtrength in contending about externals and circumſtantials: the Methodiſts agree with the church of England in both; ſo [308]that having no time to ſpend in ſuch vain contention, they have their deſire in ſpending and being ſpent, in promoting plain practical religion. "I am ſick, ſays Mr. Weſley, of opinions: I am weary to bear them: my ſoul loaths this frothy food. Give me ſolid and ſubſtantial religion: give me an humble, gentle lover of God and man: a man full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocriſy: a man, laying himſelf out in the work of faith, the patience of hope, the labour of love. Let my ſoul be with theſe Chriſtians, whereſoever they are, and whatſoever opinion they are of. Whoſoever thus doth the will of my Father which is heaven, the ſame is my brother, and ſiſter, and mother."

With regard to the charges of making men idle, and thereby beggaring their families, and of driving men out of their ſenſes, Mr. Weſley thus anſwers: "This objection having been continually urged for ſome years, I will trace it from the foundation. Two or three years after my return from America, one Captain Robert Williams of Briſtol made affidavit before the (then) Mayor of the city, that "it was a common report in Georgia, Mr. Weſley took people off from their work, and made them idle, by preaching ſo much."

The fact ſtood thus: At my firſt coming to Savannah, the generality of the people roſe at ſeven or eight in the morning; and that part of them who were accuſtomed to work, uſually worked till ſix in the evening. A few of them ſometimes worked till ſeven; which is the time of ſun-ſet there at Mid-ſummer.

I immediately began reading prayers and expounding the ſecond leſſon, both in the morning and evening. The morning ſervice began at five, and ended at, or before ſix: the evening-ſervice began at ſeven. Now ſuppoſing all the grown perſons in the town had been preſent every morning and evening, would this have [309]made them idle? Would they hereby have had leſs, or conſiderably more time for working? The ſame rule I follow now, both at London, Briſtol, and Newcaſtleupon-Tyne: concluding the ſervice at every place, winter and ſummer, before ſix in the morning, and not ordinarily beginning to preach till near ſeven in the evening. Now do you, who make this objection, work longer, throughout the year, than from ſix to ſix? Do you deſire that the generality of people ſhould? Or, can you count them idle, that work ſo long? Some few are indeed accuſtomed to work longer. Theſe I adviſe not to come on week-days: and it is apparent that they take this advice, unleſs on ſome rare and extraordinary occaſion. But I hope, none of you who turn them out of their employment, have the confidence to talk of my making them idle! Do you (as the homely phraſe is) cry Wh— firſt? I admire your cunning, but not your modeſty. So far am I from either cauſing or encouraging idleneſs, that an idle perſon, known to be ſuch, is not ſuffered to remain in any of our ſocieties; we drive him out, as we would a thief or a murderer. "To ſhew all poſſible diligence," (as well as frugality) is one of our ſtanding rules: and one, concerning the obſervance of which, we continually make the ſtricteſt inquiry.

"But you drive them out of their ſenſes. You make them run mad." Nay, then they are idle with a vengeance. This objection therefore being of the utmoſt importance, deſerves our deepeſt conſideration.

And, firſt, I grant, it is my earneſt deſire to drive all the world into what you probably call madneſs: (I mean inward religion) to make them juſt as mad as Paul was when he was ſo accounted by Feſtus. I grant, ſecondly, it is my endeavour to drive all I can into what you may term another ſpecies of madneſs, which is uſually preparatory to this, and which I term repentance or conviction.

[310]Now, what if your wife, or daughter, or acquaintaince, after hearing one of theſe field-preachers, ſhould come and tell you, that they ſaw damnation before them, and beheld with the eye of their mind the horror of hell? What if they ſhould tremble and quake, and be ſo taken up, partly with ſorrow and heavineſs, partly with an earneſt deſire to be delivered from this danger of hell and damnation, as to weep, to lament, to mourn, and both with words and behaviour to ſhew themſelves weary of life? Would you ſcruple to ſay, that they were ſtark mad? that theſe fellows had driven them out of their ſenſes? and that whatever writer it was, that talked at this rate, he was fitter for Bedlam than any other place?

You have overſhot yourſelf now to ſome purpoſe. Theſe are the very words of our own church. You may read them, if you are ſo inclined, in the firſt part of the homily on faſting. And, conſequently, what you have peremptorily determined to be mere lunacy and diſtraction, is that repentance unto life, which, in the judgment both of the church and of St. Paul, is never to be repented of.

I grant, thirdly, that extraordinary circumſtances have attended this conviction in ſome inſtances. A particular account of theſe I have frequently given. While the word of God was preached, ſome perſons have dropped down as dead; ſome have been, as it were, in ſtrong convulſions; ſome roared aloud, tho' not with an articulate voice; and others ſpoke the anguiſh of their ſouls.

This, I ſuppoſe, you believe to be perfect madneſs: but it is eaſily accounted for, either on principles of reaſon or ſcripture.

Firſt, on principles of reaſon. For how eaſy is it to ſuppoſe, that a ſtrong, lively, and ſudden apprehenſion of the heinouſneſs of ſin, the wrath of God, and the bitter pains of eternal death, ſhould affect the body as well as the ſoul, during the preſent laws of vital union; [311]ſhould interrupt or diſturb the ordinary circulations, and put nature out of its courſe? Yea, we may queſtion, whether while this union ſubſiſts, it be poſſible for the mind to be affected, in ſo violent a degree, without ſome or other of thoſe bodily ſymptoms following?

It is likewiſe eaſy to account for theſe things, on principles of ſcripture. For when we take a view of them in this light, we are to add to the conſideration of natural cauſes, the agency of thoſe ſpirits who ſtill excel in natural ſtrength, and as far as they have leave from God, will not fail to torment whom they cannot deſtroy; to tear thoſe that are coming to Chriſt. It is alſo remarkable, that there is plain ſcripture-precedent of every ſymptom which has lately appeared. So that we cannot allow even the conviction attended with theſe to be madneſs, without giving up both reaſon and ſcripture.

I grant, fourthly, that touches of extravagance, bordering on madneſs, may ſometimes attend ſevere conviction. And this alſo is eaſy to be accounted for, by the preſent laws of the animal oeconomy. For we know, fear or grief, from a temporary cauſe, may occaſion a fever, and thereby a delirium.

It is not ſtrange then that ſome, while under ſtrong impreſſions of grief or fear, from a ſenſe of the wrath of God, ſhould for a ſeaſon forget almoſt all things elſe, and ſcarce be able to anſwer a common queſtion: that ſome ſhould fancy they ſee the flames of hell, or the devil and his angels around them: or that others, for a ſpace, ſhould be afraid, like Cain, whoſoever meeteth me will ſlay me. All theſe, and whatever leſs common effects may ſometimes accompany this conviction, are eaſily known from the natural diſtemper of madneſs, were it only by this one circumſtance, that whenever the perſon convinced taſtes the pardoning love of God, they all vaniſh away in a moment.

Laſtly, I have ſeen one inſtance (I pray God I may ſee no more ſuch!) of real laſting madneſs.

[312]Two or three years ſince, I took one with me to Briſtol, who was under deep convictions, but of as ſound an underſtanding in all reſpects as ever he had been in his life. I went a ſhort journey, and when I came to Briſtol again, found him really diſtracted. I inquired particularly, at what time and place, and in what manner this diſorder began? And I believe there are at leaſt threeſcore witneſſes alive, and ready to teſtify what follows. When I went from Briſtol, he contracted an acquaintance with ſome perſons, who were not of the ſame judgment with me. He was ſoon prejudiced againſt me. Quickly after, when our ſociety were met together in Kingſwood-Houſe, he began a vehement invective both againſt my perſon and doctrines. In the midſt of this, he was ſtruck raving mad; and ſo he continued till his friends put him into Bedlam, and, probably, laid his madneſs too to my charge.

I fear there may alſo be ſome inſtances of real madneſs, proceeding from a different cauſe.

Suppoſe, for inſtance, a perſon hearing me is ſtrongly convinced, that a liar cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven: he comes home, and relates this to his parents or friends, and appears to be very uneaſy. Theſe good Chriſtians are diſturbed at this, and afraid he is running mad too. They are reſolved he ſhall never hear any of thoſe fellows more, and keep to it in ſpite of all his intreaties. They will not ſuffer him, when at home, to be alone, for fear he ſhould read or pray; and perhaps in a while they will conſtrain him, at leaſt by repeated importunities, to do again the very thing for which he was convinced the wrath of God cometh upon the children of diſobedience.

What is the event of this? Sometimes the ſpirit of God is quenched, and departs from him. Now you have carried the point. The man is as eaſy as ever, and ſins on without any remorſe. But in other inſtances, where thoſe convictions ſink deep, and the arrows [313]of the Almighty ſtick faſt in the ſoul, you will drive that perſon into real ſettled madneſs, before you can quench the ſpirit of God. I am afraid there have been ſeveral inſtances of this. You have forced the man's conſcience, till he is ſtark-mad: but then, pray do not impute that madneſs to me. Had you left him to my direction, or rather to the direction of the Spirit of God, he would have been filled with love and a found mind: but you have taken the matter out of God's hand. And now you have brought it to a fair concluſion!

How frequent this caſe may be, I know not. But doubtleſs moſt of thoſe who make this objection, of our driving men mad, have never met with ſuch an inſtance in their lives. The common cry is occaſioned, either by thoſe who are convinced of ſin, or thoſe who are inwardly converted to God; mere madneſs both (as was obſerved before) to thoſe who are without God in the world. Yet I do not deny but you may have ſeen one in Bedlam who ſaid he had followed me. But obſerve, a madman's ſaying this is no proof of the fact; nay, and if he really had, it ſhould be farther conſidered, that his being in Bedlam is no ſure proof of his being mad. Witneſs the well-known caſe of Mr. Periam; and I doubt more ſuch are to be found. Yea, it is well if ſome have not been ſent thither, for no other reaſon but becauſe they followed me; their kind relations either concluding, that they muſt be diſtracted before they could do this, or perhaps hoping, that Bedlam would make them mad, if it did not find them ſo.

And it muſt be owned, a confinement of ſuch a ſort is as fit to cauſe as to cure diſtraction; for what ſcene of diſtreſs is to be compared to it? To be ſeparated at once from all who are near and dear to you; to be cut off from all reaſonable converſation, to be ſecluded from all buſineſs, from all reading, from every innocent entertainment of the mind, which is left to prey wholly upon itſelf, and day and night to pore over your miſfortunes; [314]fortunes; to be ſhut up day by day in a gloomy cell, with only the walls to employ your heavy eyes, in the midſt either of melancholy ſilence, or horrid cries, groans, and laughter intermixed; to be forced by the main ſtrength of thoſe "who laugh at human nature and compaſſion;" to take drenches of nauſeous, perhaps torturing medicines, which you know you have no need of now, but know not how ſoon you may, poſſibly by the operation of theſe very drugs on a weak or tender conſtitution. Here is diſtreſs! It is an aſtoniſhing thing, a ſignal proof of the power of God, if any creature who has his ſenſes when that confinement begins, does not loſe them before it is at an end!

How muſt it heighten the diſtreſs, if ſuch a poor wretch, being deeply convinced of ſin, and growing worſe and worſe (as he probably will, ſeeing there is no medicine here for his ſickneſs, no ſuch phyſician as his caſe requires), be ſoon placed among the incurables! Can imagination itſelf paint ſuch a hell upon earth? where even "hope never comes, that comes to all!"—For what remedy? If a man of ſenſe and humanity ſhould happen to viſit that houſe of woe, would he give the hearing to a madman's tale? or if he did, would he credit it? "Do we not know, might he ſay, how well any of theſe will talk in their lucid intervals?" So that a thouſand to one he would concern himſelf no more about it, but leave the weary to wait for reſt in the grave!"

The firſt public appearance of the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield, of Pembroke college, Oxford, who was an ordained clergyman of the church of England, about London, was in the year 1739, when he and his aſſociates preached up and down in the fields to vaſt multitudes of people, with an energy that ſtruck every one, particularly in Moorfields, on Kennington Common, Blackheath, &c. and for ſome time they were admitted alſo into the churches to declare their peculiar opinions, till the indolent clergy were rouſed by [315]their extraordinary popularity; and the church-wardens fearing damages to their pews, &c. &c. they were generally refuſed the uſe of the public pulpits. The uncommon fervour they expreſſed, a ſimple yet perſuaſive eloquence, and the mortified and laborious life they led, procured them not only moſt numerous auditors, but their doctrines ſuch a multitude of followers, as aſtoniſhed the guardians of our church: but whilſt they themſelves indolently perſiſted in their old rout of ſtated preaching, Mr. Whitefield, particularly, with a rapid progreſs, took from them thouſands of their hearers, particularly of the lower ſort, and brought many more to a ſenſe and abhorrence of their vices, and to attend his preaching, who, perhaps, had never been at any kind of worſhip before. Whilſt the clergy raved both in the pulpit and in print againſt this novel doctrine, as they ſtiled it (and with what juſtice may be ſeen above) this itinerant preacher, deſpiſing all danger and fatigue, not only formed ſocieties in England of his followers, but traverſing, time after time, immenſe tracks of land and water, proſelyted multitudes in all parts of North America, and extended his cares even to the inhabitants of the infant colony of Georgia, where that wiſe and excellent governor, Mr. Oglethorpe, well knowing that an attachment to religious principles, and a life of virtue and ſelf denial, were ſpurs to induſtry and oeconomy, received him with open arms, and gave him all manner of aſſiſtance. Here he at length erected an Orphanhouſe for poor and deſerted children; an inſtitution that bid fair to be of extraordinary benefit in that country; the moſt authentic account of which eſtabliſhment, by an impartial eye-witneſs, and publiſhed in juſtice to the Methodiſts, may be ſeen in the London Magazine for the year 1745, page 603. In theſe Chriſtian labours, perilous voyages, and painful journies through the wilderneſs of America, he was followed by Meſſ. John and Charles Weſley, his faithful and able co-adjutors, [316]who with a zeal and conſtancy ſecond only to thoſe which actuated the primitive Apoſtles and diſciples of our Saviour, thought no hardſhips inſurmountable, no dangers too terrifying in proſecuting the work they ſuppoſed themſelves appointed to *. In London, particularly, [317]a great change was ſoon perceived in the majority of the common people; an unuſual ſeriouſneſs [318]appeared in their countenances, they refrained from prophane curſing and ſwearing, and the alehouſes were deprived of their uſual inebriated gueſts. Meantime the more abandoned of the canaille, whom no precepts could reach, no future denunciations of puniſhment deter from wickedneſs, ſpared not reproaches, and even frequently proceeded to open inſults and abuſes of the preachers, who were as warmly defended by their partiſans, ſo as often to occaſion tumults and riots, that were mutually charged by the Methodiſts and their oppoſers on each other, and kept the public for ſome years in perpetual diſpute and agitation. But, at length, now increaſed to a prodigious number, they [319]began to form ſocieties apart, for worſhip in their own way, and to appoint ſtewards and other officers for the better regulation and government of thoſe ſocieties; the principal of which, in London, are the Tabernacle and Foundery near Moorfields, the Tabernacle in Tottenham Court road, with many others, in the city and ſuburbs. Their founders have increaſed their numbers in Scotland and Ireland alſo, where they purſued their miſſion with the utmoſt ſucceſs; and in many places in England, where religion was ſeldom heard of, they have produced order, humanity, civility, and a ſerious regard to divine things, particularly amongſt the colliers of Kingſwood, and the fells about Newcaſtle. If the reader deſires to enter into particulars with regard to their hiſtory, he would do well to peruſe the ſeveral Journals of Meſſ. Whitefield and Weſley, as I only propoſe here a general view of their riſe, &c. Indeed it is a peculiar circumſtance, that no ſect, in ſo few years, ever became ſo numerous, though they have met with mild treatment from the government, and have endured no perſecution for their opinions, which has generally helped to increaſe, rather than to deter the followers of a new ſyſtem of doctrines. With regard to the common people, or the mob, which is ever of the national religion, ſo far as drinking, ſwearing, and rioting for it extends, the appearance of the founders of Methodiſm, in the uſual veſtments of clergymen, captivated them, and prevented many diſorders that would have ariſen, had perſons not diſtinguiſhed by that reverend garb endeavoured to exhort and inſtruct them; and yet, according to Mr. Weſley's account *, he himſelf was, once particularly, in great danger of loſing his life; and the Methodiſts ſuffered by the ſpoils and ravages of deſperate and wicked mobs, in Staffordſhire, in the year 1743, to the amount of 504l. 17s. at the loweſt computation, owing [320]to a ſhameful connivance, perhaps under-hand encouragement, of thoſe who ſhould have reſtrained or puniſhed them for their diabolical exceſſes. In fact, too many of their oppoſers merit the character Mr. Weſley has given them. " * I have heard ſome affirm (ſays he) that the moſt bitter enemies to the preſent work of God were Phariſees. They meant men who had the form of godlineſs, but denied the power of it. But I cannot ſay ſo. The ſharpeſt adverſaries thereof (unleſs we might except a few honourable men, whom I may be excuſed from naming) were the ſcum of Cornwall, the rabble of Bilſton and Darleſton, the wild beaſts of Walſal, and the turnkeys of Newgate."

In fine, the very enemies of theſe people will ſcarce deny that they have greatly contributed to reform and eſtabliſh order and civility amongſt the common people; that they are (I mean the real Methodiſts; for Preſbyterians, Quakers, and every other ſect, have been perſonated as well as they, for intereſted or villainous purpoſes) are a peaceable, upright, and praiſeworthy ſet of people; that they cannot upon their principles diſtreſs; but muſt add ſtrength to the hands of government, and that their riſe and amazing progreſs has rouſed the eſtabliſhed clergy from that lethargy into which they had fallen, and invigorated them to be more attendant on the charge to which they were ſo ſolemnly appointed. Their favourite doctrines have found their way alſo into the pulpits of our churches, and many excellent preachers, who do not leave the church on that account, inforce them at this day from their pulpits. The great ſpread of Methodiſm has certainly contributed to ſet people in general upon thinking of matters of the greateſt moment to them; and I will venture to aſſert, from my own obſervation, that there has been ſuch an appearance of ſeriouſneſs, and ſuch a concern for religion, viſible in all ranks of people, [321]ſince it has ſo much prevailed, as cannot be remembered in any ſuch period of time ſince the reſtoration.

I ſhall conclude this head with a brief account of their manner of worſhip, church-diſcipline, &c.

With regard to their manner of worſhip, it is like that of the church of England, ſave that they allow themſelves to continue long in extempore prayer, and that they ſing ſuch hymns as are approved by the ſociety. Indeed they allow of lay-preachers, or ſuffer unlearned men to preach or exhort, in their places of worſhip. "I am bold to affirm (ſays Mr. Weſley) that theſe unlettered men have help from God for that great work, the ſaving ſouls from death; ſeeing he hath enabled, and doth enable them ſtill, to turn many to righteouſneſs. Thus hath he deſtroyed the wiſdom of the wiſe, and brought to nought the underſtanding of the prudent. When they imagined they had effectually ſhut the door, and blocked up every paſſage, whereby any help could come to two or three preachers, weak in body as well as ſoul; who they might reaſonably believe would, humanly ſpeaking, wear themſelves out in a ſhort time: when they had gained their point, by ſecuring (as they ſuppoſed) all the men of learning in the nation, He that ſitteth in heaven laughed them to ſcorn, and came upon them by a way they thought not of. Out of the ſtones he raiſed up thoſe who ſhould beget children to Abraham. We had no more foreſight of this than you. Nay, we had the deepeſt prejudices againſt it, until we could not but own, that God gave wiſdom from above to theſe unlearned and ignorant men; ſo that the work of the Lord proſpered in their hand, and ſinners were daily converted to God.

Indeed in the one thing which they profeſs to know, they are not ignorant men. I truſt there is not one of them who is not able to go thro' ſuch an examination, in ſubſtantial, practical, experimental divinity, as few of our candidates for holy orders, even in the univerſity [322](I ſpeak it with ſorrow and ſhame, and in tender love) are able to do."

There have been ſome differences amongſt the leaders of this people, particularly between Mr. Whitefield and Mr. Weſley, relative to the doctrine of reprobation; but they agree in fundamentals: in ſmaller points, each thinks and lets think, and Mr. Weſley ſays he reverences Mr. Whitefield, both as a child of God, and a true miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt. I could wiſh all religious diſputes had been managed with equal candour.

As to the diſcipline of the Methodiſts, I cannot give a better account of it, than is contained in a ſmall tract, intitled, The Nature, Deſign, and general Rules, of the united Societies in London, Briſtol, Kingſwood, and Newcaſtle upon Tyne, 7th edit. 1762, which I ſhall therefore lay before my readers.

"1. In the latter end of the year 1739, eight or ten perſons came to me in London, who appeared to be deeply convinced of ſin, and earneſtly groaning for redemption. They deſired (as did two or three more the next day) that I would ſpend ſome time with them in prayer, and adviſe them how to flee from the wrath to come, which they ſaw continually hanging over their heads. That we might have more time for this great work, I appointed a day when they might all come together, which from thenceforward they did every week, namely, on Thurſday, in the evening. To theſe, and as many more as deſired to join with them (for their number increaſed daily) I gave thoſe advices from time to time which I judged moſt needful for them; and we always concluded our meeting with prayer ſuited to their ſeveral neceſſities.

2. This was the riſe of the UNITED SOCIETY, firſt in London, and then in other places. Such a ſociety is no other than "a company of men having the form and ſeeking the power of godlineſs, united in order to pray together, to receive the word of exhortation, and [323]to watch over one another in love, that they may help each other to work out their ſalvation."

3. That it may the more eaſily be diſcerned, whether they are indeed working out their ſalvation, each ſociety is divided into ſmaller companies, called claſſes, according to their reſpective places of abode. There are about twelve perſons in every claſs, one of whom is ſtiled the leader. It is his buſineſs, 1. To ſee each perſon in his claſs, once a-week at the leaſt, in order to inquire how their ſouls proſper; to adviſe, reprove, comfort, or exhort, as occaſion may require; to receive what they are willing to give toward the relief of the poor. 2. To meet the miniſter and the ſtewards of the ſociety once a-week, in order to inform the miniſter of any that are ſick, or of any that walk diſorderly, and will not be reproved; to pay to the ſtewards what they have received of their ſeveral claſſes in the week preceding, and to ſhew their account of what each perſon has contributed.

4. There is one only condition previouſly required in thoſe who deſire admittance into theſe ſocieties, "a deſire to flee from the wrath to come, to be ſaved from their ſins." But wherever this is really fixed in the ſoul, it will be ſhewn by its fruits. It is therefore expected of all who continue therein, that they ſhould continue to evidence their deſire of ſalvation.

Firſt, By doing no harm, by avoiding evil in every kind, eſpecially that which is moſt generally practiſed: ſuch is, the taking the name of God in vain; the profaning the day of the Lord, either by doing ordinary work thereon, or by buying or ſelling; drunkenneſs, buying or ſelling ſpirituous liquors, or drinking them (unleſs in caſes of extreme neceſſity); fighting, quarrelling, brawling; brother going to law with brother; returning evil for evil, or railing for railing; the uſing many words in buying or ſelling; the buying or ſelling uncuſtomed goods; the giving or taking things on uſury, i. e. unlawful intereſt; uncharitable or unprofitable [322] [...] [323] [...] [324]converſation, particularly ſpeaking evil of magiſtrates or of miniſters; doing to others as we would not they ſhould do unto us; doing what we know is not for the glory of God, as the putting on of gold and coſtly apparel; the taking ſuch diverſions as cannot be uſed in the name of the Lord Jeſus; the ſinging thoſe ſongs, or reading thoſe books, which do not tend to the knowledge or love of God; foftneſs, and needleſs ſelf-indulgence; laying up treaſures upon earth; borrowing without a probability of paying, or taking up goods without a probability of paying for them.

5. It is expected of all who continue in theſe ſocieties, that they ſhould continue to evidence their deſire of ſalvation,

Secondly, By doing good, by being in every kind merciful after their power; as they have opportunity, doing good of every poſſible ſort, and as far as is poſſible, to all men: to their bodies, of the ability which God giveth, by giving food to the hungry, by cloathing the naked, by viſiting or helping them that are ſick, or in priſon: to their ſouls, by inſtructing, reproving, or exhorting all we have any intercourſe with; trampling under foot that enthuſiaſtic doctrine of devils, that "we are not to do good, unleſs our heart be free to it:" by doing good eſpecially to them that are of the houſehold of faith, or groaning ſo to be; employing them preferably to others, buying one of another, helping each other in buſineſs; and ſo much the more, becauſe the world will love its own, and them only: by all poſſible diligence and frugality, that the goſpel be not blamed: by running with patience the race that is ſet before them, denying themſelves, and taking up their croſs daily; ſubmitting to bear the reproach of Chriſt, to be as the filth and off-ſcouring of the world; and looking that men ſhould ſay all manner of evil of them falſely, for their Lord's ſake.

[325]6. It is expected of all who deſire to continue in theſe ſocieties, that they ſhould continue to evidence their deſire of ſalvation,

Thirdly, By attending upon all the ordinances of God: ſuch are, the public worſhip of God; the miniſtry of the word, either read or expounded; the ſupper of the Lord; family and private prayer; ſearching the ſcriptures, and faſting or abſtinence.

7. Theſe are the general rules of our ſocieties; all which we are taught of God to obſerve, even in his written word, the only rule, and the ſufficient rule both of our faith and practice; and all theſe we know his Spirit writes on every truly awakened heart. If there be any among us who obſerve them not, who habitually break any one of them, let it be made known unto them who watch over that ſoul, as they that muſt give an account. We will admoniſh him of the error of his ways; we will bear with him for a ſeaſon: but then if he repent not, he hath no more place among us. We have delivered our own ſouls.

JOHN WESLEY. CHARLES WESLEY."

The Methodiſts have in ſome places, as in Tottenham-Court road, built alms-houſes for their more deſtitute poor; they have alſo, at times, raiſed conſiderable ſums for the relief of foreign Proteſtants, and their works of love during the late war will ever be remembered to their honour. I need not remind my reader, that Mr. Whitefield has lately received the thanks of the legiſlature at Boſton in New England, for the bountiful collection made by him towards the relief of the ſufferers by the late fire in that city.

I ſhall now conclude my hiſtory of the Methodiſts with another quotation from Mr. Weſley, in anſwer to the current report of his receiving great emoluments from his preſent ſituation, as director of the Methodiſts.

[326]"But perhaps you have heard, that "we in truth regard no church at all; that gain is the true ſpring of all our actions; that I, in particular, am well paid for my work, having thirteen hundred pounds a year (as a Reverend author accurately computes it) at the Foundery alone, over and above what I receive from Briſtol, Kingſwood, Newcaſtle, and other places; and that whoever ſurvives me will ſee I have made a good uſe of my time, for I ſhall not die a beggar."

I freely own this is one of the beſt deviſed objections which has ever yet been made; becauſe it not only puts us upon proving a negative (which is ſeldom an eaſy taſk) but alſo one of ſuch a kind as ſcarce admits of any demonſtrative proof at all. But for ſuch proof as the nature of the thing allows, I appeal to my manner of life which hath been from the beginning. Ye who have ſeen it (and not with a friendly eye) for theſe twelve or fourteen years laſt paſt, or for any part of that time, have ye ever ſeen any thing like the love of gain therein? Did I not continually remember the words of the Lord Jeſus, "It is more bleſſed to give than to receive?" Ye of Oxford, do ye not know theſe things are ſo? What gain did I ſeek among you? Of whom did I take any thing? From whom did I covet ſilver, or gold, or apparel? To whom did I deny any thing which I had, even to the hour that I departed from you? Ye of Epworth and Wroote, among whom I miniſtered for (nearly) the ſpace of three years, what gain did I ſeek among you? or of whom did I take or cover any thing? Ye of Savannah and Frederica, among whom God afterwards proved me, and ſhewed me what was in my heart, what gain did I ſeek among you? Of whom did I take any thing? or whoſe food or apparel did I covet (for ſilver or gold had ye none, no more than I myſelf for many months) even when I was in hunger and nakedneſs? Ye yourſelves, and the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, know that I lie not.

[327]"But (it is ſaid) things are fairly altered now. Now I cannot complain of wanting any thing; having the yearly income of a Biſhop of London, over and above what I gain at other places." At what other places, my friend? inform yourſelf a little better, and you will find, that both at Newcaſtle, Briſtol, and Kingſwood (the only places, beſide London, where any collection at all is made) the money collected is both received and expended by the ſtewards of thoſe ſeveral ſocieties, and never comes into my hands at all, neither firſt nor laſt. And you, or any who deſire it, ſhall read over the accounts kept by any of theſe ſtewards, and ſee with your own eyes, that by all theſe ſocieties I gain juſt as much as you do.

The caſe in London ſtands thus. In November 1739, two Gentlemen, then unknown to me (Mr. Ball and Mr. Watkins) came and deſired me once and again, to preach in a place called the Foundery near Moorfields. With much reluctance I at length complied. I was ſoon after preſſed to take that place into my own hands. Thoſe who were moſt earneſt therein, lent me the purchaſe-money, which was 115l. Mr. Watkins and Mr. Ball then delivered me the names of ſeveral ſubſcribers, who offered to pay, ſome four, or ſix, ſome ten ſhillings a year towards the re-payment of the purchaſemoney, and the putting the buildings into repair. This amounted one year to near 200l. the ſecond to about 140, and ſo the laſt.

The united ſociety begun a little after, whoſe weekly contribution (chiefly for the poor) is received and expended by the ſtewards, and comes not into my hands at all. But there is alſo a quarterly ſubſcription of many of the ſociety, which is nearly equal to that above-mentioned.

The uſes to which theſe ſubſcriptions have been hitherto applied, are, 1ſt, The payment of that 115l. 2dly, The repairing (I might almoſt ſay rebuilding) [328]that vaſt, uncouth heap of ruins at the Foundery; 3dly, The building galleries both for men and women; 4thly, The enlarging the ſociety-room to near thrice its firſt bigneſs. All taxes and occaſional expences are likewiſe defrayed out of this fund. And it has been hitherto ſo far from yielding any overplus, that it has never ſufficed for theſe purpoſes yet. So far from it, that I am ſtill in debt, on theſe accounts, near 300l. ſo much have I hitherto gained by preaching the goſpel! beſides a debt of 150l. ſtill remaining on account of the ſchools built at Briſtol; and another of above 200l. on account of that now building at Newcaſtle. I deſire any reaſonable man would now ſit down and lay theſe things together, and let him ſee, whether, allowing me a grain of common ſenſe (if not of common honeſty) he can poſſibly conceive, that a view of gain would induce me to act in this manner.

You can never reconcile it with any degree of common ſenſe, that a man who wants nothing, who has already all the neceſſaries, all the conveniencies, nay, and many of the ſuperfluities of life, and theſe not only independent on any one, but leſs liable to contingencies than even a gentleman's freehold eſtate, that ſuch an one ſhould calmly and deliberately throw up his caſe, moſt of his friends, his reputation, and that way of life which of all others is moſt agreeable both to his natural temper and education: that he ſhould toil day and night, ſpend all his time and ſtrength, knowingly deſtroy a firm conſtitution, and haſten into weakneſs, pain, diſeaſes, death—to gain a debt of ſix or ſeven hundred pounds!

But ſuppoſing the balance on the other ſide, let me aſk you one plain queſtion, "For what gain (ſetting conſcience aſide) will you be obliged to act thus? to live exactly as I do? For what price will you preach (and that with all your might, not in an eaſy indolent, faſhionable way) eighteen or nineteen times every [329]week? and this throughout the year? What ſhall I give you, to travel ſeven or eight hundred miles, in all weathers, every two or three months? For what ſalary will you abſtain from all other diverſions, than the doing good, and the praiſing God?" I am miſtaken, if you would not prefer ſtrangling to ſuch a life, even with thouſands of gold and ſilver."

The Hiſtory of the ANTINOMIANS.

THIS ſect is ſo named from Antinomy, a word formed of the Greek [...], contra, and [...], lex; ſignifying a contradiction between two laws, and between two articles of the ſame law.

They have never been a very numerous body at any time; but in the late civil war they were moſt ſo, as great numbers of them were in the parliament army. At preſent, by what I can learn, they are but a few, meeting at two or three places of worſhip in London. They took their origin from John Agricola, who lived about the year 1335, and who taught "That the law is no way neceſſary under the goſpel: that good works do not promote our ſalvation, nor ill ones hinder it: that repentance is not to be preached from the decalogue, but only from the goſpel *."

They met with hard meaſure, not only from the government, but from the other ſects, in the ſeveral reigns of the Stuarts, and under the uſurpation. They were written againſt by Luther, Rutherford, Sedgwick, Gataker, and Bull; and their opinions were as warmly [330]defended by Criſp *, Richardſon, Eaton, Saltmarſh , and Williams, from which defenders writings the committee of the Weſtminſter general aſſembly of divines (appointed to peruſe their writings) drew out ſome of the moſt dangerous poſitions, which when reported to the aſſembly in 1643, they were not only condemned, but confuted in their public writings and ſermons.

[331]This is as much as is neceſſary to premiſe of the biſtory of a ſect that, as ſuch, has made no great noiſe in the world; and now I ſhall give ſome account of their principles, juſt informing my readers, that the learned Wigandus publiſhed a compariſon between ancient and modern Antinomianiſm.

They believe that the whole work of man's ſalvation was accompliſhed by Jeſus Chriſt, on the croſs. —That Chriſt's blood and our ſins went away together:—That then all our ſins were taken away by Chriſt, and blotted out for ever:—That nothing elſe beſide faith is required in order to juſtification and ſalvation: —That there is but one duty, which is that of believing; one muſt do nothing, but quietly attend the voice of the Lord. The gates of heaven are ſhut upon workers and open to believers. If we do nothing for heaven, we do as much as God requires. To believe certainly that Chriſt ſuffered death for us, is enough; we want no more. We are juſtified by our ſubmitting in our judgments to the truth of God's grace in Chriſt Jeſus. It is not neceſſary that a man do any works that he may be juſtified and ſaved. God doth not require thee to do any thing that thou mayeſt be ſaved or juſtified. The law ſets thee to work; but the goſpel binds thee to do nothing at all. Nay, the works are not only not required, but forbidden. God forbids us to work for juſtification: and when the Apoſtle Paul preſſeth men to believe, it is as much as if he had bid them not to work.—That the moral law is nothing to man. From any demand of the law, no man is obliged to go one ſtep, to give away one farthing, to eat, or omit one morſel. For what did our Lord do with the law? He aboliſhed it *.—That a ſpiritual man beholdeth juſtifying grace in believing, without his obedience to commands for external worſhip and good works, Col. [332]ii. 20.—That outward things do nothing avail to ſalvation. If love to God, and love to our neighbour, and relieving the poor, be altogether unprofitable and unavoidable, either to juſtification or ſalvation; then theſe outward works, in ſubmitting to outward ordinances (viz. the ordinances of Chriſt) are much leſs available. —Thoſe perſons bring in the moſt dangerous kind of Popery, and pervert the goſpel of Chriſt, who perſuade men, that if they do not ſubmit to the ordinances of the Lord Jeſus, he will not confeſs them before his Father. It is better not to practiſe outward ordinances at all, than to practiſe them on theſe goſpel-deſtroying principles, to the ruining of our ſouls.—A believer has no inherent righteouſneſs: God will ſave us to the utmoſt without any righteouſneſs or holineſs of our own. To look for inherent righteouſneſs is to deny the ſpirit, and trample under foot the blood of the covenant. But believers have not any inherent righteouſneſs in them. Our righteouſneſs is nothing but the imputation of the righteouſneſs of Chriſt. A believer has no holineſs in himſelf, but in Chriſt only. The trials of the ſpirit (commonly called ſanctification) ſuch as love, gentleneſs, long-ſuffering, goodneſs, meekneſs, temperance, neither make us holy before God, nor in our own conſciences, i. e. we are not made good or holy by any inward qualities or diſpoſitions; but being made pure and holy in our conſciences, by believing in Chriſt, we bear forth inwardly and outwardly the fruits of holineſs. A believer does not increaſe in holineſs as he increaſes in the love of God and man. The very moment he is juſtified, he is wholly ſanctified, and he is neither more nor leſs holy from that hour to the day of his death. Entire juſtification, and entire ſanctification, are in the ſame inſtant, and neither of them is, thenceforth, capable of increaſe or decreaſe. We are to grow in grace, but not in holineſs. The moment we are juſtified, we are as pure in heart as ever we ſhall [333]be. A new born babe is as pure in heart as a father in Chriſt; there is no difference.

In addition to this collective detail of the principles of the Antinomians, I ſhall give my readers the ſubſtance of a letter received from one of them, which, perhaps, is a more perfect view of the principles of the ſect, and of many popular preachers, who yet do not ſeparate from the church, or the ſects with which they are united, on that account.

This I have had occaſion to obſerve, that no ſooner does a perſon believe and profeſs ſalvation alone by Chriſt, without works of righteouſneſs, as done by him, but immediately upon his embracing ſuch a profeſſion, he ſhall be branded with the name of an Antinomian, though he ſhould be at the ſame time, notwithſtanding his change of profeſſion, as to his behaviour and deportment in life, as unblameable as the ſtricteſt legaliſt whatever; from whence it is pretty evident, that the name of an Antinomian is given to many by way of reproach or ridicule, and that there are many ſo accounted, to whom the charge does not juſtly belong; becauſe they diſown all their own works in point of merit or acceptance with God: yet that is no proof, but what they may be found in the practice of all ſuch good works as are neceſſary for good government and oeconomy in ſociety. They own the reaſonableneſs and neceſſity of theſe, but that they do not make up or conſtitute any part of that kingdom which is ſpiritual, and is not of this world. As I am far from thinking that the religion of Jeſus conſiſts merely in externals, neither do I think that an intricate ſyſtem of doctrines (ſuch as are ſuperior to a common underſtanding) is in the leaſt neceſſary, but rather prejudicial to thoſe who would be edified by what they profeſs. There ſeems to me to be two very eſſential points abſolutely neceſſary, namely, the knowledge of ourſelves, of the true ſtate of human nature, and the knowledge of ſalvation; in and through the promiſed [334]Meſſiah or Redeemer; or, in other words, that Jeſus is the Son of God, that he died for our ſins and roſe again for our juſtification, agreeable to the ſcripture teſtimony; that man is a ſinner, reaſon and revelation afford us the moſt ample proof: from whence it is likewiſe evident, that he ſtands convicted in his beſt doings and performances by the law of his Maker, which ſpiritual and divine commandment entails condemnation on all who hope for mercy and acceptance by a partial and imperfect obedience. As oppoſites tend to illuſtrate, ſo does an acquaintance with ourſelves, with the frailty and infirmity of our nature, ſerve to illuſtrate the beauty and extent of divine grace, as manifeſt in the perſon of Chriſt our Saviour. To ſpeak with candour and impartiality for myſelf, without reference to any perſon or party whatever. As a Chriſtian, I acknowledge Chriſt as the only foundation of my hope towards God, my acceptance with him, and rejoicing in him: I reſt all my concerns for time and eternity with him, as my wiſdom to guide me thro' all the mazes of life: I ſee mercy conſiſtent with juſtice, and a plenitude of grace extending to the guilty, and all in harmony with every attribute of Deity, in and through the one mediator between God and man, the man Chriſt Jeſus: the harmony and conſiſtency of the ſacred pages I likewiſe ſee in him, of whom Moſes and the prophets ſpake, every precept fulfilled by him, every threatening endured by him, and every promiſed bleſſing I lay claim unto, as my lawful inheritance, in and through him, my glorious and exalted head. In conſequence of this relation between Chriſt, as the head, and the church, his members, unſpeakable great and extenſive are the privileges which they have a claim unto, and yet with reverence they acknowledge the pre-eminence of their head in all things. The name of Jeſus, a Saviour, is to me a ſound more ſtriking, more excellent, more harmonious, than the moſt melodious notes from the beſt tuned inſtrument. The [335]whole creation, in its vaſt extent and variety, is to me as ſo many ſtriking figures of that conſummate beauty and perfection, which dwells in his adorable perſon; every amiable character by which he ſtands diſtinguiſhed, is to me full fraught with inſtruction, admiration, and conſolation: he is precious and honourable in my eſteem, and the language of the Apoſtle is with me very familiar; i. e. "I count all things but loſs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord, &c." While I hear of various ſounds from the various ſectaries, as having learned to diſtinguiſh the voice of the true ſhepherd, I know that never varies. I ſee no danger of running into error, while I have recourſe to, and gather all my ſupplies from him, as the fountain of truth itſelf. Thus I go on in dependance upon and intercourſe with my Lord and Saviour, as, having a glimpſe of his glory, I ſometimes contemplate the pleaſures that muſt neceſſarily reſult from a happy and immortal exiſtence. Till that period ſhall commence, my prevailing prayer and ſupplication is, that he would teach me in all things by his influence and Spirit, that, under a ſenſe of my own inſufficiency, I may rely upon his fulneſs; that, with a becoming gratitude of ſoul, I may acknowledge every inſtance of his goodneſs in all the diſpenſations of his providence and grace; that I may have a continued ſenſe of his preſence, which contains the fulneſs of joy; the views of his reconciled countenance, which makes life pleaſant, and gives a true reliſh for every rational enjoyment, in forming a juſt eſtimation of perſons and things; imploring in all ſubmiſſion to the divine will, ſo as to be able to juſtify him in the whole of his dealings towards the children of men. But perhaps you will ſay, what is all this, without the external or practical part? I anſwer, As the leſſer muſt of conſequence be ſubſervient to the greater; ſo, where the religion of Jeſus has its proper influence on the mind, every thing that [336]is commendable and praiſe-worthy, every thing becoming a reaſonable man, becoming a Chriſtian, will be the natural product, as much as good fruit is the natural product from a good tree.

Perhaps perſons acquainted with the principles of the modern Antinomians will be ſurpriſed at ſome things in this letter, and the vein of Chriſtian charity that is viſible in it. In ſhort, the writer ſeems not to be willing to be called by that name.

One quotation more, and I conclude my account of the Antinomians.

A remarkable DIALOGUE, publiſhed in the London Gazetteer of July 17, 1761 (introduced by a ſerious and affecting letter to the miniſter and members of the ſociety, meeting for what they call the worſhip of God, in Coachmakers Hall, Noble-ſtreet) between J. N. of Broadſtreet, and one of the champions of the Antinomian faith.

Queſ. 1. Did our Lord Jeſus Chriſt die for all, or only a part of mankind?

Anſ. He died for all.

Queſ. 2. If for all, why then are not all ſaved?

Anſ. All are and will be ſaved: he being an offering for ſin, none of Adam's race can periſh or be loſt; for could that be the caſe, then Chriſt died in vain.

Queſ. 3. Is faith neceſſary to ſalvation?

Anſ. Nor faith, nor works in man, can avail any thing; man of himſelf can do nothing; but faith is the ſum and ſubſtance of faith imputed to us as ours.

Queſ. 4. Then (contrary to ſcripture) without holineſs men may ſee the Lord?

Anſ. The Lord is our holineſs; therefore holineſs is not required in man, nor can avail, otherwiſe than as the holineſs of Chriſt imputed to him.

Queſ. 5. Is prayer for the pardon of ſin neceſſary?

[337] Anſ. If man prays to eternity, it will avail nothing, becauſe the prayers of Chriſt have reached heaven for all the race of Adam.

Queſ. 6. Is repentance for ſin neceſſary?

Anſ. No, not in man, becauſe Chriſt hath repented for us, and his obedience is ſufficient.

Queſ. 7. Did Chriſt come to reform the world, or to ſave the world unreformed?

Anſ. The reformation of man can avail nothing, Chriſt having reformed the world in himſelf.

Queſ. 8. Suppoſe then a man continues in notorious ſins through the whole of life, unrepented of, can any faith in Chriſt ſave him, whoſe works from firſt to laſt denied him?

Anſ. Yes; becauſe Chriſt being his holineſs, he lived for him, believed for him, and was obedient for him; therefore God wanted nothing of fallen man.

Queſ. 9. How then can it be ſaid, with any propriety, that man will be judged hereafter, according to the deeds done in the body?

Anſ. There will be no judgment after this life; for judgment is already paſt; Chriſt having juſtified us before God, hath made us a free people.

Queſ. 10. If no judgment to come, will there be any reſurrection of the dead?

Anſ. This body of fleſh will riſe no more; but our ſpirits will exiſt in Chriſt; we being the members of his body, ſhall live in him as our all in all.

Queſ. 11. Will there be any future puniſhment of any kind?

Anſ. No; Chriſt having overcome him that had the power of death and hell, hath brought in everlaſting righteouſneſs.

Queſ. 12. If no place of puniſhment, the devil being overcome by the death of Chriſt, is he annihilated, or reſtored to mercy?

Anſ. The latter; by the ſacrifice of Chriſt, who by his ſpirit went to preach to them that were in priſon.

The Hiſtory of the MORAVIANS.

[338]

IN giving my readers the hiſtory of this brotherhood, I am under ſome difficulty. They themſelves have publiſhed little to the purpoſe, and are a ſet of people not very communicative. What can be done in this caſe? All that can be done is to take it, as well as the account of their principles, &c. from thoſe who have wrote profeſſedly againſt them, and who having been initiated into their myſteries, afterwards forſook their ſociety; in which I am alſo juſtified, by the Moravians having never returned any proper anſwer to theſe writers, ſo that their veracity remains at preſent unimpeached. I ſhould have been better pleaſed to have received the proper intelligence from themſelves and their writings; but after much patience exerciſed upon the occaſion, found myſelf diſappointed. The character of Mr. Henry Rimius is ſo well eſtabliſhed for honour and veracity, that I ſhall venture to give their hiſtory and diſcipline in his own words.

* "Nicholas Lewis, Count of Zinzendorf, is the author of Herrnhutiſm, and it is to him that the progreſs this ſect has hitherto made, is to be aſcribed. According to the account he gives of himſelf, he formed from the tenth year of his age a deſign to gather together a little ſociety of believers, amongſt whom he might live, and who ſhould entirely employ themſelves in exerciſes of devotion, under his direction. When he became of age, which was in the year 1721, his thoughts were wholly bent on executing his project, and being joined by ſome perſons, that were of his way of thinking, he ſettled at Bertholſdorf in Upper Luſatia, an eſtate which he had purchaſed, giving the curacy of that [339]village, then vacant, to a ſtudent, in whom he had perceived ſentiments analogous to his own.

Bertholſdorf ſoon came to be known for this ſort of piety. News thereof was brought to Moravi [...] by a carpenter, named Chriſtian David, who, according to Le Long, had been before in that country, and there inſtilled into the minds of ſeveral people a diſtaſte to the ſuperſtition of the Romiſh church, and an inclination to the Proteſtant religion. Having engaged two or three of theſe proſelytes to leave that country with their families, Count Zinzendorf received them with gladneſs at Bertholſdorf. They were directed to build an houſe in a wood, about half a league from that village, which ſoon was finiſhed, ſo that on St. Martin's day, 1722, theſe people held their firſt meeting there. It is ſaid, that they foreſaw that God would kindle a light in this place that ſhould enlighten all the country. Chriſtian David was ſo ſure of the future growth of this ſettlement, that he already divided the ſpot of ground round it into quarters, and marked out in what directions the ſtreets were to run. The event has not contradicted this prognoſtication. A good many people from Moravia and elſewhere, to ſhelter themſelves under the protection of Count Zinzendorf, flocked to this new ſettlement, and built houſes; and the Count himſelf fixed his reſidence there. In a few years it became a conſiderable village, having an orphan-houſe and other public buildings. Thirty-four houſes were already built there in 1728; and in 1732 the number of inhabitants amounted to ſix hundred. An adjacent hill called the Huth-Berg, gave occaſion to theſe coloniſts to call their dwelling-place Huth des Herrn, and afterwards Herrnhuth; which may be interpreted the guard or protection of the Lord; and from this the whole ſect has taken its name.

The Herrnhuters ſoon eſtabliſhed among themſelves a ſort of diſcipline, which cloſely unites them to one another, divides them into different claſſes, puts them [340]under an entire dependance on their ſuperiors, and confines them to certain exerciſes of devotion, and to the obſerving of different little rules. One may call it a monaſtic inſtitution.

The difference of age, ſex, and the ſituation their members are in with reſpect to matrimony, conſtitute theſe different claſſes. There are claſſes of married men, married women, widowers, widows, maids, bachelors, children. Each has its director, choſen by its members. The ſame employments the men have among themſelves, are among the women, which are exerciſed by perſons of their own ſex. Every member is daily viſited by one of his claſs, who gives him exhortations, and takes notice of the actual ſtate of his ſoul, whereof he makes a report to the elders. Frequent particular aſſemblies are held in each claſs, and general ones by the whole ſociety. The overſeers or leaders have alſo their private meetings to inſtruct one another in matters concerning the guidance of ſouls. The members of each claſs are ſubdivided into people that are dead, awaked, ignorant, willing diſciples, diſciples that have made a progreſs. Proper aſſiſtance is given to each of theſe ſubdiviſions; but above all, great care is taken of thoſe that are ſpiritually dead.

They pay an uncommon attention to the inſtruction of youth. Beſides thoſe that have the care of orphans, there are others that are intruſted with that of all the other children. Count Zinzendorf's zeal has ſometimes carried him ſo far, as to take children to his own home to inſtruct them, to the number of twenty, whereof nine or ten ſlept in his bed-chamber. There are aſſemblies held of little children that are not yet in a condition to walk. They are carried thither. Hymns are ſung in theſe meetings, and prayers made; even ſermons are preached to them ſuitable to the capacity of theſe infant-hearers.

The elder, co-elder, the vice-elder, ſuperintend all the claſſes. There are likewiſe informers by office, ſome of them known, ſome kept ſecret, beſides a great [341]many other employments and titles, the detail of which would be too long and too tedious here.

A great part of their worſhip conſiſts in ſinging. They pretend that children in particular are inſtructed in their religion by hymns. Count Zinzendorf relates a very extraordinary thing in his Natural Reflexions, viz. "that the chanters of the ſociety muſt have received a particular and almoſt inimitable gift of God: for when they are obliged to ſing at the head of the congregation, their ſongs are always a connected repetition of thoſe matters that had been preached juſt before."

At all hours, whether day or night, ſome perſons, of both ſexes, are appointed by rotation to pray for the ſociety. And what is moſt remarkable, theſe people, without call, clock or watch, are acquainted, by an inward feeling, when their hour comes in which they are to perform their duty.

When the brethren perceive that the zeal of the ſociety is declining, their devotion is revived, by celebrating Agapes or love-feaſts.

The caſting of lots is much practiſed among them. They make uſe of it to learn the will of the Lord.

The elders have the ſole right of making matches. No promiſe of marriage is of any validity without their conſent. The maids devote themſelves to the Saviour, not that their intent is never to marry, but to marry only ſuch a perſon, with reſpect to whom God ſhall have made known to them with certainty, that he is regenerated, inſtructed in the importance of the conjugal ſtate, and appointed by the divine director to enter into that ſtate.

All is extraordinary at Herrnhut. The moſt ſtubborn diſeaſes vaniſh there without help: very rarely one dies there of a violent fever. But it is common to die there of a cold, defluxion, or ſuch like other ſlight indiſpoſition. Theſe are at leaſt things Count Zinzendorf affirms in a writing, dated January 24, 1732, [342]and preſented to the miniſtry of the court of Dreſden.

I do not find that the Herrnhuters to the year 1729, pretended to be any thing more than members of the Lutheran church at Bertholſdorf. Indeed, they were all of them either born among Lutherans, or converted from Popery to the faith of the Augſburg confeſſion; and if ſome amongſt them entertained ideas of Calviniſm, Count Zinzendorf took care to cure them of it. But from this time the Herrnhuters, undoubtedly with a view to ſet their ſociety off to better advantage, would paſs for a ſprig of thoſe Bohemian and Moravian brethren, who, a long time before Luther, lived ſeparated from the Romiſh church, and who in the time of the reformation entered into brotherly correſpondence with the two great Proteſtant ſocieties, but without uniting with either of them. And Count Zinzendorf has ſince that time ever talked in this ſtrain. He pretends that theſe brethren originally were of the Greek church, and in proceſs of time had united with the Waldenſes, who derived their original from the Latin Church. He beſtows the greateſt encomiums on this Moravian church, ſo much renowned in former times, eclipſed and forgot afterwards, and at length, if credit may be given him, revived under his auſpices at Herrnhut. He gives her the moſt pompous titles; as, the church of the Croſs,—the church of the Lamb,—the church of the Blood and Wounds,—the Theocracy, —a people whereunto never was ſeen the like,— they are the hundred forty four thouſand ſervants of God marked on their foreheads—whereof St. John makes mention in his Revelation.

This deſcent would, without doubt, do honour to Herrnhutiſm, but there is a neceſſity of proving it firſt. Let us examine whether it ever has yet been proved? So far from it, that even ſetting aſide the doctrine of the Herrnhuters, which openly contradicts this vainglorious pretenſion, it has been acknowledged and proved by one of their own Biſhops, that the ancient [343]Moravian brethren mixed with the reformed in Poland, and that not one of thoſe that profeſſed their doctrine remained in Bohemia and Moravia, where it has been entirely extirpated ever ſince the year 1620. The Moravians, who retired to Herrnhut, and who are the moſt inconſiderable part of the inhabitants of that village, have nothing common with the ancient Bohemian and Moravian brethren. They are Roman Catholicks converted to the Proteſtant religion, as the Herrnhuters themſelves acknowledge.

As the Herrnhut ſociety was begun upon the eſtate of Count Zinzendorf, under his protection, by his care and benefactions, and according to his ideas and views; it was but natural he ſhould have a very great authority over it. And ſo it happens; he has always been the ſoul, the oracle, and the primum mobile of it. He tells us himſelf that he has always been at the head of his ſect, both in temporals and ſpirituals, and his diſciples ſay the ſame. Though titles could add nothing to his authority, yet he has not diſdained them. He has even made alterations in them at different times. From the year 1726, he was called the truſtee or guardian of the brethren, which happened in a ſingular manner, as he tells us himſelf. Chriſtian David, the carpenter, of whom mention has been made, being once in the Count's apartment to talk with him, all on a ſudden gave him this title; which afterwards was confirmed by the unanimous conſent of the ſociety. In the month of March 1730, he reſigned this dignity. In September 1732, the ſociety preſſed him to take it upon him, delivering to him an appointment or call for that purpoſe, in form of an act, ſigned by the brethren and ſiſters that were of the privy council of the ſociety. At that time he refuſed to comply, but granted their requeſt ſome months after, upon a new appointment, dated January 26, 1733. In 1737 Count Zinzendorf, who, from the age of ſeventeen, had believed he had a call from Providence to an eccleſiaſtical [344]ſtate or condition of life, and who had already publickly preached in ſome of the Lutheran churches, got himſelf conſecrated Biſhop of his ſect. From that time, according to the cuſtom of Biſhops, he made uſe of his Chriſtian name, and of that of his ſee, viz. Ludovicus Moravienſis. The Prelate of this newfaſhioned creation, nevertheleſs did not ſuffer himſelf to be dazzled by the luſtre of his mitre. He tells us himſelf, that he had very little forwardneſs to make a figure as a Biſhop; and in the third general ſynod of Herrnhutiſm, held at Gotha in 1740, he laid down his epiſcopal dignity; which however had made no change with reſpect to his office of truſtee or guardian of the brethren. It appears at leaſt, that he was ſtill veſted with it in 1743, becauſe at that time the brethren diſcharged him from it. But this was only done with a view to give him a much more honourable title, viz. that of miniſter plenipotentiary and oeconomiſt, with power to nominate a ſucceſſor, and an expreſs clauſe, that nothing of importance ſhould be done or concluded without his conſent. He did not accept this new promotion till towards the cloſe of the following year. Lately we ſee him ſtile himſelf Lord Advocate of the Unitas Fratrum.

Count Zinzendorf has very early been about extending his ſect. He has ſent his fellow-labourers throughout the world. He himſelf has been over all Europe, and at leaſt twice in America. From the year 1733, a new Herrnhut has been ſet up in Groenland; and before the end of the preceding year the miſſionaries of Herrnhutiſm had already paſſed the line. The ſociety poſſeſſes Bethlehem in Penſylvania: it has a ſettlement amongſt the Hottentots. China is entered into its plan. But it has no where made better conqueſts than in the Britiſh European dominions, in the United Provinces, and in Wetteravia; in the laſt province, however, where their views were diſcovered, they have again loſt ground. They have alſo been turned out of [345]the Daniſh dominions, where they had made a ſettlement.

A diſcipline ſo much overburdened as that of Herrnhutiſm, could not very well take place but in a ſmall ſociety; and we find, that in proportion as this ſect came to ſpread abroad, it was thought neceſſary to forego, in ſome meaſure, the rigour of its rule, in order to accommodate the inſtitution to the taſte, humour, and ideas of the new proſelytes. This gave riſe to the modifications, forms, and different uſages now in being among theſe ſectaries. Count Zinzendorf calls them Tropes, Types, and at this very time there are three of them, viz. the Moravian Trope or Type, which is the moſt ancient; the Lutheran, which appears to him to be the moſt ſalutary to the children of God; and the Reformed or Calviniſt Trope, for which he alſo has a great regard, and whereof Mr. de Watteville, his ſon-in-law, was elected Biſhop in 1743. I cannot exactly ſay wherein the above three modifications differ from each other: theſe are ſecrets probably known by the adepts alone. Thus much they have thought fit to acquaint the public with, that the Bohemian confeſſion is received by the firſt trope, the confeſſion of Augſburg by the ſecond, and that of the reformed churches in the United Provinces by the third. Indeed, from the year 1748, Count Zinzendorf has made all the tropes receive the Augſburg confeſſion; however, it is pretended, that this has made no confuſion among theſe ſeveral modifications.

Condeſcenſion being what has given riſe to theſe tropes, Count Zinzendorf, from the ſame motive, ſhews a general inclination to all Chriſtian communions. He would have wrote to the Pope, had he known what title to give him. He has even been perſecuted for having maintained, that the Pope was not the Antichriſt. He has ſent a deputation to the Patriarch of Conſtantinople, which has been very well received. He ſhews a great attachment to Lutheraniſm, [346]whereof he conſtantly pretends himſelf to be a member. He boaſts of being a miniſter of that church, and affirms, in ſpite of all that can be ſaid to the contrary, that he and his brethren have no other doctrine than what is taught by that communion He is of late become more favourable to Calviniſm, than he was in the beginning It was in his power, ſays he, to have rooted it out from among the brethren; he however declined it. Although, according to him, the taking of oaths is not prohibited; yet the ſociety, wherever it ſettles, is known to be averſe to them, and that probably out of complaiſance to the Mennoniſts or Anabaptiſts. He declares in general, that whoever embraces Herrnhutiſm need not change his religion. Such advances as theſe cannot but infinitely facilitate the propagation of the ſect, which already boaſts of decimating all nations, and pretends it has a right to all the children of God of whatever perſuaſion they be.

Though Count Zinzendorf tells us, that he has ſometimes met with reſiſtance from the brethren, and that they have contradicted him; yet it appears in general, that they have ſhewed great docility both for him and thoſe he has been pleaſed to make partakers of his authority. Submiſſion to the will of the ſuperiors of the ſociety, is a very eſſential article of his ſyſtem. He teaches, in his ſermons to the ſynod of Zeiſt, that God obeys the voice of his ſervants (that is to ſay, of the brethren); but that it is required, that firſt of all they agree with their friend, that they act in concert with their chief. The tractableneſs which he preſcribes them muſt go ſo far as to ſuffer themſelves to be led ſtep for ſtep, like little children, by men whom he calls miniſters of the Holy Ghoſt, and of the church, repreſenting them as being ſo many living images of our bleſſed Saviour. The irkſomeneſs of thus obeying without reſerve is great, it muſt be owned; but then it is much alleviated by the notion that is inſtilled into them, that their ſuperiors receive from Chriſt himſelf [347]the orders that are given. This the Count inculcates among his flock with equal care and aſſiduity. Every thing is done by the Saviour's injunction; "Jeſus will have it ſo, the Lamb commands it:" this is the ſtile of the miniſters of the ſociety. According to them, the Saviour gives his orders on the very moment they are to be executed. He will not ſuffer that thoſe who are to obey them have time to conſider. "Thus buſineſs is done quickly, all at once; and, as it were, in poſt-haſte." Theſe are the Count's own expreſſions, who looks upon this method of the Saviour, as a condeſcenſion he has for his children, with whoſe weakneſs he is not unacquainted. He knows, adds he, for inſtance, how it is with a maid, when ſhe is appriſed ſhe is to marry: therefore he doth not willingly let perſons know their deſtination much beforehand.

The ſending of miſſionaries, according to this ſect, is a buſineſs in which the Saviour is particularly concerned. Count Zinzendorf informs us minutely what the Saviour preſcribes in this matter. For inſtance, ſome of the ſociety earneſtly deſiring, that thoſe of their brethren, who had been pitched upon to be ſent away, ſhould be diſpatched a day ſooner than the Saviour had appointed: the Count oppoſed this motion with ſo much ſteadineſs, that it was dropped. It was to no purpoſe they objected, that the Captains, who were to take them on board at Rotterdam, would pay no regard to the day appointed by the Saviour: he reſolutely anſwered, "They will do it; or if not, our miſſionaries will come, in another manner, to the place for which they are deſtined." This example of the Count's faith will appear leſs aſtoniſhing, when we attend to what he tells us further, viz. that he has found by experience, that the brethren, when the Saviour directed them in their travels, have performed amazing things, things which no art, no human precaution ever could attain to. He himſelf has once, without human aſſiſtance, made a voyage in eleven weeks, which another [348]Herrnhuter could not compaſs in leſs than ſixty-ſix, becauſe he was in the hands of men. "The Saviour (continues this great apoſtle, in a prophetical ſtrain, in his 33d ſermon, preached at Zeiſt) protects his people in a quite wonderful manner. My wiſhes and deſires are, that I could bri [...]g it to paſs, that we could have a couple of ſhips, no matter of what bulk, that belonged ſolely to the ſociety, and which the maritime powers might not ſuſpect of carrying on a trade, or being employed in ſmuggling; which may be poſſible to obtain, and depends only on a favourable moment: then we ſhould ſee wonders. For, at preſent, our affairs are too much blended with the buſineſs of men, with their intereſt and views; this makes a great alteration, and cannot but have, ſome way or other, an influence over the brethren. But were it once to become the Saviour's buſineſs alone, then he would let us ſee wonders on the ſea. He would not only cauſe us to make voyages with great ſwiftneſs, but to land where never any body landed. A tempeſt would be ſufficient to bring us to the intended place. In caſe leave was denied us to enter a port, we ſhould be conveyed into ſome inacceſſible bay, at ſome miles diſtance from the port, where we might land, and no body could find fault with it, becauſe it would appear, that we were arrived there by ſtreſs of weather. This would coſt nothing to the Saviour, it would be a play to his angels."

Count Zinzendorf tells us himſelf, that the commiſſion of the ſociety was never calculated for a general converſion of the Heathen; that the time of this great event is not as yet come; but that the ſociety being an [...] (an election, a choſen people), it muſt have an [...] (the firſtlings or firſt-fruits) here and there among the Heathen. The little number the brethren have hitherto converted to the Chriſtian faith, is but a comfort, which the Saviour has granted them to make them amends for their labours, and they believe [349]themſelves well rewarded for their toil, if in two hundred voyages they make but one hundred converts. He alſo tells us, that the Herrnhuters, in order to acquire the firſtlings of Paganiſm, chuſe to look out for them amongſt thoſe Heathen, that have had the leaſt or no communication at all with the pretenders to Chriſtianity, rather than among the laſt.

As the brethren have always a great number of labourers on the roads, oftentimes among theſe their chief himſelf with his family and retinue; and as, beſides, their undertakings, and the acquiſitions they make, require conſiderable expence, it is neceſſary they ſhould have what is called the ſinew of all great ſchemes, money. Thus we find they have betimes eſtabliſhed a fund called by them the Lamb's or the Saviour's cheſt, which is become very conſiderable by the contributions and donations of the proſelytes of Herrnhutiſm and its favourers. From the beginning, two brethren were truſted with it; of whom, one kept the cheſt, and the other the key; but Count Zinzendorf has always had the principal direction over it. This addition of temporal concerns muſt infallibly have cruſhed him under its weight, he being already ſo much taken up with the ſpiritual ones of the ſociety, had he not found in the Counteſs, his ſpouſe, a proper aſſiſtant to ſhare his fatigues with him. In a manuſcript hiſtory of the ſociety, whereof the Count gives us ſome abſtracts in the appendix of his Natural Reflections, it is ſaid, that this Lady, during a time of twenty-ſix years, has ſo well huſbanded the ſcanty funds of the ſociety, that nothing was ever wanting, either in his family, or amongſt the brotherhood, though there had been a neceſſity of furniſhing from thence above one million of crowns for ſundry undertakings. Upon the whole, it is well known, that whoever deſires to be received as a brother, is not welcome among them, unleſs he contributes to the cheſt. The Count ſays himſelf, "That the oeconomiſts of the ſociety may ſay to a young rich [350]man, Either give us all thou haſt, or get thee gone; give us all thou haſt, or thou canſt not be with us."

I have already hinted at the rapid progreſs made by Herrnhutiſm. Here follows another curious detail, which Count Zinzendorf himſelf gives us in his Natural Reflections, &c. wrote in the years 1748 and 1749. This will ſhew (if credit may be given to what he ſays) what ſituation the ſect was in at that time. The ſociety, ſays he, had almoſt a thouſand labourers diſperſed all over the world. This number, however, was not yet ſufficient; for, in proportion as they worked, the harveſt increaſed. Twenty-four nations had been awakened from their ſpiritual drowſineſs, by the care of theſe apoſtles. "We preach, ſays he, to an innumerable number of ſouls in fourteen languages, amongſt whom, without reckoning thoſe that do not belong to the Proteſtant religion, nor the Jews and Heathens, there are at leaſt twenty thouſand people that were not born Lutherans, whom we nevertheleſs bring to the Augſburg confeſſion, and indeed we cannot recommend to them a better conſtitution, than the church of the brethren. We have, adds he, ninety-eight eſtabliſhments, amongſt which are caſtles that have 20, 50, or 90 apartments." The miſſionaries of the Herrnhuters do not go and preach in every place, where their miniſtry is required. On the 28th of February 1748, they had received above one hundred and ſeventy invitations, only from Eaſter of the foregoing year, with regard to which they had not as yet taken any reſolution. In the mean while they are not idle; in the year 1740, they had already made two hundred voyages by ſea. As to the progreſs the ſect has made abroad for theſe three years paſt, I ſhall not venture to ſpeak of, as I have not ſufficient materials for the purpoſe; but as for the ſucceſs they have met with in theſe kingdoms, and are daily making, every body is an eye-witneſs of. It is to be ſuppoſed, [351]that their ſucceſs from the year 1749 muſt ſurpaſs that of the two years above-mentioned."

Since the publication of the above account, the Moravians have not, perhaps, increaſed, as the writings of Mr. Ri [...]ius, and the narrative of Andrew Frey, have done them great diſſervice with the ſober part of mankind. They were eſtabliſhed here, in England, by an act paſſed many years ſince *, and are in conſiderable numbers in this kingdom and its plantations, as well as in Ireland and Scotland. The publick has yet felt no inconveniency from their admiſſion and toleration, nor are likely to feel any, as they are, in general, an induſtrious ſet of people.

I come now to the tenets of Herrnhutiſm. As long as Herrnhut belonged to the church at Bertholſdorf, the ſociety was held in great eſteem, and not at all ſuſpected to differ from the confeſſion of Augſburg. This was the reaſon, for which the theological faculty at Tubingen, did not ſcruple to grant them thoſe teſtimonials, to which Count Zinzendorf has ſince that time always referred himſelf, to prove the ſoundneſs of his doctrine . I do not know, nor is it material to inquire, whether Count Zinzendorf began to broach his new doctrine, immediately upon the beginning of the firſt eſtabliſhment of the ſociety at Herrnhut; it ſeems more likely, that as he enlarged his plan, he enlarged his notions alſo. Thus much is certain, that it is no eaſy matter to come at the tenets of this ſect, on account of the great obſcurity affected by their teachers. They make it their ſtudy, to ſpeak and write, that they may not be underſtood. It is a rule among them, to ſpeak to thoſe, that are not initiated [352]into the myſteries of the theology of blood and wounds, that is to ſay, their own theology, in a manner, that they may not be able to tell again any thing of what they have heard. They act, ſays Count Zinzendorf himſelf, in the ſame manner as one would do, who, to catch people that are too curious, writes in a character they are not able to decypher. They ſucceed wonderfully in this kind of ſtile. Sometimes they are quite unintelligible. At other times they begin to expreſs themſelves clearly, but on a ſudden become too obſcure to be underſtood. They are ſeldom entirely clear, and nevertheleſs ſhew often too great a clearneſs *. For, indeed, thoſe things that eſcape them, and are eaſy to be underſtood, do no honour either to their judgment or underſtanding. The reader will be convinced of it by the ſpecimens I am going to lay before him. I ſhall take a great number of them from Count Zinzendorf's theological opinion, and his ſermons preached in America, and at Zeiſt in the province of Utrecht. Theſe laſt, to the number of fifty-ſix, were delivered to the ſynod of the brethren, held at the laſt mentioned place in 1746, and are printed and publiſhed by the ſociety in one volume. The Count has not put his name to it; for, according to a letter, inſerted in Siegfried's beſcheidene Beleuchtung, directed by him to all Kings, Electors, Princes, &c. he has left off long ago, to put his name to his writings. But it is impoſſible to read theſe ſermons, without perceiving him to be the author; beſides this, he declares himſelf very clearly in the preface, where he ſays, that the buſineſs of the author of theſe ſermons, is to exerciſe the office of Syndic of the ſynods, to ſuperintend the records, to adminiſter the liturgy, to prepare matters and propoſe them. I the more willingly make uſe of theſe ſermons, as they have been preached for the inſtruction [353]of ſeveral fellow-labourers, Engliſh and Dutch, lately received among the ſect, and ſince the preacher propoſes there to himſelf, to put into a better light certain central ideas, by which one ought to regulate one's actions, words and thoughts. If it be poſſible, to meet any where with the tenets of Herrnhutiſm, it muſt be in them.

I begin with the idea this ſect has of the ſcripture. Though Count Zinzendorf doth not, as yet, think proper to diſown the ſcripture; yet the indifferent manner, in which he gives his opinion of it, ſhews what he aims at. He ſays in a ſermon preached at Philadelphia, that the ſtile of the ſcripture is ſometimes like that of a carpenter, ſometimes like that of a fiſherman, or of a toll-gatherer. Chriſt himſelf had ſpoke very meanly, and uſed many a phraſe becoming a peaſant, which is now looked upon to imply ſomething of quite a different nature, ſince we are unacquainted with the manner of ſpeaking uſed by the journeymen at Nazareth. He preſcribes a method to his miſſionaries, how to deal with the comptrollers of the ſcripture (by whom he means thoſe that deſire proofs of every doctrine out of the ſcripture) viz. that they ought to prove all ſuch things by the defects or imperfections of theſe writings, which thoſe comptrollers pretend to make good by the perfection and infallibility of the ſcripture. The reading of the ſcripture appears to him to be more dangerous than uſeful to the ſociety.

According to Count Zinzendorf, the doctrine that God the Father is our Creator, the Son our Redeemer, and the Holy Ghoſt our Sanctifier, is a falſe doctrine, and one of the capital errors that reign in Chriſtendom. Creation and ſanctification ought not to be aſcribed to the Father and Holy Ghoſt. To avoid idolatry, people ought to be taken from the Father and Holy Ghoſt, and conducted to Chriſt, with whom alone we have to do. The ancients never [354]dreamt of a Trinity; whoever adores the Father and the Holy Ghoſt, differs not from a ſervant of Jupiter, Mercury, Apollo, or of any great hero to whom the ancients gave the title of God. Our great Doctor appears ſo poſitive of the orthodoxy of his new opinion, that he calls the theology received among Chriſtians, a dry one, and good for nothing elſe than to amuſe dogs and ſwine, unbelievers and Atheiſts, invented by the Devil, and that ſuch as teach it are Satan's profeſſors. Satan has thought within himſelf, ſays he, Men ſhall not come to ſee the Father, that is, the true Father, who is the Saviour, according to Count Zinzendorf: "I'll conduct them round about the Saviour, I'll repreſent to them a phantom of a Father, and they ſhall think, as the Jews formerly did, that this is their God; thus the Saviour ſhall not get them. By this means, I'll keep them in my power, whilſt they think within themſelves they are very wiſe. The miſtake among Chriſtians, adds he, ariſes from their not comprehending, that it is honour enough for the Father, to be the Father of God the Creator of all things, and to be his own and only Father.

The Holy Ghoſt is called by the Herr [...]huters, the eternal wife of God, the mother of Chriſt, the mother of the faithful, the mother of the church. Count Zinzendorf, in the ſixth part of his Natural Reflections, gives a long detail to juſtify this change he makes in the common theology. He looks upon it as important and neceſſary; complaining much, that, ſince the reformation, people are in groſs ignorance concerning the perſon of the Holy Ghoſt, and that the divines in this article commit a very palpable omiſſion. He adds, that ſuch as cannot comprehend the myſtery of the Trinity in the manner he explains it, want undoubredly uprightneſs of heart more than underſtanding.

Thus it appears, that the Son is chiefly the object of the Herrnhuters worſhip. Though Count Zinzendorf in plain words calls him the Carpenter Jeſus, having [355]taken along with him, into his glory, the poor figure he made in this world, yet the moſt tender names are given him. He is called their Lamb, their little Lamb, their little Jeſus. They make this name of the feminine gender, calling him their mother, their Mamma Jeſua. The creation, redemption, and ſanctification is the work of Chriſt, but the Father and Holy Ghoſt miniſter to him in all of them, which is the identical word they uſe in expreſſing themſelves on this head. "Whoever believes in Chriſt, tho' he knows nothing more of the Godhead, will be ſaved. The Apoſtles, to avoid idolatry, had not baptiſed in the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Ghoſt, but in Chriſt's name only. God had darted his Son as a flaſh of lightning, and the Son by his incarnation had made a parentheſis in the Godhead. What in common life is called a grandfather, a father-in-law, ſuch was the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. The Son had taken it as a favour, that he was allowed to become man and go out of the Godhead. Chriſt had not conquered as God, but as a man, with the ſame ſtrength we conquer. God had aſſiſted him, and he aſſiſts us alſo. Chriſt had not had the leaſt power more than we have. He had laid aſide his Godhead, and wrought miracles as men are able to do."

They have a great devotion for the five red wounds of the crucifixion, but that which Chriſt received in his ſide is extolled above all the reſt. This is "their favourite wound, the very dear little holy opening, the precious and thouſand times pretty little ſide." They kiſs this wound, they kiſs the ſpear that made it, and would kiſs the ſoldier whoſe hand conducted the ſpear; they thank him for it. It is in this opening that the faithful repoſes himſelf; there he breathes, there he ſports, there he lays down, ſometimes length-wiſe, ſometimes croſs-wiſe: there is his country, his houſe, his hall, his little bed, his little table: there he eats, there he drinks, there he lives, there he praiſes the dear little Lamb.

[356]The Herrnhuters have this diſtinguiſhing character of fanaticiſm, that they reject reaſon, reaſoning and philoſophy. The children of God do not inſtruct themſelves out of books. To demonſtrate religion, to make it as evident as four times four are ſixteen, is an uſeleſs and ſuperfluous labour. Faith does not require the leaſt demonſtration. It is brought forth in the heart by the Holy Ghoſt. The children of God believe, becauſe they find pleaſure in believing. Nevertheleſs this faith, produced without reaſoning, ſerves them inſtead of all other things. No other commandment ſhould be preached to men, than that of believing. This is Count Zinzendorf's doctrine.

Regeneration comes of itſelf, without our being required to do any thing towards it. It is a capital truth, ſays our Moravian Biſhop, that ſuch as have not received grace, that are not yet children of God, that have not yet a feeling of their reconciliation, that do not know yet upon what terms they are with their Creator and Saviour, ought not to be engaged to prepare themſelves for it by any action, good works, good reſolutions *. They muſt be told, that all that has been believed hitherto to be a preparation for coming to God, is rather an hindrance to their ſalvation. Regeneration is brought about ſuddenly, all at once. One moment is ſufficient to make us free to receive grace, to be transformed to the image of the little Lamb.

A perſon regenerated enjoys great liberty. He doth what the Saviour gives him an inclination to do, and what he has no in [...]ination for, he is not obliged to do. He doth what the Saviour makes him do, for he is the maſter, in whoſe power it is to make laws and to repeal them; who at all times can change the oeconomy of ſalvation; make criminal what was virtuous, and virtuous what was criminal.

It is wrong to ſay, that a regenerated perſon doth [357]any thing: properly ſpeaking they do nothing. It is the Saviour that acts for them. He is with reſpect to the Saviour as a child, whoſe hand one guides, yet who believes it is himſelf that writes, and rejoices at it.

On the great day of judgment, the Herrnhuters will not be placed on the Saviour's left-hand among thoſe that are goats; this is to be underſtood of courſe. Nor will they be amongſt thoſe called the ſheep on the righthand of the judgment ſeat, a place of honour they look upon too mean to be aſſigned them. Count Zinzendorf tells us, that the words, Holy angels, coming with the Saviour in his glory, denote the ſaints coming along with him, and that the Herrnhuters will be thoſe ſaints that accompany him. He adds, that ſuch as do not die Herrnhuters, will have mercy on that day, provided they think favourably upon their dying bed of thoſe belonging to that ſect.

The circumciſion of the Saviour has, according to them, ſerved to ſhew of what ſex he was. It has likewiſe reſtored to honour that part of the human body, which, as a conſequence of Adam's fall, was become a diſgrace to it; inſomuch, that it is at preſent the moſt noble, and the moſt reſpectable part of a man's body. The ſiſters are exhorted never to think of it, but with ſentiments of the moſt profound veneration. They are even thought to make a ſcruple of reſpecting men for any other reaſon. The organ of generation of the other ſex is no leſs honourable. It has been ſanctified by the birth of the Saviour. I abate of the ſtrength of my author's expreſſions whilſt I abridge him, for fear of offending the modeſty of my readers.

All the ſouls are of the feminine ſex. There are only animae, and no animi, ſays the Moravian Biſhop with great elegance. To think that there are male-ſouls would be, according to this profound divine, the greateſt folly, a chimera, which ought not to enter the thoughts of a Chriſtian, were he even in the midſt [358]of an high fever. All that is of the male quality, and was adapted to our body, is detached from it as ſoon as it is interred. It belongs not to its natural and primitive ſtate: it is an addition made to it afterwards: it is the ſeal of the office, which the male ſex is intruſted with. For, our ſex is an employment, an office. Jeſus is the ſpouſe of all the ſiſters, and the huſbands, in the moſt proper ſenſe, are his procurators, his agents, in every reſpect like thoſe ambaſſadors in ancient times, who, on marrying a Princeſs in the name of their maſter, put a booted leg in the wedding-bed. A huſband is alſo properly no more than a chamberlain of his wife; his office is but for a time, and ad interim. However, the titles which the Count gives him are not leſs glorious: he is Vice-Chriſt, Vice-God. The ſiſters are conducted to Jeſus by the miniſtry of their huſbands, who thus are their ſaviours in this world. When therefore a marriage is made, what is the reaſon of it? Becauſe there was a ſiſter, who ſhould be brought to the true ſpouſe by the mediation of ſuch a procurator. Count Zinzendorf, in a conference on this ſubject, held at Oly with the Seventh-day men, made uſe of the following expreſſions, which, to avoid ſcandal as much as poſſible, I chuſe to give in Latin, viz. In ipſo actu conjugali moriturus, poſſem dice [...]e Salvatori: veni de iſto actu, h. e. quem nomine tuo peregi.

From what has been ſaid, two conſequences naturally reſult, which have not eſcaped the Count. The one is, that whoever knows himſelf to be a man, ought to acknowledge the dignity that is in him, and honour the choice that has been made of his perſon. The other, that marriage is the moſt precious depoſitum the Saviour has intruſted with his church; that is to ſay, without doubt, to the ſociety of Herrnhuters, and the moſt important myſtery to which he has given them the key. Conſidering this, we cannot at all be ſurpriſed at being told, that they look upon all that are married out of their ſociety to live in fornication and adultery.

[359]The male ſex conſiſts of married men, unmarried ones, and widowers. According to the primitive plan of the Saviour, all that had paſſed the twentieth or twenty-firſt year ſhould be married. After theſe years, the ſtate of unmarried people is a brutiſh ſtate, a ſtate of madneſs, where one doth not know one's ſelf. Beſides this diviſion of men into three claſſes, there is another more general one, by which they are diſtinguiſhed into two choirs. One includes the married people of both ſexes, and the other the unmarried ones. Count Zinzendorf is not entirely pleaſed with either of the choirs, and much leſs with the firſt than the ſecond. He rebukes the huſbands, and upbraids them with I do not know what abſtraction or remiſſneſs. In another ſermon he obſerves, that when the children of God will not experience phyſically certain things ſuitable to a certain age, it is caſting off human nature, they become unhappy; they forge to themſelves chimeras; they ſay, I don't feel the ſame thing as other people. This appears a little obſcure, but could perhaps be explained by what the ſublime Doctor elſewhere relates of a I do not know what mortification, cauſed by I do not know what non-uſe.

I would here recommend to my readers a peruſal of the diſpaſſionate and well-written Expoſtulatory Letter, addreſſed to Nicholas Lewis, Count Zinzendorf, and Lord Advocate of the Unitas Fratrum, by George Whitefield, A. B. &c. publiſhed in 1753, which will ſtill more elucidate what has been ſaid above, relative to the diſcipline and tenets of this ſociety.

The following account of their belief is ſomewhat more methodical.

They believe and teach *, that Chriſt has done all which was neceſſary for the ſalvation of all mankind; that, conſequently, we are to do nothing, as neceſſary to ſalvation, but ſimply to believe in him; that there is but one duty now, but one command, viz. to believe [360]in Chriſt; that Chriſt has taken away all other commands and duties, having wholly aboliſhed the law; that a believer is therefore free from the law, is not obliged thereby to do or omit any thing; it being inconſiſtent with his liberty to do any thing as commanded; that there is no ſuch thing as degrees in faith, or weak faith, ſince he has no faith who has any doubt or fear; that we are ſanctified wholly the moment we are juſtified, and are neither more nor leſs holy to the day of our death; entire ſanctification, and entire juſtification, being in one and the ſame inſtant: that a believer is never ſanctified or holy in himſelf, but in Chriſt only; he has no holineſs in himſelf at all, all his holineſs being imputed, not inherent: that a man may feel peace which paſſeth all underſtanding, may rejoice with joy full of glory, and have the love of God and of all mankind, with dominion over all ſin; and yet all this may be only nature, animal ſpirits, or the force of imagination: that if a man regards prayer or ſearching the ſcriptures, or communicating, as matter of duty; if he judges himſelf obliged to do theſe things, or is troubled when he does them not, he is in bondage, he has no faith at all, but is ſeeking ſalvation by the works of the law: that therefore, till we believe, we ought to be ſtill, i. e. not to pray, ſearch the ſcriptures, or communicate.

Thus I have given the beſt account I can collect of the principles of this very myſterious ſect, for whom (in the words of Mrs. Le Fevre) I pity and pray.

I have been acquainted with ſome of them, and have found them modeſt and inoffenſive in their behaviour, and much reſigned to the ways of Providence. But it is plain they make an idol of Jeſus Chriſt, and transfer the love and worſhip due to the ſupreme God and Father of all, to the Son, as fully appears from the preceding account. In ſhort, I may ſay with Mr. Oſwald Edwards, when ſpeaking of another ſect, I hate their notions, but love the men.

A DICTIONARY OF Sects, of leſſer Note, not mentioned in the foregoing Work; of the principal religious Orders, Offices, Days, Rites, Cuſtoms, Habits, Characters, &c. &c. and an Explanation of ſome obſcure Words and Phraſes.

[361]
A.
  • ABBA, a Syriac word which ſignifies Father.
  • Abberance, a deviation from the right way; an error.
  • Abbey, a monaſtery of religious perſons, male or female.
  • Abelians, Abelonians, or Abeloites, a ſect of heretics in Africa, not far from Hippo, whoſe diſtinguiſhing tenet and practice, was to marry, and yet live with their wives in profound abſtinence, without carnal knowledge of them. Authors are divided about the foundation of their practice; ſome ſay on 1 Cor. vii. 29.
  • Ablution, the act of waſhing. The cup given without conſecration to the laity, in the Romiſh churches.
  • Abrahamites, a ſect of heretics who renewed the error of the Paulicians; which vide.
  • Abſolute, the Papiſts maintain the prieſts can forgive ſins, abſolutely, in oppoſition to the Proteſtants, who ſay he can only forgive them declaratively and miniſterially.
  • Abſolution, the Romaniſts make abſolution a part of the ſacrament of penance; in that church, the form of abſolution is abſolute; in the Greek church, deprecatory; and in the church of the Reformed, declarative.
  • Abyſſinians, a ſect, or hereſy, eſtabliſhed in Abyſſinia, who are a branch of the Copts or Jacobites, admitting only one nature in Chriſt, and rejecting the council of Chalcedon. They are alſo called Monophyſites and Eutychians.
  • Acephali, Acephalitae, the denomination of divers ſects, viz. 1ſt, Of []thoſe who in the council of Epheſus refuſed to follow either St. Cyril, or John of Antioch. 2dly, Of certain heretics of the fifth century, who at firſt followed Peter Mongus, but afterwards deſerted him, and ſtuck to the errors of Euryches. 3dly, Of the adherents of Severus of Antioch; and of all, in general, who refuſed to admit the council of Chalcedon.
  • Acoematoe, or Acoemeti, a name given to certain Monks in the antient church, who flouriſhed particularly in the Eaſt; ſo called becauſe they had divine ſervice continually, and without interruption, performed in their churches; being divided into three bodies which relieved each other.
  • Acoluthi, applied in the primitive times to thoſe young perſons who aſpired to the miniſtry, and for this purpoſe continually attended the biſhops. At Rome there are three kinds of Acoluthi or Acolythi, viz. Palatini, who wait on the Pope; Stationarii, who ſerve in churches; and Regionarii, who with the deacons officiate in other parts of the city.
  • Act of Faith. See Auto-dee-fé.
  • Adamites, ſometimes called Originiſts, a ſect which ſprung up in the ſecond century, and who aſſerted, that ſince the death of Chriſt they were as innocent as Adam before his fall, and conſequently went naked in their aſſemblies.
  • Adeſſenarians, a ſect that believe the preſence of Chriſt's body in the euchariſt.
  • Adiaphoriſts, a name given, in the ſixteenth century, to the moderate Lutherans, who adhered to the ſentiments of Melanchton.
  • Adoptians, a ſect in the eighth century, who held that Jeſus Chriſt was the Son of God, not by nature but by adoption.
  • Adrianiſts, a ſect in the firſt century; they conſiſted of two ſorts; the firſt were a branch of the diſciples and followers of Simon Magus. Theodoret is the only one who hath preſerved their names and memories. The ſecond were followers of Adrian Hempſtead the Anabaptiſt.
  • Advent, the name of one of the holy ſeaſons, ſignifying, the coming, i. e. the coming of our Saviour, which is made the ſubject of our devotion, the four weeks before Chriſtmas.
  • Aerians, a ſect in the reign of Conſtantine the Great, about the year 342, who held that there is no diſtinction founded in ſcripture, betwixt a Preſbyter and a Biſhop. (Thus Aerius is ſaid to be the riſe of the Preſbyterians, ſo conſiderable in England.)
  • Aeternales, who maintained the eternity of the world a parte poſtie, and that after the reſurrection, it ſhould continue the ſame as it now is; but whence this ſect aroſe is not certainly known.
  • Aetians (of Aetius of Antioch) a ſect or branch of the Arians; they held that God could be perfectly comprehended by us mortals; denied the Son to be like the Father in power, ſubſtance, or will; that the Holy Ghoſt was created by the Son; that Chriſt aſſumed human fleſh, but not an human ſoul. They alſo affirmed, []that faith without works was ſufficient to ſalvation, and that no ſin, however grievous, would be imputed to the faithful.
  • Agapes, or Agapae, a religious feſtival celebrated in the ancient church, to keep up a harmony and concord amongſt its members. On account of the diſorders practiſed in them, they were condemned in the council of Carthage, Anno 397.
  • Agapetae, a name given to certain virgins and widows aſſociated with, and attending on eccleſiaſtics, out of a motive of piety and charity.
  • Aginians, a ſect about the end of the ſeventh century, who diſallowed the uſe of certain meats, and condemned marriage; they had but few followers, and were ſoon ſuppreſſed.
  • Agnoites, a ſect who ſprung up about the year 372, who denied the omniſcience of God, and affirmed that he knew things paſt by memory only, and things future by an uncertain preſcience: they revived again about the year 535, and held that Chriſt knew not the day of his coming.
  • Agnus Dei, in the Romiſh church, denotes a cake of wax, ſtamped with the figure of a lamb, ſupporting the banner of the croſs, conſecrated in due form by the Popes, to be diſtributed amongſt the people, and ſuppoſed to have great virtues annexed to it.
  • Agoniſiici, a name given by Donatus to thoſe of his ſect whom he ſent into the neighbouring places, fairs, markets, &c. to preach his doctrine.
  • Agonoclites, a ſect in the ſeventh century, who never kneeled at their prayers, but offered them ſtanding.
  • Alb, a very ancient prieſtly veſtment, worn by miniſters in the adminiſtration of the euchariſt. According to the deſcription given of it by Durandus, it ſeems to have been a kind of linen garment, made ſit and cloſe to the body, like a caſſock, tied round the middle with a girdle or faſh, the ſleeves being either plain like thoſe of a caſſock, or elſe gathered cloſe at the hands like the ſleeves of a ſhirt. The Albs were formerly embroidered with various colours, and adorned with fringes. The ſurplice, among us, anſwers to the Alb; for the firſt rubrick of the common prayer enjoins, that whenſoever the Biſhop ſhall celebrate the holy communion in the church, or execute any other public miniſtration, he ſhall put upon him, beſide his rochette, a ſurplice, or Alb.
  • Albali, a Chriſtian ſect in 1399, who diſtinguiſhed themſelves by wearing white linen, and bewailing the evils and errors of the age: they uſually carried a crucifix in their hand; but as they viſited many parts of Italy, it alarmed the Pope, who ſent ſoldiers to apprehend and put their prieſt to death, and diſperſe the reſt.
  • Albanenſes, a ſect commenced about the year 796; they believed two principles, the one good, the other evil, denied the divinity of Jeſus Chriſt, the reſurrection of the body, and affirmed that the general judgment was paſt. They denied that there was any virtue [] [...] [] [...] []or efficacy in baptiſm, and they believed that hell torments were no other than the evils we feel here. They did not admit of original ſin, nor adminiſter baptiſm to infants; they denied free-will, held the eternity of the world, diſallowed of marriage, and held it unlawful to take an oath.
  • Albigenſes, alias Waldenſes, a ſect of Reformers about Tholouſe and the Albigois, in Languedoc, who, in the twelfth century, became remarkable for their oppoſition to the diſcipline and ceremonies of the church of Rome. Peter Valdo was one of their principal leaders, who ſold his goods, and diſtributed to the poor, then recommended voluntary poverty, great abſtemiouſneſs of manners, baptiſed only the adult, and other things, in oppoſition to the church. The Inquiſition court was firſt eſtabliſhed againſt them, in 1204; but that proving inſufficient to ſuppreſs them, a holy league or croiſade was agreed upon, and the Pope ſet up his ſtandard againſt them. At length a peace was concluded, but upon terms of great reſtriction.
  • All Saints, a feaſt of the Romiſh church, particularly, celebrated Nov. 1, in honour of all the ſaints and martyrs.
  • Almiriſts, a ſect that appeared in 1209, and held that every one is to be ſaved by the internal operation of the ſpirit, without any external acts of religion.
  • Alogians, a ſect of erroneous Chriſtians in the firſt century, who denied that Jeſus Chriſt was the logos or word. The name in the original ſignifying without logos or word.
  • Altar at Athens, inſcribed to the unknown God. St. Jerom informs us that it was not inſcribed exactly as St. Paul relates, but that the words were theſe: To the gods of Aſia, Europe and Africa, to the unknown and ſtrange gods; and that the apoſtle purpoſely changed the plural into the ſingular, becauſe it was neceſſary to anſwer his deſign, to demonſtrate only to the Athenians that they adored an unknown God.
  • Altar, under the law, a place or pile whereon to offer ſacrifices. Among Chriſtians the table where the communion is adminiſtred.
  • Altars, in the Romiſh church, are built of ſtone, to repreſent Chriſt, the foundation-ſtone, of that ſpiritual building the church. To it there are three ſteps, covered with a carpet, and adorned with many coſtly ornaments, according to the ſeaſon of the year.
  • Altar, bowing towards it at our firſt entrance into the church, no evident proof of it in the ancient writers of the Chriſtian church; but ſome probability that it was at firſt taken up from the Jewiſh cuſtom of bowing themſelves towards the mercy-ſeat: but that this cuſtom prevailed pretty early, may be gathered from the liturgies of St. Baſil and St. Chryſoſtom, but not founded on any known decree or canon of a council.
  • Ambo, or Ambon, a kind of pulpit or deſk, in the ancient churches, []where the prieſts and deacons ſtood to read or ſing part of the ſervice, or to preach.
  • Amictus, the uppermoſt of the ſix garments worn by the prieſts; it was tied round the neck, and covered the breaſt and heart.
  • Amſdorſians, from Amſdorf, in the ſixteenth century, who were rigid confeſſioniſts, and maintained that good works were unprofitable.
  • Anathema, a curſe pronounced by eccleſiaſtical authority.
  • Angelics, an order of Italian nuns. Their foundreſs was Louiſa Torelli, Counteſs of Guaſtalla; who, in the year 1534, obtaining a brief of Pope Paul III. for the eſtabliſhing a congregation of nuns under the rule of St. Auguſtin, for this purpoſe built a very large monaſtery and church at Milan; and the nuns of her inſtitute took the name of Angelics, that, by often hearing this name pronounced, they might be excited to imitate the purity of Angels. This name was confirmed to them by the Pope, who exempted them from the juriſdiction of the Archbiſhop of Milan, and put them under the direction of the regular clerks of St. Paul. The Angelics wear the habit of the Dominicans; they carry on their breaſts a wooden croſs, and on their finger a gold ring, on which, inſtead of a precious ſtone, is the figure of a heart, and a crucifix engraven on it. On ſolemn days they wear on their heads crowns of thorns. Their conſtitutions were drawn up by the famous St. Charles Barromeo, and confirmed by Pope Urban VIII.
  • Angelites held, that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, are not the ſame, that none exiſts of himſelf, but that each is God by a participation of Deity. They believe the worlds were created by angels, and therefore worſhip them.
  • Annates, a year's income, due anciently to the Popes, upon the death of any Biſhop, Abbot, pariſh-prieſt, &c. to be paid by his ſucceſſor.
  • Annunciation, a Chriſtian feſtival, celebrated on the 25th of March, in memory of the annunciation or tidings brought by the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary of the incarnation of Chriſt. On this feſtival the Pope performs the ceremony of marrying or cloyſtering; it began in the 7th century.
  • Anomoeans, ſuch as denied any ſimilitude between the eſſence of the Father and the Son.
  • Anthropomorphites. They, thro' great ſimplicity, took the ſcriptures every where in a literal ſenſe, that as God made man in his own image, ſo they imagine man in the ſame form.
  • Antidicomareamites, held that Mary did not preſerve her virginity, but had ſeveral children by Joſeph.
  • Antiphony, the anſwer made by one choir to another, when the pſalm or anthem is ſung between two.
  • Antitactae, a kind of Gnoſtics, which vide.
  • Antitrinitarians, heretics, who deny the Holy Trinity.
  • Aphtharpodocites, imagined the body of Jeſus Chriſt was impaſſible, []and not capable of death or corruption; they were a branch of the Eutychians, and appeared about the year 535.
  • Apoſtles, from the Greek Apoſtolos, which ſignifies an envoy. The Hebrews had their Apoſtles, who were ſent every year to collect a certain kind of tribute which the Jews paid him, called Aurum Corunarium. Some aſſert, that before Jeſus Chriſt they had another ſort of Apoſtle, whoſe buſineſs was to collect the half ſkekel which was to be paid by every Iſraelite to the Tabernacle or Temple of the Lord: but it more properly belonged to the High-Prieſt or heads of the people, who were ſent to carry their orders to the cities and provinces, when any affairs relating to religion were to be tranſacted. In the New Teſtament it is appropriated to the perſons delegated or ſent, as the twelve Diſciples of our Lord, to propagate the goſpel in all parts of the world.
  • Apoſtolical, an appellation given to ſuch churches or doctrines as were eſtabliſhed more immediately by the Apoſtles.
  • Apoſtolical Canons, rules or laws for the government of the Chriſtian church, ſuppoſed by ſome to have been drawn up by the Apoſtles; but on much better authority to be a collection of rules and laws by ſome ancient council preceding the council of Nice.
  • Apoſtolics, an early ſect of Chriſtians, who profeſſed to renounce the world, ſold their poſſeſſions, embraced a voluntary poverty, and pretended to live more after the examples of the Apoſtles than other Chriſtians.
  • Apotactinae, a ſect who renounced all worldly poſſeſſions.
  • Appotinarians denied that Jeſus Chriſt aſſumed true fleſh, or a rational human ſoul.
  • Aquarians conſecrated water in the euchariſt inſtead of wine; they were extremely abſtemious, and eat no fleſh: but another branch of them did approve of wine at the ſacrament when received in the evening; they likewiſe mixed water with the wine.
  • Arabici, erroneous Chriſtians, who ſprung up in the third century, whoſe diſtinguiſhing tenet was, that the ſoul and body died togegether, and roſe again. Euſebius relates, that a council was called to ſtop the progreſs of it, when Origen aſſiſted at it, and convinced this ſect ſo fully of their error, that they abjured it.
  • Arians, from Arius, who denied that the Son was God, conſubſtantial and coequal with the Father; and aſſerted him to be a creature made out of nothing and in time. This doctrine was condemned in the Nicene council, A. C. 325: but it was eſtabliſhed in the council of Rimini, A. C. 365. Arius, the principal broacher of this doctrine, died in 336.
  • Arianiſm, the doctrine of Arius, who aſſerted that the Son is not unbegotten, nor in any manner a part of the unbegotten God, nor from any part of the material world; but that by the will and council of the Father, he exiſted before all time and ages, perfect God, the only begotten and unchangeable; and that therefore []before he was begotten or formed he was not; but that there never was a time when he was not.
  • Armenians; there are two kinds, one are Catholics, and ſubject to the Pope, and have a Patriarch in Perſia, another in Poland. The other are a peculiar ſect in Natolia, and have two Pacriarchs. They believe the divine and human nature united in the Son; that the Holy Ghoſt proceeded only from the Father; celebrate the ſacrament with unleavened bread, and deny the body and blood of Chriſt to be really in the elements. They receive infants preſently after baptiſm to the euchariſt; deny the virtue of conferring grace to belong to the ſacrament: they reject purgatory and praying for the dead; they admit of married prieſts; they rebaptiſe thoſe who come to their communion from the Latin church; they faſt in Lent; they faſt at Chriſtmas, December 25, and feaſt at our Saviour's baptiſm: abſtain from eating blood, &c.
  • Arminians, ſometimes called Remonſtrants, aroſe in Holland by a ſeparation from the Calviniſts, about the year 1600. Adherents to Arminius, a celebrated profeſſor of divinity at Leyden. They looked upon the doctrine of the Trinity as a point not neceſſary to ſalvation; acknowledged the ſupremacy of God. They believed that the aſſiſtance of the Holy Spirit of God for promoting faith and holineſs is promiſed, and afforded on our ſincere aſking it; but that the ſcripture does not require us to pray to, nor pay adoration to the Holy Ghoſt. They alſo believe that Jeſus Chriſt offered himſelf an acceptable ſacrifice or oblation to God, but not as an adequate ſatisfaction. They ſpeak very ambiguouſly of the preſcience of God, at leaſt Epiſcopius and ſome of them; for Arminius taught that God elected the faithful according to his fore-knowledge. They maintain, that there is an univerſal grace given to all men; that every man is a moral agent, at liberty to reject or embrace this grace: they diſclaim all human authority over the faith and conſciences of others; and inculcate charity and unity with Chriſtians of different denominations.
  • Arnoldiſts, a kind of ſectaries in the 12th century, ſo called from their chief, Arnold of Breſſe, a great declaimer againſt the wealth and vices of the clergy. He is alſo charged with preaching againſt baptiſm and the euchariſt, &c. He was burnt at Rome in 1155, and his aſhes caſt into the Tiber.
  • Artotyrites, a ſect of Chriſtians, a branch of the Montaniſts, who uſed to eat bread and cheeſe at the ſacrament.
  • Aſcenſion Day, Whitſunday, obſerved in commemoration of that miraculous elevation of our Saviour, when he aſcended to heaven in the ſight of the Apoſtles.
  • Aſcetics, an antient appellation given to thoſe who devoted themſelves to piety and virtue in a retired life, prayer, abſtinence, &c.
  • Aſclepiodotaeans, the firſt ſect who held that Chriſt was a mere man, A. D. 221.
  • [] Aſcordrutes, in the ſecond century, rejected the uſe of all ſymbols and ſacraments, on this principle, that incorporeal things cannot be communicated by things corporeal, nor divine myſteries by any thing viſible.
  • Aſh-Wedneſday, the firſt day of Lent. It aroſe from a cuſtom of the church, of ſprinkling aſhes on the heads of ſuch as were then admitted to penance. The aſhes muſt be made from branches of the olive tree; then they are laid upon the altar, and bleſſed by the officiating prieſt, afterwards ſigned with the ſign of the croſs; then they are ſtrewed on the heads of the prieſts, and then of the laity. When this ceremony took its riſe, we cannot preciſely determine. The uſe of aſhes, and the ceremonies, were forbidden in England, by order of council, in the reign of Edward VI. 1548. This omiſſion is at preſent ſupplied by reading publickly, on Aſh-Wedneſday, the curſes denounced in the holy ſcriptures againſt ſeveral kinds of ſins, the people repeating after ſuch curſe; Amen.
  • Aſſuritans, a ſect of Chriſtians, in the reign of Conſtantius, A. D. 358. They were a branch of the Donatiſts. They held that the Son was inferior to the Father, and the Holy Ghoſt to the Son: they re-baptiſed thoſe who embraced their doctrines, and aſſerted that good men only were within the pale of the church.
  • Athanaſian Creed. See Creed. Athanaſius died in 371, before the creed ſaid to be his was compiled.
  • Atheiſt, one who denies the exiſtence and being of a God and Providence; one who owns no being ſuperior to nature. Some denominate theſe ſpeculative Atheiſts; and others, whoſe wicked lives lead them to believe or wiſh there was no God, are ſtiled practical Atheiſts.
  • Auguſtins, an order of religious, who obſerve the rule of St. Auguſtin. They are popularly called Auſtin friars, and were originally hermits, congregated into one body by Pope Alexander IV. under their general Lanfranc, 1256.
  • Aulic Council, ſo called from the Latin, a hall, it being in the hall of the univerſity that this council is generally held; a ſuperior court or council which has an univerſal juriſdiction, and without appeal, over all the ſubjects of the Empire in all proceſſes entered therein. The name is likewiſe applied to the officers who preſide or aſſiſt in it; it is compoſed of a preſident who is a Catholic, a vice-chancellor, eighteen aſſeſſors, viz. nine Catholics and nine Proteſtants.
  • Auricular Confeſſion, is that made in the ear privately, enjoined by Pope Innocent III. paſſed into an article of faith in the Lateran council, 1215.
  • Autocephali, Biſhops. This denomination was given to ſuch biſhops in the primitive church as were exempted from the juriſdiction of others. Before the ſetting up of patriarchs, all metropolitans were accountable to no ſuperior but a ſynod, and even after the advancement of patriarchs, ſeveral metropolitans continued thus []independent; this was likewiſe a privilege of the ancient Britiſh church; inſomuch that Dinothus told Auſtin, in the name of all the Britannic churches, that they owed no other obedience to the Pope than they did to every godly Chriſtian. Beſides theſe there were another ſort ſubject to no metropolitan; but at what time this ſort of independent biſhoprics took place, is uncertain.
  • Auto-de fé, or act of faith, is a ſolemn day held by the inquiſition for the puniſhment of heretics, and the abſolution of the innocent accuſed. They uſually contrive the Auto to fall on ſome great feſtival, that the execution may paſs with the more awe and regard, at leaſt it is always on a Sunday. The criminals are firſt led to church, where their ſentence is read to them, either of condemnation or abſolution. Thoſe condemned to death are here delivered up to the ſecular power, with an earneſt intreaty that no blood may be ſhed. But if they perſiſt in their ſuppoſed errors, they are burnt alive. Thoſe who ſuffer on this account, meet with much leſs compaſſion and humanity than thoſe who are put to death for capital crimes.
  • Azymites, Chriſtians who adminiſter the euchariſt, or holy communion, with unleavened bread. Authors are not agreed as to this being an occaſion of a rupture between the Romiſh and Greek church; but Bingham mentions it as his opinion, that the uſe of wafers and unleavened bread was not known in the church till the 11th or 12th century, and he tells the following ſtory in confirmation of it: As Gregory the Great was adminiſtering the bread to a certain woman in the uſual form, the body of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, &c. ſhe fell a laughing, and, being aſked the reaſon of it, ſaid, becauſe he called that the body of Jeſus Chriſt, which ſhe knew to be bread that ſhe had made with her own hands. Beſides, the ancients ſay their bread was common bread, and not objected to till 1051. But this is much more controverted by F. Sirmond, in a diſſertation, wherein he ſhews, that the Latins had conſtantly communicated in leavened bread, till the 10th century; and Thomas Aquinas maintains, that, during the firſt ages of the church, none but unleavened bread was uſed in the church; that the primitive church did it in imitation of our Saviour, who celebrated the laſt ſupper with unleavened bread. Upon the whole, in the council of Florence it was decreed, that the point lay at the diſcretion of the church, and that either leavened or unleavened bread might be uſed. The Weſtern church has preferred the latter.
B.
  • BAgnolenſes, a ſect of heretics in the 8th century, who were moſtly Manichees; rejected the Old Teſtament and part of the New, held the world to be eternal, and that God did not create the ſoul, when he infuſed it into the body.
  • [] Baptiſtery, the place in which the ceremony of baptiſm is performed: in the ancient church it was generally a building ſeparate and diſtinct from the church; it conſiſted of an ante-room, where the perſons to be baptiſed made their confeſſion of faith, and an inner-room, where the ceremony of baptiſm was performed. Thus it continued to the 6th century, at which time the baptiſtries began to be taken into the church.
  • Barallots, a ſect of heretics at Bologna, in Italy, who had all things, even their wives and children, in common.
  • Barbes, the name which the Vaudois, or Waldenſes, a Proteſtant ſect in Provence, Languedoc, &c. gave to their paſtors. The term ſignifies, in the Venetian language, an Elder: the reaſon why their miniſters were called by this name, was, that they might thereby conceal their function in remote parts, and times of perſecution. The Barbes made the education of youth, and the ſuperintendency of the public ſchools, an important branch of their employment. Out of theſe ſcholars they ſelected ſuch as had the beſt capacities for the miniſtry; and, in order to form and fit them for that office, retained them for a time in their own houſes. However the exerciſe of the miniſtry was no manner of obſtruction to their practice of ſome manual occupation, or ſome other ſcience, particularly phyſic, or ſurgery, in which many of them were very great proficients: they held a ſynod every year, at which time the ſtudents in divinity were examined, ordained, and appointed, either to go abroad, or to preach in ſome of their churches. Their young pupils were accuſtomed to an unlimited obedience; ſome of the Barbes were married men, though the majority of them obſerved celibacy, that they might diſcharge their functions with the leſs obſtruction or incumbrance.
  • Bardeſaniſts, a ſect of ancient heretics, ſo denominated from their leader Bardeſanes, a Syrian, of Edeſſa, in Meſopotamia. They believed that the actions of men depended altogether on fate, and that God himſelf is ſubject to neceſſity. They denied the reſurrection of the body, and the incarnation and death of our Saviour.
  • Barnabas, one of the fathers, flouriſhed A. C. 34. His works were printed at Oxford, 1685.
  • St. Barnabas's Day, a Chriſtian feſtival, celebrated on the 11th of June. St. Barnabas was born at Cyprus, and deſcended of the tribe of Levi, whoſe Jewiſh anceſtors are thought to have retired thither, to ſecure themſelves from violence during the troubleſome times in Judea. His proper name was Joſes; to which, after his converſion to Chriſtianity, the Apoſtles added that of Barnabas, ſignifying either the ſon of prophecy, or the ſon of conſolation; the firſt reſpecting his emment prophetic gifts, the other his great charity in ſelling his eſtate for the comfort and relief of the poor Chriſtians. He was educated at Jeruſalem, under the great Jewiſh doctor Gamaliel, which might probably lay the []foundation of that intimate friendſhip which was afterwards contracted between this Apoſtle and St. Paul. The time of his converſion is uncertain; but he is generally eſteemed one of the ſeventy diſciples choſen by our Saviour himſelf.
  • Barnabites, an order of religious, thus called from the church of St. Barnabas at Milan, where they were firſt eſtabliſhed; and not, as ſome have imagined, becauſe St. Barnabas was their patron; in reality St. Paul is the patron of the Barnabites. The Barnabites are regular prieſts of the congregation of St. Paul. Their habit is black, and the ſame with that they wore when firſt eſtabliſhed, in 1533, by the expreſs bulls of Pope Clement VII. Their office is to inſtruct, catechiſe, and ſerve in miſſions.
  • St. Bartholomew's Day, a feſtival of the Chriſtian church, celebrated on the 24th of Auguſt. St. Bartholomew was one of the twelve Apoſtles, and is eſteemed to be the ſame as Nathaniel, one of the firſt diſciples that came to Chriſt. The reaſon of this opinion is, becauſe, as St. John never mentions Bartholomew in the number of the Apoſtles, ſo the other Evangeliſts never mention Nathaniel; and as, in St. John, Philip and Nathaniel are joined together in their coming to Chriſt, ſo, in the reſt of the Evangeliſts, Philip and Bartholomew are conſtantly put together. What renders this ſtill more probable, is, that Nathaniel is particularly mentioned among the Apoſtles, to whom our Lord appeared at the ſea of Tiberias, after his reſurrection, where were preſent Simon Peter, Thomas, and Nathaniel of Cana in Galli [...]ee, and the two ſons of Zebedee, and two other of his diſciples, who were probably Andrew and Philip.
  • Bartholomites, a religious order, founded at Genoa in the year 1307. In 1296, the Sultan of Egypt coming into Armenia, committed great cruelties in that country, and particularly perſecuted the monks of St. Baſil, ſettled at Monte Negro, many of whom ſuffered martyrdom, and others eſcaped it by flight. Some of the latter flying into Europe, came to Genoa, under the conduct of one Father Martin. They were well received, and offered a ſettlement in that city.
  • Baſil, St. order of, the moſt ancient of all the religious orders, taking its name from St. Baſil, Biſhop of Caeſarea, about the middle of the fourth century.
  • Baſilidians, a ſect ſo called from Baſilides, in the ſecond century, and cotemporary with Saturninus, who flouriſhed at Antioch, Baſilides in Alexandria. The peculiar tenets he held were, that the ſupreme God, whom he ſtiled Abraxas, begot the thais or underſtanding; from the thais was the Logos cerived, from the Logos phreneſis, or (as Tertullian tranſlates it) Providence, from phreneſis ſophia, and dynamis, i. e. wiſdom and power; from ſophia and dynamis ſprung powers, principalities, and angels, whom he calls the firſt, by which angels were the firſt heaven []created; and then from them other angels, by way of derivation, aroſe, who made and poſſeſſed another heaven; and the head of all theſe angels was the God of the Jews, the Creator of our world; that Jeſus Chriſt was his firſt begotten, but that he did not become incarnate, only appeared in human form, &c. &c.
  • Beatification, in the Romiſh church, the act whereby the Pope declares the perſon happy after death. It differs from canonization; in the former, the Pope does not act as a judge in determining the ſtate of the beatified, but only grants a privilege to certain perſons to honour him by a particular religious worſhip, without incurring the penalty of ſuperſtitious worſhippers; but in canonization, the Pope ſpeaks as a judge, and determines ex cathedra upon the ſtate of the canonized. It was introduced, when it was thought proper to delay the canonization of ſaints, for the greater aſſurance of the truth, and manifeſtation of the rigorous ſteps taken in the procedure.
  • Beghardi, Beguardi, or Begghardi, the name of an heretical ſect in Germany, which ſprung up towards the end of the 13th century. Their head was one Dulcinus. Their principal tenets were, that man, in this life, might be impeccable, and that he might riſe to a degree of perfection not to be exceeded; that this ſtate is as happy as heaven, which, when once obtained, men are no longer obliged to obſerve the faſts of the church, nor obey their ſuperiors; that every intellectual creature is ſelf-happy; they diſregarded good works, as of no avail to ſalvation, and took great pains to ſpread abroad their impious doctrines. Theſe fanatics, who wore the habit of monks, without paying regard to any other rule, or obſerving celibacy, were condemned under Pope Clement V. at the council of Vienna, in 1311.
  • Beguins, devout ſocieties of young women, eſtabliſhed in ſeveral parts of Flanders, Picardy, and Lorrain, who maintain themſelves by the work of their own hands, leading a middle kind of life, between the ſecular and religious, but make no vows.
  • Benedictius, or Benedictin order, is an order of monks, who profeſs to follow the uſes of St. Benedict. The Benedictins are thoſe properly called Monachi, monks; the other orders may properly be denominates friars. In the canon law, the Benedictins are called black m [...]aks, being diſtinguiſhed from the other orders by the colour of their habit, and not by the firname of their patriarch, St. Benedict. Among us they wear formerly denominated black friars. The Benedictins wore a looſe black gown, with large wide ſleeves, and a capuche on their heads, ending in a point behind.
  • Benedictions: The Hebrews under this name underſtand the preſents which friends make to one another, in all probability becauſe they are generally attended with bleſſings and compliments, both from thoſe who give and thoſe who receive them.
  • Benefice, benefitium, in an eccleſiaſtical ſenſe, a church endowed []with a revenue for the performance of divine ſervice, or the revenue itſelf, aſſigned to an eccleſiaſtical perſon for life, in return for his performing the ſervice of the church.
  • Berengarians, a religious ſect in the eleventh century, which adhered to the opinions of Berengarius, archdeacon of Angers, who, in the year 1035, began to propagate his doctrine concerning the euchariſt, in a manner agreeable to the tenets, not only of Bertram and Scotus, but of the whole primitive church; aſſerting, that the bread and wine in the Lord's ſupper is not really and eſſentially, but only figuratively, changed into the body and blood of Chriſt. Several of the monks ſtrenuouſly oppoſed Berengarius: at length, in the year 1050, he was condemned in a ſynod held at Rome by Pope Leo IX. and excommunicated: as he was alſo the ſame year in a ſynod held at Verceil in Piedmont, and in another held at Tours in Franc [...], at which Lanfranc, Archbiſhop of Canterbury, aſſiſted. In the year 1059. Berengarius maintained his opinion in a ſynod held at Rome before Pope Nicholas II. His followers were divided on the head of the euchariſt, but they all agreed that the bread and wine were not eſſentially changed, ſome allowing that the body and blood of Chriſt were contained in them, tho' concealed under an impanation; others denying any change at all.
  • Bernardins, or Bernardites, a Chriſtian fect, extended over a great part of Europe, being an improvement on the order of St. Benedict, firſt made by Robert, abbot de Moleme, and further reformed by St. Bernard, abbot de Clervaux, whence they take their name.—Their uſual habit is a white gown, with a black ſcapulary; but when they officiate, they put on a large white cowl with great ſleeves, and a hood of the ſame colour.—They differ very little from the Ciſtercians: they had their origin toward the beginning of the twelfth century.
  • Bethlchemites, a Chriſtian ſect, called ſtar-bearers, becauſe they were diſtinguiſhed by a red ſtar, having five rays, which they wore on their breaſt, in memory of the ſtar which appeared to the wife men, and conducted them to Bethlehem. Several authors have mentioned this order, but none have told us their origin, nor where their convents were ſituated, if we except Matthew Paris, who ſays, that in the year 1257 they obtained a ſettlement in England, which was at Cambridge, in Trumpington-ſtreet.
  • Bible. This word comes from the Greek Biblos, which ſignifies a book: we give this name to the collections of the ſacred writings, and call it Bible or book, by way of eminence and diſtinction; the Hebrews call it Mikra which ſignifies leſſon, lecture or ſcripture.—The books of the Old Teſtament were written chiefly in Hebrew; there are ſome parts of Daniel written in Chaldee, but for the book of Wiſdom it was never written in any other than in Greek.

    []The books of the New Teſtament were all written in Greek, except St. Matthew, which was written in Hebrew, that is to ſay in Syriac, which was the language ſpoken at that time in Judea; but it is diſputed whether St. Mark wrote in Greek or Latin, and whether the epiſtle to the Hebrews was not at firſt written in Hebrew; but it appears moſt certain that they were originally compoſed in Greek.

    For an account of the different tranſlations of the books of the Old and New Teſtament, ſee Calmet.

  • Bidellians, from John Biddle, a ſchool-maſter at Glouceſter, who was principal in the Socinian ſcheme, except that with the Pneumatomachi of old, he admitted the perſonality of the Holy Ghoſt, and, denying only its divinity, aſſerted it to be no more than chief among the holy angels. He met with great oppoſition and perſecution. This name was in good meaſure loſt in the more common appellation of Socinians, or, which they rather choſe for themſelves, that of Unitarians; their firſt riſe was in 1644.
  • Bogomili, or Bogarmitae, a ſect of heretics ſprung from the Manichees, or Maſſalians, towards the cloſe of the eleventh century; whoſe chief, Baſil, was burnt alive by order of the Emperor Alexander Comnenus. They denied the Trinity, maintaining their God had a human form, that the world was created by evil angels, &c. &c. &c.
  • Bons Fieux, in Engliſh, good ſons, a congregation of religious, of the third order of St. Francis, ſo called; it was founded at Armantieres, a little town of Flanders upon the Lis, in the year 1615, by five pious artiſans, the oldeſt of whom was named Henry Pringuel, a native of that town; they lived in common, and formed a little community in a houſe belonging to Pringuel; their habit was black, and not diſtinguiſhed from that of ſeculars; three of them ſpent their time in making linen cloth, one taught youth, and the fifth made lace: thus they lived till the year 1626, when they embraced the third rule of St. Francis, their order increaſed, and, in 1670, it conſiſted of two congregations, that of Armantieres, and that of Liſle, in the dioceſe of Tournay: in 1679, they made a third ſettlement at St. Venant, in the dioceſe of St. Omer. Lewis XIV. gave them the direction of all his hoſpitals at Dunkirk, Burgues, and Ypres; their congregation is at preſent compoſed of ſeven houſes and hoſpitals, or rather ſeven families, according to their manner of ſpeaking.
  • Breviary, the Roman Catholic common prayer book, generally in Latin. There are ſome in England, Latin and Engliſh.—The Roman Breviary is general, and may be uſed in every place; but on the model of this have been built various others peculiarily appropriated to each dioceſe and to each order of religion. It conſiſts of the ſervices of mattins, lauds, prime, thirds, ſixths, nones, veſpers, and the complines or poſt communion.
  • [] Briefs (apoſtolical) denote letters which the Pope diſpatches to princes and other magiſtrates touching any public affair. They are thus called, as being very conciſe, written on paper without preface or preamble, by which they are diſtinguiſhed from bulls, which are more ample, and always wrote on parchment, and ſealed with lead or green wax, and with the ſeal of the fiſherman, or St. Peter in a boat, a ſeal never applied but in the Pope's preſence.
  • Brothers, Lay Brothers, among the Romaniſts, are thoſe pious, but illiterate perſons, who devote themſelves in ſome convent to the ſervice of the religious,—A lay brother wears a different habit from that of the religious; he never enters into the choir, nor is preſent at the chapters; he is not in any orders, nor makes any vow, except of conſtancy and obedience, he is employed in the temporal concerns of the convent, and has the care of the kitchen, gate, &c. The inſtitution of lay brothers began in the eleventh century; the perſons on whom this title and office were conferred, were too ignorant to become clerks, and therefore applied themſelves wholly to bodily work, in which they expreſſed that zeal for religion, which could not exert itſelf in ſpiritual exerciſes.—In the nunneries, there are alſo lay ſiſters, who are retained in the convent for the ſervice of the nuns, in like manner as the lay brothers are for the monks.
  • Budnaeans, or Budneiſts, a ſectary in Poland, 1584, who diſclaimed the worſhip of Chriſt, like thoſe in Tranſylvania, met with much oppoſition, yet propagated their opinions at Cracow, in the reign of Sigiſmund. They and their oppoſers ran into many wild hypotheſes, conſtruing many natural effects into ſupernatural phaenomena in favour of each other.
  • Bull, a written letter, diſpatched, by order of the Pope, from the Roman chancery, and ſealed with lead. It is a kind of apoſtolical reſcript, or edict, and is chiefly in uſe in matters of juſtice and grace. If the former be the intention of the bull, the lead is hung by a hempen cord; if the latter, by a ſilken thread. It is this pendent lead, or ſeal, which is, properly ſpeaking, the bull, and which is impreſſed on the one ſide with the head of St. Peter and St. Paul, and on the other with the name of the Pope, and the year of his pontificate. The bull is written in an old round Gothic letter, and is divided into five parts, the narrative of the fact, the conception, the clauſe, the date, and the ſalutation, in which the Pope ſtiles himſelf Servus Serverum, the ſervant of ſervants.— Theſe inſtruments, beſides the lead hanging to them, have a croſs, with ſome texts of ſcripture, or religious motto about it. Thus in thoſe of Pope Licius III. the device was, Adjuva nos Deus ſalutaris noſter, that of Urban III. Ad te Domine levavi animam meam, and that of Alexander III. Vias tuas, Domine, demonſtrata mihi.—Bulls are granted for the conſecration of Biſhops, the promotion of benefices, the celebration of jubilies, &c. Thoſe []brought into-France are limited by the law and cuſtoms of the land, nor are they admitted, till they have been examined, and found to contain nothing contrary to the liberties of the Gallican church.
C.
  • Calixtins, a party or ſect of Chriſtians, in Bohemia and Meravia, in the 15th century. The principal point in which they differed from the church, was, the uſe of the chalice (calix) or communicating in both kinds. They were a branch of the Huſſites, or followers of John Huſs.
  • Caloyers, a general name given to the monks of the Greek church. Theſe religious conſider St. Baſil as their father and founder, and look upon it as a crime to follow any other rule than his. There are three degrees among them, the novices, who are called Archari; the ordinary profeſſed, called Microchemi; and the more perfect, called Magalochemi. They are likewiſe divided into Coenobites, Anchorets, and Recluſe. In the monaſteries, the religious riſe at midnight, and repeat a particular office, called from thence Meſonycticon, which takes up the ſpace of two hours; after which they retire to their cells, till five o'clock in the morning, when they return to the church to ſay mattins. At nine o'clock, they repeat the terce, ſexte, and maſs; after which they repair to the refectory, where is a lecture read till dinner. At four o'clock in the afternoon they ſay veſpers; and at ſix go to ſupper. After ſupper they ſay an office, from thence called Apodipho, and, at eight, each monk retires to his chamber and bed, till midnight. Every day, after mattins, they confeſs their faults, on their knees, to their ſuperior. They have four Lents; the firſt and greateſt is that of the reſurrection of our Lord: they call it the Grand Quarantain, and it laſts eight weeks. During this Lent, the religious drink no wine, and their abſtinence is ſo great, that, if they are obliged in ſpeaking to name milk, butter, or cheeſe, they always add this aparentheſis, "Timitis a gias ſarocoſtis;" i. e. ſave the reſpect due to holy Lent. The ſecond Lent is that of the holy Apoſtles, which begins eight days after Whitſuntide; its duration is not fixed, it continuing ſometimes three weeks, and at other times longer. During this Lent, they are allowed to drink wine. The third Lent is that of the Aſſumption of our Lady, it laſts fourteen days: during which they abſtain from fiſh, excepting on Sundays, and the day of the transfiguration of our Lord. The fourth Lent is that of Advent, which they obſerve after the ſame manner as that of the Apoſtles. The Caloyers, beſides the uſual habit of the monaſtic life, wear over their ſhoulders a ſquare piece of ſtuff, on which are repreſented the croſs, and the other marks of the paſſion of our Saviour, with theſe letters, JC. XC. NC. i. e. Jeſus Chriſtus vincit.
  • [] Calviniſm, the doctrine and ſentiments of Calvin and his followers, with regard to matters of religion. Calviniſm ſubſiſts in its greateſt purity in the city of Geneva, whence it was propagated over France, the United Provinces, and England. In France it was aboliſhed by the revocation of the edict of Nantz in 1685. It has been the prevailing religion in the United Provinces ever ſince the year 1572. In England it has dwindled ſince the time of Queen Elizabeth, and is now chiefly confined among the Diſſenters; though it ſtill ſubſiſts, a little allayed, in the articles of the eſtabliſhed church, and in its rigour in Scotland. Of the thirteen Swiſs Cantons there are ſix who profeſs Calviniſm, which likewiſe obtains in the Palatinate; except that of late, Popery is there become the reigning religion. The diſtinguiſhing tenets of Calviniſm are, 1ſt, That predeſtination and reprobation are prior to the preſcience of good or evil works. 2dly, That predeſtination and reprobation depend on the mere will of God, without any regard to the merits or demerits of mankind. 3dly, That God gives to thoſe, whom he has predeſtinated, a faith which they cannot loſe: a neceſſtating grace, which takes away the freedom of the will; and that he imputes no ſin to them. 4thly, That the righteous cannot do any good work, by reaſon of original ſin, which cleaves to them. 5thly, That men are juſtified by faith only. The modern Calviniſts reject or palliate ſome of theſe articles. In France the Calviniſts are diſtinguiſhed by the name of Huguenots; and, among the common people, by that of Parpaillots. In Germany they are confounded with the Lutherans, under the general title Proteſtants; only ſometimes diſtinguiſhed by the name Reformed.
  • Camaldolites, or Camaldules, a religious order founded by St. Romuald, a native of Ravenna, and deſcended from the illuſtrious houſe of its Dukes. Romuald had taſted all the pleaſures, and paſſed through all the vices, incident to youth; but continual remorſe of conſcience determined him at laſt to renounce the world, and dedicate himſelf wholly to God and religion: for which purpoſe he retired to Mount Caſſin, where the converſation of a religious, whom he met with there, confirmed him in his reſolution, and induced him to take the habit in that monaſtery. The manner of life, which he enjoined his diſciples to obſerve, was this: they dwelt in ſeparate cells, and met together only at the times of prayer; ſome of them during the two Lents of the year, obſerved an inviolable ſilence, and others for the ſpace of an hundred days. On Sundays and Thurſdays they fed on herbs, and the reſt of the week only on bread and water.
  • Cameronites, a party of Preſbyterians, which ſprung up in Scotland, in the reign of King Charles II. They took their name from one Archibald Cameron, a field-preacher, who was the firſt that ſeparated in communion from the other Preſbyterians, who differed from him in opinion concerning the miniſter [...], who had accepted []of an indulgence from the King. He affirmed, that it was countenancing the ſupremacy in church-affairs; whilſt they alledged, that it was only making uſe of the liberty to exerciſe the paſtoral function, from which they had been unduly reſtrained. The Cameronians, in the fury of their zeal, ſeparated from the kirk. They affirmed, that the King had forfeited his right to the crown by breaking the ſolemn league and covenant, which were the terms on which he received it. They pretended both to dethrone and excommunicate him, and broke out into an open rebellion, which was ſuppreſſed by the Duke of Monmouth, at Bothwellbridge. Upon the Revolution they were reconciled to the kirk, and the preachers of their party ſubmitted to the general aſſembly of the church of Scotland, in 1690. (See the hiſtory of that church).
  • Canon. This term ſignifies rule, according to the import of the Greek. It is particularly uſed in the language of the church, to ſignify ſuch rules as are preſcribed by councils concerning faith, diſcipline, and manners. It is made uſe of likewiſe to denote thoſe books of ſcripture which are received as inſpired and canonical, and to diſtinguiſh them from either profane, apocryphal, or diſputed books. There have been various collections of the canons of the Eaſtern councils; but there are four principal ones, each ampler than the preceding ones; the firſt, according to Uſher, A. D. 380, containing only thoſe of the firſt oecumenical council, and the five principal ones; they were but 164 in number: To theſe Dionyſius Exiguus, in the year 520, added the fifty canons of the Apoſtles, and thoſe of other general councils. The Greek canons in this ſacred collection, and with thoſe of the council of Chalcedon; to which are ſubjoined thoſe of the council of Sardica, and the African councils. The fourth and laſt collection comes down as low as the ſecond council of Nice; and it is on that Balſamon and Zonaras have commented. Canon is alſo uſed (as before obſerved) for the authoriſed catalogue of the holy writings. The ancient canon, or catalogue of the books of the Old Teſtament, was made by the Jews, and is ordinarily attributed to Eſdras. This is the canon allowed to have been followed by the primitive church till the council of Carthage, and according to St. Jerom conſiſted of no more than twenty-two books. But that council enlarged the canon very conſiderably, taking into it the books which we call the Apocrypha; which the council of Trent have farther inforced, injoining all theſe to be received as books of holy ſcripture, upon pain of anathema, and being attainted of hereſy.
  • Canonization, a declaration of the Pope, whereby, after a great deal of ſolemnity, they enter into the liſt of the ſaints ſome perſon who has lived an exemplary live, and wrought miracles. The word canonization ſeems to be of later origin than the thing; there being []no inſtance of the uſe of the word before the 12th century: whereas St. Uldaricus was canonized in the tenth. The name is from canon, in regard the primitive canonizations were only orders of the Popes or Biſhops, whereby perſons eminent for piety, &c. were inferred in the canon of the maſs, that they might be commemorated in the ſervice, for that in thoſe days the uſe of martyrologies was unknown in the church. Mabillon diſtinguiſhes two kinds of canonization, a general and particular: the firſt made by a general council, or a Pope; the ſecond by a Biſhop, a particular church, or a provincial council. There are inſtances likewiſe of canonization, at leaſt ſomething very like them, by Abbots. At firſt only martyrs were canonized; by degrees they came to confeſſors. It is diſputed whether the martyrdom does not ſupply the want of miracles. Canonization anciently conſiſted in inſerting the ſaint's name in the ſacred Diptychs, or canon of ſaints; in appointing a proper office for invoking him, and erecting churches under his invocation, with altars for maſs to be celebrated on; taking up the body from the firſt place of its burial, and the like ceremonies. By degrees, other formalities were added; proceſſions made with the ſaint's image in triumph, the day of his death is declared a feaſt; and, to render the thing ſtill more ſolemn, Honorius III. in 1225, added ſeveral days indulgence to a canonization.
  • Canons, a particular order of religious, diſtinct from monks. Their original can be carried no higher than the fourth century, and is unanimouſly aſcribed to the famous St. Auguſtin, Biſhop of Hippo, in Africa, who firſt preſcribed a way of living to clerks, who would voluntarily live in common, and poſſeſs nothing, after the example of the monks.
  • Capuchins, religious of the order of St. Francis, in its ſtricteſt obſervance. The Capuchins are thus called, from capuce or capuchon, a ſtuff cap or cowl, wherewith they cover their heads. They are cloathed with brown or grey, always bare-footed, are never to go in a coach, nor ever ſhave their beard. The Capuchins are a reform made from the Minors, commonly called Cordeliers, ſet on foot in the ſixteenth century by Matthew Baſchi, a religious obſervant of the monaſtery of Montefiaſcone, who, being a Roman, was advertiſed ſeveral times from heaven to practiſe the rule of St. Francis to the latter. Upon this he made application to Pope Clement, in 1525, who gave him permiſſion to retire into a ſolitude, and not only him, but as many others as would embrace the ſtrict obſervance, which ſome did accordingly. In 1528, they obtained the Pope's bull; in 1529, the order was brought into complete form. Matthew was elected General, and the chapter made conſtitutions. In 1543, the right of preaching was taken from the Capuchins by the Pope; but, in 1545, it was reſtored to them again with honour. In 1578, there were already ſeventeen general chapters in the order of Capuchins.
  • [] Cardinal, is more particularly uſed for an eccleſiaſtic Prince, one who has a voice both active and paſſive in the Roman conclave, at the election of a Pope. Some ſay the Cardinals were ſo called from the Latin, incardinatio, which ſignifies the adoption any church made of a prieſt of a foreign church, driven thence by misfortune; and add, that the uſe of the word commenced at Rome and Ravenna; the revenues of the churches of which cities being very great, they became the common refuge of the unhappy prieſts of all other churches. The Cardinals compoſe the Pope's council or ſenate in the Vatican; are a conſtitution of Pope John, which regulates the rights and titles of Cardinals; in which he declares, that as the Pope repreſents Moſes, ſo the Cardinals repreſent the ſeventy diſciples, who, under the Pontifical authority, decide private and particular differences. Cardinals, in their firſt inſtitution, were only the principal prieſts, or incumbents of the pariſhes of Rome. In the primitive church, the chief prieſt of a pariſh, who immediately followed the Biſhop, was called presbyter cardinalis, to diſtinguiſh him from the other petty prieſts, who had no church nor preferment. The term was firſt applied to them in the year 150; others ſay, under Pope Silveſter, in the year 300. Theſe Cardinals alone were allowed to baptiſe, and adminiſter the euchariſt. When the Cardinal prieſts became Biſhops, their cardinalate became vacant, they being then ſuppoſed to be raiſed to a higher dignity. Under Pope Gregory, Cardinal prieſts and Cardinal deacons were only ſuch prieſts or deacons as had a church or chapel under their care; and this was the original uſe of the word. Leo IV. in the council of Rome held in 853, calls them presbyteros ſui cardinalis, and their church is parochios cardinales. The Cardinals continued on this footing till the eleventh century; but as the grandeur of his ſtate and Holineſs became exceedingly augmented, he would have his council of Cardinals make a better figure than the ancient prieſts had done. It is true, they ſtill preſerved their ancient title; but the thing expreſſed by it was no more. It was a good while, however, ere they had the precedence over Biſhops, or got the election of the Pope into their hands; but when they were once poſſeſſed of thoſe privileges, they ſoon had the red hat and purple, and, growing ſtill in authority, became at length ſuperior to the Biſhops, by the ſole quality of being Cardinals.
  • Carmelites, an order of religious, making one of the four tribes of Mendicants or begging friars, and taking both its name and original from Carmel, a mountain of Syria, formerly inhabited by the prophets Elias and Eliſha, and by the children of the prophets, from whom this order pretends to deſcend in an uninterrupted ſucceſſion. The manner in which they make out their antiquity has ſomething too ridiculous to be rehearſed. Some among them pretend they are deſcendants from Jeſus Chriſt; others go farther; []and makes Pythagoras a Carmelite, and the ancient Druids regular branches of their order.
  • Carpocratians, a branch of the ancient Gnoſtics, ſo called from Carpocrates, who, in the ſecond century, revived and improved upon the errors of Simon Magus, Menander, Saturninus, and other Gnoſtics. He owned with them one ſole Principal and Father of all things, whoſe name, as well as nature, was unknown. The world, he taught, was created by angels, vaſtly inferior to the firſt principle. He oppoſed the divinity of Jeſus Chriſt, making him a mere man, begotten carnally on the body of Mary by Joſeph, though poſſeſſed of uncommon gifts, which ſet him above other creatures. He inculcated a community of women, and taught, that the ſoul could not be purified till it had committed all kinds of abominations, making that a neceſſary condition of perfection.
  • Carthuſians, an order of religious, inſtituted by S. Bruno about the year 1086, remarkable for the auſterity of their rule, which obliges them to a perpetual ſolitude, a total abſtinence from fleſh, even at the peril of their lives, and abſolute ſilence, except at certain ſtated times. Their houſes were uſually built in deſerts, their fare coarſe, and diſcipline ſevere. It is obſerved, that the monaſtical piety is better preſerved in this than in any of the others. M. l'Abbe de la Trappe, however, endeavours to ſhew, that the Carthuſians do not live up to the auſterity enjoined by the ancient ſtatutes of Guigues, their fifth general. M. Maſſon, at preſent general of the order, anſwers that abbot, and ſhews, that what he calls the ſtatutes or conſtitutions of Guigues, are in reality only cuſtoms compiled by Father Guigues, and that they did not become laws till long after.
  • Catechiſm, catechiſe, are Greek terms, which ſignify inſtruction, to inſtruct.
  • Catechiſt, he who inſtructs.
  • Catechumen, the perſon to be inſtructed, in order to his being admitted a member of the Chriſtian church.
  • Cathedral, a church wherein a Biſhop has a ſee or ſeat. The denomination cathedral ſeems to have taken its riſe from the manner of ſitting in the ancient churches, or aſſemblies of primitive Chriſtians. In theſe, the council, i. e. the elders and prieſts, was called presbyterium. At their head was the Biſhop, who held the place of chairman, cathedralis, or cathedraticus; and the Preſbyters, who ſat on either ſide, were alſo called by the ancient fathers aſſeſſores Epiſcoporum. The Epiſcopal authority did not reſide in the Biſhop alone, but in all the Preſbyters, whereof the Biſhop was Preſident. A cathedral therefore originalty was different from what it is now, the Chriſtians, [...]il the time of Conſtantine, having no lib [...]rty to build any temple. By their churches they only meant their aſſemblies, and by cathedrals nothing more than conſiſtories. Whence appears the vanity of ſome authors, []eſpecially the Spaniards, who pretend their cathedrals to have been built in the time of the Apoſtles.
  • Catholic. This term is originally Greek; it ſignifies univerſal or general. Thus the church of Jeſus Chriſt is called catholic, becauſe it extends throughout the world, and is not limited to time or place. In the ſtrict ſenſe of the word, there is no Catholic church in being, that is, no univerſal communion; and therefore, when, in rehearſing the Apoſtles creed, we profeis to believe the holy Catholic, we muſt mean (as Mr. Chillingworth expreſſes it) the right that the church of Chriſt, or rather (to ſpeak properly) the goſpel of Chriſt, hath to be univerſally believed; and therefore the article may be true, though there were no Chriſtian church in the world.
  • Cerdonians, a ſect of erroneous Chriſtians in the firſt century, who eſpouſed moſt of the opinions of Simon Magus and the Manicheans. He aſſerted two principles, a good and a bad; the firſt he called the Father of Jeſus Chriſt; the latter the Creator of the world. He denied the incarnation of Jeſus Chriſt, rejected the books of the Old Teſtament. He likewiſe denied the reſurrection. His diſciple, Marcion, eſpouſed and propagated the ſame ſentiments.
  • Cerinthians, ancient heretics, who denied the deity of Jeſus Chriſt. They took their name from Cerinthus, one of the firſt heretics in the church, he being co-temporary with St. John. Cerinthus was a zealous defender of the circumciſion, as well as the Nazarenes and Ebionites. St. Epiphanius ſays, he was the head of a faction which roſe at Jeruſalem againſt St. Peter, on account of ſome circumciſed perſons, with whom that Apoſtle had eat. He believed that Jeſus Chriſt was a mere man, born of Joſeph and Mary, but, in his baptiſm, a celeſtial virtue deſcended on him in form of a dove, by means whereof he was conſecrated by the Holy Spirit, and made Chriſt. It was by this celeſtial virtue, therefore, that he wrought ſo many miracles, which, as he received it from heaven, quitted him after his paſſion, and returned to the place where it came; ſo that Jeſus, whom he called a pure man, really died and roſe again; but that Chriſt, who was diſtinguiſhed from Jeſus, did not ſuffer at all.
  • Ceſarins, or Caeſarians. A religious order, being a reform of that of St. Francis, who began to erect one with ſuch magnificence, (for which he exacted large contributions of the order) as was neither ſuitable to the humility which that ſaint had made profeſſion of, nor to the poverty which he had enjoined his followers.
  • Ceſtertian Monks. A religious order founded in the 9th century, by St. Robert, a benedictin, and abbot of Moleme. Certain anchorets of a neighbouring foreſt, having heard of St. Robert (then abbot of St. Michael de la Tonne [...]e) intreated him to take upon him the direction of them; but the prior of his monaſtery, and ſome of the ancient monks, obſtructed his complying with []their requeſt. Thoſe monks of Tonnere lived under ſo great a relaxation of diſcipline, that the abbot loſt all hopes of reforming them, and therefore left them, and retired to the Abbey of Montier-la-celle, in which he had formerly been a monk. Soon after he was choſen prior of the monaſtery of St. Augulphus, which was dependent on that Abbey; then it was, that the afore-named anchorets applied themſelves to the Pope, who granted them a brief which directed the abbot of Montier-la-celle to deliver Robert to them, they having made choice of him to govern them. Robert was well pleaſed with the Pope's order, and accordingly joined thoſe anchorets, whom he led into the foreſt of Moleme, where they built themſelves little cells made of the boughs of trees, and a little oratory, in honour of the Holy Trinity; but theſe hermits falling into relaxation, and Robert not being able to reclaim them, he left them, and retired to a deſert, called Haur, where there were religious men who lived in much unity and ſimplicity of heart, and who choſe him for their abbot; but thoſe of Moleme made uſe of the authority of the Pope, to oblige him to return, and govern them as he had done before.
  • Chalice, the cup or veſſel, uſed to adminiſter the wine in, in the euchariſt, and, by the Romaniſts, in the maſs. Bede affirms, that the chalice, uſed by Jeſus Chriſt at the ſupper, had two handles, and held juſt half a pint, which the ancients imitated; but, in the modern times, they are generally made of ſilver or gold.
  • Chapter, Capitulum, a community of eccleſiaſtics belonging to a cathedral or collegiate church. The chief or head of the chapter is the dean; the body conſiſts of canons or prebendaries. The chapter has now no longer ſhare in the adminiſtration of the dicceſe, during the life of the Biſhop; but ſucceeds to the whole Epiſcopal juriſdiction during the vacancy of the ſee. The origin of the chapters is derived from hence; that anciently the Biſhops had their clergy reſiding with them in their cathedrals, to aſſiſt in performance of ſacred offices, and in the government of the church; and even after parochical ſettlements were made, there were ſtill a body of clerks who continued with the Biſhops, and were indeed his family, maintained out of his income.
  • Charity of our Lady (Religious Hoſpitallers, called the Order of) This order was founded about the end of the 13th century. Guy, Lord of Toinville, in France, having built, on his own lands, in a place called Boucheraumont, in the dioceſe of Chalons, an hoſpital for the neceſſity of the ſick and the poor, gave the care of it to ſome ſecular perſons, who formed a community among themſelves, and took the Holy Virgin for their patroneſs; and, as charity was the principal motive of their union, the hoſpital was named the Charity of our Lady. Soon after their Founder procured them a new ſettlement at P [...]ris, and, in the year 1300. Pope Boniface VIII. confirmed this order, and honoured it with the protection of the holy ſee. The religious of this order obſerved []the third rule of St. Francis. Philip the Fair, in 1299, gave them a houſe adjoining to their church. They had ſeveral convents in different parts of the kingdom; but in length of time theſe religious growing diſorderly and irregular, their order dwindled, and at laſt became extinct. In 1631, their convent at Paris was given to the Carmelites, which was confirmed by letters-patent of King Lewis XIII.
  • Charity of St. Hippolytus (Religious Hoſpitallers of that order) About the year 1585, in the pontificate of Gregory XIII. one Bernardin Alvarez, a Mexican, founded an hoſpital at a little diſtance from the city of Mexico, with the permiſſion of the Archbiſhop, and dedicated it to the honour of St. Hippolytus the Martyr, Patron of the city of Mexico. Bernardin drew up conſtitutions for the government of thoſe who joined themſelves with him in the pious deſign of ſerving the poor, and got them approved by Pope Gregory XIII. Afterwards ſome other hoſpitals were built in imitation of this, the number of which increaſing, they united, and formed a congregation, under the name of, The Charity of St. Hippolytus; which ſtill ſubſiſts.
  • Chazinzarians, a ſect of heretics which aroſe in Armenia, in the ſeventh century. They are ſo called from the Armenian word chazus, which ſignifies a croſs, becauſe they are charged with adoring the croſs; whence, in Greek, they are likewiſe called ſtaurolatrae.
  • Childermas Day, called alſo Innecents Day, an anniverſary feaſt of the church, held on the 28th of December, in memory of the children of Bethlehem, maſſacred by order of Herod.
  • Chorepiſcopi. In the ancient church, when the dioceſes became enlarged by the converſion of Pagans in the country, and villages at a great diſtance from the city-church, the Biſhops appointed themſelves certain aſſiſtants, whom they called Chorepiſcopi, becauſe by their office they were Biſhops of the country. There have been great diſputes among the learned concerning the nature of this order. Among the ſchoolmen and canoniſts, it is a received opinion, that they were mere Preſbyters. Others think there were two ſorts of Chorepiſcopi; ſome that had Epiſcopal ordination, and others that were mere Preſbyters. But a third, and the moſt probable opinion, is, that they were all Biſhops. This is the ſentiment of Biſhop Barlow, Dr. H [...]mmond, Dr. Beveridge, and Dr. Cave. See Chriſtian.
  • Chriſm, oil conſ [...]crated by the Biſhop, and uſed in the Romiſh and Greek churches, in the adminiſtration of baptiſm, confirmation, ordination, and extreme unction. The chriſm is prepared on Holy Thurſday with a world of ceremony. In Spain it was anciently the cuſtom for the Biſhop to take one-third of a ſol for the chriſm diſtributed to each church on account of the balſam that entered its compoſition. Du Cange obſerves, there are two kinds of chriſm; the one prepared of oil and balſam, uſed in baptiſm, []confirmation, and ordination; the other of oil alone, conſecrated by the Biſhop, uſed anciently for the catechumens, and ſtill in extreme unction. The Maronites, before their reconcilement with Rome, beſides oil and balſam, uſed muſk, ſaffron, cinnamon, roſes, white frankincenſe, and ſeveral other drugs mentioned by Rynaldus, in 1541, with the doſes of each. The Jeſuit Dandini, who went to Mount Libanus in quality of the Pope's Nuncio, ordained, in a ſynod held there in 1596, that chriſm for the future ſhould be made only of two ingredients, oil and balſam; the one repreſenting the human nature of Jeſus Chriſt, the other his divine nature. The action of impoſing the chriſm is called chriſmation. This the generality of the Romiſh divines hold to be the next matter of the ſacrament of confirmation. The chriſmation in baptiſm is performed by the prieſt; that in confirmation by the Biſhop; that in ordination, &c. is more uſually ſtiled unction.
  • Chriſt, an appellation uſually added to Jeſus, and, together therewith, denominates the Meſſiah, or Saviour of the world. The word in the original Greek ſignifies anointed. Sometimes the word Chriſt is uſed ſingly, by way of antonomaſis, to denote a perſon ſent from God, an anointed prophet, or prieſt.
  • Chriſtian, one who profeſſes the Chriſtian religion, or one who believes in Jeſus Chriſt, and is baptiſed in his name.
  • Chriſtians, a name firſt given at Antioch to the followers of Chriſt. They were ſometimes called brethren, faithful, ſaints, believers, friends, &c. The names of Nazarenes and Gallileans were likewiſe given them by the Gentiles. It is the opinion of ſome, that Chriſtian was derived originally from the Greek word chriſtos, good, uſeful, &c. and applied to their Kings, as denoting authority or ſacred. Hence the King of France bears the title or ſirname of The Moſt Chriſtian King, Rex Chriſtianiſſimus. The French antiquaries trace the original of the appellation up to Gregory the Great; who writing a letter to Charles Martel, occaſionally gave him that title, which his ſucceſſors have ſince retained. The Chriſtians were ſometimes ſtiled Gnoſtics, i. e. men of underſtanding and knowledge; a name which was aped and abuſed by a perverſe ſort of heretics, who are commonly diſtinguiſhed by the name of Gnoſtics, becauſe of their pretences to knowledge and ſcience, falſely ſo called. Another name, which frequently occurs in the writings of the ancients, is that of Theophori, which ſignifies temples of God, and is as old as Ignatius. We ſometimes alſo meet with the name Chriſtophori, uſed in the ſame ſenſe; yet it is very obſervable, that in all the names they choſe there were ſome peculiar relation to Chriſt or God; for party-names, and human appellations, they ever profeſſed to abhor. Euſebius records a ſtory of one Sactus, a deacon of the church of Vienna, who ſuffered in the perſecution under Antoninus. Being put to the rack, and examined by the magiſtrate concerning []his name, his country, his city, and his quality, his anſwer to all theſe queſtions was, "I am a Chriſtian." This, he ſaid, was to him both name, and city, and kindred; nor could his perſecutors extort any other anſwer from him. The firſt Chriſtians diſtinguiſhed themſelves in the moſt remarkable manner by their conduct and their virtues. The faithful, whom the preaching of St. Peter had converted, hearkened attentively to the exhortations of the Apoſtles, who ſailed not carefully to inſtruct them, as perſons who were entering upon an entirely new life: they went every day to the temple with one heart and one mind, and continued in prayers, doing nothing different from the other Jews, becauſe it was not yet time to ſeparate them. But they made a ſtill greater progreſs in virtue; for they ſold all that they poſſeſſed, and diſtributed their goods in proportion to the wants of their brethren. They eat their meat with gladneſs and ſingleneſs of heart, praiſing God, and having favour with all the people. St. Chryſoſtom, examining from what ſource the eminent virtue of the firſt Chriſtians ſlowed, aſcribes it principally to their diveſting themſelves of their poſſeſſions: for (ſays that Father) perſons from whom all that they have is taken away, are not ſubject unto ſin; whereas, whoever has large poſſeſſions, wants not a devil or a tempter to draw him into hell a thouſand ways.
  • Chriſtians of St. John, a very ancient, but corrupt ſet of Chriſtians, very numerous in Baſſora, and the neighbouring towns. They inhabited along the river Jordan, where St. John baptiſed, and from him they had their name. They hold an anniverſary feaſt five days, during which they all go to their Biſhop, and are baptiſed. They have no canonical books, and deny the third perſon in the Trinity.
  • Chriſtians of St. Thomas, or San Thoma, a ſect of ancient Chriſtians, found in the Eaſt Indies, when the Europeans touched at the port of Callicut, who pretend to be deſcended from thoſe St. Thomas converted in the Indies; whence the name: the natives call them, by way of contempt, Nazarenes; their more honourable appellation is Mappuleymer.
  • Chriſtmas (g. d. Chriſti miſſa, i. e. the maſs of Chriſt) a feſtival celebrated on the 25th day of December, in commemoration of the birth of Chriſt, by the particular ſervice of the church.
  • Church, is a religious aſſembly, or the large fair building where they meet; ſometimes means a ſynod of Biſhops or Preſbyters, and in ſome places the Pope and a general council. Bellarmine, and the Romiſh divines, to this definition add, under the ſame Pope, ſovereign Pontiff, and Vicar of Jeſus Chriſt on earth; in which circumſtance it is that the Romiſh and reformed notion of church differ. Amelotte and others make a viſible head, or chief, eſſential to a church. Accordingly, among the Catholics the Pope, in England the King, are reſpectively allowed heads of the church. Biſhop Hoadley ſets aſide the notion of a viſible head: []Chriſt alone, according to him, is head of the church; which poſition he has maintained with great addreſs, in a celebrated ſermon before King George I. on theſe words, My kingdom is not of this world; and in the ſeveral vindications thereof. Sometimes we conſider church in a more extenſive ſenſe, and divide it into ſeveral branches. The church militant is the aſſembly of the faithful on earth; church triumphant, that of the faithful already in glory; to which the Catholics add the church patient, that of the faithful in Purgatory. Eccleſia, [...], ſynonymous with our church, is uſed in the Greek and Latin prophane authors for any kind of public aſſembly; and even for the place where the aſſembly is held. The ſacred and eccleſiaſtical writers ſometimes alſo uſe it in the ſame ſenſe; but ordinarily reſtrain the term to the Chriſtians; as the term ſynagogue, which originally ſignifies the ſame thing, is in like manner reſtrained to the Jews. Thus, in the New Teſtament, the Greek [...] ſignifies almoſt always either the place deſtined for prayer, as 1 Cor. xiv. 34, or the aſſembly of the faithful diffuſed over the whole earth, as Epheſ. v. 24. or the faithful of a particular city or province, as 2 Cor. viii. 1, 2. or even of a ſingle family, as Rom. xvi. 1. or the paſtors or miniſters of a church, as Matt. xvii. 17.
  • Collect, in the liturgy of the church of England, and the maſs of the Romaniſts, denotes a prayer accommodated for any particular day, occaſion, or the like. In general, all the prayers in each office are called collects; either becauſe the prieſt ſpeaks in the name of the whole aſſembly, whoſe ſentiments and deſires he ſums up by the word oremus, let us pray, as is obſerved by Pope Innocent III. or becauſe thoſe prayers are offered when the people are aſſembled together; which is the opinion of Pamelius on Tertullian. The congregation itſelf is in ſome ancient authors called collect: the Popes Gelaſius and Gregory are ſaid to have been the firſt who eſtabliſhed collects.
  • Colluthians, a Chriſtian ſect, who roſe about the beginning of the fourth century, on occaſion of the indulgence ſhewn to Arius by Alexander, patriarch of Alexandria. Several people being ſcandalized at ſo much condeſcenſion, and, among the reſt, Colluthus, a prieſt of the ſame city, he hence took a pretence for holding ſeparate aſſemblies, and by degrees proceeded to the ordinaton of prieſts, as if he had been a Biſhop, pretending a neceſſity for this authority, in order to oppoſe Arius. To this ſchiſm he added hereſy, teaching that God did not create the wicked, and that he was not author of the evils that befal men. He was condemned in a council held at Alexandria by Oſius, in the year 335.
  • Collyridians, Arabian heretics in the fourth century, ſo denominated from idolizing the Virgin Mary, worſhipping her as a goddeſs, and offering to her cakes. St. Epiphanius wrote againſt this extravagant ſuperſtition, and ſhewed them how to diſtinguiſh between []the honour which ought to be paid to the virgin, and that worſhip which is due only to God.
  • Collobium, a garment worn by Biſhops and Preſbyters in the primitive ages. It was a ſhort coat with ſhort ſleeves. It was an uſual garment among the Romans; and therefore a Biſhop, or Preſbyter, wearing a collobium, is no proof that the clergy in thoſe early times were diſtinguiſhed by their habit from the laity, as ſome have thought, but is rather a proof of the contrary.
  • Commendam, in the canon or eccleſiaſtical law, is the charge, truſt, or adminiſtration of a benefice, given either to a layman to hold by way of depoſitum, for ſix months, in order for repairs, &c. or to another eccleſiaſtic, or beneficed perſon, to perform the paſtoral duties thereof, till ſuch time as the benefice is provided of a regular incumbent. Anciently commendams were a very laudable inſtitution; for when an elective benefice became vacant, for which the ordinary could not for ſome reaſon immediately provide, the care of it was recommended to ſome man of merit, who took upon him the direction of it till the vacancy was filled up, but who enjoyed none of the profits. Commendam, in the church of Rome, is likewiſe a real title of a regular benefice, ſuch as an abbey or priory given by the Pope to a ſecular clerk, or even to a layman, with power to diſpoſe of the fruits thereof during life: and, by the Pope's bulls, the commendatory abbot has the full authority of the regular abbot, to whom he is ſubſtituted, except ing only in ſpiritualibus, the direction of which is left to the clauſtral prior. Benefices in commendam are veſted in the crown by a ſtatute of Henry VIII. This right was conteſted in the reign of King James I. who deſigning to give in commendam a vacant church, it was diſputed in the court of Common Pleas, not only whether the King might grant a commendam to a Biſhop, either before or after his conſecration; but alſo whether commendams were to be granted without neceſſity. The point was ſolemnly argued by the judges, who were ſeverely reprimanded at the council-board by the King, for daring to attack the prerogative royal.
  • Communion, the being united in doctrine and diſcipline. In this ſenſe of the word different churches are ſaid to hold communion with each other; and in the primitive Chriſtian church every Biſhop was obliged, after his ordination, to ſend circular letters to foreign or remote churches, who profeſſed the ſame faith, to ſignify that he was in communion with them. To maintain this unity of the faith entire, every church was ready to aſſiſt all others in communion with her, by oppoſing all fundamental errors and hereſies; and this gave occaſion to moſt of the provincial and national ſynods we read of, in which novel, and what they thought erroneous doctrines, were condemned by a council of Biſhops. This unity was alſo further maintained by the readineſs of each church, and every member of it, to join with all other churches in the performance []of doctrine, worſhip, and all holy offices, as occaſion required, by a mutual conſent in ratifying all legal acts of diſcipline regularly exerciſed in any church whatſoever, by unanimouſly receiving the cuſtoms of the church of Rome, and adhering to the decrees of councils, both general and national. All the Chriſtian churches were originally in communion with each other, having one common faith and diſcipline; in proceſs of time a diverſity of opinions prevailed, and occaſioned ſome churches to ſeparate from the reſt, and to form the diſtinct communions into which the Chriſtian church is at preſent divided. The three grand communions are that of the church of Rome, that of the Greek church, and that of the Proteſtant churches.
  • Conception, immaculate, the ſubject of diſpute between the Dominicans and Franciſcans, 1387, and denied by the former. The council of Baſil approved and recommended it to be embraced by all Catholics. The council of Trent declined paſſing judgment on this matter. Paul V. urged the belief of it, 1617; alſo Gregory XV. and Alexander VII.
  • Conclave, the place in which the Cardinals of the Romiſh church meet, and are ſhut up, in order to the election of a Pope. The eccleſiaſtical conſtitutions allow the Cardinals to chuſe the place of the conclave: notwithſtanding which, it is always held in the Vatican, on account of the ſpaciouſneſs of the building, the convenience of its open ſquare, and its galleries, which will hold a number of ſervants. The conclave is a range of ſmall cells, ten feet ſquare, made of wainſcot; they are numbered, and drawn for by lot; they ſtand in a line along the galleries, and half the Vatican, with a ſmall ſpace between each. Such Cardinals as were created by the late Pope hang their cells with violet-coloured ſtuff, and the reſt with green ſerge: each cell has the arms of the reſpective Cardinal. Strong guard is kept at the door of the Vatican, and round the conclave, and many precautions, with much ceremony, made uſe of, to prevent any intelligence being conveyed, or intereſt, or bribery, &c. but, notwithſtanding that, great artifice is made uſe of to effect an election, and it is generally obtained by corruption.
  • Conferences, eccleſiaſtical, by order or with the conſent of public authority, were, 1ſt, That of the diſſenting brethren for deſtroying greater harmony of ſentiments and unity or friendſhip amongſt differing ſocieties or members at Marpuge, particularly on the euchariſt, 1526. 2dly, At Spire, where the name of Proteſtants was firſt uſed, in 1529. 3dly, At Smalcalde, a city in Franconia, in Germany, where were preſent 15 Princes, beſides the deputies of 30 cities which had embraced the Augſburg confeſſion, and renewed for ten years the league which the other Proteſtants had made for their own defence, at which the ambaſſadors from England and France gave attendance, and purſuant to inſtructions confirmed that league in 1535. This was held by adjourment in the year 1537, []by the Proteſtant Princes and deputies of the Lutheran cities, who agreed vigorouſly to ſupport themſelves againſt any infringement of their Chriſtian liberty, and eventually, after ſeveral ſeſſions, obtained an eſtabliſhment of the Proteſtant religion in Germany, the progreſſive ſteps to which are largely ſet forth by Hoffman, 1540. 4thly, Held at the ſame place, when the Emperor Charles V. endeavoured to obtrude ſome articles of farther conciliation with the Proteſtants, which they rejected, 1548. 5thly, At Altenſburg, among the Lutherans, on the point of juſtification, 1569; and at a ſecond ſeſſion, held by the ſame members at Quintenburgh, on the ubiquity of God, 1573. 6thly, At Torgo, concerning divers articles of faith, 1576. Another ſeſſion held at Bipent, and another at Hetzburg, for compiling a book of Concord, 1578.
  • Confirmation, or impoſition of hands, is a rite of the Chriſtian religion, which in the primitive church uſed to be adminiſtered, or made uſe of immediately after baptiſm, if the Biſhop was preſent at the ſolemnity. It was made a ſacrament of the church of Rome in the Mel [...]enſian council. This rite was reſerved to Biſhops, by Theodoris, 526. By the church of Rome the ſacrament of confirmation is that which makes us perfect Chriſtians, and impreſſes an indelible character upon us after baptiſm, and imparts to us the ſpirit of fortitude, whereby we are enabled to confeſs Chriſtianity even at the hazard of our lives. Not ſo the Proteſtants, for confirmation with them is no ſacrament, no federal rites are declared to belong to it; it is no new ſtipulation, but rather a ratification of our baptiſmal engagements.
  • Congregation, an aſſembly of ſeveral eccleſiaſtics, united ſo as to conſtitute a body. The term is principally uſed for aſſemblies of Cardinals, appointed by the Pope, and diſtributed into ſeveral chambers, for the diſcharge of certain functions and juriſdictions, after the manner of our offices and courts.—The firſt is the congregation of the holy office, or the inquiſition; the ſecond, that of juriſdiction over Biſhops and regulars; the third, that of councils with power to interpret the council of Trent; the fourth, that of cuſtoms, ceremonies, precedencies, canonizations, called the congregation of rites; the fifth, that of St. Peter's fabric, which takes cognizance of all cauſes relating to piety and charity, part whereof is due to the church of St. Peter; the ſixth, that of waters, rivers, roads; the ſeventh, that of fountains and ſtreets; the eighth, that of the index, which examines the books to be printed or corrected; the ninth, that of the government of the whole ſtate of the church; the tenth, De bono regimine, of which the Cardinal's nephew is chief; the eleventh, that of money; the twelfth, that of Biſhops, wherein thoſe who are to be promoted to biſhoprics in Italy are examined, this is held before the Pope; the thirteenth, that of conſiſtorial matters, the chief whereof is Cardinal Dean. []There is alſo a congregation of alms, which takes care of what relates to the ſubſiſtence of Rome and the ſtate of the church.
  • Conſiſtory, or Roman Conſiſtory, denotes the college of Cardinals, or the Pope's ſenate and council, before whom judiciary cauſes are pleaded. Du Cange derives the word from conſiſtorium, i. e. locus ubi conſiſtitur; uſed chiefly for a veſtible, gallery, or antechamber, where the courtiers wait for admiſſion, and called a conſiſtente multitudine. The conſiſtory is the firſt court or tribunal of Rome; it never meets but when the Pope pleaſes to convoke it, and the Pope preſides in it in perſon, mounted on a magnificent throne, and habited in his pontificalia: on the right are Cardinal biſhops and prieſts, and on the left Cardinal deacons. The place where it is held, is a large hall, in the apoſtolical palace, where Princes and ambaſſadors of Kings are received. The other prelates, prothonatories, auditors of rota, and other officers, are ſeated on the ſteps of the throne; the courtiers ſit on the ground, ambaſſadors on the right, and conſiſtorial and fiſcal advocates behind the Cardinals. Beſides the public conſiſtory, there is alſo a private one held in a retired chamber, called the chamber of Papegay, the Pope's throne here being only raiſed two ſteps high. No body is here admitted, but the Cardinals, whoſe opinions are collected, and called ſentences. Here are firſt propoſed and paſſed all bulls for biſhoprics, abbeys, &c. Hence biſhoprics and abbeys are ſaid to be conſiſtorial benefices, in regard they muſt be propoſed to their conſiſtory, the annates be paid to the Pope, and his bulls taken. Anciently they were elective, but by the concordat, which aboliſhes elections, they are appointed to be collated by the Pope alone, on the nomination of the Prince. Conſiſtory was always the name of a court under Conſtantine, where he ſat in perſon, and heard cauſes. The members of this court were called Conſites. Conſiſtory is alſo uſed among the reformed, for a council or aſſembly of miniſters or elders, to regulate their affairs, diſcipline, &c.
  • Conſtitution, an eſtabliſhment, ordinance, deciſion, regulation, or law, made by authority of a Prince, or other ſuperior, eccleſiaſtical or civil. The conſtitutions of the Roman Emperors make a part of the civil law; the conſtitutions of the church make a part of the canon law. Some of the papal conſtitutions are in form of bulls, others of briefs. Apoſtolical conſtitutions denote a collection of regulations, attributed to the Apoſtles, and ſuppoſed to have been collected by St. Clement, whoſe name they likewiſe bear. They are divided into eight books, conſiſting of a great number of rules and precepts relating to the duties of Chriſtians, and particularly to the ceremonies and diſcipline of the church. Authors are divided about their genuineneſs: the generality hold them ſpurious, and endeavour to prove them poſterior to the apoſtolical age, maintaining they were unknown till the fourth century; which, if ſo, ſhews St. Clement had no hand in them.
  • [] Convocation, a general aſſembly of the clergy of a province, ſummoned by the King's writ, to conſult of the more weighty affairs of the church, as oft as a parliament is convoked to conſult thoſe of the ſtate. The King's writ is directed to the Archbiſhop of each province, requiring him to ſummon all Biſhops, Deans, Archdeacons, of cathedral, collegiate churches, &c. The place where the convocation of the province of Canterbury have been uſually held, is St. Paul's church, whence of late they have been prorogued to St. Peter's in Weſtminſter, in the chapel of Henry VII. or the Jeruſalem chamber, where there is an upper and lower houſe. The power of the convocation is limited by a ſtatute of King Henry VIII. They are not to make any canons, or eccleſiaſtical laws, without the King's licence; nor, when permitted to make any, can they put them in execution, but under theſe reſtrictions. 1. Such canons muſt not be contrary to the King's prerogative. 2. They muſt not contradict any ſtatute, or the common law. 3. Nor muſt they alter any known cuſtom of the realm. They have the examining and cenſuring all heretical and ſchiſmatical books and perſons, &c. but there lies an appeal to the King in Chancery, or to his delegates. The clergy in convocation, and their ſervants, have the ſame privileges as members of parliament.
  • Cope, an eccleſiaſtical habit. By an act of King Edward VI. whenſoever the Biſhop ſhall celebrate the holy communion in the church, he ſhall have upon him, beſides his rochet, a ſurplice or albe, and a cope, &c. It anſwers to the collobium or epiſcopal habit of the ancient church, and was at firſt a common habit, being a coat without ſleeves; but was afterwards uſed as a churchveſtment, only made very rich by embroidery, and the like. The Greeks pretend it was firſt uſed in memory of the mock robe put upon our Saviour.
  • Copiotae, a particular order of men, in the primitive Chriſtian church, whoſe buſineſs it was to inter the dead. They were ſo called, either from the pains they took, or elſe becauſe they committed the bodies of the dead to the grave, a place of eaſe and reſt. They were inſtituted in the time of Conſtantine, or his ſon Conſtantius, in two of whoſe laws they are expreſsly mentioned. Their particular office was to prepare the graves, wrap up the bodies of the dead, and then bury them; and becauſe this was ever accounted a work of piety and religion, therefore the Copiotae, though not in holy orders, were conſidered as bearing a relation to the clergy, and veſted with the ſame immunities. Their number was very great: Conſtantine is ſaid to have appointed no leſs than eleven hundred; but, by a law of Honorius and Theodoſius, they were reduced to nine hundred and fifty, though Anaſtaſius afterwards brought them back to the firſt number.
  • Corporal, in the Chriſtian church. It is a fair linen cloth thrown over the conſecrated elements, at the celebration of the euchariſt. It was ſo called by the Latins, from being ſpread over the body of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and, according to Iſidore Peluſiola, was []deſigned to repreſent the body of our Saviour, being wrapt in fine linen by Joſeph of Arimathea. The inſtitution of it is aſcribed to Euſebius, Biſhop of Rome, about the year 300.
  • Covenant. The firſt covenant between God and man was that which he made with Adam at his creation, when he required him to forbear the uſe of the forbidden fruit. The ſecond covenant is that which God made with man after his fall, by promiſing him not only forgiveneſs, provided he repented, but alſo the coming of the Meſſiah, who ſhould redeem him, and all the human race, from death. A third covenant is that which God made with Noah, when he directed him to build an ark. A fourth covenant is that which God made with Abraham, the mark and ſeal of which was circumciſion. But the greateſt, moſt ſolemn, moſt excellent, and moſt perfect, which God ever made with man, is that which he entered into with us through the mediation of Jeſus Chriſt, that eternal covenant, which muſt ſubſiſt to the end of ages: the prieſthood, ſacrifice, and laws, are infinitely more exalted than thoſe of the Old Teſtament.
  • Coul, or Cowl, a ſort of monkiſh habit worn by the Barnardines and Benedictines. There are two kinds of couls, the one white, very large, wore in ceremony, and when they aſſiſt at the office: the other black, wore on ordinary occaſions, in the ſtreets, &c. F. Mabillon maintains the coul to be the ſame thing in its origin with the ſcapular. The author of the apology of the Emperor Henry IV. diſtinguiſhes two forms of couls; the one a gown, reaching to the feet, having ſleeves and a capuchon, uſed in ceremonies; the other a kind of hood to work in, called alſo ſcapular, becauſe it only covers the head and ſhoulders.
  • Council, primitive and eccleſiaſtical, is a free, public, eccleſiaſtical meeting, eſpecially of Biſhops, and alſo of other Doctors lawfully deputed by divers churches, for the examining of eccleſiaſtical cauſes, according to the ſcriptures, and thoſe according to the power given by common ſuffrage, without favour of parties, to be determined, in matters of faith, by canons. In caſes of practice, by precedents in diſcipline, by decrees and conſtitutions. Theſe are not called for deciding political controverſies; this properly belonging to diets, parliaments, &c. Neither is it an office or prerogative of the Pope to join them, unleſs he be ſpecially elected thereto by the aſſembly to ſit as preſident. Neither may others, unleſs Biſhops, or ſome otherwiſe deputed, paſs a determinate ſentence. No ſentence or decree is to be admitted as neceſſary to ſalvation, unleſs it is founded on the word of God. But all decrees made are obligatory, and not to be rejected by private perſons, till an authority diſpenſe with it, equal to that which did at firſt bind them. In brief, it is a ſynod or aſſembly of Prelates and Doctors met for the regulating of matters relating to the doctrine or diſcipline of the church.
  • Councils (that called) the firſt of the apoſtles, was held at Jeruſalem A. C. 52. for the ſubſtituting Matthias in the room of Judas, []Acts i. 26.—The ſecond was when the twelve apoſtles called the multitude of the diſciples, and directed them to look out among themſelves ſeven men of honeſt report, full of the Holy Ghoſt and wiſdom, for deacons, Acts vi. 2, 3.—The third was alſo held at Jeruſalem, wherein they diſpenſed with an obſervation of the ceremonial law, ſeeing that the Chriſtian diſpenſation was ſufficient to the ſalvation of its votaries, Acts xv. 11. A. C. 53.—The fourth was for the toleration of ſome legal obſervations for a time, that by ſuch condeſcenſion the weaker part both of Jews and Gentiles might be gained to the belief and profeſſion of Chriſtianity, Acts xxi. 18. A. C. 60.

    The firſt general council that we find mentioned by tradition, was held under the pontificate of Pope Victor, A. C. 192, to adjuſt the celebrated controverſy about keeping Eaſter, and to ſuppreſs the growing faction of the Montaniſts, mentioned by Euſebius, Book v. Cap. xv.

  • Councils, OEcumenical or General, are aſſemblies of all the prelates in Chriſtendom, in the ſtrict ſenſe of it. But to conſtitute a general aſſembly, it was never deemed neceſſary for all the prelates to be actually preſent; it is ſufficient that the council be regularly appointed, and that they are called to be there: A proxy might repreſent them, or if they chuſe to abſent themſelves, it will nevertheleſs be eſteemed oecumenical. General councils are ſometimes called by eccleſiaſtical authors plenary councils. The Romaniſts reckon eighteen, whereof only the four firſt are admitted by the reformed. The eighteen are thus numbered, viz. two of Nice, four of Conſtantinople, one of Epheſus, one of Chalcedon, five of the Lateran, two of Lyons, one of Venice, one of Florence, and the laſt of Trent, which laſt ordained provincial councils to be held every three years, yet the laſt held was at Bourdeaux in France, more than 100 years ago.—The canons and decrees of councils have been often collected, viz. by Dr. Merlin of Paris, 1524. Another at Venice, in 1585. Another at Rome, in 1608. One of Binius, canon of Cologne, 1606, in 10 vols. Another at Louvre in 1664, in 37 vols.

    The firſt oecumenical or General Council, as well as the firſt of Nice, ſo called becauſe it was eſtabliſhed at Nice in Bythinia, by the authority of Conſtantine the Great, in the time of Julius I. and Sylveſter, began in May, A. D. 325, and ended Auguſt 25, the ſame year; it conſiſted of 318 biſhops. They condemned the Arian, the Melitian, and Novatian doctrines, and cenſured the diſſenſions betwixt the eaſtern and weſtern biſhops about the celebration of the paſſover.—The ſeventh general council, and ſecond of Nice, began September 24, 789, and ended about the 15th of October, occaſioned by the conteſt about the worſhip of images.—The ſecond general council, and the firſt of Conſtantinople, began in May 381, and ended in July, under Gratian, Theodoſius the Great, and Damaſus, and conſiſted of 157 biſhops.—The []fifth general council, and the ſecond of Conſtantinople, began May 4, A. D. 553, and ended in July following; it was occaſioned by the followers of Neſtorius endeavouring to revive and propagate his opinions in oppoſition to the aſſerters of a trinity of perſons, coeternal and coequal, and more expreſsly containing the Emperor Juſtinian's confeſſion of faith, againſt the three chapters, and addreſſed to the aſſembly of the Catholic and Apoſtolic church: at the concluſion it was decreed, that there was in Jeſus only one ſubſtance, one perſon, and one operation, and anathematiſes thoſe who had wrote againſt it, as Theodoret, &c.— The ſixth general council, and third of Conſtantinople, begun in Trullo, under the Emperor Progenatus (ſolicited by Pope Agatho) Nov. 7, A. D. 680, and continued till September 16. In this were convened 150 biſhops, who condemned the Menothelites, Sergius, Cyrus, Pyrrhus, Peter, Paul, Theodorus, together with Pope Honorius, who favoured the doctrine of one will in Chriſt. This council was reaſſumed, and called the Quini-Sextum council, and fourth of Conſtantinople, and was held in 192 at Trullo, in the tower of the Emperor's palace. The four Patriarchs of the Eaſt were preſent at it, and it is acknowledged by the Greeks to be a general council; there were 108 biſhops preſent, and the deſign of their aſſembling was to ſupply the omiſſion of their former councils with reſpect to diſcipline. They made 102 canons, many of them trifling in their nature, others very ſevere and oppreſſive to ſuch as differed in point of faith or diſcipline. The moſt remarkable is the 52d canon, ordering that the maſs of the pre-ſanctified ſhall be celebrated every day in Lent, except Saturday and Sunday, and Lady-Day.—The third general council was held at Epheſus, June 22, 431, to the end of July; it was called under Theodoſius the Younger, promoted by Celeſtine I. It conſiſted of 200 biſhops, who condemned Neſtorius of Conſtantinople, who denied the unity of two natures in Chriſt. Anathematiſed the Maſſilianites or Euchites, and confirmed the integrity of the Nicene creed.—The fourth general council was held at Chalcedon, and began October 8, 431, and ended Nov. 1, A. D. 455. It conſiſted of 630 biſhops, who condemned the ſuperſtitious acts of the council of Epheſus: they affirmed one only nature to be in Chriſt, after his incarnation, viz. his divine nature; and decreed 29 canons, many of which are not approved by the Papiſts, viz. in one of the canons, that all biſhops are equal with reſpect to power or privileges.—The eighth general council was held at Conſtantinople in 869, began on the 5th of October, and ended the laſt day of February the next year, againſt Photius and his adherents.—The ninth general council, and the firſt of Lateran, was held in March, A. D. 1123, compoſed of about 300 prelates, who made 22 canons; amongſt others it confirmed the former canons againſt ſimonical prieſts; granted remiſſion of ſins to ſuch as go a pilgrimage to the Holy []Land, in aid to the Catholic Chriſtians againſt Inſidels, and excomunicates ſuch as have been croſſed for that purpoſe, who relinquiſh their pilgrimage.—The tenth general council, and ſocond of Lateran, was hold under Pope Innocent II. 11 [...]9, in which the favourers of Peter of Leon were ſolemnly condemned, and all ordinations made by this Pope declared [...]ull and vold.—The eleventh general council, and the third of Lateran, was convened by Pope Alexander III. in 1179, and held at Rome to reform a great number of abuſes that had crept into the church, and to make conſtitutions about matters of diſcipline—to condemn the Albig [...]s and other reputed heretics, and to maintain the immunities of the church. It conſiſted of 300 biſhops. The laſt ſeſſion was held at Lateran 1180, and was reckoned the [...] of the lawn relating to the impropriation of tithes.—The twelſth general council, and the fourth Lateran council, was convoked by Innocent III, on April 20, 1215. The acts of this aſſembly contain ſeventy canons.—The primacy was determined in favour of the patriarch of Conſtantinople; but Innocent III. thought it beneath his dignity to wear a croſs.—Dupin ſays, the Pope, in his letters of interdiction, repreſents this council to be neceſſary for the recovering of the Holy Land, and the reformation of the Catholic church; for correcting irregularities, and reforming the manners of the church, both in the prieſthood and people; and for condemning herefies, putting a ſtop to diviſions, and eſtabliſhing peace.— The thirteenth general council, and the firſt of Lyons, was convened by Pope Innocent IV. in 1245, as well for civil as eccleſiactical affairs. The Pope propoſed three principal points, viz. The relieving the empire of Conſtantinople againſt the Greeks, the empire of Germany againſt the Tartars, and the Holy Land againſt the Saracens: to regulate the affair of the non-reſidence of the clergy, in what circumſtances, and for what part of their be [...]ces it ſhould be permitted; and appointed for the relief of the Holy Land, the 20th part of all revenues of benefices, and the tenth of the revenues of the people and cardinals; but exempted the croiſade prieſts from all manner of contributions.—In this council the Pope likewiſe excommunicated the Emperor, Frederic, from the communion of the church, and diſpoſſeſſed him of his empire, from a ſuſpicion of his having been dilatory in the ſupply of the Papal chair; which being now elected to himſelf, he was mirded to ſhew his authority and reſentment. This implacable proceeding did not however much affect the Emperor; b [...] [...] greatly injurious to the German empire.—The fourteenth general council, and ſecond of Lyons, was appointed by Po [...]e Gregory X. according to his bull of indiction, 1274. 1. For the [...] of the Greek church. 2. For the relief of the Holy Land. 3. For reforming the church-diſcipline and lives of the clergy. In purf [...]ce of theſe deſigns, the Pope ſat himſelf as []preſident in five ſeveral ſeſſions, and made a variety of [...] and d [...]er [...]. The prelates of the Greek church came to Lyon [...] the 24th of June, when they preſented their letters to the Pope, and word graciouſly received; and on the ſixth of July, the fourth ſeſſion convened together with the prelates of the Greek church, and overtures were then made for an accommodation and general union, with reſpect to points of ſaith, diſcipline, &c. but moſt of them of an indeterminate nature, that particularly relating to the Trinity and the Catholic ſaith; it is therein declared, that the Holy Ghoſt proceeds from the Father and the Son, as from one ſingle principle, and by one ſingle ſpiration, and they are condemned who deny that the Holy Ghoſt proceeds from the Father and the Son as from two principles.—The fifteenth general council was held at Vienne, and opened on the 16th of October 1311, for condemning the Templars, and the extinction of their order.—The ſixteenth general council was held at Conſtance, and began on the 16th of November 1414, in which the error [...] of John Huſ [...] and Wickl [...]ſſe were condemned, and in which Huſs was ſentenced to be burnt, and Jerom of Prague was the next ſeſſions condemned to be burnt.—The ſeventeenth general council was held at Baſil, on the 23d of July 1431, in which Eugenius was driven from Rome.—Eugenius afterwards transferred the council to Ferrara. The neutrality was eſtabliſhed, and the pragmatic ſanction drawn up in France.—The laſt and eighteenth general council was convened at Trent, December 15, 1545, and ended December 4, 1563.

  • Councils, Provincial or Occaſional, At Aix la C [...]appelie, A. D. [...]16, for regulating the ca [...]ons of cathedral churches.—Of Savoanieries, in 859, the firſt which gave title of moſt Chriſtian King to the King of France; but it did not become the peculiar appellation of that ſovereign till 1469.—Of Troye, in 377, to decide the diſputes about the Imperial dignity.—The ſecond coun [...]l of Troyes, in 1107, reſtrains the clergy from marrying.—The [...] cil of Clermont in 1095. The firſt cruſede was determined in this council. The biſhops had yet the precedency of cardi [...]als. In this aſſembly the name of Pope was for the firſt time given to the head of the church excluſively of the biſhops, who [...] to aſſume that title.—Here alſo Hugh, Archbiſhop of Lyons, ob [...]ed of the Pope a confirmation of the primacy of his ſee over [...] of Sens.—The council of Rheims. ſummoned by [...] 1148, called an aſſembly of Ciſaſtrian G [...]ul, in which [...] or patrons of churches are prohibited taking more than [...] ſees, upon pain of deprivation and eccleſia [...]ical buri [...].— [...], deacons, ſubdeacons, monks, and nuns, are [...] from [...] rying.—In this council the doctrine of the Tr [...]ity was [...]; but upon their ſeparation the Pope c [...]l [...]ed a [...] which the cardinals pretended they had no [...] trinal points, that this was the rivilege [...] to [...].— []The council of Sutrium, in 1046, wherein three Popes who had aſſumed the chair were depoſed.—The council of Clarendon in England, againſt Becket, held in 1164.—The council of Lombez, in the country of Albigeois, in 1200, occaſioned by ſome diſturbances on account of the Albigenſes; a cruſade was formed on this account, and an army ſent to extirpate them. Innocent III. ſpirited up this barbarous war, Dominic was the apoſtle, the count of Toulouſe the victim, and Simon Count of Montfort the conductor or chief.—The council of Paris, in 1210, in which Ariſtotle's metaphyſics were condemned to the flames, leſt the refinements of that philoſopher ſhould have a bad tendency on mens minds, by applying thoſe ſubjects to religion.—The council of Piſa, begun March 2, 1409, in which Benedict XIII. and Gregory XII. were depoſed.—Another council, ſometimes called general, held at Piſa in 1505.—Lewis XII. of France, aſſembled a national council at Tours (being highly diſguſted with the Pope) 1510, where was preſent the Cardinal de Gurce, deputed by the Emperor, and it was then agreed to convene a general council at Piſa.
  • Council, general, in England, in the year A. D. 973, by St. Dunſtan, in which he ordained, that all the prieſts, deacons, and ſubdeacons, who would not lead a ſober life, ſhould be expelled their churches, and cauſed a decree to be made to oblige them to embrace a regular and monaſtic courſe of life, or to retire; and accordingly Dunſtan, Archbiſhop of Canterbury, the Biſhops of Worceſter and Weſtminſter, turned the old clergymen out of moſt part of the churches, and put monks in their place. The Archbiſhop likewiſe ſharply reproved King Edgar, and impoſed on him a penance for ſeven years.
  • Croiſade, Cruzade, or Cruzado, a holy war, or an expedition againſt infidels and heretics, particularly againſt the Turks, for the recovery of Paleſtine. People anciently flocked on theſe croiſades out of devotion; the Pope's bull, and the preaching of the prieſts of thoſe days, making it appear a point of conſcience. Hence ſeveral orders of knighthood took their riſe. Thoſe who meant to go on this errand, diſtinguiſhed themſelves by croſſes of different colours, wore on their cloaths, and were thence called croiſes: the Engliſh wore them white, the French red, the Flemiſh green, the Germans black, and the Italians yellow. They reckon eight croiſades for the conqueſt of the Holy Land. The firſt undertaken in 1095, at the council of Clermont: the ſecond in 1144, under Louis VII.: the third in 1188, by Henry II. of England and Philip Auguſtus of France: the fourth in 1195, by Pope Celeſtin III. and the Emperor Henry VI. the fifth publiſhed in 1198, by order of Innocent III. wherein the French, Germans, and Venetians engaged: the ſixth, under the ſame Pope, began tumultuouſly, in 1213, and ended in the rout of the Chriſtians: the ſeventh, reſolved on at the council of Lyons, in 1245, undertaken []by St. Louis: the eighth, which was the ſecond of St. Louis, and the laſt of all, in 1268. It is ſaid that it was the Ciſtertian monks who firſt projected the croiſades. Philip Auguſtus ſolicited the execution thereof with the holy ſee; and Innocent III. raiſed the firſt ſtandard of the croſs. It was the council of Clermont who ordered that thoſe embarked herein ſhould bear the croſs in their banner; and that thoſe who entered themſelves into the ſervice, ſhould alſo wear it on their cloaths. The abbot Juſtiniani makes an order of knighthood of the croiſes, who ſerved in the croiſades. Towards the middle of the 12th century, there was alſo a croiſade of the Saxons againſt the Pagans of the north; wherein the Archbiſhop of Magdeburgh, the Biſhops of Halberſtadt, Munſter, Merſburgh, Brandenburg, &c. with ſeveral lay Lords, embarked: and towards the beginning of the ſame century, under the pontificate of Innocent, there was alſo a croiſade undertaken againſt the Albigenſes, who were become powerful in Languedoc, &c.
  • Croiſier, the paſtoral ſtaff, ſo called from its likeneſs to a croſs, which the Biſhops formerly bore as the common enſign of their office, and by the delivery of which they were inveſted in their prelacies. Hence the officer, who, like our vergers, ſometimes went before a Biſhop, carrying his croſs, had the name of Crociary or Croſs-bearer.
  • Croſs, the inſtrument of puniſhment to which Jeſus Chriſt was faſtened, and on which he died. This method of ſuffering was eſteemed the greateſt mark of infamy; and therefore commonly inflicted on perſons of the meaneſt rank, and for the worſt of crimes. It was a common manner of puniſhment among the Syrians, Egyptians, Perſians, Greeks, and Romans. The Croſs to which our Saviour was nailed, was in the form of a T; that is, of the Old Samaritan Tau. The manner of crucifixion was by faſtening the criminals with nails, one through each hand, and one through each foot; and ſometimes the perſons were ſcourged with whips. But the hiſtory of our Lord's crucifixon and paſſion are ſo particularly related by the Evangeliſts, that they need not be repeated. The reſpect paid by the ancient Chriſtians to our Saviour's croſs, was by no means ſuch a ſuperſtitious regard as is paid by the Romaniſts to the repreſentation of it in their churches and other places. The devotion of the croſs makes a very conſiderable part of the religion of the Romiſh church. Towards the cloſe of the 7th century, the 6th general council of Conſtantinople decreed, that Jeſus Chriſt ſhould be painted in a human form upon the croſs; the more ſtrongly to ſet before the eyes of Chriſtians the death and paſſion of our Saviour. This alſo gave the firſt riſe to the uſe of crucifixes. Among the Romaniſts, croſſes are ſet up in churches, placed on altars, conſecrated with great ſolemnity, carried in proceſſion, placed in the ſtreets at places of public reſort, and homage required to be paid to them. Their []Biſhops wear a pectoral or breaſt-croſs, which hangs by a gold-chain or ſilver-ſtring about their necks. Theſe modern repreſentations of the croſs are called crucifixes. Before the reformation it was eſteemed a piece of devotion to erect croſſes on hills, in church-yards, or over the tombs of great perſonages, &c.
  • Croſs, exaltation of. A feſtival of the Greek and Romiſh churches, obſerved on the 14th of December. In the reign of Heraclius, Coſroes, King of Perſia, ſacked Jeruſalem; and together with other plunder, carried off that part of the croſs left there, in memory of our Saviour, by the Empreſs Helena, which he ſent into Perſia. After many battles, in which the Perſians were always defeated, Heraclius had the good fortune to recover the croſs. This Prince carried it to Jeruſalem himſelf, and laying aſide his Imperial ornaments, marched with it on his ſhoulders to the top of Mount Calvary, from whence it had been taken. The memory of this action was perpetuated by the feſtivals of the re-eſtabliſhment (or, as it is now called) the exaltation of the croſs. The latter name was given to this feſtival, becauſe, on this day, they exalted, or ſet up, the croſs in the great church at Conſtantinople, in order to ſhew it to the people. This feſtival is diſtinguiſhed among the Coptic or Egyptian Chriſtians, by the benediction of a particular croſs, which is afterwards thrown into the river Nile, in order to make its waters fall away, or rather as a grateful acknowledgment of the ineſtimable bleſſings which attend its overflowing.
  • Cruſade, in Spaniſh, La Cruciata, a ſociety or body of men, from whom the court of inquiſition, in Spain, receives no ſmall ſervice. Their buſineſs is to have an eye over the behaviour of all Roman Catholics, and to inform againſt them, in caſe they omit any duties of the Chriſtian profeſſion. This ſociety is vaſtly rich, and as powerful as it is wealthy; for it conſiſts of the biſhops, archbiſhops, and moſt of the grandees of Spain. The Spaniards are perſuaded, that, had it not been for the inquiſition and cruſade, their kingdom would have been over-run by the heretics, who had near poſſeſſed themſelves of the other kingdoms and ſtates of Europe.
  • Cup. This word is often taken in ſcripture both in a proper and a figurative ſenſe; in the proper ſenſe, it ſignifies a common cup, which people drink out of at their meals; or a cup of ceremony, made uſe of at ſolemn and religious feſtivals, as at the paſſover, or ſome other hereditary bowls, made uſe of in friendly entertainments — In the figurative ſenſe is it generally taken for the afflictions which God ſends; to drink of the cup, ſignifies to endure thoſe puniſhments which God has ſeen and thought fit to exerciſe one under.— The cup of bleſſing, is that which was bleſſed in entertainments of ceremony; thus our Saviour, in the laſt ſupper, bleſſed the cup, and gave it to all his apoſtles to drink.—The cup of ſalvation, mentioned []in the Pſalms is a cup of thankſgiving, which, while people drank, they bleſſed the Lord, and were thankful for his mercies. The Jews have ſtill at this day cups of thankſgiving, which are bleſſed in their marriage-ceremonies, and in entertainments made at the circumciſion of their children.
D.
  • DAlmatica, a veſtment, or habit of a Biſhop and deacon, ſo called, becauſe it was firſt invented in Dalmatia. Pope Sylveſter appointed it to be uſed by the deacons. It was a royal garment, having been worn by the Emperor Pertinax, and it was called Chirodota, or Manicata, becauſe it had ſleeves, to diſtinguiſh it from the collobium, which had none. The Dalmatica was all of white before, but behind had two purple lines or ſtripes. Pope Eutychianus decreed, that the bodies of the martyrs ſhould be wrapped up in the dalmatica. Virgins are ſometimes repreſented in this dreſs, for there is at Rome a picture of St. Caecilia, in the church of that Saint, habited in the Dalmatica. See Collobium.
  • Damianiſts, ſo called from Damianus, a Biſhop, a branch of the ancient Acephalous Severites; who, with the Catholics, admitted the fourth council, but diſowned any diſtinction of perſons in the Godhead, and prefeſſed one ſingle nature incapable of any difference.
  • Datary, an officer in the Pope's court. He is always a Prelate, and ſometimes a Cardinal, deputed by his Holineſs to receive ſuch petitions as are preſented to him, touching the proviſion of benefices. The Datary has power to grant, without acquainting his Holineſs therewith, all ſuch benefices as do not exceed twenty-four ducats annually; but for ſuch as amount to more, he is obliged to get the proviſions ſigned by the Pope, who admits him to audience every day. If there be ſeveral candidates for the ſame place, he has the liberty of beſtowing it on which of them he thinks proper, provided he has the requiſite qualifications. This officer has likewiſe a ſubſtitute; but he can confer no benefice at all. When a perſon has obtained the Pope's conſent for a benefice, the Datary ſubſcribes his petition, annuit ſanctiſſimus, i. e. The moſt holy father conſents to it. After the petition has paſſed the proper offices and is regiſtered, it is carried to the Datary, who dates it, and writes theſe words, datum Romae apud, &c. given at Rome in the Pontifical palace, &c. Afterwards the Pope's bull, granting the benefice, is diſpatched by the Datary, and paſſes thro' the hands of more than 1000 perſons, belonging to fifteen different offices, who have all their ſtated fees. The reader may gueſs at the revenue of the Datary, eſpecially when the Pope's bull is procured for ſome large benefices.
  • Davidiſts, Davidici, a ſect of heretics, the adherents of David George, a glazier, or, as others ſay, painter, of Ghent; who, in 1525, began to preach a new doctrine, publiſhing himſelf to be []the true Meſſiah, and that he was ſent thither to fill heaven which was quite empty, for want of people to deſerve it. He rejected marriage, &c. and laughed at the ſelf-denial ſo much recommended by Chriſt. He died in 1556; but having promiſed his diſciples to riſe again, at the end of three years, the magiſtrates of Baſil, where he died, ordered his body to be dug up and burnt, together with his writings, by the common hangman.
  • Day, Lammas, the firſt of Auguſt, celebrated as a feſtival, in the Romiſh church, in memory of St. Peter's impriſonment. Eudocia, the wife of Theodoſius the Emperor, having made a journey to Jeruſalem, was there preſented with the fetters which St. Peter was loaded with in priſon. Theſe ſhe preſented to the Pope, who afterwards laid them up in a church, built by Theodoſius, in honour of St. Peter. Eudocia, in the mean time, having obſerved that the firſt of Auguſt was celebrated in memory of Auguſtus Caeſar, who had on that day been ſaluted Auguſtus, and upon that account given occaſion to the changing the name of the month, from Sextilis to Auguſt, that Princeſs thought it not reaſonable that a holyday ſhould be kept in memory of an Heathen Emperor, and therefore obtained a decree of Theodoſius, that this day ſhould for the future be kept holy, in remembrance of St. Peter's bonds. This feſtival is known, in the Roman calendar, by the name of the feaſt of St. Peter (in vinculis) in fetters. It was called among us Lammas Day, from a fond conceit the Popiſh people had, that St. Peter was patron of the lambs, becauſe our Saviour ſaid to him, feed my lambs; upon which account they thought the maſs of this day very beneficial to make their lambs thrive.
  • Deacon, ſignifies miniſter, ſervant. This word is made uſe of in the language of the church, to denote thoſe whoſe office it is to aſſiſt the Biſhop, or prieſt, in the diſtribution of the euchariſt, and, beſides this, in the ſervice of the poor, and adminiſtring what is neceſſary for them. The number of the diſciples increaſing daily at Jeruſalem, the Greeks, i. e. the Gentile converts, began to murmur againſt the Hebrews, and to complain that their widows were neglected in the diſtribution of alms, which was made every day; hereupon the Apoſtles called the multitude of believers together, and ſaid, "It is not reaſonable that we ſhould leave the word of God, wherefore look you out among you ſeven men of honeſt report, full of the Holy Ghoſt and wiſdom, whom ye may appoint over this buſineſs." They therefore choſe ſeven, viz. Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas; theſe they preſented to the Apoſtles, and they were ordained by prayer and impoſition of hands, Acts vi. 1. 1 Tim. ii. 8—12. Thoſe in the Romiſh church ſometimes baptiſed and preached in the abſence of their Biſhop or prieſt, and prepared catechumens for baptiſm. (See particularly their office in the hiſtories of the church of Scotland, the Preſbyterians, &c. &c.)
  • [] Deaconeſſes were allowed in the primitive church, but now laid aſide. Certain devout women who conſecrated themſelves to the ſervice of the church, and rendered thoſe offices to women which men could not decently do: as in baptiſm, for inſtance, which was conferred by immerſion on women as well as men.
  • Deaconry, a name ſtill reſerved to the chapels and oratories in Rome, under the direction of the ſeveral deacons in their reſpective regions or quarters.
  • Dean, a prime dignitary in moſt cathedral and collegiate churches; being uſually the preſident of the chapter. It is a title, alſo, applied among us to divers perſons that are the chief of ſome peculiar churches and chapels; as the Dean of the King's chapel, of the Arches, of Battel, &c. &c.
  • Death. This word is taken in ſcripture not only for the death of the body, when the ſoul is ſeparated from the body, but likewiſe for the ſecond death, a condemnation to miſery. It alſo ſignifies imminent danger of death; for the plague and contagious diſeaſes; for poiſon, and any great misfortune. By the gates of death, the grave is ſignified, and the ſtate of the dead after this life. By the veſſels or inſtruments of death, dangerous and deadly weapons are meant. By the bonds or ſnares of death, the ſnares which are laid to deſtroy an enemy. A ſon of death, a man who merits death, or is condemned to death. By the duſt of death, the ſtate to which the dead perſon is reduced in the grave. Love is as ſtrong as death, ſays Solomon; no one can reſiſt death or love.
  • Decalogue, the ten commandments, engraven on two tables of ſtone, and given to Moſes.
  • Declamation, a feigned diſcourſe, or ſpeech made in public, in the tone and manner of an oration. Among the Greeks, declamation was the art of ſpeaking indifferently on all ſubjects, and on all ſides of a queſtion, of making things appear juſt that were unjuſt, and triumphing over the beſt and ſoundeſt reaſons. Such ſort of declamations, M. de St. Evremond obſerves, were fit only to corrupt the mind by accuſtoming men to cultivate their imagination rather than to form their judgment, and to ſeek for veriſimilitudes to impoſe upon, rather than ſolid reaſons to convince the underſtanding. Among us declamation is reſtrained to certain exerciſes, which ſcholars perform to teach them to ſpeak in public.
  • Decree, in canon law, an ordinance which is enacted by the Pope, by and with the advice of his Cardinals, in council aſſembled, without being conſulted by any perſon thereon.
  • Decree of Election and Reprobation, with ſome modern divines, is that council or determination of God, by which, from all eternity, he abſolutely choſe and ſet apart ſome, in order to become good and happy; but paſſed by the reſt, i. e. the far greater part of mankind, forming his reſolves in either caſe, abſtractedly from all conſideration of any merit or demerit of theirs; a notion []which ſeems founded on ſome miſconſtrued paſſages of ſcripture, and in particular thoſe referred to in 2 Pet. iii. 16. but of which we do not find the leaſt traces in antiquity, before the cloſe of the fourth, or beginning of the fifth century.
  • Dedication, the act of conſecrating a temple, altar, ſtatue, place, &c. to the honour of ſome deity. It is very ancient, both in the Heathen times, and amongſt the Chriſtians. The feaſt of the dedication, or rather the feaſt-day of the ſaint and patron of a church, was celebrated not only by the inhabitants of the place, but by thoſe of all the neighbouring villages, who uſually reforted thither. The cuſtom is ſtill retained in divers places, under the names of feaſts, wakes, or vigils.
  • Definition, an enumeration of the chief ſimple ideas whereof a compound idea conſiſts, in order to aſcertain or explain its nature and character. The ſchoolmen give very imperfect notions of definition. Some define it to be the firſt notion or conception that ariſes of a thing, whereby it is diſtinguiſhed from every other, and from which all the other things that we conceive of it are deduced: but the uſual definition of it is, oratio explicans quid res eſt, a diſcourſe explaining what a thing is, that is, as ſome further explain it, a diſcourſe ſetting forth thoſe attributes which circumſcribe and determine the nature of a thing; for to explain is to propoſe the parts ſeparately and expreſsly, which were before propoſed conjunctly and implicitly, ſo that every explication has regard to ſome whole. Hence, according to the divers kinds of parts in any thing, viz. phyſical parts, metaphyſical parts, &c. ariſe ſo many different kinds of definitions of the ſame thing. Thus, man is either defined an animal, conſiſting of ſoul and body, or a reaſonable animal, &c.
  • Deiſts, a ſect or claſs of people, known under the denomination of Freethinkers, whoſe diſtinguiſhing character it is, not to profeſs any particular form or ſyſtem of religion, but only to acknowledge the exiſtence of a God, without rendering him any external worſhip or ſervice. The Deiſts hold, that, conſidering the multiplicity of religions, the numerous pretences to revelation, and the precarious arguments generally advanced in proof thereof, the beſt and ſureſt way is, to return to the ſimplicity of nature, and the belief of one God, which is the only truth agreed to by all nations. They complain, that the freedom of thinking and reaſoning is oppreſſed under the yoke of religion, and that the minds of men are ridden and tyrannized by the neceſſity impoſed on them of believing inconceivable myſteries; and contend, that nothing ſhould be required to be aſſented to, or believed, but what their reaſon clearly conceives. The appellation Deiſt is more particularly given to ſuch as are not altogether without religion, but reject all revelation as an impoſition, and believe no more than what natural light diſcovers to them; as, that there is a God, a Providence, a future ſtate, with rewards and []puniſhments for the good and the bad; that God muſt be honoured, and his will, ſo far as we can learn it, performed; but that each perſon is to do this after his own manner, and as his own conſcience ſuggeſts. The number of Deiſts is ſaid to be daily increaſing in England: a great part of the men of ſpeculation and letters are pretended to incline that way; and the like is obſerved in ſome of our neighbour nations, where freedom of ſpeaking, writing, and thinking, are indulged.

    Dr. Clarke gives us a ſuccinct character of ſeveral ſorts of Deiſts, viz. the firſt ſort are thoſe who profeſs to believe the exiſtence of an eternal, infinite, independent, and intelligent Being, and that this Supreme Being made the world; but they fancy that God does not at all concern himſelf in the government of the world, nor has any regard to, or concern about what is done therein: nor is the doctrine of ſome philoſophers much different, who aſcribe every thing to matter and motion, and ſpeak of God as an intelligentia ſupramundana, which is the very language of Epicurus and Lucretius.—A ſecond ſort of Deiſts profeſs to believe not only the being, but alſo the providence of God; that is, that every natural thing that is done in the world is produced by the power, appointed by the wiſdom, and directed by the government of God, though, not allowing any difference between moral good and evil, they ſuppoſe that God takes no notice of the morally good or evil actions of men, theſe things depending, as they imagine, merely on the arbitrary conſtitution of human laws. —Another ſort of Deiſts there are, who have right apprehenſions concerning the natural attributes of God, and his all-governing Providence, and ſeem alſo to have ſome notion of his moral perfections alſo: they believe him to be a being infinitely knowing, powerful, and wiſe, and, in ſome ſenſe, a being of juſtice, as of goodneſs and truth; that he governs the world by theſe perfections, and expects ſuitable obedience from all his rational creatures; but they are prejudiced againſt the immortality of human ſouls, and inſiſt that men periſh at death entirely, and that one generation ſhall perpetually ſucceed another, and that there will be no future reſtoration or renovation of things.—A fourth ſort there are, who profeſs to believe the being and attributes of God, the obligations of natural religion, and that there will be a future ſtate of rewards and puniſhments; but all this ſo far only as it is diſcoverable by the light of nature alone, without believing any divine revelation. Theſe, he concludes, are the only true Deiſts. But there is now no conſiſtent ſcheme of Deiſm in the world. The Heathen philoſophers, thoſe few of them who taught and lived up to the obligations of natural religion, had indeed a conſiſtent ſcheme of Deiſm, ſo far as it went. Socrates and Tully appear to be wiſe and ſteady in their principles and conduct, and they were thence led to hope for a revelation, and we wiſh the []ſame ſpirit prevailed in our modern Deiſts; then we might readily conclude they would embrace, and not ridicule Chriſtianity.

    To this I ſhall ſubjoin what I have farther received from an honeſt and conſiſtent Deiſt himſelf.

    A Deiſt, or Theiſt, is one that believes a God, who rejects revelation, and follows his reaſon only. This general definition, I imagine, will be granted by all the Deiſts or Theiſts in the world. Some of them, who believe man to be a free agent, have not much better or different notions of God than other people, believing him to be a perfect, rational, and moral being, ſomewhere diſtinct from the univerſe, once from all eternity exiſting by himſelf, before any thing was created; but that his wiſdom, power, and goodneſs, is infinitely extended, according as he wills to diſplay it. Some of them believe free-will, and others not, which is the moſt material difference between them; and this difference ariſes from ſome mens making more ſtrict natural inquiries than others. The one think the doctrine of neceſſity of dangerous conſequence; the other, believing things are as they are appointed, or muſt be, conceive this doctrine can no more alter the conduct of men, than the nature of things, which are unalterable and eternal, being governed and directed by the wiſdom of God; his Spirit being in all, operates in all; that in him all creatures live, and have their being; for he is their life, exiſts in them, and they in him; and is to the univerſe what the ſoul is to the body; and all the appearances of things to us are the cloathing of Deity; for we ſee not things as they are in themſelves, but as they are to us, and ſo we judge of them; therefore we judge for ourſelves, not for God; we cannot judge of them as he judges; that of all things generated, which appear and diſappear, it may be ſaid, as the author of the epiſtle to the Hebrews ſays, "they all wax old as doth a garment, and as a veſture God folds them up;" but he is the ſame, and his years do not change; neither had the ungenerated parts of the univerſe a beginning, nor will ever end. There is no beginning nor end to time, motion, and the exiſtence of things; and as God unites the whole, there is no vacuum in nature, no place void of life and exiſtence; that vegetable, animal, and rational life, are but different degrees of the ſame life, different powers communicated from, or different manifeſtations of God, who makes and unmakes, builds and deſtroys, according to his will, which is the ſame as his wiſdom and power, for theſe in him are one.—Thoſe who maintain neceſſity have as much regard to moral virtue as others, but not to any kind of worſhip; therefore are more of the philoſophic than of the religious claſs. Like the Epicureans, they think honourably of God, reſpecting the greatneſs, wonderfulneſs, and dignity of his nature, but, unlike them, they aſcribe nothing to chance. They conceive that the divine, unchangeable nature, it not wrought upon by the prayers of men, nor regards []their praiſes; that the whole of our duty, whether you allow it to be religion or not, is acting in the beſt manner we can towards one another, as mens different wants are, and our different abilities are to aſſiſt them; that God is not indebted to man for any of his good deeds, though men are to one another; for no man has any good quality, from whence any good deed proceeds, that is not the gift of God; that God makes each of us what we are, and virtue carries its own reward with it, as the ancient philoſophers maintained; the like does wiſdom; ſo has God ordered the affairs of this world; for if he does not things that are right in this world, how do we know he will do right in any other, who, we have reaſon to believe, is in all worlds the ſame, and governs all by univerſal, mathematical, mechanic, and unchangeable laws?—In the ſelect pieces of M. de Voltaire, I find one on Theiſm, p. 179, where he ſays, that "Theiſm is a religion diffuſed through all other religions; it is a metal that mixes with all others, and whoſe veins extend under the earth to the four corners of the world. This ore is moſt uncovered, and moſt wrought, in China; every where elſe it is concealed, and the ſecret is in the hands of none but the adepts. There is no country in which there are more of theſe adepts than in England."—Many have aſked, if Theiſm, ſeparately conſidered, and without any other religious ceremony, is in reality a religion? The anſwer is eaſy. He who acknowledges a God only as a Creator, he who conſiders God only as an infinitely powerful Being, and who ſees nothing in his creatures but admirable machines, is no more religious with reſpect to him, than an European who admires the King of China is on that account the ſubject of that Prince.— But he who thinks that God has condeſcended to put a connection between himſelf and mankind; that he has made them free, capable of good and evil; and that he has given to all a moral ſenſe, which is the inſtinct in man, and on which is founded the law of nature; he, without doubt, has a religion, and a religion much better than all the ſects out of our church: for all theſe ſects are falſe, and the law of nature is true; for a revealed religion can only be this law of nature perfected. Thus Theiſm is good ſenſe not yet enlightened by revelation, and other religions good ſenſe perverted by ſuperſtition.—All ſects are different, becauſe they come from men; morality is every where the ſame, becauſe it comes from God.—It may be aſked, that ſince there are five or ſix hundred ſects, of which ſcarcely any are free from the guilt of ſpilling human blood, from whence does it happen that the Theiſts, who are every where ſo numerous, have never cauſed the leaſt tumult? It is becauſe theſe are philoſophers. Now philoſophers may reaſon falſely, but they can never engage in intrigues; therefore thoſe who perſecute a philoſopher, under pretence that his opinions may be dangerous to the public, are guilty of as great an abſurdity as a perſon who ſhould be afraid []leſt the ſtudy of algebra ſhould raiſe the price of bread: we ought, therefore, to pity a reaſonable being who is in an error; but the perſecutor is a fool, and an object of horror. We are all brethren: if any of my brothers, full of reſpect and filial piety, and animated by the moſt ardent fraternal love, does not ſalute our common father with the ſame ceremonies as I, ought I to cut his throat, and tear out his heart?

  • Deprecatory, or deprecative, in theology, a term applied to the manner of performing ſome ceremonies in the form of prayer. Among the Greeks the form of abſolution is deprecatory, being conceived in theſe terms, may God abſolve me; whereas, in the Latin, and even ſome of the reformed churches, it is in the declarative form, I abſolve you.
  • Deſcription, an imperfect or inaccurate definition of a thing, giving a ſort of knowledge thereof from ſome accidents and circumſtances peculiar to it, which determine it enough to give an idea that may diſtinguiſh it from other things; but without explaining its nature or eſſence. Grammarians content themſelves with deſcriptions, philoſophers require definitions of things. A deſcription is an enumeration of divers attributes of a thing, moſt of which are only accidental, as when a perſon is deſcribed by his deeds, his ſayings, his writings, his honours, &c. A deſcription, as to its outward appearance, reſembles a definition, and is even convertible with the thing deſcribed, but does not explain it; for inſtead of bringing ſeveral things eſſential to the thing deſcribed, it only brings a number of accidents belonging thereto, e. g. Peter is the tall young man who lives on the green, wears black cloaths, frequents the college, courts N—, &c. where, it is evident, we do not give any explication of Peter, as not bringing things that are in Peter, but only circumſtances, or things about him, tall, young, living, wearing, frequenting, courting, &c. A deſcription, therefore, is no proper anſwer to the queſtion, quid eſt, what is he? but to that, quis eſt, who is he? Deſcriptions, in effect, are principally uſed for ſingulars or individuals, for things of the ſame ſpecies do not differ in eſſence, but only as to hic and ille, which difference contains nothing very notable or diſtinguiſhable. But individuals, of the ſame kind, differ much in accidents, e. g. George is a King, and William a citizen, Charles is a male, and Anne a female; Henry is wife, and John a blockhead, &c. Thus, a deſcription is an accumulation of accidents, whereby things are notably diſtinguiſhed from each other, tho' they ſcarce differ at all in eſſence.
  • Div [...]ocanonical, an appellation given to certain books of the holy ſcripture, which were added to the canon after the reſt; either by reaſon they were not wrote till after the compilation of the canon, or by reaſon of ſome diſpute as to their canonicity. The books ſo called, in the modern canon, are the book of Eſther, the [...]piſtle to the Hebrews, that of James, that of Jude, the ſecond []of St. Peter, the ſecond and third of St. John, and the Revelation. The deuterocanonical parts of books, are the hymn of the three children; the prayer of Azariah; the hiſtory of Suſanna, of Bel and the dragon; the laſt chapter of St. Mark; the bloody ſweat, and the appearance of the angel in St. Luke, chap. xxii. and the hiſtory of the adulterous woman in St. John, chap. viii.
  • Deuteronomy, the laſt of Moſes's five books: the Greeks gave it the name of Deuteronomy, or the ſecond law, or the repetition of the law; becauſe Moſes therein makes a kind of recapitulation of what he had ordained or done in the preceding books. The Hebrews call it Ellehaddebarim, which are the firſt words of this book, in the Hebrew text. Some Rabbins call it Miſhnah, that is to ſay, the ſecond law; others the book of Reprehenſions, by reaſon of the reproaches wherewith Moſes reproached the Iſraelites.
  • Diaconicon, Sacriſty, a place adjoining to the ancient churches, where the ſacred veſtments, with the veſſels, and other ornaments of the altar, were preſerved.
  • Diet, an aſſembly of the ſtates of Germany. I ſhall only take notice, in this place, of the more remarkable of thoſe which have been held on the affairs of religion.—1. The diet of Augſburg, in the year 1530, was aſſembled to reunite the Princes of the empire, in relation to ſome religious matters; the Emperor himſelf preſided in this aſſembly with the greateſt magnificence imaginable. The Elector of Saxony followed by ſeveral Princes, preſented the confeſſion of ſaith, called, The Confeſſion of Augſburg. The Emperor ended the diet with a decree, that no alteration ſhould be made in the doctrine and ceremonies of the Romiſh church, till a council ſhould order it otherwiſe.— 2. The diet of Augſburg, in 1547, was held on account of the Electors being divided concerning the deciſions of the council of Trent. The Emperor demanded, that the management of that affair ſhould be referred to him; and it was reſolved, that every one ſhould conform to the deciſions of the council—3. The diet of Augſburg, in 1548, was aſſembled to examine ſome memorials, relating to the Confeſſion of Faith; but the commiſſioners not agreeing together, the Emperor named three divines, who drew the deſign of that famous Interim, ſo well known in Germany, and elſewhere.—4. The diet of Augſburg, in 1550. In this aſſembly the Emperor complained, that the Interim was not obſerved, and demanded that all ſhould ſubmit to the council which they were going to renew at Trent, which ſubmiſſion was reſolſed upon by a plurality of votes.—5. The diet of Nuremberg in 1523. Here Pope Adrian VI.'s nuncio demanded the execution of Leo X.'s bull, and Charles V.'s edict, againſt Luther; but the aſſembly drew up a liſt of grievances, which were reduced to an hundred articles; ſome whereof aime, at the deſtruction []of the Pope's authority, and the diſcipline of the Romiſh church: however, they conſented that the Lutherans ſhould be commanded not to write againſt the Roman Catholics.— 6. The diet of Nuremberg, in 1524. In this aſſembly the Lutherans having the advantage, it was decreed, that the Pope ſhould call a council in Germany; but that, in the mean time, an aſſembly ſhould be held at Spire, to determine what was to be believed and practiſed. But Charles V. prohibited the holding this aſſembly.—7. The diet of Ratiſbon, in 1541, was held for reuniting the Proteſtants with the Roman Catholics. The Emperor named three Roman Catholics and three Proteſtant divines, to agree upon articles. The Roman Catholics were Julius Phlug, John Gropper, and John Eckius; and the Proteſtants were Philip Melanchton, Martin Bucer, and John Piſtorius: but after a whole month's conſultation, they could agree upon no more than five or ſix articles, which the Emperor conſented the Proteſtants ſhould retain, forbidding them to ſolicit any body to change the ancient religion.—8. The diet of Ratiſbon, in 1546, decreed, that the council of Trent was to be followed, which was oppoſed by the Proteſtant deputies, and this cauſed a war againſt them.—9. The diet of Ratiſbon, in 1557, demanded a conference between ſome famous doctors of both parties, which conference was held at Worms, in September, between twelve Roman Catholics, and twelve Lutheran divines; but was ſoon diſſolved by the Lutherant being divided among themſelves.—10. The diet of Spire, in 1526. In this aſſembly, wherein preſided the Archduke Ferdinand, the Duke of Saxony and the Landgrave of Heſſe demanded the free exerciſe of the Lutheran religion: upon which it was decreed, that the Emperor ſhould be deſired to call a general or national council in Germany within a year, and that in the mean time every one ſhould have liberty of conſcience.—11. The diet of Spire, in 1529, decreed, that in the countries, which had embraced the new religion, it ſhould be lawful to continue in it till the next council; but that no Roman Catholic ſhould be allowed to turn Lutheran. Againſt this decree, ſix Lutheran Princes, viz. The Elector of Saxony, the Marquis of Brandenburg, the two Dukes of Lunenburg, the Landgrave of Heſſe, and the Prince of Anhalt, with the deputies of fourteen imperial towns, preteſted in writing, from which ſolemn proteſtation came the famous name of Proteſtants, which the Lutherans preſently after took.—12. The diet of Worms, in 1521. In this aſſembly Luther, being charged by the Pope's Nuncio with hereſy, and refuſing to recant, the Emperor, by his edict of May 26, before all the Princes of Germany, publickly outlawed him.
  • Dimiſſory Letter, a letter given by a Biſhop to a candidate for holy orders, having a title in his dioceſe, directed to ſome other Biſhop, and giving leave for the bearer to be ordained by him. When a perſon produces letters of ordination, or tonſure, conferred []by any other than his own dioceſan, he muſt, at the ſame time, produce the letters dimiſſory, given by his own Biſhop, on pain of nullity. Letters dimiſſory cannot be given by the chapter ſede vacante.
  • Dimoeritae, a name given to the Apolinariſts, who firſt held that the Word only aſſumed a human body, without taking a reaſonable ſoul, like ours; but being at length convinced by fo [...]mal texts of ſcripture, they allowed, that he did aſſume a ſoul, but without underſtanding; the Word ſupplying the want of that faculty.
  • Directory, a kind of regulation for the performance of religious worſhip, drawn up by the aſſembly of divines in England, at the inſtance of the parliament, in the year 1644. It was deſigned to ſupply the place of the Liturgy, or Book of Common-Prayer, the uſe of which they had aboliſhed: it conſiſted of ſome general heads, which were to be managed and filled up at diſcretion, for it preſcribed no form of prayer or circumſtances of external worſhip, nor obliged the people to any reſponſes, excepting Amen.— To give a ſhort abſtract of the Directory: It forbids all ſalutations, and civil ceremony, in the churches; the reading the ſcriptures in the congregation is declared to be part of the paſtoral office; all the canonical books of the Old and New Teſtament (but not of the Apocrypha) are to be publickly read in the vulgar tongue; how large a portion is to be read at once, is left to the miniſter, who has likewiſe the liberty of expounding when he judges it neceſſary. It preſcribes heads for the prayer before ſermon, among which, part of the prayer for the King is, to ſave him from evil council: it delivers rules for managing the ſermon; the introduction to the text muſt be ſhort and clear, drawn from the words, or context, or ſome parallel place of ſcripture; in dividing the text, the miniſter is to regard the order of the matter, more than that of the words; he is not to burthen the memory of his audience with too many diviſions, nor perplex their underſtandings with logical phraſes and terms of art; he is not to ſtart unneceſſary objections, and he is to be very ſparing in citations from eccleſiaſtical or other human writers, ancient or modern. The Directory recommends the uſe of the Lord's Prayer, as the moſt perfect model of devotion; it forbids private or lay perſons to adminiſter baptiſm, and enjoins it to be performed in the face of the congregation; it orders the communion table, at the Lord's ſupper, to be ſo placed, that the communicants may ſit about it. The dead, according to the rules of the Directory, are to be buried without any prayers, or religious ceremony.
  • Diſcipline (Eccleſiaſtical.) The Chriſtian church being a ſpiritual community or ſociety of perſons profeſſing the religion of Jeſus, and, as ſuch, governed by ſpiritual or eccleſiaſtical laws, her diſcipline conſiſts in putting thoſe laws in execution, and inflicting the penalties enjoined by them againſt ſeveral ſorts of offenders. To underſtand the true nature of church-diſcipline, we muſt conſider []how it ſtood in the ancient Chriſtian church. And, firſt, The primitive church never pretended to exerciſe diſcipline upon any, but ſuch as were within her pale, in the largeſt ſenſe, by ſome act of their own profeſſion, and even upon theſe ſhe never pretended to exerciſe her diſcipline ſo far as to cancel or diſannul their baptiſm; but the diſcipline of the church conſiſted in a power to deprive men of the benefits of external communion; ſuch as public prayer, receiving the euchariſt, and other acts of divine worſhip. This power, before the eſtabliſhment of the church by human laws, was a mere ſpiritual authority, or, as St. Cyprian terms it, a ſpiritual ſword, affecting the ſoul, and not the body. Sometimes indeed the church craved aſſiſtance from the ſecular power, even when it was Heathen, but more frequently after it became Chriſtian: but it is to be obſerved, that the church never encouraged the magiſtrate to proceed againſt any one, for mere error, or eccleſiaſtical miſdemeanor, farther than to puniſh the delinquent by a pecuniary mulct, or bodily puniſhment, ſuch as a confiſcation or baniſhment. And St. Auſtin affirms, that no good men in the Catholic church were pleaſed, that heretics ſhould be proſecuted unto death; leſſer puniſhments, they thought, might have their uſe, as a means ſometimes to bring them to conſideration and repentance; nor was it a part of the ancient diſcipline to deprive men of their natural or civil rights; a maſter did not loſe his authority over his family, a parent over his children, nor a magiſtrate his office or charge in the ſtate, by being caſt out of the church. But the diſcipline of the church being a mere ſpiritual power, was confined to, 1. Admonition of the offender. 2. The leſſer and greater excommunication.— As to the object of eccleſiaſtical diſcipline, they were all ſuch delinquents as fell into great and ſcandalous crimes after baptiſm, whether men or women, prieſts or people, rich or poor, princes or ſubjects. That princes and magiſtrates fell under the church's cenſures, may be proved by ſeveral inſtances; particularly St. Chryſoſtom relates, that Babylas denied communion to one of the Roman Emperors, on account of a barbarous murder committed by him. St. Ambroſe likewiſe denied communion to Maximus, for ſhedding the blood of Gratian; and the ſame holy Biſhop abſolutely refuſed to admit the Emperor Theodoſius the Great into his church, notwithſtanding his humbleſt intreaties, becauſe he had inhumanly put to death ſeven thouſand men at Theſſalonica, without diſtinguiſhing the innocent from the guilty.
  • Diſciples of Chriſt, thoſe who learned the doctrine of Chriſt, and took him for their teacher and maſter; a Believer, a Chriſtian, a Scholar, a follower of Jeſus Chriſt or his apoſtles, Acts vi. 1. Acts ix. 10. The name diſciple is often ſet down for that of apoſtle; but in other places they are diſtinguiſhed from diſciples, as they were particularly choſen by Jeſus Chriſt, out of the number []of his diſciples, and were appointed more immediately the propagators of his religion.
  • Diſſenters, Separatiſts from the church of England, and the ſervice and worſhip thereof. At the revolution a law was enacted, that the ſtatutes made in the reign of Queen Elizabeth and King James I. concerning the diſcipline of the church, ſhould not extend to Proteſtant Diſſenters; but perſons diſſenting are to ſubſcribe the declaration of the 30th of Charles II. cap. i. and take the oaths, or the declaration of fidelity, &c. Beſides this, they are not to bold their meetings till their place of worſhip is certified to the Biſhop, or to the Juſtices of the Quarter Seſſions, and regiſtered: alſo they are not to keep the doors of their meeting-houſes locked during the time of worſhip: and, to ſecure to them the free exerciſe of their religion, whoever diſturbs or moleſts them in the performance of divine worſhip, on conviction at the ſeſſions, is to forfeit 20 l. by ſtatute 1ſt of King William and Queen Mary.
  • Deminicans, an order of religious, called in ſome places Jacobins, Predicants, or Preaching Friars. They take this name from their founder Dominic de Guzman, born in 1170, at Calarvega, in Old Caſtile. The order was approved of in 1215 by Innocent III. and confirmed in 1216 by a bull of Honorius III. under the rule of St. Auguſtin, and the title of Preaching Friars. This order is diffuſed throughout the whole known world: it has forty-five provinces under the General, who reſides at Rome; and twelve particular congregations or reforms, governed by vicars-general. They reckon three Popes of this order, above ſixty Cardinals, ſeveral Patriarchs, one hundred and fifty Archbiſhops, about eight hundred Biſhops, &c. &c. There are alſo nuns of this order, called Preaching Siſters.
  • Donatiſts, ancient ſchiſmatics in Africa, ſo named from their leader Donetus. They aroſe in the year 311. Their errors were, that baptiſm out of their ſect was null; that there was no church but in Africa: all the reſt of the churches they held as proſtitute and fallen. They were alſo accuſed of Arianiſm. They afterwards ſplit into many parties amongſt themſelves.
  • Donative, in the eccleſiaſtical ſenſe of the word, is a benefice given by the patron to the prieſt without preſentation of the ordinary, and without inſtitution and induction. As to the origin of donatives, it was one of theſe two ways. Firſt, by royal licence. Thus Sir Edward Coke ſays, the King may not only found a church or free chapel donative, but may licence any ſubject to do the ſame. Secondly, Donatives may be grounded upon peculiar privilege; as, when a Lord of a manor, in a great pariſh, at a remote diſtance from his pariſh-church, offers to build and endow a church there, provided it ſhall entirely belong to him and his family, to put in what incumbent they ſhall think fit: the Biſhops, to encourage ſuch a work, may have permitted them to enjoy this liberty; []which, being continued time out of mind, is turned into a preſcription.
  • Dort, ſynod of, conſiſted of the States-General of the United Provinces, deputies from the Proteſtant ſtates of Germany, from the Remonſtrants and Contra-remonſtrants, deputies from England, &c. for ſettling the conſtitution and government of the Proteſtant churches, and for determining ſuch points of ſaith as ſhould be deemed eſſential to conſtitute a perſon a true Proteſtant, &c. This ſynod commenced the 13th of November 1618, and continued their deliberations one hundred and eighty ſeſſions, ending the 29th of May 1619. This ſynod favoured the doctrine of Predeſtination, and ſome decrees paſſed againſt the Remonſtrants for denying it; which, with other tranſactions of this ſynod, perhaps no leſs arbitrary and ſevere, are related by Brandt in his hiſtory of the Reformation, vol. iii. p. 1—350.
  • Doxology, an appellation given by the Greeks to the 14th verſe of the ſecond chapter of St. Luke, "Glory be to God in the higheſt, &c." becauſe beginning with the Greek word [...], Glory. This they diſtinguiſh by the name of great doxology. And, the Gloria Patri, "Glory be to the Father," they call the leſs doxology, as beginning with the ſame word.
E.
  • EASTER, a feſtival of the Chriſtian church, obſerved in memory of our Saviour's reſurrection. The Latins and others call it Paſcha, an Hebrew word, which ſignifies paſſage, and it is applied to the Jewiſh feaſt of the paſſover, to which the Chriſtian feſtival of Eaſter correſponds. This feſtival is called in Engliſh Eaſter, from the Saxon Eaſtre, an ancient goddeſs of that people, worſhipped with peculiar ceremonies in the month of April. Concerning the celebration of this feſtival, there were anciently very great diſputes in the church. Tho' all agreed in the obſervation of it in general, yet they differed very much as to the particular time when it was to be obſerved; ſome keeping it preciſely on the ſame ſtated day every year, others on the fourteenth day of the firſt moon in the new year, whatever day of the week it happened on; and others, on the firſt Sunday after the firſt full moon. This diverſity occaſioned a great diſpute in the 2d century, between the Aſiatic churches and the reſt of the world; in the courſe of which, Pope Victor excommunicated all thoſe churches: but the council of Nice, in the year 324, decreed, that all churches ſhould keep the Paſcha, or feſtival of Eaſter, on one and the ſame day, which is always on a Sunday. This decree was afterwards confirmed by the council of Antioch, in the year 344: yet this did not put an end to all diſputes concerning the obſervation of this feſtival; for it was not eaſy to determine on what Sunday it was to be held, becauſe, being a moveable feaſt, it ſometimes happened []that the churches of one country kept it a week or a month ſooner than other churches, by reaſon of their different calculations: therefore the council of Nice is ſaid to have decreed farther, that the Biſhops of Alexandria ſhould adjuſt a proper cycle, and inform the reſt of the world on what Sunday every year Eaſter was to be obſerved; notwithſtanding which the Roman and Alexandrian accounts continued to differ, and ſometimes varied a week or a month from each other; and no effectual cure was found for this, till, in the year 525, Dionyſius Exiguus brought the Alexandrian canon or cycle entirely into uſe in the Roman church. Mean time, the churches of France and Britain kept to the old Roman canon; and it was two or three ages after before the new Roman, that is, the Alexandrian canon, not without ſome ſtruggle and difficulty, was ſettled among them.
  • Ebionites, Chriſtian heretics, in the firſt century, ſo called from their leader Ebion. The Ebionites, as well as the Nazarenes, had their origin from the circumciſed Chriſtians, who had retired from Jeruſalem to Pella during the war between the Jews and Romans, and made their firſt appearance after the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, about the time of Domitian, or a little before. Ebion, the author of the hereſy of the Ebionites, was a diſciple of Cerinthus, and his ſucceſſor. He improved upon the errors of his maſter, and added to them new opinions of his own. He began his preaching in Judea; he taught in Aſia, and even at Rome; his tenets infected the iſle of Cyprus. St. John oppoſed both Cerinthus and Ebion in Aſia; and it is thought that this Apoſtle wrote his goſpel in the year 97, particularly againſt this hereſy. The Ebionites held the ſame errors as the Nazarenes; they united the ceremonies of the law with the precepts of the goſpel; they obſerved both the Jewiſh Sabbath and the Chriſtian Sunday; they called their place of aſſembling a ſynagogue, and not a church; they bathed every day, which was the cuſtom of the Jews. In celebrating the euchariſt, they made uſe of unleavened bread, but no wine. They added to the obſervance of the law divers ſuperſtitions; they adored Jeruſalem as the houſe of God. Like the Samaritans, they would not ſuffer a perſon of another religion to touch them; they abſtained from the fleſh of animals, and even from milk; and leſt any one ſhould object to them that paſſage of the goſpel where Jeſus ſays, he deſires to eat of the paſſover, they corrupted it. When they were ſick, or bitten by a ſerpent, they plunged themſelves into water, and invoked all ſorts of things to their aſſiſtance. They diſagreed among themſelves in relation to Chriſt: ſome of them ſaid he was born, like other men, of Joſeph and Mary, and acquired ſanctification only by his good works; others of them allowed that he was born of a virgin, but denied that he was the Word of God, or had a pre-exiſtence before his human generation: they ſaid he was indeed the only true prophet, but yet a mere man, who by his virtue had arrived []at being called Chriſt, and the Son of God. They ſuppoſed that Chriſt and the devil were two principles, which God had oppoſed the one to the other. Though the Ebionites obſerved the law, yet they differed from the Jews in many points. They acknowledged the ſanctity of Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, Moſes, Aaron, and Joſhua; but they laughed at all thoſe who came after them: they rejected ſome parts of the Pentateuch; and when they were too cloſely preſſed by this book, they entirely abandoned it. Of the New Teſtament they acknowledge only the goſpel of St. Matthew; that is, that which was written in Hebrew, and which they called the goſpel according to the Hebrews; but they took from it the two firſt chapters, and corrupted other paſſages of it. They abſolutely rejected St. Paul, as an apoſtate, and an enemy of the law, and publiſhed ſeveral calumnies againſt him. They had likewiſe falſe Acts of the Apoſtles, in which they mixed a great many fables. As to their manner of life, they imitated the Carpocratians, the moſt infamous of all heretics. They rejected virginity and continence; they obliged children to marry very young; they allowed married perſons to ſeparate from each other, and marry again as often as they pleaſed. St. Juſtin, St. Irenaeus, and Origen, wrote againſt the Ebionites. Symmachus, author of one of the Greek verſions of the ſcriptures, was an Ebionite.
  • Eccleſiaſtes. The Hebrew title of this book is Coheleth, which is a feminine word; the literal ſignification of which is, ſhe who ſpeaks in public, or ſhe who convenes the aſſembly: but the Greeks and Latins, without having any regard to the gender, have called it Eccleſiaſtes, that is to ſay, an orator, one who ſpeaks in public. Solomon, who is the author of this book, deſcribes himſelf in the very firſt verſe, in theſe words: "The words of Coheleth, the Son of David, King of Jeruſalem." He ſpeaks of his works, his riches, and his buildings, and in particular of his proverbs or parables.
  • Eicetae, heretics of the 7th century, who made profeſſion of the monaſtic life. Their devotion conſiſted in muſic and dancing.
  • Eitheſis, a name which the Emperor Heraclius gave to a confeſſion of faith publiſhed by him in 639. It favoured the error of the Monothelites, and eſtabliſhed one will alone in Jeſus Chriſt.
  • Elceſaites, ancient heretics, ſo denominated from their prophet Elceſai. His fundamental doctrines were, that Jeſus Chriſt, who was born from the beginning of the world, had appeared, from time to time, under divers bodies, &c.
  • Elders, among the Jews, were perſons the moſt conſiderable for age, experience, and wiſdom. Of this ſort were the ſeventy men whom Moſes aſſociated to himſelf in the government of his people. Such likewiſe, afterwards, were thoſe who held the firſt rank in the ſynagogue, the preſident or head of which was ſtiled elder, by way of eminence. In the firſt aſſemblies of the primitive []Chriſtians, thoſe who held the firſt place or rank had likewiſe the denomination of elders. The word presbyter, which occurs ſo often in the New Teſtament, is of the ſame ſignification. Hence the firſt councils of Chriſtians were called presbyteria, or councils of elders. Elders is a denomination ſtill preſerved in the Preſbyterian diſcipline; they are officers, who, in conjunction with the paſtors, or miniſters, or deacons, compoſe the conſiſtories or ſeſſions of the kirk. In Scotland, the number of elders is indefinite, being generally twelve in each pariſh.
  • Ember-Weeks, or Days, in the Chriſtian church. They are certain ſeaſons of the year ſet apart for the imploring God's bleſſing, by prayer and faſting, upon the ordinations performed in the church at ſuch times; and this in conformity to the practice of the Apoſtles, who, when they ſeparated perſons for the work of the miniſtry, prayed and faſted before they laid their hands on them. Theſe ordination-faſts are obſerved four times in the year, viz. the Wedneſday, Friday, and Saturday, after the firſt Sunday in Lent, after Whitſunday, after the 14th of September, and after the 13th of December; it being injoined by a canon of the church, that deacons and miniſters be ordained or made only upon the Sundays immediately following theſe Ember-faſts. Some derive the term Ember from a German word, which ſignifies abſtinence; others from one which ſignifies aſhes, becauſe it was cuſtomary with the ancients to accompany their faſtings with ſprinkling of aſhes, or ſitting upon them. Dr. Mareſchal derives [...]t from a Saxon word, which ſignifies courſe or circuit; ſo that theſe faſts, being not occaſional, but returning every year in certain courſes, may properly be ſaid to be Ember-days, becauſe faſts in courſe. The Ember-weeks were formerly obſerved in different churches with ſome variety, but were at laſt ſettled, as they are now obſerved, by the council of Placentia, A. D. 1095. St. Auouſtin, who lived in the fifth century, ſpeaks of the Ember-faits, but mentions them only as obſerved in the dioceſe of Rome; from whence we may conclude, that the obſervation of them was not at that time general in the church. The council of Mentz, convened by Charlemagne in 813, mentions the Ember weeks as a new eſtabliſhment introduced in France, in conformity to the Roman church.
  • Encoenia, the dedication of Chriſtian churches. See Dedication.
  • Encratites, Chriſtian heretics, followers of Tatian the Aſſyrian, who founded this ſect, in the reign of Marcus Aurelius, A. D. 1 [...]2. he eſtabliſhed the firſt ſchool of the Encratites in Meſopotamia, from whence they ſpread to Antioch, and into Cilicia, P [...]ſiola, and other provinces of Aſia Minor, and even as far as Rome, and into Gaul, Aquitaine, and Spain. They were called Encrati [...], or Continentes, becauſe they gloried in abſtaining from marriage, the uſe of wine, and animals. They acknowledged a power [...] the devil, independent of God. They made great uſe of the [...] []of St. Andrew, St. John, and St. Thomas, and other apocryphal pieces, ſuch as the goſpel of the Egyptians. Their chaſtity, however, was a little ſuſpected, becauſe they uſed [...]ll ſorts of means to draw women into their ſect, and were always ſeen in company with them.
  • Energici, a name given to a religious ſect of the ſixteenth century, becauſe they held the euchariſt was the energy and virtue of Jeſus Chriſt, not his body, nor a repreſentation thereof.
  • Enomaeans, or Eunomians, a ſect who held that article which had been the capital topic of all Arians, namely, the Father's being ſelf-exiſtent, or unoriginate, which was urged to deſtroy all ſimilitude of ſubſtance between him and the Son, who was begotten or derived from the Father.
  • Enthuſiaſm. This is the name whereby that poetical fury is diſtinguiſhed, which tranſports the mind, inflames the imagination, and cauſes it to utter things ſurpriſing and ſublime. Virgil deſcribes very finely the enthuſiaſm of Apollo's prieſteſs, whom Aeneas conſulted before he made his journey to hell. Virg. Aen. vi.

    Of enthuſiaſts, particularly in religion, ſuch high pretenders having given up themſelves to their own fancy and imagination, without any fixed principles that can bind them, and being accuſtomed to feel ſome very warm emotions in their minds, which are always apprehended to come immediately from heaven, and which they always regard as ſymbols of the divine preſence, endearing tokens of his peculiar love and favour towards them, they cannot but entertain an extravagant conceit of their own worth and excellency, as if they were the beloved, the peculiar people, to whom he hath revealed himſelf in ſo extraordinary a manner; and thus viewing themſelves in high favour with the Deity, from which they believe the reſt of mankind are excluded. Hence thoſe viſionaries have their minds always turned, in their gloomy manner, to contemplate God and heavenly things, and particularly the high ſtation to which they vainly think they are exalted in the divine grace and favour; and with this ſullen frame of devotion, which is continually hanging about them, do they ſpiritualiſe and ſanctify all things whatſoever, even the greateſt abſurdities and the blackeſt villainies, according as they happen to ſuit their particular temper and circumſtances: for thoſe conceited beings are ſo far from ſubmitting themſelves to the government of reaſon, that they look upon this DIM LIGHT, as they are pleaſed to call it, and all its fixed principles, and every ſtated rule whatſoever, eſpecially ſuch as are of human authority, to be fit only for common ſervile ſouls, and much below the notice of thoſe who have immediate acceſs to the fountain of all light, and who diſtinctly perceives all the meaſures of their behaviour in ſupernatural revelations; and when they have a ſtrong inclination to indulge, they do not conſult and hearken to the dictates of reaſon; they go to God with it, and lay the matter before the Lord, []as they are uſed to ſpeak in their familiar manner, to implore his light and direction, and loudly call for an anſwer. Now, in their opinion, a favourable anſwer to prayer conſiſts in divine joys and raptures, that ſeize upon the ſoul, and make it ſenſible of the immediate preſence and countenance of God; ſo that till they find ſomething of this nature ſpringing up within them, and warming and agitating their breaſt, they fancy to have received no return from heaven; and therefore they do ſtill inſiſt, and with great importunity do they labour, till they wreſtle themſelves into thoſe mechanical heats and emotions which they take for a gracious anſwer to their prayers. This may be farther deſcribed by an extract from a little diary annexed to ſome letters publiſhed in 1757, ſaid to be wrote by Mrs. Le Fevre, and by ſome thought ſcarcely to be paralleled for piety.

    Tueſday, the latter end of October 1753, it was given me to ſay, Jehovah is my Lord and my God * * *

    Saturday, September 7, 1754, after ſpiritual deſertion and wandering ſome days in the wilderneſs, the love of God returned to my ſoul, and I again rejoiced in Chriſt as my Saviour. Glory be to God for his free and boundleſs mercy to the vileſt of ſinners, to the moſt unworthy and ungrateful of all human beings! And, oh! Lord, life and light of my ſoul, leave me not again, I humbly beſeech thee; let every outward comfort be withdrawn, and every outward torment be inflicted, and I will rejoice ſo thou leave me not. My helpleſs ſoul hangs upon thee, my Jeſus, and well thou knoweſt what I have ſuffered in thy abſence; how my parched ſoul has fainted for thy refreſhing ſtreams; how it has ſtretched itſelf out after thee, and even agoniſed to find thee, and then miſerably ſunk, and been overwhelmed under the mountain of fin. But now thou art returned! The ſun of righteouſneſs has roſe with healing in his wings, and the mountains have flowed down at thy preſence. Where are my ſins? Waſhed away in the blood of the Lamb. Where is my unbelief? Suddenly vaniſhed. I have no doubt now; Jeſus is mine, and God the Father is now my reconciled Father through him, and God the Holy Ghoſt is my comforter and guide. Oh! unſpeakable tranſport! unbounded happineſs! Let this paper bear witneſs for one of the free mercies of my God * * * — Oh! ſweeteſt and moſt compaſſionate Jeſus, how do thy tender mercies follow and ſupport my ſoul, and ſtill I am ungrateful, and ſtill I am not as thou wouldſt have me to be! Oh! when wilt thou make a full end of ſin, and bring in thy perfect righteouſneſs? All things are poſſible to thee; and do I not know, do I not taſte that thou art gracious? Oh! my ſun, my ſhield, life of my life, look into my heart: I dare appeal to thine all-ſearching eye, that there is nothing ſo dear to it, but I would this moment part with it for thee! And why then, deareſt Lord, wilt thou not form thy whole bleſſed image in my ſoul? My unworthineſs, I know, is greater than that of any other creature []in the univerſe; but this unworthineſs will the more magnify thy mercy. I have only my unworthineſs to plead, and I have no hope but in thine atoning blood. Oh! let this blood, which has bought my peace, cleanſe me alſo from every ſin; and let that bleſſed Spirit, who has ſealed and witneſſed this peace to my ſoul, cleanſe me from every ſin, and ſo purify me even as— Oh! glorious proſpect, heart-enlivening hopes, let me ſink into the duſt before thee! God of glory, God of purity, I am loſt in ſelf-abaſement; but haſt thou not promiſed, and wilt thou not fulfil thine own gracious word? Oh! give me then perfect ſanctification of body, ſoul, and ſpirit,—and let every bitter cup which thou permitteſt to be given me, be joyfully received, as ſerving, in ſome degree, to conform me to thy ſuffering; and let me in all things, though ever ſo contrary to my corrupt nature, give thanks, and ſay continually, "Lord, not my will, but thine be done. Amen."

    The authoreſs likewiſe gives us a ſpecimen of this peculiar turn of mind, in the following lines:

    O Love! how charming is thy ray!
    All pain before thy preſence flies:
    Care, anguiſh, ſorrow, melt away,
    Where'er thy healing ſtreams ariſe.
    O, Jeſu! nothing may I ſee,
    Nothing hear, feel, or think, but thee!

    Enthuſiaſts then, in the religious ſenſe of the word, are thoſe who pretend to extraordinary revelations and impulſes from heaven. "Immediate revelation being a more eaſy way for men to eſtabliſh their opinions, and regulate their conduct, than the tedious, and not always ſucceſsful, labour of reaſoning, it is no wonder that ſome have been very apt to pretend to revelation, and to perſuade themſelves, that they are under the peculiar guidance of heaven in their actions and opinions, eſpecially in thoſe of them which they cannot account for by the ordinary methods of knowledge and principles of reaſon. Hence we ſee, that in all ages, men, in whom melancholy has mixed with devotion, or whoſe conceit of themſelves has raiſed them into an opinion of a great familiarity with God, and a nearer admittance to his favour than is afforded to others, have often flattered themſelves with a perſuaſion of an immediate intercourſe with the Deity, and frequent communications from the divine Spirit. Their minds being thus prepared, whatever groundleſs opinion comes to ſettle itſelf ſtrongly upon then fancies, is an illumination from the Spirit of God, and preſently of divine authority, and whatſoever odd action they find in themſelves a ſtrong inclination to do, that impulſe is concluded to be a call or direction from heaven, and muſt be obeyed; it is a commiſſion from above, and they cannot err in executing it. This I take to be properly enthuſiaſm.

  • [] Epicureans, philoſophers who placed their ſupreme happineſs in pleaſure, not in voluptuouſneſs, and in irregular, ignominious pleaſures, but in ſenſible pleaſures, under proper regulations and government. They denied Providence, and the immortality of the ſoul. Cicero intimates the practice of this ſect to be generally better than their principles.
  • Epiphany, a Chriſtian feſtival, otherwiſe called the manifeſtation of Chriſt to the Gentiles. It is obſerved on the 6th of January.— The Gentiles, to whom our Saviour on this day manifeſted himſelf, were the Magi, or, as we render the word, wiſe men, whoſe viſit and preſents to the infant Jeſus are recorded by St. Matthew. There are ſeveral queſtions in relation to this whole tranſaction; as, firſt, what that ſtar was which is ſaid to have directed the wiſe men in their journey? That it was not in reality a ſtar, is certain, becauſe it went before them, and ſtood over where the young child was, which could not be true of any one of the heavenly bodies. It muſt therefore be a luminous appearance, or ſeeming ſtar in the lower region of the air, obſerved by the wiſe men to differ from the ordinary ſtars of heaven, which, as a new and prodigious ſight, ſeemed to them to preſage ſomething of great moment and conſideration. Some authors have ſuggeſted, that this ſeeming ſtar which appeared to the wiſe men in the Eaſt, might be that glorious light which ſhone upon the ſhepherds of Bethlehem when the angels came to impart to them the tidings of our Saviour's birth, and which, at a diſtance, might appear like a ſtar. Another queſtion is, how the wiſe men could gueſs at the birth of our Saviour from the appearance of this ſtar? The moſt probable anſwer is, that they did not collect the birth of Jeſus Chriſt from this uncommon appearance (which only ſerved as their guide in finding him out) but were determined to their journey by the general expectation the eaſtern world was then in of an univerſal monarch. The feaſt of Epiphany was not originally a diſtinct feſtival, but made a part of that of the nativity of Chriſt, which being celebrated twelve days, the firſt and laſt of which, according to the cuſtom of the Jews, in their feaſts, were high or chief days of this ſolemnity; either of theſe might be fitly called Epiphany, as that word ſignifies the appearance of Chriſt in the world.
  • Equanimity, is an even, uniform temper of mind, amidſt all the varieties and revolutions of time; and chance is the reſult of magnanimity, and the proof and evidence of it.
  • Eraſtians, a religious ſect or faction, which aroſe in England during the time of the civil wars: ſo called from Thomas Eraſtus, their leader, whoſe diſtinguiſhing doctrine was, that the church had no right to diſcipline, i. e. no regular power to excommunicate, exclude, cenſure, abſolve, decree, or the like.
  • Eſſenes, or Eſſenians, ſo ancient that we are not acquainted with their original. Pliny ſays they had been ſome thouſand years in []being without marriage, and without any converſation with perſons of the other ſex; and that they had been for ſome time eſtabliſhed into a ſociety before Hircanus was high prieſt of the Jews, and before Chriſt 106. They were the moſt virtuous ſect of the Jews.
  • Eternity, an attribute of God. By eternity we mean infinite duration, or exiſtence without beginning and without end. "The ſelf-exiſtent Being (ſays the learned Dr. Clarke) muſt of neceſſity be eternal. The ideas of eternity and ſelf-exiſtence are ſo cloſely connected, that becauſe ſomething of neceſſity muſt be eternal, independently, and without any outward cauſe of its being, therefore it muſt neceſſarily be ſelf-exiſtent; and becauſe it is impoſſible but ſomething muſt be ſelf-exiſtent, therefore it is neceſſary that it muſt likewiſe be eternal. To be ſelf-exiſtent, is to exiſt by an abſolute neceſſity in the nature of the thing itſelf; now this neceſſity being abſolute, and not depending upon any thing eternal, muſt be always unalterably the ſame, nothing being alterable but what is capable of being affected by ſomewhat without itſelf. That Being therefore, which has no other cauſe of its exiſtence, but the abſolute neceſſity of its own nature, muſt of neceſſity have exiſted from everlaſting without end.—As to the manner of this eternal exiſtence, it is manifeſt, it herein infinitely tranſcends the manner of the exiſtence of all created beings, even of ſuch as ſhall exiſt for ever, that whereas it is not poſſible for their finite minds to comprehend all that is paſt, or to underſtand perfectly all the things that are preſent, much leſs to know all that is future, or to have entirely in their power any thing that is to come; but their thoughts, knowledge, and power, muſt of neceſſity have degrees and periods, and be ſucceſſive and tranſient, as the things themſelves. The eternal, ſupreme Cauſe, on the contrary, muſt of neceſſity have ſuch a perfect independent unchangeable comprehenſion of all things, that there can be no one point or inſtant of his eternal duration, wherein all things that are paſt, preſent, and to come, will not be as entirely known, and repreſented to him, in one ſingle thought or view, and all things preſent and future be equally and entirely in his power and direction, as if there was no ſucceſſion at all, but all things were actually preſent at once.
  • Evangeliſt. This word ſignifies one who publiſhes good news: they therefore who write, as well as they who preach the goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, are called Evangeliſts; and, in general, all they who declare any happy tidings. In Iſaiah the Lord ſays, that he will give to Jeruſalem one that bringeth good tidings, or an Evangeliſt. In the Acts of the Apoſtles, Philip, one of the deacons, is called an Evangeliſt. They were generally ranked below the Apoſtles and Prophers, tho' their office and duty was honourable and ſacred. In the beginning of Chriſtianity, there were Evangeliſts and preachers, who, without being fixed to any church, went and preached wherever they might be moſt uſeful. Laſtly, we commonly call Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Evangeliſts, []liſts, who are the authors of the four goſpels, which only are acknowledged by the church to be canonical.
  • Euchitae, a ſect of ancient heretics, ſo called, becauſe they prayed without ceaſing; imagining that prayer alone was ſufficient to ſave them.
  • Eudoxians, a ſect of Chriſtians in the 4th century. They were Arians, who put themſelves under the direction of Eudoxus, Biſhop of Conſtantinople. This Hereſiarch had been educated by Lucian the martyr. As he was of a ſubtile and penetrating genius, he thought to raiſe his reputation by undertaking the ſupport of Arianiſm. The ſucceſs anſwered his hopes: he was choſen by the Arians Biſhop of Germanicia, in Syria. He oppoſed the divinity of the word, in the council of Antioch, in 341, and afterwards in the Arian councils of Sardica, Sirium, and Seleucia. He became the Patriarch of Conſtantinople, by the favour of the Emperor Conſtantius. He engaged the Emperor Valens, by an oath, to ſupport the cauſe of Arianiſm. After the death of Arius, he became head of the Arian party, who from him took the name Eudoxians.
  • Eulogiae, ſo the Greek church calls the panis benedictus, or bread over which a bleſſing is pronounced, and which is diſtinguiſhed to thoſe who are unqualified to communicate. The name Eulogiae was likewiſe anciently given to the conſecrated pieces of bread which the Biſhops and prieſts ſent to each other, for the keeping up a friendly correſpondence. Thoſe preſents, likewiſe, which were made out of reſpect or obligation, were called Eulogiae.
  • Eunomioeupſychians, a ſect of heretics of the 4th century, being the ſame with thoſe called Eutychians.
  • Euſtathians, a name given to the Catholics of Antioch, in the 4th century, on occaſion of their refuſing to acknowledge any other Biſhop beſides St. Euſtathius, who was depoſed by the Arians. Alſo a ſect in the 4th century, called ſo from their leader Euſtathius, a monk, who excluded all married people from ſalvation, prohibited praying in houſes, and obliged them to quit all they had, as incompatible with the hopes of ſalvation.
  • Eutychians, a ſect of Chriſtians, diſciples of Eutyches, a monk, and abbot of Conſtantinople, in the 5th century. Eutyches, animated by a falſe zeal againſt the errors of Neſtorius, fell into the oppoſite impiety, and maintained, that there was but one nature in Jeſus Chriſt, becauſe there was but one perſon. He pretended that the divine nature, by its ſuperiority, had ſo entirely ſwallowed up the human, that the latter could not be diſtinguiſhed in Jeſus Chriſt; inſomuch, that, according to Eutyches, Jeſus Chriſt was merely God, that he had nothing of humanity but the appearance. Flavian, Patriarch of Conſtantinople, ſtrongly oppoſed this doctrine; and Eutyches was condemned in a council held in 448: which ſentence was confirmed by the general council of Chalcedon in 451. Eutyches reſiſted the council of Conſtantinople, and []would not alter his expreſſions againſt the two natures in Jeſus Chriſt; becauſe he would not, he ſaid, condemn the holy fathers, pa [...]ticularly St. Cyril and St. Athaneſius, who had expreſſed themſelves in the ſame manner. The partiſans of Eutyches, ſupported by the officers of Theodoſius the Younger, exerciſed great violences againſt the orthodox, which gave occaſion to the falſe council of Epheſus. Leontius, ſuperior of the Scythian monks, revived the hereſy of Eutyches, about the year 600, and maintained that we ought to ſay, one of three perſons in the Trinity ſuffered on the croſs.
  • Exarch, in the Greek church, is an officer under the Patriarch, who has the care and inſpection of the patriarchal monaſteries, or ſuch as depend immediately on the Patriarch. His buſineſs is to viſit them, to hear the complaints of inferiors againſt their ſuperiors, to impoſe penance, and chaſtiſe thoſe monks who neglect their duty, and the obedience they owe their ſuperiors. When a ſuperior of a patriarchal monaſtery is dead, the exarch is to take care and ſend the perſon elected by the monks to ſucceed him, to the Patriarch, for impoſition of hands. He is to take an exact account of all the monaſteries depending on the Patriarch, of their revenues, ſacred veſſels, and ornaments. For this purpoſe the exarch receives letters teſtimonial from the Patriarch, which he is obliged to produce and ſhew to the monks, that they may not doubt of his authority.
  • Excommunication, an eccleſiaſtical penalty, whereby they who incur the guilt of any heinous ſin are ſeparated from the communion of the church, and deprived of all ſpiritual advantages. There are two or three ſorts of excommunication: the greater, whereby the perſon offending is ſeparated from the body of the faithful; thus St. Paul excommunicated the inceſtuous Chriſtian, 1 Cor. vi. 5. The leſſer, whereby the ſinner is forbidden to adminſter or receive the ſacraments: and, laſtly, that which deprives him only of the company of the faithful, of which there is ſome mention made, 2 Cor. iii. 6. and by St. Auſtin. Theophilact ſays, that even this ſeparation was formerly eſteemed a great puniſhment. The primitive Chriſtians very rarely excommunicated; and when they were, it was for very important reaſons, with great ſeriouſneſs and concern. Excommunication of Emperors, Kings, &c. by the authority of the Pope, began in the 9th century.
  • Extreme Unction, one of the ſacraments of the Romiſh church, the fifth in order, adminiſtered to people dangerouſly ſick, by anointing them with holy oils, and performing ſeveral prayers over them.
F.
  • FAITH, is a theological virtue, whereby we hold for certain that there is a God, and are perſuaded to believe thoſe truths []revealed in the ſcriptures. This faith, accompanied with the practice of good works, is the life of a righteous man: "The juſt ſhall live by faith." It may be conſidered either as proceeding from God, who reveals his truths; or man, who yields his aſſent to them: and in both theſe ſenſes it is called faith. "Shall the unbelief of the Jews make the faith of God of none effect?" ſays St. Paul; that is to ſay, his ſovereign and infallible truth. Faith is taken alſo for a firm confidence in God, whereby we are induced to addreſs ourſelves to him for favours. Faith is ſometimes taken for honeſty, fidelity in performing promiſes, truth; and in this ſenſe it is applied both to God and man. Faith in general is the aſſent of the mind to the truth of any propoſition.
  • Fanatic, a wild, extravagant, viſionary, enthuſiaſtical perſon, who pretends to revelation and inſpiration, and believes himſelf poſſeſſed of a divine ſpirit. See Enthuſiaſm.
  • Farrelliſts, a Chriſtian ſect, which ſprung up in the 16th century, ſo called from their founder William Farrel, a native of Dauphiny, who, about the year 1525, taught at Geneva the doctrines of the Samaritans, particularly the efficacy of the ſacraments. He perſuaded his diſciples, that a man, to ſave life and goods, might deny, or diſſemble, his faith before perſecutors. By this means he gained over a great number of followers, who outwardly profeſſed all ſorts of religion, but ſecretly followed only their own doctrine, which conſiſted in believing alone, without being obliged to practiſe any good works. Calvin, whoſe influence in Geneva was very great, prevailed with the magiſtrates to baniſh Farrel, who retired to Neuf-Chatel, where he exerciſed the office of a miniſter ſome years, and died in 1565.
  • Faſting. This has in all ages, and among all nations, been an exerciſe much in uſe in time of mourning, ſorrow, and affliction; but we find no example of it, or injunction for it, before Moſes. The Jews at this time are very ſtrict in the obſervance of them. In their common faſts they begin the obſervance of them the preceding evening after ſun-ſet, and faſt till the ſame hour the next evening; and, on the great day of atonement, they continue their faſt twenty-eight hours. During this faſt, they not only abſtain from all ſorts of food, but from bathings, perfumes, odours, cordials, &c. they go barefoot, are continent, and make no uſe of marriage. This is the idea which the eaſtern people have of faſting. It is an abſtinence from every ſenſual gratification, as well as every kind of eating and drinking.
  • Faſts, days of religious abſtinence. Such ſolemnities have been obſerved in all ages and nations, eſpecially in times of mourning and affliction. We meet with no examples of faſting, properly ſo called, before Moſes, who yet enjoins no other than the ſolemn day of expiation, which was generally and ſtrictly obſerved. Beſides the ſolemn faſt of expiation, inſtituted by divine authority, the Jews appointed certain times of faſting and humiliation, called []the faſts of the congregation. But, beſides the public faſts, which the Jews were obliged by their law to obſerve, there were others of a private nature, which the zealous and moſt pious among them preſcribed to themſelves. The common way of faſting among the Jews is, to take no food, nor any drink, from the foregoing evening till ſun-ſet the day following. They are allowed ſome particular herbs and butter, but not eggs. They muſt not be ſhaved, or powdered, or bathe themſelves. They eſteem faſting as a ſupplement to the old ſacrifices, and place great merit in it. The ancient Chriſtians had two ſorts of ſolemn faſts, the one weekly, the other annual. Their weekly faſts, called jejunia quartae & ſextae feriae, were obſerved on Wedneſdays and Fridays; becauſe on Wedneſday our Lord was betrayed by Judas, and on Friday crucified by the Jews. Theſe faſts laſted till the ninth hour, that is, till three o'clock in the afternoon, at which time they received the euchariſt. They called theſe faſts ſtations, and the remains of them are yet obſerved in our church, which by her 15th canon has ordained, that tho' Wedneſdays and Fridays be not holy days, yet that weekly, upon thoſe times, the miniſter and people ſhall reſort to church, at the accuſtomed hour of prayer. Their annual faſt was that of Lent. They had likewiſe their occaſional faſts, obſerved at extraordinary and unuſual ſeaſons, according as the variety and neceſſity of their circumſtances required. Such were, times of great and imminent danger, either to the church or ſtate, and times of public calamities, as plague or perſecution. Theſe occaſional faſts were appointed by the Biſhops of every church as they thought fit: they were called, by way of eminence, Jejunia. The Greeks have four ſolemn faſts: the firſt commences on the 15th of November, or forty days before Chriſtmas; it is obſerved in commemoration of Moſes's faſting forty days on Mount Sinai: the ſecond falls in with our Lent: the third is called the faſt of the holy Apoſtles, which they obſerve upon a ſuppoſition that the Apoſtles prepared themſelves by prayer and faſting for the promulgation of the goſpel. This faſt commences the week after Whitſuntide, and continues till the feſtival of St. Peter and St. Paul. Their fourth faſt commences the firſt of Auguſt, and laſts until the 15th. The Greeks are ſo ſuperſtitious and extravagant in the obſervation of their faſts, that they will admit of no caſes of neceſſity ſufficient to juſtify a diſpenſation. The Patriarch himſelf cannot authoriſe any perſon to eat meat when the church has enjoined the contrary. The Romaniſts diſtinguiſh between faſting and abſtinence, and different days are appointed for each of them in that church. On their days of faſting they are allowed but one meal in twenty-four hours; but on days of abſtinence, provided they abſtain from fleſh, and make but a moderate meal, they are indulged in a collation at night. The times of faſting, appointed by that church, are all Lent, except Sundays, the Ember days, the vigils of the more []ſolemn feaſts, and all Fridays, except thoſe that fall within the twelve days of Chriſtmas, and between Eaſter and the Aſcenſion. Their days of abſtinence are, all the Sundays in Lent, St. Mark's day, if it does not fall in Eaſter week, the three Rogation days, all Saturdays throughout the year, with the Fridays before excepted, unleſs either happens to be Chriſtmas-day. The church of England, tho' it appoints days of faſting and abſtinence, for it makes no diſtinction between them, does not determine what food is proper for ſuch ſeaſons; and there is a ſtatute, which declares, that whoſoever, by preaching, teaching, writing, &c. affirms it to be neceſſary to abſtain from fleſh, for the ſaving of the ſoul of man, or for the ſervice of God, is to be puniſhed as a ſpreader of falſe news: but notwithſtanding this, the church declares in one of her homilies, that faſting, by the decree of the 630 fathers, aſſembled at the council of Chalcedon, which was one of the firſt four general councils, who grounded their determinations upon the ſacred ſcriptures, and long continued uſage or practice both of the prophets and other godly perſons, before the coming of Chriſt, and alſo of the Apoſtles, and other devout men, in the New Teſtament, is a withholding meat, drink, and all natural food, from the body, for the determined time of faſting. The times ſhe ſets apart, as proper for this duty, are the ſame with thoſe obſerved in the earlieſt ages of the church.
  • Feaſts. God, in his great wiſdom, appointed ſeveral feſtivals among the Jews: 1. To perpetuate the memory of theſe great events and wonders which he had wrought in favour of his people. 2. To keep them firm to their religion. 3. To encourage them by intervals of reſt and pleaſure; for their feſtivals were accompanied with rejoicings, with feaſts of charity, and with innocent diverſions. 4. For inſtruction; for at thoſe times there were ſeaſons when the law of God was read and explained. 5. To renew and confirm their acquaintance and friendſhip with their tribes. The Hebrews had a great number of feaſts, as the Sabbath, the Sabbatical year, the Paſſover, the feaſt of Pentecoſt, of Trumpets, of New-moons, of Expiation, of Tabernacles, and occaſional, as that at the dedication of the Temple, &c.
  • Feaſts or Feſtivals, days of religious feaſting. Such ſolemnities have obtained in every age and nation.—Feſtivals among the ancient Grecians were inſtituted upon various accounts. Firſt, in honour of the gods, eſpecially if they had conferred any ſignal ſavours on the public, or on private perſons. Secondly, in order to procure ſome eſpecial favour from the gods; or to appeaſe their anger, in times of public calamity. Thirdly, in memory of deceaſed friends, or of thoſe who had done any remarkable ſervice to, or died valiantly in defence of, their country. Fourthly, at a time of eaſe and reſt from their labour. In the ancient Chriſtian church, beſides the feſtivals, which peculiarly related to our Lord's [...]conomy on earth (ſuch as the Nativity, []Eaſter, Pentecoſt, &c.) there was another ſort inſtituted by the church, in honour of the apoſtles and martyrs. The firſt original of theſe feſtivals is not certainly known, but learned men commonly carry it as high as the ſecond century. Theſe they called their natalitia or birth-days, meaning not their natural birth, but a glorious crown in the kingdom of Heaven. They were celebrated at the graves or monuments of the martyrs, and were moſtly confined to thoſe particular churches where the martyrs lay buried; for which reaſon it was cuſtomary for every church to have its particular faſti or kalendar of martyrs, in which was a diſtinct narrative of the acts and ſufferings of each martyr, and theſe acts and ſufferings were commonly read in the church on the anniverſary, commemoration and proper feſtival of the martyr. To theſe they commonly added a panegyrical oration, or ſermon, on the virtue of the martyr. They obſerved the virgil or eve of theſe feſtivals, with pſalmody and prayer, till break of day.—Another ſort of feſtivals, obſerved by the ancient Chriſtians, were annual thankſgiving days, for favours and bleſſings vouchſafed by God to his church. Thus the church of Alexandria kept an anniverſary thankſgiving on the twenty-firſt of July, for their deliverance from a terrible earthquake, in the reign of Julian; among theſe we may reckon the thankſgivings for ſignal victories of the Emperors, which generally laſted no longer than the life of the Emperor on whoſe account they were inſtituted.—In the Romiſh church, there are double feaſts, half double, and ſimple feaſts. The name of double feaſts was given to thoſe whoſe ſervice is fuller and more ſolemn than the reſt; the other denominations took their riſe from ſingular reaſons, the chief difference between them being the greater or leſs ſolemnity uſed in them. The churches are eſtabliſhed, and the altars adorned according to the rank each ſaint holds in his reſpective church; all high feſtivals have an octave, conſiſting of the feaſt itſelf, and the ſeven following days.—In Italy, certain feſtivals are celebrated which occur only in the kalendar of the lovers of that country: to underſtand this, you are to know, that when a lover is deſirous of giving his miſtreſs the higheſt teſtimonies of his gallantry, he immediately makes her the idol of his devotion; he has veſpers, and even maſſes ſaid in her honour: for this purpoſe he makes choice of ſome ſaint whoſe name ſhe bears, and, tho' the ſaint has the name, they manage matters ſo, that the devotion of the feſtival is plainly relative to the lover's miſtreſs.— When, upon the reformation, the liturgy of the church of England was ſettled, the obſervation of feſtivals was enjoined by ſeveral ſtatutes, which were revived in the firſt year of Queen Elizabeth, and continued in the firſt year of King James; and when, upon the reſtoration, King Charles iſſued out a commiſſion for reviving the liturgy, the alterations made in it were ſynodically agreed []upon and confirmed by the King and parliament, as the act of uniformity teſtifies.
  • Feaſts of God, in French, Fête de Dieu, a ſolemn feſtival in the Romiſh church, inſtituted for the performing a peculiar kind of worſhip to our Saviour in the euchariſt. It is obſerved the Thurſday after the octaves of Whitſuntide; its inſtitution is aſcribed to Pope Urban IV. in the year 1264; the office for the ſolemnity was drawn up by the famous Thomas Aquinas, the church being at that time diſturbed by the faction of the Guelſs and Gibolines. Pope Urban's bull for this feſtival was not every where obeyed. Afterwards, at the general council of Vienne, in 1311, under Pope Clement V. the Kings of England, France, and Arragon, being preſent, this bull was confirmed, and ordered to be every where obſerved. In 1316, Pope John XXII. to heighten the ſolemnity, added an octave to it, and ordered the holy ſacrament to be carried in proceſſion.
  • Fermentarii, a denomination which thoſe of the Latin church have given to the Greeks, on account of their conſecrating and uſing leavened or fermented bread in the euchariſt.—As the Greeks call the Latins azymites, the Latins, in return, call them fermentarii.
  • Feuillants, a religious order in the Romiſh church, being a reform of the order of Ciſtertians. Don John de la Barriere, of the illuſtrious family of Turenne in Querc, being promoted to the abbey of Feuillans, in 1565, undertook to reform his monks, who, not reliſhing his great auſterities, unanimouſly agreed to quit the monaſtery. But the fame of his capacity ſoon drew to him a great number of followers, who not only revived the ancient fervour of the Ciſtertian order, but even ſurpaſſed it; they went barefooted and bareheaded, lay in their cloaths on the boards, and eat their victuals on the floor. Some of them never drank out of any thing but dead mens ſkulls; they lived upon nothing but broth made of herbs, and black bread; ſuch was the life of John de la Barriere and his diſciples.
  • Firſt Fruits. See Annates.
  • Flagellantes, a ſect of heretics, who chaſtiſed and diſciplined themſelves with whips, in public. It had its riſe at Peruſa, in 1260, its author being one Reinier, an hermit. They ran into ſtrange notions, particularly that the blood thus ſpilt was mixed with that of Jeſus Chriſt, and th [...] by a flagellation of twenty-four days they gained the pardon of all their ſins.
  • Floriniani, a ſect of heretics of the ſecond century, ſo called from its author Florinus, a Romiſh prieſt, who made God the author of evil, &c. They were charged with holding criminal aſſemblies in the night-time, and giving into Judaiſm and Paganiſm.
  • Fornication, is a word uſed in ſcripture, not only for the ſin of impurity, but likewiſe for idolatry and infidelity; adultery and fornication []are likewiſe frequently implied under that ſimple denomination, which are condemned both in the Old and New Teſtament.
  • Fortitude, a cardinal or principal virtue. "Add to your faith virtue," not virtue in general, but the particular virtue of Chriſtian fortitude. Fortitude is here made to ſtand in front of the virtues, ſince the mind muſt be prepared by this virtue to acquire or maintain the reſt.
  • Foſſarii, a kind of officers in the Eaſtern church, whoſe buſineſs was to inter the dead.
  • Franciſcans, a powerful order of religious in the Romiſh church, following the rule of St. Francis.
  • Fraticelli, a ſect of heretics, who roſe in the marquiſate of Ancona, about the year 1294. They hold the Romiſh church to be Babylon, and propoſed to eſtabliſh a more perfect one: they maintained that the rule of St. Francis, was the evangelical rule, obſerved by Jeſus Chriſt and his Apoſtles.
  • Free-thinkers, a name given to a ſectary in the Low Countries, about the year 1555.
  • Friar, i. e. brother, a name common to all the orders of monks.
  • Friars obſervant, a branch of the Franciſcans, ſo called becauſe not combined together in any cloiſter or convent, but only agreeing among themſelves to obſerve the rule of their order.
G.
  • GAianitae, a ſect of ancient heretics, ſprung from the Eutychians. They denied that Jeſus Chriſt, after the hypoſtatical union, was ſubject to any of the infirmities of human nature. They had their name from Gaian, a Biſhop of Alexandria, in the ſixth century.
  • Galileans, a ſort of Judaizing Chriſtians, that ſprung up about the latter end of the fourth or the beginning of the fifth century.
  • Galileans, a ſect of the Jews, which ſprung up in Judea, ſome years after the birth of our Saviour; tho' it is likewiſe a name that was given to the diſciples of Jeſus Chriſt. They ſprang from one Judas, a native of Gaulam, in Upper Galilee, about the year of the world 4010, in the 10th year of Jeſus Chriſt, upon occaſion of Auguſtus's appointing the people to be muſtered; which they looked upon as an inſtance of ſervitude, which all true Iſraelites ought to oppoſe with all their power. The Galileans, according to Jeſephus, agreed in every thing with the Phariſees, only a peculiar predominant love of liberty, They held that God alone is the head and prince we are to obey.—In the goſpel we find them mentioned by the name of Herodians, who addreſſed themſelves to our Lord, and aſked him, if it were lawful or not to pay tribute to Caeſar. This was the great queſtion, and principal object, []of their ſect; and when Jeſus Chriſt appeared before Pilate, his accuſers would fain have rendered him ſuſpected of this hereſy, in order to prejudice Pilate againſt him.
  • Geneſis, the firſt book of the ſacred ſcriptures. It is called Geneſis, or generation, becauſe it contains the genealogy of the firſt patriarchs, from Adam to the ſons and grandſons of Jacob. This book is called Beriſchith in Hebrew, becauſe in the original language it begins with this word. It includes the hiſtory of 2363 years, from the beginning of the world to the death of the patriarch Joſeph.
  • Genevieve, fathers of St. Genevieve, the name of a congregation of regular canons of the order of St. Auguſtine, eſtabliſhed in France. It was begun by St. Charles Faure, in the year 1618. It now conſiſts of above an hundred monaſtics. It takes its name from the abbey of St. Genevieve, which is the chief of the order, and whoſe abbot is the general thereof. The abbey itſelf took its name from St. Genevieve, the patroneſs of the city of Paris, who died in the year 512.
  • Gentiles. The Hebrews called the Gentiles by the general name of Goiim, which ſignifies the nations that have not received the faith or law of God; all who are not Jews and circumciſed are compriſed under the word Goiim, before Jeſus Chriſt opened the door to life and juſtification to the world. By the belief and profeſſion of the Jewiſh religion, thoſe who were converted, and embraced Judaiſm, they called proſelytes; but ſince the preaching of the goſpel, the true religion is not confined to any one nation, or people, as heretofore. God, who had promiſed by the prophets to call the Gentiles to the faith, has executed this promiſe; ſo that the Chriſtian church is compoſed of few other than Gentile converts: and the Jews, who were too proud of their particular privileges, for the moſt part have perſiſted in diſowning Jeſus Chriſt, their Meſſiah and Redeemer. St. Paul's epiſtles are generally comprehended under the name of Greeks. Judaeus & Graecus, ſignify Jew and Gentile.
  • George, religious of the order of St. George, of which there are divers orders and congregations; particularly canons regular of St. George, in Alga, at Venice, eſtabliſhed in 1404; another in S [...] cily, &c.
  • Gilbertines, an order of religious, ſo called from St. Gilbert of Sempringham, in Lincolnſhire, who founded them in 1148. The order was ſuppreſſed at the general diſſolution under Henry VIII.
  • Glebe, or glebe land, is uſed for church-land, for land belonging to a pariſh-church, beſide the tithes. In the moſt general ſenſe of the word, glebe is applicable to any land or ground belonging to any benefice, ſee, manor, or inheritance.
  • Gnoſimachi, an ancient ſect, whoſe diſtinguiſhing character was, that they were profeſſed enemies to all ſtudied knowledge in divinity.
  • [] Gnoſtics, a ſect of Chriſtians in the firſt and ſecond centuries, who arrogated to themſelves a high degree of knowledge, and looked upon all other Chriſtians, in compariſon of them, to be ſimple and ignorant. St. Irenaeus ſuppoſes that St. Paul greatly reflects upon this ſectary in his epiſtle to Timothy, which may be the reaſon why theſe epiſtles were in after-time rejected by them. Some imagine they proceeded from Simon Magus, and from this root they branched into various other ſects, as Valentinians, Cerinthians, Baſilidians, Marcienites, Colobarſian, &c. One thing, in juſtice to truth, is obſervable, and whoever impartially examines the fathers portraiture of theſe ancient hereſies, will find there the firſt ſeeds and elements of thoſe controverſies which ſo much diſturbed the peace of the church for ſeveral centuries: and indeed it could be wiſhed the chief patrons of ſome doctrines, which our firſt reformers either ſtarted themſelves, or brought with them out of the Romiſh church, would carefully examine St. Irenaeus, were it only to ſee under what claſs that ancient writer would have ranged them, whether within the pale of the primitive church, or among the errors which ſhe unanimouſly exploded; and indeed I muſt refer the reader to that author for a full account of them. Their principal tenets are, firſt, the notion of the probolae, or internal productions, by which they meant ſomething originally reſiding within the eſſence of God, and formed by him into a diſtinct perſonal ſubſtance from him; a doctrine not only inconſiſtent with the ſimplicity and immutability of the divine nature, but which alſo is attended with this manifeſt contradiction, viz. the ſuppoſing one and the ſame eſſence to be both derived and underived, ſelf-exiſtent and begotten. Anaximander (ſays this ancient father, and meaning the Pagan philoſopher ſo called) affirmed that which is immenſe to be the father of all things, containing, after a ſeminal manner, within himſelf the production of all. This notion they have borrowed from him, and applied to their Bithus or Aeons, i. e. to their ſupreme Father, and the whole ſyſtem of divine perſonages derived from him; and, on the ſame principle, they attempted to explain the production of the animal and material world, not by God's creating it out of nothing, for this Valentinius denied, but by ſome flux or emanation of ſubſtance or paſſion from one of their Aeons. In much the ſame way they accounted for the origin of moral good and evil, not by founding them wholly on the will of the free agent, but in his ſubſtance or nature, made up (it ſeems) of certain qualities originally implanted in him, qualities in which his own conſent and will was not the leaſt concerned, as being coeval with his exiſtence, and, as I before obſerved, interwoven with his very nature. From hence came the Coſmocrater or diabolic power, and (to uſe their phraſeology) the whole ſpiritual ſubſtance of wickedneſs: and from hence, 3dly, deſcending lower (I mean to the human ſpecies) they divided it into the material, animal, and ſpiritual. []The firſt claſs, whoſe ſouls were of much the ſame kind with that of the brutes, they affirmed, was abſolutely incapable of ſalvation; and accordingly they abſolutely denied the reſurrection of the body, and affirmed that the ſouls departed were immediately conveyed beyond the ſeventh heaven, and admitted to the beatific viſion of God. The ſecond were candidates for happineſs, and were trained up for it by faith and good works; and under this diviſion, ſays Irenaeus, they place us who are of the church; for which reaſon, they ſay, a good life or practice is neceſſary for us abſolutely ſo; but as for themſelves, that they ſhall be ſaved, not by practice, but being by nature ſpiritual, and having the ſeeds of election. They aſſert in relation to our Saviour, that he aſſumed the firſt-fruits of whatever he intended to ſave. Accordingly he aſſumed both a ſoul and ſpirit, as belonging to the ſecond and third claſs; but they abſolutely denied his aſſuming any thing material, or a body of the ſame kind as ours. This ſoul they called the animal Chriſt, in contradiſtinction from the divine perſonage that came down from heaven; and it was this animal Chriſt, or human ſoul, and not the Saviour from above, which ſuffered for us. They had other ſtrange opinions, and they have gone through different forms and characters in a long ſeries of time, though it is in the main the ſame, and what moſt of the hereſies of former times may be in good meaſure deduced from, of which the reader will be in ſome meaſure ſatisfied by ſearching into the tenets of the Valentinians, Homouſans, Montaniſts, Originiſm, &c. The Gnoſtics carried images about them of our Saviour in gold, ſilver, ivory, &c. which they paid a ſuperſtitious veneration to.
  • God. So we call the Supreme Being, the firſt cauſe or Creator of the univerſe, and the only true object of religious worſhip. "God (ſays Sir Iſaac Newton) is a relative term, and has reſpect to ſervants. It denotes indeed an eternal, infinite, abſolutely perfect being; but ſuch a being, without dominion, would not be God. The word God frequently ſignifies Lord, but every Lord is not God. The dominion of a ſpiritual being, or Lord, conſtitutes God, true dominion, true God, the ſupreme ſupreme, pretended pretended. From ſuch true dominion it follows, that the true God is living, intelligent, and powerful; and from his other perfections, that he is ſupreme, or ſupremely perfect. He is eternal and infinite, omnipotent and omniſcient; that is, he endures from eternity to eternity, and is preſent from infinity to infinity; he governs all things that exiſt, and knows all things that are to be known; he is not eternity or infinity, but eternal and infinite; he is not duration of ſpace, but he endures and is preſent; he endures always, and is preſent every where; and by exiſting always and every where, conſtitutes the very things we call duration and ſpace, eternity and infinity: he is omnipreſent, not only virtually, but ſubſtantially; for power without ſubſtance cannot []ſubſiſt. All things are contained, and more in him, but without any mutual paſſion; that is, he ſuffers nothing from the motion of bodies, nor do they undergo any reſiſtance from his omnipreſence. It is confeſſed, that God exiſts neceſſarily, and by the ſame neceſſity he exiſts always and every where. Hence he muſt be always ſimilar, all eye, all ear, all brain, all arm, all perception, intelligence, and action; but after a manner not at all corporeal, not at all like men, after a manner altogether unknown to us. He is deſtitute of all body and bodily ſhape, and therefore cannot be ſeen, heard, or touched, nor ought to be worſhipped under the repreſentation of any thing corporeal. We know him only by his properties or attributes, by the moſt wiſe and excellent ſtructure of things, and by final cauſes; but we adore and worſhip him only on account of his dominion; for God, ſetting aſide dominion, providence, and final cauſes, is nothing elſe but fate and nature."—The exiſtence of ſuch a being, or firſt cauſe of all things, is thus beautifully proved and illuſtrated by the ingenious author of The Religion of Nature delineated. "Suppoſe a chain hung out of the heavens from an unknown height, and though every link of it gravitated towards the earth, and what it hung upon was not viſible, yet it did not deſcend, but kept its ſituation; and upon this a queſtion ſhould ariſe, what ſupported or kept up this chain? would it be ſufficient to anſwer, that the firſt or loweſt link hung upon the ſecond, or that next above; the ſecond, or rather the firſt and ſecond together, on the third, and ſo on ad infinitum? For what holds up the whole? A chain of ten links would fall down, unleſs ſomething able to bear it hindered; one of twenty, if not ſtaid by ſomething of yet greater ſtrength, in proportion to the increaſe of weight; and therefore one of infinite links certainly, if not ſuſtained by ſomething infinitely ſtrong, and capable to bear an infinite weight. And thus it is in a chain of cauſes and effects, tending, or, as it were, gravitating towards ſome end. The laſt or loweſt depends, or (as one may ſay) is ſuſpended upon the cauſe above it; this again, if it be not the firſt cauſe, is ſuſpended as an effect of ſomething above it, &c. and if they ſhould be infinite, unleſs (agreeably to what has been ſaid) there is ſome cauſe upon which all hang or depend, they would be but an infinite effect, without an efficient; and to aſſert there is any ſuch thing, would be as great an abſurdity as to ſay, a finite or little weight wants ſomething to ſuſtain it, but an infinite one, or the greateſt, does not."
  • Good Friday, a faſt of the Chriſtian church, in memory of the ſufferings and death of Jeſus Chriſt. It is obſerved on the Friday in holy or paſſion week, and it is called, by way of eminence, good, becauſe of the bleſſed effects of our Saviour's ſufferings, which were a propitratory or explating ſacrifice for the ſins of the world. The commemoration of our Saviour's ſufferings has been []kept from the very firſt ages of Chriſtianity, and was always obſerved as a day of the ſtricteſt faſting and humiliation. Among the Saxons it was called Long-Friday; but for what reaſon, except on account of the long faſtings and offices then uſed, is uncertain. On Good Friday, the Pope ſits on a plain form, and, after ſervice is ended, when the Cardinals wait on him back to his chamber, they are obliged to keep a deep ſilence, as a teſtimony of their ſorrow. In the night of Good Friday, the Greeks perform the obſequies of our Saviour round a great crucifix laid on a bed of ſtate adorned with flowers. Theſe the Biſhops diſtribute among the aſſiſtants when the office is ended. The Armenians; on this day, ſet open a holy ſepulchre, in imitation of that of Mount Calvary.
  • Goſpel, the recital of the life, actions, death, reſurrection, aſcenſion, doctrine, of Jeſus Chriſt. The word goſpel is Saxon, and ſignifies God's relation or good ſaying. The Latin term, evangelium, ſignifies glad tidings or good news, the hiſtory of our bleſſed Saviour being the beſt news that could be publiſhed to mankind. This hiſtory is contained in the writings of St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John, who from thence are ſtiled Evangeliſts. The Chriſtian church never acknowledge any more than theſe four goſpels as canonical; notwithſtanding which, ſeveral apocryphal goſpels are handed down to us, and others are entirely loſt. The word goſpel is often uſed in general, to ſignify the Chriſtian religion, and preaching the goſpel is preaching the doctrines of Chriſtianity,
  • Government, or political power, is a right of making laws with penalties of death, and conſequently all leſs penalties for the regulating and preſerving of property, and of employing the force of the community in the execution of ſuch laws, and in the defence of the commonwealth from foreign injury, and all this only for the public good.
  • Grabatarii, ſuch perſons as deferred to receive baptiſm till the hour of death, from an opinion that baptiſm waſhed away all former ſins.
H.
  • HAllelujah, a term of rejoicing, compounded of two Hebrew words. St. Jerom firſt introduced this word into the church-ſervice. For a conſiderable time it was only uſed once a-year in the Latin church, viz. at Eaſter; but in the Greek church it was much more frequent. St. Jerom mentions its being ſung at the interments of the dead, which it ſtill continues to be in that church, as alſo, on ſome occaſions, in the time of Lent. In the time of Gregory the Great it was appointed to be ſung all the year round in the Latin church, which raiſed ſome complaints againſt that Pope, as giving too much into the Greek way.
  • Harpooratians. See Carpeeratians.
  • [] Heaven, without defining, is ſo well known a word, that I begin this article by obſerving, that heaven was the firſt object of falſe worſhip. The ſcriptures often ſpeak of worſhipping the hoſt of heaven: and the poet Ennius makes the viſible heaven and Jupiter to be the ſame thing. Aſpice hoc ſublime candens, quem invocamus omnes Jovem. "Caſt your eyes up to yon burning vault, which we all invoke under the name of Jupiter." The Pagans conſidered heaven as the reſidence only of the celeſtial gods, and into which no mortals, after death, were admitted, unleſs they had been firſt deified, or made gods; as for the ſouls of men, they were conſigned to the Elyſian fields. The Hebrews acknowledged three heavens: the firſt, the aerial heaven, where the birds fly, the winds blow, and the ſhowers are formed: the ſecond, the heaven or firmament, wherein the ſtars are diſpoſed: the third, the heaven of heavens, the place of God's reſidence, and where the ſaints and angels dwell. This third heaven is mentioned by St. Paul, in the account which he gives of his rapture. Juvenal ignorantly accuſes the Jews of paying divine adoration to the viſible heaven.
  • Hell. Tho' there are various ſignifications of this word, yet it is here to be underſtood only in a reſtrained ſenſe, to denote the place of divine puniſhment after death, in contradiſtinction to heaven, the place of divine recompence: ſo that, as in the latter, the ſouls of good men receive the due reward of their virtuous actions; in the former, the ſouls of the wicked men are juſtly puniſhed for their bad actions. As all religions have ſuppoſed a future ſtate of exiſtence after this life; ſo all have their hell, or place of torment, in which the wicked are ſuppoſed to be puniſhed.
  • Helvidians, a ſect of ancient heretics, denominated from their leader Helvidius, an Arian, whoſe diſtinguiſhing principle was, that Mary, the mother of Jeſus, did not continue a virgin, but had other children by Joſeph.
  • Hemerobaptiſts, a ſect among the ancient Jews, thus called, from their waſhing and bathing every day in all ſeaſons.
  • Heracleonites, a ſect of Chriſtians, followers of Heracleon, of whom Origen gives a large account. He refined upon the Gnoſtic divinity; and, in order to make himſelf the head of a ſect, departed from the uſual expoſition of many texts of ſcripture, and ſometimes changed the reading, to make it comply with his notions. He maintained, that the world was not the immediate production of the Son of God, but that he was only the occaſional cauſe of its being created by the Demiurgus. The Heracleonites denied the authority of the prophecies of the Old Teſtament, maintaining that they were mere random ſounds in the air, and that John the Baptiſt was the only true voice which directed to the Meſſiah.
  • Hereſiarch, arch-heretic, the founder or inventor of an hereſy; or a chief and ring-leader of a ſect of heretics.
  • [] Heretics, the general name of ſuch perſons under any religion, but eſpecially the Chriſtian, as maintain or teach opinions in religion contrary to the orthodox, or eſtabliſhed faith. The term hereſy is of Greek original, and ſignifies option, choice, or ſect, as is applied to the voluntary choice a man makes of doctrines, ſuppoſed to be contrary to the true faith. Hereſies began very early in the Chriſtian church: Euſebius fixes the beginning of moſt of them to the reign of the Emperor Adrian; and yet it is certain, that Simon Magus had publiſhed his errors before that time, and ſet up a ſect, which gave riſe to moſt of the ancient hereſies. The laws both of the church and ſtate were very ſevere againſt thoſe who were adjudged to be heretics. Thoſe of the ſtates, made by the Chriſtian Emperors from the time of Conſtantine, are compriſed under one title, De Hereticis, in the Theodoſian Code. The principal of them are, firſt, the general note of infamy affixed to all heretics in common. Secondry, all commerce forbidden to be held with them. Thirdly, the depriving them of all offices of profit and dignity. Fourthly, the diſqualifying them to diſpoſe of their eſtates, by will, or receive eſtates from others. Fifthly, the impoſing on them pecuniary mulcts. Sixth [...]y, the proſcribing and baniſhing them. Seventhly, the inflicting corporal puniſhment on them, ſuch as ſcour [...]ing, &c. before baniſhment. Beſides theſe laws, which chiefly affected the perſons of heretics, there were ſeveral others which tended to the extirpation of hereſy; ſuch as, firſt thoſe which forbad heretical teachers to propagate their doctrines publickly or privately. Secondly, thoſe which forbad heretics to hold public diſputations. Thirdly, ſuch laws as prohibited all heretical meetings and aſſemblies. Thirdly, thoſe which deny to the children of heretical parents their patrimony and inheritance, unleſs they returned to the church: and, fourthly, ſuch laws as ordered the books of heretics to be burned. There were many other penal laws made againſt heretics, from the time of Conſtantine to Theodoſius, jun. and Valentinian III. but the few already mentioned, may be ſufficient to give an idea of the rigour with which the empire treated ſuch perſons, as held, or taught opinions contrary to the faith of the Catholic church; whoſe diſcipline towards heretics was no leſs ſevere than the civil laws. For, firſt, the church was uſed to pronounce a formal anathema, or excommunication, againſt them. Thus the council of Nice ends her creed with an anathema againſt all thoſe who oppoſed the doctrine there delivered, and there are innumerable inſtances of this kind to be found in the volumes of the councils. Secondly, ſome canons debarred them from the very loweſt privileges of church-communion, forbidding them to enter into the church, ſo much as to hear the ſermon, or the ſcriptures read in the ſervice of the catechumens: but this was no general rule, for liberty was often granted to heretics to be preſent at the ſermons, in hopes of their converſion; and the hiſtorians tell us, that []Chryſoſtom, by this means, brought over many to acknowledge the divinity of Chriſt, whilſt they had liberty to come and hear his ſermons. Thirdly, the church prohibited all perſons, under pain of excommunication, to join with heretics in any religious offices. Fourthly, by the laws of the church, no one was to eat or converſe familiarly with heretics, or to read their writings, or to contract affinity with them; their names were to be ſtruck out of the Diptyches, or ſacred regiſters of the church; and, if they died in hereſy, no pſalmody, or other ſolemnity, was to be uſed at their funerals. Fifthly, the teſtimony of heretics was notto be taken in any eccleſiaſtical cauſe whatſoever. Theſe are the chief eccleſiaſtical laws againſt heretics. As to the terms of penance impoſed upon relenting heretics, or ſuch as were willing to renounce their errors, and to be reconciled to the church, they were various, and differed according to the canons of different councils, or the uſage of different churches. The council of Eliberis appoints ten years penance before repenting heretics are admitted to communion. The council of Agde contracted this term into that of three years. The council of Epone reduced it to two years only. The ancient Chriſtian church made a diſtinction between ſuch heretics as contumaciouſly reſiſted the admonitions of the church, and ſuch as never had any admonition given them; for none were reputed formal heretics, or treated as ſuch, till the church had given them a firſt and ſecond admonition, according to the Apoſtles rule. The Romiſh church is very rigorous in her treatment of thoſe perſons, whom ſhe deems to be heretics, particularly in thoſe countries where the inquiſition prevails. There the utmoſt ſeverities of impriſonment, racks, and tortures of various ſhapes, are employed againſt them; and if the civil magiſtrate, whoſe aſſiſtance they implore when the puniſhment is capital, ſhould go about to mitigate it, he himſelf would be ſuſpected of favouring heretics, and would run the riſk of excommunication. There is no expreſs law in England, which determines what ſhall be called hereſy. It is true, the ſtatute 1 Elizabeth, cap. i. directed the high commiſſion court to reſtrain the ſame, to what had been adjudged to be ſo by the authority of the ſcriptures, or by the firſt four general councils, or to what ſhould be determined to be ſuch by parliament, the convocation aſſenting. The Archbiſhop, or Biſhop of any dioceſe, has, by the common law, power to convict perſons of hereſy: the convocation may declare what tenets are heretical. Hereſy was, anciently, treaſon; and the puniſhment for it was burning, by virtue of the writ, De heretico comburendo; but the heretic forfeited neither lands nor goods, becauſe the proceedings againſt him were pro ſalute animi. By ſtatute 29 Car. II. cap. ix. the proceedings on ſuch writ, and all puniſhments by death, in purſuance of eccleſiaſtical cenſures, are taken away; but an obſtinate heretic, being excommunicated, is liable to be impriſoned by virtue of the writ de excommunicatio []capiendo; and denying the Chriſtian religion, or the divine authority of the holy ſcriptures, is liable, for the ſecond offence, to three years impriſonment, and divers diſabilities, by the ſtatutes 9 & 10 of William, cap. xxxii. Thoſe, ſays St. Jerom, who interpret ſcripture to any ſenſe repugnant to that of the Holy Spirit, tho' they ſhould never withdraw themſelves from the church, yet may be juſtly called heretics.
  • Hermeani, a ſect of heretics in the 2d century. They held, that God was corporeal, and that Chriſt did not aſcend into heaven with his body, but left it in the ſun.
  • Hermits of St. Auguſtine, a religious order, more frequently called Auguſtines, or Auſtin friars. See Auguſtines.
  • Hermits of Brittini. See Auguſtines.
  • Hermogenians, a ſect of ancient heretics, denominated from their leader Hermogenas, who lived towards the cloſe of the 2d century. He eſtabliſhed matter as his firſt principle, and made idea the mother of all the elements.
  • Heterhouſii, a ſect or branch of Arians. See Aetians.
  • Hieracites, a ſect of Chriſtians of the 3d century, ſo called from their leader Hierax, a philoſopher and magician of Egypt, who, about the year 286, taught that Melchiſedeck was the Holy Ghoſt, denied the reſurrection, and condemned marriage. He likewiſe held, that no one could be ſaved who was not arrived at the age of adults; and conſequently, that all who die in infancy are damned. The diſciples of Hierax taught, that the Word, or Son of God, was contained in the Father, as a little veſſel is in a great one; from whence they had the name of Metangimoniſts, from a Greek word, which ſignifies, contained in a veſſel.
  • Hieromnemon, the name of an officer in the Greek church, whoſe principal function it was to ſtand behind the Patriarch at the ſacraments, and other ceremonies of the church, and to ſhew him the prayers, pſalms, &c. in the order in which they were to be rehearſed. He likewiſe aſſiſted the Patriarch in putting on his pontifical veſtments, and aſſigned the places to thoſe who had a right to ſit around him when ſe [...]ted on his throne. His office, in this latter reſpect, was the ſame as that of maſter of the ceremonies to the Pope. The Hieromnemon was commonly a deacon, tho' ſometimes in prieſts orders; in which caſe he was excuſed from dreſſing the Patriarch. The name is of Greek original, and ſignifies a ſacred monitor.
  • Hominicolae, a name which the Apollinariſts gave to the orthodox, to denote them worſhippers of man, i. e. God-man.
  • Homoouſans, Homouſians, Homoouſianiſts, Homouſiaſts, names which the Arians anciently gave to the orthodox, by reaſon that they held that God the Son is homoouſias, i. e. conſubſtantial with the Father.
  • Homocuſios, among divines, a being of the ſame ſubſtance and eſſence with another. The divinity of Chriſt having been denied by the Ebonites and Corinthians in the 1ſt century, by the Theodoſians []in the 2d, by the Artemonians at the beginning of the third, and by the Samoſatenians, or Paulians, towards the cloſe of the ſame; a council was aſſembled at Antioch in 272, wherein Paulus Samoſatenus, Biſhop of Antioch, was condemned and depoſed, and a decrce publiſhed, wherein Chriſt is aſſerted to be God of God, i. e. [...], conſubſtantial with the Father.
  • Homuncioniſts, a ſect of heretics, ſo called, becauſe they denied the two natures in Jeſus Chriſt, and held that he was only mere man.
  • Homuncionites, a ſect of heretics, who held that the image of God was impreſſed on the body, not on the ſoul, or mind of man.
  • Huguenots, a name given by way of contempt to the reformed or Calviniſts in France.
  • Hydroparaſtatae, a ſect of heretics, the followers of Tatian, and a branch of the Manichees.
  • Hypoſtatical union, the union of the human nature with the divine.
  • Hypſiſtarii, a ſect of heretics in the fourth century, thus called from the profeſſion they made of worſhipping the moſt high God. Their doctrines were an aſſemblage of Paganiſm, Judaiſm, and Chriſtianity.
I.
  • JAcobins, a name given in France to the religious who follow the rule of St. Dominic, on account of their principal covent, which is near the gate of St. James, Lat. Jacobus, at Paris. They are alſo called Friars Predicant, or Preaching Friars, and make one of the four orders of Mendicants.
  • Jacobites, a ſect of Chriſtians in Syria and Meſopotamia, ſo called, either from one Jacob, a Syrian, who lived in the time of the Emperor Mauricius, or from one Jacob a Monk, firnamed Zanzales, who flouriſhed in 550. The Jacobites are one of the two ſects which ſprung from the followers of Dioſcorus and Eutyches, who refuſed to conſent to the council of Chalcedon. They are divided among themſelves, ſome following the rites of the Latin church, and others continuing ſeparated from the church of Rome. There is alſo at preſent a diviſion among the latter, who have two rival Patriarchs, one of whom reſides at Caramit, and the other at Derizapharan. As to their belief, they are Monophyſites; that is, they hold but one nature in Jeſus Chriſt, which was the ſentiment of Dioſcorus. They pretend, however, that they explain themſelves in this manner concerning the union of nature and perſon in Chriſt, only to keep at a diſtance from the Neſtoriaus, but that in effect they do not differ far from the church of Rome, which eſtabliſhes two natures in Chriſt. With reſpect to purgatory, and prayers for the dead, they are of the ſame opinion with the Greeks, and the other Eaſtern Chriſtians. They conſecrate the euchariſt with leavened bread; they neglect confeſſion, believing it not to be of divine inſtitution. The Jacobites perform divine ſervice in the Chaldaean language, tho' they ſpeak Arabic, Turkiſh, and Armenian. Their prieſts ſay maſs in Hebrew. []They adminiſter the euchariſt to the people, and even to young children, in both kinds. They hold the real preſence, and tranſubſtantiation, and honour the holy ſacrament, when the Catholic prieſts carry it to the ſick perſon: whereas the Syrians of the Greek church refuſe this reſpect to the euchariſt, conſecrated by Catholics. Pope Nicholas IV. ſent a confeſſion of faith to the Jacobites, in the year 1289, exhorting them to an union with the church of Rome; but his inſtances had no effect.
  • Janſeniſts, from Cornelius Janſen, Biſhop of Ypres in Flanders, in 1630. The whole doctrine is reducible to theſe five points. I. Some commands of God are impoſſible to righteous men, even tho' they endeavour with all their powers to accompliſh them, the grace being wanted by which they ſhould be able to perform them. II. In the ſtate of corrupted nature, a man never reſiſts inward grace. III. To merit, or demerit, in the preſent ſtate of corrupt nature, it is not neceſſary, or requiſite, that a man ſhould have that liberty which excludes neceſſity, that which excludes conſtraint is ſufficient. IV. The Semipelagians admitted the neceſſity of inward preventing grace to each act in particular, and even to the beginning of faith; but held they were heretics, in regard they aſſerted this grace was ſuch, as that the will of man might either reſiſt or obey it. V. It is Semipelagianiſm to ſay, that Jeſus Chriſt died, or ſhed his blood, for all men in general.
  • Iconoclaſtes, breakers of images. A name which the church of Rome gives to all who reject the uſe of images in religious matters.
  • Iconolatra, one who worſhips images. A name which the Iconoclaſtes give to thoſe of the Romiſh communion, who worſhip images.
  • Jealouſy, is that peculiar uneaſneſs which ariſes from the fear that ſome rival may rob us of the affection of one whom we greatly love, or ſuſpicion that he has already done it.
  • Jeronymites, or Hieronymites, a denomination given to divers orders, or congregations of religious; otherwiſe called the Hermits of St. Jerom.
  • Jeſuates, an order of religious, otherwiſe called Apoſtolical Clerks, or Jeſuates of St. Jerom. They were founded by John Columbine, and approved of by Urban V. in 1367, at Viterbo; where he himſelf gave to ſuch as were preſent, the habit they were to wear. They followed the rule of St. Auguſtine, and were ranked among the order of Mendicants. For two centuries they were mere lay-brothers; but, in 1606, Paul V. gave them leave to enter into holy orders. In moſt of their houſes they were employed in pharmacy; others practiſed diſtillation, and ſold aqua vitae, which occaſioned their being called aqua vitae-mongers. Being very rich in the ſtate of Venice, that republic ſolicited their ſuppreſſion, and obtained it of Clement IX. their effects being employed towards the ſupport of the war in Candia.
  • [] Jeſuits, a moſt famous religious order in the Romiſh church. Their founder was Inigo or Ignatius Loyola, who was born, in 1491, in the province of Guipuſcoa, in Spain. He was bred up in the court of Ferdinand, King of Spain. In his youth he diſcovered a martial diſpoſition, and ſignaliſed himſelf in the ſiege of Pampelona, where he was wounded, and taken priſoner by the French. During his confinement and illneſs, he read ſome books of piety, which occaſioned his firſt reſolution of devoting himſelf wholly to God. As ſoon as he was cured, he undertook a pilgrimage to our Lady of Montſerrat in Catalonia, where he dedicated himſelf to the Virgin, and took a reſolution to travel to Jeruſalem. It is believed he here wrote his Spiritual Exerciſes, which he afterwards publiſhed at Rome in 1548. He arrived at Jeruſalem, Sept. 4, 1523, where he viſited the holy places, and performed all the pious exerciſes of a pilgrim. Being returned to Spain, he began to ſtudy grammar at Barcelona, and afterwards went through his courſes of philoſophy and divinity at Alcala. Ignatius had then four companions, who were all cloathed like himſelf in a brown woollen habit, and applied themſelves to the ſame exerciſes. His ſame increaſing, the number of thoſe who came to hear his inſtructions increaſed likewiſe. This giving umbrage to the inquiſitors of the city of Alcala, he was taken up, and impriſoned, by order of the Grand Vicar, but was ſoon releaſed, with an injunction to go cloathed like the other ſcholars, and to abſtain from talking to the people concerning religion, till he had ſtudied four years in divinity. Upon this he retired to Salamanca, where he continued to diſcourſe both in public and private upon moral ſubjects. Here he was again impriſoned, upon an information of the Dominicans againſt him. He being releaſed, reſolved to quit Spain, and to go to Paris, with a firm reſolution to apply himſelf cloſely to ſtudy in that city. In 1538, Ignatius having aſſembled ten of his companions at Rome, choſen moſtly out of the univerſity of Paris, propoſed to them to make a new order. Paul III. confirmed the plan of his inſtitution by a bull, in 1540, calling them therein the company of Jeſus. The order was confirmed by ſeveral ſucceeding Popes, who added many new rights and privileges to it. The end principally propoſed by this order is, to gain converts to the Romiſh church, with which view they diſperſe themſelves in every country and nation, and, with amazing induſtry and addreſs, purſue the ends of their inſtitution. No difficulty ſo great that they cannot ſurmount, no danger ſo imminent that they will not undergo, and, as has been apparent, no crimes ſo ſhocking that have not been perpetrated by them, for the ſervice of their cauſes. They have been very conſpicuous by their miſſions into the Indies, and by their other employments relating to the ſtudy of the ſciences and the education of youth. They have lately, however, from the []practice of their abominable maxims, been expelled the kingdoms of France and Portugal, and the order ſeems every where upon the decline.
  • Illumin [...]d, illuminati, a church-term, anciently applied to ſuch perſons as had received baptiſm. This name was occaſioned by a ceremony in the baptiſm of adults, which conſiſted in putting a lighted taper in the hand of the perſon baptiſed, as a ſymbol of the faith and grace he had received in the ſacrament. They are alſo the names of a ſect of heretics, who ſprung up in Spain about the year 1575. Their principal doctrines were, that, by means of a ſublime manner of prayer which they had attained to, they entered into ſo perfect a ſtate, that they had no occaſion for ordinances, ſacraments, nor good works; and that they could give way even to the vileſt actions, without ſin.
  • Image-worſhip, was firſt attempted to be introduced in the fourth century, but occaſioned great controverſy and inſurrections in the Eaſtern empire by the Iconoclaſtes in 726. It occaſioned the council of Nice, began Sept. 24, and ended in October 787, but was not practiſed in the French church till near A. D. 900, nor in Germany till after the year 1200. The ſecond council of Nice, in the 8th year of the reign of Irene and her ſon Conſtantine, determined that images ſhould not only be received into churches, but be adored and worſhipped there. A. D. 787.
  • Image of God in the ſoul, is a theological phraſe, and is generally diſtinguiſhed into natural and moral. By natural, is meant the underſtanding, reaſon, will, and other intellectual faculties; by the moral image, the right uſe of thoſe faculties, or what we comprehend in the notion of holineſs and virtue; in which latter the dignity of human nature conſiſts.
  • Imagination, is a bodily impreſſion, which inclines us to believe (without any authority from reaſon for ſuch a perſuaſion) the preſent or future exiſtence of things, which neither are nor will be. With ſome perſuaſion is abſolutely made the reaſon of perſuaſion; they can give no better account of it than this, that the thing has made ſuch an impreſſion on their minds, that they cannot but give themſelves up to it, ſo that their faith is reſolved into itſelf.
  • Impanation, a term uſed among divines, to ſignify the opinion of the Lutherans with regard to the euchariſt, who believe that the ſpecies of bread and wine remain, together with the body of our [...] viour, after conſecration.
  • Impropriation, is a term uſed when the proſits of an eccleſiaſtical benefice are in the hands of a layman. There are ſaid to be 3845 impropriations in England.
  • Incenſe, a rich perfume burning of itſelf; a Heathen rite prohibited by the Emperor Theodoſius, and other Chriſtian Emperors, introduced into the church of Rome about the latter end of the fifth century, and continues in uſe in that church.
  • [] Indulgence, in the Romiſh theology, the remiſſion of a puniſhment due to a ſin, granted by the church, and ſuppoſed to ſave the ſinner from purgatory.
  • Infallibility, was not aſcribed to the Pope in the ninth century, the Pope being then obliged to tranſmit his confeſſion of faith at his election, and take the ſolemn oath of religion.
  • Infinity, an attribute of God. "The idea of infinity or immenſity is ſo cloſely connected with that of ſelf-exiſtence, that, becauſe it is impoſſible but ſomething muſt be infinite, independently, and of itſelf, therefore it muſt of neceſſity be ſelf exiſtent; and becauſe ſomething muſt of neceſſity be ſelf-exiſtent, therefore it is neceſſary that it muſt likewiſe be infinite. A neceſſary exiſtent being muſt be every where, as well as always, unalterably the ſame; for a neceſſity which is not every where the ſame, is plainly a conſequential neceſſity only, depending upon ſome external cauſe. Whatever therefore exiſts by an abſolute neceſſity in its own nature, muſt needs be infinite, as well as eternal. To ſuppoſe a finite being to be ſelf-exiſtent, is to ſay, that it is a contradiction for that being not to exiſt, the abſence of which may yet be conceived, without a contradiction, which is the greateſt abſurdity in the world. From hence it follows, that the infinity of the ſelf-exiſtent being muſt be an infinity of fulneſs, as well as of immenſity; that is, it muſt not only be without limits, but alſo without diverſity, defect, or interruption. It follows likewiſe, that the ſelf-exiſtent being muſt be a moſt ſimple, unchangeable, incorruptible being, without parts, figure, motion, diviſibility, or any other ſuch properties as we find in matter; for all theſe things do plainly and neceſſarily imply finiteneſs in their very notion, and are utterly inconſiſtent with compleat infinity. As to the particular manner in which the Supreme Being is infinite, or every where preſent, this is as impoſſible for our finite underſtandings to comprehend and explain, as it is for us to form an adequate idea of infinity. The ſchoolmen have preſumed to aſſert, that the immenſity of God is a point, as his eternity (they think) is an inſiance. But this being altogether unintelligible, we may more ſafely affirm, that the ſupreme cauſe is at all times equally preſent, both in his ſimple eſſence, and by the immediate and perfect exerciſe of all his attributes, to every point of the boundleſs immenſity, as if it were really all but one ſingle point.
  • Infralapſarii, the name of a ſect of Predeſtinarians, who maintain that God has created a certain number of men only to be damned, without allowing them the means neceſſary to ſave themſelves, if they would.
  • Inquiſition, was firſt erected in the twelfth century, in Italy, againſt the Albigenſes, A. D. 1204, and was adopted by the Count of Toulouſe, A. D. 1229. It was firſt erected in Spain, A. D. 1496, []about four years after the expulſion of the Moriſcoes, and committed to the Dominicans by Pope Gregory IX. in 1233.
  • Interdict, a cenſure inflicted by a Pope or Biſhop, ſuſpending the prieſts from their functions, and depriving the people of the uſe of ſacraments, divine ſervice, and Chriſtian burial.
  • Introite, a pſalm or hymn containing ſomething prophetical, of the evangelical hiſtory, uſed upon each Sunday and holyday, or is ſome way or other proper to the day. This, from its being ſung or ſaid whilſt the prieſt makes his entrance within the rails of the communion-table, was called introitus, or introite.
  • Joachomites, the name of a fect, the followers of one Joachim, abbot of Flora, in Calabria, who, with his works, was condemned by the council of Lateran, in 1215, and in that of Arles in 1260.
  • Jubilee, a grand church-ſolemnity, or ceremony, celebrated at Rome, wherein the Pope grants a plenary indulgence to all ſinners, at leaſt to as many as viſit the churches of St. Peter and St. Paul at Rome. It was firſt eſtabliſhed by Boniface VIII. in 1300, in favour of thoſe who ſhould go ad limina apoſ [...]olorum; and it was only to return every hundred years. Clement VI. reduced the term of the jubilee to fifty years. Urban VI. appointed it to be held every thirty-five years. The ſucceſſive Popes have granted the privilege of holding jubilees to ſeveral princes, ſtates, and monaſteries.
K.
  • KEY, a word often uſed for the eccleſiaſtical juriſdiction, particularly for the power of excommunicating and abſolving. The Romaniſts ſay the Pope has the power of the keys, and can open and ſhut paradiſe when he pleaſes; grounding their opinion on that expreſſion of Jeſue Chriſt, I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
  • Kirk-ſeſſions. See the Hiſtory of the Church of Scotland.
  • Kyphoniſm, an ancient puniſhment, frequently undergone by the martyrs in the primitive times; wherein the body of the perſon to ſuffer was anointed with [...], and ſo expoſed to the ſun, that the flies and waſps might be tempted to torment him.
  • Kyrie Eleiſon, ſignifies Lord have mercy upon me. It is the form often made uſe of in the pravers of the Jews, Pagans, Chriſtians, &c. but the Chriſtian church [...]ath endeavoured to conſecrate it in a particular manner in its worſhip. The form is notwithſtanding borrowed from the Greeks.
L.
  • LAITY, firſt reſuſed the cup in the ſacrament by the council of Conſtance, A. D. 1418.
  • Lammas-Day. See Day.
  • Lampadary, an officer in the ancient church of Conſtantinople, []whoſe buſineſs it was to ſee the church well lighted, and to bear a taper before the Emperor, the Empreſs, and the Patriarch, when they went to church or in proceſſion.
  • Lampetians, a ſect of ancient heretics, who fell in with many of the opinions of the Aerians, which vide.
  • Lamprophorus, an appellation anciently given to the Neophytes, during the ſeven days that ſucceeded their baptiſm. In the ceremony of baptiſm, the new Chriſtian was cloathed with a white robe, which he wore for the week following, and was thence called lamprophorus, which is compounded of two Greek words, and ſignifies a perſon wearing a ſhining garment.
  • Lateran, originally the proper name of a man; whence it deſcended to an ancient palace in Rome, and to the buildings ſince erected in its place, particularly a church called St. John of Lateran, which is the principal ſee of the Popedom. See Councils.
  • Laymen, were excluded, as not eligible, for biſhops or deacons, in the church of Rome, by Stephen III. A. D. 769.
  • Lecticarius, an officer in the Greek church, whoſe buſineſs it was to bear off the bodies of thoſe who died, and to bury them. They were alſo denominated decani and copiatae.
  • Legate, in Latin legatus, a Cardinal, or Biſhop, whom the Pope ſends as his ambaſſador to ſovereign Princes. There are three kinds of legates, viz. legates à latere, legates de latere, and legates by office, or legati nati. Of theſe the moſt confiderable are legates à latere; ſuch are thoſe whom the Pope commiſſions to take his place in councils, ſo called, in regard that the Pope never gives this office to any but his favourites and confidents, who are always at his ſide, à latere. Theſe are uſually Cardinals. A legate à latere has the power of conferring benefices without mandate, of legitimating baſtards to hold offices, and has a croſs carried before him, as the enſign of his authority. The legates de latere are thoſe who are not Cardinals, but yet are inſtituted with an apoſtolical legation. Legates by office are thoſe who have not any particular legation given them, but who, by virtue of their dignity and rank in the church, become legates; ſuch are the Archbiſhops of Rheims and Arles. But the authority of theſe legates is much inferior to that of the legates à latere. The power of a legate is ſometimes given without the title: ſome of the nuncio's are inveſted with it. It was one of the eccleſiaſtical privileges of England, from the Norman conqueſt, that no foreign legate ſhould be obtruded upon the Engliſh, unleſs the King ſhould deſire it upon ſome extraordinary emergency, as when a caſe was too difficult for the Engliſh prelates to determine. Hence, in the reign of Henry II. when Cardinal Vivian, who was ſent legate into Scotland, Ireland, and Norway, arrived in England on his journey thither, the King ſent the Biſhops of Wincheſter and Ely to aſk him by whoſe authority the ventured into the kingdom []without his leave? nor was he ſuffered to proceed, till he had given an oath not to ſtretch his commiſſion beyond his Highneſs's pleaſure in any particular.
  • Lent, quadrageſima, a time of mortification, during the ſpace of forty days, wherein Chriſtians are injoined to faſt, in commemoration of our Saviour's miraculous faſting ſo long in the deſart, and by way of preparation for the feaſt of Eaſter. The reformed generally hold Lent to be a ſuperſtitious inſtitution, ſet on foot by ſome vain enthuſiaſts, who durſt undertake to ape the miracles of Jeſus Chriſt; as, in effect, it appears to have been, from a paſſage of Irenaeus, quoted by Euſebius. Lent was firſt obſerved in England by Ercumbert, ſeventh King of Kent, A. D. 800. The Greek church obſerve five Lents, the Jacobites the ſame number, and the Maronites ſix.
  • Lentulus, his letter concerning Jeſus Chriſt. Lentulus was ſuppoſed to have been pro-conſul of Judea, and to have written a letter to the Roman ſenate concerning Jeſus Chriſt, which, though generally looked upon to be ſuprious, may ſerve to amuſe the curious reader. It has been often printed. This is a tranſlation of it. "There has appeared here a perſon, ſtill living, whoſe name is Jeſus Chriſt. His power is extraordinary; he is called the great prophet, and by his diſciples the Son of God. He raiſes the dead, and heals all manner of diſeaſes; he is tall, and well-proportioned; there is an air of ſereaity in his countenance, which attracts the love and reverence of all who behold him; his hair is of the colour of new wine, and falls on his ſhoulders in curls; on the forehead it parts in two, after the manner of the Nazarenes; his forehead is flat and fair, his face without any defect, and adorned with a graceful vermilion; his air is majeſtic and agreeable; his noſe and mouth are well proportioned; his beard is thick and forked, and of the ſame colour as his hair. There is ſomething wonderfully charming in his face, with a mixture of gravity. He was never ſeen to laugh, but has been obſerved to weep. His hands are large and ſpreading, and his arms very beautiful; he talks little, but with great gravity, and is the handſomeſt man in the world."
  • Libellatici, an ancient kind of apoſtates from Chriſtianity, under the perſecution of Declus, who abjured their faith in private, and were, by a certificate of ſuch a juration, ſheltered from any further moleſtation on account of their religion.
  • Libertines, libertini, a religious fact which aroſe in the year 1525, whoſe principal tenets were, that there is but one only Spirit, which is that of God, who is diffuſed through all things, who is and lives in all creatures; that our ſouls are nothing but this ſpirit of God; that the ſoul dies with the body; that ſin is a mere chimera, and only ſubſiſts in opinion; ſo that it is God that does all; both good and evil; that paradiſe is a dream, and hell a []phantom, invented by prieſts, and religion a ſtate-trick, to keep men in awe; that ſpiritual regeneration only conſiſts in ſtifling the remorſe of conſcience; repentance, in avowing to have done no evil; and that it is lawful, and even expedient, to diſſemble in matters of religion. To theſe they added horrid blaſphemies againſt Jeſus Chriſt, ſaying he was nothing but a mere je ne ſcai quoi, compoſed of the ſpirit of God, and of the opinion of men. Theſe maxims occaſioned their being called Libertines, and the word has been uſed in an ill ſenſe ever ſince. The libertini principally ſpread in Holland and Brabant. Their leaders were one Quintin, a Picard, and another called Chopin, who joined with him, and became his diſciple. How ſimilar their opinions and maxims are with thoſe of the Libertines of the preſent age, the reader need not deſire to have pointed out.
  • Liberty, religious, the ground of the reformation, and what was aſſerted by all Proteſtants in the beginning of it, as appears from the famous proteſtation of ſix Princes and fourteen free cities, againſt the diet at Spire; from which incident the name of Proteſtant took its riſe. They pray for liberty to diſſent from the decree of the diet, in a matter which concerned the ſalvation of their ſouls. They were very willing others ſhould enjoy the ſame liberty within their dominions, as they deſired for themſelves in their own. That no doctrine was ſo certain as that of God's word, and nothing ſhould be taught beſides it. That obſcure paſſages of ſcripture could not be explained better than by other plain places. That this was the only ſure and infallible way; but the traditions of men had no certain foundation.
  • Limbus, a term uſed in the Romiſh theology, for that place where the Patriarchs are ſuppoſed to have waited for the redemption of mankind, and where they imagine our Saviour continued from the time of his death to that of his reſurrection. It is alſo, according to the Catholics, the place deſtined to receive the ſouls of infants, who die without baptiſm. The fathers call this place Limbus eo quod ſit limbus inferiorum; as being the margin, or frontier, of the other world.
  • Litany, in Greek [...], in Latin Supplicatio, and Rogatio. The word Litany, in its original meaning, is but another name for prayer in general, and is uſed as ſuch by Heathen authors. In the Chriſtian ſenſe of the word, a litany is a ſolemn form of ſupplication to God. Euſebius, ſpeaking of Conſtantine's cuſtom of making ſolemn addreſſes to God in his tent, ſays, he endeavoured to render God propitious to him by his ſupplication and litanies; and Arcadius, in one of his laws againſt heretics, forbids them to hold profane aſſemblies in the city, either by night or by day, to make their litany. At that time the public prayers, hymns, and pſalmody, were all compriſed under the general name of litany. Afterwards, the word came to ſignify a peculiar []ſort of prayers uſed in the church, concerning the original of which learned men are not agreed. At firſt the uſe of litanies was not fixed to any ſtated time, but they were employed only as exigencies required. They were obſerved, in imitation of the Ninevites, with ardent ſupplications and faſtings, to avert the threatening judgments of fire, earthquakes, inundations, or hoſtile invaſions. The days on which they were uſed were called Rogation-days. Several of theſe days were appointed by the canons of different councils, till the ſeventeenth council of Toledo decreed, that litanies ſhould be uſed every month throughout the year; and ſo, by degrees, theſe ſolemn ſupplications came to be uſed weekly, on Wedneſdays and Fridays, the ancient ſtationary days in all churches. As to the form in which litanies are made, namely, in ſhort petitions by the prieſt, which reſponſes by the people, St. Chryſoſtom derives the cuſtom from the primitive ages, when the prieſt began and uttered by the Spirit ſome things fit to be prayed for, and the people joined the interceſſions, ſaying, "We beſeech thee to hear us, good Lord." When the miraculous gifts of the Spirit began to ceaſe, they wrote down ſeveral of theſe forms, which were the original of our modern litanies. St. Ambroſe has left us one, agreeing in many things with that of our own church. About the year 400, litanies began to be uſed in proceſſions, the people walking barefoot, and repeating them with great devotion. It is pretended ſeveral countries were delivered from great calamities by this means. About the year 600, Gregory the Great, out of all the litanies extant, compoſed the famous ſeven-fold litany, by which Rome, it is ſaid, was delivered from a grievous mortality. This has been a pattern to all the weſtern churches ſince, to which ours of the church of England comes nearer than that in the preſent Roman Miſſal, in which later Popes have inſerted the invocation of ſaints, which our reformers juſtly expunged. Thoſe proceſſional liturgies having occ [...]ſioned much ſcandal, it was decreed, that the litanies for the future ſhould only be uſed within the walls of the church. The days appointed by the fifteenth canon of our church for uſing the litany, are Wedneſdays and Fridays, the ancient faſting-days of the primitive church, to which, by the ſubric, Sundays are added, as being the days of the greateſt aſſembly for divine ſervice. Before the laſt review of the Common-Prayer, the litany was a diſtinct ſervice by itſelf, and uſed ſome time after the morning-prayer was over. At preſent it is made one office with the morning-ſervice, being ordered to be read after the third collect for grace, inſtead of the interceſſional prayers in the daily ſervice.
  • Liturgy, denotes all the ceremonies in general belonging to divine ſervice. In a more reſtrained ſignification, liturgy is uſed among the Romaniſts, to ſignify the maſs, and among us the Common-Prayer. []Prayer. All who have written on liturgies agree, that, in the primitive days, divine ſervice was exceedingly ſimple, clogged with a very few ceremonies, and conſiſting of but a ſmall number of prayers; but by degrees they increaſed the number of external ceremonies, and added new prayers, to make the office look more awful and venerable to the people. At length things were carried to ſuch a pitch, that a regulation became neceſſary, and it was found proper to put the ſervice, and the manner of performing it, into writing; and this was what they called a liturgy. Liturgies have been different at different times, and in different countries. We have the liturgy of St. Chryſoſtom, that of St. Peter, of St. James, the liturgy of St. Baſil, the Armenian liturgy, the liturgy of the Maronites, of the Cophtae, the Roman liturgy, the Gallican liturgy, the Engliſh liturgy, the Ambroſian liturgy, the Spaniſh and African liturgies, &c.
  • Liturgy of the church of England. This book is intitled, The Book of Common Prayer, and Adminiſtration of the Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, according to the Uſe of the Church of England. Before the Reformation, the liturgy was only in Latin, being a collection of prayers, made up partly of ſome ancient forms uſed in the primitive church, and partly of ſome others of a later original, accommodated to the Romiſh religion, at that time the religion of England. But when the nation, in King Henry VIII.'s time, was diſpoſed to a reformation, it was thought neceſſary both to have the ſervice in the Engliſh or vulgar tongue, and to correct and amend the liturgy, by purging it of thoſe groſs corruptions which had gradually crept into it. And, firſt, the convocation appointed a committee, A. D. 1537, to compoſe a book, which was intitled, The godly and pious Inſtitution of a Chriſtian Man, containing a Declaration of the Lord's Prayer, the Ave Maria, the Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Seven Sacraments, &c. This book was again publiſhed in 1540, with corrections and alterations, under the title of, A neceſſary Erudition of any Chryſten Man. In the ſame year, a committee of Biſhops and other divines was appointed by King Henry VIII. to reform the rituals and offices of the church, and the next year the King and clergy ordered the prayers for proceſſions and litanies to be put in Engliſh, and to be publickly uſed. Afterwards, in 1545, came out the King's primer, containing the whole morning and evening prayer in Engliſh, not very different from what it is in preſent from our Common Prayer. Thus far the reformation of our liturgy was carried in the reign of Henry VIII.—In the year 1547, the firſt of King Edward VI. the convocation unanimouſly declared, that the communion ought to be adminiſtered in both kinds; whereupon an act of parliament was made, ordering it to be adminiſtered; then a committee of Biſhops, and other learned divines, was appointed []to compoſe an uniform order of communion, according to the rules of ſcripture, and the uſe of the primitive church. The committee accordingly met in Windſor caſtle, and drew up ſuch a form. This made way for a new commiſſion, impowering the ſame perſons to finiſh the whole liturgy, by drawing up public offices for Sundays and holydays, for the baptiſm, confirmation, matrimony, burial, and other ſpecial occaſions.
  • Lollards. This ſect, ſpread throughout Germany, had for their leader Walter Lollard, who began to diſperſe his opinions about the year 1315. He deſpiſed ſome of the ſacraments in the Romiſh church, her ceremonies and conſtitutions; obſerved not the feaſts of the church, nor [...]ts abſtinencies; acknowledged not the interceſſion of the ſaints, nor believed that the damned in hell would one day be ſaved. Irithemius, who has given a hiſtory of this ſect, ſays, that the greater part defended their peculiar ſentiments even to death. In England, the followers of Wickliffe were ſo called, by way of [...]epro [...]ch, from ſome affinity there was between ſome of their tenets; though others are of opinion the Engliſh Lollards came from Germany.
  • Lord's prayer, a ſhort form of prayer preſcribed by our bleſſed Lord to be uſed by his diſciples, and from them taken up by the Chriſtian church, and uſed in her [...]iturgies, or form of divine ſervice. It is evident beyond diſpute, that the primitive church conſtantly uſed this form, after the fourth century, in her holy offices; and the practice was ſo univerſal and well known, that Lucian the Heathen is thought to refer to it in one of his dialogues, where he ſpeaks, in the perſon of a Chriſtian, of a prayer which began with Our Father. There was indeed ſome difference in the manner of uſing it in the Greek and the Galli [...]an churches: it was ſaid by the prieſt and all the people together; but in the Latin church, by the prieſt alone. The Moſarabic liturgy in Spain differed from both theſe as to the uſe of the Lord's prayer; for there the prieſt repeated every petition by itſelf, and the people anſwered to each petition ſeparately, Amen.
  • Love (the family of) a ſect of enthuſiaſts which aroſe in Holland, and being propagated croſs the Channel, appeared in England about the year 1580. Theſe ſectaries pretended to a more than ordinary ſanctity, which gained upon the affections of the common people. They affirmed, that none were of the number of the elect but ſuch as were admitted into their family, and that all the reſt were reprobate, and conſigned over to eternal damnation. They held likewiſe, that it was lawful for them to ſwear to an untruth before a magiſtrate, for their own convenience, or before any perſon who was not of their ſociety. In order to propagate their opinions, they diſperſed books tranſlated out of Dutch into Engliſh, intitled, The Goſpel of the Kingdom, Documental Sentences, The Prophecy of the Spirit of Love, The publiſhing of []Peace upon Earth, &c. Theſe Familiſts could by no means be prevailed on to diſcover their author. Nevertheleſs, it was found afterwards to be Henry Nicolas of Leyden, who blaſphemouſly pretended that he partook of the divinity of God, and God of his humanity. Queen Elizabeth iſſued a proclamation againſt theſe impious ſectaries, and ordered their books to be publickly burnt.
  • Lucianiſts, or Lucaniſts, a religious ſect, ſo called from Lucianus, or Lucanus, a heretic of the ſecond century, being a diſciple of Marcion, whoſe errors he followed, adding ſome new ones to them. Epiphanius ſays he abandoned Marcion, teaching that people ought not to marry, for fear of enriching the Creator; and yet other authors mention, that he held this error in common with Marcion, and other Gnoſtics. He denied the immortality of the ſoul, aſſerting it to be material. There was another ſect of Lucianiſts, who appeared ſome time after the Arians. They taught, that the Father had been a Father always, and that he had the name even before he begat the Son, as having in him the power or faculty of generation; and in this manner they accounted for the eternity of the Son.
  • Luciferians, a religious ſect, who adhered to the ſchiſm of Lucifer, Biſhop of Cagliari, in the fourth century. St. Auguſtin ſeems to intimate, that they believed the ſoul tranſmitted from the children to their fathers. Theodoret ſays, that Lucifer was the author of a new error. The Luciferians increaſed mightily in Gaul, Spain, Egypt, &c. The occaſion of the ſchiſm was, that Lucifer would not allow any acts he had done to be aboliſhed. There were but two Luciferian Biſhops, but a great number of prieſts and deacons. The Luciferians bore a peculiar averſion to the Arians.
M.
  • MAcedonians, erroneous Chriſtians in the fourth century, followers of Macedonius, Biſhop of Conſtantinople. He was pretty much of the ſentiments of Arius, and as he governed the church in an imperious manner, and removed the body of Conſtantine from the church of the Apoſtles to that of Acacius the martyr, be was by the council of Conſtantinople depoſed. His principal tenet was, that the Holy Ghoſt was a mere creature, tho' above the angels. This ſect made extraordinary profeſſions of auſterity, and they became pretty numerous, as moſt of the Arians fell in with them.
  • Magdalen, St. religious of, a denomination given to many communities of nuns, conſiſting, generally, of penitent courtezans, ſometimes alſo called Magdalenettes: ſuch as thoſe of Metz, eſtabliſhed in 1452; thoſe at Paris, in 1492; thoſe of Naples, in 1324, and endowed by Queen Sancha, to ſerve as a retreat for public courtezans, who ſhould quit the trade, and betake themſelves to repentance; and thoſe of Rouen and Bourdeaux, which had []their original among thoſe of Paris. In each of theſe monaſteries there are three kinds of perſons and congregations, viz. firſt, thoſe who are admitted to make vows, who bear the name of St. Magdalen; the ſecond, thoſe who are not admitted to make vows, and who are called of St. Martha; and, thirdly, the congregation of St. Lazarus, compoſed of ſuch as are detained by force. The religious of St. Magdalen at Rome were eſtabliſhed by Leo X. Clement VIII. ſettled a revenue upon them, and ordered that the effects of all public proſtitutes ſhould be theirs, dying inteſtate; and that the teſtaments of the reſt ſhould be invalid, ununleſs they bequeathed, at leaſt, a fifth of their effects to them.
  • Manichees, Manicheans, or Manichoei, a ſect of ancient heretics, who aſſerted two principles, ſo called from their author Manes, or Manicheus, a Perſian by nation. He eſtabliſhed two principles, viz. a good one and an evil one. The firſt, which he called light, did nothing but good; and the ſecond, which he called darkneſs, nothing but evil. This philoſophy is very ancient, and Plutarch treats of it at large in his Iſis and O [...]iris. Our ſouls, according to Manes, were made by the good principle, and our bodies by the evil one; theſe two principles being co-e [...]e [...]nal and independent of each other. He borrowed many things from the ancient Gnoſtics, on which account many authors confider the Manicheans as a branch of the Gnoſtics. In truth, the Manichean doctrine was a ſyſtem of philoſophy, rather than of religion. They made uſe of amulets, in imitation of the Baſilidians, and are ſaid to have made profeſſion of aſtronomy and aſtrology. They denied that Jeſus Chriſt aſſumed a true human body, and maintained it was only imagi [...]ary. They pretended that the law of Moſes did not come from God, or the good principle, but from the evil one; and for this reaſon it was abrogated. They abſtained entirely from eating the fleſh of any animal, following herein the doctrine of the ancient Phythagore [...]s. The reſt of their errors may be ſeen in St. Epiphanius, and St. Auguſtine; which laſt having been of their ſect, may be preſumed to have been thoroughly acquainted with them. Though the Manichees profeſſed to receive the books of the New Teſtament; yet, in effect, they only took ſo much of them as ſuited with their opinions. They firſt formed to themſelves a certain idea, or ſcheme of Chriſtianity, and to this adjuſted the writings of the Apoſtles; pretending, that whatever was inconſiſtent with this, had been foiſted in the New Teſtament by latter writers, who were half Jews. On the other hand, they made fables, and apocryphal books, paſs for apoſtolical writings; and even are ſuſpected to have forged ſeveral others, the better to maintain their errors. St. Epiphanius gives a catalogue of ſeveral pieces, publiſhed by Manes, and adds extracts front ſome of them. Manes was not contented with the quality of Apoſtle of Jeſus Chriſt, but alſo aſſumed that of the []Paraclete, whom Chriſt had promiſed to ſend. He left ſeveral diſciples, and among others Addas, Thomas, and Hermas. Theſe he ſent in his lifetime into ſeveral provinces, to preach his doctrine. Manes having undertaken to cure the King of Perſia's ſon, and not ſucceeding, was clapped into priſon upon the young Prince's death, whence he made his eſcape; but was apprehended ſoon after, and burnt alive. Towards the middle of the 12th century the ſect of Manichees took a new face, on occaſion of one Conſtantine, an Armenian, and adherer to it, who took upon him to ſuppreſs the reading of all other books, beſides the evangeliſts and the epiſtles of St. Paul, which he explained in ſuch a manner, as to make them contain a new ſyſtem of Manicheiſm. He entirely diſcarded all the writings of his predeceſſors, rejected the chimeras of the Valentinians and their thirty Aeons, the fable of Manes, with regard to the origin of rain, which he made to be the ſweat of a young man in hot purſuit after a maid, and other dreams; but ſtill retained the impurities of Baſilides. In this manner he reformed Manicheiſm, inſomuch that his followers made no ſcruple of anathematizing Scythian Buldas, and even Manes himſelf, Conſtantine being now their great Apoſtle. After he had ſeduced an infinite number of people, he was at laſt ſtoned by order of the Emperor.
  • Marcellianiſm, the doctrines and opinions of the Mercellians, a ſect of ancient heretics, ſo called from Marcellus, of Ancyra, their leader, who was accuſed of reviving the errors of Sabellius.
  • Marcionites, a very ancient and popular ſect of heretics in the time of Epiphanius, ſo called from their author Marcion, the ſon of a Biſhop of Pontus. He laid down two principles, the one good, the other evil; he denied the real birth, incarnation, and paſſion of Jeſus Chriſt, and held them all to be only apparent. He taught two Chriſts, one ſent for the ſalvation of all the world, and another whom the Creator would ſend to re-eſtabliſh the Jews. He denied the reſurrection of the body, and allowed none to be baptiſed but thoſe who preſerved their continence; but theſe he granted might be baptiſed three times, and held other ſtrange opinions.
  • Marcites, a ſect of heretics in the 2d century, who made profeſſion of doing every thing with a great deal of liberty, and without any fear. They were ſo called from one Marcus, who conferred the prieſthood, and the adminiſtration of the ſacraments, on women.
  • Marcoſians, an ancient ſect, a branch of the Gnoſtics. They had a great number of apocryphal books, which they held for canonical, and of the ſame authority with ours. Out of theſe they picked ſeveral fables, touching the infancy of Jeſus Chriſt, which they put off for true hiſtories. Many of theſe fables are ſtill in uſe and credit among the Greek monks. Vide Tournefort's Voyages.
  • [] Maronites, a ſect of eaſtern Chriſtians, who follow the Syrian rite, and are ſubject to the Pope, their principal habitation being on Mount Libanus, where they have a Patriarch, who reſides in the monaſtery of Connubin, and aſſumes the title of Patriarch. He is elected by the clergy and people, according to the ancient cuſtom; but fince their re-union with the church of Rome, he is obliged to have a bull of confirmation from the Pope. He keeps a perpetual celebrate, as well as the reſt of the Biſhops his ſuffragans; but for the reſt of the eccleſiaſtics, they are allowed to marry before ordination, and yet the monaſtic life is in great eſteem among them. Their monks are of the order of St. Antony, and live in the moſt obſcure places in the mountains, far from the converſe of the world. As to their faith, they agree in the main with the reſt of the eaſtern church.
  • Marriage, a contract, both civil and religious, between a man and a woman, by which they engage to live together in mutual love and friendſhip for the procreation of children, &c. This has too near a connexion with religion to be omitted in this place. The firſt inhabitants of Greece lived promiſcuouſly without marriage. Cicrops, King of Athens, was the firſt author of this honourable inſtitution among that people. This is mentioned by the poet Nonnos. The Jews had their nuptial contracts and ceremonies. The preſent form among the Jews, which appears to be very ancient, is very ſimple and ſignificant. Though our bleſſed Saviour had encouraged the inſtitution of marriage by his own preſence at a wedding feaſt, and St. Paul has declared, that marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled; yet there wanted not men in the firſt ages of the Chriſtian church, who departed from the faith, giving heed to ſeducing ſpirits, and doctrines of devils, forbidding to marry; and others who taught men to commit fornication with licence and impunity. The ancient Chriſtian church laid ſeveral reſtraints upon her members in relation to marriage: ſuch were the rules forbidding Chriſtians to marry with Infidels and Heathens; this reſtraint they founded upon the Apoſtle's words: "Who leaves a widow at liberty to marry whom ſhe will, only in the Lord," 1 Cor. vii. 39. And upon this precept of the ſame Apoſtle: "Be ye not unequally y [...]ed with unbelievers," 2 Cor. vi. 24. This reſtriction extended likewiſe to Jews, Heretics, and all perſons of different perſuaſions, with whom it was unlawful for an orthodox Chriſtian to be j [...]ined in wedlock. Another reſtraint of the church laid on perſons intending to marry, related to conſanguinity and affinity, which would have made the marriage inceſtuous, by coming within the degrees prohibited by God in ſcripture. A third reſtriction in this matter was, that children under age ſhould not marry without the conſent of their parents, guardians, and next relations. The Romiſh church has advanced marriage to the dignity of a ſacrament. The ritual tells []us, that the end of the ſacrament of marriage is, that man and wife may mutually help and comfort each other, in order that they may ſpend this life in a holy manner, and thereby gain a bleſſed immortality; and to contribute to the edification of the church, by the lawful procreation of children, and by the care of procuring them a ſpiritual regeneration, and an education ſuitable to it. They require that every perſon, before he enters into wedlock, beſeech God to join him with ſuch a perſon as he may work out his ſalvation with, and examine whether or no the perſon he has fixed his affections on has the fear of God before her eyes, is prudent, diſcreet, and able to take care of a family, &c. In our church, the form and manner of marriage is too well known to need mention.
  • Martyr, from a Greek word which ſignifies a witneſs. A perſon who ſuffers torments, and even death, in defence of the truth of the goſpel. Scarce any ſaith or religion but pretends to its martyrs; Mahometans, Heathens, Idolaters, &c. &c. have all their martyrs.
  • Martyrology, a regiſter or catalogue of martyrs. The word is alſo uſed in the Romiſh church for a roll or regiſter, kept in the veſtry of each church, containing the names of all the ſaints and martyrs, both of the univerſal church, and of the particular ones of that city or monaſtery. It is alſo applied to the painted or written catalogues in the Romiſh churches, containing the foundations, obits, prayers, and maſſes, to be ſaid each day.
  • Masbothaei, the name of a ſect, or of two ſects. The firſt, one of the ſeven ſects that aroſe out of Judaiſm, and proved very troubleſome to the church; the other was one of the ſeven Jewiſh ſects before the coming of Jeſus Chriſt.
  • Maſs. The Romaniſts underſtand by this word the office or prayers uſed at the celebration of the euchariſt, or, in other words, the conſecrating the bread and wine into the body and blood of Chriſt, and offering them ſo tranſubſtantiated as an expiatory ſacrifice for the quick and the dead.
  • Maſſalians, certain ſectaries, ſo called from a Hebrew word ſignifying prayer, it being their diſtinguiſhing tenet, that a man is to pray, without ceaſing, in the literal [...]enſe of the words, and that this was all that was neceſſary to ſalvation. Many monks, who loved a life of lazineſs, joined the Maſſalians; but they were ſoon made aſhamed, or weary of this kind and degree of devotion, ſo inconſiſtent with the ſtate and circumſtances of men in general.
  • Maundy, or Maunday Thurſday, the Thurſday before Eaſter, from the French mande; it being the cuſtom on that day to give a largeſs or bounty to certain poor men and women, whoſe feet the King formerly waſhed, as a mark of humility, and in obedience to the command of Chriſt.
  • Melchiſedeckians, a ſect which raiſed Melchiſedeck even to an equality with Jeſus Chriſt: they are ſometimes called Theodoſians.
  • [] Melchites, a religious ſect in the Levant and Syria, who ſcarce differ from the Greek church either in faith or practice. They deny purgatory, the primacy of the Pope; admit the Arabic canons as of equal validity with thoſe of the Romiſh church; but are equally ſuperſtitious with them.
  • Mendicants, beggars. There are four principal orders of friars mendicant, viz. the Carmelites, Jacobines, Franciſcans, and Auguſtines. Among them are alſo ranked, the Capuchins, Recollects, Minims, and others, who are branches of the former.
  • Mennonites, a ſect of Chriſtians in the United Provinces, that firſt appeared about the year 1496. They held that there is no original ſin; that in ſpeaking of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, we muſt not uſe the word perſon, nor that of Trinity; that Jeſus Chriſt did not take his fleſh from the ſubſtance of his mother, but that he brought it from heaven; and that the union of the divine and human nature was ſo effected, that he was capable of dying or ſuffering in his divine as well as human nature. They forbid all kind of ſwearing; deny that magiſtrates ought to uſe the ſword, tho' for puniſhment of crimes; diſallow of war; forbid miniſters of the goſpel preaching for hire; refuſe the baptiſm of infants; and believe the ſouls of good men are reſerved in ſome unknown place to the day of judgment. There are two ſorts of them, viz. thoſe of Friezeland, and thoſe of Flanders. The latter are moſt ſtrict in their church diſcipline. Both recommend toleration in religion, and will receive all denominations of Chriſtians to their communion, provided they be of good morals, and believe the ſcriptures to be the word of God, however divided they may be with reſpect to articles of faith.
  • Metempſychi, ancient heretics, who, in imitation of Pythagoras, held the Metempſychoſis, or tranſmigration of ſouls.
  • Millenarians, a ſect of Chriſtians in the firſt century, who believed that the ſaints ſhall reign with Chriſt on earth a thouſand years. This opinion was indeed embraced, as a principle of faith, by many other ſectaries, as the Cerinthians, the Marcienites, the Montaniſts, the Melceians, and the Apollinarians, and by ſeveral eccleſiaſtical writers, and even martyrs; as Papias, Juſtin, Irenaeus, Nepos, Victorinus, Lactantius, and Sulpitius Severus. They held, that after the coming of Antichriſt, and the deſtruction of all nations, which ſhall follow, there ſhall be a firſt reſurrection, but of the juſt only; that all who ſhall be found upon the earth, both good and bad, ſhall continue alive, the good to obey the juſt, who are riſen, as their Princes; the bad to be conquered, and made likewiſe ſinally ſubject to them; that Jeſus Chriſt will then deſcend from heaven in his glory; that the city of Jeruſalem will be rebuilt, enlarged, and embelliſhed; that in this New Jeruſalem Jeſus Chriſt will fix the [...] of his empire, and reign a thouſand years, with the ſaints, p [...]archs, and prophets, who ſhall enjoy perſect and uninterrupted [...]chcity.
  • [] Minims, an order of religious, inſtituted about the year 1440, by St. Francis de Paulo.
  • Minors, or Friars Minors, an appellation aſſumed by the Franciſcans, out of a ſhew of humility. There is alſo an order of regular Minors at Naples, which was eſtabliſhed in the year 1588, and confirmed by Sixtus V.
  • Miracles, in a popular ſenſe prodigies, or extraordinary events that ſurpriſe us by their novelty. In a more accurate and philoſophical ſenſe, a miracle is an effect that does not follow from any of the known laws of nature; or which is inconſiſtent with ſome known laws thereof. A miracle, therefore, being a ſuſpenſion of ſome law, cannot come from any hand leſs than his who fixed that law, that is from God. Divines define a miracle, an extraordinary and wonderful effect, above the power of nature, wrought by God to manifeſt his power or providence, or to give credit to ſome meſſenger ſent from himſelf.
  • Moliniſts, a ſect in the Romiſh church, who follow the doctrines of the Jeſuit Molina, relating to ſufficient and efficacious grace. Their great antagoniſts are the Janſeniſts.
  • Molinoſiſts, thoſe among the Papiſts who adhere to the doctrines of Molinos. They are alſo called Quietiſts.
  • Monophyſites, a general name given to all thoſe ſectaries in the Levant, who only own one nature in Jeſus Chriſt.
  • Monothelites, an erroneous ſect of Chriſtians, which ſprang up in the 5th century, out of the Eutychians, as only allowing of one will in Jeſus Chriſt. They allowed of two wills in Chriſt, conſidered with regard to his two natures; but reduced them to one, by reaſon of the union of the two natures: thinking it abſurd, that there ſhould be two wills in one perſon.
  • Muggletonians, a religious ſect, which aroſe in England about the year 1657, ſo denominated from their leader Lodowick Muggleton, a journeyman taylor. He, with his aſſociate Reeves, ſet up for great prophets, and pretended to an abſolute power of ſaving or damning whom they pleaſed; giving out, that they were the two laſt witneſſes of God that ſhould appear before the end of the world. The other notions of theſe men were ſo ridiculous, that it is ſurpriſing, even, that the few who exiſt of their followers, at this day, ſhould be ſo ſtupid as to be ſo.
  • Myſtics, a kind of religious ſect, diſtinguiſhed by their profeſſing pure, ſublime, and perfect devotion, with an entire diſintereſted love of God, free from all ſelfiſh conſiderations. To excuſe their ſanatic extaſies, and amorous extravagancies, they alledge that paſſage of St. Paul, The Spirit prays in us by ſighs and groans tha [...] are unutterable. Now, if the Spirit, ſay they, pray in us, we muſt reſign ourſelves to its motions, and be ſwayed and guided by its impulſe, by remaining in a ſtate of mere inaction. Paſſive contemplation is that ſtate of perfection to which the Myſtics all aſpire.
N.
  • NAtivity, natal day, the day of one's birth. The term is chiefly uſed in ſpeaking of ſaints, &c. as the nativity of John Baptiſt, &c. When we ſay abſolutely the Nativity, it is underſtood of that of Jeſus Chriſt, or the feaſt of Chriſtmas. It is commonly held, that Pope Teleſphorus was the firſt who decreed the feaſt of the Nativity to be held on the 25th of December. John, Archbiſhop of Nice, in an epiſtle upon the nativity of Jeſus Chriſt, relates, that, at the inſtance of St. Cyril, of Jeruſalem, Pope Julius procured a ſtrict inquiry to be made into the day of our [...]viour's nativity; which being found to be on the 25th of December, they began thenceforth to celebrate the feaſt on that day.
  • Nazarites, or Nazarenes, a ſect in the firſt age of the church. They were Jews as to the doctrines and ceremonies of the Old Teſtament, and differed from them only in profeſſing to believe that Jeſus was the Meſſiah. There were two kinds of Nazarenes, the one called pure, who kept the law of Moſes and Chriſtianity together, the other were denominated Ebionites; which ſee.
  • Neophytes, in the primitive church, were new Chriſtians, or the Heathens newly converted to the faith. The fathers never diſcovered the myſteries of their religion to the Neophytes.
  • Neſtorians, a ſect of ancient heretics, ſtill ſaid to be ſubſiſting in ſome parts of the Levant, whoſe diſtinguiſhing tenet is, that Mary is not the mother of God. They take their name from Neſtorius, who, of a monk, became a prieſt, and a celebrated preacher, and was at length, in 438, raiſed by Theodoſius to the ſee of Conſtantinople. His capital tenet was, that there were two perſons in Jeſus Chriſt, and that the Virgin was not his mother as God, but only as man.
  • Nicolaitans, or Nicolaites, one of the moſt ancient ſects in the Chriſtian church, thus denominated from Nicolas, a perſon ordained a deacon of the church of Jeruſalem. The diſtinguiſhing tenet of the Nicolaites is, that all married women ſhould be common among the brethren, to take away all occaſion of jealouſy; and Euſebius ſeems to confirm this ſtrange opinion, with many others of a trifling nature, in which hiſtorians are not agreed. They alſo allowed of eating meat offered to idols.
  • Noetians, a ſect of ancient heretics, diſciples of Noetius, an Epheſian, the maſter of Sabellius. They only allowed of one perſon in the Godhead, viz. the Father, and accordingly taught that it was God the Father that ſuffered on the croſs. Being reprehended by his ſuperiors, Noetius made them this anſwer, "What harm have I done? I adore only one God; I own none but him; he was born, ſuffered, and is dead."
  • Novatians, a ſect of auſtere Chridians, who adhered to the principles of Novatius, an African Biſhop, or from Novatianus, a prieſt []of Rome. They were called alſo Cathari, i. e. pure, or Puritans. They ſeparated from the communion of the church of Rome, as thinking them too eaſy in admitting to repentance and communion thoſe who had fallen off in the time of perſecution, aſſerting there was no other admiſſion into the church but by repentance at baptiſm, grounded on the words of St. Paul, Heb. vi. 7. They nevertheleſs admitted of pardon upon their repentance, and accordingly they recommended repentance in the ſtrongeſt terms; but that the church had not a power of receiving them again to communion.
  • Nun, a word anciently uſed for a female religious, and ſtill retained in that ſenſe in our language. Hence alſo nunnery, a monaſtery of female religious.
  • Nuncio, an ambaſſador from the Pope to ſome Catholic Prince or ſtate; or a perſon who attends on the Pope's behalf at a congreſs or aſſembly of ſeveral ambaſſadors.
  • Nyctages, a religious ſect, diſtinguiſhed by their inveighing againſt the practice of waking in the night to ſing the praiſes of God; in regard, ſaid they, the night was made for reſt. It comes from a Greek word, which ſignifies night.
O.
  • OBIT, was formerly a funeral ceremony, or office, for the dead, commonly performed when the corpſe lay uninterred in the church. It is alſo an anniverſary office, or maſs, held yearly, in the Romiſh church, on a certain day, in memory of ſome perſon deceaſed.
  • Oblati, anciently ſecular perſons, who beſtowed themſelves and their eſtates on ſome monaſtery, and were admitted as lay-brothers. They were alſo, in France, a kind of lay monks, anciently placed by the King in all the abbeys and priories in his nomination; to whom the religious were obliged to give a monk's allowance, on account of their ringing the bells, and ſweeping the church and the court.
  • Oblations, offerings, properly denote things offered to God. In the canon law, oblations are defined to be any things offered by godly Chriſtians to God and the church, i. e. to the prieſts, whether they be moveables or immoveables. They were anciently of various kinds, viz. oblationes altaris, given to the prieſt for ſaying maſs; oblationes defunctorum, given by the laſt-wills of the faithful to the church; oblationes mortuorum, given by the relations of the dead at their burials; oblationes poenitentium, given by penitents; and oblationes pentecoſtales, or Whitſun-offerings. Till the fourth century, the church had no fixed revenues, nor any other means of ſubſiſtence, but alms, or voluntary oblations.
  • Obſervantines, religious Cordeliers of the obſervance. In Spain there are bare-footed Obſervantines.
  • Offerings (votive) are curious ſtones, jewels, &c. hanging round []the altars of the Romiſh ſaints, as an acknowledgment of the favours they have received from God by the prayers of his ſaints.
  • Ophites, a ſect of ancient heretics, who ſprung out of the Gnoſtics, ſo called from their worſhipping the ſerpent that ſeduced Eve. They had abundance of wild opinions.
  • Oratory, prieſts of, a community of ſecular prieſts, who live together in a monaſtic manner, but without vows. They were firſt eſtabliſhed at Rome about the year 1590. On the model of this, the Cardinal Beuille eſtabliſhed a congregation of the oratory of Jeſus, in 1612, in France, which has ſince increaſed; ſo that there are now ſixty houſes of the prieſts of the oratory in that kingdom.
  • Origenians, a ſect of ancient heretics, who even ſurpaſſed the abominations o the Gnoſtics.
  • Origeniſts, followers of the errors of Origen, who maintained, that Chriſt is only the Son of God by adoption; that the human ſoul had a pre-exiſtent ſtate, and had ſinned in heaven, before the body was created; that the torments of the damned ſhall not be eternal; but that the devils themſelves ſhall be relieved at laſt.
  • Orthodoxy, a ſoundneſs of doctrine or belief with regard to all the points and articles of faith. It is uſed in oppoſition to heterodoxy, or hereſy.
  • Orthodoxy, feaſt of, in the Greek church, inſtituted by the Empreſs Theodora, held on the firſt Sunday in Lent, in memory of the reſtoration of images in churches, which had been taken down by the Iconociaſts.
  • Oſiandrians, a ſect among the Lutherans, ſo called from Andrew Oſiander, a celebrated German divine. Their diſtinguiſhing doctrine was, that man is ſatisfied formally, and not by the faith and apprehenſion of the juſtice of Jeſus Chriſt, or the imputation of his juſtice, according to Luther and Calvin, but by the eſſential juſtice of God. Semi-Oſiandrians were ſuch among them as held the opinion of Luther and Calvin with regard to this life, and that of Oſiander with regard to the other; aſſerting, that man is juſtified here by imputation, and hereafter by the eſſential juſtice of God.
P.
  • PALL, a pontifical ornament worn by Popes, &c. over their other garments, as a ſign of their juriſdiction. It is in form of a band or fillet, three fingers broad, and encompaſſes the ſhoulders. It has pendants or ſtrings about a palm long, both before and behind, with little laminae of lead rounded at the extremes, and covered with black ſ [...]k, with four red croſſes. It is made of white wool, ſhorn from off two lambs, which the nuns of St. Agnes offer every year, on the day of her feaſt, at the ſinging of the maſs Agnus Dei.
  • [] Palm-Sunday, the Sunday next before Eaſter; thus called anciently, on account of a pious ceremony then in uſe, of bearing palms, in memory of the triumphant entry of Jeſus Chriſt into Jeruſalem, eight days before the feaſt of the Paſſover. The ancients had alſo other names for this day.
  • Parabolani, a ſect of people who, eſpecially in Alexandria, devoted themſelves to the ſervice of churches and hoſpitals.
  • Paſſalorhynchites, a ſect of Montaniſts in the ſecond century, who made profeſſion of perpetual ſilence, and, the better to maintain it, kept the thumb continually on the lips, founding their practice on that of the Pſalmiſt, Set a guard, O Lord, on my mouth.
  • Paſſion-week, the week next preceding Eaſter, thus called from our Saviour's paſſion, i. e. his crucifixion, &c. which happened on the Friday of this week, now called Good Friday.
  • Paulianiſts, a ſect of heretics, ſo called from their founder Paul Samoſatenus, Biſhop of Antioch, in 262.
  • Paulicians, a branch of the ancient Manichees.
  • Paxis, alias an inſtrument of peace, being a ſmall plate of ſilver or gold, with the crucifix engraved or raiſed upon it. It is uſed in the twenty-ninth ceremony of the maſs, when it is preſented by the deacon to be kiſſed by the prieſt. When it is received from him, it is handed about to the people, who kiſs it, and paſs it to one another with theſe words, Peace be with you.
  • Pelagians, and Celeſtians, the followers of Pelagius, who firſt broached his errors at Rome, A. D. 405; who held, 1. That we may, by our own free-will, without the aid of divine grace, do good or evil. 2. That if grace were neceſſary, God would be unjuſt to withold it. 3. That faith, which is the firſt ſtep to our juſtification, depends upon our own free-will. 4. That the ſin of Adam hurt none but him; that children are innocent at their birth, and baptiſm not at all neceſſary to their deliverance from future miſery. 5. That grace is only neceſſary to render the performance of duty more eaſy.
  • Pepuzians, a ſect of ancient heretics, ſo called from their pretending that Jeſus Chriſt appeared to one of their prophe eſſes in the city of Pepuza, in Phrygia, which was their holy city.
  • Perſecution, 1. Of the Chriſtians in the reign of Quintus Curtius, A. D. 64. 2. In Domitian's reign, 95, and continued till he was put to death the next year. 3. Under Trajan, 107. 4. Under Adrian, 117. 5. Under Septimus Severu [...], 202. 6. In the reign of Maximus Severus, upon the death of Alexander, 235. 7. In the reign of Decius, 250. 8. Under Gallienus. 257. 9. Under Maximin, 272. 10. Began at Nicomedia, Feb. 13, 303. and continued for ten years, and ended June 13, 313, by an edict of Conſtantine and Licenius. A perſecution of the Chriſtians by Sapor in Perſia, 342.
  • Peter-Pence, was firſt introduced into Mercia, by Oſſa, as an atonement for his murdering Ethelbert, King of the Eaſt Angles.
  • [] Petrobruſſians, a religious ſect, which aroſe in France and the Netherlands about 1126, ſo called from Peter Bruys, who held many opinions that are embraced at this day by numbers of perſons.
  • Petrojoannites, the followers of Peter John. His opinions were, that he alone had the knowledge of the true ſenſe wherein the Apoſtles preached the goſpel; that the reaſonable ſoul is not the form of man; that there is no grace infuſed by baptiſm; and that Jeſus was pierced with a lance on the croſs before he expired.
  • Philippiſts, a ſect or party among the Lutherans, the followers of Philip Melanchton.
  • Photinians, a ſect of ancient heretics, who denied the divinity of Jeſus Chriſt, ſo called from Photinus, their chief. His error was revived by Socinus.
  • Phrygians, ancient heretics, a branch of the Montaniſts, ſo called from Phrygia, where they abounded. The ſpirit of enthuſiaſm was their diſtinguiſhing character.
  • Picards, a ſect which aroſe in Bohemia in the fifteenth century, ſo called from their founder, one Picard, who aſſumed the title of the new Adam, and taught his followers to abandon themſelves to all impurity.
  • Pietiſts, a religious ſect ſprung up lately amongſt the Proteſtants in Germany, ſeeming to be a kind of mean between the Quakers of England and the Quietiſts of the Romiſh church.
  • Places, high. The people of Iſrael are frequently reproached in ſcripture for worſhipping upon high places. They were uſually mountains ſanctified by the preſence of patriarchs and prophets, or by the appearance of God thereon. Upon theſe eminences the ſuperſtitious Iſraelites often adored idols, and committed a thouſand abominations in groves and caves. This inflamed the zeal of ſeveral pious Kings and prophets to ſuppreſs and deſtroy the high places. But there was another reaſon why it was not lawful to worſhip even the true God on theſe hills, namely, becauſe the Temple being built, and the place prepared for the fixed ſettlement of the ark, it was no longer allowed to ſacrifice out of Jeruſalem. Theſe high places, and the idolatrous worſhip paid thereon, were not wholly deſtroyed till the reign of Joſiah, who broke in pieces the images, cut down the groves, and filled the places with the bones of men, thus rooting out all the remains of idolatry, after it had been practiſed above eight hundred years.
  • Pope, a name given to ſenior elders or preſbyters, and appropriated to the Biſhop of Rome by Gregory VII. in the year 1050. The name of Pope was fixed on the Biſhop of Rome, and the power eſtabliſhed by the conceſſion of Phocas in 606. His ſupremacy and infallibility were not paſſed into a decree till Leo X. in a packed ſynod at Lateran, A. D. 1516.
  • Porphyrians. a name given to the Arians in the fourth century, by authority of Conſtantine.
  • [] Porretani, the followers of Gilbert de la Porrée, Biſhop of Poictiers, condemned in the twelfth century for admitting a phyſical diſtinction between God and his attributes.
  • Praxeans, a ſect of heretics, ſo called from their author, Praxeas, who taught that there was no plurality of perſons in the Godhead, and that it was the Father himſelf that ſuffered upon the croſs.
  • Prayer, Lord's, was injoined in the churches firſt in A. D. 618.
  • Praying for the dead, was introduced by St. Auſtin in the ſixth century, A. D. 590.
  • Priſcillianiſts, ancient heretics, who aroſe in Spain, or rather were derived from Egypt, towards the end of the fourth century. They were charged with very abominable impurities.
  • Probabiliſts, a ſect or diviſion amongſt the Romaniſts, who adhere to the doctrine of probable opinions; holding, that a man is not always obliged to take the more probable ſide, but may take the leſs probable, if it be but barely probable. The Jeſuits and Moliniſts are ſtrenuous Probabiliſts. Thoſe who oppoſe this doctrine, and aſſert, that we are obliged, on pain of ſinning, always to take the more probable ſide, are called Probabilioniſts. The Janfeniſts, and particularly the Portroyaliſts, are Probabilioniſts.
  • Proteſtant, a name firſt given in Germany to thoſe who adhered to the doctrine of Luther; becauſe, in 1529, they proteſted againſt a decree of the Emperor Charles V. and the diet of Spires, and declared they would appeal to a general council.
  • Providence, God's continual preſervation and government of his creatures, according to their reſpective natures, commonly conſidered as general or particular. General providence ſignifies God's eſtabliſhing and upholding a conſtitution of things, ſubject to certain fixed and ſtated laws, by which the power of each part is directed, and the whole ſyſtem admirably connected and ſuſtained. Particular providence is God's producing ſome event by an immediate effect of his will and power, and which would not have been produced by thoſe fixed and ſtated laws.
  • Pſalm, a divine ſong or hymn. The denomination pſalm is now appropriated to the 150 pſalms of David, and the name canticle, or ſong, to other pieces of the ſame kind, compoſed by other prophets and patriarchs. Pope Celeſtin, about the year 423, was the firſt who introduced the ſinging of the Pſalms in anthems.
  • Pſatyrians, a ſect of Arians, who, in the council of Antioch, held in the year 360, maintained that the Son was not like the Father, as to will; that he was taken from nothing, or made of nothing; and that in God generation was not to be diſtinguiſhed from creation.
  • Purgatory, the doctrine of, was introduced about the year 1240, and the council of Trent firſt made it an article of faith.
Q.
  • QUietiſts, the diſciples of Mich. de Molinos, who made a great noiſe towards the cloſe of the laſt century. The name is taken from a ſort of ab [...]o [...]ute reſt and inaction, which the ſoul is ſuppoſed to be in when arrived at the ſtate of perfection, which, in their language, is called the unitive life. To arrive at this, a man is firſt to paſs through the purgative way; that is, through a courſe of obedience, inſpired by the fear of hell: hence he is to proceed into the illuminative way, before he arrives at perfection; to go through combats and violent pains, i. e. not only the uſual drineſſes of the ſoul, and the common privations of grace, but infernal pains; he believes himſelf damned; and the perſuaſion that he is ſo continues upon him very ſtrongly ſeveral years. St. Francis de Salis, ſay the Quietiſts, was ſo fully convinced thereof, that he would not allow any body to convince him therein. But the man is, at length, ſufficiently paid for all this, by the embraces of God, and his own deification. The ſentiments of the Quietiſts with regard to God are wonderfully pure and diſintereſted. They love him for himſelf, on account of his own perfections, independantly of any rewards and puniſhments. The ſoul acquieſces in the will of God, even at the time when he precipitates it into hell; inſomuch, that inſtead of ſtopping him upon this occaſion, B. Angelo de Foligny cried out, Haſte, Lord, to caſt me into hell; do not delay, if thou haſt abandoned me; but finiſh my deſtruction, and caſt me into the abyſs. At length the ſoul, after long travel, enters into reſt, into a perfect quietude. Here it is wholly employed in contemplating its God; it acts no more, thinks no more, deſires no more; but lies perfectly open, and at large, to receive the grace of God, who, by means thereof, drives it where it will, and as it will. In this ſtate it no longer needs prayers, or hymns, or vows; prayers where the Spirit labours, and the mouth opens, are the lot of the weak and the imperfect; the ſoul of the ſaint is, as it were, laid in the boſom, and between the arms of its God; where, without making any motion, or exerting any action, it waits and receives the divine grace. It then becomes happy: quitting the exiſtence it before had, it is now changed, it is transformed, and, as it were, ſunk and ſwallowed up in the Divine Being, inſomuch as not to know or perceive its being diſtinguiſhed from God himſelf. Fenelon, maximes des ſaints.
  • Quinquageſima Sunday, Shrove-Sunday, ſo called as being about the fiftieth day before Eaſter. Anciently they uſed Quinquageſima for Whitſunday, and for the fifty days between Eaſter and Whitſunday; but to diſtinguiſh this Quinquageſima from that before Eaſter, it was called the Paſchal Quinquageſima.
  • Quintilians, a ſect of ancient heretics, the ſame with the Pepuzians, thus called from their propheteſs Quintilia. In this ſect the women []were admitted to perform the ſacerdotal and epiſcopal functions, grounding their practice on that paſſage of St. Paul to the Galatians, where he ſays, that in Chriſt there is no diſtinction of males and females. They attributed extraordinary gifts to Eve, for having firſt caten of the tree of knowledge, told mighty things of Mary, the ſiſter of Moſes, as having been a propheteſs, &c. They added, that Philip the deacon had four daughters, who were all propheteſſes, and were doubtleſs of their ſect. In their aſſemblies it was uſual to ſee the virgins enter in white robes, perſonating propheteſſes. The Quintilians bore a good deal of reſemblance to the modern Quakers.
R.
  • RACA, or racha, a Syriac term, found in the goſpel of St. Matthew, ch. v. ver. 22. and preſerved in moſt tranſlations. Father Simon obſerves, that the Greek tranſlator of St. Matthew's goſpel retained the Syriac raka, which he found in the original, by reaſon it was very common among the Jews; and St. Jerom, Luther, the Engliſh tranſlators, thoſe of Geneva, Louvain, Port-Royal, Royal, &c. [...]ill preſerve it in their reſpective languages. F. Bouhors chuſes rather to expreſs the ſenſe thereof in a ſort of paraphraſe, thus: He that ſays to his brother, homme de peu de ſens, man of little underſtanding, ſhall deſerve to be condemned by the tribunal of the council, &c. Moſt tranſlators, except the Engliſh, and F. Simon, for raca write racha; but the former orthography ſeems the beſt founded, all the Latin copies having raca, and all the Greek ones [...], or, with Heſychius, [...], which is the ſame thing; all, I mean, but St. Irenaeus, and Beza's copy, now at Cambridge, which have [...]. In effect, the origin of the word ſhews it ſhould be raca, as coming from the Syriac raca, of the Hebrew rek, empty, ſhallow.
  • Reaſon, is that faculty of the ſoul whereby a perſon is enabled to judge of the natures, relations, and uſes of things; of the ſi [...]neſs of actions, and of the truth or falſehood of propoſitions, particularly thoſe of a moral nature.
  • Recollects, a congregation of reformed Franciſcans, called alſo Friars minor, of St. Francis, of the ſtrict obſervance. They were eſtabliſhed about the year 1530.
  • Reformation, attempted by the Albigenſes, &c. who were too weak to effect it, in the ele [...]enth century. It ſucceeded under Luther, 1517, and began in England in 1534.
  • Refugees. French Proteſtants, who, by the revocation of the edict of Nant [...], 1685, have been conſtrained to quit their country, and retire for refuge into Holland, Germany, England, &c. to ſave themſelves from the neceſſity of abandoning their religion.
  • Regeneration, the act of being born again, by a ſpiritual birth, or becoming a child of God.
  • [] Regular prieſt, is uſed for a prieſt who is in ſome religious order, in oppoſition to a ſecular prieſt, who lives in the world, or at large.
  • Rogation-Week, the week immediately preceding Whitſunday, thus called from three faſts therein, viz. on the Monday, Tueſday, and Wedneſday, called rogation-days, becauſe of the extraordinary prayers and proceſſions then made for the fruits of the earth.
  • Rynsburgers, ſo called from their meeting at Rynſburg. They obſerved the firſt Sunday of every month, inſtead of the firſt after the new moon, for celebrating the Lord's ſupper. They practiſed dipping or plunging in baptiſm, as the manner was among the primitive Chriſtians: they rebaptiſed ſuch as had been ſprinkled in their infancy, and rejected infant-baptiſm, as well as the Anabaptiſts, and with them maintained, that no Chriſtian ought to bear the office of a magiſtrate, or wage war. They uſed great liberties with reſpect to ſome myſterious, incomprehenſible, and, as they thought, for that reaſon, unneceſſary diſputes in religion; and would not be bound by any confeſſions of faith, either of the ancient or modern churches. As for the doctrine of predeſtination, they ſtuck to the opinions of the Remonſtrants, who denied abſolute unconditional election or reprobation.
S.
  • SAbbatarians, a ſect of the Baptiſts, who obſerve the Jewiſh or Saturday Sabbath, from a perſuaſion that it was one of the ten commandments, which they plead are all in their nature moral, was never abrogated in the New Teſtament, and muſt at leaſt be deemed of equal validity for public worſhip as any day never particularly ſet apart by Jeſus Chriſt or his apoſtles. There are Predeſtinarian and Arminian Sabbatarian Baptiſts at this day.
  • Sabbations, Sabbathiani, a ſect of heretics, thus called from Sabbatius, their leader, who lived in the reign of Diocleſian. He would have Eaſter kept on the fourteenth day of the moon; whence he and his adherents were called alſo Quartodecimans. They are recorded as having a great abhorrence of the left hand, ſo as to make it a point of religion not to receive any thing with it.
  • Sabellians, a ſect of erroneous Chriſtians, who commenced about the year 260, and who reduced the three perſons in the Trinity to three ſtates or relations, or rather reduced the whole Trinity to the one perſon of the Father, making the Word and the Holy Spirit to be only emanations or functions thereof. Epiphanius tells us, that the God of the Sabellians, whom they called the Father, reſembled the Son, and was a mere ſubſtraction, whereof the Son was the illuminative virtue or quality, and the Holy Ghoſt the warming virtue.
  • Saccophori, a ſect of ancient heretics, thus called becauſe they always went cloathed in ſackcloth, and affected a great deal of auſterity and penance.
  • [] Samoſatenians, a ſect of ancient Antitrinitarians, ſo called from their leader Paulus Samoſatenus, Biſhop of Antioch.
  • Sampſeans, ancient ſectaries, the ſame with the Elceſaites.
  • Saturninians, a ſect of ancient Gnoſtics, ſo called from their chief, Saturnillus, or Saturninus.
  • Saviour, order of St. Saviour, a religious order founded by St. Bridget, about 1344, and is under the rule of St. Auguſtin.
  • Scotiſts, a ſect of ſchool divines and philoſophers, thus called from their founder, J. Duns Sco [...]us, a Scottiſh or an Iriſh Cordelier, who maintained the immaculate conception of the Virgin, or that ſhe was born without original ſin, &c.
  • Selucians, a whimſical kind of heretics, called alſo Hermians, who imagined God was corporeal, that the elementary matter was coeternal with him, and that the human ſoul was formed by the angels of fire and air. They alſo denied that Jeſus Chriſt ſat on the right hand of God, and aſſerted that his reſidence was in the ſun, by which he enlightened and enlivened this earth.
  • Sembiani, a ſect of ancient heretics, ſo called from Sembius, or Sembianus, their leader, who condemned all uſe of wine, as evil of itſelf; per [...]uaded his followers, that wine was a production of Satan, and the earth; denied the reſurrection of the dead, and rejected moſt of the books of the Old [...]eſtament.
  • Septuageſima, the third Sunday before Lent, or before the Quadrageſima, as Quinquageſima is the next before Quadrageſima; then Sexageſima and Septuageſima; which were all days appropriated by the church to acts of penance and mortification, by way of preparation for the devotions of Lent enſuing.
  • Septuagint, ſeventy, a term for a verſion of the Old Teſtament out of Hebrew into Greek, performed by ſeventy-two Jewiſh interpreters, in obedience to the order of Ptolemy Philadelphus, a King of Egypt. The chronology of the Septuagint is an account of the years of the world, very different from what is found in the Hebrew text and the Vulgate, making the world 1466 years older than it is found in theſe latter.
  • Severiani. There are two ſects of heretics ſo called; the firſt, who are as old as the beginning of the third century, were an impure branch of Gnoſtics, thus called from their chief, Severus. The ſecond, by [...]ome called Severites, were a ſect of Acephali, or Eutychians: the [...] leaner, Se [...]erus, was preferred to the ſee of Antioch, in 513, where he did his utmoſt to ſet aſide the council of Chalcedon.
  • Simonians, a ſ [...]ct of Chriſtians, the firſt who diſturbed the Chriſtian church. They were [...] more [...] mere philoſophers, and made pret [...]nſio [...]s [...]magic. Simon Magus, ſo often mentioned in the Act of the Apoſtles, was th [...]r [...]. He patched up a kind of medle [...] ſyſtem [...] of the phi [...]ſ [...]phy of P [...]ato, the reli [...]ious maxims of the Heathens, and of Chriſtianity. From the Pl [...]toniſts they ſeem to have borrowed the peculiar ſentiments they entertained []of the angels, whereby they were led to that undue veneration of them, as even to pay them divine worſhip, and repreſented them as mediators between God and men; to which ſuperſtitious worſhip of angels St. Paul ſeems to allude in the epiſtle to the Col [...]ſſians. This was encouraged in a greater degree by the Gnoſtics.
  • Socinians, a modern ſect of Antitrinitarians, who, in theſe ages, have revived ſome of the errors of Paulus Samoſatenus, Photinus, and Arius; whence they are alſo occaſionally called Artans, Photinians, &c. though in many reſpects they are different from them all. Fauſtus Socinus, a gentleman of Sienna, gave original to the name. They all deny, not only the divinity of Chriſt, but the exiſtence of the Hol, Ghoſt, the myſtery of the incarnation, original ſin, and grace. They are divided into ſeveral parties: ſome of them leave Socinus, as to what reqares the worſhip offered to Jeſus Chriſt, not being able to conceive how divine worſhip ſhould be given a mere m [...]n; and ſome in other points.
  • Solitaries, a denomination of the nuns of St. Peter of Alcantara, inſtituted in 1676 by Cardinal B [...]b [...]rin [...], when abbot of Notre Dame de Faiſa, in that city. They imitate the ſevere peni [...]ent life of St. Peter of Alcantara, keep a continual ſilence, and employ their time wholly in ſpiritual exerciſes. They always go bare-footed, without ſandals, gird themſelves with a thick cord, and wear no linen.
  • Sunday, low, in the Chriſtian church, is the octave, or the firſt Sunday after Eaſter-day. It is called Low Sunday, becauſe it was celebrated as a feaſt, though of a lower degree than Eaſter itſelf, it being cuſtomary on this day to repeat part of the ſolemnity uſed on Eaſter-day. The Latin calls [...]is Sunday Dominica in albis, or rather poſt albis (ſ [...]. de [...]oſita [...]) as ſome ritual [...]ſts call it, i. e. the Sunday of putting off th [...] chryſomes; becauſe thoſe who were baptiſed on Eaſter day, on this day laid aſide the white robe, or chryſome, which they wore at their baptiſm, and which was from that time to be la [...]d up in the churches, that it might be produced as evidences againſt them, if they ſhould afterwards violate or deny that faith they had profeſſed in baptiſm.
T.
  • TAborites, or Thaborites, a branch or ſect of the ancient Huſſites, who carried the point of reformation farther than Huſs had done. They rejected purgatory, aur [...]cular confeſſion, the unction at baptiſm, tranſubſtantiation, &c.
  • Terminiſts, a ſect or party among the Calviniſts, whoſe particular tenets are reducible to five points. 1. That there are ſeveral perſons, both in and out of the church, to whom God has fixed a certain term before their death, after which he no longer wills their ſalvation, how long ſoever they live afterwards. 2. That God has fixed this fatal term of grace by a ſecret decree. 3. That []this term once elapſed, he makes them no farther offer of repentance or ſalvation, but takes away from his word all the power it might have to convert them. 4. That Pharaoh, Saul, Judas, moſt of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles, were of this number. 5. That God ſtill bears with ſeveral of thoſe ſort of people, and even confers benefits upon them after the term is expured; but that he does not do it with an intention they ſhould be converted.
  • Trinity-Sunday, the next Sunday aſter Whitſunday, thus called becauſe on that day was anciently held a feſtival, as it ſtill continues to be in the Romiſh church, in honour of the Holy Prinity.
  • Trisſacramentarians, an appellation given to a ſect in religion, who admit of three ſacraments, and no more.
  • Tritheiſm, the opinion of the Tritheiſts, or the hereſy of believing three Gods. It conſiſts of not only allowing of three perſons in the Godhead, but of three ſubſtances, three eſſences, or hypoſtaſes, and indeed three Gods.
  • Tropites, a ſect who explained the ſcriptures, altogether by tropes and figures of ſpeech.
  • Tropites, a ſect who maintained that the Word was turned or converted into fleſh, or into man.
V.
  • VAlentinians, a ſect of erroneous Chriſtians, even in the 1ſt century, followers of Valentinus, who, from nice and witty, or ſophiſtical diſtinctions, imbibed and profeſſed much of the principles of Pythagoras and Plato, to which he endeavoured to accommodate all their interpretations of ſcripture, and were no other than a ſect of the Gnoſtics.
  • Ubiquiſts, a ſect of Lutherans in Germany, whoſe diſtinguiſhing doctrine was, that the body of Jeſus Chriſt is every where, and in every place.
  • Unitarians, a name given to, or aſſumed by, Antitrinitarians, as making profeſſion to preſerve the glory and attributes of divinity, to the one only great and ſupreme God, and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
  • Urſulines, an order of nuns, who obſerve the rule of St. Auguſtine, and are chiefly noted for taking upon them the education and inſtruction of young maids. They take their name from their inſtitutrix, St. Urſula, and are cloathed in white and black. Few maids in France but are put to ſchool to them.
  • Vulgate, a very antient Latin tranſlation of the Bible, and the only one the church of Rome acknowledges authentic.
W.
  • WHitſuntide, the fiftieth day after Eaſter. The ſeaſon, properly called Pentecoſt, is popularly called Whitſuntide; ſome ſay, becauſe in the primitive church, thoſe who were newly baptiſed []came to church, between Eaſter and Pentecoſt, in white garments. Whitſunday always falls between May 9, and June 14, excluſive.
Z.
  • ZUINGLIANS, a branch of ancient reformers, or proteſtants, denominated from their leader U [...]ri [...] Zuinglius. This eminent divine was born at Wildehauſen, in the county of Toggenburgh, in Switzerland, in 1487. Soon after Luther took up arms againſt Rome, Zuinglius joined him, preached openly againſt indulgences, then againſt the interceſſion of the ſaints, then againſt the maſs, the hierarchy, the vows and celebate of the clergy, abſtinence from fleſh &c. As to the euchariſt, interpreting hoc eſt corpus meum, by h [...] ſignificat corpus meum; he maintained, that the bread and wine were o [...]ly bare ſignifications, or repreſentations of the body and blood of Jeſus Chriſt; but in this he differed from Luther, who held a conſubſtantiation. In a conference held with the deputies of the Biſhop of Conſtance, in 1523, he procured moſt of the external ceremonies of religion to be aboliſhed As to matters of grace, Zuinglius ſeemed inclined to Pelagi [...]niſm, giving all to free-will, conſidered as acting by the mere ſtrength of nature, in which he differed from Calvin.

CONCLUSION.

THUS having given a full account, not only of the pure and undefiled religion inſtituted by the Redeemer of mankind, but alſo of the various ſects and parties which have ariſen in the Chriſtian church, from ſuperadding to, or abſtracting from, or erroneouſly underſtanding or interpreting the ſcriptures, on the one hand, or from ſuperſtition or fran [...]ic enthuſiaſm on the other, many readers (before not much verſed in [...]ſe matter.) may be apt to think lightly of religion itſelf, from the weakneſs or knavery of its profeſſors, and conceive an opinion, that ſcriptures ſo indeterminate, and capable of ſuch various ſenſes, are not to [...]e depended upon as the rule of faith and practice, and the guide to eternal ſalvation. To ſuch I would addreſs the few following words.

Amidſt the ſeveral religious parties in the world, there is ſuch a thing as true religion, abſtracted from the conſideration of all thoſe parties, and which the ſenſible and virtuous part of mankind are of, conſiſting in a reverential regard to the Supreme Being, and in ſeeking, by the practice of virtue, to ſecure his approbation in this ſtate, and in any future ſtate of exiſtence.

The excellent faculties and powers men are endued with, the vaſt improvements they are capable of, and the deſire, if they are []virtuous, and apprehenſions, if vicious, of an hereafter, ſeem, at leaſt, to be ſtrong preſumptions of ſuch a ſtate: and certainly, if there may be a future ſtate, and much more if it be probable there will, we ought to have a regard to it in our actions and conduct in this life. In ſuch a ſtate of things, where vice and bigotry ſeem almoſt to divide the world between them, a wiſe man will take care that he be neither irreligious or profane on the one hand, nor a bigot or enthuſiaſt on the other. Among the ſeveral ſorts of what are called revelations, I am aſſured you will find the Chriſtian to be moſt agreeable to reaſon and the nature of things, and, if rightly underſtood, to be a moſt perfect repreſentation of all moral virtues. I adviſe you therefore to cultivate a veneration for the writings wherein it is contained, and for its divine Author. Difference of ſtile, difference of cuſtoms, and the different tenets of mankind, in different ages and countries, may, as you have ſeen, together with ſome corruptions and interpolations, have occaſioned much obſcurity to us in ſeveral parts of theſe books; but all the rules of a good life and virtuous conduct are ſufficiently plain and intelligible. Public worſhip, if for the good of mankind in general, as we know it is, ought to be kept up, though the manner of it, in ſome religious aſſemblies, may be lame and defective, and in others too ſuperſtitious. I adviſe you therefore diligently to ſearch the oracles of truth, and to work out your ſalvation with fear and [...]embling, from thoſe excellent ſources. If you inquire with an unprejudiced and candid mind, after imploring the divine aſſiſtance, you will find what you ſeek; you will know and learn to practiſe your duty towards God and towards man, and will, with the poet, come to this concluſion:

For modes of faith let zealous bigots fight;
His can't be wrong whoſe life is in the right.

Thank Providence, we live in a country, and under a government, where we may freely exerciſe our reaſoning faculties, may all worſhip God in the way we are convinced is right; and, though we may differ in ſome points of doctrine and diſcipline, we are all, after our ſeveral peculiar modes, preſſing forward to the ſame great [...]nd, "to the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus." Let ſome ſects give up their reaſon; let others even diſcard the ſcriptures, on which our religion is founded; we will ſtill pity and pray for them, but neither hate nor perſecute them; and, inſtead of adhering to the dogmas of men as fallible as ourſelves, we will apply for light and truth where they are to be found, and remember, with the great Chillingworth, that the Bible, the Bible alone, is the religion of Proteſtants.

FINIS.

Appendix A

[]
CONTENTS of VOL. I.
  • PREFACE, with an account of the work, p. i—xxiv. INTRODUCTION, p. xxv—cxxviii.
  • CHAP. I. Of the promulgation of Chriſtianity. The eſtabliſhment of churches, particularly of the church of Rome; containing the moſt remarkable tranſactions of that church, and the variations in the conſtitutions, doctrine, worſhip, and ceremonies thereof, for ſeventeen centuries, p. 1—128.
  • CHAP. II. Of the preſent conſtitution, diſcipline, doctrine, worſhip, and ceremonies of the church of Rome, p. 129—258.

    Pope Pius's creed, with remarks, p. 138, & ſ. Of prayer and preaching in an unknown tongue, 183. Of their prohibiting the uſe of the ſcripture, &c. &c. ibid. Of indulgences, 187. — for the dead, 188. Of oaths of allegiance to foreign Princes, 189. Of perſecution by the church of Rome, 195. Of the worſhip of the church of Rome, 206. Of the altar, 207. Of the divine ſervice, canonical hours, &c. 208. Of the ceremonies of the maſs, 209. Of the adoration of the hoſt, 215. The ſolemn maſs celebrated by the Pope, 218. Of ſaying the maſs in Latin, 222. Of the proceſſion on Good Friday, ibid. The prone or homily, 223. Of devotion to the bleſſed virgin, 224. Of the uſe of beads, the roſary, &c. ibid. Of the invocation of angels and ſaints, ibid. Of the uſe and veneration of relics, 225. Of miracles performed by or before images, 226. Of carrying the croſs before the Pope, 228. Of the conſecration of croſſes, 229. Of the adoration of the croſs, 230. Of the ſign of the croſs, 231. Of faſts, Lents, ſaints days, &c. 232. Of exorciſms and benedictions, &c. 234, 235. Of the variety of religious orders, &c. 235. Of waſhing the poor's feet, 236. Of bowing at the name of Jeſus, 237. Of burning lamps, &c. before ſhrines, &c. 240. Of votive offerings, 241. Of incenſe, ibid. Of holy water, 242. Of the canonization of ſaints. 243. Of proceſſions to St. Peter's church, 244. Of the benediction of the pontifical robes, 245. — thoſe appointed to the holy war, ibid. — images, 246. — bells, ibid.

    The hiſtory of the Greek church, p. 247—256. Summary of its belief and practice, 250, & ſeq.

    The articles of faith of the French or Gallican church, p. 255, & ſ.

  • []

    CHAP. III. Of the ſtate of knowledge and religion in Britain, more particularly from the firſt propagation and co [...]equent eſtabliſhment of Chriſtianity, to the commencement of the reign of William the Conqueror, p. 259—341.

    Venerable Bede, his character, p. 279. Univerſity of Oxford founded, 298. Synod at London, A. D. 944, 307. A table of Kings and Queens from anno 445 to 1764, 338—341.

  • CHAP. IV. Of the ſtate of knowledge and religion in Great Britain from the reign of William the Conqueror, 1066, to the reign of Richard I. p. 342—359.
CONTENTS of VOL. II.
  • CHAP. I. Of the ſtate of knowledge and religion in Great Britain, from the reign of King Richard I, 1189, to the concluſion of the reign of Edward III. when Wickliffe attempted a reformation in England, p. 1—92.
  • CHAP. II. Of the neceſſity of a reformation from the errors of the church of Rome, in doctrine, diſcipline, worſhip, and ceremonies, p. 93—102.
  • CHAP. III. Of the riſe and progreſs of the reformation in Germany, in the United Netherlands, &c. interſperſed with the lives of ſome of the principal reformers, p. 103—186.

    Life of Jerom of Prague, p. 108, & ſeq. — of Ulricus Zuinglius, 110. — of Martin Luther, 115. — of Eraſmus, 123, — of John Oecolampadius, 124. Confeſſion of Augſburgh, 128. Life of Henry Bullinger, 131. — of John Calvin, ibid. Progreſs of Calviniſm, 141. Life of Philip Melancthon, 144. — of Theodore Beza, 153. Proceedings of the ſynod of Dort, 168.

  • CHAP. IV. Of the riſe, progreſs, and ſuppreſſion of the reformation in France, from 1550 to 1688, p. 187—257.
  • CHAP. V. Of the ſtate of knowledge and religion in England, from the reign of King Richard II. 1377, to the end of the reign of Henry VII. 1509, with the hiſtory, character, and memoirs of Dr. John Wickliffe, p. 258—368.

    Proceedings againſt Sir John Oldcaſtle, Lord Cobham, p. 282. — of the council of Conſtance, 284. Anecdotes of Archbiſhop Chicheley, 297 and note. Proceedings of the council of Baſil, 298. Some account of Dean Colet, 354. The life of Dr. John Wickliffe, 357.

  • []

    CHAP. VI. Of the life and reign of King Henry VIII. and the ſtate of religion from 1509 to 1547, p. 368—478.

    College of phyſicians inſtituted and endowed, p. 385, note. Henry acknowledged ſupreme head of the church by the clergy, 402. Account of the Maid of Kent, 416. Act of ſupremacy, 420. General viſitation of the monaſteries, 424. Act for ſuppreſſing the leſſer monaſteries, 440. Articles of faith ſet forth by the convocation, 441.

CONTENTS of VOL. III.
  • Continuation of CHAP. VI. of VOL. II. and of the life and reign of Henry VIII. p. 1—63.

    An account of John Nicholſon, otherwiſe John Lambert, p. 1. Act to confirm the diſſolution of monaſteries, 7. Six new ſees founded, 9. Act of the ſix articles, or the ſtatute of blood, 11. Private perſons allowed to have Bibles in their families, 14. Account of the knights of St. John of Jeruſalem, 19. Colleges, hoſpitals, &c. ſuppreſſed, 46. Proceedings in the council of Trent, 47 and 154. Anne Aſcough burned, 54.

  • CHAP. VII. The life and reign of Edward VI. and the ſtate of religion from 1547 to 1553, p. 64—168.

    General viſitation of churches in England, p. 74. Communion in both kinds eſtabliſhed, 82. Marriage of the clergy allowed, 85 and 95. The new communion office publiſhed. 88. A new liturgy compiled, and all preaching inhibited till its eſtabliſhment, 89. Act of uniformity, 94. Lord Sudley, the protector's brother, attainted and beheaded, 98. Joan Boacher burned, 100. Meaſures taken to inforce the act of uniformity, 101. Acts in favour of the reformation, 117. A new ordinal eſtabliſhed, 118. Arrival of Peter Martyr, and other foreigners, 124. Account of John à Laſco and his followers, 126. Anabaptiſm propagated by Popiſh emiſſaries, 128. Biſhop Hooper ſcruples the uſe of the epiſcopal robes, 130. Calvin intermeddles in the diſpute thereon, 133. Famous ſwearing ſickneſs, 138, note. The Protector tried and beheaded. 139. Articles of religion publiſhed, 149. The liturgy revived and authoriſed, 150. The reformation introduced into Ireland, 158. The Pſalms tranſlated into metre, 159.

  • CHAP. VIII. Of the life and reign of Queen Mary, and the ſtate of religion from 1553 to 1558, with an account of the principal reformers who flouriſhed about that time, p. 168—314.

    Mary deprives Biſhops by her own authority, 176. The reformed clergy deprived, 180. The Queen iſſues a proclamation concerning []religion, 181. And encourages Popery, 183 King Edward's laws annulled, 188. Foreigners and others quit the realm, 193. The married clergy turned out of their livings, 194. Wyat's inſurrection, 196. The Pope's legate admitted, and the la [...]ty's poſſeſſion of church lands confirmed, 211. Laws againſt the Lollards revived, 212. Burnings for religion, 214. Perſ [...]cutions of the reformed, 218. Biſhops Ridley and Latimer burnt. 220. Archbiſhop Cranmer recants; but is burned, 225. Proceedings of the Engliſh refugees abroad, 228. The bones o [...] Bucer and Fagius dug up, 239. Loſs of Calais, 249. The life of John Rogers, 261. — of Laurence Saunders, 265. — of Dr. John Hooper, 270. — of Dr. Rowland Taylor, 276. — of John Bradford, 282. — of Biſhop Ridley, 287. — of Biſhop Latimer, 293. — of Peter Martyr, 298. — of Archbiſhop Cranmer, 309.

  • CHAP. IX. Of the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth, and the ſtate of religion from 1558 to 1603, p. 314—415.

    A proclamation forbidding preaching, p. 321. A diſputation between the Papiſts and Proteſtants at Weſtminſter, 329. Account of the Biſhops who refuſed the oath of ſupremacy, 360 and 361. The Queen's it junctions, 364. Conſecration of Archbiſhop Parker and other Prelates, 367. Biſhop Jewel's famous challenge, 369. Letter of Pope Pius IV. to the Queen, 372. Articles to be owned by the clergy, 373. Abbey of Weſtminſter diſſolved, 375. Popiſh colleges for Engliſh youth erected abroad, 386. The firſt Preſbytery in England, 390. Sect of the family of Love, 392. Riſe of the Browniſts, 396. Hacker, the blaſphemer, account of, 403. Great plague in London, 405. Elizabeth's death and character, 411.

  • CHAP. X. Of the life and reign of King James I. and the ſtate of religion from 1603 to 1625, p. 415—422.

    New tranſlation of the Bible, p. 419, Death and character of James, p. 422.

  • CHAP. XI. Of the life and reign of King Charles I. and the ſtate of religion from 1625 to 1660, to the reſtoration of Charles II. p. 422—456.

    Meeting of the Long-parliament, 435. Conference between the King and Mr. Henderſon, 448. Death and character of Charles I. p. 451.

  • CHAP. XII. Of the ſtate of religion in England, from the reſtoration in 1660, to the revolution in 1689, p.457—478.

    []Act of uniformity, p. 458. Famous five mile act, 460. Writ de heretico comburendo taken away, 463. Reign of James II. 464—478.

CONTENTS of VOL. IV.
  • CHAP. XIII. Of the ſtate of religion from the revolution 1689, to the death of King George II. 1760, p. 1—34.

    Of the Nonjuring Biſhops, p. 2. Act for toleration, 3. Firſt-fruits and tenths granted to the poor clergy, 10. Account of the French prophets, 13. Affair of Dr. Sacheverel, 15. Acceſſion of George I. 21. Proceedings of the convocation, 22. Occaſional conformity and ſchiſm acts repealed, 24. Act in favour of the Quakers, 28. Proceedings againſt Biſhop Atterbury, 31.

  • The HISTORY of the church of SCOTLAND, p. 34—94.

    Account of the Seceders, p. 71. Burghers and Antiburghers, 87. The government, worſhip, and diſcipline of the church of Scotland, 94—111. Faith and doctrines of the church of Scotland, 111—114.

  • The HISTORY of the PRESBYTERIANS, p. 114—149.

    Principal articles of faith of the Preſbyterians, p. 149—160. Preſbyterian profeſſion of faith, 160.

  • The HISTORY of the INDEPENDENTS, p. 174—192

    Church government, &c. of the Independents, p. 187. Mr. Bradbury's confeſſion, 189.

  • The HISTORY of the BAPTISTS, 193—230.

    Method of baptiſing, p. 205. Belief of the particular Baptiſts, 208. — of the General Baptiſts, 214. Method of ordaining miniſters and deacons, 226.

  • The HISTORY of the QUAKERS, p. 230—240.

    Of the religious principles of the Quakers, p. 240. Their church-diſcipline and government, 246. Epiſtle from their annual meeting, 259.

  • ACCOUNT of the NONJURORS, p 263.
  • HISTORY of the LUTHERANS, p. 266.
  • []

    The HISTORY of the METHODISTS, p. 266—329.

    Principles and character of a Methodiſt, p. 267—275.

  • The HISTORY of the ANTINOMIANS, p. 329—337.

    Account of Dr. Tobias Criſpe, p. 330. And of Mr. John Saltmarſh, ibid. A remarkable dialogue, 336.

  • The HISTORY of the MORAVIANS, p. 338—351.

    Tenets of the Moravians, p. 351, & ſeq.

  • A DICTIONARY of SECTS of leſſer note, not mentioned in the foregoing work, of the principal religious orders, offi [...], days, rites, cuſtoms, habits, characters, &c. &c. and an explanation of ſome obſcure words and phraſes.
  • CONCLUSION.

Appendix B ERRATUM.

In the Hiſtory of the QUAKERS, vol. iv. p. 237, note the 2d, inſtead of † Ibid. p. 594, read, † Neale, vol. iv. p. 536. But I find Neale took the addreſs to King James from Eachard, and that it is not authentic. The ſubſtance of the real addreſs may be ſeen in Tindal's Rapin, vol. ii. p. 742. In the next edition of my work, it ſhall be inſerted, and the other expunged.

Notes
*
Theſe were William Sancroft Archbiſhop of Canterbury, Robert Frampton Biſhop of Glouceſter, Francis Turner Biſhop of Ely, William Lloyd Biſhop of Norwich, Thomas Ken Biſhop of Bath and Wells, Thomas White Biſhop of Peterborough, John Lake Biſhop of Chicheſter, and William Thomas Biſhop of Worceſter. Among the temporal Peers, Henry Cave [...]diſh Duke of Newcaſtle, Henry Hyde Earl of Clarendon, Edward-Henry Lee Earl of Litchfield, John Cecil Earl of Exeter, William Paſton Earl of Yarmouth, with the Lords Griffin and Stawel, alſo refuſed to ſwear to William and Mary.
*
Dr. Charles Leſlie, in his laſt letter to Biſhop Burnet, gives the true riſe of this project in favour of the poor clergy.
*
Three Camiſars, or Proteſtants, from the Cevennois, having made their eſcape and repaired to London, acquired about this time the appellation of French Prophets, from their enthuſiaſtic geſticulations, effuſions, and convulſions; and even formed a ſect of their countrymen. The French refugees, ſcandalized at their behaviour, and authoriſed by Henry Compton, Biſhop of London, as Superior of the French congregations, reſolved to enquire into the commiſſion of theſe pretended Prophets, whoſe names were Elias Marion, John Cavallier, and Durand Fage: and they were declared impoſtors and counterfeits. Notwithſtanding this deciſion, which was confirmed by the Biſhops, they continued their aſſemblies in Soho, under the countenance of Sir Richard Bulkley and John Lacy. They reviled the miniſters of the eſtabliſhed church; they denounced judgments againſt the city of London, and the whole Britiſh nation; and publiſhed their predictions, compoſed of unintelligible jargon. Then they were proſecuted at the expence of the French churches, as diſturbers of the public peace, and falſe prophets. They were ſentenced to pay a fine of twenty marks each, and ſtand twice on a ſcaffold, with papers on their breaſts denoting their offence: a ſentence which was executed accordingly at Charing-croſs and the Royal Exchange.
*
The ſubſtance of the articles againſt the Doctor was, 1. That he had ſuggeſted, and maintained, that the neceſſary means uſed to bring about the revolution were odious and unjuſtifiable. 2. That the act of toleration was unreaſonable, and the allowance of it unwarrantable. 3. That the church of England was in a ſtate of great peril and adverſity under her Majeſty's adminiſtration. 4. That her Majeſty's adminiſtration, both in eccleſiaſtical and civil affairs, tended to the deſtruction of the conſtitution, &c. Theſe articles were drawn from a ſermon the Doctor had preached at the aſſizes at Derby, on Auguſt 15, and another he had preached at St. Paul's before Sir Samuel Garrard Lord Mayor of London, on November 5, this year.
In the courſe of the trial, Thomas Earl of Wharton obſerved, that if the revolution was not lawful, many in the houſe of Peers, and many others, were guilty of blood, murder, rapine, and injuſtice; and that the Queen herſelf was no lawful Sovereign, ſince that the beſt title ſhe had to the crown was her parliamentary title founded upon the revolution. The Earl of Scarborough ſaid, that the revolution was a nice point, and above the law: and Hooper, Biſhop of Bath and Wells, allowed that the revolution was not to be boaſted of, nor made a precedent, and thoſe who examined it too nicely were no friends to it. The Duke of Leeds diſtinguiſhed between reſiſtance and revolution; for had not the laſt ſucceeded, it would certainly have been rebellion, ſince he knew of no other but hereditary right. Burnet, Biſhop of Sarum, who was no friend to Sacheverel, and remarkable for an accidental abſence of mind and unguarded expreſſion, affirmed, that the Doctor, in reflecting upon the Queen's miniſters, had ſo well marked a Peer there preſent [the Earl of S—nd—d] by the epithet of Volpone, in one of his ſermons, that it was not poſſible to miſtake him. Some of the young Peers could not help laughing at this undeſigned ſarcaſm upon the Lord Treaſurer, and exclaimed, "Name him, name him!" but the Chancellor interrupted, declaring, that no Peer was obliged to ſay more than he ſhould think proper.
*
In the beginning of this year, the Rev. Mr. Laurence Howel was convicted, at the Old Bailey, of writing a pamphlet, intitled, "The ſtate of ſchiſm in the church of England truly ſtated;" in which he affirmed that the eſtabliſhed church was ſchiſmatical ſince the deprivation of the primate and the other Biſhops at the revolution. He received ſentence to pay a fine of 500 l. to the King; to remain in priſon for three years; to find four ſureties of 500l. each, and to be bound himſelf in 1000l. for his good behaviour during liſe, to be twice whipped, to be degraded, and ſtripped of his gown by the common executioner.
*
The clergymen who ſigned this petition were, Robert Moſs, D. D. preacher at Gray's Inn, and Dean of Ely; John Harris, Lecturer of Gray's Inn; Joſeph Watſon, D. D. Rector of St. Stephen, Walbrook; S. Gatwick, Rector of Queenhythe; Hen. Foſter, Curate of Bridewell; F. Stanard, Curate of St. Bride's; Philip Vaughan; Thomas Cooch, Curate of St. Mary's, Aldermanbury; Luke Milbourn, Curate of St. Martin's, Ludgate; N. Baillie, Curate of St. Michael's, Queenbythe; J. Betts, Curate of Chriſt church: J. Abbot, Lecturer of St. Andrew's, Holborn; W. Berryman, Lecturer of Allhallows, Staining: W. Thorold, Rector of St. Martin's, Ludgate; W. Bedford, Rector of St. George's, Botolph lane; R. Roderich, Rector of St. Michael's, Baſſiſhaw; R. Altham, D.D. Rector of St. Helen's near Biſhopſgate; J. Pelling, Rector of St. Ann's, Weſtminſter; F. Aſtry, Rector of St. James's, Garlickhythe; J. Marſhal, LL. D. preacher at St. George's chapel; F. Brown, Rector of St. Margaret Pattens; J. Richardſon, Rector of Allhallows, London-wall; J. Hay, Vicar of —, in Cateatonſtreet; T. Wroughton, Rector of Swithin; J. Graſty, Rector of St. James's, Duke's place; J. Roper, Rector of St. Nicholas's, Coleabby; R. Scar, of St. Alban's, Woodſtreet; J. Trapp, Lecturer of St. Martin's in the Fields; and John Smith, Rector of St. Mary's, Aldermanbury.
*
Of thoſe ſo taken into cuſtody none were proſecuted but Chriſtopher Layer, Eſq who was convicted of high treaſon, at the King's-bench, on Nov. 21, and, after ſeveral reſpites, executed at Tyburn, on May 17 following: and the Rev. Mr. George Kelly, with Mr. John Plunket, who by bills of pains and penalties were ſubjected to cloſe confinement during his Majeſty's pleaſure, and, if they attempted to eſcape, to pains of death; to which their aſſiſtants were made liable. However, Mr. Kelly made his eſcape in 1736.
Dr. Henry Sacheverel, who died on June 5, 1724, and had been aſſiſted by the Biſhop of Rocheſter, at his trial before recited, left his Lordſhip a legacy of five hundred pounds.
*
Miller's Propagation of Chriſtianity, vol. ii. p. 63.
Neal's Hiſtory of the Puritans, vol. i. p. 163.
*
Calderwood ſays the beginning of July.
*
Robertſon's Hiſtory of Scotland, vol. i. p. 212. Knox, 259.
*
See vol. ii. pag. 121, 131, & ſeq. of this work.
*
Spotſwood, 158.
*
Robertſon, 215. Keith 498.
Robertſon, 215.
*
Robertſon, vol. ii. p. 74.
*
Spotſwood, 433. Cald. 189, 233. Robertſon, pag. 203, 204.
*
Spotſwood, 450. Robertſon, 208.
Spotſwood, 454. Robertſon, 214.
Kimber's Life of Oliver Cromwell, 6th edit. p. 175.
*
Neal's Hiſtory of the Puritans, vol. iv. p. 53.
*
See the Weſtminſter form of Preſbyterial church-government.
*
See the Weſtminſter form of Preſbyterial church-government.
*
See the Weſtminſter form of Preſbyterial church-government.
*
See the Weſtminſter form of Preſbyterial church-government.
*
But, agreeable to their old maxims, the general aſſembly own no ſpiritual headſhip in the civil power, and in 1746 they met before the High Commiſſioner's commiſſion came down, and directly proceeded to buſineſs, after chuſing a Moderator.
*
Vide the Weſtminſter Directory to the public worſhip of God.
*
Or vide Collections and obſervations methodized, concerning the worſhip, diſcipline, and government of the church of Scotland, by Walter Stuart. 4to. Edinburgh, 1709.
*
Chamberlayne's preſent ſtate, edit. 17, 1755.
*
See vol. ii. p. 123, 131—142, of this work.
*
Aſſembly's Catechiſm.
*
See vol. iii. of this work, p. 382, & ſeq.
Neal's Hiſtory of the Puritans, vol. i. p. 235.
*
Theſe lecturers were chiefly Puritans, who not being ſatisfied with a full conformity, ſo as to take upon them a cure of ſouls, only preached in the afternoon, being choſen and maintained by the people. They were ſtrict Calviniſts, warm and affectionate preachers, and diſtinguiſhed themſelves by a religious obſervation of the Lord's day, by a bold oppoſition to Popery and the new ceremonies, and by an uncommon ſeverity of life. The King by Laud's procurement laid them under ſuch difficulties that they were ſoon ſilenced, ſuch as, that the afternoon-ſervice be turned into catechiſing; that every lecturer read divine ſervice, before lecture, in his ſurplice and hood; that they preach in gowns, and not in cloaks; that no lecturer be admitted that is not ready and willing to take upon him a living, with a cure of ſouls, &c. &c. &c. And ſuch as preached againſt Arminianiſm or the ceremonies were ſuſpended.
*
Baxter's Life, p. 26, 31, &c.
*
Neale's Puritans, vol. iii. p. 295.
Biſhop Kennet.
*
The deſign of this paper was to change the government into a kind of a commonwealth, without a King and houſe of Lords. It was tendered to the nation by the officers of the army. It provided amongſt other matters for a toleration.
*
Theſe were Doctors Reynolds, Spurſtow, Wallis, Manton, Bates; and Meſſ. Calamy, Aſhe, Caſe, Baxter and Woodbridge.
"No period of time, ſince the reformation, had more of the ſpirit and appearance of religion, nor leſs open profaneneſs and impiety, (than under the late governments). Perhaps there was a little too much rigour and preciſeneſs in indifferent matters, which might be thought running into a contrary extreme. But the luſts of men were laid under a very great reſtraint; better laws were never made againſt vice, and never better put in execution. The dreſs, the language and converſation of people was ſober and virtuous, and their manner of houſe-keeping remarkably frugal. There was hardly a ſingle bankruptcy to be heard of in a year: the vices of drunkenneſs, fornication, profane ſwearing, and every kind of debauchery, were baniſhed, and out of faſhion. The clergy were laborious to exceſs in preaching and praying, in catechiſing youth, and viſiting their pariſhes. The magiſtrates did their duty in ſuppreſſing all kinds of games, ſtage-plays, and abuſes in public houſes. There was not a play acted in England for almoſt twenty years. The Lord's day was obſerved with unuſual ſtrictneſs, and there were a ſet of as learned and pious youths in the univerſity as had been known. So that if ſuch a reformation of manners had obtained under a legal adminiſtration, they would have deſerved the character of the beſt of times." —"But when the legal conſtitution was reſtored, there came in with it a torrent of all kinds of debauchery and wickedneſs. Men ſet no bounds to their vicious appetites. Two play-houſes were erected, women-actreſſes introduced upon the Engliſh ſtage; the moſt lewd and obſcene plays were acted; nothing was to be ſeen at court but feaſting, hard drinking, revelling, and amorous intrigues, which produced the moſt enormous vices. The common people threw off the very profeſſion of virtue and piety: the appearance of religion in any one furniſhed matter of ridicule to the profane mockers of real piety. To appear ſerious, to make a conſcience of one's words and actions, was the way to be avoided as a ſchiſmatic, a ſanatic, or a ſectarian. They who did not applaud the revived ceremonies were marked out for Preſbyterians, and every Preſbyterian was a rebel. The reſtored perſons were notoriouſly vicious and ſcandalous. Such was the general diſſoluteneſs of manners which attended the tide of joy that overflowed the nation upon his Majeſty's reſtoration." Neale, and to the ſame effect all other hiſtorians.
*
On the part of the Biſhops were Dr. Sheldon Biſhop of London; Morley of Worceſter; Henchman of Saliſbury; Coſins of Durham; Gauden of Exeter; Hacket of Litchfield and Coventry; Dr. Barwick Dean of St. Paul's, and Dr. Gunning, &c. On the ſide of the Preſbyterians, Dr. Reynolds, Mr. Calamy, Dr. Spurſtow, Mr. Aſhe, Dr. Manton, Mr. Baxter, and Dr. Wallis.
*
Upon the terms of this declaration, ſays Neale, Dr. Reynolds accepted the biſhopric of Norwich; Mr. Baxter was offered the biſhopric of Hereford, but refuſed it upon other reaſons, and Mr. Calamy declined that of Litchfield and Coventry, till the declaration paſſed into a law. Dr. Manton having been preſented to the living of Covent-Garden, by the Earl of Bedford, accepted it upon the declaration, and received Epiſcopal inſtitution from the hands of Sheldon, Biſhop of London, January 10, 1660-1, Subſcriptis prius articulis fidei eccleſiae Anglicanae tantum & praeſtito juramento de allegiant' & ſupremitate, & canonica obedientia in omnibus licitis & honeſtis. The Doctor was alſo content that the common prayer book ſhould be read in his church. Dr. Bates was offered the deanery of Coventry and Litchfield; Dr. Manton the deanery of Rocheſter; and Mr. Bowles that of York: but finding how things were going at court, after ſome time, they refuſed.
This blunted all the expectations of the Preſbyterian clergy at once; for it was now apparent, that the court did not deſign the declaration ſhould be continued, but only ſerve as a temporary expedient, to keep them in quiet until the church ſhould be in circumſtances to bid them defiance. Neale.
"What the Biſhops did with their great fines, was a pattern to all the lower dignitaries, who generally took more care of themſelves than of the church; the men of ſervice were loaded with many livings, and many dignities. With this acceſſion of wealth there broke in upon the church a great deal of luxury and high living, on pretence of hoſpitality; and with this overſet of wealth and pomp, that came upon men in the decline of their age, they who were now growing into old age became lazy and negligent in all the true concerns of the church." Burnet.
*
See Vol. III, of this work, p. 459—464.
It is impoſſible to relate the number of the ſufferings both of miniſters and people; the great trials with hardſhips upon their perſons, eſtates, and families, by uncomfortable ſeparations, diſperſions, non-ſettlements, and removes; diſgraces, reproaches, impriſonments, chargeable journeys, expences in law, tedious ſickneſſes, and incurable diſeaſes ending in death; great diſquietments and frights to the wives and families, and their doleful effects upon them—Their congregations had enough to do, beſides a ſmall maintenance, to keep them out of priſons, or maintain them there. Tho' they were as frugal as poſſible, they could hardly live; ſome lived on little more than brown bread and water; many had but eight or ten pounds a year to maintain a family, ſo that a piece of fleſh has not come to one of their tables in ſix weeks time; their allowance could ſcarcely allow them bread and cheeſe. One went to plow ſix days, and preached on the Lord's day; another was forced to cut tobacco for a livelihood. The zealous juſtices of peace knew the calamities of the miniſters, when they iſſued out warrants upon ſome of the hearers, becauſe of the poverty of the preachers." Conformiſt Plea againſt the non-conformiſt.
*
The wit of man could hardly invent any thing ſhort of capital puniſhment, more cruel and inhuman, than this act, by which means houſes were to be plundered, their perſons impriſoned, their goods and chattles carried away, and ſold to thoſe that would bid for them, and encouragement given to a vile ſet of informers to live upon the labour and induſtry of their conſcientious neighbours. Neale.
*
See Vol. III. of this work, p. 462.
See ibid. p. 463.
*
See vol iii. of this work, p. 465, & ſeq.
Upwards of ſixty thouſand perſons ſuffered upon a religious account between the reſtoration and the abdication of King James, five thouſand of whom died in priſon. Great numbers retired to the plantations, and many tranſported themſelves and their effects into Holland, and filled the Engliſh churches in the cities of the States. Neale ſays, "If we admit the diſſenting families of the ſeveral denominations in England to be no more than 150,000, and that each family ſuffered no more than the loſs of three or four pounds per ann. from the act of uniformity, the whole will amount to 12 or 14,000,000, a prodigious ſum for thoſe times! But theſe are only conjectures; the damage to the trade and property of the nation was undoubtedly immenſe; and the wounds that were made in the eſtates of private families were deep and large; many of whom, to my certain knowledge, wear the ſcars of them to this day."
*
See p. 3 of this volume.
See ibid. p. 8 & ſeq.
*
See the Diſſenting Gentleman's anſwer to Mr. John White's three letters, 12mo edit. from p. 23 to 28.
Ibid.
Life of Baxter, p. 236.
*
Milner's Religious Liberty aſſerted, p. 7.
Aſſembly's confeſſion, cap. ii.
— Shorter Catechiſm.
§
Ditto, as explained by Dr. Watts.
Dr. Chandler's Catechiſm—Rev. Mr. Milner's ditto.
*
Reverend Mr. Johnſon's Diſcourſe of Primitive Prayer.
Milner's Catechiſm, p. 1.
Ditto, p. 15.
§
Aſſembly's larger Catechiſm, chap. viii. ſect. 3 & 5.
**
See Milner's Catechiſm, approved by Dr. Benſon.
*
Chandler's Catechiſm, p. 7.
*
Communicated in a manuſcript by Mr. James Sanger.
Milner's ſermon at an ordination, p. 66.
Aſſembly's Catechiſm explained by Dr. Watts.
*
Chandler's Catechiſm, p. 10.
Dr. Benſon's Preface to the Rev. Mr. Milner's Catechiſm.
Rev. Mr. Sanger.
*
Aſſembly's Catechiſm, with Notes by Dr. Watts.
*
Grove's Syſtem, vol. I. p. 232.
See Aſſembly's Catechiſm before cited, notes, &c. p. 257.
*
Dr. Watts's Works, vol. III. p. 779, where it is further illuſtrated.
The Rev. Mr. Pierce's Vindication, vol. III. chap. 5. p. 147.
Dr. Watts's Works, vol. III. p. 680. Ibid. p. 264.
*
Mr. Amory on Chriſt the Light of the World. Syſtem, p. 496.
Dr. Watts's Scripture Catechiſm.
*
Abernethy on Religious Obedience founded on Perſuaſion, p. 571.
*
See this more largely illuſtrated by the preceding author, from p. 573, to p. 576.
Grove's Syſtem, vol. I. p. 227.
*
Grove's Syſtem of Moral Philoſophy, vol. ii. p. 524.
Matth. xxiii. 8, 9, 10. xvii. 5. John xiv. 23, 24.
John xiv. 13, 14. xv. 16. xvi. 23, 24, 26. Eph. iii. 21.
§
Matth. x. 32, 33. &c. Mark viii. 38. Luke ix. 26. xii. 8, 9.
*
Brown was a deſcendant of an ancient and honourable family in Rutlandſhire, and mearly related to the Lord Treaſurer Cecil; he was educated in Corpus Chriſti college, Cambridge. He went about the country inveighing againſt the diſcipline and ceremonies of the church, and was impriſoned, but, upon acknowledgment of his offence, releaſed by the Biſhop of Norwich, in 1580. In 1582 he wrote The Life and Manners of a true Chriſtian, to which was prefixed, A Treatiſe of Reformation, without tarrying for any, &c. &c. for which he was brought into queſtion, but, after ſome time, releaſed, and lived four years at home with his father. He then aſſociated himſelf with Richard Harriſon, and preached every where againſt Biſhops, ceremonies, &c. &c. for which he was committed thirty-two times to priſon, and at length was forced to leave the kingdom; upon which he retired to Middleburgh, in Zealand, with ſeveral of his followers, where he formed a church upon his own model; but this church ſoon crumbled into parties; and Brown, in 1589, having left them, and renounced his principles of ſeparation, became rector of A-Church in Northamptonſhire, where he lived an idle and diſſolute life; and for an aſſault being committed to Northampton gaol, died therein in 1630, in the 81ſt year of his age.
*
See vol. 3 of this work, p. 396, 7, 8, where a trivial miſtake or two is made.
Some of their reaſons for ſeparating from the church were, That the laws and the Queen's injunctions had made many unwarrantable additions to the inſtitutions of Chriſt: That there were ſeveral groſs errors in the church-ſervice, which were made neceſſary for communion, and impoſed accordingly: That if perſecution for conſcience ſake was the mark of a falſe church, the church of England could not be a true one: That the conſtitution of the hierarchy was too bad to be mended; that the very pillars of it were rotten, and that the ſtructure ſhould be begun anew: Therefore they reſolved to lay a new foundation, as near as poſſible to the primitive pattern, though with the hazard of all that was dear to them in the world.
Thoſe about London being numerous, formed themſelves into a church, choſe a paſtor, teacher, deacons and elders, all in one day; and ſeven perſons were baptized at the ſame time without godfathers or godmothers, and the Lord's ſupper adminiſtered thus: Five white loaves being ſet upon the table, the paſtor bleſſed them by prayer; after which, having broke the bread, he delivered it to ſome, and the deacons to the reſt, ſome ſtanding and others ſitting about the table, uſing the words of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. xi. 24. Take eat, this is the body of the Lord Jeſus which was broken for you: this do in remembrance of him. In like manner he gave the cup, uſing the like words of the Apoſtle, This cup is the New Teſtament in his blood; this do ye, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of him. In the cloſe they ſung a hymn, and made a collection for the poor. When any perſon came firſt into the church, he made this proteſtation or promiſe, I will walk with you, ſo long as you walk in the way of the Lord, and as far as may be warranted by the word of God. This congregation was ſoon diſperſed, and fifty-ſix of them ſent, by two and two, to the gaols about London. Neale.
*
See vol. II. of this work, p. 163.
He was born in Kent, and educated in St. Mary hall, was precentor of Chriſt's church college, Oxon, and afterwards was rector of Cheriton, in Kent.
He was a Norfolk divine, and had enjoyed a living near Yarmouth: he ſet out upon the moſt rigid principles, but, by the converſation of other learned men, he became more moderate, and did not deny thoſe reformed churches from which he differed to be true churches, though he maintained it to be lawful and neceſſary to ſeparate from them; he admitted their members to occaſional communion, and his own church to join with the Dutch churches in prayer and hearing the word, but not in the ſacraments and diſcipline. He was the father of the Independants.
This was the manner thereof. Having appointed a day of ſolemn faſting and prayer for a bleſſing upon their undertaking, towards the cloſe of the ſolemnity, each of them made open confeſſion of their faith in our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and then, ſtanding together, they joined hands, and "ſolemnly covenanted with each other, in the preſence of Almighty God, to walk together in all God's ways and ordinances, according as he had already revealed, or ſhould further make them known to them." Mr. Jacob was then choſen their paſtor by the ſuffrage of the brotherhood, and others were appointed to the office of deacons, with faſting and prayer, and impoſition of hands. Mr. Jacob, ſoon after, publiſhed A Proteſtation or Confeſſion in the name of certain Chriſtians, ſhewing how far they agreed with the church of England, and wherein they differed with the reaſons of their diſſent drawn from ſcripture; to which he added a petition to the King for the toleration of ſuch Chriſtians. In the year 1624, to enlarge his uſefulneſs, he went, by the conſent of his flock, to Virginia, where he died. Neale.
*
Author of the marginal references in the Bible.
*
The latter charge they conſeſſed, and declared as to the former, "That they could acknowledge no other head of the church but Chriſt; that they apprehended no Prince on earth had power to make laws to bind the conſcience; and that ſuch laws as were contrary to the laws of God ought not to be obeyed; but that they diſowned all foreign power and juriſdiction."
After expreſſing great charity for other churches, they ſay the ſcheme they embraced was a middle way between Browniſm and Preſbyterianiſm, viz. "That every congregation of Chriſtians has an entire complete power of juriſdiction over its members, to be exerciſed by the elders thereof, within itſelf. This they are ſure muſt have been the form of government in the primitive church. Not that they claim an entire independency with regard to other churches for they agree, that, in all occaſions of offences, the offending church is to ſubmit to an open examination by other neighbouring churches, and on their perſiſting in their error or miſcarriage, they then are to renounce all Chriſtian communion with them, until they repent, which is all the authority or eccleſiaſtical power that one church may exerciſe over another, unleſs they call in the civil magiſtrate, for which they find no authority in ſcripture. They then give the method of their public worſhip, profeſs their agreement in doctrine with the articles of the church of England, &c. &c. &c. It was ſigned by Thomas Goodwin, Sydrach Sympſon, Philip Nye, Jer. Burroughs, and William Narus. This apology was attacked in ſwarms of pamphlets, by the Preſbyterians, as tending to break the uniformity of the church, under pretence of liberty of conſcience, and on other accounts.
See p. 126 of this volume.
*
See p. 126 of this volume.
See ibid. p. 127.
*
As this hiſtory is confined to the Engliſh Independants, and notice has before been taken of the ſettlement of the churches in New England, p. 119 of this volume, it is only neceſſary to refer the reader to Neale's hiſtory of New England, for what concerns the Independants there, where they are the eſtabliſhed church, and have exiſted ſo long to their own honour and the benefit of their mother country, and, inſpired with the bravery of their anceſtors, have performed ſuch eminent ſervices in the two laſt wars particularly.
The committee were Dr. T. Goodwin, Dr. Owen, Mr. Philip Nye, Mr. Wm. Bridge, Mr. Joſ. Caryl, and Mr. Wm. Greenhill.
See vol. iii. of this work, p. 457.
§
This declaration was ſigned by Meſſ. Caryl, Griffiths, Kenrick, Bragge, Venning, Oxenbridge, Nye, Rowe, Weld, Slater, Cockayne, Goodwin, Brooks, Helme, Hodges, Bachiler, Wood, Greenhill, Barker, Mallory, Loder, Yates, Owen, Mather, and Stoughton.
See the Rev. Mr. Tho. Bradbury's, &c. &c.
*
Gale's Anſwer to Wall.
Dupin, Cent. xvi.
*
Tertullian, who flouriſhed Anno Dom. 200, is the firſt Chriſtian writer who expreſsly mentions ſuch a practice as baptiſing of infants, and condemns it as an unwarrantable and irrational practice.
As Wall, Biſhop Taylor, Baxter, &c. &c. &c.
Cr [...]ſby's Hiſtory of the Baptiſts, vol. i. p. 2.
§
Fuller, p. 133.
*
See Killingworth's Letter to Whiſton, 1757, p. 8.
Marſhal's Defence of Infant-Baptiſm, p. 65.
Hiſtory of the Reformation, part ii. p. 110. & ſeq.
*
See vol. iii. of this work, p. 100.
See ibid. p. 129.
*
See vol. ii. of this work, p. 157.
Croſby, ut ſupra, p. 109.
*
Near Adlerſage ſtreet.
*
See vol. ii. of this work, p. 121.
See Id. p. 166.
*
Johnſon's mathematical Queſtion, p. 95, &c. Allen's Chain of Truth, lately publiſhed. Spiritual Magazine, vol. ii. p. 199—235.
Johnſon's Evangelical Truths vindicated, Introd. and chap. 1.
*
Johnſon's Evangelical Truths vindicated, Introd. and chap. 1.
Dr. Gill's Piece on the Supralapſarian Scheme. Mr. Brine's Motives to Love and Unity among Calviniſts, &c. p. 6.
*
Croſby's Hiſt, of the Baptiſts, vol. iv. p. 184, & ſeq.
*
This worthy and pious divine died between two and three years ſince, at his houſe in St. John's ſquare, Clerkenwell, after a long life of uſefulneſs as a miniſter, and of virtue and benevolence as a man.
*
It muſt be obſerved here, that there are ſome amongſt the Baptiſts who object againſt this form of ordination, though uſually performed in their churches, believing it ſavours too much of men's aſſeming too great power to themſelves, in their ſetting others apart to the miniſtry; and alſo believing, that the Apoſtles themſelves, in ordinations, uſed not this form, We ordain thee; and therefore decline pronouncing any words of ordination, and only pray to God for a bleſſing on the paſtor elect, laying their hands upon his head, which they hold is ordination ſufficient, and all that they know with certainty reſpecting the practice of the Apoſtles, who laid their hands over the perſons whom they ſet apart, and prayed to God in their behalf.
*
Sewell's Hiſtory, folio, p. 6 & 672.
*
Not at Drayton, in Lancaſhire, as Neale ſays.
Penn's Account of the Riſe and Progreſs of the Quakers, edit. 5. p. 82.
*
Some of the moſt eminent were, Richard Farnſworth, James Naylor, William Dewſberry, Thomas Aldam, Francis Howgil, Edward Burroughs, John Camm, John Audland, Richard Hubberthorne, &c. &c. who were the firſt preachers amongſt the Quakers.
*
See vol. iii. of this work, p. 457.
*
See vol. iii. of this work, p. 484.
*
Sewell's Hiſtory, p. 585.
Ibid. p. 594.
There was ſome reaſon for this epither; they knew he would have gladly tolerated them, if it had been in his power, at the ſame time, to tolerate the Roman-Catholics.
*
Sewell, p. 588, 595.

The acts or penal ſtatutes on which they ſuffered were theſe; ſome few on ſtat. 27. Hen. VIII. cap. 20. others on 1 Eliz. cap. 2. for one ſhilling a Sunday.—5 Eliz. cap. 23. de excom. capiendo.—23 Eliz. cap. 1. for twenty pounds a-month.—29 Eliz. cap. 6. for continuation.—35 Eliz. cap. 1. for abjuring the realm on pain of death. —3 Jac. I. cap. 4. for praemunire, impriſonment during life, and eſtates confiſcated.—13th & 14th of King Charles II. againſt Quakers, &c. tranſportation [...]—17 Charles II. cap. 2. againſt Nonconformiſts.—22 Car. 2. cap. 1. againſt ſeditious conventicles.

N. B. The Quakers were not much affected with the corporation and teſt acts, becauſe they would not take an oath; nor with the Oxford five-mile act, which had ſo baneful an effect upon other Diſſenters.

*
See vol. iii. p. 28.
*
See his maſterly and ſhrewd Apology.
*
See his Journal.
In the beginning (ſays Dr. Rutty) the buſineſs now properly belonging to the monthly meetings, was tranſacted at the quarterly meetings, where a larger body of friends being aſſembled, was more neceſſary for mutual help and advice, eſpecially in thoſe times of ſuffering and weakneſs.
*
He afterwards viſited thoſe countries in perſon, and aſſiſted them in the eſtabliſhing of thoſe meetings.
*
Penn's Account of the Riſe and Progreſs of the Quakers.
*
See Dr. Rutty's Treatiſe of Chriſtian diſcipline.
Penn, as before, p. 75.
*
Ireland.
Joſeph Pike, in an epiſtle to the national meeting, publiſhed in Dublin, A. D. 1726.
*
Rutty, ut ſupra.
*
Rutty.
As alſo the woman, if ſhe have encouraged it.
*
The late Dr. Deacon, a Non-juring Biſhop, at Mancheſter, eſtabliſhed a ſect called Primitive Chriſtians, who have a form of worſhip and diſcipline peculiar to themſelves, and hold certain religious tenets, which the inquiſitive reader may ſee, as publiſhed under the Doctor's own inſpection. In political principles they agree, however, with the other Non-Jurors.
Some of the more inquiſitive and leſs rigid Non-Jurors found all their ſcruples of acknowledging the preſent government to be lawful, only on the doctrine of hereditary right.
*
The canon is, "Whoſoever ſhall hereafter affirm, that the King's Majeſty hath not the ſame authority in cauſes eccleſiaſtical that the godly Kings had amongſt the Jews, and Chriſtian Emperors of the primitive church, or impeach any part of his regal ſupremacy in the ſaid cauſes reſtored to the crown, and by the laws of this realm therein eſtabliſhed, let him be excommunicated ipſo facto, and not reſtored, but only by the Archbiſhop, after his repentance and public revocation of thoſe his wicked errors."
*
See note, p. 11, of this volume.
See page 23, of this volume, and the Biſhop's performance there mentioned.
He introduces it, by ſaying, he does "now give the cleareſt account he can, in the preſence of the Lord and judge of heaven and earth, of the principles and practices, whereby thoſe who are called Methodiſts are diſtinguiſhed from other men."
*
Farther Appeal, p. 91.
*
Farther Appeal, Part iii. p. 234.
*

Of his own and his brother's converſion, &c. and of the neceſſity of becoming field preachers, Mr. John Weſley gives the following account. "I was ordained deacon in 1725, and prieſt in the year following: but it was many years after this before I was convinced of the great truths above recited. During all that time, I was utterly ignorant of the nature and condition of juſtification. Sometimes I confounded it with ſanctification (particularly when I was in Georgia). At other times I had ſome confuſed notion about the forgiveneſs of ſins: but then I took it for granted, the time of this muſt be, either the hour of death, or the day of judgment. I was equally ignorant of the nature of ſaving faith; apprehending it to mean no more, than a "firm aſſent to all the propoſitions contained in the Old and New Teſtament." As ſoon as, by the great bleſſing of God, I had a clearer view of theſe things, I began to declare them to others alſo. I believed, and therefore I ſpake. Whereever I was now deſired to preach, ſalvation by faith was my only theme. My conſtant ſubjects were, "Believe in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and thou ſhalt be ſaved. Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and remiſſion of ſins." Theſe I explained and inforced with all my might, both in every church where I was aſked to preach, and occaſionally in the religious ſocieties of London and Weſtminſter; to ſome or other of which I was continually preſſed to go, by the ſtewards or other members of them. Things were in this poſture, when I was told, "I muſt preach no more in this, and this, and another church." The reaſon was uſually added without reſerve, "Becauſe you preach ſuch doctrine." So much the more thoſe who could not hear me there, flocked together when I was at any of the ſocieties; where I ſpoke more or leſs, though with much inconvenience, to as many as the room I was in would contain. But after a ſhort time, finding thoſe rooms could not contain a tenth part of the people that were earneſt to hear, I determined to do the ſame thing in England which I had often done in a warmer climate; namely, when the houſe would not contain the congregation, to preach in the open air. This I accordingly did, firſt at Briſtol, where the ſociety-rooms were exceedingly ſmall, and at Kingſwood, where we had no room at all; afterwards in or near London. And I cannot ſay I have ever ſeen a more awful fight, than when, on Roſe-Green, or the top of Hannam-Mount, ſome thouſands of people were calmly joined together in ſolemn waiting upon God, while "they ſtood, and under open sir adored the God who made both air, earth, heaven, and ſky." And whether they were liſtening to his word, with attention ſtill as night, or were lifting up their voice in praiſe, as the ſound of many waters, many a time have I been conſtrained to ſay in my heart, "How dreadful is this place! This alſo is no other than the houſe of God! This is the gate of heaven!" Be pleaſed to obſerve, 1. That I was forbidden, as by a general conſent, to preach in any church (though not by any judicial ſentence) "for preaching ſuch doctrine." This was the open, avowed cauſe: there was at that time no other, either real or pretended. 2. That I had no deſire or deſign to preach in the open air, till long after this prohibition. 3. That when I did, as it was no matter of choice, ſo neither of premeditation. There was no ſcheme at all previouſly formed, which was to be ſupported thereby; nor had I any other end in view than this, to ſave as many ſouls as I could. 4. Field-preaching was therefore a ſudden expedient, a thing ſubmitted to, rather than choſen; and therefore ſubmitted to, becauſe I thought preaching even thus better than not preaching at all; firſt, in regard to my own ſoul; becauſe a diſpenſation of the goſpel being committed to me, I did not dare not to preach the goſpel; 2dly, In regard to the ſouls of others, whom I every where ſaw ſeeking death in the error of their life."

The effects of their preaching are thus deſcribed by the ſame hand. "Juſt at this time, when we wanted little of filling up the meaſure of our iniquities, two or three clergymen of the church of England began vehemently to call ſinners to repentance. In two or three years they had ſounded the alarm to the utmoſt borders of the land. Many thouſands gathered together to hear them; and in every place where they came, many began to ſhew ſuch a concern for religion, as they never had done before. A ſtronger impreſſion was made on their minds, of the importance of things eternal, and they had more earneſt deſires of ſerving God, than they had ever had from their earlieſt childhood. Thus did God begin to draw them toward himſelf, with the cords of love, with the bands of a man. Many of theſe were in a ſhort time deeply convinced of the number and heinouſneſs of their ſins. They were alſo made thoroughly ſenſible of thoſe tempers which are juſtly hateful to God and man, and of their utter ignorance of God, and entire inability either to know, love, or ſerve him. At the ſame time, they ſaw in the ſtrongeſt light the inſignificance of their outſide religion; nay, and often confeſſed it before God, as the moſt abominable hypocriſy. Thus did they ſink deeper and deeper into that repentance which muſt ever precede faith in the Son of God. And from hence ſprung fruits meet for repentance. The drunkard commenced ſober and temperate; the whoremonger abſtained from adultery and fornication; the unjuſt from oppreſſion and wrong. He that had been accuſtomed to curſe and ſwear for many years, now ſwore no more. The ſluggard began to work with his hands, that he might eat his own bread. The miſer learned to deal his bread to the hungry, and to cover the naked with a garment. Indeed the whole form of their life was changed. They had left off doing evil, and learned to do well. But this was not all. Over and above this outward change, they began to experience inward religion. The love of God was ſhed abroad in their hearts, which they continue to enjoy to this day. They love him, becauſe he firſt loved us, and with-held not from us his Son, his only Son: and this love conſtrains them to love all mankind, all the children of the Father of heaven and earth, and inſpires them with every holy and heavenly temper, the whole mind that was in Chriſt. Hence it is that they are now uniform in their behaviour, unblameable in all manner of converſation; and in whatſoever ſtate they are, they have learned therewith to be content; inſomuch that now they can in every thing give thanks. They more than patiently acquieſce, they rejoice and are exceeding glad, in all God's diſpenſations towards them; for as long as they love God (and that love no man taketh from them), they are always happy in God. Thus they calmly travel on through life, being never weary nor faint in their minds, never repi [...]ing, murmuring, or diſſatisfied, caſting all their care upon God, till the hour comes that they ſhould drop this covering of earth, and return unto the great Father of ſpirits; then eſpecially it is that they rejoice with joy unſpeakable and full of glory. You who credit it not, come and ſee."

*
Farther Appeal, part iii. p. 92, & ſeq.
*
Farther Appeal, part iii. p. 136.
*
Or, in other words, he was for carrying goſpel liberty above all moral regards, and for ſlighting the motives of virtue, as inſufficient to ſalvation.
*
Tobias Criſp, D. D. who died in the year 1642. He was a good preacher, and a good man; was firſt zealouſly attached to the principles of Arminianiſm, but changing his opinions, ran into the contrary extreme of Antinomianiſm. The publiſher of his works ſays, "That his life was ſo innocent and free from all evil, ſo zealous and fervent in all good, that it ſeemed to be deſigned as a practical confutation of the ſlander of thoſe who would inſinuate, that his doctrine tended to licentiouſneſs." He was poſſeſſed of a very large eſtate, with which he did a great deal of good.
Mr. John Saltmarſh, of Magdalen college, Cambridge, a man of a fine active fancy, ſays Neale, no contemptible poet, and a good preacher, and chaplain in the parliament-army. The manner of his death, as related by Ruſhworth, was very extraordinary. December 4, 1647, being at his houſe at Ilford, in Eſſex, he told his wife that he had been in a trance, and received a meſſage from God, which he muſt immediately deliver to the army. He went that night to London, and next day to Windſor. Being come to the council of officers, he told them, that the Lord had left them; that he would not proſper their conſultations, but deſtroy them by diviſions among themſelves, becauſe they had ſought to deſtroy the people of God, thoſe who had ſtood by them in the greateſt difficulties. He then went to the general, and without moving his hat, told him, that God was highly diſpleaſed with him for committing of ſaints to priſon. The like meſſage he delivered to Cromwell, and required him to take effectual meaſures for the enlargement of the members of the army, that were committed for not complying with the general council. He then took his leave of the officers, telling them he had now done his errand, and muſt leave them, never to ſee them any more. After which he went to London, and took leave of his friends there, telling them his work was done, and deſiring ſome of them to be careful of his wife. Thurſday, December 9, he returned to I [...]ford, in perfect health; next day he told his wife, that he had now finiſhed his work, and muſt go to his Father. Saturday morning, December 11, he was taken ſpeechleſs, and about four in the afternoon he died.
*
The expreſſions I here make uſe of, are taken from ſeveral late writers who are much followed.
*
Candid Narrative, p. 6 & ſeq. printed in 1753, where are references to the authorities made uſe of, which I omit in this brief account.
*
In June, 1749.
Candid Narrative, p. 32. & ſeq. where, what is ſaid, as above, is ſupported by quotations from Count Zinzendorf's ſermons, &c. in German, and tranſlated into Engliſh.
They afterwards, however, paſſed a judgment againſt them, viz. in 1747.
*
This has been very apparent to the author of this Hiſtory.
*
See the foregoing account of the Antinomians.
*
Weſley's Short View, &c. p. 13.
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Zitationsvorschlag für dieses Objekt
TextGrid Repository (2020). TEI. 4382 The history of religion particularly of the principal denominations of Christians Containing a succinct and genuine account of their original and present constitution discipline doctrines wor. University of Oxford Text Archive. . https://hdl.handle.net/21.T11991/0000-001A-60A2-0