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A New. UNIVERSAL HISTORY of 
 
 THE RELIGIOUS 
 
 RITES, CEREMONIES, and CUSTOMS 
 
 Of the WHOLE WORLD: 
 
 Or, A Complete and Impartial 
 
 VIEW OF ALL THE RELIGIONS 
 
 In the Various Nations of the Universe. 
 
 Both Antient and Modern, from the Creation down to the prefent Time. 
 
 Containing, befides many other curious, instructive and entertaining Particulars, a full 
 and authentic Account of the Rife and Progrefs, including the antient and prefent State of Religion 
 amongft the 
 
 Jews, 
 
 Egyptians, 
 
 Carthagenians, 
 
 Druids, 
 
 Bramins, 
 
 Aflyrians, 
 
 Japanefe, 
 
 Greeks, 
 
 Babylonians, 
 
 Africans, and all the other 
 
 Chrilfians, 
 
 Medes, 
 
 Idolatrous and Pagan 
 
 Romifh Church, with the 
 
 Perfians, 
 
 Nations, 
 
 various Orders of her 
 
 | Chinefe, 
 
 Mahometans, 
 
 Communion, &c. &c. 
 
 Together with a very particular Hiftory of the Proteftant or Reformed Churches , and of all the 
 Setts and Denominations in Great-Britain and Ireland , and the Colonies abroad, viz. the 
 
 Church of England, 
 
 ■-Scotland, 
 
 Lutherans, 
 
 Moravians, 
 
 Diffenters, 
 
 Independents, 
 
 Prefbyterians, 
 
 Baptiils, 
 
 Calvinifts, 
 
 Arians, 
 
 Arminians, 
 
 Socinians, 
 
 Quakers, 
 Nonjurors, 
 Sandimanians, 
 Antinomians, See. 
 
 Comprehending alfo a genuine and circumftantial Defcription of all the moll material lefTer 
 Setts, Parties , Herefies , and Religious Opinions , fince the firft Promulgation of Chriftianity ; and 
 likewife the Ecclefiafical Laws and Hiftory concerning every Religion. To which are added the moft 
 important Tranfattions of Church Councils , AJfemblies , Synods , &c. &c. 
 
 I. An Account of thofe Perfons by whom the various 
 Modes of Worfhip were eftablijhed , and the Means ufed 
 in propagating them. 
 
 II. The moft fatisfadory Information concerning their 
 Tenets , Creeds , Sentiments and Doctrines, with refpett 
 to religious, moral and civil Obligations. 
 
 III. The Caufes which promoted their Prevalence in 
 the World; the Methods taken for their Support; and 
 the Reafons why many of them have funk into Ob- 
 feurity. 
 
 IV. Their general Confequences and Effetts in ope¬ 
 rating on the Minds and Condutt of Men. 
 
 V. The Ceremonies and Difcipline in their different 
 
 Temples , Cathedrals , Churches , Mofques , Sanctuaries , and 
 other Places of Worfhip. 
 
 VI. Their Forms , Ceremonies and Cuftoms in Mar¬ 
 riage , Births , Funerals , ike. 
 
 VII. A Difplay of the feveral Sacrifices , and the 
 Dreffes of the Priefts and Religious Orders ; with an 
 Account of the early Attachment of Mankind to Idolatry. 
 
 VIII. An exatt Summary of the different Objetts of 
 Adoration , Deities and Idols ; Times and Places of reli¬ 
 gious Obfervance, Fafts and Feftivals ; with a Survey of 
 the Utenfils employed at Altars , in Divine Offices , &c. 
 and whatever elfe is worthy of Notice refpetting the 
 origin or prefent State of every facred Injlitution. 
 
 The Whole being the Relult of many Years ftudy, and comprifing not only all that is valuable 
 on the Subjett of Religion , but alfo a Variety of new and interefting Matter relative to the Manners 
 and Cuftoms of all Nations, not to he found in any other Work. 
 
 DESIGNED TO FORM 
 
 A COMPLETE FAMILY LIBRARY. 
 
 Including The Whole BODY of DIVINITY, 
 
 According to the different religious Ufages in every Part of the known World. 
 Calculated for Christians of all Denominations ; 
 
 And illuftrated by Quotations from the moft celebrated Authors. 
 
 {(I 
 
 i 
 
 By TV I L L I A M HURD , D. D. 
 
 Embellijhed wilh a Set of numerous Folio Copper-Plates, more elegantly defigned and engraved 
 than any ujually given with periodical Publications. Mejfrs. Walker, Collyer, Taylor, idc. have 
 united their JucceJsful Endeavours in finijhing them in the highefi Tafie: And to make the IVhole as Juperb and 
 mafterly as pojfible , a great number of ornamental Borders are added by an eminent Hand. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for ALEXANDER HOGG, at No. 1 6 , Pater-noster Row. 
 
INTRODUCTORY 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 J T has been acknowledged by the wifeft men in all ages and nations, that knowledge, properly improved, is 
 the grand ornament of human life, as religion is of the rational faculties. Knowledge diftinguifhes. us 
 from the irrational creation, and Religion places us in a rank far fupcrior to many of our own fpecies . 
 Jj/'e are not able to comprehend all the fecrets of our own nature: we are often lojl in admiration, at the 
 confideration of the actions of our fellow creatures ; but nothing fo much excites our attention as religious 
 rites, ceremonies, and cufioms. That men in different ages, and throughout the univerfe, have paid ado¬ 
 ration to almojl every animal, and reptile, on the face of the earth, cannot be denied ; that their idolatrous 
 practices have been ridiculous to the higheft degree is equally true nor is it lefs fo, that many of them have 
 been a difgrace to human nature, even in its corrupted fate. God made man after his own image, but he has 
 fought out many inventions ; there is a f range propenfity in the human mind to deviate from the truth, and 
 to the divine fimplicity of holy ordinances mankind are too apt to join fomething very pleafing to their own 
 imperfect ideas-, to captivate the mind, without tending either to improve the morals in this life, or make the 
 foul wife for happinefs hereafter. The more we know of all the religions of different nations, the more we 
 are led to enquire, what could induce fame men to a hi fo inconfifent with the dignity of their nature ? but 
 this cannot be done unlefs we attend to the following particulars: 
 
 I. IVe mufl enquire into the caufes which gave rife to thofe forms and ceremonies of human invention, and 
 by comparing them with the fate of mankind, and the attributes of the Divine Being, we Jhall be in fome 
 meafure enabled to account for their exifence. 
 
 II. We fhould attend to what were the fentiments of the people who embraced them, concerning that grand 
 quefion in divinity, tc The terms of acceptance with the Deity,” which in fome meafure may be confidered as 
 the leading principle of religion in general. 
 
 III. We mufi defcribe fuch ceremonies as are abfurd and inconfifent in themfelves, to the reader, that he 
 may fee the difference between them, and the fimplicity of the true gofpel ceremonials, which, as a revelation 
 from God, were calculated to make men virtuous in time, and bleffed in eternity. 
 
 Laftly, IVe mufl draw fuch practical inferences from our accounts of every different religion, as willferve 
 to lead the reader to the practice of morality and piety, as the great eft ornament of human life, the rule of 
 manners, and the fure title to eternal felicity. 
 
 Such is the general plan of the prefent work, but it is neceffary we floould fay fomething more concerning 
 its extenfive nature. 
 
 All the religions of the various nations in the world, are here difplayed in a plain, eafy, concife manner 
 and while the author has adhered to truth, he has not fuffered himfelf to be biajed by any party prejudices, in 
 favour of any particular opinions for in delineating thefe important fubjedls, he has fometimes found things 
 fimpltiin their own nature, and really praife worthy, which, at the fame time, were joined with fuch rites of 
 human invention as- difgrace the memory of thofe who invented them. While he relates the follies of many of 
 his fellow creatures, he does it in pity not doubting, but had he lived in thofe countries, and in thofe ages , 
 he might have been an idolator himfelf. 
 
 At this time, when people in general are engaged in the moft laudable of all purfuits, that of religious in- 
 ' veftigation and free enquiry after truth, nothing it is prefumed can be more acceptable to the public than this 
 impartial History of the Religious Ceremonies and Customs of all Nations, on the moft 
 liberal and extenfive plan. This volume will exhibit a particular account of all the diverfities of opi¬ 
 nions that have prevailed refpetting the Objedl of Divine worfhip in every part of the world, and of the 
 fects and parties which have been formed in confequence of thofe opinions, from the beginning of time to the 
 prefent Mr a. The Ceremonies and Cuftoms of the Idolatrous Nations will be pointed out, the gradual 
 growth of Idolatry, and the abfurd andfuperftitious notions, which by degrees have been introduced amongft 
 the various Savage and Barbarian Countries. 
 
 ' The Jewifli and Chriftian Churches are alfo noticed in a very particular manner ; and the moft fatisfac- 
 tory account given of the various denominations of Religion in America and Europe, particularly in 
 thefe Kingdoms. The gradual increafe of the Papal power and influence is traced ; together with the policy, 
 intereft and government of the Rowan Pontiffs ; and a view of the Prophecies relating to them, and the 
 different opinions of the Learned concerning thofe prophecies. 
 
 There is no other Book in our Language, nor indeed in any other, on an enlarged plan -, for blending 
 Inftrudtion with Entertainment, this work will lead mankind to fet a proper value on the great truths of 
 the Proteftant Religion j and it is hoped the Author s fincere endeavours to diffufe ufeful knowledge amongft 
 all ranks of people, will meet with general approbation and applaufe. 
 
 In writing concerning the Antient Jews, he has taken the whole of his materials from what we find re¬ 
 corded in the facred Scriptures, confirming thefe accounts by the teftimony of Jofephus -, and with refpefl to 
 the Modern Jews, he has confulted the liturgy ufed in their public fynagogues, and availed himfelf of the 
 confeffion of faith which they daily repeat. 
 
r 
 
 to PREFACE. 
 
 The Religious Rites and Ceremonies of the Antient Heathens have been taken from the heft authors extant, 
 and much afiftance has been given to the writer by fome of the greatefl men m the prefcnt age, particularly 
 thofe who have made fuch fubjeSls their favourite Jludy. In writing of the heathen rites and ceremonies, we 
 meet with many things which feem to have a refemblance to the Old Teftament difpenfatmi ; fuch as Sacri¬ 
 fices the Observation of Days, Months, Sabbaths and New Moons, but fill the difference is great. 
 All the Rites and Ceremonies ufed by the Jews, as preferred by the law of Mofes, were calculated to make 
 them a peculiar people from all others in the world ; and it is remarkable, that although they often plunged 
 tbemfehes into the groffefl idolatry, yet many of them adhered to the worjhip of the true God, and even laid 
 down their lives rather than blafpheme his name. „ , 
 
 The accounts of the Religious Ceremonies and Cujloms of the Chineie, Me Japanrie, the Perhans, the 
 inhabitants of the Coaji of Guinea, the Druids, the Laplanders, the Hottentots and the Savages in 
 America, &c. will afford much matter of entertainment for the reader, who poffibly never attended to thefe 
 
 th ‘"h thf‘account of the Religious Ceremonies of the Greek Church, the author has been affifted by materials 
 communicated to him by a gentleman lately deceafed, who refided many yeare as Conful for his late Majcjly in 
 the Levant; at Smyrna, Alleppo, Conltantinople, and Alexandria; and in this part of the work, fome 
 curious particulars have been taken notice of which other hiforians have entirely neglclied. 
 
 The origin of the Rites and Ceremonies of Me Church of Rome, their progrefsfrom time to time, and a 
 view of them as they appear atprefent, have been carefully attended to; and the render will find a comparifon 
 drawn between them and genuine chrifiianity. The fame care has been attended to in giving an account of the 
 Rites and Ceremonies ufed by the different denominations of Proteftants in Europe ; , n ! as the author 
 refided fome years on the Continent, Jo he confiders himfelf as mafier of thefubjee !; having been prefat at 
 mojl of their public afiemblies, where he made himfelf acquainted not only with their Tenets, but alfo 
 with their Ceremonies ; which mujl ferve to throw a conftderable light on this part of the work. 
 
 In fpeaking of the different denominations and feftaries in thefe nations, he has joined candour and trull A fuch 
 a manner, that the mojl rigid cannot find fault, nor will the libertine have i cafion to exult ovei what ■ e may 
 confider as enthufiafm and weaknefs. Dherfity of tempers, and a variety of circumflances which human 
 prudence could not forefee, have often rendered men enemies to each other, while it was their duty to aft as 
 dijaples of the bleffed Jefus, and where they thought their brethren were deceived, or in any manner led into 
 an error, to draw a veil over their weaknefs, and exhort them to a proper ufe of the apoflolical injunction, viz. 
 Prove all things, and hold that which is good. Although convinced of the importance of thefuljeB, 
 the author cannot eXpeB the approbation of all, however he may have exerted bis utmoft endeavours to deferve 
 it. But there are many men who delight in acquiring knowledge, whofeek wifdom in humility, and who would 
 defire to be an ornament to their age and country. And there are many young perfons who have not had an 
 opportunity of attending to thefe things, but w'ijh to receive information concerning matters of fo much impor¬ 
 tance. By perfons of fuch benevolent fentiments, the following work will be well received ■, a careful peru- 
 fal of it will lead them to confider the great difference between all the Heathen religions and thofe of the jews 
 J and Chriftians. As for Mahometfim, .it is a compound of many herefies, firfl embraced by entbufiafts, and 
 then propagated by force. There are many other Religious Rites and Ceremonies, which will be taken notice of 
 in the courfe of this work ; fuch as the Armenians, the Bramins, the Banians, and the Ethiopians ; which 
 tail was communicated to the author by one of the mofi extraordinary perfons of the prefent age. Throughout the 
 whole, a frill attention has been paid to Chronology, afcwice which but few are acquainted with, although 
 it is well known, that without it, we can never underfland hiftory. 
 
 Upon the whole, there is little doubt but this arduous undertaking will merit the thanks of that generous 
 public, for whofe benefit it was undertaken ■, and the author, who has no mercenary views, will, at leaf, 
 receive the thanks of his fellow fubjeBs. Conffent withhunian nature, he is anxious for the public applaufe, 
 but not at the expence of truth ; many years have beenjpent in bringing this work to a fate of perfeBion ; 
 and with refperi to all the various Religions in the world, it will be found an ufefulfamily library, neceffary 
 to be perufedby all ranks of people, of greatJervice to youth in general, and fuch as the man of learning may 
 perufe without deviating from the dignity of his character in the literary, world. The author has excluded from 
 the whole every thing difguftful in controverfy, reprefenting men and things as they really are ; and drawing 
 a veil over the frailties of human nature, he has modeftly pointed out the improprieties and errors of the 
 
 ? remarkable, that although we have fome ufeful and valuable looks publijhed in numbers, and fome of 
 
 thefe on Religion, yet this is the firfl: ever attempted on an enlarged and liberal plan. 1 lie Copper¬ 
 plates, which are all elegantly engraved by the beft artifts, will convey aftriki, idea of the various 
 ceremonies and cuftoms; and the refections drawn from every material paffage, will point out the difference 
 between Truth and Error. In ftoort, the author doubts not but from the perufal of this work, the rifmg 
 generation will be agreeably inftrufted, and the man of experience entertained. In the courfe of the pub¬ 
 lication, the author will have occafion to mention fome very refpeftable perfons, from whom he has received 
 qiany valuable materials } which will do him more honour than any thing he can fay in his own behalf. 
 
 WILLIAM HURD. 
 
EXPLANATION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 FRONTISPIECE, 
 
 I T difplays a general emblematical Reprefentation of the Chridian Religion, as well 
 as that of the Jewilh, Mahometan, Pagan, and Heathen Sydems ; including alfo 
 Symbols of the Faith, embraced by the Perfians and the various idolatrous Nations. 
 
 The Female Figure with the Cup and Crofs in the Middle, reprefents the Protedant 
 or Reformed Church, at whofe Feet are placed the Pope’s Crown, Crofier, &c. and like- 
 wife a Monk in a proftrate Attitude, with the Beads, Malk, &c. denoting the Ignorance 
 and Duplicity of that Perfuafion, and {hewing the great Decline of Superdition, and that 
 the Reformed Religion, from its reafonablenefs and agreement with the Holy Scriptures, 
 is the mod: coniiftent with the Divine Attributes. 
 
 Behind the Female Figure, are the two Tables of the Law, by which Mofes points 
 out the Jewilh Difpenfation. To the Right, is the Figure of a Pagan Deity, at whofe 
 Shrine, a deluded Devotee having brought Offerings, is paying Adoration. Clofe by thefe 
 Emblems are two other Idols, one of which is Jupiter, the Supreme God of the 
 Antient Pagans, and who is dill worlhiped under different Forms. The other is Mer¬ 
 cury in a fallen Situation, fymbolically pointing out the Shock which Heathenifm has 
 received by the glorious Light of the Gofpel. 
 
 The.front Figure on the Left is Ofman AH , who explained the Dodtrines of Maho¬ 
 met, according to his own private Opinions, and then edablidied them in that Form, 
 by the Force of the Sword in Perfia, where his Tenets are dill the Religion of the 
 Country. 
 
 In the Back-ground, on an Eminence, is a Heathen Temple, in Honour of whofe 
 Deity, People are going to facrifice an Ox ; a Pradtice which St. Paul, in the Adis of 
 the Apodles, very judicioufly reproves, and points out to the People of Lycaonia, the 
 true Objedt of Divine Wordrip. 
 
 Then prefents itfelf to view, a Pyramid, the Receptacle of the Dead in Egypt, which 
 alfo denotes the Devotions, or religious Creed, of that Country. 
 
 d he next Objedt is a Turkiih Mofque, with Crefcents, defcriptive of Mahometifm, 
 the generally received Religion of the Turkiih Empire. 
 
 Judby the Mofque is a Convent, which very naturally exhibits the Romifh Church. 
 The Bull danding on the Pillar, reprefents one of the Forms in which Jupiter has been 
 fometimes worlhiped by his Votaries, and which reminds us of a very pertinent Ob- 
 fervation in Lucian, who introduces an Addrefs to this Idol, thus ; “ Your fine Meta- 
 morphofes have often made me afraid, led you diould be brought to the Shambles, or 
 put to the Plow, when you was a Bull ; led lome Goldfmith Ihould have melted you 
 down, when you was Gold; or fome Cook have put you upon the Spit and roaded you, 
 when you was a Swan.” 
 
 The T ent figures out to us the Tabernacles which the Children of Ifrael ufed in 
 the Wildernefs, before the Temple Worlhip was prefcribed. 
 
 Nearly in the Centre of the Piece, the gentile World in general, who have not em¬ 
 braced Chridianity, are del'cribed by Perfons who are worfhiping the Sun. 
 
 The Books, Manufcripts, &c. in the Fore-ground, difcover the great Labour of 
 the Author, in writing an Impartial History of all Religions, for which 
 this Frontifpiece was defigned as an Embellifhment, 
 
A New UNIVERSAL HISTORY of 
 
 THE RELIGIOUS 
 
 RITES, CEREMONIES, and CUSTOMS 
 
 Of the WHOLE WORLD; or, 
 
 A general View of all RELIGIONS. 
 
 The Hiftory of the Patriarchial Religion, and that of the Antient yews. 
 
 H AVING taken notice of the general 
 plan of our work in the preface, we 
 think it unneceffary to fay any thing 
 more by way of introduction, but 
 Ihall immediately begin with the Patriarchial 
 Religion, which may be divided into two parts; 
 firft, refpedting it’s ftate before the deluge; i'e- 
 condly, with regard to it’s fituation from the 
 time of Noah till the calling of Abraham. 
 With refpeCt to the firft, we mult be directed 
 by what we find in the facred hiftory; for we 
 have no other authorities, befides fome tradi¬ 
 tions of the heathens, which are fo much blended 
 witn fable chat no confidence ought to be placed 
 in them. To love God without confcioufnefs of 
 fin, was the bufinefs of our firft parents in a ftate 
 of innocence, when there was no fault to deplore ; 
 but no fooner did fin take place in the world, in 
 confequence of their difobedience, than every 
 thing was changed, and the earth was accurfed 
 for their guilt. Dreadful, however, as that curfe 
 was, God did not forget the works of his hands; 
 he looked in companion on thofe who had of¬ 
 fended, and he pointed out a remedy, in pro- 
 mifing, that in time, a molt glorious perfon, 
 who, according to the flefh, was to defcend from 
 Adana, (hould make an atonement for the fins 
 of a guilty world. Although the facred fcrip- 
 tures do not point out all the particulars of the 
 promiie, yet there can be no doubt but God had 
 told our firft parents, that the feed of the woman, 
 the promifed Mefiiah, was to offer himfelf up 
 a facrifice for the fins of his people. It is, there- 
 fore, from the fall of man that we muft date the 
 origin of facrifices ; which were enjoined to point 
 out the great facrifice which was to be made on 
 Mount Calvary, for the fins of a guilty world. 
 
 That fuch was the praftice during the life of 
 Adam, will appear evident to any one who pe- 
 rufes the account of Cain and Abel, (Gen. iv.) 
 for facrifices are there mentioned as the principal 
 part of religion. It is true, the form and man¬ 
 ner in which they were offered up is not men¬ 
 tioned ; nor does it appear that any thing of a 
 particular nature was required. Cain, as^a per¬ 
 fon who cultivated the ground, brought, as an 
 offering, the fruits of the earth : and Abel, who 
 was a fhepherd, prel'ented to the Lord fome of 
 
 the beft lambs of his flock: they came, how¬ 
 ever, with different difpofitions; the one was ac¬ 
 cepted, and the other rejefted. The temples for 
 thefe facrifices, in thofe early ages, were the world 
 at large, and the canopy of heaven was the roof 
 which covered them. The altars were no more 
 than clods of earth, or turf, laid up in heaps; for 
 architecture was then little known. When the 
 facrifice was laid upon the altar, if it was ap¬ 
 proved of by the Divine Being, he fent down a 
 miraculous fire to conl'ume it; and this was con- 
 lidered as a mark of approbation, and accept¬ 
 ance. Fire pointed out the fufferings of the 
 Divine Redeemer, who was to endure, in his own 
 perfon, all the wrath of God for fin ; and the con- 
 fuming of the facrifice, that he was to make a 
 complete and final atonement. That this was 
 the practice during the remainder of the Ante¬ 
 diluvian world, cannot be doubted; for we are 
 told that Noah, after the deluge had fubfided, 
 built an altar to the Lord ; which was no more 
 than what he had learned before God deftroyed 
 men for their wickednefs. At that time, every 
 man, the father of a family, was a legiflator and a 
 prieft; there were no facerdotal ordinations; and 
 
 it is probable, that till the confufion of tongues 
 at Babel, all the defendants of Noah were of 
 one religion. 
 
 The fentiments of thofe men who lived foon 
 after the deluge, fern to be plain, artlefs, and 
 Ample; they looked upon God as their maker, 
 they trufted in his providence, and their views 
 were diredfed forwards to that glorious perfon, 
 who was to make an atonement for their fins. It 
 appears evident, that foon after the dilperfion of 
 the childien of Noah, by the confufion of tongues, 
 many human inventions took place in religion, 
 which occafioned the calling of Abraham, that, 
 in his family, he might prel'erve the worffiip of 
 the true God. 
 
 Abraham lived in the land of the Chaldeans, 
 fince called Perfia, and like moftof the people in 
 that age, being a fhepherd, it was no difficult 
 matter for him to remove from the place of his 
 nativity; for landed property was not then known. 
 During the whole of his hiftory, we find him at 
 different times, and in different places, eredlino- 
 altars to the true God, and offering facrifices 
 B . upon 
 
6 
 
 The RELIGION of the ANTIENT JEWS. 
 
 upon them. Thefe altars were what we have 
 already mentioned, namely, little hillocks o' 
 turfs heaped upon each other; and the perfon 
 who offered the facrifice, walked round the pile 
 till the holy fire came down from heaven to con- 
 fume it, taking care to drive away from it all 
 forts of birds and beafls, becaufe it was facred 
 to the Lord of creation, providence and grace. 
 Of this we have a llriking inftance in Gen. xv ; 
 where we are told, that when the birds came 
 down upon the facrifice, Abraham drove them 
 away. 
 
 It feems plain, that before the deluge nothing 
 was more common than to offer in f acrifice the 
 fruits of the earth ; but after that period, living 
 creatures only were to be iacrificed : and this is 
 what the Apoflle Paul fays (chap, x.) in his_ 
 Epiftle to the Hebrews, without fhedding of 
 blood, there was no remiffion. Ifaae, as the fon 
 of promife from whom the Mefliah was tofpring, 
 was given to Abraham in a miraculous manner; 
 beyond the power of man to conceive, and con¬ 
 trary to the ordinaiy courfe of generation. This 
 Will account, in the cleareft manner, why his 
 father fo chearfully complied with the Divine 
 command, in fubmitting to offer him up as a 
 burnt offering. The circumftances of the nar¬ 
 ration are affecting, but they are inftrudtive. 
 Abraham himlelf was the prieH; he was to cut 
 the throat of that fon who had been given him 
 on the facred word of promife from the Divine 
 Being, not doubting but he would raife him up 
 to him again. Abraham was the prieH who was 
 to offer up the facrifice, and his only fon was 
 the vidlim ; which may ferve to fhew, that there 
 was, at that time, a iacerdotal as well as civil 
 power, lodged in the mailer of every family. It 
 does not, indeed, appear, that the patriarchs of 
 old ever offered their Haves in facrifice; but the 
 cafe of Ilaac was of a peculiar nature, and no 
 way applicable to the common Hate of affairs 
 in this world, which would put an end to the 
 exifience of civil fociety. 
 
 During the life of the patriarch Ifaae, as well 
 as that of his father Abraham, there feems to 
 have been but little difference between the reli¬ 
 gious ceremonies of the heathens and thofe of 
 the patriarchs; only, that the one worfhipped 
 the true God, the others were idolators. The 
 perfon who fwore to perform any commanded 
 duty, put his right-hand under the thigh of his 
 mailer, and then invoked the Great Jehovah to 
 be witnefs to his fidelity. Altars Hill continued 
 to be made of ftones and turfj for as the people 
 wandered from place to place, confequently they 
 could not have temples erected where they might 
 regularly attend on Divine worfhip. It was 
 much the fame during the life of the patriarch 
 Jacob, who fupported his family by keeping his 
 flocks in the wildernefs; and fo it continued till 
 Joleph was fold as a Have to the Iflimaelites, who 
 carried him into Egypt. There is no doubt, 
 but that during the time the children of Ilrael 
 were in Egypt, they were little better than ido¬ 
 lators; and it appears that they were there at 
 leaH two hundred and thirty years. All thofe 
 who went into Egypt were dead before Moles 
 was called upon to lead their luccelfors to the 
 land of promife; and it feems probable, that 
 when he led them acrofs the Red fea, they had 
 
 little knowledge of the true God ; or rather, that 
 they were idolators, who worlliipped the gods of 
 the heathens. 
 
 Soon after the Jews, or children of Ifrael, 
 were delivered from Egyptian flavery, Mofes, 
 their leader, delivered them a law which he re¬ 
 ceived from God on Mount Sinai. This law 
 was delivered in the moll marvellous and mira¬ 
 culous manner, andconfiHed of precepts relating 
 to their duty both to God and to each other ; but 
 fuch were the corrupt notions of thofe people, 
 that while Mofes remained in the mount, they 
 adlually made to themfelves the image of a 
 golden calf, which they worfliipped as the true 
 God ; and this was done in imitation of what they 
 had feen in Egypt. They danced and lung 
 round the idol till the holy meflenger of God 
 returned from the mount, and then they were 
 chaHifed for their difobedience. It was there¬ 
 fore necefiary, that many rites and ceremonies 
 fhould be obferved by .that people, who feem 
 to have been hard-hearted and HifF-necked from 
 the beginning. The moH diilinguiIking of all 
 their ceremonies was that of circumcifion ; anti 
 this was always performed on the eighth day 
 after the birth, to difiinguilh them from fome of 
 the heathens, particularly the descendants of 
 Ifhmael, who made it a fixed rule to circumcile 
 their children in their thirteenth year. The 
 feventh day of'the week was to be kept facred; 
 but this was no more than the revival of an an- 
 tient inHitution, as appears lrom Genefis ii- 
 Sacrifices were enjoined, to point out the necel- 
 fity of the great facrifice which the Divine Re¬ 
 deemer was to offer up in Lis own perfon on the 
 crofs. A difiindlion was made between clean 
 and unclean animals; which feems to have been 
 rather political than religious; for had lwines 
 flelh been eaten in the wildernefs, or even in the 
 land of Canaan, it might have been prejudicial 
 to their health. It is true, another reafon has been 
 affigned for this prohibition ; namely, to make 
 a dillinftion between them and all other nations 
 in the univerfe. 
 
 At the celebration of their greatfolem nities,per- 
 fons were to bring theviClim to the prieH, who laid 
 his hand upon its head, and then read over to the 
 congregation aloud, all the fins which the parties 
 confeffed. The victim was then fiain, and when 
 all the blood was extracted from the body, the 
 fat was burnt to allies, and the other parts re¬ 
 mained the property of the pricHs. During the 
 time the children of Ifrael remained in the wil¬ 
 dernefs they had no temple, becaufe they had 
 then no fixed place of refidence; but, to fupply 
 that deficiency, God commanded Mofes and 
 Aaron to make an ark, or tabernacle, w hich was 
 carried by the Levites from place to place. How¬ 
 ever, during that time, Mufes drew up to them 
 a body of laws, dictated by unerring wifdom, 
 than which we find that nothing could be more 
 confiHent with the Divine attributes, or more 
 fuitable to the genius and intereHs of the people. 
 
 But of all the ceremonies impofed on the Jew's, 
 none ferves more to point out the notion of an^ 
 atonement by the blood of Chriil, than that of 
 the « Scape Goat.” This ceremony was per¬ 
 formed once ni every year, and it was done in 
 the following manner : 
 
 The coat was taken to the tabernacle, and, in 
 
 the 
 
The RELIGION of the 
 
 the heating of all the people, the prieft read a 
 lift of the fins which had been confeffed. The 
 people acknowledged their guilt, and then, taking 
 the fcroll, he fixed it upon the goat, who was 
 immediately condufted to the wildernefs, and 
 never more heard of. This being over, the mef- 
 fengers returned, and then the people received 
 abfolution. This fierved to point out, that the 
 fins of men were to be laid upon Chrift, thepro- 
 mifed Me filch, who was to remove them for 
 ever, and finally bring in an everlafting righ- 
 teoufnefs. The law delivered by Mofes to the 
 Jews, and which was given under the fanftion 
 of Divine authority, contained not only direc¬ 
 tions for the manner in which facrifices were to 
 be offered, and indeed the whole fervice, firft of 
 the tabernacle, and then of the temple ; but 
 likewife a complete fyftem of moral precepts, 
 nay, morality itielf ; whether we apply the 
 word to Ethics, (Economics, or Politics. The dif- 
 tinftions of perfons, according to their different 
 ranks in life, were clearly pointed out; women 
 were not permitted to wear the fame habit as the 
 men, for this plain reafon, that had the different 
 fexes been permitted to drefs indifcriminately, 
 many dangerous, and even fatal confequences 
 would have taken place ; nay, it might have hap¬ 
 pened, that the molt unnatural crimes would have 
 been committed ; and the God of order, who 
 feeks to promote the happinefs of his creatures, 
 would have been blafphemed as the author of 
 fin. Young perfons were commanded to ftand 
 up in the molt reverend manner before the aved, 
 arul to treat them with every mark of relpeft. 
 
 I his was, in all relpefts, confident with the firft 
 principles of natural religion ; for the relpeft we 
 owe to the aged, points out the duty we are 
 bound to difeharge to that glorious Being, by 
 whole wii'dom we were formed, by wliofe good- 
 nefs we have been preferred, and by whofe °race 
 we have been redeemed from the power and omit 
 of fin. 
 
 I heir law was to be of an uniform nature, and 
 the lame juftice was to be done to ftrangers as 
 to free born fubjefts. No ftranger was to be 
 chofen king over them, for this reafon, that as 
 they were lurrounded by heathen nations, fo a 
 ftranger, having the civil power in his hands, 
 might have led them into idolatry. They were 
 permitted to lend money to ftrangers upon ufury; 
 but when they lent any thing to their brethren, 
 nothing befides the principal was to bedemanded. 
 They were commanded not to abhor, nor treat 
 with contempt the F.domites, becatife they were 
 the defendants of Efau, the elder brother of 
 Jacob. Thefe Edomites were a circumcifed 
 people, and, although in latter times, we find 
 them commencing idolators, yet, in confequence 
 of their defeent from Abraham, and the tender- 
 nefs which Efau himfelf fhewed to Jacob, they 
 were to be treated as brethren. Nor were they 
 to treat the Egyptians with cruelty for the fol¬ 
 lowing reafons. Firft, their anceftors had been 
 once tenderly treated by the Egyptians. Se¬ 
 condly, the children of Ifrael had been kept in 
 a l'evere Hate of bondage by thofe people. The 
 consideration of the firft, was to keep alive in 
 their minds fentiments of gratitude. The fe- 
 cond, to humanize their natures, by teaching 
 them charity, benevolence, companion, merev, and 
 
 ANT1ENT JETS, 7 
 
 all thofe othervirtues which can adorn the human 
 mind, and make men ornaments of civil fociety. 
 
 Slavery was permitted by the law of Mofes, 
 but Haves or bonds-men were not to be treated 
 with cruelty ; and the reafon affigned Was, that 
 the children of Ifrael had themfelves been flaves 
 in the land of Egypt. Every widow, and every 
 orphan, were to be confidered as objefts of com¬ 
 panion; and thofe who treated them with cruelty, 
 were to be confidered as objefts of the Divine 
 difplealure. Nay, it was further threatened in 
 this Divine law, that thofe who oppreffed the 
 widow or fatherlefs, Ihould die an ignominous 
 death ; that their widows Ihould be cxpoled to 
 want, and their children lubjefted to all the 
 hardlhips of an injurious, unfeeling world. 
 
 1 he duty of charity was ftrongly inculcated by 
 the Mofaic ccconomy ; for whatever was left of 
 the fruits of the earth in the field, they were not 
 to go back to gather; it was for the poor and 
 needy : the (laves were to enjoy it, and fo were 
 the widows and fatherlefs. The tribe of Levi, to 
 whom the priefthood was confined by law, were 
 not to have any local inheritance, but they were 
 to dwell in the prefence of their brethren, and 
 one_ tenth part of the fruits of the earth was to 
 be let afide for their ftibfiftence. Thefe Levites, 
 however, were commanded to relieve the widow 
 and the fatherlefs ; and in confequence of their 
 aftions, being in all refpefts conliftent with the 
 purity of the Divine Law, they were either to be 
 acquitted or condemned. 
 
 In every city, town or village, fome of the 
 moft refpeftable of the inhabitants, or elders of 
 the people, were to be appointed judges, and in 
 the adminiftration of juftice, they were ftriftly 
 commanded to aft impartially. No refpeft was 
 to be paid to the charafters, or ranks of perfons; 
 and a dreadful curfe was pronounced againft fuch 
 as fhould take bribes. Thefe judges fat in the 
 gates of the cities, which praftice Hill prevails in 
 many of the eaftern nations. The origin of this 
 praftice is of great antiquity; but the end and 
 defign of it lias never been properly accounted 
 for, which is the more furprifing, becaufe the 
 thing itfelf is very emblematical and expreflive. 
 
 Judges fitting in the gates of cities, point 
 out, firft, that juftice and equity are the moft fe- 
 cufie guards and fafety of a people. Secondly, 
 that juftice,in its executive part, fhould be in that 
 place which divides citizens from thofe who in¬ 
 habit the country. Laftly, it was, that juftice 
 might be public, that all thole who were going 
 to, or coming from the city, might be impreffed 
 with a proper fenfe of the laws, the nature of 
 rewards and punifhments, the neceffity they 
 were under to obey them, the force of moral 
 obligation, and above all, the fear and love of 
 God. There was, however, an appeal from 
 thefe inferior courts, whether relating to matters 
 of a civil or a criminal nature. And this appeal 
 was very folemn : the party who thought himfelf 
 injured, entered his appeal before the fupreme 
 judge, or the king, who called to his affiftance 
 the whole body of priefts and Levites, and the 
 majority of the votes determined the affair. If 
 either of the contending parties refilled to abide 
 by the final decifion, he was condemned to fuffer 
 death; for, not to acknowledge fuch a folemn 
 judgement, was to deny the authority of God 
 
 him- 
 
8 The RELIGION of 
 
 himfelf, who had delegated his authority to the 
 judges, priefls and Levites. 
 
 The perfon who fpoke difrefpedfully of a 
 judge, was confidered as a blafphemer ; and if 
 he was found guilty, by the evidence of two or 
 three witnefles, then he was to be put to death ; 
 for to revile a judge was to revile God, he being 
 confidered as his reprelcntative on earth. 
 
 The nature of fervitude among the Jews, has 
 never been properly attended to,and the Mofaic law 
 has often been ridiculed, merely becaufe the weak 
 could not, and the wicked would not underftand 
 it. If we confider the Hate of a people living 
 without commerce, confined to agriculture, we 
 mult naturally believe, that many perfons would 
 be often out of employment; and had many of 
 thofe perfons been fet at liberty, they would have 
 perifhed for want of fubfiftence. The Jewifh Ha- 
 very was two-fold, and arofe from a variety of cir- 
 cumflances. When men were reduced to poverty, 
 it was in the power of their creditors to fell them ; 
 but they were not to be treated as ftrangers; they 
 were to be treated in the lame manner as we do 
 hired fervants, and when the year of jubilee took 
 place, they and their wives, with their children, 
 were to be fet at liberty, and they were to return to 
 thepofieflion of their anceftors. Thefe perfons who 
 were purchal'ed, or in other words, took into 
 a ftate of fervitude, were not to be fold by their 
 mailers, nor were they to be treated with any fort 
 of feverity. When a fervant was difcharged, his 
 mailer was to give him as much corn, wine, oil, 
 and other neceflaries, as he and his wife and chil¬ 
 dren could carry home to their houfes. This was 
 done to keep them in mind of the Havery they 
 had fuffered in the land of Egypt, and the libe¬ 
 ral manner in which God, by an aft of his Al¬ 
 mighty power, delivered them from bondage. 
 
 In the patriarchal age, the power of mailers 
 over their fervants was unlimited, for they had a 
 right to put them to death whenever they pleafed; 
 but after the children of Ifiracl had returned from 
 Egypt, this power was confined within proper 
 bounds; for there is a wide difference between 
 a Hate of nature, and a Hate of fociety. Such 
 as engaged for a limited time, were to have leave 
 to go out at the expiration of it, and if he was 
 married when he entered into fervitude, his wife 
 and children were to be fet at liberty; but if his 
 mailer gave him a wife, both Ihe and the chil¬ 
 dren were to remain the property of the mailer. 
 This circumflance, however, feldom took place, 
 lorthe law had provided a remedy. 
 
 It frequently happened, that when the term of 
 fervitude expired, the fervant, having no pro- 
 fpefl of procuring a fubfiftence, and, at the fame 
 time, unwilling to part with his wife and chil¬ 
 dren, told his mailer he would lerve him dur¬ 
 ing the remainder of his life. In fuch cafes, the 
 mailer took him before the elders, or judges, and 
 in their prefence, an awl was bored through his 
 ear, and fixed to a poll in the gate of the city, 
 and he and his wife and children were to ferve the 
 mailer till their deaths. 
 
 It was the lame with women fervants, who 
 were bound by the fame obligations. Much has 
 been faid and written on the nature of this cere¬ 
 mony, and by fome it has been confidered as ex¬ 
 tremely cruel. To this it is anfwered, that when 
 we conlider in what manner the ears of our wo- 
 2 
 
 the ANTIEN'T J E W S. 
 
 men are prepared for the ufe of rings, which fel¬ 
 dom puts them to much pain, then there docs not 
 appear any cruelty in it. From the huma¬ 
 nity that runs through every part of the Mofaic 
 law, we may naturally and reafonably conclude, 
 that the fervant himfelf was not put to much 
 pain, but that the ceremony was rather formal 
 than cruel. With relpe<5l to ftrangers, or the 
 people who came from other countries, they were, 
 at all times, permitted to redeem themlelves, 
 and this was to be done in an equitable manner 
 before the judges. All the arrears due to them, 
 were to be paid, and if the time of their fervitude 
 was not expired, then they were to make a proper 
 dedudion, fo that the mailer Ihould not receive 
 the leaft injury. 
 
 The children of thofe who lived in the hea¬ 
 then nations, were to be treated by the children 
 of Ifrael as Haves, they were to be bought and 
 fold as private property, but they were to be 
 treated with tendernefs. This practice was not 
 wholly confined to the Jews, for we find many 
 inflances of it in the hiflories of other nations. 
 The heathens, who lived around the land of Pa- 
 leftine, were divided into fmall tribes, under 
 chieftains or commanders, who led them out 
 annually to rob and plunder; arid during thefe 
 excurfions, it often happened, that many inno¬ 
 cent perfons were made captives, and fold as 
 Haves. Thefe perfons were transferred to all 
 thofe who purchafed the eftate upon which they 
 refided, and they were to remain Haves for 
 ever, unlefs they could redeem themlelves. It 
 v/as common to affign fome of thole Haves as a 
 marriage portion to a bride, and of this we have 
 many inflances in the Greek and Roman hillory. 
 Nay, we may add to the diflionour of Chriftians, 
 the prefent age affords us many melancholy ex¬ 
 amples of this inhuman pradice. Mr. Gran¬ 
 ville Sharp, one of the greateft ornaments of the 
 literary world, has made it appear almoft to a 
 demonftration, that, as the Jewifh common¬ 
 wealth was abolifhed, in confequence of cruelty 
 to Haves and ftrangers, fo the Have trade, as car¬ 
 ried on by the inhabitants of this country, will 
 at laft bring deftrudion upon us. 
 
 When a mailer ftruck his fervant, and the 
 wound proved mortal, fo that the fervant died 
 within the compafs of a day or two, then the 
 crime was to be confidered as capital, and the 
 mafter was to luffer death for it ; but if he lived 
 beyond that time, then the mafter was to be dif¬ 
 charged, becaufe the Have was his property. It 
 is needlefs to make any comments on this part of 
 the Jewifh law, becaufe the circumftances of the 
 times required fome fort of feverity ; and the 
 children of Ifrael being a hard-hearted people, 
 it was neceffary that their minds ftiould be pro¬ 
 perly impreffed with the nature of rewards and 
 puniftiments in this life. When a mailer ftruck 
 out the eye or the tooth of his fervant, then he 
 was obliged to let him go free ; becaufe, in fuch 
 an inftance, the mafter exceeded the bounds pre- 
 feribed by the law, and inflicted fuch cruelty as 
 was inconfiftent with the didates of natural rea- 
 fon and religion. 
 
 It was in the power of parents to fell their 
 daughters ; a pradice which has taken place in 
 the eaftern nations, from the moft early ages of 
 time ; but when the mafter feduced a damfel, 
 
 he 
 
The RELIGION of the ANTIENT JEWS. 
 
 he was not permitted to fell her, becaufe he had 
 not abted towards her confident with the nature 
 of moral obligation. However, if the matter 
 betrothed the young woman to his fon, fhe was 
 to be treated as a free-born fubjedt ; but if the 
 young man took another wife, then he was to de¬ 
 liver up every thing belonging to the Have, and 
 fhe was to be free to adt in what manner fhe 
 pleafed. 
 
 When a flave ran away from his matter, lie 
 was not to be reclaimed by him, but was to remain 
 with the perfon where he chofe to fettle; and this 
 was a rational principle, for we naturally fuppofe, 
 that in thofe ages, and in that nation, no fer- 
 vant would have left his matter, unlefs he had 
 been treated with cruelty. 
 
 The power that fathers had over their children 
 was great, but it was fuited to the circumftan- 
 ces of the times, and the place. If a fon refufed 
 to obey his father or mother, or treated them 
 with indignity, they were to chaftife him; and 
 if no reformation took place in his condudt, then 
 he was to be taken before the elders, or judges of 
 the city, who, upon hearing fuch evidence as 
 ferved to prove his guilt, he was delivered 
 over to the common executioners, who immedi¬ 
 ately ordered him to be ttoned to death. None 
 of the children of Ilrael were permitted to fell 
 their daughters as common proftitutes, becaufe 
 purity was injoined by the Divine law. It was 
 the cuttom of the heathens to boil kids in the 
 milk of the dam ; but by the Mofaic law, this 
 was forbidden ; becaufe the practice itfelf was 
 unnatural, fo that it was utterly prohibited for 
 any perfon to feethe a kid in his mother’s milk. 
 The Mofaic law was a tranicript of the law of 
 nature ; it was defigned to point out the ttate of 
 fallen man with the character of the Divine at¬ 
 tributes, and from this alone can our ttate in 
 this world be known. 
 
 As will appear in the courfe of this work, many 
 of the heathen nations lived in the moft incef- 
 tous manner, but this practice was not tolerated 
 under the law of Mofes. The degrees of con- 
 fanguinity were fo ttridlly attended to, that no 
 perfon was to break through them ; and a table 
 of thofe degrees has always been prefixed or af¬ 
 fixed to our Englifh tranflations of the bible. 
 This was, in allrefpedts, extremely needfary; be¬ 
 caufe, had it been otherwife, confufion would 
 have taken place, parents would not have at¬ 
 tended to the duty they owed to their children, 
 and children, in many inftances, would have 
 been afhamed to acknowledge their parents. A 
 man was not to marry two fitters, left it fhould 
 have created family diffentions ; but in all things 
 they were to a<ft confiftent with the duty they 
 owed to themfelves, to their families, to the 
 community at large, and to God. 
 
 If a man died without having children, and if 
 he had a brother alive unmarried, then the bat- 
 chelor was to efpoufe the widow, for the two 
 following reafons: Firft, that by defendants, the 
 name of the family might be kept up ; but the 
 firft-born child was to lucceed. to the name and 
 eftate of the firft hulband. Secondly, it was 
 done to prevent them from intermixing with 
 the heathen nations, which might have been 
 the means of introducing idolatry among them. 
 
 ? 
 
 As nothing was more odious among the Jew's, 
 then for men or women to live unmarried, lb, if 
 the brother-in-law refufed to marry his fitter-in¬ 
 law, to prelerve the name of his family, the 
 widow was to go before the judges in the gate 
 of the city, and there exhibit her complaint. 
 This being done, the brother-in-law was called 
 before the judges, and examined concerning the 
 nature of his objedtions ; and when it was found 
 that he abfolutely refufed to marry the woman, 
 then Jlie was called in, and the refufal intimated 
 to her; the judges then were to tell her to adt, 
 according as the law of Mofes directed : and 
 Hie ftooping down, unloofed the fiioe from off 
 his right foot, and, fpitting in his face, declared 
 her abhorrence of the man who refufed to per¬ 
 petuate the name of his family, and the name of 
 his brother; and from that time forward, he was 
 called The man whofe Jhoe was loofed in IJrael. 
 
 A woman was not to marry into any tribe but 
 that to which her father belonged; and thisfeems 
 to have been done to keep up the grand diftinc- 
 tions among the twelve tribes, efpecially that of 
 Judah ; from whom, according to the fleffi, the 
 Mefiiah was to come to enlighten a darkened 
 world. 
 
 Previous to their going to take pofieffion of the 
 land of Canaan, they were commanded to de- 
 ftroy all the different tribes of thofe idolatrous 
 nations ; they were not to fiiew any mercy to 
 them; and if they were buffered to remain alive 
 on the borders of the country, they were not to 
 luffer their children, whether foils or daughters, 
 to intermix with them, by marriage : and the 
 realon affigned for this was, that they might not 
 be led into idolatry; becaufe nothing will looner 
 change the inclinations of men with refped to re¬ 
 ligion, than an attachment to a beautiful woman. 
 
 Dr. Spencer, in his laws of the Hebrews, 
 makes fome juft remarks on the nature and prac¬ 
 tice of divorces among the Jews ; and this is ne- 
 ceflary to be taken notice of here, becaufe di¬ 
 vorces between married perions arc generally 
 attended with fome unhappy circumftances. So 
 the Deifts have objected, that it could never 
 make a part of the Divine law. To this it is an- 
 lwered, that divorces did not take place in the 
 the patriarchal ages ; for in the beginning, God 
 created but one of each fex ; and our Saviour, 
 difputing with the Jews concerning the legality 
 of divorces, told the Pharifees, that from the 
 beginning it was not lo. 
 
 However, as the Jews had refided many years 
 in Egypt, and learned many of the cuftoms of 
 that idolatrous nation, 1b Mofes, their great law 
 giver, by authority of Divine infpiration, per¬ 
 mitted a man to put away his wife, and both par¬ 
 ties were allowed to marry again. But if a huf- 
 band divorced his wife, and file married a 
 lecond hulband, who afterwards died, then the 
 firft hulband was not to take the woman again. 
 This was done to dilcourage divorces as much 
 as poffible ; for, although God may permit many 
 things, in confequence of the hardnefs ofpeople’s 
 hearts, yet we have the teftimony of our Saviour 
 to prove, that the Divine Being does not take 
 pleafure in fuch things. 
 
 Every man was exempted from going to war, 
 and from all public bufinefs during the firft year 
 C of 
 
to The RELIGION of the 
 
 of his marriage ; and the reafon was, that there 
 might not be too many young widows or tather 
 lefs children among them. The law of Moles 
 allowed a man to make a vow, to give for the 
 fervice of the tabernacle any part of his goods, 
 or money, fo as he did not injure Ins family i but 
 he was not obliged to do any thing of that na¬ 
 ture, contrary to his own inclinations, flow 
 ever, if he did once make the vow, which was 
 done in a folemn manner before the altar, then lie 
 was obliged to abide by it, and to perform what 
 
 he had promifed. . . , 
 
 It is evident from feveral paflages in the Old 
 Teftament, that women were permitted to make 
 vows, on condition of obtaining the confent of' 
 their fathers and luifbands. If the fathers or 
 hufbands were prefent when the vow was made, 
 and did not objeft to it, then the woman was 
 bound to the performance. On the other hand, 
 if either the father or hulband objedted to the 
 vow, then it could not Hand good, and the priefts jj 
 were commanded to lee that it was not pei formed. 
 But all widows, and fuch women as had been 
 divorced, and lived Tingle, were obliged to 
 perform their vows, otherwife they were to be 
 treated as perlons guilty of lacrilege; and this 
 feems to point out, that God would not have his 
 creatures to part with any of their propeity in a 
 trifling, unguarded manner. 
 
 In military affairs, the law of Mofes was well 
 calculated to promote the interefts of the com¬ 
 monwealth, and altogether fuitable to the genius, 
 rimes, and circumftances of the people. Every 
 family was obliged to return to the chiefs of the 
 tribes a lift of all the males, upwards of twenty 
 years of age, fit to carry arms. AVhen the letuin 
 was made,° which was done in the moft regular 
 manner, the males of each tribe were called to¬ 
 gether, and the following queftions were afked 
 them one by one : Has any man built a houfe, 
 and has not had time to dedicate it ? Has any 
 man planted a vineyard, and not yet eaten of the 
 fruit of it ? Has any man betrothed a wife, and 
 not yet married her ? Is any man fearful or faint¬ 
 hearted to go again ft the enemy ? Then let all 
 thofe return home and attend to their domeftic 
 duties. . . 
 
 That nothing might be wanting in the Divine 
 law, the great Jehovah ordered, that Mofes fliould 
 teach the people the bounds of that authority 
 they were to have over the irrational creatures. 
 Birds were permitted to be taken when found in 
 nefts, but the dam or mother was not to be re¬ 
 tained j and the reafon afiigned was, that the fpe- 
 cies might not be extinguifhed, which might have 
 been the cafe in their confined territories, had 
 both the old and the young been taken together. 
 Another circumftance in their law was, that no 
 cattle were permitted to gender with thole of a 
 different lpecies. But here an objettion has been 
 ftarted, namely, that mules were in great ufe, 
 and much efteemed among the Jews; and it is 
 well known, that they are engendered between 
 two creatures of different lpecies. d o this it is 
 aniwered, firft, that although the Jews were 
 commanded not to permit creatures of differ¬ 
 ent lpecies to gender together, yet it was not 
 always in their power to prevent it. From the 
 moft early accounts we have of the Jews, they 
 kept vaft flocks of fheep, oxen„ horfes, aflfes, 
 
 antient jew S. 
 
 goats* &Ci and as only a few perfons were fent 
 to attend and watch thefe flocks, it mu ft have 
 frequently happened that creatures would gender 
 together during the abfence, or the negleift of the 
 fhepherds. 
 
 In the methods of war, there was fomething in 
 the Jewifh law both humane and majeftic. When 
 they attacked a city, they were to offer terms of 
 peace to the inhabitants, upon condition of their 
 lurrendering t-hemfelves up prifoners of war, and 
 lubmitting to the will of the conqueror, which 
 was, that they fliould pay a certain tribute. But 
 if the citizens refufed to accept of the offered 
 terms, then the place was to be attacked, and if 
 taken, all the males were to be put to the lword. 
 The women and children were to be fold as 
 flaves, the cattle and all the goods were to be 
 taken and diftributed equally among the loldiers, 
 after which the city was to be reduced to afhes. 
 
 But this privilege was not to extend to any of 
 thofe cities among the Canaanitcs, whom God 
 had devoted to deftruttion, left, that by luffer- 
 ing Pagan captives to remain among them, their 
 minds might be feduced from the worfhip of the 
 true Godj and idolatry embraced by a people, 
 who had always a ftrong propenfity to the wor¬ 
 fhip of falle gods. They were permitted to eat 
 the fruits of the trees they found in the land of 
 an enemy ; but the trees were to be cut down, 
 in order to raile bulwarks againft the next city 
 which they fhould have occafion to befiege. 
 
 All the lands taken by conqueft, were to be 
 divided by lot among the foldiers, but each was 
 to have his fhare, according to the rank he bore 
 in the army. The Levites, as they were obliged 
 to attend the fervice of the tabernacle, fo they 
 were exempted from every duty of a civil or mi¬ 
 litary nature ; and this was appointed to exift 
 throughout all generations, although we meet 
 with many deviations from it in the latter times 
 of their hiftory, particularly, after they returned 
 from the Babylonifh captivity. Great regard 
 was paid to fucceflion, in order to keep up the 
 proper diftinftion of families. 
 
 If a man died without leaving a fon, then the^ 
 inheritance was to pals to his daughter ; and it 
 there was no daughter, then it was to go to the 
 brothers ; anti if there were no brethern, then it 
 was to alcend upwards to the brothers of the 
 grandfather, and to all the collateral branches, 
 according to their confanguinity. 
 
 As polygamy was permitted among the Jews, 
 great care was taken that no abufes fhould 
 happen, in confequence of a too fond partiality 
 taking place, in favour of the children of the fe- 
 cond or third wife, in preference to thofe of the 
 firft. It was ordered, that although the firft wife 
 fhould be defpifed, or even hated by herhufband, 
 yet her firft-born Ion fliould iucceed to the inhe¬ 
 ritance ; and the judges were under the moft io- 
 lemn and lacred obligations to lee this part of die 
 law properly executed. Provifion, however, was 
 made for the reft of the children, and amongft 
 them the perfonal eftate was divided, without 
 any partial refpedb ; but if there was no perfonal 
 eftate, then two thirds of the real eftate was given 
 to the firft born, and the third divided equally 
 among the reft. 
 
 The houles in the eaftern countries of Afia 
 were, in confequence of the heat of die climate, 
 M built 
 
The RELIGION of the ANTIENT JEWS 
 
 built with battlements around the upper parts of 
 the roofs ; and as it often happened, that in con- 
 fequence of the ignorance, or negligence of the 
 architeft, Hones fell down, by which paffengers 
 were killed; fo it was ftriftly injoined, that great 
 rare Ihould be taken in the conftruftion of the 
 fabrics ; for the public fafety was a great objeft 
 of the law, as it ought always to be in all nations 
 in the univerfe. 
 
 1 he Jews were permitted to lend money upon 
 ufury to ftrangers, but not to any of their own 
 brethren, nor were they to deep one night with 
 their biotlier s pledge. 'I his notion was incul¬ 
 cated, that they might learn the great duty of hu¬ 
 manity, and that benevolence to their fellow 
 creatures Ihould regulate every part of their con- 
 duft. 
 
 If an eftate was mortgaged, the perfon who 
 held it was obliged to reftore it at the end of 
 feven years, upon condition of receiving the 
 money he had advanced, but he was not under 
 the fame obligation to ftrangers. And if a man 
 borrowed a beaft of his neighbour, and an acci¬ 
 dent happened to it, fo as it received any injury 
 then he was to make good the loi's, unlefs the 
 owner happened to be prefent. This was enabled 
 that no injury ihould be done to individuals ; 
 for if a man borrows a horfe from his neighbour 
 it is bu t juft that he Ihould take proper care of 
 it; but if the proprietor goes along with it, to 
 fee in what manner it is treated, and is witnefs to 
 the accident that happens, then it muft be fup- 
 poied that he knows in whole power it was to 
 prevent it. 
 
 With refpeft to fidelity in keeping any thing 
 delivered to a perfon, the Jewill, law difcover? 
 linking marks of its divine authenticity. Thus 
 if a man delivered any thing to another to keep 
 and it was ftolen, the thief, if found, was to 
 piay double ; but if the thief was not found, 
 then the perfon with whom it was intruded was 
 to be brought before the judges, to declare upon 
 oath, whether he had injured his neighbour, by 
 
 making away with his goods, or havino- been 
 privy to any tranfaftion of that nature? The 
 oath of the accufed perfon was to be iupported 
 by luch evidence as he could produce; and that 
 was to be oppofed by what the profecutor could 
 advance. 
 
 The matter having been heard with calmnefs 
 the judges were to confider of it in a deliberate 
 manner ; and if it appeared that the accufed per- 
 fon was innocent, then he was acquitted ; but if 
 through ins own negleft the goods were ftolm, 
 then he was to return double to the owner. This 
 was injoined, that men fliould carefully preferve 
 the property intruded to them; and, certainly, in 
 all civil focieties, Inch things fliould be attended 
 to. It there was no evidence produced by the 
 perfon accufed, nor any to fupport the accufa- 
 tion, then thejudges were to decide, according 
 to their own wildom and dilcretion. 
 
 Among tiie Jews, there were feveral things 
 exempted from being pledged ; amongll which 
 were mi.l-ftones, for this reafon, that fuch things 
 Were neceffary towards preferving the lives of 
 men, becaufe wheat would have been of very 
 
 W en “ had been S™nd to flour. 
 
 ad'- a „ C ed P d dge was depofited, the perfon who 
 advanced the money was not to go into the 
 
 debtor s houfe to demand the money, but he was 
 to Hand without the door until it was brought to 
 nim. This was ordered to prevent family dil- 
 putes, and to keep peace among a body of peo¬ 
 ple, who were commanded to live together as 
 brethren. The cloaths of widows were not to 
 be taken in pledge ; and the fame degree of hu¬ 
 manity was to extend to the ftrangers, the father- 
 
 theh- ?, nd thc nav . es - Great regard was paid to 
 their ftandard weights and mealures ; for, altho’ 
 the people were extremely numerous, yet thev 
 were all obliged to have the fame meafures, and 
 the fame weights, fo that in their common dea¬ 
 lings, juft ice fliould be equally diftributed. 
 
 Every fale or bargain relating to the Convey¬ 
 ance of eftates, was of a conditional nature ; and 
 if any of the defeendants or relations of thofe 
 who affigned it away, produced the money ad¬ 
 vanced for it, at the end of forty-nine years,' then 
 it was to be reftored ; for the poffcffion of it du- 
 nng that time, was confidered as an ample re- 
 compence to the purchafer. 
 
 On fuch occalions trumpets were to be founded 
 in a 1 their towns and villages, that the people 
 might have proper notice that the jubilee was 
 approaching. Then, during the fiftieth year, 
 all fervants or (laves were to be fet at liberty - 
 and an opportunity was offered for perfons to re¬ 
 deem Inch eftates as had been fold. In the re¬ 
 demption of eftates, an account was taken be¬ 
 fore the judges concerning the nature of the im- 
 proved rent during the time they had been in the 
 po fie Hi on of the purchafer, and the overplus was 
 delivered up, either to the perfon who fold them 
 or to his relations who made the claim. 
 
 All houles in walled cities, namely, fuch as 
 were fortified, could be redeemed within the 
 compais of one year, but they could never 
 e l edeemed afterwards, not even on the year of 
 jubilee; becaufe the perfon in poffeffion was 
 undei the higheft obligation to lay down his life 
 in lupport OI its rights and privileges. It was 
 different with refpeft to the villages which were 
 not walled round, becaufe they were confidered 
 as pai t of the country at large, fo that they were 
 pel mitted to be redeemed in the year of jubilee 
 
 S°fnT r - f eh ° U ? Sof the Levites were not to 
 be fold without redemption, whether they were 
 in cities or villages: for, trifling as their poffef- 
 fions were, yet they were confidered as of a facred 
 nature; and all thole who enjoyed them, were 
 the immediate fervants of the molt high God 
 The Jew,lb law was fo drift with refpeft to 
 humanity, in the conduft of mafters to fervants 
 that when they were hired by the day, they were 
 to receive their wages before fun-fct; and the 
 leafon affigned for it was, that becaufe the poor 
 man wanted his hire, confequently he would fet • 
 ns heart upon it, that is, hunger and the regard 
 he lad for his poor wife and children, would 
 make him unwilling to return home. This hu¬ 
 mane provifion ferves to point out, that if God 
 made choice ot the children of Ifrael from amono- 
 all nations, to commit to them the knowledge of 
 his name ; he, at the fame time, mixed the°Di- 
 vine law with fuch principles of private and pub¬ 
 lic virtue, as muft be of great fervice to fociety 
 in ail lucceeding generations. 
 
 However odious the term flavery may appear 
 to us who live in a commercial land of real li- 
 
 berty. 
 
12 The R E L I G I O N of the 
 
 berty, yet it was not fo among the Jews. As i 
 there was a necefiity, that poor perfons Hiould , 
 procure a lubfiftence by way of iervitude, fo God 
 in his infinite wffdom, provided that none of 
 them fliould be treated with cruelty ; nor was j 
 this compaffion confined to men only, the Di- j 
 vine Being looks beyond the Irate of his ra- , 
 tional creatures. 
 
 Thus we find, that the ox, who contributed | 
 towards cultivating the fruits of the'earth, and 
 who affifted in treading out the corn, fhould not j 
 be muzzled, but fliould be lingered to eat as much j 
 as he could while he was employed. In Afia, 
 corn is not thraihed as in Europe; but a ftone, j 
 like amillftone is drawn round a circle by oxen, 
 much in the lame manner as tanners in England j 
 bruife their bark ; and Dr. Shaw tells us, that 
 this pra&ice prevails in all thole countries, which 
 he vilited near the Levant. 
 
 It has been aflced, by leveral of the late deil- 
 tical writers, particularly fuch as have lived in 
 France, Why Mofes appointed one day in 
 l'even to be fet apart for the purpofe of religious 
 worfhip ? To this it is anlwered, that here our 
 adverlaries furnifh us with a fair opportunity, 
 and a juft right to beg the queftion by adding 
 another, Why have the inhabitants of the moll 
 illiterate barbarous heathen nations fet apart feme 
 time for the ferviceof their idols ? As there never 
 was a nation in the univerfe, where the inhabi¬ 
 tants refilled to acknowledge one or more beings 
 to whom they aferibed Divine honours, fo all 
 thofe nations had their dated feftivals. 
 
 It is faid, fix days fhalt thou labour, and on 
 the feventh thou fhalt reft. Now, if we confider 
 the beautiful regularity in this diftribution of 
 time, it will appear that human wifdom could 
 not point it out. Every man, even the moft 
 uninlightened muft acknowledge, that fome part 
 of his time fliould be fet apart for the adoration 
 of that being whom he worfhips : But what hu¬ 
 man wifdom could point out the definitive num¬ 
 ber of days ? Six days the Jews were to labour 
 for the lubfiftence of their families, and on the fe¬ 
 venth day, in order to keep alive in their minds the 
 flame of Divine knowledge, they were to com¬ 
 memorate the great works of creation, and all 
 the providential circumftances which God had 
 wrought in their favour. 
 
 As covetoufncfs was forbidden by the Molaic 
 law, fo theft, its infieparable companion, and natu¬ 
 ral effedt, was punifhed in fuch a manner as points 
 out marks of Divine wifdom. Cattle being Itolen 
 and difpofed of, foas to be irrecoverable, the thief, 
 on convidtion, was to make a five-fold reftitution ; 
 but if the cattle were found alive with him, then 
 he was to reftore them and pay double. Every 
 perfon was empowered to kill a houlebreaker 
 if he was found in the fadt during the night, but if 
 in the day, then he was either to make reftitution, 
 or be fold for a Have. 
 
 In walking through a vineyard, every ftranger 
 was permitted to pull what fruit he chofeto eat, but 
 he was not to carry any away, and nothing could be 
 more reai'onable ; for certainly, if men’s circum¬ 
 ftances are not very opulent, then it is fufficient 
 that they relieve the immediate wants of their 
 fellow creatures, without doing any thing more 
 for •them at the qxpence of duty, and the obliga- 
 
 ANTIENT JEWS. 
 
 tions they are under to their own families. It 
 was the fame with refpedt to fields of corn, where 
 every man was permitted to pull as many of the 
 ears as he could eat, but he was not to put in a 
 fickle to cut down fo much as one of the ftalks. 
 
 That they might live together in a ftate of 
 brotherly love, it was ordained in their law, 
 that nuifances, by which men’s lives or properties 
 could be injured, fhould be removed ; or if an 
 accident happened in confequences of negledt, a 
 proper recompence was to be made to the lofer. 
 Thus if a man left a pit uncovered, and his 
 neighbour’s beaft fell into it and was killed, 
 or any ways dilabled, then the perfon guilty of 
 the negleft, was to make up the lofs. In the 
 fame manner, if any man killed the beaft of his 
 neighbour, he was either to reftore another equal' 
 in value or to pay the price. 
 
 All .thole who found cattle wandering aftray, 
 were to take them to their own folds, and keep 
 them till they were claimed by the owners. It 
 was the fame with refpeft to every thing loft, for 
 whoever found it, and did not embrace the firft 
 opportunity of reftoring it, was confidercd as a 
 thief, and punifhed as fuch. 
 
 Juftice, mercy and compaftion were, by this law, 
 carried ftill higher than any thing yet mentioned, 
 for the people were commanded not only to be 
 compaffionate to their enemies, but it was further 
 injoined, that if they faw their enemies ox or afs. 
 fall into a pit, then they were to do all in their 
 power to lave its life. This may ferve to prove, 
 that the law of Mofes was not fuch a barbarous 
 one as has been reprelen ted by the Dei Its, but- 
 rather a complete fyftem of political humanity. 
 
 If fire happened through negligence, the per¬ 
 fon who neglected to take proper care, was to 
 make reftitution to the injured perfon ; and the 
 fame was to be done where a man fuffered his' 
 beaft to eat the corn in the field of his neighbour. 
 If a man or woman happened to be killed by an 
 ox, then the ox was to be ftoned to death, and his 
 fiefh was not to be eaten ; but if fufficient evi¬ 
 dence appeared to the judges, that the ox was a 
 vicious animal, accuftomed to pufh at every per¬ 
 fon who came in his way, and the owner did not 
 take proper meafures to reftrain him, then the 
 ox was to be ftoned, and the owner was to be put 
 ! to death. It was, however, permitted for the 
 j owner of the ox to redeem his own life, by pay¬ 
 ing a certain fum of money to the widow, or 
 children of the deceafed. 
 
 When an ox killed a Have, his owner was to 
 pay to the mafter of the Have thirty fhekels of 
 j filvcr; and if it happened that one ox hurt ano- 
 j ther, the live ox was to be fold along with the 
 dead one, and the money equally divided between 
 the proprietors. 
 
 To prevent the commiffion of injures is one 
 of the grand principles in all civil focieties, and 
 | we find the Jewifh law guarding againft it with 
 that wifdom which points out its Divine original, 
 i Thus the land-marks, as the boundaries of civil 
 property, were not to be removed; wanton cruelty 
 w-es not to be exercifed in laying Humbling blocks 
 before the blind ; nor were the deaf to be mocked. 
 
 Wilful murder was to be punifhed with 
 death : for thus it is written in the Mofaical law,^ 
 
 And if lie finite him with an inftrument or 
 
 iron 
 
The RELIGION of the 
 iron (fo that he die,) he is a murderer: the mur¬ 
 derer (hall finely be put to death. And if lie 
 finite him with throwing a Itone, (wherewith 
 he may die) and he die, he is a murderer. 
 
 In the fame manner, if he fmote him with an 
 inftrument of wood, fo that he died, he was a 
 murderer; but ftill no crime could be called 
 murder, unlels there was malice in the offendino- 
 party. In all fuch cafes, the neareft of kin had 
 a right to put the murderer to death with his own 
 hands, unlefs he made his el'cape to the city of 
 refuge. 1 
 
 The difference between murder and man- 
 flaughter was pointed out, and a ftraight line of 
 diftinftion drawn. Thus, if there had been no 
 malice between the contending parties, and it 
 happened that one of them killed the other fud- 
 denly, then the aggreffor was to flee to the city 
 of refuge, where he was kept in a ftate of l'afety, 
 until the judges had enquired into the affair. 
 This was done in a very folemn nanner, and what 
 is remarkable, the evidence was delivered in the 
 hearing of all thofe who lived in the diftrift 
 where the affair happened. And from that we 
 may learn, although there are now many arbi¬ 
 trary governments in the world, yet in antient 
 times, all trials were in one fhape or other by 
 juries. 1 
 
 When a folemn enquiry was made, and it was 
 found that the aggreffor entertained malice againft 
 the deceafed; then he w'as delivered up to the 
 avenger of blood to be put to death. But if it 
 was found that no malice had exifted between 
 the parties, then the judges were to fee the of¬ 
 fender fafely condufted to the city of refuge, 
 where he was to remain as an inhabitant, till the 
 death of the high prieR. During that time, if 
 he ventured to go out of the city of refuge, the 
 avenger of blood had a right to put him to 
 death ; but when the high prieft died, he was re- 
 ftored to the peaceable enjoyment of his temporal 
 poffeffions. 
 
 When it happened that a pregnant woman was 
 injured, fo as to occafion her mifearrying, then 
 the huff)and was to demand a fine from the of¬ 
 fending party, and the judges were to determine 
 how much was equitable. It was common in 
 the eaftern countries, for diffolute perfons to fteal 
 children, and fell them to be brought up as llaves; 
 but the law of Moles abfolutely prohibited this 
 prafhee, and the offender was to be put to 
 death. 
 
 In fome cafes, offenders were permitted to take 
 flicker on the horns of the altar, the place to 
 which the viftim was bound; but if he was a 
 murderer, and found guilty by the judges, then 
 the executioners had a right to drag him from 
 the altar, and put him to death ; but we fliall 
 have occafion to enlarge more fully on this 
 praftice, in our account of the Roman Catho¬ 
 lics. 
 
 As the Jewilh ftate was that of a theocracy, or 
 an immediate government under the molt high 
 God, fo every violation of the law, delivered to 
 Moles, waspunilhed as high treafon. The peo¬ 
 ple were to be confidered as guilty of high trea¬ 
 fon, when they worlhipped any of theTdols of 
 the heathen nations; and as no human being can, 
 
 \ n this life, behold God in his glorious majefty, 
 io it was high-treafon to let up an image of him’ 
 
 1 
 
 ANTIENT JEWS. t 3 
 
 So Itrongly did God, by the mouth of Moles, 
 prohibit the worfhip of images, that he threat¬ 
 ened to inflift the fevereft punilhments on fuch as 
 were guilty of it. 
 
 In particular, they were ftriftly commanded 
 not to worfhip the lun, moon, or the ffars, and 
 for this, two reafons were afiigned ; firft, becaufe 
 theft were the moll tempting objefts of worlhip 
 to a carnal mind; lecondly, becaufe they were 
 worfnipped by heathens, 
 
 Wdiat we in this country call mifprifion of 
 treaion, was punifhed capitally among the Jews. 
 Thus if one man law another go to worlhip in a 
 heathen temple, and did not reveal it to the 
 judges, then he was to be put to death ; for to 
 conceal treafon, was confidered as approving of 
 
 In all cafes, the traitor was punilhed by fton- 
 j mg, and the witneffes, or witnefs, were obliged to 
 perform the execution. Nay, fo ftrift was the 
 law, with refpeft to treafon, that if one perfon 
 advifed another to idolatry, then the perfon 
 advifed, had a right to kill him. If all the in¬ 
 habitants of a city became idolators, then that 
 city was to be totally razed to the ground, the 
 people were all to be put to death, and the place 
 was to remain a heap of ruins for ever. It fre¬ 
 quently happened, that fome impoftors role up, 
 under the charafters of prophets ; but if fuch en¬ 
 ticed the people to commit idolatry, then they 
 were to be Honed to death ; nor were their higheft 
 pretenfions to infpiration to fereen them from 
 punilhment. 
 
 All thofe who pretended to be wizards, who 
 had familiar fpirits, who could reveal the know¬ 
 ledge of future events, were confidered as trai¬ 
 tors, and they were to be put to death. Every 
 one, whether man or woman, who fpoke irre¬ 
 verently of the name of God was to be put to 
 death; from which principle making fuch a great 
 part of the Mofaic ceconomy, we may learn, 
 that the great end God had in view was, to fe- 
 parate the children of Ifrael from all nations in 
 the univerie, to preferve the knowledge of his 
 name, and the purity of that religion he had re¬ 
 vealed. 
 
 It a man and woman were taken in the aft of 
 adultery, both were to be ftoned to death; and 
 I the fame punilhment was inflifted on the man 
 who feduced a betrothed virgin previous to her 
 marriage; and the virgin herfelf was to die alon°- 
 with the feduccr; but this was only done when 
 the crime was committed in a city, for when it 
 happened in the fields, then the man alone was to 
 iuffer, becaufe it was prelumed that he had 
 raviflied her. 
 
 That every man fliould fuffer for the crime he 
 committed, we find, that, confiftent with the 
 nature of the Divine perfeftions, a father was 
 n°J to fuller for his fon, nor a fon for his father. 
 
 This was, in all refpefts, juft and equitable; for 
 in thefe latter ages, we have feen many innocent 
 children ruined, becaufe their fathers had been 
 rebels. When the punifhment was fuch as per¬ 
 mitted a power in the judge to order a criminal 
 to be fcourged, then he was to command him to 
 lie down in open court, and forty ftripes were 
 to be given him, but he was not to exceed that 
 number; but according to the praftice, they fel- 
 dom exceeded the number of thirty-nine. If 
 D more 
 
The RELIGION of the A N l I E N T ] E " 
 
 14 - 
 
 more than forty ftripes had been inflifked on the 
 offending party, he would have been confidered 
 as infamous ever afterwards, and by only mtlitt- 
 ing thirty-nine, it was done from motives of hu 
 manity, left the party fhould have been in danger 
 
 of lofinghis life. , ,, , 
 
 The accufed perfon lay down on his belly, ana 
 the ftripes were inflidted on his back, and gene¬ 
 rally with fome circumftances of ^verity, but 
 much lefs than our punifiiments inflicted upon 
 foldiers in the army. The judges, however 
 were ftridlly charged not to punilh any man till 
 they had the cleareft proof of his guilt, and this 
 is what fhould be attended to in every nation in 
 Europe, and in the world. Indeed, the equity of 
 the Jewifh law has laid the foundation of all the 
 benefits we enjoy, in confequence of our muni¬ 
 cipal inftitutions, for all that is good in our law, 
 has been derived from that of the Jews. 
 
 The law, relating to incontinency, was con- 
 fiftent with the rules of civil fociety ; for it was 
 enjoined, that if a man deduced a young woman 
 who was not betrothed, he was either to mary her, 
 or allow her the common marriage portion given 
 to virgins, according to her rank. If a man lay 
 with a woman who was a (lave and betrothed, me 
 woman was to be fcourged, and the man was to 
 offer a ram as a trefpafs offeringj neither of them 
 were to be put to death, becaufe the woman was 
 not free. Ballards were not permitted to enjoy 
 the fame privileges, as thole who were born in 
 wedlock; and that incontinency might be dit- 
 couraged as much as poffible, this prohibition was 
 to extend, even to the tenth generation; from 
 which principle, the emperor Juftiman ordeied, 
 that all confanguinity, or relationfhip among 
 Chriftians, was to expire in the tenth of the 
 defeending line. 
 
 This order or ftatute, however, did not pro¬ 
 hibit baftards from worfhipping the true God, 
 either in the tabernacle or temple ; for they were 
 treated in the lame manner as the heathens, who 
 renounced idolatry, namely, as profelytes, who 
 worfhipped God without the veil of the temple, 
 while the free-born fubjefts worfhipped within. 
 The names of baftards and profelytes, were not 
 permitted to be inrolled, nor were they to marry 
 women free-born, fo that in many civil refpeas, 
 they were not confidered as members of the 
 Tewifli community. 
 
 That no injury fhould be done to young wo- 
 men, but that the tender fex fhould be treated 
 with decency, and protected from violence, it 
 was ordered, that if a man lay with a virgin who 
 was not betrothed, then he was to pay to her fa¬ 
 ther fifty fhekels of filver, as part of the com- 
 pofition for the injury, and, at the fame time, 
 he was obliged to marry her, nor could he, on 
 any account whatever, obtain a divorce from her, 
 becaufe in the aft of feduftion he had firlt let her 
 
 a bad example. . . .. 
 
 With refpect to a witnefs giving evidence in 
 a court of juftice, the law of Mofes provided in 
 the moft facred manner againft perjury, and it 
 would be well for mankind, that the fame rule 
 had been attended to in modern European na- 
 tions. It was abfolutely neceflary, that there 
 ihould be either two or three witneffes to prove 
 the truth of every criminal accufation, becaule 
 two individuals can l'wear to a Angle fail. In 
 
 cafe a man who appeared as a witnefs againft 
 an accufed perfon, fhould have been fufpefted of 
 delivering falfe evidence, then both parties were 
 to appear in the tabernacle before the judges 
 and the priefts, and they were to confider of the 
 matter in the moft deliberate manner. If it ap¬ 
 peared to the judges, that the witnefs had per¬ 
 jured himfelf, then they were to order that the 
 fame punifhment fhould be infliiled upon him, 
 as would have been inflidted upon the acculed 
 perfon, had he been legally convidted. 
 
 The prailice of making the witneffes the 
 executioners of the criminal, had fomething in 
 it facred, folemn and majeftic ; for a man may 
 fwear falfly in a court of juftice, from interfiled 
 or finifter motives, but if he has the leaft fpark 
 of confcience remaining within him, he mult 
 fhudder at the thoughts of becoming the execu¬ 
 tioner of the man, who, by his evidence, Was 
 illegally condemned. Retaliation made a great 
 part of the Jewifh law : thus he who put out the 
 eye of another, was to have his own put out; he 
 who ft ruck out the tooth of another, was to 
 have his own tooth ftruck out; he who difablcd 
 another, was himfelf to be difabled ; and who¬ 
 ever burnt down the houfe of his neighbour, 
 was to have his own houfe reduced to allies. 
 
 To what has been already advanced, we may 
 add, that all punifhments among the Jews, were 
 confidered as adequate to the crimes with which 
 prifoners were charged. Equality of guilt, and 
 adequate punifhments fhould always go hand in 
 hand together ; but fuch is the imperfeaion of 
 human nature, that a deviation often takes place. 
 As the Jews were a peculiar people, chofen out 
 of the other nations of the world, and feparated 
 from them; fo it was neceffary that they Ihould 
 live in a peculiar manner. If it Ihould appeal, 
 that the punifhments they inflidted on criminals 
 were inconfiftent with the dictates of humanity, 
 let us only confider what humanity is. Eveiy 
 ad of humanity is to extend to God’s creatures 
 at large, and therefore thofe who would, by any 
 
 means whatever oppofe the Mofaic law, are un¬ 
 der an indifpenfible obligation to prove, that 
 their notions are fuperior to thole of natuial re¬ 
 ligion. 
 
 There is not a want in human life, nor an 
 injury that could happen, but wnatwas guar a 
 againft by the law of Mofes. It was confident 
 with the nature of the Divine attributes, and 
 fuitable to the ftate of mankind. 
 
 What we have alluded to with refpect to the 
 children differing for the fins of their parents, 
 was common among the heathen nations, and 
 that fentiment has prevailed too much in the na¬ 
 tions we now inhabit. But the Jewifh law made 
 a diftin&ion, by pointing out, that the Ions 
 fhould not die for the fins of their fathers, nor 
 the fathers for thofe of their children, but evei y 
 man fhould anfwer for his own guilt. 
 
 We find that the whole of the Jewifb law was 
 a fyftem of equity ; folemn in its own nature, 
 an honour to that God by whom it was framed, 
 happy for lociety, and beneficient to the 
 poor. . . 
 
 If a man was found guilty of a capital or 
 fence, and condemned to be hanged, his body 
 was not to remain after fun-fet on the tree, 
 l but ffavs the Divine law) thou fhalt bury him 
 
 ' rh-»r 
 
The RELIGION of the MODERN JEWS. 
 
 that day; that thy land be not defiled : for he that 
 is hanged is accurfed of God. Deut. xxi. 22, 23. 
 
 This (hews that the punilhment was not the 
 fame with the Roman crucifixion, for they nailed 
 men alive to the crofs, and there let them 
 expire; but this was only hanging up their dead 
 bodies, and expofing them to open lhame for a 
 time. See 2 Sam. iv. 12. 
 
 Such was the nature of the antient law of the 
 Jews, and if we view it with attention, we lliall 
 find, that confidering the times when it was pro¬ 
 mulgated, the circumftances of the people as 
 attached to the Egyptian rites and ceremonies, 
 their hardnefs of heart, their pronenefs to unbe¬ 
 lief, and their ftrong defire to return to idolatry, 
 every precept will appear confident with the Di¬ 
 vine attributes, and fuitable to the ftate of thofe 
 difobedient people. It is probable, that during 
 the time they remained in captivity in Babylon, 
 they acquired fome knowledge of the Chaldean 
 religion; and from that we may date the origin of 
 thofe feels, by which they were diftinguifhed 
 about the time that our Saviour made his appear¬ 
 ance in the world. The Pharifees, the Sadducees, 
 and the Eflenes, were the chief feftaries, but there 
 were many fubordinate ones ; nor indeed are the 
 Eflenes fo much as mentioned in the New Tefta- 
 ment. Of thefe lefts we (hall proceed to give a 
 proper account, and then point out the princi¬ 
 ples of the Modern Jewifli Religion. 
 
 The mol refpeftable feft among the Jews, 
 were the Pharifees, whether we confider their 
 number, their learning, their pretenfions to re¬ 
 ligion, or their influence over the lower clafles 
 of the people. The doftrine of the immortality 
 of the foul was embraced and believed by them; 
 and from the law of Mofes they inferred, that 
 there was a future ftate of rewards and punifh- 
 ments. They adhered to all the falfe glofles put 
 upon the pure and genuine fenfe of the law, by 
 the Rabbies; and to ufe the words of our Divine 
 Redeemer, “ they made the word of God of none 
 “ effeft by their tradition, teaching for doftrines, 
 “ the commandments of men.” They pre¬ 
 tended to high degrees of fanftity; they made 
 an oftentatious difplayof religion in its exterior 
 forms ; they looked down with fovereign con¬ 
 tempt on all thofe who differed from them in fen- 
 timents ; they faded often ; and gave alms to the 
 poor in the ftreets, to be feen of men; and yet our 
 Lord told us, that they devoured widows, and 
 for a pretence made long prayers, for which they 
 were to receive the greater condemnation. 
 
 Next to the Pharifees, the Sadducees were the 
 moft numerous feft among the Jews ; but fo far 
 as we are able to judge of their tenets, they were 
 much the fame as the Epicureans among the 
 heathens. They denied the immortality of the 
 foul; they mocked at the doftrine of angels and 
 fpirits; they rejefted aparticular providence; they 
 believed the foul to be material; and they taught 
 that all happinefs was confined to this life. No¬ 
 tions of luch a carnal nature, calculated to lull 
 the confidence into fecurity, to remove the force 
 of moral obligation, and to reduce men to the 
 fame ftate with the beads that perifh, were readily 
 embraced, and relilhed by fuch as had no regard 
 for the Divine law. It is remarkable, that fome 
 of them were high priefts, and many of them fat 
 
 as judges in the Sanhedrim at Jerufalem. Eoth 
 they and the Pharifees attended the temple ler- 
 vice; which may point out to us, that at the time 
 of our Saviour’s appearance, religion was at a low 
 ebb among the Jews. 
 
 Herodians are often mentioned in the New 
 Teftament; but they appear to have been rather 
 a political than a religious feft, who took part 
 with the Romans againft the general fenfe of their 
 countrymen, in conformity with the praftice of 
 Herod the Great and his fucceflors, who left no¬ 
 thing undone to enflave the body of the Jewifli 
 people, at that time ftruggling under a great load 
 of bondage. 
 
 As to the Eflenes, they appear to have been an 
 auftere, though innocent people, whofe notions 
 gave no difturbance to the community at large; 
 but neither in Jofephus, nor in any other writer’ 
 do we find that they were admitted to places of 
 truft or emolument. They rejefted feveral of 
 the Levitical ceremonies ; they refufed to bear 
 arms, or pay tithes; but we do not find they were 
 concerned in any of the conlpiracies which too 
 often took place in the Jewifh commonwealth, 
 during the time our Saviour was on earth. Pro¬ 
 bably, they had become exinft before that time; 
 otherwife, there is reafon to believe, we ftiould’ 
 have found fome account of them in the Evan- 
 gelifts, and in the Afts of the Apoftles. 
 
 The Jefuits, Le Compte and Du Halde, have 
 both told us, that there are Jews in China, and 
 that in their rites and ceremonies, they differ 
 from all others in the known world. That there 
 might have been, and (till are Jews in China is 
 not imjpoflible, although very improbable; but 
 if fo, little regard mult be paid to the evidence 
 of men, who, like all other Roman Catholicks, 
 are interefted in the event of the fentiment which 
 they efpoufe. 
 
 Of the MODERN JEWS. 
 
 By the Modern Jews we are to underftand, not 
 only thofe who live at prefent, but alfo their 
 predeceffors, who lived in different ages and na¬ 
 tions, fince the time that their city and temple 
 were deftroyed. The deftruftion of the temple, 
 and the difperfion of the people, are a remarkable 
 Epocba in civil hiftory; for while it ferves to con¬ 
 firm the truth of the Chriftian Religion, it fliould 
 point out to the Jews the effeft of their impeni¬ 
 tence. Afflifted, and cruelly perfecuted, as thofe 
 people have been for many ages, yet they are ftill 
 fuftered to exift as a living monument of the 
 Divine veracity. They have not, properly fpeak- 
 mg, any fixed habitation in this world ; they are, 
 as it were, outcafts from all nations; and yet the 
 Divine Being feems ftill to confider them as a 
 people whofe darknefs he will one day enlighten, 
 and whom he will in the end make objects of his 
 mercy. Many have treated them with indignity, 
 who were ignorant of their tenets and fentiments! 
 but from what we fiiall now relate, it will appear, 
 that except in rejecting the golpel, and in the 
 obfervance of a few ridiculous rites and ceremo¬ 
 nies, they are, in all relpecfts, entitled to the pro¬ 
 tection of the civil power. 
 
 To begin, therefore, with the fundamental 
 prin-ciples of their religion, we fiiall prelent the 
 
 reader 
 
16 The RELIGION of t 
 
 reader with a fummary of their faith, confiding 
 of thirteen articles; and, excepting that which 
 relates to the coining of the Mefliah, they are 
 fuch as may be lubfcribed by a moral Heathen, 
 and even by a Chriftian. 
 
 The Thirteen Creeds. 
 
 I. 
 
 I believe, with a firm and perfect faith, that 
 God is the Creator of all things : that he doth 
 guide and fupport all creatures : that lie alone 
 has made every thing; and that he flill adts, and 
 will aft during the whole of eterriity. 
 
 II. 
 
 I believe, with a firm and perfect faith, that 
 God is one, there is no unity like his ; he alone 
 hath been, is, and fhall be eternally our God. 
 
 III. 
 
 I believe, with a firm and perfedt faith, that 
 God is not corporeal, he cannot have any mate¬ 
 rial properties; and no corporeal efience can be 
 compared with him. 
 
 IV. 
 
 I believe, with a firm and perfect faith, that 
 God is the beginning and end of all things. 
 
 V. 
 
 I believe, with a firm and perfedt faith, that 
 God alone ought to be worfhipped, and none but 
 him ought to be adored. 
 
 VI. 
 
 I believe, with a firm and perfect faith, that 
 whatever hath been taught by the prophets, is 
 true. 
 
 VII. 
 
 I believe, with a firm and perfect faith, the 
 dodtrine and prophecy of Mofes is true: he is 
 the father and head of all the doctors, that lived 
 before, or fince, or fhall live after him. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 I believe, with a firm and perfect faith, the 
 law that we have, is the fame as was given to 
 Mofes. 
 
 IX. 
 
 I believe, with a firm and perfect faith, that 
 this law fhall never be altered, and God will give 
 no other. 
 
 X. 
 
 I believe, with a firm and perfect faith, that 
 God knoweth all the thoughts and actions of men. 
 
 XI. 
 
 I believe, with a firm and perfect faith, that 
 God will reward the works of all thofe who per¬ 
 form his commandments, and punifh thofe who 
 tranfgrefs his laws. 
 
 XII. 
 
 I believe, with a firm and perfedt faith, that 
 the Mefliah is to come ; although he tarrieth, I 
 will wait and expedt daily his coming. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 I believe, with a firm and perfedt faith, the 
 refurredtion of the dead fhall happen when God 
 fhall think fit. BlefTed and glorified eternally be 
 the name of the Creator. 
 
 e MODERN JEWS. 
 
 Before we proceed to mention their religious 
 worfhip, with their other rites and ceremonies, it 
 will be neceffary to deferibe the nature and ftruc- 
 ture of their fynagogues, and point out the time 
 when they were firfl eredted. 
 
 After the return of the Jews from the Baby- 
 lonilh captivity, many of them went and fettled 
 in different parts of the world ; and as they could 
 not, at flated times, attend the temple fervice at 
 Jerufalem, and, as it was neceffary that the 
 knowledge of the law fhould be preferved, there¬ 
 fore, in every city or town where they were dif- 
 perfed, fynagogues, or places of worfhip, were 
 eredted. Thofe fynagogues were at firfl eredted 
 in the luburbs of cities, furrounded with trees; 
 but in later times they were built in cities ; with 
 this difference, that they were always raifed above 
 the height of common houfes. Sacrifices were 
 not to be offered up in them. In all their fyna¬ 
 gogues, the door mu ft be oppofite to where the 
 ark flands, and that is generally in the Eafl. 
 
 They are not to converfe of any bufinefs while 
 they are in the fynagogue : they mu ft be modeft 
 in their deportment, and refrain from fleeping. 
 
 Their fynagogues are confecrated with great 
 folemnity, as will appear from the following ac¬ 
 count of the confecration of the Portuguefe fy¬ 
 nagogue at Amfterdam. In the morning the 
 molt confiderable perfons among the Jews, 
 with the law carried before them, walked in 
 proceffi^pn to -the new eredted fynagogue, where 
 they performed feveral folemn adts of devotion ; 
 and repeated it during eight fucceffive days. 
 On each day, they had pieces of facred mufic 
 fung, and feveral fermons preached, fuitable 
 to the folemnity. A large colledtion was made 
 for the poor, and fome flattering orations deli¬ 
 vered in praife of the prince of Orange, who 
 had generoufly granted them a toleration. This 
 fynagogue, which is a fine piece of architedture, 
 ftands on the eaft of the city, and is able to con¬ 
 tain upwards of two thoufand perfons. 
 
 In molt countries, adjoining to their fyna¬ 
 gogues, they have fchools, where the law is ex¬ 
 plained, according to the glofles put upon it by 
 the Rabbies or Dodtors, and many things of very 
 little importance are taught. So ftridt are the 
 Rabbies in oblerving their oral traditions, that 
 the fcholars muft go into the accademy in hafte, 
 and leave it with feeming reludtance. 
 
 Thefe Rabbies are men acquainted with the 
 law of Mofes, and they are both the teachers of 
 the people and the inltructors of youth. Great 
 refpedt is paid them, and they have the privilege 
 of determining in all points of controverfy, parti¬ 
 cularly with refpedt to what things are allowed, 
 or forbidden in the law. They are ordained by 
 impofition of hands, a ceremony of great anti¬ 
 quity, as appears from Deut. xxxiv. when Mo¬ 
 fes, juft before his death, laid his hands on the 
 head of Jofhua. 
 
 When the Jews enter their fynagogues, they 
 put on the Taled , which is a white lquare veil, 
 and they either cover their heads with it, or twift 
 it round their fhoulders during the time of wor¬ 
 fhip, in imitation of Mofes, who was obliged to 
 put on a veil when he defeended from Mount 
 Sinai, to conceal the "glory of the Lord which 
 fhone from his countenance. The firings and 
 taflfels belonging to the Taled, are called Zizith y 
 
17 
 
 The RELIGION of the 
 
 and each firing has five knots in it, according to 
 the number of the books of the Pentateuch. 
 When they put it on, they fay, ££ Blefied be God, 
 who hath landtified me by his law, and ordained 
 me to wear the Zizith .” Six hundred and thir¬ 
 teen precepts of the Talmud, are bound up in the 
 Zizith , and it is confidered by them as entitled to 
 the mod facred refpedt. 
 
 Such of the Jews as are religioufly difpofed, 
 wear upon their arms, and on their foreheads, two 
 pieces of parchment, called 7 ’iJJitin , containing 
 the ten commandments; but they are not allowed 
 to be worn by the women, nor by the men when 
 they attend a funeral, or come near a dead 
 corpfe. 
 
 The Jews are enjoined to praife God as foon as 
 they arife from bed in the morning, and on fab- 
 baths and feftivals ; when they enter into the fy- 
 nagoguts, they bow to the ead, and repeat feve- 
 ral paffages out of the pfalms, beginning with the 
 following: 
 
 fC .How goodly are thy courts, O Jacob ! and 
 ££ thy tabernacles, O Ifrael ! and I come into 
 ££ thy houle in the multitude of thy mercy, and 
 ££ in thy fear will I worfhip towards thy holy 
 ££ temple. Lord, I have loved the habitation of 
 ££ thy houfe, and the place where thine honour 
 ££ dwelleth ; and I worfhip, [bow down and 
 ££ kneel] before the Lord my maker. My prayers 
 ££ are unto thee, O Lord ! in an acceptable time. 
 tc O God ! in the multitude of thy mercy, hear 
 ££ me in the truth of thy falvation.” 
 
 When the reader goes into the delk, he repeats 
 aloud; ££ The Lord of the world that reigned 
 ££ before any thing was formed or created, who, 
 
 ££ at the time when all by his will was made, then 
 ££ King his name was called; and after every 
 ££ thing ends, alone he will end tremendous. He 
 ££ hath been, he is, and will be with glory.” 
 Many prayers and thankfgivings are added; but 
 as moft of them are taken out of the Pfalms, l'o it 
 would be altogether needlefs to repeat them here. 
 
 Having read part of the law, every one pre- 
 fent flands up, and goes three fteps backward, 
 while the Chazam , or Choir, chant the eighteen 
 Benedictions, confiding of fo many verfes from 
 the Pfalms. Then each perfon fays a fhort prayer 
 by himfelf, which is done Landing, with his feet 
 equally joined together. They then bow their 
 heads and again retire to their own private de¬ 
 votions. During the whole of divine fervice, 
 they have belts, girt round their bodies, to fepa- 
 rate the heart from the lower parts, and their 
 hands, and faces are to be wafhed clean. They 
 keep their heads covered, and they muft fpend 
 one hour in fecret prayer, before the public fer¬ 
 vice begins. Whatever part of the world they are 
 in, they firft turn their faces towards Jerufalem, 
 with their hands on their hearts, and their eyes 
 fixed on the ground. 
 
 When they open the. door of the ark, the 
 people lay; ££ And when the ark fet forwards, 
 
 ££ Mofes faid, Rife up. Lord ! and let thine 
 ££ enemies be fcattered, and let them that hate 
 ££ thee flee before thee ; for from Zion came forth 
 ££ the law, and the word of the Lord from Je- 
 £C rufalem.” 
 
 When the law is lifted out of the ark, they 
 fay, <£ Blefied is the Lord that gave the law to 
 £C his people of Ifrael in its holinefs,” when the 
 
 MODERN J E W S. 
 
 law is taken out, it is given to the reader ; who* 
 holding it under his arms, fays aloud, ££ Magnify 
 ££ the Lord with me, and we will exalt his name 
 ££ together;” and the people fay, £C Unto thee, 
 ££ O Lord ! is the greatnefs, and the flrength, 
 C£ and the beauty, and the conqued, and the ma- 
 Cf jelly of all that is in heaven, and on earth : 
 C£ unto thee, O Lord! is the kingdom and the 
 ££ railing of every thing to preferment.” While 
 the reader walkcth from the ark to the altar, with 
 the law in his arms, the people fay, ££ we will exalt 
 ££ the Lord our God, and we will bow down be- 
 £C fore his footflool, for he is holy : we will cx- 
 ££ alt the Lord our God ; and we will bow down 
 ££ to the mount of his holinefs, for holy is the 
 ££ Lord our God.” When the law is laid on the 
 altar, and unrolled, the reader fays, ‘ £ And he 
 ££ fhall aflid, and he fhall remember, and he fhall 
 ££ five all thofe who trud in him.” 
 
 Then the reader calls different perfons by 
 their names, and reads part of the law to each of 
 them. He then calls another perfon, who, on 
 coming to the altar, fays, C£ Praife ye the Lord, 
 ££ who is bleffed;” and the people ailfwer, 
 ££ Bleffed is the Lord, who is bleffed for ever and 
 ££ ever.” Then the perfon called to hear the law, 
 fiys, ££ Blefied art thou, O Lord our God ! king 
 ££ of the world ! that hath cholen us out of all 
 ££ nations, and had given unto us thy law: 
 ££ blefied art thou, O Lord! the giver of the 
 ££ law.” 
 
 After the reader hath read part of the law, 
 the perfon called up, fiys, “ Bleffed art thou, 
 ££ O Lord our God ! King of the world ! Thou 
 ££ had given unto us the true law, and the life 
 £c of the world thou had planted among us: 
 fC bleffed art thou, O Lord ! the giver of the 
 ££ law !” If the perfon has efcaped an accident, 
 or arrived from fea, he fays, £t Bleffed art thou, 
 ££ O Lord God ! King of the world, who grant- 
 C£ eth good deeds, even to the guilty ; for thou 
 ££ had granted unto me all goodnefs.” Then 
 the congregation fay, ££ He who hath performed 
 £C unto thee all goodnefs, he fhall perform all 
 ££ goodnefs unto thee for ever.” 
 
 Then the perfon called up, puts money into a 
 box for the poor. Then a chapter for the day is 
 read, and the law is lifted up, when the people 
 fay, ££ And this is the law which Mofes fet be- 
 ££ fore the children of Ifrael, from the mouth of 
 C£ the Lord, by the hands of Mofes. The tree 
 ££ of life file is to the keepers of her, and her 
 C£ lupport is worthy. Her ways are ways of plea- 
 C£ fantnefs, and all her paths are peace: length 
 ££ of days is in her right hand, and in her left 
 ££ hand riches and honour. The Lord defireth, 
 £C for the fake of his righteouliiefs, the aggran- 
 C£ dizing of the law, and its drength.” 
 
 When the law is carried from the altar, to be 
 put into the ark by the reader, he fays, ££ They 
 ££ fhall praife the name of the Lord ! for he is a 
 ££ defence with his name alone ?” And the people 
 anfwer, ££ Give praifes of majedy on the earth, 
 ££ and in heaven, and there fhall be exaltings to 
 ££ his people ; .applaudings to all his gracious 
 ££ ones ; the children of Ifrael, the nations near 
 ££ to him, praife ye the Lord ! Hallelujah.” 
 
 They mud walk out of the fynagogue very 
 flowly, and before they lofe fight of the ark, they 
 mud put up an ejaculatory prayer; nor mud they 
 E fix 
 
is The RELIGION of 
 
 fix their eyes on any beautiful objedt, left it fhould 
 make them forget the facred l'ervice they have 
 been engaged in. 
 
 The Jews confels their fins to their Rabbies, 
 and the penance, or punifhment, is according to 
 the nature of the guilt. It is common for the 
 Jewifh devotees to lafh themfelves; but they are 
 not to give themfelves more than thirty-nine 
 ftripes; and one devotee generally inflicts it on 
 another. During the flaggellation, the penitent 
 lays on the ground, with his face to the north, 
 and his feet to the fouth ; but he muft not lay 
 from eaft to weft, for that v/ould be confidered as 
 a profanation. The perfon who fcourges the peni¬ 
 tent, repeats the following words from Pfalm 
 lxxviii. 38. cf But he being full of compafTion, 
 “ forgave their iniquity, and deftroyed them not; 
 (i yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and 
 “ did not ftir up all his wrath and at each 
 word gives him a ftroke; fo that there being thir¬ 
 teen Hebrew words in the verfe, it is repeated 
 three times, which makes the number thirty-nine. 
 
 The Jews deal in the molt liberal manner with 
 their poor ; they fupply the wants of fuch as are 
 induftrious, although reduced to diftrefs; but 
 when they find any who are able to work, and will 
 not follow fome employment, they totally difcard 
 them. In the morning, they are obliged to wafh 
 themfelves in baths ; but this is not attended to 
 by any but thofe who are rich, or rather, by fuch 
 as are devotees. While they remain in the bath, 
 they muft look either to the north or fouth ; (but 
 not to the eaft or weft,) thefe being the places 
 where God refides. 
 
 In their ecclefiaftical cenfures, the Jews are re¬ 
 markably ftridt;which they follow, in conformity 
 with the pradtices of the Pharilees of old. Some 
 of the offences which bring upon them the ven¬ 
 geance of the elders, are not proper to be men¬ 
 tioned, becaufe they might give offence to a 
 model! reader. Adultery is more leverely punifhed 
 than any other crime. The offender is plunged 
 into cold water, feveral days together, in the 
 depth of winter ; and if the water is frozen over, 
 the ice muft be broken, and lie muft ftand up to 
 the chin, till an egg is boiled hard. If the crime 
 is committed in lummer, he is ftripped naked, 
 and for feveral days expofed to bees and ants. 
 
 The Jews have likewife their forms of excom¬ 
 munication; one of which is called the leffer; and 
 the other the greater. The leffer muft not ex¬ 
 ceed thirty days; and it is generally inflidted for 
 negledt of attending the lynagogue, for treat¬ 
 ing the dodtors with difrefpedt, and for many 
 other trifling things not neceffary to be men¬ 
 tioned. As for the greater excommunication, it 
 is of a different nature, and in its form and man¬ 
 ner more dreadful than can be well expreffed. It 
 is inflicted for mocking the law, or laughing at 
 any of their rites and ceremonies. They curfe 
 the offender by heaven and earth ; they devote 
 him to the power of evil angels; they beg that 
 God would deftroy him foon ; to make all crea¬ 
 tures his enemies ; to torment him with every 
 difeafe; to haften his death; and to confign him 
 to utter darknefs for ever. No one muft prefume 
 to approach within fix foot of him, and all human 
 afliftance is denied him, even if he fhould be 
 perilhing for the neceffaries of life. 
 
 They place a ftone over his grave, to denote 
 
 the MODERN JEWS, 
 
 that he ought to be ftoned ; no relation muft go 
 into mourning for him, but they are to blefs God 
 for taking him out of the world. 
 
 The relpect the Jews have for the fabbath, is 
 fuch, that it exceeds the bounds of moral obli¬ 
 gation. The fabbath commences on Friday even¬ 
 ing, half an hour before fun fet; and at that time 
 every Jew mufc have his lamp lighted, although 
 he fhould beg the oil from his neighbours. The 
 women are obliged to light the lamps, in memory 
 of Eve, who, by her difobedience, extinguifhed 
 the light of the world. On Friday, every Jew 
 is obliged to pair his nails, in the following man¬ 
 ner. They begin with the little finger of the 
 left hand, and then go on to the middle finger; 
 aftei which they return to the fourth finger, and 
 fo on in return to the thumb. In the right hand 
 they begin with the middle finger, and then pro¬ 
 ceed from the thumb to the little finger. The 
 parings muft either be buried in the ground, or 
 burnt in the fire. Previous to the commence¬ 
 ment of the fabbath, they have a feaft, which 
 the mafter of the houfe blefieth, and while he is 
 repeating the blefting, he looks towards the burn¬ 
 ing lamps. On the fabbath, one of their Rab¬ 
 bies preaches a fermon, for the moft part full of 
 unintelligible jargon ; but they never fay any 
 thing againft the civil power. 
 
 But that they are loyal fubjedls will appear 
 from the following prayer, which is read in their 
 Synagogues every fabbath day. 
 
 “ May he that difpenfeth lalvation unto kings, 
 tc and dominions unto princes : whofe kingdom 
 cc is an everlafting kingdom ; that delivered his 
 te fervant David from the deftrudlive fword ; who 
 “ maketh a way in the lea, and a path through 
 c< the mighty waters ; blefs, preferve, guard, and 
 cc aftift our moft gracious fovereign Lord king 
 <f George the third, our moft gracious Queen 
 Cf Charlotte , and all the other branches of the 
 cc Royal Family : May the fupreme king of 
 <c kings, through his infinite mercies, preferve 
 cc them, and grant them life, and deliver them 
 “ from all manner of trouble and danger; May 
 “ the fupreme king of kings aggrandize, and 
 " highly exalt our fovereign lord the king, and 
 {C grant him long and profperoufly to reign: May 
 cc the fupreme king of kings infpire him, and his 
 cc council, and the ftate of his kingdom, with 
 tc benevolence towards 11s, and all Ifrael our 
 cc brethren : In his and our days may Judah be 
 “ laved, and Ifrael dwell in fafety: And may the 
 “ Redeemer come unto Zion ; which God, of his 
 c< infinite mercy, grant ; and let us fay, Amen.” 
 
 The Jews pay much regard to the New Moon ; 
 but it does not appear that they confider it as an 
 objedt of Divine worfhip, but only as a proof, 
 that God is the author of all things in nature ; 
 and that the return of the fealons are effedted by 
 his wifidom and power. In our month of Auguft 
 they confefs all their fins, and refolve to amend 
 their lives ; and this ceremony is announced by 
 blowing a horn in the lynagogue, in imitation 
 of the horns being blown in the tabernacle, in 
 the wildernefs, when Mofes went up the lecond 
 time to Mount Sinai. They believe that the 
 found of the horn drives away the devil, and this 
 is the reafon affigned for confecrating it bclore 
 the perfon blows it. The perion who founds 
 the horn, Hands in the place where the law is 
 
 read. 
 

 
 i PE X. VN C E 
 
 tyr,//r a-ti/wn/- . 
 
 Jews. , 
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 « * . 
 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 M 
 
 If 
 
 
'/rrm/ftw 
 

Germany. 
 
The 
 
 read, with all the congregation (landing around 
 him in the moft devout podure, with their hands 
 lifted up, and their eyes fixed on the earth. They 
 life a ram’s horn, in imitation of Ifaac’s ram, and 
 they have it crooked, to point out the date of 
 the (inner, and podure of humiliation. It is, 
 probably, becaufe they have no land of their own, 
 that they negledt the ceremony of the Scape-goat, 
 and indead thereof, fhake their cloaths over a 
 pool of water 3 making ufe of the following 
 words, out of the prophet Micah, chapter vii. 1 9. 
 tc He will turn again, he will have companion 
 tc upon us, hewill fubdue our iniquities, and thou 
 tc wilt cad all their fins into the depth of the fea.” 
 
 The firft ten days of the year are fpent in a6ls 
 of humiliation, for they believe, that on the fil'd 
 nine days, God fearches into their hearts ; and on 
 the tenth day he paffes judgement upon them, by 
 entering the names of the penitent in the book 
 of life, and the impenitent in the book of 
 death. 
 
 They have another ceremony, which although 
 very common formerly, is noV but little prac- 
 tifed. The father of every family made choice 
 of a white cock, and every woman of a hen 3 but 
 fuch as were pregnant, tgok both a cock and a 
 hen. With thefe fowls they druck their heads 
 twice, and at each blow the father of the family 
 faid, tc Let this cock dand in my room 3 he (hall 
 <e atone for my fins, he (hall die, but I (hall 
 et live.” This being done, the necks of the 
 fowls were twided round, and then their throats 
 were cut, intimating that every (inner ought to 
 have his blood fpilt. At fird they gave the fowls 
 to the poor, but afterwards reflecting that it was 
 improper to eat creatures loaded with fo many 
 fins, they didributed the full value in money. 
 
 Their Feaji of Expiation is obferved with great 
 folemnity, and the evening previous to it, all 
 thofe who have had any differences mud be re¬ 
 conciled. Each man carries a lighted candle to 
 the fynagogue, and the women light up others at 
 home. They are fo fuperditious, that they prog- 
 nodicate good or evil, according as the candle 
 burns ; which notion, one would imagine, they 
 had borrowed from the heathens. 
 
 During this fead, all the fins committed the 
 preceding year are forgiven, by the Rabbi 
 dretching out his hands, and repeating the bene¬ 
 diction of Moles, whild the people keep their 
 faces covered, in imitation of Moles, who covered 
 his face when he came down from the Mount. 
 
 The Feaji of the Paffover is obferved with more 
 folemnity than any of the others, nor is it to be 
 wondered at, when we confider what miracles 
 God wrought in their favour, in the land of 
 Egypt. They prepare the corn of which they 
 make the bread, at lead thirty days before, and 
 there mud be a faddle on the horfe’s back who 
 carries it to be ground, led it fhould be heated. 
 On the fa*bbath, previous to the paffover, they 
 have a fermon preached in the fynagogue, on the 
 Pafchal Lamb 3 and two days afterwards, all 
 their furniture mud be wadied clean. They 
 fearch their houfes, that no leavened bread may 
 be found, and they are extremely fcrupulous in 
 making up the unleavened bread. Mod com- 
 monly, the mader of the houfe makes the bread, 
 and if any of the leaven falls to the ground, the 
 dogs and cats are not differed to eat it. It mud be 
 
 19 
 
 kneaded in a place where the fun does not fhine; 
 and the cake which ufed formerly to be given to 
 the prieds, is burned to allies. 
 
 They are obliged to fit down at table like per- 
 fons in hade, to begin a journey, in memory of 
 their departure out of Egypt. The mader of 
 the family fits down with his children and do- 
 medics, when fome cakes* and part of a lamb 
 are let before them. They are then ferved with 
 a compofition of fruits in a pye, made in the 
 form of a brick, to put them in remembrance of 
 the bricks made by their ancedors in Egypt. 
 During the eating of the paffover, they lean with 
 their left arm upon the table, thereby pointing 
 out the liberty they enjoyed, when delivered from 
 Egyptian bondage. They afterwards eat bitter 
 herbs, to put them in remembrance of the 
 bitternefs of the Egyptian (laveryj and the 
 (houlder of a lamb being held up in a difh, the 
 mader of the houfe repeats the following words. 
 cc Behold the bread of forrow and oppreflion, 
 tc which our forefathers did once eat in Egypt3 
 “ let him that is hungry, draw near and eat 3 
 <f this is the facrifice of the pafchal lamb.” The 
 (houlder is held up to reprefent the powerful 
 arm of the Lord, by which they were delivered 
 from bondage. This ceremony being over, a 
 hymn is fung by all the company prei'ent3 and 
 when they come to that part, relating to the ten 
 plagues of Egypt, they pour a little wine on the 
 ground, wifhing that thole plagues may be far re¬ 
 moved from them. Then they drink off the wine, 
 and finifli the hymn. The mailer of the houfe 
 then wadies his hands in clean water, and breaking 
 one of the cakes, prefents a part of it to each of 
 the gueds. This being over, they begin to eat 
 the lamb, and what is left mud be burnt, and 
 the ceremony concludes with drinking a glafs of 
 wine. Formerly, they eat the paffover without 
 (hoes, and having their loins girded round 3 but 
 now' they have dropped that ceremony, becaufe 
 the daily facrifice is removed from Jerufalem, 
 and the city and temple which were once their 
 glory, are now dedroyed. 
 
 The fead of Pentecod is obferved as a time of 
 thanklgiving, for gathering in the fruits of the 
 earth 3 and although the feafon does not agree 
 with the time of harved in our European nations, 
 yet the Jews dill adhere to it, believing that they 
 (hall be one day redored to the poffedion of the 
 land of Canaan. During this fedival, the book 
 of Rutli is read by five different perlons, and the 
 people regale themlelves with all forts of dainties, 
 made of milk, which they fay is emblematical of 
 the law, on account of its whitenefs and fweet-A 
 nels. They adorn their fynagogues with lamps,' 
 and fpread herbs and flowers around the de(k 
 where the law is read. 
 
 The other great fedival, is that of the fead of 
 tents, or tabernacles, kept up in memory of their 
 living in tents, in the wildernefs. During this 
 fedival, which lads eight days, they dwell in 
 tents adjoining to their houfes, but there mud be 
 neither roof or tree over them. They go to the 
 fynagogue every day, each having in his right 
 hand one branch of palm, three of myrtle, and 
 two of willows, all tied up together 3 and in 
 their left a branch of citron, with its fruits. 
 When they come to the fynagogue, they turn 
 the branches round, fird to the ead then to 
 
 the 
 
 RELIGION of the MODERN JEWS. 
 
20 The RELIGION of t 
 
 the fouth, then to the weft, and laftly to the | 
 north. Thefe ceremonies are allegorical, the 
 palm is an emblem of hypocrify; the myrtle 
 points out good works; the willow is an image 
 of the wicked, and the citron of the righteous. 
 
 On the feventh day of this feftival, the people 
 walk round the delk with the branches, and the 
 prayers are repeated in the moll precipitate man¬ 
 ner, in commemoration of the afflicted and un- 
 fetded ftate they were in, while they travelled 
 through the wildernefs. During the whole of 
 the ceremony, they give fuch a loole to wanton 
 jollity, that their worfhip has more the appear¬ 
 ance of a ridiculous farce, than of any thing that 
 bears the name of piety or religion. 
 
 The feftival of the law is kept on the twenty- 
 third day of September, being the ninth day al¬ 
 ter the feaftof tabernacles. On the evening pre¬ 
 ceding the ninth day, all the books of the law 
 are taken out of the ark, and carried in proccl- 
 lion round the defk ; during which time, the peo¬ 
 ple continue finging and making loud acclama¬ 
 tions. . 
 
 The feaft of lights, or lamps, was lnftituted by 
 the Rabbies, in commenwation of the famous 
 Maccabees, and it is celeurated eight days fuc- 
 cefftvely, becaufe of the circumcifion, which was 
 fufoended during the reign of the emperor Epi- 
 phanus. The feaft of Purim, which fignifies 
 Lots, continues two days ; and it was firft infti- 
 tuted in memory of their deliverance fiom de- 
 ftruCion, when Hainan inftigated Ahafuerus to 
 put them all to death. In the morning they give 
 bread to the poor, and in the evening they repair 
 to the lynagogue, where the whole book of 
 Either is read over, and explained to the people 
 at large. 
 
 During the reading of this leffon, the reader 
 kneels, whereas he is obliged to ftand when he 
 reads the law,and he repeatsthree prayers, wherein 
 he bleflesGod for having delivered them from the 
 plot formed againft them by Human. Prayers 
 being over, they indulge themfelves in all forts 
 of luxury ; fo that this may be juftly called the 
 Tewifti carnival. 
 
 When a perfon profeffes his inclination to be¬ 
 come a profelyte to the Jewilh religion, the go¬ 
 vernors of the fvnagogue examine him ftriCly, in 
 order to find out the motives of his reiolution ; 
 and if they find it proceeds from intereft, they 
 refule him admittance among them ; but it other- 
 wife, then they circumcife him, and after he is 
 healed, they wafli him all over with pure water in 
 prefence of the elders, and then lie is looked 
 upon as a perfect Jew. At preient the Jews aie 
 not fond of admitting profelytes, for they con¬ 
 tent themfelves with living as a diftinft people, 
 attending to trade and bufinefs. When then- 
 women bathe, in order to purify themfelves, they 
 mult have other women along with them, who 
 are to fwear that they have been wafhed all over, 
 left any uncleannels fhould remain about them j 
 for no women, labouring under any female dif- 
 orders, can be admitted into the tabernacle; but 
 the German and Portuguele Jews differ much 
 concerning this ceremony. . . 
 
 The Jews are very ftri< 5 t in the education of 
 their children; from their mod early youth, they 
 are obliged to go with their heads covered, and 
 to wear a girdle, to feparate the heart from the 
 
 ie MODERN JEWS. 
 
 lun^s. In the morning he mult repeat, {< Bluffed 
 “ be God, who hath girded Ifrael with ftrength.” 
 Thev mu ft not pronounce the name of God irre¬ 
 verently, and they are ftriftly in joined to obferve 
 all the precepts of the law, and all the rules of the 
 lynagogue. Every child is declared to be of age, 
 when he is thirteen years and a day old, after 
 v. hich, his father is not aniwerable tor his condudh 
 From eighteen to twenty is the time allotted for 
 their marriage, and thole who negleft it, are ne¬ 
 ver much regarded by their brethren. 
 
 In antienttimes, the Jews had a plurality of 
 wives; but that cuftom feems to have been dif- 
 ufed ever fince their return from the Babylonifh 
 captivity ; and at prefent, with refpeC to wed¬ 
 lock, they live in the fame manner as Chriftians. 
 The efpoufals are made before witnefles, and the 
 bridegroom, putting a ring upon the finger of his 
 intended bride, fays, " Be thou my fpoufe but 
 fometimes, feveral months elapfc before the con- 
 fummation takes place. The marriage articles 
 being fettled, eight days are fpent by the rela¬ 
 tions in all lofts of pleafure, and on tne evening 
 of the eighth day, the bride, accompanied by 
 women, wafhes herfelf clean in a bath. _ 
 
 The bridegroom gives the brieve a girdle with 
 filver in it, and the bride returns him one with 
 gold. On the morning of the wedding-day, 
 both bride and bridegroom drefs in the molt 
 gaudy manner polfiblc ; and the bride is con¬ 
 duced to the houfe where the nuptials are to 
 be celebrated, attended by her female relations, 
 whether married or unmarried. She walks bare¬ 
 headed, and when fhe arrives at the houfe, Ike 
 is feated between two aged matrons, while her 
 young relations drefs her hair and put on her 
 veil, in imitation of Rebecca of old; for the 
 bride mu ft not lee her intended hufband till the 
 marriage is over. I hus drefied, fhe is led to a 
 throne, or platform, creCcd either in a garden, 
 or in the largeft room in the houfe, where the 
 Rabbi pronounces the nuptial benediction ; and 
 when the bridegroom approaches, all that arc 
 prefent cry out, <c Blelfed be the man that 
 cometh.” Then the young perfons, holding 
 torches in their hands, fing the marriage fong. 
 The fong being finifhed, the bride walks three 
 times, round the bridegroom, and he twice round 
 the bride ; which they ground upon Jer. xxxi. 22. 
 
 “ A woman fhall compafs a man.” Thele cere¬ 
 monies, however, differ in fome countries ; for 
 in Holland and Germany, the guefts throw hand¬ 
 fuls of corn at the new married couple, telling 
 them “ to encreafe and multiply.” In fome 
 places the bride ftands on the right-hand of the 
 bridegroom, according to lTal. xlv. ver. 9, 
 “ Upon thy right-hand did ftand the queen 
 and in other places, the Rabbi puts tne taled or 
 veil with which the bride is_ covered, over the 
 head of the bridegroom ; in imitation of Boaz, 
 who threw the fkirts of his garments over Ruth. 
 Ruth iii. 9. After this wine is brought to the 
 new-married couple, of which they drink a little, 
 and throw the reft on the floor. 
 
 The wedding dinner is as fumptuous as their 
 circumftances will permit; and, amongft other 
 things, they always have fowls. A roafted hen, 
 with an egg, is firft prefented to the bride, who 
 eats a little of it, and then gives the remainder 
 to the guefts. The hen denotes the fruitfulnefs 
 
lib . Nuptial Ceremony </ //tr Portuguese Jews. 
 
The RELIGION of the 
 
 of the bride, and that fhe fhall be delivered with 
 as much care as a hen is of an egg. After the 
 marriage is confummated, the hufband does not 
 come near his wife for a certain number of days, 
 which cuftomfeems to have been praXifed of old. 
 
 Divorces among the Jews are not fo frequent 
 at prefent as they were when our Saviour was on 
 earth, which in fome meafure is owing to the 
 obligations they are under to conform, as much 
 as poffible, to the laws of thole countries where 
 they refide. However, when it does take place, 
 it is conducted with the following ceremonies, in 
 Germany, Holland, and in moll other parts of 
 the world. 
 
 The woman, being accufed on the evidence of 
 two witneffes, is ordered to attend the fynagogue, 
 to anfwer the charge exhibited againft her. 
 The chief Rabbi (lands at the door, attended by 
 two other Rabbies, a Notary, and the two wit¬ 
 neffes. The hufband Hands befide the Notary ; 
 and the woman faces the chief Rabbi : The 
 Rabbi then afks the hufband fuch queflions as 
 are neceffary; concluding, by demanding whether 
 he is determined to leave off all manner of con¬ 
 nexions with his wife. Having anfwered the 
 laft queflion in the affirmative, the Rabbi reads 
 the bill of divdrce allowed; and then afks the 
 Notary whether he wrote it, and the witneffes 
 whether they fubfcribed it. In the next place 
 the wife is examined ; and when fhe receives the 
 bill of divorce, her rings mufb be pulled off, and 
 her hands open. The Rabbi folds up the bill 
 and gives it to the hufband, who delivers it to 
 the wife, and fhe puts it into her pocket, or fome- 
 where under her cloaths. The Rabbi then look¬ 
 ing fledfaflly at the woman, demands the writing, 
 and reads it over a fecond time, and again exa¬ 
 mines the hufband, Notary, and witneffes. This 
 cautious manner of proceeding is truely com¬ 
 mendable, for the warmth of irregular paffions, 
 and the force of jealoufy, often lead people to do 
 that in an unguarded hour, which embitters the 
 remainder of their lives, and fpoils all the com¬ 
 forts they can expeX in this world. 
 
 When there is no oppofition made, the Rabbi 
 pronounces the fentence, and tells the woman, 
 that fhe muft not marry again in lei's than- three 
 months; after which he cuts the bill into the 
 form of a crols, and keeps it : while the Rabbi 
 pronounces the fentence, the woman mufl have 
 her face uncovered. 
 
 The antient ceremony of the brother marrying 
 the filler-in-law is (till kept up among the Jews^ 
 and the ceremony is as follows : The widow, with 
 the brother-in-law, fomes to the reading-defk in 
 the fynagogue, where the Rabbi afks leveral 
 queflions, luch as, whether the hufband has 
 been dead three months ? Whether the widow is 
 full twelve years old ? Which laft queflion can 
 be but feldom afked, becaufe few of them marry 
 fooner than the people among whom they live. 
 Whether the deceafed and him to whom the wi¬ 
 dow lays claim were children of the fame father? 
 And whether the widow be fading ? For this 
 ceremony is performed in the morning. If the 
 brother-in-law covenants to marry the widow, 
 then they proceed in the fame manner as was 
 mentioned before ; but if he refufes, the fhoe 
 of the deceafed is put ujjpn his right foot, while 
 he leans againft the wall : then the woman comes 
 
 M O D E R N J E W S. 21 
 
 forward and takes off the fhoe of her brother- 
 in-law with her. right hand, holds it up, and 
 then throws it upon the ground with every mark 
 of contempt. 
 
 She then fpitson his feet, and he is hilled out 
 of the affembly. If the woman’s right hand is dif- 
 abled, flic mufl pull off the fhoe with her teeth, 
 and in that manner dafli it on die ground. 
 
 It does not appear from any part of the facred 
 feriptures, that ever the Jews, in their moft cor¬ 
 rupted Hate, worfhipped angels ; nor do the 
 modern Jews do fo at prelent, but they antiently 
 did, and Hill do believe in the miniflry of angels, 
 a doXrine which was embraced by the primitive 
 fathers, and by many proteftant divines. When 
 a Jew travels into a country where he cannot meet 
 with any of his own people, he repeats a prayer 
 every morning, with his face towards Jerusalem, 
 begging that God would fend an angel to direX 
 him in his way; and this notion is founded on 
 the following paffage in Exod. xxiii. 20, 21, 22. 
 <c Behold, I fend an angel before thee to keep 
 cc thee in the way, and to bring thee into the 
 Cf place which I have prepared. Beware of him, 
 tc and obey his voice, provoke him not : for he 
 f< will not pardon your tranfgreffions : for my 
 cc name is in him. But if thou (halt indeed 
 “ obey his voice, and do all that I fpeak ; then 
 tc I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an 
 “ adverfary unto thine adverfaries.” 
 
 We have feveral inflancesof the mlniftration 
 of angels, both in the Old and New Teftament; 
 but whether the Jews are right, when they invoke 
 their affiflance in prayer, feems rather doubtful: 
 for it is certainly the duty of every man to pray 
 to God, and leave the Divine Being to appoint 
 whatever means he thinks proper. 
 
 When a Jew is firfl taken ill, and it is fuppofed 
 by his relations, that his diforder will prove 
 mortal, the Rabbi comes and reads to him 
 Plalms xx. xxxviii. and xc. after which he prays 
 with him, and gives him abfolution, while he is 
 expiring ; they who come to vifit him tear off 
 pieces of his cloathes, which they keep in me¬ 
 mory of him, and all who are prefent falute him, 
 as taking their laft farewell; which cuftom is not 
 peculiar to the Jews, for we find many inftances. 
 of it, both in antient and modern times. As loon 
 as the breath is departed from the body, they 
 dole the eyes of the deceafed, cover his face, 
 and wrap him up in a flieet : The thumb is bent 
 dole to the palm of the hand, and tied 
 with die firings of his taled ; for lie muft 
 enter into eternity covered with his veil. The 
 Jews fay, that the thumb being thus tied up, 
 preferves the deceafed from the devil’s clutches; 
 but in all other refpeXs his hand is open, thereby 
 pointing out that he relinquiflies all claims to 
 worldly goods. 
 
 While the attendants are waffling the body, as 
 a fign of purity, an egg is put into a balbn of 
 wine burnt, and the head of the deceafed is 
 anointed with it. They are buried in clean 
 linnen ; and fuch as were not reconciled to the 
 deceafed before he died, muft touch his great 
 toe, and afk pardon, left he fhould accufe them 
 at the tribunal of God. When they carry the 
 body out of doors to be interred, thole who re¬ 
 main at home, throw a brick after it, thereby 
 pointing out, that they caff off all manner of 
 E forrow. 
 
The RELIGION of the MODERN TEWS. 
 
 forrow, and at the grave a funeral oration is pro¬ 
 nounced by a Rabbi, in which is declared their 
 firm belief of the refurrettion of the body. 
 
 The coffin is not nailed down till they come to 
 the grave, and then ten of the neareft friends or 
 relations walk l'even times round it, offering up 
 prayers for the repofe of the foul of the deceafed. 
 When the coffin is put into the grave, every per- 
 fon prefent throws a handful of earth over it, after 
 which it is clofed up and the mourners return 
 home. The Jews never mourn for fuch as have 
 laid violent hands on themfelves, nor for thofe 
 who die excommunicated ; but they put a ftone 
 upon their graves, thereby pointing out, that they 
 ought to have been ftoned to death for their 
 crimes. During the whole time of their mourn¬ 
 ing, they eat their vittuals barefooted on the 
 ground. Their friends come every day, to pray 
 and condole with them, and to befeech Almighty 
 God to have mercy on the foul of the deceaied. 
 After feven days fpent in this manner, the 
 mourner goes to the lynagogue, and gives money 
 to the poor ; but it is thirty days before he is per¬ 
 mitted to bathe, and, during that time, particu¬ 
 lar prayers are to be repeated every day. From 
 this circumflance, it appears, that the Jews be¬ 
 lieve in fomething of an intermediate ftate, re- 
 lembling that of the popifh purgatory ; for all 
 thefe prayers are for the repofe of the foul of 
 the deceafed perl'on ; contrary to the belief of 
 Proteftants, “ That as death leaves us, fo judge- 
 “ ment will find us.” Some of the more zealous 
 devotees among the Jews, go frequently to fay 
 prayers at the tombs of their deceaied relations; 
 which may lerve to fhew, that although they do 
 not worlhip images, yet their religion .confifts of 
 many fuperflitions. 
 
 Such is the ftate of religion among the modern 
 Jews, and it is proper that we fhould dole this 
 article with fuch reflettions as are moft likely to 
 make a lafting impreflion on the mind of the 
 reader, to diveft him of partiality, and to lead 
 him to confider the ways of Divine Providence, 
 as in all refpetts equal ; confident with the at¬ 
 tributes of the Divine Being, and the ftate of 
 fallen man. The mofaic ceconomy was a law of 
 carnal ordinances, fuitable to the then ftate of the 
 Jews, who were a hard-hearted ftubborn people; 
 and fince their difperfion among the gentile na¬ 
 tions, their fucceftors have added many rites and 
 ceremonies, which were unknown of old. But 
 this leads us to two confiderations : firft, the 
 prefent ftate of the Jews, and fecondly, the 
 manner in which they ought to be treated by 
 us. 
 
 And -firft, with refpett to their prefent ftate, 
 we muft look back to what was foretold fhould 
 happen to them by their great prophet Moles ; 
 who, in many inftances, was a type, or figure of 
 that glorious Melfiah, whom they not only re¬ 
 jetted, but ftill continue to defpife and treat with 
 contempt. Indeed, the more we attend to the 
 prophetic writings, the more we will be con¬ 
 vinced, that Jefus of Nazareth was the Melfiah 
 promifed of old, and that the lole reafon why the 
 fews rejetted him, when he made his appearance 
 on earth, was, that he did not come with all the 
 grandeur of a temporal prince and governor. 
 
 Moles, by Divine infpiration, a little before 
 his death, looked forward to the ftate of his be¬ 
 
 loved countrymen ; and feeing that they would 
 difobey the Divine commands, foretold what 
 punifhments God would inflitt upon them ; and 
 dreadful as thofe threatenings were, yet they have, 
 in every refpett, been literally fulfilled. They 
 were to be taken captive by a fierce people, whole 
 language they were not to underftand; but whofe 
 idols they were to worfhip. Now this was fulfilled, 
 when they were led captive by Nebuchadnezzar, 
 king of Babylon, who dilperfed them as flaves, in 
 different provinces ; where many of them be¬ 
 came idolators, and were treated with the utmoft 
 cruelty by their rigorous talk-mailers. They 
 were to be hooted, and laughed at by every one; 
 they were to hear their God blalphemed in a 
 ftrange land, and fee their wives and children 
 torn from them. This took place during the 
 Babylonilh captivity, of which we have a moft 
 beautiful, though mournful account in Plalm 
 cxxxvii. They were to be befieged by a people 
 from afar ; their city was to be blocked up ; they 
 were to be reduced to famine; and women were 
 to eat their own children. This took place, when 
 the Romans befieged Jerufalem ; for, accord¬ 
 ing to Jolephus, they not only eat the fielh of 
 horfes, dogs, and cats; but even mothers, the 
 moft lympathizing part of the creation, killed 
 their own children, and eat them as the moft de¬ 
 licious morfels ; fo true are the words, {f My 
 “ council fhall (land, and I will do all my plea- 
 $f lure.” 
 
 They were to be fold as flaves to all who would 
 purchafe them, and we are told by St. Jerome, 
 who himfelf was a Jew, that thofe who fold our 
 Lord for thirty pieces of filver, were fold by the 
 Romans for thirty a penny, which in our money, 
 amounts to little more than one farthing each. 
 They were to be fcattered among all nations, they 
 were to be outcafts from human fociety, and they 
 were to find no reft, but to be driven from place 
 to place, as if they had been unworthy of a re- 
 fidence in this lower world. And has not this 
 been literally accomplifhed ? Are they not now 
 confidered as the off-fcourings and refufe of the 
 world; as vagabonds, who have no fettled ha¬ 
 bitations, but are obliged to take fhelter when¬ 
 ever the lenity of civil government will grant 
 them permilfion ? With relpett to their having no 
 reft, no man, acquainted with hiftory, willdifpute. 
 The emperor Adrian caufed many thoufands of 
 them to be maffacred,and he ordered that no Jews 
 fhould re fide in any of the cities of the Roman, 
 empire. They were expofed to the inclemencies 
 of the feafons, and thoufands of them law their 
 wives and children perilh for want of the com¬ 
 mon neceffaries of life. God was to let a mark 
 upon them, by which they were to be diftinguifhed 
 from all other perfons in the univerle, and what 
 man can look upon a Jew without knowing that 
 he is fuch? The perfon who beholds a Jew, and 
 denies Divine Revelation, muft be an infidel in¬ 
 deed. They were to be cruelly treated by all 
 thofe people, among whom they were to be fcat¬ 
 tered ; and of this we have many ftriking in¬ 
 ftances in hiftory ; fuch indeed as are a dilgrace 
 to human nature. In Spain, in France, and in¬ 
 deed, in almoft all nations, thoufands of them 
 have been murdered in a day, and England has 
 Ihared in the guilt. 
 
 The Jews being prohibited from purchafing 
 
 land, 
 
The. RELIGION of the MODERN J E W S. 23 
 
 land, had recourfe to ufury and commerce for a 
 fubfiftence, which often brought many miferies 
 upon them. Always dependant, and always in dan¬ 
 ger, had they refufed to lend money, they would 
 have been maffacred as infidels : And when they 
 did lend it, and demanded payment, fuch was 
 the conduct of their mercilefs unprincipled deb¬ 
 tors, that they ftigmatized them with the names 
 of ufurers, and let loole upon them the whole 
 rage of the civil and ecclefiaftical power. Of 
 this we have many ftriking inftances in our 
 hiftory, and fuch as will ever bring dilhonour 
 upon thole concerned in the perfecution. 
 
 During the coronation of Richard I. 1189, 
 above fix thoufand Jews were maffacred in the 
 city of London. And although feveral of the 
 rioters were defervedly put to death, yet that was 
 but a fmall compenfation for the lofs of fo many 
 perfons, who had not given any offence to the 
 civil power. A few years afterwards, above two 
 thoufand of the Jews were burnt to death in one 
 houfe at York ; and Edward III. ftripped them 
 of all the property they were poffeffed of, under 
 the ftale pretence of their being ufurers. 
 
 To give fome fort of fanttion to thefe cruelties-, 
 it was laid, that the Jews, on Good-Friday, cru¬ 
 cified a child, and drank of his blood. This 
 fable is not new ; for the heathens, under the 
 Roman emperors, accufed the Chriftians of the 
 fame crime. There is reafon to believe, that 
 tricks were put upon the Jews ; and, becaufe of 
 their induftry, they were acculed of crimes they 
 never committed. It was no difficult matter for 
 a perfon, who had borrowed money from a Jew, 
 and who was either unable, or unwilling to pay 
 him, to take a dead child out of the grave, and 
 nail it to a crol's, near to where one of the Jews 
 lived. This ftratagem anfwered the end propofed; 
 for the villainous debtor, not only got abfolved 
 from his obligation, but he, at the fame time, 
 brought fuch an odium upon the people, that 
 they were put to death without mercy. It is 
 more than probable, that the Jews were never 
 guilty of any fuch crime, as that of crucifying 
 children : and as for their drinking the blood, 
 it is contrary to their own law, even to talle 
 the blood of animals. But all thefe falfe ac- 
 cufations were brought againft them, by per- 
 miffion from God, in confequence of their having 
 tranfgreffed againft his commandments, broken 
 his law, defpiled his (acred ordinances, and re¬ 
 jetted that glorious Meffiah, who was the fum 
 and fubftance of all their ancient prophecies. 
 
 Having thus taken a view of the many afflic¬ 
 tions which the Jews fuffered, in confequence of 
 their difobedience to the Divine law, and their 
 rejetting the Meffiah; let us, in the fecond place, 
 confider in what manner we as Chriftians and Pro- 
 teftants fhould treat them. This is, indeed, a 
 ferious confideration, and fuch as fhould fink 
 deep into our hearts. God made choice of them 
 from among all the nations of the earth ; to them 
 were committed the Divine oracles, the giving 
 of the law and the promifes ; from them, accord¬ 
 ing to the fiefh, the glorious Meffiah came : 
 whole kingdom (hall be an everlafting kingdom, 
 and of whofe dominions there (hall be no end. 
 While our anceftors were worfhipping idols, 
 and offering up human facrifices, the Jews were 
 adoring the true God, and waiting for the confo- 
 
 lation of Ifrael. In the fulnefs of time, God made 
 manifeft to them his purpole of faving a loft 
 world, and although they could not comprehend 
 the nature of the gofpel covenant, yet we re¬ 
 ceived ineftimable benefits from their unbelief; 
 and our darknefs was turned into light, in con¬ 
 fequence of their lamp of knowledge being ex- 
 tinguifhed. The nations, who fat in the region 
 and ffladow of death, faw great light; and upon 
 the ignorant, knowledge was poured out. 
 
 When a favour is conferred upon a man, gra¬ 
 titude becomes a duty, and when a Chriftian is 
 injured, his religion obliges him to forgive. We 
 have, in the difpenfation of the gofpel, received 
 fuch favours from the Jews, as if properly im¬ 
 proved, will bring us to everlafting happinefs. 
 Elave they done us any injuries ? as Chriftians, 
 we are obliged to forget them. Did they put 
 our Divine Redeemer to death ? Let us remem¬ 
 ber that he died for our fins. 
 
 Each of our fins became a nail; 
 
 And unbelief the fpear. 
 
 Do the Jews labour under a moft ftubborn 
 hardnefs of heart ? Are they aliens to the Com¬ 
 monwealth of Ifrael, and ftrangers to the cove¬ 
 nant of promife ? Then what great objetts of 
 pity fhould we confider them ? Do we confider 
 their fouls as of everlafting value, and lhall we 
 not pray inceffantly, that God would remove the 
 veil by which their underftandings are darkened? 
 Has their difobedience brought upon them the 
 Divine difpleafure, and (hall we be the execu¬ 
 tioners of Almighty vengeance ? God forbid. It 
 is remarkable, that thofe who have oppreffed the 
 Jews in different ages and nations, were the word 
 of men; and (hall we follow their example ? No: 
 our Divine mafter has given us a leffon of a very 
 different nature. By precept, and by example, 
 we are to teach the pure dottrines of the gofpel, 
 and thus convince the unbelieving Jews, that we 
 wilh for nothing more than their falvation. Do 
 we behold them as caft out of the fociety of men ? 
 Let us remember, that there was a time when 
 they were highly favoured of God, while our 
 anceftors were abominable in his fight. Do we 
 hear them accufed of crimes ? Let us look to 
 ourlelves, and enquire, whether under all the 
 privileges we enjoy, we are not more guilty than 
 they? From thofe to which much is given, much 
 will be required. Undoubtedly, blindnefs in part 
 has happened to Ifrael; but let us not be high 
 minded, but fear: for when the fulnefs of the 
 Gentiles is come in, then all Ifrael (hall be faved; 
 God will make known to his antient people, the 
 nature of his promifes, and they will efhbrace 
 that gofpel which they have for many years re¬ 
 jetted. 
 
 Let us, therefore, confider the Jews as our 
 elder brethren, according to Divine Revelation ; 
 let their prefent ftate in the world ferve as a 
 proof of all we read in the facred hiftory of the 
 Old and New Teftament; let the affiittions we 
 have heard of their labouring under, in different 
 ages and nations, teach us not to abuie our pri¬ 
 vileges ; and let the benefits which have been 
 tranfmitted to us through them, teach us to treat 
 them with tendernefs and benevolence ; with 
 companion and charity. 
 
 Every 
 
24 The RELIGION of 
 
 Every fmcere believer defires to have an 
 evidence of his religion ; and can the Chriftian 
 ever obtain a greater than that of the prefent 
 Hate of the Jews ? God, however, has not left 
 us that evidence to be trampled on or abufed; we 
 are to improve it to a proper advantage, and no¬ 
 thing can be more proper than fhewing mercy to 
 thole unhappy people, whofe hearts at prelent 
 are clouded with darknefs. It is not in our power 
 to form any notion concerning their fentiments of 
 toleration, fuppofing they had the civil power 
 in their hands ; but this we know, that Chrif- 
 tians have no right to perfectite ; for the wea¬ 
 pons of our warefare are not carnal, but mighty. 
 
 the EGYPTIANS. 
 
 through God, to bring every foul in fubje&ion 
 to Chrift. By cruelty and perfecution, we may 
 force the Jews to blafpheme; but we can never 
 make them believe, by any coercive means what¬ 
 ever ; our tendernels, our benevolence, our hu¬ 
 mility, and our compaffion, joined to our affec¬ 
 tionate inftru&ions, may lead them to admire, to 
 love, and to worfhip their Mefliah, who alone 
 can procure them eternal happinefs. The good- 
 nefs of the Divine Being is beft difplayed in the 
 charitable difpofition of his creatures; and thofe 
 who are moft convinced of their own unworthi- 
 nels, will be the firft to forgive fuch as differ from 
 them in fentiment. 
 
 The Religion of the EGYPTIAN S. 
 
 I N order to underftand, in a proper manner, 
 the antient Religion of the Egyptians, it 
 will be neceffary to take a retrofpedtive view 
 of what happened before Jacob and his children 
 went down into that country. Abraham, the fa¬ 
 ther of the faithful, was called away from his na¬ 
 tive country, fomewhat lefs than three hundred 
 years after the deluge, which naturally leads us 
 to enquire into the origin of idolatry. Abraham, 
 as a wanderer and fojourner in a ftrange country, 
 had not been above ten years abfent from Ur, of 
 the Chaldeans, when a famine obliged him to go 
 into Egypt, at that time a very flourifhing mo¬ 
 narchy. That Egypt fhould have had a regal 
 government within three hundred years after the 
 deluge, has been objected to by many of our 
 deiftical writers ; but when attentively confider- 
 ed, we cannot find any thing in it of an extraor¬ 
 dinary nature. People in thofe early ages lived 
 in the moft frugal manner, and few of them 
 died before they had attained to years of maturity; 
 fo that there is no reafon for us to be furprized, 
 when we find the children of Mizraim founding 
 a monarchy, in the fertile plains of Egypt, as foon 
 as a fufficient number of the human fpecies had 
 been colledted together. 
 
 It does not, however, appear that thefe people 
 were idolators, in the ftridt fenfe of the word, 
 although it is more than probable, that in many 
 inftances, they deviated from the worfhip of the 
 true God, according to its original purity. 
 Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, at that time, calls 
 the God of Abraham, Jehovah and Elohim, 
 both of which are the higheft titles that can be 
 afcribed to the Divine Being, becaufe they in¬ 
 clude all his inconceivable attributes. 
 
 There is no doubt but idolatry was then be¬ 
 ginning to take place in the nations of the uni- 
 verfe; but ftill they had not loft the knowledge of 
 the true God. From the time of Abraham’s return 
 from Egypt, we have no account of that coun¬ 
 try traniinitted to us, till Jacob with his family 
 went down there, at the requeft of his fon 
 Joleph. That they were not grofs idolators, at 
 that time is evident, from the king of Egypt’s 
 mentioning, with the higheft refped, the God of 
 
 the Hebrews ; and that Egypt was at that time 
 no more than a fmall colony of emigrants, will 
 appear evident, when we confider what was faid 
 by their king to Jacob. 
 
 The patriarch being afked where he would 
 defire to fettle, made choice of the land of 
 Gofhen, and his requeft was complied with, 
 becaufe he had flocks to maintain ; but had there 
 not been much wafte ground in the country, 
 his requeft could not have been complied with. 
 From this circumftance, we may learn, that 
 there were but few people at that time in 
 Egypt, otherwife the king could not have had it 
 in his power to make a grant of fuch a large 
 tratt of ground to ftrangers, with whom he was 
 in a manner but little acquainted. But ftill it 
 does not appear, that the Egyptians were at this 
 time grofs idolators, though the knowledge of the 
 true God was beginning to vanifh from the earth; 
 and there is too much reafon to believe, that after 
 the death of Jofeph, his kinfmen, the children of 
 Ifrael, became idolators in Egypt, in compliance 
 with the common cuftom. 
 
 A revolution, the particulars of which we are 
 left unacquainted with, took place about the 
 time of Joleph’s death; and an Ethiopian ufurper 
 being placed on the throne, the Jews were re¬ 
 duced to the utmoft hardlhips, which naturally 
 leads us to enquire into the ftate of the Egyptian 
 religion at that time, and its progrefs, till it was 
 totally abolifhed. 
 
 That the Jews were idolators, during their 
 captivity in Egypt, cannot be doubted by any 
 perfon who has read the facred feriptures ; and 
 upon enquiry, it will appear, that before Mofes 
 came to lead them from that country, idol tem¬ 
 ples had been eftablilhed, otherwife they would 
 never have made a molten calf in the wildernefs, 
 which gave fo much offence to the Great Jeho¬ 
 vah, that he threatened to deftroy them from off 
 the face of the earth. Thus St. Stephen, in his 
 celebrated fpeech before the Jewifh Sanhedrim, 
 fays, <c And they made a calf in thofe days, and 
 ft offered facrifice unto the idol ; and rejoiced in 
 tc the works of their own hands. Then God 
 Cf turned, and gave them up to worlhip the hoft 
 
 of 
 
The RELIGION of the EGYPTIANS, 
 
 <e of heaven, as it is written in the book of the 
 «• prophet. (See Amos v. 25.) O ye houfe of 
 tc Ifrael, have ye offered to me ffain hearts, and 
 <c facrifices by the fpace of forty years in the ; 
 * c wildernefs? Yea, ye took up the tabernacle j 
 tc of Moloch, and the ftar of your god Remp- ; 
 ct han ; figures which you made to worfhip 
 <£ them : and I will carry you away beyond Ba- 
 <c bylon.” From thefe emphatic expreffions, | 
 fome notion may be formed of the nature of the i 
 Egyptian idolatry, inantient times : but welhall 
 now proceed to deferibe it in a more particular 
 manner, as conveyed down to us by Herodotus, 
 and many other celebrated authors. 
 
 In Egypt, the priefts held the next rank to 
 kings, and from among them were chofen the : 
 great officers of Rate. They enjoyed many pri- ; 
 vileges ; and, among others, that of having their I 
 lands exempted from the payment of taxes, of 
 which we have a remarkable inftance, in Genefis 
 xlvii. 26, where we read, that, tf Jofeph 
 <£ made it a law over the land of Egypt, that 
 tc Pharaoh Ihould have the fifth part ; except 
 t£ the land of the priefts only, which became not 
 <f Pharaoh’s.” As they had the foie manage¬ 
 ment of the religious rites and ceremonies, fo 
 they were at the head of all the public femina- 
 ries of learning ; and to their care was com¬ 
 mitted the education of the youth, especially 
 fuch as were defigned for high employments. 
 That the progrefs of idolatry was very rapid 
 after the deluge, cannot be doubted ; and yet 
 the Egyptians pretend, that they were the firft 
 who inftituted feftivals, facrifices, and proceflions 
 in honour of the gods. Thefe feftivals were 
 held in the moft celebrated cities, where all the 
 inhabitants of the kingdom were obliged to 
 attend, unlefs prevented by ficknefs; and when 
 that happened, they were to illuminate their 
 windows with torches. They facrificed many 
 different forts of beafts ; and at every facrifice, 
 the people drew near, one by one, and laid their 
 hands upon the head of the vidtim, praying that 
 God would inflidt upon that creature, all the pu- 
 niftiment due to him for his fins. Then the 
 prieft ftabbed the victim,part of which was burnt, 
 and part eaten ; for no perfon was thought to 
 gain any benefit from the facrifice, who did not 
 tafte lefs or more of it. 
 
 The Egyptians believed, that the fouls of 
 men, at death, went into other bodies ; fuch 
 as had been virtuous, going into fuch perfons as 
 were to be happy in the world : but the vicious, 
 into the bodies of fuch as were to be miferable, 
 and fometimes into thofe of ferpents. In that 
 ftate of punifhment, they were to remain a cer¬ 
 tain number of years, till they had been purified 
 from their guilt, and then they were to inhabit 
 more exalted beings. The priefts had the keep¬ 
 ing of all the facred books, whether relating to 
 religion, or to civil polity; and, therefore, to the 
 common people, every thing was delivered in a 
 myfterious emblematical manner. Silence, with 
 relpeft to their facred rites, was pointed out by 
 a figure called Harpocrates, relembling a man 
 holding his finger upon his lips ; intimating, that 
 myfteries were not to be revealed to the vulgar. 
 They had likewife, at the gates of all their tem¬ 
 ples, images of afimilar nature, called Sphinxes; 
 and every thing in their religion was fymbolical : 
 
 25 
 
 The figure of a hare pointed out attention, or 
 watchfulnefs ; becaufe that creature has been 
 always efteemed as one of the moft fearful in the 
 univerfe. A judge was painted without hands, 
 with his eyes fixed on the ground* thereby inti¬ 
 mating, that a magiftrate Ihould judge with im¬ 
 partiality, without confidering the characters or 
 ftations of the perfons who are brought before 
 him. 
 
 From attending, in a careful manner, to the 
 perufal of the Egyptian hiftory, it would feem, 
 that while idolatry was in fome meafure culti¬ 
 vated by the neighbouring nations, there it flou- 
 riftied in a ftate of perfection. The number of 
 their idols was endlefs ; but thofe who feem to 
 have been moft regarded by them, in antient 
 times, were Ofiris and Ifis , which we have much 
 reafon to believe were the fun and moon. Thefe, 
 however, were only the general gods of Egypt, 
 and fuch as were worfhipped by the king, and his 
 courtiers ; for almoft every diftrict had its parti¬ 
 cular deity. Some worlhipped dogs; others oxen; 
 fome hawks ; fome owls 5 fome crocodiles; 
 fome cats ; and others ibis , a fort of an Egyp¬ 
 tian ftork. The worfhip of thefe animals was 
 confined to certain places; and it often happened, 
 that thofe who adored the crocodile, were ridi¬ 
 culed by fuch as paid divine honours to the cat. 
 To fupport the honour of their different idols, 
 bloody wars often took place; and whole provin¬ 
 ces were depopulated to decide the queftion, whe¬ 
 ther a crocodile or a cat was a god ? And yet it 
 is remarkable, that although they difputed con¬ 
 cerning the attributes of their idols, yet they all 
 agreed in this, that every perfon was guilty of a 
 capital offence, who injured any of thofe animals, 
 whole figures were fet up in their temples : Of 
 this we have a remarkable inftance in Diodorus 
 Siculus , who was an eye witnefs to the fad: which 
 he relates. 
 
 A Roman foldier, during the time of Mark 
 Anthony, having inadvertently killed a cat, at 
 Alexandria, the populace role in a tumultuous 
 manner, dragged him from his houfe, and mur¬ 
 dered him. . Nay, fuch was the refpeft the Egyp ¬ 
 tians had for thefe animals ; that during an ex¬ 
 treme famine, they chofe rather to eat one ano¬ 
 ther than to hurt them. But of all the idols wor- 
 fhipped by the Egyptians, the Apis, or Bull, had 
 the preference; and it is undoubtedly from his 
 figure, that the Jews formed the golden calf in 
 the wildernefs. The moft magnificent temples 
 were ered;ed for him ; he was adored by all ranks 
 of people.while living, and when he died (for he 
 was a living Bull) all Egypt went into mourn¬ 
 ing for him. We are told by Pliny, that, dur¬ 
 ing the reign of Ptolemy Lagus , the Bull Apis 
 died of extreme old age, and fuch was the pom¬ 
 pous manner in which he was interred, that the 
 funeral expences amounted to a ffum equal to 
 that of twelve thoufand pounds fterling. The 
 next thing to be done, was to provide a lucceffbr 
 for this god, and allEgypt was ranfacked on pur- 
 pofe. He was to be diftinguiihed by certain 
 marks from all other animals of his own fpecies; 
 particularly he was to have on his forehead a 
 white mark, referabling a crelcent; on liis back, 
 the figure of an eagle; and on his tongue, that of 
 a beetle. As foon as an ox, aniwering.rhar-.de- 
 I feription was found, mourning gave place, to joy; 
 
 G ana 
 
*6 The RELIGION of 
 
 and nothing was to be heard of in Egypt, but 
 feftivals and rejoicings. The new difcovered god, 
 or rather bead, was brought to Memphis, to take 
 pofieflion of his dignity, and there placed upon 
 a throne, with a great number of ceremonies. 
 Indeed, the Egyptians feem to have given luch 
 encouragement to fuperftition, that not content 
 with worfhipping the vileft of all reptiles, they 
 actually paid divine honours to vegetables. 
 
 For this they are feverely and juftly ridiculed, 
 by Juvenal, in his fifteenth fatire : 
 
 Who has not heard, where Egypt’s realms are 
 nam’d, 
 
 What monfter gods her fertile fons have fram’d? 
 Here Ibis gorg’d with well grown ferpents, 
 there 
 
 The crocodile commands religious fear; 
 
 Where Memnon’s ftatue, magic fprings infpire 
 With vocal founds, that emulate the lyre ; 
 
 And Thebes, fuch, fate, are thy difaft’rous turns, 
 Now proftrate o’er her pompous ruins mourns ; 
 
 A monkey god, prodigious to be told ! 
 
 Strikes the beholder’s eye with burnifh’d gold : 
 
 To godfhip here, blue Triton’s fceally herd, 
 
 The river progeny is there preferr’d ; 
 
 Through towns Diana’s power neglected lies, 
 Where to her dogs afpiring temples rife : 
 
 And fhould you leeks, or onions eat, no time 
 Would expiate the lacrilegious crime. 
 
 Religious nations, fure, and blefs’d abodes. 
 
 Where every orchard is o’er-run with gods. 
 
 That fuch abfurdities fhould have taken place 
 among a people, juftly celebrated for their know¬ 
 ledge of the lciences, is what we are hardly able 
 to account for; but that it did fo, we have the 
 greateft authority to afiert, from the whole evi¬ 
 dence of antiquity. To read of animals, and 
 vile infedts, honoured with religious worfhip, 
 placed in the moll: pompous temples, eredted 
 at a moll extravagant cxpence ; that thofe who 
 killed them fhould be put to death, and that 
 thofe animals were embalmed after death, and 
 treated with Divine honours, is what a l'ober 
 heathen would hardly believe, and yet we have 
 it from the tcllimony of the molt fober 
 heathens. 
 
 We may add further, that to hear that leeks 
 and onions were worfhipped as deities ; nay, were 
 invoked in all cafes of neceftity, are fuch fur- 
 prifmg inftances of the weaknefs of the human 
 underftanding, and the corruption of human na¬ 
 ture ; that we have reafon to blefs God for the 
 times, and the places where we were born. Lu¬ 
 cian, a prophane heathen poet, who lived about 
 the middle of the third century of the Chriltian 
 /Era, feems to have had very juft notions of the 
 ridiculous rites and ceremonies of the Egyptians 
 in his time. His words are, ft You may enter 
 “ into one of their moft magnificent temples, 
 
 <f adorned with gold and lilver ; but look 
 “ around you for a god, and you behold a ftork, 
 
 V an ape, or a cat.” 
 
 It is, therefore, proper that we fhould enquire 
 what motives could induce thole people to a£t in 
 fuch a manner; but here we are led into a large 
 field indeed. The antient Egyptians had a tra¬ 
 dition, that, at a certain period, men rebelled 
 
 the E G Y P T I A N S. 
 
 againft the gods, and drove them out of heaven. 
 Upon this difalter taking place, the gods fled 
 into Egypt,_ where they concealed themlelves 
 under the form of different animals; and this 
 was the firft reafon afligned for the worfhip of 
 thole creatures. But there was another reafon afi- 
 figned for the worfhip of thele animals ; namely, 
 the benefits which men often received from them, 
 particularly in Egypt. 
 
 Oxen, by their labour, helped to cultivate the 
 ground, fheep cloathed them with their wool, 
 dogs, among many other lervices, prevented their 
 houles from being robbed; the ibis, a bird, 
 fomewhat refembling a ftork, was of great fer- 
 vice in deftroying the winged ferpents, with which 
 Egypt abounded ; the crocodile, an amphibious 
 creature, w r as worfhipped, becaufe it prevented 
 the wild Arabs from making incurfions; the 
 Ichneumon, a little animal, was of great fervice 
 to them in different ways ; he watches the cro¬ 
 codile s abfence and breaks his eggs, and when 
 he lays down to fleep on the banks of the Nile, 
 which he always does, with his mouth open, this 
 little creature jumps out of the mud, and leap¬ 
 ing into his throat, forces his way down to his 
 entrails, which he gnaws, then he pierces his 
 belly, and thus triumphs over this moft dreadful 
 animal. 
 
 The firft Chriftian fathers ridiculed the Egyp¬ 
 tian idolatry, and painted the abfurdity of it in 
 the moft lively colours; and afked the heathen 
 priefts how they could difhonour the great God 
 of heaven and earth, by offering facrifices to the 
 vileft, and moft contemptible animals and rep¬ 
 tiles ; fuch as lnakes, crocodiles, ferpents, and 
 cats. Indeed, God, in his righteous judgement, 
 gave them up to a reprobate mind ; and whilft 
 they profeffed themfelves to be wife, they became 
 fools, for having changed the glory of the in¬ 
 corruptible God into an image, made like to 
 corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted 
 beafts, and creeping things. 
 
 The funeral ceremonies of the Egyptians, de- 
 ierve particular notice ; for no people, of whom 
 we have any account tranfmitted to us, ever paid 
 fo much regard to the bodies of their departed 
 friends. Of this we have a ftriking inftance, in 
 what ftill remains of their pyramids, the moft 
 ftupendous buildings that ever were ereefted to 
 perpetuate the memory of their princes. This 
 oftentation, like moft other cuftoms, originated 
 firft in the courts of their kings; but in time was 
 imitated, as far as lay in their power, by the lower 
 ranks of people. 
 
 When any of their relations died, the whole 
 family quitted the place of their abode; and 
 during fixty or feventy days, according to the 
 rank or quality of the deceafed, abftained from 
 all the comforts of life, excepting fuch as were 
 neceftary to fupport nature. They embalmed 
 the bodies, and many perfons were employed in 
 performing this ceremony. The brains were 
 drawn through the noftrils by an inftrument, and 
 the inteftines were emptied by cutting a hole in 
 the abdomen, or belly, with a (harp ftone ; after 
 which, the cavities were filled up with perfumes, 
 and the fineft odoriforous fpices ; but the perfon 
 who made the incifion in the body for this pur- 
 pofe, and who was commonly a Have, was obliged 
 to run away immediately after, or the people pre- 
 2 lent 
 
the RELIGION of the 
 
 fent would have [toned him to death ; but thofe 
 who embalmed the body, were treated with the 
 utmoft refpeft. 
 
 The interior parts of the body were filled with 
 all forts of curious fpices, which they purchased 
 from the Arabians ; and after a certain number 
 of days had expired, it was wrapped up in fine 
 linnen, glued together with gum, and then fpread 
 over with the richeft perfumes. 1 he body being 
 thus embalmed, was delivered to the relations, 
 and placed either in a fepulchre, or in their own 
 houfes, according to their rank and ability. It 
 flood in a wooden cheft, ereft ; and all thofe 
 who vifited the family, treated it with fome 
 marks of refpeft. This was done, that thole 
 who knew them while alive, ihould endeavour to 
 imitate their conduft after death. Of this we 
 have a ftriking inftance in the account of the fu¬ 
 neral of Jofeph, in Egypt, and the regard that 
 was paid to his remains, long after his deceafe. 
 The Egyptians would not fuffer praifes to be be¬ 
 llowed indifcriminately upon every perfon, let 
 his rank be ever fp elevated ; for charafters 
 given to the deceafed, were beftowed by the 
 judges, who reprel'ented the people at large. 
 The judges, who were to examine into the merits 
 of the deceafed, met on the oppofiue fide of a 
 lake, of which there were many in Egypt ; and 
 while they crofted the lake, he who lat at the 
 helm, was called Charon, which gave rife to the 
 fable among the Greeks, that Charon condufted 
 the fouls of deceafed perfons into the Elyfian- 
 fields, or the infernal regions. When the judges 
 met, all thofe who had any thing to objeft againft 
 the deceafed perfons were heard ; and if it ap¬ 
 peared that he had been a wicked perfon, then 
 his name was condemned to perpetual infamy; 
 nor could his deareft relations ereft any monu¬ 
 ment to perpetuate his memory. 
 
 This made a deep impreflion on the minds of 
 the people ; for nothing operates more ftrongly 
 than the fear of fhame, and the confutation of 
 our deceafed relations, being configned to infa¬ 
 my hereafter. Kings themfelves were not ex¬ 
 empted from this enquiry ; all their aftions were 
 canvaffed at large by the judges, and the fame 
 impartial decifion took place, as if it had been 
 upon one of the meaneftof the fubjefts. Ofthis 
 we have fome inftances in fcripture, where we 
 read, that wicked kings were not fuffered to be 
 interred in the fepulchres of their anceftors. 
 Happy for mankind, that this was more attended 
 to in our days ; then wicked princes and fove- 
 reigns would learn, that notwithftanding their 
 elevated rank in life, yet the juftice of their 
 country, which they often trample on, will fcru- 
 tinize, with feverity, their aftions, while their 
 bodies are configned to the lilent tomb. 
 
 If no objeftion was made to the conduft of 
 the deceafed, then a funeral oration was deli¬ 
 vered in memory of him, reciting his mod 
 worthy aftions ; but no notice was taken of Iris 
 birth, becaufe every Egyptian was confidered as 
 noble. No praifes were beftowed, but fuch as 
 related to temporal merit; and he was applauded 
 for having cultivated piety to the gods, and dif- 
 charged his duty to his fellow creatures. Then 
 all the people lhouted with voices of applaufe, 
 and the body was honourably interred. The 
 Egyptians, however, believed much in the doc- 
 
 EGYPTIANS. 27 
 
 trine of the tranfmigration of fouls ; and like- 
 wife, that for fome time after death, the fouls of 
 the deceafed hovered round the bodies ; which, 
 among many others, was one of the reafons why 
 they deferred the interment of their relations io 
 long. . 
 
 That the antient Egyptians had fome notion 
 of the refurreftion of the body, cannot be de¬ 
 nied ; but their endeavouring to preierve hu¬ 
 man bodies from a ftate of corruption, was one 
 of the moft abfurd thoughts that could ever take 
 place in the mind of a rational creature. “ Dull 
 “ thou art ; and unto dull thou fhalt return.” 
 And, certainly, thofe who believe that God Al¬ 
 mighty, by his omnipotent power, could create 
 all things out of nothing, can have no manner 
 of doubt concerning his ability, to bring, in one 
 moment, together the l'cattered atoms of our 
 confumed bodies, and raile them up to glory, 
 honour, and immortality. 
 
 From what has been faid concerning the ido¬ 
 latry of the antient Egyptians, we. may learn 
 many important truths 1 Firft, the origin of ido¬ 
 latry ; for it is certain, that the worftiip of 
 images took place looner in Egypt, than in any 
 other country in the world. 1 o what is this to 
 be afcribed ? To the fertility of their foil, which 
 furpaffed all others. Shocking abufe of hea¬ 
 venly mercies ! For fhall the Divine Being fhower 
 down mercies upon us, that we may make beafts 
 of ourlelves ? Shocking confiderations , but not 
 more [hocking than true. 
 
 But fecondly, God often works by means, to 
 which we are utter ftrangers ; and while we fee a 
 people endued with fo much of human learning, 
 
 1 as to have been the admiration of all the world 
 befide, and at the fame time deftitute of every 
 religious principle, we [hould look down upon 
 their conditions, with pity, and reft fatisfied, 
 that it is the will of God it [hould be fo. We 
 are equally unacquainted with the fecrets of na- 
 I ture, of providence, and grace ; therefore we 
 Ihould ftudy humility, and confider it as no dif- 
 honour to acknowledge our ignorance o[ fuch 
 things as are beyond our comprehenfion. 
 
 Thirdly, as the grand defign God had in view, 
 was to prepare the world for the reception of the 
 ! glorious redeemer ; fo he made choice of but 
 I one family, or nation, to keep up the knowledge 
 1 of his name, leaving all others to the freedom 
 of their own wills; and [hocking, indeed, was the 
 I ufe they made of it. But even with refpeft to 
 | thofe infatuated idolaters, God did notleave him- 
 ! felf without a witnefs. With refpeft to temporal 
 1 things, he bore with their provocations, and as 
 an earneft, that one day they would embrace the 
 gofpel, the Divine Mefliah was, alrnoft as foon 
 as he came into this world, fent to refide fome- 
 time among them. It may be further added, 
 that many flourifhing churches were eftablifhed 
 in Egypt, in the moft early times of Chriftianity; 
 and there it was that the great Athanafius lived. 
 
 Laftly, Chriftians are too ready to give up 
 thofe heathens to perdition, who were never fa¬ 
 voured with a Divine Revelation, ft he learned 
 and pious bilhop Wilkins, fays, “ ft hat the 
 mercy of God, like all his other attributes, is a 
 great depth ; and as God has not told us what he 
 will do with the heathens, is it proper that we 
 [hould inftruft him.” The lawof nature, written 
 
 on 
 
<1% The RELIGION of the CAR 
 
 on their hearts by the finger of God, was, in 
 every fenfe of the word, a Divine Revelation ; 
 and according to the apoftle, (lee Rom. i. 19, 20.) 
 they will be judged by that law. If it mould 
 be obje&ed, that there is no falvation in any 
 other but Chrift Jefus ; we mult anlwer, that he 
 was the Lamb, flain from the foundation of the 
 world ; and how do we know but God might, 
 by means unknown to us, communicate his 
 
 THAGENIANS and TYRIANS. 
 
 grace and favour to thole people, whom we are 
 too apt to confider as objects of his difpleafure ? 
 Let us conclude, in the words of Mofes, (fee 
 Deut. xxix. 29.) " The lecret things belong 
 “ unto the Lord our God : but thofe things 
 <f which are revealed, belong unto us, and to our 
 t£ children for ever, that we may do all the words 
 “ of this law.” 
 
 The Religion of the Carthagenians and Tyrians. 
 
 I N giving an account of the religions of an- 
 tient nations, we mull be directed by two 
 guides ; namely, facred and profane hif- 
 tory. The former gives us a general, view of their 
 abominations ; the latter lays open all that now 
 can be known concerning their public and private 
 rites and ceremonies. Phcenice, Tyre, and 
 Carthage, were all peopled by the Ions of Ham; 
 they had the lame form of religion, lpoke the 
 fame language, encouraged the fame arts and 
 fciences, ufed the lame inftruments in war, and 
 inflidted the fame punilhments upon criminals. 
 Thus their civil and religious hifbory is fo 
 blended together, that we cannot illuftrate the 
 latter, without taking lome notice of- the former. 
 The Phoenicians were a remnant of the antient 
 Canaanites, who were luffered by the Divine 
 Being, to remain unextirpated, that they fiiould 
 be a lcourge upon the children of Ilrael, as often 
 as they relapfed into idolatry. In feripture they 
 are often mentioned, as a warlike people, under 
 the name of Philiftines, for the word Phcenica is 
 Greek. They inhabited that part of Afia ad¬ 
 joining to the Mediterranean fea, and worfhipped 
 an idol named Dagon, much in the fame form 
 as a mermaid is reprefented by the fabulous 
 writers ; a human body from the navel upwards, 
 and the lower part, that of a fifh. The figure 
 itfelf was very exprefiive ; for it pointed out, 
 not only their fituation near the fea, but like- 
 wile that they were connedted, both with fea and 
 land. Invaded in their continental territories by 
 the neighbouring nations, they fettled in an 
 ifland near adjoining, which they called Tyre; 
 and they remained in polfeffion of it till the time 
 of Alexander the Great. As a trading people, 
 they fent colonies into different parts of Africa ; 
 but molt of thefewere comprehended under the 
 name of Carthagenians ; and fuch regard had 
 Tyre and Carthage for each other, that when 
 Cambyfes refolved to make war upon the latter, 
 the Phoenicians refuled to accompany him ; al- 
 ledging, in excufe, that they could not fight 
 again ft their brethren, which obliged that prince 
 to lay afide his defign. Nay, the Carthagenians 
 fent an annual tribute to the Tyrians, part of 
 which was for the lupport of the civil govern¬ 
 ment, and part for the maintainance of the 
 priefts and religion. 
 
 The religion of the Carthagenians, which was 
 the fame as that of the Tyrians, Phoenicians, 
 
 Philiftines, and Canaanites, was molt horrid and 
 barbarous ; and fo regular were they in prafrifing 
 what will ever difhonour human nature, that 
 Chriftians, in attending to their duty, may take 
 an example from them. Nothing of any mo¬ 
 ment was undertaken without confulting the 
 gods, which they did by a variety of ridiculous 
 rites and ceremonies. Hercules was the god 
 in whom they placed moft confidence, at leaft, he 
 was the fame to them, as Mars was to the Ro¬ 
 mans, fo that he was invoked before they went 
 upon any expedition ; and when they obtained a 
 victory, lacrifices and thankfgivings were offered 
 up to him. They had many other deities whom 
 they worfhipped ; but the chief of thele was 
 Urania, or the Moon, whom they addreffed un¬ 
 der different calamities; fuch as drought, rain, 
 hail, thunder, or any dreadful ftorms. The 
 Chriftian fathers, having attained to the know¬ 
 ledge of the truth, often in their writings ridi¬ 
 cule thefe imaginary deities, particularly St. 
 Auftin, who was a native of Hippo in Africa, 
 and confequently had reafon to point out the ab- 
 furdities of their idolatry. Urania, or the Moon, 
 is the fame which the prophet calls the queen of 
 heaven, (See Jer. vii. 18.) and there we find the 
 infpired writer, reproving the Jew'ifh women for 
 offering up cakes and other forts of facrifices 
 to her. 
 
 Saturn was the other deity whom the Cartha¬ 
 genians principally worfhipped; and he was the 
 fame with what is called Moloch in feripture. 
 This idol was the deity to whom they offered up 
 human facrifices, and to this we owe the fable of 
 Saturn’s having devoured his own children. 
 Princes and great men, under particular calami¬ 
 ties, ufed to offer up their moft beloved children 
 to this idol. Private perfons imitated the con- 
 du6t of their princes; and thus, in time, the prac¬ 
 tice became general ; nay, to fuch a height did 
 they carry their infatuation, that thofe who had 
 no children of their own, purchafed thole of the 
 poor, that they might not be deprived of the 
 benefits of fuch a lacrifice, which was to pro¬ 
 cure them the completion of their wilhes. This 
 horrid cuftom prevailed long among the Phceni • 
 cians, the Tyrians, and the Carthagenians, and 
 from them the Ifraelites borrowed it, although 
 exprefsly contrary to the order of Gcd. 
 
 The original practice was to burn thofe inno¬ 
 cent children in a fiery furnace, like thofe in the 
 
 valley 
 
The RELIGION of the C ART H A GEN I AN S anti TYRIANS, ig 
 
 Valley of Hinnom, fo often mentioned in fcrip- 
 ture, and fometimes they put them into a hollow 
 brafs ftatue of Saturn, flaming hot. To drown 
 the cries of the unhappy viftims, muficians were 
 ordered to play on different inftruinents, and 
 mothers (lhocking thought 0 made it a fort of 
 merit to diveft tbemfelves of natural affedtions, 
 while they beheld the barbarous fpedlacle. If it 
 happened that a tear dropped from the eyes of a 
 mother, then the facrifice was conftdered as ot no 
 effefl; and the parent, who had that remaining 
 fpark of tendernefs, was conftdered as an enemy 
 to the public religion. This favage barbarity, 
 which will for ever remain a dilgrace to cor¬ 
 rupted nature, was carried to fuch an height, that 
 even mothers, divefting themfelves of that ten¬ 
 dernefs peculiar to their lex and charafter, would 
 often embrace their children, and then chear- 
 fully commit them to the flames. In latter times, 
 they contented themfelves with making their 
 children walk betw een two flow fires to the ftatue 
 of the idol ; but this was only a more flow and 
 excruciating torture, for the innocent vidtims al¬ 
 ways perifhed. This is what in fcripture is called, 
 the making their Tons and daughters pafs through 
 the fire to Moloch; and barbarous as it was, yet 
 thofe very Ifraelites, in whole favour God had 
 Wrought fo many wonders, demeaned themfelves 
 fo low as to comply with it. 
 
 It appears from Tertulian, who was himfelf a 
 native of Carthage, that this inhuman pradtice 
 continued to take place long after the Cartha- 
 genians had been fubdued by the Romans. That 
 celebrated father tells us, that children were fa- 
 crificed to Saturn, or Moloch, down to the pro- 
 confulfhip of Tiberius, who hanged the facri- 
 ficing priefts themfelves on the trees which fliaded 
 their temple, as on fo many erodes, railed to ex¬ 
 piate their crimes, of which the lbldiers were 
 witnedcs, who adifted at thefe executions. In 
 all times of peftilence, they ufed to facrifice a 
 vaft number of children to their idols ; and thus, 
 by endeavouring to attone for their fins, they 
 only encreafed the number. Sometimes they 
 cut open the bowels of the vidtim, and then threw 
 it into the fire, but the moll common pradtice 
 was to burn it alive. 
 
 Diodorous relates an inftance of this more 
 than favage barbarity, which is fufficient to fill 
 any mind with horror. He tells us, that when 
 Agathocles was going to befiege Carthage; the 
 people, feeing the extremity to which they were 
 reduced, imputed all their misfortunes to the 
 anger of their god Saturn, becaufe, that inftead 
 of offering up to him children nobly born, he 
 had been fraudulently put off with the children 
 of Haves and foreigners. That a fufficient at- 
 tonement fliould be made for this crime, as the 
 infatuated people confidered it, two hundred 
 children of the bed families in Carthage were 
 facrificed ; and no Ids than three hundred of the 
 citizens voluntarily facrificed themfelves, that is, 
 they went into the fire without compulflon. 
 
 Such was the religion of the antient Cartha- 
 genians, the Phoenicians, the Tyrians, and in¬ 
 deed the Philiftines, who were, as we have already 
 
 oblerved, a remnant of the Canaanites, In our 
 account of the Egyptian religion, we have taken 
 notice of their ridiculous abfurdities ; but here 
 we are prefented with an account of barbarities, 
 unknown to the people of Egypt, and fo far as 
 we know, abhorred by the Greeks and Romans. 
 
 A great man, now alive, ftates the queftion: 
 What could induce men to offer up the molt va¬ 
 luable of their lpecies, to pleal'e their gods ? 
 What notion could they form of that being, who 
 took pleafure in cruelty ? His lordfhip anlwers, 
 that perverted minds unenlightended with know¬ 
 ledge, confider the objefl of their worlhip as a 
 being like themfelves ; or to ufe the words of the 
 Pfalmift, they thought God was fuch a one as 
 themfelves, and did approve of their fins. (See 
 Pfalm L. 22.) They imagined, that the more 
 valuable the victim facrificed, the fooner would 
 the gods be reconciled to them. Of this we have 
 a (h iking inftance in the conduft of the king of 
 Moab, (2 Kings iii. 27.) who offered up hisfon as 
 a facrifice, in order to procure that victory which 
 he never obtained. There is a ftrange propen- 
 fity in the minds of men to transfer their guilt 
 from each other, and appoint a fubftitute in 
 their room. Vicarius facrifices are of great an¬ 
 tiquity, and to this Homer alludes in his ac¬ 
 count of Agamemnon’s having taken away by 
 force the daughter of the pried of Apollo, 
 which created diflention between him and 
 Achilles, and, in the end, almoft occafioned the 
 deftrudtion of the whole Grecian army. Mr. 
 Pope’s tranflation of the above paffage, is ex¬ 
 tremely beautiful. 
 
 Latona’s fon, a dire contagion fpread, 
 
 And fill’d the camp with mountains of the dead; 
 The king of men, his reverend piieft defied. 
 And for the king’s offence the people died. 
 
 Plutarch, one of the wiled of all the heathen 
 philoiophers, writing concerning the offering up 
 of human facrifices, delivers his fentiments in 
 fuch a manner as would do honour to a Chrit- 
 tian. “ Can we (fays that great man) be laid 
 “ to entertain an honourable notion of the gods, 
 “ while we fuppofe that they are pleafed with 
 “ (laughter, and thirfty for human blood ? Re- 
 “ ligion is placed between two extremes; in- 
 “ fidelity on the one hand, and fuperftition on 
 “ the other. The one teaches us to doubt the 
 “ truth of every thing, and the other induces us 
 “ to believe the groffeft abfurdities. Impiety 
 “ induces us to believe that there is no God to 
 “ reward or punifh, while fuperftition, in order 
 “ to appeafe the agonizing pains of a guilty 
 “ confcience, teaches us to forge new gods, and 
 “ to aferibe to them unheard of attributes." 
 Such were the fentiments of a fober, wife, and 
 learned heathen, and fuch fhould be thofe of 
 every Chriftian who believes in Divine revela¬ 
 tion. God is honoured, in conlequence of the 
 notions we form of his attributes ; but we dis¬ 
 honour him, when we offer up to him luchiacri- 
 fices as he never required of us. 
 
 d 
 
 H 
 
 The 
 
( 
 
 3* ) 
 
 The Religion of the DRUIDS. 
 
 O F all the atiticnt heathen fyftems of reli- 
 gion, the Druidical comes neareft to that 
 of the Carthagenians ; but then it will 
 be naturally afked, how, or in what manner did 
 the antient Britons become acquainted with the 
 religion of a people, who, in point of locality, 
 were fituated at a vaft diftance from them ? To 
 anfwer this queftion, the following things muft 
 be attended to : Firft, the Druidical religion 
 was not confined to the Britifh ifles, it was pub¬ 
 licly profelTed and taught among the Gauls and 
 Germans. Nay, it may be added, that long 
 before the deftruftion of Carthage, all thofe 
 northern and weftern nations, whom the Romans 
 called Tranlalpin Gauls, had the fame deities, 
 the fame religious ceremonies, and they differed 
 but little in their manners and cuftoms. Secondly, 
 it is evident, that the Druids retained among 
 them many of the religious rites and ceremonies, 
 which had been embraced by the Canaanites, 
 loon after the deluge, and much about the time 
 of the calling of Abraham. To a thinking 
 perfon, this will afford much inftruftion, be° 
 caufe it will ferve to convince him, that the ac¬ 
 count of the difperfion of Noah’s children, as 
 related in Genelis x. is genuine; and that all 
 idolatry originated from the miffaken notions 
 which men embraced, after their difperfion on 
 the face of the earth, when they vainly attempted 
 to build the Tower of Babel. Laftly, the Car¬ 
 thagenians, or Phoenicians, carried on a very 
 extenfive commerce with the natives of Britain; 
 a circumftance which could not eafily have taken 
 place in thofe barbarous ages, unlefs their reli¬ 
 gions, manners and cuftoms had nearly re- 
 fembled each other. That they did lo, we have 
 many evidences remaining in Britain, particu¬ 
 larly in Devonfhire and Cornwall ; and to fuo- 
 port this affertion, we have the teftimony of the 
 beft Greek and Roman hiftorians. 
 
 The Druidical religion was at firft extremely 
 limple ; but Inch is the corruption of human 
 nature, that it was loon debafed by abominable 
 rites and ceremonies, in the lame manner as was 
 p raft iced by the Canaanites, the Carthagenians, 
 and by all the heathens in the other parts of the 
 world. 
 
 The following were the leading principles of 
 the Druidical religion : 
 
 I. They were to honour the Divine Being, as 
 the fupreme maker and governor of the uni- 
 verfe ; but under him they were to feek the aflift- 
 ance of fubordinate dcites, who were fuppofed 
 to aft rather as meffengers than as having any 
 power of their own. 
 
 II. They taught the people to believe, that the 
 Ibuls of men were immortal, but that they paffed 
 front one body to another ; a fentiment which 
 could never have taken place, had they been re¬ 
 conciled to the events of Divine Providence: 
 for they could not comprehend how virtue and 
 
 vice, went unrewarded, and likewife unpunifhed 
 here below. 
 
 III. They taught, that all fuch as had been 
 found guilty of notorious blafphemy, fhould be 
 put to death ; and in fuch cafes* the prieftswere 
 the foie judges. 
 
 IV. That men Ihould do unto others as they 
 would be done by; neither to wrong their neigh¬ 
 bours, nor to injure themfelves. 
 
 V. That it was highly criminal to eat fleffi, 
 milk, or eggs, becaufe it was fuppofed that hu¬ 
 man fouls might have inhabited thofe animal 
 bodies. 
 
 VI. That the firft appearance of the new- 
 moon, was to be attended to with reverence ; 
 as it was fuppofed, that, that planet had great 
 influence on the aftions of men here below. 
 
 VII. Women were common among them, but 
 the man who firft deflowered the virgin was the 
 refponfible father. 
 
 Laftly, Thofe who did any thing unjuft, while 
 in human bodies, were to be tormented in the 
 bodies of fnakes, or other forts of reptiles, till 
 fuch time as they had made an attonement for 
 their fins, according to the direftions of the 
 priefts. 
 
 Such were the theological, or rather mythologi¬ 
 cal fentiments which the Druids taught their 
 followers, long before the gofpel was known in 
 any of the weftern parts of the world ; and, nor- 
 withftanding, fome of them are extremely erro¬ 
 neous, when compared with the Chriftian fyftem, 
 yet they do not appear in fuch a horrid difagree- 
 able light, as the refinements of the Greeks, and 
 the mafterly policy of the Romans. But the 
 principal thing we have in view is, their rites 
 and ceremonies, which were moft horrid indeed; 
 and confidering, that fuch was the religion of 
 our anceftors, we may be fuppofed as more 
 nearly connected with it than we are, or ever 
 could be with the heathenifh religions of other 
 nations. 
 
 In the more early ages, the Druids worfhipped 
 their gods in groves, and under tall oaks; which 
 ceremony feems to have prevailed among all thofe 
 nations, who were fubdued by the children of 
 Ifrael, when they took poffeflion of the land of 
 Canaan: and yet thofe Iiraelites foon learned to 
 follow the example of thofe idolators whom 
 they had conquered. That many abominations 
 took place in thefe groves, is evident from the 
 teftimony both of C^far and Tacitus. The 
 high-prieft, or Arch-Druid, on every great 
 feftival, appeared under a tall venerable oak, 
 dreffed in fine linen, with a cope or mitre on his 
 head, and attended by the priefts of a fubordinate 
 rank. Prifoners taken in battle were facrificed 
 to the gods ; and barbarous indeed was the 
 manner in which it was done: the viftim, ftripped 
 naked, and his head adorned with flowers, was 
 chained with his back to an oak, oppofite the 
 place where the Arch-Druid ftood ; and while 
 
 mufick 
 
mufick of all forts, then in ufe, was playing, 
 
 Druid, having invoked the gods to accept of the 
 facrifice, walked forward with a knife in his 
 hand, and (tabbed the vidtim in the bowels. 
 The mufick prevented his cries from being 
 heard by the people ; it was fometimes four oi 
 five hours before he expired. The people danced 
 to the mufick ; and the facrificing Druid pre¬ 
 tended to relate future events, from the manner 
 in which the blood flowed. 
 
 The Druids, in common with the Carthageni- 
 ans, Gauls, and Germans, offered up to their 
 idols many of the prifoners whom they took in 
 war ; and this practice was attended with fome 
 of the moil horrid circumftances of barbarity. 
 The unhappy victims were by hundreds at a 
 time, inclofed in a wicker machine, to which 
 the Arch-Druid, attended by his inferiors, 
 fet fire, and they were all reduced to allies. 
 During this ceremony, the priefts fung, and the 
 people danced around the pile 3 the cries of the 
 fufferers were drowned by the mufick; the infer¬ 
 nal deities were fuppofed to be pleafed ; and the 
 people became daily more and more barbarous 
 in their manners. 
 
 But notwithstanding the Druids paying fo 
 much regard to facred groves, yet we have many 
 monuments ftill remaining in Britain, which 
 may ferve to Ihew, that their rites and ceremo¬ 
 nies were not of an uniform nature. In the 
 more barren parts of the country, where there 
 were few woods or groves, they erected pillars, 
 each of one none, with a broad bafe, and a 
 fpiral top. Thefe (tones were placed, fo as to 
 form a large circle, and one of them more con- 
 fpicuous than the reft, was appointed for the Arch 
 Druid to ftand at ; and oppolite to him, chained 
 to another pillar, ftood the vidtim, who was fa- 
 crificed in the fame manner as in the groves. 
 
 The Druids had fuch regard for the mifletoe, 
 which grows on the oak, that when the feafon 
 for its appearance approached, perfons were fent 
 out to procure the molt early intelligence ; 
 when the Arch-Druid, aflifted by his inferior 
 priefts, cut it off with a golden bill, or knife ; 
 and then it was carried to the principal grove in 
 triumph. The mifletoe was confidered as a fo- 
 vereign remedy for all difeafes, and a prcferva- 
 tive againft apparitions, or any thing that could 
 be done by evil fpirits. It was fuppofed to have 
 many other virtues ; and it was confidered as fa- 
 crilege in any perlon to cut it befides the priefts. 
 During all their ceremonies of a public nature, 
 the pricft ftood looking with his eyes to heaven, 
 and his face towards the eaft. This ceremony 
 was peculiar to all thofe heathen nations who 
 lived weftward of the Hellefpont, as well as the 
 antient Britons 3 and although they had all 
 formed themoft unworthy notions of the Divine 
 Being, yet the hopes of a great perfon being 
 born in the eaft, feems to have prevailed every 
 where among them. This undoubtedly was 
 handed down to them by tradition 3 and there 
 is great reafon to believe, that they expedited he 
 would rectify all the abufes that had crept into 
 their religion, and that he would reign for ever 
 among men. Thus in every nation we meet with 
 fomething of a traditional hope of the coming 
 of the Meffiah, although fome are ignorant of 
 the chara&er he is to affume. 
 
 3i 
 
 Some traces of the Druidical religion remained 
 in Gaul and Germany, till the time of the em¬ 
 peror Conftantine the Great ; but in that part of 
 Britain, now called England, it was totally fup- 
 preffed, in confequence of the following inci¬ 
 dent. In or about the year 62, the Romans 
 having cruelly oppreffed the Britons, who were 
 at that time fubjedl to them by conqueft, the 
 latter took up arms, and maffacred many of their 
 invaders. News of this having been fent to 
 Rome, Suetonius, a gallant commander, was 
 fent over to Britain, in order to fubd'ue the inlur- 
 gents, and the whole body of the Druids, call¬ 
 ing in the aid of fuperftition, retired to the ifland 
 of Mona, fince called Anglcfey, in North Wales. 
 To that ifland the Roman general purfued them; 
 and fuch were the hopes that the Druids had ol 
 fuccefs, that when the Romans made their ap¬ 
 pearance, they lighted up fires in their groves, in 
 order to confume them. The Romans, how¬ 
 ever, put moft of the Britons to the fword ; and 
 having taken the Druids prifoners, burnt them 
 alive on their altars, and cut down their confe- 
 crated groves. 
 
 From that time we have but few accounts of 
 the Druids in the fouthern parts of Britain, al¬ 
 though there is the ftrongeft reafon to believe, 
 that both in the weffern parts, and likewife in 
 Ireland, their religion continued much longer. 
 Some of their priefts were extremely ingenious, 
 and made amulets, or rings of glafs, varigated 
 in the moft curious manner, of which many are 
 ftill to be feen. They were worn as we do rings 
 on the finger ; and having been confecrated by 
 one of the Druids,they were confidered as charms, 
 or prelervatives againft witchcraft, or all the 
 machinations of evil fpirits. From what remains 
 of thefe amulets, or rings, they feem to have 
 been extremely beautiful, compofed of blue, red, 
 and green, intermixed with white fpots ; all of 
 which contained fomething emblematical, either 
 of the life of the perfons who wore them, or of 
 the ftate to which they were fuppofed to enter 
 into at death. 
 
 The funeral rites, according to the Druidical 
 religion, had fomething in them both majeftic 
 and decent. The warlike inftruments ufed by 
 the men, were buried along with them 3 and 
 along with the women were interred fuch things 
 as they had confidered as objects of worlhip 
 while alive. Sometimes ftones were fet up in 
 order to perpetuate the memory of the deceafed, 
 but more commonly a hillock of earth was raifed 
 over the grave. 
 
 There cannot remain the leaft doubt but they 
 believed in the dottrine of the immortality of the 
 foul, although they had confuled notions con¬ 
 cerning it 3 and this fliould teach 11s, who live in 
 the prefent age, to blefs the Divine Being that 
 the light of the gofpel has been made public to 
 us. The barbarous idolatry of the Druids, 
 ferved only to harden their minds, and deprive 
 the moft tender parent of human feelings 3 but 
 our holy religion, by throwing afide the veil 
 of darknefs which overfliadowed the eyes of our 
 anceftors, has brought life and immortality to 
 light by the gofpel, and pointed out the way to 
 heaven, in fuch a clear manner, that the weakeft 
 may eafily difeover it. 
 
 The RELIGION of the DRUIDS, 
 the 
 
7^3 
 
 H 
 
 I N treating of the religion of* the antient Af- 
 fyrians, we muft be partly directed by facred 
 hiftory ; but more particularly by what has 
 been tranlmitted to us by Pagan writers. It is, 
 in general, allowed that Nimrod, the great grand- 
 lon of Noah, was the firft founder of idolatry ; 
 and there remains no manner of doubt but he 
 was the fame, who was afterwards worfhipped 
 under the title of Belus, which, in the eaftern 
 language, means ftrength. He is in feripture 
 called a mighty hunter before the Lord, and 
 different opinions have been formed concerning 
 the Angularity of this very extraordinary charac¬ 
 ter, but the whole may be reduced to a very nar¬ 
 row compafs. 
 
 The defeendants of Noah foon forgot the 
 knowledge of the true God, and plunged them- 
 felves into the grofieft idolatries ; but as the paf- 
 fions of men are often made fubfervient towards 
 promoting the ends of Divine Providence, and, 
 as the worft intentions of men often become be¬ 
 neficial in the end, fo Nimrod, by his ambition, 
 laid the foundation of an empire, which exifted 
 for many years after his death ; and, in the end 
 became a fcourge to thofe people whom God 
 made choice of. That he was a mighty hunter, 
 cannot be doubted, and under that character, he 
 difplayed his political abilities in two refpe&s. 
 1 he country in which he lived was infefted with 
 wild beaffs, and therefore he acquired popularity 
 by delivering the people from the ravages made 
 by thofe furious creatures. And fecondly, by 
 hunting, he trained up the youth in all forts of 
 martial exercifes, and inured them to all forts of 
 hardfhips. He formed them to the ufe of arms 
 and difcipline, that in a proper time he might 
 make them fubfervient to his purpofes, in ex¬ 
 tending his power over his peaceful neighbours. 
 That he refided for fome time at Babylon, or ra¬ 
 ther at the place which has fince obtained that 
 name, cannot be doubted, but Nineveh was the 
 grand feat of his empire. This city was built on 
 the eaftern banks of the river Tigris, and it was 
 one of the largeft ever known in the world. It 
 was above fixty miles in circumference, the walls 
 were one hundred feet high, and fo broad, that 
 chariots could pal's each other upon them. The 
 walls were adorned with fifteen hundred towers, 
 and each of thefe two hundred feet high, which 
 may, in fome meafure, account for what we read 
 in the book of Jonah, that Nineveh was an ex¬ 
 ceeding great city, of three days journey. 
 
 Her lofty towers Ihone like meridian beams. 
 
 And as a world within herfelf fhe feems. 
 
 Fortified within fuch an extenfive city, and re- 
 gardlefs of the duty he owed to the great parent 
 ot the univerfe, Nimrod gave himfelf up to all 
 manner of debauchery ; and while he continued 
 to trample upon the rights of his fellow crea¬ 
 tures, he proceeded to the higheft degree of im¬ 
 piety, namely, to fet up idols in temples which 
 
 RIANS, 
 
 he had buiit, and even to worlhip the works of 
 his own hands. 
 
 From what we fhall learn in the courfe of this 
 work, it will appear that the moft antient lpecies of 
 idolatry, wasthatof worfhippingthefun andmoom 
 This idolatry was founded on a mi (taken notion 
 ol gratitude, which inftead of afeending up to 
 the Supreme Being, ftopt fhort at the veil, which 
 both covered and difeovered him; had thofe ido- 
 lators confidered things in a proper manner, they 
 would have been able to diftinguilh between the 
 great God himfelf, and fuch of his works as point 
 out his communicable attributes. 
 
 Men have, in all ages, been convinced of the 
 neceftity of an intcrcourfe between God and 
 thcmfclves, and the adqration of God fuppoles 
 him to be attentive to men’s defires, and, con¬ 
 fident with his perfections, capable of complying 
 with them. But the diftance of the fun and 
 moon, is an obftacle to this intercourfe. There¬ 
 fore fooliih and inconfiderate men endeavoured 
 to remedy this inconvenience, by laying their 
 hands on their mouths, and then lifting them up 
 to their falfie gods, in order to teftify that they 
 would be glad to unite themfelves to them, not- 
 withftanding their being fo far feparated. We 
 have a (hiking inftance of this in the book of 
 Job, which properly attended to, will throw a 
 .confiderable light on antient Pagan idolatry. 
 Job was a native of the confines of Aflyria, and 
 being one of thofe who believed in the true God, 
 fays, in his own vindication, “ If I beheld the 
 “ fun while it (hined, or the moon walking in 
 <c brightnefs : and my heart hath been fecretly 
 “ enticed, or my mouth hath killed my hand, 
 fc &:c.” Job xxxi. 26, 27. 
 
 This was a folemn oath, and the ceremony per¬ 
 formed in the following manner : 
 
 The perlon who ftood before his accufers or 
 before the judge’s tribunal, where he was tried, 
 bowed his head and killed his hand three times, 
 and looking up to the lun, invoked him as an 
 Almighty Being, to take the higheft vengeance 
 upon him, if he uttered a falfhood. 
 
 As the lun, moon, and other heavenly bodies 
 were the firft objects of worlhip among the A (Ty¬ 
 rians, (o, in confiftency with the corruption of 
 human nature, they adored the fire as their fub- 
 ftitute, and that fort of adoration was common 
 among the Aflyrians and Chaldeans, as will ap¬ 
 pear from the following pafiage in Eufebius, who 
 lived in the fourth century. 
 
 “ Ur, which fignifies fire, was the idol they 
 f< worlhipped, and as fire will, in general, con- 
 c< fume every thing thrown into it, fo the Afty- 
 “ rians publifhed abroad, that the gods of other 
 “ nations could not ftand before theirs. Many 
 “ experiments were tried, and vaft numbers of 
 “ idols were brought from foreign parts ; but 
 “ they being of wood, the all-devouring god 
 tc Ur, or fire, confumed them. At laft, an 
 “ Egyptian prieft found out the art to deftroy 
 cf the reputation of this mighty idol, which had 
 
 “ lo 
 
The RELIG 
 
 ION of the ASSYRIANS. 
 
 « fo long been the terror of diftant nations He 
 « caufed the figure of an idol to be made of 
 « porous earth, and the belly of it was filled 
 << with water. On each fide of the belly, holes 
 « were made, but filled up with wax. This 
 « being done, he challenged the god Ur, to op- 
 « pofe his god Canopus, which was accepted o 
 “ by the Chaldean priefts; but no fooner did the 
 ct W M which flopped up the holes in the belly 
 <1 of Canopus begin to melt, than the water 
 “ burft out and drowned the fire.’ 
 
 Adramelech was another idol belonging to the 
 Affyrians ; but his fuppofed power feems to have 
 been confined to fome of the more diftant pro¬ 
 vinces ; for we read, that when Salmaneffar 
 took captive the greateft part of the ten tribes, 
 he fent in their room the inhabitants of a pro¬ 
 vince called Sepharvaim ; and thefe people were 
 moft horrid and barbarous ldolators, for they 
 burnt their children alive, and committed Inch 
 other abominations as are not proper to be men- 
 
 In the latter times of the Affyrian empire, be¬ 
 fore it was joined to that of Baoylon, Nijrock 
 was the god worfhipped in Nineveh; and it was 
 in the temple of this idol, that the Great Senna¬ 
 cherib was murdered by his two fons, Adrame¬ 
 lech and Shanezzar. Both the antients and the 
 moderns agree, that this idol was reprefented in 
 the ihape of a fowl, but they differ much con¬ 
 cerning the fpecies; fome thinking it was a dove 
 and others an eagle. The Jew, Ih Rabbles teS 
 US that it was made of a plank of Noah s ark 
 which had been preferved on the mountains of 
 
 Armenia. , . . , , 
 
 Our great poet Milton confiders this idol as 
 one much efteemed among the heathen nations, 
 and as a principal fpeaker in the council of the 
 rebel angels: 
 
 _In the affetnbly next upftood 
 
 Nifrock, of principalities the prince. 
 
 Paradife Lo/t, b. 6 . v. 447* 
 
 Among the Affyrians, as well as many other 
 eaftern nations, fome worfhipped the fire, and 
 fome images; but both agreed 1,1 faenhemg 
 their children to their idols. In time, the num¬ 
 ber of their idols increafed, till at laft F.fi ahad- 
 don removed the feat of empire to Babylon ; 
 foon after which the city and temples of Nineveh 
 were neglefled, and their magi, or wife men, 
 who had been long in efteem among them, fol¬ 
 lowed the court. 
 
 As it was the univerfal practice of the antient 
 heathen nations to worfhip their idols in groves, 
 before temples were eredled, it may be proper 
 here to enquire, what gave rife to that notion . 
 It is a principle acquired by experience without 
 reading, that in every ad of devotion the mind 
 fliould be fixed on the grand objed of worfhip. 
 Every one who has walked in a grove, will ac¬ 
 knowledge, that there was more than a com- 
 mon reverential awe upon his mind, which mult 
 
 33 
 
 be owino- to the fmall number of objeifts that 
 prefented 5 themfelves. We may juflly call them 
 the haunts of meditation ; but ftill, it cannot be 
 denied, that many abominable crimes were com¬ 
 mitted in them: foijte parts near their altars were 
 fet apart for fecret lewdnefs, and even for fuch 
 unnatural pra&ices as ought not to be re¬ 
 lated. Strange, that men cannot uie things 
 properly without abufing them; or, as the poet 
 lays, 
 
 _Ah ! how bafely men their honours ufe. 
 
 And the rich gifts of bounteous heaven abuie : 
 How better far to want immoderate ftore 
 Of wordly wealth, and live ferenely poor ; 
 
 To fpend in peace and folitude our days. 
 
 Than be feduc'd from l'acred virtue’s ways. 
 
 Mitchell ’s 'Jonah, 
 
 It is remarkable, that none of thofe eaftern 
 nations burnt the bodies of their decealed rela¬ 
 tions, although they offered in facnfice thofe of 
 
 their living ones. They buried me dead bodies 
 in the earth ; and this they did in coniequence 
 of a tradition common among them, that the 
 
 firft man was buried. , 
 
 Their marriages were civil contracts between 
 the parties, and polygamy, or a plurality of wives, 
 were univerfally allowed. In their temples, dil- 
 courfes were delivered after the facnfice was oyer, 
 confiding chiefly of explanations of fome of their 
 
 myfteries, and exhortations to the people to be 
 
 obedient to their l'overeigns. That the idolatry 
 of the Affyrians had been great, we have the 
 evidence of many of the prophets and all thele 
 prophecies have been literally fulfilled. It is 
 true they repented, for fome time, at the preach¬ 
 ing of Jonah, but they loon relapftd into the 
 praftice of their former enormities; and God has 
 now, in his infinite juftice, left nothing of them 
 befides the name. So true are the words of ia- 
 cred feripture, namely, that “ Righteoufnefs 
 ct exalteth a nation, but fin is a reproach to any 
 
 Let P the following confiderations, therefore, 
 fink deep into the hearts of our readers : 
 
 Firft, that the leaf! deviation from the truth is 
 dangerous ; for fuch is the corruption of human 
 nature, fuch the propenfity of man, to every 
 thing evil, that he feldom knows where to flop. 
 All idolatry was originally Ample, but its profel- 
 fors foon added to it rites of the moft odious 
 and horrid nature. 
 
 Secondly, let every perfon learn to form woi - 
 thy notions of the Divine attributes ; for the 
 want of that is one of thecaufesof idolatry, and 
 of falfe religion in general. Let us once imagine 
 God to be fuch a being as ourfelves, and then 
 we fhall affuredly offer him up fuch facnfice 
 
 as is unworthy. . r 
 
 Laftly, while we blefs God for the purity of 
 religion, let us fear to offend him, left he fliould 
 deprive us of the many privileges we enjoy. 
 
 The 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
( 3 4 ) 
 
 The Religion of the B 
 
 HE city of Babylon owes it origin to the 
 vanity and madnefs of thofe people who 
 built a tower on the fpot, and not to 
 Nimrod, as many antient heathen writers would 
 have us to believe; for Nimrod was alive at the 
 time when the confufion of languages took place, 
 and therefore, we cannot reafonably imagine, he 
 would boldly let himfelf at defiance againft hea¬ 
 ven, after he had feen fuch a fignal inftance of the 
 Divine difpleafure. Thus we may naturally con¬ 
 clude, that what was left of the tower, was fome 
 years after enclofed within a wall, but the exaft 
 time of its being enlarged, fo as to deferve the 
 name of a city, cannot now be known. In time, 
 however, it role to grandeur; but idolatry en- 
 creafed fo faft in it, that many of the prophets 
 denounced the mod: dreadful judgments upon it. 
 Like the Affyrians, they worlhipped the fire and 
 images, of which we have a ftriking inftance in 
 the book of Daniel, Chapter iii. Like moft other 
 antient nations, the Babylonians had ftranoe no¬ 
 tions concerning the origin of their empire, and 
 hkewife concerning the firft promulgation of 
 their religion. Whether they worlhipped fire or 
 images, yet they mdifcriminately gave the names 
 of Bell, or Belus, to all their deities. This idol 
 was the fame with what is called Baal, in the old 
 teftament, and always fignifies ftrength. Some 
 are of opinion that it was Nimrod, but more 
 probably his fon Ninus, who, according to an¬ 
 tient teftimony, founded the city and kingdom 
 of Babylon. Berofius, a veiy antient writer, tells 
 us, that the god Belus having but the chaos of 
 darknefs, divided the heaven and earth from each 
 other, and reduced the world into proper order ; 
 but feeing that there were no people to inhabit 
 it, he commanded one of the gods to cut off his 
 own head, and mix the earth with the blood, from 
 whence proceeded men with the feveral fpecies 
 of animals, and Belus regulated the motions of 
 the fun, moon, and ftars, with all the reft of the 
 heavenly bodies. 
 
 This idol, Belt .was of fuch repute amono- the 
 people of Babylon, that a moft magnificent 
 temple was erefbed for him on the ruins of the 
 famous tower, which was built by the defeend- 
 ants of Noah, in order to perpetuate their name 
 upon the earth. This, we are told by Herodotus, 
 was one of the moft magnificent temples in the 
 world. It was adorned with many curious ftatues; 
 among which was one of gold, forty feet high’ 
 and the reft of the furniture of the temple 
 amounted to eight hundred talents of gold. It 
 is probable, nor indeed has it ever been difputed 
 amongft the learned, that this famous image 
 was the fame which king Nebuchadnezzar letup 
 in the plains of Babylon, and commanded all 
 his fubjedts to worlhip it. 
 
 It is not our intention to confider any of the 
 books called Apocraphical, as written by Divine 
 infpiration ; and yet we cannot fee why the fame 
 degree of credit fhould not be paid to them as to 
 other human compofitions, if the evidence, by 
 
 ABYLONIANS, 
 
 which they are fupported is rational. And let u$ 
 now appeal to every unprejudiced perlon, whe¬ 
 ther the hiftory of Bell and the Dragon has not a 
 more rational appearance than fome things re- 
 iated by the bed: heathen authors. Nothin <>■ was 
 more common than for the Pagan priefts to make 
 their votaries believe, that all the facrifices of¬ 
 fered in their temples, were eaten up by their 
 idols, although the priefts fold them in the mar¬ 
 kets. 7 he ftory of Bell and the Dragon is as 
 follows: Cyrus, having taken Babylon, like moft 
 of the antient conquerors, worlhipped Bell or 
 Belus, the god of the country; but the rites 
 and ceremonies not being fo Pimple as thofe in 
 Perfia, where he had been educated, he bemtn to 
 entertain fome doubts concerning them. Daniel 
 being, without difpute, at that time, prime mi- 
 nifter to Cyrus, and the king, being a man of an 
 lnquintive turn of mind, naturally entered into 
 converfation with Daniel, concerning the religion 
 of the Jews. In this, there is nothing at all 
 furprifing for firft,- the Jews were a people dif¬ 
 ferent in their manners, cuftoms and religion, 
 from all others in the world ; and fecondlv, they 
 were then about to return from captivity.' 
 
 I he gi eat fame of Daniel had undoubtedly 
 procured him admittance into the temple of 
 Belus, not to worfhip, but to difeover the kna- 
 very of the priefts. Zealous to promote the 
 worfhip of the true God, he mentioned to the 
 king, the circumftance of his being impofed on 
 by the priefts, and pointed out the way to deteeft 
 them ; namely, by caufing the floor of the temple 
 to be Iprinkled with aflies. The priefts, who 
 were feventy in number, defired the king to feal 
 up the door, which was done j but they had a 
 private paflage under the table or altar, throuo-h 
 which, they, with their wives and children palled, 
 and eat up the proviflons fet before the idol, and 
 what was not eaten up, they carried away. In 
 the morning, the king, accompanied by Daniel, 
 went to the temple,, where he found the door 
 fealed, but on going in, faw the marks of feet an 
 the pavement. The king being much incenfed, 
 ordered the priefts to fhew him the privy door, 
 and as loon as he had extorted from them a con- 
 fefllon of their guilt, he ordered them all to be 
 maflacred, with their wives and children a prac¬ 
 tice very common in that age, and in other pe¬ 
 riods of time, of which many examples will be 
 given. 
 
 Nor is the account of the Dragon lefs pro¬ 
 bable ; for, befides Bell, the Babylonians had 
 many other idols whom they worlhipped ; and 
 v, hat ferves moft to fupport the truth of the nar¬ 
 rative, is, that a. great infurre<ftion took place in 
 Babylon, on account of the king’s partiality to 
 the Jews. It is true, Cyrus was prophefied of, 
 above two hundred years before he was born, as 
 a great prince, who was to deliver the Jews frorr> 
 captivity ; but the means to be ufed by him were 
 not pointed out. God, in his all-wile govern¬ 
 ment of the world, often produces great events . 
 
 from 
 
The RELIGION of the BABYLONIANS. 
 
 from caufes which we look upon as triffiing. 
 But here we meet with fomething Striking and 
 natural, and confillent with all thofe rules by 
 which the evidence of hiftory has, in all ages, 
 been regulated. 
 
 Cyrus had not been brought up in the religion 
 of the Babylonians; and* although as a politi¬ 
 cal prince, he complied with their outward form 
 of worlhip, yet no i'ooner had he difcovered the 
 tricks pradticed by their priefts, than he let loofe 
 his vengeance upon them, and granted many 
 privileges to the Jews. The only objection that 
 can be brought againft any part of this narrative 
 is, that the author miftakes fome names and 
 fadts, which is not to be wondered at, when we 
 confider, that the belt hiltorians of antiquity 
 have done fo. 
 
 The Babylonians had a moft horrid pradtice 
 with refpedt to the promifcuous ul'e of women, 
 and proftitution was not only tolerated, but even 
 enjoined as an article of religion. The temple 
 of Mylitta, a goddefs, refembling Venus, was a 
 common brothel. On a certain feftival, once 
 every year, all the young women in the city were 
 obliged to attend in the temple, and fubmit to 
 public proftitution ; and not only in their tem¬ 
 ples, but likewife in the ftreets, and on the high¬ 
 ways. 
 
 Baruch fays, (Chap. vi. 43.) <f The women 
 et all'o with cords about them, fiting in the ways, 
 ec burn bran for perfume : but if any of them, 
 tc drawn by l'ome that paffcth by, lie with him, 
 <c ftie reproacheth her fellow, that fhe was not 
 <c thought as worthy as herfelf, nor her cord 
 cc broken.” Well might the poet fay. 
 
 Here adorations to the ftones is paid. 
 
 There guilty lovers in the ftreets, are laid. 
 
 Mitchell. 
 
 Another idol worfhipped in Babylon, was called 
 Merodach , of whom we read, “ Babylon is taken, 
 “ Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in 
 ft pieces, her idols are confounded, her images 
 cc are broken in pieces.” Jer. L. 2. 
 
 It is not certain who this Merodach was; but 
 probably, he was an antient king of Babylon, 
 who having performed fome wonderful exploit, 
 was afterwards confidered as a deity; as was com¬ 
 mon among other heathen nations. Several of 
 their kings leem to have been named after him, 
 fuch as Evil-Meradach, and Merodach-Baladan; 
 which laft began to reign about feven hundred 
 and feventeen years before the birth of Chrift. 
 
 Succotb-Bevoth , was another idol worfhipped by 
 the Babylonians, as is evident from what we read 
 in 2 Kings xvii. 29, 30. “Howbeit, every nation 
 <c made gods of their own, and the men of Ba- 
 tc bylon made Succoth-Benoth.” 
 
 The Babylonians who worfhipped this idol, 
 were a colony lent to Samaria ; and the image 
 reprelented a hen and chickens,, thereby pointing 
 out fertility. There was a temple eredted for this 
 goddefs, where all the young women were obliged 
 to fubmit to proftitution once every year : for 
 the truth of which we have the teftimony of He¬ 
 rodotus. 
 
 The Babylonians buried their dead in the fame 
 manner as the Affyrians, namely, by laying the 
 bodies in the earth 5 and, dark and confufed as 
 
 their notions were in many refpedts, yet they be¬ 
 lieved in a future ftate of rewards and punifh- 
 ments. This is the more to be wondered at, 
 when we confider that their religion was little 
 more than a fyftem of crimes ; but then let us 
 refledt, that the people knew no better ; they had 
 forgotten even tradition itfelf, and were become 
 Oaves to the worft of all paftions. 
 
 Having faid thus much concerning the religion 
 of the antient Babylonians, we ftiall now pro¬ 
 ceed to deferibe in what manner that magnificent 
 city was deftroyed ; which, v/ere we to omit, 
 would be utterly inconfiftent with the plan we 
 have laid down. This, indeed, is one of the moft 
 remarkable events upon record, and ferves to 
 point out the wifdom and juftice of the Divine 
 Being. Here let the profligate tremble, and 
 the Dei ft hide his face ! That the children of 
 Ifrael fliould be taken captives to Babylon, was 
 foretold long before the event took place ; but 
 the fame prophets, who pointed out their afflic¬ 
 tions, predicted, at the fame time, the fate of 
 this haughty city. Nay, it was promiled, that 
 at the end of feventy years, the jews fhould be 
 delivered, and that God would bring everlafting 
 deftrudtion upon Babylon. We mortals are too 
 apt to be filled with pride, when we confider the 
 victories obtained by conquerors, who, although 
 inftruments in the hands of God, to accomplish 
 the defigns of his Providence, yet are confidered 
 by him in the moft diminitive point of view; or 
 rather, as moft illuftrious robbers and murderers, 
 as lcourges for men’s impieties, and fuch as God 
 will in his vengeance cut off. 
 
 The caufes which brought on the deftru< 5 Hon 
 of Babylon were many, but they may be all 
 comprised in the three following: 
 
 Firft, her pride : She believed herfelf to be 
 invincible ; fhe faid, I am the queen of nations, 
 I ftiall remain for ever ; for no power is equal to 
 mine. I Shall never know either barrennefs, or 
 widowhood, for the gods Shall protedt me for 
 ever. 
 
 Secondly, her cruelty. When God Suffered 
 his chofen, but rebellious people, to be led into 
 captivity, he defigned to chaftife them, in the 
 fame manner as a father doth his children, but not 
 to have themufed in a barbarous manner. But fo 
 far were the Babylonians from confining them- 
 felves to treating the Jews as common Slaves, that 
 they would not Suffer their dead bodies to be 
 buried, and actually dallied out the brains of 
 their children againft the ftones. Of this we 
 find Shocking inftances in the book of Tobit, 
 and in Pfalm CXXXVII; all which is confirmed 
 by the teftimony of Jolephus. 
 
 Laftly, their Sacrilegious iniquity, efpecially in 
 Belfhazzor, the laft of their kings. That difia- 
 lntc monarch, to all the wickednefs of his an- 
 ceftors, added fuch impiety as Seemed peculiar to 
 himfelf. It was not Sufficient for him to blai- 
 pheme the great God of heaven and earth ; he 
 carried his wickednefs Still further, and confi¬ 
 dered himfelf as able to triumph over his maker. 
 Having invited his nobles to a feaft, he Sent for 
 the facred veffels, which had been taken during 
 the Siege of Jerufalem, and in them drank to his 
 idols; which provoking circumftance brought 
 down the vengeance of heaven upon him. 
 
 It had been prophefied long before, that this 
 
 great 
 
The RELIGION of 
 great city fhould be taken by the Medes and 
 Perfians, under the command of Cyrus ; and that 
 it was to be attacked in a very extraordinary 
 manner. They reckoned their flrength to con- 
 lift in the river Euphrates, and yet that river 
 proved their folly, by being the means of their 
 deftru&ion. The city was to be taken in the 
 night, during a great feftival. Their king was 
 to be leized in an inftant; and fo was Belfhazzar, 
 when Cyrus took their city. Laftly, their king 
 was to have no burial, and Belfhazzar’s carcaie 
 was thrown to the dogs. See Jer. L. LI. with 
 many other paftages in the prophetic writings. 
 
 Cyrus having befieged the city of Babylon 
 upwards of two years, contrived to cut a vaft 
 ditch, or canal, to draw off the ftream of the 
 Euphrates, and juft about the time he had got it 
 completed, he was told that there was to be a 
 folemn feaft in the city, and he availed himfelf 
 of that circumftance. During the night, the 
 the inhabitants of Babylon were loft° in all 
 manner of debauchery, and the king, as if 
 intending to mock the great God, fent for the 
 lacred veffels which had been brought from Je- 
 rufalem ; but mark the juftice of God, at a time 
 when men forget him. During the feaft, a hand 
 appeared, writing the following words on the 
 wall. Mene , Mene , Tekel Upbarfin. Daniel v. 25. 
 
 The king being much terrified, fent for the 
 magicians, defiring them to interpret the mean¬ 
 ing of the words, which none of them could do; 
 for they were written in thofe characters which 
 are now called Syriac. The king, not knowing 
 what to make of this extraordinary circumftance, 
 was defired by the queen to fend for Daniel; and 
 this queen, whom the Greeks call Nitocris, muft 
 have been either the mother, or grandmother of 
 Belfhazzar; for fhe had been long acquainted with 
 Daniel, and he was at that time a very old man. 
 Daniel explained the words to the king, but he 
 was too much loft in drunkennefs to pay any re¬ 
 gard to them. 
 
 In the mean time, Cyrus opened the fluices of 
 his canals, which drawing off the water of the 
 river, at two different parts, his army marched 
 into the city without oppofition. Belfhazzar 
 roufed from the ftupidity into which his wine had 
 thrown him, came out to meet his enemies ; but 
 was loon killed with all thofe who attended him, 
 and all who were found in the ftreets. Such was 
 the end of the city of Babylon, after it had 
 flourifhed many years; and Cyrus having removed 
 the feat of empire to Shufhan in Perfia it foon 
 became a defert, and the place where it flood, is 
 not now exadlly known. Alexander the Great, 
 attempted to rebuild Babylon ; but that the pur- 
 pofe of God might (land, and that the prophe¬ 
 cies might be fulfilled, the ambitious tyrant was 
 taken off by death before he could complete his 
 defign. It was prophecied, that Babylon fhould 
 
 le B A B Y L O N I A N S. 
 
 become the habitation of wild beads, and that 
 at laft it fhould be turned into pools of water. 
 Let us now iee how this was literally fulfilled. 
 
 Vv hen it was lirft deferted of its inhabitants, 
 the Perfian kings turned it into a park for hunt¬ 
 ing, and there they kept their wild beafts. When 
 the Perfian empire declined, the beafts broke 
 loofe, fo that when Alexander the Great marched 
 eaftward, he found Babylon a perfect defert. He 
 intended to have rellored the Euphrates to its 
 antient channel, but that only ferved to complete 
 the ruin of the place ; for the defign not being 
 completed, the river overflowed its banks, and 
 the greateft part of that once celebrated city be¬ 
 came a lake or pool of water. Theodorus, who 
 lived about four hundred years after Chrift, tells 
 us, that Babylon was the receptacle of fnakes, 
 ferpents, and all forts of noxious animals, fo that 
 it was dangerous to vifit it. Benjamin of Ta¬ 
 le^ 0 ’ a Jew, who vifited it in 1112, tells us, that 
 few remains of it were left, nor were there any 
 inhabitants within many miles of it. Rawolffe, 
 a German, who travelled into the eaft in 1572, 
 found it very difficult to difeover the place upon 
 which it flood, nor could the neighbouring in¬ 
 habitants give him proper directions. Many latter 
 travellers have fought for her fituation in vain, 
 particularly Mr. Hanway, who vifited that part 
 of the world about thirty-four years ago. 
 
 I hat great and good man tells us, that he 
 fpent feveral days to find out the fituation of Ba¬ 
 bylon, but could not, although he had every af- 
 fiflance a modern traveller could procure. Nay, 
 lo uncertain was he of its antient fituation, that 
 the more he enquired, the more he was left in the 
 dark. It was once a neft of vile idolators, and 
 afterwards became a cage for unclean beafts, but 
 now we have nothing left but the name. Let 
 this conlideration ftrike deep into the heart of 
 every Britifh fubjett, and let us learn wifdom and 
 piety from the vices of thofe who have lived in 
 ages before us. Let us learn to carry a holy 
 jealouly with us in every part of our conduct, 
 and never forget, that fin, as an offence againft 
 God, will, at at all times, bring down upon us 
 the Divine vengeance. If we, as Britons, fhould 
 follow the Babylonians in their fins, we may ex- 
 peCl to ffiare in their punifhment. That almighty 
 power which turned Babylon into a defert, is able 
 to deprive us of all the invaluable bleflings we 
 fo much boafl of, and too much abufe. We 
 can never form right notions of Divine Provi¬ 
 dence, without attending to fuch hiftorical events 
 as are here recorded; but if properly improved, 
 they may be of great advantage to us in time, 
 and infinitely fo in eternity. As inhabitants of 
 the fame kingdom, and as fellow fubjefts, let us 
 never forget, that national . :!anr::es are procured 
 by national fins . 
 
 The 
 
( 31 ) 
 
 The Religion of the Antient Medes and Perfians. 
 
 gHE antient kingdoms of Perfia and Me- 
 B dia, were lb nearly connected by a va- 
 r ll riety of concurring circumftances, that 
 they cannot be feparated in this article. Nay, it 
 is much better that they lhould be kept joined, 
 efpecially as they were many ages under one fove- 
 reignty. During the continuance of the Afl'y- 
 rian empire * the Medes had no regular form of 
 government, but lived in clans or tribes, much 
 in the fame manner as the antient Britons. At 
 laft Deyoces, the fon of Phraortes, a Mede by 
 birth, projected the fcheme of bringing them 
 all under one monarchy. He was a man of great 
 prudence, and much efteemed by his country¬ 
 men ; he had beheld with concern, the many 
 diforders which had taken place from the jarring 
 contentions among petty tyrants, and he refolved 
 to avail himlelf of fuch favourable circum¬ 
 ftances. Plis reputation was fo great, that the 
 people of his own diftridt made him their judge, 
 and his decrees were fo much aproved of, that 
 his popularity encreafed every day. The next 
 part of his plan was, to pretend that he could 
 not negledt his own domeftic affairs to ferve the 
 public, and therefore defired to retire from 
 bufinefs. Then it was that the good effects 
 which had flowed from his wife adminiftration 
 began to be fenfibly felti for no fooner was it 
 known that Deyoces had refigned, than all forts 
 of licentioufnels took place among the lower 
 orders of the people. 
 
 Thefe diforders, which threatened deftrudtion 
 to the ftate, ocnafioned a meeting of the chiefs 
 to be held, and Deyoces having lent his emif- 
 faries thither, a motion was made, that a king 
 lhould be chofen, and the election fell unani- 
 moufly on him. Deyoces obtaining the end of 
 his ambition, fet himlelf about reforming abufes, 
 and polifhing the minds of his fubjedts. For this 
 purpofe, he fet about building a city, and palace; 
 for before that period, the people lived in huts 
 in the woods. This city was called Ecbatana, 
 and it was molt magnificent and beautiful. It 
 was built in a circular form on an eminence, 
 from whence there was a molt delightful prolpedt 
 over a plain, diverfified with woods and rivers. 
 His next bufinefs was that of compofing a body 
 of laws for his people ; and from what we read 
 in antient hiftory, they were well calculated to¬ 
 wards promoting order among men, who had not 
 till then been under a regular form of govern¬ 
 ment. 
 
 Perfia had been long under the government of 
 its own kings, and continued fo till the reign of 
 Cyrus the Great, who united them, not by con- 
 queft, but by right of fucceflion. Shuflian, the 
 royal city, feems to have been built long before 
 the times of Cyrus ; for we find it mentioned as a 
 flourifhing place about the time that great prince 
 iffued his order for the Jews to return to their 
 own country. The religion of the Medes and 
 Perfians was of great antiquity, and probably 
 taught by one of the grandfons of Noah, who 
 4 
 
 planted colonies in thofe parts, foon after the 
 confufion of languages. Noah had taught his 
 children the knowledge of the true God j and 
 that they were to truft in his mercy through the 
 mediation of a Redeemer, who was to be re¬ 
 vealed to them at a future period of time; for 
 the neceffity of a mediator between God and man, 
 was a general notion from the beginning. But 
 as no clear revelation was then made of this Di¬ 
 vine perl'on, the people began to chufe mediators 
 for themfelves, from among the heavenly bodies, 
 fuch as the fun, moon, and ftars, whom they 
 confidered as in a middle ftate between God and 
 men. This was the origin of all the idolatry in 
 the heathen world; and at firft they worfhipped 
 thofe orbs themfelves, but as they found that 
 they were as often under the horizon as above 
 it, they were at a lofs how to addrefs them in 
 their abfence. To remedy this, they had re- 
 courfe to making images, which after their con- 
 fecration, they believed endowed with Di¬ 
 vine power, and this was the origin of image 
 worfhip. This religion firft began among the 
 Chaldeans, and it was to avoid being guilty of 
 idolatry that Abraham left that country. In 
 Perfia, the firft idolators were called Sabians, 
 who adored the riling fun with the profoundeft 
 veneration. To that planet they confecrated a 
 molt magnificent chariot, to be drawn by horfes 
 of the greateft beauty and magnitude, on every 
 folemn feftival. The fame ceremony was prac- 
 tifed by many other heathens, who undoubtedly 
 learned it from the Perfians, and other eaftern 
 nations. 
 
 In confequence of the veneration they paid to 
 the fun, they worfhipped the fire, and invoked 
 it in all their facrifices; in their marches they car¬ 
 ried it before their kings, and none but the 
 priefts were permitted to touch it, becaufe they 
 made the people believe that it came down from 
 heaven. But their adoration was not confined to 
 the fun; they worfhipped the water, the earth, 
 and the winds as fo many deities. Human facri¬ 
 fices were offered by them, and they burnt their 
 children in fiery furnaces, appropriated to their 
 idols. Thefe Medes and Perfians at firft wor¬ 
 fhipped two gods, namely, Arimanius, the god 
 of evil, and Oromafdes, the giver of all good. 
 By fome it was believed, that the good god was 
 from eternity, and the evil one created ; but they 
 all agreed, that they would continue to the end 
 of time; and that the good god would overcome 
 the evil one. They confidered darknefs as the 
 fymbol of the evil god, and light as the image of 
 the good one. They held Arimanius, the evil 
 god, in fuch deteftation, that they always wrote 
 his name backward. Some antient writers have 
 given us a very odd account of the origin of this 
 god, Arimanius, which may ferve to point out 
 their ignorance of Divine things. Oromafdes, 
 (lay they) confidering that he was alone, laid to 
 himlelf, cc If I have no one to oppofe me, where 
 tc then is all my glory ?” This Angle .reflection 
 K, of 
 
33 The RELIGION of the 
 
 of his created Arimanius, who, by his everlafting 
 oppofitionto the Divine will, contributed againft 
 inclinations to the glory of Oromafdes. 
 
 We are told by Plutarch, that Oromafdes 
 created feveral inferior gods, or genii: l'uch as 
 wifdom, goodnefs, judice, truth, the comforts 
 of life, and all lawful enjoyments. On the other 
 hand, ArimaniuS created as many devils, fuch as 
 lies, wickednds, and all forts of abominations. 
 The former likewife created twenty-four devils, 
 and inclofed them in an egg; the latter broke 
 the egg, and by that means created a mixture of 
 good and evil. This doftrine of the origin of 
 good and evil, bears fuch a driking relemblance 
 to that of God and the devil, that it mud have 
 been borrowed from the tradition concerning the 
 fall of angels, which was undoubtedly known 
 to the antieflt Perfians ; or it might be taken 
 from the account which Mofes has tranfmitted 
 to us, concerning the creation of light and dark- 
 nels. 
 
 The religion of the Perfians underwent a va¬ 
 riety of very remarkable revolutions ; for the 
 Sabians, having fallen into dil’grace, they were 
 fucceded by another feft, called the Magi ; who, 
 oh account of their pretenfions to fuperior know¬ 
 ledge and fanftity, became extremely popular 
 among the vulgar. Nay, fuch was the refpeft 
 paid to them, that no king could take polfedion 
 of the throne, till he had been fird indrufted in 
 their principles ; nor could they determine any 
 affair of importance, till it had received their 
 approbation. They were at the head both of 
 religion and philolophy ; and the education of 
 all the youth in the kingdom was committed to 
 their care. 
 
 It is the general opinion, that the founder of 
 the Magian religion was one Zoroader, who 
 lived about the year of the world 2900, and it 
 continued to be the eftablilhed religion of the 
 country for many years after. They kept up con¬ 
 tinual fires in their temples, and (landing before 
 thefe fires with mitres on their heads, they daily 
 repeated a great number of prayers. The 
 name of their chief temple was Amanus, or Ha- 
 manus, which fignifies the Sun ; and is the fame 
 with what we find under the name of Baal in 
 feripture. Their great reputation induced peo¬ 
 ple to vifit them from all parts of the known 
 world, to be indrufted by them in the principles 
 of philofophy and mythology ; and we are 
 allured, that the great Pythagoras dudied many 
 years under them. They believed, with the 
 Egyptians, and many other heathen nations, that 
 the foul palfed from one body to another; and 
 this fentiment daily gaining ground, gave way 
 for the propagation of others of a more pernici¬ 
 ous nature. 
 
 The chief pried of the Magi was called Ar- 
 chi magus, or worihipper of fire; but, in latter 
 times, the kings of Perfia afiumed that dignity 
 to themfelves : but there was an inferior order of 
 prieds called Harbards, who were obliged to have 
 very long beards ; their caps were round, falling 
 over their ears ; and they had a girdle with four 
 taffels, to remind them of four edablifhed 
 maxims. Fird, that there is but one God. Se¬ 
 condly, that they were to believe all the articles 
 cf the Magian religion. Thirdly, that Zoroader 
 v/ : God’s true and faithful apoftle. And, ladly, 
 
 M E D E S and PERSIA N S. 
 
 that they mud never be weary of well-doing, as 
 the only thing that could promote their honour 
 in time, and their happinefs in eternity. 
 
 While they wafhed themfelves, or lkt at meals, 
 they obferved the mod drift filence, no perfon be¬ 
 ing permitted to fpeak a word ; and this probably 
 gave rife to fome of the lentiments taught by 
 Pythagoras to his fcholars, that they were to be 
 filent in fchool, and always to adore fire. 
 
 The religion of the antient Magi fell into con¬ 
 tempt, both in Media and Perfia, in confequencc 
 of the prieds of that order having ulurped the 
 fupreme authority upon the death of Cambyfes ; 
 and the daughter which was made of the chief men 
 among them, funk them fo low, that they never 
 role to their original greatnefs: but dill the affec¬ 
 tion which the people had to a religion which 
 had prevailed among them upwards of fix hun¬ 
 dred years, was not to be eafily rooted out; and 
 therefore an impodor, under the name of Zo¬ 
 roader, undertook to revive and reform it. 
 
 Having feen the milchievous effefts of ador¬ 
 ing two Gods, this artful impodor introduced 
 one fuperior to both ; and the learned Dr. Pri- 
 dcaux is of opinion, that he took this hint from 
 what we read in Ilaiah (Chap. xlv. 7.) Cf I am 
 “ the Lord and there is none elle ; I form the 
 cc light, and create darknefs ; I make peace, and 
 <c create evil.” In a word, Zoroader held that there 
 was but one fupreme God, who had under him 
 two principles, one good and the other bad ; that 
 there is a perpetual druggie between them which 
 lhall lad to the end of the world ; that then the 
 angel of darknefs and his difciples (hall go into 
 a world of their own, where they (hall be pu- 
 nifhed in everlading darknefs ; and the angel of 
 light and his difciples (hall alfo go into a world of 
 their own, where they ihall be rewarded in ever¬ 
 lading happinefs. 
 
 This Zoroader was the fird who built temples 
 for the worfhip of the fire ; for before his time, 
 the Magi performed their devotions on the tops 
 or lummits of hills, in the open air, by which 
 they were expofed to all the inclemency of the 
 weather, which ofte nextinguifhed their facred 
 fires. This lecond Zoroader pretended to hare 
 received fire from heaven, which he placed on the 
 altar of the temple of Xis in Media, from whence 
 the prieds gave out, it was lent to all the other 
 cities and temples in the Median and Perfian 
 empire. The Magian prieds kept their facred fire 
 with thegreateddiligence, watching it continually 
 without ever differing it to go out. They fed it 
 with wood dripped of the bark; and they were 
 prohibited from blowing it with their breath, or 
 with bellows, led it (hould have been polluted ; 
 and to have done either was death by their law. 
 The Magian religion, as reformed by Zoroader, 
 feems to have been, in many points, copied front 
 that of the Jews; and this is not much to be won¬ 
 dered at, when we confider that Zoroader lived 
 at the time when the Jews were captives in Baby¬ 
 lon, and where he had an opportunity of con- 
 verfing with them. The Jews had the real fire 
 from heaven, and the Magi pretended to have 
 the lame, from all which it is evident, that during 
 the time the Jews were in captivity, much of 
 their religion was known to the Perfians, and 
 fome of their latter fydems founded upon it. 
 
 The Magian prieds were all of one tribe, like 
 
 thofe 
 
The RELIGION of the M 
 
 thofe among the Jews; and none but the Ton of 
 the prieft could be ordained of their order : Nay; 
 i'o ftriCt were they in keeping the priefthood 
 among their families, that rather than mix with 
 the reft of the people, they trampled on one of 
 the moft facred laws of nature, by committing 
 inceft with their filters, and (horrid to mention) 
 with their mothers. Thus the Roman Poet ridi¬ 
 cules them : 
 
 The Magi mu ft from th’ inceftous mixture fpring 
 Of Ions and mothers: fo the Magi fing. 
 
 The Perfians praife the rnonftrous breed, nor 
 
 blame. 
 
 And Ikreen foul inceft with religion’s name. 
 
 The Magian priefts were divided into three 
 orders ; the arch-priefts, their deputies, and the 
 inferior ones, who, for the moft part, refided in 
 the country. The fecond Zoroaiter had the ad- 
 drels to get his religion eftablifhed in the Perfian 
 empire ; and there it continued to flourifti till 
 the Mahometans, by force of arms, eftablilhed 
 their own on its ruins. 
 
 He compiled a book for the ufe of the priefts, 
 who were to explain it to the public at large, who 
 attended the facrifices. This book was called 
 the Zend , a word which fignifies a kindler of fire, 
 becaufe it was for the ufe of thofe who wor- 
 fhipped the fire; but the allegorical meaning was, 
 to kindle the fire of religion in their hearts. The 
 firftpartof this book contains the liturgy of the 
 magians; and although Mahometanifm is now 
 eftablilhed in Perfia, yet there are ftill fome wor- 
 fhippers of fire among them; for the truth of 
 which we have the teftimony of Mr. Han way, 
 who was prelent on the fpot, where he law the 
 nature of their lervice. When Zoroafter had 
 finilhed this book, he prefented it to Darius 
 Hyftalpis, bound up in feveral volumes, making, 
 in the whole, twelve hundred flcins of parchment. 
 In this book there arefo many paffages taken out 
 of the Old Teftament, that fome learned men 
 have fuppofed the author was a Jew. He gave 
 almoft the fame account of the creation of the 
 world as we find written in the book of Genelis; 
 and of the antient Patriarchs as recorded in 
 feripture. He injoins relating to clean and un¬ 
 clean beafts, the fame as was done by Moles, 
 and in the fame manner orders the people to pay 
 tythes to the priefts. The reft of the book con¬ 
 tains the life of the author; his pretended 
 vilions; the methods lie ufed in order to eftablifh 
 his religion ; and concludes with exhortations to 
 obedience. But notwichftanding fuch ftriking 
 fimiliarities between the Zend and the Law of Mo¬ 
 les, yet it will not follow from hence that he was 
 a jew. The Jews had been leventy years in cap¬ 
 tivity, and many of them being men of learning, 
 no doubt but fuch a great man as Daniel, or fuch 
 an illuftrious queen as Either, would get them 
 
 E D E S and PERSIANS. j 9 
 
 placed at the head of their feminaries of learning. 
 Jofephus tells us, that the great fame of Daniel 
 in revealing and interpreting the dreams of Ne¬ 
 buchadnezzar diftufed itfelf throughout the whole 
 empire. The Chaldeans and Perfians were an 
 inquifitive people, they even lent Undents to India 
 and Egypt; and finding the Jews in a ftate of 
 captivity among them, they would naturally en¬ 
 quire into the myfteries of their religion. That 
 Zoroaiter was not a Jew, will appear from the 
 following confiderations. 
 
 Eirft, the Jews were not idolators after the 
 captivity ; but the followers of Zoroafter were 
 idolators, for they actually paid Divine honours 
 to the fire. Let any perfon perufe Pfalm 
 cxxxvii, where in the midft of an idolatrous 
 nation, the Jews refilled to fing even one of their 
 longs to the heathens. 
 
 Secondly, The Perfians, long after the death 
 of Zoroafter, continued to hate the Jews, and 
 mocked at their religion ; a circumftance which 
 could not have taken place if Zoroafter had been 
 one of thofe people. Many heathens obferved 
 rites and ceremonies fimilar to thofe of the Jews, 
 but we always find them mixing idolatry with 
 them, which may ferve to fhew that they were 
 not of a Divine original. 
 
 Laftly, the Jews were very tenacious of their 
 law, and rather than profane it after their return 
 from the captivity, many of them luftered the 
 moft excruciatingtortures under the tyrant Anti- 
 oclnis. Now Zoroafter only abridged fome parts 
 of their laws, fo as to fuit his own purpofe : and 
 probably Avith a view of making profelytes 
 among l'uch of the Jews as had fettled in Perfia, 
 after the great body of that people returned 
 from the captivity. Upon the whole, it feems 
 evident, that Zoroafter was a native Perfian and an 
 idolator; but having received fome partof hisedu- 
 cation under fome learned Jews, he knew what part 
 of their religion would fuit his countrymen; and 
 mixing thofe rites with idolatry, he laid the foun- 
 ation of that fyftem which continued many years 
 after, and of which there are ftill fome remains. 
 
 In confidering every fyftem of antient idolatry, 
 new reflections prefent themlelves to our minds. 
 Thus, in Perfia, two antient fyftems of idolatry 
 took place, and, at laft, an artful impoftor efta- 
 blifhed another on its ruins. But although it 
 might not be fo grofs as fome of thofe that went 
 before, yet ftill it was idolatry, which may ferve 
 to fhew that, without Divine revelation, no man 
 can come to the knowledge of the truth. Abra¬ 
 ham would have been an idolator, had not God 
 called him from Ur of the Chaldeans ; and when 
 Chrift came in the flefh, he found the whole world 
 lying in wickednefs. How wretched then mult 
 the condition of thofe perfons be who rejeCt the 
 gofpel of our Saviour ! Well might it be faid of 
 l'uch perfons that they love darknefs rather than 
 light, becaufe the*ir deeds are evil. 
 
 2 Ibe 
 
( 40 
 
 The 
 
 Religion of 
 
 the Antient Canaanites, Syrians, 
 Arabians, &c. 
 
 A L L thofe Nations, who inhabited the 
 land afterwards called Paleftine, were 
 defeended from Canaan the fon of Ham; 
 for although we find many fub-divifions among 
 them, under as many different names, yet the 
 general one was that of Canaanites : And here it is 
 neceffary that we fhould anfvver a deiftical objec¬ 
 tion made by Lord Bolingbroke, and fome others, 
 againft a paffage in the facred lcripture; and this 
 we the more readily comply with, becaufe many 
 weak, tho’ otherwile well-meaning perfons, have 
 been led into an error by thofe defigning men. 
 
 In Genefis ix, we read of Noah having got 
 drunk with the fruit of the vine, and that while he 
 was in a Hate of intoxication in his tent, Ham, 
 his youngeft fon, came in and beheld his naked- 
 nefs ; but Shem and Japhet went backwards and 
 covered him. When Noah awoke, and found how 
 different the behaviour of his fons had been, he 
 faid (verfe 25) “ Curled be Canaan ; a fervant of 
 “ fervants fhall he be unto his brethren.” Now 
 Canaan is no where mentioned as the aggreffor; 
 but there cannot remain the lcalt doubt, but he 
 was, at that time, along with his father, and like 
 Ham, mocked at the aged patriarch ; a crime 
 attended with many aggravating circumftances. 
 
 But the deiftical objection is this, <c It was in- 
 Confiftent, fay they, with the goodnelsof God, to 
 inflidta curfe on anation in latter ages for the guilt 
 of an anceftor. Now let every unprejudiced reader 
 attend to the paffage, and then he will find that 
 the whole was a predi&ion, and not an impreca¬ 
 tion. Noah, by the fpirit of prophecy, forleeing 
 that the defendants of his fon Ham, would com¬ 
 mit the groffeft idolatries, only foretold what 
 would happen to them in latter times, and that 
 their names fhould peril'll from off the earth. 
 That all this happened in the manner that Noah 
 foretold will appear from the following narra¬ 
 tive. 
 
 From fome circumftances, it appears, that 
 when Abraham came to fojourn among thefe 
 people, they were not all equally corrupt; and 
 we do not read of any images among them ; but 
 as images will be often mentioned in the courfe 
 of this work, we fhall here lay fomething con¬ 
 cerning their original. 
 
 The firft images or ftatues were made in ho¬ 
 nour of great men, who had performed extraor¬ 
 dinary exploits ; and thefe being fet up in parti¬ 
 cular places, great veneration was paid to them, 
 which, in the end, turned to religious adoration. 
 It appears, from Pliny, that thofe ftatues were 
 at firft made of brick, luch as that ufed in build¬ 
 ing the famous tower of Babel. 
 
 But to give beauty to thofe earthen ftatues, 
 they painted them over with various colours. 
 Next to earth, wood feems to have been molt 
 commonly ufed in the conftrudlion of images, as 
 appears from what we read in the prophet, Ifaiah 
 (xliv. 14.) who reproves the idolators of thofe 
 times for making to themfelves graven images of 
 
 cedar; cyprefs, and oak. In procefs of time, as 
 the arts were more cultivated, they began to 
 make their images, or idols, of richer materials, 
 luch as filver and gold, many of which they 
 adorned with precious ftones. It is, however, 
 certain that many of the more learned and wife 
 among the heathens, neither worlhipped images, 
 nor did they acknowledge a plurality of gods. 
 They confidered them as iubordinate mediators, 
 always looking up to one Supreme Being, as the 
 Sovereign Lord of all things. This, however, 
 was no better than idolatry ; of which we fhall 
 have occafion to fpeak largely hereafter. It be¬ 
 got a thoufand unnatural crimes, not proper 10 
 be mentioned ; of which we have a melancholy 
 account in the conduit of the men of Sodom, who 
 for their abominations were juftly deftroyed, by 
 fire and brimftone being rained down upon 
 them from heaven. 
 
 I he tribes of the Canaanites were never 
 united under one form of government, every 
 little diftrift having a chief of its own, and every 
 diftriit had its particular god. ThusBaal-zebub, 
 or Achor, was called the god of flies ; the priefts 
 having given out, that no flies dared to come 
 near his altars, while the people attended on the 
 fticrifices. This idol was in great repute, as ap¬ 
 pears from Ahaziah, king of Ifrael, fending his 
 fervants to enquire at his oracle, whether he 
 fhould recover from a fall he had from a window. 
 2 Kings i. 
 
 Baal-Berith , or lord of the covenant, was an 
 idol worfhipped by the Sechemites, and many of 
 the idolatrous Ifraelites eredted altars to him. To 
 him human facrifices were offered ; and it was 
 common to appeal to him as a witnefs and judge 
 in all matters of controverfy ; and, efpecially, 
 when promifes, covenants, engagements, or trea¬ 
 ties of peace were entered into. The Moabites, 
 and Midianiter, who lived near the borders of 
 the Canaanites, worfhipped Baal-Peor ; for we 
 are told that the Ifraelites joined themfelves to 
 him, and that the great king Solomon built him 
 an altar. Who this Baal-Pcor was, we are not 
 certainly informed ; but all the Jewifh Rabbies 
 agree, that he was the god of lewdnefs, and that 
 the moft abufive rites were obferved in his tem¬ 
 ple. 
 
 He had groves planted, and altars ere&ed on 
 the top of a mountain in Moab, called Peor, 
 from which, probably, he took his name ; for 
 Jupiter is often called Olympius, becaufe his firft: 
 temple flood on that mountain. It is certain that 
 his priefts offered human facrifices ; and what 
 was ftill more unnatural, they eat of the victims 
 when facrificed. Thus we read in Pfalm cvi. 
 {C They joined themfelves unto Baal-Peor, and 
 “ eat the facrifices of the dead.” 
 
 Baal-Zephon was another of their idols; and 
 it feems to have been originally fet up as a mark, 
 or boundary, between Egypt and Canaan. Eu- 
 lebius fuppofes it to have been upon the borders 
 
 of 
 
The RELIGION of the CANAANITES, SYRIANS, ARABIANS, &c. 
 
 of the northern parts of the Red-lea, where the 
 children of Ifrael crofted ; for we read, that the 
 children of Ifrael came to Baal-Zephon, on the 
 third day after they left Egypt. The Jewifli 
 Rabbies have a tradition concerning this idol, 
 which is not unworthy of our notice. They tell 
 us, that when the deftroying angel palled over 
 Egypt, all their idols, excepting this, were de¬ 
 molished, whereupon the Egyptians formed a 
 high notion of his power, and went in crouds to 
 worfhip him. Moles, obferving that they went 
 in crouds thither, petitioned Pharaoh that he 
 too might be permitted to take a journey to the 
 place along with his countrymen the Iiraelites. 
 
 Pharaoh complied with his requeft ; but as the 
 Ifraelites were, employed on the Shore of the 
 Red-fea in picking up the precious (tones, which 
 the river Phifon had carried into the Gihon, and 
 from thence were conveyed to the Red-fea, where¬ 
 by they were thrown upon dry land, Pharaoh fur- 
 prized them; but deferring to attack the Ifrael¬ 
 ites till next day, and offering in the mean time 
 fa offices to Baal-Zephon , they paffed the Red-fea 
 and efcaped. This tradition may ferve to (hew, 
 what wretched notions the Jewifli Rabbies en¬ 
 deavoured to inculcate into the minds of their 
 people ; but this is rejedted by the Jews of the 
 prelent age. That Moles the fervant of the true 
 God ihould facrifice to an idol, is fuch an abl'urd, 
 idle tale, as does not delerve refutation: it 
 carries confutation along with it. 
 
 Chemojh was another idol worfhipped by the 
 Canaanites, and all'o by the Moabites, and he 
 had his temples on mountains, furrounded with 
 groves of tall oaks. As the Moabites feem to 
 have been idolators from the beginning, and as 
 they were the offspring of an inceflous inter- 
 courfe between Lot and his daughters, l'o we need 
 not be l'urprized to read, that inceft was not only 
 tolerated by them in their temples, but even 
 commanded as a duty. 
 
 A powerful body of thele people were called Phi- 
 liflines, and inhabited the lea coalt of the Medi¬ 
 terranean, near where Tyre was afterwards built. 
 They confided of five tribes, under the command 
 of l'o many chiefs; and it appears from fcripture, 
 that they were not routed out by the children of 
 Ifrael; but remained to be a check and fcourge 
 upon them, as often as they relapfed into idolatry. 
 The name of their chief idol was Dagon , called 
 by the Greeks, Azotus ; and the image repre- 
 fented a man upwards from the naval, and all 
 below relembled a fifli. He was the fame with 
 the god Jupiter, or fupreme deity of the hea¬ 
 thens, although worfhipped under a different 
 name. The Egyptians worfhipped him under the 
 fhape of afifh ; becaule, in i'ryphon’s wars with 
 the gods, he concealed himfelf in the fea, under 
 that form. This has induced l'ome to believe, 
 that Dagon was Venus ; becaule Diodorus Sicu¬ 
 lus relates, that at Alkelon, a famous city of the 
 Philiftines, Venus was worfhipped in the fhape 
 of a woman upwards, a.nd a filh downwards. Af¬ 
 ter all thefe conjectures, probably none of them 
 are right; for.this idol is mentioned in fcripture, 
 in the malculine gender. When the Phililtines 
 had taken the ark of God from the children of 
 Ifrael, and brought it to Afhdod, they placed it 
 in the temple of Dagon, clofe by the image of 
 that idol; but the next morning, when they came 
 4 
 
 into the temple, they found Dagon fallen on his 
 face on the ground, with the head and hands 
 broken off, This idol had a temple at Afhdod 
 fo late as the times of the Maccabees; for we 
 read in the firft book of the Maccabees, that Jo¬ 
 nathan, having beaten the army of Apollonius, 
 Demetrius’s general, they fled to Alhdod, and 
 entered the temple of Dagon ; but Jonathan let 
 fire to die town and confumed it, and the temple 
 with all thole who had taken refuge in it. Mil- 
 ton places him among the fallen angels, when he 
 fays : 
 
 Dagon his name ; fea monfter ! upward man, 
 
 And downward fifh ; yet had his temple high. 
 Rear’d in Azotus, dreaded through the coalt 
 Of PalefKne, in Gath, and Afkelon. 
 
 Upon attending to the nature of the antient 
 mythology, it will appear that the Philiftines had 
 their idol in the form already mentioned, becaule 
 they inhabited the fea coaft, and were among the 
 firft who carried on commerce with diftant na¬ 
 tions, by means of the watery element. In the 
 city of Gaza, now called by the Turks Gazera, 
 in Paleftine; about one half of the temple of 
 Dagon (till remains, and this temple was built on 
 the ruins of that deftroyed by Sampfon. 
 
 Another idol worlhipped in common by the 
 Philiftines and Syrians, was Derceto , fuppofed to 
 be the fame with Venus. Diodorus gives us the 
 following account of it. In Syria, there is a 
 city called Alkelon, near which is a deep lake, 
 abounding with plenty of different forts of filh. 
 Not far from the lake, ftands the temple of the 
 famous goddels Derceto, the mother of Semira- 
 mis, who has the face of a woman, and the reft 
 of her body relembling a fifli; for which the Sy¬ 
 rians alTign the following reafon : Venus having 
 conceived a hatred againft Derceto, caufed her to 
 fall in love with a young Syrian, by whom fhe 
 conceived a daughter ; but being alhamed o.f 
 what flie had done, fhe jnurdered the young man, 
 expoled the child in the woods, and then threw 
 herfelf into the lake, where (lie was transformed 
 into a fifli; for which reafon the Syrians eat no 
 fillies, but worfhip them as gods. Thus the 
 poet fays. 
 
 The Syrians hence revere the fcally brood, 
 
 Nor dare to make the hallow’d filh their food. 
 
 Elagahaliis , worfhipped by the Syrians, as well 
 as fome of the Canaanites, was no other than the 
 fun ; but the meaning of the name is not eafily 
 known. But the moft probable opinion is, that 
 it means the god of the mountain ; for the image 
 reprefented a large (tone on the top of an arti¬ 
 ficial mountain. 
 
 This idol is often taken notice of by the 
 poets. Thus we read : 
 
 In the mid plains fair Apamea ftands; 
 
 And nextEmeffa, on the neighbouring lands : 
 Thefe to the fun their adorations pay, 
 
 And vidtims bleed to the bright god of day ; 
 
 His fame with tow’ring Libanus contends. 
 
 And in the clouds its glitt’ring fummit ends. 
 
 It is remarkable, that Antoninus Varius aflumed 
 the name of this idol, becaufe he had formerly 
 been one of his priefts; and he ordered a temple 
 
 L to 
 
The RELIGION of the CANAANITES, SYRIANS, ARABIANS, &c. 
 
 to be erecled for him at Rome, where he was 
 worfhipped under the form of a pyramid. 
 
 The Sidonians , who were a fecft of the Philis¬ 
 tines, and very grofs idolatorsj worfhipped a 
 goddeis whom they called AJhtarbth> which, in 
 the Syrian language* Signifies fieep ; and this 
 idol is often called the Queen of Heaven. Some 
 believe the moon was adored under this name ; 
 and we find that Solomon introduced the worfhip 
 of it, to pleafe Some of his concubines* who were 
 natives of Sidon. Jezebel, the queen of Ahab, 
 king of Ifrael, had altars erecfted to this idol 
 throughout every part of her dominions ; and 
 fhe had, at one time, upwards of four hundred 
 priefts to attend her. She was always worfhipped 
 under the character of a woman, but in different 
 forms of drefs, according to the different nations 
 where divine honours, and religious worfhip were 
 paid her. 
 
 For the moft part, fhe was reprefented with 
 horns in the form of a crefcent, and many have 
 believed that by her was meant Rachel, the be¬ 
 loved wife of Jacob, her name Signifying fleep 
 in the Hebrew. She is Said to have confecrated 
 the city of Tyre, by depofiting in it a fallen liar j 
 from whence came the report, that a ftar often 
 darted upon her temple, which the people be¬ 
 lieved to be Venus. Her chief temple was on 
 mount Lebanus, which was actually a perfect 
 fink of lewdnefs, a School for the molt beaftly 
 lufts, which were permitted here becaufe Venus 
 was Said to have had her firft intercourfe in this 
 place with her beloved Adonis. This is the fame 
 deity v/hieh was worfhipped by the Israelites 
 under the name of Aftare, or Aftrea, of whom 
 Ovid makes mention when he fays. 
 
 When juftice ceas’d and human blood was fhed. 
 From earth to heaven divine Aftrea fled. 
 
 Moloch was another god worfhipped by thefe 
 antient idolators, particularly by the Ammonites, 
 the inceftou*. offspring of Lot and his daughters. 
 We are told in Scripture, that the children of 
 Ifrael, as an aggravation of their impiety, caufed 
 their children to pals through the fire to Moloch, 
 which brought upon them the Divine dilpleafure, 
 and at lafl Almighty vengeance. There have 
 been various opinions concerning this Species of 
 idolatry, Some believing that the children only 
 jumped over afire, and others, that they paffed 
 between two flow fires to the image. 
 
 Both thefe notions, however, are contra¬ 
 dicted by the cleared: teftimony of Scripture j for 
 we are exprefly told, that the Ammonites, and, 
 after them, the children of Ifrael, burnt their 
 children alive to lyloloch ; and Mofes prohibits 
 the people from adoring this deity, under the 
 fevereft penalties. Solomon built a temple to 
 the idol Moloch on mount Olivet, and Manafleh, 
 the moft impious of all the kings of Judah, made 
 his children pals through the fire to Moloch. 
 We are not told in Scripture, whether Moloch 
 was worfhipped in groves, in valleys, or on hills, 
 by the Ammonites ; but certain it is, that the 
 idolatrous children of Ilrael appropriated the 
 valley of the Son of Hinnom for this impious 
 Service. This valley lay eastward of Jqfufalem, and 
 was the fame place wherein all the filth of thecity 
 was burnt at the time our Saviour was on earth. 
 
 We fhall here infert what the Rabbins have 
 
 told us concerning this idol. They fay it was 
 made of brafs, the body refembling that of a 
 man; and the head that of a calf, with a royal 
 diadem; and the arms extended. They add, that 
 when children were to be offered to him, they 
 heated the ftatue, and put the miferable victim 
 between his arms, where it was Soon confumed 
 by the violence of the flame. We are further 
 told, that this idol had Seven temples or chapels. 
 All thefe altars, temples, or chapels, were ap¬ 
 propriated to the different forts of Sacrifices that 
 were to be offered. Thus he who offered a 
 bird, went into the firft chapel ; he who offered 
 a lamb, into the Second; he who prelented a 
 fheep, into the third ; he who brought a calf, 
 into the fourth ; he who brought a bullock, into 
 the fifth; he who brought an ox, into the 
 Sixth; but the Seventh, the grandeft of all, was 
 deftined for thole who brought their own chil¬ 
 dren. From the whole of this we may learn, 
 that human Sacrifices were the moft acceptable at 
 the altars of Moloch ; which, undoubtedly, made 
 our great poet Milton rank him among the infer¬ 
 nal deities, as one of the fallen angels, and as 
 one who was to be a curie to the idolatrous world. 
 
 Another god of the Syrians and Canaanites is 
 called Rimmotty and he was chiefly worfhipped at 
 Damal'cus. He is mentioned but once in Scrip¬ 
 ture, namely, in the account of Naaman, the 
 Syrian general, when he came to the prophet 
 Elifhato be cured of the leprofy. Rimmon, in. 
 the Hebrew, Signifies a pomegranate, which fruit 
 being Sacred to Venus, Some arc of opinion that 
 they were one and the fame ; but this cannot be, 
 becaufe Venus is in the feminine gender, whereas 
 this idol is always in the mafeuline. 
 
 The Syrians had an idol which they worfhipped 
 under the name of Adad, which, in their language, 
 fignified one. By him was meant the fun, and 
 they gave him the earth to wife ; for they painted 
 Ad ad with rays fhooting downward, and the earth 
 with rays fhooting upwards, to fhew that all 
 earthly productions were owing to the influence 
 of the fun. Jofephus thinks this idol was wor¬ 
 fhipped in memory of Benhadad ; but that is 
 not in the leaft probable, becaufe that prince 
 lived long after the whole mals of idolatry was 
 formed, and reduced into a fyftem. 
 
 Babia was another goddefs of the Syrians, 
 and worfhipped under the image of an infant ; 
 for it was common amongft them to call their 
 children by its name, efpecially luch as they in¬ 
 tended to dedicate to the priefthood. Young 
 children were offered up in Sacrifice to this idol, 
 and mothers, without relenting, heard the cries 
 of their tortured offspring. 
 
 But of all the gods of the Syrians and Canaan¬ 
 ites, none were honoured fo much as BcmI, who 
 was no other than the Belus of the Chaldeans, 
 and the Jupiter of the Greeks. It is probable, 
 the fun was worfhipped under this name ; for 
 Jofiah, willing to make fome attonement for the 
 fins of his father Manafleh, in worfhipping Baal 
 and all the hoft of heaven, put to death the ido¬ 
 latrous priefts that burnt incenle unto Baal, to 
 the fun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and 
 to all the hoft of heaven. He likewife took 
 away the horfes that the kings of Judah had 
 given to the fun, and burnt the chariots of the 
 fun with fire. 
 
 Tbts 
 
The RELIGION of the CANAANITES, SYRIANS, ARABIANS, Sec. 
 
 This idol Baal is often mentioned in l'cripture 
 in the plural number, Ballim, and always im¬ 
 plies univerfal power, wifdom and knowledge. 
 His temples were built within enclol'ures, for 
 which reafon they were called in the Hebrew and 
 Syriac languages Cbamanim , and perpetual fires 
 were kept burning in them. Mr. Maundrell, in 
 his journey from Aleppo to Jerufalem, tells us 
 that he law many of the remains of them, but 
 molt of the ftatues were defaced. The Maho¬ 
 metans have a llrange tradition concerning this 
 idol, which for the ufe and amufement of the 
 curious reader, we fhall fet dov/n in this place. 
 
 They fay, that before Abraham left Ur of the 
 Chaldeans, he took an opportunity to break in 
 pieces all the idols except Baal, about whole neck 
 he hung the ax with which he had accompliIhed 
 his defign, that the people might fuppole Baal 
 himfelf was the author of all this mifehief. Such 
 is the manner in which the Mahometans related 
 this ftory, but the Jews tell it 1 ‘omewhat different. 
 
 They fay that Abraham performed this exploit 
 in his father’s lhop, during his abfence, and that 
 Tenth returning, and demanding the occafion of 
 this diforder, Abraham told him that the idols 
 had quarrelled about an offering of fine flour 
 brought them by an old woman, and that the 
 ffrongeft of them (Baal) had got the better of the 
 reft, and broken them to pieces. They add, 
 thatTerah, falling into a violent paffion, carried 
 his Ion before Nimrod, who gave him a fevere 
 reprimand. 
 
 Such were the principal idols worlhipped 
 by the Canaanites, and bad as idolatry is, 
 yet had they confined themfelves Amply to the 
 practice of image worlhip, poflibly God might 
 have buffered them to remain in their pofleffions 
 till the fulnefs of time, when the Melfiah was to 
 enlighten all mankind by his gofpel. But their 
 horrid abominations were fuch, that they called 
 aloud for vengeance from heaven. Murder, 
 rapine, and all forts of cruelty, were but trifles 
 when compared with human lacrifices, and unna¬ 
 tural crimes which ought not to be mentioned. 
 Thus God, in his all-wile and holy providence, 
 deftroyed them, according to the predidlion of 
 Noah, to make room for his chofen people. 
 
 The Arabians, of whofe religion we ftiall here 
 give fome account, were die defendants of 
 ifhmael, the fon of Abraham, by his concubine 
 Hagar; and they are, in fome refpefts, even to 
 this day, the moft remarkable people in the 
 world. The angel told Hagar that her fon 
 fliould be a wild man, and the Arabians remain 
 uncivilized even to this day. His hand was to be 
 againft every man, and every man’s hand againft 
 him j and fo it is to this day, for the Arabians 
 live by plundering, not only fuch as travel from 
 this part of the world, but even the Turks them- 
 fclves, who pretend to be their mafters. He was 
 to live in the midft of his brethren ; and it is 
 very remarkable, that the Arabians were never 
 yet conquered, in vain did the great monarchs 
 of the eaft attempt to fubdue them, they ftill re¬ 
 main what they were three thoufand years ago. 
 
 After the death of Ilhmael they multiplied ex¬ 
 tremely faft, ahd became a great nation ; for we 
 find them a trading people at the time Jofeph 
 was fold into Egypt. Like the reft of the 
 eaftern nations, they were idolators, and wor- 
 
 ftiipped the fun, moon and ftars under different 
 names, the chief of which was Allat, in the city 
 of Tayef, and it was held in fuch efteem, that 
 when Mahomet ordered it to be deftroyed, the 
 people lamented moft bitterly. 
 
 Another of the Arabian idols was Aluzza , 
 worlhipped by feveral of their tribes under the’ 
 fhape of an Egyptian thorn. At firit it was 
 adored in the open fields, but in time temples 
 and altars were erected to it; it remained till 
 the time of Mahomet, who caufed all its 
 temples to be demolilhed, and flew the priefts 
 who officiated in them. The Arabians, who 
 lived moftly towards the eaft, worfhipped AJfaf 
 under the fhape of a calf, which they proba¬ 
 bly borrowed from the Egyptians, with whom 
 they traded. They had a goddefs named Beltha , 
 and probably the Venus of the Greeks. They 
 kept three holidays in the year to this idol, and 
 the altars whereon they facrificed were at the 
 gates of their temples. The Sabeans, mentioned 
 Job I, were the principal worfhippers of this 
 goddefs, and they made a point of confcience to 
 carry part of their plunder to her temple. The 
 leading principle in the religion of the antient 
 Arabians, was their fixed belief in Fairies or 
 Genii; they believed that thele Genii attended 
 people through life, that every man had two 
 waiting upon him, the one good and the 
 other evil, that all evil actions were com¬ 
 mitted at the inftigation of the evil fpirit in the 
 abfence of the good Genii, who l'ometimes went 
 on a meflage to heaven. They believed further, 
 that thele two angels, or Genii, were continually 
 at war with each other, and this the people con- 
 fidered as the caufe of the contending paffionsi 
 in their minds. They were worfhipped by the 
 antient Arabians as the companions or friends of 
 God, and they believed that they appeared to 
 them in their fleep. The principal Genii was 
 called Hafedhab , and when the people went on 
 journeys to plunder, they prayed he would fend 
 fome ftrong Genii to proteft them, and fome 
 wife ones to diretft them in their journey. 
 
 But although the Arabians worfhipped idols, 
 yet they believed there was one lupreme God to 
 whom they alcribed the moft fublime attributes, 
 fuch as.eternity, omnipotence, incomprehenfibi- 
 lity, Sec. which will appear from the following 
 verfes. 
 
 W hy fliould we feek to comprehend what can¬ 
 not be comprehended ? 
 
 It is a tree which hath neither root, trunk, nor 
 branches for thoughts to lay hold of. 
 
 It is a riddle in which we can neither find a na¬ 
 tural nor a metaphorical fenle, and of which 
 there is no fatisfadtory explication. 
 
 God is infinitely above the capacity of our un- 
 derftandings, and we always lofe ouri'elves when 
 we would comprehend, or guefs at what he is; 
 let it therefore fuffice us to adore him with a re- 
 fpeftful filence. 
 
 All thofe antient heathen nations had temples, 
 but it does not appear that any of them were very 
 magnificient, thatfort of grandeur having been re- 
 lerved for the Greeks of whom afterwards. In the 
 mean time let us fay fomething concerning their 
 altars. 
 
 In the moft early ages of the world, the Pagans 
 made their altars of earth Oft^urf^and they were, 
 
 for 
 
The RELIGION of the CANAANITES, SYRIANS, ARABIANS, Sccff 
 
 44 
 
 for the molt part, in groves or on hills, and be- 
 fides offering up facrifices to the gods, they were 
 ufed for feveral other purpofes. All alliances 
 with foreign princes were ratified on the altars,that 
 the gods might bewitnefsof the faithful perfor¬ 
 mance of them ; of this we have many in fiances 
 both in antient hidory and poetry. Thus, 
 Hamilcar made his Jon Hannibal lay his hand on 
 the altar, and l'wcar he would never make peace 
 with the Romans, and thus a poet fays : 
 
 I touch the facred altars, touch the flames, 
 
 And all thofe pow’rs attell, and all their names : 
 Whatever chance befal on either fide, 
 
 No term of time this union fhall divide. 
 
 Another ufe of altars was to be an afylum for 
 fuch as were in danger of being punifhed. It 
 was reckoned a fort of lacrilege to drag any per- 
 fon from the altar, let his crimes be ever lb enor¬ 
 mous ; becaule he was confidered as under the 
 immediate protection of the god to whom the al¬ 
 tar was dedicated. Romulus, in order to bring 
 people to Rome, ordered many altars to be fet up, 
 that 1'u.ch as were obliged to abfcond from the 
 neighbouring towns might find refuge there. 
 
 In Litter times, altars were made of Hone, and 
 their heights were regulated according to the 
 titles of the deities to whom they were confe- 
 crated. The celeftial gods and goddefles had 
 their altars built very high, but the terreltrial 
 ones had theirs not above a foot from the earth, 
 and for the infernal gods, they dug holes in the 
 earth. The name of the god was infcribed on 
 the altar fometimcs in letters, but more com¬ 
 monly in hieroglyphics, pointing out his quali¬ 
 ties or attributes. We have no account of altars 
 before the deluge, but that mull be owing to the 
 want of records. After the flood, Noah built 
 an altar and offered burnt offerings upon it, and 
 in the patriarchial ages, the altars were generally 
 built near fome groves facred to folitude, as 
 places properly calculated to infpire devotion, and 
 lead the mind up to the contemplation of hea¬ 
 venly things. But as this gave rile to idolatry, 
 the Jews were forbidden, under the feverell pe¬ 
 nalties, to worfliip God in groves or on hills, nor ! 
 were they to plant any trees near the place where ! 
 the true God was worlhipped. Thus God lays j 
 to Moles : 
 
 <f An altar of earth Ihalt thou make unto me, 1 
 ct and (halt facrifice thereon, thy burnt-offerings, j 
 “ and thy peace-offerings, thy fheep and thine I 
 <c oxen. And if thou wilt make me an altar of 
 <c ftone, thou ffialt not build it of hewn Hone, 
 cc for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hall 
 “ polluted it. Neither Ihalt thou go up by Heps 
 «* into my altar, that thy nakednels be not dif- 
 “ covered thereon.” 
 
 The real'on why the priefls were not to go up 
 Heps to the altar, was, bccaufe they wore fhort 
 garments like petticoats, which, upon Hooping, 
 would have dilcovered their nakednefs ; and this 
 precept was enjoined to diftinguifh them as the 
 worfhippers of the true God, from the heathens, 
 who ufed the moll odious indecencies in their re¬ 
 ligious ceremonies. In the temple ofjerulalern 
 there were feveral altars, the firft of which was 
 that for burnt offerings made of Shittim-wood, 
 nine feet fquare, and about four feet high. It was 
 overlaid with brals, and at each corner there was 
 
 like a horn or fpire wrought out of the fame piece 
 of wood with the altar itfelf. The ufe of thefe 
 horns was to bind the facrifice to the altar, and 
 it was placed in the open air before the entrance 
 into the tabernacle, that the fmolce might not 
 fully any of the facred veffels. This altar was 
 conffrufled in fuch a manner, that it could be 
 carried by the prieft from one place to another. 
 
 Within the tabernacle, they had the altar 
 of incenfe, but we know no more of it, but that 
 it was overlaid with pure gold. Every morning 
 and evening the officiating prieft offered facrifices 
 upon it, while the people flood without praying, 
 ofwhich we have an indance in Luke I. This was 
 the altar which the prophet Jeremiah hid, when 
 he found that the city and temple were to be 
 deftroyed. 
 
 Among the Greeks and Romans, altars were 
 erected on the mod confpicuous parts of the high¬ 
 ways, and even in the market places in their ci¬ 
 ties. Thus we find that when Paul was at Athens, 
 he pafled by and faw an altar with this inferip- 
 tion, To the unknown God. 
 
 In the early ages of chriftianity there were no 
 altars, and the communion table was not called 
 by that name till about the beginning of the fifth 
 century, of which we fhall have occafion to take 
 notice in the fublequent part of this work. The 
 church of England in conjunction with the Lu¬ 
 therans, are the only proteftants who give the 
 name of altar to that place where they comme¬ 
 morate the death of our Divine redeemer but it 
 was not fo when the reformation took place, for 
 at that time, it was ordered that the lacrament 
 of the Lord’s-Supper fhould be adminiftcred in 
 the mod convenient part of the church, chapel, 
 or chancel, according to the circumftances which 
 might be neceffary to regulate the conduct of the 
 minifter. 
 
 Wherever there is an altar it is implied there 
 fhould be facrifices, but the Chriftian knows no 
 facrifice but that of Chrift, who offered himfelf 
 as an attonement for the fins of wicked men, for 
 the guilt of an offending world. 
 
 When we contemplate the fate of thofe an¬ 
 tient nations, whole fins brought down upon 
 them the Divine vengeance, we fhould naturally 
 be led to confider, in what relation we Hand to 
 the great lord of providence and grace. To 
 ufe the words of the mod accomplifhcd divine 
 that ever wrote fince the apoftolic age (archbi- 
 fhop Leighton) all our purfuits are vain, unelfs 
 directed to a proper end. God looks down with 
 contempt upon conquerors as lcotrrges in his hand 
 to punilh diJ'obedient children, while he fheds 
 the dew of his bleffing upon the humble and 
 lowly of heart. Thofe heathens became wife, 
 or rather they became foolifh in their own conceits j 
 and the eternal God, by whom they were made, 
 was treated with the utmoft indignity, and to 
 the difhonour of their nature they worlhipped 
 the works of their own hands. Well might God 
 have given them up to dark delufions ; for thofe 
 that honour him, he will honour, and thofe 
 that delpife him, fhall be lightly edeemed. Let 
 this confideration fink deep into the mind of 
 every reader, and let them confider true religion 
 as the grand ornament of human life. This 
 will fecure their peace of mind in time ; and, 
 will make them happy throughout all eternity. 
 
C 4J ) 
 
 *The Religion in Ethiopia, and other Nations adjoining. 
 
 I N treating of this extenfive empire, and the 
 other provinces adjoining to it, we (hall firft 
 confider what it was before the promulgation 
 of the gofpel, and fecondly, what religion the 
 natives at prefent profefs Here the author con- 
 fiders himfelf as highly favoured, in having had an 
 opportunity of converfing with the only gentle¬ 
 man, who, during the prefent age, has vifited 
 thole unfrequented deferts. Not that they are 
 really deferts, many of them being well inha¬ 
 bited ; but that they are little frequented by Eu¬ 
 ropeans, who, for want of proper information, 
 confider the people as favages, with whom it is 
 dangerous to have any connexions. 
 
 Ethiopia is fituated to the fouth of Egypt, and 
 between the kings of that country, and the Egyp¬ 
 tians, there were continual wars. Nay, it often 
 happened, that the Ethiopians took polfeffion of 
 Egypt, and placed fome of their princes upon 
 the throne of that extenfive and fertile kingdom. 
 This will appear the more evident, when we con¬ 
 fider that the Ethiopians often invaded the bor¬ 
 ders of Paleftine in vaft numbers, which they 
 could not have done, had not they either been in 
 poffefiion of Egypt, or nearly allied to the people; 
 for there was no pofTibility of their palling into 
 Afia by land, in any other manner. 
 
 The Ethiopians, originally a colony of the 
 Egyptians, obferved the Tame rites and ceremo¬ 
 nies, in their religious worfhip; and the differ-, 
 ence between their languages, was very immate¬ 
 rial. Accullomed to live in the moll frugal man¬ 
 ner, little notice was takeg of them, till the 
 boundlefs ambition of the Romans trampling 
 upon all human rights, dillurbed their repofe, and 
 brought fome part of the country into a Hate of 
 fubjedion. This, however, was a happy event 
 in the courfc of Divine Providence, becaufe it 
 opened a way for the promulgation of the gofpel. 
 The Jews, after their return from the captivity, 
 fettled in many parts of the habitable world, for 
 the benefit of commerce ; and fome of them in 
 Ethiopia. The purity of their religion induced 
 many converts to join them, and thofe went up 
 every year to Jerufalem to worfhip. Of this we 
 have a flriking inlfance in Ads, chap. viii. where 
 we find the prime mini Her of the queen of Ethi¬ 
 opia coming up to Jerufalem, to worfhip at the 
 time of our Saviour’s crucifixion. This man had 
 been well inftruded in the Jewiffi religion, for, 
 upon his return home through part of the wilder- 
 nefs, Philip the deacon found him fitting in his 
 chariot, reading the Prophet Ifaiah, chapter liii. 
 
 Eufcbius, and all the antient church hiftorians 
 tell us, that this great ftatefman went home and 
 converted the queen his miftrefs, and that fhe 
 lent to Jerufalem for fome of the difciples of the 
 apoftles, to come and preach the gofpel to her 
 fubjeds. This, however, muft have happened 
 after the converiion of Cornelius the Roman 
 Centurion, for before that time, the gofpel was 
 preached only to thofe of the circumcifion, whe¬ 
 ther Jews or profelytes, But certain it is, that 
 4 
 
 foon after the converfion of the eunuch, the 
 Chriftian religion lpread fo far throughout Ethi¬ 
 opia, that bifhops from that country attended 
 councils, held at Alexandria. Nay, fuch was die 
 fuccefs of the gofpel in thofe early ages, that 
 many of thofe nations, where heatheniim prevails 
 in Africa, profelfed the religion of Jefus, and 
 fome of them fubmitted to iuiTer the molt cruel 
 torments, rather than blalpheme their Lord and 
 Saviour. 
 
 At prefent, Ethiopia is called by three names, 
 viz. Nubia, AbylTinia, and the Lefier Ethiopia; 
 but the religion is the fame in all. Their affinity 
 with Egypc has made way for the introdudion of 
 Mahometanifm in fome places, and in others the 
 inhabitants are Pagans ; but the main body of 
 the people are Chriftians ; although, properly 
 fpeak-ing, neither of the Greek or Roman Catho¬ 
 lic perfuafion. 
 
 They believe the fcriptures to be the only rule 
 of faith, and they have manulcript copies of 
 them ; but they know nothing of what we call 
 the Apoftle’s Creed, for in the room of it they 
 ufe the Nicene. With refped to the incarnation 
 of Chrift, they believe there is but one nature; 
 that all that was human was fwallowed up in that 
 which is Divine, fo that no diftindion could be 
 made. This is what is called the Eutychian herefy, 
 which made great noife in the fifth century, and 
 was condemned at the council of Chalcedon, 
 451. As it had been taught in Egypt, fo we 
 need not be furpriled at finding it making its way 
 into Ethiopia, where it is held in much repute by 
 the priefts, but the people are grofiy ignorant. 
 They deny the Papal fupremacy, and indeed 
 moft parts of the Popiffi dodrine, particularly 
 tranfubflantiation, purgatory, prayers in an un¬ 
 known tongue, images, auricular confeffion, ce- 
 lebacy of the clergy, and extreme undion. 
 They have joined part of the Jewiffi and Chrif¬ 
 tian ceremonies together, for they obferve as holy 
 days both Saturdays and Sundays, and their chil¬ 
 dren are both circumcifed and baptized. They 
 eat no fwines fleffi, and abflain from feveral other 
 forts of meat forbidden in the law of Moles. 
 They pull off their ffioes when they go into their 
 churches, and during the whole of their fervice, 
 fit upon the bare ground. Their fervice confifts 
 in reading the facred fcriptures, particularly the 
 gofpels, and receiving the eucharift, after which 
 the prielt reads a homily, tranflated into their 
 language from the works of one of the antient 
 fathers. In the laft century, the Romifh mif- 
 fionaries, ever affiduous in promoting their re¬ 
 ligious tenets, went from Alexandria to Ethiopia, 
 and obtained leave from the emperor to fettle in 
 his dominions ; but the people were fo unwilling 
 to relinquiffi the religion of their anceftors, that 
 many infurredions happened, fo that the emperor 
 was obliged to baniffi all the miffionaries out of 
 his country. 
 
 The Ethiopians have feveral forts of Monks, 
 but they are upon a footing quite different from 
 7 M thofe 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 
46 
 
 The RELIGION in ETHIOPIA, and other Nations adjoining. 
 
 \\£ 
 
 of the Roman Catholics. One of thofe feels which 
 is now almoft extin<ft,was, in antient times, called 
 Rembotb , and they lived in the mod: populous 
 cities, without being confined to any other rules, 
 befides that of doing all the good offices they 
 could for the poor, and vifiting the fick from 
 houfe to houfe. Thefe men were not ecclefiaftics, 
 but they obferved a mofb rigorous difcipline. 
 They failed often, and the garments they wore 
 were luch as pointed out their contempt of the 
 world. Indeed, every thing about them was 
 affedted; they wore loofe fleeves, wide ftockings, 
 coarfe cloaths, fighed often, and made daily vi- 
 fits to the Virgin Nuns. They inveighed bitterly 
 againfl the eftablifhed clergy, but they themfelves 
 were gluttons and drunkards, as often as they had 
 an opportunity. 
 
 The bread ufed in the eucharift, is by the 
 Ethiopians called the Corban, which fignifies a 
 gift, becaufe it is purchafed with the money which 
 they receive as the offerings of the faithful. It 
 is compofed of fine wheaten flour, and it muft 
 be baked the lame day on which it is intended to 
 be ufed; for if it fhould happen to be ftale, it is 
 confidered as improper for ufe. The perfon who 
 makes the bread, is obliged to repeat feven pfalms 
 during the operation, and the oven muft be 
 within the church. Upon each loaf of bread 
 there muft be twelve impreffions of croffcs, and 
 each of the croffes muft be within a fquare. The 
 middle crofs is larger than any of the others, and 
 is diftinguifhed by the words Ifobodicon , which 
 fignifies, belonging to the Lord, it being appro¬ 
 priated for the ufe of the prieft who performs 
 Divine fervice. Round the whole of the loaves 
 an infeription is imprefled, which in Englifh fig¬ 
 nifies, “ Holy, holy, holy is the Lord." 
 
 Among the Ethiopians there are frill to be 
 found fome Monks, called Coptics, who firft 
 flourifhed in Egypt, but by no difficult fort of 
 gradation made their way into Ethiopia. 
 They profefs the utmoft contempt for all worldly 
 things, and look upon themfelves as a fort of 
 terreftrial angels. They are obliged to part with 
 all their pofieffions before they can enter upon a 
 monaftic life; they muft renounce marriage for 
 ever, live in deferts, be cloathed in wool, 
 eat no fiefh, employ moft of their time in 
 prayer and labour, be continually thinking 
 upon God, and apply themfelves to the read¬ 
 ing of the facred feriptures. They fleep on a 
 mat laid on the ground, and before they lay 
 themfelves down to reft, they ftretch out their 
 hands one hundred and fifty times in the form of 
 a crofs. They divide the day into three parts; 
 one for labour, one for refrefhment, and one for 
 prayer. All their monafteries are fituated in 
 deferts, and to prevent being molefted by wild 
 beafts, moft of them have no doors, but the 
 Monks are let out and brought in by a machine 
 fixed to one of the windows. 
 
 There are among the Ethiopians another fort 
 of Monks, called Corrupticole , which is rather an 
 opprobrious name given them, becaufe they alfert 
 that the body of Chrift was fubjedt to corruption; 
 which being one of the opinions embraced by 
 the Eutychicms , there will remain fome reafon to 
 believe that the dodlrines of that heretic were 
 taught in Ethiopia, during the firft ages of Chrif- 
 tjamry. It is very remarkable, that even in the 
 
 ifland of Madagafcar, there are fome remains of 
 the Chriftian religion; and v/hen we confider the 
 navigation of antient ages, we can only alcribe 
 the firft planting of it in fuch a remote part of 
 the globe, to an intercourfe kept up between the 
 inhabitants, and thofe of Ethiopia. Their man¬ 
 ners and cuftoms are almoft fimilar, but it is much 
 to be lamented, that while they are acquainted 
 with the name of the true God, they have for¬ 
 gotten the moft efifential principles in religion. 
 
 As the eunuch, who was prime minifter to the 
 queen of Ethiopia, was one of the moft illuftri- 
 ous converts to the truth of the gofpel, it is ne- 
 ceftary that, confiftent with our plan, we fliould 
 lay before the reader every thing concerning the 
 facrament of baptifm. Baptifm implies* the 
 walking away of all impurities; and certain it is, 
 this rite was always attended to both by Jews 
 and heathens long before our Saviour came in 
 the fiefh. Thus we read, that Aaron and his 
 fons were commanded, previous to their confe- 
 cration to the priefthood, to be wafhed in 
 water at the door of the tabernacle. To this may 
 be added, that the learned Spencer proves that 
 long before our Saviour’s time, all the heathens 
 who became profelytes to the Jewjfh religion, 
 were previoufiy baptized. There are fome in¬ 
 deed who confider this ceremony as invented by 
 
 theRabbies, who lived after the Babylonifh cap¬ 
 tivity; but when it is confidered, that the Jew* 
 always held the Chriftians in the utmoft abhor¬ 
 rence, it will appear highly probable that this 
 ceremony was borrowed from them, confiftent 
 with the practices of their anceftors. Every 
 Chriftian muft acknowledge, that the facrament 
 of the Lord’s-Supper comes in place of the Jew- 
 ifh paffover; and, by parity of reafon, baptifm 
 is to Chriftians the fame in effect, as circumcifion 
 was to the Jews of old. 
 
 The learned Grotius is of opinion, that bap¬ 
 tifm was obferved by the antient nations ever 
 fince the deluge, in memory of the world having 
 been deftroyed by water, and none but Noah and 
 his family laved. Spencer lays it down as a pro¬ 
 bable fuppofition though not as a pofitive proof, 
 that the Jews received the do&rine of baptifm 
 from the neighbouring nations, who always ufed 
 ablutions or walkings when they admitted profe¬ 
 lytes among them. In confirmation of this opi¬ 
 nion, Spencer take notice, firft, that there is not 
 in the Molaical law, a Angle precept for the bap- 
 tifing of profelytes, God having enjoined only 
 the rite of circumcifion for the admiflion of 
 ftrangers into the Jewifh religion. Secondly, 
 that among the heathen nations, it was cuftomary 
 that thofe who were to be initiated into their 
 myfteries fliould be firft purified, by walking in 
 water, as a fign of their being cleanfed from all 
 impuriti-es. Laftly, Spencer obferves, that Chrift, 
 m the inftitution of his lacraments, paid a peculiar 
 regard to thofe rites which had been borrowed 
 by the Jews from the heathen nations. All this 
 may be true, and yet there is fomewhat ambigu¬ 
 ous in every expreffion made ufe of by the learned 
 Spencer, which we fiiall now endeavour to eluci¬ 
 date, and lay before the reader in the moft clear 
 and comprehenfive terms. 
 
 That baptifm was ufed by the Jews long before 
 the coming of Chrift, cannot be denied; for 
 when John the Baptift came, preaching in the 
 
 vilderneis. 
 
The RELIGION in ETHIO 
 
 wildernefs, his conduct was not confidered as an 
 innovation, but as what had been longpradtifed; for 
 the popular manner in which he was treated, 
 arofe from his humility, lelf-denial, the purity of 
 his dodtrine, and above all his calling himfelf the 
 forerunner of Jefus, who, at that time, was 
 earneflly expedted by the Jews. It was a cere¬ 
 mony pointing out the corruption of human na¬ 
 ture, and the neceflity that men fnould be under 
 when they left their former profeflion, to live 
 and become new creatures, like a perfon who 
 has been wafhed from his impurities of body in 
 water. 
 
 In the primitive ages of Chriftianity, the 
 bifhop, or pallor of a congregation, generally 
 baptized Inch as made profeflion of their faith ; 
 but Hill in his abfence, it was permitted that any 
 of the faithful might perform the ceremony, fo 
 as it was not done by women. There are two 
 things to be confidered relating to baptifm, firft, 
 the age of the perfon to be baptized ■, and fe- 
 condly, the place where the ceremony was per¬ 
 formed. 
 
 Thofe who argue againft infant baptifm urge, 
 that no perl'ons whatever are to be baptized till 
 they make profeflion of their faith in Chrilt, and 
 promife to be obedient to all the rules laid down 
 in his gofpel j and they ground this part of their 
 argument upon thelilenceof the New Tellament 
 concerning the ceremony of infant baptifm, and 
 likewife upon the words of Chrift, when he com¬ 
 manded his dii'ciples to go and teach all nations, 
 baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the 
 Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. Now, fay they, 
 it appears from thefe words, that no perfon could 
 be baptized until he was firft taught and it is 
 certain, that children are not capable of receiv¬ 
 ing inftrudtion in fuch momentous points upon 
 which their everlafting falvation depends. 
 
 To this it is anfwered by thofe who contend 
 for infant baptifm, that as the Lord’s Supper is 
 acknowledged by all denomination of Chriftians, 
 to come in the room of the pafiov’er, fo baptifm 
 comes in the room of circumcifion. To illuftrate 
 this, let us only attend to the following circum- 
 ftances. The pafl'over was inftituted to com¬ 
 memorate the deliverance of the children of 
 Ifrael from Egyptian bondage the Lord’s Sup¬ 
 per to commemorate our deliverance from the 
 power and guilt of fin. The pafl'over was efta- 
 blifhed on the evening of that day on which God 
 intended to fignalize his wonderful power and 
 mercy to his chofen people ; and the night that 
 Jefus Chrift was betrayed, he inftituted the Lord’s 
 Supper. The pafl'over was to be celebrated annu¬ 
 ally by the Jews, and the Lord’s Supper is to be 
 obferved by all denomination of Chriftians till 
 the end of time. Let us now confidcr how far 
 baptifm comes in the room of circumcifion, and 
 we ftiall make ufe of the arguments on each 
 fide of the queftion. Circumcifion was a rite 
 pointing out, that the Jews were diftinguifhed 
 from all other people in the world, and fo was 
 baptifm among Chriftians. Every male child 
 among the Jews was, in confequence of circum¬ 
 cifion, entitled to all the privileges of the com¬ 
 monwealth of Ifrael j and, in like manner, the 
 fon or daughter of a Chriftian parent, is entitled, 
 through baptifm, to all the blefiings of the new 
 covenant. As children muft always be confidered 
 
 * I A, and other Nations adjoining, 47 
 
 as paflive, having no will of their own, fo the 
 Jews were obliged to promife, in the aft of cir¬ 
 cumcifion, to bring them up in the principles of 
 the Mofaic law. In the fame manner, parents 
 under the New Teftament difpenfation, are either 
 in their own perfons, or by fponfors, obliged to 
 promife that as far as lays in their power, their 
 children Avail be properly educated in every 
 Chriftian duty. Every circumcifed child among 
 the Jews, was confidered as one who was to have 
 no connection with the heathen nations around 
 them ; and every child baptized in the name of 
 the/acred and ever blefied trinity, becomes a 
 fworn foldier of Chrift Jefus, and he is to fight 
 againft all the enemies of his Divine redeemer. 
 Having thus, in the molt faithful manner, ftated 
 the arguments made ufe of by each party, we 
 ftiall leave the reader to judge who is right or 
 who is wrong; and let every perfon fearch the 
 feriptures, that he may be able to give an account 
 of the hope that is in him. 
 
 The utility of what has been here laid con¬ 
 cerning baptifm, will appear the more neceflary, 
 when we confider, that the Ethiopian Chriftians 
 mingle together the Jewifh and the Chriftian 
 ceremonies. This praftice of theirs is not of a 
 criminal nature, for it was followed by many of 
 the primitive Chriftians. When the Apoftle 
 Paul went up to Jerufalem, he fubmitted to fome 
 parts and ceremonies of the law of Moles, nor 
 does he condemn any for adhering to it, but thofe 
 Jewifh converts, who fought to impol’e it upon 
 the gentile profelytes. That Chrift was the end 
 of the law for righteoufnefs to every one that be¬ 
 lieved, we have the higheft teftimony of lcripture, 
 for when he expired on the crofs, he laid it is 
 finilhed, and the veil of the temple was rent, 
 thereby intimating, that the law was no more of 
 an obligatory nature, either as the condition of 
 falvation, or as a rule of conduft. But ftill in 
 compafiion to the Weaknefs of many perfons 
 among the Jews, they were allowed to obferve 
 their own rites and ceremonies, fo as they did not 
 trull in them for falvation, nor impofe them 
 upon others. It was, in order to elucidate this 
 fubjeft, that the Apoftle Paul wrote his famous 
 . epiftle to the Galatians, and thofe who will attend 
 to it with care, will find that he does not direft 
 the force of his argument againft thofe who ob¬ 
 ferved the Jewifh ceremonies, but only againft 
 thofe who impofed them. 
 
 With refpeft to the place of baptifm, it was at 
 firft unlimited, and the ceremony was frequently 
 performed in a pond, a lake, or a river, but al¬ 
 ways as near as poflible to the place of public 
 worth ip. About the latter end of the lecond 
 century, they began to build fonts, or rather 
 they made pits, which they filled with water near 
 the frontdoors of their churches ; afterwards they 
 j'emoved them into the church porch, and at laft 
 into the church itfelf. When grown perfons 
 w r ere to be baptized, they were firft ex¬ 
 amined by the bifhops concerning their be¬ 
 lief of the Chriftian faith, but if an infant, 
 then his parents or fponfors were to vouch for 
 him. It does not appear that fponfors were 
 allowed for children till towards the latter end of 
 the lecond century, and that which gave rife to 
 it was, fometimes the mothers were heathens. 
 In performing this ceremony, the ufual cuftom 
 
43 The RELIGION of the ARMENIAN 
 
 was to dip the whole body over in water ; for as 
 St. Barnabas fays, <c We go down into the wa- 
 “ ter full of fin and filth, but we afcend bearing 
 (C fruit in our hearts.” And that all occafions 
 oflcandal and immodefty might be prevented in 
 fo fiacred a ceremony, the men and women were 
 baptized in different apartments, the women 
 having affiftants to undrels and to drefs them. 
 
 They were anointed with oil, and the form of 
 the crofs was marked on their foreheads ; but, as 
 will appear in another part of this work, this ce¬ 
 remony did not take place till the beginning of 
 the fourth century. After being anointed, the 
 candidate for baptifm had a white robe put on 
 him, to denote his being walked from the defile¬ 
 ments of fin, or perhaps in allufion to the words 
 of the Apoftle, “ As many as are baptized into 
 <c Chriff, have put on Chrift.” It was from 
 this cuftom that the name or word of Whitfunday 
 took its rife, which is now one of the great fes¬ 
 tivals in the Chriftian -church. When baptifm 
 was over, the white garment was laid up in the 
 church, that it might be an evidence againft fuch 
 as denied that faith which they had made a 
 folemn profefiion of; of this we have a remarkable 
 inftance under the Arian perlecution in Africa. 
 Elpidcphorus , a citizen of Carthage, had lived 
 many years in communion with the faithful, but 
 having joined himlelf to the Arians, became a 
 moll cruel perfecutor. Among others whom he 
 put to the rack, was one Militas, an aged vene¬ 
 rable deacon, who, previous to tlie torture. 
 
 S, GEORGIANS, and CIRCASSIANS. 
 
 pulled out the whitegarmentin which F.lpidopho- 
 rus had been baptized, and with tears in his eyes, 
 thus addreffed him before all the people : 
 
 c< Thefe, Elpidophorus, thou minifterof er- 
 c ‘ ror, are the garments that fliall accule thee, 
 cc when thou fiialt appear before the majefty of 
 tc the great judge ; thefe are they, which girc 
 ct thee, when thou earned: pure out of the holv 
 font : and thefe are they which lhall bitterly 
 <f purluethee, when thou fhalt be caft into the 
 <c place of flames j becaule thou hath cloathed 
 cc thyfelf 
 
 with cunning as with a garment, and 
 “ halt call oft the fiacred obligation of thy baD- 
 <c tifm.” 
 
 Sprinkling firft came into ule in confequencc 
 of fome people being converted on their , death 
 beds, which often happened ; for whatever the 
 heathens laid of the primitive Chriftians, yet their 
 faith and exemplary conduft put them to the 
 blufh, and they were glad to take part with 
 them in the hour of death. 
 
 So much for the origin of baptifm in the 
 Chriftian church, and we lhall, in the progrefij 
 ol this work, point out the ceremonies ufed in 
 different parts of the world. The only inference 
 we would here draw is, that men ought not to be 
 too forward in afferting the belief of what they 
 may confider to be true ; nor Jet them be too 
 hafty in condemning thofe who differ from them. 
 We are but fallible creatures, and many things 
 will be revealed to us in a future ftate which we 
 do not at prefent comprehend. 
 
 The Religion of A Armenians, Georgians, and 
 
 Circassians. 
 
 T HESE antient nations have been long 
 celebrated in hiftory both facred and 
 profane, although under a variety of 
 names. Sometimes they made a part of the 
 Perfian and Median empire; but when Rome 
 declined in her glory, they fet up princes of their 
 own, fome of whom have ftill defcendants among j 
 them. In general, they are at prefent, fubjeft to ; 
 the Turks, and it is, from thefe countries, that 
 the feraglio of the grand feignor is fupplied with 
 beautiful women. 
 
 Armenia is a very extenflve country, and gene¬ 
 rally divided into the greater and leffer, but tak¬ 
 ing both together, they are bounded in the fol¬ 
 lowing manner. It has Georgia on the north; ! 
 on the l'outh mount Taurus, which divides it 
 from Mefopotamia, on the weft the river Eu¬ 
 phrates, and on the eaft by the Cafpian moun¬ 
 tains. 
 
 Georgia has the Cafpian fea on the eaft, the 
 Euxine fea on the weft, on the north Circaftia, 
 and on the fouth part of Armenia. The river 
 Cur, or Cyrus, fo called from the emperor of 
 that name, runs through it, dividing it into two 
 equal parts. 
 
 CircaJJia , is parted from Georgia by an outlet 
 of the Black-lea, and mount Caucaflls ; on the 
 north by the great river Don, on the eaft by the 
 Cafpian fea, and the mouth of the river Wolga, 
 and on the weft by the ftreights of Coffa. It°is 
 divided into feveral principalities, and fometimes 
 they do homage to the l urks, but moll com¬ 
 monly to the Ruffians. 
 
 The inhabitants of thefe countries, like all 
 others except the Jews, were, at the time of our 
 Saviour’s incarnation, heathens; and we are told 
 by feveral antient authors, that they woribipped 
 Noah under the name of Janus, on account of 
 his having invented the ule of wine, and his wife 
 Aretia, whom they called Vefta, or the earth. 
 There is no doubt but both Noah and his fons 
 were worlhipped after their deaths when idolatry 
 began to prevail in the world; but as thefe nations 
 are fituated fo near Perfia and Aifyria, we may 
 naturally conclude, that there was but very little 
 difference between them. 
 
 The Chriftian religion w as taught here foon 
 after our Saviour’s afeenfion, and probably by 
 St. Peter or fome of his difciples ; for we find 
 in Eufcbius, that they had many fiourilhing 
 
 churches 
 
The RELIGION of the ARMENIANS, 
 
 churches before the reign of Conftantine the 
 great. Like the other parts of the Chriftian 
 world, they admitted ufelefs rites and ceremonies, 
 and embraced notions contrary to the fimplicity 
 of the facred fcripures. Their moft leading no¬ 
 tions are the following: 
 
 I. Like the Greeks, they aflert that the Holy 
 Ghoft proceeds from the father alone. 
 
 II. They believe, that when Chrift defcended 
 into hell, he granted a reprieve to all damned 
 fouls, which is to continue to the end of the world, 
 when they are to be fent again into eternal 
 flames. 
 
 III. They aflert, that the fouls of the righteous 
 fhall not be admitted into everlafting happinefs 
 till after the general refurredtion; and yet they 
 burn lamps before their images, adore them as 
 objects of worfhip, and pray for their afliflance. 
 
 IV. They confefs their fins to the priells, 
 much in the fame manner as in the Greek 
 church. 
 
 V. In baptifm, they plunge the child three 
 times in the water, and make the crofs on its 
 forehead with confecrated oil. 
 
 VI. They give the cup as well as the bread to 
 the laity, and they obferve a vaft number of 
 feftivals. 
 
 They have Monks, who follow the order of 
 St. Bafll, and they have feveral nunneries for re¬ 
 ligious women. The Monks wear the fame ha¬ 
 bit as the Greeks, and inftead of fpending their 
 time in idlenefs, fome of them drefs their gardens, 
 others perform Divine fervice, while the more 
 aged and infirm inftrudt the children in the vil¬ 
 lages. The Nuns have great privileges ; for 
 they are permitted to baptize, and to crofs the 
 child with the holy oil. They wear a loofe black 
 robe, and are always veiled when they appear in 
 places of public worfhip ; but they are not per¬ 
 mitted to vifit company, nor to converfe with 
 men befides their priefts, when they come to hear 
 their confeflions. 
 
 Throughout the whole of thefe extenfive coun¬ 
 tries, there is to be found an order of Monks 
 called Jacobites, from one Jacob, a Syrian, who 
 lived about the middle of the fixth century, but 
 they are divided into different fedls. Some of 
 them follow the rites of the Roman church, 
 others thofe of the Greek, and a third deny the 
 authority of both. They have generally two 
 rival patriarchs, and each pretend to be endued 
 with infallibility, fo that they are conftantly de¬ 
 puting and quarrelling. As to their belief, they 
 hold that there is but one nature in Jefus Chrift, 
 and with refpedl to purgatory and prayers for the 
 dead, they are of the fame opinion with the 
 Greeks, and the other caftern churches, which 
 may ferve to fhew that they were once one and 
 the fame people in their religious fentiments. 
 They do not admit that auricular confeflion is of 
 Divine inftitution, and they ufc leavened bread 
 in the eucharift. They perform part of their fer¬ 
 vice in the Chaldean language, but part of their 
 mafs is faid in Hebrew. They believe in tran- 
 lubftantiation, and they adminifter the eucharift 
 in both kinds, both to grown perfons and to chil¬ 
 dren. When they adminifter this ordinance, they 
 make a large cake, and when it is cut into fmall 
 pieces, they diftribute it to the people in com¬ 
 memoration of Chrift’s body and ioul having been 
 5 
 
 GEORGIANS, and CIRCASSIANS. 49 
 
 feparated by death on the crofs, to make an atone¬ 
 ment for fin. 
 
 They have written offices of devotion, for the 
 art of printing is yet unknown amongft them; 
 but with refpedl to the hiftory of their religion, 
 it is conveyed by the priefts to the people, in the 
 way of narrative, traditions, or legends. 
 
 Legends confifted originally of the lives of 
 Saints and Martyrs ; and it was the pradtice in the 
 fourth century, to read thefe in Chriftian churches. 
 As every church was dedicated to fome particular 
 Saint, fo the prieft availed himfelf of keeping a 
 lift, or record of their adtions, of which we fhall 
 mention the following inftances. 
 
 1 he golden legend, written about the year 
 1198, contains a colleftion of the moft ridiculous 
 ftories, laid to have been read in the eaftern 
 churches, after the time of Conftantine the Great; 
 but even the Roman Catholics are now fo much 
 afhamed of it, that it is feldom ufed but in the 
 moft obfeure country churches. 
 
 The vulgar at Mentz in Germany, have a 
 legend which they fincerely believe, namely, that 
 one day, a drunken profligate fellow fwore he 
 would kill the firft man he met, and a crucifix 
 being carried through the ftreets in procefllon, he 
 ftruck at it with his fword, which brought blood 
 from it. Immediately the fellow funk up to the 
 knees in earth, where he flood fixed till the ma- 
 giftrates apprehended him, and he being con¬ 
 demned on the evidence of the priefts, was burnt 
 alive at a flake. 
 
 At Landfberg, a confiderable town in Ba¬ 
 varia, there is a crucifix in the church of the 
 Francifcan Friars, placed over the altar, and the 
 perfon who fhews the church, tells travellers, that 
 a fellow once fpewed upon this figure, upon which 
 the devil made his appearance, and carried him 
 through the fouth wall of the chancel; and to 
 commemorate this remarkable event, there is a 
 round window made in the breach with an inferip- 
 tion over it. In the cathedral church of Milan, 
 they have a legend, that while St. Ambroie was 
 bifliop of that city, there was a bloody battle be¬ 
 tween the Orthodox and the Arians; and the good 
 bifliop prayed for a fign from heaven, whereby he 
 might diftinguifh their bodies. That fign was 
 granted him, for as the legend fays, he went 
 among the flain, and all the Orthodox lay with 
 their faces upwards, and the Arians with their 
 faces downwards. 
 
 At Aken in Germany, there is a legend of a 
 very extraordinary nature, tranfmitted down from 
 one generation to another. Travellers are fhewn a 
 large pair of brafs gates, one of which has a crack, 
 occafioned by the following circumftance. When 
 Charles the Great, commonly called Charlemagne, 
 had given orders for the building of this church, 
 the devil came one day and afked him what he 
 intended it for ? To which the emperor anfwered, 
 for a gaining houfe ; and the devil went away, 
 ieemingly well fatisfied. A few days afterwards, 
 the devil came again, and feeing fome altars 
 eredled, afked what they were for ? The emperor 
 anfwered, for gaming tables, which encouraged 
 the devil to lend his afliflance towards the budd¬ 
 ing.^ Accordingly he brought a large pair of 
 brafs gates on his fhoulders ; but happening to 
 fee a crucifix, he flung them down and took to 
 his heels, and one of the gates received the 
 N crack 
 
50 The RELIGION of the ARMENIANS, 
 
 crack which is ftill ffiewn. This ftory is related 
 by the priefts, in as ferious a manner as if it was 
 part of the facred hiftory. 
 
 In Calabria is a city named St. Agatha, where 
 the priefts belonging to the church fhew a piece 
 of a pillar, kept in a glafs frame, which they tell 
 you fhined when Paul preached in that place. 
 
 The Jefuits wanted to remove this relique to 
 their college ; but although only a few pounds in 
 weight, yet twenty men were not able to move 
 it, tho’ one man carried it into the place 
 where it now ftands. 
 
 Another legend, equally extraordinary and ri¬ 
 diculous, is the following, related by the people 
 of Malta, and firmly believed by them. Three 
 young gentlemen, knights of Malta, having been 
 taken prifoners by the Turks, were brought be¬ 
 fore the grand feignior, who ordered one of his 
 priefts to convert them to the Mahometan 
 religion, but they continued ftedfaft in their 
 opinions. Being brought into the feraglio, the 
 grand feignior’s daughter fell in love with them, 
 and told her father, that if he would permit her, 
 ffie would convert them. Accordingly, Ihe was 
 admitted to them ; but they told her they had 
 taken an oath never to marry, promifing, at the 
 lame time, to fhew her an exact reprefentation of 
 the Virgin Mary. This they attempted to do on 
 a piece of carved wood, but not being properly 
 fkilled in the art, they prayed for affiftance from 
 heaven, which was immediately granted; for the 
 image of the Virgin appeared, and the young 
 rincefs having made her efcape along with the 
 nights, arrived at Malta, and entered herlelf in 
 a nunnery. 
 
 In Armenia, Georgia, and Circafiia, there are 
 many fuch ridiculous legends, and indeed almoft 
 every church has a feigned hiftory of the faint to 
 whom it is dedicated. This will notfeem ftrange, 
 when we confider how ignorant the people are of 
 the firft principles of religion ; nay, they are 
 now little better than barbarians; fentiments they 
 have few, and their ceremonies are ridiculous. 
 
 In their marriages, they ule the ring, which fieems 
 to have been the practice of the moft early ages, 
 it being an emblem of eternity. 
 
 The prieft performs the marriage ceremony in 
 the church, and he anoints both the bride and 
 the bridegroom, by pouring conlecrated oil on 
 their heads, and marking the fign of the crofs on 
 their breafts. The relations of both parties come 
 drefied in white, and the young women accom¬ 
 pany the bride with natural, or artificial garlands, 
 according to the feafon of the year ; and when 
 the ceremony is over, they place them under their 
 feet at the church door. On their return home, 
 fongs of love are fung before the new married 
 couple, and the evening is fpent in every fort of 
 feftivity. During thefe feafts, they ftill retain 
 fome Pagan cuftoms, fuch as offering plates with 
 corn and wine to the bridegroom, thereby point¬ 
 ing out, that the duty of man confifts in all 
 temporal things to cultivate the fruits of the 
 earth, and the women to prepare them for proper 
 ufe. That this was a practice obferved by the 
 heathens, will appear in the fubfequent part of 
 this work ; but ftill we have fome inftances of it 
 among the Jews, where we are told # by the pro¬ 
 phet, that corn fhall make the young men chear- 
 
 GEORGIANS, and CIRCASSIANS, 
 
 ful, and new wine the virgins. This may ferve 
 to lhew, that there is, and always has been a fort 
 of affinity in religious fentiments, among all an- 
 tient nations, although they were not always 
 placed upon the proper object, nor direXed to 
 the proper end. 
 
 They have many ridiculous ceremonies in bu¬ 
 rying of their dead, but when we compare fome 
 of them with what we find in our own country, 
 perhaps we are as ridiculous as they. They hire 
 people of both fexes to attend funerals, all of 
 whom are drefied in white, and without any con¬ 
 nexion with the deccafed, they utter grievous 
 lamentations, becaufe he has been removed by 
 death. And is it not equally ridiculous in we 
 Proteftants to hire men to appear in black, at the 
 funerals of our deceafed relations. When the 
 body is put into the ground, holy water is poured, 
 or rather Iprinkled upon it, and the prieft tolls a 
 fmall hand bell, conjuring all evil fpirits to keep 
 away from the corpfe. The relations cover the 
 grave with balkets of flowers, intimating thereby, 
 that as vegetation will create the beauties of the 
 earth at the return of the feafon, fo God will 
 raile the dead body when Chrift makes his lecond 
 and glorious appearance to judge the world in 
 righteoulhefs. They vifit the burying grounds 
 from time to time, where they repeat leveral 
 prayers for the repofe of the fouls of the de¬ 
 parted ; for it is their fixed opinion, that they, 
 although removed by death, yet are well ac¬ 
 quainted with the affairs of this world. This is 
 not a new fentiment, nor is it eafy for mortals to 
 forget thole who have been dear to them in this 
 world, and the memory of whom they cannot 
 forget. 
 
 Great regard, and the moft reverential refpeX 
 are paid to the bones and allies of the deccafed ; 
 for when graves are opened, they make inclofures, 
 and pile up the remains, that no indecencies 
 may be offered to them. Once in the year, they 
 fprinkle the bones with holy water, and pray to 
 their titular faints to haften the time of their 
 reftoration to a blcfled immortality. Perhaps 
 there is fomething more expreffive in this part of 
 their conduX than many are apt to attend to, for 
 if we will ferioufly confider the natural tempta¬ 
 tions and dilpofitions of men, we will find that a 
 principle is implanted in every human mind, by 
 which we are led to pay fome refpeX to the dead ; 
 and, indeed, it may be added, that thole who 
 treat the remains of the dead with any marks of 
 indignity, will never lhew compaffion, nor exer- 
 cil'e aXs of benevolence to the living. 
 
 In confidering the religions of thofe people 
 we have now been treating of, compared with 
 what went before, namely, the Abyffinians or 
 Ethiopians, feveral things prefent themfelves to 
 our confideration, which ought to be attended 
 to with care, and properly improved by all thofe 
 who live under the gofpel difpenfation, who pro 
 fefs their belief injelus, but who perhaps, at the 
 fame time, fet too low a value upon their privi¬ 
 leges. 
 
 And firft, let us learn, that ignorance leads the 
 mind aftray from the purity of religion, and then 
 the moft monftrous aXs of barbarity will take 
 place, in confequence of embracing erroneous 
 fentiments. Erroneous principles will at all 
 
 times 
 
The PAGAN RELIGIONS in the 
 
 times lead to immoral practices, and thofe who 
 deviate from the ways of virtue, feldom know 
 when or where to flop. 
 
 Secondly, it is dangerous to mix human paf- 
 fions with divine inftitutions, for God is not fuch 
 as ourfelves; his nature and his attributes are 
 perfect, but we are poor, weak, imperfedt crea¬ 
 tures. In all our adtions, we fhould confider our 
 dependence on the Divine Being, and unlels we 
 look daily for the influences of his holy fpirit, 
 we may naturally conclude, that he will leave us 
 
 Empire of the GREAT MOGUL. 51 
 
 to our own vain imaginations, and then we are 
 ruined. 
 
 Laftly, let us always remember what we are, 
 left we fliould fink into the fame wretched ftate 
 as thofe people whom we have juft now men¬ 
 tioned ; and inftead of adhering to the pure doc¬ 
 trines of the gofpel, we may degenerate down to 
 a ftate of barbarifm, and entail mifery and in¬ 
 famy upon our children, our relations and our 
 dependents. 
 
 The History of the different Pagan Religions in the 
 Empire of the Great Mogul. 
 
 I N treating of this fubjedt, much matter 
 prefents itfelf to our confideration ; but we 
 lhall divide the whole into the following 
 heads, under which we lhall confider every thing 
 neceffary to be known, for the inftrudtion and 
 entertainment of the reader. Firft, the extent 
 and fituation of the Mogul’s empire. Secondly, 
 an account fhall be given of the Bramins, their 
 gods, their fentiments, and worlhip. Thirdly, 
 the Banians, and all the other tribes inhabiting 
 that country,excepting the Mahometans, &c. who 
 will be treated of in their proper places. 
 
 Tamerlane, a very extraordinary perfon, who 
 rofe from an obfeure original, availing himfelf 
 of the confufion and anarchy which reigned in his 
 own country, the eaftern part of great Tartary, 
 put himfelf at the head of an army of chofen 
 men; and having quelled the difturbances that 
 had long infefted the ftate, the emperor of great 
 Tartary gave him his daughter in marriage, and 
 from that connedtion the prefent race of Mogul 
 emperors are defeended, and with whom many 
 European nations have great commercial connec¬ 
 tions. 
 
 The people of the eaftern parts of Tartary 
 were called Moguls, and Tamerlane being 
 their countryman, marched at the head of a 
 powerful and well difeiplined army into India, 
 where, having lubdued feveral of their antient 
 princes, he laid the foundation of that empire 
 about the year 1400. In one of his expeditions 
 againft the Turks, he took prifoner the famous 
 Bajazet, Sultan of the Ottomans, whom he 
 treated at firft with great humanity, but Bajazet 
 was fo infolent, that Tamerlane fhut him up in an 
 iron cage, where he dafhed out his own brains. 
 
 Tamerlane lived many years in great fplendor, 
 but his fucceftors having given themfelves up to 
 all forts of licentioufnefs, the empire was reduced 
 to the loweft ebb,when a great hero arofe to reftore 
 it to its antient fplendour. The name of this 
 illuftrious perfon was Aurenzch. He was born 
 a little before the middle of the laft century, and 
 finding that it was his father’s intention to difin- 
 herit him, he fhut the old emperor up in prifon. 
 
 where he was treated with tendernefs, but his 
 fon got himfelf proclaimed in his room. 
 
 He reftored peace to the empire; and although 
 he embraced the religion of Mahomet, yet fuch 
 was his generofity of fentiment, that he granted 
 a free toleration to all the heathens who inhabited 
 his dominions, and moft of their rites remain to 
 the prefent time. 
 
 The extent of the Mogul empire is great in¬ 
 deed ; it contains all thofe provinces within the 
 Ganges, befides many more beyond the bounds 
 of that once celebrated country. Some parts of 
 his dominions reach as far as the borders of Chi¬ 
 na, and other parts, to the Englifh fettlements 
 at Madrafs. It is generally allowed, that the 
 dominions of the great Mogul, are the richeft 
 in the univerle, but thofe riches confift chiefly of 
 diamonds, and fuch other things as have been al¬ 
 ways confidered, by wife men, as articles of lux¬ 
 ury, rather than utility; the ufe of them, by Eu¬ 
 ropeans, has tended much towards the corruption 
 of our morals; and the enhancing the prices of 
 provifions by the exhorbitant value fet upon 
 landed eftates. How far this madnefs may extend 
 itfelf, God only knows, fo that we lhall not at pre¬ 
 fent Jay any thing more concerning it, but pro¬ 
 ceed in the lecond place, to take notice of thofe 
 gods or idols which are worshipped by the people. 
 
 In treating of the gods, or idols of the Indian 
 nations, we lhall confine ourfelves to the belt ac¬ 
 counts that have been tranfmitted to us, by thofe 
 who have vifited the different places, and written 
 what came under their own obfervation, and here 
 the author is very happy in acknowledging him¬ 
 felf indebted for fome part of his materials to a 
 learned German, who refided many years in 
 India. 
 
 All thofe heathen Indians, when divided into 
 tribes, have each a feparate God, but they form 
 fuch notions of his attributes and perfedtions, 
 as, in fome cafes, are not worthy of the meaneft 
 of the animal creation. They have books of 
 confiderable antiquity, containing rules of faith 
 and duty, but they contradidt themfelves fo often, 
 that it appears evident, they \Vere written at 
 
 different 
 
52 The PAGAN RELIGIONS in the 
 
 different times, and by different perlons. Some 
 of them worfhip boiled rice, becaule it is the 
 food they moftly fubfift on; but to underftand 
 their, notions right, we muft give an hiftorical 
 account of their origin, and from that it will ap¬ 
 pear, that they have all along had fome notion of 
 a trinity in the godhead, which probably was 
 conveyed down to them by oral tradition al¬ 
 though now much obfcured by fable. 
 
 Their writers fay, that in the beginning God 
 created a woman, whofe name was <c Paraxatfti,” 
 which fignified fublime power, and this woman 
 had three fons, the firft of whom was born with 
 five heads, and was called “ Bruma,” which 
 fignifies knowledge, and he was endued with 
 the power of creating all inferior beings. The 
 name of the fecond was cc Vixnu,” and he was to 
 be the lord of providence by prefervingall things 
 as they came from the hands of “ Bruma.” The 
 third fon was named c< Rutrem,” and he had 
 power given him to deftroy all things which his 
 other two brothers had made and preierved. 
 
 This “ Rutrem,” like his brother “ Bruma,” 
 had five heads, and the three brothers agreed to 
 marry their mother. It is related of Bruma, that 
 defirousof taking his own daughter to wife, he af- 
 fumed the form of a flag, and purfued his daugh¬ 
 ter till- he got into a foreft, where he lay with her; 
 but his brothers, in an affemby of thirty thou- 
 fand millions of gods, having heard what he had 
 done, refolved to punifh him by cutting off one 
 of his heads. This punifhment was inflifted by 
 Rutrem, who, having found Bruma, tore off one 
 of his heads with his nails, and fincethat time he 
 has had only four heads. 
 
 But Bruma, not being fatisfied with having 
 married, or rather ravifhed his own daughter, 
 took Saraffuadi, another woman to wife, who 
 was reputed to be extremely learned, and Ihe is 
 ftill held in great veneration among the Indians. 
 According to the notions of thole Indian hea¬ 
 thens, the god Bruma, writes upon the forehead 
 of every new born child, an account of all that 
 fhal 1 happen to him in this world, and that it is 
 not i \ the power of God or man to prevent thefe 
 things from taking place. Thus we find that the 
 doftrine of fatality has taken place in the moft 
 early ages, and even in the moft barbarous na¬ 
 tions, but this fubjedt muft be confidered after¬ 
 wards. 
 
 Again it is related by the Indians of Vixnu, 
 the fecond fon of Paraxa&i, and alfo one of 
 her hufbands, that he married Laximi, who for 
 many years after, was worfhipped under the form 
 of a cow, and fometimes a horfe. The Indian 
 women wear the name of Laximi in a ribbon, 
 tied round their necks or arms, and it is con¬ 
 fidered as a charm for the cure of all forts of dif- 
 eafes, and likewife topreferve them from all forts 
 of accidents. It is faid of this Vixnu, that he 
 metamorphofed himfelf feveral times, which 
 probably gave rife to the notion of the tranlmi- 
 2; rat ion of fouls, fo commonly taught, both in 
 China and many parts of the Mogul empire. It 
 is added, that he firft affumed the form and na¬ 
 ture of a fifh, and although no reafon was affigned 
 for this tranfmigration, yet it appears evident, 
 that the whole repreients the power he is believed 
 to have over the wafers. The fecond form he 
 affumed, was that of a tortoife, and, indeed, 
 
 Empire of the GREAT MOGUL. 
 
 for a very whimfical reafon. The Indians believe 
 that there are feven leas in the world, one of 
 which is of milk, of fo delicious a nature, that 
 the gods eat butter made of it. Accordingly it 
 happened one day, that when the gods wanted to 
 feaft on the butter according to cultom, they 
 brought to the fhore of the fea of milk, a high 
 mountain of gold, which the heathens believe 
 fupports the fourteen worlds, whereof this uni¬ 
 verse is compofedi The uppermoft part of this 
 mountain lerved them for a refting place, over 
 which they brought an adder of a monftrous fize, 
 having an hundred heads, which at all times flip- 
 port the fourteen worlds. The gods made ufe of 
 this adder as a rope, in order to get at the butter 
 the more ealily, but while they were attempting 
 to procure the butter, the giants, who have a con¬ 
 tinual hatred againft the gods, drew the adder 
 on the other fide with fo much violence, that it 
 fhook the whole frame of the univerfe, and funk it 
 fo low, that Vixnu, affuming the form of a tortoife, 
 placed himfelf under it, and fupported it. In 
 the mean time, the hundred headed adder, un¬ 
 able any longer to endure the pain the gods and 
 giants had put him to, vomitted upon the giants 
 iomething of a poifonous nature, which killed 
 many of them on the fpot. 
 
 The next form affumed by Vixnu, was that of 
 a beautiful woman, and fuch of the giants as re¬ 
 mained alive, fell defperately in love with her. 
 By this artifice, he amufed the giants till the gods 
 had eat all the butter, and then he vanifhed away 
 in a moment and left them. 
 
 In his third incarnation, he changed himfelf 
 into the form of a hog, in confequence of the 
 following incident. One day a conteft arofe be¬ 
 tween the three gods, Bruma, Vixnu, and Ru¬ 
 trem, concerning the extent of their power. 
 Rutrem undertook to go and hide himfelf, and, at 
 the fame time, promiled to fubmit himfelf to him 
 who ftiould firft difeover his head and feet. But if 
 they could not find his head and feet, then the 
 others were to acknowledge him as the fupreine 
 God. Bruma and Vixnu having given their con- 
 fent, Rutrem immediately vanilhed, and hid his 
 head and feet in places at a great diftance from 
 each other, where he imagined they could not be 
 found. In the mean time, Bruma let out in learch 
 of thehead,and that hemight the more eafily luc- 
 ceed, he transformed himfelf into the lhape of a 
 lwan ; but finding that he could not fee any ap¬ 
 pearance of it, he refolved to return home. 
 But juft as he was going to give over his learch, 
 he met with the thiftle-fiower, which came and 
 faluted him in a very courteous manner, and Ihe wed 
 him the place where Rutrem had hid his head. 
 Immediately Bruma ran to the place, where he 
 found his brother’s head, who was vexed to 
 think tffit what he imagined to be impoffible, 
 had been difeovered. Rutrem, exafperated again It 
 the flower, pronounced a curie upon it, forbid¬ 
 ding it ever to come into his prefence ; and this 
 is the reafon why his followers will not permit 
 thiftles to be brought into their temples in any 
 parts of the Eaft-Indies. 
 
 The next thing to be done was to find out his 
 feet, for which purpofe Vixnu transformed him¬ 
 felf into a hog, and ran up and down from place 
 to place, digging into the bowels ol the earth, 
 but all to no purpofe ; for he came out of the 
 
 earth 
 

 ^ V7/ IXORA ,, //,. EAST INDIES. 
 
 '//r.i P'f-'y 
 
 • //><■■ y,/„/ BbA t MA, ^BRAMA, tmeMfT' U/ M „ 
 
 
 •//« #<■„//„■„ &<„/ QUENEVADI, M r/wo, ca/A-J./rn 
 
The PAGAN RELIGIONS in the Empire of the GREAT MOGUL 
 
 earth like a hog as he went in. He is, however, 
 ftill worfhipped under the form of a hog, and 
 divine honours are paid to hi’m, as to a celeftial 
 being. 
 
 The next forms that Vixnu affumed, were thofe 
 of a man and a lion at the fame time, the circum- 
 ftances of which we fhall relate as they have been 
 tranfmitted to us. Rutrcm conceived a ftrong 
 friendlhip for one Iranien, a mighty giant, and 
 granted him the fingular privilege that no one 
 fhould kill him either by day or by night : but 
 this extraordinary grant, inftead of having melted 
 the giant into gratitude, had a quite different 
 efte< 5 t, for it made him proud, haughty and info- 
 lent, and lie even infilled upon being worfhipped 
 as a god. To punifh the giant, Vixnu had re- 
 courfe to a ftratagem, he rufhed out in the form 
 of a cloud, and appeared fuddenly before the giant 
 in thefhape of a monfter, half man and half lion. 
 This was towards evening, when Iranien was 
 Handing at the threfhold of his door. Vix¬ 
 nu, throwing himfelf upon him, tore him to 
 pieces, pulled out his bowels, and drank the laft 
 drop of his blood ■, but this had fuch an effedt 
 upon Vixnu’s brain, that he has remained ftupid 
 ever fince. 
 
 His fifth transformation was into a dwarf, of 
 which the following account is given. During 
 an early period, Magapelixacravanti, an enor¬ 
 mous giant, was the only king upon earth, and a 
 moll blood-thirfty tyrant. The people addreffed 
 themfelves to Vixnu, to deliver them from his 
 tyranny, and he had companion upon their afflic¬ 
 tions, and refolvcd to deftroy the deteftable ty¬ 
 rant. Accordingly, he transformed himfelf into 
 the ill ape of a dwarf, and went to the city where 
 the tyrant kept his court, begging of him a grant 
 of three feet of ground to build himfelf a houfe. 
 1 he tyrant was going to have granted a requefl 
 of fo trifling a nature, when the morning ftar, 
 which attended him under the character of fecre- 
 tary of Hate, fufpedted there was l'ome treafon in 
 the cafe. It was common when requells were 
 granted, for the king to take water in his mouth, 
 and pour fome of it into the hand of the fup- 
 plicant, and therefore the fecretary, by the af- 
 fiftance of magic, flipped imperceptably down 
 the prince’s throat, in order to keep the water he 
 had in his mouth from coming up again. 
 
 1 he magic, however, had not the defired ef¬ 
 fect ; for the king, finding fomething in his 
 throat, forced a fharp inftrument into it, which 
 put out one of the fecretary’s eyes, and the water 
 guflied out upon the head of Vixnu. Vixnu, 
 willing to take poffeflion of the place granted 
 him, changed his form, and became fo large 
 that the whole earth was not fufficient to afford 
 room for his feet. He then faid to the king, you 
 have given me three feet of earth, and yet the 
 whole world can fcarcely contain one of my feet, 
 where am I to plac£ the other ? The tyrant be¬ 
 ing fenfible of his guilt, laid his head down before 
 Vixnu, who, with one ftroke, kicked it into the 
 loweft abyfsof hell. This wretched tyrant,finding 
 himfelf condemned to hell, begged pardon and 
 mercy of Vixnu ; but all the favour that could be 
 Ihewn him was, that one day’s refpite fhould be 
 granted him annually, in order to aflift at fome 
 particular ceremonies, to be obferved in comme¬ 
 moration of that event, and which is ftill kept up 
 
 by his followers, during the month of Novem¬ 
 ber ; but excepting that day, once in the year, 
 the tyrant was to be punifhed in hell for ever. 
 
 His fixth form was that of a man, and he was 
 Called Rameni by the people of the eaft, for the 
 following reafons : HeTubdued a great number 
 of petty tyrants, and waftied his hands in their 
 blood, nor did he defift from fighting againlt 
 them until they were totally deftroyed. In the 
 lame form he delfroyed many dreadful giants, 
 fome of whom had carried off his wife, and he 
 had recourfe to a moll extraordinary ftratagem, 
 to difcover the place where fhe was concealed. 
 Lie ordered all the apes in the country to attend 
 him, and thefe animals were fo much overjoyed to 
 meet with luch an opportunity ofdoing fervice to 
 V ixnu, that they affembled in a numerous body, 
 and joined him with their reinforcements. 
 Through the power of Vixnu, and the dexterity 
 of the apes, the giants were overcome, fubdued, 
 and deftroyed ; and Rameni, or Vixnu, regained 
 his wife. 
 
 The laft form he affumed, was that of a black 
 man, of which the following account is mvem 
 There was a great tyrant, named Campfen^ a vi¬ 
 cious prince, and a violent perfecutor of all thofe 
 who profeffed religion, and he had aLifter named 
 Exudi. It happened, that the foothfayers, having 
 confulted the liars, told the king that Exudi 
 would have eight children, and that he, the ty¬ 
 rant, would be killed by the youngeft. This en¬ 
 raged him fo much, that he deftroyed leven of 
 the children the moment they were*born, which 
 barbarous treatment threw the princefs into the 
 moft violent agonies ; but notwithftanding her 
 afiiidlion, fhe became pregnant of the eighth 
 child, who was no lefs a perfon than the god 
 Vixnu, who had artfully conveyed himfelf into 
 her womb. This circumftance fhe was ignorant 
 of, and not doubting but this child would be 
 murdered in the fame manner as the others, fhe 
 begged of her hufband, that as loon as Ihe was 
 delivered, he would carry the child into fome 
 defert place, there to be preferved from the fury 
 Oi the king. But the king had lo many fpies, 
 that he placed them every where, in order to mur¬ 
 der the young prince. In this, however, he was 
 disappointed ; for the father efcaped with the 
 child, and committed him to the care of fhep- 
 herds, whom lie enjoined to inftruft him in every 
 tiling neceftary, and to conceal the knowledge 
 thereof from the king. & 
 
 Thefe poor fliepherds performed their duty 
 with fecrecy and care ; but at laft the king found 
 out where the child was concealed, and went and 
 laid hold on him, in order to murder him with 
 his own hands. At that inftant the child vanifhed, 
 and in his room appeared a little girl, whom the 
 tyrant attempted to kill, but all his efforts proved 
 in vain. It is impofflble to exprefs the rage of 
 the tyrant, which was confiderably increafed, by 
 the girl difappearmg, laughing at his menaces, 
 and triumphing over his folly. Vixnu had fo 
 much knowledge, that, in order to prevent the 
 tyrant from finding out the place of his conceal¬ 
 ment, firft fucked out all the milk from his 
 nurfe’s breafts, and'then fucked her blood, fo that 
 flie died. Fie afterwards affumed the form of a 
 lhepherd, and one day, having ftolen a large 
 quantity of butter, he was detedled and tied to’ a 
 O tree. 
 
 *¥ 
 
54 The PAGAN RELIGIONS in 
 
 tree, where he was feverely whipped ; but grow¬ 
 ing up to a ftate of maturity, he raifed an army 
 and defeated the tyrant Campfen, whom he llew 
 with his own hands. He afterwards married two 
 wives, but neither of thel'e pleafmg him, he 
 efpoufed fixteen thoufand Ihepherdeffes as con¬ 
 cubines : but left he fhould have been lcourged 
 by them in the fame manner as was done by their 
 fathers and relations while he lived amongft 
 them, he multiplied himfclf in fuch a manner, 
 that he lay with them all atone and the fame time, 
 making each of them believe that he was a fingle 
 perfon, and thus he fecured the love of the 
 whole. 
 
 One day while he was handing by the fide of 
 a pond, he law a great number of beautiful 
 women bathing themfelves, and on a fudden 
 took up all their cloaths and carried them to the 
 top of a tree which hood very near the pond ; fo 
 that the women began to confider themfelves as 
 under the neceffity of expofing their nakednefs, 
 and walking home in the fame attitudes they came 
 out of the water, to the fcandal of their fex, and 
 as a chaftifement for their imprudence. 
 
 Finding themfelves in fuch a ftate of per¬ 
 plexity, and not knowing what to do, they per¬ 
 ceived large leaves growing in the water, which 
 they plucked, and having bound them round 
 thofe parts which fhould be concealed, they all 
 approached the tree v'here Vixnu was, begging 
 he would reftore their cloaths. This he refufed 
 to comply with, unlefs they would lay both their 
 hands on his head ; and when they had done fo, 
 the leaves fell off, and they appeared ftark naked, 
 which was juft what he wanted, and the only 
 motive for carrying off their cloaths. Bad as this 
 god was, he reftored the cloaths, and the women 
 went home in triumph ; but ftill the people be¬ 
 lieve he will yet afliime another form. They 
 imagine he is to come in the lhape of a horle, 
 but till fuch time as that metamorphofis fhall 
 take place, he is to wallow in a fea of milk, laying 
 his head in the moft delicious manner on a beau¬ 
 tiful lnake, which at the fame time is to ferve him 
 both as a pillow and a bed. There are many other 
 ridiculous ftories told concerning Vixnu, which 
 are not neceflary to be repeated; but from the 
 whole hiftory of his tranfaftions we may learn, 
 that carnal notions of religion lead to carnal no¬ 
 tions of God, and that thofe who can alcribe the 
 worft of pallions to thofe objeas whom they wor- 
 lhip with a religious veneration, are even beneath 
 the dignitv of thofe who profefs no more than na¬ 
 tural knowledge. 
 
 An Account of the Indian God Rutrem. 
 
 Rutrem, the third fon of Paraxaai, is much 
 reipeaed by the people of that country, and yet 
 from the accounts of him that have been tranl- 
 mitted to us, he muft have been rather an obje<ft 
 of deteftation than of worlhip. He married 
 Parvardi, daughter of a king of the mountains, 
 with whom he lived one thoufand years ; but his 
 two brothers, Bruma and Vixnu, having difap- 
 proved of the match, gathered together the 
 thirty thoufand millions of gods, and went in 
 learch of him. Accordingly he was found, and 
 being dragged away from his wife, wandered up 
 and down the world, fpending his time in all 
 
 the Empire of the GREAT MOGUL. 
 
 forts of lewdnefs. One day as he was walking 
 along, the earth gave hint a fon with feven heads; 
 but as there was no nurfe to be procured, the 
 feven ftars undertook the office, and the monfter 
 was called Camaraffuammi, which fignifies “ the 
 “ fon of the Lord.” Parvardi, difconlolate for 
 the lofs of Rutrem, went every where in fearch 
 of him ; and one day while fhe was bathing, file 
 begged the gods would give her a fon ; which 
 requeft was complied with, fora child dropped 
 out of the fweat of her forehead, whom fhe named 
 Vinayaguien, the meaning of which was, “ he 
 “ had no God.” In the mean time Rutrem re¬ 
 turned to his houfe, and finding the child, whom 
 he knew not to be his own, became exceflively 
 enraged ; but when he was told of the miraculous 
 manner in which he was born, his hatred was 
 turned into love, and he refolved to treat him as 
 if he had been his own fon, or rather to make 
 him a god. 
 
 The king of the mountains made a folemn fcaft 
 and facrifice, to which the gods were invited; 
 but Rutrem, Iris fon-in-law was not, which ag¬ 
 gravated him io much, that he went to the 
 place where his father-in-law was regaling his 
 guefts, and laying hold of one of the gods, he 
 tore off from his head a handful of hair, 
 which he threw upon the ground, and imme¬ 
 diately a giant of an enormous fize ftarted up. 
 The moment the monfter appeared, he reached 
 up his hand to the firmament, and ftruck the fun 
 with fuch violence, that he knocked out all his 
 teeth ; for which reafon the Indians offer nothing 
 to the fun but what can be eaten without teeth, 
 fuch as butter, milk, ripe fruits, pap, &c. But 
 not fatisfied with knocking out the teeth of the 
 fun,he likewife bruifed the moon in fuch a manner, 
 that the marks are vifible at prelent. He then 
 killed feveral of the guefts, among whom was 
 young Vinayaguien, whole head was cut oft and 
 thrown to the dogs. Rutrem afflifted to find that 
 the giant was one of his own natural children, 
 and finding that it was not in his power to replace 
 the head of Vinayaguien, he cut off the head of 
 an elephant, and fixed it fo artfully onthefhoul- 
 ders of Vinayaguien that the life was reftored, 
 and Rutrem immediately ordered his fon to go 
 and rove up and down through the world in fearch 
 of a wife, upon this condition however, that he 
 Ihould not marry till he could find one equal 
 in beauty to his beloved mother Parvardi. 
 
 For this reafon, the Eaft-Indian pagans always 
 reprelent Vinayaguien with an elephant’s head; 
 and they tell us, that he has never yet found a 
 woman in beauty equal to his mother. Sometime 
 after this, Rutrem, by the command of the gods, 
 fct out in fearch of his brother Bruma, who had 
 transformed himfclf into the ihape of a ftag, and 
 cohabited with his own daughter in the forefts in 
 a moft lcandalous manner; and, at laft meeting 
 with him, he cut off one of his heads, which had 
 fuch an effect upon him, that for fome time he 
 became diftrafted. In the midft of his affliaions, 
 and in order to afford him fome conlolation, 
 Rutrem married the river Ganges, which was re- 
 prelented under the form of a beautiful woman ; 
 but he had no children by her, becaule he had 
 been caftrated. 
 
 At that time there was a giant named Paime- 
 juran, who, for leveral years, had undergone 
 
 a fevere 
 
The PAGAN RELIGIONS in tl 
 
 a fevere penance, for having offended Rutrem ; 
 but becoming fenfible of his folly, defired to be 
 abfolved. This favour was granted him, with 
 the privilege of reducing every thing to allies 
 upon which he laid his hands ; a circumftance 
 which gave Rutrem great uneafinefs ; but his 
 brother Vixnu came at that moment to his affift- 
 ance. Vixnu afTumed the fhape of a moll beau¬ 
 tiful woman, and the giant fell defperately in love 
 with her, and forgot all thoughts of Rutrem, 
 who was enjoying himfelf in a peaceful manner. 
 
 The amorous giant, not apprized of the fnare 
 that had been laid for him, Went to bathe himfelf 
 in the Ganges; but no fooner had he raifed his 
 hands to his Head, than he was reduced to alhes. 
 Vixnu, who had performed this exploit, quitted 
 the fhape of a woman and afTumed his ufual form; 
 but at the fame time told his brother what he 
 had done towards his prelervation. At that in- 
 flam Rutrem came out of a nut-fhell, where he 
 had concealed himfelf, and told his brother he 
 would be more circuml'peft for the future. He 
 begged his brother would appear to him under 
 the fame form as he had done to the giant; but 
 this part of his requeil was denied, becaufe Vixnu 
 was no flranger to his amorous difpofition. This, 
 however, did not fatisfy Rutrem ; for his brother 
 was obliged to appear before him in the form of 
 a beautiful woman. At the fight of l'o lovely an 
 objeft, he forgot all his fortitude, and feemed 
 to be entirely abforbed in love. Juft at that in- 
 ftant a child appeared in the arms of Vixnu, which 
 was to be confidered as the fon of Rutrem. 
 This may ferve to fhew what are the leading prin¬ 
 ciples among the heathen nations in the Eaft- 
 Indies ; and now we fhall go on to deferibe their 
 pradtices in a more particular manner. 
 
 Thefe idolators are divided into many different 
 tribes or calls, and 1'ome of them differ confider- 
 ably in their religious worfhip, but all their priefts 
 are called Bramins. They are divided into two 
 forts, firft, fuch as attend their temples, to offer 
 up facrifices ; and fecondly, thofe who live fingle, 
 and. affeft great aufterity. All the children 0 of 
 thefe Indians are confidered as unclean ten days 
 after the birth. On the eleventh day, they cleanl'e 
 all the veffels in the houfe. On the twelfth day, 
 they light the facred fire Homam, and repeat 
 certain prayers after which they give the child its 
 name. 
 
 In their marriages they are very fuperftitious, 
 and pay much regard to omens. The confent of 
 the parents being obtained, and a fortunate day 
 appointed, the parties meet, with the relations, 
 when the bridegroom throws three handfulls of 
 rice on the head of the bride, and file does tire 
 fame to him. Then ' they are waflied, and the 
 Bramin pronounces a blefiing on them. Part of 
 the ceremony is performed by the father'sputting 
 water in the bride’s hand, with a piece of money° 
 telling her, fire is now become the property of 
 another, and he has no more power over her. 
 The bridegroom hangs a ribbon to the bride's 
 neck with a piece of money at the end of it, dur¬ 
 ing which ceremony the Bramin prays ; and in 
 the evening the parties are, by torch'light, ear¬ 
 ned home in a iedan by four men, when the 
 whole is concluded by mute and feafting. 
 
 When a perfon is taken ill, a Bramin comes 
 and prays with him. They believe that two fpi- ! 
 
 Empire of the GREAT MOGUL. $$ 
 
 rits, one good and the other bad, attend at the 
 hour of death ; and if the perfon has been good, 
 he is carried away in a flying chariot, but if he 
 has been wicked, the evil fpirit carries him away 
 to be judged according to his works. He is then 
 fent back to rove about the earth ten days, in the 
 fhape of a magpye; and for this reafon thefe 
 people always after the death of their relations, 
 feed a magpye ten days, imagining that a human 
 ioul may be in it. 
 
 The inftant a man dies, his beard is fhaved, 
 his whole body is wafhed clean, lime is put into 
 his mouth, and the women rub his face over with 
 rice. Ellyn a Bramin preaches a lermon to the 
 relations, and alks the widow of the deceafed, 
 whether flic is willing to be burnt along with her 
 hufband. If The refufes to be burnt, then flie is 
 not forced to it; but in a religious fenfe, flie is 
 confideiedas an impoftor, and in temporal things 
 flie is difearded by every one, fo that Ihe has no 
 profpeft before her befides that of dying for 
 want.. When fhe confents, flie is vifited by the 
 Bramins, svho tell her, that fhe will meet with her 
 hufband the moment fhe expires, and that they 
 will be eternally happy together. Near the 
 houfe where the deceafed lived, a vaft heap of 
 wood is piled up, and the body laid upon ir. 
 d he woman is then conducted to the funeral pile, 
 accompanied by her relations and fome Bramins ; 
 and if fhe is fearful, they fay all they can to en¬ 
 courage her. When flie arrives at the pile, flie 
 waflies herfelf in a pool of clear water, and then 
 her jewels and ornaments are taken off. The 
 Bramins pray with her, and flie gives them 
 money, after which flie wraps herfelf up in a 
 yellow fliroud, and walks to the place where 
 her deceafed hufband’s body lays; fhe takes in 
 her hand a pot of oil, which Ihe pours upon her 
 head ; and then the wood being let fire to, fag¬ 
 gots are thrown over her, and the whole foon re¬ 
 duced to aflies. It is difficult to find out when 
 this horrid praftice firft took place; but that 
 what is here related is matter of fa<ft, will ap¬ 
 pear from the teftimony of thofe of the Euro¬ 
 pean nations, who have vifited India within thefe 
 few years. 
 
 In mourning for the dead they have various 
 ceremonies, the principal of which is, (having 
 the beard ; and all the Haves of the deceafed arc 
 to comply with this cuftom. The aflies of the 
 decealed are all carefully gathered up and thrown 
 into the Ganges; for the waters of that river are 
 conlidered as having fomething in them of a vir- 
 tuous and holy nature. If the perfons burnt 
 were, of an elevated rank, pagods or temples 
 are frequently erected on the place where the 
 pile had been reared. 
 
 . T,ie Ocular Bramins are obliged to obferve 
 leveral ceremonies, fuch as getting out of bed 
 two hours before the fun fifes, and repeating 
 leveral prayers to their gods, after which they 
 warn themielves, and lit down on a carpet with 
 their faces turned to the eafl or to the north, but 
 never to the weft or fouth. The reafon why they 
 tuin to the eafl is, becaufe the fun rifes in it, 
 and towards the north, becaufe they believe 
 that fome of their gods have their refidence in 
 that quarter of the heavens, fo that thofe places 
 are always conlidered by them as holy, and that 
 they ought to be refpe&ed. 
 
 The 
 
i 1 
 
 ; 1 
 
 
 c6 The PAGAN RELIGIONS in the 
 
 The firft part of their worfhip confifts in ding¬ 
 ing fome hymns to the praife of their gods, and 
 bathin'* themfelves either in the Ganges or in 
 fome other confecrated river ; but if they have 
 not time to go to the river, they bathe at home. 
 Bein'* drafted, they again fit down, and pour fome 
 fpring water into the hollow of their hands, and 
 throw it upon their mouths. This being done, 
 they repeat the twenty-four names of their gods, 
 at the fame time touching lo many parts of their 
 bodies. Such are the mod common ceremonies of 
 the fecular Bramins, or, in other words, the com¬ 
 mon officiating priefts ; but in the lecond place, 
 thole of their regulars, or hermits, are lo auftere, 
 that had we not clear proofs of the truth of it, 
 we would be apt to doubt whether fuch a body 
 of people ever exifted in the world. 
 
 Thel'e regular Bramins are a fet of men, who, 
 tinder pretenfions to the moft fuperior fanftity, 
 inflia on themfelves the mod fevere corporeal 
 punifhments, believing that this will obtain the 
 favour and approbation of their gods. Some of 
 them make a folemn vow to walk with a lquare 
 grate or collar of iron round their necks, weigh¬ 
 in'* twenty-four pounds, nor is it to be removed, 
 either day or night, till fuch time as they have 
 procured, by begging, as much money as will 
 build an hofpital. r 
 
 Others of them erc£t a pole,almoit in the form or 
 a <*ibbet, to which they tie themtelves, and fwing 
 over a flow fire, during the fpace of a whole hour, 
 taking care to have the fire conftantly fed with 
 fuel. ~ This is done in honour of an idol, called 
 Efwara, who is believed to have great rewards 
 to bellow in a future (late, on all fuch as chear- 
 fully fubmit to auflere rites of that nature. 
 
 A third fort get themfelves chained to the foot 
 of a tree, and°remain in that pofition during 
 the reft of their lives, being fupplied with herbs 
 and a bottle of water daily, from the neighbour¬ 
 in'* villages ; for the people confider them as 
 betngs, hr fuperior to common mortals. 
 
 A fourth fort walk in pairs together, carrying 
 heavy iron chains, one end of which are fixed to 
 their legs, and the other to their (houlders. Some 
 have nails (truck through the foies of their (hoes, 
 and notwithftanding the feventy of the pain, 
 they will often walk with them feveral days to- 
 
 ffether. , r 
 
 The inhabitants of all nations in the imiverfe 
 believe in the neceffity of an atonement for fin, 
 before men can be iuftified by the Supreme Be¬ 
 ing, and although very unworthy notions have 
 been formed concerning the exiftence of iuch an 
 efi-ential point in religion, yet it does not follow 
 that the principle itfelf is falfe. Nay it rather 
 proves the contrary, for there is fomething m 
 every man’s confcience which points out to him 
 that he has offended God, and that fome atone¬ 
 ment muft be made, either by himfelf or by ano- 
 ther Now thefe heathens in India believe, that 
 an atonement has been made for their fins and 
 thev are to have the choice of enjoying the bene¬ 
 fits of it, on two conditions : Either they are to 
 vifit feveral holy cities at a vaft diftance from 
 each other, or fecondly, they are declared to be 
 abfolved, in confequence of their repeating the 
 names of their gods, twenty-four tapes every 
 day. Such as vifit the holy places, offer up a la- 
 cufice ; and on the tail of the viftim is written 
 
 Empire of the GREAT MOGLL. 
 
 the name of the penitent, with the nature of his 
 offence. This praftice feems to have been uni- 
 verlal in antient times ; it was fo among the 
 Greeks, the Romans, the Cartliagenians and the 
 Jews ; and the prophet Ifaiah alludes to it, when 
 he fays of Chrift, “ Surely he hath borne our 
 *' vriefs, and carried our borrows.” Ifaiah liii. 4. 
 
 The Bramins believe, that there are in heaven 
 five different dates or degrees of glory, to which 
 the fouls of virtuous perlbns are conveyed after 
 death. The firft of thefe manfions is called 
 Xoarcam, where the king of the gods refides, with 
 a great number of wives and concubines. The 
 fecond is Vaicundam, and there Vixnu refides with 
 his wives, and a certain bird, fomewhat like a 
 hawk, upon which he rides as on a horle. The 
 Bramins teach, that all the virtuous followers ot 
 Vixnu go into this habitation when they die, and 
 where their natures are changed fo as to re- 
 femble that of their god. 
 
 The third manfion is Cailajam, and this they 
 believe to be a very high mountain ot filver, fitu- 
 ated towards the north, and inhabited by Rutrem, 
 with his wife and all his concubines, and a bull 
 upon whom he rides. The Bramins teach, that 
 all the worlhippers of Rutrem go to this place 
 when they die, where they are tor ever happy in 
 beholding the countenance of their god. Some 
 are employed in cooling him with fans, others in 
 holding gold fpitting'boxes to him, fome in 
 holding lighted torches to him during the night, 
 and others in bringing him whatever neceffaries 
 he wants. 
 
 The fourth manfion of glory is called Bru- 
 malogam ; and there Bruma refides with his wife 
 Saralfuadi, attended by a large fwan on which lie 
 rides abroad; for this god is laid to be much ad- 
 di&ed to travelling. 
 
 Above all thefe, is the fifth feat of glory, where 
 the firft principle of all things refides. All thofe 
 who have lived the moft innocent and exem¬ 
 plary lives, are wafted hither after death, where 
 they are for ever united to their god. 
 
 With relpedt to hell, the Indians believe that 
 it is fituated at a vaft diftance below this world, 
 and that there is a prefident in it, called ? 'hamadar , 
 who has a lecretaty, named Xilragupten ; who, 
 during the life of a man, writes down all his good 
 or bad aftions, and prefents his memorial to the 
 prefident, the moment the foul of the decealed 
 comes before him. This infernal prefident is 
 faid to be very juft and equitable, and diftributes 
 rewards and punifhments, according to merits or 
 demerits. Some fouls are, according to their no¬ 
 tions, fent back to inhabit other bodies in this 
 world, while others are tormented in the moft 
 cruel manner in hell. If a dying perfon takes 
 hold of a cow by the tail, and the Bj amin pours 
 a little watet into his hand, and receives a fmall 
 fum of money ; then when he comes to crofs the 
 dreadful fiery river, which feparates earth from 
 eternity, the cow will, by his laying hold of her 
 tail, carry him fafe over. 
 
 It is confidered as incumbent upon all thofe 
 who would be confidered as faithful Bramins, to 
 go frequently on pilgrimages to the temples of 
 their gods ; and when they arrive, they are en¬ 
 joined to perform feveral penances of a very 
 auftere nature. Some of them fiaih themfelves 
 in the moll unmerciful manner, with knives, to 
 
 make 
 
The PAGAN RELIGIONS in the 
 
 make an atonement for their crimes, imagining 
 that will be the utmoft fatisfadlion to their gods. 
 Others confine themfelves in cages, which are 
 placed on the top of a pole, and the penitent, 
 having no room to turn himfelf, is tortured with 
 the moft excrutiating pain. In his fight are 
 placed the figures of two idols, whom he is oblig¬ 
 ed to adore all the time he remains in that pain¬ 
 ful fituation. Some are to fpend their whole time 
 in feeding birds, it being generally imagined, 
 that fouls refide in them. Some plunge them- 
 fclves into the Ganges, in hopes of being de¬ 
 voured by crocodiles ; and others murder them¬ 
 felves at the altars of their gods. 
 
 Great part of their religious fervices confifts in 
 dancing, a practice of very great antiquity. In 
 their temples, the men and women dance to¬ 
 gether, ufing the moft indecent pollures, which 
 lerves as a ftimulation to all manner of debau¬ 
 chery ; but this is exactly confiftent with the no¬ 
 tions they form of the attributes of their idols. 
 They adore ferpents in the moft religious man¬ 
 ner, becaufe they believe them to be inhabited 
 by departed fpirits, and they foretel great fue- 
 cefs in confequence of meeting them on a jour¬ 
 ney. Many of their children are named after 
 particular forts of ferpents ; and when they find 
 adders in their houfes, they offer them milk, and 
 beg of them to depart in peace; but when the 
 reptiles do not obey, they fend for all the Bra- 
 mins in the neighbourhood, who offer up prayers 
 to their gods to take them away ; it being con¬ 
 trary to their law to do them any injury. 
 
 When they pitch upon a field where they in¬ 
 tend to build a pagod or temple, they turn a cow 
 loofe in it towards evening, leaving her to range 
 at large till the morning. As foon as the fun 
 rifes, they fearch narrowly around the field to 
 diicover the place where the cow laid herfelf 
 down, and on that fpot they eredl their temple. 
 
 In all their temples, cow’s dung is fpread on 
 the floor, for they have fuch veneration for that 
 animal, that in all their facrifices, they pour fome 
 of its milk on their altars. Their priefls, like 
 the heathen Greeks and Romans, pretend that 
 their gods have oracles, by which they can fore¬ 
 tel future events, and this notion is believed by 
 the people. When feveral perlons have been 
 lufpedted of Healing any thing, but the guilty 
 cannot be fixed on, the priells write the names 
 on different pieces of paper, and lay them down 
 before the altar in a circular form, after which 
 they invoke the oracle, and withdraw, having 
 locked the doors, that no perfon can get in. 
 When they return, and find any of the papers re¬ 
 moved, that perfon whofe name is upon it, is de¬ 
 clared to be the criminal. It is common for 
 their priefls when they addrefs their oracles, to 
 feign themfelves in convulfion fits, and remain 
 in ieemingly great agonies fome hours. Then 
 after fome groans, they Hand up and tell the 
 people what was revealed to them by the oracle. 
 
 They obferve feveral feftivals, particularly a 
 fort of carnival, which lafts feveral days ; dur¬ 
 ing which they alfemble in vafl crowds together, 
 and dance to all fuch tunes as they are acquaint¬ 
 ed with. The Bramins attend in their gar¬ 
 ments, having their heads covered with fome- 
 thing like horns, Handing upright. This feafl 
 hdls twenty-four days, and befides it they have a 
 5 
 
 Empire of the GREAT MOGUL. 57 
 
 feafl of eleven days each month. They are, on 
 thefe feafts to eat only a handful of beans, peas, 
 or fruits, with about a fpoonful of milk, and this 
 they mu ft take towards the evening. 
 
 With relpedl to learning among the Bramins, 
 it confifts in teaching the pupils a language 
 named Hanfcrit , which not being known among 
 the lower orders of the people, piay be con- 
 fidered as the learned languages are to the Eu¬ 
 ropeans. The book written in this language, is 
 called holy, and is exactly the fame to them as 
 the bible is to us. The Bramins fay, that this 
 book contains the firfl language ever fpoken in 
 the world yet, although it is acknowledged to 
 be of very great antiquity, it cannot, by any 
 means, reach fo far back as the time of Mofes. 
 
 Having made themfelves mailers of this work, 
 which is extremely difficult, becaufe they have 
 no good grammar, they next proceed to fludy 
 the Pur nance, which is a fort of commentary 
 upon it, containing many things that have been 
 handed down by tradition. 
 
 As there are different fedls among the Bramins 
 in religion, fo they have fix fedts of philofophers, 
 and one of thele is confidered in the fame man¬ 
 ner we do Atheifls. They have no fkill in anato- 
 my, and as to their tables of aflronomy and chro- 
 nology, they are not worth mentioning. When 
 the moon is eclipfed, they believe fhe is fighting 
 with a black ugly devil. They imagine the night 
 is created by the fun’s withdrawing himfelf be¬ 
 hind a mountain, where he retires to reft, and in 
 the morning makes his appearance. 
 
 Such is the religion of the principal tribes 
 who form the vaft empire of the Great Mogul, 
 and when we confider the deplorable ftate to 
 which they are reduced, with refpedt to the 
 knowledge of the true God, it muft fill us with 
 lorrow to refledt, that fo many of our fellow 
 creatures are Hill unacquainted with the gofpel. 
 During the laft century, the pious Mr. Boyle 
 procured a perfon at a great expence, to tranfiate 
 the New Teftament into their language, and had 
 many printed copies of it lent over to the Euro¬ 
 pean fettlements in the Eaft Indies. The kings 
 of Denmark, have been at a great expence in 
 lending miffionaries among them ; but it does 
 not appear that ever the right methods were at¬ 
 tempted, and happy if that glorious work was to 
 be undertaken by the Engliffi. 
 
 It is long fince we have had fettlements in dif¬ 
 ferent parts of the Eaft-Indies, but our mer¬ 
 chants have been too intent in acquiring im- 
 menfe fortunes to ufe any means towards pro¬ 
 moting the falvation of thoufands of immortal 
 louls, who are Hill fitting in darknefs, and in the 
 region and ffiadow of death. 
 
 It would have been much to their honour, and 
 equally fo to their intereft, to have brought over 
 fome youths from the Indies, and had them pro¬ 
 perly inftrudled in learning and religion. Thefe 
 being fent home with prelents to their friends, 
 and books translated into their own language, 
 the people feeing the purity of our religion, 
 would not only have embraced it, but they would 
 have entered into a commercial ftate of friend- 
 ffiip with us. This would have been a more 
 glorious adlion than to have fubdued an empire, 
 or to acquire as much money as would purchafe 
 one. 
 
 P Happy 
 
 i 
 
58 The RELIGION 
 
 Happy if any thing faid here could be the 
 means of turning the thoughts of the directors of 
 the Eaft-India company, and their governors in 
 Afia that way. Wherever the arms of heathen 
 Rome fubdued the people, with the lols of their 
 liberties, they received a double advantage. Firft, 
 they became polite, and acquired the knowledge 
 of the arts and fciences ; and, fecondly, after the 
 reign of the emperor Conftantine the Great, they 
 embraced the Chriftian religion. The Jefuits 
 have made many converts to popery, among the 
 heathens in different parts of the world ; but the 
 Jefuits are not properly qualified for making con- 
 
 of the CHINESE. 
 
 verts, and the rites and ceremonies of the church 
 of Rome cannot make much impreflion on thole 
 who have ceremorves as gaudy of their own. 
 
 Upon the whole, this is a very furious, a very 
 important fubjett, and ought to be attended to, 
 efpecially by thole perlons who have acquired 
 opulent fortunes in the Eaft-Indies. Would 
 they enjoy a blefiing upon them, and tranfmit 
 them to their children, let them do fomething 
 towards enlightening the minds of thofe per- 
 fons, who, if properly inftrutted, might become 
 ornaments of lbciety, of human nature, and of 
 Chriftianity. 
 
 The Religion of the CHINESE. 
 
 C | IT IN A, one of the mod extenfive em¬ 
 pires in the world, is fituated in the nor- 
 I them and eaftern parts of Afia, and has 
 been long famous for the knowledge of many 
 curious arts with which we Europeans are ffill 
 but little acquainted. They profefs to have an 
 exatt uninterrupted genealogy of kings during a 
 leries of twenty-four thoufand years, which is 
 upwards of eighteen thoufand years before the 
 Molaic account of the creation. For this, how¬ 
 ever, they have no other authority befides tradi¬ 
 tion, and it is well known, little regard Ihould be 
 paid to what is not fupported by written evi¬ 
 dence. 
 
 It is true, they have books containing the 
 whole accounts qf thefe genealogies ; but thefe 
 books were compiled in latter times, nor Ihould 
 any regard be paid to them. That they are a 
 peopl; of great antiquity, little doubt can re¬ 
 main, and probably a colony was fettled there 
 loon after the deluge, although we never find 
 them mentioned in antient hiftory, but perhaps 
 they are fpoken of under fome other name. Some 
 have fuppoled them to be a colony from antient 
 Egypt, becaule of their religious rites and cere¬ 
 monies, being in many refpetts the fame; but 
 this is altogether improbable, when we confider 
 the valt difiance there is between Egypt and 
 China. Similarity of religious fentiments is no 
 proof; for in antient times there were but few 
 differences among idolators, concerning the na¬ 
 ture of worfhip ; fome of them were more grofs 
 than others, but all ol them were bad enough. 
 
 Eufebius tells us, that Chriftianity was firft 
 preached to the Indians, by St. Thomas the 
 apoftle j and lIic Jefuits fay, that there are ftill 
 fome remains of it in China, at leaft that they 
 have a traditional account; but if ever that 
 apoftle was in China, and preached the gofpel, it 
 was either rejetted or not much remembered 
 afterwards. At prefent, and for many years, the 
 Chinefe have been grofs idolators, and pay Di¬ 
 vine honours to many gods, particularly to Fo 
 or Foe, who, for his great and lllultrious attions, 
 was deified and worlhipped above a thoufand 
 years before Chrift’s incarnation. 
 
 The account the Chinefe give of this Foe is, 
 that he was born in that part of their empire 
 which they call Chung tien Cbo, and that he was 
 the fon of a king, and that his mother, while ftie 
 was with child of him, dreamed that ftie had 
 fwallowed an elephant. As foon as he was born, 
 he flood upright, and walked leven paces, point¬ 
 ing with one hand to heaven, and with the other 
 to the earth, uttering, at the fame time, the 
 following words, “ There is none in heaven, or 
 “ on earth, that ought to be adored befides my- 
 £t felf,” When he was only turned of feventeen, 
 he married three wives ; and two years afterwards 
 retired to a folitary place, where he put him- 
 felf under the direttion of four philofophers ; 
 under their tuition, he learned all they could 
 teach him, and at thirty, being divinely infpired, 
 he confidered himlelf as a god. He foon after 
 began to work the moft wonderful miracles, of 
 which the Chinefe relate a great number, and they 
 have whole volumes giving an account of them. 
 He is faid to have, in the compafs of a few 
 years, gained over to his notions eighty thoti- 
 land difciples, whom he fent to tench his doc¬ 
 trines throughout the empire of China. 
 
 Ten of thole difciples were of a much higher 
 rank than the others, and it is faid, that they pub- 
 lifhed upwards of five thoufand volumes of their 
 mailer's works. Finding himlelf near death, 
 he told his dilciples, that till that moment he 
 had concealed the truth of his dottrine, but now 
 he would make it public to them, <c Learn then 
 “ (faid he) that the principle of all things is 
 “ emptinels and nothing; from nothing all things 
 “ proceeded, and into nothing all will return, 
 <€ and this is the end of all our hopes.” 
 
 However, fome of his difciples adhered to 
 what he had formerly taught them, and the doc¬ 
 trine they now teach is direttly oppofite to 
 Atheilm. The reft of his difciples abode by this 
 impoftor’sdying words, which laid the foundation 
 of many of thofe ridiculous ceremonies which 
 now prevail in China. 
 
 Many ftories were told after his death, 
 namely, that he had been born eight thoufand 
 times, that his foul had palled through the bodies 
 
 of 
 
The RELIGION 
 
 of many different animals, and that he had appeared 
 in the fhape'of an ape, an elephant, a dragon, 
 &c. In confequence of thefe ridiculous ftories, 
 all thole animals through which his foul was laid 
 to have paffcd, were afterwards worfhipped as gods. 
 
 In every province in China, there are temples 
 erefted on mountains, where the people go in 
 pilgrimage to worlhip, and fome of thefe are 
 held in greater efteern than others. When 
 thefe pilgrims arrive at the foot of the mountains 
 they kneel down, and do fo at every ftep as they 
 afcend. During the whole of the proceffion, 
 they fing hymns in honour of Foe-, but as there 
 are two lefts among them, violent enemies to 
 each other, fo it often happens that they quarrel 
 before they reach the temple. 
 
 The firft doftrine taught by Foe, is called the 
 Exterior, and confifts of fome very good rules 
 of m irality, namely, that there is a great differ¬ 
 ence between good and evil, and that there are 
 rewards and punifhments in a future Hate : That 
 the god Foe, was born to fave the world and expi¬ 
 ate the fins of men ; that there are five precepts 
 to be obferved, namely, that no living creature 
 is to be killed ; not to ileal any thing from ano¬ 
 ther ; to abflain from all forts of impurity ; the 
 fourth prohibited lying; and the fifth forbad 
 the drinking of wine. To thefe they added 
 the doftrine of the tranfmigration of fouls, and 
 this is Hill believed by the generality of the people. 
 
 With rel'peft to the interior doftrine, very few 
 are buffered to be made acquainted with its myf- 
 teries. It is the fame as that taught by Foe, 
 in the lafl moments of his life, and which 
 fome of his difciples have endeavoured to pro¬ 
 pagate. As was laid before, they teach that 
 nothing is the principle of all things. That 
 beings differ only according to their fhapes and 
 qualities; and, that in order to become like the 
 firft quality, we muff accuftom ourfelves to do 
 nothing, and to defire nothing, to fee nothing, 
 and to think of nothing. That all holinefs confifts 
 in being reduced to one original nothing, when 
 all the faculties of the foul fhall be diffolved. 
 They add further, that when a man has once at¬ 
 tained to this happy ftate, he will be perfeft with¬ 
 out being in want of any thing. 
 
 Some of thofe who pretend to knowledge 
 among the Chinefe, have embraced this ftupid 
 fenfelels fyftemof atheifm, and among others the 
 emperor Kao Ifong refigned his crown to his fon, 
 that he might have an opportunity of ftudying it 
 in order to be like the god Foe. 
 
 Another of the Chinefe idols is called Cbim 
 Hoam, and always worfhipped as the guardian of 
 cities. There is an ordinance in China, that all 
 public magiftrates, when they enter upon office, 
 fhall go in proceffion to the temple of this idol, 
 and facrifice to him candles, perfumes, wine, 
 flowers, and the flefh of different animals. This 
 ceremony they are likewile to repeat twice every 
 year, upon pain of incurring the emperor’s dif- 
 pleafure, and being fufpended from their offices. 
 And when they take poffeflion of their places, 
 they are obliged to lwear, before this idol, that 
 they will do juftice to every man, otherwife they 
 are to be feverely punifhed. 
 
 Chines, is a name given to a great number of 
 idols in China, which are not in the fhape of any 
 living creature, but as temples built in the form of 
 
 of the CHINESE. 
 
 a pyramid. The Pagans have fuch a veneration for 
 thefe idols, or rather pyramids, that when they 
 purchafe a Have, they carry him before one of 
 them, and pray that if he fhall defert the fervice 
 ofhismafter, that he may be devoured by tygers. 
 This keeps the poor wretches in much awe, 
 for although they are often cruelly treated, yet 
 they are afraid to run away. 
 
 In the province of Fukien, near the walls of 
 the city of Fohieu, is one of thofe Chines nine 
 ftories high. It is built in the form of an ofta- 
 gon, and its perpendicular height is nine hun¬ 
 dred cubits. It is adorned with feveral curious 
 figures, and the whole of the outfide is faced 
 with porcelain. There is at every ftory a colo- 
 nade of marble, furrounded by an iron baluf- 
 trade, which gives the whole a moft fplendid ap¬ 
 pearance, and on the top is a gilt idol. 
 
 The Chinefe, like the antient Greeks and Ro¬ 
 mans, have gods whom they imagine fuperintend 
 all their public affairs, each having his own de¬ 
 partment. Thus Fi-Can is considered as the 
 fupreme direftor of their treasures, and who 
 condufts the difpenfing of their riches. Elis 
 image is placed on a very high altar, with a 
 crown on his head and a fcepter in his hand, the 
 whole being gilt over; fo that it makes a moft 
 glorious appearance when the funfhines. Eight 
 images, as his attendants, Hand around him, all 
 drefled and decorated in the fame manner; and 
 on the walls of the temple are difplayed the pu¬ 
 nifhments of the damned in hell. Above the 
 idol is infcribed in letters of gold, {c He who 
 u fhall humble himfelf, and fay his prayers a 
 “ thoufand times before me, fhall be delivered 
 cf from thefe torments.” 
 
 Ram, a god much worfhipped by the people 
 of China, is greatly efteemed by thofe of a lower 
 rank. It is faid that while on earth, he was a 
 noted perfecutor, and made fo many converts to 
 the doftrines of tranfmigration, that, after his 
 death, he was honoured as a god. It is further 
 added, that he palled through no lefs than four- 
 lcore thoufand tranfmigrations, in the laft of 
 which he appeared under the lhape of a white 
 elephant, and by that fymbol he is now w'or- 
 fhipped in all his temples. It is generally be¬ 
 lieved, that he was one of the chief difciples of 
 Foe , in the exterior form of doftrine, becaule all 
 his followers profefs thole fentiments. His tem¬ 
 ples are for the moft part in the country, and the 
 Sacrifices offered up to him confift of the fruits of 
 the earth, milk, vegetables, and fuch other 
 things as the feafons will produce. 
 
 As all antient heroes were deified among the 
 heathens, fo the Chinefe tell us that Fh.ante-Cong, 
 their firft prince and law-giver, was, for his great 
 aftions, made a god. Lie was the firft who in¬ 
 troduced among them the fafhion of wearing 
 decent apparel ; for before his time they were 
 accuftomed to go almolt naked. He brought 
 them under fome fort of a regal form of govern¬ 
 ment, and prevailed upon them to build towns 
 and cities. For this reafon, in all the temples 
 dedicated to him, he is reprelented under a moft 
 gigantic form, and fitting on a table, with a taper 
 placed before him. On the table feveral books 
 are placed, and behind him Hands his attendant 
 Linchevu, in appearance equally as formidable as 
 himfelf. 
 
 Cavg-y 
 
The RELIGION 
 
 Cang-y Is worfliipped among the Chinefe as the 
 god of the lower heavens, and it is believed by 
 them that he has the power of life and death. 
 Tie has always three miniftering fpirits to attend 
 Jiim i the firft of whom fends down rain to re- 
 frefh and nourifh the earth ; the lecond is the 
 god of the lea, to whom all their navigators 
 make vows, and perform them upon their return 
 home ; and the third prefides over births, and is 
 called the god of war. It is probable, that fome 
 antient aftronomer among the Chinefe was, and 
 ftill is, worfhipped under this name, efpecially 
 when we find him reprefented as the god of the 
 lower heavens. 
 
 The religion and philofophy of the Chinefe 
 are fo blended together, that there is no fuch 
 thing as feparating them ; they partake of each 
 other, nor is there any great difference, as will 
 appear from what we are going to relate concern¬ 
 ing a fe< 5 t among them, who Teem to have been a 
 fort of epicureans, that did not pay much regard 
 to moral duties. 
 
 This left is named Pao-ssee , and owes its rife 
 to one Lao-Kuin , who, according to the account 
 delivered to us by his difciples, was not born till 
 forty years after his conception. He is laid to 
 have been an eminent philolopher, and there are 
 many books of his ftill extant, replete with the 
 fineft maxims of morality; and yet thofc who 
 pretend to be his difciples, are confidered by 
 many of the Chinefe as no better than Atheifts, 
 or Epicureans. They boaft that they can make 
 a liquor which will make them immortal, and 
 are perfuaded that by the afilftance of fpirits, 
 whom they invoke, they can obtain all things. 
 Some of the Chinefe Mandarins were fo ftupid as 
 to believe that they could avoid death, and feve- 
 ral of the emperors gave countenance to that 
 notion. This fe<ft flourilhed many years in 
 China j but unlefs it be among the vulgar, they 
 have now fallen much into difrepute. 
 
 The Chinefe worlhip a goddefs whom they 
 call Puzza , and of whom their priefts give the 
 following account. They fay that three nymphs 
 came down from heaven to wafti themfelves in a 
 river, but fcarce had they got into the water, 
 before the herb Lotos appeared on one of their 
 garments, -with its coral fruit upon it. They 
 were furprized to think from whence it could pro¬ 
 ceed ; and the nymph upon whofe garment it was, 
 could not refill: the temptation of indulging her- 
 felf in tailing it. But by thus eating fome of it, 
 fhe became pregnant and was delivered ol a boy, 
 whom fhe brought up, and then returned to hea¬ 
 ven. He afterwards became a great man, a con¬ 
 queror and legiflator ; and the nymph was after¬ 
 wards worfhipped under the name of Puzza. 
 She is reprefented as fitting on the flow r er Lotos , 
 and has fixteen hands armed with knives, fwords, 
 halberds, books, fruits, plants, wheels, goblets, 
 vials, and many other things needlels to be men¬ 
 tioned. 
 
 Pbelo , another of their idols, is worfliipped 
 becaufe he firft difeovered the making fait j but 
 his ungrateful countrymen not making him that 
 recompence which his merits entitled him to for 
 lb ufcful an invention, he left them in great in¬ 
 dignation, and never was heard of afterwards. 
 They have a feftival in honour of his memory, in 
 the beginning of June, upon which occafion they 
 
 of the CHINESE. 
 
 adorn their houfes with boughs of trees. At the 
 fame time they fit out veliels, in which they fail 
 round the coall, tinging hymns and calling aloud 
 for their beloved Pbcio. 
 
 Befides the feels and gods already mentioned, 
 there are many others in China, particularly the 
 left of Laotun, who is laid to have been born fix 
 hundred years before Chrift. This impoftor 
 boalled himfelf to be the offspring of heaven ; 
 and, in order to make his difciples believe this 
 llory, he faid that lie had laid concealed in 
 his mother’s womb fourlcore and one years, and 
 that the moment before Ihe expired, he if- 
 fued out of her, through a pafiage in her left 
 fide, made by himfelf. He foon gained a great 
 number of followers, becaufe he taught them 
 many things agreeable to their lulls and pafi- 
 fions. 
 
 The principal parts of his do£trines were, that 
 God was corporeal, and that he fat at eale and 
 peace in heaven, governing the world by lubor¬ 
 dinate deities. He taught that all happinefs 
 confifted in pleafure, and was confined to this 
 life. This notion induced his difciples to do 
 every thing they could imagine to prevent death, 
 by prolonging life till the latell period. It was 
 this that firft induced them to ftudy chemiftry, 
 as the grand prelervative of life, and for fome 
 time, they were fo vain as to believe they would 
 never die. But inftead of prolonging life, they 
 fhortened it, by giving themfelves up to drunken- 
 nefs, uncleannefs, and every fort of debauchery 
 they could think of. 
 
 The morals of the people of China, having 
 been fhockingly corrupted by the errors and blal- 
 phemies of thefe impoftors, a perfon arofc to re¬ 
 form all the abufes that had crept in, whether 
 relating to government, religion, morals or phi¬ 
 lofophy. This illuftrious perfon was Confufius , a 
 man, noble by birth, of a fweet, natural temper, 
 and adorned by a liberal education. According 
 to the beft accounts, he was born about four hun¬ 
 dred and fifty years before the incarnation of our 
 Saviour, and we fhall here relate what is faid con¬ 
 cerning him. 
 
 The Chinefe priefts told the Jefuits, that as 
 foon as Confufius was born, two dragons came to 
 guard him againft all forts of harm; and that 
 the ftars bowed down to falute him. When he 
 was about leventeen years of age, he made a moft 
 judicious choice of the beft antient authors, and 
 made an extradl from them of every thing that 
 was valuable towards improving his mind. When 
 he was about twenty, he married and had a fon, 
 but foon after parted with his wife, left fhe 
 fhould interrupt him in his ftudies. 
 
 Having acquired a large fhare of knowledge, 
 he was folicited to a£l as a civil magi (Irate; but 
 l not relifhing that employment, he opened a 
 ! fchool for the inftruclion of youth, and we are 
 told he had no lefs than five thoufand pupils. 
 
 I Thefe he divided into dalles, feventy of whom 
 affifted him in teaching the higher clafles, and one 
 : hundred and fifty inltrufled the younger ones. 
 He laid down excellent precepts for the regula¬ 
 tion of their conduft in the practice of virtue, 
 • whether civil or facial, and he prevailed with the 
 women not to wear any thing ungraceful, or un¬ 
 becoming their fex. 
 
 | In ftudy, and in the practice of every virtue, 
 
 public 
 
The RELIGION 
 
 public and private, this great man lived 'till he 
 was feventy years of age, and at lad died of grief, 
 when he beheld many corruptions that had taken 
 place among his difciples. But although little 
 regard was paid to his precepts when alive, yet 
 the highelt honours were Ibewn to him after his 
 death. The whole empire went into mourning 
 for him. 
 
 He left many books behind him, which, con- 
 fidering the time and place, when and where he 
 lived, and befides that he was a heathen, one 
 will be furpriled to find in them lb many fine fen- 
 timents, refpefting moral duties. Thefe pieces, 
 or extrafts from them, are to be found in the firft 
 volume of Duhald’s hiftory of China. 
 
 It is generally allowed that the Chinefe, like 
 all other heathens, acknowledge that there is one 
 univerfal Supreme Being ; but they admit that 
 there are many demi-gods who adl under him. 
 We have already given an account of the left of 
 Foe, fometimes called Xekia, and we (hall now 
 proceed to defcribe the manner in which they of¬ 
 fer up iacrifices to Confufius, and in general to 
 the reft of their idols. There are feveral tem¬ 
 ples eroded for this illultrious ; crfon, and all 
 thofe temples are built in the form of obelilKs or 
 pyramids. 
 
 I he governor of the city where the temph 
 Hands, is always the facrificing prieft, and he i: 
 aflifted by all the learned men in the neighbour¬ 
 hood, who meet the evening before the facnfict 
 is performed, and provide lice and all forts o 
 giain, which are fet on a table before the altar o 
 Confufius. A table is placed in the court before 
 tlie temple, illuminated with wax tapers, fire 
 toi tne facrifice, and rich perfumes. He ther 
 makes choice of hogs, and fuch other beafts a; 
 aie to be facrificed, by pouring wine on theii 
 ears, and if they Ihake their heads, they. are 
 deemed proper objeds, but if otherwife, then 
 tney are rejeded. Before the hog and the other 
 beafts are killed, the prieft makes a reverential 
 bow, and then they are llain in his prefence, 
 w hen their throats are cut, they make a fecond 
 r science, after which the hair is lcraped off, and 
 the entrails taken out, but the blood is preferved 
 oil iiie enluing day. As foon as the cock crows 
 in die morning, a fignal is given, and the prieft, 
 ■. 'Iin Ills afliftants, light up the tapers, and throw 
 perfumes into the cenfers. Then the matter of 
 me ceremonies orders the choir to fing, and the 
 ing before the altar, fays, “ Let the 
 “ h ;,r > and the blood of the dead carcafe be of- 
 icud i,p in facrifice.” Then another of the 
 priefts takes up the bafon, in which the blood 
 iirta hair are intermingled, and the mafter of the 
 ceremonies fays, “ let the blood and the hair be 
 “ buried.” Immediately the priefts carry it out, 
 and bury the bafon with the contents in the 
 court before the chapel. This being done, they 
 uncover the flefli of the facrifice, and the mafter 
 of the ceremonies fays, “ may the foul of Con- 
 rulius defeend upon it.” The facrificino- prieft 
 then takes up a chalice filled with wine, and 
 pours it upon the image of a man, compofed 
 of llraw. The image of Confufius is then 
 placed on the altar, and the following ejacu¬ 
 lation repeated. « O ! Confufius, thy virtues 
 cc ^ , ^e and inimitable ! our emperors 
 
 themfelves are obliged to thee; for his by thy 
 
 of the CHINES E. r, t 
 
 “ unerring precepts that they regulate their con- 
 “ du<a - AH our obligations to thee are pure 
 “ J nd Porfeft; O ! let thy enlightened ipirit de- 
 feend upon us, and allift us by its prefence.” 
 When the prieft has repeated this ftiort prayer* 
 the people fall down on their knees, but in a few 
 minutes rile up again. When the prieft walhes 
 his hands and wipes them with a towel, or nap¬ 
 kin, one of the inferior priefts fupplies him with 
 a bafon, a towel, and a chalice full of wine, and 
 then the mafter of the ceremonies chants aloud, 
 
 " rr th ?> prIefts g0 near the throne of Con- 
 , ' uPlus - Upon that, the facrificing prieft kneels 
 down, and prefents a piece of filk and a cup of 
 wine to Confufius. The filk is then burnt in a 
 fire pan, while all the people kneel down ; and 
 then the prieft addrefies himfelf to Confufius, 
 ln the following words: <c Thy virtues furpafs 
 £C thofe of all the faints that ever lived before 
 “ thee; our oblations are but trifles; all we 
 “ beg is, that thy fpirit would vouchfafe to hear 
 us.” 
 
 This part of the ceremony being over, the 
 mafter of the facrifice fays, in a chanting tone, 
 
 ^ let us drink the wine of blefting and true hap- 
 “ P lnels >” ordering, at the fame time, all the 
 people to kneel down. After this, the officer at¬ 
 tending puts into the hands of the prieft a chalice 
 full of wine, and the mafter of the ceremonies 
 chants again, “ Drink the wine of true hap- 
 “ pinefs,” and the prieft drinks it. Then the 
 officer puts into the hands of the prieft, a piece 
 of the flefh, and the mafter of the ceremonies 
 chants aloud, “ partake of the flefli of the fa- 
 “ crldce -” This being over, the prieft fays, 
 when we offer this facrifice, we live in expec- 
 tal ; i°noi,^receiving thereby all the comforts of 
 this life.’ The remainder of the flefli is dis¬ 
 tributed among all the people prefenti and con- 
 nltent with the antient and general notion of 
 iacrifices, all thofe who tafte it, believe that 
 Confufius will be gracious unto them. 
 
 The laft ceremony is that of reconduding 
 home the foul of Confufius, which they imao-ine 
 was prefent and aflifted at the facrifice. Th?s is 
 done by the prieft's repeating the following 
 piayer, " We .have offered Up our oblations to 
 thee, with the utmoft reverence and refped 
 “ we have implored thee to be prefent at our fa- 
 crifices, of a fweet fmelling favour, and now 
 we accompany thy foul to heaven.” During 
 this ceremony the people kneel, and it is an efta- 
 bliflied rule, that thofe of thehigheft rank'fliould 
 be prefent. 
 
 When the facrifice is over, what remains of 
 the food is diftributed among the people, and 
 they are at liberty, either to carry it home or to 
 eat it in the temple. Thefe remains of the flefli 
 ai e given to the children, in hopes that the virtue 
 they are endowed with, will one day make them 
 celebrated perions ; and the remains of the filk 
 offered to Confufius, are diftributed among the 
 girls to drefs babies with, imagining, that while 
 they preferve thofe precious reliques, they will 
 be prelerved from every danger. 
 
 On the fourteenth of Auguft, every year, they 
 have a folemn facrifice, in commemoration of 
 their anceftors, and it is performed in a temple 
 in the following manner; the prieft being feated 
 on a carpet with two of his attendants, one on 
 Q» each 
 
<Bi The RELIGION 
 
 eacli fide, in the middle of the fquare before the 
 temple, the mailer of the ceremonies orders the 
 facrifice to begin. The people then fall dowrt 
 on their knees, and inftantly rile tip again in the 
 molt decent manner. Round the v. alls of the 
 temple are many inicriptions in memory of their 
 anceftors ; and towards thefe the priefts, followed 
 by the people, approach with decent reverence, 
 and perfume them with incenle. Then the 
 mailer of the ceremonies orders the bread and 
 wine of blefling and true happinefs to be offered 
 up. The pried then takes up the chalice and 
 pours out the wine. At the fame time he delivers 
 the following fpeech to the people. “ Let all 
 “ thofe who' have affifted at this facrifice be af- 
 « lured of receiving fome particular favours from 
 “ their anceftors, in return for all thefe grateful 
 “ oblations which you have in this public man- 
 « ner now made unto them. You fhall be ho- 
 “ noured and refpedted by all men, live to a 
 “ good old age, and enjoy all the bledings this 
 « life can afford.” After this they fet fire to 
 the facrifice, which confifts of the fieflt of many 
 different aninrrals s and then, having faluted the 
 walls of the temple three times, and fetched three 
 groans, they depart. It Iras been afked, with 
 what propriety can the Chinefe pray for the dead, 
 feeing they believe in the tranfmigration of fouls?. 
 This queftion would be unanfwerable, were it not 
 that we are affured they have very confufed no¬ 
 tions of things of a theological nature. But they 
 believe that fuch fouls as have been virtuous are 
 to go in the tranfmigration, and many of them 
 are at a certain time taken up to heaven and 
 placed among the gods. 
 
 That the doftrine of the tranfmigration of the 
 foul has a ftrong effeft on the minds of the Chi- 
 nele, will appear from the following’ annecdote 
 in father Le Compte’s hiftory of China. That 
 jefuit, who refided upwards of twenty years in the 
 country, and made fome converts to popery, was 
 one day fent for by a dying man, whom he found 
 in great agonies becaufe his prieft had told him, 
 that his foul was to go into a horl'e, and that the 
 horfe being a ftubborn one, would be whipped 
 fo feverely that he would die, and then he was 
 to pafs into that of a toad. The Jefuit en¬ 
 deavoured to convince him of the falfity of fuch 
 dodtrines, and having baptized him, the man 
 died in peace. The Chinefe have a notion that 
 every one who kills a dragon or a giant ought to 
 be worfhiped as a god, but as they have already 
 a vail number of gods, fo they imagine that moil 
 of the dragons and giants have been already de- 
 ftroyed. Thefe fentiments are not new, for even 
 in this illand we find ftories of giants and dra¬ 
 gons in Geoffery of Monmouth’s Britifn hiftory. 
 It is remarkable that Voltaire, one of the greateft 
 deiftical writers in the prefent age, often tells us 
 that the government of China is the bell in the 
 world, but had he attended to what is related 
 by his own countrymen thejefuits, he w'ould ne¬ 
 ver have made fuch a bold affertion. Can that 
 be a well regulated government where the peo¬ 
 ple are in a manner devoured by impoftors, who, 
 rather than work for an honeft fubfiftence, go 
 begging from place to place ; and if the people 
 refufe to give them alms, they immediately tell 
 them, that their fouls fhall go into the bodies of 
 rats and mice, lnakes, toads, ferpencs and other 
 
 of the CHINESE. 
 
 reptiles. Their bonzes or monks, go two and 
 two together; and according to Le Compte, 
 they are a parcel of idle, diffolute fellows, who 
 herd together like fwine, and live upon the wages 
 of die induftrious. 
 
 It iometimes happens, that the people eithe,- 
 cannot, or will not relieve them, upon which the 
 idle impoftors affume the charadters of penitents, 
 and perform feveral adls of aufterity, which have 
 too often the defired effedl on the minds of the 
 vulgar. Some of them go from houfe to houfe, 
 dragging heavy chains after them, and when 
 they come to the door they cry out in a canting 
 tone, “ It is by theie auftere penances that we 
 “ make an attonement for your fins.” Some 
 place themfelves by the Tides of the highways, 
 and when they fee a traveller come up, they 
 fall down and knock their heads againft Hones. 
 Others put fome particular drugs on their heads, 
 and fet fire to them to excite companion ; for the 
 people, imagining them to be in great pain and 
 torture, generally give them fomething. Thefe, 
 however, are no more than the tricks of artful 
 impoftors, who, by Undying chymeftry, can eafily 
 delude the vulgar, by making them believe they 
 are in real torment, when, in truth, they feel no 
 pain at all. 
 
 Father Le Compte tells us, that one day he 
 accidentally met with a young bonze or monk, 
 in the market place of a country town, whofe 
 air and deportment were graceful, Tweet, and mo¬ 
 del. He Hood upright within a ledan, thick fet 
 with long (harp pointed nails, fixed as clofe by 
 one another as could be, in luch a manner that: 
 it was impoffible for him to turn to the one fide 
 or the other without having his body pierced. 
 Two fellows hired for the pui-pole, carried him 
 from houfe to houfe, where lie begged the people 
 would have companion on his mil'erable condi¬ 
 tion. “ I am,” (laid he) “ confined in this chair 
 “ for the benefit and advantage of your precious 
 “ fouls, and I am determined never to Hit out, 
 “ till I have fold every nail you fee in it, which 
 “ are ten thoufand in number, and all I demand 
 “ for one is only ten pence, though each is 
 “ worth it’s weight in gold.” This induced 
 fome of the people to buy as many of them as 
 they could afford; and tvichin a few days after¬ 
 wards he fold them all. 
 
 There are in China another fet of vagabonds, 
 who, in many refpefts,relemble our ftage moun¬ 
 tebanks in Europe; and iome of them are fo 
 artful that they will get upon the backs of tygers, 
 tamed for the purpofe, and ride from town to 
 town, without being under the leaft apprehen- 
 fions from thofe ferocious animals, although they 
 are neither bridled nor muzzled. Thefe im- 
 poftors have always along with them a large re¬ 
 tinue of beggars and penitents, that bellow on 
 each other a confiderable number of lalhes to ex¬ 
 cite the companion of the people. They have 
 another fort of beggars, who, under pretence of 
 devotion, live in caves in the woods and the 
 rocks, and are fupported by the contributions of 
 the people, who, looking upon them as laints, 
 confult them from time to time in every thing of 
 importance, for what they lay, is confidered as 
 coming from God himl'elf. 
 
 Some of thefe friars live together in convents, 
 in the woods, and are fupported at the expence 
 
 of 
 
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 3 rhi-fi! 
 
 /I ES1 INAL M/s//y ( v ’/<//’(//<'///,// ■ ft/ 
 
 ONFUCIUS,,/// c//? w/WClIIN E SE PH IL O SOPHER 
 //v/t> /r/'//'() /fw (Wt/ts-rt/* ('////<//j////()<, 
 
 
 ( V/uls/s) ! (<■'/< />^r */// I a/uvt*i 
 
■ 
 
The RELIGION 
 
 of government, but in general they are collected 
 from the very dregs of the people, and one part 
 of their employment is to attend the funerals of 
 the deceafed. They are divided into four orders, 
 namely, the white, black, yellow, and red, and 
 they have one principal who refides always at 
 court, feveral deputies being appointed to aft 
 under him. They take a vow of chaftity, but 
 . when it is found that they break it, then he is 
 punilhed in the following manner; 
 
 They bore a hole in his neck with a red hot 
 iron, and thruft a chain through the wound, of 
 about fixty feet in length, and in that deplorable 
 condition, and naked as lie was born, lead him all 
 over the city, till he has collected a particular 
 fum of money for the ule of the convent to which 
 he belongs. Another monk follows him, and 
 whips him feverely, when he attempts to lay hold 
 of the chain to mitigate his pain. They have 
 alfo nuns in China, but their number is very in- 
 confiderable, in companion with that of the 
 monks ; they have their heads Ihorn quite bare, 
 nor are they buffered ever to go abroad. 
 
 The feaft of Lanthorns is one of the mod re¬ 
 markable among the Chinefe, and is celebrated 
 on the fifteenth day of the firft month every year. 
 Every perfon is obliged, on the evening of that 
 day, to fet out a lanthorn before his door, and 
 thefe are of various fixes and prices, according to 
 the different circumftances of thoi'e to whom they 
 belong. During this feftival, they have all forts 
 of entertainments, fuch as plays, balls, affem- 
 blies, truffle, dancing, and the lanthorns are filled 
 with a vaft number of wax candles, and fur- 
 rounded with bonfires. During the whole of the 
 feftival, it feldom happens that any irregularities 
 take place; for excepting the monks already 
 mentioned, the people are in general very fober, 
 and obedient to their laws. 
 
 The Chinefe al'cribe the origin of this feftival 
 to the following melancholy occurrence. One 
 evening, as the daughter of a Mandarine was 
 walking, by the fide of a river, (lie fell in and 
 was drowned. The difconfolate father, in order 
 to recover the body, put out to fea, attended by 
 all the people in the neighbourhood, each carry¬ 
 ing lanthorns, but after a fruitlefs fearch, they 
 were obliged to return. The Mandarine was 
 much beloved by the people, and therefore, upon 
 the annual return of the day, when this unhappy 
 circumftance took place, all thofe who had known 
 the young woman, -went with lanthorns to the fea 
 fide, fo that in time it became an eftablifhed cuftom. 
 
 But there are fome others of the Chinefe, who 
 aferibe the origin of the feftival of lanthorns to a 
 quite different caufe. They fay that many hundred 
 years ago, one of their emperors propofed to fiiut 
 hunfclf up along with his wives and concubines, 
 in a moft magnificent palace he had erefted on 
 purpofe, and that he cauled every window in the 
 building to be grandly illuminated with wax can¬ 
 dles in lanthorns, that he might have the pleafure 
 to behold, as it were, a new iky as a canopy over 
 lus head. This occafioned an ini'urredtion amon°- 
 the people, becaui'e the emperor neglefted the aff 
 lairs of government, and they demolilhed the 
 coftly palace. That this fhameful part of his 
 conduit: might never be forgotten, they hung out 
 lanthorns all over the town, and the pradlice has 
 been kept up ever fince. 
 
 of the CHINESE. g„ 
 
 They have another feftival, at the time when 
 the fruits of the earth are gathered in, and, on that 
 occafion, the moft folemn l'acrifices are offered. 
 In every town throughout the empire, the chief 
 magrftrate, being crowned with flowers, marches 
 out of the eaftern gate, attended by muficians, 
 and a vaft concourfe of people, provided with 
 flambeaus, colours, ftreamers, and other enfnms 
 of dignity. 6 
 
 Several perfons follow him, carrying figures or 
 images, reprefenting the invention, and provrefs 
 of agriculture, and the ftreets are adorned with 
 triumphal arches, hung with tapeftry. The ma- 
 giitrate advances towards the eaft,' as if he in¬ 
 tended to meet the new feafon, and before him 
 appears the figure of a cow, made of burnt clay, 
 and ot fuch an enormous fize, that forty men are 
 haidly able to carry it. On the back of the cow 
 fits a beautiful boy alive, reprefenting the genius 
 of hufbandry, with one leg bare, and the other 
 covered with a thin bufkin. The boy ladies the 
 cow, and feveral peafants march behind, carrying 
 ™ 1 t ™ t,ie implements ufed in hufbandry. 
 All thefe are emblematical, the ladies the bov 
 gives the cow, point out the neceffity of labour 
 ill cultivating the fruits of the eartlg and his 
 having one leg bare, and the other covered, is 
 the fymbol of hurry and diligence, which fcarce 
 affords to the induftrious time to drefs. 
 
 When the proceffion arrives at the emperor's pa¬ 
 lace, all die flowers with which the cow is dreffed, 
 are taken oft, and then her belly is opened, when 
 leveral little cows come out, and are diftributed 
 among the people by the minifters of ftate, in 
 order to remind them of the care and induf- 
 tryattendmg hufbandry, and to admonifli his 
 
 low efts never to lcc any piece of S round h Y fal ’ 
 
 Tile goddefs Qumihi, prefid es over all their 
 houiliold affairs, and the fruits of the earth. She 
 is reprefented with an infant on each fide of her, 
 one of whom holds a cup in his hands, and the 
 other has his hands doled one within the other. 
 
 1 he goddels whom the batchelors worfhip, is 
 called Chang-ko, and is held in great efteeni by 
 their learned men, as Minerva was by the Greeks 
 and Romans. 
 
 Hie firft day of the new year is celebrated with 
 great pomp and fplendour.' There is a total cel- 
 jation from bufinefs, the courts of juftice are 
 fhut up and the ports are flopped. Every one 
 then makes merry, and partakes of the general 
 joy. Solemn facrifices are offered throughout 
 the empire, and their gods are brought out and 
 placed before their doors. It mull, however, be 
 obferved, that theft: are houlhold gods, and not 
 iuch as are placed in their temples, for the latter 
 cannot be brought out without leave of the em¬ 
 peror. 
 
 Their moft celebrated temples are built upon 
 mountains, for although groves were the original 
 places for worfhip, yet we find, that when fo- 
 cieties of men were formed, they changed the 
 antient cuftoms, probably, that their pride might 
 be the more gratified by letting forth the gran¬ 
 deur of their temples. To thefe temples, the 
 devotees refort in great numbers, fome walking 
 oil foot, and others mounted on horfeback, or 
 drawn in chariots, according to the nature of 
 their circumftances. The female fex are remark¬ 
 ably 
 
The RELIGION 
 
 of the C H I N E S E. 
 
 ably fond of going on thefe pilgrimages; but as 
 father Le Compte obierves, devotion is not the 
 l'ole motive. They are ambitious of being feen 
 in public, and of freeing themfelves for a time, 
 from the reftraints laid on them by their hul- 
 
 ba in S all their temples, which are built in the form 
 of pyramids, the idols are placed on altars, and the 
 cloifters are inhabited by monks or bonzes, much 
 in the fame manner as the cloifters of c ° le § ia “; 
 churches among the Roman Catholics. The altar 
 is illuminated by a vaft number of lamps, which 
 burn day and night, and the idol being richly 
 gilt, the whole has a moft fplendid appearance. 
 The idol is always of a gigantic fize, and he has 
 fome fmaller ones Handing around him as lus 
 guards. On each fide of the altar ftands centers, 
 in which incenfe is continually burning, and at 
 the foot of it is a wooden bowl to receive the ob¬ 
 lations of the devotees. The altar is painted all 
 over with a moft beautiful red, that colour being 
 appropriated only to 1'uch things as are facred. . 
 
 Before the image of fi-san, the god of their 
 treafures, ftand feveral hedious devils, ready to 
 execute their matter’s orders. The torments of 
 the damned are reprefented in the moft hedious 
 figures, one of which always reprefents a finncr 
 in a pair of fcales, with his iniquities in the one, 
 and his good works in the other. We meet with 
 feveral fuch reprefentations in the Grecian mytho¬ 
 logy as will be taken notice of afterwards, when 
 we come to treat of the religion of that once 
 celebrated country. 
 
 Betides thofe vagabonds and cheats, whom we 
 have already mentioned, there are many others 
 of a lower order in China, who, to thediftionour 
 even of their own idols, and the fcandal of reli¬ 
 gion to about the country like impoftors as they 
 are, and pretend to foretel future events, beyond 
 the power or comprehenfion of any human capa¬ 
 city 1 ^ Some of thefe wretches pretend to infiruft 
 women how to have children, a proof of which 
 the author has in his poffeffion, committed to him 
 by a learned German, who redded above two 
 years in the interior parts of China, but the par¬ 
 ticulars are too obfeene to be mentioned. Others 
 of them pretend to fell the wind and air and 
 thele always go in couples together. One of 
 them with a very grave and demure countenance, 
 carrying on his right fhoulder a bag in which his 
 airy goods are depofited, and out of wh ch, at a 
 ceitain price, he delivers to the credulous as 
 large a quantity as they can afford to purchafe. 
 I„ hi 3 left hand, he carries a hammer, with which 
 lie ftrikes the ground three times, in order to 
 
 make the genius of the wind appear; and it cre¬ 
 dit is to be given to thefe impoftors the wind 
 will appear in a certain number of days, born 
 on the wines of a. bird. a . 
 
 Another of their tricks is to confult domeftic 
 idols for, as was faid before, every houic has 
 i t ' s cod. In fuch cafes, the juggler takes two 
 Httkfticks and ties them faft together with a 
 thread, and having made the moft humble fup- 
 plications to the domeftic idol, they throw the 
 flicks down before it, in full affurance that their 
 petitions will be gracioufiy heard and anfwerecL 
 As one fide of eaeh of the Hicks is Bat, andi if 
 by accident they happen to fall on the flat fide, 
 they then expoftulatc with the god, and proceed 
 
 to try a fecond experiment. It, on the fecond 
 repetition they prove again imiuccefsful, they 
 have recourfe from words to blows and knock 
 the idol two or three times about the head, to 
 teach him to be more propitious for the future. 
 
 However, they are feldom difcouraged, for 
 they continue throwing the fticks till they fall in 
 a proper petition, and the greater trouble they 
 are put to, they impute it to the. obftinacy of the 
 god For this juggling trick, they receive fome 
 money from the credulous, who are vain enough 
 to believe them; juft in the fame manner as our 
 fortune tellers do In Europe. To treat thefe 
 villains with contempt, or to refufe them at 
 leaft fomethmg, would be confidered as facnlege, 
 for they are authorized by the priefts, in order 
 to keep the people in a ftate of ignorance. 
 
 There are in China, many female devotees, 
 who obferve the ftrifteft auftermes; and father 
 Le Compte gives us an account of one of them, 
 which is very extraordinary. The Jefuit had 
 been often told of her piety, and therefore he 
 thought her a proper objeft to be converted to 
 the Chriftian religion. Being introduced to her, 
 he found, that befides obfer ing the auftentes 
 of the feft to which fhe belonged, five had not 
 tailed animal food for the fpace of forty years. 
 She was bv profeffion, oneot thole who delighted 
 in long prayers, m ibe. f a foctety that 
 
 pie frequented by pilgrims 
 from all parts of the empire. I hefe pilgrims, 
 upon their arrival at the foot of the mountain 
 upon which the temple is built, fall down up¬ 
 on their knees and crawl up to the top. Le 
 Compte found this woman too much wedded to 
 her own opinions, to embrace his religion, fo 
 that he was obliged to leave her a Heathen, in the 
 fame deplorable llate as he found her. 
 
 Polygamy is tolerated in China among all 
 ranks of people, but the woman firft married 
 is confidered as fupenor to the others, dhe 
 Chinefe are fo jealous of their wives, that they 
 will not permit them to be feen by any befides 
 themfelves, even their own relations are denied 
 admittance to their apartments, unlets the hui- 
 band is along with them. Indeed their apart 
 ments are contrived in fuch a manner, that they 
 cannot be feen by any one, and when they are 
 indulged to go abroad, it is in a clofe carnage, 
 hidden from every one. 
 
 In the article of marriage, neither parties are 
 permitted to confult their own inclinations, but 
 the match is made up, either by the relations 
 or by old women employed for that purpofe, and 
 who make a trade of it. The wedding day be¬ 
 in'* fixed, the bride is carried in a fedan, follow¬ 
 ed 0 by the bridegroom, and their relations, d ue 
 bride brings no other portion befides her wedding 
 garments, a few other cloaths, and fome houi- 
 hold furniture ; for in China the men give money 
 for their wives, infiead of receiving it with 
 them The bridegroom attends the bride to his 
 own door, when he opens the ledan, which be¬ 
 fore was fhut up, and conducting her into a 
 private apartment, recommends her to the care 
 of feveral women, who have come to attend the 
 wedding, and who lpend the day in feafiing and 
 rejoicin'*, while the bridegroom does the fame 
 among his male friends and acquaintance. 
 
 As the bridegroom is never permitted to fee 
 
The RELIGION of the CHINES E. 
 
 the bride whom he has purchafed, till he opens 
 the chair, fo if he finds himfelf deceived with 
 refpea to her beauty, he immediately fiiuts it, 
 and difmifles her home to her relations, chufinv 
 rather to lofe the purchafe money, than to marry 
 one whom he cannot love. 
 
 The Solemnization of the marriage is always 
 preceded by three days mourning, during which 
 time, all tire relations abftain from every fort of 
 amufement. The reafon afiigned for this prac- 
 tjee is, the Chinefe look upon the marriages of 
 tueir children as a prefage of their own deaths. 
 The purchafe and fale of wives are much more 
 common among the lower forts of people, than 
 among thole of an elevated rank; for fh'e latter 
 always take care to have one lawful wife, and 
 to treat her in a manner becoming the rank in 
 which Ihe was brought up. 
 
 The day after marriage, the bridegroom and 
 bnde, 01 rather the new married couple, repair 
 to the next temple, where they offer up lacrifices 
 to one of their gods, and have their names en¬ 
 rolled among thofe of their anceflors. Then the 
 pi-left bellows upon them the folemn benedic- 
 
 tilTdeadf dCC arCS that n ° thing can P ar,: thcni 
 . When one of the princeffes of the blood royal 
 is to be married, twelve young men of high 
 rank, are brought into an apartment in the pa¬ 
 lace where they can be feen by her, although 
 they cannot fee. her. They are ordered to walk 
 round the apartment while flie Surveys them, 
 when (lie makes choice of two, who are pre¬ 
 sented to the emperor, and lie nominates whom 
 he thinks proper. This is perhaps a much bet¬ 
 ter, and more rational way of dilpofmg of a 
 daughter than that oftheEuropcan fathers of prin- 
 cefles concluding marriages, without giving their 
 daughters an opportunity of fo much as feeing 
 the objeft of their affections. A woman who 
 cannot pick a huftiand out of twelve lovers 
 mult be nice in her choice indeed ! 
 
 rrmftT “ C r !nefe dics > an altar is immediately 
 eirefted m fome particular room of the houffi. 
 Which for the mod parr, is hung with mourning. 
 The .mage of the deceafed is laid upon the at¬ 
 tar, and the corps behind it, in a coffin. Every 
 
 of e r W on 0 ri a F r0aChe n it ,’ iS f ° pi T ,lis compliment 
 of condolance, and bow his knee four times 
 beioiethe miage; but previous to thefe kneel- 
 in a s, they offer up their perfumes. If the de- 
 
 FVF ch j ldren > they ftand around the 
 coffin, drefied in deep mourning; and his wives 
 and relations, weep aloud with the female 
 
 . w, j° are h,red > and. who (land con- 
 cca ed behind a curtain. When the body is 
 laid in the coffin, the mouth is filled with as 
 much corn, rice, filver and gold, as circum 
 
 fnFurfe* 111 FT °t nails and fcilr a r s. tied up 
 m purfes, are Iikewife put into the coffin, in or- 
 
 as he’^eat CCafed ° Ut his " ads as °f«n 
 
 Ihe day on which the funeral is to be folem- 
 mzed all the relations and friends of the de- 
 ceakd meet together at the houfe of the de- 
 
 theDriefts eff f d m who > Wgether with 
 
 atteF^,F™.? e _ fune P 1 which is 
 
 nrru .-, I. , , . .wnicn is 
 
 . tenued by the images of men, women, tygers 
 c.-phants, and various other forts of creatSres 
 1 are t0 be burnt, in memory of the de! 
 
 
 ceafed, and for the repofe of his foul. The 
 pnefts who are to make a funeral panygeric 
 walk behind the proceffion. In the front, feve- 
 nu perfons walk with brazen cenfers on their 
 moulders. The children of the deceafed walk 
 immediately behind the corpfe on foot, leaning 
 on (ticks, as an expreffion of forrow and con¬ 
 cern. After the children, come the wives and 
 the more diltant relations of the deceafed, in a 
 clofe litter. Handfulls of red fand are thrown 
 upon the coffin, during the proceffion, which is 
 a iymbol ot the body’s returning again to it's 
 native earth. Muficians, playing the molt me- 
 lancnoly tunes, walk in the midft. of the pro- 
 cefiion, till they come to the place where the 
 corpfe is to be interred, which is always without 
 the city in an open field, fet apart for that pur- 
 pole. The body is laid in the ground, and the 
 pneft pronounces a funeral oration, after which 
 all the mourners return home. 
 
 Such was the ancient, and, fuchisthe modern 
 (late of religion in China, and upon an impar¬ 
 tial confideration, we will find much to com¬ 
 mend, and much to blame. The deilts have re- 
 prelented the Chinefe religion as the molt perfeft 
 m the umverfe, but, upon a drift enquiry, it ap¬ 
 pears to be a fyftem of barbariim and heathen- 
 dm That they are weil acquainted with fome 
 or the fine arts, cannot be denied; but their re- 
 ligion is of fuch a nature, that unlefs fome re¬ 
 formation takes place in their fyftem, they will 
 remain as they have hitherto done, a people 
 fecluded from the reft of the world; and indeed, 
 out of the way of improvement. To deduce 
 any other inferences is altogether unneceffary, 
 tor thole who know the value of the bleffings 
 they enjoy under the gofpel, where life and im¬ 
 mortality are brought to light, will look with 
 an eye ot pity on the highly reputed natives of 
 China, and with thofe people to fliare with them 
 in happmels. 
 
 Before we dilmifs this article concerning Chi¬ 
 na, it may not be improper to fay fomlthino- 
 concerning burymg-grounds, efpecially as th? 
 right underflanding of that fubjeft will ferve to 
 ImdeF '° me Prej ' udices which t0 ° many labour 
 
 The antient Greeks never differed a dead 
 body to be buried within the walls of their 
 cities ; they had fields appropriated for that pur- 
 pole, at a confiderable diltance, and at the public 
 expcnce. r 
 
 The primitive Chriftians could not bury their 
 dead within towns or cities, for they being fiib- 
 jefts of the Roman emperors, were obliged to 
 comply With all their edifts, in things of a civil 
 
 K thc ^{? re remains for us to enquire at 
 hat time, and for what reafon this praftice firft 
 took place . So far as ecclefiaftical hiflory will 
 direft us, it deems to have been towards the 
 middle of die fifth century, owing to the vene¬ 
 ration the Chriftians had for the remains of the 
 martyrs. Thole they picked up and piled round 
 their churches; and others, who were profeffing 
 Chriftians, defired to have their bodies interred 
 near the remains of thofe who had laid down 
 tneir lives for the truth. Superftition was then 
 beginning to gain ground in the Chriftian church 
 and the lets than non effentials of religion were 
 confidered as of a greater importance than the 
 ^ articles 
 
6 6 The RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES of the 
 
 articles of faith and dutv, upon which man s fiil- 
 vation depends. Corrupt price s found it conduced 
 towards promoting the dignity of their charac¬ 
 ters, and confiderable emoluments arofe from it, 
 in confequence of the fees that were paid. This 
 pradtice has continued ever fince in the church of 
 Rome ; and we have leveral inftances in the reign 
 of Henry VIII. of people being committed to 
 prifon, where they died miferably for no other 
 reafon but that of refufing to pay money for the 
 funeral rites. . 
 
 Some of the greateft men, both in the laft, , 
 and the prefent age, have earneftly wifhed, that : 
 fees for the burying of the dead, had been long ! 
 fmee abolilhed, efpecially in proteftant churches; 
 but we wifh for reformation, long before it takes 
 place. However, with relpeft to things of a re¬ 
 ligious nature, they are not what we have at pre¬ 
 fent in view, inftead of them, we look towards 
 utility, and the promoting of public fafety. 
 
 Whatever may be the confequences of burying 
 bodies in church yards, certainly, the praflice of 
 interring them in churches mull be of a very 
 pernicious nature. In Italy, the fmell arifing 
 from the corrupted bodies, often interrupts the 
 devotions ; nor need we be much furpriled, if the 
 plague, or fome fuch epidemical diltemper was to 
 break out in the country. In the original judge¬ 
 ment pronounced upon our flrll parents, we find 
 the words, “ Dull thou art, and unto dull thou 
 “ lhalt return but fuch is the vanity, fuch the 
 pride of mortals, that they cannot bear the 
 thoughts of their near relations being configned 
 to the filent grave. Like the Egyptians of old, 
 they would have them kept above the ground ; j 
 but alas ! they cannot prelerve them from cor¬ 
 ruption. Nay, it will, and frequently does hap¬ 
 pen, that the churches in which they are buried, 
 fall to the ground, and the author of this work 
 has l'een whole cart loads of dead bodies taken in 
 their coffins from vaults, and thrown down in a ; 
 promifeuous heap in the fields. 
 
 Would it not, therefore, be much better to 
 have a field purchafed at the public expence, 
 near every town and city, to depofit the dead 
 bodies of our dearell relations ? Surely it would ; 
 but here we mull Hate a particular objeftion. 
 
 Thofe who Hand up in defence of the burying 
 of dead bodies in church-yards, being fairly 
 beaten out of all the affiltance they vainly lma- 
 
 INHABITANTS of the PROVINCES 
 
 gined to procure from the Greek and Roman his¬ 
 torians, have had recourfe to what they call a 
 natural principle. They tell 11s, that men de¬ 
 fined to have their remains depofited near the fpot 
 where they offered up their prayers and praifes 
 to the Divine Being. In proof of this, they pro¬ 
 duce the pradlice of the antient Druids, who 
 buried their relations near the confines of their 
 temples. Plaufible as this objedtion may feem, 
 yet it will not require much force of argument to 
 overthrow it. 
 
 The temples of the Druids were piles of Hones, 
 fet up in a circular form, far from towns and 
 cities, and the bodies being buried deep in the 
 earth, no evil confequences could ariie, in con¬ 
 fequence of a noxious fmell; but many of our bu¬ 
 rying grounds are in the moll confpicuous parts 
 of our cities, and thoulands of coffins with their 
 mortal contents are left above ground, to the dif- 
 grace of humanity and civil polity. But allow¬ 
 ing the argument to hold good, let it be granted 
 that the Druids did lo, what has Chriflians to do 
 with it ? Life and immortality being now brought 
 to light by the gofpel, we have an affurance, that 
 our bodies will°be railed at the general refurrec- 
 tion, and then what does it fignify to us where 
 they were depofited. It is nothing to the Chrif- 
 tian, whether his body is call into the fea, or laid 
 up in a monument of Parian marble, whether it 
 is trodden under the feet of men, who are a dif- 
 grace to humanity, or millritied behind the altar 
 of a cathedral church. That refpeft fliould be 
 fliewn to the allies of the dead, is certainly con- 
 fiftent with all thofe ideas we form of Divine be¬ 
 nevolence, becaufe man is the image of his Di¬ 
 vine maker; but that it fhould be exercifed at 
 the expence of the living, is contrary to moral 
 juftice, and common fenfe. 
 
 From the whole, we may draw the following 
 conclufions. Firft, that it is our duty to depofit 
 the dead bodies of our fellow creatures in a de¬ 
 cent manner. Secondly, that to lay their dead 
 bodies in vaults above ground, is contrary to the 
 original order of God. Thirdly, that the having 
 burying grounds in towns and cities, may be at- 
 ! tended with very dangerous confequences ; and 
 lailly, that it is the duty of the ftate to have com- 
 j mon burying grounds in every part of the nation, 
 and that no fees fliould be exadled from thofe 
 | who are unable to pay. 
 
 ‘T/jc Religious Ceremonies of the Inhabitants of the Provinces 
 of Carnate, Golcondo, Bisnagar, and Decan. 
 
 ^■" 13 —^ HESE antient nations, of which hiftory 
 I is in many refpe&s filent, worfhip the 
 JL fame gods, tho’ under different forms, as 
 thofe adored by the Bramins, and in general, their 
 religion is called Banian , and the people Banians. 
 This is not a term of reproach, but a word that 
 fignifies Gravity , Reverence , or Striflnejs , in allu- 
 
 fion to the great aufterites they obferve, both in 
 their temples and in their private lives. And fir ft 
 of their hermits, for they are much efteemed in 
 thofe parts. This feft was firft founded by 
 Rhevan, whom the god Ram depofed, to revenge 
 the indignities offered to his wife Sita, and he 
 became their patriarch. Thefe hermits are called 
 
 Faquir *, 
 
Of CARNATE, GOLCONDO, BISNAGA 
 
 Faquirs , which fignify holy reclufes, or fuch 
 as have denied to live in human fociety. They 
 live retired in woods and caves, feeding on roots, 
 herbs, fruits, &c. and fometimes the Ihepherds 
 bring them a piece of bread, for they mull: not, 
 on any account whatever, eat fielh. 
 
 They are in fuch repute for their fanflity, that 
 devotees will fometimes- travel two or three days 
 to alk them queftions ; and fo far are many of the 
 women diverted of fhame, that they will even kifs 
 their privy parts. A gentleman, who vifited thefe 
 parts about ten years ago, a&ually faw this done 
 by a lady, after Ihe had travelled above three 
 days to enquire of the hermit whether Ihe ibould 
 have children. Strange and incredible as this 
 may appear, yet there are many perfons alive 
 who can witnefs the truth of it; nay, and many 
 things more extravagant, ridiculous, and abomi¬ 
 nable in their nature. 
 
 Their pagods, or altars, where they worfhip 
 their idols, are, for the moil part, built under tall 
 trees, and the name of one of them is Mamaniva, 
 fhaped in a monftrous form. To this idol, the 
 votaries bring their freewill-offerings of rice, 
 millet, and feveral forts of fruit, and whoever 
 Come to offer up their facrificcs before their 
 god Mamaniva, are marked by the hermit on the 
 forehead with Vermillion. The moment they re¬ 
 ceive this tincture, they imagine that the devil 
 can have no power over them, and that all 
 manner of temptations will be rendered in¬ 
 effectual. 
 
 In the fame grove, and at a fmall diftance, 
 Hands another pagod or altar, dedicated to tire 
 god Ram, whole image is reprefented under the 
 hgure of a cow. At all thefe places, the hermits 
 receive gifts from the people, who come in great 
 numbers to worllrip. Some of thefe hermits or 
 Faquirs , retire one after another into the moll 
 gloomy caverns, where no light can come, but 
 through a fmall crevice, and there they ftand in 
 one pofture from day to day, during a whole week, 
 without tailing any fort of refrelhment. Others 
 fpend whole years together, without fo much as 
 repoling themfelves on the ground ; for when 
 deep overpowers them, they lean again!! a cord, 
 fixed by each end to the branches of a tree. Some 
 of them do penance, by Handing ten or twelve 
 hours a day, with one foot extended, and their 
 eyes ffeadfaftly fixed on the fun. At the fame 
 time, they hold a cenfer in their hands, filled 
 with burning incenfe; and others fit fquattingon 
 their pofteriors, with their legs under them, and 
 their arms wreathed over their heads in a variety 
 of frantic pollutes. 
 
 It has been generally allowed, that thefe In¬ 
 dian devotees would fink under the force of fuch 
 penance, were it not for fome affiftance from art, 
 for unlels the fenfes were lulled to deep, the tor¬ 
 ments would be too great to endure. But we 
 are affured, that they drink water, with opium 
 infufed into it, which is of fuch an intoxicating 
 nature, that for fome time it turns their brains” 
 During the time they attend their facrifices, they 
 hang fmall round llones about their necks, as an 
 emblem of eternity, which has induced fome 
 travellers to believe that they are defended from 
 the Egyptians, who, in antient times, painted 
 eternity in the form of a circle, having neither 
 beginning nor end. 
 
 Rj and D E C A N. 67 
 
 Another god, much effeemed and worfhipped 
 by thefe people, is called Perimal, and his image 
 is that of a pole, or the large maff of a fiiip. 
 The Indians relate the following legend concern¬ 
 ing this idol. At Cydambaran, a city in Gol- 
 condo, a penitent having accidentally pricked 
 his foot with an awl, let it continue in the wound 
 for feveral years together; and although this ex¬ 
 travagant method of putting himfelf to exceffive 
 torture, was difpleafing to the god Perimal, yet 
 the zealot Iwore he would not have it pulled out 
 till he faw the god dance. At laff, the indulgent 
 god had companion on him, and danced, and the 
 lun, moon, and Hars danced along with him. 
 During this celeHial movement, a chain of gold 
 dropped from either the lun or the god, and°the 
 place has been ever fince called Cydambaran. It 
 was alfo in memory of this remarkable trani'ac- 
 tion, that the image of the god was changed 
 from that of an ape to a pole, thereby intimating; 
 that all religious worlhip fliould reach up to¬ 
 wards heaven, that human affections fhould be 
 placed on things above. 
 
 At Samorin, a confiderable city, is a chapel, 
 and in it a Hatue ieated on the throne, and young 
 children are facrificed to it. It is made of brafs, 
 and when heated from a furnace underneath the 
 altar, the child is thrown into it’s mouth and 
 confumed. There are certain days fet apart for 
 the wol-filip of this idol, and he is walhed in con- 
 fccrated water, every morning, by the Bramins. 
 Flowers are fcattered upon the altars, during the 
 facrifices ; and they deep fame herbs in the blood 
 of a cock, which are afterwards thrown into a 
 cenfer, with a large quantity of frankincenfe, and 
 with this they perfume the idol. During the 
 whole of the ceremony, the prieft tinkles a little 
 bell, to animate the people in their devotions, a 
 practice common in many heathen nations. 
 
 The firft part of the facrifice, namely, that of 
 defraying an innocent child being over, the 
 pried cuts the throat of a cock, with a filver 
 knife, dipped in the blood of a hen, and holds 
 the cock with the knife over a chaffing difh, in 
 the middle of the altar. The altar is pompoufly 
 illuminated by wax tapers, and at the clofe of 
 the facrifice, the pried takes a handful of corn, 
 and walks backwards from the altar, keeping his 
 eyes Headfallly fixed upon it. Wffien he comes 
 to the middle of the chapel, he throws the corn 
 over his head, and returning to the altar again, 
 removes every thing from it. 
 
 There is a pagod near Naugracut, a confider¬ 
 able city between Indus and the Ganges, and in 
 it is an idol, which the Bramins honour, by cut¬ 
 ting off part of their tongues. This, however, 
 is but done once during their lives, and it is 
 reckoned the higheff aft of devotion they can 
 perform, and fuch as fubmit to it are confidered 
 as faints. 
 
 It is remarkable what veneration thefe people 
 have for the river Ganges ; in it they walh, out of 
 pure devotion, and often throw into it, as offer¬ 
 ings, pieces of gold and filver. Vaff numbers 
 of pilgrims are continually vifiting this celebrated 
 river, and while they bathe in it, they hold a 
 fhort ffraw between their fingers. The pilgrims 
 having walhed themfelves with great ceremony, 
 are received by the Bramins, who conduct them 
 to a pagod, where they offer fome money and rice. 
 
 During^ 
 
r.S The RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES of the 
 
 During thefe ceremonies, the pilgrims repeat fe¬ 
 veral prayers, and every one ts laid to have lus 
 fills forgiven, when he has been walhed in the 
 
 Ganges. , , , 
 
 guilacara , a celebrated town on the borders 
 of the Indies, is remarkable for a Jubilee, ce 
 lebrated there once in twelve years. On the 
 morning of the feftival, the raja of the place, 
 who is both fovereign, high prieft, and civil go 
 vernor, mounts a fcaffold ; and, having ftripped 
 himlelf naked, is walhed all over by h.s attend¬ 
 ants. He then makes an oration to the people; 
 telling them, that he is to otter up himfelf, a 
 free-will offering to the gods. The people Ill out 
 applaufe, when the raja pulls out a (harp knife, 
 and cuts off his nofe, lips, and ears, and pie- 
 lents them to his idols, and he doles the cere¬ 
 mony, by cutting his thioat. 
 
 Horrid as this ceremony may appear to us, 
 yet there are others more barbarous ftill i and in 
 the fame province. Some of their devotees go 
 in icores together, to vifit the moll celebrated 
 temples; and, (landing before their altars cut 
 off their ffelh by piece-meal; tiling the follow 
 iner words, “ Thus do I mortify myfelf for the 
 « 'fake of my God.” When they can endure 
 the torment no longer, they fay, “ Out of love to 
 thee, O my god, do I offer up myfelf, a cliear- 
 “ ful facrifice!” Then they (tab themfelves, 
 and their bodies are immediately reduced to 
 allies. Thefe precious alhes are lold by the 
 priefts for a confiderable l'um, to the deluded 
 people, and are conffdered as prefervatives againft 
 ail lores of dil'eal'es. During the month of May, 
 thefe people obferve a remarkable ceremony ; 
 and it is at the time when the pilgrims come to 
 bathe in the Ganges. They ereft a pile of cow 
 dung, on which they put feveral bailcets of rice, 
 
 withherbs, roots, and all fuch vegetables as can 
 
 be procured. To the whole is added a quantity 
 of butter, and feveral piles of wood, which they 
 let fire to; and during the time it is burning 
 they pretend to difeover what fort of a haiveit 
 
 will enlue. r r • 1 
 
 In Vifipour, at feed-time, they have a feftival, 
 which they celebrate in the following manner 
 The prieih lop off all the branches of one of 
 
 th. -’r tallcll trees, except thofe at the top, and 
 vv : rh thefe lopped branches, march in grand pto- 
 o-iW.s, finging hymns, attended by a vail: con- 
 r.mrtb of people, to one of their pagods where 
 
 ti. cv nil before the gate, and lalute the ido . 
 Thi people repeat loud acclamations, and walk 
 three times round the temple; and the arch 
 prieft digs a hole in the ground, and pours into 
 it tome water brought from the Ganges mixed 
 war. the Urine of cows. In this hole, the 
 .. . ,j ie Q f t j e tree are fixed, and while the hie 
 isconfumina them, the arch-prieff pretends to 
 know, from the attitudes of the flames, what 
 will happen, during the remainder of the year. 
 
 In all their ceremonies, they fing a great 
 number of hymns and pfalms, which ieems to 
 have been a very antient praftice, even among 
 the molt idolatrous nations, both in Atta, and m 
 other parts of the world. That it was uled in 
 Egypt, while the children of Ifrael were in a 
 ftate of flavery, cannot be doubted ; for we read 
 that when Moles went up into the mount to re¬ 
 ceive the law from God, the people made a 
 
 INHABITANTS cf the PROVINCES 
 
 (rolden calf, and danced before it; and, undoubt¬ 
 edly, they had mufic. Nay, there is notan an¬ 
 tient nation, or indeed any of the moderns, where 
 mufic, of fome fort or other, does not make a 
 part of their religious fervice. The Greeks and 
 Romans were ot opinion that mufic appealed the 
 anger of the gods ; thus the poet fas s, 
 
 ’Tis pious duty now to praife, 
 
 With incenle, longs, and lacred lays, 
 
 And with a promis’d heifer’s blood, 
 
 My Numida’s kind guardian god. 
 
 For this reafon, the pagan devotion was gene, 
 rally attended with vocal and inftrument.il mufic 
 and it was the cuftom to turn into veri'e, and 
 fing in their temples, the heroic afts of their 
 crods. But without taking any notice ot the 
 mufic made ufe of by the primitive Chriftians, 
 which will naturally occur, in its proper place, 
 we ftiall here only obferve, that even thole bar¬ 
 barous people whole religion we have been treat¬ 
 ing of, are no ftrangers to mufic, and although 
 they may not know the rules of art fo well as 
 the Europeans, yet we find that they have what 
 is fufficient to fatisfy their tafte, and from that 
 fmgle circumftance we may learn, that mulic is 
 a univerfal fcience. 
 
 When the devotees among thofe people con¬ 
 vert any young perfons to become proielytes to 
 their aufterites, they preferibe a rule for their 
 conduct, by attending to which their fincenty is 
 known, and this is to laft during fix months. 
 The reafon they protraft the time lo long, is, 
 that they may not reveal their fecrets to novices, 
 till fuch time as they are in a manner certain 
 that they will not defert them. 
 
 This term of their noviciate, or trial, is called 
 their regeneration; and, during the rirft three 
 months, they are obliged to eat one pound of 
 cows dung, mixed w ith rice, every day. Dur¬ 
 ing the laft three months, the quantity cl dung 
 is gradually leffened, and the reafon why they 
 eat'the excrements of this creature is, becaule 
 they believe there is fomething in them of a di¬ 
 vine and purifying nature, both for the body and 
 
 the foul. , . , , 
 
 All marriages among them are. concluded and 
 folemnized when they are young, and this is done 
 to prevent every lort of iuipicion concerning 
 impurity; although the men are allowed a plu¬ 
 rality of wives, according to the nature ot their 
 circumftances, yet, except in cales of barrenels, 
 they feldom have more than one. Their pnelts, 
 notwithftanding their attachment to idolatry, and 
 their many ridiculous ceremonies, as well as cri¬ 
 minal facrifices, are fuch friends to human 
 fociety, that they do all they can to difcourage 
 polygamy, or the having more wives than one. 
 In fopport of this fentiment, they point out to the 
 people, that where there are a plurality ot wives, 
 there will be a vaft number of diflentions and 
 iealoufies, as the continual confequence of di¬ 
 vided love. If the hufband treats the one with 
 tendernefs and indulgence, which may frequent¬ 
 ly happen, then the others are lure to repine; 
 and what man of human fenfibihty can bear the 
 thought of fuch contending paflior.s. It mult di- 
 ftrafthis foul; and while he provides for tl 
 Turing of one woman, the children of t.ie othcis. 
 are in a manner totally negleflcd. 
 
Of CARNATE, GOLCONDO, BISNAGAR, and DECAN. 
 
 The evening before the folemnization of their 
 marriages, the bridegroom, accompanied by all 
 his relations, goes to the apartment of the bride, 
 and at his firft admiflion, puts a pair of braclets 
 on each of the legs of his intended fpoufe; there¬ 
 by intimating that fhe is his captive, and that it 
 is her duty never to depart from him. The next 
 day there is a grand entertainment at the houfe 
 of the bridegroom, and, towards the evening, 
 the bride makes her appearance, accompanied 
 by her relations. Several priefts attending, lay 
 their hands on the heads of the parties, and re¬ 
 peat feveral prayers; after which, they are both 
 fprinkled with water, as an emblem of purifica¬ 
 tion. Several difhes of the richeft fruits are then 
 ferved up, and the company having eaten, the 
 priefts alk the bridegroom, whether he will pro- 
 mife, by his induftry, to provide for the woman 
 as long as he lives ; to fereen her from want, and 
 bring up her children. 
 
 This part of the ceremony being over, the 
 whole company ride out on elephants, and to¬ 
 wards midnight, when they return home, bon¬ 
 fires and other illuminations, ferve to grace the 
 folemnity. One of the moll extravagant ex- 
 pences attending thefe marriages is, that although 
 the parties fhould happen to live above an hun¬ 
 dred leagues from the Ganges, yet they are 
 obliged to have fome of the water of that cele¬ 
 brated river. This the priefts take care to fur- 
 nifh them with, for they keep it in jars for that 
 purpofe; which brings them in a confiderable 
 revenue. This coftly liquor is always kept till 
 the latter part of the feaft, and the more liberal 
 the bridegroom is in the diftribution of it, the 
 more generous he is efteemed, and the more re- 
 fpeCted in the neighbourhood where he lives. 
 Laft of all, the prieft puts a chaplet, or crown of 
 flowers on the heads of the bride and bride¬ 
 groom, declaring them to be hufband and wife, 
 and then they are conduced to the. haram, the 
 place appropriated for the women. 
 
 In their funeral ceremonies, they are not fo 
 rigid as thole who live under the direction of the 
 Bramins, in the countries we have already de- 
 feribed, fubjeCt to the Great Mogul, but ftill 
 there is a ftrong fimilarity. Such of the women 
 as are Religious devotees, often burn themfelves 
 along with the bodies of their hulbands ; but 
 if they refufe to comply with that horrid, un¬ 
 natural ceremony, then they are obliged to lub- 
 mit to the ignominy of having their heads fliav- 
 ed, and to go without a covering as long as they 
 live. Sometimes the chief magiftrate of the 
 place, refufes to grant them the indulgence (if 
 it may be called l'o) to burn themfelves, and 
 in fuch cafes, they are to lead a life of peni¬ 
 tence ever afterwards. If they have money, 
 they are to give the greateft part of it to the 
 poor, and they are to repeat a certain number 
 of prayers every day. They are alfo to go 
 barefooted to one of their pagan temples, on 
 the day of every folemn feltival; but, they are 
 not to be admitted as worfhippers. 
 
 In confidering this circumftance, the governor 
 aCts in a very political manner; and, if there is 
 any crime in the women, the penance is not vo¬ 
 luntary, but conftrained. But, while he refufes 
 them the privilege to burn themfelves alive, along 
 with the dead bodies of their hulbands, he ought 
 
 to take care that they are protected from infults. 
 Perhaps, the civil power is weak, and religious 
 prejudices ftrong, and as enthufiafm, or religious 
 prejudices operate with the greateft ftrength on 
 the minds of the vulgar, and, as the vulgar are 
 always the moft numerous in all communities, 
 fo it is often dangerous for the magiftrate to in¬ 
 terfere with them. 
 
 When a perfon is confidered as in a dying 
 condition, the body is carried out to the river, 
 or brook, where it is dipped till the water comes 
 up to his mouth, and this is done, that both 
 body and foul may be purged from all impuri¬ 
 ties. If it happens to be near the Ganges, they 
 tie the hands of the dying man to a cow’s tail, 
 and make her drag him into the water. If the 
 cow emits urine upon the dying perfon, it is 
 confidered by the people as the moft falutary pu¬ 
 rification, and he is believed by the priefts and 
 his relations to be wafhed from all imperfeCtion. 
 If the urine flows plentifully upon him, his 
 friends make loud acclamations of joy, and con- 
 fider him as ranked among the number of the 
 blefled; but when it happens that the cow is not 
 dilpofed to make water, then the relations are 
 difeonfolate, and confider the dying man as go¬ 
 ing into a ftate of punifhment. 
 
 If it appears that the patient’s life is not ab- 
 folutely in danger, then he is brought into the 
 temple of one of their idols, to be cured, and 
 left all night before the altar, not doubting, but 
 his god will grant him a refpite. If he dies, 
 all his relations aflemble at his houfe, and put the 
 body in a coffin, decorated with figures, pointing 
 out the circumftanccs of his death. The corps 
 is then carried to the funeral pile, attended by a 
 vaft concourfe of people, and there it is reduced 
 to allies. During the procefllon, they fing feve¬ 
 ral hymns, and repeat a great number of fliort 
 collects or prayers, and when they approach the 
 place, the prieft rings a little bell, intimating to 
 the people, that it is their duty to pray for the 
 foul of the deceafed. The body is always walk¬ 
 ed with pure water, before it is put upon the 
 pile, and that part of the ceremony being over, 
 fire is fet to the wood, and the whole reduced 
 to afhes, while the priefts continue flinging 
 hymns. 
 
 A queftion may here naturally be afked, viz. 
 Why do thofe heathens in the Eaft Indies, in 
 conformity with the praCtice of the Romans, 
 burn the bodies of the dead ? There have been 
 feveral conjedures concerning the origin of this 
 barbarous pradice, as firft, many of the eaftern 
 nations adored the fire; and therefore they con¬ 
 fidered it as an acceptable piece of devotion, to 
 offer up the dead bodies of their relations to it. 
 Secondly, their pride might induce the moft ce¬ 
 lebrated heroes, and the moft beautiful women, 
 to de-fire to conceal from the world, what poor, 
 helplefs creatures they were while alive. Third¬ 
 ly, they beheld many indignities offered to the 
 dead, and they were willing, nay defirous that 
 nothing of that nature fhould happen to their 
 relations. Laftly, they might do it in order to 
 prevent a contagious diftemper, which often 
 takes place from the noxious l'mell of dead bodies. 
 Whether any, or all of thefe conjectures may be 
 founded in truth, we leave the reader to judge, 
 but, certain it is, the practice itfelf, is. contrary 
 S t 0 
 
70 The RELIGION of the People 
 
 to natural religion, as well as to Divine revela¬ 
 tion. Natural religion points out, that as man 
 was formed out of the earth, fo at death his body 
 fhould be configned to it. “ Duft thou art, and 
 unto duft thou fhalt return.” Divine revela¬ 
 tion teaches us, that as Chrift laid down his head 
 in the grave, fo the bodies of thole who are his 
 faithful followers, fhould be depofited in the 
 earth, to reft till that aweful period, when he fhall 
 come to judge the world in righteoufnefs. Let 
 
 of ASEM, AVA, and ARACAN. 
 
 i us pity heathens, who have none of thofc confu¬ 
 tations, which our holy religion holds out to us ; 
 let us daily pray for their converfion ; let us not 
 be afraid to lay down our heads in the filent grave; 
 let us not reflect much on the indignities that may 
 be offered to our bodies after death ; for our Di¬ 
 vine Redeemer has gone before us, he has made 
 the grave fweet unto us, and by his almighty 
 power, he will rail'e us up at the laft day. 
 
 The Religion of the People of Asem, Ava, and Aracan. 
 
 T \HE hiftory of mankind would be one of 
 the moft pleafing ftudies in the univerfe, 
 were it not often attended with the moft 
 humiliating, the moft melancholy confiderations. 
 By ftudying human nature, ve are led to confider 
 in what manner we were formed by our all wife 
 Creator ; what we have made ourfelves in confe- 
 quence of our difobedience to the Divine law ; 
 what we may be through Divine grace; and then 
 what we fhall be in glory. Principles of this na¬ 
 ture, fhould ftrike deep into our minds, when we 
 confider the ftate of the heathen world, and, at 
 the fame time, refledt on the many bleffings we 
 enjoy. In vain do we pride ourfelves in any of 
 our endowments, in vain do we pretend to fupe- 
 rior attainments; for if our affedtions arc as much 
 attached to earthly objedts as thofe of the hea¬ 
 thens, then we are much more inexcufable than 
 they. We have all the truths of the gofpel laid 
 open to us, while they remain in a ftate of igno¬ 
 rance, worfhipping the works of their own hands. 
 Nay, worfhipping even reptiles and inledts, of¬ 
 fering human facrifices, lhutting up their bowels 
 of companion, and trampling upon every moral 
 obligation. This will naturally apply to what 
 we are now going to relate, for the dignity of 
 our holy religion never fhines fo bright, as when 
 contrafted with heathen fuperftition, pagan ido¬ 
 latry, and every thing elfe that can difiionour 
 our nature. 
 
 The provinces, or nations, we are now to give 
 fome account of, particularly with refpedt to re¬ 
 ligion, differ in fome few things from thofe al¬ 
 ready delcribed in this part of the world. Like 
 the other heathens around them, they have many 
 gods or idols; but the fovereign and fupreme 
 one over all the others, is Quiay-F aragray. To 
 his honour they have feveral temples eredted, 
 and on particular feftivals they have grand pro- 
 ceffidns, in which, not only the priefts, but like- 
 wife all the people in the neighbourhood attend. 
 They carry him in a triumphal chariot through 
 their cities, attended by ninety priefts, all dreffed 
 in yellow lattin, and the devotees fall down on 
 their knees as the proceffion marches along. Nay, 
 fome of the devotees proftrate themfelves before 
 the chariot, that the wheels may run over them, 
 •while others rufh againft lharp fpikes fattened to 
 the wheels of the chariot, which tear their flefh 
 in pieces, and this is confidered as the moft me¬ 
 
 ritorious adtion they can perform. It often hap¬ 
 pens that thefe devotees become martyrs to their 
 enthufiafm, for their bodies being torn by the 
 fpikes in the wheels of the chariot, they often 
 mortify, and death enfues. In fuch cafes, the 
 people efteem them fo much, that it is confidered 
 as an honour to be permitted to touch them ; 
 even the fpikes of the wheels are deemed facred, 
 and the priefts lay them up as precious relics in 
 their temples. 
 
 This idol fits on a pedeftal, crofs legged, and 
 every day the prince of the country fends him a 
 moft magnificent entertainment. The devotees 
 proftrate themfelves before this idol, in order to 
 be cured of various dileafes, it being their firm 
 opinion, that it is in his power to perform every 
 thing fupernatural; but in this there is nothing at 
 all furprifing, becaufe all thofe who acknowledge 
 a fupreme power, muft honour the perfedtion of 
 his attributes. 
 
 The grandeft temple dedicated to this idol, 
 ftands in the ifland of Munay, and in the fame 
 ifiand is another god, who is laid to prefide pver 
 the four winds. All their temples, like thofe in 
 China, are built in the form of pyramids, but 
 fome of them are much higher than others. In 
 the winter thefe pagans cover their gods, left 
 they fhould catch cold, praying, at the fame time, 
 that they will, at fome future period, reward them 
 for their duty and piety. 
 
 They have a great number of priefts, and over 
 all thefe is one who adts as fovereign pontiff, and 
 decides in all religious matters. He is univer- 
 fally refpedted by all the people, and the king 
 gives him the rTght hand, nor does he ever fpeak 
 to him but with the profoundeft reverence and 
 veneration. Their inferior priefts, who are alfo 
 confidered as the phyficians of the country, are 
 divided into three claffes, or orders, and diftin- 
 guifhed by as many.names. They are all dreffed 
 in yellow lattin with their heads fhaved, but their 
 chiefs wear a cope, refembling a mitre, with a 
 peak falling down behind. They are all obliged 
 to take an oath of celibacy, and if they after¬ 
 wards marry, then they are degraded and reduced 
 to the fame ftate with the laity. Some of them 
 refide in monafteries, founded by illuftrious per- 
 fons, fome live in deferts, and others adl as 
 fchoolmafters to the youth, and when they find a 
 young man of a more than ordinary capacity, they 
 
 endeavour 
 
The RELIGION of the People c 
 
 endeavour to perfuadehim to enter himfelf among 
 them. Thofe who have nothing to fubfift on, are 
 fupported at the royal expence, but moft of them 
 live by begging from the people. 
 
 With relpedt to the nuptial ceremonies in the 
 kingdom of Aracan, they are rather different 
 from fome of the others. The king is to have 
 the preference of all the young women in the 
 country, and for that purpole every governor or 
 chief magiftrate of a diftrift, chufes twelve vir¬ 
 gins, once in the year, who are educated at the 
 king’s expence, till they are twelve years of age, 
 when they are lent to court, dreffed in fuftain 
 gowns, and expofed to the heat of the fun, till 
 the fweat runs through the garments. Thefegowns 
 are next day carried to the king, who is fo curious 
 as to fmell them all over, and fuch virgins as ap¬ 
 pear to have nothing difagreeable about them, 
 aie referved for his own private amufement, and 
 the reft are given to his fervants. 
 
 In the kingdom of AJem , every man marries 
 four wives, but left any family difputes fliould 
 take place, every woman is to bring up her own 
 children. When they are firft taken Tick, they 
 fend for one of their priefts, who breaths upon 
 them, and repeats feveral prayers, and if there 
 does not appear any hopes of their recovery, 
 the pneft direfts the Tick perfon to facrifice to 
 Chaor-boos, the god of the four winds, and the 
 facrifice conftfts of a certain number of fowls, 
 according to the circumftances of the patient! 
 This facrifice is offered four times, according to 
 the number of the winds j but if no fuccefs at¬ 
 tends it, and the patient becomes worfe, then 
 they have recourfe to another expedient, which 
 has been long in ufe among them, probably from 
 the moft early ages, becaufe they have not amon» 
 them the leaft traces of its original, nor by whom 
 it was firft taught. 
 
 The principal room in the houfe is adorned 
 with tapeftry, an altar is erefted at the upper 
 end, and the image of an idol is placed upon it, 
 and the prieft, with the relations of the fick per¬ 
 fon meet together, where they are fumptuoufiy 
 entertained ; but the moft ridiculous part of the 
 ceremony is, that the perfon who conduits the 
 entertainment, is obliged to dance as long as he 
 can ftand upon his feet; when he can ftand no 
 longer, he lays hold of a linen cloth, which is 
 fattened to the ceiling for that purpofe, and by 
 that (lender afliftance, continues to dance till he 
 has no ftrength left, and then he falls down in a 
 fwoon. Then the mufic begins to play, and every 
 one pfefent envies his happmels, being fully per- 
 fuaded, that during the time he was in a trance, 
 he was conveiling witn the idol. If the patient 
 happens to recover, he is condufted to the next 
 temple, and anointed with oil before the altar ; 
 but if it happens, that notwithftanding all their 
 endeavours he dies, the prieft affures them, that 
 what they have done has been highly acceptable 
 to the gods, and although they thought proper 
 to remove the patient from this lower world, yet 
 that aft was the relult of infinite goodnefs and 
 compaftion to make him happy for ever. 
 
 When a perfon dies, he is laid out in the mid¬ 
 dle of the houfe, and fome of the priefts walk 
 round the body, repeating feveral prayers, while 
 others are employed in fprinkling the room with 
 frankincenfe, and all forts of aromatic flowers. 
 
 ASEM, AVA, and ARACAN. ?l 
 
 The coffins have the figures of different beads 
 painted upon them, all ferving to point out fome 
 of the actions of the deceafed. 
 
 While the priefts are performing thefe cere- 
 monies, the fervants keep tinkling on inftru- 
 ments of copper, in order to keep away the evil 
 fpirits, whom they imagine are furrounding the 
 corpfe. They believe, that if an evil fpirit 
 Ihould happen to go over the body of the de¬ 
 ceafed, the foul would return, and then he would 
 be deprived of all that happinefs into which he 
 was entered. Before the body is carried away, 
 leveial perfons in the neighbourhood are invited 
 to attend, and if they negleCt to come, the whole 
 company prefent are much troubled; their re- 
 fulal being confidered as an indication, that the 
 departed foul is gone to hell. The laft part of 
 the ceremony is to convey the body into the 
 fields, where it is burnt to allies, and all the rela¬ 
 tions aie dreffed in white, which is the common 
 falhion of mourning in that country. The priefts 
 let fire to the funeral pile, and during the time 
 they are doing it, feveral hymns are lung in ho¬ 
 nour of their gods. 
 
 Thefe ceremonies, however, are confined to 
 tne lower claffes of people, and particularly to 
 the laity; but when an arch-prieft or pontiff dies, 
 lomething of a more exalted nature takes place, 
 of which we fliall give the following account 
 from thofe who were witneffes of it. As priefts in 
 all nations are confidered as at the head of reli¬ 
 gion, io we need not be furprized to find, that 
 when they die, they are attended to the grave, or 
 the funeral pile, with the moft pompous cere¬ 
 monies j and this is done in order to keep alive 
 that flame of fuperflition and enthufiafm, which, 
 unlefs. guided by reafon, will always lead into 
 captivity the human heart. 
 
 A few years ago, the fupreme pontiff died, and 
 an account of his funeral will ferve to fhew what 
 is common to others of the fame rank and cha¬ 
 racter. The moment he expired, the fires were 
 all extinguifhed, and every one of the inhabi¬ 
 tants fliut up their windows, as a fign of mourn¬ 
 ing, the temples were crowded with penitents, 
 and in the ftreets, not a Angle individual was to 
 be feen. The body of this high prieft was ex- 
 poled three days to the public, with all the fo- 
 lemmty that can be imagined. It lay on an altar 
 in the chief temple, and there were upwards of a 
 thoufand priefts attending, with tapers in their 
 hands, finging hymns around the coffin. Above 
 five hundred young children went naked to attend 
 the funeral, each girt round the middle with 
 cords and chains of iron, and each carrying a 
 bundle of fticks on his head, and a knife in his 
 hand. During the whole of the proceffion, they 
 lung the moft difmal fongs that can be imagined, 
 fometimes in confort, and fometimes one after 
 another. 
 
 They were divided into two claffes, and the 
 nrlt fung, » O thou, who art going to partake 
 “ c ^ e joys of heaven, forfake us not in this 
 7 our unhappy exile and the other clafs an- 
 fwered, “ That we may be made partakers with 
 thee of thofe heavenly bleffings.” After this, 
 all the people fell on their knees, while an aged" 
 prieft made a funeral oration. The oration be¬ 
 ing ended, there was a fecond proceffion of 
 young men, who paid their honours to the de¬ 
 ceafed 
 
The RELIGION of the People 
 
 ceafed as they marched along, and drew their 
 fey maters as they furrounded the coffin, in order 
 to drive the devil away, and confine him home to 
 his houfe of fmoak, there to live for ever, and 
 fuffer for the many crimes he had committed, 
 both againft God his creator, and likewife againft 
 thofe laws preferibed for regulating the conduct 
 of the children of men. 
 
 Thefe ceremonies being over, the body of the 
 fovereign pontiff was laid on the funeral pile, and 
 fix young perfons of confiderable rank, fub- 
 mitted to be burned along with it. Next day, a 
 prieft made an harangue before the king, expa¬ 
 tiating largely on the virtues of the deceafed ; 
 and when the oration was finiffied, the allies of 
 the pontiff, and thofe of the young men, who 
 had been burnt along with him, were diftributed 
 as precious relics among the populace. 
 
 The people of Ava don’t burn their dead, 
 although in moft other religious refpebts, they 
 differ but little from their neighbours. They 
 bury all the dead bodies of theii relations, and 
 are of opinion, that, after a life fpent ip doing 
 good, they will enter into eternal happinefs. 
 But, if they have injured their neighbours, or 
 lived in a profligate manner, then they will 
 be tormented hereafter with hunger and third. 
 When they carry the body out to be buried, iome 
 of their idols are carried in proceffion, and fome 
 provifions arc put into the grave. 
 
 In the funeral ceremonies of their kings, there 
 is fomething fhocking to human nature. When 
 the body is carried out to the fepulchre, hymns 
 are fung by feveral perfons hired for that pur- 
 pofe ; and, as foon as the corpfe is laid in the 
 <rrave, or tomb, all his wives, concubines, mi- 
 nifters of ftate, and fuch others as had their de¬ 
 pendence on him, drink a glafs of poifon each, 
 and it is generally fo ftrong, that they expire 
 within an hour afterwards. Thefe are all laid 
 into the fame grave with the king, in order to 
 accompany him to the other world ; and along 
 with him, are likewife buried, fix horfes, twelve 
 camels, an elephant, and twenty hunting hounds, 
 with which he is to divert himfelf, when he 
 comes into a ftate of blifs. 
 
 We have already taken notice, that the hea¬ 
 thens above deferibed, make ufe of copper vef- 
 fels, inftead of bells, to frighten away luch devils 
 as may want to difturb the repofe of the dead. 
 This naturally leads us to enquire into the an¬ 
 tiquity, and ufe of bells in churches. The hea¬ 
 then Greeks and Romans, knew nothing of bells, 
 and, with refpeft to the Chriftians, during the 
 three firft centuries, they were obliged to meet 
 in their affemblies, in the moft private manner. 
 Baronius is of opinion, that there was a certain 
 perfon, belonging to every congregation, ap¬ 
 pointed to go round to every member, and give 
 notice of the time of meeting, nor is this at all 
 improbable. 
 
 During the fifth and fixth centuries, we find, 
 that in Egypt and Paleftine, trumpets were ufed 
 to call the people together for divine fervice j 
 but, in the monaftries, the monks took it in 
 their turn, to go about to the doors of the cells, 
 and knock at the windows with a hammer. In a 
 nunnery ereffed at Jerufalem, in the fifth cen¬ 
 tury, by Paula, a Roman lady, the ufual fignal 
 was given by Tinging Halleluja ; but in other parts 
 
 of A S E M, A V A, and ARACAK. 
 of the eaft, it was by ftriking one piece of wood 
 againft another. 
 
 It is not certainly known, at what time bells 
 were firft ufed in the Weftcrn church, but it is 
 generally fuppofed to have been about the be¬ 
 ginning of the ieventli century; although the 
 popifh writers, particularly cardinal Bona, have 
 attempted to make them as ancient as the time 
 of Conftantine the great; becaufe the heathens 
 in that age ufed fmall bells in their temples, to 
 put the people in mind of devotion; but this 
 author is not countenanced in his opinion, by 
 any writer of repute. 
 
 When the Turks became matters of Conftan- 
 tinople, they prohibited the Greeks from mak¬ 
 ing ufe of bells, for which reafon, thofe poor 
 afflidted people, hung upon trees bent plates of 
 iron, like thofe on our cart wheels, with holes 
 in them lengthways, and upon thefe plates, they 
 chimed with little iron hammers, to call the monks 
 together to prayer. In the Romilh church, there 
 is much fuperftition pradlifed in the ufe ot bells, 
 and they are faid to reprefent the duration of the 
 golpel, the found of which is gone out into all 
 lands. They likewife reprelent the faithful praif- 
 ing God, and the minifters preaching the word. 
 
 A bell cannot be ufed in a Roman Catholic 
 church, till it has been confecrated in the fol¬ 
 lowing manner. 
 
 The bell is hung up, and difpofed in fuch a 
 manner as to leave room tor certain perions to 
 walk round it: having previoudy prepared a 
 pot of holy water, another of oil, and one of 
 fait, with incenfe, myrrh and cotton, with a 
 piece of bread, the prieft begins the proceffion, 
 attended by the principal perfons in the parifh, 
 particularly thofe who contributed towards fur- 
 nilhing the church with th bell. The proceffion 
 betrins at the veftry, and the prieft who officiates, 
 having leated himfelf near the bell, delivers a 
 difeourfe to the people, concerning the nature 
 of the ceremony. He then mixes fome fait 
 with holy water, and repeats a prayer in Latin, 
 begging that God would make Lhe bell effica¬ 
 cious to the driving away evil lpirits, in excit¬ 
 ing people to devotion, to prevent tempefts, 
 earthquakes, and, in a word, all thofe natural 
 afflictions which men are lubjefi to in this life. 
 
 He then dips a bruffi, or lprinlder, in the 
 holy water, and fprinkles it three times over 
 the bell, faying, 1 baptize thee in the name of 
 the father, the Ion, and the holy ghoft. 
 
 Then the veflel, containing the oil, is opened, 
 and theofficiating prieftdipsthe thumbof his right 
 hand into it, and applies it to the middle of 
 the bell, figning it with the fign of the crofs. 
 Then the twenty eighth pfalm is fung, and the 
 bell is crofted feven times, and dedicated to a 
 particular faint. Laft of all, the bell is per¬ 
 fumed with myrrh and frankincenfe, and the 
 whole is concluded by a prayer, which is called, 
 tc the dew of the Holy Ghoft.” 
 
 According to the Romilh writers, all thefe 
 ceremonies point out fome particular myfteries. 
 Thus, the confecration of the bells, points out 
 the duty of pallors ; the waffling with holy wa¬ 
 ter, points out the facrifice of baptifm; the 
 feven erodes, that pallors fhould exceed all 
 other perfons in the graces of the holy ipirit; 
 and that as the fmoke of the perfume rifes in 
 
An ACCOUNT of the 
 
 the bell and fills it, fo a pallor, adorned with 
 the graces of the Ipirit, receives the perfume of 
 the vows and prayers of the faithful. But fome 
 of their writers have carried the myftical mean¬ 
 ing of bells dill farther: Thus they tell us, that 
 the metal fignifies the ftrength of the preacher's 
 underftanding, and the clapper his tongue ; the 
 llroke of the clapper, the tongue’s cenfure of 
 vice ; and that which holds the clapper, the mo¬ 
 deration of the tongue. The wood, to which the 
 bell is fattened, denotes the wood of the crofs; 
 
 RELIGION of PEG 
 
 U. 
 
 73 
 
 and the parts to which the wood is fixed, the 
 oracles of the prophets. The iron by which the 
 bell is fixed to the wood, points out the preach- 
 er s attachment to the crofs ofChrift. There are 
 Iikewife feveral myfteries in the bell ropes; thus 
 the three cords of which the rope is made, points 
 out the three fenies of the fcriptures, viz. the hif- 
 torical, moral, and allegorical. In the lame man¬ 
 ner the heathens difcover myfteries in their bells 
 but the Turks will not fuffer a bell in their 
 places of worftfip. 
 
 An Account of the Religion of P E G U. 
 
 p‘, GU, is one of thofe provinces fituated 
 beyond the Ganges, and the eftablifhed 
 religion is paganifm. In their fenciments, 
 the people hold the lame belief as was profeffed by 
 fome of tile Chriftian heretics, particularly the 
 Manicheans ; for they affirm, that there are two 
 iupreme powers, the one good, and the other 
 evil hot this reafon, they facrifice to the devil 
 as the author of all evil, and not to the good 
 being, becaufe they believe he cannot, or will 
 not hurt them; thus they adore the devil, to 
 procure his favour and indulgence, and to him, 
 though under different images, they offer up 
 then- vows and prayers. They believe in an 
 eternal fucceffion of worlds, and that as foon as 
 one is burnt up, another fprings out of its alhes. 
 dhey have fuch an exalted notion of the fanftity 
 of crocodiles, that they believe fuch as are de¬ 
 voured by them, are carried up to heaven. They 
 believe that apes have human fouls, and that 
 diey formerly were men, but to punilh them for 
 lome crimes they had been guilty of, the gods 
 transformed them into their prefbnt fhape. But 
 the creature moftly adored by them, is the white 
 elephant, and one of the king of Pegu’s titles is. 
 Lord of the White Elephant. All thefe creatures 
 are ferved in ditties of filver, curioufly gilt, and 
 when they are led out for an airing, muficians 
 play before them on different forts of inftru- 
 merits. 
 
 As they walk along, fix perfons of diftinftion 
 hold a_ canopy over them, and when they return, 
 one of the king’s gentlemen ufliers waits with a 
 iilver bafon, and wattles their feet. The temples 
 in Pegu are called Varellas, and are all built in the 
 form of pyramids, having the bafes very broad • 
 and it is related, that in one of them are no lefs 
 than one hundred and twenty thoufand idols, 
 but probably, many of thefe are fmall, and per¬ 
 haps fome of them are no more than hierogly¬ 
 phics, which is cuftomary throughout molt p“rts 
 of the eaft. As there are many pilgrims who 
 Vifit thefe temples, fo mol of them are endowed 
 with gi eat riches, and in the porch is a laro-e 
 font, where they watti their feet. Their firft aft 
 or worttnp is to lay their hands on their heads, 
 as a lign of reverence, due to the objeft of their 
 adoiation. Befides thefe temples, which in fome 
 7 
 
 fenfe ftiay be called their cathedrals, or capital 
 churches, they have many fmaller ones, which 
 aniwer the fame end as parifh churches, and thefe 
 aie called Kiacks ; but they are only the great; 
 ones that are vifited by the pilgrims, for in them 
 a one the grand facnfices are offered, the chief 
 idols have their altars, and the priefts of the 
 higheft reputation refide. 
 
 As the devil is the grand objefl of their wor- 
 Ihip, io they have many altars erefted in honour 
 of him, and thefe are adorned with flowers, and 
 facnfices are daily offered on them, to appeafe 
 his wrath, and obtain his favour. When thev 
 are feized with ficknefs, they make folemn vows, 
 that if they recover, they will ereft altars, and 
 offer up facnfices upon them ; and fome of their 
 devotees run through .the ftreets of their cities 
 in the morning before day light, with torched 
 in their hands, and carrying bafkets full of rice 
 exclaiming, that they are going to fupply the 
 devil with all forts of provifions. Their inten¬ 
 tion m this, is to prevent the devil, for that 
 deftroy r0VI " S ab ° Ut feeking whom he may 
 
 If a dog happens to follow at the heels of 
 one of thefe devotees, then they fincerely believe 
 that the devil has given him commiffion to de- 
 vour what they were carrying to the altar, and 
 without farther ceremony, they throw it on the 
 ground. Others never tafte their viftuals till 
 they have thrown fome part of it behind them, 
 which is either eaten up by the dogs, or by 
 devils, as they imagine; for they believe that 
 dogs are fent as ambaffadors from the devil. 
 Nay, It fometimes happens, that when a fit of 
 devotion feizes the matter of a family, he will 
 retire from hishouie forawhole month, taking his 
 wife and children along with him, and leav? the 
 poffeflion of it to the devil; and in all cafes of 
 that nature, the houfe is left very clean and gen¬ 
 teelly furmfhed. fa 
 
 . I broughout thewholeofthiskingdom,Monday 
 is let apart for religious worlhip, and on that 
 day their priefts, whom they call Talapoim, 
 preach fermons to the people in their temples. 
 
 They have Iikewife feveral folemn (eftivals 
 one of which is called Sapan-Giache , and is a kind 
 of pilgrimage, which the king and queen, with 
 T all 
 
74 An ACCOUNT of tk ! 
 
 all the royal family, and a great concourfe of j 
 people make to a place about twelve miles from | 
 the capital. On the morning of this fcltival, the 
 king and queen fet out in a triumphal chariot, 
 fo elegantly adorned with jewels and precious 
 Hones, that it dazzles the eyes of the fpedlators, 
 who behold it with filent admiration. Another 
 of their feftivals is called Sapan-Cateua, and con- 
 fills partly in making finall pyramidical figures 
 to pleafe the king and his wives. As the king is to 
 bethejudge of every artift’s performance, fo they 
 all conceal themfelves in different apartments, 
 that none may fee each others works before they 
 are prefented to the fovereign. Such of the per¬ 
 formances as are moll approved of, theking takes 
 'along with him, and this the artift confiders as 
 one of the higheft honours that can be conferred 
 upon him. 
 
 Another feaft is called Sapan-Daiche, and it is 
 properly one of their water feftivals. Theking, 
 with all the royal family, fprinkle themfelves with 
 water, in which rofes have been fteeped ; and all 
 the civil, as well as the military officers, follow 
 their example. Some of this water is thrown 
 out of the windows, upon the heads of the po¬ 
 pulace as they pafs along, but many of them are 
 fo regardlefs of it, that they keep themfelves 
 within doors. All their folemn feftivals are re¬ 
 gulated by the change of the moon, and they 
 have one, called Sapan-Dowm, on which day their 
 watermen, or thofe who ply at their ferries, row 
 for a prize, and whoever obtains it, receives a 
 robe from the king, which he wears ever after¬ 
 wards, when he attends facrifice in the temple. 
 
 Their priefts, or Talapoins, are not admitted 
 into orders till they are upwards of twenty, and 
 till they arrive at that age, they arc brought up 
 in proper fchools, according to their own fyftem 
 of learning. Previous to their admiffion, they 
 are ftrictly examined concerning the progrefs 
 they have made in learning, and with refpecl to 
 every article of .their faith. They are obliged to 
 fwear, that they v, ill renounce all the gaities of this 
 world, and live in a ftate of celibacy, and this 
 examination they go through feveral times. 
 When the novice has gone through his examina¬ 
 tion, and obtained the approbation of his fupe- 
 riors, he is mounted on a fine horfe, and led 
 alon" the ftreets in triumph, with drums beating 
 and mute playing. This is their laft farewell to 
 all the pomp and vanities of this world ; and as 
 foon as they have put on the habit, they are con- 
 dufted to a place refembling a convent, fituated 
 at a l'mall diftance from the town. This convent 
 confifts of a long row of cells, built on the fide 
 of the road, and each of them is about feven or 
 eight feet high, but fome of them are built in 
 the woods. . 
 
 Thele priefts eat but one meal in the day, 
 confifting chiefly of fruits and roots, ali which 
 they purchafe with the money given them by de¬ 
 votees ; for all our travellers tell us, they never 
 bem They have fmall buildings in the form of 
 chapels, where they celebrate the change of the 
 moon, and at that time the people fend them 
 what provifions they can afford. They have 
 their heads lhaved as well as their beards, their 
 feet and right arms are naked, but they make 
 ufe of an umbrella to fereen them from the heat 
 
 E L I G I O X of PEGU, 
 of the fun, or from any inclemencies of the 
 feafon. 
 
 When one of thefe priefts dies, they keep his 
 body feveral days, and make a public entertain¬ 
 ment to his honour. The body is expofed on a 
 fcaffbld, erected for the purpoie, and the priefts 
 (banding round it, perform leveral ceremonies, 
 which may properly be called the funeral fervice. 
 After this, odoriforous wood is piled round the 
 fcaffold, and the body reduced to allies in the 
 prefence of the fpeftators. Such pieces of the 
 bones as remain among the allies, are carefully 
 picked up, and buried in an earthen urn, behind 
 the cell where the deceal'ed fefided, and the allies 
 are thrown into the river. 
 
 In their marriage ceremonies, they are like the 
 heathens in many other nations, that is, ingeneral, 
 for in fome particulars they differ. The bride¬ 
 groom is obliged to purchafe the bride from her 
 parents, and lay down the money before he re¬ 
 ceives her i but as divorces are common among 
 them, fo the money mull be returned if a repa¬ 
 ration takes place. In iuch ca:k., the hulband 
 fends home the wife to her rcla.iiVr, without any 
 fort of formality, or fo much as affigning a rea- 
 fon, and then the purchafe-money is returned. 
 The effates of thole who die without iffue, are 
 feized by the king, and ho is intitled to one 
 third of the eftates of thofe who have children. 
 Some of the richer fort of perfens In Pegu, 
 purchafe, for a (mail fum the daughters of the 
 poor, if they are handlome, and although they 
 are only kept for a fliort time, and then fent 
 back to their parents, yet this does not in the 
 leaft prevent them from procuring hufhands. 
 
 Their cuftoms are much more equitable than 
 what takes place under the government of the 
 Great Mogul, who leizes the eftates of every one 
 of his fubjefts at their deaths, without making any 
 provifion for their wives or children. The king 
 never marries but one wife, but he keeps a 
 great number of concubines, fometimes upwards 
 of a thoufand. 
 
 When the children in Pegu are born, they tie 
 a little bell round their necks, and within the 
 bell they put the tongue of a fnake, and although 
 this may at firft be painful to the infant, yet cuf- 
 tom and ufe render it familiar, and when they 
 grow up, it is conlidered as an ornament. They 
 likewife inful'e paint, of a blueilh colour, into the 
 (kins of their children, which inftead of making 
 them appear beautiful, has quite the contrary ef¬ 
 fect, and ipoils their complexions. 
 
 The priefts in Pegu, as in other heathen na¬ 
 tions, a£t as phyficiar.s ; and when a perfon falls 
 Pick, one of them is feledted to atten 1 him, and 
 he is called The Devil's Father. This perfon be¬ 
 ing much efteemed for his knowledge, both of 
 human and divine things, pretends to know what 
 will be moft agreeable and acceptable to the evil 
 fpirit, and he inftru&s the patient how to appeife 
 his anger. A grand entertainment is made for 
 the devil, and the people dance to all forts of vo¬ 
 cal and inftrumental mufic. They believe in the 
 tranfmigration of fouls from one body to another; 
 but, at the fame time, they imagine that when 
 they have paffed through feveral bodies, they 
 will enter Into a-ftate of everlafting happinefs. 
 
 When the king dies, two boats, with gilded 
 
 roofs. 
 
An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of PEGU. 
 
 roofs, in the form of a pyramid, are prepared, 
 and in the middle between them, a ftage is eretft- 
 ed, on which the body is laid, and expofed to 
 public view. Under the ftage, they kindle a 
 tire, the materials of which are compofed of 
 the molt odoriforous woods that can be procured. 
 They throw into the fire fine herbs, fo that the 
 whole has the molt fragrant fmell that can be 
 imagined. After this they let the boats fail 
 down the river, and while the fire is confuming 
 the body, the prielts or Talapoins fing hymns, 
 and repeat feveral prayers, which they continue 
 doing as long as the fire burns. The fire being 
 extinguifhed, they temper the alhes with milk, 
 and having moulded the whole into a folid mafs, 
 throw it into the fea at the bottom of the river, 
 but fuch pieces of the bones as are picked out of 
 the afhes, are buried in the tomb eredted to the 
 memory of the decealed. 
 
 With refpedl to the funerals of the common 
 people, there is a diftindbion made between them 
 and the king. A funeral pile is eredted in a field, 
 adjoining to where the decealed refided, and the 
 corple is laid on a ftage, in the middle of which 
 is a dome, and fometimes a fmall pyramid. The 
 ftage, or litter, is then covered artfully over with 
 gilt cane, and carried by fixteen men to the fu¬ 
 neral pile. The relations and friends of the de- 
 ceafed follow the corpfe, and after the fire has 
 conlumed the body, they make the priefts fome 
 recompenfe for their trouble, and return home, 
 where they have an entertainment that lafts two 
 days. 
 
 At the clofe of the feaft, the widow of the de- 
 ceafed, accompanied by the relations, repair to 
 the place where the body was burned, and hied 
 tears over the allies. After which they gather up 
 fuch pieces of the bones as have not been con- 
 fumed to allies, and bury them with every mark 
 of forrow and lamentation. The mourning of the 
 women, as well as of the men, confifts chiefly in 
 (having their heads3 which mark of refpe<ft for 
 the memory of the deceafed, is reckoned the 
 greateft that can be (hewn, becaufe nothing is fo 
 much efteemed by them as fine hair. 
 
 Much having been faid concerning thefe idola- 
 tors worfhipping the devil, we fliall here fay 
 fomething concerning what notions the antients 
 entertained, refpefting that being, who is con- 
 fidered as the grand adverlary of mankind. Dae¬ 
 mons, or devils, are always by Chriftians, 
 taken in a bad lenle 3 and for this, we have the 
 authority of our Lord and all his apoftles. 
 The heathens believed that devils had bodies as 
 well as fouls, and that although immortal, yet 
 they had the fame paflions as men. They believed 
 further, that they had power to foretel future 
 events, and that all dreams happened in confe- 
 quence ol their fuperintending providence. They 
 were to convey the prayers of men to heaven, and 
 bring down the anfwcr from the gods. 
 
 The Chriftian fathers had confuled notions 
 concerning daemons or devils, for Juft in Martyr 
 often aferibes to them fuch addons as could not 
 have been performed without a body. Lie fays, 
 that fome of the angels, having received from 
 God the government of the world, foon cor¬ 
 rupted his law, and by the commerce they had 
 wdth the pofterity of Adam, they begot what we 
 call devils 3 and in this fentiment he is followed 
 
 75 
 
 by many of the reft of the fathers. The Jewifli 
 Rabbies have ftrange notions concerning devils, 
 and they fay that the worlhip of them was the 
 laid fpecies of idolatry. Some of them are of 
 opinion, that there were a fort of devils, who of¬ 
 ten appeared to the children of Ifrael in the wil- 
 dernefs, under the fhape of goats 3 but we have 
 no proof that the Jews ever worfhipped them, 
 even at the time they were funk into the grofleft 
 idolatry. If ever they did worfhip devils in the 
 fliape of goats, they muft have learned the 
 practice from the antient Egyptians, who con- 
 fidered thofe animals asfacred. 
 
 Mbmcius Felix, an antient Chriftian writer, ac¬ 
 knowledges the exiftence of devils, which he 
 feems to have taken from the poets 3 but he adds, 
 that among philofophers, this was a matter of 
 dilpute. Socrates believed this doeftrinc, for he 
 had always a daemon or devil to attend him. 
 The Magi in Perfia, and other parts of the Eaft, 
 pretend to perform all their operations by the af- 
 (iftance of the devil, and they imagine that thofe 
 unclean fpirits lie concealed under images eredted 
 in their temples. Sometimes diefe daemons or 
 devils, are called Genii , and they are confidered, 
 not only by the Pagans, but likewife by the Ma¬ 
 hometans, as beings employed to condudt the 
 affairs of this lower world ; and particular provi¬ 
 dences are (fay they) intrufted with them. 
 
 Plato gives us the following delcription of the 
 Genii. tc They are fpirits (fays he) who never 
 cc inhabited bodies, and one of them is ap- 
 c< pointed to attend every man upon earth, to be 
 tf a witnefs of his a&ions5 and that, when the 
 ‘ f man dies, the genius condudts his foul into the 
 c< other work), and delivers in his evidence be- 
 Cf fore the judge.” Thus Horace fays. 
 
 The genius only knows, that’s wont to wait 
 On birth-day ftars, the guider of our fate 3 
 Our nature’s God, that doth it’s influence fhed, 
 Eafy to any fhape, or good, or bad. 
 
 The antients had their genii for provinces, as 
 well as for particular perfons, nay even for trees, 
 fountains, the l'ciences and forefts. Sacrifices 
 were offered annually, and fometimes oftener, to 
 thefe imaginary beings, and many of the offer¬ 
 ings were extremely coftly. From a paffage in 
 Plutarch, it feems to have been a notion among 
 the Greeks and Romans, that every man had 
 tv/o fpirits to attend him. That juftly celebrated 
 writer tells 11s, that the evening before the battle 
 of Philippi, while Brutus was fitting melancholy 
 in his chamber, a monftrous horrid being ap¬ 
 peared to him, and being alked what god or 
 devil he was, the apparition anlwered, cc I am 
 “ thy evil genius, Brutus3 thou fhalt meet me at 
 cc Philippi.” Brutus, not in the leaft difeom- 
 pofed, anfwered, {C I will fee thee there 3” and 
 next day he loft the battle, and put an end to his 
 life. It is certain, that Plutarch was not a cre¬ 
 dulous writer, but what truth there may be in 
 this ftory, we fhall not prefume to fay. 
 
 - The Mahometans believe, that the world was 
 inhabited by genii, many thoufands of years be¬ 
 fore Adam was created, and that Elias was fent 
 down from heaven to drive them into a remote 
 corner. That ever fince they have been em¬ 
 ployed as miniftering angels to attend on men, 
 
 to 
 
7 6 The RELIGION in the 
 
 t 0 preferve them from danger, and to conduft 
 them through life. . , 
 
 When we read an account of fo many people, 
 both in ancient and modern times, believing in 
 the exigence of fpirits, we cannot affign any other 
 reafon for the univerfality of fuch a notion, be- 
 fides that of tradition: we are taught in the la- 
 cred feriptures, to believe in the exiftence of an- 
 cels, both good and bad, although we are com¬ 
 manded not to worfhip them. Thus we read in 
 Revelations, xix. 10. “ And I fell at his feet to 
 “ worfhip him : and he faid unto me, fee thou 
 .< do it not; I am thy fellow lervant.” And 
 acain, with refpeft to the miniftery of angels, we 
 
 KINGDOM of S I A M. 
 
 have a clear proof, in Plalm xci. 11. ra. ■' He 
 “ fhall give his angels charge over thee, to keep 
 “ thee fn all-thy ways: they fhall bear thee up 
 « i n their hands, left thou dafh thy foot againlt 
 “ a ftone.” Many Other paflages might be ad¬ 
 duced, but thefe may lei"Ve to file:., that the 
 exiftence of fpirits is a notion univerfally em¬ 
 braced by Jews, Chriftians, Mahometans, 
 and Pagans. And it may lerve to fliew, that 
 the dodfrine of the immortality of the foul was 
 never denied by any colleftive body of people in 
 the univerfe, that it has been always an eftablifh- 
 ed principle, and that all our hopes, and all our 
 fears, are regulated by our expeftations of it. 
 
 The Religion in the Kingdom of S I A M 
 
 T HIS very extenfive kingdom, is fitu- 
 ated beyond the Ganges, but their re¬ 
 ligion is, in many refpe&s, the fame with 
 thole already delcribed in that part of the world. 
 In fome things, however, they differ, and theie 
 are what we muff now attend to. 1 hey com- 
 prife the whole of their moral law in five nega¬ 
 tive commandments, viz. “ Thou malt not kill; 
 
 thou llialt not commit any manner of unclean- 
 «« nefs; thou lhalt not lie; thou flialt not Heal; 
 «• and thou Hi alt not drink any intoxicating li- 
 “ quor.” Moft of thefe precepts are the fame 
 with what we find written in the law of Moles, 
 which may ferve to fliew, that natural religion 
 is always the fame, in all ages and nations, al¬ 
 though often debafed by rites and ceremonies of 
 human invention. 
 
 Their priefts, like thofe in Pegu, are called 
 <Talapoiiis, and they are the l'ole keepers of the 
 law, of which they are fo tenacious, that they 
 refufed to explain any paflages m it to fome 
 french Jcfuits, who vifited Siam, m order to 
 convert the people. They reproached the Je- 
 fuits for expofing to public view, the images of 
 their faints, and for faying mafs with irreverence, 
 and inattention. It is probable, the Jefuites never 
 imagined to give offence to thefe heathens, but 
 the latter, not comprehending the Romifh cere¬ 
 monies, might probably confider that as irreve¬ 
 rent, which the Jefuits looked upon as iacred. 
 
 The crand objedl of worfhip in Siam is Som- 
 mona-Codom, of whom they give us the follow¬ 
 ing account: They fay he was born of a virgin, 
 through the influence of the fun; and, that when 
 the virgin found herfelf with child, (he was lo 
 much affeaed, that Ihe went and hid herfelf in 
 a defart, in order to conceal her frame from the 
 world. There, on the banks of a lake, Ihe was 
 delivered of a moft beautiful child, but having 
 no milk, wherewith to fuckle him, and unwill¬ 
 ing that he fhould die, fhe jumped into the lake, 
 and fet him upon a flower which blowed of it- 
 fclf, for his more commodious reception, and 
 afterwards inclofed him in a cradle. 
 
 From the moment he was born, without the 
 afliftance of a tutor, he inftrudled himfelf, and ac¬ 
 quired a perfeft knowledge of all things relating 
 to heaven, earth, paradiie and hell, with all the 
 myfteries of nature. He caught the people to 
 believe that angels vifited him, as he fat under 
 a tree, and that they worfhipped him. But, al¬ 
 though he was born in luch a miraculous 
 manner, yet they tell us, he had a brother nam¬ 
 ed Thevatat, who being jealous of him, con- 
 fpired his downfall; but Sommoiia-Codom prevailed, 
 and 1 ’hevatat was lent to be tormented in hell. 
 They tell us further, that the guardian angel of the 
 earth, whom they make a female, endeavouied 
 to prevail with the enemies of Sommona-Co- 
 dom , to adore him as a god; but they refilling, 
 fhe fqueezed her watery locks, and poured forth 
 a deluge, which deftroyed them. 
 
 Before Sommona-Codotn began to afpire at the 
 godhead, he had appeared five hundred and fifty 
 times in the world, under vaiious forms, and 
 always affirmed that which was the moft beauti¬ 
 ful at each period. He frequently laid down his 
 life for the good of his people, and accuftomed 
 himfelf fo much to mortification and penance, 
 that he fuffered a bramin to take his fon and 
 daughter from him, and put them to the moft 
 exquifite tortures before his face. He was fo 
 charitable, that he once gave his wile to a poor 
 man who implored charity. Whatever an Euro¬ 
 pean may think of this benevolent atflion, we 
 are allured, that the people of Siam confider it 
 as one of the moft illuftrious virtues in his life. 
 
 After he had renounced the pomp and va¬ 
 nities of the world, he applied himfelf to all 
 the aufterities of a devotee. He failed, prayed, 
 and performed all the religious duties common 
 in the country, and rofe to luch ftrength of 
 body, and perfection of mind, that he overcame, 
 in Angle combat, a faint ot confummate virtue. 
 He had the power to work miracles, and he 
 could make himfelf invifible, in order to know 
 what fecret things were tranladling in the world. 
 He flew as fwift as the wind, from place to place, 
 
 in 
 
The RELIGION in the 
 
 in order to preach virtue and morality; but one 
 day forgetting himfelf, he killed a man, for which 
 he was put to death. The perfon whom Sommona- 
 Codom murdered, was, what the people of Siam 
 call, a heretic; for thefe idolators have heretics 
 among them, as well as we Chridians. It was 
 not long before Sommona-Codom made his ap¬ 
 pearance again in the world, and the. firft thino 
 he defired was, to eat the flelh of the hog into 
 which the foul of him whom he murdered had 
 entered, in order to be revenged on his mur¬ 
 derer. 
 
 Accordingly, as he was teaching his difciples 
 one day, a piece of the flelh ofthis hog was 
 brought him, and he eat a part, but being°taken 
 ill with it, he told his difciples to build Temples 
 and altars to his memory, and then died. Ever 
 fince his death, he has enjoyed Nireupan, or per¬ 
 fect tranquillity, being fubjeft to no fort of pain, 
 trouble, or forrow. 
 
 He left the print of his feet in three different 
 parts of the world, viz. in the kingdoms of Siam 
 and Pegu, and in the ifland of Ceylon. To thofe 
 places, whole crowds of pilgrims refort annually, 
 where they offer up their prayers to him. Thefe 
 pilgrims are permitted to fee the bones of Som¬ 
 mona-Codom , but they lbine with fuch refplen- 
 dant luftre, that they cannot behold them a mi¬ 
 nute at a time. 
 
 Sommona-Codom had two favourite difciples, 
 whole images Hand behind him on his altars’ 
 but they are not fo large as his. The one 
 that Hands on the right hand, once, at the earned 
 felicitation of the damned, turned the earth up- 
 fide down, and took into the hollow of his hand, 
 all the fire of hell, but notwithftanding all his 
 endeavours, it was not in his power to extinguilh 
 it. tie therefore implored Sommona-Codom to do 
 tins charitable office ; but the god refuted to 
 comply with his requed, telling him, that lliould 
 mankind once lhake off the fear of punilhment, 
 they would grow abandoned, and molt abomina¬ 
 bly wicked. There is, in this fentiment, feme- 
 tiling in ail relpefts confident with natural reli¬ 
 gion, and the notions that we mortals form of 
 right and wrong. 
 
 The people of Siam have a flrong perfuafion, 
 that Sommona-Codom will once more return to 
 vi fit them, and they expeft that he will come un¬ 
 der the form of an idiot, lor which reafen, when¬ 
 ever they fee a ftupid fellow, they treat him with 
 Divine honours. They relate many ftrange do¬ 
 ries concerning the jealoufy that took place be¬ 
 tween Sommona-Codom and Tbnstat ; but they are 
 not agreed whether they were brothers, or only 
 near relations. Thevatat having entered into the 
 order of priedhood, pretended he had it in his 
 power to work miracles, and to affume whatever 
 form he pleafed. He had fuch an implacable 
 hatred againd Sommona-Codom, that he did every 
 tiling to vex and afflift him ; but the fublime 
 virtues of Sommona-Codom were fuch, that Thevatat 
 foon lod many of his followers ; and thus aban¬ 
 doned, he relblved to make his peace with 
 him. To effedtuate this purpofe, he lent the fol¬ 
 lowing propolals to Sommona-Codom , viz. that his 
 lchqlarslhould retire into the modlblitarydeferts ; 
 to live upon the charity and benevolence of well 
 difpofed perfons, to be cloathed in rags, to redde 
 no more in convents, but live day and ni"hc 
 
 KINGDOM of S I A M. . , 
 
 under trees in the open air, and not to eat ail}' 
 fort of animal food. To this propofal, Sommona- 
 Codom returned him this anlwer, that fuch aude- 
 rities ought to be therefultof freedom and choice, 
 and that thofe who aided otherwife, were no better 
 than hypocrites, and confequently he would not 
 advife any of his difciples to follow thofe rules. 
 
 But notwithdanding all this precaution of 
 Sommona-Codom, Thevatat led away above five 
 hundred of his difciples, for which, when he died, 
 he was condemned to endure the following tor¬ 
 ments : His head was thrud into a large iron 
 cauldron, made red hot with the fire of hell. His 
 feet hung down into the flames, and his whole 
 body was impaled with an iron (pit lengthways, 
 and crofled by two others. They believe that 
 thele nOiments are not to continue for ever, but 
 that they are.to end with the regeneration of the 
 linner. 
 
 The people of Siam obferve many fedivals, 
 particularly one in honour of their rivers, from 
 which the fertility of their country flows. At 
 fuch times they have boats on their rivers illu¬ 
 minated, and facrifices are offered to Sommona- 
 Codom. This practice is, in all refpeds, confident 
 with the idolatry of the antient Egyptians, who 
 once every year obferved a fedival in honour of 
 the river Nile. And as the Greeks borrowed 
 tneir religion from the Egyptians, fo we find 
 many other heathen.nations imitating their ex¬ 
 ample. The Chinefe have their goddefs Puzza, 
 the Egyptians had their If,s, and the Greeks imi- 
 tated them in the worlhip of that imaginary 
 being. In the fame manner, the people of Siam 
 have an annual fead in memory of the harved, 
 when they offer up thankfgivings to their idols) 
 
 | and march in proceffion from one place to 
 another accompanied by their Talapcins or prieds 
 who have books of faersd mufic, which they finT 
 in confort with fuch of the people as are able to 
 join in the harmony. 
 
 1 hey have I'o many pagods, that one cannot 
 travel above a league without feeing one, and 
 near them are always convents for their prieds to 
 refide. It is computed that there are above 
 fourteen thoufand. pagods in the kingdom of 
 Siam, but the principal, or metropolitan one, 
 deferves a particular deicription. 
 
 Siam, the chief city of the kingdom of that 
 name, has a mod magnificent temple, in which 
 there is an idol, dedicated to the honour of Som¬ 
 mona-Codom, made of maffy gold, and faid to be 
 worth upwards of five hundred thoufand pounds, 
 and the king goes there to worlhip, on all fo- 
 lemn fedivals. The form of the drublure re- 
 iembles a pyramid, which feems to have been 
 the cudom of many of the eadern nations, dur¬ 
 ing the remote ages of antiquity. They have 
 convents among them for women, and each of 
 theie is under the direction of a pried, to whom 
 gixat lelpebt is paid. Every pried who is head 
 of a convent, is called a Saner at, and, in feme 
 relpects, has an affinity to bifhops among the 
 Europeans, for they ordain the inferior prieds, 
 and exercile all the high offices of the clerical 
 order. When they are fird advanced to that 
 rank, which is always by order of the kino-, 
 they are honoured with a new title, and receive 
 a fine fedan, in which they are carried from place 
 to place. But the higheft mark of diftinftion 
 U conferred 
 
7 S The RELIGION in the 
 
 conferred upon them, is an umbrella, which they 
 are obliged to carry along with them wherever 
 they go. Thefe umbrellas are made of the 
 leaves of palm trees, and the plaits are tied with 
 a thread near the fhank, and the Ihank itfelf is 
 twilled into the form of an S, and they are called 
 ! Talapats . 
 
 It is remarkable, that all thefe priells are fup- 
 ported by the bounty of the public, and by prac¬ 
 tising many aullerities, they impofe upon the 
 deluded vulgar. When they preach to the peo¬ 
 ple, they take a text out of the wife fayings of 
 Sommona-Codom , of which they have a large col¬ 
 lection, and it is called the word of God, and 
 the perfeCt truth. In the fermon the prielt ex¬ 
 pounds the mylteries of their religion to the peo¬ 
 ple; and always concludes, by deducing fome 
 practical inferences, pointing out the nature and 
 obligation men are under to practice moral du¬ 
 ties. The men fit on one fide of the temple, 
 and the women on the other, and whenever a 
 paflage is quoted from their facred oracles, they 
 Hand up in the molt reverend polture, believ¬ 
 ing that the words arc delivered by the Divine 
 Being. 
 
 The natives of Siam have many fads, but par¬ 
 ticularly when their rivers overflow their banks, 
 and on thefe falls, the rule is not to eat any thing 
 after mid-day until next morning. After the 
 harveft is over, the priells retire to the fields, 
 where they lay all night under huts, made of the 
 leaves of trees, and in the morning they return to 
 their temples, where they offer up facrifices, and 
 perform their devotions. Their prayers are offered 
 up with all the appearance of the moll unfeign¬ 
 ed devotion they fit upon the ground, with 
 their hands lifted up, and clafped together, 
 taking no notice of any other objeCt befides the 
 idol whom they adore. This idol, which is the 
 figure of Sommona-Codom , fitting crofs-legged on 
 a table before the altar, is, on all fuch occafions, 
 adorned with flowers, and perfumed by the 
 priells, who confider this as one of the chief ar¬ 
 ticles of their religion. 
 
 A Jefuit having alked one of their priells, 
 •where their god refided, the priell anfwered, 
 “ That for two thoufand years, he had been in 
 “ a Hate of happineis, and takes no notice of 
 << our affairs in this-lower world.” 
 
 To this the Jefuit replied,, <c If your God is 
 ff indulging himfelf wholly in his pleafures, it 
 “ is a leeming contradiction to fuppofe that he 
 “ is at leifure to liften to your prayers.” “ God, 
 faid the Talapoin, or prielt, tc has commanded 
 “ us to pray, and by that aCt of devotion, we 
 “ teflify our obedience to his Divine will. 
 
 All thele priells are obliged to have their heads, 
 lips, and eye-brows fliaved, and this operation 
 muft be performed at the times of the new, and 
 full moon. When the moon is at the full, 
 the priells wafh the images of their idols, and 
 fprinkle them over with the richelt perfumes. 
 
 This ceremony is not confined to their temples, 
 for the priells alfo go to the private houfes of 
 individuals, and walh and perfume both the 
 houfhold gods and the people. In all cafes of 
 that nature, modefty is forgotten, and every fort 
 of referve is laid afide, which may ferve to Ihew, 
 that the manners and culloms of the people of 
 Afia are almoft the lame they were three thou¬ 
 fand years ago. 
 
 KINGDOM of SIAM. 
 
 It is a fixed rule with thefe priells, to get up 
 in the morning, as i'oon as they can lee the veins 
 in their hands^ left in the dark, they fhould kill 
 l'ome infeCl, for they believe that all thefe crea¬ 
 tures have human, rational fouls within them. 
 As loon as they get up, they meet their fuperior, 
 and go with him to the temple, or pagod, where 
 they pray upwards of two hours, and the laity 
 fing plalms, or hymns, without the afiillance of 
 a book, having learned them by heart. 
 
 All the people fit crofs-legged in their tem¬ 
 ples, and at going in, and coming out, they 
 proftrate themfelves three times to their idol; 
 and this praCtice is attended to, both by the 
 priells and the laity. When the morning fervice 
 ■is over, the 1 ‘alapoins , or priells, go from door 
 to door, to colleCt as much money as they can 
 procure from the people. They Hand at the 
 door, without alking for any tiling, and if no 
 notice is taken of them, they retire quietly. 
 
 When they return home to their convents, 
 they have breakfalt fet before them, but before 
 they talle fo much as one morfcl of it, they 
 offer up part to their idol. The remainder of 
 the forenoon is fpent in prayers and medita¬ 
 tions, and in the afternoon they inftruCt their pu¬ 
 pils in the principles of their religion. Towards 
 evening, they retire about two hours to reft, 
 and previous to their going to bed for the night, 
 they fweep and cleanfe the temples of their 
 idol. Every man is at liberty to take upon 
 him the office of a Talapoin , or priell, and he 
 may relign it when he pleafes, but a fevere pu- 
 nilhment is inflicted on every one who does any 
 tiling to oppofe fuch as leek the facred office. 
 
 When a young perfon defires to be admitted 
 to the priefthood, he applies to the fuperior of 
 a convent, and he, having examined him, pre- 
 fents him to the Sancrat for his approbation ; 
 when the young perfon is admitted, all his re¬ 
 lations walk along with him in proceflion, fing- 
 ing hymns, and playing upon mufical inftru- 
 ments. They likewife dance, and the whole is 
 a feene of jollity, mirth, and fometimes confufion. 
 
 As they march along, they make feveral Hops 
 and paufes in finging, and as foon as they come 
 near the gate of the temple, the young candi¬ 
 date is conduCled in along with the priells, but 
 the women, and other relations are prohibited 
 from entering the place, it being confidered as 
 too facred for them. When the candidate is 
 brought into the temple, his eye-brows, head, 
 and beard are fliaved, and the Sancrat , or chief 
 priell, gives him the habit of the order, which 
 he puts on, having firft thrown away all thofe 
 robes which he wore, when a fecularor layman. On 
 fuch occafions, the Sancrat , or chief priell, ufes 
 fome myllerious words, which are not under- 
 Hood by any but the candidate, and the priells, 
 and then the young novice is conduCled to the 
 convent where he is to refide, accompanied by 
 his friends and relations, who meet him at the 
 door of the temple. A few evenings afterwards, 
 the relations give a grand entertainment to the 
 priells in the convent, but the young one is not 
 permitted to be prefent, nor on any occafion of 
 that nature, till at leaft one year afterwards. 
 
 Their Nuns have fome privileges which 
 the priells do not enjoy. Thus, if a priell is 
 guilty of incontinency, he is burnt alive ; but 
 when a Nun fullers herfelf to be l'educed, fhe is 
 
 only 
 

 The RELIGION in the 
 
 only Tent home to her friends, and they are com¬ 
 manded to fee her feverely whipped, after which 
 fhe is difcarded from the convent for ever. 
 From what we can learn of thefe people, it ap¬ 
 pears evident, that they are much under the di¬ 
 rection of their priefts, who feem little better 
 than a parcel of Pharifees and hypocrites; they 
 endeavour to blind the people’s underltanding, 
 and triumphing in their weaknefs, eftablifh their 
 own grandeur, promote the interests of their 
 families, and procure confiderable emoluments. 
 
 In fwearing, in order to the performance of 
 any ftipulated agreement, each of the parties 
 drink out of one glafs, but if it is of a very 
 facred, and more than common nature, then each 
 of them has a vein opened, and they drink of 
 each other’s blood. Like all other fuperftitious 
 perfons, and confident with the ignorance which 
 prevails in moft nations, the people of Siam pay 
 much regard to the groans and cries of wild 
 beafts, and always prognofticate fomething of 
 importance from them. This is a fpecies of fu- 
 perftition, not confined to thofe Indian heathens, 
 for we have too much of it among ourfelves, al¬ 
 though it is a difhonour to our nature, and below 
 the dignity of our religion. 
 
 In all their temples or pagods, they have great 
 numbers of images, and they bellow much time 
 and pains in decorating them, for they confider 
 them as endowed with Divine power, and they 
 have likewife fome in their houfes. When their 
 wives have laid in about a fortnight, they light a 
 fire in the houfe, and fmoke the walls all over, 
 which fire is kept burning five days together, and 
 this is called the purification of the wife. This 
 ceremony being over, all the relations are invited 
 to a grand entertainment, and the child is named 
 by one of the 'Talapoins, after he has been 
 wafhed clean in a river. The Siameje , like the 
 Chinefe, are continually feeking out fome anti¬ 
 dote againll death, for they really believe it is 
 pofiible for fome men to live always, although 
 daily experience might convince them to the 
 contrary. 
 
 The Siamefe imagine that elephants are per- 
 felt, rational creatures, and when the king fent a 
 prefent of three of them to the king of Fran.ce, 
 a formal leave was taken of them. The king of 
 Siam, attended by his great officers, whifpered in 
 the elephants ears, and wifhed them a good jour¬ 
 ney, and a fuccefsful voyage, entreated them 
 not to be any way uneafy, but to divert them- 
 felves with the thoughts that they would foon 
 have the honour to appear before the king, and 
 enter into the fervice of a molt illuftrious prince, 
 who would treat them with the greateft reipelt. 
 They believe that the fouls of elephants once 
 inhabited the bodies of fome illuftrious heroes, 
 and after a certain number of years, they will re¬ 
 turn to them again. 
 
 But this is trifling to the refpelt they have for 
 the white elephants, for they are fully perfuad- 
 ed their fouls relided formerly in fome of their 
 princes; and thus we find the kings of Pegu and 
 Siam, both ftiled Kings of the White Elephant. 
 They look upon them as faints; and fome of 
 them are ot opinion they ought to be worfhipped. 
 There have been many bloody battles between 
 the kings of Siam and Pegu, concerning their 
 rights to the title of the White Elephant, and 
 
 C I N G D O M of S I A M. 79 
 
 all this feems to be owing to their belief, that the 
 laft form afiumed by Somtno 7 ia-Codom 3 was that 
 of a white elephant. 
 
 All the maidens are kept clofely confined, 
 without ever being permitted to come into the 
 company of the young batchelors, till their wed¬ 
 ding day ; but notwithftanding all the reftraints 
 they are kept under, yet they will often have 
 interviews, and frequently make a very bad ufe 
 of them. 
 
 In all their treaties of marriage, the relation 
 of the man makes the propofals to thofe of the 
 woman, and for the moft part, fome difcreet old 
 matrons dire 61 the young ones ir. their conduit. 
 Three days before their marriage, the relations 
 of both parties meet the bridegroom, and in his 
 prefence they fix what fortune he is to have 
 with his fpoufe. The marriage being thus 
 agreed upon, and the day fixed, they have a feaft 
 at the houle of the bride’s father, in a hall 
 erelted for that purpofe, but at the expence of 
 the bridegroom. After this, the young couple 
 are conduced into a dark apartment adjoining 
 to the houfe, where they remain fome days, be¬ 
 ing vifited only by their relations. The men are 
 allowed to have concubines, but never any more 
 than one wife at a time. Divorces are permitted 
 in Siam when the parties cannot live happy to¬ 
 gether, but the wife’s fortune mult be returned, 
 and the children are divided between them, if 
 the number be even, but if there is an odd one, 
 it is given to the mother. 
 
 The men and women are punifhed with death 
 when they commit adultery; the man is ftabbed 
 dead by his own relations, and the woman is 
 ftrangled by hers. 
 
 As foon as a man dies, they inclofe his body in 
 a wooden coffin, finely varnifhed over. Some¬ 
 times they make ufe of a leaden coffin, and it 
 is always placed on a large table, in the middle 
 of the houfe, and furrounded by the relations. 
 In this manner the coffin is kept feveral days, 
 and in the evening the Talapoins meet arrouni 
 it, fing hymns, and light up a great number of 
 wax tapers. The fubftance of their hymns con- 
 fifts ot moral refle6tions on death, and they pre¬ 
 tend to have the power to direlb the foul of the 
 deceafed, in his way to everlafting glory. 
 
 The body is then carried out to a field near 
 one of their pagods, where it is burnt, and the 
 allies are encloled within a fence, made of fmall 
 canes, embellifhed with figures, drawn on fmall 
 flips of paper, pointing out the moft remarkable 
 allions in the life of the deceafed. 
 
 Thefe funeral ceremonies are always in the 
 morning, and the corps is followed by the re¬ 
 lations, all drefled in white, and fhewing marks 
 of the lincereft forrow. When the relations re¬ 
 turn home, they begin an entertainment which 
 lafts three days, during which time they give 
 alms to the poor. When the plague rages among 
 them, they bury their dead, but when the flefh 
 is confumed by the worms, they take up the 
 bones and burn them. 
 
 The Talapoins , or priefts, are buried in the 
 following manner: The coffin in which the body 
 is incloled, is finely decorated with a variety of 
 figures relating to the allions of the deceafed, 
 and laid on a funeral pile, round- which they 
 efelt four columns, compofed of wood, and 
 
 richly 
 
 
 
The RELIGION of the People of L A I E S, L A N G I E N S, or LAO S. 
 
 richly gilt. There are feveral letter pillars, and 
 the whole fenced round with a high enclofure 
 of canes, with fmall images hanging to them. 
 The proceiTions on thefe occafions are by water, 
 in a vad number of balons, or boats, filled with 
 Talapoinsy and a prodigious number of the ma- 
 giftrates, and people of rank. It is an article 
 in their religion, that the more coftly they are 
 in their funeral expences, the more advantageous 
 will the foul of the deceafed be fituated in hea¬ 
 ven, or in the body of one of the greated mo- 
 narchs on earth. In belief of this notion, they 
 often ruin themfelves to procure an expenfive 
 funeral. They are very fincere in their mourn¬ 
 ing, for none of them ever weep, except fuch as 
 are really affected with the lofs of a friend, or 
 relation. 
 
 They have many romantic notions concerning 
 fpirits, and they often imagine themfelves tor¬ 
 mented by them. It is plain, that they confider 
 the foul as immortal, but dill they have fome 
 notion of its confifting of refined matter, far 
 fuperior to the body, and that it has fome fhape 
 or form, though they do not define what it is. 
 They believe that when fouls have patted 
 through a vad number of bodies, they become 
 pure from all manner of fin, and then they are 
 taken up into the manfions of everlading hap- 
 pinel's. They believe that there are two angels in 
 heaven, who regider all the a&ions of men here 
 below, and read them over to Sommona-Codom . 
 
 Before we conclude this article, it is neceffary 
 to fay fomething concerning their pagods, or 
 temples, in which they worfhip their idols. The 
 word Pagoda, is Perfian, and properly fignifies 
 a temple, where facrifices are offered and idols 
 worlhipped. Thefe pagods confid moil com¬ 
 monly of three divifions. The firft, is a large 
 entrance under a vaulted roof, fupportedby done 
 columns, and all ranks of perl'ons are permitted 
 to go into it. The fecond part is open in the 
 day, but fhut at night; but none are permitted 
 to go into it, except the prieds. It is filled with 
 a great number of figures of men, with many 
 heads and arms, but the outer porch is adorned 
 with figures of elephants and other animals. 
 
 The third, which may be called the moft facred 
 part of the temple, is fiiut up with a very ffrong 
 gate, and in it the image of the god is placed, 
 adorned in the moft gaudy manner, and illumi¬ 
 nated with a vail number of lamps. Some of 
 thole pagods, particularly on the coaft of Mala¬ 
 bar, are built of marble; but thofe in Coroman¬ 
 del, of large floncs cemented together. 
 
 The pagods in Malabar are for the mod part 
 covered with plates of copper; and fome of thofe 
 on the coaft of Coromandel, are endowed with vaft 
 revenues, particularly at a town called Ramana- 
 koil, and it is vifited by many thoufands of pil¬ 
 grims annually. All thefe Indians, before they 
 go into their pagods to worfhip, pull off their 
 fhoes and dockings, and wafn their legs and feet 
 in refervoirs, placed in the porch of the temple. 
 In Calicut, the prieds prefent holy water to all 
 thofe who go in, for great part of their religion 
 confids in ablutions or walkings. 
 
 But befides thefe, great number of fmall ones 
 are erected in the fields for the ufc of the peafants, 
 who are obliged to attend to the duties of their 
 dation, in cultivating the ground. Many of thefe 
 pagods are efected near the places where they 
 burn the bodies of their deceafed relations, and 
 all of them have prieds, who are fupported by the 
 free-will-offerings of the people. In antient times, 
 the kings of India confidered it as meritorious to 
 build pagods, and fettle revenues upon them, 
 but one of thofe princes named Veincapaii , being 
 in great want of money, made free with the fa¬ 
 cred treafure of the pagod of Efwara, promifing 
 to redore it as foon as his circumdances would 
 permit; but his fucceffor, Rama-Develo, having 
 attempted to feize a crown of gold from off the 
 head of one of the idols, the perfons who gave 
 him this wicked council, died at the foot of the 
 mountain on which the pagod Rood, and foon af¬ 
 terwards, the king himfelf, according to their 
 tradition, perilhed miferably. Some perfons have 
 ran into a midake, concerning the word pagod, 
 by imagining that the idol is meant, whereas, in all 
 places in theEall-Indies, it implies a temple, rror 
 do the natives ever call their idols pagods. 
 
 7he Religion of the People oj 
 
 V IE inhabitants of thefe countries be- 
 fj lieve, that there are fixteen terredrial 
 JL worlds, and that heaven is fituated above 
 them. They imagine that both heaven and earth 
 are eternal, only that the former never was fub- 
 ject to any change ; but that the earth has un¬ 
 dergone a variety of revolutions. They fay, that 
 about eighteen thoufand years before the reign of 
 Xacctt, or Xequia , the lower world of the fixteen, 
 was dedroyed by water, when a mod holy man¬ 
 darin of more than human extraction, defeended 
 from the highed of the fixteen worlds, and with 
 one droke of his feymeter, cut a certain flower 
 which floated on the furface of the water, and 
 
 Laies, Langiens, or Laos. 
 
 from that flower fprung up a mod beautiful dam- 
 fel, with whom the pious mandarin was fo much 
 in love, that he refolved to marry her; but her 
 inflexible modedy rendered all his addreffes fruit- 
 lefs and ineffectual. 
 
 The mandarin was too generous and jud to 
 force the beautiful maid to a compliance, and 
 yet he knew not how to live without her ; he 
 therefore placed himfelf at a fmall didance from 
 her, and admired her beauty from morning to 
 evening, gazing upon her with all the tendernefs 
 of love; and by the miraculous force of his tender 
 glances, fire became the mod joyful mother of a 
 numerous offspring, and yet continued a virgin. 
 
 When 
 
The RELIGIONof the People of L 
 
 When the children grew up, the mandarin con- 
 fidered himfelf as under an obligation of making 
 fome provifion for them, and for that purpofe, 
 created that beautiful variety of beings which 
 now replenilh the earth, and then afcended into 
 heaven, but could not obtain admittance till he 
 had duly qualified himfelf by penance. 
 
 Before the earth was reftored to its origi¬ 
 nal ftate, four gods were appointed to prefide 
 over it, but three of them growing weary of the 
 important talk, returned again to heaven, in 
 order to enjoy uninterrupted peace and tranquil¬ 
 lity. Xaca, the only furviving god left behind, 
 reigned fome thoufands of years, and then funk 
 into a ftate of reft. But he took care to inftrudt 
 the people to ereft te lples to his memory, 
 promifing that he would fill them with his fpirit, 
 which would make an ample amends for the 
 want of his perfonal appearance; and that he 
 would breathe into their gods l'uch divine in¬ 
 fluences, as would enable them to work all forts 
 of miracles. They add further, that thofe ima¬ 
 ges, or ftatucs, participated of the divine na¬ 
 ture of Xaca , according to his promife when he 
 left them, and from hence the worfhip of images, 
 among the natives of the Eaft Indies, took its 
 rife. 
 
 They do not fix upon the number of years 
 that the religion of Xaca fhali continue eftablifh- 
 ed, but they believe that another god will arife 
 and demolilh their temples, break down their 
 images, and burn their facred writings; after 
 which, he fhall eftablifh new laws, and a pure 
 form of worftiip. They likewife aflert, that there 
 was a good underftanding between Xaca and the 
 god of the Chriftians. That the former made 
 choice of the eaft to teach his fentiments, and 
 the latter the weft, to eftablifh his religion. 
 
 From this it appears, that they have fome tra¬ 
 ditions concerning Chrift; for fome of their 
 priefts told the Jefuits, that the God of the 
 Chriftians made but a poor figure in the world, 
 although his religion prevailed in many parts; 
 and this is every way confiftent with the gofpel 
 account of our Redeemer. 
 
 Thele people are very much addidted to fuper- 
 ftition, and on fome particular days, the ftatue 
 of Xaca is brought out of the pagod, and expofed 
 to the people, on a ftage eredted for that pur¬ 
 pofe, and there the devotees afiemble and pay 
 their adoration to it. Every worfhipper mult 
 bring fomething along with him, which the 
 1’alapoins convert to their own ufe. Sacrilege, 
 or the robbing of temples, is looked upon as the 
 rnoft horrid crime that can be committed, nor 
 is any perfon permitted to fpeak irreverently of 
 their gods. It is probable they have fome tra¬ 
 ditional account of the fallen'angels, for they 
 believe that evil fpirits once refided in heaven. 
 
 Their priefts are called I’alapoias , in the fame 
 manner as in Siam, and they are not permitted 
 to enter into orders till they are turned of twenty- 
 three years of age, at which time they are very 
 ftridtly examined, and if approved of, they are 
 admitted into the order, with leveral very pom¬ 
 pous ceremonies, which, in fome refpedts, differ 
 from thofe of the neighbouring nations. The 
 novice fets out from the convent, drefled in the 
 gaieft habit that can be procured, and, mount¬ 
 ing himfelf on an elephant, rides in folemn 
 
 AIES, LANGIENS, orLAOS. 31 
 
 procefflon to the pagod, or temple, where he is 
 to make his laft vows. Entertainments of a very 
 luxurious nature, are kept up during the fpace of 
 three days, but notwithftanding all that formali¬ 
 ty and ceremony, thefe priefts have a right to 
 lay down their habit whenever they pleafe, and 
 return again to the ftate and condition of lay¬ 
 men. The Jefuits, who never could gain any of 
 thefe people over to be profelytes to popery, have 
 reprefented them under the moft odious colours, 
 luch as hypocrites, epicureans, and perlons of the 
 moft abandoned chara6ters. 
 
 The king is the foie judge of thefe priefts, and 
 when any of them commit odious crimes, they 
 are condemned for life to wait upon his elephants. 
 But ftill the king of the country is much afraid 
 of them, becaule was he to treat them with 
 too much indignity, they would at any time 
 have it in their power to ftir up a rebellion among 
 the people; fo popular are they in their public 
 difcourfes, and fuch is the influence they have 
 over the vulgar. On the fourteenth day of every 
 new moon, thefe priefts confefs their fins, one 
 after another, before their idols, beginning with 
 the feniors, and ending with the juniors, and 
 they walk themfelves with confecrated water, 
 in order to cleanfe them from all their im¬ 
 purities. Part of their worfhip confifts in pre- 
 fenting their idols with rice, flowers and per¬ 
 fumes ; and befides thefe free-will offerings, they 
 pray before them with beads in their hands, and 
 light up wax tapers upon their altars. 
 
 Thefe priefts, or ^Talapoins , are divided into 
 two claffes; firft, the feculars, and lecondly, the 
 regulars. The feculars are thofe who attend 
 on public worfhip, in the cities and towns, 
 and the regulars are a fort of monks, or hermits, 
 who live, fome in convents, and others in the 
 woods, where they acquire great reputation for 
 their lanftity, and the purity of their morals. 
 The king regulates all their fafts and feftivals, 
 and decides in all fuch matters of controverfy as 
 take place among them. The morals of thefe 
 monks, like thofe of the priefts in the kingdom 
 of Siam, are regulated by five negative precepts, 
 namely, <c Thou fhalt do no murder; thou fhalt 
 
 not lie; thou fhalt not commit adultery; 
 <c thou fhalt not ftcal; and, thou fhalt not drink 
 cc any wine.” But notwithftanding the feverity 
 of the laft precept, yet it is at any time dif- 
 penfed with, in order to procure a fum of money 
 from the perfon who folicits for it. 
 
 The people in thefe countries are allowed a 
 plurality of wives, but thofe are beft efteemed, 
 and moft refpe<fted, who, by fubduing their paf- 
 fions, and bringing them under the government 
 of reafon, confine themfelves to one. As for 
 their nuptial ceremonies, they have nothing very 
 extraordinary in them. Their chief care is to 
 have their folemn engagements figned and atteft- 
 ed by witnefles, and thefe muft be perfons of 
 character, who have lived many years in the 
 marriage ftate, in the moft facred bonds of in¬ 
 violable love and true friendfhip. 
 
 The people believe in witchcraft, and that all 
 diforders can be cured by magic, for which rea¬ 
 fon they have their inchanted plaifters, oint¬ 
 ments, myfterious terms, and many other things 
 of a furprifing nature, according to their account 
 of them. The priefts fell thefe things at a moft 
 X exorbitant 
 
82 
 
 The RELIGION of 
 exorbitant price; but this is never objected to 
 by the people, who confider them as endowed 
 with fovereign virture, either to prevent or heal 
 all manner of dileafes. 
 
 The priefts are likewife very expert in call¬ 
 ing people into a profound lleep, and by that 
 means to ftrip them of all they have about them, 
 without being difcovered. This is done by the 
 power of an intoxicating draught, and the people 
 have fuch an opinion of its Divine, or heavenly 
 nature, that when reftored from their dumber, 
 they often give all they have to the priefts. It 
 is common with the priefts to fend an old rag¬ 
 ged cloak to one of their patients, who has fuch 
 an opinion of its fanftity, that he wraps himlelf 
 in it, and believes that he will foon be reftored 
 to health. It he happens to recover, then he 
 lends his belt cloaths to the pried, that his 
 holy word may fandtify them, fo as to have the 
 fame efficacy as that of the old ragged cloak; 
 but when all thefe means prove ineffectual, then 
 the priefts fay, that the patient was deftitute of 
 faith. 
 
 In their funeral ceremonies, they differ in no¬ 
 thing from the people of Siam, and they all be¬ 
 lieve that the foul will transmigrate through 
 many bodies for a vaft number of years, after 
 which it will be mandated to heaven. It is not 
 to be doubted but they worlhip Sommona-Codom , 
 the god of Siam, becaufe moft of their ceremo¬ 
 nies are the fame, particularly their funeral rites, 
 and indeed almoft every thing elfe. 
 
 the TON Q^U INKS E. 
 
 With refpedl: to magic or witchcraft, there is, 
 perhaps, not one (ingle nation in the univerfe, 
 where fome belief of it cannot be found. We find 
 it ftridUy prohibited, both in the Old and New 
 Teftament, and yet it is much to be feared, there 
 are too many that live under the gofpel difpen- 
 fation, who believe in its exiftenceS The antient 
 pagans had a method of enquiring into the 
 knowledge of future events, by addreffing them- 
 felves to oracles in their temples; and they ima¬ 
 gined the anlwer they received, was delivered by 
 the foul of one of the deceafed friends or rela¬ 
 tions. Thefe addreffes to oracles in order to 
 procure an anfwer from the dead, might be de¬ 
 livered in any temple -whatever, but fome were 
 confidered as more facred than others, and to 
 thefe, many pilgrims reforted. The whole feems 
 to have taken its origin from the pride or vain 
 curiofity of men, who fought to know future 
 events, which providence has wifely concealed 
 from them. Men would be wretched creatures 
 indeed, were they to be informed of all that is 
 to happen to them in this world. They would 
 fink under the terrors of the evil, they would 
 negleft their duty as beings, whofe dependance 
 Ihould be on God, and every thing here below 
 would return to its original fcate of confufion. 
 Thole who believe in magic or witchcraft, give 
 up the whole providence of God, by l'eeking to 
 know what he has concealed from them, and bv 
 imagining that a finite being can pry into the f«- 
 crets of infinity. 
 
 7 he Religion of the T O N Q_U I N E S E. 
 
 P m Q ^HE people of Tonquin are divided 
 B into different fe£ts, but they are all 
 
 -JL heathens, and their worfhip agrees, in 
 many things, with that of the nations already 
 deferibed. Some of them acknowledge Confucius , 
 the celebrated legiffator of China, to be their 
 religious father, and to him they offer up facri- 
 fices, with other Divine honours ; but the fol¬ 
 lowers of this feeft, are only thofe who are moft 
 efteemed for their learning in the fciences. The 
 common people are, for the moft part, followers 
 of Xaca , whom fome call Chaca , and others 
 Chacabcut. They give a very different account 
 of this Xaca> from what is related in the preced¬ 
 ing defeription of the religion of Laos , for they 
 fay that he concealed himfelf fix years in a defert, 
 where he compiled that form of religion which 
 he afterwards taught to his difciples. He at¬ 
 tempted to perfuade them that there was 
 not a Divine providence, that the foul was 
 mortal, and that there was no fuch thing as a 
 future ftate of rewards and punifhments. In or¬ 
 der to imprint upon the minds of the people a 
 reverential regard for his character, he boldly 
 aliened, that two angels or daemons infpired him 
 with thofe doftrines he was obliged to teach for 
 rhe benefit of mankind. 
 
 Xaca likewife aliened, that all fuch as afpired 
 to the higheft ftate of perfeftion, Ihould renounce 
 the pomps and vanities of this world, to have 
 
 companion on their fellow creatures, and to re¬ 
 lieve the poor under all their diftrefies. They 
 were to fpend many hours in prayer and medita¬ 
 tion, and endeavour, as much as in them lay, to 
 fubdue their luffs and paftions. He likewife 
 taught that all thofe who obeyed his precepts, 
 although their fouls were of a material fubllance, 
 yet, after death, they would pals into other bodies, 
 in which they would enjoy many pleafures to 
 which they were ftrangers before ; and this doc¬ 
 trine is fo much like that of the philofopher Pytha¬ 
 goras, that probably they are both of one original. 
 
 T here is in Tonquin, aconfiderable religious feet, 
 called Lanthu. This Lanthu was a native of China, 
 and a magician. He had fomuch art and aflurance 
 as to allert, that he never had a father, and he 
 was feventy years in his mother’s belly, who yet 
 was a pure lpotlefs virgin, and his difciples taught 
 that he was the creator of all things. To the 
 errors of Xaca , Lanthu added feveral of his own, 
 but he gained the love and affe&ion of the people, 
 by his many a6ts of charity and benevolence, 
 and by founding and endowing temples and hof- 
 pitals. 
 
 They have in c tonquin three idols, for which 
 they have a more than ordinary veneration. The 
 firft: is the god of the kitchen, compofed of three 
 Hones, in commemoration of three perfons, who 
 burnt themfelves to allies on the fame hearth. 
 The fecond preftaes over all the liberal arts, and 
 
 is 
 
The RELIGION of the TON Q^U INESE. 83 
 
 is worlhipped in the drefs of a Chinefe, probably 
 in memory of fome learned man from China hav¬ 
 ing firft taught them the fciences. This idol is 
 called tien-Su, and fuch refpefl have the people 
 for him, that no man will bind out his fon as an 
 apprentice to a trade till he has facrificed to him, 
 and put the boy under his protection ; nor are 
 any contrails, or agreements figned, without ap¬ 
 pealing to him. The third idol, known by the 
 name of Buabtn , is the god of buildings; and all 
 ftruitures, whether public or private, are com¬ 
 mitted to his care. He is to protefl the houfes 
 from fire, lightening, thunder, wind, rain, or 
 any thing by which they, or their inhabitants may 
 be injured. 
 
 But befides thefe idols, the people of Tonquin 
 worlhip the heavens, with the fun, moon, and 
 liars, the four cardinal points, and the center of 
 the earth. When they worlhip the north, they 
 drefs themfelves in black, and their tables, altars, 
 facrificing inftruments, and indeed every thing 
 they ufe are of that dil'mal colour. When they 
 ■worlhip towards the ealt, they are drefled in 
 green ; when to the fouth, in lcarlet ; when to 
 the weft, in white; and yellow when to the center 
 of the earth. They likewife worlhip the meaneft 
 things on earth, as will appear from the follow¬ 
 ing ridiculous circumftance : 
 
 Some filhermen having one day feen a billet 
 of wood thrown on 11'lore, believed that it was 
 inhabited by the foul of fome great perfon; they 
 lifted it into the boat and carried it home, where 
 it was worlhipped, and temples were erefted to 
 its memory and honour. They traced its gene¬ 
 alogy, and found that this Log was no lefs a per- 
 fonage than the daughter of one of the em¬ 
 perors of China. This pious princefs had thrown 
 herfelf into the lea, in order to bellow her royal 
 benedictions on the people of Tonquin, and to 
 accomplilh her good intention without being 
 dilcovered, Hie metamorphofed herfelf into a 
 wooden billet. Laola , one of their idols, prefides 
 over travellers, and indeed they have their titu¬ 
 lary gods for the proteflion of every thing. 
 
 The 2 "onquinefe have as many pagods, or 
 temples as they have country houfes, and each of 
 thole has at leaft two priefts to offer up facrifices, 
 but fome have upwards of forty, and all thefe are 
 fupported by the bounty of the people. They 
 profefs much humility, never begging for relief, 
 nor do they accept of any thing befides what 
 is abfolutely neceffary. If they have any thing 
 to fpare, they give it away to the poor, and main¬ 
 tain leveral widows and children, out ol their 
 own colleftions ; a noble example for thole of 
 the pureft religion to copy after. 
 
 They have grand fellivals on the firft and fif¬ 
 teenth of every moon ; but, befides, they obferve 
 leveral holy days, in memory of the dead. In 
 the fixtlj month, they celebrate the feftival of 
 their idol, Tbam-no, who is the preferver of their 
 corn, in the fame manner as the Greeks believed 
 that 'Ceres was. In all lolemn fellivals, they per¬ 
 fume their idols, and illuminate their altars. 
 They believe in the art of divination, and no¬ 
 thing of importance is undertaken, without firft 
 conlulting the magicians, who compofe their 
 looks and geftures in the moll artful manner, in 
 order to procure the refpefl of thofe who confult 
 
 them. Before he attempts to anfwer any of thd 
 quellions propofed to him, he opens a book in a 
 very formal manner, containing circles, charac¬ 
 ters, and whimfical figures, and then demands the 
 age of the perfon who comes to confult him. He 
 then toffes up into the air, two or three fmall 
 pieces of brafs, with charadlers on one fide only, 
 and if the Tides with the charafters fall towards 
 the ground, then it is confidered as a bad omen ; 
 but if they turn up, they denote fome degree of 
 fuccefs. If there are only two pieces, and they 
 fall the reverfe of each other, it is confidered 
 as an indication of fomething very fuccefsful. 
 For the molt part, thefe magicians are fo artful, 
 that they can throw the pieces fo as to give hope 
 to the perfon who makes the application; a prac¬ 
 tice common among the antient heathens. 
 
 In this country, there are witches who pretend 
 to have a familiar acquaintance with the devil, 
 and that, by his affillance, they can reveal what 
 arc the conditions of the fouls of particular per- 
 fons in the other world. Thefe witches pretend 
 to conjure up the fouls of deceafed perfons, by 
 the found of a drum, and they have the art to 
 counterfeit a llrange voice, which the people be¬ 
 lieve is the foul fpeaking to them. Thefe fortune¬ 
 tellers, who appear to be arrant impollors, devote 
 their own children to the devil, and they teach 
 them to throw themfelves into feemingly ftrong 
 convulfions, to make the people believe they are 
 poffeffed. 
 
 When a man is taken lick, they aferibe his 
 malady to the firft devil who entered into his 
 thoughts. An attempt is then made to appeafe 
 the devil, by facrifices ; but if they don’t fucceed, 
 they have recourfe to compulfion. The friends 
 of the Tick man take up arms, and furround the 
 houl'e, in order to drive the devil out of his 
 quarters, and they believe, that when he is driven 
 out, he is confined, clofe corked up in a bottle 
 of water. When it is imagined that the lick man’s 
 diforder is occafioned by the malice of the ghoft of 
 one ofhis dead relations, the magician ufes leveral 
 charms to conjure the fpirit to him, and when 
 he has laid hold on him, he purs him up in ano¬ 
 ther bottle, and places him befide the devil. 
 There they are both confined for ever, if the 
 patient dies, but if he recovers, the magician 
 fuffers them to eficape. From this part of their 
 ridiculous fuperftition, it is evident, that altho’ 
 in many refpefits, they believe in the dodtrine of 
 the immortality of the foul, yet they confider it 
 as fomeway material; for if the foul is not ma¬ 
 terial, it could not be confined by matter, or 
 which is all one, corked up in a bottle. 
 
 When one of the natives of T’onquin returns 
 home from a journey, in which he has met 
 with fome fingular deliverance; or when any of 
 them return home lick, wounded, or indif- 
 pofed, they carry the upper garments of the 
 perfons to a crofs way, and hang them upon a 
 pole, then they offer leven little balls of rice to 
 the genius, or titulary god of the place, after 
 which the balls are eaten'by the perfons in whofs 
 favour they were offered up. This pradlice was 
 much attended to by the antient Greeks, who 
 believed that fome of their gods prefided over 
 the highways, in order to proteft travellers. 
 They have a very remarkable way of celebrating 
 
84 . The R E L I G I O N of 
 
 the anniverfary of their birth days, particularly 
 that of the king’s, of which the following is a 
 faithful account : 
 
 Seven days before the festival, the chief mufi- 
 cians repair to the palace, and form a choir of 
 vocal and infirumental mufic, which continues 
 till the feafi commences. Several of the Bonzes , 
 or priefts alfemble, and they begin with the 
 chief prieff’s pronouncing feveral prayers, and 
 then conjures the king’s foul in the following 
 words to inform his body: “ Let the three fouls 
 “ of our monarch,” fays he, with an audible 
 voice, cc alfemble together and make one foul 
 ct to animate his body.” After that they call 
 lots with two pieces of brafs, and when they 
 think the fouls are arrived, the chief Bonze 
 fallens them to the end of a Hick, for the three 
 fouls to perch upon. At the fame time they 
 inform the king, that in a fhort time he mull 
 go to receive his foul, and prepare a lodging for 
 it. The king then pulls off the cloat.hs he had 
 on, and having drelfed himfelf in every thing 
 new, afcends a magnificent throne, while two 
 thousand foldiers, as many horfes, and twelvfe 
 elephants are ordered to conduct his foul. 
 
 This numerous retinue condufls the foul to 
 the throne^ where the king receives it, as one 
 rilen from the dead. All his courtiers congra¬ 
 tulate him on his refurredtion, and the feftival 
 continues feven days. This is, perhaps, one of 
 the moll remarkable feHivals in the world, and 
 probably took its rile from a notion, that on the 
 annual return of birth days, new fouls, endued 
 with the moll lublime virtues, come to refide 
 in the body. 
 
 On the firff day of the new year, every houfe- 
 keeper eredts a long pole before his door, and 
 fixes a balket to the top of it, embellifhed all 
 round with fine paper, gilt and painted. The 
 reafon for this ceremony is, the c TonquineJe be¬ 
 lieve that the painted paper has power to drive 
 away the evil fpirit, but were they to negledt fo 
 neceffary an article in their religion, the evil 
 fpirit would torment them during the whole re¬ 
 mainder of the year. On the lall day of the 
 year, all thofe who have had any difputcs are 
 reconciled, and they begin the new year in a 
 Hate of friendlhip. In marriages, they mull have 
 the confent of their parents, if they are alive, 
 but if they are dead, then they mull apply to the 
 nearclt relations, and the marriage engagements 
 mull be figned, and confirmed before the judge, 
 or governor of the place. They may marry as 
 many wives as they pleafe, but if they cannot 
 fupport them from being a burthen to the com¬ 
 munity, then they are liable to pay a fine. On 
 the evening of the wadding day, the relations of 
 the bride conduct her home to the houfe of the 
 bridegroom, where the firll thing Ihe does is to 
 go into the kitchen and kifs the hearth, after 
 which flie prollrates herfelf on the ground, to 
 acknowledge her humility and obedience to her 
 hufband. 
 
 The entertainments at their marriages, gene¬ 
 rally lall nine days, unlefs the parties are extremely 
 poor, and then three days are confidered as fuffi- 
 cient. The law permits a man to put away his 
 wife, but this privilege is not granted to the 
 woman, and if a woman procures a divorce, it 
 is attended with many difficulties. Whenawoman 
 
 le T O N Q^U I N E S E. 
 
 is found guilty of adultery, lhe is turned out into 
 an inclolure among elephants, where lhe gene¬ 
 rally llarves, but for the fame crime, the man 
 can compound by paying a fine. The ceremony 
 of a divorce in 1 Tonqilin , has fomething in it 
 very novel to Europeans. When a man is 
 inclined to put away his wife, he takes the flicks 
 which they ufed at their meals, in Head of forks, 
 and breaking them in twain, each party takes 
 one half, and wraps it carefully up in a piece of 
 filk Huff; after which the man is obliged to re¬ 
 turn his wife all the money he received with her, 
 and give fecurity that he will take care of all 
 the children they had while they cohabited toge¬ 
 ther. 
 
 The cloaths they wear at their funerals are 
 always white, but no part of them muH be of 
 filk. A father, or a mother, mourns for a child 
 twenty-ieven months; widows wear mourning 
 for their hulbands, three years ■, but a hufband 
 mourns no longer for his wife, than he thinks 
 proper. Brothers and fillers, mourn for one 
 another, one whole year. The lowed forts of 
 the people commemorate their deceafed relati¬ 
 ons, and their ceremonies are according to the 
 nature of their circumHances. For firch as have 
 done great things to ferve the public, they ereft 
 altars and temples, on which they offer facri- 
 fices, and they even celebrate the memories of 
 fuch as have railed diHurbances, fomented re¬ 
 bellions, and trampled on the laws; but this is 
 not done for their honour, but to hold them out 
 as objefls of deteffation, to all thofe who Hi all 
 live in future ages. 
 
 But nothing can exceed the funeral rites of 
 their kings, in fplendor and pomp they even 
 exceed imagination. They firll embalm the 
 body, and then expofe it on a bed of Hate for 
 fixty-five days together, during all which time, 
 he is attended and ferved with as much fplendor 
 as if he was really alive, and the vifluals, as 
 foon as conveyed away from him, are given to the 
 prieHs, and to the poor. Every one of his lub- 
 jefls is obliged to appear in mourning. All the 
 officers of Hate are obliged to remain in mourn¬ 
 ing three years, nor are any public games allowed 
 during the mourning, except fuch as are com¬ 
 mon when a new king mounts the throne, in the 
 room of his predeceffor. The dilhes ferved up 
 at the new king’s coronation, are all varnifhed 
 black, and he cuts off his hair, and covers his 
 head with a firaw hat. All the great officers of 
 Hate do the fame, and three bells are kept toll¬ 
 ing inceflantly, from the death of the king, till 
 his body is put on board a galley, in order to be 
 interred among his anceffors. 
 
 On the fixty-fixth day, after the death of 
 the king, all things being prepared for his in¬ 
 terment, by a proper officer appointed for that 
 purpofe, the proedfion begins, and the ground 
 is ffrewed with flowers, 'l he procefilon conti¬ 
 nues fixteen days, and at every quarter of a 
 league, they make a halt near fome huts, 
 eredled for the purpofe of fupplying the people 
 and horfes with provifions, and with fire to light 
 their pipes. Two gentlemen of the king’s 
 chamber, march in the front, and as they go 
 along they proclaim the king’s name with all 
 his pompous titles ; each of them carries a mace 
 in his hand, the head of which has a lighted 
 
 torch 
 
 4 
 
The RELIGION of COCHIN- 
 
 torch in it, and twelve gentlemen of the king’s 
 gallies draw a maul'olcum after them. 
 
 Next comes the grand matter of the horfe, 
 attended by two pages, who are followed by 
 twelve fumpter horfcs, richly caprifoned, and 
 led by pages, walking two and two. The ele¬ 
 phants come next in the following order; the 
 jth'ft four are mounted by ftandard bearers, the 
 next four have cattles on their backs, filled with 
 foldiers, and the laft four have cages on their 
 backs; thefe cages are made of lattice-work, 
 finely gilded and glazed. The car, or chariot, 
 which contains the maufoleum , in which the king s 
 body is depofited advances next, and is drawn 
 by twelve ftags, each of whom is led by one of 
 the captains of the life-guards. 
 
 The new king, with his brothers, and all the 
 princes of the blood, walk behind the car, dreffed 
 in long white robes, with ftraw hats on their 
 heads ; and they are followed by the princefles, 
 with the king’s muficians; and each princefs has 
 two ladies to wait on her. Thefe princefles carry 
 each a handful of the provifions that are to be 
 ufed at the entertainment. The four principal 
 governors of the provinces follow the ladies, each 
 carrying a ttaff on his ttioulder, and a purfe at 
 his waift, filled with gold and the richeft per¬ 
 fumes. In thefe purfes are contained the prefents 
 which are to be given to the deceafed king, in 
 order to defray his expences into the other world. 
 The governors arc followed by eight coaches, 
 loaded with ingots of gold, bars of fllver, cloth 
 of tiflue, and the richeft filks, from a perfuafion, 
 that the deceafed is to carry all thefe along with 
 him. 
 
 The proceffion is clofed by all the nobility and 
 perfons of rank, fome on foot, and fome on horfe - 
 back ; and as foon as they arrive at the brink of 
 the river, there is a galley to receive the king’s 
 body, with many others to attend it. In the firft 
 of the two which immediately follow the corpfe, 
 are iuch of the great men of the kingdom who 
 have confented to be buried along with their fove- 
 reign ; and in the other, which is clolely fhutup, 
 are the favourite court ladies, who have fubmitted 
 to the fame fate. The other gallies are tranfports, 
 to carry all forts of neceifary provifions, with 
 equipages and treafures. All thefe gallies are 
 rowed from one creek to another, till they come 
 to the moft folitary place they can find, and the 
 moft difficult of accefs ; for no perfons are to 
 know where the king and his illuftrious victims 
 are buried, except fix eunuchs, who are fworn to 
 fecrecy in the moft folemn manner. 
 
 CHINA, CAMBODIA, See. 85 
 
 When they come to the place appointed for the 
 funeral fervice to be performed, feveral of the 
 priefts, who are indiferiminately named Bonnes, 
 BraminSy or TalapoinSy approach, dreffed in their 
 white robes, and repeat feveral prayers. After 
 this they fing hynrtnSj while thofe who have vo¬ 
 luntarily confented to die with their king, are 
 employed in walking themielves, and preparing 
 for their pafifage into the other world. The 
 priefts attend the funeral pile, upon which the 
 king’s body is laid, and on piles inclofed, built 
 of wood, are the nobles, the ladies, elephants, 
 horles, and treafures. Fire being fet to the piles, 
 the priefts fing feveral hymns, and as loon as the 
 whole is reduced to allies, there is a deep pit 
 made, and the contents are thrown into it; but 
 no monument is ereCted in the place, left the allies 
 of the dead ffiould be difturbed. 
 
 It would be impoffible to hear the cries of thofe 
 victims without horror, were we not, at the fame 
 time, to confider how ftrongly prejudice operates 
 on the minds of men, in favour of fome parti¬ 
 cular fort of fuperftition, which has been in a 
 manner deified by its great antiquity. But to 
 this we may add, that the priefts take care to em¬ 
 ploy fo many muficians during the burning of 
 the funeral pile, that the cries of the fufferers are 
 drowned. 
 
 It was a juft remark of the celebrated Pafchal, 
 that in all ages and nations, men are more atten¬ 
 tive to falfe than to true religion. Whence does 
 this contradiction arife? The anfwer is obvious : 
 God hath made man upright, but he hath fought 
 out many inventions. In nothing does the corrup¬ 
 tion of human nature appear more confpicuous, 
 than in the regard men pay to falfe religion, while 
 they confider that which is really pure as unwor¬ 
 thy of their notice. This general accufation will 
 not, however, hold good in all its parts, when 
 applied to the heathens we have been writing of. 
 They never heard the joyful found of the gofpel; 
 they never faw the pure fimplicity of Chriftian 
 worffiip ; nor did they ever hear the perfections 
 of the Divine attributes explained. It is true, 
 they have the fame law of nature, by which all 
 the heathen world will be judged, yet we find 
 how meanly they have degraded it: but let us 
 confider, that whatever punifhment the Almighty 
 may infliCt on them hereafter, yet dreadful will 
 be the condition of thofe nominal Chriftians, 
 who, having the means of grace put into their 
 hands, and the hope of glory prefented to them, 
 forget their God and their Redeemer, and tram¬ 
 ple upon all his mercies. 
 
 The Religion of Cochin-China, Cambodia, &c. 
 
 T ^HE kingdom of Cochin-china, is fituated 
 without the Ganges, and the religion of 
 the natives differs but little from what 
 we have already deferibed in Tonquin. They are 
 grofs idolators, and worlhip the meaneft reptiles, 
 and even inanimate things. The firft article 
 8 
 
 of their religion confifts in paying adoration to 
 the fouls of thofe who, in this life, were diftin- 
 guilhed for fome meritorious adlion, and their 
 temples are adorned with their images. Thefe 
 images are artfully placed, fome being high and 
 others low, much in the fame manner as the 
 Y pipes 
 
Im 
 
 fk 
 
 •H 
 
 I t 
 
 The RELIGION of COCHIN-CHINA, CAMBODIA, &c. 
 
 pipes of an organ. This is done to point out 
 the merits of the perfons, and according to the 
 heighth of the image, the degrees of worfhip are 
 regulated, for thole who are Ihort are not to be 
 treated with fo much reipedb as thole who are 
 tall. 
 
 Between each range of thefe images, there is 
 a dark opening, but no perfon can fee how far 
 it reaches. This their priefts fay, is the place 
 where the eternal invifible God refides, and 
 that lie cannot be feen by the human eye. Be¬ 
 ing afked by a Jefuit, why they erefted images, 
 feeing they believed in one true God ? they 
 anfwercd, that they did not let up the images as 
 makers of heaven and earth, but they kept them 
 to put them in memory of the virtues of great 
 men, who could hear their prayers, and inter- 
 cecd with God for them. Through the whole 
 of the country there are fuch a number of pa- 
 . gods, and in each of them feveral different idols, 
 that one would be apt to imagine every 
 family had two or three for themlelves; but 
 this is of great advantage to the prielfs, who are 
 conflantly 'employed in adts of devotion, in fi¬ 
 eri fices, and other offices in thofe temples. 
 
 Such of the Cochin-chinefc as live nearer the 
 mountains, have preferved a greater purity in 
 their worfhip, for they have no temples crowded 
 with idols, but offer up their facriftces on hills, 
 or in groves, under the canopy of the heavens, 
 and they pay great refpedt to the memory of the 
 dead. 
 
 The natives of Cambodia, are, in many refpedts 
 like thofe of Siam, for they adore the foul of the 
 univerle as the true God. They have a cele¬ 
 brated temple at Oneo , in this kingdom, and to 
 it devotees refort from many parts of the eaft; 
 and the priefts who officiate in it, pretend to 
 give anfwers to the moft difficult queltions pro- 
 pofed to them. There are different orders of 
 thefe priefts, but all of them are diftinguifhed 
 by their drefs. Some of them make a vow of 
 poverty, and live only on the charity of well- 
 difpofeti perfons; while others, who -chufe to 
 accept of falaries, lpend great part of their time 
 in vifiting thefick, and healing, bymagic, differ¬ 
 ent forts of difeafes. Some go from place to 
 place, in ftrudting the ignorant, andin doing all forts 
 of good offices to thofe who want their affiftance. 
 The medicines they give to their patients are 
 extremely fimple, and they are fo nouriffiing, that 
 they want no other fort of fubfiftance until they 
 recover. When they think a patient is incurable, 
 they tell him fo, and defire him not to load 
 himfelf with medicines j but when they think 
 there are any hopes of his recovery, then they 
 bid him not defpair, as they have a medicine 
 will cure him, and recover him to his former 
 Rate of health. They accordingly adminifter 
 their medicines, which they always carry along 
 with them, and if the patient recovers, the priefls 
 are highly honoured; but if he dies, then his 
 death is imputed to the anger of the gods, for 
 fome fecret crime. 
 
 There is but little difference between the na¬ 
 tives of Cochin-china, and thofe of Cambodia, 
 nor indeed between them and thofe we have 
 already delcribed, concerning their marriages 
 and funerals. Both admit a plurality of wives, 
 and both tolerate- divorces. They oblerve the 
 
 fame rules of confanguinity in their marriages as 
 are preferibed in the law of Moles, and what w r e 
 Chriflians pradtife. Indeed they have many 
 other cuftoms refembling thofe of the Jeivs; which 
 may ferve to ffiew, that there was no great dif¬ 
 ference between the inhabitants of antient na¬ 
 tions concerning their religious rites and cere¬ 
 monies. 
 
 If a man dies, the neareft male relation, un¬ 
 married, is to take the widow to wife, and in cafe 
 either of the parties refufe to comply with this 
 eltablifhed cuflom, or rather law, then the offend¬ 
 ing party is fined in fuch a film as he is feldom 
 ever able to pay. Both men and women are 
 punifhed in the fame manner for adultery, and 
 that is, by expofing them to the elephants; for 
 they believe, that if they turn them out into a 
 field where thefe creatures are grazing, fuch is 
 their fagacity, that they will tread upon them 
 till they are dead. It is certain, that an untamed 
 elephant will tread upon any perfon who comes 
 in his way, but he is fo eafily tamed, that there 
 cannot be any great difficulty for thefe delin¬ 
 quents to fereen themfelves from him, and take 
 ffielter in fome other part of the country. 
 
 We ffiall now proceed to delcribe their fune¬ 
 ral rites and ceremonies, which, in fome things, 
 are nearly allied to thofe of the;r neighbours; 
 but in other refpedts, rather more fimple, and 
 bearing greater marks of antiquity. . 
 
 When a perfon lies at the point of death, all 
 his male relations and friends crowd around 
 his bed, withdrawn feymiters and fabres, which 
 they brandiffi around the patient, in order to 
 drive away fuch evil fpirits as they imagine are 
 hovering around him, to feize his foul the mo¬ 
 ment it departs from his body. When a perfon 
 of diftindtion dies, the priefls, who are likewife 
 the phyficians, hold a conlultation concerning 
 the nature of the dilordcr, and when they think 
 they have found it, they difeover what evil 
 fpirit it was that inflidted it, and in the mofl 
 formal manner, they condemn him to everlafl- 
 ing flames. But according to their notions, 
 while they revenge themfelves on the evil fpirit, 
 another is preparing to take away the life of one 
 of the deceafed’s relations. 
 
 When the devil enters into the body of the next 
 perfon who is to die in the family, the priefls 
 are fent for, and when they have been fometime 
 in converfation with the patient, they give him 
 a fleeping draught, which, for at lealt one day, 
 deprives him of his fenfes. During the whole 
 of that time they remain with him, and when 
 the ufe of his fenfes and reafon returns, the re¬ 
 lations of the deceafed are called in; then the 
 priefls tell them, that the perfon who lies fick 
 faw the foul of the deceafed, and points out, in 
 a diflinfl manner, how he is employed, and in 
 what flate he is. This is a very artful trick, and 
 ferves to eftablifh the power of the priefls, while 
 it darkens the underllandings of the people, and 
 keeps their minds in a flate of lubjedtion. 
 
 When a perfon’s funeral is to be celebrated, 
 an entertainment is provided, and all the rela¬ 
 tions, friends, and neighbours are invited; and on 
 lucli occafions, they invoke the fouls of their de¬ 
 parted anceflors, praying them once more to 
 return. 
 
 The third day of the feafl, the body is carried 
 
 to 
 
The RELIGION of CO CH ] 
 
 to a ftage eredted before the door of the houfe, 
 and the priefts fing and pray around it, at the 
 fame time lprinkling it ail over with conlecrated 
 water. The richeft perfumes that can be pro¬ 
 cured are put into the mouth, and the body 
 is laid into a wooden coffin, but not covered 
 ■with a lid ; then the proceffion begins in the fol¬ 
 lowing manner : 
 
 The male relations of the deceafed walk firft, 
 after them follow the priefts, f nging a fort of 
 litany, or rather different forts of litanies; next 
 the coffin is carried by fome of the neighbours 
 of the deceafed, and the proceffion is doled by 
 the women, dreffed in white, and veiled, mak¬ 
 ing the molt hideous lamentations. When they 
 arrive at the funeral pile, which is commonly in 
 a del'crt place, near the banks of a river, or 
 fometimes in a wood, the priefts renew their 
 linging, which continues about an hour, alter 
 ■which the body is a fecond time perfumed and 
 fprinkled, and being laid on the pile, all the_ 
 relations, one after another, touch it out of 
 refpedt, and each repeat a (hort prayer for the 
 repole of his foul; the priefts then let fire to the 
 pile, and they, with the relations, wait till it is 
 confirmed. The allies are then buried in a grave, 
 dug for that purpofe, except a few fmall bones, 
 which the widow picks up and puts into an ear¬ 
 then urn, mixed with flowers. Thefe ffie carries 
 home, as the precious remains of her huftiand, 
 and depofits them near her houfe. Sometimes 
 they are put up in a pagod, and it frequently 
 happens, that if the relations are rich, then they 
 build and endow a temple for the purpofe. 
 
 Confident with the nature of this work, which 
 is to comprehend the whole body of divinity, 
 whether hiftorical, theological, or practical, we 
 have already taken notice of fome of the leading 
 principles under different heads, and throughout 
 the remainder fhall continue to do the fame. It 
 is remarkable, that in all the nations we have 
 hitherto treated of, fome rites and ceremonies are 
 ufed, with refpedt to marriage, and although it 
 may appear that fome of thefe are ridiculous 
 enough, yet their univerfality points out their an¬ 
 tiquity. But where fhall we look for this anti¬ 
 quity? Is it to be found among the heathens ? 
 The anl'wer is obvious, nor can there be any dif- 
 pute concerning it. The heathens differ from 
 each other in the nature of marrying, and yet 
 there is no nation that we can hear of, where ce¬ 
 libacy is eftablilhed as a principle of religion. 
 To underftand this in a proper manner, we muft 
 have recourfe to the facred fcriptures, where we 
 read, that when God had finiihed the greateft 
 part of the creation, he made man, and after¬ 
 wards he formed the woman to be a help meet 
 for him. It feems to have been the deiign of 
 the Almighty, that men and women, as hufbands 
 and wives, Ihould live in peace and lociety to¬ 
 gether, that they Ihould be mutual alTiftants to 
 each other, that they Ihould propagate their fpe- 
 cies, and that they Ihould, by the higheft aft of 
 generofity, educate their children in the prin¬ 
 ciples of virtue and religion. All this was ap¬ 
 pointed, that the government of this world Ihould 
 be conduced in a regular manner, and that when 
 focieties were formed, men might know the rela¬ 
 tion they flood in to each other, and to God. 
 
 Marriage is a contradf, both of a civil and re- 
 
 N-CI-IINA, CAMBODIA, &c. 87 
 
 ligious nature, between a man and a woman, by 
 which they engage to live together in mutual 
 love and friendlhip, for the happinefs of each 
 other, and that they may bring up their children 
 ui'cful members of fociety. The immediate de- 
 fcendants of Noah, after the deluge, feem to 
 have had but a feint notion of marriage : for we 
 are informed, that the firft inhabitants of Greece 
 lived promifcuoully together, and that women 
 were common to the men in general. However, 
 when republics were eftablilhed, and govern¬ 
 ments fixed, new regulations took place, and 
 marriage was countenanced and encouraged, 
 while thofe who abftained from it were treated 
 with peculiar marks of contempt. 
 
 The Lacedemonians were particularly remark¬ 
 able for their feverity towards thofe who deferred 
 marriage till advanced in years, and ftill more fo 
 to thofe who never married. Such perfons were 
 obliged to run once every winter naked round 
 th t forum, and to fing a certain fong, which ex- 
 pofed them to the ridicule of the populace. Ano¬ 
 ther punifiunent was, to be excluded from all the 
 public games, in which the young virgins danced 
 naked, and on certain folemn days, the old wo¬ 
 men dragged them round the altars, and beat 
 them with their fifts. 
 
 The Athenians had a law, that all thofe who 
 enjoyed offices of a public nature, ihould be 
 married men and have children; thefe being 
 confidered as fo many pledges of their integrity, 
 in difcharging their duty to their country, and 
 fellow citizens. This was certainly a juft and 
 equitable law, for thofe who live unmarried, can¬ 
 not be fuppoled to have any great regard for the 
 intereft of their country, whereas, thofe who are 
 married, feck to promote the public good, be- 
 caufe their wives, their children, and relations, 
 are all in one way or other connecled with the 
 event, and muft ftand or fall by the condudt of 
 their parent. 
 
 Many of the antient heathens paid little regard 
 to the laws of confanguinity in the marriage date, 
 for we even find, that among the Perfians, men 
 often lay with their own fitters, and what is ftill 
 more Ihocking, with their own mothers. 
 
 The Greeks were extremely regular, with re- 
 fpedt tp their marriages, and they took care to 
 prevent every thing that might lead towards in- 
 celt, which they looked upon as unnatural. It 
 is true, women were often purchafed ; but if they 
 were orphans, then the itate was under the ne- 
 ceftity of bellowing upon them a marriage por¬ 
 tion, equal to what they might have expedted, 
 had their parents been alive. 
 
 The Romans, as well as the Greeks, never 
 permitted polygamy, or a plurality of wives, but 
 botli gave too much liberty to fuch as fued for 
 divorces. It is enadted by the firft law of the 
 twelve tables, that, “ when a woman fhall have 
 “ cohabited with a man for a whole year, with- 
 “ out having been three nights ablent from him, 
 tc Ihe lhall be deemed his wifefrom whence 
 it appears, that the Romans confidered living 
 together as eftential to marriage. By the fecond 
 law of the fame tables, it is enadted, “ If a wo- 
 “ man is found by her hufband in adultery, or 
 “ drunk, he may put her to death, but he muft 
 “ firft confult her relations." 
 
 Among many of the anrients, particularly the 
 
 Romans, 
 
3-8 The RELIGION of the PH 
 
 Romans, it was confidered, as in feme meafure, 
 dilhonotirable for women to marry a iecond time; 
 becauje they looked upon it as a breach in her 
 frit matrimonial covenant. This notion was 
 carried fo far, that it was imagined if ever the 
 widow married, it would difturb her hufband’s 
 repofe, or as Juftinian fays, “ the foul of the 
 c< deceafed hulband is difiurbed when his wife 
 “ marries a fecond.All the antients, like the 
 Eaft Indians, whom We have already defcribed, 
 Were extremely fuperftitious concerning the time 
 when marriages fhould be celebrated, fome be¬ 
 ing of opinion, that winter was the molt proper 
 feal'on, while others fixed it for the fpring, or 
 limmer. ° 
 
 Although we find no pofitive injunctions in 
 the law ol Mofes obliging men to marry, yet 
 the Jews have always confidered it as an indif- 
 penfible obligation, in confequence of the origi¬ 
 nal words, “ Increafe and multiply.” So that 
 every young man, who did not marry before he 
 was twenty years of age, was confidered as one 
 who was injuring the young women. There is 
 in the Jewilh Talmud, a very remarkable queftion 
 relating to marriage, comprized in the follow¬ 
 ing words, “ Who is lie that prollitutes his 
 “ daughter?” The anfwer is, “ He that keeps 
 cc her too long unmarried, or gives her to an 
 “ old man.” 
 
 Poligamy was not forbidden by the law of 
 Mofes, for it appears, that great legifiator 
 formed mod of his precepts upon the pradlices 
 of the antient patriarchs. Thus we read that 
 Jacob married two filters, and that he had chil¬ 
 dren by both. But ftill we find the Jews did 
 not content themfclves with this fmall allowance 
 of two wives, as will appear to any one who 
 reads the hiltories of David, Solomon, and many 
 others. However, they made a particular diftinc- 
 tion between the wives of the firft rank and thole 
 of the fecond. The Jews were permitted, not 
 only to marry among their own tribes, but alfo 
 among thole heathen nations around them, who 
 had been circumcifed, and therefore when we 
 read of Solomon having married llrange wives, 
 who turned his heart away from the Lord, we 
 are to underltand fuch as had been born in 
 nations where circumcifion had never taken place. 
 
 That marriage is an honourable inflittition, 
 we can have no reafon to doubt, fince we find 
 that our Divine Redeemer was prefent -at one, 
 and it was there that he wrought his firft mi¬ 
 racle ; and yet we find, that even during the 
 
 ILIPHNE ISLANDS, (sc. 
 
 | Apoftolic age, foon after our Saviour's afcnfion, 
 
 | that there were many perfons, under the name 
 I ol Chriftians, who actually taught that men 
 (hould not marry, which the apoftle juftly calls. 
 I the doctrine of devils; with thete heretics, who 
 I fprung from Simon Magus, the church had a 
 I long ftruggle, but at laft they dwindled into 
 contempt; nor was the notion revived till many 
 years afterwards, when the church of Rome for¬ 
 bad the clergy to many. 
 
 The pi imitive Chriftians laid leveral reftriCtions 
 " u P on all fhofe who profeffed the gofpel, concern- 
 ing marriage, fuch as forbidding them to marry 
 With heretics, or fuch as were enemies to the 
 faith. This injunction was founded upon the 
 following words of St. Paul, i Cor. vi. 14. 
 “ Be ye not unequally yoked with unbelievers.” 
 but particular churches differed with refpeCt to 
 this .fentiment. In fome churches it was limply 
 forbidden, as a thing rather dangerous than cri¬ 
 minal, but in others it was accompanied with 
 excommunication. It was, however, carried much 
 higher, when the Chriftian religion received the 
 lanCtion of the civil power; for we find by an 
 edift of the emperor Theodofius, that it was 
 made a capital felony for a Chriftian to marry a 
 Jewilh woman, nor in that age were marriages 
 permitted, but by the confent of the church, 
 fieemen were not to marry flaves, nor were wi¬ 
 dows to accept of a fecond hulband, till one year- 
 after the death of the firft. By the fame law, a 
 godfather could not marry the child whom he- 
 flood fponfor for, becaufe it was fuppofed there 
 was a Spiritual relation between them. Some of 
 tile primitive fathers believed, that no man could 
 lawfully marry after divorced from his wife,, nor 
 a woman after divorced from her hulband, even 
 in cafes of adultery, which is one of the higheft 
 violations of the marriage vow ; but the gene¬ 
 rality of the fathers were of a different opinion. 
 
 1 he Romifh church has dignified the inftitu- 
 tion of marriage with the name of a facrament; 
 but the church of England, and indeed all re¬ 
 formed churches, rejeft that fentiment. The ut- 
 moft refpedt, however, is paid to marriage, by all 
 the proteftant churches in Europe,, and indeed by 
 every virtuous perfon ; for it has generally been 
 found, that thofe who treat this ordinance with 
 contempt, aft as unworthy members of fociety - 
 and the univerfality of it may ferve to point our’ 
 that the Mofaic account of the creation is con¬ 
 firmed by daily experience, and by ocular demon- 
 ftration. 
 
 'The Religion of the Philippine Islands, &>c. 
 
 T HESE ifiands, fituated at the eaftern 
 extremity of Afia, are for the moft part 
 inhabited by idolators; for although the 
 Spanifh Jefuits have converted fome of them to 
 popery, yet the number is very inconfiderable. 
 Thefe idolators worlhip the fun, moon and liars. 
 
 and in-fome places they pay divine adoration to 
 die devil, and frequently lacrifice to him, to tef- 
 tify the great obligations they are under for «he 
 riches he bellows upon them; for it appears, 
 thefe people look upon the devil as the god of 
 riches and money. But they have many gods or 
 
 idols. 
 
The RELIGION of the PH 
 
 idols, both in public and private, and fome of 
 their ceremonies have a near affinity with what 
 we often read of in antient hiftory, concerning 
 the Greeks and Romans. One of their idols, to 
 whom much refpeft is paid, is called Batala , 
 which fignifies god the creator; for they believe 
 that this idol made all things in the beginning 
 out of nothing. They have another idol, the 
 name of which fignifies time, becaufe they be¬ 
 lieve that he began with the world, and will at 
 laft put an end to it. 
 
 The worfhip of thefe heathens is wholly 
 founded upon tradition, and preferved in longs 
 and hymns, which parents teach their children to 
 learn by heart. In thefe hymns, like the antient 
 Greeks, they celebrate the heroic aftions of their 
 gods ; for it is plain, that thofe idols whom they 
 worffiip, are no more than the images of lome 
 of their anceftors, who, in former times, either 
 made wife laws for the regulation of their con¬ 
 duit, or invented fome ufeful arts and fciences. 
 
 In fome of the fmaller illands, they have no 
 temples, nor altars, and all their worffiip con- 
 fifts in praying to the devil, whom they believe 
 to be every where prefent with them. They are 
 fo much afraid of this evil fpirit, whom yet they 
 worffiip, that they never walk out, nor fit down 
 at home, unlefs two or three, if not more, are 
 in company; for they firmly believe, that if 
 there is no more than one perfon by himfelf, 
 then the devil will come and kill him. In fome 
 of thefe iflands, they have no other form of wor- 
 flup, befides that of clafping their hands together, 
 and looking fteadfaftly towards heaven. They 
 call the Supreme Being Abba, which has induced 
 many of our voyagers to imagine, that they are 
 defcended from the Jews, or Syrians, that being 
 a title which, in the Hebrew and Syriac, fio-ni- 
 fies Father ; and God is, with great propriety, 
 called Father in Scripture. This fuppofition’ 
 however, mull: have fomeching ftronger to fup- 
 port it, before we can give it much credit, for 
 mod of the Afiatic nations life the term Abba 
 as a father, and in many refpefts there is a 
 Unking fimiliarity in their languages. 
 
 It is remarkable, that thofe who worffiip the 
 fun, refufe to eat fwine’s fleffi, but they offer 
 hogs in facrifice. This is done on very folemn 
 feftivals, and in the following manner: After a 
 concert of vocal and inftru mental mufic, two 
 old women ftep forward and pay the moll de¬ 
 vout homage to the lun ; for the women, parti¬ 
 cularly the old ones, aft both as prieftefles and 
 magicians. The homage to the fun being over, 
 they drefs themfelves in their pontifical veft- 
 ments, and bind a ribbon round their heads in 
 l'uch a manner, that they appear to have two 
 horns growing out of their foreheads. In the 
 mean time they hold fomething in their hands 
 refembling a girdle, and thus arrayed they dance, 
 and play upon a kind of rural pipe, fay their 
 prayers, and pronounce fome particular words 
 with their eyes fixed on the fun; during this 
 aft of devotion, the hog that is to be facrificed 
 is bound fall to a Hake, and they all dance 
 around him. A flaggon of wine is next brought 
 to one of the old women, who pours a cup full 
 ot it on the hog, performing, at the fame time, 
 fotpe ceremonies luitable to the folemnity of the 
 facrifice. She then ftabs the hog and lets him 
 
 t LIP PINE ISLANDS, £?,. 8 j 
 
 bleed to death ; they waffi their mufical pipes in 
 the blood of the viitim, and dipping one of their 
 fingers into it, mark the foreheads of their huf- 
 bands. But the molt remarkable thing is, that 
 although thele people will not eat fwine’s fleffi 
 in their common meals, yet when the hog is 
 killed in the facrifice, the whole carcafe is warm¬ 
 ed a few minutes before a (low fire, and then 
 the old women, the prieftefles, cut it in fmall 
 pieces and diftribute it among the people, who 
 eat it in honour of the fun. The bones, and 
 whatever is left, are burnt, and the whole facrifice 
 ends with mufic and dancing. 
 
 Thefe iflanders, like molt others, who are ig¬ 
 norant of the true religion, form a notion that 
 they can know, from feeing the firft objedl that 
 prefents itfelf to them in the morning, whether 
 they will be l'uccefsful, or unfuccefsful in their 
 undertakings during the remainder of the day. 
 If they fet out on a journey, and happen to tread 
 upon an infedt, they will return back to their 
 hollies. In their marriage ceremonies they have 
 very little remarkable, only that they admit of 
 a plurality of wives, one being fuperior to all 
 the others. They believe in the immortality of 
 the foul, but like mod of thofe heathens already 
 mentioned, they think it paffes from one body 
 to another. Thofe who are moll addifled to 
 fuperftition, make often deep incifions into their 
 fleffi, byway of penance for their fins; for they 
 believe that the gods are pleafed with them when 
 they torment themfelves. 
 
 In lome of the Philippine Iflands the people 
 circumcife their children, but the rite itfelf 
 is accompanied with fuch particular marks of 
 cruelty as are [hocking to be mentioned. Inftead 
 of cutting off the forefkin of the private parts, 
 they force a nail into a particular part of the 
 fundament, and this they do, that young men 
 may be deterred from feeking afterunlawfulplea- 
 fures, elpecially while they refleft on the wounds 
 in their bodies occafloned by this barbarous prac¬ 
 tice. It is likewile done in order to prevent 
 youth from committing unnatural crimes, and 
 we are told the praftice itfelf was at firft invent¬ 
 ed by the women, and this is not much to be 
 wondered at, when we confider that nothing cart 
 exafperate a woman more than to hear That a 
 man has debafed himfelf below the dignity of 
 the brute creation, ft his was the opinion of the 
 antient Greeks, as appears from the following 
 words of the poet, 
 
 Venus one only altar does approve, 
 
 For offerings by nature due to love. 
 
 In their funeral folemnities, they firft burn the 
 bodies of the deceafed, and then bury the allies, 
 and upon the fpot they generally ereit a fmall 
 pagod or temple, but if the deceafed perfon’s 
 relations are poor, then a pole is generally ftuck 
 up inftead of a pagod. Their proceffions to 
 the funeral pile are rude, but folemn. As they 
 have no priefts, the old women, who aft in that 
 character, march before the corps, fome playing 
 on inftruments, and others linging to them. 
 
 1 he relations of the deceafed follow behind 
 the corpfe, and the proceffion is clofed by the 
 fervants and neighbours. The body being laid 
 on the pile, feveral hymns are fung by the old 
 priefteffes, and the relations having kiffed the 
 Z deceafed. 
 
The RELIGION of the PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, 
 
 K 
 
 deceafed, fire is fee to it, and the whole con- 
 fumed. After this, the allies are decently buried, 
 and the relations return home, where they have 
 2n entertainment that l'afts three days. 
 
 Near thefe iflands are many others, where, in 
 'moll refpe&s, the manners and cuftoms, both 
 civil and religious, are the fame, particularly the 
 iflands oi Ladrones , which is a term of reproach 
 given them, by thofe of the Phillipincs, and 
 fignifies Roguesi but why that name was given 
 them, does not appear, perhaps, becaufe lbme 
 of them had been pirates, and plundered many of 
 their neighbours. Their idols are wooden images, 
 and their pagods, or temples, the hulks of old 
 boats, or canoes, the fore part of which ferves 
 as an altar, and there the figure of the god is 
 placed. They are fo brutifh in their manners, 
 that they herd together as fo many fwine, and 
 contrary to the cullom of mod other heathens, 
 they know nothing of marriage ; for all ranks of 
 men and women lay promifeuoufly together, 
 without any fort of diftindlion. They wear no 
 cloaths in common, only that when they go to 
 worihip their idols, they have their private parts 
 covered with the leaves of trees. Their worihip 
 for the mod part confifls in facrilicing hogs, in 
 the fame manner as in the Philippine iflands, and 
 they have fome rude hymns, which they fing 
 around the viftim before it is flaughtered. But 
 notwithftanding all the brutality we have men¬ 
 tioned, yet thefe idolators, when they go to their 
 temples, are extremely modeft; for fhould a man 
 prefume to offer any indecency to a woman, by 
 uncovering her fecret parts, he would have his 
 lips and nofe cut off; and many of our Euro¬ 
 peans, who have vifited thofe parts, have feen 
 inffances of this feverity of punifhment, which 
 may lerve to fhew, that in feme refpefts, de¬ 
 cency is to be found, even among favages. 
 
 The Marian iflands are the next in order to be 
 treated of, and if we can believe the Jefuits, it 
 will follow, that the inhabitants are the moll 
 wretched creatures in the univerfe, that they do 
 not believe there is a God, and that they have 
 neither altars, temples, nor facrifices ; in a word 
 (fay they) they have no religion at all. This af- 
 l’ertion, however, of the Jefuits, is not to be cre¬ 
 dited, and, probably, took its rife from the cir- 
 cumltance of thofe fathers not being able to make 
 arry of them converts. The truth is, thefe people, 
 like thofe in the other heathen nations around 
 them, believe in a God, and the immortality of 
 the foul ; but admit, that it tranfmigrates from 
 one body to another. They fay, that when fouls 
 are properly purified, they go into everlalling 
 happinels; but that fuch as remain impenitent, 
 will be puniflied with eternal torments. Sudden 
 death is confidered by them as a fure prdage of 
 going into eternal mifery ; but if death comes on 
 flow' and lingering, in a natural way, then they 
 believe that the foul will, after different tranfmi- 
 grations, go into paradife, and partake of all the 
 delicious fruits with which that happy place 
 abounds. 
 
 That they have no pagods, or temples among 
 them, is certain, and fo it is with many other 
 heathens in the univerfe ; but this is no proof of 
 their being Atheifts, and it is probable there are 
 no Atheifts in the world. It is a fentiment that 
 can fcarce ever take place in the heart of a ra¬ 
 
 tional creature ; for how can a man believe in the 
 immortality of the foul, and a future ftate of re 
 wards and punifhments, without acknowledging 
 at the fame time, that there is a Supreme Being. 
 
 Thefe Iflanders believe, that there are tw r o an¬ 
 gels attending on every perfon here below, the 
 one evil and the other good ; that the good one 
 prompts them on to virtuous actions, but the evil 
 one is continually inftigating them to commit 
 crimes, and that they are to be rewarded, or 
 puniflied in the next world, accordingly as they 
 obey the one or the other. 
 
 As they have no fucli ceremony as that of mar¬ 
 riage among them, fo their funeral rites are ex¬ 
 tremely Ample; the body is carried out, and a 
 pile of wood being eredted, it is laid upon it, and 
 reduced to afhes, and the whole of the allies are 
 thrown into the fea. The old women a£t as 
 priefteffes, but we do not find that they are en¬ 
 titled to any emoluments, probably, becaufe they 
 think it a molt dillinguifhing honour to be ad¬ 
 mitted as mediator between their idols and the 
 people. 
 
 The account we have given of thefe people, 
 naturally leads us to enquire into the fyftem of 
 Atheifm, which lias been much talked of, but 
 little underftood. By an Atheift, is meant, one 
 who does not believe the exiftence, or providence 
 of God, and confequently has no religion at 
 all, either true or falle. There is reafon to doubt 
 whether there ever were in this world, rational 
 creatures who could, by the perverfion of reafon, 
 argue themfelves into an opinion, that there was 
 no God. It is true, we read of one Fheodorus, 
 who opened a fchool at Athens, to teach there 
 was no God; but fuch was the public clamour 
 againft him, that, had he not made his efcape, 
 he would have been put to death. There were, 
 feveral other atheiftical teachers in Athens, at 
 different times ; but it does not appear, that 
 their dodlrines made any impreflion on the minds 
 of the people, who, inftead of one God, wor- 
 fliipped many. Plato diftinguiflics Atheifts into 
 three fe£ls, or clafles; firft, fuch as deny abfo- 
 lutely that there are any gods; fecondly, thofe who 
 allow the exiftence of the gods, but deny that 
 they concern themfelves with the affairs of this 
 lower world, fo that they give up all belief in 
 Divine Providence ; and laftly, fuch as believe 
 that there are gods, but that they are eafily re¬ 
 conciled to men, who have offended againft 
 them, or broken their laws. The heathens called 
 the primitive Chriftians Atheifts, which feems to 
 have arifen from the notion that they worfhipped 
 a man, namely, Jefus of Nazareth ; and likewife, 
 becaufe they would not worftiip the heathen 
 idols, nor fv/ear by the foul of the emperor, 
 which was looked upon as an a£t of impiety, both 
 by the priefts and the laity, who knew nothing 
 of the fimplicity of the gofpel. 
 
 Atheifm, notwithftanding all the abfurdities 
 attending it, yet has had its martyrs. Lucilio 
 Vanini , a Neopolitan gentleman, taught Atheifm 
 in France, about the beginning of the laft cen¬ 
 tury, and being convicted, was condemned to 
 1 uffer death. When he was brought out to the 
 place of execution, he was preffed to afk pardon 
 of God, of the king, and of juftice. He an- 
 fwered, he did not believe there was a God; as 
 for the king, he had never offended him ; and 
 
 with 
 
The RELIGION of the MO 
 
 with refpeft to juftice, it might go to the devil. 
 His tongue was firft cut out, and then his body 
 was burned to allies, April 9, 1619. 
 
 Dr. Tillotfon, fpeaking of Atheifm, fays, “ For 
 t( fome ages before the reformation, Atheilm was 
 “ confined to Italy, and had its chief refidence 
 “ at Rome. All that is mentioned of it in the 
 
 1 L U C C A ISLANDS, & 91 
 
 I “ hiftory of thofe times, is to be found in the 
 “ lives of the popes and cardinals, written by 
 “ Roman Catholic authors ; lb that Atheifm it- 
 “ felf feems to have been the fpawn of the fu- 
 “ perftitions of the church of Rome, in her mod 
 “ deformed Hate.” 
 
 'The Religion of the MOLUCCA ISLANDS, ^ c. 
 
 I N treating of thefe iflands, we include thofe 
 of Amboyna , Banda , and the Celebes. Some o 1 
 the inhabitants profefs the religion of Ma¬ 
 homet, but of that we hi all not at prefen t take 
 any notice, confining ourlelves to the Pagans 
 only. They worfhip the air, under the name of 
 Lanitho , who is lubjedt to another being, whom 
 they call Lanthila ; but every town has its Nito, or 
 particular god, whom they confult in all tilings 
 of importance, and they do it in the following 
 manner. 
 
 Twenty or thirty perfons having afiembled to¬ 
 gether, they fummon the Nito, by beating a fmall 
 confecrated drum, whilft two or three of the com¬ 
 pany light up wax tapers, and pronounce leveral 
 myfterious words, which tney confider as able to 
 conjure him up. After fome time, one of the 
 company Heps forward under the. character of 
 Nito, and lpeaks in his name, telling them, that 
 the god, or daemon, has juft entered into him. 
 The firft thing the people do, is to fet victuals 
 before him, and after he has eaten, they propofe 
 their queftions to him, and he anfwers them. 
 Thefe fuperftitious ceremonies are public, but^ 
 they have others in fecret, and it mult be at¬ 
 tended to all along, that this Nito is an evil 
 ipirit, and they pray unto him as unto the devil. 
 In their private worfhip, the mailer of every fa¬ 
 mily is obliged to light up wax tapers in different 
 parts of his houle, in honour of Nito , and to fet 
 fome meat before him, and he is to preferve 
 fome things confecrated by the evil fpirit, which 
 are luppofed to be endowed with fomething hav¬ 
 ing a fupernatural power. 
 
 But notwithftanding all their rites and cere¬ 
 monies, yet we are well allured, that fear is the 
 leading principle in their religion ; nor would 
 they worihip the dremon Nito, were it not to pa¬ 
 cify him, left he fhould inflift fome dreadful pu- 
 nifhment upon them. Their ceremony of taking 
 an oath is very remarkable. They pour water 
 into a porringer or dlfli, into which they throw 
 fome gold, earth, and a leaden bullet. They 
 then clip into this compofition, the point of a 
 fword, or an arrow, and give the liquor to the 
 perfon who is to be fworn, to drink. This cere¬ 
 mony is attended with the moft dreadful im¬ 
 precations on all luch as fhall perjure them- 
 felves. 
 
 They have luch an opinion of the power of 
 the devil, that they believe he has emifiaries. 
 
 employed to dig the dead bodies of their rela¬ 
 tions out of their graves ; to prevent which, 
 they keep a conftant guard round their fepulchres, 
 till they imagine the corpfe is confumed; for it 
 is their firm belief, that the demons, who take 
 up the dead bodies, regale themfelves upon them. 
 In the ifland of Amboyna, there are fome fami¬ 
 lies, who pretend to have the power of witchcraft 
 veiled in them, from one generation to another; 
 and thefe perfons are a terror to all the reft of the 
 inhabitants, becaufe they believe, that they can, 
 at any time, deftroy them. In all thefe iflands, 
 the natives have very fenfelefs notions concern¬ 
 ing their firft formation, which is not to be won¬ 
 dered at, when we confider that all their know¬ 
 ledge flows from traditional accounts, tranfmitted 
 to them by their anceftors. It is aflerted, that 
 formerly they believed the world to be eternal; 
 but whatever truth may be in that, they are now 
 of a different opinion, or rather, they have fo 
 many opinions, that the whole may be compared 
 to that midnight darknefs, which hides every ob¬ 
 ject from the eyes of men. 
 
 There are fome of them fo ftupid as to believe, 
 that they lprang originally from the hollow of 
 an old tree, and fome of their chiefs aflert, that 
 they are defeended from the cocoa-tree ; others 
 believe, that they have defeended from ferpents, 
 which has induced many learned men to imagine 
 that they have fome confuted traditional ac¬ 
 counts, in what manner our firft parents eat the 
 forbidden fruit. There are many heathens, who 
 ftill worihip ferpents, and in the ifland of Am- 
 boyna , the women wear jewels fet in gold, in the 
 form of fnakes, or ferpents, which they look up¬ 
 on as facred, and never touch them, but with the 
 moft reverential awe. 
 
 If thefe iflanders meet accidentally with a 
 dead corpfe on the road, they return home again 
 in the utmoft hurry and confufion, elpecially if 
 they have a young child along with them j for 
 they imagine that tiie foul of the deceafed hovers 
 in the air near the corpfe, and ftudies to do all 
 the mifehief it can to the living, but particularly 
 to young children. In order, therefore, to pre¬ 
 vent mifehief, they tie little beads round the 
 necks of their infants when they are about three 
 or four months old, after which they believe that 
 daemons have no power to hurt them. As the 
 fmall-pox often rages among them, they believe 
 they are afflifted with it by the power of fome evil 
 
 genius. 
 
Tk RELIGION of the M 
 
 genius, and that if they are not more than ordinary 
 watchful, the body of thepatientwillbeftolenaway 
 in the night and given to Sagu, a tree which they 
 worfhip as a god. To prevent the daemon from 
 doing any milchief, they place a wooden image 
 near the top of the houle, where there is an 
 opening, and no fooner does he fee it than he flies 
 away and roves about in the air, without the 
 leaft hope of ever effe&ing his intended purpofe. j 
 If they meet with a deformed or decrepid man, j 
 when they firft go out in the morning, they re¬ 
 turn home, being convinced, in their own opi- • 
 nion, that fhould they proceed on their journey, 
 fome mifchief would befal them before evening. 
 They live in the continual dread of evil fpirits, 
 and to prevent their malicious intentions, they 
 always keep fome confecrated things under their 
 pillows, and were they to negleft this they would 
 be unable to go to bed fo as to get any reft. 
 They are fo weak as to imagine, that a perfon 
 can be betwitched with a look ; and therefore 
 they take care that their children are never 
 brought into the company of perfons, befides 
 thole whom they imagine to be their friends. 
 
 A young maid mu ft never touch any fort of 
 fruit that grows double, nor muft fuch fruit be I 
 prefented to a married woman, left fhe fhould 
 bring forth twins. They imagine that luch wo- i 
 men as die in child-bcd, are turned into gholts 1 
 and fpe&res to frighten their fellow-creatures ; 
 and that they wander about invitible, in order to j 
 find out their hufbands. In order, therefore, to 
 prevent a perfon who has died under fuch cir- 
 cumftances from metamorphofing herfelf into one 
 of thefe reftlefs fpirits, they clap an egg under 
 each of her arm-pits before they bury her, and 
 the deceafed, imagining fhe has got her little 
 infant under her arm, will never (they fay) dare 
 to ftir abroad, left fhe fhould let it fall. And 
 that fhe may be the better fecuredfrom ftirring, 
 they flick a parcel of pins in her toes, and fluff 
 cotton between them. They likewife clap Jaffron, 
 in the form of a crofs, to the foies of her feet, 
 and tie her legs clofe together with thongs made 
 of particular herbs. They put feveral forts of 
 herbs under the heads of lick perfons, and be¬ 
 neath their pillows they place broomfticks or 
 cudgels, that they may have it in their power to 
 drive the evil fpirits away. 
 
 In their marriage ceremonies, thefe iflanders 
 have nothing very remarkable ; for as foon as the 
 parties are agreed, which muft always be by the 
 confent of the parents, the bridegroom’s father 
 makes the nuptial prefents, and the father of the 
 bride invites them to an elegant entertainment, 
 at which there is mufic and dancing, according 
 to the cuftom of the country, and then the 
 voung couple retire. If the woman fhould not 
 chufe to live with her hufband after marriage, 
 then fhe is obliged to return him all the prefents 
 fhe received from his father, after which fhe 
 pours water on his feet, to denote that all thole 
 impurities are cleanfed away which fhe contracted 
 in confequence of her connection with him, and 
 fhe, as well as the man, are at liberty to marry 
 whom they pleafe. 
 
 In fome of thefe iflands the young men are not 
 permitted to marry till they have produced fome 
 of the heads of their enemies, as a teftimony of 
 their valour. But what is moll remarkable, their > 
 
 O L U C C A ISLANDS, &c. 
 
 young men are not permitted to wear any fort of 
 cloaths, not even fo much as to conceal their 
 private parts, till they have at leafl brought two 
 heads, one to entitle them to wear cloaths, and 
 the other that they may be allowed to keep a 
 houfe. All thefe heads are laid upon a confe- 
 crated ftone, which ferves them inftead of an 
 altar, and there they are offered up as fo many 
 facrifices. 
 
 ' In their funeral ceremonies, they bury the bo¬ 
 dies of the dead in the earth, and they watch the 
 grave feven nights together, left the devil fhould 
 Ileal the body away ; for they are fully perfuaded 
 that no injury can happen to them in the day. 
 And during all this time, they make the bed of 
 the deceafed in the fame manner as if he had 
 been alive. Nay, they fpread a table before the 
 bed, and place victuals upon it. They imagine 
 that the foul quits her tenement of clay with the 
 utmoft reluClance, and hovers for fome time 
 around it. 
 
 It has been afferted by fome voyagers that thefe 
 iflanders were formerly men caters, or cannibals ; 
 but of this we have no certain pro jf, and probably 
 there are but few fuch wretches, if any at all in 
 j the world. 
 
 With all the cuftoms above mentioned, they 
 i have fome of a very extraordinary nature. When 
 l a prince, or chief magiftrate dies, thofe who 
 inhabit the other iflands fend ambaffadors to at- 
 j tend the funeral folemnity, and likewife to pre- 
 j lent their compliments of condolance. When 
 j they imagine death is approaching, they fwallow 
 large draughts of opium, in order to ftupify their 
 lenfes ; this ferves to drown their tears, and make 
 them forget all thoughts of eternity, or a future 
 ftate. It is the fame when they execute a male¬ 
 factor j for they make him fwallow opium till he 
 knows not what he is doing, and then they 
 crown his head with a chaplet of flowers, after 
 which he is led out and put to death in a Hate of 
 infenfibility. 
 
 In their declarations of war againft their ene- 
 mie.s, they ufe feveral ceremonies of a formal, 
 and folemn nature, and very much like what was 
 praCtifed by the Greeks and Romans, and by 
 many other antient nations. They fend a herald 
 to the enemy, and when he arrives, he ftands up 
 in the mod public place, where there are great 
 numbers of people affembled, and with uplifted 
 hands and eyes to heaven, he takes all the gods, 
 earth, hell, and the fouls of the dead to witnels, 
 that he has nothing more at heart, than doing 
 juftice to his country. He then repeats aloud 
 the realons why his countrymen have taken up 
 arms, adding, that they fcorn to take the ad¬ 
 vantage like cowards, but will meet them cou- 
 rageoufly face to face. Before they undertake 
 any enterprize againft their enemies, they have 
 recourfe for aid to feveral fuperftitious ceremo¬ 
 nies, fuch as the flight of birds ; but the moll 
 remarkable is, the Hriking a hatchet into the 
 body of a tree, and it it falls out of itfelf, ft 
 points out that they will be fuccefsful, but if it 
 remains fixed, then they lay down their arms, 
 and refrain for that feafon from fighting. 
 
 They wear round their necks bracelets cf glafs, 
 and on the appearance of every - new moon, they 
 cut a hen’s throat, and dip thefe bracelets, which 
 they call Mamakus , into the blood, and from the 
 
 colour 
 
The RELIGION of the M ( 
 
 Colour of the glafs when taken out, they pretend 
 to foretell many future events. They life a vaft 
 variety of mufical inftruments on all their fo- 
 lemn feftivals, and when on fuch occafions they 
 go in procelTion, they dance naked behind the 
 inuficians. This pradtice is of great antiquity, 
 for we find, that David, king of Ifrael, danced 
 before the ark, and although it dilpleafed his 
 wife Michal, yet we do not find that any of the 
 Prophets reproved him for it, which they always 
 did on other occafions, when he dilpleafed the 
 Divine Being. 
 
 Although it is difficult to difcover any relation 
 between dancing and religion* yet among the 
 •Pagans it conflantly made a part of their wor- 
 ihip of the gods. It was ufual to dance round 
 the altars and Ifatues; and there was at Rome, 
 an order of Priefls, called the Salii ; they were 
 dedicated to the fervice of Mars, and they danced 
 on particular days, through the ftreets, in honour 
 of their god, and had their name from that 
 veiy ceremony. Indeed, religious dancing was 
 fo much the tafte of the Pagans, that the poets 
 made the gods dance along with the graces, the 
 mufes and virtues. When the Jews kept the 
 feaft of the golden calf, they fat down to eat 
 and to drink, and rofe up to play, which means 
 to dance, and undoubtedly, they learned this in 
 Egypt. ArnGbius , an antient Chriftian writer, 
 afked the Pagans* if their gods were pleafed with 
 the tinkling of brafs, and rattling of cymbals, 
 or with the found of drums and mufical inftru¬ 
 ments. The idolators in other parts of the 
 world, even to this day, have the lame efteem 
 for this cuftom, and the greateft part of the 
 worfhip they pay to their deities confifts in danc¬ 
 ing. On the whole it appears, that dancing was 
 firft pradtiled by the heathens in their temples, 
 as a part of their religious worfhip, to point out 
 their gratitude to their gods, either for general, 
 or particular favours; nor have the Chriltians 
 been altogether free from this cuftom. The 
 Chriftians of St. Thomas, dance in honour of 
 that faint, before which they crofs themfelves, 
 and fing a hymn. The men dance in one apart¬ 
 ment, and the women in another, but both ob- 
 ferve the greateft decency. At prefpnt, however, 
 there are but few of the Roman Catholics who 
 pay much regard to this ceremony, and in all 
 probability it will loon fall into difrefpedt and 
 ceafe to be pradtifed. 
 
 To the above account of the religion of thefe 
 iflands, we fhall here add a defcription of the 
 ceremonies ufed in the iflands of Borneo , Su¬ 
 matra, and Java. 
 
 The inhabitants who reftde on the fea coaft of 
 Borneo are Mahometans, of whom we fhall fpeak 
 in the proper place, but thole in the inland 
 parts, are all Pagans. They pay divine adoration 
 to the fun, moon, and ftars, and their adtions 
 in life are regulated by the flight of birds. 
 Therefore, if one of thefe birds that merit their 
 attention, happens to fly towards them when 
 they are going abroad in the morning, they re¬ 
 turn home, and ftay within doors the remainder 
 of the day. But on the other hand, if the bird 
 diredts her flight towards the road the traveller 
 intends to take, it is confidered as a propitious 
 8 
 
 LUCCA ISLANDS, See. 93 
 
 omen, and an aflutance of fuccefs. Their ritei 
 and ceremonies are fo like thole of the Molucca 
 iflands, that they are plainly derived from the 
 fame original. 
 
 In Borneo, the young men are not permitted 
 to marry, till they have prefented their miftreftes 
 with fome heads of their enemies; and the fame 
 cuftom prevails in Sumatra, among fuch of the 
 inhabitants as are Pagans; for the fea-coaft is; 
 for the moft part, inhabited by Mahometans; 
 In Java, all the inland inhabitants are Pagans, 
 and believe in the dodlrine of the tranfmigration 
 of fouls. They believe there are two gods, the 
 one good and the other evil, and it is the evil 
 fpirit or devil whom they worfhip, from a prin¬ 
 ciple of fear. They never addrels him, without 
 prefen ting lometning at his altars, in order to 
 prevail with him not to hurt them. Some of 
 them were formerly even more ftupid, for they 
 worfhipped, for the day, the firft thing that pre¬ 
 lected itfelf to them in the morning. This was 
 a fpecies of idolatry, which perhaps never before 
 took place in any part of the world; and we 
 are told, that the Mahometans, who firft fettled 
 among them, ridiculed them out of thefe no¬ 
 tions. 
 
 When thefe Indians were firft difeovered by 
 the Europeans, they were more barbarous than 
 the inhabitants are at .prefect,- for whenever a 
 perfonwas taken fick, a magician was confulted, 
 and if it was found that the patient was incur¬ 
 able, then he was immediately ftrangled, in 
 order to put an end to his mifery. In the fame 
 manner, they put all thole to death, who, either 
 through old age or infirmities, were rendered 
 incapable of working for a fubfiftence. Their 
 nuptial ceremonies were formerly celebrated in 
 the following manner : The relations and friends 
 of the bridegroom marched in proceffion to the 
 bride’s houfe, with drums beating and tinkling 
 cymbals; fome of them carrying hcries tails in 
 their hands, in imitation of ftandards ; others 
 carried fwords, and as they moved forward, they 
 fought a kind of mock battle. The women com¬ 
 plimented them With the ufual prefents*confifting 
 of different articles of houlhold goods, and the 
 bride, who waited at the gate with a pitcher of 
 water, wafhed the bridegroom’s feet, as a token 
 of her future fubmiffion. 
 
 This part of the ceremony being over, the 
 bridegroom and bride went into the houfe, but 
 inftantly joined the proceffion to the bridegroom’s 
 houfe; with this difference, that the young 
 couple walked hand in hand together, the bride¬ 
 groom’s horle being led by a fervant. In this 
 manner the proceffion went on, and when it 
 arrived at the deftined place, the bride and 
 bridegroom were condudted to a commodious 
 apartment, and left for fometime by themfelves. 
 After this a grand entertainment was given, which 
 generally lafted about three days. Many of 
 thefe ceremonies are now fallen into difufe, but 
 ftill the people are grofs idolators. It is true, 
 the Dutch, who have fome lettlements in thofe 
 iflands, have converted a few of the natives to 
 Chriftianity, (tho’ the number is very inconfider- 
 able) owing rather to the pious zeal of the clergy, 
 than to any affiftance given by the merchants. 
 
 A fair opportunity prefents itfelf to the Dutch, 
 for the converfion of thefe idolators, they under- 
 A a ftand 
 
94 The R E L I G I O 
 
 Hand their language, and the Dutch religion 
 having few rites and ceremonies, thefe people 
 having heard it explained, and been taught to 
 read, would fee the purity and fimplicity of a 
 form of worfhip, which could not be prefented to 
 them by the Jefuits. They are Proteftants alone 
 who fhould be fent to preach to heathen nations, 
 for it lignifies very little to change fome ceremo¬ 
 nies for others, and repeat prayers in a language 
 they do not underftand. 
 
 Vail luccefs has attended the miniftrations and 
 labours of fome Proteftant miffioners, fent from 
 
 N of CEYLON. 
 
 I the churches of England and Scotland, from the 
 | Methodifts, and the Moravians ; but it is greatly 
 , to be feared, that there are too many Euro- 
 | pean merchants, who, to acquire fortunes, would 
 wifh ignorance and error to prevail among their 
 fellow creatures, who have precious and immor¬ 
 tal fouls as well as themfelves. “ They that be 
 Cf wife, fhall Ihine as the brightnefs of the fir- 
 cc mament, and they that turn many to righ- 
 fC teoufnefs, as the liars, for ever and ever.” 
 Daniel, xii. 3. 
 
 The Religion of 
 
 T HE inhabitants of Ceylon are all Pa¬ 
 gans, for although fome of them ac¬ 
 knowledge there is one Supreme God, 
 yet they allow of many fubordinate ones to aft 
 under him ; and this was the idolatry of the an- 
 tient Greeks and Romans. Thus they have gods 
 for agriculture, fome for navigation, forficknefs, 
 and for almoft every thing. All their idols are 
 reprefented by the molt fantaftic and monftrous 
 images. One of thefe is formed like a giant, and 
 by them called Buddu , who lived a very holy and 
 penitent life. The inhabitants reckon their years 
 from the time this Buddu lived, and as it agrees 
 with the fortieth year of the Chriftian .dSra, molt 
 of the Jefuits are of opinion, that he was St. 
 Thomas the Apoftle. 
 
 They add further, that this Buddu , who was 
 not born in their country, died on the continent, 
 and the time of his death agrees with that of the 
 Apoftle St. Thomas, although it is much more 
 probable that he was a native of China, and per¬ 
 haps the fame perfon whom they call Fo, for we 
 cannot depend on the truth of their chronologies. 
 The tooth of an ape, which a Portuguefe go¬ 
 vernor cauled to be burnt, was formerly adored 
 as one of Buddu'5. In vain did the Portuguefe 
 attempt, by this means, to put an end to their 
 fuperftition, and idolatrous worlhip; for they 
 gave it out that the tooth made its efcape from 
 the hands of its enemies, and took refuge on a 
 role. It is the province of Buddu to watch over 
 and protedl the fouls of men, to be with them in 
 this life, and to fupport them when dying. 
 
 The devil is alio worfhipped here, under the 
 name of Jaca, and their religious motives arife 
 from fear. They often facrifice all they have to 
 this infernal fpirit; and although the Jefuits laid 
 all they could to perfuade them to defift from 
 fuch abominable idolatry, yet it was all in vain ; 
 for ignorant as thele people are, they made an- 
 fwer, that they facrificed to the devil to procure 
 his friendlhip and favour. They are extremely 
 fond of miracles, otherwife they could not have 
 believed that the tooth of Buddu made its efcape 
 from the fire, but they have others ao lefs won¬ 
 derful. 
 
 CEYLON. 
 
 One of their pagods or temples, had been fhut 
 up many years, and totally deferted by the de¬ 
 votees, who formerly came to it to worlhip ; for 
 the king of the country had given out, that the 
 image placed in it, was not capable of working 
 miracles, and therefore he ordered his fubjedts to 
 treat it with every mark of ignominy, to the no 
 fmall lofs of the priefts. 
 
 The priefts, however, who generally know how 
 to be revenged on thofe who meddle with what 
 they confider as their temporal intereft, refolved 
 to take part with their infulted god. One day, 
 as the king went into the long deferted temple to 
 mock at the image, the priefts had fo contrived 
 matters, that the fovereign was like to have paid 
 dear for his impiety. Fire iflued out of the 
 mouth of the image, his eyes fparkled refent- 
 ment, and in his hand he held a feymiter, ready 
 to plunge into the heart of the royal unbeliever. 
 His majefty, confcious of his guilt, acknowledged 
 it, begged pardon in the moft fupplicant manner, 
 and adored the deity that threatened to punilh 
 him. The devotees thronged in crowds to the 
 pagod, worlhip was re-eftablilhed there, and the 
 god was adored with as much fervency as ever. 
 From that time, the natives of Ceylon have there 
 worlhipped Buddu as the guardian of their ifland, 
 and of the whole univerfe; and they are of 
 opinion, that the world can never be deftroyed 
 while this image Hands in his temple. Irrfick- 
 nel’s, in adverfity, and under all forts of afflictions, 
 they make their addreffes to this image, and in 
 every houfe there is a balket of flowers devoted 
 to his fervice, and kept to make a part of their 
 freewill-offerings. 
 
 As there are elephants in this ifland, fo they 
 have an idol, whole head refembles the head of 
 that creature, and this image is worlhipped as the 
 deity who bellows on mankind the bleffings of 
 wifdom, underllanding, riches, and health. They 
 have likewife figures of this idol placed on their 
 highways, and public roads, in the hollow parts 
 of trees; and near thefe figures are eredted heaps, 
 or piles, of ftones, to put travellers in mind that 
 they are places of worlhip, and every worlhipper 
 mull add a (lone to the heap. This feems to 
 
 have 
 
The RELIGIC 
 have been a very antient practice j for we read in 
 Gen. xxviii. 18. that when Jacob faw the vifion 
 of the ladder, and the angels afcending and de- 
 fcending upon it, while he was journing towards 
 Padan-Aram, he took the flone he had ufed as a 
 pillow, let it up, and poured oil upon it. 
 
 Thefe people, alfo worfhip the lun, moon, and 
 ftars, and to that worfhip, they join the adoration 
 of the devil, which is done in little rural huts 
 ereCted in their gardens, and adorned with 
 boughs and flowers, and all forts of provifions 
 are left in them for the devil to regale himfelf 
 with. They fummon the devil to make his ap¬ 
 pearance by beating a drum, but if he does not 
 eat up all the provifions, then the remainder is 
 diftributed among the poor. Some of the priefts 
 in Ceylon, deny that the images are the gods them¬ 
 felves, but they imagine they are endued with 
 divine virtues, and that they have the power of 
 working miracles, as long as they are treated 
 with reverenc| and refpeCt. 
 
 1 hey have three orders of priefts, each of 
 which is iubordinate to, and dependant on 
 fuperiors chofen out of the 'Tirinanxes, or 
 < TerumwanJes ; the firft are, properly l'peaking, 
 the l'ole priefts of Buddu , and the moft eminent 
 clergy of the ifland, all the great officers being 
 feleCted from them. They have likewife a high 
 prieft, who is always a venerable old man ; and 
 as a mark of diftinCtion and honour, wears a 
 gold ribband, and a kind of fan, which bears a 
 near refemblance to the Talapat , made ufe of 
 by the priefts of Siam. 
 
 Thefe priefts have a convent, fituated in a 
 pleafant grove, but none are admitted into their 
 order, except fuch as are come of the belt fami¬ 
 lies in the ifland, and whofe characters are irre¬ 
 proachable. Buddu is the faint whom thefe priefts 
 adore, and they are all drefled in yellow filk 
 gowns, tied round their bodies, with faffies 
 made of thread. They never fuffer their hair to 
 grow, but go always bareheaded. They are 
 treated with the utmoft refpeCt, for the people 
 fall down and adore them in the lame manner 
 as they do their idols; and, really, they are 
 l'o highly conceited of themfelves, that they 
 never return the compliment, nor take'any notice 
 of thole infatuated creatures who treat them with 
 divine honours. 
 
 Wherever thefe priefts appear, a mat is fpread 
 on the ground, and their leats are covered with 
 a white linen coverlid, which is an honour 
 never ffiewn to any, but to them and the king. 
 They are not permitted to follow any mechani¬ 
 cal employment, nor to marry, or even fo much 
 as to touch a woman. They eat but one meal 
 a day, and if they indulge themfelves any far¬ 
 ther, it muft be only in the ufe of a few fruits, 
 rice, beans, peafe, or fuch other innocent things. 
 They are allowed on particular occafions to eat 
 fleih, but they are not to give any directions 
 concerning the killing of animals, that being 
 considered as inconliftent with the nature of 
 their order. Whenever they pleafe, they may 
 renounce their order and become laymen, which 
 is attended with no other ceremony befides 
 that of ftripping themfelves naked, throwing 
 their cloaths into the river, and bathing them- 
 telves all over. 
 
 The devotion of the common people is very 
 
 N of CEYLON. 95 
 
 advantageous to the priefts, as will appear from 
 the following particular inftances, well known 
 to all thofe who have viftted the ifland of Cey¬ 
 lon: When a perl'on begins to entertain ferious 
 thoughts concerning the falvation of his foul, 
 he fends immediately for one of the priefts, who 
 vifits him in the moft fplendid manner, attended 
 by four fervants holding a canopy over his head. 
 The devotee makes an elegant entertainment for 
 his prieft, and prefents him with as many valu¬ 
 able things as his circumftances will admit of. 
 The prieft ftays two or three days at the houfe, 
 and during that time fings feveral hymns, ex¬ 
 tracted from the books of devotion ufed in their 
 temples, after which he explains the meaning of 
 thofe hymns to all fuch as are prefent. When 
 the prieft departs, he blefles the devotee, and 
 tells him that he may be allured of happinefs 
 hereafter, after which the whole company depart. 
 It is remarkable, that thefe people who believe 
 in the doCtrine of the tranfmigration of fouls, 
 ffiould be fo earned: to know what will be their 
 ftate hereafter j but then it muft be oblerved, 
 that there are many different opinions among 
 them, without fo much as one being con- 
 fiftent to the truth. 
 
 The fecond order of their priefts are called 
 Koppuhs , but they wear no diftinguilhing habit 
 from the laity, not even when they perform their 
 folemn fervices, only that they waffi themfelves 
 and put on clean linen. Each of them enjoys 
 a fmall piece of ground, adjoining to their pa- 
 gods, which they cultivate during their leifure 
 hours, if the revenue of the temple is not fuffici- 
 ent to fupport them, but if it is, then they employ 
 labourers for that purpofe. The whole of their 
 public fervice conftfts in offering up provifions 
 to the idol, which they leave in his prefence, 
 and if he does not choole to eat it (which per¬ 
 haps he never does) then the priefts and muftci- 
 ans come and take it away. 
 
 The priefts of the Genii, are the third order; 
 they are called JaddeJes , but they have no fixed 
 revenue, their fubfiftence depending on thofe 
 devotees who come to worfhip in the pagods. 
 Theft pagods are richly adorned with figures of 
 all forts of warlike inftruments; but in the 
 temple of Buddu, there are figures of men 
 fitting crofs legged, in yellow calfocks, having 
 their hair curled, and their hands placed before 
 them juft like women ; and theft they fay, are the 
 ipirits of departed faints. Some devotees who, 
 are not priefts, ereCt chappels for themfelves, 
 but in each of them they are obliged to have an 
 image of Buddu, and light up tapers or wax 
 candles before it, and adorn it with flowers. 
 Their principal days for public. devotion are 
 Wednefdays and Thurfdays, and the purport 
 of their petitions are, that God would be pleafed 
 to blels them, and preferve them in health, to 
 keep them humble in prolperity, and fupport 
 them in adverfity. Their prayers are feldom di¬ 
 rected to the Supreme Being, but to him, through 
 the mediation of a fubordinate deity. When 
 none of their entreaties will prevail, they offer 
 up a red cock to the devil, and this they per¬ 
 form in the moft gloomy part of a grove, where 
 they believe the devil is ready to accept of it, 
 guarded by great numbers of his imps and 
 attendants. 
 
 They 
 
56 The RELIGIC 
 
 They have two forts of folemn feftivals, fir ft, 
 in honour of Buddu, whole peculiar province it 
 is to take care of, and preferve the fouls of men; 
 fecondly, in honour of thole gods, who govern 
 the univerfe and all things pertaining to this life. 
 Thefe earthly gods are called genii, and their 
 feftivals have not much in them remarkable. 
 When the people are affembled together, the 
 prieft holds a painted ftaff in his hand, adorned 
 with flowers, and the people fall down on their 
 knees before it. When the people have made 
 their offerings to the ftaff, the prieft lays it upon 
 his fhoulders, and at the fame time, covers his 
 mouth with a linen cloth, left his breath Ihould 
 pollute the l'acred enfign of his order. He next 
 mounts on the back of an elephant, covered with 
 linen, and rides in the following manner through 
 the city: 
 
 Forty or fifty elephants, adorned with little 
 bells, open the proceffion, and thele are followed 
 by feveral men, difguiled like giants. The next 
 part of the proceffion confifts of drummers, trum¬ 
 peters, and all forts of muficians, followed by a 
 l'eledl band of women, who dance to their dif¬ 
 ferent tunes. The prieft makes his appearance 
 next, mounted on his elephant, with his facred 
 ftaff in his hand, and this is confidered as an em¬ 
 blematical reprefentation of the great Creator of 
 heaven and earth. Behind the chief prieft, walks 
 one of an inferior rank, with a long pole in his 
 hand, at the end of which is fixed an umbrella, 
 which is held over the pontiff's head, to fereen 
 him from the heat of the fun, from the rain, or 
 from any inclemency of the weather. There are 
 two other elephants, one on the right hand, and 
 one on the left, and on the back of each of thefe 
 are two priefts. The two priefts who ride fore- 
 rnoft on the elephants, reprelent gods of an in¬ 
 ferior rank, and the two behind, hold umbrel¬ 
 las over their heads. Thefe priefts are followed 
 by feveral female attendants, who fan them, and 
 drive away the flies, and after them march fome 
 thoufands of devotees, three a-breaft, walkingon 
 flowers, with which the ftreets are covered. 
 
 This feftival is obferved fifteen days together, 
 during which time their images are fet before the 
 gates of their pagods, that the people may bring 
 their oblations to them, and the houl'es are illu¬ 
 minated in the night, and covered with boughs 
 in the day. 
 
 The feaft begins with the new moon, and about 
 two or three days before her full, a great number 
 of ledans are ranged at the doors of the pagods, 
 filled with relics, and near each of them is placed 
 a large filver chalice, as a teftimony of veneration 
 for the gods. As foon as the moon is juft upon 
 her full, all the devotees repair to the river, to 
 fill their chalices with water, and then they de- 
 pofit them in their pagods. This holy water re¬ 
 mains in the chalice till the next year, when it is 
 again filled; and befides this feaft, they have an¬ 
 other in November, which confifts in planting tall 
 pales around the pagods and illuminating them 
 from top to bottom. This feftival begins when 
 the moon is at the full, and continues leven days; 
 but it is not fo folemn as the other already men¬ 
 tioned. 
 
 Buddu, the god of fouls, is reprefented by fe¬ 
 veral little images made of filver, brafs, ftone, 
 or white clay, and thefe are fet up in almoft every 
 
 N of CEYLOlJ. 
 
 corner, even in caverns and on rocks, to ail 
 which piles, the devotees carry a variety of pro- 
 vifions, every new and lull moon throughout the 
 year ; but it is in March they celebrate the grand 
 feftival of Buddu, at which time they imagine 
 the new year begins. At this feftival, they go to 
 worfhip in two different places, which have been 
 made famous by their legendary lfories concern¬ 
 ing them. One of them is the higheft mountain 
 in the ifland, and called by the Chriftians, Adam's 
 Peake ; the other is in a place where Buddu re- 
 poled himfelf under a tree, which planted itfelf 
 there for the more commodious reception of the 
 deity, who, when he was on earth, frequently 
 amufed himfelf under its agreeable Ihade, and 
 under that tree, the pagans in Ceylon adore their 
 Buddu, whom they really believe to be a god. 
 
 They have fuch a veneration for this place, 
 and efpecially for the tree, that they go in pil¬ 
 grimages to it, and fuch as are not able to reach 
 that facred place, get as near to it as poffibly 
 they can, and enter the firft pagod they come to 
 on the road, where they worfhip with their faces 
 towards the facred tree. This tree is furround- 
 ed with cabins, cells, huts, and tents, befides 
 feveral larger edifices of dilferent materials, 
 which are divided into various apartments for 
 the more commodious reception of leparate fa¬ 
 milies. The devotees are accompanied by a 
 train of dancers, who perform feveral antic gel- 
 tures, much in the fame manner as is praftifed 
 by our merry-andrews on ftages. 
 
 When Buddu afeended into heaven, he left the 
 impreffon of his facred foot on a rock, which 
 thefe lflanders beautify and illuminate, and leave 
 their oblations for the ufe of tire priefts. There 
 are, in many heathen nations, traditions of a 
 fimilar nature ; thus we read of the miraculous 
 print made by the foot of Hercules, and we 
 have already mentioned the tradition concerning 
 Sommona-Codom. 
 
 Near Adam’s Peake, there is a fpacious plain 
 feparated from the rock by fmall rivulets, in 
 which the Pagans bathe themfelves with much 
 devotion, and afterwards walli their linen and 
 cloaths, being firmly of opinion, that by fuch 
 ablutions they walh away all their fins. Thus 
 purified, they climb up the facred hill by the 
 alfiftance of iron chains, fattened thereto for chat 
 purpofe. On the fummir of this lofty mountain 
 is to be fteen the print of a man’s foot, well pro¬ 
 portioned, but of a molt gigantic fize. Befide 
 it ftands a temple, and contiguous to it is a 
 place of refidence for a prieft, who receives Inch 
 oblations as the pilgrims bring’along,with them, 
 and he relates to them the miracles wrought 
 by the foot, and the pardons procured by vificing 
 it. 
 
 Another article of their religion is peculiar 
 to women alone, who go from door to door with 
 the image of Buddu in their hands, calling out 
 as they pafs, “ Pray remember Buddu." The 
 meaning is, that will enable them to facrificc to 
 the god. Some of the people give them money, 
 others cotton thread, fome rice, and others oil 
 for the lamps. Part of thefe gilts they carry to 
 the priefts of Buddu, and the remainder they 
 carry home for their own ufe. Some of the 
 people are fo devout, that they have images 
 of Buddu carved at their own expence, but he 
 

'The RELIGION of CEYLON. 
 
 is never cohfidered as a god, till his eyes are 
 Compleated, and then he is carried to the pagod 
 jn triumph amidft the acclamations of the people. 
 Sometimes he is carried from houfe to houfe, 
 and a colledlion made for the carver, to reward 
 him for his ingenuity, and when the priefts have 
 confecrated it, the god is placed in a nich in 
 the temple. 
 
 When they are taken Tick, they devote a red 
 cock to the fervice of one of thole inferior lpirits, 
 called Genii. Theprieft then offers this cock to 
 tire evil fpirit, telling him, that it is given him 
 only on condition that he will reftore the fick man 
 to health. The code is then let loole, but with a 
 mark upon him, fo as to know him again ; and 
 if the fick man recovers, the cock is left with the 
 prieft in the temple, who promifes to kill him 
 for Buddn, but if he does not recover, then the 
 fpirit is obliged to go without his hire. They 
 believe that all the Sacrifices they offer to thefe 
 Genii , are by them carried to Buddu in heaven ; 
 but the truth is, the priefts keep the whole to 
 themfielves. In order to difcover whether a good, 
 or an evil fpirit, be the caufe of the patienfs ill- 
 nefs, they make a bow of the firft little ftick they 
 can find, and on the firing of the bow, they hang 
 a fmall chiffel, and holding the bow by the two 
 extremities, pronounce diftindtly the names of 
 all the gods and devils. When the fpirit is 
 named, who is the immediate caufe of the diftem- 
 per, they believe the bow turns round, which no 
 doubt but it does, but then it is by the afilftance 
 of tire perlon who holds it, and who would have 
 the blame to fall upon whatever god or devil he 
 thinks proper. To illuflrare this, we have a cu¬ 
 rious anecdote in Mr. Hanway’s travels into 
 Perfia. 
 
 Pie tells us, that after he had been robbed, he 
 travelled above three hundred miles over the 
 fnow, to the place where Nadir Shah, commonly 
 called Kouli Khan, had ills camp, and in his com¬ 
 pany were many ftate prifaners, who were to be 
 examined by the fovereign. As they travelled 
 along over the fnow, they took fmall fticks and 
 fet them upright on one end, believing, that ac¬ 
 cordingly as the ftick fell, their fates would be 
 determined. “ But,” (adds Mr. Hanway,) “ I 
 “ obferved, they always made the ftick fall as 
 “ they wifhed.” So much by way of diorelTion, 
 but to return to the fubjedh ° 
 
 As the people of Ceylon are divided into clans 
 or tribes, fo they are all obliged to preferve their 
 diftmdhons, thofe of one tribe not being per¬ 
 mitted to marry into another. When a man 
 courts a maid in order to marry her, ftie tells him 
 upon what condition fhe will be his, and if it 
 is agreeable to him, fhe communicates the whole 
 to her parents, in order to know their pleafure, 
 and procure their confent. If the parents confent 
 to the conditions, an elegant entertainment is 
 provided, according to the fafhion of the country, 
 and the circumftances of the perfons. The luff- 
 band lays with his bride the firft night, and if he 
 lias any brothers, they lay with her one after 
 another, lb as the number of brothers does not 
 amount to eight, all to the number of feven 
 being admitted, and all above excluded. 
 
 But it appears that this ceremony is only prac- 
 tifed in fome particular places in the ifland ; for 
 in others it is different. Thus, in fome places 
 9 
 
 97 
 
 the parents make up the match, and when every 
 thing is agreed on, the intended bridegroom 
 lends the wedding cloaths to the bride, with fuch 
 pielents as are common on thefe occafions. A dav 
 being appointed for the wedding, he make* the 
 bride a formal vffit, attended by his relations and 
 friends. 1 he pneft, having tied the thumbs of 
 tile young couple together, repeats fome prayers, 
 after which they eat oft' one plate, to denote 
 equality of condition, and then retire to bed. 
 Mext day, after dinner, the hufband Conduces his 
 wi e home to his own houfe, and what is remark¬ 
 able, fhe walks in the front, the reft of the com- 
 pany following after. But they have ftill another 
 tdrm of iolemnizmg their marriages, which may 
 ierve to ffiew, that they are not all of one opinion 
 m matters of a religious nature. 
 
 The bridegroom takes hold of the end of a 
 large linen cloth, with which the bride is covered 
 all over, and wraps it round his waift. Then 
 fhe takes hold of the other end, and thus linked 
 together, a large quantity of water is poured 
 upon both, and wets them to the fkin. This con¬ 
 cludes the marriage ceremony, which lafts no 
 longer than both parties can agree, for they may 
 ieparate when they pleafie, and both are at liberty 
 to marry again, only, that if there are any chill 
 dren, the hufband is to provide forthefons, and 
 the wife for the daughters. Two brothers may 
 have one wife in common, if they live in the 
 jame houfe, and the children are reputed to be- 
 long to both. This praftice, however, fddom 
 takes place, for it will appear to every one ac¬ 
 quainted in the leaf! with hiftory, that although 
 the heathens are in many refpefts, deftitute of 
 the knowledge of natural religion, yet they ob- 
 ierve fome things peculiar to the rites of fociety 
 
 In their funeral ceremonies, they differ as much 
 as in thofe relating to marriage. Thus the better 
 and more opulent fort of perfons burn the bodies 
 of their dead, to prevent the worms from feafting 
 on them ; but the poor obferve very few ceremo- 
 mes in their interments. Thofe who perform 
 the friendly office for them, are obliged to wafh 
 therrdelves after the ceremony is over, for every 
 Perlon who touches a dead body is looked upon 
 as polluted. The bodies of the poor are laid 
 in the ground, with their heads weftward and 
 their feet towards the eaft; and this praftice, 
 winch is almoft univerfal, feems to have taken 
 its rife from the worftiip of the fun, who, the 
 greateft part of the year, makes his firft appear¬ 
 ance in the eaft ; for it can never allude to the 
 promife of a Redeemer, who was to be a ftar from 
 the eaft, unlefs we can be lead to fuppofe, that 
 the land of Judea is more to the ealtward than 
 any country m the world, which is inconfiftent 
 with practical knowledge. 
 
 W ith reipedt to fuch bodies as are to be burnt 
 they are firft waflied clean, and afterwards em- 
 bowelled, the cavity being filled up with pepper, 
 and feveral rich fpices and perfumes. It is then 
 lodged in a tree, made hollow in the infide for 
 that purpofe; nor is any perfon permitted to 
 come near it or touch it, till fuch time as orders 
 arrive from the king, commanding it to be burnt. 
 
 If the order is delayed for any confiderable time, 
 and the fmcll becomes often five, they dig a hole 
 m the floor, and inter it till his majefty thinks 
 proper to grant them permifliou to have it burnt. 
 
 ^ k When 
 
9 s the RELIGION 
 
 When the order arrives, the body is carried out 
 to the funeral pile, and after it is conlumed, 
 an inclofure is thrown up round the allies, and 
 fhc ground is hedged about and fowed with grafs; 
 but litch as die of the lniall pox, or any contagi¬ 
 ous diforder, are burnt immediately, left the 
 infedtion Ihould prove fatal to others. 
 
 When a man of rank dies, his relations fend 
 for a prieft, who fpends whole nights in Tinging 
 hymns, and praying for the repofe of his foul,and 
 the fpiritual father is elegantly entertained, and 
 receives a gratuity for his trouble at his departure. 
 In return for this favour, the prieft allures them, 
 that the foul of their relation is in a ftate of hap- 
 pinefs, the gods having treated it in the fame 
 manner as their generality was extended to him, 
 (that is) the prieft. The men teftify their concern 
 for the decealed by their profound fighs, and the 
 women by their hideous lamentations. Their 
 hair is dilhevelled ; they throw their hands behind 
 their heads, and then they repeat a long detail 
 of the virtues of their friend. 
 
 When the people of Ceylon are called upon to 
 make oath, in order to decide any controverfy 
 between man and man, they muft firft procure 
 a licence from the governor of the place, and 
 when that is done, both parties, namely, 
 thofe for the plaintiff and the defendant, muft 
 wafh their bodies all over; they are afterwards 
 confined all night, and a guard fet over them, 
 their right hands are wrapped up in a cloth, 
 which is fealed, and the next day they are brought 
 out dreffed in fine linen and purified, as if they 
 were juft going to appear before the Supreme 
 Beinm’ The paper upon which the governor’s 
 permiffion is written, is tied round their wrifts, 
 after which they repair to Boghaah, a tree facred 
 to Ruddu, where all the officers of the province, 
 and a vaft concource of people affemble. A large 
 quantity of cocoa nuts are then brought into 
 open court, and preffed before ail the fpedlators, 
 as a fign that no deceit or delufion is intended. 
 In one corner of the court Hands a cauldron lull 
 of cow’s dung mixed with hot water, and oil 
 being put to thefe ingredients, a leaf of the 
 cocoa nut is dipped into the liquid, and ffiewn 
 to the fpeftators, to convince them that it is 
 boiling hot; for a violent fire is kept under it, 
 left there Ihould be any collufion among the 
 parties, as too frequently happens in other coun¬ 
 tries. 
 
 Immediately after, both parties approach the 
 mouth of the cauldron, and one fays, “ The 
 “ God of heaven and earth is witnels, that I 
 “ am not guilty of the fad laid to my charge." 
 or he fays, “ The four gods are witneffes, that 
 “ the lands, or goods in debate, are my proper- 
 « ty.” The other fwears the reverie, and the 
 plaintiff always fwears firft. After this they both 
 have the linen cloths taken off from their hands, 
 and he that fwears firft, repeats the oath, and 
 dips two of his fingers in the boiling oil, throw- 
 in» a few drops of it out of the cauldron three 
 times, to prove that there is no deception. After¬ 
 wards he does the fame with the boiling cow’s 
 dung; and the defendant performs the fame 
 ope?ation. Then their hands are wrapped up 
 again, and both are confined till the next day, 
 when their fingers are rubbed with a linen cloth 
 to try whether they will peel. He whole fingers 
 
 of CEYLON, See. 
 
 peel firft is adjudged perjured, and obliged 
 not only to make latisfaClion to the other party, 
 but likewife to pay a confiderable fine to the 
 king. 
 
 When a man commits murder, and is appre¬ 
 hended within fixtydays, he is put death without 
 the form of a trial ; but if he is not taken within 
 that time, he is acquitted for ever. A perfon 
 charged with theft, in order to vindicate him- 
 felf, brings his children, if lie has any, into court, 
 before the judge, or if he has no children, he 
 brings his relations, and on the head of each 
 he lays a few l'mall ftones, praying at the fame 
 time, that if lie is guilty, his children, or re¬ 
 lations, may live no more days than the number 
 of the ftones amount to, after which he is dif- 
 miffed. 
 
 The MaUiviit illands confift of a vaft num¬ 
 ber of fmall fpots of ground, which are extremely 
 fertile, producing not only the common necef- 
 iaries of life, but likewife many luperduities. 
 In their worlhip they differ but little from thofe 
 of Ceylon, but they have a remarkable ceremony 
 which does not feem to have been pradtiled by 
 any befides themfelves, except the Greeks and 
 j Rc nans, and they did it in a different form. 
 This ceremony confifts in offering a facrifice to 
 the lea, when any ot their relations goes on 
 voyages. On fuch occafions, a vaft number of 
 perlons of all ranks, affemble together, and 
 march in proceflion to the lea coaft, finging 
 hymns in praife of all their gods. A woman 
 carries a fmall balket, made in the lhape of a 
 boat, and covered with a piece of fail-cloth, be¬ 
 ing attended by three men, carrying all forts 
 of provifions. When they arrive at the place 
 appointed, they throw the balkets with the pro¬ 
 vifions into the lea ; all which is done in order 
 to obtain the favour of the watry element, in 
 behalf of their abfent friends, or relations. The 
 ceremony concludes with finging feveral hymns 
 to the lea, and they return home in the fame 
 manner they came. 
 
 They -have another remarkable ceremony, 
 namely, that of facrificing to the winds, which 
 is done by fetting fire to a new boat, and reduc¬ 
 ing it to allies. If their circumftanccs will not 
 permit them to purchafe a boat, then they fling 
 into the lea fome cocks and hens as a lacrifice ; 
 for it is their opinion, that there is a god in the 
 fea who eats fuch tilings as are offered to him. 
 They muft not, when at fea, fpit again!! the wind, 
 nor are they permitted to turn their faces towards 
 the quarter from whence it blows. 
 
 All their veffels are confecratcd to the gods 
 of the fea and the winds, and yet they acknow¬ 
 ledge that thefe are no more than fubordinate 
 deities, there being one Supreme, Almighty 
 Power, who governs all things. Many of the 
 women, efpecially thofe of a higher rank, wear 
 hung to their girdles, round their necks, 
 arms, and foinetimes their knees, fmall boxes 
 of gold or filver, with fecret char afters en- 
 cloled in them, which they call Tavides, and 
 which they imagine to be a prefervative againll: 
 all forts of difeafes or accidents. They are fo 
 much afraid of the devil, that they offer up l'a- 
 crifiecs to him, particularly of cocks and hens, 
 and foinetimes flowers. They impute all their 
 afflidlions to him, and he is fuppofed to occ-afion 
 
 their 
 
The RELIGION 
 
 their deaths. This fear of the devil keeps them 
 in a continual ftate of flavery, being afraid either 
 to fit alone in their houfes, or to go about any 
 work in the fields, unlels there are two or three 
 in company. They have marfy magicians among 
 them, and never undertake any thing of im¬ 
 portance without their confent and drreftions. 
 When they want to go on a voyage, they alk 
 thefe magicians, whether one day or hour will 
 be more proper than another? and according 
 to the anfwer they receive, they aft. For thefe 
 aftrologers, or magicians, pretend to know every 
 future event, by conl'ulting the ftars, and they 
 calculate children s nativities, for which they re¬ 
 ceive confiderable emoluments. 
 
 As the people in thefe iflands are fo much at¬ 
 tached to the fitperftitious praftice of finding out 
 the truth, in cafes of a criminal nature, it may 
 not be improper in this part of the work to take 
 i'ome notice of what is commonly called th zfiery 
 ordeal. All oaths, with relpeft to the deciding 
 of controverlies, fhould be confidered as appeals 
 to the Divine Being, and thoie who can trifle with 
 things of fuch a facred nature, have juft reafon 
 to fear the Divine vengeance. It was, however, 
 and ftill continues to be, the wretched notion of 
 the heathen world, that, by a few legerdemain 
 tricks, and ridiculous ceremonies, the truth can 
 be dilcovered. Happy, had this perverted prin¬ 
 ciple been confined to the heathen nations; but 
 fo far from that, we find, that before the fixth 
 century, it made a confiderable figure in the 
 Chriftian church. Not that Chriftianity gave any 
 countenance to fuch an opinion, but only that the 
 defignmg priefts finding it fuitable towards pro¬ 
 moting their interefts, encouraged it as far as lay 
 in their power; and hence the origin of our trials 
 by fire, water, and Angle combat. Inftances ap¬ 
 plying to all thefe praftices, are fo frequently 
 to be met with in the hiftory of England, that 
 every one mud know them. 
 
 When Edward the Confeffor afeended the 
 throne of England, 1042, he accufed his mother, 
 queen Emma, of being acceflary to the murder 
 of his father. The accufation itfelf was of a 
 malicious nature, and the queen, confident with 
 the ignorance of the times, was obliged to pume 
 herfelf by trial. She made choice of the fiery 
 
 and 1C was conducted in the following 
 manner: 0 
 
 Twelve plough-flares made red hot, were 
 placed about two feet diftant from each other 
 and the queen being firft blindfolded, was to walk 
 over them. If fhe went over the plough-lhares 
 without receiving any injury, then fire was to be 
 declared innocent, but if on the contrary, .her 
 feet fhould be burnt, file was to be confidered as 
 guilty, and to fuffer death as a traitrefs The 
 queen fubmitted to this harfh fentence, and 
 valued over the plough-fliares without receiving 
 any hurt. Phis, in the opinion of the people of 
 that age, made her innocence confpicuous, but 
 whatever affiftance fire received from the priefts 
 at Wmchefter, certain it is, that fhe heaped vaft 
 emoluments upon them. 
 
 The trial by water was feldom ufed, except in 
 cafes of witchcraft, and Mr. Keyfier, the German 
 traveilei, has given us an account in what man- 
 ner it is praftifed in Hungary,which he vifited in 
 ; 3 S' I hey are generally old women who are ac- 
 
 of CEYLON, &cc. g9 
 
 cufed of witchcraft, and perhaps for no other 
 reafon, but that they are forfaken by all their 
 fellow creatures. Thoie who knew them in prof* 
 penty are dead, and their relations think it be* 
 neath their dignity to take any notice of them. 
 
 . When a woman is accufed of witchcraft, fhe 
 is brought before the judge, who tells her, that 
 file mu ft either fubmit to be burnt alive, or to 
 undergo the trial by water. He tells her further 
 that the trial by water is the only way to prove 
 her innocence, and wretched as life may be to the 
 accufed perfon, yet perhaps, with fome hopes of 
 itiil living in the world, fhe acquiefces in all that 
 the judge appoints. She is then led out to 
 the brink of a deep lake, or river, and a heavy 
 bible, or mals book, being tied round her neck. 
 Hie is thrown from the top of a precipice into the 
 water. If fhe finks to the bottom, fine is de¬ 
 clared innocent, but at the fame time lhe dies 
 under the experiment. If fhe fwims upon the 
 fmface, fhe is declared guilty, and immediately 
 
 unit to death at a flake. This was the praftice 
 throughout Britain many years, and although 
 the feverity of this barbarous cuftom gradually 
 wore off, yet the exiftence of the witchcraft laws 
 continued, till they were abolifiied by an aft of 
 the legislature, 1736. 
 
 The trial by fingle combat, although confined 
 to the military, yet was no lefs barbarous than 
 thofewe have already mentioned. Toinnumerate 
 inttances in proof of this, would be endlefs ; for 
 throughout all the European kingdoms. It was 
 once as common as is it for people now to go to 
 law. _ It is acknowledged by our beft hiftorians, 
 that it took its firft rife in barbarous nations and 
 ignorant ages. Mariana , in his hiftory of Spain, 
 leems to be of opinion, that trial by fingle com¬ 
 bat was not known in Europe, till about the 
 eighth century, when the Moors invaded the 
 kingdom of slndalufia , and put many of the 
 Spaniards to death. It is well known that the 
 Mahometan religion was eftablifhed by power 
 and in coniequence of the progrefs it made in 
 the world, they eftimated the value, or virtue of 
 that force, by which it was propagated. Thus 
 duels or fingle combats, became frequent among 
 the Moors ; and the Chriftians, in that dark age“ 
 too much degenerating from the fimplicity of their 
 anceftors, made great improvements upon the 
 barbarous fcheme. The aid of the priefts was 
 called in, to give a fanftion to what was contrary 
 to the firft diftates of natural and revealed reli¬ 
 gion, and what was in itfelf a crime, came to be 
 confidered as a virtue. Honour, that proftituted 
 wold, which includes every thing in moral virtue, 
 but in its prefent acceptation, is debafed to the 
 loweft degree, was the pretence for thofe unna- 
 tuial inhuman combats; and the ruffian, who 
 was afraid to ftand up m defence of the fatherlefs 
 and widow, thought it no crime to plunge his 
 dagger into the bofom of his friend, or even his 
 deareft relation. In all trials by fingle' combat, 
 the parties were obliged to confefs their fins to 
 the pneft, who granted them conditional abfolu- 
 tion ; that is, he forgave them all their fins, upon 
 condition that they had been fincere in their de¬ 
 clarations. After this, they were obliged to go 
 up to the altar, and laying their right hands on 
 the holy golpels, they fwore, not only that their 
 caufe was good, but alfo that they would leave it 
 
loo The R £ L I G I ( 
 
 to the arbitration of the Divine Being, and the 
 will of God was to be known according to the 
 fuccefs. 
 
 The religious part of the ceremony being 
 over, the combatants walked forth into what 
 was then called the Lifts, by which was meant, 
 an open place, where there could be no inter¬ 
 ruption, nor could affiltance be given to the one 
 party, or the other. Around the Forum, or fquare, 
 were galleries, placed for the reception of the 
 fpeftators; and previous to the two combatants 
 meeting together, in the way of engagement, 
 the fentence was read, namely, that the conqueror 
 was to be held as innocent, but the vanquilhed, 
 was to fuffer death, as a perjured blafphemer. 
 Both parties were mounted on horfeback, and 
 covered with coats of mail, from the head to 
 the feet. They had lances in their hands, fixed 
 to the end of a wooden pole, with which they 
 puflied furioufly againft each other, and it ap¬ 
 pears that their horfes were trained to the com¬ 
 bat. 
 
 If one of the parties was unhorfed, he was 
 again replaced in the faddle, and the combat 
 renewed afrcfii; but the circumftance of falling 
 from the horfe, was always confidered as a bad 
 omen by the fuperftitious crowd. At laft, the 
 conqueror was crowned with garlands, and the 
 perfon conquered, was obliged either to fpend 
 
 N of JAPAN. 
 
 the remainder of his days in a convent, as a 
 monk, or to be put to an ignominious death. 
 Of this we have many fhocking inftances in the 
 hiftory of England, and filch as are too numer¬ 
 ous to relate. 
 
 When Henry II, invaded Wales, 1157, the 
 earl ofEffex, a gallant young commander, chal¬ 
 lenged a Norman baron to lingle combat, for 
 having accufed him of cowardice. The con- 
 telt was long, and obltinate, and although the 
 king would have willingly difpcnfed with the 
 rigour of the law, in favour of Efiex, who was 
 defeated, yet fuch was the popular clamour, 
 fuch was the ifrength of fuperftition, that all the 
 favour the king could grant to the unfortunate 
 nobleman, was to permit him to become a 
 monk in the abbey of Waltham. This barba¬ 
 rous cuftom continued lo late as the reign of 
 queen Elizabeth, but from that time it gradually 
 decreafed ; only, that we find an inltance of a 
 gentleman challenging another to lingle combat, 
 in Tothill-Fields, near Weftmmlter, 1632, but 
 the Court of King’s-Bench ordered them both 
 to be taken into cuftody. Upon the whole, to 
 imagine that the approbation, or the anger of 
 God, is to be known by any external circum- 
 ftances, is the molt horrid blafphemy that can 
 be thought of, and renders us unworthy of his 
 providential care. 
 
 The R E L I G I O 
 
 T HE people of Japan have in all their reli¬ 
 gious ceremonies, fuch an affinity with 
 the Chinefe, that many have been in¬ 
 duced to confider them as originally one people; 
 which is not at all improbable, efpecially as they 
 are fituated in almolt the fame corner of the 
 world. Although there are many religious feels 
 among them, yet they may be all comprehended 
 under the two following, viz. profeiled epicu¬ 
 reans, who deny God’s moral government of the 
 world. They are called Xenxi, and they pay ado¬ 
 ration to the memory of fuch great men as have 
 been honoured for their heroic aftions, but they 
 laugh at a future Hate of rewards and puniffi- 
 ments. This left, however, is not numerous, 
 and molt of its profefibrs confilt of drunkards, 
 debauchees, and luch others as would mock at 
 religion in any nation whatever. 
 
 The other (eft is much more refpeftable, and 
 men of the belt underltandings belong to it. 
 According to their own traditions, their founder 
 was one Xedorius, a prince of the blood royal, 
 who had two ions; but his wife dying, he la¬ 
 mented for her in the molt pathetic manner, and 
 afterwards ranked her among his idols, com¬ 
 manding all his difciples to pay her divine ho¬ 
 nours. The lefler fefts are extremely numerous, 
 and although they differ in the objefts of their 
 worfhip, yet they are all idolators, and, in many 
 relpefts, as far from the truth as any in the 
 
 N of J A P A N. 
 
 world. One of thefe fefts arc called the difciples 
 of Amida, of whom we have the following ac¬ 
 count from the befl authorities extant, as well as 
 from the teftimonies of our voyagers. 
 
 He is the fovereign lord and ablblute governor 
 of paradife ; the proteftor of human fouls; the 
 father of all thole who are to partake of happi- 
 nefs ; and the mediator and faviour of all thole 
 who are accounted worthy of eternal life. He 
 has fuch an influence over Jemma, the Japanele 
 god of hell, that, by a (tern look, he can miti¬ 
 gate the pains of the damned ; and fometimes 
 not only releafes them, but fends them once more 
 into the world. This idol is fometimes reprelented 
 as mounted on horfeback; the horfe having leven 
 heads, denoting fo many thoufands of years, and 
 the figure is placed on a llately altar. The head 
 of the idol reiembles that of a dog, and in his 
 hand he holds a gold ring, or circle, which he 
 bites, thereby pointing out that he is eternal. 
 
 Amida, is alfo worlhipped under another form, 
 which is properly reprefented in one of our copper 
 plates, and fome of his devotees voluntarily 
 drown themlelves in his prefence. In per¬ 
 forming this horrid ceremony, the viftim en¬ 
 ters into a fmall boat, and dances to the found of 
 feveral mufical inltruments; after this he ties 
 a heavy (tone to his neck, and another to the 
 lower parts of his belly, and then jumps into 
 the water. On fuch occafions he is attended bv 
 
 all 
 
)fitWHURDlr /&/y, 
 
 '///. / Va/w?u 
 
 ( ///>(/rr<' 
 
 '/•'rntmifo 
 
 (Amida,^ Deity of Japan 
 
 f\ 71 '///t/L Hum/tt'l /n u’/ur/ /uj > 
 
 t)u>U'// ;/u ■///'»•/nro /v /im /wmv/t 
 
 
!HBgW r f i| 
 
The RELIGIO 
 
 all his relations and friends, with feveral priefts, 
 who all confider him as a faint, and as one 
 who is gone into everlafting happinefs. Some of 
 them, who are rather timorous of throwing them- 
 felves into the water, get one of their friends to 
 bore a hole in the keel of the boat, fo that it 
 finks gradually ; the devotee all the while finging 
 hymns to Amida. Others of thefe enthufiafts 
 fhut themfelves up in a fmall enclofure in the 
 form of a tomb, where they eat nothing but a 
 morfel of bread and water once in the day, and 
 keep calling on their god Amida till they expire. 
 
 There is another of their inferior feds, diftin- 
 guifhed by the name of Jammabos , or Jammabugi , 
 a term which fignifies captain of the mountain, 
 becaufe this fed refide chiefly in rocks and de- 
 ferts, where they fpend moil of their time in the 
 ftudy of magic. Mod of thefe perlons procure 
 a fubfiftance, by pretending to tell people’s for¬ 
 tunes, and, in a great meafure, relemble thofe 
 whom we call gypfies, or Egyptians. They have 
 an almoft incredible number of idols, and yet 
 there is a general toleration granted to all feds 
 and parties, and it is difficult to diftinguilh which 
 is confidered as the eftablilhed religion. 
 
 Abbuto , one of their idols, is noted for curing 
 many different forts of inveterate difeafes, and 
 alfo for procuring a favourable wind, and a quick 
 paffage at fea. For this reafon, failors and paf- 
 fengers generally tie fome fmall pieces of coin to 
 flicks, and threw them into the fea, as an offer¬ 
 ing to this idol. His priefts tell the people that 
 thefe offerings are always conveyed to the god, 
 although it is evident, that they have the art of 
 picking them out of the water as foon as the fhip 
 has failed. Nay, it often happens that the god 
 Abbuto himfelf, dreffed in the habit of one of his 
 priefts, comes in a boat to demand this offering, 
 and he remains near the fhore till the fhip is out 
 of fight of land. 
 
 Like moft other heathen nations, they have 
 their gods for almoft every thing. Thus the god- 
 defsof their riches ortreafures, is called Ben Saiten, 
 and of her they give the following account : 
 When a mortal, fhe was called Bunjo , and not 
 having any children by her hufband, fhe prayed 
 earneftly to the gods of the country, and with 
 fuch fuccefs, that fhe foon found herfelf preg¬ 
 nant, and was brought to bed of five hundred 
 eggs. Being extremely furprized, leftfhould the 
 eggs be hatched, they would produce fome 
 monftrous animals, fhe packed them all up in 
 a box and threw them into the river Riu/agavja ; 
 but with this precaution, that fhe wrote the 
 words Fojgoroo upon the box. Sometime after¬ 
 wards, an old fifherman, who lived a good way 
 down the river, found the box floating, and feeing 
 it full of eggs, carried it home as a prefent to 
 his wife, who put them into an oven, and 
 each of the eggs produced a child. The two 
 old people brought all thefe children up, with 
 rice and mugwort leaves minced fmall, but 
 when they grew up to their full ftature, the old 
 people were not able to l'upport them any longer. 
 Accordingly, being left to themfelves, they took 
 to robbing on the highways, and it happened, in 
 the courfe of their travels, that they came to 
 their mother’s houfe. Being afked by a lervant 
 what were their names, they anfwered, that they 
 had no names, but that they were the breed of 
 9 
 
 N of J A P A N. TO j 
 
 five hundred eggs, and that they were in great 
 want of the neceffaries of life. 
 
 This meffage was carried to their mother, 
 who fent out to know concerning the word 
 written on the box, and being anfwered, 
 that the word Fojgoroo was on it, fhe found they 
 were her own children, and received them as 
 fuch. She was afterwards taken up to heaven, 
 among the gods, where fhe is now, and always 
 will be, attended by her five hundred fons. There 
 is in this ftory fomething of an allegorical na¬ 
 ture ; for, by the five hundred fons being the 
 offspring of one woman, who was inceffant in 
 her prayers to the gods for only one, points out, 
 that unwearied induftry, in private or public life, 
 will procure more than perhaps we ever thought 
 of at firft, fo that there is nothing unnatural in 
 thefe idolators worfhipping this woman as the 
 goddefs of riches. 
 
 Another of their moft celebrated idols is 
 named Budfdo , which fignifies the worftiip of 
 foreign idolsfor this god was firft imported 
 among them from fome other part of Afia. The 
 natives of the country give the following account 
 of this idol, and how his religion was firft efta- 
 bliftied. He was born at Siaka, which fignifies 
 the country of the heavens, about a thoufand 
 years before the commencement of the Chriftian 
 ./Era, and at nineteen years of age, he became a 
 difciple, or fcholar to a famous hermit, whofe 
 name was Avar a Semin , and who lived on the top 
 of a mountain called Dandokf. Under this holy 
 man, he lived in the moft aullere manner, fpend- 
 ing moft of his time in the contemplation of 
 divine things, and fitting crofs legged with his 
 hands in his bolom, fo placed, that the extre¬ 
 mities of his thumbs touched each other, a pof- 
 ture confidered by thefe heathens as the moft 
 proper for meditation. By this means he pene¬ 
 trated into the moft l'ecret and important points 
 of religion, which he afterwards communicated 
 to his followers. He taught, that the fouls of 
 beafts, as well as thofe of men, are immortal, and 
 that both will be rewarded or punilhed hereafter, 
 according as they have aded in this life. He 
 preferibed five precepts of a general nature, and 
 all negatives, being almoft fimilar to thofe in 
 the kingdom of Siam, and in many other parts 
 of the eaft. Thefe laws, or precepts are as fol¬ 
 low : 
 
 I. Thou lhalt not kill. 
 
 II. Thou (halt not Ileal. 
 
 III. Thou lhalt not commit adultery. 
 
 IV. Thou lhalt not lye. 
 
 V. Thou lhalt not drink ftrong liquors. 
 
 It is upon thefe precepts that all their politi¬ 
 cal, moral, and religious dilcourfes arc delivered, 
 but like the people in other countries, they have 
 put ftrange conltrudions upon fome of them, and 
 in many cafes, that which is murder in reality, is 
 confidered as a virtue, rather than a crime j fo 
 that although their laws are good in themfelves, 
 yet they are perverted to the word of purpofes. 
 
 Two of his difciples, Arman Sonsja, and Rofia 
 Sonja , coll edited his wife fentences, which were 
 found after his death, written with his own hand 
 on leaves of trees, and made up into a book, 
 called Fohekio , that is, the book of fine flowers, 
 
 1 as being the moft perfed performance in the 
 C c world 
 
102 
 
 The RELIGION of JAPAN. 
 
 world, and efteemed by them, as we do the 
 bible. The two difciples who compiled it, are 
 now ranked among theirgods,andare worfhipped 
 along with their mafter, in all his temples, one 
 being placed on his right hand, and the other 
 on his left. 
 
 Before the dodtrine of Budfdo } or as he is 
 fometimes called Siaka, was introduced into 
 Japan, the people were extremly fimple in their 
 manners, having very few temples, or feftivals, 
 living confident with the dictates of reafon ; and 
 aiming chiefly at the practice of moral duties. 
 But this new religion taught them to build 
 dately temples, and to offer up the mod pom¬ 
 pous facrifices, imagining that the whole of piety 
 confids in rites and ceremonies. They have 
 many convents and temples, in honour of this 
 idol, but the prieds never walk in proceflion, 
 for they confine themfelves to their own limits, 
 and fubfift on the voluntary contributions of the 
 people. 
 
 Canon , the god who prefides over the waters 
 and the fid), as reprefen ted in their pagods, has 
 four arms, and the lower part of his body is 
 fwallowed up by a large fea monder. His head 
 is crowned with flowers, in one hand he holds a 
 feepter, in another a flower, a ring in the third, 
 and the fourth is doled, with the arm extended* 
 Over-againd him dands the figure of a humble 
 penitent, one half of whole body is concealed 
 within a fliell, and the temple is adorned with 
 arrows, and all forts of warlike indruments. As 
 all falfe religions have fomething in them of a 
 pretended miraculous nature, fo wc find the 
 people of Japan , joining with other Heathens, 
 in this fort of artificial impiety. Debts , one of 
 their idols, is reprelented in the fhape of a man 
 of gigantic dature, in an image of brafs, but 
 without a temple, or pagod, for he is placed on 
 the mod confpicious part of a high road. To 
 this idol, young women repair to know when 
 they will get hufbinds, and as the image itfelf 
 is hollow, a pried dands within it, and anfwers 
 all the quedions propofed. He takes care that 
 the virgin fhall not go away in defpair, and in 
 return for the favour, die leaves iomething of 
 value; not doubting, but that it was the god 
 himfelf who fpoke to her. 
 
 Daiboth , another of their idols, has many 
 temples erefted to his honour, and vad numbers 
 of devotees refort there to worfhip. Before you 
 come to the temple of this idol, you pafs through 
 a gate, on each fide of which are erefted two 
 mondrous figures, with feveral arms, holding 
 all forts of warlike indruments. In the centre 
 of the pagod, the idol is feated, after the orien¬ 
 tal fafhion, on an altar table, railed a little above 
 the ground ; and he is of fuch a mondrous height, 
 that his head reaches to the roof of the temple. 
 This idol has the bread and face of a woman, 
 with black locks, curled like thole of a negro, 
 and his hands are bigger than the body of a man 
 of an ordinary fize. He is encircled on all fides 
 with gilded rays, in which are placed a great 
 number of images, reprefenting the inferior idols 
 of Japan-, and the altar is illuminated with a 
 great number of lamps. The temple is fupported 
 by wooden pillars, not according to any of the 
 rules of architecture, but by the trees as cut 
 down in the woods, or gardens, which gives 
 
 the v/hole a very romantic appearance. All the 
 wooden work of the temple is painted red, and 
 adjoining to it is a chapel, where the facrifices 
 are prepared, and where the people refort to 
 worfhip, except on the great feftivals. As for 
 the idol itfelf, it is gilt all over; its ears arc 
 large, and its hair curled, with a crown on its 
 head, and a fpeck, or mark, in its brow; its 
 neck and bread are naked, and its right hand 
 is extended, pointing to the hollow ot its left, 
 which reds upon its belly. 
 
 Their god of plenty, is named Daikokui , and 
 he is reprefented as fitting on a bale, or lack of 
 rice, with a hammer in his hand, and whenever 
 he drikes the ground, they promile themfelves a 
 plentiful harvelt; on all thele occafions, many 
 offerings are brought to the pagod, and the 
 prieds take care to appropriate them to their 
 own ule, while they keep the people in a date of 
 profound ignorance. 
 
 Before we proceed to give any further account 
 of their idols, it may not be improper to take 
 notice, that they have a fovereign fupreme high 
 pried, who is called Dairo , and entitled to the 
 highefl honours. His anceflors were formerly 
 emperors, but the family having fallen into de¬ 
 cay, they are now confined to the priefthood. 
 But dill the perfon of this fovereign pontifl' is 
 confidered in fo lacred a point of view by the 
 people, that his feet are not permitted to touch 
 the ground, nor his head to be expofed to the 
 fun. He is never to have his head, beard, or 
 nails cut; and his victuals mud be carried to his 
 table in new bafkets, and ferved up on new 
 plates. When he goes abroad he is carried ir> 
 a magnificent litter, whofe pillars are of maffey 
 gold, and the outfide enriched with figures carved 
 on the fame precious metal. It is covered with 
 a thin tranfparent filk, fo contrived that the 
 pried may fee every one without being leen by 
 any. In this litter he is carried by fourteen 
 perfons of the highefl rank, and the emperor’s 
 guards march before. A coach follows behind, 
 drawn by two horles, whofe houfings are adorn¬ 
 ed with pearls and diamonds, after which his 
 wives and concubines follow. 
 
 Their god of phyfic, to whom the people un¬ 
 der all bodily diforders are to apply, is called 
 Jakufi , and he is placed in a fmall temple richly 
 adorned, Handing upright on a gilt flower, with 
 one half of a large cockle-fliell over his head, 
 encircled with rays of glory. This image is 
 gilded all over, and in his right hand is fome¬ 
 thing concealed, but in his left he holds a feep¬ 
 ter. There are little bells hung up at the en¬ 
 trance into his temples, and all paffengers going 
 along ring them, and make a moft reverential 
 bow, holding their hands to their foreheads, and 
 repeating fome prayers. In performing this 
 part of devotion, they believe that they will be 
 preferved from the fatal effeCts of difeafes, and 
 that their lives will be prolonged to the latefl 
 period. 
 
 The Jefuits, during the lafl century, made 
 feveral attempts to convert the natives of Japan , 
 from idolatry to popery, but thefe Fathers be¬ 
 ing rather too officious, and having delivered 
 their opinions concerning fome affairs of flatc, 
 the emperor ordered them to depart out of his 
 dominions. In memory of this event, the J.apanefe 
 
 obferve 
 

The REL 1 GI 0 
 
 obferve at the clofe of every year, the following 
 ceremony, which they call JeJumi. Certain per- 
 fons appointed for that purpofe, go from houfe 
 to houfe, and take down the names of all the 
 inhabitants in a book, after which, they oblige 
 every individual to appear before them, and de¬ 
 clare upon oath, that they are not Chriltians. 
 This being done, the form of the Virgin Mary, 
 and a crucifix, are both laid on the ground, and 
 every one is obliged to trample on them. From 
 this circumftance, we may learn that the Jefuits 
 are not the moll properly qualified to teach the 
 Chriftian religion ; for had they endeavoured to 
 inculcate the fimple truth, without the ufe of 
 images, the people might have been brought ofF 
 from their idolatrous practices ; but fubflituting 
 one image inflead of another, is only letting up 
 a more refined fcheme of idolatry, in the room 
 of one, which to them, appeared more grofs than 
 their own. 
 
 Ingen, one of their faints, is much adored by 
 the vulgar, although he is but of a very modern 
 original. They tell us, that he was born in 
 China , and that he travelled to Japan , in order to 
 make himfelf acquainted with all their mylteries 
 in religion. He was received with the utmoft re- 
 fpedl, and there being, at that time, a violent 
 drought in the country, the people applied to him 
 to pray for rain, which he did in fo earneft a 
 manner, that a flood enfued, which carried 
 away all their bridges. They obferve a feltival 
 in memory of him every fummer, by offering 
 facrifices on the top of a high mountain, where, 
 according to their tradition, he flood when he re¬ 
 peated the prayer, and fuch are their notions, that 
 if one of their priefts will annually afcend the 
 fame hill, they will have plenty of rain. 
 
 Nor are the people of Japan without their 
 Nuns, for they have an order of female devotees, 
 named Bikunis , chofen from among their moil 
 beautiful women, and they take upon them a par¬ 
 ticular habit, either to pleafe their parents, or 
 gratify their own inclinations. In general, they 
 are very lewd in their deportment, fo that they 
 may be juftly filled whores, or daughters of 
 Venus. They travel round the country from place 
 to place, and when they meet a paffenger, they 
 uncover their breafts, as an incentive to lull. So 
 far we may confider them as fo many licenfed 
 proflitutes, who have no regard to either modefty 
 or decency. 
 
 The fecular priefls in Japan , are called Canufis , 
 and they have no other maintainancc, befides 
 what arifes from the voluntary contributions of 
 the public, particularly the devotees. Thefe 
 priefls wear a yellow filk robe, with a cap, made 
 in the form of a boat, and tied under their chins 
 with fringes, longer or fhorter, according to their 
 quality. They fuffer their hair to grow long, fo 
 as to cover their fhoulders, but they fhave their 
 beards every morning, and their fuperiors have 
 their hair curled up in a bag of black filk. At 
 each ear is a piece of filk that comes forward to 
 the jaw, but if they are of an eminent rank, then 
 it comes much more forward. When thefe priefls 
 walk in proceflion, which they do on all folemn 
 feftivals, they have fabres, and other warlike in- 
 flruments carried before them, and in their de¬ 
 portment they are fo proud, that they refufe to 
 
 i of JAPAN. 103 
 
 converfe with any of the common people, except 
 fuch as contribute towards their fubfiftence. 
 
 They have in Japan a fociety of Monks, if 
 they may be called fo, or rather devotees, who 
 are all blind, and are called Feki, and they ac¬ 
 knowledge for their founder, one Kakehigo , who 
 lived many centuries ago, and who fupported a 
 notorious free-booter, or rebel, named Feki. The 
 emperor having defeated this rebel, he fought to 
 enter into an alliance with Kakehigo , not doubting 
 but he would do as much in lupport of the re¬ 
 gal government of his country, as he had done 
 in fupport of rebellion ; but the brave Kakehigo , 
 fooner than comply with the entreaties of the 
 emperor, tore out his own eyes, and threw them 
 at the face of the monarch. 
 
 As foon as he had done this, he fpoke to the 
 emperor in the following words : <c To demon- 
 “ ftrate to you, fir, how confcious I am of your 
 <c generous deportment to me; I give you 
 <c the ftrongefl proof of it poffible, by making 
 cc you a free prefent of thofe eyes which gazed on 
 <f you with deteflation.” From this circum- 
 flance, the order alluded to was founded, and 
 they are now very numerous throughout the 
 whole empire of Japan ■, for every man who has 
 been deprived of his fight, or born blind, is ad¬ 
 mitted among them. 
 
 Great part of their religion is emblematical, and 
 the demi-creator of the univerfe is reprefented as 
 feated on twelve cufhions, placed on the trunk of 
 a large tree, fixed on the back of a tortoife. The 
 Supreme Being is reprefented as a Moor, perfedlly 
 black, and has a crown upon his head, which runs 
 up into the form of a pyramid, and his breafl is 
 bare. He has four arms, with as many heads, all 
 made of folid gold, and the drapery is adorned 
 with precious Hones. A ferpent of a monllrous 
 fize, twills himfelf round the image, and two de¬ 
 vils, the one with the horn of a Hag, and the 
 other with the head of a dog, lay hold of the 
 lerpent’s head. This is allegorical, and points 
 out, that their race of kings are to exift four 
 thoufand years. 
 
 Foranga, one of their idols, was formerly a 
 hulbandman, and took pofleflion of the empire 
 foon after its firft eflablilhment, and by his ex¬ 
 traordinary merits, was ranked among their gods. 
 He delivered Japan from a tyrant, who, with 
 eight other kings, laid the country walle, fo that 
 he is always reprefented with eight arms ; and in 
 each hand is a warlike inflrument. Fie has many 
 temples dedicated to his memory, throughout 
 every province of the empire ; but the molt re¬ 
 markable, is that fituated in the province of 
 Vacata> where there are the figures of four oxen 
 call in brals, and gilded all over. The wall of 
 this temple is adorned with the figures of many 
 of their fubordinate deities, and beggars conti¬ 
 nually affemble at the door, where they fing 
 hymns and beg charity from the people. 
 
 Apes and monkies, with a variety of other 
 creatures, are worfhipped in their pagods, and 
 each of thefe is emblematical of fome of the 
 works of creation, or providence. All the atti¬ 
 tudes in which thefe creatures are placed, afford 
 fubje£t matter for the priells to inlarge on in 
 their lermons. During the time they are wor- 
 fhipping at their altars, a Bonze , or prieft, beats 
 \ a drum 
 
104- The RELIGI 
 
 a drum to inflame their devotions. They are fo 
 fully perfuaded of the tranl'migration of fouls, 
 that they have hofpitals for beads, who are fed 
 and fupported in the lame manner as if they were 
 human beings ; nay, what is more remarkable, 
 there is a convent near Jeddo> the chief city of 
 Japan, where a vaft number of priefts refide, and 
 they have very rich endowments. Near the con¬ 
 vent is a hill, on the top of which is a wood, and 
 in it a vaft variety of different animals, which 
 are fed, once at leaft every day by thefe priefts. 
 The prieft, whofe turn it is for the day to feed 
 them, tinkles a little bell, at the found of which 
 they come all around him, and when they have 
 received their allowance, he again tinkles the bell, 
 and they retire. 
 
 Thefe creatures, the priefts fay, are animated 
 by the fouls of the moft noble and illuftrious 
 heroes that ever adorned their empire. They 
 have fuch a profound veneration for ftags, that 
 they are to be met with as common in their 
 ftrcets, as dogs are with us, and it is death for 
 any perfon to kill one of them ■, nay, when that 
 happens, which is but feldom, even the life of 
 the perfon is not confidered as fufficient to make 
 attonernent for his guilt, for the ftreet in which 
 he lived is razed to the ground. It is true, how¬ 
 ever, that they do not worfhip thefe creatures, 
 but they have the fame refpeft for them, as the 
 people of Siam have for white elephants, for 
 both believe them to be inhabited by the fouls of 
 their princes, and that they have the fame rational 
 faculties as men. 
 
 But they are not ftags only whom they thus ho¬ 
 nour, for dogs are treated by them in the fame man¬ 
 ner ; but this pradlice is of a very modern date. 
 The emperor, who reigned about one hundred and 
 twenty years ago, was extremely fond of hunting, 
 and therefore kept a great number of dogs ; be¬ 
 ing fo extremely fond of them, that fome of them 
 ufed to fit befide him on his throne. As this 
 fovereign was much refpedled by his fubjedts, fo 
 we find, that ever fince his death, they have ho¬ 
 noured dogs in the fame manner as was done by 
 himfelf when alive. Every ftreet is obliged to 
 fupport a fixed number, they are quartered on the 
 inhabitants, like fo many foldiers, and in cafe of 
 ficknefs, they are obliged to nurfe them tenderly. 
 When they die, they are obliged to inter them 
 decently in the hills and mountains, where they 
 bury their own friends and relations. To kill 
 one of them, would coft a man his life, and only 
 to infult them, would be attended with a very fe- 
 vere punifhment. In the whole of their religion 
 we meet with a vaft number of contradictions, 
 and this will always be the cafe with thofe who 
 are addicted to fuperftition. 
 
 Near the capital city, ftands a celebrated pa- 
 god on the banks of a river, and it is fo plenti¬ 
 fully flocked with fifh, that they thruft one ano¬ 
 ther on fhore ; but notwithftanding this, they re¬ 
 main in perfeCt fecurity, through the fear and 
 fuperftitious folly of the Bonzes and devotees. 
 They believe, that were they to touch one of 
 them, they would be immediately lmitten with 
 the leproly, and they conftder it as a mortal and 
 unpardonable fin to eat of them. They are looked 
 upon as facred, and this notion operates fo 
 ftronglyon their minds, that the Bonzes will ra¬ 
 ther commit murder, or any other crime, than 
 
 » N of J A P A N. 
 
 fuffer the moft delicious of them to be ftrved up 
 at their tables. They believe that thefe fillies 
 are inhabited by the fouls of fome of their naval 
 officers, but this is an ablurdity, even according 
 to the doCtrine of tranfmigration ; for as they 
 believe that fouls inhabit all forts of animals, fo, 
 according to this notion, it would be unlawful to 
 eat any of them, or even to offer them in lacri- 
 fice. 
 
 In Miaco , a celebrated city of Japan , there are 
 a vaft number of pagods or temples, and one, in 
 particular, has no lefs than three thoufand idols 
 in it. In the middle of the temple there is a 
 gigantic figure of an idol, whofe head is bald, 
 and his ears bored through ; his chin is fhaved, 
 and over his head he wears a canopy, with l'eve- 
 ral little bells hanging from it. On each fide 
 of his throne there are feveral Hatties of armed 
 men, moors dancing, witches, magicians, and 
 devils. There are likewife feveral reprefenta- 
 tions of thunder, winds, and rain, with all forts 
 of ftorms. Each idol has thirty hands, with 
 feven heads on his breaft, all made of folid gold, 
 and all the decorations of the temple are made 
 of the fame precious materials. Near this idol 
 is another of a moft gigantic fize, with forty-fix 
 arms and hands, attended by the figures of fix- 
 teen black devils. A row of idols are placed at 
 a confiderable difiance, each of whom has feve¬ 
 ral arms, all which ferve to point out the power 
 they have over the affairs of this lower world. 
 Their heads are adorned with rays of glory, and 
 fome of them have ihepherds crooks in their 
 hands, pointing out that they are the guardians 
 of mankind againfl all the machinations of evil 
 lpirits. 
 
 They have many feftivals in honour of their 
 gods, fome of which are fixed and others move- 
 able. The fixed ones are on new-year’s day, 
 and on the firft day of every new moon, and 
 the moveable ones are fuch as are appointed in 
 their kalendar to vary, as our Eafter does, accord¬ 
 ing to the change of the moon; each of thofe 
 feftivals continue about three days, and the firft 
 day is lpent in making merry with their friends, 
 on the fecond they proceed to offer up their 
 facrifices, and on the third, having adored their 
 idols, they take farewell of each other, and re¬ 
 turn home. It is their opinion that nothing 
 gives fo much plealure to the gods, as that of 
 the two fexes enjoying themfelves in innocent 
 amulements, which may ferve to point out, that 
 the heathens, in all ages and nations, have in¬ 
 variably formed wrong conceptions of the Divine 
 Being. For although innocent amulements are 
 no way contrary to religion, yet there is but 
 little neceffity for injoining them as articles of 
 practice, feeing men, in their prefent flate, are 
 too apt to turn thofe things into abufe, and 
 injure themfelves, inftead of promoting their 
 own interell or the glory of God. 
 
 On new-year’s day, they make prefents to their 
 friends and relations of a fort of ffiell-fifh, called 
 by them Awabi, which according to tradition, 
 was the original food of their anceftors, in the 
 fame manner as the antient inhabitants of Europe 
 fed on acorns, herbs and roots. This filh is an 
 emblem of induftry, and points out in what a 
 frugal manner their anceftors lived, before they 
 acquired riches. In the beginning of the fpring, 
 
 they 
 

The RELIGIO 
 they have a folemn feftival, at which all the 
 young women dance, and their parents provide 
 for them an elegant entertainment. All their 
 relations and friends are invited, and the rooms 
 in which they fit, are decorated with the figures 
 of babies pointing out that the young women 
 will in time be mothers. Before each of thefe 
 puppets, a table is placed with all forts of food 
 upon it, dreffed according to the falhion of the 
 country, and as it cannot be fuppoled that in¬ 
 animate beings will eat any thing, fo when the 
 provifions have flood fometime, they are placed 
 before the young women and their gallants. On 
 the lecond day of this feftival, the young men 
 treat the young women, which is generally pre¬ 
 parative to their marriages. On that day the 
 doors and windows of their houfes are adorned 
 with mugwort, and in the morning the young 
 men alfemble and divert themfelves on the water! 
 *1 his holiday, is not, however, obferved in l'uch 
 a manner as to exclude thofe advanced in years 
 from enjoying a fhare in the pleal'ures. The 
 gay of both (exes, let their age be whatever it 
 will, attend their relations and children, this 
 being conlidered by them as very honourable. 
 
 This naturally leads us to take fome notice of 
 the origin of this feftival, which has been tranf- 
 mitted to us by the moft faithful authors. Peirun, 
 many ages ago, was king of Formofa, and his 
 fubjefts being rich traders, they became fo aban¬ 
 doned in their manners, that the gods threaten¬ 
 ed to drown them and the illand. This great and 
 good king faw, with forrow and abhorrence, the 
 wickednefs of his fubjefts, he devoted himfelf 
 entirely to the worfhip of the gods, and they 
 gracioully decreed to lave him and his family. 
 
 Accordingly they forewarned him in a dream, 
 to depart from his country, in order to avoid the 
 impending judgments, alluring him, as a mark 
 of the truth of what had been advanced, that the 
 cheeks of two of his moft celebrated idols would 
 become red, a few days before the deftruftion 
 took place. 
 
 _ The pious prince advifed his fubjefts of the 
 difpleafure of the gods, but they received his 
 admonitions with (corn and derifion. One of 
 thole atheiftical libertines, in order to ridicule 
 the pious advice of the king, went privately in 
 the night to the pagod where the two images 
 were, and daubed their faces all over with red, 
 which impious projeft was the very fignal in¬ 
 tended. As foon as the'king heard the news, 
 that the faces of the images had been daubed 
 over with red, he gathered together his wives and 
 children, whom he put, along with all his effefts 
 on board a (hip, admitting, at the lame time, as 
 many of his fubjefts to accompany him as the 
 veflcl could carry. Scarce had he fet fail, before 
 the illand with all its inhabitants, funk down to 
 the bottom of the fea; and fometime after, the 
 good king with his whole retinue, landed fafely 
 in China. From thence he went over to Japan, 
 where he lias been ever fince worfhipped as a god, 
 and the above feftival celebrated to his memory. 
 
 In doing penance, the people of Japan are, 
 perhaps, more extravagant and fuperftitious than 
 any we have hitherto mentioned. The penitents 
 are ordered to travel over feveral high and al- 
 moft inacceftlble mountains, into fome of the 
 moft folitary deiarts, inhabited by an order of 
 9 
 
 Hermits, who, tho’ almoft void of humanity, com¬ 
 mit them to the care of fuch as are more favao e 
 than themfelves. Thefe latter lead them to the 
 brinks of the moft tremendous precipices, habi¬ 
 tuate them to the praftice of abftinence, and the 
 moft ihocking aufterities, which they are obliged 
 to undergo with patience at any rate, fince their 
 lives lie at ftake; for if the pilgrim deviates one 
 ftep from the direftions of his fpiritual guide, 
 they fix him by both Jus hands Co the branch of a 
 tree, which Hands on the brink of a precipice, 
 and there leave him hanging, till thro’ faintnefs 
 he quits his hold and drops down and is killed. 
 But this is little more than the refemblance of 
 a diicipline others undergo; for in the fe- 
 quel, after an incredible fatigue, and a thouland 
 dangers, they arrive at a place furrounded with 
 lofty mountains, where they fpend a whole day 
 and night with their hands extended, and their 
 heads reclined on their knees. During this aft 
 of penance, they are not to (hew the lead lymp- 
 toms of pain, or endeavour to fhife their un¬ 
 weary pofture; the unmerciful Hermits, whofe 
 province ic is to overlook them, never fail, with 
 fome hearty baftinadoes, to reduce them to their 
 appointed fituation. 
 
 In this attitude, the penitents are to examine 
 their conlciences, and recolleft the whole of their 
 fins, fo as to be ready to confefs them. This 
 ftrift examination being over, they march again 
 till they come to a fteep rock, which is the place 
 fet apart by thefe favage Monks to hear the Tin¬ 
 ner’s confeffion. On the fummit of this rock there 
 is a thick iron bar, about three ells in length, 
 which projefts over the belly of the rock, but is 
 fo contrived as to be drawn back again, whenever 
 it is thought convenient. At the one end of this 
 bar hangs a large pair of feales, into one of which 
 thefe Monks put the penitent, and in the other a 
 counterpoife, after which they pulh the feales oft 1 
 the rock into the open air. Thus hanging, the 
 pilgrim is obliged to make a lull and ample con¬ 
 feffion of all his fins, which mull be fpoken fo 
 diftinftly, as to be heard by all thofe who affift at 
 the ceremony, and he mult take particular care 
 not to conceal or omit one fingle fault, to be ex- 
 aft in his'declaration, and not to contradift him- 
 felf; for the leaft diminution or concealment, al¬ 
 though accidental, words, ruins the penitent for 
 ever. Thofe favage Hermits are fo inexorable, 
 that if they can but difeover tiie leaft prevarica¬ 
 tion in the penitent, he who holds the feales gives 
 the bar a hidden jerk, by which the poor penitent 
 is tumbled down and dallied to pieces at the bot¬ 
 tom of the precipice. Thofe who are fo for¬ 
 tunate as to fatisfy the Hermits in their confef- 
 fions, are obliged to pay a fine, and are then ab- 
 lolved from all their crimes. 
 
 The Bonzes or priefts of Japan, fell to the de¬ 
 votees fin all billets of wood confecrated, and 
 they teach them to believe, that thefe will pre- 
 ferve them from the power of the devil, and 
 prove a remedy for all thofe difeafes to which the 
 human body is fubjeft. Nay, they carry this 
 piece of deception ftill farther, for they borrow 
 money upon thefe confecrated billets, and give 
 their note for the payment in the next world, 
 which note is put into the penitent's hand when 
 he dies, the people being firmly of opinion that 
 it will procure him a full remiffion of all his fins. 
 
 D d | n 
 
 
lo6 The RELIG1C 
 
 In their prayers they repeat a vaft number of 
 eollefts, fome fifty times over, and left they 
 Ihould forget any of them, they have a filing of 
 beads to count them by, in the lame manner as is 
 ufed by the Roman Catholics. Thofe who repeat 
 their prayers one hundred and eight times over, 
 are confidered as faints, for the Bonzes allure 
 them that there are fo many fins by which a man 
 is polluted, and that agamft each of them, a faith¬ 
 ful believer Ihould have a particular prayer. 
 When they arife in the morning, they ftretch out 
 the fingers of their right hand, and oiler up an 
 ejaculatory prayer to one of their idols, thereby 
 imagining that the devil will not have it in his 
 power to injure them during the remamdei of the 
 day. Like the reft of the Indians, they believe 
 that fome days are more fortunate than others, 
 and this notion leads their minds into the moll 
 abjeft ftate of flavery ; for men can never enjoy 
 much peace of mind, or real happinefs, who are 
 not convinced that God has made all days alike 
 to his creatures. Of their fortunate and unfor¬ 
 tunate days, they keep a table, or kalendar, and 
 each family has one hung up in the paftage, lead¬ 
 ing from the door into their houl'es, to put them 
 in mind of the day when they go out. 
 
 This table of fortunate and unfortunate days, 
 was the work of a celebrated aftrologer, known 
 by the name of Seimei, a man of univerfal know¬ 
 ledge in all myfteries, both of nature and art; 
 whether relating to the liars, to dreams, to omens, 
 or indeed to any thing elfe. As this aftrologer 
 was fo profound a fcholar, it was neceftary, in 
 order to eftablifh his reputation, that lie Ihould 
 be born in a miraculous manner; which notion 
 leeros to prevail over all thofe eallern nations. 
 We are informed, that his father was a prince, 
 and his mother a fox, who being clofely purfued 
 by the huntftnen, had fled for refuge and protec¬ 
 tion to his majefly. This fox, it feems, was what 
 is called in Europe, a Fairy, who, throwing off 
 her mafquerade drefs, appeared before the fove- 
 reign in all the fplendor of a perfect beauty. 
 
 The king being enamoured with her admirable 
 charms, married her, and had by her this famous 
 aftrologer. When he grew up, he invented a fet 
 of myfterious terms which he comprifed within 
 the compafs of one verfe only, as a charm or pre- 
 fervative for fuch perfons in particular, whole nar¬ 
 row circumftances obliged them to work on un¬ 
 lucky days, for the fupport of their wives and 
 children.' They believe that there is fuch a fuper- 
 natural virtue in this Tingle verfe, that all thofe 
 who repeat it reverently, in a proper manner, on 
 the morning of an unlucky day, will be preferved 
 from all the evils that would otherwile attend him. 
 
 It is a circumftance but little known to the 
 Europeans, that in Japan there are feveral orders 
 of heathen Monks, many of whom live in con¬ 
 vents, founded by fome of their great men, but 
 the greateft number live in woods and delerts, 
 where they feed on roots and fruits, or whatever 
 elfe the places will afford. They have likewife 
 places of refuge for fuch as have committed the 
 molt horrid crimes, particularly murder, theft, 
 fee. Near Miaco, there is a mountain which they 
 call Koia, inhabited by Monks, whofe rules and 
 ftatutes are lefs fevere than any of the other or¬ 
 ders. This convent is very large, and affords an 
 affylura for the moft flagitious offenders, nor 
 
 N of J A P A N. 
 
 can the civil magiftrate enter within their bounds 
 to leize any criminal whatever. 1 lie malefactor 
 is not only fecure while under their protection, 
 but may purchafe his liberty, if he is able, by 
 depofiting a certain fum of money lor the lei - 
 vice of the convent. This order was founded by 
 one Kaboday, who is adored as a god, and lamps 
 are kept continually burning before his image ; 
 and although it is confidered as one of the higheft: 
 adls of piety, to contribute towards the fupport 
 of this convent, yet the Monks do not altoge¬ 
 ther depend on the oblations of devotees ; but 
 fpend much of their time in agriculture and 
 commerce, which brings them in a confiderable 
 revenue. 
 
 The perfon whofe peculiar province it is to 
 ring the’hours of the day, gives the people notice 
 likewife of the times appointed for public prayers 
 as well as preaching. Their fermons turn, for the 
 moft part, on moral duties, and the preacher is 
 exalted on a roftrum or pulpit, much like thofe 
 ufed in Europe. On one fide of him is placed 
 the image of the titular faint or order to which 
 he belongs, and to this idol the devotees prefent 
 as much money as the nature of their circum¬ 
 ftances will permit. On each fide of the pulpir 
 is a lighted lamp hanging down from the canopy 
 which covers it; and a little below it is a kind of 
 defk or pew, for the junior fcholars, where fome 
 fit and others Hand. The preacher, who is ge¬ 
 nerally a perfon well advanced in years, wears a 
 hat on his head, in the form of an umbrella, and 
 holds a fan in his hand, and before he begins his 
 fermon, he feems to be much abforbed in con¬ 
 templation on the gods, and attentive to what he 
 is about to deliver. After this the preacher rings 
 a little bell, that is ready at his hand, which is 
 the tifual fignal for filence ; then he opens a book 
 which lays upon his cufbion, containing the fun¬ 
 damental principles, and moral precepts of his 
 feCl. Having read his text, he explains it to the 
 people, and concludes with faying fomething in 
 honour of the feft or order to which he belongs. 
 It is expe&ed, that each of the hearers fliall con¬ 
 tribute fomething to the preacher, who never 
 negleCts to put them in mind of It; and both be¬ 
 fore and after fermon, they are obliged to fall 
 down on their knees and repeat fome prayers, 
 which they do by the fignal of the preacher’s ring¬ 
 ing his little bell. 
 
 The natives of Japan have, for the moft parr, 
 but one wife, but then they are allowed to pur 
 her away whenever they think proper, even on 
 the moft trivial occafions. She never brings him 
 any marriage portion, left Ihe Ihould boalt that 
 Ihe had enriched her hulband; for the men are lo 
 jealous of their honour, that they will not have 
 it infinuated, that they are under obligations even 
 for the higheft favours they can procure, or attain 
 to in the enjoyment of this life. 
 
 But notwithflanding all thefe pretenfions to 
 honour, yet, in many parts of their condudl, they 
 are fo avaricious and difhoneft, that although 
 crucifixion is the common punifhment for theit, 
 yet nothing is more common than for them to 
 Ileal from each other. Divorces are very fre¬ 
 quent among them, as may be naturally concluded 
 from what has been already advanced; but ftill 
 thofe who put away their wives, are never much 
 e(teemed afterwards. All their marriages are 
 
 contracted 
 
■jyHuiU)'.r/u/u 
 
 Stt’/fKW/M r’/ (ft 
 
 0] ( A Japanese Temple , ) m 
 
 > > , V , 
 
 /// ({>///<■// //,' PRIEST/./ /iftArr/m'/ta ffu-H NUPTIAL CEREMONIES 
 
The RE-LIGIO 
 
 contrafted by the confent of their parents, and 
 care is taken that the parties be as near the fame 
 age aspofiible; and although the bridegroom 
 does not accept of a marriage portion with the 
 bride, yet he bellows feveral prefents upon her 
 relations, according to the nature of his circum- 
 ftances. 
 
 On the morning of the day appointed for the 
 celebration of the marriage, both parties, attend¬ 
 ed by their relations, go out of town, at dif¬ 
 ferent gates, and meet at the bottom of a deep 
 hill, which they afcend by a flight of Heps, and 
 the young couple place themfelves in two tents 
 made for that purpofe. The parents of both 
 parties, feat themfelves behind the bride, while 
 a band of mu(ic plays behind the bridegroom, 
 but all without the tents. The red of the reti¬ 
 nue remain at the bottom of the hill, and while 
 the mufic is playing, the bridegroom and bride 
 walk with lighted flambeauxs in their hands 
 towards the altar of the god of love, whole 
 image is reprefented with the head of a dog, as 
 an emblem of that fidelity which Ihould take 
 place in the marriage date. The image holds a 
 dring in his hands, as a fiymbol of the form of 
 matrimonial engagements, and near the god, and 
 between the two parties, dands a Bonze , whofe 
 office it is to perform the marriage rites. There 
 are feveral lamps lighted at a frnall didance 
 from each other, at which the bride lights 
 her flambeaux, which die holds in her hand, 
 pronouncing at the fame time, a form of words 
 (Inflated to her by the Bonze> and after this the 
 bridegroom lights his flambeaux by that of the 
 bride’s. 
 
 This part of the ceremony is accompanied 
 with loud acclamations of joy, and all the rela¬ 
 tions and friends, congratulate the young couple. 
 The Bonze then gives them his benediftion or 
 bleffing, and thofe who remain at the bottom 
 of the hill make a large bonfire, into which is 
 thrown all the little toys, and other play-things, 
 with which the bride amuled herfelf, while fhe 
 was in a date of childhood. Others prefent the 
 bride with a diftaff and fome flax, thereby in¬ 
 timating, that from thenceforward, die mud 
 apply herfelf to the prudent management of do- 
 medic affairs. The ceremony concludes with 
 the lacrifice of two oxen to the god of marriage, 
 and then the bride is condufted home to her 
 hufband’s houfe, where die meets with every 
 thing proper for her reception. The pavement, 
 and threlhold, arc both drewed with greens or 
 flowers, according to the feafon of the year, and 
 flags and dreamers on the top of the houfe, feem 
 to promile one continued feene of uninterrupted 
 happinefs and delight. 
 
 As they are divided into many feeds, fo we 
 find, that in the education of their children, they 
 indruft them in the knowledge of thofe prin¬ 
 ciples which they themfelves have embraced ■, 
 for they confider it as a duty they owe to the 
 community at large, to bring up their children 
 uleful members of fociety. The principal part 
 of the education of youth, confids in laying 
 before them the mod driking and exemplary 
 parts of the conduct of their gods and heroes, 
 that they may imitate their example, and live in 
 fubordination to the civil power. This is, in all 
 .reipefts, confident with natural religion, which, 
 
 N of JAPAN, j 0 y 
 
 fo far as we can learn, is implanted in the heart 
 of every man ; for how could we be condemned 
 by a Righteous Being, unlefs, at the fame time, 
 it was acknowledged that we have the purity of 
 a divine law fet before us, and invitations to obey 
 its precepts. Every parent feels a fecret pleafure 
 in giving his children a virtuous.education, and 
 although it too often happens, that the bell in- 
 druftions are prodituted to the word of purpofes, 
 yet the duty remains binding, and will do fo to 
 the end of time. 
 
 On the fird day of the new year, all the prieds 
 walk in proceffion to the emperor’s palace, where 
 they renew their oaths of allegiance, which how¬ 
 ever, is not looked upon as a lufficient fecurity 
 to the prince, who has always a confidant in 
 waiting, who oblig'es them to fwear the follow¬ 
 ing facred oath. “ I call heaven towitnels, and 
 “ all the gods of the fixty-five provinces of the 
 tc empire, that I will be a loyal fubjeft to my 
 c< lovereign.” All thefe oaths are ratified by 
 the perfon fwearing, opening a vein and letting 
 out fome of his blood, and if it Ihould happen 
 afterwards, that lie is found perjured, then his 
 life mud make an attonement; for as blood is 
 required to ratify the oath, fo a proper repara¬ 
 tion for a breach of his infidelity mud be, his 
 blood fpilt in luch a manner as the judges fliall 
 direft. 
 
 When a perfon dies, they are obliged to pro¬ 
 duce, at lead, two or three witnefles, to prove 
 that he was not a Chridian at the time of his 
 death, and they go lo far, as to enquire whether 
 in the whole courfe of his life, he ever made any 
 profeffion of Chridianity ; for were fuch a cir- 
 cumdance to take place, the body of the deceaf- 
 ed would be thrown upon a dunghill, like that 
 of a dog. 
 
 If the dcceaied has lived in reputation in the 
 world, and it is difeovered, upon the drifted 
 examination, that he never was a Chridian, then 
 the civil magidrate permits that his body ffiall 
 be burnt. On all fuch folemn occafions, the 
 relations and friends, all drefled in white, as a 
 iign of deep mourning, repair to the funeral 
 pile, about an hour before the proceffion begins. 
 All the women are veiled, and a fuperior Bonze 
 marches in the front, attended by thirty others 
 of an inferior rank. The prieds are drefled in 
 linen frocks like furplices, over which they wear 
 a black cloak, and above all, a brown garment, 
 and each carries a taper in his hand. After 
 thefe come two hundred Bonzes , who fing hymns 
 to, and invoke the god whom the decealed wor- 
 fhipped while he was alive. Then follows a great 
 number of hired mourners, who carry poles in 
 their hands, with papers fixed to the ends of 
 them, pointing out the virtuous aftions of the 
 perfon whofe funeral they are about to celebrate.* 
 After them come eight young Bonzes , divided 
 into two bands, holding long canes over their 
 heads, with dreamers at the ends of them, on 
 which are inferted feveral hierogriphical figures, 
 and thefe lad are attended by two young men, 
 who carry unlighted torches. 
 
 Several other perfons, all drefled in brown, 
 with black leathern caps on their heads, varniffi- 
 ed over in the neated manner, with the names 
 of their idols infcribed on them, follow after 
 the Bonzes. After this firfl train, come four 
 
 men. 
 
te$ The R E L I G I O N of 
 
 men, ■with the corps of the deceafed, fitting up¬ 
 right in his coffin, with his head inclining fome- 
 what forwards, and his hands clofed, as in a 
 praying pofture. The corps is drefled in white, 
 having a paper robe over it, compOfed of the 
 leaves of a book* wherein are defcribed the ac¬ 
 tions of the god, to whom he was, in his life-time, 
 moft devoted. The male children furround the 
 corpfe, and the youngeft fon carries^ a lighted 
 taper in his hand, it being his bufineis to let fire 
 to the funeral pile. The whole of the proceffion 
 is doled by the neighbours, who teftify their 
 forrow, by deep fighs and hediouj lamentations. 
 
 In this order, they march to the place where 
 the funeral pile is ereded, which is furrounded 
 with four walls covered with white cloth* ex¬ 
 cept the gates through which they are to enter. 
 In the middle a deep grave is digged, and at- 
 each fide of it, is a table covered with all forts of 
 provifions. On one of them Hands a chaffing 
 diffi, like a cenfor, full of live coals and Tweet 
 •wood, and as foon as the corpfe is brought to the 
 brink of the grave, they fallen a long cord to 
 the coffin, which is made like a bed for the de¬ 
 ceafed to reft on. After they have carried the 
 body in proceffion three times round the grave, 
 they lay it on the funeral pile, while the prieft and 
 relations call on the gods to be propitious to the 
 foul of the deceafed. After this, the fuperior 
 prieft, who leads the van of the proceffion, walks 
 three times round the corpfe with his lighted ta¬ 
 per, waving it three times over his head, and re¬ 
 peating-fome myftic words, the meaning of which 
 
 O R E A and JESS O. 
 
 none prefent knows, befides himfelf and Ins 
 brethren. The body is then conlumed to affies* 
 and the whole contents of the funeral pile are 
 thrown into the grave, where a monument is let 
 up in memory of the deceafed. This part of the 
 ceremony being over, the relations of the de-* 
 ceafed retire home, where they have a fplendid 
 entertainment, and all that is left is given to the 
 poor. If any remains of the deceafed are left 
 unburied, the relations pick them carefully up, 
 and bury them in a gilded urn, in their gardens, 
 which they vifit from time to time, with the ut- 
 moft fervour of devotion, believing in the im-* 
 mortality of the foul. 
 
 All thofe honours we have juft now mention¬ 
 ed, are appropriated to the noble, the great, and 
 the illuftrious, for the poor and the indigent, 
 have no right to expedl any fuch things. It b 
 fufficient, that the king and the beggar die juft 
 alike, but there is no neceffity that the fame 
 pomp ffiould attend both after their death. In 
 Japan , thofe whofe narrow circumftances will 
 not permit them to honour their relations with 
 pompous funerals, are obliged to employ their 
 neighbours, to inter them any where in the fields, 
 without the leaft regard to decency. The Bonzes 
 or priefts abhor the poor, and fhun them in every 
 place, as they would a perfon who is labouring 
 under an infectious dfforder, nor do they ever 
 pray to the gods in their behalf. Perhaps, this 
 is too much the cafe in other nations, but of 
 that we leave the candid reader to judge. 
 
 The Religion of C O R E A and J E S S O 
 
 npHE inhabitants of thefe countries are 
 § all Heathens, and their form of religi- 
 JL on is the mod ftupid and fenfelefs that 
 can be imagined. They believe, that if they 
 appear at particular times and feafons, before 
 their idols, and make a few unmeaning grimaces 
 and ridiculous geftures, they will be rewarded 
 for evfr in eternity. They are all of one left 
 io that there is no neceffity, as in Japan, for one 
 party to leek a toleration in matters of religion, 
 from another. Their prieds, monks, or Boh zn, 
 as they are indilcriminally called, are io ignor- 
 rant, that they know little more, befides that of 
 perfuming their idols once every morning, to 
 which fervice they are called by the ringing of a 
 bell. Their convents and pagods, are fituated 
 for the moft part on mountains, and fubjedt to 
 the power and authority of the city or town 
 
 near to which they are fituated. They have one 
 particular convent with fix hundred monks in 
 it, and one city that has four thou land of religi¬ 
 ous fefts under its jurifdidtion. They are diftri- 
 buted into feledt bands, or companies, fome of ten, 
 fome of twenty, and others of thirty members, 
 the oldeft of whom, in each clal's, is the prin¬ 
 cipal, or fuperior, and if any one proves carelefs, 
 or remifs in his duty, he is ordered to be cor- 
 refted and chadded by the red of the brethren, 
 but if the crime is of a flagrant nature, he is 
 given up to the power of the civil magidrate. 
 
 Relations are not allowed to many within the 
 fourth degree of confanguinity, and love is a 
 paflion to which they are in a manner drangers; 
 for it often happens, that their nuptial cere¬ 
 monies take place before they are nine or ten 
 years of age, fo that if ever they know any 
 
 * ft is foreign to the plan of this work, to give a Geographical Account of the various nationswhofe modes of religion we f.urhfali;- 
 defcribe and therefore we (hall take the liberty of recommending to our readers, a work of real merit on this lubjcu: It 1 ) 
 J New and Complete Collision of Voyages and Travels, written by Mr. Job; Hamilton Moors mailer of the Academy at Brent¬ 
 ford and author of the PracTical Navigator, itc. This judicious collection of \ oyages and Travels, includes a Lcmf,. t, Syftsns 
 or Geoprapb, and all the important voyages of captain Cook, and the other late ctrcum-navigators, whofe new difcovenes have 
 been of fo much confequence to Europe in general. We heartily wilh the work fuccels, from a perfuafion that the learned 
 
 author has taken great pains to render it a valuable acquifmon to all ranks of people. 
 
 ' The CoMtr-tlatit Maps, and Chan,, with which it is cmbelhlhed, at t elegantly executed, and one or two numbers, at a 
 rime may be had, price only 6d. each-To prevent midakes, however, it may not be unneceffary to be particular m or¬ 
 
 dering Moon', Voyager and Travels, a, there are works of a f.milar nature, upon which little dependance (hould be placed. 
 
The RELIGION of 
 
 thing of love, it mud be long after marriage. 
 ,The women, particularly the wives of the poorer 
 fort, are treated with great cruelty, but their 
 fpirits are fo much depreffed, and not knowing 
 where to procure a remedy, they become as it 
 were infenfible of their mifery. The marriage 
 ceremony confifts of the relations of the bride¬ 
 groom, accompanied by himfelf, making a for¬ 
 mal tour round the town with a band of mufic 
 playing before them. When they come to the 
 door where the bride lives, the bridegroom knocks, 
 and meets with a very favourable reception. After 
 this,, he conducts the bride home, and the whole 
 ceremony ends with a lplendid entertainment. 
 Polygamy is allowed among them, and when 
 they pleafe they can put away both their wives 
 and children; but this horrid, unnatural prac¬ 
 tice, feldom takes place ; for as we have already 
 taken notice in the former part of this work,, 
 “ The light of nature is not yet extinguiffied 
 <c among the heathens.” 
 
 When a peflbn of rank dies, all his relations 
 go into mourning for three years, nor are they 
 permitted, during the whole of that time, to fol¬ 
 low any fecular employment. They weep, howl, 
 and tear their hair, to ffiew their concern for 
 the deceal'ed ; and they put the corps into a 
 double coffin, finely varniffied, and gilt over, 
 according as the nature of their circumftances 
 will permit. They put into the coffins whole 
 fuits of cloaths, with provifions, money and fe- 
 veral forts of warlike inftruments, for the ul'e of 
 the deceafed in the other world ; from which 
 we may learn', that they have but very carnal 
 notions of the foul. 
 
 The night previous to the funeral, is fpent 
 in innocent amufements, and at day-break all 
 the relations let out on horfeback, making the 
 moft hedious lamentations. Thofe who bear the 
 corpfe, move in a flow folemn manner, finging 
 hymns s and if the deceafed was rich, he has ge¬ 
 nerally a monument ereCted to his memory,- but 
 thofe who are poor, are buried in graves about 
 three feet deep. Three days after the interment, 
 the relations and friends of the deceafed make 
 a formal vifit to the grave, and recreate them- 
 felves there fome time. Every full-moon, they 
 cut the grafs that grows around the tomb, and 
 make free-will offerings of rice. But this is not 
 ail, for it often happens that the Bonzes , in or¬ 
 der to get fome employment, will tell the rela¬ 
 tions, that the deceafed lies uneafy in his grave, 
 upon which they take up the coffin, and renew 
 the whole funeral folemnity, for which the Bonzes 
 or priefts- receive their fees. 
 
 Having laid fo much concerning the idols of 
 thefe heathen nations, it may not be improper, 
 in this place, to fay fomething concerning the 
 true God, and alfo on the nature of idols. The 
 true God is defilied to be a moft: glorious ob- 
 jeCb, the author of all things, who had no begin- 
 ing of days, nor will have any end of years. He 
 is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable ; he is pof- 
 feffed of all thofe perfections which we admire, 
 but cannot fully comprehend. His wifdom is 
 confpicuous in the formation of the world, and 
 indeed in the creation of every thing; for as a 
 great divine fays, a pile of grafs is fufficient to 
 confute an Atheifi. His power is difplayed to 
 our fenfes, in the works of his providence; he 
 io 
 
 COREA and J E S S O. - 109' 
 
 holds the waters in the hollow of his hands; ho 
 weighs the mountains in a balance, and taketh 
 up the earth as a very little thing. 
 
 In his holinefs, he exceeds all that we poor 
 mortals can comprehend, for he is of purer eyes 
 than to behold iniquity. Sinners ffiall not (land 
 before him, nor the wicked dwell in his prefence. 
 Men ffiould tremble ^.t his juft-ice, efpecially 
 when they confider their own guilt. Thejuftice 
 of God, in the moral government of this world, 
 may be known by particular inftances of its ope-t 
 rations, but will not be fully underftood, till 
 Chrift ffiall come to judge the world in righte- 
 oufnefs. The temporal death, to which every 
 human being is fubjeCt, is a proof of thejuftice 
 of God, in punifhing our firft parents for their 
 difobedience; but the moft: aweful difplay we 
 have of divine juftice, is in the death of Chrift. 
 There the wrath of God againft: (in was difplay¬ 
 ed in the moft lively colours; Divine juftice 
 was fatisfied by the lacrifice offered, and man, 
 a rebel to his creator, reconciled through the 
 blood of attonement prophefied of long before, 
 and pointed out by types and figures. His good- 
 nefs fills the devout foul with admiration here 
 below, and will afford him matter for praife in 
 eternity. Is not that goodnefs infinite, that can 
 bear with our daily, and numerous provoca¬ 
 tions ? Is not that goodnefs infinite, that can ftoop 
 down to behold the affairs of this lower world, 
 and raife up one, while it cafts down another ? 
 But above all, is not that goodnefs infinite, which 
 could fend an only begotten fon, to die for fin- 
 ful men, when they were loft: in all forts of ini¬ 
 quity, working all manner of uncleannefs with 
 greedipefs. • Such are a few of the outlines of 
 the characters of the true God, whom every 
 Chriftian worfliips ; and, therefore, we ffiall next 
 fay fomething concerning the falfe gods of the 
 Heathens. 
 
 As the benefit of light is beft known when 
 contrafted with darknefs, fo truth is the more ad¬ 
 mired for being compared with falffiood. All that 
 is good, amiable, praifeworthy, glorious, bene¬ 
 volent, juft, and merciful, is to be found in the 
 character and attributes of that God, whom the 
 Chriftians v worfhip ; among the gods of the Hea¬ 
 thens, it is juft the reverie. And here let us 
 enquire into their attributes, for there muft be 
 fome qualities aferibed to them. 
 
 Are they infinite ? that is impoffible, for they are 
 aftually lodged in temples, made with hands; nay, 
 they are often carried from one place to another,- 
 their heads and their hands cut off, and fome- 
 times they are reduced to allies. 
 
 That they are not eterpal, we can make no 
 manner of doubt, for new ones are made almoft: 
 every day ; and furely a created being cannot pro¬ 
 perly be an objeCt of divine worffiip. Sculptors, 
 painters,engravers, finiths, and indeed almoftevery 
 trade, have, in their turn, contributed towards 
 the making of gods; and fo infatuated are man¬ 
 kind, that many of them can fall down and 
 worfhip the works of their own hands. Are they 
 unchangeable ? No ; Inftead of enjoying fuch a 
 variety of qualities, their very colours are often 
 changed twenty times in an age; and almoft: 
 every year, new paffions are aferibed to them. 
 And this is done merely according to the ca¬ 
 pricious manner in which men are led by their 
 E e paffions,, 
 
no 
 
 The RELIGION of COREA and J E S S O. 
 
 pafllons, without confidering, that they degrade 
 their nature, and become more contemptible 
 than the beafts that perilh. 
 
 Again, let us enquire more minutley into thofe 
 qualities which naturally prefent themfelves to 
 our obfervation, as rational creatures. And firft, 
 with refpedt to wifdom, let us for once fuppofe 
 that the idols adored by Heathens, in ancient 
 and modern times, were, and really are, what 
 their worfhippers believe them to be, namely, be¬ 
 ings endowed with fovereign power, able to 
 reward the virtuous, and punifh the vicious, to 
 pardon the penitent, and to fupply the wants of 
 thofe in diftrefs. I fay, let us admit thefe things 
 by \vay of fuppofition, and then enquire, whether 
 one or all of them will hold good ? For if it can 
 be made appear, that they have none of the qua¬ 
 lities of the true God; then they ate no more 
 than dumb and dead idols. And firft, have they 
 wifdom ? No: how can an inanimate being be 
 endowed with wifdom. But then fuppofing them 
 to be real objedts of worfhip, it will naturally 
 follow, that the religion enjoined by them, is the 
 refult of Divine Wifdom and Knowledge. Now 
 let any reafonable perfon alk himfelf, whether 
 the forms of worfhip which we have already taken 
 notice of among the Heathens, being in them¬ 
 felves altogether barbarous, could on any ac¬ 
 count whatever, point out happinel's to poor fallen 
 man ? Certainly, the contrary did, and always will 
 continue to take place. Had thefe beings been 
 endowed with wifdom, they would have lead 
 their people who worfhipped them to happinefs; 
 but alas! the poor votaries were and are left in a 
 ftate of darknefs, no hope beyond the grave was 
 promiled, nor the means preferibed, by which it 
 might be attained. 
 
 Again, with refpedt to power, where did they 
 fhew it ? a god without power, is no god at all. 
 Nothing was more common, than to find the 
 victorious commander of an army fetting fire to 
 conlecrated temples, and carrying oft' the gods, 
 as lo many priloners, in triumph. Nay, what 
 notions could ^he people have of power, who, 
 when their idols refufed to comply with their 
 requefts, adtually brought them out into the 
 open ftreets and fcourged them. 
 
 Holinefs, the life and foul of practical reli¬ 
 gion, is not to be met with among Heathens in 
 this age, nor was it to be found among thofe of 
 antient times. Where could holinels or purity of 
 theheart andlifebefound,where whoredom,drun- 
 kennefs, and even unnatural crimes, were not 
 only tolerated, but even celebrated. 1 .et 11s, 
 like Conftantine the Great, draw afide the veil 
 which concealed the impurities daily committed 
 in their temples, and we fhall behold, what is 
 not proper to be named. Should thole idols be 
 
 objects of worftiip,whofe priefts taught the grofieft 
 impurities; who rejoiced in what the worft of 
 men confider as fhatne ; who let afide the order 
 of nature, and actually attempted to overthrow 
 Divine Providence itfelf. But is juftice to be 
 found among thefe gods ? No : we mult not look 
 for juftice in a fyftem eftabliftied on fallhood. 
 All thofe adtions by which men are cnobled 
 above the irrational part of the creation, were 
 treated with contempt. Revenge, theft, plun¬ 
 der, murder, and indeed, the moft odious crimes 
 were, and ftill are confidered as fo many virtues; 
 and the more notorious the guilt of the crimi¬ 
 nal, the more he was confidered as an objedt of 
 approbation. Goodnels, that glorious attribute 
 of God, was not to be found among the antient 
 Heathens, and in vain do we look for it at 
 prefent. Could a good benevolent Being, teach 
 men to do that which is cruel ? No : but fuch 
 was, and ftill is the pradtice of the Heathens. 
 Can that religion have goodnels in it, which 
 teacheth hujbands to inculcate into the minds of 
 their wives, that it is neceftary for them to burn 
 themfelves on a funeral pile ? Can there be 
 goodnels in that parent, who, diverting himft-lf 
 of bowels of companion, can fee his child offer¬ 
 ed up as a vidtim at the altar of an idol ? True 
 religion condemns the fentiment, and humanity 
 fhudders at the pradtice. 
 
 Truth, the laft attribute, or quality we fhall 
 mention, never could, or never can be found 
 among the Heathens. Can truth be found in 
 that lyftem from which wifdom, pqwer, holi¬ 
 nefs, juftice, and goodnefs are banifhed ? It was 
 laid of God, that it was irnpoftible for him to 
 lie; and with refpedt to the Heathens, it may 
 be juftly taken notice, that even fuppofing 
 their idols were animated beings, all that their 
 priefts have taught us is no better than the grof- 
 feft falfhood. Plato laid, that truth was the 
 form of the Divine Being, and if fo, then every 
 thing contrary to it mult conftitute the charac¬ 
 ter of an idol. Having thus drawn a parallel 
 between the true God and the idols of Hea¬ 
 then nations, we fhall fay with Jolhua of old, 
 <f Chufe you this day, whom you will lerve.” 
 The beft way to point out falie religion, is to 
 difplay it in its native colours, and men, by 
 feeing unaccountable abfurdities prelented to 
 them as objedts worthy of their notice or 
 regard, will become in love with the truth. 
 Truth carries conviction along with it, and 
 happy muft that man be, who feeks wifdom. 
 He who fincerely enquires after truth, has great 
 reafon to hope, that God will diredt him to it, 
 and convince him of its excellency above every 
 thing in tiiis world. 
 
( nt ) 
 
 The CHRISTIAN RELIGION, 
 
 A S the author, who would wifh to obtain 
 the approbation of his readers, will, at 
 all times, blend entertainment, infor¬ 
 mation, and inftrudtion together; fo we fhall 
 now part with the Heathens for fome time, and 
 prefent the public with an account of that reli¬ 
 gion which has the true God for its author, the 
 blood of Chrift for its foundation, happinefs for 
 its object, and glory for its confummation. 
 
 But here it is neceffary that we fhould lay 
 down the plan upon which we intend to proceed, 
 bccaule Chriftianity lays open to us an ample 
 field for fpeculation, for information, and for 
 inftrucftion : we fhall therefore divide the fubjedt 
 into the following branches : 
 
 Firft, the flate of Chriftianity from the time 
 of its firft promulgation, till it received the fanc- 
 tion of the civil power, under the emperor Con- 
 ftantine the Great. 
 
 Secondly, an account of all the herefies that 
 (prang up during the firft three centuries. 
 
 Thirdly, an account of the Chriftian church, 
 from the time of the emperor Conftantine the 
 Great, down to the reformation. 
 
 Fourthly, an account of the Greek church, 
 both in antient and modern times. 
 
 Laftly, an account of the Albigenfes and Wal¬ 
 den fis. 
 
 In conducting this moft laborious part of the 
 work, we fhall endeavour not to give offence to 
 anyperfon whatever, and having finifhed it, we 
 fhall once more return to the Heathens, and 
 then to thofe religious parties which took their 
 rife in Europe, after the reformation. 
 
 Long had the wretched race of Adam conti¬ 
 nued in a ftate of ignorance and darknefs, and 
 from thefe fources, all forts of crimes took their 
 fife. To draw a picture of the Heathen world 
 at the time of Chrift’s appearance among men, 
 would be to paint out human nature in its moft 
 depraved ftate. The knowledge of the true 
 God was loft; blafphemy, obfeenity, and im¬ 
 piety conftituted the effential parts of their pub¬ 
 lic worth ip; and although many of them believ¬ 
 ed in the doCtrine of the immortality of the 
 foul, yet they had confufed -and carnal notions 
 concerning it. As God is the univerfal Lord 
 and Sovereign of nature, fo he generally accom- 
 plifhes the lchemes of his providence by natural 
 means. Thus we find, that in order to intro¬ 
 duce the glorious redeemer into the world, and 
 make way for the propagation of his gofpel, a 
 variety- of circumftances took place, which hu¬ 
 man fagacity could not have planned, nor could 
 the deepeft penetration have feen into the im¬ 
 portant events. 
 
 About three hundred and thirty years before 
 the incarnation, a remarkable change took place 
 in the civil government of this world. The 
 Perfian kings, with their lubjeCts, having fof-got 
 the dignity of their characters, and bravery of 
 their anceftors, became an eal'y conqueft for the 
 ambitious Grecian hero, Alexander, a*id by this 
 
 important, unthought of event, the Greek lan¬ 
 guage was taught and propagated throughout 
 a great part of Afia, where different dialects had 
 been ipoken before. But this was not all, for 
 the mighty kingdom which Nebuchadnezzar 
 had feen in a vilion, and of which Daniel had 
 prophefied, was now rifing to a ftate of unex¬ 
 ampled, unheard of magnitude. This was Rome, 
 the haughty miftrefs of the world, who boafted 
 that the fun role and let in her dominions. She 
 gratified her own ambition, by trampling on the 
 civil rights of mankind ; but while Ihe was en- 
 Having the nations, God made her an inftru- 
 ment towards carrying the joyful found of the 
 gofpel throughout the Pleathen world. For al¬ 
 though it plealed divine wil'dom, to give power 
 to work miracles, and fpeak in unknown tongues, 
 yet this privilege leems to have been confined 
 to the apoftolic age. It was, therefore, an un- 
 fpeakable advantage to the world, that through¬ 
 out the Roman empire two languages only were 
 generally Ipoken, namely, Greek and Latin, and 
 it frequently happened, that fuch as learned the 
 one as the language of his country, acquired 
 the knowledge of the other, partly by reading, 
 and partly by converfation. 
 
 Such was the fftuation of the world, at the 
 time when God fent his only begotten Son to 
 juftify finners, both by his aCtive and paffive 
 obedience. But in what manner was this great 
 deliverer ufhered into the world ? Here angels 
 are loft in admiration j believers are filled with 
 gratitude; while the profane are left to mock. 
 The eternal Lord of heaven and earth, fubmit- 
 ted to lodge nine months in the womb of a poor 
 oblcure virgin, and although he was the king of 
 kings, and lord of lords, yet his mother, at the 
 command of a pagan emperor, was obliged to 
 leave the place of her nativity, and travel above 
 fixty miles, in a ftate of pregnancy, in order to 
 pay a poor infignificant poll-tax. Although he 
 was to have the heathen for his inheritance, aad 
 the uttermoft parts-of the earth for his pofieflion, 
 yet his mother was obliged to undergo the pains 
 of child-bearing in a liable, among beafts, and 
 inftead of a cradle, the long promifed Mefiiah 
 was laid in a manger. His life was fought after 
 greedily, by the bloody Herod, and his poor 
 reputed parents, were obliged to travel for (bel¬ 
 ter into Egypt, taking along with them, him who 
 was to cloath finners with a robe of righteouf- 
 nefs. In a humble, obfeure ftation, the Eternal 
 Son of God, and who thought it no robbery to 
 be equal to God, and to be God himfelf, lived 
 till he was thirty years of age, along with his 
 reputed parents. The time in the eternal de¬ 
 cree of God, was fixed for his entering upon 
 his public miniftry, and then Chrift Jefus, that 
 he might confer honour on his own forerunner, 
 John the Baptift, fubmitted to be baptifed in the 
 river Jordan, for although fpotlefs from every 
 impurity, yet he made the following declaration, 
 u that it behoved him to fulfill all rightcouf- 
 
 <f nefs. 
 
The CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 
 
 rio 
 
 <c nefs; that is, he was to comply with every 
 <c ceremony in the law, whether prefcribed or 
 u introduced.” From that period, till upwards 
 of three years after, he went about doing good, 
 from place to place, and from houle to houfe. 
 To the humble minded, the glory of his divinity 
 fhone through the veil of his humanity, and un¬ 
 der the charadter of a poor defpifed man, the 
 attributes of the Deity were feen. At laft the 
 Jews, who confidered him as an impoftor, be- 
 caul'e he did not make his appearance among 
 them with popular grandeur, brought a falfe 
 accufation againft him, and he was condemned 
 by the Roman power to be crucified, a death 
 only inflidted on flaves; but all this had been 
 pointed out in the prophefies, long before (Thrift 
 made his appearance in the world, but the hearts 
 of the Jews were hardened, and they could not 
 fee the glory of their own Mefiiah. 
 
 It has been objected by the deifts, why might 
 not an angel, or even a human being, have fuffeFed 
 for the fins of mankind, upon the fuppofition of 
 there being any necefiity for an attonement ? 
 To this it is anfwered; firft, that there was an 
 ablolute necefiity for an attonement; for with¬ 
 out that, offending men could never have been 
 reconciled to an offended God. Secondly, nei¬ 
 ther a human being, nor an angel, could make 
 an attonement; for the guilt having been con- 
 tradted in confequence of the breach of a Di¬ 
 vine law, prefcribed by an infinite being, it was 
 necefiary that an infinite being fhould make the 
 proper fatisfadtion. Laftly, whatever regard may 
 be paid to the arguments here laid down, we 
 ihali only anfwer, that this fcheme of Divine 
 Redemption was projedted by unerring wifidom; 
 by that wifdom it was carried on, and by Al¬ 
 mighty power, it has rifen triumphant over all 
 oppofition. Again, it has been objedted, why 
 did Chrill fubmit to lay his head in the lilent 
 grave? to This it is anfwered, that it was done 
 in order to complete the whole fcheme of redemp¬ 
 tion ; and in this fentiment we are countenanced, 
 not only by all the antient Chriftian fathers, but 
 alio by the argumentive reafoning of the late 
 lord chancellor King, who was an ornament to 
 his country, and an honour to the Cliriftian reli¬ 
 gion. 
 
 And firff, the reafon why he fubmitted to be 
 buried, was, that he might encourage his faith¬ 
 ful followers to meet death with fortitude, and 
 lay down their heads in the grave, in hopes of a 
 blefied refurredtion to immortality. He fandti- 
 fied the grave for us poor finners, and as death 
 could not detain him in a ftate of mortality, io 
 death fhall not have dominion over his follow¬ 
 ers, who are not under the law, but under grace. 
 
 Secondly, our Saviour fubmitted to be buried, 
 and went into the ftate of the dead, that he might 
 complete the whole work of his humiliation. 
 As he humbled himfelf and became obedient 
 unto death, even the death of the crofs, fo he 
 fubmitted ftill farther to be buried, and his foul 
 went to that place where the lpirits of juft men 
 are waiting to be made perfedt. 
 
 Thirdly, he laid himfelf down in the grave, 
 and his foul went into the invifible regions, that 
 he might triumph over principalities and powers, 
 and this be was to do in his own proper pedbn, 
 to convince the grand adverfary of mankind of 
 
 his Almighty power, and to encourage his faith¬ 
 ful followers to believe that he is able to condudb 
 them through time, and make them happy in 
 eternity. 
 
 Laftlv, the principal end of our Saviour’s 
 delcent into the grave, and into the invifible re¬ 
 gions below, was, that he might fubjedt himfelf 
 to the laws of death, and be in every thing con¬ 
 formable to them; for feeing that he became our 
 high'-prieft to redeem and lave us, it behoved 
 him in all things to be like unto us, fin only ex¬ 
 cepted. Therefore when he died, his body, like 
 unto ours, was committed to the grave, and his 
 l'pirit fled to the receptacle of blefied fouls, where 
 it waited till his refurredtion. 
 
 Hitherto we have beheld our mediator and re¬ 
 deemer in the inglorious and mean eftate of his 
 humanity, throughout all theftag.es of that tem¬ 
 poral life he fubmitted to for our fakes. We have 
 attended him to the moft abafing period, namely, 
 the leparation of his two efiential parts, the foul 
 and the body, and the configning of them to 
 their refpedlive manfions and habitations. His 
 exaltation now follows, and that fun of righ- 
 teoufnefs, which fat in rednefs and obfeurity, 
 arofe with light and fplendour. The earth could 
 not'detain his body, nor the receptacle of de¬ 
 parted fpirits his foul, but each were obliged to 
 deliver up their prey. It had been prophefied, 
 that the fun of righteoufnefs fhould arife with 
 healing under his wings, and this was accom- 
 pliftied in the moft ftriking manner, when our 
 Saviour rofe from the grave. He triumphed 
 over the power of death and hell; he led capti¬ 
 vity captive, and gave gifts for man, even for the 
 rebellious, that God the Lord might dwell among 
 them. But here it is objedted by the deifts, 
 why did not he fhew himfelf openly to thofe 
 rulers of the Jewifh people, who had condemned 
 him as an impoftor ? The anfwer is obvious, they 
 were unworthy of luch a favour, they had rejected 
 the evidence of their own fenfes while he was 
 daily working miracles among them, and no 
 doubt, but had he appeared to them after his re¬ 
 furredtion, they would have treated him in the 
 fame contemptible manner. 
 
 St. Aujiin fays, c£ there is a certain meafure of 
 £c fin and of grace, after which God withdraweth 
 “ himfelf.” During forty days Chrift converted 
 with his difciples, and then he afcended into 
 heaven, where he fat down at the right-hand of 
 his father, and fhall remain until he comes to 
 judge the world in righteoufuefs. But the Di¬ 
 vine Redeemer did not forget his glorious mif- 
 fion here below. While in a ftate of humiliation, 
 he told his difciples, that he would be with them 
 to the end of the world. cc Becaufe I live, ydu 
 c< fhall live alio.” And confequently we find, 
 that a few days after his refurredtion, he lent the 
 Holy Ghoft, in a moft miraculous manner, up¬ 
 on his difciples; and thus from beginnings the 
 moft weak, and by means the moft defpicable 
 in human eftimation, the little itone cut out of 
 the rock became an exalted mountain, and 
 dafhed in pieces every thing that oppofed it; and 
 this leads us naturally into that part of our nar¬ 
 rative which, in the firft place, prefents itfelf to 
 our confideration. 
 
 For fome time after our Saviour’s refurredtion, 
 his difciples preached to none, except thofe of 
 
 the 
 
The CHRISTIAN RELI 
 
 the circumcifion, whether Jews or prolelytes, and 
 this was done, that the faithfulncls of God mivht 
 Ihine confpicuous, who had promifed that the 
 offers of grace and falvation (hotild firft be made 
 to Ifrael. This plan, however, was foon fuc- 
 ceeded by one of a much more enlarged nature; 
 for as it had been foretold, that the Meffiah 
 fhould be a light to lighten the Gentiles, fo 
 it was necefiary that the apoftles fhould extend 
 their labours all over the world. Wherever they 
 went to preach the gofpel, it was their conftant 
 practice, to ordain tiie firff fruits of their labours 
 to the work of the miniftry; or in other 
 wolds, their firft converts were appointed elders 
 in the churches. Thefe elders, bifhops, or 
 mimfters, are generally mentioned in the plural 
 number, in the account we have of churches in 
 the New Teftament. _ For this there might be 
 many particular reafons, which have not been 
 tranfmitted to us, though there are feveral others 
 to which we need not be Arrangers. Firft, the 
 violence of the perfecution was fuch, that many 
 of thefe elders were put to death, and it was 
 therefore neceffary, that there fhould be fome 
 always ready to fucceed them. Secondly, their 
 ftruft attention to the duties of their ftation, found 
 them fo much employment, that it was nee'effary 
 to have more than one in a church. Laftly, it 
 feems to have been a temporary inftitution for 
 the advantage of the church, in its infancy, to 
 inftruct tiie converts, who were extremely nu¬ 
 merous, and to guard them againft relapfing in¬ 
 to idolatry; but it does not appear that this 
 office was to be perpetual; for it is certain, 
 even before the death of the apoftle St. John, 
 that many churches had but one elder or bifhop 
 each. Thus we find Ignatius fettled at Antioch 
 and Polycarp at Smyrna; both of whom were 
 diftiples to the apoftles. The bufinefs of the 
 bifhops, or elders, was to preach to the people 
 to pray with them, and adminifter the facraments! 
 
 1 he iecond order in their churches was that of 
 deacons, and from amongft them, the bifhops were 
 generally elefted. Their office was, to vifit the 
 lick, to pray with them, and in times of perfe¬ 
 cution, to affift the bifhop in vifiting the people, 
 from houfe to houfe. Holy and humble, as the 
 followers of their divine mafter, they led their 
 people as a fhepherd does his flock, nor could 
 the fear of death prevent them from vifiting and 
 admimftring confolation to fuch as were in pri- 
 fon. During their leilure hours, they followed fe- 
 cular employments, that theirpeople mightnbtbe 
 burdened to fupport them, but whenever a fup- 
 port was wanting, it was chearfully granted them, 
 ill their drels, they were extremely plain, for 
 they minded chiefly fpiritual things, waiting for 
 the coming of their Lord. It is plain, that fuch 
 as were Jews, and embraced the Chriftian reli- 
 gion, were at liberty to praftife their own rites and 
 ceremonies, but they were not to impofe them 
 on others; but this fell into difrefpeft, and lewiffi 
 ceremonies were feldom ufed after the deftruc- 
 tion of Jerufalem. 
 
 Such was the ftate of the Chriftian church, dur¬ 
 ing the age of the apoftles, and it is generally 
 allowed, that few ceremonies were obferved till 
 the time of Conftantine the Great. All deno¬ 
 minations of Proteftants allow this, the greateft 
 writers of our eftablifhed church have proved 
 
 GION. 
 
 it, nor indeed do any of the learned Roman 
 Catholics fay much againft the Proteftants We 
 ffiall now attend to the Chriftian form of worffiip 
 till Conftantine the Great depreffed the pow£ 
 of the Heathens, and granted the followers of 
 our Lord a civil eftablifhrttent throughout every 
 part of the empire. 
 
 When the congregation was affembled, the 
 tint part of divine worffiip was to read a portion of 
 the facred fenptures, and befides the feriptures, 
 they often read epiftles from neighbouring 
 churches, particularly fuch as related to the 
 martyrdom of thofe who had laid down their 
 lives for the truth. The perfon who read to the 
 congregation, was one who was a candidate for 
 holy orders, and he was called the clerk, or more 
 frequently the reader. The place from whence 
 he read was an eminence in the church where lie 
 could be feen and heard by all the people. This 
 eminence was called pulpitum, from whence our 
 word pulpit is derived. No perfon was permit¬ 
 ted to fpeak while he read, for during the three 
 firft centuries of Chriftianity, refponfes were 
 not ufed in the church. How much was read 
 at a time is not certainly known, but it appears 
 that it was fometimes more or lefs, according as 
 circumftanccs varied the cafe, for the Chriftians 
 were often obliged to meet privatelyin the night. 
 
 Wnfn the reading of the feriptures was over 
 then followed the finging ofpfalms, which made 
 a confiderable part of their fervice; for as Pliny 
 writes, they met together an hour before day to 
 fing an hymn to Chrift, and this was done to ele¬ 
 vate the mmd by heavenly raptures of praile 
 and adoration, and to raife a pious foul into a 
 greater degree of admiration of God's love and 
 bounty. What thofe pfalms were which they 
 lung, is a queftion which ffiould be refolved 
 and in doing this we are not left in the dark’ 
 or we have the teftimony of the molt learned 
 fathers to fupport us. 
 
 i I he !f i 1V j ne f0ngS ’ were either fuch they 
 had collected out of the facred feriptures, par- 
 
 ticularly the book of pfalms, or fuch as were of 
 their own private compofing. As for the man- 
 ner of finging there was not a fixed rule, every 
 church being at liberty to make choice of what 
 they molt approved of, for it was the matter, 
 lather than the manner, that was attended to. 
 
 In fome churches, the people fung all together 
 in conceit, and in others they fung alternately. 
 As for organs or any other fort of inftrumental 
 mulic, it was not then known in the church ■ for 
 it cannot rationally be fuppofed, that in thofe 
 days of almoft continual perfecution, they could 
 either ufe or preferve them. 
 
 When the finging was over, the bifhop ftood 
 up and delivered the I'ermon, which generally 
 laltcd an hour, but feldom more. It confifted 
 in an explication of what had been read in the 
 lefions, and concluded with fome practical in- 
 erences. As foon as the fermon was ended, all 
 prelent in the congregation rofe up to prefent 
 their public prayers unto Almighty God, which 
 according to the evidence of Juftin Martyr, 
 Cyprian, andm any others of the fathers, were offer¬ 
 ed generally (landing, particularly on Sunday, for 
 on that day it was confidered as a fin to kneel 
 Indeed, the preacher generally concluded his 
 lermon with an exhortation to the people to Hand 
 F f up, 
 

 t£ 
 
 14 
 
 
 . • 
 
 m 
 
 up, as will appear from the following fpecimen 
 of one of Origin’s. tc Wherefore Handing up, 
 
 “ let us beg help from God ; let us pray that we 
 <c may be made worthy of Jelus Chrift ; let us 
 “ offer up facrifices to the father through Jefus 
 “ Chrift, who is the propitiation of our fins, 
 
 <c to whom be glory and dominion, for ever and 
 ic ever. Amen.” 
 
 Accordingly, the whole congregation flood up, 
 and turned their faces to the eaft, in which at¬ 
 titude they continued during the time of prayer j 
 but here it will be neceftary, that we fhould ac¬ 
 count for this ceremony. Firft, it was aftigned 
 by many of the fathers as a reafon for praying to 
 the eaft, that it was the moft excellent quarter of 
 the world, becaufe it was lymbolical of the glo¬ 
 rious light which arofe upon the heathen world ; 
 for as the fun gives light to the world, fo does 
 the golpel to finners. Blip the beft realon aftigned 
 for this praflice is, that they mifunderftood the 
 prophecy of Zechariah vi. 12. where it is laid, 
 
 < c Behold the man whofe name is the Branch ;” 
 and becaufe they did not underftand Hebrew, they 
 ufed the Septuagint verfion, where the word 
 Branch is tranflated the Eajl. 
 
 The congregation being thus turned towards 
 the eaft, they put themfelves in a praying pof- 
 ture, ftretching out their hands, and lifting up 
 their eyes to heaven ; when the minifter laid, 
 •« Lift up your hearts.” After this, the mi¬ 
 nifter began to pray ; but here it is neceftary we 
 fhould take fome notice of the habit in which he 
 Officiated, and with refpefl to this, we fhall only 
 repeat what has been left on record by the fathers 
 who lived in thofe times. 
 
 His ufual garb was a Pallium, which was the 
 fame with what we call a cloak ; for that being 
 the moft plain, fimple garment, it was worn by 
 the Chriftians in general, in preference to the 
 Toga, or Roman gown, which was more gay and 
 fplendid. Therefore we find, that thofe who 
 embraced Chriftianity, quitted the Tog.i and put 
 on the Pallium , as a fign of humility, and indi¬ 
 cating their being dead to the world. This mean 
 habit induced the heathens to ridicule the primi¬ 
 tive Chriftians j for in the works of Tertullian, 
 there is extant an effay, entitled, a Defence of 
 the Cloak. Tertullian adds further, that 
 no veftments were worn over the cloak, and 
 ipeaks againft fome preachers in his time who 
 ufed to throw off their cloaks, which he con¬ 
 demns as a luperftitious affedlation, and a hea- 
 rfhenilli cuftom. “ So, lays he, the heathens 
 “ pray to their gods, which, if it ought to have 
 <c been done, would have been enjoined by the 
 « apoftles, who have given direflions concern- 
 <f ing the manner of prayer.” 
 
 Prayer was delivered with a modeft, balhful 
 voice,'that being moft proper for thofe who came 
 to acknowledge the multitude and heinoufnefs of 
 their fins, and beg God’s pardon and grace, which 
 are the chief parts of prayer; mufick being 
 more proper for praife and thankfgiving. When 
 prayer was concluded, the people laid Amen, or 
 So he it, and fometimes the Lord’s prayer was 
 ufed, and at other times omitted. Thus in the 
 divine and heavenly prayer of Polycarp, when 
 chained to the ftake, the conclusion runs in the 
 following words : tc Lord, I will praiie thee, I 
 
 “ will blefs thee, I will magnify thee, through 
 tc the eternal high prieft, Chrift Jefus thy be- 
 t£ loved fon, by whom, to thee, with him and the 
 tc holy ghoft, be glory, now and for ever. Amen.” 
 
 Every bilhop prayed in what words he pleafed, 
 but no doubt they were fuch as were proper to 
 elevate the mind to the higheft ftrains of devo¬ 
 tion. We do not mean to fay, that they did not 
 occafionally ufe forms, for, probably, many of 
 them did, but only that they were not impofed, 
 one bilhop ufing one form, and another ufing 
 another; others did not ufe any. But what¬ 
 ever forms they ufed, they could not be read out 
 of a book, which is evident from the pofture in 
 which they flood, which was either with their 
 eyes lifted up to heaven, or with them fhut. 
 Thus Origin lays, that, {c A true Chriftian prays 
 <c in everyplace, clofing the eyes of his fenfes, 
 
 “ but opening thofe of his mind.” Now let them 
 have prayed in either of thefe pollutes, it will 
 appear evident that they could not read; for how 
 could they turn over the leaves of the book, 
 while their hands were ftrctched out towards 
 heaven in the form of a crofs, or when their eyes 
 were fhut ? 
 
 The laft thing to be laid concerning their 
 prayets, is to enquire whether they ufed only one 
 at a time, or whether a great many ftiort collects, 
 as we do in our public worfhip. In anfwer to 
 this, all we can fay, with any degree of proba¬ 
 bility is, that for the eafe of the bifhops on fail 
 days, when the fervice was three times as long as 
 on other days, they might ufe fevcral fhort col- 
 ledls; but this we advance rather by way of con¬ 
 jecture, than as amounting to a full proof. 
 
 Baptifm is the next ceremony to be taken no¬ 
 tice of, and here it will be neceftary to point out, 
 firft, who baptized ? fecondiy, who were bap¬ 
 tized ? and lailly, the manner of baptizing? And 
 firft, the perfon baptizing was ufually the 
 bilhop or prefident of the church; for after 
 the beginning of the fecond century, when the 
 churches were greatly increafed in the number 
 of members, and the bilhop was not able to dif- 
 charge the whole of the duty, a new order was 
 inftituted, called Prelbyters. Thefe prefbyters 
 were chofen from among the people, and ordain¬ 
 ed in the fame manner as the bilhop; but although 
 they aftifted him in all the facred offices, yet the 
 chief parts, particularly the celebration of the 
 facraments were difcharged by him as prefident, 
 if he was prefent. But by his conlent, even if 
 he was prefent, prelbyters and deacons were per¬ 
 mitted to do all thefe things, and this was the 
 more neceftary, as it frequently happened, that 
 the bifhop was confined in prilon for preaching 
 the gofpel, a truth which moft of them fealed 
 with their own blood. 
 
 Secondly, with relpeCl to the perfons who were 
 baptized ; all that we can learn, is, that they were 
 of two forts, namely, they were either infants, or 
 perfons grown up, to years of maturity. Infants 
 were the children of Chriftian parents, and grown 
 perfons were fuch as had been converted from 
 Pagan idolatry. That infants were baptized, 
 appears evident from many confiderations; 
 baptifm was always precedent to the Lord’s 
 Supper, and none were admitted to receive the 
 Lord's Supper till they were baptized. This is 
 
 1b 
 
 4 
 
The CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 
 
 To obvious that it needs no proof, for if any one 
 doubts of it, he may find a thoufand proofs in 
 the writings of Ireneus and Juftin Martyr , who 
 were among the firft of the fathers that lived 
 neareft to the apoftolic age. We do not intend 
 here to infinuate, that all the churches were una¬ 
 nimous in their confent, that the baptifm of in¬ 
 fants was a gofpel dottrine, but only that it was 
 generally pra6lifed as coming in the room of the 
 facrament of circumcifion. This is not to be 
 wondered at, when we confider what a near affi¬ 
 nity there was between the Jewifli and Chriftian 
 fyftems : the one was the fliadow of good things 
 to come, the other was the completion of all the 
 prophefies and promifes. 
 
 The perfon, if advanced in years, was firft 
 alked feveral queftions by the biffiop, concerning 
 his knowledge of the principles of the Chriftian 
 faith ; as, firft, whether he abjured the devil and 
 all his works ? and, lecondly, whether he affented 
 to all the articles of the Chriftian faith propofed 
 to him ? By thefe articles of the Chriftian faith 
 is generally underltood that fymbol called the 
 Apoftles Creed but this is falfe, for before the 
 time of the emperor Conftantine, the creed called 
 the Apoftles, was not known. Previous to that 
 period every church had its own creed, but ftill 
 in effentials they agreed j they all agreed in the 
 fundamental articles of religion, but they often 
 differed with refpe<ft to dilputed points. This, 
 however, made no breach in the unity of faith ; 
 for although they differed in fmaller matters, 
 yet they were all united in thofe things that re¬ 
 lated to their eternal falvation ; they lived in 
 harmony together, and they confidered each 
 other as brethren. 
 
 Thirdly, let us attend to the manner of bap¬ 
 tifm, one of the moft folemn rites in the Chrif- 
 tianchurch ; for as a perfon who enters into a 
 military life fwears to be obedient toftis general, 
 fo the Chriftian at baptifm fwears to ferve faith¬ 
 fully the captain of his falvation, the Lord Jelus 
 Chrift. And the firft part of the ceremony was 
 exorcifm, which was the cafting out the devil, 
 or the unclean fpirit. This pradtice they founded 
 upon an explanation of our Lord’s farewell 
 difcourfe to his difciples, Mark xvi. 17, 18. 
 There Chrift commanded them to go forth, 
 preaching the'gofpel, and to baptize ; which was 
 to be an unalterable, perpetual miniftration, to 
 the end of the v/orld. Then he proceeds to tell 
 them, that for the fpeedier propagation of the 
 gofpel, and that the heathens might the more 
 readily embrace it, he would confer on them, 
 and the firft preachers thereof, the gift of work¬ 
 ing miracles. That is, they fliould in his name 
 caft out devils, and fpeak in unknown tongues, 
 as they moft eminently did on the day of Penti- 
 coft ; that they fliould, without being injured, 
 take up ferpents, as St. Paul did at Malta ; and 
 if by accident they drank any deadly thing, it 
 lhould not hurt them. It was added, that by 
 laying their hands on the fick, they fliould heal 
 them; and all this they did, as we are affured by 
 ecclefiaftical hiftorians. 
 
 However, all thefe were extraordinary gifts, 
 that were to laft no longer than the apoftolic age ; 
 but we find that their immediate fucceffors, and 
 even down to the time of Conftantine the great, 
 they believed them to be ordinary, and of a fixed 
 
 nature. In the aft or ceremony of exorcifm, the 
 bifliop,or whoever officiated for him, commanded 
 the unclean fpirit to depart out of the catechumen, 
 ufing feveral prayers fuitable to the occafion, 
 with impofition of hands. Next followed bap¬ 
 tifm itfelf, and the perfon being ready to be bap¬ 
 tized, the minifter by prayer confecrated the 
 water for that ufe, and baptized him in the name 
 of the father, and of the fon, and of the holy 
 ghoft. As to the form of baptizing, it feems to 
 have been by dipping the whole body, except in 
 cafes of ficknefs, when the life of the perfon 
 might have been in danger. If the perfon bap¬ 
 tized by fprinkling happened to recover, he waj 
 generally re-baptized by immerfion; and no 
 perfon could be admitted to holy orders who had 
 not been baptized in this latter form. 
 
 Juftin Martyr, who lived about the middle of 
 the fecond century, relates, that when baptifm 
 was over, the perfon baptized was admitted into 
 the number of the faithful, and received the 
 other facrament of the Lord’s-Supper with the 
 reft of the congregation j who fent up their united 
 prayers to God for him. From this circumftance 
 as related by Juftin Martyr, it appears that 
 prayers only followed after baptifm 3 but foon 
 after his time fome other rites were introduced, 
 which although In themfelves rather of an indif¬ 
 ferent nature, yet, in after ages, were very much 
 abided, and upon them was railed a fyftem of 
 fuperftition. 
 
 The firft of thefe ceremonies, which probably 
 was introduced in the church towards the latter 
 end of the fecond century, was called undtion, 
 or anointing, which ceremony they borrowed 
 from the Jews ; for Tertullian writes, <c This 
 “ undtion is according to the Jewifli dilpenfation, 
 “ wherein the high-prieft was anointed with oil 
 <f out of an horn, as Aaron was by Mofes.” 
 The defign was, that they might be confidered 
 by their' brethren as confecrated perfons, like 
 Chrift, who is often called the anointed of God. 
 
 The fecond of thefe rites was, the marking 
 the baptized perfon on the forehead with the fign 
 of the crofs, by which was denoted that they 
 were to be ftrong and valiant in the caufe of 
 Chrift, having their hearts fortified and (Length¬ 
 ened ■, and therefore it was made on the moft 
 vifible part of the body, the forehead, which is 
 the feat of courage and confidence. As the 
 Chriftians in their affiidted perfecuted ftate, could 
 not prevent the heathens from coming into their 
 affemblies, fo we find, that part of the informa¬ 
 tions exhibited againft them was, that they made 
 the fign of the crofs on their foreheads, that they 
 might fight for Jelus Chrift againft the emperors. 
 The confequence was, that the firft part of their 
 punilhment confided in marking with a hot iron 
 the fign of the crofs on their foreheads. Another 
 ceremony was impofition of hands, or what has 
 been fince called confirmation ; and this was 
 pradbifed from an opinion, that baptifm was not 
 perfect without it. 
 
 Confirmation was confidered in the fame light 
 as we do abfolution of fins, as appears from the 
 united teftimonies of all the Chriftian fathers who 
 lived between the death of Juftin Martyr, and 
 the reign of Conftantine the Great, and although 
 the ceremony was in its own nature Ample, inno¬ 
 cent, and expreffive, yet we fine]* that it was af¬ 
 terwards 
 

 I & ‘ 
 
 r * 
 
 M 
 
 The C H R I S T I 
 
 tenvards ufed to a bad purpofe, by placing too 
 much confidence in it. But the ceremony of 
 confirmation was not confined to a fingle inftance 
 in the life of one perl'on, for as many of the 
 primitive Chriftians, through fear of perfecution, 
 relapfed into idolatry, and were again reftored to 
 the bofom of the church; l'o it was neceffary, be¬ 
 fore they were re-admitted, that they fhould be 
 confirmed. It may be further added, that pref- 
 byters had a right to confirm, as well as biftiops, 
 their ordination being the fame, the difference 
 confiding only in dignity and power. 
 
 Having faid thus much concerning the firft fa- 
 crament of the Chriftian church, baptifm, we 
 Ihall now proceed to confider in what manner the 
 primitive Chrillians adminiftered the fecond, 
 railed the Eucharift, or the Lord’s Supper. And 
 in treating on this, that the reader may be led 
 into a methodical fyftem, we ihall point out, firft, 
 the time when, fecondly, the perfons by whom, 
 and laftly, the place where it was adminiftered, 
 or in the language of home divines, folemnized. 
 
 Firft, as for the time, it was generally at the 
 conclufion of their folemn fervices ; for as Juftin 
 Martyr writes, “ after they had read, fung, 
 
 “ preached, and prayed, they proceeded to ad- 
 “ minifter the Eucharift.” But as for the parti¬ 
 cular time, there was no rule, in general ; every 
 particular church fixing the time according to 
 the nature of their circumftances. In the age 
 of Tertullian, who lived about the latter end of 
 the fecond, and the beginning of the third cen¬ 
 tury, they received it in the evening, which in¬ 
 duced the heathens to accufe them with putting 
 out their lights, and mixing together in an inde¬ 
 cent manner. This, however, was a falfe accu- 
 fation ; for the Chriftians avoided oftentation in 
 their lacred myfteries, on account of the cruelties 
 infiifted upon all thole who had the unhappinefs 
 to be informed againft, and dragged before the 
 pro-confulof the province where they refided. 
 
 Pliny, a heathen, in his letter to the emperor 
 Trojan, fays, that the Chriftians met before fun- 
 rifing to celebrate their myfteries; but inftead 
 of accufing them of any crimes, he fays, that 
 they bound themfelves by an oath, not to injure 
 any one, to be obedient to the civil powers, and 
 to contribute towards relieving the w ants of their 
 brethren, according to the nature of their cir- 
 cumftances, for every one was at liberty to give 
 what he pleal'ed. St. Cyprian, bifhop of Car¬ 
 thage, fays, that fome received the Eucharift in 
 the morning, and others in the evening; from all 
 which we may learn, that the meetings of the 
 Chriftians were not exaftly fixed, but that they 
 met together as often as they had opportunities, 
 only that they preferred the firft day of the week, 
 now called Sunday, to all other times whatever. 
 
 Secondly, the perfons communicating, were not 
 all who profeflfed the Chriftian faith ; for Origin 
 writes, that it did not belong to every one to eat 
 of the bread, and drink of the cup, in the lacra- 
 ment. This privilege was referved for thofe 
 whole charafteis were unfpotted, and who lived 
 holy lives in the fear of God, in the praftice of 
 religious duties ; by all which they did honour to 
 their Divine Redeemer. Now, as none but the 
 faithful and the pious were admitted to this la¬ 
 cred ordinance, fo it will naturally be inferred, 
 that catechumens, who had not been properly 
 
 AN RELIGION. 
 
 inftrufted, and relapfed penitents who had re¬ 
 turned from idolatry, were excluded. Thus 
 when the common fervice was over, and the con¬ 
 gregation of the faithful were going to approach, 
 the facred table of the Lord, all the penitents 
 who had not been reconciled, and the cathechu- 
 mens, who had not been properly inftrufted, 
 were defired to withdraw; and, however 
 juft and equitable, filch an inftitution might 
 appear to an unprejudiced man, yet partly 
 from the unjuft accufation of falfe brethren, and 
 more gcnenerally from the malice ot the hea¬ 
 thens, particularly their priefts, the civil gover¬ 
 nors were made'to believe, that the Chriftians 
 praftifed unnatural crimes ; an accufation, not 
 only unjuft, but in all refpefts contrary to their 
 principles, which were pure and holy. 
 
 Thirdly, let us now attend to the manner of 
 celebrating the Eucharift, but here it is neceffary 
 to obfierve that the external rites were not always 
 the fame, for in fome parts they made offerings 
 to the poor before the minifter confecrated (he 
 elements, and in other parts of the world it was 
 done afterwards. In general the rule was for the 
 minifter, bifhop, or prefbyter, or by what other 
 name he was called, to begin with an explanation 
 of the facrament, and an exhortation to the 
 faithful to receive it in a worthy manner. After 
 the exhortation, the minifter prayed for a bleff- 
 ing on the elements, to which the people gave 
 their affent, by faying Amen. This prayer was 
 one, but it confided of two parts, namely, peti¬ 
 tion and thankfgiving. In the former, they prayed 
 for the peace of the church, the quiet of the 
 world, the health of the emperors, and in a word 
 for all men who needed their prayers. In the 
 latter, they thanked God for lending JefusChrift, 
 his foil, into the world, and for the inftitution 
 of the facrament of the Lord’s Supper, and dur¬ 
 ing this folemn aft, the minifter took both the 
 bread and wine into his hands and conlccrated 
 them at once. 
 
 Prayer being ended, the words of inftitution 
 were read, that fo the elements might be confe¬ 
 crated by the word as well as by prayer. Then 
 the minifter took the bread, and having broken 
 it, gave it to the deacons, who diftributed it to 
 the communicants. It happened, however, in 
 fome places, that the minifter himfelf went round 
 with the bread and wine to the communicants ; 
 for ceremonies were but little attended to in 
 thofe ages by the Chriftians. In moft places 
 every individual had the bread and wine deliver¬ 
 ed to him, either by the bilhops or deacons; but 
 in the church of Alexandria, the whole was placed 
 on a table, and every one took what he pleafed. 
 As for the pofture of receiving the facrament, it 
 was different in various places. In Alexandria 
 the communicants ftood up and received the 
 elements, which was after the following manner; 
 The bread and wine being conlccrated, the faith¬ 
 ful came up in order to the communion table, 
 where Handing, they received the elements, and 
 then returned to their places again ; but although 
 this praftice was not univerfal, yet thus much 
 is certain, that no perfon could receive the Eu¬ 
 charift kneeling, between the feafts of Eafter 
 and Whitfunday, that pofture, during that time, 
 being abfolutcly prohibited by the church. 
 
 ~1' 1 __....I *.. 
 
 Tin 
 
 communicants having received the ele¬ 
 ments. 
 
The C H R I S T I A 
 
 ments, a pfalm, or hymn, was lung to the praife 
 and glory of God; for as Tertullian writes, 
 iC every one lung an hymn to God, either of his 
 tc own compofition, or out of the facred fcrip- 
 ,c tures.” Then followed the thankfgiving to 
 Almighty God, for his great mercies, and a col- 
 ledbion was made for the poor, which money was 
 left with the deacons, in order to be diftributed 
 among thole who were in want, and as the name 
 of every individual was known to the officers of 
 the church, fo deception leldom took place* 
 Having hitherto fpoken of the particular a< 5 ts 
 of public worlhip among the primitive Chriftians, 
 let us now enquire into thofe circumftances that 
 attended them ; that is, fuch as are infeparable 
 from all human adtions, fuch as place, time, ha¬ 
 bit, and gefture. Some of thefe things have 
 already been taken notice of, but to keep on in the 
 moll regular iyftematical manner poffible, we 
 fhall enlarge a little farther. And firft, as for 
 the place, all will readily grant, that it is, and 
 always mull have been a necefiary circumftance 
 of divine worffiip; for if we ferve God, it mull 
 be in one place or other. Now here it is ne- 
 ceffiary to propofe the following queftion : Had 
 the primitive Chriftians fixed and determined 
 places for public worlhip ? To this it is anfwer- 
 ed, that ulually they had, though in times of 
 perfecution it was often otherwife. Then, (as 
 Eufebius fays) they ufed to meet in fields, in 
 woods, in defarts, and fometimes in fhips that 
 lay near the fea coaft, yet in times of peace, they 
 chofe the moft convenient place they could get 
 for the performance of their folemn lervices, and 
 that was called a church. Thus at Rome, in 
 the time of Eufebius, the place where the Chrif¬ 
 tians met to chufe their biffiop, was called the 
 church. At Alexandria, much about the fame 
 time, the biffiop appointed women to fing to the 
 faithful, and the place where they were to offici¬ 
 ate, was the church. At Carthage, when a per- 
 fon renounced the devil, and was baptized, it 
 was in the church, the common name for the 
 place where the Chriftians aficmbled. 
 
 As for the form of their churches, we have 
 the following defeription of them in Tertullian: 
 <£ The houfe of our dove-like religion, is fimple, 
 <c built on high, and in open vew, refpedting 
 tc the light, as the figure of the Holy Gholt, 
 “ and the eaft, as the reprefentation of Chrift.” 
 The meaning is, that their churches were built 
 on high and open places, and made light and 
 ihining, in imitation of the defeent of the Holy 
 Ghoft upon the apoftles, at the feaft of Pente- 
 coft. As the moft conlpicuous part flood to¬ 
 wards the eaft, it was in honour of Chrift, whom 
 they imagined to be called the eaft, becaufe 
 they did not know the Hebrew, where the word 
 is. But, although they had thefe churches for 
 decency and conveniency, yet they never imagin¬ 
 ed there was any holinefs in them, fo as to re¬ 
 commend, or make more acceptable their fer- 
 vices to God, any more than if they had worffiip- 
 ed him in another place. 
 
 Time is another necefiary and indilpenfable 
 circumftance of religious worffiip, for while we 
 are in this world, we cannot join at all times to 
 ferve God. Thus we find, that under the law, 
 God inftituted the Sabbath, with other feftivals, 
 for the benefit of his people meeting together 
 io 
 
 N RELIGION. n $ 
 
 to worffiip him. And fo, under the Chriftian 
 difpenfation, there are times and feafons for wor- 
 fhip, for the benefit of the faithful, that they 
 may be built up in true holinefs. Now the prin¬ 
 cipal time was the firft day of the week, and it 
 was fometimes called the Chief of Days, the 
 Lord’s Day, and by feveral of the fathers, it is 
 called Sunday, although not often. It was kept 
 as a day of rejoicing in memory of Chrift’s re-^ 
 furredtion from the dead. On this day they met 
 together and performed all the adls of divine 
 worffiip, fuch as we have already deferibed, and 
 in private they fpent the day in the moft pious 
 and heavenly manner, in reading, praying, fing- 
 ing, and in holy converfation. 
 
 It was called Sunday, out of compliment to 
 the Heathens, that they might know when they 
 met, and be witnefies of the purity of their wor¬ 
 ffiip. But although they complied fo far with 
 the Heathens as to call it Sunday, yet from the 
 whole of their writings, they never called it the 
 Sabbath; and Juftin Martyr wrote a treatife 
 againft thofe who ufed Jewiih manners. But in 
 fome parts of Afia, where there were many Jews, 
 the Chriftians performed divine worlhip, both on 
 Saturdays and on Sundays, that they might con¬ 
 vince thofe infatuated people, that although 
 they worffiiped Chrift as their God, yet they 
 honoured Mofes, who was a divine law-giver. 
 
 But befides the firft day of the week, the Chrif¬ 
 tians had fome other times appropriated for 
 public worlhip, and thefe confifted of fails and 
 feafts. Their fails were either occafional or fix¬ 
 ed. Occafional fails were fuch as were not de¬ 
 termined by any fixed period of time, but ob- 
 ferved on extraordinary occafions, according as 
 the nature of their circumftances pointed out. 
 Thus, when a violent perfecution raged, they 
 kept fails, and confefled their fins, as being the 
 procuring caufes of the Divine difpleafure. In 
 the fame manner, when the empire was threat¬ 
 ened with any apparent danger, they kept fails, 
 and prayed for the profperity of thofe emperors, 
 by whofe cruel edidts they were perfecuted. 
 Thefe occafional fails were appointed by the 
 biffiops of every church, as they thought them 
 requifite ; for Tertullian writes, “ t-he biffiops 
 “ ordain fails for their churches, according as 
 cc the circumftances require.” 
 
 The other fort of fails were fixed ones, that 
 is, fuch as were always obferved at the fame 
 time and feafon, and thefe again were two-fold, 
 either weekly or annual. The weekly fails were 
 kept every Wednefday and Friday, and they 
 were called Stations, in allufion to the military 
 ilations, or the foldiers Handing while on guard; 
 why they failed on Wednefday does not appear 
 in any parts of the writings of the fathers, but on 
 Friday, they failed in memory of Chrift’s cruci¬ 
 fixion. 
 
 As for annual fails, they had but one, and 
 that was what we now call Lent. Two reafons 
 were affigned for their keeping this fail, and the 
 firft was founded upon the mifconftruclion of that 
 exprefiion, Matth. ix. 15. t£ The days will come 
 
 when the bridegroom ill all be taken from 
 “ them.” This they imagined to be an injunc¬ 
 tion of Chrift to all his followers, to fail at the 
 return of that feafon, when the bridegroom was 
 to be taken away; for the church is often com- 
 G g pared 
 
, 16 The C H R I S T I 
 
 pared to a bride, and Chrift to a bridegroom ; 
 intimating thereby, the fpiritual union that is be¬ 
 tween them. Therefore theie primitive Chrif- 
 tians confidered the time when the bridegroom 
 was to be taken away, to imply the period from 
 his crucifixion, till his refurredtion; and during 
 that time, they thought themfelves obliged to 
 faft. 
 
 Secondly, from hence we may obferve the du¬ 
 ration of this faft, or how long it was continued, 
 and that was from the time that Chrift the bride¬ 
 groom was taken away, to the time he was reftored 
 acrain ; that is, from his crucifixion to his rei'ur- 
 redtion. Now according to their various com¬ 
 putations of the beginning and end of Chrift’s 
 being taken away, lo was the duration of their 
 faft.° Some reckoned from the beginning of 
 Chrift’s agony in the garden, and others from his 
 being betrayed by Judas. Some again from the 
 time of his being nailed to the crols, and others 
 from his being actually dead; and fo according to 
 the diverfity of opinions and computations was 
 their faft of lent, either lengthened or Ihortened. 
 Thus Ireneus writes, cc fotne believe that they 
 “ mu ft faft but one day, others two, others more, 
 “ and fome that we fhould faft forty hours,” 
 which lalt fpace of time feems to have been ge¬ 
 neral among them. 
 
 In after-times, this faft was called Quadragefima, 
 that is, not a faft of forty days, in imitation of 
 Chrift’s falling in the wildernefs, but a faft of 
 forty hours, beginning at twelve o’clock on 
 Friday, about which time our Lord was dying, 
 and ending on Sunday morning, when he arole 
 from the grave ; fo that from twelve o’clock on 
 Good-Friday, as we call it, when Chrift the 
 bridegroom was taken away, they failed in obe¬ 
 dience to his command, as they imagined, till 
 Sunday morning, when he was found again by 
 his refurrection, at which time they forgot their 
 forrow and mourning, concluded their faft, and 
 began the joyful feaft of Eafter, or Chrift’s re- 
 iurredtion. 
 
 As for the manner of theie falls, they were 
 fomewhat different; as fil'd, there was the faft of 
 Rations, which ended at three o’clock in the af¬ 
 ternoon, or at the ninth hour, as it is called by 
 ViSlorinus an antient author, ft his fervice, a.s we 
 have already oblerved, was ufed on Wednefdays 
 and Fridays, and on them divine worfhip was 
 ended at three o’clock in the afternoon. 
 
 The fecond were the occafional falls, which 
 we have already mentioned, and theie lafted till 
 late in the evening, and here it may be necefiary 
 to obferve, that all occafional falls were kept in 
 the moll folemn manner, by prayers and inter- 
 cdfions. 
 
 The third fort of falls was called Superpofition , 
 and lafted till the morning of the next day. In 
 fome of the weftern churches, this faft began on 
 Saturday, and continued till Sunday morning; 
 but it differed much in the various parts of the 
 world, lome following one rule, and lome ano¬ 
 ther. And indeed, an unanfwerable reafon has 
 been alfigned, why they did keep theie falls at 
 different times, namely, that many Chriftian wo- 
 men were married to Pagan hulbands, and theie- 
 fore luch could not be up all the night without 
 making mifehief in their families, which is con¬ 
 trary to the goipel of peace; fo that the woman, 
 
 AN RELIGION. 
 
 in compliance with the duty lhe owed to her 
 hulband, refrained from filling on that night 
 which ufhered in Eafter. 
 
 As the falls oblerved by the primitive Chrif- 
 tians, were either occafional, or fixed, fo were 
 their feafts; but as for the occafional feafts, there 
 has been fo little controverly concerning them, 
 that we fhall only add, that many of them were 
 kept when fome of the heathens were converted,^ 
 and others in commemoration of a variety of 
 particular events. 
 
 Their fixed feafts were either weekly or annual, 
 and by weekly is meant, that they always oblerv¬ 
 ed the Sunday as a feaft, but it was fpent in the 
 moll folem a< 5 ls of Divine worfhip. Their an¬ 
 nual feafts were either thofe held in commemo¬ 
 ration of Chrift, or in honour of the martyrs. 
 Thofe in commemoration of Chrift, were at firft 
 only two, namely, Eafter and Whitfunday, but 
 afterwards we find Chriftmas added to them, and 
 of thefe wejhall treat in their proper order. 
 
 The moll antient feaft was that of Eafter, con¬ 
 cerning the folemnization of which among the 
 primitive Chriftians there never was the leaft 
 doubt; but there were violent difputes concern¬ 
 ing the time when it ftiould be kept. T. he 
 churches in the Lefter Afia, kept their Eafter on 
 the fame day the Jews kept their paffover, whe¬ 
 ther it happened on a Sunday or not ; but the 
 church of Rome kept it on the Sunday after¬ 
 wards. 
 
 This diverfity of cuftoms created much dif- 
 order, and many confufions in the Chriftian 
 church, for the church of Rome attempted to 
 impofe her ufages on all the Chriftian world, and 
 the churches of the Lefler Afia peremptorily re- 
 fufed to comply. To quell the ftorms and ap- 
 peafe thefe heats, the great and good Polycarp , 
 bifhop of Smyrna, went to Rome, and conferred 
 with Anicetus , bilhop of that church, who agreed 
 that every church ftiould follow their own cuf¬ 
 toms, and this they continued to do till the time 
 of pope Victor , who lived about the latter end 
 of the fecond century. This Vi A or was a man of 
 a violent temper, and fo turbulent a difpofition, 
 that he excommunicated all the churches in Afia, 
 calling them by the opprobrious name of here¬ 
 tics, becaufe they would not comply with the 
 cuftoms of the church of Rome. 
 
 But the churches in Afia flood their ground, 
 and maintained their old cuftom till the council 
 of Nice, 325, by their authority decided this con- 
 troverfy, decreeing, that throughout the whole 
 Chriftian world, Eafter fhould be oblerved on 
 the Sunday next after the Jewifli pafiover, and 
 fo it has continued in molt parts of the world ever 
 fince. 
 
 The next feaft obferved by the Chriftians, was 
 that of Whitfunday, or Pentecofl, in commemo¬ 
 ration of the defeent of the holy ghoft upon the 
 apoftles, which alfo was very antient, as appears 
 from the teftimonies of many of the fathers, par¬ 
 ticularly Origin and Tcrtullian. 
 
 As for Chriftmas, there is reafon to believe it 
 was not obferved by the Chriftians in the time of 
 Origin, who lived near about the middle of the 
 third century, and the reafon is plain, becaufe 
 they could not fix upon the day, nor even the 
 month. Indeed, there were fo many opinions 
 concerning the time when this molt important 
 
 event 
 
The CHRISTIA 
 
 event happened, that we are led to believe, 
 there were none of the primitive Chriftians who 
 obferved it before the time of Conftantine the 
 Great; that is, they did not keep it regular on 
 a particular day ; fome churches obferving one, 
 and fome another, while others paid no regard 
 to it at all. 
 
 Thus we find, that alinoft from the beginning 
 of Chriftianity, or at lead foon after the death 
 of the apoftles, Eafter and Whitfunday were both 
 celebrated as feftivals, but no notice was taken 
 of Chriftmas, till Chriftianity had received a civil 
 eftablilhment ; that is, it was not obferved in a 
 general way. The Bafilidians, a left often men¬ 
 tioned in ecclefiaftical hiftory, were the firft who 
 obferved what has been fince called Epiphany, 
 as the day on which Chrift was baptized, but in 
 the churches in general, little or no notice was 
 taken of it, becaufe all cuftoms, rites, or cere¬ 
 monies, firft introduced by heretics were little 
 regarded. 
 
 Befides thefe feftivals above-mentioned, there 
 were none others obferved to the honour of the 
 blefled Jefus, nor of the Virgin Mary, nor of any 
 of the apoftles and evangelifts, and which is very 
 remarkable, it is feldom or ever, that the antient 
 fathers, in their writings, gave the title of faints 
 to thofe holy perfons who propagated Chrifti¬ 
 anity, but ftile them limply, Peter, Paul, John, 
 &c. for the title of faint was introduced long 
 afterwards. But there was another fort of fefti- 
 val, which every church commemorated annu¬ 
 ally, in memory of thofe who had buffered mar¬ 
 tyrdom for the gofpel, and when they affembled 
 together in their churches, they recited the 
 glorious afls of their martyrs, and exhorted the 
 people to imitate them in an uniform courfe of 
 Chriftian duty. That this was their practice, 
 will appear evident, when we confider that the 
 truth of it is fupported by the teftimonies of 
 Cyprian, Tertullian, and many others, but when 
 it firft took place in the church cannot well be 
 alcertained at this diftance of time. The firft 
 inftance we have of it, is in the epiftle from the 
 church of Smyrna, giving an account of the 
 martyrdom of Polycarp, wherein they write, 
 that they had gathered up his bones, or rather 
 his allies, and buried them in a decent place, 
 where they were to meet once every year, and 
 celebrate his pious aflions with joy. And that 
 they might be very certain as to the day on 
 which the martyr fuffered, there was in each 
 church, a pcrfon appointed to take an account 
 of thefe things, and to keep a faithful regifter of 
 them ; of this we have an inftance in the works 
 of Cyprian, bilhop of Carthage, who, during his 
 exile, wrote to his clergy, defiring them to mark 
 clown the particular day upon which the martyrs 
 fuffered, that fo they might be commemorated 
 along with the reft of the faithful. In this ce¬ 
 remony they had two things in view, firft, to 
 animate and encourage others to follow the efio- 
 l'ious example of thofe bleifed martyrs, whole 
 bufferings were recited to them ; and fecondly, 
 to declare the veneration and refpefl: they had 
 for thofe Chriftian heroes and champions of Jefus 
 Chrift, who, by their martyrdoms, were now 
 freed from all their miferies and torments, and 
 tranfiated into a blefied and glorious immorta¬ 
 lity, and expecting the truth of that faying, that 
 
 N R E L I G I O N. tl y 
 
 the day of a man’s death is better than the day 
 of his birth. 
 
 As for the place, or places where thefe anniver- 
 fary folemnities were performed, it was at, or 
 near the tombs of the martyrs, who were ufually 
 buried with the reft of the faithful, in a diftinft 
 place from the Heathens ; it being their cuftoirl 
 to inter the Chriftians by themlelves, feparate 
 from the Pagans; accounting it an henious 
 crime to mingle their facred allies with thofe 
 of their idolatrous, and perfecuting neighbours. 
 And this was the reafon why the Chriftians would 
 run upon ten choufand hazards to coiled! the 
 fcattered members of the dead martyrs, and de¬ 
 cently to inter them in the common repofitory 
 of the faithful. The Chriftians had fuch refpedl 
 to the allies of their departed brethren who died 
 in the faith, that they thought they could not do 
 too much to honour them. 
 
 If, in the next place, it fliould be enquired, in 
 what manner they fpent the days appropriated for 
 thefe feftivals ? the anl'wer will be obvious. They 
 did not lpend them like the heathens, in riot and 
 debauchery, but in religious exercifes, praying 
 that God would give them grace and ftrength to 
 imitate thofe martyrs who had gone before them; 
 but during the whole of the period we are now 
 writing of, no prayers were offered to the dead. 
 That the circumftances related above might lead 
 to fuch a practice cannot be doubted, and the 
 whole may lerve to fhew, that the beft means 
 may be perverted to the word of purpofes. 
 
 As this is a very important period in the hiftory 
 of the Chriftian church, and as much has been 
 written concerning the rites and ceremonies, it 
 is necefi'ary that we fiiould, in this place, fay 
 lomcthing concerning both, becaufe we are of 
 opinion that too many confound the one with the 
 other. By rites are meant fuch abtions as have 
 a relation to the circumftances or manner of wor- 
 fiiip. , As for inftance : The facrament of the 
 Lord s Supper was to be received in one manner 
 or other, but whether from the bilhop or deacon, 
 was the nre ; Lent was to be obferved a cer¬ 
 tain fpace ol time, but whether one day, or two 
 days, or more, though not exceeding three days, 
 was the rite thereof; fo that rites are necef- 
 fary concomitants of the circumftances ofDivine 
 worlhip, appendages to them ; but they cannot 
 with propriety be called efiential parts, becaufe 
 Divine worlhip can exift without them. 
 
 By ceremonies, we are to underftand fuch 
 things as are noway connebted, either with the 
 manner or circumftances of Divine worlhip; but 
 that the adts thereof may be performed without 
 them. As for inftance, in fome churches they 
 gave to perfons whom they baptized, milk and 
 honey, and before they prayed, they wafiied their 
 hands. Now both thefe adtions were ceremo¬ 
 nies, becaufe they were not neceffary in dif- 
 charging the duty of Divine worlhip, unto which 
 they had been affixed ; but ftill thofe abls might 
 have been performed without the alfiftance of 
 Inch ceremonies; for furely baptiiin might have 
 been adminiftered without milk or honey, and 
 prayers offered up without walhing of hands. 
 And previous to our entering upon a fubfequent 
 part of this work, it will be neceffary to enquire 
 how, or in what manner, fuch ceremonies crept 
 into the Chriftian church, wliile it laboured un¬ 
 der 
 
118 The CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 
 
 der a ftate of perfecution, and long betore it re¬ 
 ceived a civil eftablifhment from the emperor 
 Conftantine the Great. 
 
 It is evident, that many ceremonies did creep 
 into the church in the moll early ages, but from 
 the beginning it was not fo; for loon after the 
 death of theapoftles, the church became gra¬ 
 dually fpotted in her dodlrine, as well as in her 
 worlhip ; for corruption in doftrine, and pollu¬ 
 tion in worlhip, go hand in hand together; they 
 are infeparable companions. Some eminent men, 
 in all other refpetfts, an ornament to the Chriftian 
 church, yet were lb weak, that they attached 
 themfelves to trifles and to ceremonies, upon 
 which they laid too much llrefs, and although 
 they did this with no evil intention, yet it was 
 perverted to the worlt of purpoles afterwards. 
 Some made ule of crofles to ftir up their devo¬ 
 tions, and others had recourle to many more in- 
 flgniflcant ceremonies ; and this being done, dur¬ 
 ing the heat of perfecution, may lerve to fhew, 
 that human nature, in its prefent depraved Hate, 
 is juft the fame as it has been in all ages. Sim¬ 
 plicity in the exterior parts of religion, will al¬ 
 ways point out a divine origin in all, but when hu¬ 
 man inventions are once mixed with the worlhip 
 of God, then the glorious fabric is deformed, 
 and the purity is fpotted. 
 
 Others again were introduced through a mil- 
 underftanding of l'ome pafiages in the lcripture ; 
 fuch were their exorcifm before baptifm, and their 
 unction, or anointing after it, as we have already 
 obferved. And laftly, fome of them crept in 
 through their dwelling among the Pagans, who, 
 in their ordinary converfation, ufed an almoft in¬ 
 finity of fuperftitions, and fome of thefe Pagans, 
 when converted to the Chriftian faith, brought 
 along with them fome of their innocent ceremo¬ 
 nies, as they efteemed them to be, either think¬ 
 ing them decent and uleful to ftir up their devo¬ 
 tions, or to gain over more heathens, who were 
 offended at the plainnels and fimplicity of the 
 Chriftian worfhip. 
 
 By thefe means, with others of a fimilar nature, 
 many ceremonies crept imperceptibly into the 
 church, of which Tertullian gives the following 
 levere cenfure ; “ That they are delervedly to be 
 t{ condemned as vain, becaule they are done 
 “ without the authority of any precept whatever, 
 “ either of our Lord or his apoftles; that they 
 ‘ c are not religious, but luperftitious, affeftfcd, 
 “ and conftrained, curious rather than reafon- 
 “ able, and to be abftained from, becaule hea- 
 “ thenifh.” Such are the words of Tertullian, 
 a learned prefbyter of the church of Carthage, 
 about the latter end of the i'econd century, and 
 as he was one of the moll eminent writers in thole 
 primitive times of Chriftianity, much regard 
 Ihould be paid to him. 
 
 But with relpeft to the ufe of the rites and 
 ceremonies hitherto mentioned, all churches 
 were left to their own difcrction, to follow their 
 own cuftoms and ufages, or to embrace thole of 
 others if they pleafed ; from whence it is that 
 we find fuch a variety of methods in their divine 
 fervice. Thus in fome churches the communi¬ 
 cants received the elements from the hands of 
 the bifhop, and others from the hands of the dea¬ 
 cons ; i'ome made a colle&ion before the facra- 
 inent, others after it; l'ome kept Lent one day, 
 
 fome two days, and others exactly forty hours. 
 Some kept Eafter on the fame day with the Jew- 
 ilh paiTover, while others kept it on the Sunday 
 following; and fo in many other things. 
 
 But although one church could not oblige ano¬ 
 ther to a conformity in rites and ceremonies, yet 
 a particular church or parilh could enforce it.; 
 own members to fuch a conformity; of which 
 we find many inltances in church hiftory, and in 
 the writings of the fathers. So that churches 
 might differ from each other, but particular mem¬ 
 bers could not form their own church ; which 
 ferves to ftiew, that they were charitable to each 
 other, and yet regular in their dilcipline. A 
 bifhop with the confent of his people might in¬ 
 troduce a new ceremony, but no individual was 
 to bring in new ones, much lei's was he to foment 
 tumults and diflentions ; which praiflice is con¬ 
 demned by the holy apoftle Paul in the following 
 words, “ But if any man l'eems to be contentious, 
 cc we have no fuch cuftoms, neither the churches 
 “ of God.” i Cor. xi, 16. Which is as if the 
 apoftle had laid, if any men, either to ftiew their 
 wit, or to lead and ftrengthen a party, will con- 
 tradid: what we have Paid, and affirm it to be de¬ 
 cent and comely, either for men to pray co¬ 
 vered or women uncovered, this Ihould filence 
 fuch oppofers, that there is no l'uch cuftoms in 
 the churches of God. 
 
 When a bifhop died, the whole congregation 
 met together to chul'e another in his room, and 
 as there were prefbyters and deacons after the 
 end of the fecond century, nay deacons from the 
 beginning, fo it was necefiary, as they lived in 
 the ftrideft harmony, that the laity, nay all the 
 members of the church whether males or females * 
 Ihould give their confent. There were feldom 
 any difputes among them, for when the bifhop 
 was elected by the majority, the minority were 
 obliged to fubmit; that is, they were not to 
 dillurb the peace of the church ; for with rel'ped 
 to the period we are here writing of, Chriftians 
 had no civil power to l'upport them. When the 
 people had thus eleded their bifhop, they pre- 
 fented him to the neighbouring bilhops for their 
 approbation and confent, becaufe without their 
 concurrence there could be no bifhop legally in- 
 ftituted or confirmed ; for as the people could 
 not befuppofed to be proper judges of their qua¬ 
 lifications, fo unlei's this method had been at¬ 
 tended to, ignorant and fcandalous perfons might 
 have crept into the office. 
 
 When the neighbouring biftiops had approved 
 of the eledion, the next thing to be done was to 
 proceed to his ordination, which was always 
 done in his own church, and by fome of the neigh¬ 
 bouring biftiops, but the nunlber has never been 
 ai'certained ; for although the book called the 
 Apoftolical Canons fays, that a bifhop ftiould be 
 ordained by two or three biftiops, yet that book 
 is of no great authority ; and from all we can 
 learn of ordination in the writings of the antient 
 fathers, it is evident that three generally attended 
 this facred ceremony. The number, however, 
 was not confined to three ; for if more attended, 
 it was confidcred as more valid and honourable. 
 
 | The ordination or conlecration being over, which 
 I was done by impofition of hands, and a charge 
 to the new bifhop, he w'as delivered to the con- 
 1 gregation as their fhepherd or paftor, and from 
 
The CHRISTI A 
 
 that time he took upon himfelf the care of the 
 church. The newly confecrated bifhop fent 
 letters to the other biffiops in the province, inti¬ 
 mating, that as he was now become one of their 
 brethren, fo he begged that they would co-ope¬ 
 rate with him in all things that could promote the 
 profperity of the church, and build up believers 
 in their mod holy faith. Thus a fort of harmony 
 was kept up among them, they lived as brethren 
 of the fame profeflion, as fervants of the fame 
 Divine Redeemer, and heirs of the fame eternal 
 inheritance. Happy for the Chridian church, 
 had this fnnple method of ordinations continued; 
 but alas! we fhali find many deviations from it 
 in the courfe of this work; men are fond of 
 changes, and fuch is the depravity of human 
 nature, that we feek to mingle with the purity of 
 the truth, our vain imaginations and carnal 
 pra&ices. 
 
 The difcipline in the primitive church, was as 
 regular, mild, and fimple, as ever could be de¬ 
 viled, confidering that the Chridians lived in the 
 midft of heathens, who not only fought every 
 opportunity to calumniate them, but alfo flirred 
 up the civil power againd them, by which many j 
 pious perfons were condemned to fuffer the moft j 
 excruciating tortures, were torn away from their i 
 families and children, dragged before the Roman 1 
 tribunals, and at lafb condemned to fuffer the I 
 mod' ignominious deaths. 
 
 As all communities mud have laws for their j 
 government and good order, fo it is neceffary 
 that the church of Chrid lhould have the fame ; 
 for without that, every thing would be difcom- 
 pofed, and indead of regularity and order, we 
 -lhould have nothing but anarchy and confufion. 
 Let the Chridian church be ever fo pure in its 
 doedrines, yet either offenders will creep in, or 
 fomc will become obnoxious by their refraftory 
 behaviour, who were not fo before. It was there¬ 
 fore neceffary, that fome fort of puniffiment 
 lhould be inflidted on fuch offenders ; but that 
 was only of a fpiritual nature, carnal methods 
 having not then been thought of. To clear up 
 this point, we fhali date the following queries, 
 and anfwer them in the very words of thofe Chrif¬ 
 tian writers, who lived before the reign of the 
 emperor Condantine the Great. 
 
 Fird, for what faults were offenders cenfured ? 
 
 Secondly, who were the judges that cenfured? 
 
 Thirdly, the manner of their cenfures ? 
 
 Fourthly, what thefe cenfures were ? 
 
 Fifthly, the courfe that offenders took to be 
 abl'olved ? 
 
 Ladly, the manner of their abfolutions ? 
 
 And fird, for what faults offenders . were cen¬ 
 fured ? The anfwer is, for herefy, fchifm, co- 
 vetoufnefs, gluttony, fornication, adultery, and 
 for all other fins of a fcandalous nature, which 
 gave offence to the church. So zealous were the 
 holy men in that age, that they would not fuffer 
 the fird buds qf fin to make their appearance, 
 without doing all in their power to check them, 
 that iniquity might be ruined before it had an 
 opportunity of coming to a date of perfection. 
 That which they punifhed with the greated fe- 
 verity, was a fin, but too common among them, 
 namely, apodacy from the church. This was 
 occafioned by the feverity of perfecution, when 
 many, who had not been well grounded in the 
 11 
 
 N R E L I G I O N. I19 
 
 faith, forfook their facred profeflion, and facri- 
 ficed to idols. We have many driking indances 
 of this in the writings of the primitive fathers, 
 and the penance in fuch cafes was very fevere, 
 for the perfon offending was often denied the pri¬ 
 vilege of all church ordinances, for upwards of 
 three years, unlefs it happened that he was dying, 
 and then it was neceffary that he lhould give all 
 the figns of the mod genuine repentance, other- 
 wife his abfolution was not conlidered as valid, 
 nor himfelf ranked among the number of the 
 faithful. 
 
 Secondly, who were the judges before whom 
 the offenders were to be tried ? And by whom 
 they were to be cenfured ? The anfwer is, the 
 whole church at large, confiding both of the 
 clergy and laity, not the bilhop without the peo¬ 
 ple, nor the people without the bifhop, but both 
 conjunCtly condituted that fupreme tribunal, be¬ 
 fore which all delinquents were to be judged. 
 All the power that any church enjoyed, was de¬ 
 rived from the following words of Chrid, and of 
 which the Roman Catholics have made a very 
 improper ufe. “ Thou art Peter, and upon this 
 
 rock will I build my church, and the gates of 
 “ hell fhali not prevail againd it. And I will give 
 “ unto thee, the keys of the kingdom of heaven, 
 <c and whatlbever thou fhalt bind on earth lRall 
 tc be bound in heaven, and whatfoever thou 
 “ fhalt loofe on earth fhali be loofed in heaven.’* 
 Math. xvi. 18, 19. Now, mod of the antient 
 fathers confidered the power here mentioned, as 
 lodged in every particular church, by which we 
 are to underdand the whole condituent members 
 of a particular congregation. Not the bifhop 
 alone, but the bifhop and the people, for all 
 were members of the fame body : as for the exe¬ 
 cutive power, fuch as the pronouncing the fen- 
 fence of excommunication, and the impofition 
 of hands at the abfolution, that could be per¬ 
 formed by none but the bilhop, who was con¬ 
 fidered as the father of his church, unlefs he was 
 difabled by ficknefs, or perhaps confined in pri- 
 fon, and then a prefbyter was permitted to offici¬ 
 ate in his room. 
 
 Having thus confidered who were the mem¬ 
 bers of this fpiritual court, we may add, thau as 
 many of the people were encumbered with at¬ 
 tending on their fecular offices, fo it was necef¬ 
 fary that the officers of the church ffiould aft in 
 their room. At fird, thefe officers were the 
 deacons, but when the churches began to be in- 
 larged, and there were more members, then we 
 find that prefbyters were added, and thefe in 
 conjunftion prepared all materials that were to 
 be laid before the body of the people at large: 
 when every thing was prepared in this manner, 
 the congregation met,* and the perfon accufed, 
 having been heard in his own defence, in oppo- 
 fition to all that had been objected .againd him; 
 the bifhop dated the cafe to the people, by whofe 
 majority of votes, the whole affair was fettled. 
 
 Thirdly, with refpeft to the manner of their 
 inflifting cenfures, it was both folemn and 
 fimple; folemn, with refpeflto its conlequences, 
 efpecially when confidered as of a fymbolical 
 nature; and fimple, when compared with the 
 aftions of men here below. Tertullian tells 
 us, that when divine worffiip was ended, then 
 followed exhortation, reproofs, and a divine 
 H cenfure; 
 
1 20 
 
 The CHRISTIE 
 
 cenfure; by which is meant the calling out of 
 tliofe who were confidered as unworthy members. 
 Thus, when the bifhop, with the other church 
 officers were met, the offender was called before 
 them, but if he did not appear, this did not 
 hinder them from proceeding againll him. How¬ 
 ever, all neceffary means were ufed to make the 
 delinquent appear, and if he did, then he was 
 heard in the moll calm and difpaffionate man¬ 
 ner. Every perfon prefent, had a right to give 
 his opinion, and judgement was pronounced ac¬ 
 cordingly. Before the l'entence was pronounced, 
 the billiop, or in his room, the prefbyter, or any 
 of the prefbyters, exhorted the faithful to ufe all 
 diligent care to avoid thofe fins or crimes, which 
 had brought the offender before them, in fo la¬ 
 mentable a condition. Then he addreffed him- 
 felf to the delinquent, putting him in mind of 
 the nature of his guilt, that it was inconfillent 
 with the Chriftian practice, grievous to the faith¬ 
 ful, fcandalous to religion, injurious to his own 
 foul, and diffionourable to God. After this, he 
 pronounced the fentence of excommunication, 
 by which the offending perfon was cut off from 
 the body of the faithful, and declared to be in 
 the fame Hate of Heathenilin he was in before 
 he embraced Chriftianity. 
 
 Fourthly, as the church itfelf was fpiritual, fo 
 all her aims were of a fpiritual nature, and the 
 higheft leverities of her cenfures confilled in 
 fufpenfions and excommunications, in electing 
 and throwing out fcandalous and rotten mem¬ 
 bers, without permitting them to return, till 
 they had given the moil evident figns of fincere 
 penitence and repentance. Every perfon caff out 
 of the church was looked upon as accurfed of 
 God, a limb of fatan, a member of the devil, and 
 one who was configned over to eternal perdition. 
 Nay, if he died' in that unhappy condition, he 
 was confidered as one unworthy of the divine 
 favour, who was excluded for ever from the king¬ 
 dom of heaven, and given up to a Rate of 
 condemnation. 
 
 Fifthly, from the nature of this dreadful fen¬ 
 tence, we may be well affured, that thofe who 
 had once embraced Chriftianity, would be afraid 
 to offend, and it always happened that thofe 
 who were fenfible of their guilt, became fincerely 
 penitent. They faded, prayed, watched, and 
 mourned, and went through the mod fevere 
 courle of mortification, till they were abfolved, 
 and reinftated in the favour of God and the 
 church. And this leads us to confider the means 
 that offenders took to be delivered from that 
 miferable date. 
 
 They came in the mod humble manner to the 
 door of the church, where they dood weeping, 
 and as the faithful paffed by, they proftrated 
 themlelves at their feet, begging their prayers 
 to God for them. The behaviour of thefe peni¬ 
 tents is finely expreffed in the following extract 
 of a letter from the church of Rome to St. Cy¬ 
 prian, bifhop of the church of Carthage, about 
 the middle of the third century : “ Let them 
 
 <f (fay they) knock at the church-doors, but not 
 “ break them ; let them come to the threfhold 
 <f of the church, but not pafs over it; let them 
 watch at the gates of the celeftial tents, but 
 tc armed with modefty, by which they may re- 
 <c member that they were deferters ; let them 
 e( refume the trumpet of their prayers, but not 
 
 N RELIGION. 
 
 <f to found an alarm to battle; let them arm 
 ff themfelves with the darts of modefty, and re- 
 “ take that fhield, which, by their apoftacy, they 
 Cf loft; that fo they be not armed againft the 
 “ church, which grieves at their mifery, but againft 
 ft their adverfary, the devil. A modeft petition, 
 “ a baffiful fupplication, a neceffary humility, 
 cc an induftrious patience, will be advantageous" 
 “ to them ; let them confefs their grief by their 
 ft tears, and their lorrow and lhame for their 
 <f crimes by their groans.” This curious epiftle 
 is extant in the works of St. Cyprian, as it was 
 written to him in anfwer to one he lent to the 
 church of Rome, defiring their advice how he 
 was to a£t towards thofe who had firft relapfed, 
 and then defired to be reftored again to the 
 church. The truth is, the perfecution raged at 
 that time more feverely in Africa, and particu¬ 
 larly at Carthage, than in any other part of the 
 Roman empire ; and Cyprian, having a numerous 
 congregation, many of the young converts, in 
 order to avoid the fury of the proconfuls, re¬ 
 lapfed into idolatry, but foon after becoming 
 grieved for what they had done, defired to be 
 re-admitted to the church. They were affiamed 
 of themfelves when they beheld the courage and 
 conftancy of the martyrs, the fortitude with 
 which they met death under the mod excruci¬ 
 ating tortures, and the glorious and triumphant 
 manner in which they died ; and there being 
 many of thefe penitents, the good bifhop fought 
 advice of his brethren at Rome how he was to 
 proceed. 
 
 How long the penitent was to continue in a 
 ftate of mortification before he was to be re-ad¬ 
 mitted to the church, does not appear, nor in¬ 
 deed was the time fixed ; for it differed accord¬ 
 ing to the circumftances of the offence, and the 
 will of the church. Some continued in a ftate of 
 penitence two years, and fome more ; nor could 
 they be reftored ’till the church had been fully 
 fatisfied of their fincerity. 
 
 Laftly, with refpett to the form of their abfo- 
 lution. When the appointed time for penance 
 was expired, the penitent applied to the bifliop 
 and all the reft of the officers of the church, and 
 if they were fatisfied of his fincerity, a day was 
 appointed to re-admit him, which was done in 
 the following manner : 
 
 On the appointed day for ablolution, the pe¬ 
 nitent, or the perfon to be abfolved, came into 
 the church, expreffng every fign of grief and 
 forrow. He then prefented himfelf before 
 the bifliop and the people, and made, firft a 
 confefiion of his fins in general, and then pro¬ 
 ceeded to enumerate the aggravating circum¬ 
 ftances of the offence, for which he had been 
 excommunicated. This confefiion was made 
 with all the outward figns of grief, which ulually 
 fo affefled the faithful, that they fympathized 
 with him in mourning and weeping. As foon as 
 confefiion was over, the perlon to be ablolved, 
 kneeled down, before the bifhop and the reft of 
 the church officers, who laid their hands on his 
 head and bleffed him, by which external cere¬ 
 mony, the penitent was re-admitted to the peace 
 of the church. Such was fome part of the difei- 
 pline of the primitive church, even during 
 times when its members were fealing their tefti- 
 mony to the truth with their blood. It was the 
 fear of God, the love of 'Chrift, the love of one 
 
 another, 
 
 
The CHRISTIA 
 another, and above all, the glorious hope of a 
 . bleffed immortality, that made them prefer the 
 peace of the church to every thing. 
 
 To what has been faid, concerning the difci- 
 plme of the primitive times, we muft add, that 
 every church proceeded againft offenders in their 
 own way ; and although there was an unity in all 
 ' the effentials of religion, yet they fometimes dif¬ 
 fered, without breaking the unity or becoming 
 fchifmatics. 
 
 Thus every church had an inherent right in 
 itfelf, to be independant without the concurrence 
 of another, efpecially, in calling out offenders; 
 but yet in another fenfe, every church was depend¬ 
 ant, as being one of the members of the whole. 
 
 I hus the great St. Cyprian writes, “ there is but 
 one church of Chrill divided, throughout the 
 “ whole world, into many members, and ope 
 epifcopacydifful'ed through the numerous con- 
 courfe of many bifhops.” A particular church 
 was not the whole chofen church of Chrill, be- 
 caufe it could not reprefent his myltical body, but 
 only a part or member of the univerfal one ; 
 and as one member of the natural body hath a 
 connebtion with, and a regard to all the other 
 members thereof, i'o a particular church which 
 was but one member of the univerfal one, had 
 refpebl and relation to the other members thereof. 
 This friendly and brotherly connexion deferves 
 to be taken notice of, and the rather, becaufe it 
 has been much mifunderilood by thofe who never 
 ipent much ot their time in reading tire primitive 
 fathers of the chrillian church. Befides that of 
 every church keeping up a brotherly correfpond- 
 ence with thofe who were lituated at a diltance, 
 we find many inllances of feveral churches meet- 
 mg together, to decide on controverted points 
 and to regulate the difcipline, and thefe meetings 
 were called fynods. During the firft three cen¬ 
 turies, thefe fynods were not univerfal, but pro¬ 
 vincial ; i'o that in fome parts, the members were 
 more numerous than in others. There was not 
 a fixed time for thefe meetings, but they were 
 called according to the circumitances of the 
 times i fuch as when they apprehended an ap¬ 
 proaching perfection ; and at othe - times 
 when they wanted to renew their friendly affocia- 
 tions with each other. The members that com- 
 pofed them confifled of the bifhops, fome of the 
 prelbytery and deacons, and from each church a 
 deputation of the laity was fent, who were ad¬ 
 mitted co fit and vote in the name of their bre- 
 thren, and to deliver their opinions on all dif- 
 puted points with freedom. 
 
 If it Ihould be alked by whofe authority thofe 
 fynods were called ? it is anfwered, by their own 
 authority; for at that time, they had no civil 
 magiftrate to give them either countenance or 
 proteftion when they met together. The firll 
 thing they did, was to chufe a prefident, which 
 for the mod part was one of the bifhops, who 
 had been celebrated for his learning, gravity 
 prudence, piety, and fufferings, in difchargin^ 
 the duties of his office ■, he was to prefide in the 
 fynod; to lee that every queltion was calmly and 
 f.uny debated and decreed , and at the conclu- 
 fion ot the argument, to fum up what had been 
 advanced on both hides, after which he collebled 
 the votes of the members, and then delivered his 
 own. 
 
 When the prefident was chofen, then they en- 
 
 N RELIGION. I21 
 
 tered upon the nature of the bufinefs that lay 
 before them, which may be confidered as con¬ 
 futing of two different parts : firft, with refpeft 
 to foreign churches; and fecondly, as to the 
 concerns of thofe with whom they were more im¬ 
 mediately connected. As to the firft, namely, 
 concerning foreign churches, all they did was, 
 to give their opinions and their advice, but they 
 never dictated, becaufe thefe churches were not 
 reprelented in their affembly. Ir is true, they 
 often admonilhed them when they thought they 
 had embraced errors, or afled inconfiftent with 
 the nature of their facred profeflion, that they 
 might bring them to a fenfe of the truth ; this was 
 done in luch a friendly and affeflionate manner, 
 that the advice had generally the delired effeft. 
 But with refpeift to thofe churches whom they 
 reprefented, all their decrees were binding and 
 obligatory, becaufe it was chiefly on their ac¬ 
 count that they were convened together. 
 
 Various were the reafons for their meeting to¬ 
 gether; but in general, it was to regulate^ the 
 whole lyftem of church difcipline within their 
 own refpeftive jurifdi&ions. They. confulted 
 about the difcipline, government, and polity of 
 their churches, and what means were mod expe¬ 
 dient and proper for their peace, unity, and or¬ 
 der ; which by their common confent they enaft- 
 ed and decreed, to be obferved by all the faith¬ 
 ful of thofe churches whom they did reprefent. 
 rhat this was their praitice will be freely ac¬ 
 knowledged by all thofe who have read the fa¬ 
 thers of the three firll centuries ; and although 
 many of their decrees could not be fo well pre- 
 ferved, as thofe of the fynods that met after the 
 time of the Emperor Conftantine, yet by the fol¬ 
 lowing decrees of a fynod that met at Carthao- e 
 about the middle of the third century, and°in 
 which St. Cyprian prefided, it will appear, that 
 a 1 their meetings were for the good of the 
 church, and to promote the happinefs, temporal 
 and lpiritual, ofeverymember thereof. 
 
 The firft decree was, “ that although an of- 
 “ fender had not endured the whole time of 
 penance, yet if he was very Tick and in dan- 
 “ ger of death, he was to be abfolved.” 
 
 Secondly, “ That at the approach of a perfe- 
 “ cution, penitent offenders Ihould be reilored 
 “ to the peace of the church.” 
 
 Thirdly, “ That penance fhould not be haf- 
 tiJy palled over, nor fhould ablolutions be too 
 “ fpeedily or raffily given.” 
 tt Fourthly, “ That all lapfed and apoftate 
 clergymen, fhould, upon their repentance, be 
 only admitted to communion as laymen, and 
 be never more capable of difeharging or per- 
 “ forming any office in the church. 
 
 And laftly, “ That no clergyman fhould be 
 the truflee of a la.fl will or teftament.” 
 
 We might tranferibe many others of thefe de¬ 
 crees, but the above may ferve to (hew upon 
 what principles and with what views thefe holy 
 men met together; which leads us to confider 
 two things, viz. Firft, the lives of the Chrillians 
 in thofe ages ; and fecondly, the extent of the 
 promulgation of Chriftianity, before the reign of 
 the emperor Conftantine the Great. 
 
 And firft, with refpedl to the lives of the pri¬ 
 mitive Chrillians, the whole may be comprifed in 
 what was faid of them by the heathens; “ Be- 
 
 “ hold 
 
‘, 22 The CHRIST! 
 
 '< hold how they love each other; and this love 
 / for each other, was not confined to times of proi- 
 perity; but it difplayed itfelf in the cleared 
 / light, and in the drongeft colours, when life 
 * itfelf was in danger.” At firft, the Chriltians, 
 as followers of our Divine Reedeemer, were cal¬ 
 led by feveral odious names, fuch as Nazarens , 
 becaufe Chrift lived at Nazareth. They were for 
 fmnilar reafons, called Galileans, and under that 
 name they were always mentioned by Julian the 
 apollate emperor. The pagan priefts ul'ed to call 
 them Atheiils, becaule they ridiculed the worlhip 
 of their gods. 
 
 But this was not all, for becaufe Chrift and 
 his difciples wrought miracles , the pagan priefts 
 faid it was by the power of magic, and therefore 
 flirred up the populace againft them as impoftors 
 and magicians. But notwithftanding all thefe 
 inltances of malice, and many more, that might 
 be added, yet the Chriftians always called them- 
 lelves by fome of thofe names which had a rela¬ 
 tion to the divine attributes. Thus they fome- 
 times called themfelves temples of the Holy 
 Ghoft, or temples of God, alluding to the pu¬ 
 rity of their lives ; and at other times, they were 
 called by each other, men of underftanding, be¬ 
 caufe, that defpifing all the trifling things of this 
 world, they made choice of that religion which 
 could alone fecure their eternal happinefs, not¬ 
 withftanding what they might fuller here below. 
 
 However, Chriftian was the name they boafted 
 of more than any, and this we find was firft given 
 them at Antioch, for before that time, as they 
 lived together in harmony, fo the Heathens and 
 the Jews, out of derifion, called them brethren. 
 Eufebius has related a molt remarkable anecdote, 
 concerning one Sanftus, a deacon belonging to 
 the church of Vienna, who buffered under the 
 emperor Marcus Antoninus. This Sanftus be¬ 
 ing put to the rack, and examined by the pro- 
 conlul, concerning his name, his country, his 
 city and his quality ; his anfwer to all thefe quef- 
 tions was, “ I am a Chriftian. ’ This he faid 
 was to him both name, city and kindred, nor 
 could his perfecutors extort any other anfwer 
 from him. 
 
 The firft churches diftinguilhed themfelves in 
 the moft remarkable manner, by their prudence, 
 piety and virtue. They made a proper ufe of 
 all temporal things fo far as their families were 
 concerned in the enjoyment of them, and that 
 they might imitate the charadler of their Divine 
 Redeemer, they not only forgave their enemies, 
 but they alfo prayed for them, and in diftrefs 
 relieved their wants; but all thefe good adtions 
 and many more that might be mentioned, could 
 not lcreen them from the moft cruel perfecu- 
 tions. . 
 
 The Jews were the firft and the moft invete¬ 
 rate enemies of the Chriftians, for as they had 
 crucified the Lord of Glory, fo they did not 
 think it any crime to perfecute his followers. 
 This they continued to do as long as they had 
 power, and when after that power was taken from 
 them, they ufed to accomplifh their hellilh purpofes 
 by means far more diabolical than open violence. 
 They preferred falfe accufations againft them to 
 the proconfuls of the provinces, endeavouring 
 to make them believe that the Chriftians were 
 enemies to the emperors, and this occafioned 
 
 AN RELIGION, 
 the martyrdom of many of the laithful. The 
 fame Jews reproached them with idlenels, and 
 being a ufelefs race of people, and they charged 
 them with treafon, becaule they called Chrift 
 their king. They affirmed, that in celebrating 
 their facred myfteries, they killed a child and 
 eat of its flelh, and thefe falfehoods were believ¬ 
 ed by the Heathens. But the lives of the Chrif¬ 
 tians in the moft ftriking manner, refuted all 
 thofe calumnies, and the more they were de- 
 preffed, the more confpicuous for virtue and 
 piety did their charafters fliine. This will ap¬ 
 pear evidently, if we attend to the following 
 paffages in the famous letter written by Pliny 
 the younger, to the emperor Trajan, fometime 
 between the years 103 and 103, and that was 
 either before the death of John the F.vangelift, 
 or at leaft within two or three years after it, ac¬ 
 cording to Eufebius and all the antient ecclefiafti- 
 cal writers. 
 
 The perfecution having raged violently in the 
 Lefi'er Afia, during part of the reign of the 
 emperor Trajan, who, in many other refpefts was 
 a man of humanity and benevolence, Pliny the 
 younger, a learned lawyer, was lent to govern 
 the provinces of Pontus and Bythymia. finding 
 many of the Chriftians daily dragged before his 
 tribunal, he was at a lofs how to aft, and there¬ 
 fore wrote the following epiftle to the emperor. 
 
 « I take the liberty, Sir, to give you an ac- 
 “ count of every difficulty which arifes to me. 
 
 “ I have never been prefent at the examinations 
 “ of the Chriftians, for which reafon I know not 
 “ what queftions have been put to them, nor in 
 £< what manner they have been punilhed. My 
 ££ behaviour towards thofe who have been ac- 
 “ cufed to me, has been thus: I have interro- 
 “ gated them, in order to know whether they 
 “ were really Chriftians. When they have con- 
 “ feffed it, 1 have repeated the queltion two or 
 “ three times, threatening them with death it 
 ££ they did not renounce this religion. Thofe 
 “ who perlifted in their confellion that they were 
 “ Chriftians, have been by my order led to pu- 
 “ nilhment. I have even met with fome Roman 
 “ citizens, infefted with this phrenzy, whom, in 
 £c regard to their quality, 1 have fet afidc from 
 ££ the reft, in order to lend them to Rome. Thefe 
 “ perfons declare, that their whole crime, if 
 (£ they are guilty, confifts in this: That on cer- 
 “ tain days they affemble together before fun- 
 “ rifing, to fing alternately the praifes of Chrift, 
 “ whom they call God, and to oblige themfelves 
 “ by their religious rites, not to be guilty of 
 “ theft or adultery, to obferve inviolably their 
 “ word, and to be faithful in the difcharge of 
 “ every truft repofed in them. This informa- 
 “ tion has obliged me farther to put to the rack 
 “ two of their women fervants whom they call 
 “ deaconneffes, but I could learn nothing more 
 “ from them, than that the fuperllition of thefe 
 < £ people, is as ridiculous as their attachment to 
 ££ it is prodigious." 
 
 In anfwer to this famous epiftle, Trajan the 
 emperor fent another to Pliny, defiring him noc 
 to fuffer any perfons whatever to give informa¬ 
 tions againft the Chriftians, but il it lliould hap¬ 
 pen that any of thefe Chriftians were to come 
 voluntarily into the forum or common-hall of 
 juftice, and declare themfelves to be Chriftians, 
 
 while 
 
The C II R I S T I A 
 
 while no information was lodged againft them, 
 then they were to be put to death. From this 
 circumftance it appears that many of the pri¬ 
 mitive Chriftians were imprudently forward in 
 confeffing themfelves to be Chriftians, and this 
 will always happen where an intemperate zeal 
 gets the better of prudence. There is ftill ex¬ 
 tant a vindication of the Chriftians, pronounced 
 by the mouth of a Jheathen. This was a 
 letter written to the ftates of Afia, who had ac- 
 cufed the Chriftians of being the caul'e of feve- 
 ral earthquakes which had happened in that part 
 of the world. It was written in the year 152, by 
 the emperor Antoninus, and in it he advifed the 
 governors to take great care, left in punifhing 
 thofe whom they called Atheifts, meaning the 
 Chriftians, theyfhould make them more obftinate 
 than before, inftead of changing their opinions ; 
 fince their religion taught them to fuffer with 
 pleafure and refignation for the lake of their God. 
 As for the earthquakes which had happened, he 
 told them, that they themfelves were always dif- 
 couraged, and funk under Inch misfortunes, 
 whereas the Chriftians never difeovered more 
 chearfulnefs and confidence in God, than upon 
 fuch occafions. He concluded, by telling them 
 that he would not have the Chriftians injured, 
 for although they did not worfhip the gods of the 
 empire, yet they had a god of their own, and that 
 they were a peaceable, inoffenfive people. 
 
 Such were the lentiments of one of the greateft 
 philofophers, and wifeft emperors, that ever go¬ 
 verned Rome ; but notwithftanding the mildnefs 
 of his government, yet the perfecution raged 
 violently, owing to the wickednefs of the pro- 
 confuls, who did many things in the abfence of 
 the emperor, to which he had never given his 
 confent. It is not a difficult matter to dil'cover 
 the caufe which promoted the perfecution of the 
 Chriftians, during the firft three centuries. The 
 purity of their morals, the innocency of their 
 lives, and above all, their love of each other, 
 totally oppofite to the heathens, was doubtlefs 
 one of the moft powerful motives of the public 
 averfion. To this may be added, the many ca¬ 
 lumnies fpread abroad concerning them by their 
 enemies, particularly the Jews, which occafioned 
 fo ftrong a prejudice againft them, that the Pa¬ 
 gans condemned them unheard, and without fo 
 much as making the leaft enquiry concerning the 
 truth of the accufation or giving them an oppor¬ 
 tunity to defend themfelves. 
 
 To the whole be added their worlhipping Jefus 
 thrift as God, which was exprefsly contrary to the 
 fundamental laws of the empire, which forbad 
 any god to be worfhipped, that had not been ac¬ 
 knowledged by the fenate. The Chriftian doc¬ 
 trine was defpifed by the profligate Romans, as 
 well as by the fuperftitious Jews, and when we 
 confider how corrupt both were in their fenti- 
 ments, and profligate in their lives, we need not 
 be much furpriled ; for wickednefs has been an 
 enemy to piety ever fince the fall of man. 
 
 That the primitive Chriftians believed the fame 
 dodtrine, with refpedt to faith and duty, as taught 
 in the facred lcriptures, except in fome rites and 
 ceremonies, will appear to any one from what 
 we have already written, and we {hall here give 
 a fhort abridgement of it in the words of Pollio, 
 a Chriftian martyr, who fuffered for the truth, 
 
 1 1 
 
 N R E L I G I O N. 
 
 304. This Pollio was a leftor or reader in the 
 church of Cibales, in Pannonia, and was accufed 
 before the governor Probus, becaufe he derided 
 the gods of wood and ftone, which the heathens 
 adored. Being brought before the judge, he 
 confefled that he was a Chriftian, and one of thole* 
 who, in fpite of tortures, would perfift in.his fide¬ 
 lity to the eternal King, and in obedience to the 
 holy commands which Jefus Chrift had left him. 
 Probus, upon this, demanded to know what 
 thofe commands were, to whom Pollio replied : 
 cc Thefe commands are they which teach us, 
 cc that there is but one Godin heaven; that 
 cc images made of wood and ftone cannot be 
 ct called gods ; that we muft correct our faults 
 <f by repentance, and perfevere inviolably in the 
 cc good we have embraced ; that virgins who 
 <f maintain their purity, are advanced to a high 
 ic rank; that married women ought to preferve 
 u their conjugal chaftity, and attend to the edu- 
 <c cation of their children; that mafters ought to 
 “ rule over their fervants with mildnefs and 
 <c good-nature ; that fervants ought to acquit 
 <f themfelves of their duty, rather from motives 
 “ of love than fear; that we ought to be obe- 
 “ dient to the civil power in every thing that is 
 “ juft i that we ought to reverence our parents, 
 cc love our friends, and forgive our enemies; we 
 <f muft be tender and affectionate to all our fel- 
 “ low fubjedts, humane to ftrangers, charitable 
 “ to the poor, and live in peace with all men; 
 “ that we muft do no injury to any one, and fuf- 
 “ fer with patience the wrongs others do to us j 
 tc that we muft beftow our goods with liberality, 
 Cf and not covet thofe of others; and that he 
 <c fhall live eternally, who, in the defence of his 
 cc faith, defpifes a momentary death, which is the 
 “ utmoft you can infiiCt.” Pure and heavenly as 
 thefe fentiments were, yet they did not pleafe Pro¬ 
 bus, the governor, who ordered Pollio to be 
 chained to a flake, and burned to death. 
 
 We fhall here fubjoin the famous ftory con¬ 
 cerning the Chriftian legion in the army of the 
 emperor Marcus Aurelius , and we the rather do 
 it, becaufe it was not invented by Chriftians, but 
 attefted by heathen authors. That prince, hav¬ 
 ing led his forces againft the Q'uadi , a people on 
 the north of the Danube, was furrounded by 
 the enemy, and hemmed in, in a place where they 
 could not procure any water. The Romans were 
 greatly embarraflfed, and being prefled by the 
 enemy, were obliged to continue under arms, 
 expofed to the violent heat of the fun, when, on 
 a fudden, the clouds gathered, and the rain fell 
 in great abundance. The foldiers received the 
 water in their bucklers and helmets, and fatis- 
 fied both themfelves and their horfes. The ene¬ 
 my prelcntly after attacked them, and fo great 
 was the advantage they had over them, that the 
 Romans muft have been totally defeated, had 
 not heaven once more interpofed in their favour, 
 by fending a dreadful ftorm of hail, lightening, 
 and rain, which falling upon the enemy, obliged 
 them to retreat. It was found afterwards, that 
 one of the legions, which coufifted wholly of 
 Chriftians, had, by their prayers, which they of¬ 
 fered upon their knees before the battle, obtain¬ 
 ed this favour from heaven ; and from this event 
 that Legion was furnamed the Thundering Legion . 
 Some have denied the Chriftians this "honour, 
 
 I i but 
 
The HERESIES. 
 
 126 
 
 but it ought to be remembered, that the em¬ 
 peror in one of his edicts, acknowledged, that 
 they were the procuring caufe of his victory over 
 the ^ uadi ; and perhaps God interpoles more for 
 his people than fome are aware of. 
 
 Having faid lb much concerning the purity of 
 the Chriftian doctrine, and the piety of its pro- 
 feffors, we fhall now, in the fecond place, proceed 
 to enquire into the univerlality of its promulga¬ 
 tion before the time of the emperor Conftantine 
 the Great; and this is the more neceffary, be- 
 caufe whatever progrefs it made during a Hate 
 of perfecution, was wholly owing to divine 
 means ; whereas, when it received the fandtion 
 of the civil power, things took a very different 
 turn. Compulfion was ufed inftead of perfecu¬ 
 tion, and many of the heathens were forced to 
 acknowledge the truth of what they did not 
 believe. 
 
 The apoftle Paul (fee Rom. x. 18) fays, 
 <f their found went into all the earth, and their 
 <c words unto the ends of the world.” This has 
 generally been confidered, as intimating, that 
 the religion of Chrift had been taught through¬ 
 out all the provinces of the Roman empire) and 
 that it was lo, is evident from the teftimonies of 
 the heathens themfelves. For notwithftanding 
 the violence of perfecution, the Chriftian religion 
 daily gained ground ; and we are allured, that in 
 the third century, there were Chriftians in all the 
 public offices under the pagan emperors; and they 
 were to be found in the camp, in the fenate, in 
 the palace, and indeed every where but in the 
 heathen temples. Provinces, cities, towns, if- 
 lands, and villages, were filled with them ; men, 
 women, and children, even thole of the higheft 
 rank, thought it an honour to embrace the faith; 
 infomuch, that the heathen priefts made heavy 
 complaints that the revenues of their temples 
 daily decreafed, and that unlefs a ftop was put to 
 the propagation of this new dodtrine, they would 
 be totally ruined. Nay, Tertullian boldly de¬ 
 clared, that were the Chriftians to find an un¬ 
 known country to retire to, the Roman empire 
 would be left a folitary defart. 
 
 We have a lift of upwards of twenty churches 
 eftablilhed during the times of the apoftles, and 
 undoubtedly each of thefe churches added 
 twenty more to the number. But yet, extenfive 
 as the Roman empire w’as, the gofpel was not 
 confined to it; for according to the teftimonies 
 of both heathens and Chriftians, it was preached 
 in the moft diftant parts of the world where the 
 Roman name was not fo much as known. In 
 the Fad-Indies, in Arabia, in Ethiopia, in the 
 interior parts of Africa, and in many other 
 places, the name of Chrift was known, and his 
 gofpel believed long before the end of the fecond 
 century. Tertullian, who lived about the end of 
 the fecond century and beginning of the third, 
 tells us, that the gofpel of Chrift was preached in 
 the barbarous ifland of Britain, which the Ro¬ 
 mans could never fubdue. Now as the Romans 
 had long before fubdued all that part of Britain 
 which lays fouth of Northumberland, fo by the 
 barbarous iftand muft be meant either Scotland 
 or Ireland, or both ; for it was cuftomary with 
 the Romans to call all thole barbarians whom 
 they could not fubdue. And tit us, if the Chrii- 
 
 tian religion made its way among the inhabitants 
 of thole parts of Britain and Ireland, which were 
 never fubjedt to the Roman yoke, may we not 
 fuppofe, that it did the fame in other parts of the 
 world ? certainly we may and that the power 
 of God might ffiine conlpicuous, ail thefe events 
 took place before the aid of the civil magiftrate 
 was either afked for or obtained. 
 
 Had not this been the cafe in thole early ages, 
 all the antient prophefies would have been ren¬ 
 dered as it were abortive ; for it had been fore¬ 
 told, that the Meffiah ihould be a light to 
 lighten the gentiles ; that he fhould come to give 
 falvation to all the ends of the earth ; that he 
 fhould be the defire of all nations; nay, that he 
 fhould fatisfy the defires of all nations ; and that 
 even the heathens being converted, fhould as an 
 obedient people, be willing in the day of his 
 power. Now as thefe exprefiions are general, 
 and as the Roman empire did not extend over all 
 the heathen world, fo the gofpel muft have been 
 preached in countries with which they .were en¬ 
 tirely unacquainted ; of this many veftiges are 
 daily difcovered by our modern travellers; for 
 although almoft all mankind have corrupted their 
 ways, yet it does not import, but they were once 
 well acquainted with the truth. From the whole 
 that has been faid, we may draw the following 
 conclufion, that in general, the gofpel was 
 preached throughout the greatefc part of the 
 world, long before the reign ot Conftantine the 
 Great; and although in many places the know¬ 
 ledge of it is loft, yet we have the greateft rea- 
 fon to believe, and a well-grounded hope to ex¬ 
 pert, that before the coming of our Lord, it will 
 rife triumphant above every oppolition, and 
 fhine glorioufly till it is fwallowed up in 
 eternity. 
 
 An Account of the Herefies that aroje in the Chriftian 
 
 Church before the Reign of Conftantine the Great. 
 
 It was a juft obfervation of a wife man, that 
 if no genuine coin was to be found in the world, 
 there would not be any temptations for men to 
 counterfeit it; and to this we may add, that un¬ 
 lefs truth had been promulgated, many errors 
 would have remained unknown. The promul¬ 
 gation of the Chriftian religion, was the moft 
 memorable event that ever took place on the 
 theatre of this lower world; and as it was new 
 and myfterious, we need not be furprifed to find, 
 that many perfons embraced it in an external 
 way, whole hearts were ftrangers to its purity; 
 nor did they chufe to comply with that felf-de- 
 nial and mortification, which muft ever diftin- 
 guifh the followers of Jefus from all others. 
 Of this we have a remarkable inftance in the Adts 
 of the Apoftles, chapter viii. where we are told, 
 that Peter having preached the gofpel to the 
 people of Samaria, one Simon, commonly called 
 Simon Magus, profeffed to believe the gofpel, 
 and was baptized ; but no l'ooner had he feen the 
 wonderful figns and miracles which accompanied 
 the dodtrine of the apoftles, than he offered mo¬ 
 ney to Peter, in order to be endowed with the fame 
 power: this lhewed that his heart was corrupted, 
 and that he had only embraced the name of the 
 
 Chriftian 
 
The HER 
 
 Chriftian religion, and fatisfied himfelf with the 
 ihadow, while he was a ftranger to the fubftance. 
 
 All the antient writers in the Chriftian church, 
 acknowledge, that this Simon was the firft who 
 broached hereby ; and he even went up and down 
 the world propagating his notions, or rather his 
 blafphemies. Several ftories have been told 
 concerning him, but many of thefe are not to be 
 credited; for although there can remain no 
 doubt that he was a bad man, yet it will never 
 ferve the caufe of truth to call him worfe than he 
 was. He gave out that he himfelf was the Mef- 
 liah, and the eternal God; and having gathered 
 together avail number of dilciples, he fent them 
 into different provinces, where they perverted 
 many profeffing Chriftians from the faith, by 
 teaching them the moll horrid blafphemies, 
 which gave much offence to the real Chriftians, 
 who, in conlequence thereof, were accufed with 
 teaching notions which they abhorred. 
 
 Many of thofe Heretics obferved the fame cere¬ 
 monies as the catholic Chriftians, and had their 
 places of worfhip, or rather blafphemv ; others 
 had no places of worlbip at all, and fome were fo 
 few in number, that they were confined to par¬ 
 ticular places ; we lhall therefore proceed to treat 
 of them in the mod regular manner, by laying 
 before the reader all we have had tranl'mitted to 
 us concerning them. 
 
 T[ he Abelians, or Abelonicins , were n very re¬ 
 markable fe£t ol Heretics, who lived lomewhere 
 near Hippo, in Africa, but were extind long be¬ 
 fore St. Aullin was bifhop of the church in’that 
 city. They permitted a man to marry one wo¬ 
 man, but they were not to have any carnal know¬ 
 ledge of their wives. They pretended to regu¬ 
 late marriage on the footing of the terrellrial 
 paradife, when Adam and Eve lived together in 
 a Hate of innocency before the fall. For as Adam 
 and Eve were only, according to their notions, 
 united in heart, fo they believed that they were 
 to be fo alfo, without confidering that our firft 
 parents were fent into the world to propagate 
 their fpecies. They faid, that as Abel was mar¬ 
 ried and had no children, fo it was probable he 
 never knew his wife. But here was a double ab- 
 furdity; for firft they did not know from any 
 part of the facred feriptures, that Abel ever was 
 married, and fuppofmg he had been married, 
 which is not in the leail improbable, yet how 
 llrould they know whether he had children, fecim* 
 we read nothing concerning them. 
 
 When a man and a woman entered into this 
 unnatural fociety, they adopted two children, a 
 boy and a girl, who were to inherit their goods, 
 
 on condition of their marrying on the fame terms, 
 
 and living together without carnally knowinv 
 each other. We never read of this fed, but in 
 the writings of St. Aullin, and probably they 
 were .but of (bort continuance; for as Mr. Bayie 
 luftly obferves, it was offering too great a violence 
 to nature to command a man and woman to live 
 together, and have all things in common, except 
 that which was one of the ends, and a principal 
 one, of marriage, to propagate their fpecies, and 
 bring up children as ufeful members of fociety. 
 
 Adamites were another fedt of heretics, who 
 fprang up about the middle of the fecond’ cen¬ 
 tury. Their founder was one Prodicus, a dif- 
 C1 pie of Caprocrates, and they affumed the title 
 
 E S I E S. „ y 
 
 of Adamites, from imitating Adam’s nakednefs 
 before the fall. They imagined themfelves as 
 innocent as Adam was before the fall, and there¬ 
 fore they met together in all their public affem- 
 blies naked; afferting, that Chrift had reftored 
 them to a Hate of innocence, and that marriages 
 were; in all refpeds, unneceffary. When any 
 among them were guilty of crimes, they called 
 him by the name of Adam, and drove him out of 
 paradife, by which they meant, they drove him 
 out of their own fociety. St. Epiphanius fays, 
 they met together to fatiate their mod beaftly 
 lulls, and Clemens Alexandrinus, fays, that when 
 their candles were put out, they fell to the moll 
 promifeuous copulation. They renounced all hu¬ 
 manity, they fed together like bealts, but with 
 fome remaining fparks of fhame they Bed fo hide 
 themfelves when they faw a human bein'* ap¬ 
 proach. Some of them returned again into fo¬ 
 ciety, when they could no longer live without a 
 connexion with it; but then they put on the 
 habits of madmen to fhew their contempt of 
 glory, and make the vulgar believe that they 
 were. Something more than human. They eat in 
 pubhe-houfes, went into the public baths, and 
 mixed promifcuoufly with every company ; but 
 it is related, that they were guilty of unnatural 
 crimes, for to the men they were men, and to the 
 women they were women. Thefe heretics be¬ 
 came obnoxious to the civil power, and as their 
 horrid abominations could not, like Chriftian vir¬ 
 tue, fupport them in a day of trial, fo they were 
 foon brought back to Paganifm. It is true, the 
 lame hereby was revived by one Picard, a native 
 of b landers, in the fifteenth century, who retired 
 with his followers to the mountains of Bohemia 
 and they were at lall feized at Amflerdam. It may 
 not be improper to add in this place, that the 
 Roman Catholics have called this Picard a Pro- 
 teftant, although he lived before the reformation, 
 and the Proteftants in their turn have called him 
 a Roman Catholic. The truth is, he was neither 
 the one nor the other; but only a mad-brained 
 enthufiafl, who, knowing nothing of the prin¬ 
 ciples of religion, fought to invent a new one. 
 
 About the latter end of the reign of the em¬ 
 peror Conflantine, there was a fed called Aerians, 
 and ranked among the number of Heretics, but 
 feemingly with very little propriety. The truth 
 is, thefe people only differed from the eftablifhed 
 chin ches, in afferting that no clergyman was fu- 
 perior to another, ft hey likewife taught, that it 
 was unlawful for the clergy to marry ; nay, they 
 went lb far as not to admit any into their com¬ 
 munion, unlei's they were unmarried. This fed 
 did not continue long, for it cannot be fuppoled 
 that a whole fociety of people can exill long with¬ 
 out marrying, nor is it either natural or reafon- 
 able tiny fhould. It was thought proper ro men¬ 
 tion them in this place, in order to diilinguifh 
 them from the Artans , there being almoft a fimi- 
 liarity in the name. 
 
 Arianifm , was a led that fpread itfelf thro’ many 
 parts of the world, and took its rife in the fol¬ 
 lowing manner : Arius, a prefbyter of the church 
 of Alexandria, in Egypt, and who, being, a man 
 of fome abilities, fpent much of his time in dif- 
 puting concerning controverted points in re¬ 
 ligion. Some of the ecclefiaftical hiftorians fay, 
 that he firft oppofed the orthodox, becaufc he 
 
 had 
 
The HERESIES. 
 
 had fet himfelf up as a candidate for the bifhopric 
 of Alexandria, and loft his ele< 5 tion. Whatever 
 truth may be in this, and in fome other things 
 related concerning him, cannot be well known at 
 this diftance of time, only that his notions created 
 much difturbance in the church, and he happened 
 to live at a time when controverfy was more at¬ 
 tended to than praftical duties. 
 
 Alexander , the perl'on who had fucceeded in the 
 elettion of bilhop in oppofition toArius, preached 
 frequently on the doctrine of the trinity, and in 
 his difeourfes afierted, that there was but one 
 fubftance in the father, fon and holy ghoft, and 
 that the three perfons in the trinity were but one. 
 This gave Arius an opportunity of oppofing him; 
 and, having taken a fchool, he taught his difei- 
 ples that there was a time when the fon was not 
 created ; that he was like the angels, liable to 
 commit fin ; that being united to human fiefh, 
 he fupplied the place of a human foul, and con- 
 fequently was fubjett to pains and all forts of luf- 
 ferings in the fame manner as men. 
 
 At firft the bilhop ufed all the means he 
 could think of to reclaim him from his errors, 
 but that proving ineffectual, he and his followers 
 were, at a council or fynod of one hundred 
 bilhops of Egypt and Lybia, degraded from their 
 orders, and excommunicated out of the church. 
 
 The many dilputes occafioned by the herefy of 
 Arius, created fo much difturbance in the church, 
 that the emperor Conftantine the Great found 
 himfelf under the dil'agreeable neceffity of inter- 
 pofing between the contending parties. That 
 illuftrious emperor, who not only wilhed the 
 peace and happinefs of the church, but like- 
 wife regarded the characters of minifters of the 
 gofpel, ufed to fay, that if he faw a bifhop com¬ 
 mit a crime, he would fliut his eyes. It was, 
 therefore, reafonable to believe, that Inch a fove- 
 reign would be afteCted when he found lb many 
 contentions arifing among the followers of the 
 blefied Jefus, that the heathens derided them, 
 and even hoped their religion would loon deftroy 
 itfelf. 
 
 It was to remedy thefe diforders that Conftan¬ 
 tine the Great called the firft general council of 
 Nice in Bithyna, at which were prefent three 
 hundred'and eighteen bilhops, from all parts of 
 the empire, befides a vaft number of other 
 church officers, and amongft thele bilhops were 
 feveral from Britain. This council fummoned 
 Arius to appear before them, which he did, and 
 boldly fupported his opinions ; but the lcntence 
 of excommunication pronounced againft him by 
 Alexander, was confirmed. To this was added 
 a decree of the emperor, excluding him and all 
 his followers from places, either ecclefiaftical or 
 civil; and, at the fame time, they were con¬ 
 demned to perpetual banilhment. 
 
 But this feverity did not laft long ; for in about 
 three years afterwards all the Arian bilhops were 
 reftored to their fees, and Arius himfelf was re¬ 
 called alfo. Being permitted to wait on the em¬ 
 peror, he prefented him with a confeffion of his 
 faith, fo artfully drawn up, that Conftantine v/as 
 fatisfied ; which fo enraged Athanafius, then ad¬ 
 vanced to the bilhopric of Alexandria, that lie 
 refilled to admit him and his followers. The 
 Arians, equally enraged, made intereft at court, 
 and having many friends there, Athanafius was 
 
 fent into banilhment; but ftill the church of 
 Alexandria refilled to admit Arius. 
 
 This induced him once more to apply to the 
 emperor, to whom he prefented a fecond confef¬ 
 fion of his faith, drawn up in more modeft terms 
 than the firft ; and Conftantine was lo well pleated 
 with it, that he ordered Alexander, the bilhop 
 of Conftantinople, to admit him into his church 
 the next day, but the night before this was to 
 take place, Arius died. 
 
 There have been many different accounts of 
 his death tranlmitted to us, and all contradictory 
 to each other. His enemies lay, that going to 
 the neccfiary to eafe nature, all his bowels gulhed 
 out as a juft judgement of God upon him for his 
 impiety and herefy. Other accounts lay, that 
 he was fpent with the fatigue of travelling, fo 
 that he expired loon after he arrived at the palace 
 of the emperor. His followers, however, have 
 advanced, that he was murdered by fome oi the 
 orthodox party; but all thefe accounts being fo 
 contradictory, we fhall leave them to be cleared 
 up when the Lord our Redeemer fhall come to 
 judge the world in righteoufnefs ; for it is in¬ 
 vidious to refleCt on any body of people, unlefs 
 we had lufficient proof of their guilt, and, in 
 many cafes, Chriftians ftiould endeavour to ex¬ 
 tenuate, rather than aggravate crimes. 
 
 But this herefy did not die with the author of 
 it; it was countenanced by many of the empe¬ 
 rors after Conftantine the Great. 1 here were 
 many difputes between the orthodox and the 
 Arians ; for although Athanafius was recalled 
 from his exile, yet this did not cool the violence 
 of perfection. They continued to excommu¬ 
 nicate and anathematize each other ; but we hear 
 little of Arianifm after the end of the feventli 
 century. In their fentiments they acknowledged 
 one God the father; that the fon was a created 
 being; and that the holy ghoft was a ray or 
 emulation of the deity. Michael Servetus, a 
 Spanifh phyfician, revived this herefy about the 
 time of the Reformation, for which lie was burnt 
 alive at Geneva, but his followers were few in 
 number. The Arians, notwithftanding their 
 denial of the Divinity of our Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 yet acknowledged that there was a neceffity for 
 an attonoment, in order to reconcile Tinners to an 
 offended God. They did not, however, confidcr, 
 that no attonement can be made, unlefs the Re¬ 
 deemer is equal in dignity to the perfon who has 
 been offended ; and as God is infinite in all 
 his glorious attributes, 1b it was necefiary that 
 the latisfaCtion ftiould be equal to the guilt. So 
 far as we can learn, there is not in the world at 
 this day, a collective body of people who pro- 
 fefs themfelves to be Arians, but there are many 
 among the different denominations of Proteftants 
 who believe, that Chrift was no more than a 
 created being.. How they can truft for falvation 
 to a created being, we leave themfelves to judge. 
 
 In the primitive ages the Arians divided them - 
 felves into fo many branches, that ic is almoft 
 impoffible to find out all their names. We fhall, 
 however, take notice of inch as have been, with¬ 
 out any fort of difpute, tranlmitted to us. The 
 firft divifion of them, or rather the firft fubordi- 
 nate left, was the fo called, becaule 
 
 they pretended to differ a little from Arius in fen- 
 timent concerning the trinity, by ufing more 
 
 modeft 
 
The HERESIES. 
 
 model!: expreftioris, but in reality there was no 
 difference; for when every thing came to be 
 confidered, there notions in effedf were the lame. 
 They maintained that Chrift was not of the lame 
 fubftance with the father, but of a fubftance like 
 him j lo that according to what they taught, he 
 was no more than a created being. It does not 
 appear, from any thing we read in ecclefialtical 
 hiftory, how long this fedt continued, but pro¬ 
 bably as long as profelfed Arianifm itfelf. 
 
 The next fedt of the Arians was called Ano- 
 tnoeans , that is, Pure Arians, becaule they op- 
 poled the Semi-Arians, and pretended that they 
 were the only genuine followers of Arius him- 
 felf. Like him they denied the divinity of 
 Chrift, and refufed to pay divine honours to him. 
 They condemned the Semi-Arians, for teaching 
 that Chrift was of the fame fubftance with the 
 father, they themfelves declaring that he was of 
 A different fubftance, and that he was liable to 
 corruption, fo that upon the whole there could 
 not be much difference between them and the 
 original Arians. 
 
 Eudoxus , bilhop of Conftantinople, who had 
 been educated under Lucian the martyr, infti- 
 tuted a new fedt of Arians, who, from him, were 
 called Eudoxians. This Eudoxus being a man 
 of an enterprizing difpofition, and fome talents, 
 undertook the defence of Arius, and made fome 
 refinements on his dodtrine, which created him 
 fuch a number of friends, that he was eledted 
 bilhop of Germanicia, in Syria, by the Arian 
 party. He oppoled the dodtrine of the trinity in 
 the grand council of Antioch 341, and after¬ 
 wards in the council of Sardica, Sirmium, and 
 Selicucia. The emperor Conftantine the Great, 
 appointed him archbifhop of Conftantinople, and 
 after the death of Arius, he became the head 
 of his party, and his followers were called Eu¬ 
 doxians. 
 
 Eunomeans , another branch of the Arian here¬ 
 tics, took its rife Toon after the time of Arius 
 himfelf, and was firft founded by Eunomius, 
 bifhop of Cyzicus, who had been originally in 
 the army, but afterwards applied himfelf to the 
 ftudy of divinity. Having placed himfelf under 
 the diredtion of fome Arian teachers, he foon 
 imbibed their fentiments, and oppoled the ortho¬ 
 dox party with all the feverity of unmerited 
 abufe, one Etius, having given him all the in- 
 ftrudtions he could, and this Etius was not only 
 a heretic, but alfo a perfon of an immoral cha- 
 radter. 
 
 This Eumonius became fuch an enemy to the 
 orthodox, by inveighing continually againft them 
 that the emperor caufed him to be baniflied, but 
 the Arians procured his recall, and he was after¬ 
 wards treated with the higheft honours. Thefe 
 people differed in very few points from the ori¬ 
 ginal Arians, only that they re-baptized all thole 
 who entered into their communion, a thing much 
 attended to by all the antient Heretics. 
 
 Another fed! or party of thefe Arians was 
 called Eujebians , from Eufebius, bifhop of Ni- 
 comedia, and afterwards bifhop of Conftan¬ 
 tinople, who, about the year 326, became a moft 
 zealous oppofer of the orthodox. As he had the 
 repution of a man of learning, the emperor Con¬ 
 ftantine the Great treated him with fo much re- 
 fpedt, that for fome time he favoured the Arians. 
 
 11 
 
 129 
 
 Afterwards, at the inftigation of the Catholic 
 bifhops, he was baniflied, but the Arians had 
 intereft fufficient to get him re-called, and he 
 became the declared enemy of Athanaftus, bifhop 
 of Alexandria, who oppofed the Arians with more 
 virulence than any other of the Chriftian fathers. 
 
 After the death of Conftantine the Great, this 
 Eufebius prevailed with his fon Conftantius, to 
 patronize the Arians, and in 341, a council, by 
 the emperor’s orders, was affembled at Antioch, 
 which declared the Arian herefy to be the efta- 
 bliflied religion of the empire. 
 
 Macedomus, bilhop of Conftantinople, was the 
 inventor of another fedt of Arians, after the reign 
 of the emperor Conftantine the Great. He 
 governed the church in a very tyrannical man¬ 
 ner, and he was fo fuperftitious, that he caufcd 
 the bones of Conftantine the Great to be re¬ 
 moved from the church of the holy apoftles, to 
 the church of Acafius the martyr, which occa- 
 fioned great tumults among the people, and 
 many perfons loft their lives. 
 
 This perfon Macedonius had been formerly 
 depofed by the council of Conftantinople, and 
 it was generally fuppofed that he became a here¬ 
 tic from motives of refentment. He not only 
 denied the divinity of Chrift, but he alfo ex¬ 
 claimed bitterly againft all thofe who worfhipped 
 the Holy Ghoft. He even went fo far as to de¬ 
 clare, that the Holy Ghoft was no more than a 
 mere created Being, dependant on the will of the 
 Almighty, in the fame manner as men are. His 
 followers made great pretenfions to fuperior 
 fandlity, and were very auftere in their lives, 
 which induced many unthinking people to em¬ 
 brace their dodtrine, and live according to their 
 rules. Moft of thofe bifhops who were diffatif- 
 fied with fubferibing the apoftles creed, joined 
 themfelves to this herefy, and fuch was its pre¬ 
 valence for fome time, that it fpread over, and 
 procured great refpedt in the Chriftian world. 
 
 Maritanius , bilhop of Nicomedia, a man pof- 
 leffed of great riches, fpent vaft fums of money, 
 in order to propagate this dodtrine, and yet it does 
 not appear that ever it made any great figure in 
 the world. Athanalius exerted himfelf in writing 
 againft it, and it was condemned by the bifhops 
 in feveral councils. 
 
 The Pbolinians were another branch of the Ari¬ 
 ans, about the time of Conftantine the Great, 
 and followers of Pholinus, who was bifhop of 
 Sinnich , in Pannonia ; for the church was 1 b dif- 
 tradted at that time with different forts of herefies, 
 that thofe who loved the truth, fcarce knew 
 where to meet with a faithful friend. This Pho¬ 
 linus had been advanced to the dignity of bilhop, 
 through the intereft of the Arians, who were at 
 that time extremely powerful. But not content 
 with denying the divinity of our .Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, he even went fo far as to declare in his 
 writings, that God was not immenfe, for which 
 he was difearded by the Arians, and excommu¬ 
 nicated in the council held at Milan 346. There 
 were many other ledts and parties among the 
 Arians; but they were of fuch fhort duration, 
 and fo infignificant, while they exifted, that little 
 more need be laid concerning Arianifm. 
 
 Gnofiics were another fedt of Heretics, and, ac¬ 
 cording to Epiphanus, Simon Magus was their 
 I firft founder. They pretended to the higheft 
 K k degrees 
 
T 'iO 
 
 The HER 
 
 degrees of piety, and gave out that they were 
 divinely infpired. Like Tome of the heathens in 
 the Eaft-Indies, they acknowledged two fupe- 
 rior beings or principles, a good and a bad. 
 They fuppofed, confident with the reft of their 
 unintelligible notions, that there were eight de¬ 
 grees in heaven, and each of them governed by 
 a different prince. The prince who refided in the 
 feventh heaven, they called Sabaoth, and believed 
 that he created the fix heavens below him, and 
 that the earth with all things in it were the works 
 of his hands. They laid, that this prince or god, 
 was formed in the fhape of a hog; and this gave 
 rife to the report among the heathens, that the 
 Chriftians worfhipped the head of a hog. In the 
 eighth heaven, they placed the Supreme God of 
 all ; but this being was confidered fometimes in 
 the mafeuline and fometimes in the feminine 
 gender. They denied that Chrift was born of 
 the Virgin Mary, or that he ever differed ex¬ 
 cept in vifion; and yet, at the fame time, they 
 acknowledged, that he was the Meffiah promifed 
 of old by the prophets. With refpeft to the Old 
 Teftament, they embraced fuch parts of it as 
 fuited their own notions, believing, that fome 
 parts of it were written by divine inlpiration, and 
 fome not. In the New Teflament, they rejefted 
 both the Epiflles to Timothy, becaufe they are 
 exprefsly condemned in them ; and in general, 
 they condemned the greateft part of divine 
 Revelation. Men and women lived in common 
 together, without any regard to decency or mo- 
 defty; and it is generally believed, that the ■ 
 apoftle Jude alludes to them, in the latter part of 
 his epillle. They denied a general refillrredlion, 
 and mocked at the doftrine of a future flate of 
 rewards and punifhments. They forged a great 
 number of apocraphical books, containing ridi¬ 
 culous ftories and horrid blafphemies ; but for 
 the good of mankind, and the happinefs of every 
 Chrillian, they are now loft. 
 
 The Valentiniavs , fo called from their founder 
 Valentinus, were another feft of Heretics, that 
 fprung up about the middle of the fecond cen¬ 
 tury. This feft was one of the moft famous and 
 moft numerous in the early ages of Chriftianity, 
 and it firft made its appearance in Egypt, Va¬ 
 lentinus himfelf being a native of that country. 
 He was at firft a gnoftic, but refined much on 
 the fentiments of thofe people ; and leaving 
 Egypt, he came to Rome, where he continued 
 preaching upwards of twenty years. Being a 
 man of learning, he drew his notions from the 
 princ pics of the Platonifts, making every idea 
 that could be formed Hand in the room of a god. 
 
 He taught, that the firft principle of all was 
 depth, and that it had remained for many ages 
 unknown, having along with it thought and fi- 
 lence. From it lprung intelligence, as the only 
 fon, and his filter was truth. 
 
 He likewife taught, that there were three fub- 
 ftances, the material, the animal, and the fpiri- 
 tual. They denied that Chrift took upon him 
 human flefh, but that he only palled through 
 the womb of the Virgin, as a liquid does through 
 a pipe ; they likewife alferted, that there were 
 three forts of men, the fpiritual, material, and 
 animal. Thefe three fubftances were united to¬ 
 gether in Adam, but divided in his children. 
 The ipiritual part went into Seth, the material 
 
 F. S I E S. 
 
 into Cain, and the animal into Abel. They 
 taught further, that the fpiritual feed fhould be 
 immortal, notwithftanding whatever crimes they 
 committed ; that the material one fhould be to¬ 
 tally annihilated, let them do ever fo much good ; 
 and the animal, who are the followers of Abel, 
 fhall, if they do good, be in a place of fafety ; 
 but if they do evil, they fhall be annihiliated. 
 
 This was fuch a refined fyftem, that none but 
 philofophers could underftand, and yet vaft 
 numbers of people followed it. Elis difciples did 
 not ftriftly confine themfelves to the whole of his 
 fyftem, for they made many alterations without 
 difturbing the peace of their own focieties. We 
 have a moft horrid picture of them draivn by 
 Clemens Alexandrinus, who tells us, that they 
 paid no regard to moral duties, as they were ail 
 children of Seth, and therefore they thought it 
 no fin to commit any crime whatever. They af- 
 ferted, that there was no neceftity for people fub- 
 mitting to martyrdoms, as God did not require 
 it of them, and therefore they might at any time 
 deny Chrift before the Roman governors. 
 
 Some of them rejected all external ceremonies, 
 and others baptized their children in the name 
 of the unknown father, his holy fon, and the 
 mother of the world, by which they meant Jefus 
 Chrift and the Virgin Mary. In a word, the Va- 
 lentinian herefy was utterly inconfiftent with the 
 attributes of the Divine Being ; for allowing that 
 they did not totally deftroy the unity of God, 
 yet they made him a monllrous compofition of 
 different beings. Jefus Chrift according to them, 
 was but a man, in whom the heavenly Chrift de- 
 defeended ; and they confidered the Holy Ghoft 
 as no more than a fimple divine virtue. The 
 refurreftion of the body was to them an idle 
 dream; and they did not pay much regard to one 
 of the greateft points in natural and revealed re¬ 
 ligion, namely, a future ftate of rewards and pu¬ 
 nifhments. 
 
 The Marcionites, wereabranch of theValentini- 
 an herefy, and they were fo called from one Mar- 
 cion, who, in his younger years, had lived as a 
 monk in the wildernefs. Being convifted of 
 lewdnefs, he was excommunicated out of the 
 church by his father, who was a bifiiop; after 
 which he went to Rome, where being denied 
 communion with the church, he embraced the 
 herefy of the Valentinians, adding to it many 
 things of his own invention. Among other 
 things, he taught, that when Chrift delcendcd 
 into hell, he difeharged from thence Cain with 
 the fodomites, but left the patriarchs and pro¬ 
 phets to continue. This left of heretics conti¬ 
 nued many years ; for in 326, they were fo nu¬ 
 merous, that the emperor Conftantine the Great 
 made an order, that they fhould all conform to 
 the orthodox opinions, or be punifhed in the fe- 
 vereft manner ; yet notwithftanding all this fe- 
 verity, they continued above an hundred years 
 after. 
 
 The Actlnns , were a ftft of heretics who flou- 
 rifiled in Egypt and other parts, in the beginning 
 of the foui th century, and were fo called from 
 one Aetius, a Syrian. This man, having by his 
 extravagance, been reduced to poverty, fee up 
 the trade of a goldfmith, but quitting that, he 
 applied himfelf to ftudy, and became a moft 
 fubtle difputant. Being driven out of Antioch, 
 where he had fettled, he hired himfelf as a me¬ 
 nial 
 
The HER 
 nial fervant to a certain philofopher at Anabar- I 
 zus, a city in Cilicia, where he learned grammar 
 and logic ; but quarrelling with his mailer about 
 his opinions, he went to Tarfu$, and there iludied 
 divinity. From Tarfus he returned to Antioch, 
 but was foon after driven out of that city for the j 
 impiety of his opinions, which induced him to I 
 iludy phyfic. At length Leontius being pro¬ 
 moted to the fee of Antioch, he made him his 
 deacon in that church ; where continuing for-fome 
 time, he went to Alexandria, and oppoled Atha- 
 nafius, by taking part with the Arians. To the 
 opinions of the Arians, he added lbme of his 
 own, fuch as, that good works were not neceffary 
 to lalvation, that no fin, let it be ever fo enor¬ 
 mous, would exclude thole who believed in his 
 opinions, from the divine favour, and that God 
 had revealed to him, what he had kept hid from 
 the apoflles. This left continued till about the 
 latter end of the filth century, when the church 
 in general began to be corrupted. 
 
 About the latter end of the fecond century, 
 the church was infefted with a remarkable feft of 
 Heretics, called Bafilidians. They were fo called 
 from their founder, Bafilides, a man of fome 
 learning, but much addifted to the Iludy of ma¬ 
 gic for he had been brought up among fome of 
 the followers of the firft Hereuc, Simon Magus. 
 The particulars of the Bafilidian hercfy confided 
 in the following points : He taught, that God 
 created three hundred and feventy-five heavens be- 
 tween this world and his feat of glory ; that each 
 of thefe heavens had an angel to govern it; and 
 that the firft angel created the angeiwho governed 
 the world below him, and fo on in progreluon to 
 the laft. Bafilides taught further, that Chrift did 
 not really luffer on the crofs ; but that Simon, the 
 Cyrenean, was fubllituted in his room ; and that 
 men and women might live in common to¬ 
 gether. 
 
 Another of his opinions was, that his followers 
 might renounce their belief, in order to efcape 
 martyrdom ; and that the foul alone is to be 
 faved, nor is the body ever to be railed from the 
 grave. 
 
 His followers were much addifted to the ufe of 
 amulets, which they llfed as charms, and thefe 
 amulets were made in the form of medals, with 
 the word Abraxas engraven upon them, which fiu- 
 nifies, three hundred and feventy-five ; and on 
 the reverfe, were often to be met with the figures 
 of the twelve figns of the Zodiac; on others, a 
 variety of figures; Irom all which reprefentations 
 we learn, that this herefy confided of a ftrano-e 
 jumble and mixture of heathenifh rites and cere¬ 
 monies, under the name of Chriftianity. As fuch 
 femiments as thefe were confident with men’s cor¬ 
 rupt notions, fo we find they were greedily em¬ 
 braced, and the herefy fpread itfelf throughout 
 many of the provinces of the Roman empire, as 
 appears from the tefti.mony of St. Jerome, who 
 lived towards the end of the fourth century, and 
 he writes, that they had many difciples and con¬ 
 gregations, in Egypt, Afia, and Spain. 
 
 Mavicbees , or Mamcheans , were one of the mod 
 numerous lefts among the antient Heretics in 
 the church, and they took their name from one 
 Manes, who lived under the emperor Probus, 
 towards the latter end of the third century. The 
 
 hiftory of this Manes is very romantic, and is as 
 follows : 
 
 Terebinthus, a difciple of Scythianns, a magi¬ 
 cian, having retired out of Palelline into Perfia, 
 and finding his opinions oppoled by the priefts 
 and learned men of that country, he was obliged 
 to take fhelter in the houfe of a widow woman, 
 where he was murdered. This woman bein°- 
 heirefs to the books and money of Terebinthus” 
 bought a Have named Cubrieus, whom Ihe 
 adopted, and had him inftrufted in all the 
 iciences taught in Perfia. This man, after the 
 death of the widow, changed his name, to blot 
 out the memory of his former condition, and 
 took that of Manes, which, in the Perfian lan^ 
 guage, fignifies a vefl'el. 
 
 Having perufed the books left by Terebinthus, 
 Manes began to teach a new doftrine, namely, 
 that he was the Holy Ghoft, or comforter, who 
 had been promifed by our Lord to his difciples, 
 which drew after him many followers, and he 
 became the head of a numerous feft. Like fome 
 of the heathens, he taught his difciples that there 
 were two univerfal principles, the one the author 
 of all good, and the other the author of all evil. 
 He taught his difciples all manner of vices, re- 
 prefented impurities as virtues, and forbad them 
 to give alms to any but their own feft. He gave 
 out that the fouls of his followers palled from 
 their bodies to the moon, and from thence to 
 the fun in order to be purified, and from thence to 
 God, with whofe effence they were united for 
 ever; but as for the fouls of other men, they 
 either wenr into hell to be tormented, or were 
 united to other bodies. He taught that Chrift 
 hadhis refidence in the fun ; the Holy Ghoft in 
 the air ; wifdom in the moon ; and the father in 
 the abyls of light. He denied the refurreftion 
 oi the body j condemned marriage ; and taughl 
 that Chrift was the ferpentwho tempted Eve. He 
 forbad the ufe of eggs, checfe, milk, and wine, 
 as creatures proceeding from the bad principle. 
 He ufed a different form of baptifm from that 
 preferibed by the church ; and taught that ma- 
 gmrates were not to be obeyed ; and that even 
 what we call juft wars, were unlawful. 
 
 It would be cndlefs to rehearfe all the impious 
 tenets of this heretic and his followers, of whom 
 Leo, bifliop of Rome, ufed to fay, that the 
 devil, who reigned in all herefies, had built a 
 fortrefs and railed a throne in that of the Mani- 
 chees, who embraced all the errors and impieties 
 that the heart of man is capable of. The death 
 of this wicked man was as dreadful as his life 
 had been impious ; for the fon of the. kin<r of 
 Perfia having fallen fick, Manes undertook to 
 cure him ; upon which the father difmiffed the 
 phyficians, and the patient died. Manes was 
 ftnut up in prifon as an impoftor, from whence 
 he made his efcape, but being overtaken by the 
 king’s fervants, he was brought back and Head 
 alive and his carcafe given to the wild beads. 
 
 The Manichees were divided into two claffes, 
 namely, tire eleft, and the hearers. The eleft 
 confided of twelve, in imitation of the twelve 
 apoftlcs, and they had a thirteenth, who prefided 
 over them as a fort of pope. The hearers were 
 the followers at large, who attended to all their 
 impious inftruftions. In the fourth century, the 
 
 emperors 
 

 The 
 
 H E 
 
 emperors made feveral laws or edidls againft this 
 feet of heretics, but notwithftanding that, as 
 well as t he decrees of feveral councils, yer they 
 conrinued many years afterwards. They forged 
 feveral apocraphicai writings, which they aferibed 
 to the apoftles, but they are filled with fuch horrid 
 blafphcmics, that they carry confutation along 
 with them. It may be proper to add, that the 
 great St. Auftin, bilhop of Hippo, in Africa, was 
 in his youth a follower of this feel, but he re¬ 
 nounced all their tenets, and joined himfelf to the 
 Catholic church. 
 
 Another left of Heretics were called Ongimfts, 
 from their founder, the famous Origin, many years 
 a prefbyter of the church of Alexandria. This 
 great and learned man had long flourilhed as an 
 ornament to the church ; but in his latter years 
 he embraced iome notions inconfiftent with the 
 catholic faith, and thele being improved upon by 
 thofe who profefi'ed themfelves his followers, they 
 created much difturbance in the primitive times 
 of Chriftianity. 
 
 About the latter end of the fourth century, one 
 Rufinus, a prefbyter of Alexandria, having ftu- 
 died the works of Origin, he adopted that famous 
 writer’s notions, concerning the Platonic philo- 
 fopliy, and applied the whole to the Chriftian 
 theology. Full of thefe notions, he w'ent to Je- 
 rulalem, where Origin had a great many partizans, 
 and there he ingratiated himlelf into the favour of 
 Menalia, a Roman lady of great repute for her 
 piety and landlity; with this lady he came to 
 Rome, where her relations lived, and where he 
 was, upon her warmed recommendations, treated 
 with all the refpea due to the moft exalted cha¬ 
 racters, as if he had been one lent from heaven to 
 reform the world. 
 
 Rufinus having been thus careffed by fome per- 
 fons of the greateft eminence at Rome, he let out 
 with an outward Ihew of fimplicity, and aftei the 
 example of Origin, pretended to hold in con¬ 
 tempt every thing in this world. This made the 
 
 people confuler him as one who had arrived at the 
 hioheft degree of perfection in Chriftianity, and 
 Rufinus took the advantage of this prejudice to 
 propagate his opinions, in which he was greatly 
 affiled by the influence Menalia had over many 
 
 of the people. , . 
 
 It was at Rome that a houfe was built, where 
 he preached publicly to the people, and the num¬ 
 ber of his converts continuing to increafe daily, 
 the bilhop of that city was to much offended, that 
 he complained againft him to the civil power, and 
 he was banilhed. From Rome he went to Aquilla, 
 where he taught publicly, and Menalia, who had 
 been duped by him, returned to Jerulalem. The 
 principles taught by this man, cannot wholly be 
 aferibed to the learned Origin, but fome of them 
 were certainly taught by him in his old age. 1 he 
 whole are generally reduced to the following heads: 
 
 I The fouls of men are holy intellects, formed 
 by rays of glory, iffuingfrom the Divine Being. 
 
 II. The foul of Chrift was united to the logos, 
 or divine word, long before the conception of his 
 
 body. _ , ... 
 
 III. The foul of Chrift left the divine nature, 
 to which it had been united long before, and joined 
 the body in the womb of the virgin. 
 
 IV. The divine logos, or word, palled through 
 
 E S I E S. 
 
 all the orders of angels, before it went into the 
 womb of the virgin. , 
 
 V. After the general refurredtion, the bodies of 
 men will be changed from their original lorm, and 
 be round or fpherical. 
 
 VI. The fun, moon, and ftars have fouls. 
 
 VII. In fome future ages, Chrift will die to 
 make an atonement for the fins of the fallen an¬ 
 gels, by which they will be reftored to the divine 
 favour. 
 
 VIII. The pow'er of God is not infinite,-but 
 in fome things bounds may be fet to it. 
 
 IX. After a certain period of time, all the 
 damned will be forgiven, and tranflated from hell 
 into everlafting happinefs. 
 
 When a perfon, acquainted with reading theo¬ 
 logical writers, confidcrs thefe tenets, it will natu¬ 
 rally appear to him, that fome ot them have been 
 embraced by learned men, who lived fince the re¬ 
 formation s but {lift that is no proof of then au¬ 
 thenticity. We could mention the names of thofe 
 authors, but it could never anfwer any good pur- 
 pofo, becaufe it might lead well meaning perlbns 
 into an enquiry relating to things of no moment 
 towards promoting their eternal happinefs. It 
 would be to lay a Humbling block before the 
 weak, and in the end might endanger their eternal 
 falvation. It will appear that all the principles 
 themfelves arile from carnal notions, and a defire 
 of prying into things which God has thought 
 proper to conceal from the children of men. 
 
 Another numerous feX of heretics who made a 
 great figure in the world, particularly in Africa, 
 where they flourilhed many years, were called 
 DcnatiJls, and took their firft rife about the bed" 
 ginning of the fourth century, a few years before 
 Couftantine the Great afeended the throne. 
 
 Donatus, their founder, was a Numidian bilhop, 
 but being a man of a turbulent difpofition, he 
 was hated by his people, which induced him to 
 feek an opportunity of leaving them, and fettling 
 in lome other place. Juft about that time, the 
 bilhop of Carthage died, and as there was to be a 
 frefh election, he went and offered himfelf a can¬ 
 didate. But the people having had an account of 
 his character tranfmitted to them, he was unani- 
 meuflv rejeXed ; and his own people having cho- 
 fen another bilhop, his paflions were lo much ir¬ 
 ritated, that he refolved to feparate himfelf from 
 the catholic church, and fet up a fchiimatical one. 
 under his owm name, which he did loon after, 
 to the fcandal of religion, and injury of the 
 church. 
 
 In the whole of his condufl there was fomething 
 more artful, than had been praXiled by any or 
 thofe Heretics who went before him. All the 
 other Heretics had embraced tenets of luch a. 
 nature, as totally excluded them from any con¬ 
 nexion with the orthodox ; but he refolved to 
 make his new fcheir.e fa much refemble the old 
 one, that the unthinking were eafily ltd into the 
 fnare. He knew how to addrefs his difeourfes to 
 the paflions of men, and the conduX ot lome of 
 the orthodox, and indeed too many of them hav- 
 jnrr given great offence, Donatus laid hold of this 
 j opportunity, to teach his hearers that the church 
 ! was not infallible. 
 
 That the church is not infallible, cannot be de- 
 ■ nied, if by the word church, is meant the whole 
 
 body 
 
The HER 
 
 body of people, who in this world make a public 
 profefiion of Chriftianity; but this is fuch a 
 vague, uncertain, and unmeaning term, that no 
 fenfe can be made of it. The grand miftake lies 
 in not diftinguifhing between the word church, 
 and the promife made to the difciples by our Di¬ 
 vine Reedeemer. Chrift told his difciples, that 
 the gates of hell fhould never prevail againft his 
 church, and certainly his words are truth; for 
 even in the darkeft ages, there have been men 
 found, who were not alhamed to make mention 
 of his name, and worfhip him in fincerity, as will 
 appear afterwards. 
 
 Infallibility was not confined to the laity, ma¬ 
 ny of whom embraced the moll damnable errors, 
 and fuch as every man ought to be alhamed of. 
 Infallibility was not confined to the clergy, for 
 many of them not only let up new doftrines, in 
 oppofition to the orthodox religion, but were 
 guilty of the moll fcandalous crimes, fuch as 
 heathens would have blufhed at. But infallibi¬ 
 lity confifted in the Divine promife, that there 
 fhould be always fome found conducted by un¬ 
 erring providence, to unerring wifdom ; and al¬ 
 though a more than Egyptian darknefs, Ihould 
 at fome times overfpread the Chriftian church, J 
 yet God, in his infinite mercy, would exert his j 
 power to fupport all that had been done for fin- : 
 ners by his only begotten Son ; and that he did 
 fo, we have many teftimonies in hiftory. 
 
 As this heretic, like all others of the fame cha- 
 rafter, had feparated himfelf from the orthodox 
 church, fo he taught that baptifm adminiftered by , 
 -*any but thofe of his own party, was invalid. In ; 
 this he was much countenanced by fome difputes, J 
 which had taken place in the church about fifty ! 
 years before he made his appearance. It had 
 been agitated in feveral councils or fynods, that ' 
 the perfon baptized by a Heretic muft be re¬ 
 baptized j but the orthodox party always oppofed 
 this notion. And there being at that time, ma- j 
 ny perfons in Africa, who were not well ground- j 
 ed in the principles of religion, they greedily j 
 embraced this doftrine, and in confequence ! 
 thereof the Donatifts became extremely pow- j 
 erful. 
 
 Another of his tenets was, that as Chrift had not 1 
 made his church infallible, he (Donatus) had au- j 
 thority to remove all errors and corruptions ; and j 
 this notion being of a bewitching nature among j 
 the vulgar, he was enabled to eftablilh churches, j 
 and even to ordain bilhops and deacons. Upon j 
 tills principle, the religion of the Donatifts be¬ 
 came fo powerful in Africa, that in vain did the 
 emperor Conftantine the Great attempt to fup- 
 prefs them. They had not only their bilhops 
 and churches, but they even called councils and 
 fynods, to regulate their difeipline, without any 
 authority from the civil power. They excom¬ 
 municated all the orthodox as Heretics who had 
 denied the faith ; and taking the advantage of 
 the troubles which then reigned in Africa, they 
 were fo audacious as to put thofe to death who 
 differed from them in fentiments. Nay, fo nu¬ 
 merous were they, and fuch was their power, 
 that in Africa it was difficult to fay who was of 
 the orthodox or heritical party. In this manner, 
 they continued to ffourifti longer than any left we 
 have hitherto mentioned ; for we have fome in- 
 ftances of their exiftencc, fo late as the feventh 
 12 
 
 E S I E S. Ir , 
 
 x Jo 
 
 century. In their public forms of worfhip, thev 
 imitated the orthodox, but they made no ufe of 
 any fuch parts of lcripture as did not lerve to 
 eftablifh their own opinions, by a wrong and er¬ 
 roneous conftruftion being put upon them. At 
 laft, they were fwallowed up in that flood of er¬ 
 rors which overfpread the Romifh church ; and 
 even to this day, fome of the members of that 
 church believe the fentiments of the Donatifts, 
 though, they will not acknowledge them. 
 
 Aguoites , another feft of Heretics, arofe in the 
 church towards the middle of the fourth century. 
 Their notions, which were of a particular nature, 
 were firft taught by one Theopronius, a native of 
 Cappadocia, a man of no learning, but bold and 
 daring in all his undertakings. He taught his 
 followers to deny the omnifcience of God, al¬ 
 ledging, that he only knew things paft by me¬ 
 mory, and things future by an uncertain precari¬ 
 ous preference. Thefe people had the moft un¬ 
 worthy notions of God, as the maker of the 
 worid ; and of Chrift as the Redeemer of finners. 
 They founded their error on that paflage in 
 Mark xii. 32, where it is faid, cc of that day and 
 “ hour knoweth no man; no not the angels 
 cf who are in heaven; nor the fon, but the fa- 
 “ tlier only.” Their name fignifies ignorance, 
 and they defpifed all forts of learning. One 
 would be led to imagine, that a fyftem founded 
 on ignorance, would loon dwindle into oblivion ; 
 and yet we find fome remains of thofe Heretics fo 
 late as the middle of the fixth century, but they 
 are never mentioned afterwards. 
 
 Soon after the death of John the Evangelift, a 
 feft of Heretics fprung up in the church, under 
 the name of Alogians , fo called, becaufe they de¬ 
 nied the Divine Logos, the word, or Son of God. 
 They rejefted the gofpel of St. John, as a fpu- 
 rious work ; and for no other reafon, as would 
 feem, befides that of its oppofing their tenets. 
 Their founder was one Theodore, of Byzantium, 
 by trade a currier ; who having apoftatized from 
 the catholic faith, during the heat of perfecu- 
 tion, offered to return again to the church ; but 
 becaufe his requeft was rejefted, he broached 
 the above mentioned opinions, which were af¬ 
 terwards improved on by Arius. 
 
 Angelites , were a feft of Heretics whofe 
 founder was Severus, and they took their rife 
 towards the latter end of the fourth century. 
 They believed that the Father, Son, and Holy 
 Ghoft are the fame ; that none of them exifts of 
 himfelf, and of his own nature ; but that there 
 is a common God or Deity, exifting in them all ; 
 and that each is a God by relation to and parti¬ 
 cipation of that Deity. It is certain, that fuch 
 notions as thefe. could never be underftood by 
 the lower clafs of people, who look only for 
 plain Ample truth ; and thus we find, that they 
 foon dwindled away. 
 
 The Apelleans , were a feft of Heretics, who 
 made their appearance about the middle of the 
 fecond century, and were fo called from one 
 Apelles, who had been a difciple of Marcion. 
 They affirmed, that when Chrift came down 
 from heaven, he received a body, not from the 
 fubftance of his mother, but from the four ele¬ 
 ments ; which at his death he rendered back to 
 the world, and then afeended into heaven with¬ 
 out a body. Like many other Heretics, they 
 L 1 believed 
 
The HERESIES. 
 
 1J4 
 
 believed in two principles, one good and the 
 other bad ; they rejefted all the prophetical writ¬ 
 ings, and denied the refurreftion of the body. 
 Some of this feft continued till Alius broached 
 his notions, and then they feem to have joined 
 themfelves to his followers, for after his time, we 
 never find them mentioned by any of the eccle- 
 fiaftical hihorians. 
 
 The Apallimrians were a feft of Heretics, who 
 took their rife about the middle of the fourth 
 century, and had for their founder and leader 
 Apollinarius, biihop of Laodicea. They main¬ 
 tained that there was not an intelligent foul in 
 Jefus Chrift, but that the divinity, joined to hu¬ 
 manity, fupplied the place of a foul. They went 
 Hill farther, and affirmed not only that there was 
 but one nature in Jefus Chrift, but even that his 
 flelh was of the fame nature with his divinity. 
 They added, that this flcih did not partake of the 
 womb of the Virgin Mary, but only palled 
 through it, as through a reed or a pipe. Some 
 of them aflerted, that Jefus Chrift brought his 
 body from heaven, whence it followed that his 
 body was immortal, l'o that his birth, paffion, and 
 refurreftion were only feen in appearance, but 
 not in reality. Thefe Eleretics were not nume¬ 
 rous, and the laft time we find them mentioned, 
 is by Socrates, v/ho tells us, that towards the be¬ 
 ginning of the fourth century, Theodofius, bi¬ 
 ihop of Antioch, by his perfuafions, got them re¬ 
 conciled to the church. 
 
 About the middle of the third century, there 
 was a remarkable left of people in Africa, pro- 
 fefiing molt of the principles of the Chriftian re¬ 
 ligion 3 , nor do we know whether to rank them 
 among the number of Heretics or orthodox. They 
 were Aquarians, becaufe they mingled water 
 with the wine in the eucharift, and fome of them 
 ufed only water without any wine at all. Thernix- 
 ing of wine and water, was fometimes praftiled by 
 the orthodox; for we read in one of St. Cy¬ 
 prian’s epiftles, that it was the practice at Car¬ 
 thage in his time, and that it was ufed to repre- 
 len° the blood and water iffuing from our Sa¬ 
 viour’s fide. An antient author gives another 
 realon for their mixing wine and water together, 
 namely, that the wine pointed out our redemp¬ 
 tion by the blood of Chrift, and the water, our 
 being cleanfed from all impurities. I hus the 
 people, whom we have mentioned, could not be 
 properly called Heretics, altho’ Socrates, in his 
 ecclcfiaftical hiftory, ranks them among the 
 number. 
 
 When our Saviour inftituted the facrament of 
 the eucharift, he took the cup and drank of it, 
 and there is no doubt but the liquor was wine. 
 But we are no where told that he commanded his 
 dilciples to ufe wine alone in the celebration of 
 this divine inftitution. The inftitution was in¬ 
 tended as a memorial of the death of Chrift, by 
 eating bread, and drinking luch liquor as un¬ 
 doubtedly could be procured, without confining 
 it to wine, or excluding of water. Had this 
 been the cafe, then many of the primitive Chrif- 
 tians could not have communicated together; 
 for the golpel made its progrefs into countries 
 where wine was never known, nor any forts of li¬ 
 quor ufed, befides milk and water. The cafe is 
 this, probably thofe who can procure wine, ge¬ 
 nerally do fo for this facrament; but it is equally 
 
 certain, thatwater alone may be ufed, other v: ic 
 we mult unchriftianife many of our brethren in 
 different parts of the world. 
 
 The Archortics were a feft of Heretics, who 
 fprang up about the latter end of the fecond 
 century, but who was their founder is not cer¬ 
 tainly known. They taught that the world was 
 created by arch-angels, from whence their name 
 was derived. They denied the refurreftion of 
 the body, and placed perfeft redemption in a 
 certain chimerical knowledge. This knowledge, 
 they faid, could be only exercifed by the Lord 
 God of Sabaoth, who reigns in the higheft hea¬ 
 vens. They had many other notions of a.mod 
 horrid nature, one of which was, to aicribc lbme 
 fort of almighty power to the devil, whom they 
 imagined to have a large lhare in the govern¬ 
 ment of this world. This left continued till 
 about the latter end of the reign of Conftantine 
 the Geat, but we never find them mentioned af¬ 
 terwards. 
 
 In the early ages of the church, there was a 
 remarkable feft of Heretics, called ArlelyrUss, 
 who celebrated the eucharift with bread and 
 cheefe, faying, that the firft oblations made by 
 men, were offthe fruits of the earth and of lheep._ 
 
 Itygius, in his account of rite martyrdom of 
 Perpetues , a woman of forne eminence, relates the 
 following vifion, which fhe faid (he faw, and it 
 is in her own words ; “ I went up and faw a 
 “ very wide garden, and in the middle, an old 
 “ man, fitting in the habit of a fiiepherd, and 
 “ minding the flock. And he lift up his head 
 “ and faw me, and laid, thou art welcome, my 
 “ daughter ; and he called me, and gave me a 
 “ morlel of cheefe, which I received with joined 
 « hands, and cat, and all they that ftood around 
 “ me, laid, Amen.’’ Perpetues imagined from 
 this vifion, that Ihe fhould fuffer martyrdom ; and 
 the realon is affigned by Poffimus, an antient au¬ 
 thor, who tells us, that the eucharift was pointed 
 out in the vifion, that facrament being always ad- 
 miniftered to the faithful, previous to their fuf- 
 ferings. Thefe people admitted women to preach 
 in their afiemblies, and they were always drelfed 
 in white, with lighted torches in their hands. 
 
 Another feft of Heretics were called Atuleatts, 
 from one Audean, a Syrian, who had lived many 
 years in Mefopotamia, and was in great repute 
 about the beginning of the fourth century. I'nis 
 Audean was one who pretended to great aufte- 
 rites, but the liberty he took in rebuking the 
 clergy for their vices, brought upon him the 
 whole load of their indignation, lo that he re- 
 folved to feparate himfelf from the church. He 
 was ordained biihop by another fchifmatic bifhop, 
 and he afterwards eftablifhed bifhops and deacons 
 of his own party. St-Epiphanus does not charge 
 the Audeans with any error in point of faith ; 
 he only fays, they alferted, the refemblance be¬ 
 tween God and man, confided in the body of 
 man, which gave realon to believe, that they 
 looked upon God as corporeal. It is true, there 
 are leveral authors v/ho charge them with other 
 errors, Inch as that God was not the creator of 
 all things, and that ufury was unlawful. For 
 thefe notions he was condemned by die council 
 of Nice, and the emperor ordered him and all 
 his followers to be banifhed, which only made 
 things worle than thev were before ; for Audean 
 
 joined 
 
The I-I E R ; 
 
 joined himfelf to the Goths, who built him feve- 
 ral churches in the exterior parts of the empire. 
 This herefy continued till about the beginning of 
 the fifth century, when the Goths began to make 
 daily inroads into the empire, and from that time 
 we hear nothing at all concerning it. 
 
 The Carpocratiam were a remarkable feft of 
 heretics in the l'econd century, having for their 
 founder one Carpocrates, a native of Alexandria. 
 He was a man of the moll: abandoned life, and 
 taught his followers, that a community of wives 
 was not only lawful, but even meritorious. He 
 further aflerted, that a man could never be happy 
 till he had paffed through all forts of debauchery; 
 laying it down as a maxim, that nothing is evil in 
 its own nature, but only fo in the opinion of 
 men. 
 
 His followers believed, that the world was 
 made by angels ; that Jefus Chrift was the foil 
 of Jofeph and Mary, in the fame manner as other 
 men, and that his foul only afeended into heaven, 
 his body continuing in the grave, fo that they 
 denied the i efurreftion. 
 
 When a perfon was admitted into their fo- 
 cieties, they marked him under the right ear 
 with a hot iron, that they might know him ever 
 afterwards. They had images of Chrift, both in 
 painting and fculpture, which they faid were the 
 workmanfhip of Pilate, and they kept them 
 locked up in a cheft, in the place where they af- 
 fembled together. They had likewife the images 
 ol feveral of the mod celebrated philofophers, 
 to whom they offered facrifices, as the heathens 
 did to their idols. A woman of this fe< 5 t, named 
 Marcellina, came to Rome about the end of the 
 fecond century, and made a great many proi'e- 
 lytes; which is not much to be wondered at, 
 when we confider that they were as abandoned as 
 any of the heathens. St. Epiphanus relates, 
 that in his youth he became acquainted with fame 
 women of this fedt, who revealed to him the molt 
 horrid myfteries of the Carpocratians, and fought 
 to make him a profelyte. He adds, they were 
 beautiful women, and the temptation was ftrong, 
 but God was pleafed, by his grace, to preferve 
 him from the iiiare. 
 
 Another of thefe fedts, who were not very nu¬ 
 merous, were called Cerdomans, from one Cerdon, 
 who had been educated a philofopher, but after¬ 
 wards became a difciplc of Marcion, the father of 
 the Marcionites. Like feveral of the other He¬ 
 retics, they believed there were two univerfal 
 beings, a good one and an evil, and by thefe all 
 men were created and governed. They rejedted 
 the law and the prophets, they taught, that 
 Chrift had not a real, but only an imaginary 
 body, and they denied the refurredtion. It was 
 in oppolition to this herefy, that the article, “ the 
 refurrecTrion of the body,” was firft inferted in the 
 creed. And likewife the article, “ he fuffered 
 “ under Pontius Pilate,” for unlefs he had a real 
 body, it would have been impofiible for him to 
 fuffer. 
 
 A numerous fedt of Heretics, who fprungup in 
 the apoltolic age, were called Cerinthians, from 
 one Cerinthus, who, according to Epiphanus, 
 lived near the time of the emperor Domitian. 
 He had been, and probably was either a Jew, or 
 a Samaritan. He had travelled into Egypt, where 
 he learned the lciences, and upon his return to 
 
 Afia, formed the feft to which he gave his own 
 name. We are told further, that he travelled 
 from place to place, (tirring up the Jews againft 
 fuch orthodox Chriftians as refufed to embrace 
 his opinions. 
 
 The particulars in which the herefy of the 
 Cerinthians conlifted, were thefe. They did not 
 allow that God made the world, but aflerted, that 
 it was created by an inferior power. To this in¬ 
 ferior power, they attributed an only fon, but de¬ 
 nied that he was the Divine word. They ad¬ 
 mitted feveral angels, and inferior powers, as 
 filence, depths, fulnefs, and in this they were af¬ 
 terwards followed by the Valentinians. They 
 maintained that the god of the Jews was no more 
 than an angel, and they rejedted the law and the 
 prophets. As for their notions concerning our 
 Saviour, they were fomewhat extraordinary. 
 
 They diftinguifhed between Jefus and Chrift : 
 they faid, that Jefus was a man, the fon of Jofeph 
 and Mary; but that he excelled all others in juf- 
 tice, wil'dom, and prudence; that Jefus being- 
 baptized, the Chrift of the Supreme God, that is^ 
 the Holy Ghoft, deicended upon him; and that 
 by the afliftance of this holy fpirit, Chrift wrought 
 miracles. 1 hey allowed that Chrift fuffered and 
 rofe again ; but they held, that before his fufter- 
 ings, the holy fpirit had left him and returned 
 to heaven. They admitted no gofpel befides 
 that of St. Matthew; and they likewife rejedted 
 the Adts of the Apoftles, and all the Epiftles. 
 It was partly to refute this herefy, that St. John 
 wrote his Gofpel , and we have a pafiage in St. 
 Jerome, concerning that great Evangelift and 
 Cerininus, which we fhall relate in the author’s 
 own words, as tranflated from the original. 
 
 In his latter years, St. John refided moftly at 
 or pear Ephefus, and one day as he and fome 
 Chriftians were going into a bath, the apoftle faw 
 Cerinthus bathing himfelf. Upon that St. John 
 turned to his friends, and faid, let us make 
 hafte out of the bath, left it fall upon us. This 
 they complied with and immediately the bath 
 fell. Whatever truth is in this we fliall not take 
 upon us to fay, but certainly fome refpedt fhould 
 be paid to fuch a great man as St. Jerome. 
 
 We have already taken notice of the herefy of 
 the Donatifts, which was far from being fo grofs 
 as moft of the others ; but here we find a new 
 herefy ariiing out of it; for one error generally 
 leads to many others. 
 
 _ Scon after the Donatifts had eftablifhed 
 churches, and ordained bifhops in Africa, anew 
 fedt fprung up among thole Heretics, called Cir- 
 cumcellians , and they were the moft horrid of any 
 we have yet mentioned. They had no fixed 
 abode, but rambled up and down the provinces 
 begging, or rather exadting a fupport from the 
 people in the country. They exercifed all forts 
 of cruelty, and treated every one they met with 
 in the moft brutal manner. They run about 
 like madmen, carrying feveral forts of arms, by 
 which they became a terror to all thofe who dc- 
 fired to live peaceably. The terror of their 
 name fpread itfelf throughout moft parts of 
 Africa, for not content with injuring their fellow 
 creatures, they proceeded fo far as to lay violent 
 hands on themfelves, in hopes of obtaining the 
 crown of martyrdom. This they did feveral 
 ways, but the moft common was, by throwing 
 
 themfelves 
 
,j6 The 11 ER 
 
 themfelves down from precipices, drowning 
 themfelves in rivers, or burning themfelves to 
 death in fires. They never hanged themfelves, 
 becaufe Judas, after he had betrayed Chrift, took 
 that method of deftroyjng himfelf. Theodoret 
 relates, that thofe who intended to become mar 
 tyrs <eave notice of it to their companions fome 
 time before, and then great care was taken of 
 them. They were fed with the molt coltly food 
 that could be procured, and when the time came, 
 they voluntarily deftroyed themfelves. Some¬ 
 times they gave money to people to kill them, 
 or forced thofe whom they met in the highways, 
 to run them through with fwords. At other 
 times, they offered violence to the judges whom 
 they met in the ftreets, and obliged them to com¬ 
 mand their officers, who followed them, to dif- 
 
 patch them. . 
 
 Theodoret, the ecclefiafhcal hiftonan, relates a 
 pleafino- ftory concerning thofe infatuated wretch¬ 
 ed creatures. A company of Circumcellians met 
 a young man of wit and courage, and preienting 
 him with a lword, ordered him to plunge it into 
 their hearts, otherviife they would put him to 
 immediate death. He did not refufe, but told 
 them, that perhaps when he had killed a few of 
 them, the others would repent and fall upon and 
 difpatch him i fo begged they would firft fuffer 
 him to bind their hands and feet, and then he 
 would do as they defired. They confented to 
 this, and fuffered themfelves to be bound, which 
 -was’no fooner done, than the young man lafhed 
 them all with a whip, left them, and went 
 away. They frequently demolifhed the Pagan 
 temples, not fo much from a hatred of idolatry, 
 as with a view of provoking the priefts to kill 
 them ; and yet in the midft of all thefe extrava¬ 
 gancies, they fung praifes to God. The Dona- 
 tift biffiops, not being able to convince thefe 
 madmen of their errors, applied to 1 aunnus, 
 general of the forces in Africa, who lent fome 
 ioldiers againft them. Great numbers of them 
 were killed, but they were not totally fup- 
 preffed, till about the latter end of the fifth 
 
 cciiLuiy. . 
 
 From what has been faid concerning thefe 
 Heretics, or rather madmen, we may infer, 
 that the civil government of Africa, was in thofe 
 ao-es much negleded ; for although reafon, as 
 wt’ll as religion, forbids perfecution on account 
 of religious fentiments, yet thefe men, having 
 committed the groffeft crimes, ought to have 
 been put to death. 
 
 DuIcinifts were another order of Heretics, but 
 they lprang up at a period of time, rather later 
 than any of thofe we have yet mentioned ; but 
 the peculiarity of their notions entitles them to 
 a place in this part of the work. Dulcinea 
 was a layman, and under the ftrongeft pretenfions 
 to fan&ity, he concealed the moft abominable 
 vices. He kept a concubine, whom he called 
 the faint, and he taught that the law of Moles 
 was a law of rigour and cruel injuftice; that the 
 law of Chrift was a law of equity and mercy, but 
 the law fuperior to all, was that of the Holy 
 Ghoft, which had been revealed to himfelf 
 alone. He taught further, that it was an aft of 
 charity in a woman, to confent to the defires of 
 a man, whether Ihe was married or fingle ; and 
 
 F. S I E S. 
 
 his followers who were many in number, he cal¬ 
 led the true church. At laft, he became io ob¬ 
 noxious to the civil power, that all his followers 
 were difperfed, and himfelf with his concubine 
 burned alive. 
 
 An ancient feft of Chriftian Heretics were 
 called Ebionites, and took their name from one 
 Ebion, who had been a difciple of Cerentlius. 
 He taught his followers that the law of Mofes 
 was not abolifhed by the death of Chrift, but 
 that both it and the Chriftian law fhould be ob- 
 ferved together, both being binding to the end 
 of the world. His followers called their place 
 of meeting a fynagogue, in oppofition to the 
 word church ; and they made ule of baths, in 
 conformity with the ceremonies of the Jews. In 
 celebrating the Eucharift, they made ufe of un¬ 
 leavened bread, but no wine ; and they added 
 to it many fuperftitious ceremonies peculiar to 
 fome of the heathen nations. They adored 
 Jerufalem as the place God had made choice of; 
 and like the Samaritans, they would not fuffer 
 any perfon to touch them. They refufed to eat 
 either flefh or milk, and when they were bitten 
 by ferpents, they plunged themfelves into the 
 water, and invoked every thing to give them 
 afli (lance. 
 
 They difagreed among themfelves concerning 
 Chrift; fome of them allowing, that he was the 
 fon of Jofeph and Mary, born like other men, 
 and that his holinefs was acquired by his good 
 works. Others allowed, that he was born of a 
 virgin, but denied his being the word, or that 
 he had any pre-exiftence before his human gene¬ 
 ration. They faid he was indeed a great pro¬ 
 phet, but yet a mere man ; who, by his virtue, 
 had arrived at the dignity of being called Chrift, 
 the Son of God. They fuppofed that Chrift and 
 the devil were two principles which God had op- 
 pofed the one to the other. In their lives they 
 were the moft abandoned libertines, denying 
 that there was any neceffity for chaftity, and that 
 men and women fhould live promifeuoufty to¬ 
 gether. This was very agreeable to the notions 
 of the heathens, many of whom became con¬ 
 verts to this new religion ; but as loon as a perfe¬ 
 cution arofe, they were dilperfed ; we find fome 
 remains of them in the fifth century, but they 
 are feldom mentioned afterwards. 
 
 The left of Heretics moft refembling thofe 
 juft now mentioned, were the Eclefaites , who took 
 'their rife under the emperor Trajan, about the 
 beginning of the lecond century. T. hey joined 
 together fome of the Jewifb ceremonies and 
 thofe of the Chriftian church, but they kept a 
 mean between both. They worffiipped one God, 
 and obferved with great ftriftnefs the Jewifh fab- 
 bath, circumcifion, and lome other ceremonies 
 of the law of Mofes; but they rejefted all forts 
 of facrifices, nor would they luffer an animal to 
 be killed for that purpofe. They rejected as fpu- 
 rious, the greateft part of the facred fcriptures, 
 both of the old and new teftament, and they ac¬ 
 knowledged a Meffiah, whom they called the 
 great king, but who this impoftor was, does not 
 appear. They pretended that the Holy Ghoft 
 was a woman, and that it is lawful to renounce 
 the faith with the lips, fo as it is retained in the 
 heart. In their lives they were extremely vicious, 
 
 living 
 
The H E R 
 
 living like beads together, in the mod promif- 
 cuous manner, and yet we find, that they remain¬ 
 ed in the world till the fifth century. 
 
 The EutychianSj were a feft of Heretics, who 
 rofe up late in the church, at a time when the 
 pure doftrines of the gofpel had been much cor¬ 
 rupted. They maintained, that there was but 
 one nature in Jefus Chrift, becaufe he was but 
 one perfon. They believed that the divine na¬ 
 ture had fo lwallowed up the human, that there 
 was no humanity in Jefus Chrift but that of ap¬ 
 pearance. In 450, a council was held at Con- 
 dantinople, in which this herefy was condemned, 
 but dill it had many partizans, who fprcad their 
 tenets throughout feveral parts of Afia, till at 
 lad it was fwallowed up in Mahometanifm. 
 
 About the middle of the third century, a fort 
 of Heretics arofe in the church, called Hearcleo- 
 nites. Hearcleon, the author of this herefy, was 
 a man of fome learning, and being defirous to 
 become the founder of a new feft, he refined on 
 all the herefies that had taken place before his 
 time. He expounded many parts of the New 
 Tcdament, in a way peculiar to himfelf; but he 
 rejected the Old Tedament, affirming, that 
 there never had been a prophet before Chrid, 
 except John the Baptid. His followers confided 
 chiefly of apodate Chridians, and dudents from 
 the heathen fchools; but this feet mud have 
 loon dwindled away, for no mention is made of 
 them after the time of Condantine the Great. 
 
 In the third century, or at lead in the begin¬ 
 ning of the fourth, there was a left of Heretics, 
 called Hieraxites, from the name of their founder, 
 Hierax, a very fubtle philofopher, at Alexan¬ 
 dria ; who taught, that Melchizedec was the 
 Holy Ghod, condemned marriages, and denied 
 the refurreftion of the body. He likewife af- 
 lerted, that no man could be faved. who had not 
 arrived at years of maturity, and that all infants 
 were to be damned; for he conlidcred know¬ 
 ledge, as the procuring caufe of eternal hap- 
 pinefs. 
 
 Rufinus tells us a remarkable dory of an Hie- 
 raxite, who was confounded by a miracle, 
 wrought by St. Macarius, in Egypt. The Hie- 
 raxite walking one day into the delart where the 
 faint refided, had the boldnels to enter into 
 a difpute with Marcarius and his companions. 
 The faint, perceiving that his difciples began to 
 be daggered with what the Hieraxite had ad¬ 
 vanced, propofed, that they fhould both go in¬ 
 to the lepulchres of .the dead, and he whole doc¬ 
 trine God approved of, would receive power to 
 raile up a perfon from the grave. 
 
 The Elieraxite accepted of the propofal, and 
 both being come into the fepulchre, the faint 
 preded him to raife up one from the dead, in the 
 name of the Lord. But the Hieraxite, alledging 
 that the faint Ibotild begin fil'd, as having made 
 the propofal, Macarius prodrated himfelf on 
 the ground, and having acldreded himfelf to 
 God, called a certain hermit by name, who had 
 been buried lome time before. The dead man 
 anlwered him from the bottom of the tomb, 
 upon which he was taken out alive; and the 
 Hieraxite, terrified at the miracle, took to his 
 heels and fled out of the defart. 
 
 Lucifer, bifhop of Cagliari, towards the mid¬ 
 dle ot the fourth century, v/as the founder of a | 
 12 
 
 E S I E S. jjy 
 
 feft of Heretics called Lucifer tans. This Luci¬ 
 fer was a man of extraordinary abilities, which 
 induced the bifhop of Rome to fend him to the 
 emperor Condantine, defiring him to call a 
 council at Milan. This council met in the year 
 336 j and as the majority of members were 
 Arians, Lucifer, who was then orthodox, 
 was, with all his party, lent into banifhment. 
 He continued in banilhment feveral years, but 
 being at lad recalled, he quarrelled with the 
 other bifliops, and feparated himfelf totally from 
 the church. He was, properly fpeaking, partly 
 an Arian, and partly a Semi-Arian; for the 
 church was at that time fo much torn in pieces 
 by herefies and fehifms, that indead of preaching 
 the pure truths of the gofpel, nothing was to be 
 met with befides wranglings, drife, hatred and 
 contentions. 
 
 About the middle of the fourth century, and 
 during the reign of the emperor Condantius, 
 a feft of Heretics arofe in or near Mefopotamia, 
 called MaJJalicins , from a Hebrew word, which 
 fignifies prayer, and a Greek word of the fame 
 import. 
 
 It took its rile from the conduct and notions 
 of fome monks, who, indead of working to fup- 
 port themfelves, as was the praftice in that age, 
 gave themfelves up wholly to prayer. They 
 taught that the whole of religion confided in 
 prayer ; and that there was no necedity for good 
 works. They pretended to prophecy, and blaf- 
 phemoufly aderted, that they could fee the tri¬ 
 nity with their naked eyes. They believed that 
 the Holy Ghod defeended upon them at their or¬ 
 dinations, when they trod the devil under foot, 
 and danced upon him. They forbad giving of 
 alms to any but thofe of their own feft^retend- 
 ecl that they could didolve marriages ; and per- 
 fuaded children to leave their parents and follow 
 them. They wore long hair like women, and 
 drefled themfelves in magnificent robes. They 
 became at lad lo obnoxious to the people, that the 
 emperor Theodofius publifhed an edift againd 
 them, when, to avoid perfecution, many of them 
 returned to the church; but as often relapfed into 
 ther former errors. Wherefore, in a council of 
 bifliops, held 427, it was ordained, that no more 
 of the Maffalians fiiould be re-admitted into the 
 church, let their repentance be ever fo apparently 
 fincere. 
 
 Theodore, bifliop of Pharan in Arabia, was 
 the founder of a new left, called Monothelites , 
 who maintained, that although there were two 
 natures in Chrid, yet there was but one will; and 
 that the manhood in Chrid was fo united to the 
 word, that though it had its faculties, it did not 
 aft by itfelf; but the whole aft was to be aferibed 
 to the word which give it the motion. They 
 maintained further, that it was the manhood of 
 Chrid that differed hunger, third, and all forts 
 of pain ; but all thefe were to be aferibed to the 
 word as the caufe. Many of the clergy embraced 
 thefe nations, and the herefy remained till it was 
 condemned in a council held at Conftantinople, 
 63 o. 
 
 Nazareans. This was a name given at fird to 
 all the followers of Jefus Chrid, but after the de- 
 druftion of Jerufalem, a new feft arofe, who 
 alTumed this name to themfelves. Their religion 
 confided of a drange jumble of Jewifli ceremo- 
 M m rues 
 
*38 The II E R 
 
 nies mixed with Chridian Ones. I hey were all 
 Jews by birch, were circumcil’cd, kept the lab- 
 bath, and, at the fame time, received the New '■ 
 Teftament, acknowledged Jefns Chrift to be 
 the true Meffiah, and were all baptized. Thefe 
 Heretics, pretending to oblerve a medium be¬ 
 tween the Jews and Chriftians, were abhoned 
 and detefted by the former, and by the latter 
 they were declared to be profeffed enemies to the 
 gofpel. 
 
 The Nicolaites , or Nicolaitans , are a very antient 
 fedt of heretics j for we read in Rev. ii, 6. 
 
 “ This thou hall, that thou hateft the deeds of 
 “ the Nicolaitans , which l alfo hate.” Some 
 are of opinion, that the founder of this feci was 
 Nicolas the deacon ; but whoever he was, his 
 followers have been charged with the grolfell im¬ 
 pieties, and with all manner of abominations. 
 Men and women lived together promifeuoufly 
 without the lead regard to decency, and this was 
 confidered as a virtue, inftead of being con¬ 
 demned as a vice. They held the mod blafphe- 
 nious opinions concerning Jefus Chrift ; and, in 
 a word, were among the word Heretics that had 
 rilen in the church, although they took their 
 rife in the apodolic age. 
 
 The Novations were a numerous fedl of Here¬ 
 tics, who fprung up about the middle of the 
 third century, and were lo called from one No- 
 \atian, a prefbyter at Rome. Cornelius having 
 been eledted biihop, Novatian was fo enraged 
 that himfelf had not been preferred, that he en¬ 
 deavoured to blacken the character of Cornelius, 
 by charging him with fhewing too much lenity 
 to thofe who had apodatized during the perfec¬ 
 tion. 
 
 He taught that apoftates fliould indeed be ex¬ 
 horted to repentance, but that it was God, not 
 man, who could pardon them. Nay, he went 
 fo far as to aftert, that an apodate could never be 
 forgiven throughout all eternity ; which fo terri¬ 
 fied many of thole who had lapled, that they re¬ 
 turned again to paganifm. He was equally fe- 
 vere to thole who married a fccond time, declar¬ 
 ing them guilty of the unpardonable fin againd 
 the Holy °Ghod. Tlio followers pretended to 
 great purity in their lives, and re-baptized all 
 fuch of the orthodox as joined their party. This 
 herefy was not confined to Rome, for it fpread 
 itfelf throughout every part of the Roman em¬ 
 pire, and its followers were extremely numer¬ 
 ous. Condantine the Great granted them toler¬ 
 ation, on condition they did not make converts 
 of any of the orthodox ; but they are not men¬ 
 tioned after the middle of the fifth century ; 
 
 There was another fedl of Heretics who fprung 
 up about the middle of the lecond century, called 
 Ophites , from the veneration they had for the 
 ferpent that tempted Tve, and the worffiip they 
 paid to a real one. They pretended that the fer¬ 
 pent Was Jefus Chrift, and that he taught men 
 the knowledge of good and evil. Jefus, they 
 faid, was conceived by the Virgin Mary, and 
 Chrid came down from heaven to join him. 
 jefus was crucified, but Chrid had firft left him 
 to return to heaven. They faid that the God of 
 the Jews was no more than a fubordinate deity, 
 who created the bodies of men, but their fouls 
 were created by the fupreme God. They had a 
 live ferpent tamed, which they kept in a cage, 
 
 E S I E 
 
 and at certain times, they would open the dooi 
 and let it out, when it twided itfelf round 
 fome bread on a table. This bread they brake 
 and dillributed it among the company, and hav¬ 
 ing killed the ferpent, the ceremony concluded, 
 bv declaring this to be the real Eucharift. 
 
 Pelagians , a fedl of Heretics well known iil 
 church hidory, took their rife about the middle 
 of the fourth century. Their fird founder was 
 one Pelagius, a native of Britain, and his origi¬ 
 nal name was Morgan. Some have told us, he 
 was originally a monk of Bangor in Wales, and 
 probably he was; but thefe monks were very 
 different from fuch as are called by that name 
 at prefent. 
 
 Having left his native country, he travelled to 
 Rome, where he afiociated himfelf with perfonsof 
 the greated learning and piety, being himfelf a 
 man of conliderable abilities. He undertook 
 the education of fome young men, and for their 
 indrudlion wrote a commentary on St. Paul’s 
 Epidles. 
 
 Pelagius having been charged with herefy, 
 left Rome and went into Africa, where he was 
 prefent at the famous conference held at Car¬ 
 thage, betwixt the Catholics and the Donatids. 
 From Carthage he travelled into Egypt, and at 
 lad went and fettled at Jerufalem ; for, according 
 to all the accounts we have of him, he died fome- 
 where in the Eall. 
 
 His principal tenets were the following: 
 
 I. Adam was by nature mortal, and whether 
 he had finned or not, would have died. 
 
 II. The confequences of Adam’s fin were con¬ 
 fined to his perfon, and the red of mankind re¬ 
 ceived no difadvantage thereby. 
 
 III. The law qualified men for the kingdom 
 of heaven, and was founded upon equal pro- 
 mi fes with the gofpel. 
 
 IV. Before the coming of Our Saviour, fome 
 men lived without fin. 
 
 V. New born infants are in the fame condition 
 with Adam before his fall. 
 
 VI. The general refurredtion of the dead does 
 not follow, in conlequence of our Saviour’s re- 
 furredlion. 
 
 VII. A man may keep the commands of God 
 without difficulty, and preferve himfelf in a date 
 of innocence. 
 
 VIII. Rich men cannot enter into heaven, un- 
 1 lefs they part with all their edates. 
 
 IX. The grace of God is not granted for the 
 performance of every moral adt ■, the liberty ol 
 the will and information in point of duty, being 
 diffident for that purpofe. 
 
 X. The grace of God is given in proportion to 
 • our merits. 
 
 XI. None can be called the fons of God, but 
 thofe who are perfedlly free from fin. 
 
 XII. Our vidtory over temptation is not 
 gained by God’s alfidance, but by the libeicy oi 
 the will. 
 
 Such were the fentiments embraced by Pcla- 
 gius, and taught by his followers, and we find, 
 that they fpread far over the world ; for although 
 they were condemned in fevcral fynods and 
 councils, vet they made their way into Biicain, 
 where their author was born, being conveyed 
 
 thither 
 
The HER 
 
 thither by one Agricola, the fon of Severianos, 
 a Pelagian bifiiop in Gaul. 
 
 The orthodox party were very diligent in op- 
 pofing its progrefs, and for that purpofe requcfted 
 tlie Gallican biflaops to fend over fome perfon of 
 eminence to manage the contefl. Their requeft 
 was complied with, and the Gallican bifliops lent 
 over to Britain, Germanus, bifiiop of Auxerre, 
 and Lupus, bifiiop of I roye, who held a famous 
 conference with the Pelagians, at St. Albans, by 
 which the latter were put to Thence, and the peo¬ 
 ple gave fentence by loud acclamations for Ger¬ 
 manus and Lupus. Upon this occalion the follow¬ 
 ing ftory is related: A perfon of quality and his 
 lady brought their daughter to the holy bilhops, 
 begging of them to reftore her fight. The having 
 been lbme years blind. The bilhops advifed them 
 to carry her to the Pelagians, who declined under¬ 
 taking the cure. Germanus then invoked the 
 trinity, and the young woman was reftored to 
 fight, which had fuch an effect on many of the 
 people, that they left Pelagianilrn, and returned 
 again to the orthodox. 
 
 The Montanifts were a numerous feft of Here¬ 
 tics, who arofe in the church about the latter end 
 of the fecond century. Their founder was one 
 Montanus, a Phrygian by birth, who is faid to 
 have embraced Cliriftianity, with a view of pro¬ 
 moting his temporal intereft. He pretended to in- 
 ipiration, and gave out that the Holy Ghoft had 
 made known to him many things which had been 
 concealed from the apoftles. His firft followers 
 were two enthufiaftic women, whofe names were 
 Prifcilla and Maximilla, and in a fhort time after 
 he had many difciples. Several councils con¬ 
 demned his doftrine, and he, with ail his fol¬ 
 lowers, were excommunicated. 
 
 Finding they were calf out of the church, 
 they formed themfelves into a diftinft fociety, 
 under the direction of thole whom they called 
 their prophets, namely, Montanus, Prifcilla and 
 Maximilla. Thefe fedtaries made no alteration 
 in the creed, only they aflerted, that the Holy 
 Ghoft fpake to Montanus, who was his organ 
 to deliver his will. 
 
 They refufed communion for ever to thofe 
 who committed notorious crimes, and afterted, 
 that the bifliops had no authority to abfolve 
 them. They condemned fecond marriages, and 
 obferved tnree lents in the year. Thefe Lleretics 
 began to dwindle away towards the latter end of 
 the fourth century. 
 
 About the year 429, Neftorius, bifiiop of 
 Conftantinople, broached a new herefv, and his 
 followers were called Neftoriam. He taught that 
 there were two natures in Chrifi:, and two perfons, 
 the divine and the human. It was never difputcd 
 by the orthodox, but there were two natures in 
 Chrifi:, nay, the belief of it makes a capital article 
 oi their faith, but as for two perfons that has 
 been confiantly denied, for we trull upon that 
 as a .great matter of comfort, that our Redeemer 
 has joined our nature to his own, and will remain 
 fo to eternity. The council of Fphefus con- ; 
 demned this herefy, and the emperor Theodofius j 
 confirmed the fentence, 451, Neftorius bein» 
 depofed and baniflied. 
 
 , His followers, however, multiplied in a pro- |: 
 digious manner after his death, and fpread them¬ 
 
 felves throughout many of the eaftern nations. 
 One Sergius, a Neftorian monk, afiifted Maho¬ 
 met in writing the alcoran, and another got him- 
 lell declared king in the province of bidoftan, 
 and grew famous by the name of Prefter-John. 
 
 Prifcillieiiifis , were a left of Heretics who arofe 
 in the church, in the fourth century, and are fo 
 called from one Prifcillian, a Spaniard by birth, 
 and bifiiop of Avila, This bifiiop pretended to 
 work miracles by the power of magic, and yet he 
 lived feemingly fuch a pious life, that he drew 
 over to his party a great number of the clergy. 
 He maintained the principal notions of the Mani- 
 chees, but his chief tenet was, that it was lawful 
 to make falie oaths to fupport one’s caufe and 
 intereft. The emperor Max'imus caufed this 
 heretic, with all his followers, to be beheaded, 
 382. 
 
 Sabellius, an Egyptian philofopher, having em¬ 
 braced Cliriftianity, attempted to ftudy the doc¬ 
 trine of the trinity, and as it was incomprehen- 
 fible, he refolved to broach out a new religion of 
 his own, and his followers were called Sabdlians. 
 He taught that there was but one perfon in the 
 trinity, and in confirmation of this do&rine, he 
 made ufe of a comparifon. He faid, that as man, 
 though compofed of foul and body, is but one 
 perfon : fo God, tho’ he is Father, Son, and Holy 
 Ghoft, is but one perfon. His difciples carried 
 his notions ftill higher, but we hear little of them 
 after the tune of Conftantine the Great. 
 
 Sethians, were a left of Heretics, who arofe firft 
 in Egypt about the middle of the fecond century. 
 We are told that they worfiiipped Seth the Ton 
 o( Adam, whom they believed to be Jefus Chrift 
 the fon of God, but who was made by a third di¬ 
 vinity, and fubftituted in the room of the two 
 families of Cain and Abel, which had been de- 
 ftioyed at the deluge. As they countenanced and 
 encouraged all manner of debauchery, fo they 
 had many followers, for we find that they con¬ 
 tinued in Egypt upwards of five hundred years. 
 
 Simomam , the mod: antient fedl of Heretics, 
 were the followers of Simon Magus, a native of 
 Samaria, who offered Peter money if he would 
 fell him the power of working miracles. Although 
 difappointed in his fcheme to impofe on the 
 apoftle, yet he went about from place to place 
 and made many profelytes to his blafphemies. 
 The greateft number of Herefies took their rife 
 from this impoftor, and his difciples indulged 
 themfelves in all forts of lewdnefs. They wor- 
 Ihipped him as the great God, and likewile one 
 Helen, a common proftitute, who travelled along 
 with him. There is no doubt that the apoftles^ 
 Peter and John, had this monfter in view, when 
 they cautioned their hearers to beware of falfe 
 prophets. 
 
 In the fecond century, a new fed of PTerctics 
 fprung up, known by the name o {Tatiai;ites, from 
 one Tatian, a difciple of St. Julius, who had 
 for many years taught theology at Rome. This 
 Tatian was of a rambling difpofition, and after 
 the death of his mailer, he left Rome and tra¬ 
 velled into the Rail, where he fpread his newdoc- 
 trines. His herefy was a compound of manv* 
 others that had been before him, particularly the 
 Valentinians and the Marcionites, to which lie 
 added, that Adam and Five could not be laved. 
 
 lie 
 

 
 |-S* 
 
 m 
 
 He condemned marriage as inconfident with 
 the gofpel; forbad the drinking of wine, nor 
 would he differ any of his followers to eat flefh. 
 They were lo averfe to the ufe of wine, that they 
 ufed water in the facrament of the eucharift. 
 Severus, one of his difciples, improved on the te¬ 
 nets of Tatian. Like moll of the other Here¬ 
 tics, he taught that there were two principles, a 
 good and an evil one, and by them all things in 
 heaven and earth were governed. He denied 
 the refurreftion of the body, and forged a great 
 number of books, which were juftly rejected by 
 the orthodox. 
 
 This hcrefy was fometime in repute, but it 
 dwindled into contempt about the time of the 
 emperor Conftantine the Great. 
 
 The Zacheans were another left of Heretics, 
 who arofe about the middle of the fourth century; 
 and they were fo called from one Zacheus, who 
 lived fomewhere near Jerufalem. This enthufiall 
 retired to a mountain, where he fpent moll of his 
 time in devotion, being of opinion, that prayerwas 
 all God required of men. He took upon him the 
 office of a priell, without being ordained to that 
 facred office, and he foon procured a great num¬ 
 ber of followers. Thefe, however, confided 
 only of the off-fcourings of the people, fo that 
 men of fober lives deteded them. He was ge¬ 
 nerally confidered as an impodor, who had no¬ 
 thing in view, befidcs that of procuring a name; 
 and fo far as we learn, his left was extinft long 
 before the end of the fourth century. 
 
 Another wild left of Heretics were called Zan- 
 zalians , from one Zanzales, a native of Syria, 
 and according to fome, bidiop of Antioch ; but 
 of that we have no certain proof. He taught, 
 that baptifm with water was contrary to the gof- 
 pcl, and that they ought to baptize with fire; 
 which he grounded upon the words of John the 
 Baptid, who foretold that the Meffiah would 
 baptize with the Holy Ghod and with fire. For 
 this reafon he ordered that all his difciples diould 
 be branded with a red hot iron three times, in 
 the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the 
 Holy Ghod. This herely gave great offence to 
 the church, but it foon funk into contempt, and 
 its followers were defpifed by all thole of the or¬ 
 thodox party. 
 
 About the latter end of the fourth century, 
 one Jovinian, a monk of Milan, invented a new 
 herefy; and his followers were from himlelf, called 
 ''joilmans. He taught, that Mary, the mother 
 of Jefus, did not continue a virgin after her lay¬ 
 ing in ; and that when a man has received grace 
 in baptifm, he can never lofe it, which makes him 
 equal to the perfeft in heaven. Further, that 
 i date of virginity is not more agreeable to God 
 than marriage ; and ladly, that there is no merit 
 in eating or drinking, fo as we give thanks to 
 God. 
 
 This Jovinian had taken a diflike to the aude- 
 rities of the cloyder, and oppoled the zeal of 
 Ambrofe, bifhop of Milan, who was a dre- 
 nuous advocate for the monadic life. Accord¬ 
 ingly, he, with fome of his brethren, left 
 the * cloyder and retired to Rome, where 
 they had many followers; but Theodofius the 
 emperor, ordered them to depart out ol Italy. 
 This they complied with, but returned after his 
 death, and gained new reputation. The clergy, 
 
 however, raifed a freffi dorm of perfecution 
 againd them, and applied to the emperor Ho- 
 norius for his affidance. Honorius complied 
 with their requell, and they were all baniffied 
 into an unfrequented ifland, where they were 
 never heard of afterwards. Probably they died 
 of want, and as their tenets were not much 
 different from thofe of Protedants, it gives 
 us but a melancholy pifture of the edabliffied re¬ 
 ligion at that time. 
 
 The Melecians , another feft of Heretics, about 
 the beginning of the fourth century, had for 
 their founder, Melecius, bidiop of Lycopolis, 
 in Egypt. This bifhop had been, at firft, a mod 
 zealous advocate for the faith ; and the warmth 
 with which he defended it, fo irritated the em¬ 
 peror Maximillian, that he caufed him to be 
 imprifoned along with Peter, bifhop of Alexan¬ 
 dria. About the year 306, and during his cap¬ 
 tivity, Melecius declared with great warmth 
 againd thofe Chridians, who having apodatized, 
 delired to be reconciled to the church ; infiding, 
 that they diould not be admitted to pardon, till 
 luch time as the perfecution was over, and the 
 church’s peace redored. Fie carried his zeal in 
 this matter fo far, that he broke off" all his com¬ 
 munion with Peter, the bifhop of Alexandria, 
 who oppofed the rigour of his doftrines ; and 
 thus, even while he was detained in prifon, he 
 not only defended the faith, but likewife 
 broached opinions contrary to it. 
 
 Soon after this, a fynod was held at Alexan¬ 
 dria, in which the opinions of Melecius were 
 condemned, and this lentence was confirmed by 
 all the neighbouring bifliops. The Melecians 
 hung little bells to the bottom of their garments, 
 and lung ther prayers dancing all the time ; and 
 this they confidered as the only means to appeafe 
 the wrath of God. They perfided in rejefting 
 all luch Chridians as had apodatized ; and they 
 are laid to have been notorious hypocrites under 
 the mafic of piety. 
 
 Another feft of Heretics were called Sabbathi- 
 a>ts y from their leader Sabbathus, a Jew, who 
 was baptized at Condantinople, towards the lat¬ 
 ter end of the fourth century, and ordained a 
 pried by the Novatians ; but finding himlelf as 
 little edeemed by the Fleretics whom he had 
 joined, as by the Jews whom he had deferted, 
 he forlook their affemblies, and refolved to be¬ 
 come the head of a party. 
 
 As he had dill fome remains of Judaifm in 
 him, he affirmed, that Eader fhould be kept on 
 the fame day with the Jewifh paffover ; and the 
 better to confirm his difciples in that opinion, he 
 made ufe of the following dratagem : In read¬ 
 ing Luke xxii, when he came to the words, 
 “ The fead of unleavened bread drew nigh, which 
 “ is called the paffover.” He raifed his voice 
 on a Hidden, and cried, “ Woe unto him, that 
 tf keeps the paffover, but on the day of unlea- 
 <c vened bread.” He joined thofe words fo art¬ 
 fully to the text, that his ignorant hearers ima¬ 
 gined them to be the words of Jefus Chriil 
 himlelf. 
 
 Siffinnius, a Novatian bifhop, fet himfelf up 
 to oppofe Sabbathus, and one day, while the lat¬ 
 ter was in a certain church, a report was fpread, 
 that Siffinnus was coming with a band of armed 
 men, to dedroy him and his followers. The 
 
 Sabba- 
 
The H E R 
 
 Sabbathians, feized with terror, endeavoured 
 to make their efcape, but as they preffed to get 
 out of the church, they fell one upon another, 
 and the number of thofe who were trampled to 
 death was fo great, that the reft abandoned their 
 leader, out of fear of Siffinus, and thus the whole 
 fedt was entirely difperfed. 
 
 Saturninians , the laft fedt of thefe antient He- 
 retics whom we Ihall mention, took their rife 
 about the beginning of the fecond century, and 
 had for their founder, one Saturninius, a philo- 
 fopher of Antioch. This man having embraced 
 chriftianity, became a member of the church of 
 Antioch ; but not relilhing the fimplicity of the 
 gol'pel, he refolved to fet up a new religion of his 
 own. He had a particular fyftem of his own, 
 concerning the creation of the world; for he 
 taught, that God created feven angels, and thefe 
 feven angels created the world, with two kinds 
 of men, the one good and the other bad; the 
 good, he faid, were the eledt chofen to glory; 
 and the bad were the reprobate, who were to be 
 condemned. 
 
 He taught many other ridiculous notions, fuch 
 as, that man lives by the breath of God alone, 
 but when he withdraws that breath he dies. To 
 thefe he added, that the angels having long ad¬ 
 mired the beauties of God, refolved to make 
 fomething to refemble him ; and having laboured 
 a great while, they made a kind of animal which 
 could not ftand upright, but crawled on the 
 earth like a ferpent; that God buffered their 
 work to remain fometime in this low condition, 
 to convince them of the rafhnefs of the projedt. 
 
 At laft, God being touched with companion, 
 beftov/ed fome ftiare of his own perfection on this 
 creature, who immediately railed himfelf upon 
 his feet, and lifted up his head towards heaven. 
 Saturninius pretended, that the Jews had been 
 long under the government of a bad angel, 
 as a punilhment for their fins; but that at laft, 
 the eternal Father, taking pity on them, fent 
 him (Saturninius) into the world, to take them 
 out of the power of the angel of difcord; that 
 he himfelf was the true Meffiah, and that Jefus 
 Chrift was a meer apparition, and not a real 
 man. This impoftor had a great number of fol¬ 
 lowers, who fpread their notions throughout moft 
 of the capital towns in Syria ; and tofupport his 
 pretences, he forged a book, containing a great 
 number of falfe oracles, all which he faid had 
 been dictated by a good angel, and were of equal 
 authority with the word of God. 
 
 Thefe were all the Heretics of any note in the 
 primitive church ; for although there were fome 
 of Idler note, yet they were only branches of 
 the above, and little more has been tranfmitted 
 to us concerning them-, befides their names. 
 Taking their abfurdities, their errors, their im¬ 
 pieties, and their blafphemies all into one point 
 of view, v/e are prefen ted with a moft ffiock- 
 mg picture of human nature. Here all the vices 
 that can take place in the heart, are collected to¬ 
 gether ; fo truly were the words fulfilled, that 
 the child Jelus Ihould be fent for the rife and 
 fall of many. 
 
 Having given an account of all that is necef- 
 iary to be known, concerning the antient He¬ 
 retics and lchifmatics, we Ihall conclude this ar- 
 
 E S I E S. i 4 i 
 
 tide with a definition of the terms fo often made 
 ule of, viz. fchifim, herefy, and blafphemy. 
 
 “ And firft, of fchifm, which is to divide the 
 church and difturb its peace. The pious Mr. 
 Neifon lias given us a definition of fchifm, in the 
 following words. <f Schifm (fays he) is a caufelefs 
 fC feparation from fuch governors in the church, 
 “ as have received their authority and commif- 
 <f fion from Jefus Chrift. If there be a fufficient 
 <f caufe, then there may be a feparation but it is 
 cc not fchifm. But if there be no fufficient ground 
 “ for the feparation, it is fchifm; that is a cul- 
 <c pable feparation, which was always reckoned 
 c ‘ a fin of a very heinous nature. For St. Paul 
 cc charges the Ephefians to keep the unity of 
 c£ the fpirit in the bond of peace, becaufe there 
 “ is but one God, one faith, one baptifm, and 
 t£ one body of Chrift . u 
 
 tc The fame doCtrine is taught in the writings 
 cc of the firft fathers of the church, particularly 
 “ St. Ignatius and St. Cyprian ; and fchifm was 
 fC reputed a great fin by them, even before the 
 cc church and ftate were united, and when the 
 “ meetings of the lchifmatics were as much to- 
 fe lerated as thofe of the orthodox. For tole- 
 cc ration does not alter the nature of fchifm. 
 ff Such laws only exempt the perfons of fchifma- 
 Cf tics from persecution. Donatifm and Nova- 
 cc tinifm were counted as damnable fchifms, un- 
 ct der the reigns of thofe emperors who granted 
 Cf toleration to them ; as under the reigns of 
 ff thofe who made laws againft them.” So ac¬ 
 cording to thefe authors, it is not feparation from 
 a church that creates fchifm, but it is a caufelefs 
 feparation ; but then it muftbe added, that there 
 may appear fufficient caufe to one, when another 
 does not lee any ; fo that in judging of thofe 
 who feparate, we Ihould be cautious and cha¬ 
 ritable. 
 
 Secondly, herefy, which is very different from 
 fchifm ; the latter being only a feparation for 
 groundlefs caufes from the eftablilhed church of 
 the country where we live ; whereas herefy is a 
 total deviation from the principles of the Chrif- 
 tian faith, and the fetting up fomething in op- 
 pofition thereunto, which has no foundation in the 
 l'acred feriptures. People found in the faith may 
 differ in their fentiments, concerning the exterior 
 non-effentials of religion, without injuring the 
 peace of the church, although in the heat of un- 
 neceffary controverfy, the violence of unguarded 
 paffions may induce them to abufe each other ; 
 but while they agree in the effentials of religion, 
 and live as become the dilciples of Chrift, all 
 fuch opprobious names Ihould ceafe. 
 
 It is every way different with Heretics, who, 
 not content with difturbing the peace of the 
 church in the non-effentials of religion, boldly 
 proceed to attack one or all of thofe fundament¬ 
 als upon which our falvation depends. Thus one 
 will deny the Divinity of Chrift; another the ne- 
 ceffity of his merits, to procure our acceptance 
 with God ; a third, the ufe of the outward means; 
 and a fourth, the refurredtion of the body, and a 
 future ftate of rewards and punifliments. Such 
 errors as thefe juftly deferve the name of herefy, 
 becaufe the teaching of them ftrikes at the foun¬ 
 dation of our holy religion, by reprefenting the 
 fufferings of Chrift as both ufelefs and unneceffary. 
 
 N n Thirdly, 
 
H 1 
 
 Thirdly, blafphemy, which confifts in afcrib- 
 in" any tiling to the deity, unbecoming the per- 
 tlflions of his godhead, 'or by derogating from 
 the nature of his attributes, by laying that he is 
 neither holy, jult, nor good. This by the law o 
 Mofes was a capital offence, and the criminal 
 was to be led without the camp and ftoned to 
 death by the whole congregation, but the wtt- 
 nefTes, upon whofe evidence he had been con- 
 vifted, were firft to lay their hands upon his head, 
 and throw the firft ftones at him, in teftimony 
 that they had not perjured themfelves. 
 
 Our Saviour takes notice of the fin and blaf¬ 
 phemy againft the Holy Ghoft, which was never 
 10 be forgiven, either in this world, or in that 
 which is to come; and this paffage of lacred 
 icripture has been a (tumbling block in the way 
 of many pious well-meaning Chriftians. If we 
 confider the paffage aright, nothing ^ can be 
 plainer than that it is to be imputed to the Pha- 
 rifees, who declared that the miracles Chrift 
 wrought by the power ol the Holy Ghoft, were 
 performed bv the affiftance of the devil. Our 
 Lord had juft healed one poffeffed of a devil ; 
 and the Pharifees gave this malicious turn to the 
 miracle; “ This fellow doth not call out devils, 
 “ but by Beelzebub, the prince of devils.” Phis 
 led our Saviour to difcourle concerning the fin cr 
 bfafphemy againft the Holy Ghoft, and to tell 
 his difciples, “ Wherefore I fay unto you, all 
 “ manner of’ fin and blafphemy fliall be forgiven 
 “ unto men, but the fin againft the Holy Ghoft 
 “ fhaH not be forgiven unto them.” See Match. 
 
 xii. 22, 31. , . 
 
 The Pharifees, therefore, were the perlons 
 Charged with this fin, which confided in afenb- 
 in<r what was done by the power of God to the 
 agency of the devil. And the reafon why our 
 Lord pronounced it unpardonable is plain, be- 
 caule the Jews, and particularly their leaders tlw 
 Pharifees, bv withftanding the evidence of mi¬ 
 racles, refitted the ftrongeft means of their con¬ 
 viction. From all which it will naturally follow, 
 that no perfon now can be guilty of the fin 
 againft the Holy Ghoft, in the fenfe in which 
 our Saviour intended it, although there may be 
 fins which bear a near refemblance to it. 
 
 By the common law of England, blafphemy 
 is defined to confilt in a denial of the be- 
 in"- and providence of God, and a reproach¬ 
 ing of the name of Jefus Chrift, tor which the 
 delinquent is to fuffer imprifonment, the pillory, 
 or to be fined at the dilcretion of the court where 
 the offence is tried ; and for this crime, one Anne 
 Taylor paid a fine of one thoufand pounds, and 
 flood in the pillory three times, 1676. See Haw¬ 
 kins’s pleas of the crown. Chap. 89. 
 
 Bv the ftatuce ix. of William III. chap. 32. 
 It is enafted, that if any perfon lhall, by writing, 
 
 The HERESIES. 
 
 or fpeaking, deny any of the perfons of the Holy 
 Trinity to be God, or affert there are more God» 
 than one, or lhall deny the Chriftian religion to 
 be true, or the Old and New Teftament to be of 
 Divine’authority, he (hail be incapable of any 
 office or employment, and for the fecond offence 
 (hall be diiabled to fue in any aftion to be exe¬ 
 cutor. 
 
 A molt remarkable inftance of blafphemy hap¬ 
 pened in the reign ot queen Elizabeth, lor the 
 truth of which we have the teftimony of all the 
 writers of that time, as well as the records of the 
 courts of juftice. One Hacket affirmed himfelf 
 to be the anointed king of the earth by the Holy 
 Ghoft, and commanded his two difciples, Ar- 
 thington and Coppinzer, to proclaim through the 
 Hreets of London, that Chrift was come to judge 
 the world, and that he might be feen at the 
 houfe where Hacket lodged, and that all who 
 refufed to obey him fhould deftroy each other, 
 and that the queen Ihould be dethroned. He 
 was conviftcd of high-treafon, and at the place 
 of execution, repeated the following prayer : 
 
 <c Eternal God, thou knoweft me to be the 
 <■ true Meffiah, whom thou haft lent: (hew fome 
 “ miracle from the clouds to convince thofe un- 
 “ believers, and free me from the power of my 
 “ enemies. If thou refufeft to do this, I will 
 “ fet fire to the heavens, and, pulling thee from 
 “ thy throne, will tear thee to pieces with my 
 «•' hands.” And turning to the executioner, laid, 
 “ Doll thou, wretch, prefume to hang thy 
 “ king ?” Then lifting up his eyes to heaven, 
 he cried, “ Thou repayeft me well for a king- 
 “ dom bellowed, I come to take vengeance on 
 “ thee.” 
 
 Such a wretch as this Ihould have been whip¬ 
 ped twenty times at the cart's tail, inftead of 
 lending him into eternity, uttering the 1110ft hor¬ 
 rid blafphemies. 
 
 By the law of Scotland, blafphemy is, and al¬ 
 ways has been, a capital offence, and it takes 
 place before high-treafon. ft he laft perfon that 
 fullered for this crime at Edinburgh, was one 
 Aikenhead, in the year 1696. He denied the 
 Being of a God, and mocked at all religion, 
 whether natural or revealed. He belonged to a 
 fociety of young men, who ufually met togethei 
 at a tavern, where they made it a rule, that each 
 in his turn Ihould burn the bible, and blafpheme 
 the name of God. At laft, the club was difperfed, 
 and this man was burnt alive; but lome of his 
 companions Hill continued to defemmate their 
 fentiments. Among whom was one Hunter, a 
 youn" ftudent in divinity, who was hung in 
 chains at Broughton, near Edinburgh, for mur¬ 
 dering two young gentlemen, the ions ot one 
 Mr. Gordon, whole tutor he was* 
 
 * We cannot here omit mentioning a very ufeful worLmwhic^manyjpamculars of ^ w hofe trial, amongll an 
 
 found, and which, in real.ty, refreflred our memory Linn infertcd m The MaU/aBor, or N'w- 
 
 evtenlive variety of others, together tsoth retoousand^ for families> and mould be perufed by young perfons 1.1 
 
 Kcugali and Tyburn Cahndtr . 1 Ins P f h £ f an d confequence of vice, to rmprefs on the mind, proper ideas 
 
 general, as the whole tends, by a general dffplay ot 4 j, cont .*;„ s M thc remarkable Old Bally, and other trials, 
 
 of the ha ppinefs refulting from a life of lb Weekly numbers, embellilhed with elegant copper-plates, price 
 
 only 1 lixpence S for the jL. P™«d on.yf- Mr. HOCeU 
 
 I 
 
 Of 
 
( H3 ) 
 
 Of the State of the Chriftian Religion, from its receiving a 
 Civil Eflablifhment under Conftantine the Great, 314, till 
 the beginning of the Reformation, 1517. 
 
 W E come now to the third article pro¬ 
 pofol concerning the Chriftian Reli¬ 
 gion, and it is of fuch an important 
 nature, that, according to the regular manner we 
 have hitherto proceeded, we lhall confider it 
 under the following heads: 
 
 I. An abftradl of the hiftory of the church, 
 from the time of the emperor Conftantine the 
 Great, till the reformation. 
 
 II. The origin of the monadic life, with an 
 account of all the religious orders, by whom 
 founded, and for what purpofes. 
 
 III. The origin, progrefs, and prefent ftate of 
 all the ceremonies made ufe of by the Roman 
 Catholics. 
 
 Laftly, an account of the inquifition ; and in 
 writing on thofe fubjeefts, we lhall be direfted by 
 the beft authors : whether popifh or proteftant, 
 we lhall be guided by a candid attention to the 
 truth, being willing to find it in any party what¬ 
 ever. 
 
 To begin with the firft, namely, the ftate of 
 Chriftianity, during the fpace of eleven hundred 
 years. Jt will be neceffary, however, to obferve, 
 that as we have already given an account of all 
 the antient Herefies, and as there was no necef- 
 fity for others fpringing up after this period, fee¬ 
 ing the church became daily more and more cor¬ 
 rupted, lo the reader muft attend to the general 
 thread of the narrative, itbeingour intention, when 
 any innovation prefents itfelf to us, to treat of it 
 as collaterally connected with the whole, by way 
 of digreffion. 
 
 Wc have already confidered the religion of our 
 Divine Redeemer, as propagated among the hea¬ 
 thens, by no other means befides the afliftance of 
 Almighty power, and although oppofed by the 
 Roman cm 'Tors, by the Pagan priefts, and the 
 ftiperftitious Jews ; yet the tender plant grew up, 
 and was nourifhed, and an innumerable com¬ 
 pany of people of all ranks thought it an honour 
 to inlift themfelves as foldiers under the banner 
 of the crofs. Neither the malice of devils, nor 
 the power of men could ftop its progrefs, for as 
 Chrift had declared that his kingdom was not of 
 this world, fo his religion was propagated by 
 fpiritual means, and the more it was oppol'ed, the 
 more it flourifbed ; but now we muft draw the 
 line between human and divine power. 
 
 Conftantine, juftly called the Great, took pof- 
 fcfiion of the Roman empire partly by force, and 
 partly by eleftion, and it muft be acknowledged, 
 that at that time, the Chrittians were fo numerous, 
 it would have been confident with true policy to 
 have granted them a free toleration, fuppofing 
 the emperor himfelf had continued in the prac¬ 
 tice of heathenifm. Phe emperor, however, em¬ 
 braced the Chriftian religion, in the year 314, 
 
 I although lie was not baptized till within a fhort 
 time before his death. Pie iftued an order, that 
 all the revenues, appropriated for the fupport of 
 the heathen temples, fiiould be bellowed on the 
 Chriftian clergy, and being no ftranger to the 
 tricks pradtifed by the Pagan priefts, he ordered 
 their idols to be expofed to the populace, that 
 they might fee in what manner they had been de¬ 
 ceived by defigning men, and this occalioned vaft 
 multitudes of people to embrace the Chriftian 
 I religion, although it is probable that many 
 I of them did fo, without being properly inftrudied 
 in its principles, but rather that they might ac¬ 
 quire emoluments, by complying with the orders 
 of the emperor. 
 
 I his circumftance is the more neceffary to be 
 attended to, becaufe it will throw a confiderable 
 light on the remaining part of this narrative, and 
 point out how great the difference muft always 
 be between human and divine power. During 
 the three firft centuries the Chriftians were a 
 diitieffed people, but they were in many refpebts 
 pure and innocent. Whether they imagined that 
 temporal power would interpofe in their favour, 
 cannot now be certainly known; probably they 
 did not, for as they waited daily for the fecond 
 coming of Chrift, all their hopes centered in that 
 fingle principle; and this confideration fupported 
 them under all their fufferings. 
 
 Previous to the reign of the emperor Con¬ 
 ftantine, the Chriftians had been perfecuted in the 
 moft cruel manner; and, bleeding with their 
 wounds, they were taken under the protection 
 of that Chriftian hero. Happy for the Chriftian 
 clergy, had they made a proper ufe of fuch 
 indulgence granted to them; and, inftead of 
 ftirring up the civil power againft the heathens, 
 endeavoured like their Divine Matter, to bring 
 them over to the truth, without coercive means. 
 The contrary however took place, and to ufe the 
 words of the great and good archbilhop Leighton, 
 
 “ The world went mad by turns.” No fooner 
 had the Chriftian bifhops received the counte¬ 
 nance and protection of the civil power, than they 
 refolved to perfecute the pagan priefts, from 
 whofe malice they had fuffered fo much, and in 
 this they were too much countenanced by thofe 
 obfequious courtiers, whofe mercenary views and 
 felf-interefts induced them to attend as minifters 
 of ftate in the emperor’s court. But to under- 
 ftand this in a proper manner, we muft attend to 
 the ftate of the Chriftian church, beginning with 
 the fourth century. 
 
 Century IV. 
 
 The Chriftians, being now eftablifhed in 
 the peaceable poffeffion of great riches and 
 honours, began to compare their prefent ftate 
 with their former fuffering, which brought to 
 
 their 
 
1+4 The COMMENCffM 
 
 their remembrance the patience and fortitude of 
 their predeceftbrs. Thefe confiderations raifed 
 in them a high, and in fome meaiure a juft vene¬ 
 ration for the martyrs: But it did not ftop here, 
 for it ran into excefs, and produced the wprft 
 effefls. Every rumour concerning thefe faints 
 was received without examination, and repre- 
 fented as meritorious, inlomuch that certain 
 monks made a trade of going from place to place 
 felling their bones and relics. 
 
 This praftice was greatly encouraged by the 
 moll: celebrated preachers of that age, fuch as 
 Athanafius, Gregory Nazianzen, but particularly 
 Chryfoftom, whofepopulareloquence contributed 
 greatly towards encouraging the fuperftitious 
 veneration and invocation of faints, the love of 
 monkery, and the belief of miracles wrought by 
 monks and relics; thence arofe religious addrelfes 
 to the martyrs, who were confidered as patrons 
 and interceffors, which tended to leffen the reli¬ 
 ance and gratitude due to Chrift, and to lub- 
 lfitute newmediatorsin theroom ofhimwho alone 
 is the mediator between God and man, the Lord 
 our Redeemer. When we Proteftants fpeak of the 
 crofs of Chrift, we mean thereby the whole of his 
 
 paftive obedience, without paying any regard to 
 
 the form or Ihape of awooden crofs; for unlefs we 
 can be kept in mind of our Lord s fufferings, 
 without fuch monitors, it fhews that our love for 
 him is very cold. 
 
 Some zealots, under the direftion of Helena, 
 the mother of Conftantine the great, pretended 
 to have difcovered the real crofs on which Chrift 
 fuffered; many figures of it were made and dif- 
 tributed all round the empire : Thefe were hung 
 up in churches, and the relics of the laints were 
 depofited in boxes, and placed on the altars; for 
 it was in this age that altars were firft erefted in 
 the Chriftian churches. 
 
 St. Chryfoftom in preaching on Good Friday, 
 in the great church of Conftantinople, has given 
 us the following defcription of the virtues of the 
 crofs, which although the whole might be applied 
 to the paftive obedience of Chrift, yet from the 
 circumftances of the times, the fentiments of the 
 preacher, and the nature of the addrels, it feetiis 
 plain that he had direfted the people to look at 
 the fign of a crofs. He fays, 
 
 “ Now, if thou would know, O Chriftian, the 
 « power and praifes of the crofs, attend to me ! 
 
 “ The crofs is an anchor to all thofe who 
 “ from wavering in the faith, begin to fink! a re- 
 « furrefiion of the dead ! a leader of the blind ! 
 
 “ the path of thofe who have gone out of the 
 « way ! the avenger of thofe who have fuffered 
 « wrong! the ftaff of the lame ! the comfort of 
 « the poor! the curb of the rich ! the overthrow 
 « of the proud ! the viftory over the devil ! the 
 “ inftruftor of children! the fupply of council 
 « to thofe who want it! the pilot of thofe who 
 “ are in a fea of troubles ! the haven of thofe 
 “ who are toffed about in a ftorm ! the bulwark 
 <c of thofe waging war with fin and the devil ! 
 « the father of orphans ! the helper of widows ! 
 « the judge of thofe who do wrong ! the pillar 
 “ of the juft ! the repofe of the affliited ! a light 
 « to thofe who fit in darknefs! the magnificence 
 <c of kings! the teacher of humanity to barba- 
 “ rians ! the freedom of Haves ! the wifdom of 
 t( the unlearned ! the law of the difobedient! 
 
 ENT of P O P E R Y. 
 
 “ the preaching of the prophets! the declaration 
 “ of the apofiles ! the glorying of the martyrs ! 
 
 « the exercife of the folitarv ! the foundation of 
 “ the church ! the fafety of the world! the de- 
 “ ftruftion of the heathen temples ! the over- 
 « throw of their altars ! the vaniihing away of 
 “ their incenl’e ! the fcandal of the Jews ! the 
 “ ruin of the ungodly ! the ftrength of the 
 “ weak ! the phylician of the dileafed ! the 
 “ cleanfing of lepers 1 the lfrengthener of the 
 “ paralytic ! the bread of the hungry ! the foun- 
 “ tain of the thirfty ! and, in a word, the cover- 
 “ ing of the naked !” 
 
 Such was the popular eloquence of thofe 
 times, and, when we confider what influence 
 it mult have had on the minds of men juft 
 brought over in profeftion from the religion of 
 pagans, we will not be furprized to find, that 
 image worlhip, and a veneration for the relics 
 of the martyrs, foon became leading principles in 
 Chriftianity. 
 
 It was in this century, 325, that the famous 
 council of Nice met, confifting of three hun¬ 
 dred and eighteen bilhops, befides a vaft number 
 of prefbyters, deacons, and other church officers, 
 together with reprefentatives from the laity, who 
 ftill had a Ihare of church power. Ill this coun¬ 
 cil the emperor prefided in perlon, and being a 
 perfon of great moderation, he adviled the bi¬ 
 lhops to drop all unneceflary dilputes, and attend 
 to their duty, as minifters of the gofpel, in regu¬ 
 lating the affairs of the church, confiftent with 
 the law of Chrift, and the intereft of believers. 
 The paflions of the clergy were however fo tur¬ 
 bulent, and fuch was their hatred of each other 
 concerning difputed points in religion, that they 
 framed the creed which ftill bears their name, 
 although it was not confirmed till the general 
 council at Conftantinople, 381. 
 
 The orthodox party were not content with the 
 temporal emoluments arifing Irom their livings, 
 but they even went fo far as to ftir up the em¬ 
 peror to punilh with death, all thofe who differed 
 from them in fentiments. Here they ailed the 
 fame part as the Heathens had done to them 
 before; when the Heathens found they could not 
 confute the Chriftians, they forged the groffeft 
 (landers to blacken their clurailers ; and in the 
 fame manner did the Nicene fathers treat the 
 Heretics. Had they by charitable reafoning 
 fought to convince thofe men of their errors, they 
 would have ailed a Chiiftian part; but their 
 callino- in the aid of the civil power, was in its 
 own nature fo hellifh and diabolical, that even 
 their friends cannot draw a veil over this part of 
 their conduit. 
 
 The truth is, the clergy were now fo glutted 
 with power, that they became the vileft incen¬ 
 diaries of the ftate. They meditated nothing 
 but revenge againft thofe who oppofed them ; and 
 had they not been reftraincd by the civil power, 
 they would have perfecuted the Heathens, in the 
 fame manner as they had been perfecuted by 
 them. And yet, during all thefe coniufions, 
 the bilhops of Rome had not, nor did not pre¬ 
 tend to any authority over other bilhops. Rut 
 we Ihall foon have occafion to take notice ot the 
 rife of the papal power. Belore this time, every 
 church had its own creed, or formulary of be¬ 
 lief; and although the words often differed from 
 
The COMMENCEMENT of POPERY. i 4 j 
 
 the creeds of neighbouring churches, yet the 
 i'enfe was the fame. They all agreed in the 
 fundamental articles of religion, but they did not 
 impofe their forms upon each other. But now 
 the right of private judgement was deftroyed ; 
 men were not to fearch the feriptures, in order to 
 find out the terms of acceptance with the Deity, 
 but in the words of creeds of human invention, 
 a fixed fenfe was put upon the moll; abftrufe parts 
 of the word of God, and inftead of confirming 
 thefe points, by the word of God, the bible it- 
 felf was to be regulated by them. 
 
 About the beginning of the year 361, Julian, 
 commonly called the apoftate, was chofen em¬ 
 peror, and for fometime he behaved with great 
 moderation towards the Chriftians. His hatred 
 to them, however, was inveterate; for although 
 he had been brought up amongft them, yet he 
 had feen fo much of the tricks praftiled by the 
 bilhops as well as the reft of the clergy, that he 
 refolved, if poffible, to re-eftablilh heathenifm. 
 He impofed fevere taxes upon the Chriftians, 
 and when any of their leaders complained, he an- 
 fwered, in a fneering manner, “ your God hath 
 “ taught you patience.” Indeed the Chriftian 
 bilhops at that time, were of fuch turbulent dil- 
 pofitions, that he was afraid of them, becaule 
 they could, at any time, have influenced the po¬ 
 pulace againft him. 
 
 He was fucceeded by Jovian, a man of good 
 natural parts, and a friend to the Chriftians both 
 from principle and pradtice ; but he had not 
 long enjoyed the imperial dignity, when the or¬ 
 thodox bilhops tampered with him, in order to 
 perfecute the Heretics. For this purpole, he 
 called a fynod, to meet at Antioch, where the 
 orthodox bilhops became in all things obfequious 
 to the emperor. Jovian, however, faw through 
 their duplicity, and told them that he hated con¬ 
 tentions, and that it was his defire they Ihould cul¬ 
 tivate peace, in order to promote the interefts of 
 Chriftianity. For this part of his conduit, Jo¬ 
 vian has been jultly celebrated by every impartial 
 hiftorian, who has written an account of his con¬ 
 duit ; for neither the threatnings of the bilhops, 
 nor the alluring promifes of the Heathens, could 
 induce him to fwerve from his duty. Happy for 
 the Chriftian world had he lived a few years 
 longer, but he was taken away before he had an 
 opportunity of doing the good he intended. 
 
 In the mean time, great difturbances hap¬ 
 pened at Rome, upon Libernus’s dying, who was 
 bilhop of that fee. Urlinus and Damafus, both 
 deacons of that church, were candidates for the 
 bilhoprick, but the party of Damafus prevailed, 
 upon which he was eleiled and ordained. This 
 fo far enraged Urfinus, that he coiledted a party 
 together, and got himfelf ordained bilhop, 
 which occafioned a new fchifm in the church. 
 The confequences of this contefted eleflion 
 proved fatal to many of the citizens of Rome ; 
 for, befides vaft numbers murdered in the 
 ftreets, no lefs than one hundred and thirty-feven 
 were murdered in the churches in one day, during 
 divine fervice. This is faid to have been the 
 firft controverfy concerning the fee of Rome, and 
 happy for the world had it been the laft; but the 
 l'equel will Ihew, that it was trilling to what hap¬ 
 pened afterwards. 
 
 Theodofius the emperor, who in many refpedts 
 
 *3 
 
 was a very great man, became a zealous advo* 
 cate for the orthodox ; and he ilfued circular let¬ 
 ters, commanding all his lubjedls to embrace the 
 Nicene creed, and worlhip the three perfons in 
 the Trinity as one God. Nay, he went lo far as 
 to threaten all the bilhops with expulfion, who 
 did not obey his orders. At the fame time, he 
 made a code of laws relating to ecclefiafticat 
 difcipline, which mult ever Hand as a difgracetul 
 monument to his memory ; for the orthodox 
 party, being armed with power, lorded it with a 
 high hand over all their opponents. In the 
 mean time, the Donatills in Africa, perfecuted 
 their brethren with the moll unrelenting cruelty; 
 and Chryfoftom, bilhop of Conftantinople, hav¬ 
 ing been banifhed from that city, ftirred up a 
 violent perfecution againft the Arians, fo that 
 perfecution feemed to know no end. 
 
 Manyluperftitious cuftoms debafed the purity 
 of the church during this century, fuch as the 
 making of crofles of wood, metal, and painting 
 were brought in, in conlequence of the emperor 
 Conftantine having on all his banners difplayed 
 a crofs. 
 
 Pilgrimages to places fuppofed to be holy, 
 began to take place in this century, but they 
 were not carried to fuch an heighth as we have 
 fince feen them in the church ol Rome. Theie 
 pilgrimages were for the moll part to Jerufalem 
 or Rome, or to other places where the molt ce¬ 
 lebrated martyrs fuffered death. They were 
 confidered as meritorious, but this laid the 
 foundation for much fuperftition. The giving 
 of the eucharift to children, took place about the 
 end of this century; and what is very remarkable, 
 when the elements were confecrated in the 
 church, they were fent home to fuch of the be¬ 
 lievers as could not attend. Indeed it may be 
 ijuftly faid, that the foundation of fuperftition 
 was laid in this age, and we lhall fee in what 
 manner the fuperftrudhire was railed. 
 
 Century V. 
 
 Hitherto we find, that the bilhops of Rome 
 had not made any ftretches towards eftablilhing 
 the papal power ; but this century furnilhed 
 them with many opportunities. Infallibility was 
 not yet pretended to by the bifliops of Rome, 
 for had they pretended to any fuch thing, it 
 would have been treated as an ablurdity. But 
 notwithftanding all this, the papal power daily 
 gained ground, which was in a great meafure 
 owing to the removal of the feat of the empire 
 from Rome to Conftantinople; fo that the bi¬ 
 lhops of Rome were left to take care both of ci¬ 
 vil and ecclefiaftical affairs. It was common in 
 that age, for bilhops in the provinces to lend to 
 the bilhop of Rome for his advice in ail difficult 
 cafes, and although that was no more than an 
 aft of friendlhip at firft, yet in time it began to 
 be confidered as an obligation ; and the bilhop 
 of Rome, who formerly adled as dictator to his 
 own people, prefumed to exercife the fame au¬ 
 thority over the whole of the Chriftian "world. 
 
 It was during this century, that images were 
 placed upon the altars in the Chriftian churches, 
 and many of them were inriched with the moft 
 coftly jewels. The clergy were likewife forbid¬ 
 den to marry, but this met with fuch violent 
 O o oppolition. 
 
14 6 The COMMENCEMENT of POPERY. 
 
 oppofition, that it was many years afterwards 
 before it' could be reduced into a regular 
 fyftem. 
 
 Sureties, or godfathers for children, was ano¬ 
 ther ceremony which took place in this age ; and 
 the real'on feems to have been, that many of the 
 parents of the children were Heathens. But 
 here it is objedted, why did Heathen parents of¬ 
 fer their children to be baptized by Chriftian 
 minifters ? the anfwer is obvious : all the Hea¬ 
 thens throughout the empire were commanded to 
 profefs Chriftianity ; but as many of the bifhops 
 knew that they were not fincere, fo they thought 
 it neceffary to get fome perfons, who had long 
 made a profeffion of the faith, as it is in Jefus, 
 to ftand fponfors for them. The crofs in bap- 
 tifm, which had been indifferently ufed by the 
 Chriftian churches, before the reign of the em¬ 
 peror Coffftantine, was now made an article of 
 the Chriftian faith, and no perfon was fuppoled 
 to be properly baptized, unlefs he had that fign 
 marked upon him. 
 
 The giving the eucharift to children was like- 
 wife introduced during this century, and we 
 meet with feveral inftances where children re- 
 fufing to take it, the priefts poured it down 
 their throats. This was undoubtedly a horrid 
 profanation of fuch a folemn ordinance, but it 
 was the humour of the times; for Chriftianity 
 and Heathenifm were then fo blended together, 
 that it was difficult to diftinguifh the one from 
 the other. The Chriftian religion was now at a 
 low ebb ; civil power had been called in to give it 
 a fan&ion, and the confequence was, it was foon 
 mingled with many abominations, and at laft po¬ 
 pery prevailed, which enflaved the confciences 
 of men for many ages. 
 
 Century VI. 
 
 During the beginning of this century, the 
 power of the popes over the Chriftian world, 
 was not fo much as known or recognized, T. he 
 bifhops of Rome had, indeed, endeavoured to 
 eftablifh their power, but they found fo many 
 obftacles in their way, that they were obliged to 
 relinquifh the purfuit, and wait for a more fa¬ 
 vourable opportunity. Nor was the infallibility 
 of the pope acknowledged by any of the Chrif¬ 
 tian nations ; for the bifhops of Rome were ftill 
 confidered as fubordinate to general councils. 
 
 It was not long, however, before the bifhops of 
 Rome began to" pull off the mafk, and declare 
 that they had a fnperiority over all other bifhops, 
 and confifcentwith the ignorance of the times, this 
 notion was greedily embraced. T. he truth is, the 
 whole Chriftian world was, at that time funk into 
 barbarifm; the principles of our holy religion 
 were not taught; heathenifh rites and ceremonies 
 had been artfully introduced ; and the beft of all 
 knowledge had become a fyftem of foolifhnefs. 
 The Goths and Vandals began at this time to 
 over-run the Roman empire, and as there were 
 innumerable fefts of Heretics, fo they joined 
 with thofe barbarians, and pure Chriftianity was 
 beclouded with darknefs. I'his will account for 
 many things that are to follow, with reipect to 
 the papal fee, and likewife with relpefl to thofe 
 ceremonies, which have in a manner darkened 
 the glory of the gofpel difpenfation, and ren¬ 
 
 dered the commandments of God of none effect 
 by their traditions; teaching for truths, what they 
 knew to be contrary to the will of God, and in- 
 confiftentwith the interefts of men, either in time, 
 or in eternity. 
 
 It was during this century, that the two fol¬ 
 lowing unfcriptural ceremonies took place, name¬ 
 ly, praying for the dead, and praying to the 
 dead. Interceffions at the tombs of the martyrs 
 had been gradually creeping into ufe and gain¬ 
 ing ground, from the time of Conftantine the 
 Great; but now it was confidered as an article 
 of faith, or at leaft an indifpenfable duty, bind¬ 
 ing on every Chriftian. In much the fame man¬ 
 ner, praying for the repofe of the dead, had gra¬ 
 dually crept into practice, and this the Chriftians 
 learned from the Heathens. 
 
 It was common with the Heathens to pray for 
 their departed relations, and keep feftivals in 
 memory of them ; but neither the Old nor the 
 New Teftament ever gave countenance to fuch 
 a pra&ice. St; Auftin, who lived above an hun¬ 
 dred years before the time we are writing of, 
 prayed for the foul of his mother Monica, many 
 years after fhe was dead, and, as he was a man of 
 great repute in the church, there is no doubt 
 but many began to follow his example. It was 
 not, however, brought into general repute, till 
 the fixth century, and then it was confidered as 
 a duty men owed to their deceafed relations. 
 
 Singing litanies was another practice that took 
 place during this century, but the Latin lan¬ 
 guage was not as yet binding upon the churches, 
 although it was beginning to creep into ufe. 
 Purgatory was taught at Rome and in the Eaft, 
 but in Ireland and the northern parts of Britain, 
 it was not then known; nor was it much regarded 
 in Gaul and Spain. The priefts were not yet 
 prohibited from marrying, although thole who 
 lived fingle were moft efteemed and reverenced 
 by the fuperftitious. 
 
 The cup in the facrament was ftill given to the 
 laity, for although many fuperftitious ceremonies 
 were ufed at their altars, yet the doftrine of 
 tranlubftantiation was not taught, people being 
 left to themfelves to confider the elements in 
 whatever light they pleafed. It nuift, however, 
 be acknowledged, that there were fome in this 
 age, who did believe in the doftrine of tranlub¬ 
 ftantiation ; for Gregory the Great, as he is com¬ 
 monly called, whom we fhall mention in our ac¬ 
 count of the next century, uled all his endea¬ 
 vours to make the people believe it. The glo¬ 
 rious fun-fhine of the gofpel was juft now fink¬ 
 ing into obfeurity, little more than the lhadow 
 was left, and foon afterwards, in its ftead, there 
 was only an empty name. 
 
 Century VII. 
 
 The church being now in a great meafure cor¬ 
 rupted, the clergy continued to feek every op¬ 
 portunity of aggrandizing themfelves. They 
 began to inculcate the notion, that their perlbns 
 were exempted from being cognizable by the 
 civil power, and this laid the foundation of feveral 
 of thofe unhappy difturbances which afterwards 
 proved fatal to many nations in the world. It 
 was about the beginning of this century, that 
 Gregory, bifhop of Rome, commonly called 
 2 Gregory 
 
The COMMENCE M 
 
 Gregory the Great, fent Auftin the monk over to 
 England, to convert the Anglo-Saxons. This 
 Gregory is, with propriety, called by fome eccle- 
 fiaftical writers, “ The great patron of' fuper- 
 “ ftition.” Whatever ceremonies had been in¬ 
 troduced into the church before his time, he took 
 care to improve upon theip, and he was conti¬ 
 nually inventing new ones. 
 
 To create a greater refpeft for the churches, 
 each one was named after a particular faint; for 
 it was about this time that the bilhops began to 
 exercile authority over the fmaller churches, and 
 the pope to rule over them all. Boniface III. 
 was the firft Roman pontiff who affumed the 
 title of univerfal bifhop, which is the more ex¬ 
 traordinary, becaufe his predeceflor except one, 
 namely Gregory the Great, although a bigot in 
 religion, yet refufed this title when offered him. 
 1 he clergy were enjoined to wear fine robes, to 
 diflinguifli them from the laity, whom they con- 
 fidered as an inferior order of beings. In Eng¬ 
 land, biihoprics were eftojiifhed, and Italians 
 placed in them, who fpent much of their time 
 in wrangling with tire Britons, 1 concerning the 
 proper time of keeping Eafter. 
 
 There were many unhappy difputes in the 
 church, during this century, particularly con¬ 
 cerning what God has kept concealed from 
 men, and what indeed they cannot comprehend, 
 namely, the dodlrine of the trinity; for difputes 
 and fuperftition conftituted, at that time, the 
 greatelt part of religion. Much about the fame 
 time, another difpute arofe concerning the high 
 and dignified titles that were to be given to the 
 pope, for although fome of the churches had ac¬ 
 knowledged his fupremacy, yet others difputed 
 it. 
 
 The African bifliops in a fynod, having ad- 
 dreffed Theodore, bilhop of Rome, in fuch lofty 
 terms, and with fuch flattering titles, that it o-ave 
 great offence to fome other churches. The biffiop 
 of Conftantinople wrote to the bifhop of Rome, 
 telling him, that as all the apoftles were equal in 
 rank and dignity, fo all bilhops ought to be the 
 fame, and confider each other as brethren. Even 
 Ill Italy, during this century, it appears that there 
 were fome bifliops who had lpirit enough to refufe 
 to fulimit to the bifhop of Rome, as will be feen 
 m the following account of Maurus, bilhop of 
 Ravenna. 
 
 Vitalianus, bilhop of Rome, fummoned Mau¬ 
 rus to give an account of his faith, he being 
 fufpedted of holding opinions contrary to the 
 Catholic doftrine. Maurus, not only refufed to 
 obey the fummons, but fent notice to Vitalianus, 
 tnat he had no authority over him. This unex- 
 pefted anfwer provoked Vitalianus to fuch a de¬ 
 gree, that he immediately thundered againft 
 Maurus the fentence of excommunication. But 
 of this excommunication Maurus made no other 
 account than he did of the fummons. Nay, fo 
 Ready was he to the rights of his bifliopric, that 
 lie retorted the fentence of excommunication, 
 which was confidered as a crime of fo attrocious 
 a nature, that an attempt was made to deprive 
 him of his bifliopric, but the exarch of Ravenna 
 lupported him, and, in Ipite of the pope, his ad¬ 
 herents and emifiaries, he continued to exercife 
 the duties of his office till his death, and in 
 his lair moments exhorted his people never to 
 
 ENT of POPERY. 
 
 iubmit to the authority of the pope, becaufe it 
 was ufurped, which requeftof his was relimoufly 
 adhered to by his fuccefl'or. e 
 
 In 680, the famous council of Conffantinople 
 met, to confult concerning the dodtrine of the 
 Trinity; and they fpent much time in fearching 
 the undent fathers. They excommunicated and 
 anathematized the then pope Honorius, which 
 (hews that the popes were not then confidered as 
 infallible. All the conclufions and decrees of 
 this council being founded'on the writings of the 
 fathers, it created them fo much reipeft, that for 
 many centuries afterwards their works were con¬ 
 fidered as little inferior to the fcriptures. It was 
 alio at this time that the title of faint was firft 
 bellowed upon thole firft writers of the church, 
 although, in the primitive times, it had been 
 denied to the apoftles. It is certain, that many 
 of thofe called fathers, were very fuperftitious j 
 and fome of them imitated the Heathens indif¬ 
 ferent parts of their worfliip. 
 
 Another innovation, which took its rife in this 
 century, was that of honouring the bifhop of 
 Rome with the triple crown. It was required of 
 tne people, that they fbould honour the traditions 
 of tlie church of Rome, in the fame manner they 
 did the leriptures, which is not much to be won¬ 
 dered at, for fo ignorant were the people of that 
 age, that few of them could read. ‘ The heathen 
 temples were dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and 
 to the reft of the faints ; and churches were made 
 fandtuaries, for thole w r ho had committed crimes 
 of the moft enormous nature. No man was to 
 marry a woman to whom his father had been 
 fponfor in baptifm ; and abftinence from meats 
 and drinks on particular days, was confidered as 
 meiitonous. A vafl number of new feflivals 
 v-eje inftituted, and fading on Saturdays was 
 forbidden, on pain of excommunication. It 
 v/as in this century that the church of Rome firfc 
 ordered that the Lord’s Prayer fliould be read 
 publicly in churches, and organs were firft uled 
 in all places of public worfhip. It was further 
 decreed, that on every altar there fliould be a 
 figure of Chrift on the crofs; in fome other parts of 
 the churches he was drawn in the form of a lamb, 
 andtheHoly Ghodlikeadove. Itwasnowbecome 
 l adnonable, or rather cudomary, for the prieds to 
 lay piivate mafies to thole who could not attend 
 in the churches. All over the continent of Europe, 
 where chridianity or rather popery was eftablifhed, 
 they read their prayers in latin; but dill the cup 
 was not yet denied to the laity. 
 
 During this century, the bilhops of Rome efta- 
 blilhed their authority, and introduced their 
 ceiemonies into all the churches among the 
 Anglo-Saxons, which mud have been attended 
 w ith fome difficulty, elpecially as the Wellh, 
 Scotch and Irifli dill refufed to fubmit to the 
 Romidi church. This will appear the more pro¬ 
 bable, as the Scots and Britons who had been con¬ 
 verted to Chridianity many centuries before, had 
 no diocefian bifliops till the middle of the eleventh 
 century. And with refpedt to wordiip, Bede, who 
 lived about this time, and was himfelf a fticklcr 
 for the Romidi church, tells us that divine fervice 
 was celebrated in five different languages, in 
 Britain, viz. in Latin, Saxon, BritiOi, Pictifh, and 
 Scottifh, which was the lame as the Irifli. But all this 
 foon wore out in England, although it does not 
 
 appear 
 

 
 
 This century prefents us with many inftances 
 of new corruptions taking place in the Chrillian 
 church. The number of church officers were, 
 indeed, in home meafure fixed, and the leveral 
 orders of archbilhops, bifhops, deans, canons, 
 curates, &c. were almoft the fame as at prefent in 
 the Romilh church; but the popes prefumed to 
 grant the pall to archbifiiops, without the con- 
 fent of the emperors, which had never taken 
 place before. To underftand this rightly, two 
 things are necchary to be attended to, firft, what 
 was the pall? and fecondly, what honour or power 
 did it confer ? 
 
 In anfwer to the firft, the pall was a piece of 
 fine white woollen cloth, made in the form of a 
 fafh. and to give it the greater fandlity, it was 
 fprinkled with holy water, and laid on the altar 
 of St. Peter's church one whole night, and feve- 
 ral prayers repeated over it. This part of the 
 ceremony being over, it was fent to the new ap¬ 
 pointed archbifhop of every province, who paid 
 a confiderable fum of money for it. Being folded 
 in two equal parts, it was put round the neck, 
 and hung down to the bottom of the robes be¬ 
 fore. Secondly, with rel'peft to the virtues re¬ 
 dding in the pall, and the power conveyed by it, 
 they were fuppofed to be many. 
 
 The pall gave a fanftion to all the decrees of 
 the archbilhops, fo far as they kept on good 
 terms with the fee of Rome, and the bifhops of 
 the province, who refufed to treat it with the mod: 
 fubmillive rcfpcct, were to be excommunicated, 
 and their churches laid under an interdidl. That 
 is, all their people were to be deprived of the 
 benefit of the divine fervice, and fuch as died, 
 were denied Chrillian burial. It may be added 
 further, that without the pall no archbifhop could 
 exercile the duties of his office, and fo -weak was 
 the civil power at that time, that princes were 
 obliged to comply with thefe arbitrary mandates 
 of the popes. The pall brought vaft fums of 
 money into the Roman treafury, and in confe- 
 quence of fuch an additional load of riches, the 
 popes were enabled to affume the characters of 
 temporal princes, as well as fpiritual bifhops. 
 
 In 734, Leo, emperor of the well, refuted to 
 admit images into any of the churches in his do¬ 
 minions, for which he was folemnly excommuni¬ 
 cated by pope Gregory III. and his fubjedts abfolv- 
 ed from their oath of allegiance. Pope Leo III. 
 let the imperial crown on the head of Charle¬ 
 magne, and fo obfequious was the emperor, that 
 he -meanly fubmitted to kifs the pontiff’s feet. 
 This homage greatly pleafed the pope, efpeciallv 
 as the ceremony was graced by the acclamations of 
 the people, and in conlequence thereof, he in- 
 fured to himfelf greater power, honour and in¬ 
 fluence, than any of his predeceffors had hitherto 
 attained to. At” this period, the whole kingdom 
 of anti-chrifl was eflablifhed ; for although many 
 innovations crept in afterwards, yet they were 
 only improvements on what had taken place be¬ 
 fore their introdudlion. 
 
 ENT of POPERY. 
 
 In Italy, where the monafteries were extremely 
 rich, the abbots and priors, not duffing to remain 
 fubjeft to the bifhops of the diocefes, applied 
 for relief to the popes, begging of them to ex¬ 
 empt them from the jurildifiions of the prelates. 
 This was extremely agreeable to the popes, who 
 found that it would conduce much to their own 
 intereil to have the religious houfes folely de¬ 
 pendant on themfelves, leaving the bifhops to 
 exercife their authority over the parochial clergy. 
 
 To promote and eftablifh this fcheme on the 
 mofl permanent foundation, epilcopal ordination 
 was conferred upon many of the abbots, who ex- 
 ercifed the fame clerical power and authority over 
 their dependants, as bifhops had formerly done 
 over them. Hence the origin of our mitred 
 abbeys, of which there were no lefs than twenty- 
 fix in England at the time of the Reformation, 
 and in France, and in all other countries where 
 the Roman Catholic religion is profeffed, there 
 are many of them to this day. Thefe innovations 
 met with fome oppofition, but the ignorance that 
 prevailed among all ranks of people, contri¬ 
 buted towards affording the popes an opportu¬ 
 nity of eftablifhing their power. 
 
 Another ceremony which took place in this 
 century, was that of killing the pope’s toe, and 
 the emperor Juflinian was the firft who fubmitted 
 to it in 711. A folemn ordinance was made, that 
 images fhould be wol fhipped, but this was greatly 
 oppofed by many of the German bifhops, who, 
 in a council at Frankfort, 794, made a decree 
 againfl it. In the eaflern churches, during this 
 century, we meet with nothing but dilputes con¬ 
 cerning the doftrine of the trinity ; which may 
 ferve to fhew, that whenever the practice of re¬ 
 ligious duties are forgotten, or negleited, men 
 have recourle to idle wranglings, and unneceffary 
 arguments, concerning things which God never 
 defired them to look into. 
 
 Century IX. 
 
 In this century, the papal power received many 
 additions ; for although the bifhops of Rome 
 were oppofed by the Greek bifhops in the Eaft, 
 particularly by the patriarchs of Alexandria and 
 Conftantinople, yet the luperflitious regard that 
 was paid to the chair of St. Peter at Rome, 
 overcame every oppofition. But there were other 
 caufes, amongft which a principal one was that 
 of the many divifions that took place among the 
 bifhops in the different provinces. In all thefe 
 difputes they made it a rule to appeal to the popes, 
 and their decifions being final, the bifhops of 
 Rome were looked upon as far i'uperior to all 
 others in the world. Another caufe which raifed 
 the authority of the church of Rome, was that of 
 the condudt of their mifiionaries, whom they 
 fent to convert the people in the heathen nations. 
 Thefe mifiionaries were ftriflly commanded to 
 teach their new converts that the efiential parts 
 of religion confifted in being obedient to the 
 pope, in making the fign of the crofs, and in 
 counting their beads when tiiey repeated their 
 prayers, which they did not underltand; fo that to 
 ule the words of a celebrated author, “ It was 
 t£ not uncommon in that age, to make a thouland 
 “ converts in a clay.” 
 
 The 
 
The COMriF. NCEM 
 
 The doctrine of infallibility was not as yet 
 defined, for it could not be fuppofed to be veiled 
 in the popes, many of whom were a lcandal to 
 human nature ; nor in councils, who as often as 
 they met anathematized each other. Some 
 churches continued Hill to affert their indepen¬ 
 dency, particularly in Africa, in the Ieaft, and in 
 Scotland, and even in England, where fuperfti- 
 tion was firmly eltablilhed ; yet the fovereigns 
 did not buffer the clergy to make any a&s, until 
 they had firft granted their concurrence. How¬ 
 ever, in this century the popes procured great 
 revenues and rich landed eftates in Italy, which 
 fet them on the fame footing with many of the 
 inferior temporal princes, and the high regard 
 that was paid to them by the ignorant laity, made 
 them formidable rivals to the emperors. 
 
 In the year 884, the pofterity of Charlemagne 
 having been driven out of Italy, and great part 
 of that country left to the care of the popes. 
 Pope Hadrian 111 . bifhop of Rome, ordered, that 
 for the future, his fucceffors in the fee of Rome 
 fhould be confecrated, without applying to the 
 emperor^ which had been cuftomary. 
 
 At tlfts time there was nothing more common, 
 than for one emperor to be dethroned and another 
 fet up, through the. influence which the popes had 
 over the peoplej^'and it was equally common for 
 one pope to cancel the decrees of his predeceffor. 
 It was in this century that the cuftom of keeping 
 Lent was firft introduced into the Englifh church, 
 and all thofe who died, in what was by them 
 called the faith of the church, were to be buried 
 in church-yards, which brought confiderable 
 emoluments to the clergy; for thofe who refufed 
 to pay the common fees for the burying of their 
 relations, were excommunicated, and confidered 
 as no better than Heathens. 
 
 Century X. 
 
 During great part of this century, the eleclion 
 of popes or bifhops of Rome was ftill continued 
 to the clergy, the people at large, the magillrates, 
 and even the military ; but the freedom of elec¬ 
 tion was corrupted by bribery, by violence, and 
 by perjury. Thus we find that one Theodora, a 
 Roman lady and noted courtezan in 915, got her 
 paramour John X. defied pope, although he had 
 no right to that title, having never before entered 
 into holy orders. His reign was Ihort, for he was 
 taken away by a violent death; thq fame de¬ 
 bauched courtezan w'ho let him up, having pulled 
 him down. He was fucceeded by John XI. not 
 then twenty years of age; and as he knew 
 nothing of the clerical office, he was foon after¬ 
 wards murdered. Rome, was at that time, a per¬ 
 fect fink of wickednefs; the form of religion 
 differing but little from Heathenifm, was at¬ 
 tended to in its external parts, but as for the in¬ 
 teriors they were not fo much as known. Indeed 
 the Roman Catholics are ready to grant this. 
 Fleury fays, that with refpeft to the condudt of 
 the popes, this was the moft corrupt of all the 
 Chrlftian centuries. "When thele circumftances 
 were mentioned by Dr. Burnet, to Queen Chrif- 
 tina of Sweden, at Rome, her anfwer was, “ That 
 “ the ignorance and wickednefs of the popes in 
 “ that age were, all put together, a ftriking 
 “ proof of God’s fuperintendlng the affairs of his 
 
 E N T of I’ O P E R Y. 149 
 
 “ church in this lower world; otherwife his di- 
 “ vine providence would never have fuffered 
 “ fuch wretches to enjoy filch dignified titles.” 
 
 The bilhops of Rome were now become fo for¬ 
 midable, that the Chriftian princes though^ it an 
 honour to be allied with them, and they did all 
 in their power to cultivate their friendfhip; tor 
 fuch was the ignorance of the people, that they 
 paid more regard to the papal decrees, than to 
 the laws of the country where they lived, and 
 where they owed fpecial obedience. It was 
 during this century that the popes began firft to 
 change their names after their elections, and this 
 ferved much towards aggrandizing their power. 
 
 In this century, during the year 963, Odo, 
 prince of Saxony, invaded Italy, and by the fupe- 
 riority of his forces, fubdued great part of that 
 country ; and in order to fettle fome form 
 of government, he aflembled a council of 
 bilhops at Padua, wherein John XII. who 
 had been advanced to the papal fee at the age 
 of eighteen, was depofed, becaufe he had dif- 
 honoured his charafter, by giving encouragement 
 and countenance to adulterers, whoremongers 
 and debauchees. The prince of Saxony obliged 
 the people of Rome to enter into an engagement 
 not to eleil a pope, without the confent of the 
 emperors, but this rule was not long attended to. 
 It is almoll impoffible to exprefs in words, the 
 confufions that took place in the Chriftian 
 church, during this century ; and yet there were 
 fome perfons found, who had boldnefs enough to 
 Hand up in defence of their injured fellow crea¬ 
 tures, who looked upon the papal ufurpation as 
 inconfillent with civil liberty; and did every 
 thing they could to oppole it. 
 
 In the midft of thefe confufions, the archbifhop 
 of Rheims took upon him the care of the French 
 church. Much to the honour of the clergy of 
 that country, they have not, even to this day, fuf¬ 
 fered the papal decrees to take place among 
 them, any further than as they were fupported by 
 the civil power. In England the great Alfred 
 made feveral alterations with refpeft to religion, 
 but thefe were fuch as extended to, or were 
 connected with externals: Allred himfelf, al¬ 
 though in many refpefits a very great man, yet 
 was a Have to papal power. Indeed he had 
 received great part of his education at Rome, and 
 therefore it is not much to be wondered at, if he 
 brought the fame lentiments along with him to 
 England. This will appear more evident, when 
 we confider, that even during the reign of this 
 pious king, Peter-pence was enjoined to be 
 paid by all the people of England. By Peter- 
 pence is meant one penny out of ten from every 
 one of the church livings; and this the popes 
 appropriated to themfelves, as a legal per- 
 quifite. 
 
 In this century marriages were forbidden to be 
 celebrated on Sundays or in Lent, which feems to 
 have been a high ftretch of the papal power, and 
 bells in churches were firft confecrated. It was 
 likewife ordered, that the canonization of the 
 faints fhould be lolemnized in the moft facred 
 manner ; and the memory of departed faints was 
 to be commemorated under pain of excommuni¬ 
 cation ; and by keeping fuch a number of holy 
 days, many perfons who had better thoughts con¬ 
 cerning religion, were deprived of bread. 
 
 Jn 
 
The C O M M E N C E M 
 
 In this century, the abbots, with their afiiftants 
 the.regular clergy, did all that lay in their power 
 to encourage the monaftic life ; but this did not 
 anfwer the end, for it is not an eafy matter to 
 oppofe natural principles. Dunflan, archbilhop 
 of Canterbury, was one of the greateft fticklers 
 for the monks in this age, and to know his fenti- 
 ments, we fhould attend to the character of the 
 man : he was a mean time-ferving wretch, who 
 had nothing further in view, but that of ad¬ 
 vancing the p3pal power. He was at firft abbot 
 of Glaftonbury, and then bifhop of Worcefter. 
 At lad, he was advanced to the archbifhoprick 
 of Canterbury, and in that elevated dation, he 
 fought to aggrandize the papal power, by de¬ 
 nying the clergy the privilege of marriage. 
 The methods made ufe of by Dundan, were 
 horrid and abominable, but they were confident 
 with the barbarity of the times, and luch as hu¬ 
 manity itfelf fhould throw a viel over. Indeed, 
 the remaining part of this century was fo much 
 clogged with luperdition and idolatry, that it 
 may judly be laid, the knowledge of the true 
 God was lod, men were left to their own wild 
 imaginations, and the religion of Jefus, the 
 Redeemer of mankind, was foolilhnefs to the 
 Chridians, as it had been of old a dumbling 
 block to the Jews. But this leads us to things 
 of more importance. 
 
 Century XI. 
 
 In the beginning, and throughout the greated 
 part of this century, the bifhops of Rome did 
 not content themfelves with domineering over 
 the clergy in ecclefialtical matters, and over the 
 laity in things, wherein the facred rights of con- 
 fcience were concerned. They went farther, 
 they became fimonical brokers, by putting up to 
 fale to the bed bidder, fuch bilhopricks as were 
 vacant. This was what the princes themfelves 
 had never done ; but fo far as we can % learn, the 
 bifhops of Rome grafped at univerfal monarchy, 
 both civil and ecclefiadical. 
 
 In 1030, the appellation of pope, from the 
 word papa, which fignifies a father, was fird 
 given to the bilhops ot Rome ; and Gregory VII. 
 a man of unbounded ambition, was the fird On 
 whom it was conferred. The cardinals, who 
 were originally parilh prieds in Rome, had now 
 the red hat given them as an enl'ign of their dig¬ 
 nity ; and as thefe cardinals are the mod remark¬ 
 able body of ecclefiadical politicians in the 
 world, fo we hope the following account of them 
 will afford fome entertainment to the reader. 
 
 Although their dation was at fird low and 
 humble, yet they are now diled princes, and 
 compofe the pope’s council. They are appoint¬ 
 ed by the pope, at the requed of thofe princes 
 whole iubjeeb they are ; but the greated part of 
 them are Italians. When the pope intends to 
 create a new cardinal, he calls a private con- 
 fidory, and makes known to all the cardinals 
 prefent his defign. In this confidory, he men¬ 
 tions the name of the perfon whom he intends 
 to honour with the red hat, and gives them ten 
 days to con ider of it. At the end of the ten 
 days, he calls another confidory, in which he 
 takes the opinion of each cardinal, who have all 
 the liberty to give their votes which ever wqy 
 
 ENT of P O P E R Y. 
 
 they pleafe; and in general, he is guided by the 
 majority. 
 
 The cardinals are divided into three dalles; 
 the fird, confiding of fix, are called cardinal 
 bifhops; the lecond, being fifty in number, are 
 called cardinal prieds ; and die third, being 
 only fourteen, are called cardinal deacons; 
 making in the whole feventy ; and thefe condi- 
 tute what is called the facred college. The 
 number of cardinal bifliops has been always the 
 fame, but that of the pricks and deacons was 
 never properly fixed. 1:11125, the facred col¬ 
 lege confided of only fifty-three members, and 
 the council of Condance reduced them to thirty- 
 four ; but they have gradually rifen up to their 
 prefent number. 
 
 The cardinals iiave great power and many 
 privileges; they have an abfolute power in the 
 church during the vacancy of the holy fee. 
 They only can eleft the new pope, and the 
 choice mud: fall upon one of themfelves. AI- 
 moft all the great offices in the court of Rome, 
 are filled with cardinals; nay, fome of them are 
 prime miniders of date to the Roman catholic 
 princes; and, in general, they enjoy the mod va¬ 
 luable church livings. The drefs of a cardinal 
 is a red i'attane, a rochet, a (hort purple mantle, 
 and a red hat. But to return to our narrative. 
 
 Pope Gregory VII. obliged all the bifhops to 
 Iwear allegiance to him; and he iffued a decree, 
 that the civil power ffiould not proceed againlt 
 any one who appealed to the pope. 
 
 Having openly avowed, that he had an inhe¬ 
 rent right of abfolute power over all i'overeigns 
 in the Chridian world, he proceeded lb far, as 
 to fummon the nperor Henry, to appear be¬ 
 fore him at Rome, to anfwer for his condud. 
 Henry defpifed the fummons, and the pope ex¬ 
 communicated him, and threatened to do the 
 fame to the French king, bccaufe he took part 
 with the emperor. Nor did he dop here, for he 
 fent to all the Chridian princes in Europe, ex¬ 
 citing them to take up arms againd the emperor, 
 and prevailed on his elded fon to l aife a rebellion 
 in the empire. 
 
 Towards the latter end of this century, the 
 pra&ice of penitents whipping themfelves, be¬ 
 came very falhionable in the church, and was 
 confidered as an heroic Chridian virtue. The 
 cudom of one doing penance for another, like- 
 wife took place ; and abftinence was enjoined on 
 Fridays and Saturdays ; mafs for the living was 
 to be celebrated only once a day, but two niaflts 
 were permitted for the dead. All the faithful 
 were obliged to communicateat Eader, on pain 
 of being excommunicated, and denied Chridian 
 burial; but hitherto the communion was re¬ 
 ceived in both kinds. If a pried let fall the 
 hod, he was to do penance before he faid mafs 
 again; and Lanfranc, archbilhop of Canterbury, 
 made a law in England, forbidding the prieds 
 to marry, which created many didurbances. 
 It was likewife at the end of this century, thac 
 crufades begun, but we (hall treat of them all in 
 our account of the next century. 
 
 Century XII. 
 
 In the beginning of this century, the pope 
 claimed the power to himfelf, of nominating to 
 2 ° all 
 
The COMMENCEM 
 
 all the vacant bifhopricks in England, where 
 the kings had hitherto conferred the bifhopricks 
 on whom they pleafed. Anfelm, archbifliop of 
 Canterbury, refufed to confecrate any but fuch 
 as were prefented by the pope : this contell held 
 many years, the king, Henry I. dill maintaining 
 his right, and the archbifliop, fupported by the 
 pope, oppofing it. The king, in hopes of 
 bringing the pope to real'on, lent ambafladors 
 to Rome, who, provoked at the rude manner in 
 which they were treated by the pope, declared 
 that the king, their mailer, would never yield 
 up his authority; that he would lole his kingdom 
 in its defence : to which the pope replied, that 
 he would fooner lofe his life, than fuffer the king 
 to nominate to the vacant benefices. 
 
 When the ambafladors returned to England, 
 the king exerted himfelf to fupport his authority, 
 and Anfelm was obliged to depart the kingdom, 
 nor would the king permit him to return. This 
 gallant prince oppofed the popifli encroachments 
 to the lad ; but after his death, amidfl the con- 
 fufion of the civil wars, king Stephen was obliged 
 to leek aflidance from the clergy, who embraced 
 that opportunity of aggrandizing themfelves, 
 and extending their power. 
 
 Another circumdance not much attended to, 
 which encreafed the popes power was, their 
 claiming the fird fruits and tenths of all bene¬ 
 fices ; and this brought them in a mod enor¬ 
 mous fum. It was in this century, that popes 
 introduced the practice of indulging bifhops and 
 other rich clergymen, to reflde at Rome, for 
 which they paid great fums ; and there they of¬ 
 ten betrayed the civil rights of their country. 
 The canonization of the faints was performed by 
 the popes, and communion in both kinds dill 
 continued. 
 
 But of all the fchemes ufed by the popes, 
 none equalled the crufades, commonly called, 
 the holy wars. Future ages will read with 
 adonilhment, that all the Chridian princes in 
 Europe, could be fo weak as to drain their king¬ 
 doms of all the young men able to bear arms, 
 and lead them into Afia, becaufe the pope told 
 them, it would be a mod meritorious action, 
 to relcue the holy fepulchre out of the hands of 
 the infidels. 
 
 The fil'd of thefe croifades or crufades, was 
 undertaken in the year 1096 ; and although the 
 European princes went along with their refpedtive 
 armies, yet they put themfelves wholly under 
 the direction of one Peter, a hermit, who had 
 travelled from place to place, urging the people 
 to take up arms againd the infidels. This 
 army marched through Hungary into Greece, 
 fpreading famine wherever they came, and at 
 lad they met in the neighbourhood of Condan- 
 tinople, where it was found that vad numbers of 
 them had perilhed during their journey. In this 
 expedition, which was commanded, after they 
 arrived at Condantinople, by Godfrey of Bo- 
 logne, feveral cities were taken, particularly Je- 
 rufalem, where Godfrey was crowned king. 
 The fultan of Egypt was defeated at the battle of 
 Afcalon ; and this is generally called the fird 
 crufade. 
 
 The fecond crufade was undertaken in the year 
 1114, and was headed by the emperor Conrad 
 III, and Lew*is VII. king of France. The peo- 
 
 E N T of t 5 O P E R Y. i 5 i 
 
 pie in Greece and at Condantinople had been 
 reduced to fuch want, by thefe armies eating up 
 their provifions, that they laid fo many fnares 
 to dedroy them, that all thole belonging to the 
 emperor, either perifhed with want, or were fiome 
 way or other cut off. 
 
 Nor was it much better with the French army, 
 for they having belieged Damafcus, were at¬ 
 tacked by the Saracens, and the greated part of 
 them cut off. 
 
 The third crufade was undertaken 1188, foon 
 after Saladine had retaken the city of Jerufalem, 
 and driven the Chridians out of Paledine. Al- 
 mod all the princes of Europe went on this ex¬ 
 pedition, among whom was Richard I. of Eng¬ 
 land ; but although they took feveral towns from 
 the infidels, yet dill their fuccefs was not much 
 better than in the former ones. The princes 
 quarrelled among themfelves, and feparated their 
 forces from each other; fo that they became an 
 ealy prey to the- Saracens. A party of near 
 twenty thouland Chridians, in attempting to 
 return to Europe, had their retreat cut off, and 
 were furrounded by the Saracens, who enraged 
 to find, that thefe men fliould travel fo many 
 miles to moled thole who never offended 
 them, cut every one of the unfortunate wretches 
 in pieces. 
 
 The fourth crufade was in 1195, by the em¬ 
 peror Henry VI. and in this expedition, the 
 Chridians took a great number of towns ; but 
 the emperor dying, his forces were difperfed, 
 and the remains of them were obliged to return 
 to Europe. 
 
 The fifth crufade was undertaken in 1198, at 
 the indigation of pope Innocent III. but al¬ 
 though they had fome fuccefs at fird, yet the 
 plague breaking out amongd them, the 
 greated part perifhed through the violence of 
 that diforder, fo that very few returned to 
 Europe. 
 
 Although the remainder of the crufades we 
 have to mention, do not come within the 
 bounds of the twelfth centurv, yet for the eafe 
 of the reader, that he may have them all in one 
 point of view, we fhall here take notice of 
 them. 
 
 The fixth crufade began 1228, and in this 
 expedition, the Chridians took feveral towns; 
 but not being able to keep them, they were glad 
 to make peace with the Saracens, and return 
 home to Europe. 
 
 The feventh crufade was commanded by 
 Lewis, commonly called St. Lewis, in 1249. 
 This army had fcarce time to do any thing, 
 when a ficknefs broke out among them, and the 
 Saracens, taking an opportunity of their affliction, 
 came fuddenly upon them and butchered mod 
 of them in the mod barbarous manner. 
 St. Lewis, with his nobles, were taken prifoners ; 
 but on condition of agreeing to a truce fo; ten 
 years, they were fet at liberty. 
 
 The eighth and lad crufade was in 1270, com¬ 
 manded by the fame St. Lewis, aflided by Prince 
 Edward of England, afterwards Edward I. The 
 Chridian army took feveral towns, but it was 
 not in their power to keep them ; fo that from 
 1096, to 1270, above two millions of men were 
 lod, in attempting to take what could never 
 have been of any fervice to them. But by the 
 
 abfence 
 
I Cl 
 
 The COMMENCEM 
 
 abfence of the princes from their dominions, the 
 popes railed their power ; and the vaft fums they 
 procured for indulgences, rendered them formid¬ 
 able to the greateft powers in Europe. Many 
 of the fovereigns having been killed in thofe 
 expeditions, their fucceffors were left minors ; 
 and it generally happened, that the pope appoint¬ 
 ed fome of his own creatures to be their guardians; 
 and thus, before they had arrived at years of ma¬ 
 turity, they found the papal authority dangerous 
 to be oppofed. 
 
 Century XIII. 
 
 The power of the popes in this century, was 
 ftretched to fuch an enormous length, that had 
 not univerlal darknefs in religion and all forts of 
 learning overlpread Europe, a man of a {mall 
 {hare of knowledge would have perceived, that 
 it mu ft foon have had a fall. Boniface VIII. 
 durinp- this century, arrogated to himfelf the 
 power of depofing princes, as by divine right; 
 and he publifhed an ordinance or bull, in which 
 he forbad all princes to take any thing out of the 
 ccclefiaftical revenues. He likewife instituted 
 a jubilee, wherein he granted indulgences to all 
 who fliould vifit the churches of St. Peter and 
 St. Paul at Rome; and ordained, that the fame 
 fhould be oblerved once every century. 
 
 The opening of this jubilee brought vaft num¬ 
 bers of people to Rome, and the pope to {hew 
 his fovereign authority, in temporals as well as 
 in fpiritnals, drefled himfelf one day in his pon¬ 
 tifical robes, and the next in the purple, like that 
 worn by the emperors. In England, where many 
 of the benefices were extremely rich, the pope 
 had the addrefs to thruft into them many of the 
 Italian clergy, which l'o exafperated the Englifh 
 nobility, that they entered into an affociation in 
 1232, to drive thefe foreign adventurers out of 
 the kingdom. 
 
 The pope commanded the king, under pain of 
 excommunication, tochaftife the barons, and the 
 bifhops to excommunicate them, but the confe¬ 
 deracy was too ftrong either for the civil or 
 ccclefiaftical power. 
 
 Pope Innocent IV. forry to fee his favourites 
 driven out of England, lent one Martin, a kinf- 
 man of his own, to renew the pretenfions of the 
 church of Rome. The Englifh complained to 
 the king, that the Italians had got all the valua¬ 
 ble benefices into their own hands, upon which 
 Martin was driven out of the kingdom. The 
 king appointed commifiloners to enquire what 
 fums had been paid to thefe Italians, and it was 
 found, that they exceeded by far the royal reve¬ 
 nue, being no lefs than fixty thoufand marks, 
 a moft enormous fum in that age. Henry III. of 
 England, in whole reign this happened, fent am- 
 baffadors to complain to the pope, concerning 
 thefe things, the pontiff being then at Lyons ; 
 but all the anfwerhe received, was, that he muft 
 itate his grievances with more humility, in 
 another manner, and contribute towards furnifh- 
 ing out a frefh cm fade againft the infidels. The 
 king did not pay any regard to this, and fuch was 
 the arrogance of the pope, that he excommuni¬ 
 cated the bifhop of Lincoln, for refufing to admit 
 an Italian prieft to a living in his diocefe, but 
 the good bifhop died foon after. 
 
 ENT of POPERY. 
 
 In the fame manner, in the year 1258, Pope 
 Alexander IV. excommunicated the archbifhop 
 of York, who withftood the profecution with 
 great dignity and fortitude ; and drawing to¬ 
 wards his end, wrote a very pious letter to the 
 pope, exhorting him to fupprefs thefe innovations, 
 fo injurious to the church, and fo danger >us > 
 the lafety of his own foul. 
 
 Century XIV. 
 
 During this century, Boniface IX. publifhed 
 a bull or decree, wherein he commanded that 
 one year’s revenue of every bifhoprick and abbey, 
 fhould be paid to Rome, as loon as the 
 incumbent was inflallcd ; and at the lame time 
 declared himfelf to be fovereign lord, both in 
 temporals and fpirituals. Philip, king of Prance, 
 burnt this bull, by the hands of the common 
 hangman, and lent the following laconic letter to 
 the pope, <c Philip, by the grace of God, king 
 “ of France, to Boniface, who lets up for lbve- 
 cc reign pontiff, little or no health. Be it known 
 “ to your extravagance, that we are not lubjeCt 
 cc to any perfons whatever, as to what regards 
 “ temporals ; that the collating to churches and 
 “ prebendaries belongs to us, of royal right; anil 
 “ that we have a right to appropriate the fruits 
 “ of them to ourlelvcs.” 
 
 Edward III.king of England, fent ambaffadors 
 to the pope, defiring him to refrain from making 
 any further innovations in the church ; but that 
 prince died before he received an anfwer. Soon 
 after this two popes were chofen, which created 
 a great l'chifm in the church ; but each made 
 their pretenfions to infallibility, and they excom¬ 
 municated each other, in their turn. The only 
 thing that deferves our approbation in this cen¬ 
 tury, was the encouragement given to the ftudy 
 of the civil law ; a fcience that will always tend 
 towards enlarging the powers of the human mind, 
 by leading the ftudent into the knowledge of hif- 
 tory and jurifprudence. 
 
 Century XV. 
 
 This century prefents us with many important 
 tranfa&ions ; for the fchiim that appeared at the 
 beginning of it, had, for many years, engaged the 
 principal care and attention of the princes and 
 prelates in Europe. Befides this, the difference 
 between Pope Eugenius IV. and the council of 
 Bafil ; and the project of uniting the Greek and 
 Latin churches, became the fubjeCfc matter of 
 converlation throughout moft parts of the 
 Chriftian world. But the differences between the 
 pope and the council, had not thofe michievous 
 confequences that were feared ; nor was the re¬ 
 union of the churches, attended with the ex¬ 
 pected or defired fuccels. 
 
 Among many other remarkable events, the 
 oppofition made in fcveral parts of Germany, 
 to the errors and enormities of the church or 
 Rome had this tendency, that it put men upon 
 fearching the feriptures and traditions; and in 
 obliged the prelates to put on the appearance of 
 ftimulating their clergy towards the reformation 
 of abules, fo generally, and fo juftly complained 
 of. ; as alfo to make many regulations in the 
 dilcipline of the church; and none of the Euro¬ 
 pean 
 
RELIGIOUS ORDERS in 
 
 pean churches were more forward in promoting I 
 this undertaking than thofe of France. The 1 
 king of France published a declaration, wherein 
 he prohibited his fubjefls from paying any obe¬ 
 dience to the popes in temporal matters, and 
 feized, for his own ufe, all the firft fruits and 
 tenths, which was a fatal blow at the root of 
 the papal power. At this time three popes had 
 been elected, who all pretended a right to infal¬ 
 libility ; and each thundered out their anathemas 
 againft the others ; but the French clergy, with 
 the afiiftance of their king, flood their ground ; 
 for although they acknowledged one of the 
 popes, yet, to their everlafling honour, they re- 
 fufed to pay any regard to his dictates in things 
 of a temporal nature. 
 
 It was in the beginning of this century* that 
 the famous council of Conftance was held in the 
 city of that name ; and the reafon for its being 
 called was, to put an end to the fchifm which 
 had broke out in the church, by the election of 
 three popes at one time. John XXIII. one of 
 thefe popes, fled from the vengeance of the 
 council, but being brought back and placed at 
 the bar, he calmly fubmitted to refign all his 
 pretenfions to the tripple crown. 
 
 The two others who were competitors with 
 him, viz. Gregory XII. and Benedict XI. were 
 depofed, and Martin V. was eledled by the ge¬ 
 neral council, who, in this fingle inftance* had 
 the courage to adl in the room of the cardinals. 
 
 The people in general entertained great hopes 
 that the council would have reformed many of 
 the abufes that had crept into the church ; 
 but in this they were much deceived, for inflead 
 of reftoring difeipline to its original purity, they 
 fpent much of their time in condemning thofe 
 whom they called Heretics. John Hufs and 
 Jerome of Prague, were condemned and exe¬ 
 cuted, and the fentimentsof the great Wickliffe 
 were likewife condemned many years after he was 
 dead. Nay, to the eternal difgrace of this 
 council, it was ordered, that the bones of Wick¬ 
 liffe fhould be dug out of the grave, where they 
 had been depofited thirty years before, and re¬ 
 duced to allies. Upon this a< 5 t of clerical power, 
 the judicious Rapin makes the following reflec¬ 
 tion : t£ His afhes were thrown into the brook 
 <c which runs through the town of Lutterworth; 
 tc the brook conveyed the afhes to the Severn, 
 
 “ and the Severn to the fea.” In the fame man¬ 
 ner his dodtrines l'pread fo far, that the papal 
 power in England was cafily abolifhed. 
 
 the CHURCH of ROME. 153 
 
 It fcems to have been in. this century, that the 
 popes thought their power fully effablilhed, and 
 probably it might have been lo, had it not been 
 for the noble Hand made againft their encroach¬ 
 ments by the kings and clergy of France. In a 
 council held at Bafil, 1445, there were upwards 
 of forty conftitutions made with refpedt to eccle- 
 fiaftical difeipline, one of which prohibited the 
 people from giving new names to the Virgin 
 Mary; Inch as our Lady of Confolation ; our 
 Lady of Grace ; and our Lady of Pity. There 
 were feveral other ordinances ; fuck as a prohibi¬ 
 tion againft carrying through the ftreets the re- 
 lies of faints, in order to get money ; and clan- 
 deftine marriages were likewife prohibited. 
 
 In France, Charles VI. a weak, though well- 
 meaning prince, not willing to do any thing 
 without the confent of his people, called an af- 
 lembly of the clergy, to confider of the papal 
 decrees. The determination of the council was, 
 that the popes were not infallible, but that they 
 Were fubjeft to general councils* to whom they 
 were obliged to give an account of their con¬ 
 duct. But this ftreniious attempt to fupport li¬ 
 berty in matters of an ecclefraftical nature* 
 ferved only to ftimulate the court of Rome to¬ 
 wards making new innovations. It was at this 
 time* that bifhops were firft permitted to fell 
 their livings and retire to other parts of the 
 world, which they found much more to their 
 advantage. The popes received a gratuity for 
 the refignation, and nominal Chriftianity now 
 became a trade. 
 
 'Century XVI. 
 
 In our account of this century, we are as it 
 were flopped fhort juft at the entrance ; for thq 
 popes, having confidered the whole Chriftiarf 
 world as in a ftate of profound ignorance, 
 thought that a fair opportunity prefented itfelf 
 for them to domineer over the conlciences of 
 men. For this purpole the pope iffued indul¬ 
 gences, which were to be fold at an extravagant 
 price to all thofe who would purchafe them, 
 and this was done under pretence of rebuilding 
 the church of St. Peter’s at Rome. Learninghow- 
 ever, was now beginningtoliftup her head, popifii 
 ignorance began to vanifh before the glorious 
 light of the truth, and Luther, that bright ftar 
 of the reformation, burft forth amid ft the night 
 of popifii darknefs; but with refpedt to him we 
 muft l'peak more largely hereafter. 
 
 l^he Religious Orders in the Church of R O M E. 
 
 7 1 
 
 r E come now, in the fecond place* to 
 confider the different orders in the 
 church of Rome, and as this is, in all 
 refpedts, confident with the plan we have laid 
 down, fo we fhall attend to hiftorical matter of 
 fadl, with the ftridteft fidelity. It is impoffible 
 to defcribe the different rules and ceremonies of 
 religion, without making the reader acquainted 
 *3 
 
 with thofe fedls to whom they belong; for were 
 we to do otherwife, we fhould, to ufe the words 
 of the ingenious Dr. Watts, prelent our readers 
 only with fkeletons. All thefe ceremonies will 
 naturally come before us, and be prefented to our 
 readers ; and therefore before we go any further, 
 we fhall prefent them with an account of the rile 
 and progrefs of the monaftic life, 
 
 Q__q The 
 
r54 RELIGIOUS ORDERS i 
 
 The word Monk* fignifies the fame as a foli- 
 tary, or one who lives fcqueftcred from the com¬ 
 pany and converfation of the reft of the world ; 
 and is ufually applied to thole Chriftian men, 
 who dedicate themfelves wholly to the fervice of 
 religion, in fame monaftery. Thofe of the fe¬ 
 male fex, who devote themfelves in like manner 
 to a religious life, are called Nuns, and of thefe 
 there are many different orders. There is l'ome 
 difference in the fentiments of learned men con¬ 
 cerning the original and rife of the monaftic life. 
 But the moft probable account of this matter 
 feems to be as follows. 
 
 In the Decian perfecution, which was about the 
 middle of the third century, many perfons in 
 Egypt, to avoid the fury of the ftorm, fled to 
 the neighbouring deferts and mountains, where 
 they not only found a fafe retreat, but alfo more 
 time and liberty to exercife themfelves in adls of 
 piety and divine contemplations; which fort of 
 life became fo agreeable to them, that, when the 
 perfecution was over, they refufed to return to 
 their habitations again, chufing rather to conti¬ 
 nue in thofe cottages and cells, which they had 
 made for themfelves in the wildernefs. 
 
 The firft and moft noted of thefe lolitaries were, 
 Paul and Anthony, two famous Egyptians, 
 whom therefore St. Jerom calls the fathers of the 
 Chriftian hermits ; for as yet, there were no bo¬ 
 dies or communities of men, embracing this life, 
 nor any monafteries built; but only a few Angle 
 perfons fcattered here and there in the deferts of 
 Egypt; till Pachomius, in the peaceable reign of 
 Conilantine, procured fome monafteries to be 
 built in Thebais in Egypt; from whence the 
 cuftom of living in focieties was followed by de¬ 
 grees, in other parts of the world, in fucceed- 
 ing ages. 
 
 Till the year 250, there were no monks in the 
 church: and from that time to the reign of Conftan- 
 tine, monachifm was confined to the hermits, or 
 anchorets, living in private cells in the wilder¬ 
 nefs. But, when Pachomius had eredled monaf¬ 
 teries in Egypt, other countries prefently fol¬ 
 lowed the example, and l'o the monaftic life came 
 to its full maturity in the church. Hilarion, a 
 difciple of Anthony, was the firft monk in Pa- 
 leftine or Syria; and not long after, Euftathius, 
 bifhop of Sebaftia, brought monachifm into Ar¬ 
 menia, Paphlagonia, and Pontus. Athanafius, 
 about the year 340, taught the anchorets of 
 Italy and Rome to live in focieties ; but it was 
 fome time after this, that Martin, bifhop of 
 Tours, fixed his cell in France, and gave birth 
 to the monaftic life in that kingdom : from 
 whence, fome learned men think, it was brought 
 by Pelagius into Britain, at the beginning of the 
 fifth century. 
 
 The antient monks were not, like the modern, 
 diftinguilhed into orders, and denominated from 
 the founders of them ; but they had their names 
 from the places where they inhabited. 
 
 All monks were, originally, no more than lay¬ 
 men : nor could they well be otherwile, being 
 confined by their own rules to fome defert or wil¬ 
 dernefs, where there could be no room for the 
 exercife of the clerical functions ; and accord¬ 
 ingly, St. Jerom tells us, the office of a monk 
 is, not to teach, but to mourn. The council of 
 Chalcedon exprefsly diftinguiffies the monks 
 
 the CHURCH of R O M F.. 
 
 from the clergy, and reckons them with the lay¬ 
 men. Gratian himlelf, who is moft concerned 
 for the moderns, owns it to be plain, from ecclefi- 
 aftical hiftory, that, to the time of pope Siricius 
 and Zofimus, the monks were only Ample laymen 
 and not of the clergy. 
 
 In fome cafes, however, the clerical and mo¬ 
 naftic life were capable of being conjoined : as, 
 firft, when a monaftery happened to be at fo 
 great a diftance from its proper church, that the 
 monks could not ordinarily refort thither for di¬ 
 vine fervice ; which was the cafe of the monafte¬ 
 ries in Egypt, and other parts of the Eaft. In 
 this cafe, fome one or more of the monks were 
 ordained for the performance of divine offices 
 among them. Another cafe in which the cleri¬ 
 cal and monaftic lives were united, was, when 
 monks were taken out of monafteries by the bi- 
 ffiops, and ordained for the fervice of the church. 
 This was allowed and encouraged, when once 
 monafteries were become lchools of learning and 
 pious education. Thirdly, it happened l'ome- 
 times, that a bifhop and all his clergy, embraced 
 the monaftic life, by a voluntary renunciation of 
 property, and enjoying all things in common. 
 Eulebius Verccllenfis was the firft, who brought 
 this way of living into the weftern church. St. 
 Augullin let up the fame way of living among 
 the clergy of Flippo. And fo far as this was an 
 imitation of ccenobitic life, and having all things 
 in common, it might be called a monaftic as well 
 as a clerical life. 
 
 The Ccenobites, or fuch monks as lived in 
 communities, were chiefly regarded by the 
 church, and were therefore under the direction of 
 certain laws and rules of government; of which 
 we fhall here give a fhort account. And 
 
 Firft, All men were not allowed to turn monks 
 at pleaiure, becaufe fuch an indiferiminate per- 
 miffion would have been detrimental both to the 
 church and ftate. Upon this account the civil 
 law forbids any of thofe officers called curiales to 
 become monks, unlefs they parted with their 
 eftates to others, who might ferve their country* 
 in their ftead. For the fame reafon fervants were 
 not to be admitted into any monaftery without 
 their mafters leave. Indeed Juftinian afterwards 
 abrogated this law by an edict of his own, which 
 firft let fervants at liberty from their mailers, 
 under pretence of betaking themfelves to a mo¬ 
 naftic life. The fame precautions were obferved 
 in regard to married perfons and children. The 
 former were not to embrace the monaftic life, 
 unlefs with the mutual content of both parties. 
 This precaution was afterwards broke through by 
 Juftinian : but the church never approved of 
 this innovation. As to children, the council of 
 Gangra decreed, that if any fuch, under pretence 
 of religion, forlbok their parents, they fliould be 
 anathematil'ed. But Jullinian enervated the 
 force of this law likewife, forbidding parents 
 to hinder their children from becoming monks 
 or clerks. And as children were not to turn 
 monks without confent of their parents, fo nei¬ 
 ther could parents oblige their children to em¬ 
 brace a religious life againft their own confent. 
 But the fourth council of Toledo, 633, let afide 
 this precaution, and decreed, tk..t whether the 
 devotion ol their parents, or their own profeffion, 
 made them monks, both fliould be equally bind¬ 
 ing. 
 
RELIGIOUS ORDERS 
 
 ing, and there fhould be no permiflion to return 
 to a fecular life again, as was before allowable, 
 when a parent offered a child, before he was ca¬ 
 pable of giving his own confent. 
 
 The manner of admiflion to the monadic life 
 was ufually by fome change of habit or drefs, 
 not to fignify any religious my fiery, but only to 
 exprefs their gravity and contempt of the world. 
 But we read of no folemn vow, or profeflion, re¬ 
 quired at their admiflion : only they underwent 
 a triennial probation, during which time they 
 were inured to the exercifes of a monadic life. 
 If, after that time was expired, they chofe to con¬ 
 tinue the fame exercifes, they were then admit¬ 
 ted without any farther ceremony into the com¬ 
 munity. Nor was there as yet any folemn vow 
 of poverty required ; though it was cudomary 
 for men voluntarily to renounce the world, by 
 difpofing of their edates to charitable ufes, be¬ 
 fore they entered into, a community, where they 
 v/ere to enjoy all things in common as brothers. 
 
 As the monadries had no danding revenues, 
 all the monks were obliged to exercife themfelves 
 in bodily labour, to maintain themfelves, without 
 being burthenfome to others. They had no idle 
 mendicants among them : they looked upon a 
 monk that did not work, as no better than a 
 covetous defrauder ; and Sozomen tells us, that 
 Serapion prefided over a monadery often thou- 
 fand monks, near Ardnoe in Egypt, who all la¬ 
 boured with their own hands, by which means 
 they not only maintained themfelves, but had 
 enough to relieve the poor. To their bodily 
 Exercifes they joined others that were fpiritual. 
 The fird of thefe v/as a perpetual repentance. 
 Upon which account the life of a monk is often 
 diled the life of a mourner. And in allufion to 
 this, theifleofCanobus, near Alexandria, formerly 
 aplaceofgreat lewdnefs, was, upon the translation 
 and fettlement of the monks of Tabennus there, 
 called infulae Metanteas, the ifle of repentance. 
 The next fpiritual exercife was, extraordinary 
 fading. The Egyptian monks kept every day a 
 fad till three in the afternoon, excepting Satur¬ 
 days, Sundays, and the fifty days of Pentecod. 
 Some exercifed themfelves with great auderities, 
 hiding two, three, four, or five days together j 
 but this pradice was not generally approved. 
 \J hey did not think fuchexceffive abdinence of any 
 ufe, but rather a diflervice to religion ; for Pacho- 
 mius’srule, which was fuppofed to be given him by 
 an angel, permitted every man to eat, drink, and 
 labour according to his bodily drength. So that 
 fading was a diferetionary thing, and matter of 
 choice, not compulfion. In lbme places, they 
 had the Scriptures read during their meals at 
 table. This cuftom was fird brought into the 
 monadries of Cappadocia, to prevent idle dif- 
 courfe and contentions. But in Egypt they had 
 no occafion for this remedy ; for they were taught 
 to eat their meat in filence. Palladius mentions 
 one indance more of their devotion, which was 
 only occasional ■, namely, their plalmody at the 
 reception of any brethren, or conduding them 
 with finging ofpfalms to their habitation. 
 
 The laws did not allow monks to intered 
 themfelves in any public affairs, either ecclefiaf- 
 tical or civil } and thofe, who were called to any 
 employment in the church, were obliged to quit 
 their monadery thereupon. Nor were they per- 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 155 
 
 I mitted to encroach upon the duties, or rights and 
 privileges, of the fecular clergy. 
 
 By the laws of their fird inditution, in all parts 
 of the ead, their habitation was not to be in 
 cities, or places of public concourfe, but in de- 
 lerts, and private retirements, as their very name 
 implied. The famous monk Anthony ufed to 
 fay, {c That the wildernefs was as natural to a 
 cc monk, as water to a fifh ; and therefore a monk 
 <c in a city was quite out of his element, like a 
 cc fifh upon dry land.” 
 
 As the monks of the antient church were un¬ 
 der no folemn vow or profeflion, they were at 
 liberty to betake themfelves to a fecular life 
 again. Julian himfelf was once in the monadic 
 habit; and the fame is obferved of Condans, the 
 fon of Condantine, who ufurped the empire in 
 Britain. The rule of Pachomius, by which the 
 Egyptian monks are governed, has nothing of 
 any vow at their entrance, nor any punifhment 
 for l'uch as deferted their dation afterwards. 
 
 In procefs of time, it was thought proper to 
 inflict fome punifhment j which was, that if 
 they were poffeffed of any fubdance, it fhould be 
 all forfeited to the monadery, which they had 
 deferted. 
 
 The monadic life foon made a very great pro- 
 grels all over the Chrdian world; forRufinus, who 
 travelled through the ead in 373, allures us, there 
 were almod as many monks in the defarts, as 
 inhabitants in the cities. From the wildernefs 
 it made its way into the towns and cities, where 
 it multiplied greatly: for the fame author informs 
 us, that in the fingle city of Oxirinca, there were 
 more monaderies than iioufes, and above thirty 
 thoufand religious. 
 
 Having find thus much concerning the indi¬ 
 tution of the monadic orders, we fhall now 
 begin to prefent the reader with an accurate 
 account of them, both as they have been in for- - 
 mer times, and as they are at prefent. 
 
 The mod antient, fo far as we can judge of 
 the religious orders in the Roman church, are the 
 Augudine monks, who have made a great figure 
 in the world, and are dill held in high repute. 
 
 Audin, or as he is fometimes called, St. Au¬ 
 gudine, bifliop of Hippo, in Africa, about the 
 latter end of the fourth century, had been 
 brought up by Chridian parents; his father being 
 a centurion in one of the Roman legions, and his 
 mother a very pious woman. But notwithdand- 
 ing all the care that had been taken of his edu¬ 
 cation, yet he had fcarce left the fchools, when 
 he joined himfelf to thofe word of all heretics, 
 called Manicheans. As he had great natural 
 parts, improved by a fine education, he was much 
 followed as a public teacher of oratory, but it 
 plealed God to convince him of his errors, and 
 in the thirty-fixth year of his age he became a 
 fincere Chridian. Soon after this remarkable 
 event, he went over to Africa, and was ordained 
 bifliop of Hippo, where, in many refpefls, he 
 became an eminent indance of the power of di¬ 
 vine grace ; only that in lbme things he was too 
 luperditious. 
 
 At that time, the monadic life was much in 
 vogue, and Audin having many prelbyters under 
 him, they agreed to build a fort of convent or 
 cloyder near the church, where they fpent mod 
 of their leifure hours in devotion, in explaining 
 a the 
 
t 5 6 RELIGIOUS ORDERS 
 
 the facred fcriptures, and in making each other 
 acquainted with the different principles contained 
 in the body of divinity ; for at that time difputed 
 points were much regarded and much taught. 
 
 Thefe prefbyters, however, were not bound 
 down by any oaths or vows ; they loved their 
 fituation, becaufe they thought it was acceptable 
 to God, while they were endeavouring to mor¬ 
 tify their worldly luffs, and prepare themfelves 
 for heaven ! But as things took a very different 
 turn afterwards; and thole locietiesof men which 
 had been formed, as it were, originally from mo¬ 
 tives of neceffity and utility, were greedily laid hold 
 of by the Roman pontiffs, to effablilh fixed and 
 Handing orders upon them, making ufe of their 
 names, and Iheltering their pretenfions to piety, 
 tinder the mafic of real and genuine religion. 
 For this reafon we find, that in the thirteenth 
 century, many religious orders fprung up in the 
 church ; and Pope Alexander IV. in the year 
 1256, availing himfelf of that circumftance, in 
 order to aggrandize the papal power, reduced 
 three or four of thefe orders into one, and called 
 them by the general name ot Auguftine hermits. 
 
 At prelent, thefe monks are divided into feveral 
 different claffes, but their rules and orders are 
 much the fame. They have all things in common, 
 and the rich who enter into the order, are to iell 
 their pofi'efiions, and give the money to the poor ; 
 that is, they are to give it to the monks their 
 brethren. They are not to receive any alms, with¬ 
 out delivering the whole up to their fuperiors; and 
 if it fhould happen thataperfecutonarife, then they 
 are to betake themfelves immediately, to the place 
 where their fuperior has withdrawn himfelf. I hey 
 are to employ the firftpartoi the morning in labour¬ 
 ing with their hands, and the reft of theday in 
 reading and devotion. 1 hey have Saturdays al¬ 
 lowed to provide themfelves in ncceffaries, and on 
 Sundays they are permitted to drink wine ; and 
 when they go abroad, they muff: always go two in a 
 company ; nor are they ever to cat, but in their 
 monaftery, let the calls of nature be ever fo urgent. 
 
 They are forbidden to harbour the lead 
 thoughts of women, nor are they permitted to 
 receive any letters or prefents without commu¬ 
 nicating them to their fuperiors. 1 hefe orders 
 are read over to them in the .confiftory once every 
 week, and each of the young ones has a. copy of 
 them delivered to them. I heir habit is black, 
 and the Nuns of the lame order are bound down 
 to rules of a fimilar nature. 
 
 Benedifhne monks are another very antient 
 order in the church of Rome, and they took their 
 rife during the reign of the emperor Juftinian, 
 about the rear 530. I heir founder was one 
 Benedict, a famous Italian Monk, who eftabli fil¬ 
 ed twelve monafteries in the diocefe of Tibur; 
 and thefe acquired fo much repute, that they were 
 exempted from epiicopal jurifdidtion. From this 
 place he removed to Mount Cafiino, where he ef- 
 tablilhed another monaftery, and fent out his dif- 
 ciples into every part of the Chriftian world. 
 During the fpace of fix hundred years they be¬ 
 came fo famous, that they had almofl all the re¬ 
 ligious houfes to themfelves, till the Domini¬ 
 cans and Francifcans ftarted up to fhare with 
 them a little of their fame. Thefe monks wear 
 a loole black gown with large wide fieeves, and 
 a capuchin on their heads, with a peak at the 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROM E. 
 
 end. Like moft of the other orders in the Ro- 
 mifh church, they are divided into many claffes; 
 but in general their rules are the following : 
 
 They are obliged to perform their devotions 
 feven times in the twenty-four hours. Firft, at 
 two o’clock in the morning, becaufe our Saviour 
 is faid to have rifen from the dead at that time. 
 Secondly, at fix o’clock in the morning, becaufe 
 our Saviour is faid to have appeared to the wo¬ 
 men at that time. Thirdly, at nine in the morn¬ 
 ing, at which time it is fuppofed Pilate ordered 
 our Saviour to be fcourged. Fourthly, at noon, 
 at which time it is generally allowed our Saviour 
 was crucified. Fifthly, at three o’clock in the 
 afternoon, when our Saviour expired on the crofs. 
 Sixthly, at fix in the afternoon, when they fup¬ 
 pofed our Lord to be taken down from the crofs. 
 Laftly, at feven in the evening, the time whert 
 they fuppofe our Saviour’s agony began. Tims 
 all their feven hours of devotion, taking in the 
 fubfequent firft, and afterwards the antecedent 
 have a relation to our Saviour’s fufterings. 
 
 Thefe monks are obliged to go always two 
 and two together, and in lent they muff: faff: till 
 fix in the evening; but they are not to fubjeft 
 themfelves to any wilful aufterities, or rigorous 
 penances, without leave from their fuperiors. 
 They never converfe together at meals, but at¬ 
 tend to the reading of the feripture, and they 
 lay all in one chamber, though only one in a bed, 
 and even in bed they keep their cloaths on. For 
 fmall faults they are (hut out from meals, and for 
 greater ones they are denied admittance to the 
 chapel. Incorrigible offenders are excluded from 
 the monaftery, nor can they ever be again re¬ 
 admitted, but upon giving proofs of the moll 
 fincere repentance. The furniture of each of 
 their beds is a mat, a rug, a blanket, and a pillow, 
 and each monk is obliged to have two coats, two 
 bowls, a table book, a knife, a needle, and a 
 handkerchief. It muff: be acknowledged, how¬ 
 ever, that the monks of this order have been a 
 great ornament to the literary world. At St. 
 Maur, in France, where they have a famous mo¬ 
 naftery, they have publilhed the beft editions of 
 the works of the fathers, with judicious remarks, 
 and critical obfervations. Many of them are not 
 friends to fuperftition but long earneftly to unite 
 Chriftians together in brotherly love and charity. 
 This is much to their honour, and if they go on 
 in the fame line of moderation, much good may 
 be expefled from them. 
 
 TheFrancifcans or Grey Friars, are another order 
 in the church of Rome, and extremely numerous. 
 St. Francis, the founder of this order, was born 
 of noble parents at Afifllum, in the province of 
 Umbria in Italy ; in or near the year 1182. He 
 renounced a confiderable eftate, which had been 
 many years in the poffeffion of his anceftors, and 
 forfook all the pleafures of this life, to embrace a 
 voluntary poverty, and live in the practice of the 
 greateft aufterites. He went daily barefooted ; 
 and befides travelling from place to place, to 
 vifit the fick and relieve the poor, he preached on 
 Sundays and feftivals in the parifti churches, to 
 
 very large and crouded congregations. 
 
 In the year 1208, defigning to eftablifh a reli¬ 
 gious order, he prefented to Pope Innocent III. 
 a copy of the rules he had drawn up, praying 
 that they might be confirmed by the holy fee. 
 
 The 
 
RELIGIOUS ORDERS in 
 
 The pope, confidering his defpicable appearance, 
 and the extreme leverity of his rules, bid him go 
 to find out fwine, and deliver them the rules he 
 had compofed ; as being fitter for fuch animals, 
 than for men. Francis being withdrawn, went 
 out and rolled himfelf in the mire, along with 
 fome fwine ; and in that filthy condition, again 
 prefented himfelf before the pope, befeeching 
 him to grant his requeft; upon which, the pope 
 complied, and confirmed the order. From this 
 time, Francis became famous throughout all 
 Italy; and many perfons of confiderable rank 
 forfook the world, and put themfelves under his 
 direction. 
 
 Thus the order of Francifcans fpread itfelfover 
 all Europe, and the fathers belonging to it were, 
 for many years, efteemed the molt celebrated 
 preachers; for they went from one village to 
 another inftrufting the rude uncivilized people. 
 They were fo zealous, that many of them went 
 among the Pagans to endeavour to convert them, 
 and fome were mold cruelly put to death. The 
 Roman Catholic legends concerning this extra¬ 
 ordinary perfon, relate, that a little before his 
 death, there appeared wounds in his hands and 
 feet, like thofe of our Saviour’s, and they kept 
 continually bleeding, but after his death there 
 appeared no fuch thing as either wounds, or 
 blood. He was buried in a fmall oratory he 
 had built at Rome, and his name was inferted in 
 the calendar of faints. 
 
 After the death of St. Francis, the pope pre- 
 feribed certain rules for the better regulation of 
 the Grey-friars, for they were held in great re¬ 
 pute. They were allowed to preach in cities, 
 towns, and villages ; but they were to inftruft 
 rather by the gravity of their behaviour, and 
 meannefs of their habit, than by the feverity of 
 iliarp reproof. All their reproofs were to be ge¬ 
 neral, without addrefiing themfelves to particular 
 perfons; nor were they permitted, under the fe- 
 vereft penalties, to reveal the confefiions of peni¬ 
 tents. They were not to feek after preferment, 
 nor were they to preach in any church or chapel, 
 unlefs invited thereto. At prelent, their orders 
 and rules may be reduced to the following 
 particulars. 
 
 They are to live in common, toobferve chaftity, 
 and pay obedience to the pope and to their fupe- 
 riors. Thofe who are admitted into the order, are 
 firft to fell all they have, and give the money to the 
 poor. They are obliged to perform one year’s 
 noviciate, and when admitted, never to quit the 
 order upon any account. 
 
 The priefts are to perform divine fervice four 
 times every day, according to the ritual of the 
 church of Rome, and they are to faft from 
 All-Saints till Chriftmas; that is, they are not, 
 during that time, to eat any flefh. They are 
 never to ride on horleback, unlefs it fhould be¬ 
 come abfolutcly necefiary, fuch as the vifiting a 
 lick perfon, or to promote their own health. 
 They are not to keep any money, but to live up¬ 
 on alms, which they may confidently beg. They 
 are never to be feen in profane company, and they 
 are to avoid all familiarity with women. Their 
 habit confifts of a loofe coat of coarle cloth, a 
 hood of the fame, a cord for a girdle, and a pair ! 
 of drawers; and when there is a necefiity for [ 
 14 
 
 the CHURCH of ROME. 157 
 
 mending them, it mull be performed by fewing 
 a piece of hair cloth to the place torn. 
 
 The firft monaftery of this order, was at Monte 
 Soubazo, in Italy, and monafteries were confirmed 
 by the council of Lateral^ 1215. In a fhort time, 
 they multiplied fo faft, that in 1219, five thou¬ 
 fand Friars met at the convent of Afliflium, as 
 deputies from other convents. 
 
 The Francifcans came firft into England, in 
 the year 1256, and they had a convent built for 
 them at Canterbury. They zealoufiy oppofed 
 the divorce between Henry VIII. and queen Ca¬ 
 tharine, for which reafon, when the monafteries 
 were fupprefied, they were expelled before all 
 others, and above two hundred of them thrown 
 into goals. Thirty-two of them were coupled 
 in chains together like dogs, and fent into dun¬ 
 geons ; many were baniffied, and fome of them 
 publickly executed. Whilft this order flourifhed 
 in England, they were divided into feven parts, 
 called Cujlodies , becaufe each of them was go¬ 
 verned by a provincial, called a Cuftos, or Guar¬ 
 dian of the diftrieft. Thefe were London, York, 
 Cambridge, Briftol, Oxford, Newcaftle, and 
 Worcefter; making in the whole fixty monaf¬ 
 teries. 
 
 The firft eftabliftnnent of thefe Friars in Lon¬ 
 don was begun by four brothers, who hired a 
 houfe in Cornhill, from John Travers, at that 
 time fheriff of London. This building they 
 converted into cells, where they lived till the 
 fummer following, when they were removed by 
 John Jwyn, citizen and mayor of London, to 
 the parilh of St. Nicholas in the fhambles, now 
 called St. Nicholas, in St. Nicholas-lane, where 
 he built them a monaftery, and entered himfelf 
 a member of their order. There are at prefent 
 above feven thoufand convents of this order in 
 Europe, and in them one hundred and fifteen 
 thoufand Friars; and befides thefe, there are 
 nine hundred convents of Nuns, who live by the 
 fame rules. This order has produced five popes, 
 forty-fix cardinals, befides a vaft number of 
 archbifhops and bifhops. The late pope Cle¬ 
 ment XIV. whofe real name was Ganganelli, 
 was of this order. 
 
 The Dominicans are the next order to that of 
 the Francifcans, and they are generally known 
 by the name of Black-friars, only that in France, 
 they are called Jacobins. St. Dominic their 
 founder, was born in the year 1170, at Ca- 
 laruega, a fmall town in the kingdom of Old 
 Caftile, now a part of Spain ; while? his mother 
 was with child of him, fhe dreamed that fhe was 
 delivered of a little dog, with a flambeaux in 
 his mouth, which was to give light to all the 
 world. At fix years of age he was fent to learn 
 latin, under the direction of his uncle, who had 
 a rich parifli living in Caftile. His leifure time 
 was fpent in adorning the altars, and in afllfting 
 the choirifters in all the divine offices. At thir¬ 
 teen years of age, he was fent to the univerfity 
 of Palencia, in the kingdom of Leon, where he 
 fpent fix years in the ftudy of philofophy and 
 divinity. From that time he devoted himfelf to 
 all manner of religious aufterities ; and he em¬ 
 ployed molt of his time in the converfion of Hea¬ 
 thens and Heretics. This railed his reputation 
 fo high, that the biffiop of Ofma, refolving to 
 R r reform 
 
1 5 s RELIGIOUS ORDERS in the CHURCH of ROM E. 
 
 reform the canons of his church, pitched upon 
 Dominic for that purpofe, and invited him to 
 take upon him the office of a canon in his ca¬ 
 thedral. 
 
 In this new flation, Dominic behaved with fo 
 much prudence, and fubjedted himfelf to fo ma¬ 
 ny aufterities, that the canons, afhamed of their 
 former conduct, refolved to imitate his example; 
 fo that a new reformation took place in the 
 cathedral, and Dominic was made fub-prior of 
 the chapter. 
 
 The bifhop, however, thinking it in all ref- 
 pedts inconfillent with the duty he owed to the 
 church, that fuch a bright luminary as Dominic, 
 ihould be confined to a particular lpot, lent him 
 out to exercife the office of an evangelical 
 preacher, in feveral of the provinces of Spain, 
 where he converted many Heretics; till in the 
 year 1204, the billiop, being fent ambaflador to 
 Rome, took Dominic along with him. 
 
 During their journey through Languedoc, 
 they found all the churches falling to decay, oc- 
 cafioned by the great regard the people had for 
 the Albigenles ; and inftead of going forward to 
 Rome, they obtained letters from the pope to 
 ftay fometime in that country, and labour to 
 convert the Heretics. Here it was, that Domi¬ 
 nic refolved to put in execution, the defign he 
 had formed of inilituting a religious order, whole 
 principal employ fhould be preaching the gofpel, 
 converting Heretics, defending the faith, and 
 propagating Chriffianity. He loon colledled a 
 great number of perl'ons together, equally as 
 zealous as himfelf, who all refolved to convert the 
 Heretics ; which plealed the pope lb much, that 
 he granted a bull, approving of the inffitution. 
 
 The firft monaftery of this order was ellablilh- 
 ed at Touloule, by the liberality of the bilhops 
 of that doicefe ; and from thence Dominic font 
 out miffionaries to procure converts to his rules 
 in every part of Europe. In the year 1218, he 
 founded a convent in St. James’s-ftreet, in Paris, 
 from which circumftance, they have ever fince 
 been called in France by the name of Jacobins. 
 Within four years afterwards, there were upwards 
 of forty convents of Dominicans in Italy, France, 
 Germany, and Spain. At Rome, he obtained 
 of pope Honorius III. the church of St. Sabina, 
 where he and his companions took the habit 
 which they pretended the blelfed Virgin Ihewed 
 to the holy Renaud of Orleans; being a white 
 garment and fcapular, to which they added a 
 black mantle and hood, ending in a point. St. 
 Dominic died at Bologna, 1221, and his order 
 encrealed fo fall, that they had many convents 
 in every European nation. 
 
 The year that St. Dominic died, twelve of his 
 followers came over to England, and founded a 
 convent at Oxford, and foon after, another at 
 London. In the year 1276, the mayor and al¬ 
 dermen of London gave them two ftreets near 
 the river Thames, where they had a moll mag¬ 
 nificent monaftery, but now there is no more left 
 of it befides the name ; the place where it Hood 
 being now called Blackfriars. Having received 
 authority from the popes, they adted in the moll 
 haughty and infolent manner, infilling on preach¬ 
 ing in every church, without leave either from 
 the bifhop or the incumbent. This innovation 
 
 in church difeipline brought on an univerfal dif- 
 folutenefs of manners ; for the people confidering 
 theml'elves as under no obligation to confels their 
 fins to their parifh priefts, had recourle to the 
 Dominicans, who knowing nothing of the peni¬ 
 tents, confequently could not fay, whether they 
 performed penance or not. 
 
 There are nuns ol this order, who were in- 
 ftituted by Dominic himfelf, who, whilft he was 
 labouring to convert the Albigenles, was much 
 concerned to find, that feveral men of con fid en¬ 
 able rank, being unable to fupport their daugh¬ 
 ters, gave them to the Heretics. To remedy 
 this diforder, which gave much offence to the 
 clergy, Dominic erected a convent at Prowelle, 
 where thole poor maidens were to be inllrudted 
 in the chriftian faith. The habit of thefe nuns 
 is a white robe, a tawney mantle, and a black 
 veil. They are obliged to work feveral hours 
 in the day, and to make all the cloaths they 
 wear, they lie in ftraw beds, and are fubjedted to 
 many other aufterities. 
 
 There have been of the order of Dominicans, 
 four popes, fixty-three cardinals, one hundred 
 and fifty archbilhops, eight hundred bilhops, 
 befides the lords of the inquifition, of which we 
 Ihall give an account afterwards. 
 
 Before we difmifs this article, it will be necef- 
 fary to take notice, that the Dominicans afiert, 
 that the Virgin Mary, like all other women, was 
 born in orginal fin ; and the Francifcans, on the 
 other hand aftert, that fhe was born in a Hate of 
 innocence. This has been long contefted be¬ 
 tween the two orders, and to what length they 
 have carried their refentment againll each other, 
 will appear from the following extract from bi- 
 fhop Burnet’s Travel’s. That learned divine, in 
 his account of the city of Bern, in Switzerland, 
 writes as follows : 
 
 “ The fecond church' is the Dominicans chapel, 
 where I law the famous hole that went to an 
 image in the church, from one of the cells of 
 the Dominicans, which leads me to let down that 
 ftory at fome length : for as it was one of the 
 moll fignal cheats, that the world has known : 
 fo it falling out about twenty years before the 
 reformation was received in Bern, it is very pro¬ 
 bable that it contributed not a little, to the pre¬ 
 paring of the lpirits of the people to that change. 
 I am the more able to give a particular account 
 of it, becaufe I read the original procefs in the 
 Latin record, figned by the notaries of the 
 court of the delegates, that the pope fent to 
 try the matter. The record is about one hun¬ 
 dred and thirty flieets writ clofe and of all Tides, 
 it being indeed a large volume, and I found the 
 printed accounts fo defedtive, that I was at the 
 pains of reading the whole procefs, of which I 
 will give here a true abftradt. 
 
 The two famous orders that had poflefled 
 theml'elves of the efteem of thofe dark ages, were 
 engaged in a mighty rivalry. The Dominicans 
 were the more learned, they were the eminenteft 
 preachers of thofe times, and had the condudl of 
 the courts of inquifition, and the other chief 
 offices in the church in their hands. But on the 
 other hand the Francifcans had an outward ap¬ 
 pearance of more feverity, a ruder habit, ftridler 
 rules, and greater poverty : all which gave 
 
 them 
 
RELIGIOUS ORDERS 
 
 them fuch advantages in the eyes of the Ample 
 multitude, as were able to balance the other ho¬ 
 nours of the Dominican order. In fhort the two 
 orders were engaged in a high rivalry, but the 
 devotion towards the Virgin being the prevailing 
 pafiion of thole times, the Francilcans upon this 
 had great advantages. The Dominicans, that 
 are all engaged in the defence of Thomas Aqui¬ 
 nas’s opinions, were thereby obliged to aflert, 
 that Ihe was born in original fin ; this was pro- 
 pofed to the people by the Francilcans, as no lels 
 then blalphemy, and by this the Dominicans be¬ 
 gan to lofe ground extremely in the minds of the 
 people, who were Rrongly prepoficfied in favour 
 of the immaculate conception. 
 
 About the beginning of the 15th century, a 
 Francifcan happened to preach in Francfort, and 
 one Wigand, a Dominican, coming into the 
 church, the cordelier feeing him, broke out in¬ 
 to exclamations, praifing God, that he was not of 
 an order that profaned the Virgin, or that poifoned 
 princes in the facrament, (for a Dominican had 
 poifoned the emperor Henry VII. with the facra¬ 
 ment,) Wigand, being extremely provoked with 
 this bloody reproach, gave him the lie, upon 
 which a difpute arofe, which ended in a tumult, 
 that had almofi cofi the Dominican his life, yet 
 he got- away. The whole order refolved to take 
 their revenge, and in a chapter held at Vimpfen, 
 in the year 1504, they contrived a method for 
 l'upporting the credit of their order, which was 
 much funk in the opinion of the people, and for 
 bearing down the reputation of the Francilcans. 
 Four of the junto undertook to manage the de- 
 fign ; for they laid, fince the people were fo 
 much difpofed to believe dreams and fables, they 
 mull dream of their fide, and endeavour to 
 cheat the people as well as the others had done. 
 They refolved to make Bern the feene in which 
 the projedl fhould be put in execution ; for they 
 found the people of Bern at that time apt to 
 fwallow any thing, and not difpofed to make 
 fevere enquiries into extraordinary matters. 
 When they had formed their defign, a fit tool 
 prefented itfelf, for one Jetzer came to take their 
 habit as a lay brother, who had all the difpo- 
 fitions that were necelfary for the execution of 
 their projedl: for he was extreme fimple, and 
 was much inclined to aufierities ; fo having ob- 
 l'erved his temper well, they began to execute 
 their projedl, the very night after he took the 
 habit, which was on Lady-day, 1507. One of 
 the friars conveyed himfelf lecretly into his cell, 
 and appeared to him as if he had been in pur¬ 
 gatory, in a Rrange figure, and he had a box 
 near his mouth, upon which as he blew, fire 
 feemed to come out of his mouth. Fie had alfo 
 fome dogs about him, that appeared as his tor¬ 
 mentors ; in this pofture he came near the friar, 
 while he was a-bed, and took up a celebrated 
 Rory that they tiled to tell all their friars, to 
 beget in them a great dread at the laying afide 
 their habit, which was, that one of the order, 
 who was fuperior of their houle at Soloturn, had 
 gone to Paris, but laying afide his habit, was 
 killed in his lay habit. The friar in the vizor laid 
 he was that perfon, and was condemned to pur¬ 
 gatory for that crime; but he added, that he 
 might be relcued out of it by his means; and he 
 fcconded this with the molt horrible cries, ex¬ 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME, 159 
 
 prelfing the miferies which he fuffered. The 
 poor friar (Jetzer) was excefiively frighted, but 
 the other advanced and required a promife of 
 him to do that which he fhould defire of him, in 
 order to the delivering him out of his torment. 
 The frighted friar promifed all that he aficed of 
 him j then the other faid, he knew he was a great 
 faint, and that his, prayers and mortifications 
 would prevail, but they mull be very extraordi¬ 
 nary. The whole monaftery mull for a week 
 together difeipline themfelves with a whip, and 
 he muR lye prollrate, in the form of one on a 
 crol's in one of their chapels, while mafs was faid 
 in the fight of all that fhould come together to 
 it j and he added, that if he did this, he fhould 
 find the effects of the love that the blefied Vir¬ 
 gin did bear him, together with many other ex¬ 
 traordinary things ; and faid he would appear 
 again accompanied with two other lpirits, and 
 allured him, that all he did fuffer for his de¬ 
 liverance, fhould be moft glorioufly rewarded. 
 Morning was no fooner come, then the 
 friar gave an account of this apparition to the 
 refi of the convent, who feemed extremely fur- 
 prized at it; they all prefied him to undergo 
 the difeipline that was enjoined him, and every 
 one undertook to bear his fhare; fo the deluded 
 friar performed it all exadlly, in one of the cha¬ 
 pels of their church : this drew a vaR number 
 of fpedators together who all confidered the poor 
 friar as a laint, and in the mean while the foul* 
 friars that managed the impoRure magnified the 
 miracle of the apparition to the fkies, in their 
 fermons. The friar’s confefTor was upon the 
 fecret, and by this means they knew all the little 
 paflages of the poor friar’s life, even to his 
 thoughts; which helped them not a little in the 
 condudl of the matter. The confefTor gave him 
 a hofi, with a piece of wood, that was, as he 
 pretended, a true piece of the crofs, and by thefe 
 he was to fortify himfelf, if any other apparitions 
 fhould come to him, fince evil lpirits would be 
 certainly chained up by them. The night after 
 that, the former apparition was renewed ; and 
 the maficed friar brought two others with him, 
 in fuch vizors, that the friar thought they were 
 devils indeed. The friar prefented the hoR to 
 them, which gave them fuch a check, that he 
 v/as fully fatisfiedof the virtue of this prefervative. 
 
 The friar, that pretended he was fullering in 
 purgatory, faid fo many things to him relating to 
 the fecrets of his life, and thoughts, which he had 
 from the confefTor; that the poor friar was fully 
 pofiefied in the opinion of the reality of the appa¬ 
 rition. In two of thefe apparitions that were 
 both managed in the fame manner, the friar in 
 the mafque talked much of the Dominican order, 
 which he faid was excefiively dear to the blefied 
 Virgin, who knew herfelf to be conceived in ori¬ 
 ginal fin ; and that the dodtors who taught the 
 contrary, were in purgatory : That the Rory of 
 St. Bernard’s appearing with a fpot on him, for 
 having oppoled himfelf to the feafi of the con¬ 
 ception, was a forgery : but that it was true that 
 fome hideous flies had appeared on St. Bona- 
 venture’s tomb who taught the contrary, that 
 the blefied Virgin abhorred the Cordeliers for 
 making her equal to her Son; that Scotus 
 was damned, whole canonization the Corde¬ 
 liers were then foliciting hard at Rome; and 
 2 that 
 
160 RELIIOUS ORDERS in 
 
 that the town of Bern would be deftroyed, for 
 harbouring fuch plagueswithin theirwalls. When 
 the injoined difcipline was fully performed, the 
 fpirit appeared again, and faid he was now deli¬ 
 vered out of purgatory, but before he could be 
 admitted to heaven he muftreceive thefacrament, 
 having died without it; and after that, he would 
 lay mafs for thofe, who had by their great cha¬ 
 rities refcued him out of his pains. The friar 
 fancied the voice refembled the prior’s a little ; 
 but he was then fo far from fufpedling any thing, 
 that he gave no great heed to this fufpicion. 
 Some days after this, the fame friar appeared as 
 a nun all in glory, and told the poor friar that 
 fhe was St. Barbara, for whom he had a particular 
 devotion, and added that the blefled Virgin was 
 fo much pleafed with his charity, that Ibe intended 
 to come and vifit him : he immediately called 
 the convent together, and gave the reft of the 
 friars an account of this apparition, which was 
 entertained by them all with great joy ; and the 
 friar languifhed in defires for the accomplifhment 
 of the promife that St. Barbara had made to him. 
 After lome days, the longed for delufion appeared 
 to him, cloathed as the Virgin ufed to be on the 
 great feafts, and indeed in the fame habits : there 
 were about her fome angels which he afterwards 
 found, were the little ftatutes of angels, which they 
 let on thealtars, on the great holy days. There was 
 alfo a pulley fattened in the room over his head, 
 and a cord tied to the angels, that made them rife 
 up in the air, and fly about the Virgin, which en- 
 creafed the delufion. TheVirgin after fome endear¬ 
 ments to himfelf, extolling the merit of his cha¬ 
 rity and difcipline, told him that Ihe was con¬ 
 ceived in original fin, and that Pope Julius II. 
 that then reigned, was to put an end to die dif- 
 pute and was to aboliih the feaft of her con¬ 
 ception, which Sixtus IV. had inttituted, and that 
 the friar was to be the inftrument of perfuading 
 the pope of the truth in that matter: She gave 
 him three drops of her Son’s blood, which were 
 three tears of blood that he had flied over Jeru- 
 falem, and this fignified that llie was three hours 
 in original fin, after which Ihe was by his mercy, 
 delivered out of that ftate: For it feems the Do¬ 
 minicans were refolved fo to compound the mat¬ 
 ter, that they (hould gain the main point of her 
 conception in fin, yet they would comply fo far 
 with the reverence for the Virgin, with which 
 the world was pofiefled, that ttie Ihould be be¬ 
 lieved to have remained a very ttiort while in 
 that ftate. She gave him alfo five drops of blood 
 in the form of a crofs, which were tears of blood, 
 that ttie had Ibed while her Son was on the crofs. 
 And, to convince him more fully, fhe prefented 
 a hoft to him, that appeared as an ordinary hoft, 
 and of a hidden it appeared to be of a deep red 
 colour. The cheat of thofe fuppofed vifits was 
 often repeated to the abufed friar, at laft the 
 Virgin told him that fhe was to give him fuch 
 marks of her Son’s love to him, that the matter 
 ihould be paft all doubt. She faid that the five 
 wounds of St. Lucia and St. Catherine were real 
 wounds, and that fhe would alfo imprint them on 
 him, fo fhe bid him reach his hand ; he had no 
 great mind to receive a favour in which he was 
 to 1 utter fo much: but fhe forced his hand and 
 ft ruck a nail through it, the hole was as big as a 
 grain of peafe, and he faw the candle clearly 
 
 the CHURCH of ROME. 
 
 through it, this threw him out of a fuppofed 
 tranlport into a real agony ; but Ihe feemed to 
 touch his hand, and he thought he fmelt an oint¬ 
 ment, with which fhe anointed it, though his 
 confefior perluaded him that that was only ima¬ 
 gination, fo the fuppofed Virgin left him for 
 that time. 
 
 The next night the apparition returned, and 
 brought fome linen cloaths, which had fome real 
 or imaginary virtue to allay his torment, and the 
 pretended Virgin laid, they were fome of the 
 linen in which Chrift was wrapped j and with 
 that fhe gave him a fophoriferous draught, and 
 while he was faft afleep, the other four wounds 
 were imprinted on his body in fuch a manner that 
 he felt no pain* 
 
 But in order to the doing of this, the friars 
 betook themfelves to charms, and the lub-prior. 
 fhewed the reft a book full of them, but he laid 
 that before they could be effectual, they mull 
 renounce God, and he not only did this himlelf, 
 but by a formal adl put in writing, figned with 
 his own blood, he dedicated himfelf to the devil; 
 it is true, he did not oblige the reft to this, but 
 only to renounce God. The compofition of the 
 draught was a mixture of fome fountain water 
 and chrifm, the hairs of the eyebrows ot a child, 
 fome quickfilver, fome grains of incenle, l'ome- 
 what of an Eafter wax candle, fome confecrated 
 fait, and the blood of an unbaptized child. 
 This compofition was afecret, which the fub-prior 
 did not communicate to the other friars. By 
 this the poor friar Jetzer was made almoft quite 
 infenfible : When he was awake, and came out ot 
 this deep fleep, he felt this wonderful impreflion 
 on his body, and now he was ravilhed out of 
 meafure, and came to fancy himfelf to be afting 
 all the parts of our Saviour’s paflion : he was 
 expofed to the people on the great altar, to the 
 amazement of the whole town, and to the no 
 fmall mortification of the Francilcans. The Do¬ 
 minicans gave him fome other draughts thaC 
 threw him into convulfions, and when he came 
 out of thofe, a voice was heard, which came 
 through that hole which yet remains, and runs 
 from one of the cells, along a great part of the 
 wall of the church : for a friar fpoke through a 
 pipe, and at the end of the hole there was an 
 image of the Virgin’s, with a little Jefus in her 
 arras, between whom and his mother, the voice 
 feemed to come, the image alfo feemed to ftied 
 tears, and a painter had drawn thole on her face 
 fo lively, that the people were deceived by it. 
 The little Jefus afked why fhe wept, and fhe laid 
 it was becaufe his honour was given to her, fince 
 it was faid that ttie was born without fin ; in con- 
 clufion the friars did fo over a< 5 t this matter, that: 
 at laft even the poor deluded friar himfelf came 
 to difeover it, and refolved to quit the order. 
 
 It was in vain to delude him with more appa¬ 
 ritions, for he well nigh killed a friar that came 
 to him, perfonating the Virgin in another fhape 
 with a crown on her head : he alfo overheard the 
 friars once talking among themfelves of the con-, 
 trivance and fuccefs of the impofture, fo plainly, 
 that he dilcovered the whole matter; and upon 
 that, as may be eafily imagined, he was filled 
 with all the horror, wirh which fuch a difeovery 
 could infpire him. 
 
 The friars fearing that an impofture which waa 
 
 carried 
 
RELIGIOUS ORDERS 
 
 carried on hitherto with fo much fuccefs, ftiould 
 be quite fpoiled, and be turned againft them, 
 thought the i'ureft way was to own the whole 
 matter to him, and to engage him to carry on 
 the cheat. They told him in what efteem he 
 would be, if he continued to fupport the 
 reputation that he had acquired, that he 
 would become the chief perfon of the order, 
 and in the end they perfuaded him to go on 
 with the impofture: but at laft, they, fearing 
 leaft he Ihould difcover all, refolved to poifon 
 him ; of which he was fo apprehenfive, that once 
 a loaf being brought him; that was prepared 
 with fome fpices, he kept it for lome time, and 
 it growing green, he threw it to fome young 
 wolves whelps that were in the monaftery, who 
 died immediately. His Gonftitution was alfo fo 
 vigorous, that though they gave him poifon five 
 feveral times he was not deltroyed by it; they 
 alfo prefled him earneftly to renounce God, 
 which they judged neceffary, that fo their charms 
 might have their effeft on him ; but he would 
 never conlent to that; at laft they forced him to 
 take a poifoned hoft, which yet he vomited up 
 loon after he had fwallowed it down; that fail¬ 
 ing, they ufed him fo cruelly, whipping him 
 witli an iron chain, and girding him about fo 
 ftrait with it, that to avoid further torment, he 
 lwore to them, in a moft imprecating ftile, that 
 he would never difcover the fecret, but would 
 ftill carry it on ; and fo he deluded them till he 
 found an opportunity of getting out of the 
 convent, and of throwing himfelf into the 
 hands of the magiftrates, to whom he difcover- 
 ed all. 
 
 The four friars were feized on, and put in 
 prifon, and an account of the whole matter 
 was lent, fii'ft to the bifhop of Laufanne, and 
 then to Rome, and it may be eafily imagined, 
 that the Francifcans took all poflible care to have 
 it well examined ; the bifbops of Laufanne, and 
 of Syon, with the provincial of the Dominicans, 
 were appointed to form the procefs. The four 
 friars firft excepted to Jetzer’s credit; but that 
 was rejected, then being threatened with the 
 queftion, they put in a long plea againft that; 
 but though the provincial would not confent to 
 that, yet they were put to the queftion, fome en¬ 
 dured it long, but at laft they all confefled the 
 whole progrels of the impofture. The provincial 
 appeared concerned; for though Jetzer had 
 opened the whole matter to him, yet he would 
 give no credit to him ; on the contrary, he 
 charged him to be obedient to them, and one of 
 the friars laid plainly, that he was in the whole 
 fecret, and fo he withdrew, but he died fome 
 days after, at Conftance, having poifoned himfelf 
 as was believed. The matter lay afleep fome 
 time, butayear after that, aSpanifh biihop came, 
 authorized with full powers from Rome, and the 
 whole cheat being fully proved, the four friars 
 were folemnly degraded from their priefthood, 
 and eight days after, it being the laft of May 
 1509, they were burnt in a meadow on the other 
 fide of the river over againft the great church ; 
 the place of their execution was (hewed me, as 
 well as the hole in the wall, through which the 
 voice was conveyed to the image. It was cer¬ 
 tainly one of the blacked, and yet the belt carried 
 on cheat that has been ever known, and no doubt | 
 M 
 
 in tk CHURCH of ROME, 161 
 
 had the poor friar died before the difeovery, it 
 had paired down to pofterity, as one of ’the 
 greateft miracles that ever was, and it mves a 
 (hrewd fufpicion that many of the other miracles 
 of that church were of the fame nature, but 
 more fuccefsfully finilhed.” 
 
 The Recolletts, are fo called, from beino- a re¬ 
 formed branch of the Francifcans, and fuppoled 
 to be endowed with a fpirit of recolleftion, by 
 which they were enabled to reftore the order of 
 St. Francis to its original ftate of purity, This 
 order is not of great antiquity, for it was not in¬ 
 troduced into France, till the year 1592, when 
 Lewis, duke of Nevers, built a convent for 
 them, and obtained a bull from the pope, to 
 make the fociety a free body of monks, without 
 being any way dependant on the original order 
 from whence they fprung. Soon after this, they 
 fpread themfelves throughout feveral parts of 
 Europe, and became fo numerous, that they 
 fplit into different parties, till at laft, in 1612, 
 the pope interfered, and rejoined them again by 
 the name of St. Dennis. 
 
 Henry IV. of France, greatly favoured this 
 order, and permitted them to fettle in any part 
 of his dominions they thought proper. His fiuc- 
 ceffors were no lets favourable to them, and al¬ 
 ways granted them their proteftion. Lewis XIV. 
 built them a convent at Verfailles, and furnifhed 
 them with facred veffels, and all things necef- 
 fiary for the ornamenting their church. "This re¬ 
 ligious order was in luch high reputation in 
 France, that when Lewis XIV. invaded Holland 
 1674, he fent for twenty of thefe monks, and 
 ordered them to adminifter the lacrament to his 
 officers and foldiers ; and ever fince that time, 
 the chaplains to the French regiments, are chofen 
 from among them. Thefe Recolledls were fo 
 zealous in propagating the popilh religion, that 
 in 1615, they fent miffionaries to Canada, who 
 had very good fuccefs; and foon after, they fent 
 a new million to the ifland of Madagafcar, but 
 they were very unfortunate, for Having been at¬ 
 tacked by an Algerine corfair, their (hip was 
 blown up, and all on board perilhed. 
 
 At prefent, this order is'not fo numerous as it 
 was formerly, but it is as refpedlable as any in 
 the church of Rome ; for the monks never med¬ 
 dle with politics, or any thing of a civil nature, 
 but confine themfelves wholly to the duties of 
 their office. 
 
 The order of St. Saviour, was firft inftituted 
 by St. Bridget, in the year 1344, and it was fo 
 called, becaufe Bridget pretended that Chrift 
 converfed with her, and in the moft familiar 
 manner, preferibed the rules to be obferved by 
 her nuns. This St. Bridget was a Spaniard by 
 birth, and in her youth married a nobleman in 
 that kingdom, but he dying young, (lie forfook 
 the world, and betook herfelf to a religious life. 
 Flaying fpent fome years in a convent without 
 taking the vows, (he refolved to found an order 
 in honour of the blefled Virgin, principally for 
 pious women who chofe to retire from the world; 
 nor was the other lex excluded, there being 
 fome monks allowed among them. 
 
 They are at prefent very numerous in France, 
 Spain, and Italy, and in each convent of nuns 
 there are fixty lifters befides the abbefs; and 
 in the monafteries for the monks, there are 
 S f twelve 
 
Rf.LIGIOtTS ORDERS in Hie CHURCH of ROM E. 
 
 twelve brothers and the prior. Thefe thirteen 
 in number, represent the twelve apoftles, 
 together with St. Paul, whom they call the 
 thirteenth. They have likewife in each of 
 their convents four deacons* in memory of 
 the four great doctors of the church* viz. St. 
 Ambrofe, St. Auftin, St. Gregory, and St. Je- 
 rom. The nuns are not to be admitted till they 
 are eighteen years of age, nor the monks till they 
 are twenty-five, and both are obliged to perform 
 a noviciate of one year. 
 
 When a nun is to be admitted into this order, 
 /lie is led into the church, preceded by a red 
 banner, on one fide of which is painted a cruci¬ 
 fix, and on the other, the image of the blelTed 
 Virgin. 
 
 The bifhop of the diocefe, who is always pre- 
 fent on thefe occafions, conl'ecrates a ring, which 
 he puts upon the finger of the noviciate, and 
 then proceeds to the celebration of mafs. She 
 then approaches the altar barefooted, and put¬ 
 ting off her upper garment, receives from the 
 hands of the bifhop, the habit of the order * at 
 which time a crown is put upon her head. Mafs 
 being ended, four nuns carry her on a bier into 
 the monaftery, and the bifhop follows, who de¬ 
 livers her to the abbefs j and during the next 
 eight days, fhe is not obliged to attend to any 
 rule whatever, being left wholly to her own difi- 
 cretion. After thefe eight days are expired, fhe 
 mult enter upon the rules of the order, and then 
 fhe takes her place among the reft of the lifters. 
 The monks are admitted into the order, by the 
 bifhop’s laying his hand on their heads, and 
 marking them with the fign of the crofs. 
 
 The monks and nuns have one church in 
 common between them, in which are thirteen 
 altars, in memory of the twelve apoftles and St. 
 Paul. The choir for the nuns is above, and 
 that for the monks below ; and they are obliged 
 to fall three days in a week. The nuns are al¬ 
 lowed two coarfe woollen fhifts, a grey woollen 
 robe, a cowl of the fame, and a mantle made 
 faft with a wooden button. They wear a veil of 
 black cloth, on the top of which is a crown of 
 fine linen, with five red marks upon it, refem- 
 bling fo many drops of blood. The friars have 
 two coarfe woollen fhirts, a grey woollen robe, 
 a cowl and mantle of the fame * and on the left 
 fide of the mantle, they wear a red crofs, in 
 memory of our Saviour’s paflion. The deacons 
 wear a white circle, to reprefent the wifdom of 
 the fathers of the church ; and the lay brothers 
 a -white crofs, to betoken innocence. Every 
 Thurfday, the abbefs holds a chapter, to en¬ 
 quire into the conduct of the nuns, and to pu- 
 nifh fuch as have fhewed any figns of difobe- 
 dience ; and in this particular, fhe aCts under 
 the direction of the bifhop, who is confidered as 
 the fpiritual father of the convent. 
 
 There is one thing remarkable in this order, 
 that a grave is kept continually open, to which 
 the abbefs and nuns go in proceflion every day, 
 and after repeating fome prayers, each throws a 
 little earth into it. In England, there was only 
 one houfe of this order, on the banks of the 
 Thames, known by the name of Zion. At the 
 diffolution of the monafteries, it was given to 
 the duke of Somerfet * but now, in conlequence 
 of a variety of intermarriages, it is the property 
 
 of his grace the duke of Northumberland. 
 
 The Templars, or Knights Templars, were 
 once of great efteem in Europe, and by their 
 rules, they were partly religious, and partly mi¬ 
 litary. The following is the hiftorical account 
 of their inftitution. In the yearniS, fome 
 religious gentlemen put themlclves under the 
 government of the patriarch of Jerufalem, re¬ 
 nounced all connexion with landed property, 
 and lived in the fame manner as regular canons. 
 At firft* they were very few in number, and 
 having no church nor place to refide in, king 
 Baldwyn gave them an apartment adjoining to 
 his palace, with the ufe of a church dedicated to 
 our Saviour. At the fame time they received 
 feveral other emoluments, and they bound them¬ 
 felves by oath, to fpend the, greateft part of 
 their time in guarding the roads leading to Je¬ 
 rufalem, and protecting innocent travellers. 
 Their number foon encreafed, and they were 
 ereCted into a corportea body or order, by pope 
 Honorius II. in the year 1127. In the year 1147, 
 a new reform took place in their order, and pope 
 Eugenius III. ordered them to wear red croffes 
 upon their cloaks, as a mark of diftin&ion ; 
 and in a fhort time, their numbers and re¬ 
 venues encreafed fo faft, that in many refpeCts, 
 they were much richer than fome of the fove- 
 reign princes of Europe, which circumftance 
 proved fatal to them. 
 
 This order of knights after having done many 
 fine actions againft the infidels, and having ac¬ 
 quired great riches all over Europe, gave 
 themfelves up to all manner of extravagancies, 
 and committed crimes too Ihocking to be men¬ 
 tioned. For thefe crimes two of them were ap¬ 
 prehended, and being put to the rack, accufed 
 the whole order as being guilty with themfelves. 
 This happened in France in 1307, and Philip, 
 king of that country, having written to the 
 pope, it was agreed, that the order fhould be 
 iuppreffed i accordingly, all their eftates in 
 France were feized on. and the whole order ba- 
 nifhed out of that kingdom. 
 
 In the moft candid manner we would chufe to 
 draw a veil over all thole aCtions with which we 
 find our fellow-creatures have been accufed, and 
 therefore, trufting that thefe men were not fo 
 guilty as they have been reprefented, we fhall re¬ 
 late the evidence prefented againft them, and 
 when we confider the circumftances of the times, 
 the force of arbitrary power joined to the cha¬ 
 racter of the witneffes, with the paffions of 
 princes, who longed to enjoy their eftates, there 
 will remain fome reafon to believe that they have 
 been grofsly injured. 
 
 The witneffes who were fome of their own 
 order, fwore that they were guilty of the follow¬ 
 ing crimes. Firft, that when the knights entered 
 into this order, they renounced Chrift, and fpit 
 upon the crofs by way of contempt. Secondly, 
 that inftead of killing the mouths of thofe who 
 were received into their order, they killed their 
 backfides. Thirdly, that Sodomy was a com¬ 
 mon praClice among them. Laftly, they wor- 
 ihipped a wooden head, and committed feveral 
 other crimes, which, in a work of this nature, we 
 do not chufe to mention. 
 
 Many of the knights who had been apprehend¬ 
 ed upon thefe informations were put to the tor¬ 
 ture 
 
RELIGIOUS ORDERS in 
 
 tlire, and during the agony of that dreadful 
 punifhment, confeffed all the crimes alledged 
 againft them, upon which they were banifhed, 
 and all their eftates confifcated. To extort con- 
 feflions by torture, is mod abominable, for thro’ 
 the agony of pain, a man may be led to declare 
 himfelf guilty of crimes he never committed, lb 
 that little regard fhould be paid to any confef- 
 fions obtained in fuch a manner. 
 
 The pope and the French king having agreed 
 to wreak all their vengeance upon the order, 
 commiffioners Were appointed to meet at Paris, 
 1369, to hear the further depofitions of witneffes, 
 with the defences fet up by thofe who had been 
 accufed. A vaft number of thefe templars were 
 brought before this tribunal, of whom feventy- 
 nine perfifted in maintaining the innocence of 
 their order. At the fame time, fifty-nine, who 
 had been put to the torture, retraced their former 
 confeffions, for which they were delivered over 
 to the fecular power, and burnt alive without the 
 gate of St. Anthony, in the month of March, 
 ijib. Such was the end of this celebrated or¬ 
 der, and when we confider all the circumftances, 
 we are naturally led to believe, that had the tem¬ 
 plars not been poffefled of con fidei able eftates, 
 they would never have become obnoxious to the 
 civil power. It is not reafonable to luppofe, that 
 a whole body of men fcattered up and down 
 through the World* fhould ail at once engage in 
 the commiffion of crimes which are a difgrace to 
 human nature. Diforders, indeed, may have 
 happened among them, but it is invidious to 
 charge the crimes of a few individuals upon the 
 whole body of a people, whofe only fault was 
 their riches. 
 
 Another order in the church of Rome, con¬ 
 fiding wholly of Nuns, is called the order of 
 Nuns of the word incarnate. They are of a 
 very late date, for they were not founded till the 
 year 1625, when Joanna Maria, a devout lady, 
 refiding fomewhere near Lyons, in France, fe- 
 cluded herfelf from the world, and founded a con¬ 
 vent, which at firft confided of no more than fix 
 young women. The defign of this order was to 
 celebrate the glories of the Divine word, and in 
 1633* pope Urban granted his bull to eftablifh it. 
 The Nuns of this order wear a white gown, with 
 a red mantle, and on their breads a crown of 
 thorns, wrought in blue filk, with the name of 
 Jel'us upon it. Sometime ago, they were accufed 
 of many irregularities, which brought the order 
 under fome cenfure, but having vindicated them- 
 felves from all the imputations alledged againft 
 them, they have now many flourilhing convents 
 in France, and fome of the daughters of the no¬ 
 bility are brought up amongft them. 
 
 Another order of Nuns is called Urbanifis , 
 becaufe they follow the rule of St. Clara, which 
 was reformed by pope Urban IV. Their foundrels 
 was Saint Label of France, who built and en¬ 
 dowed the convent of Long Champs, near Paris. 
 This lady was daughter of Lewis VIII. of France, 
 and was born in the year 12^5. She paffed her 
 whole life in a£ts of aufterity and mortification, 
 having refilled advantageous offers of marriage 
 from the emperor Frederick II. Her brother, 
 St. Lewis, having been taken prifoner bv the 
 Saracens, and her mother dying loon afterwards, 
 (he determined, to quit the world and devote 
 1 
 
 the CMURCII of ROME. i 63 
 
 herfelf to a religious life. Having fold her whole 
 eftate, fhe refolved to build a convent, and while 
 the edifice was eretting, flic employed fome doc- 
 ters to draw up rules for her order. At firftj 
 twenty young women were admitted into the 
 convent, but thefe finding the rules two auftere 
 for them to comply with, petitioned the pope to 
 grant them fome indulgence, which was com¬ 
 plied with. Their habit is plain and fimple, 
 conlifting of a white cloth gown, a cap of the 
 fame with a hood, on which is marked the form 
 of a crucifix. 
 
 The Theatines were another order in the Romilli 
 church, and at prefent they have feveral convents. 
 They are but of a latter date, for the foundation 
 did not take place till the year 1524. At pre¬ 
 fent, however, they are extremely numerous, and 
 during the laft century, they fent many mifiiona- 
 ries to convert the heathens, but little fuccefs 
 attended their miniftrations. This forward zeal, 
 without the leaft pretenfion to knowledge, led 
 them into many excefles, and the confequence 
 is, that at prefent they are little regarded, hav¬ 
 ing only a few convents in France and Italy, and, 
 in all probable appearance, they will loon dwin¬ 
 dle down into nothing, being defpifed by Pro- 
 teftants, and dilcarded by Roman Catholics. 
 
 Trinitarians , or the order of the redemption of 
 captives, are a religious order in France, Italy* 
 Spain, and other countries. 
 
 This order began in the year 1198, under the 
 pontificate of Innocent III. Its founders were, 
 John de Matho, and Felix de Valois. John de 
 Matho was born of noble parents in Provence, 
 and took his degree of dodlor in the univerfity 
 of Paris; Felix de Valois, fo called from the 
 country of Valois, lived as a hermit in a wood, 
 in the diocefe of Meaux. John de Matho, having 
 had a vifion of an angel prefenting two captives 
 to him, and thereupon refolving to devote him- 
 fclf to a religious life, joined himfelf with Felix 
 de Valois; and thefe two faints lived together in 
 the practice of virtue and all manner of aufteri- 
 ties. One day, the ftory fays, they obferved a 
 large white ftag, who brought into the middle of 
 the wood a red and blue crofs. This wonderful 
 fight, added to John de Matho’s vifion, made 
 them conclude, that God required fomething in 
 particular of them; and foon after an angel, in 
 a dream, ordered them to go to Rome, where 
 the pope would inform them what they mull do. 
 Innocent III. received them with great humanity, 
 and, being convinced of their faniftity, gave them 
 permiftion to eftablifti a new order, whofe prin¬ 
 cipal end fhould be to labour for the deliverance 
 of captives, who groaned under the tyranny of the 
 infidels. The fame pope gave them a habit, which 
 was awhitegown ornamented with a red and blue 
 crofs, in memory of the apparition of the ftag; and 
 gave this new order the title of the Holy Trinity. 
 
 John de Matho and Felix de Valois being re¬ 
 turned into France, King Philip Auguftus con- 
 fented to the eftabli fitment of their order in that 
 kingdom. Accordingly a convent was built in 
 the place, where they had the vifion of the ftag, 
 and was from thence called Ccrfroy. This mo- 
 naftery was endowed by Margaret countefs of 
 Burgundy, for the maintenance of twenty reli¬ 
 gious. John de Matho, feeing his order efta- 
 blifhed, fent John Anglicus and William Scot, 
 
 two 
 
i6 4 religious orders 
 
 two Englilhmen, to Morocco in Africa, to treat 
 with Miramolin for the redemption of poor 
 Chriftian captives. This negotiation fucceeded 
 fo well, that in the year 1200, they redeemed 
 one hundred and eighty-fix Haves. The fame 
 year, they had a convent given them in-the terri¬ 
 tory of Honfcott in Flanders, and another at 
 Arles in Provence. Afterward John de Matho 
 took a journey into Spain, where he prevailed 
 upon the kings and princes of that country to 
 make feveral fettlements for the redemption of 
 Chriftian captives. In the mean time, Felix de 
 Valois gained an eftabliHiment at Paris, in a 
 place where was a chapel dedicated to St. Ma- 
 thurin ; from whence this order had the name of 
 Mathurins. 
 
 After the death of the two holy founders. Pope 
 Honorius III. confirmed the order, and their rule 
 was approved by his fucceffor Clement IV. in 
 1267. At firft they were not permitted to eat 
 any flefti-meat, and when they travelled, they 
 were to ride only upon afi'es. But their rule was 
 corrected and mitigated by the bifhop of Paris 
 and the abbots of St. Viftor and St. Genevieve : 
 and they were allowed to eat meat, and to ufe 
 horfes. 
 
 This order poflefies about two hundred and 
 fifty convents, divided into thirteen provinces : 
 fix of thefe are in France; namely, Paris, 
 Normandy, Picardy, Champagne, Languedoc, 
 and Provence : three are in Spain ; namely New 
 Caftile, Old Caftile, and Arragon : one is in 
 Italy, and one in Portugal. There was formerly 
 the province of England, where this order had 
 forty-three houfes ; that of Scotland, where it 
 had nine; and that of Ireland, where it had 
 fifty-two ; befides a great number of monafteries 
 in Saxony, Hungary, Bohemia, and other coun¬ 
 tries. The convent of Cerfroy, in France, is 
 head of the order. 
 
 In 1573, a reform of this order was began by 
 Julian de Nantonville and Claud Aleph, two 
 hermits of St. Michael, who obtained leave of 
 the pope to take the habit of the Trinity ; where¬ 
 upon their hermitage was converted into a houfe 
 of the order. The principal articles of the 
 reform were, that they fhould oblerve the pri¬ 
 mitive rule approved by Clement IV. fhould 
 abftain from fiefh, ufe woollen Hurts, and have 
 matins at night. This reform was not embraced 
 by the whole order, till 1635, when Cardinal 
 Rochefoucault, by order of Pope Urban VIII. 
 introduced it into all the houfes of the Trinita¬ 
 rians. Thofe of Spain, in 1594, added to the 
 reform the going barefooted ; for which reafon, 
 in that country, they began to be called bare¬ 
 footed Trinitarians. There are alfo bare-footed 
 Trinitarians in France, eftablifhed by F. Jerom 
 Hallies. 
 
 There are nuns of the Trinitarian order, in 
 Spain, eftablifhed by John de Matho himfelf, 
 who built them a convent in 1201, under the 
 direction of the infanta Conftantia, daughter of 
 Peter II. King of Arragon ; who was the firft 
 religious, and the firft fuperior of the order. 
 And, in 1612, Frances de Romero, daughter of 
 Julian de Romero, lieutenant-general of the 
 Spanifh army, founded a convent of bare-footed 
 Trinitarian nuns at Madrid. 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROM E. 
 
 In the year 1647, Madam Polaillon, a French 
 lady, eftablifhed an order of nuns, called the 
 Nuns of Providence. They are a fociety of young 
 women, whofe parents died in their infancy ; and 
 left them expoled to all the hardfhips that could 
 be imagined. To preferve them, therefore, from 
 mifery, and to inftrudt them in the way to ever- 
 ; lafting happinefs, this pious lady formed the plan 
 of the institution, but was much oppofed in her 
 defign, by fome felf-interefted perfons, who re- 
 prefented to her, that her fortune was not fuifi- 
 cient to carry on herlcheme. To thefe Hie re¬ 
 plied, that providence Hiould be her fund ; and 
 accordingly having fucceeded in her undertaking, 
 fhe gave her community the name of the nuns of 
 Providence. 
 
 In 1651, Anne of Auftria, mother of Lewis 
 XIV. gave them a large houfe in one oftheluburbs 
 of Paris, after which they encreafed extremely 
 faft, many worthy perfons having lent confider- 
 able fums of money to aftift the pious found refs 
 to carry her benevolent icheme into execution. 
 The archbifhop of Paris eftablifhed another fo¬ 
 ciety, on the fame plan ; and fuch was the good 
 fenfe of the French nation at that time, that not 
 only the biftiops in the provinces, but alfo the 
 nobility, gentry', and citizens, followed the 
 pious example fet before them by Madam 
 Polaillon. 
 
 Young women are admitted into this order at 
 the age of twenty, and make two vows, one of 
 chaftity, and the other of obedience; young 
 women who do not chufe to enter into this com¬ 
 munity, are entertained as boarders, and edu¬ 
 cated in the fame manner as our daughters are at 
 boarding-fchools in England. They likewife 
 educate gratis , all the young girls belonging to 
 the poor in the neighbourhood, fo as their age 
 does not exceed ten years. 
 
 The archbiiliop of Paris appoints a lady to 
 prefide over the whole order ; but the filters are 
 permitted to elect a deputy from among them- 
 felves, and fhe is changed once in three years. 
 They have likewife two ladies of piety, virtue, 
 and benevolence, whom the archbifhop prefents 
 to them, and thefe a£t as ftewards to the hofpi- 
 tal; the fame care being taken of the other 
 houfes of the fame order, throughout the king¬ 
 dom. They wear a black habit, and their rules 
 are mild, rational, and pious ; not incumbered 
 with thofe leverities and abfurdities that are to 
 be met with, in many of the orders in the church 
 of Rome. It would be no frnall honour to Pro- 
 teftants, were they to adapt a plan of a fimilar 
 nature ; fo far as not to bind the young women 
 down to continual celibacy, but to fuller them 
 to marry at what age they thought proper. It 
 would fave many young women from deftruction; 
 i It would promote piety and virtue, and the af- 
 1 flidted parent would, on his death-bed, have the 
 ! pleafure to refledt, that although he had not been 
 j able to make any provifion for his daughter, yet 
 j Ihe would not be left deftitute, nor expofed to 
 I hardfhips, mifery, and vice, 
 i Premoiiftratenfes , a very celebrated order in the 
 
 church of Rome, were founded in the year 1119, 
 by one St. Norbert, the fon of a French noble- 
 ! man, and who had lived fome years in the court 
 1 of the emperor. About thirty years of age he 
 
 entered 
 
RELIGIOUS ORDERS 
 
 entered into deacon’s orders, and having a large 
 eftate, he fold the whole and gave one half to 
 the poor, referving the other half to build a con¬ 
 vent for monks of a new order. Accordingly, 
 he fixed upon a place called Premonjtratum , in 
 Picardy, where he built a church with cloifters, 
 and received a charter of privileges from the 
 king of France. 
 
 At firlb, the brethren of this order were fo 
 poor, that they had nothing they could call their 
 own, except an afs, which ferved them to carry 
 wood for fuel; and l'ome of the wood they were 
 obliged to fell in order to purchafe bread. But 
 in a ffiort time they received fo many dona¬ 
 tions, and built fo many monafteries, that 
 within thirty years after the order was firft 
 founded, they had not lefs than one hundred 
 abbeys in France and Germany. The popes and 
 kings of France granted them many privileges, 
 and befides a great number of faints which this 
 order has produced, many princes, noblemen, 
 and archbiffiops have been educated among 
 them. In latter times, they continued to in- 
 creafe fo faft, that they had upwards of five thou- 
 fand convents in Europe, but at prefent, in con- 
 fequence of the reformation, they are greatly di- 
 minilhed. Thefe monks, who were vulgarly 
 called white canons, came over to England in 
 1146, and had a houfe founded for their recep¬ 
 tion in Lincolnftiire. At the reformation they 
 had increafed fo fall, that they had twenty-leven 
 houfes in England, befides feveral in Scotland 
 and Ireland. 
 
 In the beginning of the laft century there was 
 an order of nuns eftabliffied at Rome, called 
 Philippines , becaufe they put themfelves under 
 the protection of St. Phillip de Neri. They 
 confift of one hundred poor girls, who are taken 
 in their infancy into the convent, and educated 
 till they are upwards of twenty, when they have 
 their choice either to enter into the marriage ftate, 
 or become nuns on the foundation. If they 
 marry, they are allowed a fum of money, with 
 feveral religious books, and once every year they 
 attend divine fervice in the convent. 
 
 Thofe who take the habit of nuns, are under 
 the direction of feveral religious women, who 
 live with them rather as mothers than fuperiors. 
 This eftablifhment rofe from a very fmall begin¬ 
 ning, but has been attended with many beneficial 
 confequences. 
 
 One Rutillo Bandi, a very pious man, was the 
 firft in Rome, who took it into his thoughts to 
 proteCt poor girls, who were in danger of being 
 ruined, through the poverty and mifery of their 
 parents; for this purpofe, he made choice at firft 
 of a few helplefs orphans, whom he placed un¬ 
 der the direction of fome pious women, and pope 
 Urban VIII. approving of the inftitution, granted 
 a bull in their favour, in which it is ordered, 
 that the Auguftine nuns fhall, at all times, take 
 care that they obferve the rules laid down for 
 their conduCt. They live in a decent frugal 
 manner, without being fubjeCted to any of thofe 
 aufterities, which too much dilgrace fome of the 
 Romifti orders. Their drefs is black, with a 
 white linen veil, and on their breafts they wear 
 a crofs. 
 
 Low and mean as this order may appear, in 
 companion with many others, yet every perfon 
 H 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 165 
 
 of good fenfe will readily acknowledge that it 
 muft be of great fervice in a city like Rome, 
 where young women are expofed to many dan¬ 
 gers from the continual refort of foreigners from 
 all parts of Europe. Every thing done to ferve 
 the afflicted, is at all times praife-worthy j but 
 the preventing youth from becoming pefts to 
 fociety, is far fuperior to any thing that can be 
 mentioned. To cure the difeafed is charitable, 
 but to prevent difeafes from taking place, is 
 godlike. And happy would it be for all thofe 
 who fiiake off the errors and fuperftitions of the 
 church of Rome, if they would, at the fame 
 time, retain what is commendable and laudable, 
 whether among Papifts,"Turks, Jews, or Hea¬ 
 thens. 
 
 But of all the orders in the church of Rome 
 none ever equalled the Jefuits. Their founder 
 was Inigo, or Ignatius Loyola, who was born in 
 1491, in the province of Guipufcoa in Spain, 
 and bred up in the court of Ferdinand, king of 
 Spain. In his youth, he difeovered a martial 
 dilpofition, and fignalized himfelf in the fiege of 
 Pampelona, where he was wounded and taken 
 prrfoner by the French. During his confinement 
 and illnefs, he read fome books of piety, which 
 occafioned his firft refolution of devoting him¬ 
 felf wholly to God, and as foon as he was cured, 
 he undertook a pilgrimage to our lady of Mont- 
 ferrat in Catalonia, where he dedicated himfelf 
 to the virgin, and took a refolution to travel to 
 Jerufalem. He arrived at Jerufalem, Septem¬ 
 ber 4, 1523, where he vifited the holy places, and 
 performed all the pious exercifes of a pilgrim, 
 and returning to Spain, he began to ftudy gram¬ 
 mar at Barcelona, and afterwards went through 
 his courfes of philofophy and divinity at Alcala. 
 Ignatius had then four companions, who were 
 all clothed like himfelf in a brown woollen ha¬ 
 bit, and applied themfelves to the fame exercifes. 
 His fame increafing, the number of thofe, who 
 came to hear his inftruCtions, increafed likewife. 
 This giving umbrage to the inquifitors of the 
 city of Alcala, he was taken up, and impriloned, 
 by order of the grand vicar; but was foon re¬ 
 leafed, with an injunction to go clothed like the 
 other fcholars, and to abftain from talking to the 
 people concerning religion, till he had ftudied 
 four years in divinity. Upon this he retired to 
 Salamanca, where he continued to difeourfe both 
 in public and private upon moral fubjedts. Here 
 he was again imprifoned, upon an information 
 of the Dominicans againft him, but being releafed, 
 he refolved to quit Spain, and go to Paris, with 
 a firm refolution to apply himfelf clofely to ftudy 
 in that city. 
 
 Ignatius Loyola came to Paris, in February, 
 1528 j but his extreme poverty forced him to 
 have recourfe to the charity of the French, and 
 of foreigners ; by which means he was enabled to 
 profecute his ftudies. His zeal drew troubles 
 upon him at Paris likewife, for he was accufed 
 to the inquifitor, of attempting to preach, and 
 overturning the difeipline of St.Barbara’s college, 
 where he ftudied. But he got over this diffi¬ 
 culty, and, having gone through his courfes of 
 philofophy and divinity, he formed alittle fociety 
 of ten men, who engaged in a vow along with 
 him. They profefled to renounce the good 
 things of this world, to live in poverty, and to 
 T t preach 
 
RELIGIOUS ORDERS in the CHURCH of ROME. 
 
 1 66 
 
 preach the gofpel to infidels. In 1535, Ignatius 
 falling fick, was advifed by his phylician to 
 breathe his native air; and having Raid fome 
 time in Spain, he embarked for Venice, which 
 was the appointed rendezvous of his compa¬ 
 nions. Here they met in the habit of pilgrims, 
 intending to travel to Jerusalem : but, a war 
 breaking out between the Turks and Venetians, 
 they could not find an opportunity of going into 
 the Levant. Here Ignatius, and two more, 
 were deputed to go to Rome, to offer their 
 fervice to the pope. Upon the road, Ignatius, 
 they fay, had a vifion, in which he faw Jefus 
 bearing his crofs, who laid to him, tf I will 
 <c be favourable to thereat Rome.” His other 
 companions quickly joined him in that city, 
 where they continued their ulual exercifes of 
 inftrufting and preaching: and there it was 
 Ignatius formed the defign of founding a new 
 order. After many deliberations, it was agreed, 
 to add to the three ordinary vows of chaRity, 
 poverty, and obedience, a fourth, which was to 
 go into ail countries, chriRian. or infidel, whither 
 the pope ihould pleafe to fend them ; and in 
 confequence of this laft vow, Xavier, one of 
 Ignatius’s companions, was fent into the Indies, 
 to preach the gofpel. In 1540, Pope Paul III. 
 gave them a bull, by which he approved this 
 new order, which he defired to be called, The 
 fociety of Jefus ; giving them a power to make 
 Ratutes, as they fhould judge convenient ; and 
 Ignatius was created general of the order ; which 
 in a fhort time fpread over all the countries of 
 the world, whither Ignatius fent his companions, 
 whilft he Raid at Rome,, from whence he go¬ 
 verned the whole fociety. Ele kept his poll of 
 general to his death, which happened July 31, 
 
 1 555* f 
 
 The Jefuits affume neither the name, quality, 
 nor way of living, of monks. They call them- 
 lelves an order of prieRs, and differ in nothing 
 from other churchmen, in their habit, or manner 
 of life. The end of their inRitution is the lal- 
 vation of fouls: they preach, inRrucR youth, 
 read le&ures, and difpute and write againfi he¬ 
 retics. They recite no regular office in the choir, 
 and the entire fociety is compoled of four forts of 
 members; novices, fcholars, fpiritual and tem¬ 
 poral coadjutors, and profeffed members. The 
 novices continue fo two years ; after which they 
 are admitted to make three fimple vows in the 
 prefence of their fuperiors; and the fcholars add 
 fome fpiritual exercifes to their Rudies. The 
 fpiritual coadjutors affiR the profeffed members, 
 and perform the fame functions. The temporal 
 coadjutors make the fimple vows, and take care 
 of the temporal affairs of the fociety. The pro¬ 
 feffed members make four lolemn vows. They 
 have convents for the profeffed members and 
 their coadjutors, colleges for fcholars, and houles 
 of probation for novices. They are governed 
 by a general, who has four affiRants, and ap¬ 
 points reftors, fuperiors of houfes, provincials, 
 vifitors, and commiffaries. 
 
 It is furprizing how much, this order increafed 
 in a fhort time. In 1543, the Jefuits were in all 
 but eighty: in 1545, they had ten houfes: in 
 1549, they had two provinces, one in Spain, and 
 the other in Portugal. In 1555, when Ignatius 
 died, they had twelve provinces: in 1608, they 
 
 had twenty-nine provinces, two vice-provinces* 
 twenty-oneprofeffed houfes, two hundred and nine¬ 
 ty three colleges, thirty-three houfes of probation, 
 and ten thoufand five hundred and eighty-one 
 Jefuits. In the catalogue, printed at Rome in 
 1709, they reckon thirty-five provinces, two 
 vice-provinces, thirty-three profeffed houfes, 
 five hundred and feventy-eiglit colleges, forty- 
 eight houfes of probation, eighty-eight femi- 
 naries, one hundred and fixty refidences, one 
 hundred and fix millions, and, in all, feventeen 
 thoufand fix hundred and fifty-five Jefuits. 
 
 But notwithfianding this vaR encreafe of the 
 order, the Jefuits met with confiderable oppofi- 
 tion, at their firR efiablilhment, in feveral places. 
 At Saragofa, in Spain, the populace riling upon 
 them, they were obliged to quit the town ; 
 to which, however, they returned loon after. But 
 the greateR oppofition the fociety met with 
 was in France. St. Ignatius having recom¬ 
 mended the Jefuits of France to the cardinal of 
 Lorrain, that cardinal procured them letters pa¬ 
 tent from King Henry II. in 1550, approving 
 their eRablifhmcnt in France. But this was 
 oppofed by the parliament of Paris, which re¬ 
 filled to regiRer the king’s letter. At the fame 
 time the faculty of divinity of Paris made a 
 famous declaration againR the Jefuits, in which 
 they let forth, that, fC this fociety, which arro- 
 cc gated to itlelf the appellation of Jefus, was 
 <c a great prejudice to the regular clergy and 
 <c ordinaries, and the privileges of the univerfity ; 
 cc that they feemed to them to violate the ho- 
 ff nour of the monaRic Rate, and to enervate 
 <f the pious pradtice of abfiinences, ceremonies, 
 ct and auRerities ; that they diRurbed both the 
 <c ecclefiaRical and temporal polity, and occa- 
 Cf fioned diffentions and complaints among the 
 Cf people.” After this declaration, the Jefuits 
 defi Red from all farther attempts towards an eRa- 
 blilhment, during the reign of Henry II. In 
 1560, under Francis II. the parliament and bi- 
 Ihops confented to their eRablifhment in France, 
 under thefe reRribtions ; tr That they Ihould not 
 “ exercife epifcopal jurifdidtion, nor preach, 
 “ without confent of the bilhop, nor adminiRer 
 <c any of the facraments without exprefs leave of 
 “ the parilh prieR ; that they Ihould not read or 
 <c interpret the holy fcriptures, in public or pri- 
 cc vate, without the approbation of the faculties 
 <c of divinity, and the univerfities; that they 
 Cf Ihould not receive into their fociety any pro- 
 ff feffed religious of other orders ; that they 
 “ fhould make no new conRitutions, nor alteF 
 ff thole already made i and that they Ihould af- 
 Cf fume another name than that of Jefus or Je- 
 <f Ruts.” The fociety, being received in France 
 upon thefe conditions, opened their college at 
 Clermont, and began publicly to teach, and read 
 lectures ; but this was vigoroufly oppofed by the 
 univerfity of Paris, and the Jefuits were lilenced 
 by order of the court. Afterwards both parties 
 were ordered to Tay the merits of their caufe 
 before the king’s council, who, upon hearing 
 the matter, permitted the Jefuits to continue, 
 their lectures. 
 
 In 1594, when Henry IV. made his entrance 
 again into Paris, the univerfity thought this a 
 favourable opportunity, and prefented a petition 
 to the parliament, defiring that the Jefuits 
 
 might 
 
RELIGIOUS ORDERS 
 
 might be banifhed. This, together with John 
 Chadel’s attempt upon the king’s peri'on, pro¬ 
 cured a decree of banifhment againd them, and 
 they were accordingly expelled the kingdom in 
 1594. But, in 1603, that prince, at their ear¬ 
 ned follicitation, gave them letters of re-eda- 
 blilhment in certain cities in France, and no 
 others. But they foon obtained leave to make 
 other fettlements, and at laft got into Paris 
 again, and were re-fettled in their college by 
 letters patent, in 1606. 
 
 The order of Jefuits has rendered itfelf very 
 conliderable by its millions into the Indies, and 
 by its other employments relating to the fciences 
 and the education of youth. With refpedt to the 
 latter, it is commonly thought, that the lagacity 
 of thefe fathers, in difcovering the talent of a 
 young dudent, has not a little contributed to the 
 figure their order has made in the world. The 
 ltory of Clavius'is very well known : he was en¬ 
 tered in a college of Jefuits, and, after having 
 been tried at leveral parts of learning, was upon 
 the point of being difmified as a hopelefs block¬ 
 head, when one of the fathers took it into his 
 head, to make an eBay of his parts in geometry, 
 which hit his genius lb luckily, that he after¬ 
 wards became one of the greated mathemati¬ 
 cians of the age. 
 
 Many authors have written of the intrigues 
 and politics of the Jefuits : but nothing fo fully 
 difcovers them, as a little book, called, ‘The fe- 
 cret injlruttions of the jefuits. It confids of pri¬ 
 vate admonitions, or indrudtions, for promoting 
 the intereds of the order; which are lodged in 
 the hands of the luperiors, and by them com¬ 
 municated only to a few of the profeffors, under 
 the drilled ties of lecrecy. It is a mader-piece 
 of religious policy, confiding of feventeen chap¬ 
 ters, of which we Ihall give a brief account* 
 
 The title of the fil’d chapter is. How the foci- 
 ety behave themfelves , when they begin any new foun¬ 
 dation. Upon this occafion, they are to didin- 
 guilh themfelves by the excefs of their charity 
 and humility, in dilcharging the meaned offices 
 in the hofpitals, and in viiiting the poor, the 
 lick, and the prifoners. They are to excite the 
 liberality of well-dilpofed perfons, by receiving 
 the mod inconfiderable alms, and bedowing 
 them on other objedts. They are all to breathe 
 the fame fpirit, and to obferve the fame exterior 
 behaviour, and at their fird fettlement, they are 
 to be cautious of purchafing lands, and if they 
 do buy any, it is to be done in the name of l'ome 
 faithful and trudy friend. And, to give a more 
 colourable glofs to their appearance of poverty, 
 the purchafes, adjacent to the places where col¬ 
 leges are founded, mud be afilgned to colleges 
 at a didance; by which means, princes and ma- 
 gidrates will never attain to a certain knowledge 
 of what the revenues of the fociety amount to. 
 Colleges are to be founded only in opulent ci¬ 
 ties, becaufe our Saviour made his principal re- 
 fidence in the metropolis of Judea. In every 
 province, none but the principal is to be ap¬ 
 prized of the real value of the fociety’s revenues; 
 and what is contained in the treafury at Rome 
 mud always be kept as an inviolable lecret. 
 They are publicly to profefs their difintereded- 
 nefs, and that they undertake the indrudtion of 
 youth, without refpedt of perfons, or view ofre ward. 
 
 in the C H U R C H of ROME. 167 
 
 The fecond chapter indrudts them, how they 
 mufl deport themfelves , fo as to gain and prefcrve a 
 familiarity with princes , noblemeriy and perfons of 
 the greatefl diflinttion. For this purpole, they 
 are to wink at their vices : if a prince is inclined 
 to contradt a marriage with one of his near re¬ 
 lations or kindred, they are to encourage him in 
 it, by giving him hope9 of obtaining for him a 
 difpenfation from the pope; if he engages in ahy 
 enterprize, which is not equally approved by all his 
 nobility, the Jefuits are to excite him to proceed, 
 and todifiuade his courtiers from oppofing him. 
 They are to ingratiate themfelves, by the intered 
 of others, into honourable embafiies to foreign 
 courts; which may give them an opportunity of 
 recommending themfelves and their fociety. 
 They are to curry favour, by fmall prefents and 
 many offices of piety, with the minions and do- 
 medics of princes and noblemen, in order to get 
 intelligence of the bent of their maders humours 
 and inclinations* The fame addrels and artifices 
 are to be ufed with the bed-chamber women of 
 princefies and ladies of quality. In diredting the 
 conlciences of great men, they are to follow the 
 opinion of thole, who allow the greated latitude, 
 in oppofition to that of other religious orders* 
 They are to indil into the people a notion, that 
 this fociety has a far greater power of abfolving, 
 difpenfing, and the like, than other orders; and 
 they are to invite perfons to hear their lermons, 
 thefis’, and declamations. They are to ufe pro¬ 
 per methods to get at the knowledge of the ani- 
 mofities that arife among great men, that they 
 may have a finger in reconciling their differ¬ 
 ences. 
 
 In the third chapter, they are taught how to be - 
 have towards thofe , who are at the helm of affairs , 
 and fuch perfons as are in a capacity of being fervicc- 
 able to the fociety. The authority, wifdom, and 
 advice of fuch perfons, are to be courted, and 
 their favour lollicited againd all who oppole the 
 fociety. Bifhops, prelates, and other fuperior 
 ecclefiadics, are to be importuned only for fuch 
 things as Ihall appear neceflary. In places, 
 where the clergy are mod predominant, as in 
 Germany, Poland, &c. they mud be addrefled 
 with the profounded refpedt, that, by their in¬ 
 fluence and the prince’s authority, monaderies, 
 priories, and other religious places, may be 
 drawn into the clutches of the fociety. When 
 bifhops or princes found colleges or parochial 
 churches, the Jefuits are to endeavour by all 
 means to obtain the government of them. They 
 are upon all occafions highly to carefs and court 
 the bidiops, and to entertain them when they 
 pal's by their colleges. 
 
 The fourth chapter, contains the chief things 
 to be recommended to preachers and confeffors of nc- 
 blemen. In diredting princes and great men, 
 they mud leem to have nothing elfe in view but 
 the promotion of God’s glory. They mud often 
 inculcate into them, that honours and prefer¬ 
 ments lhould always be conferred according to 
 the rules of judice : they mud folemnly proted, 
 that public afiairs are what they with reluctance 
 interfere in, and that the duty of their office of¬ 
 ten obliges them to fpeak fuch truths as they 
 would otherwile omit: they mud recommend to 
 their favour, for public employments, fuch per¬ 
 fons as are fincere friends to the order. They 
 
 are 
 
RELIGIOUS ORDERS in 
 
 are to footli princes, and never to give them the 
 leaft offence in their fermons, or private conver- 
 fations. Tiiey are ieldom or never, to accept of 
 Email prefents for their ov/n ufe, but rather to re¬ 
 commend the neceffities of the province, or col¬ 
 lege. At home, they are to be content with 
 chambers plainly furnifhed, and to appear abroad 
 in a modeft and decent garb. 
 
 1 lie fifth chapter teaches them, what kind of 
 conduct is to be obferved towards fuch religious per- 
 fotis, rs are employed in the fame ecclefiafiical funfti- 
 ons with thenfclves. They are to take proper op¬ 
 portunities to convince princes, and others in 
 authority, that their order contains the perfection 
 of all others, excepting only their cant and out¬ 
 ward aufterity of life and drefs. They are to 
 defcant upon, and point out, the defeefts of other 
 religious orders, but always with a Teeming re- 
 ludtance and concern. They mull: ufe their ut- 
 moft efforts againft thofe, who attempt fetting 
 up fchools for the education of youth, by repre- 
 fenting to perfons in authority, that no fociety, 
 but that of the Jeluits, is qualified for the dif- 
 charge of l'o important an office. 
 
 T. he fixth chapter treats of the methods of in¬ 
 ducing rich widows to be liberal to the fociety. For 
 the managing this affair, fuch members only are 
 to be cholen, as are advanced in age, of a lively 
 complexion, and an' agreeable converfation : 
 thefe are frequently to vifit fuch widows, to lay 
 before them the good works and merits of the 
 fociety, and to recommend confeffors to them, 
 who muff admonifh them to perfevere in the ftate 
 of widowhood. Care muff be taken likewife, to 
 remove fuch fervants from them, as are not well- 
 wifhers to the fociety. The confeffor muff ma¬ 
 nage matters fo, that the widow may have fuch 
 faith in him, as to do nothing without his ad¬ 
 vice. He is now and then, artfully to propofe 
 to her, fome match, which he knows fhe has an 
 averfion to, as this will help to confirm her in a 
 ftate of widowhood. When he has gained this 
 point, he is to recommend to her a fpiritual life, 
 and a vow of chaftity, and to excite her to the 
 performance of good works, efpecially aefts of 
 charity : this, by the management of her ghoftly 
 father, may turn to the benefit and emolument 
 of the fociety. 
 
 The feventh chapter lets us know, how fuch 
 widows are to be fecured , and how their ejfehfs are 
 to be difpofed of. They are to be exhorted to lay 
 fomewhat apart, out of their abundance, for the 
 honour of Chrift, and the bleffed Virgin, or 
 their patron faint, and to renew their vow of 
 chaftity twice every year. They are to be fre¬ 
 quently vifited, and entertained with fpiritual 
 diicourfes: they muff not be treated with too 
 much feverity in confeffion : they muft be kept 
 from vifiting the churches of other religious or¬ 
 ders. To prevail on fuch widows to difpofe of 
 what they have in favour of the fociety, they 
 muft be often put in mind of the feveral in- 
 ftances of widows, who thus in a fhort time be¬ 
 came faints ; and they muft be apprized that the 
 fociety will not fail to ufe its intereft at the court 
 of Rome for the obtaining their canonization. 
 
 I hey muft be inftruefted not to beftow any alms 
 without the knowledge and approbation of their 
 confeffor. He muft prevent ecclefiaftics of other 
 
 the CHURCH of R O M E. 
 
 orders, from vifiting or entering into familiaricy 
 with them, by crying up the fociety as infinitely 
 fuperior to all other orders. He is to periuade 
 them to pay fmall penfions and contributions to¬ 
 wards the yearly fupport of colleges and profef- 
 fed houfes. When any fuch widow is feized 
 with ficknefs, if die has not already made over 
 her eftate to the fociety, her confeffor muft rc- 
 preient to her the poverty of moll of the colleges, 
 and perfuade her that a liberality to the order 
 will lay a certain foundation for her eternal hap- 
 pinels._ But, becaufe lefs is to be expe&ed from 
 fuch widows, as educate their children for the 
 bufmels of the world, therefore 
 
 The eighth chapter fhews, how the children of 
 widows are to be treated i that they may be brought 
 to embrace a religious Ufe. The mothers muft'be 
 inftruefted to ufe them with harfhnefs and leveritv, 
 even from their cradles. The daughters muft be 
 denied the common drefs and ornaments of their 
 fex, and kept clofe to mortification and prayer; 
 that they may be glad to take refuge in a mo- 
 naftery, from the fevere treatment of their mo¬ 
 thers. The fons muft be occafionally introduced 
 into the colleges, and every thing be fhewn them 
 with the beft face, to invite them to enter into 
 the order. Tutors muft be provided for them 
 who are attached to the interefts of the fociety, 
 or they may be fent to fome diftant colleges, un¬ 
 der the notion of keeping them cloler °to their 
 ftudies, where the members may artfully work 
 upon their difpofitions. 
 
 In the ninth chapter are preferibed, The methods 
 of increaftng the revenues of the colleges, l'o this 
 end, none are to be admitted, if it can well be 
 prevented, to their laft degree, as long as they 
 have any expectation of an eftate falling to them. 
 The poverty of the profeffors is frequently, and 
 in all places, to be publifhed. Confeffors muft 
 lift out of their penitents, what family, relations, 
 friends, and effects belong to them, and dif- 
 cover, if poffible, what difpofition they have 
 made, or intend to make of their eftates, which 
 they muft endeavour to turn in favour of the 
 fociety. The better to convince the world of 
 the fociety’s poverty, the fuperiors are directed 
 to borrow money on bond, of fome rich perfons 
 who are their friends, and, when it is due, defer 
 the payment thereof. The fociety likewife may 
 traffick under the borrowed names of fome ricli 
 merchants, their friends, but never without a 
 profpect of certain and abundant gain. In what¬ 
 ever places the members refide, they muft pro- 
 vide^ a phyfician, who is firm to the intereft of 
 the fociety, by whom they may be recommended 
 and called in, to the lick, elpecially luch as are 
 paft hopes of recovery. Laftly, women, who 
 complain of the vices and ill-humours of their 
 hufbands, muft be inftruefted lecrerly to withdraw 
 a fum of money, that, by making an offering 
 thereof to God, they may expiate the crimes of 
 their finful help-mates. 
 
 The tenth chapter treats of the private rigour 
 of difci. line in the fociety. Such perfons as alienate 
 the female devotees, or other perfons, from the 
 churches of the Jeluits, or withdraw alms to 
 other churches or orders, or, in the difpofition oi’ 
 their effects, fhew a greater affection to their 
 near relations, than to the fociety, are to be difi- 
 
 carded 
 
RELIGIOUS ORDERS 
 
 carded as enemies of the order : but Tome other 
 pretence muft be alledged for their expulfion. 
 
 In the eleventh chapter are laid down rules for 
 the behaviour of the members towards thofe who are 
 expelled the fociety. They muft be prevailed upon, 
 if poffible, before they are difmiffed, to give it 
 under their hands, and fwear, that they will not, 
 diredtly or indire&ly, write or fpeak any thing to 
 the difadvantage of the order: befides, the fu- 
 periors are to keep upon record the vices and 
 failings, which they have revealed in confeffton : 
 which may be produced againft them, if ever 
 they give occafion, as a handle to prevent their 
 promotion. The expulfion of fuch perfons, and 
 the pretences for it, muft immediately be noti¬ 
 fied to all the colleges, and no member muft 
 correfpond with them upon any account. It muft 
 be induftrioufiy propagated, that the fociety 
 never lops off a found member, nor expels any 
 without lufficient reafon. All the vices of fuch 
 perfons are to be magnified, and their virtues 
 depreciated, by fubtle infinuations, and doubt¬ 
 ful expreffions. 
 
 The twelfth chapter lets us know, who Jhould 
 he kept and favoured in the fociety. Thefe are, in 
 general, all fuch as confult the temporal interefts 
 of the order, viz. Confeffors of princes and no¬ 
 blemen, of widows, and rich female devotees; 
 preachers, profeffors, and whoever are privy to 
 thefe fecret inftru&ions. Thofe perfons, who 
 are diftinguillied for their parts, nobility, or 
 riches, are to be highly careffed, elpecially if they 
 have given proofs of a fincere afte&ion to the 
 fociety. Particular refped is to be fhewed to 
 thofe who have allured any youths into the 
 fociety. 
 
 The thirteenth chapter teaches the members, 
 how to pick out young men to be admitted into the fo¬ 
 ciety , and in what manner to retain them. They muft 
 make choice of fuch as are of a good genius, an 
 agreeable perfonage, or a noble family. It muft 
 be infinuated to fuch youths, how acceptable an 
 offering it is to the Almighty, when any one de¬ 
 dicates himfelf to his fervice, efpecially in the 
 fociety of his fon. They muft be allured by 
 little prefents, and indulgences fuitable to their 
 age, and be entertained, at proper opportunities, 
 in the colleges and gardens. On other occafions, 
 they muft be terrified with denunciations of eter¬ 
 nal puniftiment, unlefs they accept of the hea¬ 
 venly invitation. They muft be ftridtly cau¬ 
 tioned not to make the leaft dilcovery of their 
 call to their relations or friends, till they are be¬ 
 come of the fociety. 
 
 The fourteenth chapter treats of referved cafes , 
 and caufes of difmijfion from the fociety. Thefe are, 
 in general, all crimes againft God, and all of¬ 
 fences againft the interell and honour of the fo¬ 
 ciety. If two members have carnally finned, 
 the firft who difcovers it is to be retained, and 
 the other expelled : but he that is retained, is to 
 be mortified and plagued with fuch intolerable 
 difcipline, as may drive him to the commiffion 
 of fome frefh offence, which may afford a good 
 handle for his expulfion. Offenders, before the 
 time of their difiniffion, muft be treated with 
 the utmoft feverity, removed from their ufual 
 duties, and be found fault with in whatever they 
 do : they muft be punifiied for the flighted: of- 
 J 5 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 169 
 
 fences, and be difeountenanced upon all occa¬ 
 fions. 
 
 The fifteenth chapter treats of their condutt to¬ 
 wards nuns , and female devotees. They are to 
 curry favour with the principal monafteries, the 
 rich abbeffes being very capable of being fervice- 
 able to the fociety. But the female devotees muft 
 be forbid frequenting the nunneries, left they be 
 taken with that kind of life, and the fociety be 
 difappointed in their expectations of what they 
 have. 
 
 The fixteenth chapter teaches them, in what 
 manner to feign a contempt of riches. They are, 
 now and then, to refufe fome fmall and trifling 
 alms. Widows, and others, who have given to 
 the fociety almoft all that they poffeffed, are to 
 be treated with rather more rigour than others, 
 that the people may not think they are indulged 
 on account of their liberality to the fociety. 
 
 Laftly, The leventeenth chapter inftrudbs them 
 in the methods of advancing the fociety. The 
 members are always to a£t with unanimity, even 
 in things of trifling concern. They are earneftly 
 to endeavour fo to fhine in their learning and 
 good example, that other religious, and efpe¬ 
 cially the clergy, may be eclipfed by them. They 
 muft entertain the curiofity of princes and great 
 men, with the neweft, choiceft, and moft genuine 
 tranfcripts that can be procured. They are fe- 
 cretly, and with caution, to foment and heighten 
 the animofities of princes and great men, and, 
 if there appears any likelihood of reconciliation, 
 then as loon as poffible to endeavour to be me¬ 
 diators. The nobility and populace muft be 
 perfuaded into a belief, that the fociety was in- 
 ftituted by the particular direction of Divine 
 Providence. The members are eagerly to afpire 
 after bifhoprics and abbacies, and even the pope¬ 
 dom itfelf. The political lchemes of the order 
 muft be cunningly varied, according to the dif¬ 
 ferent pofture of the times. Finally, the fociety 
 muft endeavour to effeCt this at leaft, that, hav¬ 
 ing got the favour and authority of princes, 
 thofe, who do not love them, may at leaft feaj: 
 them. 
 
 It is probable, thefe inftruCtions would have re¬ 
 mained a fecret to this day, but one of the Jefuits 
 having apoftatized, he left his convent and gave 
 a manufcript copy of them to a bookfeller in 
 Holland, who printed them ■, but the Jefuits, get¬ 
 ting notice of it, bought up the whole impreffion, 
 which however did not ferve to conceal fuch im¬ 
 portant fecrets from the public. 
 
 As the Jefuits have lent many of their brethren 
 to convert the heathens, we fhall here relate what 
 the celebrated Mr. Fleming fays in his Chrifto- 
 logy, and which he had from a gentleman who 
 was prefent when the difcourfe was delivered. 
 It was in China, and the Jefuit fpoke as follows: 
 cc Ye have had many very great, wife, and ex¬ 
 cellent emperors here in China, and no nation 
 can boaft of the like; but yet none of thefe, nor 
 indeed all of them, can be compared to the 
 eternal emperor Jefus Chrift. That ye may know 
 this, I will now give a Ihort, but true and exa< 5 t 
 account of him. The world being very wicked, 
 and men very miferable, by reafon of the tyranny 
 of thofe kings and princes that ruled before his 
 coming, efpecially the head of all thefe, the em- 
 U u peror 
 
 \ 
 
iyo RELIGIOUS ORDERS 
 
 £>eror of Rome, who reigned over the greated 
 part of the world at that time, with terrible ri¬ 
 gour and cruelty; God took pity upon mankind 1 
 at lab, as finding their date grew worfe and 
 worfe. To rectify this, he refolves to fend his 
 own fon from heaven to fubdue thefe tyrants, and 
 reduce things to order again. Well ! at length 
 the heavens appear more glorious than ever be¬ 
 fore ; a wonderful light, bright and glorious, that 
 outfhone the fun by ten thoufand degrees, breaks 
 forth. Great noiles are heard in the air, with 
 mod wonderful and delightful mufic, and at 
 length a prodigious army of more than a thou¬ 
 fand thoufand millions of angels appears in fight; 
 before whom marches a chariot of a prodigious 
 bignefs, all of folid gold, mod curioufly wrought, 
 but fo thick let with precious doncs, that the 
 gold could hardly be feen for their fparkling and 
 dazzling fplendor. This chariot was drawn by 
 ten thouiand bright and nimble fpirits, and a 
 hundred thoufand of a nobler rank guarded this 
 chariot before and on either fide, being com¬ 
 manded and led by Raphael the archangel, as 
 the red of the army that followed the "chariot 
 was by the Great Michael, the fird of all the 
 archangels, and lieutenant-general to Chrid 
 himfelf, who rode in his golden chariot, and 
 commanded all. Now, Jays the Jefuit , here all 
 languages fail me in fetting forth the glory of 
 this great General; he was of a mod prodigious 
 dature, as big as a thoufand men, but mod won¬ 
 derfully beautiful and exactly fymmetred. His 
 face outflione the fun fo far in fplendor, as is be¬ 
 yond all conception ; he had a prodigious flam¬ 
 ing lword in his left hand, the very fight of 
 which was terrible; but in his right hand he had 
 the enfign of the crofs, which had a fanative 
 virtue in it, to remove didempers, and chear 
 the heart, to recover the frenzical and didra&ed, 
 to raife the dead; and in a word, to work all 
 manner of miracles, to remove mountains, dry 
 up feas, See. Now, fays he, all tyrants and 
 wicked men were convidbed and punifhed by him, 
 and the Roman empire dedroyed. In the dead 
 of which, he railed up one Peter, a mod eminently 
 holy, and excellent perfon, to rule the whole 
 world for him as his vicegerent. He dedroyed 
 not only the empire of Rome, but the name of 
 emperor, and the very form of that government; 
 and in its dead, he erefted a holy conditution, 
 over which he fet this wife and holy man Peter, 
 ordering, that when he fliould be called out of 
 the world into heaven, his chief prieds fliould 
 come together and pray to him, and that upon 
 their fo doing, he would fend them an angel to 
 tell them what perfon he had pitched upon to 
 fucceed to this facred and univerfal headlhip over 
 the world. And when he had done this, he took 
 his leave of Peter and his bilhops, and went to 
 heaven with his army, in the fame glorious and 
 triumphant manner in which he came. But he 
 allured the viceroy Peter, that as often as he de- 
 fired, he Ihould hear from him by a ipecial mef- 
 fenger, who fhould aflid him in all dark cafes, 
 and affairs of confequence. And he never failed 
 to do fo to Peter, and all his fucceflors the popes. 
 So that, fays the pried, the pope that now is, 
 has had frequent meffengers from Chrid in hea - 
 ven, commanding him to fend holy men to the 
 great empire of China, out of the great love he | 
 
 in the C II'U R C H of ROME. 
 
 has.for that learned, wife, and excellent people. 
 to invite them to leave their idolatrous nriefts 
 and fa lie wordiip, and own him and Ins'vice¬ 
 gerent the pope. Now, I am one of thefe holv 
 miflionaries, continues he, and 1 allure von, that 
 whofoever of you Ihall do as 1 (hall direft, (hall, 
 when he dies, go into that glorious paradifr! 
 where Chrift is ; and that I may know who have 
 a mind to be thus happy, lo, I have here a book 
 given me by the pope, by order of Chrift him- 
 Jclf, that I may mark down in it the names of all 
 thofe that defire his favour : which I mud from 
 time to time fend an account of to the pope, that 
 he may fend it to Chrid in heaven. And I allure 
 you, that all thofe who refufe to have their names 
 thus recorded, Ihall be dedroyed at lad in a mod 
 terrible manner. Come, therefore, and let me 
 have all your names; but know, that everyone 
 that expeds this favour, mud give me his offer¬ 
 ing in money, according to his ability, that the 
 fincerity of his heart may be known.*' 
 
 In the reign of Henry I. of England, St. Gil¬ 
 bert of Sempringham in Lincolnihire, founded 
 an order, who from him were called Gilber- 
 tincs. With refpeft to this St. Gilbert, we are 
 told, that while his mother was with child of 
 him, die dreamed that the moon defeended into 
 her lap, winch w- confidered as a favourable 
 preface, th". die infant in her womb was to 
 fpreev fight abroad throughout many parts of 
 th: ncathen world. Being grown up and pro¬ 
 perly in drufted in learning, he was prefented to 
 th- living of Sempringham in Lincolnflure, 
 where his fanftity and contempt of worldly ho¬ 
 nours foori rendered him confpicuous, as a pro¬ 
 digy of piety, to all thofe who knew him. 
 Observing that fome young women in his parifh 
 afpired at a more than ordinary degree of fubli- 
 mity in matters of religion, he chofe feven of 
 them, whom he fliut up from all communications 
 with the world, that they might devote them- 
 ielves wholly to the lervice of God ; and this 
 was the foundation of his order. 
 
 By the advice and abidance of the bifhop of 
 Lincoln, he built a cloyber for them, adjoining 
 to the church of Sempringham, with only one 
 door to it, the key of which he always kept 
 to himfelf. The feverity of this order, in times 
 when true knowledge was little attended to, in¬ 
 duced feveral perfons poffeded of ample fortunes,* 
 to found new convents upon the fame plan; and 
 the inbitution foon Ipread itfelf over the greated 
 part of Europe. The pope having given his 
 approbation of the order, many pious prieds 
 were appointed to lee the rules reduced to prac¬ 
 tice, and thele prieds had their habitations erefted 
 at a confiderable didance from the nuns ; nor did 
 they ever enter the convents but to adminifter 
 the facraments, which was done in the prefence 
 of feveral witneffes. 
 
 So high was tiie reputation of this order, that 
 many of the greated nobility in England vifited 
 the fhrineof the founder: and at the difTolution 
 of monaderies, they had upwards of twenty con¬ 
 vents. St. Gilbert is faid to have wrought many 
 miracles; and he was canonized by Pope Inno¬ 
 cent III. 1202. 
 
 In the year 1232, St. Lewis edablidied a reli¬ 
 gious order in France, under the name of Filles 
 Din/, or daughters of God, and their convents 
 
 were 
 
RELIGIOUS ORDERS in 
 
 were called houfes of God. The fird inditution 
 of this order was at Paris, and a large convent 
 having been eretted, two hundred nuns were 
 placed in it. But the archbilhop of Paris, under 
 whofe immediate direction they were, finding 
 that many of them had died of the plague, and 
 that provifions were extremely fcarce, in confe- 
 quence of a famine that had happened the year 
 before, reduced the number to fixty, without 
 diminifiiing their yearly rents. Many privileges 
 were granted to this convent, but the nuns con¬ 
 tinuing to decreafe in number, and the French 
 being afraid that the Englifii, who invaded 
 France under the command of the Black Prince, 
 would take pofieffion of it, the religious were 
 removed to a nunnery in a different part of the 
 city. At prefent they are not numerous in Paris, 
 nor in any other cities of France; but what is 
 much more to their honour, they fpend the 
 greated part of their time in doing good. They 
 vifit the hofpitals, drefs the wounds of the pa¬ 
 tients, and adminifter comfort towards allevi¬ 
 ating their afflictions, as far as lays in their 
 power. They are not obliged to fad on the days 
 appointed by the church, becaufe of their Vad 
 labour in waiting on the lick; nor do they recite 
 any facred office in public, only that they obferve 
 the mod moded decorum in their behaviour. 
 
 Towards the latter end of the eleventh century 
 an order was edablifhed, called the order of the 
 Fontrevaud , and the founder was one Robert de 
 Arbifiel, a doftor of the univerfity of Paris, and 
 vicar general to the bifiiop of Rennes. His bi- 
 fhop dying, he retired to the city of Angers 
 where, for fome time, he taught philofophy and 
 divinity; but defigning to devote himfelfwholly 
 to the fervice of God, he retired from public 
 bufinefs, and fettled in the mountains of Craon, 
 where he fubje&ed himfelf to the fevered aude- 
 rities. The fame of his piety foon drew vad 
 numbers after him, and his preaching filled the 
 defert with hermits. In 1094, he built a con¬ 
 vent in the defart, and his difciples lived upon 
 nothing but roots and water. 
 
 But Robert being fent by order of the pope, 
 to preach up the crulades, he afiigned his monai- 
 tery to the bifiiop of Angers; and taking fome 
 of his difciples with him, went from place to 
 place, encouraging the people to take up arms 
 againd the Infidels. In the year 1099, he pitched 
 upon a place called Fontrevaud, on the borders 
 of Anjou, where he built fome cells to fiielter 
 his difciples from the inclemency of the weather. 
 It was not long before vad numbers of perfons 
 from all parts of the country, joined themfelves 
 to his order, for he rejetded none who confented 
 to live according to his rules. Some of thofe 
 who entered into the order, were rich: So that 
 by virtue of their contributions, Robert was 
 loon enabled to build a fine church, with cloyders 
 adjoining, for the reception of his monks. The 
 convent was put under the prote&ion of the blef- 
 fed Virgin, and St. John the evangelid; in memo¬ 
 ry of the words fpoken by our Saviour on the crofs. 
 
 Having fettled the affairs ofthis his fird monaf- 
 tery, he travelled through many parts of France, 
 where he edabliffied new convents, and before 
 his death, prelcribed rules for the conduct of 
 thofe who chofe to enter into them. The monks 
 were never to eat flefii; and the nuns were en- 
 
 the CHURCH of ROME. ijt 
 
 joined perpetual filence, and to have their faces 
 covered with veils. Their habit was to be of 
 coarfe woollen duffs, manufadhired in the coun¬ 
 try where the convent was ereded ; and they were 
 forbidden to wear gloves. They were not to go 
 out of the convent without leave from the abbelsi 
 and when they died, they were to be buried in a 
 hair-cloth. The monks were co live in common, 
 and on Sundays, and holy days, they were to 
 attend mafs in the church of the convent, where 
 the nuns affembled for divine worfhip. 
 
 This order encreafed fo fad, that even before 
 the death of the founder, they amounted to up¬ 
 wards of five thoufand. During the reign of 
 Henry II. fome of thele came over to England., 
 and had a houfe given them 1177, at Amelbury 
 inWiltfhire; but it does not appear that they 
 had ever any more, except one at Exeter, and 
 another at Wedcote, in Worcederfhire. At the 
 diffolution of the monadarics, their revenues 
 were not great, lb that little notice was taken of 
 them ; but at prcl'ent, they have many convents 
 in France, Spain, Italy, and Flanders. They 
 never meddle with civil affairs, fo that we mud 
 conlider them as a mod innocent order in the 
 church of Rome. 
 
 Feuillants , a religious order in the Romifii 
 church, were founded in the year 1565, by John 
 de la Brerie, a man of an illudrious family, and 
 fometime abbot of Feuillans. Fie had been edu¬ 
 cated by the Cidertian order, and having feen 
 l'omething, or rather many things among them, 
 which he did not approve of, he formed the de- 
 fign of edablifiling a new fociety of his own, 
 bearing fome faint relemblance to the Cidertians, 
 but much feverer in its rules. And here it is 
 neceffary to obferve, that aufterities in living, 
 whether with relpetd to eating, drinking, cloaths, 
 or lodging, make a confiderable part of all the 
 Romifh orders. 
 
 This John de la Briere, had fcarce been pro¬ 
 moted to the abbey of Feuillans, when he begun 
 to put his.plan of reformation in execution ; but 
 the monks were fo much difpleafed with the fe- 
 verity of his rules, they determined to quit the 
 monadery. However, the fame of the abbot’s 
 great fanflity, drew vad numbers of people after 
 him, who not only revived the antient zeal and 
 fervour of the Cidertian order, but even lur- 
 pafied it. They went barefooted and bare¬ 
 headed, and even 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 men’s fculls, and they lived upon nothing 
 but broth made of herbs and black bread. In 
 1586, this order was approved by pope SixtU3 
 Quintus, who granted them leave to build mo- 
 naderies both for men and women, particularly 
 in France and Italy ; and in the city of Rome, 
 the fame pope built them a convent. To the 
 name of Feuillants, they added that of the re¬ 
 formed order of St. Bernard ; their habit is a 
 white gown without the fcapulary, and a large 
 bonnet of the fame colour. They are at prefent 
 much edeemed and very numerous, both in 
 France and Italy. 
 
 In the church of Rome, there is an order of 
 nuns, called Urfulines , and they are held in very 
 great repute. They were founded originally by 
 St. Angela, a pious lady of Brelcia, in the year 
 
 1537 - 
 
172 RELIGIOUS ORDERS 
 
 1537. At firft, thefe nuns did not live together 
 in one community, but abode feparately in their 
 fathers houfes; and their employment was, to 
 l'earch for the afflicted and comfort them ; for the 
 ignorant and inftruCt them ; and for the poor to 
 relieve them. They were likewife to vifit the 
 hofpitals, to attend the fick, and in a word, to 
 be always ready to a<fts of charity, humanity, 
 and companion. In the year 1604, thele nuns 
 having received many privileges from the popes, 
 and having done a great many good works, 
 agreed to live in convents, and feveral were built 
 for them, both in France and Italy. At prefent, 
 their employment is to inftruCt young women, 
 and their convents are a fort of fchools, where the 
 daughters of the nobility receive their education. 
 Their habit is a gown of black ferge, tied about 
 the middle with a girdle of black leather; but in 
 mod: other things, they are not burdened with 
 many aufterities. 
 
 Humilitati , or humbled, is an antient order in 
 the Romifh church, but the monks belonging to 
 it are not numerous.- The original of this infti- 
 tution, was as follows. In the year 1117, 
 Henry V. emperor of Germany, having fubdued 
 feveral towns in Lombardy, the inhabitants of 
 which would not acknowledge him as their fo- 
 vereign, after the death of the countefs Matilda, 
 whofe heir he was; fome gentlemen who had 
 been taken prifoners, were fent into Germany ; 
 thefe gentlemen being tired of their captivity, 
 put on the habits of penitence, and implored the 
 emperor’s pardon, which being granted them, 
 they returned to Italy, and formed themfelves 
 into a religious order, for the exercife of prayer 
 and mortihcation. They aflumed the name of 
 humbled, becaufe, when they threw themfelves 
 at the emperor’s feet, he told them, “ he found 
 “ they were at laft humbled.” Many of their 
 convents were fupprefied by pope Sixtus Quintus, 
 but they have liill fome few remaining. 
 
 The founder of the order of the Grand Moun¬ 
 tains , was Stephen de Murat, a native of France, 
 and defcended from a very honourable family. 
 His father and mother having been long married 
 without having children, made a vow, that they 
 would confecrate the firft child they had to God, 
 and Stephen, who was born foon after, was 
 brought up in exercifes of piety, and at a pro¬ 
 per age entered into holy orders. In the year 
 1073, he retired to a monaftery, near the city of 
 Limoges, where he built for himfelf a fmall cell 
 in the midft of a rock, and where he lived in the 
 practice of the greateft aufterities. The fame of 
 his fan&ity, foon drew feveral perfons after him, 
 who put themfelves under his protection; he 
 died in 11 24, and his difciples being molefted 
 by fome neighbouring monks, who difputed with 
 them the pofieffion of the place where they were 
 fettled, retired to Grand Mont, carrying with 
 them the body of their founder. This order foon 
 cncreafed; for it appears, that within thirty 
 years after their original inftitution, they had 
 no fewer than fixty convents. Their habit con- 
 fifts of a black gown and fcapulary, and their 
 rules and orders are very fevere. 
 
 The United brethren of St. Gregory 3 another re¬ 
 ligious order, was founded about the year 1330, 
 the particulars of which are as follow. Father 
 Dominic, a Dominican friar of Bologne, having 
 
 in the CHURCH of R O M E. 
 
 been fent into Armenia, by pope John XXIT 
 built a monaftery on the top of a high mountain, 
 where he refided with his companions. At that 
 time, there was a famous Armenian do&or, 
 named Ifaac, who was lupei ior oi a monaftery 
 near Erilan; and this man being (truck with the 
 exemplary life and virtues of Dominic, refolved 
 to renounce the errors of the Armenian church, 
 
 1 and acknowledge the authority of the pope. 
 His example was followed by feveral fuperiors of 
 other monafteries ; who obferving that the order 
 of St. Bafil, was almoft univerfally decayed in 
 Armenia, thought it their duty to inftitute a new 
 order, for the prelervation of the Catholic faith. 
 This gave rife to the United Brethren of the or¬ 
 der of Gregory, called the enlightener, becaufe 
 he is faid to have been the firft who preached the 
 gofpel in Armenia. And as they had been 
 taught by Dominic, who was a Dominican, they 
 embraced, in part, the rules of that order, joined 
 to fome of the Auguftines. At prefent, moft of 
 the monks of this order are confined to the 
 j Eaft, where they have feveral fchools, but in ge¬ 
 neral, they are much opprefled by the Turks. 
 
 In feveral of the Roman Catholic countries, 
 there is an order of monks, called IVilliamites , 
 j from their founder, St. William of the defart, of 
 whom we have various accounts by different 
 writers, but we (hall here infertwhat appears to 
 be the truth. It is generally believed that he 
 was a native of France, who having been fome 
 time in the army, had been guilty ot many de- 
 ! baucheries, the thoughts of which affe&ed him 
 ! fo much, that he refolved to dedicate the re¬ 
 mainder of his days to the fervice of God. Ac¬ 
 cordingly, in the year 1153, he made choice of 
 ; a folitary place in the ifiand of Lupocavio in the 
 dutchy of Tufcany, where he lived the life of a 
 faint, and gathered together many followers, 
 who all agreed to put themfelves under his di¬ 
 rections. But many of thefe being tired of the 
 aufterities of a religious life, and forfaking him, 
 he retired to Mount Pruno, where he built a 
 little cell, in the middle of a thick w'ood. Here 
 he procured fome new difciples, who perfevered 
 no better than the former, which obliged him to 
 return to the ifiand of Lupocavio, where he fixed 
 his abode in a moft frightful defart, called Ma- 
 laval. This happened in the year 1155, and in 
 the year following, one Albert, became his dif- 
 ciple, and remained with him till his death, 
 which happened foon atcer. After his death, 
 Albert was joined by one Renaud, and it was 
 agreed upon between them to found a convent, 
 or rather a hermitage, near the fpot where their 
 founder St. William was buried. Here they be¬ 
 gan to lead a life of the moft exemplary piety, 
 and fo great was their reputation for fanflity, that 
 many perfons renounced the world and joined 
 them. 
 
 This fmall congregation increafed fo faff, that 
 within one hundred years, they had convents all 
 over France, Italy, Germany, and Flanders. 
 At firft they were very auftere in their rules, but 
 pope Gregory IX. mitigated the feverity and 
 granted them feveral indulgences ; (uch as 
 that of wearing (hoes, which had been denied 
 them before. At prefent, they have only twelve 
 religious houfes, and all thefe are in Flanders ; 
 for by fome means or other, they have fallen to 
 
 decay 
 
RELIGIOUS ORDERS in 
 
 decay in Italy, France, and Germany. Their 
 habit is very like that of the Ciftertians. 
 
 The Bons-FieuXj or in Englifh, Good Sons, is 
 an order derived from that of St. Francis, and 
 was founded at a little town in Flanders, called 
 Armantiers, upon the river Lis-, in the year 1615, 
 by five tradesmen of the town, the eldeft o1 
 whom was Henry Pringnet.’ Thefe men lived 
 in one fociety together, and founded a little 
 community in a houfe belonging to Pringnet. 
 They wore a black habit, and at firft, were not 
 diftinguifhed from the feculars. Three of them 
 fpent their time in weaving woollen cloth, one 
 made lace, and the fifth inftrubted children to 
 read. 
 
 In this manner they continued to live till 
 1626, when they embraced the order of St. 
 Francis, and they encreafed fo fall, that in 1670, 
 they had two monafteries, one at Lifie, and the 
 other at Armantiers, both in the diocefe of Tour- 
 nay. In 1675, they made a third fettlement at 
 St." Venant, in the diocefe of St. Omer’s; and 
 Lewis XIV. gave them the direction of all his 
 military hofpitals in Flanders. At prefent, they 
 have feven convents, or as they call them, fa¬ 
 milies ; all under the direbtion of the bilhops 
 where they refide, and they hold a chapter once 
 in three years. In thefe chapters the bifhop ex¬ 
 amines all their books, with refpebt to what do¬ 
 nations have been left them, and direbts them in 
 what manner to augment their number. Each 
 family or convent has a fuperior, who holds his 
 office three years, after which the bifhop ap¬ 
 points another to fuccced him. The luperior 
 hasv three alfiftants, whom they call counfellors, 
 and they live in great harmony together. They 
 wear no linen, and lie in their cloaths on ftraw 
 beds, and they obferve feveral other aufterities. 
 
 Angelics , an order of nuns in Italy, had for 
 their foundrefs, Louifa Torelli, countels of 
 Guaftalia, who in the year 1534* obtained a 
 brief from pope Paul III. for eftablifhing a fo- 
 ciety of nuns, under the rule of St. Auguftine. 
 For this purpofe, the countefs built a very large 
 convent and church at Milan, and the nuns of 
 her order took the name of Angelics ; that by 
 often hearing the title repeated, they might be 
 excited to imitate the purity of angels. The 
 pope confirmed this name to them, and ex¬ 
 empted them from the jurifdibtion of the arch- 
 bifhop of Milan, putting them under the direc¬ 
 tion of the regular priefts of St. Paul. They 
 were not confined to their cloyfter, but went out 
 of their monaftery, and accompanied the regular 
 priefts in their millions, the latter employing 
 their time in the converfionof men, and the for¬ 
 mer in the converfion of women. 
 
 It is related, that the countefs herlelf, and 
 one Paula Antonia, induced feveral courtezans 
 and lewd women, to quit their vices and take the 
 habit of the order. Thefe nuns ftill continue to 
 afiift the regular priefts in their millions, and fe¬ 
 veral ladies of high’rank have entered into the 
 order, that they might convert finners; and 
 their conftitutions were drawn up by the famous 
 St. Charles Borromeo. They wear thehabit of the 
 black Dominicans, and carry on their breafts a 
 wooden crols. On their fingers they wear a gold 
 ring, on which is the figure of a heart, with a 
 crucifix engraven on it. 
 
 *5 
 
 the C II URCII of R O M*E. 173 
 
 In France there is an order called Eudijls > 
 founded by one Eudift, a lecular prieft, in the 
 year 1643. At firft he had only eight difciples, 
 for whom he built a houfe at Caen in Normandy : 
 and feveral bilhops finding the good effcbts of 
 this inftitution, founded feminaries of the 
 fame nature, near their cathedral churches. All 
 the ftudents educated in thefe focieties, were to 
 abt as milfionaries in converting Proteftants to 
 the church of Rome. They make no vows, and 
 their habit is the fame with the fecular priefts ; 
 and it is a maxim with them to employ all their 
 revenues, befides what procures them a fubfil- 
 tence, in works of charity and piety. They 
 live together in a friendly charitable manner, and 
 they teach philol'ophy and divinity gratis. They 
 are alTociated under the name of the difciples of 
 Jefus and Mary; and are governed by a fuperior, 
 who receives his authority from the bilfiop of 
 the dioceles where their houfes are. So that the 
 bilhops are their foie protestors. 
 
 Mendicants , or Begging Friars. There are fe¬ 
 veral orders of religious in popilfi countries, who, 
 having no fettled income or revenues, are fup- 
 ported by the charitable contributions of others; 
 and thefe, from their manner of life, are called 
 Mendicants, or beggars. 
 
 This fort of friars began in the thirteenth 
 century. The Waldenfes, who made a profeftion 
 of renouncing their eftates, and leading a life of 
 poverty, gave occafion to this inftitution. Two 
 of that fe< 5 t, Bernard and Durand of Ofca, fet 
 up a congregation in the province of Tarragon, 
 and called it The poor Catholics, and the fame 
 year, Dominic de Guzman, with nine more of 
 his companions, founded the order of preaching 
 friars, called from the founder, Dominicans. 
 The other three Mendicant orders are the Fran- 
 cifcans, Auguftins, and Carmelites. Thefe 
 monks gave great difturbance to the fecular 
 clergy, by pretending to a right of taking con- 
 felfions, and granting abfolution, without alking 
 leave of the parochial priefts, or even the bilhops 
 themfelves. Pope Innocent IV. reftrained this 
 licence, and prohibited the Mendicants to con- 
 fefs the faithful, without leave of the incumbent. 
 Alexander IV. reftored this privilege to them, 
 and Martin IV. to accommodate the difpute, 
 granted them a permiftion to receive confelfions, 
 upon condition that the penitents who applied to 
 them, fhould confefs once a year to their proper 
 paftor. However, this expedient falling fhort 
 of full fatisfabtion, Boniface VIII. ordered, that 
 the fuperiors of religious houfes Ihould make 
 application to the bifhops, for their permiftion 
 to fuch friars, as Ihould be commiflioned by 
 their refpebtive abbots, to adminifter the facra- 
 ment of penance, and upon the foot of this con- 
 ftitution the matter now refts. A great many 
 have embraced this fevere order, out of an opi¬ 
 nion of a particular holinefs and merit, which 
 they believed did belong to it, or rather an 
 ecclefiaftic ambition ; the pride of mankind be¬ 
 ing fo great and natural to fome, that they did 
 not think the commands of God fufficient, but 
 would receive heaven rather as a reward than a 
 gift, and were ambitious of having a preference 
 before others, even in another life. 
 
 Buchanan tells us, the Mendicants in Scotland, 
 under an appearance of beggary, lived a very 
 X x luxurious 
 
174 RELIGIOUS ORDERS 
 
 luxurious life ; whence one wittily called them, 
 not Mendicant, but Manducant friars. 
 
 The priefts of the oratory had a convent erect¬ 
 ed for them at Florence, by Philip de Neri, i 548; 
 and at firft they confifted of no more than fifteen 
 perfons, who afiembled in the church of St. 
 Saviour in campo, every firft Sunday in the month, 
 to ptactile the exercifes of piety preferibed by 
 the holy founder. Afterwards, their number in- 
 creafing by the addition of l'everal perfons of 
 diftintftion to the fociety, St. Philip proceeded 
 to eftablilh an hofpital for the reception of poor 
 pilgrims, who, coming to Rome to vifit the 
 tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul, were obliged, 
 for want of a lodging, to lie in the ftreets, or at 
 the doors of the churches. For this charitable 
 purpofe, pope Paul IV. gave to the fociety the 
 parochial church of St. Benedift, clofe by which 
 was built an hofpital, fo large, that, in the Jubilee 
 year 1600, it received four hundred forty-four 
 thouland five hundred men, and twenty-five 
 thouland five hundred women, who came in pil¬ 
 grimage to Rome. 
 
 St. Philip Neri befides this charitable founda¬ 
 tion for pilgrims, held ipiritual conferences at 
 Rome, in a large chamber, accommodated in the 
 form ot an oratory, in which he was afllfted by 
 the famous Baronius, author of the ecclefiaftical 
 annals. Here were delivered lcdlures on religion 
 and morality, and the auditors were inftrudted in 
 ecclefiaftical hiftory. I he afiembly always ended 
 with prayers, and hymns to the glory of God; 
 after which, the holy founder and his companions, 
 vifited the churches and hofpitals, and took care 
 of the lick. 
 
 In 1574, the Florentines, at Rome, with the 
 permifiion of pope Gregory XIII. built a very 
 fpacious oratory, in which St. Philip continued 
 his religious afiemblies, and the pope likewife 
 gave him the parochial church of Vallicella, and 
 the fame year, approved the conftitutions he had 
 drawn up for the government of his cono-reo-a- 
 tion, of which St. Philip himfelf was the firft 
 general. 
 
 1 his new inftitute foon made a great progrefs, 
 and divers other eftablifhments were made on 
 the fame model; particularly at Naples, Milan, 
 Fermo, and Palermo. The holy founder having 
 refigned the office of general, he was fucceedcd 
 therein by Baronius, who was afterwards pro¬ 
 moted to the dignity of a cardinal. St. Philip 
 died the twenty-fifth of May 1595, and was ca¬ 
 nonized in 1622 by pope Gregory XV. After 
 his death, this congregation made a farther pro- 
 grel's in Italy, and has produced feveral cardinals, 
 and eminent writers, as Baronius, Olderic, Rai- 
 naldi, and others. 
 
 The priefts of the oratory in France were efta- 
 blilhed upon the model of thole in Italy, and 
 owe their rife to cardinal Berulle, a native of 
 Champagne ; who refolved upon this foundation, 
 in order to revive the fplendour of the ecclefi¬ 
 aftical ftate, which was greatly funk through the 
 miferies of the civil wars, the increafe ofheTefies, 
 and a general corruption of manners. To this 
 end, he afiembled a community of ecclefiaftics, 
 in 1611, in the fuburb of St. James, where is at 
 prefent the famous monafterv of Val-de-grace. 
 They obtained the king’s letters patent for their 
 eftablifhment; and, in 1613, pope Paul V. ap- 
 
 1 the CHURCH of ROM E. 
 
 proved of this congregation under the title of 
 the Oratory of Jtftts. 
 
 This congregation confifted of two forts of 
 perlons, the one as it were incorporated, the 
 other only affociates. The former governed the 
 houfesof this inftitute, the latter were only em¬ 
 ployed in forming themlelves to the life and man¬ 
 ners of ecclefiaftics; and this was the true fpirit 
 of this congregation, in which they taught nei¬ 
 ther human learning, nor theology, but only the 
 virtues of the ecclefiaftical life. After the 
 death of Cardinal Berulle, which happened the 
 fecond of Oftober, 1629, the Priefts of the Ora¬ 
 tory made a great progrefs in France, and other 
 countries ; and at prefent they have eleven houfes 
 in the Low-countries, one at Leige, two in the 
 county of Avignon, and one in Savoy, befides 
 fifty-eight in France. The firft houl'e,' which is 
 ! it Were the mother of all the reft, is that of 
 the ftreet St. Honore, at Paris, where the ge¬ 
 neral refides. The priefts of this congreganon 
 are not properly fpeaking religious, being obliged 
 to no vows, their inftitute being purely eccle- 
 fiaftical or facerdotal. 
 
 i he congiegation of Mount Olivet , is an order 
 I °f religious Benediiftines, in Italy, who acknow¬ 
 ledge for their founder St. Bernard Tolomei, a 
 gentleman of Sienna. This Bernard taught 
 philofophy; and one day, as he was preparing to 
 explain a very difficult queftion, he was on a 
 fudden ftruck blind: but having recovered his 
 fight, by the interceffion of the Virgin, he made 
 a vow to dedicate himfelf to her fervice, and 
 renounce the world. In confequence of this 
 vow, he retired to a folitary place, named Acona, 
 about fifteen miles from Sienna, in the year 1313. 
 The ianflity of his life drew thither a great num¬ 
 ber of perfons, who renounced the world to ac¬ 
 company him in his folitude, and Gui de Pie- 
 tramala, bifliop of Arezzo, by order of Pope 
 John XXII. gave thefe folitaries the rule of 
 St. Benedidt, and Acona the name of mount 
 Olivet, either becaufe of the olive trees which 
 grew in that place, or to put the religious in 
 mind of our Saviour's pafiion on the mount of 
 Olives. 
 
 The hiftorians of this order fpeak of the ex¬ 
 treme rigours obferved by them, at their firft 
 eftablifhment; their fads, macerations, and fpi- 
 ritual exercifes ; and that they might have no 
 opportunity to drink wine, they cut down all the 
 vines that grew about the mountain. Their 
 extreme abftinence was prejudicial to their health, 
 mfomuch that moft of them fell Tick ; and upon 
 this they relaxed a little from their fobriety, and 
 followed St. Paul s advice, drinking a little wine 
 for their ftomach’s fake; and at °length, they 
 inferted in their conftitutions, that the beft wines 
 ffiould be bought for the ufe of the monks. But 
 this congregation was not confined to Acona, for 
 it obtained feveral other fettlements. The firft 
 was at Sienna; the fecond at Arezzo; the third 
 at Florence; the fourth at Camprena, in the 
 territory of Sienna; the fifth at Volterra; the 
 fixih at St. Geminiano ; the feventh at Eugubio; 
 and the eighth at Foligni. Afterwards it was 
 eftabliffied at Rome, and other places; and Pope 
 John XXII. approved this order in 1324, and it 
 was afterwards confirmed by Clement VI. and 
 feveral other pontiffs. 
 
 The 
 
RELIGIOUS ORDERS 
 
 The congregation of mount Olivet has, in 
 Italy and Sicily, about fourfcore monafteries, in 
 moftof which are a great number of religious. 
 Thefe monafteries are divided into fix provinces, 
 but the principal convent is that of mount 
 Olivet. It is fo large and fpacious, that the em¬ 
 peror Charles V. lodged in it with a retinue of 
 two hundred perfons. The religious of mount 
 Olivet are habited in fine white ferge, and they 
 profefs the rule of St. Benedift; but it is very 
 much mitigated by their conftitutions. Every 
 Sunday they hold a conference upon fome cafe 
 of confidence, or difficulty in the fcripture, and 
 in fome monafteries, they have leftures of huma¬ 
 nity, philofophy, and theology. It is remar¬ 
 kable, that they admit no perfons of noble birth 
 into their order, contrary to the rule of St. Be- 
 nedift, which makes no diftinftion of perfons. 
 The order is governed by a general, a vicar-ge¬ 
 neral, and fix vifitors; and they hold a general 
 chapter once every year, in which they chufe 
 fuperiors of houfes, and other officers. 
 
 In the year 1530, an order was founded in 
 "Calabria, by one Bernard Rogliano, and was 
 called the Colorites. It took its name from a 
 little mountain, called Colorito, in the kingdom 
 of Naples ; on which mountain there is a church 
 dedicated to the Virgin Mary, founded many 
 centuries ago. This Bernard was a holy prieft, 
 who being defirous to retire from all manner of 
 converfation with the bufy fcenes of a tumultuous 
 world, and live in folitude, took the habit of a 
 hermit, and built a cell near this church, where 
 he lived in the praftice of the greateft aufte- 
 rities. His name foon became fo famous, that 
 many came to receive fpiritual inftruftion from 
 him; fome of whom, touched with the piety of 
 his difcourfes, renounced the world, and put 
 themfelves under his direftion. Their number 
 continued to increafe fo fall every day, that the 
 duchefs of Bifiignano, a pious lady, gave them 
 the mountain where the church flood, with all 
 the lands belonging to it; and her donation was 
 confirmed by a bull of Pope Pius IV. 1562. 
 They agreed to live according to the rule of the 
 Auguftine monks, and theyfirft took their folemn 
 vows in 1591. In 1600, they were put under 
 fome new regulations, and at prefent they have 
 about twelve convents. Their habit confifts of 
 a tawney coloured gown, reaching to their knees, 
 and tied round the waift with a leather girdle. 
 
 In the Hate of Venice, where much freedom 
 is allowed to the religious, there is an order, cal¬ 
 led Dimajfes ; confining of young maids and wi¬ 
 dows. They were founded by Deijanara Valma- 
 rana, the widow of a Venetian nobleman of high 
 rank. This lady having taken the habit of the 
 third order of St. Francis, retired with four poor 
 women, to a houfe belonging to herfelf. 
 
 In the moft retired manner they lived together 
 in the practice of every Chriftian duty, under 
 the direftion of a Francifcan friar, who prelcribed 
 rules for them in 1584, and this gave birth to 
 other houfes of the fame nature. None are ad¬ 
 mitted into this order, till after three years pro¬ 
 bation ; and there are not above nine or ten of 
 them in one houfe, who once every year eleft a 
 fuperior; and file is obliged to be thirty years of 
 age. No men are to be admitted into their houfes, 
 and their chief employment, befides aftsofdevo- 
 
 in the C H U R C FI of ROME. 175 
 
 tion, is to teach young women in the principles of 
 religion, to relieve the poor, and vifit the fick. 
 As they are not under any obligation to celibacy, 
 fo they may leave the convent whenever they 
 pleafe, and enter into the marriage ftate. They 
 have many houfes in the ftate of Venice, and 
 their habit is either black or brown, according 
 to their choice. 
 
 Ill Spain there is a very remarkable order of 
 religious, called JVhifpers , or Difciplinarians , who 
 make a grand proceffion on Good Friday; and on 
 1‘uch occafions, not only all the great officers 
 offtlate are prefent, but even the king, queen, 
 and the royal family. The preparation to it has 
 the moft mournful appearance; for the king’s 
 guards march with their mulkets covered with 
 crape, and all the drums are muffled. In fliort, 
 the whole proceffion fflews the genius of the na¬ 
 tion, as naturally turned to an excefs of devotion, 
 and pleafed with every thing that has the appear¬ 
 ance of exterior piety. Thefe pretended peni¬ 
 tents do not undertake thefe exerciles from mo¬ 
 tives of devotion, but only to pleafe their mif- 
 treffes who are (laves to fuperftition. They whip 
 themfelves with finall cords, to the ends of which 
 are fixed little balls of wax, (luck through with 
 pieces of glafs, and fo artful are they, that they 
 can, at any time make the blood fpring out, 
 which is very pleafing to the ladies. 
 
 Thefe whippers wear a long cap, covered with 
 cambric, three feet high, in the form of a fugar- 
 loaf, from which falls a piece of linen that covers 
 their faces. They wear white gloves, and their 
 fleeves are tied with ribbons. 
 
 Crofters, or Crofs-bearers , are another order in 
 the church of Rome, and were founded in memory 
 and honour of the finding the real crofs upon 
 which our Saviour luffered, by Helena, mother 
 of the emperor Conftantine the Great. Thefe 
 crofs-bearers were inftituted many years ago, but 
 now they are greatly fallen into contempt, little 
 regard being paid to them by the other religious 
 orders. The popes, however, have given fome 
 countenance to them, and under their proteftion 
 they dill continue to exill. They wear a crofs of 
 red cloth upon their breafes. Before the Refor¬ 
 mation, they had leveral houfes in England, par¬ 
 ticularly one in London, on the lpot now called 
 Crutched-friars, whereas the proper name of it 
 is Croffed-friars. In the year 1188, thefe crofs- 
 bearers were ellablilhed in Flanders by the dukes 
 of Burgundy, who, at that time, were much en¬ 
 gaged in carrying on the crufades. Theodore 
 de Celles, a relation of the duke of Burgundy, 
 having been fome years in Syria, happened to 
 converfe with feveral religious of this order; 
 and being (truck with the piety of their lives, 
 and fimplicity of their manners, he rdolved to 
 bring the order into his own country. Accor¬ 
 dingly upon his return home, he laid afide his 
 military habit, and became a canon in the cathe¬ 
 dral church of Leige; but refolving to carry 
 his defign further into execution, he obtained of 
 the bilhop of Liege, the church of St. Tnibaut, 
 near the town of Huy, where, with his com¬ 
 panions, he laid the foundation of the order of 
 the Holy Crofs, which foon afterwards fpread 
 itlelf over many nations. 
 
 The fuperior of this order receives epifcopal 
 ordination, and wears a mitre, with a golden 
 
 crofs 
 
!?o RELIGIOUS ORDERS 
 
 crofs, in the fame manner as a bifhop. 
 
 There is an order in the Romilk church, of 
 great antiquity, and much efteemed, called Clu- 
 iiimc Monks , and is the firft branch of the Bene- 
 didtines. It was firft founded in the year 910, 
 by St. Bernon, of the royal family of Burgundy, 
 who built a monaftery for them in the town of 
 Clugni, in France, near the banks of the river 
 Grone. Thefe monks were remarkable for their 
 fandlitv, becaufe they lung two foiemn malfes 
 every day. They fpent moft of their time in vi- 
 fiting the fick, and diftributed the whole of their 
 revenues, befides what was necelfary for their 
 own fupport, to relieve the wants of the poor. 
 
 In preparing the bread for the cucharift, they 
 ufed the following ceremonies. They chofe the 
 wheat grain by grain, and then wafhed it very 
 carefully; after this a facrill carried it to the 
 mill, to be ground, and walked the mill Bones 
 all over, fpreading a curtain around the place, 
 that no air might come near it. They walked 
 the meal in pure water, and made it up in fmall 
 loaves moulded in boxes of iron. At laft, this 
 order grew into fuch high repute, that they had 
 convents in every part of the known world. They 
 were firft brought into England, in the year 1077, 
 and many convents were built for them, all 
 which were demolliked at the Reformation, and 
 their revenues feized for the crown. At prefent 
 they have many houfes inFrance, Italy, and other 
 Roman catholic countries ; and once in every 
 three years, they hold general chapters for every 
 convent: but they are not lb rich as they were 
 formerly, many perlbns, otherwife well attached 
 to the doftrines of the church of Rome, having 
 withdrawn their bounty from them, and given it 
 to l'ome others for whom they had higher efteem. 
 
 ‘The Nuns of the conception of our Lady , a reli¬ 
 gious order of the church of Rome, were founded 
 by Beatrix, a pious lady in the kingdom of Por¬ 
 tugal, about the year 1462 ; this lady, having 
 been carried to the court of Caftile, by Elizabeth, 
 daughter of Edward king of Portugal, whom 
 the king of Caftile had married. She was ex¬ 
 tremely beautiful, and the king falling in love 
 with her, it fo enraged the jealous queen, that 
 fhe ordered her to be locked up in a chamber, 
 where fhe was kept without victuals or drink three 
 days. In this affli6ted condition Ike implored 
 the afliftance of the blefled Virgin, who appeared 
 to her and comforted her, promifing her a lpeedy 
 deliverance, which foon after took place. But 
 Beatrix, fearing that the queen would again 
 wreak her vengeance upon her, withdrew pri¬ 
 vately and fled to Toledo, where Ike took fhelter 
 in a convent of Dominicans nuns, and lived there 
 forty years in the praftice of every religious 
 duty. 
 
 It was in this convent that the blefled Virgin 
 appeared again to her, and infpired her with the 
 deflgn of founding an order of nuns in honour of 
 her own immaculate conception. For this pur- 
 pofe fhe obtained of the queen a grant of the 
 palace of Galliana, where was a chapel dedicated 
 to the honour of St. Faith ; and Beatrix, accom¬ 
 panied by twelve young women, took pofleflion 
 of it. Their habit was a white gown and fca- 
 pulary, with the image of the blefled Virgin upon 
 it, and their order was confirmed in the year 
 1489, by pope Innocent VIII. At prefent they 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 
 
 have many convents throughout the d i fibre - 
 tions of Europe, where the Roman Catholic re¬ 
 ligion is profefled, but particularly in Portugal, 
 Spain, Italy and Flanders. 
 
 In the year 1229, a religious order was founded 
 by father Elias, a Francifcan friar, under the 
 name of Cefarians. This friar obtained a bull 
 from pope Gregory IX. to build a church in ho¬ 
 nour of St. Francis, and lie erected it with fuch 
 magnificence as was no way fuitable to the hu¬ 
 mility of the order, nor to the poverty which Sr. 
 Francis had enjoined to his order. This induced 
 St. Anthony of Padua, to apply to the pope, de¬ 
 firing him to interfere in rectifying the abufes 
 which had crept in through the means of father 
 Elias. Accordingly, father Elias was depofed by 
 the pope, and father John Parent appointed in 
 his room, who made feveral regulations, and re- 
 eftablifked the ftriCt obfervance of the rule of 
 St. Francis, which had been neglefted during the 
 government of his predecefior. But this Elias, 
 by artful management and intrigues, fecretly 
 gained over many of the religious, who, in a ge¬ 
 neral chapter held in 1236, loudly demanded the 
 reftoration of Elias, complaining that he had 
 been unjuftly depofed, and he was accordingly 
 re-eleCted in a very tumultuous manner. The 
 greateft part of the order, as is confident with 
 the nature of man, being enemies to poverty, 
 they adhered to Elias, under whole lecond go¬ 
 vernment all the former diforders that had been 
 fo much complained of, began to revive. The 
 reviving few who adhered to the order of St. 
 Francis, remonftrated to father Elias, who, in- 
 ftead of liftening to their complaints, banifked 
 feveral of them from the convent, among whom 
 was Celarius their leader, and from him they were 
 called Cefarians. At prefent the Cefarians have 
 but few convents, for they were fo much per¬ 
 fected by the Francifcans, that we feldom hear 
 their name mentioned. 
 
 The Camaladolites , a religious order in the 
 church of Rome, was founded by St. Romuald, 
 a native of Ravenna, and defeended from the 
 noble family, who received the titles of dukes of 
 that city. This Romuald had been in his youth 
 a profefled debauchee, and his conftitution being 
 in a manner worn out by his vices, he was feized 
 with remorfeof confcience, and therefore refolved 
 to devote the remains of a decayed body to the 
 fervice of God. For this purpofe, he retired to 
 Mount Caflin, where he met with a devout monk, 
 whole pious converfation induced him to take 
 upon him the habit of the order. Being very 
 zealous, and finding that many abufes had crept 
 into the convent, he reproved the monks for 
 their vices, who were fo much offended, that they 
 confpired to murder him. Having had notice 
 of their intentions, he left the convent, and re¬ 
 tired to the ftate of Venice, where he met with a 
 hermit, with whom he lived l'ome time, prac- 
 tifing all the auftcrities of a reclufe life. At 
 that time, the duke of Venice, refolving to 
 end his days in a convent, refigned his regal dig¬ 
 nity, and in company with Romuald, and Marino 
 the other hermet his companion, let fail for Bar¬ 
 celona, in Spain. There it was, that the duke 
 took upon him r^e habit of a monk in the mo¬ 
 naftery of St. Michale, and Marino and Romu¬ 
 ald returned to a hermitage. After l'ome time, 
 
 Romuald 
 
RELIGIOUS ORDERS in 
 
 Roumbald returned to Italy, and fettled in the 
 monaftery of St. Gaffe, at that time in high re¬ 
 pute, but not under proper government with 
 refpeft to moral and religious duties. 
 
 The emperor Otho being at that time in Italy, 
 and hearing of the abufes that had crept into this 
 monaftery refolved to reform it, and for that pur- 
 pofe made Roumbald abbot; but Roumbald find¬ 
 ing all his attempts to reform the monks, fruitlefs 
 laid down his paftoral ftafF, and retired to Pa¬ 
 lermo. There, and in feveral other places, he 
 built convents, but the monks in thefe refufing 
 to live according to his rules, he retired to a 
 folitary place on the Appenine mountains, called 
 Cumaldali, where he founded his order, 1012. 
 He ordered that all his dilciples fhould live in 
 feparate cells, and never meet together but in 
 the times of public prayer. On Sundays and 
 Thurfdays they feed on herbs ; and the reft of 
 the week on bread and water. The aufterities 
 ufed by the monks of this order, contrary to the 
 common notions of mankind, occafioned it to 
 encreafe fo faft, that within a few years they had 
 convents in moft parts of Italy. At prefent they 
 are extremely rich, but we do not find that the 
 monks have ever diftinguifhed themfelves in 
 branches of literature. 
 
 The Carthufians were a religious order, found¬ 
 ed in the year 1080, by one Bruno, a very learned 
 man, of the bifhopric of Cologn, and profeffor of 
 philofophy at Paris. The occafion of its inftitu- 
 tion is related as follows. A friend of Bruno’s, who 
 had been looked upon as a good liver, being dead, 
 Bruno attended his funeral, but whilft the fer- 
 vice was performing in the church, the dead man, 
 who lay upon a bier, raifed himfelf up, and faid, 
 By the juft judgement of God , I am accufed. The 
 company being aftonifhed at this unufual ac¬ 
 cident, the burial was deferred to the next day ; 
 when, the concourfe of people being much 
 greater, the dead man again raifed himfelf up, 
 and faid, By the juft judgement of God , I am con¬ 
 demned. This miracle, it is pretended, wrought 
 fuch an effect on Bruno, and fix more, that they 
 immediately retired to the defert of Chartreux, 
 in the diocefe of Grenoble, in Dauphine ; where 
 Hugh, bifliop of that diocefe, afiigned them a 
 fpot of ground, and where Bruno built his 
 fir ft monaftery, under the following rigid in- 
 ftitutes. 
 
 His monks were to wear a hair-cloth next their 
 body, a white caffock, and over it a black cloak: 
 they were never to eat fiefh ; to faft every Friday 
 on bread and water; to eat alone in their cham¬ 
 bers, except upon certain feftivals ; and to ob- 
 ferve an almoft perpetual filence: none were al¬ 
 lowed to go out of the monaftery, except the 
 prior and procurator, and they only about the 
 bufinels of the houfe. 
 
 The Carthufians, fo called from the place of 
 their firft inftitution, are a very rigid order. 
 They are not to go out of their cells, except to 
 church, without leave of their fuperior, and 
 they are not to fpeak to any perfon, even their 
 own brother, without leave. They may not keep 
 any part of their portion of meat or drink till 
 the next day, except herbs or fruit. Their bed is 
 of ftraw, covered with a felt or coarle cloth; 
 their cloathing, two hair cloths, two cowls, two 
 pair of hofe and a cloak, all coarle. Every monk I 
 1 S 
 
 the C FI U R C H of R O M E. 177 
 has two needles, fome thread, feiflars, a comb, a 
 razor, a hone, an ink-horn, pens, chalk, two 
 pumice-ftones; likewife two pots, two porrin¬ 
 gers, a bafon, two fpoons, a knife, a drinking 
 cup, a water pot, a fait, a dilh, a towel; and, for 
 fire, tinder, flint, wood, and an ax; 
 
 In the refe&ory, they are to keep their eyes on 
 the meat, their hands on the table, their attention 
 on the reader, and their heart fixed on God. 
 When allowed to difeourfe, they are to do it 
 modeftly, not to whifper, nor talk aloud, nor to 
 be contentious. They confefs to the prior every 
 Saturday, but women are not allowed to come 
 into their churches, that the monks may not fee 
 any thing, which may provoke them to lewd-* 
 nefs. 
 
 It is computed, there are an hundred and fe- 
 venty-two houfes of Carthufians, whereof five 
 are of nuns, who praftife the fame aufterities as 
 the monks. They are divided into fixteen pro¬ 
 vinces, each of which has two vifitors. There 
 have been feveral canonized faints of this Order; 
 four cardinals, feventy-fix archbifhops and bi- 
 fhops, and a great many very learned writers. 
 
 The convents of this order are generally very 
 beautiful and magnificent. That of Naples, 
 though but fin ail, lurpaftes all the reft in orna¬ 
 ments and riches. Nothing is to be feen in the 
 church and houfe but marble and jafper, and the 
 apartments of the prior are rather like thofe of a 
 prince, than a poor monk. There are innume¬ 
 rable ftatues, bals-rcliefs, paintings, See. toge¬ 
 ther with very fine gardens ; all which, joined 
 with the holy and exemplary life of the good re¬ 
 ligious, draw the curiofity of all ftrangers, who 
 vifit Naples. The Carthufians fettled in Eng¬ 
 land about the year 1180. They had feveral 
 monafteries here, particularly at Witham in So- 
 merfetfliire; Hinton, in the fame county; Beau- 
 val, in Nottinghamfliire; Kingfton upon Hull; 
 Mount-grace, in Yorkfhire; Eppewort in Lin- 
 colnfhire ; Shene, in Surry ; and one near Co¬ 
 ventry. In London, they had a famous mo¬ 
 naftery, fince called from the Carthufians, who 
 were fettled there, the CHARTER-HOUSE. 
 
 The Ciftertian Monks , were a religious order, 
 founded in the eleventh century, by St. Robert, 
 a Benedidtine, and abbot of Moleme. Certain 
 anchorets of a neighbouring foreft, having heard 
 of St. Robert, then abbot of St. Michael de la 
 Tonnerc, intreated him to take upon him the 
 direction of them ; but the prior of his monaf¬ 
 tery, and fome of the antient monks, obftrudted 
 his complying with their requeft. Thofe monks 
 of Tonnere lived under fo great a relaxation of 
 difeipline, that abbot Robert loft 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 chofen prior of the monaftery of S. Augul- 
 phus, which was dependant on that abbey ; and 
 then it was, that the afore-named anchorets ap¬ 
 plied themfelves 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 pleafed with the pope’s order, and ac¬ 
 cordingly joined thofe anchorets, whom he led 
 into the foreft of Moleme, where they built 
 themfelves little cells made of the boughs of 
 Y y trees. 
 
i 7 S RELIGIOUS ORDERS in 
 
 trees, and a little oratory, in honour of the 
 Holy Trinity. But, thefe hermits falling into a 
 relaxation, and Robert not being able to re¬ 
 claim them, he left them, and retired to a de- 
 fert called Haur, where there were religious men, 
 who lived in much unity and fimplicity ot heart, 
 and who chofe him for their abbot. But thofe 
 of Moleme made ufe of the authority of the pope, 
 to oblige him to return, and govern them as he 
 had done before. 
 
 Some of thefe religious of Moleme, obferv- 
 ing, that their cuftoms and manners were not 
 fuitable to the rule of St. Benedict, ferioufly en¬ 
 deavoured to apply fome remedy. Accordingly 
 they had recourfe to abbot Robert, who promifed 
 to affift them in their pious defign ; but, it being 
 impolfible for them to effedl their purpole in that 
 abbey, on account of the relaxation which reign¬ 
 ed there, Robert and twenty-one others, by the 
 permiffion of the pope, quitted the abbey of 
 Moleme, and went to fettle in a place called 
 Citeaux, in the diocele of Chalons. It was a 
 defert covered with wood and brambles, where 
 thefe religious formed to themfelves little wood¬ 
 en cells, v.the confent of the lords of the foil. 
 They fettled i . on the 21ft of March, 1098, 
 being St. Benedict’s day, and Eudo, duke of 
 Burgundy, aflilted them in building a monaftery, 
 and gave them land and cattle; and the bifhop 
 of Chalons gave Robert the paltoral Half, as 
 abbot, ere Ting the new monaftery into an 
 abbey. 
 
 The following year, Robert, being ordered 
 by the pope to relume the government of the 
 abbey of Moleme, was fucceeded, in that of Ci¬ 
 teaux, by Alberic ; and pope Pafchal, by a bull 
 of the year 1100, took that monaftery under his 
 protection. Alberic drew up the firft ftatutes for 
 the monks of Citaux, or Ciftertians, in which he 
 enjoined the ftridl obfervance of the rule of St. 
 Benedict. The habit of thefe religious, of the 
 monaftery of Citeaux, was, at firft, black : but 
 they pretend, that the Holy Virgin, appearing 
 to St. Alberic, gave him a white habit, from 
 which time they changed their black habit for a 
 white one, only retaining the black fcapulary. In 
 memory of this change they keep a feftival on 
 the 5th of Auguft, which they call, the defeent 
 of the blefied Virgin at Citeaux, and the mira¬ 
 culous changing of the habit from black to 
 white. The number of thofe, who embraced 
 the Ciftertian order, increafing, it was necefiary 
 to build more monafteries. Accordingly, in 
 1113, Stephen, abbot of Citeaux, built that of 
 La Ferte, in the diocefe of Chalons. The next 
 year, he founded Pontigni, in the diocefe of 
 Auxerre. Clairvaux, in the diocefe of Langres, 
 was built in 1115. The order increafed farther, 
 in n 18, by the founding of four other monafte¬ 
 ries, which were Prully, La Cour-Dieu, Trois- 
 Fontaines, and Bonnevaux ; and, in the follow¬ 
 ing year 1119, Bouras, Fontenay, Cadovin, and 
 Maran, were founded. Then Stephen formed 
 all thefe monafteries into one body, and drew up 
 the conftitutions of the order, which he called 
 ‘The Charter of Charity , containing, in five chap¬ 
 ters, all the necefiary rules for the eftablilhment 
 and government of the order. 
 
 The firft chapter of that charter enjoins the 
 literal obfervance of the rule of St. Benedict, as 
 
 the CHURCH of ROM E. 
 
 it was obferved at Citeaux ; the fecond regulates 
 the power of the abbots; the third fettles the 
 manner of holding general chapters, and decid¬ 
 ing differences therein ■, the fourth regulates the 
 eledlion of abbots, and the qualifications of the 
 electors and defied ; the fifth and laft treats of 
 the refignation and depofition of abbots. This 
 order made a furprifing progrefs. P’ifty years 
 after its inftitution, it had five hundred abbies ; 
 and, an hundred years afterwards, it boafted of 
 eighteen hundred abbies, molt of which had 
 been founded before the year 1200. This great 
 progrefs muft be aferibed to the fandlity of the 
 Ciftertians, of whom cardinal de Vi try, in his 
 weftern hiftory, lays, “ the whole church of 
 “ Chrift was full of the high reputation and 
 “ opinion of their landlity, as it were with the 
 “ odour of fome divine balfam, and that there 
 tC was no country or province, wherein this vine, 
 (C loaded with bleffings, had not fipread forth its 
 tc branches.” And, delcribing their obferv- 
 ances, he fays, “ they neither wore Ikins nor 
 “ lhirts, nor ever eat fiiefh, except in ficknefs, 
 “ and abftainecl from fifii, eggs, milk, and 
 “ cheefe : they lay only upon ftraw-beds, in 
 “ their tunics and cowls : they rofe at midnight, 
 “ and fang praifes to God till break of day : 
 “ they fpent the day in labour, reading, and 
 “ prayer ; and, in all their exercifes, they ob- 
 “ ferved a ftridt and continual filence : They 
 “ failed from the feaft of the Exaltation of the 
 “ Holy Crofs till Eafter; and they exercifed 
 “ hofpitality towards the poor, with extraordi- 
 “ nary charity.” 
 
 The order of Ciftertians became, in time, fo 
 powerful, that it governed almoft all Europe, 
 both in fpirituals and temporals. It did alfo 
 great fervice to the church, by means of the emi¬ 
 nent men it produced. Thefe religious were 
 employed by the pope to convert the Albigenfes. 
 Some authors fay, there have been fix popes of 
 this order ■, but it will be difficult to find any 
 more than Eugenius III. and Benedidl XII. It 
 boafts of about forty cardinals, a 'great number 
 of archbifiiops, bifhops, and famous writers. 
 Several kings and queens have preferred the ha¬ 
 bit of this order to their royal robes and crowns *. 
 in the fingle monaftery of Trebnitz, in Silefia, 
 they reckon above forty princefies of Poland, 
 who have taken the habit there. What adds 
 farther to the reputation of the order, is, that 
 the military orders of Calatrava, Alcantara, and 
 Montela, in Spain ; and thofe of Chrift and Avis, 
 in Portugal, are fubjedt to it. The abbot of 
 Citeaux is the fuperior-general, and father of the 
 Ciftertian order : but his power is more limited 
 than that of the other generals of orders. This 
 abbey has twenty-fix immediate daughters, which 
 are called of its generation. The general chap¬ 
 ter is always held at Citeaux. Only the Latin 
 tongue is fpoken in their general chapters. For¬ 
 merly, cardinals, archbiffiops, and bifhops, ufed 
 to be prefent at the chapters. Pope Eugenius III 
 honoured it with his prefence in the year 1148. 
 
 The habit of the Ciftertian monks is a white 
 robe, in the nature of a cafiock, with a black 
 fcapulary and hood, and is girt with a woolen 
 girdle. In the choir they wear over it a white 
 cowl. 
 
 The hiftorians of the Ciftertian order are not 
 
 agreed 
 
RELIGIOUS ORDERS 
 
 agreed as to the original of the nuns of this 
 order. Some afcribe it to St. Htimbelina, lifter 
 of St. Bernard ; others to St. Bernard himfelf. 
 The moft probable opinion is, that the firft rao- 
 naftery of nuns of this order was founded at Tart, 
 in the diocefe of Langres, in the year 1120, by 
 St. Stephen, abbot of Citeaux. The aufterity 
 of the Ciftertians, at their firft inflitution, would 
 not allow the women, who are tenderer than the 
 men, to undergo fo heavy a yoke. After the 
 foundation of the monaftery of Tart, feveral 
 others were founded in France, as thofe of Fer- 
 vaquez in the diocefe of Noion, Bladech in the 
 diocefe of St. Omer, Montreuil near Laon, &c. 
 The number of thefe monafteries increafed fo 
 much, that, if we may believe the hilforians of 
 the order, there were fix thoufand of them. The 
 habit of the Ciftertian nuns is a white tunic, and 
 a black fcapulary, and girdle. 
 
 The firft monaftery of Ciftertians in England 
 was that of Waverly in Surry, built in the year 
 1129, by William Gifford, bifhop of Wincheft 
 ter. Though thefe monks followed the rule of 
 St. Benedict, they were called, by the Englifh, 
 not Benediftines, but White Fryars. The cata¬ 
 logue of Ciftertians monafteries, in the reign of 
 Edward I. when that prince granted his protec¬ 
 tion to all the monafteries, amounted in number 
 to fixty-two. 
 
 Pope Celeftin V. inftituted a religious order, 
 which from his name are called CeleJHnes. 1 he 
 original name of this pope was Peter de Meuron, 
 of whom we have the following account. He 
 was born at Ifernia, a little town in the kingdom 
 of Naples, in the year 1215. His parents were 
 poor, and in his early youth he retired to a ibli- 
 tary mountain, where he devoted himfelf wholly 
 to meditation and prayer. The fame of his 
 piety brought many perfons to vifit him ; fome 
 of whom refolved to forfake the pleafures of life, 
 and to accompany him in his folitude. With 
 thele he formed a kind of community, in the 
 year 1254, which was approved by Pope Urban 
 IV. 1264, and erefted into a diftinft order, cal¬ 
 led the hermits of St. Damien. This fociety 
 was governed by Peter de Meuron till 1286, 
 when his love of folitude and retirement, indu¬ 
 ced him to quit the charge. In 1294, he was 
 eledled pope, when he took the name of Celcl- 
 tine, and his order were called Celeftines. By 
 his bull he confirmed the order, which at that 
 time had twenty monafteries, but he died foon 
 after, having been pope only five months. 
 
 Soon after his death, his order increal'ed fo faft 
 that they had convents not only in Italy, but 
 like wife in France, and in many parts of Ger¬ 
 many. They eat no flefti at any. time, except 
 when they are fick, and they rife two hours after 
 midnight to fay mattins. They faft every Wed- 
 nefclay" and Friday, and their habit is a white 
 gown, with a hood of the fame colour, and a 
 black fcapulary. 
 
 The Capuchins , are a religous inflitution of the or- 
 derofSt.Francis. TheyowetheiroriginaltoMat- 
 thewdeBafli, aFrancilcan of the duchy of Urbino; 
 who, having leen St. Francis reprelented with a 
 fharp-pointed capuchin, or cowl, began to wear 
 the like, in 1525, with the permiflion of pope 
 Clement VII. His example was followed by two 
 other religious, named Lewis and Raphael de 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 179 
 
 Foffembrun ; and the pope, by a brief, granted 
 thefe three monks leave to retire to fome her¬ 
 mitage, and retain their new habit; and the re¬ 
 tirement they chofe, was the hermitage of the 
 Camaldolites, near Maffacio, where they were 
 very charitably received. This innovation in the 
 habit of the order gave great offence to the 
 Francifcans, whofe provincial perfecuted thefe 
 poor monks, and obliged them to fly from place 
 to place. At laft, they took refuge in the pa¬ 
 lace of the duke de Camarino, by whofe credit 
 they were received under the obedience of the 
 conventuals, in the quality of hermits minors, 
 in the year 1527. The next year, the pope ap¬ 
 proved this union, and confirmed to them the 
 privilege of wearing the fquare capuchin, and 
 admitting among them all, who would take the 
 habit. Thus the order of the Capuchins, fo 
 called from wearing the capuchin, began in the 
 year 1528. 
 
 Their firft eftablifhment was at Colmenzono, 
 about a league from Camarino, in a convent of 
 the order of Sr. Jerom, which had been aban¬ 
 doned. But, their numbers increafing, Lewis 
 de Foffembrun built another fmall convent at 
 Montmelon, in the territory of Camarino. The 
 great number o*f converftons, which the Capu¬ 
 chins made by their preaching, and the affiftance 
 they gave the people in a contagious diftemper, 
 with which Italy was affli< 5 led the fame year, 1528, 
 gained them an univerfal efteem. In 1529, 
 Lewis de Foffembrun built for them two other 
 convents ; the one at Alvacina in the territory of 
 Fabriano, the other at Foffembrun in the dutchy 
 of Urbino. Matthew de Bafii, being chofen 
 their vicar general, drew up conftitutions for the 
 government of this order. They enjoined among 
 other things, that the Capuchins ftiould perform 
 divine fervice without finging ; that they fhould 
 fay but one mafs a day in their convents : they 
 diredled the hours of mental prayer, morning and 
 evening, the days of difeiplining themfelves, and 
 thofe of filence : they forbad the monks to hear 
 the confefiions of feculars j and enjoined them 
 always to travel on foot: they recommended 
 poverty in the ornaments of their church, and 
 prohibited in them the ufe of gold, filver, and 
 filk; the pavilions of the altars were to be of 
 fluff, and the chalices of tin. 
 
 This order foon fpread itfelf over all Italy, and 
 into Sicily. In 1573, Charles IX. demanded of 
 Pope Gregory XIII. to have the order cf Capu¬ 
 chins eftablifhed in France, which that pope con- 
 lented to; and their firft lettlement in that king¬ 
 dom was in the little town of Picpus near Paris ; 
 which they foon quitted, to fettle at Meudon, 
 from whence they were introduced into the ca- 
 pitalof thekingdom. In 1606, pope Paul V. gave 
 them leave to accept of an eftabliihment, which was 
 offered them in Spain. They even paffed the 
 leas, to labour the converfion of the infidels; and 
 their order is become fo confiderable, that it is at 
 prefent divided into more than fixty provinces, con- 
 fifling of near one thoufand fix hundred convents 
 and twenty five thoufand monks, belides the milli¬ 
 ons of Brazil, Congo, Barbary, Greece, Syria, and 
 Egypt. Among thofe, who have preferred the 
 poverty and humility of the Capuchins to the 
 advantages of birth and fortune, was the famous 
 Alphoni'o d’Eft, duke of Modena and Reggio, 
 
 who 
 
i So 
 
 RELIGIOUS ORDERS in the CHURCH of ROM E. 
 
 who after the death of his wife Ifabella, took the 
 habit of this order at Munich, in the year 1626, 
 under the name of brother John-Baptift, and 
 died in the convent of Caftelnuovo, in 1644. In 
 France likewife the great duke de Joyeule, after 
 having diftinguifhed himfelf as a great general, 
 became a Capuchin, in September 1587. 
 
 Father Paul obferves, t( that the Capuchins 
 “ preferve their reputation, by reafon of their 
 Cf poverty; and that if they fhould fuller the 
 “ leaft change in their inftitution, they would 
 “ acquire no immoveable eftates by it, but 
 tc would lofe the alms they now receive." He 
 adds : “ It feems therefore as if here an abfolute 
 
 period were put to all future acquifitions and 
 “ improvements in this gainful trade : for who- 
 te ever fhould go about to inftitute a new order, 
 tc with a power of acquiring eftates, fuch an 
 
 order would certainly find no credit in the 
 <c world ; and if a profefiion of poverty were a 
 <c part of the inftitution, there could be no ac- 
 <c quifitions made whilft that lafted ; nor would 
 ft there be any credit left, when that was broke.” 
 
 There is likewife an order of Capuchin nuns, 
 who follow the rule of St. Clara. Their firft efta- 
 blifhment was atNaples in 1538 ; and their foun- 
 drefs was the venerable mother Maria Laurentia 
 Longa, of a noble family of Catalonia ; a lady 
 of the mod uncommon piety and devotion. 
 Some Capuchins coming to fettle at Naples, fhe 
 obtained for them, by her credit with the arch- 
 bifhop, the church of St. Euphebia without the 
 city : foon after which fhe built a monaftery of 
 virgins, under the name of Our Lady of Jeru- 
 falem, into which fhe retired in 1534, together 
 with nineteen young women, who engaged them- 
 felves by folemn vows to follow the third rule 
 of St. Francis. The pope gave the govern¬ 
 ment of this monaftery to the Capuchins; and, 
 foon after, the nuns quitted the third rule of 
 St. Francis, to embrace the more rigorous rule 
 of St. Clara, from the aufterity of which they 
 had the name of Nuns of the. Pafiion, and that 
 of Capuchins from the habit they took, which 
 was that of the Capuchins. 
 
 After the death of their foundrefs, another 
 monaftery of Capuchins was eftablilhed at 
 Rome, near the Quirinal palace, and was called 
 the monaftery of the Holy Sacrament ; and a 
 third, in the fame city, built by cardinal Baro- 
 nius. Thefe foundations were approved, in the 
 year 1600, by pope Clemeni VIII. and confir¬ 
 med by Gregory XV. There were afterwards 
 fcveral other eftablifhments of Capuchins: in 
 particular one at Paris, in 1604, founded by the 
 duchefs de Mercceur; who put crowns of thorns 
 on the heads of the young women, whom Ihe 
 placed in her monaftery. 
 
 As the religious orders are now utterly abolilh- 
 ed in this country, in confequence of the refor¬ 
 mation from popery, it is neceflary before we 
 difmifs this article, to take fome notice of the 
 effects they had on the minds of the people, both 
 in a civil and a religious light. 
 
 And firft in a civil light, they had their advan¬ 
 tages and their difadvantages. The vaft eftates 
 bellowed upon them for their fupport, were let 
 at eafy rents to tenants, and for the molt part the 
 rents were taken from what the earth produced. 
 Phis encouraged induftrv, and promoted agri¬ 
 
 culture, the people refided in the country, where 
 poverty was feldom known, and thofe cities which 
 now make fuch a diftinguilhing figure in Britain, 
 were then little better than contemptible villages. 
 The people in the country were fatisfiedwith their 
 conditions, becaufe the cities and towns had no 
 temptations to prefent them with. Flow different 
 in the prefent age, when the country is depopu¬ 
 lated, and the cities crov'ded with unthinking 
 perfons, who are verging towards the brink of de- 
 llrubtion. The lands which formerly belonged 
 to thefe houfes, are now in the hands of laymen, 
 who, not being willing to fet any bounds to their 
 extravagance, keep the farmers tenants at will, 
 and raife their rents to fuch an exorbitant height, 
 that the price of all forts of provifions daily in- 
 creafes and the country is in a manner neg- 
 lefted. 
 
 But the difadvantage in a civil light was the 
 dilcouragement they gave to marriage. This 
 was an unnatural fentiment, becaufe every man 
 fhould have his own wife, and every woman her 
 own hufband. It was the defign of God, that 
 it fhould be lo, left unnatural crimes fhould take 
 place, and men become even worfe than the beafts 
 that periftr. Many accufations were preferred 
 againft thofe who lived in convents at the time of 
 the reformation, fome of which are too lliocking 
 to be mentioned, and for the honour of human 
 nature, we hope that a great number of them 
 were falfe. This will appear the more probable, 
 when we confider, that too many of thole who 
 promoted the reformation, had their own intereft 
 in view, more than the glory of God, or the hap- 
 pinefs of immortal fouls. But ftill, perhaps 
 fome part of the accufation was too true, for to 
 ule the words of the moralift, cc Shut nature out 
 c< at the door, and fhe will come in at the 
 
 window.” Celibacy is no crime, when volun¬ 
 tarily chofen, and fubmitted to in purity, but it 
 becomes dangerous when impofed. The antient 
 hermits, in times of perfecution, and of whom 
 we have already given an account, were under 
 the rectfiity of living in a ftate of celibacy, but 
 the caufe being removed, the effetfl Ihould ceafe. 
 There was no necefiity that the monks fhould 
 live in a ftate of celibacy, and if fo, how great 
 was their error in obliging young perfons who 
 devoted themfelves to a religious life, to be de¬ 
 prived of all thofe innocent pleafures which will 
 always take place between the lexes, when flow¬ 
 ing from virtuous love. 
 
 Secondly, in a religious light. The great 
 error of the monaftic life confifted in the monks, 
 like the Pharifees of old, having confidered 
 themfelves as far fuperior in religion to the reft 
 of the world. Sclf-righteoufnefs is contrary to 
 every thing in genuine religion, whether natural 
 or revealed. It precludes all neceflity for re¬ 
 pentance, and teaches poor finful mortals to look 
 down with contempt and difdain upon many of 
 their fellow-creatures, who perhaps are greater 
 objefls of the Divine favour than themfelves. 
 The monks taught the people to believe that the 
 fecular clergy were no better than hirelings, be¬ 
 caufe they received the tythes appointed by law, 
 for the ftated difeharge of their duty, whereas 
 the monks themfelves enjoyed greater eftates, 
 without doing any duty at all. 
 
 But with all thefe errors, the monaftic life had 
 
 its 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 its advantages in a religions light. In an age of 
 barbarity, when the great lived by the fword, 
 and the poor were their fubmiffive vafials, many 
 events took place, which we, who pride ourfelves 
 for living in better times, look back to like a 
 dream in the records of hiftony, A hufband de¬ 
 prived of a wife by the barbarity of lawlefs rob¬ 
 bers, his daughter ravilhed, and his fon killed in 
 defending injured innocence, often induced fome 
 of our great noblemen to retire from the world, 
 and build convents for thofe in the fame diftrefied 
 circumftances with themfelves. In thefe places, 
 the difconfolate widow, the maiden injured by 
 her falfe lover, the orphan, the fick, and the 
 wounded found an afiylum ; the world had for¬ 
 gotten them, and they were dead to the pleafures 
 and the allurements of it. 
 
 It was the great error of the Reformation, that 
 thefe religious houfes were not preferved, for rea- 
 fon of a fimilar nature. The revenues appro- 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME, 
 
 priated for their fupport would have been fuf 
 ficient to fupport the aged and the affli&ed, lb 
 that we fhould have had no occafion for work 
 houfes and hofpitals. The youth of both fexes 
 belonging to our induftrious poor, would have 
 been brought up in the principles of virtue and 
 religion, till they had been fit to go out to trades; 
 and charity fchools would have been, in many 
 refpe&s, unneceflafy. And to conclude, bifliop 
 Burnet tells us, that archbiftiop Leighton, one of 
 the greateft divines who have lived fince the age 
 of the apoftles, often lamented that thefe religious 
 houfes had not been kept up for men of morti¬ 
 fied tempers to fpend the remainder of their 
 lives in, without the entanglement of oaths and 
 vows. All this, however, was rendered ineffec¬ 
 tual, by the rapaciouinefs of our princes and no¬ 
 bility ; but the fubjedt is fo melancholy, that we 
 fliall not dwell any longer upon it. 
 
 Rites and Ceremonies in 
 
 F IRST, of theeledlion of the pope. When 
 the pope dies, the care of the government 
 is committed to four cardinals, viz. The 
 firfi: cardinal bifliop, the firft cardinal prieft, the 
 firft cardinal deacon, and the cardinal chamber- 
 lain of the houfhold. The firfl three are appoint¬ 
 ed to manage the civil affairs of the government, 
 and the latter orders all the feals of the late pope 
 to be broken, and the money to be coined with a 
 device of the vacancy. 
 
 The office of thefe four cardinals continues 
 only ten days, but they appoint deputies, and 
 they, with the reft of their brethren, enter the 
 conclave to proceed to the election of a pope, or 
 as he is called, A Vicar of Jefus Chrift. Before 
 they enter the conclave, they hear the mafs of the 
 Holy Ghoft in the Gregorian chapel, and a 
 bifhop delivers an harangue in latin, exhorting 
 them to make choice of a proper perfon to 
 fill the chair of St. Peter, the prince of the 
 apoftles. 
 
 This being over, the cardinals march in pro- 
 ceffion, two and two, according to their rank, at¬ 
 tended by the Swifs guards, and a vaft crowd of 
 people all finging the hymn to the Holy Ghoft, 
 called Veni Creator Spirit us. When they arrive at 
 the conclave, they take poffefiion of their cells 
 by lot, after which they all go to the chapel of 
 pope Paul III. where the bulls for the ele&ion of 
 a pope are read, and the dean of the facred col¬ 
 lege exhorts the cardinals to a£t confiftent with 
 them. They are then permitted to go home to 
 dinner, but they muft return before night, for 
 the mafter of the ceremonies acquaints them, 
 that if any of them come out of their cells after 
 they are fhut up, they cannot be re-admitted. 
 
 The marftial of the ceremonies orders the 
 guards to ftand at fuch places as appear to him 
 rnoft convenient for the fafety of the ele&ion, and 
 16 
 
 the Church o/ROME. 
 
 the ambaffadors of princes are permitted to re¬ 
 main in the conclave the firft twenty-four hours, 
 but no longer. When all fuch as are not to remain 
 in the conclave are gone out, the doors are Ihur, 
 the conclave is walled up, and guards are ported 
 at all the avenues. The cardinal dean, and the 
 cardinal chamberlain, then vifit the conclave to 
 fee that every thing is fafe, and an aft thereof is 
 drawn up by a notary. 
 
 Each cardinal has a prieft and a foldier to at¬ 
 tend him, and the other officers are, a facrift, an 
 under facrift, a fecretary, and an under fecretary, 
 a confeffor, two phyficians, a furgeon, two bar¬ 
 bers, an apothecary with his apprentices, five 
 mailers of the ceremonies, a bricklayer, a car¬ 
 penter, and fixteen porters. All thefe are called 
 conclavilts, and although the office is rather 
 troublefome, yet, when the eleftion is over, they 
 enjoy many privileges. The new eledted pope 
 diftributes a fum of money among them, and 
 they enjoy penfions for life. 
 
 The governor of Rome, who, in fome refpefts, 
 is like the mayor of one of our corporations, 
 iflues out orders to deter all perfons, except the 
 guards, from carrying arms, either in the day or 
 night, and all fuch as tranfgrels are feverely 
 puniffied. The clergy of Rome, whether fecular 
 or regular, are obliged to march once every day 
 in proceffion to St. Peter’s, to implore the aid 
 of the Holy Ghoft, in directing the cardinals to 
 make a proper choice of a holy father for the 
 church, and from St. Peter’s they march to the 
 Vatican, and fing the Veni Creator Spiritus. 
 
 When the conclave is ffiut up, the under maf¬ 
 ter of the ceremonies goes through the apart¬ 
 ments at fix in the morning, and two in the after¬ 
 noon, ringing a little bell to call the cardinals to 
 the chapel of the ferutiny. Each of the cardi¬ 
 nals comes out of his cell, attended by his concla- 
 Z 2 villa 
 
iSa RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 v'ifls, one of whom carries his ftandilh into the 
 chapel where the fcrutiny is to be, and the other 
 his robe and hat, which his eminence puts on 
 when he enters the chapel. Thefe robes are not 
 the fame they wear on other occafions, but are 
 made for the prefent purpofe only. 
 
 This chapel, which is never ufed but during the 
 elefton of a pope, is finely decorated, and much 
 efteemed by thole who vilit Rome. At the 
 upper end of it is painted the laft Judgment ; and 
 the floor and benches are covered with green 
 cloth. The feat for the. dean of the Sacred Col¬ 
 lege is on the right hand going in, and the firft 
 cardinal deacon over againft him ; behind the 
 altar is along table, and on it two bafons filled 
 with printed ballots for the fcrutiny. Here are 
 alfo two chalices, and a bag, wherein the laft 
 cardinal deacon puts the balls intended to ballot 
 for the fcrutiny. 
 
 The conclave, which confifts of part of the 
 apoftolical palace, is a row of little cells, made 
 of wainfcot, where the cardinals are Ihut up 
 while they are employed about the eleflion of 
 a pope. Every cell has fmall apartments adjoin¬ 
 ing, for theufe of the conclavifts, and they are all 
 ranged along the great gallery of the Vatican, 
 with fmall fpaces between them ; fuch of the car¬ 
 dinals as had been the favourites of the late pope, 
 have their cells hung with purple fluff, but the 
 others ule only green ferge. The feats, tables, 
 and bed are all covered with the fame, and over 
 the door of each of the apartments is painted the 
 arms of the cardinal to whom it belongs. A 
 long range of windows running along the front 
 of the gallery, give light to the cells, and there 
 are ventilators to carry off the foul air. 
 
 The Swifs, who guard the door of the Vatican, 
 are changed every two hours ; and in the fquare 
 of St. Peter is a body of troops, commanded by 
 the general of the church, who is mod com¬ 
 monly a Roman nobleman. Near the caftle of 
 St. Angelo, there is another body of guards, the 
 foldiers of which are commanded by the marfhal 
 of the church, and thefe guard the paffages 
 through which the cardinals receive their provi- 
 fions. Neither the cardinals, nor their attend¬ 
 ants fhut up with them, are to be fpoken to, 
 except at particular hours, and then it muft be 
 aloud either in the Latin or Italian language. 
 
 Before any provifions can be carried in to the 
 cardinals, the foldiers, who guard all the inlets to 
 their apartments, examine llridlly whether any 
 letters are concealed within the diflies, and if 
 any are found, they are deftroyed. Every day 
 about noon, and towards evening, the coaches 
 belonging to the different cardinals come into 
 the fquare of St. Peter, and their domeftics 
 alighting, go to the fteward of the conclave, and 
 demand their mailers provifions. Having re¬ 
 ceived thedilhes, &c. they march to the inner 
 paffage, in the following order; firft the car¬ 
 dinal's two Ilaff bearers, each with his wooden 
 mace, painted of a purple colour, having his 
 arms upon it. Behind thefe marches his valet 
 de charnbre with his filver mace, and after him his 
 gentlemen follow, two and two, bare-headed. 
 Next follows the mailer of the houlhold, with a 
 napkin on his Ihoulder, attended by the butler 
 and the carver. The Ilaff bearers who follow 
 him, carry the cardinal's vifluals and drink on a 
 
 in the CHURCH of R O M E. 
 
 lever, whereon hangs a large kettle, containing 
 feveral pots, plates, and difhes. Others carry 
 large balkets, containing bottles of wine, bread, 
 fruits, cream, jellies, and all fuch articles of 
 luxury, as can be procured. 
 
 When they arrive at the entry of the paffage 
 leading to the gallery where the bells are, they 
 name aloud the cardinal whom they want, and 
 a valet from within, admits porters to carry in 
 the provifions. But although they ufe all thefe 
 precautions, and many more, yet letters are of¬ 
 ten conveyed to the cardinals ; and this is fome- 
 times done in the moll artful manner, by 
 writing on the Ikin of a fowl, and putting it 
 into a bottle of wine. 
 
 When the eledtion is over, three of the cardi¬ 
 nals wait on the pope, and alk him what name 
 he is determined to affume. He having an- 
 fwered them, which is mod commonly the name 
 of the pope who railed him to the dignity of 
 cardinal ; they deliver to him the filherman's 
 rod. The two firft cardinal deacons condudl the 
 new eledted pope to a place behind the altar, 
 where, with the affiftance of the mailer of the 
 ceremonies and the facrilt, who is always an 
 Auguftine monk, they take oft' his cardinals ha¬ 
 bit, to put on the pontifical, which is a robe of 
 white taffety, a linen rochet, a ca'mail and a cap, 
 both of red fattin, with Ihoes made of red cloth 
 embroidered with gold, and a golden crol's on 
 the upper part. 
 
 The pope, being thus properly dreffed, is car¬ 
 ried in his chair before the altar in the chapel, 
 and there all the cardinals adore him, by killing 
 his feet and his right hand, kneeling before him. 
 The holy father then railes them up one after 
 another, and gives them the falute of peace on 
 the right cheek. This part of the ceremony be¬ 
 ing over, the firft cardinal deacon, preceded by 
 the mailer of the ceremonies, carrying the crofs, 
 and a choir of mufic flinging, “Behold the high 
 “ priell fo acceptable to God, and fo juft,” goes 
 to the great lodge of St. Peter’s, where the maf- 
 ter mafon takes care to have the door opened, 
 that the cardinals may pafs into the balcony, to 
 acquaint the people with the eledlion of a pope, 
 crying with a loud voice, “ I bring you glad ti- 
 “ dings, we have a pope.” Then one of the 
 great guns belonging to St. Peter’s is fired, to 
 give notice to the caftle of St. Angelo, to dif- 
 charge a whole round of artillery, and all the 
 bells in the city are fet a ringing, while the 
 air refounds with the noife of drums and trum¬ 
 pets. 
 
 During the whole of this noife, the whole bo¬ 
 dy of the Roman people Hand in the ftreets, pray¬ 
 ing for bleffmgs upon the new pope, from whom 
 they promife themlelves every fort of happinefs. 
 The fame day, the .pope with his mitre on, is 
 carried to the altar of pope Sixtus V. -.. here the 
 cardinals in their purple robes come and adore 
 him a fecond time. The adoration is performed 
 in the fame manner as before, and during the 
 whole of the ceremony, the muficians fing an¬ 
 thems fuitable to the folemnity. In the mean 
 time, the enclofures of the conclave are broken 
 down, and the cardinals defeend into the middle 
 of St. Peter’s church, and beh.nd them the new 
 pope is carried in a chair, over which is a canopy 
 adorned with gold fringe. His bearers feat him 
 
 on 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 on the altar of St. Peter, where the cardinals 
 adore him a third time, and after them the fo¬ 
 reign ambaffadors, amidft a vaft concourfe of 
 people. TV Deum is then fung, and the cardinal, 
 who ftands on the epiftle fide of the altar, reads 
 the verfes and prayers appointed for that cere- 
 ’mony in the Romifh ritual. After this, the 
 pope is fet down on the higheft fteps of the altar, 
 and the aftifting cardinals having taken off his 
 mitre, he lolemny blefles the people. His robes 
 are then taken off, and twelve chairmen in long 
 fcarlet cloaks hanging down to the ground, place 
 him in his chair and convey him to his apart¬ 
 ments. Such are the ceremonies pradtiled at 
 Rome, the firft day after the eledtion of a new 
 pope ; and when we confider it in all its parts, 
 perhaps, there was never any thing fo magnifi¬ 
 cent under the name of religion in the world. 
 
 The pope, as univerfal head of the church, be¬ 
 ing eledted in the manner we have related, pre¬ 
 parations are made for his coronation; and thefe 
 are equal in magnificence and grandeur, to thofe 
 of the greateft monarchs in the world. If at the 
 rime of his eledtion, he is only a cardinal deacon, 
 then the deacons of the facred college, confti- 
 tute him both prieft and bifhop at one time in 
 the chapel of pope Sixtus V. to which on the 
 day of his coronation he goes in his cardinal’s 
 habit, fupported by two prelates, who are the 
 gentlemen of his chamber, and his cup-bearer. 
 All the foreign ambaffadors, the cardinals, with 
 the Roman princes and nobility join in the pro- 
 ceffion, and they are efcorted by the Swifs 
 guards, both horfe and foot. When they arrive 
 at the chapel of pope Sixtus V. the cardinals 
 put on their red caps, and the pope has his pon- 
 tificalibus delivered to him in the following 
 manner: 
 
 The firft mafter of the ceremonies girds on the 
 falda of taffety undfr the rochet, and puts upon 
 his head the red fattin barrette. His holinels 
 then goes into the chapel, where the cardinals 
 make him a very low reverential bow, and the 
 holy father receives the fubmifiion of his fpiri- 
 tual children like an indulgent parent. The 
 gentlemen who attend the cardinals are on their 
 knees, and the pope Hands with his back to the 
 altar. After this, one of the cardinal deacons 
 takes off his red barrettey and another puts on 
 one of white taffety ; they likewife take off his 
 red mozette, and drefs him in the ameit, the 
 albe, the girdle, the Hole, and the red chafuble 
 embroidered with gold. The firft cardinal dea¬ 
 con puts the mitre, adorned with precious (tones, 
 upon his head, whilft the mafter of the ceremo¬ 
 nies fings an anthem, accompanied by the choir. 
 After which one of the fub-deans takes up the 
 crofs that is carried before the pope, and the 
 cardinals pull off their barrettes in honour of the 
 facred wood. 
 
 The crofs is carried in the following order: 
 The pope’s gentlemen walk two and two before 
 it, followed by all the courtiers of the new fuc- 
 ceflor of St. Peter, dreffed in their ceremonial 
 habits. The pages march next, and after them 
 a numerous train of confiftorial advocates, the 
 gentlemen of the privy chamber, the archbi- 
 (hops, bifhops, and the pope’s chaplains, who 
 carry the triple crown and mitre. The crofs 
 comes after thele chaplains, and is followed by 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 183 
 
 the cardinal deacons two and two, and they by 
 the cardinal priefts and bifhops in the fame or¬ 
 der. After thefe come the Roman nobility and 
 foreign ambaffadors, each attended by numerous 
 retinues of fervants and dependants. 
 
 The holy father is carried in a chair to the 
 church, in the midft of this folemn proceftion, 
 furrounded by his guards, and followed by vaft 
 numbers of people. The knights of St. Peter 
 and Paul, lupport the canopy over the holy fa¬ 
 ther’s head ; and in that order the proceffion pro¬ 
 ceeds to the great church of St. Peter. Under 
 the portico of St. Peter’s, near the holy gate, 
 there is a throne eredted for the pope, where he 
 fits under a canopy, having likewife benches 
 railed in for the cardinalJ. 
 
 Then all the clergy belonging to St. Peter’s, 
 preceded by the dean, come and kifs the pope’s 
 feet; after which, he is carried to the foot of the 
 high altar, amidft the acclamations of the peo¬ 
 ple. He here kneels down and prays before the 
 hoft, bareheaded, and is immediately carried 
 from thence to the Gregorian chapel; there he 
 places himl'elf on a throne furrounded by the fo¬ 
 reign ambaffadors, the cardinals, the Italian 
 princes and nobles, with all the great officers of 
 his houfhold. Being thus feated, he receives 
 homage from every one prefent, by their kiffing 
 his feet, and then he beftows his bleffing on the 
 people, who teftify their regard for him, in 
 the loudeft acclamations of love, joy, and 
 efteem. 
 
 This part of the ceremony being over, the 
 cardinals, bifhops, and other prelates, put on 
 their white robes, whilft the canons of St. Pe¬ 
 ter’s ling an anthem in the choir, and the pope 
 wafties his hands four times. The firft bafon of 
 water is prefented him by the firft Roman con- 
 fervator ; the fecond, during mafs, by the gene¬ 
 ral of the church ; the third, by the French am- 
 baffador; and the laft, by the ambaffador from 
 the emperor. After this, the firft cardinal dea¬ 
 con dreffes the new made pope in fine robes, 
 adorned with the moft coftly jewels, and then 
 the proceffion begins, by the firft mafter of the 
 ceremonies carrying a lighted wax taper in one 
 hand, and a bafon of water in the other. A pile 
 of combuftibles is eredled in the bafon when the 
 water is poured out, and fire is fet to it by the 
 mafter of the ceremonies, in order to put the 
 holy father in mind of the vanity of all earthly 
 grandeur, and he repeats three times to the pope, 
 the following words, c< Behold, holy father, how 
 “ the glory of this world paffes away.” 
 
 The whole proceftion being arrived at the 
 foot of the high altar, on which ftands feveral 
 large filver candlefticks gilded, with wax tapers 
 in them; the pope makes a fhort prayer, and 
 then rifing up, begins the mafs, having the car¬ 
 dinal deacon on his right hand, as affiftant bi- 
 iliop with his cope, and the cardinal deacon of 
 the gofpel on his left, with two cardinal deacons 
 behind him as aftiftants. 
 
 His hplinefs having made the folemn confef- 
 fion, the cardinal dean, who holds the mitre, 
 gives it to the two cardinal deacons aftiftants, to 
 put it upon his head. He then goes and fits 
 down on his throne, before which, each of the 
 three cardinal priefts reads a prayer, fuitable to 
 his coronation. The pope then delcends from 
 
 his 
 
tS 4 RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 his throne ; hismitreistakenoff, andthe firftcaroi- 
 nal deacon affifted by the fecond, dreffes him in the 
 Pallium, faying to him, “Receive the Pallium, 
 
 “ which reprefents to youtheduties andperfeccion 
 “ ofthepontifical tundlion. May you dilcharge it 
 “ to the glory of God, and of his molt holy 
 “ mother, the blelfed Virgin Mary; of the 
 “ blelfed apoftles St. Peter and St. Paul, and of 
 “ the holy Roman church.” 
 
 In the next part of the ceremony, the cardinal 
 deacon of the gotpel puts three deacon s vcftures 
 on the three crolfes of the Pallium, and the holy 
 father alcends the altar with the Pallium on his 
 lhoulder, but without his mitre; andkiffesthe 
 book of the holy evangelifts, at the fame time 
 perfuming the altar with incenfe. After this the 
 mitre is again let upon his head, and the firft car¬ 
 dinal deacon perfumes him three times with in¬ 
 cenfe, and the ceremony clofes wich a falute, 
 which the cardinal gives him on his left cheek 
 and ftomach ; and the two other cardinals do the 
 fameafterhim. Then the pope returns to his throne, 
 where he receives the adoration of all the cardi¬ 
 nals, and of the clergy who are prefent. From 
 his throne he proceeds to the high altar, where he 
 fm°a with an audible voice, “ Glory be to God, 
 in the higheft ; ” and as foon as the prayer of 
 mafs is ended, he inftantly afcends his throne. 
 Then the firft cardinal deacon defcends into the 
 confeffional of St. Peter, attended by the prin¬ 
 cipal officers of that church. There they ling 
 feveral Litanies, accompanied by the choir ; after 
 which the pope is carried into the benediction 
 feat, accompanied by his cardinals and prelates. 
 The canopy under which he is carried, is lup- 
 ported by feveral of the Roman nobility, and j 
 two of the grooms in red liveries carry fans of 
 peacocks feathers, on each fide of the chair. All 
 the cardinals (land up while the two firft deacon 
 cardinals affift the pope to afcend the throne, 
 which the day before was fet up in the middle of 
 the pew. An anthem is then fung, and the dean 
 of the facred college reads the coronation prayer; 
 The fecond cardinal deacon takes off his holi- 
 nel's’s mitre, and the firft puts the triple crown on 
 his head, faying, “ Receive this Tiara, embel- 
 « lilhed with three crowns, and never forget 
 “ when you have it on, that you are the father j 
 of princes and kings, the fupreme judge of the | 
 < £ univerfe, and on earth, vicar of Jefus Chrilt, 
 
 “ our Lord and Saviour.” 
 
 During the whole of this ceremony, Rome is 
 in an unboundedftate ofconfufion ; for although 
 the truards are drawn up to prevent dilorders, 
 yet Fuch is the mad nets of the people, that they 
 run into all manner of extravagances; and the 
 murder of a few perfons is confidered as no more 
 than trifles. The coronation being over, the 
 pope treats the cardinals, foreign ambaffadors, 
 prelates, and all the great officers of ftate, with 
 the molt magnificent entertainment that we can 
 form any idea of. 
 
 A lofty theatre is eroded at the upper end of a 
 fpacious hall, and in the center is a table at 
 which his holinefs takes his feat, under a velvet 
 canopv adorned with fringes of gold. On the 
 left hand fide-board Hand a large number of 
 gold and filver veffels ; and on the right hand is 
 a table for the cardinals, ambaffadors, and great 
 officers of ftate. The laity, although princes 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 
 
 or the fons of kings, are obliged to wait at table 
 on the holy father, who comes into the hall drei- 
 fed in his pontifical robes, lupported by two 
 cardinal deacons, and followed by all the reft of 
 that body. Before his holinefs fits down to table, 
 he walhes his hands in ftate; the bafon being 
 held by the Imperial ambaffador; the firft car¬ 
 dinal bifhop pours the water on his hands, and 
 two cardinal deacons give him the napkin. Du¬ 
 ring the whole of this ceremony, the other car¬ 
 dinals with the ambalTadors and nobility kneel 
 down, and remain in that pofture till the pope 
 takes his place at the table. 
 
 All things having been thus adjufted, _ the 
 pope is next to take pofleffion of his l'ove- 
 reignty, at the church of St. John de Lateran, 
 which is his cathedral, and the metropolitan of 
 all the churchesunder his jurifdiction, throughout 
 the Chriftian world. This ceremony is perform- 
 ed a few days after the coronation, in the molt 
 pompous manner that can be imagined. 
 
 Twelve trumpets and twelve light horfemen 
 begin the proceffion from St. Peter’s church, and 
 fix ranks of four horfes each follow, carrying 
 cloaks belonging to the cardinals. After them 
 march the mace-bearers belonging to the car¬ 
 dinals, all on horfeback, with filver maces on 
 their ihoulders, on which are the arms of their 
 matters. Thefe are followed by the gentlemen 
 and almoners of the cardinals, foreign ambaf¬ 
 fadors, and princes, with a long train of Roman 
 nobility, drolled in the molt fumptuous manner, 
 and attended by their fervants in rich liveries. 
 
 The next part of the proceffion confifts of four 
 of the pope’s equerries, dreffed in large red copes, 
 and then his taylor, and two cloak bearers dref- 
 fed alike, carrying two velvet portmanteaus em¬ 
 broidered with gold. The pope’s grooms of the 
 liable in loofe coats of red ferge follow them, 
 leading the white jennets which the kingdom of 
 Naples is obliged annually to fend to his holinefs, 
 as a tribute of homage for that kingdom ; the 
 popes having for many ages claimed it as part of 
 the patrimony of the holy fee. 1 hefe jennets 
 have filk houfings, with gold fringes and leaves 
 of filver plate; after them come feveral mules, 
 richly caprifoned, and bordered with red velvet, 
 and gold fringes, feveral of the pope’s domeftics 
 leading them by the bridles. 
 
 Three litters covered with red velvet or fcarlet 
 cloth follow them, and two officers on horfeback 
 march before the litters, attending the pope’s 
 mafter of the horfe on horfeback, with his ftaff- 
 bearers who walk on foot, five of the pope s 
 mace-bearers come after in long gowns of purple 
 cloth, faced with velvet, with their maces and 
 enamelled collars. Fourteen drums come next 
 on foot, dreffed in red fattin flowered with gold, 
 wearing plumes of feathers in their hats, and 
 each of them bearing an enfign of the fourteen 
 quarters or diftrifts of Rome. A band of the 
 pope’s trumpets follow them dreffed in fcarlet, 
 faced with gold ; and after them walk the apofto- 
 lical o-entlemen of the bed-chamber, with the 
 pagesFall dreffed in fcarlet. The commiffary of 
 the apoltolical chamber, in purple, and the advo¬ 
 cates in black, with the family chaplains and 
 pages all dreffed in fcarlet come afterwards. 
 Thefe are followed by a vaft number of do¬ 
 meftics, each of whom carries fomething in his 
 
 hand. 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 hands, as a diftinguiftiing mark of the rank they 
 bare in the houlhoid, particularly the four 
 participents, who are dreffed ill purple, and carry 
 the pope’s four crimfon velvet hats. 
 
 After them come forty of the Roman officers, 
 mounted on (lately hories, viz. the judges, 
 juftices, fecretaries, notaries, comptrollers, fifcals, 
 &c. all dreffed in long fenatorial robes and black 
 velvet hats. On the left hand of the dean 
 march the regifters of the courts, the clerks of 
 the chamber, the auditors, and the matter of the 
 {acred palace. The fourteen matters of the dif- 
 tridts of Rome follow them, dreffed in robes of 
 crimfon velvet, lined with rich taffety, and at7 
 tended by fourteen marlhals in pink (attin veils. 
 The governor of Rome follows after, attended 
 by a vaft train of dependants and officers, parti¬ 
 cularly the Roman princes, and fuch as attend the 
 pope’s privy chamber. The apoftolical fub- 
 deacon carries the tripple crofs, reverfed towards 
 the pope, who now makes his appearance in the 
 following manner: 
 
 His holinefs is carried in a litter lined with 
 red velvet, embroidered and fringed with gold, 
 and he himfelf is cloathed in a white fattin caf- 
 fock with the rochet and ftole all of red velvet 
 if it is winter, but of red fattin if fummer. 
 Fifty young Roman gentlemen, dreffed in white 
 l'attin, walk before his holinefs, and they are fol¬ 
 lowed by the pages of the bedchamber, and two 
 troops of horfe guards. All the cardinals follow 
 on horieback two and two, immediately after the 
 pope’s guard, and they are followed by the arch- 
 bifhops and bifhops, of whom there are always 
 many at Rome. 1'he whole of the proceffion 
 clofes with two troops of light horfe, with their 
 officers, pompoufly dreffed in fcarlet and gold. 
 
 This magnificent proceffion marches from St. 
 Peter’s to the bridge of St. Angelo, and from 
 thence to the Capitol, where the Roman people 
 ere£t a triumphal arch for his holinefs, and the 
 fenator prefents him with the keys of the city, 
 holding a fcepter in his hand, while he delivers 
 an oration, which the new made pontiff moft con- 
 defcendingly ftoops to hear. 
 
 From thence they proceed to Campo Vachino, 
 where the duke of Parma ereflrs another trium¬ 
 phal arch before his palace, through which his 
 holinefs is carried. They then crofs the ColliJ- 
 cum, where the Jews have another arch erefted, 
 and under it they prefent him with the five books 
 of Moles in Hebrew. One of their rabbies de¬ 
 livers an addrefs to the holy father, exhorting 
 him to reverence the law of Mofes, and an hum¬ 
 ble requeft that he will be graciouily pleafed to 
 proteft them. He, in anfwer, tells them that he has 
 the moft profound refpeft for the law of Mofes, 
 though, at the fame time, he rejefts their falfe in¬ 
 terpretations of it. After which the Jews retire 
 without making any reply, and the proceffion 
 goes forward through the ftreets, which on that 
 day are hung with tapeftry, and crowded with a 
 vaft number of fpcdlators. In this manner they 
 proceed to St. John de Lateran, where they are 
 received by all the clergy belonging to that 
 church. 
 
 The pope being arrived at the gate of St. John 
 de Lateran, comes out of his litter, and the car¬ 
 dinal arch-pried prelents him the crofs to kifs ; 
 after this his holinefs alcends the throne, which 
 
 16 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROM E. *8* 
 
 is prepared for him under the portico, where his- 
 pontifical robes and mitre are put on. Whilft he 
 is on the throne, the canons of St. John de Lat¬ 
 eran come and kifs his feet, and the cardinal 
 arch pried makes an oration in the name of the 
 chapter, and delivers him the keys of the church, 
 one of which is of gold, and the other of filver. 
 As loon as this part of the ceremony is over, the 
 cardinals put on their l’acred ornaments, and the 
 pope walks towards the great gate of the ca¬ 
 thedral, where the cardinal arch pried gives him 
 a fprinkler, with which he takes holy water and 
 fprinkles the people, then the fame cardinal per¬ 
 fumes his holinefs three times with incenfe. 
 
 His holinefs then goes into his chair, and his 
 bearers carry him along the nave of the church 
 under a rich canopy held over his head, up to 
 the high altar, where he prays. He is then carried 
 into the choir to a throne, where the cardinals 
 come and pay him their homage. Then the two 
 cardinal deacons put on and take off his mitre, 
 while he gives the facred benediction. When 
 this is over, he is carried into the palace of St. 
 John de Lateran, where feveral anthems are fung, 
 at the dole whereof, the cardinal pried makes 
 an oration, and repeats feveral particular prayers, 
 fuitable to the folemnity. The lad part of the 
 ceremony confids in throwing fome handfulls of 
 medals among the people, and in giving them 
 twice his benediction. 
 
 Particular Ceremonies obferved in the Vatican, 
 
 with feveral other Rites of a curious Nature. 
 
 When the pope holds a confidory, his throne 
 is ereCted in the great hall of the apodolical pa¬ 
 lace, and this throne is fquare, about eight feet 
 wide, and the pope afcends it by three deps. His 
 holinefs fits down on a feat covered with cloth of 
 gold, under a canopy of the fame, both equally 
 magnificent. The cardinal bifhops and prieds 
 fit on his right hand below the throne, and the 
 cardinal deacons on the left, but in fuch a podure 
 as to have their faces towards the holy father. 
 In thefe confidories many things are tranfaCfed, 
 both of a foreign and domedic nature ; letters 
 from foreign princes are read, and anlwers re¬ 
 turned to them ; appeals are heard from the pre¬ 
 lates in different parts of Europe, and meffengers 
 are difpatched with the declaration of the con¬ 
 fidory upon them. In thefe confidories, cardinals 
 are nominated and appointed and in mod refpe&s 
 they are the fame as what we call our privy 
 councils, for no appeals lay from what they have 
 once given judgment upon. 
 
 Before we proceed to give an account of the 
 pope’s chapel, we fhall here fay lbmething con¬ 
 cerning what the Roman Catholics call canoni¬ 
 cal hours, or fervices to be performed by the 
 people, whether clergy or laity at dated hours in 
 the day. This fervice confids of prayers and 
 holy leffons, and it is to be faid in a danding 
 podure, purfuant to an antient order of th£ 
 church, and only upon days of penance, kneel¬ 
 ing. 
 
 Mattins, the fird part of the fervice, and which 
 fignifies morning, is to be laid between fix o’clock 
 and nine, or loon after fun-rifing, fo as it does 
 A a a not 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES in the CHURCH of ROME. 
 
 :8 6 
 
 not exceed nine before it is finifhed. Lauds, the 
 i'econd part of the office, and which fignifies 
 praife, mult be faid at any time before three in 
 the afternoon,- Vefpers, Signifying the evening, 
 are to be repeated before fix o’clock, or as loon 
 after as poffible. Lalt of all, Complines, or the 
 conclufion of the fervice, is to be repeated at any 
 time before midnight. Thele lervices ought to be 
 repeated publicly in the churches, but indul¬ 
 gences are granted to thofe who are not able to 
 attend, fo that they may fay them at their own 
 houfes, with their families, or privately in their 
 clofets. 
 
 But the grandeft religious ceremonies obferved 
 in the Romilh church, are thofe in the pope’s 
 chapel, where there are forty grand mafles ap¬ 
 pointed to be faid every year, three by the pope 
 himfelf, thirty by the cardinals, and feven by the 
 archbifhops and bifhops. It is the pope’s turn to 
 fay mafs on Eafter-day, Whitiunday, and Chrift- 
 mas-day, and the others are laid on the feftivals 
 of themoft refpefted of the faints. When the pope 
 goes to the holy chapel he is carried in an elbow 
 chair to a private apartment, where he is dreffed 
 in his robes ; and as loon as he is properly equip¬ 
 ped, he gets into another chair carried by twelve 
 of his grooms, who are dreffed in long fcarlet 
 robes reaching down to their knees, but when 
 he goes to St. Peters, he is carried by the knights 
 belonging to that church. 
 
 On Sundays in advent and lent, when his ho- 
 linefs goes to his chapel, he walks barefooted, by 
 way of humiliation, but on the third Sunday in 
 advent, and fourth in lent, he is carried, thefe 
 being privilege days fet apart for rejoicing. On 
 the fir ft Sunday in advent, the holy father carries 
 the facrament into the chapel of pope Sixtus V. 
 and at that time he is fupported by two of the 
 cardinal deacons, and one of the Roman noble¬ 
 men bears up his train. When the pope fays mafs, 
 ail the cardinals who are able to attend, appear 
 dreffed in robes of white damafk laced with gold, 
 with this difference, that the cardinal bifhops 
 wear copes, the cardinal priefts, chatubles, and 
 the cardinal deacons the tunic, and all of them 
 white damafk mitres. The bifhops wear copes 
 too, but inftead of being white like thofe of the 
 cardinals, they are made of rich party coloured 
 filks, embroidered with gold, but their mitres 
 are of white linen, only hewed upon pafteboard. 
 
 The penitents of St. Peter’s church go like- 
 wile to the fame chapel in their chalubles of di¬ 
 vers colours ; but when the pope does not cele¬ 
 brate mafs himfelf, the cardinals wear nothing 
 but the rochet, covered with their copes; and fuch 
 prelates as have a right to wear it, have only 
 ffiort mantles over it, whilft thofe w r ho have no 
 right, remain in their purple-coloured robes. The 
 dignified clergy, who do not chufe to walk, at¬ 
 tend the pope in their carriages ; and the cardi¬ 
 nals, as foon as they enter the apoftolical palace, 
 pull off their gloves, and lay down every thing 
 they have in their hands, in order to put on their 
 copes in a chamber allotted for that purpofe. 
 When the cardinals are dreffed in their robes, 
 they go into the pope’s privy chamber, where 
 they are waited on by all the great officers of the 
 houfhold, who treat them as if they were princes, 
 and entertain them with every thing necefiary, 
 rill at laft his holinefs make* his appearance, and , 
 
 gives them the kifs of peace, acknowledging 
 them to be his brethren. The vicar of Jellis 
 having thus humbled himfelf before the cardinals, 
 they all march off towards St. Peter’s, in the fol¬ 
 lowing order: 
 
 The cardinals’ gentlemen walk firft, and they 
 are followed by the pope’s chaplains ; after which 
 come the advocates, and all the other officers of 
 the fpiritual court. The crols is carried by an 
 apoftolical deacon in a purple caffock, with a 
 rochet and cope of the fame colour. The cru¬ 
 cifix is turned towards the pope during the pro- 
 ceffion, although this is contrary to the ulual 
 practice of the church of Rome. On each fide 
 of the crofs are two vergers with wands in their 
 hands, and long mantles which trail on the 
 ground. After the fub-deacons, march the pe¬ 
 nitentiaries of St. Peter, followed by the bifhops, 
 archbilhops, the governor of Rome, the cardi¬ 
 nals, and the Swifs guards. 
 
 In the middle of the guards ride the generals 
 and captains of the light horfe, with the pope’s 
 relations, and the ambaffadors from the different 
 European princes. After all thefe comes the 
 pope, followed by his cup-bearer and chamber- 
 lain, the clerks of the chamber, generals of or¬ 
 ders, and all the clergy belonging to the 
 chapel. 
 
 The pope goes to the chapel without his 
 mitre, commonly at mattins, and during 
 the holy week he immediately follows the 
 crucifix, between the two eldeft cardinals. The 
 others follow two and two ; after them comes 
 the governor of Rome, with the other great of¬ 
 ficers of ftate. Upon entering the chapel, they 
 falute the officiating prieft, who is dreffed for 
 faying mafs, and ftands on the epiftle fide, with 
 his back to the altar, after which each rifes and 
 goes to his place ; 'where they lay a fhort prayer, 
 and remain Handing till his holinefs comes in. 
 The fame ceremony is obferved at entering St. 
 Peter’s, where they falute the conducting arch- 
 prieft, whofe place is at the head of the chapter 
 or canons, near the entrance into the choir. 
 When the pope goes to attend mafs at any other 
 of the great churches in Rome, the ceremonies 
 are the fame as we have deferibed; fo that it is 
 needlefs to repeat them again, as that would be 
 entirely fuperfluous. 
 
 We (hall now proceed to deferibe the pope’s 
 chapel, taking all the parts feparately, that the 
 reader may have a proper idea of the whole con- 
 ftru&ion. The architecture itlelf is extremely 
 grand, but it is the interior part that we muft 
 now attend to. 
 
 On the gofpel fide of the altar ftands a throne, 
 in the form of an alcove, where the holy father 
 is placed during the time of high mafs. Around 
 the throne and the altar are feats for the cardinals, 
 and behind them feats for the ambaffadors from 
 foreign princes, with the archbifhops and bifhops 
 who at that time happen to be at Rome. 
 
 Before the fteps leading to the throne, is a 
 fquare fpace fet apart for the monks, and the 
 officers of the pope’s court, and near it is a kind 
 of bullaftrade, which feparates this holy court 
 from the place where the populace attend, and 
 the whole is illuminated by feveral lamps. Near 
 this are feveral lamps always burning, and be¬ 
 hind is the choir for the mufic. 
 
 The 
 
RITES and CEREMONIE 
 
 The High altar is embellilhed with feven wax 
 candles, and the crofs is placed before the mid- 
 dlemoft taper, fomewhat bigger than the candles, 
 but when his holinefs fays mafs, the number of 
 candles is doubled. 
 
 There can remain no manner of doubt but 
 many of our fenfible readers will look upon moft 
 of thefe ceremonies as trifling and infignificanr, 
 and polTibly they are fo, but it (hould be conli- 
 dered, that it is no eafy matter to make a whole 
 body of people forget their antient cuftoms, and 
 turnmaninftant to a new way of thinking. It is 
 much to belamented, that a great partof the exte¬ 
 riors of religion depends upon exercifcs; which in¬ 
 duced fome wits in thelaft cenrurybut one, with no 
 ad intention, to fay, they often promiled us great 
 things, but would not let us have any. There is 
 a fee ret pleafure in attending to the exterior parts 
 of religion, connected with the interior, which 
 none but thofe who are really pious, can ever 
 have any relifh for. This fpecies of corruption 
 m the human heart, gave fife to the building and 
 decorating the mod: famous temples, that the 
 ienies might be captivated, while the cultivation 
 ot the faculties was negleifted. 
 
 Of the Ceremonies of the Mafs. 
 
 We fhall now proceed to give a particular ex¬ 
 plication of the ceremonies obferved in the facri- 
 nce of the mafs, which the Catholics look upon 
 aS a 2?°,? acce P t:1 ble of all adoration, and the 
 moft effectual of all prayers. On Sundays, before 
 high mals, the holy water is confecrated, after 
 which there is a pfoceffion. The faithful are to 
 be prefent at mafs, with a confcience void of of- 
 fence ; and on entering the church, they are to 
 lprinkle themfelves with holy water, as a fmn of 
 the neceffity of internal purity. The whole°con- 
 gregation, with the prieft before them carrying 
 the crofs, walk round the church and places ad¬ 
 jacent to it. Tinging hymns and litanies. 
 
 While the prieft goes up to the altar, the peo¬ 
 ple are to lift up their hearts to God, confider- 
 mg this ceremony, as obferved in imitation of 
 Chrift s retreat to the garden with his difciples, 
 juft before his agony began. When the prieft 
 comes up to the altar, he bows before it, and 
 with his back to the people, repeats a propitia¬ 
 tory prayer, in which the people ought to join 
 with him i and this is done in memory of our 
 Lord praying with his difciples in the garden 
 1 he prieft then kiffes the altar, to reprefent the 
 
 traitor Judat betraying Chrift with a kifs, Ha¬ 
 ving perfumed the altar, he begins the fervice 
 by linging what the Roman Catholics call the 
 Introit or entrance, which varies every day ac¬ 
 cording to the feftival or myftery which is to 
 be celebrated. Immediately after the Introit 
 the prieft. fays Kyrie Eleifon, which is a Greek 
 word, and figmfies Lord have mercy upon us. 
 It is addrefied three times to each of the perfons 
 mthe ever-bleffed Trinity, to fhew how much 
 we (land in need of God's goodnefs and mercy, 
 without winch we would inevitably perifb for our 
 many fins. 
 
 Then the prieft kiffes the altar, while the 
 people fing the gloria excelfts , or glory to 
 God i and when he turns, he fays, Dornims vohif- 
 
 S in the CHURCH of ROME, ,gy 
 
 cum, that is, the Lord be with yod, and the peo¬ 
 ple return his falute, by faying, “ and with thy 
 “ Ipirit.” This falutation is repeated feveral 
 times during the time of mafs, to point out the 
 mutual harmony that ought always to be found 
 between the prieft and the people. 'The prieft who 
 officiates turns to the colleft, which is fo called, 
 becaufe it is a prayer, containing a fumrnary of 
 all that the church begs of God in the office of 
 the day. The gradual is fung after the epiftle is 
 read, and it is called the gradual, becaufe in the 
 antient church, the people fung it as they went 
 up into the gallery, in the fame manner as the 
 Jews had their pfalms of degrees, when they went 
 up into the temple. To this, they add the Hal- 
 lelujah, except in Lent, whena verfeout of one of 
 the penitential plalms is fung in the place of it 5 
 which pfalms are fung in a low mournful tone, 
 tills being a leafon of humiliation for fin. In the 
 mean while, the deacon prelents the incenfe to 
 the prieft, who bleffes it, faying over it, “ may 
 “ God blefs thee, to whofe honour thou fhalt 
 cc be burnt.” 
 
 Then the prieft, turning his face to the altar, 
 kneels down or bows in a lowly manner, and re¬ 
 peats a prayer, the people kneeling and looking 
 towards the ground. The gofpel is carried from 
 the right fide of the altar to the left, as an em¬ 
 blem of the gofpel being preached to the Gentiles 
 after the reiurredhon of Chrift. After the <r 0 fpel 
 is read, the prieft perfumes and kiffes it, faying 
 to the people, « Behold the facred law, I believe 
 “ lt: Wlt h my heart, and confefs it with my 
 “ mouth.” The prieft adds, “ May our fins be 
 “ blotted out by the words of the gofpel.” 
 Then follows the fermon, and after it, the creed 
 is lung by the whole congregation, when the 
 prieft turns once more to them and falutes 
 them. 
 
 The offertory follows next, which confifts in 
 the prieft’s offering up the hoft, pointing out the 
 introduftion to Chnft's humiliation, and then he 
 elevates the chalice after the manner of the Jews 
 when they offered an oblation ; and then fetting 
 it down on the altar, covers it. Both the 
 bread and wine are blefled by the prieft He af¬ 
 terwards bleffes the incenfe, and perfumes the 
 bread and wine, praying that the fweet finell 
 of this facnfice may be more acceptable to God 
 than the fmoke of viaims offered to him under 
 the law In the next place the altar is perfumed; 
 and laftly, the prieft waihes his fingers, which 
 among other things is done, in order to point out 
 that Pilate wafhed his hands, and then declared 
 our Lord to be innocent. 
 
 As foon as the prieft has wafhed his hands, he 
 makes a profound bow to the middle of the altar 
 and addreffing himfelf to the facred and ever 
 bleffed Trinity, makes a l'econd oblation of the 
 bread and wine. He then turns to the people 
 and exhorts them to pray to God, that the facri- 
 fice which is going to be offered, may be accept¬ 
 able in his fight; to which the people bow con- 
 lent, and then the prieft prays in a low tone of 
 voice, only that at the end, he fays aloud, per 
 omniafxcula, that is, “ for ever and ever after 
 which he exhorts the people to lift up their 
 hearts, as the hour of conl'ecration is at hand. 
 The words the prieft is now to utter, are be¬ 
 lieved to be the moft awful that can be fpoken 
 
 by 
 
i8S RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 by man. They are to bring down the Lord God 
 of heaven and earth upon the altar; and. the 
 people anfwer, that they are in a proper difpofi- 
 tion for the folemnity. The prieft then exhorts 
 them to return their thanks to God for it; to 
 which the people anfwer, that it is meet and re- 
 quifite lb to do. The prieft then addreffes him- 
 felf to God the Father in a fhort prayer, which 
 is called the preface, and is followed by the 
 words, cc holy, holy, holy is the Lord,” fung by 
 the people. 
 
 What follows the preface is called the canon, 
 which begins thus, T<? igitur , &c. “ We therefore 
 humbly befeech thee, O moft merciful Father.” 
 The prieft after this, covers the hoft and chalice 
 with his hands, a cuftom obferved formerly both 
 by the Jewilh and Heathen priefts, who always 
 laid their hands upon the viftim, before it was 
 offered up. The prieft makes the fign of the 
 crofs upon the hoft and chalice, and pronounces 
 the words whereby Chrift inftituted and oruained 
 the facrament of the eucharift. 
 
 After the prieft has confecrated the chalice, by 
 pronouncing the words of our Saviour, “ This 
 <c is the cup of my blood, &c.” he lifts it up 
 that the people may adore it, and, by their 
 prayers, beg of God, the good effe&s of that fa- 
 crifice they are then offering. He then railes his 
 voice, and fmiting his breaft, begs God’s blef- 
 fing on the congregation, and on himfelf, 
 through the mediation of fuch faints as he men¬ 
 tions. 0 He likewife implores the Divine Majefty, 
 to grant both him and them a place in his king¬ 
 dom, as Jefus Chrift did grant to the penitent 
 thief on the crofs. Having repeated the Lord’s 
 prayer, the prieft fays a private one, to procure 
 the favour of God, by the interceffion of the 
 bleffed Virgin and the faints, and when he has 
 done, he breaks the facred hoft, and puts part 
 of it into the chalice. 
 
 This being done, the prieft and people fing in 
 concert, the /Ignus Dei , &c. three times over, and 
 each time the prieft fmites his breaft, and then fays 
 a private prayer for the peace of the church. 
 When that prayer is over, he kiffes the altar and 
 the inftrument of peace, which is prefented to 
 him by the deacon. The deacon receives it from 
 him again, and then it is fent round to all the 
 congregation, with thefe words laid to each par¬ 
 ti cuTar perfon, “ Peace be with you.” 
 
 While the peace is kiffing, the prieft prepares 
 himfelf for the communion, by two lecret pray¬ 
 ers ; and then, in a low voice he fays, “ I will 
 < s eat of the celeftial bread and fmiting his 
 breaft, adds thefe words; ‘ c I am not worthy 
 “ that thou fhouldft enter my houfe, &c.” 
 which are repeated three times._ He then par¬ 
 takes of the wafer, and uncovering the chalice, 
 fays, “ What fhall I give unto the Lord, for all 
 <■' the o-ood things which he hath done unto me ? 
 “ [ will take the cup of lalvation, &c.” He 
 makes the fign of the crofs with the chalice, 
 faying, <f May the blood of our Lord Jefus 
 “ Chrift, keep my foul, &c.” When the prieft 
 has received the communion, he adminifters it 
 to the people ; after which, they fing an anthem. 
 After this, the prieft putting wine into the cha¬ 
 lice, in order to take what is called the ablu¬ 
 tion, repeats a Ihort prayer, in which he begs of 
 God, that this communion which to the out- 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROM E. 
 
 ward fenfes appears a temporal remedy, may 
 prove to the hearts of the faithful, the means to 
 obtain a bleffed eternity. Afterwards he caufes 
 wine and water to be poured out for the fecond 
 ablution, and accompanies this adtion with ano¬ 
 ther Ihort prayer, and then falutes the congre¬ 
 gation. 
 
 The prieft then fings the poft communion, in 
 which he is accompanied by the people; and in 
 this adtion he falutes the congregation, as an 
 emblematical reprelentation of our Saviour’s la- 
 luting his mother and his dilciples after his re- 
 furredtion. 
 
 The congregation is difmiffed with thefe 
 words, Ita miffa ejl ; that is, cc depart, the mafs 
 C{ is finilhed.” To which the people anfwer, 
 C£ God be thanked.” Laftlv, the people receive 
 the benediction from the prieft who officiates, or 
 from the bifhop if he is prelent, which is feldom 
 the cafe, unlefs it happens in a cathedral church. 
 What is here recited is the common form of mafs 
 in all popifti churches and chapels ; or what 
 may be properly called the common public di¬ 
 vine fervice of the church of Rome. But there 
 are other maffes, of which we fhall give an ac¬ 
 count in the moft regular order, and thefe are 
 fuch as are only performed on the moft folemn 
 occafions, as will appear hereafter. 
 
 Of Epfcopal Mafs , Solemn Mafs , dsfr. 
 
 When there is to be a folemn mafs and a bilhop 
 is to officiate, he is attended to the church by the 
 canons and all the other officers, who wait upon 
 him in ftate and grandeur at his palace; but if 
 the palace happens to be at a great diftance from 
 the church, then the canons meet his lordfhip in 
 folemn proceffion, as foon as he comes within 
 fight. When he comes near the church, the 
 bells are fet a ringing, to give notice to the peo¬ 
 ple of his coming, and the moment he fets his 
 foot within the church door, the organ begins to 
 play. The mafter of the ceremonies gives the 
 lprinkler to the chief canon, who prefents.it to 
 the bifhop, and his lordfhip fprinkles himfelf, 
 and then the canons with it, in the name of the 
 ever-bleffed Trinity, and then goes and fays a 
 prayer before the altar, on which ftands a defk 
 prepared for receiving the holy facrament. He 
 does the fame at the high altar, and then retires 
 to the veftry, in order to put on fuch robes as are 
 ufed by thole of his rank, when they fay mafs, 
 and which is done in the following manner: 
 
 The lub-deacon goes to a little clofet contigu¬ 
 ous to the altar, and takes from thence the epifco¬ 
 pal fandals and ftockings, which he elevates and 
 prefents to the bilhop. Then he kneels down, 
 and pulls oft' his lordfhip’s fhoes and ftockings, 
 who, during this part of the ceremony, is fur- 
 rounded by feven or eight church officers, all 
 kneeling in the moft humble pofture. The bi¬ 
 fhop then walhes his hands, and two alliftant 
 deacons put on his facred robes. The chief 
 deacon having faluted the bifhop, kiffes the cru¬ 
 cifix, and puts it round the prelate’s neck, fets 
 the mitre on his head, and prefents him with the 
 paftoral ring, with the facred glove, each of 
 which he marks with the fign of the crofs, and 
 kiffes it. 
 
 The 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 The biffiop being thus drefied in his robes, 
 his clergy range themfelves about him in order, 
 and two deacons place themfelves on each fide of 
 him, attended by another deacon and a fub- 
 deacon. Then the incenle-bearer appears with 
 his cenfer, and the bilhop bleffes the incenfe. 
 After this the bilhop kilfes the crofs upon the 
 high altar, and then walks in procelhon to the 
 altar where he is to celebrate mals. The incenle- 
 bearer walks before him followed by a prieft with 
 the crofs, who is attended by two of the officers 
 belonging to the church, carrying lighted tapers 
 in their hands. Thefe are followed by the whole 
 body of the clergy, and the lub-deacon who is to 
 fing the epiftle, carries before his breaft the book 
 of the new tefbament fliut, in which is the bi- 
 fhop’s maniple. A deacon and prieft march be¬ 
 fore the bilhop, and his lordfhip, as a token of 
 humility, leans on two deacons affiftants, holding 
 his paftoral ftaff in his left hand, while his right 
 hand is a little elevated, in order to bellow his 
 bleffingupon all fuch as delire it. 
 
 The biffiop being now arrived at the altar, 
 falutes his clergy with a low bow, and delivers 
 his ffiepherd’s crook to the fub-deacon, while one 
 of the deacons takes oft' his mitre. Then the 
 biffiop, with his clergy, make a profound bow to 
 the crofs, after which, all the clergy, except the 
 fub-deacon, the incenfe-bearer, two deacons aflif- 
 tants, and one affiftantprieft, with the biffiop retire. 
 The incenfe-bearer having perfumed the altar, 
 the biffiop begins the mafs, and the choir ling 
 the words as he repeats them. At the end of the 
 eonfeffion, the fub-deacon takes the maniple out 
 of the book of the new teftament, kilfes it, and 
 prefents it to the biffiop, who likewife kilfes it 
 and puts it upon his left arm, while the canons 
 all join in repeating feveral prayers. 
 
 The incenfe-bearer delivers the cenfer to the 
 fub-deacon, who gives it to the biffiop, and his 
 lordfhip bellows his fpiritual benedidlion upon it. 
 The aftiftant prieft then perfumes the altar, gives 
 it back to the fub-deacon, takes the biffiop’s 
 mitre from another deacon and goes to the epiltle 
 fide of the altar, where he is thrice perfumed by 
 another deacon. 
 
 This part of the ceremony being over, the 
 biffiop kilfes the crofs, and taking the crofter in 
 his left hand, walks towards his throne. There 
 he lays afide his mitre, and making the fign of 
 the crofs, from the forehead down to the breaft, 
 he reads the introit, or entrance, out of the mafs 
 book, which the aftiftant prieft holds to him, 
 while another prieft holds a wax taper in his 
 hand to give light to his lordfhip. Two deacons 
 affiftants point with their fingers where he is to 
 read, then all fing the Kyrie Eleifon together; 
 after which the bilhop puts on his mitre, and 
 binds around him the gremial, which is a fort of 
 cojffecrated apron. Thus drelfed, he fits down 
 on his throne, and two deacons affiftants fit on 
 each fide of him, attended by a prieft, who fits on 
 a ftool. When the choir have finiffied the Kyrie 
 Eleifon , the bilhop, with his attendants, Hand 
 up, and turning towards the altar, give out the 
 hymn Gloria in Excel/is , in an audible voice, which 
 is again lung by the choir. 
 
 Next follows a fort of proceffion, in which the 
 mailer of the ceremony walks firft, and after him 
 the incenfe-bearer, attended by feveral other of- 
 16 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 189 
 
 ficers, fuch as light bearers holding wax tapers. 
 Next follows a fub-dcacon, with his hands folded 
 as if he was faying his prayers, and the deacon comes 
 next holding the new teftament _to his breaft. 
 Palling before the altar, they kneel down and fa- 
 lute it, and when they are arrived at the place 
 for reading the gofpel, the deacon, who then 
 Hands between the two taper bearers, turns to the 
 right fide of the altar, opens the book and begins 
 the lefion out of the gofpel. When the deacon 
 fays, Dominus Vobifcum , i. e. the Lord be with you, 
 the billiop rifes and lays afide his mitre and his 
 gremial ; and when he comes to thefe words, 
 <f Here beginneth the holy gofpel,” he makes 
 the fign of the crofs, and to conclude, blefles 
 himfelf with another crofs, after which the biffiop 
 takes up his crofter, then makes the fign of the 
 crofs again and all his attendants follow his ex¬ 
 ample. The gofpel being read, he who officiates, 
 kilfes the book, incenfes the bifliop, and all of 
 them return in the fame order they came. 
 
 In the next place the biffiop preaches, or one 
 of his canons, who is aftiftant performs that 
 fervice for him, and after lermon, the deacon who 
 fung the gofpel, goes to the left hand of the bi¬ 
 ffiop, and leaning a little forward, repeats the 
 prayer called the ConJiteor 3 or eonfeffion. This 
 eonfeffion being over, the aftiftant prieft publiffies 
 the indulgences, and the biffiop gives the abfo- 
 lution; but if there is no fermon they go on from 
 the gofpel to the creed, which is repeated and 
 fung in the fame manner as the other parts of 
 the fervice. The offertory follows the creed, 
 and the bilhop reads it Handing with his head un¬ 
 covered, when he has done he returns to his feat 
 and puts on his mitre, while one deacon takes off 
 his paftoral ring, another his gloves, and a lay¬ 
 man of fome eminence prefents him with a bafon 
 to wafii his hands. The arch-deacon prefents 
 him with a napkin, and then his lordfhip goes up 
 again to the altar, fupported by the two aftiftant 
 deacons. The fub-deacon, attended by two of 
 the church officers, puts on his ffioulder the veil 
 which covered the facred veffels, in fuch a man¬ 
 ner, that it hangs a little lower on the right fide 
 than on the left, and then with his left hand he 
 takes the chalice in which are two hofts. 
 
 The right hand leans gently over the veil, the 
 largeft fide of which is made ufe of to cover the 
 chalice ; and an officer follows the fub-deacon to 
 the altar, with wine and water. The aftiftant 
 prieft, who is the mafter of the ceremonies, muft 
 take care that the bifliop who officiates, fhall fol¬ 
 low exadlly the rubric of the mafs, fo that he 
 may with fome propriety be called a prompter; 
 and fome of the attendants muft Hand on each 
 fide of the altar with lighted tapers, in honour 
 of the facrament. When the bilhop elevates 
 the hoft, the aftiftant deacon on his right hand 
 holds up the lap of his garment; and he obferves 
 the fame ceremony at the elevation of the cha¬ 
 lice, while the attendants keep perfuming the 
 altar. 
 
 The laft part of the ceremony confifts in the 
 aftiftant prieft placing himfelf at the bifhop’s 
 right hand, while a deacon Hands at his left. 
 The prieft kneels while the biffiop fays a ffiort 
 prayer, and both rife up and kifs the altar. The 
 bifliop gives the kifs of peace to the prieft, who 
 turns his right cheek to receive it, after which 
 B b b th e 
 
190 RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 the pried: goes round with the kifs of peace to all 
 the members of the choir. Such are the cere¬ 
 monies obferved when a bifhop lays mafs, which 
 indeed feldom happens; for in the Roman Ca¬ 
 tholic countries, the prelates are more intent in 
 hunting after worldly preferment, than in pro¬ 
 moting the fpiritual interefts of thofe who are 
 committed to their care. 
 
 The Jolemn Mafs, celebrated by the Pope. 
 
 It is but feldom that the holy father of the 
 Catholic church celebrates mafs, but when he 
 condefcends to do fo, it is attended with many 
 ceremonies ; but there are different mafies cele¬ 
 brated by the popes; an account of which we 
 fhall endeavour to lay before the reader; and firft, 
 of that which is more common on particular 
 feflivals, and generally performed in the chapel 
 belonging to his holinefs in the Vatican. 
 
 The pope approaches the altar, dreffed in his 
 pontifical robes, with a cardinal deacon to take 
 off his mitre, and an auditor of the rota to re¬ 
 ceive it. On the right hand ftands another car¬ 
 dinal deacon, who takes off his hat, and while 
 the holy father is at prayer, the cardinal who 
 fays mals approaches and reads the confcffion. 
 The cardinal deacons on the right and left of his 
 holinefs, extend the firings of his mitre, and 
 both of them as they lead the pope to his throne, 
 hold up pare of his robe. Every time his ho¬ 
 linefs lifts up his eyes in a praying poflure, the 
 cardinal deacon on his left hand holds up part of 
 his robe ; but when he lifts up his hands, then 
 the cardinal deacon on the right affifts the other. 
 The pope firft pays his refpedts to the crucifix, 
 on the altar, and then to the cardinal who is to 
 officiate. All the cardinals prefent being in their 
 refpeclive places, they repeat a fhort prayer upon 
 their knees, and then rifing up continue Handing 
 till the whole body of the people have affembled 
 in the chapel, and his holinefs is feated on his 
 throne. The cardinals falute the pope with a 
 low bow, but the people kneel, in order to re¬ 
 ceive his benediction, which he never fails to 
 give them. 
 
 His holinefs being thus feated on his throne, 
 the cardinals rife up from their refpective feats, 
 and go, with their cowls trailing after them, to 
 falute the altar, which they confider as the throne 
 of Jefus Chrift. In the next place they falute 
 the pope as his vicar, and kifs his hand. In 
 their retreat down the fteps of the altar, they 
 falute the pope a fecond time; and after that, all 
 the princes and foreign ambaffadors who happen 
 to be prefent. Having returned to their feats, 
 they ftand bareheaded, till their colleagues have 
 gone through the fame ceremony; but while the 
 common archbifhops and bifhops do the fame, 
 they fit down on their feats, and are covered. 
 
 Thefe are fome of the ceremonies obferved in 
 thechurchofRome, butwelhall nowdeferibethem 
 more particularly. After the Agnus Dei is fung, 
 his holinefs goes to the throne, and the cardinal 
 deacon of the gofpel ftands in fuch a manner on 
 the epiftle fide of the altar with his hands clofed 
 together, that he not only fees the facramcnt, 
 but the pope alfo going to his throne. When 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROM F.. 
 
 the pope is feated, the deacon takes the confe- 
 crated hoft upon the paten, covered with a veil; 
 and turning to the people, elevates it three times 
 fucceflively : viz. in the middle, and at each end 
 of the altar. After that he gives it to the fub- 
 deacon, who carries it to his holinefs. In the 
 mean time the fame deacon takes the chalice in 
 which is the confecrated wine, and having ele¬ 
 vated it three times, as he did the hoft before, 
 carries it to the pope, who adores Jefus Chrift 
 in both kinds, as loon as they are prefented to 
 him ; which he performs by rifing up and bow¬ 
 ing his body. 
 
 When the deacon and fub-deacon are come 
 clofe to him, they place themfelves, one at his 
 right hand, and the other at his left. His holi¬ 
 nefs takes the large hoft which is upon the paten, 
 and communicates; putting it into his mouth 
 with his own hand; he then gives two fmall ones 
 to the deacon and fub-deacon, who kneel and 
 kifs his hand before they receive them. The 
 deacon continues Hill to hold the chalice, till the 
 affiftant cardinal bifhop, dreffed in his robes, 
 comes up to the pontifical throne, where the 
 pope’s veftry keeper prefents him with a golden 
 pipe, one end whereof he dips into the chalice, 
 and his holinefs at the fame time lays his hand on 
 the other. Fie then inclines his head a little, in 
 order to touch it with his lips, fucks up fome 
 part of the confecrated wine, leaving the reft to 
 the deacon, who carries the chalice to the altar, 
 and there fucks up fome of the remaining wine, 
 leaving the reft to the fub-deacon, who drinks it 
 without the pipe, as alfo that which is poured 
 out for the ablution of the chalice. 
 
 In the mean time the pope gives the kifs of 
 peace to all the cardinals, ambaffadors, princes, 
 and prelates, and fometimes to private perfons 
 who are defirous of receiving it from him ; after 
 which he returns to the altar, and finifhes the 
 mafs with the ufual folemnities. 
 
 There is another folemn mafs obferved at 
 Rome on Chriftmafs day, when the pope offi¬ 
 ciates ; and of this we fhall give the following 
 defeription : 
 
 His holinefs walks to the church, preceded by 
 all the cardinals, princes, and prelates, wearing 
 white mitres. The incenfe bearer, with feven 
 officers, called Acolytes, each with a wax taper in 
 his hand, walks before the crols bearer; and a 
 clerk of the chamber, before the incenfe bearer, 
 who holds a fword lifted up, with a cap upon it, 
 which reprefents the irrefiftable power of the 
 epifcopal fword, which Chrift’s vicar inherits 
 from the apoftle St. Paul, in order to let chrif- 
 rians free from the bondage of the devil. The 
 perfons who compofe the remainder of the pro- 
 ceffion are the fame with thofe who walk on all 
 fimilar occafions; but Ihould the emperor happen 
 to be at Rome at this time, he is obliged to 
 carry the train of the pope’s mantle : two cardi¬ 
 nals hold up the other end of it, and his holinefs 
 walks in the moft ftately and majeftic manner, 
 under a canopy lupported by eight gentlemen of 
 the firft rank ; nay, if the fons of kings were pre¬ 
 fent at this folemn proceffion, they could at moft 
 but walk with the firft cardinal prieft ; fo tena¬ 
 cious is the church of Rome, of what fhe con- 
 fiders her privileges. 
 
 When the pope goes into the church, he paffes 
 
 on 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 on to a chapel, where he changes his robes, and 
 flien fits down. The cardinals bow to him, and 
 kifs the fkirts of his robes on the right fide ; 
 then come the other prelates in order, and 
 kneeling before him, kifs his right knee, whilft 
 the Latin and Greek deacons, who affift hisholi- 
 nefs, Hand in readinefs at the altar ; after fome 
 anthems are lung, a veftry keeper puts on the 
 arms of the Latin fub-dcacon a fmall napkin, 
 containing the pope’s (lockings and his fandals. 
 The fub-deacon carries all together to the 
 pope, with his hands held up to his eyes, and 
 the acolytes follow and (land around the pope, 
 whilft the fub-deacon and a gentleman of the 
 privy chamber, get under his holinefs’s robe 
 to put on his (lockings and his fandals. 
 
 While the fub-deacon is putting them on, 
 the aftiftant bifhops who are prefent at the ce¬ 
 remony, hold before his holinefs a book and a 
 wax taper, and the pope, with his aftiftant dea¬ 
 cons, fing an anthem and a pfalm in the mod 
 devout manner. It is remarkable, that when¬ 
 ever the pope fays mafs, the aftiftant lub deacons 
 take oft' and put on his mitre at lead a dozen 
 times. A bifhop kneels dov/n with the mafs 
 book fpread open on his head, that his holinefs 
 may read the offices for the day, and an aftiftant 
 fupports the book with one hand, and holds in 
 the other a lighted taper ; when the pope is dat¬ 
 ed again and prelented with water to walk him, 
 four noblemen of the firft rank wait upon this 
 fervant of the fervants of God, as he (tiles him- 
 felf; and princes, kings, and even the emperor 
 mud fubmit to this, if during the ceremony they 
 Ihould happen to be at Rome. Whilft the ce¬ 
 remony is performing, the people kneel, but the 
 prelates (land up bareheaded. 
 
 The pope having walked the deacon and fub- 
 deacon, is aflifted by them in pulling off his 
 robes and putting on others, all which he de¬ 
 voutly kifies. The pontifical ring is put on his 
 finger, and his holinefs thtu equipped, and fol¬ 
 lowed by two auditors holding up his robes, pro¬ 
 ceeds to the firft Hep of the altar, where he re¬ 
 peats the confefiion. The three youngeft car¬ 
 dinals advance to kifs the holy father’s mouth 
 and bread, and whilft he receives their compli¬ 
 ments, the fub-deacon, who (lands behind him, 
 puts his hands upon his (koulders to fupport him; 
 all which ceremonies are confidered by the peo¬ 
 ple, as eftentially neceftary to falvation ; fo true 
 is the antient faying, <c that men may be led to 
 “ believe any thing, while the eyes of the un- 
 <c derftanding are deceived.” 
 
 The gofpel deacon perfumes the pope, and the 
 pope does the fame to the altar, after which his 
 holinefs gives the cenfer to the gofpel deacon, and 
 going towards the middle of the altar receives 
 the kifles of the two gofpel deacons and of the 
 aftiftant deacons. In the next place he reads the 
 introit or entrance, with the Kyrie Ekijon out of 
 the mafs book, which the aftiftant biihop holds 
 on his head inftead of a deik. His holinefs be¬ 
 ing then feated, they lay the coniecrated apron cn 
 his knees, and when he rifes up they take it away. 
 The Latin and Greek fub-deacons fing the epif- 
 tles in their refpedtive languages, which being 
 finifhed, the two fub-deacons, with the matter of 
 the ceremonies, kifs the feet of the holy father, 
 who reads the epiftle and gradual in his turn 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 191 
 
 There is nothing particular in this till the end of 
 the creed, unlefs that feven acolytes, who each 
 carry a lighted taper, furround the holy father, 
 while he walks to read the gofpel. 
 
 After the creed his holinefs wadies his hands 
 again, and a veftry keeper brings out the chalice 
 with the paten, on which there is a fmall gold 
 fpoon. The fub-deacon covers the whole with a 
 cloth of gold, and lays them on the altar on the 
 epiftle fide, after they have been firft well wiped. 
 Then the Latin deacon takes three hods and lays 
 them in proper order upon the paten, where they 
 wait for his holinefs, whofe mitre is put on, and 
 his ring and gloves taken off”, and he wafties his 
 hands again after the offertory. As foon as he 
 has done waffling, his ring is given him again, he 
 goes up to the altar, the Latin gofpel deacon 
 takes off his mitre, and two cardinal bifhops, 
 affiftants to his holinefs, fet the mafs-book on 
 the altar on the gofpel fide. One of the aftift- 
 i ant bifhops informs the pope what he is to fay, 
 
 | and with his finger, points out where he is to 
 read. Of the three hods which are unconfe- 
 ! crated, the Latin gofpel deacon takes one, with 
 which he touches the other two, and then gives 
 | it the veftry keeper to eat. He takes a fecond 
 j and touches the chalice and paten with it, and 
 ; then gives it to the fame veftry keeper, who 
 | eats it as he did the former, and alfo takes the 
 I wine and water which (hould be made ufe of for 
 ! the mafs. The third hod the pope takes and 
 1 confecrates, and this part of the ceremony being 
 over, his holinefs beftows his indulgencies among 
 the people , who receive them in the fame facred 
 manner as if they had come from heaven. 
 
 'The Maflfes for the Dead. 
 
 It has been often taken notice of, that of all 
 the fources of wealth to the Romifh church, 
 none comes up to, muchlefs equals that of maftes 
 for the dead. It is natural for people of all 
 ranks to wiik happinefs to attend the fouls of 
 their departed friends and relations, and Roman 
 Catholics being perfuaded that their priefts have 
 a fovereign power to releafe the fouls of the de- 
 ceafed from purgatory, we need not be furprifed 
 that the people, who are kept in a (late of igno¬ 
 rance by defigning men, (hould lay down their 
 mod valuable treafures at their feet. Every parifti 
 pried has his fees for faying maftes for the dead, 
 and thefe fees are exadled according to the cir- 
 cumftances of the furvivors, but as in fubftance 
 the words are the fame, though in particular in- 
 ftances differing in fome ceremonies; we (hall 
 here confine ourlelves to an account of the mod 
 folemn, namely, that which is performed by the 
 bifhop for fome extraordinary perfi>ns. 
 
 This being a ceremony of a melancholy nature, 
 all the decorations are removed from the altar, 
 and fix yellow wax candles are left burning, with 
 a crofs in the middle. Two other wax tapers 
 give light to the Credence, a place where the 
 creed is concealed, and this is covered with a 
 yellow table cloth, without any other ornament 
 than what are abfol.utcly neceftary, l'uch as a 
 mafs book, a holy water pot, a fprinkler, and a 
 
 black 
 
ipi KITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 black cloth for abfolution. The acolytes fpread 
 a black cloth upon the altar, and the bifhop offi¬ 
 ciates in black robes. As foon as mafs is over, 
 the bifhop puts on a new let of black robes, and 
 all the books are covered with black. The bi¬ 
 fhop has no crofier in his hand, no gloves on, nor 
 fandals to his feet. The fub-deacons are not al¬ 
 lowed to kifs each other, for kifies on all fuch 
 melancholy occafions are abfolutely forbidden. 
 They do not crofs themfelves, nor is the altar 
 perfumed, as on other occafions. All thefe 
 parts of the ceremony being over, the bifhop 
 orders the deacons to grant a certain number of 
 indulgences to thofe who will pray for the dead ; 
 and this is confidered as one of the fundamental 
 articles of religion in the Romifh church. 
 
 The fermon follows, and the pulpit is hung 
 with black, and if it be a particular mafs for any 
 private family remarkable for their qualities, vir¬ 
 tues, and honours, a flattering panegyric is deli¬ 
 vered, in which the orator dilplays, as far as he 
 is able, all the powers of rhetoric ; and endea¬ 
 vours to add new graces to old worn-out enco¬ 
 miums, which in the early ages of the world 
 were the refult of eloquence, and which flattery 
 and diffimulation will never buffer to grow out of 
 fafhion, much lefs to die. 
 
 On fuch occafions, a temporary chapel is erec¬ 
 ted in the middle, or confpicuous part of the 
 church, or near the monuments of his anceftor. 
 If the deceafed is a pried, his head is turned to¬ 
 wards the altar j but if a layman, his feet. The 
 fermon being over, they proceed to the abfolu¬ 
 tion of the deceafed ; which is done in the fol¬ 
 lowing manner : Part of the gofpel of St. John 
 being read, the perfon who officiates, with the 
 deacon and fub-deaeon, return to the middle of 
 the altar, from whence, after a profound bow, 
 they go to the epiflle fide. When the fub-deacon 
 comes to the bottom of the deps, he takes up 
 the crofs, and he and the deacon go together to 
 the temporary chapel, where the corps of the 
 deceafed lie. The iricenle bearer, and he who 
 carries the holy water, walk fird : The fub-dea¬ 
 con follows, between the two torch bearers, with 
 the crofs; and after them come the choir, with 
 yellow tapers in their hands. The perfon who 
 officiates, with the deacon on his left hand, walks 
 lad, and no one, except himfelf, is covered, un- 
 lefs they go out of the church, and then they 
 are all covered. Being arrived at the temporary 
 chapel, the perfons bearing the incenle and holy 
 water, place themfelves at that end of the coffin 
 fronting the altar, but fomewhat to the left fide, 
 and behind the perfon who officiates, who has 
 the deacon on his right hand. 
 
 The fub-deacon who carries the crofs dands at 
 the other end towards the gofpel fide, and when 
 they are all placed, the perfon who officiates un¬ 
 covers himfelf, and taking the ritual out of the 
 deacon’s hands, begins the abfolution of the de¬ 
 ceafed by a prayer, the fird words of which are, 
 
 “ Enter not into judgment, &c.” After this he 
 walks round the coffin, fprinkling it with holy 
 water, perfuming it on both fides, and making a 
 great number of profound bows. When he has 
 performed the great work of abfolution, he fays 
 the Lord’s prayer, and thereupon turns to the 
 crofs and repeats feveral other prayers out of the 
 ritual. Ladly, he makes the fign of the crofs on ' 
 
 in the CHURCH of R O M E. 
 
 the coffin, and repeats the words, tc Let him red 
 ‘ c in peace.” The whole being over, the perfon 
 officiating with his attendants, return in the fame 
 manner they came. 
 
 When a bifhop dies, the ceremonies obferved 
 in faying mafs for the repole of his foul are more 
 pompous than what we have already mentioned. 
 The body is brought into the temporary chapel, 
 in the fame manner as already deferibed, and four 
 bifhops place themfelves at the four fides. The 
 younged goes to the right of the deceafed’s feet, 
 the fecond to the left, towards his head, the third 
 to the left of his feet, and the fourth to the right 
 of his head. The perfon who is to officiate, fits 
 in a chair, having two perfons behind him, hold¬ 
 ing the incenfe and holy water. The deceafed, 
 thus lurrounded by five bifhops, is no longer ex- 
 pofed to the malice of the devil, who, in his 
 happy fituation dares not attack him. The bifhop 
 who celebrates, gives the abfolution, after which 
 the fird of the four bifhops placed at the corners, 
 fprinkles and perfumes the coffin on each fide 
 three times. The requiem, or may be, red in 
 peace, is then fung, after which the fecond 
 bifhop walks round and fprinkles in his turn, re¬ 
 peating a few prayers, and he is followed by the 
 others in the fame manner. 
 
 It fometimes happens that there are fums of 
 money left to churches for the prieds to repeat 
 thefe ceremonies annually, and on fuch occafions, 
 they have, indead of the real body of the de¬ 
 ceafed, only the figure of one. Nay, it frequently 
 happens, efpecially where families are much at¬ 
 tached to devotion, that fums of money are left 
 to different churches for the above purpofe of 
 faying mafs for the repofe of the dead. But 
 when the relations of the deceafed are not able 
 to pay for all thefe honours, then the acloytes, or 
 church officers, fpread a black cloth before the 
 middle of the altar, and the pried with his al- 
 fidants, carrying the incenle and the holy water, 
 turns towards the cloth, and fprinkles and per¬ 
 fumes it three times. 
 
 When the pope, or any of the cardinals aflid 
 at maffes for the dead at Rome, they are all 
 dreffed in purple; one of the cardinals fings mafs, 
 and the pope fings the prayers for the repofe of 
 the dead. The fird cardinal pried gives the 
 fprinkling bruffi and incenfe to the holy father, 
 but none of the cardinals pay him any homage 
 at this cereremony. The whole being over, the 
 cardinals attend the pope home, and then retire to 
 their own houles. Thele ceremonies, however, in 
 which the pope and the cardinals are concerned, 
 are only uled for perfons of the highed rank, fuch 
 as the cardinals themfelves, princes and other 
 great men. 
 
 Of the Devotion paid to the Crofs. 
 
 Soon after the death of St. John, the lad of 
 of the apodles, the primitive Chriftians begin 
 to take lome notice of the crofs, for they figned 
 every perfon at baptifm with it, and they prayed 
 with their arms folded like a crofs. Thefe cere¬ 
 monies, however, leem not to have been carried 
 any farther, till towards the middle of the fourth 
 century, when chridianity received the fanctioa 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 of the civil power, and its priefbs were loaded 
 with honours. During the reign of the emperor 
 Conftantine the Great, his mother Helena, a wo¬ 
 man, fuppofed to have been a courtezan, and 
 much addi&ed to fuperftition, went on a pil¬ 
 grimage to the holy land, where, according to fe- 
 veral ecclefiaftical writers, fhe found the real crols 
 upon which our Saviour luffered. Her fon, the 
 emperor, ordered the figure of the crofs to be 
 Ramped on his coins, difplayed on his ftandards, 
 and painted on his fhields, helmets, and crown, 
 but it does not appear that it was fet up in 
 churches till fome years after. 
 
 The great univerfal council held at Conftan- 
 tinople towards the clofe of the ieventh century 
 decreed, that Jefus Chrift: ihould be painted in a 
 human form upon the crofs, in order to repre- 
 fent, in the molt lively manner, to all Chriftians, 
 the fufferings and death of Chrift. Before this 
 decree of the council of Conftantinople, Chrift was 
 reprefented under the form of a lamb at the foot 
 of the crofs, and the holy ghoft in the form of a 
 dove. Sometimes a crown was fet over the crofs, 
 to point out to the faithful, that a crown of ever- 
 lafting glory will be their reward for their fuf¬ 
 ferings for the crofs. A ftag fometimes was 
 pai nn4 at the foot of the crofs, becaufe that crea¬ 
 ture has an enmity to ferpents; and this was done 
 to reprefent Chrift, who is the enemy of the 
 devil, the ferpent who deceived Eve. 
 
 We are told that when Helena, or St. Helena, 
 as fhe is called, found the real crofs, it was quite 
 entire, and the infeription frelh upon it, which 
 Pilate fet up, viz. “ JeJns of Nazareth, King of 
 “ thejeivs." We are no where told what became 
 of this original crofs, but it appears evident, that 
 there have been many pieces of croffes found 
 fince that time, all pretended to be equally ge¬ 
 nuine with that difeovered by St. Helena. 
 
 In the year 690, pope Sergius pretended that 
 he had found a large piece of the crofs, which is 
 ftill preferved at Rome as a moft precious relic ; 
 and in 1491, the genuine infeription was found 
 in a church that was repairing in the fame city, 
 where it had been concealed many years on ac¬ 
 count of the troubles of the times. Upon this 
 occafion pope Alexander VI. iffued a bull, pro- 
 mifing an yearly pardon of all fins to thofe de¬ 
 vote Chriftians, who fhould every year, on the 
 laft Sunday in January vifit this church, where the 
 infeription had been difeovered. A large part of 
 the fame infeription upon the crofs is to be feen at 
 Thouloufe, in the convent of the Benedifirine 
 Monks, and when expofed to public view, it is 
 fteeped in water, and the water being given to 
 the lick, cures them of many diforders. 
 
 But if thefe fuppofed or pretended pieces of 
 the crofs have been fo much multiplied, fo have 
 many other things pertaining to it, particularly 
 the nails, which although only four in number 
 according to the Roman manner of crucifixion, 
 yet, if we may believe the monks, they are now 
 to be found in almoft every monaftery. The im- 
 poiition is too glaring and too barefaced to be 
 iwallowed down by any man of common under- 
 ilanding, which induced the late pope Ganganelli 
 to fay, that if all the relics of the faints to be 
 met with in the convents were genuine, then they 
 niuft have been monfters indeed. It is the fame 
 with the crofs and the nails which fattened 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME, , 9I 
 
 | Saviour to it, for, were they all genuine, he 
 mutt have been crucified above a hundred times, 
 and at each time above a hundred nails ftuck 
 through his body, all which is contrary to the 
 methods ufed by the Romans, and inconfiftent 
 with what we have related in l'acred feripture, and 
 in ecclefiaftical hiftory. 
 
 That there Ihould remain no manner of un¬ 
 certainty concerning the crofs that was found by 
 Helena being that on which our Saviour fuft'er- 
 ed, we are told that two others were found alonv 
 with it. Thefe, fay the ecclefiaftical writers, were 
 the ciofles on which the thieves fullered who 
 were crucified along with Chrift. At firft, it 
 was difficult to diftinguilh our Saviour’s crofs 
 from either of the others ; but after fome confi- 
 deration, this matter was cleared up in the fol¬ 
 lowing manner : 
 
 St. Macarius, a bilhop who attended Helena 
 in her journey, defired all the people to join 
 with him in prayer to God, that he would direft 
 them which was the true crofs; they did fo, and 
 their prayers were heard. A woman feemingly 
 at the point of death, was brought to the crofies 
 of the two thieves, both which Ihe touched but 
 without any eiftedt. After this, lire was brought 
 to our Saviour s, and no fooner had ihe touched 
 it, than her diforder was removed, and Ihe found 
 herfelf perfedly recovered. This miracle re¬ 
 moved all manner of doubt, concerning the 
 validity of the crofs, and it was brought in tri¬ 
 umph to Jerufalem. In memory of this remark¬ 
 able event, a folemn feftival was inftituted by 
 pope Gregory the Great, in the fixth century, 
 and it IS obferved throughout all Roman Catho¬ 
 lic countries on the third day of May. 
 
 There is another feftival obferved in honour 
 of the Crofs, on the fourteenth day of September, 
 occafioned by the following event : In the reign 
 of Heraclitus the Greek emperor, Cofroes, king 
 of Perfia, plundered Jerufalem, and took away 
 that part of the crofs, which Helena had left 
 there, and fent it under a ftrong guard to his 
 own country, it being confidered by him and 
 his foldiers, as the god of the Chriftians. After 
 feveral battles, in all which the Perfians were de¬ 
 feated, Heraclitus had the good fortune to reco¬ 
 ver the crofs, and carried it to Jerufalem. This 
 pious prince laid aftde his imperial robes, in or¬ 
 der to humble himfelf before it; and after he 
 had taken them off, he laid the crofs upon his 
 (boulders, that he might carry it in the greater 
 fplendour and folemnity to Mount Calvary, from 
 whence it had been taken. Many miracles were 
 laid to have been wrought on this memorable oc- 
 cafion, and the feftival in memory of it, iscalled 
 the Exaltation of the Crofs. Paris boafts to 
 have a piece of the crofs, which they fhew to 
 ftrangers, and they keep a feftival in memory of 
 it on the firft Sunday in Auguft. 
 
 In making the fign of the crofs, the prieft is 
 to lay his left hand ftretched open upon his 
 breaft, and to take care that it touch no part 
 upon which the fign of the crofs is to be made ; 
 and he is likewile to keep the fingers of that 
 hand clofe together. The fingers of the right 
 hand, which are appropriated for making the 
 fign, muft be difpofed in the fame manner as 
 thofe of the left. He muft ftand with his head 
 ereft and his hands freight, the fingers not be- 
 C c c ing 
 
 our 
 
194 RITES and CEREMONIES 
 ing lb much as bent. The iign mult begin at 
 the forehead, and fo defcend upon the breaft, 
 from whence he is to proceed from the left lhoul- 
 der to the right. 
 
 They have croffes of all fizes in the church of 
 Rome, and they are coniecrated in the following 
 manner : The bifhop of the diocele dreffes him- 
 felf in his robes and mitre, with his crofier in 
 his hand, andi'urrounded by his clergy, he prefents 
 himfelf before the crofs, and delivers a difcourfe 
 or fermon upon the excellence of it, there be¬ 
 ing three tapers burning at the foot of it, and 
 then he takes off his mitre and repeats a prayer. 
 
 The Litanies are next fung, and after them 
 there is an anthem, which being over, the bifhop 
 fprinkles the crofs with holy water, and perfumes 
 it with frankincenfe. If the crofs is not above 
 his reach, he fets lighted candles upon each arm of 
 it; but if it is beyond his reach, then a ladder is 
 brought him to mount on. The whole of this 
 ceremony concludes with an exhortation to the 
 people, and feveral pfalms and prayers. 
 
 Befides fuch erodes as we have already menti¬ 
 oned, there are fome of a more celebrated na¬ 
 ture, and to which greater honours are paid. At 
 Loretto in Italy, where the Roman Catholics be¬ 
 lieve there is a cottage in which the Virgin Mary 
 died, there is a famous crucifix, celebrated for 
 working a vaft variety of miracles, and is faid 
 to have been ufed by the Virgin herlelf, becaule 
 the angels brought it along with the cottage from 
 the Holy Land to Dalmatia, and from thence 
 to Italy. In a nunnery at Ghent, in Flanders, 
 there is a crucifix, with its mouth always open, 
 the reafonof which is this : One day during the 
 carnival, a nun being hindered from joining with 
 the reft in an entertainment, made her complaint 
 to the crucifix, which fpoke to her, and told her 
 not to be difpleafed, for fhe fhould be married to 
 it. The nun died the next day, and ever fince, 
 the mouth of the image on the crucifix has con¬ 
 tinued open. There is at Trent, a crucifix, 
 which when the council was fitting there, appro¬ 
 ved of all their a< 5 ls with an audible voice ; a~id 
 this is believed as real matter of fa£t by the Ro¬ 
 man Catholics. 
 
 There is in Bavaria, a remarkable crucifix, of 
 which the following ftory is related by the priefts, 
 and believed by the people. One day a flag be¬ 
 ing hunted, happened to fet his foot on a cru¬ 
 cifix i which had fuch an effect on him, that he 
 flood ftill and would not move, nor had the dogs 
 any power to touch him. In memory of this, 
 a convent was built at the village of Pallingen, 
 which drew a vaft number of people to the place ; 
 lb that the emperor Charles the Great, in whole 
 reign this happened, granted the village the pri¬ 
 vilege of holding a fair. This gave great offence 
 to the inhabitants of a village called Weilhaum, 
 who made intereft with the emperor to get the 
 fair removed ; but the crucifix was fo much of¬ 
 fended with what had been done, that it fet fire 
 to, and confumed to afhes, the little town of 
 Weilhaum. 
 
 There is at Cologne, a crucifix with a peruke 
 on the head of the image, which they fay is of 
 great antiquity, which feems rather improbable, 
 becaule perukes are of a modern invention. But 
 what is remarkable in this crucifix is, that al¬ 
 though the devotees who vifit the place never go 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 
 
 away without a few of the hairs, yet they are 
 never diminilhed. 
 
 It is needlefs to fay any thing more, concerning 
 the amazing numbers of crucifixes ufed by the 
 Roman Catholics, whether in churches, on the 
 highways, in the market places, in private 
 houles, and indeed in almoft every place. All pow¬ 
 er and virtue are believed to reft in them; for the 
 Roman Catholics tell us, that fome of them have 
 fhed tears, others fweated blood; while fome 
 have difeoverd facrilege, and ftruck the male- 
 fadtor either dead, lame, or blind. Some have 
 reftored the dead to life, and others health to the 
 dileafed; and all have diftinguifhed themfelves 
 for fomething of a miraculous nature. The Ro¬ 
 man Catholics muft not be without crucifixes in 
 their houles, and Mr. Keyfler, in his travels over 
 the Alps, tells us, that if a perfon fhould be 
 found dead, which often happens, on account 
 of the vaft number of precipices, they fearch 
 his pockets, and if he has neither a crucifix, nor 
 beads, he is denied chriftian burial; the people 
 taking it for granted that he is a heretic. 
 
 Of fome other remarkable Ceremonies in the ^Church 
 of Rome. 
 
 By the decrees of the council of Trent, no 
 images are to be fet up in churches, till they are 
 firft coniecrated by the bifhop of the diocefe ; 
 and the ceremony is much the fame as that ufed 
 at the benedidtion of a crofs or crucifix. While 
 the prayer is repeating by the bilhop, he mentions 
 the name of the faint whom the image reprefents, 
 and after that the holy water is fprinkled over 
 the image; but if it is an image of the Virgin 
 Mary, it is fprinkled and perfumed three diffe¬ 
 rent times, and feveral pfalms and anthems are 
 fung, the whole ceremony being concluded, by 
 the bifhop’s making the fign of the crofs three 
 times, in honour of the three perlbns in the holy 
 and ever blefied Trinity. It is certain that the 
 Roman Catholics believe thefe images capable of 
 working miracles, for there is l'carce one to be 
 met with to which the honour of this fupernatural 
 power has not been alcribed. Thefe things are 
 not imagined by us # for we read of them in all 
 the printed lives of thofe faints, who are adored 
 in the church of Rome. 
 
 There is at Naples an image of Jefus Chrift, 
 which an impious wretch ftabbed, and fo fenfible 
 was it of the pain, that it put its hand to the 
 wound. The image of St. Catherine, at Sienna, 
 has often driven away devils, and wrought many 
 other extraordinary miracl^. The image of 
 the bleffed Virgin at Lucca, being once treated 
 in a rude and indecent manner by a lbldier, who 
 threw ftones at her, and had almoft broken the 
 head of the young Jefus which fhe held in her 
 l| arms ; fhe fet the child on her other fide, and he 
 has ever fince been fo pleafed with his fituation, 
 that he will not confent to change it; although 
 many devotees have offered to reftore him again 
 to the embraces of his mother. 
 
 Another objedl of great devotion in the church 
 of Rome, is the holy fhroud in which Jofeph. 
 of Arimathea wrapped Chrift’.s body when he 
 laid it in the tomb ; but either fortunately or un¬ 
 fortunately. 
 
RITES anti CEREMONIES 
 
 fortunately, it happens that there are more than I 
 one of thefe fhrouds, and all adored in the lame 
 manner. The two molt celebrated of thefe 
 fhrouds are one at Bezan<;on, and one at Turin. 
 With refpeft to the firft, we have the following 
 account in the writings of the mod: celebrated 
 Roman Catholic authors: 
 
 On the fedival of Eader, during matuns, or 
 morning prayers, three canons walk out of the 
 chapel, where the fhroud is depofited, and ling 
 as they go towards the high altar, “ Who is he 
 “ that lhall remove the done from the lepul- 
 “ chre.” At the fame time, feveral boys dreffed 
 in the form of angels, meet them, and afk, 
 
 « whom feek ye ?” to which they anfwer, “Jelus 
 « of Nazareth ?” whereupon the boys reply, 
 
 “ he is not here.” Then the chanter addreffes 
 himfelf in the following words to the tird of the 
 three canons : “ Tell us, O Mary ! what thou 
 « had foen in the way.” “ I have feen (fays the 
 i< canon) the fepulchre of Chrid who liveth, and 
 « the glory of him who is raifed from the dead.” 
 The fecond adds, “ l have feen the angels who 
 “ are witnefles of the relurreflion, I have feen 
 “ the holy drroud and at the fame time Ihews 
 it, along with the other cloaths in which the 
 body of Jefus was wrapped. The third canon 
 fays, “Jefus Chrid, our hope, is rifen !” The 
 choir confefs the truth of our Saviour's refurrec- 
 tion by tinging, “ It is much better to believe the 
 “ tedimony of Mary, than the impodures of the 
 “ Jews ; we know that Chrid is rifen from the 
 C< dead.” This aft of devotion is finilhed by 
 the Te Deum, which is fung by the choir and the 
 people in the modfolemn manner. This facred 
 lhroud of Bezan^on is famous for the many mi¬ 
 racles it has wrought, for we are told that it has 
 often redored the dead to life, it has given fight 
 to the blind, and cured the mod inveterate dtl- 
 tempers. 
 
 Nor is the lhroud at Turin lefs famous than 
 the other. It was brought from Jerufaiem about 
 tfte time of the crulades, becaufe it did not chufe 
 to remain among Mahometans. It afterwards 
 changed its fituation feveral times, till at lad it 
 fixed on a chapel in the cathedral of Turin, 
 which is now called the chapel of the holy lhroud. 
 There it has wrought many miracles, fuch as re- 
 lloring the dead to life, curing the lame and the 
 blind, calling out devils, and fuch is its imma¬ 
 culate virtue, that although .it is every day 
 touched by pilgrims and devotees, yet it is never 
 foiled, nor is there any neceffity for walhing it. 
 But notwithdanding all the virtues afcribed to 
 thefe fhrouds, yet there are many more, nor is 
 there a country where the Roman Catholic re¬ 
 ligion is profeffed, but fome of them are to be 
 found. In what manner they could multiply 
 into fuch numbers, mud be left to the reader’s 
 own judgment, for we do not conlidei ourfelves 
 obliged to account for it. 
 
 As the church of Rome is the mod attached 
 to ceremonies of any in the known world, that 
 bears the name of Chridians, fo we find that 
 every thing ufed in religious fervice is confe- 
 crated. The robes worn by the prieds, the cloth 
 which covers the altar, the altar itl'elf, the church, 
 the church-yard, and indeed every thing mud be 
 confecrated and bleffed before they can be made any 
 uie of. This opens a large field for clerical pa¬ 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 
 
 vileges, emoluments and honours; and it im- 
 prelfes upon the minds of the people that there is 
 fomething more than human in the charadler of 
 that man who can change the nature of inanimate 
 beings. . 
 
 The next ceremony to be-attended to, is the 
 homily or fermon, which follows after the goipel, 
 and confifts of exhortations to the people, to con¬ 
 tinue ftedfaft in the faith, by avoiding herefies; 
 and to perform fuch duties as are incumbent on 
 them to their fellow creatures. When the gofpel 
 is read, the prieft who is to preach, goes to the 
 bottom of the fteps by the epiftle fide, and comes 
 to the altar; he then takes off his robes and puts 
 on his cap, and kneels down on the laft ftep of 
 the altar, where he repeats a prayer, begging of 
 God that he will be pleafed to give his bleffing 
 to what he is about to perform. Before he begins 
 the fermon, he bows to the crucifix, and makes the 
 iigure of the crols upon himfelf. Then he makes 
 a low bow to the people, and at every time he 
 repeats the names of Jeius or Mary, he takes off 
 his cap. If the biftiop is prelent, the preacher is 
 always uncovered, and after fermon he expofes 
 the crucifix to the view of the people. It is re¬ 
 markable, that all the Roman Catholics preach 
 without notes, and they put on a great appear¬ 
 ance of fervency in delivering their difeourfes; 
 
 I which feldom fails to make an impreffion on the 
 minds of the hearers. As many of their fer- 
 I mons are preached in honour of their faints, fo 
 the accounts of the miracles wrought by thofe 
 perfons are lure to furnilh them with abundance 
 of matter. Their attitudes and geftures often 
 border on ridicule ; but cuftom, iong fandlified 
 by a continual repetition, draws a veil over every 
 thing. In a word, the fermons delivered by the 
 Roman Catholic priefts, are in all relpedts fuited 
 to the nature of their devotions, and thofe who 
 confider the one as a duty, muff reap fome bene¬ 
 fit at laft from the other; for in all cafes there! 
 muft be a ftrong connexion between both, other- 
 wife the form of religion would be loft. 
 
 It is a rule laid down in the canons of the 
 church of Rome, that all the altars fhould be 
 made of ftone, the intention being to reprefent 
 Chrift, who is the foundation ftone of the fpiri- 
 tual building, which is the church of the faith¬ 
 ful. The table of it muft be of one (ingle ftone, 
 and the body muft either be fupported by pillars, 
 or filled up with mafon’s work. There ftiould 
 be at lead three fteps to go up to it, either of 
 ftone or brick, and covered with a carpet, and 
 the clerk is to take care that a fine linen cloth be 
 fpread upon the altar. All this muft be obferved 
 with the greateft exadtnefs in refpedt to the high 
 altar, where the body of Chrift is generally de- 
 pofited, and two clerks muft adorn and take care 
 of it, nor are they, on any account, to approach 
 it without furplices on. 
 
 As loon as they approach it, they are to kneel 
 down, adore the holy facrament, and repeat fome 
 ejaculatory prayers ; and in particular thefe rules 
 muft be obferved as often as the ornaments of the 
 altars are changed. When they change the orna¬ 
 ments, which is frequently done, the clerks are 
 careful to fweep up the dull before they put on 
 the ornaments for the day; and the cloth that 
 covers the table muft be fo adjufted as to form 
 the lb ape of a crols, by two corners hanging down 
 
 to 
 
196 RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 to the ground, and the other two not above half 
 way. The whole muft be blefled and crofled, 
 and fprinkled with holy water; and the fame for¬ 
 malities are to be obferved with refped to the ta¬ 
 bernacle of the altar, and the box wherein the 
 hoft is laid. Altars are likewife adorned with ar¬ 
 tificial or natural flowers, according to the feafon 
 of the year, and the dull muft be fwept oft' from 
 the altar, once every day. The tabernacle of the 
 holy iacrament is fixed upon the altar, and is 
 adorned with filver, gold, and all forts of pre¬ 
 cious ftones, having on each fide tapers of fine 
 white wax, which being kept conftantly burn¬ 
 ing, lerve greatly towards illuminating the 
 whole. 
 
 The clerk, who attends the prieft at mafs, has 
 a little bell, which he tinckles when the hoft is 
 elevated; and this he does nine times, thrice 
 when the prieft kneels down, thrice when he holds 
 up the hoft, and thrice when he fets it on the 
 altar; the lame formalities muft be ufed with ref- 
 petft to the chalice. Before every altar there 
 mult be a balluftrade either of wood, marble, or 
 iron, to keep the people from going too far; 
 and on each fide there muft be a taper, burning 
 in a filver candleftick, if the parifh is rich enough 
 to purchafe one. They have likewife fmall 
 portable altars, which they remove from place to 
 place, and in thefe are always depolited the re¬ 
 lics of martyrs. With relped to the furniture 
 of their altars, it confifts of a vaft variety of 
 utenfils; for it is a maxim with them, that every 
 ceremony is an ad of worlbip. No layman is 
 permitted to handle the facred veflels, it is the 
 privilege of the priefts alone to handle them ; 
 this cuftom they have borrowed either from the 
 Jews or the Heathens, or from both. The cha¬ 
 lices muft be made either of gold or filver; and 
 before they can be ufed, muft be confecrated by 
 the bilhop. The paten, in which the facred hoft 
 is contained, muft be made of the fame metal as 
 the chalice, and is generally about fix or eight 
 inches diameter. 
 
 The Pyx muft be made of gold, or filver gilt 
 within; and when the iacrament is confecrated, 
 by mixing wine with the hoft, it is put into it; 
 and it muft be taken out once a week, left it ftiould 
 become mouldy. A veil, in form of a tent, made 
 of rich white fluff, muft cover this precious re- 
 pofitory of wafers. There muft be a box of fil¬ 
 ver, gilt within, to carry the communion to the 
 fick when it is to go any confiderable way ; and 
 it muft be put into a filk purfe, and hung about 
 the neck infuch places as are difficult of accefs. 
 
 There muft be another box for the larger wa¬ 
 fers, which are round; and this may be made of 
 filver, tin, or pafteboard, lined with white taf- 
 fety within, and adorned with rich filk without. 
 
 A round leaden plate muft be put into the box, 
 that the wafers may be always ready ; and thefe 
 wafers muft be kept in a place neither too moift 
 nor too dry. A plate of filver in the form of the 
 fun, is fixed oppofite to the facrament, on the 
 altar; which, with the light of the tapers, 
 makes a moft brilliant appearance. 
 
 The incenfe which is made ufe of in the 
 church muft be of an odoriferous fmell, and 
 broken a little, before it is put into the cenfer, 
 but not reduced to powder. 
 
 in the CHURCIT of R O M E; 
 
 The holy water pot ought to be made of fil¬ 
 ver, pewter, or tin ; and the fprinkler, either of 
 the fame, or wood, with hogs’ briftles, or wolves 
 hair twilled round it; and at the end there mult 
 be a hollow knob with holes, in which a linall 
 fpunge muft be enclofed. There muft be two 
 veflels of pewter or earthen ware, to hold water 
 for the clerks to wafli the chalice, and other 
 things, belonging to the altar. The cloth which 
 covers the altar muft be of fine white linen, not 
 too thin, nor ftitched, and Ihould be without 
 lace, but if there is any lace, it muft be very 
 narrow, and within two fingers ^breadth of the 
 edge that comes forward. In that part where 
 the prieft moft commonly kilfes the altar, there 
 muft be a fmall crofs wrought on the linen, with 
 white filk or thread. 
 
 The Pales, another utenfil ufed at the altar, 
 muft be made of the fame linen as that already 
 mentioned, and each muft be blefled and confe¬ 
 crated, nor can any perfon below the degree of rt 
 fub-deacon be permitted to touch them. Thefe 
 are ufed to reprelent the grave cloaths in which 
 our Lord was wrapped when laid in the fe- 
 pulchre. They are believed to have many vir¬ 
 tues in them, and they lerve to point out a vaft 
 number of myfteries, which the Roman Catho¬ 
 lics fay, Proteftants have not faith to compre¬ 
 hend. 
 
 Thefe linen cloths are commonly called the 
 corporeals, and a bag is made of the fame ma¬ 
 terials, to hold them, with feveral erodes fewed 
 upon it. Thefe bags and purles are faftened by 
 a button and loop, and on one of the outfides 
 there is a crofs embroidered, of about three 
 quarters of a fpan in length. The veil of the 
 chalice is made of filk, of the fame colour as the 
 reft of the decorations ; and is about three fpans 
 lquare, but there are no crofles, nor any figures 
 whatever upon it. In large churches where the 
 folemn mafs is performed, the prieft muft have 
 veils of ten fpans long, and ftriped with filk, of 
 four colours, viz, white, green, red, and pur¬ 
 ple, to hold the paten up with ; but black veils 
 are never made ufe of, not even at maffes for the 
 dead, nor on Good Friday. There muft be 
 veils or covers, for the crofles in Paflion Week, 
 and thefe are made of camblet, or Huff of a pur¬ 
 ple colour; but without any figure, image or 
 crofs upon them. 
 
 In every church there ought to be a flao- or 
 ftandard, about nine or ten fpans long and fix 
 broad, of a colour fuitable to the patron, and in 
 the middle of it the figure of the patron Ihould 
 be reprefented in embroidery. This ftandard is 
 by the canons ordered to be of a fattin damafk, 
 taffeta, or camblet lined with linen, with a bor¬ 
 der and a fringe round it, and the pole muft be 
 about five feet long. With rei'ped to the mafs 
 book, it is fo well known, that we need not fay- 
 much concerning it, only that fo late as the tenth 
 century, almoft every church had its mafs book 
 or liturgy, and all thefe in fome things differed 
 from each other. At prefent, there are fome dif¬ 
 ference between the liturgy ufed by the French 
 church and that at Rome. The Roman Catholics 
 are fully perfuaded that the mafs book was writ¬ 
 ten by St. Peter and given to his fucceffor St. 
 Clement; but we ftiall leave the reader to judge 
 
 how 
 
RITES and CEREMONIE 
 
 how this can be reconciled with church hiftory, 
 which gives no account of mafs books till the 
 fixth century. 
 
 Before a church can be eredbed, the bifhop’s 
 confent mu ft firft be had and obtained, and it 
 belongs to him to fix the place, the extent of it, 
 the revenues and minifters belonging to it, the 
 fund for lights and decorations, with all fuch 
 other things as are neceffary. He muft likewife 
 fix the crofs on the ground of the new intended 
 church, and lay the firft ftone of it, or at leaft if 
 he does it not in perfon, then he muft appoint 
 another to adt under him. A wooden crofs muft 
 be let where the altar is to ft and, the day before 
 the ftone is to be laid, and likewife on the day 
 following. A fquare ftone is to be made choice 
 of, which is to be the foundation ftone of the 
 facred fabric, and if it happens to be at Rome, 
 and the pope is inclined to perform the ceremony, 
 he muft have his rochet on, and other robes luit- 
 able to the lolemnity of the occafion ; but an in¬ 
 ferior bilhop performs it in his ordinary robes, 
 holding the paftoral ftaff in his hand. 
 
 Thus drcfied he muft go to the ground in¬ 
 tended for the new church, and there blefs the 
 fait and water by repeating feveral prayers ; that 
 for the lalt is the following, “ May it be exor- 
 <c died by the living God, and being fo exor- 
 cc cifed for the falvation of thofe who believe, 
 tc may it preferve health of body and mind to 
 “ all fuch as fhall partake of it, and may it have 
 <c fufficient influence to deftroy the malice of 
 cc Satan.” After this, he blefles the water in 
 the fame manner, and then puts the fait into the 
 water in the form of a crofs, repeating feveral 
 prayers fuitable to the occafion. An anthem is 
 then fung, with the eighty-third pfalm, in which 
 all that are prefent join ; and during this part of 
 the ceremony, the bifhop, or the perfon officiat¬ 
 ing for him, fprinkles the ground with the fait 
 and water. The pfalm and anthem being ended, 
 he turns himfelf towards the place which he has 
 been fprinkling with holy water, and addreffes 
 himfelf to God in a prayer, through the media¬ 
 tion of that particular faint to whom the new 
 church is to be dedicated and confecrated. 
 
 He then takes off his mitre, and blefles the 
 foundation ftone of the altar, repeating feveral 
 prayers, and fprinkles it with the holy water. 
 The fprinkling being performed, he makes feve¬ 
 ral times the fign of the crofs, in the name of 
 the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft, and 
 it is done by marking the ftone with a knife, or 
 chifiel. A litany is then fung, after which the 
 bifhop rifes up from kneeling on a carpet fpread 
 for him on the ground, and turning towards the 
 ftone, repeats l'ome more prayers. Another 
 anthem is fung and then the hundred and 
 twenty-fourth pfalm; and to conclude, while the 
 mafon is fixing the ftone, the bifhop touches it 
 with his hand, and fays, tf thou fhalt cleanfe me 
 with hyfop.” 
 
 This is the form obferved in the dedication of 
 an altar, but when the church is finifhed, there 
 muft be another dedication of the whole fabric, 
 before divine fervice can be performed in it. A 
 Sunday, or holiday, if poffible, muft be made 
 choice of for this purpofe, and the arch-deacon 
 is to give notice of it to the people, that they 
 may fall the eve before. In the mean time, the 
 J 7 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 197 
 
 clergy prepare the relics which are to be dep'o- 
 fited under the altar of the new church, and they 
 are put into a neat decent veflfel, together with 
 three grains of incenfe; to this are added a fmall 
 flip of parchment, the year, the month, and the 
 day on which the church was confecrated, with 
 the bifliop’s name who performs the ceremony, 
 and the name of the faint to whom it is dedi¬ 
 cated. The vafe in which the relics are depofited 
 muft be fealed up and put in a very clean place, 
 and two tapers muft be kept burning before it. 
 Before the dedication begins, three croffes of a 
 confiderable height muft be painted on each of 
 the walls of the church, and over each of them 
 muft ftand a wax candle of an ounce weight. 
 1 he care of this is left to the clerk or facrift, 
 who is obliged to have every thing properly pre¬ 
 pared for the reception of the bifhop who is to 
 perform the ceremony. 
 
 On the morning of the day appointed for the 
 ceremony, the bilhop appears in his pontifical 
 robes, and orders twelve candles to be lighted, 
 hie then goes out of the church and orders every 
 one prefent to do the fame, except one deacon, 
 who is left behind, locked up, and drefied in his 
 robes. The bifhop, with his attendants, goes to 
 the place where the relics were put the day be¬ 
 fore, and begins the feven penitential pfalms 
 with a low voice, and an anthem, without litanies, 
 and during the time they are repeating, he takes 
 off his robes and puts on others. 
 
 The remainder of the clergy prefent at the 
 ceremony, are drefled in their robes, and after 
 they have fung the pfalms, the bifhop, with his at¬ 
 tendants, goes to the church door, where he pulls 
 off his mitre and begins an anthem, which is fuc- 
 ceeded by a prayer. He then leans upon a chair 
 placed there on a carpet for that purpofe, whilft 
 the litanies are finging. Fie blefles the holy 
 water, and firft fprinkles himfelf, after which he 
 does the fame to all prefent. He then puts on 
 his mitre again, and walks round the church, at¬ 
 tended by the fub-deacon carrying the crofs, and 
 the clerk with the holy water. As he goes along, 
 he fprinkles the walls of the church in the 
 name of the blelfed Trinity, and as he walks, 
 his robe is held up by two train bearers behind, 
 while the clerk carries the holy water at fuch a 
 proper diftance, that the bifhop may be able to 
 dip the fprinkler into it. 
 
 Being returned to the place from whence they 
 fet out, and another anthem and pfalm fung, the 
 bifhop, while prefent, repeats feveral prayers. 
 Thefe ceremonies are fo numerous, that every 
 perfon who joins in them muft hold a ritual in 
 his hand. Another prayer being repeated, the 
 bifhop ftrikes the door of the church with 
 his paftoral ftaff, repeating aloud, <c Open the 
 <c gates, that the King of Glory may come in.” 
 The deacon who remained locked up-within, afks 
 who this King of Glory is, to which the bifhop 
 anfwers, tc That it is the Lord God Almighty, the 
 cc God of Holts.” Then all the people cry out, 
 cc Open the doors,” while the bilhop repeats a 
 prayer in Latin, to frighten away the devil. 
 
 At length the door being opened, the bifliop 
 enters, attended by his minifters only ; for the 
 people are not yet permitted to enter, except two 
 or three mafons, who are to clofe the lepulchre 
 where the relics are depofited, and cement the 
 D d d altar 
 
i9« RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 altar table with mortar. The bifliop as he goes 
 in, fays, tc Peace be in this houfe.” To which 
 the deacon anfwers, “ When thou flialt enter 
 into it.” WhilH feme words applicable to this 
 wilh are finging, the bifliop advances to the mid¬ 
 dle of the church, where he kneels down, and 
 begins the Veni Creator Spirit us , with his head 
 uncovered, and his face towards the high altar. 
 Then one of the fub-deacons takes lime-aflies, 
 and fcaiters them on the pavement, in the form 
 of a crofs ; pronouncing twice the name of the 
 faint to whom the church is dedicated. The 
 fame honours are fhewn to the faints whofe re¬ 
 lics are depofited in the church ; becaufe it is 
 believed that many miracles will be wrought by 
 them. While this is doing, the people call out. 
 
 We befeech thee to hear us.” And along with 
 the name of God, they join that of the titular 
 faint, making feveral times the fign of the crofs. 
 The bifhop makes the fign of the crofs three 
 times upon the altar, after which he repeats fome 
 prayers, and an anthem is fung, with the fong 
 ofZachariah. During this part of the ceremony 
 the bifhop puts on his mitre, and with his cro- 
 fier, draws upon the allies a double alphabet in 
 capitals. 
 
 The next thing to be attended to, is the fecond 
 dedication of the altar, which is done on the 
 fame day with that of the church. As foon as 
 the bifhop has made the double alphabet with 
 his crofier, he takes off his mitre, and turning 
 to the high altar, repeats an anthem, which is 
 fung by the choir. This is done three times, and 
 each time they raife their voices a note higher, 
 while the bifhop bleffes the fait and water, with 
 the allies and wine. When he bleffes the afhes, 
 he prays that God would fend his angel to confe- 
 crate them, that thefe afhes may become a whol- 
 fome remedy to all fuch as fhall call upon the 
 facred name of God, and confefs their manifold 
 fins and tranfgreffions ; and that they who, whilff 
 they are calling on his name, fliall fprinkle them- 
 felves with the afhes for the expiation of their 
 fins, may obtain health of body, and falvation 
 of their precious and immortal fouls. 
 
 After this prayer the bifhop takes the fait, and 
 mingles it with the afhes in the form of a crofs. 
 A handful of this compofition he throws into 
 the water, bleffing it three times and then he 
 bleffes the wine, and mingles it with water. He 
 delivers a difeourfe to the people on the virtues 
 of things confecrated for the fervice of God, but 
 this does not end the whole of the ceremony, 
 there being ftill feveral other parts remaining. 
 
 From the altar the bifliop proceeds a fecond 
 time to the church door, and with his pafloral 
 Haff croffes it at the top and bottom, repeating 
 a prayer to God, that the fign of the k crofs may 
 prove invincible, and be the means of driving 
 away devils j and he likewife prays, that fuch as 
 vifit this church may be bleffed, and abound in 
 all manner of good things, profperity in time, 
 and happinefs in eternity. He then returns to 
 the place where he confecrated the holy water, 
 and looking towards the high altar, uncovered, 
 exhorts the people to beg of God, to blefs and 
 keep this place, by the afperfion of water min¬ 
 gled with wine, fait, and afhes, through the me¬ 
 rits of Jefus Chrift. An anthem is then fuhg by 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 
 
 the choir, and at the beginning of it, the bifliop 
 Handing before the altar, dips the thumb of his 
 right hand into the water that had been confe¬ 
 crated before, and makes the fign of the crofs 
 on the middle of the altar table, confecrating it 
 in honour of God Almighty, of the bleffed Vir¬ 
 gin Mary, and of all the faints ; in commemo¬ 
 ration of the faint to whom it is dedicated, in 
 the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
 Holy GhoH. Befides the crofs in the middle, he 
 makes one at each corner, two at the epiftle fide, 
 and two at the golpel fide. After which he re¬ 
 peats a prayer, and walks feven times round th« 
 altar, fprinkling it with holy water. 
 
 This part of the ceremony concludes, by the 
 bi(hop’s palling behind the altar, and from thence 
 walking round the infide of the church a fecond 
 time, fprinkling the bottom of the walls with 
 holy water. Ide then fprinkles the middle of the 
 pavement before the altar, and from thence pro¬ 
 ceeds to the great gate, and continues the cere¬ 
 mony crofs-ways, from one end of the wall to the 
 other. He turns his face to the four corners of 
 the world, and then turning towards the great 
 gate, repeats a prayer, laying his hands on his 
 bread, and pouring holy water upon the cement 
 of the Hones, under which the relics are de¬ 
 pofited. 
 
 The next part of this ceremony conliHs in the 
 proceffion of the relics, which proceeds in the 
 following order: The bifliop with his clergy, 
 preceded by the crofs, carried by a fub-deacon 
 between two torch bearers, go and fetch the 
 relics with much ceremony. The chrifm is car¬ 
 ried to the entrance of the church, and at going 
 into the tent where the relics are depofited, an 
 anthem is fung, together with the ninety-fourth 
 pfalm. The bifhop having repeated feveral 
 prayers, the proceHion begins a fecond time, and 
 is conducted as follows : 
 
 The crofs bearers march firH, with wax tapers 
 in their hands, and the clergy follow them, fing¬ 
 ing as they go along. Behind them march feve¬ 
 ral prieHs bearing the relics on a litter, with 
 the incenfe bearer by the fide of it, who takes 
 care to perfume the relics as they pafs along. 
 There are feveral wax candles carried on each 
 fide, and behind the relics comes the biHiop 
 with his afilHants, finging an anthem, in which 
 they are joined by the choir; after which the 
 whole proceffion goes round the church, and the 
 biHiop makes an oration to the people ; which 
 confiHs chiefly in celebrating the character of the 
 faint to whom the church is dedicated : at the 
 fame time he exhorts them to treat the facred edi¬ 
 fice and the name of the faint with all becoming 
 refpedt, and contribute chearfully towards the 
 fupport of the miniHers who officiate in it. 
 LaHly, the prieHs take the litter upon their 
 fhoulders, and enter the church in proceffion, 
 followed by all the people prefent, while an an¬ 
 them is fung in honour of the relics, and of the 
 faints to whom they belong. The proceffion, in 
 the mean time, continues walking on ; and when 
 they are come to the altar, where the relics arc 
 to be depofited, a great number of tapers are 
 lighted up, and the choir fings an anthem, 
 which is given out by the biHiop. 
 
 Before they are depofited in the fepulchre, the 
 
 bilhop 
 
 V 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 bilhop touches the veffel with his mitre, and then 
 Teals up the relics, but he mild take care that 
 four figns of the crofs be made on the four Tides 
 of the fepulchre, each in the name of the three 
 perfons in the ever-blcffed Trinity. He then de- 
 pofits the veil'd containing the relics, in the fe¬ 
 pulchre, with every mark of reipedt and adora¬ 
 tion, in order to make a more lading imprellion 
 on the minds of the people. All this time the 
 choir Tings, and continues till the bifliop has laid 
 a done upon the mouth of the fepulchre, which 
 contains the relics, when he dips his thumb in 
 the facred oil, and makes the fign of the crofs 
 upon it. The mafons conclude this part by 
 clofing up the fepulchre. To that the relics can¬ 
 not be afterwards expofed to public view without 
 the conient of the bifliop. This, however, is 
 not the cafe univerfally, becaufe in fome churches 
 they are permitted to fhew the relics of faints; 
 and the author of this has been fhewn fome of a 
 very extraordinary nature ; nay, he has feen three 
 or four of the lame, at as many different places, 
 and each of them are looked upon by the people 
 as genuine. 
 
 The Hone being fixed, bleffed and figned with 
 the crofs, the altar mud be incenfed, which the 
 bifliop performs, by making the fign of the crofs 
 and pouring the incenfe upon it, beginning at the 
 right hand, and going round ; during which time 
 the choir lings an anthem fuitable to the occafion. 
 
 After it is incenfed, the bifliop repeats a prayer, 
 while his affidants rub the table of the altar with 
 a very clean cloth. The table mud be in the 
 form of a crofs, and the bifliop mud incenfe all 
 the four Tides. 
 
 The bifliop then makes five erodes with the 
 facred oil, and incenles the whole again, while 
 the anthem is fung by the choir, and that is fol¬ 
 lowed by another anthem. Twelve erodes are 
 made upon the walls of that part of the church 
 next to the altar; and thefe being incenfed, the 
 bifliop returns again to the altar, and having re¬ 
 peated another prayer, gives out an anthem which 
 is fung by the choir. 
 
 He again makes five figns of the crofs upon 
 the altar, and kneeling down, prays that all true 
 Chridians that come to the altar, may be pro- 
 tefted from the fnares laid for them by the devil. 
 At Rome, on Thurfdays and Fridays in Padion 
 Week, the altars are dripped of their ornaments, 
 and walked with wine and water; but this feems 
 rather to be a cuflom peculiar to the place, than 
 an edablilhed ceremony, becaufe we do not find 
 it attended to in other countries, where the Ro¬ 
 man Catholic religion is profefled. 
 
 Such is the manner in which the people in 
 Roman Catholic countries, dedicate and confe- 
 crate their churches, and to thofe who perule this 
 impartial account with the lead degree of atten¬ 
 tion, it will appear that the ceremonies are 
 equally heavy and burthenfome with thofe in the 
 law of Mofes. It may be added here, that al¬ 
 though the deifls pretend to ridicule even the 
 decent and innocent ceremonies ufed by the pro- 
 tedants, yet Mr. Hume, one of their greated 
 writers, betrays his caufe, in telling us that the 
 ceremonies in the church of Rome are the foie 
 fupport of the Chridian religion. 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. i 59 
 
 Of particular Cufloms relating to Devotion in the 
 Roman Catholic Church. 
 
 Under this head the fird thing to be taken no¬ 
 tice of, is, the benedidlion of the Agnus Deis', 
 which is always performed during the fird year 
 of the new pope’s reign, and every feventh year 
 afterwards. Thefe Agnus Deis’ are made of 
 white wax, in an oval form, and upon each of 
 them is the figure of Jefus Chrid, in the form 
 of a lamb; the meaning of the word itfelf beincr 
 the Lamb of God. This piece o£ devotion is 
 much edeemed by the devotees of the church of 
 Rome, and the preparing of the Agnus Deis’, 
 cuts out much employment for l'uch of the pope’s 
 chaplains as aft under his chamberlain of the 
 houfliold. The wax of which they are made, is 
 taken from the remains of the candles ufed on the 
 preceding Eader; but as that is not always dif¬ 
 fident to anfwer the end, they are allowed more 
 out of the apodolical chamber. 
 
 The ceremony is performed on Eader Tuefday 
 in the following manner. The pope’s chief fa- 
 cridan bleffes the water, and then the pope, 
 dreffed in his robes, bleffes it a fecond time. This 
 water is put into a large filver bafon, and the 
 pope repeats a prayer, begging that God would 
 give his blefling to the water appointed to deanfe 
 Tinners from their ’ impurities. After this, he 
 takes fome balm and pours it into the water, ad- 
 ding thereto the holy oil, which he likewile pours 
 in, in the form of a crofs. During the ceremony, 
 he offers up feveral prayers to God, and then 
 turning to the Agnus Deis’, bleffes and incenfes 
 them, imploring God to grant them all the vir¬ 
 tues generally afcribed to them. After this fol¬ 
 low feveral other prayers, and then his holinefs 
 fits down in an eafy chair prepared for him, with 
 a napkin girt around him in the form of an apron, 
 and his mitre on. The gentlemen of his cham¬ 
 ber prefent him with the Agnus Deis’ in filver 
 bafons, one after another, and the pope throws 
 them into the holy water. The cardinals in their 
 linen robes take them out with ipoons, made for 
 that purpofe, and afterwards lay them on a table 
 covered with a clean white cloth, and then wipe 
 them with a napkin, which they wear in the form 
 of an apron; and the afliftant prelates range them 
 on a table, where they remain till they are tho¬ 
 roughly dry. After this part of the ceremony, 
 the holy father riles up, and in a prayer, addreffes 
 himl'elf to the Holy Ghoft, beleeching him to 
 blefs them, and then makes his application to 
 Jefus Chrift. After tins they are again put into 
 bafons, and the holy father takes the cardinals 
 along with him to dinner. The fame ceremony 
 is relumed on the fl hurfday following, and con¬ 
 tinued till they are all bleffed, which is on Friday, 
 and during that time foreign ambaffadors, and 
 all forts of Arrangers, who are then at Rome, are 
 permitted to be prefent. 
 
 On the Saturday following, mafs is fung by a 
 cardinal prieff, at which his holinefs aflifls, dreffed 
 in his robes, and as Toon as the Agnus Dei is 
 fung, an apoffolic fub-deacon, dreffed in his 
 robes, with the crofs bearer and two taper bearers 
 walking before him, goes to the pope’s facriffan 
 
 and 
 
;.oo RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 and takes from him a bafon full of thole Agnus 
 Deis’ lately bleffed,and wraps them up in a party 
 coloured china cotton. The lub-deacon is followed 
 by a clerk of the ceremonies, with two chaplains in 
 their furplices; when they have come to 
 the door of the chapel they all kneel, while 
 the l'ub -deacon fings the following words, cc Ho- 
 “ ly father, thefe are the new lambs, who have 
 “ lung their Hallelujahs to thee, d hey drank 
 “ not long ago at the fountain of holy water; 
 
 “ they are now very light, or very much enligh- 
 “ tened, praife the Lord.” To which the 
 choir anfwers, cc God be praifed, Hallelujah. 
 After this the fub-dcacon advances towards the 
 altar, and when he comes fo near as to touch the 
 rails, he again repeats the fame words; and a 
 third time when he approaches the throne of the 
 holy father. 
 
 Two auditors prefent the Agnus Deis’to the 
 two cardinal deacons affiftants, who lay them in 
 a decent manner on his holinefs’s knees, and the 
 two auditors hold the two ends of the napkin, 
 whilft the holy father bleffes the facred college. 
 The cardinals*having fhewn the utmoft relpedl to 
 his holinefs, take off their mitres, and holding them 
 with the points or horns downward, receive into 
 them as many of the Agnus Deis’ as he chufes 
 to bellow. After the cardinals have had their 
 lhare, the remainder are diftributed among the 
 foreign ambaffadors, nobles, and prelates, who hap¬ 
 pen at that time to be in Rome. The ceremony con¬ 
 cludes by the pope’s waffling his hands; and he 
 . and all the cardinals unrobing themfelves„ 
 
 As it frequently happens that many of thefe 
 Agnus Deis’ are not diftributed, in luch cafes, 
 thole that are left are given to the prelate who is 
 the keeper of the pope’s wardrobe, who diftri- 
 butes them among pilgrims, or fuch other 
 foreigners as happen to vifit Rome. 
 
 This practice of bleffing the Agnus Deis’ took 
 its rife about the feventh or eighth century ; for 
 as it was common in thofe ages to make thou- 
 fands and ten thoufands of converts in a day, by 
 only marking them with the fign of the crols 
 after baptiiin, lb, in order to diftinguifh them 
 from the Heathens, they were ordered to wear 
 about their necks pieces of white wax, with the 
 figure of a lamb upon them. This was done in 
 imitation of the Heathen pra&ice of hanging 
 amulets around their necks, as prefervatives 
 againft accidents, dileafes, or any fort of infec¬ 
 tions ; many of thefe amulets are to be met with 
 in the cabinets of the curious, and they are ftill 
 frequently found in "W ales, and in the northern 
 parts of Britain. They are in the form of rings, 
 of a deep azure colour, interlperled with molt 
 beautiful white fpots ; and the lubftance of them 
 relembles tranfparent glafs, and undoubtedly 
 they have in them fomething of that nature. 
 
 The next thing to be attended to, is the canon¬ 
 ization of faints, and a folemn ceremony it is, 
 efpecially when we confider, that by the pope s 
 Jingle a 61 he can make men or women who have 
 been long conftgned to their graves, objects of 
 divine worlhip, and mediators between God and 
 finners. 
 
 \\ hen a perfon is to be canonized, the pope 
 holds four coniiftories ; in the firft of which, he 
 caul'es the petition of thofe who lolicit for the 
 canonization, to be examined by three auditors 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROM L. 
 of the rota, and dire&s the cardinals to revile 
 all the inftruinents relating thereto. In the fe- 
 cond, the cardinals make their report; and in 
 the third, which is held in public, the cardinals 
 pay their adoration to the pope; alter which an 
 advocate makes a pompous oration in praife of 
 the perfon who is to be made a faint. He expa¬ 
 tiates at large on the miracles he has wrought, 
 and even pretends to know from what motives 
 he a£led. In the fourth conftftory, the pope, ha¬ 
 ving fummoned all the cardinals and prelates 
 together, orders the report concerning the dc- 
 ceafed to be read, and then takes their votes, 
 whether he is to be canonized or not. 
 
 On the day of canonization, the church of St. 
 Peter is hung with rich tapeftry, with the arms of 
 the pope embroidered upon it, together with 
 the arms of the prince who defires the canoni¬ 
 zation. The church is molt pompoufly illumi¬ 
 nated, and filled with thoufands of devout ca¬ 
 tholics, ready to attend to the ceremony of the 
 faints being conducted to paradife. It gives 
 them fome encouragement to attend the cere¬ 
 mony, when they confider, that the more ref- 
 pe<5t they fhew to the laint, the more ready he 
 will be to hear their prayers, and offer them up 
 before God. During this ceremony the pope 
 and all the cardinals are dreffed in white ; and it 
 cofts the prince who requefts the canonization, 
 a vaft fum of money, for all the officers belong¬ 
 ing to the church of Rome muft have their fees; 
 but this is only a triflle, when it is confidered 
 that the faint will intercede for his lubjebts, in 
 heaven, who indeed, poor as they are, generally 
 pay all the expences attending the ceremony. 
 
 That the ceremony of the canonization may 
 be conducted in the moft magnificent manner, 
 an elegant theatre is erected in St. Peter’s church. 
 But that the reader may be enabled to form a 
 proper idea of all the different parts of the cere¬ 
 mony put together, we fhall here prefent him 
 with an exaft account of the canonization of 
 four perfons, not longer ago than the year 1712. 
 Thefe perfons were Pope Pius V. Andrew d’A- 
 vellino, Felix de Cantalice, and Catherine de 
 Bolognia. 
 
 On the twenty-fecond day of May, 1712, the 
 proceffion began in the following order: The 
 charity boys of the apoftolic hofpital of St. Mi¬ 
 chael walked firft, with lighted tapers in their 
 hands. They were followed by all the orphans 
 in the city, maintained at the public expence ; 
 by the fathers belonging to the convent of mira¬ 
 cles of the third order, the bare-footed Auguf- 
 tines, of Jefus and Maria, the Capuchins, the 
 brothers of charity, the fathers of mercy, of St. 
 Adrian, the Anchorets, of St. Onuphrius, the 
 Minims, of mount d rinity, the fathers 01 St. 
 Andrew the monk, and, in a word, by all the 
 regular orders in the church of Rome, d hefc 
 were followed by the fecular clergy, and^ the 
 whole proceffion was regulated by one of the 
 pope’s chamberlains. 
 
 | After thefe came the officers of the pope’s cha- 
 ! pel ; his eiquires, in their caffocks, the procu- 
 1 rators general of the five mendicant oiders, all 
 i dreffed in their proper robes, which, on fuch oc- 
 I cafions, are extremely magnificent. The gen- 
 I tlemen of the pope’s bed-chamber followed, 
 1 dreffed in fearlet; after them came the fifeal pro¬ 
 curator, 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 curator, the commifiary of the apoftolic cham¬ 
 ber, the confiftorial advocates, his holinefs’s pri¬ 
 vate chaplains, the gentlemen of the bed-cham¬ 
 ber, and the muiic of the chapel, finging without 
 intermiffion, during the whole of the proceffion. 
 After them came the four magnificent ftandards 
 of thofe faints who were to be canonized, with 
 the miracles they were faid to have wrought, 
 embroidered upon them. As the precedency 
 had been given to St. Catherine of Bologna, her 
 banner was carried firft ; that of St. Felix de 
 Cantalice next; then came St. Andrew d'A- 
 vellioo ; and laft of all that of Pope Pius V. as 
 the fervant of the fervants of God. Six of the 
 Minor Obfcrvantines, each with a lighted taper 
 in his hand, walked before ; the fcandard of St. 
 Catherine, attended by the fociety of Bolognans 
 of St. Petronius, the ftandard being fupported 
 by four of the moft relpeclable fathers of the 
 order. 
 
 The ftandard of St. Felix was fupported by 
 ten Capuchin friars, and followed by a great 
 number of the fame order. Another detachment 
 of the fame order followed that of St. Andrew ; 
 and the fraternity of the Agonizants that of Pope 
 Pius V. each in the habits of their relpedtive 
 orders. 
 
 After them came the Referendaries accompa¬ 
 nied by the regifters of the pope’s court, and the 
 clerks of the chamber. The mailer of the fa- 
 cred palace followed after, having in his train 
 all the pope's domeltics of a fuperior rank, each 
 of them carrying filver candlellicks with burn¬ 
 ing tapers in their hands. The fub-deacon, who 
 was crofs-bearer, appeared in his white robes, 
 having on each fide of him an apoftolic officer, 
 carrying a red ftaff. The Vatican penitentiaries 
 of the fociety of Jefus came next, drefied in 
 white, with their hats on, and then the generals 
 of the orders, who were followed by the car¬ 
 dinals, the deacons walking firft, the priefts after 
 them, and then the bifhops, attended by the 
 envoy of Bologna on the right, and the confta- 
 ble governor of Rome on the left, with a great 
 number of other officers. 
 
 The cardinal deacons affiftants, with the gof- 
 pel cardinal deacon between them, walked next, 
 and then appeared his holinels in his chair. Be¬ 
 ing about to open the gates of heaven to the new 
 made faints, the minds of the people were filled 
 with the ftrongeft/ervour of devotion, efpecially 
 as he was drefied in the moft fumptuous manner 
 that can be imagined. Flight of the fenior re¬ 
 ferendaries bore up a rich and pompous canopy 
 over the holy father’s head, with pikes embellifhed 
 with filver, and the Swifs guards with their naked 
 fwords lurrounded the chair. His holinefs was 
 followed by an apoftolical fub-deacon, called the 
 auditor of the mitre, who walked between two 
 gentlemen of the privy chamber in red robes ; 
 the proceffion being doled by the monks of the 
 different orders ; together with a long train of 
 abbots, bifhops and prelates, from different parts 
 of the world. 
 
 It is almort incredible to think what vaft mul¬ 
 titudes of people followed the proceffion, all 
 eager to obtain the pope’s bleffing, and to be re¬ 
 commended to the notice of the faints who were 
 to be canonized. As loon as the pope arrived at 
 the church of St. Peter, he let down the taper 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 40 , 
 
 he held in his hand, and putting off his mitre, 
 went up to the high altar, where he kneeled 
 down before the holy facrament. After this he 
 was carried to his throne, and the cardinal who 
 was deputed to demand the canonization, moved 
 towards the throne, having the cardinal legate of 
 Bologna on his left hand, and a confiftorial ad¬ 
 vocate on his right. They firft bowed to the 
 altar and his holinefs, and the advocate begtred 
 of the holy father that he would be pleafed to 
 mroll among the number of the faints, the four 
 holy perfons who had been fo ftrongly recom¬ 
 mended to him. This was feconded by a gentle¬ 
 man of the bed-chamber, who doled his ha¬ 
 rangue m begging for a bleffing on the cere¬ 
 mony, and exhorting all the people prefent, to 
 join with him in prayer for that purpofe. 
 
 His holinefs then rofe out of his chair, and ail 
 the clergy kneeled down, whilft two muficians of 
 the chapel Ring the litanies of the faints The 
 fovereign pontiff called upon the Holy Ghoft to 
 be With them, while the,Minims kept Handing 
 before the throne, and finging with tapers in 
 their hands. It was then afked of his holi- 
 nefs, if he would comply with the requeft of thofe 
 princes who had folicited for the canonization ? 
 to which the fecretary of briefs announced, that 
 his holinefs was going to make a decree, for raffing 
 Pius V. Andrew d’Avellino, Felix de Cantalice° 
 and Catherine de Bologna, to the rank of faints’ 
 to the glory of God, and the honour of the Ca¬ 
 tholic church ; in order that their names may be 
 called upon, for ages to come. After thefe 
 words had been repeated, the cardinals flood up 
 and the pope, as Chrift’s vicar, pronounced the 
 decree of canonization ; commanding, that from 
 that time, all the faithful ftiould, in their ordinary 
 courfe of devotion, pray to thefe faints, who were 
 now become advocates for them in heaven. 
 
 Whilft the muiic in the chapel was finging 
 the mailer of the ceremonies gave notice, by a 
 fignal to the citizens of Rome, that thefe per¬ 
 fons were advanced among the members of the 
 bleffed, and that they were to be mediators be¬ 
 tween God and them, for the remiffion of their 
 fins ; upon which the whole city was in an inftant 
 illuminated; the churches were crouded with 
 people ready to offer up their prayers to the new 
 made faints ; the bells were fet a ringing, and 
 nothing but devotion in one part, and confufion 
 in another, were to be found. 
 
 The whole ceremony concluded with the fol¬ 
 lowing prayer, which the holy father compofed 
 himfelf: 
 
 Ma y God Almighty have mercy on you, by 
 virtue of the merits and prayers of the holy 
 V ir gin, and of all thofe whom we have now 
 “ declared to be faints : May the divine Ma- 
 “ jdly, for their fakes, pardon all your fins, 
 and lead you into eternal life ; giving you 
 “ indulgence here, and remiffion offins°here- 
 “ after, Amen.” 
 
 To what has been here faid, we may add, that 
 canonization of faints was not known in the 
 Chriftian church till towards the middle of the 
 tenth century, and fo far as we are able to form 
 a proper notion, without prejudice or partiality, 
 the Chrillians in that age borrowed it from the 
 Heathens; for it was cuitomary both with the 
 Greeks and Romans to deify all thofe heroes and 
 E e e great 
 
aoi 
 
 RITES and CEREMONIES in the CHURCH of ROME. 
 
 great men, who had made a more than ordinary 
 figure among them. 
 
 We have many inftances of thefe deifications 
 among the Heathens, and they are recorded both 
 by their poets and hiftorians ; nay, we lometimes 
 find them introducing the gods themfelvcs, raifing 
 up deceafed heroes to the rank of deities ; thus 
 Ovid delcribes Jupiter as deifying Hercules. 
 
 As an old ferpent calls his fcaly veil. 
 
 Wreaths in the fun, in youthful glory drefs’d ; 
 
 So, when Alcides’ mortal mould refign’d, 
 
 His better part enlarg’d, and grew refin’d j 
 Auguft his vifage fhone ; almighty Jove 
 In his lwift car his honour’d offspring drove : 
 
 High oe’r the hollow clouds the courfers fly, 
 
 And lodge the hero in the Harry Iky. 
 
 We read of Charles Borromea, archbifhop of 
 Milan, that it was refolved on, fome years before 
 he died, to place him among the faints as foon as 
 he died, which was done, and now he is adored 
 as an objeCt of divine worfhip. This is exaCtly 
 fimilar to the practice of the antient Heathens, 
 who often told their heroes and great men while 
 alive, that for their great and virtuous aCtions, 
 they would be ranked among the gods ; of this 
 we have many ftriking inftances in Virgil, who, 
 of all the Roman poets, feems to have been the 
 moft addicted to the flattering of Auguft us, who 
 indeed had railed him from a low degree of ob- 
 fcurity to grandeur. Thus he addreffes Auguftus. 
 
 And chiefly thou, whofe undetermin’d ftate 
 Is yet the fubjeCt of the god’s debate : 
 
 Whether in after-times to be declared 
 The patron of the world and Rome’s peculiar 
 guard: 
 
 Or oe’r the fruits andfeafons to prefide. 
 
 And the round circuit of the year to guide ; 
 Pow’rful of bleffings, which thou ftrew’ft around. 
 And with thy goddefs-mother’s myrtle crown’d. 
 Or wilt thou, Caefar, chufe the watr’y reign, 
 
 To fmooth the furges, and correCt the main ? 
 Then mariners, in llorms, to thee fhall pray ; 
 Ev’n utmoft Thule fhall thy pow’r obey, > 
 And Neptune fhall refign the fafces of the fea :) 
 TL'he wat’ry virgins for thy bed fhall ftrive; 
 
 And Tethvs ail her waves in dowry give. 
 
 Or wilt L ou blefs our lummers with thy rays, 
 And, feated near the ballance, poife the days ; 
 Where in the void of heaven a lpace is free. 
 Between the Scorpion, and the maid for thee : 
 The Scorpion, ready to receive thy laws. 
 
 Yields half his region, and contracts his claws. 
 
 It has been much objected againft canoniza¬ 
 tion, that it is performed by human beings, which 
 is giving them a power to make fomething an 
 objeft of divine worfhip, which, while in this 
 life, was no more than mortal. This objection 
 feems to be well founded, and many Proteftant 
 writers have confidered the origin of canoniza¬ 
 tion, as taking its rife from a milunderftanding 
 of the word blefling us, ufed in prayer. Thus in 
 prayer we fay, we blei's God, by which no more 
 is meant than that we praile him. That the fol¬ 
 lowing is the general and particular fenfe in 
 which the word blefling has always been ufed, 
 
 will appear evident to all thole who are in the 
 leaft acquainted with hiftory. 
 
 The Hebrews, under this name, often under¬ 
 hand the prefents ufually fent from one friend to 
 another. Thus when Jacob fent a prefent to 
 Efiau, he delires him to accept his blefling ; and 
 when Achlah, the daughter of Caleb, petitioned 
 her father to give her a field, fhe faid, cc Give me a 
 “ Blefling.” When Abigail carried David a pre¬ 
 fent, flie called it a Blefling, which his hand¬ 
 maid had brought j and the re alb n probably is, 
 becaufe prefents are ufually attended with good 
 wifhes and compliments. 
 
 Belides thole inftances of private Benediction, 
 or Blefling among the Jews, there are others of a 
 more public and folcmn nature. Thus Moles 
 direCts Aaron, the high-prieft, to blefs the people: 
 tc On this wife 111 all ye blefs the children of If- 
 <f rael, faying unto them, the Lord blefs thee 
 <c and keep thee; the Lord make his face to 
 tf fliine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; 
 
 <c the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, 
 
 ‘ c and give thee peace.” The prophetical writ¬ 
 ings are full of Benedictions. The patriarchs, 
 on their death-beds, bleffed their children and 
 families j and God ordained, that, when the 
 people of Ifrael fhould arrive in the promiled 
 land, the whole multitude fhould affemble be-' 
 tween mount Ebal and mount Gerizim, and that 
 bleflings fhould be pronounced from mount Geri¬ 
 zim on thole, who obferved the law, and curfes 
 from mount Ebal on thofe who violated it, and 
 tins Jofhua performed, after he had conquered 
 part of the land of Canaan. 
 
 The privilege of Benediction or Blefling, was 
 one of thofe early inftances of honour, and re- 
 fpeCt paid to bifhops, in the primitive church, 
 for bowing the head to them, and receiving their 
 blefling was fo univerfal, that emperors them- 
 felves did not refufe to comply with it. Thus 
 Hilary reproaches the emperor Conftantins, tel¬ 
 ling him, he received the bifhops with a kifs, with 
 which Chrift was betrayed, and bowed his head 
 to receive their benediction, whilft he trampled 
 on their faith. 
 
 In the weltern churches, there was antiently a 
 kind of Benediction, which immediately follow¬ 
 ed the Lord’s prayer, and fome underftand by 
 it the final Benediction after the communion; 
 but Mabiilon more truly interprets it of the Be¬ 
 nediction before the communion, immediately 
 after the Lord’s prayer: for there is a canon in 
 the council of Toledo, which cenfures priefts 
 for communicating immediately after the Lord’s 
 prayer, without giving the Benediction to the 
 people, and ordains, that, for the future, the Be¬ 
 nediction fnould follow the Lord’s prayer, and 
 after that the communion : and, in Mabillon’s 
 collection of Galilean Miffals, the prayer, that 
 follows the colleCt after the Lord's prayer, is 
 ftiled Benedictio popuU, the Benediction of the 
 people. 
 
 No one can be beatified till above fifty years 
 after his deccafe, and all the depofitions relating 
 to his piety and holinels in this life, are fti iCtly 
 examined by the congregation of rites. This 
 ferutiny is carried on fometimes for fevcral years 
 together, after which the pope fixes a day for the 
 beatification, for the reputation of the candi¬ 
 date 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 date is feldom in any danger. His holinefs, at¬ 
 tended by the cardinals, and all his great officers, 
 goes to St. Peter’s church, where he fings high 
 mafs, and then figns the bull, declaring the de- 
 ceal'ed to be in heaven among the bleffed. 
 
 Meffengers are immediately difpatched to the 
 place where the deceafed was buried, and when 
 the news arrive of the beatification, the corpfe 
 is taken up and expofed to the people ; mafs is 
 faid in honour of the bleffed, and from that time 
 forward he is fuppofed and believed to work 
 many miracles. Many of the moftlearned among 
 the Roman Catholics, fuch as Fleury, Baronius 
 and Bellarmine fpeak of miracles and relics in a 
 very cold, indifferent manner, and the late pope 
 Ganganelli treats them very (lightly, and feerns 
 to wilh that there were none of them left in the 
 church, and that beatification and canonization 
 were never again to take place. The Roman 
 Catholic priefts, in this country, when they con- 
 verfe with Proteftants, tell them that the belief of 
 modern miracles, and the adoration of relics are 
 not articles of faith, but that t! < pious may either 
 believe in them, or rejefi: them. This is one of 
 the moll inconfiffent affi cions that ever could 
 take place; for, firft, in ail countries, where the i 
 Roman Catholic religion is profeffed, a man 
 Would be in danger of lofing his life, were he 
 but fo much as to hint to another that he doubted 
 the truth of miracles, and as for the adoration 
 of relics it cannot be difpenfed with, for all Ca¬ 
 tholics are obliged to be at lead once at mafs 
 every Sunday and holy-day, and on moll of thefe 
 days, relics are expofed to public view, nor can 
 the adoration of them be difpenfed with. 
 
 But, fecondly, whatever may be the prafiice 
 in thofe countries, thus much is certain, that in 
 England, where all forts of religious fentiments 
 are tolerated, all the catechifms and books of 
 devotion written bv the Romilh priefts incul¬ 
 cate the necefiity of adoring relics, and believ¬ 
 ing in miracles. Now as catechifms and books 
 of devotion contain the leading principles of re¬ 
 ligion, why, infert fuch things in them, unlefs 
 they are articles of faith ? 
 
 A few years ago two Romifh priefts, (Dr. Fell 
 and Mr. Butler) wrote the lives of their faints, 
 and thefe books are to be had any where in Eng¬ 
 land. vVe (hall here extract the following paffages 
 from them, which will ferve to (hew that there is 
 but little difference between a Roman Catholic 
 in England, and one on the continent. 
 
 St. Raymond of Pennaforte, having long re- 
 monftrated to no purpofe againft the debauche¬ 
 ries of the king of Spain, refolved to leave him, 
 and return to Barcelona : but the king having 
 forbid any one to traniport him, St. Raymond 
 threw his cope into the fea; and, taking his 
 ftaff in his hand, went into this new kind of boat 
 and arrived fafe at Catalonia. St. Francis of 
 Paula was endued with fuch fupernaturalftrength, 
 that he carried away a rock of prodigious big- 
 nefs, which hindered the foundation of a dormi¬ 
 tory he was building. St. Agnes of Monte 
 Pulciano received a vifit from the bleffed Virgin, 
 holding the child Jefus in her arms, whom £he 
 permitted her to embrace and prefsto her bread. 
 After her death, (lie returned the civility of St. 
 Catharine of Sienna (who came to vifit her tomb) 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 203 
 
 in a very extraordinary manner. While the 
 living faint was endeavouring to kifs the feet of 
 the dead one, the latter lifted up her foot to St. 
 Catharine’s lips, through an excels of humility to 
 be before-hand with her. St. Bonaventure, not 
 being able to communicate in the ordinary way, 
 by reafon of a violent indifpofition in his ftpmach, 
 had the pyx placed upon his bread, and the holy 
 water immediately penetrated into his very bow¬ 
 els. St. Ignatius, being given over by his phy- 
 ficians, was vifited by St. Peter, who healed him 
 with a touch. This faint was the famous foun- 
 derof the Jefuits, who reckon up no lefs than 
 two hundred miracles performed by him, St, 
 Clara being one day at her devotions, a very beau¬ 
 tiful child (fuppofed to be the child Jefus) with 
 two fhining wings, llew into her lap, and caref- 
 led her with many fond endearments. Another 
 time, being indifpofed, and not able to go to 
 matins, (he nonvithftanding heard the office dif- 
 tiiiaiy, though fung at a church very diftant 
 from her monaftery. St. Stanillaus Koftca be¬ 
 came famous, after his death, for driving out 
 devils, and reftoring perfons to life; and the Po- 
 landers believe, that one of this faint’s bones 
 deeped in a little wine, is a fovereign remedy 
 againft many diftempers. St. Clara of Montc- 
 falco, having often declared to the nuns of-her 
 convent, that (he had the figure of Chrift cruci¬ 
 fied, and all the inftruments of his paffion craved 
 on her heart, they caufed her body to be opened, 
 after her death, and were convinced of the truth 
 of this miracle. St. Didacus cured difeales with 
 the oil of a lamp burning before an image of our 
 Lady. One day, being deftitute of food in a 
 tourney, he prayed to God, and immediately 
 law a table (pread on the grafs, and covered with 
 refreftiments. The famous St. Xavier, durino- 
 his million to the F.aft-Indies, railed feveral per— 
 fons to life. Being in the neighbourhood of 
 Amboyna, he calmed a temped: by plunging his 
 crucifix into the fea. In the heat of the aftion, 
 the crucifix dipt out of his hand : but an officious 
 fifh reftored it to him in a moment. St. Rofa 
 was fo venerable for her great famftities, that the 
 larged trees of the garden bent down their 
 branches, as fainting her, when (he paffed by 
 them to her cell. 
 
 In the fifth century, the head of St. John Bap- 
 tift being found in a cave, near Emefa, a city of 
 Phoenicia, a church was built in that place, and 
 the head of the faint placed in it with great cere¬ 
 mony and devotion. But this church'falling to 
 ruin, a very noble one was afterwards built in 
 Emefa, to which the (amt s head was tranfported 
 in 760. Theophanes tells us, it continued to be 
 an objeft of devotion in 800, and fent forth a 
 mod delightful odour, which cured all who ap¬ 
 proached it with faith. It is believed, the head 
 of St. John Baptift was afterwards transferred 
 from Emefa to Comana in Pontus, and from 
 thence to Conftantinople. The church of Ami¬ 
 ens pretends at this day to (hew a great part of it, 
 namely, all the face as far as the mouth, and to 
 have received it by the means of one Walon dc 
 Sarton, a canon of Amiens, who, being prefent 
 at the taking of Conftantinople by the French in 
 1204, found this relic in the ruins of the old 
 palace. Some of the bones of this faint were 
 
 likewife 
 
204 RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 like wife preferved by the Chriftians, and when, 
 in the reign of Julian, the pagans opened the fepul- 
 chreof St. John at Sebafta, and burnt his remains, 
 thefe bones were lent to St. Athanafius, who 
 placed them in the wall of an altar. Afterwards, 
 when Theodofius demolilhed the temple of Se- 
 rapis, and built a magnificent church in its place, 
 dedicated to St. John Baptift, thefe relics weie 
 removed thither, in 396. 
 
 The bodies of St. Andrew and St. Luke were 
 tranfported to Conftantinople, in 357, after hav¬ 
 ing performed miracles in all places where they 
 flopped. They were interred in the Baftlica , or 
 church of the Apoftles, where they became the 
 obi efts of the peoples’ devotion, and thole, who 
 accompanied thefe relics, had part of them in 
 recompenle. By this means they were dilperfed 
 in fcveral places, and wrought miracles wherever 
 they were brought. The memory of thele relics 
 feems to have been loft at Conftantinople, when 
 about the year 550, the emperor Juftinian de- 
 ftgning to rebuild rhe church of the Apoftles, the 
 workmen found three wooden coffins, with in- 
 feriptions, denoting that thele were the bodies of 
 St. Andrew, St." Luke, and St. Timothy, 
 fuftinian, and ail the people, teftified their re- 
 fped to thefe holy relics, re-placing them in the 
 earth, and erecting over them a (lately monu¬ 
 ment. The town of Vergi in Burgundy, and 
 the church of Beauvais, pretend each of them to 
 fhew one of St. Andrew’s arms. The church of 
 Almafi, in the kingdom of Naples, pretends to 
 have the body of St. Andrew, brought from Con¬ 
 ftantinople, when that city was taken by the 
 French; and the Roman martyrology aflures us, 
 that there conftantly diftils a medicinal liquor 
 from this apoftle’s tomb, at Amalfi. 
 
 The chains of St. Peter and St. Paul were 
 held in ereat veneration, for the popes themfelves 
 formerly dilperfed the filings of them, as fove- 
 reinn remedies for difeafes. Arator tells us, they 
 hat?, at Rome, in the fixth century, the chains, 
 with which St. Peter had been bound at Jerusa¬ 
 lem ; and we are told of a coat of St. Petei s, 
 brought from Antioch to Paris, and placed in the 
 church of St. Genevieve, and Hugh, abbot of 
 Cluvni, it is laid, made ufe of it to cure a pa- 
 ralvtic, in the prefence of a multitude of per- 
 i'ons. Some of St. Stephen’s bones, being car¬ 
 ried by Oroiius a prieft, about the year 418, into 
 the ill and of Minorca, occafioned the conversion 
 of five hundred and forty Jews, who inhabited 
 the town of Magona in that ifland. Much about 
 the fame time, a vial containing a few drops of 
 the lame faint’s blood, and fome fragments of his 
 bones, cured a broken leg, and reftored a blind 
 woman to fight in a town of Africa. 1 he fame 
 relics gave health to the fick, and reftored the dead 
 to lifc^ Other churches likewile w r ere blefied with 
 the relics of this protomartyr: particularly at 
 Ancona in Italy, in Portugal; at Tours Bor¬ 
 deaux, and Bourges, in France: in all which 
 places miracles were frequently performed by 
 
 th Befides the relics of the apoftles, thofe of the 
 fucceeding faints and martyrs were no lels objefts 
 of the Chriftians devotion. Thus the relics of 
 St. Ignatius, biftiop of Antioch, in the begin¬ 
 ning of the lecond century, were tranftated from 
 Rome, where he fuffered martyrdom, to Antioch, 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME, 
 and placed in the ccemetery near the gate of 
 Daphne. The people daily vifited them, and 
 many miracles were laid to be wrought by them. 
 The bones of St. Polycarp, billiop of Smyrna, 
 who fuffered martyrdom about the year 169, were 
 preferved by the Chriftians, who efteemed them 
 beyond the richeft jewels. The relics of St. 
 Fruftuofus, biftiop of Tarragona, in Spain, who 
 fuffered martyrdom in the third century, arc 
 fhewn in fcveral places ; as, in a church near 
 Barcelona, and in the town of Manrelc in Cata¬ 
 lonia. The relics of St. Gervaife and St. Pro- 
 taife, martyred at Milan under the emperor \ a- 
 lentinian I. being carried in proceffion to the ca¬ 
 thedral church, reftored to fight a citizen of Mi¬ 
 lan, who chanced to touch the ornaments, with 
 which they were covered. Several other pcrlqns 
 were cured of difeafes by garments or linen, which 
 had touched thele relics. 
 
 The modern church of Rome pays great ve¬ 
 neration to the relics of faints and martyrs ; for 
 fhrines, in which they are depofited, are firft 
 fprinkled with holy water, and then folemnly 
 bleffed. The fubftance of the prayer is, that 
 God would grant his protection to luch as revere 
 the merits of the faints, and humbly embrace 
 their relics, to the end that thefe faithful fup- 
 pliants may be guarded from the power of the 
 devil, from thunder, plague, bad air, wild bcalts, 
 and from the hoftilities and machinations of men. 
 The believer, who vifits relics out of devotion, 
 muft acquit himfelf of this duty with zeal, and 
 touch the facred limbs of faints witli faith, and 
 there are times fixed for publicly expofing them 
 to the devout. The relics in the church of Notre 
 Dame , at Aix ia Chapelle , are fhewn every feven 
 years, accompanied with proclamations fuch as 
 the following : cc The head and right arm of St. 
 “ Cornelius arc to be fhewn; by whofe intcr- 
 “ ceffion may our Lord preferve you from the 
 “ falling ficknels, and after this life grant you 
 “ the kingdom of heaven.” 
 
 The tranflation of relics, or depofiting them 
 in fome church, is performed with great care and 
 ceremony, and before they are tranflated, they 
 are examined by the biftiop, who pronounces a 
 folemn benediftion over them. On the day of 
 their tranflation, the ftreets through which they 
 are to pafs, are cleaned, and the houfes hung 
 with tapeftry. The church and altar are pom- 
 pouflv adorned, and the images of the laints 
 ranged in open view. The relics are carried in 
 proceffion under a canopy, the clergy walking 
 before, and the people furrounding them with 
 lighted tapers in their hands, and as foon as they 
 | enter the church, Te Deum is fung, and the re- 
 ; lies are let upon the altar to be worfhipped by 
 the people. Prayers are appointed in honour of 
 them, and a lamp is left burning day and night 
 before the place where they are depofited. 
 
 But of all the-relics preferved in popifti coun¬ 
 tries, thofe of the blood of martyrs are the moft 
 j remarkable and frequent. Rome efpecially, and 
 I Italy, are grown famous for the great quantity 
 that is found in them. The earth at Rome ( ai J 
 Italian writer tells us) is ftained with the blood 
 of the faithful. He adds, that the pope makes 
 i prefents of this facred earth to foreigners; and 
 1 he relates the following miracle on this occalion. 
 i An ambuftador of Poland earneftly folicited pope 
 
 Pius 
 
I 
 
 RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 Pius V. to grant him a relic : whereupon his ho- 
 linefs drew out his handkerchief, put a little Ro¬ 
 man earth into it, and folding it up, gave it to 
 the amballador, who took the pope to be in jeft. 
 However, as foon as his excellency was returned 
 back to his houfe, he opened the handkerchief, 
 and found it deeply ftained with blood. 
 
 It would be endlefs to repeat the prodigious 
 number of miracles, faid to be wrought daily by 
 the blood of the faints. At certain feafons, it 
 is feen to melt and run. There are feveral lique- 
 faftions of this kind, efpecially in Italy. Thus, 
 on the feftival of St. Euftace, at Rome, that 
 faint’s blood is feen to boil. But the moft re¬ 
 markable is that of the blood of St. Januarius, at 
 Naples, of the truth of which we here prefent 
 the reader with what cannot be obje&ed to by 
 the moft bigotted Roman Catholics in the 
 ■world. 
 
 On the 18th of September is performed, at 
 Naples, the ceremony of expofing the head, and 
 blood, of St. Januarius, patron of that city. On 
 this occafion there is a folemn proceflion made, 
 in honour of the Saint, in which the martyr s 
 head and blood are carried in great pomp. Thefe 
 two relics are made to meet, and when they are 
 pretty near one another, the blood is feen to 
 grow fluid, to boil, and to force itfelf over the 
 Tides of the glafs vial, in which it is kept. This 
 miracle is wrought annually, and never deceives 
 the people’s expectation, who are always ready 
 to witnefs to the truth of the fa< 5 t. 
 
 The rife of this miracle, they pretend, was as 
 follows : A Neapolitan lady, who was fo Tick as 
 to keep her bed, having heard of St. Januarius, 
 and his companions, refolved to leek her cure 
 upon the place where thofe faithful Chriftians had 
 fuffered martyrdom. Accordingly ihe went, and, 
 finding the place ftill wet with their blood, fhe 
 filled two vials with it. In one fhe put all the 
 pure blood fhe could take up, and in the other 
 that which was mixed with earth and other filth. 
 Scarce had Ihe made an end, when flie found 
 herfelf cured. Soon after this, hearing that the 
 head of the faint was lodged at Naples, fhe lent 
 word that fhe was in pofleflion of the faint’s 
 blood ; upon which the head was carried in pro¬ 
 ceflion to fetch the blood. The pious lady did 
 not wait for this vifit, but ran with the two vials, 
 to meet the head of the martyr. In the firft mo¬ 
 ment of the interview, the blood diflolved, and 
 convinced the people that it was really the faint’s 
 blood ; and fince that time the miracle has never 
 ceafed. 
 
 Mr. Addifon mentions this pretended miracle, 
 in his Remarks on feveral parts of Italy. “ I 
 ££ faw, (fays he, fpeaking of Naples,) a very 
 <c fplendid proceflion for the accefiion of the duke 
 ££ of Anjou to the crown of Spain. To grace 
 tc the parade, they expofed, at the fame time, 
 ££ the blood of St. Januarius, which liquified at 
 “ the approach of the faint’s head, though, as 
 “ they lay, it was hard congealed before. I had 
 <c twice an opportunity of feeing the operation 
 <c of this pretended miracle, and mull confels I 
 £C think it fo far from being a real miracle, that 
 ££ I look upon it as one of the moft bungling 
 ££ tricks I ever faw. Yet it is this that makes as 
 “ great a noife as any in the Roman church, and 
 “ that Mr. Pafchal has hinted at among the reft, 
 18 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 205 
 
 ££ in his marks of the true religion. The mo- 
 ££ dern Neapolitans feem to have copied it from 
 cc one, which was fhewn in a town in the king- 
 * £ dom of Naples, as long ago as in Horace’s 
 ££ time. 
 
 At Gnatia next arrived, we laugh to fee 
 The luperftitious crowd’s fimplicity, 
 
 That in the lacred temple needs would try, ^ 
 Without a fire, th* unheated gums to fry : C 
 Believe who will the folemn fham, not I. _> 
 
 £f One may fee at leaft, that the heathen prieft- 
 ££ hood had the fame kind of fecrets among 
 ££ them, of which the Roman Catholics are now 
 ££ mafters.” 
 
 The next thing that claims our attention in the 
 church of Rome, is the Jubilee, which is partly 
 of Jewifh, and partly of Heathen original. A- 
 mong the Jews were two forts of Jubilees, name¬ 
 ly the lefler, every feventh year ; and the greater, 
 every fiftieth year. The grand jubilee on the 
 fiftieth year among the Jews, procured liberty 
 for all fuch as were flaves ; the poor were acquit¬ 
 ted of the payment of their debts ; all forts of 
 pledges were to be delivered up ; and the heirs 
 of thofe who had mortgaged their eftates, were 
 at liberty to take pofleflion of them in the name 
 of their anceftors, it being a maxim in the Jew- 
 ilh law, that the enjoyment of the fruits of the 
 earth, during the fpace of forty-nine years, was 
 a fufficient payment for the money laid out in the 
 mortgage. 
 
 In the fame manner the pope makes every fif¬ 
 tieth year, a year of reft for his dutiful children. 
 He forgives them all manner of fins; relieves 
 the fpiritual poverty of the penitent, by opening 
 the trealures of divine mercy to him, and re- 
 ftoring him to the favour of God and the faints. 
 Thus we find that this ceremony comes in room 
 of the fecular games of the antient Romans, only 
 that it has a few of the Jewifh rites .nixed 
 with it. It was firft inftituted by Pope Boniface 
 VIII. who declared in his bull, that fuch as 
 fhould vifit the churches of St. Peter and St. 
 Paul, in the year 1300, fhould have a full and 
 free remiflion of all their fins ; but as this was to 
 be repeated only once in one hundred years, and 
 that being confidered as too long to wait for the 
 remiflion, Clement VI. ordered, that the jubilee 
 fhould be obferved once every fifty years. 
 
 Since that time, however, great alterations 
 have taken place, for by feveral decrees of coun¬ 
 cils, every pope may grant a jubilee on that year 
 when he is advanced to the pontificate, only with 
 this exception, that the holy gate is never open¬ 
 ed, but at the end of the twenty-fifth year, 
 ££ Which, to ufe the words of a popifh author, 
 ££ brings with it an univerlal indulgence ; the 
 ££ hearts of the faithful are comfor:ed thereby, 
 ££ and joy entereth into the houfe of the Lord.” 
 The jubilee grants to fuch conleflors as are ap¬ 
 proved of by their fuperiors, a power to abfolve 
 all referved cafes from all cenfure and the greater 
 excommunication ; to annul all lulpenfions rela¬ 
 ting to benefices and ecclefiaftical offices, and to 
 take off interdicts. It permits them likewife to 
 alter vows, fo as they have no connection with 
 religion or chaftity, or are not of the nature of 
 thofe by whichpilgrims engage to vifit the fhrines 
 of the moft celebrated faints. 
 
 F f f 
 
 When 
 
-o6 RITES and CEREMONIES in 
 
 When the pope has appointed the time for 
 the jubilee, he gives notice of it by his apofto- 
 lical letters to all the prelates throughout Chrif- 
 tendom, and thefe caule them to be publilhed 
 throughout all their diocefes, with proper exhor¬ 
 tations, in order that the faithful may put them- 
 felves into a condition of obtaining the advan¬ 
 tages which attend it. On luch days as are fet 
 apart for failing and repentance,^ the biihop and 
 his clergy are injoined to appear overwhelmed 
 with forrow, and filled with fentiments of humi¬ 
 lity. They are to pray with heart and mouth to 
 the Almighty, and to offer him the fruits of a 
 fincere contrition, which confifts in the renunci¬ 
 ation of all thofe engagements, by which men 
 are, for the mol part, devoted to the world ; 
 and in a ftrong refolution to inftruft the people 
 by their own pious example. 
 
 The grandeft part of this ceremony confifts in 
 opening the holy gate, of which the following is 
 a faithiul account: On the twenty-fourth day of 
 December, of the holy year, all the regular and 
 lecular clergy aflemble together, at the apofto- 
 lical palace, and from thence march in proreffion 
 to St. Peter’s at the Vatican. When the clero-y 
 arrive in the great fquare before the church of St. 
 Peter, they find the gates fliut, and all the en¬ 
 trances of the portico lined with guards, to pre¬ 
 vent the populace from getting in. The pope, 
 cardinals, and bifhops, dreffed in their white 
 damalk robes, having their mitres on, meet in 
 the chapel of pope Sixtus V. where his holinefs 
 fings the Veni Creator, &c. with a lighted taper in 
 his hand. The cardinals hold lighted tapers 
 in their hands, and walk forward, according to 
 their refpecftive ranks, and repair to the Swifs 
 portico, where the holy father nominates three 
 of them his legates to open the gates of St. John 
 de Lateran, St. Mary major, and St. Paul with¬ 
 out the walls. 
 
 The cardinals having received thefe orders 
 from his holinefs on their knees, go to thofe feve- 
 ral churches, preceded by trumpets, with a band 
 of monks and another of foldiers. A grand and 
 mod magnificent throne is eredled before the 
 gate of St. Peter, upon which the holy father fits 
 home time, till one of the cardinals, who, for 
 that time, is called the prince of the throne, ap¬ 
 proaches him, and puts into his hand a fmall gol¬ 
 den hammer. Having marked the hammer 
 with the fign of the crofs, his holinefs, followed 
 by his clergy holding lighted tapers in their hands, 
 marches forward to the gate of St. Peter, and 
 knocking three times, fays, “ Open to me thefe 
 “ gates of jultice.” Upon which the choir fing, 
 
 “ This is the gate of the eternal God, the juft 
 “ fhall enter therein. 1 ’ In the mean time the 
 chief malons break down the walls which clofe 
 up the facred gate, and the rubbifh of it is dif- 
 rributed among the devotees, who pick it up with 
 all the zeal and eagernefs imaginable, in order to 
 rank it with their moft precious relics. While 
 the rubbifh is clearing away, his holinefs returns | 
 and fits down upon his throne, and when the 1 
 whole is demolilhed, the penitentiaries of St. Pe¬ 
 ter rake their brooms and fweep the dull out of 
 the paffage. All the mouldings and decorations 
 around the gate, are walhed with holy water, 
 and when this part of the ceremony is over, his 
 
 the CHURCH of ROME. 
 
 holinefs defcends from his throne, and begins an 
 anthem in thefe words, “ This is the day which 
 “ the Lord hath made, &rc.” and the choir fing 
 it with him. Being again arrived at the facred 
 gate, the holy father repeats feveral prayers, 
 takes the crofs, kneels down, fings the 'Tc Dentv, 
 then riles up and paffes through the holy gate, 
 ringing as he goes along. He is followed by his 
 clergy in their robes, and a vaft concourfe of peo¬ 
 ple, who all throng into the church, in order to 
 be prefent at the facred ceremony. After the 
 whole lervice is over, which concludes with vef- 
 pers, the cardinals put oft their white robes and 
 put on their red hats and purple mantles ; and 
 attend the holy father home to Ins apartments. 
 
 During this folemn feafon there are always 
 many pilgrims at Rome; and by the pope's bull, 
 thefe are obliged to vifit the four churches al¬ 
 ready mentioned, namely, St. Peter’s, St. John 
 de Lateran, S . Mary major, and St. Paul without 
 the walls. The natives of Italy are obliged to 
 vifit thefe^ churches thirty times, but the pope 
 grants an indulgence to all foreigners, who are 
 not obliged, without their own choice, to vifit 
 them any oftener than fifteen times. There are 
 little books of devotion, compriied for the ule 
 of the pilgrims, and if any of them die before 
 they have vifited the churches fo often as is pre- 
 feribed in the ritual, then there is a claufe left in 
 the bull, granting them a complete abfolu- 
 tion. 
 
 There is another ceremony obferved during 
 the jubilee, which deferves particular notice, be- 
 caufe it is confined to Rome alone. It is the 
 opinion of the Roman Catholics, and they have 
 learned it from the traditions of their monks, 
 that the hall in which Pontius Pilate fat when he 
 examined our Saviour, was twenty-eight fteps 
 high, and in imitation of that, they have con¬ 
 trived to make a ladder of twenty-eight fteps, 
 which the pilgrims are obliged to afeend. This 
 ladder, we are told, was brought from the Holy 
 Land, by St. Helena the mother of Conftanrine 
 the Great, whom we have had occafion to men¬ 
 tion before, and who may be confidered as one 
 of the moft induftrious collectors of relics that 
 ever lived. But the ladder was not all, for they 
 tell us, that ihe brought along with her a drop 
 of our Saviour’s blood, which is contained in a 
 fmall vial near the upper end of the ladder, and 
 the paffage to it is through a brafsgate. 
 
 This place is efteemed fo facred, that fome of 
 the Roman Catholicwriters call ittheHoly ofHo- 
 lies; andwhenthe pilgrim has afeended the top of 
 the ladder, he is obliged to repeat a Ihort prayer 
 before he enters into it. As for female pilgrims 
 they are not permitted to enter it, bpt they are 
 entitled to indulgence by looking at It through 
 the grate. All thefe a£ts of devotion obtain for 
 pilgrims an abfolute pardon of all the fins they 
 ever committed ; and the penitentiaries of St. 
 Peter put the feal to fuch pardons, bv touching 
 them with their rods. The Roman prelates, with 
 all the bilbops who are at that time in the city, 
 affemble together and wafh the feet of the pil¬ 
 grims ; and the holy father, attended by his 
 cardinals, all without their robes, wait on them 
 at table. The popeprefents them with medals, 
 chaplets of roles, and Agnus Dejs’i and when 
 
 they 
 

•: nniT/m?. 
 
 
 
 , J/r Jubilee ^/far/su'/nM 
 /yj£farj C,////rr// of 
 
RITES 
 
 CEREMONIES 
 
 they have kiffed his feet with the profoundeR hu¬ 
 mility, they are difmifl'ed with his blefting. 
 
 As the jubilee continues a whole year, being 
 opened on the twenty-fourth of December, fo it 
 concludes by (hutting the facred gate on the 
 fame day of the month. On this occafion many 
 ceremonies are obferved, for of all courts of the 
 world, that of Rome is the mod ceremonious 
 On the twenty-fourth day of December, the 
 pope, with the cardinals, the Roman nobility, 
 and all the clergy of diftinftion, go to St. Peter’s 
 in their robes of Rate, where vefpers are fung ■ 
 after which the clergy light their tapers, and pay 
 their obedience to the holy father. Then his 
 holmefs gives out an anthem, which begins with 
 thefe words, “ Ye lhall go out with joy.” And 
 as foon as the choir begin to fing it, every one 
 makes hafle to get out of the gate, as foon as 
 poffibly he can. When they are all gone out, 
 the holy father goes towards the gate, where he 
 prays fome time, and then gives out another an¬ 
 them, beginning with thefe words, " Our help 
 “ ls ln th p name of the Lord.” He then bleffes 
 the materials with which the gate is to be Ihut 
 up ; and he lays the foundation Rone, under 
 which are concealed feveral medals, which ferve 
 to tranfmit the memory of the facred ceremony 
 to the lateR poRerity. After this a bafon with 
 water, is prefented to the holy father, who waihes 
 his hands and returns to his throne, while the 
 choir fing an anthem fuitable to the folemnity of 
 the ceremony. During the time the anthem is 
 lingmg, the mafons clofe up the gate in the 
 midR of which they place a crofs of copper; 
 and it is blefled by the pope’s repeating feveral 
 prayers. The whole ceremony concludes with 
 the pope s beRowmg his benediction on all the 
 faithful ; particularly on thofe pious pilgrims 
 who have vilited Rome, and then he returns 
 home to his palace, attended by the cardinals 
 The laR thing we lhall take notice of under 
 this head is, what the Roman Catholics call in- 
 , diligence, which has two different fignifications 
 accoiding to the Roman ritual. FirR, it implies 
 
 that the pope has authority to difpenfe with the 
 times of feaRmg and faffing, in favour of any 
 one who (hall apply to him for that purpofe ; and 
 : lecondly that he has a right to remit all thofe 
 j F em P ora j punilhments which are annexed to fin 
 jj In , s “f e - This is the more neceffary to be 
 mentioned, becaufe many well meaning Protef- 
 | tants are led into an error, concerning this prin- 
 I ciple in the church of Rome, by taking the word 
 m its primary ienfe. To indulge, is to give a 
 j P crl °n leave to do fomething, and therefore fome 
 nave imagined, that when the popes grant indul¬ 
 gences, they give men leave to fin. This, how- 
 cver, is fo far diRant from any thing intended bv 
 the word, that even the moR bigotted Roman 
 1 Catholic would look upon it with abhorrence. 
 
 It is certain, that many abufes have been com¬ 
 mitted by the file of indulgences, and it was 
 owing in part to that, our happy reformation took 
 Place, but this is rather to be charged upon the 
 perrons mtruRed with the diffribution than upon 
 the popes who granted them. It muR, however 
 be acknowledged, that indulgences, even in the 
 manner we have confidered them, bring in an 
 immenleiumofmoneyto the papal treafury Men I 
 * not love to be always confined down coforms., I 
 
 CHURCH of R O M E. 
 
 207 
 
 and therefore that religion muR always be agree 
 able to them which indulges them with a & few 
 things in their own nature indifferent, and which 
 for the payment of a fmall fum of money, ex¬ 
 empts men from temporal pains in this life 
 
 To corroborate the truth of what we have here 
 advanced concerning indulgences, we lhall add 
 what was written about a century ago, by a Ro- 
 fT Ca » t i 1 ° ll i and a namei y, the famous 
 
 father Matmbourg: he fays, that when pope 
 
 i m m afc f nded the P ontifkal throne, he pub- 
 Ifiied indulgences to all thofe who would con¬ 
 tribute towards re-building the church of Sr. 
 
 eter s at Rome. Thofe perfons who purchafed 
 the indulgences, were permitted to eat flelh and 
 eggs in lent and to make choice of any prieR 
 whom they efleemed to be their confeffor. The 
 
 fnMh T S ', r '; at thefe 'bdtilgences were 
 fold by auChon to thole who bid higheR for them 
 fo that we need not be furprifed to find that many 
 buffs crept in The practice itfelf became 
 laR fo odious, that lober Roman Catholics con- 
 demned it, and Luther, a man of fpirit, altho’ at 
 that time no more in dignity than an Auguftine 
 Monk, oppoied the whole power of the popes, 
 and in the hand of Divine Providence, became a 
 mod eminent inRrument in bringing about our 
 reformanon from popilh ignorance, darknefs 
 iuperRition, and idolatry. 1 
 
 As the whole feflival of the jubilee is con¬ 
 nected ,n a manner with the remiffion of fins to 
 men, fo it may not be improper to explain, in a 
 ew words, what has been meant in antient and 
 modem times, by the word abfolution ; for it is 
 
 pned^and a a bufed haS ^ 
 
 veRed e hrr! ft m ial P , 0Wer of remittin S fins was 
 vefied by ChnR in the apoRles, and from them 
 
 derived to the church. This is all that the pri- 
 ml ive church ever pretended to, leaving the ab- 
 iolute foverejgn, independent, irreverfible power 
 of abfolution to God alone. The antients rec- 
 koned five kinds of abfolution. 1. That of bap- 
 
 m : T , hat of the euchariR. 3. That of the 
 
 word and doCtrine. 4 . That of impofition of 
 hands, and prayer. 5. That of reconcilement to 
 he communion of the church, by a relaxation 
 of her cenfures . The two hrR may be called facra- 
 mental; the third, declaratory; the fourth, preca¬ 
 tory ; and the fifth, judicial. The firft had no 
 relation to penitential difeipline, being never 
 given to perfons who had once received baptifm. 
 The lecond had fome relation to it, but did not 
 folely belong to it; for it was given to all bap- 
 tized perfons, who never fell under penitential 
 dlfcipline, as well as thofe, who lapfed, and were 
 reltored to communion again : and in both re- 
 jpebts it was called the perfection of a ChriRian. 
 
 By the third, the miniRers of ChriR made public 
 declaration to men of the terms of reconciliation 
 and ialvation. The fourth fort was ufed as a 
 c ° n< y omltan t of molt other abfolutions : and by 
 the fifth, penitents were finely reflored to the 
 peace, and full communion of the church. 
 
 Antiently, no Tinners were abfolved, till they 
 had performed their regular penance, except in 
 cafe of imminent death. As to the ceremony of 
 abfolution, the penitent was publicly reconciled 
 m fackcloth, at the altar, by this,' or the like 
 form ; " He that forgave the finful woman all 
 
 her 
 
 
,, j3 R1 TE S and CEREMONIES 
 
 her fins, for which fhe fired tears, and opened 
 the uates of Paradife to the thief, make you par- 
 taker of his redemption, and abfolve you from all 
 the bonds of your fins, and heal you by the me¬ 
 dicine of his mercy, and reftore you to the body 
 of the church by his grace, and keep you whole 
 and found for ever.” The indicative form “ i 
 abfolve you,” inftead of “ Chrift abiolve thee, 
 was not in ul'e till the twelfth century, a little be¬ 
 fore the time of Thomas Aquinas, who firft wrote 
 in defence of it; as the learned bilhop Ulher 
 has clearly proved. Sometimes chrilm, or unc¬ 
 tion, was added to the impofition of hands, in 
 the reconciliation of Inch heretics and fchifmatics 
 to the church as had been baptized in herefy or 
 fc hi fin; and the reafon was, becaufe their bap- 
 tiiin out of the church being null and void, they 
 were fuppoftd to want the true eftefl of baptifm, 
 viz. the grace or unftion of the holy fpirit. 
 The time of abfolution feems to have been fixed 
 to the day of our Saviour’s pafiion, and fome 
 penitents were received into the church, by ab¬ 
 folution, even after their death; particularly fuch 
 as died during the courfe of their penance. We 
 need not obferve, that abfolution, as well as all 
 canonical difcipline, was primarily lodged in the 
 hands of the bifhop, and by him committed to 
 the hands of the prefbyters and deacons only : 
 indeed, in cafes of extreme neceflity, fome ca¬ 
 nons allowed a layman to adminifter baptilm ra¬ 
 ther than a catechumen Ihould die unbaptized. 
 
 There were fome crimes, which incapaciated 
 the finner from ever receiving abfolution, and 
 thefe were, originally, the three great fins of ido¬ 
 latry, adultery, and murder; and though this 
 rio-our afterwards, by general confent, was 
 abated, yet they continued to deny communion 
 to the very laft to fuch apoftates, as remained 
 obftinate and impenitent all their lives, and only 
 defined reconciliation, when the pangs of death 
 were upon them, only that very great and fcan- 
 dalous offenders were referved for the patriarch s 
 
 abfolution. _ . . c , , r 
 
 The judicious Hooker, fpeaking of the abufe 
 of abfolution in the Romilh church, fays, “ T hev 
 ftranvely hold, that whatfoever the penitent doth, 
 his contrition, confeflion, and fatisfadtion, have 
 no place of light to Hand as material parts in 
 this facrament, nor confequently any fuch force 
 as to make them available for the taking away of 
 fin in that they proceed from the penitent him¬ 
 felf without the privity of the mmifter, but only 
 as they are enjoined by the minifter’s authority 
 and power--except therefore the prieft be wil¬ 
 
 ling, God hath by promife hampered himfelf fo, 
 that it is not now in his own power to pardon 
 
 any man-he hath no anfwer to make, but 
 
 fuch as that of the angel unto Lot, I can do no¬ 
 thing” Then defcribing the true nature and ef¬ 
 fects of abfolution, he fays, “ The fentence 
 therefore of minifterial abfolution hath two ef- 
 fe£ls : touching fin, it only declareth us freed 
 from the guiltinefs thereof, and reftored into 
 God’s favour; but concerning right in facred 
 and divine myfteries, whereof through fin we 
 were made unworthy, as the power of the church 
 did before effeftually bind and retain us from 
 accefs unto them, fo, upon our apparent re¬ 
 pentance, it truly reftoreth our liberty, loofeth 
 the chains wherewith we were tied, remitted! all 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROM E. 
 whatfoever is pad, and accepteth us no lei's re¬ 
 turned, than if we had never gone affray. 
 
 Archbifhop Tillotlon has given his opinion 
 of the life and intent of abfolution in the follow¬ 
 ing words : “ Upon this miraculous gift ot 
 
 knowing the fecrets of men’s hearts, it feems to 
 be very probable, that that, which is commonly 
 called, The power of the keys, did depend ; I 
 mean the power of remitting or retaining fins : 
 for they who had the privilege of knowing men’s 
 hearts, might do this upon certain grounds, and 
 were fecured from miftake in the exercile of their 
 power upon particular perfons ; which the priefts 
 and minifters of the church now are not, nor can 
 be ; becaufe they cannot fee into men’s hearts, 
 whether they be truly penitent, and qualified for 
 forgivenefs, or not. For I cannot eafily believe, 
 but that thofe words of our Saviour, whofe fins 
 ye remit, they are remitted ; and whofe fins ye 
 retain, they are retained, were intended to fig- 
 nify fometliing more than a mere declaration of 
 the promifes and threatenings of the gofpel, 
 which any man might make as well as the apoftles 
 and miniiters of the church. For that God will for¬ 
 give the penitent, and that he will not pardon the 
 finner, except he repent, is as true from any man s 
 mouth, as from an apoftle’s : and, as to the abfo¬ 
 lution of this or that particular perl'on, though a 
 minifter, by the (kill and knowledge of his pro- 
 fefiion, is ordinarily and reafonably prefumed, by 
 virtue of his office, to be a better judge of a 
 man’s repentance, than other perfons arc, and 
 therefore may, with more authority, and fatif- 
 fabtion to the penitent, declare his judgement 
 and opinion ’concerning him; yet not being able 
 to fee into his heart, he may be miftaken con¬ 
 cerning him; and if he be, his declaring his fins 
 to be forgiven, that is, his abfolution of him, 
 will do him no good : and on the other hand, 
 his refulal to abfolve him, if he be truly penitent, 
 will do him no harm : As the judgement of a 
 fkilful lawyer is of great authority, and more ia- 
 tisfaftory to us, concerning our title to an efface, 
 than the opinion of another man, who is not of 
 the profefiion, nor prclumed to have the like 
 (kill: but yet for all this his judgement does not 
 alter the cafe ; and if in truth the law be other- 
 wife, our title is bad notwithftanding the fkilful 
 man’s opinion of the goodnefs of it. 
 
 The archbiffiop fays farther, that, tf Protei- 
 tants do not make the ablolution of the prieft at 
 all neceflary to the forgivenefs of (ins, but only 
 convenient for the latisfadfion and comfort of tiie 
 penitent, for which reafon, our church does 
 not require a formal abfolution to be given to 
 the dying penitent, unleis he himfelf delire it; 
 which is a certain argument, that, in the judg¬ 
 ment of our church, the abfolution of the prieft 
 is not neceflary to the forgivenels and falvation 
 of the penitent.” 
 
 In the liturgy of the church or England, 
 there are three feveral forms ot abfoiut.on. i he 
 firft is that at morning prayer, “ Almighty God, 
 
 « &c. who hath given power, &c. He paruun- 
 eth and abfolveth, &c.” i he feconn L uied at 
 I the vifitation of the Tick. <c Our Lord Jtius 
 ! Chrift, who hath left power to his church, &c. .! 
 ; by his authority committed to me, l abioiv'e 
 thee, See.” The third is in the io.nmuinon i 
 fervice. “ Almighty God, &c. who hath pro- • 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 mifed forgivenefs of fins, See. have mercy upon 
 you, &c.” Thefe three different forms (Bifhop 
 Sparrow fays) are, in fenfe and virtue, the fame. 
 
 “ For as when a prince hath granted a commif- 
 fion to any fervant of his, to releafe out of prifon 
 all penitent offenders whatever, it were all one, 
 in effedt, as to the prifoner’s difeharge, whether 
 this fervant lays, by virtue of a commiflion 
 granted to me, under the prince’s hand and feal, 
 
 I releafe this prifoner ; or thus, the prince, who 
 hath given me this commiflion, pardons you ; or 
 laftly, the prince pardon and deliver you.” 
 
 The form of abfolution, which the pope gives 
 to crowned heads, who have been excommuni¬ 
 cated, is briefly this. The pope is leated on a 
 rich pontifical throne erefted before St. Peter’s 
 church, attended by the apoftolical court. The 
 ambaffadors of the excommunicated princes ap¬ 
 pear before this aflembly, and throw themfelves 
 at his holinefs’s feet, afking pardon in the name 
 of their matters, and defiring abfolution. Then 
 they lay their hands on the mafs-book, and lwear, 
 by the holy gofpels, and the holy crucifix, obe¬ 
 dience to the church. Then the pope and twelve 
 cardinal priefts, fing the Miferere , obferving to 
 ffrike the ambaffadors on the Ihoulder at the be¬ 
 ginning of each verfe, and the ceremony ends 
 with prayers, and the impofition of a penance 
 proportionable to the crime of the perfons ab- 
 folved. 
 
 Of Religious Societies in the Church of Rome. 
 
 Befides the religious orders among the Roman 
 Catholics which we have already deferibed, there 
 are feveral focieties which are not authorifed by 
 the pope, but eftablifhed by immemorial cuflom. 
 T. he defign of eftablilhing them, Teems, to have 
 been that of promoting focial religion ; and 
 although the intention was good, yet the means 
 made ufe of, had fuch a connection with fuper- 
 ftition, that every valuable purpofe was defeated. 
 
 "I he firft of thefe focieties is that of the Cha- 
 ■plet, or Beads , the invention of which is aferibed 
 to Peter the Hermit, who conduced the firfl 
 crulade into the Holy Land. The Heathens, 
 whole prayers were numerous, ufed to teach 
 their votaries to count beads, that they might not 
 foiget the different collects and lomething of 
 this nature was praCtifed by the Saracens, againft 
 whom this Peter the Hermit carried on the war. 
 The defign was to enable the foldiers to repeat 
 their prayers j for in that age, few, except the 
 prieffs, could read. At prefent great encourage¬ 
 ment is given to thofe ignorant perfons in Roman 
 Catholic countries, who are moft exaft in making 
 the repetition of their collects, and other ads of 
 devotion keep time with the counting of the 
 beads. Nay, fome of the vulgar are fo ftriCt in 
 their attention to thefe ceremonies, that they will 
 often negleCt every thing elle, for the fake of 
 them. The author of this work being once at 
 Brufiels in Flanders, alked a waiter at an inn to 
 bring him fomething } but, as the waiter was 
 counting his beads, he only anfwered, that he 
 
 iTii “ dirchai 'g e the duty he owed to the 
 bleffed Virgin. 
 
 I he fociety of the Rofary was firft inftituted 
 18 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 263 
 
 by Dominic, a native of Spain, of whom we 
 have already given fome account, and of whom 
 we lhall ipeak more at large in our hiftory of the 
 inquifition. The rofary is a chaplet, confiding 
 of one hundred and fifty beads, which make fo 
 many Ave Marias ; and every ten beads, divided 
 by one lomewhat larger, make a Peter; and the 
 fifteen large beads are the fymbols of fifteen 
 myfteries, wherein are pointed out the eternal 
 purpofes of heaven, in laying down the plan of 
 man’s redemption. 
 
 Before a perfon begins to repeat his rolary, he 
 muft crofs himfelf, repeat the apodles’ creed, 
 and lay the Lord’s prayer, with three Ave Marias, 
 to point out the relation the bleffed Vir¬ 
 gin has to the three perfons in the everbleffed 
 Trinity. The fifteen myfteries are divided into 
 three claffes ; the firft includes the five myfteries 
 of joy ; the five next are thofe of forrow, as al¬ 
 luding to our Saviour’s paffion ; and the five laft 
 thofe of glory, being defigned to reprefent the 
 refurreftion, and the afeenfion. Thefe ceremo¬ 
 nies being over, all the brethren of the Rofary 
 are obliged to join together in finging litanies for 
 the benefit of thofe who are afflifted in mind, 
 body, or eftate ; and on all fuch occafions they 
 are obliged to addrels themfelves to the bleffed 
 Virgin, becaufe Ihe firft prefented Dominic with 
 a rofary when he was only a child. The folem- 
 nity of the rofary is celebrated on the firft Sun¬ 
 day in Odtober, in confequence of an order from 
 Pope Gregory XIII. Several privileges have 
 been fince granted to the fociety, and moft of 
 thefe having been confirmed by bulls, authorized 
 by different popes, we need not be furprized that 
 at prefent it makes a moft diftinguiihinc figure 
 
 The next order, or rather fociety, 0 in the 
 church of Rome, is that of the Scafulary or 
 in plain Englifh, the Shoulder-knot, becaufe all 
 thofe who enter into this fociety, wear a piece of 
 doth upon their right Ihoulder, to diftiimuiih 
 them from thofe who make a different profeffion 
 We are told by the legendary writers, that the 
 bleffed Virgin herlelt, condefcended to come 
 down from heaven, in order to beftow the fcapu- 
 lary, with fome marks of her approbation, upon 
 one Simon Stock, who was at that time General of 
 the Carmelite friars ; ihe affured him ihe would 
 at all times grant him her proteftion, and pro- 
 mifed to be propitious to all thofe who joined in 
 the devotion ol the icapulary, and to look upon 
 them as her children at the hour of death, fo as 
 they had this badge along with them. 
 
 jl houiands, and ten thoufands of miracles are 
 faid to have been wrought by the all-fufficient 
 power of thefe fcapularies; andPope [ohn XXII. 
 in oneof his bulls declared, that the bleffed Viro-j,, 
 came to him on a vifit, and gave him an abfolute 
 promife, that ihe would deliver out of purgatory 
 all thofe who wore the fcapulary, on the next 
 Sunday after their death. In confequence of 
 this bull, all thofe who belong to the order of the 
 fcapulary, are, when they die, kept unburied 
 till the next Sundayafter theirdeceafe.when there 
 i e mains no doubt buttheioul is in heaven. Itis 
 difficult to fay how farfuperftition may lead men 
 into the moft extravagant fchemes, inconfiftenc 
 with either natural or revealed religion ; for in 
 fome cafes, no bounds can be fet to the human 
 paflions. The author of this, once faw a Lon- 
 G S g don 
 

 ■no KITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 don tradefman entered into the order of the fca- 
 pulary at Antwerp, and fo filly was the poor bi¬ 
 got, that he told thole who converfed with him, 
 that he wilhed he could, at that inftant of time, 
 enter into eternity, being of opinion that all his 
 lins were forgiven, and that he was accepted in 
 the fight of God. 
 
 But of all thefe focieties, none deferve our no¬ 
 tice more, nor are intitled to greater refpeft, than 
 that called the Society of Charity. This lociety 
 confifts of a body of laymen, who really deferve 
 the name they affume. They diftribute bread 
 among the poor every Saturday, caufe mafies to 
 be laid for the repol'e of departed fouls, and give 
 marriage portions to forty young women. But 
 there is another aft of charity performed by the 
 brethren of this order, which ought to be attend¬ 
 ed to by all thofe who call themfelves Proteftants. 
 When a poor perfon dies, they are at the whole 
 expence of his funeral, and they take care, not 
 only to fee his afhes configned decently to the 
 filent earth, but they likewile, at the fame time, 
 order mafies to be faid for the repol'e of his foul; 
 and although every proteftant mult look upon 
 this praftice as of a fuperftitious nature, yet it 
 ffiews the good intentions of the people, who, 
 although miftaken, are willing to teftify their re¬ 
 fpeft to the deceafed, even beyond the grave. 
 
 In all Roman Catholic countries, there are fo¬ 
 cieties of men, who, for a fmall lum, annually 
 make it a rule to whip themfelves publicly in the 
 ftreets in lent, and to fuch a height has this ridi¬ 
 culous fuperftition been carried on in Spain, that 
 the clergy have allowed that it fiiall be done by 
 proxy, upon the two following conditions: Firft, 
 the prieft is to receive a particular fum of money 
 for admitting a proxy ; and fecondly, the proxy 
 is to be paid according to the manner in which 
 he makes his agreement with his principal, whom 
 he reprefents. Thefe hired penitents continue 
 whipping themfelves till the blood runs plenti¬ 
 fully down from their backs, and during the 
 whole of this barbarous ceremony, the women, 
 who look upon them as fomething more than 
 human, keep tearing their hair and beat¬ 
 ing their breafts, weeping moft bitterly, and 
 praying for a thoufand bleflings on the pious pe¬ 
 nitents. 
 
 Some of the moft celebrated Roman Catholic 
 writers, particularly Baronins and Fleury have 
 affected, that the pradtice of penitents fcourging 
 themfelves, did not take its rife in the Chriftian 
 church, before the middle of the eleventh cen¬ 
 tury. About that time, a parcel of fellows, who 
 loved a ltate of idlenefs, wrapped themfelves up 
 in cowls, and provided themfelves with rods and 
 whips, under pretence of appeafing the deity for 
 the many crimes they had committed. With 
 thefe implements they whipped themfelves in fuch 
 a fevere manner, that the blood gullied out from 
 all parts of their bodies, and being confidered 
 as faints, the people made confiderable collec¬ 
 tions for them ; fo that although their backs were 
 fore, yet they had the comfort of enjoying fome 
 money in their pockets, which thole, who were as 
 ignorant of religion as themfelves, but far lefs 
 artful, could not pretend to. 
 
 But ridiculous as this form of devotion may 
 appear to Proteftants who live in this enlightened 
 age and nation, yet we can aflure our readers, 
 
 in the CHURCH of R O M F. 
 
 that we have not exaggerated the leaft, or moft 
 trivial circumftance. On the contrary, the mad- 
 nels was fo great, that the female lex became, as 
 it were, infefted with it; women forgot that foft- 
 nefs, peculiar to their nature and conllitution, 
 and driven by enthufiafm to fuperftition, they 
 lacerated their bodies with cords and ropes, not 
 only to make an atonement for their own lins, 
 but alio to procure the favour of the deity for 
 luch fouls as they imagined to be confined in 
 purgatory. 
 
 About fifty years after the period already men¬ 
 tioned, a new fet of whippers, or fcourgers, un¬ 
 der the name of penitents, arofe, and thefe pre¬ 
 tended that they had received a particular com- 
 mifiion from God, to whip themfelves without 
 mercy. Nay, fuch was the madnels of the 
 times, that even children, encouraged by their 
 parents, entered themfelves into focieties, fome 
 to whip themfelves, and fome to whip each 
 other. 
 
 To what has been already advanced concern¬ 
 ing the whippers or difeiplinants, we muft add 
 the high refpeft they are held in by all ranks of 
 people in Spain. Good-friday is appropriated 
 for their honour, and fo much are they efteemed, 
 that even the king and great officers of Hate, and, 
 in a word, all thofe who are moft refpeftable in 
 the metropolis, think it an honour to attend them. 
 The king’s guards march with their arms covered 
 with crape as a fign of mourning, and the mu- 
 ficians play upon their different inftruments the 
 moft difinal tunes that can be imagined. All 
 the drums are covered with black, and they beat 
 a moft doleful march, in order to point out to the 
 populace the death of our Saviour. The dif- 
 mal found of the trumpets animates and ftirs up 
 the contrition of the penitents, and the banners 
 and erodes all covered with black, have the fame 
 influence upon the devotees. 
 
 As there are many focieties of thefe difeipli¬ 
 nants, or whippers, in Spain, fo they are gene¬ 
 rally all prefent at Madrid, on Good-friday, and 
 they are drefled in fuch a manner as to diftinguifh 
 them from all others. They wear a long cap 
 covered with cambric, about three feet high, 
 from whence hangs a piece of linen, which falls 
 down before and ferves them for a veil. On their 
 hands they wear white gloves, with ffioes of the 
 lame colour on their feet, and a waiftcoat with 
 fleeves tied with a black ribbon, if they are not 
 in love with any particular young lady ; but if 
 they are, then they have ribbons of fuch a co¬ 
 lour as they imagine their miftrefies will approve 
 of. Fie who whips himfelf with the greateft 
 dexterity, is efteemed far luperior to thofe who 
 are fearful and timid; and whenever they meet a 
 young beautiful lady in the courfe of theprocef- 
 fion, they are fo artful, that, by a few ftrokes of 
 the whip, they can make the blood flow in the 
 moft copious manner, and this aft of heroifm is 
 fo much efteemed by the lady, that if not en¬ 
 gaged, file is generally ready to offer her 
 hand. 
 
 When any of them happen to come before the 
 windows of their miftrefies apartments, they re¬ 
 double their blows upon their backs and fhoul- 
 ders, and the ladies, who view the whole of the 
 proceffion, confidering it as done in honour to 
 themfelves, take care to return the compliment 
 
 with 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 with all the marks of unfeigned love. The pro- 
 ceflion being over, and the voluntary penitents 
 returned to the place from whence they let out, 
 they find an.elegant entertainment provided for 
 them ; for although Good-friday is one of the 
 moll folemn fafcs in the whole of the Roman 
 calender, yet the pope difpenfes with the obli¬ 
 gation. Previous to his fitting down at table, 
 the patient, or rather the penitent, has his back 
 and fhoulders rubbed with wine and vinegar, in 
 order to cure his wounds and remove the con¬ 
 gealed blood. 
 
 Another fociety among the Roman Catholics, 
 is that which pretends to fhew the utmoft refpeft 
 to the relics of departed faints, fuch as their legs, 
 arms, hands, feet, bones, hair, teeth, and even 
 the clothes they wore when they died. This fo¬ 
 ciety is extremely induftrious ; for they fend out 
 from time to time, miffionaries to collect together 
 fome of the relics of the faithful. The mif- 
 fionaries are generally very fuccefsful, and fome- 
 times they bring home more bones belonging to 
 a faint than ever he had while he was alive. If 
 any difpute arifes concerning the authenticity of 
 thefe bones, it is referred to the bifhop, who con¬ 
 siders of it in the moll mature manner, and then 
 fends an account of the whole to Rome, where 
 his holinefs re-confiders the whole matter, and 
 his decree is final with refpedt to the matter in 
 difpute between the contending parties. 
 
 It has been often aflced by very fenlible Pro- 
 teftants, why thofe who made a profefiion of 
 Chriftianity, could fo far forget the duty they 
 owed to their Divine Redeemer, as to worfhip 
 the bones of a man or woman who had been long 
 depofited in the grave, while, at the fame time, 
 they believed that the dead were to rife again 
 when Chrift comes to judge the world ? To this 
 we would anfwer, that the Chriftians, or at lead: 
 thofe in the middle ages, who aflumed that name, 
 borrowed this from the heathens. The Egyp¬ 
 tians made it a rule to preferve the bodies of 
 their departed anceftors, which in time became 
 objects of idolatrous worfhip; and to prevent the 
 Ifraelites from billing into the fame fnare, Mofes 
 was commanded to depart from his beloved peo¬ 
 ple, and yield up his fpirit to God upon mount 
 Nebo. The Jews did not know the place where 
 their great legiflator died, or at leaft they could 
 never difcover where he was buried, fo we find, 
 that although they were often guilty of the 
 grofleft practices of idolatry, yet they never 
 worfhipped the body of Mofes, which they cer¬ 
 tainly would have done, had they known in what 
 place he was interred. At prelent, great refpedt 
 is paid to the bones and allies taken out of what 
 is commonly called the catacombs at Rome, and 
 Naples ; and of thefe antient places of burial, 
 we fliall give the following faithful account from 
 the judicious bifhop Burnet, who vifited Italy in 
 the year 1685. 
 
 This will appear the more neceflary, when we 
 confider, that the bodies taken out of thofe fe- 
 pulchres of the dead, are laid to be the remains 
 of thofe primitive Chriftians who buffered mar¬ 
 tyrdom for the truth; whereas it is well known, 
 that in a continual ftate of perlecution, the 
 Chriftians, fo far from being able to eredt fuch 
 monuments for thofe of their own profefiion, 
 were often obliged to provide for their own fafety, 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 2It 
 
 by concealing themfelves in the moil private 
 manner. And here we fliall find, that many of 
 thofe relics, worfhipped by the Roman Catholics, 
 are either the bones of heathens, or of fome 
 Chriftians who lived many years after the reign of 
 the emperor Conftantinc the Great. 
 
 The bifhop fays, <c they are vaft and long 
 galleries cut out of the rock: there are three 
 ftories of them one above another. I was in 
 two of them, but the rock is fallen in the loweft, 
 fo that one cannot go in to it, but I law the paf- 
 fage to it: Thefe galleries are about twenty feet 
 broad, and about fifteen feet high, fo that they 
 are noble and lpacious places, and not little and 
 narrow as the catacombs at Rome, which are 
 only three or four feet broad, and five or fix feet 
 high. I was made believe that thefe catacombs 
 of Naples, went into the rock nine miles Iono- ; 
 but for that I have it only by report : yet if that 
 be true, they may perhaps run towards Puzzolo, 
 and fo they may have been the burial places of 
 the towns on that bay, but of this I have no cer¬ 
 tainty. I walked indeed a great way, and found 
 galleries going off in all hands without end, and 
 where, as in the Roman Catacombs, there are 
 not above three or four rows of niches that are 
 cut out in the rock one over another, into which 
 the dead bodies were laid ; here there are gene¬ 
 rally fix or feven rows of thofe niches, and they 
 are both larger and higher; fome niches are for 
 children’s bodies, and in many places there are in 
 the floors, as it were great chefts hewn out of the 
 rock, to lay the bones of the dead, as they 
 dried, in them; but I could fee no marks either 
 of a cover for thefe holes, that looked like the 
 bellies of chefts, or of a facing to fhut up the 
 niches when a dead body was laid in them, fo 
 that it feems they were monftrous unwholibme, 
 and flunking places, where fome thoufands of 
 bodies lay rotting, without any thing to fhut in 
 fo loathfome a fight, and fo odious a fmell; for 
 the niches fhew plainly that the bodies were*laid 
 in them, only wrapt in the dead cloaths, they 
 being too low for coffins. In fome places of the 
 rock, there is as it were a little chapel hewn out 
 in the rock, that goes out from the common 
 gallery, and there are niches all round about; 
 but I law no marks of any wall that fhut in fuch 
 places, though I am apt to think thefe might be 
 burying places appropriated to particular fa¬ 
 milies. There is in fome places on the walls and 
 arch, old mofaic work, and fome painting, the 
 colours are frefh, and the manner and characters 
 are gothic, which made me conclude that this 
 might have been done by the Normans about fix 
 hundred years ago, after they drove out the Sa¬ 
 racens. In fome places there are palm-trees 
 painted, and vines in other places. The freffi- 
 nefs of the colours fhew thefe could not have 
 been done while this place was employed for bu- 
 r yirig, for the fleams and rottennefs of the air, 
 oceafioned by fo much corruption, muft have 
 diflolved both plaifter and colours. In one place 
 there is a man painted with a little beard, and 
 Paulus is written by his head : tnere is another 
 reaching him a garland, and by his head Laud is 
 written, and this is repeated in another place, 
 right over againft it. In another place I found a 
 crofs painted, and about the upper part of it 
 thefe letters J. C. X. O. and in the lower part 
 
 N JK A 
 
a, a .RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 X JR A are painted : A learned antiquary that j 
 went with me, agreed with me that the manner 
 of the painting and charafters did not feem to be 
 above fix hundred years old ; but neither of us 
 k new what to make of thel'e letters: The lower 
 feemed to relate to the laft word ol the vifion 
 which it is faid that Conftantine law, with the 
 crol's that appeared to him : But though the full 
 two letters might be for Jefus, it being ordinary 
 in old coins and inflriptions, to put a C for an S. 
 and X. Hands for Chrift, yet we knew not what 
 to make of the O, unlefs it were for the Greek 
 Theta, and that the little line in the bolom of 
 the Theta was worn out, and then it Hands for 
 Theos: and thus the whole inlcription is Jefus 
 Chrift God overcometh. Another pifture in 
 the wall, had written over it S. Johannes, 
 which was a clear fign of a barbarous age. 
 In another place there is a pifture, high in 
 the wall, and three piftures under it; that 
 at top had no infcription ; thofe below it had 
 thefe infcriptions, S. Katherina, S. Agape, and 
 S. Margarita, thefe letter are clearly modern, 
 befides°hat Margaret and Catherine are modern 
 names : and the addition of ta a little above the 
 S. were manifeft evidences, that the higheft an¬ 
 tiquity that can be afcribed, is fix hundred years. 
 
 I faw no more painting, and I began to grow 
 weary of the darknefs and the thick air of the 
 place, fo I flood not above an hour in the Cata¬ 
 combs. This made me refteft more particularly 
 on the Catacombs of Rome than I had done, I 
 could imagine no reafon why fo little mention is 
 made of thofe of Naples, when there is fo much 
 faid concerning thole of Rome; and could give 
 myfelf no other account of the matter, bur that 
 its being a maxim to keep up the reputation of 
 the Roman Catacombs, as the repofitories of 
 the relics of the primitive Chriftians, itwouldhave 
 much leffened their credit, if it had been thought 
 that there were Catacombs far beyond them in all 
 refpefts, that yet cannot be fuppofed to have 
 been the work of the primitive Chriftians, and 
 indeed nothing feems more evident than that 
 thefe were the common burying places of the 
 antient Heathens. One enters into them without 
 the walls of the towns, according to the laws of 
 the twelve tables, and fuch are the Catacombs of 
 Rome that I faw, which were thofe of St. Agnes 
 and St. Sebaftian, the entry into them being 
 without the town : this anfwers the law, though 
 in elf eft they run under it, for in thofe days 
 when they had not the ufe of the needle, they 
 could not know which way they carried on 
 thofe works when they were once fo far 
 engaged under ground as to lofe themfelves. 
 It is a vain imagination to think that the Chrif- 
 tians, in the primitive times, were able to carry 
 on fuch a work; for as this prodigious digging 
 into fuch rocks, muft have been a very viiible 
 thing, by the mountains of rubbilbthat muft have 
 been brought out, and by the vaftnumberof hands 
 that muft have been employed in it; fo it is ab- 
 furd to think that they could hold their afiemblies 
 amidft the annoyance of fo much corruption. I 
 found the fleams fo ftrong, that though I am as 
 little fubjeft to vapours as moft men, yet I had 
 all the day long after I was in them, which was 
 not near an hour, a confufion, and as it were a 
 boiling in my head, that dilordered me ex¬ 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 
 
 tremely ; and if there is now fo much ltagnating 
 air there, this muft have been fenfible in a more 
 eminent and ini'ufterable mannerwhile there were 
 vail numbers of bodies rotting in thofe niches. 
 But betides this improbability that prefents itlelf 
 from the nature of the thing, I called to mind a 
 palfage of a letter of Cornelius, that was bitliop 
 of Rome, after the middle of the third century, 
 which is preferved by F.ufebius in his flxtli book, 
 chapter 43, in which we have the ftate of the 
 church of Rome at that time let forth. There 
 were forty-fix prefbyters, feven deacons, as many 
 fub-deacons, and ninety-four of the inferior or¬ 
 ders of the clergy among them : there were alfo 
 fifteen hundred widows, and other poor, main¬ 
 tained out of the public charities. It may be 
 reafonably fuppoled that the numbers of the 
 Chriftians were as great when this epiltle was 
 written, as they were at any time before Conftan- 
 tine’s days ; for as this was written at the end of 
 that long peaceofwhichborhSt. Cyprian and Lac- 
 tantius fpeak, that had continued above a hun¬ 
 dred years ; io after this time there was fuch a 
 fucceffion of perfecutions, that came fo thick 
 one upon another, after Ihort intervals of quiet, 
 that we cannot think the number of the Chrif¬ 
 tians increaled much beyond what they were at 
 this time. Now there are two particulars in this 
 ftate of the clergy, upon which one may make 
 aprobable eftimate of the number of the Chrif¬ 
 tians : the one is their poor, which were but fif¬ 
 teen hundred, now upon an exaft furvey, it will 
 be found, that where the poor are Well looked to, 
 their number rifes generally to be the thirtieth 
 or fortieth part of mankind : and this may be 
 well believed to be the proportion of the poor 
 among the Chriftians of that age : For as their 
 charity was vigorous and tender, fo we find Cel- 
 fus, Julian, Lucian, Prophyry, and others, ob- 
 jeft this to the Chriftians of that time, that their 
 charities to the poor drew vaft numbers of the 
 lower fort among them, who made themfelves 
 Chriftians that they might be l'upplied by their 
 brethren : So that this being the ftate of the 
 Chriftians, then we may reckon the poor the 
 thirtieth part, and fo fifteen hundred multiplied 
 by thirty, produce five and forty thoufand : And 
 I am the more inclined to think that this rifes up 
 near to the full fum of their numbers, by the 
 other charaftcrof the numbers of the clergy, for 
 as there were forty-fix prefbyters, fo there were 
 ninety-four of the inferior orders, who tvere, by 
 two, more than double the number of the priefts: 
 and this was at a time in which the care of fouls 
 was more exaftly looked after, then it has been 
 in the more corrupted ages, the clergy having 
 then really more work on their hands, the in- 
 ftrufting their catechumens, the vifiting their 
 Tick, and the fupporting and comforting the 
 weak, being talks that required fo much appli¬ 
 cation, that in fo vaft a city as Rome was in 
 thofe days, in which it is probable the Chriftians 
 were flattered over the city, and mixed in all the 
 parts of it, we make a conjefture that is not ill 
 grounded, when we reckon that every prefbyter 
 had perhaps a thoufand fouls committed to his 
 care, fo this rifes to fix and forty thoufand: which 
 comes very near the fum that may be gathered 
 from the other hint, taken from the number of 
 their poor. So that about fifty thoufand is the 
 
 higheft 
 
117 
 
 RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 higheft account to which we can reafonably ra'ife 
 the numbers of the Chriftians of Rome in that 
 time; and of fo many perfons, the old, the 
 young, and the women, make more than three 
 fourth parts, fo that men that were in a condition 
 to work, were not above twelve thoufand ; and 
 by conlequence they were in no condition to un¬ 
 dertake and carry on fo vaft a work. If Corne¬ 
 lius, in that letter, fpeaks of the numbers of the 
 Chriftians in exceftive terms, and if Tertullian 
 in his apologetic hath alfo let out the numbers 
 of the Chriftians of his time, in a very high 
 ftrain, that is only to be afcribed to a pompous 
 eloquence, which dilpofeth people to magnify 
 their own party, and we muft allow a good deal 
 to a hyperbole that is very natural to all that fet 
 forth their forces in general times. It is true, it 
 is not fo clear when thofe vaft cavities were dug 
 out of the rocks. We know that when the laws 
 of the twelve tables were made, fepulture was 
 then in ufe, and Rome, being then grown to a 
 Vaft bignefs, no doubt they had repofitories for 
 their dead, fo that fince none of the Roman 
 authors mention any fuch work, it may not be 
 tinreafonable to imagine, that thefe vaults had 
 been wrought and cut out from the firft begin¬ 
 ning of the city, and fo the latter authors had no 
 occalion to take notice of it. It is alfo certain, 
 that though burning came to be in ufe among the 
 Romans, yet they returned back to their firft 
 cuftom of burying bodies long before Conftan- 
 tine’s time ; fo that it was not the Chriftian reli¬ 
 gion that produced this change. All our mo¬ 
 dern writers take it for granted, that the change 
 was made in the time of the Antonins, yet there 
 being no law made concerning it, and no mention 
 being made in an age full of writers, of any or¬ 
 ders that were given for burying places, Vefferu’s 
 opinion leems more probable, that the cuftom of 
 burning wore out by degrees, and lince we are 
 lure that they once buried, it is more natural to 
 think that the flaves, and the meaner fort of the 
 people were ftill buried, that being a lefs expence 
 and a more fimple way of bellowing their dead 
 bodies than burning, which was both pompous 
 and chargeable, and if there were already bury¬ 
 ing places prepared, it is much eafier to imagine 
 how die cuftom of burying grew univerfal with¬ 
 out any law made concerning it. 
 
 I could not, for fome time, find out upon what 
 grounds the modern critics take it for granted, 
 that burying began in the times of the Antonins; 
 till I had the happinefs to talk of this matter with 
 the learned Gronovius, who feems to be fuch a 
 mafter of all the antient learning, as if he had 
 the authors lying always open before him ; he 
 told me that it was certain the change from burn¬ 
 ing to burying was not made by the Chriftian 
 emperors; for Macrobius (lib. 7. cap. 7.) fays in 
 plain terms, that the cuftom of burning the bo¬ 
 dies of the dead was quite worn out in that age, 
 which is a clear intimation that it was not laid 
 afide fo late as by Conllantine, and as there was 
 no lav/ made by him on that head, fo he and the 
 lucceeding emperors gave fuch an entire tolera¬ 
 tion to paganifm, admitting thofe of that reli¬ 
 gion to the greateft employments, that it is not 
 to be imagined that there was any order given 
 againft burning; fo that it is clear the heathens 
 had changed it of their own accord, otherwile 
 18 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 
 
 we ftiould have found that among the complaints 
 that they made of the grievances under which 
 they lay from the Chriftians. But it is more dif¬ 
 ficult to fix the time when this change was made. 
 Gronovius fiiewed me a pafiage of Phlegons that 
 mentions the bodies that were laid in the ground, 
 yet he did not build on that, for it may have rela¬ 
 tion to the cuftoms of burying, that might be 
 elfewhere. And fo Petronius gives the account 
 of the burial of the Ephefian matron’s hufband; 
 but he made it apparent to me, that burying 
 was commonly pradtifed in Commodus’s “ime, 
 for Xiphilinus tells us, that in Pertinax's time, 
 the friends of thofe whom Commodus had order¬ 
 ed to be put to death had dug up their bodies, 
 fome bringing out only fome parts of them, and 
 others raifing their entire bodies. The fame au¬ 
 thor tells 11s that Pertinax buried Commodus’s 
 body, and fo faved it from the rage of the people, 
 and here is a pofitive evidence that burying was 
 the common pradlice of that time. It is true, it 
 is very probable, that as we fee fome of the Ro¬ 
 man families continued to bury their dead, even 
 when burning was the more common cuftom, fo 
 perhaps others continued after this to burn their 
 dead, the thing being indifferent, and no lav- be- 
 ing made about it, and therefore it was particu¬ 
 larly objected to the Chriftians after this time, 
 that they abhorred the cuftom of burning the 
 bodies of the dead, which is mentioned by Mi- 
 nutius Felix ; but this or any other evidences, 
 that may be brought from medals of confecra- 
 tions after this time, will only prove that fome 
 were ftill burnt, and that the Chriftians praftifed 
 burying univerlally, as exprefflng their belief of 
 the refurreflion, whereas the heathens held the 
 thing indifferent. It is alfo clear from the many 
 genuine infcriptions that have been found in the 
 Catacombs, which bear the dates of the confuls, 
 that thefe were the common burial places of all 
 the Chriftians of the fourth and fifth century ; for 
 I do not remember that there is any one date that 
 is antienter, and yet not one of the writers of 
 thofe ages fpeak of them as the work of the pri¬ 
 mitive Chriftians. They fpeak indeed of the bu¬ 
 rial places of the martyrs, but that will prove no 
 more but that the Chriftians might have had their 
 quarters, and their walks in thofe common burial 
 places where they laid their dead, and which 
 might have been known among them, though it 
 is not likely that they would in times of perle- 
 cutions make fuch infcriptions as might have ex- 
 pofed the bodies of their dead friends to the rage 
 of their enemies; and the lpurious adls of fome 
 laints and martyrs are of too little credit to give 
 any fupport to the common opinion. Damafus’s 
 poetry is of no better authority, and though 
 thofe ages were inclined enough to give credit to 
 fables, yet it feems this, of thofe Catacombs hav¬ 
 ing been the work of the primitive Chriftians, 
 was too grols a thing to have been fo early im- 
 pofed on the world. And this filence in an age 
 in which fuperftition was going on at fo great a 
 rate, has much force in it, for fo vaft a work, as 
 thofe Catacombs are, muft have been well known 
 to all the Romans. It were eafy to carry this 
 much farther, and to ffiew that the bas reliefs 
 that have been found in fome of thofe Catacombs, 
 have nothing of the beauty of the Antient and 
 Roman time. This is alfo more dilccrnable in 
 H h h many 
 
214 RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 many infcriptions that are more Gothic than Ro¬ 
 man, and there are lb many infcriptions relating to 
 fables, that it is plain thefe were of later times; 
 and we fee by St. Jerome, that the monks began 
 even in his time, to drive a trade of relics ; fo it is 
 no wonder, that to raife the credit of fuch a heap 
 as was never to be exhaufted, they made fome 
 miierable fcolptures, and fome infcriptions ; and 
 perhaps (hut up the entries into them with much 
 care and fecrefy, intending to open them upon 
 fome dream or other artifice to give them the 
 more reputation, which was often praftifed, in or¬ 
 der to the drawing much wealth and greac devo¬ 
 tion, even to fome fingle relic ; and a few beint? 
 upon this fecret, either thofe might have died, or 
 by the many revolutions that have happened in 
 Rome, they might have been difperfed before they 
 made the difcovery : And thus the knowledge of 
 thofe places was loff, and came to be difcovered 
 by accident in the lalt age, and hath ever fince 
 fupplied them with an inexhaufttble magazine of 
 bones, which by all appearance are no other than 
 the bones of the pagan Romans ; which are now 
 lent over the world to teed a fuperftition that is as 
 blind as it proves expenfive. And thus the bones 
 of the Roman (laves, or at leaft thofe of a meaner 
 fort, are now fet in 111ver and gold, with a great 
 deal of other coftly garniture, and entertain the 
 luperftition of thofe who are willing to be deceiv¬ 
 ed as well as they ferve the ends of thofe that 
 leek to deceive the world. But becaufe it cannot 
 be pretended that there was fuch a number of 
 Chriftians at Naples, as could have wrought fuch 
 Catacombs, and if it had been once thought 
 that thofe were the common burial places of 
 the antient Heathens, that might have induced 
 the world to think, that the Roman Catacombs 
 were no other ; therefore there hath been no care 
 taken to examine thefe.” 
 
 The mojl remarkable Feafts and Ceremonies in the 
 Roman Calendar. 
 
 On the third of January, the feftival of St. 
 Genevieve is celebrated at Paris, (he being the 
 patronefs of that city. The Roman writers tell 
 us, that this female faint wrought fo many mira¬ 
 cles, that too great refpefl: cannot be (hewn her ; 
 they add further, that the angels rejoiced at her 
 birth, and that the bleffed in heaven annually 
 celebrated her birth-day. One time being feized 
 with fomething like convullion fits, her body was 
 fo much diftorted, that (he feemed to be in great 
 agonies, butinfleadof feeling any pain, (he was 
 among the angels in heaven, filled with unutter¬ 
 able glory. She could penetrate into the inmoft 
 recedes of the heart, and lpent fo much time in 
 prayers and penance, that the floor of her cham¬ 
 ber was wet with tears. Many miracles were 
 wrought at her tomb, and will continue fo till the 
 end of the world. 
 
 On January the feventeenth, is celebrated at 
 Rome, thefeaftof St. Anthony the abbot. On 
 the morning of this feaft, the pope, cardinals, 
 princes, prelates, and indeed all thofe who have 
 horles, fend them to be bleffed by the monks of 
 St. Anthony ; the faddles and bridles are alfo blef¬ 
 fed, upon the confideration of a fmall fum being 
 
 in the C FI U R C H of R O M E. 
 
 paid for each of the beafts, with their furniture, 
 i he Roman Catholics in England, were, in fome 
 meafure, kept in the dark concerning this cere¬ 
 mony of bleffing the horles, till 1732, when Dr. 
 
 Middleton wrote his, letter from Rome, in which 
 he tells us, that he paid about eighteen pence for 
 having his horfe and that of his lervant bleffed. 
 Dt.Challoner, the titularpopilh biihop ofLondon, 
 attacked Dr. Middleton on this lubjeft, telling him, 
 that although he (Dr. Challoner) had lived'many 
 years on the Continent, yet he never law or heard 
 of it. 
 
 Here the Popilh bifliop, who had afferted the 
 above in the preface to his book, entitled The 
 Catholic Chriftian, forgot to mention to the pub¬ 
 lic, that although he had refided fcveral years on 
 the Continent, yet he had never been further 
 than Doway, or St. Omer’s. This brought on a 
 J fecond controverfy between Challoner and one 
 Marmaduke, the latter of whom wrote an annual 
 pamphlet in the form of a calendar, called, A 
 Guide for the Faithful. In this work, Marmaduke 
 attacked the biihop in rather a fatirical manner, by- 
 telling him that there could be no harm in bleffing 
 of horles, feeing they were creatures of God ; and 
 every thing ought to be fet apart for ufe, by prayer 
 and thankfgiving. He added further, in a (till 
 more laconic and fatirical manner, that if any true 
 Catholics doubted of the truth of what had been 
 aflerted by Dr. IVIiddleton, ic would be proper 
 that they Ihould take a trip to Rome, during the 
 month of January, and they would be convinced 
 from the evidence of their own fenfes. 
 
 On the twenty-firft of January, the feaft of St. 
 Agnes, virgin and martyr, is celebrated ; and of 
 this extraordinary perfon we have the following 
 account. When the proconful ordered her to be 
 ftripped dark naked, in order to be carried in 
 that indecent manner to the public ftews, God 
 gave fuch a thicknefs to her difhevelled hair, that 
 it covered her more completely than her cloaths s 
 and when file entered the brothel, an angel fpread 
 fuch a dazzling light around her, that none 
 could fee or touch her, by reafon of the greatnefs 
 of the Iplendor. Immediately after, an an¬ 
 gel prefented her with a white linen garment, 
 which (lie put on, and it fitted her fo exactly, that 
 all the fpeftators were perfuaded, that it was fome¬ 
 thing more than human. The fon of the procon¬ 
 ful attempted to enter into the light to violate her 
 chaftity, but he was choaked by the devil, and 
 immediately dropped down dead. 
 
 On the thirtieth of January, the feftival of St. 
 Martina, virgin and martyr, is celebrated, and 
 aslhcis confidered by the Roman Catholics, as a 
 moft extraordinary perfon, we fiiall here relate 
 what is written concerning her in the Roman bre¬ 
 viary. St. Martina being brought before the em¬ 
 peror as an enchantrefs ; and refilling to facrifice, 
 he commanded her to be ftripped naked, and her 
 flefii to be flafhed off with fwords ; but the body of 
 the virgin was of fo rranfparent a colour, that it 
 dimmed the eyes of the beholders, and milk flow¬ 
 ed from her wounds, which had the moft fragrant 
 fmeli. After this the emperor commanded her to 
 be beaten with clubs, but the executioners em¬ 
 ployed, cried out that their ftrength failed them, 
 laying, “ Deliver us from this virgin, for as often 
 “ as we ftrike her, the angels of God return the 
 “ blows upon us with bars or iron, and our flefti 
 
 “ and 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 “ and bones are all on fire.” But when the em¬ 
 peror would have the blows continued, all thole 
 who beat her, dropped down dead. She was then 
 lent to a dungeon, but when the gaoler went to 
 vifit her, he law a great light fhinmg around her, 
 and he fell to the ground. In that fituation he 
 continued home time, till at lalt, lifting up his 
 eyes, he faw St. Martina fitting on a mod glori¬ 
 ous feat, furrounded by a great number of men all dref- 
 edinwhite, holdingagoldentable, on which thefol- 
 lowingwordswerewritcen, “ Thyworksarewonder- 
 “ ftil, O Lord, in wildoin haft thou made them all.” 
 All which, we are told, he related to the emperor. 
 At laft, a fierce lion, who had been kept fading 
 three days, was let lool’e upon her, but he fawned 
 upon her and licked her feet, which induced the 
 foldiers to run their fpears through her body. 
 
 On the twenty-firft day of February, is cele¬ 
 brated the feftival of the bleffed Margaret of Cor¬ 
 tona, who, in her younger years, had been a com¬ 
 mon proftiuite, but the fight of the fkeleton of 
 her lover, with whom fhc had held an unlawful 
 commerce for nine years together, touched her 
 heart in fo efficacious a manner, that from that 
 inftant to the day of her death, fine loved God 
 with an uninterrupted affedion ; and expiated, by 
 a feries of the moll: fevere penitence and morti¬ 
 fication, the many fins of her youth. After (he 
 had thus devoted herfelf to God, all her pleafure 
 confided in mortifying her body, by the fevereft 
 aufterities. Her beauty, which had been her 
 l'uin before, now became, as it were, a horror to 
 her. She bruifed her face with (tones, died tears 
 of blood, and inflifted fuch torments on herielf, 
 that her eyes feemed ready to ftart out of their 
 fockets. She was almoft conftantly beating herfelf, 
 and ufed to whip herfelf with a fcourge full of 
 great knobs, and other initruments of penance. 
 She fed continually on bread and water, had her¬ 
 felf dragged along in her fhift, with a halter about 
 her neck, till at laft lhe became infenfible to the 
 force of temptation. 
 
 During the time this penance continued, her 
 guardian angel made her feveral vifits 5 and the 
 Roman writers tell us, that our Saviour ufed to 
 converfe with her frequently, in the moft familiar 
 manner. 
 
 On the feventh of March the feftivals of St. 
 Thomas Aquinas, and St. Barbara, are celebrated, 
 but what conneftion male ar.d female faints had 
 together we know not, only that during the dark 
 ages of Chriftianity, St. 1 homas Aquinas was 
 confidered as the titular faint of the bookfellers, 
 for no other realbn we are able to affign, befides 
 that of his being one of the moft learned men of 
 the age in which he lived. It is common with 
 the Roman Catholics to tell us that St. Thomas 
 Aquinas was never guilty of a mortal fin ; and it 
 is related of him thac one day while he was only a 
 boy, he happened to kneel down to pray before 
 the fign of the crofs, and there falling afieep, he 
 thought he found his loins fall bound by angels, 
 from which time he was never afterwards troubled 
 with any luftful inclinations. This will, in fome 
 meafure, account for the Popifh traditions con¬ 
 cerning him, although we are afraid that many 
 Proteftants will confider it as a Pious Fraud. 
 
 We read in the golden legend, that a man who 
 was thought to he ltarved to death, and by a r ipe 
 put- about his neck was drawn to the top of a 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME 415 
 
 tower and thrown down from thence , when he 
 came to the ground, he role up upon Ins Let and 
 gave the following account to thole who wondered 
 at his being alive, feeing he had- lived fo lon°- 
 without any fort of nourilhment, and how it was 
 polfible for him to be preferved in his fall. He 
 allured them that St. Barbara prclerved him in all 
 his dangers, and in his fall from the tower, luf- 
 tained him with her holy hands. It is alfo related of 
 this St. Barbara, that her father Was a Heathen, 
 and in order to prevent her from being feduced, 
 fhe being extremely beautiful, perceived by her 
 dilcourle that (he was aChriftian, and immediately 
 drew his fword in great indignation, threatning to 
 kill her, but upon her praying to God, a laro-e 
 ftone opened itfelf, and received her whole body 
 into the cavity, and carried her to a mountain full 
 of caves, where (he thought to have concealed 
 herfelf, but was difeovered by a ffiep'herd. For 
 this ad of infolence, the ffiepherd was punifhed in 
 the moft exemplary manner, for he was changed 
 into a marble ftone, and all his fheep into locufts, 
 or as others fay, into beetles, who annually vifit 
 the tomb of this faint. 
 
 There is another very remarkable circumftance 
 related concerning this St. Barbara, which every 
 Roman Catholic believes to be as true as any thincr 
 recorded in the facred feriptures. In 1448, one 
 Henry Knock, a native of Holland, had his houfe 
 let on fire by a candle falling into a bundle of 
 ftraw, and he himfelf hardly efcaped in his fhirt 
 But remembering that he had left fome money in 
 the houfe, he returned to fetch it, and the roof 
 iell in upon him. Confidering himfelf as in a 
 dying condition, he reflected with forrow that he 
 had not received the laft lacraments of the church 
 and in this hour of diftrefs addreffed himfelf to 
 St. Barbara. The faint being thus invoked, came 
 immediately to his affiftance, under the fame form 
 as lhe is generally reprefented in churches. She 
 brought him through the flames, and put him in 
 a place of fafety, but told him, at the fame time, 
 that he was to dienext morning, which accordingly 
 took place. D 
 
 The ieftival of St. Longinus is celebrated on 
 the fifteenth of March ; and of this extraordinary 
 perion, we are told that he had been once a (lave, 
 but having obtained his freedom, he entered him¬ 
 felf a fold ier in one of the Roman legions, and was pre¬ 
 heat thecrucifixionofourSaviour; we are told fur¬ 
 ther, thathewasthefoldierwhopierced our Saviour’s 
 fide, (fee John xix, 34,) It j s added in the le¬ 
 gend concerning him, that when he thruft the 
 ipear into our Saviour’s fide, he was blind, 
 but fome of the blood and water burfting againft 
 his eyes, he was reftored to fight, and became a 
 convert to the gofpel. He afterwards retired to 
 the wildernefs, where he lived a hermit many 
 years ; but being at laft difeovered, he was put to 
 death by order of Odavius, a Roman conful. 
 
 I hat this foldier who pierced our Saviour’s fide, 
 was ipiritually blind, cannot be doubted ; but that 
 he was blind in a natural fenfe, is next to impof- 
 fible; for how then could he have aded as a fol¬ 
 dier, and as for his living a hermit, that fort of 
 profefiion did not take place till many years 
 after. 
 
 On the twenty-fifth of March,or Lady-day, the pope 
 performs the ceremony of marrying or cloilterinw fe¬ 
 veral young women. On the morning of that day, 
 
 the 
 
216 RtTES and CEREMONIES in the CHURCH of ROME. 
 
 the pope, attended by the cardinals, goes to the 
 church of Minerva, where he celebrates high 
 mafs, and all the maidens confefs and communi¬ 
 cate. This being done, thefe maidens go to the 
 place cloathed in white lerge, and muffled up like 
 Jo many apparitions, in a large fheet that covers 
 their heads, in which is only a little hole to peep 
 through, which often is but juft big enough for 
 one eye to look out at. Thefe maidens, who are 
 the daughters of poor parents, walk two by two 
 into the choir, where all the cardinals are affem- 
 bled, and proftrate themfelves before them in the 
 mod humble manner. 
 
 An officer appointed for that purpofe, ftands on 
 one fide, having in his hands a bafon, wherein 
 are little white tabby bags, in each of which is a 
 note of fifty crowns for thofe who make choice of 
 marriage, and another note of one hundred 
 crowns for thofe who prefer the veil. When each 
 maiden has declared her choice, her bag is given 
 her, hanging by a fmall firing,. In taking it, ftie 
 kifies it, makes a low courtely, and immediately 
 walks off to make room for the others. Thofe 
 who prefer the veil, are diftinguifhed by a garland 
 of flowers, and greater relpeift is fhewn to them 
 than to the others. Miffon, the celebrated tra¬ 
 veller, tells us, that out of three hundred and 
 fifty maidens, whom he once faw prefent at this 
 ceremony, only thirty two confented to take the 
 veil. 
 
 The carnival, which ends on Shrove-Tuefday, 
 is borrowed from the Heathens and comes in 
 room of their Bacchanals. It generally continues 
 three weeks, but in fome places more, particu¬ 
 larly at Venice, where all manner of debauchery 
 is tolerated. It is not enjoined by any order or 
 conftitution of the Romifti church, but it is 
 tolerated, that debauchees may be the more fit to 
 comply with the hardfhips and aufterities of 
 lent. 
 
 The firft day of Lent is called Afh-Wednefday, 
 becaufe on that day, the penitents, among the 
 Chriftians, about the fourth and fifth centuries, 
 ftood at the doors of the churches, covered with 
 aJhes and fackcloth. But the Roman Catholics 
 have added many ceremonies on this day, which 
 were unknown to the antients. The allies ufed 
 for the firft day of lent, muft be made from the 
 branches of olives, or fome other trees, which 
 have been bleffed and confecrated for that pur¬ 
 pofe the year before, on Palm-Sunday. The 
 vcftry keeper gets the allies ready, and places 
 them in a veffel on the epiftle fide of the altar, 
 where the officiating prieft blefles them, and then 
 marks them with the fign of the crofs. After 
 this they are incenfed, and then the officiating 
 prieft, attended by the deacon and fub-deacon, 
 walks forward to the rails of the altar, where 
 he is met by the prieft to whom the church 
 belongs, who pours fome of the allies in the 
 form of a crofs upon the head of the officiating 
 prieft, repeating, at the fame time, “ Remem- 
 “ ber man that thou art dull.” The afhes are 
 then fprinkled on the heads of all the people in 
 the congregation, whether men or women. 
 
 With refpeft to Lent, it is of confiderable an¬ 
 tiquity, but it was very different in antient times 
 from what it is at prefent. Till the time of the 
 emperor Conftantine the Great, Lent feldom ex¬ 
 ceeded forty hours, and it was kept in memory 
 
 of our Saviour’s paffion and fufferings ; but fince 
 the Roman Catholics have added forty days more 
 in commemoration of the time our Saviour faded 
 in the wildernefs. 
 
 On the fourth Sunday in Lent 1366, pope Ur¬ 
 ban V. confecrated a golden rofe, and lent it to 
 Joan, queen of Sicily. He likewife made a de¬ 
 cree, by which it was ordained, that the popes, 
 his fucceffors, Ihould confecrate one on the fame 
 Sunday every year. At prefent there are many of 
 thefe .rofes confecrated and fent to princes, to 
 particular churches, and to leveral great perfons. 
 His holinefs blefles the rofe with frankincenfe, 
 balm, mulk, and holy water, all mixed together. 
 This he does in a private apartment in his own 
 palace, after which he carries the rofe in his hand 
 to his chapel, and the fub -deacon lays it on the 
 altar. Mafs being ended, the pope takes the 
 rofe and delivers it to the amballador of the 
 prince, &c. for whom it is intended. 
 
 Palm Sunday is celebrated with many cere¬ 
 monies, by the Roman Catholics; great numbers 
 of palms are prepaired at the pope’s chapel, and 
 likewife in the other churches in Rome, and 
 thefe are diftributed to inch of the faithful as 
 chufe to accept of them. During the remainder 
 of the day, and the Monday following, the peo¬ 
 ple who go to mafs muft carry thefe palms in their 
 hands, becaufe they were confecrated for that 
 purpofe. 
 
 On Palm-Sunday, the altars are all adorned 
 with palms, and on that day a very remarkable 
 cuftom is obferved in leveral Roman Catholic 
 countries, namely, the fetting a prifoner at li¬ 
 berty, on which occafion the bilbop and clergy 
 walk to the prifon in folemn proceffion, and this 
 is laid to be an emblem of our fpiritual freedom. 
 This ceremony is borrowed from the Jews, who, 
 in antient times, fet a pril'oner at liberty on the 
 day of thepaffover, as we read in the account of 
 Barrabas, who was fet at liberty when our Saviour 
 was crucified. 
 
 On Holy-Thurfday, many ceremonies are ob¬ 
 ferved, but particularly at Rome, where the pope 
 affifts at mafs in the apoftolic chapel. Mafs be¬ 
 ing over, a prieft takes up the holt, and marches 
 with it under a canopy, from the altar to the fe- 
 pulchre. All the church officers who are prefent 
 follow him according to their feniority, and the 
 younger ones range themfelves near the crofs, 
 which is fet up oppofite to the grave, with the 
 fenior ones behind them. 
 
 The holt is then taken out of the tabernacle, 
 and incenfed by the officiating prieft, while all 
 the people kneel down. This being done, the 
 deacon puts the holt again into the tabernacle, 
 and locks it up, giving the key to the matter ot 
 the ceremonies, and this is what is called, the 
 carrying of the holt to the fepulchre. 
 
 This ceremony is followed by another, which 
 the Roman Catholics call, the uncovering of the 
 altars, and as the pope performs this ceremony in 
 his own chapel, fo all the archbilliops and bifhops 
 do the lame in their refpedlive cathedrals and 
 parifh churches. The prieft who officiates on 
 l'uch occafions, makes three low bows before the 
 altar, and then proceeds to remove from the 
 images thofe mournful robes with which they had 
 been covered during the former part ol Lent. 
 All the facred images having been expofed to 
 
 public 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 public view, the prieft covers the crofs with 
 black, fets over the altar a canopy of the fame 
 colour, while the choir fings anthems fuitable to 
 the folemnity of the ceremony. 
 
 The next ceremony, is that of excommuni¬ 
 cating and giving over to the devil, all Protef- 
 tants throughout the world, who, at Rome, and 
 among Roman Catholics, are known by the name 
 of Heretics. The pope is then cloathed in red, 
 and ftands on a high throne, the better to be feen 
 by the people. The fub-deacons, who ftand at 
 the left hand of his holinefs, read the bull, and 
 in the mean time, the candles are lighted, and 
 each of them takes one in his hand. When the 
 excommunication is pronounced, the pope and 
 cardinals put out their candles and throw them 
 among the crowd, after which, the black cloth 
 that covered the pulpit is taken away. 
 
 The pope, having excommunicated all the 
 Proteftants, proceeds to exercife an aft of formal 
 humility, which is that of waffling the feet of 
 thirteen poorprieftsj in imitation of our Saviour’s 
 walking the feet of his difciples. The pope, at¬ 
 tended by the cardinals, comes into the hall of 
 the palace, where are feveral deacons and fub- 
 deacons, with other proper officers. The youngeft 
 cardinal deacon gives the pope the book of the 
 gofpel, which his holinefs kifles three times, and 
 then the choir fing an anthem, beginning with 
 thefe words, “A new commandment I give unto 
 “ you.” 
 
 As loon as the pope hears thefe words, he puts 
 off his mitre, and having girded himlelf with 
 an apron of fine linen, lie walhes the feet of 
 thirteen poor priefts, all ftrangers, who fit on 
 high benches, with coarfe hoods reaching 
 down to their arms. The above priefts have 
 their right legs bare, and they are waflied dean 
 with foap before they are prefented to his holi¬ 
 nefs. When his holinefs has done waffling them, 
 his treafurer, by his order, gives to each of them 
 two medals, one of gold and the other of filver, 
 weighing one ounce each, and the prefident of 
 the facred college dries their feet with a napkin. 
 The thirteen priefts, whofe feet have been waflied 
 by the pope, are carried into a grand apartment, 
 where they are entertained with a moft fumptuous 
 dinner, and they are no fooner feated than the 
 pope comes in and prefents to them the firft 
 diffi. 1-Ie likewife pours out to each of them a 
 glafs of wine, and converles with them in the 
 moft familiar manner, and grants them feveral 
 privileges, which being done, he withdraws. 
 Then the pope’s preacher in ordinary begins a 
 fermon, which continues while the priefts are at 
 dinner, and the pope, with his cardinals, fit be¬ 
 hind a fcreen, where they fee all that paffes, but 
 are not feen by any. The fame ceremony is per¬ 
 formed, not only in the great churches in Rome, 
 but likewife in moft cathedrals and parilh 
 churches, where the Roman Catholic religion is 
 profeffed, differing only according to particular 
 circumftances. 
 
 We come next to the ceremonies obferved on 
 Good-Friday, and thefe begin with the adoration 
 of the crofs. About ten o’clock on the evening 
 of Holy-Thurfday, the officiating prieft goes up 
 to the altar, attended by l'uch of the church of¬ 
 ficers as happen to be prefent. There they kneel 
 down before the crofs, and having repeated fe- 
 
 in the C FI U R C H of R O M E. 
 
 veral prayers, the table of the altar is covered 
 with black, and fo is the mafs book which is 
 placed at the epiftle fide. The prieft who is to 
 officiate, goes up to the altar, and having killed 
 it in the moft reverential manner, repeats feveral 
 fhort prayers with a low voice, and thefe are like¬ 
 wife repeated by his attendants after him. Prayers 
 being ended, the officiating prieft goes to the 
 epiftle fide of the altar, the deacon takes up the 
 crofs which is veiled, and prefents it to the prieft, 
 who, after he has uncovered the top of it, ele¬ 
 vates it with both his hands, at the fame time 
 Tinging the following words, “ Behold the wood 
 
 of the crofs!” Then all the congregation rift^ 
 up with their heads uncovered, and the prieft at 
 the altar fings, “ on which the Saviour of the . 
 <c world was extended.” The choir anfwer, 
 “ Et us come and adore.” Here they all fall 
 proftrate on their knees, except the officiating 
 prieft, but in a moment after, they rife up, and 
 the prieft uncovers the right arm of the crucifix, 
 with the head of Jefus, and lhews them to the 
 people. The ceremony of the adoration being 
 over, the priefts and deacons kifs the crucifix, 
 and it is given round to be killed by all who are 
 prefent in the congregation, whether men or 
 women. 
 
 At Courtray, there is a proceffion on Good- 
 Friday, in commemoration of our Saviour's fuf- 
 ferings, and the magiftrates of that city give 
 twenty-five livres to a poor man who fubmits to 
 be fcourged by the monks. The monks affure 
 him, that Ihould he die in confequence of the 
 flaggellation, he will be entitled to everlafting 
 happinefs. The proceffion is conduced in the 
 following manner : The mock Saviour is brought 
 into the church, where he is ftriped naked, and 
 cloathed in a purple robe, which is hung round 
 his (boulders, girded by a thick rope, and his 
 head crowned with thorns. After this, he is made 
 to walk barefooted with a pack laddie tied to his 
 neck , on each fide of the pack faddle, fix ropes 
 are fixed, of the thicknefs of fuch as are ufually 
 put to draught horfes, which being done, the 
 voluntary martyr has a heavy crofs laid upon his 
 Ihoulders, and thus equipped, he walks up and 
 down the whole of the city. Six capuchins, who 
 walk on his right hand, draw the fix ropes which 
 are fixed on that fide of the pack faddle, and the 
 other fix are drawn by as many recollets on the 
 other fide, fo that the poor fellow is fo unmerci¬ 
 fully handled by the twelve friars, that he is al- 
 moft pulled in pieces. The poor wretch would 
 be killed in good earneft, were it not that a mock 
 Simon, the Cyrenian, frequently comes up very 
 feafonably to give him a little affiftance. 
 
 The poor wretch, before he is able to return to 
 the church, is half killed, for he receives fo many 
 kicks and cuffs from the enraged multitude, who, 
 at that time, think it meritorious to imitate the 
 conduct of the malicious Jews, that they Ihew 
 no mercy to the mock Saviour; but notwith- 
 ftanding all he fuffers, yet he is fo fully per- 
 fuaded that his condudt is meritorious, and that 
 he fhall obtain the Divine bleffing, that he fub¬ 
 mits with chearfulnefs, and his fuffcrings bring 
 confiderable Turns to the priefts, who, on fuch 
 occafions, are lure to make a collection for their 
 own private emolument. 
 
 To innumerate all the ceremonies ufed by the 
 I > i Roman 
 
£18 RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 Roman Catholics on Good-Friday, would be 
 endlefs, and in fome meafure unnecessary, we 
 fhall therefore mention only the following. At 
 BrufTels, the capital of the Auftrian Netherlands, 
 all ranks of perfons ftrive to vie with each other, 
 in celebrating the death of Chrift, and although 
 lome of the more learned among them may be 
 perfuaded that there is but little devotion in 
 their ceremonies, yet the prejudices of the vul¬ 
 gar oblige them to make a formal compliance. 
 The grand part of the ceremony is performed at 
 the altar, in the church of the Auftin-Friars, and 
 perfons who join in the proceflion, afiemble to¬ 
 gether at eight in the morning, in the cathedral 
 church of St. Guidela. 
 
 The brethren of the order of mercy come 
 thither in their proper habits, and barefooted, 
 with their faces mafked, and fome walk with 
 drums covered with black cloth. After the bro¬ 
 therhood, a great number of prifoners make their 
 appearance, each of them dragging after him a 
 large iron canon ball chained to his foot. The 
 Auftin Friars march next, drefled in Jewifh ha¬ 
 bits, in the midft of whom is a man, who is al¬ 
 ways a criminal, but pardoned for the part he 
 then a6ts. This criminal is bound with fetters, 
 crowned with thorns, and drefled in a robe of 
 coarfe purple. Then a band of trumpets come 
 forward, followed by the prebends of the cathe¬ 
 dral, and a great number of the inferiorclergy, 
 with an incredible multitude of people. 
 
 In this manner they march into the church, 
 but the crowd is in general fo great, that thou¬ 
 sands are obliged to remain without. In the 
 church, a large fcaffold is eredted, and a crols, 
 twenty feet in height fet upon it. The criminal, 
 who reprefents the crucified Saviour, afcends the 
 fcaffold, accompanied by the mock executioners, 
 carrying ropes, nails, and hammers. 
 
 The brethren of mercy crowd round the fcaf¬ 
 fold, and the ladies have high feats eredted for 
 them, but the common people Stand in the body 
 of the church below. The mock Jews Strip the 
 pretended Chrift of his robes, laying him along 
 the fcaffold and calling dice for his garment. 
 Lafl of all, he is fixed to the crofs, by tying his 
 hands and feet to it with thongs of leather, which 
 the better to imitate the real crucifixion, are 
 nailed to the crofs, having Small bladders filled 
 with blood under them, which runs down as loon 
 as the nails pierce through them. At the fight 
 of the blood, the devotees beat their breafls, al¬ 
 though they know it is no more than a farce, and 
 the choir fings anthems fuitable to the mock So¬ 
 lemnity of the day. 
 
 On Eafter-eve, the ornaments of the churches 
 and altars are changed, the black being taken 
 off and the white put on before mafs is celebrated. 
 On the gol'pel fide of the altar, a large candle- 
 hick in the form of an angel is fet, and in 
 this the palchal candle is placed. It is made of 
 white wax, and weighs about eight or ten pounds, 
 and five holes are made in it, in the form of a 
 crofs. This pafchal candle mull remain on the 
 gofpel fide of the altar, from Eafter to Afcenfion- 
 day; and previous to its being lighted, the offici¬ 
 ating prieft confecratesit in the moft Solemn man¬ 
 ner. On the fame day, all new utenfils belong¬ 
 ing to the church, and which have not been ufed ! 
 before, are confecrated and fet apart for divine 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 
 
 fervice. The officiating prieft perfumes the font 
 thrice with frankincenfe, after which he takes 
 fome of the oil ufed in baptifm and pours it on 
 the holy water crofs ways, mixed with the chrifm, 
 and this is referved to baptize all the catechu¬ 
 mens, or children, who fhall be brought to the 
 church. 
 
 The Sunday, commonly called Eafter, brings 
 joy along with it to all ranks of people in the 
 Romilh church, for the priefts are not only re¬ 
 leafed from the flavifh drudgery of paffion 
 week, but they likewife receive the oblations of 
 the faithful, which enable them to enjoy a few 
 of thofe comforts of which they were deprived 
 during Lent. On the other hand, the people, 
 having by confeffion fettled all their accounts 
 with heaven, receive absolution and the eu- 
 chariftj they give themfelves up for fome time 
 to all forts of diverfion, without confidering 
 that they are contradfiing new fins. 
 
 Many of the Roman Catholics never go to bed 
 on the night before Eafter, but wait with the 
 moft longing expeftation for the fun rifing, in 
 imitation of the devout women, who, on the 
 morning of the refurreition, waited at the Sepul¬ 
 chre of our Lord. At Rome, the pope, attended 
 by two deacon-cardinals, and all the great of¬ 
 ficers of his houfhold go in proceffion to his 
 holinefs’s chapel, and mafs is celebrated much 
 in the fame manner as at Chriftmas. All the 
 faithful are obliged to receive the Holy Com¬ 
 munion, either on Eafter day, or on the Sun¬ 
 day following; for if they negledt both, they 
 cannot, when they die, obtain the privilege of 
 Chriftian burial. 
 
 The next feftival, is that of the Afcenfion, 
 celebrated in memory of our Saviour’s afeend- 
 ing into heaven after his refurredlion, in his hu¬ 
 man nature, and in the prefence of his difciples. 
 
 This feftival is not fo antient as l'ome of the 
 Roman Catholics would have us to believe, for 
 it was not celebrated till after the reign of Con¬ 
 stantine the Great, there being no other feflivals 
 during the three firftcenturieSjbefidesWhitfunday, 
 Eafter and Chriftmas, nor was the latter regarded, 
 or obferved, except in fome particular churches. 
 
 The antient church was a flranger to many 
 of the ridiculous ceremonies ufed on this fefti¬ 
 val, namely, the drawing up the image of 
 Chrilt to the top of the church, and then catt¬ 
 ing down the image of Satan in flames, to re- 
 prelent his falling as lightening from heaven. An 
 author, who is laid to have lived in the fifth 
 century, affirms as a truth, that when Jelus 
 Chrift afeended into heaven, he left the print 
 of his feet on the ground ; and that the marks 
 continued ever after, notwithftanding the faith- 
 fnl carried away fome of the earth from time to 
 time, in order to preferve it as a Sacred relic. 
 Nay, St. Auftin affirms, that it was common, in 
 his time, for people to go on pilgrimages to 
 Jerufalem, to adore the footfteps of Jelus Chrift 
 at the place from whence he afeended into hea-r 
 ven. 
 
 To this is added another miracle, no lefs re¬ 
 markable than the former, namely, that when 
 the emprefs Helena built the church of the Af¬ 
 cenfion, in the midft of which is this Spot of 
 ground, when the workmen would have covered 
 it with a marble pavement, like the reft, they 
 
 cQuld 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 could not effcfl it, for whatever they laid upon 
 it, immediately came off. Bede fays, that in 
 his time (the feventh century) on this feftival 
 after mafs, there always came fo ftfong a wind, 
 that it threw down all who were at that time in 
 the church. 
 
 Whitfunday, another feftival, is the moft 
 antient in the Chriftian church, and even 
 from the apoftolic age, was celebrated in me¬ 
 mory of the Holy Ghoft’s defcending in the 
 form of cloven tongues upon the difciples. It 
 is the grand a:ra of the promulgation of Chrifti- 
 anity, for before that miracle was wrought, the 
 apoftles had only carnal notions of Chrift’s king¬ 
 doms. It is called Whitfunday, partly from 
 the glorious light which was this day fent down 
 upon earth, from the father of lights, but prin¬ 
 cipally becaufe this day being one of the ftated 
 times for baptifm in the antient church, thofe 
 who were baptized put on white garments, as 
 types of that fpiritual purity they received in 
 baptifm. 
 
 As the defcent of the Holy Ghoft upon the 
 apoftles, happened upon the day which the Jews 
 called the Pentecoft, or the fiftieth day after 
 Eafter, or the Paffover; fo this feftival has ever 
 fince retained the name of Pentecoft in the Roman 
 Calendar. In thofe countries where the Romifh 
 religion isprofeffed, the altars, on the preceding 
 eve, are covered with purple till mafs is faid, 
 and then the purple being taken away, it is co¬ 
 vered with red, and the officiating prieft appears 
 at the altar in robes of the fame colour. All the 
 fonts for baptifm are bleli'ed in the fame manner 
 as on Eafter-eve; and on Whitfunday the offici¬ 
 ating prieft wears the fame fcarlet robes, in imi¬ 
 tation of the Holy Ghoft having defcended upon 
 the apoftles like fiery tongues. 
 
 The next Sunday after Whitfunday, is called 
 Trinity Sunday, and commemorated in honour 
 of the three perlbns in the ever-blefted Trinity. 
 And here it may not be improper to obferve, that 
 although the Roman Catholics, by an unneceflary 
 load of rites and ceremonies, have much debafed 
 the purity of the Golpel, yet, in the midftof all 
 their errors, they never denied the divinity of 
 Chrift, or of the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 On the fourteenth of April, is celebrated the 
 feftivals of three martyrs, known in the Roman 
 Calendar by the names of St. Tiburtius, St. 
 Valerius and St. Maximus, of whom the follow¬ 
 ing legend is told. 
 
 An angel brought two crowns from Paradife, 
 compofed of rofes and Iillies, and gave one to 
 Valerius, and the other to Cecilia, his new- 
 married wife. The angel, at the fame time, 
 told Valerius, that becaufe he had not carnally 
 known his wife, Chrift had fent him notice, that 
 he would grant him whatfoeverhe Ihould require. 
 Valerius, at thefe words, fell down and worlhip- 
 ped, begging that his brother Tiburtius might 
 become a Chriftian. Tiburtius afterwards coming 
 into the houfe, fmelt the fragrancy of the rofes 
 and Iillies, but law nothing. However, as he 
 was wondering from whence the fweet fmell pro¬ 
 ceeded, Valerius told him of the two crowns 
 which his eyes were not yet able to fee. He af- 
 fured him, that in cafe he would turn Chriftian, 
 he Ihould fee them both, and the angel of God 
 alfo. At thefe words, he confented to be bap- 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 
 
 tized, and immediately after obtained all he had 
 defired of God, and the fight of the angel daily. 
 That there were three martyrs who fullered in 
 the reign of the emperor Dioclefian of the fame 
 names with thofe above mentioned, cannot be 
 doubted, becaufe we have an account of them in 
 Eufebius; but we may, without the imputation of 
 feeptifm, doubt whether they ever converfed with 
 angels. 
 
 On April the twenty-leventh, is celebrated the 
 feftivals of St. Comus, and St. Damien, who 
 were both phylicians and brothers. We are told 
 concerning them, that being chained to a ftake, 
 they were firft fcourged, and then thrown into 
 the fea. There an angel had companion upon 
 them, loofed their cords, and delivered them. 
 They were then hanged upon a crofs, and 
 commanded to be ftoned, but the ftones re¬ 
 bounded back on thofe who threw them ; and the 
 fame happened when arrows were Ihot at them, 
 fo that the provincial was obliged to order the 
 foldiers to ftab them dead with fpears. 
 
 In all Roman Catholic countries on the firft 
 day of May, it is common to plant boughs of 
 trees before the doors of houfes, and this is no 
 more than a faint imitation of the antient games 
 ul'ed by the Romans at the feftival of Flora. In¬ 
 deed, moft of the Roman Catholic ceremonies 
 are borrowed from the Heathens; which is not 
 much to be wondered at, when we confider that 
 the Roman emperors, who embraced the Chrif¬ 
 tian religion, compelled all their fubjefts to do 
 the fame, although they knew nothing befides 
 Heathen rites and ceremonies. 
 
 On the thirteenth of June, is celebrated the 
 feftival of St. Anthony of Padua, and it is ac¬ 
 counted for in the following manner. A Fran- 
 fifean Novice, having thrown off his habit, ran 
 away from the monaftery in which St. Anthony- 
 lived, and ftole a pfalm book, written with St. 
 Anthony’s own hand, and explained with mar¬ 
 ginal notes, which St. Anthony often ufed when 
 he expounded the l'criptures to the Friars. 
 
 As foon as St. Anthony found his book was 
 ftolen, he fell down upon his knees, and begged 
 that God would reftore to him the precious trea¬ 
 sure. In the mean time, the apoftate thief hav¬ 
 ing the book along with him, attempted to fwim 
 acrofs a river, but the devil met him with a drawn 
 fword in his hand, and commanded him to re¬ 
 turn back immediately, and reftore to St. Antho¬ 
 ny the book he had ftolen from him, threatening 
 to kill him in cafe he did not immediately com¬ 
 ply. The devil gave this order with fo dreadful 
 an afpeft, that the thief being aftonilhed, returned 
 immediately to the monaftery, reftored St. An¬ 
 thony his book, and confented to live in a courfe 
 of devotion ever after. It is for this reafon, that 
 when people have goods ftolen from them in Ro¬ 
 man Catholic countries, they always invoke the 
 affiftance of the Holy St. Anthony. 
 
 July twenty, is the day on which the Roman 
 Catholics celebrate and honour the memory of St. 
 Margaret, of whom we have the following ac¬ 
 count in their legends. This woman had been 
 long celebrated for her piety, and it is written of 
 her in the breviary of Salifbury, that on a certain 
 time, fhe begged that Ihe might have an oppor¬ 
 tunity of engaging with the devil, face to face, 
 becaufelhe had formerly had many fecretftruggles 
 
 with 
 
Ii0 RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 with him. Her requeft was granted, and the 
 devil appeared to her under the form of a molt 
 hideous dragon, who immediately fwallowed her 
 up. Here was the moment of trial, Ihe recol- 
 ledled that (he was aChriftian ; and although in 
 the belly of the dragon, (he marked upon herfelf 
 the fign of the crofs. and the monfter’s body 
 burft afunder, fo that the virgin came outunhurt. 
 
 The feftivalof St. Chriftina, is celebrated on the 
 twenty-fourth of July, and of her we have the 
 following account in the Roman martyrology. 
 She was bound to a wheel, and roafted on a fire, 
 and as they poured oil upon her, the flames burft 
 forth, and flew above a thoufand of the Heathens. 
 She was again thrown into prifon, where (he was 
 viiited by an angel, who healed and refrelhed her, 
 fo that (he was enabled to undergo a fecond trial. 
 
 Then (he was caft into a lake with a great (lone 
 fixed to her body, but the angel kept her from 
 finking. She prayed that God would fend fome 
 fignal “judgement upon the image of Apollo, 
 which (he was commanded to worflrip, and her 
 prayers were heard, for it was fuddenly reduced 
 to a(hes. This miracle was of fuch a furprizing 
 nature, that three thoufand of the fpeftators 
 were converted to the faith. She was afterwards 
 put into a fiery furnace, where (he remained five 
 days unhurt, but at laft, that (he might enjoy 
 everlafting happinefs, God (differed her enemies 
 to put an end to her life by ftrangling her. 
 
 On the twelfth of Auguft, is the feaft of St. 
 Clara, a female, much refpedled in the church 
 of Rome on account of the many miracles 
 wrought by her. It is recorded in the Roman 
 breviary, that one day, while St. Clara was 
 abbefs of a convent, (he was told that there was 
 but one loaf of bread left for dinner, and 
 that but a fmall one. But that did not in the 
 lead: affedt her, for Ihe commanded it to be cut 
 into two equal parts, one of which Ihe gave 
 to the friars, and the other to the nuns. Iso 
 fooner had they touched the pieces of bread 
 than they dwelled into fuch magnitude in their 
 hands, that there were more than fufficient for 
 the whole convent. 
 
 The feaft of St. Roach is celebrated on the 
 fixteenth of Auguft, and of him we have re¬ 
 corded in the Roman breviary, that he was born 
 with the fign of the crofs on his left fide, and 
 that as a token of his future fanfbity, he would 
 never fuck but once a day when he was a child. 
 When he was but a boy, he cured men of the 
 plague, by only marking the fign of the crofs 
 upon them. A little dog ufed to bring him 
 bread, and an angel gave him a golden table, 
 with St. Roach written upon it by the hand of 
 God the Father. 
 
 September the twenty-ninth, is dedicated to the 
 fervice of St. Michael the Arch-angel; and it is a 
 high feftival in the Romifh church. In an old Eng- 
 lilh legend, we have the following anecdote, to 
 which nothing is added, befides that of moderniz¬ 
 ing the language. St. Michael appeared to a bi- 
 Ihop, and bad him go to the top of a lofty mountain 
 called Gardel, where he would find a bull tied, 
 and there he was to build a church, for the wor- 
 fhip of God and the Arch-angel. The bifhop 
 obeyed, but when he came to the place where 
 the bull was tied, he found a rock on each fide, 
 
 in the CHURCH of R O M E. 
 
 which appeared frightful, and that it would be 
 dangerous to build a church between them. 
 Then St. Michael appeared to a man named 
 Hay mo, and defired him to go and remove the 
 rocks, and to fear nothing, for he-would be with 
 him. 
 
 This Hay mo, who feemed to have had more 
 faith than the bilhop, went and fet his ftioulders 
 to the rocks, commanding them, in the name 
 of God and St. Michael, to depart, which they 
 inftantly did, fo that the building went on. 
 It is further related, that the fea encompaffed 
 the mountain where this church was built; but 
 when the people went to divine fervice, it di¬ 
 vided on each fide, and left them a free paffage. 
 One day, as they were going to prayers as ufual, 
 there happened to be a woman in the company 
 big with child; and the fea being ftormy, the 
 people were afraid of it returning upon them, 
 and therefore they all returned to land, except 
 the pregnant woman, who was taken in labour. 
 St. Michael came to her affiftance, delivered her 
 of a child, and brought her and the infant fafe 
 to land. 
 
 October the ninth, is the feaft of St. Dennis, 
 the titular faint of France ; and of whom we 
 are told, that he and two of his companions, 
 having refufed to facrifice to the Heathen Gods, 
 were all beheaded in one and the fame moment, 
 but their tongues fpoke after their heads were cut 
 off. Nay, it is further added, that St. Dennis, 
 when his head was cut off, flood upright on his 
 feet, and taking it up in his right hand, marched 
 off with it to the place appointed for his bu¬ 
 rial. 
 
 The firft of November, is called the feaft of 
 All Saints, and fo clofely have the Roman Catho¬ 
 lics imitated the Heathens, that at Rome, in 
 the feventh century, the Pantheon, where all 
 the Heathen gods were vorfhipped, was turned 
 into a church for all the faints. It had been for¬ 
 merly confecrated to Jupiter and all the gods, 
 by Agrippa, but now it !s confecrated to the 
 Virgin Mary and all the faints. 
 
 November the fecond is the feftival of All¬ 
 fouls, on which day the fouls of all fuch as are 
 in purgatory are prayed for. This feftival was 
 not known in the church till the tenth century, 
 and its origin was from the following circum- 
 ftance. A pilgrim having been to vifit the holy 
 fepulchre at Jerufalem, returned by the way of 
 Sicily, and while he was in that ifland, there hap¬ 
 pened to be an eruption of Mount Etna. This 
 terrified him fo much, that he concluded that it 
 was the mouth of hell, for he declared that he 
 heard the groans of thofe who were in torments. 
 Full of this notion, he returned to St. Odilon, 
 abbot of Clugny, to whom he related the whole 
 affair, and that abbot applied to the pope to have 
 this feftival eftablilhed, that by virtue of the 
 prayers of the faithful, the fouls of thofe in pur¬ 
 gatory might be releafed. 
 
 November the twenty-fecond is the feftival 
 of St. Cecilia, the great patronefs of mufic. In 
 the Roman breviary we have the following ac¬ 
 count of her. On the marriage night, when fhe 
 and her hufband Valerian were left alone together 
 in the bed-chamber, fhe fpake to him the follow¬ 
 ing words, (f O fweet and moft loying youth ! I 
 
 “ have 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 “ have a fecret to reveal to thee if thou wilt 
 “ fwear to conceal it.” Valerius having taken 
 an oath as ihe defired, fhe added, “ I have an 
 “ angel a lover of mine, who keeps my body 
 “ with the ftrifteft jealoufy. If he fhould in 
 “ the lead perceive that thou touched me with 
 “ polluted love, his fury will be ftirred up 
 “ againft thee, and the flower of thy youth will 
 “ be deftroyed, but if he findsthat thouloveftme 
 “ withafmcereand immaculate love, and preferv- 
 “ eftmy virginity inviolate, he then will love thee 
 “ in the fame manner he does me; and on all 
 “ occafions exprefs to you his favour.” To 
 this Valerius anfwered, “ If thou wouldft have 
 “ me give credit to thy words, then Ihew me 
 “ the angel; and if I find that he is really an 
 “ angel of God, I will do as thou defireft me ; 
 
 “ but if thou loved any man better than me, 
 
 “ 1 will draw my fword and flay both him and 
 “ you.” She then prefented him to Leoni, a 
 Chridian, and as loon as he was baptized, he 
 faw the angel and was convinced ; fo that St. 
 Cecilia lived and died a virgin martyr. 
 
 November the thirtieth, is the fead of St. An¬ 
 drew, the titular faint of Scotland. He was 
 brother to Peter and John the Apodles, and 
 fuffered martyrdom fonnetime in the reign of 
 the emperor Nero. We are told by the Scottifli 
 hidorians, that one Regulus, a monk, brought 
 fomeofthe bones of thisapoflle to Scodand,about 
 the middle of the fourth century, and built 
 a church over them, at a place called Killrymont, 
 in the eaflern extremity of the county of Fife, 
 and on that ipot the city of St. Andrew was 
 afterwards built. 
 
 On the fixth of December, is the fead of St. 
 Nicholas, who is invoked by bailors in dorms, 
 in the fame manner as Neptune was by the Hea¬ 
 thens. We read in the legend concerning him, 
 that fome mariners, being in great danger at fea, 
 addrefied themfelves to him in the following 
 words; “ O, St. Nicholas, the fervant of God! 
 
 “ if the things be true which we have heard 
 “ concerning thee, now help us ! That fo be- 
 “ ing delivered from this danger, we may ren- 
 “ der thanks to God and to thee.” While they 
 were thus fpeaking, one appeared and faid to 
 them, “ Behold I am here, for you called me,” 
 and immediately began to help them to order 
 their fails and tackle, and, in a few minutes, 
 the dorm ceafed. 
 
 As foon as the mariners came to Ihore, they 
 enquired where St. Nicholas was, and being in¬ 
 formed that he was in the church, they went 
 into it, and, what is mod wonderful, knew him 
 immediately without any one having pointed 
 him out. Convinced that he had wrought a 
 great miracle for their deliverance, they fell 
 down at his feet, and worlhipped him ; and ever 
 fmce he has been the titular faint of the mari¬ 
 ners. 
 
 On Chridmas-eve, the twenty fourth of De¬ 
 cember, a fine fword is prefented to the pope, 
 having a gold head, made in the form of a dove', 
 and over it, a ducal coronet, made of purple 
 coloured (ilk, and faced with ermine, having 
 feveral jewels fixed to it. The pope fixes the du¬ 
 cal coronet upon the point of the fword, and 
 repeats feveral prayers, making, at the fame 
 time, the fign of the crofs. He then blelfes the 
 19 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 221 
 
 fword and coronet, in the name of the trinity 
 and all the faints, after which it is fent to one 
 of the Roman Catholic princes. 
 
 On Chrrdmas-day, the pope preaches in his 
 own chapel, and likewile lings high mafs ; this 
 being one of the granded fedivals in the year. 
 All the cardinals, and other great men belonging- 
 to the pope’s court, attend that day on his ho- 
 bnefs, and his court makes a mod fplendid ap¬ 
 pearance. 
 
 December the twenty-ninth, is celebrated in 
 memory of St. Thomas a Becket, archbifhop of 
 Canterbury, and fometime chancellor to kina 
 Henry II. This Thomas a Becket, was tiie fon 
 of a reputable tradefman in London, where he 
 was born, 1117. Having learned as much as 
 was then taught in the fchools, he entered into 
 holy orders, but did not rife to any preferment 
 till fome years after. On the death of kina Ste¬ 
 phen, 1154, Becket attended Henry II. as 
 chaplain, and next year he was promoted to 
 feveral valuable livings, and made high chan¬ 
 cellor of England; for he, under pretence of 
 fuiting himfelf to all the king’s palfions, became 
 the greateft favourite at court. 
 
 The king thought he could place the utmod 
 confidence in him, and therefore, on the death 
 of Theodore, archbilhop of Canterbury, Becket 
 was advanced to that fee. Now it was that Becket 
 pulled off the mafic under which he had Iona 
 concealed his hypocrify, and determining within 
 himfelf to make the clerical power fup'erior to 
 the civil, he put on the mod audere habit, and 
 fhut himfelf up in folitude among the monks 
 at Canterbury. The king was then in Norman¬ 
 dy, carrying on the war againd the French kina, 
 and Becket, that he might no longer conceal 
 his ambitious intentions, fent the great feal to 
 his fovereign, intimating, at the fame time, that 
 he could not, confident with his charatder as 
 a bifhop, keep it any lono-er. 
 
 Henry was much alarmed at this part of Bec¬ 
 het's condudt, and the more fo when he learned 
 that a pi led had been appreuended for murder, 
 and the archbilhop had reclaimed him from the 
 civil courts, declaring that none but the bifhop 
 of the diocefe could lit in judgement on a pried, 
 1 his was fuch an high exertion of clerical power 
 as had never been heard of before in England; 
 and the king, upon his return, finding Becket 
 inflexible, called a parliament to meet at Cla¬ 
 rendon, where an aft palled, edablifhino- the 
 civil power above that of the clergy. 1° was 
 ordained, that all the clergymen, indifted for 
 dimes, weie to be tried in the king’s courts , 
 and Becket, who refufed to attend this affembly’ 
 was fummoned to meet the next parliament at 
 Northampton, 1164. It is true, he went to the 
 parliament, but no fooner did he find that the 
 conftitutions of Clarendon were to be inforced 
 than he left the affembly j and having difguifed 
 himfelf in the habit of a peafant, walked as far 
 as Suffolk, from whence he returned through 
 Efiex, and croffingthe Thames to Kent, got on 
 board a fliip, which carried him over to Flan¬ 
 ders. 
 
 In this part of his conduct, he had two ob- 
 jefts in view: Thefirltwas to prevail with the 
 pope, to iffue an interdift againfi: Henry and 
 his fubjefts ■, and the fecond to urge the Fr j ch 
 Kkk king 
 
«2'2 RITES and CEREMONIE 
 
 king to take up arms, and invade England. In 
 both thefe he was'very fuccefsful ; for the French 
 king ihvaded the duchy of Normandy, at that 
 time belonging to the Englifh ; and the pope 
 ifiued his interdict, but through the vigilance 
 of Henry, it was not publifhed in England. 
 
 Henry, a man of fome learning confidering 
 the times he lived in, and no ftranger to the 
 ignorance of his fubjeCts, made feveral attempts 
 to be reconciled to Becketfor had the inter¬ 
 dict been publifhed in England, the confe- 
 qucnces to the king might have proved fatal: 
 And this will appear the more probable, when 
 we confider that the pope’s interdict prohibits 
 all the orders of the clergy from performing 
 any of the duties of their funCtion, nor can the 
 laity be interred in conlecrated ground. 
 
 After many confutations held between the 
 king and Becket, a formal fort of reconciliation 
 took place ; and leaving the king at Rouen, 
 the archbifhop returned to England. Henry now 
 thought himfelf extremely happy; but within 
 a few days afterwards he learned, that as foon 
 as Becket arrived at Canterbury, he called a 
 meeting of his clergy, in order to put the pope’s 
 interdict in force. 
 
 The news was brought to the king while he 
 was at fupper ; and, in the violence of his 
 paffion, he llarted up and exclaimed, “ Will 
 tf none of my fervants rid me of this factious 
 “ prelate ?” Whether the king really wifhed 
 that fome of his attendants would aflafimate 
 Becket, is matter of doubt; becaufe men, on 
 account of violent provocations, will fometimes 
 make ule of words, which, upon fober reflec¬ 
 tion, they would be afhamed of. This much, 
 however, is eertain, that four knights, then 
 prefent, left the king’s chamber immediately, 
 and arriving at Canterbury, on the twenty- 
 ninth day of December, while the archbifhop 
 was attending divine lervice in the cathedral, 
 they dragged him over the rails of the high 
 altar, infilling that he fliould iflue an order to 
 revoke the interdict. Becket, however, was 
 too proud to give up his pretenfion to clerical 
 power ; and therefore abfolutely refufed to com¬ 
 ply with their requeft. 
 
 The knights were not to be trifled with, and 
 therefore, in an inftant, and before the whole 
 congregation, they ftabbed their lwords through 
 his heart. Nor were lomeof the clergy belonging 
 to the the church any more attached to Becket, 
 than the knights; for the arch-deacon, going 
 up to view the mangled remains of his body, 
 feeing a lword laying on the ground, took it 
 up, and lcooping out the brains of the deceafed 
 prelate, fcattered them about upon the pave¬ 
 ment. Such was the end of Thomas a Becket, 
 whom the Roman Catholics now worfhip as a 
 faint: and, to ule the words of lord Lyttelton, 
 cc From what motives he aCted, mult be left to 
 ct the learcher of all hearts to enquire into.” 
 
 Having faid thus much concerning Becket, 
 from the belt records, and the molt judicious 
 Proneltant hiltorians, it may not be improper 
 to lubjoin lomething faid concerning him by 
 thole of his own denomination; and this we 
 do from motives of candour, leaving the reader 
 to judge for himfelf. 
 
 Polydore Virgil, a popilli hiltorian, tells us, 
 
 S in the CHURCH of ROME. 
 
 that God, in a molt miraculous manner, avenged 
 Becket on his enemies. According to this fuper- 
 llitious hiltorian, the archbifhop was travel¬ 
 ing one day through the town of Stroud, near 
 Rochefter, in Kent ; and the people, who con- 
 fidered him as the enemy of the king, in order 
 to put an affront upon him, had the impudence 
 to cut off the horfe’s tail upon which he rode, 
 but hereby they brought upon themfelves a 
 perpetual reproach; for afterwards it fo fell 
 out, by Divine Providence, that the whole pof- 
 terity of thefe meD, who committed the fa£t, 
 were born with tails like brute beads. 
 
 It is added, in the Romilli Breviary, that a 
 bird being taught to fpeak and repeat the words 
 Si. Thomas, happening one day to fit out of its 
 cage, a hawk feized on it, and was going to 
 kill it, but the bird crying out St. Thomas, the 
 hawk fell down dead. From this Itory, which 
 the Roman Catholics believe in the fame man¬ 
 ner as they do the gofpel, they draw the fol¬ 
 lowing very extraordinary inference, viz. “ If 
 <c St. Thomas, heard the bird of his great 
 <c grace, much more will he hear a Chriltian 
 cc man or woman, when they cry to him for help 
 Ci and fuccour.” 
 
 In fome of the Roman Catholic writers we 
 read, that Becket, in his early youth, made a 
 vow of chaftity to the Blelfed Virgin ; and one 
 day, before he was archbifhop, being along 
 with fome of his companions, he heard them 
 boalting of their miltrelfes, and how many pre- 
 lents they had received from them. Becket 
 told them that they were vain fellows; for 
 he had a miflrefs far fuperior to any of theirs, 
 and that fhe had given him a prefent worth more 
 than all theirs put together. They being ex¬ 
 tremely urgent to fee this moft accompliflied 
 miltrefs, Becket ran to the churcch, and prayed 
 to the Blefled Virgin to pardon the prefumptious 
 words he had fpoken of her. No fooner was 
 his prayer ended, than the Virgin appeared to 
 him, and having highly commended him for 
 fpeaking fo much in favour of his miftrefs, fhe 
 gave him a little box, which, when he had open¬ 
 ed, he found in it a purple robe. Becket was 
 murdered on the twenty-ninth day of December, 
 1170, aged fifty-three years. 
 
 The ignorance and fuperftition of the people 
 in general, were, at that time, fo great, that al¬ 
 though Henry II. was the moft powerful prince 
 in Europe, yet he was obliged to demean him¬ 
 felf fo low as to fubmit to be whipped naked by 
 the monks of Canterbury, as an atonement for the 
 death of Becket; a man who had endeavoured to 
 ftrip the prince of his regal dignity, to inflame his 
 fubje£ts with the fpirit of rebellion, and, in a 
 word, to put all things into a Rate of con- 
 fufion. 
 
 Of the Sacraments of the Church of Rome. 
 
 As there were only two facraments under the 
 ceremonial law, namely, circumcifion and the 
 paffover, fo there are only two mentioned in the 
 New Teftament, viz. Baptifm and the Lord’s 
 lupper. Circumcifion was inftituted to diftinguifli 
 the cholen people of God from all others in the 
 
 world, 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 world, and the paiTover was to put them in mind 
 of their deliverance from Egyptian .bondage. 
 Baptifm was to point out, that we are all born in 
 original fin, and that there is a neceflity for our 
 being wafted in the blood of Chrift to cleanfe us 
 from all impurities ; and the Lord’s flipper is to 
 keep alive in our minds the fufterings and death 
 of Chrift. Such were the facraments of the Old 
 , and New Teftament, and as no others are men¬ 
 tioned, fo Proteftants confider the Roman Catho¬ 
 lics as guilty of adding to the number of divine 
 ordinances, without authority from fcripture. 
 
 ^ The Roman Catholics admit of the two New 
 Teftament facraments, but they have added five 
 more to them, and of thefe, including the others, 
 we fhall treat in order. 
 
 _ !• Baptifm, which confifted originally in dip¬ 
 ping in, or pouring pure water on the body; but 
 to this the Roman Catholics have added many ce¬ 
 remonies. The water they ufe muft be blefled by 
 the biftop or prieft, either at Eafter or Whitfun- 
 tide, and every prieft keeps fome of it in order 
 to have it in readinefs, in cafe any child ftould be 
 likely to die. 1 his is the more neceflary, becaufe 
 tliey believe, that if a child dies unbaptized, then 
 he cannot be faved; and on the other hand 
 they are clearly perluaded, that when infants are 
 baptized, the guilt of original fin is removed. 
 In extreme cafes of neceflity, any perfon prefent , 
 at the delivery may baptize the child, and this is 
 fiequently done by the midwife; but if the child 
 lives, proof of its having been baptized muft be 
 made to the prieft, who enters it in his regifter. 
 
 Fonts or baptiftries are not of any great anti¬ 
 quity, for the primitive Chriftians, before the 
 time of Conftantine, baptized their catechumens 
 in general in rivers, and often in the middle 
 of the night, for fear of their perfecutors. In 
 the reign of Conftantine, thefe fonts were fet up 
 in towns, villages, and by the fides of the high¬ 
 ways, and this was done in order to baptize the 
 vaft number of heathens, who, in conformity with 
 the conduft of the emperor, embraced the Chrif- 
 tian religion ; but none were fet up in churches 
 till the middle of the fifth century. 
 
 When the mother is in violent pains, and the 
 child likely to die in the birth, if any part of it, 
 fuch as a finger, hand, or foot appears, then it muft 
 be baptized on that part, if tokens of life appear 
 in it. If it is born and lives, it muft be re-baptized 
 by the prieft, but if after this partial baptifm in 
 the aft of delivery, it happens to be ftill-born, 
 then it is to be buried in confecrated ground. 
 
 A mo niter, whole fhape does not refemble that 
 of a human creature, muft not be abfolutely bap¬ 
 tized ; for the prieft fpeaks conditionally thus, 
 
 " If thou art a man, I baptize thee, &c.” No 
 perfons are admitted to be godfathers or god¬ 
 mothers if they arc heretics, excommunicated, 
 or have neglefted to come regularly to confefiion 
 and mafs. 
 
 The following is as nearly as pofllble the form 
 ufed in baptifm. The prieft having walked his 
 hands, and put on his furplice and purple Hole, he 
 walks to the church, attended by his clerk, where 
 the perfons, who bring the child to be baptized 
 muft be in readinefs, waiting for him. He firft 
 afl« the fponfors what lex the child is of they 
 prelent to the church ? Whether they are its true 
 godfathers and godmothers ? If they are refolved || 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME, 223 
 
 to live and die in the true Catholic faith ? And 
 what name they intend to give it ? Having re¬ 
 ceived anfwers to thefe queftions, he delivers an 
 exhortation to the godfathers and godmothers, 
 with regard to the devotion that ought to ac¬ 
 company the ceremony, and calling the child by 
 the name given it, afks what doeft thou demand 
 of the church ? To which the godfather anfwers, 
 faith, The prieft adds, what is the fruits of faith? 
 The godfather anfwers, eternal life. The prieft 
 goes on. 
 
 If you are defirous of obtaining eternal life, 
 keep God’s commandments ; thou ihalt love the 
 Lord thy God with all thy heart, &c. After which 
 he breathes three times upon the child’s face, fay¬ 
 ing, come out of this child, thou evil fpirit, and 
 make room for the Holy Ghoft. This being 
 done, he makes the fign of the crofson the child’s 
 forehead, and afterwards on his breaft, repeating, 
 at the fame time, receive the fign of the crofs on 
 thy forehead and in thine heart; whereupon the 
 prieft takes off his cape, and repeats a fliort 
 prayer, laying his hand gently on the head of 
 the child. He then blefles the lalt if it was not 
 blefled before; which being done, he takes a 
 little of it, and puts it into the child’s mouth, 
 faying, at the lame time, receive the fait of wif- 
 dom. He then repeats another prayer, after 
 which he puts on his cape, and commands the 
 prince of darknefs to come out of him who is to 
 be baptized. I he prieft then lays the end of the 
 ftole upon the child, and laying hold of the 
 fwaddling cloaths by one corner, he once more 
 commands the devil to depart out of the child ; 
 after which he puts his thumb in his mouth, and 
 having dipped it in fpittle, rubs it over the 
 mouth of the child. 
 
 The next thing is to ftrip the child naked on 
 the upper part of his body, while the prieft is 
 preparing the holy oils. The godfathers and 
 godmothers hold the child over the font, with 
 the face towards the eaft, while the prieft, calling 
 it by its name, afks it whether it is willing to re^ 
 nounce the devil and all his works? To this 
 queftion one of the godfathers anfwers in the af¬ 
 firmative, upon which the prieft takes fome of 
 the baptifm water, which he pours thrice on the 
 child’s head in the form of a crofs, mentioning 
 at each time, one of the perfons in the ever 
 blefled trinity, tie then anoints the top of the 
 child’s head in the form of a crofs, with the fa- 
 cred oil, and puts over it a piece of white linen, 
 to denote that it is cleanfed from all impurities. 
 The ceremony is concluded by, the repetition 
 of feveral prayers, by the prieft and his clerks, 
 after which the child is taken home to be brought 
 up in the Catholic faith. It is certain, that fome 
 of thefe ceremonies were ufed in the primitive 
 times, but not till Chriftianity had loft much of 
 its original purity by the introduiftion of Pagan 
 rites and ceremonies. 
 
 II. Confirmation. That confirmation could 
 not be a facrament in the Chriftian church, will 
 appear evident to every one, who will confider 
 that it was no more than a continuation of the 
 facrament of baptifm. As baptifm was originally 
 by immerfion, fo we find, that in fucceedincr 
 ages, lprinkling was ufed; but this was, when 
 luperftition began to creep into the church, and in 
 fuch cafes as immerfion was confidered neceflary, 
 
 lb 
 
224 RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 lo thole who were only fprinkled, were obliged to 
 appear before the bifhop to make it appear that 
 they had been baptized. Their fponfors were 
 obliged to appear along with them, and certify 
 to the bifhop, that they had conftantly attended 
 divine lervice, and were in all refpe&s Catholic 
 Chriftians. Thus a ceremony originally necef- 
 fary to preferve inviolate the purity of the Chrif- 
 tian church, has been made ufe of by the Roman 
 Catholics to eftablifh a i'yftem of fuperftition, and 
 contrary to the defign of the antients, it has been 
 made a lacrament. 
 
 All thofe who are to be confirmed, mull attend 
 early in the morning, fading, becaule it is fup- 
 pofed that the Holy Glioft delcended upon the 
 apoftles, before they had partaken of any refrefh- 
 ment. The bifhop, before he begins the con¬ 
 firmation, goes to his private devotions, wafhes 
 his hands, puts on his white garments, and then 
 turns himfelf to the candidates, who ftand in 
 the fame order as at baptilm, the boys on the 
 right and the girls on the left. ITe then fits 
 down, and the candidates kneel before him ; but 
 if they are numerous, then the bifhop ftands up, 
 and the candidates ftand on the fteps of the altar, 
 fupported by their godfathers and godmothers. 
 The bifhop afks the name of each candidate, 
 which mult be regiftered, after which he dips the 
 thumb of his right hand into the holy oil, and 
 makes the fign of the crofs upon their foreheads, 
 giving a gentle blow on the cheek to each perfon 
 confirmed, faying, peace be with you. Imme¬ 
 diately after, the forehead of the perfon con¬ 
 firmed is covered with a flip of linen, and then 
 the bifhop fays, I confirm you in the name of 
 the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. 
 The ceremony ends by the bifhop’s pronouncing 
 the bleffing, not only on thofe who are confirmed, 
 but likewife upon all the congregation prefent, 
 who receive it from his lordfhip with as much 
 pleafure as if it was a pafsport to heaven. 
 
 III. The third facrament is that of the eucha- 
 rift, acknowledged by Proteftants, and in fome 
 manner idolized by the Roman Catholics. The 
 word eucharift fignifies thanklgiving, and no 
 name can be more applicable to that facred 
 ceremony in which Chriftians commemorate the 
 lufferings of that Redeemer who laid down his 
 life for them, and by whofe active and pafiive 
 obedience, a way of falvation has been opened 
 for finners, fo as to bring glory to the Divine 
 attributes, and make offenders eternally happy. 
 Happy for Chriftians, had they continued to at¬ 
 tend to the duties incumbent on them, concern¬ 
 ing this lacrament, without running into fuper¬ 
 ftition on the one hand, or infidelity on the 
 other. Some of the modern Proteftants have 
 paid too little regard to this facrament, but the 
 Roman Catholics of whom we are now treating, 
 have run into the oppofite extreme. 
 
 It is neceffary toobferve, that the antients, be¬ 
 fore the time of Conllantine the Great, never 
 believed in the real prelence, nor indeed was it 
 univerfally acknowledged by the church, till after 
 the tenth century, as appears from the celebrated 
 book, written on that fubject, by Bertram. PIow- 
 ever, the real prefence, or doCtrine of tranfubftan- 
 tiation, makes now a capital article in the church 
 of Rome, and myft for ever divide them from 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROM E. 
 
 Proteftants. It is one of the ftrong engines 
 by which clerical power is fupported ; for who 
 among the-vulgar (as lord Lyttleton fays) would 
 not reverence the man who, by mumbling over a 
 few prayers in Latin, can in a moment change 
 the nature of a wafer, and make it the real body 
 and blood of Chrift ? 
 
 We have already taken notice of the facra¬ 
 ment of baptifm, as acknowledged both by Ro¬ 
 man Catholics and Proteftants 5 we have likewife 
 attended to confirmation, and now we muff pro¬ 
 ceed to the eucharift. Every genuine Roman 
 Catholic ought to communicate three times in the 
 year, but an indulgence is granted to fome, fo as 
 they communicate only once, and if that is neg¬ 
 lected, they are to be confidered as infidels, and 
 denied the privilege of Chriftian burial. 
 
 In the Roman Catholic church, when a perfon 
 grown up to years of maturity, defires to partake 
 of the communion, or in other words, to eat the 
 body and blood of Chrift, he is firft to confefs 
 his fins to the prieft, and receive abfolution, 
 which is granted upon condition of his perform¬ 
 ing fome ads of penance. All this being com¬ 
 plied with, the communicant comes to the chapel, 
 and attends mafs, after which he puts a ticket 
 into the hand of the prieft, who is thereby con¬ 
 vinced that he is not an impoftor, but the fame 
 perfon whom he confeficd. This part of the 
 ceremony being over, the communicant kneels 
 down before the rails of the altar, and the prieft, 
 having repeated what is commonly called the 
 canon of the mafs, takes the chalice in his hand, 
 and approaches the rails of the altar. 
 
 Having repeated fevcral prayers, he puts his 
 right hand into the chalice, and takes out a 
 wafer fteeped in wine, which he gives to the 
 communicant, faying, this is the body of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift, given to preferve thy foul and 
 body into everlafting life, eat of it in faith, with 
 thanklgiving. The communicant is to fwallow 
 the wafer, as the body and blood of Chrift, and 
 he is not to tafte any vi&uals, nor even to fpit, 
 till he thinks it is dilfolved on his ftomach. 
 
 It is next incumbent on him, according to the 
 laws of the church, that he fhould do fomething 
 for the poor, and for that purpofe he gives fome 
 money to the prieft, who either keeps it for him¬ 
 felf, or beftows it according to his diferetion ; 
 for in all luch cafes, the priefts are to be foie 
 judges, nor can the laity in the leaft interfere 
 with them. Indeed, were the laity to interfere 
 with the priefts, there would be an end of all 
 clerical authority, and men of knowledge, en¬ 
 dowed with rational faculties, would be confidered. 
 as no better than heretics, or infidels. 
 
 When the Roman Catholics return from the 
 communion, they are not to fit down to viftuals 
 till they have returned to their clofets and re¬ 
 peated leveral prayers, after which they fincerely 
 believe that all their fins are forgiven, till they 
 have contracted a new account, and made a fe- 
 cond confeffion. 
 
 As it fometimes happens that perfons are not 
 able to attend the church, fo, on fuch occafions, 
 either the prieft of the parifli, or one of his clerks 
 carries the eucharift *to the infirm perfon, who 
 firft confefles his fins and then receives it. Wafers 
 are always kept conlecrated for this purpofe, and 
 
 as 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 as the prieft receives his fees, fo he cannot have j 
 any reafonable objedion againft attending his 
 
 duty. . 
 
 Every Roman Catholic believes, that in the 
 facrament of the eucharift, he eats the body and 
 blood of Chrift ; and as the greateft number of 
 learned men in France are drifts, fo they have 
 not failed to play upon this circumftance with 
 all the force of wit, fcurrility and fatire. The 
 Marquis de Argens did much in his Jcwifh let¬ 
 ters towards ridiculing this nonlcnfe, but none 
 can come up to Mr. Hume’s account of the na¬ 
 tural hiftory of religion, a work which a heathen 
 would blurb to perufe, and which a Chriftian 
 would abominate. Mr. Hume, not contented 
 with all that had been formerly told us concern¬ 
 ing the dodtrine of the real prefence, introduces 
 a ftory which would have done much honour to 
 himfelf had it not been that it was in the mod 
 fervile manner copied from Voltaire. It is well 
 known what regard the late Mr. Voltaire had for 
 the Roman Catholics in France, and therefore he 
 made a proper advantage of it, in order to fup- 
 port his hypothefis, and eftablilh the dodtrine he 
 contended for. 
 
 Hume tells us, that when he was at Paris, 
 which is fall'e, becaufe Voltaire had aflerted 
 the fame before him,) that in 1682, the 
 Ruffian ambaffador being at that time in Pans, 
 he had a young man in his train, a member of the 
 Greek church; and the Jefuits, ever anxious to 
 make profelytes, prevailed upon this young man 
 to be baptized in the Roman Catholic church. 
 The youth being initiated into all the myfteries 
 of popery, great rejoicings were made, in con- 
 fequence of fuch a valuable acquifition to the 
 Catholic church, and the young Ruffian being 
 called before fome of the French nobility, the 
 Jefuits who had converted him, afked him how 
 many gods there were ? The novice anfwered, 
 there was not any god, for, faid he, I eat him 
 on Eafter-Sunday. 
 
 Indeed, the Roman Catholics, efpecially their 
 prielts, have met with leveral rebuffs of a ffmilar 
 nature, which is not much to be wondered at, 
 when we cofifider that a wafer, compofed of flour 
 and water, is apt to be eaten up by mice and 
 rats, and yet this is the body of Chrift. To 
 commemorate the death of our Divine Redeemer, 
 is a duty binding upon us as Chriftians, but we 
 are not to carry this into the fervice of fuperdi¬ 
 tion. Thofe who love God, will honour him in 
 all the appointments of his divine ordinances; 
 but they will never carry things to fuch extre¬ 
 mities as to darken the glory of the everlaft- 
 ing gofpel, by fubftituting in place thereof, lu- 
 perftition, idolatry, and all thofe things that can 
 degrade the nature of man, and make him in the 
 eye of unprejudiced reafon, fink beneath the dig¬ 
 nity of his charafter. 
 
 But the mod remarkable part of this ceremony 
 is the Viaticum, or provifion for a journey, by 
 which we are to underftand, the adminiftration 
 of the facrament of the eucharift, to thofe who 
 are at the point ot death. In Inch cafes, the 
 prieft attends with his wafers, and if the lick per- 
 fon cannot fwallow the whole of the hoft, a lmall 
 bit is put into his mouth, and fome liquid given 
 him to force it down. If the patient is fo Tick 
 
 l 9 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME, 2lj 
 
 that he throws up the wafer, then all the fcattered 
 particles muft be gathered together, and put into 
 a clean veffel, carried to the church, and put into 
 a (acred place, till fuch time as they are corrupted, 
 when they are to be caft into the facrifty, a kind 
 of fnallow well, narrow at the top, and it mull: be 
 locked up, fo that nothing profane may enter into 
 it. This facrifty is generally behind the altar, 
 and all confecrated things that have been fpoiled 
 by accident, are thrown into it. The prieft muft 
 take care not to give the viaticum to thole who 
 are troubled with a continual coughing, left 
 lome accident fhould happen to the hoft. 
 
 If the facrament is to be carried publicly to 
 the fick perlon, the reftor of the parifh gives 
 notice to the people by the ringing of a bell, and, 
 in general, the greateft part of them attend with 
 all the marks of fincere devotion. Being affem- 
 bled, the prieft walhes his hands, and then puts 
 on his furplice and ftole, and goes to the altar, 
 where he opens the tabernacle and takes out the 
 hoft. He then goes under a canopy, holding 
 the hoft tied up in a fcarfe, and a clerk, with a 
 lighted taper, walks before him, with two other 
 clerks, one carrying the holy water, and the other 
 the ritual in one hand and a little bell in the 
 other. Thefe are followed by leveral perfons 
 bearing torches, and laftly comes the prieft under 
 the canopy, carrying the hoft raifed up to his 
 bread. 
 
 When he comes into the apartment of the 
 fick man, he wifhes peace to all thofe who live in 
 the houle, and then a table is fpread over with a 
 fine linen cloth, upon which the hoft is placed, 
 which he and all prefent adore and worlhip. He 
 then fprinkles the fick perfon, and all'o the room, 
 during which time feveral anthems are fung dat¬ 
 able to the occafion, and all thefe are in Latin, 
 which the people in general do not underftand. 
 
 After this he takes out the wafer from the box, 
 in which it is inclofed, and puts it into the mouth 
 of the fick man, who receives it with all the 
 marks of devotion. If the prieft is lent for to 
 attend a perfon afilifted with the plague, he muft 
 go within nine or ten paces of the houfe, taking 
 Care to ftand in fuch a manner as the wind may 
 be on his back. There he takes out the conle- 
 crated wafer, which he puts between two common 
 ones, and after having wrapped the whole up in 
 a Iheet of clean paper, he lays it on the ground 
 and covers it with a (lone to fecure it from the 
 wind. This being done, the nurl'e who attends 
 the infefled perlon, comes and takes up the wafer 
 after the prieft has repeated the prayers ulual on 
 fuch occafions. 
 
 We fhall conclude this account of the eucha¬ 
 rift with the following paffage, from an antient 
 Englilh author, and which we have faithfully 
 tranllated into the modern language. This will 
 appear the more necefiary, when we conlider that 
 there are but few in the prefent age who can read 
 the old language, and if they could, they have 
 but few opportunities of getting at the originals- 
 The whole paffage runs thus : 
 
 There was an earl of Venice, whofe name was 
 Sir Ambright, who had the moft iacied regard 
 for the facrament of the altar, and paid it all the 
 reverence and refpeft in his power. Being taken 
 extremely ill, he longed for the bleffed wafer, not 
 L 1 1 doubting 
 
22$ RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 doubting but he was at the point of death •, but 
 he was afraid, left he fhould vomit it up. This 
 confideration afflifted him much, and he 
 lamented greatly to thofe who attended him. 
 After fome time lpent in lamentation, he defired 
 them to make clean his right fide, and cover it 
 with a feare cloth, in which was to be inclofed 
 the body of God. Elis requeft being complied 
 with, he fpoke to the holt as follows : “ Lord! 
 “ thou knoweft that I love thee with all my 
 tc heart, and would be willing to receive thee 
 <c with my mouth, if thou would only grant me 
 tc fuch a privilege ; but becaufe the nature of 
 “ my diforder is fuch, that I cannot lay thee on 
 46 the place which is next to my heart, and tnere- 
 ec by difplay all the love I have for thee ; O God ! 
 “ have mercy upon me, and accept my fincerity, 
 “ for what could not be done confiftent with my 
 “ prefent bodily indifpofition.” Upon this a 
 notable miracle was wrought; for no fooner had 
 he repeated the prayer, than in the fight of all 
 prefent his fide opened, and the holt went in, 
 after which he died. In the fame antient manu¬ 
 script, we read of fomething almoft as miraculous 
 as what has been already related. 
 
 Near Exmouth, in Devonffiire, was a woman 
 that lay fick, and none of thofe who attended her, 
 had any hopes of her recovery. Under fuch 
 alarming circumftances they fent for a holy man, 
 who lived in the neighbourhood, to hear her 
 conreflion, and grant her abfolution for all her 
 fins. As foon as the pious prieft had received 
 the invitation, he went to the church, and took 
 God’s body along with him in a box of ivory, 
 which he put into his bofom, and went to the 
 chamber where the fick woman lay. 
 
 But, as in his way thither, he had a large 
 foreft to crofs, in which was a fine meadow, it 
 happened, that while he was contemplating the 
 beauties of creation, the box fell out of his bo¬ 
 fom to the ground, which he did not perceive ; 
 fo that when he came to the dying woman, he 
 afked her if Ihe would be Houfled , that is, if fhe 
 would be confeffed. The woman anfwered in the 
 affirmative; but the prieft putting his hand 
 into his bofom, could not find the box : Upon 
 that, he told the woman he would go and feek for 
 God’s body, which he had loft fomewhere by 
 the way, owing to his careleftnefs and fimpli- 
 city. 
 
 Accordingly he returned to the meadow in the 
 foreft, and feeing a willow tree, he cut off one 
 of the branches, which he made into a rod; 
 and having ftripped himfelf naked, whipped 
 himfelf in fuch a manner, that the blood ran 
 down from every part of his back. While 
 he was whipping himfelf, he faid, “ O thou 
 “ fimple man ! why haft thou loft thy Lord 
 “ God, thy maker, thy former, thy creator ?” 
 When he had thus beaten himfelf, he put on his 
 cloaths, and walked on for a confiderable time, 
 till he faw a pillar of fire reaching from earth 
 to heaven. Being dreadfully aftonifhed at fuch an 
 apparition, he prayed to God, who gave him en- ’ 
 couragement to approach it; and there he found 
 the confecratcd wafer fallen out of the box and 
 laying upon the grafs : The light was fo tran- 
 fparent, that it refembled the fun at noon day ; 
 and it reached from the confecrated wafer, in 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROM E. 
 
 one continued ftream, till it mounted to heaven. 
 
 At that time there were feveral hearts grazing 
 in the meadow, and they were fo much aftedted 
 with the apparition, that they came and kneeled 
 round the body of our Lord, all except one black 
 horle, who kneeled but on one knee. The prieft, 
 perceiving the obftinacy of the horfe, faid unto 
 him, “ It thou be a beaft that can fpeak, I charge 
 thee, in God’s name here prefent in the form 
 “ of bread, to tell me why thou kneeleft but on 
 one knee.” The horfe anfwered, “I am a 
 “ fiend of hell; and although I can, yet I will 
 “ not kneel, but I am formed contrary to my 
 “ own inclination; for it is written, that every 
 C£ knee ffiall bow to the name, and the honour 
 “ of Jefus Chrift. ” Then faid the prieft, “ Why 
 “ art thou like a horfe ? To this the fiend, in the 
 “ lhape of the horfe, anfwered, “ I am made 
 “ like a horfe that people might fteal me, and 
 “ feveral have been already hanged for me.” 
 Then faid the holy prieft, “ I command thee, 
 cc by God’s flefii and blood, that thou go into 
 “ die wildernefs, and remain there, never to 
 “ diftrels any Chriftian more.” T he prieft then 
 went to the woman with the blefied facrament, 
 which flie received, and, within a few minutes 
 after, fiie went into everlafting happinefs. 
 
 However ridiculous, fome part of the above 
 narrations may appear to Proteftants, who live 
 in this enlightened age and nation, yet we can 
 affure them, that they are believed by all the 
 devotees in the church of Rome. Here a moft 
 fhocking infatuation takes place in the human 
 mind ; for becaufe miracles were wrought in an 
 age when they were necefiary towards the pro¬ 
 mulgation of Chriftianity, fo we find that fuch 
 is the weaknefs of many people, that they ex- 
 peeft the fame miraculous power fhould be ex- 
 ercifed after the caules are removed. This is 
 a fort of reafoning which does not deferve a fe- 
 rious confutation, for what man of common fenfe 
 would prelume to preferibe rules for the Divine 
 Being, who gives no account of his ways. In¬ 
 deed, we could wifii that our readers would at¬ 
 tend to the dodtrine of miracles ; and when they 
 call in the aid of human reafon, let ^them never 
 forget that there is no fuch thing as infallibility in 
 this world. Men may be learned, but men may be 
 deceived. 
 
 T he learned and pious Dr. Doddridge has de¬ 
 fined a miracle in the following mannner: tc A 
 “ miracle, being in itfelf-fupernatural, no perfon 
 “ can form a proper notion of it till he has con- 
 “ fulted thecourle of nature.” The meaning is 
 (if there is any meaning in the words) that men 
 muft firft comprehend every thing in nature, be¬ 
 fore they can tell what is fupernatural. Now 
 here is an error laid down as a fundamental prin¬ 
 ciple; for common experience daily teaches us, 
 that even natural things are, in many refpedfs, 
 fupernatural to us, becaufe they are beyond our 
 comprehenfion. According to Dr. Doddridge’s 
 manner of reafoning, there can be no miracles at 
 all ; for nothing is to be confidcred as miraculous 
 till the whole courfe of nature has been thoroughly 
 underftood. This, however, is what cannot take 
 place in this lower world ; for men’s una’crftand- 
 mgs are fo much circumfcribed, that inftead of 
 being able to comprehend fupernatural things. 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 they feldom thoroughly know thofe that are natural. 
 
 The God of nature is the God of providence ; 
 and when men cannot comprehend his works, 
 they fhould be filent. To acknowledge that God 
 is able to work miracles, is a tribute due from 
 man ; to fay that he is not, is to deny that he is 
 the univerfal Lord of creation and providence. 
 We fhall therefore lay before the reader, what has 
 been laid by the wifeft, the belt, and the moft 
 pious men on this fubjedb, whether in antient or 
 modern times. 
 
 It has been much controverted, whether true 
 miracles can be worked by any lefs power than 
 the immediate interpofition of God ; and whether, 
 to complete the evidence of a miracle, the nature 
 of the dodbrine, pretended to be proved thereby, 
 is neceffary to be taken into consideration or no. 
 In refpedb of the power of God, and the nature 
 of the things themfelves, all things that are poi- 
 fible at all, are equally and alike eafy to be done. 
 It is not therefore a right diftindbion, to define a 
 miracle by any abfolute difficulty in the nature of 
 the thing itfelf; it is at leaft as great an adb of 
 power to caufe the fun to move at all, as to caufe 
 it to Hand (till at any time : Yet this latter we call 
 a miracle ; the former, not. 
 
 What degrees of power God may reafonably be 
 fuppofed to have communicated to created beings 
 or fubordinate intelligences, is not poffible for us 
 to determine. Therefore a miracle is not rightly 
 defined to be fuch an effedb as could not have been 
 produced by any lefs power than the Divine Om¬ 
 nipotence. There is no inftance of any miracle 
 in fcriprure, which to an ordinary fpedbator would 
 neceflarily imply the immediate operation of ori¬ 
 ginal, ablolute, and underived power. All things 
 that are done in the world, are done either imme¬ 
 diately by God himfelf, or by created intelligent 
 beings ; matter being not at all capable of any 
 laws or powers whatever. So that all thofe things, 
 which we fay are the effedbs of the natural powers 
 of matter, and laws of motion, are properly the 
 effedbs of God’s adbing upon matter continually 
 and every moment, either immediately by himfelf 
 or mediately by fome created intelligent beings. 
 Confequently, there is no fuch thing as what men 
 commonly call the courfe of nature, and the 
 power of nature. It is not therefore a right dil- 
 tindbion, to define a miracle to be that, which is 
 againft the courfe of nature: it is no more againft the 
 courfe of nature for an angel to keep a man from 
 finking in the water, than for a man to hold a ftone 
 from falling in the air, by overpowering the law of 
 gravitation; yet the one is called a miracle, the other 
 not fo. 
 
 Thofe effedbs, which, upon any rare and ex¬ 
 traordinary occafion, are produced in fuch a man¬ 
 ner, that it is manifeft, they could neither have 
 been done by any power or art of man, or by 
 what we call chance-, thefe undeniably prove to 
 us the immediate and occafional interpofition ei¬ 
 ther of God himfelf, or at leaft of fome intelligent 
 agent fuperior to man. Whether fuch an extraor¬ 
 dinary interpofition be of God himfelf, or of 
 fome good, or of fome evil angel, can hardly be 
 diftinguiffied certainly, meerly by the work or mi¬ 
 racle ltfelf: becaufe it is impoffible for us to know 
 with any certainty, either that the natural power 
 of good or evil angels extends not beyond certain 
 limits, or that God always reftrains them from 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME 127 
 
 I producing fuch or fuch particular effedbs. It is 
 not therefore a right diftindbion, to fuppofe the 
 wonders, which the fcripture attributes to evil 
 fpirits, to be meer fieights or delufions. 
 
 The only poffible ways, by which a fpedbator 
 may certainly and infallibly diftinguiffi, whether 
 miracles be the works, either immediately of God 
 himfelf, or of fome good angel employed by him* 
 or whether, on the contrary, the miracles be the 
 works of evil fpirits are thefe : If the dodbrine at- 
 tefted by miracles, be in itfelf impious, or mani- 
 feftly tending to promote vice; then, without all 
 quelbion, the miracles, how great foever they may 
 appear to us, are neither worked by God himfelf, nor 
 by his commifiion. If the dodbrine, attefted by 
 miracles, be in itfelf indifferent, and at the fame 
 time, in oppofition to it, and in proof of the di- 
 redb contrary dodbrine, there be worked other mi¬ 
 racles, more and greater than the former -, then 
 that dodbrine, which is attefted by the fuperior 
 power, muft neceflarily be believed to be divine. 
 This was the cafe of Mofes and the Egyptian ma¬ 
 gicians. The magicians worked (everal miracles,to 
 prove that Mofes was an impoftor : Mofes worked 
 miracles more and greater than theirs: therefore it 
 was neceffarily to be believed, that Mofes’s com- 
 miffion was truly from God. If, in the laft place, 
 the dodbrine, attefted by miracles, tends to pro¬ 
 mote the honour and glory of God, and the prac¬ 
 tice of righteoufnefs among men and yet never- 
 thelefs be not in itfelf demonftrable, nor could 
 without revelation have been difcovered to be 
 adbually true ; and there be no pretence of more 
 and greater miracles, to contradidb it; (which is 
 the cafe of the dodbrine and miracles of Chrift :) 
 the miracles are unqueftionably divine, and the 
 dodbrine muft without all coniroverfy be acknow¬ 
 ledged as an immediate and infallible revelation 
 from God. 
 
 From thefe few, clear, and undeniable propo- 
 litions it follows •, firft, that the true definition of 
 a miracle, in the theological fenfe of the word, is 
 this; that it is a work effedbed in a manner unulual, 
 or different from the common and regular method 
 of providence, by the interpofition either of God 
 himfelf, or fome intelligent agent fuperior to man, 
 for the proof or evidence of fome particular doc¬ 
 trine, or in atteftation of the authority of fome 
 particular perfon. And, if a miracle fo worked 
 be not oppofed by fome plainly fuperior power, 
 nor be brought to atteft a dodbrine either contra- 
 didbory in itfelf, or vicious in its confequences ; 
 that dodbrine muft neceflarily be looked upon as 
 divine, and the worker of the miracle entertained as 
 having infallibly a commifiion from God. Second¬ 
 ly, that the pretended miracles of Apollonius 
 Tyanteus, Arifteas Proconnefius, and fome few 
 others among the Heathens, even fuppofing them 
 to have been true miracles (which yet there is no 
 reafon at all to believe, becaufe they are very 
 poorly attefted, and are in themfelves very mean 
 and trifling, as has been fully ffiewn by Eufebius 
 in his book againft Hierocles ;) yet they will 
 prove nothing at all to the difadvantage of Chrif- 
 tianity : becaufe they were worked, either without 
 any pretence of confirming any new dodbrine at 
 all; or elfe to prove abfurd and foolifh things-, 
 or to eftabliffi idolatry, and the worffiip of falfc 
 gods; confequently they could not be done by 
 any divine power and authority. 
 
 The 
 
■2zS RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 The fuitablenefs and efficacy of miracles, to j| 
 prove a Divine revelation, appear from hence 
 that the world has ever expedled (as Dr. Jen¬ 
 kins remarks) that God ffiould reveal himfelf to 
 men by working fomewhat above the courfe of 
 nature. All mankind have believed, that this is 
 the way of intercourle between heaven and earth ; 
 and therefore there never was any of the falfe re¬ 
 ligions, but it was pretended to have been con¬ 
 firmed by fomething miraculous. If it be en¬ 
 quired, why the miraculous gifts bellowed upon 
 the firft preachers of Chriftianity, were not con¬ 
 tinued to the church, but ceafed in after ages ■, 
 the anfwer is plain : becaufe the power of work¬ 
 ing miracles being given for the eftablifhment of 
 the Chriftian religion in the world, by convincing 
 men of its truth and authority; when this pur- 
 pofe was effected, miracles were no longer necef- 
 lary, and thofe miraculous gifts ceafed, with the 
 reafon for which they were bellowed. The 
 learned Mr. Dodwell, in an hiftorical account of 
 miracles from the times of the apoftles, through 
 the ages next lucceeding, has ffiewn, that thev 
 were always adapted to the neceffities of the 
 church, being more or lefs frequent as the Hate 
 and progrefs of the Chriftian religion required 
 till at laft they wholly ceafed, when there was no 
 longer any need of them. And this will feem 
 the more reafonable, if we confider, firft, That 
 miracles, by becoming common, would loole their 
 defign and end, and the very nature of miracles ; 
 and fecondly, that a perpetual power of miracles, 
 in all ages, would give occafion to continual im- 
 poftures, which would confound and diftraft 
 men’s minds, and make the true miracles them- 
 l'elves fufpedled. 
 
 We fir all here infert two curious remarks ; one 
 from Lord Bacon, the other from Acofta. Lord 
 Bacon obferves, that there was never a miracle 
 wrought by God to convert an atheift, becaufe the 
 lightof nature might have led him to confefsaGod. 
 But miracles are deligned to convert idolaters, 
 and the fuperftitious, who have acknowledged a 
 deity, but erred in the manner of adoring him ; 
 becaufe no light of nature extends to declare the 
 will and true worffiip of God. Acofta, enquir¬ 
 ing into the caufe, why miracles are not wrought 
 by the prefent miffionaries for the converfion of 
 heathen nations, as they were by the Chriftians 
 of the primitive ages, gives this as one reafon ; 
 that the Chriftians at firft were ignorant men, and 
 the Gentiles learned ; but now on the contrary 
 all the learning in the world is employed in the 
 defence of the gofpel, and there is nothing but ig¬ 
 norance to oppofe it; and there can be no need 
 of farther miracles in behalf of fo good a caufe, 
 when it is in the hands of fuch able advocates, 
 againltfo weak adverfaries. 
 
 IV. The fourth facrament in the church of 
 Rome is penance, which although in fome mea- 
 fure obferved in the early ages of the church, yet 
 it was not then confidered as necefiary tofalva- 
 tion, nor did it receive the name of a facrament 
 rill afeer the fixth century. Before a perfon can 
 be injoined penance, he mull make an open con- 
 feffion of his fins, for that lays the foundation of 
 all the ceremonies that are to follow in the aft of 
 abfolution. The penitent or penitents having 
 con felled their fins, are ordered to attend next 
 Sunday at the church, and on fuch occafions they 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 
 
 are drefted in cloaths made of goats hair, that 
 their bodies may be mortified as much as pof- 
 fible. 
 
 In this habit they approach the altar, and with 
 a loud voice, beg that their fins may be forgiven. 
 If the penitents have been guilty of very grofs 
 fins, to incur the lentence of excommunication, 
 then the prieft leads them to the door of the 
 church, and fays to them, “ You are turned out 
 ct of the church for the fins you have committed, 
 “ in the fame manner as Adam was turned out 
 “ of Paradife, becaufeofhisdifobedieiice.” Atthe 
 fame time, he enjoins them a very fevere penance, 
 and ffiutting them out, returns to the church. 
 
 If the penitents have not been guilty of fuch 
 grofs fins as fubjeft them to excommunication, 
 then the prieft enjoins them their penance, and 
 leads them to the left fide of the church door, 
 where they mull remain duringdivine fervice, once 
 every Sunday and holiday, till they have given the 
 utmoft fatisfaftion to the church. When the peni - 
 tents, whether excommunicated or not, have com¬ 
 plied with every thing injoined, they return back 
 to the biftiop or his deputy, with a certificate 
 figned by the reftor of the parifli, to prove that 
 they have fulfilled it, after which they proceed to 
 the reconciliation with the church. A day being 
 appointed for this purpofe, the penitents come to 
 the door of the church, in order to receive ab¬ 
 folution, and they mull kneel down on their 
 knees, holding lighted tapers in their hands. If 
 the penitent is a man, he mult have on his cloaths 
 of goats hair, or fomething fimilar, and if a woman, 
 ffie mull be veiled. The prieft being drefted in 
 his robes, goes up to the altar before mafs begins, 
 and gives notice to the people, that A. B. C. D. 
 mentioning their names, are to be reconciled to 
 the church, and he exhorts the whole congrega¬ 
 tion to pray for them. 
 
 Prayers being ended, the prieft; goes to the 
 church door, and makes a long exhortation to 
 the penitents, which being over, he takes them 
 by the hand, and leads them into the church. 
 This is the form with common penitents, but in 
 cafe they have been excommunicated, he then, 
 before he reunites them to the body of the faithful, 
 fits down and puts on his cap. After this, he re¬ 
 peats the fifty-firft pfalm, while the penitents 
 kneel at his feet along with the congregation, 
 and at the end of every verfe, the prieft ftrikes 
 the penitent on the fhoulder, with a ftiort flick, 
 or a whip made of cords. 
 
 When an excommunicated perfon dies unab- 
 folved, enquiry is made whether he gave figns of 
 fincere repentance, and whether it may be proper 
 to abfolve him, in order to give him Chriftian 
 burial. If it appears that he died a fincere peni¬ 
 tent, the prieft puts on a black robe over his 
 furplice, and in the mod mournful manner walks 
 towards the corpfe. There the prieft repeats the 
 fifty-firft pfalm, and at the end of each verfe 
 ftrikes the body of the deceafed, calling upon 
 him to anfwer to the quefl.ions propofed, and as 
 he cannot do that, it is taken for granted, that 
 the Divine Being is fatisfied, and the prieft 
 pronounces the abfolution. By abfolution, the 
 penitent is received into the body or the Catho¬ 
 lic church, all the members of the congregation 
 are obliged to acknowledge him as a brother, and 
 whatever were his crimes before, they are to be 
 
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RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 entirely cancelled and forgotten. Indeed, we I 
 cannot defire more of a finner than repentance j 
 and taking it for granted that his profefiions are 
 fincere, we ought to reft fatisfied, till we, by a 
 variety of incidents, find reafon to change our 
 opinion. 
 
 But the church of Rome does not confine her 
 excommunications, or cenlures entirely to men 
 and women, for even animals and reptiles muft 
 be fubjeft in their turn. When it happens that 
 much of the fruits of the earth are damaged by 
 rats, mice, locufts, or caterpillars, then the church 
 cenfures become neceflary. The prieft is obliged 
 to tranfmit to the bilhop an account of the 
 damage done by thefe creatures, and then the 
 bilhop orders the prieft to repair to an eminence 
 in his parilh, where he is to put on his furplice, 
 and fprinkle himfelf and his clerks with holy 
 water. Haying repeated fome prayers, pre¬ 
 ferred by the bilhop, the prieft walks over the 
 adjacent fields, and fprinkles them with holy 
 water in the form of a crols. He commands the 
 caterpillars, locufts, rats, mice, &c. to depart 
 from the place immediately, otherwife they are 
 to be excommunicated and accurled. 
 
 Of this lpecies of luperftition, we have a moft 
 ftriking inftance in the mifcellanies of the mar¬ 
 quis D’Argens, who tells us, that in the year 
 1738, Provence in France, was much infefted 
 with locufts. Application was made to the pope, 
 who fent his bull to the bilhop, ordering them to 
 be all excommunicated. The bilhop obeyed the 
 order, but the locufts refilled to comply, which 
 gave no fmall uneafinefs to the farmers ; it fur- 
 prifed them much to find that the locufts refufed 
 to comply with the apoftolical order; but one, 
 more fagacious than the others, obferved, that 
 the bilhop was a Janenift. 
 
 An account of this was tranfmitted to the pope, 
 who, from the whole of his conduct, feems not 
 to have been a fool, for he fent an injundtion to 
 a bilhop, who was orthodox in the faith, to let 
 the locufts alone till the beginning of Novem¬ 
 ber, and then to go out with his priefts and ex¬ 
 communicate them. Here the pope a&ed a very 
 wife part, for locufts feldom furvive the firft 
 week in November, whereas had he excommu¬ 
 nicated them looner, the ceremony would not 
 have had its proper effeft. This, however, was 
 confidered as a miracle, becaufe it ferved to point 
 out that the Janenifts are not to expedt the Divine 
 Blelfino- upon their works, whereas all thofe who 
 are orthodox, are certain that God will hear them 
 whenever they call upon him, and that he will, 
 in the moft fignal manner, grant their re- 
 quefts. 
 
 In antient times, penance was enjoined by the 
 bilhops, but at prefent there are feveral priefts in 
 every cathedral, who are called penitentiaries. 
 It is the bufinefs of thefe men to hear confelfton, 
 and they generally proportionate the punifhment 
 to the crime. Thus thofe who are voluptuous, 
 are commanded to faft, the covetous are to give 
 alms, the profane are to repeat a certain number 
 of prayers at different hours of the day, and 
 when they have complied with thefe forms, they 
 are abfolved upon condition of their paying a 
 certain fum of money. 
 
 Over thefe common penitentiaries there is a 
 grand matter, at Rome, who is always a cardinal j 
 10 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROM E. 229 
 
 and during Lent, he vifits all the great churches 
 in Rome, in order to hear confeffions and grant 
 abfolutions. He fits on a throne about three fteps 
 high, in the form of a tribunal, placed on the 
 right fide of the high altar. He holds in his 
 hand a rod in the form of a feepter, made of 
 three different fubftances, viz. ivory, brazil, and 
 ebony. His power is great, for he has a right to 
 grant difpenfations, and abfolution, in cafes which 
 none but the pope himfelf could grant, or 
 one deputed by him. He can legitimate children, 
 and grant privileges to clergymen to hold more 
 than one benefice. He has a right to abfolve 
 priefts from all cognizance of the civil power, 
 and to appoint confeflors under him in any pare 
 of the world, where the Roman Catholic religion 
 is profefied. He fometimes holds a convocation 
 to hear debates upon cafes of confidence, and to 
 grant directions for abfent clergymen how to aft. 
 He difpofes of all places that are fold for money 
 at Rome, and appoints the legates who are to go 
 into foreign countries. Upon the whole, it is 
 one of the moft lucrative offices in the church of 
 Rome, and the profits arifing from it are in a 
 manner incredible. Fie has no lefs than twenty- 
 four attorneys to attend him in his office, and all 
 their places are at his difpofal. Thus we find, 
 that if penance is not acknowledged as a facra- 
 ment by Proteftants, yet it is of confiderable fer- 
 vice to fome individuals in the church of Rome. 
 Indeed, without money, abfolution of fin is not 
 eafily obtained, and although Peter faid, “ thy 
 “ money perifh with thee,” yet the popiffi priefts 
 would rather chufe to perilh than be deprived of 
 the money. 
 
 V. The fifth facrament in the church of Rome 
 is extreme unftion, and is grounded on the fol¬ 
 lowing paflage in St. James v. 14—15. “ Is 
 
 “ any fick among you ? let him call for the el- 
 ct ders of the church, and let them pray over 
 (< him, anointing him with oil in the name of the 
 “ Lord : and the prayer of faith ffiall fave the 
 ct fick, and the Lord fhall raife him up; and if 
 <c he have committed fins, they fhall be forgiven 
 Cf him.” It is certain, that many of the primi¬ 
 tive Chriftians underftood thefe words as an ab- 
 folute command, whereas they were no more 
 than an allufion to an antient cuftom among the 
 Jews; for we read in Mark vi. 13, that Chrift 
 anointed many difeafed perfons with oil, and 
 healed them. However, when many other inno¬ 
 vations and fuperftitions took place in the church, 
 this ceremony was magnified into a facrament, 
 which took place about the middle of the fixth 
 century. 
 
 This facrament can only be adminiftered by 
 the prieft, nor is it to be given to any except 
 fuch as are apparently dying. It is not to be 
 given to criminals condemned to die, and the 
 reafon affigned is, that the criminals are not in a 
 ftate of death, either by infirmity or dileafe. 
 The parts to be anointed are the eyes, the ears, 
 the mouth, the noftrils, the hands, the feet, and 
 the reins, but women are net anointed in the laft 
 mentioned parts. The laity are anointed on the 
 palms of their hands, and the clergy on the back 
 of theirs, for this reafon, that the palms of the 
 priefts hands have been already conlecrated by 
 ordination. The feet are always anointed on die 
 foies, but if the fick perfon has loft any of thofe 
 M. m m members. 
 
2 
 
 RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 members, then the parts next to them are to be 
 anointed, and thefe are the general parts of the 
 ceremony, but we fhall delcribe them more par¬ 
 ticularly. 
 
 The prieft mull: prepare feven balls of cotton, 
 or fome fuch matter, to wipe thofe parts which 
 are to be anointed with holy oil, and he muft 
 have fome crumbs of bread to rub his fingers, 
 with water to wafh them, a napkin to wipe them, 
 and a taper to light him during the ceremony. 
 Before he goes to the fick perfon, he muft fan6tify 
 himfelf by prayer, after which he muft wafh his 
 hands, put on a furplice and the purple Hole. He 
 muft cover the vefiel containing the holy oil, 
 with a purple veil, and put it in a bag of the 
 fame colour. In this manner he is to carry it to 
 the houfe of the fick perfon, and if it is at a 
 Confiderable diftance, he is not to put on his 
 furplice and dole till he comes to the door. The 
 prieft muft be attended by his clerk, who is to 
 carry the crofs without a ftaff, the vefiel with the 
 holy water, the fprinkler, and the ritual ; they 
 muft not ring the little bell by the way, but the 
 prieft is to continue repeating prayers for the 
 fick perfon. 
 
 When he enters the houfe, he repeats the or¬ 
 dinary falutation “ Peace be to this houfe, and 
 “ to all that dwell therein.” After having taken 
 off his cap, and fet the vefiel with the holy oil 
 on the table, he gives the fick man the crofs to 
 kifs; and then fprinkles the whole apartment 
 with holy water, repeating, at the fame time, 
 fome prayers, and finging an anthem fuitable to 
 the occafion. He exhorts the fick man to make 
 a free and unreferved confefiion of his fins, tel¬ 
 ling him, that if he conceals any thing, the facra- 
 ment of extreme undtion will avail him nothing. 
 
 If the fick perfon difeovers figns of deep con¬ 
 trition, the prieft fhall grant him abfolution, and 
 repeat leveral prayers in the ritual. Before they 
 begin to anoint him, all the perfons prefent fall 
 down on their knees, and while the prieft is go¬ 
 ing through with the ceremony, they are to re¬ 
 peat the penitential pfalms and litanies for the 
 happinefs of the fick perfon’s foul. 
 
 The prieft dips the thumb of his right hand 
 into the oil, and anoints each part in the form 
 of a crofs, pronouncing words, at the fame 
 time, fuitable to the ceremony. The clerk holds 
 the lighted taper and a bafon, containing the 
 balls of cotton. The prieft begins by anointing 
 the right eyelid, and then the left, repeating the 
 following words, “ May God, by this holy 
 “ anointing, and by his molt gracious mercy, 
 
 <c pardon all the fins you have committed by 
 {t the eyes.” ETe then wipes off' the oil from the 
 eyes, and proceeds to anoint the ears, repeating; 
 nearly the fame words as before. From the 
 ears lie proceeds to the noftrils, and then to the 
 mouth, and fo on till he comes to the feet. 
 
 The anointing being over, the prieft rubs the 
 oil from off' his fingers, and afterwards wafhes 
 his hands. The crumbs of bread with which he 
 rubbed his fingers, and the water with which 
 he walked them, muft be thrown into the fire, 
 and the balls of cotton that have been ufed in 
 anointing, are carried into the church, where 
 they are burnt, and the allies thrown into the 
 facrarium. The anointing being ended, the 
 prieft repeats fome prayers, which are followed 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. 
 
 by an exhortation to the fick j after which he 
 leaves the crucifix on the fick man’s bed, and re¬ 
 turns home. If he happens to live till-next day, 
 the prieft is to vilit him, and keep up his fpirits, 
 by putting him in mind of the heavenly bills 
 and glory of God. Such is the facrament of 
 extreme unftion as adminiftered to dying perfons 
 of the Roman Catholic religion ; and here we 
 may oblerve, that it is borrowed partly from 
 the Jews and partly from the Heathens ; for in 
 molt of thofe ceremonies enjoined in the law of 
 Moles, oils and anointing are mentioned ; but 
 particularly when any perfon was fet apart to an 
 office. Thus Chrift was laid to be anointed 
 with the oil of gladnels, and that ceremony 
 was ufed when kings were crowned, and priefts 
 confecrated. In the writings of the Heathens 
 we have many inftances of anointing with oil, 
 and on many different occafions; and .thus the 
 Roman Catholics, having mixed the Jewifii 
 and Heathen cuftoms and ceremonies together, 
 of both they have formed a facrament. 
 
 VI. The fixth facrament in the Roman Ca¬ 
 tholic church,is marriage, an inftitution as oldas 
 the creation of ourfirft parents, and defigned to 
 promote the happinefs of both l'exes, by being 
 mutual helps to each other. Our Saviour once 
 honoured a wedding with his company, and al¬ 
 though under the Old Teftament a plurality of 
 wives were allowed, yet under the Chriftian 
 difpenfation no fuch permiffion is granted,it being 
 ftriftly commanded that every man Ihould have 
 his own wife, and every woman her ownhufband. 
 
 In Roman Catholic countries, the banns muft 
 be publilhed three times in the church, and it 
 muft be in thofe places where the parties have 
 dwelt fo long, that their characters may be 
 publickly known. If the man and woman live 
 in different parifhes, they muft publilh the banns 
 in both at the fame time. The general impedi¬ 
 ments to marriage are errors in opinion, herefy, 
 and vows of chaftity ; and befides thefe, grofs 
 immoral actions, fuch as idolatry, fornication, 
 drunkennefs, and, in a word, all thofe vices 
 which are a dilhonour to fociety. 
 
 It is enjoined in the Romifh ritual, that mar¬ 
 riage lhail not be celebrated except on working 
 days ; and the reafon afiigned is, that as there 
 is moll commonly feafting and drinking on fuch 
 occafions, it is not proper that it Ihould be on 
 Sundays, or holy days. But however rational 
 this order may appear to thofe who treat with 
 refpeCl all thofe times fet apart for public wor- 
 fhip, yet this much is certain, there is more mirth, 
 feafting, and all forts of diverfions in Roman 
 Catholic countries than among any Proteftants, 
 and thefe are praCtifed on Sundays and holy days. 
 
 It is required of thofe who are to be married, 
 that they underftand the Chrifiian religion; 
 that is, that they be able to repeat their cate- 
 chifm, to count their beads, and fay the prayers 
 ufed on fuch occafions. 
 
 When the parties to be married come into 
 the church, the prieft, attended by his clerks, 
 go up to the altar, dreffed in their furplices, 
 one of them carrying the ritual, and another a 
 bafon to put the ring in, which is to be blefied. 
 The prieft, having repeated the ufual prayer for 
 the couple who are to be married, comes to the 
 lower ftep of the altar, the man Handing on the 
 
 epiftle 
 
k I T E S and CEREMONIES 
 
 epiflle fide, and the woman on the gofpel fide, 
 fo that the man Hands at the woman’s right- 
 hand, having the relations and witneffes behind 
 them; then the pried: alks their names and fir- 
 names, which is only apiece of formality, becaufe 
 he knows their names before, they being entered 
 in his regifter, after the publication of the banns. 
 He alks both parties whether they are willing to 
 enter into the marriage ftate, and they anfwering 
 in the affirmative, the prieft puts off his cap, 
 and taking them by the hands, fays, cc I join you 
 <c together in marriage, in the name of the 
 u Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft.” At 
 the fame time he makes the fign of the crols upon 
 them, and fprinkles them with holy water. 
 This being done, he bleffes the wedding-ring, 
 and fprinkles it with holy water in the form of a 
 crofs, after which he gives it to the man, who puts 
 it on the finger of the woman. 
 
 The young couple then make an offering of 
 dome money to the prieft, who repeats feveral 
 prayers, and exhorts them to live together in 
 dilcharging the duties incumbent upon them to 
 each other. The ceremony ends here, if thenew- 
 married couple are poor, but when they are rich, 
 or reputed to be fo, then the prieft goes home 
 with them, and bleffes the nuptial bed. This 
 he does by perfuming it with incenfe, and fprink- 
 ling it with holy water ; and if the parties are 
 young, he prays that they may multiply their off- 
 fpring ; but if they are fo far advanced in years 
 as to leave no hope for that, then he prays that 
 they may live peaceably together, and become 
 mutual helps to each other. It is certain, that 
 dome of thefe ceremonies have been borrowed 
 from the Jews, particularly that of wifhing the 
 bride to be the happy mother of many children ; 
 dor barrennefs among thofe people is confidered 
 as a bafe reproach. Tins may lerve to fhew, 
 that the promife made to our firft parents, that 
 the feed of the woman (hould bruife the head of 
 the ferpent, had made a deep impreflion on their 
 minds, for as it was not foretold who was to be 
 the mother of this glorious perfon, fo every wo¬ 
 man might have a right to expedt that it was 
 herfelf. 
 
 VII. The feventh and laft facrament in the 
 church of Rome, is orders, or the confecration 
 of priefts to the clerical office. Minifters of the 
 gofpel were, from the apoftolic age, ordained by 
 the impofition of hands and prayer, with a charge 
 to them to attend to their duty as lervants of 
 Jefus Chrift. But no fooner had the Roman em¬ 
 perors embraced the profeffion of Chriftiany in 
 a public manner, and fettled upon the Chriftian 
 biffiops the revenues of the Pagan priefts, than 
 a new change took place. The lucceftbrs of the 
 meek and humble Jefus, who, while in this 
 world, had no where to lay his head, became 
 grand and imperious as foon as they were pof- 
 fefted of riches. Hence the origin of thofe nu¬ 
 merous diftinftions which have fince taken place 
 in the church of Rome, with all the ridiculous 
 and pompous ceremonies attending them. 
 
 All thofe who are to enter into holy orders, 
 are obliged to live Tingle, and previous to their 
 ordination muft produce a certificate that they 
 have not been guilty of any grofs immoralities, 
 l or this purpole, a declaration is made in the 
 
 in the CHURCH of ROME. j. t 
 
 church three different Sundays, previous to their 
 being ordained, that all thofe who have any ob- 
 jeftions to make, may come and declare them 
 before the arch-deacon, the chancellor, or their 
 officials. 
 
 The firft part of the ceremony in ordination, 
 is the tonfure, which feems to have been borrowed 
 from the praftice among the Jews, in confecrating 
 Nazarenes. The candidate for the tonfure pre¬ 
 fects himfelf in a black caffock before the biftiop, 
 with a furplice hanging on his left arm, and a 
 lighted taper in his hand. He kneels down, 
 while the biffiop, in a Handing pofture, covered 
 with his mitre, repeats a prayer, and feveral 
 verfes out of the fcripture, fuitable to the cere¬ 
 mony. This being done, the biffiop fits down 
 and cuts five different parts of hair from the head 
 of the young man who comes to be ordained, 
 during which time, the young candidate for 
 orders fays, “ The Lord is my inheritance.” The 
 tonfure being thus performed, the biffiop takes 
 off his mitre, and repeat a prayer over the perfon 
 who has been thus tonlured, and the choir fing 
 an anthem relating to the facred order of 
 priefthood. 
 
 The biffiop then repeats a prayer, and in the 
 middle of it turns himfelf to the perfon who re¬ 
 ceives the tonfure. He afterwards puts the fur- 
 plice upon him, repeating, at the fame time, 
 “ May the Lord cloath thee with thy new name.” 
 This part of the ceremony being over, the can¬ 
 didate prefents a wax taper to the biffiop, who 
 gives him his bleffing. 
 
 When the biffiop ordains a door-keeper, or 
 facriftan, he gives him the keys of the church, 
 and while the facriftan touches them, the biffiop 
 fays to him, “ Remember that you are to give an 
 <£ account unto God of whatever thefe keys 
 “ up-’’ This being done, the arch-dea¬ 
 
 con gives the door-keeper full power to exercife 
 his office, by caufing him to open and ffiut the 
 gates of the church, and to ring the bells ; dur¬ 
 ing which ceremony, the biffiop repeats feveral 
 prayers, and delivers an exhortation to the fa- 
 criftan. 
 
 When a perfon is admitted into the order of 
 a reader, the biffiop caufes him to lay his hands 
 upon the books of the Old Teftament, faying 
 to him, at the lame time, tf Receive this book, 
 “ render an account of the word of God ; and 
 “ if you acquit yourfelf worthy of this office, 
 (C be allured that you ffiall have a portion of the 
 “ inheritance allotted to thofe who, from the 
 “ beginning, have difperfed the word of God.” 
 Thefe readers are not clergymen, but only per- 
 fons who attend the prieft" at the fervice of the 
 altar. 
 
 The next order is that of exorcifts, and thefe 
 are a let of men whom the biffiop authorizes in 
 the able nee of the prieft to call out devils j when 
 an exorcift is ordained, the bifhop makes him 
 lay his hands on the book of exorcifims, faying 
 unto him, at the fame time, <c Receive this 
 “ book, and remember, at the fame time, that 
 <c you receive the power of calling out devils, 
 cc whether the perfons poffeffed w th them have 
 tc been baptized, or are only catechumens.” 
 
 At the ordination of an acolyte, or one who 
 lights the tapers in the church, the candidate 
 
 lays 
 
23- RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 lays his hand upon the candleftick, which has 
 a taper in it, and which the bifhop prefents to 
 him; repeating, at the fame time, a form of 
 words fuitable to the ceremony. After this, the 
 bifhop prefents him with empty cruets, and fuch 
 other veflfels as are ufed in the facrifice of the 
 niafs. Several prayers are repeated by the bifhop 
 who continues kneeling within the rails of the 
 altar, and the whole ceremony concludes with 
 an exhortation to the acolytes to be attentive in 
 the difeharge of their duty. 
 
 The bifhop, when he ordains a fub-deacon, 
 caufes him to lay his hand on the chalice and 
 the patten, both being empty, faying to him, 
 at the fame time, <c Take care of the miniftry 
 « which is committed to your charge; pre- 
 “ fent yourfelf to God in fuch a manner as 
 tc may make you agreeable to him.” After 
 which, he caufes the fub-deacon to lay his 
 hands on the epiftles, faying to him, tc Receive 
 “ this book, and the power of reading the epif- 
 “ ties to the holy church of God.” The perfon 
 to be ordained, muft prefent himfelf in a white 
 robe, girded about him ; and having a lighted 
 taper in his right-hand, he falls proftrate on 
 the ground, and continues in that pofture while 
 the bifhop and clergy read the litanies of the 
 faints. After this, the bifhop turning himfelf 
 towards the candidate, who is ftill proftrate, 
 gives him his blefting three times, and delivers 
 a difeourfe, in which he reprefents to him the 
 importance of his office. 
 
 Several prayers follow this part of the cere¬ 
 mony, and then the bifhop cloaths the fub-dea¬ 
 con with the robe called the Amidt, faying unto 
 him, tc Receive this Amidt, which denotes the 
 
 chaftizement, or rather the bridling of the 
 “ tongue.” He then puts the maniple on his 
 left arm, telling him, that it fignifies the fruit 
 of good works. Laft of all, he puts upon him 
 the garment called the Dalmatica, telling him 
 that it is a garment of joy, and having repeated 
 a prayer with an anthem fuitable to the cere¬ 
 mony, the bifhop pronounces the blefting and 
 difmifies the congregation. 
 
 The next degree in orders, is that of deacon, 
 and the ceremony is condudted in the following 
 -manner. The candidate prefents himfelf cloath- 
 ed in the lab-deacon’s habit, and the arch-dea¬ 
 con relates to the bifhop what he knows of his 
 charadter, producing leveral certificates from 
 thole who have been formerly acquainted with 
 him. The bifhop then repeats feveral prayers 
 and delivers an exhortation to the candidate con¬ 
 cerning the office of a deacon. The deacon 
 proftrates himfelf in the fame manner as the 
 fub-deacon, while the priefts and congregation 
 are finging the litanies ; and then the bifhop 
 gives him the Holy Ghoft, by laying his hand 
 only upon his head, thereby intimating, that he 
 does not receive it fo fully as if he had been or¬ 
 dained a prieft. The bifhop being feated, the 
 candidate kneels before him, and receives the 
 ft ole on his left fhoulder, which an acolyte fixes 
 round the left fide of his neck, in fuch manner, 
 that the extremities hang under the right arm, 
 and then he receives the dalmatica. The ordi¬ 
 nation being ended, the bifhop prelents him with 
 the book of the gofpels, and the whole ceremony 
 
 in the CHURC H of R O M E. 
 
 concludes with prayers and anthems, fuitable to 
 the occafion. 
 
 The next is the order of priefthood, v/hich 
 is fuperior to all thofe we have hitherto men¬ 
 tioned, becaufe a prieft receives power and au¬ 
 thority to make and confecrate the body and blood 
 of our Lord. The candidate for piiefts orders 
 prefents himfelf before the bifhop, in the habit 
 of a deacon, with a lighted taper in his right 
 hand, and the chafuble, or deacon’s robe, folded 
 over his left arm. The arch-deacon delivers to 
 the bifhop, a written charadter of the candidate, 
 and the bifhop having made an exhortation to 
 the people, the litanies are fung, while the can¬ 
 didate remains proftrate on the ground, as a token 
 of his humility. He then rifes up and prefents 
 himfelf to the bifhop, who lays both his hands 
 upon him, and all the priefts who are prelent do 
 the fame ; for although the fecond canon enjoins, 
 that a prieft ffiall be ordained by one bifhop, yet 
 the church of Rome has never taken the advan¬ 
 tage of that injundtion. 
 
 This part of the ceremony being over, the 
 bifhop takes the ftole, which hangs from one 
 fhoulder only of the candidate, and puts it upon 
 both, in fuch a manner that it falls crofs ways on 
 his breaft. At the fame time, the bifhop fays to 
 him, “ Receive the yoke of the Lord.” He 
 then puts upon the prieft the veftment, peculiar 
 co his order, telling him, at the fame, that he has 
 received full power and authority to confecrate 
 every thing which the church admits of. The 
 laft words the bifhop makes ufe of are, “ Receive 
 “ thou the Holy Ghoft” and then the choir, with 
 the whole congregation, join together in praying 
 for the perfon who has been ordained. 
 
 The laft order to be taken notice of, is that of 
 biffiops, who, in many countries, are confidered 
 as fuperior to all other degrees of clergymen. 
 The name itfelf fignifies a paftor or fhepherd, 
 and by an eafy tranfition, bilhops are called fa¬ 
 thers. We have already taken notice in the for¬ 
 mer part of this work, that biffiops were eledted 
 by the people at large, who were members of the 
 congregation ; but no fooner had the clergy ac¬ 
 quired power, than things took a very different 
 turn. Emperors, princes, and even private fub- 
 jedts, who had the means in their power, founded 
 and endowed bifhoprics, and their fuccefiors 
 claimed the privilege of prefenting to them. 
 Thispradtice, however, did not continue long; for 
 the popes having began to eftabliffi their gran¬ 
 deur, claimed the privilege of prefenting biffiops. 
 This did not pleafe many of the Chriftian princes, 
 fo that a continual flame of contention was kept 
 up, and even to this day, in fome Roman Catholic 
 countries it is not decided. 
 
 When a prieft hears that the pope has raifed 
 him to the epifcopal dignity, he muft enlarge his 
 ffiaven crown, and drels himfelf in purple, and 
 if he happens to be at that time in Rome, he muft 
 o-o and lalute his holinefs, and receive from him 
 the rochet. He muft be ordained within three 
 months after his eledtion or appointment, and 
 that muft be either on a Sunday, or fome public 
 holiday, in memory of the apoflles, and he is to 
 fall the eve before. The a: tar muft be adorned 
 with flowers, and a carpet fpread on the fteps be¬ 
 fore it, The pontifical ornaments muft be laid 
 
 upon 
 
RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 Upon the altar, with the holy water, chalice, oil, 
 pyx, fandals, ring, padoral daff, mitre, and 
 gloves. There are likewife placed within the 
 rails of the altar, two barrels of wine and two 
 loaves, one of them varnifhed over with gold, 
 and the other with filver, having upon each of 
 them arms of the family, arms of the bifhop who 
 prefides at the ordination, and two lighted tapers, 
 each weighing at lead four pounds, all ceremo¬ 
 nies being conduced by tapers* 
 
 Some acolytes dand befide the confecrating 
 bifhop, and the perfon to be confecrated places 
 himfelf between two of the adidants, oppofite to 
 the officiating prelate, who fits on a throne near 
 the middle of the altar. Then one of the af- 
 fidants addreffes himfelf to the officiating prelate, 
 telling him that the Holy Catholic church re¬ 
 quires that fuch an one, (naming the candidate) 
 fhould be advanced to the dignity of a bifhop. 
 The officiating bifhop demands the apodolical 
 mandate, which he gives to a notary to be en¬ 
 tered in a record, and then he fays, <c God be 
 <c praifed.” This part of the ceremony is fol¬ 
 lowed by the oath of the candidate, which he 
 takes on his knees before the officiating bifhop, 
 and by it he fwears to be obedient to St. Peter, 
 to the Ploly Roman church, and to the pope ; to 
 defend them to the utmod of his power, and not 
 reveal any lecrets he fliall be intruded with. 
 
 After the candidate is fworn in this manner, he 
 is afked feveral quedions, particularly, whether 
 he will in all things fubmit his judgement to the 
 pope and the church ? This he promifes, and 
 kneeling down on his knees, kiffes the hands of 
 the officiating prelate. While mafs is finging in 
 the choir, the acolytes affid the candidate in put¬ 
 ting on the robes of his office, and they give him 
 the padoral daff, with the fandals. The officiating 
 bifhop repeats aloud, “ The duty of a bifhop is 
 cc to judge, interpret, confecrate, confer orders, 
 cc facrifice, baptize, and confirm.” After the 
 repeating of thefe words and a fhort prayer, the 
 officiating prelate, with the adidants, all kneel 
 down, except the candidate bifliop, who pro- 
 drates himfelf, and continues in that podure till 
 each of the bifhops has made the fign of the 
 crofs upon him with the padoral daff. The offi¬ 
 ciating bifhop lays the book of the gofpel upon 
 the dioulders of the candidate, and then they all 
 lay their hands upon his head, faying unto him, 
 ct Receive thou the Holy Ghod.” One of the 
 adidants puts a napkin round the neck of the can¬ 
 didate, and the officiating bifhop anoints him 
 with oil. The anointing is performed in the 
 form of a crofs on his fhaven head, and holding 
 his hands crofs-ways, they are alio anointed from 
 the thumb of the right hand, to the fore finger 
 of the left, and from the thumb of the left, to 
 the fore finger of the right. After this, the of¬ 
 ficiating prelate proceeds to anoint the palms of 
 both the candidate’s hands, and bleffes the pado¬ 
 ral daff by fprinkling it with holy water. The 
 padoral ring is given him at the fame time, and 
 feveral prayers are repeated by the officiating 
 bidiop. The gofpel is given him fhut, with an 
 exhortation that he may go and preach it to every 
 creature, and then all the bidiops prefent give 
 him the kifs of peace. 
 
 Thefe ceremonies end with the religious offer¬ 
 ings of the new made bifhop, which are two 
 20 
 
 in the CHURCH of 11 O M E. 233 
 
 lighted torches, two loaves, and two.glaffes of 
 wine, and then he receives the communion from 
 the hands of the officiating bifhop. The com¬ 
 munion being ended, the officiating bifhop 
 bleffes the mitre, by fprinkling it with holy 
 water, and puts it upon the head of the new made 
 bifhop, faying to him, “ This helmet of defence 
 <c and falvation, the drings whereof, like the 
 cc horns of the two tedaments, diall make you 
 cc appear formidable to the enemies of the truth.” 
 The gloves are then given him, to reprefent the 
 purity of the new man; and ladly, he is feated on 
 the epifcopal throne, where the officiating bifhop 
 fat before. Having fat there only a few minutes, 
 the adidant bifhops lead him through the church, 
 and as he walks along, he bleffes the people. 
 The ceremony concludes with an anthem, and 
 bleffing the people a lecond time ; after which, 
 all the bifhops retire to the vedry to put off their 
 robes. All thefe ceremonies mud be exa< 5 tly 
 performed, for the lead deviation from thefmalled 
 of them would fpoil the whole ; fo that it mud 
 cod a man much trouble to acquire a perfect 
 knowledge of them, and many of the bifhops, as 
 well as the prieds, are obliged to hold the ritual 
 in their hands. 
 
 When an abbefs is elected, die takes an oath 
 of fidelity to the church, and the bifhop who re¬ 
 ceives her, gives her his bleffing, by laying both 
 his hands on her head. He then gives her the 
 rule of her order, bleffes the white veil and puts 
 it on her head, in fuch a manner as to let it hang 
 down over her bread and dioulders. The red of 
 the ceremony has nothing particular in it, only 
 that the bifhop places her on a feat in the middle 
 of her nuns. 
 
 When a nun is to take the veil, her habit and 
 ring are carried to the altar, and die herfelf, con¬ 
 ducted by her neared relations, is prefented to 
 the bidiop. She walks between two aged nuns, 
 and the bifhop fays mafs, attended by feveral 
 prieds. The candidate and her attendants are 
 veiled, and the pried fays aloud, cc Let your 
 tc lamps be lighted, becaufe the bridegroom is 
 £C coming to meet you.” The fame pried pre- 
 fents them to the bidiop when they kneel down, 
 and the candidate receives an exhortation, con¬ 
 cerning theduties of a religious life. After this the 
 candidate, with the two nuns, kifs his hand, and 
 lie prodrate before him, while the litanies are 
 lung in the choir. The bifhop with the crofier 
 in his hand, bleffes the habit, which he tells them, 
 denotes contempt of the world, and the humility 
 of their hearts. A little holy water is fprinkled 
 upon the candidate, who retires and puts on the 
 habit. 
 
 The veil and the ring are bleffed in the fame 
 manner, and then the candidate prefents herfelf 
 a fecond time to the bifhop, finging the follow¬ 
 ing words, £C I am the lervantof Chrid, receive 
 fc me, O Lord, according to thy holy word.” 
 The bifhop anlwers, <c Come, O fpoule of Chrid, 
 <f and receive the crown.” At thefe words die 
 receives the veil, and the bifhop puts the ring on 
 her finger, telling her, that ihe is married to 
 Jefus Chrid ; and ladly, he puts a crown on her 
 head, as a token of her virginity. 
 
 Being thus crowned, an anathema is pro¬ 
 nounced againd all thofe who fhall attempt to 
 perfuade her to break her vow, in what manner 
 N n n foever 
 
234 RITES and CEREMONIE 
 
 ioever, or fliall feize upon any part of that eftate 
 which fhe has dedicated to the church. After 
 this the newly profefled nun, with her attendants. 
 Walk up to the altar, holding lighted tapers in 
 their hands, and there they receive the com¬ 
 munion from the hands of the bilhop. Every 
 nun, upon her admiffion, receives a breviary from 
 the bifhop, containing Inch prayers and lef- 
 f'ons as are appointed to be read at the ca¬ 
 nonical hours ; for in mofc convents, the nuns 
 read thefe devotions in their turn. Thefe cere¬ 
 monies being ended, the prelate gives up the nun 
 to the care of the abbefs, faying to her, “ take 
 tr care to prelerve pure and fpotlefs this young 
 
 woman whom God has conlecrated to him- 
 tc felf”. 
 
 Some of thefe women fhut themfelves up in 
 the heat of paffion in thefe convents, having 
 been difappointed in love, or feduced by falle 
 promiles; others are (hut up there by their pa¬ 
 rents, fometimes from motives of fuperftition, 
 but moll commonly to prevent them from marry¬ 
 ing below their rank. This practice is, however, 
 very unnatural, and mull make young women 
 extremely miferable ; and, as it would be a very 
 dangerous thing for any perfon to attempt to 
 feduce them, fo it is too much to be feared, that 
 many of them are led to commit fins not to be 
 mentioned. 
 
 In 1749, while the late general Blakeney was 
 governor of Minorca, two young gentlemen, 
 officers in the twenty-fecond regiment of foot, 
 prevailed upon two nuns to make an elopement 
 from their convent, and about midnight they 
 went to the wall of the convent, attended by a 
 third officer, and feveral foldiers carrying lad¬ 
 ders. The two nuns were received by the offi¬ 
 cers, the one after the other, but juft as they 
 were going to remove the ladder, a third came 
 to the window and was conduced along with 
 the others to Fort St. Philip, where they were all 
 married the fame night to the three officers by 
 the chaplain of the garrifon. As thefe young 
 ladies were of good families in the ifiand, the 
 affair made a confiderable noil'e, and the vicar- 
 general fent a letter to general Blakeney, demand¬ 
 ing'the three runaway nuns, that they might be 
 punifhed according to the laws of the church. 
 General Blakeney returned for anfwer, that the 
 young ladies were married to three of his Ma- 
 jefiv’s officers, and therefore he could by no 
 means comply with the requeff, elpecially as 
 they had embraced the Proteftant religion in 
 prefence of a clergyman of the church of Eng¬ 
 land. But the general, confident with the cha¬ 
 racter of a man of prudence, told the vicar-ge¬ 
 neral that he would give RriCt orders to all 
 thofe under his command, not to offend in the 
 like manner again. It is probable, this affair 
 might have been attended with very ferious con- 
 lequences, but the regiment loon after embarked 
 for England, and fuch was the bigotry of the 
 people, that the three young ladies would have 
 been murdered, had they not been efcorted by 
 an armed force to the ffiip. 
 
 It may not be improper before we conclude 
 this article, to fay fomething concerning Anti- 
 Chrifr, or the man of fin, fo often mentioned in 
 the New Teftament; and, that the reader may 
 be enabled to form a juR notion of this extra- 
 
 S in the CHURCH of R O M E. 
 
 ! ordinary perfon, we ffiall RrR let down what has 
 ! been laid by different writers, and then with 
 1 humility, deliver our own opinion, which we 
 hope will be found confident with his cha¬ 
 racter. 
 
 The prophet Daniel is faid to foretel Anti- 
 ChriR, under the image of a horn, that had eyes, 
 and a mouth that fpake very great things ; that 
 made war with the faints, and prevailed againft 
 them, till the ancient of days came ; and in 
 another place, under that of a little horn, that 
 attacked the heavens itlelf, and beat down and 
 trampled on the Rars. St. John, in the Reve¬ 
 lations, deferibes Anti-ChriR as a beaR that 
 afeendeth out of the bottomlefs pit, and 
 maketh war with the faints; as a bead, rifing 
 out of the fea, with ten horns, and ten crowns 
 upon his horns, and upon his heads the name of 
 blafphemy. In another place, he fpeaks of the 
 number of the beaR, and fays, it is fix hundred, 
 threefcore and fix. The explication of this 
 number has greatly puzzled the Commentators: 
 iome take it to be that of the letters in the word 
 Anti-Christ, fet down according to their nu¬ 
 merical value ; others difeover this number in 
 feveral other names, as in Dioclcfian, and Julian 
 the' ApoRate. 
 
 The terrible picture of Anti-ChriR, drawn by 
 St. Paul, feemed fo like the Emperor Nero, that 
 many ot the ancients believed that prince was 
 Anti-ChriR, or at leaR his fore-runner. Others 
 were of opinion, that Nero will rife again, and 
 accompliffi all that is faid of Anti-ChriR in the 
 feriptures : and St. AuRin affures us, there were 
 others, who maintained, that Nero was not dead, 
 but Rill living in lome unknown and inacccfiible 
 place, and that the effeCbs of his cruelty would 
 one day be felt by God’s faithful fervants. It is 
 well known, that fome ProteRants have aferibed 
 the character, given of Anti-ChriR by St. Paul, 
 to the pope, or biffiop of Rome, who, in re¬ 
 gard to his pretences to infallibility, may be 
 faid, in the language of the apoRle, to fit in 
 the temple of God, ihewing himfelf that he is 
 God. 
 
 Nor are ChriRians better agreed as to the time 
 when Anti-ChriR will make his appearance. We 
 only know, in general, that he will precede the 
 fecond coming of ChriR. Judas Syrus, who 
 lived in the reign of the emperor Severus, affert- 
 ed, that Anti-ChriR would loon appear, becaule 
 the perfecution was then carrying on with great 
 heat againR the church. Tertullian, who lived 
 about the lame time, and St. Cyprian, who 
 flouriffied foon after, believed the coming of 
 Anti-ChriR was very near. St. Hillary was of 
 opinion, that the progrefs of Arianifm was a 
 fore-runner of Anti-ChriR. Abbot Joachim, 
 who lived in the twelfth century, pretended, that 
 Anti-ChriR was to appear in the fixtieth year of 
 his time. Arnaud de Ville-neuve faid, he would 
 come in 1326 : Peter Daille, in 1789: Cardinal 
 de Cufa, in 1730: John Picus of Mirandola, in 
 I 994 : Jerom Cardan, in 1800: and Vincent 
 Perrier, who lived in the fifteenth century, wrote 
 to Pope Benedict XIII. that Anti-ChriR would 
 appear in a very fliort time; and that an holy 
 hermit had informed him nine years before, that 
 this enemy of God was then born. 
 
 There is likewife a difference among authors 
 
 as 
 
The HISTORY of the 
 
 as to the manner of the birth of Anti-chrift. 
 Some fay he will be begot by a devil upon fome 
 very corrupt woman : others tell us, that Anti- 
 chrift will be a devil incarnate, and not a man ; 
 that, as Jefus Chrift was born of a pure virgin, 
 Anti-chrift will pretend to the fame: but, where¬ 
 as the fon of God affumed real flefh, Anti-chrift 
 will take only the phantom and appearance of 
 flefh. There was a tradition received among the 
 antients, that he fhould be born of fome jewifh 
 family, and proceed from the tribe of Dan ; 
 which is the reafon, they fay, why St. John, in 
 enumerating the tribes of Ifrael, omits the name 
 of Dan. See Rev. vii. 5. 
 
 As to the dominion or kingdom of Anti- 
 chrift, he is to lay the foundation of his empire 
 in Babylonia, where he will be born, and the 
 Jews will miftake him for the Meftiah, and be 
 the firft to declare for him. He will begin with 
 attacking the Roman empire, which will then be 
 divided among ten kings, according to the pro¬ 
 phecy of Daniel, and after he has fubdued Egypt, 
 Ethiopia, and Libya, he will conquer Jeru- 
 falem, and fix there the feat of his empire. Then, 
 finding himfelf mafter of the Eaftern and Weftern 
 empires, he will apply himlelf to the deftruftion 
 of Chrift’s kingdom. Some of the antients be¬ 
 lieve he will be l'eated in the churches of the 
 Chriftians, and there receive the adorations of 
 numberlefs apoftates from the Chriftian faith. 
 The righteous, under the perfecution of Anti- 
 chrift, will retire to the mount of Olives, where 
 they will be attacked by this enemy of God, and 
 then Jefus Chrift will defcend from heaven', at¬ 
 tended by his angels, and preceded by a flame, 
 which nothing will be able to extinguifh. The 
 angels will make fuch a daughter of the army 
 of Anti-chrift, that their blood fhall flow like a 
 torrent in the valley, and Anti-chrift himfelf will 
 come to tlje top of mount Olivet, where he will 
 be put to death in his own tent, and upon his own ! 
 throne. 
 
 But whatever truth there may be in fome of 1 
 
 I N Q^U I S I T I O N. 235 
 
 thefe notions, yet we are of opinion that none of 
 them will amount to a probability. Anti-chrift, 
 as prophefied of by St. Paul, (fee 1 Theff. ii.) was 
 to exalt himfelf above all that was called god, 
 and to whom can this be more properly applied, 
 than to the popes, who have, in the molt pre- 
 fumptuous manner, fet their own decrees up in 
 oppofition to the word of God. Anti-chrift was 
 to fit in the temple of God, and it is well known, 
 that the pope is the nominal head of the church. 
 Thus he may be laid to fit in the temple of God, 
 in the fame manner as any of the wicked priefts 
 of the Jews fat in Solomon’s temple at Jeru- 
 falem. Elis coming was to be with power and 
 figns, and lying wonders ■, and furely this, in the 
 very words, apply to the pope. He had, for many 
 ages, the civil power to lupport him, he pre¬ 
 tended to give figns of his divine miflion, and 
 his lying miracles are believed by all thole who 
 follow his inftitutions. And it was faid of the 
 people who were to be the followers of Anti- 
 chrift, that God fhould fend them ftrong delu- 
 fions. ■ The meaning is, God for their many 
 wickedneffes Ihould fuffer them to be deluded by 
 impoftors, and where can we look for this but in 
 the church of Rome ? Their faith, worftiip, dif- 
 cipline and goverment, are founded on decep¬ 
 tion, and were we not convinced of the truth of 
 it, we could fcarcely believe, that ever human 
 nature could have funk fo low as to embrace the 
 grofieft nonfenfe. And yet this is the cafe, as 
 experience and hiftory will prove. Upon the 
 whole, we will venture to affirm, that if any 
 unprejudiced perfon will attend to the marks here 
 laid down, he will t>e forced to acknowledge that 
 the character of Anti-chrift can apply to none but 
 the pope; and therefore there is good reafon to 
 believe, that as the papal power is daily vaniffiing 
 away in thofe countries where popery is efta- 
 blifhed, and at the fame time careffed in Pro- 
 teftant countries, fo we may expedt fome impor¬ 
 tant changes during the preient age. 
 
 The HISTORY of the I N QJJ I S I T I O N. 
 
 W HILE the Lord Jefus Chrift was on 
 earth with his difciples, he frequently 
 told them that his kingdom was not of 
 this world, and that all they had to expedt from 
 men, was perfecution ; but they did not, till after 
 his afeenfion, underftand the meaning of what he 
 told them. The Chriftian religion increafed in 
 proportion to the oppofition it met with from 
 men, nor was the whole force of the Roman 
 empire able to crufh it, much lefs to abolifh it 
 totally. During the fpace of three hundred years 
 it grew under perfecution, and it was common 
 for the Heathens to fay of the Chriftians, “ See 
 “ how they love each other.” And this love con¬ 
 tinued while they fuffered perfecution, but here 
 let us mark the change. 
 
 Having received rich livings from the emperor 
 Conftantine the Great, the bifhops, with the reft 
 of the clergy, met together in fynods, and com¬ 
 piled creeds, which they fought to impofe upon 
 all their brethren. And although fome of thefe 
 creeds did not contain any thing contrary to the 
 fundamental articles of the Chriftian religion, 
 yet as they were no more than human compo¬ 
 sitions, conlequently many pious men refufed to 
 fubferibe them. This created much diflention in 
 the church, for the bifhops wrote againft each 
 other, and as many herefies fprung up about the 
 fame time, the primitive fpirit of charity was loft. 
 But ftill they did not think of calling in the aid 
 of the civil power, to aflift them in punifhing 
 thofe who differed from them in opinion. It is 
 
 true. 
 
2 j6 The HISTORY of 
 
 true they begun very loon afterwards, to look 
 towards the civil power, but it does not appear 
 that any of the emperors made fanguinary laws 
 againfl; thofe called heretics, before Juftinian, 
 about the middle of the fixth century, but tri¬ 
 fling indeed were thefe laws, with what we are 
 now going to mention. 
 
 The popes increafing in power, and finding 
 many people very unwilling to fubmit to their 
 decrees, refolved to publilh a crufade againfl; 
 heretics of all forts; arid the perfons employed 
 to carry this diabolical fcheme into execution, 
 were the monks of the order of St. Dominic.' 
 At firfl; it was defigned to carry on the perfec¬ 
 tion againfl; thofe people called Waldenfes, &;c. 
 but of thefe we fhall treat in a leparate article. 
 It was about the beginning of the thirteenth 
 century, that pope Innocent III. fent the Domi¬ 
 nican friars into molt of the Roman Catholic 
 countries to enquire how many heretics were to 
 be found, and from that circumftance, they 
 obtained the name of Inquifitors, and their 
 office, where they try criminals, the lnquifition. 
 
 This formidable tribunal gained much ftrength 
 in a Ihort time, for all Spain and Portugal re¬ 
 ceived if, and it was eftablifhed in every city in 
 Italy, except Naples : it was afterwards eftablifh¬ 
 ed in Flanders, and the duke de Alva attempted 
 to eftablifn it in Holland, which was, in lome 
 meafure, the occafion of eftablifhing the govern¬ 
 ment of the Seven United Provinces. 
 
 This tribunal takes cognizance of herefy, 
 by which is meant the doftrines embraced by 
 Proteftants of every denomination; Judaifm, 
 Mahometanifm, Sodomy, Polygamy, with all 
 forts of crimes, opinions, or words, that are 
 oppofite to the papal decrees, naturally come 
 before this court. It would feem incredible, 
 were there not the moft pofitive proof of it, 
 that the people where it is eftablifhed, are fo 
 much afraid of incurring the dilplealure of the 
 holy office, as the lnquifition is called, that they 
 mu ft give up their neareft relations, and even 
 become evidences againfl; them; for were they 
 to conceal them, or fpeak in their favour, they 
 would be taken into cuftody, and puniffied in 
 the fame manner. 
 
 This horrid and unnatural fentiment, is carri¬ 
 ed to fuch a length, that if the neareft and 
 deareft relation fliould ffied tears for the fuffer- 
 er, he would be confidered as the favourer of 
 herefy. It is intimated in fome of our hiftorians, 
 that queen Mary I. had an intention of eftablifh- 
 ing the inquifition in England, which is not at 
 all improbable, when we confider her bigotry, 
 her bloody-minded difpofition, and above all, 
 her marriage with Philip of Spain, one of the 
 molt cruel perlecutors that ever lived. But 
 whatever intentions ffie might have had of that 
 nature, yet we have fo good an opinion of our 
 anceftors, even in that dark age, to believe that 
 they never would have lubmitted to fuch an ig¬ 
 noble, fuch an unnatural, fuch a barbarous infti- 
 tution. 
 
 It is much to the honour of the French, that 
 it was never eftablifhed in that kingdom, and 
 although there is a court of Inquifition at 
 Venice, yet we do not find that it takes notice of 
 any crimes but thofe of a civil nature. The 
 Portuguefe, not content with having it eftablifhed 
 
 the I N Q^U I S IT! O N. 
 
 in their own kingdom, actually fent over a great 
 number of Dominicans to Goa in the Eaft-Indies, 
 who formed themfelves into a court of inquifi¬ 
 tion, and puniftied as Heretics, thofe Heathens 
 who refuled to embrace their dotftrincs. 
 
 In Germany, Poland, Hungary and Switzer¬ 
 land, the inquifition was never eftablifhed; 
 which may ferve to fliew, that dark and ignorant 
 as men were in that age, yet they had not lb far 
 forgot the dignity of their characters, as to fink 
 beneath the degree of beafts that perilh. In Swe¬ 
 den, in Denmark, in Scotland, and in Ireland, 
 before the reformation, the whole power of 
 Rome was not able to eftablifh it, fo we find this 
 infernal, unnatural tribunal was confined to thofe 
 nations, who have, for many ages, been remark¬ 
 able for their effeminacy of manners, and their 
 flavifh notions of obedience. 
 
 Before we deferibe the particulars relating to 
 the inquifition, it may not be improper to ob- 
 ferve, that for fome years paft, its power has 
 been much upon the decline, eVen in thofe coun¬ 
 tries where it was once flaviflily lubmitted to. 
 At Rome, the higheft tribunal of all, felf-interefi: 
 has taught the pope and his council, that no¬ 
 thing can be more impolitic than that of perie- 
 cuting Proteftants, who vilit that celebrated city 
 from motives of curiofity. It is true, no place 
 of worfhip is tolerated among them for Protef¬ 
 tants ; but this is no hardfhip to the natives 
 who enjoy their ignorance, never having learned 
 any thing but what they fee and hear in their 
 churches : And as for Proteftants who refort 
 thither, they are either too volatile in their 
 tempers to pay much regard to religion, or they 
 are men endowed with fuch knowledge, that 
 they can worfhip God in Rome, as well as in 
 London. 
 
 Another circumftance has contributed much 
 towards depreffing the power of the inquifition 
 in Portugal, where it uled to reign in all its hor¬ 
 rible forms. On the firfl; of November, 1755, 
 a dreadful earthquake happened in Lifbon, 
 which demolifhed great part of that city; and 
 although this might, and undoubtedly did 
 proceed from natural caufes, yet we find, that 
 Divine wifdom made it to anfwer a falutary pur- 
 pofe. The inquifition had condemned feveral 
 unhappy creatures to be burnt, and thefe were 
 to have fuffered on the day following ; but fuch 
 was the terror that all ranks of people laboured 
 under, that the poor criminals efcaped. This 
 had fuch an effeift on the minds of the people, 
 who were under the dominion of luperftition, 
 that they looked upon it as done by the imme¬ 
 diate hand of God to punifli them for their cru¬ 
 elty, and from that time the inquifition has been 
 but little regarded in that nation. Happy if 
 this aweful circumftance had led them to embrace 
 the truth, but they are ftill deprived of the 
 means, and how can they believe without a 
 preacher ? 
 
 Having faid thus much concerning the inqui¬ 
 fition in general, we fhall now proceed to its par¬ 
 ticular parts, its methods of proceeding againftper- 
 lonsaccufed from the time of their being firfl; appre¬ 
 hended, until the judgment of the court is exe¬ 
 cuted. Perlons become objects of refentment to 
 the inquifition in general, four different- ways. 
 Firft, by public report, by which a perfon is faid to 
 
 be 
 
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The HISTORY of the 
 
 be guilty of the crimes of which this tribunal 
 takes cognizance. Secondly, by the depofitions 
 of thofe witnefles by whom he is impeached. 
 Thirdly, by difcoveries made by the fpies em¬ 
 ployed by the judges of the Inquifition. And 
 laftly, by the tonfeflion of the criminals them- 
 felves, who, in order to avoid the torture, often 
 accufe themfelves. 
 
 When the inquifitors have difcovered a cri¬ 
 minal by any of the abovementioned ways, and 
 he has the good fortune to make his efcape, he is 
 then fummoned three times by proclamation, to 
 make his appearance before the holy office, and if 
 he ft ill refuies, he is at laft excommunicated, and 
 all his effedts feized ; but this does not exempt 
 him from capital punifliment, if he ffiould be 
 taken afterwards. Indeed, it is almoft impof- 
 fible for a perlon, who has been once impeached, 
 to make his elcape ; for the inquifitors raife fuch 
 a purfuit after him, that he is generally taken be¬ 
 fore he gets out of his own neighbourhood. As 
 for thofe who break out of prifon, if ever they 
 are taken, there is no mercy ffiewn them; for was 
 even a prince to intercede for them, his requeft 
 would not be granted. In Spain, they have in 
 every city and town, focieties eftabliffied for the 
 purpofe of apprehending fuch perfons as have 
 been accufed to the inquifition, and fo much are 
 the Spaniffi nobility funk beneath the dignity of 
 their anceftors, that many of the dons, who in 
 other refpefts confider themfelves as equal to 
 princes, become the common laquies of time- 
 ferving monks, and even their informers. When 
 a ftranger puts up at an inn, fome of thefe fpies 
 thruft themfelves into his company, and if by any 
 means whatever, they can form thedeaft notion 
 that he is attempting to make his efcape, they 
 immediately get him apprehended and thrown 
 into a dungeon. Nay, it has happened that fome 
 accufed perfons have got on board a ffiip, and 
 made their efcape as far as Conftantinople ; and 
 although they confidered themfelves fafe, as be¬ 
 ing out of the reach of their enemies, yet the 
 failors on board of another ffiip have kidnapped 
 them and fent them home to Spain, where no 
 mercy was ffiewn them. 
 
 In moft cafes, when a perfon is accufed to the 
 inquifition, and they have any fufpicions that he 
 will attempt to make his efcape, they caufe him 
 to be arrefted immediately, no place, even the 
 moft facred, being able to afford him any afylum. 
 
 It is furprifing to confider the forlorn condition 
 of a perfon who is fo unfortunate as to be ar¬ 
 refted in this manner. He is feized in the midft 
 of his friends, and in the very bofom of his fa¬ 
 mily ; a father ftanding by the fide of his fon, a 
 fon in the company of his father, and a wife in 
 that of her huffiand, without fo much as any per¬ 
 fon prefent being permitted to intercede for 
 them. 
 
 As foon as he is brought before the inquifitors, 
 they caufe him to be fearched, in order to try if 
 they can find any thing about him that may ferve 
 to convidt him, and likewife for any inftrument 
 with which he may murder himfelf, in order to 
 efcape the tortures of the inquifition. There are 
 many inftances of poor, unfortunate wretches, 
 who have been confined in the inquifition, daffi- 
 ing out their brains againft the walls of their cells, 
 rather than be put to the torture. . When they 
 20 
 
 I N Q^U I S I T I O N. 237 
 
 have got the accufed perfon into prifon, the chief 
 inquifitor, attended by his officers, goes to his 
 houfe, and fecures his books, papers, and every 
 thing they can find, nor dare a"ny perfon oppofe 
 them. If the perfon has a real eftate, or any 
 perfonal property of value, an inventory is then 
 taken, and part is lold to defray the expence of 
 the profecution. This pradtice of making the 
 accufed perfon pay his perfecutors for their trou¬ 
 ble, is of fuch a diabolical nature, that fo far as 
 we could ever yet learn, it is not to be met with 
 in any court in the world befides the inquifition ; 
 but indeed we ffiall meet with fome other fingu- 
 larities. 
 
 Things being carried thus far, the profecution 
 immediately begins, but is carried on very flowlyj 
 for a criminal is frequently imprifoned feveral 
 months before he is brought before the judges, or 
 lo much as knows what is the accufation pre¬ 
 ferred againft him. The prifons are dreadful, 
 and nothing is more capable of ftriking the mind 
 of a perfon with horror. Thefe dungeons are 
 all under ground, and fo fituated that none but 
 the keepers can get admittance. The wav to 
 them is by a great many turnings and windings, 
 left the cries of the miferable creatures ffiould be 
 heard and move any perfon with compaffion; but 
 in that cafe, compaffion would avail nothing, 
 while none are permitted to give them affiftance. 
 Day-light is for ever ffiut out from thofe gloomy 
 habitations, to hinder thofe who are in prifon from 
 reading, or any other employment befides that of 
 reflefting on their unhappy condition, and the 
 punifliment that is preparing for them. 
 
 Altho’ it ftiould happen that their cells are fo 
 near to each other, that the prifoners could con- 
 verle together, yet they are not permitted to do 
 it; for if they are heard either fpeaking to one- 
 another, or even to themfelves, the keepers rufli 
 in and beat them moft unmercifully. Such poor 
 creatures as have been long confined, invent a 
 method of lpeaking to each other with their 
 fingers, by ftriking them a certain number of 
 times upon the wall, according to the number of 
 letters in the alphabet. 
 
 After a criminal has fpent feveral months in 
 this miferable condition, the jailor tells him, that 
 he may, if he chufes, petition for an audience ; 
 but he muft not be told that the judges defire 
 him to do lo; for it is an invariable rule in the in,- 
 quifition, that nothing fliall be granted a prifoner, 
 unlefs he petitions for it. The firft time the pri¬ 
 foner appears before the judges, they pretend not 
 to know him, and to be utterly ignorant of any 
 crimes he is charged with. They afk him who 
 he is, or what he wants, and if he has any thing 
 to fay ? In fuch cafes the prifoner feldom knows 
 what to fay, becaufe he does not know what has 
 been fworn againft him, nor who are his ac- 
 cufers. 
 
 If it happens that he pleads not guilty, and 
 they find that they have not lufficient proof to 
 convidt him, he is acquitted upon paying the 
 expence of the profecution; but they order two 
 of their fpies, whom they call familiars, to 
 watch him wherever he goes, and it is fcarce pof- 
 fible to exprefs how clofe thefe fellows will ftick 
 to him. They follow him wherever he goes, 
 obferve every ftep he takes, all he fays or does, 
 nothing can efcape them, and they generally pre- 
 O o o ' ten* 
 
The HISTORY of the I N Q^U I S I T I O N. 
 
 * 2 3 3 
 
 tend to be his friends, and fet every engine at 
 work, to infinuate themfelves into his confidence, 
 in order to find, if poftible, an opportunity of 
 accufing him. And here we find, that the de- 
 fign of the Inquifition is not to much to prevent 
 guilt, or to punifh the guilty, as to lay {tumbling 
 blocks before fuch perfons’as they have devoted 
 fo dcftrudtion. 
 
 Thofe who have read the hiftory of England, 
 muft remember the account of Mark Anthony de 
 Dominis. This great man was the fon of a noble Ve¬ 
 netian, and having been brought up to the church, 
 he was ordained bifhop of Segni^ and afterwards 
 arch bilhop of Spalatro , and primate of Dalmatia. 
 This dignity, though very great in itfelf, v/as not 
 what chained him univerfal refpedt, both in church 
 and {late. He was confidered as one of the moft 
 learned men of that age, particularly in divinity 
 and hiftory, both facred and prophane ; few had 
 read more, or forgot lels. He was confulted on 
 all fubjedts, and thole who heard him difcourfe 
 upon one, found him fo well acquainted with it, 
 that they could not imagine when he could find 
 time to learn any other. 
 
 His learning made him inquifitive, and it was 
 dil'covered, that he had embraced ieveral fenti- 
 ments of the Proteftant religion. Having wrote 
 a large work on the iubjedt ot the Chriftian church, 
 he had a ftrong defire of feeing it publifhed in his 
 life-time, but that he knew could not be done in 
 Italy. Sir Henry Wotton was at that time the 
 Englifh ambafiador at the Republic of Venice, and 
 he gave Dominis a letter from James I. king of 
 Britain, begging of him to come and fettle in 
 England, which requeft he complied with, in or¬ 
 der to have an opportunity of publiftiing his book. 
 The king, who was himfelf a man of learning, 
 gave him every encouragement, treated him as 
 his friend, and fettled a penfion upon him, fuit- 
 able to his dignity. Happy, had he continued 
 in England-, but the Spanifh ambaftador made 
 him fuch vaft offers as firft fhook his refolution, 
 and then prevailed on him to accept of them. 
 The unhappy prelate forgot, on this occafion, 
 what he had often repeated in his works, namely, 
 that the court of Rome never forgets, or forgives 
 an affront. 
 
 Pie fet out for Rome, in fpite of all the argu¬ 
 ments of his friends in England to the contrary, 
 who reprefented to him the danger before him, 
 and that it would be in a manner impoffible for 
 him to efcape. The event v/as fuch as might 
 have been expedited for as foon as he arrived in 
 Italy, he was arrefted, and fent to the prifon of 
 the Inquifition at Rome. His trial went on 
 very {lowly, and at laft he died in prifon, but in 
 what manner is not certainly known. 
 
 When a perfon who has been once acquitted, 
 is arrefted a fecond time, he remains in prifon 
 feveral months, and then it is again infinuated to 
 him, that he muft petition the judges to be heard. 
 When he makes his appearance, the Inquifitors 
 tell him, the goaler had informed them, that 
 he deft red to be heard. The prifoner an- 
 fwers, that he defires to be heard, in orderthat 
 he may be cleared, if he be found innocent. 
 Upon this the Inquifitors prefs him earneftly to 
 confefs his crime. If he refufes, they remand him 
 to prifon, telling him, that they do it in order 
 that he may have time to recolledt every circtim- 
 
 ftance. After he has been a confiderable time in 
 prifon, a fecond time, he is again brought before 
 the Inquifitors, and if he ftill perfifts in his inno¬ 
 cence, they make him fwear upon the crucifix, 
 and the holy gofpel, that he will fpeak the truth 
 to all the queftions they lhall put to him. If he 
 refufes to fwear, they immediately pronounce 
 fentence upon him, without any other formality; 
 becaufe, by this they fuppofe, that either he is 
 not a Chriftian, feeing he refufes to take a lawful 
 oath, or that he is guilty ot all he has been ac- 
 cufed of. 
 
 But in cafe he takes the oath, they afk him 
 many queftions concerning his paft life, and even 
 many things concerning his anceftors, in order to 
 fifr out of him, whether fome of them have not 
 been under the cenfures of the Inquifition. Though 
 crimes of this nature are merely perfonal, yet 
 they ferve to prejudice the judges againft him ; 
 for they luppofe he has imbibed the notions of 
 his progenitors with their blood, and that as he had 
 been educated by them, it was impoftible but he 
 muft be of the fame fentiments. Hitherto, he is not 
 differed to know what is his crime, or who are 
 his accufers ; for they are all this time endeavour¬ 
 ing to find fomething out of him, in order to 
 authorize them to pronounce upon him fentence 
 of condemnation. This inare is laid with pro¬ 
 digious cunning, and can hardly be cicapcd ; for 
 as people are often apprehended on bare fuipici- 
 on, fo it frequently happens that the terror of 
 being put to the torture, makes the unhappy pri- 
 foners drop fome exprefiions which lerve to con- 
 vidt them. 
 
 When the prifoner is too cunning to fall into 
 the fnare laid for him, and ftill continues to deny 
 that he has been guilty of any thing, then his 
 accufation is read, containing many crimes, be- 
 fides thofe with which he was accufed by the 
 perfon who fwore againft him. This compofition 
 of truth and falfhood is another trap for the un¬ 
 happy prifoner, for as he feldom fails to exclaim 
 againft the horrible crimes they lay to his charge, 
 fo they take occafion from thence to conclude, 
 that thofe of which he makes but little complaints 
 are true. 
 
 After having given him his accufation, which 
 he receives in writing ; when the clerk has read it, 
 they order three or four counfellors to wait up¬ 
 on him, and out of thofe he is to make choice 
 of one to plead his caufe. This counfellor does 
 him but very little fervice for he is not only 
 forbid to give the prifoner any advice, but is not 
 even allowed to fpeak to him, except in prelence 
 of the regifter of the Inquifition. 
 
 Some days after they have given the prifoner 
 a copy of his accufation, he is brought before 
 the tribunal, along with his councellor, but he 
 might as well be without him, fince he is not al¬ 
 lowed to fpeak till he has confulted with the In¬ 
 quifitors what he is to fay. It is in vain for the 
 counlellor to afk the names of the accufers, {or 
 he is kept in the dark in that refpedt; all they 
 allow him is to guefs if they are not luch and 
 fuch perfons, but to this they never give a diredt 
 anfwer, although he happens to guefs right. At 
 laft, after having tormented the poor creature 
 for years together with anxiety, by being carried 
 from the prifon to the court, and from the court 
 to prifon, his trial is prepared tor in good earnelt. 
 
The HISTORY of the 
 
 It begins by his making his appearance again 
 before the Inquifitors, who give him copies of 
 what has been fworn againft: him, but they flill 
 conceal the names of witneffes. The prifoner 
 having read the depofitions, he is afked, whether 
 he has any thing to objeCt againft them, and then 
 he is allowed three or four days to give in his 
 anfwers. During this time the prilbner ftudies to 
 find whether he can difcover who the perfons are 
 by whom he is accufed, for they ftill refufe to tell 
 him their names: when the time which had been 
 allowed him for difcovering the witnefies is ex¬ 
 pired, he is again called before the Inquifitors, 
 and is heard in whatever he has to except againft 
 perfons, whole names and qualities are equally 
 concealed from him. If he happens to guefs 
 their names, and makes any juft exceptions againft 
 them, it may perhaps be of fervice to him, but 
 then the Inquifitors will put what conftruCtion 
 they pleafe upon fuch favourable circumftances. 
 All the prifoner can alledge is of no fervice to 
 him, unlefs he can prove that the witneffes are 
 his profeffed enemies; and this is in a manner im- 
 poftible, feeing he is not permitted to fend for 
 evidences. In this tribunal, all witnefies are ac¬ 
 cepted of againft the prifoner, becaufc of the 
 odious nature of herefy ; and it is no matter from 
 v/hence they come, or how black foever their 
 characters are. Nay, even perjured perfons are 
 admitted as witnefies, which is contrary to the 
 pradtice of all other courts in the world, even the 
 moft barbarous. Two witnefies, by hear-lay, are 
 admitted, and upon their evidence, a prifoner 
 may be put to the torture, and the vilelt inform¬ 
 ers are received as witnefies. 
 
 After a prifoner has made his exceptions anti 
 given in his anfwers, if they are not fatisfaCtory, 
 or that his crime is not lufilciently proved, he is 
 put to the torture, of which there are feveral 
 lorts, but particularly, the rope, the water, and 
 the fire. In the torture with the rope, the prifon¬ 
 er has his hands bound behind him with a rope ^ 
 after which he is railed from the ground to the 
 top of the ceiling by means of a pully. In this 
 manner he is left to hang lor fometime, and then 
 they let him fall down within half a foot of the 
 ground, but with fuch fudden jerks as put all 
 his limbs out of joint, and force him to cry out 
 in a moft dreadful manner. In this manner he is 
 tortured for an hour, and fometimes more, juft as 
 the Inquifitors, who are then prelent, think pro¬ 
 per to order. 
 
 But if this fort of torture does not prevail, then 
 they have recourfe to water, which is done in the 
 following manner. They force the prifoner to 
 fwallow down a large quantity of water, after 
 which he is laid along a form or bench, that has 
 a cavity in it which fhuts up,and fqueezes at plea- 
 lure. A ftick or piece of wood runs acrofs this 
 bench, which keeps the prifoner’s body as it were 
 fufpended, and breaking his back bone, puts 
 him to invincible pain. 
 
 But the moft rigorous torture is that of fire •, 
 for a great fire being lighted, the foies of the 
 prifoner’s feet are rubbed with bacon, or fome 
 other greafy lubftance, which being done, he is 
 laid on the ground with his feet turned to the 
 fire, and held down in that pofture, that he may 
 thereby confefs all the Inquifitors want to know. 
 
 I N Q^U I S I T 1 O N. fl# 
 
 Thefe two laft mentioned tortures continue ari 
 hour or upwards like the firft. 
 
 When a prifoner is condemned to the torture* 
 he is carried to the place appointed for that pur- 
 pofe, which is very properly called a place of tor¬ 
 ments. It is a fubterraneous cavern, to which 
 they go down by a great many turnings and wind¬ 
 ings, in order to prevent the cries of the un¬ 
 happy creatures from being heard, which un¬ 
 doubtedly would be more dreadful than can be 
 imagined. 
 
 In this place there are feats only for the Inqui- 
 litors, who are always prefent when any one is 
 put to the torture, as is alio the bifhop of the 
 diocefe, or his deputy. The place has no 
 other light, befides that of two torches, which 
 burn but feintly, but ftrong enough to let the 
 unhappy prifoner fee the inftruments with which 
 he is to be tortured, and the more than mer- 
 cilefs executioners. Thefe executioners wear 
 habit refembling that of a penitent, andnofooner 
 does the unhappy prifoner come into the dilmal 
 dungeon, than he is feized on by two or three of 
 thefe blood-hounds, who ftrip him naked in every 
 part of his body, except the privy members, over 
 which they put a piece of coarfe cloath. Before; 
 he is put to the torture, the Inquifitors exhort 
 him to confefs all he knows ; but if he perfifts in 
 declaring himfelf to be innocent, then he is put 
 to the torture, according to one or other of the 
 forms above-mentioned, and this is fometimes fo 
 violent that it reduces the fuffererto the laft gafp, 
 on which occafions they fend for the furgeon of 
 the Inquifition to know, whether it will be pof- 
 fible for him to bear any more of the torture. 
 
 When by fuch cruel methods, they have ex¬ 
 torted a confefiion from the unhappy prifoner, of 
 crimes he never committed, he experts to be fet 
 at liberty, but he finds himfelf wretchedly mif- 
 taken •, lor he muft be put a fecond time to the 
 torture, in order to induce him to conlefs why he 
 concealed the crimes of which he now declares 
 himfelf to be guilty. Thus, after the violence 
 of the torture, a prifoner has owned himfelf guilty 
 of fome crime, the com million of which, arofe 
 from the weaknefs of human pafiions, yet he is 
 put to the torture a third time, to force him to 
 reveal who were his accomplices. But in cafe 
 the violence of thefe tortures cannot extort any 
 confefiion from him, he is then remanded back 
 to prifon, and fome of the moft infamous wretches 
 are fent to vifit him, in order to difcover whether 
 they can find any thing in his converfation that 
 can tend towards a conviction, and in fome cafes 
 they are too fucccfsful, which proves the ruin of 
 the prifoner. 
 
 The Inquifitors themfelves fecond thefe in¬ 
 human artifices to the utmoft of their power, 
 by pretending to adminifter comfort to them, 
 pretending to be touched with their misfortunes, 
 and telling them, that if they will confefs, it may 
 be the means of laving their lives. The refult of 
 all this is, that in cafe the prifoner Hands convict¬ 
 ed, either by the fentence of the Inquifition, or 
 by the evidence againft him, or by his own con- 
 feflion, he is condemned, either to death, to per¬ 
 petual imprifonrnent, or to the gallies. When 
 the Inquifitors are determined to put the prifoner 
 to a more than ordinary cruel death, they haften 
 
£40 The HISTORY of 
 
 it on as foon as poffible, after fentence is pro¬ 
 nounced, becaufe the poor creature’s refledtions 
 on the torments he has to fuffer, would be like lb 
 many deaths, which would weaken him to fuch a 
 degree, that he might even die in prilon, which 
 would prevent the inquifitors from enjoying the 
 pleasure of feeing a human facrifice. 
 
 The general adts of the inquifition are confider- 
 ed as the execution of criminals, but in the places 
 where it is eftablilhed, looked upon as a religious 
 ceremony, in which they pretend the moft illus¬ 
 trious and public proof of pious zeal is fhewn, 
 and thefe are called afts of faith. In Spain thefe 
 are generally exhibited at the accelTion of their 
 monarchs to the throne, at their coming of age, 
 their marriages, the birth of a fuccefior, or fuch 
 other public and folemn occafions. The follow¬ 
 ing faithful relation of one of thefe feafts is pre- 
 fented to the reader. 
 
 On May the third, 1680, Charles II. of Spain 
 was married; and in the great fquare of Madrid, 
 was a public adt of faith, celebrated with all the 
 magnificence imaginable. A month before the 
 general execution, the officers of the inquifition, 
 preceded by their ftandard, rode with great lo- 
 lemnity from the palace of the holy office, to the 
 open fquare, where, in the prefence of a vaft 
 number of people they afiembled, and pro¬ 
 claimed by found of trumpet and kettle drums, 
 that on that day month, an adt of faith, or gene¬ 
 ral execution of the Heretics would be exhi¬ 
 bited. 
 
 The proclamation being over, great prepara¬ 
 tions were made for this dreadful folemnity, this 
 human facrifice, under pretence that it was in 
 honour of the blefied Jefus, and his religion, the 
 gofpel of peace. Previous to this bloody folem¬ 
 nity, a fcaffold, fifty feet in length, was eredted 
 in the great fquare, and railed to the fame fize in 
 height, with a balcony upon it, for the king and 
 royal family to fit in. At the end, and along the 
 whole breadth of this fcaffold, at the right hand 
 of the king’s balcony, an amphitheatre was railed, 
 to which they afeended by twenty-five or thirty 
 Heps, and this was appointed for the council of 
 the inquifition. Above thefe fteps, and under a 
 canopy, the great inquifitor’s roltrum was placed, 
 and at the left-hand fide of the fcaffold and bal¬ 
 cony, a fecond amphitheatre was eredted of the 
 fame extent with the former, for the criminals to 
 Hand on. 
 
 In the middle of the great fcaffold, another 
 very fmall one was built in an oblong form, which 
 fupported two little boxes made like cages, and 
 open at the top, and in thefe the prifoners were to 
 be placed while fentence of death was pronounced 
 upon them. Three pulpits were alfo eredted on 
 the great fcaffold, two whereof were for the ule 
 of thofe who read the fentence, and the third for 
 the preacher, and laftly, an altar was eredted not 
 far from the altar where the feveral counfellors 
 fat. The feats on which their Catholic majelties 
 fat, were ranged in fuch a manner, that the queen 
 was at the king’s left-hand, and at the right of 
 the queen mother. The reft of the whole length 
 of the balcony on each fide, was filled with the 
 ladies of honour of both queens ; balconies were 
 likewile eredted for the foreign ambaffadors, the 
 lords and ladies of the court, and fcaffolds for the 
 people. 
 
 the I N Q^U 1 S I T I O N. 
 
 A month after proclamation had been made of 
 the adt of faith, the ceremony opened with a 
 proceffion in the following order. The march 
 was preceded by a hundred coal-merchants, all 
 armed with pikes and mufquets, and this was con- 
 fidered as binding on thefe people, becaufe they 
 furnifhed the wood and coals with which the cri¬ 
 minals were to be burnt. They were followed by 
 Dominican friars, before whom a white crofs was 
 carried. Behind them came the duke of Mendini- 
 Celi, carrying the ftandard of the inquifition, a 
 privilege hereditary in his family. The ftandard 
 was of red damafk, on one fide of which was 
 reprelented a drawn fword in a crown of laurels, 
 and the arms of Spain on the other. Afterwards 
 was brought forward, a green crofs, covered with 
 black crape, which was followed by feveral 
 grandees and other perfons of quality, familiars 
 of the inquifition with cloaks, marked with white 
 and black croffes, edged with gold wire. The 
 march was clofed by fifty halberdiers or guards, 
 belonging to the inquifition, cloathed with black 
 and white garments, and commanded by the 
 marquis of Pouar> hereditary protedtor of the 
 inquifition in the province of Toledo. 
 
 The proceffion. having marched in this order 
 before the palace, proceeded to the fquare, when 
 the ftandard and the green crofs were placed on 
 the fcaffold, where none but the Dominicans 
 ftayed, the reft having retired. Thefe Domini¬ 
 can friars had fpent the preceding night in fing- 
 ing pfalms, and feveral mafies were celebrated on 
 the altar from day-break till fix in the morning. 
 About an hour after, the king, queen, queen- 
 mother with all the royal family, the lords of the 
 bed-chamber, the officers at court, and ladies made 
 their appearance. At eight o’clock, the procef¬ 
 fion began in the fame manner as the day before, 
 preceded by the company of coal-merchants, who 
 placed themfclves on the left of the king’s bal¬ 
 cony, his guards ftanding on the right. After¬ 
 wards came thirty men, carrying images of pafte- 
 board as big as the life, fome of which repre- 
 fented thofe who had died in prilon, and whole 
 bones were brought in trunks, with flames painted 
 round them, and the reft reprefented thofe who 
 had made their el'cape, and were out-lawed. 
 
 Thefe figure were placed at one end of the am¬ 
 phitheatre, and then came twelve men and wo¬ 
 men with ropes about their necks, torches in 
 their hands, and pafteboard caps on their heads 
 three feet high, on which were written their 
 crimes. Thefe were followed by fifty others, 
 having alfo torches in their hands, and cloathed 
 with yellow great coats, on which were crofles of 
 St. Andrew X behind and before. Thefe were 
 Jews who had repented of their crimes, and de- 
 fired to be admitted into the church as believers 
 in Jefus Chrift. Next came twenty Jews of both 
 fexes, who had relapfed thrice into their former 
 errors, and were condemned to the flames. Thofe 
 who had given fome tokens of repentance, were 
 to be ftrangled before they were burnt; but the 
 reft, for having perfifted in their errors, were to 
 be burnt alive. Thefe laft wore linen garments, 
 with devils and flames painted on them, and caps 
 after the fame manner. Five or fix among them, 
 who were more obftinate than the reft, were 
 gagged, to prevent their uttering what the Ro¬ 
 man Catholics call blafphemous tenets. 
 
 1 
 
 Such 
 
The HISTORY of the 
 
 Such as were condemned to die, were fur- / 
 rounded each by four dominicans and two fami¬ 
 liars of the inquifition. Thefe unhappy creatures 
 affed in the manner above related, under the 
 ing of Spain’s balcony, and after having walked 
 round the fcaffold, were placed in the amphi¬ 
 theatre that flood on the left, and each of them 
 furrounded by the monks and familiars who had 
 attended them. Some of the grandees of Spain 
 were among thefe familiars, and they, confident 
 with their national pride, feated themfelves on 
 high benches erebted for the purpofe. The clergy 
 of St. Martin’s parifh coming forward, placed 
 themfelves near the altar, the officers of the fu- 
 preme council of the inquifition, the inqui- 
 fitors, and feveral other perfons of diftinbtion, 
 both regulars and feculars, all on horfeback, with 
 great folemnity, arrived afterwards and placed 
 themfelves on the right hand of the amphitheatre, 
 and on both fidcs of the roftrum in which the 
 grand inquifitor was to feat himlelf. The grand 
 inquifitor came laft, dreffed in a purple habit, 
 accompanied by the prefident of the council of 
 Caftile, and feveral other great officers, who, on 
 this occafion, would have been reckoned among 
 the number of Heretics, had they not become the 
 more than obl'equious flaves of the priefls. 
 
 Then they began to celebrate mafs, in the 
 midft of which, the pried who officiated, went ' 
 down from the altar and feated himfelf in a chair, 
 which had been placed for him. The grand in¬ 
 quifitor came down from his feat, and having 
 faluted the altar, and put the mitre on his head, 
 he advanced towards the king’s balcony. There 
 he went up the deps that dood at the end of the 
 balcony, with feveral officers, who carried the 
 crofs and gofpels, and a book containing the oath 
 by which the kings of Spain oblige themfelves 
 to protect the Catholic faith, to extirpate heretics, 
 and to fupport the holy inquifition to the utmod 
 of their power. 
 
 The king, danding up bareheaded, having on 
 one fide of him a grandee of Spain, holding the 
 royal fword with the point upward, fwore to ob- 
 ferve the oath which a counfellor of the inquifition 
 had juft read to him. The king continued in 
 this pofture till fuch time as the grand inquifitor 
 was returned back to his feat, where he took off 
 his pontifical veftments. Then one of the fecre- 
 taries of the inquifition afeended a pulpit ap¬ 
 pointed for that purpofe, and read an oath to the 
 fame purport, which he adminiftered to all the 
 grandees who were then prelent; and this part of 
 the ceremony was followed by that of a Domini¬ 
 can going up into the pulpit, and delivering a 
 fermon full of flattery in praile of the inqui¬ 
 fition. 
 
 About two o’clock in the afternoon they be¬ 
 gan to read the lentences of the condemned cri¬ 
 minals, and they began with thofe who had died 
 in prifon, or who had been outlawed. Their 
 figures in pafteboard were carried up to the little 
 fcaffold, and put into the cages, and then they 
 read the fentences to each of the criminals who 
 were alive, and they were one by one put into the 
 cages, in order that every perfbn prelent might 
 know them. There were in all twenty perfons 
 of both lexes condemned to the flames, and of 
 thefe, fix men and two women could not be pre¬ 
 vailed upon, either to confefs or repent of their 
 21 
 
 I N (l_xi I S I T I O N. 2 4 T 
 
 errors. A young woman was remanded to prifon 
 becaufe file had always made the ftrongeft pro- 
 teftations of her innocence, and therefore they 
 thought it would be proper to re-examine the 
 evidence that had been produced againft her. 
 Laftly, they read the fentences of thofe who had 
 been found guilty of bigamy, or witchcraft, with 
 feveral other crimes, and this lafted till about 
 nine o’clock in the evening, when mafs was 
 fin i flied. 
 
 Mafs being finifhed, the grand inquifitor, 
 cloathed in his pontifical veftments, pronounced 
 a folemn ablolution on all thofe who would re¬ 
 pent ; and then the king being withdrawn, the 
 criminals who had been condemned to be burnt, 
 were delivered over to the civil power, and being 
 mounted upon affes, were carried in this manner 
 through the gate called Foncural. About three 
 hundred paces from it they were chained to ftake9 
 and executed a little after midnight. Thofe who 
 perfifted in their errors were burnt alive, but fuch 
 as repented, were firft ftrangled before the fire wa9 
 lighted. Thofe condemned to lefier punifliments, 
 were remanded to prifon, and the inquifitors re¬ 
 turned home to their palace. 
 
 Befides thefe public executions of thofe whom 
 they call Heretics, they have likewife manyprivate 
 ones, and thefe are generally in the laft week of 
 Lent ; for it is a maxim among the Roman Ca¬ 
 tholics, that they cannot give better proofs of 
 their penitence than by perlecuting Heretics. On 
 fuch occafions, all the magiftrates are obliged to 
 attend ; for it may be juftly faid, that in Roman 
 Catholic countries the priefls trample upon the 
 rights of the people, whether civil or facred. 
 
 It is a fixed maxim in the inquifition, that no 
 regard is to be paid to the charabters of men, let 
 them be ever fo exalted in rank, or fpodefs in 
 their reputation. We have already feen how 
 they treated Dominis, an archbifhop, and the 
 moft learned man of his age; but the inquifition 
 of Caftile went ftill farther, for it attempted to 
 arraign the memory of the emperor Charles V. and 
 to condemn his laft will and teftament to the 
 flames, as heretical, together with all thofe who 
 had the greateft lhare in his confidence and fa¬ 
 vour. 
 
 As this is a moft aftonifhing incident, the reader 
 will undoubtedly be very well pleafed to have it 
 at full length ; for which reafon we fhall give it 
 from the moft undoubted authority, and fuch as 
 never hath yet been contradibled. The emperor 
 Charles V. refigned the kingdom of Spain, in 
 favour of his fon Philip II. and retired to fpend 
 the remainder of his days in a monaftery. As 
 many of the German princes, fubjebt to him, 
 were Proteftants, he continued to correfpond with 
 them till his death, and fome of their letters to 
 him having been difeovered by the Dominicans, 
 they gave it out, that his motives for retiring to 
 a convent were, that he might have an opportu¬ 
 nity of enjoying his own private opinions. It 
 was faid, that he could not forgive himfelf for 
 the ill treatment of thofe brave princes, whom 
 he had conquered. Their virtue, which in their 
 diftrefs, tarniflied all his laurels, had infenfibly 
 engaged him to have fome efteem for their tenets. 
 This efteem manifefted itfelf, by the choice he 
 made of perfons, fufpebted of herefy, for his 
 fpiritual guides. After his death, the cell in the 
 P p p abbey 
 
242 The H I S T O R Y of t 
 
 abbey of St. Juftus where he died, was found 
 hung round with papers, written with his own 
 hand, upon the fubjeds of junification and grace; 
 and in terms that differed but very little from 
 the notions of Proteftants. 
 
 But nothing fupported the notions the monks 
 had formed againft him, fo much as his laft will. 
 Pie left but very few pious legacies, or founda¬ 
 tions for malfes, and the whole purport differ¬ 
 ed lb widely from thofe made by zealous Catho¬ 
 lics, that the inquifition confidered it as fub- 
 jed to cenfure. However, they were obliged to 
 conceal their intentions, till the arrival of Phi¬ 
 lip II. his fon, becaufe they did not know his 
 natural difpofition, nor with what fpirit he might 
 be aduated. But Philip, upon his arrival in 
 Spain, having ordered all thofe to be put to 
 death, who favoured the new opinions, the in- 
 quifitors became fo bold, that they openly ac- 
 culed his father’s confeffors of herefy; among 
 whom was the archbifhop of Toledo, the pri¬ 
 mate and metropolitan of Spain. The king 
 having fuffered all his father’s confeffors to be 
 thrown into prifon, the bigoted Spaniards look¬ 
 ed upon it as a high mark of his zeal for the 
 Chriftian faith; whereas the inhabitants of other 
 nations, looked upon it with horror: who could 
 have imagined, that a few Dominican monks, 
 dignified with the title of Lords of the Inquifi¬ 
 tion, would have prefumed to condemn to the 
 flames, the archbifhop of Toledo, the biftiop 
 of Dreffe, and Dr. Caculla, at that time three of 
 the moft learned men in Spain. But they did do 
 fo, and although Philip was a moft relentlefs 
 bigot, yet he had that much honour left in him, 
 that he would not fuffer thofe men to be burnt 
 alive, who had been long connected with his 
 father, in the moft intimate manner. 
 
 Hitherto we have only treated of the punilh- 
 ment of heretics in Spain, we fhall now proceed 
 to the account of this horrid tribunal in Portu¬ 
 gal, where, at prefent, it is rather on the decline. 
 At the time of the eftablifhment of the inqui¬ 
 fition, Spain and Portugal were fo nearly con¬ 
 nected, that frequently they formed but one 
 kingdom. However, in 1557, while the two 
 nations were difunited, a Dominican friar went 
 to Portugal, where he produced a bull, which 
 he pretended to have received from the pope, 
 authorifing him to eftablifh the inquifition. Whe¬ 
 ther this bull was forged, or whether he received 
 it from the pope, cannot be certainly known; 
 but, be that as it may, John III. at that time 
 king of Portugal, ordered the friar to be con¬ 
 demned to the gallies for life. 
 
 This, however, did not hinder the inquifitors 
 from carrying on their defign ; for fuch is the 
 inflexible feverity of the Roman catholics, that 
 nothing can fet bounds to their malice againft 
 thofe whom they call heretics. The king of Por¬ 
 tugal, however, procured privately from Rome 
 a brief, containing a pardon for all thofe who had 
 been accufed of Judailm, or any other crimes of 
 which the inquifition takes notice; and in con- 
 lequence thereof, the prifon doors were fet open, 
 and all thofe confined in them, reftored to their 
 former liberty. This was rather galling to the 
 inquifitors, but they were obliged to fubmit, and 
 diffemble their refentment till a more favourable 
 opportunity offered. 
 
 : I N Q^U I S I T I O N. 
 
 The duke of Braganza being railed to the 
 throne of Portugal, under the title of John IV. 
 would undoubtedly have abolifhed the inqui¬ 
 fition in his dominions, had his reign been long 
 and peaceable. That judicious prince was fen- 
 fible of the many abides committed by the in¬ 
 quifitors, who are all l'worn to fecrecy; and he 
 was no ftranger to the charaders of many who 
 fat as judges in that tribunal. Pride and ava¬ 
 rice were their ruling motives, and under the 
 flale pretence of promoting piety, they trampled 
 upon civil rights, and murdered their fellow 
 creatures. 
 
 This prince iffued a proclamation, ordering, 
 that all fuch perfons as fhould be convided of 
 herefy, fhould be referred to the civil power for 
 judgement, and that their goods fhould not be 
 feizedon by the inquifitors, as had been formerly 
 the pradice. This declaration aftonifhed and 
 alarmed the inquifitors, becaufe it tended to¬ 
 wards taking from them the greateft part of their 
 emoluments. This made them have recourfe 
 to every expedient, in ofder to fet things upon 
 their former footing; and they played their tricks 
 fo well, that they at laft obtained a brief from 
 the pope, unknown to the king, by which his 
 holinefs ordained, that all forfeitures fhould be 
 paid in to the inquifition in the fame manner 
 as they were before the king’s declaration; and 
 all thofe who refufed to comply, were to be ex¬ 
 communicated. The inquifitors having prevail¬ 
 ed thus far, waited in a body upon the king, juft 
 as he was returning from the pafchal commu¬ 
 nion, when one of them, in the name of the reft, 
 befought him to give them leave to read the bull 
 they had received from his holinefs, and they 
 defired further, that it might be read publickly 
 in the hearing of the whole court. 
 
 The king having liftened to them with the 
 greateft attention, after a few minutes paufe, 
 afked them who was to enjoy the profits arifing 
 from the fines impofed upon heretics ? they an- 
 fwered, “ the king himfelf was to enjoy them.” 
 cc Since it is fo (replied the king) there can be 
 cc no manner of doubt but I have a right to 
 Cf difpofe of my own in what manner I pleafe ; 
 Cf I fhall therefore order that all forts of goods 
 e< leized from thofe perfons called heretics, be 
 fC immediately reftored to their neareft rela- 
 cc tions.” 
 
 It is not much to be wondered, that the in¬ 
 quifitors were inraged at this order, but they 
 were obliged to fubmit to it, and fo long as this 
 prince lived, all the goods feized from thofe per¬ 
 fons called heretics, were reftored to their re¬ 
 lations ; and from this circumftance we may 
 learn, that when the reigning prince is a man 
 of fpirit, he will not fuffer his fubjeds to be 
 trampled on by the priefts. 
 
 But no fooner was the king dead, than the in¬ 
 quifitors reprefented to the queen, his widow, that 
 as the late king, her hufband, had aded in di- 
 red oppofition to the orders of the pope, he 
 had thereby incurred the fentence of excommu¬ 
 nication, with which all were threatened in the 
 pope’s brief, who oppofed it. This queen, who 
 was not endowed with fo much fortitude, and 
 refolution as her hufband, confented that the 
 inquifitors fhould march in a body, cloathed in 
 their robes, and, at the royal tomb, pronounce 
 
 the 
 
The HISTORY of the 
 
 the fentenceof excommunication ; and it was to 
 be done in the prefence of the two princes, the late 
 king’s fons. The reader will eafily perceive, that 
 the excommunication, pronounced upon the body 
 of the late king, was no more than a trick to im- 
 pofe upon the grandees of the kingdom, and 
 frighten the common people, and to fupport the 
 authority of the inquifition in all its horrors. Their 
 fuccefs was equal to their willies, and in a Ihort 
 time, the power of the inquilition became fo pre¬ 
 dominant in Portugal, that the civil magiftrates 
 were obliged to fubmit to it. 
 
 In 1672, one of the churches in Li/bon was 
 robbed, and the thieves not only Hole all the 
 facred veffels, but they even fcattered the facred 
 wafers upon the pavement. This horrid aft of 
 facrilege made great noife in Lifbon, and the 
 priefts infinuated that it muft have been done by 
 the New Chriftians, or Heretics, names which 
 they always give to Proteftants. The magiftrates 
 of Lifbon immediately iffued out an order for 
 fearching the houfes of all fuch as could be 
 fufpefted of guilt on this occafion ; and this order 
 was executed with fo much feverity, that the 
 officers infilled upon knowing where fuch perfons 
 had been as were out of their own houfes that 
 night. A vaft multitude of people of both fexes, 
 were l'eized upon the moll trifling fufpicion, fo 
 that the prifons were crowded, and although the 
 prifoners were examined with the greateft ftridl- 
 nefs, yet no difcovery was made, although it 
 furnilhed an opportunity for the inquifitors to 
 prefer falfe accufations againfl: the Jews and Pro- 
 tellants. 
 
 In this junfture, the inquifitors, who are the 
 profeffed enemies of all thofe who differ from 
 them in religious fentiments, feem to have lud- 
 denly fupprefied their mock zeal; for when it 
 was propofed, that all the Jews and Proteftants in 
 Lifbon Ihould be banifhed, they petitioned 
 againfl it. This was a deep laid fcheme, and 
 the reafon they gave for fuch an extraordinary be¬ 
 haviour, which furprifed every one, was, that 
 they could not, in confcience, fend into foreign 
 countries, where every man lived juft as he 
 thought proper, perfons who were weak and lin¬ 
 kable in the faith, and who, becaufe they would 
 have no reftraintlaid upon them, would foon aban¬ 
 don the Chriftian profeffion. However, all men 
 of fenfe plainly perceived, that the heads of the 
 inquifition would not have afted in this manner, 
 had they not been under apprehenfions that their 
 power would have funk, and their importance 
 been difregarded, if thofe people had been dri¬ 
 ven out of the kingdom. By fuch an event they 
 would have loft the opportunity of fatiating their 
 abominable avarice, by leizing their goods, nor 
 could their lavage minds have been glutted with 
 the blood of human lacrifices. The inquifitors 
 gained their ends, and thofe perfons whom they 
 iligmatized as Jews and Heretics, were permitted 
 to remain in Lilbon ; but it gave no fmall uneafi- 
 nels to the inquifitors, to find that the civil ma¬ 
 giftrates were exerting themfelves in order to dif- 
 cover the perfons who had been guilty of the 
 facrilege. 
 
 Whilft the magiftrates were thus employed in 
 fearching out for the wretch who had robbed the 
 church, a thief, (and as good fortune'would have 
 it) a Roman Catholic, was apprehended in com- 
 
 I N Q^U r S I T I O N. 243 
 
 mitting a robbery near Lifbon. He was imme¬ 
 diately committed to prifon, and upon fearching 
 him, they found the crucifix and fome other 
 things that had been ftolen out of the churchy 
 Being examined how he came by thefe things, 
 he confeffed, that he alone was guilty of it, 
 that he had thrown away the wafers but kept 
 the crucifix, which led to his deteftion ; and he 
 was foon afterwards broke alive upon the wheel, 
 and all thofe who had been taken up on fufpicion 
 were releafed from prifon. 
 
 But the rage of the inquifitors did not flop 
 here, for thofe Proteftants whom the inquifitors 
 had ordered to be fet at liberty, were again ap¬ 
 prehended on fufpicion, and the nobility de¬ 
 meaned themfelves fo low, that they even became 
 fpies and informers againfl fome of their own 
 order. It was reprefented to the king, that if 
 thefe Heretics were permitted to go on in propa¬ 
 gating their opinions, the whole kingdom would 
 be over-run by herely, and inevitable deftruftion 
 would follow. Some of the Portuguefe nobility, 
 however, were of a different opinion ; for they 
 reprefented to the king, that the New Chriftians, 
 or the Proteftants, were good fubjefts and there¬ 
 fore they ought not to be perfected. The king 
 was fo ftruck with the reafons they advanced, that 
 .he commanded his ambafiador at the court of 
 Rome to follicit for a brief, to grant an indul¬ 
 gence to the Proteftants, fo far as that they ffiould 
 in all cafes wherein they were accufed, have an 
 opportunity of being heard by council able to 
 plead their caufe. 
 
 The pope complied with the king’s requeft, 
 and the New Chriftians were permitted to have 
 council affigned them, both at Rome and in Por¬ 
 tugal, to plead in their defence with relpeft to 
 any thing that might be alledged againfl them, 
 by the inquifitors. Accordingly, the council 
 drew up a memorial which they prefented to the 
 pope, praying that his holinefs would order the 
 records of fome former judgements of the in¬ 
 quifition to be laid before him, that he might 
 judge whether thofe who had been condemned to 
 the flames, were guilty or not, and in cafe he 
 found that any thing was wrong, he would apply 
 luitable remedies for the future. His holinefs 
 liftened attentively to their grievances, and 
 feemed to be much aftefted with them, and, as a 
 proof of his fincerity, fent an order to the inqui¬ 
 fitors to tranfmit to him copies of all the records 
 relating to the antient mode of profecuting He¬ 
 retics. This was a moft dreadful blow to the 
 inquifitors, who, with good realon, imagined, 
 that if they complied with the pope’s orders, all 
 their fecrets would be laid open, and their pride 
 demoliflied. At la ft, they relolved to obey the 
 papal mandate,' but his holinefs, who feems to 
 have been a moft arrant hypocrite, firft ordered 
 the inquifitors to be excommunicated to lave ap¬ 
 pearances, and then he abfolved them as perfons 
 who had been wrongfully accufed. 
 
 The methods ufed in proceeding againfl; He¬ 
 retics in Portugal, differ in many refpefts from 
 thofe ufed in Spain; for in Portugal they are more 
 relerved, fo that it is not an eafv matter to difeo- 
 ver all their fecrets. All accufations are taken in 
 fuch a fecret manner, that the perfon accufed 
 knows nothing concerning it, till he is appre¬ 
 hended and committed to prifon. When a per- 
 
 fon 
 
*4-*= The HISTORY of 
 
 ion accufed is apprehended, he is immediately 
 treated as if he had been guilty; all his effects 
 are feized, and his wife and children are turned 
 out of doors, nor dare any perfons whatever 
 contribute towards their fubfiftance. 
 
 When a familiar, who is one of the fpies of 
 the inquifition, has apprehended a criminal, he 
 orders him to follow him, and with that order 
 he is obliged to comply. All the way as they 
 go along, the officer does every thing in his 
 power to induce the prifoner to confefs his guilt, 
 telling him, that if he will do fo, the holy in¬ 
 quifition will have compaffion upon him, and 
 reftore him to his family ; but if he will not 
 confefs any thing, he is told, that he muft lay 
 many months in prifon, and that at laft he will 
 be burned for a Heretic. 
 
 The delinquent being brought to the inquifi¬ 
 tion, he is accofted by the fecretary, who de¬ 
 livers him to the gaoler, who, with two of his 
 followers, carry him to prifon, and exhort him 
 to make an unfeigned confeffion, as the only 
 means to fave him from being burnt alive. 
 And here it is neceffary to obferve, that the ar¬ 
 tifices of thefe officers of the inquifition are fo 
 numerous, that the unweary are eafily led into 
 lnares, and multitudes accufe themfelves when 
 they are not guilty. When the prifoner is 
 brought into his cell, he is fearched, and every 
 thing, whether gold, filver, or even images of 
 Chrift, and theBleffed Virgin, are taken from him. 
 
 All forts of books are taken away from them, 
 it being a maxim in the inquifition, that thofe 
 who are fufpefted of Herefy, fhall neither enjoy 
 temporal nor fpiritual confolation. It is, how¬ 
 ever, allowed by the inquifition, that when the 
 gaoler fhall teftify under his hand, that he be¬ 
 lieves a perfon’s life to be in danger, then in 
 fuch cafes, a confeffor is allowed to be fent for ; 
 and this may lerve to !hew, that the inquifitors 
 in Portugal, are only folicitous to keep up the 
 appearance of religion. 
 
 The fecretary of the inquifition, having re¬ 
 ceived the prifoner from the familiar at the gate, 
 he delivers him to two of his deputies, who 
 convey him to a dungeon. Here two ltrong 
 doors are fhut upon him, and he is confined to 
 a room twelve feet long, and ten wide. This 
 cell is very dark, there being no light to it, be- 
 fides what comes in at a fmall crevice in the 
 top ; and it is fo unchearing to the prifoner, that 
 he fpends the whole day in wifhing for night, 
 purely to enjoy the light of a dim lamp, which 
 the inquifitors allow him. In thefe milerable 
 dungeons, they are allowed three earthen pots 
 to make water in, and another for the more ne¬ 
 ceffary affairs of life ; and as thefe are emptied 
 only once a week, it may eafily be fuppofed 
 how abominable the lmell of the place muft be. 
 In fuminer, during the warm feafon, worms are 
 often found to crawl up the walls of the room ; 
 and if there are many prifoners, four or five 
 are frequently thru ft into one bed, where they 
 have not an opportunity of laying together, fo 
 that they are obliged to ftretch themfelves out in 
 the midftof the filth. 
 
 It is impoffible to fay, whether the prifoners 
 are more happy in having company, or being 
 alone. If they are alone their folitude is dread¬ 
 ful ■, and, in cafe they have company, they are 
 
 the I N Q_U ISIT1GN. 
 
 under the neceffity of bearing with all their ill 
 humours, infirmities, and errors. But the moll 
 dangerous companion a prifoner can have, is 
 one who has confeffed himlelf; that is, one who 
 has acknowledged his errors. Such a one is 
 perpetually perfuading others to do the fame, 
 by alluring them they have no other way left to 
 fave their lives. Adding, that they ought not 
 to be afhamed to do what fo many good people 
 have done before them, and which they them¬ 
 felves, who give this advice, have alio done. 
 Nay, it frequently happens, that the perfon who 
 gives this advice, is one employed by the inqui¬ 
 fition, and who, in the end, becomes an in¬ 
 former, and an evidence. It is frequent, in 
 Portugal, to remove prifoners from one cell to 
 another, where they meet with new companions, 
 of whom they have had no former acquaintance, 
 but who frequently laying hold of fome un¬ 
 guarded exprefiion, become evidences again!! 
 them, and fave themfelves by condemning 
 others ; for it is a maxim in the inquifition, to 
 make the life of every prifoner as milerable as 
 poflible, fo that contrary to nature, they may 
 even wiffi for death. 
 
 The prifoners in thefe miferable dungeons, 
 have not the confolation of bewailing their mis¬ 
 fortunes} for if any of them are heard to make 
 the leaft noife, they are gagged, and whipped 
 moft cruelly. This is done to frighten the reft, 
 who, while the prifoner is punifhed in this 
 manner, a perfon is heard calling aloud, that the 
 prifoner is whipped by order of the lords the 
 inquifitors for having made a noife, or for hav¬ 
 ing beat upon the walls of his cell. Many cri¬ 
 minals have been whipped fo cruelly for only be¬ 
 wailing their mifery, that they have been lame 
 ever after, and fome have actually died without 
 any notice having been taken of thofe who tor¬ 
 mented them. Thefe punifiiments are inflicted 
 on all forts of perfons, without the leaft dif- 
 tinflion of age, fex, or quality, in fo much 
 that they barbaroufly ftrip women of the llridt- 
 eft virtue, and whip them in the moft bar¬ 
 barous manner. But the moft inhuman circum- 
 ftance is, that when a perlbn confined in a cell 
 complains of his bufferings, or bewails his mifery, 
 then all thofe, who are in the fame cell, are to 
 be punifhed along with him. In Portugal, all 
 trials, in the inquifition, are carried on in the 
 following manner. The prifoner, being brought 
 before the fecretary, is ordered to kneel down, 
 and then he is afited his name, country, profef- 
 fion, place of abode, and religion, and a thoufand 
 other fuch trifling queftions; all of which are 
 let down in writing, and figned by the prifoner. 
 Some prifoners, after having been called to the 
 firft audience, are remanded to prifon, and l'ome- 
 times confined two or three years, and others 
 are brought to their trials within a few days. 
 To confine men fo long, and leave them un¬ 
 certain, with refpect to their fate, is certainly a 
 very cruel circumftance, but it is done in order 
 to extort a confeffion from the prifoner. But 
 thefe uncertain delays frequently reduce a pri¬ 
 foner to defpair; and fo unhappy is his fituation, 
 that he often defires to become an evidence ra¬ 
 ther than undergo the feverity of torture ; nay, 
 and frequently accufes himfelf of crimes which 
 he never committed. But after a prifoner has 
 
 • made 
 
The HISf ORY of the 
 
 Made all thefe declarations, yet he is remanded 
 to prifon, under the pretence that fome other 
 crimes are laid to his charge, by perfons with 
 whom he is utterly unacquainted. Nay, it often 
 happens that the prifoners hear things repeated 
 with which they are fo much unacquainted, that 
 they do not know who could have given infor¬ 
 mation againft them. 
 
 Being brought a third time before the inqui- 
 fltors, he is commanded to take an oath that he 
 will tell nothing but the truth, and this he is to 
 do in hopes of obtaining mercy. If he is fufpedted 
 of Judaifm, the two following queftions are pro- 
 poled to him. Did you leave the law of Chrift, 
 in order to follow that of Moles ? or, Do you 
 know any perfons who have done fo ? Have you, 
 confident with the law of Mofes, abftained from 
 fwine’s flefh, from that of hares, rabbits, or filh 
 that have no (hells ? The unhappy prifoner hav¬ 
 ing anfwered thefe queftions in the negative, is 
 immediately remanded back to prifon, nor does 
 he know when his fate will be determined. This 
 is one of the maxims of the inquifition, " That 
 “ it is much better for a mdn to die in prifon than 
 “ to be publicly executed and in confequence 
 of this diabolical maxim, many poor, milerable 
 creatures are flowly murdered, and fometimes it 
 is given out that they have laid violent hands on 
 themfelves. It fometimes happens, that all the 
 force and feverity of the tortures cannot extort a 
 confeflion from the prifoner, who knows himfelf 
 to be innocent, and even when a confeflion is ex¬ 
 torted by torture, no mercy is to be expedted from 
 the inquifitors, although folemnly promifed to 
 the unhappy prifoner. 
 
 James de Mello , a native of Lifbon, a gentle¬ 
 man defeended from a noble family, and a 
 knight of the order of Chrift, had ferved many 
 years as a captain of horfe, with great honour and 
 diftindtion. He had various doubts in his mind, 
 concerning fome of the tenets of popery j and 
 therefore became almoft a Proteftant. His wife 
 and two fons followed his example, but all of 
 them continued to diflemble their fentiments, 
 and always pretended to be much pleafed when 
 they heard of Heretics being apprehended. Dil- 
 fimulation, when we are convinced of the truth, 
 is a mod horrid crime indeed, and Divine Pro¬ 
 vidence generally points out fome way by which 
 it is puniffied. Thus it happened to this James 
 de Mello; for a relation of his being appre¬ 
 hended and committed to the prifon of the in¬ 
 quifition, whether from motives of revenge, or 
 the hopes of pardon, is not certainly known, 
 but we find that he went and gave information 
 againft his friend. 
 
 Upon this they were all thrown into prifon, and 
 as the lady and her children had been tenderly 
 brought up, and hitherto unacquainted with ad- 
 verfity, they foon became very uneafy under 
 their confinement, and therefore, through the 
 perfuafions of the goalers, refolved to make an 
 open confeflion. Deluded by this advice, they 
 all accufed the perfon who was, by all the bonds 
 of tenderne.fs, the deareft to them in the world. 
 The confequence was, that the captain was found 
 guilty of hypocrily and herely, and at the next 
 a& of faith he was burnt alive, acknowledging 
 with his laft breath, that he was a fincere believer 
 
 I N Q_U I S I T I O N. 24 1 
 
 in Jefus Chrift. But there al*e many Other in- 
 ftances which could be mentioned, although the 
 following may fuffice. 
 
 Al-phonje Nobre , a nobleman of high rank, who 
 had ferved the king of Portugal many years as 
 an officer of ftate, had the misfortune to be ac¬ 
 cufed of herely, and was committed to the prifon 
 of the inquifition. As the inquifitors are ftrangers 
 to mercy, fo we find that they tampered fo much 
 with the fon and daughter of this nobleman, that, 
 induced by falfe promifes, they went and accufed 
 their father. The confequence was, the old no¬ 
 bleman was condemned, and as he was walking 
 along with the other convidts in the procefllon, 
 to what is called the aft of faith, it happened 
 that he pafled clofe by his fon. Here was an 
 affedting feene indeed, for the confcience of the 
 unhappy youth being wounded, he fell on his 
 knees and implored pardon of his father, and his 
 bleffing. The father anfwered, “ I pardon you 
 tc for having brought me into this condition, 
 cc through your bafenefs, becaufe I hope that 
 £f God will pardon you, but I cannot give you 
 u my bleffing/’ When Chrift lamented the con¬ 
 dition of the Jews, he did not blefs them. He 
 prayed that God would forgive the unhappy 
 young man, and then chearfully embraced the 
 ftake. 
 
 At Torres Alvas , a city in Portugal, there was 
 a laundrefs who had two fons, and thefe being 
 accufed of herefy, were committed to the prifon 
 of the inquifition in Lilbon. They both per- 
 fifted in their innocence, for which they were de¬ 
 clared obftinate, and their mother having been 
 fufpedted, was put to the torture, and (he, with 
 her two fons, were burnt alive in the midft of a 
 vaft concourfe of people. But Proteftants and 
 Jews are not the foie objedts of perfecution in the 
 inquifition, even merit when found in one of 
 their own members, will render him obnoxious 
 to them. That this is no more than the truth, 
 will appear from the following inftances. 
 
 In the Francifcan convent at Lifbon, was a 
 friar of the name of De Cofta, whofe father had 
 been regifter of the inquifition. This man, tho* 
 a profefied Roman Catholic, yet, as a man of 
 humanity, often lamented the unhappy condition 
 of the poor afflidted Jews. This was taken notice 
 of by fome of his brethren, whom he had endea- 
 voured to convert to the fame fentiments of ten¬ 
 dernefs and compaffion. Some of thefe gave 
 information againft him to the inquifition, and 
 after he had been confined in prifon upwards of a 
 year, was burnt alive. 
 
 Francis de Alevido Cabras , a native of Elvas, 
 in Portugal, and fon of the chief magiftrate of 
 that city, became a moft violent perfecutor of 
 the Proteftants, and gave information againft his 
 own mother and aunt, who were in confequence 
 thereof both burnt alive. Soon after this adt of 
 unnatural barbarity, the young gentleman had 
 the impudence to vifit his aged father, who, not- 
 withftanding the dreadful confequences that 
 might have happened, turned him out of doors. 
 The young gentleman went into Spain, where 
 he finiflied his education ; but having embraced 
 the fentiments of the Jews, he was committed to 
 the prifon of the inquifition, and afterwards 
 burnt alive ; and thus we find how Providence 
 Q^q q condudts 
 
; 4 6 The HISTORY of the 
 
 conducts the affairs of this lower world. There 
 are many other inltances that might be mentioned 
 of perfons being put to death, who never were 
 Proteftants ; but it always has been a rule in the 
 proceedings of the inquifition, to brand thole 
 with the name of Jews, who are in reality Roman 
 Catholics. Thus for thefe many years, when we 
 read of any perfon condemned by the inquifition, 
 they are called either Heretics or Jews, but none 
 of them are ever mentioned as Roman Catholics. 
 This, however, is a grofs impofition upon the 
 people, for there are many Roman Catholics who 
 fufrer death by the inquifition, and if they are 
 rich, it is frequently done to feize upon their 
 eftates, and when once they have planned the 
 deftrudtion of the unhappy perfon, it is no diffi¬ 
 cult matter to get it accomplifhed. 
 
 When a reafonable thinking man reads the 
 hiftoryof the inquifition, and upon enquiry, finds, 
 that all that has been laid concerning it, is true, 
 he will naturally conclude, that the inquifitors 
 are the declared enemies of humanity, and that 
 the church of Rome, by whofe authority they 
 a£t, muff: be not only anti-chriftian, but even the 
 mother of harlots, and abomination of the earth. 
 This will appear the more evident, when we con- 
 fider that they are not contented with confining 
 its direful effects to thofe European countries, 
 where they reign in triumph ; for wherever they 
 can make fettlements in the utmoft extremity of 
 the world, they carry along with them their per- 
 fecuting notions and their horrid practices. 
 
 The Portugefe having eftablifhed a fettlement 
 at Goa in the Eaft-Indies, they lent there a 
 whole cargo of priefts, and amongft thefe, a con- 
 fiderable number of Dominican friars. Plence 
 an inquifition was eftablilhed, and the Heathens, 
 who knew nothing of Chriftianity, were forbid to 
 worfhip their idols, and commanded to become 
 Chriftians without knowing any thing of the 
 gofpel. This inquifition at Goa was founded on 
 the fame principles as thofe in Portugal, and all 
 theprifoners were locked up in leparate cells, fo 
 that four turnkeys were fufficient to fecure two 
 hundred. The prifon of the inquifition at Goa 
 is a moft dreadful place indeed, for it is fo con- 
 ftruefted that the light never enters into it. Nay, 
 the unhappy prifoners have no where to eafe na¬ 
 ture, but the ground upon which they lay, and 
 this is the reafon why many of them die merely 
 on account of the naftinefs, and the noxious fteam 
 arifing from their own excrements. It is true, 
 the Portuguefe have now loft all their territories 
 in that part of the world, but they have left be¬ 
 hind them indeliable marks of their cruelty. Of 
 this we have a fhocking inftance in the cafe of 
 one Mr. Dellon, a French gentleman, who was 
 apprehended and imprifoned by the inquifition at 
 Goa, and left it Ihould be fuppofed that we at¬ 
 tempt to mifiead our readers, we fhall here relate 
 the whole particulars as written by himfelf. 
 The whole of the narrative is fo fimple and 
 artlefs, that it carries along with it all thofe 
 marks of truth, which any reafonable perfon 
 could defire. 
 
 <f When I found, fays he, that I was kept a 
 whole day and night in the cell, without being 
 examined, I began to flatter myfelf that I might 
 continue in it till my affair was concluded; but 
 all my hopes vanifhed, when an officer of the 
 
 I N Q^U I S I T I O N. 
 
 inquifition came the 16th of January, at eight in 
 the morning, and brought orders for carrying us 
 to the Santa Cala, which was immediately exe¬ 
 cuted. The irons with which I was loaded, were in 
 walking very painful to me ; however, we were 
 obliged to walk on foot thus fettered, from the 
 cell to the inquifition. I was helped in going 
 up the ftairs, when I entered with my com¬ 
 panions the great hall, where feveral fmiths 
 knocked off our irons ; which being done, I was 
 firft called to audience. 
 
 After having croffed the hall, I went into an 
 anti-chamber, and from thence into another 
 apartment, where I found my judge. This place 
 is called by the Portuguefe Meja do Santo Ojjicio , 
 i. e. the table or tribunal of the holy office. It 
 was hung with blue and yellow taffety. Atone 
 end of it was a large crucifix in relievo, placed 
 againft the hangings, and reaching up almoft to 
 the ceiling. In the middle of the chamber was a 
 large alcove, on which was fixed a table near fifteen 
 foot long, and four over. There was alfo over 
 the alcove, two eafy chairs, and feveral other feats 
 round the table, and at the end, on one fide of 
 the crucifix, was the fecretary feated on a folding 
 chair. I was placed at the other end, oppofite 
 to the fecretary ; very near me, and at my right 
 hand, was feated, in one of thefe eafy chairs, the 
 great inquifitor of the Indies, Francifco Del¬ 
 gado e Matos, a fecular prieft about forty. He 
 was alone, becaufe then, of the two inquifitors 
 who are generally in Goa, the fecond, who is 
 always a Dominican friar, was embarked for 
 Portugal a little while before, and the king had 
 not yet nominated any perfon to lucceed him. 
 
 At my coming into the hall of audience, I 
 threw myfelf at the feet of my judge, imagining 
 the fuppliant pofture I was in, would move him 
 to compaffion ; but he would not fuffier me to 
 continue in it, and therefore immediately ordered 
 me to rife. Then having afked me my name 
 and my profeffion, he afked me whether I knew 
 the reafon why I had been imprifoned ? where¬ 
 upon he exhorted me to declare it immediatelv, 
 as it was the only means left me to recover my 
 liberty inftantly. After having anfwered thefe 
 two firft queftions, I told him, that I believed I 
 knew the reafon for my being imprifoned, and 
 that in cafe he would be pleafed to hear me, I 
 would immediately accufe myfelf. I mingled 
 tears with my entreaties, and thereupon I threw 
 myfelf a fecond time at his feet; but my judge 
 told me with great coolnefs, that I might take 
 my time, for that matters were not urgent; that he 
 had affairs upon his hands of much greater con- 
 fequence than mine ; that he would give me no¬ 
 tice at a proper leafon, when immediately he 
 rang a little bell for the alcaide, or turnkey of the 
 prifon. This officer came into the hall, and 
 conducted me to a long gallery not far diftant 
 from it, whither we were followed by the fe¬ 
 cretary. 
 
 Here my trunk was brought, which was opened 
 before me ; upon which I was fearched very nar¬ 
 rowly, and every thing I had about me was taken 
 away to the very buttons of my fleeves, and a 
 ring which I wore on my finger; infomuch that 
 they left me nothing but my beads, my handker¬ 
 chief, and a few pieces of gold which I had fewed 
 up in a ribbon, and were lodged between leg and 
 
 flocking, 
 
The HISTORY 
 
 flocking, which they happened to overlook. A 
 pretty exaft inventory was immediately drawn up 
 of ail the reft; but all this was of no manner of 
 fervice tome, fince nothing of value was after¬ 
 wards reftored to me, notwithftanding that the 
 fecretary allured me, and the inquifitor alio, that 
 all I had would be faithfully reftored to me the 
 inftant I fhould be releafed. 
 
 The inventory being drawn up, the alcaide 
 took me by the hand, and carried me to a dun¬ 
 geon ten foot fquare, where I was confined alone, 
 nor did I lee a living foul till the evening, when 
 the iupper was brought me. As I had not eat 
 any thing either that or the preceding day, I eat 
 what was given me very heartily, and dept better 
 upon it. The turnkey coming the next morning 
 with my breakfaft, I defired to have my books 
 and combs; but they told me, that prifoners are 
 never allowed to have books, not even a pried: to 
 have his breviary, though he be obliged to repeat 
 divine fervice; and that as for my combs, I 
 fhould not want them; and indeed this was very 
 true, for they immediately cut off my hair, a 
 cuftom obferved with regard to both women and 
 men, though of the greateft quality, the fird or 
 lecond day at fartheft, of their imprifonment. 
 
 I had been told, when I was firft imprifoned, 
 that when I fhould want any thing, I need do no 
 more than knock gently at the door, in order to 
 call the turnkeys, or to afk for what I wanted at 
 meal-time : and that when I was defirous of o-q- 
 mg to the audience, I need only addrefs myfelf 
 to the alcaide, becaufe the turnkeys, never fpeak 
 to the prifoners without having feme perfon alono- 
 with them. I had alfo been flattered with the 
 hopes, that I fhould be Jet at liberty immediately 
 after my confeffion, which made me continually 
 importune my officeis to let me be carried before 
 my judges; but notwithftanding all my tears and 
 in treaties, I was not indulged with it, till the 
 fait day of January 1674. 
 
 The alcaide, accompanied with a turnkey 
 came to me for that purpofe about two in the af¬ 
 ternoon. I dreffed as he ordered me, and came 
 out of my dungeon bare-legged and bare footed 
 the goalor going before, and the turnkey after 
 me. In this order we walked to the gate of the 
 chamber where audience is given. Here the 
 alcaide advancing a little forward, and making a 
 low bow, came out again, upon which I went in. 
 Jrfeiei found the inquifitor and fecretary, as be¬ 
 fore. Immediately I fell upon my knees, but 
 was ordered to rife and feat myfelf, upon which 
 1 fat down upon a bench which was placed at the 
 end of the table, on the fide where the judges 
 fat. Juft by me, and at the end of the taWe 
 was a mafs book, on which I was firft ordered to 
 lay my hand, and to promife that I would fwear to 
 the truth, and to keep inviolable fecrecy, which 
 are the two oaths required of all who appear be¬ 
 fore this tribunal, whether they come to give in 
 their depofitions or to receive any orders. 
 
 I was afterwards afked, whether I knew the 
 realon of my being imprifoned, and if I were re- 
 folved to declare it ? to which I anfwered. That 
 I was fully determined to do fo. Upon which I 
 made an exaft declaration of all I had before re¬ 
 lated with regard to baptifm and the worfhip of 
 • images ; but did not mention any thing I had 
 laid with refpeft to the inquifitiori, they not oc- 
 
 of the I N Q__U I S I T [ O N. 
 
 At 
 
 curnng at that time to my memory. The judge 
 having again anted me, whether I had any more 
 to fay ? and being told that I could not think of 
 any thing elie, was fo far from fetting nle at li 
 berty,as I had flattered myfelf I fhould be, that he 
 concluded the audience with thefe very words • 
 f hat f had done very well to accufe myfelf vo¬ 
 luntarily, and that he exhorted me in the name 
 of our Lord Jefus Chrift, to declare immediately 
 he remainder of my informations, in order that 
 I migh t experience the goodnefs and mercy which 
 
 cer tv^H gCS t0 aU Wh ° P rove ^ 
 
 cemy of their repentance, by a genuine and vo¬ 
 luntary confeffion. My declaration and the ex¬ 
 hortation being ended and written down, it was 
 read to me, and I figned it; which being done, 
 the inquifitor rang a litre bell to call the alcaide 
 Who came, and carried me back to prifon in fhe 
 fame order I came. F e 
 
 I was carried a fecond time before the judge, 
 without my defiring it, on the ijth of February 
 which made me iuppofe that he intended to fee 
 
 T f b T T 5 'j Bc ' ng come > 1 was a S ain tinned 
 
 Xt roXf h T 3,17 m ° re t0 fay ? 1 was ex ''°rted 
 not to difguife any circumftance, but on the con- 
 
 trary to make a fincere confeffion of my faults. 
 
 I anfwered, that after a very ferious felf-exami- 
 nation, I could not think of any frelh particulars. 
 
 1 then was afked my name, thofe of my father 
 my mother, brothers, grandfathers and grand¬ 
 mothers godfathers and godmothers, whether I 
 
 T-m 2 C ' nftlan ° f ei § ht da ys finding? becaufe 
 children are not baptized in Portugal till the 
 eighth day after their birth, nor are childbed 
 women churched till the fortieth day after theft 
 lying-m, though they had never fo eafy a de 
 ‘very The judge fcemed t0 be 
 I told him that the cuftom of deferring the baD 
 tifm of children a whole week, was not praftifed 
 in France ; but that on the contrary, they were 
 always chr.ftened as ibon as conveniency would 
 
 ofXf V S PreUy eV ' dent by the ob fovance 
 the Por r m0fa c C Cere,r, ° n,cs > that notwithftanding 
 the Portuguefe pretend to have the Jews in fo 
 much abhorrence, they yet are not lb g00 d 
 Chnft.ans as they ought to be. But this is not 
 the greateft evil which flows from the obfervance 
 of theie Jewifh inftitutions; for from the former 
 it happens but too frequently, that children die 
 without being regenerated by the facrament of 
 baptifm, and are by that means excluded heaven 
 for ever ; and m order not to violate the cere¬ 
 mony of purification, which ought to ceafe after 
 the gofpel difpenfation, the Portuguefb women 
 do not in the lead fcruple to aft In contempt 
 to an injunftion of the church, which obliges all 
 Chnftians to aftift every Sunday and every feftival 
 at the holy facnfice of the mafs, unlefs thev hap- 
 f en r *° b< ; prevented from'fo doing by fome 
 lawrul caufe. 
 
 I was further afked the name of the perfon 
 who baptized me, ;n what diocefe, what city 
 and laftly, whether I had ever been confirmed 5 
 and by what bifhop ? Having anfwered thefe fe- 
 veral queftions, I was ordered to kneel down, to 
 make a fign of the crofs, to repeat the Pater 
 Nofter, the Ave Maria, the creed, the command¬ 
 ments of God and the church, and the Salve 
 Regina. In fine, he concluded as before, with 
 exhorting me by the bowels of Jefus, to confefs 
 
 immediately 
 
*4* The HISTORY of 
 
 immediately the feveral crimes and errors I had 
 not yet revealed ; which being written down, 
 and read before me, and figned by myfelf, I was 
 remanded back to prifon. 
 
 From the firft moment of my confinement, I 
 had always been in the deepeft affli&ion, and (bed 
 inceffant tears ; but at my return from the lecond 
 audience, I abandoned myfelf entirely to grief, 
 when I found that I was required to confefs fuch 
 things as to me appeared impofiible, fince I could , 
 not recoiled! any fuch circumftances as I was or- | 
 dered to confefs. I therefore endeavoured to 
 ftarve myfelf; not but I took all the luftenance 
 that was brought me, becaufe, in cafe I had re- 
 fufed it, I fliould have been beat by the turnkeys, 
 who always examine very carefully, upon their 
 taking the plates back, whether the prifoners eat 
 enough to fupport nature 5 but my defpair fug- 
 gefted methods to elude their vigilance in this 
 particular. I fpent whole days without taking a 
 morfel, and ufed to throw part of what was given 
 me into the bafon, to prevent its being leen. 
 This fevere abftinence entirely prevented my 
 deeping, and now I did nothing but macerate 
 my body in this manner, and filed floods of tears. 
 However, in thefe days of forrow and lamenta¬ 
 tion, I revolved in my mind all the errors of my 
 paft life, and confeft that all my mifery was a 
 judgement from heaven upon me : I even per- 
 j'u'aded mylelf, that God perhaps had employed 
 thefe fevere but falutary methods to call me to 
 himfelf; when being a little revived and com¬ 
 forted with thefe reflections, I fincerely implored 
 the affiftance of the holy virgin, who is equally 
 the comforter of the afflidted, and the refuge and 
 afylum of finners ; and indeed I have had fo 
 vilible a demonftration of her protection, as well 
 during my imprifonment, as on feveral other oc- 
 cafions, that I cannot forbear making this public 
 teftimony thereof. 
 
 In fine, after having made a more exaCt, or 
 more happy recolleCtion of all I had laid or done 
 during my refidence at Daman, I remembered 
 the feveral exprefiions I had ufed touching the 
 inquifition and the integrity thereof : Upon which 
 1 immediately defired to be admitted to audi¬ 
 ence ; but this however was not granted me till 
 the 16th of March following. I made no doubt, 
 upon my appearance this time before the judge, 
 but that I ffiould then put an end to my unhappy 
 affair, and after the confeflion I was going to 
 make, be immediately let at liberty; but when 
 I thought my wilhes upon the point of being ac- 
 complifhed, l law myfelf immediately fall from 
 my molt fanguine hopes ; becaufe that when I 
 had declared every thing I had to fay with regard 
 to the inquifition, I was told that this was not 
 what was expeCted from me ; and having nothing 
 elle to fay, I was immediately remanded back, 
 nor would they fo much as write down my con¬ 
 feflion. Defpair having prompted M. Dellon to 
 make away with himfelf, advice thereof was given 
 to the inquifitors, who ordered him to be brought 
 to audience; but he was fo weak, that he was 
 forced to be carried thither. I there, continues 
 he, was laid along the floor, my extreme weak- 
 nefs not allowing me either to fit or ftand. 
 
 Then the inquifitor reproached me feveral 
 times ; gave orders for my being carried away, 
 and handcuffs to be put upon me, to prevent my 
 
 the I N Q^U I S 1 T I O N. 
 
 I forcing off the chains with which I was bound. 
 
 This was immediately executed, and I was not 
 ! only handcuffed, but an iron machine was clapr 
 j about my neck, which held to the handcuffs, and 
 was locked with a padlock ; fo that it was now 
 I impofiible for me to ftir my arms. But this 
 treatment only exafperated me the more: I threw 
 | myfelf on the ground, and ftruck my head againfl: 
 the floor and the walls ; and had I been bound 
 but a little longer in that manner, I fhould in¬ 
 fallibly have got my arms at liberty, and Ihould 
 have died with it : But as I was continually 
 watched, they found by my actions, that feverity 
 was very unfeafonable at this time, and that it 
 were better to employ gentle methods. 
 
 Upon this my irons were knocked off, endea¬ 
 vours were made to comfort me with delufive 
 hopes, I was put into another cell, and had again 
 a companion given me, who was ordered to 
 watch me narrowly. This prifoner was a Black, 
 but much more unfociable than my former com¬ 
 panion. Neverthelefs heaven, who had preferved 
 me from fo great an evil, banifhed the deipair 
 which fat brooding over me, a circumftance in 
 which I was more happy than many others, who 
 frequently make away with themfelves in their 
 confinement in thefe dungeons, where no confola- 
 tionisever allowed to enter. This companion con¬ 
 tinued about two months with me ; for as foon as 
 I appeared to be eafter in my mind he was taken 
 from me, notwithftanding my weaknefs was fo 
 great, that I could fcarce walk from my bed to 
 the door of my cell, when vidtuals were brought 
 me. In fine, after having fpent almoft a year in 
 this manner, I was feafoned to affliftion, and 
 providence afterwards endued me with fo much 
 patience, that I never made any more attempts 
 upon my own life. 
 
 I had been about eighteen months in this con¬ 
 finement, when the judges, being informed that 
 I was in a condition to fpeak, lent for me the 
 fourth time to audience, where I was afked, 
 whether I was not refolved to anfwer what was 
 required of me ? Having replied, that I could 
 not recoiled! a Angle circumffance more, the 
 prodtor of the inquifition appeared with his de¬ 
 claration, in order to fignify to me the feveral 
 informations which had been exhibited againfl: 
 me. 
 
 In all the other examinations I had accufed 
 myfelf, and they were contented with hearing my 
 depofition without defeending to particulars, and 
 had remanded me back to my cell the inftant I 
 protefted I had no'more to declare againfl: myfelf; 
 but in this fourth examination I was accufed, and 
 was allowed to defend myfelf. They read to me, 
 in the informations which were exhibited againfl: 
 me, the feveral things -wherewith I had accufed 
 mylelf. Thefe fadts were true, and I had con- 
 feffed them by my own proper impulfe, confe- 
 quently I had nothing to objedt againfl: thefe 
 fa6ts ; but then I flattered myfelf, that I could 
 prove to the judges they were not fo criminal as 
 they were thought to be. I therefore anfwered, 
 with regard to what I had advanced on baptilm, 
 that I did not any ways intend to oppole the doc¬ 
 trine of the church ; but that the paffage, Un- 
 lefs a man is born of water and of the fpirit, he 
 cannot inherit the kingdom of God, having ap¬ 
 peared very exprefs to me, I defired an expli¬ 
 cation 
 
The HISTORY of the I N Q^U I S I T 1 O N, 
 
 cation of it. The chief inquifitor feemed fur- 
 prized, that I Ihould mention a paffage that every 
 one knows by heart, and his furprize railed my 
 aftonilhment. He afked me where that paffage 
 was to be found ; I anfwered in the Gofpel ac¬ 
 cording to St. John, chapter iii. verfe 5. He 
 then ordered the New Teftament to be brought, 
 looked out the place, read it, but did not explain 
 it to me. However, he was very glad to inform 
 me, that it was fufficiently explained by tradition ; 
 becaufe the church has always looked upon as 
 baptized, not only all thofe who died for our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift, without having received the 
 ordinary form of baptifm, but alfo thofe who 
 defiring to be baptized, and repenting of their 
 fins, have died fuddenly unbaptized. 
 
 It is furprizing to think, that perfons who are 
 eftablifhed judges over others in matters of faith, 
 Ihould be fo profoundly ignorant; and I muft 
 confefs, that I could fcarce believe this circum- 
 ftance myfelf, though I had been an eye-witnefs 
 to it, and have it perfeftly frelh in my memory, 
 had I not found in Tavernier’s Voyages, that how 
 referved foever father Ephraim of Nevers may be 
 on matters relating to the inquifitors, who tor¬ 
 tured him fo cruelly, he yet breaks out into the 
 following expreffion : That nothing Ihocked him 
 fo much as the ftupid ignorance of thofe inqui¬ 
 fitors. 
 
 The proftor, when he read the informations, 
 had faid, that befides what I myfelf had confeffed, 
 I was moreover accufed and clearly convifted of 
 having fpoke with contempt of the inquifition 
 and its minifters, and of having fpoke with great 
 difrefpeft of the pope and his authority. He 
 concluded, that the ftubbornnefs I had hitherto 
 fiiewn ill flighting fo much charitable advice 
 which had been given me, being a manifeft proof 
 that I concealed very pernicious defigns; and that 
 having defigned to teach and foment Herefy, I 
 confequently was become obnoxious to the major 
 excommunication; that my goods and chattels 
 ought to be forfeited to the king, and myfelf de¬ 
 livered over to the executioner, in order to be 
 confirmed in the flames. 
 
 I leave the reader to judge the tortures which 
 thefe conclufions of the proftor railed in my 
 breaft ; notwithftanding, I can truly affirm, that 
 how dreadful foever thofe words may be, yet death 
 would have been more welcome than imprifon- 
 ment. Thus, in fpight of the terror with which 
 I was I'eized, I had yet fpirits enough left to an- 
 fwer the accufations which were then exhibited 
 again ft me, in faying that I never had harboured 
 any finifter intentions 1 that I had ever continued 
 a true Catholic; that all thofe I had converfed 
 with in India, would vouch the truth thereof, par¬ 
 ticularly Father Ambrofe and Father Ives, both 
 French Capuchins, who had frequently heard my 
 confeffions. (I knew after I was fet at liberty, 
 that Father Ives was actually at Goa at the very 
 time when I called upon his teftimony.) That I 
 had fometimes gone fifty miles to celebrate Eafter; 
 that if I had been any ways inclined to entertain 
 heretical principles, I might eafily have fettled in 
 thofe countries in the Indies, where a full liberty 
 of ipeaking is allowed ; and confequently, that I 
 Ihould not, had matters flood thus, have fettled 
 in the dominions of the king of Portugal ; that 
 fo far from dil'puting againft religion, I had, on 
 21 
 
 249 
 
 the contrary, frequently argued with Heretics in 
 defence of it; that indeed I remembered I had 
 fpoke with too much freedom, when I was before 
 the inquifitor ; but that I was greatly furprifed 
 they would impute that very thing to me as a 
 heinous crime, which they had looked upon as a 
 trifle, when I offered to declare it about a year 
 and a half ago : That as to the particulars which 
 related to his holinefs, I could not recoiled that 
 I had expreffed myfelf in the manner laid to my 
 charge; but neverthelefs, if they would pleafe 
 to deicend to particulars, I would fincerely con¬ 
 fefs the truth. 
 
 Then the inquifitor told me, that I was allow¬ 
 ed time to confider of thofe articles which re¬ 
 lated to his holinefs; but that he could not fuf¬ 
 ficiently admire my impudence, in affirming that 
 I had made my confeflion with regard to the in¬ 
 quifition, fince ’twas very certain that I had not 
 once opened my mouth upon that head; and 
 that in cafe I had made my declaration upon that 
 article, when I faid I had done it, I Ihould not 
 have been kept fo long in prifon. 
 
 I remembered fo perfeftly every thing I had 
 advanced, and the anfwers that had been made 
 me, and was fo tranfported with rage to fee my¬ 
 felf mocked in that manner, that if I had not 
 been immediately ordered to withdraw, upon the 
 figning of my depofition, it would have been 
 impoffible forme to refrain from opprobrious ex- 
 preffions before the judge: And had I had 
 ftrength and liberty equal to the courage with 
 which my paffion fired me, I perhaps Ihould 
 have gone farther than injurious terms. 
 
 I was called three or four times to audience in 
 a month, where I was urged to confefs thofe par¬ 
 ticulars I had advanced with refpeft to the pope. 
 A new proof was then declared to me, which the 
 proftor pretended was drawn up againft me on 
 that head, but which did not differ in a Angle 
 circumftance from what had before been urged 
 againft me. But a proof that the whole was a 
 falle accufation, and invented merely to force me 
 to fpeak, is, that they would not declare to me 
 the particulars which they pretended I had ad¬ 
 vanced. At laft, finding they could get no more 
 out of me, they faid no more; and this article 
 was not inferted in my indiftment, when it was 
 read publicly in the aft of faith. 
 
 They therefore attempted again in thefe laft 
 audiences, to oblige me to confefs, that in the 
 leveral fafts I agreed upon, I really intended to 
 defend herefy; but this I was refolved never to 
 own, fince it was a fallhood. During November 
 and December, my ears were wounded with the 
 cries of prifoners who were put to the torture, 
 which is fo fevere that I have known feveral per¬ 
 fons of both fexes, who were lame all their life¬ 
 time after, and among the reft, the firft com¬ 
 panion I had in my confinement. In this holy 
 tribunal no regard is had to age, fex, or condi¬ 
 tion ; but all are treated with the fame feverity, 
 and they are indiferiminately tortured, and ftript 
 almoft naked, whenever the bloody-minded in¬ 
 quifitors are pleafed to order it. 
 
 I remembered I had heard before my imprifon- 
 ment, that the aft of faith was generally folem- 
 nized the firft Sunday in Advent, becaufe that 
 paffage of feripture which relates to the laft 
 judgement is read on that day in churches, the 
 R r r inquifitors 
 
The HISTORY of the IN Q^U I S I T I O N. 
 
 inquifitors then pretending to exhibit a lively re- 
 prefentation thereof. I moreover obferved, that 
 there were a great number of perfons confined in 
 that prifon ; the deep lilence which reigns in that 
 houi'e giving me an opportunity to count the 
 number of doors which were daily opened at the 
 Rated times of eating. I was befides almoft fure 
 that a new archbifhop arrived at Goa in October, 
 the fee having been vacant for almoft thirty years. 
 At leaft I thought fo, becaufe the bells of the 
 cathedral had rung in an extraordinary manner for 
 nine days together, at a time when neither the 
 univerlal church, nor that of Goa in particular, 
 folemnize any remarkable feftival. I knew that 
 this prelate was expedted even before my confine¬ 
 ment. 
 
 Thefe feveral reafons made me flatter myfelf, 
 that I might gain my liberty in the beginning of 
 December * but when I found the firft and fecond 
 Sunday in Advent were paft, I did not doubt but 
 either my liberty or confinement was poftponed for 
 at leaft twelve months. As I fancied that the adl 
 of faith was never folemnized but in the beginning 
 of the month of December, finding it elapfe 
 without the leaft fign of any preparation for that 
 dreadful ceremony, I refolved to fubmit another 
 year to my affiidtions •, neverthelefs, I found at a 
 time when I leaft expedted it, that I was likely to 
 be let at liberty. 
 
 I obferved that Saturday the nth of January, 
 1676, intending after dinner to give my linen to 
 the turnkeys in order to get it wafhed, as was the 
 cuftom, they refufed to take it, and put it off till 
 the next day. I could not but revolve a thoufand 
 thoughts upon the occaflon of this extraordinary 
 refufal, but not finding one fatisfadtory, I at laft 
 concluded, that pofiibly the adfc of faith might be 
 folemnized the next day ; but I was more ftrongly 
 confirmed in my opinion, or rather looked upon 
 it as certain, when after hearing the ringing for 
 Vefpers at the cathedral. Matins were rung im¬ 
 mediately after, which had never been done fince 
 my confinement, the eve of the feaft of Corpus 
 Chrifti excepted, which is always folemnized in 
 India, the Thursday immediately following Low- 
 Sunday, becaufc of the continual rains which fall 
 at the time of its celebration in Europe. One 
 would have thought that my heart was going to be 
 filled with joy, fince I thought I fhould be foon 
 fet at liberty, and that I fhould come out of the 
 grave, as it were, in which I had been buried for 
 near two years ; neverthelefs the dread with which 
 the fatal conclufion of the prodtor had filled me, 
 and the uncertainty of my deftiny, heightened my 
 affliction to that degree, that I fpent the remainder 
 of that day, and part of the night, in fuch a condi¬ 
 tion as would have moved the hardeft heart, thofe 
 excepted under whofe cruelty I fuffered. 
 
 Supper was brought me, which I refufed, and 
 contrary to the cuftom it was not urged upon me ; 
 but no fooner were the doors fhut, but I gave 
 myfelf up to grief and defpair. At laft, after 
 having deplored my hard fate with fighs and tears, 
 oppreffed with the molt piercing anguifh, I began 
 to dofe about eleven at night. I had not been long 
 afleep, when I was on a fudden awaked by the 
 noife which the turnkeys made in opening the 
 doors of my cell * and as this was unufual, I was 
 furprized to fee people enter into it with a light ; 
 
 and my fears were not a little increafed by the late- 
 nefs of the hour. 
 
 Then the alcaide gave me cloaths, which he 
 ordered me to put on, and to be ready to leave 
 my cell when he fhould call me for that purpole •, 
 then he went away, leaving a lighted lamp in the 
 dungeon. I now had neither ftrength enough to 
 rife, nor to anfwer •, and the moment the turnkeys 
 left me, I was feized with fuch a trembling, that 
 for above an hour I could not fo much as c.ift my 
 eyes upon the cloaths which were left me. At laft 
 I role, and falling proftrate upon the earth before 
 a crofs which I had drawn upon a wall, I recom¬ 
 mended myfelf to Heaven, and refigned myfelf 
 wholly to Providence; after which 1 put on the 
 fuit, which confifted in a waiftcoat, the fleeves 
 whereof reached to the wrift, and a pair of 
 drawers that reached to the heels •, the whole 
 made of a black and white ftriped linen. 
 
 I did not wait long after the drefs was brought 
 me, for the turnkeys came about two in the morn¬ 
 ing into my cell, whence I was carried into a long 
 gallery, where I found a great number of my 
 fellow-fufferers ftanding againft the walls. Here 
 I placed myfelf, and feveral did the fame after me. 
 Notwithftanding there were upwards of two hun¬ 
 dred more in this gallery, yet as all of them were 
 gloomily filent, that there were not above a dozen 
 Whites among them, who could fcarce be diftin- 
 guifhed from the reft, and that all were clothed 
 in the fame drefs with myfelf, they might eafily 
 have been taken for fo many ftatues fixed againft 
 the wall, had not the motion of their eyes, which 
 was the only liberty allowed them, ftiewed them 
 to be living creatures. 
 
 The gallery in which we flood had fo few lamps 
 in it, and the light of them was fo very faint and 
 weak, that this circumftance, added to the crowd 
 of black and forrowful obje&s, feemed to make 
 the whole like a burial. 
 
 The women, who were clothed in the fame 
 linen as the men, were placed in an adjacent gal¬ 
 lery, where we could fee them; but I obferved, 
 that in a dormitory not far from the place where 
 we flood, there were alfo prifoners clothed in a 
 fuit, which defeended very low, who walked up 
 and down from time to time. I did not then know 
 what this meant, but was informed a few hours 
 after, that they were thofe who were to be burnt, and 
 were walking up and down with their confeflbrs. 
 
 As I was unacquainted with the formalities of the 
 holy office, how heartily foever 1 might formerly 
 have wifhed to die, I then was under dreadful ap- 
 prehenfions left I fhould be one of thofe who were 
 condemned to the flames. Plowever, I cheered 
 myfelf a little, when I confidered my drefs was 
 not different from the reft, and that it was not 
 likely fuch a number of people would be burnt 
 as were there prefent. 
 
 After we were all placed againft the wall, a 
 yellow wax taper was given to each of us; after 
 which clothes were brought us made like tunics, 
 or large fcapularies •, they were of yellow cloth, 
 with red St. Andrew’s crofles painted before and 
 behind. Such as are branded with thefe ftigmas, 
 are thofe who have been guilty, or iuppofed to be 
 guilty, of crimes againft the faith of Chrift, whe¬ 
 ther they be Jews, Mahometans, Wizards, or 
 Heretics, who have left the Catholic religion. 
 
 Thefe 
 
The HISTORY of the 
 
 Thefe large fcapularies with large St. Andrew’s 
 erodes are called San-benitos. 
 
 Thofe who are looked upon as convidls, and 
 perfift in declaring their innocence, or have re- 
 lapfed, wore another kind of fcapulary called 
 Samarra, the ground whereof is grey ; the crimi¬ 
 nal is drawn thereon, both before and behind, 
 ftanding on fire-brands, with flames mounting 
 upwards, and devils around them. At the bottom 
 of the portrait the crime and name of the pri- 
 foner are written. But fuch as accufe themfelves 
 after fentence has been pronounced upon them 
 before their releafe, and have not relapfed, have 
 flames pointing downwards painted on their Sa- 
 marra’s, and this is called Reverfed Fire. 
 
 San-benitos were given to twenty blacks accufed 
 of magic, and to a Portuguefe convidted of the 
 fame crime, and who was moreover a new Chris¬ 
 tian ; and as they were refolved not to revenge 
 themfelves by halves, but to iniult me to the ut- 
 moft, they forced me to put on a drefs like to that 
 of the wizards and heretics, though I had always 
 confefled the Catholic religion. This the judges 
 might eafily have known from a great many peo¬ 
 ple, both Frenchmen and others, with whom I 
 had lived in feveral parts of India. My terror 
 was increafed when I faw myfelf in this habit, 
 becaufe I thought that as there were not, among 
 fo great a number of criminals, but twenty-two 
 perlons who were dreflfed with thefe ignominious 
 San-benitos, it was very poflible-that thefe only 
 were thofe who were not to be pardoned. 
 
 After the San-benitos, five pafteboard caps were 
 brought, fhaped like a fugar-loaf, having devils 
 and flames painted on them, with the word Wizard 
 round them. Thefe caps are called Carochas, 
 and were put on the heads of the five moll guilty 
 of the criminals, among thofe who were accufed of 
 magic •, and as they flood pretty near me, I ex- 
 pedled to have one alfo ; however I was miftaken. 
 
 I then almoft doubted no more but that thefe mi- 
 ferable wretches were to be really burnt, and as 
 they were not better acquainted than myfelf with 
 the formalities of the inquifition, they have fince 
 told me, that they thought their ruin inevitable. 
 
 Every one being habited according to his im¬ 
 puted crime, we were allowed to fit upon the 
 ground till farther orders. About four in the 
 morning feveral domeftics belonging to the prifon 
 came after the turnkeys, to give bread and figs to 
 fuch as would eat *, but for my part, though I 
 had not fupped the night before, I had fo little ap¬ 
 petite, that I Ihould have taken nothing, had not 
 one of the turnkeys come up to me and laid, 
 Take the bread that is offered you-, and if you 
 cannot eat it now, put it into your pocket, for 
 depend upon it, you will be hungry before you 
 come back. Thefe words gave me the higheft 
 confolation, and difpelled all my fears, fince he 
 talked of my returning back, which made me 
 take his advice. At lafl, after having long waited, 
 day began to break about five, when one might 
 plainly behold in the face of all the prifoners, 
 the various impulfes of fhame, grief, and fear, as 
 thofe different paffions raged in their bofoms -, for 
 notwithftanding that they were all fiulhed with 
 joy, when they found they were going to be 
 delivered from their dreadful and infupportable 
 captivity, yet the uncertainty of their fate very 
 much diminifhed their tranlports. 
 
 I N Q_U I S I T I O N. a Sl 
 
 The largeft bell of the cathedral began to ring a 
 little before fun rife, to give notice to the people 
 of the folemnization of the aft of faith, which is, 
 as it were, the triumph of the holy office. We 
 at firft: marched out one by one, and I obferved in 
 palling out of the gallery into the great hall, that 
 the inquifitor was fitting at the door, having a 
 fecretary ftanding near him; that the hall was 
 crowded with the inhabitants of Goa, whofe names 
 were written in a lift which the fecretary held in 
 his hand ; and at the fame time that a prifoner 
 was ordered out, he named one of thofe gentlemen 
 who were in the hall, who immediately went up 
 to the prifoner, and attended him, in order to 
 ftand godfather to him in fhe aft of faith. Thefe 
 godfathers anfwer for the perfons they attend 
 upon, and reprefent them when the feftival is 
 ended. The inquifitors pretend that it is a great 
 honour for a perl’on to be chofen godfather on 
 thefe occafions. 
 
 The general of the Portuguefe (hips in India 
 was my godfather, and therefore I came out along 
 with him ; and being got into the ftreet, I found 
 that the procefiion opened with the Dominicans, 
 who enjoy this privilege becaufe St. Dominic, 
 their founder, inftituted the inquifition. Before 
 them, the ftandard of the holy office was carried, 
 in which the image of the founder was wrought 
 in very rich embroidery, holding a fword in one 
 hand, and an olive branch in the other, with this 
 infeription, Juftice and Mercy. After thefe friars 
 followed the prifoners, walking one after another, 
 with each a wax taper in his hand. The leaft 
 guilty walked firft, and as I was not looked upon 
 to be very innocent, above an hundred prifoners 
 walked before me. Men and women walked to¬ 
 gether, for there was no other diftimftion than that 
 of crimes. I, like the reft, was bareheaded and 
 barefooted, but I fullered very much in the march, 
 which lafted above an hour, becaufe of the little 
 flints with which the ftreets of Goa are filled, fo 
 that my feet were all bloody. 
 
 We were carried through the principal ftreets, 
 expofed to the fight of innumerable lpecftators, 
 who were come from all parts of India, and 
 lined the way as we walked ; care being taken 
 to give notice of the aft of faith in fermon time, 
 in the moft diftant churches, a long time before its 
 lolemnization. At laft, opprefied with fhame and 
 confufion, and vaftly fatigued with the march, we 
 arrived at St. Francis’s church, which was then 
 appointed to prepare the celebration of the aft of 
 faith. The high altar was covered with black, 
 and had on it fix filver candlefticks, in which were 
 fix lighted white wax tapers. On each fide of the 
 altar two feats like thrones were railed; that to 
 the right for the inquifitor and his council, and 
 the other for the viceroy and his court. 
 
 At fome diftance from them, and oppofite to 
 the high altar, a little towards the door, another 
 altar had been raifed, on which two mafs-books 
 lay open. From them to the church gate a gallery 
 was built about three feet v/ide, railed in on each 
 fide; and on each fide forms were placed for the 
 criminals to fit on, with their refpective godfathers, 
 who fat down as they came into the church, fo that 
 thofe who came firft into it, fat neareft to the altar. 
 Being feated in my place, I began to confider the 
 order which thole who came after me were made 
 to obferve. I found that thofe who wore the 
 
 dreadful 
 
The HISTORY of the I N O U I S I T I O N. 
 
 dreadful Carrochas above-mentioned, walked laft 
 in the procefiion; that immediately a large cru¬ 
 cifix was carried, the face of which was turned to 
 thofe who walked before it, and which was fol¬ 
 lowed by two perfons and four ftatues, that were 
 carried, big as the life, and reprefenting fo many 
 men, each of them fixed upon a long pole, and 
 accompanied with fo many boxes, each carried 
 by a man, which boxes were filled with the bones 
 of thofe whom thole ftatues reprelented. 
 
 By the face of the crucifix turned towards thofe 
 who preceded it, the mercy that had been (hewn 
 them is denoted, by (paring their lives, though 
 they had juftly deferved to die ; and by the faid 
 crucifix’s being turned behind to thofe who fol¬ 
 lowed it, is denoted, tliat thofe unhappy wretches 
 are now loft to all hope ; thus every thing that 
 relates to the inquifition has a myfterious figni- 
 fication. The drefs of thefe unhappy perfons in- 
 fpired equal horror and pity. The living crimi¬ 
 nals, and the ftatues, were cloathed in Samaras, 
 made of grey linen, painted full of devils, flames, 
 and firebrands, on which the criminal’s head was 
 painted, both before and behind, with the fen- 
 tence written below, containing in few words, 
 and in large letters, his name, that of his country, 
 and the crime for which he was to fuffer. They 
 alfo wore Carrochas, which, like the habit, were 
 filled with flames and devils. The little trunks 
 in which the bones of thofe who died were laid, 
 and who had been profecuted before or after their 
 deceafe, before or after their imprifonment, in 
 order that their goods and chattels might be con- 
 fifeated, were alfo painted black, and covered 
 with demons and flames. 
 
 We are here to obferve, that the inquifitors do 
 not confine their jurifdi£tions over the living 
 only, or fuch as die in prifon ; but that they fre¬ 
 quently profecute people feveral years after their 
 death, whenever they may be impeached of 
 any confiderable crime. In this cafe their bodies 
 are dug up, and if they are found guilty, their 
 bones are burnt in the a< 5 l of faith ; all their 
 goods and chatties are confifcated, which are 
 forcibly taken away from their heirs. I advance 
 nothing in this place but what I myfelf know to 
 be true ; for among the ftatues that were carried 
 in the a<ft of faith, one of them reprelented a 
 man dead many years before, who had been 
 lately profecuted, his coffin dug up, his goods 
 confifcated, and bones burnt, or perhaps thofe 
 of fome other perfon who had been buried in the 
 fame place. 
 
 Thefe unhappy wretches being entered in the 
 gloomy manner above deferibed, and leated in 
 the places appointed them near the church door, 
 the inquifitor came, attended by his officers, and 
 went and leated himfelf on the bench that flood 
 to the right of the altar, during which, the vice¬ 
 roy and his court leated themfelves to the left. 
 The crucifix was placed on the altar, betwixt the 
 fix candlefticks, when every one being feated in 
 his place, and the church crowded with people, 
 the provincial of the Auftin-Friars went up into 
 the pulpit, and preached for half an hour. Not- 
 vithftanding my great anguilh of heart, I ob- 
 ferved he compared the inquifition to Noah’s 
 Ark ; but neverthelefs that he found this dif¬ 
 ference between them, viz. That the beafts who 
 entered into the ark, came from thence after the 
 
 flood with the very identical inclinations they had 
 carried into it; but that the inquifition had this 
 admirable property, to make fo great a change 
 with regard to thofe who were imprifoned in it, 
 that many who were cruel as lions and tygers at 
 their going in, came out from thence as meek and 
 gentle as lambs. Sermon being ended, two 
 readers went alternately into the pulpit, where 
 they read in public the trial of the feveral crimi¬ 
 nals, and alfo their refpedtive fentences. 
 
 The prifoner whofe fentence was read, was, 
 while that was doing, conducted by the Alcaide 
 to the middle of the gallery, where he flood, 
 with a lighted wax-taper in his hand, till his 
 fentence was read. And as all the prisoners are 
 fuppofed to have incurred the penalty of the 
 greater excommunication, after their trial and 
 fentence have been read, the prifoner is carried 
 to the foot of the high altar, on which the mafs- 
 books are laid; and there being ordered to kneel, 
 he lays his hands on the book, and continues in 
 that pofture till every criminal has a mals-book 
 before him. 
 
 Then the reader laying afide the trials, reads 
 aloud the confeffion of faith, having firft briefly 
 exhorted the prifoners to repeat it after him with 
 their hearts as well as their mouths ; and this be¬ 
 ing done, each prifoner returned back to his 
 place, and the trials were again read. 
 
 I was called in my turn, when I found my im¬ 
 peachment confided of three heads : The firft, 
 for having afierted the invalidity of infant 
 baptifm ; the fecond, for having faid that images 
 are not to be worfhipped, and for having blaf- 
 phemed a crucifix, by faying, that one of ivory 
 was no more than a piece of ivory ; and thirdly, 
 for having fpoke with contempt of the inquifition 
 and its minifters; but above all for the blacknefs of 
 my intentions when I affirmed thefe feveal things: 
 In confideration whereof I was declared excom¬ 
 municate ; and for reparation, my goods and 
 chattels were confifcated to the king’s ule, and 
 myfelf banilfied from the Indies, and condemned 
 to row in the Portuguefe gallies for five years, and 
 alfo to fulfil the other penances which fhould be 
 particularly enjoined me by the inquifition. 
 
 Of thefe punifhments, none was fo grievous to 
 me as my being forced to leave the Indies, where 
 I had made a refolution of travelling feveral 
 years longer: However, this refleftion was 
 fweetened, when I confidered that I was going 
 to be releafed out of the clutches of the inqui¬ 
 fitors. My confeffion of faith being read, I re¬ 
 turned to my place, and made my advantage of 
 the advice my turnkey had given me, not to re- 
 fule the bread which was offered me ; for as the 
 ceremony lafted the whole day, none of the 
 criminals eat any thing that day but in the 
 church. 
 
 After the trials of thofe who were pardoned 
 were read, the inquifitor left his feat, in order to 
 put on the albe and the Hole; when being accom¬ 
 panied with about twenty priefts, each having a 
 fwitch in his hand, he came into the middle of 
 the church, where, after having faid feveral 
 prayers, we were abfolved from the excommuni¬ 
 cation, which it was pretended we had incurred, 
 by virtue of a ftroke on the back, which thefe 
 priefts gave to each of us with the fwitch. 
 
 I cannot forbear relating a circumftance, to 
 
 fhew 
 
Y/r/.rr^M i y /^,\ ' VCIVKV,) /" .IWOAlCr 
 
____ 
 
The HISTORY of the 
 
 fhew how grofly fuperftitious the Portuguefe are 
 with regard to every thing which relates to the 
 inquifition ; which is, that during the proceftion, 
 and all the time I continued in the church, my 
 godfather would never anfwer me, though I 
 lpoke feveral times to him, and befought him to 
 give me a pinch of fnufF, which he refufied me 
 for fear of being involved in the fame cenfure 
 as mylelfj but as loon as I was abfolved, he em¬ 
 braced me, gave me fnuff, and told me he then 
 looked upon me as his brother, lince the church 
 had loofed me. 
 
 The ceremony being ended, and the inqui- 
 fitor returned to his feat, the prifoners who were 
 to be burnt were made to advance forward. There 
 were a man, a woman, and the images of four 
 men deceafed, with the boxes in which their 
 bones were laid : The man and woman were 
 black Indians, and Chriftians, accufed of magic, 
 and condemned as relapfed; but in reality were 
 no more wizards than thofe who condemned 
 them. 
 
 Of the four images, two reprefented men con¬ 
 victed of magic, and the other two, two men, 
 both new Chriftians, accufed of turning Jews ; 
 one whereof died in the inquifition, and the 
 other in his own houfe, and had been buried 
 many years before in his parifh church. How¬ 
 ever, being accufed after his death of embracing 
 the Jewifh principles, as he died very rich, the 
 inquifitors had caufed his Hody to be taken out of 
 the grave, in order to burn his bones in the a£t 
 of faith. Hence it is plain, that the inquifitors, 
 like our Saviour himfelf, exercife a power over 
 the living and the dead. 
 
 The trials of thefc unhappy perfons were read, 
 which all ended with thefe words, viz. That it 
 not being in the power of the holy office to par¬ 
 don them, becaufe of their relapfing into their 
 errors or their impenitence, and being indifpen- 
 fibly obliged to punifh them to the utmoft rigour 
 of the laws, they therefore delivered them over 
 to the flames. 
 
 While thefe laft words were pronouncing, a 
 ferjeant from the fecular power advanced for¬ 
 ward, and took pofleffion of thefe unfortunate 
 perfons, who before had been ftruck gently on 
 the breaft by the alcaide, to fhew they were aban¬ 
 doned by the inquifitors. In this manner the aCt 
 of faith ended, and whilft the condemned cri¬ 
 minals were carried to the river fide, where the 
 viceroy and his court were afiembled, and where 
 the piles on which they were to be burnt, had 
 been prepared the day before; while thefe things, 
 
 I fay, were doing, we were carried back to pri- 
 l'on, but without obferving any order as we 
 walked. 
 
 Though I did not fee them executed, yet as I 
 had a full account of it from perfons who had 
 been prefent at feveral of thefe executions, I (hall 
 give a defcription thereof in few words. When 
 the condemned prifoners are coming to the place 
 where the lay-judges are afiembled, they are 
 afked, What religion they chufe to profefs at 
 leaving the world ? But they do not make the 
 leaft mention of their trial, which is fuppofed to 
 have been fair, and that they were juftly con¬ 
 demned, the inquifition being looked upon as 
 infallible. 
 
 Having anfwered this only queftion that is 
 
 I N Q^U I S I T I O N, 2S3 
 
 | afked them, the executioners lay hold of them, 
 and tie them to ftakes; where they are firft 
 ftrangled, in cafe the/ die Chriftians ; but if 
 they perfift in profelfing Judaiftn or Herefy, 
 they then are burnt alive : However, this hap¬ 
 pens fo rarely, that there is fcarce one inftance of 
 it in four a<fts of «Faith, though feveral perfon9 
 generally fuffer on thofe occafions. The day 
 after the execution, the pidures of the executed 
 criminals are carried into the church of the Do¬ 
 minicans. Their heads only are to be reprefented 
 to the life, with firebrands under them, with their 
 names, thofe of their fathers, and their country, 
 and the crimes for which they luffered, with the 
 day of the month and year of their execution. 
 
 In cafe the criminal had relapfed into his guilt, 
 thefe words are written under his pidure, He 
 Was burnt as an Heretic relapfed. If he perfe- 
 vered in his error, after having been accufed but 
 once, the words Continuing in herely, are written 
 under his pidure; but there are very few of thefe. 
 In fine, if after having been accufed but once, by 
 a diffident number of witnefies, he perfifts .in 
 aflertinghis innocence, and dies in profefting the 
 Chriftian religion, then there is under his pidure. 
 He was burnt as an Heretic convid, but did not 
 confefs. And of the latter there are great num¬ 
 bers. Now it is certain, that out of an hundred 
 who die as negatives, ninety-nine are not only 
 innocent of the crime imputed to them, but chufe 
 to die, rather than falfiy confefs themfelves guilty 
 of a crime. For it is not natural to fuppofe, that 
 was a man fure to be pardoned in cafe he would 
 confefs, would perfift in his innocence, and chufe 
 rather to be burnt than to own a truth, the con- 
 fefllon of which would fave him. 
 
 Thefe terrible portraits are hung up in the 
 nave, and over the great gate of the church, as 
 fo many illuftrious trophies facred to the glory of 
 the holy office ; and when the fide of the church 
 is filled, they aifo croud the wings near the o’ate 
 with them. In the great church of the Domi¬ 
 nicans at Lifbon, which is not far from the in¬ 
 quifition, there are feveral hundreds of thefe 
 melancholy paintings. 
 
 I was fo wearied and dejeded at my return 
 from the ad of faith, that I was almoft as de- 
 firous of going back to my cell, as I had been a 
 little before to come out of it. My godfather 
 accompanied me to the hall, and the alcaide 
 having carried me into the gallery, I went and 
 fhut myfelf up whilft he was looking after the 
 reft. Being got in, I threw myfelf upon the bed 
 till my lupper fhould be brought me, which con- 
 fifted only of bread and figs, the hurry of the 
 day not allowing the officers to get any thing 
 elfe. I fiept however much better this night than 
 I had done for a confiderable time before, but 
 the moment day appeared, I was impatient to 
 know my fate. About fix, the alcaide bid me 
 give him back the drefs I had worn in the pro- 
 cefiion, which I willingly returned him ; and at 
 the fame time offered him the San-benito, but 
 he would not receive it, I being to wear it on all 
 Sundays and feftivals till I had completed my 
 fenter.ee. 
 
 About feven, breakfaft was brought me, and 
 a little after, I was ordered to pack up my things, 
 and to be in readinefs againft my being called 
 out. I obeyed this laft order with all poffible 
 S f f care 
 
2C4 The H I S T O R Y of the I N Q^U I S I T I O N. 
 
 care and difpatch; when about nine, a turnkey 
 opened my door, ordered me to take up my 
 bundle upon my fhouldefs, and to follow him to 
 the great hall, whither the greateft part of the 
 prifoners were already come, Having ftaid fome 
 time here, I favv about twenty of my fellow pri¬ 
 foners, who had been fentertfed to be whipt the 
 day before, which had juft then been executed 
 Upon them by the hands of the common hang¬ 
 man, through all the ftreets of the city. Being 
 thus affembled, the inquifitor came in, when we 
 all fell on our knees to receive his blefting, after 
 having killed the ground he walked upon. Or¬ 
 ders were afterwards given to fuch blacks as had 
 few or no clothes, to carry thofe of the whites. 
 Such of the prifoners as were not Chrillians, were 
 immediately lent to the places whither they had 
 been condemned ; fome of them into banifh- 
 ment, others to the gallies, or the houfe where 
 powder is made, called Cafa da Polvera j and 
 the Chriftians, whether blacks or whites, were 
 carried to a houfe hired for that purpofe in the 
 city, there to be inftrudted for fome time. 
 
 The blacks lay in the parlours and galleries, 
 and the whites were put into a feparate apart¬ 
 ment, where we were confined all night, but had 
 liberty to range the whole houfe over in the day¬ 
 time, and to l'peak with any body. The whites 
 and blacks were catechifed feparately every day, 
 and mafs was daily celebrated, at which we all 
 affifted, as alfo at morning and evening prayers. 
 During my ftay in this houle, I was vifited by a 
 religious Dominican, my friend, whom I had 
 known at Daman, where he was prior. The 
 good Father, who was oppreffed with years and 
 ficknefs, no fooner heard of my being fet at 
 liberty, but he immediately vifited me in a ledan. 
 He bewailed my ill fate with tears and embraces, 
 telling me that he had been in great terror for 
 my fake ; that he had frequently enquired into 
 the ftate of my health, and my affairs, of the Fa¬ 
 ther Procurator of the prifoners, his friend, and 
 of the fame order; that he could obtain no an- 
 lwer for a conliderable time ; and that at laft, af¬ 
 ter many entreaties, all he could get out of him, 
 was, that I was ftill alive. The fight of this good 
 friar gave me great eonfolation, and the neceftity 
 1 was under of leaving the Indies was a trouble to 
 us both. He had the humanity to vifit me feve- 
 ral times, when he requefted me to return to the 
 Indies as loon as I fhould be fet at liberty, and 
 lent me provifions of various kinds for a voyage, 
 which otherwife I could never have procured. 
 
 After I had lived in this houfe till the twenty- 
 third of January, we were again conduced into 
 the hall of the inquifition, when each of us was 
 called in his turn to the board of the holy office, 
 there to receive from the hands of the inquifitor, 
 a paper containing the penances to which we 
 were refpettively fentenced. I went thither in 
 my turn, when laying my hands on the gofpels, 
 
 I was ordered to kneel down, and to promife not 
 to reveal any of thofe particulars, which had 
 happened in the inquifition during my imprifon- 
 ment. The judge afterwards gave me a paper 
 figned by himlelf, containing the penance en¬ 
 joined ; and as it was ffiort I fhall tranferibe it 
 word for word. 
 
 Lift of the penances enjoined, &c. i. During 
 the three years to come, he fhall confefs and 
 
 communicate : The firll year, every month ; 
 and the two following, at Eafter, Whitfuntide, 
 Chriftmas, and the Affumption of our Lady. 
 2. Fie fhall affift at mafs all Sundays and Feftivals, 
 in cafe he has opportunity for l'o doing. 3. Dur¬ 
 ing the laid three years, he fhall daily repeat five 
 times the Pater Nofter and Ave Maria, in ho¬ 
 nour of the five wounds of our Saviour Chrift. 4. 
 He fhall not engage in friendfhip with Heretics, 
 or perfons whole faith is in the leaft fufpedted, 
 which may in any manner prejudice his lalvation. 
 5. He fhall keep inviolably fecret, all he has 
 either feen, laid, or heard ; as alfo whatever has 
 been tranfadled with himfelf, either at the board, 
 or other places of the holy office. 
 
 Franci/co Delgado e Matoi .” 
 
 It is really amazing for a reafonable man to 
 reflect, that lovereign princes will degrade them- 
 felves fo low as to fuffer a few Dominican priefts 
 to trample on all their privileges, to delpife their 
 dignity, and to injure their fubjedls. Ignorance 
 among the vulgar may induce them to fubmit to 
 the inquifition, and lelf-prefervation obliges them 
 to be on their guard \ but for a lovereign prince 
 to fee his dignity trampled on, and his fubjedls 
 perfecuted, is the worlt of policy that any perfon 
 can form the leaft notion of. There have been 
 undoubtedly many exceffes, committed by reli¬ 
 gious perfons of all denominations, and it is much 
 for the honour of the civil power to check them 
 in the bud. Every man who fears God and ho¬ 
 nours religion, will treat the clergy with proper 
 refpedlj but this mult be, and always will take 
 place, in conlequence of the clergy having done 
 their duty j for as our Lord never interfered in 
 political affairs while he was here on earth, fo it 
 is not the duty of his more immediate fervants to 
 do fo. Chrift could have prayed to his father, 
 and he would have lent him twelve legions of 
 angels, one of whom (by the Divine permiffion) 
 could have in a moment deftroyed the whole uni- 
 verfe, though he did not. 
 
 But if it is inconfiftent with the religion of 
 Jefus for one body of Chriftians to perfecute 
 another, how much more horrid muff it be to 
 find courts eredted, compofed of divines, whofe 
 lole bufinefs it is to put all thole to death, who 
 differ from them in fentiments. Flowever it is not 
 fimply the putting them to death, that we would 
 here take notice of. Great as that crime may 
 appear in the fight of God, and however fe- 
 verely it ought to be punilhed by men, yet it is 
 even trifling when compared with the inquifition. 
 All the circumftances of aggravated cruelty are 
 found united in that court, all fentiments of be¬ 
 nevolence and humanity are attempted to be 
 eraditated, natural feelings are laughed at, and 
 conjugal as well as filial duty defpifed. And what 
 is all this for ? Is it in compliance with any rule 
 in icripture P Every one who has read the bible, 
 knows the contrary. Is it to punifh criminals for 
 any breaches of divine or human laws ? Quite 
 the contrary ; for the objedts of its indignation, 
 even thofe who are Roman Catholics, are in ge¬ 
 neral the moft peaceable and loyal fubjedls, in 
 thofe countries where they refide. 
 
 Again, let us attend to the fentiments as em¬ 
 braced by thofe who are vitneffes of the public 
 executions of thole injured people, who are pro- 
 
 fecuted 
 
The HISTORY of the 
 feet]ted in the inquifition. It is natural for men 
 to pity the unhappy creature who fuffers for 
 crimes; for we may deleft the crime without hat¬ 
 ing the criminal. Nay, it is but reafonable we 
 do lo ; efpecially if we know any thing at all of 
 our own weaknefs. It is remarkable of Mr. Brad¬ 
 ford, who was burnt alive for the gofpel, that 
 whenever he heard of a man committing a crime 
 or law a criminal going to fuffer, he laid his hand 
 upon his breaft, and faid, “ I fhould have done 
 io, but for reftraining grace.” And we are 
 told of the great lord chief juftice Hale, that 
 when he pronounced fentence of death upon pri- 
 foners, he declared, that “ he felt much for 
 them, but much more for*his injured coun- 
 “ try." J 
 
 Such fentiments as thefe are honourable to 
 men of any denomination whatever; but how 
 different in thofe countries, where the inquifition 
 is not only tolerated, but even iupported by hu¬ 
 man laws ! The day fet apart for the public exe¬ 
 cution of thole who are called Heretics, is con- 
 fidered by all ranks of people as a folemn feftival 
 1 he lovereign forgets his dignity, the ladies di¬ 
 vert: themfelves of the foftnels peculiar to their 
 fex, and the multitude rejoice in what may juftly 
 be called a human facrifice. 
 
 On fuch melancholy occafions, the people fit 
 on fcaffolds erefted for the purpole, and fo far 
 are they from being affedled with the unhappy 
 condition of the fufferers, that they feem to enjoy 
 a favage pleafure in beholding their torments. 
 
 To fit in fuch a manner and fee an animal tor¬ 
 tured to death, is in all refpedts inconfiftent with 
 our charadters as men, but in levity to behold 
 the bufferings of our fellow-creatures is truly di¬ 
 abolical. All men cannot comprehend the fame 
 notions, and when they are required, nay, even 
 commanded to embrace luch as they do not be¬ 
 lieve, it is laying a foundation for the moft 
 horrid perjury, or it is to have men punifhed in a 
 wantonly cruel manner. Every man is to anlwer 
 to God for the truth of his fentiments, and then 
 what man is to be judge ? It is generous to bear 
 with what we confider as weaknefs, in our fellow- 
 creatures, becaufe it is a proof that we are con¬ 
 vinced of our own imperfedtion ; but to impofe 
 our own notions upon every one who is not of the 
 fame opinion with ourfelves, is to change the 
 whole rational faculties, which mull be equally as 
 difficult as to make all men have the fame fea¬ 
 tures, and the fame countenances. But here let 
 us acknowledge in candour, that what we have 
 faid concerning the inquifition, does not apply, 
 nor cannot be applied to the whole body of the 
 Roman Catholics at large, nor are the Dominican 
 friars to have this charge brought againft them, 
 without particular exceptions. 
 
 There are many Roman Catholics in Britain, 
 who hold the proceedings carried on in the inqui¬ 
 fition in the utmort abhorrence, and to this may 
 be added, that there are many nations where the 
 Roman Catholic religion is profeffed, that would 
 never yet admit the inquifition. The author of 
 this, in converlation with a learned Roman Ca¬ 
 tholic prieft, now alive, once mentioned this cir- 
 cumttance to him, and as he (the prieft) had been 
 brought up in Spain, defined to know whether or 
 not he approved of the inquifition ? As near as 
 can at a confiderable diftance of time, be remem- 
 
 inquisition. 4jJ 
 
 bered, the anfwer was in words to the following 
 import: B 
 
 “ The eftablifhment of the inquifition was 
 originally of a political nature, or at leaft it 
 “ was pr eten ded to be fo by the kings of France 
 [( who imagined that the Waldenfes and Albil 
 ’ genfes were enemies to the regal government. 
 
 Now there is no doubt thefie men were Here- 
 “ t] “> wIl ° had denied the faith as it is in Chrift 
 (t Jelus, and yet I will freely acknowledge to you, 
 “ th . a £ th f church had no authority for meddling 
 ( Wlt h them. It was reprefented to the civil 
 ct c < S Ve r S at the y were followers of that antient 
 , t of Heretics, called Manicheans ; and you 
 know that the fentiments of thofe Heretics 
 were lubverfive of all the laws enabled for the 
 „ J? enefi t of iociety. That the Dominicans had 
 <( 1 ° m , e ^ 111 Periecuting thofe people, cannot 
 be denied ; but thefe were dark and barbarous 
 times, when men had not fo much as con- 
 „ lidered the rneeknefs of the gofpel, nor diftin- 
 guilhed between human and divine laws. 
 
 “ From this time, which was in the thirteenth 
 century, few perfons were brought into trouble 
 on account of their religious fentiments, till 
 towards the latter end of the fifteenth century 
 ‘ w. hen Ferdinand of Spain, in conjunction with 
 “ hls q ue en Iiabella, eftablifhed the inquifition 
 “ u ot for the punilhment of Fleretics, fo much as 
 foi the extirpation of the Moors, who then in- 
 “ !^ bitcd the g reaceft P arc of that kingdom* 
 There was a neceffity for this meafure, con- 
 “ ultent with found policy, bccaufe it was at that 
 “ “me difficult to diftinguifh a native Spaniard 
 “ fro ™ a Moor. But unhappily circumftances 
 “ t° ok a very different turn, and Ferdinand and 
 his queen Iiabella, became the perfecutors of 
 “ Proteftants as well as of Mahometans. I will 
 “ freei y acknowledge that I hate perfecution, nor 
 “ am I much in love with the charafter of Fer¬ 
 dinand, and much lefs with that of his queen. 
 Ferdinand was a very weak man, and as for 
 “ Iiabella, if we may believe a celebrated French 
 “ author, (lie was deftitute of human paffions. 
 
 Her pride and her bigotry went hand in hand 
 “ together, and file trampled upon the privileges 
 “ of humanity, under the ftale pretence that Ihe 
 was doing God good fervice.” 
 
 It may be added further, that Mr. Fleury, and 
 Dr. Dupin, two learned Frenchmen, and in every 
 refpefl members of the church of Rome, have in 
 their ecclefiaftical hiftories condemned the inqui¬ 
 fition as totally oppofite to every principle in 
 Chriftianity. But the great Fenelon, archbilhop 
 of Cambray, has carried the idea much farther; 
 and afferts, that perfecution in religious matters 
 is inconfiftent with found policy, by tending to 
 rob a fovereign of thofe fubjefts, whofe induftry 
 is the fource of his wealth and the lupport of his 
 regal dignity. 
 
 But let the proceedings in the inquifition be 
 confidered in whatever light the reader pleafes, 
 thus much is certain, that it is wrong to appoint 
 thofe men to be judges who have entered into 
 the clerical order. In all thofe countries where 
 the Roman Catholic religion is profeffed, the 
 clergy are prohibited from marrying, and what¬ 
 ever may be their paffions in other refpefts, 
 any man, who knows any tiling of the world, 
 will acknowledge that they cannot have the fame 
 
 tender 
 
256 
 
 The HISTORY of the WALDENSES and the ALBIGENSES. 
 
 tender feelings, as a father or a hufband. This 
 is a molt Ihocking confideration, and yet not more 
 ihocking than true ; and therefore it becomes a 
 duty incumbent upon all the princes in the Ro¬ 
 man Catholic countries, to prevent as far as lays 
 in their power, the clergy from fitting in courts 
 of civil judicature. All thole who are to judge 
 in human aXions, ought, at leaft, to have human 
 pafiions ; for we mortals are fuch a compofition 
 of flefh and blood, that there is no other way of 
 dealing with us. 
 
 We have been the more explicit on this fubjeX, 
 becaufe many perfons are apt to believe, that all 
 the Roman Catholics are friends to the inqui- 
 fition, whereas there are many worthy perfons 
 among them who abhor the thought. It is, how¬ 
 ever, a duty incumbent upon thole who live in 
 England, to convince Proteftants, that they are 
 
 not perfecutors; for as they have lately obtained 
 a more than ordinary indulgence from the civil 
 power, fo gratitude fhould teach them to make a 
 proper ufe of it. And thus we hope we have 
 treated of the inquifition with candour, nor do we 
 defire to dwell upon the vices, and much lefs on 
 the weaknefles of our fellow-creatures. We are 
 often blinded by an improper ufe of our rational 
 faculties, and this fhould teach us to look towards 
 Divine Revelation. Here we find the veil drawn 
 afide, and the way to everlafting happinefs point¬ 
 ed out in fo clear a manner, that even fools can¬ 
 not, unlefs wilfully perverle, miftake their way. 
 Carnal religion is develilh, but c< the wifdom 
 “ that is from above, is firft pure, then peace- 
 tf able, full of gentlenefs, and good fruits, with- 
 tc out partiality and without hypocrify.” James 
 
 iii. 17- 
 
 The HISTORY of the WALDENSE S, and 
 the ALBIGENSES. 
 
 I T was faid by our Saviour, that he would 
 build his church upon a rock, and that the j 
 gates of hell fhould not prevail againft it; by 
 ■which we muft underftand, that from the time of 
 his fending the Holy Ghoft upon his difciples, 
 there were to be always fome in the world who 
 were to keep his commandments without being 
 tainted with idolatry, or led away by errors. The 
 learned Dr. Newton, bifhop of Briftol, has at¬ 
 tended to this in his Diflertations on the Pro¬ 
 phecies, and his lordfhip has made it appear, 
 that even -in the darkeft times there have been 
 fome perfons who were not led away by the ge¬ 
 neral corruption of fentiments, and profligacy of 
 manners. This may feem rather a paradox to 
 thofe who have not had an opportunity of ftudy- 
 ing hiftory, which is frequently the cafe, it being 
 a fubjeX that requires great judgement, univerfal 
 reading, and lerious reflexions from time to 
 time. 
 
 That an almoft univerfal darknefs overfpread 
 the nations, where the name of Chrift was men¬ 
 tioned, cannot be denied, and this fable cloud 
 continued to become more and more gloomy, 
 from the fixth, down to the fixteenth century, 
 when the glorious light of the reformation dif- 
 pelled the darknefs that long bound, as it were 
 with fetters, the children of men, and laid open 
 to them the myftery of the everlafting gofpel. 
 We read in 1 Kings xix. that when Elijah the 
 prophet was called upon by the ftill fmall voice 
 in the wildernefs, he anfwered, that he only was 
 left in Ifrael to worfnip the true God. But let us 
 remember the anfwer ■, <c I have feven thouiand 
 “ in Ifrael, who have not bowed the knees unto 
 “ Baal, and the mouths that have not killed 
 « him.” If then it was fo under a law of carnal 
 ordinances ? And did God take fo much care of a 
 church, which in all its ceremonies was only a 
 type of the gofpel difpenfation ? And lhall he 
 
 not have regard to the things typified ? Did his 
 Almighty power, his infinite wifdom, and his 
 more than univerfal benevolence, extend to a dif¬ 
 penfation that was to be abolilhed, and lhall not 
 the fame glorious attributes be exerted in favour 
 of the gofpel of Chrift, that was prophefled of, 
 even from the fall of man till the fulnefs of time 
 came, when God fent forth his fon, born of a 
 woman, made under the law, that he might make 
 an atonement for linners, and become the Saviour 
 of his people ? 
 
 Yes : it is impoffible, that God could leave 
 himfelf without a witnefs under the gofpel, efpe- 
 cially as the fon of his love had, by his merits 
 and fufterings, laid the foundation of fuch a glo¬ 
 rious fabric. Chrift himfelf, while he told that 
 many of his difciples would forfake him, and that 
 when he came again, he would hardly find faith 
 on the earth, never intimated that he was to be 
 totally forgotten, otherwife the famous prophecy 
 would have been rendered void, cc That God 
 “ fhould fet up an everlafting kingdom, of which 
 cc there fhould be no end.” And the apoftles, 
 when they foretold the rife, reign, and downfall 
 of anti-chrift, always declared that, to the end 
 of the world, fome would be found to profefs the 
 gofpel in purity, and praXile its duties in fin- 
 cerity. Not that all thefe witnefles were to agree 
 in non-efientials, but only, that in all things of 
 a fundamental nature they were to be united. 
 That is, they were to look for falvation only in 
 the word of God, and through the merits of 
 Chrift, without paying any regard to thofe fmafter 
 peculiarities, which cannot make men either 
 better or worfe. 
 
 It is therefore proper, that we fhould enquire 
 where we muft look for thofe profefTors of true 
 Chriftianity, whom we have intimated were to be 
 found in the world, when all the reft of the pro- 
 feflbrs of our holy religion knew no more than 
 
 the 
 
The HISTORY of the WALDEN 
 
 the name ? To this we would anfwer, that there 
 have not only been individuals) who rejected the 
 errors of popery in all ages, but there have been 
 likewife whole communities, who, rather than 
 defile their confciences, have retired to the moft 
 inhofpitable deferts, and worfhipped God in 
 purity. 
 
 1'he firft of thefe who claim our notice, are 
 the Waldenfes, fo called from Peter Waldo, or 
 Waldius, a man of fome repute in France, in 
 the twelfth century, who diftinguilbed himlelf by 
 oppofing the dodtrines of the church of Rome, 
 and maintaining many of the pure principles of 
 Chriftianity. They became fo numerous, that a 
 crufade was raifed againft them by order of the 
 pope, who charged them with holding fentiments 
 entirely lubverfive of Chriftianity, fuch as the 
 following, with many others, for it is remarkable 
 of popery, that it knows no bounds for its malice, 
 and the Papifts have aftigned a realon for the 
 origin of thefe people, which, with the reft of the 
 falfe charges, is here fet down. 
 
 It happened, at Lyons, in a great concourfe of 
 people, that one of them fell down on a fudden 
 dead ; at which, all that were prelent were ex¬ 
 tremely terrified, in particular one Peter Wal¬ 
 dius, who immediately fold his goods, divided 
 them amongft the poor, and retired. Great mul¬ 
 titudes prefently flocking unto him, he, being 
 fomething of a fcholar, read and explained to 
 them the New Teftament in their own tonmie, 
 and inftrudted them in the true principles of°the 
 Chriftian Religion. The number of his difciples 
 increafing greatly, this feft Ipread, and prevailed 
 every where. 
 
 The charges againft them were. i. That they 
 acknowledged two principles, the one good, the 
 other evil; the firft, creator of all things invifible 
 and fpiritual ; the fecond, creator of bodies, and 
 guardian of the Old Teftament. 2. That they 
 admitted likewife two Chrifts ; the one wicked, 
 who was lie that had appeared on earth ; the other 
 good, who was not yet come. 3. That they 
 denied the refurredtion of the body, and believed, 
 that the fouls of men are demons lent into their 
 bodies for the punilhment of their fins. 4. That 
 they condemned all the facraments of the church, 
 and believed marriage to be unlawful. As to 
 their manner of life, there were faid to be two 
 forts of people among them, the perfedb, and 
 the believers. The perfefl: boafted of their liv¬ 
 ing in continence, of eating neither flefh, eggs, 
 nor cheefe. The believers lived like other men, 
 and were even loofe in their morals; but they 
 were perfuaded they Ihould be faved by the faith 
 of the perfeft, and that none were damned, who 
 received impofition of hands from them. 
 
 But, this charge againft them was only ca¬ 
 lumny : for Asneas Sylvius, giving an account of 
 them, fays, that this left had a great appearance 
 of piety ; that they lived juftly before men, and 
 believed all the articles of the creed ; and that 
 they only blafphemed the church of Rome and 
 the clergy. But it was their oppofing the received 
 doftrines of that church, and the corrupt manners 
 of the ecclefiaftics, that drew upon them the 
 ftorm, which ended in theirperfecution. 
 
 However, that thefe were grofs fallhoods, will 
 appear evident from thofe writers who lived near 
 their times, for it is well known thefe people were 
 
 SES and the ALBIGENSES. 257 
 
 the defeendants of thofe who had never forfaken 
 the gofpel, but fought to maintain it in its primi¬ 
 tive purity. Nay, the very articles they embraced 
 are in l'ubftance the fame with the fentiments of 
 Proteftants, as will appear from the following 
 abftradt: 
 
 1. That holy oil is not to be mingled in bap- 
 tifm. 1. That all fuch prayers are fuperftitious 
 and vain, which are made over the oil, fait, wax, 
 incenfe, boughs of olives and palms, ecclefiaftical 
 garments, chalices, church-yards, and fuch like 
 things. 3. That time is fpent in vain, in eccle- 
 fiaftical findings and laying the canonical hours. 
 4. I hat fie fin and eggs may be eaten in Lent; 
 and that there is no merit in abftinence at fuch 
 times. 5. That when necellity requires, all lorts 
 of perfons may marry, minifters as well as others. 
 6. That auricular confeffion is not neceffary. 7. 
 That confirmation is not a facrament. 8. That 
 obedience is not to be performed to the pope. 9. 
 That minifters fhould live upon tithes and offer¬ 
 ings. 10. 1 hat there is no difference between a 
 bifhop and a minifter. 11. That it is not the 
 dignity, but deferts of a Prefbyter, that make 
 him a better man. 12. That they adminifter the 
 lacrament, without the accuftomed form of the 
 Roman church. 13. They faid that images were 
 to be taken out.of churches, and that to adore 
 them, was idolatry. 14. They contemned the 
 pope’s indulgences, and laid, that they were of no 
 virtue. 15. They refufed to take any oath, where¬ 
 by they fhould be forced to accufe themfelves 
 or their friends. 16. They maintained their mi¬ 
 nifters out of their own purfes, thinking it un- 
 realonable that luch fhould be diverted from their 
 ftudies, whilft they were forced to get their 
 livings with their own hands. 17. They held, 
 that the miracles done in the church of Rome' 
 were falfe miracles. 18. That the religion of the 
 Friar Mendicants was invented by the devil. 19, 
 That the pope of Rome was not infallible. 
 20. That whoredom and ftews were not to be 
 permitted, under pretence of avoiding adultery 
 and rapes. 21. That there is no purgatory, 
 wherein the fouls of the deceafed are to be purged 
 before they be admitted into heaven. 22. That 
 a Piefbyter, falling into fcandalous fin, ought to 
 be fulpended from his office, till he had fuf- 
 ficiently teftified his repentance. 23. That the 
 faints deceafed, are not to be worfhipped and 
 prayed unto. 24. That it matters not for the 
 place of their burial, whether it were holy or no. 
 25. They admitted no extreme unftion amongft 
 the facraments of the church. 26. They faid, 
 that mafies, indulgences, and prayers, do not 
 profit the dead. 27. They admitted no prayers 
 but fuch as did correfpond with the Lord’s 
 Prayer ; which they made the rule of all their 
 prayers. 28. Laftly, Though their adverfaries 
 charged them with holding, that every layman 
 might freely preach to the people, yet they had 
 bifhops, and orders amongft themfelves; as the 
 order of Bulgary, the order of Druguria : And 
 they who were their minifters, were ordained 
 thereunto, though they were not of the Romifh 
 inftitution; as Nicolus Viguierious, and others 
 report of them. 
 
 Waldo himfelf went into Dauphiny, con- 
 verfing in the mountains of the fame province, 
 with certain rude perfons, yet capable of re- 
 T c t ceiving 
 
The HISTORY of the WALDEN SR S and the ALBIGENSES. 
 
 ceiving his doctrine : His difciples alfo fpread 
 into Picardy, whence they were called Picards. 
 Againfl whom afterwards king Philip (influenced 
 by eccleflaftical perfons) took up arms, and 
 overthrew three hundred houfes of gentlemen 
 that followed them, and deflroyed fome walled 
 towns, purfuing them into Flanders, whither 
 they fled, and caufing many of them there to be 
 burnt. This perlecution cauled many of them 
 to fly into Germany and Alfatia, where they 
 fpread their doflrine ; and fhortly after, the 
 bilhops of Mayence and Stralburgh, raifed up a 
 great perfecution againfl them, caufing five and 
 thirty burghefles of Mayence, to be burnt in 
 one fire, and eighteen in another, who with great 
 conftancy fuffered death. At Strafburgh eighty 
 were burnt, at the infiance of the bifliop} yet 
 multitudes of people received fuch edification 
 by the exhortations, conftancy, and patience of 
 thefe martyrs, that Anno 1315, in the county of 
 Paflau, and about Bohemia, there were above 
 eighty thoufand perfons that made profeflion of 
 the fame faith. 
 
 Anno Chrifti 1160, fome of them -came into 
 England, and at Oxford were punifhed in the 
 molt barbarous and cruel manner, as ever were 
 any Chriftians for religion fake, before that time ; 
 and three years after in the council of Turon, or 
 1 'owers, in France, pope Alexander III. made a 
 decree, that thefe gofpellers, and all their fa¬ 
 vourers, fhould be excommunicated and that 
 none Ihould fend them any thing, or buy any 
 thing of them, according as it was prophe- 
 fled. Revel, xiii, 17. But notwithftanding all 
 thefe devices, they had goodly churches in Bul- 
 gary, Croatia, Dalmatia, and Hungary. 
 
 The fame fentiments were embraced by the 
 Albigenfes, who were called fo from their firft 
 fettling in Albi, a province fubje<fl to the popes. 
 In Germany and in England they were called 
 Lollards, a word not rightly understood by many 
 writers; but it appears evident, from what has 
 been written on this fubjefb by Lord Hales, that 
 it was owing to their finging hymns in their own 
 language, in oppofltion to the Roman Catholics, 
 who chaunt their litanies in latin. Thefe people 
 became very numerous about the beginning of 
 the fourteenth century, and their fentiments 
 were embraced by the famous John Wicklifle, of 
 whom we have the following account: 
 
 John Wicklifle was doftor and profeflor of 
 divinity in the univerfity of Oxford, and re£tor 
 of Lutterworth in Lincolnlhire. He was in 
 great efteem in the univerfity, when the contefts, 
 which happened between the monks and feculars, 
 members of the univerfity, engaged him to de¬ 
 clare againfl the church of Rome. He began 
 with attacking the jurifdidlion of the pope and 
 the bifliops, and thereby drew feveral great men 
 over to his fide, particularly John of Gaunt, 
 duke of Lancafter, and Henry lord Percy. 
 Upon the clergy’s complaining of his dodtrine, 
 the archbiftiop of Canterbury lummoned him to 
 a council, which he held at London in 1377. 
 Wicklifle came thither, accompanied by the 
 duke of Lancafter, who had at that time the 
 greateft lharein the government of the kingdom : 
 there he defended himfelf, and was abfolved. 
 
 Gregory XI. being informed of the dodtrine 
 which Wicklifle fpread all over England, and of 
 
 the protedtion he found, by which he had efcaped 
 condemnation, wrote to the bifliops of England, 
 to caule him to be apprehended; or, if they 
 could not do that, to fummon him to Rome ; 
 and, at the fame time, fent them nineteen pro- 
 pofitions advanced by Wicklifle, which he con¬ 
 demned as heretical or erroneous. The dodtrine 
 contained in thole propofitions may be reduced 
 to four heads. 1. That God had not given tem¬ 
 poral pofleflions to the church, to be enjoyed by 
 her for ever ; and that princes might deprive her 
 of them. 2. That the church could not make 
 ufe of excommunications and cenfures, for ex¬ 
 acting, or preferving temporal revenues. 3. That 
 every prieft, lawfully ordained, had fufficient 
 power to adminifter the facraments, and confe- 
 quently to abfolve every contrite perfon from 
 all fins whatfoever. 4. That ecclefiaftics, and 
 even the Roman pontiff", might be rebuked and 
 accufed even by lay-men. Gregory’s letter hav¬ 
 ing been brought into England after king Ed¬ 
 ward’s death, and delivered to the prelates of 
 the kingdom, they held a council at Lambeth. 
 Wicklifle was fummoned to it, appeared at it, 
 and avoided condemnation afecond time, through 
 the interpofition of the great men, and the peo¬ 
 ple, who declared themfelves fo vehemently for 
 him, that the bifliops durft not do any thing but 
 enjoin him ftlence. The troubles, which hap¬ 
 pened in the kingdom under the minority of 
 Richard II. gave Wicklifle free fcope to fpread 
 his opinions, and to gain over many difciples. 
 
 William Courtney, archbifhop of Canterbury, 
 being deftrous to put a flop to Wickliffe’s far¬ 
 ther attempts, aflembled a council of eight 
 bifliops, and feveral dodtors, at London, in May 
 1382 ; in which he condemned twenty-four pro¬ 
 pofitions of Wicklifle and his difciples, viz. ten 
 as heretical, and fourteen as erroneous, and con¬ 
 trary to the decifions of the church. The firft 
 ten were thefe: 1. That the fubftance of the 
 material bread and wine remains in the eucharift 
 after confecration. 2. That, in that facrament, 
 the accidents do not lubfift without the fubjedt. 
 3. That Jefus Chrift is not there, identically, 
 truly, and really, by his proper corporeal pre¬ 
 fence. 4. That a bifliop, or prieft, under deadly 
 fin, can neither ordain, confecrate, nor baptize. 
 5. That when a man is contrite, as he ought to 
 be, outward confeflion is ufelcfs. 6. That there 
 is no foundation for the mafs in the gofpel of 
 Jefus Chrift. 7. That God is forced to obey the 
 devil. 8. That if the pope be a reprobate or 
 wicked man, and confequently a limb of the 
 devil, he has no power over believers. 9. That 
 no pope ought to be acknowledged fince Urban 
 VI. and that we ought to live, like the Greeks, 
 according to our own laws. 10. That it is con¬ 
 trary to the fcripture, for any ecclefiaftics to have 
 any temporal pofiefiions or revenues. The er¬ 
 roneous propofitions relate to excommunication, 
 preaching, the revenues of the church, and reli¬ 
 gious orders. 
 
 Two divines, Wickliffe’s difciples, being in¬ 
 terrogated upon thefe propofitions, anfwered, 
 that they believed them to be heretical and er¬ 
 roneous in fome fenfe. As to Wicklifle himfelf, 
 he came to the council, and fome hiftorians tell 
 us, he gave in a confeflion of faith, in which he 
 retried his errors, and acknowledged the real 
 
 prefence 
 
The HISTORY of the WALDENSES 
 
 prefence of Jefus Chrift in the eucharift. Be that 
 as it will, the council condemned the herefies 
 and errors of Wickliffe and his difciples, and 
 obtained a declaration from king Richard againft 
 fuch as fhould teach or preach their dodtrine, by 
 which the arChbifhops and bifhops v/ere allowed 
 to feize them. In confequence of this edidt, the 
 archbilhop of Canterbury caufed luch Wick- 
 liffites to be put into prifon, as taught or wrote 
 with warmth. Wickliffe died foon after at Lut¬ 
 terworth, on the thirty-firft of December, 1384, 
 leaving behind him feveral writings in defence of 
 his doctrines, and many difciples, who continued 
 to teach them. 
 
 Thomas Arundel, who fucceeded William 
 Courtney in the archbifhoprick of Canterbury, 
 held a provincial council at London in 1396, in 
 which he condemned eighteen proportions drawn 
 out of Wickliffe’s works. Thefe articles are, 
 1. Againft the real prefence of the body and 
 blood of Jefus Chrift in the eucharift. 2. Con¬ 
 cerning baptifm ; that the children of the righ¬ 
 teous may be laved without being baptized. 
 3. Concerning confirmation j that priefts may 
 adminifter it. 4. Concerning orders ; that there 
 ought to be but two orders in the church, that 
 of priefts, and that of deacons. 5. Concerning 
 marriage ; that marriages between aged perfons, 
 the end whereof is not to have children, are not 
 true marriages ; that the impediments of confan- 
 guity and affinity are human conftitutions with¬ 
 out foundation ; and that, in contracting mar¬ 
 riages, it is not neceffary to make ufe of terms 
 before witneffes. 6. That it is not lawful for ec- 
 clefiallies to have temporal poffeffions. 7. That 
 undtion of the fick is not a lacrament. 8. That 
 whatever happens, does neceffarily happen. In 
 fine, Thomas Arundel entirely proferibed the 
 herefyof Wickliffe, by the conftitutions which 
 he made in the fynod held at Oxford in 1408, 
 publiflied at London next year, and confirmed 
 by the king’s authority. In 1413, pope John 
 XXIII. condemned Wickliffe’s books, in a coun¬ 
 cil at Rome ; and the Englilh prelates, fupported 
 by the king’s authority, uled their utmoft en¬ 
 deavours wholly to extirpate this herely out 
 of the kingdom, and to hinder it from being 
 publickly eftabliffied and preached ; by which 
 means it was entirely extinguifhed, or at leaft 
 almoft extinguifhed, in England. But the 
 writings of Wickliffe having been carried into 
 Bohemia by one of his fcholars called Peter 
 Payne, were fpread in a very fhort time, and 
 converted feveral members of the univerfity of 
 Prague. 
 
 Another name by which they were called was 
 that of Huffites, becaufe they were the difciples 
 of John Hufs, a Bohemian, and curate of the 
 chapel of Bethlehem at Prague ; who, about the 
 year 1414, embraced, and defended, the opinion 
 of Wickliffe of England ; for which he was 
 cited before the council of Conftance, and, re¬ 
 filling to renounce his fuppofed errors, was con¬ 
 demned to be burnt alive ; which lentence was 
 accordingly executed upon him at Conftance. 
 It is evident, in what the pretended herely of 
 John Hufs, and Jerome of Prague, who fullered 
 with him, confifted, from the anfwer they made 
 to the council, when they were admonifhed to 
 conform to the church’s fentiments. “ They 
 
 and* the ALBIGENSES. 259 
 
 were lovers (they faid) of the holy gofpel, and 
 true difciples of Chrift; that the church of 
 Rome, and all other churches of the world, were 
 widely departed from the apoftolical traditions * 
 that the clergy ran after pleafures and riches ; 
 that they lorded it over the people, aftedted the 
 higheft feats at entertainments, and bred horfes 
 and dogs; that the revenues of the church, 
 which belonged to the poor members of Chrift, 
 were confumed in vanity and wantonnels ; and 
 that the priefts were ignorant of the command¬ 
 ments, of God, or, if they did know them, paid 
 but little regard to them.” 
 
 They were fometimes called Bohemian Bre¬ 
 thren, and they treated the pope and cardinals as 
 Anti-chrift, and the church of Rome as the 
 whore fpoken of in the Revelations. They re¬ 
 jected the lacraments of the Romiffi church, and 
 they chofe laymen for their minifters. They 
 held the holy feriptures for the only rule of faith ; 
 and their minifters obferved none of the ceremo¬ 
 nies of the Romifh church in the celebration of 
 the mafs, nor made ufe of any other prayer 
 than the Lord’s-Prayer. They confecrated lea¬ 
 vened bread, and they allowed no adoration, but 
 of Jefus Chrift, in the communion. They re¬ 
 baptized all luch as joined themfelves to their 
 congregation; and they abhorred the worfhip of 
 faints, and images, prayers for the dead, celibacy, 
 vows, and falls, and kept none of the feftivals, 
 but Chriftmas, Eafter, and Whitfuntide. 
 
 In 1504, they were accufed by the Catholics 
 to king Ladifiaus II. to whom they prefented a 
 confeffion of faith. In it they declared, they 
 held the three creeds, the Apoftles, the Nicene, 
 and the Athanafian ; and they aflerted, that the 
 miniftry of the church conlifts in preaching 
 found dodtrine. They defined baptifm to be a 
 fign of the inward purity of the foul procured 
 by faith; and they acknowledged, that both 
 adults and infants ought to be baptized. Con¬ 
 cerning the eucharift, they denied tranfubftan- 
 tiation, and rejedted all prayers attending the 
 confecration of the elements, alledging that the 
 prieft ought not to add any thing to the words 
 of Jefus,Chrift, or do any thing more than he 
 did at the laft fupper. They held marriage to 
 be a type of the union betwixt Chrift and his 
 church : and they allowed extreme undtion to 
 the fick and dying. After fetting down their 
 confeffion of faith, they implored the king’s 
 indulgence ; but notwithftanding their petition, 
 Ladillaus publifhed an edi< 5 t againft them, for¬ 
 bidding them to hold any meetings, either pri¬ 
 vately or publickly. This drew from them a 
 fecond remonftrance, in which they declared 
 that they feparated from the church of Rome, 
 on account of the wickednefs of its biffiops, 
 who had forfaken the truth, and thereby loft the 
 power of the keys. In this remonftrance, they 
 peremptorily rejected the invocation and worfhip 
 of the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. 
 
 Luther had no fooner declared himfelf againft 
 the church of Rome, than the Bohemian bre¬ 
 thren endeavoured to join his party; and at firft 
 that reformer fhewed great averfion to this fedt: 
 but the Bohemians fending their deputies to him, 
 in 1523, with a full account of their dodtrines, 
 he allowed them in all points, except in what 
 related to the eucharift ■, and acknowledged, that 
 
 they 
 
aSo The HISTORY of the WALD! 
 
 they were a foclety of Chriftians, whole doftrine 
 came near to the purity of the gofpeh This 
 left publifhed another confeflfon of faith in 1535* 
 in which they profelfed to have renounced Ana- 
 baptifm, which they at firft praftifed : upon which 
 a union was concluded with the Lutherans, and 
 afterwards with the Zuinglians, whofe opinions 
 from thenceforth they continued to follow. 
 
 From all thefe circumftances and different 
 names, by which they were called, and the tenets 
 they embraced, we find that they were, in many 
 refpefts, little different from Proteftants. Their 
 perleverance in thefe tenets, may likewife ferve 
 to prove the truth of what we have already af- 
 ferted, namely, that in all ages, even the darkeft, 
 there were fome perfons who made profeffion of 
 the truth, and although they differed in trifling 
 matters, yet they agreed in thofe fundamental 
 articles of faith, upon which falvation depends. 
 Thefe profeffors of the gol'pel contributed much 
 towards promoting the reformation, for be¬ 
 ing very numerous, they joined themfelves either 
 to Calvin or Luther, or Inch others as oppofed 
 popery. This was what the popes little expefted; 
 for it is probable, that they believed that all thefe 
 people, whom they confidered as Heretics, had' 
 been totally abolifhed, whereas they became for¬ 
 midable to the papal power, and they will ever 
 be efteemed for the glorious Hand they made for 
 the truth. It is certain, that many of thefe people 
 were cruelly perfecuted, and driven from place to 
 place ; but Inch was the goodnefs of Divine 
 Providence, that fome of them continued to re- 
 fide in deferts till upwards ot an hundred years 
 after the reformation. Undoubtedly this was 
 owing to the numerous wars that were carried on 
 during that period, among the European nations; 
 but no fooner had princes, or rather illuftrious 
 robbers, dillreffed their neighbours abroad, than 
 they let loofe their diabolical fury upon their own 
 fubjefts at home. This part of their conduft was 
 either mean or fuperftitious, or it was both. It 
 was mean, if they did in compliance with the dic¬ 
 tates of -the popes, becaule they ought to have 
 had more regard to their dignity. A prince, 
 who is a man of honour, will take the advice of 
 his fubjefts, but in politics he Ihould never be 
 diftated to by priefts. Let the clergy attend to 
 their duty, but let them never meddle with fe- 
 cular affairs. Policy is a robe that will fit un¬ 
 gracefully upon them, and while princes give 
 them encouragement to go out of the line of 
 their duty, they degrade their regal dignity. 
 
 Again, if the European princes perfecute their 
 fubjefts from motives of fuperftition, it is even 
 worfe than what we have already mentioned. It 
 will ferve to fhew, that thofe princes have never 
 confidered either the ftrength or the weaknefs of 
 the human underftanding. And as for their own 
 interefts as lovereigns they mult be totally ftran- 
 gers to it. In all nations, where a proper tolera¬ 
 tion in religious fentiments is allowed, the prince 
 is diftinguilhed for his greatnefs, on account of 
 the number and wealth of his fubjefts; but per- 
 fecution, by driving ufeful perfons out of a coun¬ 
 try, makes the prince an objeftof contempt, de¬ 
 prives his fubjefts of wealth, and fuppofmg a 
 neighbouring power fhould invade his territories, 
 they areeaftly fubdued for the want of internal 
 relources. 
 
 NSES and the ALBIGENSES. 
 
 We are told by a very refpeftable French author, 
 that the perfecution raifed in France by the revo¬ 
 cation of the edift of Nantz, droveat leaft fifteen 
 hundred thouland uleful men out of that country. 
 Princes, wil'er than Lewis XIV. gave encourage¬ 
 ment to thofe refugees, and in Denmark, Bran- 
 denburgh, but more particular in England, 
 thofe manufaftures were eftablifhed, which have 
 drained the wealth of France, and taught un¬ 
 thinking men to know, that the iron hand of op- 
 preffion will never anfwer any falutary end. We 
 fliall conclude this article with the following re¬ 
 markable narrative from bilhop Burnet’s 1 ravels, 
 which will ferve to fhew, firft, that even perfecu¬ 
 tion itfelf could not totally obliterate the truth ot 
 the gofpel, and fecondly, that people perfecuted 
 on account of their religious fentiments, will 
 leave the places where they were born, and leek 
 refuge in countries where they can be treated with 
 humanity. It is well known, that few men ever 
 lived in the world, who had more enlarged notions 
 of the natural rights of mankind than bilhop 
 Burnet, and with refpeft to religious freedom, or 
 liberty, he often became an advocate for thofe 
 who differed from him in fentiments. 
 
 His words are, “ I fliall conclude what I have 
 to lay concerning the Grifons, with a very ex¬ 
 traordinary ftory, which I had both from the mi- 
 nifters of Coire and feveral other gentlemen, that 
 faw, in April 1685, about five hundred perfons 
 of different fexes and ages, that paft through that 
 town, who gave this account of themfelves. They 
 were the inhabitants of a valley in Triol, belong¬ 
 ing, for the greateft part, to the archbilhoprick 
 of Saltfburgff but fome of them were in the 
 dioceffes of Trent and Breffe; they feemed to be 
 a remnant of the old Waldenfes. They wor¬ 
 shipped neither images nor faints, and they be¬ 
 lieved the facrament was only a commemoration 
 of the death of Chrift, and in many other points 
 they had their peculiar opinions different from 
 thofe of the church of Rome; they knew nothing 
 either of Lutherans or Calvinifts, and the Gri¬ 
 fons, though their neighbours, had never heard 
 of this nearnefs of theirs to the Proteftant re¬ 
 ligion. They had mafs laid among them ; but 
 fome years fince, fome of the valley going over to 
 Germany to earn fomewhat by their labour, hap¬ 
 pened to go into the Palatinate, where they were 
 better inftrufted in matters of religion, and thefe 
 brought back with them into the valley, the 
 Heidelberg cathechifm, togetherwith fome other 
 German books, which run over the valley ; and 
 they being before that in a good difpofition, 
 thofe books had fuch an effeft upon them, that 
 they gave over going to mafs any more, and be¬ 
 gan to worfhip God in a way more fuitable to the 
 rules fee down in lcripture. Some of their priefts 
 concurred with them in this happy change, but 
 others that adhered ftill to the mafs, went and 
 gave the archbilhop of Saltfburgh an account of 
 it, upon which he fent fome into the country to 
 examine the truth of the matter, to exhort them 
 to return to mafs, and to threaten them with all 
 feverity if they continued obftinate : fo they fee¬ 
 ing a terrible ftorm ready to break upon them, 
 refolved to abandon their houfes and all they had, 
 rather than fin againft their confciences: and the 
 whole inhabitants of the valley, old and young, 
 men and women, to the number of two thoufand, 
 2 divided 
 
An ACCOUNT of the G 
 
 divided themfelves into feveral bodies, fome in¬ 
 tended to go to Brandenburgh, others to the Pa¬ 
 latinate, and about five hundred took the way of 
 Coire, intending to difperfe themfelves in Swit¬ 
 zerland. The miniders told me they were much 
 edified with their fimplicity and modedy, for a 
 colle&ion being made for them, they defired only 
 a little bread to carry them on their way. 
 
 Thefe feem to have been the lad remains of 
 the Waldenfes, or Albigenfes, and from the 
 
 REEK CHURCH. 261 
 
 whole we may draw the following conclufion. 
 That till Chrid comes again to judge the world, 
 there will be found fome who are not alhamed of 
 his gofpel. Of this we fhall have occafion to 
 treat more fully hereafter, when we come to write 
 of the different denominations of Proteflants ; 
 but the nature of our plan leads us to give a par¬ 
 ticular account of the Greek Church, its origin, 
 do&rines, worfhip, difcipline, and government. 
 
 An Account of A GREEK CHURCH. 
 
 I N treating of the Greek Church, we are 
 obliged to take notice of feveral pafiages in 
 civil hidory, in order to elucidate its antient 
 and modern date, and in this we have the bed 
 authority ; for this church, however much it may 
 be defpifedatprefent, was once the mod flourifhing 
 in the world. The Greeks had churches and 
 convents all along, from Dalmatia to Condan- 
 tinople, and from thence to Syria, including all 
 the LeflTer Afia. In Africa they had churches 
 throughout Egypt and Ethiopia, and even to 
 this day there are fome remains of them. At 
 prefent, the Greeks are extremely numerous in 
 the Levant; for although the Turkifh religion is 
 that edablifhed by law, yet there are above ten 
 Greek Chridians for every Mahometan. It like- 
 wife is the edablifhed religion in great part of 
 Rufiia, fo that we cannot be midaken in giving 
 a proper account of every thing worthy of notice 
 in their churches. 
 
 All our travellers, who vifited thofe places where 
 the religion of the Greeks is profefied, have given 
 11s very didindt accounts of them, and as to what 
 they were in the middle ages, we have a full ac¬ 
 count in the hidory of the lower empire. 
 
 When Condantine the Great removed the feat 
 of empire from Rome to Byzantium, and built 
 the famous city of Condantinople, he did not 
 confider that he was laying the foundation of 
 many different kingdoms, particularly in Europe. 
 The Huns, Goths, and Vandals, who inhabited 
 the countries, now called Hungary, Poland, and 
 along the coads of the Baltic Sea, from their 
 manner of living in fobriety, became fo numerous, 
 that they could not find room in their own coun¬ 
 tries, although they were very extenfive. Another 
 circumdance contributed towards their invading 
 the Roman empire, and that was the account that 
 had been brought them by lome foldiers, who had 
 deferted from their legions, and taken fhelter 
 among thefe barbarians. Thefe gave them fuch a 
 charadterof thefouthern parts of Europe, that they 
 refolved to invade them. This was entirely con¬ 
 fident with their characters, for as they had little 
 or no employment at home, it was natural for 
 them to leek out more agreeable habitations. 
 Indeed, the ed'eminancy of the Romans, and the 
 didradted date of the empire were fuch as gave 
 22 
 
 them, as it were, an invitation. Thefe bar¬ 
 barians continued to pour themfelves in nu¬ 
 merous bodies into Italy, France and Spain, and 
 although they were frequently driven home to 
 their own delerts, yet that only ferved to dimu- 
 late them the more to make new attempts, and 
 by fighting with the Romans they learned the 
 art of war. Thus the Roman empire lunk under 
 the weight of its own greatnels, like all the other 
 empires that had been before it, and probably all 
 that come afterwards will lhare the fame fate. 
 
 But that which was more important, was the 
 change that took place becween the eadern and 
 wedern churches, and this was occafioned by di¬ 
 viding the empire. It is true, that for a con- 
 fiderable time the bifhops of Rome did not afpire 
 to any pretentions above their brethren ; but as 
 pride is the mother of tyranny, fo the bifhops of 
 Rome found a proper opportunity for edr.blifhing 
 their power, d his did not happen till many years 
 after the death of Condantine, for that emperor 
 had too much good fenfe to fuffer one bifhop to 
 exercife authority over another. Happy for the 
 church had it continued fo afterwards, but a va¬ 
 riety of circumdances made the wedern church 
 as eafy a conqued for the popes, as the wedern 
 empire was to the barbarians. 
 
 As Rome was left defencelefs, it was neceffary 
 that fome perfon Ihould exercife the civil power, 
 and as the clergy were at that time much efteem- 
 ed, nothing was more natural than for the people 
 to put themfelves under the proteftion of the 
 popes. Another circumftance was, that great 
 difputes having frequently arifen among the 
 clergy, they referred the decifion of them to the 
 bilhops of Rome. Some of the Greek bifhops 
 were weak enough to do fo, and at laft the bi- 
 Ihop of Rome claimed the privilege of exer- 
 cifing his authority over all the Chriltian world. 
 
 This greatly alarmed thofe bilhops of the 
 Eaftern church, who fought to maintain the li¬ 
 berties of their Chriltian people, for they flatly 
 refufed to fubmit to the decrees of the pope, and 
 this laid the foundation of a lchifm between both 
 churches, which has continued to this day. Nay, 
 we are allured, that their averfior. to the church 
 of Rome is fuch, that, being extremely ignorant, 
 they will fubmit to believe every thing, let it be 
 U u u ever 
 
An ACCOUNT of the GREEK CHURCH. 
 
 Ibl 
 
 ever fo abfurd, fo as they are not required to 
 fubmit to the popes, whom they never mention 
 without fome terms of reproach. 
 
 In corrupting the purity of the gofpel, the 
 Greeks have kept equal pace with the Roman 
 Catholics, for although in fome things we find 
 them not fo grofs as the latter, yet in other of 
 their ceremonies they are more ridiculous. The 
 Latins have frequently infulted the Greeks, by 
 telling them they were in a deplorable Hate, be- 
 caufe they would not fubmit to the pope’s fupre- 
 macy, and the Greeks have retorted the charge, 
 by telling the Roman Catholics, that the patri¬ 
 arch of Conflantinople is equal in dignity, and 
 in authority, to the bifhops of Rome. However, 
 this is nothing more than what commonly hap¬ 
 pens in all religious controverfies, where ungo¬ 
 vernable paflion gets the better of reafon, and 
 men become enemies to each other merely for a 
 difference in fentiment, arifing from a wrong 
 concetion of words. 
 
 In our account of the antient Herefies and He¬ 
 retics, we have mentioned what notions many of 
 them had of the trinity, and fome of thefe were 
 moll unworthy indeed. We have taken notice 
 that the Roman Catholics, even in the mid ft of 
 all their corruptions, never denied the divinity of 
 Chrift or the Holy Ghoft, but always allowed 
 that there was a trinity in unity, and that all the 
 three perfons were the fame in fubftance, and 
 equal in power and in glory. That this is a 
 myftery cannot be denied ■, but what is not a. 
 myftery to circumfcribed creatures! Our Saviour, 
 when he afferted that he was equal to the Father, 
 never taught his difciples to enquire into that 
 myftery, but left them to attend to duty, in be¬ 
 lieving what he had commanded, and in working 
 out their falvation with fear and trembling. It 
 is very probable, that the Greek church continued 
 long to embrace the fame fentiments, with refpedt 
 to thedodlrineof the trinity, as the Roman Catho¬ 
 lics had done, and indeed, the difference between 
 them depends more upon metaphyfical terms, 
 than on any thing that has the leaft connexion 
 with truth. In all difputes of a religious nature, 
 men ought to be extremely cautious, and per¬ 
 haps it will be found that he is the moft fincerc 
 Chriftian, who, in meaknefs and humility, de¬ 
 clares that he will fit down and acknowledge his 
 own ignorance of many things that will be re¬ 
 vealed to him hereafter, rather than difturb the 
 peace of focietv. Indeed this will give him more 
 comfort, becaufe by giving up his own preten- 
 fions to knowledge, he does honour to God, 
 to whom all mortals ought to look up for wif- 
 dom. 
 
 In the middle of the ninth century, the con- 
 troverfy relating to the proceftion of the Holy 
 Ghoft, which had been ftarted in the fixth century, 
 became a point of great importance, on account 
 of the jealoufy and ambition, which at that time 
 were blended with it. Photius, the patriach of 
 Jerufalem, having been advanced to that fee, in 
 the room of Ignatius, whom he procured to be 
 depoled, was folemnly excommunicated by pope 
 Nicholas, in a council held at Rome, and his or¬ 
 dination declared null and void. The Greek 
 emperor refented this conduct of the pope, who 
 defended himfelf with great fpirit and refolution, 
 and Photius, in his turn, convened what he called 
 
 an CEcumenical council, in which he pronounced 
 fentence of excommunication and depofition 
 againft the pope, and got it fubferibed by twenty - 
 one bifhops, and other of the clergy, amounting 
 in number to a thoufand. This occafioned a wide 
 breach between the fees of Rome and Conftan- 
 tinople. However, the death of the emperor 
 Michael, and the depofition of Photius, fubfe- 
 quent thereupon, feemed to have reftored peace ; 
 for the emperor Bafil held a council at Conftan- 
 tinople, in the year 869, in which entire fatis- 
 faftion was given to pope Adrian ; but the fchifm 
 was only lmothered and fupprelfed for a while. 
 The Greek church had feveral complaints againft 
 the Latin ; particularly it was thought a great 
 hardfhip for the Greeks to fublcribe to the defini¬ 
 tion of a council, according to the Roman form 
 preferibed by the pope, fince it made the church 
 of Conflantinople dependant on that of Rome, 
 and fet the pope above an oecumenical council. 
 But, above all, the pride and haughtinefs of the 
 Roman court gave the Greeks a diftafte : and, as 
 their deportments feemed to infult his imperial 
 majefty, it entirely alienated the affedtions of 
 the emperor Bafil. 
 
 Towards the middle of the eleventh century, 
 Michael Cerularius, patriarch of Conflantinople, 
 oppofed the Latins with relpedl to their making 
 uleof unleavened bread in the eucharift, their 
 obfervation of the Sabbath, and falling on Sa¬ 
 turdays, charging them with living in commu¬ 
 nion with the Jews. To this Pope Leo IX. re¬ 
 plied, and, in his apology for the Latins, de¬ 
 claimed very warmly againft the falfe dodlrines 
 of the Greeks, and interpofed, at the fame time, 
 the authority of his fee. He likewife, by his 
 legates, excommunicated the patriarch of the 
 church of Santa Sophia which gave the laft 
 fhock to the reconciliation, attempted a loner time 
 after, but to no purpofe : for from that time the 
 averfion of the Greeks for the Latins, and of the 
 Latins for the Greeks, became infuperable; in- 
 fomuch that they have continued, ever fince, fe- 
 parated from each other’s communion. 
 
 The Greek church was not formerly fo con¬ 
 tracted, as it has been fince the emperors of the 
 eafl have leffened and reduced the other pa¬ 
 triarchates, in order to aggrandize that of Con- 
 ftantinople. d he Greek clergy retain to this 
 hour, fome particular marks of diftinction, fome 
 titles of honour, whereby they are refpedlively 
 dignified and diftinguifhed ; infomuch that the 
 patriarch of Conflantinople, when he writes to 
 the bifhops, never fails to infert their proper ad¬ 
 ditions, notwithftanding the necefiitous condition 
 to which the Turkifh government has reduced 
 them. The Greek churches arefcarce the fhadows 
 of what they were in their former flourifhing 
 ftate. <c I have leen churches (fays Ricaut) 
 more like caverns, or fepulchres, than places fet 
 apart for Divine worfhip ; the tops thereof being 
 almoft level with the ground. They are eredled 
 after this humble manner, for fear they fhoulcFbe 
 lufpedled, if they raifed them to any confiderable 
 height, of an evil intention to rival the Turkifh 
 mofques.” Caucus, a Venetian nobleman, and 
 archbifhop of Corfou, in his difiertation on the 
 erroneous dodlrines of the modern Greeks, dedi¬ 
 cated to Gregory XIII. has digefted their tenets 
 under the following heads. 
 
 1. They 
 
An ACCOUNT of the 
 
 I. They re-baptize all fuch Latina as are ad¬ 
 mitted into their communion, i. They do not 
 baptize their children, till they are three, four, 
 five, fix, ten, nay fometimes eighteen years of 
 a g e \ 3 - They exclude confirmation and extreme 
 undtion, out of the leven facraments. 4. They 
 deny that there is any fuch place as purgatory, 
 notwithftanding that they pray for the dead. 5. 
 They do not acknowledge the pope’s fupremacy, 
 nor that of the fee of Rome. 6. They deny, by 
 confequence, that the church of Rome is the 
 true Catholic, mother-church : they prefer their 
 own to that of Rome, and, on Holy-Thurfday, 
 excommunicate the pope, and all the Latin pre¬ 
 lates, as Heretics and Schifmatics. 7. They 
 deny, that the Holy Ghoft proceeds from the 
 Father and the Son. 8. They refufe to worlhip 
 the hod, confecrated by Latin priefts with un¬ 
 leavened bread, according to the antient cuftom 
 of the church of Rome, confirmed by the coun¬ 
 cil of Florence. They walli likewife the altars, 
 where the Latins have faid mafs, and will not 
 fufier a Latin prieftto officiate at their altars, pre¬ 
 tending that the facrifice ought to be performed 
 with leavened bread. 9. They alien, that the 
 ufual form of words, wherein the confecration, 
 according to the Latins, wholly confifts, is not 
 fufficient to change the bread and wine into the 
 body and blood of Chrift, without the ufe of 
 dome additional prayers and benediftions of the 
 fathers. 10. They infill, that the facrament of 
 the Lord’s fupper ought to be adminiftered in 
 both kinds, and even to infants, before they are 
 capable of diftinguifhing this fpiritual food from 
 any other becaufe it is a Divine inllitution. For 
 which reafon they give the facrament to infants 
 immediately after baptifm. n. They hold, that 
 the laity are under an indifpenfable obligation, 
 by the law of God, to receive the communion in 
 both kinds. 12. They afiert, that no members 
 of the church, when they have attained to years 
 of dil'cretion, ought to be compelled to receive 
 the communion every Ealler, but fhould have 
 free liberty to aft according to the diftates of 
 their own confciences. 13. They pay no re¬ 
 ligious homage or veneration to the facrament of 
 the eucharift, even when celebrated by their own 
 priefts ; and they ufe no lighted tapers, when 
 they adminifter it to the fick. Moreover, they 
 keep it in a little bag or box, without any other 
 ceremony than fixing it to the wall, where they 
 light up lamps before their images. 14. They 
 are of opinion, that fuch hods as are confecrated 
 on Holy-Thurfday, are much more efficacious 
 than thole confecrated at other times. 13. They 
 maintain, that the facrament of matrimony is an 
 union, which may be diffolved. 16. They con¬ 
 demn all fourth marriages. 17. They refufe to 
 celebrate fellivals of the Holy Virgin, the 
 Apoftles, and the other Saints, on the fame day 
 with the Latins. They rejeft likewife the ufe of 
 graven images and Hatties', though they admit of 
 piftures in their churches. 18. They infill, that 
 the canon of the mafs, of the Latin church, is 
 full of errors, and ought therefore to be abolilhed. 
 19. They deny, that ulury is a mortal fin. 20. 
 They rejedt the order of fub-deacons. 21. They 
 pay no regard to any of the general councils, held 
 by the popes, after the fixth. 22. They deny 
 auricular confellion to be a divine precept, and 
 
 GREEK CHURCH. 
 
 
 | fay it is only a pofitive injundtion of the church 
 23. They infill, that the confellion of the laity 
 ought to be free and voluntary; for which reafon 
 they are not compelled to confefs themfelves an¬ 
 nually, nor are they excommunicated for needed 
 of it. 24. They infill, that in confellion, there 
 is no divine law, which enjoins the acknowledmt- 
 ment of every individual fin, or a difeovery of 
 all the circumftances that attend them. 2;. They 
 adminifter the facrament to the laity, both in 
 licknefs and health, though they have never ap¬ 
 plied themfelves to their confeffors ; and the 
 reafon is becaufe they are perfuaded, that a 
 lively faith is all the preparation tiiat is requifite 
 for the worthy receiving of the Lord’s Supper. 
 26. They do not obferve the vigils before the 
 nativity of our Saviour, and the fellivals of the 
 Virgin Mary and the Apoftles; nor do they fall 
 m Ember Weeks : They even affedt to eat meat 
 more plentifully at thofe feafons, to teftify their 
 contempt of the Latin cufioms. They prohibit 
 likcwufe all fading on Saturdays, that preceding 
 Ealler only accepted. 27. They abftain from 
 things ftrangled, and fuch other meats as are for¬ 
 bidden in the Old Teftament. 28. They deny 
 that fimple fornication is a mortal fin. 29. They 
 infift, that it is lawful to deceive an enemy, and 
 
 ' f lt , IS ,j° ( !rl “ ! n j me and opprefs him. to. 
 1 hey hold, that it is necefiarys in order to falva- 
 tion, to make reftitution of goods Helen, or frau¬ 
 dulently obtained. 31. Laltly, they hold, that 
 luch as have been admitted into holy orders, mav 
 quit them, and become laymen at pleafure : and 
 they approve of the marriage of priefts, provided 
 that they enter into that Hate before their admif- 
 lion into holy orders. 
 
 Thel'e are the articles of faith embraced by the 
 Greek Chriftians, and although it will appear 
 plain to every intelligent reader, that many of 
 them are contrary to the fimplicity of the oofnel 
 yet they have ftill fome remains of genuine'chrif- 
 tamity among them. All this, however, has not 
 been iufficient to reconcile them to the Roman 
 Catholics, nor the Roman Catholics to them. 
 
 Father Richer, a Jefuit, fpeaking of the 
 Greeks, tel s us, that they make the fign of the 
 crofs from the right hand to the left, whereas the 
 Roman Catholics do it from the left to the 
 right. This Jefuit being one day in company 
 with a Greek prieft, the latter alked him why the 
 Roman Catholics made the fign of the crofs from 
 the left to the right ? To this q.xftion the Jefuit 
 anfwered, “ The intention thereof is to intimate, 
 
 <t 7 tlle power of the crofs from darknefs 
 and fr0m the P°" er of fatan unto 
 „ k , th , rou S h the merits and death, of 
 „ he lha11 come to judge the world 
 
 at the lalt day, and leparate the righteous from 
 the ungodly,, we ft,all be caked from the left 
 hand to the right, and be admitted ainongft 
 the number of the faints in glory.” 
 
 Another Greek who happened to be in com¬ 
 pany, and a man of a pleafing difpofition, took 
 up the argument, and faid very fmartly, « You, 
 
 “ Sir, have free liberty to make your crofs from 
 “ 'he *eft t0 the r ‘ght, but we think it always 
 “ beft t0 be g' n at the right, for thofe who begin 
 “ at the w tong end, generally lay a bad founda- 
 “ non and feldom profper.” The Jefuit was 
 nettled to the quick for fome minutes, he knew 
 
 not 
 
ACCOUNT of the GREEK CHURCH. 
 
 164 An 
 
 not what reply to make; but recollecting himfelf, 
 he turned to the Greek and faid, <c Sir, you 
 “ may make the fign of the crofs from the right 
 <l to the left, to denote, that ever (ince you have 
 C( deferted from the church of Rome, you have 
 c< deviated from the paths of truth, to walk in 
 “ darknefs and error; you have gone aftray from 
 tc virtue to vice, and from grace to fin ; and it 
 fC is very much to be feared, that when we fhall 
 fC appear at the right hand of our blelTed Saviour, 
 << you will Hand at his left, when he fhall come 
 tc in all his glory to judge both the quick and 
 « the dead.” Such'in general are the argu¬ 
 ments made ufe of by the Greek and Roman 
 priefts, when they meet together; from which we 
 may infer, that in all violent difputes, truth is 
 not the foie objed in view. Triffles, and even 
 ridiculous rites and ceremonies, are more re¬ 
 garded than the efiential articles of faith, juft in 
 the fame manner as if two perfons were to fall 
 out, becaule the one wafhes his face with the 
 right hand, and the other with the left. This 
 arrant i'uperftition has been well ridiculed by 
 Dean Swift, in his travels of Gulliver, where he 
 tells us, that two of the nations of the Lilly- 
 putians went to war, and cut each others throats 
 about the great difpute that had longlubfifted be¬ 
 tween them, concerning the breaking the eggs 
 on the right end. 
 
 It is certain, that the Jefuits, in the relations 
 they have given us of their travels into Greece, 
 often mention things concerning the Greeks that 
 are not true, and this arifes from the antipathy 
 they have againft them for not fubmitting to the 
 popes ; nor are the Greeks one bit behind with 
 the Roman Catholics in their malice. As the 
 pope excommunicates once in the year, all thofe 
 who are not of his communion, fo the Greeks do 
 the fame to the Roman Catholics, and probably 
 would do fo to Proteftants, were they acquainted 
 with their tenets. 
 
 In Paflion-week, the patriarch of Conftanti- 
 nople, drefted in his pontifical habits, goes up to 
 the altar of his church, and folemnly curfes and 
 excommunicates all the Roman Catholics in the 
 world. Having pronounced the words ufed in 
 the ceremonv, he drives a nail into the floor with 
 a hammer, as a mark of his malediftion, and 
 then pronounces the fentence of excommunica¬ 
 tion upon all fuch as fhall offer to remove it; 
 nay, if any one Ihould do fo, the Turks, for the 
 lake of a finall gratuity, fuffer them to fine, im- 
 prifon, and baftinade the culprit. 
 
 They have another ceremony of almoft a fimi- 
 Jar nature, performed by the patriarch of Jeru- 
 falem, who, in dignity, is the next to the patri¬ 
 arch of Conftantinople. He fits on a throne be¬ 
 fore the door of ,the convent of the holy fepul- 
 chre, drefted in his pontifical habit, and attended 
 by as many of die eaftern bifhops as can conve¬ 
 niently come to be prefent at the cerernony. 
 There mafs is celebrated, and after fervice is 
 over the patriarch tramples feven times upon the 
 figure of a city, built upon feven hills, which, 
 in all reipedls, alludes to Rome. On the top of 
 the figure is an eagle with two heads, and all 
 thole 'who attend at the ceremony know, that by 
 this is meant, the Greeks trampling upon the city 
 and church of Rome. 
 
 It is remarkable, that in the articles of their 
 faith, we find very little concerning heaven, hell, 
 and purgatory, but this is owing to their not 
 making thefe fentiments fo public as is done by 
 the Roman Catholics. That they believe in a 
 ftate of rewards and punifhments hereafter, can¬ 
 not be denied ; for the whole of their fyftem 
 clearly points it out, and as they pray for the 
 dead, fo one would naturally imagine that they 
 had fome notion of what the Roman Catholics 
 call purgatory. This, however, is not the cafe; 
 for the Roman Catholics believe, that the fouls 
 of thofe who have not committed mortal fins, 
 will be delivered from punilhment as foon as they 
 are purified, and immediately enter into a ftate 
 of everlafting happinefs. This notion was em¬ 
 braced by lome of the fathers in the Latin 
 church, who lived after the time of Conftantine 
 the Great, and it gained ground daily, till it be¬ 
 came the fource of much wealth to the Romifti 
 clergy. 
 
 It was altogether different in the Greek church, 
 for, with refpeft to the ftate of departed fouls, 
 they are almoft of the lame opinion with the fa¬ 
 thers, Chryfoftom, Bazil, Gregory, Nanzienzen, 
 and many others. To underftand this, it will be 
 neceffary to confider what is related in the New 
 Teftament concerning the ftate of departed fouls; 
 and fecondly, how far the Greeks at prefent differ 
 from thofe fentiments, for the popifli doctrine 
 of purgatory has no connexion with them. 
 
 The notion of a ftate of future rewards and 
 punifhments, is not the fubjedt of the prefent 
 enquiry, for it ever was, and ftill is, in one fenfe, 
 or other, believed by all the Heathen nations in 
 the univerfe; but as the Heathens were, and 
 are, in many things ignorant, fo they had of old, 
 and ftill have grofs conceptions of capital truths. 
 
 It was referved for the New Teftament dif- 
 penfation to clear up this grand point, by remov¬ 
 ing the veil of darknefs that had long over- 
 fpread the human mind, and under which even 
 fome of the Old Teftament faints laboured. 
 
 It is remarkable, that when our Saviour de¬ 
 livered the parable concerning the rich man and 
 Lazarus, he reprefented them both in different 
 places, and yet neither the one nor the other 
 in a fixed ftate. We do not read that he was 
 contraditted by any of his hearers, many of 
 whom were his moft implacable enemies, which 
 would certainly have been the cafe, had not the 
 fame fentiments been at that time common 
 among the Jews. Nay, the apoftle Peter fpeaks 
 of it as a received truth, in his firft fermon, af¬ 
 ter the defeent of the Holy Ghoft, for he alludes 
 to Pl'alm xvi. where the Pfalmift lays, “ That 
 « God would not leave his foul in hell, nor fuffer 
 “ his holy one to fee corruption.” 
 
 By hell in this place is not meant a place of 
 material punifhment, but the general ftate of de¬ 
 parted fouls, fome longing tor the refurre< 5 tion 
 to everlafting life, and the others in fear of ever¬ 
 lafting punifhment. 1 his is clearly explained 
 and illuftrated by our Saviour, when he repre- 
 fents the rich man and Lazarus, as in two dif- 
 j ferent places, and a great gulph fixed between 
 ; them. All the primitive Fathers, who lived be- 
 ! fore the reign of the emperor Conftantine, be- 
 l lieved the fame fentiments, acknowledging that 
 
An ACCOUNT of the 
 
 the parable of the rich man and Lazarus was, in 
 all refpedls, confiftent with what we have here 
 advanced. 
 
 The Greeks believe that there are two forts of 
 fouls that defcend into hell, firft, thofe who dy¬ 
 ing in a (late of impenitence, are at once plunged 
 into eternal mifery; the fecond are fuch as re¬ 
 main in hell without feeling any pain, and they 
 believe that tliefe continue in hell for a certain 
 time, longing for heaven. This is the reafon why 
 the Greeks pray for the dead, not that they may 
 be delivered from pain, but that their happinefs 
 may be made complete. That this is the real 
 ftate of the cafe, will appear from a pcrufal of the 
 following (Fort prayer ufed by them: “ Grant, 
 <c O Lord, that his foul may be at reft in thofe 
 cc manfionsof light: give him confolation, and 
 tc reftore him from forrow of all forts, and make 
 <f him everlaftingly happy in the full enjoyment 
 tc of thyfelf.” All their punifhment according 
 to their tenets, confifts in being banifhed for fome 
 time from the prefence of God, but not in being 
 configned over to torments. 
 
 They are of opinion, that the foul cannot of 
 herfelf procure any confolation after death, and 
 that ftie has no other refuge, but in the prayers 
 of the faithful ; but they deny that their pa¬ 
 triarchs, or their bifhops, can do any thing by 
 their public or private adts, to grant the foul its 
 requeft. Llowever, although the above may be 
 confidered as the general opinion, yet there are 
 many of the Greeks who hold a contrary one, and 
 that is the lame as was believed by the Jews of 
 old, and after them by the primitive Chriftians. 
 That opinion is, that both righteous and wicked 
 will remain confined in an intermediate ftate, till 
 the refurredtion day, the righteous longing for it 
 with earneft expectation, the wicked in fear of 
 its coming too loon. This difference, however, 
 mull be attended to, as it is in itfelf abfolutely ne- 
 ceflary to form the diftinCtion between the Jews 
 and the Greeks. The Jews believed, that on the 
 firft day of the Mefliah’s coming, all the de¬ 
 parted fouls were to be raifed from hell, or the 
 ftate of the dead; whereas the Greeks believe, 
 that Chrift has already come in the flelh, and 
 that he will come a fecond time, when an end 
 will be put to all material existence, and that the 
 bodies of the deceafed will rife from the grave, 
 and be joined to their fouls, in order to receive 
 their final doom. The meaning is, that neither 
 the fouls of the wicked, nor thofe of the righ¬ 
 teous, will be either completely happy or mifer- 
 able, till the day of the refurredtion. It is cer¬ 
 tain, that there are many perfons of the fame opi¬ 
 nion, in all Proteftant countries ; but in difputed 
 points of that nature, nothing is more becoming 
 in a Chriftian, than to be humble before God, 
 and wait for the event of things, knowing as he 
 ought, that the judge of all the earth will do 
 every thing that is right confiftent with the nature 
 of his attributes. 
 
 The next thing to be confidered is, what re- 
 fpeCl do the Greeks pay to the confecrated ele¬ 
 ments, in their celebration of the Lord’s fupper? 
 and this is the more neceffary to be confidered, 
 becaufe a right underftanding of it will ferve to 
 lhew, whether in their fentiments they incline 
 more to the Roman Catholics, or the Proteftants. 
 It is certain, that the Greeks pay more adoration 
 2 3 
 
 GREEK CHURCH, 265 
 
 I to the confecrated elements, than is confiftent 
 with the pure fimplicity of the gofpel, which is 
 contrary to our notions as Proteftants; but it is 
 equally certain that they do not carry that adora¬ 
 tion fo high as the Roman Catholics have done. 
 
 Gabriel, archbifhop of Philadelphia, in a trea- 
 tife written againff the Roman Catholics, affirms, 
 that there are two forts of homage or adoration, 
 due to the lacred fymbols of bread and wine. 
 One of thofe is no more than a civil refpedb and 
 reverence, upon their being firft blefied before 
 confecration ; but the other which is fuperior to 
 the former, is an adoration of Chrift’s bodv, which 
 the elements reprefent. Now .this feems to be 
 totally oppofite to the popilh dodtrine of the real 
 prefence ; for they believe, that the real body 
 and blood of Chrift are materially in the wafer, 
 after the ceremony of confecration. Sir Georo-e 
 Wheeler, an Englifh gentleman of great learn¬ 
 ing and knowledge, who refided many ye;ars in 
 the Levant, has given us the following account 
 of the Greeks: <e The Greeks in general, (fays 
 he) have but an imperfedt notion of the eucharift, 
 for although they pay fome fort of adoration to 
 the confecrated elements, yet they do not carry 
 their notions fo high as the Roman Catholics. 
 The biftiop of Micona travelled with us to Con- 
 ftantinople, but I could not hold much conver- 
 fation with him, tho’ I had much difcourfe with 
 one of his priefts, who could fpeak Italian. He 
 feemed a perfedt ftranger to the dodtrine of tran- 
 fubftantiation, and although he believed that 
 lome change takes place in the elements after con¬ 
 fecration, yet fuch transformation was to be con¬ 
 fidered in a myftical light only. 
 
 I had fome conference likewife with the arch- 
 bifhop of Athens, who allured me, that he be¬ 
 lieved the change in the elements was only to be 
 taken in a myftical lenle, without any change in 
 the iubjedt itfelf. I had likewile fometimes an 
 opportunity of converfing on this fubjedt, with 
 the biftiop of Salom, who, finding that I was an 
 Englifhman, defired to know what was the opi¬ 
 nion our church held, concerning the confecrated 
 elements. I gave him all the fatisfadtion I could, 
 namely, that we believed them to be fymbols, or 
 reprefentations of the body and blood of Chrift; 
 and he told me that he was of the fame opinion, 
 and that they fhould be only confidered in that 
 fenfe.” 
 
 From all this we may draw the following con¬ 
 dition, viz. that the Greeks do not believe in 
 the real prefence of Chrift in the facrament, but 
 that they pay fome fort of adoration to the ele¬ 
 ments, though not in the manner of Roman Ca¬ 
 tholics, who actually worfhip them as the real 
 body and blood of Chrift, the wafer bein°- 
 changed in the adt of confecration. 
 
 Of the Difcipline of the Greek Church. 
 
 The next thing to be confidered after giving 
 an account of the dodtrines of the Greeks, is to 
 to point out the manner of their difcipline, or, in 
 other words, the plan of ecclefiaftical polity by 
 which their church is governed; and'this ought 
 to be the more attended to, becaufe it is well' 
 known, that in their prefent ftate they labour 
 X x x under 
 
266 
 
 An ACCOUNT of the GREEK CHURCH. 
 
 under many hardlhips, and are conftantly op- 
 prefted by their cruel mailers the Turks. It is 
 otherwife with thole who live in Ruffia ; but vaft 
 and cx ten five as that empire is, yet the Greek 
 Chriftiuns are few in comparifon with thole who 
 refide about the Levant, in the Lefler Afia, and 
 throughout all Syria, befides many other parts of 
 Afia. 
 
 In their difcipline, they do not ftriCtly adhere 
 to the pofitive injunctions laid down in their 
 canons: As for inftance i they are no way lcru- 
 pulous about the age when priefbs Ihould be or¬ 
 dained, nor do they attend to the interval of 
 time between the ordination of one clal's or 
 another, but fometimes ordain all at once, to the 
 different offices. The election of their patriarch 
 is not always canonical; for he who pays the 
 grand feignior the largefi; furn of money, is lure 
 to be the fuccelsful candidate. Were the Greeks 
 torefufe electing him after he has been nominated 
 by the grand feignior, or even by the grand vizer, 
 they would Hand a fair chance of being maffa- 
 cred, and their children fold for flaves. 
 
 The Greeks, in their natural tempers, are a 
 vain, proud, ambitious fet of people ; for al¬ 
 though they labour under much oppreffion, yet 
 they Hill keep up their fpirits ; and it is owing 
 to this that many of the priefts enter into cabals 
 to obtain the dignity of patriarch. One would 
 naturally imagine, that this would take off all 
 that influence which their miniltration ought to 
 have upon the manners and confidences of the 
 people; but then it mull be remembered, that 
 the latter are fo ignorant, that they never look 
 into thefe things, and if they were to do fo, they 
 would obtain no manner of redrefs. 
 
 Befides the money the new eleCted patriarch 
 pays to the grand feignior, they are likewife 
 obliged to buy the votes of all thofe bifhops by 
 whom they are eleCted, fo that in one fingle elec- j 
 tion, there are two aCts of fimony committed. , 
 On the other hand, the patriarch knows very 
 well how to reimburfe himfelf, when his turn 
 comes to conffitute a bilhop ; the bifhops again 
 take the advantage of the priefts, of whom they 
 demand exorbitant fees for their admiftion into 
 orders; and, at laft, the whole weight falls upon 
 the people ; for they mull pay extravagantly dear 
 for the privilege of the facraments, which is the 
 reafon they feldom partake of them. Strange ! 
 that people in a Hate of the levereft oppreffion, 
 fhould in this manner opprefs each other ; and 
 yet the faCt cannot be denied. The Turks, 
 among whom they live, are no ftrangers to this 
 part of the conduCt of the Greeks, and they often 
 upbraid them with it, calling them ufurers, 
 Chriftian dogs, and luch other names j and pof- 
 libly it is owing to this part of their conduCt, that 
 they never make any converts, but continue juft; 
 as they were above fix hundred years ago. 
 
 The patriarch of Conftantinople, in confe- 
 quence of his having purchafed his dignity from 
 the grand feignior, affumes, like the pope, the 
 title of univerlal bilhop ; and as he procures his 
 place by fimony, fo he makes a fimonical ufe of 
 it. The patriarchs and bilhops are always fingle 
 men, but the priefts are married before ordina¬ 
 tion ; and this cuftom, which is general all over 
 the Levant, is very antient. This, however, is 
 not an apoftolical injunction, but an invention 
 
 of their own ; for according to it, no man can 
 be a bifhop, or a patriarch, unlefs he is a wi¬ 
 dower. For fhould a prieft happen to marry a 
 fecond wife, (and he mult be married before he 
 is ordained) he mult no longer officiate. A 
 clergyman who marries after ordination, is con- 
 fidered as a layman, and confequently if he is 
 poor, obliged to follow fome lecular employ¬ 
 ment. 
 
 The Greek clergy in the Levant are fo mifer- 
 ably poor, that they are obliged to fell their 
 doCtrine and facraments in order to procure a 
 fubfiftence, and it is often no better than a 
 wretched one. There is no one therefore can 
 procure abfolution, be admitted to confeffion, 
 have his children baptized, be married, or di¬ 
 vorced, or obtain an excommunication againft 
 his adverfary, or the communion in time of fick- 
 nefs, without paying fome money. The priefts 
 make the beft market they can, and fix a price 
 on their fpiritual commodities, in proportion to 
 the abilities and devotion of the people. Nay, 
 they are fo rigid and avaricious with their people, 
 that they will l'carce part with a drop of holy 
 water without being paid for it before hand. 
 
 As to thofe who have fixed parifhes from which 
 they mull not depart, they would abfolutely 
 ftarve, was it not for the benevolence of the 
 people j but we may here add what Mr. Sandys 
 and Mr. Thompfon fay, “ Many of the Greek 
 cc priefts cultivate fmall gardens, which procure 
 <f them fome part of a fubfiftence.” The Turks 
 oblige every parifh to maintain its own prieft, 
 left he Ihould become burthenfome to the ftate, 
 and this mull be paid either in money or in the 
 fruits of the earth. Each diocefe is likewife 
 taxed for the fupport of the bilhop ; and as the 
 collectors purchafe their places from the Turks, 
 fo they generally make the people pay more than 
 they ought. As for the charity of the people, it 
 cannot be very fervent, when we confider what 
 hardfhips they fuffer, and how cruelly they are 
 oppreffed by the Turks. 
 
 The monaftic life is held in great veneration 
 among the Greeks ; but the reclufes are poor 
 monks indeed. Many of them pretend that 
 they never eat flefh, which is not at all impro¬ 
 bable, becaule they cannot procure it; for they 
 are not reftrained from it by any particular vow. 
 Many of them allow themfelves only four hours 
 deep in the twenty-four, and fome only two. 
 They attend divine fervice three times in the day, 
 and fuch as do not love reading and Iludy, fpend 
 their time in drefling their gardens, and fmall 
 pieces of ground adjoining to the convents. 
 Many of them work at different trades, fuch as 
 making (hoes, cloaths, and knitting of block¬ 
 ings, fo that few of them are idle ; and in this, 
 from motives of necelfity rather than choice, 
 they imitate, in fome mealure, the hermits in 
 the primitive times. 
 
 Although there are monks of different orders 
 among the Greeks, yet all of them owe their 
 origin to Bafil, who firft inftituted the monaftic 
 life among them. All the monks, in general, 
 look upon him as their founder and common 
 father, and efteem it a crime of the moil enor¬ 
 mous nature, to deviate in the leaft from his 
 rules. In fome parts of Greece, we meet with 
 very beautiful convents as well as churches, but 
 
An ACCOUNT of the 
 
 the generality of them are extremely mean ; and 
 notwithftanding their pretenfions to be all fol¬ 
 lowers of St. Bafil, yet there are many of them 
 ■who differ from each other, fo that it is not an 
 eafy matter to find out who are in the right. 
 
 There is one order among them compofed of 
 perfons of great diftinftion and worth, who pre¬ 
 tend to live more pioufiy than the others, and 
 thefe are called Angelical. They are very nu¬ 
 merous, and moft of them live at their own 
 expence. The next order to this, are called 
 thole of the Leffer Habit, and are much inferior 
 to thofe already mentioned, nor do they pretend 
 to lead fuch fandlified lives. Before they take 
 up the habit, they agree to live according as then- 
 own difcretion fhall diftate, and as they give a 
 fmall lum according to their abilities to the con - 
 vent, they are ferved with what provifions they 
 chufe, fo as it fhall not exceed what they have 
 given. If they are in poffeffion of any thing 
 when they die, and leave no will, it is given to 
 the convent, but if otherwife, they difpofe of it 
 to a young novice, whom they call pupil. There 
 are fome monks, however, amonglt this order, 
 who are fo exceeding poor, miferable and indi¬ 
 gent, that they are incapable of purchafmg the 
 leaft l'pot or parcel of ground for their own pri¬ 
 vate ufe, and are obliged to fpend their whole 
 time in the fervice of the convent, and fubmit to 
 the meaneft and moft fervile employments. In 
 confequence of which the convent lupplies them 
 with all convenient neceffaries, and it they have 
 any time to fpare, after their work is over, they 
 fpend it in prayer and other afts of devotion. 
 
 There is a third order of thefe monks, diftin- 
 guifhed by the name of Anchorets, and although 
 they chufe not to work, or go through the other 
 neceffary duties of the convent, they are ftill very 
 defirous of fpending their time in folitude and 
 retirement. For this reafon, each of them pur- 
 chafes a cell or hut without the convent, with 
 about half an acre of ground adjoining to it, 
 which he cultivates in order to procure a fub- 
 fiftence. On Sundays and holy days they attend 
 divine fervice in the church of the convent, and 
 when devotions are over, they return to their 
 cells, and fpend their time in purfuit of their 
 neceffary avocations, without being bound down 
 by any rules whatever. There are fome of thele 
 Anchorets, however, who withdraw themfelves 
 from their convents; but for this they muft have 
 leave from the abbot or fuperior. This they 
 Generally do, in order to give themfelves up 
 more clofely to prayer, meditation, and the con¬ 
 templation of divine things. 
 
 In fuch cafes the convent fends them, once 
 at leaft, and fometimes twice in a month, a 
 ftated allowance of provifions, but there are 
 Others, who although they retire from their con¬ 
 vents with confent of the abbot, yet they ftill 
 continue to cultivate a fmall piece of ground. in 
 the fame manner as they did before. Some live 
 on figs, cherries, apples, and other fruits; and 
 others fow beans in their proper leafon ; while a 
 third fort procure a fubfiftence, by tranfcribing 
 books and manufcripts. 
 
 Eefides thefe monks, there are likewife nuns 
 who form themfelves into communities, are con¬ 
 fined to convents, and live according to the order 
 of St. Bafil. They are no way inferior to the 
 
 GREEK CHURCH. 46? 
 
 monks with refpeft to their abftemious Courfe of 
 life, their penances, falls, prayers, and other 
 adls of devotion, ft hey make choice of one of 
 the moft antient filters, who is confpicuous for 
 her exemplary life and converfation, to be their 
 principal or lady abbefs. The lame duties are 
 incumbent on thefe luperiors, with refpedl to the 
 nuns, as are required and expected from the 
 abbots in relation to the monks. But ftill thefe 
 nuns are under the government of an abbot, who 
 takes care to fend them, from time to time, fome 
 old monks to be their fathers confeffors, and to 
 adminifter the facraments to them in their pro¬ 
 per feafons. One of thefe confeffors refides near 
 the convent, to be always ready at hand to afiift 
 them on any emergent occafion. He likewife 
 fays mafs to them, and regulates all their de¬ 
 votions. 
 
 There are many of thefe nuns in Greece, and 
 in general they wear the fame habit, which is 
 black, with a woollen gown of the fame colour, 
 the (leeves of which cover their arms down to the 
 fingers ends. Their heads are all lhaved clofe; 
 each of them has a feparate apartment, with a 
 commodious room both above and below. Such 
 as are in affluent circumftances, are allowed to 
 keep a fervant; nay, fometimes they entertain 
 young ladies in their fociety, and train them up 
 in the practice of piety. When the hours of 
 devotion are over, they fpend the remainder of 
 the day in teaching all fuch forts of needlework 
 as are confiftent with the fafhions and dreffes of 
 the country. The Turks often come to thefe 
 convents, in order to purchafe girdles from the 
 nuns, but they never attempt to commit any 
 indecencies ; for however arbitrary the Turkilh 
 government may appear to thofe who are not 
 acquainted with it, yet this much is certain, that 
 they content themfelves with receiving the com¬ 
 mon tribute from the Greeks, without giving 
 them any farther trouble. 
 
 The falls obferved by the Greeks are very dif¬ 
 ferent from thofe of the Latins ; for the latter 
 are feftivals, when compared with thofe of the 
 former. The Greeks not only abftain from eat¬ 
 ing the flelh of animals and their produce, fuch 
 j as butter and cheefe, but they eat no manner of 
 I filh, and content themfelves with fruits and herbs, 
 to which they put a fmall quantity of oil, and 
 they allow themfelves only one glafs of wine 
 during the whole of the day. The monks are 
 ftill more rigorous than the laity, for they never 
 fo much as tafte one drop of wine or oil, except 
 on Saturdays and Sundays. The Mufcovites 
 however, or Ruffians, as they have neither wine 
 nor oil, are indulged to eat filh. 
 
 As for their Lents, the Greeks cenfure the 
 Latins for falling on Saturdays, becaufe that 
 Sunday as well as Saturday is a feftival ; and this 
 they prove from the practice of the primitive 
 church, which is certainly true, for the primitive 
 Chriftians never did fall on Saturdays. 
 
 But we have a ftill more explicit account of the 
 falls obferved by the Greek monks, in the writings 
 of feveral of thofe eminent travellers who have 
 lately vifited the Levant. They are obliged to 
 fall three days every week, namely, on Mondays, 
 Wednefdays and Fridays. On which days they 
 go to private prayers about two in the afternoon, 
 and then they receive a fmall refrelhment, which 
 
 principally 
 
An ACCOUNT of the GREEK CHURCH. 
 
 •268 
 
 principally confifts in a few beans with a little 
 broth, without either oil or butter, only a few 
 roots are mixed with the broth, and to the whole 
 is added a fmall quantity of vinegar. In the 
 evening they return to prayers again, and when 
 fervice is over, they feat themfelves in the church, 
 and diftribute to each monk a dice of bread, 
 and a glafs of water. This indulgence, however, 
 is only fhewn to the junior monks, for the fenior 
 ones have no (hare in the diftribution. After a 
 Ihort interval, they return to their devotions, 
 which generally laft an hour, and as they go out 
 of the church, they pais in review before their fu- 
 perior, or abbot, who ftands at the door. Each 
 as he paffes aiks his bleffing, and the abbot fays, 
 “ God be propitious to thee my fon.” The be¬ 
 nediction being given, each walks home to his 
 own cell, but none of them dare fpeak as they 
 go along, that being in all refpeCts contrary to 
 their orders. 
 
 This exercife is fucceeded by a very ihort re- 
 pofe, for about midnight they get up and attend 
 public prayers, which are feldom over before day¬ 
 break, at which time every one retires to his pri¬ 
 vate avocations till noon, when he is again 
 obliged to attend church. Returning from 
 church to the hall of the convent, they have a 
 dinner of herbs with a little bread ferved up, and 
 each of the monks implores the abbot’s bleffing, 
 who ftands at the upper end of the table. If any 
 one of the monks has laid too long in bed, he is 
 obliged, by way of penance, to go to the lower 
 end of the table, and repeat the following words, 
 “ Have companion, O Lord, on thy unworthy 
 “ fervant and people, according to thy infinite 
 tf goodnefs and mercy.” Then the penitent 
 proftrates himfelf to the ground, imploring for- 
 givenefs in that humble pofture, and crying out, 
 £< O holy fathers, pray for me who am a finful 
 “ fluggard.” Whereupon the monks reply “ God 
 cc forgive you, my brother.” 
 
 After this, they all depart except the poor peni¬ 
 tent, who is obliged to remain there fome time 
 longer, and none are exempted from this penance 
 from the higheft to the loweft. Idlenefs is a vice 
 againft which they are obliged to guard them¬ 
 felves, for it is in confequence of their induftry, 
 that they are able to pay the tribute to the Turks. 
 Moll of their ceremonies are founded on oral 
 traditions, which they believe have been con¬ 
 veyed down to them from the primitive ages of 
 Chriftianity. They have no opportunity of en¬ 
 quiring whether they are true or falfe, for it is 
 fufficient for them that they are acknowledged by 
 the priefrs, and held in efteem by the common 
 people. To this may be added, that if ignorance 
 reigns among the people, it is but little better 
 with the priells, among whom are feldom any to 
 be found, who have read more than their com¬ 
 mon breviaries; and it is well known, they may, 
 by conftant practice, read thefe over without un- 
 deritanding them. 
 
 The Greek church, in the fixth century, ac¬ 
 knowledged five diftinCt patriarchs, viz. That of 
 Rome, Conftantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and 
 Jerulalem. But befides the above-mentioned 
 patriarch, the Ruffians haVe joined a fixth, whofe 
 jurifdiCtion extends ever all that vaft empire. He 
 is fupreme judge in all ecclcfiaftical affairs, and 
 has an unlimited power to direCt the clergy in the 
 
 nature and difeharge of their duty. But Till the 
 patriarch of Conftantinople is generally con- 
 fidered as the head of the Greek church through¬ 
 out every part of the world. But here it is ne~ 
 cefiary to obferve, that neither the patriarch of 
 Conftantinople, nor any of the bilhops under him, 
 can exercife their authority without permiflion 
 from the grand feignior, l'o that in this fenfe, even 
 a Mahometan emperor becomes the head of the 
 Greek church. 
 
 Sir Paul Ricaut, who vifited the Levant, and 
 wrote the hiftory of the Turks above one hun¬ 
 dred years ago, fays, that the patriarchs of Con¬ 
 ftantinople, ufed to pay no more than ten thou- 
 fand crowns when they were firft inftalled, but in 
 his time it had arifen to twenty-five thoufand, and 
 now it is not lefs than fifty thoufand. Befides this 
 duty, which is very burthenfome, the collectors 
 often exaCt great fees from them; fo that the pa¬ 
 triarch, although he gratifies his ambition, by ac¬ 
 cepting of an empty title, yet he is for the moft 
 part incumbered with debts, which leads him to 
 very unjuftifiable means in order to pay them. 
 If he once proves deficient in his payments, he is 
 immediately depofed, and it is owing to fuch 
 caufes as thefe, that there are fo many revolutions 
 and fuch uncertainty in the Greek church. 
 
 The patriarch has under him, about one hun¬ 
 dred and fifty archbifhops and bifhops, each of 
 whom pays a fee at his ordination, otherwife he 
 cannot be admitted; and when a prieft dies with¬ 
 out iffue, the patriarch feizes the whole of his 
 eftate, whether real or perfonal. In this part of 
 his conduct, he receives all manner of encourage¬ 
 ment from the Turks, who are willing that the 
 Greeks fhould be kept as much under as poftible. 
 It is certain, that the emperor of Ruflia fends an 
 annual prefent to the patriarch of Conftantinople, 
 and this is done in confequence of a traditional 
 prophefy, that the Ruffians are one day to deliver 
 the Greeks from the flavery they now labour 
 under. 
 
 Before the Turks made themfelves mafters of 
 Conftantinople, all thole who attended the pa¬ 
 triarch, were monks, nor was any fecular perfon 
 admitted into office ; but at prefent they are all 
 feculars, four only excepted. At the right hand 
 of the patriarch ftands his high fteward, whofe 
 peculiar province it is to colleCt the revenues, and 
 difeharge all fuch debts as have been contracted, 
 whether in purchafing the place, or in confe¬ 
 quence of any favour granted fince the election. 
 He gives in an account twice in the year, and af- 
 fifts at the patriarchal tribunal, whenever that 
 court fits. When a biffiop dies, he fuperintends 
 the affairs of the diocefe, and in the name of his 
 matter has the firft vote at the next election. 
 
 Next to him is the high mafter of the chapel, 
 who affifts the patriarch in the difeharge of all 
 thofe ceremonies and duties which are enjoined 
 by the canons of the church, and who is to ex¬ 
 amine all the candidates for the miniftry. 
 
 The high treafurer is next in order, and it is 
 his bufinefs to take care of thefacred veffels, and 
 pontifical ornaments belonging to the church. 
 He has an office near the door of the veftry, 
 where they are depofited, and not only delivers 
 out the proper habiliments to the officiating pre¬ 
 late, but likewile takes care that all things are re¬ 
 gularly placed upon the altar. When a biffiop 
 
An. ACCOUNT of the 
 dies he has the rents of his biffioprick committed 
 to his care by the high fteward, and thefe he 
 keeps till the patriarch gives orders in what man¬ 
 ner they are to be difpofed of, which is generally 
 for his own ufe. 
 
 The grand official takes care of every thing 
 relating to benefices, and the impediments which 
 obftrudt marriages, and he introduces all fuch 
 priefts as come to receive the facrament on fo- 
 lemn feftivals. He is keeper of all the charters 
 and records, and when the patriarch officiates at 
 conlecrations, whether of biffiops or priefts, he 
 ftands by his fide. Next to him is the high 
 or grand chancellor, and he has the cuftody of 
 the patriarch’s fignet, with which he feals all his 
 letters. The grand referendary difpatches all the 
 patriarch’s orders, a<5ts as his deputy to perfons 
 of diftin£tion, and is one of the ecclefiaftical 
 judges. In the time of the Greek emperors, he 
 was diftinguiffied by the title of Palatine, but 
 that is no longer in ufe. 
 
 The grand prothonotary fits direttly oppofite 
 the patriarch, to tranfcribe and deliver out all his 
 briefs, mandamufes, orders, and decrees. It is 
 his province likewife, twice every week, to ex¬ 
 amine all the profeffors of the civil law, and un¬ 
 der his infpedtion are all contra&s of marriages, 
 and laft wills and teftaments. He attends the 
 patriarch in the fan&uary, and brings him water 
 to waffi his hands after divine fervice. Thefe are 
 his higheft officers, who ftill maintain their origi¬ 
 nal dignity, and when he is vifited by biffiops 
 from Raffia, or any where elfe, where the Greek 
 religion is profeffed, they ftand at his right hand, 
 pointing out by that ceremony, that they are 
 fuperior to the vifitors. 
 
 Next to thefe are a lower fort of officers, not 
 unlike fome of thole we meet with in the churches 
 of Roman Catholics. 
 
 The firft of thefe is the incenfe-bearer, who, 
 befides difcharging the duty implied in his title, 
 covers the confecrated veffels, and other facred 
 utenfils, with a veil, during the time the choir is 
 finging the anthem to the facred trinity, and he 
 affifts the biffiops or priefts, who fay mafs, to put 
 on their robes. The next officer to him is em¬ 
 ployed in writing down the votes of biffiops on 
 eledtions, or when any councils are held, and re¬ 
 ceiving petitions and remonftrances. This officer 
 is called the advocate, and he holds, on certain 
 days, a court in the church porch, and decides in 
 fmaller matters relating to ecclefiaftical affairs. 
 Under him is an officer, who takes care of the 
 rituals, and in the abfence of the biffiop he can 
 confecrate a new church, ordain readers, and fuch 
 inferior officers as do not adminifter the facra- 
 ments. During divine-fervice, all thefe officers 
 fit on the right hand of the biffiop’s throne, but 
 in the ecclefiaftical court, each has a feat accord¬ 
 ing to the nature of his office. 
 
 On the left hand of the patriarch, fit feveral 
 other officers, particularly the high prieft, the 
 vifitor, the prefedbof churches, the lecular judges, 
 two deans, the chanter, the grand arch-deacon, 
 and the deacons. The prefect has the care of the 
 facred oil, and he ereefts, the crols upon the fpot 
 of ground marked out for a new church, when 
 thepatriarch cannot perform the ceremony himlelf. 
 There is an officer or deputy, under the arch¬ 
 deacon, to affemble the clergy together, and he 
 2 3 
 
 GREEK CHURCH. «s 9 
 
 I has a deputy, who begins finging in the choff* 
 
 | The fame deputy introduces ftrangers into the 
 prefence of the patriarch, and clears the way to 
 and from his audience. He may properly be 
 ftiled the mafter of the ceremonies, for moft of 
 his bufinefs comes under fuch a character. 
 
 The other officers on the patriarch’s left hand, 
 are, the catechift, who inftrufls adult perfons for 
 the facrament of baptifm, and thefe are com¬ 
 monly fuch as have renounced Herefy, and de¬ 
 fire to be admitted into the church. This officer 
 an apartment adjoining to the church, where 
 his dilciples come to receive inftru&ions; but if 
 any of them fiiould happen to admit a Turk to 
 the facrament of baptifm, it would be attended 
 with very ferious confequences. For in fuch cafes, 
 both the catechift and the catechumen would be 
 impaled alive. This is fuch a dreadful puniffi- 
 ment, that we ffiall here deferibe it to the 
 reader. 
 
 Near the out parts of the city, and at the com¬ 
 mon place of execution, a gibbet is erefted in 
 the form of a crofs, and the perfon condemned by 
 the cadi, or judge, is brought out and ftripped 
 naked. A fmall piece of wood, almoft in the 
 ffiape of a lance, is thruft in at his fundament, 
 till the other end comes out at his ffioulder, and 
 in this manner he is hung up on the gibbet, and 
 left to expire. When Mr. Thompfon was at 
 Smyrna, he faw a man fuffer in this manner, for 
 changing his religion, and he continued in tor¬ 
 tures upwards of fix hours before he expired, but 
 the catechift who had converted him, made his 
 efcape. 
 
 Befides the catechift, there is another under 
 him, who is called the providente, and goes 
 from place to place to inftruft fuch perfons in the 
 country as defire to be baptized; and it is necef- 
 lary to obferve, that they may make converts of 
 Heathens, Jews, Roman Catholics, or Proteftants, 
 but they muft not meddle with Mahometans, 
 rhere is likewife another officer, whofe bufinefs 
 it is to carry the paftoral ftaff before the biffiop, 
 befides feveral door-keepers; but thefe officers 
 are not fixed, it being in the power of every new 
 biffiop to change them as often as he pleafes. 
 Befides thefe there is another officer, not yet 
 mentioned, who attends the patriarch, and is 
 his confeffor. Fie has apartments in the houle of 
 the patriarch, and properly fpeaking, he is 
 both his temporal and fpiritual director, there 
 being nothing of importance undertaken without 
 confulting him, nor any thing concluded, unlefs 
 he gives his confent and his approbation. 
 
 The Greeks have their fynods, but thefe are 
 not properly of a fixed nature. Every biffiop 
 may convene a lynod of the clergy, within his 
 diocefe, and fo may an archbifhop within his 
 province ; but little of any importance is trar.l- 
 a6ted in them. Whether thefe fynods are con¬ 
 vened by biffiops or archbiffiops, yet before they 
 iffue out their orders for the clergy to attend, 
 they are obliged to obtain the confent of the go¬ 
 vernor of the province, to whom they pay a cer¬ 
 tain fee. It is much more fo with the patriarch 
 of Conftantinople, who dares not call a lynod till 
 he has obtained permiffion from the grand feignior, 
 for which he pays a conliderable lum to the grand 
 vizer. 
 
 From what we have faid concerning the difei- 
 Y y y pline 
 
An ACCOUNT of the GREEK CHURCH. 
 
 170 
 
 pline in the Greek church, and the fplendid titles 
 bellowed upon thofe who attend the patriarch of 
 Conftantinople, fome may imagine that this pon¬ 
 tiff is held in the fame rank as the popes at 
 Rome. The cafe, however, is quite otherwife ; 
 for the pope is rather a temporal prince than a 
 lpiritual bilhop, and we have an inllance fo late 
 as the year 1748, of Benedict XIV. pope of Rome, 
 and one of the greateft canonilts that ever lived, 
 fending an ambaflador to the treaty held at 
 Aix-la-chapelle, in order to infill that he fhould 
 be fecured in the peaceable pofieflions of his do¬ 
 minions. Nay, in former times, this was common 
 with the popes, and on different occafions they 
 became mediators between contending princes, 
 of which many inllances might be given. 
 
 At Conftantinople, the patriarch is luch a poor 
 dependant creature, that no motives that we can 
 form any notion of, would induce him to court 
 the enjoyment, or rather the fatigues of the office, 
 except principle or ambition. That his motives 
 do not flow from a principle of doing good, 
 mull appear evident to every one who has heard 
 how he acquires the title. The means made ufe 
 of, are a fcandal even to a heathen country, but 
 much more fo to thofe who alfume the lacred name 
 of Chriftian. He enters upon it by a ftmonical 
 bargain, he rewards his oppreflors with what 
 emoluments, or rather what fees of an illegal 
 nature he can extort from his fuffragans, and by 
 fo doing lays a foundation for a continual fuc- 
 ceflion of hypocrify, perjury, and every thing 
 that can dilhonour religion, and difgrace man. 
 But.we mull look for it in ambition, that prin¬ 
 ciple implanted in every human bread, and al¬ 
 ways beneficial to ourfelves and to others, when 
 exerted in a proper manner. But there are two 
 forts of ambition, one which leads us in the road, 
 and condudts us to the temple of fame ; there is 
 another which renders us defpicable, even in the 
 eyes of the meaneft of our fellow-creatures. 
 
 x^n honed ambition Simulates a man to a<fl in 
 luch a manner as to leave a good name behind, 
 and if he ffiould even mifs that, as many have 
 done, he will dill enjoy a good confcience. When 
 Sir Thomas More was lord-high chancellor of 
 England, his fons, whom he had put into places, 
 complained one day to their father, that by his 
 lenity to the fuitors in chancery, they could not 
 make fo much in their offices, as thofe who went 
 before them; fc I will do juftice (faid he) to 
 iC every man for your fake, and I will leave you 
 “ a blefling.” Here was an inftance of untainted 
 moral ambition, and it is from fuch fentiments, 
 that many great and good men have learned to 
 be ufeful to their fellow-creatures. Sir Thomas 
 More, although a Chriftian, and a zealous Ro¬ 
 man Catholic, for which he loft his life, fpoke 
 here as a moral philofopher, as an upright judge, 
 4rA an honed; man ; but let us carry the idea into 
 Chriftianity. 
 
 When Ignatius, the aged biffiop of Antioch, 
 in the reign of the emperor Trajan, was told 
 that he was to be devoured by wild beafts, he 
 cxultingly replied, “ That is my high eft honour, 
 <c for then I ffiall be grinded by their teeth, fo 
 « as to be bread for my Divine Lord and Re- 
 < c deemer.” But the fecond fort of ambition is, 
 that which is mean, felfifh, and groveling. Such 
 are thofe wretches, who fell honour and con¬ 
 
 fcience, not for a temporary emolument, bur. 
 merely for an empty name. Mr. Knowles, in 
 his hiftory of the Turks, tells us of a rich tradef- 
 man at Conftantinople, who gave all his fortune 
 for leave to wear the imperial crown one hour, 
 and thus, fays the hiftorian, in one hour, he be¬ 
 came a conceited emperor and a real beggar. 
 
 This cafe, in every refpect, applies to thofe 
 men who afpire at being patriarchs of Conftan¬ 
 tinople. They are mean enough to folicit the fil¬ 
 tered of the clerks in office, and thefe being 
 well paid, intercede with the grand vizer, who 
 obtains permiffion from the grand feignior ; and 
 the patriarch, in order to reimburfe himfelf of the 
 expences he has paid, fleeces the bifhops under 
 his care, and they, in their turn, are permitted 
 to opprefs the people. It frequently happens, 
 that all the patriarch can procure, does not an- 
 fwer the demand of the grand vizer, who is 
 for the mod part implacable, and will fliew him 
 no mercy. He is ordered into banilhment, and 
 another is appointed in his room; fo that it fre¬ 
 quently happens that there are three or four de- 
 pofed patriarchs at a time. Strange, that the 
 defire of an empty name fhould lead men on to 
 fuch unacountable extravagancies, but fuch is the 
 date of human nature; and in looking over hif¬ 
 tory, we ffiall find, that fome men in all ages and 
 nations, have been tainted, with this mean fordid 
 principle. 
 
 Of the Worfliip in the Greek Church. 
 
 When the extraordinary gifts of the Holy 
 Ghoft ceafed, the rulers of the church fupplied. 
 this want by proper forms of their own compo- 
 fition, according to Chriftian prudence and dif- 
 cretion. This feems to have been the true ori¬ 
 ginal of liturgies, or ftated forms of divine 
 fervice. 
 
 Every biffiop, in the firft ages, was at liberty 
 to order the form of divine fervice in his own 
 church ; and accordingly, each particular church 
 or diocefe, had its proper liturgy. This privi¬ 
 lege the bifhops retained for feveral ages : but in 
 after-times, they agreed by confent to conform 
 their liturgy to the model of the metropolitical 
 church to which they belonged. And then it 
 was enabled into a law by feveral councils, that 
 the fame order and uniformity ffiould beobferved 
 in all churches. The rudiments of this difeipline 
 were firft laid in the French churches; but foon 
 after, the fame rule was concerted and agreed 
 upon, in the Spaniffi churches. In length of 
 time, when the Roman empire began to be di¬ 
 vided into different kingdoms, then came in the 
 ufe of national liturgies, or fuch whofe ufe was 
 commenfurate to the bounds and limits of their 
 refpeeftive nations and kingdoms. 
 
 None of the antient liturgies are now remain¬ 
 ing, as they were at firft compofed for the ufe of 
 particular churches, and feveral reafons may be 
 affigned for this. 1. They being dffigned only 
 for the ufe of particular churches, there was no 
 great reafon to be very felicitous, either to com¬ 
 municate the knowledge of them to other 
 churches, or to preferve them entire to pofte- 
 rity. 2. It is not improbable, as a learned 
 
 French 
 
An ACCOUNT of the 
 
 French writer has obferved, that the antient li¬ 
 turgies were for fome ages only certain forms of 
 worlhip committed to memory, and known by 
 practice rather than by writing. This feems the 
 more probable, becaufe, in the perfecution under 
 Dioclefian, when drift fearch was made after 
 every thing belonging to the church, we never 
 read of any ritual books, or books of divine ler- 
 vice, difcovered among them. This is an ar¬ 
 gument, that they did not fo generally draw up 
 their liturgies, or forms of worlhip, in books and 
 writings, as in after ages ; which is the reafon 
 why none of thofe antient liturgies are come to 
 our hands perfeft and intire, but only in fcattered 
 fragments, as the fathers had occafion to mention 
 them incidentally in their writings. 3. The lad 
 reafon is, the interpolations and additions made 
 to the antient liturgies in after ages. For, though 
 thofe antient liturgies, which go under the name 
 of St. Chryfodom and St. Bafil, might originally 
 have fomething of their compofition in them, 
 yet fo many additions and alterations have been 
 made in them by the Greek Church in fol¬ 
 lowing ages, that it is not eafy to difcern what are 
 the genuine compofitions of the firft authors. 
 But, though none of the antient liturgies arc 
 come down to us perfeft and entire, yet are there 
 feveral fragments and fcattered remains of them 
 in the genuine writings of the fathers ; to which 
 may be added fuch forms as we find in the antient 
 book called. The Apoftolical Conditutions. This, 
 though perhaps not fo old as the title imports, 
 nor of fo venerable authority as Mr. Whidon 
 contends for, who will have it to be truly apof¬ 
 tolical, is allowed however to be a good collec¬ 
 tion of the liturgies and rituals of the church, in 
 the fourth and fifth centuries. 
 
 The Greeks have feveral liturgies for parti¬ 
 cular holy days, but the one generally ufed is 
 that commonly known by the name of St. Chry- 
 fodom’s ; and although this book be of con- 
 fiderable antiquity, yet it was not written by that 
 father, but by fome other.perfon fince his time. 
 St. Chryfodom lived in the latter end of the 
 fourth, and beginning of the fifth century, for 
 he was ordained bilhop of Condantinople 1395, 
 and depofed and banilhed for oppofing Arianifm 
 1405. In his time, fome forms of prayer were 
 ufed, but thefe were few, plain, and eafy ; and of 
 thefe we have fome fpecimens in the works of 
 this celebrated father, quite different from thofe 
 which bear his name in the Greek liturgy. 
 
 During their prayers in public, the Greeks for 
 the mod part dand uncovered, with their faces 
 toward the ead, but they may lean, or even fit 
 down if it is more convenient for them. The 
 laity lit while the pried reads his exhortation to 
 them ; for preaching is fo far abolifhed among 
 them, that Tournefort allures us, there is fcarce 
 a pulpit to be feen among them; and when it 
 happens that a pried attempts to preach, he 
 makes a very aukward figure. His difeourfe 
 confids of a tedious train of empty words, with¬ 
 out the lead order or coherence, and which the 
 preacher knows jud as little of as the people. 
 
 As foon as the people get into their pews, they 
 uncover their heads, and make the fign of the 
 crofs, by joining the three fird fingers of their 
 right hand j by which is implied, that there are 
 
 GREEK CHURCH. 271 
 
 three perfons in the facred godhead, and then 
 they draw them down from their foreheads, be¬ 
 low their breads, and then from the right fhoul- 
 der; by all which is meant, that the three perfons 
 in the godhead refide in heaven; when brought 
 to the bread, Chrid’s incarnation, crucifixion, 
 burial, and defeent into hell; when laid on the 
 right Ihoulder, they denote that Chrid is rifen, 
 and fits at the right hand of God. As the wicked 
 are faid to be placed at the left hand of Chrid, 
 and, as in all cafes, the right hand is reckoned 
 more noble than the left, fo the Greeks, who are 
 very fuperditious, prefer this way of making the 
 crofs to that ufed by the Roman Catholics. But 
 there are many other myderies fuppofed to be 
 held forth by thefe ceremonies; for in all churches 
 where primitive fimplicity is forfaken or neg- 
 lefted, allegories, drawn from vifible reprefen- 
 tations, are placed in its room. 
 
 When the Greeks celebrate mafs, the pried 
 enters the church, attended by a deacon, and they 
 both bow to the ead, and make three profound 
 bows before the images of our Saviour and the 
 Bleffed Virgin, which are accompanied with a 
 fhort prayer, and after that, three more low bows 
 to the ead. The deacon then advances and 
 dreffes the pried in the outward robe or dole, af¬ 
 ter which he puts on his own. The whole of 
 this ceremony is conduced with the repetition of 
 feveral fhort prayers, both by the pried and the 
 deacon, while the people are at their devotions 
 in private. The pried then walks from one end 
 of the altar to the other, touches all the facred 
 vefTels, marks them with the fign of the crofs, 
 and repeats feveral prayers in concert with the 
 deacon. 
 
 Thefe ceremonies being performed, the pried, 
 with the deacon, goes to the left fide of the altar, 
 where they wafii their hands, as a token of their 
 being cleanfed from all filthinefs of the flefh and 
 fpirit, and while they are wafhing, they repeat a 
 prayer in their own language. The pried then 
 begins to make the necefiary preparations for ce¬ 
 lebrating mafs, and the deacon brings the bread, 
 wine, and chalice out of a clofet, and places 
 them on a table before the middle of the altar, 
 then both of them make three profound bows 
 before them. Having bleffed the bread, he 
 takes it in his left hand, and a knife in his right, 
 and makes a crofs on it, laying three times luc- 
 ceffively, “ In remembrance of Jefus Chrid our 
 t( Lord, our God, and our Redeemer.” In the 
 conclufion of thefe words, he enters his knife 
 into a mark on the right fide of the bread, and 
 cuts it crofs-ways, repeating the following words, 
 “ He was led as a fheep to the Daughter,” and 
 when the knife is entered into the mark, he adds, 
 “ And as a lamb before his fhearer was dumb.” 
 When he cuts the upper part of the mark, he 
 fays, (t His judgement was made manifed in his 
 “ humility.” And on cutting the lower part, he 
 continues, “ And who fhall declare his genera- 
 c< tior) ?” At every didinft act of the pried, the 
 deacon fays, f< Let us pray to the Lord,” and 
 taking the lap of his dole in his right hand, he 
 addrefies himfelf thus to the pried, ct Elevate 
 “ my Lord.” The pried then cuts the bread a 
 fecond time, faying, tf He was*elevated for us.” 
 Then he puts the bread into the patin, and when 
 
 the 
 
An ACCOUNT of the GREEK CHURCH. 
 
 the deacon fays to him, <f Offer the facrifice, my 
 “ Lord,” he offers it crofs-ways, in imitation of 
 the facrifice of our Bleifed Lord upon the crofs, 
 and fays, “ I here offer up for the fpiritual be- 
 <c nefit and falvation of mankind, the Lamb of 
 “ God which takes away the fins of the world.” 
 In like manner, when the deacon fays, tf Pierce 
 <f it,” he cuts the remainder of the bread with 
 his knife, on the right fide, applying the follow¬ 
 ing text to the adtion, “ One of the foldiers 
 “ pierced his fide with his fpear, and there iffued 
 “ forth blood and water.” Then the deacon 
 pours the wine and water into the chalice, and 
 mixes them, as a reprefentation of Chrifl’s fuffer- 
 ing, both in his foul and in his body. 
 
 The cuftom of mixing wine and water toge¬ 
 ther, is of great antiquity, was often prac- 
 tifed in the primitive church, and took its rife 
 from the following circumftance. The primitive 
 Chriftians, befides their ufing wine at the com¬ 
 munion, had their love feafts where they con- 
 verfed together on divine things ; and as thefe 
 were held on the fame days, and as they drank 
 wine at both, it was found moft prudent to 
 mix it with water. Indeed this was the more 
 neceflary, becaufe the Afiatic wines are very 
 Prong ; and had they not contrived to weaken 
 them, they might have gone home in a ftate of 
 intoxication; nay, their churches and houfes 
 might have become fcene's of riot and drunken- 
 nefs, as was the practice of the Heathens. But 
 thefe primitive Chriftians never drew from this 
 ceremony any allegorical inferences, but only 
 ufed it from motives of prudence and virtue, 
 that the Heathens might fee their lives were 
 pure and blamelefs. But to return to the Greek 
 worftiip, where we find the liturgy proceeding in 
 the following manner. 
 
 The prieft takes a fecond loaf, faying, cc In 
 “ honour of our Blefled Lady ” and then he 
 elevates it, and puts it on the left fide of that 
 which was confecrated before. After this, he 
 takes up as many loaves as are wanted, and con- 
 jecrates them in the fame manner as before. 
 Thefe are dedicated to the prophets, to John 
 the baptift, and to the apoftles, with other illuf- 
 trious faints, particularly St. Chryfoftom, whom 
 they believe to be the author of their liturgy. 
 Thefe oblations amount to nine in all; and re- 
 prefent, as the Greek priefts tell us, the nine 
 hierarchies of angels. 
 
 After all this, the prieft takes more bread, 
 and confecrates feveral lmall pieces as before, 
 for the archbilliop, or bifhop of the diocefe to 
 which he belongs, and for the priefts, deacons, 
 and all fuch as are of the facerdotal order; 
 and then, in commemoration of the founders 
 of the church wherein the mafs is celebrated, 
 and for the remifllon of their fins. Here 
 the names of the living likewife are men¬ 
 tioned, who defire to be remembered in their 
 prayers ; but more particularly thofe who have 
 paid for faying this mafs, and all fuch deceafed 
 perfons as he is delired to commemorate and 
 recommend to the Divine favour. The prieft 
 holds one piece of bread in his right hand, and 
 another in his left, while the deacon takes the 
 cenfer, and defires his bleffing, which he re¬ 
 ceives, and then incenfes the filver ftar, with 
 
 which the prieft covers the confecrated bread, 
 pronouncing, at the fame time, the following 
 words, t£ The ftar refted over the place where 
 “ the child was laid.” 
 
 This adtion is accompanied with feveral 
 prayers, and afterwards the deacon incenfes the 
 veils with which he covers the chalice and patin. 
 Befides thefe veils, which are made ufe of as lepa- 
 rate covers for the bread and wine, there is 
 another in common ufe by the Greeks, called 
 Aer , which the celebrant or prieft fpreads over 
 them both. After this, the prieft and the deacon 
 join their hands, adore the facred elements, 
 and repeat a thankfgiving out of their liturgy. 
 Then the prieft reads a colledt called the Prayer 
 of Oblation ; and having incenled the altar, he 
 pronounces the abfolution. Here the prieft 
 repeats a prayer, in which St. Chryfoftom is 
 named immediately after the Blefled Virgin. 
 This being over, the deacon takes the cenfer 
 from the prieft, and incenfes the communion 
 table in the form of a crofs ; and kneeling down, 
 repeats the following prayer : “ Thy body, O 
 
 cc Lord, was laid in the filcnt grave; thy foul 
 cc defcended into hell as God; thou entered 
 “ into paradife with the holy thief but thou 
 c< haft feated thyfelf with the Father, the Son 
 <f and the Holy Ghoft in thy celeftial throne, 
 <c where by thy immenfity thou ftlleft all things.” 
 As the Roman Catholics pretend to difcover 
 myfteries in all their ceremonies, fo do the 
 Greeks in theirs. It was the fame with the 
 antient Heathens, particularly the Greeks, from 
 whom the Greek Chriftians have borrowed the 
 greateft part of their ceremonies : Some few 
 they have borrowed from the Jews, but not fo 
 many of thofe as we meet with in the Mafs 
 Book of the church of Rome, which we have 
 already defcribed. 
 
 Many of the Greek monks differ in fome things 
 in their ceremonies from the fecular clergy, of 
 which we ffiall give the following inftance. The 
 monks of Mount Athos, honour the Blefled 
 Virgin in a way peculiar to themfelves. One 
 of the brethren Handing at the lower end of the 
 table, cuts a fmall loaf into four parts, and de- 
 poflts one of them in a plate, or a little box, 
 which is placed on a ftand for that purpofe before 
 the image of the Blefled Virgin. This piece of 
 bread, which they call Panagia , is delivered 
 immediately after confecration to the abbot, who 
 elevates it, faying, cc Magnified be thy Name”, 
 The monks fay, ‘ c Of the facred trinity.” Then 
 the abbot proceeds, “ O ! Ever Blefled God, aid 
 “ andafliftus!” The monks reply, tc Through 
 ec her interceflion, have mercy upon us and 
 cc fave us, Good Lord.” After this, the abbot 
 takes up a fmall piece of the crumb, which he 
 puts in his mouth, and the monks eat up the re¬ 
 mainder. 
 
 Having faid thus much by way of digreflion 
 concerning the manners of the Greeks in their 
 confecration of the elements, we fliall now pro¬ 
 ceed to give an account of the concluding parts 
 of this ceremony ; and here it is neceffary to 
 obferve, that in the liturgy aferibed to St. Chry¬ 
 foftom, the offices are longer, and the ceremonies 
 more numerous than in the Mifial of the church 
 of Rome. For in the Roman church, mafs is 
 
 generally 
 
An ACCOUNT of the 
 
 generally concluded within an hour if fung, and 
 in little more than half an hour if laid ; whereas 
 in the Greek church it is feldom lefs than two 
 hours, and on fome particular fe.flivals, par¬ 
 ticularly thofe of St. James, St. Bafil, and 
 St. Chryfoflom, it takes up, at lead:, three 
 hours. 
 
 The deacon having incenfed the pried:, and 
 the high altar as we have already defcribed, he 
 places himfelf by his fide before the high altar, 
 where having made feveral bows, the pried: kifles 
 the gofpels, and the deacon the communion 
 table. The deacon afterwards makes his bow 
 to the pried:, and fays to him, “ It is time to 
 “ facrifice to the Lord, father give me your be- 
 “ nedidtion.” The pried: gives it accordingly, 
 and the deacon anfwers, tc Pray for me.” Then 
 the pried: repeats a diort prayer, and the deacon 
 fays Amen, three different times. And both at one 
 and the fame time fay, “ O Lord! thou fhalt open 
 <f my lips.” The deacon after this goes out of 
 the tabernacle, and adores the elements three dif¬ 
 ferent times, and again receives the priefl’s blef- 
 fing, all the people faying, Amen. Here it is 
 they repeat a general prayer for the peace of the 
 church where they refide ; for the congregation 
 there prefent ; for the patriarch or archbifhop, 
 and the inferior clergy; for the civil powers under 
 which they live ; for profperity to all thofe who 
 travel by land or water; for captives ; for the 
 Tick; and for the whole world in general. 
 
 As foon as thefe prayers are over, the fil'd: an¬ 
 them begins, which is performed by the deacon, 
 and choir, who fing in concert in fome parts of 
 it, and in others alternately. Thefe anthems are 
 taken from their own liturgy, and they confifl 
 chiefly of verfes collected out of the pfalms, and 
 hymns written by St. Chryfoflom. 
 
 This part of the ceremony is called the bene¬ 
 diction of the entry, which being over, the deacon, 
 having kified the gofpels, ftands before the pried:, 
 with the book to the people, faying, with an audible 
 voice, <c Behold the book of true wifdom.” The 
 pried: and the deacon make their refpedlive re¬ 
 verences, the latter puts the gofpel upon the 
 communion table, and the choir fing the an¬ 
 thems appointed for the day. 
 
 As foon as the anthem is finifhed, the deacon 
 as before, afks the priefl’s benediction, and re¬ 
 ceives it, and afterwards the pried: repeats a fhort 
 prayer. The deacon then goes towards the door, 
 and fays, “ Let us be attentive,” and the pried: 
 anfwers, iC Peace be unto all.” All thefe cere¬ 
 monies are only preliminary to the reading of the 
 gofpel, and there are many others fimilar to what 
 we have already mentioned. Several lighted 
 lamps are carried before the deacon when he goes 
 out of the fandtuary with the gofpel, and then he 
 mounts the delk to read the epiftle, which being 
 concluded, the priefl fays to the deacon, Peace 
 <f be unto you all,” and the latter delivers the 
 gofpel to the former. Several prayers and fhort 
 ejaculations fucceed in the fame manner as di¬ 
 rected in the liturgy. 
 
 Here the catechumens make their appearance, 
 who are not only particularly prayed for, but the 
 deacon makes feveral vows in their behalf, and 
 at every folemn engagement the choir fing 
 Kyrie Eleejon. The prayer for thefe catechumens, 
 which the pried: repeats aloud, clofes the ler- 
 23 
 
 GREEK CHURCH. 2 y 3 
 
 vice for them, after which the veil is difplayed, 
 upon which the relics of the faints are laid. The 
 deacon next takes up the cenfer, and incenfes the 
 pried:, faying to him, ft Elevate my Lord.” 
 Then the priell takes offi the veil, throws it over 
 the deacon’s left fhoulder, and pronounces a 
 prayer fuitable to the occafion. Afterwards the 
 deacon takes the patin and puts it upon his head, 
 and the pried: takes the chalice, and the deacon 
 the cenfer, and in this manner they march in 
 proceflion round the church, repeating a particu¬ 
 lar prayer, till they come to the door of the ta¬ 
 bernacle, where both of them repeat aloud, 
 {C Blefled is he that comes in the name of the 
 ct Lord.” After this the pried: lays the facred 
 fymbols on the high altar, takes off the veil thac 
 covered the patin and the chalice, and the other 
 veil that had been thrown over the deacon’s 
 fhoulder, who incenfes the facred elements three 
 times fuccefllvelv. Both the pried: and the deacon 
 kneel down again, and adore the facred ele¬ 
 ments, and the pried: repeats a prayer in fecret. 
 Several prayers and ejaculations follow, with 
 other adls of devotion, and the pried: and the 
 deacon make three profound bows again towards 
 the communion table. 
 
 Then the creed is rehearfed, after which the 
 priefl fays, “ Lift up your hearts,” to which the 
 people anfwer, <c We lift them up unto the 
 “ Lord.” Here the priefl repeats a prayer in 
 fecret, the deacon makes the fign of the crofs on 
 the patin, wipes it with the veil, kifles it, puts on 
 another robe, and goes to the right fide of the 
 altar, with a large fan in his hand, which he 
 waves for fome time over the facred elements. 
 Here follows another fecret prayer, which being 
 over, the priefl bows reverently three times, and 
 with uplifted hands, blefies the facred elements. 
 After which, with an audible voice, he fays, 
 cc Take eat, this is my body, &c.” Taking the 
 cup, he fays, cc This cup is my blood, drink ye 
 “ all of it.” 
 
 As foon as both thefe ceremonies are over, the 
 deacon lays down the fan and goes up to the 
 priefl, each of them making three bows toward 
 the facred elements, and repeating a fhort prayer. 
 Then the deacon bows down his head, points to 
 the elements, and in a kind of whifper, defires the 
 priefl to pronounce a lecond blefling on them, 
 which he does in the following words, " O Lord, 
 
 “ by thy omnipotent power, let thofe elements be 
 “ unto us as the body and blood of Chrifl.” 
 Here the deacon takes up the fan a fecond time, 
 and the priefl repeats a prayer, begging of God, 
 that none but the faithful may partake of the 
 body and blood of Chrifl; from whence it ap¬ 
 pears evident, that they differ much from the Ro¬ 
 man Catholics, for the latter believe that the 
 wafer is wholly changed into the body and blood 
 of Chrifl, fo that whoever partakes of it, mull 
 eat the body of Chrifl; whereas the Greeks be¬ 
 lieve that there is no change made in the ele¬ 
 ments, but to the faithful. 
 
 They commemorate the dead as well as the 
 living, and the choir repeat the Lord’s-Prayer 
 three times, after which the priefl fays, <c Peace 
 “ be unto you.” As foon as the deacon fees the 
 priefl flretch out his hands over the facred ele¬ 
 ments, he pronounces with an audible voice, 
 
 “ Let us give due attention ;” and the priefl 
 Z z z add S j 
 
2 7 4 An A C C O U N T of the 
 
 adds, “ Holy things are for thofe that are holy.” 
 The deacon girds himfelf with a robe in the form 
 of a crofs, and Handing at the right hand of the 
 prieft, defines him to divide the bread. Accord¬ 
 ingly, he divides it into four feveral parts, re¬ 
 peating the following words: " The Lamb of 
 
 “ God, the fon of the Father is feparated and 
 
 « divided; and though feparated, is not mangled 
 
 “ nor torn in pieces ; he is for ever eaten, bin. 
 
 “ never conformed. He ianftifies all who par- 
 cc take of this holy bread, and drink of this 
 “ holy wine.” After this he takes one of the 
 pieces of the confecrated bread into his hand, 
 the deacon points to the chalice, and defines him 
 to fill it, to which the prieft replies, “ This is 
 " the fulnefs of the Holy Ghoft,” and making 
 at the fame time the fign of the crofs, takes out 
 a fmall piece of bread, and puts it into the chalice, 
 and the deacon pours warm water upon it. After 
 this, the prieft adminifters the bread to the 
 deacon, who receiving it, kiffes the celebrant s 
 hands, faying, “ Permit me to partake of the 
 “ facred body of Jel'us Chrift, our God and our 
 “.Saviour.” To which the prieft anfwers, “Ido 
 “ freely permit thee to partake of the facred 
 “ fpotlefs body of Jefus Chrift our God and our 
 “ Saviour, for the remifiion of thy fins, and for 
 “ the happy attainment of everlafting life. 
 After that, the deacon withdraws behind the 
 communion table, and there repeats a prayer in 
 private. Then the prieft receives the facrament 
 himfelf, and bowing to the elements, repeats the 
 following words. “ I believe, O Lord, and ac- 
 “ knowledge that thou art Jefus Chrift, the fon 
 « of the living God. O ! Let me now partake 
 “ of thy myfterious banquet, which I induftri- 
 “ oufly conceal from thine enemies. I will 
 “ notkifs thee, O Lord, as Judas did, but like 
 ft the thief on the crofs, will I own and acknow- 
 “ ledge thee. Remember me, O Lord, in thy 
 “ heavenly kingdom. Thou didft not reject the 
 “ penitent adultrefs, do not therefore reject thy 
 “ fervant, O Lord.” 
 
 Having communicated, he wipes tjiat part of 
 the chalice, which his lips had touched, faying, 
 “ This chalice has touched my lips, it fhall wafh 
 ff away mine iniquities.” The deacon advances, 
 and performs his ad of adoration, faying, “ I ap- 
 “ proach thee, immortal king.” The prieft, who 
 has the chalice in his hand, delivers it to him, 
 faying, “ Receive the facred precious body 
 “ and blood of our Lord and Saviour Jefus 
 “ Chrift.” 
 
 To conclude, the deacon lays the patin upon 
 the chalice, wiping them both, covers the latter 
 with a veil, opens the door of the holy taber¬ 
 nacle, and taking the cup in his right hand, 
 elevates it, and at the fame time, invites the 
 people to draw near, and partake of it with aw¬ 
 ful reverence and godly fear. The prieft bleffes 
 the people, and they anlwer in a fuitable manner 
 thereunto. T hen he and the deacon return to 
 the altar, which they incenfe three times, repeat¬ 
 ing feveral Ihort prayers. 
 
 The prieft again takes up the patin, and puts 
 it upon the head of the deacon, who returns with 
 it to the tabernacle, where he depofits it. lhen 
 the deacon and the choir pray alternately a con- 
 fiderable time, and the prieft, fixing his eyes on 
 the congregation, repeats a thankfgiving. An 
 
 GREEK CHURC H. 
 
 anthem is then fung, and the prieft, having re¬ 
 peated the long of Simeon, bleftes the people, 
 who all (land up ready to depart, faying, “ Grant 
 “ longlife and profperity, O Lord, to him who 
 “ has thus blefled and fanctified us.’ 
 
 This ends the fervice of the mafs, when none 
 communicates befides the prieft and the deacon, 
 but it is much longer when the laity communi¬ 
 cate. They receive the facrament, ftanding 41 
 the door of the tabernacle, the men firft and then 
 the women. Such as partake, muft Hand in a 
 very reverential pofture, with their eyes fixed on 
 the ground, their heads bowed down in a pofture 
 of adoration, and their arms muft be laid acrofs. 
 Before they partake, they muft go to the further 
 end of the church, and beg pardon if they have 
 offended anyone; and if one fhould happen to 
 complain of another having injured him, the 
 offender muft make reftitution, and fay, “ Bre- 
 “ thren forgive me, for I have finned both in 
 “ word and in deed.” This being done, the prieft 
 gives the communicant the confecrated bread, 
 calling him by his name, faying, “ N. X. thou 
 “ fervant of the living God, receive the facred 
 “ body of Jefus Chrift, to preferve thee into 
 « everlafting life.” In the fame manner, and 
 with words to the fame effeft, he gives the cup. 
 Upon the whole, we have here an inordinate 
 load of ceremonies, which would even make 
 religion naufeous, although its doftrines were 
 pure; and the affinity between thefe and thofe 
 of the Roman Catholics, may ferve to ftiew, that 
 both churches went hand in hand in promoting 
 corruption, paticularly in worfhip. But we muft 
 now goon to deferibe fuch other ceremonies as 
 are not hitherto mentioned. 
 
 When the Greeks conf'ecrate a church, they 
 attend to almoft as many ceremonies as the Ro¬ 
 man Catholics, nay, in fome particulars more, 
 as will appear from what we are now going to re¬ 
 late. When the bifhop, attended by his priefts 
 and clerks, with his other proper officers, arrives 
 at the place where the new church is to be built, 
 he finds the ground marked out, and the chief 
 perfons of the parifh attending. Fie is received 
 with as much formality as if he was a fovereign 
 pontiff; for as we have already obferved, even 
 the greatest feverity of the Turkilh government, 
 and the molt abjeft ftate of poverty cannot damp 
 the fpirits of the Greeks. In this part of their 
 condudt, they feem to retain fome of the fenti- 
 ments of their anceftors, before they were fub- 
 dued by the Romans, and thofe motives which 
 once led the antient Greeks on to warlike at- 
 chievements, are now become the leading prin¬ 
 ciples of the groffelft fuperftition. Revolutions in 
 public affairs, the introduftion of new laws, 
 manners, culftoms, and dally practices, change 
 the tempers and difpofitions of men, and the 
 defeendents of heroes are now become poor, 
 infignificant devotees. Pride, however, is not 
 wholly eradicated, and a modern Greek can fee 
 as many virtues in a prielft, as his anceftors did in 
 a Miithiades or a Themiftocles. 
 
 The firft thing the bifhop does when he comes 
 to the place where the new church is to be built, 
 is to incenfe the ground all over, during which 
 ceremony the clergy fing anthems, in honour of 
 the faint to whom it is to be dedicated. When he 
 arrives at the place where the high altar is to be 
 
 ereefted) 
 
An ACCOUNT of the GREEK CHURCH. 
 
 erefted, he repeats a prayer, begging that God 
 •would bepleafed to bids and profper the intended 
 edifice. This being done, the bilhop takes up a 
 itone and makes the fign of the crofs upon it, 
 and then lays it in the ground, fayino-, “ The 
 
 Lord hath laid the foundation of this°houfe, it 
 
 lliall never be fhaken.” But there is another ce¬ 
 remony following this, which is truly heathenifh 
 and Sir Paul Ricaut affures us he has often feen 
 
 As foon as the bilhop and the clergy are with¬ 
 drawn the workmen kill a cock, or a fheep, and 
 bury the blood under the foundation ftone ■ for 
 they are of opinion, that there is a kind of ma- 
 gic or charm in this ceremony, which is of vaft 
 fervice to the building. They have another ce¬ 
 remony equally as abfurd and heathenifh, and 
 that is, when they would wreck their vengeance 
 on any one who has offended them, thev take the 
 exaft dimenfions of his body in height and 
 circumference with a firing, and this they carry 
 to the workmen to be laid under the ftone, be- 
 hevmg the body of the perfon whom they hate 
 Will gradually moulder away as this meafure does’ 
 
 1 his cuftom, or fomething of a fimilar nature, is 
 very antient; for it was common for thofe who 
 pretended to the power of witchcraft, to make 
 the figure of a perfon in wax, and flick it full of 
 pins. This image was placed before the fire, and 
 the perfon whom it reprefented decayed away in 
 the fame time the wax melted, and his pain was 
 excefiive, for lie felt as if fo many pins or needles 
 had been ftuck into his body. This notion was 
 firmly believed by the fuperftitious, and when¬ 
 ever a man was afflifted with any diforder of an 
 extraordinary nature that he could not account 
 foi, then it was believed that he was iufferino- 
 under the power of witchcraft, for which many 
 old women have loft their lives. 
 
 The Greeks wear a piece of paper, wood, brafs, 
 or hlver, hanging from their necks in the form of 
 a crofs, with the name of Jefus Chrift written 
 upon it. Tliefe they imagine to be effefhial 
 charms, or prefervatives againft the power of fe- 
 veral diftempers. This practice, like the former, 
 is not only antient, but is ftill obferved in many 
 of the idolatrous nationsi the only difference con- 
 11 fling, is this, that the Heathens, inltead of the 
 crofs, wear the image of one of their idols. 
 
 The Greek churches are, for the mod part, 
 built 1.1 the form of a crofs, with a dome and a 
 fteeple, but the latter is of no manner of ufe to 
 them becaufe the Turks will not fuffer them to 
 have bells. The reafon the Turks afiign for this, 
 is, that they believe the noife of the bells difturb 
 the repofe of the dead. As for fuch of the 
 Greek churches as belong to convents, they are 
 built in the middle of the court, and the cells and 
 apartments round them. The people, for the moil: 
 part, lit Oil ftools, with their backs againft the 
 wall, in luch a manner, that they appear as if 
 
 kneel Wefe ftand ‘ ng; but durin S Payers they 
 
 In the metropolitan churches, the patriarch’s 
 throne is erefted on an eminence, and thofe of 
 other dignitaries under it. The readers, chanters 
 and inferior clergy, fit over againft them, and in 
 die middle is the delk for reading the feriptures. 
 the nave is Separated from the lanftuary, by a 
 partition wall, running from the bottom to the 
 
 2 7 J 
 
 top, which is painted and gilt; and the fanc- 
 tuary has three doors. The middle one is called 
 the holy door and is never fet open, but at the 
 celebration of fome folemn feftival, or durino- 
 mafs, when the deacon goes out to read the ^ol- 
 pel or when the prieft carries the facred element, 
 
 i°tT f r atCd - ^ h . e hl S heft P a rc of the church 
 s the fanctuary, and it is always at the eaft end 
 and terminates in a femicircle. J 
 
 When they confecrate an altar, the bilhop, or 
 pneft appointed by him, incenfes it all overfand 
 
 mfds P- rono “ nces a Effing, while the deacon 
 reads ieveral prayers, and the people fing an¬ 
 thems and verfes extrafted out of the pfhns 
 In one part of the ceremony, the prieft bevs 0 f 
 God, in exprefs terms, <• That he would be gra- 
 <( clou % pleafed to change the unbloody viftims 
 <t wh ' ch *° uld be from time to time offered up 
 « M ,r?. U P° n this altar, into the body and 
 blood of his Ion Jefus Chrift.” At the con- 
 clufion of this prayer, he removes every thino- 
 that is upon the altar, whilft the deacon and th? 
 people fing fome particular pfalms, and all things 
 neceffary for the abloution are brought before 
 
 hlll l’ fill 1 ° ffi e Clal ftepS forward J with a little 
 pail, filled with water, which he pours upon the 
 altar and fays, « Blefs it, my Lord.” P Then 
 the bilhop gives the priefts that are prefent at the 
 ceremony, the facred linen cloaths to rub the 
 holy table, and the ipunges to wip it dry, after 
 he has poured more water upon it. After this 
 they drefs it all anew, and repeat a prayer, which 
 is followed by mcenfingthe holy table all around, 
 and a benedifhon, accompanied with the fign of 
 
 Wh ‘ C 1IS made with a P iece woollen 
 cloth that covers the altar. 
 
 Befides Lent, and feveral other falls, the Greeks 
 
 fome ra f y keeP l WcdnefdayS and Frida >' S > «Cept 
 fome few, and amongft the reft, thofe in the 
 
 eleventh week before Eafter, which they call 
 
 M then'll' ThC rea !f a they affign for not farting 
 on the laft mentioned days, is Angular enough. 
 
 . J he / fay > . that <ome Heretics in antient times, 
 
 for rS, ftV T“ ° g ’ Wh ° Ufcd t0 g0 ° n "rands 
 for them, from time to time; but the creature 
 
 r b he n n 0 H% day folmd dead > the Heretics accufed 
 the Orthodox with having killed him. Thefe 
 
 Heretics fet apart two days in the week above- 
 mentioned, to faft and mourn for the lofs of their 
 dog; and the Orthodox, left theyfliould conform 
 feaftinv ° f pra& ces, k <=pt three days in 
 
 r, TI l e c Greeksar , e r ° flI P erft itious and rigid in 
 the obfervation of their falls, that they will not 
 fuftei any cafe of neceffity whatever to iuftify a 
 dilpenlatton, and even the patriarch himfelf, ac¬ 
 cording as they believe, cannot give a perfon 
 eave to eat meat, if the church has commanded 
 the contrary. They think it their duty rather 
 t° i r a -L ck man d W than to reftore him to 
 health if they could, by giving him nourilh- 
 ment; which, on fuch occafions, they look upon 
 as abominable. It happens, however, that a fa¬ 
 ther. confeffor fnall fometimes, when lie has a 
 particular refpeft and regard for a perfon in- 
 diipoied, order and advife him to eat meat and 
 promife him ablalution, if he comes to’con- 
 feffion. It is very probable, that fome cunning 
 pnefts among them, confider this praftice as a 
 proper medium between the feverity of church 
 
 difeipline. 
 
I7<5 
 
 An ACCOUNT of the 
 
 difcipline, and the neceffity of enjoying the ne- 
 ceffaries of life. This much is certain, that 
 fuch of the Greeks as vifit Italy, acknowledge, 
 that their church has the fame power as that 
 of Rome, which grants difpenlations at any 
 time. 
 
 Dr. Spon, an eminent phyfician, who was 
 feveral years in the Levant, informs us, that 
 upon a moderate computation, there are only 
 about one hundred and ninety days in the year 
 on which meat is permitted to be eaten, and 
 that whatever the priefts may do in lecret, yet 
 neither old nor young, the Tick or the healthy, 
 are permitted to eat meat publicly. By which 
 means, the Greeks, for the generality, have no 
 other radical moifture in them, but a compound 
 of noxious humours, which makes them hot 
 and choleric, and addifled to the laft degree, to 
 the mod execrable oaths and blaiphemous impre¬ 
 cations. What an inftance is this of the frailty of 
 human nature, always obliged to fubrmt and 
 give way to the conftitution of the body and 
 the influences of the climate a man lives un- 
 
 de ln their feafts, the Greeks give themfelves up to 
 all forts of rioting and drunkennefs, in which 
 they are encouraged by the example of theii 
 priefts, who join with them. Sometimes thele 
 i'cenes of riot lead them to fight, a circumftance 
 which the Turks are lure to lay hold of to pumfli 
 them. Sir George Wheeler, who was an eye 
 witnefs, gives the following defcription of the 
 ceremonies uled in the Greek church at Con- 
 ftantinople on Holy-Thurfday. Twelve of 
 their moft venerable priefts attend the patriarch 
 to the church, or fanftuary, where he puts off 
 his purple robe, and puts on one more coftly. 
 The priefts, who in this ceremony reprefent the 
 twelve apoftles, have each a robe of a different 
 colour: The eldeft, who has the moft venerable 
 appearance, is made choice of to perfonate Peter, 
 and takes the firft place on the right hand. One 
 of them, who is obliged to have a red beard, is 
 made choice of to reprefent Judas; but why 
 judas fhould have a red beard, is not mentioned. 
 All thefe priefts being feated, the patriarch goes 
 out, and having put off his robes, girds himfelf 
 with a towel round his waift, and in that manner 
 returns into the fanftuary, with a bafon of water 
 in his hand to wafh the feet of the twelve apof¬ 
 tles. He who perfonates St. Peter, refufes at 
 firft the honour offered to be conferred him; 
 faying, “ Mailer, thou fhalt never wafh my 
 feet But the patriarch anfwers, “ Unleis I 
 ft walk thee, thou fhalt have no part with me. 
 Upon which the prieft makes no further refif- 
 tance, but permits him to wafh his feet. When 
 the patriarch comes to the reprefentative of the 
 unhappy Judas, he makes a kind of paufe, as it 
 were to give him time to recolledt himfelf, but at 
 laft waflies his feet alfo, and the ceremony doles 
 
 with feveral anthems. 
 
 The Aflumption of the Virgin Mary, is a 
 errand feftival among the Greeks, and like the 
 Roman Catholics they have their legends tor 
 all the folemn days they obferve. 1 hat con¬ 
 cerning the Aflumption is as follows. The 
 Twelve Apoftles met together, and had an 
 entertainment, of which they all partook 
 
 GREEK CHURCH. 
 
 heartily. As foon as their entertainment 
 was over, and they were going to elevate 
 a piece of confecrated bread, the room was 
 filled with an unufual light, and the Bleffed Vir¬ 
 gin appeared to them, iurrounded with rays of 
 glory, and attended by a numerous hoft of an¬ 
 gels. At her entrance, fhe paid her refpefts to 
 the apoftles, and laid to them, in the moft lweet 
 and comforting manner, {C God be with you, 
 
 “ I’ll never leave you, nor forfake you.” The 
 apoftles though equally furprized andtranTporfed 
 purfued their wonted ceremony of elevating the 
 bread; but inftead of faying, cc O Lord Chrift, 
 
 < f aid and aflilt us,” they faid, “ O Ever Bleffed 
 cc Virgin ! mother of God ! grant us thy aid, 
 and then the Virgin vanifhed out of their fight. 
 The apoftles thereupon cried out, <f The queen 
 fC is afeended into heaven, and there fits at the 
 « right hand of her fon.” In commemoration’ 
 of this extraordinary event, on the feftival of 
 the Aflumption, after this entertainment is over, 
 a loaf, three lighted tapers, fome incenfe and 
 fire are delivered into the prieft’s hands, who 
 thereupon cuts off the cruft of the loaf in the 
 form of a triangle, fets three wax tapers upon 
 the cruft fo feparated, and then incenfes and 
 blefies the bread. Afterwards, he delivers the 
 bread to the youngeft perfon then prefent, and 
 orders three wax tapers to be fet in three differ¬ 
 ent corners of the room, and then the bread 
 is diftributed in fmall pieces among the peo¬ 
 ple. 
 
 The Greeks, as well as the Roman Catholics, 
 canonize their faints, and they have particular 
 offices for that purpofe ; but before they can be 
 admitted to that honour, ample teftimonies muft 
 be o-iven, by perlons of undoubted reputation, 
 that they were, while in life, what they have been 
 reprefented. The patriarch takes the examina¬ 
 tions in open convocation, with all the care and 
 circumfpe&ion imaginable ; and yet, notwith- 
 ftanding all this care, it is in a manner impoffible 
 to enumerate the prejudices, intrigues and 
 cabals that take place. After the ftrideft enqui¬ 
 ry has been made, the candidate, if approved of, 
 is admitted into the Kalendar, and a day is ap¬ 
 pointed for his feftival. He is annually com¬ 
 memorated there are maffes faid in honour of 
 him, and the hiftory of his life and miracles is 
 publicly read in the churches. However, as the 
 Greeks in general are as vicious as they are poor, 
 fo there are but few who can pretend to afpire at 
 the honour of canonization, 
 
 In baptifm, the Greeks obferve a vaft num¬ 
 ber of ceremonies, fome of which are of very 
 great antiquity, though not fo old as the apofto- 
 Tic age. If an infant ffiews no figns of illnefs, 
 and there is no apparent reafon to believe that 
 his life is in danger, then he is not brought 
 to the church till the eighth day after his birth; 
 but if it appears that his life is in danger, the 
 prieft is fentfor, and he is baptized immediately, 
 left he fhould die in darknefs, as they exprels it : 
 when it is otherwife, the parents bring the child, 
 attended by the fponfors to the door of the church, 
 where they are met by the prieft, who takes him 
 in his arms and bleffes him ; at the fame time, 
 he makes the fign of the crofs upon his forehead, 
 his mouth and his breaft. This part of the ce¬ 
 remony 
 
An ACCOUNT of the 
 
 remony is called, the putting the feal upon the 
 Child, and immediately after, the prieft repeats a 
 Hiort prayer. He then takes him in his arms, 
 and holding him up before the image of the vir¬ 
 gin, makes the fign of the crofs feveral times i 
 upon him. He then breathes three times upon 
 the infant, which is confidered as a deliverance 
 from the power of hell and the temptations of 
 the devil. Afterwards he plunges him three 
 times all over in the baptifmal font, and at each 
 iminerfion, names one of the perfons in the facred 
 and ever bleffed trinity. The relations and 
 fponfors, who bring the child to be baptized, 
 take care to have the water gently warmed, and 
 they ftrew it with handful of the moft odorifo- 
 rous flowers. While the water is warming, the 
 prieft breathes upon it, repeating feveral prayers, 
 in order to fanttify it, as a thing fet apart for a 
 facred ufe. _ _ . 
 
 Pie then dips his finger in the oil, and with it 
 makes the crofs on the forehead of the child, and 
 this they confider as a fymbol of reconciliation 
 with God. Pie likewife anoints his ears, lips, 
 breaft, and loins, during which part of the ce¬ 
 remony he repeats a prayer, defiring of God that 
 the child may be kept from all forts of tempta¬ 
 tions, and be a faithful fervant of Jelus Chrift. 
 The fponfors enter into the moft folemn engage¬ 
 ments to fee the child brought up in the prin¬ 
 ciples of the Chriftian religion, but they pay as 
 little regard to thefe engagements, as the god¬ 
 fathers and godmothers who live in other parts of 
 the world. 
 
 All thofe who have flood godfathers and 
 oodmothers, are prohibited from marrying 
 with each other, nor can the children of 
 thefe religious fponfors intermarry with each 
 other, till at leaft one generation is paft, other- 
 wife the marriage itfelf would be confidered as 
 inceftous, and the children declared illegitimate. 
 Seven days after baptifm, the child is brought to 
 the church, in order to be walked, and the prieft 
 not only wafhes the infant’s fhirt, but cleans his 
 body all over with a new fponge, or a linen cloth, 
 prepared for that purpofe, and then finiihes the 
 ceremony with the following words: “ Thou art 
 tc now baptized, furrounded with a celeftial light, 
 <c fortified with the facrament of confirmation, 
 <c and fanttified and wafhed in the name of the 
 ct Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
 “ Ghoft.” . 
 
 With refpeift to confeftion, it muft be made to 
 a prieft canonically ordained, and one who has 
 the bifiiop’s licence for adting in the capacity of 
 a uhoftly or fpiritual father. He who intends to 
 confefs his fins, applies to the prieft, who with¬ 
 draws along with him to a remote corner of the 
 church. The penitent there fits down with his 
 head uncovered, and the prieft allures him that 
 the angel of the Lord is there prefent to take 
 down his confeftion. “ Take heed therefore 
 << (fays he) that neither through lhame, or from 
 “ any other motive whatever, thou art any ways 
 “ tempted to conceal thy fin ; I am a man and a 
 “ finner as well as thyfelf.” Whilft the penitent 
 is at confeftion, the prieft continues to exhort 
 him not to conceal any thing from him, as that 
 would be the higheft hypocrify in the fight of 
 God, and endanger the happinefs of his foul. 
 Penance is then enjoined him, which, for the moft 
 
 24 
 
 GREEK CHURCH. 277 
 
 part confifts in falling for a few days, giving fome 
 alms to the poor, or going on pilgrimages to the 
 Ihrines, or rather tombs of fome faints; but this 
 latter part of the penance is generally difpenfed 
 with. 
 
 After confeftion, the prieft pronounces the fol¬ 
 lowing abfolution : “ By virtue of the power 
 
 “ and authority, which the apoftles received 
 <c from our bleffed Lord himfelf, and which 
 <c they have tranfmitted down to the bilhops, and 
 <c by the commiftion which I have now received 
 £< from my bifhop, I abfolve thee in the name of 
 “ the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy' 
 C( Ghoft; and I do hereby declare and pro- 
 “ nounce that thy portion is amongft the number 
 “ of the juft.” After this he reads a prayer, 
 and the penitent gives him a fmall gratuity in 
 money. 
 
 When they excommunicate a perfon oilt of 
 their communion, the Greeks carry their bigotry 
 and fuperftition to a very great height. They 
 call down all the curfes of heaven upon him, and 
 even prohibit his interment after death. The 
 awful apprehenfion of the effedls of luch dreadful 
 curfes, contributes much towards keeping the 
 modern Greeks in a Hate of obedience,, and im-* 
 prints upon their minds, a lively fenfe of their 
 duty. To this we may add, what they aftert 
 concerning thofe excommunicated perfons, name¬ 
 ly, that their bodies never diffolve or moulder 
 away till the excommunication is taken off. They 
 believe that the devil enters into their lifelefs 
 corpfe, and makes them fubfervient to his will 
 and pleafure. They add further, that at the end 
 of a year, after they have been interred, their 
 bodies found hollow as a drum, and that if fet 
 upright on their feet, they will Hand without any 
 fupport. All fuch excommunicated perfons (fay 
 they) turn black, their hair grows dark and their 
 nails white. Their bodies, however, will dif¬ 
 folve, if the prieft reads feveral prayers pre- 
 feribed in the liturgv, but for doing this, he muft 
 be paid his fee according to the circumftances of 
 the dcceafed. 
 
 It is common with the Greeks, after the prieft 
 has repeated fuch prayers as tend to abfolve the 
 excommunicated perfon, to open the grave, and 
 to take up his body, to fee whether the abfolution 
 has had the defired effe< 5 t; and if they find it 
 corrupted, they are fatisfied, but if otherwife, 
 then the prieft muft repeat the prayers once more. 
 But it is not only with the dead, that the devil 
 makes himfelf fo free in Greece; it frequently 
 happens that he vifits the living, by taking pof- 
 leflion both of their fouls and bodies. In fuch 
 cafes they are obliged to have recourfe to exor- 
 cifm, which is done in the following manner. 
 
 The patient is chained down to a poft fixed in 
 the floor, after which, feveral priells dreffed in 
 their facerdotal veftments, read to him for fix 
 hours together, feleft paffages taken out of the 
 four gofpels, and thefe priells generally fall one 
 day at leaft before they begin the ceremony. 
 
 If the devil does not depart the firft day, they 
 repeat the ceremony on the day following, while 
 it frequently happens, that the perfon poftefted, 
 curfes his maker, and fpeaksluch blafphemy as is 
 not proper to be mentioned. That there are fome 
 tricks played by the Greeks, as well as by the Ro¬ 
 man Catholics, concerning perfons faid to be pof- 
 A a a a feffed 
 
278 An A C C O U N T of the GREEK C H U R C II. 
 
 fefTed with the devil cannot be denied ; for it fre¬ 
 quently happens, that when they have repeated 
 their prayers two or three days, the fuppoled poi- 
 feffed perfon is thrown into the moft violent con- 
 vulfions and diftortions of body, and afterwards 
 becomes calm and ferene. Thus we find, that in 
 the art of deception, fo far as it can be carried to 
 blind the vulgar, the Romifti and the Greek 
 priefts are the fame. Of this we have a remark¬ 
 able inftance, as related by Mr. Keyfler, in his 
 travels. When that gentleman was at Turin, 
 1732, the whole city was in an uproar concerning 
 a young woman po'neffed by the devil. The 
 priefts had undertaken to drive the devil away to 
 his own habitation, but to enhance the value of 
 the miracle, the farce was protracted, and exor- 
 cifms were ufed every day. All ranks of people 
 flocked daily to fee the miracle that was to be 
 wrought, and amongft the reft, an Englifh gen¬ 
 tleman, who faw through the deceit. He told the 
 prince of Piedmont, late king of Sardinia, that 
 he would unravel to him the whole myftery, fo as 
 no injury fhould happen to him. The prince ac- 
 quielced and they both went together to the fcene 
 of aCtion. The Englifh gentleman afked the 
 priefts if the devil could fpeak all languages, 
 to which they anfwered in the affirmative. Upon 
 that he fpoke to the devil in Englifh, and the 
 young woman reputed to be poffeffecl, threw her- 
 felf into the moft violent diftortions. The priefts, 
 finding the Englifhman had put the trick upon 
 them, faid in excufe, that the devil never fpoke 
 in the language of Heretics, while they were cx- 
 orcifing him with the prayers of the church. 
 Now this argument made ufe of by the priefts was 
 rather filly, becaufe it is certainly true, that birds 
 of a feather will flock together, and if Heretics 
 are the children of the devil, as the Roman Ca¬ 
 tholics fay, why ffiould not their father under- 
 ftand their language. 
 
 Of the Marriages of the Greeks. 
 
 The Greeks, although united in moft of thofe 
 fundamental articles, upon which, according to 
 them, lalvation depends, yet in many ceremonies 
 they differ, and in none fo much as in that of 
 marriage. It has been much difputed, whether 
 marriage ffiould be performed by the clergy or 
 the civil magiftrate. In other words it might be 
 expreffed, is marriage a civil or a religious in- 
 ftitution? The anfwer is obvious; it is both civil 
 and religious; it is civil, as one of the bonds of 
 human lbciety ; it is religious, being an engage¬ 
 ment between a man and a woman, to live in the 
 fear of God, and to promote the temporal and 
 eternal intereft of each other. In the primitive 
 times, when a Chriftian man and woman agreed 
 to marry, the ceremony was performed privately 
 in their own houfes by the biffiop of the church, 
 before a fufficient number of witneffes ; and this 
 was done in order to prevent the faithful from 
 going before heathen magiftrates, who, on all 
 inch occafions, made them fwear by the gods of 
 the emperors. After the time of the emperor 
 Conftantine the Great, the Chriftian clergy 
 claimed this privilege to themfelves, and in time, 
 
 among many other corruptions, it was confidered 
 as a lacrament ; and this leads us to confider the 
 different forms obferved by the Greeks in that 
 ceremony. 
 
 In the office of matrimony there is a prayer for 
 the bride, who is to be muffled up either in a 
 veil, or a hood. And all thofe who defire to enter 
 into that holy ftate of matrimony, which nothin^ - 
 but death can put an end to, are to oblcrve the 
 following ceremonies. The bridegroom Hands on 
 the right hand, and the bride on the left. Two 
 rings, one gold, and the other filver, are depo- 
 fited near one another on the right fide of the 
 communion table, the latter pointing to the right 
 hand, and the former to the left. The prieft who 
 performs the ceremony, makes leveral croffes up¬ 
 on the bride and bridegroom, puts lighted wax- 
 tapers in their hands, thurifies, or incenlcs them 
 in the form of a crofs, and accompanies them to 
 the temple. The choir and the deacon pray al¬ 
 ternately that the bridegroom and the bride may 
 profper in all their undertakings, and be blefled 
 with a numerous and hopeful ilfue. When thele 
 prayers are over, the prieft gives the gold ring to 
 the bridegroom, and the filver one to his fpoul'e, 
 faving three times fucceflively, I join (or I tie) 
 N. and N. thele fervants of the Almighty here 
 prefent in the name of the Father, &c. Having 
 pronounced this form of words, he makes the 
 fign of the crofs with the rings over their heads, 
 before he puts them on the proper fingers of the 
 right hand. Then the paranymph, or brideman, 
 exchanges thefe two rings, and the prieft reads a 
 long prayer, in which the virtue and dignity of 
 the nuptial rings are typically compared to Jo¬ 
 seph's ring, and that of Judah, and of Thamar. 
 
 While the bride and bridegroom are crowned 
 the fame prieft accompanies the ceremony 
 with feveral benedictions, and other emphatical 
 prayers. After that, the bridegroom and his 
 fpoule enter the church with their wax tapers 
 lighted in their hands ; the prieft marches in pro- 
 ceffion before them with his incenfe pot, fingincr 
 as he goes along the 128th pfalm, which confifts 
 of apromife to the faithful Jews of a profperous 
 and fruitful marriage. At the dole of every 
 verfe the congregation repeat the Doxology. 
 
 After all thefe prayers, the prieft fets the crown 
 on the bridegroom’s head, faying, “ This man, 
 the fervant of the Lord is crowned, in order 
 to be married to this woman.” After which he 
 crowns the bride, and repeats the fame form, 
 which is followed by a triple benediction, proper 
 leffons, and fundry prayers. The prieft, in the 
 next place, prefents the bridegroom and bride 
 with a goblet, or large glal's, full of wine ready 
 bleft for that purpofe ; after which he takes off 
 their crowns. One prayer more, accompanied 
 with a proper benediction, and feveral compli¬ 
 ments paid the new married couple, conclude the 
 folemnity. 
 
 Thefe ceremonies are rather general, and there¬ 
 fore we fliall here mention l'ome of a more par¬ 
 ticular nature ; which feem to be peculiar to die 
 inhabitants of the places mentioned. 
 
 1 ournefourt gives us a defeription of a wed¬ 
 ding that he faw himfelf at Mycone, the reli¬ 
 gious ceremonies of which feem to differ in fe¬ 
 veral circumftances from thofe juft before-men¬ 
 tioned. 
 
An ACCOUNT of 
 
 tioned. To this we fhall add that given us by 
 Spon, and both together will give the reader a 
 compleat idea of the civil cuftoms of the Greeks 
 with refpedt to their nuptial folemnities. 
 
 fC We accompanied, fays Tournefort, the bride 
 and bridegroom to church with their fponfors, or 
 godfathers and godmothers. They have fome- 
 times three or four, efpecially when the bride is 
 the elded daughter.” He obferves, that the elded 
 daughter is the principal favourite. If a father 
 is poflefled of ten thoufand crowns, he gives one 
 moity, or half part of it to his eldelt daughter, 
 and divides the remainder amongd the red of his 
 children, Ihare and fhare alike. <f I could not, 
 lays he, rightly inform myfelf of the true reafon 
 for their obfervance of that cudom. After the 
 pried had received the company at the church 
 door, he required the mutual confent of both 
 parties, and put garlands upon their heads, com- 
 pofed of vine leaves, embellilhed with ribbands 
 and lace. After that, he took two rings, which 
 lay upon the communion table, and put them on 
 their fingers; that is to fay, a gold one on the 
 bridegroom’s and a filver one upon the bride’s. 
 Saying, 1 his man, &c. (according to the form 
 beforementioned) He interchanged thefe rings 
 above thirty times over during the folemnity. 
 When he put the bride’s upon the finger of the 
 bridegroom, he laid, This woman, &c. In 
 diort, he changed the rings over and over again, 
 but at lad the bridegroom kept the gold one, and 
 the bride the other. The godfathers and god¬ 
 mothers, after the pried had done, made the fame 
 exchanges. The man and woman whofe pro¬ 
 vince it was to officiate that day, took off the 
 bride and bridegroom’s garlands, and held them 
 two or three inches over their heads. They 
 turned themfelves hand in hand, thrice round 
 fucceflively, and, at the fame time, the affidants, 
 relations, friends, and acquaintance kicked and 
 buffeted them without mercy, accordingto an un¬ 
 accountable whimfical cudom of their country, 
 which I cannot account for. After this was over, 
 the pried cut fome bread into feveral little pieces, 
 and put them into a porringer of wine : When he 
 had fo done, he fird taded it himfelf, and then 
 adminidered a lpoonful to the bridegroom, and 
 another to the bride. The fponfors, or god¬ 
 fathers and godmothers, and others the affidants, 
 had their portion likewife, and lo the ceremony 
 ended. There was no mafs; becaule their nup¬ 
 tials were folemnized in the evening.” 
 
 _ Spon tells us, That at Athens, their young 
 virgins never dir out of their houles before the 
 wedding-day, and their gallants make love by 
 proxy, or a third perfon, who has free accefs to 
 them, and is fome relation or other, in whofe 
 fidelity and friendfiiip they can bed confide. 
 They do not lb much as fee therefore the bride 
 till the day appointed for the folemnization of 
 their nuptials. On that day, they hand the bride 
 about in public a long time ; they do not, in¬ 
 deed, march far, but then they move in a very 
 flow and lolemn pace. The proceflion between 
 the church and the bridegroom’s houfe, takes up 
 two hours at lead, and is preceded by a feledt 
 band of haut-boys, tabors and other indruments 
 of mufic. During this ceremony, and the pro- 
 ceffion, the young virgins carry a large crown on 
 their heads, compoled of filigreen work, and 
 
 279 
 
 decked with codly pearls, which is fo cumbrous 
 and trouble fome, that they are obliged to walk 
 as upright as an arrow. 
 
 Ricaut fays, cc that the bride’s relations con- 
 du< 5 t her into the bridal chamber, where die fits 
 amongd her female friends and acquaintance with 
 a veil all over her face, as before. The bride¬ 
 groom enters, and with a trembling hand, lifts 
 up her veil, and falutes her.” The reader, per^ 
 haps may imagine, that this trembling is either a 
 neceffary part of the nuptial ceremony, or the 
 effeft of bafhfulnefs in a lover that is as moded, 
 as much dafhed out of countenance, and as great 
 a novice as poor Thomas Diaforus was ; but he is 
 very much midaken in the matter. All our 
 Grecian lover’s fear is, led indead of a beauty, 
 he diould embrace the figure of a fuccubus. But 
 be that as it will, die is the wife, and he is the 
 hufband. The indulgence which the Greek 
 church lhews for divorces, mud be altogether, or 
 at lead, in a great meafure, imputed to fuch idle 
 and extravagant cudoms as thefe are. There is 
 no manner of difficulty, as we are informed, in 
 procuring a legal feparation ; and the patriarch, 
 for a trivial gratuity, will difannul a marriao-e, 
 and grant his difpenfation for a fecond. Ti is "in¬ 
 dulgence of the Greek church to her own mem¬ 
 bers, in fome meafure compenfates, or is an equi¬ 
 valent to the polygamy allowed of amongd the 
 I urks, which is prohibited by the Greek church, 
 as being inconfident with the laws of Chrif- 
 tiamty. It is furprifing, that as the Greeks live 
 amongd the Turks, whofe religion fo openly 
 countenances and encourages a plurality of wives, 
 they diould guard themfelves againd fo bewitch¬ 
 ing an infection. 
 
 When we compare thefe marriages with thofe 
 of the Roman Catholics, we find there are more 
 Hcathenifh cudoms in the former, than in the 
 latter. The Greek Chridians in the Levant, have 
 imbibed many of the notions of their Pagan an- 
 cedors ; for although there were once fome pure 
 churches amongd them, yet in vain do we look 
 for them at prefent. Indeed the Greeks are fo 
 much oppreffed by the Turks, and the clergy 
 make luch a handle of their fuperdition, that 
 they may be confidered as truly miferable. Their 
 Spirits are deprefled, they forget the flavery they 
 labour under, and having no books to perufe, nor 
 abilities to read them, they confole themfelves 
 with a continuance in their antient cudoms, nor 
 do they know much of the difference between 
 Heathenifm and Chridianity. 
 
 Of Extreme Undtion among the Greeks. 
 
 According to Tournefort, the monks of Monte 
 Santo, are as covetous and fimonical as any 
 of the Greek prieds whatever, as well through 
 that general and confirmed corruption, which has 
 infedted not only their fandtuary, but thofe who 
 officiate at their altars, as through the abjedt po¬ 
 verty, and profound ignorance of the populace 
 and their indrudtors : Thele monks are perfedt 
 vagabonds, and wander all over Greece and Muf- 
 covy too, to difpofe of this oil to the bed ad¬ 
 vantage. They go to private houfes to hear 
 confeffions, and adminider extreme undtion, 
 
 even 
 
 the GREEK CHURCH. 
 
An ACCOUNT of the GREEK CHURCH. 
 
 even to fuch perfons as are in a perfect ftate of 
 health. They anoint the back bone of the pe¬ 
 nitent on his declaration of each particular fin ; 
 provided always that they are handfomely grati¬ 
 fied for their oil and their labour. The lowed 
 price of the leaft unaion is a crown : Thofe 
 for fornication, or adultery, are held up at a 
 higher rate. Such as make the molt regular 
 application of this unaion, make ufe of confe- 
 crated oil, and at each operation, repeat thefe 
 words of the Pfalmift. “ The net has been 
 “ broken, and we have been delivered.” And a 
 little further he adds, that they adminifter their 
 extreme unaion more frequently to fuch as are in 
 perfea health than to thofe who are in a weak and 
 languilhing condition. Thefe laft they anoint 
 with common unconfecrated oil, on the foreheads, 
 cheeks, chin, and hands, but on no other parts. 
 After this, they befmear every room in the houfe 
 with the fame, and accompany the ceremony with 
 fundry prayers. And finally, trace out large croffes 
 upon all the walls and doors, finging the 90th 
 pfalm during the performance. 
 
 Now from the foregoing recital it is very evi¬ 
 dent, firflr, that all penitents, and luch as are 
 guilty of any mortal fin, are ordered to be 
 anointed; and fecondly, that unflion is admi- 
 niftered not only to fuch as are in a weak and 
 lan CT uiftiing condition, but fuch likewife as are 
 at 'the point of death. It is plain this laft 
 unflion refembles the former in the matter only, 
 not in the manner of its adminiftration. The bi- 
 fliop, or archbilhop, aflifted by feven priefts, ad- 
 minifters this extreme unftion, which begins with 
 a prayer. The other unflion, as well as this, is 
 called by the Greeks, Apomuron. They derive 
 the origin of this Apomuron from the parable of 
 the o-ood Samaritan; and to render the confor¬ 
 mity 0 Hill more conlpicuous, they mingle wine 
 with their Apomuron, becaufe the Samaritan 
 poured oil and wine into the wounds of the tra¬ 
 veller that fell amongft the thieves. 
 
 Before we come to (hew the difference which 
 there is between the Greeks and the Latins, with 
 refpeft to the manner of adminiftering the ex¬ 
 treme unflion, we lhall give a defcription of 
 feveral ceremonies peculiarly belonging to the 
 two unflions of the Greeks. The archbilhop, or 
 in his abfence, the bilhop confecrates, on Wed- 
 nefday in Holy Week, the oil of unflion for the 
 whole year. On Maundy-Thurfday, the patri¬ 
 arch or bilhop adminifters the unflion publicly to 
 all the faithful. The prelate is anointed firft by 
 the ceconomift, after which he himfclf anoints 
 the whole congregation. The origin of this 
 cullom is traced up to the time of St. John of 
 Damafcus, but the Greeks carry this ceremony ftill 
 farther. They anoint their dead almoft in the 
 fame manner as they do the living. Seven prielts 
 adminifter this unftion, and each of them takes a 
 piece of paper, dipped in the oil, and fets it on 
 fire, in order to purify, by this kind of facrifice, 
 the’foul of the deceafed, and deliver it from the 
 torments due to its demerits. This fuperllitious 
 cuftom mull be looked upon as a remainder of 
 the luftrations praftifed by the Pagans. Some 
 afcribe to the Greeks a ftrong perfuafion, that the 
 unftion of the dead has faved many fouls from 
 eternal damnation, and according to their ac¬ 
 
 counts, the lalvation of Trajan, and one Theo- 
 philus, an Iconoclaft, was purely owing to thefe 
 fpecific unguents. 
 
 The other circumftances relating to the unflion 
 and extreme unflion of the Greeks, which are 
 peculiar to themfelves, are thefe, viz. That the 
 prieft, after he has dipt his cotton, which is 
 faftened to the end of a Hick, into the lacred oils, 
 anoints the penitent, or the fick perfon, in the 
 form of a crofs upon the forehead, chin, cheeks, 
 the upper fide, and palms of the hands. After 
 which he pronounces a fhort prayer. The feven 
 a Hilling priells, if there be feven prefent at the 
 ceremony, anoint all the fick perfons one after 
 another. The principal lays the gofpel upon his 
 head, whilft the others lay their hands upon 
 him. 
 
 From thefe ceremonies we lhall now proceed to 
 the difference which have been obfcrved between 
 the unflion of the Latins, and that of the Greeks. 
 We lhall not enter into the controverfy between 
 the Greeks and Latins, concerning the different 
 terms ufed in calling the ceremony of extreme 
 unflion a facrament or a myftery. Many Pro- 
 teftant writers have done this already, lb that 
 little can be added to what they have faid; the 
 following we prelume will be fufficient. The real 
 differences then are thefe that follow : One per¬ 
 fon alone, by the laws of the Latin church, may 
 adminifter the facrament of extreme unflion ; 
 whereas the adminiftration ol it, in the opinion 
 of the Greeks, is irregular, unlefs three at leaft 
 aflift at the celebration of it. By the Latin ritual, 
 the bilhop only has authority to confecrate the 
 oil; but the Grecian priefts as well as their pre¬ 
 lates, are invefted with that power. Befides the 
 parts of the body of their fick which are differ¬ 
 ently anointed, it is cuftomary with the Greeks 
 to anoint their houfes alfo, and fign them at the 
 fame time with feveral figns of the crofs. 
 
 Of the Funeral Ceremonies of the Greeks. 
 
 From their extreme unflion, we ftiall proceed 
 fince the tranfition is regular, to their funeral lo- 
 lemnities : for notwithftanding their fick de¬ 
 votees frequently recover after the adminiftra¬ 
 tion of extreme unflion ; yet the intent and de- 
 fign of it are, no doubt, to recover the foul from 
 all her infirmities, which arc much more liable to 
 affiifl and torment her during the precarious con- 
 fequences of a long leries of ficknefs, than in the 
 uninterrupted enjoyment of a perfefl Hate of 
 health, at which time but very few allow them¬ 
 felves the leifure to refleft on a future llate. Ex¬ 
 treme unftion was inftituted likewife, with intent 
 to comfort and fupport Chrillians under their 
 bodily affliftions, and to turn their hopes towards 
 eternity. 
 
 Ricaut takes notice of feveral ceremonies of 
 the Greeks, very remarkable in time of ficknefs. 
 He fays, for inftance, “ That the prieft bends the 
 head of the patient with the veil of the chalice, 
 and gives him a draught of holy water, in which 
 feveral odoriferous herbs have been before in- 
 fufed. The water muft be confecrated by the 
 touch of a crucifix, or an image ol the Blefied 
 
 Virgin. 
 
An ACCOUNT of the 
 
 Virgin. This they prefcribe to their patients as 
 a fpecific remedy for the health and welfare of 
 their louls as well as their bodies. When the pa¬ 
 tient grows worfe and worfe, and is given over, 
 they have recourle to their extreme uruftion, 
 which is accompanied with feveral prayers fuit- 
 able to the occafon, and lome lefTons out of the 
 New Teftament, where mention is made of the 
 refurredtion of the dead. The Greeks likwife 
 obferve the popifh cuftom of making folemn 
 vows both to the Almighty and the faints for the 
 reiteration of their health. Such vows are paid, 
 as in the Latin church, by the oblation of a 
 golden or (ilver eye, arm, or leg. This cuftom 
 was obferved by the moft antient Pagans, and 
 amongft others by the Philiftines, who, after they 
 had been healed of the diftemper with which they 
 were afflidted on account of the ark of the Lord, 
 which they had feized and taken into their pof- 
 feftion, fent it back with the reprefentation in 
 gold of the parts affefted. The Chriftians very 
 eaiily gave into this praftice of the Heathens. 
 The fubftitution of a material oblation, in the 
 room of the facrifice of the heart, is fo commo¬ 
 dious, that it is furprifing to find it totally erafed 
 out of the ceremonies of fome certain religions, 
 which provide no other amufement for luch of 
 their devotees as are of a heavy caft, than a nar¬ 
 row fcrutiny into the adtions of others; leaving 
 their minds indolent and unemployed, which in 
 the temple, as well as elfewhere, muft needs in¬ 
 cline them to cenfure, and refledt on the condudt 
 of their neighbours. 
 
 As foon as a dying man has given up the ghoft, 
 the whole family appear like fo many adters at 
 the reprefentation of a deep tragedy ; all are in 
 tears and groans. The body of the deceafed, 
 whether male or female, is dreft in its belt ap¬ 
 parel, and afterwards extended upon a bier, with 
 one wax-taper at the head, and another at the 
 feet. The wife, if the hufband be the objedt of 
 their forrow, the children, fervants, relations, and 
 acquaintance, enter the apartment where the de¬ 
 ceafed is thus laid out, with their cloaths rent, 
 tearing their hair, beating their breafts, and even’ 
 as Ricaut adds, disfiguring their faces with their 
 nails. The mode of our mourning is not quite 
 fo extravagant and romantic ; and we are apt to 
 believe, that none of the natives, of any parts 
 of Europe, whether wives, children, or huf- 
 bands, ftiew at prefent any fialhes, or the leaft 
 disfigurement in their faces, as outward marks, 
 or teftimonies of their inward forrow. We are 
 taught by the principles of the Chriftian religion, 
 to repofe all our truft and confidence in God 
 alone, and there is no injundHon which is more 
 readily complied with, in the literal and ftrifteft 
 fenfe, than that which obliges us to comfort our- 
 felves under the lofs of a father, a hufband, ora 
 wife. When the body of the deceafed is com¬ 
 pletely dreffed as beforementioned, and decently 
 extended on the bier, for the regular performance 
 of his laft obfequies, and the hour is come for 
 his interment, the crucifix is carried in proceffion 
 at the head of the funeral train ; and the priefts 
 and deacons, who accompany them, recitino- the 
 prayers appointed by the church, burn incenfe, 
 and implore the Divine Majefty to receive the 
 foul of the deceafed into his heavenly manfions. 
 
 24 
 
 GREEK CHURCH. 
 
 The wife, for Ricaut is here fpeaking of the . 
 burial of a hufband, follows his dear remains, 
 drowned in a flood of tears, and fo difconfo- 
 late, that if we may form a judgement from her 
 tears, and the excefs of her cries and lamenta¬ 
 tions, one would imagine Ihe would fet her foul 
 at liberty to fly after and overtake her hufband’s. 
 Ricaut adds, that there are fome women, how¬ 
 ever, to be met with, that have no tafte for thefe 
 extravagant teftimonies of their grief and an- 
 guifh, and yet their mourning is not lefs folemn 
 than that of their neighbours. They have wo¬ 
 men who are mourners by profeftlon, who weep 
 in the widow s ftead for a certain fum, who, by 
 frequent practice of their art, can reprefent to the 
 life all the violent emotions and gefticulations 
 that naturally flow from the moft pungent and 
 unfeigned forrow. 
 
 As loon as the funeral fervice is over, they kifs 
 the crucifix, and afterwards falute the mouth and 
 forehead of the deceafed. After that, each of 
 them eats a fmall bit of bread, and drinks a glafs 
 of wine in the church, wifbing the. foul of the 
 deceafed a good repofe, and the afflidted family 
 all the coniolation they can wifli for. We had for¬ 
 got to inform the reader, that, according to the 
 accounts of (°me travellers, a widow that has 
 loft her hufband, a child who has loft his father 
 or mother, in fliort, all perfons who are in deep 
 mourning drefs no vifteals at their own houfes. 
 
 I he friends and relations of the deceafed fend 
 them in provifions for the firft eight days ; at the 
 end whereof they pay the difconfolate family a 
 charitable vifir, in order to condole with, and 
 comfort them under their unhappy lofs, and to 
 wait on them to church, where there are prayers 
 read for the repofe of the foul of the deceafed. 
 
 Tk . t L me l n 3gam Cat and drink in the church, 
 whilit the women renew their cries and lamen¬ 
 tations. But tech as can afford to hire profeft 
 mourners, never give themfelves this fecond fa¬ 
 tigue, but fubftitute proper perfons in their ftead, 
 to weep over their hufband’s tombs, three days 
 after their interment, at which time there are 
 prayers read for the repofe of his foul. After 
 the ninth day, there are mafies and prayers read 
 again upon the fame occafion, which are repeated 
 at the expiration of forty days; as alfb, at the 
 dole of fix months, and on the laft day of the 
 year. After the ceremony is concluded, they 
 make their friends a prefent of fome corn, boiled 
 rice, wine, and fome fweet-meats. This cuftom, 
 which is generally called by the Greeks, Ta 
 Sperna , is looked upon by them as very antient. 
 They renew it with more folemnity and devotion 
 than ever, on the Friday immediately preceding 
 their Lent, that before Chriftmas, on Good- 
 Friday, and the Friday before Whitfuntide j 
 which days the Greek church have devoted to 
 the lervice of the dead, not only of thofe who 
 have departed this life according to the common 
 courfe of nature, but fuch likewile as have un¬ 
 fortunately met with a ludden and untimely 
 death. 
 
 1 he funeral procefTion begins with two young 
 country lads, holding wooden crofies in their 
 hands, followed by a prieft in a white cope, 
 efcorted by feveral other priefts drefted in party 
 coloured ftoles, but flovens from head to foot. 
 
 B b b b After 
 
An ACCOUNT of the GREEK CHURCH. 
 
 After them comes the corpfe expofed to public 
 view, dred after the manner of the Greeks, in all 
 her bridal apparel. The hufband follows the 
 bier, lupported by two perfons of didinCtion, 
 who ufc all the prevailing arguments they can 
 think of to keep him from expiring under the 
 weight of his affliction. And yet, after all, it 
 is whifpered, that his poor wife died of meer 
 grief. Of all comedies, that of marriage furely 
 is the mofl: comical, provided a man does not 
 perfonate the hero. When he does, indeed, he 
 is obliged, as it were, to afiume the character that 
 is partly childifb, mean, foolilh, hypocritical, and 
 fometim'es roguifh. Were we to form a judge¬ 
 ment of things by their outward appearance, one 
 would imagine, that the Grecian hufbands have 
 an inexhaudible fountain of tears, that they can 
 bemoan the lofs of their wives in fuch a clamo¬ 
 rous and public manner. Is the blefling of a 
 good wife common among the Greeks ? Can no 
 other country boad it ? Are good wives a fcarce 
 commodity amongft the Greeks, above all other 
 nations ? God defend the dead ! lays Rabelais, 
 I mull think of finding out another help-mate. 
 One of the daughters of the deceafed, con¬ 
 tinues Tournefort, who was of years of maturity, 
 and agreeable enough, her fillers and fome other 
 relations, marched in their proper order, with 
 their hats difhevelled, leaning on the arms of 
 fome of their intimate acquaintance. When their 
 voices failed them, or when they were at a lofs to 
 exprels themfelves any longer, they tore the hair 
 off their heads in the mod violent and frantic 
 manner imaginable, firll on one fide, and then on 
 the other ; but nature cannot long be concealed 
 under this thin difguife, and it is very eafy to dif- 
 tinguifh, on thefe occalions, the fincere mourner 
 from the hypocritical impollor. If there are any 
 fine cloaths in the whole town, they are brought 
 out on this-public occafion. The friends and re¬ 
 lations are ambitious of making the bed appear¬ 
 ance they poflibly can ; whereas amongd us, we, 
 one and all, are dred in black. This gaity of 
 theirs is no bar or impediment, however, to the 
 exprefiion of their concern, by the deeped fighs, 
 and mod heidous groanings. If a perfon hap¬ 
 pens to die in any part of the town whatever, 
 their very enemies, as well as friends and rela¬ 
 tions, nay, the whole neighbourhood great and 
 final 1 , without didinCtion, think themfelves 
 obliged to weep and wail, fince they would make 
 an ill figure, if they did not feem at lead to drop 
 a teir on fuch a melancholy occafion. From 
 whence we may reafonably conclude, that fuch 
 an extravagant, fuch a noify expreffion of their 
 forrow mud be wholly owing to the inode of the 
 country ; an ambition to imitate thole who are 
 actually in didrefs, and the nature of the climate 
 in which they live. 
 
 There is no mafs faid for the dead on the days 
 of their interment, but forty in every parifh the 
 day following, at leven pence per mafs. As foon 
 as they are got into the church, the prieds read 
 aloud the office for the dead, whilft a young clerk 
 repeats fome particular pfalms of David at the 
 foot of the bier. When the office is over, 
 there are twelve loaves, and as many bottles of 
 wine diilributed amongd the poor at the church 
 door. Every pried has ten gazettees, or Vene¬ 
 tian pence, and the bilhop who accompanies the 
 
 corpfe, three half crowns. The grand vicar, 
 treafurer, and keeper of the archieves, who are 
 next to the prelate in point of dignity, have three 
 crowns, ora double fee. After this didribution, 
 one of the prieds lays a large piece of a broken 
 pot upon the bread of the deceafed, on which 
 a crofs, and the ulual characters, I. N. B. I. 
 are engraved with the point of a penknife, or 
 fome other tool, or indrument, proper for that 
 occafion. After that they withdraw and take 
 their leave of the deceafed. The relations, but 
 more particularly the hufband, kifies her pale 
 lips ; and this is looked upon as fo incumbent a 
 dutv, that the neglect of it cannot be difpenled 
 with, though the perfon ffiould die of the mod 
 infectious didemper. Her friends embrace her, 
 and her neighbours falute her; but no holy 
 water is fprinkled upon her. After the inter¬ 
 ment is over, they conduct the hufband back 
 to his houfe. When the funeral affembly de¬ 
 parts, the hired mourners repeat their lamen¬ 
 tations ; and in the evening, the relations fend 
 the poor afflicted hufband an agreeable colla¬ 
 tion, and go and caroufe with him by way of 
 confolation. 
 
 Such are the fentiments of thofe Chridians 
 called Greeks, who refide in Greece and in the 
 Lefier Afia ; for there are others who are alfo 
 called Greeks, but are looked upon by the above 
 as fchifmatics ; but of thefe we ffiall give an ac¬ 
 count afterwards. In the mean time, fcveral re¬ 
 flections may be drawn from what has been here 
 advanced, for hiltory without improvement is 
 like a body without life. And fird, 
 
 The antient Greeks were celebrated for their 
 wifdom, learning and valour; and their writings, 
 next to thofe of the Old Tedament, are fo far as 
 we know the mod antient in the world. Divided 
 at fird into fcveral fmall republicks, they were 
 jealous of each other, and although Philip of 
 Macedon made them tributary, yet even then 
 they aflided him to overthrow the Perfian empire, 
 and their learning fpread over the greatedpart of 
 the Lefler Afia. 
 
 Secondly, how different are thofe defeended 
 from them ! without courage, without learning, 
 and funk into the mod abjeCt date of meannefs, 
 they are confidered by the Turks as poor, pufil- 
 lanimous wretches, and live in a date almod of 
 Egyptian bondage. It is true, they have the 
 name of Chridians, but they have not failed to 
 debafe the glory of the gofpel, by mixing with it 
 many rites and ceremonies, uled by their Pagan 
 ancedors. 
 
 Thirdly, It is remarkable how prone the heart 
 of man is to luperdition, and indeed to every 
 thing which God has not commanded to be ob- 
 lerved, but rather forbidden. At the time of 
 Conftantine the Great, there were many flourifh- 
 ing churches in Greece, and for many years after, 
 few ceremonies were introduced, except fuch as 
 were in their own nature fimple and indifferent. 
 But after the fixth century, they aCted the 
 fame part as the Ifraelites did in the wildernels, 
 when they made the golden calf and wanted to 
 return to Egypt. The Greeks had either a writ¬ 
 ten or a traditional account of the religion of 
 their ancedors, and as they were beginning gra¬ 
 dually to lofe all knowledge of the truths of 
 Chridianity, they daily embraced more and more 
 
 of 
 
An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of the SCHISMATICAL GREEKS. 283 
 
 of the Pagan ceremonies. In this they were en¬ 
 couraged by the example of the Romans, who 
 had learned fo many Heathenifti cuftoms, that 
 the chief part of their religion confifted in mak¬ 
 ing the fign of the crofs. 
 
 Laftly, The Greeks feem as little ambitious of 
 acquiring knowledge, as they are of regaining 
 their liberty, which may ferve to fhew, that, to 
 make men flaves, they fhould be kept in igno¬ 
 rance ; for fiavery, either of body or mind, va- 
 
 nifhes away before learning. A few years ago, 
 when the Ruffians were at war with the Turks, it 
 was expedted that had they fucceeded, the Greeks 
 would have been taken under their protedtion; 
 but the plan mifcarried, and they are ftill in the 
 fame forlorn condition as before. In that con¬ 
 dition they are likely to continue, till fome re¬ 
 markable revolution takes place in Europe, of 
 which we cannot at prefent form any notion. 
 
 An Account of the Religion of thofe GREEKS, who 
 differ in many things from the others already mentioned. 
 
 T HE difference to be found among all 
 thofe throughout the world, who bear 
 the name of Chriftians, is one of the 
 ftrongeft proofs that there was fuch a perfon as 
 Jefus Chrift in the world, that he fuffered, rofe 
 again, and afeended inco heaven. Molt of thefe 
 different denominations agree in the points effen- 
 tial to falvation, although they hate and excom¬ 
 municate each other for the obfervation of par¬ 
 ticular rites and ceremonies. Now, is it poffible, 
 that all thefe people, I’o different in their modes 
 of worfhip and dilcipline, fhould, while they 
 hate each other, agree in the belief of the golpel 
 hiltory, concerning Jefus Chrift ? There is not a 
 deift in Europe, who doubts there was l'uch a per¬ 
 fon as the impoftor Mahomet, who was born fix 
 hundred years after the death of Chrift; and yet 
 to a fceptic in hiftory, the accounts we have of 
 fuch a perfon’s living in the world as Mahomet, 
 are liable to more objections than the hiftory of 
 Jefus Chrift. Mahomet was born in an age when 
 ignorance overfpread the earth, fo that for fome 
 time after his death, there were no accounts of 
 him but by tradition. On the other hand, al¬ 
 though the world was loft in Pagan idolatry when 
 Chrift was born, yet there were many learned men 
 in Judea, in Greece, and in Rome. All the Jewilh 
 writers, fince that time, take notice of him, al- 
 tho’ they deny that he was the Melfiah. Several 
 Heathen writers mention him as a very extraor¬ 
 dinary perlon; and Celfus, the fevereft writer 
 againft the Chriftians, never denied that there 
 was fuch a perfon as Jefus Chrift, nor did he re¬ 
 ject his miracles, only that he laid they were 
 wrought by the power of magic. We thought it 
 the more neceffary to take notice of thefe things 
 in this place, becaufe fome cf our readers ought 
 to be cautioned againft every thing that may lead 
 their minds oft' from believing the fundamental 
 truths of the golpel. 
 
 Of the Greek Church in Ruftia. 
 
 The Ruffians are very ambitious to have their 
 converlion to Chriftianity as high as the age of 
 
 the apoftlcs ; and they believe that the gofpel was 
 firft preached among them by St. Andrew, the 
 brother of Peter. When we confidcr that there 
 were many churches eftablifhed in Greece and 
 many parts around it, foon after the apoftolic age, 
 it is not at all improbable, but fome of the Poles 
 and the Ruffians were converted to Chriftianity 
 but whatever were the number of thefe converts, 
 this much is certain, all knowledge of Chrif¬ 
 tianity was loft in Ruftia, when the Greeks fent 
 miffionaries there in the tenth century, of which 
 the following is a genuine account. 
 
 Igor, duke of Ruftia, and a Pagan, dying in 
 955, left a l'on named Scoflaus, a minor, and his 
 : mother Ola was appointed regent. This lady, 
 
 I having heard of the fplendour of the Greek em¬ 
 peror’s court, at Conltantinople, went thither, 
 
 I and was baptized by the patriarch, who gave her 
 j the name of Helen. Upon her return home to 
 J her ov/n country, fhe perluaded fome of her 
 I great lords to fend for fome priefts from Greece, 
 
 I which they did, and ' ere baptized, but Stoflaus, 
 i the young duke, growing up to years of matu¬ 
 rity, bamfhed the priefts our of the country, and 
 | continued himfelf a heathen to the laft. He was 
 lucceeded by his fon Walodimir, a prince of 
 : knowledge and courage. Having cultivated an 
 : acquaintance with the Greek emperor, who fent 
 ambaffadors to him, he followed the example of 
 ; his grandmother, and was baptized by the name 
 of Balil. Soon after this, rel'olving to eftablifh 
 Chriftianity in his dominions, he married the 
 ! princefs Anne, daughter of the emperor Bafil, and 
 1 the patriarch of Conltantinople, confecrated feve- 
 ral archbifhops and bifhops, and fixed their prin- 
 > cipal refidence in the moft capital cities of Ruftia; 
 
 ! fo that taking all thele circumftances together, 
 
 ; Chriftianity was not eftablifhed in Ruftia before 
 the latter end of the tenth century. 
 
 This is the reafon why the Ruftians profefs a 
 great efteem for the Greeks; for it will appear, 
 that in fome points of faith, as well as of dif- 
 cipline, there are feveral differences between 
 them. They have the bible printed in their own 
 language, which is called the Sclavonian, and 
 they acknowledged it to be the true word of 
 God, efpecially the four gofpels which they never 
 
 touch. 
 
:$4 An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION 
 
 touch without certain marks of refpedt and vene¬ 
 ration. But although they declare the Holy 
 fcriptures to be the rule of their faith, yet they pay 
 ahnoft as much regard to the decrees of the firft 
 feven general councils, and the Greek fathers, 
 particularly Bafil, Nazianzen, Chryfoftom, and 
 Epherem the Syrian. They receive the Apoftles 
 Creed, the Nicene and that of Athanafius, fo 
 that when any point of religion is to be proved by 
 them, they firft haverecourfe to the facred fcrip¬ 
 tures, next to the councils, and then to the fa¬ 
 thers abovementioned, and the laft appeal is to 
 the patriarch of Ruflia. 
 
 Their priefts, whom they call Papas , read the 
 whole of the New Teftament in their churches 
 to the people, but no part of the Old, except 
 the Pfalms ; for they confider fome part of the 
 Old Teftament as above the common compre- 
 henfion of the vulgar. This is certainly true, 
 and fo are many things in the New Teftament, 
 and were men able to comprehend every thing in 
 the facred fcriptures, then revelation would be 
 no more than a fyftem of natural religion. They 
 never deliver an explication of what has been 
 read, which is perhaps one of the reafons why 
 they continue in luch a ftate of ignorance. They 
 fay, that preachers only perplex their hearers, by 
 giving them too fubtile an explication of what 
 is plain in itfelf, and confequently leading them 
 into unneceffary controverfies of no importance 
 to falvation. 
 
 They believe the church to be an affembly of 
 the faithful, whom God has promifed to afiift with 
 his grace, to attain to eternal falvation, and have 
 vanity enough to affert, that out of their church 
 there is no falvation. Till of late years, they 
 would not fuffer a Jew to refide among them, and 
 fuch was their hatred of the Turks, that when 
 an ambaffador came from Conftantinople, he was 
 not permitted to kifs the Czar’s hand. All 
 other Chriftians befides themfelves, they confider 
 as Heretics, only that they look upon the Greeks 
 in the Levant with a more favourable eye than 
 they do upon any others. 
 
 The Ruffians are of the fame opinion with 
 Proteftants concerning the head of the church, 
 namely, there is no perfon entitled to that ho¬ 
 nour, but Jefus Chrift only, and for that reafon 
 they look upon the pope as an ufurper. It is true, 
 they pay fomething annually to the patriarch of 
 Conftantinople, but that is rather out of refpeft 
 than from an acknowledgement of jurifdidion. 
 Neither do they allow that there has been any 
 power in the Greek church to work miracles fince 
 the death of the apoftles, they being unneceffary 
 after the full eftablilhment of Chriftianity. They 
 have a great veneration for the perfon of their 
 lbvereign, and count it an honour to do the 
 meaneft offices for him, nor are they lefs lub- 
 miffive and obedient to all thofe who are in au¬ 
 thority under him. 
 
 Another thing much regarded by the Ruffians, 
 is the duty they owe to their clergy, of whom 
 they have feveral degrees and orders. The firft 
 in the rank is the patriarch, who is archbifhop of 
 Moftow, and formerly was obliged to refide in 
 that city, but ever fince the court has been kept 
 at Peterlburgh, he has been permitted to refide 
 there part of the year, to afiift the fovereign with 
 his councils. He is next to the fovereign, the 
 
 of the SCHISMATIC A L GREEKS. 
 
 chief perfon in the empire, and determines in all 
 ecclefiaftical affairs. He wears a kind of long 
 black robe, and has always a crofs carried be¬ 
 fore him. Next to the patriarch are the arch- 
 bifhops under him, and thefe are four in number, 
 namely, thofe of Kiovia, Roftoff, Cafan, and 
 Sankinfki and this laft mu ft refide conftantly 
 at Mufcow, to afiift the patriarch. The next in 
 rank are the feven biftiops, viz. of Kiovia, 
 Mufcow, Plefcow, Wolodimir, Cafan Aftra- 
 can, and Torofho in Siberia. Under thefe are 
 the priefts whom they call popes or papas, and 
 thefe are divided into protopapas, arch-papas, and 
 common papas, of whom there are vaft numbers 
 in Ruffia, there being no other qualifications ne- 
 ceffary, befides being able to read, write, and fing. 
 The chief badge of the priefthood is a cap, or 
 calot, which is put upon their heads at the time 
 of their being confecrated, and they are obliged 
 to wear it as long as they continue in the prieft¬ 
 hood. Another badge of their priefthood is the 
 ftick they carry in their hands, being for the moft 
 part cloathed in a loofe robe of coarfe cloth, 
 which comes down to their feet, and as theypafs 
 along the ftreets, the people alk them for their 
 blefiing. And yet we find from the beft informa¬ 
 tion, that their inferior priefts are much addicted 
 to drunkennefs in public houfes, where they fre¬ 
 quently create quarrels, and all'o receive a fevere 
 drubbing. 
 
 Almoft all Ruflia fwarms with monks, of 
 which they have their orders, namely, the Be¬ 
 nedictines, the order of St. Bafil, and that of St. 
 Nicholas, and thefe, like the Roman Catholics, 
 make three vows, viz. of poverty, chaftity and 
 obedience, but in moft other things they are 
 very different from thofe of Rome. They lead 
 a very auftere life, and are cloathed in black 
 loofe cloaks with a girdle round their middle, 
 and a badge to diftinguilh their order on their 
 breaft. They have their abbots and priors, who 
 are generally very ignorant, there being few 
 among them who are able to read. 
 
 They have all'o nuns, who live much after the 
 fame manner as the monks, and are cloathed in 
 long black robes, except fuch as are perfons of 
 quality, who are diftinguilhed by fhort white 
 veils. There are all'o hermits in Ruflia, who 
 have no other way of procuring a fubfiftence 
 than that of begging from travellers, who fome- 
 times give them a little, for which in return they 
 receive their bleflings. The biftiops and priefts 
 live upon their tythes and what ell'e the people 
 are pleafed to bellow upon them, for they have 
 no houfes or lands as in the Roman Catholic 
 countries. Simony, or the purchafing of church 
 livings, is as common in Ruflia as in Italy, and 
 they often exchange one benefice for another, 
 which is one of the worft things that ever could 
 take place in a national church. 
 
 All their churches are built round and vault¬ 
 ed, to have fome refemblance to the heavens, and 
 they have five fteeples, one in the centre higher 
 than the others, and the other four around it. 
 They ufe neither pews, chairs nor benches in 
 their churches, becaufe they perform their de¬ 
 votions either kneeling or proftrate on the 
 ground. They look upon their churches as fo fa¬ 
 cred that no new married couple can be admitted 
 into them until they have firft bathed themfelves. 
 
 They 
 
An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of the SCHISMATICAL GREEKS, age 
 
 They admit of no organs in their churches, nor 
 of any images of wood or (tone, but only fuch 
 as are painted. Next to their churches, they 
 Ihew much regard to their church-yards where 
 they bury their dead. They will not fuffer any 
 impurities to be thrown into them, nor will they 
 permit a dog to pafs over them. They are great 
 admirers of bells, looking upon them as elfential 
 to divine worffiip. They have nearly the fame 
 notions of the Trinity with the Greeks in the 
 Levant; that'is, they believe in the Creeds, only 
 with fome fmall variations from the antient 
 fathers. 
 
 They believe that God the Father is the Crea¬ 
 tor of all things, the firft perlon in the ever 
 blefied Trinity, and the Father of our Lord 
 Jefus Chrift. That Jefus Chrift is the fecond 
 perfon in the trinity; and that he is eflentially 
 both God and man. That the Holy Ghoft is the 
 third perfon in the trinity, but they affirm that 
 the Holy Ghoft proceeds only from the Father, 
 and not from the Father and the Son. This no¬ 
 tion was embraced by fome of the antients, but 
 certainly it is very unbecoming for them to dif- 
 pute concerning what they are utterly unable to 
 comprehend. 
 
 They adore the images of the apoftles, the 
 prophets, faints and martyrs, and they pretend to 
 have fome of their relics. Amongft all their 
 other faints, they pay the greateft regard to St. 
 Nicholas of Baris, whom they acknowledge to 
 be the patron of all the Ruffian empire. They 
 ffiew a great veneration for the name of God, 
 and never ftir out of their houfes till they have 
 faid a prayer before the image of one of their 
 faints, of which they keep always one befide 
 them. If a poor perfon enters the houfe of one 
 of their perfons of quality, he firft looks for the 
 image of the faint, and adores it before he pays 
 his refpedts to the mafter of the houfe. 
 
 The Ruffians pay much regard to pilgrimages, 
 it being confidered as meritorious in any perfon 
 tovifit the ffirines of their favorite faints. Thefe 
 notions are fo deeply rooted in their minds, that 
 the Emprefs, in compliance with the vulgar 
 opinion, frequently accompanies her fubjedts in 
 thofe journies. As the Ruffians are much ad¬ 
 dicted to drunkennefs, fo it frequently happens 
 on thofe pilgrimages, that they quarrel and fight 
 fo furioully, that they wound and fometimes kill 
 each other. 
 
 "When the Ruffians are at their devotions, they 
 often knock their foreheads againft the ground, 
 and croft themfelves in the following manner : 
 They firft make the fign of the crofs with their 
 fingers on the forehead, which intimates, fay they, 
 the afeenfion of Chrift; next on the heart, to 
 point out that the heart is the receptacle of the 
 word of God. Next they make a crofs, firft on 
 the right, and then on the left ffioulder, inti¬ 
 mating thereby, that at the day of judgement, 
 the righteous will be placed on the right hand of 
 Chrift, and the wicked on his left. Some few 
 years ago, the patriarch ordered that the laity 
 ffiould "crofs themfelves with only two fingers, 
 whereas before they uled to do it with three, in 
 honour of the perfons in the Holy Trinity. 
 
 But this met with fo much oppofition from the 
 people, that they declared they would fooner 
 24 
 
 loofe their heads than be deprived of the privi¬ 
 lege of crofting themfelves with three fingers, a3 
 had been praCtifed by their anceftors. Their 
 three great feafts of Whitfunday, Chriftmas and 
 Eafter are kept with great ftriCtnefs and folem- 
 nity, no one perfon being permitted to work ; 
 they have alfo many other feftivals, on each of 
 which they have prayers peculiar to them. We 
 have already obierved, that they never preach in 
 their churches, becaule they look upon every 
 compofition of their own in explaining the ferip- 
 tures to be a profanation ; but inftead of preach¬ 
 ing, they read fome of the homilies of the 
 Greek fathers, which they have tranflated into 
 the Ruffian language for that purpofe. 
 
 After reading the gofpel, they begin to fay 
 mafs in the following manner: The prieft, at¬ 
 tended by his facriftan, approaches the altar, and 
 bows to it; which done, he puts fome red wine 
 into the chalice, for the Ruffians ufe no other, and 
 mixes it with water. Having broken a piece of 
 leavened bread, he puts it into the wine, and then 
 confecrates them both, by reading feveral prayers, 
 which takes up about half an hour. After this, 
 he takes with a fpoon, all at once, the bread and 
 wine out of the chalice, and fo takes the commu¬ 
 nion by himlelf without any perfon joining him; 
 unlefs they ffiould happen to bring to him, at 
 that time, a fick child, unto whom he gives a 
 morfel of bread, fteeped in the wine. 
 
 Great part of their devotions conftft in attend-* 
 ing at thefe mafies, and they have vaft numbers 
 of wax-candles burning, while the people are 
 buly in killing their images. They are not very 
 ftridt in the obfervation of Sunday, except in 
 going to mafs, for after that is over, many fpend 
 the remainder of the day in rioting and drunken¬ 
 nefs. They look upon baptifm as a ceremony 
 abfolutely neceflary to falvation, which is the 
 reafon the poorer fort have their children bap¬ 
 tized as foon as they are born, but the rich, who 
 are not foluperftitious, wait till they think proper. 
 They always baptize their children in the church, 
 unlefs there be very weighty reafons to the con¬ 
 trary. They confecrate the water firft, and 
 chufe no more than two godfathers for the firft 
 child, who are to ftand for all the reft afterwards, 
 unlefs prevented by ficknefs, abfence, or death; 
 and although a child be in ever fuch danger of 
 dvmg, yet he cannot be baptized by any but the 
 prieft, who performs the ceremony in the name 
 of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy 
 Ghoft. But previous to the baptifm, the prieft 
 exorcifes the child by crofting it, and command¬ 
 ing the devil to come out of it; for they are 
 firmly perfuaded, that the unclean Ipirit refidea 
 in it before the ceremony, which ro.uft be per¬ 
 formed at the door of the church without. They 
 believe, that if an unbaptized child was to be 
 carried into the church, it would be real pro¬ 
 fanation, and there would be a neceflity for them 
 to confecrate it anew. After baptifm, the prieft 
 hangs a crofs of gold, fiiver, or tin, about the 
 child’s neck, which he .is to wear till his dying 
 day, and fuch as are found without it at their 
 death, are denied Chriftian burial. The reafon 
 why they are fo particular on that head, is, they 
 would have the Chriftians diftinguiftied from the 
 Heathen Tartars, of whom there are many thou- 
 C c c c fands 
 
286 An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of the SCHISMATICAL GREEKS. 
 
 fands in the empire. Every perfon has a parti¬ 
 cular faint appointed him as a patron, and to him 
 prayers are addrefied every day. 
 
 The Ruffian laity receive the facrament of the 
 Lord’s-fupper with great marks of devotion ; 
 and they have two forts of bread which they ufe 
 in the communion, which mud be unleavened, 
 and baked by the widow of a pried who is pad 
 child bearing. One fort of bread is for thofe 
 who are fick, and the other for fuch as commu¬ 
 nicate at church. The fird they confecrate on 
 Holy-Thurfday only, and it is kept all the red 
 of the year till they want it. The other is con- 
 fecrated at mafs, and as we mentioned before, 
 they mix with it a certain quantity of warm 
 water ; becaufe, lay they, the blood and the 
 water flowed from our Saviour’s fide. In this 
 liquor they deep the pieces of bread and confe¬ 
 crate them together, giving both the bread and 
 wine to the communicants. The pried when he 
 gives the elements, fays, “ This is the true body 
 iC and blood of Chrid, fpilled for thee and many 
 tc more, for the remiflion of thy fins ; as often 
 “ as thou received it, do it always in comme- 
 <c moration of Chrid. God grant that thou 
 “ maycd receive it for thy falvation.” 
 
 They communicate on Saturdays, after having 
 prepared themfelves by fading, and made a con- 
 feffion of their fins to the pried. Some of the 
 devotees, after they have received the facrament, 
 keep their beds all the red of the day, led they 
 fliould commit any fins ; vainly imagining, that 
 there is fome hopes of efcaping temptations in 
 fecret; whereas, were they to think as every 
 Chridian ought to do, they would be convinced, 
 that it is the Almighty power of God alone that 
 can preferve them from temptation wherever they 
 are. 
 
 Like the Greeks in the Levant, they give the 
 communion to babes, but only one half of the 
 quantity which they give to thofe who are grown 
 up ; but if a young one is pad feven years of age, 
 he may have the whole quantity if he pleafes. 
 They alfo give it to dying perlons after the ex¬ 
 treme un&ion, which they ufe in the fame lenfe 
 as is pra&ifed by the Roman Catholics. After 
 the fick perfon has received the communion, 
 they give him neither food nor medicines, unlefs 
 there be apparent figns of his recovery. No 
 perfon can be admitted to the communion in the 
 the church, until they have made a complete 
 confedion of their fins, and gone through a courfe 
 of fading for the fpace of eight days; during 
 which they are enjoined by the pried to live on 
 nothing but coarle bread and linall beer. 
 
 The other rules to be oblerved by the Ruffians 
 in their fads are the following : To abdain from 
 flefh, and all things having any relation to it, 
 fuch as eggs, butter, cheefe and milk; from all 
 forts of drong liquors, to which the Ruffians, in 
 common with the inhabitants of all cold northern 
 countries, are very much addicted. At the fame 
 time, they are to abdain from the marriage bed ; 
 and, in a word, from all forts of carnal pleafure 
 whatever. 
 
 As the Roman Catholics are not bound to 
 obferve fuch drift rules, fo the Ruffians often 
 ridicule them on that point, telling them what is 
 really true, namely, that their fad days are the 
 mod voluptuous fead days. Thus with refpedt 
 
 to hiding, the Ruffians, as well as the Greeks in 
 the Levant, keep real indead of nominal fads; 
 whereas, if a perfon wants to indulge his appe¬ 
 tite in the choiced articles of gluttony and vo- 
 luptuoufnefs, he ought, on a fad day, to dine 
 with a Roman Catholic. 
 
 Befldes their ordinary fads, they have four 
 folemn ones, namely, forty days before Eader ; 
 thefe agree with what we call Lent. The lecond 
 fad begins eight days after Whit-Sunday, and 
 ends with the fead of St. Peter and St. Paul. 
 The third is kept in honour of the bleffed Virgin, 
 and begins on the fird of Augud, and continues 
 till the fead of the Afiumption. The fourth 
 begins on the twelfth of November, and conti¬ 
 nues till Chridmas. During all thefe fads they 
 are not to eat flefh, eggs, butter, milk, cheefe, 
 nor any thing that has the lead relation to animal 
 food. When we confider the number of thefe 
 fads, and the levity with which they are kept, 
 we fhall find, that the Roman Catholics are more 
 political than the Greeks ; but the Greeks, as 
 well in the Levant as in Ruffia, are more fincere. 
 The Roman Catholics have appointed their fads 
 in luch a manner, that they do not give much 
 trouble to the people ; and even when they 
 think them burthenfome, nothing is more eafy 
 than to procure a difpenfation. But the Greeks 
 in the Levant and in Ruffia keep fuch long fads, 
 that one would imagine their whole bodies were 
 emaciated ; and fuch is their belief of the necef- 
 fity of attending to every thing enjoined by the 
 prieds, that they feldom afk them to difpenfe 
 with the feverity, except on the mod urgent 
 occafions. 
 
 They have alfo, previous to Lent, a fort of 
 carnival, which lads eight days, and is called by 
 them cc The Butter Week,” becaufe after it is 
 expired their fad begins. During the time they 
 call Butter-Week, they commit the mod outra¬ 
 geous exceffies in drinking, which generally lead 
 them into all forts of crimes; fo that it is dan¬ 
 gerous for any fober perfon, particularly a dran- 
 ger, to go along, or even crols the dreets. On 
 thefe occafions murders are fo frequent, that 
 there is feldom a morning in which they do not 
 find feveral dead bodies in the dreets* and fuch 
 is the general madnels, that the murderer is 
 feldom difcovered. 
 
 As for their marriages, they have many drange 
 ceremonies, but divorces are fo frequent among 
 them, that the Greeks in Ruffia, are often ridicul¬ 
 ed by the Greeks in the Levant. It mud how¬ 
 ever be acknowledged, that this is notthepraftice 
 with thofe who refide in Livonia, where Peterf- 
 bourgh is; for the vad numbers of drangers from 
 almod every part of Europe, who vifit and 
 refide in that riling city, contribute more to¬ 
 wards civilizing the manners of the people than 
 any human laws whatever. It was thefe foreign¬ 
 ers who fird fet the example to the Ruffian no¬ 
 bility, by fhewing them in what an harmonious 
 manner they lived with their wives, and how 
 tenderly they brought up their children ; and 
 fo earned was Peter the Great, to root out of the 
 minds of his people all forts of vulgar preju¬ 
 dices, that he married a wife, who was of no 
 higher rank than the widow of a Saxon corporal 
 of dragoons, and lived with her to the lad. The 
 fame great man lent'circular letters to the bi- 
 
 fhops 
 
An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of the SCHISM ATICAL GREEK S. 287 
 
 (hops and clergy, defiring they would difcounte- 
 nance divorces in all cafes except adultery, where 
 they are juftified in taking place upon the prin¬ 
 ciples of natural reafon. 
 
 As the priefts among the Greeks in the Le¬ 
 vant, fo thofe among the Ruffians are allowed to 
 marry, nay it is abfolutely neceffary, the Ruffians 
 fay, that they fhould marry, and no perfons 
 whatever are admitted to holy orders, unlefs they 
 are either married, or under a folemn vow to en¬ 
 ter that Rate. Every prieft muft marry a vir¬ 
 gin, and one whole character is irreproachable; 
 and if fhe happens to die, he muft never enter¬ 
 tain the leaf! thoughts of ever marrying again. 
 The Ruffians, if we may rely on the veracity of 
 moft of our accounts, are ftrangers to the plea- 
 fure that attends on conjugal love and aftedtion; 
 but we need not travel fo far to find fuch huf- 
 bands as are cold and indifferent to their con- 
 forts: and it is pity that a match, where the par¬ 
 ties have no manner of regard or value for one 
 another, nay where they have often an averfion 
 for each other, where they are at perpetual va¬ 
 riance, and loofe and profligate on both tides, 
 fhould be a leafe for years only, as it is amongft 
 fome people of good lenfe and difcerning judge¬ 
 ments. For after all, why fhould we damn our 
 fouls in damning others ? The Chriftian religion, 
 it is true, requires that we fhould be regenerated 
 in the midft of croffes and tribulations, but then 
 it allows us to fly from perfecution. Notwith- 
 ftanding the Ruffians have fo little love and af¬ 
 fection for their wives, yet they keep them under 
 a world of reftraint. It is true, however, that 
 Peter the Great on his return from his travels, 
 difcouraged and put a flop, in a great meafure, 
 to thefe tyrannical proceedings. Before that 
 time, the wives were, either through jealoufy 
 and an hereditary cuftom, or out of contempt 
 and difrefpeft, charged never to appear when 
 their hufbands made any public entertainments. 
 The fame cuftom has been kept up and obferved 
 in the Netherlands, but without any compulfion 
 on the part of the hufbands, who in that parti¬ 
 cular feem to have retained fome fmall remains 
 of the jealous temper and conftitution of the 
 Spaniards. The Czar ordered that the women 
 fhould be invited with their hufbands to all wed¬ 
 dings, and other public diverfions. He decreed 
 likewife, that no marriage fhould be folemnized 
 till after feveral interviews between the parties, 
 and till both of them had teftified their mutual 
 confent and approbation; whereas before his 
 time the young men were not allowed to fee their 
 miftrefles, much lefs to difcourle with them 
 about marriage, or make them any proteftations 
 of their love and conftancy. Their fathers and 
 mothers then made all their matches for them, 
 and the young couple were not permitted to fee 
 each other till after their nuptials, or at moft till 
 the day before. At this interview, the intended 
 bridegroom accompanied by feveral of his friends, 
 paid his young miftrefs a formal vifit at her fa¬ 
 ther’s houfej where the young lady with feveral 
 of her favourite companions, waited to receive 
 them. After fome few compliments paft on both 
 fides, the young lady prefented her gallant with 
 a glafs of brandy, as a tacit intimation of her 
 choice, and the refpeCl fhe had for him above 
 the reft. After this interview, they were exprefly 
 
 enjoined, not to fee each other any more till they 
 were actually at church ; but there were feveral 
 exceptions to this grand rule : for it fometimes 
 happened that a young fellow that expedled to be 
 wedded to a beautiful woman, was linked to one 
 very deformed : Olearius very juftly attributes 
 their bad ceconomy to fuch deceitful weddings. 
 Peter the Great exprefsly ordered, that no mar¬ 
 riage fhould be celebrated without the confent 
 and approbation of both parties, or without their 
 feeing, and vifiting each other, at leaft for fix 
 weeks together, before the folemnization of their 
 nuptials. 
 
 rhe author of the Religion of the Ruffians has 
 inferted one cuftom obferved on thefe occafions, 
 which is very fingular, that is, the father of the 
 intended bride renounces his paternal authority 
 over her, after he has given her two or three 
 gentle ftrokes with a rod, which he delivers at 
 the fame time to his intended fon-in-law. 
 
 But to proceed to thofe ceremonies which re¬ 
 late more nearly to the nuptials. Some fhort time 
 before the day appointed for the wedding, their 
 quality, or fuch as affe<ft to follow their example, 
 hire two luachas, (fo the Ruffians call the two 
 female managers or fuperintendants of their wed¬ 
 dings) one to athe part of the intended bride, 
 and the other on behalf of the bridegroom. 
 The fuacha, or agent for the former, muft attend 
 at the bridegroom’s houfe, in order to make the 
 neceffary preparations for the bridal bed, and 
 lay it upon forty fheaves of rye, or fome other 
 fort of grain i fhe muft alfo take care that it is 
 encompafied round with feveral hoglheads of 
 wheat, barley and oats, which are iymbols of 
 fruitfulnefs and plenty. The day before the nup¬ 
 tials are to be folemnized, is fpent for the gene¬ 
 rality, in fending prefents to the bride, which 
 muft be conveyed to her by the hands of the 
 bridegroom’s fuacha. Amongft all thefe nup¬ 
 tial compliments nothing is more agreeable to 
 the Ruffian ladies than a box of paint; for as we 
 are informed, their moft celebrated beauties never 
 fcruple to make ufe of it, being induced thereto 
 either through an habitual practice, or the de¬ 
 pravity of tafte, which at this very day equally 
 conceals under a thick lay of red, the beautiful 
 or fallow complexions of our Britifh ladies. 
 
 In the evening of their wedding-day the bride¬ 
 groom, accompanied by a numerous train of his 
 neareft relations and acquaintance, goes to wait 
 on his miftrefs, the prieft who is to folemnize 
 their nuptials riding on horfeback before them. 
 After the previous congratulations, and other 
 compliments cuftomary on fuch joyful occafions 
 in all countries, the company fit down to table. 
 Notwithftanding there are three elegant diflies 
 inftantly ferved up, no one takes the freedom to 
 tafte of them. At the upper end of the table is 
 a vacant feat intended for the bridegroom. 
 Whilft he is earneft in difeourfe with the bride’s 
 relations, a young gentleman takes pofieffion of 
 his chair, and never refigns it without fome valu¬ 
 able conlideration. As loon as the bridegroom 
 has thus redeemed his feat, the bride is intro¬ 
 duced into the room, drefifed as gay as poffible, 
 but covered with her veil. A curtain of crimfon 
 taffety, lupported by two young gentlemen, 
 parts the lovers and prevents them from Healing 
 any amorous glances from each other’s eyes. In 
 
 thQ 
 
288 An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION 
 
 the next place, the bride’s fuacha, or agent, 
 wreaths her hair, and after llie has turned up her 
 treffes, puts a crown upon her head, which is 
 either of gold or filver gilt, and lined with filk, 
 and of greater or leflfer value, in proportion to the 
 quality or circumftances of the perfon for whom 
 it is intended. The other fuacha is employed in 
 fetting the bridegroom oft to the beft advan¬ 
 tage. During this interval, fome women that 
 are prefent fing a thoufand little merry catches to 
 divert them. The bride-maids ftrew hops upon 
 the heads of the company. Two lads after this 
 bring in a large cheefe, and feveral rolls or little 
 loaves in a hand bafket, with curious fable taffels 
 to it. Two of the bride’s attendants bring in 
 another cheefe, and the fame quantity of bread 
 upon her particular account. All which pro- 
 vifions, after the pried has bleffed them, are car¬ 
 ried to the church. At laft, there is a large filver 
 bafon fet upon the table full of fmall remnants 
 of l'attin and taffety, with feveral fmall pieces of 
 filver, hops, barley, and oats, all mingled to¬ 
 gether : The fuacha, after fire has put the bride’s 
 veil over her face again, takes feveral handfulls 
 of this medley out of the bafon, and ftrews it 
 over the heads of all the company. The next 
 ceremony is the exchange of their refpedtive 
 rings, which is performed by the parents of the 
 new married couple. The fuacha condufts the 
 bride to church, and the bridegroom follows with 
 the pried, who, for the mod part, indulges him- 
 felf in drinking to that cxcefs, that he is obliged 
 to have two attendants to fupport him, not only 
 whild he rides on horfeback to the church, but 
 all the time he is there performing the matri¬ 
 monial fervice. 
 
 One part of the pavement of the church, where 
 the ceremony is performed is covered with crim- 
 fon taffety, and another piece of the fame filk is 
 fpread over it, where the bride and bridegroom 
 are appointed to dand. The pried, before he 
 enters upon the office, demands their oblations, 
 which confid of fiffi, padry, &c. Then he gives 
 them his benediction, and holds over their heads 
 the image of thofe faints which were made choice 
 of to be their patrons : After which, taking the 
 right hand of the bridegroom, and the left of 
 the bride within his own hands, he afks them 
 three times whether they fincerely confent to, 
 and approve of their marriage, and whether they 
 will love each other for the future as is their 
 bounden duty fo to do. When they have anfwered 
 Yes, all the company in general take hands, and 
 join in a folemn dance, whild the pried fings the 
 128th Pfalm (according to the Hebrew compu¬ 
 tation) in which almoft all the bleffings that at¬ 
 tend the married date are enumerated. The pried 
 as loon as the Pfalm is fin idled, puts a garland 
 of rue upon their heads; but if the man be a 
 widower, or the woman a widow, then he lays 
 it upon their ffioulders. The ceremony begins 
 •with thefe words, “ Increafe and multiply,” and 
 concludes with that other folemn direction, 
 which the Ruffians never underdand in a rigor¬ 
 ous fenfe, £C Whom God hath joined let no man 
 put afunder.” As foon as this form of words is 
 pronounced, all the company light their wax- 
 tapers, and one of them prelents the pried with 
 a glafs of wine, which he drinks and the new j 
 married couple pledge him. This is done thrice, j 
 
 of the SCHISMATIC AL GREEKS. 
 
 and then the bride and bridegroom daffi their 
 glaffes down upon the floor, and tread the pieces 
 under their feet, denouncing feveral maledictions 
 on all thofe who ffiall hereafter endeavour to fet 
 them at variance. At the fame time feveral wo¬ 
 men drew linleed and hempfeed upon their heads. 
 After this ceremony is over, the ufual congratu¬ 
 lations are repeated, with luch other demonftra- 
 tions of gaity and rejoicing, as always accompany 
 the nuptial rites. We mud not here omit one 
 circumdance, which is merry and innocent 
 enough j the women before-mentioned, take fad 
 hold of the bride’s gown, in order to oblige her, 
 as it were, to forfake her hufband, but the bride 
 dicks fo clofe to him, that all their endeavours 
 prove ineffectual. 
 
 Their nuptial ceremonies thus far concluded, 
 the bride goes home in a Ruffian car or fledge, 
 attended by fix flambeaux, and the bridegroom 
 on horfeback. The company come after them. 
 As foon as they are all within doors, the bride¬ 
 groom fits down at the table with his friends ; 
 but the women conduct the bride to her bed¬ 
 chamber, and put her to bed. Afterwards, fome 
 young gentlemen wait on the bridegroom with 
 their wax-tapers in their hands, and conduct him 
 to his lady’s apartment. As foon as they are 
 within the chamber, they leave their lights upon 
 the hogfheads that furround the nuptial bed, and 
 afterwards withdraw : But the bride wrapped up 
 in her night gown, jumps out of bed, approaches 
 her hulband with abundance of refpecl, and 
 makes him a very fubmiflive and rcfpectful cour- 
 tel'y. This is the firft moment that the hufband 
 has an opportunity of feeing his wife unveiled, 
 and they fit down to table, and fup together. 
 Amongft other diflies, there is a roaft fowl fet 
 before them, which the hufband tears to pieces, 
 throwing that part which he holds in his hands, 
 whether it be the leg or the wing, over his fhoul- 
 der, and eating the remainder. Here the cere¬ 
 mony ends. The fpectators withdraw, and the 
 new-married couple go to bed. An old domeftic 
 fervant ffands centinal at the chamber-door. 
 Some of the company, who are more fuperftitious 
 than the refi, fpend this interval of time in 
 ufing inchantments for the good fuccefs of this 
 fecret love-adventure. Some travellers tell us, that 
 this old fervant, as foon as it is proper, attends 
 nearer the bedfide to be informed of what hap¬ 
 pens. Upon the hufband’s declaration of his 
 luccefs and fatisfaction, the kettle drums and 
 trumpets proclaim the joyful news, and the 
 bathing veffels are inftantly prepared for the re- 
 freffiment of the happy pair. The following 
 days are fpent in all the demonftrations of joy 
 and rejoicing imaginable. The men indulge 
 themfelves in drinking to excefs. And whilft the 
 hufband caroufes with his friends, and drowns his 
 fenfes in intoxicating liquors, the bride, if we 
 may rely on the veracity of fome travellers, im¬ 
 proves thefe few remaining hours of liberty to 
 the beft advantage, and revels in her lover’s 
 arms. 
 
 From all that has been here faid concerning 
 their marriages, we find, that they retain many 
 of thofe cuftoms which were in ufe among the 
 antient Scythians, from whom they are defcended. 
 There is, however, great reafon to hope, that 
 knowledge, in the courfe of time, will lead them 
 
 off 
 
An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of 
 
 off from fuch foolifh and ridiculous practices. 
 We fhall in the courfe of this work have occafion 
 to mention lomething concerning the marriage 
 ceremonies in a country inhabited by Proteftants, 
 where fomc things are almoft as ridiculous as thofe 
 here defcribed ; for ancient cuftoms may be modi¬ 
 fied, but they are not eafily eradicated. 
 
 ‘the Funeral Solemnities of the Ruffians. 
 
 The laft thing we Ihall take notice of is, the 
 manner in which they bury their dead, and the 
 refpea which the living {hew to the deceafed, all 
 which aril'eTrom a natural fentiment in the minds 
 of men; for it has been often obferved, that thofe 
 who fhew no refpeft to the bodies of their de¬ 
 ceafed relations, will never have much compaf- 
 fion for the living. Every fort of indignity {hewn 
 to the deceafed, indicates a hardened heart; for as 
 we were formed in the image of God, fo our 
 bodies Ihould be decently interred. 
 
 Their funeral folemnities are as remarkable in 
 all refpefts as their nuptial ceremonies. As foon 
 as a fick perfon is expired, they fend for the re¬ 
 lations and friends of the deceafed who place them- 
 lelves about the corpfe, and weep over it if they 
 can. There are women likewife who attend as 
 mourners, and alk the deceafed what was the 
 the caufe of his death ? Were his circumftances 
 narrow and perplexed? Did he want either the 
 neceffaries or conveniences of life, &c. The 
 party deceafed being incapable of making them 
 any anlwer, they firft make the pried a prefent of 
 borne ftrong beer, brandy, and metheglin, that 
 he may pray for the repofe of the foul of the de¬ 
 ceafed. In the next place, the corpfe is well 
 wafhed, dreft in clean linnen, or wrapped in a 
 fhroud, and {hod with Ruffia leather, and put 
 into a coffin, the arms being laid over the domach 
 in the form of a crofs. The Ruffians make 
 their coffins of the trunks of hollow trees, and 
 cover them with cloth, or at lead with the great 
 coat of the deceafed. The corps is not carried, 
 however, to church, till it has been kept eight 
 or ten days at home, if the feafon or circum- 
 fiances of the deceafed will admit of fuch a delay. 
 Who would imagine fuch a vain and ridiculous 
 cudom as this fhould make any diftindtion be¬ 
 tween a courtier and a citizen, a.rich, and an in¬ 
 digent perlon ? But it is doubtlcfs a received opi¬ 
 nion, that the longer they day in this world the 
 better reception they fhall meet with in the next. 
 But be that as it will, the pried incenfes the corpfe, 
 and fprinkles it with holy water till the very day 
 of its interment. 
 
 The funeral proceffion is ranged or difpofed in 
 the following manner. A pried marches in the 
 front, who carries the image of the particular faint 
 who was made choice of for the patron of the 
 deceafed at the time he was baptized. Four 
 young virgins, who are the neared relations to 
 the deceafed, and the chief mourners follow him ; 
 or for want of fuch female friends, the fame num¬ 
 ber of women are hired to attend, and perform 
 that melancholy office. After them comes the 
 corpfe, carried on the (boulders of fix bearers. 
 If the party deceafed be a monk or a nun, the 
 brothers or fiders of the convent to which they 
 
 the SCHISMATICAL GREEKS. 
 
 belonged, perform this friendly office for them. 
 Several friends march on each fide of the corpfe, 
 incenfing it, and Tinging as they go along, to 
 drive away the evil fpirits, and prevent them from 
 hovering round about it. The relations and 
 friends bring up the rear, each having a wax- 
 taper in his hand. As foon as they are got to 
 the grave, the coffin is uncovered, and the image 
 of the deceafed’s favourite faint laid over him, 
 whilft the pried repeats fome prayers fuitable to 
 the folemn occafion, or reads fome particular paf- 
 fages out of their liturgy. After that, the rela¬ 
 tions and friends bid their laft fad adieu, either 
 by fainting the deceafed himfelf, or the coffin in 
 which he is interred. The prieft, in the next 
 place, comes clofe to his fide, and puts his pafs- 
 port or certificate into his hand, which is figned 
 by the archbifhop, and likewife by his father'eon- 
 feffor, who fell it at a dearer or cheaper rate, ac¬ 
 cording to the circumftances or quality of thofe 
 who purchafe it. This billet is a teftimonial of 
 the virtue and good aftions of the deceafed, or 
 at lead, of his fincere repentance for all his fins. 
 When a perlon, at the point of expiration, is fo 
 happy as to have the benedidtion of his prieft, 
 and after his deceafe, his pafs-port in his hand, 
 his immediate reception into heaven is in their 
 opinion infallibly fecured. The prieft always re¬ 
 commends the deceafed to the favour and pro- 
 tedlion of St. Nicholas. To conclude, the coffin 
 is nailed up, and let down into the grave; the 
 face of the deceafed is turned towards the eaft, 
 and his friends and relations take their laft farewel 
 in unfeigned tears, or at leaft, in feeming forrow 
 and concern, expreft by mourners who are hired 
 for that purpofe. 
 
 They frequently diftribute money and provi- 
 fions among the poor, who hover round the grave. 
 But it is a very common cuftom amongft them, 
 to drown their forrow and affliiftion in metheofin, 
 and in brandy. It is well known, that the Ruf¬ 
 fians and feveral other nations, particularly thofe 
 of the north, have retained the cuftom of funeral 
 entertainments; and it happens too often, that 
 even fome of the politeft nations in all Europe 
 will get drunk on thofe public occafions, in com¬ 
 memoration of their deceafed friends. 
 
 During their mourning, which continues forty 
 days, they make three funeral entertainments, 
 that is to fay, on the third, the ninth, and the 
 twentieth day after their interment. A prieft, who 
 is contrasted with for that purpofe, muft fpend 
 fome time in prayer for the confolalion and repofe 
 of the foul of the deceafed every night and morn¬ 
 ing, for forty days together, in a tent, which is 
 eredled on that occafion over the grave of the de¬ 
 ceafed. They commemorate their dead likewife 
 once a year, which ceremony confifls principally 
 in mourning over their tombs, and in taking care 
 that they be duly perfumed with infence by fome of 
 their mercenary priefts, who, befides the fee or era- 
 tony which they receive for their incenfe, or more 
 properly the fmall quantity of wax, with which they 
 incenie fuch tombs, make an advantage likewife 
 of the various provifions which are frequently 
 brought to fuch places, or of the alms which are 
 left there, and intended by the donors for the re¬ 
 lief and maintenance of the poor. 
 
 The alms given to the poor at thefe funerals, 
 are confidered as expiations made for their fins •, 
 D d d d but 
 
i 9 0 An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of the SCHIS MA TIC AL GREEKS. 
 
 but in vain do they think to appeafe the divine be¬ 
 ing, by offering facrifices out of what was fought 
 after by coveteoufnefs, and obtained by illicit 
 practices. That wretched notion will perhaps 
 forever prevail in the minds of men, of enter¬ 
 ing into engagements with the Deity, but God 
 abhors that which has been obtained by unjuft 
 means. 
 
 With refpeCt to the ftate of the dead, the Ruf¬ 
 
 fians believe, that neither the righteous nor the 
 wicked go into everlafting happinefs or miferv 
 till the refurreCtion ; but they believe that the one 
 long for the refurreCtion day, and the other dread 
 it’s coming. In this fentiment they are coun¬ 
 tenanced by all the fathers who lived before the 
 emperor Conftantine the Great, and it is altnoft 
 certain, that this was the opinion of the ancient 
 Jews. 
 
 Of the GREEKS of St. THOMAS, in the E A S T- 
 
 INDIES. 
 
 F ROM the circumftance of there being 
 Chriftians in this part of the world, it will 
 appear, that the gofpel in the moft early 
 ages was more univerlally taught than many per- 
 fons are apt to imagine. Their fentiments are 
 much the fame as thofe of the Neftorians, and 
 as that Heretic lived about the latter end of the 
 third century, confequently we are naturally lead 
 to difcover the time when the gofpel was preach¬ 
 ed in this remote part of India. Not that this 
 was the firft time of its being preached here; 
 for if any regard can be paid to tradition, St. 
 Thomas the apoftlenot only preached tothe Indians, 
 but he alfo fuffered martyrdom among them. 
 But as Neftorius lived many years after, fo it is 
 probable that a correfpondence was kept up be¬ 
 tween the Chriftians in the Leffer Afia, and 
 thofe in the Indies, even long after the time 
 of Conftantine the Great. In confequence of 
 that communication, there was nothing more eafy 
 than that of the Neftorians fending emiffaries into 
 the Indies, and as fome of their notions were 
 very agreeable to the defires of men in a ftate 
 of corrupt nature, fo their being readily em¬ 
 braced is eafily accounted for. This much how¬ 
 ever may be added, that although they cannot 
 with propriety be faid to hold the true principles 
 of the Chriftian faith, yet they are not fo cor¬ 
 rupted in many things, as fome ot thofe whom 
 we have already mentioned. The popes of Rome 
 have frequently lent their miffionaries thither, 
 but more particularly ftnce the eftablilhment of 
 the Portuguele in that part of the world. But 
 Alexis Menefius, of the order of St. Auguftine, 
 who was conftituted archbilhop of Goa, and took 
 upon him the character of primate of the eaft, 
 was the moft zealous, and laboured more abun¬ 
 dantly than all the reft, to bring about a reconci¬ 
 liation between the Chriftians of St. Thomas, and 
 thofe of the church of Rome. As his hiftory 
 has been compiled from his own memoirs, and 
 the accounts of thofe who travelled with him 
 into thofe pstrts, as well as of feveral Jefuits who 
 have travelled thither, we mav form an adequate 
 idea from thence of the conftitution, and religi¬ 
 ous principles of thofe people, at the time of 
 that remarkable million in the year 1599. There 
 
 were feveral who had attempted before Alexis to 
 reconcile the Chriftians of St. Thomas with the 
 church of Rome. 
 
 Don John Albuquerque, of the order of St. 
 Francis, was the firft archbilhop of Goa; and 
 under his patronage and protection there was a 
 college ereCted in the year 1546 at Cangranor, for 
 the inftruCtion of youth in the latin ceremonies. 
 But the Jefuits, who were men of penetrating 
 judgments, foon perceived that the young Chal¬ 
 deans, thus grounded, were of no manner of fer- 
 vice; and that there were no hopes of making 
 profelytes of thefe people without a perfeCt know¬ 
 ledge of the Chaldean, or Syrian language. They 
 ereCted, therefore, another college in 1587, about 
 a league from Cangranor, for the improvement 
 of youth in the Chaldean tongue, in order, that 
 when they were grown up, and duly qualified, 
 they might be admitted as true Chaldeans into the 
 miniftry. But this projeCt met with little or no 
 fuccefs; for it was not a fufficient qualification to 
 be mafter of their language; a harmony and 
 agreement in point of principle with their prelates 
 being abfolutely requifite to entitle them to the 
 privilege of preaching in their churches: whereas, 
 their fentiments and manner of arguing, as they 
 had been brought up under the Jefuits, were 
 quite different from thofe which were generally 
 received throughout the country. For which rea- 
 fon, it was impofiible for the Jefuits abfolutely to 
 abolifh all their ancient cuftoms, and diffuade them 
 from paying their fubmiffion to the patriarch of 
 Babylon, who was independent of the pope as 
 well as the bilhops who were under his juridiction. 
 
 The belt courfe, therefore, that in their opi¬ 
 nion could be taken, was to l'ecure one of their 
 bilhops, whofe name was Mar Jofeph, and who 
 was fent thither by the patriarch of Babylon, in 
 order that, the people having no pallor, their 
 fcheme might the more eafily meet with the de- 
 fired effeCl. This bifhop, Mar Jofeph, indeed, 
 ordered and directed, that mafs ihould be cele¬ 
 brated according to the form, and in the habili¬ 
 ments of the latins; nay, that they Ihould make 
 ufe of the fame wine, and the fame wafers. But 
 notwithftanding all this, he ftill perfifted in his 
 Neftorian principles, and inftruCted the Portuguele 
 
 v/ho 
 
An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of the SCHISMATICAL GR 
 
 who attended him, to call the Blefted Virgin, 
 Holy Mary Mother of Chrift, and not Mother 
 of God : which obliged the archbifhop and the 
 vice-roy to have him feized, in order to fend him 
 away to Rome. But at his arrival in Portugal, 
 he fo artfully managed his affairs, that he pro¬ 
 cured proper credentials for his return to his 
 archbifhoprick of Serra. In the interim, however, 
 they had fubftituted another bifhop, called Mar 
 Abraham, in his place, who, in order to eftablifh 
 himfelf in his bifhoprick, went afterwards to Rome 
 to pay his homage to the pope, where, after mak¬ 
 ing a public recantation of his errors, he was re¬ 
 ordained, and obliged to take all his degrees 
 from the very tonfure to the priefthood ; after¬ 
 wards he was confecrated bifhop, and his holinefs 
 granted him bulls for his government of the 
 church of Serra, and adding thereto his letters 
 of recommendation to the vice-roy, which, how¬ 
 ever, proved of very little fervice to him ; for 
 the archbifhop of Goa, upon his arrival, examined 
 his bulls, and perceiving that the pope had been 
 impofed upon by Mar Abraham, confined him, 
 under that pretence, in a convent, till an anfwer 
 could be had from Rome. He found means to 
 make his efcape, and concealed himlelf within 
 the churches of his own diocefe, where he met 
 with a favourable reception from the Neftorians, 
 who defpaired of ever having another bifhop 
 amongft them appointed by their patriarch. 
 
 Mar Abraham, however, who was always dif- 
 truftful of the Portuguefe, withdrew into the 
 country; and to demonllrate, that he was per¬ 
 fectly reconciled to the pope, re-ordained all thofe 
 whom he had before ordained, in order to aft in 
 conformity to the Romifh ceremony ; and ufed 
 his utmoft endeavours to convince both Rome, 
 the vice-roy, and the archbifhop, that he was in¬ 
 violably attached to the Latin church. Notwith- 
 ftanding all thefe formal proceedings, he zealoufly 
 preached up, and inculcated the doftrines of 
 Neftorius, in his church of Serra, and would by 
 no means fuffer his followers fo much as to talk 
 of the pope, as fupreme head of the church, ac¬ 
 knowledging no other patriarch than that of Ba¬ 
 bylon. On the other hand, Mar Jofeph, the 
 preceding bifhop of Serra, was charged with 
 preaching up, and inculcating the herefies of 
 Neftorius, and being examined thereupon, he, 
 with an undaunted refolution, replied, that he 
 had a revelation from the Almighty, that the re¬ 
 ligion which he had imbibed from his forefathers, 
 was the only true religion. Upon this declaration 
 he was immediately taken into cuftody, and fent 
 to Rome, where he ended his days. 
 
 From this hiftory it is very manifeft that the 
 Neftorians were perfecuted with abundance of 
 rigour by the Portuguefe, on account of their 
 profeflion ; that the miflionaries, who had but a 
 iuperficial knowledge of the eaftern theology, 
 were very vexatious, infilling on the oblervance 
 of feveral ceremonies, which were of little or no 
 importance; and that thereby they had obliged 
 the Neftorian bifhops to diflemble for fome time 
 and introduce innovations, or new ceremonies 
 into their churches by dint of force and compul- 
 fion. And it was by thefe very means that Mar 
 Abraham, out of regard to a brief, or letter which 
 he had received from the pope, and out of fear of 
 offending the vice-roy, who granted him a pafs- 
 
 port, in order to be prefent at a council, was 
 obliged to renounce a fecond time all his errors, 
 and make a public profeflion of the apoftolic and 
 Roman Catholic faith. No l'ooner, however, was 
 he returned to his own church but he preached 
 up, and inculcated the Neftorian tenets with as 
 much zeal and vigour as he did before ; and, at 
 the fame time, he wrote a letter to the patriarch 
 of Babylon; to allure him, that his aftiftance at 
 the Synod of Goa was not the refult of his own 
 choice, but the abfolute compulfion of the Por¬ 
 tuguefe. 
 
 The fequel of that hiftory gives ftill further 
 proofs of the outrages which the Neftorians fuf- 
 fered from the meafures taken to reconcile them 
 to the church of Rome, and to oblige them to 
 fubferibe to pope Pius the fourth’s confefiion of 
 faith, under the before-mentioned Alexis de 
 Menefes, archbiftiop of Goa, who went to India 
 with a brief or letter from pope Clement the 
 eighth, to complain of and inform againft Mar 
 Abraham. The ardent zeal which the Neftorian 
 Chriftians in this country profefied in the de¬ 
 fence of their religious principles, is confpicuous 
 throughout this whole narration ; wherein we 
 find, that they infilled on their receiving the ar¬ 
 ticles of their faith from Sc. Thomas himfelf; 
 and they carried their prejudice to fo high a pitch, 
 that they clapt their hands before their eyes at the 
 mafs of the Latins, when the prieft elevated the 
 hoft for the people’s adoration of it. 
 
 They teftified a peculiar regard and an invio¬ 
 lable attachment to their patriarch of Babylon ; 
 and if anyone afked them, whether the pope was 
 not head of the church ? They replied, that he 
 was head of the church of Rome, which is but 
 one particular church, or the church of Sc. Peter, 
 but not of St. Thomas; obftinately perfifting in 
 the opinion, that they were two diftinft churches, 
 and altogether independent one on the other. 
 Moreover, they ftrenuoufly oppofed the facra- 
 ment of confirmation, which archbifhop Menefes 
 attempted to adminifter to them; boldly charging 
 him with envy and ambition, and with a clan- 
 defline defign to lubvert the religion of St. 
 Thomas, and make them profelytes to the church 
 of Rome, that on the accomplifhment of fuch 
 fcheme, he might make himfelf mafter of all the 
 Indian churches. This they faid, was the true 
 and only realon why this archbifhop reviled and 
 traduced the patriarchs of Babylon ; while they 
 on the contrary refolutely declared that they 
 would perfevere in their obedience and fubmif- 
 fion to their patriarch, and never renounce their 
 own for the Romifh religion. 
 
 Notwithstanding all this ftrenuous oppofition 
 of the Neftorians, archbiftiop Menefes continued 
 inceflantly to demonllrate to them, that their 
 patriarch was an Heretic, and one that was ex¬ 
 communicated, and confequently, that they could 
 not pray to God in particular for him. And he 
 was fo zealous in his undertaking, that he backed 
 his arguments with very confiderable prefents to 
 footh them, which had their intended effect. 
 Nay, fometimes he would have recourfe to com¬ 
 pulfion, and had frequently endangered his life 
 to promote his caufe; for under pretence of hav- 
 ving an abfolute commiffion from the pope, he 
 exerted his authority in all places wherever he 
 went, without any regard to the refpeftive pre¬ 
 lates 
 
a 9 i An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION 
 Utes or ordinaries, even before they (hewed any 
 inclination to acknowledge his million. By theie 
 refolute meal'ures, this envoy of his holineis efta- 
 blidied the Romifh religion in thefe countries, 
 and fpared no pains or coil to accomplifh his de- 
 figns. He ordained feveral perfons in direft op- 
 pofition to the diocel’an biftiops, but firft made 
 them abjure the errors of the Neftorians. Such as 
 were thus admitted into holy orders, belides their 
 compliance with his confeftion of faith, were 
 obliged to fwear allegiance to the pope, and to 
 acknowledge no other prelates but inch as were 
 cotnmifftoned by him. It is proper now to pro¬ 
 ceed to the erroneous tenets which Menefes laid 
 to the charge of the Chriftians of St. Thomas. 
 
 1. They obftinately maintained all the doc¬ 
 trines of Neftorius, and moreover excluded all 
 images out of the churches, except the crofs 
 only ; for which indeed they teftitied a mod pro¬ 
 found veneration. There were feveral images, 
 however, of particular faints to be l'een in thofe 
 churches which were near the Portuguefe. 
 
 2. They affirmed, that the fouls of the faints 
 never fee the Almighty till after the day of judg¬ 
 ment. 
 
 3. They acknowledge the three facraments 
 only, that is to fay, baptifm, ordination, and 
 the eucharift. Their adminiftration of baptifm 
 was fo irregular, that the ceremony thereof was 
 folemnized after different forms in the very fame 
 church : By which means it frequently happened 
 that their baptifms proved invalid; infomuch 
 that Meneles privately re-baptized the major part 
 of them. There were likewife feveral, efpeci- 
 ally fuch as were in neceffitous circumftances, 
 and refided in the woods, who had never been 
 baptized at all, on account of the expences that 
 attended the adminiftration of that facrament; 
 and yet, notwithftanding this lhameful negleft, 
 they went to church and there received the com¬ 
 munion. Moreover, they frequently deferred 
 the adminiftration of baptifm for feveral months, 
 and fometimes for feveral years together. 
 
 4. In the adminiftration of baptifm they made 
 ufe of no holy oils; except that whereas in 
 their rituals there is mention made of unflion 
 after baptifm, they anointed their children with 
 ■an unguent, compofed of oil and Indian nuts, 
 or a kind of faffron, without the leaft benedidtion 
 whatloever: And this was looked upon by them 
 as a facred unftion. 
 
 ;. They never praftifed the ordinance either 
 of confirmation, or extreme unftion : Nay, they 
 were perfedt ftrangers to their very names. 
 
 6. They abhorred and detefted auricular con- 
 feftlon, except fome few, who were neighbours 
 to the Portuguefe. And as to the bleffed facra¬ 
 ment of the Lord’s fupper they received it on 
 Maunday-Thurfday, and feveral other folemn 
 feftivals, without any other preparation but not 
 breaking their faft. 
 
 7. Their books abounded with very confide- 
 1'able errors (efpecially with relpedt to the bleffed 
 facrament) and in their mafs there were number- 
 ids additions inferted by the Neftorians. 
 
 8 . They confecrated the facrament of the eu¬ 
 charift with little cakes, made with oil and fait, 
 and baked in brazen veffels by the deacons and 
 other inferior clergy in a feparate apartment built 
 in the form of a turret. Whilft the cakes were 
 
 of the S-CHISMATICAL GREEKS, 
 baking, they repeated feveral pfttlms and fpiritusl 
 hymns; and when they were ready tor coni.-ra¬ 
 tion, they dropt them in a Email balket ut green 
 leaves through a litcle hole that was made at the 
 bottom of the turret. Moreover, in their cor- 
 fecration, they tiled wine made with water, 1:1 
 which fome few dried raifins only had been firft 
 infuled. 
 
 9. They faid mafs but very feldom, and he 
 who adifted made ufe of a kind of Hole, over his 
 ufual drefs, although he was no deacon. He he Id 
 the cenfer, or frankincenfe veffel in his hand, 
 and repeated almoft as many prayers as the cele¬ 
 brant, adding thereto feveral lirange and pro- 
 phane ceremonies, which teftified, in a peculiar 
 manner, their error, with regard to the nature of 
 the facrament. 
 
 10. They had fuch a peculiar veneration for 
 holy orders, that there was fcarce a family but 
 what had one or more in it devoted to the altar; 
 and the true reafon of it was, that they were not 
 thereby rendered incapable of any other prefer¬ 
 ment, and wherever they went, they were re- 
 fpefted and had the pre-eminence. 
 
 Moreover, they had no regard to the age of 
 fuch as were admitted into holy orders ; for fome 
 they ordained priefts at feventeen, and others at 
 eighteen or twenty ; who after their admiffion 
 not only married widows fometimes, but upon 
 the deceale of one wife took another, and fome¬ 
 times a third, and it was no uncommon thing to 
 meet with a father, a fon, and a grandfon all 
 priefts together of one and the fame church. The 
 wives of the clergy had a fuperior refpeft Ihewed 
 them over other women, not only in the church, 
 but in all places of public refort, and they made 
 themlelves confpicuous by wearing a crofs on 
 their neck, or by fome other particular mark of 
 diftinftion. The ufual habit of their ecclefiaftics 
 was a pair of white drawers, and over them a long 
 fhirt, to which they fometimes added, for the 
 greater decency, a white or black caffock. The 
 crowns of their heads’were fliaved like thofe of 
 the monks and regular canons. 
 
 11. They met together and performed divine 
 fervice every day with an audible voice in the 
 Chaldean language, but did not think themlelves 
 obliged to do it on any other occafion ; fo they 
 had no breviaries for private devotion. 
 
 12. They were guilty of fimonical praftices 
 in the adminiftration of baptifm and the Lord’s 
 fupper ; for they affeffed, or impofed a tax on all 
 fuch as were baptized, or received the commu¬ 
 nion at their hands. For the lolemnization of 
 their nuptial ceremonies, they applied themlelves 
 to the firft prieft they could meet with, efpecially 
 thofe who refided in the country. Nay, fome¬ 
 times they never concerned themfelves about any 
 prieft at all, but married according to the ido¬ 
 latrous cuftoms of their neighbours or fellow- 
 citizens. 
 
 13. They teftified a peculiar regard and vene¬ 
 ration for their patriarch of Babylon, who was a 
 Schilmatic, and the head or principal of the 
 Neftorian left. On the contrary, they could not 
 endure that the pope fhould be once mentioned in 
 their churches, which were very often without 
 either curate or vicar, and fupenntendcd only by 
 the eldeft member of the congregation. 
 
 14. Though they went conftantly to church on 
 
 Sundays 
 
Ah ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of 
 
 Sundays to mafs, they did not look upon it as a 
 duty incumbent on them in point of confcience ; 
 fo that they were at perfect liberty to attend, or 
 be abfent; and in fome places there was mafs 
 faid but once a year, and in others again, not one 
 for fix, feven, or ten years together. 
 
 15. The priefts followed mechanical employ¬ 
 ments, and thereby neglefted the regulation, and 
 due care of their flock. Their bifhops were Ba¬ 
 bylonians, lent by their patriarch, who lived up¬ 
 on extortion and fimonical practices, making a 
 public fale of all facred ordinances, fuch as the 
 ordination of their clergy, and the adminiflration 
 of the other facraments. 
 
 16. They made no fcruple of eating flefh- 
 mcats on Saturdays; and they were guilty of an 
 extravagant error, during their Lent and their Ad¬ 
 vent; infomuch, that if they had broke their fall 
 one day, they negledled that duty all the week 
 round, not thinking themfelves under any obli¬ 
 gation to obferve the injunftion when once they 
 were confcious of their violation of it. 
 
 They were very ftridt in the obfervance of their 
 Lent. But befides that, they kept feveral other 
 falls, much after the fame manner as the Greeks, 
 of whom we have already made fufficient men¬ 
 tion ; but fuch as were fomewhat more fuperfti- 
 tious than their neighbours, added bathing to 
 their abllinence, which they looked upon as im- 
 perfedt, if they negledled walking themfelves all 
 over in the morning. They bathed or walked 
 themfelves likewile if they happened but to touch 
 any perfon of an inferior tribe. It is remarkable, 
 that thefe Chrillians began their abllinence on 
 the vigil or eve of the fall, and obferved it 
 no longer than till the evening of the enfuing 
 day. 
 
 Such women as were brought to bed of a male- 
 child, never entered their churches till forty days 
 after their lying-in ; and in cafe of female iflue, 
 they were obliged to abfent themfelves for four- 
 fcore days together. At the expiration of the 
 Hated term, the mother attended divine fervice 
 with her infant in her arms, and made a formal 
 oblation of him to God and to the church. They 
 fhewed a peculiar regard for, and an awful dread 
 of excommunication. They could not by the 
 rules of their church difcipline, give abfolution 
 to one that was guilty of wilful murder, or any 
 other enormous crimes, as we are informed, even 
 at the very point of death. 
 
 Thus have we given the reader a detail of the 
 greatelt part of the errors and abules witli which 
 Menefes loaded the Chrillians of St. Thomas, 
 and which the compiler of that hiltory aggran¬ 
 dizes, to fliew what indefatigable pains were re- 
 quifite to make profelytes of thofe people. But 
 had this archbilhop, and the other ealtern mif- 
 fionaries been perfect mailers of the antient 
 theology, they had not multiplied thefe errors to 
 the degree they have done. And, indeed, as 
 they weighed and conlidered every point with 
 conformity to the fcholallic divinity of.the Eu¬ 
 ropeans, it is not any ways furprifmg to find that 
 they fhould be ambitious of reforming the eallern 
 nations on that balls or foundation. It mull be 
 acknowledged, that there were fome abules which 
 it was.highly requifite Ihould be reformed : but 
 fuch reformation ought not to have been 
 grounded on evangelical cullomSr 
 25 
 
 the SCHISM AT IC A L GREEKS. 29, 
 
 The archbifliop Menefes convened a council 
 at Diamper in the kingdom of Cochin, on the 
 20th of June, 1599, at which the Neftorian de¬ 
 puties were prefent, in order todeliberate, jointly 
 with the archbilhop, on the ftate of all their ec- 
 clefialiical affairs. And hence to make it appear 
 that the Neftorians were indulged in all the liberty 
 that was requifite on fuch public and folemn oc- 
 cafions, and likewile to procure their affent to all 
 the articles which were then and there to be 
 agreed on ; the archbilhop attached eight of 
 their moll: celebrated clergymen firmly to his in- 
 tereft, and communicated, without referve, the 
 fecret of his fcheme, and the ways and means 
 which were requifite to be taken to render it fuc- 
 cefsful, Ihewing them copies of all the decrees 
 which were there to be made, and alking, in a 
 very familiar manner, their opinion and advice 
 upon each particular article, as if he were not 
 then come to any abfolute determination; fo 
 that when they flrould attend at the fynod, they 
 might there act in the fame manner to the end, 
 that the reft might be inclined, or obliged to 
 follow their example. 
 
 It was therefore decreed in this fynod, that the 
 priefts, deacons, fubdeacons, and all the dele¬ 
 gates of the rel'pedtive cities which were then 
 prefent Ihould fubferibe to the confeffion of faith, 
 w'hich the archbilhop himfelf had made by his 
 private authority. This was put in execution 
 accoidingly, and all of them, in the moftfolemn 
 manner, fwore allegiance to the pope, whom they 
 acknowledged to be the head of the church; and 
 further, that for the future they would hold no 
 manner of correfpondence with the patriarch of 
 Babylon. Moreover, they anathematized Nefto- 
 nus, and all his herefies, acknowledging Cyril 
 patriarch of Alexandria to be a faint. Befides alt 
 tliefe proceedings, there were feveral particular 
 features made at this fynod, for the reformation 
 of thofe errors which archbilhop Menefes had 
 difeovered in the adminiftration of their facra¬ 
 ments and in their prayer-books. For which rea- 
 fon their liturgies, and other offices of devotion, 
 were ordered to be correfted. As to the ordi¬ 
 nance of matrimony, that was regulated in every 
 point on the footing of the council of Trent. 
 All matters likewife relating to the facraments of 
 penance, confirmation and extreme unftion, were 
 reformed according to the practice of the church 
 of Rome. Their priefts were enjoined to live in 
 perpetual celibacy for the future; and particular 
 ftatutes or orders were made for the obfervance of 
 fuch as were already entered into the matrimonial 
 ftate. In fhort, the archbilhop introduced and 
 eftablilhed the religion of the Latins amongft the 
 Chaldeans, not only in this fynod, but in his 
 vifitations of feveral particular churches. We 
 fliall now proceed to enquire whether there were 
 any juft realons for his introducing fo many in¬ 
 novations amongft the Chrillians of St. Thomas; 
 and thereby give the reader a thorough notion 
 of their avowed religion. 
 
 1. As to thofe errors, therefore, imputed to 
 them by archbifliop Menefes, we have already 
 reconciled the fentiments of Neftorious, with 
 thofe of the church of Rome ; and the archbifliop 
 Ihould have taken the fame method to have ren¬ 
 dered his attempt fuccefsful and lading ; for he 
 ought to have underftood them aright Wore he 
 E e e e h ad 
 
i 9+ An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION 
 had condemned them, on the account only of 
 their denomination. Had he demonftrated to 
 them, that all the quarrels and controverfies in 
 Which they were engaged with the church of 
 Rome, were only about a few ambiguous terms, 
 they would doubtlefs have been much more trafta- 
 ble and inclinable to a reconciliation. 
 
 4 With regard to their images, the Chalde¬ 
 ans do not manifeft that awful refpeft for them, 
 which the Greeks in the I.evant do : And the 
 reafon is, becaufe this profound veneration for 
 them had been eftablilhed in the Greek church 
 no longer than fince the fecond council of Nice 
 which is more modern than the various lefts of 
 the Chaldeans, who content themfclves, for the 
 generality, with having a crois only in their hands. 
 This crofs, with which the pried gives his bene- 
 diftion to the people, is made of plain metal 
 without the lead figure or reprefentation upon 
 it The archbilhop might very well have in¬ 
 dulged the Chridians of St. Thomas in this their 
 ancient fimplicity ; fince whatever has been de¬ 
 creed in procefs of time with regard to images, 
 is no more than matter of form, and only re¬ 
 gards ecclefiadical difcipline. 
 
 It mud be acknowledged, that they do not 
 adminder the facrament of baptifm according 
 to the rites of the Latin church : But the form 
 of their baptifm ought not, for thatreaion only, 
 to be thought null and invalid : Much lefs ought 
 fuch perfons to be re-baptized, who had before 
 been baptized according to the cuftom of the 
 Chaldeans. That which ufually leads the mil- 
 fionaries into an unhappy miftake, when they are 
 difcourfing about religious points with the eaft- 
 erns, is their prejudice in favour of their fchool- 
 fubtleties with relation to the matter and form of 
 facraments. When they find, for indance, that 
 a child is not baptized at the fame time that the 
 words which denote the aftion are pronounced, 
 they imagine fuch baptifm to be void and of no 
 effect: Not confidering that the method of ad 
 miniftering the facraments amongft the eafterns, 
 entirely confifts in the repetition of iundry pray¬ 
 ers, and that they are not iuch profound meta- 
 phyficians as the Latins. They are perfeft ftran- 
 oers to numberlefs difficult and abftrufe points 
 which our divines unravel with all the dexterity 
 and add refs imaginable. 
 
 4 The unftion which they make ufe of after 
 baptifm is looked upon by them as the facrament 
 of confirmation, notwithdanding it differs very 
 much from that of the Latins. Archbilhop Me- 
 m fes had no fuch reafon for introducing another 
 unftion, Which, though praftifed in his own 
 church, is in reality no more than a fimple cere- 
 mony. He ffiould have confidered, that the 
 Nedorians, according to the ancient cudom of 
 the eadern church, when they baptize their chil¬ 
 dren, adminifter to them at the fame time the 
 facraments of confirmation and the Lord s kip¬ 
 per He fhould have examined their rituals, 
 therefore, in order to difeover whether there were 
 any erroneous praftices in the admmidration of 
 this facrament. Whereas Menefes feemed in¬ 
 tent on nothing elfe but the abolition of their 
 aiuient cudoras, and for no other reafon, but 
 their non-conformity to thofe of the Latins. 
 
 r The archbilhop is midaken in his affertion, 
 rhar the Chriftians of St. Thomas were perfect 
 
 of the SCHISMATIC AL GREEKS, 
 drangers to the ufe of confirmation and extreme 
 unftion as well as to their very names. It is 
 probable indeed they might be ignorant of the 
 names of thefe facraments, particularly the latter, 
 which is praftifed only in the Latin church; or 
 although the eadern church anoint their fick con¬ 
 formable to the works of St. James, they do not, 
 however, call this ceremony extreme unftion, for 
 the reafons beforementioned in ipeaking of the 
 Greeks; and the very fame reafons may be ap¬ 
 plied to confirmation. The priefts adminider 
 the facrament amongd the Nedorians as well as 
 amongd the Greeks, at the fame time with that 
 of baptifm, looking on it as its final completion 
 and infeparable perfeftion. As for auricular con- 
 feffion which they abominated and deteded, that 
 happened, it is doubtlefs, by an abufe or error 
 which had been unhappily introduced into their 
 church ; becaufe confeffion is well known to be 
 praftifed all over the eadern nations, notwith¬ 
 danding mod of them are of opinion, that it is 
 not a duty incumbent on them of divine right. 
 
 6. As to thofe errors which the archbilhop pre¬ 
 tends he difeovered in their writings; infomucli 
 that he thought proper abfolutely to abolifh the 
 office of the Advent, it was very eafy for him 
 to have put a favourable conftruftion on t.iole 
 imaginary errors: Befides, the reformation which 
 he has made in the liturgy is idle and infignm- 
 cant; for nothing can be worfe digefted than the 
 Nedorian mafs, as he has reformed it. 1 here 
 we find the whole order of it altered for no other 
 purpofe, but tp accommodate it to the received 
 opinion of the Latin divines with refpeft to con- 
 fecration, which, according to them, confids in 
 thefe words, “ This is my body, &c.” Whereas 
 the Nedorians, as well as the red of the eafterns, 
 infid, that the confecration is not complete, till 
 the pried has conduced that prayer which by 
 them is called, the “ Invocation of the Holy 
 Ghoft.” And yet Menefes made the Nedorian 
 prieds adore the hod as foon as ever thole woids 
 were uttered, This is my Body, although they 
 did not believe it yet confecrated. 
 
 7. Their cuftom of adminiftering the facra¬ 
 ment with leavened bread, and mixing oil and 
 fait with it, ought not to be imputed to them as 
 any error, fince it makes no manner of altera¬ 
 tion in the nature of the bread. Moreover, the 
 ceremony obferved by them in order to render 
 this bread in fome meafure more iacred before 
 confecration, is not only very commendable, but 
 
 very ancient. They diftinguifh by that means, 
 as the Greeks do, the bread, which is intended 
 foon to be converted into the body of Jeius 
 Chrift, and fet apart for that facred purpofe, from 
 all other bread whatever, which they look upon 
 as prophane, or unconfecrated, till after the 
 repetition of a Hated number of prayers and 
 
 pfalms. , ,, 
 
 8. It is no great wonder that the Chaldeans 
 fhould not fay mafs fo often as the Latins, and 
 that feveral priefts fhould affift the bifhop thereat, 
 and receive the communion from his hands. For 
 this was the ancient practice of the church; 
 whereas the cuftom of laying fo great a number 
 of maftes in the Latin church, is very modern, 
 and as cardinal Bona has juftly obferved, was 
 introduced principally by the Mendicant fri¬ 
 ars • but more fullv confirmed and eftablilhed 
 
 ftnee 
 
An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION 
 
 fince the introduction of the new canon law. It 
 was likewife cuftomary for thofe who formerly 
 attended, and afTifted at mafs, to fay a confide- 
 rable part of it; and the reafon was, becaufe the 
 liturgy was a public act wherein the congregation 
 was engaged as well as the prieft, as may eafily 
 be proved from the prayers contained in the La¬ 
 tin mafs. 
 
 9. It is very true, that the Neftorians and the 
 other eafterns, are very remifs and regardlefs of 
 the ancient difcipline with refpect to their admif- 
 fion of youth into holy orders; for they never 
 confider the exaft age required by the canons i 
 but if that article ought to have been reformed, 
 as well as that other, relating to the marriage of 
 their priefts, this reformation ought to have been 
 grounded on their own laws and inftitutions ra¬ 
 ther than thofe of Rome. 
 
 10. Menefes reckons the cuftom of not re¬ 
 peating the breviary in private families', as one 
 of their errors, without the leaf! reafon j becaufe 
 it is a modern cuftom; befides the breviary never 
 was defigned for that private purpofe. 
 
 11. We queftion very much whether the tax, 
 or auenment which is laid by the Neftorian priefts 
 on the adminiftration of their facraments, can 
 properly be deemed fimony; for that is fubftituted 
 in the room only of a benefice ; and what has 
 already been faid in favour of the Greeks in this 
 refpect, may very juftly be applied to them. 
 
 12. Neither, in our Opinion, can the fubmif- 
 iion which the Neftorians pay to their patriarch 
 be juftly reckoned amongft the number of their 
 errors; becaufe the eafterns look upon their own 
 P? 1 ™.'!' 1 ’ and even £ hat of Rome, as powers 
 eftabhlhed by law: And whenever they are 
 charged with an averfion for the pope, their an- 
 fwer is, that his holinefs aftumes an authority 
 over the eaftern churches which thev do not ac¬ 
 knowledge. Their having no curates nor vicars, 
 but their moft ancient prieft to prefide over their 
 aftemblies, can never l'urely be alledged againft 
 them as an error; for, on the contrary, it is a 
 laudable and excellent piece of church-difei- 
 pline, and it is very much to be wilhed, that the 
 cuftom was introduced every where in order to 
 ready a world of abufes which have crept into 
 the church relating to benefices. 
 
 13. Laftly, all the errors that Menefes charges 
 the Neftonans with are, for the generality, not 
 really eriors, and exift only in the imagination 
 of fome miflionaries, who regulate all religious 
 affairs, according to thofe prejudices whiclTthey 
 have imbibed by their education in their own 
 fchools. Shall we be fo unreafonable, for in- 
 ftance, aS to infill;, that thefe people, and the 
 other Chriftians of the eaft are guilty of an er¬ 
 ror in eating meat on Saturdays, which day is a 
 feftival amongft them, according to the ancient 
 cuftom of the church? Shall we prefume like¬ 
 wife to charge the Neftorians with being guilty 
 of an error with refpeft to marriage, for making 
 their applications to the firft prieft they can 
 meet with to perform the ceremony? We outfit 
 to confider that the prieft in the eaftern church 
 is never made tile of as an evidence of the fo- 
 lemnization, but as the foie perfon who has a 
 legal right to adminifter that, as well as the 
 facraments and other religious ceremonies of 
 their church. 
 
 of the SCHISMATICAL GREEKS. 2 9s 
 
 Having faid thus much concerning their te- 
 
 rh tS ’ K and o ftated the objections made againft 
 them by Roman Catholics, with Rich anfw?rs as 
 naturally occurred to us in an impartial mvefti- 
 gation, we (hall now proceed to point out to 
 the leader, what thefe people fay concerning 
 themfelves. And here it is neceffary to obferve“ 
 
 clef;' ft* Cl ! ey ' vere ln former «mes fubjeCt in ec- 
 clehaftical affairs to the patriarchs of Babylon, fo 
 hey are frequently called Chaldeans, a name ra- 
 ther local than conveying any idea of a religious 
 nature. In the mean time, it is not at all fur- 
 prifing, that we fhould find them traduced by the 
 Roman Catholics, who have at all times carried 
 heir refentment againft thofe of a different re- 
 
 S t0 ft n un u wamntable hei S ht - Ic is probable, 
 that this (lory, however, which they relate concern¬ 
 ing themfelves, is no other than a perverfion of 
 the genuine account of St. Thomas the Apoftle; 
 tor although we may fometimes difeover the out- 
 ‘ nes , 1 f r . uth ln oral tradition, yet there is fo 
 much fable intermixed, that we are often as it 
 daTk beWlidercd ’ and fre qnently loft in the 
 
 The Chriftians of St. Thomas declare them- 
 lelves descendants of one Mar Thomas, or 
 -1 mas V?na, an Armenian merchant, who 
 lett ed at Congranor. This Mar Thomas mar- 
 ned two Wives and had iffue by each venter. 
 The children by the former were heirs to all 
 his eft efts and lands, which were fituate in the 
 fouthern parts of the kingdom of Congranor; 
 and thole of the latter, who was a negro (lave 
 converted to the Chriftian faith, inherited the 
 fettlement which their father died poffeffed of in 
 the north. In procefs of time his defeendants 
 became very numerous, and conftituted two con- 
 fiderable branches, which were never united or 
 allied to each other. The iffue of his firft wife 
 fiom whom the nobility are defeended, look 
 down with difdain on the Chriftians of the other 
 branch; and carry their averfion to fo high a 
 pitch, as to feparate themfelves from their com¬ 
 munion, and contemn the miniltry of their 
 priefts. Mar Thomas, whom thefe Chriftians 
 look upon as their common parent, fiourifhed, 
 according to the general notion, in the tenth 
 century: But M. la Croza rather thinks, that he 
 lived in the fixth. In time however thefe 
 Chriftians were indulged, and enjoyed a great 
 many very valuable priviliges under the fove- 
 reigns of the country, and grew at laft fo pow¬ 
 erful, that they elefted kings out of their own 
 nation and religion. They continued in this 
 ftate of independence till the death of one of 
 their fovereigns, who leaving no iffue behind 
 him, adopted a young idolatrous prince that was 
 his neighbour, and appointed him to be his im¬ 
 mediate fucceffor. 
 
 Notwithftanding the various revolutions which 
 have happened in the Eaft-Indies for thefe two 
 centuries laft paft, the Chriftians of St. Thomas 
 aie even now in poffeftion of more than four hun¬ 
 dred fmall towns or boroughs, that are all under 
 the jundiftion ol one bilhop, who was fent to 
 them by the patriarch of Babylon before the re¬ 
 conciliation of thofe Chriftians, which was more 
 the refult of compulfion, than of choice. The 
 bilhop whom the Portuguefe have fixed here, is 
 called the bilhop of the mountains, becaufe’ he 
 
 has 
 
296 An ACCOUNT of the RELIGI 01 
 
 has his refidence in a very mountaneous part of 
 the country/ As the bilhops of St. Thomas are 
 all civil as well as fpiritual judges and governors, 
 fo the Portuguefe have invefted theirs with the 
 fame power. The bifhops of St. Thomas are 
 extremely numerous, but their dioceffes are not 
 large, although they have many hearers. 
 
 Such is the (fate of religion at prefent in that 
 country, where there are avail number of inha¬ 
 bitants i and what is very remarkable is, that the 
 
 of the SCHISMATIC A L GREEKS. 
 
 Jefuits undertook many dangerous voyages, and 
 underwent a vail variety of hardfhips to convert 
 them to the tenets of popery. The Jefuits did 
 not, or rather would not confider that chele peo¬ 
 ple had never embraced fo many ridiculous no¬ 
 tions as they themfelves had done; but when 
 learning, politics and enthufiafm are all united in 
 one perfon, then it is that we may naturally look 
 for a very extraordinary charafler. 
 
 An Account of the Religious Tenets and Ceremonies of 
 the C O P H T I, or COPT I. 
 
 T HESE people owe their origin and name 
 to Copta, an antient city in Egypt, fre¬ 
 quently mentioned by Plutarch and 
 Strabo. The Chriftians of Egypt are at this day 
 diflinguilhed by this name, and ipeak a language 
 peculiar to themfelves, which they call the Cop¬ 
 tic, but they never uie it except in divine ler- 
 vice; for in common converlation they uie the 
 Arabic language, that being for the moll part 
 underftood throughout the country. This lan¬ 
 guage, which Kircher the Jefuit infills to be a 
 mother tongue, and independent on any other, 
 has been very much altered by the Greeks ; for 
 although they make ufe of the Coptic letters, yet 
 abundance of their words are pure Greek. 
 
 In their notions concerning the trinity, they 
 differ from the Greeks in the Levant, and like- 
 wife from thole in Ruffia; for they believe that 
 the Holy Gholl proceeds both from the Father 
 and the Son, fo that in that fenfe they differ but 
 little from thofe, whom in general we call the 
 Orthodox. At different times they have been 
 reconciled again and again to the church of 
 Rome, but thofe reconciliations were only in ap¬ 
 pearance, for no fooncr had the miflionaries 
 turned their backs than thefe people relapfed into 
 their former opinions, and adhered to the praftice 
 of the ceremonies which had been tiled by their 
 anceltors. Of this we have a noted inffance 
 in ecclefiaftical hiftory under the year 1561. From 
 what motives is not now rightly known, but cer¬ 
 tain it is, that they lent very fubmiffive letters 
 to the pope, deliring to be reconciled to the 
 church of Rome, acknowledging her to be the 
 fupreme mother of all churches in the world. 
 
 Flattered with the idea of making fuch a num¬ 
 ber of convents, the pope fent one Roderick a 
 Jefuit to them, and he, having had fome con¬ 
 ferences with them, particularly with two of their 
 priefts, whom the patriarch Gabriel had nomi¬ 
 nated for that purpofe, very eafily prevailed upon 
 them to own the pope’s authority, which they did; 
 but fomctime afterwards, when this Jeiuit preffed 
 the fame patriarch to fend his letters of fub 
 million and obedience, he peremptorily replied, 
 that ever fince the council of Chalcedon, when 
 feveral patriarchs were appointed, every one was 
 
 fupreme head, and under Chrift, the fovereign 
 Lord of his own church. 
 
 He went fo far as to add, that if the pope of 
 Rome fell into any dangerous errors, he ought to 
 be called to account for them, and tried by other 
 patriarchs. And as for thofe letters which had 
 been written to the pope, the contents were not 
 to be taken in a rigorous fenfe, but only as the 
 refult of civility and complaifance ; for granting 
 that he made ufe of the terms, fubmiffion and 
 obedience, he meant no more by them, than 
 that rel'peft which ought at all times to be paid 
 to friends. He obferved further, that if there 
 was any thing inferted in thofe letters which he 
 had wrote to the pope, that was inconfiftent with 
 the tenets of his church, the fault ought not to 
 be imputed to him, but to the perfon intruded 
 with them, who had corrupted their genuine fenfe 
 and meaning. 
 
 This Jefuit Roderick, upon his return to Rome, 
 laid before the pope an account of the notions 
 of thefe people, which upon the whole, fuppofing 
 the reprefentation to be juft, does not drew them 
 in fuch a difadvantageous light as the Roman 
 Catholics would have us to believe ; but then it 
 mull be confidered, that the Romilh priefts will 
 never forgive thofe who do not acknowledge 
 the pope’s fupremacy, and right or wrong fub- 
 mit to all his didlates as coming from a perfon 
 endowed with infallibility. And here it may 
 not be improper to add, that when the Ro¬ 
 milh miflionaries go into Heathen nations to 
 make converts, they generally extol the virtues 
 of thofe people, who, in their own ellimation of 
 things, are Ilrangers to the gofpel; but whenever 
 they attempt to make converts either of the 
 Greeks or of Proteftants, and find all their de- 
 figns rendered abortive, they reprelent thole peo¬ 
 ple under far more difagreeable colours than the 
 Heathens. 
 
 \ The errors imputed to thefe people by the Je- 
 ' fuits are the following, but the reader mull at¬ 
 tend to it as written by perfons prejudiced. They 
 divorce themfelves, without (hewing caufe, from 
 their lawful wives, and marry new ones without 
 being called to an account for it. d hey circum- 
 I rile their children before baptifm, which is a 
 
 Jewilh 
 
An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of 
 
 Jewilh ceremony. They acknowledge there are 
 feven facraments in the church, but inftead of 
 agreeing with the church of Rome, they make 
 the following of divine inftitution only, viz. 
 baptifm, confeflion, the eucharift, orders, faith, 
 falling, and prayer, without mentioning any 
 others. They profefs (fay the Jefuits) that the 
 Holy Ghoft proceeds only from the father, and 
 nor from the father and the fon; and they admit 
 but of three councils, namely, Ephefius, Con- 
 ftantinople, and Nice, and the decrees of all 
 others they look upon as heretical, or at lead fo 
 far deviating from the truth, that they are in 
 their nature erroneous. 
 
 From what we have already taken notice of 
 concerning the Greeks in other parts of the 
 world, it will appear that the notions embraced 
 by the Copti, and fo offenfive to the church of 
 Rome, may with propriety be imputed to all the 
 eaftern churches who have in common with thefe 
 rejected the decrees of feveral of the general 
 councils. As for their reckoning among the 
 number of their facraments, faith, fading, and 
 prayer, it mull be obferved, that they do not ufe 
 the term facrament in the fame rigorous fenfe 
 as we do, for which reafon we may naturally 
 conclude that they reckon only the firft four as 
 facraments. The laft three leem to have been ad¬ 
 ded by fome of their myftical divines; a fet of men 
 who, by their allegorical interpretations of fcrip- 
 ture, generally make enigmas of the word of God, 
 darken the fmall remains of light in the human 
 mind, and lay a Humbling block before thofewho 
 are ferioufly enquiring after truth. 
 
 It is neceflary here to obferve, that the afler- 
 tion of Brcrewood in his enquiries, that the 
 Copti believe that the Holy Ghoft proceeds from 
 the father and the fon is an error, for that no¬ 
 tion is peculiar to the weftern or Latin church. 
 Like the Greeks in the Levant, and thofe in 
 Ruflia they believe, that the fouls of thofe who 
 have departed this life neither go into heaven 
 nor hell till the general refurreftion. It is cer¬ 
 tain, however, that there is in their religious j 
 ceremonies, a ftrange mixture of Greek and ■ 
 RomiHi rites ; thus, when the prieft elevates 
 the hoft at mafs, the congregation finite their 
 breads, proftrate themfelves before it, make the 
 fign of the crofs, and juft move their caps a 
 little above their heads. This cuftom is almoft 
 the fame with that of the church of Rome, 
 and probably embraced by thefe Copti, with¬ 
 in thefe two hundred years. 
 
 When the prieft receives the facrament, he 
 breaks the bread in the form of a crofs, and ! 
 dips it into the wine in the chalice. He then 
 repeats feveral prayers, and eats three fmall 
 pieces of it, at the fame time drinking three 
 fpoonfills of the wine, and then adminifters it 
 in the fame manner to the deacon his afiiftant. 
 They never preferve any part of the bread and 
 wine that has been confecrated after mafs is over, 
 nor do they conlecrate any but leavened bread 
 and wine mixed with water. All that is left 
 after the communion is over is given to the poor, 
 confident with the difcipline of the primitive 
 church, and from that circumftance alone we find 
 that they are far from being fo much funk into fu- 
 perftition as the Roman Catholics. They al¬ 
 ways receive the eijcharift on Saturdays, but at 
 
 2 5 
 
 the SCHISMATICAL GREEKS. 297 
 
 the fame time they make it one of the articles of 
 their religion, to meet for attendance on divine fer- 
 vice on Sundays; which, in conformity with the 
 pradlice of the primitive church, they fometimes 
 call the firft day of the week, but more frequently 
 the Lord’s day. 
 
 In baptifm they ufe the following ceremonies: 
 It is always performed in the evening, and previ¬ 
 ous thereto mafs is celebrated a little after mid¬ 
 night accompanied with fundry prayers fu'itable to 
 the occafion, and then feveral hymns are fung in 
 their own language. The fponfors deliver the child 
 to the deacon, who carries it to the altar, where it 
 is anointedby the prieft with oil, which according 
 to them is to put on the new man of regeneration. 
 This part of the ceremony being over, they fing 
 again and anoint the child a fecond time, figning 
 him thirty feven times with the crofs, which is 
 looked upon as an exorcifm, to drive the devil out 
 of the body and fend him back to his own reft- 
 dence in hell. 
 
 The finging begins a third time, and the wo¬ 
 men, who now for the firft time make their ap¬ 
 pearance, make a very loud noife as a demon- 
 ftration of their joy. In the mean time there 
 is water prepared and put into the baptifmal 
 font, towards which the prieft approaches with 
 all the marks of exterior gravity. He firft 
 blefles the wine, pouring water into it in the 
 form of a crofs; after this he takes the infant 
 with one hand by the right arm and the left leg, 
 and with the other by the left arm and right leg, 
 making a fort of a crofs with the limbs of the 
 infant, who is drefied in a little white veftment. 
 During the whole of the ceremony, the deacons 
 who attend, both read and fing, and the women 
 make loud acclamations, or rather hideous howl- 
 ings ‘ 
 
 The finging being over, the prieft breathes three 
 times upon the face of the infant, in order that he 
 may receive as they imagine, the Holy Ghoft. He 
 then dips his finger into the chalice, containing 
 the confecrated bread and wine, and puts a little of 
 it into the infant’s mouth. At the conclufion 
 of thefe ceremonies, the wax tapers are lighted, 
 and a folemn proceiTion is made round the church, 
 all the afliftants finging as they move along. 
 The deacon carries the child in his arms, and 
 the prieft walks before, the proceffion being 
 clofed by the men and women who are either 
 relations or friends, and who continue to make a 
 mod: hideous noife, which they call finging. 
 
 They have images in their churches, for which 
 they fhew the mod profound reverence by bow¬ 
 ing before them, and praying to them. They 
 keep lighted lamps continually burning before 
 them; a ceremony which they have learned from 
 the Heathens, and part of the oil ufed in thefe 
 lamps they carry home to anoint thcmielves 
 with when they are fick, which feems to be all 
 they think neceflary as extreme unftion. It is 
 certain that they never confider extreme unc¬ 
 tion as a facrament; for this reafon, that they 
 never fend for the prieft to anoint them, which 
 may ferve to ftiew, that in this article alone, 
 they are not fo corrupt as either the Roman Ca¬ 
 tholics or the Greeks in the Levant. 
 
 Thefe Copti have a patriarch, who generally 
 refides at Alexandra, or at Cairo, and under 
 iiim are eleven bifhops, who all exercife the 
 F f f f epif- 
 
2^8 An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of the SC HIS MAT I CAL GREEKS. 
 
 epifcopal authority in their own diocefes. Un¬ 
 der thefe bilhops are a great number of arch- 
 priefts, being next in dignity to the bifhops, and 
 again, under them are common prieds, deacons, 
 lecturers, and chanters. 
 
 As to their office, the pried, on Saturday after 
 fun-fet, goes to the church, accompanied by his 
 affiHants to fing the vefpers, which takes up about 
 an hour j and the deacons (leep in the church, 
 having beds prepared for that purpofe. Such as 
 are not difpofed to fleep, either fmoak tobacco, 
 drink coffee, or difeourfe on fuch fubjedts as are 
 mod agreeable to them. Two hours after mid¬ 
 night they begin to fing mattins, and afterwards 
 mafs, at which, in general, there are abundance 
 of people prefent. When the people enter the 
 church, they pull off their fhoes, and kifs the 
 ground near the door of the fandtuary. They 
 then draw near to the arch-pried and kifs his 
 hand, making him a profound bow in order to 
 receive his bleffing. In cafe the patriarch fhould 
 be prefent, and not officiate, he feats himfelf 
 upon a throne above the arch-pried, and holds a 
 brazen crofs in his hand. After each perfon pre¬ 
 fent has performed his cudomary reverence to 
 the fandtuary, he pays the fame to the patriarch, 
 and having kiffed the ground at the foot of his 
 throne, rites up and kiffes the crofs and the pa¬ 
 triarch’s hands. Upon the whole, there is but 
 little difference between thefe ceremonies and 
 thofe uled by the Greeks in the Levant, for their 
 prieds never preach a fermon to the people, but 
 content themfelves with reading one of the 
 homilies of Chryfodom, Bafil, or fome others 
 of the Greek fathers. 
 
 The Copti have feveral churches in Egypt, 
 and they are all built in the following manner : 
 Each of them has two domes or cupolas, one 
 for the holy of holies which they call Heikel, 
 and is the fame as the Hechal inthe fynagogue of 
 the Jews; before the door of which a large veil 
 is always fpread. The other dome is over the 
 fandtuary, or inward choir, which is always fitu- 
 ated towards the ead, in conformity with the 
 primitive cudom. Here it is they celebrate mafs, 
 and no perfon is permitted to enter into it, un- 
 lefs he fil'd wafhes his feet, and at the fame time, 
 he mud at lead be in deacons orders. All their 
 churches have three doors, one for the men, an¬ 
 other for the women, and a third through which 
 the faithful bring their oblations. 
 
 Having already taken notice of the manner in 
 which the prieds receive the eucharid, we fiiall 
 now proceed to point out how mafs is celebrated; 
 for on all fuch occafions there are generally a 
 great number of lay communicants, who con- 
 fider it as their duty to attend on thefe things, 
 which they conceive as effentiallv neceffary to fal- 
 vation. 
 
 The bread and wine being properly placed 
 upon the table within the rails of the altar, the 
 pried and his affidants make their appearance in 
 their robes, and the wax tapers are lighted up. 
 The pried then begins with repeating a Short 
 preparatory prayer, which is followed by a thanks¬ 
 giving, after which, the bread, wine and water 
 are mixed together in the chalice, and offered up 
 to God as a Sacrifice. As foon as this prayer and 
 ceremony are ended, the pried covers the bread 
 
 with a veil, and the chalice with another, after 
 which he Spreads a large broad veil over both. 
 He kifles the altar, and deScends from the Sanc¬ 
 tuary, in order to pronounce the prayer of abso¬ 
 lution in behalf of thofe who afiid him ; but if 
 the patriarch is prefent, it is his bufinefs to pro¬ 
 nounce the absolution. After this, the pried 
 goes up to the altar, and incenfes it, repeats an¬ 
 other prayer, and intercedes with the Divine Be¬ 
 ing to afiid him in offering up the Sacrifice. Af¬ 
 ter this, he walks round the altar, and perfumes 
 it with incenfe, and kiffes it. He likewife in¬ 
 cenfes every perfon in the congregation one by 
 one, on which occafions, all thofe who are called 
 the faithful dand up ; and this is done, in order 
 to' didinguifh them from Infidels or Heretics, 
 who are not Suppoled to be acquainted with Such 
 ceremonies. If any perfon refufes to dand up 
 when the pried comes with the cenfer, he is in- 
 dantly excluded from the congregation, as one 
 who had no right to be among them. 
 
 The pried then returns to the fandtuary, where 
 he repeats feveral prayers for the people, and 
 then the epidle is read both in the Coptic and 
 Arabic languages, that all the people prefent may 
 underdand it. The leffons are next read in the 
 fame manner, and then feveral pfalms or hymns 
 are Sung alternately, by the pried and the people. 
 The Singing being over, the pried and deacon 
 walk round the altar to reprefent the promulga¬ 
 tion of the golpel, which at this time is carried 
 before them. 
 
 Before the gofpel is read, the pried, danding 
 before the Sanctuary, opens the book which 
 was before laid upon the altar, to denote that the 
 words therein contained, and going to be read, 
 proceeded from the mouth of our Lord and Sa¬ 
 viour Jefus Chrid. He makes all the church of¬ 
 ficers approach him to behold the gofpel, who 
 kifs the book as it lies open; but the laity are 
 only permitted to kifs it when fhut, and on Such 
 occafions it is carried to them covered with a 
 veil. The next part of the ceremony confids in 
 Singing the Nicene Creed, perfuming the altar 
 three times by the pried, while he looks to¬ 
 wards the ead, the walking of hands, the bleffing 
 of the people with the Sign of the crofs, and the 
 prayer for the kifs of peace, after which all the 
 congregation bow to each other, as a Sign that 
 they are living in a date of brotherly love and 
 Chridian friendfhip together. 
 
 With refpedt to the oblation itfelf, which cor¬ 
 responds with the canon of the mafs among the 
 Roman Catholics; the pried in the fird place, 
 breaks the hod into three pieces, and joins them 
 again fo artfully, that they do not Seem to have 
 been divided. This ceremony is accompanied 
 with feveral prayers and other adts of devotion. 
 Suitable to the occafion. They invoke the blef¬ 
 fing of the Holy Ghod upon the Sacred elements, 
 and they commemorate all the faints, and the 
 faithful departed this life. 
 
 When the pried elevates the bread, he Says, 
 fC Holy things are for thofe who are holy.” The 
 deacon holds up the wax taper and the crofs, and 
 the people lay prodrate on the ground, crying 
 out with an audible voice, {C Lord have mercy 
 tf upon us.” If the elevation be on a Sunday, 
 the people dand bare headed in an humble pof- 
 
 ture. 
 
An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of 
 
 ture, but on all working days, they worfhip with 
 their faces fixed down clofe to the ground, with 
 their caps off. 
 
 Previous to this part of the ceremony, the 
 deacon fays, <f Bow down your heads before the 
 “ Lord,” and the prieft {landing with his face 
 towards the congregation, with the holt upon the 
 patin, elevates it, and lays, <c Behold the bread 
 <c of the faints.” Then the people bow their 
 heads low, and fay, <c Bleffed is he that comes in 
 “ the name of the Lord.” Profound reverence, 
 and that of bowing the knee, is in all eaflern 
 countries confidered as a juft mark of refpeft 
 due to an earthly fovereign, and therefore we 
 need not be furprifed, that the ceremony is car¬ 
 ried further, even to proftration, when the Di¬ 
 vine Majefty is the objedt they confider them- 
 felves as approaching. 
 
 The Copti monks are, in all refpedls, as igno¬ 
 rant, and equally as much defpifed as thofe in 
 Ruffia, or among the Greeks in the Levant. 
 They are obliged to live in a continual ftate of 
 celibacy, to forfake their friends and relations, 
 and look down with contempt upon all the good 
 things of this world. They work hard in cul¬ 
 tivating the ground for a lubfiftence, which {hews 
 that at leaft, they are not fuch idle drones as fome 
 of the fame order in other countries. They drefs 
 in coarfe woollen cloth, with a leathern girdle 
 round their loins, and at nights lie upon a mat on 
 the ground. Before they lie down in the even¬ 
 ing, they proftrate themfelves one hundred and 
 fifty times, with their hands folded in the form 
 of a crofs. 
 
 As foon as they have finifined thefe proftrations, 
 which no doubt are extremely painful, they rife 
 up, and make the fign of the crofs leven times, 
 and then retire to reft. In every convent there 
 is a particular faint, and many ridiculous ftories 
 are told by the monks, concerning miracles 
 wrought by him. They keep lamps conftantly 
 burning in their churches before the images of 
 their faints. Thefe lamps hang diredtly before the 
 image, fo as to be feen by the prieft, and on each 
 fide of them are oftrich eggs, to remind him that 
 he ought to be vigorous and circumfpedt in the 
 exertion of his facred function. This cuftom 
 took its rife from the vulgar notion, that the 
 oftrich has her eyes continually fixed upon her 
 eggs, and by that means hatches them. 
 
 They begin their year on the eighth of Sep¬ 
 tember, and they obferve the Epiphany in a man¬ 
 ner different from the Ruffians, or any other 
 whom we have hitherto mentioned. The mid¬ 
 night fervice being over, the patriarch, or who¬ 
 ever officiates, retires to the veftry, but returns in 
 a fhort time dreffed in all his pontifical veftments, 
 attended by a prieft and a deacon. As foon as 
 they come to the confervatory, the patriarch be¬ 
 gins the benedidlion of the water, by reading 
 feveral leffons, fome in the Coptic and others in 
 the Arabic language, out of the Old Teftament. 
 He then mixes the water, and ftirs it feveral times 
 crofs ways with his paftoral ftaff. The priefts 
 who are prelent, repeat the fame ceremony after 
 him, and during this benedidtion there is a large 
 iron fconce, with three branches about fix feet 
 high, and in each of them a wax candle 
 burning. 
 
 When the benedidtion is over, the people 
 
 the SCHISMATICAL GREEKS* 299 
 
 plunge themfelves into the water, without any 
 regard to common decency or modefty in their 
 behaviour. After the men have w’afhed them- 
 felves, they withdraw to the choir, and then the 
 women move forwards with the fame irregularity, 
 to bear a part in this immodeft religious ceremo¬ 
 ny, which is not unlike fome of the feftivals of 
 the antient Pagans. 
 
 They have a feftival, which is perhaps the moft 
 ridiculous of any of thofe oblerved throughout 
 the world, by perfons calling themfelves Chrif- 
 tians. It is called the feftival of the Apparition 
 of Saints, and leems to be the effedl of the 
 groffeft ignorance. They are of opinion that 
 this apparition happens in the church of Ge- 
 miana, near to which is a chapel, where the con- 
 ftrudlion is fuch, that the refledlion of light upon 
 different objedls lays a foundation for their fu- 
 perftition. Here is great real'on to believe, that 
 the priefts do all in their power to cultivate this 
 notion ; which is not at all to be wondered at, 
 when we confider that men, who fpend moft of 
 their time in idlenefs under the fandtion of a 
 facred character, are generally engaged in hatch¬ 
 ing new lchemes, and fuch as will lupport their 
 own grandeur. 
 
 Sometimes they imagine they fee the appear¬ 
 ance of a man on horfeback, and this phantom 
 is worfhipped as St. George, becaufe that no¬ 
 minal, or rather imaginary faint, is always repre- 
 fented under fuch a figure. This apparition 
 makes its appearance three days together, and the 
 devotions of the people confift in loud accla¬ 
 mations of joy, and hymns lung in commemo¬ 
 ration of the faints, which are followed by all 
 forts of diverfions and feftivity. The only infe¬ 
 rence we can draw from fuch a ridiculous cere¬ 
 mony is, that it mult have taken its rife in the 
 dark ages of Chriftianity, when defigning priefts 
 invented whatever they pleafed, and when the 
 people were ready to fwallow the groffeft abfur- 
 dities. 
 
 Another feftival common among them, is 
 called the Exaltation of the Crofs, which is 
 likewile obferved by the Roman Catholics, but 
 with very different ceremonies, of which the fol¬ 
 lowing is a genuine account. 
 
 It is well known, that the fertility of Egypt' 
 depends upon the annual inundation of the ri¬ 
 ver Nile, which commences about the beginning 
 of June* and ends in the beginning of Septem¬ 
 ber. In times of Paganifm, a virgin was thrown 
 into the river ; but that barbarous cuftom is now 
 abolilhed, to make way for fuperftitious ceremo¬ 
 nies of a more innocent nature. The Mahometan 
 ceremonies, on this occafion, will be taken notice 
 of in their proper place, but at prefent we muft 
 attend to thofe of the Copti. 
 
 Thefe people, on the twelfth day of June, af- 
 femble together in their church at Cairo, and 
 having conlecrated a crofs, they carry it in fo- 
 lemn proceffion to the banks of the river, where 
 
 I the patriarch, billiop, or prieft incenfes it three 
 times and then throw’s it into the Nile, as an ac¬ 
 knowledgment that all the benefits of creation 
 and providence flow from the bountiful hand of 
 the Divine Being. This is fuch a Heathenilh 
 cuftom, that we are furprifed how it could ever 
 enter into the minds of people, profeffing them¬ 
 felves to be Chriftians to embrace itj but then 
 
 wc 
 
300 An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION 
 
 we trnift remember what was feen in a vifion by 
 St. John (Rev. xii) that when the woman fought 
 refuge in the wildernefs, the dragon fpewed out a 
 great flood, and the earth drank up the flood. 
 Now the meaning of this is, that when the inha¬ 
 bitants of the world had forfaken the pure truths 
 of the gofpel, the grand adveri’ary of mankind 
 taking advantage of their ignorance and fuperdi- 
 tion, and improving upon their natural depravity, 
 fent falfe teachers among them, and the multi¬ 
 tude greedily fwallowed the infectious dodtrines. 
 
 The Jefuits in their account of this ceremony 
 are mych to be blamed, for although enemies ! 
 to the Copti, yet they throw the whole odium 
 of the idolatrous part of the practice upon the 
 Mahometans. Here is an error indeed, but 
 fuch as might be expected to come from the 
 pens of men, prejudiced in favour of a parti¬ 
 cular fydem. It is well known, that the Maho¬ 
 metans abhor all forts of image worfhip, and 
 although they may have fome ridiculous cere¬ 
 monies amongd them, yet they have never been 
 proved to be idolators. Every Mahomatan is 
 obliged to acknowledge that both the Jewifli 
 and Chriftian difpenlations wereof divineoriginal, 
 and that neither the one or the other could have 
 been rendered ineffectual, unlefs the profefiors 
 of them had difhonoured God by their difobedi- 
 ence, trampled upon facred inditutions, and 
 fet at nought the moral precepts in the law 
 of Moles, and even rejected the gofpel of Chrid. 
 
 With refpeCt to the nuptial ceremonies of the 
 Copti, they are in many refpefts fimilar to thofe of 
 the Greeks in the Levant, nor indeed much diffe¬ 
 rent from thofe of the ancient Jews, of which we 
 have already given a copious account. All the 
 eadernChridians have fomething fofimilar among 
 them in religious rites and ceremonies, that we 
 are under the necelTity of believing, that what¬ 
 ever fentiments of purity they once embraced, 
 yet, confident with the corruption of human na¬ 
 ture, and the degeneracy of the times, they re¬ 
 turned back to heathenifh cuftoms, and are at 
 prelent little better than Pagans. 
 
 When the midnight fervice of mafs is over, 
 the bridegroom and bride are conducted from 
 their own apartment to the church, accompa¬ 
 nied by a long train of attendants with wax 
 tapers and other lights. During the proceffi- 
 on, feveral hymns are lung in the Coptic lan¬ 
 guage, and the attendants join in concert with 
 the mufic. The bridegroom is condudted into 
 the choir of the church, and the bride into the 
 place appointed for the reception of the wo¬ 
 men. Then the pried and the people begin fe¬ 
 veral hymns which they fing within the choir, 
 and this part of the ceremony takes up a con- 
 fiderable time. The pried then goes up to 
 the bridegroom and reads feveral prayers, mak¬ 
 ing the fign of the crols at the beginning and 
 ending of each, after which the bridegroom is 
 
 of the SCHISMATIC AL GREEKS. 
 
 ordered to fit down with his face towards the al¬ 
 tar, and the pried, holding a diver crofs over his 
 head, repeats two or three more prayers. 
 
 Whilft this ceremony is performing in the 
 choir, the iacridan, who in general is a deacon, 
 places a form or bench at the outer door for the 
 bride to fit on with one of her relations. I:i 
 that attitude die remains till the pried with his 
 attendants conducts the bridegroom from the 
 choir, and makes him fit down befide his fpoufe. 
 After this he fpreads a napkin over both of them, 
 and then anoints their foreheads and wrids with 
 oil, joining their hands together, as a dgnal of 
 their never being feparated till the hour of death. 
 Several prayers follow, and the whole ceremony 
 is concluded by the new married couple receiv¬ 
 ing the facrament of the eucharid, which is ad- 
 minidered to them at the altar. 
 
 In their funeral folemnities they are not much 
 different from fome of the other Greek Chrif- 
 tians, whom we have already mentioned, only 
 that, as the Greeks in the Levant hire female 
 mourners to make a hedious noife at the grave of 
 the decealed, here they hire both male and fe¬ 
 male. The interment is generally on the 
 third day after the deceafe of the perfon to be 
 buried, and it feldom happens, let their cir- 
 cumdances be ever fo poor, that they have lefs 
 than three or four hundred mourners, for it is 
 nothing at all to them whom they hire, fo as 
 they can only make a noife, which has the fame 
 effeCt upon the populace as if they were par¬ 
 ties concerned. 
 
 When the body is laid in the grave, the face 
 is turned eadvvard, and then all the hired 
 mourners kneel down and make the mod hide¬ 
 ous lamentations. Several priedsdrefled in black 
 attend on thefe folemnities, and as they are ge¬ 
 nerally dreffed like poor ragamuffins, lo they 
 make a mod defpicable appearance. They do 
 not ufe any coffins, which undoubtedly was the 
 original way of interment, but the decealed is 
 laid in the ground, drefled in the cloaths he wore 
 before he was taken ill. The pried throws the 
 mould over the corple in the form of a crofs, 
 and every one prefent follows his example. Upon 
 the whole we may learn from what has been here 
 related, that the Chridian religion was early 
 edabliffied among thefe people, but that while 
 the wedern or Latin church was endeavouring 
 to edabliffi the papal fupremany, thofe in the 
 ead were equally affiduous to obfcure the glory 
 of the gofpel. The Roman pontiffs conduced 
 their fchemes upon principles of the mod re¬ 
 fined policy, and made ufe of pagan ceremo¬ 
 nies as far as they luited their purpofes. The 
 eadern Greeks, on the other hand, being deprefled 
 by tyrannical powers, funk into the mod abjeCt 
 date of flavery, and introduced into their wor- 
 fhip fuch pagan rites and ceremonies as were 
 mod agreeable to their pcrverfe notions. 
 
 The 
 
( 3°i ) 
 
 The RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES of the 
 MARONITES. 
 
 T H E Maronites, although extremly nu- , 
 merous in the eaft, yet are but little ! 
 known to the Europeans, for moll of i 
 our modern travellers have confounded them with 
 the Greeks, who refide in the Lefter Afia. But ; 
 this is a very grofs miftake, for they not only 
 hold opinions contrary from thofe people, but 
 there is likewife a great difference in their cere- i 
 monies. Some time ago, as will appear from 
 the following narrative, they embraced fome 
 of the cuftoms of the church of Rome, but 
 although the latter pretends that both have 
 been reconciled together, yet the Maronites ftill 
 retain moft of their ancient cuftoms. 
 
 It is a very difficult matter juftly to determine 
 the origin of the Maronites. Such as go under 
 that denomination, however, infift, that one 
 Maro an abbot, who lived in the fifth century, 
 and whofe life was written by Theodoret, was 
 their firft founder. This notion, approved of 
 by Brerewood, is ftrenuoufly fupported by Sac- 
 chini the Jefuit, who, with the modern Maro¬ 
 nites, infills that thefe people never feparated 
 themfelves from the church, and are looked upon 
 as Schematics, only becaufe the revival of their 
 union with the Catholic church, has been mif- 
 taken for an adlual return to the Catholic faith, 
 and that the erroneous tenets which have been 
 difcovered amongfl: them, have been laid to their 
 charge, as if they had adhially been the authors; 
 whereas that misfortune arofe from the Heretics 
 redding amongfl them. But how probable fo- 
 ever this opinion may feem at firft view, there 
 is no manner of foundation to fupport it; and 
 the teftimonies of Eutychius, patriarch of Alex¬ 
 andria, William of Tyre, James of Vitry, and 
 feveral others, are fo many inconteftable demoni- 
 trations, that this nation has a&ually efpoufed 
 the tenets of the Monothelites. Such as look 
 on Monothelifm as a herefy, mud likewife pro¬ 
 nounce Maro to be a Heretic, although the Ma¬ 
 ronites mention him as a faint in their liturgy. 
 This, therefore, mud be allowed beyond all con- 
 tradidlion, that thefe people after they had dif- 
 fented from the church for five hundred years, 
 made a public recantation of their real or ima¬ 
 ginary herefy before Aymcric, patriarch of An¬ 
 tioch, who was contemporary with William of 
 Tyre. Before that time they owned but one will 
 and one operation in Jefus Chrift, notwithftand- 
 in°- they acknowledged both his natures. 
 
 “phe Maronites have a patriarch, who refides 
 in tire convent of Canubin upon mount Libanus, 
 and afl'umes the title of patriarch of Antioch. 
 Tie never concerns himfelf with the adminiftra- 
 tion of any civil affairs ; but there are two lords, 
 who are diftinguithed by the name of deacons, 
 or adminiftrators, and govern all the country 
 26 
 
 which is under the jurifdiftion of the Turks, 
 to whom they pay very confiderable tributes. 
 This patriarch is eledted by the clergy and peo¬ 
 ple according to the antient conftitutions of the 
 church. Twelve of their chief priefts, who re- 
 prefent, without doubt, the twelve apoftles, meet 
 together in the convent of Canubin for this 
 election. This method of proceeding is by feru- 
 tiny, and when they are all agreed, the clergy 
 and the people jointly confirm their choice. If 
 this ferutinv fhould happen to fail of luccefs, 
 they proceed to eleftion by way of arbitration, 
 that is to fay, three out of the twelve are chofen 
 to make the eledtion, which is afterwards con¬ 
 firmed by the people. Ever fmee they have been 
 partially reconciled to the Romifh church, the 
 patriarch eledt has been obliged to procure the 
 pope’s bulls of confirmation. He and his fuf- 
 fragan bilhops are obliged to live in an uninter¬ 
 rupted ftate of celibacy; and it is remarkable, 
 there are two forts of prelates amongfl: them : 
 One fort are adtually bilhops, having an adlual 
 title, and people under tireir jurifdidtion; the 
 others are, properly fpeaking, no more than 
 abbots of convents, and have no cure of fouls. 
 Thefe latter wear no epifcopal habit, nor have 
 any particular mark or badge of their prefer¬ 
 ment, but a drefs like the other monks, except 
 when they fing mals, and then indeed they wear 
 a mitre and crofter by way of diftindtion. The 
 patriarch, not being able to vifit all mount Liba¬ 
 nus himfelf, bas always two or three bilhops rea¬ 
 dy to afiift him. Befides the bilhops who refide 
 at mount Libanus, there are others at Damas, 
 at Aleppo, and in the illand of Cyprus. 
 
 As to the other .ecclefiaftics, they have free li¬ 
 berty to marry before their ordination ; nay, the 
 patriarch not long fince obliged them either to 
 enter into the married ftate, or to turn monks, 
 before he would admit them into holy orders ; 
 for the people, who are naturally jealous, cannot 
 endure to fee young priefts unmarried. However, 
 fince there is a college at Rome, where fome of 
 their ecclefiaftics have their education, they are 
 allowed to live Angle without moleftation on that 
 account. Before they Iludied at Rome, they 
 I were very little wifer than the common people, 
 and never aimed at any higher qualifications than 
 barely reading and writing. They are thought 
 ! learned, who, befides the Arabic, which is the 
 1 mother tongue, have fome knowledge of the 
 j Chaldaic, becaufe their liturgies, and other office 
 books are written in that language. 
 
 The monadic life is no lefs in vogue amonft 
 the Maronites than amongfl: the other eaftern 
 nations. Their monks are of the order of St. 
 Anthony, and in all probability they are the re- 
 | mains of thofe ancient hermits, who refided in 
 G g g g the 
 
302 An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION 
 
 the defarts of Syria and Paleftine; for they live 
 retired in the moft fecret places amongft the 
 mountains, and the moft diftant from all com¬ 
 merce and converfation. Their habits are poor 
 and coarfe; they eat no flefh meats, though ne¬ 
 ver fo much indifpol'ed, and feldom if ever drink 
 any wine. They have no notion of making fo- 
 lemn vows and engagements; but when they are 
 admitted into the convent, one of the fociety, 
 with a book in his hand, reads over fome few of 
 their rules, and exhorts them to be mindful of 
 their duty; as for inftance, to be chafte, and that 
 is deemed fufficient without making vows as they 
 do in the Romifh church, ftridtly to obferve and 
 pradliffe that virtue. They have money and ef- 
 fetfts of their own, which they have a power to 
 devife and difpofe of at their deceafe. And when 
 their inclination leads them to quit one convent, 
 and live in another, they may do it without afic- 
 ing leave of their fuperior: They can perform no 
 eccleliaftical office, fuch as preaching, or con- 
 fefiing ; fo that their devotions are aJl private, 
 without any public worffiip for the help of their 
 neighbours. They are all handy-craftfmen, and 
 pradtife agriculture, according to their firft infti- 
 tution. They are hofpitable to the laft degree, 
 particularly thole in the convent of Canubin, 
 who keep open houfe all the year round. We 
 fhall take no notice here of their tenets, becaufe 
 there is no other difference between them and the 
 other people of the eaft, but in their fchifm, 
 which they have at prefent renounced, being par¬ 
 tially reconciled to the church of Rome. They 
 even confecrate the eucharift with unleavened 
 bread : It is very probable they never obferved 
 that cuftom till their reconciliation with Rome, 
 notwithftanding the modern Maronites infift, 
 that they never made ufe of leavened bread for 
 that facrament. 
 
 Their mals is very different from that of the 
 Latin, but fince their Miflal has been reformed 
 at Rome, they are ftridlly enjoined to make ufe 
 of that, and no other. Every part of their di¬ 
 vine fervice is celebrated with abundance of in- 
 cenfe ; efpecially their mafs, wherein they made 
 ufe of no maniple, nor ftole as the Latins do, nor 
 even of chafubles, except fince they have had 
 fome Pent them from Rome. But inftead of a 
 maniple, they wore two fmall pieces of filk, or 
 ftained linen upon each arm, either fewed to their 
 albe, or laid iool'e upon it. Thepriefts never ce¬ 
 lebrate the mafs leparately as the Latins do ; 
 but all together furrounding the altar, where 
 they affift the celebrant who adminifters the eu¬ 
 charift to them all. The laity receive the com¬ 
 munion in both kinds ; but the pope’s miffiona- 
 ries are daily introducing the cuftom of admi- 
 niftering it in one only ; they are not of opinion 
 that the confecration confifts in thefe words, 
 tc This is my body, &c.” “ This is my blood, 
 tc &c.” but in a much longer form of words, 
 wherein is concluded that prayer which is 
 generally called the Invocation of the Holy 
 Ghoft. At prefent, however, they follow that 
 particular, and feveral others, the opinions of 
 the Latin divines, which they have learnt at 
 Rome. As totheir other offices, they perform them 
 in the church, to which they relort at midnight 
 to fing matins, or rather the night office. They 
 
 of the SCHISM AT I C A L GREEKS. 
 
 fay lauds, which may properly be called their 
 prime, at break of day. Tierce is rehearfed be¬ 
 fore mafs, and fexte immediately after it. Nones 
 are fung after dinner, and velpers at fun-let; 
 and laftly, complines, after fupper, before they 
 go to bed. There is an introduction befides two 
 or three, and fometimes a greater number of 
 prayers, with the like number of hymns in every 
 office. They have moreover particular offices for 
 the Week-days, for Lent, Moveable-feafts, and 
 other Holy-days. The priefts and other inferior 
 clergy thought themfelves exculed from the per¬ 
 formance of divine fervice, when they could not 
 affift at the choir, till the Latins lately obliged 
 them to fay them in private notwithftanding. 
 
 The Maronites always begin their offices with 
 feveral prayers, which are addreffed to Jefus 
 Chrift, as their Mediator and Redeemer. They 
 never pray to the Bleffed Virgin, and the Saints, 
 feparately from Jefus Chrift. They teftify, how¬ 
 ever, a peculiar veneration for the former, and 
 in their commemoration of her, are laviffi in her 
 praifes: which, according to Father Simon, from 
 whom we have extracted thefe remarks, are in¬ 
 troduced only to honour her extraordinary merit. 
 
 I he Maronites, when they pray, never implore 
 either her or any of the faints meditation ; for 
 they acknowledge Jefus Chiift as the only Medi¬ 
 ator. Yet they humbly beg that by their prayers,, 
 czc. they would aid and affift them to obtain the 
 divine mercy. 
 
 Their fafts are very different from ours. They 
 keep only Lent, during which they never eat till 
 two or three hours before fun-let. They never 
 faff; in the Ember-weeks, nor on the vigils of any 
 of the ftiints days, nor before any other feftivals 
 whatfoever ; but inftead thereof, they have other 
 ftated times for falling, which they obferve with 
 the utmoft ftridtnefs and aufterity; for they ab- 
 ftain from flefti, e zgs, and milk twice a week, that 
 is to fay, on Wcdnefdays and Fridays, and upon 
 thofe days, nothing ever enters their lips till 
 noon; after which they may indulge themfelves 
 as much and as often as they think convenient. 
 They faff: after the fame manner twenty days be¬ 
 fore the Nativity of our Bleffed Saviour. Their 
 monks extend the obfervance of it much longer. 
 Before the feftival of St. Peter and St. Paul, they 
 all faff: fifteen days, and as many before the Af- 
 fumption of the Bleffed Virgin. 
 
 Their bifhops never wait as is the pradlice of 
 the Latin church, till the Ember-weeks, for the 
 ordination of the clergy ; but give holy orders 
 on any feftival whatfoever. Before the late refor- 
 | mation was introduced into their church, they 
 ! conferred in one day, on the fame perfon, the 
 I feveral orders of reader, exorcift, acolyte, fub- 
 I deacon, deacon, prieft, arch-prieft, and bilhop; 
 
 and all within the compafs of two or three hours. 
 
 : It is obfervable, that the ceremonies of making 
 I an arch-prieft, are as folemn as for conferring 
 I other orders, and it feems, they look upon it as a 
 diftindt order from the reft. 
 
 They preferve no water in their fonts that has 
 been confecrated on Eaftcr-eve for the admini- 
 fixation of the facrament of baptifin, as is done 
 in the Latin church : But whenever, and as of¬ 
 ten as any one is to be baptized, they blefs the 
 water with a great number of prayers; then they 
 
 plunge 
 
An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of the SCHISMATICAL GREEKS. 303 
 
 plunge the perfon to be baptized, three times into 
 the water, which is made warm before-hand, or 
 pour fome of it upon him three times. They 
 pronounce, however, the form of words requilite 
 but once naming the perfon. They never ufe 
 any fait, and not only anoint the head but the 
 bread: likewife, with the palms of their hands, i 
 They, moreover, anoint their bodies from head 
 to foot, both before and behind. Befides this ' 
 undlion, which is performed before baptifm, they | 
 have another fubfequent to it, which is, properly 
 fpeaking, the confirmation amongft the eaftern j 
 nations; but that cuftom has been abolifhed 
 ever fince the reconciliation with the Roman 
 church, and their adminiftration of that facra- 
 ment according to the Latin form. At their 
 baptifm, the godfather never holds the infant at 
 the font ; but the pried: takes it out of the font, 
 and wraps it up in a linen cloth. 
 
 Formerly, they concerned themfelves very little 
 about confeflion before their receiving the holy 
 communion, but the Romifh miflionaries have 
 lately obliged them to it. The priefts likewife in 
 general had an equal authority in all matters re¬ 
 lating to penance before their reformation. There 
 were no particular cafes referred to their patri¬ 
 archs or bifliops. Dandini complains that the 
 duty of confeflion is mod: fhamefully negledted 
 by the Maronites. It mud: be acknowledged, 
 that not only they, but the eaftern nations in ge¬ 
 neral, are much more remifs in this particular, 
 than the Latins. As to the pofture, fome confefs 
 themfelves Handing, others fitting, but mod: of 
 them upon their knees. Their ghoftly fathers 
 impofe upon them public penances, for public 
 offences, and private, for fecret fins. Their pe¬ 
 nances confift principally in falling, alms-deeds, 
 pilgrimages, and proftrations. Their father con- 
 fcffors are, for the generality, directed by the pe- 
 nitentials, or penance books, publilhed for their 
 afliflance on thefe occafions. Amongft thole 
 who negledt confeflion, fome under pretence of 
 confefling their fins to God alone, will whifper 
 their tranfgreffions through the crannies which 
 they meet with in the church walls. Before their 
 converfion to popery, in fome meafure, they 
 lbewed little veneration for the blefied lacrament 
 of the eucharift, which was locked up in a little 
 box, without any lights, and hid in fome hole or 
 corner of their churches. Neither did they pub- 
 lidi the banns of matrimony in their churches, 
 before the nuptials were adlually folemnized : 
 They applied themfelves to the nrft pried: they 
 couldfindupon thefe occafions, not thinking it ne- 
 ceflary to havercourfe to the particular curates of 
 their refpedtive parifhes. Moreover, before that 
 time, young people were married under twelve and 
 fourteen years of age. And as to the legal im¬ 
 pediments of matrimony, their cuftom was vaftly 
 different from that now pradtifed in the Roman 
 church ; for in their table of degrees of conlan- 
 guinity, they not only traced their lineage from 
 the head, but they included the two branches 
 which ftioot from it, imagining that two perfons, 
 though in the fame degree, as for inftance, two 
 brothers made two degrees ; fo that though they 
 married but in the fixth degree, according to 
 their calculation, they married in effect in the 
 third ; and on the other hand, they looked upon 
 that to be an impediment which was none, for they 
 
 would not allow two brothers to marry two fillers, 
 nor a father and fon to marry a widow and her 
 daughter. 
 
 They make ufe of a particular undlion for their 
 fick, which they call the lamp ; becaufe they ac¬ 
 tually make ufe of the oil which is contained in 
 fuch vefi'el, after the following manner. They 
 make a little cake, femething larger than a hoft, 
 and put upon it feven pieces of cotton twilled 
 with little pieces of ftraw, and put altogether in¬ 
 to a bafon with fome oil in it: After that, having 
 read a gofpel, and an epiftle of St. Paul, with 
 fome prayers, they fet fire to all the cotton. In 
 the next place, they anoint with this oil, the fore¬ 
 head, breaft, and arms of all thofe who are pre- 
 lent, and the fick perfon in particular, faying at 
 each undlion, “ May the Almighty by his facred 
 undlion pardon all thy fins, and ftrengthen thy 
 limbs, as he did thofe of the poor man who was 
 troubled with the palfy.” Then they let the 
 lamp burn till all the oil is exhaufted and as this 
 j oil is blefied by a prieft only, abundance of peo¬ 
 ple have imagined, that this ceremony is not the 
 facrament of extreme undlion, fince it is fre- 
 I quently adminiftered to fuch as are but nightly 
 1 indifpofed. Such, however, as have an idea of 
 the oriental theology, will be readily induced to 
 believe, that thofe people had no other facrament 
 of extreme undlion before the innovations made 
 by the Latins ■, tor the term of extreme undlion 
 is peculiar to the Romans j becaufe they never 
 anoint their fick but when they are in danger of 
 deaths which is a cuftom the Chriftians of the 
 Levant are ftrangers to. 
 
 Before v/e conclude this differtation on the Ma¬ 
 ronites, we lhall give the reader an abftradt of 
 Father Beffon the Jefuit’s refledtions upon them 
 in his treatife, entitled Syria Sacra, wherein he 
 takes notice chiefly of thofe Maronites, who re- 
 fide in that part of mount Libanus, called Quef- 
 roan. This Jefuit is of opinion, that the Ma¬ 
 ronites are derived from St. Maro a Syrian ab¬ 
 bot, and not of Maro the arch-heretic j and 
 amongft feveral other proofs which he produces, 
 he infills, that it is cuftomary for the Maronites, 
 after their clergy and the people have eledted a 
 patriarch, to have recourfe to the pope for his 
 confirmation. But he ought to have confidered 
 that they had no recourfe to Rome on that ac¬ 
 count, till fince their ftridt alliance with the La¬ 
 tins. He adds, moreover, that John of Damas 
 could not pofiibly be a ftranger to the herefy of 
 the Maronites, in cafe they had been heretics in 
 fadt, becaufe he was their neighbour j and yet he 
 has not fo much as once mentioned them in his 
 long catalogue of herefies; but that was not ne- 
 ceffary, as they are comprehended in the herefy of 
 the Monothelites. 
 
 The author beforementioned briefly relates 
 what Dandini the Jefuit, and feme other of his 
 fraternity have done amongft the Maronites, and 
 we have related it more at large, and added there¬ 
 to fome neceflarv refledtions. All that can be laid 
 is, that this miflionary is, in our opinion, more 
 weak than the others, where he treats of the 
 religious principles of the Maronites. For which 
 realon we believe one ought not to give any cre¬ 
 dit to a miracle produced by him as an incon- 
 tellable proof tff the orthodoxy of the Maronites. 
 He infills, that about three miles from Canubin, 
 
 not 
 
3 <H An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION 
 
 not far from a town called Eden, there is a Me¬ 
 tropolitan church, that goes by the name of St. 
 Sergius, upon the top whereof there is a chapel 
 dedicated to St. Abdon, and St. Sennan, and a 
 fountain of water which runs under the altar, 
 during the celebration of loafs, on the feftival 
 obl'erved in commemoration of thefe two faints. 
 He adds, moreover, that notwithftanding this 
 remarkable day is one of their moveable feafts, 
 being always annexed to the firft Sunday in the 
 month of May, there is no variation in the cur¬ 
 rent of this fountain, which is conftantly regu¬ 
 lated by the firft Sunday in May, and has been 
 fo ever fince the calender has been reformed by 
 pope Gregory the Xlllth. We are very well fa- 
 tisfied, however, that this ftory was invented 
 purely to ferve a turn, and in ail probability to 
 give a fandtion to the reformation of that calen¬ 
 der, which thefe people have refufed to admit of 
 on feveral occafions. But what is ftill a more 
 manifeil teftimony that this miracle is fpurious, 
 is, as our author affaires us, that this fountain, 
 which thus runs under the altar during mafs, has 
 a more rapid ftream when the pried elevates the 
 holt; not confidering, that the Maronites never 
 elevate the hod as the Latins do. Father Beffon, 
 however, relates this miracle, as fufficient to 
 judify that extraordinary veneration which the 
 Maronites have for the Roman church, in oppo- 
 fition to the other eadern nations, and at the 
 fame time to edablilh the reformation of the 
 calender. In that account, likewife, we are in¬ 
 formed, that the Maronites are very courteous, 
 and make ufe of the mod obliging terms to 
 affure their friends of their readinefs to do what 
 is defired of them; that it is a common expref- 
 fion amongd them, God Almighty is a good 
 and gracious Being, and will give fuccefs to their 
 undertakings; that the name of the Lord or 
 dome of his divine attributes are introduced in 
 every fentence almod of their common con- 
 verfation. 
 
 If thefe people, however, are naturally fo af¬ 
 fable and complaifant, they are likewife, fays the 
 fame author, very fickle and incondant : When 
 they have heard a very pathetic fcrmon, you (hall 
 find them all fully bent on converdon and an 
 unfeigned confeffion of all their fins; but when 
 they come to the trial they feem altogether dupid 
 and inlenfible: Their women, indeed, are ex¬ 
 tremely moded, but the richer they are, the lefs 
 they go to church ; infomuch that in order to 
 exprefis a lady’s quality, it is cudomary to fay of 
 her, that (he never goes to mafs but at Eader, 
 and that not every year. When a young virgin 
 is married, (he will day at home for two years 
 together, without once attending mafs ; and will 
 yet go to the public baths, or any folemn mar¬ 
 riage entertainments. They are banilhed, as it 
 were, from their churches, as the Turkilh wo¬ 
 men are from their Mofques. There is a con¬ 
 vent of nuns, however, of the order of St. An¬ 
 thony, the members whereof are highly efteem- 
 ed for their fandlity. This edifice is, indeed, no 
 more than a church, wherein thefe nuns are ftov- 
 ed up dole, like pigeons in their holes, in little 
 corners, artfully contrived between the eleva¬ 
 tion of the arch-roof and the terras. Thefe 
 cells are fo low that but few of the nuns can 
 
 of the SCHISM AT IC A L GREEKS. 
 
 dand upright, or turn themfelves round in them. 
 Their whole time is fpent in Tinging divine fer- 
 vice, in contemplation, prayer, and work. Their 
 prayers begin about two in the morning, and as 
 loon as it is break of day they go to work, and 
 fpend their time in cultivation of the gardens, 
 and other grounds belonging to the convent. 
 
 To conclude, father Beffon, in the lecond 
 part of his differtation, wherein he treats at large 
 on the natural averfion which is conlpicuous be¬ 
 tween the Syrians and the Franks, allures us, time 
 in Syria there is but one mafs for the generality 
 celebrated in one day, even upon Sundays ; that 
 there are but few altars, and fewer celebrants. 
 That the Syrians in general, the Maronites only 
 excepted, confecrate with leavened bread; that 
 fuch prieds as do not officiate are neverthelefs 
 prefent at mafs in their rank, but in their com¬ 
 mon habits except the deacons, or fubdeacons. 
 In fhort, that all of them receive the commu¬ 
 nion in both kinds; except the Maronites, who 
 receive a particle dipt in the blood of our Lord, 
 though they do not celebrate. 
 
 Although what has been already offered with 
 refpedt to the Maronites may feem grounded on a 
 very folid foundation, yet a learned Maronite 
 who was profeflor of Arabic in the college of 
 fcience at Rome, has ufed his utmofi: endea¬ 
 vours to demondrate, that his countrymen were 
 never guilty of the herefy imputed to their charge, 
 and that Maron was no Heretic, but on the con¬ 
 trary a holy and orthodox Chridian. Gabriel of 
 Sion, and after him Abraham Ecchellenfis like¬ 
 wife propofed to write in defence of the Maro¬ 
 nites and their favourite founder, but their apo¬ 
 logies never appeared in public. Faudus Nai- 
 ron, however, the abovenamed Abraham’s rela¬ 
 tion and fucceffor, not long ago publifhed an 
 apology for them in a differtation, printed ac 
 Rome, wherein, according to the received notion 
 of the Maronites, he proves from the tedimonies 
 of Theodoret, St. John Chryfodom, and feveral 
 other authors, that Maron, from whom the Ma¬ 
 ronites have their denomination, is the very in¬ 
 dividual perfon who lived in the year 400, and 
 who is particularly mentioned in the Methology 
 of the Greeks. He adds, thar the difciples of 
 this abbot Maron were dilperfed all over Syria, 
 where they eredted feveral convents, and amongd 
 others that famous one under his own name, 
 (ituate near the river Orontes. The fame author 
 infids, moreover, that all thofe amongd the Sy¬ 
 rians, who were not infedted with any herefy 
 whatever, (heltered themfelves under the pro- 
 tedtion of thefe dilciples of abbot Maron, whom 
 the Heretics of thofe times called Maronites for 
 that very reafon. It would have been a great 
 iacisfadtion had Nairon produced fome tedimo¬ 
 nies in favour of this notion which were not fo 
 remote from thofe times; neither ought we en¬ 
 tirely to rely on the authority of Thomas arch- 
 biffiop of Kfartab, who lived, as is afferted, 
 about the eleventh century, notwithdanding that 
 prelate was one of che Monothelites; for upon 
 a drift and impartial examination, we (hall find 
 that thefe authors were very incorredt with refpedt 
 to hidorical facts; that they mentioned as antient 
 occurrences, the more modern tranfadtions of 
 their own times, and even borrowed them from 
 
 fuch 
 
An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of the SCHISMATICAL GREEKS. 
 
 3°5 
 
 fuch books of the Maronites as were published 
 fince their reconciliation with the church of 
 Rome. 
 
 What Nairon in his apology for his country¬ 
 men has produced to invalidate the teftimony of 
 William of Tyre, who is an accurate author, 
 and has mentioned the herefy of the Maronites 
 as being an eye-witnefs of it, feems mod likely 
 to be true. For he allures us, that the before- 
 mentioned William has taken the greateft part 
 of his hiftory from the annals of Said Ebn Ba- 
 trick, otherwife Eutychius of Alexandria ; and 
 that as Eutychius is very incorredt in abundance 
 of fadts which he relates, it is not any ways fur- 
 prifing that William of Tyre fhould be milled 
 and be guilty of the fame miftakes. Eutychius 
 according to Nairon, allures us, that Maron the 
 Monothelite flourilhed in the reign of the em¬ 
 peror Mauricius, notwithftanding there was no 
 fuch thing, at that time, as Monothelifm ever 
 heard of. But if the authority of the Arabian 
 hiftorians is to be looked upon as invalid, on 
 account of their inaccuracy in point of chrono¬ 
 logy, we mud in fliort rejedt them all. In the 
 point before us, we fhould not rely fo much on 
 the authority of William of Tyre, with refpedt 
 to his quotations from the annals of Eutychius, 
 as to his own particular teftimony, treating of an 
 occurrence in his own time, under Aymeric, 
 patriarch of Antioch, who caufed the Maronites 
 of that country to renounce their pretended errors. 
 
 There is no manner of probablity in what 
 Nairon has quoted from an Arabian hiftory, 
 which had long before been produced by Quare- 
 fimus, viz. That Maron went from Antioch to 
 Rome, with a legate or envoy of pope Honorius, 
 who conftituted Maron, on account of his ortho¬ 
 dox principles, patriarch of Antioch. We (hall 
 omit feveral other records of the like nature, 
 which are no where to be met with but in the 
 Arabian hiftories, which were compofed after the 
 reconciliation of the Maronites with the Roinifh 
 church. Such as are ever fo little acquainted 
 with ecclefiaftical hiftory may eafily imagine, that 
 thefe hiftories have no foundation in antiquity, 
 and that the Maronites and other eaftern nations, 
 who are no critics in hiftory, have related feveral 
 things as tranfadted in antient times, which were 
 never heard of till a century or two ago. It is 
 likewife on the fame foundation, that the autho¬ 
 rity of John Maron is rejedted, whofe annota¬ 
 tions on St. James’s liturgy, are not fo antient as 
 fome have imagined, containing feveral fadts of 
 more modern date by feveral centuries. However, 
 the Maronites, who infift they have all along pre- 
 ferved their faith entirely pure and uncorrupted, 
 impute the errors which are to be met with in 
 fome of their own authors, to the Heretics their 
 neighbours, who have ibwn thofe tares amongft 
 them, and even prevailed on fome of the Ma¬ 
 ronites to embrace their erroneous tenets; and 
 thus, although the Maronites infift, that they 
 have never deviated from the true faith, yet it 
 mull: be acknowledged, that there have been fome 
 of their countrymen, who have maintained the 
 very fame principles as the Jacobites. Peter, 
 patriarch of the Maronites, in a letter of his to 
 cardinal Caraflfa, allures him, that the errors 
 which have crept into fome of their writings, 
 ought to be imputed to their neighbours. 
 
 We think it highly requifite to infert in this 
 place, the chief articles of the belief of the antient 
 Maronites, and fome particular tenets afcribed 
 to them before their reconciliation withthe La¬ 
 tin church. Befides their dodtrine relating to the 
 proceftion of the Holy Ghoft, which w s the 
 fame with that generally received amongft the 
 Greeks, and the herefy of the Monothelites 
 which has been afcribed to them, fome have 
 alfo imputed to their charge, the following extra¬ 
 ordinary notions, that all the three perfons in the 
 facred trinity became incarnate j that there is no 
 original fin nor purgatory ; that the fouls of men, 
 at their departure from their refpedtive bodies, 
 neither take their flight to heaven nor defcend to 
 hell, but that they wait for the general day of 
 judgement in fomeplacewhere they are altogether 
 infenfible; that all fouls were created from the 
 beginning of the world; that it is no crime to 
 renounce their faith outwardly in cafe they retain 
 it in their hearts. They were of opinion, like¬ 
 wife, as we are informed, that a hufband might 
 put away his wife for the guilt of adultery, or 
 any other heinous offence, and marry again; that 
 fuch Heretics as renounce their errors ought to be 
 rebaptized; that a child ought not to be baptiz¬ 
 ed till the days of its mother’s purification fhould 
 be accomplifhed: The female lex ought to be 
 excluded from the affemblies of the faithful, and 
 be debarred from receiving the eucharift during 
 their periodical purgations. Moreover, they ad- 
 miniftered the communion with unleavened bread, 
 and always refufed giving it to the fick when in 
 danger of death. They never ate any animal 
 whatever that had been ftrangled in i'ts blood. 
 And in fine, they ordained children fubdeacons 
 at five or fix years of age. We fhall purpofely 
 avoid the repetition of feveral cuftoms, and fe¬ 
 veral points of dodtrine which have already been 
 fufficiently difcuffed, and fhall likewife omit 
 fome others, which are of little or no impor¬ 
 tance, and fhall only mention fome ceremonies 
 which are peculiar to the modern Maronites, and 
 fome cuftoms which, in our opinion, are worthy 
 of the reader’s attention. 
 
 Thefe Maronites retain a kind of veneration 
 for their cedars, and vifit them with much devo¬ 
 tion, Specially on the feftival of the transfigu¬ 
 ration. On that day a folemn mafs is celebrated 
 at the-foot of a tall cedar, on a rural altar, made 
 of ftones laid one upon another. They carry the 
 teftimonies of their reverence and refpedt to their 
 priefts fo far, as never to meet them, without 
 afking their blefling ; nor undertake an af¬ 
 fair till they have not only afked, but obtained 
 that favour. This veneration likewife for their 
 priefts deters them, when at table, from eating 
 or drinking any more after the prieft has clofed 
 the meal by the fign of the crofs, and the re¬ 
 cital of fome prayers. Dandini, the pope’s nun¬ 
 cio informs us, that the Maronite priefts fay but 
 one mafs a day in one place, and that fome of 
 them perform it bare-foot; that on their faft- 
 days they do not fay mafs till noon, and during 
 Lent, till two or three hours before lun-fet. Moft 
 of them, continues he, fpread their fingers as 
 wide after confecration as before, and make no 
 fcruple of touching any thing whatfoever. 
 
 The women are never placed at church amongft 
 the men. The latter place themlelves at the 
 H h h h upper 
 
An ACCOUNT of the CHRISTIANS of St. JOHN, &c. 
 
 306 
 
 upper end of the church, the former at the lower, 
 as near aspoffible to the door; that they may with¬ 
 draw as foon as divine fervice is over, and be leen 
 by nobody : And father Beffon informs us, that 
 the men have not only cliftinplaces from the 
 women, but different curates. Dandini the mif- 
 fionary, however affures us, that the women vifit 
 the convents, walk round their gardens and eat 
 and lodge there. 
 
 We have already obferved, that the Maronites 
 never publilh the banns of marriage as the Eu¬ 
 ropeans do. They have no recourfe to their pro¬ 
 per parilh prieft, when they want to be married, 
 but without any diflinftion, make ufe of the Srft 
 they can find. To conclude, they never regifter 
 the names of the bridegroom or bride, nor of the 
 ■witneffes, nor in (hort the time when, or the place 
 where their nuptials are folemnized, which Ihame- 
 ful negleft gives a fanftion to divers ill praftices 
 amongft them. 
 
 Extreme unftion is likewife omitted by them, 
 and their fick perfons who are paft recovery are 
 equally difregarded ; for after they have fupplied 
 them with a crofs and a little incenfe they let 
 them expire without any further ceremony. They 
 bemoan the lofs of the dead, with outcries and 
 hideous lamentations, accompanied with many 
 contorfions; which is a demonftration, as we 
 have before obferved, that all people obl'erve the 
 cultoms peculiar to their refpeftive countries. 
 There are no provifions, for decency fake, dreffed 
 for fome confiderable time at the houfe of the 
 deceafed. The relations and friends bring vic¬ 
 tuals and drink with them, and there eat with, 
 and endeavour to alleviate the forrows of the 
 mourners. 
 
 In their funerals they have many cuftoms, en¬ 
 tirely Heathenifh, which is not much to be won¬ 
 dered at, when we confider how long it is fince 
 
 the gofpel was firft preached among them ; for 
 every thing, let it be ever fo valuable is foon 
 corrupted, when men introduce into it lomething 
 inconfiftent with if. It was owing to this, that 
 all the innovations we meet with in the different 
 profelfions, forms, fyftems, rites and ceremonies 
 of theChriftian religion took place. The Roman 
 Catholics have gratified ambition by policy; the 
 Greeks, by apufillanimous meannefs, have nouri fir¬ 
 ed ignorance; the Ruffians, notwithftanding all 
 the real, or pretended improvements they have 
 made in the arts of war, and in commerce, yet 
 pay very little regard to the interefts of religion, 
 which is the grand ornament of human life. The 
 real truth is, the Ruffians are more eager to imi¬ 
 tate the follies of their neighbours, than make any 
 improvement upon their own manners; and the 
 Greeks in the Levant, have neither learning, 
 knowledge, virtue, fortitude, nor ambition. The 
 pifture here drawn is undoubtedly in fable 
 fhades, but while the author writes he feels as a 
 man, and pities as a Chriftian. He is affefted to 
 find that the moft divine knowledge in the 
 world, fhould be in a manner totally neg- 
 lefted, or at lead: but little regard paid to it. 
 But if it is fo in Ruffia, where power is not want¬ 
 ing, and in Greece, where the oppreffed people 
 pay little regard to their eternal interefts; what 
 fhall we fay of thefe nominal Chriftians, of whom 
 we have now given an account. However, to 
 conclude this melancholy detail, we fhall men¬ 
 tion the rites and ceremonies of another left, 
 which although called Chriftian, fcarcely de- 
 ferves that name, but indeed they have different 
 appellations, which are not worth being attended 
 to. A general account of thefe people will na¬ 
 turally lead us to the Tartars and Mahometans, 
 according to the plan laid down in the begin¬ 
 ning. 
 
 Of the NASSERIES, KELBITES, and 
 CHRISTIANS of St. JOHN. 
 
 T HE Nafferies are to be diftinguifhed 
 from the Nazariens, or, as the Maho¬ 
 metans call them, Naffairious, who con- 
 ftitute afeft amongft the difciples of Ali. The 
 Mahometan Nazariens ale of opinion, that the 
 deity can unite itfelf corporally with the human 
 nature. Upon this principle, borrowed from the 
 Chriftian fyftem, they believe that the deity is 
 ftriftly united with feveral of their imaginary 
 faints or Mahometan prophets, and particularly 
 with Ali. The Nafferies of whom we are (peak¬ 
 ing, are in truth neither Mahometans nor Chril- 
 tians. What follows is the cleared account we 
 can find of the Nafferies: Kelbia is the name of 
 a country inhabited by thefe Nafferies, a name 
 which in Italian is Chriftiannaccio, that is to fay, 
 
 a bad Chriftian. The extent of the country 
 where they refide is two days journey in length, 
 and the fame in breadth by the fea coaft, from 
 Tortoza to Laodicea. Thefe Nafferies are very 
 much addifted to pilfering and ftealing ; but in 
 other refpefts they are very chafte. Their wo¬ 
 men appear abroad unveiled, which is a cuftom 
 obferved by none of the eaftern nations but them- 
 felves. If a ftranger happens to pafs by, and de¬ 
 fines to be direfted in his way, a courteous young 
 damfel will fometimes accompany him tor three 
 or four miles together; but this is attended with 
 dangerous confequences, for fhould the traveller 
 chance to caft an amorous glance upon his indul¬ 
 gent guide, fo as to create in her the lead 
 lufpicion, Ihe will murder him if fhe can, or 
 
 othejrwife. 
 
An ACCOUNT of the CHRISTIANS of St. JOHN, &c. 
 
 other-wife, by her cries, alarm the neighbourhood, 
 who will afl'aflinate him for her. The fame hap¬ 
 pens when the women fit at table in a private 
 family. They drteft the Mahometans, and their 
 Alcoran, notwithftanding they affeiSt being called 
 Turks, to fecure them from their tyranny and 
 oppreilion. The fecrets of their religion are not 
 much known ; for their women and common 
 people are abfolutely enjoined not to learn it. 
 None but the Santons, and thofe perfons whofe 
 peculiar province it is to read prayers, to teach 
 the creed, &c. are entitled to that privilege. 
 
 They have a gofpel, which is read to them by 
 one of their elders ; and, as we are informed, 
 they believe in the doftrine of the Holy Trinity; 
 they obferve Eafter, and feveral other Chriftian 
 feftivals ; the Nativity of our Blefled Saviour, 
 the Circumcifion, and the Epiphany. New 
 Year’s Day they call Iftrenes, which doubtlefs is 
 a corruption of the French term Etrenes, that is, 
 a New Year’s Gift, and they have a peculiar ve¬ 
 neration likewife for St. Barbara. Their affem- 
 blies are very private; they pronounce feveral 
 prayers over the wine, which is diftributed 
 amongft all that are prefent. They obferve no 
 falls, and abftain from nothing but eating the fe¬ 
 males of all living creature whatfoever. It is 
 very obfervable, that they lwear by St. Matthew 
 and St. Simon, though they are perfect ftrangers 
 to the hiftory of either of them, and they have 
 likewife a church, much like one of ours. 
 
 1 his obfcure people, though planted in the 
 very centre of Syria, Teem to have fomething of 
 the Mahometan, the antient Perfian and the 
 Chriftian in them. They eat no fwine’s flelh 
 with the firft; they pay divine adoration, as 
 fome authors allure us, to the fun, according to 
 the cuftom of the fecond ; and in derifion of the 
 Turks abftinence, they drink wine with the 
 the third ; and what is ftill more remarkable, 
 they pray for the coming of Chrift. Arabic is 
 their mother-tongue. They conftantly carry about 
 them Talifmanic billets for the prefervation of 
 their health ; but this is a fuperllitious cuftom 
 which prevails throughout the eaft. 
 
 There is little or no difference, in all proba¬ 
 bility, between the Naileries and the Kelbins, or 
 Kelbites, which appellation fignifies dogs, and 
 was given them out of contempt. But we find 
 likewife that they were fo called, from the wor- 
 Ihip which they paid to a black dog. The reader 
 is defired, however, to remember, that the an- 
 tients have made mention of the Calbii, as inha¬ 
 bitants of mount Libanus. We are indebted to 
 Hide for this obfervation, and the Amedians, 
 who are defcribed by feveral other hiftorians, as 
 a kind of Barbarians, without the lealt civil, or 
 ecdefiaftical government, and who refide in the 
 foreftsand cayerns of mount Libanus, profefs like¬ 
 wife an intermixture of Mahometanifm and 
 Chrillianity; and though they chufe rather to fay 
 they are Mahometans than Chriftians, are not- 
 wichlhindingfworn enemies to the former: Thefe 
 Amedians, whom Hide calls Homeidians, may 
 very probably be the fame people as the Naile¬ 
 ries ; and we very much queftion, whether the 
 Drufes, of whom we fhall in the next place 
 give fome fhort account, differ much from 
 either. 
 
 3 °7 
 
 Some are of opinion, that thefe Drufes/ fays 
 father Beffon very fagely, whom we have juft 
 quoted on the fubjeft of the Nafferies, were ori¬ 
 ginally natives of the city of Drcux, the ancient 
 ieat of the Druids; and there dill remains amongft 
 them, if we may rely on his veracity, abundance 
 of that warlike temper of the Englilh, which ren¬ 
 dered our anceftors fo formidable to the Infidels. 
 Thefe people, who are the remains of thofe Chrif¬ 
 tians who went to the holy wars, entrenched 
 themfelves in mount Libanus, and Antilibanus, 
 where for a long while they bravely maintained 
 their 1 ights and liberties, as weil as their religion, 
 till a falfe apoftle preached a new law to them, 
 and left behind him a differtation upon wifdom, 
 entitled Achme. Thefe are the words of father 
 Beffon, but this honeft miffionary, in all proba¬ 
 bility, never heard, that the Drufes are taken 
 notice of in Herodotus. The Mahometans fre¬ 
 quently call the Drufes of mount Libanus, Mol- 
 hedites, an Arabian term, fignifying profligate 
 wretches, or according to Hcrbelot’s cor.ftxuc- 
 tion of ir, men who have renounced Mahome¬ 
 tanifm, and turned to fome other feed. This ap¬ 
 pellation, however, of Molhedites, more parti¬ 
 cularly denoted a left of Ifmaelians, which ren¬ 
 dered themfelves formerly very famous inAfia 
 particularly in Perfia, Affyria, and the parts ad¬ 
 jacent, where their fovereigns for a lon°- time 
 were diftinguiflied by the title of kings “of the 
 Afraflins. This prince, our ancient hiftorians 
 call the old man of the mountain, for want of 
 knowing, that the term Gebal, which fignifies 
 a mountain, is the name which the Arabians have 
 given to a particular province in Perfia. The 
 Ifmaelian Alfaffins were likewife called Bathe- 
 nians. Herbelot informs us, that Bathen figni- 
 fies the fecret knowledge of mvfteries, and their 
 illumination. Now as the blind obedience of 
 thefe Affalfins, was grounded on a kind of illu¬ 
 mination, 01 lather enthuiiafm, the origin where¬ 
 of was the reward of Paradife, and the promife 
 of a Hate of everlaftmg blifs made to all fuch 
 as entirely devoted themfelves to death and 
 (laughter, and were ready at all times to embrue 
 their hands in blood where and whenever their 
 prince fhall pleafe to command them. It is on 
 this accounr, in our humble opinion, that they 
 have been called Bathenians ; as fome now a- days 
 call feveral forts of enthufiafts and fanatics, men 
 or illumination. 
 
 Purchas, and feveral other authors, o-ive us a 
 very infamous charafter of thefe Drufes. They 
 live, fay they, in conftant practice of the 
 enormous fin of inceft. At their moll: folemn 
 feftivals they lie together promifeuoufly, fathers 
 with their daughters, and brothers with then- 
 lifters. They are of opinion, that the fouls of 
 the righteous enter into the bodies of new born, 
 infants, but that the ioul of a wicked man re- 
 Tides in a dog. What we have further to add, with 
 refpeft to the morals and religious tenets of thefe 
 Drufes will not be altogether fo odious. Notwith- 
 ftanding they call themfelves Chriftians, none of 
 them are baptized, on the contrary many are cir- 
 cumcifed. However, they have’ fome idea of 
 Jefus Chrift, and believe that there will be re¬ 
 wards and punifhments in a future ftate. Father 
 Beffon, reduces their creed to the feven following 
 
 articlcs 
 
, o! An ACCOUNT of the CH 
 
 articles. Firft, To be a Chriftian with the Chrif- 
 tians, a Jew with the Jews, and a Turk with the 
 Turks. Secondly, Never to pray to God, be- 
 caufe he knows our neceffities before we alk him. 
 Thirdly, To honour the four evangelifts and read 
 their gofpels. Butthey have no ceremonies, nor 
 any religious aflemblies. The two churches or 
 Mofques, which were fublifting in father BefTon s 
 time, were not made ule of for the exercife of 
 any religious duties. Fourthly, To honour our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift, and his Mother the Bleffed 
 Virgin, and to be mindful of the law of Maho¬ 
 met Fifthly, To confefs themfelves, the men 
 to the men, and the women to the women. Sixth- 
 ly, To receive the communion, which con lifts of 
 afVnall piece of bread dipped in mulled wine. 1 he 
 feventh relates principally to their monks, who, 
 as our miffionary affures us, are very drift in their 
 fafting, and live retired in defarts, which they 
 notwithftanding fometimes abandon for the pro¬ 
 mulgation of their Achme. Thefe Drufes abhor 
 and deteft ufury to that degree, that they walh 
 all the money, which they receive for fear it (hould 
 have contracted a kind of pollution in palling 
 through the hands of fome mercilefs ufurers. 
 
 We”(hall here introduce the Curdes, otherwife 
 called Turcomans, after the Drufes. Thefe Cur¬ 
 des are for the generality a parcel of (trailers and 
 vagabonds: And perhaps it may be faid, without 
 any manner of injuftice, that their religion is as 
 uncertain as the place of their abode. Some have 
 obferved, that the footfteps of Manicheifm are 
 plainly to be dilcerned amongft the Curdes-Jafi- 
 dies • for they acknowledge, as we are informed, 
 two principles, and call the devil their doftor, or 
 head; and pay no divine adoration to the Deity, 
 though they acknowledge his exiltence. This is 
 at lead a refleftion caft upon them by the Chni- 
 tians and Mahometans, who are equally their im¬ 
 placable enemies. Some likewife confound thele 
 Tafidies with the Kelbins, and affert, that they 
 have a peculiar veneration for black, as being the 
 colour of the devil. The Chriftians, as we are 
 informed, frequently divert themfelves with mak¬ 
 ing a circle of earth round thefe Jafidies, who 
 a r° afraid to leap the walls of their imaginary 
 prifons, till the circle be broken, and all the 
 
 time they are thus confined, the Chriftians, with 
 
 a fneer, bid them damn the devil. 
 
 The Chriftians of St. John are, for the gene¬ 
 rality, confounded with the Sabeans. We (hall not 
 here expatiate on the religion of the lattei. As 
 for the- former they derive their denomination 
 from their baptifm, and from the peculiar vene¬ 
 ration which they have for St. John the bapuft. 
 De la Valla is of opinion, that thefe Chriftians 
 might poffibly be the remains of the ancient Jews, 
 who received the baptifm of St John. Their 
 religion Teems to be a compound of the Jewifh, 
 Chriftian, and Mahometan. Tavernier is more 
 copious and particular in fpeaking of thefe Chnl- 
 tians than any other traveller whatfoever, and 
 fays, that there are abundance of them at Balfara, 
 or Baftbra, and the parts adjacent. We (hall 
 therefore give the reader, in this place, an abndg 
 ment of his account of them, and of the molt 
 material fads mentioned by other travellers. 
 
 The Chriftians of St. John, at fil'd: inhabited 
 ' the country about Jordan, but fome time after 
 the deceafe of Mahomet, the perfections ot the 
 
 RISTIANS of St. JOHN, &c. 
 
 Caliphs his fucceflors obliged them to fly for re¬ 
 fuge into Mefopotamia and Chaldea. 'There 
 they were under the juriidiftion of the patriarch 
 of Babylon, but at the clofe of the fifteenth, or 
 the beginning of the fixteenth century they dif- 
 fented from him. They refide in no city or town, 
 but what is built upon the banks of fome river, 
 and their bilhops fay, that there are near twenty 
 five thoufand families at lead: of thofe Chriftians 
 in thole parts. Their belief is very fabulous, and 
 full of the grafted errors, extrafted from a book 
 which they call the Divan. I he Perfians and^ 
 Arabians call them Sabi, but in the fequel of 
 this differtation we (hall diew that there is a wide 
 difference between the Sabeans and the Chriftians 
 of St. John. As for the latter, they diftinguilh 
 themfelves by the name of Mendai-Jahia, that 
 is, the difciples of St. John, and allure us that 
 they have received from him their taith, their 
 religious treatifes, and their cuftoms. They ce¬ 
 lebrate a folemn feftival once a year, which is 
 continued five days fuccefiively; at which time 
 they prefent themfelves in a numerous body be¬ 
 fore their bidiops to receive, or more properly 
 fpeaking, to repeat this baptifm of St. John. 
 They never baptize in any place but in rivers, 
 and at no time but on a Sunday ; for on that day 
 the validity of their baptifm entirely depends, 
 though an infant fhould be in danger of death. 
 The mfant before he is baptized, is brought to 
 church, where the bilhop reads fome prayers over 
 him, fuitable to the occafion. From thence the 
 infant is carried to a river, where both the men 
 and the women who are prefent at the ceremony 
 go up to their knees in water with the bilhop. 
 The form of their baptifm runs thus. “ In the 
 “ name of the Lord, the firft and moft ancient 
 “ of the world, the Almighty, who knew all our 
 “ aftions before the beginning of light, &c” 
 After that, he throws water upon the infant three 
 times fuccefiively, and after a third afperfion, as 
 foon as the bilhop, or fome pried his affiftant begins 
 to read again, the godfather, that is, the perfon 
 who has the child in his arms, plunges him into 
 the water. 
 
 This is the ceremony of their baptifm, which 
 is performed, as is evident, in the name of God 
 only; for they neither acknowledge Jefus Chrift 
 to be God, nor the Son of God, but look on him 
 as a perfon far inferior to St. John the baptift. 
 We are informed, however, that they call him, 
 as the Mahometans do, the Spirit of God. They 
 acknowledge, according to Tavernier, that Jefus 
 Chrift became man, to deliver us from the guilt 
 of fin, but pretend he was conceived in the womb 
 of the Bleffed Virgin by the influence of the wa¬ 
 ter of fome particular fountain of which (lie drank, 
 that afterwards the Jews would fain have crucifi¬ 
 ed him, but that he vanilhed out of their fight, 
 and left only an apparition which they crucified 
 in his (lead. In (hort, every tiling they fay, both 
 with relation to Jelus Chrift and his Million, is 
 all a medley of abfurd and ridiculous fiftion con¬ 
 tained in their Divan, nor have they a better 
 notion of the third perion in the facred trinity. 
 
 This Divan of theirs, is, as we are informed, 
 the only book which is now extant amongft them; 
 for their ancient facred books, which were writ¬ 
 ten in Syriac, are all loft. In this Divan, how¬ 
 ever, is comprifed their doftrines, and the myfte- 
 
 ries 
 
Ah ACCOUNT of the CHf 
 
 ries of their religion. God is there defcribed as a 
 corporeal being, and as having one fon, whofe 
 name was Gabriel. Their angels and their de¬ 
 mons are all corporeal likewife, fome male and 
 fome female. They marry, and propagate, and 
 believe that God created the world by the minif- 
 try of Gabriel, and was affifted in that operation 
 by fifty thoufand demons. They believe the 
 world floats upon the water like a foot-ball, and 
 the celeftial l'pheres are furrounded with waters 
 the fun and the moon fail round about it in their 
 refpeflive veffels. The earth was fo fruitful at 
 the firft moment of its creation, that what was 
 fown in the morning was fit to be gathered in the 
 evening. Gabriel taught Adam the art of huf- 
 bandry° but his firft tranfgreflion made him for¬ 
 get the inftruftions which were given him, and 
 he could recover no more of it than we know at 
 prefent. The other world is infinitely more 
 beautiful and more perfect than this, but in all 
 other refpefts, much like it. The inhabitants of 
 it eat and drink, and there are cities, houfes, and 
 churches in which the fpirits perform divine fer- 
 vice, lino, and play upon mulical inftruments. 
 The demons attend a fick man at the time of his 
 death, and conduft his foul through a road, 
 where there are innumerable wild beafts: If 
 the deceafed was a righteous perfon, his loul is 
 admitted immediately into the prefence of God, 
 having trodden under foot thofe favage creatures 
 who fought to impede his journey. On the other 
 hand, the foul of a wicked man is almoft torn 
 in pieces by thofe favages before it is qualified 
 for its admifiion into the divine prefence. At 
 the laft day, two angels fhall weigh impartially 
 theaflions of all mankind in a ballance; but there 
 fhall be a general pardon for all thofe of their 
 feft. They fhall be one day faved after they 
 have fuffered the punifhments due to their de¬ 
 merits. This is the whole fubftance of their 
 doflrine. 
 
 Some hiftorians tell us, that they have a pe¬ 
 culiar veneration for the crols, and that they are 
 frequently making the fign of it. The world, 
 according to their notion, is a crofs; becaufe it 
 is divided into four parts. They fay there are 
 feveral crofles in the fun and the moon; nay, 
 that the mail of the veiled in which the former 
 fails is likewife a crofs. 
 
 St. John the baptift is, as we have already ob- 
 ferved, their moil illuftrious faint; but however, 
 not the only one, for they acknowledge likewife 
 the lanftity of Zacharias, Elizabeth, the Blefled 
 Virgin, and the twelve Apoftles. We fhall not 
 here introduce a tedious detail of the incredible 
 miracles, which either preceded, or accompani¬ 
 ed the nativity of St. John, nor of thofe which 
 are afenbed to the beforementioned Zacharias 
 and Elizabeth, the parents of St. John, nor of 
 the abfurd romantic life of this forerunner of 
 Jefus Chrift. As to all thele particulars, we 
 fhall refer the curious reader to Tavernier, for 
 according to their traditions, the l'epulchre of St. 
 John is near Chufter in the province of Chufi- 
 ftan, where there are multitudes of thefe Chrif- 
 tians of St. John. . 
 
 The facerdotal habit of their priefts is a kind 
 of red Hole over a furplice, and they have the 
 different degrees of priefts and bifhops amongft 
 them, but they have no eftablifhed rule, no ce- 
 26 
 
 ISTIANS of St. JOHN, &c, 309 
 
 remony, in Ihort, no religious rites obferved by 
 any Chriftians, to create fuch difference betweeri 
 their fuperior and inferior clergy. Children fuc- 
 ceed their parents in the minifterial office, and 
 if a prieft dies without iffue, the next akin is pro¬ 
 moted to his place. The bifhop himlelf very 
 frequently recommends hisjpwn fon to the peo¬ 
 ple, who firft eleft him, and then prefent him 
 in form to his father to confederate hirm I his 
 ordination conlifts in fome particular prayers; 
 which are faid for fix or feven days over the pof- 
 tulant or novice, who is obliged to fall ail the 
 time. The fon may fucceed his father if he be 
 but fixteen or feventeen years of age; and all 
 thefe ecclefiailics are obliged to marry, but tlietl 
 their brides mult all be virgins. Neither can 
 any one be promoted to ecclefiaftical dignities, 
 unlefs his mother was found a virgin, when firft 
 married. All thefe priefts wear long hair and a 
 fmall crofs upon their clothes. Their facrafnent 
 of the eucharifl, and their mafs, if they may 
 properly be called fuch, confift in the obfervance 
 of the following cuftom. They take a fmall 
 cake, kneaded with wine made of raifins infill¬ 
 ed in water, and with oil 1 The flower and the 
 wine reprelent the body and blood of our Blefled 
 Lord; the oil, which is the emblem of that cha¬ 
 rity and grace which accompanies the facrament, 
 is a reprefentation of the people. For the con- 
 lecration of the whole, they pronounce feveral 
 long prayers over this cake, which tend to the 
 praife and glory of God, without making any 
 mention of the body of our Blefled Lord, the.e 
 being no abfolute necefficy for it, as. they fay, 
 fince God Almighty knows their intention. After 
 that, they carry the cake in proceflion, and wheri 
 that ceremony is over, the celebrant diflribute 3 
 it amongft the people. 
 
 Befides this grand feftival of which we have 
 been fpeaking, and which lafts for five days luc- 
 cefiively, they have another that holds three days, 
 appointed for the commemoration of the creation 
 of the world, and the parent of mankind; and 
 another of the fame duration kept in Augufl, 
 called the feftival of St. John. We (hall take no 
 notice of their falls, nor of their oblation of a 
 ram, which they facrifice in a hut, compoied of 
 palm-branches, and purified beforehand with wa¬ 
 ter, incenfe and lundry prayers; but one of the 
 moll important ceremonies of cheir religion, is 
 the facrifice of the hen. A prieft, known to have 
 kept his chaftity, and for being the ion of one 
 who was an approved virgin at her nuptials, is 
 the only perfon who is entitled to the celebration 
 of this facrifice. In order to the due perfor¬ 
 mance of which the prieft repairs to the bank or 
 fome river, dreft in all his facerdotal ornaments, 
 which are W'hite linnen garments which he throws 
 over him, another with which he girds his loins, 
 and a third, which is his ftole. Tlius equipped, 
 he takes the chicken, plunges it in the water for 
 its better purifi; ation, and turning his face to¬ 
 wards the eaft, he cuts its head off, holding the 
 fowl by the neck till it has done bleeding. Dur- 
 in 0- the time of the blood’s trickling down on the 
 mound, the prieft repeats feveral times the fol- 
 fowino- prayer, with abundance of fervour and 
 devotion, and lifting up his eyes to heaven: 
 « l n the name of the Lord, may this fleih be a 
 « fileffino- to ail thofe who fhall partake thereof.” 
 
 I i i i No 
 
CHRISTIANS of St. JOHN, See. 
 
 31© An ACCOUNT of the 
 
 No woman, nor layman muff prefume to kill any 
 hens. The former are prohibited, becaufe they 
 look upon them as perfons impure, and who for 
 the fame reafon, according to Tavernier, are ex¬ 
 cluded from the church. They obferve much 
 the lame ceremony in killing their fheep, and 
 their filh : But they are not fo pundtual as to the 
 hens. 
 
 Thefe minifters, or priefts of St. John, are, it 
 feems, butchers by profelfion, for as they ima¬ 
 gine no perfon pure and undefiled but themfelves, 
 they will never drink out of a cup, that any one, 
 who is not of their own fe£t, has before made ufe 
 of; and if a Arranger has ufed it, it is immedi¬ 
 ately broke to pieces, for fear any of the faithful 
 Ihould be fo unfortunate as to be defiled by drink¬ 
 ing alter them. They have alfo an inveterate 
 averfion to any thing that is blue, becaufe, fay 
 they, the Jews, who were confcious by their re¬ 
 velation, that the baptifm of St. John would 
 abolilh their law, threw a large quantity of in¬ 
 digo into the river Jordan, in order to defile the 
 waters : This prophanation of them had hindred 
 St. John from baptizing Jefus Chrift, had not 
 God Almighty prevented the malicious intention 
 of the Jews, and fent an angel to draw fome 
 water out of the river whilft it remained pure and 
 undefiled. This is the received opinion of the 
 vulgar, but their averfion, in reality, arifes from 
 the dog’s dung which is thrown into the com- 
 polition of this colour; a dog being looked upon 
 by the Chriftians of St. John as a very unclean 
 animal. The averfion which they have to the 
 Mahometans, their ancient perfecutors, gives 
 them likewile an equal diftafte to any thing that 
 is green, which is the facred colour of Mahomet. 
 
 We Ihajl now proceed to the nuptial ceremonies. 
 The priefi: and the relations of the intended bride¬ 
 groom wait on the young lady propofed to his 
 bride, in order to afk her, whether (he is a vir¬ 
 gin or not; her anfwer is forefeen ; She fays, yes; 
 but fhe is not believed upon her bare affirmation. 
 She is obliged to take her folemn oath; the 
 prieft’s wife fearches her, and gives in her depo¬ 
 sition likewife upon oath. After which, the 
 bridegroom and the bride are conduced to a ri¬ 
 ver, and there baptized. As foon as they are 
 come within a fmall fpace of the bridegroom’s 
 houfe, he takes his bride by the hand, and con- 
 duds her to the door, and after that returns with 
 her to the fame place where the ceremony began, 
 which he repeats feven times fucccffively, the 
 priefi: following them all the time, and reading 
 in his ritual feveral prayers. Then they go into 
 the houfe, where they are feated by the priefi: un¬ 
 der a canopy with their heads and ffioulders clofe 
 to each other, whilft he reads a long fervice over 
 them which is followed with a lefion out of their 
 Faal, or a book of divination, which he con- 
 ftilts in order to find out the critical minute for 
 a happy confummation of their nuptials. As foon 
 as that is over, both parties wait upon the bi- 
 ffiop, and the hufband depoles before him, 
 that he is well fatisfied, that he found his wife a 
 virgin; and then the biffiop marries them, puts 
 feveral rings upon their fingers, and baptizes 
 them again. If the bridegroom finds himfelf 
 deceived, as to his wife’s virginity, and is not- 
 withftanding determined to wed her, he mult 
 make his applications to a priefi:, and not to the 
 
 biffiop to tfbmpleat the ceremony. But the peo¬ 
 ple are fo fond of being married by the biffiop, 
 and it is fuch an infamy to have the ceremony 
 performed by any one elfe of inferior dignity, 
 that a marriage with one who is difcovered to 
 have loft her honour before-hand, but very fel- 
 dom, if ever, holds good. 
 
 Taverner gives for a reafon of this ftrieff en¬ 
 quiry with refpeift to the virginity of their wives, 
 the right of the bridegroom which he ought to 
 maintain with the utmoft rigour and feverity: 
 To which we may add, that the honour and in- 
 terefi: of families in a great meafure depend upon 
 it, and they defign, by this prudent precaution, 
 as our traveller expreffes it, to bridle their daugh¬ 
 ters. Thefe Chriftians of St. John are allowed 
 to marry feveral wives, but only of their own 
 family, and their own tribe, and this cuftom is 
 derived from the Jews, for their widows are not 
 allowed to marry again, and their men are de¬ 
 barred the invaluable privilege of putting away 
 their wives. 
 
 We Ihall clofe this differtation with an ac¬ 
 count of a pretended feft, called the Abra- 
 hamites, who, if we credit an anonymous tra¬ 
 veller’s voyages printed in the year 1724, are alfo 
 to be met with in Egypt; but we fufpeft the ve¬ 
 racity of the author, fince no traveller but him¬ 
 felf, as we know of, ever made any mention of 
 thefe deifts of Egypt. Befides, the way of think¬ 
 ing of thefe Abrahamites is, in our opinion, fo 
 conformable to that of thole freethinkers who 
 dogmatize in England and Holland, without the 
 leafi: apprehenfion either of dragoons, gallies, or 
 inquifitions, that it is very probable, he has 
 formed his Abrahamites upon the fame model. 
 Moreover, the character of this bold adventurer, 
 and of thofe who affifted him in the method of 
 compiling his romantic treatife, is very different; 
 but though the general idea which is entertained 
 of them, will never prejudice any one in favour 
 of that performance, we Ihall notwithftanding 
 include the fundamental tenets of thefe imagi¬ 
 nary fedtaries. 
 
 The Abrahamites, who are very few, ac¬ 
 knowledge no other law but that of nature, 
 which God, they fay ; delivered to Abraham, 
 from whom, as they pretend, they originally de- 
 feended. They conftantly read thofe facred books, 
 wherein the hiftory of the creation is included, 
 though widely different from that of Mofes, 
 which they look upon as a meer romance. As 
 to Mofes, the Abrahamites are of opinion, that 
 he was the ableft and moft learned phyfician, and 
 belt chymifi: till that time; that his miracles were 
 wholly due to his extraordinary fkill in phyfic and 
 chemiftry. They do not look upon him as a 
 prophet, but as a wife legifiator, and compare 
 him to the law giver of the Chinele. Jefus 
 Chrifi:, whofe law we have corrupted, never, fay 
 they, pretended to be God ; his morals, however, 
 mull be allowed to be extremely juft, pure and 
 refined. The fathers of the church were men 
 either too illiterate or too hypocritical. The 
 Abrahamites reflect very feverelv upon the cere¬ 
 monies, the divine worffiip, and the feftivals of 
 the Chriftians. They defpife and turn to ridicule 
 the myfteries of Chriftianity : and to conclude, 
 they affe£t to worffiip one fupreme Being, and 
 him only; and to love their neighbours as them¬ 
 felves ; 
 
An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of the MAHOMETANS. 3U 
 
 ftlves; yet think their deftiny uncertain, and 
 look upon the immortality of the foul only as a 
 modern fyftem, yet comfortable and grounded 
 
 upon reafon. . 
 
 From all that has been faid concerning thele 
 Greeks, whom thofe who dwell in the Levant 
 call Schematics, we may draw the following 
 ufeful reflections. Firft, that as the corruptions 
 among them are in fome meafure universal, lo 
 this, as an effeft, mutt have originally flowed from 
 a caufe of the fame extenfive nature. For had 
 not the whole Cliriftian world been at one time 
 totally corrupted in fentiments concerning the 
 truth, thofe fatal effeas would not now have been j 
 difcovered or felt. . 
 
 Secondly, the leaft deviation from the truth in 
 religion, or in morals, is generally attended with 
 the moft fatal confequences. Complaifance to the 
 Heathens, and the vain ambition of making nu- 
 merous converts, induced the Chriftians, after 
 the time of Conftantine the Great, to adopt many 
 idolatrous ceremonies. The progrefs was gra¬ 
 dual, and the poifon fpread itfelf funoufly, till 
 the gofpel of Chrift became little better than a 
 fyftem of Heathenifm. In all thefe corrupted 
 churches, where poverty, in all temporal things 
 is confpicuous, and where ignorance is rather 
 fought after than avoided ; we find the wretched 
 people fond of image worlhip, and a thoufand 
 
 other fopperies. . , 
 
 Thirdly, as the corruption was gradual, and 
 is now become as it were inveterate, a refoima- 
 tion mutt likewife be gradual. How far diftant 
 that period of time may be, no man can fay. It 
 
 is much to be wiftied for by all thofe who feek to 
 promote the happinefs of their fellow creatures, 
 in time and in eternity; and confiftent with the 
 divine perfections we may hope for it. God may 
 in jufticepunifh men, by withdrawing hi3 favours 
 when they forfake his laws and defpife his ordi¬ 
 nances ; but no fooner do they return to their 
 duty, like the prodigal in the gofpel, than they 
 are received by him with open arms of affec- 
 tion. 
 
 Laftly, let us as Proteftants, who are favoured 
 with the holy fcriptures and the gofpel in its 
 purity, endeavour to fet a proper value upori 
 fuch undeferved and ineftimable privileges, Let 
 our confciences never upbraid us with the horrid 
 fin of ingratitude to our moft generous bene- 
 faftor, but let us fhew ourfelves worthy of his 
 mercies, by living as obedient children. And 'o 
 conclude, let us confider that we cannot give A 
 ftronger proof of our gratitude for the favours 
 j and bleffings he has beftowed, than in praying 
 that he would be gracioufly pleafed to open the 
 eyes of thofe who fit in darknefs, and in the re¬ 
 gion and Ihadow of death. It is the charaCfer of 
 tire devil, to wifh every creature as miferable as 
 himfelf; but a Chriftian of a noble, generous 
 difpofition, knowing the happinefs of his own 
 condition, willies all mankind to be equally lo. 
 Our Saviour has ommanded us to pray that his 
 kingdom may come, the meaning of which 
 words are, that we Ihould earneftly defire to lee 
 the crofpel promulgated over the whole of the 
 habitable world, as an emblem of the kingdom 
 ! of glory that mull fucceed it. 
 
 An Account of the RELIGION of the 
 MAHOMETANS. 
 
 W E are now, in the courfe of this work, 
 obliged to enter upon a melancholy 
 fubjeCl indeed, we feel for the Heathen 
 nations who know nothing of God or Chrift 
 Jefus; but when we meet with a body of people 
 who actually believe in Divine Revelation, but 
 pay more regard to an impofition than to the 
 truth, we are apt to make ufe of the expreffions 
 recorded by Knowles, “ O 1 why will ye believe 
 “ in lies.” The moft judicious of our Chriftian 
 commentators, whether antient or modern, are of 
 opinion that the locufts mentioned in Revela¬ 
 tion ix. 3, allude in all refpeCts to the Maho¬ 
 metans. Nay, it would feem that there could 
 be no manner of doubt concerning the truth of 
 this opinion, efpecially when we confider the 
 , fimilarity of circumftances. Locufts, as we are 
 allured by the learned Dr. Shaw, come from the 
 north to the fouth of Afia, in fuch amazing 
 numbers, that they even darken the air, and it is 
 well known, that firft the Arabians and then the 
 
 Turcumans, both of whom eftablifhed Mahome- 
 tanifm, marched in fuch armies together, that they 
 carried deftruftion before them. Like the army 
 of Xerxes they darkened the fun, which circum- 
 ftance induced the Athenian to fay, “ We lhall 
 “ fight in the fliade.” 
 
 Again, to go on with the parallel, locufts are 
 produced by a corruption in the air, and all our 
 ecclefiaftical hiftorians acknowledge, that during 
 the fixth century, the Chriftian church was 
 much corrupted, particularly in the eaft, that 
 little befide the name was left. Poetry idea has 
 been brought in to fupport the affertion; for on 
 this melancholy fubjeft, Mr. Hughes wrote the 
 fiege of Damafcus, one of the fineft compofitions 
 this country ever produced. 
 
 As the fwarms of locufts deftroy every herb of 
 the field, and leave neither food for man nor be aft, 
 fo in the fame manner the Mahometans deitroyed 
 moft of the remains of antiquity, and converted 
 the Chriftian churches into Mofques. Nay, they 
 
 even 
 
512 An ACCOUNT of the RELI 
 
 even deftroyed the food neceffary for the fupport 
 of the intellectual faculties, namely, books, and 
 the feats of learning. The comparifon indeed, 
 might be carried much farther, but the following 
 narrative renders it unnecellary. We fhall there¬ 
 fore begin with the life of the arch impoftor 
 Mahomet, and then proceed to del'cribe the cere¬ 
 monies of his religion. 
 
 Mahomet was born at Mecca, a city of Arabia, 
 and defcended from the antient tribes of Kora- 
 lhites, who had long enjoyed the regal dignity, 
 fo that this impoftor was far from being de¬ 
 fcended of fuch mean parents as has been gene¬ 
 rally reprefented. Indeed, it feldom happens, 
 that men, who are no ways connedted with illuf- 
 trious families, are fired with that fort of ambi¬ 
 tion which creates a name. But when a man has 
 been told that his anceltors were revered for ac¬ 
 tions, which have rendered their names famous, 
 they are ftimulated on to imitate them, or at 
 leaft to attempt to do fo. 
 
 The father of Mahomet was Abdollech of the 
 royal family of Arabia, and his mother’s name 
 was Amena. He was born in the year of our 
 Lord 571, Juftin the fecond, then emperor of 
 Conftantinople, and Cherofs the firft king of 
 Perfia. It happened, however, from a variety of 
 caufes, that in his youth he was in very indigent 
 -eircumftances, for his father dying before he'was 
 two years of age, he was left in a manner defti- 
 tute of fubfiftence, and as for education in let¬ 
 ters, it appears he had none. His mother died 
 when he was about eight years of age, and then 
 he was left to the care of his grandfather, who 
 died within a year afterwards, and then Taleb 
 his uncle took him under his protection, to bring 
 him up as a merchant, a name much efteemed 
 among us at prelent, but at that time fignifvine- 
 a robber. ° ’ 5 
 
 In this manner Mahomet was brought up till 
 he arrived at years of maturity, and then he was 
 lent to conduCt a caravan to Syria. It was in 
 Boltra, a city of Syria, that Mahomet was firft 
 taken notice of by a Neftorian monk, whole 
 name, according to the Chriftian hiftorians, was 
 Sergius, but according to the Arabians, Bahira. 
 
 But let his name be what it will, it is here necef¬ 
 fary toobferve that this monk, who feems to have 
 been an abandoned vagabond, faluted Mahomet 
 in the crowd of merchants, and told him that he 
 was to be the third light of the world. “ The 
 law of Moles, faid he, is now totally abolilhed, 
 the Chriftians have corrupted their holy relimon^ 
 and therefore God has railed you up to reform the 
 world and eftablilh a pure religion." There can¬ 
 not remain the leaft doubt but this declaration, 
 fired with ambition the mind of our young ad¬ 
 venturer, but for fometime he concealed his real 
 fentiments, till he was about twenty-five years of 
 age, when he married Cadigha, a rich widow, in 
 Mecca, who made over her whole fortune to him, 
 and for three years longer he continued to travel 
 with his caravan to Damafcus. It was then that 
 he began to form fome hopes of making himfelf 
 fovereign over all the Arabian tribes, but he had 
 many difficulties to ftruggle with, the greatett 
 of all being that of religion, or rather fuper- 
 ftition. r 
 
 Having maturely weighed all thefe circum- 
 ftances, he concluded that no projedt bid fo fair 
 
 jION of the MAHOMETANS. 
 
 as that of eftablilhing a new form of religion. 
 Many eircumftances concurred to facilitate his 
 defign ; for the Arabians his countrymen had all 
 that time little or no knowledge of religion, and 
 as he had converlcd with the Jews and corrupt 
 Chriftians while he carried on merchandize with 
 the Syrians and Egyptians, fo he had learned as 
 much as to enable him to form a new fyftem 
 compofed of all the errors of the Jews and 
 Chriftians, mixed with a confiderable (hare of 
 Heathenifm. He had obferved, that theArabians 
 lus countrymen, who attended him, were ac¬ 
 quainted with fome of the notions elpoufed by 
 the Syrian Chriftians, and likewife with thole of 
 the Jews, which naturally led their minds from 
 idolatry, and rendered them fufceptable of any 
 impoftures, however erroneous in their nature, or 
 pernicious in their tendency.. 
 
 He was now about thirty-eight years of a»e, 
 but as his life had been extremely vicious, he| 
 like an artful impoftor, confidered himfelf as 
 under very delicate eircumftances. He therefore 
 formed the refolution of withdrawing from com¬ 
 pany, and fpending part of his time in the defert, 
 under pretence that he was employed in heavenly 
 exercifes. The place he went to was a cave near 
 Mecca, called the cave of Hira, and there it was 
 he firft formed his alcoran, which he had drawn 
 up in writing by fome of his alfociates, particu¬ 
 larly Sergius the monk, whom we have already 
 mentioned. 1 
 
 In the evenings he returned home, and told his 
 wife what revelations had been made to him, 
 and his defign in doing fo was to induce her to’ 
 bring the women over to his party. At firft his 
 wife did not believe thofe ftories, which grieved 
 Mahomet confiderably; but as he adled confif- 
 tent with the charafter of impoftors in gene¬ 
 ral, fo he prevailed with a fugitive vagabond 
 monk to tell her that he had had the fame re¬ 
 velation intimated to him. This had fuch an 
 efteft. on the woman, that Ihe renounced her 
 former religion and became a profelyte to that 
 fyftem of lmpofture firft invented by her hulband. 
 
 Having gained his end fo far, he continued 
 his aufterities during two years longer, till he 
 had arrived at the age of forty, and then he 
 acquired fuch a reputation for lanftity, that he took 
 upon himfelf the name of apoftle of God, fettino- 
 forth that he was come to reform the world, by 
 eftablilhing a divine revelation from God. For 
 four years longer, he did not venture to make 
 his opinions public, contenting himfelf with con- 
 verfing with a few friends in private, and there 
 he procured fuch an influence over them that 
 they became his difciples, believing that all he 
 taught them was truth. Zagad, one of his (laves, 
 having embraced this new religion, Mahomet 
 granted him his pardon, and ever fince it has 
 been a maxim among the Mahometans, thac 
 when a Have who is of another religion fubmits 
 to be circumcifed, and to embrace the Alcoran, 
 he is then made free. This was carrying the 
 principles of liberty to a greater extent than 
 amongft the Jews of old, but there are fuch a 
 variety of different eircumftances in the moral - 
 government of this world, that unlefs we attenif* 
 to them with care, we can never form a proper 
 conception. 
 
 And here it is neceffary to obferve, that Ma¬ 
 homet 
 
The RISE and P R O G R E S 
 
 hornet firft laid the foundation of his religion at 
 the fame time that the bifhop of Rome, by vir¬ 
 tue of a grant from the tyrant Phocas, afiumed 
 the title of univerfal head of the church, and 
 thereupon claimed to himfelf that fupremacy 
 which he and his predeceflors have ever fince 
 been endeavouring to eftablifh over the church 
 of Chrift. Nay, it may be farther added, that 
 both endeavoured to eftablifh fovereignty by 
 impofture, and fupport themfelves by coercive 
 meafures. Mahometanifm was propagated by fire 
 and fword ; popifh 'idolatry by the lame means. 
 
 Mahomet, having procured a confiderable num¬ 
 ber of difciples, began to publifh his opinions 
 openly to the people of Mecca, and the firft 
 do&rine that he taught among them was, that 
 there was but one God, and that he only is to be 
 worfhipped ; that all idols fhould be taken away, 
 and their worlhip utterly abolifhed ; and that 
 thofe who fay God has fons or daughters, or that 
 there are any other gods afiociated with him, are 
 impious and ought to be abhorred. By denying 
 him fons or aflociates, he reflected on the doc¬ 
 trine of the trinity ; for although the Mahome¬ 
 tans allow Chrift to have been a prophet, yet they 
 deny that he was the fon of God. By denying 
 that God had daughters, he infinuated that the 
 Arabians were idolators, becaufe they believed 
 that fome eminent women, who had lived among 
 them, ought to be worfhipped. He allowed the 
 fcriptures both of the Old and New Teftament, 
 but at the fame time, infilled that both Jews and 
 Chriftians had forfaken God, fo that they were 
 rejected. Happy for the world had not this af- 
 fertion, efpecially with refpedt to Chriftians, been 
 too true. 
 
 He pretended to receive all his revelations 
 from the angel Gabriel, and that he was lent from 
 God on purpofe to deliver them unto him. And 
 whereas he was fubje<5l to the falling ficknels, 
 whenever the fit was upon him, he pretended it 
 to be a trance, and that the angel Gabriel was 
 come from God with fome new revelations unto 
 him, the fplendour of whofe appearance he not be¬ 
 ing able to bear, caufed him to fall into thofe 
 trances, in which the angel converfed with him, 
 and delivered to him thole meflfages from God, 
 which he was fent to reveal unto him. 
 
 His pretended revelations he put into feveral 
 chapters, the colle&ion of which makes up his 
 Alcoran, which is the bible of the Mahometans. 
 The original of this book he taught them w r as 
 laid up in the archieves of heaven, and that the 
 angel Gabriel brought him the copy of it, chapter 
 by chapter, according as occalion required they 
 fhould be publifhed to the people. Part of thefe 
 he publifhed at Mecca, before his flight from 
 thence, and the other part at Medina, which he 
 did after this manner. When he had forged a 
 new chapter, which he intended to publifh, he 
 firft di&ated it to his fecretary, and then deli¬ 
 vered the written paper to be read to his fol¬ 
 lowers, till they had learned it by heart; which 
 being done, he had the paper brought to him 
 again, and he laid it up in a cheft, which he 
 called the cheft of his apoftlefhip. This he did, 
 we fuppofe, in imitation of the ark or holy cheft 
 among the Jews, in which the authentic copy of 
 their law was depofited. This cheft he left in 
 27 
 
 5 of MAHOMETANISM, jij 
 
 the keeping of one of his wives, and out of it» 
 after his death, was the Alcoran compiled, in 
 the fame manner as Homer’s Rhaplodies were out 
 of the loofe poems of that poet. Abu Beker 
 firft made the collection, but Othman afterwards 
 revifing and new modelling it, formed it into that 
 fhape in which we now have it. 
 
 On his firft appearing publicly as a prophet, 
 the people laughed at him for the ridiculoufnefs 
 of his pretence ; fome called him a forcerer, and 
 a magician, others a Iyer, an impoftor, and a 
 teller of old fables ; of which he often com¬ 
 plains in his Alcoran; fo that for the firft year he 
 prevailed nothing among them, nor got any thing 
 elfe by his publifhing thofe chapters of his Alco¬ 
 ran which he had then compofed, or his preach¬ 
 ing to them the doflrines of them, but fcorn 
 and contempt. But this did not difeourage him 
 from ftill proceeding in his defign, which he 
 managed with great art, for he was a man of 
 a ready wit, and a very acceptable addrefs; he 
 bore all affronts, without feeming to refent any; 
 and applied himfelf to all forts of people, with¬ 
 out contemning themeaneft; was very courte¬ 
 ous both in giving and receiving vifits; the great 
 men he foothed with flattering praifes, and the 
 poor he relieved with gifts and alms; and to¬ 
 wards all men managed himfelf with that art of 
 infinuation (in which he exceeded all men liv¬ 
 ing) that at length he furmounted all the diffi¬ 
 culties which fo bold an impofture in the firft 
 venting of it muft neceflarily be liable unto, 
 and feveral other new profelytes joined them¬ 
 felves unto him, among whom was Omar Ebno 
 ’1 Chattab, who was one of his fucceflors, and 
 then a confiderable man in the city. His exam¬ 
 ple was foon followed by feveral others, fo that 
 in the fifth year of his pretended million he had 
 encreafed his party to tiie number of nine and 
 thirty, and himfelf made the fortieth. 
 
 On his having made this progrefs, feveral began 
 to be alarmed at it. Thofe that were addicted 
 to the idolatry of their forefathers flood up to 
 oppofe him as an enemy of their Gods, and a. 
 dangerous innovator in their religion. But 
 others, who faw further into his defigns, thought 
 it time to put a flop thereto for the fake of the 
 public fafety of the government, which it ma- 
 nifellly tended to undermine for the eftablifhing 
 of tyranny over them 3 and therefore they com¬ 
 bining together againft him, intended to have 
 cut him off with the fword. Tut Abu Taleb, his 
 uncle, getting notice hereof defeated the defign, 
 and by his power, as being chief of the tribe, 
 preferved him from fuch other like attempts as 
 were afterwards formed againft him. For al¬ 
 though he himfelf perfifted in the paganifm of 
 his anceftors, yet he had that afFedlion for the 
 impoftor, as being his kinfman, and one that 
 was bred up in his houfe, that he firmly flood 
 by him againft all his enemies, and would fuffer 
 no one to do him any hurt as long as he lived. 
 And therefore being fafe under fo powerful a 
 protedlion, he boldly went on to preach to the 
 people in all public places of the city, where they 
 ufed to aflemble, and publifhed unto them more 
 chapters of his Alcoran in the order, as he pre¬ 
 tended, they were brought him by the angel Ga¬ 
 briel. The chief fubjedl of which was to prefs 
 K k k k upon 
 
3 i4 The RISE and PROGRES 
 upon them the obfervance of feme moral duties, 
 the belief of the unity of God, and the dignity 
 of his own pretended apoftlelhip, in which in¬ 
 deed, befides fome Heathen and Jewifh rites which 
 he retained, confided the whole of his new for¬ 
 ged religion. , . , 
 
 The main arguments he made ufe of to delude 
 men into this impofture, were his promifes and 
 his threats, as being thofe which eafieft work on 
 the affections of the vulgar. ITis promifes were 
 chiefly of paradife, which he fo cunningly fram¬ 
 ed to the guff; of the Arabians, as to make it to¬ 
 tally confilt in thofe pleafures which they were 
 molt delighted with. For they being within the 
 Torrid Zone, were, through the nature of the 
 clime, as well as the exceffive corruption of their 
 manners, exceedingly given to the love of wo¬ 
 men ; and the torching heat and drynefs of the 
 country making rivers of water, cooling drinks, 
 fhaded wardens, and plcafant fruits, moft refrefh- 
 ing and delightful unto them, they were from 
 hence apt to place their higheft enjoyment in things 
 of this nature. And therefore to anfwer the height 
 of their carnal defires, he made the joys of heaven, 
 which he propofed for a reward to all thofe that 
 fhould believe in him, to conffft totally in thefe 
 particulars. For he tells them in many places in 
 his Alcoran, That they Ihall enter into pleaiant 
 gardens, where many rivers flow, and many curi¬ 
 ous fountains continually lend forth moil: pleafing 
 ftreams, nigh which they fhail repofe themfelves 
 on moft delicate beds adorned with gold and pre¬ 
 cious ftones under the fhadow of the trees of pa¬ 
 radife, which (hall continually yield them all man¬ 
 ner of delicious fruits, and that there they (hall 
 enjoy moft beautiful women pure and clean, hav- 
 inor black eyes and countenances always fre(h and 
 white as poliihed pearls, who fhail not caft an eye 
 on any other but themfelves, with whom they 
 fhail enjoy the continual pleafures of love, and 
 Pol ace themfelves in their company with amorous 
 delights to all eternity, drinking with them moft 
 delicious liquors, and moft (avoury and pleafant 
 wines, without being ever intoxicated or over¬ 
 charged by them, which fhail be adminiftered to 
 then? by beautiful boys, who (hall be continually 
 running round their beds to lerve them up unto 
 them m cups of gold, and glades fixed on dia¬ 
 monds. And as thus he framed his promifes of 
 reward in the life hereafter as might belt fuit 
 with the fenfual appetites and defires of thofe to 
 whom he propoled them •, fo on the contrary, he 
 deferibed the puniftunent of hell, which he threat¬ 
 ened to all that would not believe in him, to con- 
 fift of luch torments as would appear to them the 
 moft afflicting and grievous to be borne. As that 
 they (hould drink nothing but boiling and ftink- 
 incr water, nor breathe any thing elfe but exceeding 
 hot winds, things moft terrible in Arabia; that 
 they (hould dwell for ever in continual fire excef- 
 fively burning, and be furrounded with a black 
 hot and fait Tmoak as with a coverlid ; that they 
 fhould eat, nothing but briers and thorns, and the 
 fruit of the tree Zacon, which (hould be in their 
 bellies like burning pitch. In the propofing of 
 thefe promifes and threats to the people he was 
 very frequent and fedulous, making them to ring 
 in their ears on all occafions, whereby he failed 
 not of his end in alluring fome, and affrighting 
 others in the fnare he laid for them. 
 
 S of MAHOMETANISM. 
 
 And that he might omit nothing whereby to 
 work on their fear, which is ufually the moft 
 prevalent paffion of the ignorant, he terrified them 
 with the threats of grievous punilhment in this 
 life, as well as in that which is to come, if they 
 would not hearken unto him. And to this end 
 he did fet forth unto them on all occafions, what 
 terrible deftru&ions had fallen upon the heads of 
 fuch as would not be inftrufted by the prophets, 
 that were lent before him. How the old world 
 was deftroyed by water, for not being reformed 
 at the preaching of Noah ; and Sodom by fire 
 from heaven, for not hearkening to Lot, when 
 fent unto them. How the Egyptians were plagued 
 for tlefpifing Mofes; and how Ad and Thamod, 
 two ancient Tribes of the Arabs, were totally ex¬ 
 tirpated for the fame reafon. His (lories of the 
 two laft were fables of his own invention, which 
 he related unto them after this manner. That 
 Ad the grandfon of Aram, the fon of Shem, plant¬ 
 ed himfelf after the confufion of languages in the 
 fouthern parts of Arabia, where his pofterity fall¬ 
 ing into idolatry, the prophet Hud, whom the 
 commentators on the Alcoran will have to be He- 
 ber, was fent unto them to reclaim them to the 
 true worfhip, but they not hearkening unto him, 
 God fent a violent hot wind, which in feven days 
 time deftroyed them all, excepting only the pro¬ 
 phet, and fome few who were reformed by him. 
 
 As to Thamod, his ftory was, that they were 
 an ancient Tribe of the Arabs dwelling on the 
 confines of Syria, and that on their revolt to ido¬ 
 latry, God fent to them the prophet Saleh •, that 
 on their demand of a miracle to tellify his million, 
 he caufed a rock to bring forth a camel in the 
 fight of them all; that they notwithftanding in 
 contempt wounded the camel, and that thereupon 
 God fent terrible thunders, which in three days 
 time deftroyed themall, excepting Saleh, and fome 
 few who believed on him. 
 
 And the like fable he alfo told them of Chaib, 
 another prophet of the ancient Arabs, lent to the 
 tribe of Madian, and how that tribe was in like 
 manner deftroyed by thunder for not harkening 
 unto him. For the fake of thefe (lories, which 
 he was very frequent in inculcating into the peo¬ 
 ple, and very often repeats in his Alcoran, thofe 
 j who believed not on him, called him a teller of 
 old fables; but notwithftanding they wrought 
 upon the fears of others, and by this and other 
 fuch artifices, he (till went, on to encreale his party, 
 to which two of -his uncles, Hamxa and A1 Ab¬ 
 bas, at length joined themfelves. But the reft of 
 his uncles approved not of his defigns, and although 
 Abu Taleb dill continued to befriend him, be- 
 caule of the affe&ion which he bore him, the 
 other nine had not this regard to him, but joined 
 with his enemies, and oppoltd him all they could, 
 
 I as a man, that under the falie mail which he had 
 put on, carried on dangerous defigns to the pre¬ 
 judice of his country. 
 
 But that which gravelled him moft, was that 
 his oppofers demanded to lee a miracle from him. 
 
 I For fay they, Mofes and Jefus, and the reft of the 
 prophets, according to thy own dodlrine, worked 
 miracles to prove their million lrom God; and 
 therefore if thou be a prophet, and greater than 
 any that were fent before thee, as thou boafteft 
 thyfelf to be, do thou work the like miracles to 
 1 manifeft it unto us. Do thou make the dead to 
 
The RISE and PROGRESS 
 fife, the dumb to fpeak, and the deaf to hear, or 
 e]fe do thou caufe fountains to fpring out of the 
 earth, and make this place a garden adorned with 
 vines and palm-trees, and watered with rivers 
 running through it in divers channels, or elfe let 
 us fee come down from heaven fome of thofe pu- 
 nifhments which thou threatened: us with. Or do 
 thou make thee an houfe of gold, adorned with 
 jewels and codly furniture; or let us fee the 
 book thou wouldd have us believe to come from 
 heaven, defcend down to us from thence legible 
 in our eyes, or the angel which thou telleft us doth 
 bring it unto thee, and then we will believe in 
 thy v/ord. This objedlion he endeavoured to evade 
 by feveral anfwers. One while he tells them, he 
 is only a man fent to preach to them the rewards 
 of paradife, and the punilhments of hell. At 
 another time, That their predeceflors contemned 
 the miracles of Saleh, and the other prophets, 
 and that for this reafon God would work no more 
 among them. And a while after, that thofe 
 whom God had ordained to believe, diould be¬ 
 lieve without miracles, and thofe whom he had 
 not ordained to believe fhould not be convinced, 
 though all thofe miracles fhould be wrought in 
 their fight, which they required; and that there¬ 
 fore they were totally needlefs. 
 
 But this not fatisfying, as being a plain confef- 
 iion that he wanted that power of miracles which 
 all other prophets had to prove their million, fe¬ 
 veral of thole that were his followers departed 
 horn him, of which he much complains in his 
 Alcoran. And therefore finding that this would 
 not do on his coming to Medina, and having there 
 taken the fword in hand, and gotten an army to 
 back his caufe, he began to fing another note. 
 For his dodfrine then was, that God had fent Mo- 
 fes and Jeius with miracles, and yet men would not 
 be obedient to their word, and therefore he had 
 now fent him in the laft place without miracles, to 
 force them by the power of the fword to do his 
 will. And purfuant thereto, he forbad his difci- 
 ples to enter into any further difputes about his 
 religion, but inftead thereof he commanded them 
 to fight for it, and deftroy all thofe who fhould 
 contradidl his law, promifing great rewards in the 
 life to come, to Rich as fhould take upthe fword in 
 this caufe, and the crown of martyrdom to all 
 thofe who fhould die fighting for it. And upon 
 this head, fome of the Mahometan doctors ar-nie 
 with lubtilty: For, fay they. The prophets of 
 God are of divers forts, according to the divers 
 attributes of divine nature, which they are fent to 
 fliew forth. That Jefus Chrift was fent to mani- 
 felt the righteoufnefs, the power, and knowledge 
 of God ; that he Chewed forth the righteoufnefs 
 of God in being impeccable, his knowledge in 
 that he knew the lccrets of mens hearts, and D fore- 
 told things to come; and his power in doin'* thofe 
 miraculous works, which none elfe but Godrould. 
 Further, Solomon was fent to manifeft the wifdom, 
 the glory, and the majefty of God ; and Mofes, 
 his providence, and his clemency ; none of which 
 carrying with them a power to force men to be¬ 
 lieve, miracles were neceffary in their miflions to 
 induce them thereto. But Mahomet was a pro¬ 
 phet, Pent principally to ihew forth the fortitude 
 of God, by the power of the fword, which being 
 of it felf alone lufficient to compel all men into the 
 taich without any other power accompanying it. 
 
 of MAHOMETANISM. 3 i S 
 
 for this reafon (fay they) Mahomet wrought no 
 miracles, becaufe he had no need of them, the 
 power of the (word, with which he was fent, of 
 it felf alone fufficiently enabling him to accomplifh 
 his million by forcing men to believe therein. And 
 from hence it hath become the univerl'al dodlrine 
 of the Mahometans, that their religion is to be 
 propagated by the fword, and that all of them are 
 obliged to fight for it. And for this reafon it hath 
 been a cuftoin among them for their preachers, 
 while they deliver their fermons, to have a drawn 
 fword placed by them, to denote thereby, that the 
 dodlrine which they teach them, was with the 
 fword to be defended and propagated by them. 
 
 However, it is not to be denied, but that there 
 are feveral miracles reckoned up, which Mahomet 
 is fa id to have wrought; as that he did cleave the 
 moon in two; that trees went forth to meet him; 
 that water flowed from between his fingers; that 
 the Hones fainted him ; that he fed a great com¬ 
 pany with a little food; that a beam groaned at 
 him; that a camel complained to him; that a 
 Ihoulder of mutton told him of its being poifon- 
 ed; and feveral others. But thofe who relate 
 them, are only fuch who are reckoned amongft 
 them their fabulous and legendary writers. Their 
 learned dodtors renounce them all, as doth Ma¬ 
 homet himfelf, who, in leveral places in his Alco¬ 
 ran, owns that he wrought no miracles. But when 
 they are prefled, how without miracles they can 
 prove his million ; their common anfwer is, that 
 in the fteadof all miracles is-the Alcoran. For that 
 Mahomet, who was an illiterate perfon, that could 
 neither write nor read, or that any man elfe by hu¬ 
 man wifdom alone fhould be able to compoi'e a 
 book fo excellent in eloquence, and fo excellent 
 m doarine, as they will have that to be, is what 
 they will not admit to be poffible, and therefore 
 they alleged the excellency of the book for the 
 truth of all contained therein, and will have that 
 to be a proof equivalent to the miracles of all the 
 prophets that went before him, to manifelt that 
 it came from God. And on this the impoftor 
 himfelf often infills in his Alcoran, challenging in 
 feveral places of it all men and devils by their 
 united fkiil to compofe another book like that in 
 eloquence and inflrudhon, or elfe any one chapter 
 that can be compared in excellency with the 
 meaneft chapter therein : Which they taking for 
 granted, that both together cannot do, will have 
 this to be a moll clear manifeftation beyond all 
 contradiction, that this book could come from 
 none other but God himfelf, and that Mahomet, 
 from whom they received it, was his meffenger 
 to bring it to them. 
 
 As to the particulars in this argument alled^ed, 
 it muft be allowed, that the Alcoran, bating the 
 folly, the confufednels and incoherence of the 
 matter contained therein, is as to the ftile and lan- 
 guage, the ftandard of elegance in the Arab tongue; 
 and as to Mahomet, that he was in truth, what 
 they fay, an illiterate Barbarian, that could neither 
 write nor read. But this was not fo much a de- 
 fedt in him, as in the tribe of which he was, 
 with whom it was the cuftom as to all manner of 
 literature to continue in the fame ignorance with 
 which they came out of their mothers bellies unto 
 their lives end. And therefore at the time when 
 Mahomet firft let up for a prophet, there was not 
 any one man of Mecca that could either write or 
 
 read. 
 
 
3 i 6 The RISE and PROGRESS 
 
 read, excepting only Warakah, a kinfman of 
 Gadagah’s, who having firft turned Jew, and 
 afterwards Chriftian, had learned to write Arabic 
 in Hebrew letters. And for this reafon, the men 
 of Mecca were called the illiterate, in oppofition 
 to the people of Medina, who being the one half 
 Chriftians, and the other half Jews, were able 
 to write and read ; and therefore were called the 
 People of the Book. And from thence, feveral 
 of Mahomet’s followers, after he came to Me¬ 
 dina, learned to read and write alfo, which fome 
 of them had begun to learn before, of Bafhar the 
 Cendian, who, having fojourned at Anbar, a city 
 of Erac, near Euphrates, there learned the art, 
 from whence coming to Mecca, and marrying 
 the fitter of Abufophian, he fettled there, and 
 from him the men of Mecca are firft laid to have 
 received the art of letters. 
 
 Among the followers of Mahomet, Othman 
 was the greateft proficient herein, which ad¬ 
 vanced him afterwards to be fecretary to the im- 
 poftor. But for want of paper at firft, as in a 
 place where there was never before any occafion 
 for it, they were forced to make ufe of the blade- 
 bones of ilioulders of mutton to write on, which 
 was a device antiently made ufe of by other tribes i 
 of the Arabs, who had letters, but wanted 
 traffic to accommodate them with more conve¬ 
 nient materials for this purpofe, and therefore 1 
 their books, in which their poems, and other j 
 matters they delighted in were written, were only 
 fo many of thofe blade-bones tied together upon 
 a ftring. This Bafhar afterwards became one of ; 
 Mahomet’s difciples, and followed him in his 
 wars, till poifoned at Chaibar, as (hall be here¬ 
 after related. 
 
 But thefe particulars being thus allowed, that 
 the Alcoran of the Mahometans is of fo elegant a 
 ftile, and the fuppofed author thereof fuch a rude 
 and illiterate barbarian, it will be here afked, 
 who were the affiftants by whole help this book 
 was compiled, and the impofture framed ? And 
 there will be the more reafon to afk this, becaufe 
 the book itfelf contains fo many particulars of 
 the Jewilh and Chriftian religion, as necelfarily 
 imply the authors of it to be well (killed in both, 
 which Mahomet, who was bred an idolator, and 
 lived fo for the firft forty years of his life, among 
 a people totally illiterate, cannot be fuppofed to 
 be. But this is a queftion not fo eafily to be an- 
 fwered, becaufe the nature of the thing required 
 it (hould be concealed. The Mahometan writers, 
 who believe in the impofture, as they will allow 
 nothing of this, fo to be lure will fay little of it; 
 and the Chriftians, who abhorred his wickednefs, 
 are apt to fay too much. For it was ufual with 
 them, as it is with all other contending parties, 
 to (hatch at every ftory which would difparage 
 the religion they were again!!:, and believe it, 
 rio-ht or wrong, if it would ferve their purpofe 
 this way. And from hence it hath proceeded, 
 that we have fo many fabulous and ridiculous 
 accounts both of Mahomet and his impofture, 
 go current among us, which ferve only to 
 the expofing of us to the laughter of the Ma¬ 
 hometans, when related among them. And be- 
 fides the lcene of this impoftor, being at leaft 
 fix hundred miles within the country of Arabia, 
 amidft thofe barbarous nations, who all imme¬ 
 diately embraced it, and would not afterward 
 
 of MAHOMET ANIS M. 
 
 permit any of another religion fo much as to 
 live among them; it could not at that alliance 
 be fo well learched into by thofe, who were moll 
 concerned todifcover the frauds of it, and there¬ 
 fore an exait account cannot be expeited in this 
 particular. However, that we may give all the fa ■ 
 tisfadlion therein, that we are able, we dial 1 here 
 lay together whatfoever we can find in any credi¬ 
 ble author concerning it, and give the beftjudg- 
 ment hereof that the matter will admit. 
 
 That Mahomet compoled his Alcoran by the 
 help of others, was a thing well known at Mecca, 
 when he firft broached his impofture there, and 
 it was often flung in his teeth by his oppolers, 
 as he himfelf more than once complained. In 
 the 25 th chapter of the alcoran, his words are, 
 
 “ they fay, That the Alcoran is nothing but a 
 “ lie of thy own invention, and others have 
 “ been aflifting to thee herein” Where the com¬ 
 mentators fay the perfons here meant, were the 
 fervants of a certain fword-lmith at Mecca, who 
 were Chriftians, with whom Mahomet was ufed 
 often to converfe for the better information of 
 himfelf from them in the OldandNew Teftament. 
 And from hence it is, that Bellonius tells us. 
 That Mahomet found at Mecca two Chriftians, 
 who had with them copies of the Old and New 
 Teftament, and that he was much helped by 
 them in the compofing of this Alcoran. But this 
 is too open work for fo fecret a defign. They that 
 upbraid him with his being aflilled by others, 
 meant not thofe whom he publicly converied 
 with, but the private confederates, whom he fe- 
 cretly made ufe of at home, in the framing of 
 the whole impofture, and the writing for him 
 that book, which he pretended was brought to 
 him from heaven by the angel Gabriel. And 
 what he fays in another place of his Alcoran, 
 doth particularly point at one of thofe, who was 
 then looked upon to have had a principal hand in 
 this matter. For in the fixteenth chapter his 
 words are, “ I know they will fay, that a man 
 hath taught him the Alcoran ; but whom they 
 prefume to have taught him, is a Perfian by na¬ 
 tion, and fpeaketh the Perfian Language. But 
 the Alcaron is in the Arabic tongue, full of in- 
 ftrudtion and eloquence.” Now, who this Per¬ 
 fian was, Friar Richard, in his confutation of 
 the Mahometan law, helps us to underftand. 
 For in his thirteenth chapter of that trail, he 
 tells us, That Mahomet being an illiterate per- 
 l'on, he had, for his helper in the foregoing of his 
 impofture, among others, one Abdia Ben Salon, 
 a Perfian Jew, whofe name he afterwards changed 
 to make it correfpond with the Arabic dialedt, 
 into Abdollah Ebn Salem ; and Cantacuzenus, 
 and cardinal Cufa fay the fame thing. And molt 
 others that write of this impofture make mention 
 of him, as the chief architeil made ufe of by 
 Mahomet in the framing of it. And that he was 
 the Perfian pointed at in this palfage of the Al¬ 
 coran, we have laft mentioned, the fame Friar 
 Richard, in the fixth chapter of the fame trail, 
 exprelsly telleth us. And he is the fame perfon 
 whom Elmacinus calleth Salman the Perfian, 
 who by his fkill in drawing an intrenchment at 
 the battle of the Ditch, faved Mahomet and all 
 his army, where otherwife he mull necelfarily 
 have been overpowered by the number of his 
 enemies, and totally ruined. For he was a veri- 
 
 cunning 
 
The RISE and PROGRESS 
 
 cunning, crafty fellow, and fo thoroughly (killed 
 in all the learning of the Jews, that he had com¬ 
 menced Rabbi among them. And therefore from 
 him Mahomet feems to have received, whatfo- 
 ever of the rites and cuftoms of the Jews he hath 
 ingrafted into his religion. For this making a 
 very conftderable part of it, and many of the 
 particulars being drawn from the abftrufer parts 
 of the Talmudic learning, this neceffarily (hews 
 fo able an helper to have been in the whole con¬ 
 trivance, And what Johannes Andreas, an Alfac- 
 ki, or a doftor of the Mahometan law, who turned 
 Chriftian, writes of him, further clears this mat¬ 
 ter. For he tells us from authentic teftimonies of 
 the Arab writers, in which he was thoroughly 
 verfed, that this Abdollah Ebn Salem, whom 
 he, or rather his interpreter, corruptly calls Ab- 
 dala Celen, was for ten years together the perfon 
 by whofe hand all the pretended revelations of 
 the impoftor were firft written, and therefore no 
 doubt he was alfo a principal contriver in the 
 forging of them. There is extant in the end of 
 the Latin Alcoran, publillied by Bibliander, a 
 traft mandated out of Arabic into Latin, by 
 Hermannus Dalmata, which by way of dialogue 
 between Mahomet and this Abdollah, lays be¬ 
 fore us a great many of the fooleries of the Ma¬ 
 hometan religion, which traft helps us to corredt 
 the name, which is in Friar Richard’s tradl very 
 corruptly written, as being only a tranflation at 
 the third hand. For that tradl of Friar Richard’s, 
 which we now have, is no other than a tranflation 
 from the Greek copy of Demetrius Cydonius, 
 who mandated it into that language for the ufe of 
 the emperor Cantacuzenus, from the original 
 Latin which is now loft. 
 
 Befides this Jew, the impoftor had alfo a 
 £jjiriftian monk for his afliftance : and the many 
 pi,i c kulars in his Alcoran, relating to the Chrif¬ 
 tian religion, plainly prove him to have had fuch 
 an helper. Theophanes, Zonarus, Cedrenus, 
 Anaftafius, and the author of the Hiftoria Mif- 
 cella, tell us of him, without giving him any 
 other name than that of a Neftorian monk. But 
 the author of the difputation againft a Maho¬ 
 metan, which is epitomized in Vincentius Bel- 
 lovacenfis’s Speculum Hiftoricum, and from 
 thence printed at the end of Bibliander’s Latin 
 Alcoran, calls him Sergius; and from thence is 
 it, that he hath been ever ftnce fo often fpoken of 
 by that name amongft the Weftern writers. But 
 in the Eatl he is totally unknown by it, he being 
 never, as much as we can find, made mention of 
 by that name, by any of their writers. For all 
 there, that fpeak of this monk, call him Bahira ; 
 and Friar Richard, who, in the year of our Lord 
 1210, went to Bagdad on purpofe to fearch into 
 the myftery of Mahometanifm, by reading their 
 books, and on his return wrote that judicious 
 confutation of it, which we have aforementioned, 
 tells us of this Bahira, as an afliftant to Maho¬ 
 met in the forging of his impofture, and fo doth 
 alfo Cantacuzenus, Bartholomceus Edeffenus, 
 and the other Greek authors of the confutation of 
 Mahomet, publillied by Le Moyne : But not 
 one of them fays any thing of Sergius; fo that 
 it is plain that Sergius and Bahira are only two 
 different names of the fame perfon. He was a 
 monk of Syria, of the feft of the Ncftorians. 
 The Mahometans will have it, that he firft took 
 
 of MAHOMETANISM. 3(7 
 
 notice of Mahomet, while a boy, after that pro¬ 
 phetic manner as is before related; but accord¬ 
 ing to that account he would have been too old 
 to aft his partin this impofture fo many years 
 after. The truth of the matter is, Mahomet did 
 not fall acquainted with him till a long while af¬ 
 ter, when he was projefting his wicked defign in 
 his head; in order to the better forming of which, 
 being very defirous to acquaint himfelf with the 
 Jewifh and Chriftian religions, he was very in- 
 quifitive in examining into them, as he met with 
 thole that could inform him. And in one of his 
 journies into Syria, either at Boftra, as fome fay, 
 or at Jerufalem as others, lighting on this Ba¬ 
 hira, and receiving great fatisfaflion from him, 
 in many of thofe points which he defiled to be 
 informed in, did thereon contrafl a particular 
 friendlhip with him. And therefore not long 
 after, this monk, for fome great crime, being ex¬ 
 communicated and expelled his monaftery, fled 
 to Mecca to him ; and being there entertained in 
 his houfe, became his aftiftant in the framing of 
 that impofture, w'hich he afterwards vented, and 
 continued with him ever after; till at length the 
 impoftor having no farther occafion for him, to 
 fecure the fecret, put him to death. If Sergius 
 was the name which he had in his monaftery, 
 Bahira was that which he afterwards affumed in 
 Arabia, and by which fie hath ever fince been 
 mentioned in thofe eaftern parts, by all that there 
 write or fpeak of him. The word in the Arabic 
 language lignifieth a camel, which after fome ex¬ 
 traordinary merit, according to the ufage of the 
 antient Arabs, had his ears (lit and was turned 
 forth from the reft of the herd at free pafture to 
 work no more. And no doubt, this monk having 
 told the tale of his expulfion from his monaftery 
 fo much to his advantage, as to make it believed 
 at Mecca to be drawn upon him by that, which 
 was reckoned there as meritorious, had from 
 thence this name given him, as fuiting that no¬ 
 tion which they had of his condition among 
 them. 
 
 As to his other helpers, if he had any fuch, 
 what is laid of them is fo uncertain, and that fo 
 little, as is not material here to relate. We 
 may fuppofe from the very nature of the defign, 
 it being to impofe a cheat upon mankind, that 
 he made as few as pofiible privy to it; and 
 the two abovementioned being fufficient for his 
 purpofe, it doth not appear likely that he ad¬ 
 mitted anv more into the fecret of it. Neither 
 indeed is their any more room in it for another 
 to aft. F'or, his religion being made up of three, 
 parts, whereof one was borrowed from the Jews, 
 another from the Chriftians, and the third from the 
 Heathen Arabs, Abdollah furnifhed the firft of 
 them, Bahira the fecond, and Mahomet himfelf 
 the laft; fo that there was no need of any other 
 help to compleat the impofture. 
 
 We know there are many other particulars go 
 current of this matter, both as to the coining 
 of the forgery, and all'o the manner of the firft 
 propagating of it; as that the impoftor taught 
 a bull to bnng him the Alcoran on his horns in a 
 public affembly, as if it had this way been fent 
 to him from God ; that he bred up pigeons to 
 come to his ears to make Ihew thereby, as if the 
 the Holy Ghoft converfed with him, and many 
 1 other fuch (lories, which being without any foun- 
 L 1 11 dation 
 
3i S The'RISE and PROGRE 
 
 dation or likelihood of truth, we pafs them over 
 as idle fables not to be credited, although we 
 find fome very great men have been too ealv to 
 fwallow them, as particularly Scaliger, Grotius, 
 and Sionita, have that of the pigeons. Such 
 tricks as thefe would have been ealily feen tho¬ 
 rough by the Arabians, they being men natu¬ 
 rally of as fubile and acute parts as any in the 
 World. And therefore Mahomet never as much 
 as offered at any thing of this nature among 
 them ; but declaiming all miracles, thereby a- 
 voided the neceffity of hazarding his defign upon 
 any fuch open cheats, where it would be fo lia¬ 
 ble to be totally blafted by a difcovery. 
 
 The whole of this impofture was a thing of 
 extraordinary craft, carried on with all the cun¬ 
 ning and caution imaginable. The framing of 
 the Alcoran, wherein lay the main of the cheat, 
 was all contrived at home in as fecret a manner 
 as poffible, and nothing hazarded abroad, but 
 the fuccd's of preaching it to the people. And 
 in doing of this, no art or cunning was want¬ 
 ing to make it as effeftual to the end defigned 
 as poffible: And therefore whatever ftories are 
 told of this matter that are inconfiftent with 
 fuch a management, we may allure ourfelves 
 are nothing elfe but fables fooliflrly invented by 
 fome zealous Chriftians to blaft the impofture, 
 which needed no fuch means for its confuta¬ 
 tion. 
 
 In the twelfth year of his pretended million, is 
 placed the Mefra, that is, his famous night- 
 journey from Mecca to Jerufalem, and from 
 thence to heaven, of which he tells us in the 
 17th chapter of his Alcoran. For the people 
 calling on him for miracles to prove his million, 
 and he being able to work none, to lalve the 
 matter, he invents this ftory of his journey to 
 heaven, which muft be acknowledged to have 
 miracle enough in it to all thofe who have faith to 
 believe it. And it being believed by all that 
 profefs the Mahometan religion, as a main ar¬ 
 ticle of their faith, and as fuch fet down in all 
 the books of their authentic traditions, how ab- 
 furd foever it be, fince our defign is to give as 
 full an account as we can of this man’s impof¬ 
 ture, it obligeth us to relate it. His relation of 
 it is as followeth. 
 
 At night, as he lay in his bed with his beft 
 beloved wife, Ayefha, he heard a knocking at 
 his door, whereon arifing he found there the an¬ 
 gel Gabriel, with feventy pair of wings expand¬ 
 ed from his Tides, whiter than fnow, and clearer 
 than chryftal, and the beaft Alborak Handing 
 by him, which they fay is the beaft on which 
 the prophets ufed to ride, when they were car¬ 
 ried from one place to another upon the execu¬ 
 tion of any divine command. Mahomet de- 
 feribes it to be a beaft as white as milk, and of 
 a mixed nature, between an afs and a mule, and 
 alfo of a fize between both, and of that extraor¬ 
 dinary fwiftnefs, that his palling from one place 
 to another, was as quick as that of lightening; 
 and from hence it is that he hath the name of Al¬ 
 borak, that word fignifying lightening in the A- 
 rabic tongue. As foon as Mahomet appeared 
 at the door, the angel Gabriel molt kindly em¬ 
 bracing him, did, with a very fweet and pleafing 
 countenance ialute him in the name of God, and 
 told him, that he was lent to bring him unto 
 
 S of MAHOMETANISM. 
 
 God into heaven, where he (hould fee ftrange 
 myfteries, which were not lawful to be feen by 
 any other man, and then bid him get upon the 
 Alborak. But the beaft, it feems, having long 
 lain idle, from the time of Chrift till Mahomet, 
 there having been no prophet in all that inter¬ 
 val to employ him, was grown fo rufty and flcit- 
 tifh, that he would not (land (till for’Mahomet 
 to get up upon him, till at length he was forced 
 to bribe him to it by promifing him a place in 
 paradife; whereon having quietly taken him on 
 his back, the angel Gabriel leading the way with 
 the bridle if the beaft in his hand, he carried 
 him from Mecca to Jerufalem in the twinkling 
 of an eye. On his coming hither all the pro¬ 
 phets and flints departed, appeared at the gate 
 of the temple to falute him, and from thence 
 attending him into the chief oratory, defiled 
 him to pray for them, and then departed! Where¬ 
 on Mahomet with the angel Gabriel, going out 
 of the temple, found there a ladder of light 
 ready fixed for them, which they immediately 
 afeended, leaving the Alborak there tied at a rock 
 till their return. 
 
 On their arrival at the firft heaven, the angel 
 Gabriel knocked at the gate, and having in¬ 
 formed the porter who he was, and that he brought 
 Mahomet the friend of God with him by the 
 divine command, the gates were immediately 
 opened, which he deferibes to be of a prodior- 
 ous largenefs. This firll heaven, he tells 11s, was 
 all. of pure filver, and that he there faw the ftars 
 hanging from it by chains of gold, each being 
 of the bignefs of mount Noho, near Mecca in 
 Arabia; and that in thefe ftars angels kept watch 
 and ward for the guard of heaven, to keep off 
 the devils from approaching near it, left r’ . 
 (hould over hear, and know what was there , an. 
 On his firft entering into this heaven, - .0 Vild, 
 he met an old decrepid man, and this was our 
 firft father Adam, who immediately embraced 
 him, giving God thanks for fo great a fon, and 
 then recommended himfelf to his prayers. As 
 he entered further, he faw a multitude of angels 
 of all manner of ihapes ; fome in thofe of men, 
 others in thole of birds, and others in thofe of 
 beafts of all manner of forts. And among thofe 
 who appeared in the feveral Ihapes of birds, he 
 there law a cock of colour as white as fnow, and 
 of fo prodigious a bignefs, that his feet (landing 
 upon the firft heaven, his head reached up to the 
 fecond, which was at the dillance of five hun¬ 
 dred years journey from it, according to the rate 
 as we ufually travel here on earth. But others 
 among them, as they relate this matter from 
 their prophet, hyperbolize much higher con¬ 
 cerning it, telling us that the head of this cock, 
 reacheth up through all the leven heavens as 
 far as the throne of God, which is above feven 
 times higher; and in the defeription of him, 
 fay, that his wings are all over decked with car¬ 
 buncles and pearls, and that he ex ends the one 
 of them to the eall, and tile other to the weft, at 
 a dillance proportionable to Ins heighth. Con¬ 
 cerning all thefe, the impoftor tell us, the angel 
 Gabriel informed him, that they were anacls 
 which did from thence intercede with God for 
 all living creatures on the earth. That thofe 
 who interceded for men, had there the fhape of 
 men; that thofe who interceded for bealls, the 
 
 lhape 
 
The RISE and PROGRES: 
 
 lhape of beafts; and thofe who interceded for | 
 birds, the fhape of birds ; according to their fe- j 
 veral kinds. And that as to the great cock, j 
 he was the chief angel of the cocks ; that every j 
 morning God finging an holy hymn, this cock 
 conftantly joineth with him in it by his crowing, 
 which is fo loud, that all hear it that are in hea¬ 
 ven and earth, except men and fairies, and then 
 all the other cocks that are in heaven and earth 
 crow alio. But when the day of judgment draws 
 near, then God will command him to draw in , 
 his wings, and crow no more, which fhall be a 
 fign, that that day is at hand to all that are in j 
 heaven and earth, excepting dill, merr and fairies, | 
 who being before deaf to his crowing, fhall not 
 then be fenfible of his filence from it. And this 
 Cock the Mahometans look on to be in that great j 
 favour with God, that whereas it is a common 
 faying among them, that there are three voices 
 which God always hears, they reckon the firft the 
 voice of him that is conftant in reading the Al¬ 
 coran ; the fecond, the voice of him that early 
 every morning prayeth for the pardon of his fins ■, 
 and the third, the voice of this cock when he 
 croweth, which they lay is ever molt acceptable 
 unto him. 
 
 All this fluff of the cock, Abdollah helped 
 Mahomet to out of the Talmudifts. For it is 
 all borrowed from them, with fome little varia¬ 
 tion only to make it look not totally the fame. 
 For in tiie tradt Bava Bathra of the Babylonifh 
 Talmud, we have a ftory of fuch a prodigious 
 bird, called Ziz, which Handing with his feet 
 upon the earth, reacheth up unto the heavens 
 with his head, and with the fpreading of his 
 wings darkeneth the whole orb of the Tun, and 
 caufeth a total eclipfe thereof. This bird, the 
 Chaldee Paraphraft on the Pfalms fays, is a cock, 
 which he deferibes of the lame bignefs, and tells 
 us that he crows before the Lord. And the Chal¬ 
 dee Paraphraft on Job alfo tells us of him, and 
 of his crowing every morning before the Lord, 
 and that God giveth him wifdomfor this purpofe. 
 What is farther faid of this bird of the Tal¬ 
 mudifts, may be feen in Buxtorf’s Synagoga 
 Judaica, cap. 50. and in Purchas’s Pilgrimage, 
 lib. 2. c. 20. 
 
 From this firft heaven, the impoftor tells us, 
 he afeended up into the fecond, which was at the 
 diftance of five hundred years journey above it, 
 and this he makes to be the diftance of every 
 one of the feven heavens, each above the other. 
 Here the gates being opened unto him, as in the 
 firft heaven, at his entrance he met Noah, who, 
 rejoicing much at the fight of him, recommended 
 himfelf to his prayers. In this heaven, which 
 was all made of pure gold, the impoftor tells us, 
 he faw twice as many angels as in the former, and 
 among them one of a prodigious greatnefs. For 
 his feet being placed on this fecond heaven, his 
 head reached to the third. 
 
 From this fecond heaven he afeended up into 
 the third, which was made of precious ftones; 
 where at the entrance he met Abraham, who alfo 
 recommended himfelf to his prayers. And there 
 he faw a vaft many more angels than in the former j 
 heaven, and among them another great one of 
 fo prodigious a fize, that the diftance between ; 
 his two eyes were as much as feventy thoufand | 
 days journey, according to our rate of travelling | 
 
 S of MAHOMETANISM. 
 
 |l on earth. But here Mahomet was out in his 
 j mathematics, for the diftance between a man's 
 j eyes being in proportion to his height but as one 
 i to feventy-two, according to this rate, the height 
 ; of this angel inuft have been near fourteen thou- 
 land years journey, which is four times as much 
 as the height of all his feven heavens together 
 I and therefore it is impoffible fuch an angel could 
 1 ever ftand within any one of them. But not- 
 withftanding this, here he placeth him, and in 
 , his defeription of him, tells us, that he had be- 
 | fore him a large table, on which he was conti- 
 ! nually writing and blotting out ; and that 
 1 having afked the angel Gabriel of him, he was 
 informed by him that this was the angel of death* 
 who continually writes into the table, which he 
 had before him, the names of all that are to be 
 born, and there computes the days of their life j 
 and as he finds they have complcated the number 
 aftigned them, again blots them out, and that 
 whoever hath his name thus blotted out by him, 
 immediately dies. 
 
 From hence he afeended up into the fourth 
 heaven, which was all of emerald ; where at the 
 entrance he met Jofeph the fon of Jacob, who 
 recommended himfelf to his prayers. And in 
 this heaven he after faw a vaft larger number of 
 angels than in the former, and among them 
 another great angel, as high as from this fourth 
 heaven to the fifth, who was continually weeping, 
 and making great lamentation and mourning, 
 and this, the angel Gabriel told him, was for the 
 fins of men, and the deftru&ion which they did 
 thereby bring upon themfelves. 
 
 From hence he afeended up into the fifth hea¬ 
 ven, which was made of adamant, where he 
 found Mofes, who recommended himfelf to his 
 prayers. And there alfo he faw a much greater 
 number of angels than in the former heaven. 
 
 From hence he afeended up into the fixth 
 heaven, which was all of carbuncle, where he 
 found John the Baptift, who recommended him¬ 
 felf to his prayers. And here he alfo faw the 
 number of angels much increafed beyond what 
 he had feen in any of the former heavens. 
 
 From hence he afeended up into the feventh 
 heaven, which was all made of divine light, and 
 here he found Jefus Chrift; where it is to be ob- 
 ferved he alters his ftile. For he faith not, that 
 Jefus Chrift recommended himfelf to his prayers, 
 but that he recommended himfelf to Jefus Chrift, 
 defiring him to pray for him ; whereby he ac- 
 knowledgeth him certainly to be the greater. 
 But it was his ufage through the whole feene of 
 his impofture, thus to flatter the Chriftians on 
 all occafions. Here he faith he found a much 
 greater number of angels than in all the other 
 heavens befides, and among them one extraor¬ 
 dinary angel, having feventy thoufand heads, and 
 in every head feventy thoufand tongues, and every 
 tongue uttering feventy thoufand diftinfb voices 
 at the fame time, with which he continued day 
 and night inceflantly praifing God. 
 
 The angel Gabriel having brought him thus 
 far, told him, that it was not permitted to him to 
 go any farther, and therefore dire£ted him to 
 afeend up the reft of the way to the throne of 
 God by himfelf, which he faith he performed 
 with great difficulty, palling through waters and 
 fnow, and many other fuch difficult paflages, till 
 
 he 
 
320 "The RISE and P R O G R E S 
 
 he came where he heard a voice faying unto him, 
 O Mahomet, falute thy creator; from whence 
 afcending higher, he came into a place, where he 
 faw a vail extenfion of light of that exceeding 
 brightnefs, that his eyes could not bear it, and 
 this was the habitation of the Almighty, where 
 his throne was placed ; on the right fide of which 
 he fays, God’s name and his own w r ere written in 
 thefe Arabic words, <c La ellah ellallah Moham¬ 
 med reful ollah,” i. e. <c There is no God but 
 God, and Mahomet is his prophet.” Which is 
 the creed of the Mahometans, and which words alfo 
 he fays, he found written upon all the gates of 
 the feven heavens, which he palled through. Hav¬ 
 ing approached to the prefence of God, as near 
 as within two bow fhots ; he tells us, he faw him 
 fitting on his throne, with a covering of feventy 
 thoufand veils before his face ; that on his draw¬ 
 ing thus near, in fign of his favour, he put forth 
 his hand, and laid it upon him, which was of that 
 exceeding coldnefs, that it pierced to the very 
 marrow of his back, and he could not bear it. 
 That after this, God entering into a very familiar 
 converfe with him, revealed unto him a great 
 many hidden mylleries, made him underlland the 
 whole of his law, and gave him many things in 
 charge concerning his inftrudting men in the 
 knowledge of it ; and in conclulion, bellowed on 
 him feveral privileges above the reft of man¬ 
 kind. As that he fhould be the perfedleft of all 
 creatures ; that at the day of judgement he Ihould 
 be honoured and advanced above all the reft of 
 mankind; that he fhould be the redeemer of all 
 that believe in him; that he Ihould have the 
 knowledge of all languages ; and laftly, that the 
 fpoils of all whom he fhould conquer in war, 
 fhould belong to him alone. And then returning, 
 he found the angel Gabriel tarrying for him in 
 the place where he left him, who, conducing him 
 back again through all the feven heavens, the 
 fame way that he brought him, did fet him again 
 upon the Alborak, which he left tied at Jerufa- 
 lem ; and then taking the bridle in his hand, 
 conducted him back to Mecca in the fame man¬ 
 ner as he brought him thence, and all this within 
 the fpace of the tenth part of one night. 
 
 On his relating this extravagant fidlion to the 
 people, the next morning after he pretended the 
 the thing happened, it was received by them as 
 it deferved, with a general hoot ; fome laughed 
 at the ridiculoufnefs of the ftory, and others 
 taking indignation at it, cried out fhame upon 
 him for telling them fuch an abominable lie, and 
 by way of reproach, bid him afcend up to hea¬ 
 ven by day-light, there immediately before them 
 all, that they might fee it with their eyes, and 
 then they would believe him. And even of his 
 dilciples a great many were fo alliamed of him 
 for this ftory, that they left him thereon ; and 
 more would have followed their example, but 
 that Abu Beker came in to put a flop to the de¬ 
 fection, by vouching the truth of all that Maho¬ 
 met had related, and profeficd his firm belief to 
 the whole of it, for which reafon he had ever 
 after the title of Afiadik, that is, the juft, be- 
 caul’e of the extraordinary merit of his faith in 
 this particular. And whoever becomes a Maho¬ 
 metan, mud have the fame faith alfo ; this ftory 
 being as firmly believed by all of that religion, as 
 
 S of MAHOMETANISM. 
 
 any thing in the gofpel is by Chriftians. Only 
 there has been this queftion moved among them, 
 whether it were only a vifion of the night, or a 
 real journey ? Thole that would falve the abfur- 
 dity of it, would have it only be a vifion, and 
 that moft of the particulars of it are to be re- 
 lolved into figure and allegory, but the major 
 vote hath carried it for a real journey; and to 
 this lenle it being now pinned down, there is no 
 one among them that dares in the leaft to doubt 
 thereof. 
 
 The impofturc was never in greater danger of 
 being totally blafted, than by this ridiculous fa¬ 
 ble, fuch a ftumbling-block did it lay even be 
 fore thole of his own party, and therefore he 
 needed to interpole the utmoft of his art to fup- 
 port the credit of it; for which purpofe he had 
 not only got his friend Abu Beker to be a vouch¬ 
 er to it, but alfo brings in God himfelf, in two 
 places of his Alcoran bearing witnefs thereto, 
 that is in the chapter of the children of Ifrael, 
 and in the chapter of the ftar; in the laft of 
 which he makes God to fwear by the ftar to the 
 truth of it, that Mahomet related nothing in this 
 ftory but what he had feen ; that he was admitted 
 to approach him in the higheft heavens within 
 the length of two bow-fhoots ; and had feen the 
 great wonders of the Lord, and had many hid¬ 
 den mylleries there revealed unto him ; and that 
 therefore men ought not to difpute any more 
 againft him concerning it. 
 
 But how ridiculous foever the ftory may ap¬ 
 pear, Mahomet had his defign therein beyond 
 barely telling fuch a miraculous adventure of 
 himfelf to the people. Hitherto he had only 
 given them the Alcoran, which was his written 
 law, and had owned himfelf no farther than 
 barely the mefienger of God to deliver it unto 
 them, telling them that it was brought to him 
 by the angel Gabriel; and that as he received 
 it, lb he publilhed it unto them, without giv¬ 
 ing any comment, explication, or additional 
 interpretation of his own concerning it; and 
 therefore when gravelled with any objection from 
 his adverlaries againft it, as he often was while 
 at Mecca where he was continually teafed and 
 perplexed with fome or other of them, his ufual 
 refuge was in this faying; That the Alcoran was 
 God’s book, and that he only could explain the 
 meaning of it: And it was wifdom in him at 
 firft not to afiume any farther. But now learn¬ 
 ing from his friend Abdollah, that the Jews, 
 befides the written law dictated by God himfelf, 
 had alfo another law called the Oral law, and 
 given with it, as they pretend, to Mofes him¬ 
 felf, while in the mount, and from him deliver¬ 
 ed to the elders of the people, and from them 
 down to after ages, by Oral tradition; and un- 
 derftanding alfo that this law was in as great au • 
 thority with them as the other, and that it had 
 its whole foundation in the fayings and didlates 
 which were pretended to be from Mofes, and 
 preferved by the memories of thofe who con- 
 verfed with him ; he had a dcfire for the future to 
 advance his authority to the fame pitch, and make 
 all his fayings and diflates go for articles among 
 his Mufslemans, as well as thofe, which were pre¬ 
 tended to be from Mofes did among the Jews. 
 And for this end chiefly was it that he intended 
 
 this 
 
The RISE and P R G O R E S 
 
 this dory of his journey to heaven. For could 
 lie once make it be believed among his followers, 
 that he had there fuch a converfe with God, as 
 Mofes had with him in the mount, and was there 
 fully inftrudted by him in the knowledge of all 
 divine truths, as this ftory pretends he was, he 
 thought he fhould therein have a fufficient foun¬ 
 dation to build this pretence upon, and mio-ht 
 by a juft confequence from it, claim the whole 
 which he aimed at ; and he was not miftaken 
 herein; for how ridiculous foever the thing at 
 firft appeared, yet in the refult he carried his 
 point, and obtained all that by the projefl which 
 he propofed to himfelf from it. The whole 
 of it at length going down with thole who had 
 lwallowed the reft of his impofture, from that 
 time all his fayings were looked on as facred 
 truths brought down from heaven, and every 
 word which at any time dropped from fo enlight¬ 
 ened a perfon, as this ftory luppofeth him to be, 
 as well as every acftion which he did any way re¬ 
 lating to his religion, were all carefully obferv- 
 ed by them, which being after his death all col- 
 lefled together from the memories of thofe who 
 converfed with him, make up thofe volumes of 
 traditions from him, which they call the Son- 
 liah, and which are with the Mahometans the fame 
 in rel'peft of the Alcoran, that the Oral law 
 among the Jews is in refpeft of the written. 
 
 And as among the Jews there are many books, 
 in which this Oral law is recited, explained, and 
 digefted under feveral heads and chapters by 
 many different authors among their Rabbies, 
 ■who have employed their pains and ftudies in 
 this manner; fo alfo are there the like number 
 of books among the Mahometans concerning 
 their Sonnah, in which all the fayings and 
 adfions of Mahomet, relating to his religion, as 
 alfo the conftitutions of the feniors, that is, of 
 the firft Califs that fucceeded him, efpecially the 
 four firft, concerning the fame, are collefted, ex¬ 
 plained, and digefted under feveral heads, or 
 common places by the compilers of them, which 
 books make up the fum of their theology, as 
 well f'peculative as praaical; and in them indeed 
 is contained the whole of their religion as now 
 pradtifed among them. And therefore fo much 
 of the impofture, which we now undertake to 
 give an account of, being in thefe traditions, 
 and they all founded upon this journey of Ma¬ 
 homet to heaven, where he pretended to have 
 been inftruaed in them by God himfelf; this 
 fufficiently juftifies our being thus long in re¬ 
 lating his fabulous ftory of it. 
 
 After his publiftiing this ftaion, and the revolt 
 of fo many of his difciples, as happened there¬ 
 on, his adverfaries grew in ftrength fo fall: upon 
 him, that he could no longer protea thofe who 
 adhered to him, as he had hitherto done; but 
 fome of them, to the number of about an hun¬ 
 dred perfons, having made themfelves more than 
 ordinary obnoxious to the government by fome 
 praaices againft it were forced to fly from Mecca 
 to Nagafh, king of ^Ethiopia, where Mahomet’s 
 letters, which they carried with them, obtained 
 their proteaion, though the men of Mecca lent 
 two of their principal citizens after them in an 
 embaffy to that king, to demand them to be 
 delivered unto them. And Mahomet, with the 
 reft that tarried behind, found it difficult for 
 27 
 
 S of MAHOMETANISM. J2 , 
 
 them to fubfift any longer there; for after 
 the departure of fo many of his faithfuleft ad- 
 herents into this exile, the farther diminution 
 of his number made him (till lefs able to with- 
 ftand thofe infults, which his adverfaries were 
 continually on all occaflons making upon him. 
 But what he loft at Mecca he got at Medina, 
 then called Yathreb, a city lying at the north¬ 
 ern end of Hagiuz, two hundred and feventy 
 miles diftant from Mecca, which being inhabit- 
 ed, the one part by Jews, and the other part by 
 heretical Chriftians, it fieems thefe too different 
 parties not well agreeing in the fame city, the 
 factions and feuds that arofe between them, drove 
 one of the parties to Mahomet; and on the 
 thirteenth year of his pretended million, there 
 came to him from thence feventy-three men, and 
 two women, who embraced his impofture, and 
 iwore fealty unto him, whereon he chofe twelve 
 out of them, whom he retained a-while with 
 him at Mecca to inftruft them in his new reli¬ 
 gion, and then fent them back again to Yathreb, 
 to be as his twelve apoftles, there to propagate 
 it in that town, in which they laboured with that 
 Juccefs, that in a ftiort time they drew over a 
 great party of the inhabitants to embrace the 
 impofture, of which Mahomet receiving an ac¬ 
 count, refolved to retire thither, as finding Mec¬ 
 ca now grown too hot for him. For the chief 
 men of the city, finding that Mehomit’s inde¬ 
 fatigable induftry and cunning ftill kept up his 
 party, do what they could to furprefs it, refolv¬ 
 ed without further dalay to ftrike at the root, 
 end prevent the further fpreading of the mifehief, 
 by cutting off him that was the chief author of 
 It ; of which he having received full and early 
 intelligence, and finding no other way to avoid 
 the blow but to fly from it, ordered all his par¬ 
 ty, whom he could prevail with to accompany 
 him in his bamfhment, fecretlv in the evening 
 to withdraw out of the city, and retire to Yath¬ 
 reb : and when he had feen them all gone, he 
 and Abu Beker followed after, leaving only Ali 
 behind, who having fet in order fome affairs 
 that detained him, came to them the third day 
 after. As foon as his flight was publickly known, 
 parties were fent out to purfue after him, and 
 he with difficulty efcaped them, by hiding him¬ 
 felf for fome time in a cave, till the heat of the 
 puriuit was over. 
 
 Having then gained over a fufficient number 
 of ignorant people to his errors, he began to 
 appear in his real chara&er, namely, that of a 
 debauchee, and a tyrant. He knew that the 
 lcligicm of Jelus had been propagated without 
 any affiftance from the civil power, but he knew 
 at the fame time, that the purity of that reli¬ 
 gion was in fome meafure extinguiffied before 
 his time. As he was to change the eftabliffied 
 religion of his country all at once, fo he found 
 that coercive power was neceffary. 
 
 At that time there were in Arabia a vaft num¬ 
 ber of thofe heretical Chriftians called Nefto- 
 rians, and as they grew daily more and more 
 corrupt in their religion, fo it was not difficult 
 to perfuade them to profefs what they did not 
 believe, and pra&ice what they did not approve. 
 But, however great the errors of the Chriftians 
 might have been when Mahometanifm made 
 us firft appearance, yet there was a circum- 
 M m m m ftance 
 
The RISE and PROGRES 
 
 fiance Hill more powerful to facilitate its opera¬ 
 tion on ignorant perfons, and its progrefs among 
 Heathens. This was the wicked lives of the Chrif¬ 
 tians, for as the apoftles propagated the gofpel 
 by the purity of their manners, and holinefs of 
 their lives, fo the want of thofe fublime virtues 
 introduced the religion of Mahomet. There are 
 times when men are ripe for deftruClion, and 
 then God withdraws from them all his paternal 
 care. He leaves them to be impofed on by the 
 moft deligning perfons, and this is one of the 
 moft celebrated aCls of his juftice in the moral 
 government of this world. 
 
 From what has already been taken notice of 
 concerning the arts made ufe of by Mahomet, we 
 find that he muft have been a very cunning im- 
 poflor. It was not enough for him to relate his 
 forged vifions, he had recourfe to other means, as 
 a proof of his million. He appealed to the dif- 
 perfion of the Jews, as a proof that the religion 
 of Mofes was abolifhed, and the wickednefs of 
 the Chriftians was a lufficient proof that they ; 
 were no longer the favourites of heaven. It is 
 well known, that the primitive Chriftians be¬ 
 lieved that the general refurreClion was not far 
 diftant, and yet neither our Saviour nor any of 
 his apoftles, had ever taught them any more con¬ 
 cerning it, than that it was to happen in an un¬ 
 expected moment, and this was done, that they 
 might be continually on their guard. But as many 
 of the Heretics had renounced the belief of the 
 leading principles of Chriftianity, becaufe Chrift 
 had not made his fecond appearance, fo Maho¬ 
 met availed himfelf of that circumftance ; he 
 told his difciples that he would return from 
 heaven at the end of a certain number of years, 
 which anfwers in all relpeCls to our 1620 of the 
 Chriftian TEra. At that time there was a gene¬ 
 ral expectation of his coming, but ftill his fol¬ 
 lowers have been deceived. He lived to fee his 
 religion eftablilhed almoft all over Arabia, and 
 laid the foundation of a government where the 
 fupreme power was veiled in the high prieft. At 
 laft he died in the year 632, and was buried at 
 Mecca. 
 
 In his character he was one of the moft aban¬ 
 doned libertines that ever exifted, and it was his 
 love of the promifeuous ufe of women that in¬ 
 duced him to allow a plurality of wives to his 
 followers. All his paflions were made fubfer- 
 vient towards promoting the objeCts he had in 
 view, for he forbad wine to be uled, becaufe it 
 did not agree with his conftitution. 
 
 We have already taken notice, that his para- 
 dile, promifed to his followers, was a carnal one, 
 and nothing could be more agreeable to the de¬ 
 praved notions of men who were grofs idolators. 
 Chriftians are too apt to form carnal notions of 
 God, heaven and divine things, and if fo, then 
 v. e need not be lurprifed to find Pagans doing the 
 fame. Indeed, when all the circumftances are 
 confidered, refpeCting this moft extraordinary 
 impoftor, we lhall not be furprifed that fuch anew 
 religion fprang up. An univerfal corruption of 
 fentiments, joined to a total depravity of manners, 
 and nourilhed by ignorance, conftituted the cha¬ 
 racters of thofe men, who, in that age in Afia, 
 bore the Chriftian name. Like the children of 
 ifrael of old when they fought to return to 
 
 S of MAHOMETANISM. 
 
 Egypt, they longed for thofe indulgences which 
 Paganifm prefented to them, and thus a concur¬ 
 rence of events, joined to military power, did 
 more towards promoting the religion of Maho¬ 
 met, than any thing elfe of which we can form a 
 proper notion. 
 
 The Alcoran of Mahomet. 
 
 We have already taken notice, that the Al¬ 
 coran, confidered as a compofition, is extremely 
 beautiful, and contains fome fine moral lentences, 
 many of which are extracted from the law of 
 Mofes, but the greater part from the writings of 
 the Chriftian fathers. And here it is necelfary 
 that we fhould attend to one circumftance of 
 great importance, namely, that in all ages and 
 nations there always has been fome one or other 
 fyftem, upon which the eftablilhed religion of 
 the country was founded. Before the ufe of let¬ 
 ters was known in the world, the principles of 
 thofe fyftems were conveyed down from one ge¬ 
 neration to another by oral tradition, and fuch is 
 the praClice at prefent in many of the heathen 
 nations. But the ufe of letters gave a new and 
 more lading form to the liability of fyftems, and 
 we will join with the learned Mr. Parkhurft, in 
 in aflerting that the law of Moles is the moft an- 
 tient compofition in the world. 
 
 At the fame time it is beyond difpute, that in 
 China, and in many parts of the Eaft-Indies, 
 there are written fyftems of religion, which un¬ 
 doubtedly are of a much later date than the law 
 of Mofes, and the errors contained in them, 
 manv ferve to Ihew, that they were not the refult 
 of divine infpiration. The gofpel of Chrift as 
 contained in the New Teftament, and which il- 
 luftrates and proves the truth of the Old Tefta¬ 
 ment Difpenfation, is far luperior to all others, 
 and it may be juftly called the image of God 
 himfelf. It contains all that man fhould know, 
 all that he Ihould believe, and it lays down an 
 unerring rule for his conduCl. It does not extol 
 the virtues of the pious beyond their proper 
 bounds, nor does it conceal the faults of thofe 
 who are held up as objeCls of imitation. This 
 is the grand diftinguifhing charaCteriftic of Di¬ 
 vine Revelation, by thefe marks we know it 
 came from God, and we are encouraged to truft 
 in what appears to us as the naked truth, without 
 any deceit or falfe colouring. 
 
 Mahomet, one of the moft artful impoftors 
 that ever lived in the world, was fenfible of this, 
 and therefore he endeavoured to tranfplant into 
 his fyftem every thing of a moral tendency which 
 he found in the facred feriptures. But ftill it was 
 his conduCl in the compiling of his Alcoran to mix 
 things together, fo as to comprehend a jumble of 
 fentiments as ftiould include as profelytes to his 
 doCtrine, both Jews and Chriftian Heretics, well 
 knowing that the Heathen Arabians would not be 
 averfe to any thing that gratified their ambition, 
 and fatisfied their lufts. 
 
 The manner in which this work was compiled 
 has been already taken notice of, we muft now 
 prefent the reader with the matter ; and here it is 
 not necefiary that we ftiould tranferibe the whole, 
 
 but 
 
Of the A L C O R 
 
 but only the leading principles, fo far as to con¬ 
 tain all the dodhines in that famous fyftem of 
 impofture. The whole is divided into one hun¬ 
 dred and fourteen chapters, fome being long and 
 tedious, others fhort and comprehcnfive, but to 
 underftand them properly, we lliall abridge them 
 in the manner they follow in the book, and inlert 
 every one of the fentiments upon which that 
 falfe fyftem is founded. Every chapter begins 
 with an addrefs to the Divine Being, conftant- 
 ly in the fame words, but a fingle fpecimen 
 of that will be fufficient, fo that there will be no 
 necedity for repeating any of the others. 
 
 “ In the name of God, gracious and merciful; 
 praifed be God, gracious and merciful : King of 
 the day of judgement. It is thee whom we adore ; 
 it is from thee we require help. Guide us in the 
 right way, in the way of them that thou haft 
 gratified ; againft whom thou haft not been dif- 
 pleal'ed, and we fhall not be milled. 
 
 There is no error in this book, it guideth into 
 the right way, thofe that are righteous, who be¬ 
 lieve what they fee not, who make their prayers 
 with affeftion, and difpenfe in alms, a part of the 
 goods that we have given them. Such as believe 
 the things that are infpired into thee, in thofe 
 that have been preached before thee, and at the 
 end of the world are not ignorant, they are guided 
 by their Lord, and [hall be bleffed. Mifery is 
 upon unbelievers. Whether thou reprove them, 
 or do not reprove them, they will not be con¬ 
 verted, God hath (hut up their heart, their ears 
 and eyes, and they [hall fuffer great torments. 
 Many men fay, we believe in God, and the day 
 of judgement, and do not believe ; they think to 
 deceive God, and them that believe in God; 
 certainly they deceive themfelves, and know it 
 not. God will augment the infirmity which they 
 have in their heart, and they (hall undergo the 
 rigours of an infinite pain, by reafon of their 
 lying. When it was laid to them pollute not the 
 earth, they faid, we are true obfervers of the law 
 of God ; notwithftanding, they were they that 
 polluted the earth, but they knew it not. 
 
 Say not, that God hath a companion equal to 
 him, becaufe you know the contrary. If you 
 doubt that I have fent my fervant, come, and 
 bring fome chapters like to the Alcoran, and call 
 to witncfs the idols that you adore ; if you are 
 good men, if you have not done it, or cannot 
 perform it, fear the fire of hell prepared for in¬ 
 fidels and idolators ; and declare to true believers 
 who do good works, that they (hall enjoy the im- 
 menfe pleafures of Paradife, wherein flow many 
 rivers ; they fhall there find all forts of fair and 
 favory fruits, which God hath prepared for them ; 
 they fhall confider, if they be like to fuch as they 
 had before in the world : They fhall there have 
 wives fair and delicate, and fhall dwell in eternal 
 felicity. God is not alhamed to compare a little 
 thing to an extreme greatnefs. 
 
 Such as in their heart incline to depart from 
 the truth, do often follow their inclination, de- 
 firous of [edition, and to underftand the expli¬ 
 cation of the Alcaron ; but none underftand its 
 explication but God, and fuch as are profound in 
 learning; they fay, we believe in God, all things 
 proceed from his divine wifdom, nevertheleis 
 none remember but the wife. Lord, caufe not our 
 hearts to err, after thou haft guided us into the 
 
 A N of M A PI O M E T. 
 
 light way, give 11s thy mercy, thou art moft 
 bountiful towards thy creatures. Lord, thou art 
 he that ihalt alfemble the world at the day of 
 judgement, at which day nothing lliall be found 
 doubtful, when thou wilt not go againft thy pro- 
 mifes, and when wealth and children fhall not 
 lerve to the wicked, but to kindle the fire of hell, 
 j The infidel lineage of Pharaoh, and thofe that 
 preceded him, blafphemed and abjured the law 
 of God, but he furprifed them in their fin ; he 
 is grievous in his chaftifements. Say to” the 
 infidels, they fhall be vanquilhed, and (hall be 
 gathered together into the fire of hell, that is 
 prepared for them. 
 
 You have an example in the two troops that 
 fought for the glory of God, they beheld with 
 their eyes, infidels become true believers, like 
 unto themfelves; God ftrengtheneth with his 
 aid, whom it pleafeth him; this fhall be for ex¬ 
 ample to fuch as fhall clearly fee. The love and 
 defire of women, of children, of riches, abund¬ 
 ance of gold, and of filver, of liorfes, cattle, and 
 of tillage, are pleafmg to men ; fuch are the 
 riches of the life of this world, but the moft af- 
 fured refuge is in God. Say unto them, I will 
 declare unto you things much better for them, 
 that fhall have the fear of God before their eyes; 
 They fhall dwell eternally in Paradife, where 
 flow many rivers, with women, beautiful and 
 lean, and all manner of content. God beholdeth 
 them that adore him, and that fay. Lord, we 
 believe in thy law, pardon our fins, and deliver 
 11s from the torments of fire. The patient, the 
 perfevering, true believers, the obedient, the 
 good men, fuch as beg pardon of God in the 
 morning, the angels, the learned that love juftice, 
 teftify that there is but one only God. The law 
 of falvation, is a law pleafing to his Divine Ma- 
 jefty; no man contradifteth this truth, among 
 Inch as know the written law, but through envy. 
 He that fhall not obey the commandments of 
 God, fhall find his Divine Majefty very exait to 
 call him to an account. If the impious difpute 
 with thee, fay to them, I am wholly refigned to 
 the will of God, with all fuch as have followed 
 me. Afk of fuch as know the written law, and 
 them that know it not, if they refign themfelves 
 to God, if they do, they will foljow the ric-ht 
 way ; if they go aftray, thou haft none other ob¬ 
 ligation, but to preach to them ; God beholdeth 
 them that adore him. Declare grievous torments 
 to thofe that conceal his commandments, that 
 kill the prophets, and injure them that inftrudt 
 the people in juftice ; the good works that they 
 do, fhall be unprofitable to them on earth, and 
 they fhall be in the other world deprived of pro¬ 
 tection. Seeft thou not a party of them that 
 know the written law, how they were called to a 
 ledhire of the book ot God, to the end they 
 might judge with equity the differences that are 
 among them ? but many are returned to their 
 fin : they contemned the fcripture, in that they 
 faid, the fire fhall not touch us, but for a cartain 
 number of days; they are deceived in their blaf- 
 phemies, what will become of them, when we 
 fhall affemfcle them at the dav of judtrement 
 when nothing (hall be doubtful, and every one 
 fhall be recompenfed as he lliall have merited ? 
 No injuftice lliall be done unto them. Say 
 Lord, thou poflefleft the kingdoms of the world’ 
 
 thou 
 
^24 Of the ALCORAN 
 
 thou give ft royalty to whom thou feeft good ; 
 from thy hand, O Lord, proceedeth all good; 
 thou art omnipotent; thou cauleft day to enter 
 the night, and night the day ; thou caufeft life to 
 come out of death, and death out of life ; thou 
 enricheft without meafure wiiom thou feeft 
 good. 
 
 The Jews confpired againft Jefus, and God 
 caufed their confpiracy to turn againft them, he 
 knoweth the defigns of confpirators. Remem¬ 
 ber thou, how the Lord faid, O Jefus I will caufe 
 thee to die, I will elevate thee to myfelf, and re¬ 
 move thee far from Infidels, and prefer thofe 
 that have obeyed thee, to infidels, at the day of 
 judgement. That day fhall affcmble you all 
 before me; I will judge the differences between 
 you, and will punilh the impious, in this world, 
 and in the other; none among them fhall be of 
 power to protefl them, I will reward them that 
 fhall have believed in my law, and have done 
 crood works; God loveth not the unjuft. Ire- 
 late to thee thefe myfteries, and teach thee the 
 Alcoran ; Jefus is with God, as is Adam, God 
 created him of the earth ; he faid, be thou, and 
 he was; This truth proceedeth from thy Lord, 
 of the number of them that doubt; If any one 
 difpute with thee concerning thy dofirine, fay to 
 them. Come, call together your children and 
 ours, your wives and ours, let us aflemble and 
 addrefs our prayers to God ; I will lay the curfe 
 of his divine majefty upon liars. This difcourfe 
 is molt: true, there is no God, but God alone the 
 omnipotent and wife. If they depart from his 
 commandments, he fhall well obferve the un¬ 
 believers; fay to them, Oh he that knows 
 fcripture ! Come with words alike true between 
 you and us : Do I worfhip other than God? I 
 do not alfociate him with any one, and acknow¬ 
 ledge no other Lord but him ; but if they turn 
 afide from the way of faith, God knoweth them 
 that fit all pollute the earth ; fay to them, be ye 
 witneffes, that we believe in God. Oh ye that ■ 
 underftand fcripture, difpute not the law of Abra- | 
 ham, to wit, if he oblerved the Old Teftament, I 
 or the gofpel, they were taught after him, per¬ 
 haps you will acknowledge your error. Oh ye 
 that have dilputed what ye know not! Abraham 
 was no Jew, nor Chrillian, he profeffed the unity 
 of God, he was a true believer, and not of the 
 number of infidels. 
 
 The people, and particularly thofe that fol¬ 
 lowed him, of his time, as alfo the prophet 
 Mahomet, and all true believers have known 
 the truth of his law. Part of them, to whom 
 heretofore was given the knowledge of the Scrip¬ 
 ture they delired, feduced you from the right way, 
 but they themfelves erred, and they knew it not. 
 O ye that know the icriptures! Do not malici- 
 oufly conceal the commandments of God, co¬ 
 ver not the truth with a lie, neither willingly 
 hide it. Many of them that know the written 
 law, faid from the break of day, believe in what 
 hath been taught them, that believe in the law 
 of God : Neverthelefs, at evening, they were 
 themfelves of the number of infidels, peradven- 
 ture they will be converted. Believe not, but 
 fuch as follow your own law; lay to them, the 
 true guide, is the guide of God. The knowledge 
 that was given to you, was not given to any other, 
 but to you ; If the infidels fhall difpute againft 
 
 of M A H O M E T. 
 
 you, before your Lord, at the day of judgement ; 
 fay to them, Grace proceedeth from the hand ot 
 God; He is bountiful, and omnilcient; he par- 
 doneth whom he pleafeth, and is altogether mer¬ 
 ciful. If thou intrufteth thy wealth to the hands 
 of many of them that know the written law, 
 they will faithfully reftore it to thee. 
 
 I increafe thewealth of Infidels to augment their 
 pain, they fhall in the end feel grievous torments. 
 God will not leave the faithful in the ftate that you 
 are in ; he will one day feparate the good from the 
 evil; he doth not teach you what is to come; 
 he, for that eftedt chuleth among the prophets 
 whom he feeth good. Believe therefore in God, 
 and his prophets; if you believe in God, fear to 
 offend him, you fhall be rewarded. Believe ye that 
 fuch as are too fparing, and avaricious of the 
 wealth that God hath given them, do well ; on 
 the contrary, they do very ill, what they fpare 
 without reafon, fhall ftrangle them at the day 
 of judgement. The inheritance of heaven and 
 earth is God’s, he knoweth all things. Certain¬ 
 ly God heard the fpeech of them that faid, God 
 is poor, and we are rich; he hath faid, I will 
 write what they have lpoken, and keep an exadt 
 account of the murders they have unjuftly com¬ 
 mitted on the perfons of the prophets; I will 
 fay to them at the day of judgement, tafte of the 
 torments of hell fire, which you have deferved. 
 God doth not lead into darknefs them that wor¬ 
 fhip him. There be, that lay, God hath com¬ 
 manded us not to believe the prophets, until 
 their facrifice be confumed by fire ; fay to them, 
 there came to you prophets heretofore with mi¬ 
 racles that you demanded, you had not (lain 
 them, had you been righteous; it they belie thee, 
 know, they belied the prophets that were before 
 thee, that came with miracles, the pfalter, and 
 the book of light. Every man fhall tafte of 
 death, and your reward fhall be paid at the day 
 of judgement; he that lhall depart from the fire 
 of hell, and enter into Paradife, fhall be happy. 
 The wealth of this world is but a matter of 
 pride, that you may be tried in your riches and 
 perfons. Hearken not to the Jews and Chrif- 
 tians, that have known the written law before 
 you, neither to them that believe in many gods, 
 they offend God through their blafphemies; if 
 you have patience, and fear God, you fhall make 
 ■ a very good refolution. God hath accepted the 
 fpeech of them that know his written law, when 
 they promifed him to preach to the people his 
 commandments, and not conceal them; never¬ 
 thelefs they have condemned them, and changed 
 them for profit of little value, and have gained 
 nothing but mifery; think not that fuch as re¬ 
 joice of the evil they have done, and effedt to be 
 i commended for what they have not done, hive 
 efcaped the punifhment of their crimes, they 
 ! (hall certainly fuffer great torments. The king¬ 
 dom of heaven and of earth is God’s, he is om- 
 I nipotent; the creation of heaven and earth, the 
 difference of day and night are evident figns of 
 his omnipotence, to fucli as have judgement. 
 Such as have, remember God, (landing, fitting, 
 or lying down, and confidered the creation of 
 heaven and earth have faid, Lord, thou haft 
 not created thefe things in vain; blefled be thy 
 Name, deliver us from the torments of hell 
 | fire, thou wilt render miferable him that thou 
 
 fli alt 
 
Of the ALCORAN of MAHOMET. 
 
 
 fhalt thither precipitate, and the wicked fhall be 
 deprived of protedtion at the day of judgement. 
 Lord, we have heard them that fay, believe in 
 your Lord, we believe in thy unity, pardon our 
 faults, blot out our fins, and give us grace to die 
 in the number of the juft; beftow on us what 
 thou haft promifed by the prophets, and lufter us 
 not to be miferable at the day of judgement; 
 thou doft not contradidt what thou doft promile. 
 
 If you fear to do injury to orphans, fear alfo 
 to do wrong to women ; marry thofe that pleafe 
 you. Two, three, or four: if you apprehend 
 you fhall not be able to entertain them equally, 
 marry but one, or the ftaves that you fhall have 
 acquired; this is mod neceflary, to the end that 
 you offend not God. Give to women their dow¬ 
 ry with a good will; if they give to you any 
 thing that is pleafing to you, receive it with af- 
 fedtion and civility. Beftow not on fools the 
 wealth that God hath given you for lubfiftance; 
 afiift orphans, give to them the garments that 
 fhall be neceflary for them, and entertain them 
 honeftlyj inftrudt them until they have attained 
 to years of diferetion, and are capable of mar- j 
 riage; if you believe they demean themfelves j 
 wifely, reftore to them their faculties, and de¬ 
 vour them not unjuftly before they be of age. 
 He that (hall be rich, fhall abftain from their | 
 goods, and he that is poor, fhall take with ho- j 
 nefty, according to the pains he fhall undergo ! 
 for them : when you make to them reftitution | 
 for their goods, take witnefs of your adtions; God : 
 loveth good accounts. The children fhall have 
 a good part of what their father, and mother, 
 or parents left after their deceale, of little or of 
 much there appertained! to them a portion pre¬ 
 fixed and limitted. When they divide their 
 goods, the kindred fhall have care of the poor 
 and orphans; do good to them, and honeftly 
 entertain them. Such as fear to leave after them 
 a weak progeny of little children, ought to fear 
 to wrong orphans, they mu ft fear God, and 
 courteoully entertain them. Thofe who unjuftly 
 devour their fubftance, fwallow fire into their 
 bowels, and fhall burn in a great furnace. God 
 recommendeth to you your children, the fon fhall 
 have as much as two daughters ; if there be more 
 than two daughters, they fhall have two thirds j 
 of the fucceflion of the dead ; if there be but one, j 
 lhe fhall have the moiety, and her kindred a fixth ; 
 part of what fhall be left by the dead : if there 
 be no children, and the kindred be heirs, the ^ 
 mother of the dead fhall have a third ; if there be ; 
 brethren, the mother fhall have a fixth, after fa- J 
 tisfattion of the legacies contained in the tefta- ( 
 ment, and of debts. 
 
 O ye that believe in God ! it is not lawful for 
 you to inherit what is your wives by force, take 
 not violently away what you have given them, 
 unlels they be furprized in manifeft adultery ; 
 fee them with civility, if you have an averfion 
 from them, it may chance that you hate a thing, 
 wherein God hath placed much good ; but if you 
 defire to repudiate your wives, to take others, 
 and that you have given them any thing, take 
 not any thing that appertaineth to them. Will 
 you take their wealth with a lie and a manifeft 
 fin ? How fhall you take it, fince you have ap¬ 
 proached each other, and that you have promfed 
 to ufe them civilly ? Marry not the wives of your 
 28 
 
 fathers; what is paft was inceft, abomination, 
 and a wicked way. Your mothers are forbidden 
 you, your daughters, lifters, aunts, nieces, your 
 nurfes, and your fofter-fifters, the mothers of 
 your wives, the daughters that your wives have 
 had by other hufbands, of whom you (hall have 
 a particular care. T he daughters of women that 
 you fhall have known, are alfo. forbidden you ; 
 if you have not known them, it will be no fin 3 
 the wives of your ions are alio prohibited, and 
 two filters ; for what is paft, God is gracious and 
 merciful: Married wives are likewile forbidden 
 yGu, except the women flaves, that you fhall 
 have acquired. God hath fo commanded you, 
 except what is above forbidden, it is lawful for 
 you to marry at your pleafure. If you defire 
 women for money, and neither commit concu¬ 
 binage, nor adultery, give them their falary for 
 which you fhall agree, fo you fhall not offend 
 God, he is omnifeient, and moft wife. He that 
 fhall not be able to elpoufe women of free con¬ 
 dition, fhall marry fuch women or maids, that 
 are flaves, as fhall pleafe him. God knoweth 
 the faith of the one, and the other. Marry your 
 wives with the permiffion of their parents, and 
 give them their dowry with honefty : If women 
 of free condition, that have committed neither 
 concubinage, nor adultery, lecretly nor pub- 
 lickly, fly into fecond nuptials, and come to 
 commit adultery, they fhall be doubly punifhed, 
 more than the daughters of love. The marriage 
 of flaves is for them that fear whoredom : If you 
 abftain from marrying them, you fhall not do 
 amifs. God is gracious and merciful; he is 
 willing to teach you his law, and diredt you in 
 the way of them that preceded you; he is gra¬ 
 cious and merciful to his people. 
 
 Such as follow the appetite of the wicked, de¬ 
 cline extremely from the truth. God willeth that 
 his law be a light unto you, for that man was cre¬ 
 ated weak. O you that believe in God, devour 
 not your fubftance among you with ulury; but 
 if you traffickj be peaceable in your affairs ; flay 
 not one another. God is merciful to them that 
 obey him : He that dilbbeyeth, through malice 
 and injuftice, fhall burn in the tire of hell ; it is 
 an eafy thing for God to punifh them. If you 
 depart from mortal fins, I will cover your faults, 
 and caufe you to enter into paradife : covet not 
 through envy, what God hath given to your 
 neighbour; men and women fhall have the 
 wealth they have gained ; beg grace of God, he 
 knoweth all things. Give to your affociates what 
 appertaineth to them. We have ordained a por¬ 
 tion, prefixed to the one and the other, in the 
 fucceflion of your father, mother, and kindred, 
 God feeth all. The men fhall have authority 
 over the women ; they fhall have them in their 
 keeping; they fhall have in their power the 
 wealth that God fhall give them ; and fhall have 
 care of what fhall be convenient to be expended 
 for them. Difcreet and obedient wives obferve, 
 in the ablence of their hufbands, the command¬ 
 ments of God ; make remonftrances to them that 
 lhall be difobedient, and remove them from your 
 bed, chaftife them. 
 
 If any one be in neceflity, and eateth of what 
 is prohibited, without a will to fin, God fhall be 
 to him gracious and merciful. They will de¬ 
 mand of thee, what is permitted them to eat ? 
 
 N n n a Say 
 
3*6 Of the A L C O R A 
 
 Say unto them it is lawful to eat all forts of beads 
 that are not unclean, and v/hatever hath been 
 taught you from God, touching beads that hath 
 been wounded by lions or dogs, eat the beads you 
 Ihall take, and remember God in blooding them ; 
 fear God, he is exadl to take account. This day 
 it is lawful that you eat what is not unclean, and 
 the meats of them that know the written law, 
 their meats are lawful for you, and yours for them. 
 You are permitted to efpoufe maidens and wo¬ 
 men of free condition, that are of your religion, 
 and maidens and women of free condition, that 
 know the written law, giving them their dowry 
 with civility ; commit neither concubinage, nor 
 adultery with them, neither fccretly norpublickly; 
 the good works of him that fhall renounce your 
 law, fhall be unprofitable, he fhall be at the day 
 of judgement in the number of the damned. O 
 ye that believe in God, when ye would make 
 your prayers, wafh your faces, your hands to the 
 elbow, and pals your hand over your head, and 
 over your feet to the ancles. If you be polluted, 
 purify yourlelves ; if fick, or in a journey, .or ! 
 about to difcharge your belly, or have known 
 women, and find no water to wadi you, lay hand 
 on the fand, pafs it over your vifage, and wipe 
 therewith your hands. God enjoineth you no¬ 
 thing irkfome, but willeth you to be clean, and 
 defireth to accomplish his grace upon you; per- 
 adventure you will give him thanks. O ye that 
 believe in God ! call to mind his grace, and pro- 
 mife he matte to you, when you faid, we heard, 
 and obeyed ; fear him, he knoweth all that is in 
 your hearts. O ye that believe in God ! obey 
 his commandments, and be true in your teflimo- 
 nies, take heed that no man move you to offend 
 God, in diverting you from what is juft ; render 
 juflice to all, his fear inviteth you to it; have it 
 before your eyes, he knoweth all your adlions ; 
 hath promifed his grace, and great recompenfes 
 to the true believers, that fhall do good works 
 in this world, and hath prepared hell to punifh 
 infidels. O ye that believe in God ! remember 
 his favour towards you, when fome perfons would 
 have extended their hands upon you, and how he 
 delivered you from their malice ; fear him ; all 
 true believers ought to refign themfelves to his 
 will. God received the promife of the children 
 of Ifrael to obferve his commandments ; he efla- 
 blidied among them twelve captains, and faid to 
 them, I will be with you when you fhall make 
 prayers j pay your tithes, believe in the prophets, 
 defend them, and lend to me any alms; I 
 will cover your fins, and caufe you to enter pa- 
 radife, wherein flow many rivers ; and he among 
 you that fhall be an infidel, fhall be intirely er¬ 
 roneous from the right path. When they fwerved 
 from what they had promifed, we gave them our 
 curfe, and hardened their heart; they have al¬ 
 tered the words of the feripture, and abjured 
 what they had approved. 
 
 We have fent to thee the feripture, written in 
 vellum, the unbelievers have handled it with 
 their hands, yet fay it is evident forcery and 
 enchantment, that they will not believe therein, 
 unlefs they lee an angel defeend, to confirm it. 
 Should we have lent an angel, they had perifhed 
 by his prefence, unlefs we had fent him under 
 the figure of a man, like unto‘them, and cloath- j 
 
 N of M A II O M E T. . 
 
 ed as they are. They derided the prophets, and 
 apoftles, thy predeceftors; derifion is fallen upon 
 luch as contemned them. Say to them, go thro’ 
 the world, and confider the end of them that ab¬ 
 jure the law of God; fay to them, to whom ap¬ 
 pertained whatfoever is in heaven and earth ? It 
 is God’s. He will employ his mercy to fave you ; 
 doubtlefs he will aflemble all of you at the day of 
 judgement. Neverthelefs infidels believe not in 
 his unity; they confider not, that whatfoever 
 moveth by night, and by day, and whatfoever is 
 in the world, belonged to his Divine majefty, 
 who underfunded and knoweth all things. Say 
 to them, require you other prote&ion than that 
 of God the Omnipotent, creator of heaven and 
 earth, who nourifheth all things, is nourifhed by 
 none ? Say to them, I have received a command 
 to embrace the law of falvation. Be not ye in 
 the number of unbelievers; I fear to difobey my 
 Lord, and fear the torments prepared for the 
 wicked at the day of judgement; he that fhall de¬ 
 liver himfelf, fhall enjoy the grace of God, which 
 is fupreme felicity: If God will punifh you, 
 none fhall deliver you from his punifhment; if 
 his will be to do good to you, he is omnipotent, 
 always victorious, and hath all power over his 
 creatures; he is moft wife and omnifeient. Say 
 to them, what better teftimony is there in the 
 world than that of God P Say to them, he fhall 
 teftify between you and me, to whom he hath 
 infpired the Alcoran to inflrudt you: Will any 
 among you that fhall learn it, fay there is any 
 other God, but Elohim; I will not fay fo ; there is 
 but one God, and I am innocent from the fin 
 you commit, in afiociating him with a compa¬ 
 nion equal to him; many of them that under- 
 ftand the written law, have knowledge of the 
 truth of the Alcoran ; their children alfo know it, 
 but luch as forfake their own fouls, will not be¬ 
 lieve in God. Who more unjufl, than he that 
 blafphemeth againfl God and his command¬ 
 ments? Certainly the wicked fhall be miferable; 
 
 I will aflemble all of them, and fay, where are 
 the gods which you did aflociate with God ? 
 They fhall have none other excufe, but to fay, 
 by God, Lord, we were of the number of idola¬ 
 ters. Confider how they will lie, and difavow 
 their blafphemies : fome there be among them 
 that hearken to thee, we have hardened their 
 hearts, they will not learn the Alcoran, becaufe 
 their ears are flopped. When they fhall hear re¬ 
 lated all the miracles of the world, and fhall fee 
 them with their eyes, they will not believe until 
 they have difputed againfl thee. 
 
 Such as believe not in the refurreClion, are 
 wretched men, they fhall be affiiCled for their 
 fins at the hour when ever death fhall furprize 
 them ; they fhall bear on their back the burthen 
 of their crimes, and avouch the life of this world 
 to be but deceit and vanity, and the life of the 
 other to be full of felicity for the righteous ; ne¬ 
 verthelefs the wicked are not converted. I know 
 thou wilt be incenfed againfl luch as will fay, 
 they defire to obey thee, and fhall renounce thy 
 dodtrine ; they that contemn the commandments 
 of God are impious, they have belied the pro¬ 
 phets thy predeceffors; the prophets endured 
 their lies, and were patient, until we deflroyed 
 them ; God declineth not what he hath promifed. 
 
 Thou 
 
• Of the ALCORAN 
 
 Thou knoweft what the prophets foretold 1 if 
 men abandon thee, canft thou covet to continue 
 on earth, to inftrudt them, and to be in heaven 
 at the fame time, to caufe prodigies appear, tes¬ 
 timonies of thy million. Had it fo pleafed God, 
 he had brought them all into the right way, nor 
 had they been in the number of the ignorant. 
 Certainly he heareth the prayers of the righteous, 
 that hearken to his word ; he will give refurrec- 
 tion to the dead, and afTemble them to receive 
 recompenfe according to their merits. They 
 have faid, we believe not in the prophet, if he 
 Ihew not to us fome miracle from his Lord: fay 
 unto them, God hath fhewed you many miracles, 
 but molt of you do not underftand them ; the 
 bealts that walk upon the earth, and the birds 
 that fly into the air, are in the number of his 
 creatures: We have not omitted to write any 
 thing that is written in the book kept in heaven ; 
 all men fhall one day appear before God, fuch 
 as fhall not have believed in his law, fhall be deaf 
 and dumb, and inhabit darknefs : God miflead- 
 eth whom it pleafeth him, and guideth in the 
 right way whom he feeth good. Say unto them, 
 have you felt the punilhment of God ? 
 
 It is God that fendeth the winds to dilTipate 
 the rain, when they carry the clouds; we drive 
 them charged with water, into places dry, dead, 
 and ruined, and caufe the rain to fall there, that 
 they may produce herbs and fruits; fo will we 
 caufe the dead to arife again; perhaps men will 
 remember the good land bringeth forth good 
 fruits, through the permiftion of its Lord, and 
 the bad land produceth only darneill. I teach my 
 commandments to fuch as are not ungrateful: 
 certainly we fent Noah to inftruft men ; he faid, 
 O ye people, worfhip one God alone : if you 
 adore other than him, you fhall be punifhed at 
 the day of judgement ; their rulers anfwered, 
 O Noah! thou art in a great error; he replied, 
 
 I err not, I am a mefTenger fent from God to 
 preach his will; I give you rnoft wholefome ad¬ 
 vice, God hath taught me what you know not. 
 Is it ftrange to you, that he hath fent you his 
 commandment by the tongue of a man like 
 yourfelves, to declare to you the torments of 
 hell? Fear God, he will pardon your fins ; but 
 they belied Noah, we laved him in the ark, 
 with his retinue, and drowned thole that con¬ 
 temned our law, they were altogether blind. We 
 fent Hod to his brother Aad, and to his retinue, 
 he faid, Oh ye people ! worfhip one God 
 alone, whom will ye adore, or whom fear, but 
 God ? The teachers anfwered, thou art in an ex¬ 
 treme ignorance; we believe thee to be in the 
 number of liars; he replied, I am not a liar, I 
 am a melfenger fent from God, to preach his 
 commandments, I give good and falutary advice, 
 wonder not that God teacheth you his precepts 
 by the tongue of a man, like you, who declareth 
 to you his pleafure. Remember that he left you 
 on earth after Noah, that he increafed you in 
 number, force, and power ; call to mind his 
 grace, you fhall be happy. They anfwered, are 
 we come to this, to worlhip one God alone, and 
 to relinquifh what our fathers adored ? Shew us 
 the truth, whereof thou doft preach, if thou art 
 true ? He laid, the wrath and indignation of God 
 lhall fail upon you ; will you dilpute with us of 
 
 of M A H O M E T. 327 
 
 the names, that you and your fathers impofed on 
 your idols ? God did not enjoin to worfhip them, 
 neither have you reafon to do it; expe6t your 
 punifhment, I will expert it with perfeverance. 
 
 A letter patent from God, and his prophet, to 
 the unbelievers with whom ye have made truce. 
 Travel in fafety the fpace of four months, know, 
 ye fhall not render God impotent, and that he 
 will lay fhame upon your forehead. Advice for 
 the people, at the great day of pilgrimage from 
 God, and his prophet: God approveth not the 
 aftions of them that adore idols, his prophet is 
 innocent from that fin ; if ye repent, ye fhall do 
 well; if ye abandon the law of God, know, ye 
 lhall not efcape the punifhment of your crime; 
 preach to the unbelievers, that they fhall fuffer 
 grievous torments, except thofe with whom ye 
 have made truce, who fall not from what they 
 have promifed, and that protect none againft you. 
 Obferve exadtly until the prefixed time, whac 
 you have promifed them. God loveth them that 
 fear him : when the month of Heram fhall be 
 paft, kill them where you fhall meet them, 
 take them flaves, detain them prifoners, and 
 obferve where they pafs to lay ambufh for them; 
 if they be converted, if they pray at the time 
 appointed, and pay tythes, leave them in quiet, 
 God is merciful to them that repent. If the 
 infidels demand quarter of you, give them 
 quarter, to the end they may learn the word of 
 God; teach them his commandments, for they 
 are ignorant. How fhould they have truce with 
 God and his prophet ? If they believe neither in 
 the one, nor the other, except them with whom 
 you entered truce in the temple of Mecca? If they 
 obferve their promife to you, obferve what ye 
 promifed to them; God loveth fuch as have his 
 fear before their eyes : How fhall they have truce 
 with you ? If they have advantage over you, 
 they will refpedt neither your alliance nor con¬ 
 federacy. 
 
 They will fpeak well of you, and contemn 
 you in their heart; the greatefl part of them are 
 impious, they have preferred the riches of this 
 world to the commandments of God, and have 
 hindered the people from following his law, as if 
 they knew not what they did; they bear no re- 
 fpe< 5 t to the true believers, wherein they are ex¬ 
 ceedingly to blame. If they turn, and make 
 their prayers at the time appointed, if they pay 
 tythes, they fhall be your brethren in God. I 
 teach the myfteries of faith to fuch as have un- 
 derflanding to comprehend them, if they break 
 their promife and difturb them of your religion, 
 kill their captains, as perfons without faith, they 
 will perhaps put an end to their impiety. Slay 
 fuch efpecially that renounce their faith, who 
 have endeavoured to drive the prophet from 
 Mecca, and have begun to flay you, will you 
 fear them ? Will ye be terrified by them? It is 
 reafonable that ye fear God ; if ye believe in his 
 law, fight them, God fhall chaftile them by your 
 hands, he fhall render them difhonourable, and 
 proteft you againft them, he fhall fortify the 
 hearts of true believers, and expel melancholy, 
 he pardoneth whom he feeth good, knoweth all 
 things, and is molt prudent in what he ordaineth. 
 Think ye to be forlaken of God, and that he 
 difeerueth not them that have fought gallantly 
 
 for 
 
2$ Of the ALCORAN of MAHOMET. 
 
 for his law, from fuch as have adored idols, and 
 difobeyed his prophet. 
 
 Such as have believed in God, as have de¬ 
 parted from the wicked, and employed their 
 wealth and perfons to fight for his law, (hall have 
 a particular degree, and a particular place near 
 to his Divine Majefty, they (hall be the more 
 happy. God through his goodnefs, declareth to 
 them, that they (hall enter into delicious gardens, 
 where they (hall remain eternally; there is with 
 God a very great reward. O ye that believe ! 
 Obey not your fathers, nor your brothers, that 
 love rather to follow impiety than the faith. 
 Such as (hall obey them, (hall offend exceed¬ 
 ingly ; if your father, your children, your bro¬ 
 thers, your wives, your parents, your friends, 
 the wealth that you have gained, the fear of 
 lofing your riches, and apprehenfion of poverty, 
 have more power over you than God and his 
 prophet, and hinder you to fight for the faith, 
 the commandment of God (hall be executed 
 againft you, he guideth not the wicked, and hath 
 protected you in many occafions. Remember 
 the day of battel of Hanin, when ye rejoiced 
 in the multitude of your men, it did not ad¬ 
 vantage you, fear made you find the place too 
 narrow for flight, and ye turned the back as van- 
 quifhed : Remember that God, at that time, put 
 his prophet, and the true-believers in a place of 
 fafety, and fent invifible troops to chaftife the 
 Infidels, he pardoneth fins as feemeth good to 
 him, he is gracious and merciful. 
 
 True believers will not excufe themfelves from 
 fighting, or employing their wealth and perfons 
 for the law of God ; he knoweth fuch as fear 
 him. They that believe not in God, neither the 
 day of judgement, refufe to go with thee, they 
 doubt the myfteries of faith, but (hall continue 
 in their doubt, to their confufion; had they in¬ 
 clined to go out againft the enemy, they had 
 arms to perform it; God contemned their going 
 out, rendered them negligent, and caufed them 
 to remain with the fick, the women, and children; 
 had they gone forth with you, they had brought 
 with them more of diforder than affection to the 
 fervice of his Divine majefty; they hate you, 
 neverthelefs you hearken to them : God know¬ 
 eth them that are too blame, they hateth thee 
 heretofore, accufed thee of all their mifchief, 
 until, through the permifiion of God, the truth 
 appeared againft their will: many of them faid, 
 excufe us, and fcandalize us not, and they fell 
 themfelves into fcandal and impiety : but hell is 
 the habitation of thole wicked perfons; if good 
 happen to you, they are difcontented; if evil 
 befall you, they fay, they took heed to them¬ 
 felves, and forefaw it, and departed from you with 
 joy; fay unto them, nothing befell us, but what 
 God had ordained, he is our Lord; all true 
 believers are refigned to the will of his divine 
 majefty. 
 
 There is no excufe for you, ye are truly im¬ 
 pious ; if God pardon any one of you, he (hall 
 rigoroufly punifti fuch as perfift to offend him. 
 The wicked teach among them impiety to their 
 pofterity, they depart from the truth; they go 
 hand in hand, and agree to difobey God ; they 
 forget God, and God forgeteth them ; he hath 
 prepared hell for them, where they lhall remain 
 eternally; he hath curled them, and they (hall 
 
 feel the torment of infinite pains. The wicked 
 that were before you, (hall undergo them like 
 you, they were more powerful than you, they 
 poflefied (lore of wealth, and had many children; 
 they poflefied part of their fubftance, and ye 
 poltefs yours, as did your predecelfors ; ye were 
 plunged in impiety, as they were plunged, but 
 the good works that they have done in this world, 
 (hall be to them unprofitable, and at the day of 
 judgement they (hall be in the number of the mi- 
 ferable. Have they not known the hiftory of 
 their predecelfors, the hiftory of the people of 
 Noah, of Aad, of Temod, of Abraham, and 
 the cities that were fubverted ? 
 
 The prophets preached to them the command¬ 
 ments of God, who did to them no injuftice ; 
 they drew affliction on themfelves, through the 
 enormity of their crimes. The true believers 
 mutually obey each other ; they command to do 
 what things are honeft, prohibit to aCt what is 
 not approved ; they make their prayers at the 
 time appointed, diftribute tithes, obey God and 
 his prophet; God (hall remit to them their fins, 
 he is omnipotent, and hath promifed to them 
 gardens, wherein flow many rivers, and an ha¬ 
 bitation full of content in Eden ; he hath pro¬ 
 mifed them his grace, which is the perfection of 
 felicity. O prophet! fight againft the infidels, 
 fortify thyfelf againft them, hell lhall be their 
 habitation ; they (hall fwear by the name of God, 
 that they have not traduced thee; neverthelefs, 
 they have detracted and uttered words full of 
 impiety: they have denied to have been enrich¬ 
 ed through the grace of God, and of his pro¬ 
 phet ; if they turn, they (hall do well ; if they 
 abandon the faith, God (hall punifh them in this 
 world, and in the other, with grievous torments, 
 and on earth they lhall find no proteCtor; there 
 be of them, who have inclined to capitulate with 
 God, and have faid, if God doth good to us, 
 we will believe in him ; when he did good to 
 them, they were niggards, and avaricious ; they 
 have erred, and difobeyed his commandments, 
 but he chaftifed them, becaufe of their impiety ; 
 he hath imprinted it in their hearts until the day 
 of judgement, for that they have difobeyed him, 
 becaufe they violated their promifes, and by rea- 
 fon of their lies; know they not that God un- 
 derftandeth what they conceal in their hearts ? 
 and that he knoweth what is prefent, pad, and 
 future ? 
 
 Be thou not aftoniftied, neither at the abun¬ 
 dance of their wealth, nor the number of their 
 children, God will make ufe of them, to chaf- 
 tife them in this world, and will deftroy them in 
 their impiety. When command was fent to them 
 to believe in God, and fight with his prophet, 
 the moft powerful among them defired thee to 
 excufe them, and faid, leave us with them that 
 continue in their houfes, and defire to remain 
 with the fick, the women, and little children : 
 God hardened their hearts, and they lhall never 
 learn the truft. The prophet and true believers 
 that were with him, and fought, and employed 
 their perfons, and goods for the fervice of God, 
 (hall be blefied ; he hath prepaied for them gar¬ 
 dens, wherein flow many rivers, with perfection 
 of felicity. 
 
 Some of the Arabians came to excufe them¬ 
 felves of going to the war, and fuch as renounced 
 
 God 
 
Of the A L C O R 
 God a fid the prophet, remained in their houfes, 
 but they ihail refent grievous torments, becaufe 
 of their wickednefs ; the fick, the impotent, and 
 thofe that want means to be prefent at the war, 
 
 °ff n , d " ot , Go r da , bld,n gi n their houfes, pro¬ 
 vided they be faithful to his Divine Majefty and 
 his prophet. The righteous are not obliged to do 
 but what is in their power, God (hall be to them 
 gracious and merciful. Such as repaired to thee 
 to fight, and whom thou didft difmifs for want of 
 couiage, did not offend God; they returned to 
 their houfes with tears in their eyes, with difcon- 
 tent, to have wanted means to employ in the fer- 
 viceof his Divine Majefty; the war is appointed 
 to filch as intreat thee to exempt them that are 
 rich, and have wealth to fubfift, they require 
 
 leave to remain with their wives and children. 
 
 God hath hardened their hearts, and they know 
 it not; they fhall come to excufe themfelves, 
 when thou ill alt meet them; fay unto them, ex¬ 
 cufe not yourfelves, I do not believe you, God 
 hath given us to underftand your news, he and 
 his prophet likewife hath rendered your good 
 works vain and unprofitable; ye fhall one day 
 appear before him that knoweth what is paft, pre- 
 font, and future, he fhall cauf'e you to remember 
 whatfoever you have done, and (hall punifh you 
 according to your demerits. They fhall conjure 
 you by the name of God, when you approach 
 them, to depart from them : Depart from them, 
 they are full of uncleannefs, hell fhall be their 
 habitation, where they flrall be tormented for 
 their crimes. 
 
 They fhall befeech you to love them; if you 
 love them, know, that God abhorreth them that 
 difobey him the Arabians, who obferve not the 
 precepts which God hath fent to his prophet ■ 
 are ye more impious and ingrateful ? God know- 
 eth all things, and is moll prudent. There be 
 perfons among the Arabians, who account it loft 
 money that they expend for the fervice of God, 
 and protradt their departure, to retard yours, and 
 and make you to attend ; the wheel of mifery is 
 upon them, God underftandeth whatever they fav 
 and knoweth all their aflions; there are fome 
 among them who believe in God, and the day of 
 judgement; they efteem that their expence for the 
 ftrvice of God draweth them nigh to his Divine 
 Majefty, and they invite the prophet to pray for 
 them. God fhall give them his mercy, he is Gra¬ 
 cious and merciful to them that obey him. They 
 that firft arrived at Medina, the firft of them that 
 went out of Mecca, to depart from the wicked 
 fuch as were at the battle of Beder, and fuch as 
 imitated them in well doing, fhall enjoy the 
 grace of God, he hath prepared for them gardens, 
 wherein flow many rivers, with fupreme feli¬ 
 city. r 
 
 They that efteemed, that the temple built by 
 unbelievers, to leduce the righteous, to diftin- 
 gmlh the wicked from the good, and to obferve 
 fuch as had before fought againft God, and 
 againft his prophet, in the temple of his Divine 
 Majefty, (wear that they delire to do well, and 
 that their intention is molt lioneft, but they are 
 liars, and God fhall be witnels of their fallhood ■ 
 make not thy prayers in that temple, make thy 
 prayers m the temple founded on the fear of God 
 that is reafonable; there be perfons in that temple 
 who defire to be purified. God loveth fuch as 
 28 
 
 A N of M A H O M E T. 3ll) 
 
 have a clean foul; who is he that buildeth beft, 
 he that foundeth his building upon the fear of 
 God or he who layeth the foundation of hi. 
 
 fi,n H lnS T° n the , bnnkof 3 ditch of fan d, which 
 falleth and rmneth irfelf? They who efteem the 
 
 temple built by unbelievers, to feduce the people, 
 0 be the temple of God, fhall be with thaj 
 emple and with the infidels that built it, burnt 
 
 rl he u h -fj° f h „ ’ God g uldctl > not the unjuft • 
 their building ftall ferve only to torment them, 
 God knoweth their defigns, and is mod wife ; he 
 purchafethof true believers their fouls and goods- 
 and giveth them paradife ; if they be (lain, or if 
 drey flay when they fhall fight for the faith, they 
 fha i have what he hath promifed to them in the 
 
 Who 1 h^ me ? t, t c e g0fpd ’ and in the Alcoran : 
 
 ^an God at i‘ 1 T' hat Ke hath Promifed, 
 than God ? Declare to them, that they have made 
 
 felicitv PUr s Chafe ' the >' have gained the height of 
 felicity Such as are firm in their faith who 
 pray, honour, and wo, (hip God, who obferve his 
 commandments, and all true believers, fhall en- 
 
 J conten e t. d g CS ° f paradiPe > with manner of 
 
 The prophet and true believers ought not to 
 
 tl^v P bc thei° f G ° d f T lnfidds ’ notwidiftanding 
 ley be their parents, having had knowledge that 
 
 Ah 7 I” 6 damned > becaufe of their inffdelity 
 Abraham prayed not for his father, until he had 
 
 fher^h ° nC G ° d a '° ne S When he knew his fa¬ 
 ther to be an enemy to God, he declared himfelf 
 
 n enemy to his fin ; he ceafed praying for him 
 J S ffl A- WaS eJ tceeding charitable and patient 
 m his afflifhons. God mifieadeth not them that 
 
 underftand” 'T Way ’ he g iveth them to 
 
 fhom H, r d 7r the y ought to do, he knoweth 
 them that deferve to be reduced, and fuch as 
 merit to be guided through the right way. The 
 kingdom of heaven and earth is God’s, he G ive th 
 life and death to whom he feeth good • °Who 
 except God fhall prated you ? he hath given his 
 grace to the prophet, and to fuch as followed him 
 in his afflidhon, although it wanted but a little 
 that the hearts of many of them inclined not to 
 
 them Party ° f thC unbdlevers . bu t lie pardoned 
 
 Oh ye that believe in God! Fight againft them 
 that would caufe you to be defiled in impiety, 
 be valiant and know that God is with them that 
 have h,s fear before their eyes. When God 
 n C ° deldend from heaven, any chapter of 
 tne Alcoran, fome of them faid, through difdain 
 that will increafe the faith of this people. Cer¬ 
 tainly, it augmented the faith of true believers 
 nf e J 01C ^ h - d I emi and enflameth the wrath of his 
 Divine Majefty upon infidels, whoperiift in their 
 pollutions, and die in their wickednefs. They 
 know not that God trieth the good, once or twice 
 a year, they will not be converted, it is loft time 
 to preach to them. When God lent from heaven 
 any chapter of the Alcoran, they beheld each 
 
 other, and faid, doth any one fee us They re¬ 
 turned in their impiety, and God turned their 
 hearts from the right way, for that they would 
 not learn the truth. Gad hath fent you a prophet 
 of your own nation, who, with paffion, defireth 
 to deliver you from your obftinacy, and is ex¬ 
 tremely a Hefted to inftrudt you in the way of 
 lalvation, God is mild and pitiful towards true 
 believers. If they abandon the faith, fay unto 
 ° 0 0 0 them. 
 
33 o Of the ALCORAN 
 
 them, God is my protertor, there is but one foie 
 God, I recommend myfelf to the will of his Di¬ 
 vine Majefty, he is the Lord of the majeftic 
 
 throne. . , 
 
 God doth not aid the Infidels that worlhip what 
 can neither benefit or hurt them, and lay, then- 
 idols (hall intercede for them ; will you inftrurt 
 God in any thing that he knoweth not, of what 
 is in heaven or in earth? Praifed be God, he 
 hath no companion. Men were all of one reli- 
 rrlon before infidelity took place, and ll God 
 had not faid that he would defer the pu- 
 nifhment of the wicked until the day of judge¬ 
 ment, he had already deftroyed them in this 
 world, becaufe of their impiety. They (ay. We 
 will not believe in the prophet, if God make 
 not forne miracles to appear in him: Say unto 
 them, God knoweth what (hall be; expert, I 
 will expert with you: when we gave them to 
 tafte of content after their affliftion, they had 
 fubtilty upon our commandments: Say unto 
 them, God is more i'ubtile than you, his meffen- 
 „ers (hall write your lubtilties ; he it is that made 
 men to travel upon the earth and fea; it is he 
 that fendeth them a favourable wind to rejoice 
 them in their fliipss when temped furpnfeth 
 them, they believe that the waves will overwhelm 
 them, then they invoke God, with delire to em¬ 
 brace his law, and fay, if God doth deliver 11s 
 from this danger, we will believe in his unity, 
 and return him thanks for this mercy ; but being 
 delivered from peril, perlift in their wickednefs. 
 
 O my people ! You draw milchief on your- 
 felves you require nothing but the wealth of this 
 world; you all fit all appear before us to be judged 
 according to your works ; the life of the world is 
 like to the rain, which we caufe to defeend from 
 heaven, it caufeth with mixture all forts of her¬ 
 bage to fpring forth, for the nourifhment of 
 men, and beads. When the earth is adorned 
 with’ flowers, and enriched with its fruits, the 
 inhabitants oftentimes believe they have the 
 power to caufe their produrtion ; then fend we 
 our chaftifements day and night upon the earth, 
 and render it as mown, and as if the day before 
 it had brought no fruit. Thus do I dilcover 
 myfteries to fuch as have knowledge to compre¬ 
 hend them. They beg their falvation of God ; 
 he faveth and putteth in the way of falvation 
 whom it pleafeth him. He (hall not cover the 
 vifage of them that have done good works, they 
 (hall appear without fhame, and dwell in para- 
 dii'e- where they (hall remain eternally; and 
 fuch’ as (hall have done evil (hall be pumfhed 
 after their demerits, they (hall be covered with 
 (hatne, and none (hall be able to proteft them, 
 they (hall be as if a great part of the obfeunty 
 of the nio-ht had covered their countenance, 
 they (hall be condemned to the fire of hell, where 
 they (hall dwell eternally. Think on the day, 
 wherein we will affemble all the world, and will 
 fav to the Infidels, hell (hall be your habitation ; 
 Where be the idols you adored ? We have lepa- 
 rated you from each other. Their idol* (hall 
 fay to'them, you have not worfhipped us, God 
 is witnefs; was their any thing between us and 
 you, that rendered us ignorant of your adora¬ 
 tions ? Are your idols able to conduft you into 
 the right way ? God guideth the people into the 
 
 of MAHOMET. 
 
 way of falvation. Who ought rather to be fol¬ 
 lowed, he that guideth the people into the right 
 way, or he that mifleadeth them ? What realon 
 have ye to follow the evil way ; the greatefl part 
 of them that follow but their own opinion, but 
 their opinion is not conformable to the truth; 
 God knoweth all their actions, there is no falfe- 
 hood in the Alcoran, it confirmeth the ancient 
 feriptures, and perfpicuoufly explaineth them; 
 there is no doubt, but it proceedeth from the 
 Lord of the univerfe. They fay Mahomet hath 
 invented this book ; fav unto them, come and 
 brincr any thing thatrelemblcth it in dortrine and 
 eloquence, and call the idols which ye adore, 
 we (hall fee if you are fincere; on the contrary, 
 they have blafphemed, and have talked of what 
 they underftood not, when they heard the expo- 
 fition of the Alcoran. Thus did their predecef- 
 fors; but confider what is the end of the unjuft. 
 There be among them, who will believe in this 
 book, and others that will not believe ; thy Lord 
 knoweth them that defile the earth; if they 
 (lander thee, fay unto them, I will anfwer with 
 my artions, and ye (hall anfwer yours, ye are in¬ 
 nocent of what I art, and I am innocent of what 
 ye do. There be perfons among them that have 
 inclination to hear thee, but art thou able to 
 caufe the deaf to hear ? Should they not be deaf, 
 they would learn nothing. Others there be, who 
 look towards thee, but art thou able to guide the 
 blind ? Should they fee clearly, they would not 
 follow the right way ; God doth no injuftice to 
 men, they do injury to themfelves, through the 
 enormity of their offences. I will caufe them to 
 rife again at the day of judgement, as if they had 
 remained but one hour of a day in the grave; 
 they (hall know each other, and the wicked who 
 have not believed in the refurrertion (hall be 
 damned. 
 
 I will (hew thee many of them whom I will 
 chaftife; I will caufe thee to die before they are 
 chaftifed, and they all (hall appear before me to 
 be judged ; God is witnefs of their artions, hy 
 (hall punifh them according to their demerits; 
 every nation of the world hath had a prophet 
 fent from God, who hath judged with reafon, 
 and without injuftice, the differences that were 
 amongft them touching religion : They have 
 faid, at what time (hall the wrath of God ap¬ 
 pear ? Say unto them, I, of myfelf, can neither 
 procure good nor evil, if God doth not permit 
 it; every one hath his deftiny, when the time 
 of his deftiny arriveth, they can neither retard, 
 or advance it one hour. Have ye confidered the 
 punilhment which God heretofore lent, by day, 
 and by night againft the wicked ? When ye felt 
 it, ye believed it,* and fell into it headlong. It 
 (hall be faid to the wicked at the day of judge¬ 
 ment, tafte eternal torments; (hall you not be 
 pundhed according to your demerits ? 
 
 Afflifl not thyfelf for the words of the im¬ 
 pious, virtue proceedeth from God, he under- 
 ftandeth, and knoweth all things ■, whatfoever is 
 in heaven and in earth appertained: to him : 
 They who worlhip idols, follow but their opi¬ 
 nion, and are liars ; God hath created the night 
 for repole, and the day for labour; fuch as hear 
 his word, find therein marks of his omnipotency. 
 They have faid, do ye believe that God hath 1 
 1 Con ? 
 
Of the ALCORAN of MAHOMET. 
 
 fon ? Praifed be God, he is mol rich, and hath 
 no need of any perfon, he poffeffeth whatfoever 
 is in heaven, and earth ; you have no reafon in 
 what ye alledge ; will you fpeak of God what ye 
 know not ? God doth not aflift in this world them 
 that blafpheme againft him, he fliall caufe them 
 to feel after their death great torments, becaul'e 
 of their impiety : Indraft them in the hiftory of 
 Noah, how he fpake to his people, and (aid, O 
 people ! if my abode with you, and the preach¬ 
 ing of the commandments of God, be irk- 
 fome to you, know, that all my Support is in 
 God ; affemble your doflors, with your idols, 
 and conceal not what ye do; go whither you 
 will, ye 111 all find none to proteft you, if ye 
 contemn my inftrudtions. I require not of you 
 a reward for my pains ; I defire to receive of 
 none than God the omnipotent, and recommend 
 myfelf to the will of his Divine majefty. They 
 Slandered Noah, then did we Save him in the 
 ark, and them that were with him ; we prolong¬ 
 ed their pofterity on earth, and drowned the 
 wicked ; confider the end of iuch as heard the 
 word of God, and contemned it. We fent to 
 them other prophets after Noah, they made them 
 to fee miracles, and gave them moft Salutary in- 
 ltruftions ; but they did not believe in what they 
 had no will before to believe. 
 
 _ If thou fayeft to the wicked, that they final 1 
 rife again after their death, they will fay, it is 
 but witchcraft and Sorcery ; if retard Some time 
 to chaftife them, they fay, there is no punifh 
 nient for their crimes ; but they fhall not avoid 
 it, in the day when it fhall appear, and they (ball 
 feel the rigour of the pains which they contemn. 
 If we confer riches, and health on the impious, 
 and deprive them of them, they defpair in their 
 impiety; if we give them good after their evil, 
 they fay, mifery hath forlaken them; they rejoice, 
 and become arrogant. Such as are humble and 
 patient in their afflictions, and do good works, 
 fhall obtain pardon of their fins, and a very 
 great reward. Perhaps thou wilt forget to teach 
 Something of what 1 have infpired into thee, and 
 be afflicted, becaufe they fay that what thou 
 fpeakeft (hall bring thee no profit. Certainly, 
 thou art fent only to reprove them of their fin, 
 thy Lord is omnipotent, and fhall chaftife them 
 after their demerits. Affuredly, they will (ay, ! 
 thou haft forged the Alcoran, and that it is of 
 thy invention; fay unto them, come and bring 
 with you ten chapters of your invention, like to 
 the Alcoran in inftruCllon and eloquence, and 
 call to your aid the idols that ye adore ; if they 
 hear not your prayers, neither afford you l'uc- 
 cours, know then, that the Alcoran defeended 
 from heaven, through God's permiffion, and 
 that there is but one foie God, will ye not truft 
 in him ? I will bellow the riches and honours of 
 the earth, on many perfons that affeCl them, and 
 in the end they fhall be confined in the fire of 
 hell, and the good works that they (hall do in 
 this world, fliall be unprofitable in the other. 
 They who obferve what God hath ordained, ftu- 
 dy the Alcoran, and believe that it proceedeth 
 from his Divine majefty, to teach the right way, 
 and to obtain his mercy, as before it was the 
 book of Moles. Such as (hall believe in the Al¬ 
 ston, fhall be happy; doubtlefs the fire of hell 
 is prepared for the infidels who will not believe 
 
 33 1 
 
 therein, but the greateft part of the world is in¬ 
 credulous : who is more impious than they who 
 blafpheme againft God ? Such men (hall not 
 fee his face ; the angels fhall fay, at the day of 
 judgement, behold them that have been im¬ 
 pious, a curie is upon them, and upon the unjuft 
 that have miffed the people from the right way, 
 they were indeed infidels. Such men (hall not 
 efcape the punifhment of their crimes on earth, 
 they (hall find none that is able to proteCl them 
 but God, he fhall augment their pains, becaufe 
 they would not abandon their wickednefs, nei- 
 thei leceive the light of faith. Such as are mi- 
 ferable men, their idols (hall not afford them 
 (uccours, they doubtlefs (hall be eternally dam¬ 
 ned : and fuch as (hall believe in God, do good 
 works, and be converted, fhall dwell forever in 
 paradne. The wicked are as deaf and blind, 
 and the true believers are like thofe who have 
 good fight and perfeCl hearing; fhall they be in 
 parallel with each other ? Will ye never confider 
 it? We fent Noah to reprove men for their (ins, 
 he faid to them, worlhip but one God alone, 
 otherwif'e I fear ye (hall be chaftifed at the day 
 of judgement. 
 
 The doftors of the infidels anfweied him, we 
 fee thee to be a man, like us, and fuch as follow 
 thee are poor people, blind, and without coun- 
 fel ; we perceive not that thou haft any grace, 
 that ought to prefer thee to us; contrarywiie, we 
 believe thee to be a liar. He faid, Oh people ! 
 know ye not that God hath taught me what 1 
 preach to you, that he hath given me the grace 
 of prophecy, and deprived you of it ? Shalll ex¬ 
 hort you to acknowledge his grace, feeino- ye 
 abhor him ? Oh people ! I require no recompenle 
 of you for my pains, God will reward me large¬ 
 ly. I delire not to banifh true believers from my 
 company, they fliall one day appear before their 
 Lord, but I perceive that ye are ignorant. Oh 
 people ! who (hall hinder God to punifh me, if 
 1 abuie true believers ? Will ye not confider it ? 
 
 I (ay not that I poffefs the treafures of God I 
 know not what fliall be; I fay not that I am 'an 
 angel, I fay not to them whom you contemn, 
 that God fhall enrich them, God knoweth what 
 is in their fouls ; fhould I maintain fuch dif- 
 courfe, I lhould have great blame. They faid. 
 Oh Noah ! we have a long time difputed toge¬ 
 ther; if thou art fincere, let us fee the pains 
 which thou preached tous; God, faid he, when 
 it fliall pleafe him, fliall caufe you to fee them, 
 you lhall not efcape them, my inftrudtions dial! 
 be to you unprofitable; if God will prove you, 
 he is your Lord, and you fhall one day be affem- 
 bled before him to be judged. 
 
 Pray to God evening and morning, and a part 
 of the night; prayers blotout fins; itis the doc¬ 
 trine of preachers ; be patient, and perfevere, 
 God will not deprive the righteous of their re¬ 
 ward : He prohibited your predeceffors and their 
 pofterity to defile the earth ; neverthelefs there 
 were few among them that abftained ; the unjuft 
 abtea what ever pleafed them, and were guilty 
 before God : He fhall not deftroy Mecca, if the 
 inhabitants thereof obey his commandments; 
 and if it pleafed him, the whole world fhould be 
 of one religion, they to whom he eiveth his 
 grace, tranfgrefs not his will, his word fliall be 
 
 accom- 
 
33a Of the A L C O R A N 
 
 accomplifhed, and hell fhall be filled with devils, 
 and the wicked of all nations. 
 
 We have caufed to defcend from heaven the 
 Alcoran, written in the Arabic tongue, peiad¬ 
 venture ye will learn it. I deliver unto thee in 
 the Alcoran, one of the belt things that I have 
 infpired into thee. Thou wert before the com- 
 ing thereof, in the number of the ignorant. Re¬ 
 member rhou, that Joleph faid to his father, my 
 father, I faw in my dream eleven ftars, the fun 
 and the moon, I faw them adoring me. My ion, 
 faid his father, difcover not thy dream to thy 
 brothers, they will conlpire againft thee, the de¬ 
 vil is an open enemy to men, thou flialt be eleft- 
 ed of the Lord in this world, he fhall teach thee 
 the explication of dreams, he fhall accomplilh 
 his grace upon thee, and upon the lineage of Ja- 
 cobf as he did accomplifh it upon thy fathers, 
 Abraham, and Ii'aac; the Lord knoweth all 
 things, and is mod: wife. 
 
 The hiftory of Jofeph fhall ferve for example 
 to pofterity ; remember thou, how his brothers 
 faid, our father loveth our brother Joleph more 
 than all us together, he is in an exceeding great 
 error, let us kill Jofeph, and caft him into lorne 
 fecret place remote from us, his ablence will 
 render the face of our father more gentle towards 
 us ; after his death we will be converted. One 
 of them faid, you fhall not do well to kill him, 
 but caft him into the well, forne paffengers will 
 take him, and carry him into an unknown coun¬ 
 try : They faid to their father, father, wherefore 
 doft thou not fend Jofeph into the fields with 
 us ? We will be very careful, he fhall fport and 
 recreate himfelf; I fear, faid he, that you will 
 negleft to preferve him; doft thou fear, faid 
 they, that a wolf fhould devour him in our pre¬ 
 fence, and that we want ftrength to defend him? 
 In the morning they led him with them, and caft 
 him into a well. We infpired him to prophecy 
 to them what would befall them for the mifchief 
 they afled, but they wanted knowledge to com¬ 
 prehend it ; they in the evening returned to their 
 father’s houle, with eyes full of diffembled tears, 
 and faid unto him, father, we fported, and ran 
 who fhould run the beft, Jofeph remained with 
 our baggage, a wolf came and devoured him j 
 thou wTlt not believe us although we fpeak the 
 truth ; then they Ihewed him his fhirt, which 
 they fprmkled with blood ; it is you that hath 
 done ft, faid he, you fhall anfwer it before God, 
 he is my protedtor, and was patient, without la¬ 
 menting. 
 
 There pad: that day, a caravan near to that 
 well, who defiring to draw water to drink, let 
 down a bucket, on which Jofeph took hold to 
 get out; they gave him cloaths, led him away 
 fecretly, and fold him at a good rate for ready 
 money ; they would not kill him, in which they 
 were honeft men. He that brought him into Egypt 
 commanded his wife to have care of him, that 
 he might one day be ufeful for their fervice, and 
 be to them inftead of a fon. Thus did we efta- 
 blifti Jofeph in the country of Egypt, and taught 
 him the expofition of dreams. Thy Lord is om¬ 
 nipotent, but few men know him : when Jofeph 
 came to the age of manhood, we gave him know¬ 
 ledge and prudence; thus do we reward the 
 righteous. His matter’s wife became amorous 
 of his beauty, fire one day Ihut him into her 
 
 of MAHOMET, 
 chamber, and folicited him with love; God defend 
 me faid he, to betray my matter, and be unchafte; 
 he was in the number of the righteous, and fled 
 to the door; his miftrefs ran after him, and to 
 flay him, tore his fhirt through the back : flie 
 met her hufband behind the door, to whom fhe 
 faid, what other thing doth he merit, who would 
 dilhonour thine houfe, than to be imprifoned, 
 and feverely chadded ? Lord, faid Jofeph fhe 
 folicited me, that infant which is in the cradle, 
 and of thy parentage fir all be witnels : 1 hen the 
 
 infant in the cradle faid, if Joleph’s fhirt be tore 
 before, fhe hath fpoken truth, and Jofeph is a 
 liar j if the fhirt be rent behind, Jofeph hath de¬ 
 livered the truth, and fire a lie : then her huf¬ 
 band beheld Joleph’s fhirt torn behind, and knew 
 that it was extreme malice, and laid to Jofeph, 
 take heed to thyfelf, and beware this aft be not 
 devulged : do thou, fpeaking to his wife, im¬ 
 plore pardon for thy fault, thou art truly guilty. 
 
 The women of the city faid among themfelves, 
 that the rich man’s wife was amorous of his Have, 
 and that fire had folicited his love, and had erred 
 from the light way, which fire underftanding, 
 made them an exceeding fair feaft, and caufed 
 Jofeph to enter the parlour where they fat; 
 while they carved their meat, they were fo fur- 
 prifed, and entangled with Jofeph’s beauty, that 
 they, inftead of carving their meat, cut their 
 fingers. O God ! faid they, this is not a man, 
 but an angel; then faid fire unto them, behold 
 him whom I loved with fo much paffion : fhe 
 another time importuned him to fatisfy her defire, 
 and perceiving that he would not condefcend to 
 her will, menaced him with the prifon, and to 
 make him miferable : O God ! faid Jofeph, I 
 had rather be a prifoner than do what (lie de- 
 fireth, deliver me from her malice, defend me 
 from inclining to her luft, and from being in the 
 number of the wicked : his Lord heard his 
 prayer, he undcrftandeth and knoweth all things. 
 This woman feeing Jofeph’s refolution, judged 
 it requifite to imprifon him lor iome time ; he 
 was put prifoner with two men, one of which 
 told him that he had dreamed that he preffed 
 grapes to make wine; the other laid, that he 
 dreamed that he carried bread upon his head, 
 which the birds did eat, they derqanded of him 
 the interpretation of their dream, brcaufe he 
 feemed to them to be a good man : he laid to 
 them, before you breakfaft, I will interpret your 
 dreams. I will firft tell you what God hath taught 
 me, and how I quit and abandon the law of in¬ 
 fidels, and embrace the law of our fathers, Abra¬ 
 ham, Ilaac, and Jacobi we ought not to worllrip 
 many godsi fuch as believe in the unity of God, 
 are endued with his grace, but few men give 
 him thanks. O prifoners ! who hath more power, 
 idols, or one foie God, who is omnipotent ? The 
 gods that ye adore are but idols, whom ye and 
 your fathers call by fuch a name, as feemeth good 
 to you, ye have no reafon to worfhip them ; God 
 doth not enjoin you this, he commanded you to 
 worfhip him alone; this is the right way, but the 
 greateft part of the world, of this are ignorant. 
 O prifoners ! the one of you fnall give wine to 
 drink to his matter, the other fhall be hanged, 
 the birds fhall feed on Iris head, the interpreta¬ 
 tion that ye have required fhall be accomplifhed. 
 | He befought him that fhould be faved, to re- 
 " member 
 
Of the ALCORAN 
 
 member him when he fhould be near to his 
 matter, but the devil caufed him to lofe the re¬ 
 membrance of Jofeph, who remained priioner 
 the fpace of nine years. 
 
 How many figns be there in heaven and earth, 
 of the unity of God ? yet the people believe 
 not therein, and moft of them adore idols ; al- 
 furedly God will punifh them at an unexpedted 
 hour, and in a time which they knew not. Say 
 unto them, Behold the right way, I call to the 
 way of falvation and light, fuch as follow me. 
 
 I return thanks to God, for that I am not in the 
 number of unbelievers. We fent aforetime none 
 but men to inltrudt the people ; will not men 
 confider what hath been the end of the wicked 
 that were before them ? Paradife is for them that 
 are righteous ; will ye not be converted ? T. hey 
 caufed the prophets to lofe all hopes of their 
 converfion, and believed them to be liars; but we 
 protected them, and delivered from their malice 
 fuch as feemed good to us, nothing (hall exempt 
 the wicked from the punifhment of their pains ; 
 they fhall ferve for example to men of fpirit. 
 The Alcoran containeth no blaiphemies, it con- 
 firmeth the antient fcripturesj and teacheth true 
 believers the way of ialvation. 
 
 Thefe precepts are the precepts of the book 
 fent to thee from the Lord ; it is a thing moft 
 true, but few men incline to believe it. It is 
 fent from God, who raifed heaven without a prop, 
 and without a column, that appeareth and fitt-cth 
 on his throne, difpofing all things. He cauleth the 
 fun and moon to move, until the day appointed; 
 he difpofeth all things at his will, and manifeft- 
 eth to men the figns of his omnipotency. Perad- 
 venture you will believe in the relurredtion of the 
 flefh. Pie it is that hath extended the earth, 
 raifed the mountains, caufed the rivers to flow, 
 who created all forts of animals, the male and fe¬ 
 male, and covereth the day with the oblcurity of 
 the night. Thefe things are figns of his unity 
 to fuch as confider them. He hath created many 
 fields of divers forts, and gardens filled with 
 grapes, and many different fruits ; he created 
 date-trees, thick as groves and foretts, and others 
 that are lcattered through the fields ; fome are 
 moittened with waters, and others have a more 
 pleafing tafte. 
 
 Whatfoever is in heaven, and in the earth, the 
 fliadow of the morning, the obfcurity of the 
 evening, humble themfelves before God, through 
 force or affedtion. Say unto them. Who is the 
 Lord of heaven and earth, but God ? who, ex¬ 
 cept God, (hall protefl you ? Your idols can nei¬ 
 ther benefit, nor hurt you : Is the blind like unto 
 him that leeth clearly ? Is darknefs like unto 
 light ? Shall they adore the creatures inftead of 
 the Creator ? God hath created all things, and 
 is omnipotent, he caufeth rain to defcend from 
 heaven, and rivers covered with foam, to flow 
 in the valleys. The gold, the filver, and me¬ 
 tals, which ye melt to adorn and enrich your- 
 felves, are like unto froth. Thus doth God 
 teach what is profitable and what unprofitable : 
 f roth fuddenly vanifheth, and is of no utility 
 to men ; fo falfhood vanifheth before truth. 
 Thus doth God fpeak through a parable to them 
 that obey him, and giveth them paradife. All 
 the riches of the earth, and as much again, can- 
 28 
 
 df M A H O M E T. 333 
 
 not ranfom the infidels, they fhall be eternally 
 tormented in the fire of hell. Who knoweth, 
 that the truth contained in this book, was not 
 fent to thee from God? He that doubteth is 
 blind ; men of fpirit do not doubt. They who 
 fatisfy what they protnife to God, who tranfgrefs 
 not his commandments, who have his fear before 
 their eyes, who apprehend the day of judgement, 
 who ate patient in their afflictions for love of his 
 Divine Majefty, who make their prayers at the 
 time appointed, who give alms privately and 
 publicly, and blot out their offences with good 
 works, fhall be bleffed. They fhall enter into 
 the garden of Eden with their father, their wives 
 and families ; the angels (ball viflt them, falute 
 them, and fay. Behold the recompenfe of your 
 perfeverance, behold eternal grace. Such as 
 fir all fwerve from their promife, and difobey the 
 commandments of God, and pollute the eaith, 
 fhall be accuried of God, and feverelv chaftifed; 
 he giveth, and depriveth of wealth, as feemeth 
 good to him. The unbelievers rejoice in the 
 riches of the earth ; but thofe riches are of 
 little value, if they conlider them of the other 
 world. 
 
 The chaftifement of God is not far remote j 
 defire it not before its time 1 prailed be God, he 
 hath no companion, he caufeth the angels to de¬ 
 fcend, and fendeth his inlpirations to whom it 
 pleafeth him ; preach his power and the pains 
 of hell to unbelievers ; there is no God but he, 
 fear him, he created the earth and the heavens, 
 he is more powerful than your idols, and created 
 man of the mire of the earth, neverthelefs, he is 
 obftinate in his pride; he created clean beads 
 for your ufe, you draw from them great emolu¬ 
 ment and advantage, to cloath and nourifli your- 
 felves; ye fee their beauty when they feed, and 
 when ye lead them to pafture, they bear the 
 burden, and whatfoever ye will fend into cities, 
 what ye cannot carry without them, but with ex¬ 
 ceeding great travel : God is gracious and mer¬ 
 ciful towards you ; he created horfes, and mules, 
 and affes to bear you ; he created many glorious 
 things of which you have not knowledge. He 
 teacheth them the right way, who oblerve his 
 commandments; had it plealed him, he had 
 guided all into the way of his law. He lendeth 
 you water from heaven to take away thirft, and 
 caufeth plants to bring forth, and trees that nou- 
 rifli your flocks ; he maketh the olive-trees to 
 produce, the date-trees, vines, and all lorts of 
 fruits. Thefe things are arguments of his unity, 
 to fuch as confider them ; he created the night, 
 the day, the fun, the moon, and the Hats, that 
 move at his pleafure, thefe things are figns of his 
 omnipotency to them that are wile ; he created 
 whatfoever is on earth of divers colours, kind, 
 and fpecies ; he created the lea, which aflordeth 
 you filb, pearls, and other precious (tones to adorn 
 you-; thou feeft how the Ihips fail upon the wa¬ 
 ters, and divide the waves for the advantage^ of 
 commerce, peradventure you will give God 
 thanks for his lavours. 
 
 He raifed the mountains to make firm the 
 earth, and to hinder it to move, he created the 
 rivers and eftablilhed ways to guide you; he made 
 I the liars to conduct you by night upon the fea, 
 and the mountains to direft you in your way by 
 ' P p p p day: 
 
334 Of the ALCORA 
 
 tliy : \\ ho but he could have created what he hath 
 made ? Will you never confider it ? It is not in 
 your power to keep account of his mercies, he is 
 altogether gracious and merciful, and knoweth 
 the fecrets of your fouls: the idols that ye adore 
 can create nothing, but are things dead, without 
 motion, and know not in what time the world 
 fhali rile again ; your God is one foie God ; fuch 
 as believe not the end of the world, fuch as deny 
 his unity, and boaft of their falfe belief, are ab¬ 
 horred of his Divine Majefty; when they are in¬ 
 terrogated concerning what God hath infpired into 
 Mahomet, they anfwered, that he preacheth fa¬ 
 bles of antiquity, but they fhali bear their bur¬ 
 then at the day of judgement, who have feduced 
 them from the right way, and have not known it. 
 They that were before them were deceivers, God 
 overthrew their habitations, the ruins fell upon 
 them, and he chaftifed them, when they lead: 
 thought of it; he fhali make them afbamed at the 
 day of judgement, and (hall demand of them 
 where be the idols for which they difputed againft 
 true believers ? Such as have knowledge of God’s 
 commandments, allure that fliame (hall be upon 
 the foreheads of infidels, and that the angels (hall 
 caufe them to die, becaufe of the enormity of 
 their fins. 
 
 They will fay at the hour of death, that they 
 believe in God, and are penitent for their faults, 
 God knoweth what they have done; he fhali com¬ 
 mand them to enter into hell, where is the abode 
 of the proud : He fhali command them who have 
 his fear before their eyes to enter the houfe of 
 eternity, and the gardens of Eden, wherein flow 
 many rivers, there (hall they dwell eternally with 
 the height of their defire. Shall the wicked con¬ 
 tinue in their fin, until the angels caufe them to 
 die, or until the day of judgement ? Thus did 
 their predeceffors. God was not tinjufl towards 
 them, they drew mifchief on themfelves through 
 their iniquity; they were chaftifed and felt th?ir 
 punifbment which they had deipifed ; they have 
 laid, had it fo pleafed God, our fathers and we 
 had adored him alone: fo fpake their prede- 
 ceffors. r 
 
 The Lord infpired the bee to dwell in the fields, 
 to lodge in trees, in hives, and to eat of all forts of 
 fruits, it produceth honey of divers colours, that 
 ferveth for a remedy to the difeafes of men ; thefe 
 things are figns of God’s omnipotency to them 
 that confider them. God hath created you, and 
 ihall caufe you to die; there be perfons among 
 you, that Ihall be full of ignomy in their life, to 
 the end they may underftand that God is omnipo¬ 
 tent, conferreth benefits on fome more than others. 
 Slaves have no part in the faculties of their maf- 
 ters, neither are they aifociate with them, never- 
 thelefs they aifociate to God another God equal to 
 him, and blafpheme againft his grace. God hath 
 created you men, and women, hath given you 
 children, and children to your children, he hath 
 enriched you with the riches of the earth ; will 
 you after this grace believe in your idols, which 
 are things inanimate, vain, and unprofitable ? 
 Will ye be ungrateful for the benefits of God ? 
 Will ye worlhip what can neither benefit nor hurt 
 you ? Believe not that there is another God, com¬ 
 panion and affiiciate with God ; he knoweth what 
 ye know nor, he teacheth you a parable: A {lave : 
 
 f of MAHOMET. 
 
 that is poor cannot give alms, and he who is rich 
 giveth alms fecn tly and publicly, as hefeeth good: 
 are they both alike ? Ought 'they to be put in 
 parallel. 
 
 Praifed be God : certainly, the greateft part of 
 men know not his graces; he teacheth you a pa¬ 
 rable : Behold 1 two men, the one was born deaf 
 and dumb, and given in charge to his guardian, 
 he knoweth not how to employ him, he is capa¬ 
 ble neither of doing nor fpeaking well,, is he like 
 to him that fpeaketh, that underftandeth, teacheth 
 men juflice, and followeth the right way ? What- 
 ioever is in heaven, or on earth, appercaineth to God, 
 when he commandeth any thing, it is performed 
 in the twinkling of an eye, yea, fconer; he is om¬ 
 nipotent : He it is that caufeth you to come out of 
 the womb of your mother, that giveth you hear- 
 fight, and fenfe, perhaps ye will return him 
 thanks ; fee ye not the birds that fly in the air ; 
 who luftaineth them but God ? It is an evident 
 fignofhis oinnipotency for the true believers. Lie 
 hath given you houfes to inhabit, and the (kins and 
 turrs of beads to cover you, he hath given you 
 their hair, and wool, to furnifh your houfes, and 
 enrich you ; he created trees and clouds to over- 
 (hadow you, made the mountains and caves to 
 cover you from rain, created garments to defend 
 you from the heat of the fun, and the rigour of 
 cold, he hath accomplifhed his grace upon you, 
 peradventure you will refign yourfclves to the will 
 of his Divine Majefty, and profefs his unity. 
 
 Zachery, the fervant of thy Lord remembered 
 his grace, when he in fecret prayed to his Lord, 
 and laid, Lord, my bones are become feeble, and 
 mine head is white with old age; Lord, I was 
 never rejeffed in my prayers, hear my petition, 
 give me a fon to fucceed me, that may be mine 
 heir, heir of the lineage of Jacob, and be plea- 
 fing to thee. O Zazchary ! I declare unto thee, 
 that thou (halt have a fon named John, no man 
 hath yet been called by that name : He faid. Lord, 
 how fhali 1 have a fon, my wife is barren, and I 
 am too old ? It was anfwered him, the thing (hall 
 be as I have faid unto thee, it is eafy to thy Lord, 
 who created thee. He faid, Lord, give me fome 
 ngn of the conception of my wife ; he faid to 
 him, thou (halt not fpeak for three nights. Then 
 vent he out of his oratory, and made figns to the 
 people, to make their prayers evening and morn- 
 ing. O John ! learn the feripture with affeftion ; 
 we from his infancy gave him knowledge, cle¬ 
 mency, charity, piety, aftedion towards his father 
 and mother, and not violence and difobedience. 
 
 , e -blefled the day of his nativity, the day that 
 he fhali die, and the day that he Ihall rife again. 
 
 Remember thou what is written of Mary, fhe 
 retired towards the eaft, into a place far remote 
 from her kindred, and took a veil to cover her, 
 we fent her our fpirit in form of a man; fhe was 
 afraid, and faid, God will preferve me from thee, 
 if thou have his fear before thine eyes ; he faid. 
 
 Oh Mary ! I am the meffenger of God thy Lord) 
 who fhali give thee a fon, affive, and prudent ■ 
 
 She anfwered, how (hall I have a fon without the 
 touch of mail ? I defire not to be unchafte ; he 
 laid, the thing fhali be as I have told thee, it is 
 facile to thy Lord ; thy fon fhali be a token of the 
 omnipotency of God, and of his fpecial grace 
 towards fuch as (hall believe in his Divine Ma¬ 
 jefty ; 
 
Of the ALCORAN of MAHOMET, 
 
 jetty; fhe became with child, and retired fome 
 time, into a place remote from people, where 
 fhe fuftaincd the dolours of child-birth, at the 
 foot of a date-tree, and faid, why am I not 
 dead ? Wherefore am I not in the number of 
 perfons forgotten ? The angel faid to her, afflitt 
 not thyfelf; God hath placed a brook under thee, 
 Ihake the foot of this palm, and the dates (hall 
 fall, gather them up, eat and drink, and wafh 
 thine eyes, fay unto them that thou (halt meet, 
 that thou fafteft, and haft made a vow not to 
 Ipeak to any one, until thy fall be accompliflied. 
 Her parents met her while fhe bare her infant, 
 and faid unto her, Oh Mary ! behold a ftrange 
 thing; Oh fitter of Aaron ! thy father did not 
 command thee to do evil, neither was thy mo¬ 
 ther unchafte : She made figns to her infant to 
 anfwer them ; they faid, how fhall the infant in 
 the cradle fpeak ? Then her infant fpake, and 
 faid, I am the fervant of God, he hath taught 
 me the fcripture, hath made me a prophet, bleffed 
 me in all places, and commanded me to pray 
 unto him ; he hath recommended to me purity 
 through the whole courfe of my life, and to ho¬ 
 nour my father and mother; he hath not made 
 me either violent or malicious, praifed fhall be 
 the day of my birth, the day that I fhall die, and 
 the day of my refurreftion. 
 
 Remember thou what is written of Enoch, he 
 was a juft man, and a prophet, and we took him 
 up to an exceeding high place. God gave his 
 grace to thefe men, among the prophets of the 
 lineage of Adam, among them whom we caufed 
 to embark with Noah, among thofe of the line¬ 
 age of Abraham, and Ifrael, and among thofe 
 that we affembled and guided into the right way. 
 When the miracles of the merciful were related 
 to them, they fell proftrate, and adored him with 
 tears in their eyes ; their pofterity forfook their 
 footfteps, abandoned the law, and followed their 
 own appetites ; but $hey fhall be precipitated 
 into hell, except fuch as fhall be converted, and 
 do good works, they fhall enter into paradife, 
 and no injuftice fhall be done to them, they fhall 
 enter into the garden of Eden ; what the merci¬ 
 ful God doth promife is infallible ; they fhall 
 hear nothing fpoken in paradife that fhall dif- 
 picafe them, they fhall hear the falutation of an¬ 
 gels, and morning and evening fhall have what 
 they defire ; fuch is paradife, which God giveth 
 to his creatures that have his fear before their 
 eyes. I defeend not from heaven, but by the 
 permiflion of the Lord, he is matter of our ac¬ 
 tions in heaven and earth, and of whatfoever is 
 between them, he hath not forgotten thee, wor- 
 fhip him, and perfevere in thy adoration, knoweft 
 thou any perfon that is named like him ? Man 
 faith, what fhall I die and rife again ? He con- 
 fidereth not that God hath created him of no¬ 
 thing ; 1 will one day afiemble the infidels and 
 devils, I will caufe them to appear at the gate of 
 hell upon their knees, and will call upon them 
 all manner of mifery, becaufe they have increaled 
 their impiety-towards, their Lord. I know fuch as 
 delerve to burn in hell, they fhall be thrown 
 thither head long, this is a moft juft fentence 
 pronounced by the Lord. I will fave the righ¬ 
 teous, and forbid infidels to fall on their knees 
 before idols: when the unbelievers and many of 
 the faithful heard my commandments preached. 
 
 33 $ 
 
 | they faid among themfelves, that they A^ere in a 
 better way than their neighbour; how many have 
 we deftroyed before them in paft ages, more rich 
 than they, and hypocrites like unto them ? Say 
 unto them, God prolongeth the life of the erro¬ 
 neous, that they may know their errors, and learn 
 the knowledge of the pains prepared for them; 
 they fhall underhand who fhall be the moft mi- 
 ferable, and who fhall have been moft weak id 
 their faith, and leaft affe6tionare to the fervice of 
 his Divine Majefty ; God fhall increafe their 
 faith, who fhall follow the right way ; and fuch 
 as be obedient to him fhall enjoy his grace. 
 
 1 hey fay, certainly, Mahomet hath dreamed 
 what he fpeaketh, he hath invented it, and is a 
 poet, we will not Believe him, unlefs he fhew 
 lome miracle, as did the prophets that were be¬ 
 fore him. We have layed wafte many cities* 
 becaufe their inhabitants were incredulous; we 
 lent before thee but men who were infpired of us; 
 enquire of them, to whom heretofore was given 
 the knowledge of the written law, if ye know 
 it not. They were men that did eat and drink, 
 and were mortal ; we effected what we promifed 
 to them, we preferved them with fuch as believ¬ 
 ed, and deftroy the incredulous; we have fent 
 you a book to inftrufr you, will ye underftand it? 
 How many Infidel cities have we made defolate? 
 How many new people have we eltablifhed in 
 their place ? When they felt our punifhment, 
 they fled; fly not, and return to what hath de¬ 
 lighted you, return into your houfes, peradven- 
 ture ye will yet covet the riches of the earth; 
 They faid, mifery is upon us, we are to blame: 
 Thus did they talk, until they were deftroyed. 
 We have not created heaven and earth, and what¬ 
 foever is between them, to fport with; had it 
 been our will that they fhould have fcofted on 
 earth, they fhould feoff likewife in heaven. On 
 the contrary, I oppofe the truth to falfehood, to 
 confound it, and in effedt it doth confound it, 
 Mifery fhall be upon you, becaufe of your blaf- 
 phemies; whatloever is in heaven and earth, is 
 God’s; the angels are not afhamed to worfhip 
 him, they praife him day and night, and exalt 
 his glory without blafphemy. The Infidels wor¬ 
 fhip gods made of earth; have they power to 
 create any thing: Were there in heaven, and 
 on earth another God, they would not accord; 
 praifed be God, Lord of the univerfe; what 
 the Infidels relate, is untrue. He afketh no 
 counfel when he will do any thing, as do men; 
 will they worfhip any other God but him? Say 
 unto them, produce your arguments, behold 
 what we have to fpeak unto you, behold our 
 reafons, and thofe of our predeceffors; Certainly, 
 the greateft part of them are ignorant of the 
 truth, and go aftray. We infpired into all the 
 prophets which we lent, that there was but one 
 God that ought to be worfhipped. They faid, 
 believe ye that the angels are the foils of God ? 
 Praifed be God; on the contrary, they are his 
 creatures, he loveth them, they fpeak not but 
 after them, and obey what he commandeth them, 
 he knoweth all their adlions paft, and future, 
 they pray for no man but through his perm.ifli- 
 on, and fear to difpleafe him. Who among 
 them will fay, I am God, inftead of God ? He 
 fhall be caft headlong into the fire of hell; thus 
 do I intreat unbelievers, Know they not that 
 
 the 
 
*6 Or the ALCORAN of MAHOMET. 
 
 the heavens and the earth werefliutup? We 
 opened them, and gave life to every thing* 
 through the rain which we made to delcend; 
 will they not believe in my unity? We created 
 the mountains to hinder the earth to move, we 
 made therein ways large and i'pacious for our 
 creatures, we covered it with the heaven, and 
 have exempted it from falling, neverthelefs they 
 defpife our commandment. There are thole who 
 difpute of the Deity with ignorance, and follow 
 the will of the devil, voluntary and obftinate : 
 It is written, he fhall feduce them that obey 
 him, and (hall condud them into hell. Oh ye 
 people! If ye doubt of the refurreftion, confider 
 how we created you of the dull of the earth ; 
 with a little water fprinkled upon the duff, with 
 congealed blood, and a little flefh intirely, and 
 not intirely formed. I form in the wombs of 
 women, what feemeth good to me, at the time 
 appointed. I caufe you to come forth children, 
 then I give you life, and make you to arrive to 
 the age of virility ; fome die young, and others 
 live to extremity of age, to the end they may 
 learn to live well. Confider the earth, dry, 
 dead, and barren; when we (hall caufe rain to 
 fall, it (hall change the face, fhall produce and 
 nourifh its fruits of all forts, fair, and pleafing: 
 Becaufe God is truth itfelf, he raifeth again the 
 dead, and is omnipotent. There is no doubt 
 but the day of judgement approacheth, and that 
 God will caufe the dead to rife again* There 
 be men that difpute of God without knowledge, 
 without reafon, without authority, and go affray 
 from the way of his law; they fhall be full of 
 ignominy and fhame in this world, and fhall feel 
 in the other, the pains of hell. God doth no 
 injuftice to his people. There be who adore 
 him with fcruple ; if good befall them, they per- 
 fevere to adore him; if evil, they return to their 
 impiety, and lole the riches of earth, and the 
 riches of heaven : Thel'e two Ioffes are exceeding 
 great, they invoke idols inftead of God; they 
 invoke what can neither benefit, nor hurt them; 
 fuch prayers are by ways, far remote from the 
 commandments of God; they worfhip that which 
 doth rather mifehief, than advantage them. Cer¬ 
 tainly, God fhall make the true believers, that 
 do good works, to enter into gardens, wherein 
 flow many rivers; he doth what feemeth good 
 to him. He that is angry, that God giveth fuc- 
 cour, and protection to Mahomet in this world, 
 and in the other, let him tie a cord to a beam of 
 his houfe, and hang himlelf; he fhall fee if his 
 cholor will be allayed. God hath fent his Al¬ 
 coran, as heretofore he fent his other feriptiwes ; 
 it containeth his commandments, clear and in¬ 
 telligible; it guideth into the right way whom 
 it pleafeth him : He at the day of judgement fhall 
 judge the differences that are between the faith¬ 
 ful, and Infidels; between the Samaritans, the 
 Chriftian-s, and Idolators ; he is omnilcient. 
 Seed; thou not that all that is in heaven, and on 
 earth, the fun, the moon, the liars, the moun¬ 
 tains, trees, and beads, adore him ? Many wor- 
 lhip him with zeal, but many likewile merit to 
 be punifhed. 
 
 None fliall efleem him, whom God fhall def¬ 
 pife; he doth as feemeth good to him. Thel'e 
 two contrary parties, the Believers and the Infi 
 
 dels, have dilputed of the Deity; but the InfL 
 dels fhall be encotnpaded with flames of hell, 
 they fliall have fhirts of fire, boiling water fhall 
 flow in upon their heads; the fire fliall burn 
 what is in their bellies, and fliall road: their fkin* 
 they fhall be beaten with clubs of iron ; when 
 they think to go out of this fire, they fhall enter 
 further into it, and be .eternally tormented. 
 God fhall caufe the true-believers, that have 
 done good works, to go into gardens, wherein 
 flow many rivers ; they fliall be adorned with 
 bracelets of gold, and pearls; they lhall be 
 clothed with filk, and enjoy eternal felicity, be¬ 
 caufe they have profeffed his unity; and the In¬ 
 fidels fhall fuller great torments, for that they 
 have hindered the people to imbract* the faith, 
 and vifit the temple of Mecca, which God hath 
 eflablilhed to be therein adored by all the world : 
 He that fhall be folicited to vifit it, and lliall 
 enter it, with defign to return to his impiety, 
 fliall be feverely punifhed. 
 
 Depart from the pollution of idols, beware of 
 bearing falfe witnefs, and be obedient to God. 
 He that faith, God hath a companion, is like to 
 him that fell headlong from heaven, whom the 
 birds devoured, and the wind caft into a remote 
 place, full of miferies. He that fhall reverence 
 the figns of the power of God, will not doubt of 
 his law, and lhall be rewarded for his good 
 works at the time appointed, if he vifit the old 
 temple of Mecca. We have given to all nations 
 of the world a law to offer their facrifices, and to 
 return thanks to their Lord, for having given 
 them advantage above all forts of beafts. Your 
 God is one God, obey his commandments, pro¬ 
 claim a great reward to them that are obedient 
 to him, to them that tremble with fear when they 
 hear mention of his name, that are patient in 
 their adverfity, that pray at the time appointed, 
 and difpenfe in alms fome part of the wealth that 
 we have given them. We have created the fe¬ 
 male camel for a fign of our unity, die fliall be 
 profitable to you in this world. Remember to 
 pronounce the name of God, when ye fliall fa- 
 crifice' her. Handing on her feet, when fhe fliall 
 fall dead on the ground, eat of her flelh, if it 
 like you, and give to eat to fuch as fliall require 
 it. We have made her lubject to you ; perad- 
 venture ye will be thankful to me for this grace. 
 God promoteth before him, neither the flefh of 
 this bead, nor the blood, but only the good 
 works that ye perform. He hath thus fubjefted 
 it ; that ye may exalt it, and give him thanks for 
 having guided you into the right way. Proclaim 
 to the righteous, that God will remove far 
 from them the malice of the wicked; he ab- 
 horreth traitors, and the ungrateful. Declare to 
 fuch as fight againfl infidels, to repair the in¬ 
 jury they have done them; that God is fuf- 
 ficiently powerful to protefl them. When they 
 were driven from their houles without reafon; 
 they faid, God is our Lord. Had not God ftirred 
 up the people againfl: each other, the convents 
 of the religious, the churches of the Chriftians, 
 the lynagogues of the Jews, and the temples of 
 the believers had been ruined, through the mul¬ 
 titude of the wicked and their malice. The 
 name of God is exalted in the temple of believers, 
 and therein is his law defended and protected. 
 
 Oh! 
 
Of the ALCORAN 
 
 Oil ye that are true believers! Follow not the 
 footfteps of the devil, he will enjoin you to vice 
 and fin; had notGod gratified you with his mercy, 
 not any among you fliould have been purged 
 from that impofture ; but God purifieth whom 
 he leeth good, he heaceth all, and knoweth all 
 your intentions. The moll rich and powerful 
 among you have not fworn to do no good to 
 their parents, the poor, or to them that fight for 
 the law of God, neverthelefs they do it not to 
 them, and flee them; defire they not that God 
 fliould pardon them ? FFe is neither gentle nor 
 pitiful but towards true believers. They that 
 accufe of immodefty, women cliafte, innocent, 
 and faithful, fhall be accurfed in this world, and 
 fliall luffer great torments at the day; when their 
 tongues, their hands, and their feet fliall teftify 
 againft them ; at the fame time, fliall God pay 
 to them what fliall be due unto them without 
 injuftice, and they fliall know that God is truth 
 itfelf. 
 
 The wicked women fliall fpeak as the wicked 
 men, and the wicked men as the wicked women : 
 The good women fliall fpeak as the good men, 
 and the good men as the good women ; the good 
 are innocent of the impofture of the wicked, 
 they fliall enjoy the grace of God, and the trea- 
 fures of Paradife. Oh ye that are true believers 1 
 Enter not into anothers houfe without permiflion, 
 if ye falute them that dwell there, ye fliall do 
 well; peradventure ye will be mindful, if ye find 
 none of the houfe enter not without permiflion, 
 if they fpeak to you to return, ye fliall return, it 
 is better than to flay at the door. God beholdeth 
 all that ye do, ye fliall not offend God to enter 
 into houfes inhabited, if ye have affairs there, 
 God knoweth all your intentions. 
 
 Speak unto the true believers, that they con¬ 
 tain their fight, that they be chafte, that they do 
 good, and that God knows all their aflions. 
 Speak unto the true believing women, that they 
 retain their fight, and that they be chafte, that 
 they fuffer nothing of their beauty to be feen, 
 but what ought to be feen, that they cover their 
 bofom, and their vifage, that they permit them 
 not to be feen, but by their hufbands, their 
 children, the children of their hufbands, their 
 brothers, their nephews, their filters, their wo¬ 
 men, their daughters, maid fervants, and (laves 
 by their domeltics, that are not capable oi 
 marriage, by children that regard not the beau¬ 
 ty of women, and that they move not their feet, 
 to (hew they are well fliod. Implore pardon of 
 God, peradventure ye fliall be happy; many 
 maidens of your own religion, the daughters ot 
 the righteous, or your Haves, if they be poor, 
 God fliall enrich them with his grace, lie is molt 
 liberal and omnifcient. Such as have not means 
 to marry, fhall live chaftcly, until God hath given 
 them means : Such as have defired to marry 
 their flaves, fliall have power to pal's a contrail 
 of marriage, if they know them to be wife, and 
 fliall give them part of the wealth that God hath 
 bellowed on them ; delpife not your wives that 
 are chafte, to commit whoredom; if ye defile 
 good in this world, if ye contemn them, God 
 fliall be to them propitious and merciful; we 
 have lent to you tliefe precepts, clear and intel¬ 
 ligible, like to them that were taught your pre- 
 deceffors, to be preached to the righteous; God 
 29 
 
 of MAHOMET. 337 
 
 illuminateth the heaven and the earth, as the 
 lamp that is in the lantliorn of chryftal, fed 
 with oil of the bleffed olive. 
 
 Thole that believe not in the refurreition, have 
 laid, the angels are not delcended from heaven, 
 we have not leen God, they are become proud, 
 and are fallen into an exceeding great error, but 
 the wicked fhall one day be without comfort, 
 when they fee the angel, they fhall cry, help, 
 help ! We will let before their eyes all the fins 
 that they have committed, the good works which 
 they fhall think to have done, fliall be like to 
 duft, which the wind carrieth away, and the 
 bleffed fhall enjoy a mod certain good, they fliall 
 hear of nothing but what concerneth them. 
 When the heaven and the air fhall divide thcm- 
 felves, and the angels fhall defcend, then fhall 
 the truth appear, and the merciful fhall reign ; 
 that day (hall be tedious to Infidels, they fliall 
 bite their fingers, and fay, would to God I had 
 followed the prophet and his apoftle! Oh ini- 
 fery ! Would to God I had not contrafted amity 
 with fuch an Infidel, he feduced me from the 
 right way, he hindered me to believe in the Alco¬ 
 ran which God lent, certainly the devil hath 
 tempted men. Then fliall the prophet fay, Lord, 
 fuch as have followed me, have obeyed what is 
 written in the Alcoran, and the Infidels have 
 rejeifled it, we have appointed an enemy among 
 the wicked, to every prophet of them that were 
 before thee, but it fufliceth thee, that God guid- 
 eth thee. The Infidels have demanded, if the 
 Alcoran was fent all at once; I have lb done to 
 confirm the truth in thy heart, I have fent it 
 piece by piece, they fliall not fliew thee any 
 thing like unto it; I have inffrufted thee in the 
 truth, clear and intelligible; the incredulous fhall 
 be confined in the fire of hell, and be moll mi- 
 fcrable. Certainly, we gave Mofes the book 
 of the law, we fent with him his brother Aaron 
 to aflift him, and faid unto them, Go both of 
 you, preach unto Infidels, we will deftroy them, 
 unlefs they be converted. Such as believe in 
 God, and do good works Ihall enjoy the delights 
 of Paradife, and the wicked Ihall be challifed 
 according to their demerits. Praife God, pray 
 unto him, evening and morning, praife is due 
 to him iu heaven and earth ; pray unto him be¬ 
 fore the fun let, and at the hour of noon: He 
 maketh the dead to come out of the living, and 
 the living out of the dead ; he caufeth the bar¬ 
 ren earth to revive, and grow green after its 
 death; in like manner will he caufe you to arife 
 again, and come out of your fepulchres : it is a 
 lign of his omnipotency, to have created you of 
 earth, to have given you flefh and bones, and to 
 have created the woman of the rib of the man, 
 to dwell with him; he hath commanded you to 
 love mutually, and to exercife charity among 
 you, thefe tilings are flgns of his omnipotency to. 
 them that confider his grace. The creation ol 
 heaven and earth, the diverfity of tongues, the 
 difference of your vifages, and of your colour, 
 the night created for repofe, and the day for tra¬ 
 vel, the lightening that terrilieth tile people, and 
 which through rain caufeth the earth again to 
 Hourilh, are flgns of his omnipotency: It is a 
 token of his omnipotency to fuftain the heaven, 
 and the earth; ye fliall come out of your fepul¬ 
 chres when he fliall call you ; whatfoever is in hea- 
 Qjq q q ven 
 
33 3 Of the A L C O R A 
 
 ven and earth obey him ; he caufeth men to die, 
 and to rife again, he alone is God in heaven and 
 earth, he is omnipotent, and knoweth all things. 
 He fpeaketh to you in a parable, drawn from 
 yourfelves, your (laves ; are they your compa¬ 
 nions? Do they equally partake with you in 
 the goods which God hath given you ? How 
 then will ye fay, that God hath a companion 
 equal to him ? Thus do I unfold his myltcries to 
 perlons that have not knowledge to comprehend 
 them; certainly, the wicked have followed their 
 appetites with ignorance; who lhall guide him 
 whom God fhall caufe to err ? He lhall find no 
 protedlor ; embrace the law of falvarion, God 
 hath eltablilhed it, that men may obferve it; it 
 admitteth no alteration, but the greateft part of 
 the world are ignorant of it; Fear God, make 
 your prayers at the time appointed ; be not like 
 to them that fay, God hath a companion ; neither 
 like to them that are at prefent in the number 
 of Hereticks, and were before as ye are; every 
 fetft is pleated in its opinions, when any evil be- 
 falleth them that call upon God, and are con¬ 
 verted : Neverthelefs fome of them return to 
 their idolatry; after the reception of his grace, 
 they are ungrateful, they dial] a-while be tolera¬ 
 ted, and in the end they (hall, too late, under- 
 ftand their error: Have we taught them reafon 
 and arguments, that prove that I have a com¬ 
 panion ? The people rejoiced when we enlarged 
 to them our graces; and became delperate, when 
 evil befel them ; fee they not that I give, and 
 take away wealth, as to me femeeth good. 
 This is the token of my unity to fuch as obey 
 my commandments. 
 
 Give to your neighbour what appertaineth 
 to him, and particularly to the poor, and true 
 believers, if ye defire to fee the face of God ; 
 fuch as fhall do it, lhall be bleffed. The money 
 which ye put to ufury encreafeth in the hands 
 of men, God lhall not fuffer it to prolper; the 
 alms which ye give fhall make you to fee the 
 face of his divine majefty, and lhall be doubly 
 reltored to you. God hath created you, he en- 
 richeth you, and caufeth you to die and rife 
 again; can your idols do as much? Praifed be 
 God, he hath no companion ; diforder appear¬ 
 ed in the earth, and in the fea, becaufe of the 
 iniquities of men; peradventure they will be 
 converted, when they (hall feel punilhment of 
 their crimes: Say unto them, go throughout the 
 earth, and confider the end of your predeceffors, 
 the greateft part of them were idolators ; em¬ 
 brace the true law before the day cometh, when 
 none lhall be heard; that day fhall the wicked 
 be feparated from the good, the impious (hall 
 give an account of their impiety, and fuch as 
 mall have lived well, lhall enjoy the joys of Pa- 
 radife, the grace of God lhall be their recom- 
 penfe, God abhoreth Infidels. It is a fign of 
 his omnipotency, to fend the winds to bring 
 you rain, and make you tafte the fruits of his 
 grace; the Ihip runneth upon the water through 
 his permilTion, for the advantage of your com¬ 
 merce; will ye not be thankful to him for his 
 benefits ? 
 
 There be ignorant perlons that difpute of the 
 Deity without reafon; when it is laid unto them, 
 do what God hath appointed, they anfwer, we 
 
 * of M A FI O M E T. 
 
 will do what we faw done by our fathers. They 
 confider not, that the devil calleth them and 
 their fathers to the pains of hell. He that obey- 
 eth God, and doth good works, fafteneth him 
 to the ftrongeft knot, and will have a care of 
 him at the hour of his end. The impiety of the 
 wicked ought not to afflift thee, they (hall be 
 one day affembled in our prefence, to be chaftif- 
 ed; I will Ihew them all that they have done, I 
 know what is in the hearts of men, I will pro¬ 
 long a while their punilhment upon earth, and 
 precipitate them in the other world, into the fire 
 of hell. Haft thou not demanded of them, who 
 created heaven and earth? They faid, it is God; 
 lay unto them, therefore, praifed be God; never- 
 thelefs, the greateft part of them are ignorant. 
 
 hatfoever is in heaven and earth is God’s, he 
 hath no want of the world, prail'e is due unto 
 him in all that he doth; if all the trees of the 
 world were pens, and the fea ink, they could not 
 comprehend the efteift of his oinnipotency, he 
 is omnipotent, and knoweth all things.” 
 
 From this abItraci of the Alcoran it will ap¬ 
 pear, that in many refpefls the Mahometans have 
 been grofsly mifreprefented, and indeed this has 
 been already taken notice of by lady Wordy 
 Montague, Picarc, and leveral others. That it 
 is a jumble of morality and herefy cannot be 
 doubted, and, as refpefting the facred l'criptures, 
 we find truth and fallhood mixed together, lo 
 it is not poffible it could be the work of one 
 man ; nay, there mull have been many concern¬ 
 ed in it, and thole of oppofite fentiments. The 
 errors relating to the Old Teftament are the 
 traditions of the Arabians; for as they were de- 
 feended from Abraham, by Ilhmael his fon, fo 
 they preferved many traditions, all which we 
 find in the Alcoran ; thole parts which infill fo 
 much on the unity of God, feem to have been 
 compofed by Jews, who have always accufed the 
 Chrillians of worlhipping three gods. The lalt 
 part which falfifies the hiltory of the New Tefta- 
 ment, mull have been written by the Neftorians, 
 and fome ether Chriftian Heretics. 
 
 The laft obfervation to be made here is, that 
 in all the accounts we have of the Hate of efta- 
 blifhed religions, we find morality injoined even 
 in fuch as have the moft ridiculous ceremonies; 
 the reafon is plain, becaufe God has implanted 
 fo much fear in the hearts of men, that they are 
 alhamed of fetting up a complete fyftem of immo¬ 
 rality. The worll fort of people we read of were 
 the Adamites, in the third century of Chriftia- 
 nity, but, as Mr. Bayle fays, they were only a 
 handful and foon dwindled awav. 
 
 Thus it is, with great caution we Ihould read 
 accounts of the 1 urks by thofe travellers who have 
 had but few, if any, opportunities of feeing them. 
 They are not fond of writing, confequently they 
 never publifti any thing concerning their religi¬ 
 ous ceremonies. Few are permitted to go into 
 their churches or mofques, but notwithftanding 
 all their caution, yet they fometimes will per¬ 
 mit perlons of rank. Lady W. Montague was 
 in one of them, and Mr. Flanway held iTconfer- 
 ence with one of their priefts. La Motte, is verv 
 particular in deferibing their mofques, and Pic- 
 art had the belt information communicated to 
 him, fo that we have fufficient materials to furnifh 
 
 more 
 
The CEREMONIES of 
 
 more full account of this religion than has hi¬ 
 therto been publifhed, and therefore we fhall 
 proceed to their ceremonies. 
 
 The Ceremonies of the Mahometans. 
 
 Circumcifion comes firfl to be confidered, it be¬ 
 ing the firfl: ceremony of a religious nature. 
 They feldom circumcife their children till they 
 are fix or feven years old, but this any parents 
 may difpenfe with, for they fometimes baptize 
 them at four years old, and fometimes not till 
 they are nine or ten. 
 
 The day of circumcifion is a day of joy for all 
 the relations of the child. He is carried on horfe- 
 back, with kettle-drums and tabors founding, 
 drefled in his beft attire, followed by his fchool 
 companions, who pronounce aloud fome paffages 
 of the Alcoran. He is then taken to the mofque, 
 where he is circumcifed, by cutting off part of 
 the fkin from the fore parts of the privy mem¬ 
 bers. 
 
 When a grown perfon is become a convert, he 
 is led out through the town on horfeback, car¬ 
 rying in his left hand a dart with the point turn¬ 
 ed towards him, to point out that he will be put 
 to death if ever he apoftatizes from his new reli¬ 
 gion. However, thefe ceremonies differ in dif- 
 ferentparts; for at Algiers, all the renegado Greeks 
 are circumcifed and led about the town, in the 
 midft of a guard of barbarians with drawn fcy- 
 metars, to let them know they are to be put in 
 pain if they fliew the lead inclination to return to 
 chriftianity. Boys have a name given them on 
 the day of circumcifion, but this cuftom is like 
 the other, fubjeft to fome variations. In Perfia, 
 the father gives what name he pleafes to his child 
 as foon as born, holding him in his arms and 
 prefen ting him to God j after he puts fait in his 
 mouth, and gives a name with a blefling. When 
 a child dies before circumcifion, they break the 
 little finger before they are buried, and this they 
 imagine makes an attonement to God for the 
 want of the ceremony. Many of the Turks differ 
 in their fentiments concerning the efficacy of cir¬ 
 cumcifion, fome looking upon it as not ablolutely 
 neceffary to falvation, while others entertain as 
 ilrong notions of its necelfity, as the Roman Ca- 
 tholicks do of baptifm. Others think this cere¬ 
 mony confers grace and piety, and that God will 
 not hear the prayers of one that is not cir¬ 
 cumcifed i and yet for all thefe differences in 
 opinion, they feldom difpute concerning reli¬ 
 gion, which is much to their honour. 
 
 The Mahometans frequently adopt children, 
 which cuftom is in fome refpedts almoft univer- 
 fal over the eaft. When the children of princes 
 and great lords are born, the moment of their 
 birth is kept very fecret, to avoid charms and 
 witchcraft, and to prevent the aftrologers from 
 rafting their nativity, and foretelling bad events. 
 Nay, fo blinded are they with this fenfelefs no¬ 
 tion, that although they know that the aftrolo¬ 
 gers cannot foretel one circumftance relating to 
 themfelves, yet they believe they have power 
 over others. But the Mahometans are not the 
 only people who are bialfed by frivolous fears 
 and ill-grounded hopes. When a child is adopt¬ 
 ed, his nominal father takes off his own fhirt and 
 
 the MAHOMETANS. 339 
 
 makes the boy pafs through it, and this they cal) 
 Akhrat . 
 
 Whether their children are their own or only 
 adopted ones, they are at great pains in bringing 
 them up, i'o as to prevent all manner of defor¬ 
 mity ; for they have a notion that a pure foul 
 will not lodge in a deformed body. This is the 
 reafon fo few people have any deformities in their 
 bodies in Turkey, and their condud in parti¬ 
 cular, ought to be attended to by all thofe 
 among us, who have the care of bringing up 
 children. 
 
 Polygamy, or the having a great number of 
 wives, being one part of the Mahometan reli¬ 
 gion, it is not improper to obferve, that in all 
 thofe countries where it prevails, the people are 
 far lefs numerous than where one man has but 
 one wife. The pradice of polygamy diverts 
 the minds of the parents from doing that duty 
 they owe to their children. It creates jealoufies 
 among the women, and if the hufband is not of 
 a tyrannical nature, he rnuft be unhappy in his 
 mind. To this may be added, that the favourite 
 women give fome forts of medicines to their ri¬ 
 vals, in order to make them mifcarry. 
 
 Their marriage ceremony are in high efteem 
 amongft them, but it is not celebrated by a 
 prieft, nor confidered as an ad of religion. 
 They look upon it in a civil light, which is the 
 cafe in many caftern nations. The parties go 
 before the Cadi, or civil judge, and the man 
 declares that he has bound himfelf to take the wo¬ 
 man. 1 his being done, the Cadi repeats an exhor¬ 
 tation to them and their relations, concernin°" 
 the marriage ftate. The hufband inftead of re¬ 
 ceiving a marriage portion with the bride, gives 
 her one, and this he is obliged to do before the 
 judge. The wife promifes to be obedient to her 
 hufband, and then (he is carried home in a fedan, 
 under a canopy, accompanied with relations, 
 friends, flaves, and mufick. It is reckoned a- 
 mong the women, that they fhould be admitted 
 at leaft once in the week to their hufband’s bed, 
 and on failure of this, they may demand it on 
 1 hurfday in the week following, and even go to 
 law about it with their hufbands. If any are fo 
 bafhful as to negledl this public way of obtaining 
 juftice, they endeavour to find out fome other 
 way of recompenfing that lofs. When boys or 
 girls are fet free from tuition, they are taken be¬ 
 fore the judge, who afks, “ Whether the devil 
 “ has jumped upon his body.” To which he 
 replies, “ More than once.” The reafon is, they 
 believe that the devil jumped upon our firfl: pa¬ 
 rents in the form of a fcrpent, and firfl created in 
 them carnal defires. 
 
 The Mahometans are allowed to lay with their 
 female flaves, and here it muft be obferved, that 
 they may marry women of any religion, the 
 tenets of which are written. All the children, 
 whether by wives or flaves, equally inherit their 
 father’s fubftance, if by will or otherwife the fa¬ 
 ther has made them free, for want of which the 
 children of flaves, remain as fuch to the eldeft 
 fon of the family. 
 
 They never marry their relations, unlels they 
 are removed eight degrees, or generations. In 
 order to prevent divorces as much as poffible, 
 the hufband is not to take the woman again. 
 When a hufband accufes his wife of adultery, 
 
 and 
 
340 The CEREMONIES 
 
 and does not prove it, he is to be baftinaded. 
 But notwithftanding this Itriftnefs, yet there is a 
 way to get over it. " Thus when there are neither 
 proofs nor witneffes, the huiband fwears five 
 times that what he alledges is true, and to the laft 
 oath adds a curfe, wilhing he may he curfed by 
 God and men if he lies. On the other hand, the 
 woman is believed if Ihe fwears as often, and 
 adds to the laft: oath a prayer, that God would 
 deftroy her if her hufband lpeaks tiuth. This 
 method is of an horrid nature, for it opens a large 
 field for grofs perjury, for both cannot be right. 
 If the adultery is fully proved, the hufband may 
 put her to death, which is done by fewing her up 
 in a fack full of ftones; but they are fo cautious in 
 their amours, that they are feldom detected. As 
 for the adulterer, he is condemned to ride on an 
 al's with his face to the tail, having on his head a 
 crown of the guts of bullocks, and a neckcloth 
 of the fame, and at laft is baftinaded on the foies 
 of his feet, and on the loins. If a hufband fuf- 
 pefts his wife and flie confents to part from him, 
 he generally fends her away peaceably, and indeed 
 it very feldom happens that any of them are put 
 to death. 
 
 When the grand feignor intends to marry his 
 daughters to fome of his great men, this is done 
 from motives of jealoufy, which the emperor 
 conceives of their power, and is frequently a 
 prelude to their ruin. Thus when he is appre- 
 henfive of the too great power of a bafhaw, he 
 makes him marry one of his fillers or daughters, 
 under pretence of doing him more honour; but 
 inftead of being greater, he becomes the moll 
 abjeft Have to the pride and tyranny of a woman, 
 who treats him like a footman, yet he dares not 
 reprove, nor feem to undervalue this token of 
 his mailer. He mull devote himfelf wholly to 
 her, and renounce all other wives and Haves, who 
 might be the means of leading off his affeftions. 
 If he has already a fweet tempered wife, and 
 children by her, he is obliged to turn them out 
 of his houfe, and every other perfon who might 
 be difpleafing to this fultana, yet unknown to 
 him. 
 
 If before the wedding fine fends to alk him for 
 money, jewels, rich furs, or any thing elfe, he 
 fends them as prefents with chearfulnefs, or at 
 leaft he mull feem to do fo. He is likewife 
 obliged to fettle upon her what dowry the match- 
 malters think proper to appoint. This dowry- 
 being ftipulated before a judge, he is led by two 
 black eunuchs to the lultana’s apartment, where 
 he thanks her for the honour conferred upon him; 
 when he enters the room Ihe hallily draws her dag¬ 
 ger, and haughtily demands who made him lb 
 bold as to approach her. He anlwers with the 
 moft profound refpeft, and ihews her the grand 
 feignor’s orders for the wedding. She then riles 
 receives him mildly, and allows him to en¬ 
 tertain her with more familiarity. Then an eu¬ 
 nuch takes his flippers, and lets them at the door, 
 as a token that he has met with a favourable re¬ 
 ception. 
 
 A few minutes after the bafhaw makes a low 
 bow down to the ground, and drawing back^ 
 makes a fpeech to teftify how happy he thinks j 
 himfelf, for the honour lire intends to do him. 
 This being over, he Hands lilent in an humble j 
 pofture, with his hands acrofs his breaft, till llie I 
 
 of the MAHOMETANS. 
 
 orders him to bring her fome water. He obeys 
 readily, and kneeling before her, prefents her 
 with a cup, prepared for the purpofe. She then 
 raifes a red veil, embroidered with gold and fil- 
 ver flowers, which had covered her face, and 
 drinks. Her women immediately bring in a low 
 table, on which are fet a couple of roafted pi¬ 
 geons, and fome candied ltigar on a plate. The 
 gallant defires her to eat, which Ihe refulcs, 
 till he has made her fome rich prefents. 
 
 This he complies with, overcomes her mo- 
 deltv, and fitting down to the table, (he gracioully 
 receives from his hand the :on, and 
 
 having eat fome, flie puts into his mouth a piece 
 of fugar, riles up, and returns back to her place. 
 All the company withdraw, and leave the ba- 
 ftiaw and fultana alone for the ipace of an hour, 
 that he may converfe freely with her. Then his 
 friends come with inftruments of mufick play¬ 
 ing, and invites him to the anti-chamber, where 
 he lpends the night with them, in drinking and 
 diverfions. The fultana does the fame in her 
 room with the ladies. 
 
 At break of day, the princefs being tired, pre¬ 
 tends to be fick, and goes to lay herfelf down in 
 bed, which is richly made, being embroidered 
 with gold, and perfumed, and every way fit for 
 the ceremony. One of the eunuchs gives notice 
 to the hufband by a fign, and introduces him 
 without noife to the bed-chamber. He puts off 
 his upper garment, kneels for lome time at the 
 foot of the bed, and then the ceremony ends. 
 
 The mourning for the dead begins with fuch 
 cries and lamentations made by the women, as 
 publifh the death to the moft diftant neigh¬ 
 bours. In Africa, betides thefe cultomary tears 
 and bowlings, they daub their faces with foot and 
 oil, in which much blackening has been deeped, 
 then thirty or forty women with dilhevellcd hair, 
 and fome of them tearing and fcratching their 
 flelh with their nails, or with needles, enter upon 
 the neceffary preliminaries of the funeral, ihe 
 cuftom of making loud cries and lamentations 
 for departed friends, of rolling in the dull, or 
 covering one’s felf with alhes, is of great anti¬ 
 quity in the eaft, and not much altered among 
 the inhabitants of thole countries, from what it 
 was in the times of the patriarchs. A long black 
 cloak, with black cloaths, are the outward tokens 
 of the forrow, of a child, a brother, a hufband, 
 or a wife, or for the death of parents. 
 
 Widows mourn longer for their lmfbands, and 
 this is complied with whether the forrow be real 
 or feigned, in the fame manner as we frequently 
 fee thofe whom we meet in a church, on fome fo- 
 lemn occafion, feemingly praying and repeating 
 to all outward appearance, much contrition and 
 marks of piety, left they fhould be confidered as 
 Atheills. We are told by Thevenot, that thofe 
 Turkilh women give over crying, when there are 
 no witneffes of their tears, being hired for that 
 purpofe i which is the fame as we have already 
 taken notice of among tire Greeks. The mourn¬ 
 ing lafts feveral days, and if he was a perfon of 
 rank, it is renewed annually for feveral years to¬ 
 gether. 
 
 In order to prepare for the burial, the corps is 
 waflied and ftiaved ; frankincenfie is burnt about 
 it, to expel the devil, and other evil fpirits, 
 which, as the Mahometans and feveral other 
 
 people 
 
The CEREMONIES of 
 
 people believe, rove about, and hover over the 
 dead, as much and as frequently as about the 
 living. This part of the ceremony being over, 
 the body is put into a burial drefs without feams, 
 -that it may, as they pretend, kneel with lefs 
 difficulty, when 4t is to be examined in the 
 grave ; for they believe, that when it is interred, 
 an angel is fent to examine it. 
 
 The coffin is covered with a pall, preceded 
 by feveral Imams, of whom more afterwards, 
 who pray, and followed by the relations and 
 friends of the deceafed, with the women, who 
 lament and fhed tears. At the grave, the corpfe 
 is taken out of the coffin and put into the ground, 
 and the women ftav there to cry. Thev make a 
 difference between the graves of the Perfian Ma¬ 
 hometans, and thofe in Turkey ; for in Perfia, a 
 board is put over it Danting, fo that one end of 
 it touches the bottom of the grave, and the other 
 leans againft the top of it. The Turks place 
 a (tone at the head of the corpfe, for the conve¬ 
 nience of the angels, who are to examine the de¬ 
 ceafed, and this civility, they believe, will make 
 them the more indulgent. 
 
 The palls are different, and the coffins vari- 
 oufiy adorned, according to the ftate and condi¬ 
 tion of the deceafed, to diftinguifh him as a 
 prieft, a foldier, rich, or poor. All their buri¬ 
 al places are near the roads, to put travellers in 
 mind to offer up their prayers for the dead, for 
 which they will obtain a bleffing. For this rea- 
 fon, thofe who build a bridge, or fome other 
 public ftrufture, from motives of charity, are 
 likewife buried in or near them. So many large 
 ftones are fet up in fome of their burying places, 
 that towns might be built of them. After the 
 funeral of the deceafed, the friends of him 
 come feveral days fucceffively to pray at the 
 tomb, befeeching God to refcue him from the 
 torments of the black angels; and calling the 
 dead by his name, they fay to him, “ Fear not, 
 “ but anfwer them boldly.” On the Friday 
 following, which is the fabbath of the Mahome¬ 
 tans, victuals and drink are fet down at the 
 grave, ar.d any perfon going pad may partake of 
 them. This cuftom of letting down victuals at 
 graves is very ancient, for we meet with many 
 inftances of it in fcripture. 
 
 T he Perfian Mahometans have ftrange notions, 
 namely, that the angel who prefides at the birth 
 of children, mixes fome earth with the matter of 
 which they are formed, and introduces it into 
 the mother’s womb at the inftant of conception ; 
 from whence they conclude, that every one mull 
 endeavour to die in the fame place from whence 
 the angel took that earth. But they have a more 
 rational cuftom, founded on principles of huma¬ 
 nity, which is, that whoever meets a funeral 
 proceffion rnuft join the company, and fee it in¬ 
 terred. The fame Perfian Mahometans have re¬ 
 tained in their mournings, the ancient ceremony 
 of tearing their cloaths toteftify their grief; and 
 what is much more commendable, they oire 
 alms feven days together. But, for the latisfac- 
 tion of the reader, we llrall point out the dif¬ 
 ference between the Perfian and Turkifh Maho¬ 
 metans in their funerals, for the Mahometans 
 have been for many years divided into two 
 parties. Thus the Turks fay there is only one 
 prophet, whereas the Perfians admit of two. Ali, 
 29 
 
 the M A H O M E T A N S, .j 4t 
 
 the fon-in-law of Mahomet, is confidered by the 
 Perfians as a great prophet, and the friend of 
 God; for when they confefs their faith, they fay, 
 “ There is but one God, Mahomet is his pro- 
 “ phet, and Ali is his friend.” On the other 
 hand, the Turks fay, “ There is but one God, 
 “ and Mahomet is his friend.” Mr. Hanway 
 heard criminals in Perfia repeat the firft of thefe 
 confeffions at the place of execution, and they re¬ 
 peated no more. 
 
 At the firft figns of an approaching death, 
 lamps are lighted up, and fet on the terrace, or fiat 
 roof of the houfe, and this puts the neighbours 
 in mind to pray for the lick perfon. Imams, 
 who, in Perfia, are called mollas, or priefts, 
 are fent for ; they preach repentance to him, men¬ 
 tioning fuch fins as they imagine he has been 
 guilty of. To each fin mentioned, he anfwers 
 I repent, and when he has loft his fpeech, the 
 Alcoran is read by his bedfide, till he gives up 
 the ghoft. This is foon teftified to the whole 
 neighbourhood, by exceffive outcries and lamen¬ 
 tations. The relations, and other friends, rend 
 their cloaths from the neck to the girdle, tear 
 off their hair, fcratch their faces, ftrike their 
 bieafts, and ftiew all the figns of forrow and 
 defpair ; but the women exceed all bounds of 
 moderation in their grief, with a mixture of 
 long complaints, and affedting fpeeches, addrel- 
 fed to the deceafed. 
 
 As foon as the perfon’s breath is departed, 
 a meffenger is fent to inform the cadi, or judge, 
 that fuch a perfon is dead. The meffage is deli¬ 
 vered to the judge’s porter, who fays to the 
 meffenger, “ May your head be found,” and 
 goes to the judge to get him a fealed piece of 
 paper, by which he gets leave to have the body 
 waffied. The paper cofts nothing, but the por¬ 
 ter who delivers it has fome perquifite, more or 
 lefs, according to the rank and abilities of thofe 
 who defire it. This paper is carried to the mon- 
 dahour, or body-waffer, which is an office 
 lie alone can enjoy, nor can any perform it, but 
 himfelf, or fome others appointed by him. 
 The defign is to know exactly what number of 
 perfons have died, and of what difeafes, which 
 office is neceffary in all countries, left any ffiould 
 be taken off in a violent manner, and the delin¬ 
 quent not brought to juftice. 
 
 The inondahour fends men to waff the corps 
 of men, and women to wafii the women ; the 
 waffer takes off the cloaths from the corps, and 
 receives them as his perquifites, for no one can 
 touch a dead body, without being defiled. In 
 every town there are waffing places, fituated in 
 the moft diftant parts of it. Ifpahan, for inftance, 
 being divided into two parts, has two monda- 
 hours, and amongft their waffing places is one 
 very large, in a back court of the old mofque, 
 twenty fteps under ground. This ceremony of 
 waffing in thofe places is only for the poor, for 
 the rich are waffed at home, in a bafon, co¬ 
 vered with a tent, left any one ftiould fee the 
 corpfe. When it is waffed, all the openings are 
 carefully flopped up with cotton, to keep the 
 noxious vapours within it. 
 
 This being done, the body is put into a new 
 linnen cloth, on which thofe who can afford it 
 caufe fome paffages of the Alcoran to be written. 
 
 I In the reign of Abbas II. Saroutaky, the grand 
 R r r r vizer 
 
The CEREMONIES of the M AHOMETAN S. 
 
 vizer was murdered and the linen wrapped round 
 his corpfe had the whole of the Alcoran 
 wrote upon it with gum : but to return to the 
 common buryings. 
 
 The body being wafhed, is placed in a remote 
 part of the houfe, and if it is to be carried to a 
 diftant burying ground, they put it in a wooden 
 coffin filled with fait, lime, and perfumes to pre- 
 ferve it. No other embalming is ufed in the eaft, 
 nor do they take it out, for that practice feems to 
 them unclean and barbarous. Perfia being a hot, 
 dry country, the bodies are foon put into their 
 coffins, otherwile it would never be poffible to do 
 it, becaufe they fwell immoderately high in eight 
 or ten hours. Their funerals in Perfia are not at¬ 
 tended with much pomp. A molla brings 
 the coffin from the next mofque, but it is 
 only -an ill contrived clumfey box, made up of 
 three boards with a cover that turns by a peg. 
 The corpfe is put into it, and if the deceafed was 
 poor, it is carried off without any farther cere¬ 
 mony. The bearers only go with it, very faff 
 and almoft running, pronouncing fiowly the 
 words Alla, Alla, that is God, God. But it is 
 very different with the rich. 
 
 In the funeral of a perfon of quality, the en- 
 figns, or banners of the mofque are carried before 
 the corpfe. They are long pikes of different 
 forts; fome have at one end a hand of brafs, or 
 copper, which is called the hand of Ali, others 
 have a half-moon, others the names of Maho¬ 
 met, of his daughters, and of his firft twelve 
 lawful lucccffors, done in cyphers. There are 
 hill more poles carried, at the tops of which are 
 fixed fome brafs or iron plates, about three inches 
 broad and three or four feet long, but fo thin, 
 that the lead breeze of wind makes them bend. 
 To them are tied long flips of taffety, which 
 hang down to the ground. Thefe bearers are 
 followed by five or fix horfes, with the arms and 
 turban of the deceafed. 
 
 Behind, the Alcoran is carried, divided into 
 thirty parts, all wrote in long characters, each 
 letter being an inch big. Each of the great 
 mofques have fuch a one, and thefe parts are car¬ 
 ried by the young ftudents who are bringing up 
 for the priefthood. They read it aloud, and fo 
 quick, that the whole is read over before they 
 come to the grave. 
 
 At the funerals of women, a pall fupported 
 by four flicks is placed over the coffin, and thefe 
 are their higheft forms of fplendour at funerals. 
 The neighbours, or lervants of the deceafed, 
 carry the corpfe, no bearers being appointed to 
 perform that laft duty. They do not bury any 
 in their mofques, for although the bodies are 
 cleanled and purified, yet every thing they touch 
 is confidered as defiled. In fmall towns in Per¬ 
 fia, the burying grounds are on the fides of the 
 highways without the gates, to afford a moral in- 
 ftrudtion to the living, but in gFeat towns fitu- 
 ated on a dry foil, feveral of thefe repofitories- of 
 the dead are to be feen, fo that we find a vaft dif¬ 
 ference between them and the Turkifh Mahome¬ 
 tans. The graves are fmaller in Perfia than in 
 other countries where the Mahometan religion is 
 profeffed, being only about two feet broad, fix 
 in length, and four deep. On the fide next 
 Mecca, they dig a flaunting vault, which is as 
 
 long and broad as the firft grave, and into this 
 they thruft the corpfe without a coffin, with the 
 face toward the place where Mahomet was born, 
 and place two tiles to cover the head from the 
 earth, when the grave is filled up. If the de¬ 
 ceafed was rich, or a warrior, his turban, bow r , 
 and quivers full of arrows are all placed befide 
 him, and the vault is plaiftered up with tiles. 
 The Sahieds, who pretend to be the defendants 
 of Mahomet, have no earth thrown upon them, 
 their graves are only covered with a ftone, or 
 brick, or that fort of hard brown marble known 
 in Perfia. 
 
 At the end of each, tomb-ftones are eredted, 
 with a turban if it is a man’s grave, but plain if 
 a woman’s. Thefe tomb-ftones ought not to ex¬ 
 ceed four feet in height, though commonly they 
 are not above two. The inferiptions on them 
 do not declare the names or qualities of the 
 deceafed, but confifl of fome vcrl'es out of the 
 Alcoran. The common people begin to vifit the 
 grave at the end of eight days, particularly the 
 women, who leldom fail ; the burying grounds 
 are molt commonly full of them from morning 
 to evening] for no fooner do fome go away, than 
 others return in their room. On fome particular 
 feftivals they bring their children along with 
 them, and lament the lofs of their friends with 
 cries and tears, beating their breads, tearing their 
 hair, fcratcliing their faces, and repeating the 
 feveral difeourfes they heretofore had with the 
 deceafed. Every now and then faying, cc Soul, 
 Ci fpirit, whither art thou gone ? Why do not 
 tc you animate this body ? And you corpfe, what 
 (< occafion had you to die ? Did you want gold, 
 tf filver, cloaths, or tender treatment ?” Some¬ 
 times they are comforted and led away by their 
 friends, and fometimes they leave cakes, fruits, 
 and fweetmeats, as an offering to the angels, 
 guardians of the graves, to engage them to be 
 favourable to the deceafed. 
 
 People of quality generally bury their rela¬ 
 tions near the rombs of fome of their faints; for 
 the Mahometans have faints as well as the Ro¬ 
 man Catholics. They are leldom carried to 
 Mecca, that being at too great a diftance, but 
 are interred near the fepulchre of thofe who were 
 the difciples of Ali the great prophet of the 
 Perfians, but fome of them are at a vaff dif¬ 
 tance. 
 
 Whilft they prepare themfelves for this long 
 journey, the coffin is put into fome great mofque, 
 where vaults are made for that purpole, which are 
 walled up to keep the body from being feen, and 
 they do not take it out till every thing is ready to 
 carry it off'. The Perfians believe that fuch corpfe 
 fuffer no alteration ; for fay they, before they 
 putrify, they muff give an account to the angels, 
 who ffay at the grave to examine them. The 
 funeral proceffion never goes through a town, 
 for this would be a bad omen as they think. 
 tc The dead muff go out, but not come in.” 
 
 The mourning lafts forty days, but none of 
 the mourners wear black cloaths, for that is 
 looked upon as the devil’s colour, and a hellifh 
 drel's. Loud cries and lamentations, whether 
 feigned or real; fitting as if they were almoft 
 dead, with a brown gown, or one of a pale colour; 
 faffing eight days as if they were to live no 
 
 longer; 
 
The CEREMONIES of 
 
 longer; but during this mournful time, fome of 
 their friends come to comfort them. On the 
 ninth day, the men go to the bagnio, have their 
 heads and beards fhaved, return their vifits at the 
 fepulchre, and then the mourning abroad ends, 
 but at home the cries are renewed more than 
 twice a week, particularly on the return of the 
 day when the perfon died. Their cries gradually 
 decreafe till the fortieth day, when they utterly 
 leave them, and then thedeceafed is feldom more 
 heard of. This, however, is only the cafe with 
 the man, for the women are not fo eafily com¬ 
 forted, the date of widowhood in the ead being 
 generally for life. The motives for confolation, 
 alledged by the Perfian Mahometans on the 
 death of friends and relations are rational and 
 grounded on the bed principles of philofophy. 
 They compare this life to a caravan, or company 
 of travellers, all come at laft to the caravancera, 
 or inn, yet fome arrive foon and others late. In 
 fupport of this notion, we have a mod beautiful 
 dory in one of the Perfian hidorians, which Mr. 
 Addifon has inferted in the guardian. 
 
 A caravan happening to dop one evening at a 
 town in Peril a, where a deputy prince had his 
 palace, an aged Dervice, a fort of Mahometan 
 monk, having by midake gone into the palace 
 indead of the caravancera or inn, laid himfelf 
 down to red. Pie was foon difeovered by the 
 guards, who took him before the prince. The 
 prince, with all the vanity of an eadern fovereign, 
 alked him how he could have the affurance to 
 come into his palace. The Dervice modedly re¬ 
 plied, I thought it was a caravancera, but if not, 
 be fo good as tell me what it is, for I did not 
 mean to offend ? 
 
 It is my palace, (faid the prince) And whofe 
 was it before you got poffeffion of it ? (faid the 
 Dervice) The king’s my father. And whofe will 
 it be after your death ? Undoubtedly it will go 
 to the prince my fon. “ Ah fir, added the Der- 
 <c vice, that palace which fo often changes its 
 “ mader, may well be confidered as a cara- 
 tc vancera.” 
 
 Such are the funeral ceremonies of the Turks 
 in general, and likewife of the Perfian Mahome¬ 
 tans. We may difeover in both, many marks of 
 Heathenifm and Judaifm, nay, fome of them 
 feem to have defeended from the patriarchal ages. 
 But that is not the topic we would now infid on, 
 it is of a far more important nature, namely, why 
 fo much honour fhewn to the deceafed, and why 
 lb mean as to employ feigned mourners when no 
 real ones can be found ? It is not yet one hundred 
 and fixty years fince a fovereign prince in Europe, 
 at the funeral of his father, refufed to put on 
 black, and the reafon he adigned was, that he 
 was not a hired but a real mourner. But as for the 
 fird, the refpedt fhewn to the deceafed has been 
 already treated of in the courfe of this work, 
 namely, that it infpires fentiments of humanity, 
 becaule the deceafed bore the image of God. 
 But the fecond, why hire artificial, nominal, dif- 
 intereded mourners ? The anfweris obvious. 
 
 There is a drong propenfity in man, to ap¬ 
 pear fuperior to what he really is. Thus it fre¬ 
 quently happens, that men make provifion for 
 the interment of their bodies in pomp and fplen- 
 dour, who never paid any regard to their immor- 
 
 the MAHOMETANS. 34 j 
 
 tal fouls. The ingenious herald may deck the 
 hearle, and adorn it with the nobled atchieve- 
 ments ; the undertaker may, in the mod folemn 
 pomp, convey the body to the clay cold grave, a 
 funeral oration may be repeated, letting forth the 
 deceafed as one of the mod exalted of the hu¬ 
 man race, while the foul itfelf, the grand im¬ 
 mortal part, is (landing before an awful tribunal* 
 
 Vain wade of praife, fince flatt’ring or fincere, 
 The judgement day alone will make appear. 
 
 There are no books in the world tell greater 
 truths, or greater lies than tomb-dones. 
 
 About forty-feven years ago, a very rich man 
 was buried, who had committed every crime that 
 degenerated nature was capable of, and the in- 
 feription on his tomb done makes him rather 
 more than a faint. A lady of high rank and the 
 great grandmother of a noble and virtuous duke 
 now alive, died, and was buried the fame week, 
 and on her tomb is nothing but her name and age* 
 
 Let all jud refpedt be fhewn to the bodies of 
 our friends and fellow-creatures, but let us never 
 tell God idle tales. Let funerals be conducted 
 with fuch decency as fhall make an imprefiion on 
 the minds of the fpedtators, but let us never 
 run into thole extremes, which are fird abfurd, 
 and then ridiculous. 
 
 Befides thefe two general divifions of the Ma¬ 
 hometans, there are leveral fmaller fedts who are 
 confidered as Pleretics. Thefe are numerous, 
 but they may be didinguifhed into two forts; 
 the Orthodox and the Heretical. The former 
 are called by the general name of Sonnites or 
 Traditional ids, becaule they acknowledge the 
 authority of the Sonna, or colledtion of moral 
 traditions of the layings and adtions of their pro¬ 
 phet. 
 
 The Sonnites are fubdivided into four chief 
 fedts, viz. i. The Hanifites. 2. The Malekites. 
 3- The ShafFeites. 4. The Hanbalites. 
 
 The Heretical Sedls are thofe, which hold he-* 
 terodox opinions in fundamentals, or matters of 
 faith. The fird controverfics relating to funda¬ 
 mentals began when mod of the companions of 
 Mahommet were dead : for the continual em¬ 
 ployment of war, during the infancy of this re¬ 
 ligion, allowed the Arabs little or no leifure to 
 enter into nice enquiries, and fubtle didindtions. 
 But no fooner was the ardour of conqued a little 
 abated, than they began to examine the Alcoran 
 a little more nearly : whereupon differences in 
 opinion became unavoidable, and at length fo 
 greatly multiplied, that the number of their 
 ledts, according to the common opinion, was 
 feventy-three. 
 
 Thele leveral fedts were compounded and dif- 
 compounded of the opinions of four chief fedts, 
 viz. 1. The Motazales. 2. The Sefatians. 3. 
 The Kharejites. 4. Tiie Schiites. 
 
 The Motazales were fubdivided into feveral 
 inferior fedts, amounting, as fome reckon, to 
 twenty, which mutually charged each other with 
 infidelity : the mod remarkable of thefe were; 
 
 1. The Hodeilians. 2. The Jabbaians. 3. The 
 Halhemians. 4 The Nodhamians. 5. The 
 Hayetians. 6. The Jahedians. 7. The Mozda- 
 rians. 8. The BaQiarians. 9. The Thamamians. 
 10. The Cadarians. 
 
 The 
 
344 The CEREMONIES 
 
 The chief fedits of the Sefatians were ; i. The 
 Afcharians. 2. Mofhabbehites. 3. The Ke- 
 ramians. 4. The Jabarians. 5. The Morgi- 
 ans. 
 
 The moft remarkable among the fedts of the 
 Kharejiteswere; 1 .TheWaidians. 2. TheSchiites. 
 
 The principal fedls of the Schiites were five 
 in number : the mod remarkable were ; 1. The 
 Gholaites. 2. The Nofairians. 
 
 Thefe are the principal feds, into which the 
 profeffors of Mahometanilm were very foon fub- 
 dived. Innumerable other feds have iftice 
 l'prung up amongft them, which it would be te¬ 
 dious to enumerate. 
 
 As fuccefs in any prqjed feldom fails to draw 
 in imitators, Mahomet having raifed himfelf to 
 fuch a degree of power and reputation, by ading 
 the prophet, induced others to imagine they 
 might arrive at the fame height by the fame 
 means. His molt confiderable competitors in 
 the prophetic office were Mofeilama and A 1 Af- 
 wad. Mofeilama pretended to be joined in 
 commiffion with Mahomet, and publiffied 
 revelations in imitation of the Alcoran. During 
 the few months which Mahomet lived after the 
 fetting up of this new impofture, Mofeilama 
 grew very formidable : But Abubeker, Maho¬ 
 met’s fucceffor, fent an army againft him ; and 
 the falfe prophet was flain in battle, and his fol¬ 
 lowers difperfed. A 1 Alwad let up for himfelf the 
 very year before Mahomet died : But a party fent 
 by Mahomet, broke into his houfe by night, and 
 cut off his head. The Mahometans call thefe 
 two falfe prophets the two Lyars. Arabian Hi 1 - 
 tory furnifhes us with a great number of other 
 fuch impoftors, who have arifen at different 
 times, fince the eftabliffiment of Mahometan- 
 ifm. 
 
 The extent of the Mahometan religion is very 
 great, as will appear from the nations and prin¬ 
 ces profeffing it. Thefe are ; 
 
 In Europe. The Turks. The Cham of the 
 Crim Tartars. 
 
 In Afia. The Turks. The Arabians. The 
 Perfians. The Great Mogul. The kings of Vif- 
 apour, Golconda, and Malabar. The Great 
 Cham of Tartary. The Kingdom of Sumatra, 
 Java, and the Maldives. 
 
 In Africa. The Turks. The people of Tu¬ 
 nis, Tripoli, &c. On the coafts of Barbary, the 
 kings of Fez and Morocco. 
 
 Here we are to take notice, that, excepting 
 the grand feignor, the king of Perfia, the Ara¬ 
 bian princes, and the Cham of Tartary, all the 
 reft have Pagan idolators for their lubjedts in 
 generalj Mahometanilm being profeffed only by 
 the princes and great men. It has been faid, 
 but we will not vouch for the calculation, that 
 if we divide the known regions of the world 
 into thirty equal parts, the Chriftians will be 
 found to be in poffeffion of five, the Mahome¬ 
 tans of fix, and the indolators of nineteen. So 
 that the Mahometan religion is of fomewhat 
 greater extent than the Chriftian. 
 
 This, however, is no proof of its authenti¬ 
 city, feeing Paganifm, even of the groffeft fort, 
 prevails over many more nations in the univerfe 
 than Chriftianity and Mahometanifm put toge¬ 
 ther. If the truth of any religion was to be 
 
 of the M A H O M E T A N S. 
 
 judged by the number of its profeffors, then the 
 following things would be eftabliffied. 
 
 Firft, God did injury when he deftroyed the 
 old world ; for they were all of one opinion ex¬ 
 cept Noah and his family. 
 
 Secondly, God deftroyed Sodom and Go¬ 
 morrah, there being but three perfons faved ; and 
 all thofe deftroyed were of one opinion, and 
 guilty of one abominable practice. 
 
 Thirdly, The Jews were a handful of people 
 compared with the reft of the world, and yet 
 they were the chofen people of God. 
 
 Laftly, When the apoftles preached the gof- 
 pel, all the world, except the Jews, were Hea¬ 
 thens. 
 
 In all thefe religious fedls, the Mahometans 
 ufe the fame religious ceremonies j but they ob- 
 ferve different feftivals, as will appear after¬ 
 wards. At prefent we fhall only take notice 
 of their priefts, whom they call Imams. The 
 Imam is the head of their congregations in their 
 mofques. The word fignifies leader, or gover¬ 
 nor, and is applied likewife, by way of emi¬ 
 nence, to him, who has the fupreme authority 
 both in relpedt to Ipirituals and temporals. 
 There are fubordinate Imams in each town, who 
 reprefent the chief Imam, but only with relpedt 
 to religion. When the Imam of the Mufful- 
 man religion is mentioned without diftindtion, 
 it is always reftrained to the rightful and lawful 
 fucceffor of Mahomet, the fountain both of fe- 
 cular and facred jurifdidtion. The Caliphs took 
 the title, and performed the fundtions of the 
 Imam, and were fo zealous of this charadter, 
 that Sultan Almamon, coming one day into a 
 mofque, took it ill, becaufe a private perfon 
 read the public prayers, looking upon it as an 
 encroachment upon his authority. 
 
 The Mahometans are not perfedtly agreed 
 concerning the dignity, and fome of the cir- 
 cumftances of this office. Some hold the Ima- 
 mate to be fettled, by divine right, like the 
 Aaronical priefthood, in one family: others 
 think it is not fo unalterably tied to genealogy 
 and defcent, as to hinder its palling from one 
 family to another ; and they fay, that an Imam 
 may be depofed for vicious condudt, and his 
 office conferred on another. The Schiites, or 
 difciples of Ali, maintain, that this privilege 
 belongs to the family of Ali, exclufive of all 
 others, Ali being foie heir to Mahomet. Hence 
 they own no perfon for the head of religion, who 
 cannot prove his defcent in a right line from this 
 firft Imam. There are Imams belonging to par¬ 
 ticular mofques, who are in the nature of our 
 parifh-priefts. They officiate in the public li- 
 turgy, in which they pray for their prince, and 
 make a fort of harangue to the people. One 
 of the functions of the Caliphs was, to execute 
 the office of Imam, every friday, in the chief 
 mofque, where he refided; and, when he could 
 not officiate himfelf, he delegated fome perfon 
 of diftindtion. 
 
 The fupreme head of the Turkiffi clergy 
 is the Mufti, who refides conftantly wherever 
 the grand feignor keeps his court. He is in 
 Turkey what the pope is among Roman Catho¬ 
 lics, with fome particular differences. Thus 
 the pope will not acknowledge himfelf fubjedt 
 
 to 
 
The CEREMONIES of 
 
 to any power whatever, whereas the mufti, under 
 the grand feignor, confiders himfelf no more than 
 the fecond perfon in the empire. Again, when 
 they are confulted concerning cafes of conscience, 
 the mufti gives his opinion in a very moded 
 mariner, accompanied with this redridfcion, cc God 
 “ knows what is heft,” a fure proof that he docs 
 not eileem himfelf, nor is he efteemed by others 
 as infallible. On the other hand, every one 
 knows that the pope pretends to infallibility, and 
 Roman Catholics believe he is lb. 
 
 The mufti has great authority in the grand 
 council of the empire, or, as it is called, the divan, 
 and great regard is paid to what he fays. The 
 Perfian Mahometans had likewife their high- 
 prieffc in former times, whom they called Sedre, 
 an Arabic word, which fignifies the inward part 
 of the body, but was ufed by them as a term of 
 high dignity, and he was the fupreme judge in 
 all ecclefiadical affairs in Pcrfia, and even of fuch 
 civil caufes as had any connection with religious 
 ones; but that office has been abolifhed fome 
 time on account of the wars that have long raged 
 in Perfia. 
 
 The mofques in Perfia and Turkey, are very 
 like our parilh churches, and the Imams are in the 
 manner of our prielts or clergy, but as has been 
 already obferved, there are different orders of 
 them. They fay their prayers aloud at the ap¬ 
 pointed times ; and every Friday they read fome 
 verfes of the Alcoran ; fometimes they preach, 
 which confifts originally of exhortations to obey 
 every thing in the Alcoran, but now they divide 
 their fubjedt in the fame manner as the clergy do 
 with us. But preaching in Turky is not confined 
 to the clergy or Imams, for on fome grand fedi- 
 vals, the hodgians, who are dodlors and lawyers, 
 likewife preach ; as the Mahometans do not 
 didinguiffi fo much as we do between the church 
 and the date. 
 
 With refpedt to their monks, they are extremely 
 numerous, fome of them living in convents, and 
 others in loneforae folitudes to be dill more re¬ 
 tired from the world, abdaining from all fenfual 
 pleafures, profound enemies to faction, and 
 feemingly dead to many of the pleafures of this 
 life. They are generally called dervices, which 
 word in the Perfian language literally fignifies a 
 very poor man. They are allowed to marry, 
 and may leave their orders whenever they pleafe, 
 which is more than is granted to the Chridian 
 monks. 
 
 The Mahometans affign a reafon for this part 
 of their condudt, in granting fuch an indulgence 
 to the monks, which does them the higheft ho¬ 
 nour ; namely, that men are too inconflant to 
 remain long in the fame difpofition. Had the 
 Romifh clergy attended to this, they would never 
 have been charged with fo many crimes as have 
 been imputed to them. Men were formed for 
 lbciety, and it is inconfident with nature that the 
 other lex fhould be leparated from them. 
 
 The chief dervices are called Mavelovites, who 
 profefs patience, humility, moderation, and cha¬ 
 rity. There are feveral degrees of them, and the 
 lower obferve an exadt filence before their fupe- 
 riors, with eyes call down, the head leaning on 
 the bread, and bending their bodies forward. 
 They wear the coaileit Hurts, and the modaudere 
 -9 
 
 the M A H O M E T A N S. w 
 
 I have none, but put next to their fkin a brown 
 waidcoat of woollen cloth, which reaches below 
 the calf of their legs. This Huff is made at Cagna, 
 in Natolia, the place where the chief of the order 
 refides. They fometimes button this vedment, 
 but nore frequently walk with it open to the 
 waift, where they tie it about them with a leather 
 girdle ; and to ffiew their fidelity to God, and ap¬ 
 pear more holy than others, they mark their 
 breads with a hot iron, and pradtice many other 
 auderities, too numerous to be deferibed. 
 
 There is no doubt but they believe that fuch 
 auderities are more likely to gain the favour of 
 heaven, than the mod fervent prayers, of other 
 Mahometans, who are regular in their lives, and 
 moded in their drefs without fingularity. But to 
 go on with the deception of thefe Turkiffi monks, 
 who fwarm in vad numbers, particularly in Alia, 
 and who are lefs or more edeemed according to 
 the notion the people form of their fandtiry. 
 
 Their fhoulders are ufually covered with cloth, 
 their heads wifh a whitiffi cap of camels hair, 
 in the form of a fugar loaf, but has fome refem- 
 blance to a turban from the linen wrapped round 
 it, and they go bare legged. Although dervice is 
 the general name given them, yet we find they 
 are divided into many daffies, each of which has 
 fome name to didinguiffi it by. 
 
 The fird of thefe are called Santons, and are a 
 mod wretched body of men. They go bareheaded 
 and with naked legs, half covered with the fkin 
 of a bear, or of lome other wild bead, without 
 ffiirts, having only leather girdles round their 
 waids, from which hangs a bag. Some of them 
 have about their bodies apiece of copper, in the 
 form of a ferpent, bellowed upon them by their 
 dodlors as a mark of their learning. In fenti- 
 ments, they are a fort of libertines or epicureans, 
 and are dangerous to all focieties whether reli¬ 
 gious or civil;for they pretend that all adtionsare 
 indifferent, which opens a wide entrance to the 
 greated diforders. They carry in their hands a 
 kind of club, as our mountebanks do their rods, 
 and indeed they are no better than quacks and 
 cheats, for they fell relics to bigots, fuch as the 
 hair of Mahomet, and frequently pieces of earth, 
 laid to be brought from Mecca. 
 
 Another order of thefe dervices are called 
 Edhemites, but thefe are only to be found in 
 Perfia, chiefly in the province of Chorazan. They 
 lead a hard mortified life, and fancy themfelves 
 illuminated, their minds being heated by their 
 auderities. Such fanatical notions may be found 
 in other climates, as well as in hot countries. 
 However this much is certain, that in all coun¬ 
 tries we find men who are willing to be edeemed 
 more religious than others. 
 
 They never begin public prayers among the 
 Mahometans, without fird purifying themfelves, 
 nor do they enter a mol'que without pulling off 
 their ffioes, a pradtice of great antiquity, and un¬ 
 doubtedly founded on the words of the divine 
 appearance to Mofes, “ Put off thy ffioes, for 
 <c the place whereon thou danded is holy 
 c< ground.” Although they abhor image wor- 
 ffiip, yet, as foon as they go into their mofques, 
 they bow reverently to the place where the Alco¬ 
 ran lies, then lifting up their eyes to heaven, 
 dopping their ears with their thumbs, and be- 
 S 1 i 1 having 
 
 W 4 
 
 
346 The CEREMONIES 
 
 having with modefty and humility. Their pray¬ 
 ers are directed to God alone, as being the only 
 lovely, the only worthy to be adored •, the only 
 matter and enchanter of the heart and thoughts ; 
 and the only one who can forgive and fhew them 
 mercy. They reproach themfelves with not hav¬ 
 ing paid him all the veneration due to his eternal 
 majefty. 
 
 The prayer, of which this makes a great part, 
 may be feen in the beginning of our extract from 
 the Alcoran, and it contains no idle repetitions, or 
 dark lentences, as too many others do. It is re¬ 
 markable, that in all the accounts we have of an¬ 
 cient nations, and in all that experience has taught 
 ns of the moderns, we find that every religion had, 
 and ftill has, its feftivals. It was therefore necef- 
 i'ary that Mahomet fhould improve on this plan • 
 for, befides one day in feven, he inftituted feveral 
 l'olemn feftivals, 1 his was done, not only from 
 motives of policy to keep his people together, but 
 likewife from a principle of religion, namely, That 
 God fhould be worfhipped in a more l'olemn 
 manner at one time than at another. 
 
 The firft of their feftivals is called Bairam, ce¬ 
 lebrated in the tenth month, called Siewal, and 
 has fome affinity with our new year: for at that 
 time the Mahometans wiffi all manner of good to 
 each other. The Bairam is publifhed at the firft 
 fight of the moon of this month, or if the wea¬ 
 ther is cloudy, fo that the moon cannot be feen, 
 they hold it on the next day; for in that calc they 
 fuppofe the moon is changed. The diverfions 
 then are numerous •, huts are let up in the ftreets, 
 fo contrived, that thofe who fit in them may 
 fwing in the air, being potted fatter or flower, and 
 thefe leats are adorned with feftoons. They have 
 alfo wheels, on which people are alternately at the 
 top, middle, and bottom; a common emblem of 
 fortune, the changes of which, though lo often 
 deferibed in profe and verfe, ftill overtake us 
 when leaft expefted. 
 
 The next feaft or faft is the Rhamadan, which 
 continues for two months. As the Roman Catho¬ 
 lics have their Carnival and Lent together, fo this 
 folemn feafon, among the Turks, includes both. 
 It is a mixture of devotion and debauchery, for 
 it begins with a carnival in the following manner, 
 according toThevenot, who was an eyewitnefs of it. 
 
 The twelfth of June, (fays he) was the Turks 
 carnival, or beginning of their faft, and it is called 
 the Night of Power, becaufe the Mahometans be¬ 
 lieve that in that night, the Alcoran came down 
 from heaven. After fun fet, all the lamps in the 
 ftreets are lighted, but chiefly in that called Bezar, 
 a ftraight, long, and broad ftreet, through which 
 the procefficn marches, and ropes are hung every 
 ten fteps, to which are tied iron hoops and bafkets, 
 holding each thirty at the leaft. All thefe being 
 in a diredt line, furnifh a fine profpect, and give an 
 amazing light. Befides thefe, all the towers of the 
 mofques are illuminated, and an almoft innume¬ 
 rable company of people crowd the ftreets, ac¬ 
 companied by fome of thofe monks, or dervices, 
 called Santons. 
 
 Being informed that the moon has been feen, 
 and that this is the night appointed for the foie ni¬ 
 nny, about two in the morning, the fantons be¬ 
 gin the march, with clubs in their hands, and 
 each of them holding a taper, accompanied by 
 other men, carrying lights. The fanton-dervices 
 
 of the MAHOMETANS. 
 
 fing and howl like madmen. Next come feveral 
 men on camels, with all forts of martial mufick, 
 and thefe are followed by others in mafquerade 
 dreffes, on foot, carrying long poles, at the end 
 of which are large iron hoops, filled with fquibs, 
 and fire-works, thrown amongft the mob. Next 
 to thefe ride the upper fervants of the beys, with 
 their hand guns. The proceflion is doled by fome 
 more of thofe monks called Santons, who dance, 
 fing, howl, and make a molt terrible noife, not 
 much unlike that made by wild beafts. The 
 whole is compofed of a parcel of fcoundrels met 
 together, but ftill it is comical and diverting. 
 This is the carnival of the Turks, which, although 
 included as part of the Rhamadan, yet is really 
 a feftival by itfelf. 
 
 After it follows the faft, which lafts one month 
 longer, and, during that time, no man mutt, from 
 fim-rifing to fun-letting, put any thing into his 
 mouth; but then they are permitted to eat and 
 drink during the whole of the night, and they 
 may eat and drink any thing except wine. All 
 per Ions are obliged to be prefent at them, other- 
 wile he would not only be confidered as an unbe¬ 
 liever, but likewife be in danger of loofino- his 
 life. 
 
 The laft feftival is the Dalhaggaia, and in for¬ 
 mer times, the people were not permitted to go 
 out to war during it ; they were not even to pun- 
 ifh a murderer, or any other criminal ; but better 
 fenle has now got the place of enthufiafm, and 
 fuch filly notions are dilregarded. This feaft is 
 l'pent much in the fame manne^as the Rhamadan; 
 and when we reflect on the time thus mifemployed, 
 it will appear, that the Turks do not devote above 
 one half of their time to labour. But ihen there 
 are feveral circumftances, which contribute to 
 render them indolent. And thefe are, the little 
 regard paid to commerce, the foundation of 
 w-ealth, a divided offspring, among whom they 
 hardly know how to leave their fortune ; and the 
 infecurity of property, the government being 
 at all times able to deprive them of it. 
 
 The Perfian Mahometans have their feafts pe¬ 
 culiar to themfelves, namely, the firft day after 
 their Lent, the facrifice of Iiaac, and the martyr¬ 
 dom of their great prophet Ali. To thefe three 
 feftivals, they have added another, but it is rather 
 of a civil than a religious nature ; for it is a feaft 
 of compliments, at the beginning of the new year, 
 like Chriftmas with us, and only lafts three days. 
 It is called the royal, or imperial new year, to dif- 
 tinguilh it from the real new year, which the 
 Perfians begin on the day of Mahomet’s flight 
 from Mecca. 
 
 As for their Lent, it contains nothing at all re¬ 
 markable, any farther, than that the people obferve 
 a vaft number of ridiculous ceremonies, much 
 more fo than thofe oblerved by the Turks; fome 
 of them whip themfelves, others go barefooted 
 over (harp ftones, and fome others crawl upon 
 their hands and feet. They eac but one meal 
 in twenty-four hours, and drink nothing but 
 water. 
 
 The feftival, or rather folemn mourning, in 
 memory of the martyrdom of the children of Ali, 
 is very folemn indeed. Aly, or Ali married Fa¬ 
 tima, the daughter of Mahomet, by whom he had 
 feveral children, two of whom were killed in 
 battle, fighting for the dignity of caliph, which 
 
 in 
 

The CEREMONIES of 
 
 in that age, was the fame as nuifti is at prefent. 
 The anniverfary of thole heroes, prophets, or by 
 whatever name they may be called, is celebrated 
 with much foiemnity. Some of the people daub 
 themfelves all over with blood, in memory of their 
 tragical end , others black their faces and roll out 
 their tongues, with convulfive motions of the body; 
 rolling their eyes, becaufe the Perfian legend fays, 
 thofe two brothers buffered fo much by drought, 
 that they became black, and their tongues came 
 out of their mouths. It is probable, they received 
 thefe ceremonies from the Phoenicians and Sy¬ 
 rians lamenting the death of Adonis, which was 
 afterwards pradlifed by the Grecians, who were 
 colonies fettled by the Phoenicians, and received 
 their laws and religion from them. Some bury 
 themfelves in a rock, and remain a whole day in 
 that pofture, having their heads covered with an 
 earthen pot. Others are no Ids ridiculous, having 
 drums beating and colours flying, in memory of 
 the battle in which the heroes were (lain ; hearfes 
 are carried about, with the images of the de- 
 ceafed, and the people jump, dance, and fing 
 around them. Undoubtedly thefe are abfurd fol¬ 
 lies, but there are many more fuch to be met with 
 in the world. 
 
 Another devout ceremony on this occafion, is 
 to preach a lermon in memory and honour of the 
 two brothers. An enthufiaftic preacher mounts 
 a roltrum, and delivers an allegorical difeourfe, 
 with all the antic ridiculous arts of a mountebank. 
 He generally harangues two hours, and omits 
 nothing in his power to draw tears from the audi¬ 
 ence. The women play their parts, beating their 
 breads, crying and lamenting, to excite others to 
 imitate their borrow. And this is all the benefit 
 reaped from outward marks of humble orief, 
 which feldom works fincere and lading conver- 
 fions. Such paffionate, religious, tender aftedfions, 
 feldom lad longer than the lermon ; and then give 
 place to paflions, deilre,s, and follies of another 
 nature, and pointing to very different objedts. 
 
 The next fead is that of the facrifice, which 
 Abraham intended to have made of his fon. 
 And here it is neceffary to remark, that neither 
 the Turkifh or Perfian Mahometans, nor indeed 
 any of the followers of the falle prophet, will 
 allow that lfaac was the elded fon of Abraham ; 
 but that he was born long after Iihmael, whofe 
 mother Ilagar, fay they, was the lawful wife of 
 the ancient patriarch, Sarah being no more than a 
 concubine. But notwithdanding all that, they 
 treat lfaac with great honour and lefpeft, he be¬ 
 ing one of the Ions of good old Abraham. In 
 memory of the facrifice of Iihmael, (not lfaac, 
 fay they) wherever the Mahometan religion is pro- 
 fefi'cd, a vaft number of peopl- meet in the mod 
 public parts of their cities; if in Condantinople, 
 the grand feignor puts himfelf at the head of the 
 multitude, attended by all his great officers of date, 
 and furrounded by his janizaries, or guards. Many 
 eunuchs, richly dreffed, walk before and behind 
 him. The whole road, from the feraglio to the 
 mofque of Mahomet, whither he intended to go, 
 is lined with an incredible number of people ; 
 and the foreign ambaffadors are buffered to ac¬ 
 company him as far as the door of the mofque, 
 but no further, unlefs the fultan grants them his 
 royal permiffion. They return back in the fame 
 
 the MAHOMETANS. 3+; 
 
 manner, and this is repeated once every year, in 
 memory of Abraham’s carrying Ifhmael to mount 
 Moriah, for they will not allow that it was lfaac. 
 1 hey treat lfaac, however, with great relpedt, as 
 indeed they do all the old tedament faints, for 
 they only confider the Mofaic and Chridian dif- 
 penfations as aboliflied, in confequence of the 
 wickednefs of the people to whom they were 
 given. 
 
 There have been feveral accufations brought a- 
 gaind the fpeculative dodtrines of Mahomet, the 
 principal of which we fhall now take notice of, 
 and enquire whether they are true or falfe ; and 
 we would have it confidered, that nothing ought 
 to be imputed to him, befides what is found in 
 the Alcoran. 
 
 And fird, it has been afferted, and is confident¬ 
 ly believed by many, that he has denied fouls to 
 women, and that they fhall not have a place in 
 his paradife. Let ns confider this acculation with 
 impartiality: were we to judge of Mahomet’s be¬ 
 lief of the future date of women, from the regard 
 he had for them in his life, we would not only be¬ 
 lieve that he allotted them a paradife, but that lie 
 even affigned them the mod beautiful places in 
 it. It is true, there is a paffage in the Alcoran, 
 which feems to countenance the accufation, where 
 it is faid,. “ Women fhall not be with them in 
 “ paradife;” but it does not fay, women (hall not 
 be in paradife at all. Mod probably, the meaning 
 of the words are, that as women had feparate 
 apartments among the Arabians, fo they will have 
 the fame in heaven. This is altogether confident 
 with the red of his notions, for his ideas of a hea¬ 
 venly date, were all formed upon corporeal things 
 here below. This anfwer would be fufficient, d?d 
 it red only on conjedture; but what can be 
 faid againlt pofitive evidence ? Mahomet ex- 
 prefiy fays in theAlcoran, chap.xi. « Whoever fhall 
 “ believe and do good works, whether man or 
 “ woman, fhall enter into paradile.” He fays in 
 feveral parts of the Alcoran, that men fhall have 
 mod beautiful women, but he never infinuates 
 that thefe women were to be created for the pur- 
 pofe ; for as he allowed a general refurredtion of 
 the human race, fo he grants they fhall all have 
 mod glorious bodies, except unbelievers. As for 
 the filly opinion, that women do not go to the 
 mofques, nothing can be more ridiculous ; for 
 there is a place allotted for them in all their places 
 of worfliip, but where they cannot be feen by men, 
 to preferve the purity of their hearts, and the 
 fandtity of the place, and becaufe many of our 
 travellers never law them, fo they concluded that 
 they are not admitted. 
 
 It has been afferted, that Mahomet ordered all 
 his followers to vifit his tomb at Mecca, once in 
 their life time, otherwife they would not be ad¬ 
 mitted into paradife. This aflertion is denied by 
 all the bed travellers whoever yet vifited the ead, 
 for throughout all the Turkifh dominions, there 
 are not more pilgrims go to vifit the tomb of . 
 Mahomet than do to vifit the church of Larretto"' 
 in Italy. They cannot travel there except in. ca¬ 
 ravans ; and as the didance is fomecimes near a 
 thoufand miles, fo few, except thofe of a hiah 
 rank, can go. Nay, it is often dangerous °to 
 travel, even in caravans, where there are not above 
 two thoufand men ; for the wild Arabs, although 
 
 Mahometans 
 
348 The CEREMONIES 
 
 Mahometans themfelves often lead them aftray 
 till they get them into the defert, and then they 
 rob and plunder them. 
 
 The truth is, there are three forts of people 
 vifit Mecca, firffc devotees, who go thither from 
 motives of religion, and thefe are generally fuch 
 as have nothing elfe to do. Secondly, merchants 
 who go there to fell, or exchange their goods, 
 and although there is no doubt but thefe mer¬ 
 chants worfhip at the tomb of the prophet, yet 
 they have other objects in view, namely, riches, 
 as the reward of their induftry. Laftly, gentle¬ 
 men, from many parts of the world, particularly 
 from Europe, who travel into Arabia, not only to 
 fee this celebrated tomb, but likewile mount 
 Sinai, with many other curiofities. 
 
 The laft thing we Hi all take notice of as im¬ 
 puted to Mahomet, is the dodtrine of divine pre- 
 deftination in the m'oft abfolute fenfe of the 
 word. That the Turks are predeftinarians, cannot 
 be denied, nay, it is acknowledged that they are 
 the mod obftinate fatalifrs in the world, and by 
 trying a few legendarian tricks, they pretend to 
 know what will happen to them. How far any 
 Chriftian divines have carried the dodtrine of 
 ablolute predeftination is not our bufinefs at pre- 
 fent to enquire into, it will naturally come in 
 another part of this work. If fome who have had 
 the benefit of a liberal education, and the ufe of 
 the l’acred lcripture, have railed this dodtrine 
 more high than what was warrantable, then we 
 need not be furprifed that men who never heard 
 the found of the golpel fhould do fo. Hobbs, 
 an Engliihman carried it as high as the Mahome¬ 
 tans do at prefent, if not higher ; for he makes 
 God the author of fin, by infilling that all mens 
 adtions, even the world, are abfolutely neceffary, 
 becaufe the decree appointed them was abfolute. 
 Upon the whole, fatility is not a new dodtrine, 
 for it was embraced by the Greeks and Romans, 
 and perhaps by the Arabians, among whom Ma¬ 
 homet was born. 
 
 We fhall conclude our defcription of Maho¬ 
 metan fellivals, with an account of fome fuper- 
 ftitions pradtifed by the common people. The 
 Indian Mahometans have a feaft called Choubret, 
 by Thevenot, which begins with fear and lorrow, 
 and ends with hope and joy. On this day they 
 commemorate the examination of the fouls de¬ 
 parted, by the good angels, who write down all 
 the good adtions they have done in this life, 
 whilft the bad angels write all the bad ones. This 
 they believe is peruled by God, and for that rea¬ 
 son are afraid, and fay a few prayers, examine 
 themfelves, and give alms. But flattering them¬ 
 felves that their accounts will be cleared and 
 wrote down in the book of life, they end the fo- 
 lemnity with illuminations and bonfires, treating 
 and making prelents to one another. 
 
 Befides the pilgrimage to Mecca, before-men¬ 
 tioned at large, the Mahometans have feveral 
 others to the tombs of their faints, and thofe 
 faints have each of them a proper legend. Now 
 all thefe pilgrims are held in veneration, more or 
 lefs, as the people Rand afredted in regard of fuch 
 devotions. But nothing comes up to the refpedt 
 paid to the pilgrims of Mecca: They are ab- 
 folved from all forts of crimes committed before; 
 they even have leave to commit new ones *. For 
 fays our author, “ They cannot be put to death 
 
 of the MAHOMETANS. 
 
 “ according to law, they are looked upon as in- 
 <f corruptible, irreproachable, and perfedt faints 
 <c in this world.” Such fanatical opinions are 
 not confined to Mahometans, we have feen ex¬ 
 amples of them in the laft age, amongft pre¬ 
 tended Chriftians ; and they are means of lead¬ 
 ing the people, and keeping them in thofe dif- 
 pofitions. Some of thefe pilgrims, as we are 
 told, wilfully put out their eyes, left they fhould 
 be prophaned by worldly objects, after the glo¬ 
 rious fight of the holy places at Mecca. Even 
 the children born in that devout voyage are re¬ 
 puted faints ; and it is looked upon as fo merito¬ 
 rious to contribute to flock the world with fuch 
 eledt, that the women are generally willing, and 
 charitably offer themfelves to the pilgrims, to be 
 their help-mates in that good deed. 
 
 We fhall give our readers fome notion of Ma¬ 
 hometan faints, and of the honour paid to them 
 by the example of Ali, the firft martyr for the 
 Perfian faith. They paint him with a two pointed 
 feymeter, and the face covered with a green veil, 
 whereas other faints have a white one : Our au¬ 
 thor does not give any reafon for this difference, 
 he only fays, the white veil is to fhew that the 
 glorious and wonderful features of a faint’s face, 
 are not to be conceived or painted. This veil 
 has fome affinity to the rays of glory about the 
 heads of our faints, and ftill more to the nimbus, 
 or cloud, which covered the heads of the antient 
 Heathen gods. A chief article of the Perfian 
 belief is, that Ali is the vicar of God. Some 
 of their dodtors have even raifed him above the 
 condition of human nature, and by their indif- 
 creet devotion, given a fandtion to this common 
 faying : I do not believe that Ali is God, but I 
 do not think he is far from being God. We fhall 
 make no odious companions ; fuch mad expref- 
 fions are defervedly cenfured by all judicious and 
 truly devout perfons, who have a right idea of 
 the Supreme Being. Befides Ali, there are many 
 other faints cotemporary with, or who lived after 
 him ; fome of thefe are held in veneration with all 
 Mahometans, others only with the Turks orPer- 
 fians, or Indians, or Arabians. Miracles are faid 
 to have been wrought by them, and the legends, 
 compofed of their lives for the edification ot Ma¬ 
 hometans, who vifit their tombs, and perform 
 their devotions there, yet fays Chardin without 
 any diredt invocation ; however he owns at laft, 
 that they venerate and call upon the faints, be¬ 
 caufe it is the will of God it fhould be done. 
 
 The difciples and followers of Ali efteem the 
 pilgrimage to the tomb of Fathme, or Fatime, 
 as little inferior to that of Mecca. She was the 
 daughter of Mouza-Calem, the feventh fchif- 
 matical fucceffor of Mahomet, in the opinion of 
 the Turks. Without entering into an account of 
 her pretended miracles, or of the devotion 
 Ihewed in this pilgrimage, we fhall only take 
 notice, that one of the preliminaries of this cere¬ 
 mony, is to kifs thrice the threfhold and filver 
 grate of the monument. A molla attends there 
 day and night, and diredts the pilgrims to repeat 
 word for word fome prayers, in which ffie is called 
 the lady and miftrefs of the foul and heart of the 
 faithful, the guide of truth, a fpotlefs virgin, &c. 
 The tomb is enlightened with a great number of 
 filver lamps, the devout Mahometans make their 
 offerings in filver or other things, which are de- 
 
 pofited 
 
The CEREMONIES of 
 
 pofited in a trunk, and taken out from thence 
 every Friday, to be diftributed amongft the 
 mollas ; and the whole ends in a gratification to 
 the prieft, who introduced the pilgrim ; and for 
 the further film of half a piftole, obtains an au¬ 
 thentic atceftation of his having performed that 
 devotion, &c. 
 
 The whole Alcoran is read at the tombs of the 
 lainrs,- and of the dignified Mahometans, and 
 mollas are hired to comply with this duty day and 
 night. Something like it is done in other coun¬ 
 tries, but companions are odious, and often car¬ 
 ried too far. We (hall fet before our readers 
 other practices which Chriftians of all denomi¬ 
 nations will cenfure as fuperftitious. Befides the 
 txaa account kept of the number of letters in 
 the Alcoran, no one is allowed to touch it, with¬ 
 out being purified ; and for this reafon, fays 
 Chardin, when perfons, of a different religion, 
 are to be fworn before judges, it is not done upon 
 that book, in which the Perfians find feventy 
 thoufand miracles; that is, as many as they 
 reckon words in it. 
 
 They have alfo a great notion of aflrology, 
 charms, amulets, talifmans, &c. making ufe to 
 that purpofe of the verfes of the Alcoran, and of 
 the Hadiths. This will not feem ftrange to 
 thole, who know that the Mahometan doiftors 
 believe the Alcoran to be a treafure of myfteries 
 hidden from men ; and that it contains innumer¬ 
 able fecrets, which are to be found out only by 
 the different combinations of the words and let¬ 
 ters of that precious book. Yet lome more feru- 
 pulous, maintain thole myfteries and fecrets 
 are not to be pried into; that the fubtilties of the 
 commentators are criminal; and that, at the com¬ 
 ing of the 1 alt Imam, (by this expreflion they 
 mean the laft day) all their works will be con¬ 
 demned to be burnt, or thrown into the water, to 
 fbew thofe authors did not underftand this book. 
 Several antient and modern comments on the bi- 
 ble deferve the fame fate. 
 
 *1 heir fuperftition about eclipfes is not fo com¬ 
 mon as heretofore, yet that phenomenon ftill af- 
 fedts the common people, chiefly when accom¬ 
 panied, or followed, by particular events. This 
 is grounded on the opinion of the Perfian doc¬ 
 tors, who, as Chardin informs us, hold that the 
 privation of that light is a punifhment inflifted 
 by almighty God, who gives that commifiion to 
 the angel Gabriel. However, that fuperftition is 
 very much fpread in the eaft : They believe like- 
 wife that what we call the fhootings of ftars, are 
 fo many darts throw by angels againft the devils, 
 who are at that time endeavouring to get back 
 into heaven, from which they have been expelled. 
 It is likewile afferted that the Turks, Perfians, 
 and Mahometans of the Indies, ufe bleffings and 
 other prayers, and fuperftitious ceremonies to 
 proteft their lioufes from the affaults of evil 
 fpirits. The author of the military ftate of the 
 Ottoman empire (aid he had feen talifmans and 
 fuperftitious billets ufed in order to preferve the 
 grand vizer's tent. 
 
 They are alfo, as already hinted, fuperfti- 
 tioufly charitable to beafts. Ricault fays, “ That 
 they buy birds ihut up in cages, in order to fet 
 them at liberty, that they buy bread to feed doo-s 
 who have no matters, and think it a lefs crime to 
 refufe giving alms to a ftarving Chriftian, than to 
 d° 
 
 the MAHOMETANS! 
 
 i J+9 
 
 a dog wandering about the ftreets.” A 
 cruel and inhuman tenet, yet the too common 
 effeft of party fpirit! We are alfo affured, that 
 they have a kind of religious veneration for 
 camels, and look upon it as a crime to overburden 
 them. " They are thus refpetfed, fays the fame 
 author, becaUfe they are very common in the 
 holy places of Arabia, and carry the Alcoran at 
 the pilgrimage of Mecca. I have even taken 
 : notice, fays he, that thofe who take care of that 
 i bead, ufe the froth, which comes out of its mouth 
 after drinking* and devoutly rub their beards with 
 it, faying at the fame time, Hadgi-baba, O father 
 pilgrim.” The ulefulnefs of the cows has made 
 the Indians worlhip them ; the fame reafon has 
 influenced Mahomet to propole the camel as an 
 emblem of God s wifdom ; and Solomon, in his 
 Proverbs, fends Us to the ant to learn wifdom. 
 
 Having laid thus much concerning the religion 
 of Mahomet, having treated of it both in a fpe- 
 culative and particular manner, we cannot 
 dole this article without attending to fome 
 things which we hope will be of l'ervice to the 
 reader. We have feen fome of the Heathen 
 practices, we Hi all fee more prefently ; we have 
 attended to Chridianity in its uncorrupted date 
 to Judailm both antient and modern. We have 
 feen the rife and progrefs of popery, and we have 
 beheld with concern, the prefent forlorn date of 
 the Greek church. Indeed fuch a variety of 
 lubje&s have prelented themfelves to our view, 
 that we are lod in adonidiment to behold the 
 corruption of human nature. But painful as the 
 tafle is, we mud endeavour to go through with 
 
 The Mahometans are neither Heathens, Jews* 
 nor Chridians. They are not Heathens, becaufe 
 they do not worlhip images; not Jews, becaufe 
 they reject the law of Mofes;*nor Chridians, be¬ 
 caufe they will not receive the gofpel. What then 
 diall we call them ? T. he anfwer is obvious* 
 
 I hey are objects of companion, who having been 
 led adray by an artful impodor, dill continue to 
 believe in lies. Many opportunities have oc¬ 
 curred to make the gofpel known to them, but 
 all fuch valuable intentions have been protracted 
 for the following reafons. 
 
 Fird, the Jeluits who fought to make them • 
 converts to popery indead of Chridianity, 
 carried along with them large cargoes of beads 
 images, and wafers, which the Mahometans’ 
 defpifed. I hey told the Jefuits that they ab¬ 
 horred image worlhip, and as for beads they 
 were only play-things for children. They faid 
 their wafers were no gods, for there was but one 
 God, and Mahomet was his prophet. The Jefuits 
 told them, that unlefs they had their bodies oiled 
 over in fix diderent places before they died, they 
 could not enter into the kingdom of heaven. To 
 this the Mahometans replied, that if they were 
 to be rubbed over with nady oil, they mud be 
 bathed clean before they went into paradife. But 
 leave your oil, your beads, and wafers, and come 
 and talk to us as rational creatures, then perhaps 
 we may believe you. This, however, was what 
 the Jefuits would, by no means, comply with, 
 and rather than forget the beads, and the oil, they 
 contentedly returned home to their own country. 
 
 Secondly, the Chridian merchants who have 
 traded into Turkey, and been well acquainted 
 Tttt with 
 
35 ° The RELIGIO 
 
 with the Mahometans, have been too much in¬ 
 tent upon acquiring richeSj ever to bring the 
 people ever to the belief of the Chriftian faith. 
 A gentleman lately deceafed, who refided many 
 years in the Levant, told us on his death-bed, 
 that Britifh confuls were reftridted from meddling 
 with any thing of a religious nature. There 
 is no doubt but this is true, but then why fhould 
 the truth be concealed ? Is it for fear of punifh- 
 
 N of TARTAR Y. 
 
 ment ? Then there is an end of -all religion ; for 
 thofe who love temporal intereft more Than they 
 do the truth, are not worthy of being the difci- 
 pies of any religion whatever. 
 
 Upon the whole there can remain no doubt but 
 God has appointed a time when thefe people will 
 embrace the gofpel, and fly into his temple as 
 doves do into their windows, and for that happy 
 period we wait with longing expectation. 
 
 Of the Religion 
 
 H AVING given an accurate account of 
 every thing relating to the Mahometans, 
 we (hall now return to the Heathens, 
 who of all others are the moll numerous in the 
 world. 1 he Tartars are almoft an infinite body 
 of people, and in antient times were called Scy¬ 
 thians, who worfhipped Mars the god of war, 
 tinder the figure of an old rufty fabre, and to 
 this labre they annually offered vaft numbers of 
 bullocks, fheep, and oxen. They likewife offered 
 horfes, and the prifoners whom they took in war, 
 and in whole blood they dipped their garments. 
 Theie antient Scythians, whom we now call Tar¬ 
 tars, fent out colonies into many different parts of 
 the world, and nations were peopled by them. 
 They carried their religious ceremonies along 
 with them, and fome remains of them are yet to 
 be found. Atprelent, the people called Tartars 
 are fo numerous and divided into fo many hordes, 
 or tribes, that there is no certainty to be had of 
 every thing relating to them. Corpin fays, they 
 acknowledge but one God, the Creator of all 
 things, boch vifible and invifible, who rewards 
 and punifhes men according to their good or bad 
 works in this world, but, continues he, they ne¬ 
 ver pay him any adt of Divine worfhip. Here, 
 however, feems to be an error; for they have 
 many images, and thefe they adorn in the mod 
 gaudy manner, with every thing their country 
 can afford. They confider them as beings who 
 are to protefl them from all manner of harm, ' 
 to be the guardians of their flocks, whom they 
 offer up partly to them in facrifice, and they like- 
 wife offer up to thefe idols, part of the firft morfel 
 they eat in the morning. They burn the bones i 
 of the bealts, which they offer in facrifice, be- 
 caufe they are not permitted to be broken, and 
 when any ftranger comes amongll them, they and 
 their effefts which they bring with them muft pafs 
 between two fires in order to be purified. They 
 are ftrictly enjoined not to put a knife into the 
 fire, nor even to touch it with the knife, nor to 
 cleave any wood near it with a hatchet. They 
 pay likewife a particular refpedt to the whip with 
 which they lalh their horles, and before they 
 drink, they take their cup or glafs, and firft pay 
 their obedience to the fire, air, water, and the 
 dead ; turning themfclves to the four corners of 
 the earth. If the fire be the objedt of their de- 
 
 of T A R T A R Y. 
 
 votion, their eyes are diredted towards the fouth; 
 if the air, towards the eaft ; if the water, towards 
 the weft ; and to the north when they adore the 
 dead. Every houfe has its guardian idol, and 
 at the feet of their beds they place the (kins of 
 kids fluffed with wool, and a little image with 
 its face towards the wives and daughters fide, 
 for their particular guard and protefiiion. The 
 fide for the wife is on the eaft, and the hufband’s 
 on the weft, and under the wife’s is placed the 
 udder of a cow, which is a fymbol, denoting that 
 it is the woman’s province to attend milkino- 0 f 
 cows. On the hufband’s fide is a mare’s tail,'de¬ 
 noting that it is the duty of men to take care of 
 the breed of horfes. 
 
 The Mongalian Tartars acknowledge but one 
 God, the author and life of death, yet hold it 
 lawful to ferve and adore him various ways. 
 Mangu-Chan, in Purchas, juftified this plurality 
 of worfhip, by comparing the fupreme Being to 
 a hand, with a variety of fingers. The Tartars, 
 according to Mark Paul, acknowledge a Su¬ 
 preme Being, who inhabits the heavens, and to 
 him only make their devout addrelfes for thofe 
 invaluable bleffings, wifdom, health, dec. Their 
 houfhold god Natagay, or Itogay, who has a 
 wife and children, is the next objedl of their 
 efteem and veneration. The former is placed at 
 his left hand, and the latter before him. He is 
 the guardian of their families, and prefides over 
 all the produfls of the earth. No one prefumes 
 to go to dinner till he and his whole family arc 
 firft ferved. Their entertainment principally con- 
 fifts in having their mouths very plentifully 
 greafed, and the fragments of their repaft arc 
 thrown out of doors, for the accommodation of 
 fome unknown fpirits. 
 
 This is the fum and fubftance of what we 
 find mod remarkable in the account of our 
 antient travellers. We fhall now confult 
 the moderns. The Mongalian Tartars, Cal- 
 moucs, and others, according to them, have, 
 properly fpeaking, no other God but their Dalai- 
 Lama, which fignifies, as we are informed, Uni- 
 verfal Prieft. This fovereign pontiff of all the 
 Tartarian idolators, and whom they acknow¬ 
 ledge as their God, refides towards the frontiers 
 of China, near the city of Potala, in a convent, 
 fituate on the fummit of an high mountain, the 
 
 foot 
 
The R E L I G I O 
 
 foot whereof is inhabited by above twenty thou¬ 
 sand Lamas, who have their feparate apartments 
 round about the mountain, and, according to 
 their refpeCtive quality and funCtion, are planted 
 nearer, or at greater diftance from their fove- 
 reign pontiff. The Dalai-Lama never concerns 
 hirrifelf in the leaft about the management of his 
 temporal affairs; neither are they taken notice of 
 by any of his Lamas, but are entirely left to the 
 difcretion of two Chans of the Calmoucs, who 
 furnifh him from time to time with whatever is 
 requifite for the honourable fupport of himfelf 
 and his whole houfhold. This Dalai-Lama has 
 been called Prefter-John, without knowing 
 precifely what countryman he was. The term 
 Lama, in the Mongalian language, fignifies 
 prieft; and that of Dalai, which in the fame 
 language implies vaft extent, has been tranflated 
 into the language of the northern Indians, by 
 Gehan, a term of the fame fignification. Thus 
 Dalai-Lama, and Prefter-John, are fynonymous 
 terms, and the meaning of them Univerl'al 
 Prieft. 
 
 ’We have already mentioned, that the Dalai- 
 Lama affumes the deity, and is looked upon as 
 immortal by all his admirers. Thus we have 
 given the belt account of this grand Lama, from 
 the extracts of the miffionary fathers quoted 
 by Kircher ; and the reader, by what follows, 
 will be able to reconcile thefe two paffages to¬ 
 gether. There are two monarchs, one temporal 
 and the other fpiritual, at Laffa, wlTich fome 
 fay, is the kingdom of Tanchuth, or Boratai, 
 or Barantola. The fpiritual monarch is the 
 grand Lama, whom thefe idolators worfhip as a 
 god. He very feldom goes abroad. The po¬ 
 pulace think themfelves happy, if they can by 
 any means procure the leaft grain of his excre¬ 
 ments, or drop of his urine; imagining either 
 of them an infallible prefervative from all mala¬ 
 dies and difafters. Thefe excrements are kept 
 as facred relics, in little boxes, and hung about 
 their necks. Father Le Comte imagines Fo and 
 the grand Lama to be one and the fame deity; 
 who, according to the idea of thefe Tartars, 
 muit for ever appear under a form that may be 
 felt or perceived by the fenles, and is fuppofed to 
 be immortal. 
 
 He is clofe confined, adds he, to a temple, 
 where an infinite number of Lamas attend him, 
 with the moft profound veneration, and take all 
 imaginable care to imprint the fame awful ideas 
 of him on the minds of the people. He is very 
 feldom expofed to view, and whenever he is, it is 
 at fuch a diftance, that it would be morally im- 
 poftible for the moft quick-fighted perfon to re¬ 
 coiled his features. Whenever he dies, another 
 Lama, who rcfembles him as near as poftible, is 
 fubftituted in his Head; for which purpofe, as 
 foon as they perceive his diffolution, draw¬ 
 ing nigh, the moft zealous devotees, and 
 chief minifters of the imaginary god, travel 
 the whole kingdom over, to find out a proper 
 perfon to fueceed him. This pious intrigue is 
 carried on, fays he, with all the dexterity and 
 addrefs imaginable ; and the deification of the 
 Lama, if we may depend on the veracity of fa¬ 
 ther Kircher, was firft owing to the extraordinary 
 truft and confidence which thefe people repofed 
 in their Prefter-John. They flocked round about 
 
 N of T A k T A R Y. 
 
 the monarch from all parts, to liften to his wife 
 counfels and decifions, as they would to an 
 oracle. At this very day every body goes, rich 
 and poor, in pilgrimage to this deity’s palace, 
 in order to receive his benediction, and to pay 
 him divine adoration. Near his feet is a bafon, 
 into which the devotees throw their voluntary 
 oblations. 
 
 In all this they behave exactly like the Japa¬ 
 nese towards their Dairi, or fovereign pontiff. 
 We have already obferved, that this Dairi is a 
 kind of deity, that his clergy preach up to the 
 people the. tranfmigration of the Diari’s foul 
 who goes, into the body of his fucceffor. The 
 remarks we fhall make hereafter with refpeCt to 
 the Kutuchta, or ufurper of the Dalai-Lama’s 
 authority, will fully juftify this comparifon. 
 Let us fuppofe, therefore, that thefe whimfical 
 and extravagant tenets flow from one and the 
 fame fountain; and it is much more natural to 
 think fo, than to trace the worfhip of the grand 
 Lama, and his imaginary divinity, from fome 
 corrupt ideas of Chriftianity, formerly impreffed 
 on the minds of thefe people by the Neftoriansj 
 fince there is no manner of refemblance between 
 them. The author of the conference, which 
 is malicioufly fuppofed to be held betwen a Tar¬ 
 tar and a Roman Catholic, does not offer to 
 make any comparifon between the Dalai-Lama 
 and the pope. The latter, indeed, ftiles him¬ 
 felf infallible, and aCts likewife in the capacity, 
 if we may be allowed the expreflion, of a vice¬ 
 god ; but no one ever carried the point fo far, as 
 to aferibe to his holinefs, whilft living, the ho¬ 
 nours of a formal deification. If there be any 
 one ceremony relating to the Roman pontiff, that 
 carries the appearance of divine worfhip in it, 
 and fets him, in that refpeft, on a level with the 
 Dalai-Lama, it is that kind of lolemn and pom¬ 
 pous adoration which is always paid him at his 
 nrft acceflion to the pontificate. As to the reft, 
 who knows, but that the immortality of the 
 Dalai-Lama may amount to no more, in effeCt, 
 than that eftablifhed cuftom in France, which 
 maintains that her monarch never dies. Since 
 a new king is immediately proclaimed after the 
 deceafe of the old one, and no court of juftice, 
 or public office whatfoever is fhut up, or in the 
 leaft interrupted in. their ufual proceedings, for 
 want of the royal authority to fupport them ; 
 and, ip all probability, the religious authority 
 is preferved after the fame manner amongft the 
 Lamas... The immediate fubrtitution of one 
 pontiff in the room of another, may poffibly 
 eftablifh a continuance of the vice-deity in Tar¬ 
 tary, which would be impracticable amongft other 
 nations. 
 
 It is much more probable, that the religion of 
 thefe Lamas is rather a branch of the Indian 
 doCtrines, than any relic of Chriftianity. Were 
 the Tartars more honeft, and not fo illiterate, 
 we might entertain a more adequate idea of the 
 articles of their belief. The populace, for 
 the generality, have no notion of any of their 
 religious differtations, which are Written either 
 in the Tanchuthian, or any other language ; but, 
 as to what relates to divine worfhip, pin their 
 faith entirely on the fleeves of their Lamas, 
 All that can be learned, in fhort, from them, 
 are a few old legendary ftories. and a few ceremo¬ 
 nies. 
 
3J2 The RELIGIOJ 
 
 nies. Their knowledge extends no farther; as 
 to the Lamas themfelves, the principles of their 
 religion are l'o dark, and myfterious, that it is 
 impollible to draw any concluhons from them. 
 All that we can find, is, that they lay down the 
 three following maxims, as rules for their gene¬ 
 ral conduift; viz. to ferve and reverence the 
 deity, to injure no man, and to give tribute to 
 whom tribute is due. But, however, were we 
 to examine into the lives and characters of thele 
 Tartars, we Ihould find them very deficient in 
 the practice of thefe important articles. Let us 
 now take a tranfcient view of their notions, with 
 refpeCt to the deity. They ailert, that they wor- 
 fhip but one God only, who, notwithftanding, is 
 intimate with, and difclol'es his fecrets to the 
 Dalai-Lama, for the edification of the people. 
 Their images are reprefentations of their deity, 
 and fome favourite laints, which are cxpofed to 
 public view, in order to remind the people of 
 their duty towards God, and of thole virtues 
 which they ought conftantly to praClice. 
 
 To this vilible god, this Dalai-Lama, of 
 whom we have been fpeaking, we mult add lome 
 kings, who have been deified, as well as he, but 
 not till after their deceafe. Han, king of 1 an- 
 cliuth, became immortal, by virtue of his ex¬ 
 traordinary clemency, and juft adminiftration; 
 he died in the odour of ianctity, and was receiv¬ 
 ed amongft the number of the gods. And Deva, 
 another king of Tanchuth, was deified, on ac¬ 
 count of his eminent virtues. Manipa, the 
 goddefs of thefe people of Tanchuth, has nine 
 heads, which form a kind of pyramid: And 
 fhe is likewile reprefented under a human lhape. 
 A bold refolute young fellow, prompted by an 
 enthufiaftic rage, like him who cries Amoc 
 amongft the Indians, and dreft in armour, runs 
 round about the city, upon fome certain days in 
 the year, like a mad-man, and kills every one 
 he meets, in honour of the goddefs. This 
 young enthufiaft is called Phut, or Buth ; and 
 by 1‘uch outrageous facrifices as thele, the devo¬ 
 tees imagine they oblige the goddefs, and ingra¬ 
 tiate themfelves in her favour. 
 
 Thefe Tartars likewife obferve the fuperfti- 
 tious cuftom of ereCting feveral trophies on their 
 highelt mountains, for the prefervation of them¬ 
 felves and their horles, and pay them even divine 
 adoration. 
 
 The Calmoucs and weftern Mongals pay the 
 fame refpeCt to their fovereign pontiff, ftiled 
 Kutuchta, as the other Tartars do to their Dalai- 
 Lama. Formerly the Kutuchta fettled on the 
 borders of the river Amur, but at prefent he 
 incamps, for the generality, with a body of his 
 faithful followers, round about the river Orchon. 
 He was once the fub-delcgate, or deputy of the 
 Dalai-Lama, for the adminiftration of all reli¬ 
 gious affairs amongft the northern Tartars; thofe 
 people being too far diftant from the ufual refi- 
 tlence of the Dalai-Lama. In procefs of time, 
 this Kutuchta made a divifion in the church, let 
 himfelf up as independent, deified and immor¬ 
 talized himfelf at the expence of his old mailer. 
 The divinity of Kutuchta is at prefent fo firmly 
 eltablifhed in the minds of It is followers, that 
 Ihould any one fcruple to believe it, he would be 
 looked upon by his companions with the utmoft 
 horror and deceftation. According to the ac- 
 
 of T A R T A R Y. 
 
 counts of another author, the fchiftn of Kutuchta 
 is no antient innovation. “ Not many years 
 ago, fays he, the Dalai-Lama eltablifhed the 
 Kutuchta, as his vicegerent, or fuffragan over the 
 northern people of Mongal and Ajuka, who 
 were formerly under the junfdiClion of Contaifch 
 and Buchary.” This vicegerent, taking advan¬ 
 tage of the diftant refidence of the fovereign 
 pontiff, let himfelf up as the fpiritual head of 
 all the people. He encamps fometimes in one 
 place, and fometimes in another ; but is always 
 furrounded with a numerous body of life-guards. 
 He carries with him, likewile, thole idols which 
 are in the highelt repute, and pitches fepa- 
 rate tents for their peculiar fervice. When this 
 imaginary deity decamps, his faithful devotees 
 flock from all parts with their families, to meet 
 him and throw themfelves in his way, in order to 
 procure his heavenly benedictions; but it feems, 
 they mult pay for them if they have them. There 
 mult be, fays our annotator, a valuable con- 
 fideftion. The chief magiftrates, and other per- 
 Ions' of diftinCtion among them, continues he, 
 are the only perfons who dare approach his fa- 
 cred perfon. When he gives them his blefling, 
 he clinches his hand, and lays it upon their fore¬ 
 heads, having a chaplet in it at the fame time, 
 made after the lame falhion as thofe of the 
 Lamas. 
 
 The Kutuchta never expofes himfelf to public 
 view, but on fome particular days ; and then it is 
 done with all the pomp and magnificence ima¬ 
 ginable, and he never marches but with the found 
 of trumpets, and the beat of drums, or at leaft: 
 of inftruments of mufic, which amongft the 
 Tartars are equivalent to them; for we would 
 not abfolutely infill upon our own terms. He is 
 carried in procellion to a tent, covered with 
 Chinefe velvet, and open in the front, and there 
 he feats himfelf crofs-legged, on a throne, ereCted 
 on a large fquare eminence, covered with velvet, 
 in the rnidlt of a large quantity of culhions, 
 ranged all round the pontiff, but at an humble 
 diftance, and below him, for the immediate ler- 
 vice of the Lamas. 
 
 In thele folemn ceremonies the filter of this 
 fovereign pontiff, for the generality, fits at his 
 right hand, and officiates in the capacity of a 
 Lama: and Ihe is likewile (haved, as a public 
 mark that (he belongs to the prielthood. We are 
 informed by the other relation, that on each fide 
 of the pontiff-god, or vice-deity, there are two 
 idols, which reprefent the Divine F.iTence ; that 
 the other Lamas fits on each fide, on the floor 
 upon culhions, from the throne, or eminence, 
 whereon the grand pontiff is leated, to the very 
 entrance of the pavillion ; and that in this atti¬ 
 tude, or lituation, they have a book in their 
 hands, in which, to all outward appearance, they 
 feem to read to themfelves with decency and de¬ 
 votion ; but whether thefe particulars are true or 
 falfe, it is morally impollible for any one truly 
 to determine. As foon as the Kutuchta is leated, 
 all their inftruments of mufic ceal’e ; and the 
 whole affembly firlt proftrate themfelves to the 
 ground, and then burlt out into loud acclama¬ 
 tions, in honour of the deity, and into exalted 
 encomiums on their Kutuchta. All the Lamas 
 in general throw fome odoriferous herbs into 
 their cenfers, and therewith firlt perfume the 
 
 idols. 
 
The RELIGION of TARTARY. 
 
 313 
 
 idols, then their fovereign pontiff, and after¬ 
 wards the whole congregation of the faithful. 
 
 As loon as this ceremony is over, each individual 
 Lama depofits his cenfer at the feet of the pon¬ 
 tiff, and their principal, or fuperior, takes feven 
 leveral china cups, full of milk, honey, tea, and 
 brandy, and makes an oblation of them to the 
 idols. Then he takes feven other cups, filled 
 with the fame ingredients, and prefents them to 
 the Kutuchta, and all thefe oblations are at¬ 
 tended with the loud acclamations of the whole 
 affembly, who repeat with fervency fome certain 
 words to this or the like effetft, viz. Our 
 Kutuchta is a Ihining paradife. The Kutuchta 
 fir ft taffes of the free-will-offering himfelf, and 
 then diftributes the remainder amongft the heads 
 of the leveral tribes. After this, he withdraws, 
 the trumpets all the time founding, and the 
 drums beating, in the fame pompous and folemn 
 manner as they did at his firft: appearance. 
 
 We are further informed, that the Chinefe 
 politics contributed very much towards the deifi¬ 
 cation of this Kutuchta, and privately fomented 
 the fchifm of thefe Tartars ; but as this is foreign 
 to our prefent purpofe, we refer the reader to 
 our account of religion in China. To the idea 
 of immortality, which thefe people entertain of 
 their Kutuchta, another is added, which is alto¬ 
 gether as whimfical and extravagant, and no 
 doubt, as deeply imprinted on their imagina¬ 
 tions as the former, viz. That after the Kutuchta 
 has grown old with the decreaie of the moon, he 
 renews his youth at the change of the fame 
 planet. The whole myftery of this fantaftical 
 notion confifts in the holy father's fuffering his 
 beard to grow from one nelv moon to another, 
 and never lhaving himfelf, but at her firft appear¬ 
 ance i at which time he dreffes himfelf with all 
 his lp’lendour, paints his face, and befmears it all 
 over with white and red, as is cuftomary amongft 
 the Tartars. As to the notion of this grand 
 pontiff's immortality, the origin and foundation 
 of it is this: All thefe Tartars hold the Me- 
 tempfychofis, or tranfmigration of fouls; and 
 this received opinion induces them to imagine, 
 that the foul of the expiring Kutuchta enters, 
 immediately after his deceafe, into the body of 
 his fucceffor; or, at leaft, that the foul of the 
 latter receives all the operations, and is endowed 
 with all the powers and faculties of the foul of 
 the deceafed/ For which reafon, he who is in¬ 
 tended to be the old pontiff’s fucceffor, muft 
 conftantly attend him, that the foul of the holy 
 father may qualify the young one, if we may be 
 allowed the expreffion, for his approaching god¬ 
 head ; that the young foul may every day have 
 familiar converle with the old one, poffefs all his 
 qualities, and become as it were the very fame. 
 
 The Oriental Mongals, dittinguiflied in the 
 accounts we have of them, by the name of the 
 Tartars of Niuche, of the eaftern Tartars, &c. 
 neither worfbip the Dalai-Lama, nor the fove- 
 reien pontiff of the Chinefe : but their worlhip, 
 as we are informed, is a medley of both, reduced 
 to a few nodturnal ceremonies, which, in reality, 
 have more witchcraft i. them than religion. The 
 Tartars, who, in Ifbrand's account of them, are 
 called Daores, and who are a branch of the Orien¬ 
 tals, affemble themfelves together at midnight, 
 
 3° 
 
 both men and women, in fome commodious 
 place, where one of them falls proftrate on the 
 ground, and remains ftretched out at his full 
 length, whilft, the whole cabal make a hideous 
 outcry to the doleful found of a drum, made 
 on purpofe for the celebration of that par¬ 
 ticular ceremony. At the expiration of two 
 hours, or thereabouts, the perfon thus extended, 
 riles as it were in an extafy, and communicates 
 his vifions to the whole affembly. He is per- 
 feftly apprized during his trance, of what mif- 
 fortunes will befall this man, and what under¬ 
 takings that man will engage in with fuccefs. 
 Each word he utters is liftened to with the ut- 
 moft attention, and deemed as facred as that of 
 an oracle. All their religious worlhip, however, 
 does not abfolutely confift in this , for they have 
 their particular facrifices as well as others. There 
 is a fmall mountain on the frontiers of China, 
 which is looked upon as holy ground, and the 
 eaftern Tartars imagine their journies will prove 
 unfuccefsful, if, as they pafs by, they negleift to 
 confecrate fome part of their apparel to this facred 
 mountain. They hang thefe oblations therefore 
 upon the boughs of birch-trees, with which that 
 mountain abounds. There are plenty of all 
 forts; Ihirts, gowns, furs, caps, &cc. in Ihort, 
 fuch a variety of old cloaths, that travellers, who 
 have no notion of the fanftity of the place, are 
 apt to take it for the Rag-fair of the neighbour¬ 
 ing Tartars. In all probability, this cuftom is 
 the fame as that of ere&ing trophies on the moun¬ 
 tains, which we have already fpoken of, upon the 
 teftimony of father Kircher. But be that as it 
 will, no one muft prefume to touch any of thefe 
 old confecrated caft-oft’ cloaths ; and Ihould any 
 perfon be fo audacious as to Heal away the leaft 
 infignificant rag whatever, he would be looked 
 upon as an abandoned lacrilegious villain. 
 
 But to return and come to Siberia. The Ju- 
 kogaies, who are inhabitants of the parts adjacent 
 to Lena, pay divine honours to their dead, after 
 they have hung up and dried their fikeletons in 
 the air, and adorned them with necklaces made 
 of glafs. The Jekutzes feem to acknowledge 
 the exiftenceof a God, who is their creator and 
 preferver, and the all-wife difpoler of good and 
 evil. They have an annual feftival, which they 
 celebrate every fpring, with abundance of folem- 
 nity ; that is, by kindling a large bonfire, whicli 
 muft be kept up as long as the feftival lafts, and 
 abftaining the whole time from all kinds of 
 liquors, they being deftined only for libations, 
 which confift in pouring their common drink 
 eaftward into the fire; and in this ceremony there 
 feems to be a kind of religious adoration paid to 
 that element. There are fome Calmones-Bara- 
 binfki, who have a clumfey wooden idol for their 
 God, dreffed like a Merry-Andrew, in a party- 
 coloured coat. This idol is locked up in a ca¬ 
 binet, when they are indolent and inaftive at 
 home, but they take it along with them, when 
 they go a hunting, or courfing in the fields. On 
 thofe public occafions, he is carried in proceffion 
 in an open chariot, which is kept for that parti¬ 
 cular purpofe, and the firft beaft they meet with 
 is facrificed to his honour: If the chace has 
 proved fuccefsful, the idol, at their return, is 
 placed in his nich, at the very fummit of a hut, 
 Duuu which 
 
354 The R E L I G I O N 
 
 which is adorned from top to bottom, before, 
 behind, and on each fide, with marten-lkins and 
 fable-fkins, the fpoils of the chace ; and thefe 
 hang there till the weather perfectly deftroys 
 them. It would be looked upon as prophana- 
 tion, and an aft of facrilege, to make ufe of 
 them on any common occafion, or fell them 
 to Grangers, who might employ them to their , 
 own ufe. 
 
 The Tongufes, who are inhabitants of almoft 
 all the eaftern parts of Siberia, praftife the fame ! 
 kind of idolatrous worfhip* Whilft we are 
 fpeaking of the Lamas of the Tartars, it would | 
 be an unpardonable omiffion, to take no manner | 
 of notice of the Sahamman of thefe Tongufes. 
 They acknowledge a God, the creator of all 
 things; but never make their applications to 
 him in times of diftrefs, whether public or pri¬ 
 vate, but to fome particular wooden idols, of 
 a foot and an half long, carved only with a 
 knife j which are treated with veneration or 
 contempt, according as they give their adorers 
 occafion either to expoftulate with, or applaud 
 them. 
 
 The Burates feem to pay divine adoration to 
 the fun and moon ; at leaft, as we are informed, 
 they will admit of no difcourfe about any other 
 deities* They celebrate, however, a kind of 
 facrifice* twice or thrice a year, which confifts 
 in driving flakes through their he-goats and 
 fheep, whilft they are alive, and planting them 
 before their tents. They keep conftantly bowing 
 their heads to thefe victims* till they expire. 
 They have their priefts likevvife, whom they 
 murder, without tfje leaft provocation, whenever 
 they think proper, alledging no other rea¬ 
 son, but this, that it is neceffary for you to go 
 into the other world to be our interceffors, and 
 pray for us. After this, they inter thefe vidtims, 
 and furnifh them with money and apparel, for 
 their better accommodation in the other world. 
 They fhew a peculiar veneration for a certain 
 high mountain, on the borders of Baikal. There 
 they frequently perform their facrifices, and ad- 
 minifter their oaths to fuch as are to give them 
 information on any affairs of importance. The 
 party to be fworn is conduced to the fummit of 
 this mountain, and there pronounces the form, 
 with an audible voice, and they are affured, at 
 the fame time, that if he be perjured, he {hall 
 never get down again alive. 
 
 The Wogulzes, as well as the Tongufes, en¬ 
 tertain fome idea of a God, who created all 
 things. They acknowledge, likewife, the re- 
 furre&ion of the dead, and believe, that the 
 wicked will then b'6 punifhed, and the righteous 
 be rewarded. Their public worlhip confifts in 
 affembling themfelves together, once a year, 
 about autumn, to facrifice in an adjacent wood 
 one beaft of every fpccies. After which, they 
 hang up their fkins on the rnoft beautiful trees in 
 the foreff, and prollrate themfelves before them. 
 This annual feftival concludes with regalino- 
 themfelves on the flefli of their facrifices ; after 
 which they return home, and think themfelves 
 difcharged from all religious duties for the cur¬ 
 rent year. 
 
 The Circadian Tartars are reckoned as Maho¬ 
 metans and Greeks, there being leveral of both 
 
 of TARTARY. 
 
 thofe perfuafions amongfl: them: Idolatry, never- 
 thelefs, has a prevailing power over them. 
 When any perfon of diftinftion amonglt them 
 dies, they facrifice a he-goat, hang up his Ikin 
 upon a high pole in the middle of the town, and 
 come one after another to pay it divine adora¬ 
 tion. This Ikin is never taken down till fome 
 other perfon of diftinftion dies; and then they put 
 up a frefh one in its place. J. de Luca, in his 
 account, informs us, that they facrifice rams, 
 and call thofe victims Curbans: And moreover, 
 that the places where they are made, are deemed 
 fo facred, that the moft arrant thief amongfl: 
 them will never venture to touch the lead: thin"- 
 that is carried to them. He adds likewife, that 
 there are bows, arrows, and fcymetars, hung on 
 the trees in thefe facred places, as public tefti- 
 monies that they have performed their vows. 
 But, in all probability, this is no more than a re¬ 
 petition of the fame (lory. 
 
 If we turn our courfe towards the north, and 
 north-eaft of Afia, we fhall find feveral nations 
 lo little known, that it would be difficult to 
 give any tolerable account of them ; for which 
 reafon we fliall not trouble the reader with an 
 infignificanc lift of their barbarous names. We 
 are informed in general, that they pay a kind of 
 divine honour to the fun and moon ; as alfo to 
 fome particular idols, or rather logs of wood 
 made round, on the top whereof there is a knob 
 cut fomething like the refemblance of a head’ 
 with a noie, mouth and eyes, but all after an 
 unpohfhed and grotefque manner; for fculptureis 
 an art they are but little acquainted with. Thefe 
 ldolators, we are further informed, have two 
 lorts of idols, public and private; the former 
 are revered by the whole body of the people; the 
 latter are made by particular perfons, and the 
 objects only of devotion in that family to which 
 they refpeftively belong. Their facrifices con- 
 lilt in rubbing the mouths of their idols with the 
 fat of fifh, and prefenting them with the warm 
 blood of iome beaft, frelh killed in the chace. 
 
 1 he Oftiacs, who inhabit the fouthern parts 
 of the Samoides, from the Irtis and Oby to the 
 rivei Jenitzea, have likewife two forts of idols; 
 lo, that in all probability, it is a received cuftom 
 ad over Tartary. This, in the main, does not 
 differ from the practice of all other known idola- 
 tors, who never failed to add to their public 
 gods, their Larei and guardian deities. Tiieir 
 public idols are, for the moft part, placed on 
 the tops of the moft agreeable mountains they 
 can find, or in the middle of their forefts, in 
 Imall wooden huts, with commodious apart¬ 
 ments contiguous to them, wherein they depofit 
 the bones of luch beafts as have been facrificed 
 in honour of thofe idols. They have no ftated 
 days or hours for the regular performance of 
 their facrifices. They only fupplicate their gods 
 when they ftand in need of their affiftance; but 
 the priefts, indeed, ufe their utmoft endeavours 
 to make the people fhake off this fhameful indif¬ 
 ference. Thefe priefts have no regular call or 
 ordination; every antient houfe-keeper, we 
 are informed, has iufficient authority of his own 
 to exercife the priefthood. And accordingly the 
 worfhip of their public idols is fomewhac°more 
 regular, as it is inftituted by an authority more 
 
 antient 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The RELIGION of TART ARY 
 
 antient, and better known. Thefe idols they 
 are peculiarly fond of, and the good old men re¬ 
 commend them to their children. Their facri- 
 fices confift in the fat of fifh, and in beads of 
 various kinds. The vidtim is expol'ed in the pre- 
 lence of the gods, with its legs tied ; and after 
 that, the celebrant, or officiating pried, fays 
 before them, in the warmed terms, the petitions 
 of their humble fupplicants.' 
 
 During this kind of prayer, one of the affif- 
 tants Hands with his bow levelled at the vidtim; 
 and as foon as the pried has concluded, and 
 fcruckthe bead upon the head, he dilcharges his 
 arrow, and another thruds a dake through its 
 body. After this, they take it by the tail, and 
 drag it along three times, into the prefence of 
 the idol. The blood is preferved in a veffel, con- 
 fecrated for that particular purpofe ; fome part 
 whereof is ufed in fprinkling the idol’s hut; 
 another part is drank amongd them, and the 
 idol’s mouth is befmeared with the remainder. 
 It is almod an univerfal cuftom amongd the 
 Tartars, to hang up the head, feet, tail, and 
 fkin of the vidtim upon fome particular trees; 
 to regale themfelves with the flefh ; and to fing 
 before and after their folemn entertainment. 
 After this, they rub the idol’s mouth a fecond 
 time with the remaining fat of the facrifice: 
 They frequently pay the fame deference and 
 refpedt even to their domellic idols. The cere¬ 
 mony being over, the whole affembly Ihout for 
 joy, and wave their dicks in the air, in honour 
 to the foul of their idol, which, according to 
 their notion, returns home after fhe has affided 
 at her own fedival. From whence it is plain 
 and manifed, that how favage and dupid foever 
 they are reprefented to be, they are not fo fenle- 
 lefs as to imagine, that a dock or done is 
 abfolutely the objedt which they ought to 
 adore. 
 
 The bear has likewife fome part in their divine 
 worfhip. As foon as they have killed the crea¬ 
 ture, they pull off its fkin, and hang it, in pre¬ 
 fence of their idol, upon a very high tree ; and 
 afterwards revere it, and amufe themfelves with 
 doleful lamentations, as if they repented of the 
 impious deed. They ridiculoufly plead, that it 
 was the arrow, not they, that gave the fatal 
 wound ; and that the feathers added wings to its 
 unhappy flight, &c. This extravagance is 
 grounded on a received notion amongd them, 
 that the foul of this bead, roving about the 
 woods, from one fide to the other, will take the 
 fird opportunity to gratify its relentment, in 
 cafe they do not take timely care to appeafe its 
 wrath, and make it fome fuitable reparation. 
 
 By the defcription of the idols of the Ofiiacs, 
 we may plainly difcern, that they bear fome affi¬ 
 nity to the Talifmans; and we have informed 
 our readers more than once, that it is very pro¬ 
 bable the infinite number of antient idols in ge¬ 
 nera] owe their rife to the Taliftnans, unlefs we 
 are more inclinable to believe, that the Talif¬ 
 mans themfelves were originally idols. One of 
 thofe of the Odiacs, we are informed, was a 
 brazen goofe, with her wings extended, whofe 
 peculiar province it was to take care of their 
 geefe, ducks, &c. and protebt them from all 
 difafters. Another very remarkable idol is that 
 
 355 
 
 Which travellers have defcribed under the deno¬ 
 mination of the Old Man of Oby. His devo¬ 
 tees oblige him to change his place of refidence 
 once every three years, and tranfport himfelf 
 over the Oby, from one place to another, with 
 abundance of folemnity, in a veffel made for 
 that particular purpofe. This Old Man of Oby 
 is the guardian of their fifhery. He is compofed 
 of wood : His nole, which refembles a hog’s 
 fnout; has an iron hook in it, to denote, that 
 he drags the filh out of the fea into the Oby. His 
 eyes are made of glafs, and his head is embel- 
 liffied with a pair of ffiort horns. When the ice 
 diffolves, and the river overflows her banks, the 
 Odiacs flock to him in a body; to make their 
 joint requefls that he would prove propitious to 
 their fifhery ; but if the feafon does not anfwer 
 their expectations, they load him with a thoufand 
 reproaches, and infult him after the mod fhame- 
 ful manner; but on the other hand, if they 
 prove fuccefsful, the god, by way of retaliation, 
 is allowed his fhare in the booty; He has the 
 very fird fruits of their labour ; for before they 
 prefume to touch one difh themfelves at their ge¬ 
 neral fead, they rub his fnout with fome of the 
 choiced fat. After their entertainment is over, 
 they condubt the foul of the god back again, by 
 beating the air with their cudgels. But on the 
 contrary, if the feafon has proved bad, or if they 
 have met. with any dilappointments, they not 
 only revile him, as we have before obferved, 
 but they drip him naked, whip him, and throw 
 him into the dirt, as an old, impotent, defpica- 
 ble deity. I hele half-favage people treat their 
 gods judas our children do their jointed babies; 
 We have fomewhere before obferved, that even 
 fome polite nations have been fo whimfical and 
 extravagant, as to make devotion and refent- 
 ment by turns fucceed each other. Thefe devout 
 Infidels are much like gameders, who blefs and 
 curie their fortune in a breath, and can never re¬ 
 frain tleating her with blandifhments or invec¬ 
 tives, fince it affords them a kind of confolation, 
 and gives a vent to their paffion. 
 
 As to the Samoides, they are idolators as 
 well as the Odiacs, but much more favage and 
 unpolilhed. 1 hey adore the fun and the moon, 
 to which they add fome idols, wrought in fuch 
 an artlefs manner, that one would icarcely ima¬ 
 gine they had any intention to refemble the hu¬ 
 man fpecies. Thefe idols are either kept in 
 their proper huts, or fomewhere near them, or 
 elie hung upon their choiced trees ; and they ac¬ 
 knowledge, according to De Bruyn, one Supreme 
 Being, called Heya. 
 
 I he Czeremiffian Tartars acknowledge one 
 God, who is immortal, and the author of all 
 good; and hold that there are evil lpirits, or 
 Demons, who are the profed enemies of man¬ 
 kind, and take delight in tormenting them as 
 long as they live ; for which reafon they offer up 
 facrifices to them, in order to appeafe their wrath, 
 and tempt them, if poflible, not to injure them. 
 They take particular care to go in pilgrimages 
 to a place, which the above-cited traveller calls 
 Nemda, and to perform feveral other acts of de¬ 
 votion to their honour. There they carry their 
 oblations to thofe malignant beings, and never 
 prefume to go empty-handed ; being fully per- 
 
 fuaded 
 
35 6 
 
 fuaded, that thofe who are fo imprudent as to 
 carry nothing with them, will infallibly pine 
 away, and die at laft of fome lingering diftemper. 
 The l'acrifices which are peculiarly devoted to 
 their Deity, are either oxen or horles. The man¬ 
 ner of roafting the flefh of one of them is this . 
 They firft throw large dices of it into a difh with 
 one hand, having a bowl full of metheglin, or 
 fome liquor of the like nature, ready in tire 
 other ; and then call both together into a large 
 fire, made before the ikin of the viftim. This 
 Ikin is extended upon a pole, which is laid crofs- 
 ways, and reds between two trees. They im¬ 
 plore this (kin to prefent their humble petitions 
 to their God, and be a mediator for them, and 
 fometimes make their addreffes direftly to it. 
 The fun and moon, as being the authors of the 
 produfts of the earth, are likewife the objefts of 
 their divine adoration. Thefe Tartars always 
 perform their religious ceremonies near fome 
 rivers of rapid dreams. 
 
 This is all that can be faid, with any exaftnefs 
 and appearance of truth, relating to the religion 
 of thel’e almoft favage nations. It is no eafy talk 
 to clear up the accounts of fome of our antient 
 travellers, and to juftify their remarks by thofe 
 which we find in the writings of the moderns. 
 The ignorance of the former, with refpeft to 
 geography, their variations of the names of fome 
 countries they defcribe, and the imperfeft and in¬ 
 curious accounts they have given us of the re¬ 
 ligion of thefe people, have all contributed to¬ 
 wards this unhappy confufion. The moderns, 
 though fomewhat more exaft, are notwithstand¬ 
 ing chargeable with being too carelefs and remifs. 
 It would be a fruitlefs attempt to fearch for the 
 religion of the modern Tartars amongft the an¬ 
 tient Scythians. Such a learned enquiry would 
 be attended with nothing but meer conjeftures. 
 The antients themfelves had but a very imper¬ 
 feft idea of the Scythians, and all we know is, 
 that they confound feveral nations under that 
 name, as we do under that other of the Tartars ; 
 that thefe Scythians were Nomades, or Strollers, 
 all over the countries, like the Tartars their de- 
 fcendants ; that both the one and the other are 
 people fituated in Europe and Afia, to the north 
 of Perfia and the Indies; and, in lhort, that the 
 antient Scythians fpread themfelves very far to¬ 
 wards the eaft, as well as the modern Tartars. 
 
 The Lamas, who are the regular priefts of the 
 greateft part of Tartary, have their heads as well 
 as their beards lhaved ; nor are thefe the only 
 charafteriftics or marks of their dignity; for they 
 wear a kind of yellow hat, and a yellow gown, 
 with long fieeves, which they tie with a girdle of 
 the fame colour. In their hands they carry a 
 yellow chaplet, which they are perpetually tum¬ 
 bling over, becaufe, according to their rules, they 
 ought to pray without ceafing. According to the 
 fame laws they ought to live in a ftate of celi¬ 
 bacy, and devout themfelves to the condant prac¬ 
 tice of all good works. There are nuns, we 
 are informed, of this order of Lamas, who are 
 fubjeft to the fame law, and obliged to obferve 
 tl. fame vow. 
 
 The priefts of the Tongufes have a principal, 
 or iupeiior, whom they call Schamman, and de¬ 
 vout rhemfelvcs wholly to the ftudy and praftice 
 of the black art j wnereas the Lamas know little 
 
 of T A R T A R Y. 
 or nothing of it. The Schamman, in the exer- 
 cife of his magical operations, obferves the fol¬ 
 lowing Arrange method. After he has gone through 
 his preliminary penances, he puts on a kind of 
 robe, or covering, compofed of divers pieces of 
 old iron, fome in the form of birds, others in 
 that of beads and filhes ; and all are hung to¬ 
 gether by rings of the fame metal. He puts on 
 dockings made of the fame materials, and gloves 
 likewife of the fame fort, made in the falhion of 
 a bear’s paws. He claps on iron horns likewife 
 upon his head. Thus equipped, he takes a drum 
 in one hand, and a little wand, embellithed with 
 the (kins of mice, in the other; leaps and capers 
 about, eroding his legs fometimes this way, and 
 fometimes that, obferving at the fame time the 
 tune, and accompanying it with the mod hideous 
 outcries. In all thefe movements his eyes are 
 deadfadly fixed on a hole at the top of his hut; 
 and as Coon as ever he dilcerns a black bird, 
 which, as is pretended, perches on the roof, and 
 vaniihes in a moment, he falls upon the ground 
 in a kind of trance, and continues for about a 
 quarter of an hour entirely deprived, to outward 
 appearance, of all fenle and reafon ; and when he 
 comes to himfelf, he refoives the queries of thofe 
 who confult him. 
 
 The prieds of the Samoides, who are likewife 
 magicians, when any one confults them, put a 
 rope round their necks, according to De Bruyn, 
 and tie it fo tight, that they fall down as if they 
 were dead. When they foretel any future event, 
 the blood guflres out of Come part of their faces, 
 and dops again, as loon as they have finidied 
 their prediftion. Our author, by the red of the 
 delcription,feems to intimate that there is no ma¬ 
 terial difference between thefe people ana 
 Schammans, and other prieds of the Tartars. 
 We have already obferved, that the Burates, 
 when any one is to take a folemn oath, carry the 
 party to a high mountain, and there make him 
 1'wear with an audible voice, affuring him at the 
 fame time, that if he proves perjured, he will 
 never get down again alive. 
 
 The Odiacs difplay all their indruments of 
 war before the party who takes his oath, to inti¬ 
 mate, that if he forfwears himfelf, fome one of 
 thole weapons fhall infallibly, in a few days, be 
 the indrument of his abfolute dedruftion. The 
 Tongufes clear themfelves of any crime laid to 
 their charge, by the death of a dog; thruding a 
 knife Into his left thigh, and cutting him open to 
 the very mouth ; and after this they fuck up every 
 drop of his blood. The Odiac takes his oath 
 upon a bear’s (kin, fpread upon the ground, 
 whereon are laid a hatchet, a knife, and a piece 
 of bread, which is tendered to him. Before he 
 eats it, he declares all he knows relating to the 
 matter in quedion, and confirms the truth of his 
 evidence by this folemn imprecation ; “ May 
 this bear tear me to pieces, this bit of bread 
 choak me, this knife be my death, and this 
 hatchet fever my head from my body, if I do not 
 fpeak the truth.” In dubious cafes, they prefent 
 themfelves before an idol, and pronounce the 
 fame oath with this additional circumdance, 
 that he who takes the oath, cuts off a piece of the 
 idol's noi'e with his knife, laying, “ If I forfwear 
 myfelf, may this knife cut off my own nofe in the 
 lame manner, &c.’’ 
 
 The RELIGION 
 
 The- 
 
The RELIGION 
 
 The Mongals and Calmoucs give themfelves 
 but very little trouble with refpeft to the degrees 
 of confanguinity, in their marriage engagements, 
 for they make no fcruple of lying even with their 
 mothers. The iffue of fuch inceftous matches 
 are looked upon as legitimate, and have a right 
 of inheritance, as well as any others ; but in cafe 
 they be the children of a Chan, or fome other per- 
 fon of diftiniftion, he who is born in honourable 
 wedlock is preferred before them. It is infinu- 
 ated, that if the Ion fpares his mother, the father 
 is not fo fcrupulous with regard to his daughter, 
 and they give this reafon for their condufi: A 
 woman is like the earth ; and both the one and 
 the other ought to be cultivated. They Ibould 
 never lie fallow ; for nature had the fame view in 
 the formation of them both, with this difference 
 only, that the culture of one is vain and fruitlels 
 after a certain term of years. They are not ig¬ 
 norant, that a foil, however exhaufted, haraffed, 
 and worn out, will, by extraordinary care and 
 artful management, become as fruitful as ever ; 
 but as for women their age is irreparable, they 
 are lands but of fhort duration, they ought there¬ 
 fore never to lie negledted, as long as they are 
 able to produce any crop. This is a fpecimen 
 of the Tartars manner of reafoning ; and in con¬ 
 formity thereto, they take particular care to find 
 out young wives, for after they are forty years of 
 age, they look upon them only as governants o( 
 their families, or even limply as their domeftics, 
 and the major part of the favage Americans ob- 
 l'erve the lame cuftom. The other Tartars are 
 as regardlefs of the degrees of confanguinity, as 
 thofe we have already defcribed. Some of theii 
 moft confcientious indeed, will never marry 
 either their mothers-in-law, or their filters ; but 
 .-V." plzeremiffian Tartars make no fcruple with 
 regal'd to the latter. We have nothing more ma¬ 
 terial to add, but that after a child is fix months 
 old, they give it the name of fuch objedt, what¬ 
 ever it be, as firft prefents itfelf before them. 
 
 There is nothing very remarkable in the court- 
 fhip and amorous adventures of thefe people. 
 Love with them, and fuch as are like them, is 
 neither conftrained nor polilbed; and the women, 
 who, doubtlefs, have no idea of any ftate fupe- 
 rior to their own, are as contented with their lot, 
 as the reft of their lex are in other countries. 
 The want of knowledge, and a narrow imagina¬ 
 tion, conftitute the greateft part of human hap- 
 pinefs in this world ; and, if fo, they, whofe rea- 
 lon is bounded by their groffeft bodily necefiities, 
 are much more happy than other people. But 
 to return to the 1 artarian gallantry: Their 
 courtfhip of the young ladies conlifts in the pur- 
 chafe of them. Amongft the Oftiacs, the gal¬ 
 lant fends one of his friends to his miftrefs’s fa¬ 
 ther, in order to agree about the price ; and when 
 the bargain is adually made, the intended father- 
 in-law ^covenants to furrender and yield up his 
 daughter at the expiration of a certain term 
 therein limited ; and during the whole courtlhip, 
 the man mull not, on any account whatfoever, 
 prefume to pay his miftrefs a vifit. If he pays his 
 refpefts to her father or mother, he goes back¬ 
 wards into their houfe, not prefuming to look 
 them in the face; and as a farther teftimony of 
 his efteem and fubmiffion, turns his head on one 
 3 ° 
 
 of T A R T A R Y. 557 
 
 fide whenever he fpeaks to them. At the expi¬ 
 ration of the term of his courtlhip, the father, 
 according to his contraft, furrenders his daughter 
 to his fon-in-law, and at the fame time recom¬ 
 mends them to a happy union, as the fundamen¬ 
 tal article of wedlock ; but what the Oftiacs 
 may mean by that exprefiion is a nice point to 
 determine. 
 
 The Oftiac, as a trial of his wife’s honour, 
 cuts a handful of hair off of a bear s ficin, and 
 prefents it to her. If Ihe be virtuous Ihe ac¬ 
 cepts of the offer without the lead reluftance ; 
 but if Ihe be confcious of her own inconftancy, 
 fbe ingenioufiy refufes to touch it, whereupon 
 her hufband immediately puts her away, and 
 that is all the ill confequence that attends her 
 illegal amours, and befides ihe has the liberty to 
 marry whom Ihe pleafes after fuch feparation. 
 
 This ingenious confeffion of their wives is 
 owing to their dread of being torn to pieces by 
 the paws of the very bear, the hair of whofe 
 hide is made ufe of as an expedient to prove 
 their chaftity or falfhood. This bear, according 
 to their notion, revives at the expiration of three 
 years, in order to devour the bride, w'ho is per¬ 
 jured and inconftant. This punilliment of their 
 infidelityps fo moderate and eafy to be borne, that 
 it is fcarce worth their while to prevaricate, in 
 order to (hun it. 
 
 The mourning of children for their parents, 
 amongft the Tartars, for the generality, confifts 
 in weeping over them for feveral days fuccef- 
 fively ; and during all that time they are obliged 
 to abftain from all manner of amufements, and 
 from the fociety of women for feveral months. 
 The child muft inter his father or mother with 
 all the funeral pomp and folemnity his circum- 
 ftances will admit of, and pay his annual refpefls 
 to their refpective tombs, which muft be attended 
 not only with tears, but loud lamentations. Thele 
 people, as well as the Indians, Chinefe, &c. make 
 provifion for their dead, and fupply them with 
 variety of apparel. The Wogulfkes extend their 
 charity to their very dogs : they inter them ho¬ 
 nourably, and ereft a little hut on purpofe for 
 them, in order to preferve their memory. There 
 is no other teftimony of their refpeft omitted, 
 in commemoration of them, but that of making 
 their formal lamentations round their maulo- 
 leums. The Tongufes hang their dead upon fome 
 particular trees, and there leave them till they 
 have nothing but Ikin and bones remaining, when 
 they inter them. 
 
 The Iukogaies likewife hang up their decealed 
 relations in the very fame manner, and when 
 their fkeletons are perfectly dry, adorn them 
 with coral, and little pieces of painted glals. 
 Afterwards they carry them in folemn proceffion 
 round their houfes, and revere them as idols. 
 
 The Oftiacs either bury their dead, or hide 
 both them and their bows, arrows, implements 
 of houlhold furniture, and provifions in the fnow, 
 out of the very fame principle as all others do, 
 who are habituated to thefe cullroms. A widow, 
 to teftify her unfeigned forrow for the lols of her 
 dearly beloved hufband, takes an idol, dreffes it 
 up in the good man’s clothes, lays it in the bed 
 with her, and affefts to have it always before her 
 eyes, in order to aggravate her grief, and bring 
 ' X x x x her 
 
553 The R E L i vj i 
 
 her departed hufband to her remembrance; and 
 can any thing be more natural ? Our European 
 widows woukl behave much after the fame man- 
 ner, did they carefs their deceafed hulband’s pic¬ 
 tures, kils them, afk them a thoufand endearing 
 queftions and weep over them ; and indeed fome 
 °t them have been known to take up every indi¬ 
 vidual thing he wore in his life-time, and blub- 
 
 l-T ?u Cr -j V f ry piece .' The widows of the Oftiacs 
 hils the idols of their deceafed hulbands, and ho¬ 
 nour them as partners of their beds for a whole 
 year together; and then they are looked upon as 
 incumbrances, and thrown neglefled by in feme 
 corner of the houle ; then there is no more men¬ 
 tion of their old bedfellows, and the time of their 
 mourning is accomplilhed. The Samoiades, ac- 
 
 °; r d ' ng t0 De Bru f n ’ han g ‘heir deceafed infants 
 hat have not attained the age of one year, upon 
 trees; but inter, between two boards, fuch as are 
 of a more advanced age ; and drown or otherwife 
 make away with their relations, who are fupera- 
 nuated, infirm, and entirely a burthen to them- 
 felves and all about them. Near the place where 
 ley bury their dead, they hang up their fire-arms 
 
 theo,h atCh - etS ’i thdr hamrners > and, in fhort, all 
 
 wh m hCr L lm , P ements which the y made ufe of 
 whilft m the land of the livinm 
 
 It is remarkable that all thefe people in Tar 
 tary notwithftanding their difference in many 
 fundamental articles of religion, yet agree in be¬ 
 lieving the transmigration of fouls. Some are of 
 opinion, that the real fouls tranfmigrate from one 
 body to another ; while others only imagine that 
 the faculties and qualities tranfmigrate to°animate 
 another body. Thefe laft, in all probability, only 
 imagme that there is an emanation of virtues 7 
 becaufe they confound the body and foul together’ 
 There ,s fomethmg like this to be met with even 
 fo near us as France. Thus, when a pried™ 
 puted for his fanbhty dies, or any other perfon of 
 
 “othSr™’ J he peop,e bring their children 
 to the bedfide, to hover over his face in order to 
 
 catch the lad gafp of his breath, that they may 
 become partakers of his fame and virtues: Nay 7 
 they carry their fuperdition much farther; for 
 they let open all their doors and windows that the 
 foul may have a clear and eafy paffaoe. 
 
 To meet with fuch notions and luch praftices 
 among the ant.ent Heathens is not at all firrprifing 
 
 trv ,nH lg -?f nCe tHe trUC God leada to idolf- 
 trj, and idolatry creates abfurdities. Nor is it 
 
 iurpnfing to meet with fuch notions and practices 
 among the modern Tartars, who are far more 
 
 T A R T A R Y. 
 
 of r t b he r0 He a a th d b, ' UtaI ^ thcir mann£rs tila " ™oft 
 Ot the Heathen nations of old ; but to meet with 
 
 m'be F n anCe ls ( reaI1 f furprifing. A polite people 
 to be fiaves to fuperdition ! Y es : But let us re¬ 
 member that the learned are deids, and the igno¬ 
 rant enthufiafts. Nothing lefs than Divine “race 
 can fet bounds to human imaginations, nofhing 
 efs than the power of God can keep human na 
 ture under proper redraints. The imagination 
 roves from one objebt to another, and genera l v 
 
 the word. W ‘ th “ 30Wn capric * 0l| fnefs, 4 s upon 
 
 What has been here advanced may, with orear 
 
 venerai t7 bu^ to PPl ' ed C ° the Heathen nation! in 
 Mrs The m ° re P r0 P erlv than the Tar- 
 
 V ^ h , e f are a numerous body of people they 
 are divided into a vad number of clans Thi: X 
 
 hem worth,p devils, feme images, and fome are 
 fo ignorant that they have hardly any notion of the 
 E e Here the pioL reade will be 
 
 of a th S e C peaceof GodT h° f P T ife ’ are dc « j ^ 
 
 °f a bleffed immortality To all rh' ° P u S 
 
 throughout every part of the condudt. 
 
 • As .nortiing has been attempted bv the Ghrir 
 pj ns , ln Europe towards theconverfion of thefe 
 Heathens, and as we have reafon to believe rhft 
 
 mmm 
 
 indruments, this important even/w H ‘ ^ 
 
 about is impofiible for us to fay or even toT 8 ^ 
 
 judge of all the earth will do rinhc In’the m 
 whom much is gi 4 , mXlllt reqH^f » 
 
 An 
 
( 3 59 ) 
 
 An Account of the RELIGION »/ 
 LAPLAND, 
 
 D 
 
 t> LET, in his ironical man- 
 
 R n 'er «Us the inhabitants of Lapland 
 
 ne ’ i Knmsn rreation, which 
 
 .. £ 1—"“' h 
 ^ ■" j s M "“ ,sr,SV?r ..r £ 
 
 he means to improve ^emlelve ^ whether 
 uch circumftances, e i au< ,hter and ridi- 
 
 1 f, 1 S!d£'£3?4£° rf p»i. *■ 
 
 , n ce as >g" not fo much as imputed I 
 
 barous. Na>, baroa y thofe who take a | 
 
 to the Laplanders, I , bem f or what is 
 
 ravage P'“ fure 10 " 0 pre ve° t. That they are 
 Zl s tSe^on is jt demed, but that fiiper- 
 
 ftmon never leads to [ thei ° r fimp le huts, they 
 barous nature. Secur other, and if 
 
 live without giving offence to each few 
 
 they have but .tdc knowledge, tog ^ ^ ^ 
 
 fU1 f “ lluTeafure to have been feme years acquaint- 
 ed Satte of Lapland who is now one of 
 
 the moft ingenious amfts in Lond . ftom Ws 
 
 In his early ° Sweden, where 
 
 native country to 1 libera l educa tion, was 
 
 he had the benefi t heory and praftice of 
 
 baptized, and ftudi d ^ ^ E[ | Und; and 
 
 m w reffdes in London. His ingenuity in 
 now relides in -f&bilitv in converlation, 
 
 the art he proieffes his unfeigne d 
 
 fweatnefs of temper, friends, but not 
 
 piety, has created him many rr Thu$ we 
 
 more than his tnent en i ^ ^ want 0 f cultiva- 
 
 find ^'Y'aMaculties” that the natives of fuch 
 ting the rational faculties, 
 
 unhofpitable defarts remain in^^ ofafma fupre . 
 
 ranee. Letthoiel fcnd f ome men of piety and | 
 macy over them, principles of learn- 
 
 Virtue to inftruft them m tn P * 
 
 ing and religion th “ “ f y their fob je£. 
 
 ufeful, and poHe , extent of land run- 
 
 Lapland confite of a vaft ext^ rf Norway on 
 
 nmg from eaiterly extremity of that part 
 
 the north, to tb y During one half 
 
 of Ruffia, wl - h ^ RU T s P e e ntirel y frolen over, 
 of the year, th ^ a totaV dar knefs during 
 
 and in fome pa ^ n0 j; ht but w hat pro- 
 four m° nths ’ g Buc the tranfparent light 
 
 ce , ed ® f Toon upon the fnow, makes partly an 
 of the moon up c ^ (he p00r nativ es, 
 
 amends for this a y , other, are drawn on 
 
 - h “ ^ rd“r o "the mountains of fnow 
 n 1 ?e t y S Kh . the tote of this country in ge- 
 a n n eml which leads us to conftder their rehgious 
 lentiments and ceiemomes. . few w ho 
 
 The n f ve ;lhn P “art’s afe P Heathens and 
 live m the fouthern P - j Thor, the 
 
 orofs ldolators. Ih« r CIUC1 ° 
 
 fame as was worlhipped by the Anglo and 
 
 » mem er T °hurS m ThL ido 0 ,Tsl;^entd fs 
 
 ^ tbeir h°ufa. and fur- 
 
 rounded with pines to give it the a.r of 
 
 “subordinate to this deity, or rather idol, is 
 
 ffi"*SeytVvtthrt S and throu/h his 
 
 to him they make their applications foi luccefs 
 
 “KuSrTta a'in'of domeftic deity, or 
 , n u „ n j f or every family has an image of 
 
 forrally among themi an1 he 
 
 the figure f a f ^y content themfelves with 
 
 ‘fuch Xgh unpolifced ftones as they find on 
 
 he mountains-, and they imagine that it is Smt- 
 
 me Thdr next deity in order is called Beywe or 
 
 the fun, but there is nothing particular 
 
 They brieve with ^ ancient 
 
 Sxp S 
 
 Tartars, from whom it appe Y 
 
 fC Thfv' have avaft number of impoftors among 
 them, who pretend to know ^ag'c^by 
 they delude the *g"°™ n 1 j n aU their fecrifices, 
 whatever they pie • he creature 
 
 they offer rein deer for bemg be 
 
 moft ufeful to Sometim es, 
 
 the moft acceptable tot fuch a s dogs, 
 
 indeed, they facnb | but before they offer any 
 cats, hens and ch following cere- 
 
 table. After 
 
jSo An ACCOUNT of the R 
 
 After they have tied up the vidim behind 
 their hut, they drip off fome of the hair from 
 
 nder the neck of the animal, which they fallen 
 to one of the rings of a drum, appropriated for 
 that particular fervice, and which one of their 
 pi lefts beats, while the whole affembly of the 
 people ling a fhort prayer. If the bunch of 
 rings to which they fattened the hair of the vic¬ 
 tim, and which before was immoveable, fhould 
 turn about in an inllant, and point to their c 0 d 
 1 hor, they look upon it that the facrifice is ac¬ 
 ceptable to that god. But on the contrary, if 
 the bunch of rings remain fixed and immove¬ 
 able, notwithftandmg the motion of the drum 
 they preient the vidim to another god while the 
 drum is beating, and the people Tinging a fecond 
 prajer or hymn. In all their devotion they pay 
 much regard to the leafon of the year but 
 autumn ,s that to which they pay moll regard 
 probably becaule the fruits of the earth are°then 
 
 m theiH.ms! 5 ' arC niifting themfel ™ home 
 
 mi h ' S tim a’ th / 7 ere<fl a new ftan >c of their 
 god Thor, and afterwards cut the throat of a 
 
 rein deer in his prefence, and fmear the llatue all 
 over with the blood and fat of the vidim. When 
 h,s ceremony is over, they inter the remains of 
 the v^im ln the fame place. Befides this idol 
 they are obliged to ered another every time they 
 facnfice a rein deer, and all thel'e images bein! 
 ranged together behind their huts, they cut th? 
 diroat of the vidim and offer it up in facrifice 
 The vidimus in general a rein deer, of the male 
 kind, which they lacnfice by thrufting a knife 
 into its heart. The blood that Hows from it is 
 p eferved in a bow], and they fmear it all over 
 the head of their god Thor, and draw feveral 
 rokes on him in the form of erodes. Behind 
 
 rrfn !f° ^7 7 e h ° rnS a,ld b ° nes of the 
 
 em deers head, and before him a fmall box 
 made of birch, filled with little flices of fleffi' 
 cut off from every part of the vidim’s body' 
 
 With fome fat preferved underneath it. The re 
 
 family" ° f ^ ^ “ referved for the ufe of the | 
 When they offer facrifices to Storjunkarr, they 
 
 and a h t 7 ead f. hr ° u S h the right ear of the vidin? 
 and obferve all the ceremonies already mentioned 
 wi h this exception only, that the facrificing pried 
 takes the horns and bones of the head and neck 
 of the vidim, as alfo the claws and feet, and 
 
 carnes them to a mountain, devoted to the ho 
 
 nour of Storjunkarr, for whofe fervice the vic¬ 
 tim was (lain As foon as the pried arifes he 
 approaches the facred done, ftands uncovered 
 ‘, nd P™ found reverence before it. After 
 
 th,s fird ad ofdevotion, he befmears the done Ill 
 over With the blood and fat of the vidim, depo 
 
 fits the horns by the idol, ties his tail to the right 
 horn, and to the left a red thread run through a 
 plate of pewter, with a bit of fmall filver ° 
 
 S“ eS t] r y celcbrate festivals in honour 
 of their Storjunkarr, and then they facrifice fome 
 animal in the idol’s prelence which they drefs in 
 their own way, and every one eats a part of it 
 But what they eat mud be of the flelh that is 
 pon the head and neck, and they leave the (kin 
 extended on the place, where it lies for many 
 years together Sometimes, when the mountain 
 is deep and difficult of accefs, they offer up their j 
 
 ELIGION of LAPLAND. 
 
 (W fi 7 S 3t i he f ° 0t ° f itj and afterwards take a 
 ftone dipped in the blood of the rein deer and 
 make an attempt as if they were going to lhmw 
 it up to the top of the mountain ° W 
 
 ramemimril ^ ** 
 
 “ a helplefs (tone, 0 /o'there Is'no nZZrZ 
 
 branches of young trees around the Ido]'" Zd 
 this ceremony ,s obferved twice in the year 
 
 be pi^g^X when^;! 1 ! 
 he„vy and ponderous, they imagine that the ™d 
 
 Se C In fu^ 11 ' 7 d '' e , ad the efJl<5ts ofhis vfn- 
 
 anger, and avert his judgements, and from that 
 
 xTefl e i" ga . Se d t0 m ‘ lke him ncw oblations, 
 i heie Laplanders never facrifice to the fun 
 
 °UrLT ma S b - efide , s rebl d eer, but they obferve 
 I a]] the Ceremonies already deferibed, except thl! 
 hey run a white thread through the right ear o f 
 
 ftrvicf o? t h rr''““"d kS ^ d '™* “ the 
 
 ervice of the fun, and except likewife that in 
 their other facrifices they make choice of birch 
 trees, m this they ufe only willows. Withthefo 
 willows they form two circles, about the circum 
 
 n-J'sVaS Tct “h d e;°cut orf bang iittie ' 
 
 Kim! b0 " eS ° f thC di, P° red a eircu'I 
 
 ne ^ r “'7 fou!s of their departed relations, they 
 never make any images of them, bur teftify their 
 
 fuc n h er occTfi f0r t ! ,em by P articular facrifices. On 
 uch occafions the pried beats a drum, in order 
 
 crifice tbe , ld °' is P lealpd with the fZ 
 
 the^Heathen^^^ GreekZand RomartsL'by 
 the Heathen nations who overthrew the Roman 
 empire, and even to this day we find many re¬ 
 mains of it among the inhabitants of theft na- 
 tions, where knowledge never yet came. 
 
 With refpea; to fptrits or atrial beings of 
 whom they worffiip many, they have no imiees 
 but pay their adoration to them under tries,* 
 pianted near their houfes. This ad of devotion 
 confids in offering up a facrifice to thefe lpirits 
 out the latter end of December; and this is 
 ntroduced with abdinence and falling, at lead 
 from all fleffi meat, and if any is prlffidld for 
 them, they give it to thofe whom they imagine 
 
 arep"t°uD ' AU ^ fragmentS Ieft a ^ thl fflftl 
 are pu up Into a box raade of 5jrch and > 
 
 fohfiff hun S “P. on a tr ee behind the houfe, for the 
 
 Aibfidence of foch lpirits as rove about on thl 
 
 mountains and in the forefls. 
 
 It IS difficult to fay from whence this fpecies of 
 
 fuperdition took its origin, becaufe it Teems\o 
 
 be peculiar to the people in this part of the 
 
 country } 
 
An ACCOUNT of the REL 
 
 country; but then it is neceffary that we 
 thould confider that there are fome differences to 
 be found in the worfhip of all Heathen nations. 
 
 All arofe from this fingle circumftance, namely, 
 negledting the true God, and fetting up their 
 own images in the room of his command- 
 
 ments. , 
 
 The Laplanders are fo much addicted to lu- 
 perftition, that they adore the firft objeft that 
 prefents itfelf to them in the morning. They 
 never fuffer their wives to go to the door firft, 
 left there fhould be a rein deer, for in fuch cafes 
 they would be obliged to go a hunting all the 
 day. Every houfe, every family, have their own 
 peculiar deities; they have places erefted for 
 them, and as their priefts are numerous, fo they 
 are never at a lofs for fome of them to officiate. 
 Whether in facrifice, or by any other means, a 
 drum is always ufed, for they believe there is 
 fomethin 0- magical in the found of that mftru- 
 ment. Indeed this is not in the leaft furprifing, 
 becaufe all the northern nations made ufe of 
 drums in their religious facrifices, and tranlmit- 
 ted them to their camps and to their battles. 
 Such is the origin of drums, and although they 
 make at prefent a diftingufhing figure in our 
 armies, yet they were no more original than im¬ 
 plements of fuperftition and idolatry. 
 
 There are fome other particulars in which the 
 Laplanders differ from all the people we know 
 of in the world. They believe that there are 
 two Supreme Beings, but fo grofs are their no¬ 
 tions, that they imagine one of thefe beings to be 
 mortal, and the other immortal. The mortal 
 being they believe dies in conlequence of any 
 perfon breaking wind backward againft him, and 
 then he is fucceeded by another, who reigns till 
 he meets with the lame misfortune. On the other 
 hand, the immortal being refides always in hea¬ 
 ven, and is no ways affedted by the paffions of 
 men, he is indifferent about their wants, he is 
 unconcerned about their condition in this world. 
 And is not-this epicurianifm in the higheft de¬ 
 gree ? Indepd we are of opinion, that notwith- 
 ftanding what has been faid againft Epicurius, as 
 a moral philoiopher, yet he was not the father or 
 author of thofe fen'timents which bear his name. 
 If he was, why fhould we find them among Hea¬ 
 then nations, who never knew any thing of lite¬ 
 rature ? Does an ignorant Laplander know any 
 thing of Epicurius, or of Lucretius ? No, they 
 never heard of their names, and yet they have 
 imbibed all their notions. From what fource does 
 all thefe flow ? the The anfwer is obvious. The 
 corruption of human nature has funk fo deep, 
 that it has contaminated the minds of the whole 
 race of human beings. All mankind are ex¬ 
 tremely fond of knowing more than has been re¬ 
 vealed to them, and therefore they are apt to 
 form the fame notions of God as of themfelves. 
 This is the fundamental error in all religious 
 difpenfations, it is a poifon which runs through 
 the whole body; but having faid fo much by way 
 of digreffion, we fit all now proceed with our nar¬ 
 rative. 
 
 All religious ceremonies are lefs or more con¬ 
 duced by beating of drums, and it is very re¬ 
 markable, that thefe people never undertake any 
 thing, not even fo much as common diverffons, 
 without firft confuting the drum. But it is ob- 
 
 I G I O N of L A P L A N D. 361 
 
 vious to every one’s obfervation, that thefe drums 
 are not all exaCly of the fame fafhion, and the 
 reafon of it may poflibly be, becaufe fome of 
 them are more adapted for magical operations, 
 and more mifchievous than others, d here are 
 two appendixes, which are abfolutely necCffary to 
 render thefe drums complete, and fit for ufe, and 
 they are the mark and the hammer. The for¬ 
 mer points out the thing, or fecret enquired after, 
 on the painted figures of tire drum, and the latter 
 is made ufe of to beat with. What they call this 
 mark is, a large copper ring, to which they fatten 
 ieveral others of a letter fixe, which make a large 
 bunch altogether. The fafhion of thefe tings, 
 however, frequently varies. One of them is 
 made of a very thick plate of copper, about the 
 fize of a crucible, With a fquare hole in the 
 middle, and with little brafs chains, which hang 
 down inftead of rings, and meet together in a 
 circle. The other is a brafs ring, with a fmall 
 round plate of brafs hung to it by feveral fmall 
 chains, and the hammer or flick, with which 
 they beat this drum, is made of a rein-deer’s 
 horn. The Laplanders do not aim at making a 
 great noife with their drums, but are chiefly fe¬ 
 licitous, as we have before obierved, about the 
 motion of the rings, that, according to their po- 
 fition, they may form a right judgement of fuch 
 fecrets as they want to have revealed. 
 
 Thefe Laplanders have fuch an extraordinary 
 veneration for their drum, that they will not per¬ 
 mit a maid that is marriageable fo much as to 
 touch it. When they remove from one place to 
 another, it is the laft utenfil that is carried off the 
 premifes, and after every one of the family is 
 departed, they are peculiarly careful in the 
 conveyance of it to their new apartment. It is 
 given in charge to the hufband, as his peculiar 
 province ; for the wife mult not prefume to 
 meddle with it, and they always find out, on 
 this occafion, feme by-way, very different and 
 diftant from the high road. They are apprehen- 
 five, that if any one, but more particularly a 
 married woman, or a marriageable maid, fhould 
 by accident go the fame by-way, within three 
 days after the drum has paft, fhe would either 
 die upon the fpot, or fome fatal difafter would 
 befal her. A brafs ring, however, prdented in 
 a folemn manner, for the fervice of the drum, 
 makes an atonement for any fuch misfortune. 
 The Laplander, in all his magical confultations 
 with the drum, muff: be upon his knees, and fo 
 muff: all who attend him ; the confequences 
 whereof are, as we are informed, furprifing and 
 fupernatural; but as they want due confirmation, 
 the bed way will be to fufpend our belief. 
 
 The drum which is peculiarly appropriated to 
 magical purpofes, is fomewhat different with re- 
 fpedt to its form, from thofe made ufe of on other 
 occafions That part of it which may properly 
 be called the handle, is made like a crofs, and 
 divides it into four equal parts. This drum is 
 embelliibed, for the generality, with the claws 
 and bones of fuch beafts as they have hunted 
 down in purfuit of their game. When they make 
 ufe of it on any magical occafion, their ufual 
 practice is this : In order to know, for inftance, 
 the tranfaflions of any foreign country, one of 
 their operators beats the drum in the following 
 manner : He firft lays a large quantity of brafs 
 Y y y y rings 
 
;6l 
 
 An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of LAPLAND, 
 
 rings linked together, with feveral fmall brafs 
 chains upon that particular place where the fun 
 is delineated. Then he beats the drum in fuch 
 a manner, with his horn, hammer, or dick, that 
 the rings are put in motion. During this aflion, 
 he fings very diftin&ly a long, which in the lan¬ 
 guage of Lapland is called Jonke, and all the 
 natives that are prefent, both men and women, 
 add their refpe&ive fongs, which are didin- 
 guifhed by the name of Duvra. The words 
 which they utter are fo diftindb, that they nomi¬ 
 nate the very place of which they want l'ome fe- 
 cret intelligence. 
 
 After he has beat the drum for fome confider- 
 able time, he raifes it to his head, and then drops 
 indantly down upon the ground, like one fallen 
 fait afieep, or in a trance. His fenfes are all loll, 
 his pulfe ceafes to beat, and he is in fhort, a dead 
 man to all outward appearance ; from whence it 
 has been thought that the foul of the magician 
 actually abandons his body for a time, and, 
 through the affidance of fome invifible fpirits, is 
 conveyed to thole very countries, of which they 
 want fuch intelligence as before-mentioned. 
 Whilft the officiating Laplander is in this fitua- 
 tion, this Hate of infenfibility, he is notwith- 
 ftanding, we are told, in fuch extremity of pain, 
 that the fweat runs down his face and all over his 
 body, and mean while the whole afiembly con¬ 
 tinue finging, till he returns from his reverie to 
 his perfect fenfes. For ffiould they ceafe or en¬ 
 deavour to awake him by the lead touch imagin¬ 
 able, the magician, as we are further told, would 
 inevitably die ; and, in all probability, that is the 
 reafon why they take a more than ordinary care 
 at fuch a time, to prevent flies, or infedbs of any 
 other kind from fettling near him. When he is 
 perfectly awake and come to himfelf, he gives a , 
 full account of the informations he has received, 
 and anfwers all interrogatories of the whole af- 
 fembly. The duration of this extatic dumber is 
 very uncertain ; but it never lads, at the mod, as 
 we are informed, above four and twenty hours. | 
 The conjuror, however, let him recover his fenfes | 
 fooner or later, always produces fome token of I 
 the thing or country enquired after, as an unde¬ 
 niable tedimony of his fupernatural abilities. 
 What has already been laid is fufficient, we pre- 
 fume to give the reader an adequate idea of the 
 ul'e which thel’e Laplanders make of their drum. 
 We fliall only add, therefore, this curfory remark, 
 that their phyficians likewife make ule of it to 
 difcover the caufe and quality of their patient’s 
 didempers ; that is to lay, whether they are the 
 meer refults of chance, or of nature, and to find 
 out the bed ways and means they can to appeafe j 
 their gods on all fuch occafions. We mud not, i 
 however, omit one thing, which is very remark¬ 
 able i that is, if the rings of the drum turn from 
 the left to the right, it is looked upon as a pro- j 
 pitious omen, being conformable to the courfe of 
 the fun, which is the great difpenferof the various 
 bleffings of nature, and the inexhaudible fource 
 of all agreeable objects. But on the contrary, 
 if they turn from the right to the left, as their 
 courfe is the reverfe of that of the lun, it por¬ 
 tends fome fatal misfortunes, malignant didem¬ 
 pers, or the plagues of poverty and didrefs. 
 
 There is fomething very particular in their 
 
 lale of the winds. The Norwegians, northern 
 Laplanders, and fuch as refide on the borders of 
 the Bothnic gulph, fell them to travellers and 
 iailors. The fecret of this magical commodity 
 confids in a rope witli three knots, which they 
 difpofe of to their cudomers at the belt price 
 they can get. As foon as the fird knot is untied, 
 a gentle breeze arifes j at unravelling the fecond, 
 the wind blows bride, and lwells their fails ; but 
 dorms and tempeds fill the Ikies when they ven¬ 
 ture to undo the third •, they are no longer mal¬ 
 ters of their veflels, and lhipwreck is their inevi¬ 
 table portion. This fecret, as Scheffer allures us, 
 depends entirely on the nativity of the magician. 
 He has an abl'olute power over that particular 
 wind, which blew the moment he was born 3 fo 
 that one is lord and ruler of the ead wind, and 
 another of the wed, and as they have the fe¬ 
 cret power to fet a ffiip a failing, lb likewile can 
 they dop it when under fail. 
 
 The Laplanders, likewife, as we are informed, 
 make ufe of fome certain magical javelins, which 
 they throw at their enemies to annoy them, and 
 by this acd of fafcination, they are able fometimes 
 to affiicft their adverfaries with very violent dif- 
 tempers 3 but if their art fails them in the per- 
 fonal execution of fuch injuries, they will at lead 
 do all the mifehief they poffibly can by proxy, 
 and make dreadful havock of their flocks and 
 cattle. Mod authors, indeed, have omitted this 
 particular circumdance 3 but they all agree that 
 there are fome familiar fpirits, or imaginary de¬ 
 mons, whom thefe northern people call Gans, 
 employed by them to accomplilh, as far as they 
 are able, all their private fchemes of malic© and 
 revenge. 
 
 The indrument called Tyre by thefe Laplan¬ 
 ders, is another of their magical machines, which, 
 according to our hidorians, is, to all outward ap¬ 
 pearance, nothing but a ball about the bignefs of 
 a walnut, or a fmall apple r and compofed of the 
 down of fome particular animal. This little 
 machine is round and linooth, and fo light that it 
 feems to be perfectly hollow. It is a motly, or 
 party-coloured commodity, yellow, green, and 
 grey, but modly of a yellowiffi cad j and the 
 Laplanders, as we are informed, fet them to fale, 
 and look upon them, as it were, animated, and 
 fo far capable of atticn, that the purchafer can 
 fend them where and to whom he pleafes. The 
 motion of this tyre is like-that of a whirlwind, 
 and its mifehievous ede&s, however perfonal in¬ 
 tended, fall always on the fird animal that ob- 
 drudts his way. 
 
 We fliall clofe this article with a fhort detail 
 of their fuperditions relating to the chafe. In 
 the fird place then, we mud take notice that they 
 are very obfervant of lucky and unlucky days 3 
 that in order to difcover the one, and avoid the 
 other, they confult their drum 3 and that when 
 they are determined to purfue their game, they 
 always go through a back pafiage, contrived for 
 that purpofe, led they ffiould meet with fome 
 woman or other at the dreet door, which they 
 look upon as an impropitious rencounter. The 
 hunting of the bear is accompanied with fuch ex¬ 
 traordinary formalities, that one would imagine 
 they paid a peculiar regard to that favage crea¬ 
 ture. As loon as they have opened the chafe, by 
 
 the 
 
An ACCOUNT of the REL 
 
 the confutation of their drum, according to the 
 cuftom obferved on the occafion, he who has 
 difcovered the bear’s hold, marches at the head 
 of a numerous train of huntfmen, without any 
 other weapon of defence but a long ftafF with a 
 brafs ring on the top of it; and after him follows 
 the drummer. Eacli individual affillant has like- 
 wife his particular province afligned him. After 
 they have killed the delperate lavage, they fing a 
 kind of triumphal fong over him, and therein 
 congratulate him on his death, and return him 
 thanks for having done them no mifchief. After 
 this, they whip him with a bunch of rods, and 
 then carry him to a cottage, prepared on pur- 
 pole for his reception, where they flea him, cut 
 him up and drefs him. The whole train of 
 huntlmen attend the fledge, or carriage on which 
 their prey is extended, and fing during the pro- 
 cefllon, a fong fuitable to the occafion, wherein 
 they beg of him not to relent the ill treatment 
 he has met with, or injure thole who are any 
 ways inftrumental to his ruin, and the rein-deer 
 which drew the fledge mull: be employed no more 
 on any occafion whatfoever, all that year. The 
 wives affemble themfelves together at the cot¬ 
 tage above-mentioned, and there wait the return 
 of their huJbinds, who at their firfl arrival defire 
 them, in a chanting tone, to chew the bark of an 
 alder-tree between their teeth and fpit it in 
 their faces. Every huntfman, when the bear is 
 lodged within the cottage where it is to be dref- 
 fed, is obliged, according to cuftom, to repair to 
 another commodious apartment adjacent to it, 
 where their wives are, who having their mouths 
 full of alder-bark ready chewed, difcharge it in 
 their faces, that they may leem at lead, as if they 
 are befmeared with the blood of the lavage mon- 
 fter. Here it is that the wives regale their huf- 
 bands with the prodtidls of their toil and 
 fatigue. 
 
 There are feveral other circumftances in the de- 
 fcription of their bear hunting, which we (hall 
 purpofely omit, and content ourfelves with fuch 
 only as are very Angular. All thole who are con¬ 
 cerned in the chace, or come in at the bear’s 
 death, are obliged to abftain from the converfa- 
 tion of their wives for the three days next enfu- 
 ing j and the principal or captain of the band, 
 for five : The (kin of the beaft is hung upon the 
 top of a tall pole, and the women fhoot at it with 
 their bows and arrows. Every one is very am¬ 
 bitious of hitting the mark, iince file who firft 
 fucceeds is the mod honoured and refpedted. 
 This piece of dexterity is looked upon as the 
 happy prefage, that her hulband will be the fore- 
 moft in the chafe of the next bear. It is this 
 woman’s province likewife, according to Scheffer, 
 to take feveral pieces of fluff, and fatten as many 
 croffes upon each of them as they have con¬ 
 quered bears, and to hang thefe trinkets about 
 the necks of all fuch as were afiiftants in the 
 chafe, who are obliged to wear them for three 
 days together ; that is, till the fetting of the fun 
 on the laft day. A crofs made after the fame 
 manner is hung about the neck of the rein-deer, 
 which drew the bear from the foreft to the cot¬ 
 tage. In all probability, the intercourfe which 
 thefe Laplanders have had with Chriftians, in¬ 
 duced them to look upon thefe croffes as prefer- 
 vatives againft the Demons, or Genii of the 
 
 IGION of LAPLAND. 363 
 
 forefts, who perhaps may refent all indignities 
 offered to their favage fubjedts. 
 
 As the chief riches of the country confift in 
 their abundance of rein-deer, fo the "you n« wo¬ 
 man, whofe parents pofleffes mol of thefe ani¬ 
 mals, has the greateft number of gallants. Rein¬ 
 deer are the abfolute'property of the young per- 
 fons of botli fexes, it being cuftomary for their 
 parents to make them prefents of them as Icon 
 as they are born. A Laplander, in the choice of 
 his wife, has an eye particularly to her wealth, 
 and in this he afls in the fame manner as the 
 people in other nations. The lover never courts 
 his miftrefs himfelf, but employs an old woman 
 as match maker, in the fame manner as in China, 
 Tartary, and other nations. Some fkins of wild 
 beafts, and feathers of curious fowls, are fent as 
 prelents to the intended bride, and after fome for¬ 
 malities are over, the bridegroom is permitted to 
 vifit the bride s relations. If he is permitted to 
 fpeak to his miftrefs, it is efteemed a very great 
 favour, but this feldom happens till after feveral 
 vifits to the parents. 
 
 At the firft interview they fahitc each other 
 with an affectionate kifs, and a fanguine fqueeze of 
 their nofes one againft the other, which is an ef- 
 fential point, the negledt of it being looked upon 
 as a declaration of coldnefs and dillike. There 
 marks of love are heightened by the prefents the 
 gallant brings with him, which, among other 
 things, confift of rein-deer tongues, of whicii they 
 make delicious feafts. The young woman, who 
 is furrounded by her relations, pretends, either 
 through Ihame or modefty to decline his favours; 
 but at the fame time gives him a private lignal 
 to withdraw, and when alone, with pleafure ac¬ 
 cepts of them all. From thence forward, the 
 young Laplander thinks himfelf enri■' -d to 
 greater liberties, and gives a full loofe to Ins paf- 
 lion. He begs the favour of his miftrefs to let 
 him fieep by her fide, or in other words to lie 
 with her; but if Ihe is not amouroufly inclined, 
 Ihe throws his prelents on the ground with dif- 
 dain. It is lome confiderable time before all the 
 preliminaries are fettled, becaufe the girl’s rela¬ 
 tions are dilatory and ieemingly loth to give their 
 confent, which is all artifice, and the pure refult 
 of an avaricious difpofition. For the gallant, 
 during the whole time of the courtfbip, is daily 
 making them lome valuable prelents, in order to 
 ingratiate himfelf into their favour, and obtain 
 their confent, and tliey arc cunning enough to 
 know that there will be but few prefents after 
 marriage. 
 
 When all parties are abfolutely agreed, a cer¬ 
 tain day is appointed for the celebration of their 
 nuptials, and the bridegroom muft bring along 
 with him more prefents, fome for the bride, and 
 lome for her relations. The marriage ceremony 
 confifts in the prieft’s ftriking a flint with fteel, 
 and the bride and bridegroom light tapers at it. 
 Then they walk home to their huts, and -the 
 bridegroom is obliged to ferve his father-in-law 
 a whole year after the marriage, and then he takes 
 home his wife and her fortune. When a woman 
 is pregnant, they pretend to know whether Ihe 
 will have a fon or a daughter, and this they do 
 by confulting the moon. When a ftar appears 
 above that planet, it indicates the birth of a boy; 
 and when a ftar appears near and feems to go 
 
 before 
 
364 An ACCOUNT of the R 
 
 before it, it is a happy prefage that the child 
 will be healthy, robufl and adive. 
 
 Scheffer tells 11s, that when a native falls fick, 
 he fends for one whom he imagines molt fkilful 
 intheufeof the drum, who, in order to reflore 
 him, firfl offers up a rein deer as a facrifice to 
 one of their idols ; then he beats the drum, and 
 falls down in either a real or imaginary trance. 
 He continues in this inadive fituation about an 
 hour, and, during that time, thole who are pre- 
 fent fing the magician’s fong, which reflores 
 him to his fenfes. He rifes up, takes his drum, 
 and clapping it clofe to his ear, beats foftly upon 
 it. Afterwards he Hands for fome fhort time 
 like one in deep contemplation, and then relates 
 all that was delivered to him while in a trance. 
 
 When a man dies, his whole family leaves the 
 houfe ; for they have a notion, that the foul of 
 the deceafed hovers round the corpfe. They 
 generally bury the bodies of their dead in gloomy 
 caverns, the mouths of which they flop up 
 with Hones. They put into the cavern befide 
 the dead, a hatchet, a Heel flint and a tinder-box ; 
 and the reafon they give for this Hrange cere¬ 
 mony is, that as the deceafed will want light, 
 fo he may Hrike it when he pleafes. We are af- 
 fured that the antient Danes and Saxons, before 
 they were converted to Chriflianity, buried war¬ 
 like inHruments along with the dead, of which 
 many have been dug up in different parts of Bri¬ 
 tain ; and, probably, this was the practice of all 
 the Heathen nations in the world. 
 
 In Lapland the hatchet is laid befide the de¬ 
 ceafed, that in cafe he ffiould meet in his way 
 with briars and thorns, or boughs of trees to ob- 
 ftrud his paffage through the thick forefls, he 
 may cut them down ; for they believe that no 
 perfon after death can be admitted into heaven, 
 unlefs he fights his way into it. This notion of 
 theirs feems to proceed from the nature of the 
 climate where the live ; their nights being long 
 and dark, they imagine the dead meet with the 
 fame inconveniences in their way to heaven. At 
 their funerals they kill the rein deers which drew 
 the body of the deceafed to the grave, and make 
 merry over their corpfe, in memory of their 
 friend being removed out of a world of grief and 
 forrow. They have one more cuflom relating to ! 
 their dead, which is Angular enough. They I 
 pour brandy over the face of the corpfe, and 
 dance round it, finging their funeral longs in 
 praife of the deceafed. 
 
 When they take an oath, they wifh the devil 
 may come and fetch them away, with their wives, 
 children, and rein deers, if they perjure them- 
 felves. They have confufed notions concerning 
 the creation of the world ; and whenever they 
 fee the moon eclipfed, they believe that planet is 1 
 attacked by fome malicious devils, and on fuch 
 occafions, they think it their duty to give her all 
 the afliffance they can. In this emergency, they 
 take their arms and Ihoot at her, and continue 
 to do fo till the eclipfe is over. When it thunders, 
 the Laplanders imagine that God is chaflizing 
 the devils, and that they, in order to efcapc his 
 vengeance, take Ihelter under the bellies of their 
 dogs j for that reafon, as long as the thunder 
 continues, they keep thole creatures Ihur out of 
 doors. 
 
 ELIGION of LAPLAND. 
 
 When they fit down to eat, they invoke their 
 idols to blefs their provifions for their ufe, and 
 > they gather up all the bones of the rein deers, 
 and throw them into their marlhy grounds. This 
 ■ they look upon as abfolutely neccffary, becaufe 
 • if negleded, the rein deer would become indo¬ 
 lent and inactive. They aferibe to their witches 
 a power to augment the coldnels of the weather ; 
 but then none are duly qualified for this opera¬ 
 tion, but fuch as have been born in winter. 
 Thefe women take a little human figure made 
 of fnow, and befmear the head of it with their 
 fpittle, coloured red with the juice of the alder 
 tree, the bark whereof they chew in their mouths 
 when they fet themfelves about performing this 
 operation. 
 
 When they are difpofed to allay the exceffive 
 cold, they take the fkin of a bear and hang it 
 out in the air all night. The Laplander, as loon 
 as he rifes, takes a bunch of rods and whips this 
 fkin ; for they imagine that the cold abates in 
 proportion to the blows. In this operation they 
 make ufe of feveral magical terms, and for the 
 fame purpofe cut the Ikin of a fawn into fimall 
 pieces, and throw them into the fire, repeating 
 a form of prayer. They take particular care 
 when they have vifitors, that no perfon fliall walk 
 in the houfe before another who is going out of 
 it, and that no one fliall crofs the room in any 
 part of it, but the void lpace between the fire and 
 the company. Should a woman firide over a 
 man’s legs, in order to get by him, the unman¬ 
 nerly adion would create a world of mifchief. 
 But we need not think much of their fuperfti- 
 tions, feeing that were we to relate all the fuper- 
 Hitions in our own enlightened nation, we might 
 fill a volume. 
 
 With refped to fuch of the Laplanders as 
 profefs Chriflianity, they are not numerous; they 
 are either Greeks or Lutherans, but neither of 
 them are well grounded in the principles of re¬ 
 ligion. As for thofe who are Greeks, it is not 
 much to be wondered at; for their religion, like 
 that of the Roman Catholics, is not calculated 
 to convey any fort of knowledge. As for the 
 Lutheran miniflers, it is well known that they 
 ! are faithful in the difeharge of the pafloral office 
 in the countries where they are born, nor do we 
 find they are re mi fs in Lapland ; but probably, 
 
 ! either they have not falaries adequate to their 
 labours, or which is more probable, having no 
 company to converfe with, they become ^me¬ 
 lancholy and long to return to their own coun¬ 
 try. 
 
 Such is the prefent Hate of Lapland with 
 refped to religion, and melancholy as their con- 
 dud may appear, yet they are not worfe or more 
 fuperflitious than fome who have better advan¬ 
 tages. The only way to bring them over to the 
 belief and knowledge of Chriflianity, is to get 
 fome of their young men to fettle a few years in 
 Sweden and Denmark ; there they might be edu¬ 
 cated in ail forts of ufeful learning, and fome of 
 thefe might be ordained miniflers, others fchool- 
 maflers. If this was done at the public expence, 
 the youth in general would emulate each othfr, 
 their manners would be civilized, and towns 
 being ereded among them, they would become 
 fond of fociety. 
 
 The 
 
( 3«5 ) 
 
 The MODERN RELIGION of the 
 G A U R E S. 
 
 I N our account of the antient Perfian 
 religion, we have related what thefe peo¬ 
 ple believed and praftifed, but as the Ma¬ 
 hometan religion lias made a vaft difference in 
 many things throughout that extenfive empire, 
 we fhall now proceed to give an hiftorical 
 narrative of the Gaures, who although few in 
 number, yet remain in a body together. And 
 this will be found the more neceffarv, becaufe it 
 will naturally lead us to explain with greater pre- 
 cifion and certainty the religion of the Heathens 
 in Africa. Perfia indeed is far from Africa, but s 
 ftill there is forne affinity to be met with in the 
 religion of all the antient Heathens. They dif- ! 
 fcr indeed in-many things, but they all agree in ! 
 the worft of things, namely, that of oppofing j 
 the truth. 
 
 Thefe people boaft of a perpetual fucceffion 
 of their religion, without any interruption ; and 
 though many perfons may be apt to imagine this 
 a meer romance, it is neverthelefs ftriftly true 
 and matter of fact. The religion of the Magi 
 has exifted almoft ever fince the flood ; and al¬ 
 though it may have been expofed from time to 
 time to divers herefies and perfections ; and 
 though, fince the eftablifliment of the Mahome¬ 
 tans in Perfia, it is reduced to a very fmall body 
 of faithful members, it would be an aft of in- 
 juftice and partiality to rob them of the glory 
 of maintaining their tenets with unfhaken refo- 
 lution, even in the blacked: Itorms that ever 
 threatened to overwhelm them. If the Gaures 
 have loft their temporal jurifdidbion, they can 
 ftill boaff an uninterrupted fucceffion in the prieft- 
 hood, a regular and uniform liturgy without the 
 leaft variation fince Zoroafter’s time, and an in¬ 
 violable attachment to the doftrines which he 
 eftablifhed. 
 
 The Gaures are inviolably attached to the re¬ 
 formation of Zoroafter, and they acknowledge 
 a luperior principle to thole two beforementioned 
 of good and evil, whom the Perfians, after they 
 had fwerved and deviated from the religion of 
 their forefathers, eftablifhed, as the foie author of 
 light and darknefs. The Gaures conceived, that 
 by the intermixture of thefe two principles, God 
 created every being in nature. A very celebrated 
 author is of opinion, that Zoroafter borrowed 
 that idea from the Jews ; and his obfervation, in 
 all probability, is very juft. We fhall only 
 make this curl'ory remark, however, that this 
 great reformer, forefeeing the difficulties attend¬ 
 ing l’o myfterious and incomprehenfible a point, 
 maintained, that though all things were good 
 which God created, yet darknefs or evil infepa- 
 rably attended them, as Ihadows do corporeal 
 fubftances. God could not poffibly, according 
 to his nature, produce any thing but good, but 
 evil rcfulted Irom thofe productions, as a priva¬ 
 tion of good. 
 
 3 1 
 
 Zoroafter was no ftranger to the account which 
 Mofes has given of the creation, and of the fall 
 of the angels, and our firft parents; but if it be 
 granted, that he had read thefe remarkable oc¬ 
 currences in the books of Mofes, it muft like- 
 wife be allowed, that he made, either wilfully, 
 or through ignorance, fome very confiderable 
 alterations. As for inftance, he afferted. That 
 the world was created at fix feveral feafons, each 
 confifting of a certain number of days, viz. the 
 firft of forty-five, in which God created the 
 heavens ; the fecond of fixty, wherein he formed 
 the waters; the third of feventy-five, in which 
 he made the earth; the fourth of thirty, which 
 were employed in the creation of the vegetable 
 world ; the fifth of fourfcore, which were fpent 
 in the formation of all manner of living crea¬ 
 tures, man only excepted ; the fixth and laft, of 
 feventy-five, in which he created our firft pa¬ 
 rents ; but fome authors give us a quite different 
 account of this creation. 
 
 The Gaures likewile hold, that as the world 
 was to be encreafed and multiplied by two per¬ 
 fons only, God gracioufly determined, that Eve 
 fhould every day bring a pair of twins into the 
 world ; and that during the term of one thoufand 
 years, death fhould have no dominion over her 
 feed ; that the devil tempted our firft parents, in 
 order to render them odious in the eyes of their 
 creator; that God, being confcious of the malice 
 of the lpirit of darknefs, did not think conve¬ 
 nient totally to fupprefs this evil, but took the 
 following meafures to check the malignant in¬ 
 fluences of it. He conftituted a feleft company 
 of angels to be the guardians and prote&ors of 
 his creatures. Hamul was made infpeflor of the 
 heavens ; Acrob luperintendant of the angels; 
 the fun, moon, earth, waters, man, plants, and 
 all living creatures of what nature or kind foever, 
 had their particular guardian angels. But not- 
 withftanding all thefe prudent precautions, evil 
 increafed, men grew wicked and perverfe in all 
 their ways, and God therefore fent the waters of 
 the deluge at once to extirpate them, and all their 
 impious race. The devils are put in oppofition 
 to the good angels; whofe feveral names and 
 functions are regiftered at large in Hide ; but we 
 ffiall not trouble the reader with a tranfeript of 
 his catalogue. 
 
 The Gaures are exceedingly religious, and 
 never mention the deity but with all the circum- 
 ipe&ion and reverence imaginable. They allow 
 him all the fame glorious attributes as we do ; 
 they look upon him as the fovereign judge, and 
 bountiful rewarder of all mankind, juft, merciful, 
 and ready to pardon. Both the angels and devils 
 of whom we have been fpeaking, are the minifters 
 of God ; the one for the adminiftration of good, 
 and the other of evil. Thefe Gaures likewife 
 are of opinion, that each individual perfon has 
 Z z z z both 
 
$66 
 
 The MODERN RELI 
 
 both a good and evil genius conftantly attending 
 him. It is farther a received notion among!! 
 them, that the influence of a certain general 
 light is infufed, if we may be allowed the ex- 
 preflion, after an extraordinary manner, into 
 Come particular perfons, who are the favourites 
 of the Almighty. It is this light, according to 
 them, that renders fome men confpicuous for 
 their deep penetration into all the arts and 
 l'ciences, and forms the genius’s of fuch as are 
 born to fit at the helm of Hate; and we may 
 add, helps them to bring about the various revo¬ 
 lutions that overfet whole empires, and likewife 
 to excite the fame confufion in the minds of 
 
 G I O N of the G A U R E S. 
 
 men. 
 
 This is doubtlefs no abfurd notion, nor is it 
 any ways extravagant to imagine, that this light 
 fometimes diffufes itfelf after fuch a profufe man¬ 
 ner, on fome certain number of perfons in a fa¬ 
 mily, that its favours feem partially bellowed on 
 them, to the manifeft detriment and difadvantage 
 of the reft. This is indifputably a very juft re¬ 
 mark, though not to be accounted for by phyfic, 
 or aftrology. Any perfon that will give himfelf 
 but the leaft trouble imaginable to refleft, will 
 eafily perceive, that there is a certain quantity of 
 , merit, as well as of temporal advantages allotted 
 for diftinft families. Kingdoms likewife are, 
 after the lame manner, permitted to be formi¬ 
 dable and powerful, to flourifti, and be matters 
 of the arts and fciences in the higheft perfedtion 
 for a time, and then again, are deftined to an ap¬ 
 parent declenfion. And indeed all things in na¬ 
 ture, as well as the human fpecies, have their 
 proper feafons for their increafe, maturity and 
 decay. 
 
 It is impofiible to keep off the revolutions of 
 the laft mentioned period of decay, and the em¬ 
 peror Auguftus, and Lewis the Great, king of 
 Prance, who were fo exadtly alike in their lives 
 and governments, are incoriteftible proofs of the 
 truth of this affertion. The Gaures have a kind 
 of veneration and refpedl for cocks, on account 
 of their waking them fo early in the morning, and 
 reminding them, by their crowing, of the duties 
 of the enl'uing day. Their books recommend 
 them to the favour and affeflion of the faithful. 
 Thefe teftimonies of their efteem for this parti¬ 
 cular animal, were tranfmitted to them, in all 
 probability, by the traditions of the antient 
 Perfians. 
 
 The Primitive Perfians, as we have already 
 obferved, made ufe of no manner of temples, as 
 thinking them places too circumfcribed, and be¬ 
 low the dignity of the Supreme Being ; but when 
 they were inclinable, in imitation of the Jews, 
 to preferve their confecrated fire, it was abfo- 
 1 utely- r.eceffary that they Ihould admit of their 
 Pyreums. Zoroafter, not fatisfied with thofe he 
 found already introduced, erefted a confiderable 
 number more wherever he went. Thefe confe¬ 
 crated fires are atprefent much in vogue amon°-ft 
 the Gaures, and preferved with fo much care and 
 precaution, that they are called idolators, and the 
 worlhippers of fire, though without the leaft 
 grounds to lupport the ungenerous accufation. 
 tor they pay no adoration to the material fire, 
 although they make ufe of that element in the 
 celebration of their divine fervice. It is the I 
 
 deity alone whom they adore in the prefence of 
 the fire, as the true lymbol of the Divine Ma- 
 jelty Though fire, according to the Gaures 
 is the pureft of all the elements, yet they 
 look upon it only as one of God’s mod perfeft 
 creatures, and it is, as they imagine, his favourite 
 habitation. When they pray, they neither malic- 
 then- addreffes to Mithra, nor the fun, nor fire, 
 but to God alone; many inftances whereof are 
 produced by the learned doftor Hide above 
 quoted, from whence we may very readily infer 
 that the imputations of idolary are as rafti and 
 groundleis in Alia as they are in Europe. 
 
 Zoroafter enjoined his difciples to adore the 
 deity with their faces firft turned towards the fun 
 and then towards the confecrated fire. It was 
 the mode of worlhip among the antient Perfians 
 lays the French mandator of Dr. Prideaux’s hif- 
 tory, and this inftitution preceded the reforma¬ 
 tion of magiamfm. When the Perfians drew 
 near to their confecrated fires in their divine fer¬ 
 vice, they always approached them from the weft 
 fide, becaufe by that means their faces beincr 
 turned to thole as well as the rifing-fun, thev 
 could diredt their worlhip towards both at the 
 lame time. This form of worlhip was direftly 
 oppofite to that of the Jews. For the Holy of 
 Holies, wherein was enclofed the fymbol of the 
 Divine Prefence, which lay on the propitiatory, or 
 mercy-feat, being at the weft end of the temple 
 of Jerusalem all fuel, as entered therein to wor- 
 lhip God, had their faces turned that way. That 
 was the point towards which they conftantly di¬ 
 rected their divine worlhip ; but that of' the 
 Magi being the rifing-fun, they always wor- 
 ihipped with their faces toward the eaft 
 
 turn h r C aC r° rdingt0 Lord > are obliged to 
 
 turn towards the fun at their morning and daily 
 
 fervice, and at nights towards the moon. For 
 thefe two planets are not only the two bright lu¬ 
 minaries of the heavens, but likewife two of 
 Gods witneffes oppofed to Lucifer; that is to 
 lay, the devil, or principle of evil. The priefts 
 are obliged to watch day and night to maintain 
 and repair the confecrated fire. But it is abfo- 
 lutely neceffary that it be rekindled after the 
 pure t manner that can pofiibly be devifed ; for 
 which purpofe they frequently make ufe of a 
 lteel and flint, or two hard flicks, which, by 
 continual friftion, will in time take fire. Some¬ 
 times likewife they kindle it by the lightening 
 which darts down from heaven on any com- 
 bultible matter; and fometimes again by thofe 
 Ignes fatui which frequently arile in marlhy 
 grounds ; or elfe by common fire, in cafe it is 
 pure and undefiled, or with fuch as the Banians 
 make ule of to kindle the funeral piles. But they 
 have one other method ftill, as noble as it is pure; 
 and that is, by colleSing the rays of the fun in¬ 
 to the focus of a burning-glafs. 
 
 They are ftriftly enjoined not to touch this 
 fire with fword or knife, and they are obliged to 
 feed it with the pureft kind of wood, without the 
 leaft kind of bark upon it. They are not allowed 
 to blow it with their mouths or a pair of bellows 
 for fear of the leaft profanation ; which was for¬ 
 merly punilhed with immediate death ; and that 
 t J eat P lent for fuch offences continued 
 till the defirudtion of the Magian monarchy by 
 
 the 
 


 
 • Mr High Priest ,///„■ Gaures «>■ Persians M/Uttww ///*■< 
 
 Si- rr/tfis VtAPKES or PERSIANS Mum 
 
 Ritual Service /'e/ot'edU Fire . ( 
 
 Heads 
 
 ie/tf GaurianPriests, „■,//, ,/„/,■ Mi 
 
 ekes ,<// 
 
 
 
 
 ^^nrr/rr^J'mrjtn:, 'A/r, 'Vrl,j'M 
 
 
The MODERN RELIGION of the G A U R E S. 
 
 the Mahometans. The priefts themfelves never 
 prelumed to approach thefe confecrated fires with¬ 
 out a piece of fine linen over their mouths, to 
 prevent their breath from polluting the facred 
 flames, and this precaution was always obferved 
 whenever they drew near them, or when they 
 read or repeated that form of prayer which might 
 properly be called the fervice of the fire. The 
 Magian priefts, who were the proper celebrants, 
 performed this ceremony with fuch an humble 
 and lowly voice, as not to be heard, or at leaf! 
 underftood by the congregation. It was a kind 
 of whifper, not unlike that praftifed by our Ro¬ 
 man Catholic priefts when they read low mafs. 
 1 he language in which this office is Wrote, is at 
 prefent as untelligible to the Gaures as the Latin 
 to l'ome of our illiterate Europeans. When their 
 fovtreign pontiff approached thefe confecrated 
 fires, he was wafhed from head to foot, perfumed 
 and drefled in a veftment as white as fnow. After 
 this he proftrated himfelf to the very ground be¬ 
 fore the flames, and laid his prayers with bitter 
 fighs and groans ; which arc well underftood by 
 the devotees of all religions. Thefe ardent aifts 
 of devotion, the affedtionate refpirations of his 
 foul, were all addrelfed to the deity; to him he 
 offered up his prayers, extrafied from their facred 
 feriptures; and in fhort to him alone he made 
 confeffion of his fins. 
 
 Thefe cuftoms are all obferved by tire Gaures 
 at this very day. Their religious devotion, ac¬ 
 cording to Lord, is introduced by the Diftoorc’s 
 feafonable exhortation to the people ; the fum 
 and fubftance whereof is as follows, viz. That the 
 celeftial fire having been delivered by God himfelf 
 to Zerrooft, (Zoroafter) their wife legiflator; to 
 whom he declared, that it was an emanation, or 
 part of his own infinite virtue and excellence, 
 they ought to look upon it as facred and divine, 
 and the proper objedt of their profoundeft vene¬ 
 ration, as being a portion of the divine elfence, 
 fince it is of the fame fubftance, and that they 
 ought to love and regard every objedt: that bears 
 any refemblance of it, as the fun and the moon, 
 who are God’s two aweful witneffes, who will tef- 
 tify againft them, if they contemn or negledt 
 that worffiip, which has been enjoined them. Af¬ 
 ter this, he exhorts them to afk pardon and for- 
 givenefs of God, if, in their daily ufe of fire, 
 they ftiould by accident, let fall the leaft drop of 
 water into it; or, by any inattention, careleflnefs, 
 or otherwife, be guilty of an impure adlion with 
 regard to that element. 
 
 In fome particular parts of the Indies, the 
 faithful, who are profeffors of Magianifm, are 
 convened or aflembled together by the tinkling 
 of a little bell. But the Gaures in Perfia are no° 
 allowed to give any fuch public notices; for 
 which reafon they meet together without any ce¬ 
 remony at the ftated hours; and then, according 
 ro the cuftom obferved by the Armenians of 
 Zulpha, are convened only by five or fix ftrokes 
 cn a plank with a hammer. In their temples, in 
 Lead of a fire they have nothing but a burning 
 lamp. Although during divine fervice thefe de¬ 
 votees have their mouths and fome part of their 
 faces covered, they mud keep, notwithstanding, 
 at an aweful diftance from their confecrated fires : 
 But as to the priefts, they may approach them in 
 
 3 6 7 
 
 fuch a manner as to be able to officiate, without 
 the leaft inconvenience to themfelves, or pro¬ 
 fanation of the fire. 
 
 The little twigs or Twitches which we have al¬ 
 ready mentioned, are looked upon as an eflential 
 branch of the rites and ceremonies obferved in 
 their religious worffiip. Thefe rods are cut off 
 with abundance of formality from one particular 
 tree, which the Perfians call a Hawm, and very 
 much refembles the Tamarifk. If no fuch tree 
 however can be found, they have immediate re- 
 courfe to the pomgranate-tree. The knife made 
 ufe of on this occafion muft firft be fandtified by 
 a very careful ablution, and by feveral prayers 
 pronounced in a low voice to the praife and 
 glory of God, and of the facred fire. Thefe 
 rods or twigs are depofited in a cafe or box made 
 for that particular purpofe ; and whenever they 
 read or pronounce any of the prayers contained 
 in their Zend ; or whenever they engage in any 
 other religious exercife whatfoever, a proper 
 quantity of thefe twigs muft be taken out, and 
 laid ready before them : for thefe facred inftru- 
 ments are as eflential to them on fuch folemn oc- 
 cafions, as to our Catholic devotees their chap¬ 
 lets, or fets of beads. The number of them, 
 however, is not fixed and determined. Some 
 prayers require thirty-five, and others but twenty- 
 tour. Five only are fufficient for an ejacu¬ 
 latory grace before their meals ; but as they are 
 of no further fervice after the prayer, they muft 
 be devoted to the flames. 
 
 Though the Perfians had a peculiar veneration 
 for the fire, yet they paid likewife fuch an ex¬ 
 traordinary refpefl: to the three other elements, 
 that fome antient hiftorians have charged them 
 with paying divine adoration to them all. This 
 accufation, however, is groundleis and unjuft. 
 All their care and circumfpetftion in former 
 times was, and ftill is, to preferve thofe pure 
 elements from the leaft ftain or pollution. They 
 look upon them as facred, the principles and 
 feeds of all things being, as they imagine, com- 
 prifed in them : and for that reafon they con- 
 ftitute diftindt confervators for each of them, 
 whofe peculiar province it is to preferve them 
 from any intermixture or profanation. This pu¬ 
 rity is the principle whereon the Gaures have 
 grounded their ceremonies with relation to the 
 dead. The water, however, is the element next 
 in repute amongft them to the fire. A fcarlet and 
 deep yellow are their favourite colour; and they 
 make choice of them before any other in every 
 thing they wear, as being, in fome meafure, em¬ 
 blems or representations of the fire. For the 
 very fame reafon likewife, a ruby, a carbuncle, 
 and a granate are much more valuable in their 
 efteem than any other precious ftones whatever. 
 Notwithftanding this peculiar regard of theirs 
 for fcarlet, &c. it is undeniably true that their 
 priefts are obliged to be dreft in white during 
 their celebration of divine fervice. 
 
 The Gaures have their guardian angels for 
 every month and day throughout the year, 
 and to them they diredl their prayers, according 
 to the forms laid down in their rituals; but in 
 fuch a manner as relates only to every ones par¬ 
 ticular functions. Here feems to be fomething 
 of a contradiflion, becaufe it has been already 
 
 taken 
 
36$ The M O D E R N R E L I 
 
 taken notice of, that they acknowledge but one 
 God. The truth is, like all other heathens 
 altho’ they acknowledge but one fupreme God, 
 yet they, at the fame time addrefs their prayers 
 to fubordinate beings, whom they confider as 
 mediators and interceffors for them. 1 his was 
 the practice with the Greeks of old, as well as 
 the Romans; and we may add, that it is the 
 practice with the Roman Catholics, othcrwife, 
 Why do they pray to faints to interceed for them 
 with God ? 
 
 New-year’s day is a grand feftival with them, 
 as well as with the people in other nations. 
 They likewife keep fix feftivals in commemora¬ 
 tion of the fix days work of creation, and each 
 of thefe lafts five days fucceflively ; and befides 
 thefe they have a great number of lucky and 
 unlucky days, being, like mod other Heathens, 1 
 very fuperftitious. Thefe Gaures likewife com¬ 
 memorate their dead once every month through¬ 
 out the year, and on fuch occafions they provide 
 an elegant entertainment, in memory of their 
 deccafed friends and relations. This monthly 
 feaft is inflituted and kept up by order of an ex- 
 prefs injunction in the ladder or liturgy of the 
 Gaures, namely, t- Remember the fouls of your 
 <c departed fathers and mothers.” 
 
 The firft day of every month is fet apart for 
 divine worfhip, and fo on, the eighth, fifteenth, 
 &c. in the lame manner as one out of leven is 
 kept by the Jews, Chriltians and Mahometans. 
 The fermons preached on thofedays confift chiefly 
 of moral precepts, and exhortations to the peo¬ 
 ple, to obferve ftridlly the rites and ceremonies 
 of their religion. In reading their prayers they 
 refemble in their tone of voice, the Jews in their 
 fynagogues, and many of their ceremonies are 
 fimilar. In finging they likewife refemble the 
 Jews, and probably this mult be owing to fome 
 of the Jews remaining among them, after the 
 reft returned to Jerufalem, and rebuilt the city 
 and temple under their captain Zerrababel. 
 
 They keep leveral ftated falls, and a fort of 
 abftinence for five days fucceflively after each 
 of them, fo that great part of their time is fpent 
 in rites and ceremonies. On all feftivals, each 
 perfon carries a part of what he eats, to the 
 temple, as an offering to the fire, and this is done 
 in order to procure a bleffing from heaven upon 
 the fruits of the earth, and fuch other things as 
 lerve them for a fubfiftance. 
 
 It is probable, they learned this cuftom from 
 the Banians, who refide near them, for it has no 
 affinity with the ceremonies of the antient Per- 
 fians. On the mornings of their feftivals, they 
 repair betimes to their fandluaries or temples, 
 which are but mean huts, and take their victuals 
 along with them. The rich diftribute fome part 
 of their plentiful ftore among the poor, and all 
 eat fociably in common together, like brothers. 
 Their devotees never fail going once every day 
 to worfhip the facred fires, in one or other of their 
 temples, and there they confefs their fins to the 
 priett, much in the fame manner, fays Dr. Hide, 
 as is pradtiled in the church of Rome. Thole 
 who live too far diftant from any of thefe places 
 fet apart for public worfhip, content themfelves 
 with performing their adls of devotion before 
 their own fires at home; and for this purpofe, 
 every Gaure carries home once in the year, a 
 
 G I O N of the GAURES. 
 
 lighted lamp from the facred fire, in the temple 
 next to where they refide, and keep it continually 
 burning. 
 
 Bodily purity is much attended to by them, 
 for in that refpedt they are as fcrupulous as the 
 Jews or Mahometans j for they refufe to eat or 
 drink with any perfon who is not of the fame re¬ 
 ligion with themfelves. Whether the Gaures are 
 ambitious or not, of making profelytes, like the 
 profeffors of moft other religions, does not ap¬ 
 pear from any of the accounts we have of them; 
 blit as no temporal advantages are to be derived 
 from this profeftion, confequently they are but 
 few in number ; and Mr. Hanway tells us, that 
 they are a poor defpifed people, who live in re¬ 
 mote parts, and are very cruelly treated by the 
 Mahometans. But notwithstanding all this po¬ 
 verty and many hardfhips which they fuffer, yet 
 they have the fame love of ambition as is pecu¬ 
 liar to other people ; for they have their high 
 prieft and all fubordinate ones, and the eledlion 
 of thefe is carried on with the fame intrigues as 
 in other countries where the emoluments are 
 worth feeking after. None, however, can be ad¬ 
 mitted to the priefthood but fons of priefts, and 
 this is one of the reafons why all their priefts are 
 obliged to marry. All their priefts wear long 
 beards from the chin, but they lhave their 
 cheeks, and if they have whifkers they cut them 
 ftiort. Their caps terminate in a point, and the 
 laps of it hang down to their neck. Their hair 
 is generally long, and they are enjoined never to 
 cut it, except when they go into mourning for a 
 deceafed relation. When they perform divine 
 fervice, the priefts hold a cloth before their 
 mouths, that the people may not fee their lips 
 move. 
 
 Their upper garment is of a reddilh colour, 
 but they are poor wretched rags, fuch as we would 
 not take up in the ftreets. It falls down from the 
 neck to the calf of the legs, and is bound round 
 their waifts with a fafh of camels hair. This 
 lafh or girdle is confecrated by the high-prieft, 
 and confidered as containing many virtues. Every 
 faithful Gaure is obliged to take care of his 
 girdle, for if he Should lofe one, he muft neither 
 eat, drink, nor deep, till he has purchafed another 
 from one of the priefts, who have always fome to 
 difpofe of. 1'hey imagine that he who lofes his 
 girdle, lofes all the bleftings inherent in it, and 
 they have a proverb, cc A man without his girdle 
 <c is without his bleffing.” They begin to wear 
 it when they are from twelve to fifteen years of 
 age, for at that age they think they can compre¬ 
 hend all the principles, and pradtife all the 
 duties of their religion. 
 
 The laity are enjoined to be very ftridt and 
 precife in their deportment, and to perform 
 the duties required of them with diligence and 
 application. Shame and fear, according to the 
 Gaures, are the bafis and foundation of all vir¬ 
 tues. They are commanded ftridtly to examine, 
 and weigh every thing they propofc to undertake, 
 and put nothing in execution till they are fully 
 convinced of its juftice and equity. They are 
 likewife obliged, when they go out in a morning, 
 to return God thanks for the creation of all thole 
 animals, of what nature or kind foever which 
 they fee in their way, but their priefts are fubjedt 
 to ftill greater aufterities. 
 
 Befides 
 
jAURIAN PRIESTS ce//jra/isfttf i/c NUPTIAL Gww?z0ru&f //// /> 'jbrt/ncqfok 
 
The MODERN RELIC 
 
 Befides the obligations they are under of being 
 perfectly acquainted with all the principles in 
 their religion, and all the rites and ceremonies 
 tifed in divine fervice, they mull abftain from 
 every fort of carnal lufts or defires, and keep 
 themfelves pure, both before God and man. 
 Thus they are not to tell lies, becaufe God is 
 truth, nor are they to be too curious, left they 
 fhould pry into things beyond their comprehen- 
 fton. They muft not touch any thing that is 
 impure and polluted, and they arc to oblige all 
 thole whom they marry, to promife that they will 
 not deviate from their religious principles ; to 
 attend conftantly on divine worfhip, to habituate 
 themfelves to the practice of patience, to be of a 
 juft, affable difpofition, and imitate as far as in 
 them lies, the perfections of the deity, who is 
 for ever merciful and gracious to the whole hu¬ 
 man race, notwithftanding their many fins, ini¬ 
 quities and ungrateful provocations. 
 
 They have likewife an ordinance of a very pe¬ 
 culiar nature, by which their high prieft is pro¬ 
 hibited from touching any fecular perfon, but 
 more efpecially one whom they reckon a Heretic, 
 or Infidel. He is obliged to wafh himfelf and 
 to put a hand to all his own neceffary affairs, 
 either as a mark of his humility and condefcen- 
 fion, or for the better prefervation of his bodily 
 purity. He is to abftain from every thing that 
 is fuperfluous, to fpend part of his revenues in 
 alms-deeds and other works of piety, and to 
 avoid all manner of extortion in collecting his 
 tithes. He muft habituate himfelf to the prac¬ 
 tice of contemplation, ftudy, and refleCt on the 
 precepts of his religion without the leaft inter- 
 mifiion, to reprove the vicious, and to ftand in 
 awe of no being, however illuftrious and potent, 
 but God himfelf. To conclude, he is under the 
 necefiity of taking care that the facred fire never 
 goes out, and to fee that no perfon offers to pro¬ 
 fane it. 
 
 As the people are extremely poor, fo they are 
 obliged to ufe many expedients, in order to fup- 
 port their priefts, who, at the beft, are but a mi¬ 
 serable, wretched fet of beings. Every devotee 
 is obliged on the twenty-fifth of April to extin- 
 guifh his lamp, and pay the prieft about the value 
 of fixpence of our money to have it re-kindled 
 from the facred altar. The fun and the confe- 
 crated fire, which the Gaures believe .to be the 
 vifible fymbols of the Divine Prefence, bear 
 fome affinity to that fire which the antient Jews 
 made ufe of on their altars, ereCted for their fa- 
 crifices, and which continued till the firft deftruc- 
 tion of the city and temple. Indeed, the facred 
 fire in the Jewifh temple, was always conftdered 
 as.an emblem of the deity, although no divine 
 honours were paid to it. 
 
 Neither the Jews of old could, nor are the 
 Gaures at prefent permitted to put any but pure 
 clean wood on thele fires. There muft be no 
 bark upon the wood, nor any defilement what¬ 
 ever. Indeed, the ftrong conformity between 
 them, may ferve to lhew that fome of the Hea¬ 
 thens, particularly in Perfia, borrowed ceremo¬ 
 nies from the Jews, which they did not under- 
 ftand. 
 
 xAt prefent their priefts are not permitted to 
 have any more than one wife, unlefs fhe proves 
 
 ION of fhe GAURES. 364 
 
 barren, and in that cafe, in order to have chil¬ 
 dren, they may take another, but not without 
 the confent of the firft. The Gaures are proud 
 and ambitious of nothing more than that of 
 having a numerous iffue, and this they call ad¬ 
 ding numbers to the faithful j for according to 
 their notions, fuch an increafe of their ftock will 
 be looked upon as meritorious at the day of 
 judgement, provided they are born in wedlock. 
 All their marriages are performed in their places 
 of public worfhip, where the prieft joins their 
 hands, prays with them, and gives them his be- 
 nediftion. It is a received notion among the 
 Gaures, that the marriage ftate is the moft ho¬ 
 nourable in the world, efpecially when they have 
 children. All their marriages are performed be¬ 
 fore the facred fire, and when the parties have 
 joined hands, the bridegroom gives the bride 
 fome fmall pieces of money, as a pledge of all 
 his temporal fubftance being hers. They are 
 ordered by their religion to marry very young, 
 and the women whom they take to be wives muft 
 be of the fame fentiments with themfelves. 
 
 The Gaures never circumcife, but wafh their 
 children, which is a kind of baptifm or cere¬ 
 mony praftifed by them for the purification of 
 the foul. The new-born infant is brought to the 
 temple, and prefented to the prieft before the 
 fun and the fire. The prieft having taken an 
 exadt account of the time when the child was 
 born, he then calculates what is to happen to 
 him in this world. As thefe impoftors muft be 
 often deceived, one would naturally imagine that 
 fuch circumftances would open the eyes of the 
 people, and lead them off from deception but 
 the great misfortune is, that where the mind is 
 once bewildered with fuperftition, all hopes of 
 reformation are loft, and even the filly tricks 
 pradtifed by artful impoftors, are confidered as 
 the quinteffence of truth. 
 
 The parents having declared the name of the 
 child, the prieft pronounces it aloud, and then 
 pours fome pure water upon a certain piece of 
 wood, called holm. In the next place he 
 fprinkles the infant with the confecrated water, 
 and prays that it may be the means of his puri¬ 
 fication. He then dips the child all over in the 
 water, which concludes the whole of the cere¬ 
 mony. 
 
 When the infant attains to feven years of age, 
 he is brought to the prieft to be confirmed, as be¬ 
 ing then qualified to be admitted into their 
 temples. The prieft afks the youth a few quef- 
 tions, fuitable to the occafion, and teaches him a 
 few prayers, which the child muft retain in his 
 memory, and repeat them, holding his mouth 
 over the facred fire, with a cloth before both it 
 and his noftrils, left his breath fhould convey any 
 fort of pollution. As foon as he has finifhed his 
 prayers, the prieft gives him fome water to drink, 
 and the rind of a pomgranate to chew in his 
 mouth, as an internal purification. To conclude, 
 he bathes him in a tub of water, and afterwards 
 binds his girdle on him ; but according to Hide, 
 the latter part of this ceremony is not performed 
 till the child arrives at years of maturity. 
 
 When a Gaure is dying, his friends fend for a 
 prieft, who, ftanding clofe by his ear, prays for 
 him, and commends his fpirit to the living God. 
 
 J A A dead 
 
37 ° The MODERN RELI 
 
 A dead corpfe defiles the perion who touches it, 
 for which real'on none of the priefts mult come 
 within ten feet of it. They never bury their dead, 
 becauic tiiey imagine it would profane and pollute 
 the earth. They have round towers eredted of 
 ftone, and thither they carry their dead on biers ; 
 within the tower is a flair cafe with deep fteps 
 made in a winding form, and when the bearers 
 are got within, the priefts i'cale the walls by the 
 help of ladders; when they have dragged the 
 corpfe gently up with ropes, they then let it (lide 
 down the flair cafe. During the firfl three days 
 after the body has been thus difpofed of, the 
 people firmly believe that the devil is on his watch 
 and feeks all opportunities to torture and torment 
 the foul, which, therefore, wings her way with ail 
 poffible fpeed towards the celeftial regions, in 
 hopes to efcape thetyranny of that malicious ene¬ 
 my of mankind, and fiend of darknefs. For this 
 reafon, the friends and relations of the decealed 
 meet together at morning, noon, and night, to 
 beg of God, in the molt ardent manner, "to par¬ 
 don, and abfolve him from all his fins. On the 
 fourth day the foul is fixed in the place appointed 
 for it, either of happinefs, or mifery, and it is 
 therefore on this fourth day, that the priefts prog- 
 nofticate the future (fate of the dcceafed. The 
 method ufed by thefe impoltors is rather fingular, 
 and different from any thing we have hitherto 
 taken notice of in our accounts of other Heathen 
 nations. 
 
 The party deceafed, being laid under the walls 
 of the fepulchfe, with his eyes turned towards 
 the heavens, the vultures are permitted to come 
 and peck at his face : the firft part they generally 
 attack is the eye,and if they feize at once upon the 
 right, the corpfe is inftantly carried to a white 
 tower, as a proof that the foul is in heaven; but, 
 on the contrary, if the vultures peck at the left 
 eye, then the body is carried to a black tower, it 
 being their opinion that the foul is in a ftate of 
 punilhment. However, they are not uniform in 
 this, for Ovington fays, that before they expofe 
 a dead carcafe to the birds of prey, they lay him 
 decently on the ground, while one of the relati¬ 
 ons goes round the village to try if he can allure a 
 dog to follow him. He does all he can to bring the 
 animal as near as poffible to the corpfe, for they 
 imagine that the nearer the dog comes, the nearer 
 the departed foul is to everlafting happinefs. But 
 if the dog cannot be tempted to approach it, then 
 it is confidered as a bad omen, and they almoft 
 defpair of his ever entering into happinefs. 
 
 When the dog has performed the tafk affigned 
 him, two priefts, Handing about ten yards diftant 
 from the body, repeat a form of prayer half an 
 hour in length, but they hum it over in fuch a 
 manner as hardly to give themfelves time to 
 breathe. During the whole of this ceremony, the 
 corpfe has a piece of paper fixed to each ear, and 
 hangs over the face about three inches below the 
 chin. As foon as the prayers are over, the corpfe 
 is carried to the place allotted for its reception, 
 and all the company follow it two and two, with 
 their hands devoutly clofed. They are enjoined 
 not to fpeak a word, becaufe their fepulchral 
 monument is a place of filence and repofe. 
 
 We cannot conclude this account of thefe ido- 
 lators, without taking notice of one fentiment 
 they embrace, which indeed is in fome meafure 
 
 TON of the G A U R E S. 
 
 ^peculiar to all the Heathen nations we have treated 
 of, namely, the immortality of the foul Strange, 
 that from one extremity of the world to the other, 
 even the moll uninlightened nations Ihould be¬ 
 lieve the doftrine of the immortality of the foul, 
 and yet many of thofe who have been brought up 
 under the joyful found of the gofpel Ihould deny 
 it. This will rife in condemnation againft them, 
 and they will be convifted at the tribunal of the 
 great Judge of all the earth, for trampling upon 
 knowledge. We are furprifed Hill more, that 
 there (hotild be none but learned men in the 
 world fo abandoned, but learning without grace, 
 and the fear of God becomes a real curfe inftead of 
 an uleful bleffing. 
 
 The above inftances of thofe who have the be¬ 
 nefit of the golpel difpenfation, will be in the 
 end a dreadful aggravation of their guilt. Our 
 Saviour laid it would be more tolerable for Sodom 
 and Gomorrah at the day of judgement, than for 
 the unbelieving Jews. And if this is to be the 
 cafe and condition of thofe Jews who lived under 
 a law of carnal ordinances, how then (hall thofe 
 efcape who trample under foot the blood of the 
 fon of God, who crucify him a frefh, and put 
 him to open fhame. How dreadful the confider- 
 ation, that men, brought up by their parents in 
 thepurity of the Chriflian doctrine, fliould attempt 
 to eftabiifh a fyftem which even an io-norant 
 Heathen would fhudder at. And yet there are 
 men of no fmall abilities, who have attempted to 
 prove that the foul of man is mortal. By fuch 
 dodlrines being believed, the hedges of morality 
 and genuine piety are broken down, and the flood¬ 
 gates of profanenefs fet open. 
 
 By this, many unthinking young perfons, who 
 otherwife might have been an honour to their 
 patents, and the comfort of their declining years, 
 have forgot the fear of God, defpiled religious 
 duties, plunged themfelves into dileafes and death, 
 and been hurried down to damnation in multitudes. 
 
 Melancholy as the fubjeft is, its importance 
 obliges us to dwell upon it; could thofe unhappy 
 materialifts of whom we have been fpeakino, be 
 brought to acknowledge their own weaknefs° and 
 their own wickednefs, there might then be fome 
 hopes of a reformation, but in the mean time we 
 may lament the fhocking condition of human 
 nature. Well might Dr. Watts fay. 
 
 Backwards witli humble fhame we look 
 On our original; 
 
 How is our nature dafli’d and broke 
 In our firft father’s fall. 
 
 To all that’s good averfe and blind, 
 
 But prone to all that’s ill ; 
 
 What dreadful darknefs vei’s our mind ! 
 
 How obftinate our will! 
 
 Thefe refleftions do not arife from anyfuggefti- 
 ons of a gloomy mind, but really from a concern 
 the author has, as far as his weak abilities will 
 permit to promote the bed interell of his fellow 
 creatures. He is not fo fanguine in his hopes, 
 as to imagine that it is in his power to Item the 
 current of infidelity, but he is fenfibly touched 
 when he finds fome men calling themfelves mi- 
 niflers of the everlafting gofpel, and at the lame 
 time attempting to overthrow deifm itfelf. This 
 they evidently do, when they tell us that there is 
 no immortality of the foul, nor a future ftate of 
 
 rewards. 
 
Of the Different R E L I < 
 
 rewards and punifhments. Thus they are worfe 
 than the moft illiterate Heathens, and even the 
 deifts laugh at them. They hate the crofs of 
 Chrift, they defpife the gofpel; fo that we may 
 apply to them what Dr. Young fays, 
 
 And is there, who the bleffed crofs wipes off, 
 As a foul blot from his difhonour’d brow ? 
 
 If angels tremble, ’tis at fuch a fight: 
 
 The wretch they quit, defponding of their charge ; 
 More {truck with grief or wonder, who can tell. 
 
 I O N S in A F R I C A. 371 
 
 Upon the whole, while we look upon the evi¬ 
 dence of the Heathens as a collateral proof of the 
 truth of our holy religion, yet we have a higher 
 authority to truft to, namely, divine wifdom itfelf. 
 Chrift laid to his difciples, “ Becaufe I live, you 
 “ fliall live alfo.” And we may venture to affirm, 
 that as he became the firft fruits of them that 
 fiept, fo our bodies fliall be raifed up at the 
 laft day, and being joined to our precious and 
 immortal fouls, lhall both together enjoy eternal 
 happinefs. 
 
 Of the Different Religions in A F R I C A. 
 
 I N antient times, this country was confidered 
 as a third part of the terreftrial globe, and it 
 may be properly called a peninfula; for were 
 it not for that fmall tradt of land running between 
 the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, it would 
 aftually be an ifland. It is remarkable that in 
 antient times there were many Chriflians here, 
 who had fair and flourifhing churches, and here 
 fome of the moft eminent Chriftian fathers refided •, 
 among thefe were Cyprian, bifliop of Carthage •, 
 Auftin, bifhop of Hippo j and Tertullian, the fa¬ 
 mous apologift. Thefe African churches con¬ 
 tinued to flourifh till about the middle of the 
 feventh century, when the Arabians, under their 
 caliphs, eftablifhed Mahometanifm in many parts, 
 fuch as Egypt, Morocco, Algiers, &c. but at pre- 
 fent, the greater number of the inhabitants are 
 idolators. But here we find it impolfible for us 
 to inform the reader, from whence thefe modern 
 idolators derive their worfhip; for it bears no 
 manner of affinity to that of eitiier the Greeks, 
 Romans, or Egyptians •, and there is io little of 
 the antient religion of the Ethiopians, Nigritians, 
 &c. preferved in it, that it would prove a very 
 difficult tafk to trace from thofe remains the idola¬ 
 try of their defendants. 
 
 Strabo has tranfmitted to us the following te¬ 
 nets and religious ceremonies of the Ethiopians. 
 “ They acknowledge, fays he, one Immortal and 
 “ Supreme Being, who is the firft caule of all 
 “ things, and believe in another god, who is im- 
 “ mortal, namelefs, and wholly unknown. They 
 “ look upon their patrons and benefaftors, and 
 « their moft illuftrious perfonages, as deities. 
 “ And they are of opinion, that kings in general 
 “ are the guardians of all the inferior orders and 
 “ degrees of men, and that particular perfons 
 <c are the protestors of their peculiar favourites. 
 ‘S There are fome perfons amongft thofe who 
 “ dwell under the torrid Zone, that are look’d 
 « upon as perfect Atheifts, becaufe they deteft 
 “ the fun, and curfe that radiant planet as often 
 « as it rifes, on account of its exceffive heat, &c.” 
 Herodotus, aflures us, that the Atlantes, who 
 are inhabitants of the Libyan defarts, curfe the 
 fun likewife, becaufe he burns them, and parches 
 up all their country. Purchas makes the antient 
 Africans pay divine adoration to the fun, and to 
 
 the fire ; and they confecrated, fays he, diver9 
 temples in honour to both, and maintained their 
 fire, in the fame manner, and with the fame care 
 and circumfpedtion, as the antient Romans •, but 
 this afiertion has no authority to lupport it. He 
 adds, that the Africans of Lybia and Numidia, 
 offered up their facrifices, and addreffed their 
 prayers to fome particular planets •, and one part 
 of the Negroes worfhipped Guighimo, that is to 
 fay, the Lord of heaven. Their Pagan fuper- 
 ftitions were afterwards improved by embracing 
 the Jewifh rites and ceremonies, which they reli- 
 gioufiy oblerved for a long time, till they were 
 converted to the Chriftian faith, from which they 
 apoftatized foon after, and funk into the vile im- 
 poftures of Mahomet. If therefore we may rely 
 on the veracity of Purchas, who has given us this 
 account, the footfteps of Judaifm, Chriftianity, 
 and Mahometanifm, are, in all probability, ftill 
 difcernable in their idolatrous worfhip. It is 
 probable, likewife, that the Hottentots, who re- 
 fide in the remoteft parts of Africa, obferve the 
 Jewilh ceremonies at this very day; for the Ger¬ 
 man hiftorian, who has given us in folio, a long 
 defcription of the Cape of Good Hope, and the 
 feveral countries inhabited by thofe people, affirms 
 it for a pofitive truth : nay, it is polfible, were 
 we inclined to produce learned quotations from 
 the Greek and Roman authors, we might be able 
 to reconcile the ideas of the antient and modern 
 Africans •, but fuch curious refearches would feem 
 fo much the more needlefs and impertinent, as it is 
 impoffible to determine, in this cafe, what would 
 be agreeable to, and hit the tafte of the reader. 
 
 fhe Religion of the Inhabitants of Nigritia, or 
 Nigeria. 
 
 This Nigritia comprehends the feveral domi¬ 
 nions of Gualata, Genehoa, Tombur, Mtlli, Soufos, 
 Madigna, and Sanfara, and the kingdoms of Se¬ 
 negal, Gambia, &c. Some of thefe Nigritians 
 embrace the Mahometan religion. Thofe of 
 Gaulata, we are informed, pay divine adoration 
 to fire •, and as for the reft, they cannot properly 
 be faid to profefs any religion at all. The in¬ 
 habitants of Senegal, and the parts adjacent, pay 
 
 their 
 
3?2 The RELIGION of the INHABITANTS of NIGRITIA, or NIGERIA. 
 
 their refpefts to the moon with loud acclama¬ 
 tions, and their religious worfhip is celebrated in 
 the hollow trunks of the molt fpacious trees, and 
 the idols who prefide in thefe temples are ho¬ 
 noured with divers oblations, which, for the ge¬ 
 nerality, confift in beans, peas, herbs, and all 
 forts of grain ; but fometimes, indeed, they fa- 
 crifice the blood of beafts. This worfhip of 
 theirs is under the direction and management of 
 a kind of priefts, who difpofe of feveral little 
 leathern purfes amongft thefe negroes, full of 
 pieces of paper, with myftic charafters drawn 
 upon them, of equal force and virtue as thofe of 
 amulets and abraxas. Thefe priefts, as we are 
 informed, contraft no alliance with the laity; 
 and they are exprefsly enjoined not to marry any 
 woman whomloever, out of the facerdotal 
 tribe. 
 
 We are informed, likewife, that thefe Negroes 
 acknowledge the unity and omnipotence of the 
 godhead and circumcife their children, when 
 they are about fix or feven years old. But all 
 the accounts we have of thefe African countries, 
 are in reality very lame and uncertain, and full 
 of contradictions. However, if we may give 
 any credit to them, the inhabitants of Nubia were 
 formerly Chriftians, and at this very day fome 
 antique footfteps may be feen there of Jefus 
 Chrift, and feveral of the faints. They baptize 
 with a hot iron; or, more properly lpeaking, 
 they make an imprefiion on fome particular part 
 of the body, with that inftrument, as an equiva¬ 
 lent to baptifm. The inhabitants of Gambia, 
 and the parts adjacent, have retained a faint and 
 imperfect knowledge of Jefus Chrift, whom they 
 call Nabe, and of whom they fay, that he was 
 the fon of Mary, and a great prophet. If it be 
 true, they are indebted to the Mahometans for 
 that idea of him. 
 
 The Negroes of Kafamanfe worfhip an idol, 
 by them called China ; and their priefts, whom 
 they call Aracani, carry it in proceflion on fome 
 certain days in the year fct apart for that folemn 
 purpofe. Their ftandard, or banner, is a kind 
 of white filk fcarf, on which are painted feveral 
 dead men’s bones, and ears of rice. After the 
 proceftion is over, they depofit the god within 
 the hollow of a tree, and there make him obla¬ 
 tions of honey, and fuch other good things as 
 they fee convenient. This idol, or god of theirs, 
 called China, is reprefented, it is faid, in the 
 form of a faggot, or bundle of flicks bound to¬ 
 gether. 
 
 The worfhip of the people of Mandigna is a 
 medley, or compofition of idolatry and Maho- 
 metanifm. Their Bexerins, who are their priefts, 
 are very much addifted- to the praftice and ftudy 
 of magic ; and the grand Bexerin, who is, as it 
 were, their fovereign pontiff, refides in the me¬ 
 tropolitan city of that kingdom ; and all the 
 priefts keep feminaries of luperftition and magi¬ 
 cal knowledge. They diftribute fome particular 
 billets amongft their pupils and the people, 
 which are, they pretend, infallible preferva- 
 tives from all manner of dangers and dil'afters. 
 Some of them are fo ignorant, or wicked, as to 
 refule afcribing the bleffings which they receive 
 to God’s goodnels : for, fay they, if he was 
 really good and gracious, he would never fuffer 
 
 I his creatures to be at fuch trouble and fatigue to 
 l attain them. 
 
 All thefe Negroes in general are polygamifts, 
 i and even part with their wives whenever they 
 think proper. They are under no manner of 
 reftriftjons in this particular, and aft without 
 , the guidance of reafon in every point relatino- 
 | thereto, but in having no converlation with a 
 | wife that is with child. The inhabitants of Sierra 
 I Leona have in all their cities or borough towns, 
 a kind of boarding-fehool or monaftery, fituate 
 at fome fmall diftance from the common dwell- 
 ing-houfes, where the young ladies that are mar¬ 
 riageable, are educated for about a year, under 
 the care and conduft of a venerable old gentle¬ 
 man, who js a perfon of rank and diftinftion, as 
 well as unfpotted charafter and reputation. At 
 the year’s end, they are releafed from their con¬ 
 finement, and permitted to appear, dreffed in 
 their beft attire, at their public ball or affembly. 
 The relations of the young ladies likewife ac¬ 
 company them to this matrimonial market, where 
 there are always a crowd of young gentlemen 
 prefent, to enquire into their character, and lur- 
 vey them, whilft they are dancing to their 
 Moorifh mufic. After they have taken the ne- 
 ceffary precautions, they make choice of fuch as 
 they fancy moft, and pay not only a valuable 
 confideration to their parents for them, but gra¬ 
 tify their old fuperintendant for his extraordinary 
 care and expence in their education. 
 
 The Negroes of Senegal and the Jaloffes, ac¬ 
 company their dead to the grave with the beat of 
 drum, at the head of their funeral train ; and 
 all the relations, both men and women, follow 
 the corpfe. When they inter their dead, they 
 bury with them all the implements and utenfils 
 they made ufe of when living, and afterwards 
 dole their graves, and ereft a kind of monument 
 over them. The materials of the houfe, in which 
 the deceafed refided, is, for the generality, de¬ 
 voted to this particular fervice, and a white flag, 
 or ftandard, in cafe he was a warrior, is always 
 let upon the top of his monument. Thefe 
 Negroes entertain a notion with refpeft to fuch 
 as are proteffed drummers, which is very re¬ 
 markable. They imagine, that the ground 
 where they are interred immediately lofes its 
 native virtue, and becomes barren ; and that if 
 they fhould throw them into a river, or the fea, 
 the very fifli would be infefted, and rendered in¬ 
 capable of fpawning. In order to prevent fuch 
 fatal inconveniencies, if we may rely on the ve¬ 
 racity of Dapper, they bury them in the hollow 
 trunks of their largeft trees. 
 
 Thefe funeral rites and folemnities naturally 
 lead us to the notions which thefe negroes enter¬ 
 tain, with refpeft to their ferpents. As they 
 are fully perluaded, that their friends and rela¬ 
 tions are metamorphofed into thefe reptiles 
 after their deceafe, they cannot be induced by 
 any means whatever, to injure, or kill any one of 
 them, though never fo dangerous and deftruc- 
 tive : They firmly believe, that fome perfon or 
 another in their neighbourhood, would infallibly 
 die upon the fpot, where fuch animal fhould lofe 
 its life. Several of the negroes have the art of 
 charming thefe venemous reptiles, and will ven¬ 
 ture to handle and play with them without any 
 
 manner 
 
The RELIGION of the INHABITANTS of the COAST of GUINEA. 373 
 
 manner of fear or reluctance. Thefe magicians, 
 likewife, can, by their facinations, heal fuch per- 
 fons as have had the misfortune to be danger- 
 oufly wounded by them. In Ihort, they charm 
 their very horfes, imagining that by virtue there¬ 
 of, they fhall run no manner of rifque in riding 
 them, and that in war they will deliver them out 
 of the hands of their enemies. The ancients 
 afcribed much the fame virtue to the Pl'ylles, 
 who refided in thofe parts now called Barca : 
 but notwithftanding this pretended conformity, 
 and the vouchers which our hiftorians produce of 
 fpells or charms for foothing thefe reptiles, and 
 rendering the malignity of their poifon ineffec¬ 
 tual, it is very probable that the furprifing in¬ 
 fluences of fuch facinations, may be reduced to 
 fome fecrets in nature, to which at prefent we are 
 perfedt ftrangers. 
 
 The natives of Gambia bury their dead, with, 
 all their gold and valuable treafures, and he who 
 has the richeft grave, is, in their opinion, the 
 happieft man. When the king of Guinella dies, 
 twelve officers, drefled in party-coloured robes, 
 proclaim, by found of proper inflruments, his 
 majefty’s deceafe to all the people ; whereupon 
 they all furround the corpfe, robed in white, and 
 proceed immediately to the ele&ion of a new 
 fovereign. They bathe or waffi the deceafed all 
 over; then take out his bowels, and burn them 
 in the prefence of the god of their country, but 
 preferve his affies however, and embalm his 
 body. About a month afterwards, they folem- 
 nize the pompous funeral, and bring perfumes 
 from all parts for the purification of the corpfe. 
 Six perfons, drefled in white filk robes, carry him 
 to the grave; and during the proceffion there is 
 a melancholy concert of Moorifli mufic, both 
 vocal and inftrumental. The whole train of at¬ 
 tendants, except fuch as are princes of the blood, 
 walk on foot, and they indeed are mounted on 
 horleback, drefled all in white, which is the ulual 
 mourning with them, as well as the Chinefe. 
 
 All his wives, mod faithful friends and domef- 
 tics, and even his favourite horfe, are facrificed 
 at the grave, in order to attend him to the other 
 world. We have no fuch inftances of loyalty 
 amongft us : neither is it to be fuppofed, that 
 their fubjedts are fanguine rivals in this cafe, and 
 make all the intereft they poffibly can, to procure 
 the honour of attending his majefty in this folemn 
 expedition ; for many of them take care to ab- 
 fcond, when they find his majefty’s death ap¬ 
 proaching. Our accounts add, moreover, that 
 thefe his unhappy companions are treated with 
 uncommon barbarity, even before they are facri¬ 
 ficed. But be that as it will, thefe favage Moors 
 are not half fo heroic and intrepid, as our antient 
 Gauls and Germans were, who never fwerved 
 from their loyalty, nor ftarted at the apprehenflons 
 of attending their fovcreigns to Vahalla ■, that is, 
 to the other world. The latter, on the contrary, 
 were fo concerned, left they fhould not arrive 
 loon enough at thofe regions of blifs, where they 
 might caroufe and indulge themfelves without 
 any of the anxious cares that pall the enjoyments 
 of this life, that their grandees took care to ride 
 poft thither; and for that realon their horfes were 
 killed afterwards, and buried with their mafters. 
 Is it not very furprifing, that Chriftianity, which 
 gives us fuch a delightful profpedt of a future 
 
 ftate, fhould not be able to wean us from our 
 violent, or at leaft, too fond hankering after the 
 prefent ? Can fo pure and holy a religion pro* 
 duce effedts, fo inconfiftent with the fcope and 
 defign of our wife legiflator ? From whence can 
 it poffibly proceed ? It mu ft doubtlefs arife from 
 this, that Chriftianity promifes nothing but fpiri- 
 tual advantages ; and promifes of that nature 
 have not power fufficient to influence even the 
 teachers and propagators of them. For, in ge¬ 
 neral, they are Ihocked at the apprehenflons of 
 death as much as any other perfons, and in all 
 probability more. It is poffible, they may be 
 more fenflble than others of the intricacies that 
 attend religious maxims. 
 
 The natives of Beni and Soufos, add to their 
 hideous outcries and lamentations fundry pre- 
 fents, which, when they go to a funeral, they 
 carry with them, and divide into three parts or 
 ft)ares ; one whereof is appropriated to the king's 
 fervice, another to the relations of the deceafed, 
 and the third to the party deceafed himfelf, with 
 whom it is buried. For the generality, they 
 eredt a hut on this occafion, at fome fmall dif- 
 tance from the grave, in which the relations of 
 the deceafed meet together, in order to afk him 
 what troubles and forrows he meets with in the 
 other world, and to offer up their fincere and 
 hearty prayers to Almighty God to releafe him 
 from all his afflictions. As to the kings and 
 grandees of their country, they take care to bury 
 them with all the lecrecy and precaution ima¬ 
 ginable, and frequently conceal them even in the 
 bofom of their deepeft rivers, that no perfon 
 whofoever fhall be able to extradt, or run away 
 with, the immenfc treafures which are buried with 
 them. 
 
 They bury the kings of Sierra-Leona in the 
 high-roads ; becaufe fuch as in their life-time 
 have adted in a public capacity, and been pof- 
 feffed of the moft: important pofts, ought, ac¬ 
 cording to the notions of thefe Negroes, to ap¬ 
 pear in public likewife, in fome nieafure after 
 their deceafe. 
 
 The Religion of the Inhabitants of the Coaft of 
 Guinea. 
 
 The Have trade carried on in Guinea, has gi¬ 
 ven Europeans many opportunities of making 
 themfelves well acquainted with the inhabitants. 
 Happy, had our merchants been as affiduous to 
 promote the knowledge of Chriftianity, and the 
 eternal happineis of immortal fouls, as they have 
 been to procure riches, by means that no man 
 can juftify. This melancholy fubjedt has been 
 confidered in a proper point of view, by Mr. 
 Granvile Sharp, a gentleman, as much diftin- 
 guiffied for his learning, as for the moft un- 
 blemifhed charadter, univerfal benevolence, and 
 unaffedted piety. He confiders it in a light 
 which no- one ever did before, namely, that as 
 Jerufalem was deftroyed by the Babylonians for 
 their oppreflions of the poor, fo the continuing 
 of the Have trade, and even encouraging it, will 
 bring down the Divine judgements upon finful 
 nations. In vain do they pretend that thefe peo¬ 
 ple are ufed as well in the Weft-Indies as at 
 5 B home. 
 
374 The RELIGION of the INHABIT 
 
 home. This has nothing to do with the argu¬ 
 ment, for we mud infift that no mortal has a 
 right to deprive his fellow creatures ofliberty, ex¬ 
 cept for crimes. But are thefe poor Africans, 
 when brought to the Welt-Indies, indrudted in 
 religion ? No, it is indudrioufly concealed from 
 them. Nay, it is not long fince they were 
 bought and fold in England, like beads of bur¬ 
 den. No encomiums can be too great on Mr. 
 Sharp, who brought the matter to the fountain¬ 
 head of the law, and obtained a folemn judge¬ 
 ment, that no Have can live in England; that 
 every foreigner, whether an African, or from 
 any other part of the world, is free the moment 
 he fets his foot on fhore in this country. We 
 with pleafure may add further, that the court of 
 fellion in Scotland, has lately given judgement 
 to the fame import as in England. 
 
 We thought thefe things necelfary to be pre- 
 mifed, in order to make the reader the better 
 acquainted with thefe people, and their religi¬ 
 ous fentiments ; for l'orne of them obferve 
 the ceremony of circumcifion, without afligning 
 any manner of real'on for their condudt, which, 
 perhaps, may be grounded on mere neceffity. 
 But fhould fome certain cudoms be added to it, 
 which are in vogue with their neighbours ; fuch 
 as prefenting the choiced of their fruits to a par¬ 
 ticular god, called Belly, and to the fouls of 
 their relations ; refraining from eating beef or 
 veal, or any kind of fhell-fifh, we may vifibly 
 difcern the foot-deps of Judaifm, and the Pa- 
 ganifm of the antient Egyptians. This hint, 
 we prefume, is fufficient for fuch to draw con- 
 clufions from, as are fond of reconciling the mod 
 didant conjectures. 
 
 Purchas has collected abundance of curious 
 obfervations, relating to the religion of thefe 
 people, and their rites and ceremonies. Not- 
 withdanding they have no books, no fcriptures, 
 nor even any civil laws for their political govern¬ 
 ment, yet it is certain, they are not deditute ' 
 of all religion. They dedicate, and let apart 
 Tuefday for the worfhip of their Fetiches, as we 
 do Sunday to the l'ervice of God. This day of 
 red is very driCtly obferved in the exercife of 
 dancing, &c. and this is likewife their day ap¬ 
 pointed for the circumcifion of their children. 
 There is one of their Fetiches, it feems, whom 1 
 they acknowledge fuperior to all the red. When j 
 any one afks them what notion they entertain of ; 
 the Deity, they anlwer, that he is black, like I 
 themfelves; and that, indead of being their ! 
 bountiful benefaCtor, he aCts like a tyrant and an ; 
 oppreffor. To this our hidorian replied, in the 
 language of a miflionary, that God is white like ; 
 us, is good and gracious, and has done great and 
 marvellous things for us; that he defcended from 
 heaven to earth for our fakes, and was crucified 
 by the Jews for our falvation; that after the dif- 
 folution of thefe our earthly tabernacles, our fouls 
 fhall take their flight to the celeftial regions ; 
 but all this leemed meer cant and jargon to thefe 
 Negroes, who chiefly oppofed the Divine Provi¬ 
 dence, alledging, that they were no ways in¬ 
 debted to the deity, but to the earth, the waters, 
 the planets, &c. for the many bleflings they en¬ 
 joyed ; and it is no wonder at all to hear them 
 talk in this drain. If we will but give ourlelves 
 the lead time to refleCt, we may eafily difcern the 
 
 ANTS of the COAST of GUINEA. 
 
 I weaknels and infufllciency of fuch arguments 
 | with the Negroes; efpecialiy the abfurdity of in- 
 fiding on the whitenels of the God of die Chrif- 
 tians, in oppofition to their black deity. Could 
 no better way be found out to confute the 
 I Negroes, than by recommending a God to them 
 of another colour from their own ? 
 
 The Fetiches are the particular deities of the 
 Negroes ; and every one has a different fort, ac¬ 
 cording to the direction of their Mafoucki, that 
 is, according to Ovington, who is an hidorian 
 of veracity, the prieds of Guinea. They afcribe 
 their good fortune, and happy deliverance out 
 of all evils, to thefe Fetiches ; and were they not 
 fo illiterate as they are, one would be apt to 
 imagine, that they had copied the Talifmans of 
 the Eadern nations, which, by virtue of their 
 charaCleriflics, had an influence over the works 
 of nature, and could prevent an impending derm 
 of rain or hail, that hung over their heads, or 
 any other event that they forefaw pernicious to 
 them. But in ail probability, their Fetiches are 
 much the fame as the Manitous of the Northern 
 Americans, which bear a very near aflinity to 
 the Genii of the antients, particularly the Fauns 
 and Sylvans. Thele Negroes pay them all the 
 tedimonies of the profounded refpeCt and vene¬ 
 ration imaginable; and a glafs of palm-wine is 
 poured out to their honour, and has the prece¬ 
 dency in all their public entertainments. 
 
 There are fome particular birds, as alfo the 
 fword-fifh, which they look upon as Fetiches; 
 and their trees likewife bear the fame venerable 
 denomination ; and fome of them are accounted 
 the guardians of their hills and mountains. They 
 perform their lacrifices at the foot of thefe trees, 
 and they are fully perfuaded, that fhould any 
 one prefume to lop off one of their branches, he 
 would be the immediate caufe of the total de- 
 druCtion of all their fruits. Whenever they con- 
 fult thefe trees, as oracles, they tell us the 
 Fetiche, or the devil, perhaps, aflumes the 
 fhape of a black dog. Sometimes he does not 
 condefcend fo far as to make his perfonal appear¬ 
 ance, but delivers his anlwer invifible to human 
 fight. The high mountains that have been 
 druck with thunder, and fuch hills as are ex- 
 pofed to the fame fate, are looked upon as the 
 habitations of fome of the Fetiches. The Blacks 
 never prefume to approach them without fome 
 oblation in their hands; and they fprinkle palm- 
 wine, and drew millet, and divers other grains 
 all round about them. 
 
 There are fome particular dones likewife, like 
 our land-marks, which are reckoned amongd 
 the number of Fetiches; and as they are made 
 ufe of for that very purpofe too, there is a great 
 refemblance, in our opinion, between them and 
 the god Terminus, or the Terminal-Stone of 
 the Romans. But fome carping critic, perhaps, 
 may dart an objection here, and afk, why we 
 fhould not rather compare them to thofe (tones 
 which they eredted on their high roads for the 
 direction of travellers? but, be that as it will, 
 they place Fetiches before their doors, and thefe 
 titular deities are made in the form of grapples, 
 or hooks, which we generally make ufe of to 
 fhake our fruit-trees. The Negro prieds fiiden 
 thefe to the done Fetiches beforementioned, 
 which they tell us are as antient as the world it- 
 
 felf. 
 
The RELIGION of the INHABITANTS of the COAST of GUINEA 
 
 felf, and afterwards difpofe of them to the people, 
 at the belt price they can get, for the preferva- 
 tion of their houfes. Thus much for their larger 
 I-'etiches ; but they have feveral befides of a 
 fmaller fize, which they carry about them, con¬ 
 fiding of bawbles of little or no value, and which 
 the priefts fell to the Blacks after a formal con- 
 fecration of them in their way. Thefe they wear 
 fbmetimes about their necks, and fometimes un¬ 
 der their arm-pits ; and thefe they pray to con- 
 llantly night and morning; to thefe they prefent 
 the choice!! morfels of every thing they eat; and 
 drefs them, in (liort, in the gaieft attire they can 
 pofiibly procure. 
 
 On that day which anfwers to our Sunday, the 
 Blacks aflemble themfelves together in a fpa- 
 cious lquare, in the center whereof is a I'acred 
 tree, called the tree of the Fetiche. At the foot 
 thereof they fet a table, which is embellifhed 
 below with boughs, wreathed in the form of 
 crowns. The table is covered with palm-wine, 
 rice, millet, &c. in order to drink and eat after 
 their fervice is over, in honour of their Fetiches. 
 The whole day is fpent in dancing and capering 
 round the tree of the Fetiche, and in Tinging 
 and drumming upon divers inftruments of brafs. 
 The pried frequently fits near the center of the 
 place before a kind of altar, on which he offers 
 up Tome facrifices to the Fetiches; and fome men, 
 women, and children fit promifeuoufly round the 
 celebrant, who reads or pronounces a kind of 
 homily to them. At the conclufion, he takes a 
 •\vhifp of draw, twided hard, which he dips into 
 a pot full of fome particular liquor, in which 
 there is a ferpent. He either befmears, or 
 fprinkles the children with this holy water, mum¬ 
 bling over them a certain form of words, and he 
 obferves the fame ceremony with refpefl: to the 
 altar, and afterwards empties the pot; and then 
 his adidants dole the fervice with fome inarti¬ 
 culate, unintelligible founds, loud acclamations, 
 and clapping of hands. On this folemn day they 
 wadi their faces and bodies with more care and 
 pains than on any other; for they praftife ablu¬ 
 tions. d hey wafli themfelves every morninn, 
 and afterwards draw white lines upon their faces, 
 with a piece of earth, like chalk, or lime, as 
 afls of devotion, perlormed in honour of the 
 Fetiche. The pried, attended by two women, 
 frequently repairs to the tree of the Fetiche, in 
 order to accomplifh his magical incantations ; 
 at the foot whereof there appears, as we are in¬ 
 formed, a black dog, who anfwers all his inter¬ 
 rogatories. 
 
 This is the nature of their oracles, and if, for 
 indance, the king is divelfed of his prerogative, 
 or defrauded in his cudoms, he has recourfe to 
 the tree, which he looks upon as his Fetiche, 
 and he prefents it with fomething to eat and 
 drink, as a kind of oblation. The prieds ap¬ 
 proach the tree afterwards, in order to intreat it 
 in the mod folemn manner, to refolve their 
 queries. In order to fucceed in thefe important 
 enquiries, they ereft a lmall pyramid of allies, 
 in which they plant a bough of the tree ; after 
 that, they take a pot full of water, drink a 
 draught of it, and then fprinkle the bough. 
 This ceremony is attended with a certain form 
 of words, mumbled over amongd themfelves. 
 
 which, in all probability, are very myderious. 
 Having proceeded thus far, they fprinkle the 
 bough a fecond time, and befmear their faces 
 with fome of the aforefaid allies, and foon afeer 
 this, as they allure us, the Fetiche, or the devil, 
 delivers his final anlwer. 
 
 Villault de Bellefond has given us a deferip- 
 tion of another facrifice of thefe Blacks, dedi¬ 
 cated to one of thofe evil, or mifehievous Fe¬ 
 tiches, which we have already mentioned. I law, 
 fays he, a man and a woman at the door of a 
 certain houfe in one of their cantons, or pro¬ 
 vinces, who had killed a chicken, and were 
 draining its blood upon fome leaves, which they 
 had ftrewed upon the ground; and when the 
 blood would drop no longer, they cut it all in 
 pieces, looked wilhfully at the leaves, and turn¬ 
 ing one toward the ocher, killing their hands, 
 cried out, “ Mecufa, Mccufit, Mecufa ; Be pro¬ 
 pitious to us, be propitious to us.’’ I would not 
 interrupt them during the ceremony; but after 
 all was over, I begged they would inform me of 
 what they had been doing. The Fetiche, they 
 faid,_of that diftria, had moll forely beaten and 
 abided them, and that therefore they had been 
 providing fome vidtuals for him, in order to ap- 
 peale his vengeance. Tills f etiche was nothing 
 but a tile, wound round about with Itraw. I 
 broke the tile, and planted a crucifix in the room 
 of it. The author of this narrative ferved all 
 the Fetiches in the fame difrefpeaful manner, and 
 lubftituted erodes in their room, after he had 
 convinced the Blacks, that a chicken fo facrificed, 
 was not food for any mortal, as they vainly ima¬ 
 gined. He exhorted them, likewife, if ever this 
 fetiche lliould attempt to moleft them ao-ain, to 
 take iome little crucifixes, and kifs them, and 
 then make the fign ot the crofs; and many of them 
 liltened to his wholefome admonitions, and ex¬ 
 changed their Fetiches for erodes. 
 
 Our zealous traveller refolved to pulh the re¬ 
 formation he had thus happily begun, Hill fur- 
 ther. I got a guide, fays he, to conduit me to 
 their Fetiche major, which was ereited on the 
 plain, and let apart for the celebration of their 
 lacrmces. This idol was a large done covered 
 with earth, which I firft cleared off, and then 
 broke above five hundred hooks or grapples 
 which were about it; after this, I applied my- 
 iclf to one of their priefts, and alked him whe¬ 
 ther he had any Fetiches to difpofe of. He re- 
 phed, that I had one, meaning one of the afore- 
 iaKi hooks which I had taken away, and that he 
 expefted to be paid for it. I prevailed on him to 
 go with me to the before-mentioned Fetiche ma¬ 
 jor ; and when he perceived that I broke it down 
 he immediately affembled all his fellow priefts 
 together, and informed them of what I had done; 
 who unammoufiy cried out, that it was the 
 greacelt miracle in the world that I was not ftruclc 
 dead upon the fpor. In order to make you am¬ 
 ple reftitucion, faid 1, I plant here this crofs ; and 
 il any one of you prefumes to touch or approach 
 it, unlefs with aweful reverence, and on your 
 bended knees, he fnall die that very moment. 
 They ran back howling to their refpedtive apart¬ 
 ments, in the iitmol diforder and confufion It 
 muft be fuppofed, that this zealous reformer 
 added more inftructions to his outward perform- 
 
 ance. 
 
37 6 The RELIGION of the INHABITANTS of the COAST of GUINEA. 
 
 ance, without which, the Blacks would have 
 added profanation to idolatry, and looked upon 
 erodes as more formidable Fetiches than their 
 own. What other idea could thefe ignorant and 
 idolatrous people entertain of two pieces of 
 wood, the innate virtues whereof are perfedlly un¬ 
 known to all the world, but Papifts. 
 
 Their priefbs follow no manner of employment, 
 but are entirely maintained and fupported by 
 their Lay-blacks, who are as benevolent and 
 liberal to them as poffibly they can, in order to 
 ingratiate themfelves into their favour, and be 
 remembered by them in their prayers. In return 
 for their civility, they fell thefe Blacks fuch 
 Fetiches as they have bleft, or confecrated, by a 
 folemn touch of the tree of the Fetiche. The 
 drefs of thefe priefts, according to the deferip- 
 tion given of it by Villault de Bellefond, very 
 much refembles a coat of armour, made of ferge, 
 or coarfe linen. They wear a fcarfe round their 
 waifte, embellifbed with little parched bones of 
 chickens, which, fays he, bear a very near affinity 
 to the little fhells, or trinkets of the pilgrims of 
 St. Michael. The other parts of their body are 
 entirely naked, and they wear garters about their 
 legs, made of the bark of the tree of the 
 Fetiche. 
 
 As to their ceremony of taking a folemn oath, 
 we fhall give you an account of it in the words of 
 the author before quoted, who was an eye-witnefs 
 of the folemijity. A Moor, that had been taken 
 in cuftody, on fufpicion of theft, was brought 
 before the Mooriffi general, in order to take his 
 folemn oath, and eat up, as they call it, hisFetiche. 
 
 I had a great inclination, fays he, to fee this ce¬ 
 remony ; and in the firlt place I obferved that a 
 Have brought in a large bunch of thorns and 
 briars in a balket. Thefe prickles were covered 
 with leather, and in the middle of them was a 
 fmall quantity of tallow, wax, feathers of parrots, 
 bones of boiled chickens, the feathers of their 
 own country bird, called the Fetiche, &c. all 
 which mixed up together, compofe a Fetiche, 
 which they are obliged to eat; and if they do 
 not burft, they are difmiffed and looked upon as 
 falfly accufed. One of their priefts, who was 
 then prefent, declared he had made it the ftrongeft 
 he poffibly could, and told the Moor, that if he 
 proved perjured, he would die the moment he 
 fwallowed down his Fetiche. The oath confifts 
 likewife in drinking a draught of a particular 
 liquor, extrafred from feveral drugs and herbs, 
 which are an effiential part of the Fetiche. They 
 have alfo another ceremony, which is fometimes 
 pradtifed for the atteftation of a truth ; and con- 
 fids in dafhing their foreheads againft the feet, 
 bread, and arms of the perfon who demands fa- 
 tisfadlion, pronouncing withal a particular form 
 of words three times lucceffively; and clapping 
 their hands, damping with their feet upon the 
 grouhd, and in fine, leaving their Fetiches upon 
 the very fpot. 
 
 When the Negroes of Cabo de Monte enter 
 into any treaty, they cut the throats of feveral 
 hens, or chickens, drink up part of the blood of 
 them, and prefent the cup to the other party ; af¬ 
 terwards they order the fowls to be drelfed, with 
 which they regale themlelves and their new allies. 
 To complete and cement this happy union, 
 they fliare the bones, which are carefully pre- 
 
 ferved on both Tides, as a memorial of their con¬ 
 tract ; and when at any time a rupture happens 
 on either fide, they who are aggrieved, fend their 
 bones to the others, to intimate, that they have 
 forfeited their honour, by a ffiameful negledt of 
 their engagements. 
 
 When the Negroes, who live between Cabo 
 Pormofo and Ambofine, take an oath, in order 
 to acquit themfelves from any fcandalous impu¬ 
 tation, they cut or fcarify one of their arms, and 
 afterwards fuck the blood out of the wound. In 
 order to procure fuccefs in their fifhing, and in¬ 
 gratiate themfelves into the favour and affedlion 
 of their Fetiche, they throw rice, millet, and 
 divers other grains into the fea ; and in hopes of 
 finding a plentiful ftore of gold, they allure him 
 with facrifices, which confift in Brewing divers 
 forts of eatables all round their mountains, and 
 their confecrated trees. After their feed-tune is 
 over, they burn the brambles which they find in 
 their fields, with abundance of folemnity. This 
 ceremony confifts in linging, dancing, and pour¬ 
 ing palm-wine into the fire, in honour of their 
 Fetiche ; and the anniverfary of their king’s co¬ 
 ronation is one of their moft folemn feftivals. 
 This day is called the feftival of. the Fetiches, 
 and his majefty invites all his court to a fump- 
 tuous entertainment; and they, as an acknow¬ 
 ledgement of the favour, make him feveral very 
 confiderable prelents. The feftival opens with 
 facrifices, and concludes with all manner of riot 
 and licentioufnefs. 
 
 The creation of a peer, or nobleman, is like- 
 wile another very remarkable holiday. Such 
 young gentleman, in order to difeharge himfelf 
 from his foccage, is obliged to make a prefent 
 to all the nobility in general, of a dog, a fheep, 
 and a cow; and the feftival opens with an ele¬ 
 gant collation. The populace refort in crowds 
 to the place appointed for the folemnization of 
 it; Tome either beating their drums, or jingling 
 their bells, and others armed with their javelins 
 and bucklers, having their faces and bodies be- 
 fmeared all over with yellow paint. Thither 
 likewife the peer, thus to be created, is carried 
 in ftate, feated in a kind of litter, with two flaves 
 crouching under his feet, and attended by feve¬ 
 ral young Negroes of diftindtion. A little page 
 carries a chair for him to fit on, when he is 
 obliged to fpeak upon any particular occafion ; 
 and the nobility who go thither to congratulate 
 him on his happy advancement, take a wad of 
 ftraw, and lay it under his feet, which is looked 
 upon as a teftimony of the profoundeft venera¬ 
 tion and refpedt. ' The court ladies, likewife pay 
 all due honours to the fpoufe of this new created 
 peer: as for inftancc, they drefs her to the bell 
 advantage, adorn her head with little golden 
 Fetiches, hang a gold chain about her neck, 
 prefent her with a horfe’s tail, to make ufe of as 
 a fan, which they befmear all over with white 
 paint, and throw fait into her lap. When the 
 whole afiembly are feated in the order generally 
 obferved amongft them, a cow is introduced in 
 triumph by abundance of nobility dancing and 
 Tinging in the proceffion. The beaft is after¬ 
 wards faftened to a ftake, and furrounded by a 
 multitude of Blacks, who beat their drums, and 
 play upon divers inftruments of Mooriffi mufic; 
 whilft others, more iprightly and adlive, dance, 
 

The RELIGION of the INHABITANTS of the COAST of GUINEA. 
 
 377 
 
 and divert the company with their warlike exer- 
 cifes. 
 
 The ladies likewife amttfe themfelves much 
 after the fame manner; for it is their peculiar 
 province to attend the new created peer and his 
 fpoufe to their chariot, and air them, throwing 
 flour in their faces as they go along; and in the 
 evening they conduit them home in abundance of 
 pomp and grandeur. In fhort, the feftival con¬ 
 cludes with the facrifice of the cow, which is 
 divided amongft the whole aflembly, the new- 
 created peer and his wife only excepted; for 
 Ihould they partake of the leaft (hare of it, they 
 would infallibly die at the year’s end. However, 
 they carry the head away with them, and after 
 they have painted it with fundry colours, adorn 
 it with little Fetiches, and hang it up in their 
 houfe, as a public memorial of their dignity and 
 advancement. Moreover, the Moorilh nobility 
 never fail to celebrate likewife the anniverfary of 
 their admittance. On that dav the head of the 
 cow is drefled in the mod elegant manner, and 
 expofed by every one to public view. They have 
 another feflival-day, on which the nobility, to 
 diftinguifh themfelves from the populace, paint 
 their bodies all over with white and red (breaks, 
 and hang about their necks lome little garlands, 
 wreathed with draw and a variety of greens. 
 
 Villault de Bellefond allures us, that the 
 Negroe women hang round the necks of their 
 infants, little trinkets of gold, (Irung with the 
 fhreds of the Fetiche tree, in order to fecure and 
 proteft them from all difafters. And moreover, 
 adds he, in proportion as they advance to the 
 age of four years, they twift round their legs and 
 arms feveral little fprigs wreathed circular, like 
 rings, which they purchafe of their priefts, as 
 prefervatives againft all misfortunes. Purchas, 
 on the credit of lome travellers, tells us, that 
 they drefs the bodies of their little children with 
 bandages made of bark, which they embellilh 
 with a variety of Fetiches, being firmly per- 
 luaded, that after fuch prudent precautions, the 
 devil can touch no part of them ; and belides, 
 they look upon them as highly lerviceable to fup- 
 ply their want of (Length. It is alfo a common 
 cuftom amongft them to circumcife both fexes, 
 and this ceremony is performed with abundance 
 of folemnity, when their male children are about 
 fixtecn years of age. At fuch times they make 
 bonfires, and ling and dance at the celebration of 
 this joyful feftival. But above all, the Negroes 
 take peculiar care to be furnifhed with a fufhcient 
 quantity of provifions of all forts, that the foul 
 fiend or evil lpirit, may have wherewithal to re¬ 
 gale himfelf, and not be at leilure to incommode, 
 or injure their children ; but this is doubtlefs all 
 artifice and prieflcraft. 
 
 As to their nuptial ceremonies, we (hall in the 
 firft place give an extraft from Bellefond. As 
 loon as their young men are able to get their 
 livelihood, their parents, fays he, begin to think 
 of fettling them in the world, and finding out 
 fuch wives as may be mol fuitable to their incli¬ 
 nations. If both parties approve of each other, 
 the maiden is demanded in form, and the parents 
 meet together, attended by a prieft, who pre- 
 fents them with feveral Fetiches, and makes the 
 moll: folemn proteftations before all the company 
 3- 
 
 then prefent, of love and conftancy to her in¬ 
 tended hulband; after which they reciprocally 
 join hands. The bridegroom, however, binds 
 himfelf by no farther obligations, and the whole 
 ceremony confifts in nothing more than what is 
 here mentioned. Although polygamy is in vogue 
 amongft them, the wife thus married, is looked 
 upon as the only perfon who has a legal right and 
 title to her hu(band ; and, moreover, if we may 
 credit our traveller, the hufband cannot cake 
 a fecond wife, without the free confent of the 
 firft. His fupernumerary wives are, properly 
 fpeaking, no better than concubines, and only 
 lie with him alternately, according to their 
 priority of marriage ; but his lawful wife lies 
 with him three nights fucceftively. 
 
 The young man's father gives him no manner 
 of portion; he has nothing to truft to but what 
 he earns by his own induftry and application to 
 bufinefs, and depends entirely on his own in¬ 
 genuity for the fupport of his family. The 
 young woman’s portion feldom amounts to 
 more than fix or feven crowns, or thereabouts. 
 Sometimes, indeed, there is an additional pre- 
 fent of a young (lave, to wait on the new-mar¬ 
 ried couple ; and as foon as the true and lawful 
 wife begins to grow old, the favourite concubine 
 aflumes her place. From that time, the for¬ 
 mer becomes a meer domeftic fervant, takes 
 care of the houfe only, and concerns herfelf 
 about none of her hufband’s other affairs all 
 the remainder of her days. 
 
 Adultery is punifhed by a muldt, or an amer¬ 
 ciament ; and if the wife proves unchaft, (he is 
 immediately divorced. If (he is only fufpeded, 
 (lie is obliged, in order to clear her innocence, 
 and juftify her conduit, to fwear folemnly by 
 her Fetiche, and eat a fmall quantity of lalt, or 
 drink a fmall potion of particular liquid. She 
 never prefumes, however, in cafe (he is confcious 
 of her guilt, to take fuch oath, firmly believ¬ 
 ing, that the Fetiche would relent the affront, 
 and deftroy her that very moment for her perfidy 
 and profanenefs. 
 
 As to their funeral folemnities, they wafh their 
 dead, and lay them afterwards in a kind of cof¬ 
 fin, made either of oziers, the bark of trees, 
 or bulrufhes ; and this coffin is, properly fpeak¬ 
 ing, no better than a large balket. The rela¬ 
 tions, friends, and neighbours of the deceafed 
 repair to his houfe, and there with fighs, fobs, 
 and tears, beg of him to declare the true caufe 
 of his departure. After that, they dance and 
 fing feveral doleful ditties ; then take a folemn 
 tour round his houfe, and make a hideous noife 
 with their frying-pans and kettles. During this 
 ceremony, a female friend goes a begging from 
 houfe to houfe, in behalf of the deceafed, and 
 purchafes, with the voluntary contributions fo 
 raifed, an ox, or a (heep, for the prieft, who at¬ 
 tends on this occafion, in order to oblige and 
 gratify the particular Fetiche, who is to uther 
 the deceafed into the other world. The prieft, 
 after he has facrificed the beaft, thus prelented 
 to him on the behalf of the deceafed, (beds its 
 blood in honour of all his Fetiches, which are 
 after this ranged all in order, clofe by one ano¬ 
 ther, the larged: in the center, each furnifhed 
 with his bumper, and adorned with corals, beans 
 5 C and 
 
The RELIGION of the INHABITANTS of the COAST of GUINEA. 
 
 and feathers. At the fame time, his near relations 
 kill a hen, with the blood whereof the prieft 
 fprinkles all thefe Fetiches, and his wives or rela¬ 
 tions drefs this fowl, and ferve it up to them in 
 form. Afcer this, the prieft puts on a collar, com- 
 pofed of particular herbs, and begins his magical 
 incantations, by muttering a parcel of obfcure 
 myftic terms ; then he takes fome water, or palm- 
 wine in his mouth, and fquirts it upon the Fetiches. 
 In the next place, he takes a fmall quantity of 
 thofe herbs whereof the collar is compofed, and 
 moulds them into the form of a little ball, whicli 
 he paffes and repaffes twice or thrice together 
 through his legs. During the performance of this 
 ceremony, he pays his refpeCl to the old Fetiches, 
 and after a folemn manner takes his leave of them. 
 He continues to fqueeze, and mould the refidue 
 and remainder of the herbs between his hands, and 
 after he has mixed them with the tallow and 
 greafe of the old Fetiches, throws the whole into 
 one large mafs or lump, which he dafhes againft 
 his own face, and afterwards divides it into fmall 
 parts or parcels, which he ftrings upon the bark of 
 the facred tree, and diftributes amonglt the com¬ 
 pany; the remainder of the mafs is interred with 
 the deceafed, and looked upon as the guardian 
 Fetiche, that attends him on his journey to the 
 other world. 
 
 After all thefe preliminary ceremonies, the de¬ 
 ceafed is expofed for half a day to public view, 
 having his head muffled up, and his hands fpread 
 open. Afterwards, the women convey him to the 
 grave-, the burial of the dead being their pecu¬ 
 liar province, and all his female neighbours follow 
 the corpfe, which is carried after the manner here 
 defcribed. The men never attend the funeral, 
 unlefs the party deceafed is to be conveyed to fome 
 other town for they are extremely ambitious of 
 being buried where they were born ; and in that 
 cafe, the men wait on him rank and file. As loon 
 as the corpfe is arrived at the burying-ground, 
 they make a grave for it of about four or five feet 
 deep, and there they lay him, and cover him up 
 fo dole and fo careful with wood, that not the leaft 
 dull of earth can poffibly touch him. His fa¬ 
 vourite wife throughs his Fetiches over him, lays 
 the greateft part of the implements, or tools of 
 his trade or occupation by his fide, and if there 
 was any thing befides which he had a peculiar re¬ 
 gard for, that is generally added to oblige him. 
 All things thus adjufted, the afflftants walk in pro- 
 ceffion round the grave, and with hideous lamen¬ 
 tations take their laft farewell of him, and when 
 the corpfe is depofited in the grave, the women 
 that interred him, crawl over it backwards and for¬ 
 wards ; after this, they rife, and return home, 
 where they fpend the remainder of the day in 
 drinking and other agreeable amufements. Over the 
 tomb they ereCt a little pent-houfe, and no one 
 ever offers to meddle with the provifions or pre- 
 fents which are made the dead, and laid with them 
 in their graves, except their fextons, and fuch 
 perfons as are employed in their interment, who 
 are allowed to take from thence their cuftomary 
 fees, and they furnifh their dead with a new flock 
 of provifions once a year. 
 
 When their king dies, they expofehim to pub¬ 
 lic view for leveral days together and during all 
 that time, they wait on him with the fame atten¬ 
 
 tion and refpeCl, as if he were alive: But when he 
 begins to fmell and be oflcnlive, fome of his Haves 
 convey him away, and inter him in fome fccrct 
 place, with all his Fetiches, his fire-arms and other 
 warlike trophies, and fuch provifions as they lee 
 moft convenient. Whilft thefe Haves are thus 
 privately employed in the interment of his ma- 
 jefty, the populace make it their bufinefs to mur¬ 
 der leveral women, maids, boys and Haves, to ac¬ 
 company their deceafed monarch in his journey to 
 the other world. They are cut off, however, ac¬ 
 cording to cuftom, by furprife ; that their untimely 
 death, we prefume, may feem the lels terrible and 
 Hiocking to them. The bodies of thefe his new 
 attendants are buried with him, and their heads 
 are ftuck upon poles all round his Maufoleum, 
 while two guards Hand centinels to fecure his fune¬ 
 ral properties and provifions. 
 
 They pretend to protect themfelves with their 
 Fetiches, and large brals collars as thick as their 
 arms, which they imagine are capable of charm¬ 
 ing, or warding off the blows of their enemies. 
 Every individual perfon, man, woman, or child, 
 rufn into the field of battle; for it is an eftabliflied 
 cullom among them to leave the houfe empty on 
 fuch emergent occafions. Nay, when they are ap- 
 prehenfive of bloody engagements, they fet fire 
 to all their towns, villages, and habitations, under 
 the fpecious pretence, that by fuch means they 
 fhall deprive their enemies of the advantages 
 they might reafonably expect of their proving 
 victorious, and to prevent their foldiers from think¬ 
 ing of, or longing for, home. They fell as Haves, 
 all thofe whom they take prifoners, and they eat 
 the dead bodies of their enemies whom they kill 
 in battle. All crimes, let them be of ever fo at- 
 trocious a nature, may be compounded for the pay¬ 
 ment of a fmall fine; but if the perfon cannot pay 
 that, his head is cut off and his body quartered. All 
 thefe parts of the body are given to the relations 
 of the deceafed, who boil the head, and put it up 
 near their Fetiche or idol, and the women, having 
 bathed the quarters with their tears, bury them in 
 their gardens. 
 
 Thefe people are, perhaps, funk as low into 
 idolatry as any we have yet mentioned, nor is it 
 enough to fay, they are ignorant of the true God; 
 for even with refpeCl to their own idols, they have 
 the moft unworthy notions. They aferibe to them 
 no other attributes than fuch as are even degrad¬ 
 ing to human nature, and far beneath the dignity 
 of a man. Flow can they imagine, that an inani¬ 
 mate being can fupply their wants, alleviate their 
 affli&ions, infpire them with knowledge, preferve 
 them through life, or make them happy in eter¬ 
 nity ? The moft accomplifflcd man in the world 
 muft know himfelf to be a dependent being, and 
 confequently muft look to fome luperior being, as 
 an objeCt of worfflip. But here we find men pay¬ 
 ing divine adoration to what they trample on in 
 the ftreets, what is toffed about from place to 
 place: but this is a God. 
 
 We fhall conclude this article in the words of 
 St. Cyprian, bilbop of Carthage, who was him¬ 
 felf a native of Africa, and fuffered death for the 
 gofpel. “ Idolatry is the mother of all debau¬ 
 chery, to throw a fnare not only before Chriftians, 
 but even to corrupt moral Heathens. It flatters 
 them with falfe promiles, amufes them with falfe 
 
 hopes, 
 
The RELIGION of the N A T I 
 
 hopes, and feduces them by a kind of bewitching 
 magic. The devil is the author of it, who, in 
 order to give it a more promifing appearance, joins 
 with it all fuch lewd entertainments as are agree¬ 
 able to the fenfes, but deftruCtive to the foul. 
 
 Of the Religion of the Natives of Benin, Ardra, 
 &c. 
 
 Thefe people are, perhaps, in fome things more 
 fuperflitious, more ignorant, and more barbarous 
 than any we have hitherto mentioned. It is true, 
 they acknowledge one Supreme Being, but at the 
 lame time, they worfhip many lubordinate ones. 
 Nay, it is even aflerted, that they worfhip the devil, 
 but this we imagine, is nothing more than what is 
 common to thole Heathen nations, where it is be¬ 
 lieved there are two principles, one good and one 
 evil. This notion feems to have taken its rife 
 from the confideration of virtue and vice in the 
 world. This induced fome Epicurean, or rather 
 Atheiftical philofophers to fet up two gods, the 
 one in opposition to the other •, and we are forry 
 to find that too much of this prevails even among 
 thofe who bear the name of Chriflians. Thefe 
 confiderations naturally bind us to draw a veil 
 over the weaknefs of thefe people, and to pity 
 their ignorance, becaufe they have not an oppor¬ 
 tunity of being better acquainted with what re¬ 
 lates to their eternal happinels. 
 
 All of thefe people have their Fetiches, and a 
 prieft, who is a fort of a father confeffor, and who, 
 at all rimes, undertakes to give them advice con¬ 
 cerning any thing of a doubtful nature, which 
 he does by confulting their oracle. 
 
 To carry on the deception as much as poflible, 
 the priefts pretend that their idols, or Fetiches, 
 fpeak to them audibly, and for that purpofe they 
 have a pipe fixed to the idol, and to it they apply 
 their ear, after they have offered up facrifices. 
 They have fome feint idea of the day of judge¬ 
 ment, and they imagine that the fouls of the de- 
 ceafed take cognizance of every thing here below, 
 and for that reafon they offer up to them their 
 moft folemn vows, prayers, and oblations. 
 
 Whenever they purfue the chace, or engage in 
 any undertaking whatever, they take particular 
 care to make fome fort of oblation to the fouls of 
 their deceafed relations. They hkewife make 
 fumptuous entertainments in honour of the dead, 
 efpecially of their neareft and deareft kindred, who 
 are the proteflors, in their opinion, of their fami¬ 
 lies ; for to fpeak in their own language, every 
 foul is the guardian of its own relations, and it is 
 for that reafon that their kings never enter upon 
 any projects till they have firlt invoked the fouls 
 of their anceffors. 
 
 They imagine that thefe fouls or fpirits, gene¬ 
 rally relide in the woods, and fuch as are alftidted 
 either in body or mind, refort to thofe lolitary re¬ 
 treats, and there moft humbly implore their aid 
 and aftlftance. As for temples or chapels, or in¬ 
 deed any ftrudtures for public worfhip they have 
 none. All jiheir public meetings for worfhip are 
 in the woods next adjoining to their huts, and 
 there they offer up their facrifices, and make their 
 oblations to the fpirits of the deceafed. 
 
 All thefe Heathens pradtife the rite of circum- 
 cifion, and indeed it feems to be univerfal through- 
 
 V E S of B E N I N, A R D R A, &c. 219 
 out Africa, but they have no fixed time for per¬ 
 forming the ceremony. Some does it while they 
 are infants, and others not till they are getting 
 towards years of maturity. Every family has its 
 own particular Fetiche or idol, and their priefts 
 attend them as often as they think proper. When 
 a Negro is fallen fkk, he fends for his prieft, who 
 is called the Fetiffero, who offers up fome facri¬ 
 fices in his behalf, fprinkles the Fetiche belonging 
 to the family with the blood of the vidtum. In 
 general, their facrifices are offered up once every 
 Fix months, and on l'uch occafions, the priefts, who 
 are the moft arrant impoftors in the world, pre¬ 
 tend to make the people believe that the idol fpeaks 
 to them, and gives them a gracious anfwer. As 
 for the dead, they are of opinion chat none but thofe 
 who die in battle will ever be raifed again, and 
 this notion is inculcated in order to make the men 
 regardlefs of danger, and llrangers to fear. 
 
 The natives of Biafara offer up all they have, 
 even their moft darling infants, to the devil •, and 
 they are extremely add idled to the ftudy and prac¬ 
 tice of the black art, and all magical incantations ; 
 flattering themfelves, that by thofe myfterious 
 operations they can influence the elements, and all 
 the produdts of nature. When we talk here of 
 the devil, we do not mean that evil lpirit, which 
 our Chriftian divines treat of-, but a thing, a be¬ 
 ing, a lpirit only, which we are at alofs to define, 
 or give any adequate idea of-, hut in ail probabi¬ 
 lity it may be the foie chjedt of fome people’s 
 worfhip, and frequently is no more than a chimera 
 of their priefts invention, or a firing impulfe, or 
 delufion of their own diftempered imagination. 
 
 We Hial 1 here amufe our readers with one par¬ 
 ticular cuftom, which is as idle as it is extrava¬ 
 gant j and in all probability, extremely painful. 
 
 1 he natives of Rio-Real, and the parts adjacent, 
 as alfo the Negroes of Ardra, decline the cere¬ 
 mony of circumcifion with refpedl to their females, 
 as well as feveral others amongft the Africans, 
 but have fubftituted another in the room of it, 
 which is much more incommodious and uneafy. 
 About the time that their daughters arrive at the 
 age of matrimony, they lodge a fmall wooden 
 inllrument, plentifully ilored with emmets, within 
 their pudenda, which they frequently fhift, left in 
 time thofe little infedts fhould lofe their innate 
 quality, and not be able to fling with that pun¬ 
 gency as required. This fevere kind of proba¬ 
 tion continues near three months, nor is left off 
 till they have qualified them for the marriage-bed. 
 As to the myfterious circumcifion of the Negro 
 women, we lhaU treat of it hereafter in another 
 paragraph. 
 
 The Negroes of Cabo de Monto, and the parts 
 adjacent, have nothing very remarkable in their 
 nuptial ceremonies, except that the prefents which 
 a young lover makes to his miftrels, are looked 
 upon as an earned, and give him a kind of righc 
 and title to her. For inftance, if a virgin is too 
 young, and not altogether marriageable, her lover 
 may retain her by proper prefents. It he has none 
 to give her, he may work for her, build her a hut, 
 and manure her ground for her. In cafe his mif- 
 trefs is independant on any of her relations, and 
 perfectly difengaged, it is cuftomary for the gal¬ 
 lant to invite her to his own houfe, and for her to 
 accept of the offer, though with abundance of: 
 Teeming modefly and reluctance j after which, fhe 
 
 grants 
 
■?8o The RELIGION of the NATIVES of BENIN, ARDRA, &c. 
 
 grants him the lad favour for ten or twelve nights 
 together, before Hie infills upon the prefent which 
 is to bind their engagement. If a Ion proves the 
 refillt of their amorous interviews, the father pro¬ 
 vides for him ; if a daughter, flic is entirely left to 
 the care and conduct of the mother. Such 
 love-adventures as thefe prove .of no ill conle- 
 quence, are no manner of prejudice or disap¬ 
 pointment to the fair fex; for, maids or not 
 maids, they never fail of finding hufbands. 
 What a world of nolle and confufion fhould we 
 prevent, were we licenfed to carry on fuch a free 
 trade ; were we entrufted for a week or a fort¬ 
 night together, with fuch ftaple commodities, 
 by way of probation, before we ftruck an abfo- 
 lute bargain, and paid down the purchafe-mo- 
 ney! 
 
 If the lover, after trial, finds his miftrefs to 
 his tafte, and for his turn, he makes his appli¬ 
 cations to her parents in form, and fends her 
 fome fuitable prefents. She accepts of them, in 
 cafe fhe approves of her bed-fellow, and if not, 
 returns them direftly. 
 
 The naming of an infant is performed with 
 abundance of folemnity; and the ceremony is 
 generally performed betimes in the morning, 
 when the child is about eight or ten days old, 
 accompanied with vocal and inftrumental mufic. 
 The celebrant takes the child from the mother, 
 and lays him on a fhield or buckler, in the midft 
 of the whole afiembly, who are all armed in 
 form. Then he puts a little bow into his hand, 
 and makes an harangue of about half an hour 
 long, according to the beft of his knowledge, 
 and the eltablifhed principles of the negroes, on 
 the duties required of the nominee, in order 
 to be hereafter a happy man, and a man of ho¬ 
 nour. After this exhortation is over, he returns 
 the child into its mothers arms ; and the nomi¬ 
 nation of a daughter is performed much after 
 the fame manner, though not with equal folcm- 
 nity. The woman, who is the celebrant, takes 
 the girl, and lays her on a mat, in the midft of 
 the whole female afiembly, and puts into her 
 hand a ladle, which they make ufe of to ftir their 
 porridge; and after that, fhe makes an harangue 
 according to their principles, on the duties of a 
 good houfewife. 
 
 Some of the natives of the Golden Coafi, are 
 addicted, notwithftanding they are indulged 
 in polygamy as well as their neighbours, to 
 Broiling abroad, and lying with Grangers. In 
 cafe they are detected, the.affair is with eafe ac¬ 
 commodated, by paying the injured wife fome 
 trivial amerciament ; though fhould fhe, on the 
 other hand, chance to trefpafs, and prove falfe to 
 her hufband’s bed, fhe would run the rifque of 
 being divorced, or fold for a fiave. The court- 
 fhip of thefe people is not very ceremonious. 
 The young man afks the queftion and feldom 
 meets with a repulfe; if he is not a fiave, or does 
 not forget his nuptial prefents, which confift 
 only in a few worthlefs baubles. She is con¬ 
 duced to her hufband’s houfe in the evening; 
 and there a brideman is nominated to be her 
 guardian, and to lie for about eight days be¬ 
 tween the new-married couple, to give a check 
 to the violence of the bridegroom’s paffion, till 
 in time they become better acquainted. 
 
 Now we are upon the topic of matrimony, we 
 fhall make bold to mention one particular cere¬ 
 mony, which, though there is very little religion 
 in the cafe, it is true, cannot fo properly be in¬ 
 troduced in any other place. Every village 
 amongft the negroes, maintains two or three 
 common women; whom they inftal, or put in 
 poffefiion of their polls, in the prefence of a 
 very numerous afiembly. The candidates are 
 expofed to public view, and fcated upon a mat; 
 in the interim the oldeft of them cuts the throat 
 of a fowl, and lets the blood trickle down upon 
 her head, fhoulders, and arms; and then fo- 
 lemnly promifes upon oath, to oblige any townf- 
 man whatever with her favours upon reafonable 
 terms; after this, fhe admits one of'the com¬ 
 pany to her embraces, and then goes and wafhes 
 lierfelf with one of her comrades. The ablu¬ 
 tion ended, fhe relumes her poll, and is rubbed 
 all over her arms, breaff, and fhoulders with 
 white chalk ; and to dole the ceremony, two 
 young fellows take her upon their fhoulders, and 
 carry her in triumph all over the town. After 
 that, file is obliged for eight days together to fit 
 in public upon her mat, and there recommend 
 herlelf to the generofity of her gallants. 
 
 The courtiers in the kingdom of Benin, are 
 not allowed to cover their nakednefs, nor marry 
 without his majefty’s licence and confent, firft 
 had and obtained. The privilege of raiment 
 entirely depends on his royal pleafure ; and when¬ 
 ever he confers that favour, he obliges them 
 with a w r ife at the fame time. Neither do the 
 wives ever drefs themfelves without the hufband’s 
 permiflion ; who, when they grant any of them 
 that favour, take up their lodging with them. 
 A widow, that has a fon, muff never marry again, 
 without his confent; nay, fhe abfolutely becomes 
 his lervant. If any one makes his addreffes to 
 her, with her fon’s knowledge and approbation, 
 the gallant always engages to fettle the youth, 
 and find out a wife to his inclinations. Parents 
 never marry their daughters before they are duly 
 qualified; and after their nuptials, concern them¬ 
 felves no farther about them. We omit feveral 
 other cuftoms, as being, in our opinion, not 
 worth obfervance; but they have one notion, 
 however, that is very particular. To be brought 
 to bed of two children, is by them accounted 
 perfectly fcandalous; and as they are fully per- 
 fuaded, that twins are the refult of their wives 
 incontinence and the lofs of honour, they not 
 only difeard one of them; but fometimes, as we 
 arc informed, make away with and deftroy it. 
 What hard thoughts would they entertain of a 
 luperfetation ? and how would they afperfe and 
 ftigmatize fuch women as have fometimes three 
 at a birth ? 
 
 We fhall now come to their funeral folemni- 
 ties. 'fhe negroes of Cabo de Monte in the 
 firff place weep and lament over a dead friend, 
 and mingle the commemoration of fome of his 
 molt laudible actions with their tears. After 
 this teftimony of their refpedt, they wafh his 
 body, curl his hair, drefs him, and in order to 
 make him Band upright, tie him faff behind, 
 and under his arms. They furnifh the deceafed 
 with a bow and arrow, and adorn him with all 
 the gaieft things he was poffeficd of in his 
 
 life- 
 
The RELIGION of the INHABITANTS of BENIN and ARDRA. 
 
 life time ; and in that attitude each of them 
 makes him fome fuitable prefent. The relations 
 and friends fit on their knees all round about, 
 with their backs turned towards him, having 
 their bows in their hands, drawn with fuch vio¬ 
 lence, that they feem in danger of being broke. 
 1 his ceremony, lay they, declares, that they 
 are piepared to take revenge on fuch as might 
 any ways have been inftrumental to his death. 
 When they put him in the grave, they bury not 
 only the prefents that are made him, but fome 
 of his mod; valuable eftefls along with him. If 
 a prince, or a nobleman dies, they bury a fuffi- 
 cient quantity of Haves with him, to attend and 
 wait on him in the other world. Their mourn- 
 lng con fills in making a folemn vow, and bind¬ 
 ing it with an oath, to fall about eight or ten 
 days together. If fome very valuable friend 
 happens to die, whofe lofs is a more than com¬ 
 mon concern to them, they fometimes hold it 
 for a month. During all that time they neither 
 carefs their wives, nor have any familiar converfe 
 with the female fex: They wear no coloured 
 cloaths i they fhave their heads, and lie upon 
 the ground. When the term of their fading is 
 expired, they difcharge themfelves of their vow, 
 by repeating the fame ceremony they obferved 
 at firft, that is to fay, extending their hands in 
 prelence of a Fetiche; and after, they make 
 a fumptuou5 entertainment in honour of the de- 
 ceafed. 
 
 When any one is fufpe&ed to have died an un¬ 
 natural death, they neither weep over the corpfe, 
 noi walli it, nor drefs it, till their jealoufy is re¬ 
 moved, and the fa£t cleared up. For, fay they, 
 Ihould we mourn over it firll, it would be im- 
 poflible to find out the unhappy caufe; lince the 
 lpint whom we fliould confult on this melan¬ 
 choly occafion, would then befilent, and refolve 
 none of our queries. In order to difcover the 
 fadt in luch cales, they take a imall piece of 
 the deceal'ed's garment, the parings of his nails, 
 and a lock of his hair, all which they bind up 
 together, and cover them over with the dull of 
 fome particular red wood. After this, they faf- 
 ten this little pacquet to a flick, the two ends 
 whereof are laid upon the heads of two men. 
 Then one amongft them, whom they look upon 
 as the bell orator, takes two iron implements; 
 as for inllance, two hatchets, or the like, and 
 linking one againft the other, conjures the dead 
 perion to difclofe whether his death was the refult 
 °f violence, or a decay in nature : If the latter, 
 the l’pirit, who a&uates, or influences the two 
 men, compels them to bow down their heads; 
 if the former, to lhake them. II hey continue 
 in the fame manner to alk him further, in order 
 to be fully fatisfied what he died of, if the dofe, 
 or potion, that was given him, was too ftrong 
 for his conliitution ? if he was poifoned ? who 
 adminiltered it ? and the like. In fhort, when 
 they have dilcovered, as they imagine, the ma- 
 lefaflor, they charge him with the fafl, and make 
 him Iwallow down, filling in the morning, the 
 quantity of three or four cups full of a very ftronu 
 liquid, extrafled from the bark of fome parti¬ 
 cular trees. This draught, they fay, infallibly 
 kills the party acculed, if guilty ; if innocent, 
 he inllantly throws up every drop of it. Some¬ 
 times there is a fpell, or charm, laid upon the 
 32 
 
 38 * 
 
 fpirit, which prevents him from giving an an- 
 fwer to all their interrogatories; and, in that eafe, 
 they apply themfelves to fome magician, to re¬ 
 move the falcination, and then they proceed to 
 the experiment above deferibed. 
 
 After the deceafe of a father, the eldeft fon 
 takes pofleffion as heir of all his effedls; and in 
 cafe he has younger brothers, undertakes to be 
 their tutor; and he is entitled to both, even be¬ 
 fore he is twenty years of age ; but he is obliged, 
 however, to teltify his abilities before the king 
 in the following manner: he repairs to the ufual 
 place where they pra&ife the art of Ihooting, in 
 the irndlt of a crowd of his relations, with his 
 father’s bow in his hand, and his quiver at his 
 back. He grounds his bow as an able archer, 
 and in that attitude afferts, that he thinks him- 
 lelf capable of making a proper ufe of the arms 
 his father had left him. After this formal de¬ 
 claration, he gives a fpecimen of his art, and 
 then makes a kind of an harangue, wherein he 
 a (lures his majedy, that he will maintain his 
 family, defend the rights and privileges of his 
 brothers, and take care, as far as in him lies, of 
 all their lands and effecds, &c. 
 
 In the more remote parts of Guinea, beyond 
 the kingdom of Benin, there is nothing very re¬ 
 markable in the funeral folemnities of the Ne¬ 
 groes, except, that after the deceafe of one of 
 their heroes or commanders, they hollow a tree, 
 and impale a youth alive in it, in order to be his 
 (lave and attendant in the other world. Such as 
 die at Benin are always accompanied by a con¬ 
 siderable number of Haves. As loon as the corpfe 
 is laid in the grave, they dance and fing over it 
 (01 feven or eight days together ; and fometimes 
 take the body up again, in order to honour it 
 with a frefii facrifice of beads and Haves. As to 
 their king, when he dies, they dig a grave for 
 him of an uncommon depth, in the center of the 
 court, and there inter him; and his courtiers are 
 all ambitious of attending him ; but that honour 
 is ielerved only for his peculiar favourites. When 
 they have lelecfted their compliment, they bury 
 them alive along with him and afterwards a 
 large fepulchral done is rolled over the grave. 
 Ihe fird of thefe favourites that dies, is always 
 commemorated with the greated reverence and 
 lefpefh To conclude, the new king orders an 
 elegant entertainment to be made for the popu¬ 
 lace upon the monument, which is the ceremony 
 of his coronation ; and is often attended with 
 the maflacre of feveral of his fubjecds, in honour 
 of his acceflion to the throne. 
 
 There never was any one religion whatfoever, 
 that had not a particular fet of myderies, which 
 none but a few felecd devotees could ever at¬ 
 tain to. In order to arrive at that pitch of 
 perfection, there have always been fuch extra¬ 
 vagant ceremonies to be obferved, as were fuf- 
 ficient to furprile, blind, diock, and even con¬ 
 found the inferior clals of devotees. 
 
 Fadings, penances, and a thoufand auderities 
 have been, for the generality, the preludes, if 
 we may be allowed the exprefiion, to thofe mydic 
 ceremonies, and every perfon of experience well 
 knows, that the imagination of a devotee is all 
 on fire, efpecially while he is learning what he 
 confiders as a facred mydery. This is evident, 
 from the accounts we have of the initiation of 
 5 D the 
 
The RELIGION of the NATIVES of BENIN, ARDRA, &c. 
 
 3 ** 
 
 the antients, and we have frequently taken notice 
 of this in our accounts of the religion of the 
 idolators in the Eaft-Indies. 
 
 The regeneration of the Negroes of Cabo de 
 Monte, is of the fame nature and degree. In 
 order to have a familiar intercourfe with fpirits, 
 and be admitted into their refined fociety, the 
 candidate mult die and be born again. The 
 myfteries of fuch aflemblies are concealed and 
 hid from the eyes of women and children, nor are 
 any ftrangers admitted. If the perfon thus qua¬ 
 lified (hould indifcreetly reveal any of thefe di¬ 
 vine fecrets to a friend whom he loved ever fo 
 much, or thought he could confide in, the fpirits, 
 they believe, would relent the difcovery, and 
 would inevitably deftroy the one for his indifcre- 
 tion, and the other for his curious and imperti¬ 
 nent enquiry. 
 
 The ceremony of this initiation is folemnized 
 but once in twenty, or twenty-five years, and the 
 Negroes in their common difcourfes about it, talk, 
 for the generality, in the language of enthufiafts. 
 All we can make of this ceremonv of their dying, 
 is, that it mult confill in fome abominable rites 
 that they are afhamed of, otherwiie, why fhould 
 they keep it fo concealed ? Perhaps it is fimilar 
 to fome of thofe abominations, fo frequently 
 mentioned in the Old Teftament; nay> that it 
 is fo, there is ftrong reafons to believe, becaufe 
 their idols have fimilar names to thofe of the Ca- 
 naanites. Thus they call their regeneration, or 
 that of dying and being born again to a new Hate 
 of exiilence, by the name of Belli Paaro , which 
 undoubtedly is the Baal-Peor of the Heathens. 
 Now it is well known that there were many hor¬ 
 rid abominations committed in the temple of 
 Baal-Peor, for it was from him that the Greeks, 
 and after them the Romans borrowed their Ihame- 
 ful god Priapus, which leads us to confider thefe 
 African myfteries as truly abominable, and not 
 fit to be mentioned. 
 
 The marks, or fignatures of this regenera¬ 
 tion, or Belli-Paaro, are feveral long flafhes down 
 the neck and fhoulders, and fuch as are favoured 
 with thefe barbarous marks, pretend to much 
 more knowledge than their neighbours. They 
 fit as judges both in civil and in criminal caufes, 
 and as for thofe who are not yet in a ftate of re¬ 
 generation, they are reckoned among the number 
 of the profane, impure, and illiterate, incapable 
 ©f giving a juft judgement in any thing of im¬ 
 portance, and unworthy of being admitted into 
 any public aflemblies, civil or ecclefiaftical. But 
 fecret as they keep this myftery, yet fomething 
 relating to it has tranfpired, which we (hall here 
 lay before the reader. 
 
 By the king’s fpecial command, they make 
 choice of fome private commodious place in the 
 woods, that abounds with olives and other fruits, 
 and in fhort is ftored with all forts of herbs, in 
 fuch plenty, as are fit for the fubfiftence of the 
 human fpecies. To this facred folitude their 
 youth are conduced, but with reludtance ; for 
 they think it a melancholy circumftance to en¬ 
 counter with death. Before they fet out, they 
 give away all their effe&s to their friends and re¬ 
 lations, intimating thereby, that they renounce 
 all the vanities and pleafures of this life. They 
 are accompanied by feveral old devotees, who 
 
 have been many years initiated, and thefe refide 
 among them in the grove as their fuperinten- 
 dants and inftruftors. They inform them of all 
 the cuftoms and ceremonies which mult be reli- 
 gioufly obferved ; they inure them by frequent 
 exercife to a particular violent dance, that (hakes 
 them prodigioufly, and they teach them fome 
 pieces of poetry, abounding with encomiums on 
 their Belli-Paaro. All thefe candidates or pro¬ 
 bationers receive a new name at their regenera¬ 
 tion, and the ceremony or initiation lafts at leaft 
 five years, fo that it may be confidered as a 
 courfe of liberal education. The king himfelf 
 honours them with his prefence feveral different 
 times, and then it is that they are publicly ex¬ 
 amined. 
 
 As for the young ones, they are not permitted 
 to ftir out, nor appear among the profane ; for 
 fuch are, in their opinion, all thofe who have not 
 been regenerated. The parts adjacent to this 
 grove for three or four miles round, are looked 
 upon as facred, and no profane perfon muft pre¬ 
 fume to enter therein. The women are all ex¬ 
 cluded, and if by any accident they (hould hap¬ 
 pen to enter within thefe bounds, they muft fing 
 as loud as they are able to raife their throats ; 
 were they to negledt this, they believe that the 
 evil fpirits would run away with them. 
 
 After the candidates have been fully inftru6led 
 in this myftery of regeneration, their tutors con¬ 
 duct them to fome private places, where women 
 are permitted to attend them ; and this is the 
 firft time they have an opportunity of fpeaking 
 with thofe of that fex. It is here likewife that 
 they are inftru6ted in all things relating to morals 
 and politics, for which reafon thefe groves may 
 be called the academies or colleges of the 
 Negroes. At their difmiflion from thence, they 
 affedt to appear as perfons juft come into the 
 world, and in fome fenle it may be faid fo, for 
 they know neither father nor mother, nor any 
 friends nor relations; for to forget all things paft, 
 is the firft confequence of this new life. T hey 
 pretend to remember nothing of their paft life, 
 and they are all drefled in feathers, with a cap 
 made of the bark of a tree, which hangs over 
 part of their faces, with fmall jingling bells at 
 their feet, and a fet of leopard’s teeth hung round 
 their neck for a collar. 
 
 Thus equipped, they refort to public aflem¬ 
 blies to pradtife their folemn dances, and perform 
 before a multitude of people, that which in a 
 more particular manner is devoted to the lervice 
 of their Belli, and was taught them by their tu¬ 
 tors in the groves, during the time of the rege¬ 
 neration. This is fo eflential an accomplifh- 
 ment, that fuch as are fo unhappy as to be in¬ 
 capable of performing it rightly in public, are 
 treated with all the marks of ignominy and con¬ 
 tempt. At the conclufion of the dance, the 
 tutors call the pupils by new names, and then 
 introduce them to their relations. 
 
 The power and authority which is granted to 
 fuch perfons as are thus initiated, is the refult of 
 policy and fuperftition blended together, which 
 have at all times been made ufe of to keep the 
 people in awe. When they are inclined to 
 make a public prohibition of any thing, they 
 practice a kind of magical operation by virtue of 
 
 a ftick 
 
The RELIGION of the NATIVES of BENIN, ARDRA, &c. ^ 
 
 terpretation of the grounds and principles of 
 
 their relio-ion onrl rlio ^1 • ,• 
 
 a (lick drove fall into the ground, at the top 
 whereof hangs a bundle of reeds. But what 
 makes them the mod formidable to the people 
 is, their delivering over fuch as tranfgrefs their 
 orders to the power of the evil fpirits; and 
 this artifice confjfls in hurrying the delin¬ 
 quents away with much buttle and noife, by feme 
 of their attendants and creatures, whom they 
 have at their back. They bear fuch an abfolute 
 fway over them, and keep them in fuch profound 
 ignorance, that no perfon dares prefume fomucli 
 as to look, or make any enquiries, when thefe 
 imaginary fpirits feize fuch as are found guilty, 
 led they (hould fail into their hands themfelves, 
 and be in the fame manner hurried away into the 
 groves, and there be left to perilh. Such are fome 
 of their myderies, and here by the way we may 
 oblerve, that in all falfe religions, the priells en¬ 
 deavour to keep the people in ignorance. And 
 what is dill remarkable, that even thefe poor 
 Negroes, who go almod naked, have the art 
 to ftudy priedcraft, and impofe upon their fellow- 
 fubjedts. 
 
 When they would make a difcovery who has 
 committed a murder, they pour a particular li¬ 
 quid upon the arm or thigh of the perfon fuf- 
 pedled, but before the liquor can be ul'ed, it mud 
 be ooiled, and the fuppofed criminal's name is 
 mentioned as foon as it begins to rife. The mo¬ 
 ment in which the liquid begins to boil, they 
 addiefs their imaginary fpirits in the following 
 words, tf Is the party on whom I pour this water 
 guilty or not ? If he is, may it fcald him and 
 Ihrivel up his Ikin." If it has not that edeft, 
 the party fufpedted is abfolutely difcharged, and 
 accounted innocent. 
 
 The Negro women have hkewife their parti¬ 
 cular myderies, which bear fome analogy to 
 thofe we have already mentioned. 
 
 Tile mothers take their daughters into confe- 
 crated gloves, and commit them to the care of a 
 fort of priededes, who at fird treat them with a 
 difh of chickens, and this is confidered as a kind 
 of treaty; for they are called, “ The chickens of 
 “ alliance." After this, the young virgins have 
 their heads (haved, and are inftrufted to fing and 
 dance. When the time of their education is ex¬ 
 pired, they are all drefled in the bark of a par¬ 
 ticular tree, and their relations carry them abun¬ 
 dance of trinkets, that they may appear as fine 
 as pollible when they make their public entry 
 into the town where they are to refide, at which 
 time there is an elegant entertainment provided 
 for them, accompanied with muftc, dancing, and 
 many other forts of divtrfions peculiar to the 
 country. 
 
 I he initiations here deferibed, are umverfally 
 praftiled by all the natives of Guinea ; and there¬ 
 in the footdeps of the myderies of the antients 
 may be cafily difeerned. There is a great con¬ 
 formity likewife between them and the initi¬ 
 ations of the new world; for, it is well known, 
 that the antients looked on theirs, as the en¬ 
 trance into a new life; which is the very fame 
 idea as that of the Americans and Negroes. It 
 is likewife well known, that the antients thought 
 the fpirit and edence of religion were included 
 therein, and that luch as were unregenerated, 
 faw nothing but the fhell, as it were, or external 
 part of it. In them were comprifed the true in- 
 
 ■ ... o-piiiLiuics or 
 
 their religion, and the maxims of their morality. 
 Every body knows, in Ihort, that fuch as were 
 initiated, entered upon their regeneration with 
 retiring from the world, and with divers aufteri- 
 ties, fadings, and penances ; all which were re¬ 
 quired to be religioudy obferved by the proba¬ 
 tioner or novice. Thefe feveral trials were like- 
 wife to be accompanied with an abfolute free¬ 
 dom and difengagement from all fenfual objefls; 
 and when the foul was in that happy date of in- 
 diderence, that nothing terredrial could influence 
 or adeft it, they thought it qualified for the par¬ 
 ticipation of the mod lublime myfteries of reli¬ 
 gion. 
 
 As foon as the young virgins of Brazil ar¬ 
 rive at the age of maturity, they are mortified 
 to that degree, that we may term their unhappy 
 dtuation, with propriety enough, a ftate of mar¬ 
 tyrdom In the firft place they either burn, or 
 cut the hair off their heads as clofe as podibly 
 they can. After this, they oblige them to ftand 
 upright on a flat ftone, whilft their flelh is 
 fialhed and mangled with a (harp ivory tooth, 
 from their dioulders to their waift, crofs-ways, 
 in luch a violent manner, that the blood trickles 
 down from every part. The agonies which 
 theie poor girls are in, are vifible enouo-h, by 
 their various contorfions and grimaces" but 
 their modefty obliges them to conceal their tor¬ 
 ture as much as pollible, and not one of them 
 dares to vent a figh, or died a tear. After this 
 they daub the wounds with the dud and allies of 
 a wild gourd, which is as drong a corrodve as 
 gun powder; infomuch, that the marks can 
 never be erafed. After this, they bind their 
 arms; and, in Ihort, their whole bodies, with 
 a cotton fillet; hang the teeth of a particular 
 bead round their necks, and lay them fo low in 
 their hammocks, that no body can fee them. 
 They are there confined for three days together 
 at lead, without being able to dir, and are not 
 allowed to fpeak, eat, nor drink, during all 
 that time. At the expiration thereof, they are 
 taken down, in order to have their bandage? 
 taken ofFj and then they are obliged to ftand 
 again on the fiat done before mentioned, on 
 which they underwent their fird fevere mortifi¬ 
 cations, that their feet diould not touch the 
 ground. After that, they are to be put to bed 
 again, where there whole diet confids in a few 
 boiled roots, a little meal and water, and no 
 other refrefhments whatfoever. In this low 
 condition are they kept till their fecond purga¬ 
 tion ; at which they are fialhed and mangled 
 again, fiom head to foot, in a more barbarous 
 and inhuman manner than before; then they 
 aie carried to their hammocks once again, but 
 not fo clofely confined for the fecond month, 
 nor obliged to undergo fuch fevere abdinence as 
 before; but, however, they are not differed to 
 appear abroad, to converfewith any in the fami¬ 
 ly, or do any manner of byfinefs, but card or 
 fpin cotton. The third month they befmear 
 them all over with a black ointment, made up 
 with a particular oil ; and after this they begin 
 to go abroad and appear in the fields. 
 
 Every town has a kind of a ped-houfe, fitu- 
 ateat about an hundred yards didance from the 
 red, called Bournamon, into which all the wo- 
 

 The RELIGION of CONGO, ANGOLA, 
 
 men in general, maids, as well as wives, are 
 obliged to withdraw, and exclude themlelves 
 from all manner of fociety till their purgations 
 are perfectly ceal'ed ; after which, they are at 
 liberty to return to their families again, as foon 
 as they think convenient. Their daily provi- 
 fions during thofe times are brought them, with 
 as much care and precaution as if they were in¬ 
 fected with the moft malignant diftemper. They 
 durlt not, notwithftanding, conceal their natu¬ 
 ral infirmity by any manner of means, when it 
 comes upon them ; for it would be inevitable 
 death, fiiould they be dilcovered to drefs any 
 victuals for their hufbands at fuch a conjuncture. 
 Accordingly they are obliged to eat of the Fe¬ 
 tiche, and take a folemn oath, that they will 
 declare their infirmities to their hufbands, and 
 voluntarily withdraw to their Bournamon, as 
 foon as ever they are conlcious of the leaft pol¬ 
 lution. 
 
 The Religion of Congo, Angola, and of the 
 Jages, or Gauls. 
 
 The king of Loango, a particular province 
 of Congo, is in fome meafure the objeCt of his 
 fubjeCts divine adoration, who honour him with 
 the attributes or titles of Samber and Pongo, 
 that is to fay, the deity, and for that realbn 
 look on him as an omnipotent being. The po¬ 
 pulace, nay the grandees of his kingdom, being 
 fully perfuaded that he can blefs them with rain 
 at his pleafure, make their public addrefies to 
 him once a year, with abundance of folemnity 
 and with prefents in their hands, for that in¬ 
 tent. A day is by him appointed for the ce¬ 
 lebration of this ceremony ; at which time they 
 pay him the moft folemn homage, and entertain 
 his majefty with a trial of their (kill in archery, 
 and with a Moorifh, or rather Ethiopian concert 
 of mufic. After their adorations are paid, the 
 king lets fly an arrow into the air; and the day 
 is lpent in all the demonftrations of public joy 
 imaginable, efpecially if the rain happens but 
 to defcend ever fo little upon them ; and we 
 may reafonably fuppofe, that thefe people, as 
 well as other nations, make choice of fuch times 
 as are likely to be moft favourable, and give a 
 fanCtion to the miracle they petition for. 
 
 His majefty, moreover, is, as we are informed 
 a profound magician ; for he orders and requires 
 the divine worfhip of two idols, one called Mo- 
 kiflo, the other Checocke. The former to 
 whom they give the addittional title of Gom- 
 bery, is ferved and attended by an old forcerefs, 
 whole appellation is Ganga-Gombery. She is 
 the Pythian prieftefs of Loango ; but like Tri- 
 phonius of old, Ihe delivers her oracles in fub- 
 terraneous caverns. There is a chapel eredted 
 in the high road, which is confecratcd, and fet 
 apart for the fervice of Checocke; wherein 
 ftands a little black image, or reprefentation of 
 him, in which he fometimes condefeends to 
 communicate himfelf at midnight to his favou¬ 
 rite devotees. Such nodlurnal honours are at¬ 
 tended with raptures, and enthuflaftic agitations 
 for fome hours. Every fentence that fuch per- 
 
 and of the JAGES, or GAULS. 
 
 Ions utter, under their infpirations, is looked 
 upon as an oracle, and the folemn declaration of 
 the divine will and pleafure of the Checocke. 
 All artificers, filhermen, and magicians, look on 
 this idol as the peculiar objedt of their divine 
 adoration ; and one branch of their worlhip con- 
 fifts in clapping their hands. 
 
 Bcfides thele two idols, the people of Loango 
 have lcveral houfhold, as well as rural gods, 
 whom they worfhip and adore under divers ex¬ 
 travagant figures ; and eacii idol has his peculiar 
 diftridt and employment. Such as prelide over 
 the fruits, the corn, and other produces ot the 
 earth, are nothing more than k are-crows, or 
 bug-bears, compofed of bones, feathers, horns, 
 hoofs, and fkins of beads, &c. Notwithftanding 
 all thefe ridiculous inftances of idolatry, they 
 acknowledge a fupreme being, whom, however, 
 they neither concern themfelvcs about, nor any 
 ways regard j which negledt proceeds either from 
 their profound ignorance, or a notion which ma¬ 
 ny others entertain as well as they, viz. that 
 God governs the world by his deputies, or vice¬ 
 gerents, to whom alone, by conlequence, mor¬ 
 tals ought to make their immediate addrefies, as 
 it is cuftomary for us to make our applications 
 to fome favourite minifter of ftate, for fuch fa¬ 
 vours as we are ambitious of obtaining from the 
 prince upon the throne. 
 
 The formal manner in which the king of Lo¬ 
 ango generally drinks a glal’s of liquor, may be 
 reckoned, with propriety enough, amongft the 
 number of their religious cuftoms. The officer, 
 who attends him on that occafion, has a little 
 bell in his hand, which he tinkles on the deli¬ 
 very of the cup, and turns his head another 
 way j and at the fame time, all fuch other per- 
 l'ons as are prefent, proftrate themfelves before 
 him, and hide their faces, till the ceremony is 
 over; for it is no lefs than death for any one to 
 prefume to fee his majefty drink; lo extravagant 
 and fantaftical is the veneration which this 
 princely god exadts from his fubjedls ! Moreover, 
 he eats by himfelf in a withdrawing room, fet 
 apart for that particular purpofe ; and when he 
 rifes from table, he either knocks or rings a little 
 bell, and then departs without any farther no¬ 
 tice or ceremony whatfoever ; which fuperftitious 
 cuftom is grounded on an idle notion the Negroes 
 entertain, that his majefty would inevitably die 
 that moment he was l'een to eat or drink by any 
 of his fubjedls. Yet who knows after all, but 
 this cuftom was firft eftabliftied with a political 
 view, and that the aftaflination of fome prince 
 at his table was the original caufe of its lnftitu- 
 tion ? 
 
 Whenever any of thefe blacks have white 
 children, a circumftance, however, which but 
 feldom happens, this king of Loango orders 
 them to be brought up, and inftrudled in the 
 black art, and the miniftry of their idols. 
 Thele priefts have a peculiar privilege to make 
 whatever they take a fancy to, their own proper¬ 
 ty ; and the veneration and refpedt which the 
 people have for them is fo great, that they never 
 thwart or oppofe their inclinations. 
 
 There is an idol in the province of Matambo, 
 called Maramba, whole priefts are all forcerers 
 or magicians; and this image ftands upright, 
 
 diredlly 
 
The RELIGION of CONGO, ANGOLA, and of the JAGES, or GAULS. 3 3j 
 
 direCtly over againft the temple dedicated to his 
 peculiar fervicc, in a bafket, made in the form of 
 a bee-hive. To this deity in particular they 
 apply themfelves for fuccefs, when they go out a 
 hunting or fifhing ; and for the relief of all fuch 
 as are indifpofed. It is before him likewife, that 
 a perfon, who is charged with the commi/Tion of 
 any crime, is obliged to plead his caufe, and clear 
 his innocence. In the firft place, he falls down 
 on his knees before Miramba, and then, embrac¬ 
 ing the god with the profoundeft veneration, pro¬ 
 nounces thefe words ; Behold, Miramba ! Thy 
 lervant is come to juftify himfelf before thee. In 
 cafe he is really guilty, and is impioufly perjured, 
 lie falls down dead upon the fpot. The devotees 
 preferve with care, and carry always about them 
 l'ome little images of this Miramba in fmall 
 boxes, which may be looked upon, with propriety 
 enough, as the relic cafes of thefe Negroes ; and 
 fometimes they wear a Miramba about their 
 necks, or on their right arms. Miramba always 
 marches at the head of their armies; and he is 
 prefented with the firft delicious morlel, and the 
 firft glafs of wine, that is ferved up at the gover¬ 
 nor, or king of Matambo’s table. 
 
 The natives of the king of Bamba worlhip an 
 animal with two legs only, a long tail, and a pair 
 of wings; an animal, in fhort, like a dragon, 
 according to the delcription we have of that 
 imaginary creature; and as it is but feldom to be 
 met with, it is on that account, in all probability, 
 looked upon and revered as a deity. The Blacks 
 of the province of Congo, the Bramins and other 
 neighbours of the Anzicains, worlhip the fun and 
 moon, which they reprefent, we are informed, 
 under the figures of a man and a woman. They 
 have feveral other little deities, however, which 
 they likewife worlhip ; but the fun, and his con- 
 fort the moon, for that is the notion they enter¬ 
 tain of thefe glorious luminaries, are always their 
 principal deities. 
 
 In the ifiand of Quantalla there is an idol 
 made of their current coin, to which the natives 
 make voluntary oblations of their moll valuable 
 effeCts ; which all perfons are ItriCtly enjoined 
 not to touch on any account whatever. They 
 let them lie till they decay through time and pu¬ 
 trefaction, in an enclofure, fenced in with ivory 
 paliladoes, and one priell alone receives the free¬ 
 will-offerings of the devotees, and prefents their 
 homage to the idol. This vicegerent of his, in- 
 duflrioufly conceals from every body, the fecret 
 avenues which lead to the deity ; for he never 
 goes twice the fame way. This wonderous pre¬ 
 caution of his, in all probability, is no more than 
 a piece of prieltcraft to animate the zeal of the 
 people, whom he thus keeps ignorant of the god 
 whom they adore. 
 
 In fhort, the people of Congo pay divine ado¬ 
 ration to dragons, ferpents, goats, and tigers ; as 
 alfo, to a vaft variety of birds and plants ; being 
 in all appearance like the antient Egyptians, 
 whole religion principally confided in fymbols, 
 or hieroglyphics. The people of Congo have 
 likewife feveral images and figures, made both 
 in ftone and wood, which leem to bear a very 
 near affinity to the Fetiches and Talifmans 
 beforementioned; but as they acknowledge a 
 Supreme Being, it muft be fuppofed, that they 
 look upon thefe idols as inferior deities, though 
 33 
 
 worthy of the elleem and veneration of mankind, 
 on account of their relative power, and their 
 ealy accefs to that Supreme Being. But be that 
 as it will, the images of thefe idols are certainly 
 honoured with the refpeCtive names of the di¬ 
 vinities they reprefent, and receive the vows of 
 their refpeCtive votaries, as their deputies or vice¬ 
 gerents. The Gangas, or priefts, when they 
 vifit their fick, prefent them with thefe images, 
 which they let before their eyes, in order to re- 
 flore their health, and excite their fervour and 
 devotion. There are fome of thefe Negroes, 
 however, who are fo rational in their conduct as 
 to abftain, with the utmofl precaution, from the 
 worfliip of a plurality of gods, and invoke only 
 the Supreme Being, whom they diflinguifli by 
 different appellations, that is, Deufcata, the only 
 God, and Defu, the God of heaven. 
 
 Their religious teflimonies of duty and refpeCt 
 confift principally in their genuflexions, prostra¬ 
 tions, and, as we have before obferved, applaules, 
 or clapping of hands. To thefe, however, we 
 mull add their prayers, vows, and facrifices ; as 
 alfo, fome particular gefliculations, which are the 
 peculiar fignatures or charaCteriltics of humility 
 and devotion, and their priefts are all forcerers 
 and magicians. The art of divination, or pre¬ 
 diction by birds, is particularly ftudied and prac- 
 tifed by the natives of the kingdom of Angola. 
 Their flight and various cries are prefages, as 
 they were amongfl the Heathens of antiquity, of 
 future good or bad fortune. 
 
 The Mokilfos, or Fetiches of Angola, are 
 compofed either of wood, or ftone ; fome few 
 whereof are ereCtcd in temples or chapels, but 
 the much greater part of them in the public 
 ftreets, or high-ways. They have various deno¬ 
 minations, according to their refpeCtive employ¬ 
 ments. To them they make their vows, and to 
 them they offer up their facrifices, either to ap- 
 peafe their anger, or obtain their benediction. 
 Some of thefe Mokiffos are made in the form of 
 four-footed beafts ; and others like birds. They, 
 in fhort, are their oracles; but not the only 
 ones thefe idolators of Angola confult: They 
 have a religious dance which fully anfwers that 
 purpofe ; though, in all probability, it confifts 
 in nothing more than the art of throwing them¬ 
 felves into enthufiaftic raptures, through the vio¬ 
 lence of their agitations. It is in this fituation 
 that the firft infpired dancer talks in a fublime 
 and fpiritual language to his audience, and is 
 liltened to with as much attention as an oracle. 
 We fhall have occafion elfewhere to return to tho 
 religious dances of thefe Barbarians. The Mo- 
 kifibs, of whom we have been fpeaking, are fub- 
 ordinate to a fuperior being, who is called by 
 the natives of Angola, Zamban-Pongo, and ac¬ 
 knowledged to be the god of heaven. 
 
 In the province of Miambo, thole who folemnly 
 devote themfelves to the lervice of Maramba 
 are fhut up by the Gangas in a clofe, dark 
 apartment, and there obliged to fpend confider- 
 able time in the drifted abdinence. After this 
 retirement, they are likewife directed to obferve 
 a profound filence for feveral days together; and 
 not to violate this injunction on any occafion 
 whatfoever, not even the hardeft treatment pof- 
 fible, which they generally meet with, in order 
 to try their patience. When the term of this 
 5 E penance- 
 
3*6 The RELIGION of CONGO, ANGOLA, and of the JAGES or GAULS. 
 
 penance is expired, they are introduced into the 
 prefence of their idol, and there undergo the 
 painful operation of two incifions, which are 
 made on their fhoulders in the form ol a crefcent. 
 After this, they are fprinkled with the blood that 
 trickles down from their wounds, which com¬ 
 pletes the ceremony of their confecration to Mi- 
 ramba, to whom they are folemnly engaged to be 
 ever true and faithful, and always carry about 
 them one of his images. After this folemn de¬ 
 dication, they mult not prefume to tade lome 
 particular provifions ; which are not, however, 
 prohibited alike to all; fome being forbidden to 
 eat one thing, and others another. This is the 
 ceremony of the initiation of their youth of both 
 fexes, as foon as they are twelve years of age. 
 
 The idolators of Congo deferibe their gods as 
 fubjedt to various paffions, who, if we may credit 
 their account of them, look down with a jealous 
 and angry eye on the partial adorations of their 
 votaries. When a Negro imagines that he lies 
 under fome more than ordinary obligations to 
 one particular idol, he worfhips it with an un¬ 
 common zeal and veneration; erecds ftatues, and 
 conlecrates images to that favourite deity; which 
 partial refpedt of his is not only relented, butle- 
 verely punifhed by fome other god that thinks 
 himlelf negletted : The devotee is lure to feel at 
 the long run, the dire effetts of his indignation, 
 which obliges him to confecrate fome image in 
 honour of him, in order to appeafe his refent- 
 ment: But this is not all; for if any other god 
 interpofes, and demands a lhare of his refpett, he 
 is by no means to be flighted ; l'o that the devotee 
 is frequently compelled to confecrate a far greater 
 number of images than ever he intended. Such 
 are the ideas which the Negroes of Congo enter¬ 
 tain of their religious duties, for we may credit 
 fuch authors as have given us a delcription of 
 thofe countries. 
 
 It is the peculiar province of one of their 
 Gangas to confecrate thefe images in the pre¬ 
 fence of the whole family, friends, and neigh¬ 
 bours of the devotee ; the ceremony whereof is 
 fomewhat myderious ; for the votary is obliged 
 to be duly prepared for it, by retirement for 
 about a fortnight into a little palm-tree hut, and 
 by a profound filence for nine days. After this 
 preparation, the Ganga, the devotee, and a nu¬ 
 merous train of his neighbours and relations, re¬ 
 pair to a fpacious plain, where, being ranged all 
 round a drum, the Ganga founds forth the praifes 
 of the MokilTo, and the whole alfembly dance 
 to the martial beating of a drum, in honour of 
 the new idol. At the clofe of the fecond or 
 third day, the devil begins vifibly to actuate and 
 polTefs the devotee. After that, the Ganga mut¬ 
 ters fome particular mydic terms, and ftains his 
 own temples, the corners of his eyes, and his 
 bread, with red and white fpots. In the fame 
 ceremonious manner, he paints the devotee, 
 whole polTeffion is now conlpicuous, by the va¬ 
 rious contorfions of his body, the rolling of his 
 eyes, his wild grimaces, and convulfive agita¬ 
 tions. We are fully allured, that in thefe enthu- 
 fialtic tranlports, he handles and eats fire, with¬ 
 out the lead: damage or inconvenience ; but the 
 molt furprifing circumllance of all is this, that 
 the devil oftentimes tranfports the perlon thus 
 poirdfed, to fome folitary defert, where he is de¬ 
 
 tained for three hours together, without any one 
 knowing what is become of him. The magician 
 and his relations, therefore, fearch diligently all 
 over the country in hopes to find him, they con¬ 
 duit him home with abundance of formality ; 
 but find him fo prodigioufiy fatigued with his 
 poffeffion, that he is l'carce able to Itir a limb. 
 
 It is reafonable to luppofe, that by long retire¬ 
 ment, abftinence, and fome particular potions 
 which the devotee is obliged to take, his ima¬ 
 gination is artfully wrought up to fuch enthu- 
 lialtic raptures, and violent emotions, as induce 
 the whole alfembly to imagine, that the devil ac¬ 
 tuates and informs him : The quack fophidrv of 
 the magician, the folemn beat of the drum, and 
 the exceffive movements of the dance, finally 
 complete the diforder of his didempered brain. 
 And if it is true, that the confecration of thofe 
 images is, for the generality, the refult of a fo¬ 
 lemn vow, made in ficknefs, adverfity, or old 
 age, what can polfibly contribute more to a per¬ 
 fect polfelfion, and to make a finished madman 
 of the poor vifionarv ? But what fnall we fay with 
 refpecd to the fire which the perfon fo poffefied 
 eats without any manner of inconvenience ? The 
 anfwer is very obvious, that it is all arti’fice and 
 legerdemain ; but fo well couched, as eafily to 
 impole upon the ignorant, unthinking Negroes, 
 in the fame manner as our ancedors were for¬ 
 merly deluded by their ordeal trials. 
 
 During the time that the devil adtually polfelfes 
 the Negro, he is aflced to what folemn obliga¬ 
 tions he means to tie him, which, when he has 
 publicly declared, a ring, or bracelet is immedi¬ 
 ately put upon the Negro’s arm, and as often as 
 he takes an oath, or makes any pofitive affirma¬ 
 tion, his veracity mud not be called in quedion, 
 provided he fwears by his bracelet. 
 
 The obligations, or religious duties of the 
 Negroes are innumerable. There is not one 
 amongd them all, that does not folemnly engage 
 to abltain from fome particular forts of fruits, 
 herbs, plants, &c. They lay themfelves likewife 
 under voluntary redridtions, both public and pri¬ 
 vate, with refpedt to their wearing-apparel: As 
 for indance, the men are obliged to wear the (kin 
 of fome particular beads round their waids, 
 which mud hang down fo low as to cover one 
 half of their thighs and always to wear a cap, 
 or fomething of the like nature upon their heads ; 
 or at lead a head-band round their temples. On 
 the other hand, the women go with their heads 
 and hair always uncovered. The following cuf- 
 tom is dill more fingular and remarkable : If any 
 one fits upon a bed-fide, in which there are two 
 perl'ons of diderent fexes, though legally married, 
 he becomes polluted ; and the mader of the 
 houfe mud exhort fuch delinquent in a friendly 
 and charitable manner, to go diredtly and purify 
 himlelf. His clothes are accordingly laid before 
 the fire, and the party who officiates as purifi- 
 cator, purfues the ceremony by hooking his little 
 finger with that of the left hand of the party pol¬ 
 luted : Thus united, both lift up their hands 
 above their heads, and turn themfelves round. 
 After this, the purificator takes two implements 
 made of iron, which he dallies one againd the 
 other three or four times fucceffivdy, and then 
 blows in the palm of his own hand, as well as 
 that of the perfon whom he purifies. During 
 
 thele 
 
The RELIGION of CONGO, ANGOLA, and of the JAGES, or GAULS, 
 
 thefe formal grimaces, and gefticulations, he " 
 
 - grimaces, _ liv , 
 
 mutters a dozen myftic words, which completes 
 the purification. A perfon who has any illegiti¬ 
 mate iffue is obliged to abftain from the breath 
 of a buffalo, or wild ox ; but is acquitted from 
 that penance, and acquires a juft title to his 
 children, by being duly married. All thefe re¬ 
 ligious rites and ceremonies are confirmed and 
 eftablilhed, by an habitual dread of being fe- 
 verelv punilhed by their Mokilfos, who feTdom 
 or never fail to chaftile fuch as negleft the ob- 
 fervance of them. 
 
 Singing and dancing are two fundamental 
 branches of the religious worlhip of the Negroes; 
 foi it is at the celebration of thole folemnities, 
 the fpirit adtuates and poftelfes their Gangas, 
 and for the moft part, thofe who dance with 
 them. It would be tedious, if not impertinent, 
 to deicribe all their follies and grimaces, which 
 in many refpefts very nearly refemble the extafies 
 and tranfports of the antient foothfayers. 
 
 The fovereign pontiff, or fupreme head of the 
 hierarchy of Congo, is called Chitombe. He is 
 reverenced after a very fingular manner, and is 
 looked upon as a deity, or at leaft as a being 
 fomewhat more than mortal. He is prefented 
 with the firft fruits of all the produtfts of the 
 earth, and there are folemn fupplications made to 
 him for his fpiritual benedi&ion on their harveft; 
 and accordingly he always bleffes the feed and 
 ground, before they prefume to fow it. If he 
 does not perform this ceremony himfelf, he does 
 it at leaft by delegation of his vicars or aftiftants. 
 This Chitombe, likewife, keeps up a facred fire, 
 at which fome confiderablc quantity of brands are 
 kindled, and afterwards diftributed among!! the 
 Sovis’s or governors of the provinces, who receive 
 them with all the teftimonies of the moft pro¬ 
 found veneration and refpeft, and are incapable 
 of exercifing their public authority till they are 
 pofiefled of them. The people are fo far pre¬ 
 judiced in favour of this their Chitombe, or fove- 
 reign pontiff, and pay him fuch aweful homage, 
 that they will not acknowledge, or obey their 
 Sovis’s, unlefs they wait on his holinefs for his 
 heavenly benediction, and pay their obedience to 
 this vifible god, before they enter upon their re- 
 lpehtive polls, ft his fubmiflion of their Sovis’s is 
 as humble as can be imao-ined. 
 
 They attend the levy of their Chitombe, and 
 there proftrate themfelves before him ; and the 
 people who accompany them, proftrating them¬ 
 felves likewife at the fame time, implore his ho¬ 
 linefs to receive their governors under his patron¬ 
 age and protection. After this, the pontiff 
 fprinkles water and dull upon thefe Sovis’s, and 
 extending them on their backs, walks over them 
 backwards and forwards feveral times, treading 
 upon their breads, and making them fwear in 
 that humble pofture, that they will always remain 
 dependant on, and be implicitly l'ubfervient to 
 Ins orders and decifions. If the Chitombe in 
 the celebration of this ceremony fhould boaft of 
 his walking upon the Alpic, or treading the Ba- 
 fililk under his foot, onelhould almoft be tempted 
 to believe, that he had copied this haughty and 
 imperious ceremony from the life of one of our 
 popes. There are fome, however, who in all 
 probability will quellion the veracity of the 
 miffionary who has publilhed this defeription; 
 
 , , . -387 
 
 and the reflection which hC immediately fubjoiivu 
 gives good grounds for fuch fufpicion. It mult 
 be allowed to fpeak of him in the moft favour¬ 
 able manner, that he was not confcious of the 
 confluences that might be drawn from a re¬ 
 flection fo foreign to the purpofe. 
 
 But to proceed with our narrative. Should 
 the Chitombe prove guilty of the moft flagrant 
 crime imaginable, no perfon whatever has any 
 power to judge or correCt him. It would be fo 
 no purpofe there to appeal to a future council, 
 VVhen his duty requires him to vifit his diocefe; 
 there mult be a general preparation, by a ftriCt 
 abltinence from all unlawful pleafures, to receive 
 him. Such as are married mult even refrain from 
 the converfation of their wives, whilft he is tak¬ 
 ing a teview of his flock, and contribute, by their 
 exemplary temperance andchaftity, towards the 
 prefervation of their fpiritual pallor. Moreover, 
 the Negroes are of opinion, that fhould their 
 pontiff die a natural death, it would prove of 
 fatal confequence to the whole race of mankind ; 
 for which reafon, when they think him paft all 
 hopes of recovery, his fuccefl'or is empowered to 
 ftrangle him, or difpatch him in fuch decent 
 manner as he thinks moft proper. 
 
 Their Negombo, though lefs reverenced and 
 relpeCted than their Chitombe, is notwithftand- 
 lng extremely valued, and at the lame time 
 looked upon as both a prieft and a prophet, He 
 not only profeffes to foretel future events, but 
 aferibes to himfelf an innate virtue or power of 
 healing all manner of difeafes. He is always 
 fufficiently provided with a vaft variety of medi¬ 
 cines, the virtues whereof are fo deeply im- 
 preffed on the minds of the Negroes, that the 
 mifearriage of the magician, or his preferiptions, 
 is always imputed to the patient. We need not, 
 however, travel fo far as Congo, to meet with 
 inftances of prejudice, and prepoffeffon equally 
 extravagant. 
 
 The prieft, who affumes the title of Negofci, 
 muft always have eleven wives, each of whom is 
 honoured with the denomination of fome parti¬ 
 cular Mokiffo. They burn ftraw in the prefence 
 of thefe idols, and their worfhippers take pecu¬ 
 liar care to hang their heads over the fmoke ; 
 becaufe it is a received opinion amongft them, 
 that the more they fufter themfelves to be black¬ 
 ened and befmeared therewith, the more they in¬ 
 gratiate themfelves into the favour and affe&iona 
 of the idols. Such as meditate revenge on their 
 enemies, make their applications to the Negofci, 
 who cuts off fome locks of their hair, and°after 
 he has bundled them up together, throws them 
 into the fire.^ The magician in the mean while 
 pronounces lome formal imprecations againft the 
 enemy particularly mentioned, and againft his 
 whole family. The Nepindi ftiles himfelf the 
 mafter of the elements, and pretends to over¬ 
 rule and controul the thunder, lightening, ftorms, 
 and tempefts. In order to render his power con- 
 fpicuous, he ereifts large heaps of earth contigu¬ 
 ous to his habitation, and after he has finilhed 
 the ufual facri flees and magical operations, a 
 little animal, fay they, creeps out at the foot of 
 one of them, which raifes itfelf by flow decrees, 
 and at laft takes its flight towards the heavens, 
 Then thick clouds darken the fkies, and thunder, 
 lightening and rain immediately enfue* 
 
 There 
 
The RELIGION of CONGO, ANGOLA, and of the JAGES, or GAULS. 
 
 There is a fett of Negroes at Congo, who ce¬ 
 lebrate their myfteries in particular dark and 
 retired places, and are called by father Cavazzi 
 the Nequiti. Every perfon that is inclined to 
 become a member of this fociety, is obliged to 
 walk to and fro fo often on a rope, that at laft 
 he falls down by virtue of an enchantment, or 
 rather the artifice of fome member, or, in fhort, 
 through the giddinefs of his own head. But be 
 that as it will, as loon as he has fallen down, he 
 enters into an extatic fit, and is carried into their 
 public alTembly; when he comes to himlelf, 
 they oblige him to fwear, that he will never 
 abandon or forfake their fraternity. Such as vio¬ 
 late this engagement, are facrificed to their titu¬ 
 lary gods. 
 
 The prieft, or Ganga, who is likewife (tiled 
 Mutinu, and afiumes the title of King of the 
 Waters, makes the Negroes believe, that he ex¬ 
 tracts from thence infallible remedies, and anti¬ 
 dotes againft the molt malignant diltempers. 
 He caufes all fuch as are afflitted with any mala¬ 
 dies, to affemble themfelves together on the 
 banks of a river, into which he throws an emp¬ 
 ty pitcher, muttering, at the fame time, a num¬ 
 ber of myftic words. The next moment he 
 draws it out full of water, wherein the pretended 
 remedies, which he diltributes amongft the fpec- 
 tators then prefent, are all included. But to 
 what purpofe Ibould we expatiate any further on 
 the magical operations of thefe Negro priefts, 
 fmee the account we have already given, will 
 furnifh the reader with an adequate idea of their 
 power, which, in reality, confifts in nothing elfe 
 but the tricks and artifices of empericks and im- 
 poftors ? 
 
 The province of Sondi has a Chitombe pecu¬ 
 liar to itfelf, and he refides on the fummit of a 
 mountain. He wears his hair very long, em- 
 bellifhed with divers trinkets, which are the ob¬ 
 jects of thefe Negroes veneration. They pay 
 him fuch a. profound refpett, that they never 
 prefume to fpeak to him without proftrating 
 themfelves before him with their faces to the 
 ground. It is accounted an att of the higheft pre- 
 fumption to look this venerable pontiff in the 
 face, unlefs by a peculiar condefcenfion he gives 
 them that freedom. When he appears in public, 
 every one bows down before him with devotion, 
 and when he goes abroad, a wooden idol is 
 carried before him on a kind of litter. 
 
 The Gangas have their relpettive pofts or 
 offices afligned them; and Amobondu is the 
 guardian of their corn, through the aid and af- 
 (iftance of a Mokiflo, or Fetiche, made of clay 
 and feathers, which he buries in the middle of 
 fuch fields as are under his protection. Amolo- 
 co reftores fuch to their former (late of health, 
 who had loft it, by virtue of any magical incan¬ 
 tations ; for it is a received opinion amongft the 
 natives of Congo, that no perfon is either fick 
 or dies, but by virtue of fome magic charms, 
 or fafeinations. We fhall, in the fequel of this 
 differtation, treat more amply of the fatal conle- 
 quences that attend this notion ; for Molonga 
 foretels their good or ill fuccefs in all diftempers. 
 Neconi and Nezali have the influence or power 
 of healing the fick, Negodi cures the deaf; Ne- 
 fambi cleanfes the lepers, Embungula charms 
 
 the (laves, and makes them attend him by- 
 blowing a whiftle ; and laitly, the Ganga-Me- 
 tambola, if we may depend on the veracity of 
 Cavazzi, raifes the dead by his magical incan¬ 
 tations. The idolators of Angola pay an equal 
 regard and veneration to their Gangas; (or they 
 imagine that their life, health, fortune, and the 
 prelervation of all their effetts, are dependant 
 on them ; and they have an order of magicians, 
 called Chibados, who always drefs themfelves 
 in women’s apparel. 
 
 In our differtation on the religious cuftoms of 
 Guinea, we gave a defeription of their trial or 
 experiment of the Quoni, and that which is ge¬ 
 nerally made ufe of at Congo by the Imbondo, 
 or Bonde, is of the fame kind. The prifoner is 
 obliged to drink a dated quantity of the juice 
 of this root; and if he be able to make water 
 freely after he has taken the draught, he is 
 cleared, and declared to be innocent ; but if he 
 has the ftranguary, and falls down after it, it is 
 looked upon as an inconteftible evidence that 
 he is guiltv, and as fuch, he is inftantly con¬ 
 demned to die, without the lead hopes of par¬ 
 don or reprieve. This public experiment is 
 made before the king, or the Moni-Boma, who 
 atts as judge in thefe criminal caufes. There is 
 a fee or duty to be fil'd paid to his majefty ; 
 after which the judges, the proiecutors, and 
 their relations, meet together in fome large Iquare, 
 or public high-road, where the prifoner, with 
 all his friends and relations likewife attend. The 
 latter are all feated by one another; for if the 
 party charged, and fu(petted, undergoes the 
 experiment with fuccefs, his relations, friends, 
 and acquaintance, mud fubmit to it in their 
 turns, till the Imbondo has made a difeovery of 
 the pretended malefattor. 
 
 Another author adds, that as foon as the pri¬ 
 foner has drunk this Imbondo, the judge rifes 
 and throws a (mall rod, or wand at his head ; at 
 the fame time making ufe of the following form 
 of words, which doubtlefs amount to an impre¬ 
 cation ; tc If thou art guilty, fall down ; it in¬ 
 nocent, (land up, and make water.” After 
 this, he cuts the Imbondo into feveral fmall 
 pieces, and throws them on the ground. All fuch 
 as are fufpetted, are obliged to walk on thefe 
 little bits of the Imbondo, and fuch as have the 
 misfortune to fall in the experiment, are looked 
 upon as abfolutely convitted. Notwithftanding 
 the many frauds and abufes that are committed 
 on thefe occafions, the Negroes lay a prodigious 
 ftrefs on the prattice and obfervance o( thefe 
 experiments. Nay, though they have been luf- 
 ficiently convinced of the deceit and folly of 
 thefe trials, it is with them, as with many others, 
 the impofture, even after it it is detected, is ftill 
 carried on with fuccefs. 
 
 A king of Macoco, being very defirous to 
 difeover whether fuch experiments were really 
 effettual, and might be depended on or not, pre¬ 
 tended one day that fome rogue or other had 
 dole from him a confiderable quantity of fine 
 (hells, which are the current money of the coun¬ 
 try. Two of his domeftics were flrongly fuf¬ 
 petted, and immediately taken into cuftody, 
 who underwent with courage and refolution a 
 very ftritt examination. The king, who re- 
 
 folved 
 
The RELIGION of CONGO, ANGOLA, and of the JAGES, or GAULS. 389 
 
 folved with feeming refentment, that he would 
 try to difcover the truth, if pollible, ordered 
 that they fhould undergo the cudomary trials, 
 and charged the pried who was to prefide over 
 this affair, to ufe his utmoft endeavours to do 
 him judice and find out the malefaftor. The 
 dole was accordingly prepared, but made fo 
 ftrong, that it had the fame effeft on the innocent, 
 as it would have, as they pretend, on the guilty 
 only. The perfons profecuted were immediately 
 condemned, and hurried away, in order to be 
 puniflied according to their demerits ; but the 
 king, who was then prefent, darting up, difeo- 
 vered ingenioufly the dratagem he made ufe of 
 before the whole company, and ordered the judge 
 to be indantly executed, in the room of his inno¬ 
 cent domedics. 
 
 The Negroes of Congo are very drift in the 
 obfervance of their oaths ; but if, however, they 
 fhould accidentally at any time break them in the 
 heat of their paffio'n, it is cudomary for them to 
 make a kind of confeffion to one of their Gangas, 
 and afk his abfolution. If the oath has been 
 thus rafhly violated but once, a fingle confeffion 
 is fufficient; but if the crime has been aggravated 
 by a frequent repetition, the delinquent mud 
 humble himfelf feveral ways before he can pro¬ 
 cure his full and free remidion. The Ganga re¬ 
 duces fome particular roots to powder, which he 
 enclofes in a phial, and thereupon pronounces 
 feveral imprecations againd the perfon who is 
 perjured. After this, he orders the penitent to 
 prodrate himfelf on the ground, and from the 
 bottom of his heart to renounce and deted his 
 fins ; which done, he raifes him up, and prefents 
 him with a glafs of water. This lalutary potion 
 being drank with a contrite heart, the dinner re¬ 
 turns home perfeftly pardoned and abfolved ; 
 having fird made the Ganga fome greatful ac¬ 
 knowledgement for his fpiritual confolation. 
 Sometimes this Ganga anoints the tongue of the 
 perfon perjured with the oil of dates, and accom¬ 
 panies the unftion with fundry imprecations. 
 
 We fliall clofe this article with the ceremony 
 which thefc people praftife before they enter on 
 any warlike expedition. Curious, and fond of 
 knowing the confequences of the approaching en¬ 
 gagement, they put a veffel full of water, and fe¬ 
 veral other ingredients upon the fire, which mud 
 all be fird confecrated and duly prepared by a 
 Ganga. As foon as the pot begins to boil, they 
 enter upon their magical incantations, which, as 
 they imagine, irrefidibly attraft the titular 
 genius of their enemies, and oblige him to 
 plunge himfelf into it. In this painful fituation, 
 they confine him for fome confiderable time; 
 but when he has done fufficient penance, as they 
 conceive, and that the torments he has endured 
 mud indifputably have humbled him, they aik 
 him feveral quedions relating to the fuccefs ©f 
 the enfuing war. Whether he gives them any 
 exprefs anlwer or not, we are not informed ; they 
 always conjefture, however, that they fhall either 
 conquer or be conquered from the peculiar fer¬ 
 mentation of thefe magical ingredients, and in 
 all probability the genius never gives them any 
 other latisfaftion or reply. Sometimes, likewife, 
 we are informed, they let an empty pot upon 
 the fire, and when it is red hot, turn the bottom 
 33 
 
 upwards, and hovering over it, receive the heat; 
 which, they imagine, infpires them with an 
 invinfible courage. A prepoffeffion of this na¬ 
 ture may often, in all probability, meet with thd 
 dtfired fuccefs, and numberlefs indances of the 
 like nature might be produced from the hidory 
 of all ages ; but it would be impertinent, and 
 foreign to the purpofe, to quote them in this 
 work. 
 
 Notwithdanding the Portuguefe have intro¬ 
 duced Chridianity amongd the natives of Congo; 
 yet they have not been able to abolifh and extir¬ 
 pate the praftice of polygamy. The Negroes; 
 as well Chridians as idolators, have not only fe¬ 
 veral wives that are free-women, but a number 
 of conqubines likewife, who are flaves* The 
 former live in a feparate apartment from their 
 hufbands, but the principal, or governante, ha 9 
 the fuperintendance of the whole family, and is 
 allowed a deputy to aid and affid her* 
 
 When one of thefe free-wives proves falfe and 
 incondant, or is barely fufpefted, her hufband 
 difeards her, without the lead difgra'ce to any 
 party ; nay, the woman herfelf quickly finds out 
 another partner with abundance of eafe ; and as 
 to their concubines, who are their flaves, they 
 buy them for the generality when they are very 
 young : Sometimes they bargain for them whild 
 the mother is with child, who, in cafe die be 
 brought to bed of a boy, is obliged to procure 
 the purchafer a girl in his dead. In diort, they 
 marry, by way of trial, according to the cudom 
 of feveral people on the coad of Guinea. This 
 is. the purport of what we judged mod material, 
 and worthy of obfervance in our author before 
 quoted, but we are farther affured, that they are 
 fo 'courteous to any friend and acquaintance* or 
 any dranger, that accidentally pays them a vifit, 
 that one of their wives is always devoted to his 
 fcrvice. 
 
 We fliall now proceed to a more particular 
 detail of their cudoms : As foon as their daugh¬ 
 ters attain the age of maturity, their heads "are 
 fhaved all over, except on the foretop, on which 
 is purpofely referved a little tuft, like a crown* 
 After that, their admirers begin to view them 
 with tranfport, and are very importunate in their 
 addreffes to them. If a young virgin violates 
 her chadity before (he is confcious of her natural 
 purgations, both die and her gallant are obliged 
 to undergo a trial, fomething like what the 
 French call the Congres, in the prefence of the 
 king and all his court. A wife there is under an 
 extravagant lubjeftion to her hufband ; and if 
 we may rely on the veracity of fome authors, 
 thofe who have the mod liberty in Lovango, or 
 Congo, are much more padive and fubfervient 
 than any of our meaned domedics. Nay, the 
 king’s conforts themfelves in this country are per- 
 feft flaves, and obliged, however whimfical it 
 may appear, to work for their daily fubfidence, 
 Thele wives are locked up, and live like nuns, 
 till his majedy is graciouflv pleaded to make 
 choice of one of them to be the partner of his 
 bed ; but notwithdanding this plurality of wives, 
 neither the king, nor his lubjefts, are drangers 
 to the torments of jealoufy. When the latter 
 are apprehenfive of their wives incondancy and 
 ill conduft, they immediately put them away; 
 
 5 F but 
 
390 The RELIGION of CONGO, ANGOLA, and of the JAGES, or GAULS. 
 
 but the former are more fevere in their refent- 
 ments, and death is the fure confequence of in¬ 
 fidelity. Nay, they carry their groundlefs jea- 
 Joufies to fuch an extravagant pitch, that when¬ 
 ever any of their wives prove with child, they 
 are conftantly obliged to drink of the Imbondo, 
 in order to give a public demonftracion of their 
 virtue, and unfpottcd honour. If they Ihould 
 have the misfortune, as abundance of innocent 
 perlbns have, to be deemed guilty by fuch trial, 
 there are no hopes of mercy for them ; they are 
 ordered to be burnt, and their imaginary gallants 
 to be buried alive, without reprieve. Such is 
 the cruel fate of the concubines of thefe fove- 
 reigns ! But the lady whom they call the Ma- 
 cunda, enjoys a fpecial privilege at Lovango ; 
 for (Ire is one of the moll antient matrons of his 
 late majefty’s feraglio, who is elefled regent of 
 the kingdom, or, more properly fpeaking, the 
 l'uperintendant of the adlions of the prince upon 
 the throne. This Macunda, who is ftiled the 
 Mother of the King, may have as many admi¬ 
 rers as (he pleafes, and grant them the lad fa¬ 
 vours, if (he thinks convenient. Moreover, (he 
 fits as prefident in their councils, is guardian to 
 the prince, and has an unlimited power and au¬ 
 thority to pardon any malefadlor, though ever 
 fo notorious. 
 
 The king’s own mother, his fillers, and all 
 the Negro ladies of the royal family, have the 
 fame privilege. So far are they from pur,idling 
 them in cafes of incontinency, and breach of 
 their conjugal engagements, that they feverely 
 corredt their hufbands, in cafe they prefer other 
 miftreffes. It is no fmall misfortune,, in (hort, 
 for a man in that country to be married to one 
 of the royal family. 
 
 The king of Congo’s principal confort is 
 ftiled Mani-Mombanda; that is, Sovereign of 
 the Wives, for whole fervice there is a public 
 afiefiment made, which is very fingular and-re- 
 markable. On her wedding-night, every bed 
 throughout the kingdom is furveyed by proper 
 officers, and rated in proportion to their refpec- 
 tive dimenfions. This queen lives in an apart¬ 
 ment of the royal palace, with her maids of ho¬ 
 nour, who have free liberty to fpend their nights 
 abroad with his majefty, or fuch other of the 
 court as they think proper ; this indulgence is 
 owing to the coquetry of their royal miftrefs, who 
 ftudies all the ways (he can to oblige them. 
 
 As the profedion of Chriftianity at Congo ap¬ 
 pears to be fuperficial and infignificant, we (hall 
 pals it over, and proceed, for the amufement of 
 our readers, in the defcription of their nuptial 
 folemnities. It mud be acknowledged, indeed, 
 when they enter into the (late of matrimony, 
 they obierve the form prefcribed by the Catholic 
 church; but from what we have already related, 
 and what we have dill farther to offer on that 
 topic, it is demonftrable, that they pay very lit¬ 
 tle, if any, regard to her laws and inftitutions. 
 As for inftance, in cafe there be three brothers, 
 all of the fame family, and one of them hap¬ 
 pens to die, the other two divide his concubines 
 between them, (hare and (hare alike. Again, in 
 cafe one of thofe two (hould depart this life, the 
 furvivor claims them all as his right and property. 
 And after his deceafe, the next heir, though it 
 
 (hould be a ("on, we are informed, comes into 
 the peaceable poffeffion of the whole (lock. 
 
 The women of Lovango are as fubfervient, to 
 the men as our cattle are to us ; and all of them 
 in general, in the month of January, are obliged 
 to make their perl'onal appearance at the king’s 
 palace, in order to be employed in the (owing 
 and manuring of his lands. 1 he men likewife 
 give their attendance along with them ; and each 
 of them is provided with proper arms for his fer¬ 
 vice ; not with intent, however, to work them- 
 felves, but to chaflife fuch women as are indo¬ 
 lent and remifs in their duty; and, in fhorr, to 
 be their fuperintendants and diredtors. As for 
 the reft, they fpend their time in fuch amufe- 
 ments as they think moll proper. This Lovango 
 is fituate in one of thofe unhappy climates, where 
 the men are perfedt ftrangers to that complaifance, 
 that tendernefs and indulgence which we natu¬ 
 rally have for the foft fex. It mull be acknow¬ 
 ledged, indeed, that the women have fufficient 
 grounds for complaint, on account of their un¬ 
 generous treatment; and yet, in all probability, 
 they think themfelves happy, and never murmer 
 or repine at their abjedt condition. 
 
 Dapper affures us, that when the young mai¬ 
 dens of Congo begin to be tired of that" heavy 
 incumbrance, their virginity, they withdraw 
 into a particular folitary place, dreffed to the 
 bed advantage, according to the cullom of their 
 country ; that is to fay, their (kins plentifully 
 anointed with fat, and beautifully varnilhed, and 
 their cheeks, and fuch other parts as are for 
 the generality expofed to view, befmeared 
 with red paint. In this gloomy apartment 
 they refide for about three weeks, or a month, 
 and there, no doubt, though our author 
 is filent, and leaves us to our own conjedturds, 
 they very feldom, if ever, return without find¬ 
 ing fome good-natured perfon or another, who 
 is ready to take their burthen off their hands. 
 But be that as it will, they there make choice of 
 fuch young adtive fparks as endeavour mod effec¬ 
 tually to ingratiate themfelves into their favour, 
 by fuch particular fervices, and fuch foft endear¬ 
 ments, as are ufual before marriage; and in 
 this particular the Blacks agree with ~the genera¬ 
 lity of mankind. 
 
 A wife, after (lie is brought to bed at Angola, 
 has no converfation with her hufband till the in¬ 
 fant begins to cut his teeth ; and there is another 
 cullom in vogue there, which is univerlal, in¬ 
 deed, throughout all the barbarous nations, and 
 at this day practifed among the Jews, and that 
 is, the hufband and wife live apart during her 
 periodical fluxions. Moreover, the wife mud 
 not prefume to touch any one thing the hufband 
 eats, and neither lies in his houfe, nor approaches 
 his bed ; not to mention the marks and figna- 
 tures whereby (he is obliged to diftinguilh her- 
 felf from thofe that are in a perfedt (late 
 of health, and free from pollution. Amongft 
 other charadteriftics, or tokens. Hie wears a 
 firing about her head during the whole time of 
 her purgations. 
 
 Circumcifion is univerfally pradlifed, where 
 the Chriftian religion has not prevailed ; and at 
 Angola, as foon as ever they difeern that the in¬ 
 fant has cut his firft tooth, they drefs it up as 
 
 gaily 
 
The RELIGION of CONGO, ANGOLA, and of the JAGES* or GACJLS. 391 
 
 gaily as poflibly they can. Its friends and rela¬ 
 tions dandle it about from houfe to houfe, to col¬ 
 lect all the prefents they can poflibly procure for 
 it. In thole countries which are ftill idolatrous, 
 as foon as an infant is brought into the world, a 
 pried: is indantly lent for, who lays it under 
 lome particular folemn obligations ; which, in 
 all probability, ought to be looked upon as 
 prefervatives againd the numberlefs cafualties 
 to which the life of man is daily expofed; or 
 fome religious vows and duties, by the obfer- 
 vance whereof, the people imagine they ingra¬ 
 tiate themfelves into the favour and affections of 
 their deities. The pried takes particular care 
 to confirm and edablifh this notion, which is fo 
 naturally imbibed by the generality of mankind, 
 and fo beneficial and advantageous to all the fa- 
 cerdotal profeflion in general. He mutters ac¬ 
 cordingly l'ome certain my die terms, as pre- 
 feribed in their rubric, and afterwards impofes 
 fuch obligations upon the child as he thinks mod 
 convenient j and what he determines is lidened 
 to, and regarded as the voice of an oracle. 
 
 We Hi all now proceed to their funeral folem- 
 nites; for of all the prejudices and prepoflefiions 
 efpoufed by thefe people, there are none of 
 more fatal confequence, than the notion fo ge¬ 
 nerally received, that there is no fuch thing as a 
 natural death, and that the deceafe of all perfons 
 whomfoever, is the pure refult of the charms 
 and fafeinations of their enemies. The magi¬ 
 cians, in their opinion, raife the deceafed, tran- 
 fport him to fome folitary defart, and their make 
 him work like a Have. They take peculiar care 
 to feed him with frefh meet only; for Ihould the 
 dead man tade but the lead grain of fait, he 
 would grow outrageous, and purfue the mur¬ 
 derer with the utmod rigour; and by virtue 
 only of this groundlefs and foolifh perfuafion, 
 the death of one man is generally accompanied 
 with the untimely fall of many that are innocent. 
 The natives of Lovango begin their enquiries 
 relating to their dead, with ipells and incanta¬ 
 tions, which confid principally in leaning hard 
 upon a knife, in the prefence of one of their 
 Gangas, and in rubbing their hands together 
 with all their might; and during thefe operations 
 they enter upon their interrogatories. Such a 
 perfon, fay they, is dead and buried ; was he 
 betwitched ? or did his Mokifios take away his 
 life ? If upon this query, the perfon that makes 
 the experiment, has not power to command his 
 hands, it is accounted an incontedable proof 
 that his friend’s death was the refult of fome ma¬ 
 licious enchantment; and from this interrogatory 
 they run on to another, and the enquiry always 
 concludes with the trial by the Imbondo. 
 
 Thefe natives of Lovango are very much di¬ 
 vided in their opinions, with relation to the ftate 
 of the human foul after its departure from the 
 body. Such as are of the royal family main¬ 
 tain a kind of Metempfychofis, and imagine 
 that the fouls of thofe who depart this life enter 
 into the bodies of their children ; others believe 
 them mortal; but the greateft part of them 
 think they become their titular gods j in the firm 
 belief whereof they ereCt little chapels, conti¬ 
 guous or adjacent to the places where they died ; 
 thither they relort to pray to them, and make an 
 oblation, before they fit down to their meals. 
 
 both of what they are to eat, and what they are 
 to drink. Chicocka, of whom we have already 
 made mention, is the guardian of their dead j 
 and his ftatue, compofed of wood, is ereCted 
 at fome fmall diftance from their burying-ground. 
 He takes effectual care that no magician clan-* 
 deftinely removes the deceafed, or infults them, 
 or compels them to work, hunt, or fifh. Who 
 knows but this guardian god has deferved the 
 great confidence which the Negroes repofe in 
 him, by as natural an effeCt, as that with which 
 Horace reproaches his fig tree Prapus ? Perhaps 
 were not impofiible, if due enquiry was made, 
 to find miracles of this nature in fome parts of 
 Europe. 
 
 Thefe people bury their dead with all their* 
 cloaths on ; and the poorer fort apply themfelves 
 to fuch as are men of fubftance to affift them itl 
 defraying the neceflary expences of their funerals* 
 At the deceafe of the king of Congo, all per- 
 fons are ftridbly enjoined not to mourn for his 
 death, notwithftanding the melancholy news is fo- 
 lemnly proclaimed, by the found of a kind of 
 cornet, throughout the whole kingdom. As to 
 the reft, the pompous funeral of a prince is fo- 
 lemnized after the manner of the Roman Catho¬ 
 lics j but fuch as never were profelytes to Chrif- 
 tianity, or are only fuch in outward appearance, 
 ftridbly follow the rites and ceremonies of their 
 anceftors. They inter with their dead, a confi- 
 derable part of their effedts, feveral very valu¬ 
 able prefents, and various forts of goods ; and 
 as this cuftom has been univerlally obferved by 
 all idolatrous nations, both antient and modern, 
 it would be needlefs, if not impertinent, to 
 produce inftances to confirm the truth of it. Ac 
 the deceafe of a grandee, his favourites, clients, 
 and flaves, carry their extravagance infinitely be¬ 
 yond what is pradtifed in common ; and befides 
 the coftly prefents and foreign commodities 
 which are buried with him, they furnilli him with 
 domeftics to attend his royal perfon, and with 
 feveral young ladies for his amufement in his 
 journey to the other world, who either through 
 compulfion, or the prepoffeflion and artifice of 
 their priefts, are ftrenuous rivals, and conteft 
 the honour of being buried alive with their de¬ 
 ceafed monarch. 
 
 There are feveral religious cuftoms likewife 
 obferved at Lovango, that are equally remark¬ 
 able. 1'heir funeral folemnities are always ac¬ 
 companied with floods of tears, and inceflant 
 wailings j and as foon as they have carried the 
 corpfe out of the houfe, they dance all round 
 about it, and during that folemn ceremony, 
 weep molt bitterly, and fill the air with moil 
 hideous lamentations. At proper intervals they 
 very demurely alk the deceafed a thoufand imper¬ 
 tinent queftions ; fuch as, whether he decamped, 
 or removed his quarters, for want of the con¬ 
 veniences of life ? and the like. And though 
 the deceafed never obliges them with any anfwer, 
 they always aferibe his deceafe to fome diflatisfac- 
 tion of one kind or another. This funeral con¬ 
 cert, and thefe melancholy interrogatories, con¬ 
 tinue for fome hours 5 after which, they collect 
 every individual thing the deceafed is to carry 
 along with him, and when his bag and baggage 
 are all packed up and ready, they remove the 
 corpfe and his effects, with as much precipita¬ 
 tion, 
 
302 The RELIGION of CONGO, ANGOLA, and of the JAGES, or GAULS. 
 
 tion, as if they had ftole them. One moiety, 
 or half part, of his aforefaid effects is allotted to 
 be buried with him ; the other is hung up and 
 expofed to public view on poles, planted round 
 his fepulchre; but to prevent any clandeftine 
 conveyance of them away by necefiitous pilferers, 
 they either cut into rags, or tear to pieces, fuch 
 goods as are thus expofed. In the evening they 
 renew their weepings and wailings, and continue 
 thefe outward demonftrations of forrow and con- 
 cern, every evening for fix weeks together, with¬ 
 out. intermiflion. 
 
 Their degree of mourning varies in proportion 
 to the quality of the perfon deceafed ; and when 
 a grandee dies, their lamentations are more voci¬ 
 ferous and noify than ordinary, and their attend¬ 
 ance to the grave more folemn and numerous ; 
 for the people aflemble themfelves together from 
 all the adjacent towns on fuch a public occafion. 
 The magicians exert their fkill to'the utmoft, 
 and leave no charm, nor enchantment whatever 
 unpradtifed, in hopes to reftore a Tick grandee to 
 his former ftate of health ; not but the people too 
 ufe their utmolt endeavours likewife to prolong 
 his days, but there as well as here, it is grandeur 
 that is th’e principal attraction, and it is out of a 
 fclf-interefted view of being well rewarded for 
 their pains, that they are thus diligent and atten¬ 
 tive. There is no queltion therefore to be made, 
 but that fuch as are well verfed in magical ope¬ 
 rations, are lavilh of their molt lecret and valu¬ 
 able preparations, when the lives of fuch men as 
 are thus honoured and efteemed are in apparent 
 danger. 
 
 They hover round the corpfe, which is either 
 extended on a couch, or fupported in a fitting 
 pofture, by one of the company, and fometimes, 
 indeed, he is railed by proper fupporters, artfully 
 difpofed under each arm. In one of thefe fixa¬ 
 tions, his head is lhaved, his nails are pared, his 
 body wafhed, anointed, and painted red; and his 
 neareft kindred, that is, his male relations, feat 
 themfelves at a fmall diftance from the corpfe; 
 for the women, who have their tears always at 
 command, and are by nature qualified to excite 
 the paffions, are employed, by their violent 
 tranfports and agitations, to affeCt the whole af- 
 fembly. They dance, or rather fly about, like 
 perfons diftraCted, from right to left, in the ut- 
 moft confufion ; but in their intervals they fing 
 encomiums on the decealed, recite all his virtuous 
 aCtitins, and trace his genealogy; and this, in 
 fhort, is his funeral harangue. To conclude, 
 they bury lome part of his patrimony along with 
 him, and all the valuable effeCts which his rela¬ 
 tions and friends have collected together for his 
 more commodious fettlement in the other world. 
 The ufual place appropriated for the burial of 
 thefe Blacks is generally called the Kienga; 
 where on each refpedlive grave are ranged, in 
 decent order, the bow and arrows of the deceafed, 
 his wooden platter, his cup, or rather calabafs, 
 for the convenience of his drinking, when he 
 thinks proper, and a fufficient quantity of pipes 
 and tobacco for his fmoaking, &c. 
 
 The fame folemnities are obferved for their 
 king, but with much greater pomp and magni¬ 
 ficence ; for they embellilh the body of the de¬ 
 ceafed with the ufual regalia, according to the 
 dignity of thefe black princes. He is feated in 
 
 a chair of ftate, ereCted in a vault, relerved for 
 the peculiar reception of fuch illuftrious perfon - 
 ages, with the reprefentations, in wood or clay, 
 of luch as were his favourites when alive. Before 
 him are ranged a fufficient quantity of kitchen 
 furniture, or u ten fils, which were made ufe of at 
 his majefty’s table; fuch as cloths, napkins, &c. 
 A confiderable number of llaves are facriflced, 
 or rather murdered, for his peculiar fervice, who 
 are buried near him, or in fome feparate vault, 
 in order to revive with, and wait on his majefty 
 in his journey to the other world ; for they en¬ 
 tertain fome idea, though a very confuted and 
 imperfeCt one, of the refurredtion of the dead. 
 It was cuftomary, in former times, to bury 
 twelve beauteous virgins alive with the king of 
 Congo, and thefe young ladies were all fo loyal 
 as to offer up their lives a willing facrifice to the 
 fervice of their monarch. With warmth and zeal 
 they difputed their title of precedency, and each 
 one was fond of ftepping foremoft, and intercept¬ 
 ing her competitors. They drefied themfelves as 
 gaily as was polTible on thefe tragical and folemn 
 occafions, and their relations lupplied them 
 handfomely with all forts of furniture, and all 
 the conveniencies of life, which they thought 
 proper for their accommodation in the other 
 world. This cuftom, however, we are in¬ 
 formed, is at prefcnt abolifhed, as repugnant to 
 the principles of natural religion ; and one 
 branch of their funeral folemnities is reduced to 
 an elegant entertainment only, which is renewed 
 for eight days together, on the monument or fe¬ 
 pulchre of the deceafed monarch. Whilft they 
 are partaking of this regal banquet, they have 
 their intervals, in which they indulge themfelves 
 in all the demonftrations of the deepeft forrow 
 and concern, which, in our opinion, may juftly 
 pafs under the denomination of a religious 
 cuftom. 
 
 There is but very little difference between the 
 funeral folemnities obferved at Angola, and thofe 
 of Lovango and Congo; for they walk their dead, 
 comb them, fhave them, wrap them up in a kind 
 of fhroud, and afterwards lay them on a fmall 
 earthen bier. The deceafed is always drefied 
 after the moft elegant manner they can poftibly 
 devife, and feveral beafts at the fame time are 
 facriflced, and their blood fpilt in honour of their 
 departed friend. In the kingdom of Matamba, 
 the corpfe is covered over with rofin; and thus 
 embalmed, or more properly lpeaking, befmeared 
 all over, depofited in a deep grave, and guarded 
 by flaves till perfectly reduced to duft and allies. 
 This precaution is taken, as we are informed, 
 againft the natives themfelves, who are inclined 
 to plunder thefe graves, and mangle the bodies 
 of their dead countrymen, in order to carry away 
 their limbs clandeftinely, and hoard them up as 
 facred relics, which are more or lefs valuable ac¬ 
 cording to the reputation of the deceafed. 
 
 The relations and flaves, when they go into 
 mourning, fhave their heads and befmear their 
 faces with oil, and divers kinds of powder, which 
 lerve inftead of glue, to faften the various fea¬ 
 thers which at fuch times they ftick about them. 
 To hear their hideous outcries and lamentations, 
 one would imagine that forrow and affliction had 
 deprived them of their fenfes; but, if we may 
 rely on the veracity of our author, from whence 
 
The RELIGION of 
 we extrafl this account, they do not fo much as 
 Ihed one Tingle tear. We fhall clofe this topic 
 with an agreeable ftory enough, relating to the 
 the widows of Congo. They entertain the no¬ 
 tion, that the fouls of their departed hulbands 
 re-animate their bodies, unlefs due care be taken 
 to keep them at an aweful diftance ; and fuch a 
 re-animation would be an abfolute bar to any j 
 new alliance. To prevent, therefore, fo direful | 
 a difafter, they make their applications to one of 
 their priefts, who plunge themfelves feveral 
 times in fome rapid ftreams ; afcer which, as they 
 lie under no fearful apprehenfions of their return, 
 they boldly venture on their fecond nuptials. 
 
 It is furprifing how fuch notions fhould ever 
 enter into the human heart, or that thofe who are 
 endowed with rational faculties fhould ftoop 
 lower in their aflions than even the animal crea¬ 
 tion. All is owing to ignorance, and well might 
 the prophet fay, “ My people are deftroyed for 
 “ lack of knowledge.” The fundamental prin¬ 
 ciples upon which the civilization of mankind is 
 built, confift in knowledge, and upon this foun¬ 
 dation, a fuperftrufture of politenefs, humanity, 
 benevolence, and piety is formed. To all this 
 we may add, that an attention to thefe things 
 makes way for the reception of the gol'pel ; for 
 although the promulgation of the gofpel does 
 not depend on human means, yet God has com¬ 
 manded thofe to be ufed, and therefore men are 
 not to flight them, but ufe them in a proper 
 manner. 
 
 the Religion of the Guaguas. 
 
 Thefe people inhabit the kingdom of Ma- 
 tamba, and we are affured both by Purchas, an 
 Englilhman, and bather Cavazzi, an Italian, that 
 they not only eat the flelh of their enemies, but 
 even carry it aboutto fell as we do butchers meat. 
 However horrid and unnatural this may appear 
 to fome, who have not had an opportunity of 
 vifiting foreign countries, yet we can fee no rea- 
 fon to doubt the truth of it. Some of the Ame¬ 
 rican favages eat their prifoners, and it is but a 
 few years fince fome Englifhmen were killed, 
 and eaten in an ifland in the South-Seas. But to 
 proceed with our narrative : 
 
 The chief God of thefe people is called Qui- 
 fango, and reprefented under the form of a giant, 
 twelve feet high. This idol is fhut up and cir- 
 cumfcribed within an inclofure made of ele¬ 
 phants teeth ; each being embellifhed with the 
 fcalpof fome flave, or captive, that has been fa- 
 crificed in honour of this blood-thirfty deity. But 
 there are oblations made him befides thefe, fuch 
 as libations of palm wine, with the blood of 
 goats, deer, and other animals. 
 
 The perfon who is at the head of this fyftem 
 of falfe religion, ails both as high prieft and as 
 general of their forces. His hair, which is ex¬ 
 ceeding long, is adorned with fome particular 
 (hells, by them called Bamba, which they have 
 a peculiar veneration and refpeft for, and round 
 his neck he wears a collar compofed of other cu¬ 
 rious (hells, but not of fuch value as the former. 
 At his girdle hangs a chaplet, the beads whereof 
 confift of the eggs of the oftrich. Such an 
 33 
 
 the GUAGUAS. 3?3 
 
 extraordinary chaplet as this is, perhaps, cannot 
 be found in any other part of the world ; for ma¬ 
 ny of the beads are as large as the crown of a hat. 
 The prieft wears a fmall veftment round his waift, 
 falling down low enough to cover what modefty 
 requires to be concealed. As for his body, it is 
 embellifhed with a variety of figures delineated 
 after an inelegant and arrlefs manner. In other 
 refpefts, their chieftain is befmeared all over with 
 red and white paint, compofed partly of the 
 blood of dead men, mixed with the fat. A 
 piece of brafs, about an inch in length, hangs 
 down from his nofe ; and two other pieces from 
 his ears. He has commonly about twenty or 
 thirty wives, one of whom carries his bow and 
 arrows, another waits on him when he is difpofed 
 to drink, and prefents him with his cup which 
 they call calabafs. When he takes it, they all 
 fall down on their knees, clap their hands, and 
 fing till he has finifhed his draught. Some of 
 the wild inhabitants of Florida, obferve the fame 
 cuftoms at this very day. 
 
 Before the fovereign ofGuagua enters upon any 
 military expedition, he offers up a folemn lacri- 
 fice to his idol, before the fun rifes, at the cele¬ 
 bration whereof, two magicians attend; one at 
 his right hand, and the other at his left, with 
 about forty women of diftindion round about 
 him, each of them having a wild horfe’s tail in 
 both hands. Thus equipped, they fing a folemn 
 fervice, accompanied with playing on different 
 inftruments, according to the manner of their 
 country. In the midft of the congregation, or 
 affembly, there is a large fire, with an earthen 
 velfel hung over it, in which is contained a cer¬ 
 tain compofttion, wherewith they paint their 
 temples, foreheads, breads, and bellies, at the 
 fame time obferving fundry ceremonies, charms, 
 and incantations, which continue till the fun is 
 fet. After this, the magicians prefent the gene¬ 
 ral with the cafengola,which is a kind of hatchet, 
 and at the delivery of it, they exhort him to be 
 refolute and courageous. Accordingly, he gives 
 them what he thinks an inconteftable proof of 
 his valour, by raifing up his hatchet, and hack¬ 
 ing down a youth prelented before him for that 
 purpofe. Having laid the youth breathlefs on 
 the ground, four Haves likewife meet with the 
 fame untimely fate ; two of whom are maftacred 
 on the Ipot, and the other two are put to death 
 by his aftiftance. This human facrifice is attend¬ 
 ed with the facrifice of ten cows, ten goats and 
 ten dogs. The blood of thefe victims is poured 
 forth in honour of their idol, but the flefh is re- 
 ferved for the repaft of the aflembly, which fo¬ 
 lemn feaft is concluded with loud acclamations 
 and other teftimonies of public joy. 
 
 When his troops are alfembled together, he 
 delivers a very pathetic harangue, and then orders 
 them to march. Thefe declarations, delivered 
 in order to animate the foldiers, are lpoken in an 
 elevation of voice, with fuch energy, grace and 
 dignity as may Hand in competition with thofe 
 orations we meet with in the accounts of the an- 
 tient Grecian worthies. The captains follow the 
 example of their intrepid generals, and thus 
 thefe barbarians infpire the private foldiers with 
 a favage brutal ferocity. If any private foldier 
 difcovers the lead: marks of cowardice, or incli¬ 
 nation to defert and run away in the heat of an 
 5 G engagement. 
 
394 Tie RELIGION 
 
 engagement, he is indantly cut in pieces, and 
 eaten up by his companions. All fuch as are ta¬ 
 ken prifoners of war, are eaten either fooner or 
 later. Thofe who are lean are referved to be 
 fattened, as we do with our cattle, but fometimes 
 they content themfelves with felling them as 
 flaves. However, they neither kill nor eat their 
 captives till they are at years of maturity, but 
 are particularly indulgent to fuch male prifoners 
 as are very young j for they naturalize them and 
 train them up in the practice of their own inhu¬ 
 man and barbarous cuftoms. 
 
 They put a collar round their necks, as a badge 
 of their captivity, and never take it off till they 
 have produced before the general, the head of 
 one of their enemies. Then they are made free, 
 and honoured with the title of Gongo, which 
 dignifies a foldier, or warrior. They try the cou¬ 
 rage of their young captives, by {hooting an ar¬ 
 row diredtly over their heads, and he that darts, 
 or difcovers the lead figns of fear, is killed im¬ 
 mediately and eaten. 1 hey are not to be natu¬ 
 ralized without the dronged, and mod fignal 
 proofs of their courage, and even then with initia¬ 
 tion ; for thofe who refufe to comply with it are 
 treated with the utmod abhorrence. This cere¬ 
 mony confids in drawing out four of their fore¬ 
 teeth, two from the upper jaw, and two from 
 the under ; they Jikewife bore their ears and 
 nofes, making very wide holes in them. And 
 here it may not be improper to relate fomething 
 concerning an Amzaonian princels, who once 
 reigned among them. The hidory of the antient 
 Amazons is well known. They inhabited fome 
 part of that extendve country, antiently called 
 Scythia, but now Tartary. One of their queens 
 waited on Alexander the Great, and we are told 
 that hero was very intimate with her, perhaps 
 fhe granted him every favour. 
 
 This African princefs, whom we fhall now , 
 give an account of, prohibited the education of i 
 any male child within the limits of the kingdom, 
 but dridlly enjoined all parents to murder them, 
 or expoie them to the wild beads as loon as they 
 were born. She ordered all fuch children as had j 
 been preferved to be difinherited, and branded 
 with a particular mark. She permitted the wo¬ 
 men to marry with their prifoners of war, to 
 whom in confequence of that alliance, fhe grant¬ 
 ed all the privileges of the date, and this was 
 done in order to preferve the breed of females. 
 She charged all women who were with child, on 
 pain of death, to avoid being delivered within 
 the bounds of her kingdom, led they {hould pol¬ 
 lute the ground. If in dilobedience and contempt 
 of her commands, any male child diould be acci¬ 
 dently preferved alive, die driflly forbad the re¬ 
 ception of him into her kingdom, unlefs two of 
 his teeth were fird drawn ; but when it happened 
 that the upper fore teeth came down over the 
 others, then he was indantly put to death.. 
 
 She condituted and appointed proper judges, 
 with other inferior officers, to lee that thefe her 
 laws were duly refpedted and executed ; to put 
 to death fuch women as diould happen to conceal 
 any children, and to oblige every young peifon 
 to learn the rites and ceremonies of their religion. 
 That thefe laws might receive the greater fan&ion, 
 it was necefiary to perfuade the people to believe 
 that they were the ftatutes and ordinances of their 
 
 of the G U A G U A S. 
 
 I ancedors •, that by the obfervance of them they 
 would become a terror to their enemies ; that 
 their power and authority ought to be confined 
 and edabliffied by fuch examples as might demon- 
 drate a folcmn renunciation of that fondnefs and 
 aft'eddion lb natural to parents, and which is vifible 
 among favage beads. 
 
 Here we may obierve what power can do when 
 united with that falfe fear of the deity called fu- 
 i perdition. They imagined upon the implicit 
 faith of their fovereign, that they diould lb far 
 ingratiate themfelves in the favour of their idol, 
 as to obtain the privilege of being invulnerable, if 
 they had the courage to murder their children, 
 and befmear themfelves with their blood. The 
 princefs herfclf was the fird promoter of this un¬ 
 heard of barbarity, for fhe murdered her own 
 fon, and had his body beaten into a powder, 
 with which die rubbed her body all over, to fet 
 an example to the wretched deluded people. 
 How long this monder of barbarity reigned, 
 does not appear, but probably not long, for bar¬ 
 barous and favage as the people were, yet it can¬ 
 not be fuppofed they would differ thefe things any 
 great length of time. But we diould add a re¬ 
 mark here concerning the antient Caananites, 
 whom Joffiua dedroyed. The deids have objedt- 
 ed that Joffiua had no right to invade their coun¬ 
 try and dedroy them. It is in vain for us to tell 
 them, that Joffiua was commanded to extirpiate 
 them, for that they do not regard ; we mud an- 
 lwer them on other principles. Thefe Canaanites 
 had been guilty of the mod horrid unnatural 
 crimes, fimilar to thofe we have been treating of; 
 and therefore it was but judice that fuch wretches 
 ffiould be exitrpated from the earth. Suppofing 
 an army of European Chridians were to fee fuch 
 unnatural barbarities committed as thofe we have 
 jud mentioned, would not every man prefent 
 think it his duty to puniffi the cruel perpretrators 
 of them ? Certainly he would, and human nature 
 knows no puniffiment for murder, but that of 
 taking away the life of the murderer. But to re¬ 
 turn to the fubjedt. 
 
 A.s for the nuptial ceremonies of thefe people, 
 they have nothin g very remarkable in them, be¬ 
 ing fo cruel and ignorant, many of them herd to¬ 
 gether like beads, without any regard to age, fex, 
 or decency •, fome of them, particularly the Jages, 
 who inhabit the province of Anfiko, never bury 
 their dead, but either eat them or bury them alive. 
 They waffi their bodies clean when they intend to 
 bury them, and carry them to the grave in a fitting 
 podure, and their wives, if they have any, are 
 buried along with them. The ceremony con¬ 
 cludes with cries and dreadful lamentations, which 
 lad feveral days. 
 
 We have already, in the courfe of this work, 
 had occafion to lament, that fo many of our fel¬ 
 low creatures are ignorant of the knowledge of 
 Chrid, but what ffiall we fay of thofe Afri¬ 
 cans, who are worfe than the wild beads of the 
 field ! Does it not ferve to ffiew, that mankind 
 are not what their ancedor was when he came 
 from the hands of his maker. Nay, it appears 
 from what is related here, that he is capable of 
 any thing, let it be ever fo abfurd, ridiculous, 
 cruel, barbarous, or unnatural, which clearly 
 proves our nature to be corrupted. Unlefs thofe 
 things are granted, we ffiall never be able to ac¬ 
 count 
 
The RELIGION of the NATIV 
 
 count for the praftices of many of our fellow crea¬ 
 tures, who even in whole national bodies, commit, 
 or rather live in, and eftablifh crimes (hocking to 
 be mentioned. Hence we may conclude, that al¬ 
 though there are many things of great value to be 
 met with in the writings of the Greeks and Ro¬ 
 mans, yet we find they were moll: Ihockingly 
 corrupted m their morals, when the gofnel was 
 nilr pieached among them. From this it appears 
 plain, that nothing but the gofpel can cure 
 our fpintual infirmities. We fhail conclude our 
 prefent article with the following pafia'ge from a 
 lermon of the late Dr. Coneybear, bilhop of 
 rJrittol. 
 
 t< “ . Ic hath been related already (fays his lord- 
 lliip) that fin was brought into the world by 
 “ our firft parents, from whence there is derived 
 down to us, a depraved and corrupted nature. 
 Hence both our intellectual and moral powers, 
 
 “ have been greatly impaired, and as, in many 
 tc tnftances, we know not what we ought to do ; 
 in others, when ignorance may not be pleaded^ 
 there is a remarkable backwardnefs, and even 
 “ perverfenefs of the will. Thefe evils muft be 
 remedied in fome degree ; otherwife no advan- 
 “ tage can be made of the pardon which God, 
 for Chrift s lake, offers. For it is unreafonable 
 <C to ex pe& this fhould extend to any but thole 
 “ who embrace it by a religious return to God.” 
 Sermon I. Vol. I. page 22. 
 
 The Religion of the Natives of South Cafraria. 
 
 Mr. KOLBENS, a Dutch gentleman, who 
 refided lome years at the Cape of Good Hope 
 and vlilted many of the African kingdoms, is of 
 opinion that there is a manifeft conformity between 
 the Cafres and the Jews. In order to I'upport 
 his argument, he enumerates feveral cuftoms 
 praCliied alike by both. T he Cafres make abun¬ 
 dance of oblations, and regulate the time of their 
 feftivals by the full and new moons. They have 
 no converiation with their wives during particular 
 feafons, and always ufe purification. °They fre¬ 
 quently make ufe of unleavened bread, and ab- 
 ftam from all forts of fait meat. They praftife 
 the ceremony of circumcifion, or fomething iimi- 
 lar to it, and they eat nothing that is ftrangled, nor 
 any fifii without feales. They never admit women 
 into their councils, and are allowed to give their 
 wives a bill of divorce, even on the flightefl; pre¬ 
 tence. r 
 
 He obierves feveral other rites and ceremonies 
 fimilar to thofe of the Jews, fucli as giving the 
 -names of animals, hiils, mountains, rivers, trees, 
 fruits, herbs, and, indeed, every thing in nature 
 to their children, inllead of the names of their 
 parents or relations. But all thefe arguments 
 made ufe of by this Dutchman to eftablifh his 
 favourite fyftern, have no weight at all, as will 
 appear when we confider the following things. 
 Their tifing unleavened bread, has no conformity 
 with any cuftom praftifed by the Jews, becaufe 
 thefe Africans never knew how to make bread 
 till they were taught to do fo by the Europeans 
 With refpeft to their divorcing their wives, it 
 will appear to the reader, from ieveral of the for¬ 
 mer parts of this work, that many other Heathens 
 
 ES of SOUTH CAFRARIA. 
 
 do the fame, and circumcifion is common ia 
 alinoft one half of the known world. 
 
 But he imputes to them in common with other 
 authors, that they ftarve -their relations to death 
 when they are part their labour, which is contrary 
 to every thing in the law of Mofes. He fays 
 they are expert at thechace, but in that he fhould 
 have compared them with the Hottentots, rather 
 than with the Jews. We agree, however, with this 
 author, that there is no improbability, that thefe 
 idolatrous Africans were defeended from the Phoe¬ 
 nicians, who went from the South of Afia, in 
 antient times, and carried along with them their 
 own rites and ceremonies. However, be thefe 
 things as they will, we (hall now proceed to give 
 an account of the principles and ceremonies of their 
 religion. 
 
 They have fome faint notion of the univerfal 
 deluge, for they have a tradition tranfmitted 
 down from father to fon, informing them, that 
 their anceftors, iffuing out of a door, or window, 
 eftablifhed themlelves on this fpot of the earth' 
 which they now inhabit, and inftrufted their chil¬ 
 dren in the art of agriculture. They hkewife add 
 that their parents names were Noli and Hingnou, 
 and both thefe may relate to Noah and his wife’ 
 for his wife’s name is not mentioned in feripture! 
 All our travellers are very contradiftory in their 
 accounts of the religion of thefe people, becaufe 
 they are divided into clans, tribes, or hordes, 
 and all thefe have different notions. However’ 
 from all thefe accounts, we fee no difficulty of 
 collecting the truth, becaufe feveral reputable 
 writers have enquired into them, and we cannot 
 fee any reafon to doubt their veracity, efpecially 
 as thefe accounts have been approved of by the 
 Royal Society. ' 
 
 They adore one fupreme being, though their 
 notions concerning him are very dark and confuted; 
 They kill feveral cows and Iheep in honour of 
 their idol, and make voluntary oblations! of their 
 flefh and milk, as grateful acknowledgements 
 of all his mercies from tune to time; for they 
 imagine that he alone lends them rain, fun-ffiine, 
 and all the returns of the feafons. They feem 
 to have little or no idea of a future ftate, and yet 
 they have many good qualities which firould Te¬ 
 cum them from the contempt ufually. thrown out 
 upon them. They are, in many refpefts, honeft 
 and charitable to one another. They look upon 
 theft and adultery as capital crimes ; and fuch as 
 are found guilty of them, are immediately put to 
 death. 
 
 But notwitbftanding this, every man has free 
 liberty to marry as many women as he can main- 
 tain, although few of them indulge themielves 
 with any more than three. A German miffionary 
 and a Proteftant, alked one of thefe Cafres con¬ 
 cerning his belief of the deity, and received the 
 following fonfible anfwer : “ Let him that can¬ 
 
 not believe there is a God, furvey the heavens, 
 
 “ the earth, and every objedt round about him, 
 
 “ an d then let him deny the exiftence of a Su- 
 tc preme Be ing, if he can.” We have fome rea¬ 
 fon to believe, that the zealous miffionary dreffed 
 up the Cafre’s words, and therefore it is bell; 
 to confider them in the middle latitude, efpe¬ 
 cially as the Jefuits have reprefented them as 
 downright Atheifts. 
 
 Is 
 

 The RELIGtON of the NATIVES 6f SOUTH CAFRARI A, 
 
 d obliterates all the fins of 
 
 It is certain, that the Dutch have the bed op¬ 
 portunities of being acquainted with theie Ca- 
 fresj or Hottentots, becaule no other Euro¬ 
 peans have any fettlement at the Cape of Good 
 Hope. For many miles up the countiy, the 
 Dutch have Proteftant churches eftablilhed, and 
 as their minifters are men of fenfe and gravity, 
 we ought at lead to pay fome regard to the ac¬ 
 counts they have given us. 
 
 Kolben fays, that they call the mvifible God 
 Gounia Ticquoa, a term that means the Captain 
 of the Gods. They are far from being uniform 
 in their religious rites and ceremonies, on account 
 of their being divided into fo many clans, or 
 hordes, which they call cralles. The truth is, 
 there is no conftancy in any of the notions enter¬ 
 tained by the Barbarians throughout the whole 
 world. All is ignorance and confufion, and 
 we feek in vain for a guide to diredt us; which 
 circumftance alone Ihouldmore and more endear 
 to us Divine Revelation. The Cafres, or Hot¬ 
 tentots, who refide all round the Cape, pay their 
 adoration to the moon, by dancing to her honour 
 When fhe changes, or when (he is at the full. 
 This religious ceremony lalts all night, and is 
 performed with abundance of noife, hurry and 
 confufion. They (hout, they clap their hands, 
 diredt their eyes upwards, with abundance of 
 feeming devotion, and then they mutter fome 
 words which none can underltand but themfelves. 
 Sometimes they run into vaults, where they clap 
 their hands and repeat feveral ejaculations. All 
 this is performed during the night, while the 
 moon is in her fplendor,; and they frequently 
 proftrate themfelves on the ground, then rife 
 up again, and gazing at the moon, with loud 
 acclamations, make the following addrefs to her. 
 “ We thy fervants falute thee. Give us (lore 
 « of milk and honey; encreafe our flocks and 
 « herds, and we will worlhip thee”. During 
 this ceremony, they mark their foreheads with 
 red paint, a pradtice common among the lavages 
 in America. 
 
 It appears, that like fome of the reft of the 
 Pagan Africans, they worlhip a being, who, 
 according to their imaginations, can neither 
 do them any good nor any evil. And which is 
 (fill more remarkable, they worlhip another being 
 inferior to this, whom they believe can do them 
 much injury, unlefs his anger is appealed. This 
 being they imagine frequently appears to them 
 under the mold tremendous form, fomewhat re- 
 fembling the ancient fatyrs of the Greeks; and 
 when they are afked how they can believe in 
 fuch abfurdities, fo inconfiftent with the Divine 
 attributes ; their anfwer is to the following im¬ 
 port : “ We follow the traditions of our an- 
 
 “ ceftors, whole firft parents having finned 
 “ againlt the grand captain, they fell into fuch 
 “ a negledt of his worlhip, that they knew no- 
 " thing of him, nor how to make their addreffes 
 « to him.” This may i'erve to (hew, that how¬ 
 ever ignorant they may be in other refpedts, yet 
 in this dark tradition they have fome faint notion 
 of the fall of man, which indeed is acknowledged 
 by all the woldd, except fome letter learned men 
 among ourfelves. 
 
 They pay likewife a religious adoration to a 
 kind of May-bug. At fight of this infedt, for, 
 according to their notion, it always portends fome 
 
 good to the family, and 
 thofe who belong to it, they fing and dance to 
 its honour,-and ftrew all round about it, and in¬ 
 deed about the whole houfe, the powder of a cer¬ 
 tain plant, which they call Buchu, and the 
 herb Spirata. At the fame time, they facrifite 
 two Iheep to this diminutive deity. This cere¬ 
 mony is diftinguilhed by a term that fignifies re¬ 
 generation, If this infedt fhould fortunately 
 crawl upon any one in the family, it is a ftrong 
 indication, that fuch perfon is become a new crea¬ 
 ture : he is looked upon as a venerable faint; 
 two Iheep are facrificed for his fervice ; an ox is 
 (laughtered to his honour, and he is drelfed with 
 the intrails of the beaft. 
 
 The Omentum is firft well powdered with 
 Buchu, and then clapped reeking hot about his 
 neck. This collar he muft wear night and day, 
 till it rots off; or at leaft till another May-bug 
 relieves him, by fettling upon fome other 
 regenerated perfon belonging to the houfe. As 
 to the flelh of the ox fo facrificed, the men regale 
 themfelves with it as foon as it is drelfed ; but 
 the women, who are prefent at the entertain¬ 
 ment, are allowed to touch nothing but the broth. 
 If, on the other hand, this facred infedt fetdes on 
 a woman, thefe Hottentots immediately canonize 
 her : In that cafe, the women regale on the flelh 
 of the ox, which is facrificed and drelfed in 
 honour to the female faints, and the men have 
 no right or title to any thing but the broth. 
 They take all the care imaginable to prevent the 
 Europeans from hurting this their favourite in¬ 
 fedt. All the misfortunes that attend it, inevi¬ 
 tably draw down fo many calamities on them¬ 
 felves and their cattle. 
 
 They have feveral folitary places which they 
 look upon as facred ; more efpecially their hil¬ 
 locks, and little fpots of ground adjacent to 
 their rivers, which are, as they imagine, and as 
 our German author exprelfes it, the abodes of 
 fome particular faints ; but we have very good 
 grounds to furmife, that they think the fouls of 
 their departed anceftors refide in thefe holy habi¬ 
 tations ; and, in all probability, there is fome 
 conformity between this notion of theirs, and 
 that of the ancient idolators, who eftablilhed 
 the manfions of their Nymphs, Fauns and Syl- 
 vans, near fountains, rivers, hills, and forefts. 
 But be that as it will, the Hottentots never travel 
 over fuch holy ground, without performing fome 
 adt of devotion as they go along; which princi¬ 
 pally confifts in cutting a few comical capers, 
 and finging to themfelves fome extravagant eulo- 
 gium of the facred inhabitant. If they look 
 on him as a more venerable laint then ordinary, 
 their religious ceremonies are more folemn and 
 of longer duration. In that cale, they Hop to 
 clap their hands and hum over their divine airs 
 with more attention, and a better grace. In 
 lhort, fuch as fee through this rude and unpo- 
 lillied deportment, in which the difference be¬ 
 tween our condudt, and that of thefe favage 
 nations, principally confifts, muft acknowledge, 
 that both adt in a manner upon the lame prin¬ 
 ciples. 
 
 Every cralle has its peculiar captain, prieft 
 and phyfician : Of thefe latter there are fome- 
 times two ; and fometimes likewife the women 
 turn doctors, and preferibe to their neighbours. 
 
 The 
 
The RELIGION of the NATIVES of SOUTH CAFRARI A. jdj 
 
 The phyfician is elefled by the elders of the 
 cralle. His office or employment is notheredi- 
 ditary ; for when he dies, they proceed to the 
 choice of another; and in cafe there be no per- 
 fon duly qualified for that important poll in their 
 own cralle, they make a farther enquiry for fome 
 able and experienced perfon to fill that vacancy. 
 This honourable employment is conferred by the 
 Hottentots upon none but fober, difcreet men ; 
 men of an advanced age, at leaft near fifty; for 
 otherwife the people will not confide in their care, 
 or regard their prefcriptions. Thefe phyficians, 
 we are informed, have very few patients that die 
 under their hands; but if fuch a misfortune 
 ffiould attend them, they have a reafon always 
 ready at hand for fuch a mifcarriage. The pa¬ 
 tient, fay they, was indifputably bewitched ; a 
 circurr.ftance fufficient at all times to fupport the 
 credit and reputation of their faculty. 
 
 We proceed now to the Furi, who is the fpiri- 
 tual phyfician of thefe Hottentots, and whole 
 funflion is likewife eleflive ; he is infpedtor 
 general of their manners, cufloms, and religious 
 ceremonies. Whether he has the fame dexterity 
 and addrels as his countrymen the phyficians, or 
 not, or the artifice and quackery of the Boias, 
 and all fuch as officiate as priells amongft the la¬ 
 vages, we are at a lofs to determine ; but in all 
 probability, how unpoliflied foever thefe Furis 
 may appear to travellers, they have their manner 
 of infinuation as well as others of their profeffion. 
 The fees of thefe phyficians, both civil and fpi- 
 ritual, confift in the prefents which are made 
 them ; fometimes of a lamb, and fometimes of 
 a ITieep ; and the dignity of both functions en¬ 
 titles them to a free participation of all the public 
 entertainments of the cralle. 
 
 We ffiall now amufe our readers with a ffiort 
 account of their manner of initiation, and ad- 
 miffion into their civil fociety, which is far more 
 whimfical and extravagant than any hitherto 
 mentioned. The Hottentots cut out the left 
 tefticle of all their male-children, as foon as 
 they are nine or ten years old at fartheft. For 
 which reafon father Taclvard, fpeaking of thefe 
 people, calls them a kind of Half Eunuchs. They 
 are not, however, indifpenfably obliged to fix this 
 operation to the age before mentioned ; fince 
 fome perfons more advanced in years are thus 
 caftrated ; but none under eight. The introduc¬ 
 tion to this ceremony is their tying the arms and 
 legs of the patient very faft ; and moreover, they 
 kneel upon his bread, that they may command 
 him at pleafure, and at the fame time prevent 
 him from feeing an operation which amongft us 
 would be fubmitted to with theutmofi reludlance, 
 and, in all probability, be looked upon as 
 a diminution of our manhood. 
 
 The operator having thus fecured his patient, 
 takes out his lancet, makes the proper incifion, 
 takes away the tefticle propofed, and artfully 
 conveys a little ball of the fame fize, compofed 
 of lheeps fat and the powder of Buchu, into 
 the wound,, and then doles it up. This Lytho- 
 tomift is always one of the fpiritual directors be¬ 
 fore-mentioned, and mafter of the ceremonies 
 in their refpedlive cralles. As a preliminary of 
 this operation, fome of the Hottentots kill a 
 ffieep for the entertainment of the company at 
 34 
 
 the clofe of the ceremony. One circumftancd 
 we had like to forgot, which is very ma¬ 
 terial, and ought not to be omitted. The 
 patient immediately after the operation, is very 
 plentifully anointed all over his body ; and to 
 complete the initiation, the reverend dodlor ho¬ 
 nours him with a plentiful profufion of his urine, 
 and then leaves him extended at his full length 
 upon the ground. But as foon as the tormenting 
 pain he has been put to, begins to abate, he 
 muftcrawl, as well and as foon as he is able, ta 
 a little hut credted for thatpurpofe, where he is 
 ordered to continue for three or four days toge¬ 
 ther. The entertainment provided on this occa-* 
 fion for the aflembly, is a ffieep as before men¬ 
 tioned ; but both the perfon initiated, and the 
 women then prelent, are obliged to abftain from 
 tailing the leaft model of it. 
 
 The reafon which fome give, though without 
 the leaft foundation, for the obfervance of this 
 ridiculous cuftom is this, that the Hottentots be¬ 
 come thereby more fprightly and adtive, and bet¬ 
 ter qualified for the chafe. On the contrary, 
 there are the traces of religion confpicuous in 
 this pradtice. T he fheep that is killed and eaten, 
 exclufive of the women, is manifeftly a kind of 
 facrifice. The time generally fixed for this ope¬ 
 ration, is when the perfon to be initiated attains 
 the age of maturity ; and the peculiar care 
 which the women take, not to have any familiar 
 converfation with lucli as have not undergone it, 
 is a ftrong argument likewife, in our opinion, 
 that there is a kind of religious myllery in this 
 operation. There is another reafon, pleafant 
 enough, given for the obfervance of this pradtice, 
 viz. that the women are thereby fecured from 
 having twins. But be that *as it will, we are 
 credibly informed, no young fellow muft prefume 
 to marry till he has thus parted with one of his 
 precious (tones. 
 
 Another cuftom which is very fingular, is the 
 reception of a youth, who has attained the age 
 of maturity, into their civil fociety. No young 
 perfon is permitted, till after this ceremony is 
 complied with, to keep company with thole who 
 are already admitted members, or indulged fo 
 far as to eat even with his own father; and he 
 who negledls to procure his admiffion, when he 
 comes ot age, expofes himfelf to the contempt 
 and ridicule of all his countrymen. For the fo- 
 lemnization of this ceremony, one of the elders 
 of the cralle convenes a general aflembly, who 
 form themfelves into a circle. Every member 
 fupports his body upon his knees, in fuch a 
 manner, as that his pofteriors may not reft 
 upon the ground. The youth who is to be 
 admitted does not enter as yet into the auguft 
 aflembly, but plants himfelf at a modeft dirtance 
 in the fame attitude with the reft. The principal 
 or elder, opens with a (Fort harangue, which 
 turns diredlly on the bufinefs of the day; after 
 which, he afks the confent of the whole aflembly 
 for the admiffion of the young man. L^pon their 
 general approbation, he advances towards the 
 youth, and very gravely docs that to him which 
 Rancunedid to the merchant, with more fpleen, 
 but lefs formality. However, before fuch afper- 
 (ion, he acquaints him, in as romprehenfive 
 terms as may be, that from henceforth his actions 
 5 H ought 
 
The RELIGION of the NATIVES of SOUTH CAFRARIA, 
 
 ought to fpeak the man ; that he is now no lon¬ 
 ger under his mother’s eye, and. that he mull 
 take care by his prudent deportment to merit 
 the honour he has obtained, of being entered a 
 member of their afiembly. During the whole 
 time of this afperfion, the young man, who re¬ 
 ceives it with all the teftimonies of the pro- 
 founded veneration, bathes his body all over 
 with the hoiy water fprinkled upon him. The 
 ceremony concludes with the celebrant’s heartv 
 congratulations of the young man, in the name 
 of the cralle, and his friendly wifhes for the pro¬ 
 longation of his life, and the increafe of his fa¬ 
 mily. After that they are regaled with a whole 
 ■fheep, at the expence of their new member, 
 who, notwithftanding, is not permitted to tafte 
 a morfel till the whole afiembly have firfi: eaten 
 what they think convenient. 
 
 When one Hottentot infults another, and 
 treats him with approbriousandabufive language, 
 he robs him, according to their notion, of his 
 honour. The party injuring, therefore, mull 
 take care to redeem his credit, by prefenting his 
 companions with a fat fheep for an entertainment; 
 who partake of it at his expence, but allow him 
 the fat to anoint his body with, and the guts for 
 his decoration. Should he refufe to make this 
 peace-offering, which doubtlefs is looked upon 
 as a purification, the party infulting would be 
 abandoned, and become the objeft of univerfal 
 contempt. From hence it is plain, that the 
 point of honour is quite another thing with the 
 Cafres then what it is with us, though it all tends 
 indeed to the fame end, with this difference only, 
 that the Hottentots are fo wife, as not to cut 
 one another’s throats to gratify their refent- 
 ment. 
 
 When they have defeated their enemies, or 
 deftroyed a confiderable quantity of wild beafts; 
 when they are recovered from a tedious fit of 
 ficknefs, or elcaped fome imminent danger, they 
 folemnize a feftival, after their country fafhion, 
 on account of their good fuccefs. The firfi; ce¬ 
 remonious aft on thefe occafions is the ereftion 
 of a hut in the middle of the Cralle, which, as it 
 denotes, in their opinion, the regeneration or pu¬ 
 rification of the builders, the materials ought to 
 be all perfectly new, and never made ule of in 
 any previous fabric whatfoever. The foundation 
 is always laid before lun-rife. The women, 
 and fuch youth as have not as yet been admitted 
 amongft the men, cut down the boughs and 
 branches of trees, and colleft a large variety of 
 flowers for the decoration of their new hut; and 
 then they kill a lamb or a fheep for their public 
 entertainment. Who can tell, but that this ce¬ 
 remony we are now fpeaking of, is much the 
 fame thing as our dedication of a church ? And 
 it is very probable, that the ereftion of this hut 
 is equal to our acquittal of a folemn vow for 
 the foundation of a chapel. 
 
 They oblerve the fame ceremony at their fettle- 
 ment in any new habitation ; but before they re¬ 
 move from their old places of abode, they offer 
 up the cuftomary facrifice, or make the ufual 
 oblation. Should there be a murrain among 
 their cattle, they employ themfelves in facrifices 
 for three days together, to avert the judgment; 
 and if after luch folemn afts of devotion the con¬ 
 
 tagious diffemper does not ceafe, or at lcaft vi* 
 fibly abate, they generally decamp, and remove 
 their cralle to fome other place, in hopes to find 
 more healthful patture-grounds, which they fane-- 
 t‘fyi however, before they enter upon them, in 
 the manner before deferibed. Moreover, they 
 make their cattle pafs through the fire, by way 
 of a purification, which they receive, as they 
 pretend, by tradition from their anceftors • 
 which, in theiropinion, is a fufficient juftification 
 of their conduft. A Hottentot, who was a 
 man of better fenfe than the generality of them 
 are, alTured the author from whom we extraft 
 this account, that it is a charm or prefervative 
 againft wild dogs, which would otherwife devour 
 their flocks, and prove more deftruaive and in¬ 
 jurious to them than even the tigers or the lions 
 Before fuch purification as aforefaid, the women 
 are obliged to drain their cows as dry as pofhble 
 and g!ve the milk to the men to drink, without 
 prefuming lo much as to tafte one drop of it 
 themfelves. 
 
 Thefe barbarous illiterate people are of opi- 
 | mon, like the reft of their neighbours, that the 
 living are daily expofed to the misfortune of be- 
 ing charmed, and the dead of being raifed by 
 magical incantations ; and every tranfaffion 
 which furpalfes their weak comprehenfions, is 
 looked upon by them as the refult of forcery and 
 falcination : The molt regular effefts of nature 
 they afenbe to the irrefiftible force of mao-ic 
 and can by no arguments, how cogent foever 
 be prevailed on to fwerve from their eftablilhed 
 notions on any new emergency. But why fliouid 
 we fo loudly inveigh againft the perverfenefs and 
 obftinacy of a people, who have for fo many 
 ages been deprived of all the advantages of a li¬ 
 beral education, when we have flagrant inftances 
 much nearer home, of perfons who are confirmed 
 in as great ftupidity, and are infinitely more in¬ 
 exorable ? A managed horfe, that had been 
 taught a few furprifing pranks, was condemned 
 to die for his too profound learning not many 
 years ago, as an impious praftitioner of the 
 black-art, by that fupreme judge of the Romifh 
 faith, the court of inquifition. The Greek 
 Teftament, likewife, was looked upon by thofe 
 very judges, whole ignorance was their onlv 
 plea, as an infamous magical differtation. The 
 Cafres aferibe all their ditlempers to the fpells 
 or charms of their enemies, and bv confequence’ 
 fuch phyhcians as they apply themfelves to for 
 relief, mull: be adepts, as it were, in mao-ic. 
 Nay, the patient’s cure confifts in nothing more, 
 than a ftronger enchantment to repel a weaker; 
 and for the generality, however, they try the 
 effeft of purification, before they enter upon 
 fuch fupernatural expedients; and their firft 
 operation, therefore, is tiie facrifice of a fat 
 weather ; after that, the doftor very gravely ex¬ 
 amines the omentum of the viftim, ftrews tl'ie 
 powder of Buchu very plentifully over it, and 
 then hangs it reeking hot about the neck of his 
 patient, with this formal declaration ; You are 
 enchanted, it is true, but 1 will engage you lhall 
 be well again in a iliort time ; for the charm you 
 lie under is but weak, and will eafily bedilfolved. 
 The patient is ordered to wear this collar, till 
 it rots off his neck; but if this prefeription 
 
 proves 
 
The RELIGION of the NATIVES of SOUTH CAFRARlA, 39 $ 
 
 proves ineffectual, the phyfician enters on a new 
 fcheme, exerts all the (kill he is mailer of ano¬ 
 ther way, and has recourfe to the fecret virtue 
 of a variety of limples, or medicinal herbs, which 
 he collects in fome remote and unfrequented 
 places. 
 
 From their magical practices, and their con¬ 
 firmed notion of fpirits, we may rationally con¬ 
 clude, that they entertain fome confufed idea of 
 the immortality of the foul, a future date, and 
 the refurreCtion of the dead. For, in fiiort, it 
 feems impoffible, that they fhould have any con¬ 
 ception of the dead returning to life, without 
 believing that fouls are immortal. Yet, if the 
 Hottentots have any notion of a future Hate, it 
 is very imperfeCt and obfeure 5 fince one of them 
 was fo impertinent, or rather ignorant, as to afk a 
 traveller, If there were any cows, oxen, and fiieep 
 in Paradife. But as to the refurreCtion, accord¬ 
 ing to our notion of that doCtrine, there are not 
 the lead footdeps of it to be difeerned in any of 
 their differtations. A few rambling expreffions, 
 dropped accidentally, or borrowed from the 
 Chridians, and collected and refined by travellers, 
 are not fufficient to fix and determine the fenti- 
 ments' of any barbarous nation. It is very re¬ 
 markable, that if we regard with attention, the 
 arguments which the greated part of the idola- 
 tors of Africa, India, &c. make ufe of, we find, 
 that all their funeral folemnities owe their rife to 
 this notion ; That the foul, though immortal, 
 being material, is fubjeCt to the fame inconve¬ 
 niences as attend the body, and that, by confe- 
 qucnce, die has occafion, even after her fepara- 
 tion, for the fame accommodation of life, as when 
 united to the body here on earth. The Hotten¬ 
 tots, being fully fatisfied in their way, of the ne- 
 ceflities of the dead, abandon the huts which 
 they refided in when living, and remove none of 
 the houfhold goods they were pofieffed of, that, 
 at their return, they may have no occafion to rove 
 about for new habitations, or to leize clan- 
 dedinely on their furvivors. 
 
 When a woman that is with child draws near 
 the time of her travail, two or three grave ma¬ 
 trons of her friends and acquaintance look after 
 and nurfe her till her pains come on ; then the 
 hufband is obliged to withdraw ; or if he fhould 
 unfortunately beprefent, he mull purify himlelf; 
 that is, facrifice two weathers, or two lambs, in 
 the manner beforementioned. In cafe die proves 
 difficult to be laid, they preferibe a decoCtion of 
 milk and tobacco, which has a wonderous good 
 effeCl on thefe Africans, notwithdanding the me¬ 
 dicine would be as fatal as poilon to our Euro¬ 
 pean ladies. If the infant happens to be dill- 
 born, it is accounted a fore difafler, and a general 
 affliction ; but a dill greater, in cafe it be a male; 
 and after its interment, the father purifies, or 
 rather lanCtifies himfelf, according to the ufual 
 cudom. The hut he refided in is pulled down, 
 and the ground abandoned to the lole ufe of the 
 unfortunate infant, and a more propitious fpot is 
 fixed upon for a new habitation. 
 
 A new-born infant is laid direCtly on the floor, 
 upon the fkin of fome bead or other, and there 
 befmeared all over with cow’s dung, by way of 
 purification. In this blefled pickle it is expofed 
 to the open air, without the lead fhelter from the 
 injuries of the weather. This ordure, when dried 
 
 by the fun, comes eafily off* without ariv pain o.t 
 prejudice to the infant. After this, the good 
 women take fome particular leaves, and iqueezs 
 out thejuice of them betwixt two dones. With 
 
 ■ this liquid they wafh the young child all overj 
 ! in order, as they imagine, to make him robufl 
 
 ■ and hardy. After this ablution, they anoint him 
 { fufficiently with mutton or lamb fat, and then 
 j well dud him with the powder of Buchu. The 
 ! former, they fay, not only makes his limbs 
 j flrong and fupple, but fecure9 his flein from re¬ 
 ceiving any impreffion from the exceffive heat of 
 
 j the fun ; the latter is made ufe of principally as 
 an ornament, or kind of drefs, though it is al¬ 
 lowed at the fame time to have an innate corro¬ 
 borating virtue. 
 
 The fortune of twins is very precarious; If* 
 however, they both prove boys, their lives are 
 not only preferved, but the joy of the whole 
 Cralle is confiderably augmented. The father 
 and mother are congratulated on their extraor¬ 
 dinary abilities ; and it frequently cods the for¬ 
 mer a facrifice of two or three oxen. If on th£ 
 contrary, the infants fliould happen to be girls*’ 
 they meet but with a very cold reception * and 
 the poored fheep in the flock is looked upon 
 as a fufficient facrifice for fuch increafe of their 
 family; and in cafe either of them appears in¬ 
 firm, or too feeble and tender ; if the mother has 
 not milk fufficient to fupply them both ; if* in 
 fhort, the father fhould be unwilling to bear the 
 expence of their education, they are either drop¬ 
 ped, without any relutdance, in the open fields, 
 or half buried, or tied to. the branch of a tree. If 
 the twins prove of different fexes, the male infant 
 is always preferved, and the female expofed, un- 
 lels fhe can be reared without any prejudice or 
 inconvenience to the former; fo hard is the lot 
 of the weaker lex! The antients, it is well known* 
 treated them with the fame barbarous partiality 5 
 nay, the Greeks and Romans themfelves, though 
 fo wife, and a people polite, never fcrupled to 
 expofe them, when their circumdances were nar¬ 
 row, and they could not well bear the expence of 
 their education. We have already given the 
 reader an account of the cudoms of the Chined; 
 and Japanefe heieupon. 
 
 We have before mentioned the names which 
 the Cafres or Hottentots give their children, and 
 we may add, that the hufband is obliged to retire 
 from his houfe, during the whole time of his 
 wife’s lying-in; and if he violates this eda- 
 bliffled law, he mud purify himfelf, by making 
 the ufual oblation. As foon as her time is ex¬ 
 pired, and he has free liberty to revifit her, he 
 anoints himfelf all over, and duds himfelf with the 
 powder of Buchu. At his fird entrance into the 
 houfe, he takes a pipe of Dacha, without laying 
 a word, and obferves a profound fllence, till the 
 fmoke begins to intoxicate his brains, and makes 
 him gay and wanton ;• in this merry mood he 
 flies into the embraces of his impatient fpoufe, 
 and it is eafy to conceive the good effects of fuch 
 an amorous rencounter* 
 
 A gallant and his mi drefs are obliged, before 
 they enter into any folemn contra6l, to afk the 
 conlent of their neared relations, or, in default 
 j thereof, to confult their mod faithful friends ; at 
 ! lead, it is abfolutely neceffary, that the approba- 
 1 tion of both the fathers fhould fird be procured* 
 
 Before 
 
The RELIGION of the NATIVES of CAFRARIA. 
 
 400 
 
 Before that, there is no familiar intercourfe, no 
 ground to fufpe£l the lead correfpondence betwen 
 them; nay,they are fo cautious of their reputation, 
 we are informed, in this particular, that fome 
 more refined and polite people than they are, 
 might blufh at their prudent deportment. As 
 foon as a young Hottentot has call his eyes on 
 the dear objeft of his affe&ions, the fathers on 
 both Tides, and feveral other relations, afiemble 
 themfelves together, and the young lover 
 entertains the whole company with their 
 darling Dacha. When the fmoke of this their 
 tobacco begins to exhilerate their fpirits, and 
 make them gay, the parents come to the point 
 in hand, and make their propofals. 
 
 The father of the intended bride confults for a 
 minute or two with his wife before all the com¬ 
 pany, and then frankly declares either his free 
 afient to, or abfolute refufal of the match. In 
 cafe of the latter, they all rile immediately, and 
 go home without any farther ceremony ; but in 
 cafe the intended bridegroom is approved of, he 
 is addreffed in the following manner: Sir, 
 take the girl, fhe is at your fervice. Upon 
 this, he is allowed to fpeak freely to his 
 miftrefs, and make as warm declarations of his 
 paffion for her as he thinks proper ; and herein 
 confift all the preliminary engagements; con- 
 fummation immediately enfues. But in cafe the 
 young virgin happens to ani'wer his paffion with 
 coldnefs and difdain, he muft win the heart of 
 his cruel beauty by force of arms, and fight all 
 his rivals, till fhe relents, and fubmits to his fu- 
 perior power. It may juftly therefore be faid of 
 thefe Cafrarian gallants, that they make love 
 like true Tons of Mars, with fword in hand. 
 
 As to the public entertainment at the folem- 
 nization of their nuptials, the bridegroom treats 
 the whole company with one, two, or three more 
 oxen, according as his circumftances will admit 
 of the expence. All the guefts in general, 
 anoint themfelves with the fat of the beafts, and 
 then cover themfelves all over with the powder of 
 Buchu, in which all their finery principally con- 
 fifts. But the women, who are, for the genera¬ 
 lity, fomewhat more vain and affedted, not only 
 anoint themfelves, but paint their foreheads, 
 cheeks, and chins, with large fpots, and ftrong 
 {freaks of lcarlet, or fome other colour that 
 nearly refembles it. This aflembly of friends 
 and relations divide, and form themfelves into 
 two circles. In that of the women, the bride 
 fits at a fmall diftance from the reft; and the 
 bridegroom follows her example, and fits apart 
 from the men. After this, the principal, or 
 head of the cralle, whofe peculiar province it is 
 to celebrate their nuptials, walks round about 
 three times fuccellively, making the fame folcmn 
 afperfion on each of them as we have already de- 
 feribed when a youth is admitted into the ftate 
 of manhood ; and this afperfion is attended with 
 a kind of nuptial benediction. 
 
 They generally indulge themfelves in marry¬ 
 ing as many wives as their circumftances will 
 well admit of; but immediate death, however, 
 is the inevitable confequence of either adultery 
 or inceft. The offenders are bound hand and 
 foot together, and thrown into a grave, where 
 they are left in that helplefs condition four and 
 twenty hours. The next day, the gallant is hung 
 
 on the arm of a tree, and there demolifhed and 
 mutilated limb after limb. The woman, bound 
 as aforefaid, is, acco r dingto Dapper, lurrounded 
 with a large heap of dry faggots, and burnt alive. 
 They dillocate the knees of fuch as are guilty of 
 murder, and faften them to their ftiouldcrs, and 
 leave them to expire in that mercilels, painful 
 fituaticn. From all which auftere proceedings, 
 it manifeftly appears, that thefe Barbarians, not- 
 withftanding their invincible ignorance, have pre- 
 ferved fome regard for virtue and juftice. 
 
 They have their formal divorces likewife, 
 when they fee convenient; and a widow, as we 
 are informed, cuts off a joint of one of her fin¬ 
 gers, whenever fhe marries a fecond hufband ; 
 and, in cafe of more, continues the l ike opera¬ 
 tion, beginning at the little finger. Each joint 
 thus cut off, is a pledge or compliment which fhe 
 is obliged to make to her new partner; and if 
 to this barbarous and inhuman teflimony of their 
 affeiflion, we fhould add the toils and fatigues 
 they undergo in all their family affairs, which are 
 their peculiar province, their abjeift condition, 
 their fiavery and paftive obedience, which oblige 
 them to Work in the woods, and provide lor their 
 hufband, without tailing of any thing but their 
 fragments or remains, it muft readily be granted, 
 that either the motives to marriage, or the ideas 
 which thole entertain, who have never tailed the 
 inexprefiible pleafure that attends that ftate, are 
 impetuous and beyond all refifcance. We are 
 willing to grant both, fince the molt experienced 
 widows themfelves with pleafure fupport the 
 galling yoke. 
 
 It is remarkable, that the Cafres, at leaft thofe 
 who go under the denomination of Hottentots, 
 eat no fwines fiefh, nor fifh without feales ; from 
 whence it is generally concluded, that thefe .Bar¬ 
 barians are the defendants either of the Jews or 
 the Mahometans. But be that as it will, they 
 have no other authority, but tradition, for the 
 obfervance of that cuftom, or that other of the 
 men’s abftaining from fheep’s milk, hares, and 
 rabbits. The women, on the other hand, are 
 enjoined not to tafle one morfel of any thing that 
 has blood in it; and as to fuch beafts which die 
 through age or infirmity, they eat them without 
 any fcruple or reludtance, like the antient Trog- 
 lodites. The men never eat with the women ; 
 and the principal occafion whereof is the appre- 
 henfion which the former lie under of being ac¬ 
 cidentally polluted through the periodical courfes 
 of the latter. For the men are ftridlly enjoined, 
 by tradition, or otherwife, not to have the leaft 
 intefcourfe or familiarity with women in that 
 condition. 
 
 They fing and dance to the mufic of their 
 Gongom; as alfo to another inftrument made in 
 the form of a pot. The former is made in the 
 ftiape of a bow, of a peculiar wood, that is very 
 folid and fubftantial, the firing whereof is the 
 fmall gut of fome animal, like thofe we make 
 ule of for our violins. Ac the top of this firing 
 is fixed a quill, through which they blow, and at 
 the fame time hold the tip or extreme part of the 
 firing in their mouths, that the found fo formed 
 by their breath in the quill, may, by that means, 
 affedt the firing, and that the concord, if v/e may 
 be allowed the expreftion, which there is between 
 them may make that found ftill more melodious. 
 
 When 
 
The RELIGION of the NATtV 
 
 When they are ambitious of making their Gom- 
 goms more miifical than generally they are, they 
 take half a cocoa-fhell, Looped very clean and 
 neat, and difpofe it in fuch a manner on the 
 ftring, as that by moving it higher or lower, it 
 Ihall create a variety of tones or modulations ; 
 which ftrike the ears agreably enough, even ot 
 thole who are good judges of far better mufic 
 than that of the Cafres. They make ufe of ano¬ 
 ther mufical inftrument, in the form as we have 
 before obferved, of a pot, or, if you pleafe, one 
 of our kettle drums ; which, as it is covered with 
 a lamb-Ikin, braced tight, makes much the fame 
 found as that martial inftrument, but the women 
 beat this drum with their hands. When they 
 have occafion to crol's any river or running ftream, 
 they never fail to wafti themfelves either before 
 they plunge themfelves into it, or at leaft as foon 
 as ever they are arrived fafe on the farther (bore, 
 and this ablution is always attended with caper¬ 
 ing and dancing ; which ceremonious move¬ 
 ments, in all probability, are grateful acknow¬ 
 ledgments to the Supreme Being, for their de¬ 
 liverance from the perils and dangers of the 
 waters. 
 
 As long as their antient people are in a capa¬ 
 city to do any manner of bufinel's, they encou¬ 
 rage them to proceed, l'upport them under their 
 infirmities ; nay, charitably relieve them, if there 
 be any vifible hopes of their maintaining them¬ 
 felves for any time without being burthenfome 
 to'Vteir friends and acquaintance. Notwith- 
 ftanding the lhameful treatment which the wo¬ 
 men in general meet with, notwirhftanding they 
 are univerfally defpifed by thefe Barbarians, yet 
 the fame patience and forbearance is exercifed 
 towards them, how old, dilagreeable, or infirm 
 foever they may be, provided they can but cut 
 their wood, or gather their roots and pot-herbs. 
 But for thofe that are fo far advanced in years, 
 fo infirm and feeble, that they are incapable of 
 all manner of work, and of giving any hopes 
 of future advantage from their labour, they take 
 an effedual method to difcharge themfelves of 
 the incumbrance, by an adion which they look 
 upon as charitable, though we Ihould account it, 
 and not without good reafon, very barbarous and 
 inhuman. They ered a hut at Come diftance in 
 the fields for fuch an antient and ufelels invalid, 
 and after thar, convey him on the back of an ox, 
 to his laft habitation. The whole Grade, in a 
 very formal manner, attend him on this occafion, 
 and after having left him fome fmall pittance to 
 fubfift on for a few days, they take their laft fare¬ 
 well and never concern themfelves about the pom- 
 unhappy creature any more. The belt fortune 
 after that which can pofiibly befall him, is to be 
 fpeedily devoured by fome favage beaft. 
 
 The rich as well as poor, when old age has 
 rendered them thus ufelefs and decrepid, meet, 
 we are told, with the fame mercilefs treatment. 
 The Troglodites however, were, if pofiible, they 
 fav, (till more inhuman. Thofe antient lavages 
 of Africa, ftrangled their difabled old men that 
 could not travel, with a cow’s tail; but not till 
 they had refilled to be their own executioners. 
 A formal exhortation accompanied the dif- 
 patch of the poor wretches; for they looked 
 upon the murder of a man, when life became a 
 burthen to him, as a deliverance from all histrou- 
 34 
 
 lS of SOUTH CAFRARlA. 4 ®* 
 
 bles. Theyaccountedfuchaswerefondof life wherl 
 they could no longer enjoy the fweets of it, as 
 very unhappy. On this eftablilhed notion they 
 charitably difpatehed all fick perfons, whofe ma¬ 
 ladies, in their opinion, were incurable. We beg 
 leave to make this curl'ory obfervation, that this 
 deportment, how barbarous foever it may appear 
 to us, and which no doubt in reality was fuch, 
 was founded neverthelefs on a fpecious prin¬ 
 ciple of humanity, and with intent to free their 
 fellow creatures at once from all their forrows 
 and afflidions. As to the cure of their diftem- 
 pers, they lometimes make ufe of fome particu¬ 
 lar fimples, the extraordinary virtues whereof, 
 we are informed, they are well acquainted with. 
 At other times they have recourle co undion and 
 fridion , for which purpofes they make ufe of 
 the fame fat wherewith they anoint and polifti 
 their fkins ; fometimes again they try the effeds 
 of undion with the fame greafe wherewith they 
 anoint and varnifh their bodies, or of incifioii 
 and fcarification; the method whereof is this. 
 They take an ox’s horn, which is lo fmooth, and 
 fo well polithed at the point, that they can ap¬ 
 ply it diredly, and prefs it likewife as hard as 
 they fee convenient, on the proper part of the 
 body : After this, they make feveral incifions in 
 the flefh, which, by the violent preflure of the 
 horn, is fo benumb’d, that the patient is infen- 
 fible of the operation. This is repeated fome¬ 
 times for two hours together, till there is fome 
 vifible amendment. The time, however, is 
 fhorter or longer, aocording as the incifions are 
 deep, or the conftitution of the patient will en¬ 
 able him to bear them. During the operation, 
 he is laid upon his back, and if he finds no re¬ 
 lief, they have recourfe to a potion, extraded 
 from fome medicinal herbs ; and if after all thefe 
 artful applications, the patient’s pain continues, 
 they then try the force of fridion, which, if it 
 meets not with the defired fuccels, is followed by 
 a frelh fcarification. 
 
 We (hall take no notice of their method of 
 bleeding, fince there is nothing in it particular, 
 or worth our attention. They heal any infec¬ 
 tious bite, or envenomed wound, by antidotes, 
 which they very artfully prepare, and oblige the 
 patient to lwallow down a proper quantity, and 
 at the fame time make an external application o( 
 ir, particularly near the heart, 1 his operation 
 is performed by incifion. They pour a iufficient 
 quantity of their antidote into this frelh wound, 
 that it may incorporate with the blood by virtue 
 of its circulation, of which doubtleis they have 
 fome notion, though they are nor duly qualified 
 to talk in fuch a philolophical manner as we are 
 on fo curious a topic. They make ufe of fric¬ 
 tion and undion, when any bone happens to be 
 difiocatcd ; as alfo a violent agitation of the part 
 or member fo diflocated ; and keep it in perpe¬ 
 tual motion till it is replaced in its natural locket. 
 The Hottentots, and indeed all the natives of 
 Cafraria, (have their heads and beards, as a pub¬ 
 lic teftimony of their borrow and concern foi the 
 lofs of their near relations ; but this cuftom is 
 only complied with by fuch as are in but mean 
 drcumltances, and incapable of oftering up (o 
 much as a fheep by way of. facrifice, or purifica¬ 
 tion. . 
 
 In order to difeover whether a patient will die 
 j I or 
 
The RELIGION of the NATIVES of SOUTH CAFRARIA. 
 
 . 4-Cfi 
 
 or recover, they take a weather, or an ewe, 
 which they fkin alive, and then let loofe, per¬ 
 mitting it freely to take its own courle. If it 
 never attempts to run away, it is a bad fymptom, 
 and the patient’s life is dei'paired of; in that cafe 
 they refign him to the will of fortune, for they 
 prefcribe no more remedies after that, but let him 
 eat and drink whatever his own inclination 
 prompts him to. But if the ewe or weather, 
 after it is flayed, frifks away, they look upon it 
 as a happy prefage of his amendment. 
 
 When a patient is given over, they have no 
 recourfe on that account to the Supreme Being, 
 nor any a6I of devotion whatfoever. They con¬ 
 tone themfelves with flocking round about him, 
 and waiting for his diffolution ; but however, 
 they flatter the poor man, though juft expiring, 
 and give him hopes of finding relief, either from 
 fome fovereign medicine, or irrefiftlefs charm. 
 For that is the name, we have already obferved, 
 which they give all the medicines prepared by 
 their own phyficians, or thole preferibed to them 
 by the Europeans. When the fick man is thought 
 to be giving up the ghoft, the whole aflembly 
 weep, howl, and make fuch hideous lamentations, 
 that the patient fometimes is reftored by virtue of 
 the (hocking founds. Let what will be the caufe 
 however, he mull offer up the cuftomary facrifice 
 in cafe he recovers. If the patient be a man, 
 thofe friends and acquaintance only that are men, 
 partake of the flefh of the vidlim, and the women 
 fup the broth; on the other hand, if the perfon 
 thus reftored be a woman, the men only fup the 
 broth, and the women eat the flefh. 
 
 To conclude, when the patient is adlually ex¬ 
 pired, they devote one quarter of an hour only 
 to their lamentations ; but they are fo extrava¬ 
 gantly clamorous and noily, that they may be 
 diftindtly heard at a prodigious diftance. The 
 whole cralle fob, groan, and howl to that exceflive 
 degree, and moreover their expreflions of forrow 
 are accompanied with fuch extravagant diftor- 
 tions, and fuch a violent clapping of their hands, 
 that a man mull flop his ears, or be ftunned with 
 the tumultuous noife. We know no inftance to 
 be given, of fuch an external noify way of mourn¬ 
 ing, except that of the women of Languedoc. 
 Without entering into the fincerity of either, 
 the la'tter are, in their demonftrations of forrow, 
 as in all other things in general, oftentatious, 
 vain, and conceited to the laft degree. Such as 
 are not acquainted with their hypocritical de¬ 
 portment, would really imagine, by the feeming 
 violence of their turbulent paffions, that, like the 
 Ephefian matrons, they would bury themfelves 
 alive with their deceafed hufbands j and, in all 
 probability, Petronius, when he wrote that cele¬ 
 brated ftory, copied it from thefe notorious ori¬ 
 ginals. But to return to the mourning of the 
 Cafres. It is one very happy circumftance, fays 
 our German author, to whom we are indebted 
 for all the particular circumftances of thefe their 
 funeral folemnities, that this exceflive forrow con¬ 
 tinues but a quarter of an hour; for every one 
 contributes towards the fpeedy interment of the 
 dead, and chearfully makes ufe of any thing that 
 he has in his own houfe, that will be ferviceable, 
 and teftify his laft refpefts to his departed 
 friend. 
 
 In the firft place, the principal, or head of 
 
 I the cralle, difpatches feveral Cafres to prepare 
 his laft lodgings for hirn, and particularly to 
 t'ke care fo to order matters, that when he is 
 laid in the ground, the wild beafts (hall not be 
 able to grub him up, and devour his carcale. 
 Whilft thefe are performing their good fervices 
 abroad, thofe at home bend the corplc double, lay 
 his arms acrofs his breaft, and his head upon his 
 knees ; or, to give you a more clear idea, they 
 fet the deceafed in the very fame fituation he 
 once lay in his mother’s womb. In this attitude 
 they wrap him up tight in the very lkin which he 
 wore in his life-time; and always bury him within 
 fix hours after his deceale. Three or four bear¬ 
 ers, who are nominated and appointed for that 
 purpofe by the principal of the cralle, take him 
 on their ftioulders, and convey him direflly to 
 the place of his interment. They have one cuf- 
 tom with relation to their dead, which is very 
 remarkable, and that is, they never carry the 
 corpfe out of the houfe through the ufual door¬ 
 way ; but break down a pafiage for that particu¬ 
 lar purpofe backwards, direftly over againft it. 
 Our German is of opinion, that this ceremony 
 owes its rife to the aweful ideas they entertain of 
 departed fouls. For they imagine, fays he, that 
 they are mifehievoufly inclined, and apt to 
 injure the living as they go along, deftroying 
 their cattle that are left all night on the fpacious 
 green, which is fituated in the center of the 
 cralle. In order therefore to prevent any fuch 
 difafter, they caufe the deceafed to be carried out 
 of that part of the houfe which fonts the fields. 
 Whilft the corpfe is thus upon the removal, the 
 relations of both fexes form themfelves into two 
 circles, and, according to cuftom, as near the 
 door-way as poffible. The men howl on one 
 fide, and the women on the other. Every one 
 gives a loofe to his forrow, and it is difficult to 
 determine, whether the male or female circle is 
 the molt extravagant. 
 
 As foon as ever the corpfe is carried away, 
 they immediately (hut the houfe up clofe, and 
 abandon it for ever, for fear any who come in 
 ffiould accidentally meet with the foul of the 
 deceafed. The whole cralle attend the funeral 
 to the place of interment, but without any regu¬ 
 larity or decorum. However, to make amends, 
 if we may rely on the veracity of our German 
 traveller, they walk along like perfeft antics, and 
 are more extravagant in their geftures and gri¬ 
 maces, than can poffibly be conceived. After 
 that they depofit the corpfe in a vault, which 
 they either cover with large, cumbrous (tones, 
 or entire trees, to prevent the beafts of prey 
 from coming near it. As they return home, 
 they repeat their noify lamentations, their extra¬ 
 vagant gefticulations and grimaces, and the 
 name of the deceafed without intermiffion, as if 
 they would recal him from the grave. How- 
 evr, this is not all. At their return to the cralle, 
 they feat themfelves round about the houfe of 
 the deceafed, and renew with fome regularity 
 their weepings, wadings, and grimaces. Nay, 
 iometimes they fet apart eight days fucceffively 
 for this mournful folemnity; efpecially if the 
 deceafed was well beloved by his friends and re¬ 
 lations. About an hour after the return of the 
 company, the principal or elder of the cralle, 
 riles, and very gravely obliges them all with the 
 
 above- 
 
The RELIGION of the PEOPLE 
 
 above-mentioned afperfion, for their good offices 
 to their deceafed townfman. This firft afper- 
 fion is fucceeded by a fecond, which the reader 
 will imagine, we prefuine, not fo fulfome and 
 prepofterous, and more conformable to the 
 practice of fome other nations. This venerable 
 old gentleman ftrews the afhes, which he has col- 
 ledted with his own hands out of the houfc of 
 the deceafed, over the heads of the whole aflem- 
 bly. 1 he fil'd: afperfion, fo inconfiftent with 
 ■decency and good manners, has no other founda¬ 
 tion than its antiquity, for the obfervance of it. 
 T his ceremony, however, is peculiar to them¬ 
 felves; in this they are perfect originals ; whereas 
 in the fecond, there are the vifible footfteps of 
 a cuftom, religioufiy obferved in times of forrow 
 and affliction by all the eaftern nations. In 
 Ihort, fome of the molt diiconfolate carry the 
 point dill farther, and add cow-dun to their 
 mourning in duft and alhes. 
 
 The day after the interment the whole cralle 
 decamps ; every one packs up his bag and bag- 
 gage, and pulls down his tent, or little cottage. 
 There is not one fingle edifice left (landing, but 
 that of the deceafed ; which they leave behind 
 them ; as alfo the furniture and other appurte¬ 
 nances thereunto belonging, in order that if he 
 fhouid accidentally think proper to return, he 
 may find his own apartment ready for his recep¬ 
 tion ; without which precaution, he might pol- 
 libly relent his ill treatment, and feize upon their 
 new habitations ; and before they decamp, they 
 take care to purify themfelves, by offering up 
 fome animal, great or fmall, for a facrifice° ac¬ 
 cording as their circumftances will permit. Be¬ 
 ing arrived at the place appointed and agreed 
 on for pitching their tents again, and fettling at 
 leaft for a while, they purify themfelves a fecond 
 time. The flelh of the victims is made ufe of 
 for an entertainment, as it is on all the other 
 public occafions before-mentioned. The neareit 
 relations to the deceafed, as for inftance, his 
 children, are obliged to wear the cawl of the 
 victim, efpecially if it be a ffleep, for a collar 
 round about their necks. That is their ufual 
 mourning for one fo near a kin. We have al¬ 
 ready obferved, that fuch as are in mean circum- 
 itances, and incapable of offering up any facri- 
 fice, by way of purification, fit down contented 
 with (having their heads and beards, as a public 
 teftimony of their affeCtion and concern. 
 
 Such is the account we have of thefe people 
 called Hottentots, who refide near the Cape of 
 Good Hope. Some of them have been converted 
 p^nftian faith by the Dutch minifters. 
 
 1 hole who vifit the Cape town, are very civil and 
 obliging. Many of them are employed as la¬ 
 bourers, and they are faithful in keeping fafe 
 whatever is committed to their care. This may 
 ferve to (hew what good effefts would flow from 
 preaching the gofpel in its fimplicity, without an 
 unnecefiary ridiculous load of ceremonies. The 
 Dutch clergy are, in general, averypious laborous 
 let of men ; and it would be much to the honour 
 of the States General to have a fchool for the 
 education of youth in the Cape town. There 
 the fons of the better fort of Hottentots mifflit | 
 loon be educated, and lent to preach the gofpel 
 of Chrift to their poor darkened countrymen. 
 
 of MONO MOTAIM, 40J 
 
 Chrift came in the fleth that he might deftroy 
 fatan s kingdom ; and he has left it incumbent 
 on all his followers, to propagate the knowledge 
 of his name as far as their influence wii! reach. 
 The Dutch have been long bleffed with the light 
 of the gofpel, and the molt grateful returns 
 they can make for fuch an ineftimable favour is 
 to teach it to the Heathens. Indeed, it will be an 
 aggravation of their guilt if they do it not. Nay. 
 we may venture to affirm, that all thole who 
 know the value of the Chriftian religion, will 
 wifn to make every one equally happy with them¬ 
 felves. _ And what happinefs fo great as that of 
 promoting the interefts of precious immortal 
 louls. To bring them from darknefs to light, 
 and from the power of fatan to God. What 
 amazing progrefs has been made in the highlands 
 and i(lands of Scotland within thefe thirty years * 
 Nay, What vaft progrefs has been made in con¬ 
 verting many o( the American favages ; and both 
 theie good works have been conduced by fo- 
 cieties in this kingdom. Of this the Dutch 
 are not ignorant, and let them take an example 
 from our benevolent countrymen, who, for their 
 companion for the fouls of their fellow creatures, 
 will receive the approbation of Chrift at the laft 
 day. 
 
 rfhe Religion of the People of Mono Motapa, 
 
 Tlie inhabitants of this kingdom are all ido¬ 
 laters; for although they acknowledge God as 
 the creator of the univerfe, whom they call by 
 different names, according to the qualities they 
 afcribe to him, yet they have fcveral idols, and 
 in particular, they adore a certain virgin, 
 whom they diftinguiffi by the title of Peru. 
 They have fome particular days in every month 
 which they confidcr as more folemn and holy than 
 others. The anniverfary of their fovereign’s birth 
 day is always kept as a fort of feftiva?, and to 
 that we may addj the aweful homage and pro¬ 
 found reverence which they pay hiinfby lighting 
 up a great number of fires. That thefe people 
 have not in every place a fettled form of worfhip, 
 will appear evident to every one who confident, 
 that fome of them worfliip one idol and fome 
 another. 
 
 That they fhouid pay divine honours to their 
 fovereign, will not appear very Arrange, when we 
 confider that the Romans, who boafted of their 
 luperior knowledge, aftually worlhipped their 
 emperors. As for their lighting fo many fires pn 
 their fovereign’s birth day, it is done as a mark of 
 their refpedt, homage and allegiance, which is 
 expected from every (object. The king orders his 
 inferior officers to deliver to the people throughout 
 the whole of his dominions fome wood for that 
 purpofe every year, fo that the fewel colts them 
 nothing. Every fubjedt is under the indifpenfable 
 neceffky of extinguifhing the fires in their houfes, 
 during the time that they light thofe in honour 
 of the king. 
 
 It is at this time that all the taxes are paid to 
 the king, and probably were it not for that, he 
 would not be fo liberal in diftributing the fewel. 
 Thus thefe ignorant princes in Africa, who are 
 little better than favages, can extort money from 
 
 their 
 
The RELIGION of the PEOPLE of MONO MOTAPA. 
 
 4.64 
 
 fubje&s with the fame facility as the moil cun¬ 
 ning of our accomplifhed European monarchs. 
 Bun notwithHanding, it is certain, that like the 
 antient Perfians, they confider fire as a lacred 
 element. For they never would be lo iuper- 
 ftitioufly attached to it in honour of their love- 
 reign, were it not that they confider fomething 
 in it as endowed with Divine power, perhaps as 
 one of the qualities of the Supreme Being. 
 
 When the king encamps at any place, a hut* 
 or tent, is immediately ereCted, wherein a fire is 
 kindled, and kept burning with all the precaution 
 imaginable. And here it may not be unnecdfary 
 to obferve, that the fophis of Perfia had always 
 fome lacred fire carried before them ; and we 
 have taken notice in our accounts of the Guares, 
 that all the Oriental nations tedified the molt 
 profound veneration, for this their favourite and 
 lacred element. The only reafon we can, from 
 the belt: informations, afiign for this regard 
 fhewn to fire is, its being confidered as an ema¬ 
 nation from the fun, and the vad benefit it is of 
 to mankind. 
 
 They always bow their knees when they ap¬ 
 proach their monarch, and never fpeak to him 
 in a Handing podure. No perfo'n mud fpeak 
 in his prefence; but when he puts the glafs to his 
 mouth to drink, all the fpe&ators make loud 
 acclamations by (houting and huzzaing. Thefe 
 acclamations are re-echoed throughout the whole 
 of the place where he refides, and the news are 
 loon communicated to the neighbouring villa¬ 
 ges. This is carrying flattery and adulation to a 
 large height indeed ; but it mud be oblerved, 
 that all thole people who live in warm climates, 
 are, in their political notions, little better than 
 flaves. 
 
 Like the inhabitants of many other Heathen 
 nations, both the king and his fubjedts are flaves 
 to fuperdition, and repofe an extraordinary con¬ 
 fidence in dreams and charms. The king has a 
 building ereCted, in which he hangs up all the 
 bodies of fuch malefactors as have been executed. 
 And, horrid to mention, fuch dead bodies are 
 never buried while any radical moidure remains 
 in them, which is received in a velTel appro¬ 
 priated for that purpofe. From this didillation 
 they compofe a fovereign elixir for his majedy’s 
 ufe, which in their opinion is not only an infal¬ 
 lible prefervative againd the power of magic, 
 but alfo an invaluable medicine to prolong 
 life. 
 
 In this country, the young virgins go naked 
 till they are married, except that they cover 
 thofe parts which the women of all nations con¬ 
 ceal. When they are married and have children, 
 they cover their breads, and wear fuch other 
 drefies as are faftiionable among them. And ig¬ 
 norant as thefe people are, yet they have con¬ 
 vents like the nunneries in Roman Catholic 
 countries, but thefe are only for the young wo¬ 
 men to refide in till they are married. 
 
 Polygamy, or a plurality of wives, is allowed 
 
 here, but there is always one who is fuperior to 
 the red, according to the cudom of many othef 
 nations. No virgin is permitted to marry till 
 her mother, or fome other woman has declared 
 that (he is capable of having children. Seduc¬ 
 tion is little known among them, for they marry 
 extremely young. As for their old women, they 
 pay but little regard to them ; for like thofe of 
 many other countries, they value women no 
 longer than the bloom of beauty remains. 
 
 When thefe people are engaged in war, they 
 never wafh themfelves till peace is concluded, 
 and probably this cudom is the refult of a folemn 
 vow, an engagement which they voluntarily lay 
 themfelves under, out of a laudable concern for 
 the honour and welfare of their country. There 
 is another ceremony obferved among them, fome 
 footdeps of which may be traced in antient hif- 
 torv, and that is, the making eunuchs of their 
 prifoners, and making prefents of the lpoils taken 
 from their enemies to their wives, who are proud 
 of wearing fuch things, as glorious fignatures of 
 their hufbands conqueds. This practice very 
 naturally reminds us of that remarkable circum- 
 dance in the lacred hidorv of king David, that 
 Saul would not acknowledge him as his fon-in- 
 law, till he had produced as a nuptial prefent, an 
 hundred fo reikins of the Philidines. Jofephus, 
 who has altered feveral parts of the facred hiftory, 
 to conceal fome of the practices of his country¬ 
 men, tells us, that indead of one hundred fore¬ 
 fkins, it was fix hundred heads of the Philidines 
 that David prefen ted to Saul. 
 
 As for the funeral folemniries of thefe people, 
 they differ but little from the red of the Heathen 
 Africans. They prelerve, with the utmod care, 
 the bodies of their deceafed, and for eight days 
 fucceffively pay them a kind of adoration. On 
 fuch folemn occafions they drefs themfelves in 
 white, and fet before the deceafed a large quan¬ 
 tity of provifions, fpread on a table in a very de¬ 
 cent manner. After this, they implore his be¬ 
 nediction on his facred majefty the king and 
 themfelves ; and then they fit down and regale 
 themfelves on the dainties. Afterwards the body is 
 carried out for interment, either in the woods, 
 or in fome other obfeure place. 
 
 To conclude, the lad cudom of a religious na¬ 
 ture that we IE)all take notice of, is the oath they 
 take on the mod folemn occafions. When a man 
 is charged with being guilty of a crime, and the 
 evidence againd him is not full enough to con- 
 viCt him, he is obliged to take a medicine to 
 clear his innocence. If he vomits it up, he is 
 declared guilty, but if it digeds upon his do- 
 mach, he is confidered as'innocent, and confe- 
 quently acquitted. This cudom once prevailed 
 among many of the Heathens nations, and it 
 does lo dill in fome parts of the world befides 
 Africa. The cudom, however, is very barbarous; 
 for the truth in convicting a criminr. 1 fhould r.evcr 
 be fought out any other way than by voluntary 
 evidence. 
 
 Toe 
 
( ) 
 
 The Religion of the Inhabitants of A G A G, 
 T O C O C K A, and Q^U I T E V E. 
 
 I N treating of thefe people, we (hall not enter 
 into the controverfy, whether they are fubjeft 
 to the king of Monomotapa, or whether they 
 have princes of their own. Perhaps their farm 
 of government is often changed, as it is among 
 all other barbarians in the world, and it is needlefs 
 to form conjectures when we have no authority to 
 fupport them. 
 
 They have, according to Purchas, a cdnfufed 
 notion of one fupreme being, whom they call 
 Motungo, but they never implore him for any fa¬ 
 vours, and confequently they never return him 
 any praii'e. When they are labouring under any 
 afflictions, whether public or private, it is to their 
 fovereign that they make their molt humble Re¬ 
 plications for redrefs. To him they pray for all 
 the blefflngs of Providence, which may ferve to 
 point our, that they are molt grofs idolators. A 
 long and tedious drought is moftly followed by im¬ 
 perious fhowers, and lo in all other changes of the 
 leafons; and the people, who are eafy and incurious, 
 imagine that their monarch works all the!e mar¬ 
 vellous things for them, without ever enquiring 
 any farther. 
 
 This king of theirs is for ever furrounded by a 
 parcel of fychophants, compofed of poets and mu¬ 
 sicians, who make it their whole ftudy to per- 
 fuade him that he is a god. They fing elogiums in 
 praife of him, and in their compofitions bellow 
 on him all the pompous epithets, and fwelling 
 titles their imaginations can fugged. They dile 
 him lord of the fun and moon, and king of earth 
 and fea, and as in all probability they imagine that 
 every aCtion, whether good or evil, which ap¬ 
 proaches neared to a pitch of perfection, deferves 
 the character of great and magnificent, they call 
 their monarchs the grand magician, as we do our 
 princes illudrious conquerors. Thefe are very 
 favourable appellations with them, and they like- 
 wife call their fovereigns robbers, which to them 
 convey no bad idea, ieeing plunder and robbery 
 is the very profeflion, the very employment of 
 thefe favages. 
 
 They offer up prayers to the fouls of their de- 
 ceafed relations, fo that we may naturally conclude 
 they believe the immortality of the foul-, and thus 
 much is certain, that they have the mod aweful and 
 tremendous notions of the devil, whom they call 
 the inveterate enemy of all mankind. As they 
 believe the immortality of the foul, one would na¬ 
 turally imagine that they give their afeent to the 
 acknowledgement of a future date of rewards and 
 punifhments and yet we are told, that they have 
 no notion of hell, but flatter thcmfelves that after 
 their deceafe they fhall all enter intoparadife, wheie 
 they fhall indulge themfelves in all manner of vo- 
 luptuoufnefs with their wives and children. We 
 have, however, fome doubt of the truth of what 
 is here advanced; for the mod illiterate Heathens 
 make a didinCtion between virtue and vice, and 
 34 
 
 confequently they mud believe there is a future 
 date of rewards and punilhments, whether for a 
 time, or for eternity. 
 
 They are perfeCt drangers to any genuine ac« 
 count of the creation of the world; for, according 
 to fome travellers, they believe it to be eternal* 
 but this certainly cannot be true; for thofe who 
 believe that the world had not a beginning* will 
 hardly be brought to believe that it will ever have 
 an end. All their religious ceremonies are regu¬ 
 lated according to the will of the prince, and the 
 fird day of every month is a holiday. Mod 
 of their fedivals are held in memory of their 
 deceafed and deared relations, and thele are a fort: 
 of deities worfhipped by them. They have an 
 implicit faith in fome particular oracles* which, as 
 they pretend, have the power to reveal to them the 
 knowledge of future events. 
 
 It is proper we fhould here obferve, that the 
 antient idolators, of whom we read fo much in the 
 hidories of Greece and Rome, did not worfhip 
 their departed relations indifcriminately: No, thefe 
 divine honours were paid only to the virtuous, in 
 order that after their deceafe, they might become 
 mediators between the Supreme Being and the 
 whole race of mankind. 'To this may be added, 
 that it was done todimulate the living to the prac¬ 
 tice of virtue. 
 
 In their trials of prifoners, they have feveral 
 ceremonies, but their oaths in general confid in 
 making the acculed perfon fwallow a ftrong dofe 
 of phyfle, and according to its operation they form 
 their notions of his guilt or innocence. When he 
 takes the medicine, feveral dreadful curfes are 
 pronounced, to induce the priloner to tell the 
 truth. And if thele maldictions and the medi¬ 
 cines have no extraordinary effects on the priloner, 
 he is declared innocent, and acquitted. On fuch 
 occafions, the prolecutor’s goods are all confifcated, 
 and he with his wives and children are all fold a3 
 flaves. 
 
 They have another form of trial, not much 
 unlike the fiery ordeal in antient times in our 
 country of Britain. Thefe Africans call it Xoqua, 
 and it is a kind of trial by a hot iron. The iron 
 is made hot, and the perfon is obliged to lick it,. 
 If he burns his tongue, it is an indication of his 
 guilt, but if otherwife, he is declared innocent. 
 They have feveral other forts of ceremonies in the 
 adminiftration of oaths, but they are io much fimi- 
 lar to fome of thofe already mentioned in our ac- 
 count of Congo, that it is altogether unneceffary 
 to repeat them. 
 
 All their wives are obtained by purchafe, and 
 the man who has the greateft number of handfome 
 and accomplilhed daughters, is efteerned the 
 richeft. If the purchafer makes any objection to 
 the young woman after fhe has been with him 
 fometime, he returns her to her parents, and re¬ 
 ceives back fome part of the purchafe money ; 
 
 5 K after 
 
4 o6 the RELIGION of the IN 
 
 after which, they difpofe of her to the next per- 
 fon who bids nrsoft. With refpedt to fuch women 
 as are poor, they are a fort of flaves for life, for 
 their hufbands domineer over them in the moll 
 cruel and tyrannical manner. The mean degrading 
 manner in which the female fex are held in this 
 country, where they are bought and fold, points 
 Out that the paffions of the men are mean, low, 
 vulgar and lelfiffi. Love is of a fpontaneous nature, 
 it cannot be purchafed •, it flows as it were imper- 
 ceptably, and thus it is diftinguifhed from grati¬ 
 tude, which is a purchafed duty, becaule it com¬ 
 mands a thankful return. 
 
 Such as are very old and infirm, are treated in 
 the fame manner as the Cafres or Hottentots, near 
 the Cape of Good Hope ; that is, they are totally 
 abandoned, and their death is hatlened on as fall 
 as poflible. It is true, they extend their charity 
 for lome of them lb far, as to convey them into 
 defarts, but there they are left either to llarve, or 
 be devoured by wild beads. Nay, the poor help- 
 lefs wretches, confcious of their approaching mi- 
 fery, beg to be dilpatched out of the way, with¬ 
 out being torn in pieces by wild beads. 
 
 The burial of their dead, is left entirely to the 
 will and difcrction of thofe who furvive, and, in¬ 
 deed, they are generally interred in a very indecent 
 manner. 1 hey put into the grave form: different 
 forts of proviffors, to fupport the deceafcd during 
 his journey to the other world. Some earth is 
 then thrown over the corple, and the chairs and 
 bed of the deceafcd are piled up over the grave. 
 They are lb fuperditious as not touch, on any 
 account whatever, fuch chairs, or beds, or, in¬ 
 deed, any thing that has touched the dead body. 
 Their mourning continues eight days together, 
 from the rifing to the fetting of the fun \ and that 
 time is fpent in dances, fongs and howlings. The 
 mourning being over, they eat and drink in honour 
 of their departed friends and relations, it being 
 cuftomary on fuch occafions to confecrate all whom 
 they know. 
 
 At the firft appearance of the new moon, in 
 the month of September, the king, who is the 
 viffble God of the country, fets out from Simbaoe, 
 his capital city, attended by a grand retinue. 
 He then repairs to the top of a particular hill, 
 which is the place where their kings are buried, 
 and there performs nine days devotion, to the me¬ 
 mory of his illuftrious anceffors. As loon as they 
 are arrived at the place, they open the ceremony 
 with a molt elegant entertainment, and there in¬ 
 toxicate their brains with a liquor which they call 
 Rombo. After their days of joy and feftivity are 
 ended, two more are fpent in grief and lorrow, 
 and on the laft of thefe days, they imagine that the 
 foul of the laft deceafed king, enters into the body 
 of one of the courtiers. 
 
 The perfon falls down, and rolls upon the 
 ground, and the devil, by his mouth, delivers 
 himfelf in an unknown tongue; but foon after 
 he comes to himfelf, grows more gentle and trac¬ 
 table, and talks in the language and ftile of the 
 late king. His imperial majefty, imagining that 
 he perfe&ly recolletts his royal predeceffor, ap¬ 
 proaches and falutes him ; and immediately the 
 whole afiembly retreac, and teftify thtir relpedt 
 at an aweful diftance. His majefty being thus 
 alone with the demoniac, confults him as an infal¬ 
 lible oracle, on all his affairs of any importance, 
 
 ABITANTS of AGAG, &c. 
 
 both public and private. As foon as this oracle 
 has delivered fuch anfwers as he thinks convenient, 
 the devil withdraws, and the poor harrafied de¬ 
 moniac, as we are informed, for the generality 
 fits down contented all his life after, and thinks 
 himfelf fufffciently recompenfed for all his fa¬ 
 tigue, by having had the honour of loch a mira¬ 
 culous conference with his royal matter. This 
 intrigue, in all probability, isowing to the delu- 
 ffon and impofture of fome perfon who protefies 
 himlelf an able magician, and that is all we can 
 fay of it with any certainty. It is well known, 
 by the way, that a thoufand inftances may be pro¬ 
 duced from the antients, of pretended fpirits that 
 have been railed by their necromancers on the like 
 occafions. 
 
 When the king dies, his wives poifon themfelves 
 the moment he expires, in order to die with, and 
 wait on him in his progrels to the other world. 
 As foon as his foul is departed, he is inftantly con¬ 
 veyed to the lepulchre of his anceftors, and his 
 fucceffor the next morning takes poffefiion of the 
 royal dignity, and all the concubines of the de- 
 ceafed. He then expofes himfelf to public view, 
 but in fuch a manner, that a curtain conceals both 
 him and his wives from being dilcerned by the 
 populace He is immediately p r oclaimed through¬ 
 out the kingdom, .in order that the nobility 
 and gentry may recognise his authority, and 
 pay him homage. This ceremony is performed 
 with all that paffive obedience and abjedt de¬ 
 portment which is fo conlpicuous all over the 
 eaft, and fo agreeable to their imperious mo- 
 narchs, who look upon themfelves as deities, or 
 at leaft as fomething more than human, when 
 they fee their fubjedts creeping and cringing with 
 fuch aweful fear at the footftool of their thrones, 
 and addrefling themfelves with all humility to their 
 perfons, without prefuming to lift up their heads, 
 and look them in the face. Thus the fubjedts of 
 Africa pay their fubmiflion and allegiance to their 
 monarch, who gracioufly condefcends to anfwer 
 them, but ftill behind the curtain, which, how¬ 
 ever, is foon after drawn, and then his majefty 
 obliges them with a full view of his facred per¬ 
 fon. Every one immediately claps his hands, 
 and rends the air with loud acclamations ; in a 
 few minutes the curtain conceals him again, and 
 the nobility and gentry withdraw, cringing and 
 crouching in the fame abjedt and fubmiffive man¬ 
 ner as when they came. The whole city celebrate 
 the feftival of his happy accefilon to the throne, 
 and teftify their joy by loud huzzas, and a vaft 
 variety of their country mufic. 
 
 The next day his imperial majefty caufes a pro¬ 
 clamation to be made of his accefilon to the throne 
 by proper officers, who at the fame time give a 
 general invitation to all perfons whomfoever, 
 without diftindtion, to fee their new fovereign 
 break the bow. This ceremony is fometimes 
 obferved when there are feveral competitors or 
 candidates for the royal dignity ; and there are 
 divers inftances of the like royal contentions to 
 be met with amongft the antient inhabitants of 
 Europe and Afia. 
 
 The new monarch, in all probability, complies 
 with this ceremonious adt, in order to give the 
 people a fpecimen of ltrength and uncommon 
 abilities. There are fo many inftances that may 
 be produced from the antients, to demonftrate 
 
 that 
 
The RELIGION of the INHABITANTS of AGAG, &c. 
 
 that fnch as were appointed to be fovereigns and 
 rulers over the people, were by them required to 
 have a larger fhare of ftrength of body, as well 
 as fagacity and penetration, than the generality 
 of mankind, that it would be needlels, if not 
 impertinent, to quote them. We fhall content 
 ourfelves therefore with extracting one fliining 
 example from the annals of France, to prove 
 that the French gave into the fame notion, and 
 expedted to find in their princes the very fame 
 accomplifhments. Pepin the Short, perceiving 
 himfelf the objeCt of contempt amongft a parti¬ 
 cular fet of his courtiers, who on account of his 
 figure, which was both thick and low, entertained 
 but a mean idea of his perfonal abilities, invited 
 them, by way of amufement, to fee a fair battle 
 between a bull and a lion. As loon as he obferved 
 that the latter had got the maftery over the former, 
 and was ready to devour him, “ Now, gentlemen, 
 fays he, who amongft you all has courage enough 
 to interpofe between thefe bloody combatants ? 
 Who of you all dare refeue the bull, and kill the 
 lion ?” Not one of the numerous fpeCtators would 
 venture to undertake fo dangerous an enterprize •, 
 whereupon the king inftantly leaped into the area, 
 drew his labre, and at one blow fevered the lion’s 
 head from his Ihoulders Returning without the 
 leatt emotion or concern to his feat, he gave thofe 
 who had entertained but a mean opinion of him, 
 to underftand, in a jocular way, that though 
 David was low of ftature, yet he demolifhed 
 the great Goliah; and that though Alexander 
 was but a little man, he performed more heroic 
 aCtions than all his talleft officers and commanders 
 put together. David, though he met with the 
 like contemptible treatment from Saul on the 
 ■very fame occafion, was notwithftanding remark¬ 
 able for his ftrength, and was numbered amongft 
 the valiant men of Ifrael. He fays himfelf in 
 one of his pfalms, that by the ftrength of his 
 arm he broke a fteel bow afunder. Mr. Le Clerc, 
 indeed, in his annotations, feems to intimate that 
 this expreffion is only a poetical hyperbole ; yet 
 there are other commentators, in all probability, to 
 be met with, who give this paffage quite another 
 glofs, who look upon ir as real faCt, and a public 
 teftimony, which David was willing to give the 
 people of his extraordinary abilities. 
 
 When the Quiteve underftands there are 
 feveral rivals, and that his title is precarious, 
 he muft make all the intereft he is capable of with 
 the wives of the late monarch •, for he alone, 
 whom they admit into the royal palace, is his 
 true and lawful fucceflor. To get pofleflion by 
 force, would be of no manner of lervicej for all 
 aCts of violence, in that cafe, are repugnant to 
 the laws of the land. The competitor, whoever 
 he be, forfeits all his right and title to the crown, 
 that is guilty of fuch rafh proceedings. The beft 
 method therefore that he can take to maintain his 
 claim, is to make his court to, and ingratiate 
 himfelf as much as pofiible in the intereft and 
 favour of the ladies before mentioned. 
 
 We have already obferved, that a confiderable 
 number of the king’s wives are their own volun¬ 
 tary executioners the moment he expires. There 
 is likewife, as we are affured, a numerous retinue 
 'of their grandees feleCted to attend him, under 
 pretence that he has occafion for their iervice in the 
 
 467 
 
 other world; and the fucceflor, for the genera¬ 
 lity, makes a fhrewd choice of fuch as he has 
 juft apprehenfions would be factious and difaf- 
 feCfed to his government. Formerly the king 
 himfelf, they fay, was not exempt from that 
 barbarous and inhuman law, whereby it was 
 enacted, that all fuch as were afflicted with any 
 incurable diftempers, ftiould haften their death 
 by violent means. In that cafe their kings them- 
 lelves fubmitted to their fate, as foon as they 
 had nominated and appointed the perfon whom 
 they beft approved of to fucceed them. Any 
 confpicuous deformity, crolTes, misfortunes, ad- 
 verfity, or in fhort, the lofs of two of their 
 fore-teeth, obliged them to the like voluntary 
 fubmiflion. A king, fay they, fhould have nOJ 
 natural imperfections. If it is his misfortune,' 
 had not he much better quit the world with dif- 
 dain, and fly to another, where lie will be for 
 ever free from all infirmities ? 
 
 In procefs of time, however, their monarchs 
 grew more in love with life, and protefted 
 againft fuch falfe principles, how heroic foever 
 they might feem to be at firft view. One of 
 them preferring the certain enjoyment of this 
 life before the hopes of abfolute perfection in 
 the next, caufed a proclamation to be ilfued 
 out, that though he had the misfortune to lofe 
 one of his teeth, he was determined to live for 
 the good of his lubjeCts, and wait with patience 
 for the day of his dififolution. Several particu¬ 
 lar days are inftituted and appointed by this 
 prince for the royal diverfion of hunting, on 
 which alone the lion is allowed to be run down j 
 which prefumption is at all other times looked 
 upon as a capital offence, becaufe the Quiteve 
 is dignified and diftinguilhed by the honourable 
 appellation of the Grand Lion. 
 
 Thefe people never engage in any affair of 
 importance, till they have firft confulted whether 
 they fliall meet with fuccefs, by lot, with a kind 
 of dice, or by fome myftic lines or characters 
 traced out upon the ground. Notwithftanding 
 forcery is prohibited on pain of death, or an 
 leaft on the confifcation of their wives, children, 
 and liberty itfelf, yet they have a ftrong pro- 
 penfity that way. Adultery and theft, arc fub- 
 jeCt to the fame penalties as the practice of 
 magic. 
 
 "When the king has any negociations to tranf- 
 aCt with his neighbours, he nominates and ap¬ 
 points four ambaffadors for that particular fer- 
 vice. The firft only reprefents his facred perfon, 
 and muft be treated with the fame dignity and 
 refpeCt as his majefty himfelf; the lecond is 
 called the King’s Mouth, and it is his peculiar 
 province to declare the purport of his commif- 
 fion ; the third is the King’s Eye, whole bufi- 
 nefs is to inipedl, and pry into all that paffes j 
 the fourth and laft is the King’s Ear. He is 
 obliged to liften with the utmoft attention to all 
 that is faid both on one fide and the other, and 
 to make an impartial report thereof to his royal 
 mafter. 
 
 In this account of thefe people, are fo many 
 inftances of the dreadful depravity of human 
 nature, that we are frequently loll in amazement, 
 and were they not attefted by the moft relpeCt-- 
 able authority, we could not give any credit to 
 
 them. 
 
4 68* The RELIGION of the N 
 
 them, but to doubt of them after fuch evidence, 
 would be an equal inftance of madnefs, as if we 
 were to affert that the Roman Catholic religion 
 Is not profeffed in Italy. Unworthy notions 
 of the Divine Being, imaginations of his cor¬ 
 poreal exiftence, lead to barbarity in praCtice ; 
 for whenever we confider God as holy, pure, juft, 
 merciful, and good ; when we confider him as 
 infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, we are led 
 to confider what fort of fervice is due to him, 
 ■What he expeCts from us the molt acceptable, and 
 which will civilize our manners here, while it 
 prepares us for everlafting happinefs. But what 
 can be fafd of thole poor creatures who know no 
 better, who are left to their own wild imagina¬ 
 tions, and even think worfe of the objeCts of 
 their worfhip than they poftibly can of them- 
 felves. As we are commanded to pray for all 
 mankind, fo we fhould never forget thefe be¬ 
 nighted creatures in our addreffes to the throne 
 of grace. God approves of his creatures wifti- 
 ing for the happinefs of each other, and when in 
 that inftance we difcharge our duty, we are to 
 reft fatisfied, leaving the event to divine wif- 
 dom. 
 
 The Religion of the Natives of Sofola. 
 
 All that we can learn of thefe people is, that 
 they are idolators. As to their nuptial rites and 
 ceremonies, they are much the fame as their 
 neighbours ; the following circumftance ex¬ 
 cepted, which is very fingular and remarkable. 
 The bridegroom procures a friend to carry him 
 upon his back to the place appointed for the 
 folemnization of his marriage, and this friendly 
 fervice muft be done at one ftretch ; for if he 
 refts, it is looked upon as an impropitious omen, 
 and the wedding muft be deferred till another 
 opportunity. Sometimes the match is entirely 
 broke off without any farther ceremony on the 
 like unhappy difafter. 
 
 As to their funeral folemnities, they, as well 
 as all thofe of whom we have been before fpeak- 
 ing, furniffi their dead with a variety of provi- 
 fions, and they ereCb two ftones, one at the head, 
 and the other at the foot of the grave, and rub 
 them with fandal. They are mightily addicted 
 to dreams; and although the credulity of thofe 
 ignorant people is for the generality impoled 
 Upon, yet they cannot be perfuaded by any means 
 to deviate from this their favourite fuperftition ; 
 but there is no occafion to travel as far as Sofola 
 to find out people of the fame ftamp and idle 
 difpofition. 
 
 Some particular Cafres, who refide in thefe 
 parts, convey their dead into a cavern, which 
 abounds with a vaft number of crocodiles, in 
 order that the fouls of the deceafed may enter 
 into thefe animals, and purify themfelves by that 
 means. They have fuch a peculiar veneration 
 for thefe crocodiles, that they leave proper pro- 
 vifions for them at the mouth of their dens, which 
 are looked upon as holy ground. We have re¬ 
 duced this article into as fmall a compafs as pof- 
 fible we could to avoid tautologies, and number- 
 lefs abfurdities, which a long detail thereof would ( 
 
 ATIVES of SOFOLA, -See. 
 
 inevitably lead us into. It is no difficult talk tq 
 make a collection of the numerous contradictions 
 which are to be met with in the accounts of tra¬ 
 vellers on this topic ; but it requires a world of 
 judgement to diftinguifh what is true from what 
 is falfe. 
 
 Indeed, thele people are not numerous, and in 
 moft of their religious ceremonies, they differ 
 but little from the Hottentots, and fome other 
 African nations, whole religions we have already 
 given an account of. The Englifh gentlemen, 
 who were lent over by his prefent majefty a few 
 years ago, to colleCt plants near the Cape of Good 
 Hope, were informed by the Dutch clergymen, 
 who attended them during an eight day’s excur- 
 fion they made up the country, that thefe people 
 were amongft the moft barbarous of all the Hot¬ 
 tentots, and fo unfocial, that they had little or 
 no connection with the reft of the nations around 
 them ; but an old Hottentot, who had embraced 
 the Chriftian religion, allured them, that they 
 buried alive all thofe aged perlons who were 
 unable to procure themfelves a fubliftence. This 
 may lerve to Ihew, that they are deftitute of 
 bowels of compaffion ; and what is Hill more, 
 they imagine that fuch barbarous aCtions are ac¬ 
 ceptable to the idols, or rather to the devils whom 
 they worfhip. This indeed has lefs or more 
 been the effieCt of idolatry in all ages and nations, 
 which is a ftriking evidence that politenefs, hu¬ 
 manity, benevolence, and all other focial virtues 
 can only be found where the human mind is en¬ 
 larged with true knowledge, and adorned with 
 real piety. Every thing elfe leads to barbarity, 
 and even adds to the deformity of that nature 
 which is already fo much corrupted. 
 
 The Religion of the People who live on the 
 Coafts of Quilimanca, Loranga, Quizungo, 
 and as far as Cum a, towards the Borders of 
 Sofola. 
 
 Thofe who refide near the firft river, are fome 
 part of the antient Troglodytes. Some of thefe 
 people have no idols ; and if they have, there 
 are feveral of them, we are informed, that wor- 
 Ihip but one God, and acknowledge his. Divine 
 Providence, his goodnefs, and the immortality of 
 the foul, and they believe, likewife, the ex¬ 
 iftence of evil fpirits. But all this notwithftand- 
 ing, does not prevent them from blafpheming 
 the deity, if their affairs run counter, and oive 
 them the leaft provocations. They obferve fome 
 particular feftivals and days of abftinence with 
 extraordinary ftriCtnefs ; but the next day they 
 always make themfelves amends by exceffive 
 drinking. They debauch themfelves with the 
 heady liquor of maize, and a kind of fweet wine, 
 made of their own conntry fruit. Mombaza is 
 inhabited by Mahometans and idolators, and 
 there is fo trivial a difference between the reli¬ 
 gion of thefe people, and the others before- 
 mentioned, that it is not worth our obfervation. 
 The king is, as it were, a kind of vilible God, 
 who affumes to himfelf an abfolute power here on 
 earth, and they carry fire before him when he 
 takes the field. 
 
 The 
 
The RELIGION of the ETHIOPIANS and the GAULS. 409 
 
 The people of Melinda teftify an unexampled 
 veneration and refpedb for their fovereign, and 
 they carry him on their ftioulders, and proftrate 
 themfelves before his litter, without prefuming 
 fo far as to look him in the face. Several officers, 
 plentifully provided with the moft exquifite per¬ 
 fumes, march before him ; and for fear he ffiould 
 meet with any difafter upon the road, the moment 
 he fets out from his royal palace, they cut open 
 a young hind, the entrails whereof their idola¬ 
 trous priefts very curioufly examine, in order to 
 find the good or ill fuccefs of this expedition. 
 The people rend the air with loud acclamations 
 of joy, and their moft beautiful women prefent 
 themfelves before his Mooriffi majefty, fome 
 finging his eulogiums, and others offering up, 
 or burning their perfumes before him. When 
 they are upon any important debate, they always 
 take care to cut open a hind, and make the curi¬ 
 ous infpedlion before-mentioned. His majefty is 
 obliged to walk three times fucceffively over the 
 hind, and the priefts after fuch incifion, pradtice 
 feveral magical experiments, in order to afcertain 
 the fuccefs. Thefe people are, for the gene¬ 
 rality, addidted to the pradlice of magic, which 
 principally confifting in fome certain charms, and 
 being accompanied with a dance that is very 
 tirefome and fatiguing, aftedts at leaft one of the 
 company then prefent, who, in this fituation, dif- 
 covers the fecret they want to have revealed. 
 
 They indulge themfelves in a plurality of 
 wives, and on the wedding-day, two or three 
 female neighbours, or relations of the bride¬ 
 groom, march out at the head of a numerous 
 train, and betimes in the morning, attend at the 
 door of the bride’s habitation, and there dance 
 and ling, till the whole company, both men and 
 women, have made the ufual marriage prefents, 
 which principally confift in maize and flour. 
 Before thefe teftimonies of their refpedb are paid, 
 the female dancers are prefented with a handful of 
 maize, and have their left eye and cheek dufted 
 over with flour. The day concludes with joy 
 and rejoicing, and in the evening, the bridegroom 
 conducts his partner to his own houfe, which 
 clofes the ceremony. The young maidens, on 
 the borders of Quizungo, when they are on the 
 point of marriage, depart from their habitations, 
 and repair into fome barren field, there to be¬ 
 moan themfelves for the fpace of an hour on the 
 melancholy profpedt of refigning their virgin 
 honours. This ceremony is obferved in the day¬ 
 time before a great number of friends and rela¬ 
 tions, who come to vifit them on this occafion. 
 At night they return home, and as foon as ever 
 the new-moon appears, the marriage feaft begins, 
 and the next morning the damfel is delivered to 
 her lover, who takes her to his warm embraces 
 without any farther ceremony. 
 
 Their mourning is accompanied with long la¬ 
 mentations, and with weeping and wailing as 
 loud as ever they can ltretch their throats. They 
 cover their dead, or rather wrap them up in black 
 fwaddling cloths. They bury them with their 
 fire-arms, their equipage, and all other proper 
 accommodations for their journey. The mat on 
 which the perfon deceafed lay, the chair or ftool 
 on which he fat, and the utenfils or implements 
 of furniture which he made ufe of in his life¬ 
 time, nay, his very habitation, are all burnt im- 
 35 
 
 mediately after his interment. The lols, how¬ 
 ever, as is prefumed, does not amount to any 
 conflderable value; for thefe people are not 
 ambitious of erecting any pompous and magni¬ 
 ficent fabrics. The fame cuftoms are obferved 
 by the major part of the inhabitants of this coaft, 
 and it is a fundamental article with them, that 
 the living muftnot touch the dead, nor any thing 
 belonging to them, for fuch adbion would be 
 an immediate pollution ; and this unfortunate 
 perfon muft not re-enter his houfe, nor have any 
 intercourfe or familiar converfe with his country¬ 
 men, till he has firft walked and purified him- 
 felf. The affies of every thing burnt about the 
 dead are collected together, and thrown into 
 their graves with them, and their mourning con¬ 
 tinues two hours a day for eight days together. 
 However, about midnight, one of the company 
 fets the tune to their lamentations, and the whole 
 affembly ftrike up immediately in the fame me¬ 
 lancholy key. In the morning they vifit the 
 grave, in order to fupply the deceafed with pro¬ 
 per provifions. Thofe who undertake this 
 friendly office duft their left eye and cheek with 
 flour, in the lame manner as at their nuptial 
 folemnities. They mutter fome certain words 
 over the graves of their dead j but whether they 
 are prayers to them for fuccefs in their harveft, 
 or requefts to have them in their remembrance, 
 we are at a lofs to determine, for they never v/alh 
 their faces till the time of their mourning is 
 expired. 
 
 On the coaft of Melinda, and the parts ad¬ 
 jacent, the young men, nay, the boys of {even 
 or eight years of age, wear about fix or leven 
 pound weight of clay round their heads, till 
 they have given fome vifible proof of their va¬ 
 lour in war, or in Angle combat, and they are 
 obliged to produce fome tokens of their vidtory, 
 and fome eftedbs of their neighbours. They are 
 under the fame indifpenfible obligation, as the 
 natives of Mono Motapa, to produce fome unde¬ 
 niable teftimonv of their conqueft and their cou¬ 
 rage. Such a certificate muft be had; and, doubt- 
 lefs, fuch peremptory injundbion, and the fcan- 
 dal thofe lie under, who are indolent and inadtive, 
 and negledb the duty incumbent on them, are ir- 
 refiftible motives to the frequent pradbice of bold 
 and heroic adbions. 
 
 We ffiall conclude with this curfory obferva- 
 tion, that there are a fet of notorious, defpicable 
 fellows, between Angola, and Mono Motapa, 
 who are addidted to Sodomitical pradbices, and 
 are a fcandal to their fcx ; by gratifying the in¬ 
 ordinate lufts and paffions of their brutal com¬ 
 panions. Thefe effeminate debauchees, in all 
 probability, are a fpecies of the Floridan Her¬ 
 maphrodites. 
 
 $be- Religion of the Ethiopians and the Gauls. 
 
 Notwithftanding they live under a Chriftian 
 government, there are numberlefs idolators in 
 this extenfive empire. 1 hey are vagabonds and 
 barbarians, fays Ludolphus, who profefs no re¬ 
 ligion, are under no legal reftridbions, nor fub- 
 fervient to any king. They are, in fhort, a kind 
 of Troglodytes, and their language is very con- 
 5 L. fufed, 
 
4 io The RELIGION of the IS 
 
 fufed, rough, and unpolilhed. Thefe barbarous 
 people are reckoned amongft the number of the 
 Cafres j but befides thefe, there are the Agawas, 
 who inhabit the high-lands of Goiam, the Gon- 
 guas, the Gafatcs, the Gauls, who, in all proba¬ 
 bility, are the fame with the Guagas, or Jages, 
 whom we have already defcribed, and feveral 
 others too tedious to enumerate. We fliall be¬ 
 gin with the Gauls. 
 
 They have no idols, no outward form of di¬ 
 vine worlhip; at leaf!, no cuftoms, wherein 
 there are any vifible prints, or footfteps of reli¬ 
 gion. They make no diftinction between the 
 heavens, and the Supreme being, the creator and 
 preferver of all things. Though it is he, as 
 they fay, who comprizes all things within his 
 own infinite immenlity ; yet they pay him no 
 manner of adoration. However, they are, we 
 are informed, very tractable, and might with 
 eafe be made profelytes to the Chriftian faith. 
 The natives of Zender worlhip idols,- or devils, 
 and are extremely addnfted to the practice and 
 ftudy of the black art ; as to the others, we have 
 nothing to offer concerning them that is worth the 
 reader’s attention. 
 
 The Gauls obferve the ceremony of circumci- 
 fion, and indulge themfelves in a plurality of 
 wives. Their young men are not permitted to 
 cut off their hair, until they have fignalized 
 their courage in fome warlike expedition, by 
 the death of an enemy, or in the chafe, by hunt¬ 
 ing down and killing fome favage monfter. It 
 is hot the heads of their enemies that they pro¬ 
 duce as teftimonials of their valour, but fome 
 other very remarkable member, which the reader 
 will readily difeover, when he is informed, that 
 they mull give ocular demonftration o t the fiain 
 perfon’s fex. Thefe honourable and diftinguifhing 
 marks of their prowels are hung up as trophies, 
 at the head of their camp. Once in eight years 
 they eleft a new general, or commander, who 
 is obliged to notify his acceffion to the govern¬ 
 ment, by an irruption on fome of the Ethiopian 
 territories. 
 
 The natives of Zender hunt all around their 
 woods, in order to find out a king, or ruler 
 over them, amongft the favage beafts, who by 
 the prevailing influenceof his incantations allures 
 them to him, as Orpheus did of old, by the me¬ 
 lody of his mufic. None but the grandees, or 
 nobility of the kingdom, have any right or ti¬ 
 tle to eleifb a prince, after the deceale of his 
 predeceffor. In order to find out his haunts in 
 the foreft, they take a bird of the eagle kind 
 for their guide, who by his cries difcovers the 
 mighty hero, that is to be their fovereign ; and 
 there have been people much more polilhed and 
 refined, who have relied on as precarious guides 
 for the juft objeft of their choice. Darius, king 
 of Perfia, the firft of that name, had the good 
 fortune to be elected king, for no other reafon, 
 but that his horfe neighed before any of thofe 
 belonging to his rivals, and competitors for the 
 crown, who had unanimoufiy agreed after the 
 death of Smerdis the impoltor, that he, whole 
 horfe neighed firft, fhould be defied king with¬ 
 out further ceremony. But to return to the king 
 of Zender. 
 
 That innate modefty, or rather that eftablilhed 
 
 LANDERS of SOCOTORA. 
 
 rule amongft thefe favages, which induces him 
 to conceal himfelf, obliges him to oppofe thofe 
 who are ambitious of ele&ing him ; and he car¬ 
 ries the ceremony lb far, as to fight with, and 
 wound them, if polfibly he can. f or which rea¬ 
 fon, the eledtors are obliged to treat him roughly, 
 to provoke and torment him, in order to bring 
 him to compliance, and accept of the crown : 
 but he muft not fuller himfelf to receive the leaft 
 wound from any of his importunate electors ; 
 for in that cafe, he is looked upon as an object 
 altogether unworthy of that high dignity ; nay, 
 his fubjedts, we are informed, are permitted to 
 murder him, in cafe he happens to be wounded 
 in this affedted oppofition and refiftance. But 
 be that as it will, even after he has fubmitted to 
 his electors, he is once more fubjedl to the infults 
 of thofe who meet him on the road, and who 
 endeavour by force to mount him on their (boul¬ 
 ders, ambitious of the honour of conducting 
 him to his throne. This regal feat, we may 
 eafily imagine, is none of the moft pompous and 
 magnificent; nor is his palace any thing more 
 than a thatched houfe, or at beft, than a common 
 tent or pavilion. 
 
 'The Religion of the Ifianders of Socotora. 
 
 The ifianders of Socotora are Bcduins, copy 
 after, and are the fucceffors, or defeendants, of 
 the Troglodytes ; for like them, they refide in 
 caverns, and hollow rocks. There are fome 
 authors who have attempted to palm them upon 
 us for the converts of St. Thomas. However, 
 they have no knowledge, we are credibly in¬ 
 formed, either of Jefus Chrift, or of the Chrif¬ 
 tian religion, though it is true, indeed, they 
 feem to pay an extraordinary veneration to the 
 crofs, and depofit it on their altars. 
 
 They worlhip the moon, as the parent and 
 caufe of all tilings; and when they have been 
 afflicled with a long feries of dry weather, they 
 make their earned applications to her for a fupply 
 of water, in the following extraordinary man¬ 
 ner. They make choice of one of their affem- 
 bly, whom they enclofe and fhutup, as it were, 
 in a kind of circumvallation, from whence he 
 muft not prefume to llir, on pain of death. 
 This devotee thus confined, is obliged to make 
 his humblcft addreffes to the moon for ten days 
 together, to implore the blefiing of her refrefh- 
 ing fhowers. If it be matter of faft, that they 
 cut off the hands of fuch devotee, in cafe, at 
 the expiration of the term before mentioned, 
 the moon fhould rejedfc his prayers, and with¬ 
 hold her rain, we may with eafe conceive, that 
 the zeal of this devotee is as warm and con- 
 fpicuous, as that of any other profeffors whom- 
 foever, who, on the like emergent occafions, 
 implore the afliftance and mediation of the ce- 
 leftial beings, with the moft furprifing aufteri- 
 ties, and under the galling yoke of the moft 
 barbarous and inhuman dilcipline: But we are 
 not fufficiently apprifed of all the circumftances 
 that attend this extravagant and cruel ceremony, 
 to be able to difeourfe upon it, without being 
 liable to miftakes. 
 
 At 
 
The RELIGION of the I 
 
 At fome particular feafons, and before foine 
 remarkable fads, the obfervance whereof is very 
 dridtly enjoined, the elders, or principals of the 
 mand, affemble themfelves together, and offer 
 up an hundred bucks, or goats, as a public facri- 
 nce ; and this is a kind of hecatomb. To thefe 
 fuperditious rites they add feveral Chridian ce¬ 
 remonies j fuch as the celebration of Chriftmas, 
 which they keep holy threefcore days fuccefiively, 
 by the obfervance of a kind of fad, or religious 
 abdinence from milk, butter, filh, and flefh. 
 In ihort, they are fo rigid and l'evere, that Ihould 
 any one unfortunately be di(covered to neglect 
 and break through this ordinance, the penalty 
 for the fird offence, would be the lofs of two 
 fingers from his right-hand ; for the fecond, his 
 hand itfelr ; and for the third his whole arm. 
 
 They have a confiderable number of Moqua- 
 mos, a term by which they didinguifh their 
 temples ; and thefe Moquamos are very fmall, 
 and low. They have three little doors, and in 
 order to enter any of them, a perfon mud be 
 obliged to/toop almod to the ground. In each 
 thefe chapels dands an altar ; on which are 
 depofited a crofs, and feveral dicks formed like 
 flower-de-luces, which have fomething of the 
 refemblance likewil'eof the crofs. Every chapel 
 has its peculiar head, {principal, or pried, called 
 Hodamo, who is anually chofen, and the fiirna- 
 tures or marks of his function ire a daff and a 
 crofs, which he mult not prefume to give away 
 on any pretence whatfoever, or differ any perfon 
 fo much as to touch it, on pain of lofing one of 
 his hands. The ufual time fee apart for Divine 
 fervice in thefe chapels is, when the moon fets, 
 or when fhe rifes; and the vifible marks, or exter¬ 
 nal tedimonies of their devotions are, for in- 
 ftance, the driking three times a day, and thrice 
 eveiy night, a dated number of blow’s on along 
 daff, with a lhorter one; and afterwards the 
 taking three tours all round the chapel, and turn¬ 
 ing themfelves thrice fuccefiively, at every tour. 
 This ceremony is accompanied with an oblation 
 of fome odoriforous wood, put in an iron bafon, 
 that hangs by three chains over a large fire. 
 After that, the altar is incenled three times, and 
 the doors of the temple as many; and the devo¬ 
 tees make the mod folemn vows, and fupplica- 
 tions to the moon, with exalted voices, not only 
 within, but all round the yard, or facred enclo- 
 fure. They implore her protection, and beg 
 that die would vouchfafe to confine her favours 
 to them alone. During this part of their divine 
 fervice, the Hodamo fets on the altar a lighted 
 taper made of butter, the ufe of all other fat be¬ 
 ing prohibited ; and they always take particular 
 care to have a vefiel in the chapel full of butter. 
 But not for that purpoife only ; for they befmear 
 their crofies, and daves, which they make ufe of 
 in their religious ceremonies, with this their fa¬ 
 vourite greafe. 
 
 On fome certain days of the year they make a 
 folemn proceffion round the temple, at which 
 public times they conditute one of their princi¬ 
 pals, or chief men in their country, to carry the 
 mod cumbrous facred dad'. After the proceffion 
 is over, they cut his fingers od', and put a lmalJer 
 Had into his hand, which, by virtue of fome 
 my.dic marks, ferves him as a buckler and de- 
 
 LANDERS of SOCOTORA. 4lt 
 
 fence from all mariner of infults ; not to mention 
 thofe lingular honours which are paid him on ac¬ 
 count of his being poffeffed of fuch a facred im¬ 
 plement 5 and that odour of fantdity which the 
 opportunity of carrying it in proceffion confers 
 upon him. The reader no doubt very clearly 
 difeerns, by the account we have here given, 
 what a mondrous medley there is of Mahome- 
 tanilm, Chridianilm and Paganifm in this reli¬ 
 gion. They have likewife borrowed, as fome 
 authors pretend, feveral of their rites and cere¬ 
 monies from the Nedorians. 
 
 After the relation of fo extravagant a religion, 
 the reader may well exped to hear of a variety 
 of idle and ridiculous cudoms. They marry as 
 many wives as.their circumdances will permit 
 rhem to maintain, and put them away again at 
 plealure j that is, they difmifs them without the 
 lead formality whatfoever. They exchange 
 like wife their partners, and take in others for 
 the time limited and agreed oil; perhaps till 
 abfence has whetted their palled appetites. But 
 nothing furely can be more fingular and remark¬ 
 able, than the method a father takes to affign 
 or turn over his child to his friend and acquain¬ 
 tance. V, hen he is difpol'ed to diicharge himfelf 
 oi fuch an incumbrance, he nominates this or 
 that perfon to .be his guardian ; and fuch father, 
 by adoption, is obliged to maintain and bring 
 the boy up as if he was his own. Children thus 
 transferred, are called the fons of Fire and 
 Smoke ; becatiic thefe poor barbarous creatures, 
 obferving that the procreation of children is the 
 natural remit of that union to which the indul¬ 
 gence oi their fenfiial appetites alone inclines 
 them, determine, after they have gratified their 
 paffions, to transfer and make over the fruits of 
 their labour to fome other perfon ; and for that 
 purpofe, he who is fo difpofed, kindles a large 
 fire in his cavern, and throws fome particular 
 gicen wood upon it. As foon as it begins to 
 iile, he runs out of his little cottage or cave 
 and proclaims, as loud as he can dretch his 
 throat, that the child with which his wife is 
 pregnant, is the right and property of fuch a 
 neighbour. He accordingly brings up the child 
 thus prefented to him, and pays the like compli¬ 
 ment to fome other acquaintance. 
 
 There is no manner of difference, in the opi¬ 
 nion of thefe I danders, between a dying perfon, 
 and one aCl'ually decealed. For which realon, 
 iuch as he at the point of death, are carried di¬ 
 rectly to their graves; and their neared and 
 deared relations perform this lad friendly office 
 foi them ; and thofe who are thus expiring, 
 having, as we may reafonably fuppofe, ffiewn 
 the like indulgence to others, never murmur at 
 iuch treatment, or think it any ways cruel or un- 
 jud. As foon as they perceive their diffolution 
 drawing nigh, they call their relations round 
 about them, in order to exhort them not to re¬ 
 nounce the religion of their forefathers ; nor to 
 have any familiar intercourfe or correfpondence 
 with drangers, and to avenge them of their ene¬ 
 mies. Nay, fomecimes the perfon thus givino- 
 up the ghod, produces a long lid of thofe who 
 have, injured him, with the particular caufes of 
 his jud reientment. Having thus vented his 
 lpleen, he departs this life with all the calmnefs 
 
 and 
 
412 The RELIGION of the ISLANDERS of MADAGASCAR. 
 
 and ferenity imaginable. This is generally the 
 lot of thofe who are ignorant, and incapable of 
 ferious reflexion, and they fink into the arms of 
 death with the leaft reludtance or concern, when 
 life becomes an incumbrance. And fo do all 
 fuch as are afflicted with any incurable diftemper, 
 plunged in inextricable difficulties, or harraffed 
 with implacable perfecutions. 
 
 They obferve the ceremony of circumcifion, 
 and if any one fhould refide amongft them that 
 has the misfortune not to be circumcifed, he 
 would have his hand cut off as loon as he was 
 difeovered ; and his own wife, on fuch an occa- 
 fion, would make no fcruple to betray him. An 
 uncircumcifed perfon muff not prefume to enter 
 into any of their Moquamos, or temples > and as 
 to the perpetration of any particular crimes, 
 the delinquents are punifhed by their hadomas, 
 according to the nature and enormity of the of¬ 
 fence. A thief, though purfued, is fecure, if he 
 has the good fortune to fly for refuge into a Mo- 
 quamo, and find there upon the fpot fome friend 
 who is willing to be his guardian and protestor; 
 fuch perfon is looked upon as godfather to, or 
 furety for, the criminal. But if no fuch friend 
 appears in the temple, he is dragged away from 
 his alylum, and his hand is immediately cut off. 
 The greateff act of complaifance that is pra&ifed 
 amongfl thefe Beduins, is, to kils the fhoulder of 
 the perfon whom they intend to honour, and the 
 fame ceremony is obfervea in feveral provinces 
 of Abyffinia. 
 
 To what we have already remarked, we beo- 
 leave to add, That, if we may rely on the vera¬ 
 city of fome miffionary Jefuits, there is abun¬ 
 dance of Judaifm compriled in the religion of 
 thefe people. Thefe fathers, however, ought to 
 have defeended to particulars j for there are no 
 Jewifli rites and ceremonies, as we can find, in 
 vogue with the Beduins but that of circumcifion. 
 Thefe Jefuits, moreover, add in their narration, 
 that the Beduins are ftriftly enjoined, not fo 
 much as to touch or tafte any hens, or other fowl, 
 of what fpecies or kind foever. Another rela¬ 
 tion affures us, that they obferve the evangelical 
 law; that St. Thomas converted them to the 
 Chriftian faith ; that they are very tradable, and 
 fond of being inftruded ; and that they are well 
 affeded to, and have a peculiar regard for the 
 Catholic religion, and the ceremonies of the 
 Romifh church. This relation adds likewile, 
 that thefe iflanders have a peculiar veneration for 
 the crofs, that all of them in general wear it 
 about their necks, and in conclufion, that they 
 make ufe of the Chaldee language in their divine 
 fervice. 
 
 It is furprifing that the Jefuits fhould fo far 
 attempt to impofe upon us, as to make thofe 
 who have no better information, believe, that 
 profeffed Heathens are well affeded to Chrif- 
 tianity. The impofition might indeed have been 
 ftill carried on, had it not been for the moft 
 exad accounts that have been brought us, both 
 by Englifh and French navigators. That there 
 were once churches in many of thofe parts cannot 
 be doubted, but that is no reafon why there fhould 
 be any remains of Chriftianity left, it being in- 
 confiftent with the people’s being grofs Pagans. 
 We are affured, that the Chriftian religion was in 
 the early ages after, or during the times of the 
 
 apoftles propagated, in many countries where Pa- 
 ganiim now prevails ; but whenever men abufe 
 the benefits conferred upon them, and flight the 
 offers of grace and mercy, God may, in his in¬ 
 finite wifdom and juftice, remove the light of 
 the gofpel from among them, and fuffer Heathen 
 darknefs to overfhadow them. 
 
 It is the unhappy condition of fallen nature, 
 never to know the virtue of any thing till de¬ 
 prived of it, and this is not confined to religion 
 alone ; it is to be met with under all the circum- 
 ftances of life, whether the perfons are high or 
 low, rich or poor. Thus the voluptuous perfon 
 does not know the benefit of health, till by a 
 continual round of debauchery, he has rendered 
 himfelf incapable of enjoying it. He may in¬ 
 deed wifh for the return of that which he little 
 regarded while he had it in poffeffion, but in 
 vain does he even wiffi for it, for his emaciated 
 body mocks the power of medicine, and he finks 
 down on a fick bed, a poor, helplefs creature, 
 without any perfon being able to adminifter him 
 comfort. 
 
 In the fame manner, thofe who have been fa¬ 
 voured with the gofpel, and made an improper 
 ufe of fuch an ineftimable bleffing, may probably 
 wifh for it when taken from them. But God in 
 his infinite wifdom knows, that were they to re¬ 
 ceive it again, they would turn like the dog to 
 his vomit, and like the fow to her wallowing in 
 the mire. There is no doubt but God has times 
 and feafons fixed when he will look down in com¬ 
 panion on the Heathen nations, and once more 
 vifit them with the light of the gofpel. But thefe 
 times being unknown to us, we fhould reft fatis- 
 fied that every thing will be conduced by un¬ 
 erring wifdom. The Jefuits, however, fhould 
 never have amufed us with idle tales, becaufe no¬ 
 thing can appear more beautiful than the truth 
 when told in its primitive fimplicity. 
 
 Tbs Religion of the Iflanders of Madagafcar. 
 
 We have already taken notice that there were 
 once Chriftians in this ifland, and that there are 
 ftill fomefeintremains of that religion to be found. 
 The Chriftian religion, like a refrefhing fhower, 
 fpreads its influence far and wide ; men flocked 
 under its fhelter; the darknefs that had Jong 
 clouded the human mind was removed; light 
 fprung up in its room, and thofe who before were 
 without God in the world, became the willing 
 captives to the preaching of the gofpel. But this 
 is too melancholy a fubjeeff to dwell on, and 
 therefore we fhall proceed to give the beft and 
 moft authentic account of thefe iflanders that 
 could be procured, and although we do not 
 dwell on the marvelous, yet we fhall adhere to 
 the truth. 
 
 Although they are all Pagans, there, are not- 
 withftanding, the prints, or footfteps of Maho- 
 metanifm and Judaifm to be vifibly difeerned 
 amongft them. They acknowledge one God, the 
 creator of all things, and they honour and revere 
 him, and fpeak of him with the profoundeft ve¬ 
 neration and refpedl. Though they have no 
 idols or temples, yet they offer up facrifices to 
 the Supreme Being. However, to ingratiate 
 
 themfelves 
 
The RELIGION of the ISLA 
 
 themfelves into the favour of the devil, they 
 compliment him with the fird morfel of their 
 Victims ; and fo make him a partner with the 
 deity. From whence it is evident, that thefe 
 Iflanders acknowledge two principles, one good, 
 and the other evil. This notion was tranfmit- 
 ted to them by the natives of the continent, 
 who, in all probability, had it from the inhabi¬ 
 tants of Aha. But be that as it will, thofe of 
 Madagafcar, acknowledge that God created the 
 heavens, the earth, the fpirits, and all living 
 creatures, and according to their account, there 
 are feven heavens. They are of opinion, that 
 God is the caufe of all good ; and the devil, on 
 the other hand, the author of all the misfortunes 
 that attend mankind. For which reafon they fear 
 him, make their oblations to him, and even with 
 refped to their facrifices, give him the preference 
 before the deity. It is a principle, as we have 
 before obferved, which we find for the generality 
 true, that mankind are not fo vigorous in their 
 purfuit after that which is good, as they are cau¬ 
 tious how to avoid that which is evil. Dian- 
 Mananh is likewife the object of their divine 
 worfhip. He is the god or vice-deity of 
 riches, and by confequence bears a very near 
 affinity to the Plutus of the antients. Gold 
 is the fymbol, or hieroglyphic of this divinity. 
 Upon feeing it, they take it diredly in their | 
 hands, and hold it above their heads, with all 
 the veneration and refped imaginable, and then 
 falute it. Nay, there are leveral of them, who, 
 confcious of having committed l'ome particular 
 fin, dip a piece of gold in a cup full of water, 
 and then drink it up, imagining, that by fuch re¬ 
 ligious a£t their fin is pardoned and forgiven. 
 
 They are of opinion, that there are divers or¬ 
 ders of genii, or fpirits ; that fome of them go¬ 
 vern and dired the motion of the heavens, ftars, 
 and planets ; that others have dominion over 
 the air, the meteors, the fea, and all mankind. 
 The dodrine relating to the genii was main¬ 
 tained, and fupported by all the antients. We 
 have already ffiewed, that it is a received notion 
 this day amongd the idolatrous nations, even 
 amongd thofe of the north of Europe, and thofe 
 of the new world. Befides thefe genii, they 
 admit of another order of fpirits, who are as in- 
 vifible as the former, but affume a body when¬ 
 ever they think proper, and appear to thofe 
 whom they love and refped. Thefe fpirits are 
 both male and female : They intermarry, have 
 children, and Hand in need of the neceffary fup- 
 ports of life, and yet partake not of the infirmi¬ 
 ties of our nature. However, they die, and are 
 punilhed or rewarded after their deceafe, accord¬ 
 ing to their good or bad condud in this life. 
 Thefe fpirfts foretel future events, and perform 
 abundance of lurprifing things, which bear a 
 very near refemblance to what our antient writers 
 of romances aferibe to the fairies. They ima¬ 
 gine, likewife, that there are hobgoblins, phan¬ 
 toms and gholts. They Hand in great awe of the 
 Saccare, that is, the devil, and all the other evil 
 fpirits, which they didinguifh under different 
 denominations. The Saccare, if we may believe 
 what they affert, appears to them in the form of 
 a fiery dragon, and frequently enters into, and 
 pofieffes them for fifteen days together. In order 
 to deliver themfelves out of his clutches, or at 
 
 35 
 
 ^DERS of MADAGASCAR. 413 
 
 lead to relieve them under their misfortunes* 
 they take a javelin, or long fpear in their hands, 
 and dance and caper about, wreathing their 
 bodies in a thoufand antic and ridiculous poftures. 
 All the whole town dance to the beat of drum, 
 round about fuch perfons as are fo pofieffed, ob- 
 ferving the dune gediculations as-they do, under 
 pretence of affording them, by that means, fome 
 comfort and confolation. 
 
 They have fome knowledge of the fall of man, 
 the terredrial paradife, and the flood; but their 
 ideas thereof are clouded, and obfeured, by a 
 multitude of ridiculous fables. The fame mif- 
 fortunes attend them with refped to fome other 
 ideas, which their ancedors might probably have 
 borrowed from the true religion ; but by infen- 
 fible degrees have been mod fnamefully cor¬ 
 rupted. They are of opinion, that the devil is 
 the author of fin, and the corruption of human 
 nature. Their faith, as to this particular article, 
 is compriled in a kind of apologue, the fenfe and 
 meaning whereof is, that the devil had feven 
 children, who committed fo many outrages upon 
 earth, that mankind implored the deity to de¬ 
 liver them from this perverfe and wicked gene¬ 
 ration. God heard their fupplications, and thefe 
 feven children edabliffied feven capital fins ini 
 the world ; theft, licentioufnefs, lying, gluttony, 
 murder, pride, and lazinefs. 
 
 They have their feads and fads, which are fo- 
 lemnized without any regularity, fometimes at 
 one time, and fometimes at another, as occafion 
 offers. They meet together with their whole 
 family very early in the morning, and then re¬ 
 gale themfelves with a fmall quantity of rice, 
 and after that fad till midnight. In this interval 
 they employ themfelves in rehearfing and finging 
 the heroic atchievements of their ancedors. At 
 midnight they refrefh themfelves, and after that 
 pay their refpeds to the devil and the deity. 
 They wadi themfelves, but more particularly 
 their feet, and chew betel ■, after which, they 
 lay themfelves under fome particular vows 
 and obligations, with relation to fome particular 
 circumdances, which are of the utmod impor¬ 
 tance to themfelves. One thing, which is the 
 mod remarkable in thefe feads and fads, is, that 
 they facrifice an ox, and fprinkie the whole af- 
 fembly with its blood, and then make their chil¬ 
 dren lay their hands upon it, imagining that fuch 
 ceremony will preferve them the enluing year 
 from all didempers. The facrificator cuts the 
 victim all in pieces, and throws the fird on his 
 right hand, faying, This is the devil’s portion; 
 after this, he takes another piece, and throws it 
 on his left hand, faying, This is devoted to the 
 fervice of the deity ; and to conclude, they take 
 a fmall quantity of the hair of the victim, and 
 tie it round their necks, pronouncing at the fame 
 time fome myderious words three times fuc- 
 ceffively. 
 
 It feems, likewife, according to the account of 
 the author before quoted, that thefe Iflanders 
 pradife a kind of libation, in honour of God and 
 the devil, before they drink ; and that they offer 
 up their facrifices of thankfgiving on their prof- 
 ped of a plentiful harved. Their rice being 
 ready to be gathered in, they facrifice a black 
 cow, and throw one part of it into the field, pro¬ 
 nouncing at the fame time a fhort form of thankf- 
 5 M giving, 
 
414 The RELIGION of the ISLANDERS of MADAGASCAR. 
 
 giving, and during the continuance of thefe 
 feftival days, they never filed any human blood ; 
 but in cafe any perfon commits a crime that me¬ 
 rits death, he is fentenced to be drowned. In or- 
 to have the honour of facrificing any of their 
 vidlims, they are obliged to learn a certain prayer, 
 and pronounce fome particular words over the 
 inftrument, lifting up their eyes at the fame 
 time to heaven, which is a lively exprefTion of 
 the intent of the facrificator. They are likewifc 
 lo lcrupulous in this particular, that they would 
 rather die with hunger, than partake of any Dealt 
 whatever, flaughtered by a Ciiriftian. 
 
 They moreover offer up facrifices when they 
 take poffeffion of any new houfe, when they arc 
 any way indiipofed, when they marry, when their 
 wives lie-in, and when any of their friends or 
 acquaintance are buried. Before they depart 
 this life, they make a thorough confcffion of their 
 fins. Such perfonsas are advanced in years, and 
 draw near the time of their diifolution, make fo 
 general and full a confelTion, that they take par¬ 
 ticular care to mention each individual fin one 
 after another. After this, they order a facrifice 
 to be made of feveral oxen, for the expiation of 
 all their tranfgrefllons; anti all this is accom¬ 
 panied with a folemn bencdidlion on their whole 
 family, and an exhortation, as is cuftomary with 
 old people, and men juft dropping into their 
 graves, to lead better lives than they have 
 done before. The confufed and imperfedt idea 
 which they entertain of Noah, Abraham and 
 Mofes ; and of David and Jefus Chrift ; their 
 circumcifion, obfervance of the fabbath, their 
 falls and confeflion, and their lcruples which we 
 have already mentioned, are all inconteflable de- 
 monftrations that their religion is a corruption 
 of Chriltianity and Judaifm, intermingled with 
 Mahometanifm, idolatry and fuperftition. 
 
 They expofe fuch children as happen to be 
 born on Tuefday, Thurfday, or Saturday, or in 
 the month of April, or in their Lent; the eighth 
 day of the moon ; or, in fhort, in any hour that 
 is over-ruled by any malignant planet. The ce¬ 
 remony of their circumcifion is for the generality 
 performed in the month of May, in the prefence j 
 of the friends and relations of thofe who are to 
 be circumciled, and a bull is the ufual fee for 
 every infant fo circumcifed. Several days im¬ 
 mediately preceding this ceremony, the vigils 
 only excepted, are fpent in a variety of amufe- 
 ments, and concluded for the generality, in riot 
 and excefs; for it is looked upon as an honour to 
 be drunk on fuch occafions. The circumcifer 
 himfelf makes one among!! them in thefe public 
 diverfions, but the vigil of the feftival is not at¬ 
 tended with fuch intemperance and excefs. Fa¬ 
 thers and mothers fufpend the legal pleafures of 
 the marriage-bed, and prepare themlelves for the 
 celebration of this ceremony with their children. 
 The mothers lie by them in the lapa, which is a 
 hut, or cottage, which their relations eredfc, and 
 confecrate by the performance of fome particular 
 ceremonies therein, a month before the intended 
 day of circumcifion. The prohibition of love- 
 enjoyments does not extend to the relations only 
 of fuch as are to be circumcifed ; but all maids 
 or wives, married men or batchelors, who are 
 confcious of having indulged themfelves in fuch 
 fenlual pleafures, muft not prefume to draw near 
 
 to, or be prefent at, this holy ordinance ; for 
 thefe people imagine, that fhauld any perfon fo 
 defiled prophane that religious ceremony, the 
 blood of the prepules of fuch as fhould be cir¬ 
 cumcifed would never ftop, and that certain 
 death would be the fatal confequence of fuch a 
 prelumption. Another fuperftitious cultom of 
 theirs is, never to wear any thing red about them 
 on thefe folemn occafions. 
 
 On the day appointed for the circumcifion, 
 all thofe who are to be prefent at the operation, 
 bathe themfelves betimes in the morning,!and 
 turning themfelves toward the eaft, beating their 
 drums and iounding their country cornets, pro¬ 
 nounce fome particular form of words, the lenfe 
 and fignification whereof we are at a lofs to de¬ 
 termine. The celebrant, or operator, makes a 
 Ihort prayer, adapted to the l'olcmnity of the 
 day, and the whole congregation being affem- 
 bled together at the lapa, about ten in tiie morn¬ 
 ing, the drums begin to beat to give notice of 
 the approaching ceremony j and the circumcifer, 
 having a fkin of white cotton thread twined 
 round about his waift, and another on his left 
 arm to wipe his inftrument clean with, ap¬ 
 proaches the children. Thereupon, each father 
 takes his own child into his arms, and all toge¬ 
 ther make a kind of proceflion round the lapa, 
 going in at the weft door, and coming out at the 
 caft. After this they walk again in proceflion 
 before the oxen, that are appropriated for tfye fa- 
 crifice on this folemn occafion, and are laid on 
 the ground with their four feet bound fall toge¬ 
 ther. Each infant, in the next place, touches 
 the right horn of every beaft with his left hand, 
 and fits down a moment or two on the backs of 
 thefe viftims. After thefe proceffions are over, 
 the circumcifer cuts off the children’s forefkins, 
 and the uncle, or neareft relation of each respec¬ 
 tive child, takes the prepufe, and 1 wallows it 
 down in the yolk of an egg. This relation 
 ftands in the capacity, as it were, of godfather 
 to the child, but the forefkins, however, of fuch 
 as have no relations, are thrown upon the 
 ground. The circumcifer having thus performed 
 his office, the facrificator cuts the throat of as 
 many cocks as there are children circumcifed, 
 and lets the blood of the fowls trickle duwn on 
 the mutilated part, mingling the juice of trefoil, 
 j or clover grafs, with the blood. 
 
 Such women as draw near the time of their 
 travail, confefs all the fins they have been guilty 
 of during their pregnancy, to fome female con¬ 
 fident ; and moreover, our author allures us, in¬ 
 voke the Virgin Mary, in hopes that ffie will lend 
 her aid and affiftance at a time of need, and con¬ 
 tribute towards their fafe and fpeedy deliverance. 
 They are obliged to watch the proper times and 
 feafons for erecting their houfes, cutting down 
 their timber, covering their roofs; and when the 
 building is finifhed, they wait for the moon, and 
 fome propitious hour for the cpnfecration, or, 
 the dedication of it, which they call Miffavatfi. 
 The proprietor invites all his friends and rela¬ 
 tions to come and grace the ceremony with their 
 prefence, and each of them makes him fome 
 prefent or another, more or lels valuable in pro¬ 
 portion to his circumftances. They take three 
 formal tours all round the tenement; and the 
 whole company, after fuch proceflion, enter into 
 
 the 
 
The RELIGION of the ISLAN 
 
 the houfe, congratulate the proprietor on this 
 joyful occafion, and willi him all the fuccels and 
 happinefs in it that he can wifh for, or define. 
 This ceremony is accompanied with the oblation 
 of one or more heifers, the flefli whereof is dif- 
 tributed amongd the company, and intended as 
 a friendly entertainment. 
 
 Thefe Iflanders are all polygamies, and what 
 is very fingular and remarkable, is, to have a 
 plurality of wives is expreffed in their language 
 by a term which fignifies, to creat enemies ; be¬ 
 came feveral wives of the fame hulband cannot 
 have a natural love and affedtion for one another, 
 and this is no doubt as demondrable an axiom, 
 as any in all Euclid. Moreover, their wives, 
 we are informed, adt without any thought or 
 diferetion before, as well as after marriage ; for 
 they exceed the bounds of all fuch as would con¬ 
 ceal their vices, and have not the lead regard to 
 decency or good manners. The repeated lewd 
 pradtices of a lafeivious woman with one or more 
 young fellows, are looked upon only as fo many 
 Specimens of their dexterity and addrels ; and in 
 fhort they will never marry a man till they have 
 had divers undeniable proofs of his drength and 
 manhood, without doubt to be well affured, that 
 he will never degenerate or grow indolent, but 
 be the fame man to the very lad. 
 
 Adultery is looked upon as a robbery, and 
 fined and aflefled as fuch ; but no dilgrace at 
 tends the payment of fuch amerciament. The 
 children of a wife that is brought to bed after die 
 has been divorced from her fird hulband, are his 
 property ; at lead, if die does not return him 
 his taque, that is, the purchafe-money which he 
 advanced on the day of marriage. 
 
 They have amongd them feveral effeminate, 
 or impotent fellows, either through fome natural 
 infirmity which they brought with them into the 
 world, or through their vicious familiarity and 
 converle with other men. But be that as it may, 
 thefe half-men, thefe Liberhams, whom they call 
 Tfecats, a£t inconfidently with their fex, drefs in 
 women’s apparel, and allure young fellows by arti¬ 
 fices, endearments, and prelents to their unnatural 
 embraces. We have already mentioned, more 
 than once, divers indances of the like obfeenity 
 and uncleannefs; for we cannot clothe it in lbfter 
 terms, at lead, if we judge of it in the light it 
 prefents itfelf to us at fird view. The only plea 
 or excule that can podibly be made for fuch a 
 courfe of life, is, that which thofe Idanders have 
 found out for it; who affured our author, that 
 thefe Tfecats were a people who, from their in¬ 
 fancy, had made a folemn vow out of love to 
 the deity, to continue in a date of celibacy all 
 their lives ; that women were the objects of their 
 averfion ; that they avoided with the utmod pre¬ 
 caution, all familiar converfe with them ; and 
 that they were guilty of no immodedy in their 
 carefies with thofe of their own fex. This cor- 
 refpondence of theirs, in all probability, may be 
 of much the fame nature with the Athenrofera, 
 which father Fitau lpeaks of, and of which there 
 are feveral indances to be produced from the 
 antients. 
 
 We have made mention, but very curforily, of 
 the expofition of their children ; a barbarous 
 cudom too much pradtifed, and tolerated amongd 
 the antients. The Ombiaffes, who are the adro- 
 
 DERS of MADAGASCAR. 415 
 
 logical phyficians, and, in all probability, the 
 prieds likewife of the natives of Madagafcar, 
 authorife, and give a fandtion to this irregular 
 practice, by their pretended knowledge and fkill 
 in cading the nativities of fuch children as are jud 
 come into the world, or even of fuch as are but in 
 embryo, and jud conceived, and this they do by 
 their falfe predictions and obfervations of the 
 planets, on fuch occafions. This barbarity, how¬ 
 ever, is not always without exception; for fome 
 parents, after they have thus expofed their chil¬ 
 dren, engage their flaves or relations to bring 
 them up; and in fuch cafe thofe children belong 
 to their refpedtive guardians. Others perform 
 their falis for fuch children as are born under a 
 malignant planet, and on that account have de- 
 ferved expofition ; that is, offer up their facri- 
 fice for them of cocks, or fome other living crea¬ 
 ture, by way of expiation. After this, they con¬ 
 fine them for half a day within a hen-coop, in or¬ 
 der to accomplifii their purification, and free 
 them from the malignity of fome dangerous con^ 
 dellation, or the fatal influences of their unhappy 
 dar. 
 
 Without thefe neceffary precautions, the child 
 might be a parricide, a thief, and the mod pro¬ 
 fligate and abandoned vagabond in nature. Wil¬ 
 ful mifearriages, or abortions, are very common 
 in this ifland ; but how fhould we expedt them 
 otherwife amongd a people, who are fo ignorant 
 and unpoliflied ; fince fuch expedients are too 
 often pradtiled by the Chridians ihemfelves, who 
 have much more light and knowledge of their 
 duty than thefe Barbarians? But fuch is the effedt 
 of the crime which reduces the female fex to this 
 extremity; it expofes them to the everlading 
 contempt of mankind, which is more fhocking 
 to loofe women, than the lofs of their virtue and 
 integrity. We fhall conclude with one more 
 cudom, as barbarous and inhuman as the former* 
 When a woman dies in child-bed, they bury the 
 new-born infant with its mother; for, lay they, is 
 it not much better the babe lhould die, than not 
 to have a mother to nurfe and bring it up ? 
 
 In the fird place, they wafli their dead, and 
 then drefs them as agreeably as the circumdancea 
 of the perfons deceafed, or of the relations who 
 furvive them will admit of. Their ufual deco¬ 
 rations are collars of coral, gold medals, and 
 gold ear-rings. They furnifh each of their dead 
 with feven pagnes, that is, vedments, made of 
 cotton, which are worn from the waid down¬ 
 wards, that he may have a fufficient change of 
 fuits. After he is thus duly waffled and adorned, 
 they wrap him up in a large mat, in order to con¬ 
 vey him to the grave : but before the perform¬ 
 ance of ttfjs lad friendly office, all the relations, 
 acquaintance, and flaves of the deceafed, flock 
 round about the corpfe, to mourn over it in form, 
 and as there is a large candle placed at his head, 
 and another at his feet, he may, with propriety 
 enough, befaid to lie in date. Whilft thofe be¬ 
 fore-mentioned are drowned in tears, there are 
 other perfons prefent, who are employed in beat¬ 
 ing a kind of drum, to the found whereof both 
 the married women and maidens join in a folemn 
 dance, and then take their turn to mourn over 
 the deceafed. Their fighs and tears are mingled 
 with his praifes, and repeated lamentations for 
 their lofs. We mud not omit making mention 
 
 of 
 
4-*6 
 
 of the many queftions which they afk him with 
 refpett to his deceafe ; queftians in fafhion with 
 divers other nations, which principally confift in 
 enquiring of the deceafed, whether he wanted 
 the necefTaries, and even the conveniencies of 
 life ; in Ihort, whether he was eafy and contented 
 or not, in his date and condition. Thefe inter¬ 
 rogatories are repeated till the evening, and then 
 they (laughter feveral heifers, which are intended 
 both as a lacrifice and a funeral entertainment. 
 
 The next day they put the corpfe into a coffin, 
 made of the flumps of two trees, dug hollow, 
 and artfully joined together, and then carry it 
 to the grave, which is made in a wooden hut, 
 erected for that purpofe, and dug fix foot deep. 
 There they inter the corpfe with a lufficient quan¬ 
 tity of provifions in a bafket, home tobacco, a 
 chafing difh, an earthen porringer, fome pagnes, 
 or changes of raiment, and feveral girdles. 
 When all the matters are thus far adjufted, 
 they fhut up the hut, and plant a large 
 done, about twelve or fifteen foot in breath as 
 well as height, before the door; and then facri- 
 fice fome living creatures, and divide them into 
 three equal parts or fhares ; one for the devil, 
 another for the deity, and the remainder for the 
 deceafed'. It is cuftomary to hang the heads of 
 the fiaughtered victims upon dakes, planted 
 round this Maufoletim, and for feveral days to¬ 
 gether after his interment, his kinsfolks fend him 
 in plenty of provifions, pay their refpeCts to him, 
 nay, offer up divers oblations to him, and con- 
 fult him about their own private ad'airs. In 
 ficknefs or adverfity they apply themfelves to 
 him by the mediation of an Ombiaffe, who mak¬ 
 ing a frnall breach or hole in the hut, conjures up 
 the fpirit of the deceafed, and implores fuch af- 
 fidance as he thinks he may reafonably require of 
 him, by virtue of that intimacy and friendlhip 
 which the deceafed pretends he has contracted 
 with the Supreme Being. 
 
 When a perl'on of diftinCtion dies at a confi- 
 derable didance from his family, his head is 
 cut off, and lent home to the town where he 
 was born ; but as for his corpfe, it is interred 
 in the place where he died, be it where it 
 will. The men are fhaved and go bare-headed 
 on thefe melancholy occafions; but the women 
 are allowed hats, or caps. 
 
 Their phyficians, whom our author calls Om- 
 bialfes, are adrologers, and, in all probability, 
 prieds likewife, foothlayers, and magicians ; for 
 all thefe qualifications center in one man, 
 amongd feveral idolatrous people, both antient 
 and modern. The medicines which thefe Om- 
 bialfes make ufe of are principally decoftions, 
 or broths made of phyfical herbs and roots ; 
 but befides thefe natural means, they make ufe 
 of billets, or notes written in particular characters 
 and hang them round their necks, or tie them 
 to the girdles of their patients, in order to charm 
 and fufpend their agonizing pains. They draw 
 feveral figures, and make ufe of abundance of 
 adrological projections, either to find out when 
 the patient will recover, or know what medicines 
 will prove mod effectual and convenient for him. 
 
 To all this quackery, they add the confultation 
 of fome Aulis, of whom we fhall prefently give 
 a farther account, and make ufe of fome Talif- 
 mans. 
 
 of MADAGASCAR. 
 
 There are feveral orders of Ombiaffes; but 
 without entering into a detail of their hierarchy, 
 as Flacourt calls it, we lhall only obferve, that 
 in their different fubordinations, they feem all 
 to be fubfervient to one fovereign pontiff. They 
 have public fchools or feminaries in this ifiand, 
 where all fuch as are defirous of being numbered 
 amongd the Ombiaffes, or the pnefthood, are 
 inftruCted in all the arcana of their facred profef- 
 fion. There are fome of them who boaff more 
 particularly of their knowledge of, and judge¬ 
 ment in, the afpeCts of the dais, and influences 
 of the planets. They have feveral differtations 
 on the efficacy and prevailing poweF of every 
 individual day throughout the month. 
 
 The fecret virtue of their notes or billets, 
 which they prefcribe as redoratives to their pa¬ 
 tients, confids in writing fome mydic charaders 
 on a piece of paper, and afterwards waffling off 
 the ink. The patient is directed to drink the 
 water with which fuch operation is performed ; 
 and if he is not redored immediately to his for¬ 
 mer date of health, it is wholly owing, they 
 imagine, to his negleCt of fome formality re¬ 
 quired ; fo that the Ombiaffe is l'ecure, and ne¬ 
 ver differs in his reputation through any unex¬ 
 pected difappointment. 
 
 The Aulis bear a very near affinity to thofe 
 airy beings, which are generally called Familiar 
 Spirits; and thefe Aulis are enclofed in little 
 boxes, embellifhed with a variety of glafs trin¬ 
 kets, and crocodiles teeth. Some of them arc 
 made of wood, and fafhioned like a man and 
 in each box they put a diffident quantity of 
 powder of fome particular roots, mixed with fat 
 and honey, which they replenifh from time to 
 time as occafion requires. They wear thefe. 
 Aulis at their girdles, and never venture to 
 take a journey or voyage without them. They 
 conlult them three or four times a day, and 
 converle with them freely, as if they expeCted 
 fome fuitable anfwers from them; but in cafe 
 they meet with a difappointment, or an anfwer 
 that thwarts their inclinations, they load them 
 with all the opprobrious language they can think 
 of. The method generally ufed in their con- 
 lultation of thefe Aulis is to take a nap, after a 
 familiar intercourfe with them for two or three 
 hours, and the purport of the dream, which 
 ftrikes the imagination of the perlon during 
 his ffumbers, is looked upon as the oracle’s 
 reply. 
 
 The Hiridzi are girdles embellifhed with a 
 variety of myflic characters, and thefe fuperffi- 
 tious Iflanders aferibe a peculiar virtue to them. 
 Thefe unintelligible marks or fignatures are the 
 hand writing of fome of their Ombiaffes, who 
 embrace the opportunity of fome particular 
 days in the year, and fome propitious hours in 
 thofe days, for the compofition of them. More¬ 
 over, they are obliged to facrifice a confiderable 
 number of oxen of a particular colour; from 
 whence it is evident, that there is a great con¬ 
 formity between thefe Aulis of theirs and the 
 Talifmans; but be that as it may, they preferve 
 them with the utmoft precaution in their refpec- 
 tive families, and tranfmit them down from fa¬ 
 ther to fon, as a valuable inheritance. Thefe 
 Iflanders have their mercinary poets, who fing 
 the heroic exploits of their grandees, and in¬ 
 trepid 
 
 The RELIGION of the I S LANDE RS 
 
The RELIGION of 
 
 trepid warriors. Their poetry is, for the gene¬ 
 rality, inftrudtive and fententious, after the man¬ 
 ner or ftyle of the eafterns ; but, however, they 
 do not fcruple to compofe a variety of gay ma¬ 
 drigals, or love fonnets, on fome particular occa- 
 fions. 
 
 They have various waysfor iheadminiftration of 
 their oaths; and when they lay a perfon under the 
 nioft fclemn engagements, they oblige him to eat 
 a fmall quantity of bull’s liver. In lome parts of 
 the illand they fprinkle their witneffcs with water, 
 who imagine, that if they fliould depofe a fallliood 
 after fuch afperfion, fome heavy judgement would 
 immediately overtake them. In order to difcover 
 a thief, or any other delinquent, they touch the 
 tongue cf the party fufpefied feven times fuc- 
 ccffively with a red hot iron ; and if no pain at¬ 
 tends the frequent repetition of this trial, he is ac¬ 
 quitted, as we are informed, and declared not 
 guilty. Sometimes the prifoner is obliged to eat 
 bull’s liver, and a particular root which is poifon, 
 and the fame, in all probability, as is made ufe of 
 on the like occafions in Guinea, and at Congo. 
 Sometimes, likewife, tliev oblige the party (uf- 
 pected to plunge his hand into a pot of fcalding 
 water, and take up a ftone that lies at the bottom 
 for that purpofe. But may not thefe cuftoms, 
 after all, which we call trials, be only fo many 
 different methods of putting fuch criminals to the 
 rack, in order to extort from them a confcffion of 
 thole faffs whereof they are accufed ? 
 
 They fwcar by bull’s liver, for the ratification 
 of a peace, and on the day appointed for the con- 
 clufton of it, both parties appear in arms, on the 
 banks of a river. Each of them (laughter a 
 bull, and mutually exchange a morfel of the liver 
 of their viflims, which is eaten in the prefence of 
 their refpefiive deputies, or envoys, accompanied 
 with this folemn oath or imprecation, May the 
 liver which we have eaten burft us, if we violate 
 our engagements 1 If one army reduces the other 
 to the neceffny of fuing for a peace, the van- 
 quifhed partv only eat the liver, which is admitted 
 as an oath of their fidelity and allegiance to the 
 vidtor. 
 
 Their Tinbouchenu is a compadl, or obligation, 
 by virtue whereof they become indebted to one 
 another; and the form of it is this: An Klander 
 kills fome well fed bead, divides it into as many 
 fharts as he thinks proper, and then diftributes 
 them. Such as receive any part or portion there¬ 
 of, are obliged to deliver the proprietor a calf at 
 the year’s end. 
 
 Their warlike difeipline confifts principally in 
 ambufeades, and falling on their enemies by fur- 
 prize. They fend out their fcouts or fpies all 
 round about, not only well furnifhed with wea¬ 
 pons of defence, but fortified with fpells, charms, 
 poifons, and enchanted billets. The maids and 
 married women dance all night and day, as long 
 as the war continues, imagining, that thereby 
 they infpire their l'oldiers with (Length and cou- 
 rage. 
 
 Though we have already given feveral inftances 
 of their fuperftitions, yet this that follows is more 
 remarkable than any before-mentioned, and the 
 refute of a precaution, which we could never have 
 expedled from women, who are, we are in¬ 
 formed, fo dtffolute and abandoned. They are 
 35 
 
 tie CANARIES. 417 
 
 honed, and on their guard, whilft their hufbands 
 are engaged in the field of battle, becaufe they 
 are fearful, lead their amours (hould prove of ill 
 confequence to them when abroad, notwithdand- 
 ing they drew fo little affeftion or regard for them 
 when at home. Whether this circumdance is real 
 fad or not, we (hail not determine ; for who 
 would pretend to judify all that travellers relate 
 for truth ? but this at lead we may venture to 
 fay with fafety, that our ladies are not fo prudent 
 and cautious in the abfence of their fpoufes. 
 
 Thus we have given the bed colled ion we could 
 meet with of the religious ceremonies of thefe 
 Iflanders, and of fome other cuftoms which feem 
 to be edablidied on a religious foundation. All 
 of theur, however, may not probably be pradifed 
 with equal ftridnefs, nor after the fame manner, 
 throughout the lfland, fince it is inhabited by fe¬ 
 veral petty nations, each of whom obferve fome 
 ceremonies peculiar to themfelves. 
 
 Indeed we may add, that in all Heathen nations 
 there is fo little difference, that we may only 
 change the name of the circumdance, and the fad 
 will remain juft as it was before. What does it 
 fignify to the man who is ferioudy enquiring after 
 truth, whether one Heathen nation is remarkable 
 for worfhipping images, or another for paying 
 adoration to the vileft reptiles ? The queftion be¬ 
 fore us is. Is the perfon who makes fuch things the 
 objeds of his adorations, feeking after truth, or 
 has he formed right notions of the Divine Being? 
 Has he confidercd God as fuch an one as himfelf, 
 or has he formed the mod unworthy notions of 
 his attributes ? This much is certain, that when¬ 
 ever we repeat that petition in the Lord’s prayer, 
 “ Thy kingdom come,” we fhould at the fame 
 time wi(h and equally pray that the kingdom of 
 grace may be ellablilhed in the hearts of men, 
 and that the accomplilhment of the kingdom of 
 glory may be haftened. Jefus, the once humbled 
 but now exalted redeemer of a loft world, luftered 
 for our fins and rofe again for our juftification. 
 Can we then imagine that the goodnefs of God 
 will not extend thofe beneficial confequences to 
 all the fons of men; furely God will do fo ; for 
 as is his juftice, fo is his mercy. 
 
 ffi he Religion of the Canaries. 
 
 It is not our bufinefs at prefent to enquire who 
 were the firft inhabitants of this part of Africa, 
 for all that we can fay with certainty is, that 
 thele people were formerly idolators; or, as a cer¬ 
 tain traveller expreffes it, acknowledged no other 
 God than nature, and he adds, moreover, that they 
 fpilt no blood, not fo much as that of beafts, for 
 their facrifices. They were very fuperftitious, 
 and their wives lived in common, and they had 
 two kings, one living and the other dead ; the 
 latter they placed in a (landing pofture, in a ca¬ 
 vern, with a ftaff in his hand, and a pot of milk 
 by his fide, for his fubfiftence in the other world. 
 At prefent, the Guanchos are the remains of thefe 
 antient Klanders ; and, in all probability, obferve 
 privately fome part of their antient cuftoms. But 
 be that as it will, they (till mingle fo much fuper- 
 flition with the veneration and refpect which they 
 5 N paf 
 
4i8 The RELIGION of the ANTIENT, or SAVAGE AMERICANS. 
 
 pay to their anceftors and their fepulchres, that 
 no ftrangers prefume to vifit them without their 
 permiflion, on the hazard of their lives. 
 
 They fometimes embalmed their dead-, but the 
 compofition which they made ufe of on luch oc- 
 cafions, and by virtue whereof they prelerved their 
 dead from putrefaction for feveral ages, was a 
 fecret known only to fome particular families, 
 who were ftridfly enjoined to have no intercourie, 
 or correfpondence with the reft of the iflanders; 
 and their priefts were always fome branch of thefe 
 families. 
 
 After they had embalmed their dead, they 
 fewed them up very neatly in bucklkins, well 
 drefled and prepared. Thefe Canaries were 
 known to the antients by the name of the Fortu¬ 
 nate-Elands -, and they were of opinion, that 
 the virtuous refided there after their deceafe. 
 
 Here we fhall conclude our deferiptions of all 
 the African idolators. We have related the 
 wholewith all the care and impartiality imaginable, 
 and, in order to teftify to our readers that we 
 would not in the lead: impofe on their credulity, 
 we have all along quoted the authors from whom 
 we made our exrratts. As we were thus confined 
 from any invention of our own, we thought our- 
 felves obliged to embellifh our diflertations with , 
 feveral additional hints and obfervations, in which 
 very frequently we have fpoken our mind freely, 
 and laid ourfelves under no manner of reftraint. 
 The work, however, is not without its defefts -, 
 and we are fo confcious of them, that we heartily 
 wifh it was much more complete, more correCb, 
 better compofed, and better digefted throughout 
 the whole. We are not fo happy as to be num¬ 
 bered amongft thofe, to whom God, according 
 to father Garafle, has given the fatisfadfion of be¬ 
 ing contented with their own compofitions, as an 
 
 equivalent for the contempt and cenfure which 
 they meet with from the public. However, we 
 flatter ourfelves that we have advanced nothing 
 that is idle and extravagant, or inconfiftent with 
 common l'cnle, which is at leaft a tolerable plea 
 in an age wherein the profeflion of compiling or 
 compelling books is fo much difeouraged and con¬ 
 temned. 
 
 Eiaving faid thus much concerning the different 
 Heathen fyftems of religion in Africa, we fhall 
 conclude with our earned: wifh and fincere delire 
 that thefe people may be yet brought to the know¬ 
 ledge of the truth. The goodnefs of God is 
 great, and his mercies are infinite; when the 
 Ions of men forget him, he often looks down 
 with companion upon them. As his infinite mer¬ 
 cies extended to them when in a loft condition, 
 at the time of Chrift’s appearance in the flefh, 
 fo there is reafon to hope the fame companion 
 will ftdl prevail; and while we form proper no¬ 
 tions of God, we fhall never have reafon to diftruft 
 him. Indeed, thofe who truft in God, are, for 
 the moft part, lure of his favour, at leaft as far 
 as it will be for his own glory and their good. 
 And what truft can equal our waiting with patience 
 for the converfion of the Heathen nations ? The 
 heart of the fincere Chriftian is troubled fome¬ 
 times to behold fo many of his fellow creatures 
 fitting in darknefs, and in the region and lhadow 
 of death, but confidering the Divine promife, he 
 refts latisfied, and often exclaims in thofe beauti¬ 
 ful words of the poet, with which we ftiall con¬ 
 clude this article. 
 
 Unfhaken as the facred hill, 
 
 And firm as mountains be ; 
 
 Firm as a rock, the foul fhall reft. 
 
 That leans, O Lord, on thee. 
 
 The 
 
 Religion of the 
 A M E R 
 
 Antient, 
 
 I C A N S. 
 
 or Savage 
 
 I N treating of thefe people, we have called 
 them antient and favage, by which we mean 
 all fuch as were, or ftill are idolatrous. And 
 this is the more neceflary, becaule, that ever 
 fince the firft difcovery of America by Columbus, 
 lo many Europeans have fettled in different parts 
 of that vaft continent, that taking the whole to¬ 
 gether, they exhibit as it were a new world. Peo¬ 
 ple of all religions are to be met with here, and 
 even thele per pie, inalmoftall provinces, differing 
 from each other in fentiment, yet live in unity 
 together as brethren. Moft of thefe religious 
 fedts will come in under the article of Proteftants, 
 fo that we fhall lay nothing of them at prefent, 
 b'ut proceed to enquire into the population of 
 America, and then to deferibe the religious cere¬ 
 monies of thofe Heathens which either once did, 
 or ftill do inhabit it. 
 
 It is very probable, that the colonies which 
 firft lettled in America came thither by land, and 
 that if any happened to come by fea, it was owing 
 to chance rather than defign Several learned 
 men have been of opinion, that America was 
 peopled by the Phoenicians and Carthagenians ; 
 and they ground their conjedture on the long 
 voyages thofe people uled to make, who fitting 
 out very confiderable fleets, ufed to fend them 
 beyord the {freights of Gibraltar, the Canary- 
 Iflands, and thofe of Cape-Vcrd, known to the 
 antients, as it is believed, under the name of the 
 i(lands Gorgades. It it true, indeed, that the 
 iflands of Cape-Verd are the neareft land to Ame¬ 
 rica ; but this does not prove the Phce lirians had 
 vifited the American coafts; for as to the cruizings 
 of thofe Phoenicians beyond the Gorgades, they 
 might probably have been made towards the 
 
 fouth. 
 
The RELIGION of the ANTIENT, or SAVAGE AMERICANS. 
 
 fouth, rather than towards the weft. We in that I 
 cafe fhould therefore look into the fouthern parts 
 of Africa for thofe unknown lands, which the 
 antients tell us the Phoenicians had difcovered. 
 
 On the other hand, if it be true that the Antilles 
 were known to them under the name of the iflands 
 of the Helperides, and that the voyage to the 
 Gorgades and to the Helperides, which is not now 
 above twenty-five or thirty days fail, might have 
 taken them forty, (which is but a ftiort time con- 
 fulering their little experience) we fhall find that 
 no other people than the Carthagenians could 
 have been able to undertake fuch voyages. The 
 fituation of their country, and the talents they 
 had for trade, might probably have excited them 
 to rove up and down that great expanl'e of waters 
 between Africa and America, having firft fettled 
 a pretty regular correfpondence between Cadiz 
 and the Cafiiterides, now called the Azores. II 
 all this were true, we might probably fuppofe 
 that the Carthagenians and the other Phoenicians, 
 who were fettled in Spain and Africa, had carried 
 people to the Azores, the Antilles, and from 
 thence to the continent of America. And then, 
 after having failed ftveral hundred leagues, from 
 the coafts of Africa to the gulph of Mexico, it 
 is not impofi'ible but that thofe mariners might 
 have attempted another as far as the main of the 
 land. 
 
 Yet we may naturally fuppofe that fome Phoeni¬ 
 cian or Carthagenian jailors having been thrown 
 on the coalt of America by a ftorm, neceffity had 
 forced them to fettle there, and that they there 
 loft their language and the little knowledge they 
 might have had of the arts and fciences of their 
 country. What makes this more probable is, 
 that fea-faring men have in all ages been very ig¬ 
 norant, and but a degree above barbarians. The 
 Peruvians had antiently fome footfteps of thofe 
 involuntary voyages •, and the firft Spanifh writers 
 who have collected the fcattered remains of their 
 hiftory, make mention of certain people who 
 came from that part of their empire which lies 
 toward the fea, and that they afterwards made a 
 conqueft of their country. 
 
 Tradition made the above mentioned writers 
 confider thel'e men, whofe original appeared fo 
 extraordinary, as fo many giants; and, indeed, 
 it is not unlikely they were fuch, fince we are 
 afiured that bones of a prodigious fize have been 
 dug up about Puerto Viejo, and in the valley of 
 Tumbez. We have many learned men in the 
 world, who, in the height of their raptures for 
 this difcovery, would confider thefe giants as the 
 pofterity of the children of Anak, of whom 
 mention*is made in Deuteronomy, and would 
 bring the Lord knows how many far-fetched con- 
 jedtures, to prove that the poor Cap.aanites, whom 
 [offiua drove out of their dwellings, had fled to 
 Peru for refuge. But to be ferious : It is hardly 
 poftible to make a voyage of even a few leagues, 
 with their Balfes, Pieroques, and Canoes ; neither 
 have the Afians, the Africans, or Europeans, 
 ever had courage enough to venture over a wide 
 extended ocean in fuch weak veflels-; and as on 
 the other fide it does not appear that the Americans 
 were ever acquainted with any other kind of {hip¬ 
 ping, we may naturally fuppofe, that if chance 
 did at any time throw fome unhappy wretches on 
 
 419 
 
 a defart coaft of America, in an age when man¬ 
 kind had little knowledge in the building offhips, 
 fuch perfons were foon forced to forget their for¬ 
 mer cuftoms and manners, and to comfort them- 
 fclves for this lofs, by the propagation of their 
 fpecies in thofe regions, into which fortune had 
 thrown them againft their wills. 
 
 In reality, it is more natural to fuppofe that the 
 firft colonies which fettled in America came thither 
 by land ; by this means we avoid the difficulties 
 that might be ftarted concerning the paflage of 
 wild beafts thither. 
 
 Plowever, it is impoffible to fix the sera when 
 this happened, which perhaps may be as old as 
 the flood, whereof the Peruvians have preferved 
 fome idea : This is the only footftep remaining 
 among them relating-to remote antiquity; for in 
 all other refpecls the Peruvian annals fcarce com¬ 
 prehend the hiftory of four centuries; and then 
 what are thefe annals? only Guappa’s or Quippo’s* 
 that is, certain firings with knots in them to p ,nt 
 out the feveral tranfadlions ; and notice will be 
 taken of them in the fcquel of this work. But 
 before we come to a decifion with refpeeft to the 
 original of the Americans, it may be proper to 
 examine whether the affinity which fome pretend 
 to find between the manners and cuftoms of the 
 Americans and thofe of the Phoenicians, may 
 reafonably induce us to conclude, that the former 
 are defeended from the latter. We fhall not take 
 notice of the affinity that has been found between 
 the cuftom of living in huts, and that of roving 
 from place to place. The Americans in this re- 
 fpedl refemble as much the Nomades, the Arabian 
 Scenites, the Scythians, &cc. as the Phoeni¬ 
 cians. 
 
 The comparifon that might be made of the ido¬ 
 latry of thofe nations, would alfo hold with that 
 of other nations of our hemifphere. The follow¬ 
 ing affinity, could it be proved, would deferve 
 our notice infinitely more ; we mean that of lan¬ 
 guages. But without affecting a great depth of 
 erudition in this place, which our etymologifts 
 are generally fo laviffi of, we fhall content our- 
 felves with faying, that a dozen words, whofe 
 found and fignification are the fame in the lan¬ 
 guages of two diftant nations, are hardly fufficient 
 to prove that they are both defeended from the 
 fame progenitors. However, if it were true that 
 the Carthagenians, after their difcovery of the 
 Hefperides, had known the continent, they might 
 probably have left their language with fome of 
 their people behind them •, and this language 
 might have been fo far confounded with the Ame¬ 
 rican tongues, as to remain only in twelve words. 
 Let us endeavour to maintain this kind of para¬ 
 dox, though to fpeak the truth we are almoft 
 perfuaded that the American fettlements were 
 firft made by land, and that the Phoenician lan¬ 
 guage was in procels of time fo much corrupted 
 in Africa, that it degenerated to a meer jargon, 
 mixt with the Lybian and other wild languages 
 of the neighbouring nations. Secondly, this 
 language thus degenerated, being carried into 
 America by a fmall number of people, who fettled 
 there, muft naturally have been foon loft, fo that 
 fmall remains of it muft have been left. 
 
 The reader may probably look upon this as 
 the mere prodiid of our fancy ; but if it be duly 
 
 confidered. 
 
410 The RELIGION of the ANTIENT, or SAVAGE AMERICANS. 
 
 confidered, it will not appear altogether impro¬ 
 bable. In the whole, what man of learning 
 will dare to alTert, that the languages of thofe 
 countries which lie neareft Africa, are not mixed 
 With Punic, with Lybian, or even broken Can¬ 
 tabrian words ? Who is able to boaft his having 
 fo thoroughly ftudied the genius and etymology 
 of the American languages, as to be able "to 
 affirm, that there are not fome foot fteps of the 
 African idolators, and of thofe places the Car¬ 
 thagenians pofTcffed in Spain, to be found there¬ 
 in ? Thefe conjeflurcs might have been carried 
 much farther, had not the languages of the An¬ 
 tilles been loft, after the Spaniards deftroyed the 
 inhabitants of thofe illands. 
 
 Some authors are of opinion, that the Ameri¬ 
 cans owe their original to the difperfton of 
 the ten tribes of the Ifraelites. It is true, 
 indeed, that fome traces of the Jewiffi religion 
 had been found at Jucatan, and the coafts of the 
 South-fea ; as for inttance, a kind of circum r 
 cifion, which we might with great probability 
 impute to neceffity, fo far from being forced to 
 ranfack the Jewilh religion upon thac account. 
 Emanuel de Moraes, a Portuguefe, who had 
 travelled many years in America, has endea¬ 
 voured to prove that the Jews and Carthagenians 
 are the common parents of the Americans. We 
 have juft now quoted his opinion with relation 
 to the migration of the Carthagenians into 
 foreign countries. Here follows his reafon to 
 prove that of the Jews into Brafil. The Bra¬ 
 zilians, fays he, marry only into their own fami¬ 
 lies, in like manner as the Jews married only into 
 their own tribes. Both of them call their uncles 
 by the name of father, and their aunts mother, 
 their coufins brother, &c. both of them pafs a 
 month in deep mourning, and wear gowns that 
 defeend to their feet. But thefe affinities are of 
 little weight, fome of them being forced, and the 
 reft entirely falfe. But we lhall leave the reader 
 to his private opinion. 
 
 The great Grotius thinks that the Americans 
 ot Panama came originally from Norway. The 
 Norwegians went firlt into Iceland ; from Ice¬ 
 land they went into Greenland, by the way of 
 Friefland ; from Greenland they fpread thern- 
 felves into Eftotifland, which is a part of the 
 main land of North America, and from thence 
 they fent colonies to the Ifthmus of Panama. We ! 
 muft own that there is one circumftance which j 
 feems to prove that the inhabitants of Panama, 
 and Mexico, are originally of the north; and that 
 is the traditions of the Mexicans, who formerly 
 declared to the Spaniards, that their anceftors 
 came from that quarter. As to Eftotifland, we 
 are told there is a city in that country, that goes 
 by the name of Norumbegue, which ftill pre- 
 ierves in its name fome marks of the paffage of 
 the Norwegians. But unhappily for this opinion 
 there are not the leaft foot fleps remaining of any 
 city in the north parts of America ; and the na¬ 
 tives of the country, if we except thofe who live 
 in the cities built by the Europeans, form what 
 can at mod: be called but fmall villages, made 
 up only of a few houfes. Befides, all that Zeni, 
 who firft difeovered Friefland and Eftotifland’ 
 relates of his difeoveries, appears altogether ro¬ 
 mantic, and as fictitious at leaft as the difeovery 
 
 °f the Terra Auftralis by Sadetir. De Laat, in 
 his diflertation on the original of the Americans, 
 feems to have thoroughly refuted the reafons 
 which Grotius alledges to prove that the inhabi¬ 
 tants of Mexico and Panama came originally 
 from Nonvay. ° ' 
 
 As to the Peruvians and other nations of the 
 iouth part of America, Grotius has pretended to 
 prove they came originally from China. The 
 Uprightly and penetrating genius of both thofe 
 nations ; their common" idolatrous worfhip of 
 the fun ; the hieroglyphic characters of both ; 
 and above all the voyages of Mancocapac, who 
 came from beyond the leas to people Peru, and 
 made himlelf the law-giver of its inhabi¬ 
 tants ; all thefe appeared reafons fufficient to 
 this great man, to induce him to maintain his 
 opinion. 
 
 lo this De Laat anfwers, Thar the Peruvians 
 were never fuch fkilful artifts as the Chinefe, and 
 that the moft excellent pieces of handicraft of 
 I cru, are greatly inferior ro thofe of China ; 
 but to this we muft juftly anfwer, that no con- 
 iequence can be drawn from hence, why the Pe¬ 
 ruvians fhould not be defeended from the Chi¬ 
 nefe. The Peruvians would not have been the 
 firft people that had degenerated from their an¬ 
 ceftors. He adds, that before the coming of 
 the Spaniards among them, they were wholly 
 ignorant of the ufe of failing veffcls ; and that 
 K B very unlikely the Peruvians Ihould have 
 wholly loft all remembrance of their country, and' 
 the art of failing; particularly if we confider, 
 that becaufe of the winds which generally blow 
 from the eaft under the equinoctial, it is eafier to 
 go from Peru to China, than from China to 
 Peru, 
 
 The Chinefe Junks are no way able to crofs 
 the vaft lea which lies between China and Peru ; 
 
 | befides ic was much more natural for the Chinefe 
 to fend people into Mexico, as that country lies 
 much nearer to China. The adoration which the 
 1 cruvians pay the fun, has no manner of affi¬ 
 nity with the idolatry of the Chinefe, who do not 
 worfhip that planet; whereas it is adored by fe- 
 veral nations of the north parts of America- 
 from whence it is very natural to believe that 
 the Peruvians came by the Ifthmus of Panama 
 It IS iurprifing that Grotius Ihould tell us, that 
 thole people had the ufe of writing, fince the 
 | Inca Garcilalfo tells us exprefsly in his hiftorv, 
 that they were ignorant of that art. Manco¬ 
 capac was not a Chinefe ; for the Peruvians laid 
 that he was born of a i*ck, which they Ihew to 
 this day near Cufco. 
 
 It muft be confeffed that the original of the 
 Americans is hid in great obfeurity ; but it 
 would be otherwife, had this people been lefs 
 barbarous and favage in their infancy, or had 
 they afterwards known the methods which thofe 
 7 ,°ur hemifphere make ufe of, to tranfmit 
 their hileory topoftenty; but America does not 
 turnilh one fingle monument to this purpofe. 
 
 I hole people minded only the prefect mo- 
 ment, and never troubled their heads with the 
 time pa ft, or that to come ; a cuftom which ftill 
 prevails among fuch favages as inhabit countries 
 not yet frequented by the Europeans. But let 
 us not be too partial in our own behalf; Are we 
 
 very 
 
The RELIGION of the ANT I ENT, or SAVAGE AMERICANS, 411 
 
 very certain of our own original ? Do we know 
 that of the French, the Spaniards, and the Ger¬ 
 mans ? Would it not be impoffible to trace the 
 original of the firft inhabitants of Europe? All 
 the difference we may find between the Ame¬ 
 ricans and ourfelves, is, that Chriftianity has fixed 
 the iEra of our hiftories, and has forced us as it 
 were to leave to the difcuffion of the critics, the 
 fidlions and prodigies of Paganilin that preceded 
 it. The ages of European idolatry are an in- 
 exhauftible fund of fictions and conjectures, 
 which the Greeks and Romans themfeJves have 
 not been free from, as has been already obfervedj 
 fince the true hiftory of the Greeks is not to be 
 traced higher than the firft olympiad, and that 
 of the Romans than the foundation of their city. 
 We Ihall now give our conjectures with refpedl 
 to the original of the Americans. It is very 
 probable that America was as populous a few 
 centuries after the deluge as it is at this time; 
 after which dates and kingdoms were foon 
 formed : However this was done progeffionally, 
 according as families feparated, and the chil¬ 
 dren themfelves becoming parents of a nu¬ 
 merous progeny, were obliged to quit their na¬ 
 tive countries. Thefe reparations gave rife to 
 Hates, in which ambition and a defire of fuperi- 
 ority might even in thofe ages have had fome 
 fhare. Neverthelefs, it is probable that Afia 
 did not fend out any colonies, till afeer having 
 been forced to drive out fuch young people as 
 were capable of fubfifting by themfelves. 
 
 But thele fettlements were very eafily made in 
 thole times *. Hufbandry was then the only em¬ 
 ployment ; mankind then fpent their lives in 
 leading their flocks to paffure ; and it is by the 
 opportunities which rural occupations gave to 
 people whofe paffions were as yet but in their 
 infancy, that the firff conqueffs were made in 
 Afia, and the fending out of the firft colonies. 
 A Ihepherd, who was at the head of a numerous 
 family, mailer of feveral flocks, and who found 
 himfelf well fettled in Chaldea, fent one of his 
 children or dependants, feveral leagues off, with 
 a detachment of oxen, affes, and camels. 
 
 The flock went gently on, grazing in their 
 paffage, and infenfibly drew farther from the true 
 owner. In the mean time, the detachment grew 
 more numerous; and from this flock there fprung 
 another. The Ihepherd, who at firft was no 
 more than a deputy, became himfelf the mailer 
 and father of a family. He then alfo feparated 
 part of his wealth, and gave it as an inheritance 
 to that fon whom he intended lliould fettle in a 
 foreign country, or to fome dependant that was 
 going further off. We prefume that in this 
 manner an hundred years was time fufficient to 
 people Europe, Afia, and Africa, very con- 
 fiderably, and an hundred more to people the 
 continent of America. Let us fuppofe for this 
 purpofe, that at the flood, Shem, Ham, and Ja- 
 phet, had each twelve children, and that all thefe 
 children were fit for marriage about fifteen or 
 eighteen years after the flood. 
 
 It is very probable, that after they had been 
 married twelve years, they might fee a pofterity 
 of four hundred and thirty-two perfons. In this 
 manner Noah might have been at the head of 
 above five hundred defendants in the fpace of 
 3 6 
 
 thirty years; and if we then fuppofe that every 
 one of Noah’s great grand children had ten chil¬ 
 dren, thefe four hundred and thirty two perfons 
 might have begot four thoufand three hundred 
 and twenty children in ten years time. All this 
 might have happened in the fpace of half a cen¬ 
 tury; fo that multiplying them always by ten, 
 and leaving an interval of about twenty or five 
 and twenty years between one generation and 
 another, Afia, Europe, and Africa, might have 
 been peopled with four hundred and thirty two 
 millions of inhabitants, an hundred and fifty years 
 after the flood. We think this could not be dis¬ 
 puted, were we only to have regard to the ordi¬ 
 nary methods of propagation. It is true, indeed, 
 that we fuppofe every head of a family to have 
 had ten children, when probably feveral of thofe 
 chiefs might not have had near fo many. But 
 then how many do we fee in our days who have 
 more than ten, and if we conflder what bifhop 
 Burnet has told us concerning Mefiieurs Tron- 
 cliin and Calandrin of Geneva; the former of 
 whom at the age of feventy-five, had one hun¬ 
 dred and fifteen children, or perfons married to 
 his children, that could call him father; and 
 the other at the age of forty-feven, had one hun¬ 
 dred and five perfons, who were all his nephews 
 or nieces by his brothers or Afters: If, therefore, we 
 conflder thefe two inftances, it will be found that 
 our computation is modell enough, for an age 
 when poverty and the cares of life had not yet 
 deftroyed man’s vigour, nor reduced him to the 
 neceflity of refraining from marriage, the lawful 
 method of propagation, for fear of not being 
 able to fupport his family. But although the 
 increafe of our lpecies had for one hundred and 
 fifty years been much lefs than we have fuppofed 
 it, and that only four hundred millions of people 
 had come into the world ; nay farther, though 
 we were ftill to fubftradl thirty millions from that 
 fum, for the immature or violent deaths, dif- 
 eafes and wars, which in all probability were not 
 fo bloody in thofe ages as they have been fince, 
 it is very natural to think that fome millions 
 might detach themfelves from the remaining 
 three hundred and feventy millions in order to 
 feek their fortunes in America. And though we 
 afterwards fuppofe that propagation may have 
 been very much prejudiced by reafon of the fa¬ 
 tigues they laboured under in their voyage, and 
 from the change of climate, we ftiall never¬ 
 thelefs find that ten or twelve millions of people 
 may have been able to furnilh America with 
 forty millions of perfons in fifty years time. What 
 is here advanced ought not to be looked upon as 
 a paradox, nor fhould any difficulties be raifed 
 with refpedt to our calculation ; difficulties which 
 are founded only on the length of man’s life in 
 our days. Mankind in thofe ages had not in¬ 
 vented all thofe pernicious arts, which at the 
 fame time that they Ihorten life, do alfo leffen 
 propagation. 
 
 The rural life v/hich mankind led in the firft 
 ages, the indolence of the Americans, which 
 has been continued from father to Ion to lateft 
 pofterity, and the tranquillity of that people, 
 unperplexed with thofe cares which now prey 
 upon us, were incapable of ruining health, or of 
 making men grow old before their time. But 
 5 O we 
 
The RELIGION o r the FLORIDAN 
 
 we will not purfue any farther a lubjeft that would 
 carry us to too great lengths. It is fufficient 
 for our purpofe that we liave proved the pofilbi- 
 lity, and even the probability that this part of 
 the world began to be peopled about an hundred 
 and forty years after the flood, and fome years 
 after the confuiion of tongues at Babel. 
 
 Thefe colonies palled over into America, from 
 the north of Alia, by the way of Tartary there 
 are leveral reafons which induce us to be of this 
 opinion, Firft, father Hennepin relates, that four 
 lavages came as ambalfadors to the Mads and 
 the Nadouefl'ans, while he was among them. 
 They came from a country above five hundred 
 leagues to the weftward of that place, and had 
 been four moons in their journey. T hey added, 
 fays he, that their country lay weftward, and that 
 we lay eallward with refpeft to their country ; 
 that they had journeyed on continually during 
 all that time, except that which they employed 
 in (leep, and in hunting for their fubfiftance. 
 Father Hennepin concludes from thence, that 
 there is no fuch thing as the lfraits of Anian ; 
 for thefe favages allured us, fays he, that they 
 had not crofted any great lake, for that is the 
 name they give to the fea. They told us further, 
 that all the nations with whom they were ac¬ 
 quainted, that live to the weft and north-weft: 
 of the Iliads, have not any great lake near the 
 wide extended countries, but only rivers, which 
 come fiom the north, pafs through the countries 
 of thofe people who inhabit near the confines, on 
 that fide the great lake lies, which in the lan¬ 
 guage of the favages fignifies fea. Thefe people 
 undoubtedly inhabit the north part of California, 
 and extend perhaps to the frontiers of eaftern 
 Tartary, Japan, and the land of Jeffo. 
 
 It was neceffary to be the more explicit upon 
 the firft peopling of America, becaufe this ar¬ 
 gument has been laid hold of by the Deifts, in i 
 order to prove that the whole human race’did 
 not delcend from one man and one woman. To 
 take notice of what Voltaire has faid on this fub- 
 jeft in his philol'ophy of hiftory, is altogether 
 imneceflary, for that author, (as Lord Lyttleton 1 
 juftly fays) is the moft fuperficial hiftorian that 
 ever took a pen in hand. A vain, airy, volatile 
 difpofidon, a love of gaity, and a fixed hatred 
 of every thing lerious, induced him to take up 
 every idle prejudice, and palm thofe upon the 
 public as truth. Inaccurate in all his enquiries, and 
 lazy even to a proverb; he has mixed romance 
 with hiftoi ical faffs, and in his wncings formed a 
 real monfter. But lord Karnes, a ]U dge now 
 alive, has gone further, and attempted to prove 
 that there mult have been many men created 
 originally, becaufe of the different colours of 
 the human fpecies. 
 
 His lordlhip is a refpeftable writer, for although 
 thcie is reaion to believe' that he has conceived 
 fome prejudices againft the feripture hiftory, 
 yet he has too much good fenfe to oppofe any 
 thing that tends towards traducing moral 
 virtue, and religious obligation. He has pe- 
 netrated deep into the nature of things, and j 
 lb far from being attached to his o.wn opinion j 
 in oppofition to any thing that had the appear¬ 
 ance of truth, he aftually revoked his fenti- 
 nients concerning the freedom of the human 
 will, in conlequence of having read the late pre- 
 
 S. 
 
 I fident Edwards’s celebrated work on that fub- 
 ! jeft. The truth is, in all antient hillories we are 
 | led into doubts, nor have we anv we can with 
 i le P end on befides the facred feriptnres. 
 
 Fliftorians relate with gravity the ftory of Re- 
 gulas, others doubt its extftence, and yet there is 
 I , lln S at all furprifmg in it, when we confider 
 I te ™P er , and genius of the Roman people 
 i Kenophon gives us an account of the death of 
 I Cyrus very different from what we read in other 
 authors concerning that illtiftrious hero, and 
 where is the truth to be found. 
 
 The objeftions made by lord Karnes, againft 
 the truth of the feripture hiftory, in cortfequence 
 of the variety of complexions found in the world 
 is too weak to be ufed by a gentleman of his un¬ 
 demanding. It is well known; that the influence 
 of the climate will at all times change the co¬ 
 lours of men, and this, in a few fucceedino- * e - 
 aerations, will make it totally oppofite to wha° it 
 was before. We might here mention a parti¬ 
 cular book written by his lordlhip, wherein he 
 has without deftgn, eftablifhed this principle, and 
 we are extremely ferry to fay, that great talents 
 and conhftency are not always found united. 
 
 It is acknowledged by Chriftians, that the 
 feripture hiftory is a lupernatural revelation, fo 
 that they give themfelves no manner of trouble 
 concerning any cavils about it; but even allow¬ 
 ing that we were obliged to abide by a Heathen 
 or any lort of human teftimony, yet the difeovery 
 of America might be accounted for on the moft 
 rational principles. This we have in fome mea- 
 fure attempted already, and therefore we ft all at 
 prefent go on to deferibe the ceremonies ufed by 
 the idolators in that part of the world, bemnnini 
 with Florida, and extending our enquiries into 
 the other parts, till we come to fpeak of the Pro- 
 teftant religion in every part of the known 
 world. 
 
 fT/ie Religion of [he Floridans. 
 
 The inhabitants of Florida are idolaters, and 
 acknowledge the fun and moon for deities, whom 
 they worlhip without offering them either prayers 
 or lacnfices. However, they have temples; but 
 the only uie they make of them is to bury their 
 dead, and to lodge the moft valuable part of 
 their wealth in them. They alfo fet up the fpoils 
 of their enemies at the gates of thefe temples 
 by way of trophies, and this is all the account 
 the Inca Garcilaffo de la Vega has given us of 
 the tehgion of the Floridans. We may iiiftlv 
 compare them to thofe idolatrous nations of an¬ 
 tiquity^ wno worlhipped whatever they thought 
 oad or furpnhng, if it be true that the Floridans 
 w-ere fo fuperftitious.as to adore a pillar, which 
 captain Ribaut had erefted upon an eminence, 
 with the arms ot France, when he difeovered 
 that part of North-America. They offered fa- 
 crifices to it, crowned it with flowers, and dreffed 
 it up with garlands and feftoons ; and in a word, 
 they omitted no kind of homage. 
 
 The Floridans worlhip the° devil under the 
 name of 1 oia, or rather that evil principle whom 
 tney let in oppofition to their fupreme deity. 
 Fnmly perfuaded, that it is impoffible.for this 
 
 laft 
 
The RELIGION of 
 laft principle to do them any hurt, becaufe of 
 his great innate goodnefs, they only bend their 
 endeavours to appeafe the other, who, they fay, 
 torments them in a very grievous manner. The 
 devil makes incifions in their flefh, terrifies them 
 in vifions, and from time to time appears to 
 them, to force them to facrifice men to his honour. 
 In cafe the devil does not give himfelf the trou¬ 
 ble to aft on thefe occafi ons, the priefts have ne- 
 verthelefs the intereft of the people too much at 
 heart, to be wanting in the duty they owe him. 
 V/e may therefore with great probability luppofe, 
 that they themfelves are the evil genius, and that 
 they more than make up for that imaginary ma¬ 
 lice which the fear of the Floridans caufes them 
 to afcribe to it. 
 
 Another author has given us the following ac¬ 
 count of the religion of the Floridans. They 
 adore one foie creator of all things, to whom 
 their great pontiff offers facrifices ; but they do 
 not think the affairs of men deferve his care, 
 and they fay, that he commits the government 
 of this lower world to fubordinate and inferior 
 deities ; or in other words, that he leaves it to 
 the adminiftration of good and evil fpirits, to 
 whom the priefts of an inferior order offer facri¬ 
 fices and other devotions. 
 
 The favages that inhabit about the mountains 
 of Apalache worfhip the fun, as author of life 
 and creator of nature. One would think they 
 had preferved fome footfteps of the flood ; for 
 they lay, that the fun having retarded his ordi¬ 
 nary courfe for twenty-four hours, the waters of 
 the great lake Theomi overflowed in fuch a man¬ 
 ner as to cover the tops of all the higheft moun¬ 
 tains, that of Olaimy excepted ; which the fun 
 preferved from the general inundation, becaufe 
 of the temple he had built thereon with his own 
 hands, and the Apalachites afterwards conl'e- 
 crated as a place of pilgrimage, where it was 
 tifual for them to pay their religious homage to 
 that planet, and all fuch as could fhelter them¬ 
 felves in this place, were preferved from the de¬ 
 luge. The four and twenty hours expired, the 
 fun recovered his firft ftrength, and commanding 
 the waters to retire back to their juft limits, flut¬ 
 tered the vapours which they lpread over the 
 earth. It is in acknowledgement for this me¬ 
 morable deliverance, that the Floridans, called 
 Apalachites, have thought themfelves obliged to 
 worfhip the fun, and here follows the manner 
 how they adored him, and the particulars of that 
 worfhip. 
 
 We lhall begin with the worfhip of the Apa¬ 
 lachites. Their religious fervice confifts in fa- 
 luting the rifing fun, and flinging hymns to his 
 praifle, and they pay him the fame homage every 
 evening. Betides this, they facrifice to him, and 
 offer folemn perfumes in his honour, four times 
 every year, on the mountains of Olaimy : But as 
 they do not offer any bloody victim to this planet, 
 becaufe they look upon it as the parent of life, 
 and think that he who beftows it on crea¬ 
 tures, can fcarcely delight in a worfhip that 
 deprives them of it, we can hardly give the 
 name of facrifice to the offerings which they 
 make it, fince they confift only of perfumes which 
 they burn, as prelents which they make the 
 priefts, and in longs which they fling in honour of 
 the glorious planet of the day. On the eve of l 
 
 the FLORIDANS. 42J 
 
 the feftival appointed for the offering of per¬ 
 fumes, the priefts withdraw into the mountains, 
 the better to prepare themfelves for this folemn 
 adl of the day following; and the people are 
 fatisfied if they get there before day-break. Fires 
 are burning all night upon the mountain ; but 
 the devotees dare not approach the temple, 
 or rather grotto, which is dedicated to the fun. 
 The jouanas, or priefts, only are allowed accefs 
 to the religious edifice, and it is to them that the 
 devotees intruft their gifts and oblations, which 
 the jouanas afterwards hang on poles, which are 
 fixed on each fide of the gate, where they re¬ 
 main till the ceremony is ended ; after which 
 they diftribute them according to the donor’s 
 will. 
 
 The moment the fun begins to fhine, the 
 jouanas fling forth his praifes, by falling feveral 
 times upon their knees ; after which they throw 
 perfumes into the facred fire that is lighted be¬ 
 fore the gate of the temple, and thefe two afts 
 of worfhip are followed by a third no lei's eflen- 
 tial. The prieft pours honey into a ftone made 
 hollow for that purpole, and which ftands before 
 a ftone table ; and lcatters about the ftone a con- 
 fiderable quantity of maize half bruifed and 
 cleared from its chaff*. This is the food of certain 
 birds, whom the Floridans tell us fling the praifes 
 of the lun, and whilft the priefts are burning the 
 perfumes, and finging to the honour of that 
 planet, the people proftrate themfelves and pay 
 their devotions. The ceremony concludes with 
 iports, dances, and diverfions, and the moft 
 cflential part of the feftival ends at noon. Then 
 the jouanas furround the table, repeating their 
 fongs and acclamations ; and when the fun be¬ 
 gins to gild the edges of the table with his rays, 
 they throw all the perfume they have left into 
 the fire. The ceremony does not quite end here. 
 After the laft oblation of perfumes, fix jouanas 
 chofen by lot ftay by the table, and fet at liberty 
 fix birds of the lun, which they brought in cages, 
 in order that they might aft their part in the cere¬ 
 mony. After the myfterious deliverance of thefe 
 birds follows a proceffion of the devotees, who 
 come down from the mountains with boughs in 
 their hands, and go to the entrance of the temple, 
 into which they are introduced by the jouanas. 
 Laftly, the pilgrims walh their hands and faces 
 with a lacred water. Such is the defeription of 
 this ceremony, which we have borrowed from an 
 author who had extrafted it from the relations of 
 two Englifhmen. 
 
 The temple confecrated to the fun, and to its 
 worfhip, by the Floridans of Apalache, is a 
 fpacious grotto, made by nature in the rock, on 
 the eaft fide of the mountain. We are told that: 
 it is two hundred feet long, and of an oval form; 
 that the arched roof riles an hundred and twenty 
 feet in height, and that there comes in light: 
 enough by a hole which goes quite through the 
 top to illuminate the grotto. 
 
 Garcilafio, in his hiftory of the Conqueft of 
 Florida, gives a defeription of another temple 
 of the Floridans of Cofaciqui, which feems to 
 have been uled only as a burying-place for the 
 great men of the country. The Spaniards found 
 in thole temples great wooden trunks or chefts, 
 that were placed round the walls on benches 
 two feet from the ground. In thefe trunks dead 
 
 bodies 
 
424 The RELIGION of 
 
 bodies were laid, which were embalmed in fuch 
 a manner, as not to call forth an offenfive lmel , 
 and there were alfo leffer chefts, and reed bafkets 
 very curioufly wrought. The little chefts were 
 filled with men and womens cloaths, and the 
 bafkets with pearls of all forts : For the temple 
 of Talomeco was the burying-place of the , 
 Caciques of the country ; and the deicription j 
 which Garcilaffo has given us thereof, juftly me- i 
 rits to be inferred in this place. “ The temple i 
 of Talomeco, which is the burying-place of the I 
 Gaciques, is, fays he, above an hundred paces 
 loner and forty wide; the walls are of a height 
 proportionable to it, and the roof is very much 
 raifed, to fupply the defeft of the tiles, and to 
 aive the greater (lope to the waters. The roof | 
 is made of very (lender reeds, fplit in two, with I 
 which the Indians make very handfome mats . 
 that are like the rufti carpets of the Moors. Five j 
 or fix of thefe carpets, laid one upon another, j 
 keep the rain from piercing through and the fun j 
 from coming into the temple; in which particu¬ 
 lar they are imitated by their common people 
 and neighbours, who employ their mats to the 
 fame ufe. Upon the roof of this temple, a va¬ 
 riety of (hells of different fizes are let, and fe- 
 veral fifties ranged in a very beautiful order. 
 But it is fcarce poffible to think whence they j 
 were brought, fince thole people live fo far dis¬ 
 tant from the lea, unlefs we fuppole they took 
 them out of the rivers with which that province 
 is watered. 
 
 All the (hells are placed infide out, to make 
 the greater (how ; always fetting that of a large 
 fea fnail between two little ones, with fpaces be¬ 
 tween thefeveral pieces, filled with feveral firings 
 of pearls of different fizes like fo many feftoons, 
 fattened from one (hell to the other. Thefe fef¬ 
 toons of pearl, which reach from the top to the 
 bottom, heightened by luftre of the mother-of- 
 pearl, and of the (hells, look wonderful pretty 
 when the fun (hines upon them. The gates of 
 the temple are proportionable to the bignefs of 
 it, and at the entrance of it are twelve gigantic 
 ftatues made of wood. They are reprefented 
 with fo favage and threatening an air, that the Spa¬ 
 niards flood a confiderable time to view them ; 
 and indeed thofe figures were worth the admi¬ 
 ration of antient Rome. One would imagine 
 that thofe giants had been fet there to guard the 
 door; for they make a lane on both Tides, and 
 leffen gradually in bulk. The firft are eight feet 
 high, and the reft fomething lefs, decreafing gra¬ 
 dually in height, like the pipes of an organ. 
 
 They have weapons anfwerable to their ftature; 
 the firft on each fide have clubs fet off with cop¬ 
 per, which they hold lifted up, and as it were 
 ready to fall on thofe who (hould be fo bold as 
 to enter in; the fecond have poll-axes ; and the 
 third a kind of oar; the fourth copper axes, the 
 edo-es of which are made of flint; the fifth (land 
 with their bows bent, ready to let fly the arrow. 
 Thefe arrows are very curioufly wrought, the tips 
 of which are made of a piece of (lag’s horn, very 
 nicely wrought, or elfe of flint-done whetted as 
 (harp as a fword. The laft have very long pikes 
 tipped with copper at both ends, and (land in a 
 threatening podure like the reft ; all afeer a dif¬ 
 ferent but very natural- manner. 
 
 the FLORIDANS. 
 
 The top of the walls in the infide of the tem¬ 
 ple, is adorned agreeably to the outfide of the 
 roof; for there is a kind of cornice made of large 
 fea fnail fhells, ranged in very good order, with 
 feftoons of pearl between them, hanging from 
 the roof. In the fpace between the (hells and 
 pearls, is feen the hollow pi v e which joins to the 
 roof, a great number of leathers o( various co¬ 
 lours, fet in a beautiful order, and befides this 
 order obferved above the cornice, there hangs 
 from all the other Tides of the roof feveral fea¬ 
 thers and firings of pearls, all held together by 
 imperceptible threads, fixed at top and bottom, 
 in fuch a manner that thofe works Teem ready to 
 fall every moment. Under this ceiling and cor¬ 
 nice, and round about the temple on the four 
 Tides, are two rows of ftatues, ftanding one above 
 another, the one of men, and the other of women, 
 of the fize of the people of the country. Their 
 feveral niches, which are made only as an or¬ 
 nament to the wall, join to one another, which 
 would otherwife have been too naked ; and all 
 the men have weapons in their hands, on which 
 are rolls of pearls, each confiding of four or five 
 rows, with tufts at the end, made of very fine 
 thread of various colours, but the ftatues of the 
 women have nothing in their hands. 
 
 At the foot of thefe walls are fet wooden 
 benches very well wrought, on which the cof¬ 
 fins of the lords of the province, and thofe of 
 their families are placed. Two feet above thofe 
 coffins, the ftatues of the perfons buried there are 
 fet in niches in the wall, and they reprefent them 
 exactly as they were at the time of their deaths. 
 The women have nothing in their hands, but the 
 men are armed. 
 
 The fpace between the images of the deceafed 
 perfons, and the two rows of ftatues which be¬ 
 gin beneath the cornice, is filled with (hields of 
 different magnitude, made of reeds, fo ftrongly 
 interwoven, as not to be penetrated by a crofs- 
 bow, or a gun, and thefe (hields are all garniftied 
 with pearl and tufts of feveral colours, which 
 make them much more beautiful. In the middle 
 of the temple are three rows of boxes or chefts, 
 fet on benches feparated from one another. The 
 larged of thefe chefts ferve as bafes to the leffer, 
 and thefe to the lead; thefe pyramids confift ge¬ 
 nerally of five or fix chefts. As there is a fpace 
 between the feveral benches, the paffage is left 
 clear, fo that one may fee every thing that paffes 
 in the temple. 
 
 All thefe chefts are full of pearls, the larged 
 pearls are in the greateft chefts, and fo in pro¬ 
 portion to the lead, which are filled with nothing 
 but feed pearl. Thefe were in fuch prodigious 
 quantities, that the Spaniards affirmed, that nine 
 hundred men with three hundred horfes, would 
 not have fufficed to carry away at once all the 
 pearls depofited in that temple. However, this will 
 be found not fo extraordinary, fince we are told 
 that the Americans of this province, depofited 
 every individual pearl they had met with in feve¬ 
 ral ages together, in thofe chefts; and hence we 
 may infer, that had the Spaniards kept all the 
 gold and filver which they have brought from 
 Peru in their hands, they would by this time 
 have had enough to cover a great number of 
 their churches. They alfo found a great number 
 
 of 
 
The R E L I G I O N of the F L O R I D A N S; 42c 
 
 of Ihamoy, or wild goats Ikins of different co¬ 
 lours, befides feveral forts of Heins with the hair 
 dyed of different colours ; feveral gowns of cats, 
 martens, and other Heins, which were all as well 
 drefied as they could have been in Germany or 
 Mufcovy. 
 
 Round this temple, every part of which was 
 very neat and clean, was a great ffore-houfe, di¬ 
 vided into eight halls of equal bignefs, which 
 were a great ornament to it, and the Spaniards 
 went into them, and found them filled with mili¬ 
 tary weapons. In the firff were long pikes tipped 
 with very fine copper, and fet off with rings of 
 pearl, which go three or four times round. That 
 part of the pike which lies on the fhoulder is 
 adorned with fhamoy of various colours, having 
 tufts of pearls at the end of it, which make 
 them much more beautiful. In the fecond hall 
 were clubs like thofe of the giants, let off” with 
 rings of pearl, and adorned up and down with 
 tufts of different colours, fet round with pearls. 
 In the third were pole-axes embellifhed like the 
 reft; in the fourth were a kind of fpears fet off 
 with tufts near the iron and the handle; in the 
 fifth were a kind of oars adorned with pearls and 
 fringes, and in the fixth were very beautiful bows 
 and arrows. Some were armed with flint Hones, 
 fharpened at the end like a bodkin, fwords, iron 
 pikes, or points of a dagger with a double edge. 
 The bows were enamelled with feveral colours, 
 filming and garniflied with pearls in feveral 
 places ; and in the feventh hall were bucklers 
 made of wood and cow hides, brought from far, 
 adorned with pearls and coloured tufts. In the 
 eighth were (Fields made of reeds, finely inter¬ 
 woven and fet off with tufts and leed-pearls.” 
 
 Some favages of Florida facrifice their firft- 
 born to the fun, or rather to their fovereigns ; at 
 leal! it is certain, that this cruel ceremony is per¬ 
 formed in prefence of one of thofe princes or 
 Caciques, whom they call Paraouflis. Whilfl 
 the mother of the infant covers her face, weeps 
 and groans over the Hone againff which the 
 vidtim is to be daflied to pieces, and the women 
 who accompany her fing and dance in a circle, 
 another woman Hands in the midfi of the ring, 
 holding the child in her arms, and (hewing it at 
 a diflance to the Paraoufli. This woman dances 
 in the fame manner as the rell* of her companions, 
 finging at the fame time the praifes of the Pa¬ 
 raoufli. After this the priefl, furrounded with 
 fix other Floridans, dallies out the child’s brains; 
 but we are to obferve, that the vidtim mud al¬ 
 ways be a male infant. The fame favages offer 
 to the fun, with great folemnity, the reprefenta- 
 tion of a Hag; and chufe for that purpole the 
 fkin of the largefl Hag they can meet with. They 
 firff ftuff it with all kinds of herbs ; then adorn 
 it with fruits and flowers, and lift it to the top of 
 a high tree, with its head turned towards the 
 rifing fun. This ceremony is performed every 
 year about the end of February; and is always 
 accompanied with prayers and longs, which are 
 chaunted forth by the Paraoufli and one of the 
 principal Jouanas at the head of thofe devotees. 
 The Floridans befeech the fun to blefs the fruits 
 of the earth, and preferve its fruitfulnefs, and 
 leave the Hag’s Ikin hanging on the tree till the 
 year ' ring. 
 
 T '■ ive another remarkable feflival, at 
 
 36 
 
 which the people affemble under the direction of 
 a Paroufli, in order to go and pay their devotions 
 to Toia. Travellers not knowing what Toia 
 was, at once gave it the name of the devil, and 
 we have already obferved that Toia is the evil 
 principle. Be that as it will, this ceremony ap¬ 
 pears to be an act of contrition, or deep forrow of 
 mind, by which they imagine they fhall obtain 
 the favour of that idol. The Floridans meet 
 together in a large open place, which the women 
 adorn and get ready the day before the ceremony. 
 The affembly is no fooner drawn up in a ring, 
 but three Jouanas, painted from head to foot 
 with various kinds of colours, prefent themfelves 
 in the midft of it with drums, dancing and fing¬ 
 ing to the found of them, making very extraor¬ 
 dinary wry faces, and throwing themfelves into a 
 thoufand fantaftic fliapes. The affembly anfwers 
 in chorus to the mufic of the priefls, who have 
 no fooner danced up and down three or four 
 times, but they fuddenly quit the diverfion, and 
 fly to the woods. It is there they confult Toia, 
 and this mysterious flight interrupts the devotion, 
 but the women continue it during the whole day 
 with tears and howlings. Thefe cut and flafh 
 the arms of the young girls with mufcle-(bells, 
 and throw into the air the blood which dreams 
 from the wounds, as a homage due to Toia, in¬ 
 voking that idol thrice. Two days after th6 
 Jouanas return from the woods, where they had 
 withdrawn themfelves to confult it, and dance 
 upon the very fame fpot which they had left fo 
 fuddenly. The dance concludes with an enter¬ 
 tainment ; for as they had faffed thee days, it 
 would have been almoft impoffible for them to 
 have continued any longer without eating : But 
 they were indifpeniably obliged to faff, fince the 
 gods reveal themfelves with greater freedom to 
 fuch as obferve that duty. The brain, on thefe 
 occafions, is not clouded by thofe vapours which 
 arife from food, and is more fufceptible of the 
 impreffions of enthufiafm. 
 
 Their priefts, like thofe of the other American, 
 nations, are likewife phyficians, as alfo the Pa^ 
 raoufti’s counfellors and minifters of ftate. They 
 carry themfelves under this tripple charadler with 
 gravity and modefty, and are lurprifingly abfte- 
 mious. Before their promotion to the priefthood, 
 they are obliged to fubmit to a very long difci- 
 pline under the diredtion of other priefts, who 
 inftrudt them in the myfteries of religion, and 
 prepare their minds, as it were, for the reception 
 of thofe ideas, which they are to inftill afterwards 
 into the people. They are trained up in faffing, 
 abftinence, retirement, and in a deprivation of 
 the pleafures of fenfe ; but then its aufterities are 
 foftened by viflons, and an intimate correfpon- 
 dence with the deity. This is the account that 
 travellers give of it, which, whether it be exadt 
 in every particular, we (hail not take upon us to 
 determine. Flowever, we are not to doubt but 
 the old priefts tell their young fry, that they muff 
 at lead: appear thoroughly convinced of the ho- 
 linefs of a vocation, which invefts them at one 
 and the lame time with power, both over body 
 and foul, and this difeipline continues three 
 years. 
 
 They hang at their girdles a bag filled with 
 phyfical herbs, and other medicaments ; which is 
 alfo the cuftom of the Virginian priefts. They 
 5 P are 
 
426 The RELIGION 
 
 are pretty well (killed in the particular ufcs of 
 medicaments, and the properties of fimples. 
 They alfo employ vomits, fweating, and lancing, 
 and they do not wipe away the blood which runs 
 froip wounds, but fuck it with their mouths, and 
 often through a draw or reed. The Floridans 
 are of opinion, that it is impoflible but the 
 breath and touch of the Medico-priefts mud be 
 of fervice to the Tick. A modern writer informs 
 us, that the pried mumbles over certain words 
 on thefe operations, but if all thefe medicines 
 are of no efFett, the bath is preferibed ; and if 
 that fails, he lets the fick perfon at the door of 
 his hut with his face turned towards the rifing 
 lun ; when the Medico-pried earnedly entreats 
 that planet to redore the fick man to his health, 
 by the gentle influence of its light, and this is 
 the lad refuge of both patient and phyficians. 
 
 Thefe prieds are clothed in a mantle of (kins, 
 cut into pieces of unequal bignefs ; which drefs 
 is fometimes made in the form of a long gown, 
 and in this cafe they tie it about them with a 
 leather girdle, at which the bag hangs in which 
 they put their medicaments. They go with their 
 arms and feet uncovered, and wear a fur cap 
 made like a cone, and their heads are often 
 adorned with feathers, which they wear indead 
 of a cap. 
 
 The Floridans are of a very revengeful tem¬ 
 per, which is alfo peculiar to the red of the 
 American nations. The former, to dir them- 
 felves up to vengeance, hold certain aflemblies, , 
 in which one of them is placed by himfelf at a 
 didance. Then another rifes up, and taking a 
 javelin in his hand, drikes the former with all 
 his drength, the wounded perfon not offering fo 
 much as to flinch ; after this the dart is pre¬ 
 ferred to others, who all drike him till he falls 
 down wounded to the ground. This being done, 
 the women and young people raife him with 
 tears in their eyes ; give him cafina to drink, 
 which is the common liquors of their warriors, 
 and convey him to a hut, where they again weep 
 round him. The women and maidens get ready 
 fome medicaments to heal his wounds, the af- 
 fembly at the fame time drinking, rejoicing, 
 and finging the brave exploits of their ancedors, 
 and dirring up one another to revenge. The! 
 .whole folemnity is a commemoration of the 
 death of their countrymen; and the wounded 
 man is, in their eyes, an image of all the ill 
 treatment they have met with from their ene¬ 
 mies; and this fpecdacle infpires the whole nation 
 with an irreconcileable hatred. 
 
 Before their marching out to war, they hold 
 a council, in which the Jouanas give their opi¬ 
 nion; and nothing is there relolved upon, till 
 they have fird been made privy to it, and alfo 
 confulted the oracle of their idol. The fumes 
 of the cafina contribute no lefs than the oracle 
 to their taking thofe defperate refolutions, which 
 are the only ones they are fenfible of; but none 
 except the warriors are allowed to drink cafina, 
 nor they neither, till after having fird given 
 proofs of their valour. 
 
 Before they fet out upon their expeditions, 
 the Paraoudi turns himfelf towards the fun, con¬ 
 juring it at the fame time to be propitious to 
 kirn, when taking water in a wooden porringer. 
 
 of the FLORIDANS. 
 
 having fird broke out into feveral imprecations 
 againd the enemy, he throws the water up in 
 the air, in fuch a manner, that part of it falls 
 down again upon the warriors, crying aloud, at 
 the fame time, “ May you in like manner fhed 
 the blood of your enemies !” He then takes 
 fome water a fecond time, which he throws 
 upon the fire that dands by him, and addrefling 
 himfelf to the fame warriors, Cf May you, fays 
 he, dedroy your enemies as fpeedily as I put 
 out this fire !” Both thefe ceremonies are ac¬ 
 companied with hideous cries and pathetical wry 
 faces. 
 
 Thofe of the jouanas whom they confult upon 
 the fate of the expedition, are altogether as 
 whimfical ; for the pretended magician lays 
 himfelf upon a fliield, in a podure which it 
 would be needlefs to exprefs. He recovers him¬ 
 felf out of that unnatural podure, after having 
 continued a quarter of an hour in the mod vio¬ 
 lent agitations, made the mod frightful wry 
 faces, and thrown himfelf into as violent didor- 
 tions as the highed convulfions could have oc- 
 cafioned : Then the god leaves his minider, who 
 now grown frantic, rifes up, goes to the Para¬ 
 oudi, and acquaints him with the refult of the 
 fpiritual conference ; relates to him the number 
 of his enemies, the manner of their encamp¬ 
 ment, and the fuccefs of the expedition; of 
 all which we are aflured they give a perfeft ac¬ 
 count. 
 
 They fcalp their enemies in the fame manner 
 as other nations of North-America, and hang 
 the legs and arms of their (lain upon poles fet 
 up for that purpofe. An aflembly gathers 
 round thofe poles to hear the curfes which a 
 Jouana pronounces againd their enemies ; and 
 three men kneel before the pried, who has a 
 little idol in his hand. One of thefe three beats 
 time with a club upon a done, and anfwers the 
 pried’s imprecations, during which the other 
 two fing to the noil'e of their gourd-bottles. 
 
 Such women as have lod their hufbands in 
 war, implore the afiidance of the Paraoudi, and 
 prefent themfelves before him with eyes full of 
 tears : A furprifing tedimony of the love 
 they bear them ! Whether this grief be real or 
 feigned, we are not to doubt; but thefe tears are 
 of great fervice in dirring up the revenge of 
 the warriors. Their hermaphrodites, whom we 
 before obferved to live a very odd kind of life, 
 are employed in carrying their burdens and pro- 
 vifions for war; and they alfo make ufe of them 
 to carry their fick and wounded. Thefe herma¬ 
 phrodites wear long hair like women, and are 
 very much delpifed by their warriors. 
 
 The Floridan women above-mentioned are 
 not fatisfied with diedding tears at the king’s 
 feet, to excite him to revenge the unhappy 
 deaths of their hulbands, but weep and groan 
 over their graves; and as a lad tedimony of 
 their conjugal affedlion, thefe difconlolate wi¬ 
 dows cut their hair quite off, and fcatter it over 
 them. Some people, who are fo filly as to be¬ 
 lieve that a hu/band’s death merits an eternity 
 of affliflion, would cry out that they would 
 never alter their condition ; but fuch are 
 greatly midaken, for they, as well as our wi¬ 
 dows, have their dated times of widowhood. 
 
 The 
 
The RELIGION of 
 *The Florida!! women are not allowed to marry 
 again till their hair is grown as long as it was 
 before, that is, till it delcends below their llioul- 
 ders. 
 
 They inter their Paraoufti in the molt mag¬ 
 nificent manner poffible; for the fepulchrels 
 iurrounded with arrows, with the points fixed to 
 the ground; and over it is placed the cup which 
 the monarch made ufe of in his life time They 
 fpend three days in tears and fading over the 
 grave, by way of honouring his memory; and the 
 Paraoufti, with his allies, bemoan his death with 
 the fame folemnity ; for they lhave their heads 
 as a teftimony of their affeftion. In fine, hired 
 ihe-mourners lament his death thrice every day, 
 viz. in the morning, at noon, and at night, for 
 fi x months together; and they burn every thin°- 
 that belonged to him in his life-time ; and ob- 
 ferve the fame ceremony at the death of their 
 pi lefts. They burn them in their houles; after 
 Vvh.ch they fet fire to the houfe, and every thing 
 rhat is in it; and we are told, that the Floridans'! 
 alter having burnt thofe facred bodies, beat the 
 bones to powder, and a year afterwards give 
 “ the deceafed’s neareft relations to drink. 
 
 I he Floridans of thofe provinces which Ferdi¬ 
 nand de Soto vifited, buried living Oaves alonp- 
 With their monarchs, to wait upon them in the 
 other world. 
 
 The inhabitants of Apalache embalm the bo¬ 
 dies of their relations and decealbd friends, and 
 leave them almoft three months in the balm, 
 alley are afterwards dried with aromatic dru<rs 
 wrapped up in rich furs, and laid in cedar tif¬ 
 fins, which the relations keep for twelve moons 
 at their own houfes : They then carry it to the 
 neighbouring foreft, and bury it at the foot of a 
 tree. But they fliew a greater regard for the bo¬ 
 dies of the Paraoufties; for they firft embalm 
 them, then drefs them up with all their orna¬ 
 ments, fet them off with feathers and necklaces, 
 and afterwards keep them for three years together 
 m the apartment where they died, all which time 
 they lie in thofe wooden coffins above men- 
 tioned ; at the expiration of which, they are de- 
 pofited in the fepulchres of their predeceffors 
 upon the fide of the mountain of Olaimy. They 
 are let down into a cave, the mouth of which 
 t icy top with great fiinr-ftones, hanging on the 
 branches of the neighbouring trees the weapons 
 they made ufe of in war, as lb many teftimonies 
 of their bravery. It is further laid, that the 
 neareft relations plant a cedar near the cave, 
 which they drefs with care in honour of the de- 
 ceafed, and whenever the tree dies, thev imme- 
 aiatdy plant another in its place. 
 
 P;e Apalachites believe the immortality of 
 the foul, and that thofe who have lived a life of 
 virtue are carried up into heaven and lodged 
 among the flats ; but they fix the habitation of 
 the wicked m the precipices of the high moun¬ 
 tains of the north, among the bears, and in the 
 iniuft of ice and fnow. The other nations of 
 thele wide-extended countries believe alfo that 
 the good Ihall be rewarded, and the wicked pu- 
 nifhed after this life. They call heaven the high 
 world, and by way of oppofition, the lower work), 
 that which Ihall be the eternal habitation of the 
 wicked. Cupai, that evil genius, whom the reft 
 
 the F L O R I D A N S. \ 2 -j 
 
 of the Floridans call Toia, and ire the devil 
 reigns in this latter place. 
 
 Fhe Indians of Carolina believe the tranfmi- 
 gration of fouls; and whenever any of them die, 
 they bury provifions and fome utenfils along with 
 them for their ufe. 
 
 We Ihall take notice of one cuftom of the 
 Floridans of Hirriga, which has fome relation to 
 that of the Apalachites. Thefe favages bury 
 their dead in forefts, and they lay their bodies in 
 wooden coffins covered over with boards, which 
 are not fixed to one another, but held down only 
 by the weight of fome ftones or pieces of wood, 
 which they fay upon the coffin ; and as the pro¬ 
 vince of Florida abounds with a great number 
 of wild beafts, they appoint fiavc-s to guard the 
 bodies. 
 
 I he Indians of Florida generally marry but 
 one wife, who is obliged to be true to her huf- 
 band, upon pain of being expofed to a fhameful 
 pumfhment, or even of being put to a cruel 
 death The great men of the nation dilpenfe 
 with the cuftom which allows but one wife to the 
 common people, for they marry as many as they 
 pleafe; but then one of them only is looked on 
 as che lawful wife, all the reft being confidered as 
 concubines. The offspring of the latter do not 
 enjoy an equal portion of their father’s wealth, 
 as the children of the former do. 
 
 The Apalachites do not marry out of their fa¬ 
 milies, and among them parents often make a 
 match for their children from their infant years 
 who ratify what they had agreed upon when 
 thernlclves come to age. They are allowed to 
 marry in any degree of confanguinity, next to 
 that of brother an d fifter. 
 
 The latter give to their male-children, the 
 names of the enemies they have killed, of the 
 villages to which they have fet fire, or of fuch 
 of their prifoners as have died in war. The girls 
 bear the naines of their decealed mothers or 
 grand-mothers, for thev obferve never to let two 
 pei ions of the fame family go by the fame name. 
 Both boys and girls are under the mother’s di¬ 
 rection till twelve years of age, after which the 
 father undertakes the education of the boys. 
 
 \v e are allured, that hulbands have no com¬ 
 merce with their wives from the time of their 
 bleeding, till after their lying-in ; and they are 
 even fo lcrupulous as not to eat any thing they 
 may have touched during the time of their 
 child-bearing. 
 
 The Floridans, who inhabit near Panuco, do 
 not marry young, and neverthelefs we are alfured, 
 they are fcarce maids by that time they are ten, 
 or twelve years of age. The women of the 
 Lncayan illands wear a cotton apron for modefty 
 lake; and their young women wear them as foon 
 as they are fit for marriage. 
 
 The Floridans of Carolina make ufe of hiero¬ 
 glyphics and emblems to record their events. 
 
 I hey take care to inftrudt their children in every 
 thing which relates to their families and their 
 nation, in order that the hiftory of them may¬ 
 be tranfmitted to the lateft pofterity. They 
 eredt a little ftone pyramid in thofe places where 
 a battle has been fought, or a colony fettled • 
 and the number of the flain, or that of the 
 founders, or of thofe who firft inhabited the 
 
 place 
 
The RELIGION of the SAVAGES of HUDSON's-BAY. 
 
 place on which thefe pyramids are ereifted, is 
 feen by the number of the Hones. 
 
 Before we conclude this account of the an- 
 tient Floridans, in'* will be neceffary to take 
 notice of the prefent Hate of the country, be- 
 caule a remarkable change has taken place in 
 forne parts of it. In 1761, Spain declared war 
 againft England, and the confequence proved 
 fatal to them, for many of their moll valuable 
 fertlements were taken. At the peace of Ver- 
 failles, 1763,, the Englilh obtained pofteffion of 
 Florida, or at lead fome part of it, and ever 
 fince fome of our Britilh lubje&s have been 
 fettled there. This has opened a way for the 
 civilization of the people, and mifiioners have 
 been appointed to preach arnongft them. 
 
 Thefe concurring circumftances have opened 
 a way for the making of new dilcoveries, and 
 it is not to be doubted, but that as foon as 
 peace is reftored, this colony of ours will be the 
 means of conveying, to many of the Heathens 
 in America, the knowledge of the gofpel. This 
 indeed, is one of the great ends Proteftants 
 ihould always have in view, when they make 
 i’ettlements among the Heathens. If the Papifts 
 fpared no pains to propagate their luperftition, 
 why fhould Proteftants be remifs in feeking 
 to make the purity of their Divine religion 
 known ? 
 
 No excule can be pleaded for fuch a negledb, 
 becaufc it is wilful, and proceeds from our not 
 fetting a proper value on the precious immortal 
 fouls of our fellow creatures. Who can read 
 the accounts we have already given of thefe Flo¬ 
 ridans without horror ? And what man, who 
 knows the benefits of Chriftianity, would not 
 defire to fee them equally happy with himfelf ? 
 For this purpofe, let a few of our luxuries be 
 retrenched, that we may have an opportunity of 
 laying up treafures in heaven, by diffnfing the 
 knowledge of the gofpel among the mod remote 
 nations. God has given us the means, and he 
 will exa< 5 t from us an account of the ufe we 
 make of them. It is neceffary, therefore, that 
 we fhould attend carefully to thefe things, be- 
 caul'e the negletft of them will not only be an 
 injury to thole who are in want of our affiftance, 
 but it will likewife aggravate our guilt, becaufe 
 we were deftitute of bowels of companion to 
 thofe who, of all others, ftood the moft in need 
 of our alfiftance. 
 
 The Religion of the Savages of Hudfon’s-Bay. 
 
 Hudfon’s Bay is fo far to the northward of Ame¬ 
 rica, that were it not for the trade we have ef- 
 tablifhed there, it would be difficult to give a 
 proper account of it. Its territories are fup- 
 pofed to join to thole of Rullia or Siberia, but 
 an exa£t dilcovery of this has never yet been 
 made. It is true, fome have attempted it, but 
 we may venture to affirm, that till fuch time as 
 government gives a proper premium to the ad¬ 
 venturers, few will undertake to go through the 
 danger attending it. This, however, we ffiall 
 leave to providence, ir> diretfting the councils of 
 princes, and juft obferve what the religion of 
 
 the people is at prefent, who have not embraced 
 Chriftianity. 
 
 The lavages near Hudfon’s Bay, have very 
 dark confufed notions of religion, for they have 
 a variety of different gods, or rather idols, and 
 addrefs them according to their fancies. In¬ 
 deed, the licentious vagrant lives of thefe fa- 
 vages, prevent them from attending to any 
 proper notions of religion, or of the true God. 
 They are not ameanable, however, to the good 
 or ill fortune that happens to them, for like the 
 Mancheans in the primitive times of Chriftianity, 
 they feem to adore two principles, the one good 
 and the other evil. They believe the fun to be 
 the good, and the moon the evil principle, which 
 has fome affinity with the opinion of the an- 
 tients, who afcribed evil and pernicious effects 
 to the moon. 
 
 Thefe lavages whom we are writing of, feem 
 to confider the fun as the fovereign of the uni- 
 verfe, for they offer him tobacco inftead of in- 
 cenfe, and this is what they call lmoaking the fun* 
 This ceremony is performed in the following 
 manner : 
 
 The chiefs of the families alTemble by day 
 break, at the houle of one of their principal 
 men, where the latter lights the tobacco, and 
 offers it to the fun, and waving it with both 
 his hands according to its courfe, till it comes 
 to the point from whence he firft begun ; he ad- 
 drelfes his prayers, at the fame time, to the fun, 
 implores his proteftion, befeeches him to diredt 
 him in his underftanding, and recommends all 
 the families of the diftrftt or canton to his care. 
 After this, the chief ftnoaks the tobacco, and 
 then gives it to every one in his turn. 
 
 It may not be improper in this place to give 
 a defcription of the inftrument ufed by them in 
 their religious lmoaking, which they call the 
 Calumet. It is a kind of very long pipe, made 
 of red ftones, adorned with the heads of wood¬ 
 peckers, and of a kind of ducks that perch 
 upon trees. The heads of thofe birds are of the 
 fineft fcarlet colour in the world, and all their 
 feathers are extreamly beautiful. In the mid¬ 
 dle of the tube, or body of the Calumet, 
 they hang or fix certain feathers taken from the 
 wing of a bird, which they call Kibon, pretty much 
 refembling an eagle, and they always incenle 
 the Calumet before they begin any warlike expe¬ 
 dition. But we have a ftill more accurate de¬ 
 fcription of this inftrument called a Calumet by 
 father Hennepin, a learned Jefuit, who vifited. 
 thofe parts, and rcfided there feveral >ears. 
 
 He fays it is a great large fmoaking pipe, of 
 red, white, or black marble, pretty much like 
 a battle-axe, with a very fmooth head. The 
 tube which is above two feet and a half long, 
 is made of a ftrong reed or cane, let offi with 
 feathers of all forts of colours, with feveral 
 mats made of womens hair varioufly interwoven. 
 To this they fix two wings, which make it to 
 refcmble, in fome meafure, the words ufed ^y 
 ambaftadors among the antients when they con¬ 
 cluded a peace. They thruft this reed through 
 the necks of theards, or thears, which are birds 
 lpeckled with black and white, and about the 
 bignefs of our geefe, or through the necks of the 
 above-mentioned ducks. 
 
 Thefe 
 
The RELIGION of the C 
 
 Thefe ducks are of feveral different- colours, 
 and every nation both make and adore the 
 Calumet in what manner they pleafe, or rather ac¬ 
 cording to their own antient ulages. The Calu¬ 
 met is a pafsport to all thofe who remove from 
 one place to another, and being a fymbol of peace, 
 they are univerfally of opinion, that fome fignal 
 vengeance would befall the perlon who fhould pre¬ 
 fume to break the faith of it. It is the feal of 
 all public undertakings, of all important affairs, 
 and all facred ceremonies. But to return to the 
 other religious ceremonies of thefe people. 
 
 The ceremony of fmoaking the fun is never 
 performed but on the molt extraordinary occafions, 
 for in common things they addrels their prayers 
 to fome fmall images which they carry along with 
 them, and which are commonly given them by 
 their jugglers. Some of them imagine that the 
 dorms are raifed by the moon, who, in their opi¬ 
 nion, lometimes lodges in the bottom of the lea. 
 
 To pacify her therefore, they facrifice to her the 
 mod valuable things they have in their canoe, and 
 throw every thing into the fea, not excepting even 
 their tobacco. This facrifice is preceded with 
 finging, and certain other ceremonies which are 
 efficacious in driving out this evil fpirit. In all 
 this there feems to be but little difference between 
 them and the antients, for they are far from 
 being fo barbarous as the Floridans already men¬ 
 tioned. 
 
 To know the iffue of any affair, they addrels 
 themfelves to their jugglers, who pronounce their 
 oracles with great ceremony, and in a manner that 
 is artful enough. The juggler fixes poles in the 
 ground, and rhereon railes a circular hut, which 
 he furrounds with the Ikins of caribous or other 
 animals, leaving a hole at the top wide enough for 
 a man to pafs through. Here the artful juggler 
 fhuts himfelf up alone, where he fings, fheds tears, 
 tumbles up and down, torments himfelf, invokes, 
 breaks out into imprecations and exorcifms. He 
 then receives an anlwer in a thundering voicemail 
 which is confident with the notions the Heathens 
 in general form of the Divine Being. 
 
 This makes them believe that their gods mud 
 always deliver their anfwers to their prayers in a 
 thundering voice •, nay, they imagine that no an- 
 fwer can come from the gods, unlefs it, in fome 
 meafure, lefs or more diforders the laws of nature. 
 This would be undoubtedly true ; but what thefe 
 infatuated people believe to be the voice of the 
 Supreme Being, is no other than a trick contrived 
 by their jugglers to impofe on the people, and 
 iupport their own authority. 
 
 As foon as the noife is heard, the juggler’s 
 enthufiafm, breaks out in a murmuring noife, 
 like that of a rock falling, when all the poles and 
 dakes are ihaken with fo much violence, that one 
 would imagine all was coming to the ground. It 
 i$ in the midd of thefe facred agitations, that the 
 juggler pronounces the oracles, than which no¬ 
 thing can be more artful, for he takes the oppor¬ 
 tunity of the people’s minds being difordered by 
 fear. 
 
 In their marriage ceremonies they are very dif¬ 
 ferent from the Floridans. They marry as many 
 wives as they can maintain, and nothing is more 
 common than to find four or five fiders married to 
 one man. She that has the fird child enjoys feve¬ 
 ral privileges which the others do not, fo that fhe 
 36 
 
 A R I B B E E ISLANDS. 429 
 
 is confidered as the head of the family next to the 
 hufband. This is generally the cafe wherever po- 
 lygamy is tolerated. The moment a favage be¬ 
 comes in love with a woman, he reveals his paffion, 
 and in order to obtain the end of his wifhes, he 
 gives an entertainment to her relations. He makes 
 her father fome prefents, and no fooner has he 
 obtained the parents confent than he takes her 
 home without any farther ceremony. They never 
 marry with an intention of binding themfelves to 
 each other for life, for they cohabit together no 
 longer than they are pleated with each other. 
 This practice prevails throughout mod of the 
 other nations in North-America, of which we 
 thall take fome farther notice afterwards. 
 
 They bury their dead with as much pomp as 
 poffible, they drefs them, paint their faces and 
 bodies with different colours, after which they 
 lay them in coffins, made of the bark of trees, 
 the outfides of which they make fmooth with 
 light pumice dones. They then fet up a palli- 
 fade round the tomb, which is always raifed 
 leven or eight feet from the ground. 
 
 They alfo make entertainments for their dead, 
 very fuitable to their own manners and cudoms in 
 other refpefls. Every thing is fad and mournful, 
 iuitable to the circumdances of the occafion. The 
 relations of the deceafed keep a deep filence, and 
 will not allow dancing or finging. All thegtieds 
 make prefents to the parents and other relations of 
 the deceafed, which they throw at their feet, fay¬ 
 ing at the fame time, “ This is to cover him, this 
 is to make a hut for him, this is to furround his 
 grave,” and fo on they mention other neceffaries. 
 
 We mud not conclude this article without tak¬ 
 ing notice that many of thefe people are more 
 civilized in their manners fince the Englifh eda- 
 blifhed a company to trade there. This fhews the 
 great advantage of commerce, and the proper ufe 
 that fhould always be made of it •, namely, to 
 polifh the minds of a rude ignorant people, that 
 they may enjoy the benefits of fociety, and the 
 bleffings of religion. 
 
 The Religion of the Caribbee Idands. 
 
 1 hefe iflands, like the red of America, were 
 unknown to Europeans, or at lead they were un¬ 
 frequented by them, till the time of Columbus, 
 in the latter end of the fifteenth century. It was 
 found, that at that time, there were many inhabi¬ 
 tants in them •, but they were all idolators. It 
 cannot be afeertained, whether by fome accident 
 or other thefe idands, or fome of them, might not 
 have been peopled before the continent of Ame¬ 
 rica, but perhaps, upon a nearer infpedtion, the 
 contrary will appear more probable. 
 
 It is almod edablifhed as a maxim that Ame¬ 
 rica was, for the mod parr, peopled from the con¬ 
 tinent of Europe, and if fo, it mud have been 
 from the more northerly parts. The only objec¬ 
 tion to the contrary is, that fome learned men have 
 afierted that colonies were fent from Africa, but 
 of this we have treated already at large, fo that 
 it will not be necefiary to refume the fub- 
 je£t. 
 
 It is fufficient for us that it was found inhabited 
 by many people when Columbus fird difeovered 
 5 it. 
 
430 Tlie RELIGION of the 
 
 it, and knowing the near affinity that the northern 
 parts of Rtiffia, have with the northern extremity 
 of America, we are naturally led to reft fatisfied, 
 that the continent of chat vaft territory was peopled 
 before the iflands. 
 
 It was no difficult matter for the natives of 
 the continent to go over to the iflands in their 
 canoes, one of which is now to be feen in the 
 Britifii Mufeum. Thefe canoes are very curiouf- 
 ly conftrufted, and capable ot conveying people 
 in an ealy manner, from one place to another, 
 where the voyages are not long. It is probable, 
 that the fixations of iflands in fight of each 
 other, firft furniffied men with the idea of navi¬ 
 gation, and from building fmall canoes they came 
 at la(l to conftruft large vefiels. The violence 
 of a florm might drive them out of their courfe, 
 and providence might direft tjiem to an unknown 
 ffiore. 
 
 We have been the more particular in our con¬ 
 jectures concerning the origin of thefe people, 
 becaufe we, as Britifii fubjeCts, have at prelent 
 a very near connection with fome of them. 
 The avarice of the Europeans has extended fo 
 far, that whenever a war takes place, one or 
 other of thefe iflands become the properties of 
 new matters. It is to this circumflance that 
 thole people have been fo long kept in a ftate of 
 ignorance ; for the Roman Catholics have left 
 nothing undone to make them luperftitious de¬ 
 votees to the worfhip of iaints and images, and 
 Proteftants, who attempted to convert them to a 
 rational and fpiritual religion, found all their 
 defigns fruftrated, in conlequence of the ambition 
 of princes, who commenced wars againft each 
 other before fuch a falutary end could be an- 
 fwered. We fiiall therefore proceed to confider | 
 what thefe iflands were when the Spaniards invaded 
 them, what they are (till confidered under the no¬ 
 tion ot idolatry, and what they are at prelent in 
 confequence of the extenflon of commerce, and 
 the connexion they have with trade. 
 
 The Spaniards have deftroyed the greateft part 
 of thefe *iHanders, and the reft of the Europeans, 
 who copied after them, have not treated them 
 much better •, but ftill none of them have been 
 able to deprive thofe unhappy favages of the li¬ 
 berty of exclaiming againft their injuftice, and 
 the cruelties they have luffiered under the go¬ 
 vernment of their new matters. “ You have 
 driven me out of my habitation, fays the Ca- 
 ribbee, which you had not the leaft right to do, 
 neither can you have the leaft pretentious to it. 
 You are continually threatening to turn me out 
 of the little that is left me; mutt then the poor 
 Caribbee be forced to take up his habitation in 
 the fea with the fifties ; Your own country mutt 
 certainly be very miierable, fince you quit it to 
 turn me out of mine; and whence is it that you 
 take fo much pleafure in tormenting me ?” Am¬ 
 bition and avarice have almoft obliterated in our 
 minds all the maxims of the gofpel. Our con- 
 quefts will indeed have one fpecious pretext, viz. 
 that of winning over the fouls cf the Americans 
 to Chrift; but then a converted Indian will an- 
 fwer, “ Why do you not therefore confider me 
 as a brother, fince Chriftianity fets mankind in 
 a ftate of freedom, and at the fame time that it 
 exhorts us to humility, fills our minds with a 
 fpirit of tendernels and humanity ; a fpirit which 
 
 CARIBBEE ISLANDS, 
 you have never once breathed with regard to us:” 
 To this we make no other anfwer, than that our 
 intereft calls for their fubjeClicr.; that v/e want 
 flaves to cultivate our land ; that we have difpoi'- 
 fefled thefe lavages of them in order to improve 
 them, and to learch into their bowels for wealth, 
 
 , of which they were wholly ignorant ; and fo great 
 is our infatuation, as to imagine that thefe venal 
 motives fuit with the gentle fpirit of Chriftianity. 
 But lurely this cannot iurprize us, when it is to 
 be confidered that fome have endeavoured to 
 juftify the cruel havock which has been made of 
 the Americans by principles drawn from religon ; 
 and have fancied the behaviour of the Iiraelites 
 towards the Canaanites gave a fufficicnt faniftion 
 to thefe barbarous proceedings! 
 
 The almoft total extirpation of the Caribbees 
 gave occalion to this digreffion ; they feem to 
 have been deftroyed with a more violent fpirit of 
 fury than the reft of the Americans; and one 
 would think that their conquerors, in order to 
 palliate their inhuman butcheries, had endea¬ 
 voured to make them pafs for the moft unnatural 
 monfters, who had neither law, nor religion; and, 
 in a word, who had nothing human about them but 
 their ffiape. 
 
 If we may believe Rochefort, the Caribbees, 
 fo far from worftupping a deity, have not to much 
 as any word to exprefs it by ; lo that whenever we 
 fpcak to them concerning the Supreme Being, we 
 are obliged to make uie of a great deal of cir¬ 
 cumlocution, to give them an idea thereof. They 
 confider the earth as a kind parent that nourilhes 
 her creatures; but they do not underftand what 
 we mean by Divine eflence, or the other myfteries 
 of religion. The fame is related of the greatelt 
 part of the Americans ; and it is propabie they 
 confufe thefe barbarians with too great a multi¬ 
 tude of ideas and arguments. They are for hav¬ 
 ing them comprehend the deity at once in the 
 fame manner as we do, and require them to believe 
 at the firft word, and on their bare word, a fet 
 of people who declare certain myfteries to them, 
 of the truth whereof they themfelves were not 
 convinced till after long experience, a continual 
 courfe of ftudy, and a multitude of refledtions ; 
 to all which, a catechifm taught them in their 
 youth, had led the way, the better to prepare 
 their minds for imbibing the principles of ihe 
 Chriftian faith. If it be true, that thefe favages 
 have not capacity enough to underftand abftradted 
 fubjedts, we ought before all things to polilli 
 their minds, form them to refledfion, and make 
 them men before we go about to make them 
 Chriftians. 
 
 The Caribbees acknowledge a good and an 
 evil principle, and call them Maboia. Roche¬ 
 fort tells us, that they believe there are a multi¬ 
 tude of good lpirits, and that each lavage ima¬ 
 gines he lias one to himfelf, to whom they give 
 the name of Chemen. Other travellers tell us, 
 they fay Louquo or Looko was the firft man, 
 from whom all mankind are defeended ; chat he 
 created fillies, and rofe again three days after 
 his death, and afterwards attended into heaven. 
 That after Louquo’s departure, the terreftrial 
 animals were created. They believe that the 
 earth and fea were created, but not the heavens. 
 They have alfo fome idea of the flood, and alcribe 
 the caufe of it to the wickednefs of mankind in 
 
 thofe 
 
The R E L I G I O N of the C 
 
 thofe ages. Maboia, fay they, is the author of 
 eclipfes ; and that notwithstanding their firm 
 perfuafion of the power and malice of this evil 
 fpirit, they neverthelefs pray to it ; but then it 
 is after a very irregular manner, without having 
 any fixed time or place for that purpofe ; with¬ 
 out once endeavouring to know him ; without 
 having the lead diftindt idea of him ; without 
 having the lead love for him ; and, in a word, 
 only to prevent his doing them any harm. 
 Whereas they fay, that fince the good principle 
 is kind and beneficent, it were needlefs to pray 
 to it. And the favages mentioned in the pre- 
 ceeding articles have the fame fentiments. They 
 are of opinion that the fun prefides over the liars, 
 and that the latter are Chemens, who are fup- 
 pol'ed to fuperintend over meteors and llorms. 
 We are not to omit, that thefe favages have 
 their heroes, or rather demi-gods, who are now 
 dars and Chemens. 
 
 They offer Calfave, and the fird of their 
 fruits to their Chemens ; and fometimes out of 
 gratitude make a fead to their honour. Roche¬ 
 fort tells us, that thefe offerings are not accom¬ 
 panied with either adoration or prayers, they 
 placing them only at one corner of the hut on a 
 table made of rulhes and of latanier, a tree 
 which grows in this country. Here the fpirits 
 alfemble to eat and drink thofe oblations; a proof 
 of which is, that the Caribbees allure us they 
 hear the velfels in which the prefents had been 
 laid, move up and down, as alfo the noife which 
 the mouths of thofe gods make at the time of 
 their eating. 
 
 The fame author relates, that they make little 
 images rcfembling the form under which Maboia 
 reveals himlelf to them, in order to prevent his 
 doing them any harm. They wear thole images 
 about their necks, and pretend that it gives 
 them eafe ; and that they fad and flafh them- 
 felves for his fake. We are obliged to obferve 
 in this place, that Rochefort, father Labat, la 
 Borde, and foine others, both Protedants and 
 Roman Catholics, unanimoufiy declare, that 
 thefe people are tormented with the evil fpirit, 
 who beats, fcratches, nay,-even wounds them 
 in a mod cruel manner, - in order to force them 
 to execute all his injundtions with the utmod 
 exadtnefs, and all which may be true for what 
 we know. We have already obferved, that the 
 North-Amcricans are alfo afraid of being tor- I 
 men ted by the devil; and lhall find in thefequel 
 of this work, that thofe of South-America are ! 
 expofed to the fame periecution. Father Labat 
 allures us, that the power of this angel of dark- 
 nels has no manner of afcendancy in thofe places 
 where a crofs is let up ; and Rochefort informs 
 us, that the devil has not the power to torture 
 the favages when they are in the company of 
 Chridians. The favages, whenever the grand 
 adverfary of mankind begins to afflidt them, run 
 as fad as poffible into the next Chridian houfe 
 they meet with, where they find a fure afylum 
 againd all the affaults of that furious affailant ; 
 and he adds, that baptifm infallibly preferves 
 thofe favages from the devil’s blows. From 
 thefe two authorities received from perfons whole 
 principles are fo very different, we may how¬ 
 ever draw this inference, that the devil is equally 
 afraid both of Protedants and Roman Catholics. 
 
 ARIBBEE ISLANDS. 431 
 
 They have an infinite number of omens and 
 fuperditions, two of which only lhall be men¬ 
 tioned. They pretend that bats are Chemens, 
 whole office it is to watch during the night. 
 They often preferve the hair or the bones of fome 
 of their deceafed relations in a gourd-bottle, 
 which they confult upon occafion; and their 
 Boias, whom we are going to mention, make 
 them believe that the fpirits of the deceafed 
 acquaint them with the defigns of their ene¬ 
 mies. 
 
 Thefe Boias, who are the medico-prieds of 
 the Caribbees, have each their particular genius, 
 whom they pretend to conjure up by humming 
 over certain words, and the fmoke of tobacco. 
 They never call upon this genius or demon but 
 in the night-time, and that too in a place where 
 there is neither fire nor light. We are told that 
 thefe Boias are wizards, and have the fecret of 
 killing their enemies with charms which they 
 employ againd them. 
 
 The old Boias make all their candidates to 
 the priedhood go through a pretty fevere difei- 
 pline ; for the novice is obliged from his infancy 
 to abdain from feveral kinds of meats, and even 
 to live upon bread and water in a little hut, where 
 he is vifited by nobody but his maders, who 
 make incifions in his Ikin. But they do not 
 dop here; for they give him tobacco-juice, 
 which, as it purges him in a violent manner, 
 frees him, iiiy they, from all terredrial unclean- 
 nefs, and prepares his mind for the reception 
 of the Chemen. They then rub his body over 
 with gum, which they afterwards cover over 
 with feathers, in order to make him exa< 5 t and 
 diligent in his confultations of the Genii, and 
 ready to' obey their orders* Nay, they teach 
 him to cure the deceafed, and to conjure up the 
 fpirit. 
 
 The Caribbees aferibe their dileafes to Maboia j 
 and as thofe people are obferved to be of a 
 very melancholy cad of mind, we may probably 
 fuppofe that the nodturnal apparitions of the 
 devil, and the torments which he inflidts upon 
 them, are in reality no more than the chimrera’s 
 of a brain very fufceptible of the impreffions of 
 fear. We may aferibe part of' the magical ope¬ 
 rations of the American prieds to the fame caufe j 
 for to impute them all would be going too far. 
 Whenever they are defirous of knowing the iffue 
 of any illnefs with which they are troubled, 
 they firft lay the offering intended for Maboia 
 upon a Matoutous, and then fend for a Boia in 
 the night-time, who immediately orders the fire 
 to be put out, and turns out a\\ thofe perfons 
 of whom he has the lead fufpicion. After this 
 he goes into a corner, where he orders the patient 
 to be brought to him, then fmoaks a leaf of to¬ 
 bacco, part of which lie bruifes in his hands, 
 and fnapping his fingers at the fame time, blows 
 what he has rubbed into the air. The odour of 
 this perfume brings the Chemen, who anfwers 
 the demand of the Boia ; when the latter draws 
 near to his patient, feels, preffesj and handles 
 feveral times fucceffivcly that part where the 
 pain lies, if it be an outward one; pretending, 
 at the fame time, to draw out that which occa- 
 fions it, and often fucks it. Thefe favages alfo 
 make ufe of the bath and lancing. If this con- 
 fultation with the fpirit does not give the patient 
 
 any 
 
4 j: The RELIGION of the C 
 
 any eafe, the Boia phyfician refumes his prieftly 
 function, and after having given the patient iome 
 coniblation, to prepare him for his journey to 
 the next world, he declares to him that his god, 
 or, if the reader pleafes, his devil, is defirous of 
 his company, and to deliver him from the mi- 
 feries of this life. 
 
 If the fick perfon recovers, they make a feaft 
 in honour of Maboia, and let victuals and drink 
 for him upon a Matoutou. The Caffave and the 
 Ovicou, which they prefent to him, continue all 
 night upon the table, and as, to fpeak with thefe 
 lavages, the fpirit cats and drinks only in a lpi- 
 ritual manner, every thing they had let for him - i 
 over night is found untouched in the morning. 
 The Boia takes polfelfion of thefe oblations, and 
 the Caribbees look upon them with fo much awe 
 and veneration, that none but their old men and 
 the chief perlons of the nation are allowed to 
 touch them. When the feaft is ended, they 
 black the patient with juniper apples, which 
 makes him as ugly as the devil himlelf. They 
 have frequently feafts, or rather drunken enter¬ 
 tainments, and it is in this manner they folem- 
 nize the return from an expedition, the birth of 
 their children, the time appointed for the cutting 
 off their hair, and that of their beginning to go 
 to war. The holding a council of war, the fel¬ 
 ling of any wood or grove, the grubbing up of 
 a piece of ground, the building of a canoe, are 
 all confidered as folemnities. They call thefe 
 feafts affemblies, or drunken entertainments. 
 
 They oblerve a fail upon their arriving at the 
 ftate of puberty, and their being made captains, 
 upon the death of a father or mother, wife or 
 hulband ; this laft article is very furprifing after 
 what has been before oblerved of the little affec¬ 
 tion which we are allured a hufband has for his 
 wife, and, as we may naturally fuppofe, a wife 
 for her hufband. If that faying be true, that 
 friendfhip always meets with a reciprocal return, 
 and that according to the maxim of count de 
 Buff Rabutin, all thole who love are lure of be¬ 
 ing beloved, it may on the other fide be as true, 
 that hatred will be repaid with hatred. The 
 Caribbees alfo faft after having killed an Arou- 
 ague, that is, an enemy. They have no ftated 
 time for holding their aftemblies of war, and as 
 to all thole of another kind, we have already ob¬ 
 lerved that they eat, drink, and get drunk in 
 them; to which we Hiall add, that in thefe they 
 cut one another to pieces in cold blood. 
 
 Whenever they are about making war, fome 
 old woman draws up the whole defign, and makes 
 a fpeech to the company in order to ftir them up 
 to revenge ; anS \V^ien fhe fees that by the 
 ftrength of her harangue and of the Ovicou, 
 which is their drink, the aftembly begin to give 
 manifeft tokens of their being infpired with rage 
 and fury, fhe then throws into the midft of them 
 fome broiled limbs of thole they had killed in 
 war ; after which, a captain feconds the old 
 lady, and makes a fpeech upon the fame fubjeift. 
 
 Their manner of making war is to come upon 
 their enemies by furprife, and to fall upon them 
 in ambufeade. They cover themfelves ail over 
 with boughs and leaves, and malk themfelves 
 with an Indian cane leaf called Balifier, by mak¬ 
 ing a hole for their eyes to look through. Thus 
 equipped, they Hand up.dole to a tree, and wait 
 2 
 
 ARIBBEE islands. 
 
 till their enemies come by, in order to beat their 
 heads to pieces at one blow with their bouton, or 
 club, or to fhoot them with their arrows after their 
 having pafted by. Whenever they fall upon a 
 houfe that is covered with leaves of cane-lticks 
 or palm-trees, they fet fire to the roof, by pour- 
 having down arrows upon it, to which they tie an 
 handful of cotton, which they light juft when 
 they let fly. 
 
 Their arrows are always poifoned, and they 
 are full of little notches, which make fo many 
 tongues, very neatly wrought, and cut in l'uch 
 a manner as not to hinder the arrow from pene¬ 
 trating, but from coming out again without 
 widening the wound conflderably ; or by driv¬ 
 ing it back to the oppofite part to draw it out 
 by making a frefh one. They always make two 
 cuts in that part where the reed is grafted at the 
 fharp end, in order that when it is entered into 
 the body, the reft of the arrow may fall, and at 
 the fame time leave the poifoned end in the body. 
 They treat the prifoners of war much after the 
 fame manner as the Canadians do theirs. 
 
 The Caribbees are jealous of their wives, and 
 a bare fufpicion of their having violated the fide¬ 
 lity they owe their hufbands, gives them a power 
 to kill their wives without any further ceremony. 
 The hufband is not liable to be called to an ac¬ 
 count for an affair of this nature, becaule the 
 women of thefe iflands are their hulbands Haves j 
 and, notwithftanding the rigour of their flavery, 
 we are neverthelefs affured that they obey with fo 
 much exadtnefs, filence, fweetnefs, and refpedl, 
 that their hufbands are very rarely obliged to re¬ 
 mind them of it. An example worthy the imi¬ 
 tation of fome Chriftian wives, who are daily in- 
 ftrudted from the pulpit, but to no purpofe, in 
 the duties of obedience and conjugal fidelity. 
 This dodlrine will probably be inculcated to 
 them as long as the world ftands, but will have 
 as little effed: upon them as the preaching of the 
 gol'pel has with regard to the Caribbees. In fine, 
 the female world are here fuch complete Haves, 
 that a woman is never known to eat with her 
 hulband, or even in his prefence. Their young 
 girls about twelve years of age, wear the apron, 
 which is the charaderiftic of modefty and chaftity ; 
 and in the Lucayan iflands, when a mother knows 
 by certain natural fymptoms that her daughter 
 may affume the name of woman, the relations 
 meet together and make a feaft; after which they' 
 give her a cotton net filled with herbs, which fhe 
 wears afterwards about her thighs, for before Hie 
 went ftark-naked. It is true, indeed, that na- 
 kednefs does not make any impreffion upon their 
 fenfes ; and we are affured they have fo much 
 virtue as to fay, that when they are naked they 
 are to be looked upon only in the face. We are 
 alfo told, that when a young maiden is of an age 
 fit for marriage, fhe is obliged- to live for ten 
 days together upon dry Caffave ; if in this time 
 Hie does not die with hunger, it is a proof that 
 Hie will be a good houfewife. 
 
 Such young Caribbee women as are marriage¬ 
 able, are not allowed to have any commerce with 
 their young men, for their mothers never luffer 
 them to go out of their fight. Neverthelefs, 
 lays father Labat, a young woman very feldom 
 lives to that age, without being fingled out be¬ 
 fore by fome young favage, who confiders her 
 
 the 
 
The RELIGION of the C 
 
 the moment he has made his declaration as his 
 future wife, till fhe may be of an age of being 
 fo in effect. Among thefe favages, relations are 
 permitted to marry with one another, a woman 
 not being allowed to refufe her kinfman ; they 
 often pitch upon them when they are but four or 
 five years of age. A brother does not marry his 
 filter, nor a fon his mother. Rochefort allures 
 us, that they look upon this crime with horror; 
 but that they allow fo general, fo extenfive a 
 liberty, with regard to all the other degrees of 
 confanguinity, and the plurality of wives, that 
 a man often marries three or four own filters, 
 who,, at the fame time, are either his nieces or 
 Coufin-germans. They reafon thus, that as they 
 have been brought up together, they will there¬ 
 fore love each other the more, and preferve a 
 greater harmony. But here there notions differ 
 greatly from ours ; and we mult not omit a very 
 whimfical cuftom. It fometimes happens that a 
 Caribbee fhall before-hand demand the offspring 
 of a woman with child, provided it be a girl ; 
 which if they grant him, he marks the woman’s 
 belly with Rocou : And as foon as the girl is 
 feven or eight years of age, he goes to bed to 
 her, in order to inure her to the fports of Ve¬ 
 nus. 
 
 A father upon the birth of his firft-born fon 
 withdraws from fociety, and keeps a very ftri£t 
 fall for forty days together; and another traveller 
 adds, that the hufband goes to bed, and a£ts the 
 part of the lying-in-woman ; but he neither 
 gives us the origin or reafon of this cuftom. 
 Here follows another that is altogether as whim¬ 
 fical : The time preferibed for falling being ex¬ 
 pired, they pitch upon two young Caribbees to 
 ilafh his Ikin, and to cut and hack his body all 
 over. They then rub the wounds with tobacco 
 juice, after which they feat him in a chair painted 
 red. The women bring in victuals, which the 
 old men prefent to the wounded perfon, and 
 feed him as we do a child ; and in like manner 
 they pour drink down his throat, holding his 
 neck at the fame time; and when he has done 
 eating, the old men prefent him with two pieces 
 of Caffave, which the poor tortured father holds 
 in his hands. The ceremony is performed in a 
 large open place, during which he gets aftride 
 upon two Caffaves, which he is afterwards oblig¬ 
 ed to eat. We may very well fuppofe them to 
 be bloody ; for they then linear the child’s face 
 over with blood, which they fay contributes to 
 the making him courageous ; and the more pa¬ 
 tient the father is, the more his fon will be val- 
 liant. But this is not all; he is obliged to ab- 
 ftain for fix months together from various things, 
 every time any or his wives are brought to bed. 
 The moment the child is born, he is bathed in 
 water, and if it happens in the night-time, the 
 father bathes himfeif alfo; then the mother be¬ 
 gins to flatten, the infant’s forehead, and to fqualh 
 its face, which they think an addition to its 
 beauty ; and we may naturally fuppofe, that 
 the education they beftow upon them is of a piece 
 with the reft. 
 
 They name the child about a fortnight after 
 its birth, which they take from fome of the an- 
 ceftors of their family, from fome tree, or other 
 object that is agreeable to them; in a word, 
 37 
 
 ARIBBEE ISLANDS. 433 
 
 from any thing that pleafes or ftrikes their fenfes. 
 The child is named with form and ceremony ; 
 and has its fponfors, who engage to fee it pro¬ 
 perly educated according to the cuftom of the 
 country. They bore a hole in the child’s ear, in 
 his lower lips, and between his noftrils. They 
 put threads into thefe holes, to which pendants 
 hang dangling; but they delay the ceremony, 
 in cafe the child ftiould be too weak to go through 
 it. 
 
 Their funeral rites and ceremonies are, in 
 fome refpefts, like thofe of other Heathen na¬ 
 tions. Wherever a Caribbee dies, they call all 
 his relations together to ftiew them that he died 
 a natural death ; and if only one of thefe ftiould 
 not have fecn the deceafed, the united teftimony 
 of all the reft would not avail to perfuade him 
 that his relation died in the ordinary courfe of 
 nature. He would imagine that they had all 
 conlpired his death, which he would think him¬ 
 feif obliged to revenge, by killing at leaft one 
 of them. They l?v the deceafed in a well which 
 they digin the corr er of a hut, about four feet 
 in diameter, and fix or feven feet deep. He is 
 here laid all in p heap, his elbows on his knees, 
 and the palms c. his hands on his cheeks. He 
 is painted red witli whifkers, and black ftrokes 
 of a richer die than thofe commonly uled, are 
 joined as a fort of fhade. 
 
 They hold his hair behind his head, and his 
 bow, his arrow, his club and his knife are 
 laid by his fide. They put the body in 
 fand knee deep, which they only do to keep 
 him in that pofture, for the fand dees not come 
 up as high as the top of the pit. After all the 
 relations have examined the body, they fill up 
 the hole, taking care always to bring along with 
 them afervant toattend him, and his dogtowatch 
 him. We may naturally imagine, that their 
 mourning is whimfical enough, and fo it is. 
 They firft lay the corpfe in the pit, then light a 
 fire juft by it, when every one feats himfeif round 
 about it. The men feat themfelves behind the 
 women, and invite them to weep, by giving 
 them a tap on the arm. They then all roar and 
 cry together, breaking out into long and re¬ 
 peated exclamations on the lofs they have been 
 1'ubjeCted to by the departure of their relation. 
 Such was the antient ftate of thefe people, and 
 fo it is ftill with thole who are Heathens ; fo we 
 lhall conclude this article with an account of 
 what alterations have taken place among them 
 within thefe twenty years. 
 
 The peace of 1763, brought about a more 
 remarkable revolution in thefe iflands than ever 
 had been before; for the French being every 
 where beaten, and moftof their iflands and colonies 
 taken, Great-Britain had it in her power to give 
 laws to all the contending parties. Whether we 
 aCted a prudent part or not in the diftribution. 
 of property at that time, is foreign to our pur- 
 pole to enquire, leaving that to the politicians, 
 whofe bufinefs it is to decide in all thofe mat¬ 
 ters. 
 
 Some of thefe iflands are now in the hands of 
 Britilh fubjeCts ; and fome gentlemen of the 
 moft exalted characters, and known integrity 
 have been appointed governors of them. The 
 people are becoming every day, more and more 
 5 R civilized i 
 
SAVAGES of ORONOOKO, See. 
 
 434 The RELIGION of the 
 
 civilized; and if it fhould pleafe God to give us 
 fuccefs in the prefent war, we may hope, in a few 
 years to fee, regular parifhes eflablifhed where- 
 ever Britain has made conquefts. There is one 
 confiderable difadvantage muft always attend the 
 inhabitants of thefe Iflands, namely, their being 
 fo fmall that it will not anlwer the end to keep 
 garrifons in all of them, fo that whenever war 
 breaks out between us and the French and Spa¬ 
 niards, fuch of theie iflands as are left defence- 
 lefs, will eafily fall into the hands of the enemy. 
 This, however, has not difpirited thofe benevo¬ 
 lent perfons in our own country, who wifh well 
 to all the human race, particularly to fuch as are 
 Fill in a Fate of Pagan darknefs. Several gen¬ 
 tlemen who have icttlements there, have lent 
 over fome preachers, whole fuccefs has been even 
 greater than could have been expe&ed. It was 
 happy for the people in thefe iflands, that the 
 fir ft let tiers after the peace, were perfons who 
 had fome regard for the intereft of religion. 
 They knew the benefits arifing from the know¬ 
 ledge of the gofpel, and they ardently wiflied, 
 that ali thofe who bore the fame image with 
 themfelves, fhould partake of the fame happi- 
 nefs. This induced them to confider that they 
 were not born alone for themfelves, but for the 
 Benefit and a Ivantage of each other, knowing, 
 or at leaft having reafon to expedt, that great ad¬ 
 vantages would arife from the grants that had 
 been made them ; but as they knew that all the 
 benefits men enjoy in this world, are the unme¬ 
 rited gifts of God, confcquently they dedicated 
 a part of thofe profits to promote the happinels 
 of poor ignorant creatures. This was doing 
 more real good than building a palace, or con¬ 
 quering an empire. It was dedicating the firft 
 fruits of their revenues to God the giver of all 
 good, it was honouring him out of the bounty 
 lie had bellowed, and iu was a fure way to pro¬ 
 cure a blefling upon ali their undertakings. 
 
 '■The Religion of the Savages that inhabit the Banks 
 
 of the River Oroonoko and thofe of Guiana. 
 
 It is certain, that notwithflanding the many 
 difeoveries that have been made of late years in 
 different parts of the world, yet we are but little 
 acquainted with thefe people, and know but a 
 few parti ulars concerning them. That they are 
 both idolators and lavages cannot be difputed, 
 and it is not in the lcall: improbable, but that 
 they worlhip a plurality of idols; for in all 
 Heathen nations we never meet with any who ad¬ 
 here to the worlhip of the Divine Being, nor of 
 any fingle idol whom they look upon as having 
 an ablblute fovereign power. 
 
 Purchas afferts, that fome of them worlhip 
 Watipa, who is the devil, and others worlhip the 
 fun and moon. Some favages of Guiana wor- 
 Ihip whatever their priefts command them to 
 adore, and fome of them pay their adoration 
 to a ftone idol in the lhape of a man fitting on 
 his heels, with his knees open, his mouth gap¬ 
 ing wide, leaning on his two elbows, with his 
 hands open and llretched out. This idol is a 
 very humble one,. for he refides in a hut, which 
 at the fame time ferves hira for a temple. Some 
 
 of thefe favages have a notion that there are ce- 
 j leftial beings, but their notions concerning them 
 are carnal and brutifh. They call one of thefe 
 imaginary beings by a name that fignifies the 
 antient of heaven , which title as given to objects 
 of worlhip is of great antiquity, and not con¬ 
 fined to idols only; for v/e find the prophet 
 Daniel calling the Mefliah the antient of days. 
 
 All thefe favages have a great number of lu- 
 perftitious notions, and ridiculous ceremonies, 
 founded upon lying wonders and marvellous fto- 
 ries. Their priefts, like all the others among the 
 lavages of America, are alfo phyficians, and be¬ 
 fore they undertake to cure a patient, they con- 
 luk the oracle of their idol, and when the artful 
 impoltors imagine the diftemper to be incurable, 
 they do not ufe any medicines. However, when 
 they think there is no fort of danger, then they 
 ufe their medicines and charms, and when the 
 patient recovers, the whole honour and merit arc 
 aferibed to them. 
 
 Some of the tribes of thefe people chufe their 
 chief who is to govern them while they are at 
 table, and they elect him who is the greateit 
 drunkard. This general or chief, the moment 
 he is chofen, puts his two hands over his head, 
 and while he continues in this pofture, a long 
 harangue is made to him with regard to his duty, 
 which being done, they make a trial of his cou¬ 
 rage, by whipping him till the blood follows the 
 ftrokes. Before their priefts are ordained to their 
 facerdotal office, they are obliged to go through- 
 a very fevere probation, which like many more 
 of their cuftoms, is both abl'urd and ridicu¬ 
 lous. 
 
 They bruife green tobacco leaves, and pref- 
 fing the moifture out of them, fill up a quantity 
 of it in a veflel, equal to one of our common 
 drinking glaffes, and give it to him who is to be 
 received prieft or boya, and he is obliged to 
 fwallow it all down. In their marriages they 
 have no other ceremony befides that of making 
 a formal demand of the young woman from her 
 parents. He receives her in triumph, and con- 
 duds her home to his own hut, where an enter¬ 
 tainment is provided for the relations. When 
 their children are born, they put them into a fink 
 of mud, where the innocent creatures-are obliged 
 to remain upwards of four hours, till they have 
 invoked their idols to be propitious to him. Bar¬ 
 barous as their practices may feem, yet it does 
 not come up to that of the Greeks and Romans, 
 with whom it was common to expole their chil¬ 
 dren and defert them totally, leaving them to 
 periih. Whereas, thefe favages we have been 
 treating of, only expofe their children for a fhorc 
 time, and the healthinefs of their conftitutions 
 generally faves them. 
 
 When their relations die, they hangup their 
 carcafes in their huts, and adorn them with fea¬ 
 thers and necklaces after all the flelh is rotted 
 off. In fome places they burn their dead, and 
 the women drink in liquor the bones of their 
 hufbands reduced to powder; and thus, fays a very 
 learned author, (Mr. Picart) they bury in their 
 own bodies all that was dear to them in this 
 world. One would naturally imagine that fuch 
 pradlices muft flow from a very ftrong natural 
 affedtion ; but thefe favages have their own no- 
 , tion§ of fafhion VfeU as we. $Qth hufbands 
 
God 111 all exalt his glorious head, 
 high throne maintain; 
 St £ lln , ke the P° w ’ rs and princes dead. 
 Who dare oppofe his reign. 
 
 The RELIGION of the SAVAGES who 
 
 and Wives know the nature of formal mourning, 
 and juft as it is among us Europeans, fhe who 
 appears the mol affefed for the lofs of her huf- 
 band, procures another the fooner. Some of 
 thele lavages make great rejoicings on the death 
 of their relations, and the men get drunk while 
 the wife of the deceafed howls as if lhe was m>- 
 mg diftrafed. They always kill fome of their 
 Haves, whom they imagine will accompany the 
 deceafed into the other world, and they believe in 
 a future ftate of rewards and punilhments; a fen- 
 timent that was never perhaps denied till the 
 prelent age in which we live. And by whom has 
 
 this fundamental and leading dofeine, in natural 
 
 and revealed religion been denied ? Was it by 
 Heathens No; for the molt barbarous, the 
 molt unmlightened Heathens believe in it. Was 
 H by profeffed deifts ? No; the deifts pride 
 themfelves m oppofing Chriftianity, becaufe (fay 
 tney) all the anuent Heathens as well as the mo¬ 
 dern, believed, and do believe the dofeine of 
 future rewards and punilhments; and they be¬ 
 lieved this without the affiftance of a fuperna- 
 tural revelation; 
 
 1 he truth is, attempts have been made to 
 overthrow both natural and revealed religion, by 
 men well acquainted with human learning, and 
 whole very chamfers, as profeffed preachers of 
 the gofpel, naturally led them to Hand up in its 
 defence againft the attacks of its enemies. Our 
 Saviour foretold, that a man’s greateft enemies 
 .mould be thole of lus own houlhold, and we 
 have lived to fee this literally fulfilled. Thefe 
 men pretended to belong to the houlhold of 
 faith, and yet have denied the leading principles. 
 
 But never let fuch notions diftraft the minds of 
 pious, humble Chriftians. As the whole frame 
 of the Chriftian religion is built upon a plan 
 confident with the divine attributesf and Suit¬ 
 able to the ftate of fallen nature, fo it carries 
 along with it the marks of infinite wifdorn, un¬ 
 bounded mercy, unchangeable love, effective 
 grace, and everlafting glory. 
 
 And will God fuffer his own image to be 
 trampled upon No; he willfupport lus church 
 for the fake of his fon, who Ihed his blood to re- 
 1 ore unhappy creatures to his favour, and altho’ 
 the wicked and the impious may blafpheme 
 yet the glory of Chrift’s kingdom will bear down 
 all manner of oppofition, men fhall be bleffed 
 
 in him, and all nations (hall call him bleffed It 
 was declared oy our Saviour, that the gates of 
 hell fhould never prevail againft his church ; and 
 
 : y .f tts 13 m jr ai jt rulers > for judges of old fat 
 m the-gates of the city to adminifter juftice, as 
 
 Afi 7 d °i m ° me ° f the eaftern nat ions of 
 Afia. Now there is not a name that can be found 
 
 fo proper for thofe men, who under the name of 
 Chriftians have afeially attempted to make us 
 Believe there is no immortality, there is no name 
 
 jldS f ° proper tor them as that of infer ™’> 
 
 of CHilV fo C H UrC V VaS | PUrchafed b P the d «th 
 Of Chiift fo the almighty power of God will 
 
 fupport the kingdom of his glorious fon. 
 
 inhabit the RIVER of AMAZONS. 
 
 43 J* 
 
 The Religion of the Savages who inhabit the River 
 of Amazons. 
 
 nja^re Pe ° pI f ar u a1 , 1 idolators > and in manyre- 
 h f fe 13 but little difference between them, 
 and thofo whom we have juft now mentioned. 
 
 to tkem ? 3 V3 Va "^. ° f idols > and tfey aferibe 
 to them as many qualities as they plc.de. They 
 
 believe that fome of them prefide over the wa 
 
 hands 3rC repre / ented with in their 
 
 hands. I here are others for feed time and 
 
 others again who infpire them with courage in 
 
 r ' Tl) ey fay that their deities came down 
 
 fift'Them T’ P T P ° fe ! y to dwe]1 am °ng and af- 
 worfofo 17 d ,° not Pax them fhe lead 
 
 They have the fame cuftom when they go a fi T 
 mg, and on tins occafion they hoift foe idol 
 whom they believe prefides over the waters 
 w-Johf pra df e IS u ln a!1 rel P efts fimilar to what 
 
 Who had the! 7 . the , ant i eht Greeks and Romans, 
 
 ! ° ,lad t™ r titular deities for every one of 
 heir undertakings. When they went on voyages 
 he manners invoked Neptune as the /J ot 
 the lea, and images of him were carried alono- 
 with them. But frill they had fometimes th? 
 
 read eS fo f r°^ er d f ltles U P 011 their P'ffa; for we 
 read, that when the apoftle Paul and his com 
 
 pamons were font prifoners to Rome, the fhip in' 
 
 - had 'for fign Caftor and p P 0 L 
 -h f '• V Herewe may obforve, that 
 the Roman Catholics, in conformity with the 
 Heathens of old, have their titular faints juft in 
 
 deities Ant) nner f S the a Heathe ns had their 
 eities, Anthony for inltance is the faint to 
 
 which manners addrefs themfelves in all cafes of 
 danger, and when they return home, they hano- 
 up in one of their churches fomething in honou? 
 
 hav h em;; n wifo. leqUenCe ° f * 
 
 Thefo ravages of whom we have been treat 
 
 thffr dlV i de the government of nature amono- 
 
 fo g ° d I-hevn 0lS< 10 as t0 ^ ever y one hit 
 
 of neceftitv 7 t, 7 " P t. r37 C ° them ’ bUt in cafes 
 necellity and perhaps m this cafe, there are 
 
 nee”"/]! I' Tl Wh ? f ° ll0W the fame prac- 
 
 tice. All the idols whom they worlhip are 
 confidered as iubordinate to one fopreme bdne 
 
 ons They ft ng H the7 have Va 7 COnFufed “fe 
 , j ,, he l ftand 1,1 great awe of their priefts 
 and hold them in the utmoft veneration * They 
 
 celferLiCr ^ ■ h ° Ufc ’ ° r ^ 
 
 , „™“ ° f , the,r ceremonies, and this is to 
 them. What others call a church, or a temple 
 
 o-o’lT th l lr Pne(b addrefs the mfolves to their 
 O s, and receive anfwers from their oracles 
 
 H rf-? haVC a § reat authority overfoe 
 poor deluded peopfo, whofe minds being left in 
 
 a ftate of darknefs, they can praffice upon them 
 what tricks they pleafo. They alfo 'apply™ 
 them, as cafmfts, for the folution of foeir 
 doubts; and here they aft juft fo foe f ame man¬ 
 ner as fome of thofo who call themfelves Chrif 
 tun divines, The Roman Catholic prieft is ltd 
 
 9 f 
 
+3 <5 The R E L I G I O N of 
 
 of the confciences of all his people, fo that he 
 may diredt them to every purpofe he thinks pro¬ 
 per ; and perhaps there are too many among our 
 Proteftant clergy, who afuime the fame dictatorial 
 power. But here we find, that the glory of 
 doing, what was never commanded in fcripture, 
 is not wholly their own, for the Heathens claim 
 an equal fhare along with them. Perhaps the 
 Heathens have a much better right to it than 
 themfelves, for as it was originally their property, 
 we cannot fee with what juftice the Romans rob 
 the Pleather.s of it. Chrift never taught them 
 to do fo, either by precept, or example; nor is 
 there a fingle paffage in the whole of the new 
 teftament, that gives authority to minifters to 
 folve cafes of confcience, except where moral 
 duties are concerned, and there indeed it is ea- 
 fily done ; for there is an everlafting difference 
 between right and wrong. But to proceed. 
 
 When thefe favages go to war, they apply 
 to their priefts for affiftance againft their ene¬ 
 mies, and the firft thing the priefts do, is to 
 ' curfe them. This has fuch a ftriking fimilarity 
 to what is related concerning the hiftory of Ba¬ 
 laam, that we wonder how any perfon, who 
 has read civil hiftory, can doubt the truth of 
 divine revelation. 
 
 In the mod: early ages of the world, when one 
 nation declared war agairrft another, the firft 
 thing they did was, to appeal to their gods that 
 their caufe was juft, and the priefts being fatil- 
 fiied with what they declared, went to the bor¬ 
 ders of their territories and pronounced a folemn 
 curfe on thofe who had violated the public peace. 
 Something of this nature is Hill to be found a- 
 mong fome of our modern princes, who never 
 declare war, without firft endeavouring to make 
 their neighbours belie«, that they are not the 
 aggreffors. But befides pronouncing their curies 
 upon the enemy, thefe priefts prelent the fol- 
 diers with poilonous herbs for their arrows, and 
 other weapons. 
 
 When their priefts die, they have fuch vene¬ 
 ration for every precious relic belonging to them, 
 that they preferve their bones, and lay them in 
 the fame cotton beds on which they uled to re- 
 pofe when alive. Some of them keep the bo¬ 
 dies of their deceafed relations in their houfes, 
 in order to have a perpetual memento mori before 
 their eyes. Others bury the bodies in large 
 graves, together with every thing belonging to 
 them in their life time; but they all celebrate 
 their obfequies for feveral days together, and 
 this time isfpent in drinking and weeping to ex¬ 
 cels. They believe in the immortality of the 
 foul; but then it muft not be fuppofed that they 
 have any other notions of it, than as a cor¬ 
 poreal fubftance. This is owing to the corrup¬ 
 tion of human nature, which induces men to 
 rejeft what they cannot comprehend ; and this 
 is, perhaps, the fource of all the errors that 
 ever yet took place in the world. Vaft dil- 
 coveries have been made in aftronomy, during 
 the prefent age; but the one half of them are 
 no better than probable conjedtures ; the others 
 are doubtful, and involved in obfcurity. In phi- 
 lofophy, and in phyfics, vaft dilcoveries have 
 been made ; but what man will fay that human 
 knowledge is complete ? Men, however, Ihould 
 2 
 
 the BRASILIANS. 
 
 by all means endeavour to divert themfelves of 
 pride, to be ready at all times to acknowledge 
 their own weaknefs, as well as their ignorance. 
 
 The foundation of all our happinefs, all our 
 honour, and all our glory, whether in time 
 or eternity, mull be laid in humility. The 
 wifeft: man that ever lived in the world, fays, 
 “ Pride goeth before deftruftion, and a haugh- 
 “ ty fpirit before a fall.” And Chrift, who was 
 greater than Solomon, fays, “ He that exalteth 
 “ himfelf fhall be abafed, but he that humbleth 
 “ himfelf fhall be exalted.” 
 
 Were men once to be brought acquainted 
 with their own weaknefs, their own ignorance, 
 and their own unworthinefs, compared with the 
 rectitude of the Divine Being, they would not 
 nourifh growing doubts in their minds, con¬ 
 cerning the truth of the Chriftian dilpenfa- 
 tion. 
 
 We (hall conclude this article in the words 
 of the celebrated Shakefpear, which he puts 
 in the mouth of the great cardinal Wolfey, 
 when he was taking leave of lord Cromwell. 
 
 “ Cromwell! I charge thee fling away ambition; 
 “ By that fin fell the angels; how can man then, 
 “ The image of his maker, hope to win by’t ? 
 
 “ Love thyfelf laft; Cherifh thofe hearts that 
 “ hate thee : 
 
 £c Corruption was riot more than honefty. 
 
 “ Still in thy right hand carry gentle peace, 
 
 “ To filence envious tongues; be juft, and fear 
 “ not; 
 
 “ Let all the ends thou aim’d at, be thy country’s, 
 “ Thy God’s, and truth’s: Then if thou fall’ll:, 
 “ O Cromwell ! 
 
 “ Thou fall’ll: a blefled martyr: Serv.e the king.— 
 “ And pry’thee lead me in ; 
 
 “ Here, take an inventory of all I have, 
 
 “ To the laft penny ; ’tis the king’s. My robe, 
 “ And my integrity, heaven ! is all 
 “ I dare now call my own. O Cromwell! Crom- 
 “ well ! 
 
 “ Had I but ferv’d my God, with half the zeal 
 “ I ferv’d my king, he would not, in mine age, 
 “ Have left me naked to mine enemies,” 
 
 I’l:e Religion of the Brafilians. 
 
 When thefe people were firft: difcovered by 
 the Europeans, they had neither temples nor 
 monuments erefted to any deity whatever, a 
 circumftance in which they differed much from 
 the Peruvians and Mexicans. And even at 
 prefent they have but dark confufed notions 
 concerning the creation of the world, for they 
 regulate their time by moons only. Plowever, it 
 appears that they have lome feint notions of the 
 deity ; for they often lift up their hands towards 
 the fun and moon, in token of admiration. 
 They have fome notion of the univerfal deluge, 
 for they relate, that a very powerful foreigner, 
 who bore the molt violent hatred againft their 
 anceftors, caufed them all to perilh by a violent 
 inundation, two perfons only excepted, whom 
 he preferved, in order that they might propagate 
 a new race of beings, from whom they are de¬ 
 fended. 
 
The RELIGION of 
 
 fcended. Here we have the outlines of the 
 truth, although obfcured by fable, but even 
 that obfcurity, in fome meafure, points out the 
 truth. 
 
 They are very much afraid of the devil, whom 
 they call Agneian, and yet do not pay him the 
 leaft worfhip. They are equally afraid of thun¬ 
 der, which they fuppofe to be under the direc¬ 
 tion of one of their gods, called Toupan ; and 
 when they are told to worfhip the god who 
 created thunder, they anfwer, that it is very 
 ftrange, that god, who is a being of fo much 
 goodnefs, Ihould make ufe of thunder to terrify 
 mankind. 
 
 They pay a great veneration to a certain fruit, 
 about the bignefs of an oftrich’s egg, and fhaped 
 like a great gourd, which they call Tamaraca; 
 but fome travellers have corrupted the word, and 
 called it Maraca. When the priefts go on their 
 vifitations, they always carry this fruit along 
 with them, and oblige the people to worlhip it 
 with great folemnity. They fix thefe fruits at 
 the end of a ftaff, which they flick in the 
 ground, then drefs theVn with beautiful feathers, 
 and order the inhabitants of the villages to carry 
 them victuals and drink ; for (fays the prieft) 
 this is well pleafing to them, and they like to be 
 entertained in this manner. The chiefs of their 
 tribes, and the fathers of families go and offer 
 part of their provisions to thefe Maracas ; and it 
 is confidered as a very great crime, for any one 
 to take away what has been confecrated to thefe 
 idols. The priefts affure their votaries, that the 
 Spirit pronounces its oracle, by the mouth of 
 the Maraca, fo that here we have an inftance of 
 fruit Speaking. They look upon thefe Maracas 
 as domeftic gods, and therefore every one is 
 obliged to have one in his houfe, fo as to 
 confult it on every occafion; but they are 
 of no Service to them, unlel's purchafed of the 
 priefts. 
 
 The eflential parts of their feftivals confift 
 in dances and longs, the Subjects of which are, 
 their glorious atchievements in war, and are 
 alfo of ufe in tranfmitting to pofterity, the me¬ 
 mories of their warlike heroes. One of the 
 greateft of thefe feftivals, is that of butchering 
 their poor miferable prifoners, who have the mif- 
 fortune to be taken from their enemies in war. 
 Having put thefe wretches to death under the 
 molt excruciating tortures, they then fit down 
 and feaft on the fielh. This is horrid enough, 
 and Such as human nature Ihudders back at the 
 thought of; but ftill it is too true to admit of 
 the leaft doubt, there is no exaggeration in the 
 leaft, and to difpute it would be to fay, that all 
 our voyagers and travellers, many of whom 
 were men of integrity, told nothing but false¬ 
 hood. 
 
 All their Boias, or priefts, are fortune-tellers, 
 and interpreters of dreams, which knowledge 
 they make the people believe the devil commu¬ 
 nicates to them. The Boia confults the oracle 
 in’ a hut built for that purpole, where a virgin of 
 about ten or twelve years of age, prepares a 
 hammock for him, with a good quantity of pro¬ 
 visions. The prieft, or Boia, who is obliged to 
 abftain, for nine days together, from all com¬ 
 merce with women, walhes himlelf before he 
 goes to bed, and there confults the Spirit, who 
 37 
 
 the B R A S I L I A N S. 437 
 
 is fo good-natured that he never fails to anfwer 
 his prayers ; but it is proper to obferve, that 
 he is always alone when he confults the Spirit. 
 
 Thefe Savages, in the Brafils, never marry any 
 of their relations, within thofe lines of confan- 
 guinity, which we call inceft; fo that it Seems 
 they have, at leaft in that inftance, fome traces 
 of morality among them. The moment a youth 
 is confidered as fit for marriage, he is allowed to 
 look out for a wife; for they never confider 
 whether he has means Sufficient to Support a 
 family, or conduct to guide himfelf through the 
 world. Formerly a young man was not per¬ 
 mitted to marry till he had killed one of the 
 enemy; but now, when a young • Savage has 
 placed his affections upon a young woman of his 
 own tribe, he addrefies himfelf to her parents, 
 and afks their confent to marry her. Thefe Sa¬ 
 vages are unacquainted with all our prelimina¬ 
 ries of marriage; for there is no Such thing 
 among them as a declaration of a mutual paf- 
 fion, nor any amorous intercourfe. If the young 
 woman’s relations give their confent, he is from 
 that moment her hufband, for the ceremonies 
 afterwards are but trifling. 
 
 Polygamy is in as much efteem among them, 
 as in any parts of Afia, and although the wo¬ 
 men frequently live together in harmony, yen 
 their tyrannical hufbands have a right to put them 
 away whenever they pleafe. When a woman is 
 delivered of a child, there are many ridiculous 
 ceremonies oblerved ; for if it is a boy, the 
 father lays down befide it, a bow, an arrow, and a 
 knife, exhorts it to bravery and courage, and 
 concludes by naming him after the objeft that 
 makes the greateft impreflion on his mind. 
 The girls are brought up in domeftic affairs, 
 and generally married very young. 
 
 Thefe people have fome feint notions of the 
 immortality of the foul; for they believe that 
 when a perl'on dies, his foul goes to refide in 
 paradife, behind their high mountains. When 
 a perfon is taken fick, one of his relations throws 
 himfelf with fo much violence upon him, as al- 
 moft knocks out what little breath he has re¬ 
 maining. If the fick perfon dies in the even¬ 
 ing, the following night is fpent in mournings 
 and lamentations, and the neighbours of both 
 fexes are invited to join in the mournful folem¬ 
 nity. 
 
 When the patient expires, they wafh and comb 
 him, after which they wrap him up in callico, 
 and if it be one of their chiefs, in his hammock, 
 adorned with all his feathers and other orna¬ 
 ments. They lay him in a kind of coffin, but 
 in fuch a manner as not to let any earth touch 
 the body, and they carry him provifions every 
 day, in order to prevent his dying with hunger 
 after he is dead; nay, they believe that he wearies 
 himfelf fo much with dancing in the other world, 
 that he is glad to return to earth to get a little 
 refrefhment. 
 
 It appears evident from what we have related 
 of thole people, and indeed of all other Heathens 
 whatever, that the knowledge of the one true 
 God, and life and immortality were never 
 brought to light till the promulgation of the 
 golpel, and this fhould teach us, above all things, 
 to fet a proper value upon that more than inefti- 
 mable blefling. 
 
 5 S Ths 
 
h j8 The RELIGION of the PEOPLE who inhabit near the RIVER LA PLATA. 
 
 The Religion of the People who inhabit near the 
 River La Plata. 
 
 The river La Plata, that is the river of Plate, 
 is perhaps the largeft in the univerfe, and an in- 
 exhauftible fource of wealth to the Spaniards. It 
 was in this river that the famous Sir Francis 
 Drake deftroved a vaft: number of Ihips belong¬ 
 ing to the Spaniards, and brought into England 
 an enormous load of plate. There are vaft num¬ 
 bers of people inhabiting near the banks of this 
 celebrated river, but the Spaniards do all they 
 can to keep other Europeans ignorant of them. 
 However, we have learned as much concerning 
 them as is neceffary to give us an idea of their 
 religious fentiments. 
 
 Some of them confecrate the fkins of their 
 enemies as fo many trophies in certain houfes, 
 which feem to have been defigned for religious 
 worlhip, and others adore the fun and moon. 
 Some of thefe nations, at the new or full moon, 
 make certain incifions with bones to which they 
 give an edge, and ufe them inftead of knives. 
 Thofe of Tucuman have fome notion of a deity, 
 and have priefts among them who a£t the part of 
 foothfavers, upon which Coreal makes the follow¬ 
 ing juft reflection ; “ I am of opinion, lays he, 
 that wherever there are priefts, there mull: necef- 
 farily be feme fhadow of religion, and that the 
 one is always relative to the other.” However, 
 the difpute does not relate to the true figniflca- 
 tion of the word religion, but to the idea only. 
 The other favages of Paraguay and Uragha, that 
 is, thofe whom the Jefuits have not civilized, do 
 not differ from thefe Tucumans in thefe particu¬ 
 lars. Their priefts are alfo phyficians, as in other 
 places, and cure their patients by fucking the 
 difealed part, or by the fmoke of tobacco. They 
 admit an univerfal fpirit who pervades matter, 
 and a£ts on all parts of it; but this is too philo- 
 fophical for favages. Let us rather fay, that they 
 imagine every thing is informed with its peculiar 
 genius or fpirit, which flows from their grofs ig¬ 
 norance ; though after all, it is certain, that lbme 
 very polite nations, both antient and modern, 
 have fuppofed the immediate a< 5 lion of an uni¬ 
 verfal fpirit, and that of Genii upon earthly bo¬ 
 dies. Agreeable to this notion, we are affured, 
 that the favages in queftion addrefs invocations 
 to thefe Genii, and lbme worlhip a pretended in- 
 vifible tyger. 
 
 Such as are candidates for the priefthood or 
 phyftc, are obliged to fall often, and for a long 
 time together ; mull have fought leveral times 
 againft wild beafts, particularly tygers, and at 
 leaft have been bit or fcratched by them. After 
 this, they may be raifed to the priefthood ; for 
 they look upon tygers as almoft divine animals, 
 and the impofition of his holy paw is as honour¬ 
 able among them, as the receiving the doctor’s 
 cap in the univerftty of Salamanca is in Spain. 
 Afterwards, the juice of certain diftilled herbs is 
 poured upon their eyes, and this is the prieftly 
 anointing; after which, thefe new priefts know 
 how to calm the fpirits of all beings, animate, 
 or inanimate ; hold fecret intelligences with 
 thofe fpirits i and lhare with them in their 
 virtues. 
 
 There are other medico-phyficians fuperior to 
 the above-mentioned, whole office extends no I 
 
 farther than to calm the fpirits, and receive their 
 oracles. They never attain to this lupreme dig¬ 
 nity till after having practifed phyfic for a long 
 courfe of years ; they are alfo obliged to fall for 
 a whole year together, and their abftinence, fays 
 the relation of the Moxes, muff exhibit itfelf by 
 their pale and wan countenances. At certain 
 feafons of the year, particularly at the new moon, 
 they affemble their people on fome hill at a little 
 diftance from the town. At break of day, all 
 the affembly march to that place with a deep 
 filence, but the moment they arrive at the halt¬ 
 ing place, they break out into hideous cries, fay 
 they, to molify the hearts of their deities. The 
 whole day is l'pent in falling and confufed noifes, 
 and towards the evening, they conclude with the 
 following ceremonies. The priefts begin by cut¬ 
 ting the hair, which among them is a token of 
 great joy and gladnefs, and cover their bodies 
 with red and yellow feathers ; which being done, 
 they have great vefiels brought them, into which 
 they pour the liquor prepared for the folemnity ; 
 this they receive as the firft-fraits offered to their 
 idols, of which they drink inordinately, then give 
 it to all the people, who quaff it off to great ex¬ 
 cels, and the whole night is fpent in drinking and 
 dancing. One of them fmgs the fong, when all 
 of them drawing round him in a circle, begin to 
 draw their feet after them in cadence, and to loll 
 their heads from one fide to another with a care- 
 lefs air, at the fame time throwing their bodies 
 into very indecent poftures; and the warmth of 
 their piety and religion, is judged by the diftor- 
 tions into which they throw themfelves. 
 
 Some other nations, who are all confounded 
 under the name of Moxes in the relations of the 
 Jeluits, worlhip the fun, moon, and ftars, and 
 others pay adoration to rivers. Some always 
 carry about them a great number of little idols, 
 made in a very ridiculous fhape. Every a6t of 
 piety and religion flows from a principle of fear, 
 and among fo great a number of people, to 
 whom the miffionaries and Spaniards have given 
 the name of Moxes, they, fays the author of that 
 relation, have not been able to difeover but one or 
 two nations who employ any kind of facrifice. 
 Their medico-phyficians, enchanters, or quacks, 
 prelcribe alfo to their fick, but we do not hear 
 that they take their degrees like the priefts of 
 Paraguay : Be that as it will, when the former 
 are fent for to the fick, they mumble certain fu- 
 perftitious prayers over them, promife to fall for 
 their health lake, and to fmoke tobacco a certain 
 number of times every day. But it may be a 
 queftion whether they really do it as fincerely as 
 they pretend to do ? They alfo fuck the difeafed 
 part, which is a prodigious favour; after this, 
 they withdraw, but upon condition, however, of 
 being liberally rewarded for their fervices. 
 
 Their marriage confifts in the mutual confent 
 of both parties, and in fome prefents which the 
 bridegroom makes to the bride’s father, or 
 neareft relation. The confent of thofe who 
 contradl it, is looked upon as nothing; and 
 they have another very whimfical cuftom 
 among them, viz. that a wife may live where 
 Ihe pleafes, and her hufband is obliged to fol¬ 
 low her up and down. If they have but one 
 wife, it is becaufe they can get no more, for they 
 favour polygamy both by cuftom and inclination, 
 
 and 
 
The RELIGION of the P E R U V I A N §. 
 
 and always put it in praftice whenever they have 
 an opportunity to do it. They look upon the 
 incontinence of women as a moft enormous 
 crime ; and if any of them happens to run coun¬ 
 ter to her duty, (he is looked upon as an infa¬ 
 mous creature, and a proftitute, and is liable to be 
 put to death. If men are unjuft in any thing, it is 
 certainly on this occafion ; for why are not women 
 allowed to punilh the lewdnefs of men ? Or, at 
 lead, why do we not indulge a fex, whofe frailty 
 is the daily fubjeft of our ridicule, to divert 
 themfelves at the mens expence, who are vaftly 
 more frail than women ? forgetting twenty times 
 a day at their feet, their fo much boafted ftrength 
 of mind, and facrificing all that is moft valuable 
 to their charms. 
 
 The women prepare the liquor which their 
 hufbands drink, and take care of the children. 
 They have the barbarity whenever a woman dies, 
 to bury her little children with her, and in cafe 
 file happens to be brought to bed of twins, (lie 
 buries one of them, and the reafon Ibe give’s for 
 it is, that it is impoffible to nurfe two'children 
 well together. They have a very obfcure idea of 
 the immortality of the foul, and bury their dead 
 with very little ceremony. The relations of the 
 deceafed dig a grave, whither they attend upon 
 the body with a deep filence, which is interrupted 
 by nothing but fobs ; and as foon as the body 
 is laid in the ground, they divide between them¬ 
 felves the things it was wrapt in. Father Sepp 
 tells us, in a letter of his publilhed in the eleventh 
 colledtion of curious and edifying letters. That 
 fome people of Paraguay cut their own fino-ers, 
 and afterwards their toes, according as their rela¬ 
 tions go off the fpot. A man is very unhappy in 
 that country who has a great many old relations ; 
 for he runs the hazard of being mutilated very 
 young : But then we may afk father Sepp, if he 
 himfelf was an eye-witnefs to that unaccountable 
 mutilation. 
 
 The truth is, the Jefuits in all their accounts 
 of thefe people, coniider particular praftices as 
 general rules; and thus becaufe there really are 
 iome fuch enthufiafts among thefe people who 
 cut oft their fingers and toes, fo they have told us 
 that they all do fo. There are many women in 
 the Laft-Indies, as has been already taken notice 
 of, who burn themlelves along with the dead 
 bodies of their hufbands ; but this is fo far from 
 being an impofed law, that no one is obliged to 
 do it. ° 
 
 Indeed, when we confider the nature of the 
 Spanifh government, and the bigotry of the peo¬ 
 ple, we need not be furprized that thefe favages 
 have remained fo long in ignorance. The Hea¬ 
 thens fee nothing in the Romilh ceremonies, ex¬ 
 cept a few gaudy genteel ornaments ; and pro¬ 
 bably the man of reading and experience, will 
 pay little regard to the difference fubfifting be¬ 
 tween rudenels and politenefs in religion, fo as 
 both confift of idolatry. 
 
 The Religion of the Peruvians. 
 
 Peru was long a celebrated empire, and if we 
 may believe fome writers, filver and gold were in 
 as great plenty here, as the bafeft metals, nay, 
 
 419 
 
 even as coals are with us. But what we have to 
 treat of are their religious fentiments. 
 
 The Peruvians, before their being governed 
 by their Incas, worfhipped a numberlefs mul¬ 
 titude of gods, or rather genii. There was no 
 nation, family, city, ftreet, or even houfe, but 
 had its peculiar gods; and that becaufe they 
 thought none but the god to whom they (bould 
 immediately devote themfelves, was able to affift 
 them in time of need. They worlhipped herbs, 
 plants, flowers, trees, mountains, caves ; and in 
 the province of Puerto Viego, emeralds, tygers, 
 lyons, adders; and, not to tire the reader with an 
 enumeration of the feveral objects they thought 
 worthy of religious worlhip, every thing that ap¬ 
 peared v/onderful in their eyes, was thought wor¬ 
 thy of adoration. 
 
 Thefe antient idolaters of Peru offered not only 
 the fruits of the earth and animals to thefe gods, 
 but alio their captives, like the reft of the Ame¬ 
 ricans. We are allured, that they ufed to facri- 
 nce their own children, whenever there was a 
 Icarcity of Victims. Thefe facrifices were per¬ 
 formed by cutting open the vidtims alive, and af¬ 
 terwards tearing out their hearts; they then 
 imeared the idol, to whom they were facrificing, 
 with the blood yet reeking, as was the cuftom of 
 Mexico. The pneft burnt the viftim’s heart, 
 after having viewed it in order to fee whether the 
 lacrihce would be agreeable to the idol. Some 
 other idolaters offered their own blood to their 
 deities, which they drew from their arms and 
 thighs, according as the facrifice was more or lefs 
 lolemn ; and they even ufed, on extraordinary oc- 
 caiions, to let themfelves blood at the tips of their 
 noitrils; or between the eye-brows. We are 
 however to obferve, that thefe kinds of bleed¬ 
 ing were not always an aft of religious wor- 
 
 dif^V bUt WCre °^ ten empl °>' cd P ure] y to prevent 
 
 Such was the date of idolatry all over Peru, 
 when Mango-capac, the law-giver of that vaft 
 empire, taught thofe favages the worlhip of the 
 p an d the Supreme God, under the name of 
 rachamacac. Before we make any refleftions on 
 that new religion, we mull: inform the reader, 
 that Mango-capac and his wife, were the chil¬ 
 dren ot the fun, and that they both received 
 a commilJion of equal import from that planet, to 
 teach and humanize the Peruvians. They fet out 
 from Titicaca, and guiding themfelves with a 
 golden rod which the fun had given them, and 
 which was to fink in the earth, when they were 
 come to the place where they were to fettle by 
 the command of that planet, they accordingly 
 travelled northward, having continual inftanecs 
 of the virtue of this golden rod, which at hit 
 lunk down in the valley of Cufco ; and it was 
 Here they took a refolution of fixing the feat of 
 empire. Immediately this offspring of the fun 
 employed fpintual weapons ; the brother and 
 filter began to preach their father’s religion, and 
 made a great number of prolelytes, who pofiibly 
 might have been as much won over by the no¬ 
 velties of the equipage, and the advantages of the 
 new religion, as by the force of inward con- 
 viflion. The boldnefs of thefe miffionaries, their 
 iurprizing vocation, the ideas of power and fupe- 
 riomy, which theyinfufed into the minds of thofe 
 grofs and brutifh people, raifed them undoubtedly 
 
 a con- 
 
aj 6 The R E L I G I O N of 
 
 a conficurable number of followers in a little time; 
 among whom, the new law-giver was particularly 
 careful of making choice of the ableft and molt 
 fkilful, for the Getter eflablifhing his authority, 
 which he afterwards enlarged by conqueffc, and at 
 laft abolifhed the ancient religion, commanding, 
 fays the IncaGarcilafio, all his fubjedts to worlhip 
 the fun. This Inca Mango-capac, not fatisfied 
 with making a reformation among his lubjedts in 
 things relating to the deity, he likewife gave them 
 excellent political laws, and founded fuch won¬ 
 derful inftitutions, as might juflly be compared to 
 the moll boafted among the Europeans. 
 
 The laft words of that monarch merit our ut- 
 moft attention. He above all recommended to 
 the Peruvians, the worllupping of the fun as their 
 god and father. It mult nectfiarily have hap¬ 
 pened, lays the Inca Garcilaflo, that Mango- 
 capac having a perfedt knowledge of the ftupidity 
 of this people, and the great need they had of be¬ 
 ing T.ilrudted in the duties of morality, judged it 
 would be proper for him to feign that he and his 
 wife were the offspring of the fun, and that their 
 father had fent them from heaven. The better 
 to poffefs the Peruvians with this opinion, he ap¬ 
 peared among them in a fplendid manner, and 
 diflinguifhed himfelf particularly by the largc- 
 nefs of his ears, which were of fo incredible a 
 fize, that we could never have believed that cir- 
 cumftance, had it not been feen in his defendants. 
 In this manner the ancient law-givers have made 
 an advantage of the favourable opinion their peo¬ 
 ple had of them •, and fome of them have even 
 had artifice enough to make a merit of certain 
 pretty remarkable defedts, both of body and 
 mind. The long and repeated retirements of 
 Numa Pompilius, during which he was probably 
 feized with violent fits of melancholy, and the 
 extafies of Mahomet are well known. And as 
 Mango-capac, continues Garcilaflo, corrobarated 
 the fidion of his genealogy, by the great advan¬ 
 tages he procured his iubjedts, they really be¬ 
 lieved him to be the offspring of the lun, and 
 that he was come from heaven to alTift them. 
 Thefe would almoft perfuade us, that they were 
 guided by a more exalted principle than that of 
 nature, were we not certain that leveral antient 
 legiflators exhibit as fhining examples of the force 
 of natural truths. The virtuous Mango-capac 
 was loon after deified : His iubjedts railed altars 
 to his honour, and to lus fucceffors after him; 
 not but they were perfuaded that thofe Incas were 
 mortal men, but they had paid them thefe ho¬ 
 nours out of gratitude, for the favours they had 
 received from the pofterity of the fun, whom, we 
 are told, they worfhipped only. In order to 
 make this fyftem of religion appear lei's abfurd and 
 ridiculous, we muft iuppofe that they confidered 
 their Incas in the fame light as the antient Greeks 
 did their heroes, and the Romans, Romulus, and 
 fome of their emperors. They might imagine 
 that the children of the fun, became the titular 
 divinities of the kingdom, and that in recompence 
 for the virtues they had pradlifed in this mortal 
 life, they enjoyed the privilege of being the de- 
 pofitaries, as it were, of their prayers, as alfo of 
 prefenting them to that planet. However, the 
 Peruvians denied, pretty ftrongly, the conie- 
 quences which might have been drawn from theif 
 practice. 
 
 the PERUVIANS. 
 
 GarcilafTo relates, that the above-mentioned 
 people, in procefs of time, built temples to the 
 fun, and embelliihed them with ornaments of 
 a prodigious value; but they did not pay the 
 lame honours to the moon ; for though they 
 looked upon her as both wife and filler of the 
 lun, and even as mother of the Incas, w r e yet 
 do not meet with one fingle inftance of their pay¬ 
 ing any worfhip to that goddefs, or their having 
 facrificed on her altars, or eredted temples to her 
 glory, though at the fame time they had her in 
 the utmoft veneration, fo far as they call her the 
 univerlal mother of all things ; but their idolatry 
 went no farther. They called thunder and light¬ 
 ening, the executors of the fun’s juftice; and in 
 that quality they were honoured fo far, as to have 
 an apartment allotted to them in the houfe of the 
 lun, at Culco. But this is no confequence of 
 their having been ranked among the number of 
 the gods, as a Spanifh hiftorian would perfuade us 
 they were ; lb far from it, that if a houfe, or any 
 other place happened to be llruck with thunder, 
 it was fo much detefted by them, that they im¬ 
 mediately ftopped up the door with dirt and 
 Hones, in order to prevent any one’s ever enter¬ 
 ing into it; and if any thunder happened to fall 
 in the country, they always pointed out the place 
 with flakes, or fuch like marks, in order to pre¬ 
 vent any one’s walking over it In a word, they 
 gave the epithets of unhappy and curfed to thofe 
 places, and added, that the fun fent down thofe 
 curies upon them, by the mediation of thunder, 
 which they confidered as his lacquey, and the 
 miniller of juilice. 
 
 Notwithftanding they adhered fo zealoufly to 
 the worfhip of the fun, yet the molt knowing 
 among the Indians acknowledge a foul of the 
 world, or rather firft mover of matter, railed 
 by them Pachacamac, which GarcilalTb tells us 
 fignifies exprelsly. He who animates the world. 
 He adds, that their veneration for this word was 
 lo great, that they did not dare to utter it; but 
 in cafe they were forced to do it at any time, they 
 always pronounced it with the greateft tokens 
 of fubmiluon and refpedl, fhrugging up their 
 fhoulders, {looping their heads and bodies, lift¬ 
 ing up their eyes towards heaven, and on a 
 fudden calling them on the ground ; laying their 
 hands extended on the right fnoulder, and killing 
 the air. They paid a confiderable part of this 
 worlhip to the fun, and even to the Incas; ne- 
 verthelefs GarcilafTo relates, that they hadHn re¬ 
 ality a much greater veneration for Pachacamac 
 than for the fun. They acknowledged, that he 
 alone animated the univerie, and continued its 
 exiftence ; but then, as they had never feen him, 
 they confidered him as the unknown god, or 
 rather an invifible and immaterial being. From 
 an anfv/er which the In.ca Atahualipa made, one 
 would be apt to think, that the word Pachacamac 
 was one of the fun’s attributes. The Peruvians 
 took the character of Cupai to be diredlly oppofite 
 to that of Pachacamac, and whenever they were 
 obliged to name him, they ufed to fpit upon 
 the ground, in token of their mortal averlion 
 for that wicked being. They only paid a bare 
 refpedl to the moon, in quality of the fun’s 
 wife and filler; and they honoured the ftars, 
 whom they faid were the women, or maids of 
 honour to the houfe of thefe planets, 
 i 
 
 Here 
 
The RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES 
 
 Here follows the account that Garcilaffq gives 
 of the Huacas or Guacas, which feems more juft 
 and rational than what Purchas has cited in his 
 collections, upon the authority of feveral Spanifh 
 authors. GarcilafTo informs us, that the word 
 Huaca fignifies idol and facred things; fuch 
 were the reprefentations of the fun ; the offerings 
 they made him, fuch as the figures of men, birds, 
 quadrupeds, in gold, filver, and wood ; not ex¬ 
 cepting rocks, trees, ftones, caverns, temples, 
 and tombs, which God fandtified either by his 
 prefence or his oracles. They alfo gave the 
 name of Huacas to the Genii; to the heroes 
 ranked among the immortals ; to all fuch things 
 as were molt beautiful and excellent in their kind, 
 andeventothemifhapenandmonftrous. The Spa¬ 
 niards, continues GarcilafTo, who were ignorant 
 of thefe various fignifications, imagined that the 
 Indians took all thofe things to which they gave 
 the name of Eluacas for deities, and likewife 
 fancied that the Peruvians worfhipped hills and 
 hillocks under the name of Apachitas, for want 
 of knowing, that the corrupted word Apachefta, 
 which often fignifies he who cauies to fupport or 
 furmount fome difficulty, expreffed, in the La¬ 
 conic way of fpeaking ul'ed by the Indians, the 
 following kind of bleffing : Let us return thanks 
 to him, who has enabled us to fupport the 
 fatigue we have undergone in walking up this 
 
 hill. 
 
 Thefe prayers were offered up to Pachacamac, 
 whom they then worfhipped mentally, for having 
 afiifted them in this fatigue. When they were 
 got to the top of the hill, they laid down their 
 burdens, in cafe they carried any; and after hav¬ 
 ing lifted up their eyes to heaven, they caff them 
 down on the ground? and gave the lame tokens 
 of adoration as they ufed with regard to Pacha¬ 
 camac. Moreover, they repeated the dative 
 Apachedta two or three times over, and after¬ 
 wards ufed, by way of offering, to pull up the hairs 
 from their eye-brows, and whether they tore 
 them up or not, they always blew them in the 
 air, as if they intended to waft them to heaven. 
 They had alfo a cuftom of putting an herb called 
 Cuca in their mouths, which they threw into the 
 air, in token that they offered all their moft pre¬ 
 cious things to Pachacamac. They were even fo 
 foolifhly fuperftitious as to offer him fplintersof 
 wood, or even ftraws, in cafe they could not meet 
 with any thing better, or fome flint ftone; and 
 for want of thefe, an handful of earth. Large 
 pieces of thefe offerings were feen upon the tops 
 of the hill. They never looked up to the fun 
 when they performed thefe ceremonies, becaufe 
 they did not then worfhip that planet, but Pa¬ 
 chacamac. 
 
 The Incas, and the Peruvians their fubjedts, 
 ufed to lacrifice feveral forts of animals in honour 
 of the fun. They alfo offered him cocoa, corn, 
 rich cloaths, and a liquor made of water and 
 maize. They always prefented the laft offering 
 to the fun in the following manner: {C When 
 they were very dry, they firft fell to eating, and 
 afterwards dipt the tip of their finger in the vef- 
 lel into which the liquor was poured, and this 
 being done, they lifted up their eyes to heaven 
 in a very fubmiffive manner; fhook that finger 
 on which the drop hung, and offered it to the 
 37 
 
 of the PERUVIANS. 44I 
 
 fun as an acknowledgement for his goodnefs in 
 providing drink for them. At the fame time 
 they gave two or three kiffes to the air, and this 
 oblation being made, they all drank as they 
 thought proper. Every time they entered into 
 their temples, the chief man in the company laid 
 his hand on o.ne of his eye-brows, and .whether 
 he tore off any of. the hairs from thence or not, 
 he blew it into the air. before the idol, as.a mark 
 of its being an oblation.” They paid the fame 
 adoration to trees, and to all fuch things as they 
 imagined a divine virtue had made facred and 
 religious. 
 
 The Peruvians paid a kind of worfhip to the 
 city of Culco, becaufe of its being, founded by 
 Mango-capac, and we fhall oblerve, that heathen 
 Rome had antiently the fame reverence paid to 
 it by its inhabitants. At Cufco was that won¬ 
 derful temple of the fun, the beauty and riches 
 whereof furpalfed imagination, we fhall tran- 
 fcribe the defcription which the Inca GarcilafTo 
 has given us thereof. His words are as follows: 
 The high altar of this pompous edifice flood eaft- 
 ward, and the roof, which was made of timber, 
 and very thick, was thatched over, they having 
 no tile or brick among them. The four walls of 
 the temple, to confider them from the top down¬ 
 wards, were all covered over with plates of gold. 
 On the high altar was made the figure of the 
 fun, which was alfo reprefented on a gold plate, 
 twice as thick as thofe above-mentioned. This 
 figure, which was made of one continued piece, 
 was reprefented with a round face, furrounded 
 with rays and flames, in the fame manner as our 
 painters ufually draw it. It was of fo prodigious 
 a breadth, that it almoft covered one fide of the 
 wall, on which nothing was reprefented but that 
 idol; the reafon of which was, becaufe this was 
 the only one thofe Indians had, either in that, or 
 any other temple ; nor did they worfhip any other 
 deity than the fun, whatever fome writers may 
 affirm to the contrary. 
 
 On each fide of the image of the fun, the feve¬ 
 ral bodies of their deceafed monarchs were 
 ranged in order, according to the courfe of their 
 refpedtive reigns, and fo embalmed, the manner 
 of which was a fecret, that they feemed to be 
 alive. They were feated on thrones of gold, 
 raifed on plates of the fame metal, with their 
 faces looking towards the bottom of the temple; 
 but Huana-capac, the beft beloved of all the 
 fun’s children, had the peculiar advantage above 
 the reft, of being placed diredtly oppofite to the 
 image of that planet; and that becaufe of his 
 having merited adoration during his life-time, 
 and for having pradlifed the moft exalted virtues, 
 and difeovered qualities worthy the greateil 
 monarch, from his very infancy. But upon the 
 coming of the Spaniards, the Indians hid thofe 
 bodies with the reft of the treafure; and not- 
 withftanding the ftridleft learch has been made 
 after them, they are not yet found. 
 
 This temple had feveral gates, which were all 
 covered over with plates of gold, the chief of 
 which looked towards the north, as it ftill does 
 to this day. Moreover, round the walls of this 
 temple was a plate of gold, in the lhape of a 
 crown or garland, and above an ell broad. On 
 one fide of the temple was a cloifttr, built in a 
 5 T quadrangular 
 
442 The R E LI G I O U S C E R E M 
 
 quadrangular form, and in its higheft enclofure a 
 garland of pure gold, an ell broad, like the above- 
 mentioned. Round this cloifter were five great 
 fquare pavillions, or houfes, covered over in the 
 fhape of a pyramid. The firft was built for the 
 habitation of the moon, the fun’s wife, and flood 
 the neareft to the great chapel of the temple •, the 
 doors and enclolures of it were covered with El¬ 
 ver plates, its white colour denoting that it was 
 the apartment allotted to the moon, whole figure 
 was painted like that of the fun, but with this 
 difference, that it flood upon a filver plate, and 
 was reprefented with a woman’s face. It was here 
 thefe isolators came and offered up their prayers 
 to the moon, whom they imagined to be filter and 
 wife to the fun, the mother of their Incas, and of 
 their whole poflerity. In quality of this lad, they 
 gave her the name of Mama Quilca, or Mother 
 Moon, but without offering any facrifices to her 
 as to the fun. On both fides of this figure were 
 the bodies of their deceafed queens, ranged in or¬ 
 der, according to their antiquity. Mama Oello, 
 mother to Huaya-capac, had her face turned 
 towards the moon, and from a peculiar advan¬ 
 tage, was placed above the reft, becaufe of her 
 being the mother of fo worthy a fon. 
 
 Next to the manfion of the moon, was that 
 of Venus, the Pleiades, and thofe of all the other 
 liars. They gave the name of Chafca to the 
 planet Venus, by which her long and curled hair 
 was fignified. Venus was moreover greatly ho¬ 
 noured, becaufe they fancied her to be the fun’s 
 page, faying, that fhe fometimes went before, and 
 at other times behind him. They alfo paid great 
 reverence to the Pleiades, becaufe of their won¬ 
 derful difpofition, and their appearing to be all 
 equal in magnitude. The others in general were 
 called the moon’s waiting-maids, and for this rea- 
 ion they have an apartment affigned them near 
 their lady, in order to be at hand whenever fine 
 wants them, becaufe they imagined that the 
 liars were fixed in the fky, for the fervice of the 
 moon, and not that of the fun, fince they are 
 yifible in the night only. This apartment and its 
 great gate, were covered over with plates of 
 filver, like that of the moon, and its roof feemed 
 to reprefent the Iky, being adorned with liars 
 of different magnitudes. The third apartment 
 next this laft was facred to thunder and light¬ 
 ening. 
 
 The two laft were not confidered as gods, 
 but as the fun’s lacquies, and they had the fame 
 idea of them, as the antient Heathens had of 
 thunder, which they looked upon as an inftru- 
 ment of Jupiter’s vengeance. For this reafon, their 
 Incas aftigned an apartment, ceiled with gold, to 
 thunder and lightening, which they fancied were 
 the fun’s domeftics, and confequently refide in 
 his houfe ; and they did not reprefent either of 
 thefe images in relievo, or on a flat furface, and 
 that becaufe they could not copy them from the 
 life, they chiefly ftudying nature in all their 
 images ; but they honoured them under the name 
 of Yllapa. The Spanifh writers have not yet 
 found out the fignification of this word ; for fome 
 of theie have endeavoured to draw a parallel be¬ 
 tween their idolatry and our holy religion, in 
 this refpedt •, but they have been prodigioufly 
 miftaken in it, as well as in feveral other partial - 
 . 2 
 
 ONIES of the PERUVIANS, 
 lars, wherein they have fought, though with lefs 
 foundation, for fymbols, or figns of the blelfed 
 trinity, by giving fuch an explication as they 
 thought proper, to the names of the country, and 
 afcribing a belief to the Indians which they ne¬ 
 ver had, as has been already fhewn in another 
 place. 
 
 The fourth apartment was facred to the rain¬ 
 bow, becaufe they found that it owed its birth to 
 the fun. This apartment was all enriched with 
 gold, and the rainbow was reprefented after the 
 life, on plates of this metal, with all its variety of 
 Colours, on one of the faces of the building, and 
 this phenomenon was drawn fo prodigious large, 
 that it reached from one wall to the other. They 
 called it Cuychu, and had it in very great ve¬ 
 neration ; and whenever it appeared in the air, 
 they immediately fhut their mouths, and put their 
 hands upon it, imagining that were they to open 
 it ever fo little, their teeth would infallibly rot. 
 The fifth and laft apartment was that of the 
 high-prieft, and of the other priefts, who admi- 
 niftered in the temple, and who were all obliged 
 to be of the royal blood of the Incas. This 
 apartment, enriched like the reft, with gold from 
 top to bottom, was not ufed either for eatino- or 
 fleeping, but as an apartment for giving audi¬ 
 ence, and to conlult about fuch facrifices and 
 other things as related to the fervice of the 
 temple. 
 
 We mud not omit a very remarkable circum- 
 ftance, which is, that in the temple of Cufco, 
 there were the feveral gods of thofe nations whom 
 the Incas had conquered. Thefe were there ferved 
 and adored in the prefence of the fun, but their 
 worftiip was conditional. They were firft obliged 
 to worlhip that planet in quality of the great 
 god, upon which confideration, they were per¬ 
 mitted to ferve the other deities ; and fuch was 
 the ftate policy of the Incas, who did not make 
 a dreadful havock of men’s confciences, by terri¬ 
 fying them with fvvord and halter. On the con¬ 
 trary, they were of opinion, that fome regard 
 ought to be paid to the religion of a vanquifted 
 people, and juftly perceived that it would infenfi- 
 bly die away at the fight of a worfhip, which, as 
 it was lefs abfurd, was at the fame time fupported 
 by the royal authority, nor were they miftaken 
 in their conjedtures, for the worftiip of the fun 
 was more and more received, and would have 
 rooted out that of their ftrange gods, had 
 not the empire of the Incas been deftroyed 
 by the Spaniards. But we ftall drop thefe re¬ 
 flexions, and leave the reader to draw fuch con- 
 clufions as he ftall judge proper, from what has 
 been already mentioned. We ftall not deferibe 
 the pompous temple at Titicaca, but refer 
 the reader to their other ceremonies. This was 
 one of the mod folemn ceremonies of the greac 
 feaft of that planet, which was kept in June, 
 and is a proof of what we before advanced, viz. 
 that Pachacamac was one of the attributes of the 
 iun, that refplendant fire, which was antiently 
 worftipped by the Perfians and Chaldeans. The 
 Peruvians aflerted, that in this folemn feaft they 
 particularly worftipped the father of light, as be¬ 
 ing the foie, fupreme, and univerfal god, whole 
 light and virtue gave birth and nourifhment to all 
 worldly beings. They alfo folemnized it as 
 
 / a public 
 
The RELIGIOUS CERE MO 
 
 a public acknowledgement that the fun was 
 the father of the firft Inca, and of all his pofte- 
 rity. 
 
 The feftival opened with facrifices,and theyfaid, 
 it was not lawful to ufe any fire in thofe facri- 
 fices, but that which was prefented them by the 
 fun’s own hand; for this purpofe they made ufe 
 of a great bracelet, called Chipana, like thofe 
 which the Incas wore on their left wrilts, with 
 this difference, that that which was worn by their 
 chief prieft was larger than the reft. They had 
 inftead of a medal, a concave veffel, about the 
 bignefs of half an orange, very fmooth and 
 glittering. This they placed direftly oppofite 
 to the fun, and in a certain point where the rays 
 which fhot from the veffel were all collected : 
 and applied to it, inftead of a match, a little 
 cotton lint, which immediately took fire from a 
 natural effedt. With this fire thus lighted, and 
 given by the hand of the fun, they ufed to burn 
 their victims, and roaft all the flefti which they 
 eat that day. 
 
 After that, they took fome of the fame fire, 
 carried it to the temple of the fun, and the 
 houfe of the virgins eledt, and there it was pre- 
 ferved all the year ; and its going out was con- 
 lidered as a very unlucky omen. In cale the 
 fun happened not to ftiine out the eve before 
 the feftival, on which day every thing was pre¬ 
 pared for the facrifice that was to be made on the 
 morrow, and confequently if there were no poffi- 
 bility of getting fire that way, they then took 
 two little fticks, about as thick as one’s thumb, 
 and half an ell in length, made of a wood called 
 Vyaca, very like cinnamon, and thefe, by being 
 rubbed together very hard, had feveral fparks of 
 fire drawn out of them which fet fire to the 
 match. Notwithftanding that this was a very 
 good way of ftriking fire, they neverthelefs, 
 when neceflity forced them to ufe it in the facri- 
 fices which were made on their feftivals, difco- 
 vered a deep affliction, and looked upon it as a 
 very ill omen, faying, that the fun muft necef- 
 farily be very angry with them, fince he refu- 
 l'ed to give them fire with his hand. 
 
 The chief captains of the empire, and the Cu- 
 racas, or Caciques, always aftifted at this fefti¬ 
 val : Thefe, when they were prevented from ad- 
 miniftering at it in perfon, either by very ur¬ 
 gent affairs, or extreme old age, ufed always to 
 fend their fons or brothers, accompanied with 
 the nobleft of their relations, as their proxies. 
 The Inca, in quality of l'on to the glorious planet 
 of the day, always opened the feftival ; nor 
 could he be prevented from fo doing, unlefs war 
 called him another way, or he was obliged to make 
 a progrefs through his empire. All the nobility of 
 the Empire went in proceftion to prefent their 
 oblations to the fun, and the Curacas appeared 
 in a moft fplendid, but very whimfical drefs. 
 Some of thefe had robes, adorned with gold 
 and filver plates, and garlands of the fame 
 on their caps, and others were drafted in lions 
 lkins. 
 
 After thefe there advanced others, whom, 
 with regard to their drefs, we fhall take the 
 liberty of comparing to angels, they bearing the 
 wings of a bird, to which they gave the name of 
 Cuntur. Thefe wings were fpeckled black and 
 white, and fixteen foot long from end to end. 
 
 N I E S of the PERUVIAN S. 443 
 
 and thofe who adorned themfelves with the fea^ 
 thers of thefe birds, did it purely to fhew they 
 were defeended from them. The Yuncas ufed 
 to difguife themfelves with certain frightful 
 mafks, by which means they made the moft 
 hideous figures that fancy could poftibly paint. 
 To fee the apifh tricks and diftortions they made 
 in thofe aflemblies, one would have taken them 
 for mad men ; and to make themfelves appear 
 more completely fo, they ufed to make a con- 
 fuled noife of diftbnant inftruments, luch as 
 flutes and drums, holding torn fkins in their 
 hands, and with thefe they ufed to play a thou- 
 fand filly tricks. After thefe Curacas there 
 advanced others dreffed in a different manner, 
 and each nation carried the weapons ufed by 
 them in war, fuch as bows, arrows, lances, jave¬ 
 lins, long and ffiort hatchets, to fight either with 
 one or both hands. 
 
 There were others alfo who wore ornaments, 
 on which were reprefented the glorious actions 
 they had performed in honour of the fun, and of 
 their Incas ; and others again were attended by 
 a great train of fervants, who played on atables, 
 and blew on the trumpet. In a word, every na¬ 
 tion appeared there in as much pomp and fplen- 
 dor, and with as great a train of domeftics as 
 they could pofl'ibly procure; they all endeavour¬ 
 ing to rival their neighbours in grandeur and 
 magnificence. They always prepared themfelves 
 for the folemnity of this feftival by a moft ftridt 
 faft, eating nothing every third day but a little 
 white raw maize, with certain herbs called Chu- 
 cam, nor ever drank any other liquor but water. 
 During this time, they abftained from all com¬ 
 merce with their wives, nor were fires made in 
 any part of the city. 
 
 After this faft, on the eve of the feaft of the 
 fun, the Inca priefts, whofe office it was to per¬ 
 form that facrifice, fpent the night in getting 
 ready the ffieep and lambs which were to be fa- 
 crificed ; and they alfo prepared the victuals and 
 drink that were to be prefented as an oblation to 
 the fun : Thefe feveral affairs were fettled, after 
 they had firft taken a pretty exaCt account of the 
 number of the people who were aflembled at the 
 feftival; for not only the Curacas, the ambaffa- 
 dors, their relations, their domeftics and fubjeCts, 
 partook of thefe oblations, but likewife all the 
 nations in general who were prefent at the fo¬ 
 lemnity. On the fame night, the women of the 
 fun were employed in kneading a kind of dough 
 called Cancu ; and this they made in little round 
 loaves, about the bignefs of an apple. We are 
 to oblerve, that thefe Indians never made their 
 corn into bread except at this folemn feaft, and 
 another called Citua, and then they never eat 
 more than two or three pieces of it; for their 
 common bread was called Gara, which was a 
 kind of pulfe; and the corn of which it was 
 made was either baked or parched. None but 
 fuch chofen virgins as had devoted themfelves to 
 the fun, in order to be his wives, were permitted 
 to knead the dough of which that bread was 
 made, particularly that which was eaten by the 
 Incas and thofe of the royal blood, or to prepare 
 the other viands which were to be eaten on that 
 feaft ; becaufe on that day, the fun’s children 
 did not eat their father, but rather the fun gave a 
 banquet to his children. The common people 
 
 were 
 
444 The RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES of the PERUVIANS. 
 
 were waited upon by a numberlefs multitude of 
 other women, who prepared their vi&uals, and 
 took a vaft deal of care in working up the bread 
 which was made for their ufe, and was always of 
 the fin eft flour. They were not allowed to eat 
 any of it except on this folemn day, which was 
 the greateft of all their feftivals, for they thought 
 this bread to be of a very facred nature. 
 
 On the moft folemn day of the feaft, the Inca 
 appeared in public, accompanied with his rela¬ 
 tions, when he went with all his train to the great 
 fquare in Cufco, and there waited bare-footed 
 till fuch time as the fun fhould rife, during which 
 he looked attentively towards the eaft. The 
 moment he faw it appear upon the horizon, he 
 fell proferate on his knees, and opening his arms 
 diredlly oppofite to his face, killed the air : The 
 Curacas and other nobles of the empire flood at 
 fome diftance, and worlhipped the fun in imita¬ 
 tion of the Inca, and the princes of the blood. 
 Then’ the Inca role up, the reft continuing ftill 
 upon their knees, and took two great golden 
 vales, filled with drink, and at the fame time, he, 
 in quality of chief of the houfe of the fun, lifted 
 up one of thofe vafes, and Ihewing it to the fun, 
 invited him to drink. The Peruvians were per- 
 fuaded that this planet pledged the Inca and all 
 the princes of the blood. 
 
 After the Inca had invited the fun to drink in 
 this manner, he poured all the liquor that was in 
 the veflel dedicated to the fun, which he held in his 
 right hand, into a golden tub with ears, whence the 
 drink diffufed itfelf as from a fpring into a pipe 
 that was curioufly wrought, and which reached 
 from the great fquare to the houfe of the fun. 
 When that was done, he drank a little of it, as 
 his portion, out of the veflel which he held in 
 his left hand, and at the fame time the reft was 
 divided among the Incas, by a little gold or filver 
 veflel which each of them had brought with him. 
 In this manner they infenfibly emptied the Inca’s 
 veflel, the liquor whereof, according to them, 
 was lan&ified by his hand, or that of the fun, 
 whofe virtue is communicated to them. All thofe 
 of the royal blood took a draught of this liquor, 
 but they gave the Curacas the drink which the 
 fun’s wives had made, and not that which they 
 believed to be fandtified. 
 
 This ceremony ended, which was no more 
 than a prelude to a quaffing-bout, they marched 
 in order to the houfe of the fun, when all, the 
 king excepted, pulled off their ftioes and block¬ 
 ings at two hundred paces diftance from the 
 gates of the temple. Then the Inca and his re¬ 
 lations entered it, as being the fun’s legitimate 
 offspring, and proftrated themfelves before his 
 image. In the mean time, the Curacas,. who 
 thought themfelves unworthy of entering his 
 temple, becaufe they were not related to him, 
 ftood,without in a great court which was before 
 the gate; and the very moment the Inca had, 
 with his own hand offered the golden veflel, with 
 which he had performed the ceremony, the reft 
 gave theirs to thofe Inca priefts, who had been 
 nominated and dedicated to the fervice of the 
 fun ; for they only were allowed to execute that 
 office, and not even thofe who were related to 
 the fun, unlefs they were of the priefthood. When 
 the facrificers had offered the vefiels of the Lnca, 
 
 l they went all to the door, to receive thofe of the 
 ! Curacas, who all walked according to their re- 
 lpecftive ranks, and in the order of time thev had 
 ; been reduced under the empire of Incas. Befides 
 ; their Veffels they alfo prefented to the fun feveral 
 gold and filver pieces, reprefenting in miniature, 
 but very naturally, various kinds of animals, as 
 bleep, lambs, lizards, toads, adders, foxes, tygers, 
 ■ lions, birds of all kinds, and every thing that 
 grew in their refpe£tive provinces. 
 
 The offering being ended, each of them re¬ 
 turned in order to his place, and at the fame time 
 the Inca priefts were ieen advancing forward with 
 a great number of lambs, barren ewes of all co¬ 
 lours, for they are naturally fpeckled in this man¬ 
 ner, like the Spanifh horfes. Out of all thefe 
 beafts, which belonged to the fun, they took a 
 black lamb; the Indians making choice of that 
 colour preferably to any other, particularly in 
 their facrifices ; becaufe, according to them, it 
 had fomething divine in it. To this they added, 
 that a black beaft was generally fo all over the 
 body, whereas a white one has generally a black 
 fpot upon its fnout, which they looked upon as a 
 blemifh, and for this reafon their kings were ge¬ 
 nerally dreffed in black, and their mourning ha¬ 
 bits were of a moufe-colour. 
 
 The fir ft facrifice which they made of a black 
 lamb, was in order to obtain happy or unhappy 
 prefages of the folemnity of their feaft ; for thefe 
 people in every important adtion, whether in 
 peace or war, always .facrificed a lamb, when they 
 took out its heart and lights, in order thereby to 
 judge whether or no their oblation would be 
 agreeable to the fun; if the war in which they 
 were going to be engaged, would be happy or 
 unfuccefsful, and whether the earth would yield 
 an abundance of fruits that year. But we are to 
 obferve, that they always lacrificed different ani¬ 
 mals, according to the nature of the prefages 
 which they were defirous of obtaining by that 
 means, as lambs, fheep, barren ewes ; for they 
 never killed any but what were fo, nor eat their 
 flefh till fuch time as they were paft bringing 
 forth young. In thefe facrifices, they took the 
 lamb or fheep which they had marked out for 
 (laughter, with his head turned eaftward, without 
 tying his feet together; but three or four men 
 held him with all their ftrength, to prevent his 
 ftirring. They then ripped up its left fide, the 
 beaft being ftill alive, and thrufting in their 
 hands, took from thence the heart, the lights, 
 and all the reft of the harflet, which they were 
 obliged to pull out entire, without tearing the 
 leaft part of it. 
 
 They were as fuperftitious at leaft as the 
 Greeks and the Romans in infpedling the intrails 
 of their victims, and this is manifeft from that 
 pafiage of the hiftory of the Incas above cited. 
 When the lights, after being juft taken out, were 
 found ftill panting, it was looked upon to be fo 
 happy an omen, that all other prefages were con- 
 fidered as indifferent or of no confequence; be¬ 
 caufe, faid they, this alone fufficed to make them 
 propitious, how unhappy foever they might be. 
 After they had taken out the harflet, they blew 
 up the bladder with their breath, then tied it up 
 at the end, or fqueezed it clofe with their hands., 
 obferying at the fame time how the paflages, 
 
 through 
 
The RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES of the PER U VIA I\ T S. 
 
 through which the air enters into the lungs, and 
 the fmal] veins which are generally found there, 
 Were fwelled ; becaufe the more they were in¬ 
 flated, the more the omen was propitious. They 
 alfo obferved feveral other particulars, which it 
 would be a difficult matter for us to relate. 
 
 They looked upon it as an ill omen, if while 
 they were ripping up the bead’s fide, it rofe up 
 and efcaped out of the hands of thofe who held it 
 down, and they alfo looked upon it as ill boding, 
 if the bladder, which generally joins to the harflet, 
 happened to break, and had thereby prevented 
 the taking it out entire ; or if the lights were 
 torn, or the heart putrified, and fo on. 
 
 The facrifices concluded with a feaft of the fa- 
 crificed vi6tim; this they diftributed among all 
 perfons who were prefent at this folemnity, viz. 
 to the Incas, and afterwards to the Curacas, and 
 their train, according to their refpedtive ranks. 
 After they had been thus ferved up with meat, 
 bread, which Garcilafio calls Cancu, was given 
 them. They were then ferved in other kinds of 
 vi£buals, all which they ufed to eat without drink- 
 the Peruvians not being allowed to drink 
 
 4 ' 45 ‘ 
 
 at meals. They never drank till thefe were over, 
 but then they would drink as copioufly as any of 
 the European nations. 
 
 They alfo had other feflivals, and that to which 
 Garcilafio gives the name of Citu, was very re¬ 
 markable, and might be looked upon as a gene¬ 
 ral lultration or purging by facrifice. The de- 
 fign of this lultration was, to cleanfe the foul 
 from thofe pollutions which it contracts with the 
 human body, and to preferve the latter from the 
 difeales to which it is cxpoled. Thefe people al¬ 
 ways prepared themfelves for it by fading, were 
 obliged to abltain from all commerce with wo¬ 
 men, and fait for twenty-four hours. The Pe¬ 
 ruvians, the night after the feaft, ufed to knead 
 pieces, or balls of Cancu, in a very devout man¬ 
 ner ; laid them in earthen kettles, and parboiled 
 them till fuch time as the Cancu was collected 
 into one great lump. Of this they made two 
 forts, one was mixed with blood, which they drew 
 from between the eye-brows and noftrils of 
 young children. All thofe who had faded, walked 
 their bodies before day-break, and afterwards 
 rubbed their heads, their faces, their domachs, 
 fhoulders, arms, and thighs, with the above- 
 mentioned dough, in order, faid they, by this 
 purification, to drive away difeafes and all kinds 
 of infirmities. The purification being ended, 
 the olded perfon of the highed quality in each 
 family, cook fomeof the above-mentioned dough, 
 rubbed the door of his houle with i^ and left i 
 
 lucking, to fhew that his houle was purified. 
 The high-prieit performed the fame ceremony in 
 the palace, and in the temple of the fun, whilft 
 his lubalterns or deputies purified the chapels and 
 other facred places. The moment the fun began 
 to appear, they began worfbipping it, and an 
 Inca of the royal family prefented himfelf in the 
 great fquare at Cufco, magnificently robed, hav¬ 
 ing a lance in fys hand, adorned with feathers of 
 various colours, and enriched with a great num¬ 
 ber of gold rings ; which lance was alfo ufed for 
 a itand'ard in war time. This Inca went and 
 joined himfelf to four others, who likewife were 
 armed with lances, which he touched-with his 
 33 
 
 own ; and this was a kind of confecration. He 
 then declared, that the fun had made choice of 
 them to drive away difeafes and infirmities; upon 
 which thefe four minifters of the fun immedi- 
 ttely fet out to execute their orders : They then 
 'ifited the feveral quarters or diftricts, upon 
 which occafion every body came out of their 
 houfes, (hook their garments, and rubbed their 
 heads, faces, arms, and thighs. Such were the 
 ceremonies which they thought purified them ; 
 and the whole was accompanied with great ac¬ 
 clamations of joy. The minifters of the fun 
 took away thofe evils which the people had juft 
 got rid of, and drove them to five or fix leagues 
 diftance from the city. 
 
 The night following, the above-mentioned 
 Incas ran up and down with draw torches, after 
 which they came out of the city, and this noc¬ 
 turnal luftration was of fervice in driving out 
 thofe evils to which the people are expofed in 
 the night time, as that of the lances had been 
 lerviceable in repelling thofe of the day. They 
 threw into the river in which the people had 
 wafiied themfelves, thofe half burnt torches, and 
 whenever any pieces of them were found by the 
 water-fide, they would run away from them as 
 if they had been infected with the plague. Thefe 
 feafts concluded with rejoicings, intermixed with 
 prayers, thanks, and facrifices to the fun. 
 
 But this account we have given of the Reli¬ 
 gion of thefe people, is only confident with what 
 date they were in when theSpaniards firft invaded 
 them. For before that time, there were many 
 other religious lentiments embraced, and there¬ 
 fore in this article we fiiall onlv give a tranfient 
 account of thofe nations whofe idolatry the Incas 
 deftroyed in order to eftablifh their own. Thofe 
 of the valley of Rimac, afterwards called Lima, 
 worihipped the idol Rimac under the figure of a 
 man, who anfwered fuch queftions as were made 
 it, like the ant lent oracles of Greece. Rimac is 
 as much as to fay, He who (peaks, and this idol 
 was lodged in a very magnificent temple, which, 
 however, was not fo pompous as that of Pacha- 
 camac. 
 
 They alfo worihipped Pachacamac, but offered 
 no victims to his honour ; and fo great was the 
 veneration they bore him, that they did not dare 
 to once caft their eyes up to him. Their kimr-s 
 and priefts always walked backwards whenever 
 they entered his temple, and came out of it in 
 the lame manner, without fo much as once lift¬ 
 ing up their eyes towards the idol. 
 
 The Antis, a people who inhabit towards the 
 mountains of Peru, worihipped tygers and ad¬ 
 ders, and alfo the herb Coca. They put all 
 their captives to death without the leaf!: mercy, 
 but with this difference, that a prifoner of no 
 diftindtion was immediately put to death, whereas 
 a man who was thought worthy of that fatal ho¬ 
 nour, was facrificed with great folemnity ; for 
 which purpofe he was ftripped naked, then they 
 tied him to a great flake, and afterwards flafhed 
 his whole body with knives and razors, made of 
 a flint (tone, ground very lharp. They did not 
 immediately tear him to pieces, but firft cut the 
 flefti from off the moft brawny parts, fuch as the 
 calves of the legs, the thighs and buttocks, 
 after which', their men, women, and children 
 5 U fmeared 
 
44^ The RELIGIOUS CEREM' 
 
 fineared themfelves with the blood of thefe un¬ 
 happy wretches, and devoured them before they 
 were dead. The women ufed to rub the tip of 
 their breafts with their blood, and afterwards 
 gave their children the blood of their enemies to 
 luck, mixed with the milk which nature had 
 given them for the fuftenance of thofe little 
 creatures. Thefe inhuman wretches called this 
 bloody execution a religious ceremony, and 
 ranked all fuch as had fuffered death with cou¬ 
 rage, or rather with a favage bravery, in the 
 number of their gods, and lodged them under 
 the huts on the tops of their mountains; but 
 fuch as funk under the violence of their tortures 
 were thrown among the carrion. 
 
 The favages of the province of Manta wor- 
 Ihipped the fea, fifhes, tygers, lions, and feveral 
 other wild beads, as alfo an emerald of a pro¬ 
 digious fize, which they ufed to expofe to public 
 view in their folemn feftivals. They ufed to flay 
 their prifoners of war, and after having duffed 
 their fldns with earth and afhes, hung them up 
 as trophies on the gates of the temples of their 
 idols. We Ihall wave a farther defcription of 
 thefe abfurdities. Once they would only tire the 
 reader. 
 
 They relate, that a man of extraordinary 
 diape, whofe name was Choun, and whofe body 
 had neither bones nor mufcles, came from the 
 north into their country; that he levelled moun¬ 
 tains, filled up vallies, and opened himfelf a 
 pafiage through the mod inaccefiable places. 
 This Choun created the fird inhabitants of Peru, 
 giving them the herbs and wild fruits of the 
 field for their fudenance. They alfo relate, that 
 this fird founder of Peru, having been injured 
 by fome favages who inhabited the plains, 
 changed part of the ground, which before had 
 been very fruitful, into fand, forbid the rain to 
 fall, and dried up the plants : But that being af¬ 
 terwards moved with companion, he opened the 
 fprings, and fuffered the rivers to flow; and this 
 Choun was wordlipped as a god, till fuch time 
 as Pachacamac came from the fouth. 
 
 Choun difappeared after the arrival of Pacha¬ 
 camac, who was much mightier, and metamor- 
 phofed all the men whom Choun had created, 
 into wild beads. The Peruvians had fome know¬ 
 ledge of the flood; but as it would be a difficult 
 matter to draw any thing accurate from the 
 account they given of it, we fhall not take 
 any notice here of the great veneration they paid 
 to the rainbow ; their fuperditious opinions con¬ 
 cerning comets; the predictions which they drew 
 from dreams; nor of the opinion they had that 
 the fun at his fetting ufed to plunge himfelf into 
 the ocean, where it lod its light and heat, both 
 which it recovered after having paffed under the 
 earth, which they placed on the furface of the 
 waters, and that it afterwards role in the morn¬ 
 ing through the gates of the ead. Hence we 
 may judge of the nature of the human mind, 
 when uninformed of certain things, and whether 
 the people of all countries are not difpofed to re¬ 
 ceive the fame impreffions of fuperdition. 
 
 Indeed, there is great difficulty in getting 
 quit of fuperdition, after a perfon has arrived at 
 years of maturity; for a long perfuafion of the 
 truth of any thing finks deep into the mind; and 
 
 •NIES of the PERUVIANS. 
 
 to ufe the old proverb, cc Cudom becomes fe- 
 <c cond nature.” In all addrefles to people to 
 induce them to leave fuperdition, and embrace 
 the truth, we ought to be extremely cautious ; 
 for thofe who are too precipitate in attacking 
 prejudices, generally run thofe whom they at¬ 
 tempt to convert into a difbelief of every thino-, 
 which commonly lays the foundation of Deifm?’ 
 
 We fhall conclude this article of their religion 
 with the notion they had of eclipfes. Whenever 
 the fun was eclipfed, they imagined he was angry 
 with them, and looked on the diforder, which, 
 faid they, appeared in his countenance, as ama- 
 nifed proof of it. When the moon was eclipfed, 
 they fancied it was flick ; and when total, that it 
 would infallibly die; that then it would fall from 
 the fky, that all would be dedroyed, and the 
 world be at an end. In order to prevent thefe 
 misfortunes, they, the moment the eclipfe be^an, 
 made a prodigious noife with horns, trumpets, 
 and drums. They tied dogs to trees, and whip¬ 
 ped them unmercifully, in order to make them 
 bark fo very loud, that the moon, whom they 
 thought was now fallen in a lwoon through the 
 violence of pain, and who loved thofe creatures, 
 becaufe of the fignal fervices they had formerly 
 done her, was forced to awaken at their cries. 
 
 None but the Incas, who were of the royal 
 family, were admitted to be prieds of the fun ; 
 but thofe who were Incas by a fpecial grant, that 
 is, had been railed to that honour for their me¬ 
 rit, were allowed to officiate in the inferior fer¬ 
 vices of religious worfhip. We have already 
 mentioned the facrifices which the prieds made 
 to the fun, to which we will now add, that they 
 did not always facrifice in the fame place, but 
 frequently in the court of the temple of the 
 lun ; but that the facrifices of the chief fead of 
 the fun were performed in the great lquare at 
 Culco : The prieds were obliged to enter the 
 temple of the fun bare-footed and bare-le o-CTed. 
 
 They always chofe one of the king's uncles 
 or brothers for the fovereign pontiff, in default 
 of which they were obliged to eledl a legitimate 
 relation of his. The priefts had no habit pecu¬ 
 liar to their order, but in all thole provinces 
 where the fun had a great number of temples, 
 none but the natives, and fuch as were related to 
 the chief man of each province, were allowed 
 to exercife that religious employment. The chief 
 prieft, who was fomething like a bilhop among 
 chem, was obliged to be an Inca. And in order 
 that they might conform themfelves to their me¬ 
 tropolitan in their facrifices and ceremonies, their 
 Incas were always defied as luperiors in times of 
 peace and war; but they did not remove the na¬ 
 tives to prevent their having any room to fay they 
 were defpifed, or treated in an arbitrary manner. 
 The chief prieft told the people the things he had 
 confulted the fun about, and what the latter had 
 commanded him to declare to them, according 
 to the dodtrine of their religion. In a word, he 
 declared thofe things to them which he had dif- 
 covered by auguries, facrifices, and fuch like fu- 
 perftitions as prevailed among them ; and they 
 give their priefts a name which fignifies to guefs 
 or divine. 
 
 There were feveral apartments in the houfe of 
 the fun, appropriated to the priefts and domeftics, 
 
 who 
 
The RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES of the PERUVIANS 
 
 who were all, as we have before obferved, Incas 
 by fpecial grant : For no Indian, though of ever 
 fo great quality, was allowed to enter into it, un- 
 lefs he was an Inca ; neither were the ladies buf¬ 
 fered to go into it, not even the kings wives or 
 daughters. fhe priefts adminiflered in the 
 temple in their turns weekly, which they con- 
 fulted by the quarters of the moon, during which 
 they abltained from all commerce with their 
 wives, and continued in the temple day and 
 night. All the time that the priefts and minif- 
 ters of the religion of the Incas were perform¬ 
 ing their refpeftive funftions in the temples, in 
 which they admmiftercd weekly, as was before 
 obferved, they were maintained out of the reve¬ 
 nues of the lun. This was the name they gave 
 to the produce of certain lands, which they gave 
 to that planet as his demefnes or inheritance, 
 which generally include about a third part of the 
 lands of each province. 
 
 Thele people had alfo nuns among them, who 
 devoted a perpetual virginity to the fun. They 
 were fo very fcrupulous upon this head, that they 
 always made choice of girls under eight years of 
 a g e > t0 prevent their being impofed upon. They 
 were particularly cautious with regard to thofe 
 virgins of the religious houfe at Cufco, they 
 being defigned for the fun’s wives; for which 
 reafon none were admitted into that convent but 
 the daughters of the Incas of the blood-royal, 
 which was not mixed with that of ftrangers. 
 1 he moft antient among thefe were chofen as ab- 
 belles. Thefe had the direflion of the younger ; 
 taught them all kind of needle-works, inftrudted 
 them in divine fervice, and had an eye to their 
 infirmities : Their confinement was fo clofe, that 
 they never had an opportunity of feeing either 
 men or women ; nor had they either turning-box, 
 
 or parlour in their convent. 
 
 We are allured that thefe injunftions were ob¬ 
 ferved with the utmoft exaflnefs, and that the 
 law by which thofe who broke the vow they had 
 made to the fun their hufband was punilhed, 
 was inexpreftibly rigorous. GarcilalTo fays as 
 follows upon that head. If among fo great a 
 number of religious, any one of them Ihould 
 happen to violate her chaftity, there was a law, 
 by which it was enafted, that the nun fo offend¬ 
 ing Ihould be buried alive, and her gallant 
 lunged. But becaufe the putting to d“ath of 
 one man only, was thought vaftly difpropor- 
 tionate to fo great a crime as that of violatin'* a 
 maiden devoted to the fun their god, and The 
 father of their kings, it was moreover enafted 
 by the fame law, that not only the perlon offend¬ 
 ing Ihould be punilhed, but alfo his wife, his 
 children, his fervants, his relations, and all the 
 inhabitants where he refided, not exceptin'* the 
 babes who fucked at the breaft. For this°pur- 
 pofe, they razed the city and paved it with 
 ftones, by which means every part of it remained 
 defart, curfed, and excommunicated, as a tefti- 
 mony of that city’s having given birth to fo de- 
 teftable a wretch: They likewife endeavoured 
 to hinder any one from treading upon that 
 ground, and even beafts, if poffible. This law, 
 however, was never put in execution, becaufe no 
 one ever happened to be guilty of this crime in 
 that country. 
 
 They had convents like thole of Cufco, in all | 
 
 44 / 
 
 j the chief provinces of the empire. In thefe they 
 admitted maidens of all ranks or degrees, whether 
 of the royal-blood and legitimate, or baftards 
 and of foreign extra&ion. They fometimes ad¬ 
 mitted into them, which, however, was a very 
 great favour, the daughters of fuch lords as had 
 vafials under them, not excepting thofe of the 
 meanefl: citizens, provided they were beautiful; 
 mr upon that condition they were educated, in 
 older to their becoming one day the daughters 
 of the lun, or the Incas miftreffes, and were fu- 
 perintended with as much care as the women de¬ 
 dicated to that planet. Thefe, like the reft, 
 had young women to wait upon them, and were 
 maintained at the king’s expence, in quality of 
 his wives. Moreover, they, as well as the vir¬ 
 gins of the lun, generally (pent their time in 
 Ipinning, and in making robes or gowns for the 
 Inca, who always diftributed part of them among 
 his relations and the Curacas, as likewile 
 among the moft renowned generals, and all fuch 
 as he was defirous of diftinguilhing by his favour; 
 which was both looked upon as juft and feemly’ 
 hnce thofe habits were wrought by his own, and 
 not by the fun’s wives, and were made for him- 
 ielf and not for his father. 
 
 The above-mentioned women had alfo their 
 Mamacunas like thofe of Cufco, but with this 
 difference, that thefe were always legitimate 
 children of the royal family, and were obliged to 
 Ipend their lives in thofe convents, to all which 
 conditions the wives of the fun were obliged to 
 lubmit; whereas in the other convents of the em¬ 
 pire, they received maidens of all ranks and con¬ 
 ditions provided they were beautiful, and vir¬ 
 gins of unfullied chaftity ; they being devoted 
 “^-Tncas, t0 whom they were delivered up at 
 hrft afking; and thefe were allowed to keep them 
 as their miftrefies, in cafe they happened to be 
 agreeable in their eyes ; and thefe convents were 
 in reality ft, many feraglios, like thofe of the eaft 
 buch as attempted to violate the honour of the 
 Inca’s wives, were punilhed with as much feve- 
 nty as thofe who debauched the virgins devoted 
 to the lun; for the law had enafted in this 
 manner, becaufe the crime was equally enor¬ 
 mous. 
 
 Such young women as had been once pitched 
 upon for the king’s miftreffes, and had had any 
 commerce with him, were not allowed to return 
 home without his leave, but attended in the pa¬ 
 lace in quality of ladies of the bed-chamber to 
 the queen, till fuch time as they were permitted 
 to return back into their own countries, where 
 they received the utmoft civilities, and were 
 waited upon with a religious refpedt, becaufe the 
 people of their country thought it a great honour 
 to have one of the Inca’s wives. As for fuch 
 nuns as were not chofen by the king for his mif¬ 
 treffes, they remained in the convent, till they 
 grew in years; and after the king’s death, his 
 miftreffes had the title of Mamacuna beltowed 
 upon them by his fucceffor, becaufe they were 
 appointed governantes of his miftreffes, whom 
 they ufed to inftruft, as a mother-in-law would 
 teach her ftep-daughters. We Ihould not have 
 related thefe feveral particulars, which feem fit¬ 
 ter for an epifode in romance, than to embellilh 
 the religion of a people, had not the Peruvians 
 confidered every circumftance which relates to 
 
 their 
 
The RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES of the PERUVIAN’S. 
 
 44-8 
 
 their fovereigns, as fo many religious rites, or 
 ceremonies. , , 
 
 There were feveral other ladies of the blood 
 loyal, who led a retired life in their own houfes, 
 and made a private vow of chaftity without en¬ 
 tering into any convent. II at any time they went 
 abroad, it was only to vifit their neared: female 
 relations, when they were either indilpofed, in 
 labour, about cutting off the hair of their elded: 
 children, or about giving them a name. Thefe 
 women were fo confpicuous for their chaftity, 
 and the fcridtnefs of their lives, that they were 
 honoured with the peculiar title of Oello’s, a 
 name which was facred in their idolatrous reli¬ 
 gion. Thefe ladies were obliged to be Sincerely 
 chafte, and not difguife it with a falfe varnifh ; 
 for if ever the lead trick or artifice was disco¬ 
 vered in their conduct, they were either burnt 
 alive, or thrown into the lion’s den. A widow 
 never ftirrcd out of her houfe during the firft 
 year of her widowhood, and Seldom married 
 again if (he had no children; and if die had any, 
 the Spent her life in perpetual continence, and 
 never entered a lecond time into the married 
 ftate. This virtue gained them fo univerfal an 
 eftecm, that feveral very considerable privileges 
 were granted in their favour j and there were 
 many laws and ftatutes, by which it was exprefsly 
 enafted, that the widows lands Ihould be 
 ploughed fooner than thofe of the Curacas, or 
 even of the Incas. 
 
 Eefore we conclude this article, it will be pro¬ 
 per to take fome notice of their confeffions and 
 the penance that followed after it. Perfuaded 
 from reafon and the convidtions of confidence, 
 that the fins of mankind do neceffarily draw down 
 evils, and the avenging arm of heaven, they 
 imagined themfelves bound to expiate their 
 crimes by facrifices and penances. There were 
 confefi'ors eftablilhed in all parts of the empire, 
 who always impofed a chaftifement proportion - 
 able to the greatnefs of the fin, and there were 
 alfo certain women who had a lhare in tins re¬ 
 ligious fundtion. In the province of Collafuio 
 they employed charms for the difcovery of fins, 
 and Sometimes difcovered them by infpedting the 
 intrails of vidtims ; for he who concealed his 
 faults was beat with ftones. They confefled 
 themfelves on all thofe occafions where the di¬ 
 vine afiiftance is immediately neceffary ; but the 
 great and folemn confeftion was made whenever 
 the Inca was lick. The Inca confefled nimielf 
 to the fun only, after which he wafhed himfelf in 
 a running ftream, addrefling it in thele words : 
 
 “ Receive the fins which I have confefled to the 
 “ fun, and carry them into the lea.” Their ; 
 penances’ confifted in fallings, oblations, with-1 
 drawing into the molt defart part of the moun- ' 
 tains, fcourgings, &c. And now we lhall pro- . 
 eecd to themarriage ceremonies. 
 
 We (hall begin this part with the marriage 
 of Such as were either nearly or diftantly related 
 to the Incas, of which Garcilafio gives the fol¬ 
 lowing account. 1 he king cauied to alienable 
 annually, or every two years, at a certain time, 
 all the marriageable young men and maidens of 
 his family, that were in Culco. The Hated age 
 was eighteen or twenty for the maidens, and 1 
 twenty-four for the men ; for they were never al- ] 
 lowed to marry younger, becaule, faid they, it 1 
 
 was fitting the parties Ihould be of an age re- 
 quifite for the well governing their families, and 
 affirmed that it was mere folly to difpole of them 
 fooner in marriage. 
 
 When the marriage was agreed upon, the Inca 
 I let himfelf in the midll of them, they all Hand¬ 
 ing one by die other : He then called them by 
 their names, after which taking them by the 
 hand, he made them promile a mutual faith, 
 which being done, he gave them into the hands 
 of their parents. Then the new-married couple 
 went to the houfe of the bridegroom’s father, 
 and the wedding was folemnized for three or four 
 days or more, according as the nearell relations 
 judged proper. The young women who were 
 married in this manner, were afterwards called 
 the lawful wives, or the wives given by the hand 
 of the Inca ; a title which was beHowed purely 
 to do them the greater honour. When the Inca 
 had thus married his relations, the next day the 
 minifters appointed for that purpofe married the 
 reH of the young men, fons to the inhabitants of 
 Cufco, in the fame order, according to the di- 
 vifion of the feveral diflrifts, called Higher and 
 Lower Cufco. 
 
 The relations furnilhed the moveables or uten- 
 fils of the houfe, every one bringing fomething; 
 and this they performed very pundtually among 
 themfelves, and never made any facrifices or other 
 ceremonies at the weddings. The governors 
 and Curacas were, by their employments, obliged 
 to marry the young men and maidens of their 
 provinces in the fame manner. They were 
 bound to aftiH in perfon at thofe weddings, or 
 folemnize them themfelves, in quality of lords 
 and fathers of their country. 
 
 The corporations of every city were obliged 
 to provide houfes for their new-married citizens, 
 and the neareH relations to furnifh them with 
 moveables. They did not allow the inhabitants 
 of one province or city to marry with thofe of 
 another, but were all obliged to marry among 
 themfelves, and with their own relations, like the 
 antient tribes of Ifrael ; which was done to pre¬ 
 vent their nations and families from being 
 blended and confounded with one another. They 
 neverthelefs excepted fiHers. All the inhabitants 
 of the fame city, or of the fame province, called 
 themfelves relations, in cafe they were of the 
 fame nation, and fpoke the fame language. To 
 which let us add, that they were forbid to quit 
 their province or city, or to go from one diftridt 
 to another, becaufe they could not confound the 
 Decuria: which had been eHablilhed by the citi¬ 
 zens ; befides, their corporations regulated the 
 houfes, which they were not permitted to do 
 more than once, and that only in their own dif- 
 tridl, and with the confent of their relations. 
 
 The heir to the crown ufed to marry his own 
 fifler, in imitation of the fun and the firH Inca. 
 For, faid they, fince the fun took the moon his 
 fiHer to wife, and had married their two firft 
 children together, it was but reafonable the fame 
 order Ihould be obferved with regard to the 
 king’s eldeft children. They alio added, that 
 the blood of the fun muft not be mixed with 
 that of men; that the fucceflion ought to de¬ 
 volve on the heir both of the father and mother’s 
 fide, and that otherwife he loft his right; lor 
 they were very exadt with regard to t: 1 .* luccel- 
 
The RELIGIOUS CEREMO 
 
 fion to the crown. The elder brother was lawful 
 heir to the crown, and married his own filler ; 
 but in default of an own filler, he married that 
 woman of the blood-roval who was nearefl re¬ 
 lated to him, whether fhe was his half filler, his 
 coufin, his niece, or his aunt; and this file-rela¬ 
 tion might inherit the crown in default of male 
 iffue, as in Spain. In cafe the king’s eldeft filler 
 brought him no children, he married her fecond 
 or third filler, till fuch time as lome were born 
 to him. 
 
 This wife was called Coya, that is, queen or em- 
 prefs, and thefe kings, befides their lawful wifes, 
 ufually kept feveral miftreffes, fome of whom 
 were aliens, and others related in the fourth de¬ 
 gree of confanguinity, and even beyond. They 
 looked upon thofe children which they had by 
 their relations as legitimate, becaule they were 
 of their own blood ; but thofe whom the Incas 
 had by the aliens, were confidered as ballards ; 
 for notwithllanding the refpe£l that was Ihcwn 
 them becaule of their royal extraction, they yet 
 did not revere them as much as thofe of the 
 royal-blood : Thefe they worlhipped as gods, 
 but honoured the others as men. 
 
 Purchas relates, on the tellimony of the Spa- 
 nifii writers, that the bridegroom ufed to go to 
 the houfe of his bride, and put her on the Otoia, 
 a kind of fiioe. If the bride were a virgin, the 
 fiioe was made of wool ; but if a widow, it was 
 made of a kind of reed. The royal habit of the 
 Incas requires a particular explication ; for which 
 purpofe we (hall borrow the defcription of it 
 from the author of the hiftory of the Incas. The 
 Inca generally wore a kind of twill about his 
 head, called Lauta, of about an inch wide, and 
 made almoft in a fquare form, which went five or 
 fix times round his head, with a coloured border 
 that reached from one temple to the other. 
 
 His habit was a waiftcoat that reached down 
 to the knee, called by the natives Uncu, and by 
 the Spaniards Cufma, which is not a word of the 
 general language, but rather of fome particular 
 province. Inftead of a cloke they wore a kind 
 of furtout called Yacola. The nuns all'o made 
 a kind of fquare purle for the Incas, which they 
 wore as it were in a fling, tied to a twill very 
 neatly wrought, and about the breadth of two 
 fingers. Thefe purfes, called Chulpa, were ufed 
 only to hold the herb Cuca or Cocoa, which the 
 Indians generally chew. This Cuca was not then 
 fo common as in our days ; for none but the Inca 
 was allowed to eat of it, his relations and certain 
 Curacas excepted, to whom the king ufed to fend 
 yearly feveral balkets full, by way of prefent, 1 
 which was looked upon as a very great favour. 
 
 From their marriages, &c. we pafs on to thofe 
 culloms which relate to their children, and the edu¬ 
 cation they gave them. The Incas always made 
 great fealls, and extraordinary rejoicings at the 
 weaning of their eldeft children ; becaufe the 
 right of feniority, particularly of males, was had 
 in great efteem by the Incas, and after their ex¬ 
 ample, by all their fubjedls ; but few rejoicings 
 were made at the birth of their daughters or 
 younger children. 
 
 They weaned their children at two years old, 
 and cut off the hair which they had brought with 
 them into the world; never touching them till 
 that time, nor did they give them the name by 
 3? 
 
 NIES of the PERUVIANS. 449 
 
 which they were to be called. When this cere¬ 
 mony was to be performed, all the relations met 
 together, and he who was chofc godfather firft 
 cut the child’s hair with his feifiars, if we may 
 give that name to certain razors made of flint 
 ftone, which they employed for that purpofe, 
 the Indians being unacquainted with thofe ft if- 
 fars ufed among us. After the godfather, the 
 reft cut off fome of the child’s hair in their turn, 
 according to their age and quality ; which done, 
 they all agreed upon giving it a name, and then 
 offered it their feveral gifts; fome giving clothes, 
 others cattle, others weapons of feveral kinds, 
 and others gold and filver drinking vefiels, which, 
 however, were prefen ted to none but thofe of the 
 royal extradlion, for the common fort of people 
 were not allowed to ufe them, unlefs by a fpecial 
 grant. 
 
 The prefents being made, they all drank co- 
 pioufiy, otherwile the feftival would have been 
 good for nought, and danced and lung till night. 
 I his lafted for three or four days, according to 
 the quality of the child’s relations. They ob- 
 ferved almoft the fame ceremony at the weaning- 
 of the heir to the crown, and alfo cut off his 
 hair, if we except that this was a royal folemnity, 
 and that the high prielt of the fun was always 
 chofen for his godfather. On this occafion all 
 the Curacas of the kingdom afllfted perfonally, 
 or by their ambaffadors, at the folemnity, which 
 held for twenty days together, and made rich 
 prelents to the prince, fuch as gold, filver, pre¬ 
 cious ftones, and the mod valuable things of 
 their refpeclive provinces. 
 
 As iubjedls love to imitate their princes, the 
 I Curacas, and in general all thofe of Peru, made 
 likewiie great rejoicings on thefe occafions, ac¬ 
 cording to their rank and quality; and this was 
 one of their mod folemn f'cftivals. They were 
 extremely careful not to bring up their childreg 
 too tenderly, and this was generally obferved from 
 the king to the beggar. The moment the child 
 was born, it was wafhed with cold water, and 
 then wrapped up in lwaddling clothes, which 
 they repeated every morning, after having left 
 the water in the dew the greateft part of the 
 time. Moreover, when the mother was for fond¬ 
 ling her child in an extraordinary manner, fhe 
 took water in her mouth, and lquirted it over all 
 his body, the crown of the head excepted, which 
 fhe never touched. When thofe people were 
 a flee d why they did this, they anfwered, that 
 they did it to innure their children to cold and 
 toil, and (Lengthen their limbs. They never 
 fwathed their arms till they were upwards of 
 three months old, faying, that it would weaken 
 them : And, they generally kept them in 
 a cradle, which was a kind of bench with four 
 feet, one of which was made fhorter than the reft, 
 purpofely that they might be rocked with greater 
 eafe. The bed in which the child lay, was a 
 kind of coarfe net, in which the babe was wrap¬ 
 ped on both fides of the cradle, to prevent his 
 falling out. 
 
 Mothers never took their children in their 
 arms, not even when they gave them fuck ; for, 
 laid they, they would always be for flaying in 
 them, were they to be ufed to it, and then ir 
 would be a difficult matter to confine them 
 to their cradles. However, whenever they 
 5 X thought 
 
4jo An ACCOUNT of the R E : 
 
 thought proper to take them out of it, they 
 uied to make a hole in the ground, and let the 
 child upright in it breaft-high; they then fwathed 
 them with old clouts or rags, in order to make 
 them lie the fofter, and at the fame time gave 
 them feveral play things to divert them with, but 
 never once took them in their arms, though they 
 were the children of the greateft lords in the 
 empire. When a mother wanted to give her 
 child fuck, the ufed to lay herfelf down upon it, 
 but never gave it fuck above three times a day, 
 viz. at morning, noon, and evening ; nor would 
 lhe ever give it the bread but at thofe times, and 
 would let it fquall rather than fuffer it to get a 
 habit of fucking all day long. All the women 
 of that country did the fame, and the reafon they 
 gave for it was, that it made them nafty and fub- 
 je£t to vomiting, that they became gluttons when 
 they grew up, and that the beads themfeives fur- 
 nifhed them with an example, who never fuckled 
 their young but at certain times of the day, and 
 not all night long. The greated lady in the em¬ 
 pire brought up her children herfelf, and never 
 gave them to another to nurfe, unlefs forced to it 
 by fome great indifpofttion ; nor had (he any com¬ 
 merce with her hufband all the time lire fuckled it, 
 for fear of fpoiling her milk, which might throw 
 the child into a confumption. 
 
 As the child grew up, they drengthened its 
 body by labour and exercifc, after which it was 
 put under the direftion of the Amautas, who 
 were the Peruvian philofophers or doftors. Theft 
 Amautas regulated the manners of their youth, 
 indrudled them in the ceremonies and precepts of 
 religion, in the laws of the empire, and the duty 
 which man owes to his fellow-creatures. The 
 minds of children were cultivated almod from 
 their tender infancy ; at fix or feven years of am: 
 they always had fome employment afligned them, 
 which was always fuited to their years. In fine, 
 the care they took to fhun idlcnefs and indolence, 
 was fuch, as might judly put nations infinitely 
 more knowing than themfeives to the blufh. Nor 
 were they lefs careful of flying from luxury, dill 
 more dangerous than idlenefs, whofe only aim is 
 to flatter the fenfes, and adminider fuel to vanity, 
 to awake in us a fenfe for pleafure in proportion as 
 it decays in us, and which keeps the fpirits in a 
 perpetual hurry, even to the lad gafp, notwith- 
 danding its inability to produce the lead fruits 
 from all its labours, or even to difeover one Angle 
 mark of it. 
 
 An Account of the Religion of thofe Savages who 
 inhabit Canada, and its Neighbourhood. 
 
 The Jefuits have related many things concern¬ 
 ing thefe people, which might have palled for 
 truth had it not happened that great part of that 
 wsuntry was, in 1763, given up to the Engliflt, fo 
 that we have now the mod uncontroverted ac¬ 
 counts of every thing relating to them. That 
 they are all idolators is not faying that they are any 
 worl'e than the inhabitants of other Heathen na¬ 
 tions, and it mud be acknowledged, that in fome 
 things they are not fo horridly grofs and abomi¬ 
 nable as thofe in Africa. But then they are divided 
 
 , I G I O N of the CANADIANS, 
 into fo many different clans, tribes, hordes, &c. 
 that in fome particulars they differ much from 
 each other. Ot all thefe we lhall proceed to oive 
 an account from the bed and mod refpeftable 
 authority. 
 
 In feveral of thefe nations, they worlhip the fun, 
 ' and as foon as they perceive day-break, they watt 
 the firll cloud of fmoke that comes from their 
 calumets towards that objeft, at the fame time 
 mumbling over a few words, as their fird morn¬ 
 ing prayers. They afterwards fmoak towards the 
 four quarters of the world. Some of them paint 
 their bodies over with the figures of wild beads, 
 to make them appear the more terrible to their 
 enemies, which practice is of great antiquity, 
 for we find it was pradtifed by the Antient 
 Britons. 
 
 In other parts of this vad extenfive country, 
 the favages believe the world to have been cre¬ 
 ated by a woman, who, together with her fon, pre- 
 fides over it They lay that man is the principle 
 of every thing good, and woman the principle of 
 every thing evil. They further believe, tiiat the 
 woman who created the earth, being bier with 
 child, fell down from heaven, and dropped"on the 
 back of a tertoife. It will appear evident to 
 every unprejudiced perfen, that we have here the 
 outlines of the mofaic hidory of the fall of man, 
 and although blended by fable, yet not more fo 
 than what is related by the Greek and Roman 
 poets. 
 
 Others of thefe favages are of opinion, that the 
 world was created by a fpirit, and that one Miffon 
 redored it after the flood. They tell us, that one 
 day as Miffon was hunting, his dogs lofl them¬ 
 feives in a great lake, which happening to over¬ 
 flow, foon ipread itielf over all the earth. Thole 
 favages who inhabit near the fource of the river 
 St. Lawrence believe, that a woman hovered fome- 
 times in the air, and at lad fell down on the back 
 of a tortoife, that mud gathered round the tor- 
 toife from the fea and formed the earth. 
 
 However, as this woman did not delight in fo- 
 litude, a fpirit delcended from above, and finding 
 herafleep, drew near to her, that the refult of this 
 was, file became with child, and was delivered of 
 two fans who came out of her fide. When thofe 
 children were grown up, they exercifed themfeives 
 in hunting, and as one of them was a much more 
 fkillul hunter than the other, jealoufy foon occa- 
 fioned difeord, and the unfkilful hunter, who was 
 of a very lavage temper, treated his brother with 
 fo milch cruelty, that he left this world and af- 
 cended to heaven. This notion of theirs feems 
 to relate to the two Ions of Adam, Cain and 
 Abel. 
 
 They have fome idea of the flood, and they 
 believe that the world began at that time. They 
 lay that Mifchapous, whom they look upon as a 
 Supreme Being, firft created the heavens, and af¬ 
 terwards created all the animals that were on 
 floating woods and groves. With thefe he made 
 a bridge, but forefeeing that all thefe creatures 
 could not live long in that frate, and that his work 
 would be imperfedt, unleis he took C2re to fecure 
 them from misfortunes, and from bemg fiarved ; 
 and having at that time command only over the 
 heavens, he addreffed himfelf to Michinifi, the 
 god of waters, and would have borrowed fome 
 
 land 
 
An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of the CANADIANS, 
 land of him in order to fettle his creatures on it, 
 but Michinili was not willing to comply with his 
 requeft. 
 
 Thusdifappointed, Michapous fent the beaver, 
 the otter, and the rat one after an other, to fearch 
 for land at the bottom of the fea, but none of 
 them brought any thing except the rat, who had 
 in her mouth a few particles of fand. Michapous 
 kneaded this fand into a leaven, which fwelled 
 to a great mountain. The fox was ordered to 
 walk round this mountain ; but it was fo We 
 that he foon became weary, and the Michapous 
 enlarged the mountain into a large terrcftriul globe. 
 
 Some of them are of opinion, that men fpruntr 
 originally from the putrified carcales of brails’ 
 and we find Virgil embracing the fame notion con- 
 cermng the origin of Bees. 
 
 A fleer of two years old they take whofe head 
 Now firft with burnilh’d horns begins to fpread : 
 
 They fteep his noltrils, while he drives in vain 
 To breathe free air, and druggies with his pain. 
 
 Knock’d down, he dies; his bowels bruis’d within. 
 
 Betray no wound in his unbroken flan. 
 
 Extended thti9, in his oblcene abode. 
 
 They leave the bealt; but fird Iwect dowers are 
 
 ltrew’d: 
 
 Beneath his body, broken boughs and thyme. 
 
 And pleading Caffia, juft renew’d in prime. 
 
 1 he tainted blood in this clofe pnfon pent. 
 
 Begins to boil, and through the bones foment; 
 
 Then, wond’rous to behold, new creatures rile, 
 
 A moving mafs at firft, and Ihort of thighs; 
 
 Till (hooting out with legs, and imped wlch’wings, 
 
 The grubbs proceed the bees with pointed flings.’ 
 
 Thefe favages tell us further, that fome of the 
 animals having quarrelled among themfelves 
 Michapous killed them, and a man rofc from 
 the puttefa&ion ; and this new man invented tile 
 bow and arrow, which he employed againft the 
 beafts. It happened one day, that one of them 
 being leparated from the reft, dii'covered a hut 
 where he found Michapous, who gave him a 
 wife, and prtferibed the lcvcral dinks to be ob- 
 ferved between them. Man had hunting and 
 hftnng allotted him for his part, and ail domeltic 
 affairs were committed to the wife, from thefe 
 men proceeded, and they lived in felicity together 
 having power over the wiideft and fierceft°beafts- 
 but as they began to multiply, fo they were 
 obliged to look out for new countries to hunt 
 in. At length difeord and jealouly began to arile 
 among the hunters, and this they conlider as the 
 origin of wars. 
 
 We have been the more particular in our ac¬ 
 count of thofe different opinions concerning the 
 creation of the world, beraufe ford Karnes 
 has, from thofe differences inferred, that there 
 is not, m the whole world, any certain accounts 
 to be depended on. His lordffiip was of a very 
 different opinion when lie wrote his effays on re¬ 
 ligion, but alas! in his advanced years, he has 
 changed his fentiments. Some of thefe lavages 
 have temples erected to the fun, one of which is 
 defenbed in tile following manner. 
 
 It is furrounded by a high wall, and the area 
 within the wall ferves for a place for the people 
 to walk m. Upon this -wall a great number 
 of fpikes are let, on the ffiarp ends of which 
 
 4f!t 
 
 they fix the heads of their enemies, and likewife 
 thole of the mod notorious criminals. Over the 
 front is laid a great log of wood, raifed high, and 
 lurroii tided with hair, and garnifhed with (tains 
 as fo many trophies. The infide of the temple 
 is painted v/ith a vaft number of figures, and 
 ' n me middle is a fort of fire, a place which 
 lerves them for an altar. Two priefts dreffed in 
 w ite, .urn thefe logs, while the congregation 
 are offering up their prayers. There is a elofee 
 in the wall which they call the tabernacle of God 
 and two eagles with extended wings hang on it! 
 looking towards the fun. Their prayers are 
 three times a day, namely, at fun rifing, noon and 
 iun-fettmg. ° 
 
 The Canadians give the name of great fpirit 
 
 *° ’ a e- ^ PrCme Bein S‘ whom ^ey alio call 
 Qnmch. Manitou, and to whom they celebrate 
 grand lacrifires. 
 
 T hey not only believe in the Supreme Being, 
 but likewife in the immortality of the fouf- 
 and they conlider all fouls as emanations from 
 the umverfal father of fpirits. Tnis notion is 
 the lame as what we find embraced by the Greeks 
 and Romans, and, indeed, by almoft all nations 
 in the world, except thofe who are called Mate- 
 nalifts ; but happy for mankind their numbers 
 are but tew. But although thefe favages adore 
 but one Supreme Being, yet like other Heathens, 
 they have their idols, that is, they have image! 
 by which they reprefent the Divine attributes and 
 operations. This propenfity to idolatry araow 
 tnem needs not to be wondered at, when we con- 
 fider, that they are followed, in fome meafure, 
 by fome who call themfelves Chriftians 
 
 The fubjea matter of all their hymns, is the 
 praile of the beauties of the works of nature - 
 the goodnefs of the Supreme Being; them vie! 
 tones ; and the defeat of their enemies. The wo- 
 men addreis (perc hes to the rifing fun, and pre- 
 le-.t then-chiidren to hirn at the fame time. From 
 a" this it appears, that thefe people are far from 
 bem Athcifts, and probably it may be a doubt 
 whether there is an Acheiit in the world. Seneca, 
 a Heathen, fays, that although men may in words 
 
 fherh the ^ lng0 n God ’ yettheir hearts condemn 
 the thought; and it is certain, that with alt a firm 
 perfuafion or the ex,Hence of an Almighty power, 
 man would be more miferable than the beafts in 
 the field. For man has hopes or fears of lbme- 
 thmg hereafter, whereas the beads have none. 
 
 Vv e are attired, that it is a very difficult matter 
 to convert thefe people to the Chrittian religion, 
 which can only be aicribed to two-caufes; Firft 
 the luperftition of the Roman Catholics, whofc 
 ceremonies are, m fome meafure, as ridictilous 
 as their own ; and, fecondly, to the want of human 
 yarning, It is neceiTary, however, to obferve 
 that m coniequence of thefe people being now 
 ubjeft to Great-Bntain, though Hill governed 
 by the French laws, many improvements have 
 
 afterwards S ^ ° f th ‘ S WC 0,311 fpeak more lar g el y 
 In thetr marriage ceremonies they differ but 
 little from the favages who inhabit Hudfon’s-Bay 
 When a young man falls in love wiih a fori L 
 makes a formal demand of her from hei%ather 
 or the neareft relation then living. When the! 
 are come to an agreement, the young man’s father 
 
 affemblea 
 
An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of the CANADIANS. 
 
 45 2 
 
 affembles all his relations, and declares to them his ' 
 intention of bellowing his fon in marriage, and his 
 relations bring as many things to the hut as they 
 can offer, as prefents tor the young favage. 
 
 His mother carries part ot the goods to the 
 young woman’s hut, and, at the fame time, the 
 bride’s mother declares to her daughter, that fhe 
 has married her to fuch a perl'on, meaning the 
 young man already mentioned. T. he maiden 
 mull not make any objection, for that would be 
 difhonourable. Every one gives fomething to¬ 
 wards the bride’s portion, but one of her rela¬ 
 tions always lays with her before her hulband 
 goes to bed. There are feveral other particulars 
 that might be mentioned concerning their mar¬ 
 riages, but being of a civil nature, they 
 have no connection with this work. We lhall 
 only obferve, that the hulband has a right to 
 put his wife away if fhe is barren ; but then 
 they are obliged to give her proper notice, that 
 fhe may provide herlelf with a new hulband. 
 
 In Canada, when a h.ufband and wife are de¬ 
 termined to part, they bring into the hut where 
 the marriage ceremony was performed, all the 
 little pieces of a wand ufed on that occafion; and 
 thele they burn, without hefitation, which com¬ 
 pletes the divorce without any manner of dif- 
 pute. When they imagine a woman to be pall 
 child bearing, they never pay their addreffes to 
 her; for they look upon the grand end and defign 
 of marriage to be that of propagating the human 
 fpecies, and certainly this was its original de- 
 lign. Thus we find that the Jewifh women were 
 confidered as objefls of reproach, when they had 
 no children ; and fomething of that nature is 
 to be found in all nations in the world. 
 
 In all nations where thole people whom we 
 call lavages live in a flate of nature, they are 
 not much afliiifted with diforders, except fuch 
 as are rather the effecfl of the climate than the 
 effect of gluttony. And as they have but few 
 difeafes, fo we Ihould naturally imagine they 
 could have but little occafion for phyficians; for 
 it may be faid in the words of the poet, 
 
 The firft phyficians by debauch were made ; 
 
 Excels begun, and doth fultain’d the trade. 
 
 By toil our firft forefathers earn’d their food, 
 
 Toil ftrung their nerves and purified their blood: 
 But we their Tons, a pamper’d race of men, 
 
 Are dwindled down to threefcore years and ten. 
 Better to hunt in fields for health unbought, 
 
 Than fee the do6lor for anaufeous draught. 
 
 The wife for health on exercife depend ; 
 
 God never made his works for man to mend. 
 
 But notwithftanding thele falutary rules, yet 
 we find, that even thofe lavages who live in a 
 ftate of nature, have their phyficians, or rather 
 impoftors, for they deferve no better name; 
 their jugglers or mountebanks pretending to 
 cure all manner of difeafes, by charms, fpells 
 and enchantments ; but then we may confider 
 that few of thele difeafes are inveterate. Sweat¬ 
 ing is one of the methods they make ufe of; 
 and another of the methods ufed by them is 
 too curious to be palled over in filence. 
 
 They make a hot bath, into which the pa- | 
 tient goes Hark naked, along with others as na- 
 ked as himfelf, whole bufinefs it is to rub him. I 
 
 This bath they cover with the heads of wild 
 bulls, flint Hones and pieces of rock made quite 
 hot. The patient thus Ihut up in the bath, is 
 obliged to keep in his breath, every now and 
 then, and while the juggler is finging as loud as 
 he can bawl, thofe who are along with him in 
 the bath alfo flng in concert. They cure dil¬ 
 eafes of the legs and thighs, by lancing the parts 
 infected, with a knife made of Hone or iron. 
 Thele incifions are afterwards rubbed with bear’s 
 greale, or the fat of fome other wild bead; and 
 to expel the poifon of ferpents, they have a va¬ 
 riety of charms. All thole who act as phyficians 
 are alfo the priefts, and they undergo a long pro¬ 
 bation, the manner of which is as follows: 
 They Ihut themfelves up in a hut during nine 
 days ; and are allowed no other fublifta'nce than 
 water. The novice holding a kind of bottle in 
 his hand, full of pebble fcones, with which he 
 makes a continual noile, invokes the lpirit, in¬ 
 treats him to fpeak, and to admit him into the 
 number of fpirits. The whole is accompanied 
 with the molt ten .ble bowlings, cries and agita¬ 
 tions both of body and mind, and he foams at 
 the mouth like a madman. 
 
 As loon as this ridiculous part of the ceremony 
 is over, he comes out of his hut, and boafts of 
 his having converted with the fpirit; and having 
 received from ftim the power of healing all 
 forts of difeafes. Father Hennepin adds, that 
 nothing can be more dreadful than the c; ,s and 
 diftortions of thofe jugglers, at the time of their 
 pradtifing their pretended enchantments. It is 
 certain, that they carry on the deception with 
 great lkill and cunning, but in general the tricks 
 they perform are too ridiculous to gain the efteem 
 of any man of common fenfe. And to this may 
 be added, that moll of their pretended cures 
 are rather the effect of chance, than any way 
 owing to their knowledge of the human frame. 
 However, they are acquainted with the virtues 
 of feveral phyfical herbs, which undoubtedly 
 was the firft way in which all difeafes were cured. 
 
 When the juggler vifits the patient, he afks 
 him a great number of queftions, promifing, at 
 the fame time, to root out the evil fpirit. He 
 immediately withdraws to a little tent for that 
 purpofe. Here he fings, howls and dances like a 
 madman. He then fucks the patients wounds 
 and_ drawing fome little bones out of his mouth 
 tells him that he has taken them out of his body. 
 He then tells him to be thankful under his fuffer- 
 ings, as it will be in his power to cure him. 
 The juggler then demands his fees, and when 
 he is paid, he fends feveral young men to hunt 
 the elks and other deer. And here it may be 
 neceffary to obferve, that many of the tricks 
 pra6lifed by our quacks in Europe are as ridi¬ 
 culous as any of thofe we have now mentioned. 
 It frequently happens, that when the juggler 
 finds he cannot cure the patient, he gives him 
 fomething to difpatch him, and then tells his 
 relations that the fpirit has revealed co him that 
 he is incurable. This lupports the credit of the 
 impoftor, and enfures to him his fee, which is 
 all he has in view'. And is this not like the con¬ 
 duct of many of our European dodlors, who 
 amufe the relations of the patient while they 
 are killing him according to the rules of art. 
 
 The 
 
An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of CALIFORNIA. 
 
 The juggler fometimes endeavours to per- 
 fuade the patient that he is bewitched, and on 
 fuch occafions dretches his body upon a floor 
 covered with beaver fkins, or of the Ikins of 
 fome other beads. The juggler then feels every 
 part of the patient’s body, till he comes to the 
 place affedted, and then he pronounces his charm, 
 which has the defired effedt, becaufe the difeafe 
 indead of being real was only imaginary. 
 
 Although thefe favages believe in thedodtrine 
 of the immortality of the foul, yet they have 
 but confufed notions concerning it; for they 
 believe that fouls tranfmigrate from one body to 
 another; and as we have had frequently occaflon 
 to mention thefe notions we may here once 
 for all obferve, that becaufe they could 
 not account for the apparent unequal didribu- 
 tion of rewards and punifhments in this life, 
 and not having proper notions of a future date, 
 they believed that the fouls of the wicked went 
 into other bodies to be tormented. 
 
 They bury their dead with great pomp and 
 ceremony, for they drefs them, and paint their 
 faces and bodies with different colours, after which 
 they lay them in coffins made of the bark of 
 trees, the outfide of which they make extraor¬ 
 dinary fmooth, with light pumice dones. They 
 then fet up a palifade round the tomb, which is 
 always railed feven or eight feet from the ground. 
 Their women wear a mourning habit for eight 
 years together, during which time they are not 
 permitted to marry; but in this there is nothing 
 extraordinary, becaufe among thefe favages a 
 widow feldom obtains a hufband. Several of 
 thefe people folemnize fedivals in honour of the 
 dead, and on fuch occafions they take the bones 
 out of the graves, and put them into new ones 
 lined with beaver fkins. 
 
 Hunting is confidered by thefe people as a 
 religious exercife; and a few days before they 
 fet out to hunt the bull, there old men fend out 
 fome young ones to view the place where the 
 chace is to be. When the hunters are got there, 
 they dance and fing according to the cudom of 
 the country, and at their return they expofe for 
 three days fucceffively, l'everal great kettles 
 filled with feathers. During thefe three days, a 
 woman of didindtion walks in proceflion with a 
 cauldron on her back, before a great number 
 of hunters. The company is headed by an old 
 man, who with great gravity carries a piece of 
 cloth by way of dandard or' enfign. Before a 
 young hunter goes to the chace for the fird time, 
 he is obliged to keep a religious fad, to which he 
 prepares himfelf with the utmod care and attention 
 that is generally obferved by thofe who go through 
 a date of probation in any order whatever. 
 This fad continues three days, during which 
 time the novice is obliged to daub his face over 
 with black, and this he imagines to be an ho¬ 
 mage he owes to the great fpirit. 
 
 When they lwear in their courts of judicature, 
 they dip their heads in the blood of the vidtim 
 that is to be offered up in lacrifice, and rub part 
 of it over their foreheads. This they do as an 
 appeal to the Supreme Being, that they tell the 
 truth ; and confequently were they to tell a falfe- 
 hood, they would look upon themfelves as con¬ 
 demned to eternal perdition ; and this may ferve 
 to fhew, that Divine wifdom has imprefied on 
 
 38 
 
 4 S 3 
 
 the minds of the mod uninlightened Heathens, 
 an obligation of telling the truth. 
 
 Such was the date of thofe favages when the 
 French fird fettled among them; and thofe who 
 were not converted to Popery, embrace the 
 fame fentiments even to this day. It is certain, 
 that it was the defign of the legiflative power 
 of Britain to convert thefe favages to Chridia- 
 nity ; but unfurmountable difficulties prefented 
 themfelves. Fird, when Canada was ceded to 
 the Englilh, the civilized part was inhabited by 
 bigotted Roman Catholics, and the prieds of 
 that religion are always affidious in making con¬ 
 verts ; on the other hand, the miffionaries fent 
 from Britain, were obliged to be extremely cau¬ 
 tious, becaufe by the treaty of capitulation, the 
 civilized part of the Canadians were to enjoy 
 the free exercife of their religion. 
 
 Miffionaries from Britain could not therefore 
 expedt much fuccefs, and an adt pafled in this 
 country, confirming all the priviliges which thefe 
 people formerly enjoyed, whether of a civil or 
 religious nature. But dill our fociety for the 
 propagation of the Chridian religion did not 
 dop at thefe difficulties. Four miffionaries were 
 fent over to Canada, and are maintained there 
 to this day, at the rate of two hundred pounds 
 a year each. When we confider the troubles 
 that have been in that part of the world, we 
 need not be fuprifed, that the labours of the 
 miffionaries have not yet been attended with the 
 defired effedt. 
 
 Secondly, another objedt the fociety had in 
 view, was to convert the favages, but here many 
 difficulties lay in their way. They were igno¬ 
 rant of the language lpoken by thefe people, 
 confequently they could not communicate their 
 fentiments to them. Probably thefe difficulties 
 would have been got over, had not the war bro¬ 
 ken out ; and it may be naturally fuppofed, that 
 theRomiffi prieds in Canada, would rather wiffi 
 to fee the favages continue in a date of Hea- 
 thenifm, than be made acquainted with the Pro- 
 tedant religion. All thofe who are members of 
 falfe religion, are inveterate enemies to thofe 
 who pradtice Chridian duties. From the whole 
 we may draw this conclufion, that nothing will 
 ever, under the difpenfation of the Britidi govern¬ 
 ment, bring about the converfion of thefe fava¬ 
 ges, but the pious lives of our miffioners. Let 
 them only confider that they are accountable 
 beings ; let them confider that they were not 
 born for themfelves, and then they will go 
 cheerfully on with the work committed to their 
 care; they will enlighten the Heathen nations, 
 and join in immortality with thofe foulp of whofe 
 converfion they were the indruments. 
 
 The Religion of California. 
 
 It is much to be lamented, that notwithdand- 
 ing the many difeoveries lately made in com¬ 
 merce, in the extenfion of trade, and th<? 
 knowledge of navigation, yet we are dill left 
 in ignorance concerning the religion, or even 
 the civil cudoms and manners of the people of 
 California. This is the more to be wondered 
 at, when we confider that many of our naviga- 
 5 Y tors 
 
45+ 
 
 tors have vifited that country. One thing, 
 deed, muft be obferved, that Teamen are bad hif- 
 torians, and therefore we muft take our accounts 
 of them from Tuch authors as are of the higheft 
 reputation for their integrity. The form of their 
 government is fuch as difeovers that they are not 
 totally ignorant of thofe circumftances that con¬ 
 duce to the maintaining of order and regularity. 
 But neverthelefs, the little religion they feem to 
 have, is vaftly odd and fantaftic, but ftill they 
 are not, fo far as we can learn, very fuperftitious. 
 Great adoration is paid to water, becaufe fay 
 they, it contributes towards promoting the growth 
 of corn and other food, as the proof of its being 
 the only fupport of life. 
 
 Their drefs confifts moftlv of figures, made of 
 rabbit fkins, whimfically daubed over. In this 
 manner, the king of the country contents to be 
 daubed likewife; but then it will poffibly be 
 afked, what has all this to do with religion ? The 
 anfwer is obvious. Thefe people know nothing 
 of religion, for they obferve fo many ridiculous 
 ceremonies, that all fentiments of an intellec¬ 
 tual nature are alienated from their minds. As 
 they worlhip idols, fo they have temples ereCted 
 to their memories, where they perform what 
 they call their facred devotions. They imagine 
 that it is here that the devil comes to divert him- 
 felf whenever he is forced to ramble from one 
 place to another. But here we muft not be too 
 precipitate in our judgements, becaufe travellers 
 are apt to relate things from bare hearfav, with¬ 
 out knowing any thing of the nature of them. 
 The Jeluits, who vifited this country, imagined 
 that the only way to ingratiate themfelves into 
 the affeCtion of thefe people, was to make them 
 believe they came from the fun; for by ^n eva- 
 fion, they thought they might eafily lubftitute 
 the Ton of righteoufnefs in place of that luminary 
 which gives light to the world. Some Indians 
 who fufpeCted the truth of this million, afked 
 why thefe meflengers had not been lent from the 
 fun before ? To which it was anfwered, he was 
 too young. This anfwer was fuitable enough to a 
 favage, and the conclufion of the conference was 
 that they acknowledged him to be the Ton of that 
 planet. This pretended fon, in order to increafe 
 the number of the faithful, raifed a wooden crofs, 
 and commanded his companions the Spaniards to 
 adore it, as an example for the imitation of the 
 infidels. To thefe he preferibed the time and 
 manner of adoration, and as we may take it for 
 granted, that he worfhipped the rifing fun in the 
 morning, they were to worlhip the crofs at the 
 fame time. 
 
 In their marriage ceremonies they have very 
 little remarkable, any farther than that they are 
 of a very mercenary nature. The young man 
 gives a certain fum of money for the bride, who 
 is confidered as an article of commerce. When 
 the parties are agreed, the relation of the bride¬ 
 groom goes to the houfe of the bride’s parents, 
 and makes a formal demand of her. He men¬ 
 tions what money, or other things he has ad¬ 
 vanced as purchafe-money, and they give their 
 approbation in confequence of their being fatis- 
 fied. 
 
 Thefe preliminaries being fettled, the bride is 
 conduced home in triumph, and there is a feaft 
 
 prepared for her and for all the family relations. 
 Polygamy is permitted among thefe people, for 
 they are allowed to marry as many wives as they 
 can fupport, but they are not to difeard them on 
 every frivolous pretence. Indeed, the nature of 
 conjugal duty is not confidered as very facred in 
 this country, becaufe there are fome crimes com¬ 
 mitted that ought not to be named. However, 
 thus much we may take notice of, that the men 
 in this country, if they are rich, keep a great 
 number of boys drefled in womens cloaths ; what 
 ufe they make of thefe boys needs not be men¬ 
 tioned, but we are only furpriled to find that ra¬ 
 vages Ihould commit the fame unnatural crimes 
 as thofe who live in what are commonly called 
 civilized nations. 
 
 Is not this lhocking! Shall thofe who are 
 called polite, be more addi&ed to unnatural 
 crimes than favages ? Yes : and to the dilhonour 
 of mankind, and the difgrace of human nature ; 
 where learning is cultivated, vice generally in- 
 creafes. And is this owing to learning ? No : It 
 is owing to the abufe of it. The corruption of 
 human nature is fuch, that men feldom make 
 great progrefs in learning, without, at the fame 
 time, dilhonouring themfelves by an attachment 
 to all thofe vices v/hich are a dilhonour to their 
 characters, and make them even more contemp¬ 
 tible than the beafts that perifh. 
 
 When we confider the antiquity of this horrid 
 crime, its extenfion among the Heathen nations, 
 the encouragement it ftill meets with in Italy, and 
 the progrefs it has made in Great Britain, we 
 are loft as it were in aftonilhment to difeoverthat 
 pafiion which gives rife to it. Indeed it is a juft 
 and very pertinent obfervation of archbifhop 
 Fenelon, <c That notwithstanding all the pre¬ 
 tended politenefs of the Greeks and Romans, 
 yet as to moral virtue and religious obligations, 
 they were no better than favages in America.” 
 But to proceed with our narrative. 
 
 When any of thefe people die, the whole vil¬ 
 lage is in an uproar, for the women meet toge¬ 
 ther and feream out in the molt hideous manner. 
 They tear their hair, and throw alhes over their 
 upper garments, to make the people believe they 
 are fincerely in earneft. The body of the de- 
 j ceafed is walked and laid out, after which they 
 | carry it out to a funeral pile ereCted in the neigh- 
 ! bourhood. Here a great many hymns are lung 
 , in honour of the deceafed, reciting all the heroic 
 aCtions of his life, and thefe fongs are attended 
 with a great number of geftures. 
 
 This part of the ceremony being over, a great 
 number of aromatic herbs and flowers are brought 
 to the funeral pile, and when the priefts have 
 mumbled over a certain number of prayers, fire 
 is fet to the pile and all the materials are con- 
 lumed along with the body of the deceafed. 
 They do not burn the bodies of the women along 
 with their hulbands as is done in the Eaft-Indies, 
 from which circumftance we may learn, that all 
 Heathens are not equally barbarous. There 
 isonecircumftance which muft not be omitted 
 relating to thefe people, and that is, adoption. 
 Men who have no children of their own, in order 
 to perpetuate their names and keep up their fa¬ 
 mily diftinCtions, make choice of the fon of a 
 Have, whom they educate as their own, give him 
 
 their 
 
 The RELIGION of CALIFORNIA, 
 in- 
 
* 
 
 
 
 ' 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
An ACCOUNT of the RELIGION of the VIRGINIANS. 
 
 their name, and at their death, leave him in pof- 
 fieffion of their whole fortune. This piece of 
 mean, vulgar pride, was much attended to by the 
 antient Romans, and it was common among them 
 to have as many adopted fons as real ones. Per¬ 
 haps it was owing to this, that the Romans have 
 been fo frequently accounted as deftitute of na¬ 
 tural affedtions. A parent may be a man of hu¬ 
 manity, he may do many things to relieve the 
 wants of his fellow creatures, but ftill notwith- 
 ftanding all that, he cannot confider the child of 
 another as his own. It is certain, however, that 
 this prevailed in antient times in Afia, and it is 
 eafily to be accounted for. 
 
 Polygamy, as it makes wives cool and regard- 
 Icfs towards their hulbands, fo it makes fathers 
 forget the duty they owe to their children. The 
 man who has more wives than one, has not a fin- 
 cere friend in the world, and the parent who has 
 children by different wives, is in general partial 
 to thole defeended from favourites. 
 
 Mr. Gray fays, 
 
 - A favourite has no friend. 
 
 Had the poet reverfed the words, and faid, that 
 favourites are generally lpoiled in their educa¬ 
 tion, perhaps he would have aided more-con¬ 
 fident with his charadler as an able writer ; but 
 this we may venture to affirm, that wherever 
 polygamy exifts, the parent can never do his 
 duty to all his children. His affetdions are as it 
 were divided ; he loves his offspring, but he is 
 obliged to offend his favourite wife, if he is not 
 partial to her children inftead of the others. 
 
 We fhall conclude this account of the religion 
 of California, by obferving, that if our modern 
 navigators had been as affiduous in promoting the 
 interefts of thefe lavages, as they have been in 
 giving us a defeription of the country, they might 
 have procured immortal honour, and brought 
 everlafting glory to their country. But why 
 fhould we look for that in fome men, who deny a 
 particular providence? Bold and increpid they go 
 out on voyages, paying no regard to death or 
 eternity. They laugh at every thing that is fe- 
 rious in religion, and boldly affert, that Divine 
 Providence has no concern with the affairs of 
 this lower world. Such is the effedt of abufed 
 talents, fuch is the ufe that is too commonly 
 made of human learning. But ftill let it never 
 be forgotten, that thole who love religion, will 
 at all times endeavour to make every one as 
 happy as themfelves i for the exercile of real 
 knowledge is to do good to all thofe who want 
 our affiftance. 
 
 An Account of the Religion of the Virginians. 
 
 In treating of the Religion of the Virginians, 
 we do not mean thofe Britifh fubjedls now fettled 
 in that part of America, but the antient favages, 
 and particularly thofe who ftill inhabit the back 
 fettlements. Thefe Indians are fo tenacious of 
 every fecret relating to their religion, that it is 
 confidered as facrilege in any one to reveal a 
 fingle fecret of it. 
 
 When the Engliftr firft fettled here in the reign 
 of queen Elizabeth, they found a temple about 
 thirty feet long and eighteen broad, and there 
 was a hole in the roof to let out the fmoak. The 
 gate of the temple was at one end, and at fome 
 diftance on the outlide, ftakes were fet up quite 
 round it, the tops of which were painted, repre- 
 fenting mens faces. They did not find one win¬ 
 dow in all the temple, nor any place for the light 
 to enter in at, except the door, and the hoie in 
 the chimney. At the end, over againft the door, 
 there was a feparation made of matting, worked 
 very dole together, which enclofed a place about 
 ten feet in length, and which did not let in one 
 fingle ray of light. 
 
 The Englilh adventurers were at firft afraid to 
 prevail upon themfelves to enter into this place, 
 but at laft they did, and found in the middle of 
 the inclofure, a place furrounded with ftakes, at 
 the top of which were great (helves, from whence 
 they drew thefe mats that were rolled up and 
 fewed together, on one of which fome bones 
 were laid, and on another the Indian weapon of 
 deftruidion called a tomahawk. They had tied 
 to one of thele tomahawks, the waddles of a 
 turky-cock painted red, and the two longeft fea¬ 
 thers of his wing hung at the end, tied with a 
 firing of about five or fix inches in length, hav¬ 
 ing a notch at the top for the letting m of the 
 head. In the third mat was fome inlaid work, 
 which they took for the idol of the Indians. 
 Underneath was another board, not half fo long 
 as the former, and which they fattened with 
 pieces of wood, that, being fet in on every fide, 
 flood out about fourteen or fifteen inches from his 
 body, and which are round the knees of the 
 image to bend. 
 
 The Virginians have feveral names for this 
 image, but he is in general reprefented with a 
 pipe of tobacco in his mouth, and what is more 
 furprifing he really fmoaks, but then there is a 
 pried artfully placed behind him, who, unfeen by 
 the worffiippers, lights the pipe. The darkneis 
 with which this idol is furrounded, prevents the 
 ignorant worfhipper from feeing the prieft who 
 carries on the deception; for were they once to 
 look in, they would no longer pay any worlhip to 
 inanimate beings conduced by knaves. And here 
 we have a beautiful allufion to many paffages in 
 the (acred feriptures, where idolatry is always 
 compared to darknefs, and the truth or true re¬ 
 ligion to light. Lord King juftiy obferves, that 
 by darknefs is not only meant the ignorance of 
 the Heathen nations concerning divine things, 
 but likewife thofe numerous abominations which 
 were tranfadled under the covert of real dark¬ 
 nefs, and fome of thefe are fuch as ought not to 
 be deferibed. 
 
 Thefe Virginians, like many other Heathens, 
 worffiip the fun ; and at day break the devotees 
 of both fexes go out fading to their idol tem¬ 
 ples, and walk themfelves in a running dream. 
 I he ablution continues till the fun appears, nor 
 do they luffer their children of ten years of age 
 to omit this religious duty. As foon as the fun 
 is above the horizon, they offer him tobacco. 
 They confider all nature as entirely under the 
 diredlion of their idol, which is much more 
 to their honour, although idolators, than to the 
 
 reputation 
 
RELIGION of the VIRGINIANS. 
 
 456 An ACCOUNT of the 
 reputation of thofe who call themfelves Chrif- 
 tians, yet blafphemoufly deny a particular pro¬ 
 vidence. 
 
 Whenever they go on a journey, they then 
 burn tobacco to the lun, in order to obtain his 
 affiftance. When they crofs a lake or river, 
 they throw tobacco into it, in order that the fpirit 
 who prefides in fuch place may grant them a 
 fafe padage. And when they return home from 
 hunting, from war, or from any dangerous em¬ 
 ployment, or enterprize, they offer up the beft 
 part of their fpoils to their idols. Many of the 
 antients obferved the fame cuftoms, and even 
 atprefent, not only among the Roman Catholics, 
 but even among Proteftants, the colours and 
 ffandards taken in war, are put up as tro¬ 
 phies of victory in the molt celebrated churches. 
 And why all this formality ? And why ffiould 
 the fentiment fo univerfally prevail ? The an- 
 fwer is obvious. There is a principle implanted 
 in the human mind, that leads men to confider 
 themfelves as dependent on fomefuperior being. 
 They hereby acknowledge that it was to him they 
 were indebted for the victory obtained ; and as a 
 grateful return, they dedicate to him the moft 
 valuable of the fpoil taken from the enemy. 
 
 Thefe favages have but a confufed notion of 
 the creation of the world, but they all acknow¬ 
 ledge that there is a Divine Being, to whom all 
 their gods, or idols are fubjeft. They fay, that 
 this Being leaves men entirely to the freedom of 
 their own wills, while he himfelf continues in a 
 ftate of indolence, out of which all the worfhip 
 they offer him is not able to recover him. 
 This fyftem being entirely that which was em¬ 
 braced by the followers of Epicurus amongft 
 the Heathens, and the Sadduces among the Jews, 
 we fhall not fay any thing concerning it, be- 
 caufe it is a bold attempt to fet afide the utility 
 of public and private worlhip ; for if God does 
 not take notice of the actions of men in this 
 life, then the whole bounds of religion are re¬ 
 moved ; there is no motive to duty ; there is 
 nothing to reftrain us as mortals from com¬ 
 mitting the moft horrid, the moft unnatural 
 crimes. 
 
 But that the reader may have a juft notion of 
 the fentiments of thefe people, which are the 
 fame with thofe of Epicurus, we fhall here prefent 
 him with what Lucretius has written on the fub- 
 jeft. 
 
 How the vaft mafs of matter, nature, free 
 From the proud care of th’ med’ling deity, 
 
 Doth work by her own private ftrength, and move. 
 Without the trouble of the gods above ; 
 
 For how, good Gods, can thofe that live in peace. 
 In undifturb’d and everlafting eafe. 
 
 Rule this vaft all, their labouring thoughts di¬ 
 vide, 
 
 ’Twixt heaven and earth, and all their motions 
 guide ; 
 
 Send heat to us, the various orbs controul. 
 
 Or be immenfe, and fpread o’er all the whole ? 
 Or hide the heavens in clouds, whence thunder 
 thrown. 
 
 Does beat their own afpiring temples down. 
 
 Or through vaft defarts breaks th’ innocent 
 wood. 
 
 Mother to the bad, but ftrikes the juft and good. 
 
 All we fhall here add is, that thofe who have 
 been the moft irreligious in this world, formed 
 their notions upon the inequality of rewards and 
 punifhments. Were all the wicked to fuffer juft 
 punifhments in this life, and all the virtuous to be 
 rewarded, what occafion would there be for a 
 future judgment? In many cafes God has fhewn 
 himfelf to be at the head of divine providence, 
 but not in all ; to convince men, that however 
 hardened they may be inwickednefs while in this 
 world, yet there may be a time, or a period, 
 when the mailt of hypocrify will be laid alide j 
 nay, it will be ftripped off, and the daring 
 finner will ftand as a culprit at the bar of infi¬ 
 nite juftice. On the other hand, the oppreffed 
 virtuous man fhould reft latisfied in this that God 
 will be his friend at the laft day, notwithftand- 
 ing all the fufferings he may have been fub- 
 jeifted to in this world ; for it is an eftablifhed 
 maxim both in natural and revealed religion, 
 that the upright judge of the univerle, will not 
 deceive his creatures. 
 
 Peter Williamfon, who publifhed the account 
 of his captivity among thefe Virginian favages 
 in 1758, has given us a particular defeription of 
 their priefts, who are, at the fame time, a fort 
 of vagabond quack doctors. They ufe a vaft 
 number of fpells and charms; and although they 
 are no ftranger to the efficacy of herbs in curing 
 many difeales, yet they are fuch amazing impof- 
 tors, that they make their patients believe, that 
 they cannot be cured till they have invoked the 
 affiftance of one of their idols. This isamyftery 
 of iniquity indeed, but not more than is to be 
 met with in other Heathen nations. 
 
 When they have been fuccefsful in war, they 
 come home loaded with fpoils, and having col¬ 
 lected the whole tribe together, they light a fire 
 and dance in a confufed manner round it. 
 Their priefts partake of this lolemnity, dreffed 
 in their facerdotal habits, and thefe priefts begin 
 the fong. Nothing can be more terrible than to 
 behold their folemnities; for they roar out and 
 make fuch a hideous noife, that even wild beafts 
 would be afraid of them. When they go out 
 to war, every one carries a hatchet or toma¬ 
 hawk in his hand, and when peace is concluded 
 the hatchet is buried j probably it is owing to 
 this cuftom that fo many hatchers have been dug 
 up in Virginia, fome of which are now to be feen 
 in the Britifh Mufeum. 
 
 We are affured, that the Indians in Virginia 
 look upon marriage as a very folemn a< 5 t ; and 
 that the vows they then make are folemn and in¬ 
 violable. The hufband and and wife may live 
 leparatcly if they cannot agree; but divorces 
 are looked upon as fcandalous. As for their 
 children, they plunge them into cold vrater the 
 moment they are born, and they educate them 
 much after the fame manner as the Canaries and 
 other favages of North America, from their 
 earlieft infancy, till they arrive at years of man¬ 
 hood. 
 
 Thefe favages believe in the do&rine of the 
 immortality of the foul, but ftill they feem to 
 have very odd notions concerning it. They 
 look upon the feparate ftate of departed fouls as 
 an habitation beyond the mountains, and into 
 thofe unfrequented manfions, they imagine the 
 foul retires after death. This may lerve to ffiew, 
 
 that 
 
The RELIGION of the NA1 
 
 that although thefe people are barbarians and 
 favages in their manners, yet they retain the 
 firft principles of natural religion. This will 
 for ever remain as an eternal fcandal to thole 
 ■whohave denied this leading lentiment. Whether 
 their notions concerning the immortality of the 
 foul are of a corporeal nature or not, is not 
 ealily known. This probably was the reafon why 
 the Heathens have run into fo many grols no¬ 
 tions, concerning things of the utmoft im¬ 
 portance. 
 
 The laft thing we fhall take notice of, is, what 
 fhould always come laft, namely, an account 
 of their preparations for death, and their funeral 
 folemnities. When a perfon is taken Tick, he 
 fends for the pried, who comes and mumbles 
 over him a great number of words which no 
 perfon underdands but himfelf. They beat 
 drums fo as to ftupify the patient, and when he 
 expires, they fay that he would have lived longer 
 had he not been guilty of fome unpardonable 
 crimes. This is undoubtedly a very good jug¬ 
 gling trick, and the character of the pried is flip- 
 ported although the patient dies. 
 
 In their funeral rites and ceremonies they dif¬ 
 fer but little from the other favages in America. 
 When a perfon dies, they wrap up his body 
 for one day in linen cloth, or in the fkins of 
 beads. Next day they cut the fleffi off from his 
 bones, and burn it in the fire. They then 
 prepare for the funeral, and the women make a 
 dreadful howl around the corpfe. They make 
 a wooden coffin in which they put the body, 
 and then it is carried to the place of interment. 
 The body is laid in the grave, which is ge¬ 
 nerally in one of the woods, and there another 
 howling begins, which continues for feveral days 
 without intermidion. They facrifice fome ffieep 
 and goats in honour of the deceafed, and what 
 will perhaps feem very furprifing, they rejoice 
 that they have been delivered from all the afflic¬ 
 tions of a tumultuous world. The women drefs 
 themfelves in white, and the men are dreffed in 
 the mod lumptuous manner, according to the 
 cuftom of their country. When they have de- 
 pofited the body, they fing feveral mournful 
 elegies, and they have an entertainment provided 
 for them. This is juft what the Greeks call a 
 Dirge , and what we commonly call a funeral fo- 
 lemnity. They remember annually the deaths 
 of their friends j all which may lerve to ffiew, 
 that thefe Heathens are not fuch ftrangers to 
 natural religion as we are too fondly apt to 
 imagine. 
 
 An Account of the Religion of the Natives of 
 Hifpaniola. 
 
 With refpeX to this part of South-America, 
 we are well acquainted with it, our connexions 
 with the people have been great, and therefore we 
 can, with the greater clearnefs, give an account 
 of their religious fentiments. That their religious 
 fentiments are much the fame with thofe we have 
 already mentioned in our account of Peru, will 
 appear from comparing them together. The 
 Peruvians adored the fun, and fo did the inha- 
 39 
 
 TVES of HISPANIOLA. 457 
 
 bitants of Hifpaniola. The grand objebt of 
 worfhip among the Heathens was the fun, and 
 therefore we need not be furprifed that fo many 
 perfons were addiXed to it. From what motives 
 the Heathens were led to adore the fun, is not 
 our bufinefs to enquire, but we fhall now proceed 
 to give an account of the religious fentiments of 
 thefe people at prelent. Indeed, we may natu¬ 
 rally imagine, that the worfhip of the fun was in 
 fuch honour and refpeX among idolators, that 
 they looked upon every perfon who found fault 
 with it as no better than a blafphemer. This, 
 however, is a dangerous notion ; for nothing can 
 be considered as an objeX of worfhip but what is 
 recorded as fuch in Divine Revelation. 
 
 Thefe people were aXually guilty of offering 
 up human Sacrifices, and their mercilefs hearts 
 were deaf to the cries of the innocent children. 
 We are forry to fay, that in the courfe of this 
 work, we have had occafion to point out thefe 
 crimes. Let them be ever fo horrid in themfelves, 
 yet they are of great antiquity; they were praXifed 
 among the antient Canaanites, and if any regard 
 is to be paid to hiftory, they were common even 
 among the Antient Britons. However, not to 
 enlarge upon things remote from the fubjeX, we 
 fhall only take notice, that as thefe people offer 
 facrifices to the fun, fo they naturally expeX fome 
 favours from him. Not that they have any rea¬ 
 fon for doing fo, but only becaufe fuperftition 
 having laid hold of their minds, they do not 
 chufe to quit the favourite objeX. It is true, 
 that they have temples to the fun, but they are 
 poor mean ftruXuresj for what they were in for¬ 
 mer times is entirely out of the queftion at pre- 
 fent, which, however, we fhall have occafion to 
 take fome notice of afterwards, and in the mean 
 time fhall proceed to confider their mode of 
 worfhip, duties, articles of marriage ceremonies, 
 vows, folemn engagements, treaties of war and 
 peace, their priefts, religious obligations, attend¬ 
 ing upon their feftivals, the manner in which the 
 lick are healed on a death bed, their funeral 
 rites, and what they obferve in honour of the de¬ 
 ceafed, which encreafes according to the nature 
 of his quality. 
 
 The religious worfhip they paid their idols or 
 demons, had fomething remarkable in it; for 
 the Caquies always caufed the folemnity of it to 
 be proclaimed by heralds, and ufed on the day 
 appointed for the ceremony, to walk in procef- 
 fion by beat of drums, at the head of their lub- 
 jeXs of both fexes, who were d re fled in their beft 
 clothes, but (ftrange to imagine) the maidens 
 went naked. The whole company went after¬ 
 wards to the temples of thofe falfe gods, who 
 were there reprefented\in a very grotefque man¬ 
 ner, and much in the lame manner as our painters 
 reprefents the devil. 
 
 The priefts ufed alfo to worfhip thefe idols, 
 and pray to them with fo much zeal, or rather 
 with fo many cries and howlings, as mult necef- 
 farily terrify a company of poor wretches, who 
 had not cunning enough to find out the tricks 
 which thofe infiduous priefts concealed under 
 their pretended devotion. It was then they pre¬ 
 fen ted the oblations of the devotees to their 
 gods, which were partly cakes brought by wo¬ 
 men in bafkets, adorned with flowers after 
 5 Z which. 
 
The RELIGION of the NATIVES of HISPANIOLA. 
 
 458 
 
 which, as foon as the prieft had given the fignal, 
 they danced, and fung the praifes of the Zemes, 
 whom we have already mentioned under the 
 name of Chemens, and offered their cakes. The 
 whole concluded with the praifes of their antient 
 kings, and with prayers for the profperity of the 
 nation. The priefts ufed to divide thefe cakes 
 into feveral pieces, and diftribute them among 
 the men, and they were obliged to keep them a 
 whole year in their houfes, becaufe they were 
 confidered as facred, and antidotes againft feve¬ 
 ral forts of diforders as well as common acci¬ 
 dents. 
 
 When the proceffion was got to the door of 
 the temple, the Guagua, who was at the head 
 of it, let himfelf down at the entrance, and all 
 the people went in finging, and palled as it were 
 in review before him. When they were got to 
 the idol, they thruft a little Hick down their 
 throats, in order to make them vomit, for they 
 were obliged to prefent themfelves pure and un- 
 fullied before their god, and with their hearts as 
 it were on their lips. 
 
 Their Zemes revealed themfelves to the priefts, 
 and thele priefts adted their parts fo well as to 
 make the people believe that the idols fpoke to 
 them, which was, in all refpedls, confiftent with 
 the tricks pradlifed by the priefts among the 
 Greeks and Romans of old. If the idol danced 
 and fung, it was a good omen, but if he difco- 
 vered a forrowful air, the people were fad and 
 dejedted, gave themfelves up to grief and tears, 
 and failed till there were fome hopes of their 
 being reconciled to their gods. 
 
 The account they give of the origin of man¬ 
 kind, is whimfical enough, and fuch as does 
 hardly deferve a place in this work, were we not 
 under the neceftity of relating all their religious 
 fentiments. Men (fay they) came out of two 
 caverns of a certain mountain, and out of one 
 of them came thofe whom we may call the good, 
 that is to fay, the flower and choiceft part of hu¬ 
 man kind ; and from the other, the moft vile and 
 worthlefs part of them. The fun, greatly en¬ 
 raged at this, turned him into a Hone, who keeps 
 the opening of the mountain, to prevent the 
 birth of mankind, and metamorphofed thofe 
 new created beings into frogs, toads, &c. 
 
 This notion is as ridiculous as fome of thofe 
 of the antients, who believed that men fprung 
 from oaks. Nay, what was ftill more ridiculous 
 among thefe people in Hifpaniola, they believed 
 that the fun and moon both came out of caves. 
 Thefe caves were in fuch high reputation, that 
 the people went annually in proceflion to them; 
 for who would not vifit the place where the ob- 
 jedt of their worlhip was born. Thefe caves 
 were embellilhed with pictures in the Indian talle, 
 but before they entered, they always paid their 
 devotions to two devils, who flood centinels at 
 the gates; or rather to the figures of two devils, 
 for we muft not believe they were fpirits, as all 
 devils naturally are. 
 
 Polygamy, or a plurality of wives was allowed 
 by the laws of this country, for men were per¬ 
 mitted to marry as many women as they could 
 fupport. As this cuftom was in every rcfpedt in- 
 confiftent with natural and revealed religion, fo 
 it muft have led to the commifiion of unnatural 
 crimes. There are fome paflions that no human 
 
 laws can reftrain nor 'bring into proper fub- 
 jedtion ; for fliut nature out at the door, and fhe 
 will come in at the window. The Spaniards 
 were fenfible of this, and therefore they made a 
 pretext of it to put many of thofe poor idolators 
 to death, under the moft excruciating torments. 
 This was not the way to convert thefe poor 
 people to Chriftianity, as will appear from the 
 following plain, artlefs annecdote. 
 
 An old Cacique, of the province of Nicara¬ 
 gua, dilcourfing with a Spaniard, who attended 
 upon one of thefe firft conquerors, fpoke thus to 
 him. 
 
 <f Tell me, Chriftian, what you underftand by 
 ct Chriftianity? The Chriftians feed upon our 
 “ provifions, lie with our wives, are idle, game- 
 “ fters, and blafphemers; are mifchievous, conti- 
 tf nually craving gold and filver; are abufive, and 
 “ irreligious at mafs; quarrel and fight with one 
 ff another ; on the whole, I take them to be a fet 
 tc of wicked wretches.” 
 
 There is perhaps more good fenfe and real 
 truth in the words of this Heathen, than can be 
 found in thoulands of volumes, written in de¬ 
 fence of Chriftianity; for how can a Heathen be¬ 
 lieve any dodlrine to be true, while he, at the 
 fame time, beholds with the utmoft deteftation, 
 the perfon who teaches it, adling inconfiftent with 
 what he recommends to others. The Spaniards 
 had no other objedt in view, when they invaded 
 thofe countries, than that of acquiring riches, 
 and thofe riches have actually been, in fome mea- 
 lure, the ruin of their dominions in Europe. The 
 importation of gold and filver from South Ame¬ 
 rica into Spain, has thrown the people of that 
 country into a languid ftate of lazy indolence. 
 
 Inftead of employing the people in the ufeful 
 arts of peace, by promoting arts and manufac¬ 
 tures, they have actually fent their millions of 
 gold to other European nations to obtain in re¬ 
 turn the necefiaries of life. This has brought 
 difhonour upon them, and we may venture to af¬ 
 firm, that if ever the Spaniards become equally 
 brave as their anceftors once were, they muft re- 
 linquifh their conquefts in South-America, and 
 be content with the enjoyment of thofe pofief- 
 fions they have in Europe, which are indeed very 
 extenfive. 
 
 It is in a manner needlefs to mention that thefe 
 people believe the immortality of the foul, and a 
 future ftate of rewards and punifhments. This 
 lentiment being univerfal among the Heathens, 
 we fhall therefore only add, that the manner in 
 which they inter their dead, fhews their firm be¬ 
 lief of it, and they look upon it as the moft 
 comfortable notion that can be embraced. 
 
 As they believed that the fun was the Supreme 
 Being, fo they interred their dead at that moment 
 of time when that glorious luminary firft made 
 its appearance above the horizon, and the face 
 was always towards it. If this does not point 
 out a feint notion of the general refurredtion, we 
 know not what can. As the faces of the de- 
 ceafed were laid fo as to front the rifing fun, fo 
 it muft have been in confequence of a fixed be¬ 
 lief, that the fun would one day raife their bo¬ 
 dies. It is in a manner impofllble to account 
 for it on any other principle, for why all this care 
 concerning the dead, if they were to perifti for 
 ever. The more we look into the pradtices of 
 
 the 
 
An ACCOUNT of the REL 
 the Heathen nations, the more we are in love 
 with the gofpel, which has removed the clouds of 
 
 darknefs from before our eyes, and laid open a 
 path leading to everlalting liappinefs. 
 
 yin Account of the Religion of the Mexicans. 
 
 We have already taken notice of the firft po¬ 
 pulation of America, fo that it is needlefs to en- 
 arge further on that fubjeft. We have no doubt, 
 but the inhabitants of Mexico offered human 
 faenfices, for although the Spaniards have re¬ 
 lated many things againft them, which perhaps 
 may not be true, yet this feems to be indis¬ 
 putable. But let their pradtices be ever fo 
 barbarous (and barbarous undoubtedly they 
 were) yet this will in no manner whatever 
 vindicate the Spaniards for committing fuch 
 homd adb ° f , Cruclt > r as the 7 confeffedly did. 
 1 he Heathens harboured only falfe notions of 
 religion, or rather idolatry, offered human 
 faenfices to their idols, and the Spaniards, 
 guided by a falfe zeal, extirpated thoufands of 
 people becaufe they were idolators. The cafe 
 before us is not what had thefe Indians done but 
 merely how they ought to have been treated by 
 Chrifhan adventurers. It was the duty of the 
 Spaniards to have convinced them of their er¬ 
 rors, but not to have let loofe the fury of a co 
 erctve power upon men, who were rather obiefts 
 of pity than of punifhment. Indeed, the Spa- 
 mards had no right to punilh them s for although 
 Jofluia did fo to the Canaamtes of old, yet that 
 
 To S fhn 3 °l^ P m i0n M the P re,Vnc argument. 
 
 Iht rh.i 3 I'"' and ‘hat was 
 
 what the Spaniards could not pretend to, unlefs 
 
 they give that name to the commiffion they had 
 received from the pope. The truth is, the Spa 
 "lards only wanted their money, and therefore 
 they did not pay any regard to the higheff duties 
 of moral obligation, but like feme Englifh ad 
 
 thn n nf rer H S 1,1 7 prefent a S c > th *Y naurdefed their 
 thoulands and ten thoulands, that thev mio-fit 
 
 felves. an 0pp0rtunit 5' of a ggtandizing them- 
 
 , In the capital city of Mexico were eight tem- 
 p es, equally magnificent, and built prftty nelr 
 abke; but there was one which excelled aU the 
 reft m bignefs and its prodigious extent, fo that a 
 city Containing five hundred houfes might have 
 been built in the court of it. This ediffee was a 
 long time the centre of Mexican idolatry and 
 therefore we Ihall give a particular defeription of 
 
 The worth ippers firft entered into a large qu a 
 drangle furrounded with a great ftone wall 
 where the figures of feveral ferpents ftruck J ’ 
 into the beholders, particularly at the fro 
 the firft door, which was filled with thefe Lu,es 
 under which fome very mv/lcrinnc ’ 
 
 was concealed. BeforeLhef arrtv a , T'u™'° n 
 
 fteps having a terrace at the top, on which L 
 veial trunks of great trees nil l™ a c 
 equal height, were planted on a leveFL equa" 
 diftances, on which poles were laid from rr r 
 tree. On each of tilde poles hung thrift If 
 leveral unhappy wretches, who hfd been W 
 
 IGION of the MEXICANS. 
 
 ficed, whofe number could not be related with 
 out terror. 
 
 !he four fides of the quadrangle had each 
 a gate, exaftly facing one another and looked to 
 the four cardinal points. Four ftone ftatues were 
 placed over each gate, which feemed to point out 
 the way, and to command thofe to return back 
 
 / g01ngthither with an ^religious 
 heait. Thefe were confidered as porter gods, 
 upon which account they were faluted at Joino- 
 m. The apartments of the facrificing priefts 
 and mafters were built in the inf.de of the fall of 
 the quadrang e, together with fome (hops that 
 
 wen, , 0 nd the whole; wWch howcver P 
 
 but little room its extent being ft, vaft, that 
 eight or ten thoufand perfons ufed to dance 
 in it at eale, on their moll folemn days 
 
 In the centre of this quadrangle, a great ftone 
 
 edifice was erefted, which in fair weather was feed 
 to the tops of the higheft buildings in the city 
 It always leffened in bignefs upwards, till ft 
 formed a half pyramid, three fides of which were 
 (helving, and the fourth fupported by a ftair- 
 cafe. It was a moft fumptuous pile of building 
 accoiding to the rules of architefture ufed m 
 that country It was four hundred feet high 
 anu built fo ftrong, that its top which was flat' 
 was a lquare, forty feet on each fide, and was 
 finely paved with fquares of jafper ftones of all 
 kinds of colours. The pillars which furrounded 
 • ln , the fo™ of rails, winded like the (hell of a 
 
 ki and f otl1 fides °f 't were faced with black 
 marble On the two fides of the rail or baluf 
 trade where the ftaircafe ended, two ftatues fun 
 
 h~“r*• 1”” £ 
 
 i~ teieh,, 0 ,„ p bo , to „ rt ,«£» “(“• «;• 
 happy wretch who was to be facrificed was laid 
 
 LokouLhftheaL" ‘AboTthlsTtoL '*‘7 “ d 
 
 fite to the ftair-cafe, was a large ftron^ ? PI T 
 the roof of which was of curmus woo'd Llder 
 Which their idol was feared on a very high aftar 
 with curtains around it. ' B ’ 
 
 We have hitherto touched on the facrifices of 
 now be a litle more explicit, wLingfin^f/^ 
 
 thoughlhe regard^we itlTc 
 
 mention it. S " US t0 
 
 Mexicans, were performed in 
 
 viftims Ihould be put to death To L k°° r 
 W eft hoL had been facrificed before them. A 
 
 being the place appointed for th? facrificV'H ' 
 
460 An ACCOUNT 
 
 by the feet, two others held his arms 
 h;s head, and the fixth ripped open his ftomach, 
 whence they tore out his heart and held it up Hull 
 fmoaking to the fun, after which turning himfelf 
 towards the idol, he threw the heait in his 
 face. , 
 
 'i he vidtim being thus difpatched, they tnrew 
 the body down from the terrace to the bottom, 
 and we are allured, that they not only facrificed 
 all the captives they took in war, but aftually 
 fcalted on them. They never facrificed lefs than 
 forty or fifty of thefe poor wretches at a time, and 
 thole nations who bordered on them, or were 
 fubjeft to them, imitated this bloody mode of 
 worfhip. On folcinn occafions it was the duty, or 
 rather the office of the high-prieft of the temple 
 to rip up the victim's ltomach, and this he did in 
 inch adexterous manner, that it furprifed all thofe 
 who faw him, except his own pupils, who were 
 very expert butchers. 
 
 It was a cuftom among them on certain felti- 
 vals, to drefs a man in the bloody Ikin juft reak- 
 jnr, from the body of one of their viftims-, and 
 we 3 are affured, that home of their greatelt princes 
 arid governors thought it no difnonour to have 
 the Ikin wrapped about them, fo as the perfon fa- 
 criliced was a gentleman, or a perfon of rank. 
 However, when a poot perfon was wrapped in the 
 fkin, he ran up ana down the directs like a mad¬ 
 man, demanding charity from all lie met with, 
 and thole who refufed to comply with his requelt, 
 he was fure to knock clown. This bloody 
 mafquerade continued till fuch time as the Ikin 
 began to corrupt, and then the vagrant returned 
 home to his own houl'e, in order to indulge him- 
 lelf in all fores of voluptuoufnels. 
 
 It was always their cudom before they fat 
 down to eat or drink, to offer the fun l'ome part 
 of the vidtuals of which they were to partake ; 
 and they had many other ceremonies, which al¬ 
 though as ridiculous as any we have mentioned, 
 vet were not more fo than many of thofe prac- 
 tiled by the learned Greeks, and by the po¬ 
 litical Romans. 
 
 Like all other barbarians who embraced lalle 
 religions, their penances were extremely fevere. 
 The priefls were conlidcred as they are in fome 
 ChriUian communities, as mediators between 
 God and men, fo that here was an abfolute 
 power lodged in the pried, and when this folemn 
 penance was to be performed, it was the cudom 
 of the people to meet at midnight in the temple 
 of the idol, when one of them ul'ed to call the 
 red together for their devotion, with a kind of 
 horn, "of which there is now one in the Britifh 
 Muleum, and while the horn was founded, ano¬ 
 ther was employed in moving the idol. 
 
 Then one of the pritds let a little blood out of 
 the ancle of the penitent, by pricking it with a 
 thorn or a done lancet. After this, he rubbed 
 las temples and ears with this blood, then went 
 our and wafhed himfelf in a certain fountain or 
 running dream, which from all thefe circum- 
 danecs put together, was called, “ The water of 
 <£ blood.” 
 
 Thefe Mexican priefts obferved a very rigo¬ 
 rous fad, extending fometimes to ieven days to¬ 
 gether, and this was always previous to their 
 folemn fedivals. Curing thefe fads, thole who 
 
 of the MEXICANS. 
 
 were married, abdained from all commerce with 
 their wives, and poffibly there might have been 
 fome fort of nominal merit in this, had it been 
 built on a rational foundation, but this waa lay¬ 
 ing fuch a reftraint on human nature, as was in- 
 confiftent with the order of God. lo this may 
 be added, that during thele falls, they were 
 guilty of crimes too odious to be mentioned, fo 
 that we fit all pafs them over in filence. 
 
 All thefe Mexican priefts were poffeffed of 
 great revenues, and by their knavith tricks they 
 made the people believe they were entitled to 
 them. Happy, had this principle never diffufed 
 itfelf among Chriftians, who profefs to be the 
 followers of a poor defpifed carpenter, and whole 
 dilciples even procured a fubfiftance by their la¬ 
 bour, but priefts and gofpel minifttrs are two 
 different forts of people, and with refpeeft to the 
 former it may be juftly laid, 
 
 The priefts of all religions are. 
 
 And will be ftill the lame; 
 
 And all, though in a different way. 
 
 Are playing the fame game. 
 
 But befides thefe priefts, the people of Mexico 
 had their veftals or nuns. All thefe were d re fled 
 in white as an emblem of innocence ; but alas ! 
 experience has fhewn that no robes with which 
 the human body is clothed, can alter the ftate of 
 corrupt nature, or give innocence to the foul. 
 Here nuns were forlorn, they are among the 
 Roman Catholics, admitted into their convents fo 
 early in life, that they do not know how far the 
 power of human nature will operate upon 
 them. Thefe were under the direction of a go- 
 vernels or abbefs, whofe office was to keep the 
 temple clean, and the young nuns drefied the fa- 
 cred meats that were prefented to the idols. They 
 were at midnight to adminifter to the gods, and 
 to examine certain articles, which the rules ot 
 their order obliged them to obferve. Above all, 
 they were bound to preferve their chaftity un- 
 fullied, the violation of which was punilhed with 
 death. 
 
 This contrivance was not, indeed, to be per¬ 
 petual, fince as they were lent to the convent 
 only to fulfil fome vow, which their parents had 
 made to their gods, they were allowed to marry 
 after a certain term of years. It is even proba¬ 
 ble, that this abbels, or matron, might fuperin- 
 tend a kind of nunnery, where young women 
 were brought up in the fame manner as they are 
 at our boarding fchools; for thofe young ones 
 were taken from under their care as loon as their 
 parents thought proper. 
 
 They had alfo a feminary for the education of 
 boys, who were admitted into it when they were 
 i about feven or eight years of age. During the 
 time thefe boys were living in the convents, they 
 were confined down to a certain number of rules, 
 much like the novices in the popiffi convents. 
 Thefe youth ufed to have the tops of their heads 
 lhaved, and the reft of the haircut fo ffiort, that 
 it fcarce covered their ears, but it fell as low as 
 their ffioulders behind, except when they ufed to 
 tie it upon a kind of tuft behind. They wore 
 a linen veftment, and lived in the molt exem¬ 
 plary manner. Under them were fcveral forts of 
 
 novices. 
 
 of the RELIGION 
 a fifth held 
 
The RELIGION of the SAVAGES 
 
 novices, whofe bufinefs it was to cleanfe all the 
 veffels belonging to the temple ; but thefe, in 
 confequence of their merit, often rofe to the 
 higheft dignities. 
 
 Thefe natives of Mexico had many feftivals, but 
 all of them were attended with the mod horrid 
 Lloodv facrifrees. Indeed, it feems to have been 
 a maxim among thefe people, that the god whom 
 they worfhipped, or rather the idol, fhould be 
 jult fuch a one as themfelves. Barbarous, cruel, 
 and unfeeling, their own corruptions pointed this 
 out, and fo far were they from forming benevo¬ 
 lent notions of the Divine Being, that they ac¬ 
 tually became fo corrupt as to imagine he would 
 take pleafure in human facrifices. 
 
 On all their feftival days, the priefts, like a 
 parcel of abandoned villains, employed fome 
 wretches to fubmit to be flogged, in order to 
 make the deluded populace believe they were 
 fincere penitents. In this there is nothing at all 
 Arrange, for the author of this actually faw at An¬ 
 twerp, in Flanders, June 1756, feveral wretches, 
 hired by the Roman Catholic priefts to whip 
 themfelves, under the (tale pretence that they 
 were real penitents. Thus we find, that popery 
 and roguifhnefs go hand in hand together, and 
 we can plainly fee that the former was borrowed 
 from the latter. 
 
 There was one god or idol the Mexicans paid 
 much regard to, whofe name has not been tranf- 
 mitted to us, but he is reprefented as a great 
 hunter. There is nothing at all furprifing in 
 this, becaufe the favages of all nations were hun¬ 
 ters ; fo that they aferibed qualities to thofe who 
 made the moll diftinguiihed figure. Blunting 
 was, indeed, partly a religious exercife in former 
 times, for as the fubfiftance of individuals de¬ 
 pended on the chace, confequently it was natural 
 for the Heathens to thank their idols for what 
 fuccefs they had obtained. There is no fuch 
 thing as acknowledging a Supreme Being, with¬ 
 out afcribmg to him qualities fuitable to his 
 nature, and in every refpedt confident with 
 his attributes in the moral government of this 
 world. 
 
 In their marriage ceremonies, the priefts have 
 great influence ; for they fettle every thing even 
 of a civil nature. The marriage contract is 
 learched into, and the hufband has a right to turn 
 away his wife if fhe has no children. In fuch 
 cafes, Ihe is obliged to have her marriage portion 
 returned. There is fomething in this altogether 
 confident with natural equity, for the man who 
 parts with the object of his defires, ought to give 
 up all things connected with her. 
 
 When their children are born and purged 
 from their natural impurities, they are brought 
 to the temple of their idols, and a name given 
 them by the prieft. The priefts then wafh the 
 children all over, and deliver them to their pa¬ 
 rents. They have feveral other ceremonies, but 
 thefe are of fuch a fimilar nature with what we 
 have already mentioned in our defeription of the 
 different religions in the other parts of America, 
 that we fhall not take any further notice of 
 them. 
 
 In their funeral ceremonies, they have nothing 
 at all remarkable, any farther than thofe in Hif- 
 paniola ; for indeed there is fuch a fimilarity, 
 39 
 
 near the ISTHMUS of DARI AN. 461 
 
 that one would naturally imagine all thefe people 
 were of one and the fame original. As they be¬ 
 lieve in the dodtrine of the immortality of the 
 foul, fo they pay great refpedl to their deceafed 
 relations. The women drefs themfelves in white, 
 which feems to point out, that the deceafed has 
 been purged from all his impurities, and that all 
 his fins have been forgiven. The body is carried 
 out to a piece of ground, fet apart for that pur- 
 pofe, and it is there depofited in the midft of all 
 the friends and relations. Mournings and la¬ 
 mentations are made for the deceafed feveral 
 days together, but thefe are rather artificial than 
 real. 
 
 The face of the deceafed is laid fo as to be 
 oppofite to the fun, which fhews that their no¬ 
 tions were the fame with thofe who inhabited 
 Hifpaniola. They fet up ftones at each end of 
 the grave, teftifying their refpedt for the de¬ 
 ceafed, and it was common for them to ftrew the 
 grave frequently over with flowers. This cere¬ 
 mony was generally performed once in the month, 
 during one year, but after that time, the 
 mourning ceafed. Upon the whole, thus much 
 is certain, that thefe Mexicans were a moll bar¬ 
 barous people, who had no human feelings, 
 otherwife they would never have feen their fellow- 
 creatures butchered in fuch a manner j but this 
 may ferve to fliew, that where divine revelation 
 is not known, men are the moftmiferable objedt9 
 in the world. Left to ftruggle with the corrup¬ 
 tion of their own nature, they fink under it, and 
 die martyrs to thofe paffions, which, if properly 
 cultivated, would have promoted their everlaft- 
 ing happinefs. 
 
 The Religion Gf the Savages who inhabit near the 
 Ifthmus of Darian. 
 
 In giving an account of thefe favages, we are 
 under the neceffity of taking notice of one of the 
 molt important events that ever happened in 
 Britain. In 1603, on the death of queen Eliza¬ 
 beth, James VI. king of Scotland afeended the 
 throne of England, fo that the two crowns were 
 united; but to the great misfortune of both 
 countries, a proper union did not take place, for 
 each nation had its feparate parliament, and as 
 they had oppofite views and interefts, fo there 
 were continual wranglings between them. The 
 Scotch, naturally brave, but proud, haughty, and 
 poor, followed their fovereign into England, and 
 as the event of an union had been long wifhed 
 for, fo forged prophecies were invented, fome of 
 which were taken notice of by lord Hales. 
 Among thefe, the following knavifli one may be 
 mentioned. 
 
 When Hempe is come, and alfo gone, 
 
 England and Scotland fhall both be one. 
 
 This Hempe was confidered as fome great per- 
 fon, whom no one could give any account of, 
 and yet the meaning was neither lefs nor more 
 than the following: 
 
 H. Henry VIII. E. Edward VI, M. Mary I. 
 
 6 A P. Philip 
 
462 
 
 The RELIGION of the SAVAGES 
 
 P. Philip her hufband, and E. Elizabeth, To that 
 that the whole myftery is developed, and the 
 knavifh prophecy underftood, as having been 
 written after the events took place. 
 
 From that time forward, at different periods 
 many propofals were made for bringing about an 
 union, and although locality pointed out the pro¬ 
 priety of luch afeheme, yet national piide on both 
 fides prevented its taking place. At laft, in the 
 reign of king William, the merchants of Scotland 
 obtained a charter, to eftablifh a iettlement on the 
 Ifthmus of Darian, and it is amazing to think 
 what hopes the people in that part of the country 
 formed to themlelves of the advantages that would 
 arife from this fcheme. All ranks of people con¬ 
 tributed towards promoting it, and a large Sect 
 was fitted out. Here, however, national jealouly 
 took place. The Englifh merchants did not wifh 
 to fee the commerce of Scotland extended fo far, 
 and therefore they ufed all the means they could 
 think of to obftrudt it. It is not our bufinefs to 
 enter into national diiputes, but thus much is cer¬ 
 tain, that almoft all the Scottifb adventurers were 
 ruined, and the fadfcpry they had eftablifhed was 
 reduced to nothing. This created much mur¬ 
 muring in Scotland, and had it not been that we 
 were then engaged in a war with Trance, which 
 united all parties at home, the efftdls might have 
 proved fatal. The people of Scotland, in re¬ 
 venge for the injuries they imagined the Englifh 
 had done them, refufed to wear Englifh ma¬ 
 nufactures, and in this unhappy condition both 
 rations continued till the acceffion of queen 
 Anne, 17C2. 
 
 Each country had a particular object in view 
 the Englifh parliament wanted the parliament of 
 Scotland to ratify the act of Settlement, which ap¬ 
 peared the more necefiary, for two reafons, firlt, 
 becaule it would prevent difputes for the tuture 
 between them; and fecondly, becaufe it was not 
 probable queen Anne would ever have any more 
 children. On the other hand, the people of Scot¬ 
 land objected, firft, that were they to acknowledge 
 the act of fettlement, they ought to have proper 
 fecurity for the eftablifhment of their religion •, and 
 fecondly, that their lofics at Darian fhould be 
 made up to them out of the Englifh treafury. 
 
 Here was a large field for the politicians to dif- 
 play their {kill, and although minifters of ftate are 
 not always virtuous men, yet divine goodnefscan, 
 and often does, bring good out of their conten¬ 
 tions. It was after much diipute, agreed upon 
 by con< ffiions on both Tides, that an equivalent 
 fhould be paid by England, to recompence the 
 Scots for tneir lols at Darian, and to fecure their 
 religion, the fovereign was to take an oath the 
 moment he fucceeded to the crown, and actually 
 before he was proclaimed. Upon thefe principles, 
 the union of the two nations was brought about, 
 which, if properly improved, muft be for the 
 mutual advantage of both. We thought it the 
 more necefiary to take notice of thefe particulars, 
 becaufe many of the people of Scotland, even in 
 this age, think their anceftors at Darian were 
 grofsly injured, whereas, when we come to con- I 
 fider the whole, it will be found, that if errors 
 were committed, both parties were guilty. And 1 
 this will likewile ferve to dear up fome things we j 
 iha.ll have occafion to mention, concerning the j 
 
 near the ISTHMUS of DARIAN. 
 church of Scotland. In the mean time to go on 
 with our narrative, 
 
 Thefe people inhabit a large trad of land, which 
 is fituatcd between North and South America. 
 They are all idolators, but their temples are poor 
 mean huts, and their idols are only coarlc Hones 
 let up within them. Like many other favages in 
 America, they believe the fun and moon are huf¬ 
 band and wife, and they adore them as objects of 
 divine worfhip. However, they acknowledge a 
 Supreme Being, fuperior to them. They believe 
 there is an evil principle that torments the children: 
 of men, and for that reafon they have temples 
 erected for it, where they offer facriftces of flowers, 
 fruits, perfumes, and all other things that they 
 think will procure its favour. Every extraordi¬ 
 nary phenomenon in nature is confidered by them 
 as an apparition and the voice of God. 
 
 Their priefts are all pretended magicians, and 
 the greatelt impoftors in the world. They per¬ 
 form all their tricks in fecret, and the ignorant 
 people are eafily perfuaded to believe them. % The 
 priefts make dreadful cries and howlings, with 
 diftortions of their faces, under which fome pre¬ 
 tended myftery is concealed ; for as true religion 
 has i:s myfteries, fo every falie one pretends to 
 the fame, and fo it is in many other things. 
 
 Their manner of healing the fick is very extra¬ 
 ordinary. They feat the patient on a ftonc, which 
 being done, the medico-prieft takes a little bow 
 and lome fmall arrows, and (hoots them as quick as 
 pofiible at his patient, who is ftark naked. They 
 are fo dexterous at this exercile, that they never 
 mifs their mark, but then there is a ftop put to 
 the arrow, which prevents it from going beyond 
 a certain mark or depth. If the arrow happens 
 to open a vein, and the wind gufhes out with the 
 blood, the phyfieian and thole who are prefent 
 leap for joy, and difeover by their geftures, that 
 they believe the operation to have been fuc- 
 , cefsful. 
 
 All thefe hypocritical priefts, who are at the fame 
 time pretended phyficians, make a vow of chaftity, 
 and if ever they violate ir, they are either Honed, 
 or burnt to death The devotees are obliged, 
 during their fadings, to abftain from all commerce 
 with their wives, but they can find Oiher ways to 
 gratify their paffions Before they go to war, they 
 : lacrifice hares and phealants to the lun, and fmear 
 the bodies of their idols all over with the blood. 
 They never go on any enterprize without afking 
 advice from their idol, which is an image of the 
 fun for which purpofe they undergo a penance 
 of two months together, during winch time they 
 abftain from fait and commerce with women. 
 
 They advife with their priefts in all affairs re¬ 
 lating to peace or war, and confult their "gods in 
 groves and folitudes. They purpofely make 
 choice of the night for performing their magical 
 ceremonies, and the darker it is the better. '1 hey 
 conjure the devil by their cries, by a great noife, 
 and their magical longs in the prefence of fevcral 
 young people. The perfon whom they order to 
 confult the oracle of the idol is leated, and the 
 reft are Handing. The magicians are filent when 
 they expect the approach of the devil, their maf- 
 ter, and the moment he appears, the conjuror 
 prefents himfelf before him, and gives the fignal 
 for the homage that ought to be paid. The Spa- 
 
I he RELIGION of'the SAVAGES of NEW ANDALUSIA 
 
 nifh authors tell us a ftory diverting enough, con¬ 
 cerning thele priefts and devils. 
 
 1 hey fay, that one day tome friars undertook 
 to exorcile the prieft who was railing the devil, and 
 that by the power of the figns of the crofs and 
 holy water, which was wonderfully alii lied by a 
 itole that was put about the neck of the con¬ 
 juror, he anfwered very penitently to all the quef- 
 tions the friar put to the devil. Among other 
 
 I - amiwiiM ULI1LI 
 
 things, they afked him where the fouls of the In¬ 
 dians would go after their deaths ? The anfwer 
 he made was, to hell. Thofe whom they defign 
 for priefts, are brought up in their facred myfteries 
 from their infancies. Such children are obliged 
 to retire for two years to the moll remote parts of 
 the woods, where they are not permitted to feed 
 upon any thing that has blood in it, nor fee any 
 woman, but mult forget their kindred, and are 
 not allowed to flir out of their caverns. The old 
 priefts viftt and inftruct them in the night, and 
 when the probation time of thefe young candi- 
 dates is expired, they receive a certificate, upon 
 
 which they are looked upon as lacred priefts, and 
 dodlors in phyfic and magic. 
 
 Thefe favages burn all the prifonersof war, but 
 pull out one of their teeth before they execute 
 them. Something in this may appear extremely 
 barbarous, and certainly it is fo, but when we con- 
 iider the ftate of Heathen nations, it will not ap- 
 Pf. ar ^ ran g e > Specially as we read in many parts 
 of the Old Teftamenr, that all prifoners of war 
 were put to death under the moft excruciating 
 tortures. The Greeks and Romans either 
 butchered their prifoners, or fold them as (laves, 
 and the antient Heathen Britons ufed to burn a 
 thoufand to death at a time. 
 
 1 hey allow polygamy here, but it is under fe- 
 veial reftridhons, for they are not permitted to 
 part with their wives, unlefs they have been un¬ 
 faithful to the conjugal vow. As foon as the 
 young women are confidered as fit for marriaoe, 
 they are locked up from the fociety of men, and 
 no perfon is permitted to vifit them without the 
 content of their parents. They do not ufe much 
 ceremony in their marriages, for as loon as the 
 parents have fettled the previous agreement, every 
 thing is concluded. Every one of the relations 
 brings a prefent according to the nature of their 
 circumftances, and thefe prefents enable the new 
 married couple to begin houfe-keepincr. The 
 bridegroom’s father makes a fpeech to th<Tpeople 
 concerning the duties of the marriage ftate, and* 
 after that he dances like a madman. The dance 
 being over, he kneels down, and prefents his fon 
 to the bride, whofe father being in the fame pof- 
 ture, holds alfo his daughter by the hand ; but 
 the bride’s father dances likewife in his turn, and 
 makes the fame antique geftures before he kneels 
 down. 
 
 In their funeral ceremonies, they are like moft 
 of the other favages in America. Thev believe 
 in the immortality of the foul, but they" have al- 
 moft as many carnal notions concerning it, as our 
 . ntifti materialifts. They believe, that when the 
 loul is difiodged from the body, it enters upon a 
 life of pleafure, and feafts in the moft fumptuous 
 manner. For this reafon, they bury provifions 
 along with their dead, to be of fervi.ee to them in 
 'he other world, 
 
 463 
 
 From wlia't is here related of thefe people, we 
 arc to lamenc that the lettlement attempted by the 
 booth did not ktcceed. The Scottifh adventurers 
 took along with them feveral miniffers, among 
 whom was Mr. Spalding, who had been fettled at 
 Dundee. Had the faftory met with proper en¬ 
 couragement, there is realon to belive, that before 
 this time there would not have been a Heathen in 
 the place. Proteftants alone are the men who 
 lhould be fent to convert Heathens, and therefore 
 every encouragement ought to have been given to 
 thele enrerprizers. However, as we are not to call 
 ■n queftion the purpofes of Divine Providence, fo 
 we mail red fatisfied with this fingle confideration, 
 that if that falutary end was not completed, yet one 
 equally beneficial took place, namely, the union 
 of the two kingdoms. God’s ways are ml as 
 men s. 
 
 The Religion of the Savages of New Andalufia. 
 
 1 he only particulars We know of the religion of 
 thele people are, that they, like moft of the other 
 antient Americans, adore the fun and moon; but 
 above all, an evil fpirit, which we may call the 
 devil. Some of them worfhip the dried fkeletons 
 of their anceftors ; and they believe that the fun 
 goes round the world, drawn in a chariot by ty- 
 gers; for which reafon, they treat thofe ferocious 
 animals with great refpedt, and give them the 
 dead bodies of their relations to feed on. They 
 have a tradition among them, that their country 
 was once burnt up by the lun, becaufe they did 
 not fhew proper refped to his fervants the ty- 
 gers. This fire, they lay, was extremely violent, 
 and confumed a vaft number of the inhabitants; 
 but really Inch ridiculous ftories fcarce deferve our 
 notice. 
 
 They obferved a certain ceremony which they 
 called, The giving away the fpirit of courage. This 
 gife is bellowed by the priefts, who open the cere¬ 
 mony with fongs and dances, in which every one 
 foams at the mouth like a dog, and tumbles about 
 like a madman. All fuch as defire to have the fpi- 
 r it communicated to them by the mediation of 
 the prieft, join hands and continue dancing incef- 
 fantly. When three or four priefts enter the circle, 
 they rufli upon the demons, fome with a gourd 
 bottle tied to the end of a ftick, and others with a 
 long reed or cane, filled with lighted tobacco, with 
 which they whiff the dancers, crying out, at the 
 fame time, “ Receive all ye the fpirit of ftreno'th, 
 by which you will be enabled to overcome your 
 enemies.” ; 
 
 From this form of invitation one would imagine 
 there was fomeihing very folemn couched under 
 the expreflion, but there is nothing of that nature 
 in it; for, like moft other favages, they acknow¬ 
 ledge two beings, one good and the other bad. 
 To the good being they never addrefs themfelves, 
 but in the way of praife or thankfgiving j but to 
 the evil one they always pray, in order to avert 
 his difpleafure. 
 
 When any perfon among them is taken fick, 
 they plunge him into a river, and afterwards whip 
 him running till he is almoft out of breath. 
 This whipping bout is round a great fire, and 
 
 when 
 
4 6 4 The RELIGION of the SAVJ 5 
 
 when it is over, they put him into his hammock. 
 When they delpair of a lick man’s life, they take 
 him out in his hammock to a wood, and hang 
 him up in it between two trees, dancing round it 
 for a whole day. As foon as night is come, they 
 give him provifions tor tour days, and then leave 
 him to his fate. If he happens to recover, lo 
 much the better-, but in cafe he dies, there are 
 very tew who lament the lots. 
 
 It would be ncedids to repeat that polygamy is 
 as much in vogue among thefe people, as in any 
 other nations among the Americans, or even in 
 Aha or Africa. The priclts fet the example ; 
 for they have always a great number of wives; 
 nay, fuch Haves are they to the mod fenfual of all 
 palfions, that when they go on journeys, they or¬ 
 der women to be ready for them at every ftage 
 where they are to put up. All this voluptuout- 
 rels arifes from that indolence to which thefe peo¬ 
 ple are fo much fubjebl; and this, in fume mea¬ 
 sure, is occafioned by the climate, which being 
 hot and fultry, throws a languor over their fpirits, 
 and renders them in a manner unfit for adion. 
 
 When a young man fixes his affebtions on a 
 trirl, or, in other words, when he wants a woman 
 under that character, he addrefles himlelftoher 
 relations; for he never fees her after till he is mar¬ 
 ried. When all the terms are fettled, the bride’s rela¬ 
 tions meet in company at the houfe of the bride s 
 father, where a grand entertainment is provided ; 
 and the relations of the bridegroom come their at 
 the lame time to partake of the feaft. After two 
 or three hours fpent in the utmoft Hate of merri¬ 
 ment, the whole of the relations fet out to condudl 
 the bride home to her hufband’s houfe. Muficians 
 march before, playing upon their ruftic inftru- 
 ments. After them come the priefts, repeating 
 aloud a variety of unintelligible jargon of prayers 
 to their idols'; then come the relations, who are 
 followed by the bridegroom, who walks on foot ; 
 and behind him comes the bride in a litter carried 
 by four men, and fo ciofed up that no perfon can 
 fee her. The procefiion is ciofed by the fervants 
 and attendants ; and as foon as they approach the 
 houfe of the bridegroom, the young women in 
 the village come out to meet them. 
 
 As this is at midnight, the young women have 
 lamps in their hands trimmed with oil, and this, 
 from what we are going to relate, may ferve to 
 fhew, what a vaft conformity there was between 
 the antient Heathen nations, and likewife that 
 fome of thefe cuftoms were retained by the Jews. 
 
 The parable of the ten virgins, (fee Math, xxv.) 
 is well known, and in the account of thefe people 
 of whom we are now treating, we have a proof of 
 the origin of idolatry. Nay, it may ferve far¬ 
 ther to'point out, that all that was bad among the 
 Heathens, was reprobated by the Jews, but the 
 innocent ceremonies were retained. 
 
 When they arrived at the place where the 
 bridegroom redded, and where the nuptials were 
 to be'celebrated, the bride was condubted into an 
 apartment along with the women, and the night 
 was fpent in all manner of diverfions, according to 
 the cuftom of the country. In the fame manner 
 the bridegroom was led into his apartment, accom¬ 
 panied by the men, and with them he fpent his 
 time in the fame manner. When the morning 
 approached, the company retired, and the hut- 
 band was permitted to go to bed to his wife. 
 
 2 
 
 GES of NEW ANDALUSIA. 
 
 This is, perhaps, a little different from Euaopean 
 practices ; but we have had occalion to mention 
 fomething ot a fimilar nature, in our account ot 
 the Turkifit religion. Seven days falling are ob- 
 ferved afterwards, and that period or time being 
 expired, the new married couple torfake their 
 relations, and attend to their relpebtive duties ai 
 hufband and wite. 
 
 In their funeral ceremonies they are extremely 
 ridiculous, but not more fo than has been related 
 in our hiftorical accounts of other Heathens. 
 When a perfon is taken Tick, the prieft is fent for, 
 and he dances as if infane, two or three times 
 round his bed This is done in order to raife the 
 (pirit, and we may venture to affirm, that it has a 
 (trong connection with the practices of fome of 
 thole people who are called Proteftants. A few 
 years aoo a poor man died in London, and on his 
 death-bed he declared, that he was bewitched, by 
 imagining a moufe jumped over his Itomach, and 
 this moufe he confidered as the devil. 
 
 Some religions require arts to wind-up the hu¬ 
 man pallions to a (late of enthuffaim, and innocent 
 weaknefs falls a lacrifice to interefted priefts, or 
 rather to defigning villains. The man who is 
 really and virtuoufiy religious, has no occafion to 
 make an oftentatious dilplay of it; but it is the 
 intereft of the hypocrite to do fo. The firft 
 knows he has none to do with but God ; the ie- 
 cond pays no regard to God, but lool-ts for the 
 praife of men. 
 
 In their funeral ceremonies, thefe people arc 
 equally ridiculous, and indeed fome of them are 
 more fo than any we have yec mentioned, only they 
 are not fo barbarous as thofc in Afia and Africa. 
 When a man dies, the body is waffled clean and 
 wrapped up in a goat’s fkin, and then put into a 
 wooden coffin, where it remains feven days, from 
 the time of the death till the interment. During 
 that time, the people meet together and get drunk 
 in the moft riotous manner, knocking each other 
 down, juft like what took place among the 
 Greeks during their folemn dirges. When the 
 feven days falling is over, they proceed to the 
 place of entertainment in the following manner. 
 The priefts walk before, ftnging their hymns, and 
 are followed by all thole who are called their Un¬ 
 dents. Then come the relations of the deceafed, 
 walking in mournful proceffion. The corpfe is 
 carried behind the relations, and the proceffion is 
 ciofed by the fervants and other attendants. When 
 they come to the grave, the priefts mumble over 
 fome prayers, and then the body is laid in the 
 grave. This, however, does not finifti the cere¬ 
 mony, for all thofe who attend the funeral, throw 
 flowers into the grave. The earth being laid upon 
 the body, they all return home to the houfe of the 
 deceafed, and fpend the whole night in fuch ex¬ 
 travagancy, that fometimes before morning they 
 get fo drunk that they break each others limbs, 
 and many of thofe who come out found in the 
 morning, return home no better than cripples. 
 
 The regard thefe people have for their deceafed 
 relations, does not end with their interment; for 
 notwithftanding all the nobturnal revels that take 
 place after the funeral, yer they meet again, and 
 erebt a monument to perpetuate their rdpebt to 
 tlte perlon who was beloved by them in life. This 
 is a natural and gift lentiment, and nothing in the 
 common or rather the vicious practices of this 
 
 world 
 
INTRODUCTION to the HISTORY of the PROTESTANT RELIGION. 465 
 
 world can fet it afide. Thofe who treat the 
 afhesof their deceafed relations with indignity, 
 will never pay much regard to the living. The 
 image of God is damped upon man, and he who 
 brutally abufes an human body, abufes the image 
 of God. But we fhall now take leave of the fub- 
 je£t relating to the Heathen nations by fuggeding 
 the following reflections. 
 
 Are the Heathens left in a date of ignorance, 
 are they without God in the world ? Let us learn, 
 that our ancedors were once Heathens, and that 
 we fliould have been the fame now, had not the 
 Divine goodnefs extended to us the bleflings of 
 the everlading gofpel. 
 
 Is Heathenifm become a term of reproach ? 
 And are Heathens looked upon with contempt ? 
 Let Chridians confider, that nothing can more 
 endear them to the Divine Being, or exonerate 
 them from the confcioufnefs of guilt, as that of 
 extending the bleflings of redemption to their 
 fellow creatures. Are unnatural crimes com¬ 
 mitted by the Heathens ? Let Chridians remem¬ 
 ber, that it is their duty to fet them a fair exam¬ 
 
 ple. Precepts are ufefuJ, but examples giveafanc- 
 tion to them. Is religion the grand monument 
 of mercy? Then let us, who enjoy it endeavour 
 to difieminate the beneficial confequences to the 
 mod didant nations. Is there a poflibility of do¬ 
 ing good? Let it be fliewn in the care we take to 
 enlighten the Heathen nations. And now having 
 faid fo much of thefe people, we fhall take our 
 leave by wifhing earnedly that the fon of righ- 
 teoufnefs may arife with healing under his wings. 
 That the defire of all nations may trample upon 
 his enemies, that men may be blefled in him, and 
 that all nations may call him blefled. High is 
 the command of the Almighty, enlarged are 
 his orders with refpect to his moral government 
 of this world, vindictive is his juflice, but his 
 mercy is in a manner unbounded. Thefe con- 
 fiderations fliould reconcile us to all the w rks of 
 an Omnipotent Being. God conducts the affairs of 
 this lower world unknown to us, but we behold 
 with admiration, when we confider the execution 
 of every part of the beautiful defign. 
 
 INTRODUCTION to the H I S T O RY of the 
 PROTESTANT RELIGION. 
 
 T HE confideration of events as flowing 
 from caufes apparently weak and infig- 
 nificant, will at all times ferve to prove, 
 that there is a divine power by which this lower 
 world is governed. The voluptuous and the 
 ignorant differ all thefe things to pals unnoticed, 
 but the wife confider them, and draw fuch re¬ 
 flections from all the occurrences as make a 
 lading impreflion on their minds. Hiltory with¬ 
 out reflection is nothing; but hidory properly 
 improved becomes the grand ornament of hu¬ 
 man life. The hi dorian who makes a real ufe 
 of that fcience, goes on from one degree to ano¬ 
 ther, till he is lod in admiration. The won¬ 
 ders of Providence appear to him as fo many 
 dupendous edifices, railed by hands unfeen, and 
 when he cannot comprehend the whole, he 
 fits down in filence, acknowledging his igno¬ 
 rance, but at the fame time defirous of know¬ 
 ledge. 
 
 The knowledge of hidory does not confid in 
 the recital of faCts, for that may be done by a 
 fool, and a fchool boy can tell what had hap¬ 
 pened before he was born. This, however, is 
 not hidory, but a bare recital of facts in the 
 order of time in which they happened. Hidory 
 is an account of fuch events as have taken place 
 on the theatre of this lower world ; but in our 
 endeavours to tranfmit them to the public in a 
 proper manner, we mud at all times remember 
 that we are to blend indruction with entertain- 
 men; that is, we are to point out the caufes 
 39 
 
 which produced the events, and the confequences 
 that followed. We are to confider the particu¬ 
 lar dates of thofe countries of which we have 
 been writing, we are to take in all the concomi¬ 
 tant circumdances, and with modedy deliver our 
 own opinions. We are to confider the difference 
 of times and circumdances, and we are to com¬ 
 pare the pad with the prefent. By attending to 
 thefe rules, we may become real hidorians, but 
 if they are flighted we fhall be left in a date of 
 Egyptian darknefs. This naturally leads us to 
 
 I fay fomething concerning the reformation, and it 
 fhall be delivered with impartiality. 
 
 We have already treated the gradual progrefs 
 of corruptions in the Chridian church, from the 
 reign of Condantine the Great, down to the age 
 of Martin Luther. But having been obliged to 
 fhift the fubject, we fhall here proceed to give 
 the reader an account of the reformation, and 
 then defcribe the particular profeffions that have 
 l'prung from it. 
 
 Bifhop Hall has a pretty oblervation in his ac¬ 
 count of Zechariah’s vifion in the temple, and it 
 is, <c When things are at the word, God ufually 
 “ works a remarkable deliverance, or brings 
 fr about an important change.” Indeed, all vio¬ 
 lence leads to changes, for fuch is the date of 
 human nature, fuch is the government of tnis 
 world, that whatever is carried to a more than 
 ordinary extreme, mud foon have an end. Pagan 
 darknefs was fuch, when Chrid came in the flefh, 
 that the minds of men were totally clouded with 
 6 B it. 
 
INTRODUCTION to the HISTORY of the PROTES.TANT RELIGION. 
 
 466 
 
 it, and then the fun of righteoufnefs broke 
 forth in an illuftrious manner to enlighten the 
 nations. 
 
 But to purfue the idea; let 11s confider the (late 
 of the European nations previous to the tiir.es of 
 Martin Luther, who, in the hands of Divine 
 providence, was the happy instrument, affifted 
 by fome of the German princes, of oppofing the 
 whole power of the lioufe of Auftria, and all the 
 machinations of the court of Rome. It is true, as 
 Dr. Newton the prefent bifhop of Briftolhas ob- 
 ferved, there never was an age, fincethe death of 
 Chrift, in which fome witnc.Tcs could not be 
 found for the truth of the go (pel. The doc¬ 
 trines taught by the famous Wickliff fpread far 
 and wide ; and thirty years after his death, we 
 find John Kuls, and Jerome of Prague, con¬ 
 demned by the council of Conftance, for teach¬ 
 ing his opinions. Paul Craw, a Bohemian, hav¬ 
 ing come over to Scotland for his perfonal Safety, 
 found himfelf expo fed to the fame dangers as at 
 home; for he was burnt alive at St. Andrews. 
 Learning was then beginning to revive, and the 
 clergy began to be afraid of the downhill of their 
 kingdom. They found the pillars beginning to 
 fhake, and they knew that their dodrines could 
 not Hand before the light of a rational enquiry. 
 This filled them with fo much refentment againft 
 all thole who fpoke their Sentiments freely, that 
 they were immediately put to death. 
 
 But it was not learning alone that brought 
 about the reformation ; there were many politi¬ 
 cal circumftances concurring in this great event, 
 and fome princes became the happy inftruments 
 of promoting true religion, although they them- 
 felves were men o-f no virtuous principles, but 
 fcandalous debauchees and arbitrary tyrants. 
 The fcandalous lives of the clergy were another 
 means to bring about the reformation, and while 
 they were as it were afieep in the arms of carnal 
 fecurity ; while they thought themfelves beyond 
 the power of being disturbed in their manfions ; 
 and, in a word, when they found they had do¬ 
 mineered over the co-nfcienees of the people, and 
 almoft engrofied the civil power to themfelves, 
 they began to confider that the whole orders of 
 priefthood were eftablifhed on the molt perma¬ 
 nent bafis, they found themfelves roufed a little 
 from their Itupidity, and they found that they 
 had to do with very important adverfaries, whom 
 before they looked upon as contemptible. 
 
 Pope Leo X. when railed to the papal throne, 
 found the revenues of the church exhaufted, by 
 the vaft projects of his two ambitious predecef- 
 l'ors, Alexander VI. and Julius II. and being in 
 his. own temper naturally liberal and enterprifing, 
 rendered him incapable of that fev.ere' ceconomy 
 which the ficuation of his finances required. On 
 the contrary, his fchemes for aggrandizing the 
 family of the Medicis, his love of fplendor, his 
 tafte for pleafure, and his munificence in reward¬ 
 ing men of genius, involved him daily in a long 
 train of expences; in order to provide a fund 
 for which, every device that the fertile genius of 
 priefts could invent was tried. 
 
 Among others, he had recourfe to the fale of 
 indulgencies ; a practice common enough in the 
 church of Rome, but never before this time car¬ 
 ried to fuch an extravagant height. But here we 
 
 mu ft explain this myftery of iniquity to our 
 readers. 
 
 According to the dodrinc of the Romifii 
 church, all the good works of the faints, over 
 and above thofe which were necefiary for their 
 own juftification, together with the infinite me¬ 
 rits of Jefus Chrift, are depofited in one inex- 
 haudible treafury. The keys of this were com¬ 
 mitted to St. Peter, and to his fucceffors the 
 popes, who may open it at pleafure, and by 
 transferring aportion of this luper-abundant merit 
 to any particular perfon for a fum of money, 
 may convey to him either the pardon of his own 
 fins, or a releafe for any one with whom he is in- 
 terefted, from the pains of purgatory. 
 
 Thefe indulgencies were firft"invented in the 
 eleventh century by pope Urban II. as a recom- 
 pence for thofe who went in perfon on the wild 
 enterprize of conquering the holy land. They 
 were afterwards granted to thofe who hired a fol- 
 dier for that puipofe; and, in procefs of time; 
 were beftowed on fuch as gave money for accom- 
 plifbing any pious work enjoined by the pope. 
 Julius II. had beftowed indulgencies on all who 
 contributed towards building the church of St. 
 Peter s at Rome; and as Leo was carrying on 
 that magnificent fabric, his grant was founded on 
 the fame pretenfion. 
 
 i he promulgation of thefe indulgencies in 
 Germany, together with a fhare arifing from the 
 profits in the fale of them, was affigned"ro Albert, 
 elector of Mentz and archbiftiop of Magdeburgh, 
 who, as his chief agent for retailing' them in 
 Saxony, employed one Tetzel, a Dominican 
 friar, of licentious morals, but of an adive 
 fpirit, and very remarkable for thac fort of elo¬ 
 quence which ferves to inflame the paftions with¬ 
 out leading the mind to truth, or guarding it 
 againft error. He, aftifted by the monks of his 
 order, executed the commiftion with great zeal 
 and iuccefs, but with little diferetion or decency; 
 and though by magnifying exceffively the bene¬ 
 fits of thefe indulgencies, and by difpofing of 
 them at a very low price, they carried on for 
 fome time a lucrative and extenfive traffic among 
 the_ credulous multitude, the extravagance of 
 their aflertions, and the irregularity in their con- 
 dud, came at laft to give general offence. The 
 princes and nobles were irritated at feeing their 
 vaflals drained of fo much money, in order to 
 fill the treafury of a profufe pope. Men of piety 
 regretted the delufions of the people, who being 
 taught to rely for the pardon of their fins on the 
 indulgencies which they purchafed, did not think 
 it incumbent on them, either to abound in faith.- 
 or pradice holinefs. Even the moft unthinking 
 were fhocked at the more than fcandalous beha^ 
 viour of Tetzel and his affociates, who often 
 fquandered in drunkennefs, gaming, aud low- 
 debauchery, thofe iums which were beftowed in 
 hopes of obtaining eternal happinefs ; and all 
 began to wiffi that fome check could be given to 
 this fcandalous commerce, no lefs injurious to 
 lociety than deftrudive of true religion. 
 
 As the form of thefe indulgencies, and the 
 benefits which they were fuppoled to convey, are 
 in general unknown in proteftant countries, and 
 but little underftood at prefent in feveral places 
 where the Roman Catholic religion is eftabli (lied, 
 
 we 
 
INTRODUCTION to the HISTORY of the PROTESTANT RELIGION, 467 
 
 we have here, for the information of our readers, 
 inferted the form of the abfolution ufed by 
 Tetzel. 
 
 tc May our Lord Jefus Chrift have mercy upon 
 c< thee, and abfolve thee by the merits of his 
 “ moft holy paftion. And I, by his authority, 
 “ that of his bleffed apoftles Peter and Paul, 
 cc and of the mofl holy pope, granted and com- 
 “ mitted to mein thefe parts, do abfolve thee, 
 <c firft from all ecclefiaflical cenfures, in what- 
 ff ever manner they have been incurred, and then 
 <f from all thy fins, tranfgrefTions, and excefles, 
 tc how enormous foever they may be, even from 
 <c fuch as are referved for the cognizance of the 
 <c holy fee ; and as far as the keys of the holy 
 (i church extend, I remit to you all punifhment 
 <f you deferve in purgatory on their account; 
 ff and I reftore you to the holy facraments of the 
 
 church, to the unity of the faithful, and to 
 <£ that innocence and purity you pofiefied at bap- 
 <e tifm ; fo that when you die, the gates of pu- 
 iC nifhment fliall be fhut, and the gates of the 
 <c paradife of life fhall be opened ; and if you 
 <c fliall not die at prefent, this grace fhall remain 
 <f in full force when you are at the point of 
 <f death. In the name of the Father, of the 
 “ Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. Amen.” 
 
 From perufing this, which is faithfully tran- 
 feribed from Sechendorf, a popifh writer, it will 
 appear, that the terms which Tetzel and his affo- 
 ciates made ufe of were fo extravagant, that unlefs 
 they had been well authenticated, we might have 
 doubted of the truth of them. If any man pur- 
 chafed ®ne of thefe indulgences, his foul was to 
 reft fecure with refpeft to its falvation. The 
 fouls confined in purgatory were, as foon as the 
 money was paid, fet at liberty, and afeended into 
 heaven. The efficacy of the indulgences was 
 to be fo greats that the mofl heinous fins were 
 pretended to be forgiven, and the perfon was to 
 be freed from all manner of punifhment, and even 
 from the guilt which incurs it. This w'as, in¬ 
 deed, the carrying prieftcraft to an unbounded 
 height j but it led to the fall of its own great- 
 nefs. Almoft every man looked upon them with 
 filent contempt, or with an honeft indignation; 
 they faw natural religion as it were trampled 
 under foot, and the glorious fabric of the church 
 made to appear worfe than Heathenifm was of 
 old. They beheld an order of defigning men, 
 who had long trampled on the rights of private 
 judgement, now attempting to deprive others of 
 their natural faculties, and to make the very 
 name of Chriftianity odious in the world, by at¬ 
 tempting to raife money in confequence of prac¬ 
 tices which the moft unenlightened Heathens 
 would have been afhamed of. 
 
 Such was the favourable juncture, and fo dif- 
 pofed were the minds of his countrymen to liften 
 to his difeourfes, when Martin Luther firft becran 
 to call in queftion the efficacy of indulgences, 
 and declaim againft the vicious lives, and falfe 
 dodtrines of thole who promulgated them. He 
 was a native of Eifleben in Saxony, where he 
 was born in 1483, and though of poor parents, 
 had received a learned education, according to 
 the ftate of knowledge in that age, during the 
 progrefs of which he gave many indications of 
 uncommon vigour and acutenefs of genius. As 
 his mind was naturally fufceptible of ferious im- 
 
 preffions, and tindtured with fomewhat of that 
 religious melancholy which delights in the foli- 
 tude and devotion of a monaftic life, he retired 
 into a convent of Auguftine friars, and without 
 fuffering the entreaties of his parents to divert 
 him from what he confidered as his duty to God, 
 he affumed the habit of that order. 
 
 There he acquired great reputation, not only 
 for his piety, but for his love of knowledge and 
 unwearied application to ftudy. He had been 
 taught the fcholaftic philofophy and theology, 
 which were then in vogue, by very able mailers, 
 and wanted not penetration to comprehend all 
 the merits and diltindlions with which they 
 abound ; but his own undemanding, naturally 
 found and fuperior to any thing frivolous, foon 
 became difgufted with thefe fubtile and unin- 
 ftrudtive fciences, and he fought for fome more 
 folid foundation of knowledge and of piety in the 
 facred feriptures. Having found a copy of the 
 bible which had long laid negledled in the li¬ 
 brary of his monaftery, he abandoned all other 
 purfuits, and devoted himfelf to the ftudy of it 
 with fo much eagernefs and affiduity as allonifhed 
 the monks, who were little accuftomed to de¬ 
 rive their theological notions from that fource. 
 The great progrefs he made in this uncommon 
 courl'e of ftudv, augmented fo much both the 
 fame of his fanftity and his learning, that Fre¬ 
 derick, eledlor of Saxony, having founded an 
 univerfity at Wittemberg on the Elbe, the place 
 of his refidence, Luther was cholen, firft to 
 teach philofophy, and then theology in the 
 fchools ; and he was confidered as the chief or¬ 
 nament of that focietv. 
 
 While Luther was in the height of his repu¬ 
 tation, Tetzel began to publilh indulgences in 
 the neighbourhood of Wittemberg ; and to af- 
 cribe to them the fame imaginary virtues, which 
 in other places had been impofed on the credu¬ 
 lity of the people. As Saxony was not more 
 enlightened than other provinces, fo Tetzel met 
 with great luccefs there. It was with the utmoft 
 concern that Luther beheld the artifices of thofe 
 who fold, and the fimplicity of thofe who 
 bought the indulgences^ The opinions of many 
 of the moft antient and fubtile fchoolmen, who 
 had eftablifhed the dodtrines of indulgences* 
 were now filling into difrepute, and the ferip¬ 
 tures, which Llither began to conllder as the 
 unerring ftandard cf faith, afforded no counte¬ 
 nance to a fyftem that was deitrudlive of natural 
 reafon, and calculated to render the moft impor¬ 
 tant things in the Chriftian fyftem, no better than 
 a farce. 
 
 His warm and impetuous temper did not fuf- 
 fer him long to conceal fuch important difeove- 
 ries, or to continue a filent fpedlator while he faw 
 his countrymen deluded. From the pulpit in 
 the great church at Wittemberg, he inveighed 
 bitterly againft the irregularities of thofe who 
 publifhed indulgences. He went fo far as to 
 examine the nature of the dodlrines they taught, 
 and pointed out to the people the danger of re¬ 
 lying for falvation on any other means than thofe 
 preferibed in the word of God. The boldnefs 
 and novelty of thefe opinions drew great atten¬ 
 tion, and being recommended by the authority 
 of Luther’s perfonal character, and delivered 
 with a popular and perfuafive eloquence, they 
 
 made 
 
468 INTRODUCTION to the HISTORY of the PROTESTANT RELIGION. 
 
 made a deep impreffion on his hearers. Encou¬ 
 raged by the favourable reception of his doc¬ 
 trines among the people, he wrote to Albert, 
 eiedtor of Mentz, and archbifhop of Magde- 
 burgh, to whole jurifdidlion that part of Saxony 
 was fiubjedl, and remonftrated warmly againft 
 the falfe opinions, and wicked lives of the 
 preachers of the indulgences; but he found that 
 prelate too deeply interefted in their fuccefs to do 
 any thing to hinder their progrefs. 
 
 His next attempt was to gain the approbation 
 of men of learning, and for this purpofe he pub- 
 lifhed no lefs than ninety-five different propo¬ 
 rtions concerning the principles of theology. 
 Thefe he propofed not as points fully eftabliflied 
 of undoubted authority, but as fubjedls of doubt, 
 inquiry, and difputation. He appointed a day 
 on which the learned were invited to impugn 
 them either in perfon, or in writing, and fub- 
 joined to the whole, folemn proteftations of his 
 refpedl for the apoftolic fee, of his fubmiffion to 
 its authority, if the objections he had {fated could 
 be anfwered to his fatisfadlion. No opponent 
 appeared at the time fixed, but the account of 
 the propofitions fpread over Germany with the 
 utmoft rapidity; they were read with the greateft 
 eagernefs, and all admired the boldnefs of the 
 man who had ventured to call in queftion the 
 plenitude of papal power, and to attack the Do¬ 
 minicans, armed with all the powers of inqui- 
 fitorial authority. 
 
 The friars of St. Auguftine, Luther’s own 
 order, though addicted with no lefs obfequiouf- 
 nefs than the other monaftic fanatics, to the 
 papal power, gave no check to the publications 
 of thele uncommon opinions. Luther had, by 
 his piety and learning, acquired uncommon 
 authority among his brethren. He profeffed, 
 from motives unknown to us, the higheft regard 
 for the authority of the pope, and probably his 
 profeffions were, at that time, fincere ; and as 
 a l'ecret enmity, excited by intereft and emula¬ 
 tion, fubfifts among all the monaftic orders in 
 the Romifh church, the Auguftinians were highly 
 pleafed with his inveCtives againft the Domini¬ 
 cans, and hoped to fee them expofed to the ha¬ 
 tred and fcorn of the people. Nor was his fove- 
 reign the eleCtor of Saxony, the wifeft prince at 
 that time in Germany, diffatisfied with that ob- 
 ftruCtion which Luther threw in the way of the 
 publication of indulgencies. He fecretly fa¬ 
 voured the attempt, and flattered himfelf that 
 this difpute among the clergy might give fome 
 check to the exertions of the court of Rome, 
 which the fecular princes had long, though 
 without fuccefs, been endeavouring to oppofe. 
 
 Many zealous champions immediately role to 
 defend opinions on which the wealth, power, 
 and grandeur of the church were founded, 
 againft the propofitions advanced by Luther. 
 Amongft thefe was Tetzel, a man whole charac¬ 
 ter we have already deferibed. He publifhed 
 an equal number of propofitions with thofe of 
 Luther, and they were defended by all the fophil- 
 try of falfe logic by Eckius, a divine belonging 
 to the cathedral church of Augfburg ; and Pri- 
 anias, a Dominican friar, wrote againft Luther 
 with all the virulence of a fcholaftic dilputant. 
 But the manner in which they conducted the 
 caufe, did little honour to their argument. 
 
 Luther attempted to condemn the dodtrine as 
 well as the pradtice of granting indulgencies, 
 from arguments drawn from reafon, or derived 
 from feripture ; but they produced nothing in 
 lupport of them, except the fentiments of fchool- 
 men, the con,clufions of the cannon law, and the 
 decrees of the popes. The decifions of judges, 
 fo partial and degenerated, did not fatisfy the 
 people, who began to call in queftion even the 
 authority of thefe venerable guides, when they 
 found them (landing in open oppofition to the 
 didlates of reafon, and the determinations of the 
 Divine law. 
 
 Mean while the novelties which appeared in 
 Luther’s dodtrine, and feemed fo much to engage 
 all the attention of the people, did not alarm 
 the court of Rome. Pope Leo X. fond of ele¬ 
 gant and refined pleafures, intent upon great 
 fchemes of policy, a ftranger to the clerical con- 
 troverfies, and apt to delpife them, regarded, 
 with the utmoft indifference, the operations of an 
 oblcure Friar, who, in the heart of Germany, 
 carried on a fcholaftical difputation in a barba¬ 
 rous ftile. Little did he apprehend, or Luther 
 himfelf dream, that the effedts of this quarrel 
 would be fatal to the papal fee. Leo imputed 
 the whole to monaftic enmity and emulation, and 
 feemed inclined not to interpofe in the controver- 
 fy, but to allow the Auguftinians and Domini¬ 
 cans to wrangle about the matter with their ufu- 
 al animofity. 
 
 The follicitations, however, of Luther’s adver- 
 faries, exafperated to an high degree, by the 
 boldnefs and feverity with which he animadver¬ 
 ted on their writings, together with the furprif- 
 ing progrefs which his opinions made in differ- 
 rent parts of Germany, roufed at laft the atten¬ 
 tion of the court of Rome, and obliged Leo to 
 take meafures for the fecurity of the church, 
 againft an attack that appeared now too ferious 
 to be defpifed. For this reafon he fummoned 
 Luther to appear at Rome within fixty days, 
 before the auditor of his chamber, and Prianias 
 was fummoned to appear at the fame time, to 
 make good his allegations. 
 
 He wrote, at the fame time, to the eiedtor of 
 Saxony, begging he would notprotedl a man whofe 
 heretical and profeffed tenets were fo (hocking 
 to pious ears, and enjoined the provincial of the 
 Auguftinians to check, by his authority, the 
 raflinefs of an arrogant monk, which brought 
 difgrace upon the order of St. Auguftine, and 
 gave offence and difturbance to the whole church. 
 
 From the drain of thefe letters, as well as 
 from the nomination of a judge fo prejudiced 
 and partial as Prianias, Luther eafily favv what 
 lentence he might expedt at Rome. He difeo- 
 vered, for that reafon, the utmoft folicitude to 
 have his caufe tried in Germany, and before 
 a lefs fufpedted tribunal. The univerfity of 
 Wittemberg, anxious for the fafety of a man 
 who did fo much honour to their fociety, w r rote 
 to the pope, and after employing feveral pretexts 
 to excufe Luther from appearing at Rome, en¬ 
 treated Leo to commit the examination of his 
 dodlrine to fome perfons of learning and autho¬ 
 rity in Germany. The eledtor of Saxony, his 
 fovereign, requefted the fame favour of the pope’s 
 legate at the diet at Augfburg ; and as Luther 
 himfelf, who, at that time, was lo far from having 
 
 any 
 

 I INTRODUCTION to the HISTORY of the PROTESTANT RELIGION. 469 
 
 any intention to difclaim the papal authority, 
 that he did not even entertain the fmalleft lufpi- 
 cion concerning its divine original, had written 
 to Leo a moll fubmifTive letter, promifing an 
 unreferved compliance with his will j the pope 
 gratified them fo far as to empower his legate in 
 in Germany, cardinal Cajeran, a Dominican emi¬ 
 nent for fcholaftic learning, and paffionately de¬ 
 voted to the Roman fee, to hear and determine 
 the caufe. 
 
 Luther, although he had good reafon to de¬ 
 cline a judge chofen among his avowed adverfa- 
 ries, did nothefitate about appearing before Ca- 
 jetan ; and having obtained the emperor’s fafe 
 condudl, immediately repaired to Augfburg. 
 The cardinal received him with decent refpedl, 
 and endeavoured at firft to gain upon him by 
 gentle treatment; but thinking it beneath thedig- 
 nity of his Ration to enter into any formal difpute, 
 he required him, by virtue of the apoftolical 
 powers with which he was inverted, to retradfc the 
 errors he had uttered with regard to indulgen¬ 
 ces, and the nature of faith ; and to abftain, for 
 the future, from the publication of new and dan¬ 
 gerous opinions. 
 
 Luther, fully perfuaded of the truth of his 
 own tenets, and confirmed in the belief of them, 
 by the approbation they had met with among 
 perfons confpicuous both for their learning and 
 piety, was furprifed at this abrupt mention of a 
 recantation, before any endeavours were ul'ed to 
 convince him that he was miftaken. 
 
 He had flattered himfelf, that in a conference 
 concerning the points in difpute, with a prelate 
 of fuch dillinguifhed abilities, he would be able 
 to remove many of thofe imputations with which 
 the ignorance or malice of his enemies had 
 branded him. But the high tone of authority 
 the cardinal affumed, extinguifhed at once all 
 hopes of this kind, and cut off every profpedt of 
 advantage from the interview. His native in¬ 
 trepidity of mind, however, did not defert him. 
 He declared, with the utmort firmnefs, that he 
 could not, with a fafe confidence, renounce opi¬ 
 nions which he believed to be true ; nor lhould 
 any confideration ever induce him to do what 
 would be fo bale in itfelf, and fo often five to God. 
 
 At the fame time, he continued to exprefs no 
 lefs reverence for the papal authority than he 
 had formerly done, and fignified his earneft 
 defire to have the whole decided by the opinion 
 of different univerfities ; promifing, at the fame 
 time, never to write or preach againft indul- 
 gencies, fo as his opponents would be filent in 
 preaching in favour of them. It will, perhaps, 
 appear rather ftrange to thofe who confider the 
 age in which Luther firft made his public appear¬ 
 ance, his ftrenuous defence of the truths of the 
 gofpel, and his ftrong oppofition to papal en¬ 
 croachment, that he lhould fiibmit his caufe to 
 be tried by dodlors in univerfities, who were no 
 better than idol drones, accultomed to live in 
 cloifters, and at all times obedient to the Roman 
 Catholic power. To this it is anfwered, that 
 although thedawn of learning was then beginning 
 to difful'e its refrefhing and cheering beams over 
 a benighted world, loft in darknefs and igno¬ 
 rance, yet it was not come to fuch a ftate of per¬ 
 fection as to difpel prejudices. It was the 
 wretched notion of the people in the dark ages, 
 40 
 
 that there was an infallibility lodged fomewhere 
 among men, for the prefervation of the Chriftian 
 religion. It was not fufficient for them to trull 
 in the Divine promiie, but they were to look for 
 infalibillity among the'mfelves. Some placed it in 
 popes, fome in general councils, and others in uni¬ 
 verfities, without confidering that God never dele¬ 
 gated a power of that nature to any men, nor 
 to any body of men whatever. It was the fault 
 of the times, not the fault of any particular man. 
 
 But to go on with the narrative. Although, 
 according to the extent of human underftanding 
 in that age, Luther’s propofals were every way 
 reafonable, yet Cajetan rejected them, and infill¬ 
 ed peremptorily on a fimple recantation, threat- 
 ning him with ecclefiaftical cenfures, and forbid¬ 
 ding him to appear again in his prefence, unlefs 
 he inftantly complied with what he had injoined. 
 This haughty and violent manner of proceeding, 
 joined to many other circumftances, gave 
 Luther’s friends fuch -ftrong realons to fufpeeft 
 that even the imperial fafe condudl would not be 
 able to protedl him from the legate’s power and 
 relentment, that they prevailed on him to with¬ 
 draw lecretly from Augfburg, and to return to his 
 own country. Elowever, before his departure, 
 according to a form long ufed at all diets held 
 for the German empire, and general councils, he 
 prepared a folemn appeal from the conduct of 
 this pope to his fucceffor, whom he believed 
 would be better informed, and more attentive to 
 his caufe. 
 
 Cajetan, who was a real bigot, enraged at 
 Luther’s abrupt retreat, and the publication of 
 his appeal, wrote to the eledlor of Saxony, com¬ 
 plaining of both ; and requiring him, as he re¬ 
 garded the peace of the church, and the authority 
 of the pope, either to fend that feditious monk 
 a prifoner to Rome, or to banifih him out of his 
 territories. 
 
 It was not from theological motives that 
 Frederick, the Saxon eledtor, had hitherto pro¬ 
 tected Luther; he feems to have been a ftranger 
 to thefe controverfies, and little interefted in 
 them. His protection flowed from political 
 motives, and was afforded with fecrecy and 
 caution. He had neither heard any of Lu¬ 
 ther’s dii'courfes, nor read any of his books ; and 
 although all Germany relbunded with his fame,, 
 he had never once admitted him into his prefence. 
 But upon this demand made by the cardinal, it 
 became neceffary for the elector to throw off' 
 fomewhat of his former referve. Lie had been 
 at much expence, and had beftowed great atten¬ 
 tion in founding a new univerfity, and forefeeing 
 how fatal a blow the removal of Luther would 
 be from that feat of learning, he refuled to com¬ 
 ply with the cardinal’s requeft. He interefted 
 himfelf in Luther’s fafety, and began to declare 
 himfelf a favourer of his opinions. 
 
 The inflexible rigour with which Cajetan in¬ 
 filled on a fimple recantation, gave great off ence 
 to Luther’s followers in that age, and has fince 
 been cenfured as imprudent by feveral popifh 
 writers ; but it was impofilble for the legate, ac¬ 
 cording to the nature of his commiffion, to adt 
 otherwife. The judges before whom Luther had 
 been required to appear at Rome, were fo eager 
 to difplay their zeal againft his errors, that with¬ 
 out waiting the expiration of the fixty days al- 
 6 C lowed 
 
INTRODUCTION to the HISTORY of the PROTESTANT RELIGION. 
 
 47 ° 
 
 lowed him in the citation, they had already con¬ 
 demned him as an Heretick. Pope Leo X. had* 
 in feveral of his letters, ftigmatized him as a 
 child of iniquity, and a man of a reprobate mind. 
 Nothing lefs, therefore, than a fimple recanta¬ 
 tion could fave the honour of the church, whofe 
 maxim it is never to abandon the fmalleft point 
 it has eftablifhed, and which is even profefied 
 by its pretenfions to infallibility ; for if a church 
 cannot do any thing wrong, then to annul one 
 of its own decrees would be to acknowledge its. 
 fallibility by giving up one of the whole. 
 
 In the mean time, Luther’s fituation was fuch 
 as would have filled any other perfon with the 
 utmoft apprehenfions. He law no reafon to ex- 
 peft that a prince fo cautious as Frederick, would, 
 on his account, fet at defiance the thunders of 
 the church, and brave the papal power which had 
 often crufhed fome of the braveft German princes. 
 He knew what veneration was at that time paid 
 to ecclefiaftical decrees, what terror ecclefiaftical 
 cenfures carried along with them, and how eafily 
 thefe might influence a prince who was rather 
 his prote&or from policy, than his difciple from 
 conviction. If he fliould be obliged to quit 
 Saxony, he had no profpeCl of any part of the 
 habitable world where he could procure an afy- 
 lum, and mud ftand expofed to whatever punifli- 
 ment the rage or bigotry of his enemies could 
 infliCT Tho’ fenfible of his danger, he difcovered 
 no fymptoms of timidity or remiflnefs, but con¬ 
 tinued to vindicate his own conduct and opi¬ 
 nions, and to inveigh againft thofe of his adverla- 
 ries with greater ftrength of argument than before. 
 
 So far Luther Ihewed himfelf to be a real hero 
 indeed, and one who knew that truth ought al¬ 
 ways to be fupported, fliould the mod reputed 
 characters for fanCtity join in oppofing it. But 
 as every ftep taken by the court of Rome, par¬ 
 ticularly the irregular fentence by which he had 
 been fo precipitatly declared a heretic, convinced 
 Luther that Leo X. would foon proceed to the 
 mod violent meafures againft him, he had re¬ 
 course to the only expedient in his power, in or¬ 
 der to prevent the effeCt of the papal cenfures. 
 He appealed to a general council, which he af¬ 
 firmed to be the reprefentative of the Catholic 
 church, and fuperior in power to the pope, who 
 being a fallible man, might err as St. Peter had 
 before. This appeal made by Luther, gives us a 
 melancholy notion of the Sentiments embraced 
 by the people in that age. Were general councils 
 infallible? The anfwer is, no more than the popes 
 themfelves. Had all general councils, concurred 
 in the fame opinion, then this Sentiment re¬ 
 specting their infallibility might have been em¬ 
 braced ; but as it is well known that one general 
 council has excommunicated another of the fame 
 rank, where was the infallibility to be found? 
 Nay, it is well known that the council of Trent, 
 which met Sometime after the death of Luther, 
 not only condemned all thofe doCtrines embraced 
 by the Proteflants, but actually gave fanCtion 
 to new ones, which before that time had been 
 dubious and difputable. 
 
 It foon appeared, that Luther had not formed 
 rafh conjeftures concerning the intention of the 
 Romifh church. A bull, of a date prior to his ap¬ 
 peal, was iflued by the pope, in which were inferted 
 the virtues and benefits of indulgences, in terms 
 
 as extravagant as any of his predecefTors had ven¬ 
 tured to life, even in the earlieft ages, and with¬ 
 out applying fuch palliations, or granting fuch 
 concellions as the juncture might feem to call for, 
 he required all Chriflians to alient to what he 
 had delivered, as the doCtrine of the Catholic 
 church, and declared that thofe who held any 
 other opinions, fliould be puniflied with the fe- 
 vereft ecclefiaftical cenfures. This bull had but 
 little efteCt among Luther’s followers, who con¬ 
 ceived it in its true light, namely, as an engine 
 to raile money to fupport papal extravagancies. 
 
 At this time, a circumftance took place which 
 was very favourable to Luther, and that was the 
 death of the emperor Maximillian, whofe in- 
 terefts and principles both correiponded to enable 
 him to fupport the grandeur of the Romifh 
 church. In confequence of this event, the elec¬ 
 tor of Saxony, by virtue of his offices, had his 
 powers greatly enlarged, and under his pro¬ 
 tection, Luther not only lived in peace, but his 
 opinions were taught almoft every where through¬ 
 out the empire. 
 
 During this inter-regnum, before an emperor 
 was chofen, the court of Rome began to confider 
 that the growing Herefy of Luther would be the 
 ruin of their church. Leo X. the then pope, 
 was a man of pleafure, he loved expcnce and 
 gaiety, but he knew nothing of religion. He was 
 a profligate and a debauchee in the trueft fenfeof 
 the words j and if we may believe Voltaire, he 
 died of the vei real difeafe. Leo did not know 
 at this juncture how to a< 5 l. He had given of¬ 
 fence to the Germans, and to feveral other Chrif- 
 tian nations, by the publication of his indul¬ 
 gences in the moft fcandalous manner ; a poor 
 private monk had boldly flood forth in defiance 
 of religious liberty, and a vaft number of people 
 whofe eyes feemed now to be opened, had de¬ 
 clared, that unlefs the publication of indul¬ 
 gences was revoked, they would declare for 
 Luther. Encouraged by the fupport he met 
 with from his brave countrymen, Luther began 
 to proceed farther, and even called in queftion 
 the divine authority of the papal fee. A public 
 difputation was held on this fubjedt at Lipfick, 
 and the refult was, that a breach with the court 
 of Rome was found neceflary. 
 
 Nor did this fpirit of oppofition to the doc¬ 
 trines and ufurpations of the church of Rome 
 flop here, for it broke out in feveral other parts 
 of Germany at the fame time. An attack, no 
 lefs fevere, and occafioned by the fame caufes, 
 was made upon them about this time in Switzer¬ 
 land. The Francifcans being intrufted with the 
 fale of indulgencies in that country, executed 
 their commiflion with the fame indifcretion and 
 rapacioufnels which had rendered the Domini¬ 
 cans fo odious in Germany. They proceeded, 
 iiowever, with uninterrupted fuccefs till they ar¬ 
 rived at Zurich. There Zuingulis, a man not 
 inferior to I,uther himfelf in zeal and intrepidity, 
 ventured to oppofe them, and being animated 
 with a republican boldnefs, and free from 
 thofe reftraints which fubjedtion to the will of a 
 prince impofed on the German reformer, he ad¬ 
 vanced with more daring and rapid fteps to over¬ 
 turn the whole fabric of the eftabliftted religiQri. 
 The appearance of fuch a vigorous auxiliary, and 
 the progrefs which he made, was at firft matter 
 
 of 
 
INTRODUCTION to the HISTORY 
 
 of great joy to Luther, though on the other 
 hand, the decrees of the univerfity of Cologne 
 and Louvain, which pronounced his opinions to 
 be erroneous, afforded great caufe of triumph 
 for his adverfaries. 
 
 But the undaunted fpirit of Luther acquired 
 frelh vigour from every fpecies of oppofition, 
 and pushing on his enquiries and attacks from 
 one doflrine to another, he began to (hake the 
 firmed foundations, on which the wealth or 
 power of the church of Rome had been founded. 
 L.eo the pope came at laft to be convinced that 
 all hopes of reclaiming him by forbearance were 
 in vain, and feveral prelates exclaimed againft 
 the popes lenity without confidering that he 
 could not do any thing againft Luther without the 
 concurrence of the German princes, and to 
 iome of thefe the court of Rome had rendered 
 rtfelf obnoxious. The pope was roufed as it 
 were from Jus (lumber, and he began to place 
 fome confidence in the new emperor Charles, 
 believing, at the fame time, that the eledtor of 
 Saxony would not be fo deaf to his own intereft ^ 
 as to protedt an incorrigible Heretick, who for 
 three years together had difturbed the peace ol 
 the church in oppofition to the ecclcfiaftical 
 canons, the decrees of the general councils, the 
 letters or precepts fent by the popes, and the 
 opinions of the dodtors in the moft celebrated 
 univerfities. 
 
 The college of cardinals were often affembled, 
 in order to prepare the fentence with due deli¬ 
 beration, and the moft able canonifts were con- 
 lulted how it might be exprelfed with the moft 
 unexceptionable formality. At laft, on the fif¬ 
 teenth day of June (we muft be formal) one 
 thoufand five hundred and twenty, the bull, fo 
 fatal to the church of Rome was iffued. Forty- 
 one propofitions, cxtradled out of Luther’s works 
 were therein condemned as heretical, fcandalous, 
 flnd offenfive to pious ears. All perfons were for¬ 
 bidden to read his writings, upon pain of excom¬ 
 munication, and 1 Licit as had any of them in their 
 cuftody were commanded to commit them to the 
 names. Nay, he himfclf, if he did not within 
 fixty days recant all his herefies, was to be ex¬ 
 communicated, and delivered unto fatan for the 
 deftruftion of his fleih; and all fecular princes 
 were required, under penalty of the fame cenl'ure, 
 to feize his perfon, that he might be puniftted in 
 the manner his crimes deferved. 
 
 The publication of this bull in Germany 
 excited various paffions in different places. 
 Luther’s adverfaries exulted, as if his party 
 and opinions had been crufhed at once by fuch a 
 decifive blow. His followers, whofe reverence 
 for the papal authority daily diminifhed, read 
 Leo s anathmas witli more indignaton than 
 terror. In fome cities, the people violently ob 
 ftrudted the promulgation of the bull ; in others, 
 thofe W'ho attempted to publifh it were treated 
 with contempt, and the bull itfelf was torn in 
 pieces and trodden under-foot. 
 
 Luther had looked for this fentence fome time, 
 but it did not in the leaft intimidate him ; fu- 
 perior to ecclefiaftical menaces, his mind tri¬ 
 umphed, and he role in grandeur, in confequcnce 
 of Ins enemies attempting to dcprefs him. Con¬ 
 fident with the foolery of the age, he again re- 
 
 of the PROTESTANT RELlGiON. 47 i 
 
 newed his appeal to to a general council, and 
 publifhed fome remarks on the pope’s bull. It 
 is certain, that in thefe remarks there is a great 
 deal of fcholaftic jargon, taken moftly from the 
 writings of St. Auguftine ; but ftill, as we have 
 already oblerved, this was the fault of the age 
 more than that of the author's, learning was then 
 in leading firings, and the abominable jargon of 
 fchool divinity had in a manner hardly left com¬ 
 mon fenfe in the world. 
 
 Luther in this cafe ftiewed himfclf to be a man 
 of fpirit, and without (hewing that mean, feru- 
 pulous pride fo peculiar to the bafenefs of hy¬ 
 pocrites, he maintained a dignity of fentiment 
 that will ever do honour to his memory. He had 
 the whole papal power to engage with, and he 
 was no ftranger to the ignorance and prejudices 
 of his own countrymen. 
 
 As the pope had ordered Luther’s books to be 
 burnt at Rome, fo this intrepid hero affembled 
 the members of the univerfity of W1 ttemberg to¬ 
 gether, and in (olemn proceftlon they burnT the 
 pope’s bull, and this example was followed by the 
 inhabitants of feveral of the cities of Germany. 
 The manner in which he juftified this action, 
 was more provoking than the adlion itfelf. He 
 collected from the canon law fome of the moft 
 extravagant propofitions with refipeft to the pleni¬ 
 tude of power and unlimited authority of the 
 popes, and the fubordination of all inferior to him 
 in ecclefiaftical jurifdiaion. To thefe he added 
 iome remarks, which ftruck deep at the power of 
 the church of Rome, becaufe they tended t<5 
 lubvert civil government. 
 
 Such was the progrefs Luther had made, and 
 Inch was the ftate of his party when Charles V. 
 came to take poffeffion, by eleftlon, of the Ger¬ 
 man empire. No fecular prince had hitherto 
 embraced Luthers opinions, no change in the 
 eftablidled religion had been introduced, and no 
 encroachments were made on the revenues or 
 foundations of the clergy. Neither party had 
 yet proceeded to aftion ; and the controverfy, 
 though condufted with great heat and paftion on 
 both fides, was ftill carried on in tiie way of ar¬ 
 gumentation. A deep impreftion, however, was 
 made on the minds of the people; their reverence 
 for antient doftrines and inftitutions was lliaken, 
 and the materials were already flattered which 
 produced the combuftion that foon ipread itfelf 
 all over Germany. Students crowded from every 
 province of the empire to Wittemberg, and 
 there fome of the greateft men who have done ho¬ 
 nour to the Proteltant religion, received the firft 
 rudiments of their education. The field for re¬ 
 ligious controverfies was now opened, a fort of 
 reftraint was laid upon the papal power, men be¬ 
 gan to fee, and what was ftill more to their ho . 
 nour, they began to fpeak their fentiments with 
 freedom, which their anceftors had not been per¬ 
 mitted to do for a thoufand years before. 
 
 During the courfe of thefe traniaftions, the 
 court of Rome, though under the direflion of 
 one of its ableft pontiffs, neither formed its 
 fchemes with that fagacity, nor executed them 
 with that fteady perfeverance which had lono- 
 rendered it die moft perfeft model of political 
 wifdom to all the reft of Europe. When Luther 
 began to declare againft indulgencies, two dif¬ 
 ferent 
 
INTRODUCTION to the HISTORY of ths PROTESTANT RELIGION, 
 
 ferent methods of treating him lay before the 
 pope, by adopting one of which, the attempt, it 
 is probable, might have been crufned, and 
 by the other it might have been rendered in¬ 
 nocent. 
 
 If Luther’s firft departure from the do< 5 trines 
 of the church had inftantly drawn upon him the 
 weight of its cenfures, the dread of thefe might 
 have retrained the ele6tor of Saxony from pro¬ 
 tecting him, might have deterred the people from 
 liftening to his difeourfes, or even might have 
 overawed Luther himfelf, and his name, like that 
 of many good men betore his time, would now 
 have only been known to the world by his honeft 
 but ill-timed effort to convert the corruptions of 
 the Romifh church; or on the other hand, if the 
 pope had early teftified fome difpleafure with 
 the vices and exceffes of thofe who had been em¬ 
 ployed to publifh indulgencies, if he had forbid¬ 
 den the mentioning of controverted points in 
 private difeourfe, if he had enjoined the dif- 
 putants on both Tides to befilent, if he had been 
 careful not to rifque the credit of the church by 
 defining what had hitherto been left undetermin¬ 
 ed, Luther would probably have Hopped Ihort at 
 his firft dilcoveries. He would not have been 
 forward to put himfelf upon his own defence, and 
 the whole controverfv might probably have 
 dried away infenfibly; or being confined entirely 
 to the fchools, might have been carried on with 
 as little detriment to the peace and unity of the 
 Romifn church as that which the Francifcans 
 maintain with the Dominicans concerning the 
 immaculate conception, or that between the 
 Janfenifts and Jefuits, concerning the operation 
 of grace. But Leo, by Automating between thefe 
 oppofite fyftems, and by embracing them alter¬ 
 nately, defeated the effects of both. By an im¬ 
 proper exertion of authority, Luther was exaf- 
 perated but not reftrained. By a miftaken exer- 
 cife of lenity, time was given for his opinions to 
 fpread, but no progrefs made towards reconciling 
 him to the church, and even the fentence of ex- 
 communication, which at another juncture might 
 have been decifive, was delayed lo long that it 
 became at laft fcarce an obje< 5 t of terror. 
 
 Such a feries of errors in the meafures of a 
 court, feldom chargeable with miftaking its own 
 true intereft, is not more aftonilhing than the 
 wifdom which appeared in Luther’s condudt. 
 Though a perfect ftranger to the maxims of hu¬ 
 man prudence, and incapable, from the impetu¬ 
 osity of his temper, of oblerving them, he was 
 led naturally by the method in which he made his 
 dilcoveries, to carry on his operations in a man¬ 
 ner which contributed more to their fuccefs, 
 than if every ftep he took had been preferibed by 
 the moft artful policy. At the time when he let 
 himfelf to oppofe Tetzel, he was far from inten¬ 
 ding that reformation, which he afterwards effect¬ 
 ed ; and would have trembled with horror at 
 the thoughts of what at laft he gloried in accom- 
 plilhing. The knowledge of truth was not 
 pouredunto his mind, all at once, by any fpecial 
 revelation ; he acquired it by induftry and medi¬ 
 tation, and his progrefs, of confequence, was 
 gradual. 
 
 The doCtrines of popery are fo clofey connect¬ 
 ed, that the expofing of one error conducted him 
 naturally to the detection of others; and all the 
 
 parts of that artificial fabric were fo linked toge¬ 
 ther, that the pulling down of one loofene-d The 
 foundation of the reft, and rendered it more ea'V 
 to overturn them. In confuting the extravagant 
 tenets concerning indulgencies, he was obliged 
 to enquire into the true caufe of our juftification 
 and acceptance with God. The knowledge of 
 that, dilcovered to him by degrees the inutility of 
 pilgrimages and penances ; the vanity of rely¬ 
 ing on the intercellion of faints; the impiety of 
 worlhipping them ; the abufes of auricular con- 
 feflion ; and the imaginary exiftence of purga¬ 
 tory. The detection of fo many errors, led him 
 of courfe to coni fid er the character of the clergy 
 who taught them ; and their exorbitant wealth, 
 the fevere injunction of celibacy and the intole¬ 
 rable rigour of monaftic vows appeared to him 
 the great fources of their corruption. From 
 thence, it was but one ftep to call in queftion 
 the divine original of the papal power, which au¬ 
 thorized and lbpported fuch a fyftem of errors. 
 
 As the unavoidable refult of the whole, he 
 difclaimed the infallibility of the pope, the deci- 
 fions of fchoolmen, or any other human autho¬ 
 rity, and appealed to the word of God as the 
 only ftandard of theological truth. To this 
 gradual progrefs Luther owed his luccels. His 
 hearers were not Ihocked at firft by any propofi- 
 tion too repugnant to their antient prejudices, 
 or too remote from eftablilhed opinions. Thev 
 were conducted infenfibly from one doCtrine to 
 another. Their faith and conviction were able 
 to keep pace with his dilcoveries. To the fame 
 caule was owing the inattention, and even dif¬ 
 ference, with which Leo viewed Luther’s firft 
 proceedings. A direCt or violent attack upon 
 the authority of the church, would have (drawn 
 upon him at once the whole weight of its ven¬ 
 geance ; but as this was far from his thoughts, 
 as he continued long to profefs great refpeCt for 
 the pope, and made repeated offers of fubmifiion 
 to his decilions, there Teemed to be no reafon for 
 apprehending that he would prove the author of 
 any defperate revolt; and he was luffered to pro¬ 
 ceed ftep by ffep, in undermining the constitu¬ 
 tion of the church, till the remedy applied at laft 
 came too late to produce any effeCL 
 
 But whatever advantages Luther’s caufe deri¬ 
 ved either from the miftakes of his adverfaries, 
 or from his own good conduCt, the fudden pro¬ 
 grefs and firm eftablifhment of his doCtrines, 
 muft not be aferibed to thele alone. The fame 
 corruptions in the church of Rome which he 
 condemned, had been attacked long before his 
 appearance, and the fame opinions which he now 
 propagated, had been publifhed in different pla¬ 
 ces, and were fupported by the fame arguments. 
 Waldus in the twelfth century, WicklifF in the 
 fourteenth already mentioned, and Huls in the 
 fifteenth, had inveighed againft the errors of po¬ 
 pery with great boldnefs, and confuted them 
 with more ingenuity and learning than could 
 have been expefted in thofe illiterate ages in 
 which they flourifhed. But all thefe premature 
 attempts towards a reformation proved abortive. 
 Such feeble lights, incapable of difpelling the 
 darknefs which then covered the church, were 
 Toon extinguifhed : and though the doftines of 
 thefe pious men produced fome effefts, and left 
 fome traces in the country where they taught, 
 
 they 
 
INTRODUCTION to the HISTORY 
 
 they were neither extenfive nor considerable. 
 Many powerful caufes contributed to facilitate 
 Luther’s progrefs, which either did not exifl, or 
 did not operate with full force in their days ; and 
 at the critical and mature juncture when he ap¬ 
 peared, circumftances of every kind concurred 
 in rendering each ftep he took’fuccefsful. 
 
 The long and fcandalous fchifm which divi¬ 
 ded the church, during the latter part of the 
 fourteenth, and the beginning of the fifteenth 
 centuries, had a great effedt in diminifhing the 
 veneration with which the world had been accu¬ 
 ftomed to view the papal dignity. Two or three 
 contending pontiffs roaming about Europe at a 
 time, fawning on the princes whom they wan¬ 
 ted to gain, fqueezing the countries which ac¬ 
 knowledged their authority, excommunicating 
 their rivals, and curling thofe who adhered to 
 them, diferedited their pretenfions to infallibi¬ 
 lity, and expofed both their perfons and their 
 office to contempt. The laity, to whom all par¬ 
 ties appealed, came to learn that fome right of 
 private judgement belonged to them, and ac¬ 
 quired the exercife of it fo far as to chufe, among 
 tliefe infallible guides, whom they would pleafe 
 to follow. The proceedings of the councils of 
 Con fiance and Bafil, fpread flill wider this dif- 
 refpedl for the Romifli fee and by their bold ex¬ 
 ertion of authority in depofing and eledting popes, 
 taught the world that there was in the church a 
 jurifdidlion fuperior even to the papal power, 
 which they had long believed to be Supreme. 
 
 The wound given on thatoccafion to the papal 
 authority was fcarce healed up, when the ponti¬ 
 ficates of Alexander VI. and Julius II. both able 
 princes, but deteflable ecdefiaftics, railed new 
 fcandal in Chriflendom. The profligate morals 
 of the former in private life ; the fraud, the in- 
 juftice and cruelty of his publick adminiflration, 
 place him on a level with thofe tyrants, whofe 
 deeds are the greatefl reproach to human nature. 
 The latter, though a flranger to thele odious 
 paffions which prompted his predeceffor to com¬ 
 mit fo many unnatural crimes, was under the do¬ 
 minion of a relllefs and ungovernable ambition, 
 which fcorned all conflderations of gratitude, of 
 decency, or of juftice, when they obftrudted the 
 execution of his fchemes. It was fcarce poffible 
 to be firmly perfuaded, that the infallible know¬ 
 ledge of a religion, whofe chief precepts are pu¬ 
 rity and humility, was depofited in the breafls of 
 the impious Alexander, or the overbearing Ju¬ 
 lius. The opinion of thofe who exalted the au¬ 
 thority of a council above that of the pope fpread 
 wonderfully under their pontificates : And as the 
 Emperor and French king, who were actually 
 engaged in hoflilities with thefe adlive pontiffs, 
 permitted and even encouraged their fubjedts to 
 expofe their vices with all the violence of invec¬ 
 tive, and all the petulance of ridicule, and men’s 
 ears becoming accuftomed as it were to thefe, 
 were not Ihocked to hear Luther treat the papal 
 power in the moil ludicrous terms. 
 
 Nor did fatire operate againfl the pope only. 
 Many of the dignified fecular clergy, being the 
 younger fons of noble families, who had affumed 
 the ecclefiallical fundtion for no other reafon but 
 that they found in the church people accuftomed 
 to idlenefs, negledted the duties of their office, 
 and indulged themfelves without referve or fear, 
 40 
 
 of the PROTESTANT RELIGION, 47J 
 
 in all thole vices which generally fprlng from an 
 immoderate degree of wealth. 
 
 Though the preachers were prevented by their 
 poverty from imitating the expenfive luxury of 
 their fupenors, yet grofs ignorance and low de¬ 
 bauchery rendered them as contemptible as the 
 others were odious. The fevere and unnatural 
 j cafe of celebacy, to which both were equally 
 lubjedt, occafioned fuch irregularities, that in 
 feveral parts of Europe, the priefls were permit¬ 
 ted to keep concubines. Nor was this to be 
 found only in the warmer climates, where the 
 paffions are fuppofed to be more violent than in 
 the northern regions. It even extended to the 
 north of Scotland, where fome of the old bifhops 
 had three or four natural children ; and lord 
 Elales has mentioned an inftance, and produced 
 the record of one Hepburn, bilhop of Murray, 
 having five natural children legitimated by pa¬ 
 tent in one day. 
 
 The degeneracy of men among the ecclefia-* 
 dies might, perhaps, have been tolerated with 
 more indulgence if their exorbitant riches and 
 powei had not enabled them at the fame time to 
 opprefs all the other orders of men. It is the 
 genius of fuperflition, fond of every thing pom¬ 
 pous or grand, to fet no bounds to its liberality 
 towards perfons whom it efleemed facred, and 
 t0 think its expreffions of regard defective, un- 
 lefs it hath railed them to the height of wealth 
 and authority. Lienee flowed the extenfive re¬ 
 venues and jurifdidlion pofiefTed by the church 
 in every country in Europe, and which were be¬ 
 come intolerable to the laity, from whofe un¬ 
 decerning bounty they were at firft derived. 
 
 I he burden, however, had fallen very heavy 
 on Germany ; for although the people of that 
 extenfive empire are naturally brave, and not 
 much addidted to levity, tenacious of their an¬ 
 cient cuftoms, and Strenuous fupporters of their 
 liberties, yet they had fallen into the prevailing 
 error, and were ruled by the court of Rome, not 
 as children under paternal jurifdidlion, but as 
 wretched flaves, who were to be fleeced of all 
 their wealth, in order to maintain a great num¬ 
 ber of indolent priefls in luxury, idlenefs, fen- 
 fuality, and all forts of debauchery. 
 
 While the clergy aflerted their own pretenfions 
 with lo much zeal, they daily encroached on 
 thofe of the laity. All caufes relative to matri¬ 
 mony, to wills, ufury, legitimacy, and even to 
 their own revenues, were to be decided in their 
 own courts. Nay, they were not fatisfied with 
 this amazing power, they adlually attempted to 
 bring before themfelves the cognizance of all 
 civil caufes, and to become judges between men 
 in difputes concerning civil property. They 
 had engrofied to themfelves almoil the whole 
 fyftem of human learning; for the laity were 
 more intent on martial atchievements, than on 
 cultivating their rational faculties, which was 
 one of the means by which they were kept in a 
 ftate of ignorance. 
 
 The penalties inflidled by the ecclefiaftical 
 courts, added great dignity to the judges, and 
 filled the minds of the people with terror. The 
 cenfure of excommunication was originally de- 
 figned to preferve the purity of the church, that 
 j obftinate offenders, whofe impious tenets, or 
 ' profane lives, were a reproach to Chriftianity, 
 6 D might 
 
INTRODUCTION to the HISTORY of the PROTESTANT RELIGION. 
 
 474 
 
 might be cut off from the fociety of the fairh- 
 ful. This the corrupt churchmen took care to 
 improve to their own advantage, and infliifled 
 their cenfers on the mod frivolous pretenfions. 
 Whoever incurred their difpleafure were excluded 
 from all the privileges of Chriftians, and deprived 
 of their rights as men and citizens, and the dread 
 of this rendered even the moil fierce and tirbu- 
 lent fpirits oblequious to the authority of the 
 church. 
 
 Grievous, however, as thefe encroachments 
 of the clergy might have been, yet they could 
 have been borne with much longer by the Ger¬ 
 mans, had the revenues been bellowed upon 
 their own countrymen, but quite the reverie 
 took place. The popes had, for feveral ages, 
 pretended a title to fill up all vacant bilhoprics, 
 and for that purpofe they feized on the rights 
 of the fecular princes in Germany by fend¬ 
 ing feme of their Italian creatures to take pof- 
 feffion of the moll opulent church livings. Here 
 thefe Italians received vail fums of money with¬ 
 out doing any duty to entitle them to l'uch a re¬ 
 ward, and they exercifed fuch an unlimited au¬ 
 thority as none but Haves could endure. The 
 pope’s favourite miftreffes fold the benefices 
 to thole who bid the moll money for them, for 
 the holy head of the church loved women as 
 much as the grand feignor. Thele fcandalous 
 praftices were not carried on in fecret, they were 
 done publicly, and the avarice of the church of 
 Rome triumphing over its former prejudices, pi¬ 
 ous men beheld with filent regret thefe fimonial 
 pra&ices, fo unworthy the character of thofe who 
 pretended to be the minifters of a Chriftian 
 church, while politicians complained of the 
 exportation of fo much money to fupport idle 
 priefts, whofe fcandalous lives had totally made 
 them odious to all ranks of people, by degrading 
 their character even below the meaneft of the 
 human creation. 
 
 Such were the diffolute manners, the exorbitant 
 wealth, power and privileges of the clergy before 
 the reformation ; fuch the opprefiive rigour of 
 that dominion which the popes had eftablifhed 
 over the Chriftian world; and fuch the fenti- 
 ments that prevailed concerning them in Ger¬ 
 many, and in the reft of Europe about the be¬ 
 ginning of the fixteenth century. Nor has this 
 lketch been taken from the parties concerned 
 in that age, who might pofilbly have been led 
 into prejudices in confequence of their violent 
 oppofition of each other; it is formed upon more 
 authentic evidence, upon the memorials and re- 
 rnonftrances of the imperial diets, cooly enume¬ 
 rating the grievances under which the empire 
 groaned, begging earneftly for redrefs. Diffatif- 
 fafbion muft have rifen to a great height, when 
 thefe grave and folemn affemblies expofed the 
 crimes with fo much acrimony, and if they de¬ 
 manded the abolition of thefe enormities with fo 
 much vehemence,we may be affured, they uttered 
 their fentiments and decrees in more bold, and 
 virulent expreffions. 
 
 To men thus prepared for ftiaking off the ar¬ 
 bitrary papal yoke, Luther addreffed himfelf with 
 almoft certainty of fuccefs. As they had long 
 felt its weight and borne it with impatience, they 
 liftened with joy to the firft propofal for their 
 
 deliverance. Hence proceeded the fond and 
 eager reception his doflrines met with, and the 
 rapidity with which they lpread over all the pro¬ 
 vinces of Germany. Even the impetuofity and 
 fiercenefs of Luther’s fpirit, his confidence in al¬ 
 iening his own opinions, and the contempt with 
 which he treated all who differed from him, 
 which in ages of more moderation have been 
 reckoned defeats in the character of that refor¬ 
 mer, did not appear exceflive to his contempo¬ 
 raries, whofe minds were ftrongly agitated by 
 thofe interefting controverfies which he carried 
 on, and who themfelves had endured the rigour 
 of papal tyranny, and feen the corruptions of 
 that church againll which he exclaimed. 
 
 But befides all the means already mentioned, 
 which contributed towards facilitating Luther’s 
 undertakings in bringing about the reformation, 
 there were forne others not hitherto mentioned. 
 Among thefe one of the chief was the art of 
 printing, which took its rife about half a century 
 before his time. By this fortunate difeovery, the 
 facility of acquiring and of propagating know¬ 
 ledge, was wonderfully encreafed, and Luther’s 
 books, which muft otherwile have made their 
 progrefs very flowly and with uncertainty, in 
 diftant countries fpread at once over all Europe. 
 Nor were they read only by the rich and the 
 learned, who alone had accels to books before 
 that invention ; they got into the hands of the 
 people, who upon their appeal to them as judges, 
 ventured to examine and reje«fl many dotflrines 
 which they had been enjoined to believe under 
 the fevereft penalty. The eyes of the people 
 began to open gradually, they law the impofitions 
 that had been put upon them by defigning 
 priefts, and they were glad to patronize a man 
 who bid fair to reftore them to their natural 
 liberty. 
 
 But Luther was not alone in oppofition to 
 the meafures of the court of Rome. The great 
 Erafmus, who was his contemporary, without 
 being a Protcftant in poffeffion, let loofe the 
 whole force of his fatire on the errors and fuper- 
 ftitions of popery. His acute judgement and 
 vaft erudition enabled him to difeover many 
 errors, both in the dodtrine and worlhip of the 
 church of Rome. Some of thefe he confuted 
 with great folidity of reafon and force of elo¬ 
 quence; others he treated as objefts of ridicule, 
 and turned againll them the ineftimable torrents 
 of popular and fatirical wit, of which he had a 
 great command. There was fcarce any opinion 
 or practice in the Romilh church which Luther 
 fought to reform, but had been previoufiy ani¬ 
 madverted upon by Erafmus, and had afforded 
 him either matter for cenfure or raillery. 
 
 Various circumftances, how'ever, concurred in 
 hindering Erafmus from purfuing the fame courfe 
 as that which Luther embarked in. The natural 
 timidity of his temper ; his want of that force of 
 mind which alone can prompt a man to affume 
 the character of a reformer; his exceftive defer¬ 
 ence for perfons in high Ration; his dread of 
 lofing the penfions and other emoluments which 
 their liberality had conferred upon him; his ex¬ 
 treme love of peace, and hopes of reforming 
 abufes gradually, and by gentle methods; all con- 
 curred to induce him to reprefs that zeal which he 
 
 had 
 
INTRODUCTION to the HISTORY 
 
 had once manifefted againft the errors of the 
 church, and to affume the charadtcr of a media¬ 
 tor between Luther and his opponents. 
 
 The diet of the German empire was iummoned 
 to meet at Worms, an imperial city, toconfiderof 
 Luther’s opinions, and thither this great and il- 
 luftnous reformer was iummoned to make his 
 perfonal appearance. In vain did his friends per- 
 luade him that he was in danger, he went in 
 confcious innocence, and fmiled at the menaces 
 of his enemies. The reception he met with at 
 Worms, was fuch as might have filled his mind 
 with pride, had he afted from any other motives 
 than fuch as were purely evangelical. Greater 
 crowds affembled to fee him than had been there 
 when the emperor made his public entry, and in 
 this there was nothing at all remarkable; for here 
 was a poor monk who had boldly flood up againft 
 the whole thunders of the Vatican, had braved 
 the imperial power lb far as it related to mat¬ 
 ters of religion, and had ridiculed the fuper- 
 ftitions of the church and court of Rome with 
 all the acrimony of the fevereft fatire. 
 
 It is true, the emperor had incereft fufficient 
 in the diet to get a fevere decree pafied againft 
 him, but his fovereign, the eledtor of Saxony, 
 who had been his friend at the beginning, flood 
 by him to the laft. His opinions were gladly 
 embraced by many great perfons in Germany, 
 they fpread far and wide among the populace; 
 learned ecclcfiafties joined him, and princes, to 
 their everlafting honour, flood up in the defence 
 of what they fincerely believed to be the doc¬ 
 trines of divine revelation. 
 
 In this manner, and from circumftances that 
 no human wifdom could have foreieen, the papal 
 power received a fatal blow in Germany, and the 
 eyes of other European nations were lb far opened, 
 that the love of knowledge fpread itfelf into 
 many other countries. Princes, indeed, from 
 the worft of motives, did all that lay in their 
 power to check its progrefs ; but neither civil 
 tyranny, nor ecclefiaitical anathemas could an- 
 fwer the end. It is true, the Germans let the 
 example, and all thofe who lived in the more 
 foutherly climate had neither zeal nor courao-e 
 to copy after them, yet the rifing plant was 
 nourifhed by the hand of Divine Providence; it 
 bore down before it every fort of oppofition, and 
 even the iinalier flares of Switzerland oppofed 
 the papal power, and took the facred feriptures 
 for their guide in all matters of a religious na¬ 
 ture. Sweden and Denmark foon followed their 
 example; England and Scotland, from motives 
 
 of the PROTESTANT RELIGION. 47 j 
 
 that will be mentioned afterwards, did the fame. 
 
 Whatever progrels Luther made in the work 
 I of reformation, feemed only to point out the 
 ! way to fomething more complete, and the divines 
 in other nations improved on the plan he had 
 laid down. But without entering into a 1 difcuf- 
 lion of thele things, we fhall lay down the plan of 
 that molt arduous part of the work that lies be¬ 
 fore us. Firft, we are to treat of fuch religions 
 as are eftablilhed under the name of Proteftanifin 
 in different nations, and then of thofe who are 
 commonly called Diflenters. In the firft, we fhall 
 find fome few variations in difeipline, though 
 little in dodtrines; but in the fecond a great 
 number in both. And here we fhall adhere fo 
 ftridtly to tire truth, that none will defire to con¬ 
 demn us without firft acknowledging their own 
 ignorance or guilt. 
 
 The Papifts have reproached us with bein°- 
 divided into a great number of fedts and parties” 
 and by this they have laid hold of the ignorance 
 of thole whom they intended to make prolelytes, 
 without acquainting them, at the fame time, that 
 Proteftants never perfecuted each other with fo 
 much feverity as the Dominicans have the Fran- 
 eifeans in the Romifh church. We are willing 
 to acknowledge, that we do not all agree in every 
 trifling circumftance ; but in thofe points upon 
 which ialvation depends, there has not till lately 
 been any matter of difpute; and even where 
 fuch matter of difpute took place, it was 
 carried on by men who did not fo much enquire 
 after the truth as they fought an opportunity to 
 gratify their pride and eftabhfh their importance. 
 
 We are ready to grant, that confident with our 
 accouncs of the primitive church, there may be 
 fome variations among us; but none of thefe, 
 wherever an ecclefiaftical eftabliflnnent of reli¬ 
 gion has taken place, can affed the falvation of 
 mankind. As for thofe who have diffented from 
 civil eftablifhments, we fliall treat of their fenti- 
 ments with candour, and leave the reader to 
 judge purely for himfelf. 
 
 As Lutherianifm takes place in refpeft of anti¬ 
 quity before all the ocher civil eftablifhments of 
 the Proteftant religion in Europe, and as it has 
 been more generally embraced with refpedt to 
 locality, fo it is neceflary that we fhould begin 
 with it, confining ourfelves to its doflrines, dif¬ 
 eipline, worlhip, and government as a Chriftian 
 church, and point out how far the feveral efta- 
 blifhments of Proteftantifm may differ, whether 
 in kingdoms at large, or in more contradted 
 provinces. 
 
 The 
 
( 47 ® ) 
 
 77v RITES and CEREMONIES of the 
 
 LUTHERANS. 
 
 r | " M 1E account we have given of the refor- 
 
 8 mation in general, will lead every intel- 
 
 nl ligcnt perion to make a proper enquiry 
 into particulars ; and here we Ihall firft take no¬ 
 tice of the times when, and the places where, the 
 Proteftant religion, according to the plan laid 
 down by Luther, was eftablifhed; for at the time 
 of the reformation, the prophet’s words were ve¬ 
 rified, “ Kings Ihall be thy nurfing fathers, and 
 “ queens thy nurfing mothers.” 
 
 Saxony, and the county of Mansfeld, re¬ 
 vived Lutheranifm 1511, and the fame year the 
 elector of Saxony, who had all along favoured 
 Luther, defired him to appoint preachers, to 
 reform the people in every part of his domi¬ 
 nions. The fame year it was received at Kreich- 
 faw, Collar, Roftock, Riga, in Livonia, Rent- 
 ling, and at Hall, in Swabia. In 1522, it was 
 eftablifhed at Auglburg, Hamburg, Treptow, 
 Pomerania and Prufiia. In 1523, it was eftablifh¬ 
 ed in the Duchy of Lunenberg, Nurenberg 
 and Brefiaw. In 1525, throughout the whole 
 Landgravate of Heffe. In 1528, at Gottingen, 
 Limgou and Eimbech. In 1530, at Munfter and 
 Paderborn, in Weftphalia. In 153 2 > Ulm 
 and Ethlingen. In 1733, at Grubenhagan and 
 Hanover. In 1334, in the Duchy of Wittem- 
 berg. In 1535, at Cothus, in the lower Lula- 
 tia. In 1536, in the County of Lippe. In 
 1538, in the Eleftorate of Brandenburgh, in 
 Breman, Hall in Saxony, Leipfick, in Mif- 
 nia and Quedlenburg. In 1539, at Embden, in 
 Eaft FrieQand, Hailbron, Halberftade and 
 Magdeburgh. In I 54 °> Palatinate of 
 
 the Duchy of Nemburg, Regenlburg and Wif- 
 mar. In 1542, at Buxton de Hilderlhem, and 
 at Ofnaburgh. In 1543, in the lower Palatinate. 
 In 1546, in Mecklenburgh. In .1532, in the 
 Marquifate of Durlach and Hockburg. In 
 1556, in the County of Benthuem. In 1564, 
 at Haguenaw, and in the lower Marquifite of 
 Baden. In 1568, in the whole Duchy of Mag- 
 deburg. 
 
 Here was a rapidity of progrefs which no hu¬ 
 man wifdom could have forefeen; for befides 
 all the places already mentioned, Lutheranifm 
 was eftablifhed in Sweden, Denmark and Nor¬ 
 way. It was not like Mahometanifm propagated 
 by the fword, nor like popery, fupported by the 
 gibbet and the ftake. It confifted of a rational 
 addrefs to the underftandings of men, and Divine 
 Providence prepared them to receive it. 
 
 The fyftem of faith, embraced by the Luther¬ 
 ans, was drawn up by Melanfthon, a dear friend 
 of Luther’s, 1530, and prefented to the emperor 
 Charles V. It was defigned to fupport all the 
 points of the reformation, and oppoie the lead¬ 
 ing principles, and corrupt practices ot Popery. 
 This is called the Augfburg confeffion, becauic 
 Melan&hon prefented it to the emperor in that 
 city, and it was divided into two parts, the firft 
 of which contained the following articles. 
 
 The 1 ft acknowledged, and agreed to the 
 
 deciftons of the firft four general councils, con¬ 
 cerning the trinity. The 2d admitted of origi¬ 
 nal fin, defined it differently from the church of 
 Rome, making it to confift only in concupi- 
 lcence. The 3d contained the. fubftance of the 
 apoftles creed. The 4th maintained, againft 
 the Pelagians, that a man cannot be juftified by 
 the meer ftrength and capacity of nature; and, 
 againft the Roman Catholics, that juftification is 
 the effect of faith, exclufive of good works. 
 The 5th agreed with the church of Rome, that 
 the word of God, and the facraments, are the 
 means of conveying the holy fpirit, but differed 
 from that communion, by afferting, that this 
 divine operation is never prefent without faith. 
 T he 6th affirmed, that our faith ought to pro¬ 
 duce good works, purely in obedience to God, 
 and not in order to our own juftification. The 
 7th made the true church to confift of none 
 but the righteous. The 8th acknowledged the 
 validity of the facraments, though adminiftered 
 by hypocrites or wicked perfons. The 9th 
 afferted, againft the Anabaptifts, the neceffity of 
 Infant baptifm. The 10th acknowledged the 
 body and blood of Chrift under the confecrated 
 elements ; adding, that this myfterious prefence 
 in the holy facrament continued with the elements 
 only during the time of receiving, and that the 
 Eucharift ought to be given in both kinds. 
 The nth granted the neceffity of abfolution to 
 penitents, but denied their being obliged to make 
 a particular confeffion of their fins. The 1 2th 
 condemned the Anabaptifts, who affirm, that 
 whoever is once juftified cannot fall from grace j 
 as alfo the Novations, who refufed abfolution to 
 fins committed after baptifm ; afferting withal, 
 againft the church of Rome, that a repenting 
 finner is not made capable of forgivenels by any 
 a£ts of penance whatever. The 13th required 
 adlual faith from thofe, who participate of the 
 facraments. The 14th forbad thofe, who were 
 not lawfully called, to teach in the church, 
 or adminifter the facraments. The 15th ap¬ 
 pointed the obfervation of the feftivals, and pre- 
 lcribed the ceremonies of the church. The 
 16th acknowledged the obligation of civil laws, 
 and approved the magiftracy, propriety of eftates, 
 and marriage. The 17th acknowledged the re- 
 furretftion, heaven, and hell, and condemned 
 the two following errors of the Anabaptifts, and 
 fifth monarchy men ; viz. That the puniffiment 
 of the devils and the damned will have an end, 
 and that the faints will reign with Chrift a thou- 
 fand years upon earth. The 18th declared, 
 that our wills are not fufficiently free, in actions 
 relating to the promoting of our ialvation. The 
 19th maintained, that notwithftanding God 
 created man, and ftill continues to preferve him, 
 lie neither is, nor can be, the author of fin. 
 The 20th affirmed, that good works are not al¬ 
 together unprofitable: and the 21ft forbad the 
 invocation of faints. 
 
 The lecond part of the’Augfburg confeffion is 
 
 altogether 
 
The RITES and CERE MON I 
 
 altogether in oppofition to the church of Ronrej 
 containing the (even principle abufes, on which 
 the Lutherans founded the neceflity of feparating 
 from the communion of that church. The lit 
 head enjoined communion in both kinds, and 
 forbad the procelTion of the holy facrament. 
 The ad condemned the celibacy of priefts. By 
 the 3d private malfes were aboiifhed, and iome 
 part at lead of the congregation were obliged to 
 communicate with the pried. The 4th declared 
 again ft the neceflity of making a particular con- 
 feflion of fins to the pried. The 5th rejefted 
 tradition. The 6th difallowed monadic vows: 
 And the 7 th affected, that the power of the church 
 confided only in preaching the gofpel, and ad- 
 minidering the facraments. 
 
 This confeflion of faith was figned by the 
 eleftor of Saxony, and his elded fon, by the 
 marquis of Brandenbourg, by the landgrave of 
 He the, the prince of Hainault, and the republics 
 of Nuremberg and Rutlingena. It was argued 
 before the emperor Charles V. but rejected ; the 
 Roman Catholics having a majority of votes in 
 the council. This was followed by a conference 
 between feven deputies of each party ; in which, 
 Luther being ablent, Melanidhon, by lus mol¬ 
 lifying explanations, brought boch Tides to an 
 agreement in relation to fifteen of the fiid twenty- 
 one articles. But the conference broke up with¬ 
 out adjuding all the differences between them. 
 
 In confidering thefe articles, it appeals, that 
 in mod of the capital doftrines of religion upon 
 which falvation depends, there were but few 
 differences between the Lutherans and Calvinifts. 
 Confubftantiation was one, abfolution another, 
 and an official priority in the clergy a third. 
 The truth is, mod of the reformers throughout 
 every part of Europe, were of the fame lent] ments 
 with St. Audin, who fo drongly fupporred the 
 doftrine of abfolute predeftination, and effica¬ 
 cious grace againd the Pelagians. 
 
 But be thefe things as they will, it is certain 
 that although Luther, in his-commentary on the 
 epidle to the Galatians, wrote in defence of free 
 grace, yet his followers did not remain long in 
 that opinion ; for we find that befoie the middle 
 of the lad century, their preachers began to affert 
 the doarine of free will, which is now an umver- 
 fal topic in their pulpits, although no fuch thing 
 is inferted in their confeflion of faith, already 
 printed. But in this they are not much dif¬ 
 ferent from fome other Protedant churches, per¬ 
 haps being of opinion with Bp. Burnet, that 
 men may fubfcribe to a particular lydem he does 
 not literally believe, and put what con- 
 ftruaion upon it he pleads. This opinion of 
 Bp. Burnet is not much unlike the conduft of a 
 Friar, who having a defire to a fowl in Lent, 
 flouriflied his knife in his hand, and faid. Capon 
 be Cod, and then eat it with the utmod avidity. 
 Mr. Blackburn, the author of the Confeffional, 
 thinks that when men have no other way of pro¬ 
 curing a fubfidance than by that of fubicribing to 
 a certain formulary which they do not approve, 
 they may temporize and comply. 
 
 This has fome conneftion with the conduit of 
 the emperor of Germany, who granted a lafe 
 conduft to John Hufs and Jerome of Prague, 
 when they went to the council of Conftance, and 
 40 
 
 E 3 of the LUTHERAN S. 47 ? 
 
 afterwards conducted them to the dake, declaring 
 no faith mould be kept with Heretlcks. Without 
 fincerity there can be no religion; and if lyf- 
 tems cannot be written in fuch language as is 
 underdood, then there is an end of all unifor¬ 
 mity of fentiments ; and fuch evafion being tiled 
 by fo manyProtedants has done more hurt to their 
 caufe than all the machinations of Romilh pnefts. 
 
 In all Protedant countries men may diffent 
 from the eftabliffied religion, if they are not fc- 
 tisfied with the terms of conformity, and it is 
 more honourable to live even in a date ot po¬ 
 verty, than for a man to wound his confcience, 
 by declaring his affent to what he does not belict e 
 to be truth. . 
 
 But to return to the fubjeft. The next thing 
 to be confidered is the worffiip of the Lutherans j 
 for worffiip mud always be confidered as one ot 
 the efl'entials of religion. 
 
 The worffiip in the Lutheran churches has a 
 near affinity to what we have already mentioned 
 in our account of the primitive Chriftians, only 
 that the Lutherans wear gowns and iurplices, 
 which were not in ufe till a confiderable time 
 after Condantine the Great. If we arc able to 
 form any notion of the worffiip praftiled in the 
 church during the fifth century, it was much 
 the fame if not entirely fo, as what the 
 Lutherans ufe at prefent. Moffieim, a Luthe¬ 
 ran divine, and late prefident of the umverfity o 
 Gottingen, is of this opinion in his ecclefiadical 
 hidory^ and that learned gentleman freely ac¬ 
 knowledges, that they have in their churches 
 dill too many ceremonies, as well as too many 
 
 fedivals. , , . A 
 
 All their churches are built in length from ealt 
 to wed, which is of great antiquity and dill 
 obferved by Proteftants in general, except by the 
 Scotch, who build their places of worffiip in 
 a promilcuous manner. When the Lutherans 
 fird go into their churches, they (land looking 
 towards the altar, which is always at the ealt, and 
 in that attitude offer up their devotions in 
 private. The women fit in the middle of the 
 church, and the men round about and in the gal¬ 
 leries. The public fervice begins with the organ 
 playing, and then all the people rile up and Ting 
 an hymn, or pfalm, to which they are direeled 
 by the preacher, or reader. After this, the mi- 
 nider in his gown goes into the pulpit and prays, 
 the people all looking towards the ead, and fome 
 bowing to the altar. At the conclufion of the 
 fird prayer, which is a form though not read, 
 the minider falls down upon his knees and re¬ 
 mains in filence for fome time. He then riies 
 up, and all the people turn their faces towards 
 him. He then reads out of their liturgy the got- 
 pel for the day, and delivers a fermon from it, 
 without notes ; for throughout the whole world, 
 no churches, whether Greeks, Roman Catholics, 
 or Proteftants, ever read fermons to the people, 
 except the Englifh. Sermon being over, the 
 minifter repeats afhort prayer, the people having 
 their faces towards the ead, and then the oigan 
 begins to play, when they Ting another hymn. 
 The minider then pronounces the blefiing. 
 
 This is the forenoon fervice, for they feldom 
 have any preaching in the afternoon, the whole 
 confiding of prayers and Tinging. In the after- 
 6 E noon, 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of the LUTHERANS. 
 
 noon, as foon as the minifter enters within the 
 rails of the altar, dreffed in his furplice, he gives 
 out the pfalm to be fung, repeating the firft line, 
 when the organ ftrikes up, and all the people 
 join in Tinging. The minifter ftands with his 
 back to the people, much in the lame manner as 
 the Romifh priefts when they celebrate mafs; 
 but at the beginning of every new hymn, turns 
 to them and repeats the firft verfe. They are 
 extremely fond of mufic, and, indeed, great part 
 of their worlhip confifts of it j but they do not 
 make the fign of the crols, nor do they ufe any 
 holy water like the Roman Catholics. Thefe, 
 however, are only the outlines of their religious 
 worlhip, for they have many other practices 
 which might be attended to. This much, how¬ 
 ever, is necefiary to obferve, that they are the 
 leaft removed from the church of Rome of all 
 the Proteftants. 
 
 It was Luther’s intention to change the whole 
 form of Divine lervice as praCtifed in the Romilh 
 church but he met with powerful oppofition 
 from feveral of the German princes, which is 
 not to be wondered at, when we confider that 
 the people of Europe were in that age, little bet¬ 
 ter than barbarians. In the celebration of the 
 eucharift, he looked upon wine as fufficient with¬ 
 out any mixture of water, and malfes for the 
 dead were abolilhed. He exhorted all true 
 Chriftians before they approached the commu¬ 
 nion, to prepare themfelves by falling and prayer, 
 and although he declared, that auricular con- 
 fefiion was not abfolutely necelfary, or to be in¬ 
 filled on, yet he held it to be a falutary practice, 
 and by no means to be rejected and contemned. 
 He found no fault with the canonical hours, but 
 ordained, that the people worlhip in the church 
 twice upon every Sunday j that there Ihould be 
 prayers and fermon in the morning, and Tinging 
 in the afternoon ; that the gofpel Ihould be ex¬ 
 pounded in the morning and the epiftle at vef- 
 pers, and that the faints days Ihould be kept up. 
 Lent is ftill kept by the Lutherans, and during 
 that time, all thofe who are to come to partake 
 of the eucharift at Eafter, confefs their fins to the 
 minifter of the parilh. 
 
 It is certain, that confeflion took place in the 
 Chriftian church a little time after Conftantine 
 the Great ; but it was never magnified into 
 fuch a degree of efteem as it is now held by the 
 Roman Catholics, till many hundred years after¬ 
 wards. Upon it much of the power of the 
 clergy depends, and Luther retained it in his 
 ritual, although it has no foundation in the lacred 
 fcripture. 
 
 The Lutherans confecrate their churches in the 
 following manner: The pallor, and the greateft 
 part of his congregation, meet near the parfon- 
 age houfe, or at lome convenient place adjoining 
 to the church intended to be coniecrated, and 
 afterwards march in proceflion two and two, once 
 at leaft, and fometimes thrice round it, Tinfoiio- 
 hymns all the way. ■ As foon as this aCt of°de- 
 votion is over, they enter the church, where the 
 iervice is again opened with Tinging. After which. 
 Tome portions of facred fcripture are read, and a 
 lermon preached on the folemnity of the meet- 
 ing. If the revenues of the church will admit 
 of it, the fuperintendant is invited to beprefent, I 
 
 to affift at the ceremony and give his benedi&ion 
 to the church, and confecrate it with Tome form 
 of his compofing, which favour is acknowledged 
 by a gratuity, and a genteel entertainment. & 
 There can be no manner of doubt but that as 
 the Lutheran religion is eftablilhed by law in 
 many countries, and tolerated in Tome others. To 
 there muft be confiderable differences in the cere¬ 
 monies, although none of a very efiential nature. 
 We have the following account of the conlecra- 
 tion of a church in the neighbourhood of Dref- 
 den, performed fo lately as 1730. 
 
 The proceffion fet out from the place where 
 the Lutheran fervice had been firft performed and 
 the liudents and fcholars fung all the way. After 
 them went the fuperintendant, who is much the 
 lame with them as our bilhops, carryino- a laro-e 
 bible, and the pallor of the parilh with °a chalice 
 in one hand and a patin in the other, followed by 
 two deacons. One of the deacons carried the 
 fmall cheft in which the book of their difeipline 
 was deposited, and the other carried a copy of 
 the book ltfelf. A numerous train of Lutherans 
 of all ranks brought up the rear, and in this or¬ 
 der they marched to the church, where there were 
 leveral anthems fung, accompanied with inllru- 
 mental mufic. 
 
 After this the fuperintendant preached a fer¬ 
 mon on the folemnity of the occafion, and there 
 was a grand entertainment provided. 
 
 The fuperintendant repeated a few prayers 
 over the ground, upon which the church Hood 
 and no doubt but from that time it became fa¬ 
 cred. It is certain, that the holinels of times 
 and places has been frequently infilled on • 
 it is equally certain, that it has no foundation 
 in the New Teftament. St. Stephen the firft 
 martyr, who fuffered death for Chrift, faid before 
 the Jewilh Sanhedrim, “ God dwelleth not in 
 temples made with hands.” But let us attend 
 to what is faid by the late Mr. Hervey, an au¬ 
 thor efteemed and admired by Proteftants of 
 every denomination. Speaking of gratitude, he 
 fays, <c Here I recollected, and was charmed 
 with Solomon’s fine addrefs to the Almighty, 
 cr at the dedication of his famous temple ; °witli 
 ff immenfe charge and equal fkill, he had ereCted 
 the mole rich and finilhed ftrudlure that the 
 “ fun ever faw; yet upon a review of his work, 
 and a reflection on the tranfeendant perfec¬ 
 tions of the godhead, how he exalts the one 
 " and abates the other. The building was too 
 c< glorious for themightieft monarch to inhabit 
 too facred for unhallowed feet even to enter, 
 fC 7 et mutely too mean for the deity to refide 
 ]] ln * . waSj an d the royal worlhipper acknow¬ 
 ledged itto be, a moftmarvellous condefcenfion 
 “ 7 uncreated excellency to put his name 
 <c there.” 
 
 I he whole paflage breathes fuch a delicacv, 
 and is animated with fuch a fublimicy of fenti- 
 ment, that I cannot perfuade myfelf to pals on 
 without repeating it. But will God indeed dwell 
 on earth ? Behold ! the heaven and heaven of 
 heavens cannot contain thee, how much lefs this 
 houfe that I have builded. I. Kings viii. 27. 
 Medit. Vol I. p. 5, D ' 
 
 Undoubtedly, thefe fentiments of Mr. Her¬ 
 vey are extremely fine, and in dl rejects con- 
 
 fiftent 
 
The RITES and 
 
 fiftent with the gofpel difpenfation, nay, with 
 the purity of religion in general ; for what fandlity 
 can there be in any place where the heart is pol¬ 
 luted, the confcience defiled, and the foul not re¬ 
 united to God. Whenever ceremonies are ftre- 
 nuoufly adhered to, the life of religion is generally 
 loft, and all finks down into formality. We have 
 a remarkable inftance of this in a controverfy that 
 took place in the London news papers, 1766. 
 It was occafioned by the following circumftance. 
 Dr. Jofeph Butler, the celebrated author of the 
 Analogy between Natural and Revealed Religion, 
 delivered a charge to the clergy of Durham, in 
 which he made ufe of the following expreffions: 
 
 “ There may be a form of religion where no re- 
 “ ligion exifts, but there can be no religion with- 
 ct out a form.” 
 
 There was nothing in thefe words that any 
 fenfible man could look upon as fuperftitious; for 
 as we are a compofition of flefh and blood, we 
 muft either have fome forms in our religious 
 worlhip, or we muft become Quietifts. However, 
 Mr. Blackburne, the author of the Confeftional, 
 laid hold of thele expreffions; and not contented 
 with reprefenting Bp. Butler as a fuperftitious per- 
 fon, he actually accufed him as having died 
 a Roman Catholic. But this leads us to treat of 
 the difeipline of the Lutherans. 
 
 The validity of the Englilh ordinations, altho* 
 epilcopal, has been called in queftion ; but it 
 was ably defended by father Le Courayer, who 
 was himfelf a Roman Catholic. But if fuch ob- 
 jeftions have been made to the church of Eng¬ 
 land, we need not be furprifed to find fome treat¬ 
 ing the Lutherans as not canonically ordained ; 
 for although they have bilhops, or fuperinten- 
 dants, yet they have no efcopal ordination. It is 
 a rule in all Proteftant churches, except in Eng¬ 
 land, never to ordain a man to be a minifter till 
 he is prefented to a living ; for, fay thev, a fhep- 
 herd is of no manner of ufe without a flock. For 
 this realen, the Lutherans, like the Calvinifts, 
 grant licences to young men to preach, but 
 they are not to take upon them any charge of 
 fouls. 
 
 The young gentlemen among the Lutherans, 
 who have finifhed their ftudies at the univerfity, 
 and are declared qualified for the clerical office, are 
 generally fent as affiftants to iuch minifters as are 
 far advanced in years; and thefe are called expec¬ 
 tants. Their buftnels is to perform all the divine 
 offices, except that of adminiftring the facra- 
 ment, and hearing the confeffion of penitents, 
 that being confined to fuch as are ordained. 
 Thefe young men frequently fucceed the aged 
 ones when they die ; and here we may obferve, 
 that it is much to the honour of the German 
 princes, who are Proteftants, that although they 
 have the right of prefentation to livings, yet 
 they generally give it the people, leaving them at 
 liberty to chufe their own minifters. 
 
 The day for the ordination being fixed, the 
 candidate repairs to the church where he is to be 
 ordained, in the prelence of feveral minifters, ec- 
 clefiaftical judges, and the congregation of the peo¬ 
 ple. A fermon is preached, after which, the candi¬ 
 date makes a confeffion of his faith verbally; for 
 they are not permitted to ufe notes. In the prayer 
 after fermon, the candidate is mentioned by 
 
 CEREMONIES of the 
 
 name, in words to the following importi “ A. 
 
 B. attending here to be admitted and ordained a 
 minifter of the gofpel, by the impofition of hands, 
 according to the apoftolical inftitution; let us 
 pray for him, that God Almighty would vouch- 
 fafe to infpire him with the holy fpirit, and be- 
 ftow upon him an abundant portion of heavenly 
 gifts.” 
 
 As foon as the minifter withdraws from the 
 pulpit, they ftng the Vmi Spirus Scintti ; that 
 is, the hymn beginning with the words, Coma 
 Holy Ghojl , but not in Latin, as is the pra&ice 
 with the Roman Catholics, but in the vulgar lan¬ 
 guage of the country where they refide. Then the 
 fuperintendant, with about five or fix clergymen, 
 repair to the altar, followed by the candidate, 
 who, as foon as they are entered, falls down on 
 his knees before them. Here the fuperintendant, 
 addreffing himfelf to his colleagues before men¬ 
 tioned, and having repeated the candidate’s re- 
 queft, defires them to join with him in prayer on his 
 behalf. After that, he reads the certificate of his 
 free eledlion by the people, and then they join in 
 prayer the fecond time. The prayer being over, 
 the fuperintendant fpeaks to the minifters, his 
 colleagues, in the following words: 
 
 “ Dearly beloved brethren in our Lord Jefns, 
 
 I exhort you to lay your hands on this candidate, 
 who prefents himfelf here before us, in order to 
 be ordained a minifter of the church of God, ac¬ 
 cording to the antient apoftolical inftitution, and 
 to concur with me in veiling him with that lacred 
 office.” After this, they all lay their hands on 
 the head of the candidate, when the fuperintendant 
 fays, “ Be thou, and fo remain to be, devoted to 
 “ the fervice of God.” 
 
 This being over, the fuperintendant addrefles 
 himfelf to the perfon thus ordained, in terms to 
 the following purpofe : ,c Being aflembled here 
 through the aid and affiftance of the holy ghoft, 
 we have made our humble fupplications to God 
 lor you, and hope that he will vouchfafe to hear 
 our prayers. Wherefore I ordain, confirm and 
 eftablifh you, in the name of the Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, pallor and fpiritual inftrubtor of the faints 
 belonging to the church of C. D. to govern it in 
 the fear of God, and have a watchful eye over ic 
 as a faithful fhepherd over his flock.” 
 
 The fuperintendant having pronounced the 
 exhortation, withdraws from the altar, and the 
 dated minifter approaches it, drefied in his facer- 
 dotal veftments, to read the common fervice, and 
 to confecrate the bread and wine, which he ad- 
 minifters to the new pallor, who receives it upon 
 his knees. Some few hymns and the ufual bene- 
 didlion conclude the ceremony. After fervice,is 
 over, all the pallors retire to the veftry, where 
 they congratulate in Latin the party ordained. 
 The fuperintendant afterwards reminds him of 
 the great importance of the .paftoral charge, and 
 prefles home the numerous obligations he has 
 laid himfelf under, the moll material of which 
 are the following. 
 
 As a pallor, he is to look upon himfelf as the 
 fhepherd and father of his flock ; he muft make 
 the facred feriptures the foundation of ail his dif- 
 courfes, and not broach new dodtrines, whatever 
 may be his private fentiments with refpedt to efta- 
 blilhed notions, yet he is to be careful not to make 
 
 them 
 
 ; ■ ■ 1 
 
4*9 The RITES and C E R E M O 
 
 'hem public as doubts, left he (hould miflead 
 thoie who are weak. He muftnot look with con¬ 
 tempt on his congregation, nor muft he leave it 
 without aligning luch a reafon as fhall fatisfy the 
 fuperintendant that he is fincere. He muft con¬ 
 cern himfeif with no political or ftate affairs, nor 
 interfere in any private difpute, unlefs it be to 
 reconcile the parties, by afting the pare of a medi¬ 
 ator, which was the p’-adtice of, the Primitive 
 Chriflians. He muft not follow any trade nor 
 mechanical employment, or be concerned in 
 commerce. It is true, that if he has gardens, 
 vineyards, or any Imall piece of ground, he may 
 cultivate them to the beftadvantage, fo as it does 
 not in any manner interfere with his duty. He is 
 to live in peace with his brethren, the clergy, and 
 entertain a charitable opinion of their aftions. 
 Laft of ali, he is obliged to refide with his people, 
 but he is, by no means, to have more churches than 
 one. 
 
 The minifter thus ordained, is invefted, or put 
 into the aftual poffeflion of his congregation, and 
 all its temporalities. T ire luperintendant confers 
 the invefiiture upon him in the prefence of the 
 whole church of which he is confhtuted and ap¬ 
 pointed paftor. In Saxony, all the clergy are ex¬ 
 empted from the payment of taxes, and fo it is in 
 fome other parts, 
 
 Their fuperintendants fo often mentioned, are, 
 in Sweden and Denmark, called bilhops ; and it 
 is true they are invelled witli epil'copal power, 
 but they do not pretend to a jure divino, or divine 
 right, in a direft line of fucceflion from the apoftles. 
 In Denmark the king app ints the bilhops, and 
 the bifhop of Copenhagen ordains the others. 
 This ordination is performed in the church of St. 
 Mary in Copenhagen, in prefence of the bifhop 
 and leveral paftors. The fuperintendant of Zea¬ 
 land, who is alio bifhop .of Copenhagen, is or¬ 
 dained by the bilhop who refries neareft him. 
 
 T heir bilhops are chofen from amongft the reft of 
 the clergy, and, in general, are men of fair cha- 
 rafters. 
 
 They go twice every year to the general affem- 
 bly of the clergy, which confifts of the fuperin¬ 
 tendants of the provinces, and the minifters of pa- 
 rilhes, who are lent by the people for that pur- 
 pofe. The civil governor of the province prefries 
 •at all thele meetings, but he does not interfere 
 in their debates, unlefs they happen to cenfure 
 the government, and then he diffolvts them. 
 Thefe bilhops, or fuperintendants, have power 
 invefted in them to infpeft into the lives of the 
 clergy, and to examine what progrefs the ftudents 
 make in the fchools. All the fchools in Denmark 
 are eftablilhed by royal authority, and fupported 
 by royal munificence out of the crown lands, and 
 this may be one of the reafons why we feldom 
 meet with a man from that country, who is not 
 well acquainted with religion. 
 
 The church of Sweden is governed by an arch- 
 bifhop and ten bilhops, and over every ten 
 parilhes there is an intpeftor, or overfeer, who 
 gives an account of the reft of the clergy to the 
 bilhop four times in the year. In Germany, and 
 fome p :rts of Switzerland, where the Lutheran 
 religion is profeffed, there cannot be fuch an exaft 
 regularity with refpeft to clerical dominion, 
 many of the dates being fo final], that they can¬ 
 not fupport a luperintendant; but ftill the worfliip 
 
 'TIES of the LUTHERAN S. 
 
 and government are, as much as can be, the fame 
 tor except in fome things relating to doftrines,’ 
 the Lutherans are much the fame as they were 
 when their great founder eftablilhed them. 
 
 All their clifputes are regulated and adiufted 
 m the affembhes of the clergy ;.for as t h e ,fe Lu¬ 
 theran minifters are prohibited from mtddlino- 
 with ftate affairs, fo the government feldom intern 
 feres with their difputes. When any new regu¬ 
 lation takes place, the civil power generally 
 it a landhon ; but without that fanftion it cannot 
 be reduced to practice, fo as to become binding 
 either on the clergy or laity. fa 
 
 The fchool mailers, or inftruftors of youth in 
 the Lutheran churches, are young men, who 
 have paffed examination at the univerfity, and 
 fuch as they call expeftants, they being afterwards 
 ordained to the miniftry if chofen by the people. 
 Such, indeed, ffiould be the qualifications of all 
 thofc who teach youth; and perhaps it is owing 
 to the want of thefe qualifications, that there are fo 
 many who undertake to teach things they are ut¬ 
 terly unacquainted with themfelaes. 
 
 1 he Lutherans havepublic prayers and fermons 
 oftener than any other Proteftants in Europe. 
 l his is, perhaps, one of the worft practices in 
 their church ; tor as God ordered but one day in 
 leven to be kept holy among his antient people 
 the Jews, fo the Primitive Chriflians never afTem- 
 bled but on the fir,ft day of every week. Every 
 thing is beautiful in the order of Providence; 
 and whenever men depart from labour, to attend 
 Divine worfliip, except at fuch times as the 
 iacred feriptures have appointed, they aft inconfif- 
 tent with the order of God, and in general do 
 much injury to their families.. Nay, it frequently 
 happens, that thofe who are more than ordinarily 
 anxious after the exterior parts of religion, have 
 leldoin any fincerity. but rather bring a diflionour 
 upon it. This firft opened the mouths of Deifts; 
 for it is very remarkable, that our moft celebrated’ 
 Deifts were fuch as contrafted prejudices againft 
 the Chriftian religion, in confequence of' the 
 clergy preaching and praying two or three times a 
 day like angels, when they lived the lives of devili. 
 Of this we might produce many examples ; but 
 we fhall have occafion to take notice of fome, 
 when we come to another part of this work. 
 
 It is certain, that there are ftill in the Lutheran 
 church feveral fuperftitious cuftoms, inconflftenc 
 with the purity of Primitive Chriftianity ; for 
 they generally delay their funerals till Sunday, 
 ill order to have a prayer and a funeral fetmon, 
 which their minifters always preach on the death 
 of any of their hearers, whether old or young, 
 rich or poor. Thefe fermons are, for the moll part, 
 full of flattery, than which nothing in the world 
 can be more ufelefs or inlignificant v for whatever 
 reft we may wifli our departed friends, yet we are 
 left till the judgement day in a ftate of ignorance 
 concerning them. 
 
 We have already obferved, that the Lutherans 
 have altars in their churches, for the celebration 
 of the holy communion. They likewife make 
 ufe of lighted tapers in their churches, with a cru¬ 
 cifix on the altar, and fbmetimes they have fncenfe; 
 but fome of thefe things are not general, beino- 
 confined to particular parts. Some of their 
 divines urge, that thefe things add a Iuftre 
 and dignity to divine worfliip, by fixing the atten- 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of the LUTHERANS. 
 
 ticn of the people ; others complain that the priefts 
 lay too great a ftrels on thefe ceremonies, by 
 confidering them as elTential to religion. It is 
 certain, that many of them pav too much regard 
 to thefe unneceffary, or rather abl'urd trilies. 
 Nay, we need not helitate to call them dangerous ; 
 for whenever people, during Divine worlliip, 
 are led to feek any or the lealt afliilancefrom car¬ 
 nal objedts, religion itfelf becomes to them a car¬ 
 nal thing, and the purity of fpiritual Chriftianity 
 is defaced. Their minds, fays a pious author, 
 are led away from beholding the great God of 
 their falvation ; and we are well perfuaded, that 
 the introduction of fuch ceremonies into the pri¬ 
 mitive church foon after the time of the emperor 
 Con flan tine the Great, made way for all the ridi¬ 
 culous, and Heathenifh rites of the Papifts. 
 
 . The Lutherans preferve a vaft number of po- 
 pidi ceremonies, and in the obfervance of fome 
 they are very particular. Thus, their bells ring to 
 public prayers and fermon, but never to vefpers 
 or matins; for, flrange as it may appear, the 
 Lutherans retain the canonical hours ; and, in 
 fome places, part of their fervice is faid in Latin. 
 
 They all ufe organs in their churches, not only 
 to ftrike the ear the more agreeably, but alfo to 
 lead the people into a fort of confort with them. 
 Rut befides organs, they have in all their cathedral 
 churches a vaft number of other mufical inilru- 
 ments, efpecially on their folemn feftivals ; but 
 tliele often give offence to the more lober part of 
 the people. 
 
 It is neceflary to obfcrvein this place, that nun¬ 
 neries, or convents for women, are (till kept up in 
 feveral places where Lutheranifm prevails. Thele 
 nuns, however, are not bound down by the en¬ 
 tanglements of vows ; for they may leave the 
 convent whenever they pleafe. In every religious 
 houfe there is an abbefs, and the nuns lie two and 
 two in a bed, in very decent apartments. Each of 
 them has a fmall clofet, where thev work, read, 
 or pray ; and they have a chapel, wherein Divine 
 fervice is performed on Sundays and Fridays. 
 
 Their prieft wears a kind of ftoie, made of 
 fine crimlon velvet, and a crucifix embroidered 
 with fiver when he reads prayers at the altar, but 
 when he goes into the pulpit he has nothino- on but 
 his furplice. Thefe nuns drefs like other women, 
 and may marry when they pleafe. Happy for 
 Britain, had the revenues of the convents at the 
 reformation been applied to the fame valuable 
 purpofes ; but, alas! there is no fuch thing to be 
 found. Nor do we read of any thing of this na¬ 
 ture, except it be thofe fmall convents that were 
 eltablilbed in Holland, when the French Calvinifts 
 firft fled thither for refuge after the revocation of 
 the edidt of Nantz. 1 hey were called religious 
 dormitories, and confifted chiefly of ladies of pru¬ 
 dence and diferetion, under the" direction of anti- 
 ent matrons, refugees like themfelves, but of 
 fortunes fufficient to command refpeft in 
 their retiremenr, and veiled with the authority of 
 abbeffes, as far as the Proteftant religion would 
 admit of. They fpent their time in prayer, rea¬ 
 ding the ficred feriptures, and other books of de¬ 
 votion in public ; but in thefe focieties there were 
 no lermons preached, nor facraments adminiltered. 
 
 It is generally believed, that at the reformation 
 it was the delign of Luther to abolifli feftivals and 
 many other ceremonies, which ftill prevail in there- > 
 4i 
 
 481 
 
 | ligion that bears his name; but he found the dream 
 I of popular prejudice tuo flrong for him to fupprefs 
 it. 
 
 I In fome Lutheran countries, the people go to 
 church on the night of the nativity of our bleiled 
 Saviour, with lighted candles or wax tapers in 
 their hands. There they fpend the whole night in 
 ringing, and laying their prayers by the light of 
 the torches. Sometimes they burn fuch a large 
 quantity of incenie, that the fmoke thereof af- 
 cends in the form of a whirlwind, and their de¬ 
 votees may be laid, with propriety, to have their 
 minds wrapped up in it. In Germany it is cuf- 
 toniary during fuch feftivals, to make entertain¬ 
 ments for their friends and relations, and to fend 
 prefencs one to another, efpecially to the youno- 
 people, whom they amufe with very idie and ro^ 
 mantic llories, telling them, that our Saviour de- 
 feends from heaven on the night of his nativity, 
 and brings with him ail forts of play things. 
 
 They have another whim or conceit equally ri¬ 
 diculous, and that is, of wrapping an infant in 
 fwaddling clothes, and laying it in a cradle, in or¬ 
 der to reprefent the infancy of our Bleffed Lord. 
 They ] ike wile ftroll about in all forts of mafque- 
 rade dreffes, which is frequently attended with 
 very fatal confequences ; becaufe, millaking one 
 another, quarrels enfue, and in the feuffle the 
 innocent often fuffer where no affront was in¬ 
 tended. 
 
 I hey have a fort of vagabonds, who, durino- the 
 Chriftmas holidays, ling hymns about the llreets, 
 and thefe are confidered by the vulgar, as perfons 
 who have real religion at heart. In times of war, 
 thefe wretches are preffed into the army ; but no 
 fooner are they gone, than the women fupply their 
 places. In Saxony, they .tiled formerly to eredt 
 may-poles in all their churches on afcenlion day - 
 but this pradlice was aboliflied in J715, becaule it 
 induced the people to cut down the trees in the 
 neighbouring forefts, and to prevent riots, which 
 frequently happened on thefe occafions. 
 
 They ail celebrate the jubilee of their reforma¬ 
 tion from popery, and on fuch occafions feveral 
 poems are written in honour of Luther. Many 
 of the German princes have, in vain, attempted 
 to put an end to their vaft number of holy day's - 
 but the popular prejudices, as in all other cafes fo 
 in this, prevented them from lucceeding accor¬ 
 ding to their willies. 
 
 We have already treated nightly on the Luthe¬ 
 ran form of worlliip, we (hall now proceed to con- 
 nder it more minutely and particularly. 
 
 In 1523, Luther drew up a fort of liturgy' 
 which, , n many things, differed not much from 
 the rnais of the Roman church. In that formulary 
 ne called the communion of bread and wine a ce- 
 remony inftituted by Chrift, which all Chriftians 
 mould deem facred ; but treated with contempt 
 the canon of the mafs. And yet in this liturgy 
 there were fo many things like popery, that it was 
 not an eafy matter to feparate the ideas. He al- 
 lowed the Nicene Creed, which has given offence to 
 many Proteftants, to be read in the church ; nor 
 does it appear that he made any objedton to the 
 Creed of Sc. Athanafius. He ordered that no 
 water fhould be mixed with the wine in the facra- 
 merit; which was certainly right, becaufe water 
 was never ufed but in the warmer climates, where 
 the ftrength of the wine led to intoxication. As 
 6 E q for 
 
482 The RITES and CEREMO 
 
 for private confeftion before the communion, he 
 faid it was ufeful but not necelfary. He ordered 
 that hymns fhould be fung after divine fervice 
 was ended, fome of which were to be in Latin, 
 and others in the vulgar tongue; but that the 
 reft of the fervice fhould be read in a language 
 known to the congregation. In all this we may 
 fee, that at that time Luther had but dark no¬ 
 tions of the purity of Chriftianity. He was no 
 ftranger to the corruptions that had crept into 
 popery; but either in confequence of his own 
 prejudices, or of thofe of the people, he would 
 not, or could not entirely heal them. However, 
 fome churches where the Lutheran religion is 
 profeffed, have one ritual, and fome another. 
 Some are more clogged with ceremonies than 
 others, and fome more rational. 
 
 This will appear the more confident with truth, 
 when we confider, that in Sweden the liturgy dif¬ 
 fers from that in Germany, or in Denmark. At 
 Nurenberg in Germany, there is but little differ¬ 
 ence in the outward form of divine worihip be¬ 
 tween the Roman Catholics and the Lutherans ; 
 only that the latter renounce the pope’s fupremacy. 
 This was one of the healing meafures propofed 
 by Melan&hon, but that reformer was a time- 
 ferving man. He loved indolence more than 
 reformation, and being deflitute of adlivity, he 
 had no courage to fupport Luther, whole views 
 were great, and whole fpirit was undaunted. 
 
 Melanfthon has been much cried up by Pro- 
 teftants in general, as a divine of great modera¬ 
 tion, and as one who did not defire to carry 
 things to extremity in the firft inflance. How¬ 
 ever, we are *not to judge of the motives from 
 which he a£led, but of his conduft, as it ap¬ 
 pears on public record. There are many fenti- 
 ments in his works that feem to breathe a fpirit 
 of peace; but if men are once convinced that 
 the purity of the Chriftian religion has been con¬ 
 taminated, and errors eftablilhed in it as truths, 
 then it is necelfary that every true believer fhould 
 teftify againft them. To be timid in Rich mat¬ 
 ters, is to give up all attachment to the truth, it 
 is to betray the caufe we have embarked in, 
 and to wound our confciences ; but we fhall af¬ 
 terwards give our readers a more enlarged ac¬ 
 count of thefe things, when we treat of the re¬ 
 formation in other nations in Europe. 
 
 Much has been faid concerning the notions 
 which the Lutherans entertain with regard to 
 the facrament of the eucharift ; but as all thefe 
 are confufed and contradictory, we fhall here en¬ 
 deavour to lay the whole truth before the reader, 
 as taken from one of their moft eminent writers, 
 namely, MelanCthon. He fays, tc Our very chil¬ 
 dren are not ignorant, that at the holy commu¬ 
 nion, we receive beyond all contradiction the 
 body and blood of our blelfed Lord and Saviour 
 Jefus Chrifi ; and although that myftery is fo far 
 above our common or human capacities, that we 
 can never comprehend it, yet we firmly believe 
 and rely on the veracity of thofe words of our 
 Saviourj ‘ Take eat, this is my body, &c.’ He 
 who with a few words was able to fatisfy the hun¬ 
 ger of feveral thoufands of people, and could 
 walk on the lurface of the fea, could, at the ce¬ 
 lebration of his own fupper, perform and bring 
 to pafs what was implied in thefe words he had 
 
 N I E S of the LUTHERANS. 
 
 | expreffed.” It is very probable, that the moft 
 bigotted Roman Catholic would fublcribe to this 
 opinion, and yet they are inveterate enemies to 
 the Lutherans. 
 
 Thofe who are of the Lutheran opinion in 
 Germany, are obliged to come to the minifter of 
 the parifn, either on Wednefday or Friday, pre¬ 
 vious to the communion, and this is done on 
 purpolc that they may open their minds without 
 referve. This is called confelTion, but it is by 
 no means conduced on fuch luperftitious prin¬ 
 ciples as among the Roman Catholics. It is 
 true, that common praCtice and long ufage give 
 a fiinCtion to many things, which although no way 
 important in themfelves, nor any way effential to 
 religion, yet are confidered as facred by thofe 
 who have not had it in their power to make a 
 proper enquiry. We have a ltriking inflance of 
 this in Patkull, a gentleman of univerfal know¬ 
 ledge, who had been brought up a Lutheran, but 
 was, without changing his religion, many years 
 ambafiador from the Czar, Peter the Great, to 
 the eleClorof Saxony, then king of Poland. That 
 great man had been, contrary to the law of na¬ 
 tions, feized on by a party of Swedifh dragoons, 
 and chained to a Hake in the camp of Charles 
 XII. near Pirna, upwards of fix months. In vain 
 did he plead his privilege as an ambafiador ; in 
 vain did he afiert, that he had never done any 
 thing againfl the honour of his native country, 
 Livonia, which at that time belonged to Sweden. 
 The unfeeling Charles ordered him to be broke 
 alive upon the wheel, one of the moft horrid and 
 barbarous deaths that malice could invent. The 
 day before he was to fuffer, the chaplain of a 
 Swedifh regiment came to him by order of the 
 king, and, after a few formal exprefiions, faid, 
 tc I am come to you with fuch a meffage as the 
 prophet brought to good king Hezekiah of old. 
 Set thine houfe in order, for thou ftialt die and 
 not live.” 
 
 The poor diftraCled prifoner begged to know 
 in what manner he w'as to be put to death, but 
 this was a queftion the clergyman could not an- 
 fwer ; for, as we have already obferved, the Lu¬ 
 theran minifters are not to meddle with politics. 
 Patkull told him, that he could not die in peace 
 without confefiing his fins, and the clergyman 
 defired him to prepare himlelf for it againft 
 the next morning. He did fo, and when he had 
 confefied his fins, he told the minifter that he 
 was ready to die. If a gentleman, who had 
 obtained a liberal education, who was acquainted 
 with all the fciences, and who had made a diftin- 
 guifhing figure as a minifter of ftate, thought 
 this formulary necelfary in order to promote his 
 eternal happinels, how then can we blame thofe 
 poor creatures, whole minds were never enligh¬ 
 tened with human knowledge. Patkull fuffered 
 death after five hours torture, and the learned 
 Keyfier, the German traveller, takes notice that 
 from that period Charles’s affairs firft went into 
 confufion, and at laft ended in ruin; but this 
 we only mention byway of digrefiion. 
 
 On the Sunday, when the communion is to be 
 adminillered, the minifter immediately after fer- 
 mon prays to Almighty God for all in particular 
 who are to partake of that holy ordinance. There 
 is no form of prayer, however, for that purpofe; 
 
 but 
 
The RITES and CEREMON 
 
 but the minifter is at liberty to make ufe of fuch 
 words as he thinks proper for the occafion. After 
 prayer, they fingan hymn, and while it is Tinging, 
 thole who are to communicate, advance towards 
 the altar, and fall down on their knees, at lead: 
 as many as can approach it at once, for the reft 
 ltand behind in a prayingpofture. As foon as the 
 hymn is over, the minifter fays, lets us pray, and 
 repeats, at the fame time, the Lord’s prayer, and 
 alter that he reads the words of the inftitution of 
 the Lord s Supper. In fome places the whole 
 congregation ling with an audible voice, both the 
 prayeis and the words of the inftitution. After 
 that they receive the communion, much in the 
 lame manner as in the church of England, 
 namely, kneeling before the rails of the altar. 
 
 In lome parts of Saxony, the minifter rings a 
 little bell two or three times after a very iblemn 
 manner, which cuftom is both needlefs and im¬ 
 pertinent, efpecially among people who are Pro- 
 teltants, and who pay no regard to the adoration 
 of the hoft. Indeed, they look upon every 
 thing of that nature as idolatry; and yet we may 
 tind that men may in words defpife idolatry, 
 while they are aftually idolaters in praftice. In 
 molt of the Lutheran churches, the pallor, before 
 headminifters the i'acrament, puts on his furplice, 
 and over that a veftment with feveral crofi'es 
 taltened to it, which, however, ought not to be 
 compared with the Hole worn by the Roman 
 Catholic priefts, there being no refemblance be¬ 
 tween them. In lome places, the pallor, after he 
 has read the gofpel at the altar, throws the veil- 
 ment beforementioned over his head and lays it 
 on the table. After the creed is fung, he goes 
 into the pulpit and preaches in his furplice, and 
 then he returns to the altar, where he again puts 
 on ins veftments. However, many of them 
 never put it on till the communion begins, and 
 that is amongft them reckoned the moil decent 
 practice. ^ Some of their devotees, as among the 
 Roman Catholics, confider the bellowing of ha¬ 
 bits on the priefts as a very meritorious adtion • 
 and in feveral of their churches they have effiht 
 or ten different fets : So profufe is fuperftition 
 in bellowing what can be of no fervice to man- 
 kind, and fo vain is human pride in placing lome 
 iort of confidence in what confiils, merely, of 
 empty fticw. Mechanical religion is the worft 
 that ever could take place in the world, and not- 
 withftanding the bold affertions of Mr. Hume 
 we may venture to affirm, that thofe who give en¬ 
 couragement to it, are no friends to Chriftianity. 
 
 \ e have already obfcrved, that in many places 
 they keep wax candles burning on their altars 
 during the time of celebrating the communion, 
 but can any thing in the world be more idle than 
 to burn candles at noon day. But the whole 
 force of this part of our argument is taken away 
 by allegories; for.they tell us, as Chrift inllituted 
 the holy fupper at night, fo we ffiould always re¬ 
 ceive it with candles burning. They might juft 
 as well alien, that as the primitive Chriflians were 
 obliged to meet in the night, on account of the 
 violence of perfeoition, fo all our meetings even 
 in a land of liberty, ffiould be nodlurnal affem- 
 blies. This is undoubtedly one of the moft idle 
 arguments that ever was advanced ; but when 
 men embrace only one half of the truth, it is 
 
 I E S of the LUTHERANS, 4 8 j 
 
 not ftrange to fee them again returning to 
 error. ° 
 
 However, when the communicant has received 
 the iacred elements, he falls down on his knees to 
 return thanks to God for the fpiritual nourifh- 
 ment, and in fome places the communicants 
 congratulate each other on that joyful occafion. 
 As for the number of times for the communi¬ 
 cants to partake of this facred inftitution, they 
 are not fixed, but voluntary; fome partake of 
 it every Sunday, but thefe are only what are 
 called devotees. 
 
 No minifter can receive the communion from 
 his own hands that being abfolutely forbidden 
 by Luther s do&rine. 
 
 P A „ • .. 
 
 On the evening of the day before the com¬ 
 munion is adimmftered, there is always a prepa¬ 
 ration fermon, and this cuftom has obtained in 
 feveral other reformed churches; on that occafion, 
 all thole who are to communicate are obliged to 
 be prelent, and thofe who negledl it withoutIhew- 
 mg a reasonable caufe, are liable to the confutes 
 of the church. Although, in general, they re¬ 
 ceive the communion kneeling, yet in fome 
 places they take It Handing; but for this there is 
 no fixed lule, which often creates a great deal of 
 confufion in their public affemblies 
 • The Lutherans make ufe of red or white wine 
 juft as opportunity ferves, in the celebration of 
 their communion. They never adminifter the 
 facrament to infants, but it is common enouglt 
 for them to carry ,t to fuch as are Pick, or on a 
 death-bed, at the fame time obferving a great 
 many ceremonies. And here it is neceflary to 
 obferve that fuch communion carried to the 
 Pick and dying perfon, bears a near affinity to the 
 vaticum of the Romiffi church, except in the aft 
 of adoration Nay, this communion of theirs 
 may be called by the fame name as the Romans; 
 r f c” h r e ! jUth f r . an pneft fays to the communicants, 
 that it is a fuitable provifion for them in their 
 journey to another world. The term which the 
 Lutherans make ufe of for viaticum, is expref- 
 live of the very fame idea, and brings to our re- 
 membrance the antient cuftomary fee paid to 
 Charon by the Heathens; for it was from the 
 Heathens the papifts borrowed it, and the Lu- 
 thetans have, in a great meafure, retained 
 
 Whether the term viaticum was looked upon 
 as too fuperftious by the Lutherans, as being po- 
 P'ffi, we cannot determine; but this much is cer¬ 
 tain, that they have left it out of their ritual, and 
 now they call it the communion of the Pick 
 , jj 5 ™” he ceremonial part, it has been reduced 
 CO the following ceremonies: 
 
 Firft, to the confeffion of the communicant, 
 which is preceded by a prayer, and followed with 
 an abiolution pronounced by the confeffor in the 
 name of the ever bleffed trinity. 
 
 Secondly, the communion adminiftered to the 
 nek perfon, preceded likewife by a prayer, and 
 accompanied with finging a pfalm of praife and 
 hope, moil commonly the 23d, or iojd, accord- 
 mg to the verfion made ufe of by the Lutherans, 
 and feveral other Proteftants, and a colled or 
 prayer iuitabie to the folemn occafion 
 
 Thirdly, the benedidlion which is delivered in 
 the molt folemn manner, recommending the de- 
 
 parting 
 
4 S 4 The RITES and CEREMON 
 parting foul to the arms of the Lord Jelus, to en- | 
 iov everlafting happinefs in heaven. 
 
 In thole parts where the Lutherans are the mod 
 fuperftitious, the pried, when he comes into the 
 chamber of the fick perfon, takes a_ table, 
 which he places in the form ol an altar, oy co 
 vering it with tapeftry, a fine cnmlon cloth, 
 and letting two lighted candles upon it. Be¬ 
 tween the candles he places a crucifix, and iuch 
 other things as are objefls of fuperftition among 
 them. It Ihouldbe admmiftered in prefence of 
 fonie of the relations of the fick perfon, but 
 •when there are no relations, then the neighbours 
 are to be invited in. Every perfon prefent is per¬ 
 mitted to partake with the fick man, or woman ; 
 and for that purpofe they mud have notice lent 
 them before, that they may be duly prepared. 
 The Lutherans do not only carry their commu¬ 
 nion to the fick, but alfo to fuch as are aged and 
 infirm, fo as to be incapable of attending public 
 worfhip. Tothefeperfonsthe mimder, who gives 
 the communion to them, makes a ferious exxor- 
 tation, which may, with propriety, be called 
 a domeftic fermon, after a family commu¬ 
 nion. 
 
 We (hall now proceed to confider their man¬ 
 ner of confeffion, which is looked upon as highly 
 neceffary wherever the Lutheran religion is efta- 
 blifhed.’ And here it is proper to add, that it 
 contributes much towards aggrandizing the 
 power of the clergy. If on the one hand, it 
 relieves the agonizing pains of the foul, and 
 gives a fincere comfort and confolation to a 
 wounded confcience, it creates, on the othei 
 hand, an awe, veneration and refpedt foi then 
 pallors, who, by fuch aft of confeffion, become 
 the fpiritual directors and phyfieians of their peo- 
 
 P They adminifter their cures in the name of 
 the Lord, but in the fame name denounce curies 
 on thofe who will not take what they prefcnbe. 
 However, let the veneration, refpedt and autho¬ 
 rity of the Lutheran preachers or confeffors 
 be ever fo great, yet it falls vaftly fhort of what 
 the Romilh’priefts procure for themfelves. The 
 following was delivered to the author by an emi¬ 
 nent Lutheran minifter now alive. 
 
 “ Before the communion the perfon who is to 
 receive, confefifes his fins to the minifter, who, 
 agreeably to the facred fcriptures, pronounces 
 the full remiffion of fins to all fuch as duly le- 
 pent. This confeffion is not particular, like that 
 of the Roman Catholics ; for the minifter does 
 not pry into fecret affairs. It is fufiicient for the 
 penitent, or intended communicant, to declare 
 in General, that he has finned, and what man 
 would deny that? This is a thing implied in re¬ 
 ligion ; for what purpofe would it be neceffary 
 for men to attend to facred duties, to aflc pardon 
 of God, to beg for his affiftance, and praife him for 
 his many mercies, if they were not finners ; that 
 is, if they had not tranfgreffed againft the divine 
 law. However, the praftice of vonfeffion among 
 the Lutherans is not alv/ays the fame, it varies in 
 different places, according as prejudices may 
 happen to aggrandize it, or the freedom of en¬ 
 quiry fink it almoft beneath the lowed: lort ol 
 contempt. In i'ome places, a whole body ol 
 people go together to their pallor, in older to 
 cont'efs their fins; and one of them reads a ge- 
 
 I E S of the LUTHERAN Si 
 neral confeffion, after which, the confcilor aiks 
 if their fentiincnts are all one and til. lame. 
 After the anfwer is given in theaffirmauvc, me 
 minifter makes a formal exhortation, longer or 
 Ihorter, as he thinks proper ; and that, tog mer 
 with the abfolution, concludes the cermony. 
 This is the general cuftom in mod populous 
 towns, where it would be in a manner imp mle 
 to attend to every private individual. In 1 - me 
 places, the minifter propofes the three lo::ow¬ 
 ing queftions, to thofe who are to comcU mcir 
 
 fins. , , , r 
 
 Firft, he afks them whether they repent (in- 
 cerelv of thofe fins of which their confluences ic- 
 cufe them ? Secondly, if they fmcerely nerve 
 and profefs, that the body and bloo . ol me 
 Lord Jeliis Chrift are really artd aftnallv pre.cnt 
 in the elements ol bread and wine . ’ 
 
 thirdly, if they promife to perlevere .o n Lu¬ 
 theran faith to their lives end ? L os i quel- 
 tion implies a principle inconfutent with tolera¬ 
 tion, and confequently with Chriftiamty ; and 
 it is well known, that the Lutherans are gene¬ 
 rally very (tiff in that particular ; not with re¬ 
 gard to the Roman Catholics only, but likewifc 
 to the Calvinilts, who have often made them 
 the mod generous profeffions of brotherly love. 
 
 At Nuremburg, and in l’oue other pia.es, 
 impofidon of hands is pradtifed when abloiution 
 is o-iven, and this is of confiderable antiquity ; 
 for°it feems to have taken its rile about the 
 middle of the fifth century, when the Chriltian 
 religion was beginning to give up its reality for 
 an empty vain ftiadow. The form and manner of 
 doing it is this : 
 
 The minifter, whom we may call the conldlor, 
 lays his hands three times on the head of the pe¬ 
 nitent, repeating, in a folemn manner at each 
 exhortation, the name of one of the three pel- 
 i'ons in the blefted trinity. After which he lays 
 to the penitent, £f Go in peace, and the grace 
 of our Lord Jefus Chrift be with you. —Mak¬ 
 ing, at the fame time, the ftgn ot the croib. 
 
 As to their modes of confeffion, they either 
 ftand, fit or kneel, juft as they pleafe, io that 
 we find they are far from being fo luperftitiou, as 
 the Papifts. And yet almoft all the Lutheran 
 minifters take money from their people when 
 they come to confets their fins. Having been 
 acculed of this as afnnoniacal practice, they have 
 endeavoured to extenuate the enormity of the 
 crime, by telling their acculers, that it is a pait 
 of their revenue. A Popiffi prieft, who takes 
 floods as well as money, could have fa id no 
 more. Whenever money is taken for a Ipiritual 
 gift, the gift itfelf ceafes to be fpiritual, 
 and many who call themfelves minifters, make 
 it appear to the world, that the denre or grati¬ 
 fying their pafiions, tramples over all regard they 
 can have for religion. As they have a vaft num¬ 
 ber of fafts and feftivals, fo their fupenntend ints 
 exercife a high authority on thole occafions ; 
 for they are fure to order the clergy to preach 
 on whatever topics they think proper, and to 
 preferibe rules for their conduft during every 
 part of the folemnity. During their fafts, the 
 lhops are fhut up, all manner of exercile ceales 
 but devotion ; though on their feftivals, and 
 even on Sundays, they will play at cards in the 
 
 afternoon. , T - 
 
 We 
 
The RITES and GEREMON 
 
 We (hall, in the nexc place, proceed to their j 
 form of excommunication. In Denmark and l 
 Sweden, it is accompanied with very fevere pe- • 
 nance. In the Danilh ritual, we are informed, 
 that the perfon excommunicated, when he firlt 
 appears in the church, is turned out with difgrace 
 by the clerk of the parifh, in the prefence of the 
 whole congregation. However, if the excom¬ 
 munication be of long continuance, he is not 
 excluded from the privilege of attending public 
 worfhip, and joining in the congregation dur¬ 
 ing fermons, and other adts of public devotion ; 
 but he is obliged to fit in a place appointed, and 
 at fome diftance from them; and when the mi¬ 
 nifter comes down from the pulpit, the clerk be¬ 
 fore-mentioned condudts the excommunicated 
 perfon out of the church. This has a near refem- 
 blance to fome of the practices of the Primitive 
 Chriftians when their church was on the de¬ 
 cline. 
 
 As to the Swedes, their form of excommuni¬ 
 cation is equally rigid and fevere* We are allured 
 by a traveller, who vifited that country, that he 
 faw at Lincoping, a young woman who had been 
 guilty of fome rafh mifdemeanor, and who, by 
 confequence thereof, had rendered herfelf ob¬ 
 noxious to the church, expofed to public view 
 upon her knees, from break of day till noon, in 
 the church porch, upon an eminence, like a cri¬ 
 minal’s bar, eredted for that particular purpofe. 
 It is probable, however, that might have been a 
 civil punifhment and not an ecclefiaftical cenlure. 
 Such young women as are not afhamed of ex- 
 pofing themfelves by drinking to excefs, or the 
 commiflion of any other odious and abominable 
 vice, are punifhed in the fame manner at the 
 Hague. There is not, therefore, a pofTibility of 
 forming a proper notion of this fort of Swedifh 
 punifhment, becaufe we know not whether it is 
 of a civil or religious nature. 
 
 It is true, their difcipline is fevere, but no ec- 
 clefiaflical cenfures are to be inflidted through 
 the coerfion of the civil power. This is much 
 to their honour, and we are forry to fay that there 
 is but one Proteftant church in the world where 
 this pradtice prevails. In a word, the Luthe¬ 
 rans admit of the lefifer excommunication ; but 
 as to any civil pains or penalties being inflidted 
 on the delinquents, they are never thought of. 
 Probably, the civil power, in arbitrary countries, 
 may fometimes deviate from what is here laid 
 down ; but (till there is nothing in the ecclefiafti¬ 
 cal conflitution of their churches that can give 
 any authority for fuch a pradtice. Excommuni¬ 
 cation is the calling a perfon out from among the 
 faithful, but except in the church of Rome, and 
 in one fingle Proteftant church, the punifhment 
 ceales with the declaration of the minifter, which, 
 according to the fpirit of Chriftianity, (hould al¬ 
 ways be of a fpiritual nature. 
 
 Luther has given us a formulary of baptifm in 
 the vulgar tongue, in order that every perfon pre- 
 fent might underftand it, and in this we find 
 many of the ceremonies ufed by the Roman Ca¬ 
 tholics left out, particularly that of breathing 
 upon the infant, which however was, from a 
 miltaken notion, pradtifed in antient times. Exor- 
 cifm, or commanding the devil to go out of the 
 child, is (till obferved, and the fign of the crofs is 
 retained. 
 
 41 
 
 IES of the LUTHERANS. 48 ? 
 
 As the Lutherans retain a large (hare of popifh 
 luperftition, fo they make it a rule to baptize 
 their children as foon as poffible after they are 
 born. In cafe the child (hould be too weak to be 
 carried to the church, they baptize him at home; 
 and on fuch occafions one or more godfathers 
 mud attend. When they imagine the infant to 
 be in danger, then the midwife baptizes him, 
 juft as they do among the Roman Catholics. If 
 a child is found expoled in the (treets, and a note 
 is left along with it, intimating that it had been 
 baptized, no regard is paid to that intimation, 1b 
 that it is carried to the church and baptized in 
 public. They never baptize idiots when they 
 arrive at years of maturity till they have regained 
 the ufe of their reafon. All legitimate chil¬ 
 dren are baptized before divine fervice begins, 
 but baltards after it is over. 
 
 There are baptifmal fonts in fome of the Lu¬ 
 theran churches, but not in all of them. In fe- 
 veral of the Saxon churches, the figure of an 
 angel with a bafon in his hand, delcends from 
 the ceiling by a private pulley, or fome other 
 fecret machine, and prefcnts the bafon to the' 
 minifter who is to baptize the child. In fome 
 other places, a table is brought out of the veftry,- 
 and placed before the altar with the bafon upon 
 it; but this cuftom prevails more at Augfburg 
 than any where elfe. 
 
 After the preliminary queftions which are al¬ 
 ways common at baptifm, the minifter makes 
 a difcourfe by way of exhortation, and then he 
 exorcifes the devil in the following words, <c Get 
 “ thee hence thou unclean fpirit, and make room 
 “ f°r the holy ghoft.” The minifter, at the fame 
 time, makes the fign of the crofs upon the in¬ 
 fant, faying unto him, <c Receive the fign of the 
 tc crofs, and be a faithful foldier of Jefus Chrift, 
 “ in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy 
 “ Ghoft.” He then baptizes the child by dip¬ 
 ping him three times in the water, in the name 
 of the blefied trinity, and the whole ceremony 
 concludes with an exhortation and a blefilng. 
 And here we mu ft not omit to take notice that 
 the Lutheran minifters exadtfees from thofe who 
 have their children baptized ; but we fhall have 
 occafion to mention this pradtice as taking place 
 in fome other reformed countries in Europe, and, 
 indeed, in many of them. 
 
 The next thing to be taken notice of, is their 
 form of confirmation, which has no affinity to 
 that of the Romifh church; for they make no 
 ufe of oil, and any common paftor of a congre- 
 gregation may perform the ceremony. The 
 young perfon who comes to be confirmed, mud 
 give a fatisfadtory anfwer to all queftions pro- 
 poled to him by the minifter, which pradtice is 
 very much like that of the primitive church. 
 When they have anfwered all the queftions pro- 
 poled to them, the minifter delivers a fuitable 
 exhortation, and the congregation fing an hymn, 
 and then the ceremony concludes with a prayer 
 and the benedidtion. 
 
 The Lutheran difcipline with refpedt to matri¬ 
 mony, is regular and uniform. In order to the 
 j confummation of marriage where there is no 
 lawful impediment, the parties prefent them- 
 lelves at church before their paftor, who aflcs them 
 whether they are mutually agreed to enter into 
 that (late ? and thereupon they join their right 
 6 G hands 
 
4S6 Tie RITES and CEREMO 
 hands, and make an exchange of their refpedtive 
 rings. Then the pador fays, “ A. and B. being 
 defirous to enter into the holy date of matrimo¬ 
 ny, before ail this congregation here prefent, I 
 do hereby declare them hufband and wife, in the 
 name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghoft, one 
 God, Amen”. After that he repeats, without a 
 book, feveral texts of fcripture, that enforce the 
 duties of hulbands and wives 3 and the whole 
 ceremony concludes with a prayer for their prof- 
 perity in time, and their happinei's in eternity. 
 It is proper to obferve, that the Lutherans 
 never marry any of their people on fall days, and 
 few but the lower fort of people go to the church 
 to have that ceremony performed 3 fo,r thofe in 
 genteel life, are generally married at their own 
 houfes in the evening ; the ceremony, however, 
 is the fame, confiding of prayers and exhorta¬ 
 tions. 
 
 In fome parts of Germany where the people are 
 married publickly, the dreets are drewed with 
 flowers, and there is a great deal of other unne- 
 ceffary parade not woi thy of being mentioned. 
 In the morning of the wedding day, which is 
 very frequently on a Sunday, the bridegroom 
 goes out of his own houfe to vifit his midrefs 3 
 but before he goes out, the door and windows 
 of his houfe are adorned with flowers, to give 
 intimation to the people that he is to be married. 
 At his fird fettingout, a young girl throws fome 
 of the flowers into his face, after which he gets 
 into a chaife, or cart, according as his circtimdan - 
 ces will permit, the horfes being grandly adorned. 
 When he meets his midrefs at her own apart¬ 
 ments, he quits his carriage, and both die and 
 he go in another to the church, the dreets being 
 drewed with flowers ; and as foon as they arrive 
 at the church, the nuptial knot is tied, by which 
 they are bound together for life. 
 
 We come at lad to their funeral ceremonies, 
 or, at lead, to that lad dage which puts an end to 
 human exidence. The dying Lutheran has no 
 extreme unftion adminidered to him, no out¬ 
 ward application of relics, he receives no comfort 
 or confolation trom a crucifix being put into his 
 hand. He is buoyed up with no hopes from the 
 virtues arifing from a monk’s habit, and he ex¬ 
 perts no happinefs after death, in confequence 
 of a number of maffes having been faid for him. 
 His whole dependence is on the merits of Chrid 
 Jefus, and he receives fpiritual confolation in 
 confequence of the admonitions and exhortations 
 he receives from his pador. But notwithfland- 
 ing they are very fuperditious 5 nor is it an eafy 
 matter to dived the mind of fuperdion, with¬ 
 out running it into Deifm. 
 
 On the day appointed for the interment of the 
 corpfe, the relations and friends of the deceafed ! 
 meet together at the houfe where he died, and 
 the minider of the congregation reforts thither at 
 the fame time, attended by a train of young 
 fcholars, who, no doubt, come to learn the na¬ 
 ture of the ceremony j for mechanical religion is 
 not eafily attained to. Thefe youths fing two 
 or three hymns before the door where the deceaf¬ 
 ed lays, after which they march in the front of 
 the procefiion, having either a crofs or a large 
 crucifix carried before them. An inferior clerk, 
 or fome young fcholar appointed for thatpurpofe, 
 marches clofe by the lide of the corple with a 
 
 N I E S of the LUTHERANS, 
 final! crofs, which is afterwards fixed in that part 
 of the church, or church-yard where the body 
 was interred. The relations and friends of the 
 deceafed follow the corpfe, the men fird, and the 
 women after them. During the proceflion, their 
 bells are, for the mod part, tolled, out of re- 
 fpeft and complaifance to the deceafed, and fe¬ 
 veral hymns fungas they march along. It is cul- 
 : tomary likewife ro open the coffin at the grave, 
 and take farewell of the deceafed, Tinging, at 
 the fame time, feveral hymns luitable to the oc- 
 cafton. 
 
 When they nail up the coffin for the lad time, 
 the minider reads a prayer, and pronounces a 
 benedidtion or bleffing. If a funeral lermon is to 
 be preached, then the corpfe is carried into the 
 church, and the difeourfe generally confilts of a 
 great deal of flattery, becaufe the minider is paid 
 for it. As, in all other things, fo in their fune¬ 
 ral ceremonies, the Lutherans differ much from 
 each other 3 but this, indeed, is not much to be 
 wondered at, when we conlider how much we 
 differ in the imall llland of Briton. In fome parts 
 oi this iffand, a woman mud not attend a fune¬ 
 ral 3 in many other parts, her prefence is con- 
 ddered as ueceflary. What then fhall we fay to 
 thole differences which take place among the 
 Lutherans ? The aniwer is plain and eafy 5 °they 
 depend upon locality and antient cudom, with¬ 
 out any connection with religion. 
 
 It is necedary to obferve in this place, that al¬ 
 though Lutheranifmisprofeff'edin many countries 
 on the continent of Europe, yet fometimes it 
 happens that the prince is of one perfuafion, and 
 his people of another. Thus, the eledtor of Sax¬ 
 ony is a papid, yet all his fubjedls are Lutherans. 
 The king of Pruffia and his court are Calvinids, 
 and yet almod all his fubjedts are Lutherans. 
 That illudrious monarch has drawn up the fol¬ 
 lowing confeffion of his faith, which will ever do 
 him great honour. It was written at a time 
 when he was in very precarious circumdanccs ; 
 but the whole may ferve to Ihew the rlearnefs of 
 his head, and the goodnefs of his heart. It was 
 prelented to the diet of the German empire at 
 Katilbon 1744, and the fubdance of it is as fol¬ 
 lows : 
 
 1. I do not believe in the ordinances of the 
 Pope, nor even in the writings of Luther, Beza, 
 or Calvin 3 but I believe in the adorable Trinity, 
 and I make his holy word the foundation of my 
 faith, nor lhall I ever believe any thing that 
 cladres with it, even though an angel from hea¬ 
 ven Ihould reveal it. 
 
 2. I believe alfo that I fhall be faved, together 
 with all true Chridians, by the blood of Chrid, 
 his differing and dying for us. 
 
 3. As I profefs there is no Privation in any other 
 name, I would not be diled a Lutheran, a Cal- 
 vinid, nor a Papid, but a Chridian. 
 
 4. With regard to eternal eledtion, or prededi- 
 nation, this is my private opinion, that the mer¬ 
 ciful God hath called all men to lalvation 3 and 
 it is not for want of being called if they are not 
 faved, but thro’ their own wickednefs and oblli- 
 nacy in oppofing divine grace, and by reafon of 
 their corrupt hearts, and their fins, that they 
 are condemned through the jud judgement of 
 God. 
 
 J. As to good works, it is my opinion, that 
 
 there 
 
The RITES and CEREMONI 
 
 there muft neceflarily be good works where there 
 is a true faith ; for faith and good works can no 
 more be feparated, than light from fire : never- 
 thelefs it is an error to believe, that man can 
 merit heaven by good works, or that he can be 
 faved but by true faith. How then can the me¬ 
 rit of good works fave us ? 
 
 6. With regard to baptifm and the Lord’s 
 fupper, it is my opinion, that I have been waffl¬ 
 ed from fin in baptifm ; not by the water, but 
 by the blood of my Lord and Saviour Jefus 
 Chrift, and have been by it received into the 
 eternal covenant of grace with God the Father, 
 the Son, and the Holy Ghoft : fo I am nourifhed 
 in the holy fupper at the table of the grace of 
 Jefus Chrift; and, in virtue of this facrament, 
 am rendered partaker of all the benefits which 
 my Saviour hath purchafed by his wounds and 
 death, and am become an inheritor of life ever- 
 lafting; whence I believe, that thofe who believe 
 in God, and feeketh his falvation in the blood 
 of Jefus Chrift, and leadeth a true Chriftian 
 life, may die the death of the righteous, and fhall 
 be faved. 
 
 7. I leave to every one liberty of faith and 
 confcience ; protefting, before the face of God, 
 that I am determined to live and die in this 
 plain confefiion of faith : neverthelefs, I leave to 
 all good people to judge, whether I am cold, 
 hot, or lukewarm. I am very far from believing, 
 that the fervice of Catholic priefts promote the 
 falvation of fouls ; have learned by the experi¬ 
 ence which I have had, that all their actions tend 
 not to the honour of God, and the falvation of 
 men, but folely to their own honour, and to be 
 refpefted among men. 
 
 8. It is with reafon that I fcruple to be called 
 a Papift, a Lutheran, or a Calvinift; becaufe, 
 according to the cuftom and opinion of the world, 
 it is not fufficient to take the name of a Chrifti¬ 
 an, but we muft be engaged - to fome particular 
 church, and makeprofefiion of its faith; and as 
 the pure reformed religion beft agrees with my 
 religion, I think it not improper to call myfelf a 
 Reformed ; although I fee no caufe to fay. there 
 is the lcaft difference between my confefiion of 
 faith and the pure Lutheran religion : I would 
 not, however, be called a Calvinift; but am, 
 and fhall always be, a reformed Chriftian : that 
 is to fay, one that is diffengaged from all error 
 in the doftrine of faith, and who believes all that 
 I have before mentioned ; but a Calvinift is one, 
 who makes the doftrine of Calvin the rule of 
 faith. 
 
 9. As Calvin was a man, he might be mifta- 
 ken, fince no man is perfeft: but I regard Cal¬ 
 vin, Luther, and others, as chofen inftruments 
 of God, drawn by virtue of the Holy Ghoft from 
 the darknefs of Popery, and that they fhewedthe 
 true way to life; but as they were fallible, I do not 
 call them rabbies. I profefs, not to believe any 
 doftrine that is not agreeable to the word of God; 
 believing that it is my duty, as St. Paul ad- 
 vifes, to try all things, and hold faft that which 
 is good. 
 
 It has been commonly reported that the kino- 
 of Pruffia was, or is a Deift; this has been be¬ 
 lieved by many, and yet let us only confider 
 thefe different articles as they are here before us. 
 
 ES of the LUTHERANS. 487 
 
 Every Chriftian, who is a Proteftant, would 
 fubfcribe them if prefented to him. It will be 
 aficed, that as there remains not the leaft doubt 
 of their having been dictated by this illuftrious 
 hero, from what motives did they flow ? To 
 this we would anfwer, that in all cafes where 
 there does not remain the fhadow of a doubt, we 
 are to confider the conduft of our fellow crea¬ 
 tures in the faireft point of view. We have no 
 evidence that the Prufilan hero ever denied the 
 truth of Divine revelation ; for as to the ma¬ 
 ny fcandalous writings that have been imputed to 
 him, there is little doubt but that they were writ¬ 
 ten by fome profane wits, who never either faw 
 his majefty or knew his fentiments. 
 
 1 he famous book, entitled Eikon Bafilicon , ran 
 through eight editions of two thoufand each, in 
 the com-pals of two years, merely becaufe it 
 was reputed and afferted to be the work of 
 Charles I. and yet we have undeniable proofs that 
 it was not written by that prince. Some years 
 ago, a bookfeller, a man of ingenuity, drew up 
 a frnall piece, which has had an amazing run, 
 becaufe it was whifpered that it had been written 
 by a noble lord lately deceafed. Thus we may 
 frequently find Frenchmen of learning and inge¬ 
 nuity writing and publifhing things under the 
 the names of princes, and minifters of ftate, 
 which although lively and entertaing, contain 
 but little of the truth. 
 
 It has been juft the fame with the king of 
 Pruffia. Voltaire and D’Argens brought a great 
 number of refuges to his court, and thefe men being 
 of too abandoned characters to expeft encourao-- 
 ment from a virtuous monarch, retired to Hol¬ 
 land and publifhed fome gay trifles under his * 
 name ; or, at leaft, they infinuated that they had 
 been written by him. The ftates general ordered 
 them to be burnt by the common hangman ; and 
 furely, had the king been the author of them, 
 he would not have fuffered this aft of indignity 
 to go unpunifhed; for it is well known that he 
 has, by being in poflefllon of Eaft-Friezland, a 
 power at any time to invade their territories. 
 
 In this manner the firft charafters may be tra¬ 
 duced, and men may be reprefented as the au¬ 
 thors of fentiments which they hold in abhor¬ 
 rence. It is acknowledged by all, that the Pruf- 
 fian monarch wrote the memoirs of the houfe of 
 Brandenburgh ; and what man will fay that there 
 is any thing in that work derogatory to the truth 
 and honour of the Chriftian religion ? He main¬ 
 tains a Lutheran minifter in every one of his re¬ 
 giments, who are not fuffered to remain at 
 home, but muft go to camp with the troops. 
 This does not look like a prince upon whom re¬ 
 ligion fits fo very light, as has been reprefented 
 by fome perfons in the prefent age. 
 
 But who were thofe perfons who firft repre¬ 
 fented his Prufilan majefty as a deift ? We an¬ 
 fwer, the fame profligates who publifhed fyftems 
 of debauchery, and then gave it out that they 
 were written by him. Men who had enjoyed 
 fome favours from him, but becaufe they could 
 not get into the plenitude of power, to gratify 
 their ambition and fupport their unbounded ex¬ 
 travagancies, ftabbed his character in the moft 
 tender part, by foifting their fpurious predictions 
 upon him. 
 
 We 
 
4 gg The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 We have dwelt the longer on this circumftance, 
 for the honour of our own country, becaufe, not- 
 withftanding we have many deilts among!! us, 
 yet not one of them was ever guilty of luch mean, 
 beggarly adlions. They were Frenchmen who 
 wrote the books alluded, and as infincerity and 
 falfe politenefs are the charadteriftics of that na¬ 
 tion, they are extremely welcome to all the ho¬ 
 nour that arifes from a condudt fo mean and bale. 
 We do not defire to import French vices, we 
 may perhaps have enough, and too many of our 
 own; but the dignity of our country, ho¬ 
 nour of our nature, the lincerity of our difpo- 
 fitions, and above all, the regard, we as well as 
 our anceftors have had for truth, leads us to treat 
 with contempt, every thing inconfiftent with the 
 duty we owe to thole, who, for their illuftrious 
 aftions, will Ihine bright in the annals of Eu¬ 
 rope. But to go on with our lubjedl. 
 
 Thus we have given an account in the moft 
 impartial manner, of the firft Protellant church 
 in Europe with refpedt to time, and lhall con¬ 
 clude with a few remarks. 
 
 Firft, although the Lutheran church has yet 
 too many popilh ceremonies in it, yet, when we 
 conlider every thing, it is furprifing they have 
 not more. Luther had the power of the houfe 
 of Auftria to oppofe, as well as the cunning and 
 malice of the court of Rome. Moft of the Ger¬ 
 man princes, who fupported him, had nothing 
 more in view than to get themfelves deli- !; 
 vered from the galling yoke of popilh llavery, r 
 and to keep that money to themfelves, which ' 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
 had been annually lent to the Romilh treafury. 
 Such men as thei'e did not feek for fimplicity in 
 worlhip; rites and ceremonies were more agree¬ 
 able to them, becaufe they captivated the fenfes. 
 Nor was it lei's difficult to engage the prejudices 
 of the common people, who were grofsly igno¬ 
 rant, and long accuftomed to popilh ceremonies. 
 It was wife in Luther to begin with removing a 
 few of the nuifances, relerving the others for 
 fome more favourable peiiod, when the minds of 
 the people would be better prepared to comply 
 with innovations, and more ready to pare with 
 their favourite ceremonies. 
 
 Secondly, although the Lutherans retain a great 
 many ablurd ceremonies, yet in many things they 
 are better reformed than fome other Protellant 
 churches. Thus they have no plurality of livings, 
 and the clergy are obliged to refide with their 
 people, fo that they are all perfonally known to 
 them. They are fo zealous in the difeharge of 
 their duty, that the people almoft adore them. 
 Whereever they are met, either in the ftreets or 
 in the fields, all hats are off to them; and from 
 the regularity and fimplicity of their lives, their 
 miniftry has a vail effedb on their morals. It is 
 the pious lives of minifters that mull make re¬ 
 ligious exerciles have a due and proper effedt. 
 
 Laftly, as to the time when this religion is to 
 be further reformed, is not for us to enquire ; we 
 are fatisfied, that the means of falvation are to 
 be found in it, and where thefe are properly im¬ 
 proved, the end mull be left to divine wifdom. 
 
 The RITES and CEREMONIES of the 
 CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
 H ENRY VIII. afeended the throne of 
 England 1J09, and married the widow 
 of his brother Arthur, a circumftance 
 that produced the moft ferious effedls. Henry 
 had been taught the jargon offehool divinity, with 
 a view as is thought of making him archbilhop 
 of Canterbury; but his brother’s death changed 
 that defign. When Luther oppofed the pope, a 
 book was publilhed in Henry’s name again!! the 
 opinions of that illuftrious reformer, and altho’ 
 it was generally believed that Dr. John Fiflier, 
 bilhop of Rochelter, was the author, yet the king 
 in confequence thereof, had the title of defender 
 of the faith conferred on him. 
 
 It has been proved by lord Herbert, and feveral 
 other writers of credit, that Henry had refolved 
 to fue for a divorce from his queen fometime 
 before he faw Anne Boleyn. He had a large in¬ 
 gredient of fuperftition in his charadter, and 
 he imputed the death of his two fons to the 
 divine vengeance, for having married his 
 brother’s widow; and he was extremely de- 
 firous of male iffiue, to prevent all difputes about 
 the fucceffion. He was ftartled at a doubt fug- 
 
 gelled of the legitimacy of the birth of his 
 daughter Mary; and being a prince of violent 
 paffions, longed to be united to a lady of more 
 endearing qualities than his prefent queen, who 
 had not many perfonal attradtions. His fcruples, 
 which are afcribed to the writings of Thomas 
 Aquinas, were encouraged by his favourite Wol- 
 fev, who hated Catharine, on account of her dif- 
 approving of his licentious manner of living, 
 and was equally incenfed againft her nephew the 
 emperor, for having twice baffled him in the 
 defign he had formed of obtaining the papal 
 chair. 
 
 As the king paffionately defired to obtain Ca¬ 
 therine’s confent to a leparation, he lent feveral 
 bilhops to her, together w'ith as many noblemen, 
 to perfuade her to drop her appeal, but all in 
 vain; and when they endeavoured to perfuade her 
 to fubmit her caufe to the decifion of four eccle- 
 fiaftics, Ihe faid, Ihe would pray to God to fend 
 the king happinefs, that Hie was his lawful wife, 
 and would abide by her right, until the court of 
 Rome Ihould declare the contrary. 
 
 By this time Henry, having thrown off all 
 
 obedience 
 
» 
 
 The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 obedience to the pope, and got himfelf declared 
 head of the church. The biihops and dignified 
 abbots had granted the king a large fum of mo¬ 
 ney, which induced them to attempt to make the 
 inferior clergy pay a part of if. Stokefiy, bifhop 
 of London, lent for fome of the priefts of that 
 metropolis to meet him in the Chapter-houfe, to 
 propofe an affeffment, hoping, if he could obtain 
 the confent of a few at firft, the reft would follow 
 their example. But all the London priefts be¬ 
 ing apprized of this intention, went thither in a 
 tumultuous manner, accompanied by a great 
 number of their people, who all declared they 
 ■would not pay any thing. They had already 
 burft open the door, and a Iharp conflict enfued 
 between them and the bifhop’s fervants ; but his 
 lordfiiip difmiffed the rioters with his blefling, 
 alluring them, that they Ihould never be called 
 in queftion for the difturbance. 
 
 But notwithftanding this promife, he com¬ 
 plained to the chancellor, by whofe order, fifteen 
 priefts and five laymen were committed to prifon. 
 The king, alarmed at this tumult, refolved to 
 convince his people, that though he had lhaken 
 off the papal yoke, his intentions were not to 
 violate the rights of the eftablifhed church, 
 and therefore ordered the laws againft Heretics 
 to be rigoroufly executed, an order which was 
 attended with the death of two priefts and a 
 lawyer, who were all three burnt in Smith- 
 field. 
 
 The lawyer was James Bainham, a gentle¬ 
 man of the Middle Temple, who having on a 
 former occafion been taken up, was put in pri¬ 
 fon in Sir Thomas More’s houfe, and whipped 
 at a tree in his garden, called c< The tree of 
 <c truth..” This was done becaufe he would not 
 difcover where he had concealed his books, nor 
 accufe his fellow ftudents in the temple. He 
 was lent to the lower, and there fo racked that 
 he became lame. He abjured and had his liberty, 
 but was fo difconfolate, that he profcffed his re¬ 
 pentance in a congregation, held in a private 
 houfe in Bow-lane. On the fucceeding Sunday, 
 he went to St. Auftin’s church, with the New- 
 Teftament in Englifh in his hand, and the obe¬ 
 dience of a Chriftian man in his bofom. Here 
 he was taken up, and after three hearings con¬ 
 demned and executed. Such executions were 
 common enough in this reign, and yet even at 
 that time Henry was fupporting the Lutherans in 
 Germany againft the pope and the emperor, a 
 condud becoming a found politician. 
 
 In January 1533, Henry alfembled the parlia¬ 
 ment to confider the internal ftate of the king¬ 
 dom, when the commons having been previoufly 
 inftruded by the court, prefented an addrefs, be- 
 feeching his majefty to confent to the reformation 
 of fundry abufes winch had crept into the im¬ 
 munities enjoyed by the clergy. The king an- 
 fiwered, that before he could affent to a propolal 
 of fuch importance, he would hear what the 
 clergy had to fay in their own defence. This ftep 
 was taken to fhew them, that as they were odious 
 to the parliament, how much they flood in need 
 of his royal protection. 
 
 This year the king was privately married to 
 Anne Boleyn, whom he had created mar- 
 chionefs of Pembroke, and the Englifh nation 
 41 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &e. 489 
 
 were much pleafed with the match, becaufe the 
 queen favoured the reformation. But the greatob- 
 jed the king had in view, was to procure the di¬ 
 vorce with Catharine; forwhatever fteps had been 
 hitherto taken for thht purpofe, the affair lay flill 
 undecided. Dr. Cranmer was a perfon in whom 
 the king had great confidence, and being in Ger¬ 
 many, when Wareham, archbifhop of Canterbury 
 died, he was lent for to difcharge the duties of 
 that important office. 
 
 April the 5th, the convocation met, and de¬ 
 clared that the pope had no right to grant dif- 
 penfations contrary to law, and therefore the 
 marriage with Catharine was void. Accordingly 
 Cranmer repaired to Dunftable, where Catharine 
 had been fummoned to make her appearance 
 near Haughton-Park, the place of her refidence; 
 ffie rejeded the citation, upon which Cranmer 
 pronounced lentence, declaring her marriage 
 null, as being contrary to the law of God, and 
 by another fentencehe confirmed the king’s mar¬ 
 riage with Anne Boleyn, who was crowned on 
 the firft of June, to the no fmall joy of the 
 people. 
 
 This part of Henry’s condud fo incenfed the 
 pope againft him and Cranmer, that he threat¬ 
 ened, if all thefe proceedings were not immedi¬ 
 ately annulled, he would proceed to the fentence 
 of excommunication. At this time, the duke 
 of Orleans, next heir to the crown of France, 
 was to be married to the princefs Mary of Me- 
 dicis, and the ceremony was to be graced with 
 the pope’s prefence, who was to meet the parties 
 at Marfeilles. Francis I. king of France, wrote 
 to Henry, defiring him to fend an ambaffador to 
 treat with the pope, and although Henry faw 
 that he had proceeded too far to retreat, yet he 
 fent the duke of Norfolk as ambaffador, to ac¬ 
 company Francis, to meet the pontiff at Mar¬ 
 feilles. 
 
 Along with the duke went Stephen Gardener, 
 bifhop of Winchefter, Sir John Wallop, and 
 Sir Francis Bryan, accompanied by Edmund 
 Bonner, a clergyman of great impudence and 
 refolution. After the ceremonies of the nuptials 
 were over, Francis defired the pope to fatisfy the 
 king of England, but his holinefs, in order to 
 fave the honour of the holy fee, infilled on judg¬ 
 ing the caufe in a confiftory of cardinals. Bon¬ 
 ner, who was ignorant of this refolution, de¬ 
 manded an audience of the pontiff, and told him 
 that Henry had appealed to a future general 
 council, from any papal fentence that either was 
 or Ihould be given againft him. The pope faid 
 he would take the advice of the cardinals, and 
 in a few days after told him, that the appeal could 
 not be received. But Bonner, without being 
 intimidated by this anfwer, proceeded to notify 
 archbilhop Cranmer’s appeal from the reverfion 
 of the fentence he had pronounced. The pope 
 was fo exafperated at Bonner’s prefumption, that 
 lie threatened to have him thrown into a caul¬ 
 dron of melted lead. Francis was equally of¬ 
 fended at Bonner’s infolence and indifcretion, 
 and he promifed to affift the pope in taking ven¬ 
 geance on him for fuch an outrage; but never- 
 thelefs, he luffered him to make his efcape. This 
 was the fame Bonner who became fuch a cruel 
 perfecutor in the reign of queen Mary. 
 
 6 H 
 
 January 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
 January 15, 1534, the parliament met, and re¬ 
 pealed the ftatute againtt heretics pafled in the reign 
 of Henry IV. The king and parliament did not, 
 however, intend to exempt thole accufed of he- 
 refy from the flames i for by the new law the de¬ 
 linquents were ltill liable to lufler the fame pu- 
 nifhment as before. But in order to hinder the 
 clergy from being lole judges in luch cafes, it was 
 enafted, that heretics ihould be tried according to 
 the laws of the kingdom, without any regard to 
 the canon law by another aft it was decreed, that 
 no fynod, or convocation of the clergy, Ihould be 
 held without the royal licence; that the king Ihould 
 appoint thirty-two perfons from the parliament 
 and clergy, to examine the canons and conftitu- 
 tions of the church •, that thofe who were necef- 
 fary Ihould be retained, and all the reft abolifhed. 
 
 This parliament confirmed the ftatute of amiates , 
 prohibiting the pope from receiving, for the fu¬ 
 ture, any money out of England : they likewife 
 enafted, that for the future, the pope fhould have 
 no fhare in the eleftion or confirmation of bifhops •, 
 but that in cafes of vacancy, the king fhould fend 
 his licence to the dean and chapter, to eleft a new 
 bifhop •, and if the eleftion fhould not be made in 
 twelve days after the date of the licence, then the 
 power of elefting fhould devolve on the king. In 
 the external government of the church, thele 
 things had fome appearance of a progrefs towards 
 a reformation ; but although the king had abo¬ 
 lifhed the papal power, yet he did not intend to 
 part with the ceremonies. 
 
 In the mean time, the pope was not without his 
 emiflaries in England, many of whom did all they 
 could to raife tumults throughout the nation. 
 
 Elizabeth Barton, commonly known by the 
 name of the Maid of Kent, had been taught by 
 doftor Booking, a canon of Chrift-church, in 
 Canterbury, and Richard Matter, the prieft of the 
 parifh of Addington, where fhe refided. This 
 woman was fubjeft to fits, and often uttered very 
 incoherent expreflions, which the two impottors 
 relolved to improve on. They told her, fhe was 
 infpired by the holy ghoft, and taught her what to 
 fay when fhe fell down in pretended, infteadof real 
 fits. Vaft crowds of people followed her, and to 
 them fhe told that the king would be deftroyed 
 by fome fignaljudgement, for having renounced the 
 pope’s authority. Some men of learning and emi¬ 
 nence were lo weak as to follow this impoftor, who 
 had been trained into thefe praftices by artful de¬ 
 fining priefts. Bifhops, abbots, and monks, 
 held private meetings with her, pretending to be¬ 
 lieve all her blafphemies, and the affair at laft be¬ 
 came very ferious. 
 
 One Peto, preaching before the king at Green¬ 
 wich, told him he had been deceived by many ly¬ 
 ing prophets ; but a true Micaiah warned him, 
 that the dogs fhould lick his blood as they had 
 licked the blood of Ahab. Henry bore this in- 
 fult with great temper •, but to undeceive the peo¬ 
 ple, appointed Dr. Corren, to preach before him 
 on the next Sunday, when that prieft juftified the 
 king’s proceedings, and branded Peto with the 
 epithets of dog, rebel, flanderer and traitor. He 
 was interrupted by one Elfton, a friar, who called 
 him a lying prophet, who eftablifhed the fucceflion 
 to the crown upon adultery, and lpoke with fuch 
 virulence, that the king was obliged to interpofe, 
 and command him to be filent. At laft thefe impo- 
 
 ftors became fo infolent that the king ordered the 
 maid, with her accomplices, to be brought before 
 the ftar-chamber. There they confefled the whole 
 myftery of iniquity, and foon after were brought 
 to a fcaffold in St. Paul’s church-yard, at which 
 place the articles of their confeflion were read in 
 their hearing. They were lent to the Tower, and 
 as foon as the parliament met, they were all attained 
 of high treafon. On Apnl 20, following, Bar¬ 
 ton with five priefts her accomplices, were execut¬ 
 ed at Tyburn and there fhe confelfed that fhe 
 had been deceived by thofe artful importers. 
 
 As foon as the parliament was prorogued, com- 
 miflions were fent all over the kingdom to tender 
 the oaths of allegience and fupremacy. Thefe oaths 
 were taken by the majority of the clergy, but 
 Fifher, bifhop of Rochefter and Sir Thomas More, 
 abfolutely refufed them •, for which they were both 
 committed to the Tower and afterwards executed 
 for high treafon. More, though a man of wit 
 and learning, yet was a vioh nt perlecutor-, for 
 while he was chancellor, a great many perfons, 
 both cErgy and laity, had fuffered for the gofpel. 
 
 As the monks had infulted the king with pt-r- 
 fonal abufe, and feduced his fubjefts from their 
 allegiance, lo he was determined to proceed againft 
 them with rigour. For this purpole a commifllon 
 was appointed to vifit all the monafteries, and 
 Cromwell was made vifitor general, who appoint¬ 
 ed fubftitutes to aft in his ftead. There they 
 difeovered fuch feenes of vice, debauchery, and 
 impudence, as were difgraceful to religion and 
 fhocking to human nature. The vifitors, who were 
 no friends to the monaftic life, did not fail to ex¬ 
 aggerate many things, by reprefenting the monks 
 as all equally vicious, whereas fome of them were 
 very inoffenfive perfons. They told them, that in 
 order to avoid punifhment, they muft give up 
 their houfes to the king, who would make a fuita- 
 ble provifion for them during life. Many of them 
 complied with this, but refufed to take the oath of 
 fupremacy. 
 
 Soon after this the parliament met, and palled an 
 aft, diffolving all convents whole revenues did not 
 exceed two hundred pounds a year This was a 
 fatal blow for popery, for there were many of 
 thefe in the kingdom. By this ftatute, three hun¬ 
 dred and feventy fix religious houfes were diflolved, 
 and the fum of thirty twb thoufand pounds a year 
 was added to the royal revenues, befides a capi¬ 
 tal of above one hundred thoufand pounds in me 
 plate, ornaments and efrefts of the convents and 
 churches. A motion was made in the convocation, 
 during this parliament, to have the bible tranflated 
 into Englifh in a more correft manner than 
 Tindal’s, but this was violently oppofed by the 
 P.-pifts. However, a petition was drawn up to the 
 king and he gave orders for that purpofe •, it was 
 printed at Paris about three years afterwards, but 
 who the tranflators were is not certainly known. 
 It is taken from the vulgate latin, as appears from 
 the grand copy ftill prelerved in the king’s library 
 in the Britifh Mufeum, where all the capitals are 
 embellifhed. 
 
 In the beginning of this year the unfortunate 
 queen Catharine died in the cattle of Kimbolton, 
 in Huntingdonfhire, and was buried in the abbey, 
 now the cathedral of Peterborough. She funk in¬ 
 to a decline after the king had withdrawn his 
 afteftions from her, but fhe would never refian 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c, 491 
 
 her title of queen, though frequently importuned 
 to it by Henry. When fhe found her end draw¬ 
 ing near, fhe dilated a molt affectionate and 
 paffionate letter to the king *, fhe did not upbraid 
 him with the treatment fhe had met with, but 
 prayed for him, begging that God would bleis him. 
 She recommended her daughter Mary to his ten¬ 
 der care, and likewife her fervants, all which 
 Henry complied with. For whatever fcruples he 
 might have had concerning the validity of his 
 marriage, yet he never accufed that princefs of 
 any thing indecent or unbecoming her 'character. 
 She was certainly, in many relpeCts, a devout 
 princefs, according to the notions of thofe times, 
 but fhe was bigotted and fretful, which, in fome 
 meafure, alienated the king’s affections from her. 
 Henry feemed to be affected with her death, but 
 his queen, Anne Boleyn, was fo indecent in her 
 behaviour as to fpeak of it with marks of the 
 greateft pleafure in company. 
 
 His majefly was now beginning to be cloyed 
 with the poffeffion of Anne Boleyn, the charms 
 of lady Jane Seymour having captivated his un¬ 
 fettled mind. Anne was no ftranger to this, and 
 therefore, in order to provoke his jealoufy, fhe 
 p radii fed fome very indifereet levities, which were 
 conflrued into crimes. She was committed to the 
 Tower as having been guilty of adultery with two. 
 of the gentlemen of the privy chamber, Weflon 
 and Brerton, and likewife with one Smeton, a mu- 
 fician. The evidence againft her did hardly a- 
 mount to a preemption, but fhe was found guilty 
 of high treafon, in having violated the king’s bed, 
 and received fentence to be burned alive, which 
 was afterwards changed into beheading. She was 
 executed within the walls of the Tower, and her 
 body thrown into an empty cheft, where it lay 
 feveral days. 
 
 Thus fell Anne Boleyn, whofe fate has been 
 matter of muchdifpute. She is faid to have been 
 a lady of unaffected piety, and was certainly of a 
 very charitable difpofition, and an encourager of 
 genius and learned men. She was naturally vola¬ 
 tile ; and, in fome cafes, indifereet. By her edu¬ 
 cation in France, fhe had contracted a kind of vi¬ 
 vacity that did not fuit the manners of the Englifh 
 court, and much lefs the impetuofity. of the king’s 
 temper, to which fhe undoubtedly fell a facrifice. 
 All thofe accufed of having been concerned with 
 her, were executed at the fame time. Her brother 
 and two more were beheaded, but Smeton was 
 hanged. Nothing fo much juftified Anne Boleyn 
 as the conduCt of the king, who, on the very day 
 after her execution, married the lady Jane Sey¬ 
 mour. So little regard did he pay to common de¬ 
 corum, or the opinion of his fubjeCts, over whom 
 he had eftablifhed and exercifed the moft arbitrary 
 fway. 
 
 But that the king might convince his fubjeCts, 
 that he had no intention to part with the popifh 
 religion, though he had abolifhed the papal pow¬ 
 er, he iffued ItriCt orders, that feveral things 
 fhould be attended to in publick worfhip as they 
 had been in former times. That the mafs was to be 
 If ill faid in latin ; image worfhip was to be re¬ 
 tained ; prayers for the dead were to be obferved •, 
 the feven facraments were to be folemnized in the 
 fame manner as before prayers to faints were to 
 be ftriCtly obferved the doCtrinc of purgatory 
 
 and works of fuperogation were ftill retained, and 
 indeed, every thing elfe in the Romifh church, ex¬ 
 cept obedience to the pope. All thofe who either 
 oppofed, wrote, or ipoke againft thefe articles, 
 were to fuffer death as Heretics, and the flatute 
 was executed with the greateft feverity throughout 
 the kingdom. Many, both clergy and laity, 
 were burned alive at the flake, or racked on 
 gibbets. 
 
 The people of England, who had long groaned 
 under the power of the clergy and papal extor¬ 
 tions, were well pleafed with the abolifhingof the 
 pope’s fupremacy ; but they were not fo well fa- 
 tisfied with the fuppreffion of religious houfes, 
 thinking it unjuft, that they fhould be all 
 deftroyed for the vices of a few, and that what 
 the piety of their anceftors had dedicated to God, 
 fhould be configned to profane ufes. The gen¬ 
 try ufed to provide for their children and decayed 
 friends in thofe houfes, and to be entertained 
 themfelves at the tables of the abbots. Travellers 
 were lodged there, and the poor relieved by the 
 alms daily diftributed at monafteries. 
 
 The aCt of parliament which fuppreffed them, 
 enjoined that the farmers fhould keep up the fame 
 holpitality as before, and the king fold the lands to 
 the nobles, at an eafier rate for that purpofe. 
 But this hofpitality was negleCted, and in a fhorE 
 time it was taken no notice of. Books had been 
 written to expofe the characters of the Monks, 
 but this did not hinder their being punifhed, when 
 fhoals of them wandering from place to place in 
 a diftreffed and begging condition, told their own 
 tale, and complained of the cruelty, and impiety 
 of their treatment. To prevent tlieir being re- 
 ftored, the new proprietors thought proper to 
 deftroy their nefts; churches and convents were 
 pulled down ; the bells, lead, and other materials 
 were fold, and this havock being vifible in all 
 parts of the country, fhocked abundance of per- 
 fons, befides the fimple and devout who lamented, 
 that their relations were likely to remain the 
 longer in purgatory, through the want of maffes 
 being faid for their deliverance. To abate fome 
 thing of the general clamour, the king reftored 
 fifteen convents of men, and fixteen nunneries, 
 who had been the leaft exceptionable in their con¬ 
 duct, which fubfifted till the general diffolution of 
 abbeys, but this did not prevent infurreCtions. 
 
 The firft that broke out was in Lincolnlhire, 
 where one Dr. Mackrel, Prior at Borlings in that 
 county, called himfelf Captain Cobler , gathered 
 twenty thoufand men together, fwearing them to 
 be true to God and the king, and drew up their 
 grievances in a few articles, which were tranf- 
 mitted to court. Thefe articles acknowledged the 
 king’s fupremacy, defiring he would take the ad¬ 
 vice of his nobility, and redrefs their grievances. 
 Adding, that they were afraid more of their re¬ 
 ligious houfes would be fuppreffed, their churches 
 pulled down, and their plate fold. 
 
 Charles Brandon, duke of Suffolk, was fent 
 againft them with a declaration from the king, 
 telling them he would grant none of their re- 
 quefts, and at the fame time commanding them 
 to deliver up their leaders. The anfwer enrag¬ 
 ing them, they feemed difpofed for a march to 
 London, but fome gentlemen of the county 
 whom they had forced to join them, moderated 
 
 their 
 
49 2 
 
 their refentment, and fent the duke word, that 
 nothing would contribute more effectually to | 
 difperfe them, than a general pardon. j 
 
 A new proclamation was accordingly _ pub- 
 lifhed, requiring them to return home, if they 
 expected mercy; for whilft they continued in 
 arms, no pardon would be granted. This in¬ 
 duced moft of them to return home j but captain 
 Cobler, with the reft of the ringleaders, was 
 taken and executed. . 
 
 What dilpofed the king to give thefe mfur- 
 aents hopes of mercy, was the advice of a much 
 greater body of rebels being got together to the 
 number of forty thoufand men in Yorkfhire. 
 This rifing was upon the fame principle, and for 
 the fame reafon as the others; but it was the 
 more formidable, in confequence of being in the 
 neighbourhood of Scotland. 
 
 One Robert Afkew, a private gentleman, but 
 of a turbulent difpofition, put himfelf at the 
 head of the rebels, whofe march was called, 
 « The Pilgrimage of Grace.” Some priefts 
 marched before them, with croffes in their hands, 
 and on their banners they had a crucifix with five 
 wounds and a chalice, and every one wore on his 
 fleeve, as a badge of the party, an emblem of 
 the five wounds of Chrift, with the name of 
 Jefus wrought in the middle. As is generally the 
 cafe with rebels, they pretended that they were 
 come to drive evil counfellors away from the 
 king, or in other words, they were to diftate 
 to him in what manner he was to govern the 
 nation. 
 
 Lee, archbifhop of York, and Thomas lord 
 Darcy, lurrendered Pontefradl caftle to the re¬ 
 bels, who foon afterwards feized on the city of 
 York, and the town of Hull; but Scarborough 
 and Skipton held out againft all their efforts. 
 
 However, the example of the archbifhop and 
 lord Darcy encouraged the inhabitants of Dur¬ 
 ham, Richmond, Lancafhire, and Weftmore- 
 land to join the rebels. George Talbot, earl of 
 Shrewfbury, marched againft them with fo much 
 zeal and diligence, that he did not wait for the 
 king’s orders, not doubting but his fervices would 
 merit a pardon for this prefumption. The king 
 made him commander in chief of all his forces in 
 the north, and propofed joining him in perfon, 
 but was diverted from it by Shrewfbury and Nor¬ 
 folk, whom he had fent to the army. Thefe no¬ 
 blemen fent notice to the king, that it would be 
 dangerous to bring the rebels to a general en¬ 
 gagement; but the beft way would be to gain 
 them by amufing treaties, their numbers being 
 fo very great that they could not keep long to¬ 
 gether for want of provifions. 
 
 The earl fent a herald to them with a procla¬ 
 mation, requiring them to lay down their arms 
 and fubmit to the king’s mercy; but Afkew, 
 who affumed all the dignity of a prince, rather 
 than a general, would not fuffer the proclamation 
 to be read when he heard what were the contents. 
 The king’s troops did not exceed five thoufand 
 men, and with thefe the noblemen took poft at 
 Doncafter, where they fortified the bridge, and 
 lined the river, to hinder the rebels from march¬ 
 ing fouthward. Afkew, with an army at leaft 
 fix times as numerous, had refolved to force a 
 paffage; but heavy rains falling on the two days 
 
 he had appointed for that purpofe, the fords be¬ 
 came impaflable, and Norfolk made ufe of that 
 opportunity to engage him in a treaty. This af¬ 
 forded an opportunity for fome agents he had 
 employed among the rebels to infinuate, that 
 their leaders were making terms for themfelves, 
 and would leave the reft to be hanged or ruined. 
 The poorer fort whom Afkew would not fuffer 
 to plunder the country for fubfiftance, were al¬ 
 ready reduced to great neceffities ; and hearken¬ 
 ing the more readily to thefe fuggeftions, dif- 
 banded in great numbers, and returned home to 
 their families. Norfolk, feeing the fuccefs of 
 his mealures, propofed their fending deputies to 
 court with their demands, offering at the fame 
 time, to accompany them, in order to intercede 
 in their behalf. This he knew would take up 
 fome time, and moft of them would difperfe be¬ 
 fore his return. Sir Robert Elerkin, and Robert 
 Bowes, two gentlemen who had been taken at 
 Hull, and forced to go along with the rebels, 
 were fent to Windfor ; but they did not receive 
 the king’s anfwer till moft of the infurgents had 
 difbanded. At laft the king granted a general 
 pardon to the whole rebel army, except fix, who 
 were not mentioned. As the rebels had no 
 hopes of feeing their grievances redreffed, and as 
 every one imagined that he might poftibly be 
 one of the fix excepted, fo they rejected the 
 terms with difdain. 
 
 It was therefore found neceffary to enter into 
 a new treaty, and three hundred of the rebels 
 were fent for to Doncafter to treat with the king’s 
 commiftioners. The demands made by thefe 
 men, were the moft exorbitant that could have 
 been thought of. They were, that he fhould 
 reftore to all the religious houfes, their former 
 revenues, acknowledge the pope’s fupremacy, 
 and, in a word, difannul all the afts that had been 
 made againft even the groffeft abufes in popery. 
 They added further, that the king muft remove 
 all his minifters, and chufe in their room luch as 
 would be favourable to the Roman Catholic re¬ 
 ligion. However, the king being adviled thereto 
 by the duke of Norfolk, and the earl of Shrewf¬ 
 bury, told them in general terms, that he would 
 call a parliament to confider their requefts, and 
 in the mean time to make them eafy, he granted 
 a general pardon, upon which they all difperfed. 
 From what has been faid concerning thefe two 
 rebellions in Lincolnihire and Yorkfhire, we find 
 that the oppofition made to the reformation, 
 arofe, not fo much from motives of what is com¬ 
 monly called fuperftition, but rather from tem¬ 
 poral intereft. 
 
 The poor had long enjoyed many temporal 
 privileges, in confequence of the exiftence of 
 religious houfes, and the farmers feldom paid 
 any money, the abbots being contented with a 
 lhare of what the earth, the flocks and the rivers 
 produced. But now thefe lands were feized on 
 by the rapacious nobility, who obtained grants 
 of them from the crown ; and as by the ftatute 
 of alienations, they had a right to difpole of 
 thefe, fo they fell into different hands ; and it 
 frequently happened, that every new landlord 
 raifed the rents, which tenants were obliged to 
 pay in money. There is, therefore, no wonder 
 that a change fo fudden and fo unexpe&ed flioufd 
 
 carry 
 
 The RITES and CEREMONIES of tire CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 carry on difcontents and raile tumults among the 
 people, and we have been the more explicit 
 concerning thefe tilings, becaufe, wichout a pro¬ 
 per knowledge of them, no man can underltand 
 the hiftory of the reformation in England. But 
 to return to the fubjedl. 
 
 Whether the people were not fatisfied that the 
 pardon would be inviolably adhered to, or whe¬ 
 ther the clergy were dilfatisfied at not obtaining 
 all their demands, a freih rebellion broke out in 
 the north, though not fo dangerous as the former. 
 Two gentlemen of Cumberland, Nicholas Muf- 
 grave, and Thomas Tilby, railed an army of 
 eighteen thoufand men, with which they attacked 
 Carlifle; but being repulfed by the citizens, 
 were in their return, routed by the duke of Nor¬ 
 folk, who put all the officers to death by martial 
 law, with about feventy private perfons, fo 
 that of all their leaders, only Mufgrave made 
 his efcape. Sir Francis Biggot, and one Hel- 
 lam, attempting to furprife Hull, were taken and 
 executed. The pretence for this fecond rifing 
 in the north was, the king had promifed to call 
 a parliament to meet at York, to fettle all the 
 difputes, but he not having complied, they once 
 more took the field. The reafon affigned by the 
 king, was, that they had broke through the faith 
 of treaties, and confequently they were not to 
 be milled, fo that he would not call a parlia¬ 
 ment to redrefs their grievances, till fuch time 
 as they would be quiet. 
 
 The duke of Norfolk, difplaying the royal 
 ftandard, executed martial law wherever he law 
 it requisite; Afke was put to death at Hull, 
 and fome abbots and priors were executed at 
 York. Lord Darcey was beheadedon Tower-hill, 
 and lord Huffey at Lincoln. The former, on 
 his trial, accbled the duke of Norfolk of having 
 encouraged the rebels to perfilt in their demands; 
 but this nobleman’s great fervices fet him above 
 all lufpicion. The duke denied the charge, 
 and offered to clear himfeif by (ingle combat; 
 but the king declared himfeif fatisfied with his 
 conduit. The executions were not all over till 
 June, and in July the king publilhed a general 
 pardon for all the rebels in the north, which was 
 received wich great joy, and putting an end to 
 the people’s fears, re-eftablilhed the peace of the 
 country. 
 
 Oitober 12 this year, was born Edward VI. 
 to the inexpreffible joy of the whole nation, and 
 much more fo to the king himfeif, who ardently 
 wiffied to have an heir male of his own body. 
 This prince was the fon of his beloved queen, 
 ladv Jane Seymour, who died within twelve days 
 after Ihe was delivered. Some of our ignorant 
 hiltorians have been bold enough to affert, that 
 Henry gave orders to the midwife who delivered 
 his queen, to difpatch her. But that this is a 
 falihood, will appear to any perfon who looks into 
 the royal letters in the Britifh Mufeum, where 
 there is one written by this queen herfelf a few 
 days before ffie died, declaring that the king had 
 always treated her with tendernefs. 
 
 In 1538, the king, finding that fuch of the ab¬ 
 beys as were ftill left were nurferies of rebellion, 
 and plots againft his crown and dignity were 
 daily hatching in them, fet on foot a fecond vifi- 
 tation, and the commiffioners were to make a 
 
 42 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 493 
 
 minute enquiry into every particular relating 
 to their eftates, their duties, their manner 
 of living, and their vices. They were to en¬ 
 quire what number of images they had, by 
 what names they were called ? How many pil¬ 
 grims frequented their fnrines annually, and 
 what ‘money they paid ? They were further to 
 make a faithful report of all the miracles faid to 
 have been wrought at the ffirines of thefe images, 
 and they were to be laid before the king in his 
 council, that he might take a proper account of 
 them, fo that the fubjefts (hould not be impofed 
 on, as they they had been in times pad. 
 
 This produced a detedlion of an almoft in¬ 
 finite number of impurities, befides holy cheats 
 and pretended relics, made ufe of to encourage 
 fuperflrition, rather than devotion in the people, 
 and to draw them to pilgrimages, where they 
 might be fleeced of their money. The horrid 
 crimes of Sodom and Gomorrah are faid to 
 have been committed at Battle-Abbey, thrift's 
 church in Canterbury, and in feveral other con¬ 
 vents. The vifitors found innumerable in- 
 llances of whoredom, adultery, and unnatural 
 crimes, which ought not to be mentioned ; and 
 it was difeovered, that the monks had taught 
 the nuns how to procure abortions. In all this 
 there feems to have been nothing exaggerated, 
 for the confining fuch vaft numbers of perfons 
 by the mod folemn oaths to a ftate of celibacy, 
 mull have naturally led to the commiffion of un¬ 
 natural crimes ; for God having appointed the 
 regular manner in which human paffions are to 
 be gratified, thofe who lay unneceffary reftraints 
 upon them, fet afide the order of the Divine Be¬ 
 ing, and open a large field for the commiffion of 
 the molt unnatural crimes. 
 
 With refpedl to monkilh idolatry and deceit, 
 Reading feems to have been the repofitory of the 
 nation. There was found the figure of an angel 
 with one wing, which the monks affirmed to 
 have brought over from Paleftine, the fpear that 
 pierced our Saviour’s fide, together with fuch a 
 number of pretended relics as took four fheetsof 
 paper to contain their names. At St. Edmundf- 
 bury, fome coals were (hewed, faid to be the re¬ 
 mains of thofe with which St. Lawrence was mail¬ 
 ed , the parings of St. Edmund’s toe nails; the 
 penknife and boots of St. Thomas a Becket; a 
 piece of the real crofs on which Chrilt fuffered, 
 and a vail quantity of other relics. Indeed, it 
 would take up a whole volume to deferibe the 
 whole, for they were endlefs; they were lent up to 
 London, and fuch as were of no manner of ufe, 
 were carried to Smithfield, where they were made 
 a bonfire of, and one Fount, a friar, was burnt 
 along with them for denying the king’s fupre- 
 macy. There was fomething extremely natural 
 in fending their friar into another world along 
 with his gods ; for as he pretended that they had 
 often elevated his affedtions whillt he prayed 
 before their fhrines, fo the lad kind office they 
 could do him was, to fend him from the fiery 
 furnace into eternity. 
 
 One would naturally conclude, that the monks, 
 after the detection of fuch impollures carried on 
 by them, would have fubmitted to any thing ra¬ 
 ther than a public trial, and to furrender their 
 houles to avoid the indignation of the king and 
 6 I Cromwell’s 
 
494 The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 Cromwell’s anger, who as vifitor general was no 
 friend to them ; nay, indeed, fome of their vi¬ 
 ces had been of fuch a glaring nature, that as 
 no excufes could be pleaded to extenuate them, 
 fo many of them figned confeflions which were 
 fent up to the king. 
 
 There were among the abbots and priors of the 
 mitred convents, foixie who had been preferred 
 fince the breach with the court of Romej and 
 thefe readily agreed to refign, either from 
 hopes of being advanced to bifhopricks or be- 
 caufe they wifhed for a reformation. 1 he pen- 
 fions granted to fome others induced them like- 
 wile to refign ; but that which occafioned the 
 deftruttion of molt of the abbies was, the con- 
 dutt of their fuperiors ; who, expetting a change 
 of religion and the ruin of their focieties, had 
 taken fines, and granted leafes of lands for 
 twice ninety-nine years, at little or no rent ; al- 
 lienated a great part of the eftates of their con¬ 
 vents, and had been guilty of all kinds of de¬ 
 predations for which they flood refponfible. 
 The abbot of Glaflonbury broke open a houfe 
 where the plate belonging to his convent was 
 lodged, and fent it to the rebels,, for which he 
 was hanged and quartered ; the judges having 
 conflrued this part of his condutt into an att 
 of high treafon. The abbots of Reading and 
 Colchefler fhared the fame fate; and, indeed, 
 there were fo many inferior monks and friars 
 hanged, that there is no wonder the papifls 
 fhould point out Henry as a bloody tyrant; for as 
 no pap ill will ever fhew mercy to a proteflant, 
 fo, to ufe the words of Mr. Sterne, ,f every 
 perfon who is pofiefied of falfe religion, 
 hates thofe who profefs the true.” 
 
 One would have thought that this feverity of 
 the king towards the monks, would have in¬ 
 duced him to embrace fome things propofed by 
 the reformers ; but quite the reverfe took place, 
 for he was determined to perfecute all thofe who 
 acknowledged the papal fupremacy, and all 
 thofe who difputed the validity of the popilh 
 ceremonies. Of this we have a flriking inflance 
 in the cafe of Lambert, who had been formerly 
 minifter in the Englifh fattory at Antwerp in 
 Flanders, but was difmiffed on account of his 
 denying fome of the popifh tenets. Returning 
 to London he kept a fchool fome years, and one 
 Sunday going to hear Dr. Taylor preach con¬ 
 cerning the real prefence in the facrament, he 
 fent him a letter containing his reafons for dif¬ 
 fering from his fentiments. This letter was 
 lhewn to Cranmer, who was flill of his old opi¬ 
 nion concerning tranfubflantiation, and he fent 
 for Lambert to converfe with him. Cranmer 
 faid all he could to difiuade the man from his 
 opinions, but this was in vain, for Lambert, in 
 order.to dilplay his logical powers, appealed to 
 the king. This was like Gill Bias’s going 
 out of the frying pan into the fire. 
 
 Lambert’s appeal gave great plcafure to the 
 king, becaufe it gave him an opportunity of 
 difplaying his knowledge in theology ; for fuch 
 was the temper of this prince, that if he had 
 thought there was a more learned man in his 
 kingdom than himfelf he would have ordered 
 him to be hanged up in terrorem. What a 
 happy thing to have fuch a learned king! 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
 For this poor infignificant purpofe, the nobi¬ 
 lity, great officers of flate, and the judges, were 
 afiembled in Weflminfter Hall, where the king 
 himfelf fat as prefident. There the culprit was 
 brought, and the trial was opened by a fpeech 
 delivered by Dr. Day, who declared to the afTem- 
 bly that the end of their meeting w r as to hear the 
 king convict the prifoner of herefy. 
 
 Here was judgement before ‘evidence, and 
 fentence before convittion, fo that we may fay 
 in the words of a noble lord, cc In vain are 
 fC judges learned, in vain do they ftudy to beup- 
 C£ right, if the channels through which juflice 
 cc ffiould flow are to be flopped.” This mock trial, 
 which lafled feven hours, ended juft as might 
 have been expetted; for poor Lambert was 
 brow-beaten, and told that if he would not recant 
 his errors he fhould be burnt. Lambert refut¬ 
 ed to comply, and the confequence was, that he 
 was burnt in Smithfield with circumflances of 
 the moft horrid cruelty. His lafl words were 
 “ None but Chrift, none but Chrift.” 
 
 Soon after this, in confequence of the diffo- 
 lution of the monafleries, the king received an 
 annual revenue of near two hundred thouland 
 pounds, befides an immenfe quantity of plate j 
 for that of St. Edmondfbury alone amounted 
 to five thoufand marks of gold and filver. All 
 this, however, did not make him rich ; for his 
 own prodigality, joined to the rapacious defires 
 of his courtiers induced him to lquander away 
 thefe revenues which might have been ufeful in 
 promoting the education of youth, and fupport- 
 ing the aged and infirm. 
 
 It was much about this time, that Cranmer 
 procured an order from the king, to have a pro¬ 
 clamation publifhed, granting every perfon who 
 chofe it, to have abible in his own houfe. The 
 year before this, Englifh bibles had been fixed 
 in the more confpicuous places in the churches 
 for the people to read in ; but now they were 
 permitted to have them in their families. Hi¬ 
 therto we have been able to trace out fome of 
 the fleps by which the reformaton was brought 
 about in England ; for Henry, tho’ a mercilefs 
 arbitrary tyrant, yet as an inflrument in the 
 hand of divine providence, brought about that 
 reformation which he never intended to com¬ 
 plete. His worfl of paffions promoted the glo¬ 
 rious defign, and God, the univerfal Lord of na¬ 
 ture, providence and grace, made him an emi¬ 
 nent inflrument in his hands, to open the way for 
 the eflablifhment of that religion, which now 
 takes place in this nation ; and thus we may 
 learn, that while men are gratifying their own 
 fenfual defires, God is making them perform 
 his works. We mufl not pafs over this part of 
 the reign of that illullrious tyrant Flenry VIII. 
 without taking notice of the fate of Cromwell, 
 Earl of Eifex, efpecially as moll of our writers have 
 reprefented that nobleman a friend to the Protel- 
 tant religion. 
 
 We are told that he was the fon of a black- 
 fmith at Putney, but this certainly is as great a 
 falfhood, as that of cardinal Wolfey’s being the 
 fon of a butcher at Ipfwich. Cromwell was a 
 man of learning, and as fuch he made the tour 
 of Europe, after which he was taken into the fa¬ 
 mily of cardinal Wolfey, who recommended him 
 
 to 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 to the king. His advancement to grandeur was 
 rapid, and it is certain that he rofe to be Henry’s 
 rime minifter of Rate. Like other courtiers, 
 e was compliant with court meafures, and juf- 
 tice or injuftice were all one to him, fo as he 
 pleafed his fovercign. Having acquiree! a fu- 
 perficial knowledge of religion, and feeing the 
 wicked lives of its profeffors, he confidered the 
 whole as a cheat, and confequently trampled 
 upon every moral obligation in compliance with 
 the will of his fovereign. He was neither a Pa- 
 pift nor a Proteftant, but he was willing to be 
 either, juft as circumftances happened. He pro¬ 
 nounced fentence of death upon poor Lambert 
 the fchoolmafter, and it was common to fee him 
 condufl Papifts to the flames for denying the 
 papal fupremacy. 
 
 He thought no crime too great fo as he could 
 pleafe his royal matter, and although he was in¬ 
 defatigable in bufinefs, yet his ambition feems to 
 have been unbounded. It is generally fuppofed, 
 that he fell under the royal dilpleafure in bring¬ 
 ing about the match between the king and Anne 
 of Cleves; but be that as it will, thus much is 
 certain, that when he was arrefted, he (hewed 
 fuch pufillanimity of temper as was by no means 
 confident with the charafter of a minifter of (late. 
 It was propofed at firft to try him at common 
 law, but his enemies believing they would not 
 by that method have it in their power to convift 
 him, had recourfe to a much ftiorter expedient, 
 and that was to bring in a bill of attainder. This 
 eafily paffed through both houfes, and Cromwell 
 was in confequence thereof ordered for execu¬ 
 tion, which was inflifted with fome circum¬ 
 ftances of barbarity. 
 
 The feizing the lands belonging to the great 
 abbeys, and the difputes among the courtiers 
 concerning the partition of them, every one pre¬ 
 tending to a (hare, occattoned infurreftions almoft 
 every where, particularly in the north, where fu- 
 perftition feems to have taken deepeft root. 
 Many of the nobility entered into confpiracies, 
 and fome of them having correfponded with 
 cardinal Pole, whom the king had proferibed, 
 were executed. Pole was grandfon to the 
 duke of Clarence, and fecond coufin to the 
 king, and although a pried, the pope had pro- 
 mifed to fecularize him, if the people would 
 place him on the throne. This almoft de¬ 
 luged the nation with blood, and executions, 
 were fo frequent, that the people leemed to pay 
 little regard to them. 
 
 There was one grand objedl Henry had in 
 view at that time, namely, to prevail on his 1 
 nephew, James V. kingof Scotland, to join with 
 him in (halving off the papal yoke. For this pur- 
 pofe he fent Sir Ralph Sadler to Edinburgh, 
 with inftruftions to prefs James to difmifs car¬ 
 dinal Beaton from his councils, and to feize on 
 the abbey lands. The Scottilh clergy prevailed 
 on James to rejeft the propofals made by his 
 uncle, but at the fame time promifed to meet 
 Henry at York. This alarmed the Scottilh 
 clergy fo much, that they raifed a confiderable 
 (urn of money and prefented it to James, who 
 was a very extravagant prince, and then he 
 broke his promile of meeting his uncle at 
 York. 
 
 Henry, enraged a: being trifled with in this 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, See. 49J 
 
 I manner by James, returned to London filled 
 J with deep refentment, but he met with another 
 misfortune upon his return, which had almoft 
 ddcompofed his rational faculties. We have al¬ 
 ready obferved that Anne Boleyn was put to 
 death merely on fome (light fufpicions, but now 
 the king had a contort, who had been guilty of 
 . repeated aids of lewdnefs, all which Ihe con- 
 j felled. This was Catharine Howard, niece to 
 i the duke of Norfolk, who was executed within 
 the walls of the Tower. She was not tried at 
 common law, but attainted along with that aban¬ 
 doned woman the countefs of Rochford, who 
 had given evidence againft Anne Boleyn. Henry 
 having raifed an army, fent it to chaftife the 
 Scots, and both meeting at Solway, a few miles 
 beyond Carlifie, the latter were defeated, and the 
 flower of their nobility taken prifoners by the 
 Englilh. This had fuch an effeft on James, that 
 he died in a date of madnefs, leaving behind him 
 an infant daughter named Mary. 
 
 Henry ordered the Scottilh prifoners to be 
 treated with every mark of refpeift, and having 
 nothing to much at heart as uniting the two king¬ 
 doms, he propofed a match between his fon Ed¬ 
 ward and the young queen of Scotland. This 
 was much relilhed by the prifoners, and the 
 king generoufly differed them to return to 
 their country loaded with prefents, that they 
 might communicate the propofal to their next 
 parliament. 
 
 Cardinal David Beaton had forged a will in 
 the name of the late king James V. appointing 
 himfelf regent of Scotland, fo that every alli¬ 
 ance with England was found to be impraftica- 
 ble while that prelate was at the head of affairs, 
 but of this more afterwards. 
 
 Soon after this, Henry refolved to marry a 
 fixth wife, but as not one of all the maiden la¬ 
 dies in the kingdom would truft their lives to 
 his fufpicions, fo he gave his hand to lady Lati¬ 
 mer, commonly called Catharine Parr, daughter 
 of Sir Thomas Parr, whole name (he affumed on 
 the death of her hufband. 
 
 This lady was an intimate friend of Cranmer’s, 
 and under thefe two worthy perl'ons the reforma¬ 
 tion went on gradually, notwithftanding the vio¬ 
 lence of the king’s paffions. Henry, though 
 a (worn enemy to the papal power, yet was no 
 lei's fo to all tiiofe who oppofed the Romifti cere¬ 
 monies. Nothing was more common than to fee 
 a bigotted papift for denying the king’s fupre¬ 
 macy, and a Proteftant for refufing to comply 
 with the ceremonies, chained to the ftake toge¬ 
 ther and burnt; and notwithftanding the minds 
 of the people began to be wonderfully enlight¬ 
 ened. By reading the bible, they found that 
 there was a vaft difference between what was 
 written in the New Teftament and Popery. 
 Primers and catechifms were diftributed by 
 Cranmer among the lower orders of the people, 
 and the reformation might have been completed 
 had the king given his confent to it. 
 
 In this ftate was religion in England, when 
 Henry VIII. died on Friday January 28, 1548, 
 according to the prefent (tile. A little before he 
 expired, he fent for his dear friend Cranmer, who 
 had retired to Croydon, that he might have no 
 (hare in the attainder of the duke of Norfolk, 
 who was his mortal enemy. 
 
 The 
 
^,5 The RITES and CEREMONIES of i 
 The character of Henry VIII. Has been vari- 
 ouflv reprefented, juft as the wantonnefs of men s 
 paffions led them to mifreprelent the truth. In 
 vain among contending parties do we look tor 
 the pifture of the man. 
 
 Till he advanced in years, and became rather 
 corpulent, he was extremely handfome, tall and 
 well draped, with a graceful countenance, let 
 off by means of the drefs uled in that age. 
 
 Having in his youth learned all the jargon of 
 the fchools, fo as to be able to difpute with his 
 cleroy, he became vain to excels, and embraced 
 every opportunity of [hewing his parts. His long 
 attachment to Wolfey, is a proof that he was 
 not always fickle in his diipofition; and his 
 propolal of marrying his fon to the queen of 
 Scotland, will ferve to fhew, that he was not 
 ignorant of the interefts of the people. The 
 provocations he received from the pope and his 
 adherents were great, but he took an ample re- 
 verge. His feizing on the revenues of the con¬ 
 vent's, enabled him to reward his favourites and 
 111 pport his extravagances. Uwas generally under¬ 
 flood, that he fpent all the money belongingto the 
 convents. The reverfe is the truth. He founded 
 and endowed that noble ftrufture Trinity Col¬ 
 lege, in Cambridge, with many other ilruftures 
 for the education'of youth. The molt linking 
 part of his charader is, that of livingeighteenyears 
 with Catharine, who bore him feveral children, 
 and then parting with her. This was certainly 
 from notions of iuperflition inftead of thole com¬ 
 monly affigned. 
 
 Whatever hand Divine Providence took in 
 punifiiing this king, is not for us to determine; 
 but thus much is certain, that after his divorce, 
 he was never happy with any other queen, at leafl 
 not long. Anne Boleyn, for irritating his jea- 
 loufy lay the levity of her conduit, was be¬ 
 headed. Jane Seymour died twelve days after 
 the birth of her firft child. Anne of Cleves 
 was divorced the day after the king married her. 
 Catharine Howard was a common proftitute, 
 for which fhe buffered death: And Catharine 
 Parr had nearly loll her life, for difputing with 
 the king about religion. Upon the whole, 
 Henry was one of thole men, whofe charadters 
 feem to be marked with great vices, while, at 
 the fame time, they have many fhining qualities. 
 He was a happy inflrument, in the hand of Pro¬ 
 vidence, of laying the foundation of the Protef- 
 tant religion, although he never defired to fee 
 it accomplifhed. He died in'the firm belief of 
 a future (late of rewards and punifhments, and 
 with leenung contrition for his pall life. 
 
 He was fuccecded by his fon Edward, a pious 
 youth, then in the tenth year of his age. The 
 firft thing relating to religion after the acceffion 
 of this prince, was a general vifitation of the 
 churches, and the reformation was begun in 
 real earned. All fhrines and images that had 
 been left (landing weie taken down, the leffons 
 and epiftles were read in Englilh, and every 
 thing was conducted with regularity. 
 
 The grand defign that Cranmer had in view 
 was, to°abo!ifh the whole of the Popifh rites 
 and ceremonies; and in this he was greatly 
 affilled by the duke of Somerfet, uncle to the 
 young king. Never did reformation proceed 
 
 ,e CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 more gently and gradually than in this reign ; 
 the conduit of Somerlet the protedtor, and ot 
 archbilhop Cranmer, ought to be imitated by all 
 thole who. wilh to condudl things with moderation, 
 and prevent any fort of violence from taking 
 place. The reading the leffons, epiftles and 
 gofpels in Englilh, was of the utrnoft fervice 
 to the people, by enlightening their minds in 
 the knowledge of the truth, and expofing Popifti 
 errors. But our celebrated reformers did not 
 Hop here. 
 
 The next thing, was to have the whole fervice 
 of the church read in Englilh; and for that 
 purpofe a commiffion was granted to l'everal 
 learned men, to revile the Popifh liturgy, and 
 make another more agreeable to the genius of 
 the gofpel. 
 
 The next thing the reformers proceeded to 
 eftablilh was, that a regifler fhould be kept in 
 every parilh, of births, marriages, and fune¬ 
 rals ; and no pried was to preach any where but 
 in his own parifh, without a fpecial licence. 
 In churches where they had not a large Englilh 
 bible, one was to be purchafed in the fpace of 
 three months ; and before the expiration of one 
 year, Erafmus’s paraphrafe of the four gofpels, 
 and the adls of the apoflles lately, tranflated into 
 Englifh, were to be placed in every church for 
 people to read in. Every clergyman under the 
 degree of batchelor in divinity, was alfo obliged 
 to procure a copy of the fame paraphrafe for his 
 own ufe, and the bilhops were to enquire, from 
 time to time, what proficiency the clergy 
 had made in the ftudy of the facred ferip- 
 tu res. 
 
 As the priefts knew little of preaching, and 
 much lefs of the nature of theology, fo it was 
 found neceffary to publilh a book of homilies 
 or fermons, to be read every Sunday and holy 
 day in the churches. This was the more necef¬ 
 fary, becaufe the people were running into mad 
 extremes; fome confidered the priefts as being in 
 poffeffion of a fecret, by which they could be¬ 
 llow falvation on whom they pleafed ; whereas, 
 on the other hand, fome imagined, that in con- 
 fequence of the death of Chrifl they were to be 
 faved, let them live in whatever manner they 
 would. To reftify thefe abufes, it was incul¬ 
 cated in the homilies, that falvation could only 
 be obtained through the imputation of Chrilt’s 
 merits; but then, that no finner was to expefl 
 juftification before God, unlels he lived in luch 
 a manner as became the rules laid down in the 
 gofpel. Many books were written at this time 
 againft image worlliip, and archbilhop Cranmer 
 publilhed a catechifm, containing the genuine 
 principles of the Chriftian faith and duty. 
 
 The next thing taken into confideration was, 
 the admitting the laity to the cup in the eucha- 
 rift. This had been long denied them, but now 
 an ordinance was publilhed, wherin every prieft 
 was ordered to give the facrament in both kinds 
 to the communicants, and a new communion 
 fervice was framed. The celibacy of the clergy 
 came next under review, and it was declared, 
 that as not only many of the primitive fathers 
 were married men, but that even fome of the 
 apoflles had wives, fo it was ootnunjuft and un¬ 
 lawful to exclude the clergy from that privilege. 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 It was therefore granted to every clergyman, 
 and many of them availed themfelves with an 
 aft fo confident with commoujuftice, and natu¬ 
 ral reafon. 
 
 But while thofe who wifhed well to the inte- 
 relts of religion, were carrying on the work 
 of reformation, fome of the nobility and gen¬ 
 try, who had obtained grants of the crown 
 lands, exercifed great cruelties over their te¬ 
 nants. The renrs were raifed ab,ove double 
 their antient value ; inltead of corn, money was 
 to be paid, and the people were really diftreffed. 
 England, at that time, exhibited a fhocking 
 piflure to every generous mind. Farmers 
 who had lived in affluence, had their rents 
 doubled four times ; the iron hand of oppreffion 
 was heavy upon them, and whatever their af- 
 feftions might have been to the Proteftant reli¬ 
 gion, yet the love of eafe and the enjoyment of 
 affluence, naturally led them to wilh for the re¬ 
 turn of thofe happy days they had enjoyed under 
 Popery. 
 
 Thefe murmurings became at lad of a very fe- 
 rious nature; for there were infurreflions in 
 almoft every part of the country, particularly 
 in Yorklhire, where they had been before raifed, 
 and even as far as Cornwall. All thefe infurgents 
 demanded, that the old religion fhould be re- 
 ftored ; but to have complied with the demands 
 of mobs, would have been a ftrong inftance of 
 the weaknefs of government, and a proof 
 that they were ready, at all times, when it fuited 
 their own conveniencies, to give up thole rights 
 and privileges which had been beftowed on them 
 by their fovereign. 
 
 The Cornilh men role in a vaft body, and 
 were fo audacious as to attack the city of Exe¬ 
 ter. Lord RulTell was fent again!! them, and 
 arrived juft time enough to relieve the city. The 
 chief part of the rebels were fent to London and 
 executed; many of the lower fort were put to 
 death by martial law, and the vicar of St. 
 Thomas was hanged up on the top of the fteeple 
 of his own church, drefftd in his canonical 
 habits, with his beads hanging round his 
 girdle. 
 
 Much about the fame time, a formidable in- 
 furre&ion broke out, in Norfolk, headed by 
 one Robert Ket, a tanner, but extremely rich, 
 for he was lord of three manors. The pretence 
 made ufe of by this rebel was, that the people 
 had been oppreffed by the incloling of com¬ 
 mons ; and therefore he and his company went 
 about the country deftroying all thofe enclofures 
 which had been fet up to exclude the tenants 
 from common right. They took poffeffion of 
 the city of Norwich ; but Dudley, earl of War¬ 
 wick, having been fent again!! them, he ftormed 
 the place. One hundred and thirty were killed, 
 and fixty being taken were immediately hanged. 
 The rebels, enraged to fee fo many of their 
 friends hanged up, became in a manner defpe- 
 rate, and attacked the earl, but the royalifis 
 killed two thoufand of them, and put the reft 
 to the flight. Ket and his brother were taken 
 the next day hid in a barn, the former of whom 
 was hanged over the walls of Norwich caflle, 
 and the latter on the top of Wymundham ftee¬ 
 ple. Nine others luffered in the fame manner, 
 being all hanged up on a tree which the rebels 
 42 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 49 j 
 
 called the Oak of Reformation. Some of the 
 vagabond priefts in the county of Norfolk had 
 forged a ftory, containing what they'called a 
 prophecy, in the following words ; 
 
 The country kuffs, hob, duck and hick. 
 
 With clubs and clouted fhoon; 
 
 Shall fill up Dafterdale with blood 
 
 Of flaughtered bodies foon. 
 
 The countenance given to thefe infurgents 
 by the Popifh party, induced government to 
 have a watchful eye upon fuch perfons as were 
 iulpedted. tor this reafon, Bonner, bilhop of 
 London, was taken into cuftody, and committed 
 to the Marlhalfea, where he remained feveral 
 terms ; for fuch was his difpofition, that when 
 he was brought before the council, he reviled 
 them with the moft opprobrious language. 
 
 During this reign, feveral foreigners, men of 
 reputation and learning, arrived in England. 
 They had been invited over by archbiihop Cran- 
 mer, who was refpeefted and beloved by all the 
 Proteftants in Europe. Amongft thefe was 
 Peter Martyr, a perfon well Dcilled in the know¬ 
 ledge of the fathers, of a fweet natural temper, 
 a healing difpofition, and one who defired, as 
 far as lay in his power, to reftore every thing 
 relating to the church to its original ftate of 
 genuine purity. He was accompanied by 
 feveral others, the moft celebrated of whom 
 was Martin Bancer, a man of learning, but ra¬ 
 ther of auftere manners. Thefe gentlemen pro- 
 pofed a vifitation of the univerfities, for fome 
 of the colleges had been fo much injured, that 
 there was not a fufficiency left to fupport them. 
 Thefe foreigners were undoubtedly men of 
 underftanding in their own country, but it was 
 lather an imprudent ftep to bring them over 
 to England, at a time when the people’s minds 
 were uniettled as to religious principles. This 
 will appear the more confiftent with truth, when 
 we confider in what manner they conducted 
 themfelves. 
 
 Having adopted the notions embraced by 
 Luther concerning the real prefence in the facra- 
 ment, they were continually dilputingin favour of 
 it, and this created them a great many enemies 
 in England. The Englifh in their own country 
 were convinced of the falfity of that do&rine; 
 and as the great Cranmer had publifhed his 
 catechifm, concerning the devotion of the fa- 
 crament, much regard was paid to it, and fome 
 of the foreigners were treated with great con¬ 
 tempt. 
 
 As we are treating of thofe Heps which lead 
 to the reformation of the church of England, 
 fo we are obliged, at the fame time, to take no¬ 
 tice of every obftacle that happened in its pro¬ 
 gress, not only from thofe who were profefied 
 Papifts, but alfo fuch as aflumed the name of 
 Proteftants. This will appear the more necef- 
 fary, when it is confidered, that fome of the 
 fefts which lprung up at that time, have fince 
 obtained a name in feveral European nations, 
 and will make a moft diftinguifhing figure in 
 the latter part of this work. Indeed, in treat¬ 
 ing of thefe matters, we are obliged to trace 
 things from the original fountain, for without 
 that, no proper knowledge can be attained. 
 
 6 K Much 
 
45 3 The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 Much about the lame time that the foreign 
 learned gentlemen above-mentioned arrived in 
 England, fome gentlemen, or rather enthu- 
 fiaftics, came over to this country, who, mitead 
 of (hewing a grateful fenfe of the favours they 
 had been treated with, found fault with all the 
 ordinances of the church of England; and they 
 condemned the reformation as not purged from 
 the errors of Popery. In the infancy of a refor¬ 
 mation, nothing could have a more fatal ten 
 dencv, or more likely to prevent its fucceeding 
 
 than fuch a nonconformity and divifion among 
 
 its profeffors, for at this time great divifions 
 happened among the reformed in Germany. 
 
 The chief of thefe foreigners was John Law, 
 aPolifh baron, who came over with leveral of 
 his countrymen, and a great number of German 
 refugees, to whom he adted as a pallor. He 
 had been fometime fettled at Embden, in Eaft- 
 Friefland ; but the fears of perfecution had driven 
 him from thence, and then he took (belter m 
 England. He applied himl'elf in behalf of his 
 people, to the duke of Somerlet, who then a£ted 
 as protc&or to the young king. Accordingly, a 
 charter was granted them to fettle in Auftin- 
 Friars, within the city of London. A charter 
 was likewife granted under the great feal confti- 
 tuting thefe foreigners a body politic, under the 
 
 direction of John Law, their fuperintendant, 
 
 and four other minifters, with a power to encreale 
 their number and chule their lucceffors, if the 
 king approved of it. At the lame time feveral 
 other foreigners fettled in England, but they 
 had all fuch wild romantic notions concerning re¬ 
 ligion, that they attempted, as far as lay in their 
 power, to bring every thing into a ftate of 
 confufion. 
 
 At the fame time, a vaft number of Anabap- 
 tifts took fhelter in England, who had been 
 driven out of Germany by the violence of per¬ 
 fecution. Theie people, however innocent 
 their fentiments might have been with refpeft 
 to religious principles, and however mnoffen- 
 five they were to the powers in being, yet, fuch 
 was the intolerent principles of the times that 
 they were confidered as objects of punifhment. 
 A commiflion was granted to prolecute thefe 
 people, whom the law at that time called Here¬ 
 tics ; and many of them being feized, recanted 
 their errors, except Jane Boucher, and George 
 Van Parrs, both of whom were natives of 
 Holland, and thefe were burnt alive at a 
 (lake. 
 
 The liturgy of the church of England hav¬ 
 ing been eftablilhed in parliament, it was confi- 
 dered as necefiary, that a confefiion of faith, 
 or articles of religion, (bould be drawn up. 
 This was confident with the pradtice of the re¬ 
 formed churches in general; for as the Papifts 
 had reproached them with holding opinions con¬ 
 trary to the Chriftian fyftem, fo it was neceffary 
 that they (hould ufe thefe methods, in order to 
 prove their innocence to the world. During 
 the -whole of this period, reformation went on 
 in fuch a rapid manner, that nothing but infi¬ 
 nite wifdom, for wife purpofes, could have (top¬ 
 ped it; but wherever God ads, let men be ft- 
 lent. 
 
 It was at this time, that the famous, or rather 
 infamous council of Trent firft met, and notwith- 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
 {landing all their zeal, yet they could not obli¬ 
 terate the light of truth, nor overpower the re¬ 
 ligion of Proteftants. The priells in that coun¬ 
 cil had no intention to give any countenance 
 to the Proteftant religion ; they were perfons in- 
 terefted in the fate of popery, and they knew that 
 they mull (land or fall by it. For this realon, in- 
 ftead of abolifhing any of the antient rites and 
 ceremonies, they not only impoled new ones, 
 but even obliged the people to fubferibe to new 
 articles, which were mere matter of {peculation 
 before. The adts of the council of Trent ru¬ 
 ined the popifh intereft, while, if properly regu¬ 
 lated, they might have eftablilhed it on the molt 
 permanent foundation. 
 
 The grand objeeft before this general council 
 was the iettlement of fome difturbances that had 
 taken place in the Chriftian world. The provo¬ 
 cation on the part of the court of Rome had 
 been fo great, that it could not be vailed over; 
 and the concefiions made by the Proteftants 
 were treated with contempt. Had the bilhops, 
 or other deputies in this council, confidered the 
 duty they owed to the church, they would have 
 abridged the papal power, ordered the mafs to 
 have been faid in Englifh, granted the clergy 
 liberty to marry, and church communion in 
 both kinds. To this it may be added, that had 
 they granted a privilege to their people, to enter 
 into a free enquiry into matters of faith and 
 duty, they might have eftablilhed their credit, 
 and the Roman Catholic religion, under a few 
 modifications, might have now been the efta- 
 blifhed religion of theie countries which we now 
 inhabit. 
 
 In 1553, king Edward, the greateft prodigy 
 that perhaps ever lived, confidering his tender 
 age, found himfelf in a decline, and although 
 feveral of the faculty told him that he might 
 furvive the malignancy of his dil'order, yet he 
 fet his mind upon heaven, without neglecting the 
 obligations he was under to his people. That 
 which (truck deepeft into his mind was the re¬ 
 gard he had for the Proteftant religion. It was 
 in his power to alter the will of his father; and 
 therefore, upon mature confideration, he thought 
 that as his filter Mary was a bigotted Papift, and 
 fo far as he knew, the education of Elizabeth 
 had been little attended to, he made a will in 
 favour of lady Jane Gray, grand-daughter of 
 Mary queen of France, youngeft filter of Henry 
 VIII. This was one of the moft ftriking in- 
 itances of bad policy that ever could have taken 
 place. Lady Jane Gray had been but lately mar¬ 
 ried to lord Dudley, and {he did not court any 
 fuch dignity. The decorated crowns and regal 
 dignities were beneath her notice. Her mind 
 was enlarged with human knowledge, file was 
 endowed with the moft unaffected piety, her 
 heart was a ftranger to contentions, but an am¬ 
 bitious father-in-law prevailed upon her to af- 
 fume the regal dignity, which brought her and 
 her hufband to the block. 1 he popifh party 
 were (till ftrong in England, the leaven of old 
 prejudices was not totally worn out, different 
 paftions led to different ends, and the bigotted 
 Mary was feared on the throne of England. 
 Had this princefs been endowed with the leaft 
 fpirit of common humanity, fhe would have 
 looked on the lady Jane Gray as an objeCt of 
 
 companion ; 
 
The RlTES and CEREMONIES of the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
 companion ; but confident with the temper of 
 that family from which her mother defcended, 
 being a moft mercilefs tyrant, (he fuffered her 
 and her hulband to be both put to death under 
 fome degrees of torture that are a difgrace to 
 human nature. The caufe of Edward’s death was 
 a decline, which was improperly treated by fome 
 perfons who were ignorant of the nature of his 
 diforder. He was certainly a very pious prince, 
 and from the latter part of his conduft it feems 
 that a year before his death he had given over 
 all hopes oflife. He was an enemy to perfection 
 on account of religion, and in learning, he ex¬ 
 ceeded many who were double his age. He 
 feemed to have no pleafure in any thing befides 
 that of doing good. Men of great learning 
 came from all parts of Europe to vifit this more 
 than illuftrious prince, and Cardan, a learned 
 phyfician, in returning from Scotland, where he 
 had been to cure Hamilton, archbilhop of St. An¬ 
 drews, of the venereal difeafe, waited upon Ed¬ 
 ward, and found him fo amazingly learned in 
 the languages, that he declared he had never 
 met with fuch another before. Upon the whole, 
 he was one of thofe illuftrious charadlers that is 
 but too feldom found on the throne, and at his 
 death he left the church of England almoft 
 as much reformed as it is at prefent. When his 
 death was made known, and particularly dur¬ 
 ing his funeral, there was an univerfal dejeftion 
 diiplaying itfelf, as it were, over the whole king¬ 
 dom, and the people feemed to have been well 
 perfuaded what part Mary would aft. 
 
 No fooner had Mary got poffeffion of the 
 throne, than Ihe refolved to re-eftablilh the old 
 religion, for mafs was faid in her own chapel. 
 Being of a revengeful difpofition, (he fought 
 every opportunity of facrificing thofe to her ma¬ 
 lice who had given the leaft encouragement to 
 the reformation. She had taken the oath of fu- 
 premacy in her father’s life-time, but her priefts 
 ealily granted her abfolution. 
 
 Having called a parliament, (he found the 
 members fo oblequious to her will, that popery 
 was eafily eftablilhed. Orders were fent to all 
 the counties, and indeed to every civil officer in 
 the kingdom, to take into cuftody all thofe who 
 did not go to mafs, fo that in a (hort time all 
 the'ptifons were full. The horrid cruelties in¬ 
 flicted on the poor lufferers, are well known to 
 all thofe who have read the Hiftory of England; 
 but if the reign of this princefs was violent, God 
 fo ordered that it was (hort. It was the laft 
 ftruggle the Proteftant church of England had 
 with Popery, fo far as to refift unto death. It was 
 like that darknefs which generally takes place be¬ 
 fore the day breaks, to make way for the rifino 
 fun. Stakes were ereded and faggots lighted in 
 moft towns in England ; people were not tried 
 in the civil courts, but before the biftiop’s chan¬ 
 cellor, and he, having declared them Heretics, 
 fent a certificate thereof into chancery, upon 
 which a writ was made out, direded to the fhe- 
 riff, commanding that they Ihould be burned 
 alive. This princefs continued her cruelty to 
 the laft, and died forfaken by Philip of Spain her 
 hulband, defpifed by her neighbours, and ab¬ 
 horred by her fubjeds. 
 
 The acceffion of Elizabeth to the throne of 
 England, on the death of her filler Mary, is the 
 
 499 
 
 grand epocha of the reformation, in England. 
 I his princels had been brought up with great 
 care under Afcham, whole works are now well 
 known. She was not only acquainted with the 
 hrench and Italian, but even with the Latin and 
 Greek. The folitary manner in which Ihe lived 
 during the reign of her fitter, gave her an oppor¬ 
 tunity of improving her mind, and the continual 
 fear file laboured under of being put to death as 
 an Heretic, led her to confider thofe points upon 
 which falvation depends. She was at her accef¬ 
 fion to the throne, twenty-five years of age, but 
 had nothing in her countenance that was engag- 
 ing. A fatal blow was given to the papal power 
 by her father, when he took off the pope’s fu- 
 premacy; the minds of the people were begin¬ 
 ning to be gradually, and, as it were, impercep^ 
 tibly enlightened, and her brother Edward had 
 almoft eftablilhed the Proteftant religion. The 
 grand work, however, was left for her, and (lie 
 proceeded upon fuch principles of moderation 
 as will ever do honour to her memory. Plaving 
 affembled her council together, (he propoled 
 calling a new parliament, in which Sir Nicholas 
 Bacon, as lord keeper, fat prefident. In this par¬ 
 liament, it was agreed upon, though not with¬ 
 out much oppofition from the popilli party, that 
 a convocation (hould be affembled, to confider 
 the articles of religion, and the (late of the li- 
 turgy that had been fet forth in the reign of 
 Edward VI. The clergy were commanded not to 
 preach on difputed points, till fuch time as the 
 opinion of the convocation Ihould be taken, and 
 the confequence was, that a committee of cler¬ 
 gymen were appointed to revife the liturgy, and 
 make what alterations they thought proper, leav¬ 
 ing the whole to the infpeftion of parliament. 
 The next thing was to call home all thofe Pro¬ 
 teftant minifters who had taken refuge abroad 
 during the reign of queen Mary, and fome of 
 thefe being men of learning, they were advanced 
 to the higheft places under government. But this 
 leads us to take notice of the (late of religion at 
 that time in England. 
 
 Learning was beginning to rear her head, but 
 fhe had many difficulties to ftruggle with. In¬ 
 veterate prejudices were not eafily eradicated, 
 and religion, the grand ornament of human life, 
 was fo little attended to, that they did not care 
 much what they embraced. Thofe who had been 
 long accuftomed to idolatry, were loth to refrain 
 from image worlhip, and others, who thought a 
 reformation neceflary, had but very confufed no¬ 
 tions concerning it. Thus it was no eafy matter 
 to (leer between the two extremes. But the intre¬ 
 pidity of the queen furmounted all difficulties, 
 and role fuperior to oppofition. A fyftem of 
 articles were drawn up, thirty-nine in number, 
 which in many things differed materially from 
 thole drawn up in the reign of Edward VI. 
 Phefe we firal 1 confider in the order they lay be¬ 
 fore us, becaufe we fhall attend to what was ori¬ 
 ginally intended in our account of Proteftant 
 churches, namely, to give an account of the 
 faith, worlhip, difeipline, and goverment, of 
 every Proteftant community eftablilhed by law in 
 Europe. 
 
 There has been much objeflion made con¬ 
 cerning the validity of the articles of the church 
 of England, but it is our bufinefs to confider 
 
 them 
 
JOS The RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 them with moderation ; we are not to enter into 
 difputes, but we will freely acknowledge our own 
 fentiments, even concerning the molt ddputed 
 points ; and when we do fo, we hope it will not 
 be confidered as arroeant. In evey thing of that 
 nature, it is becoming the dignity of the hiftonan 
 to fpeak without partiality or prejudice, and to 
 acquire honour without Teeming to look tor it. 
 We (hall therefore proceed to examine theie arti¬ 
 cles one by one, and make fuch reflections on 
 them, as appear confiflent with common fenle, 
 and with the Chriftian religion. 
 
 The firft article in the church of England is, 
 that which Ihould conftitute the foundation of all 
 religion whatever ; namely, the being of a 
 God, and the exiftence of the ever bleffed tri¬ 
 nity. , • 
 
 The fecond article relates to the divinity, as 
 well as the human nature of Chrift, and this is 
 upon the moft orthodox principles. 
 
 The third article relates to Chrift s defeent 
 into hell, and the modefty which the authors have 
 expreffed cannot be too much commended. In 
 the reio-n of Edward VI. the article was very 
 different from what it is at prefent, and favoured 
 ftron°- of Popifh fuperftition ; but here the word 
 hell is fimpiv mentioned, without defining what 
 is meant by it, leaving every one at liberty to 
 judge for himfelf. Hell no where means a 
 itate of punifliment in the writings of the antient 
 fathers, but merely the ftate of departed fouls ; 
 and fo it is in Luke xvi. where we find both La¬ 
 zarus and the rich man •, nay, Abraham himfelf 
 was in hell. That is, they were confined in that 
 place where all the fouls, both of the righteous 
 and the wicked, were to remain till the refurrec- 
 tion •, but not in the fame condition, becaule the 
 wicked are in continual terror, and the righteous 
 in joyful chearful hope. But as different notions 
 have been formed concerning our Saviour s de¬ 
 feent into hell by the reformers abroad, fo our 
 worthy divines, who compiled the articles, made 
 the words general, without impofing luch a fixed 
 fenfe upon them, as fhould let afide the right of 
 private judgement. 
 
 The fourth article contains a declaration, that 
 Chrift rofe from the dead, with the fame body 
 that was crucified on mount Calvary, and buried 
 by Jofeph of Arimathea. This is a grand article 
 in the Chriftian religion •, for had Chrift not 
 rifen with the fame body with which he fuf- 
 fered, then his followers could have no 
 hopes of ever rifing from the grave. As his de- 
 Jcent into hell was to make them look with plea- 
 lure on the ftate of the dead, fo his refurreftion 
 was to remove all fears from their hearts •, for be¬ 
 caule Chrift lives, fo we fhall live all'o. Nay, we 
 may add further, that if we only in this lile have 
 hopes, we are of all men the moft miferable. 
 For what is life ? What are all the enjoyments 
 of this world, which are of fuch a tranfitory pe- 
 rifhing nature, were we not to have a firm per- 
 fuafion that we are to exift hereafter ? 
 
 The fifth article afferts the divinity of the holy 
 ghoft, which is another fundamental article of the 
 Chriftian religion-, for it is by the fpirit of God 
 we are fealed to the day of redemption, that is, 
 till the refurredlion day, when the work of our 
 falvation will be completed. 
 
 of the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
 The fixth article is another of great impor¬ 
 tance, for it afferts, that in ail th:r.c,„ the facred 
 feriptures are fufficient to make men v.i into 
 falvation. It is certain, however, that to affert 
 that we take the feripture for the rule of oui- 
 faith, is a very ambiguous expreflionfor it may 
 be conftrued into any fenfe whatever. In this 
 article the books of the Apocrypha, that are not 
 to be found in the Hebrew, and were never ac¬ 
 knowledged as canonical b. the Jews, are to¬ 
 tally excluded. They were, however, permitted 
 to be read in the churches, for the example of 
 life and inftrudtion of manners; but this has been 
 complained of by fome other Proteftant churches, 
 becaufe, in fome of thefe books, there are leveral 
 ftories of too loofe a nature to be read to Chriftian 
 congregations. As it is our intention to adhere 
 to the ftricteft impartiality, in giving an account 
 of our Proteftant bretheren, fo we fhall take no¬ 
 tice of fuch of the articles as exceptions have 
 been made to, by whom made, and for what rea- 
 fon, leaving the reader to judge for himfelf. 
 
 The feventh article is a noble defeription of the 
 true lenfe in which the Old Teftament Ihould be 
 read; for it diftinguifhes between the ceremor, al 
 and moral law, pointing out what is binding on 
 Chriftians, and what has been abohlhed by the 
 lacrifice of our redeemer. 
 
 The eighth article afferts the vality of the three 
 creeds. This is one of thole articles which has 
 been much objected to by the people called Ary¬ 
 ans. It is certain, that the creed called the Apol- 
 tles, may be iubicribed by any Arian in the 
 world ; for although it afferts the divinity of the 
 three perfons in the ever bleffed trinity, yet it 
 fays nothing either concerning their unity or equa¬ 
 lity. 
 
 The Nicene Creed was written againft the 
 Arians -, for it afferts, in the moft pofitive terms, 
 the unity and equality of the three pcrl'ons in the 
 ever bleffed trinity. The third, commonly called 
 the Creed of St. Athanafius, carries things much 
 further than the Nicence, for it pronounces dam¬ 
 natory claufes againft all thofe who do not believe 
 in the dodlrine of the trinity. 
 
 It is certain, that in the Primitive church, every 
 congregation had its own creed, but they never 
 differed in any of thofe points that relate to the 
 effentials of religion. They were the fame in 
 fubftance, but not in words. Some great men 
 in the church of England have complained of the 
 Athanafian Creed, particularly archbifhop Til- 
 lotfon, who, in a letter to Bp. Burnet, fays, “ I 
 cc wilh we could get well rid of it.” 
 
 The ninth article afferts the doftrine of original 
 fin, that is, that all mankind are conceived and 
 born in fin, fo that no man can be accepted by 
 his maker, without the interpolition of a media¬ 
 tor. The dodfrine of original fin, was never de¬ 
 nied in the church, till the time of Pelagius, 
 who was learnedly confuted by St. Auftin. 
 
 All the Proteftant reformers acknowledged this 
 dodtrine till 1605, when Arminius, a Dutch divine, 
 wrote againft it, and was followed by leveral of 
 his countrymen, which occafioned the calling the 
 fynod of Dort. 
 
 The tenth article afferts, that man cannot, by 
 the freedom of his own will, n >r by any powers 
 he can exercifc, obtain the Divine favour, which 
 
 article 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 article feems to have been uniformly believed by 
 the primitive church. It is coniequent to and na¬ 
 turally follows original fin ; for if men come into 
 the world in a Hate of corruption, confequently 
 it mult require Almighty Power and fovereign 
 grace, to renew them :,in the image of God, loft 
 Dy their firft parents tranfgreffion. 
 
 The eleventh article aflerts, that men are jufti- 
 fied and made acceptable to God, through the 
 imputation of Chrift’s righteoufnefs. This arti¬ 
 cle naturally follows the others that went before, for 
 it we have no power to turn to God of ourfelves, 
 then there mult be another perfon to fave us from 
 Divine wrath ; and certainly he who becomes our 
 furety, tranlmits to us his merits, or his righte¬ 
 oufnefs. 
 
 The twelfth article eftablifhes the doftrine of 
 good works, as flowing from faith in Jefus Chrift. 
 This article is exprefled with all the caution ima¬ 
 ginable ; for certainly all good works flowing from 
 a lively faith in Jefus Chrift, are evidences of our 
 being his difciples. It is very obfervable, that the 
 fincere Chriftian, who performs the greateft num¬ 
 ber of good works, pays the lead regard to 
 them, nor does he put any confidence whatever 
 in them. 
 
 The thirteenth article aflerts, that nothing can 
 be acceptable to God, which does not flow from 
 faith in Jefus Chrift. This fentiment was, in 
 general, believed by the Primitive fathers ; for 
 we find only three of them of a different opinion, 
 namely, Chryfoftom, Juftin Martyr, and Gregory 
 Nazianzen. The grand difficulty is to fettle the 
 difpute, whether the Heathens, who lived virtu¬ 
 ously, could be faved, although they had never 
 been favoured with the light or the gofpel ? This 
 queftion has been nobly anfwered by Bifhop 
 Wilkins, in the laft chapter of his book on Na¬ 
 tural Religion. He fays, “ That the mercy of 
 God, as well as all his other attributes, is a great 
 depth i and as he has not told us what he will do 
 with the Heathens, fo it is very improper that 
 we fhould tell him what he ought to do.” This 
 we know, that none ever was, or ever will be 
 faved but through the merits of Jefus Chrift, 
 who was the lamb (lain from the foundation of 
 the world ; but in what manner God may com¬ 
 municate that bleffing, is what we have no manner 
 of bufinefs to pry into. Let us reft fatisfied, 
 that the judge of all the earth will do what is 
 right. 
 
 The fourteenth article overthrows the Popifh 
 notion of men being able to do more good works 
 than they are commanded to perform in the gofpel. 
 This notioh, which is what aiober Heathen would 
 have been afhamed of, was not heard of in the 
 Chriftian church till'many years after the time of 
 Conftantine the Great, nor have we any account 
 of it till after the tenth century. All Proteftants 
 of whatever denomination, whether eftablifhed by 
 law or otherwife, are of the fame opinion with 
 regard to this article, as the church of Eng¬ 
 land. 
 
 The fifteenth article aflerts one of the grand 
 fundamental doftrines of Chriftianity ; namely, 
 that Chrift was in all things like unto us, fin only 
 excepted ; and fo far as we know, this dodlrine 
 never was denied, either by the Roman Catholics, 
 or Proteftants, nor by any who ever aflumed the 
 4 * 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, 50 1 
 
 name of Chriftians, except fome of the antierif 
 Heretics. And here it is neceflary to obferve, 
 that the firft reformers confldered the juftificatioti, 
 of finners through the imputation of Chrift’s 
 righteoufnefs, as a neceflary confequence of his 
 having taken .our nature upon him. Nor does it 
 appear from the whole fcripture account, that it 
 could be otherwife; but had Chrift defcended 
 among us in his glory, we could not have re¬ 
 ceived any benefit from him, but it was the will 
 of the Lord our God to make the captain of our 
 falvation perfect through lufferings. 
 
 The fixteenth article relates to fin after baptifm* 
 and militates againft the Popifh notion of venial 
 and mortal fins. It is well known, that every 
 offence againft the law of God is a fin •, but the 
 Papifts, in order to make a proper diftinction for 
 the fake of aggrandizing their clergy, have told 
 us, that thofe venial, or rather trifling fins, may 
 be attoned for by penance *, whereas grofler 
 crimes, which they call mortal fins, can never be 
 forgiven. Here is a diftindtion without a given 
 rule, and a conclufion drawn before the- points 
 were ftated. In order to oppole this Popifh no¬ 
 tion, the Church of England is plain and expli¬ 
 cit; for as all fins are offenfive to God, fo the 
 blood of Chrift is fufficient to cleanfe the moft 
 impure finner from all wickednefs, and to ren¬ 
 der him acceptable to the Divine Being. 
 
 The feventeenth article relates folely to predef- 
 tination ; and it mult be acknowledged, that it is 
 here defined in a mere modeft and lcriptural fenfe, 
 than m any of he fyftems drawn up by the other 
 reformers in Europe. It is certain, that fome of 
 the reformers abroad, when treating of this ar¬ 
 ticle, made ufe of very unguarded expreflions, 
 which led fome of thofe, who were otherwife pi- 
 oully difpofed, to defpair, while the profane 
 plunged themfelves into Deil'm. But here the 
 church of England takes the middle line between 
 the two extremes. She acknowledges the dodlrine 
 to be a fcriptural one, but confcious of the 
 weaknefs and depravity of human nature, cau¬ 
 tions her members to be upon their guard againft 
 enquiring too minutely into it. 
 
 The eighteenth article contains an enlarged 
 fentiment indeed ; for it declares that no man can 
 be faved in confequence of his belonging to a 
 particular fed or party, but that falvation alone is 
 through the merits and mediation of Jefus Chrift. 
 This article was extremely neceflary to be carefully 
 inferted, becaufe, that when the reformation 
 took place, many of the people were fo ignorant, 
 that they thought they might be faved by the merits 
 of the faints. Here the church of England, to her 
 everlafting honour, has given the glory of men’s 
 falvation to that Redeemer who purchafed peace 
 and pardon for them With his blood. If Chrift 
 did not come into the world to fave finners, why 
 did he die on mount Calvary ? If Chrift Jefus is 
 not the Redeemer of loft mankind, and the foie 
 hope the finner can repofe any confidence in, 
 then there is an end of our religion, and our preach¬ 
 ing is vain indeed? 
 
 The nineteenth article aflerts, that the church 
 of Chrift confifts of a body of perfons, who wil¬ 
 lingly confent to be obedient to every rule laid 
 down in the gofpel. This was the more neceflary, 
 becaufe the Papifts had afferted, that the whole 
 6 L of 
 
<02 The RITES and CEREMONIES 
 
 of thofe, who in words profefied the Chriftian 
 religion, were members of the church. T. his 
 article further afierts that no church is, or can be 
 infallible ; and it gives us three inftances, befides 
 that of Rome. It is certain, that Chrift will 
 have a body of people in the world, who will 
 worihip him in all ages till his fecond coming; 
 and it may be added further, that the gates of 
 hell Iball never prevail againft this church ; but 
 then it muft be remembered, that there is no pro- 
 mife that this church fhall be local. God has his 
 churches frequently where men do not difcern 
 them. 
 
 The twentieth article afierts the power of the 
 church in decreeing rites and ceremonies, and 
 although this article is exprefled in the moll cau¬ 
 tious terms, yet it has been the occafion of much 
 controverly. The Diflenters were exempted from 
 fubfcribing to this article, and yet we cannot fee 
 with what propriety. Had the declaration here 
 made been that the church’s power was abfolute, 
 then we fhould have been in the fame condition 
 as the Papifts. But it is quite otherwife, for 
 the church is not to declare any thing to be 
 binding on the people that is contrary to the 
 fcriptures. Indeed, there does not feem to be 
 any ambiguity in the words of the article, 
 for all the popilh errors are carefully guarded 
 againft. 
 
 The twenty-firft article relates to general 
 councils, which were originally called by the 
 Roman emperors ; but left too much confidence 
 fhould be placed in their decrees, the churEi of 
 England has declared, that they have no fuch 
 thing as infallibility in them. Compofed of fal¬ 
 lible men, they are liable to err, and therefore 
 all their decrees muft be tried by the teft of 
 facred writ. It is certain, that general councils 
 have erred, or at leaft, this much is certain, 
 that they have not all been infallible ; fo far from 
 it, we frequently meet with one council anathma- 
 tizing another, and if this is the cafe, where is 
 the truth to be found. General councils are no¬ 
 thing more than ecclefiaftical bugbears or lcare- 
 crows; but antient ufage had conferred upon 
 them a fort of fandtity, embraced by the ignorant 
 and nourifhed by designing priefts. 
 
 The twenty-lecond article relates entirely to 
 purgatory, a notion which the Papifts had em¬ 
 braced partly in conlequence of not underftand- 
 ing what had been written by the primitive fa¬ 
 thers, and partly to court favour with the Hea¬ 
 thens. It was neceflary that our reformers, con- 
 liftent with their characters as Proteftants, fhould 
 oppole this dodtrine ; for although it may, in the 
 common acceptation of the word, have fome af¬ 
 finity with Chriftianity, yet in general it is to¬ 
 tally repugnant to it. It procures much money to 
 the priefts, whofe Heathenifh tricks, preying up¬ 
 on the ignorance of the people, can at all times 
 make them fubfervient to their purpofes. 
 
 The twenty-third article relates folely to or¬ 
 dination, that is, that no perfon (hall take upon 
 him the office of a minifter of the golpel till he 
 is regularly appointed for that purpofe. Bp. 
 Stillingfleet, fpeaking of this article, fays, there 
 is no ambiguity in it; for he believed that every 
 church might ordain their minifters in whatever 
 manner they thought proper. It is certain, that 
 
 of the CHURCH of ENGLAND, See. 
 
 | there is neceflity for a regular fucceflion of 
 minifters in the Chriftian church, and in the pri¬ 
 mitive times, notwithftanding the violences that 
 took place, this was never interrupted. It may, 
 however, be carried to a fuperftitious height, and 
 therefore the church of England has expreffed 
 herlelf in very general terms concerning it. 
 
 The twenty-fourth article militates againft the 
 popiffi pradtice of having worfhip celebrated in 
 a language which they do. not underftand. At 
 what time this abominable pradtice took place 
 does not appear, but we are certain it was not 
 fooner than the tenth century. As a proof of 
 this, there are feveral liturgies extant written in 
 the fixth century, and in the language of thofe 
 people for whom they were compofed. Nay, 
 the author afierts further from his own know¬ 
 ledge, that there are feveral liturgies ftill extant 
 in the Saxon language, written long before the 
 ufe of Latin ones was impofed on the 
 people. 
 
 The twenty-fourth article relates to the doc¬ 
 trine of lacraments in general, and gives as clear 
 a definition of them as ever could have been given 
 by any Proteftant divines whatever. They are 
 defined to be the fymbols of an unfeen objedt, 
 which they certainly are. They are the repre- 
 fentations, fays the church, of fomething that 
 happened, but not the objedt itfelf. 
 
 The article, however, admits of nothing as 
 a facrament, except what is pointed out to be 
 fuch in lcripture. Confirmation and penance, 
 matrimony and extreme undtion are wholly ex¬ 
 cluded out of the number. This may ferve to 
 ftiew, that the defign of the Engliffi reformers 
 was to level their whole power againft the ftrong 
 bulwarks of popery, to ftrike at the root of 
 their principles by which it had been long fup- 
 ported, and eftablifh in room of it a fyftem of 
 religion, confiftent with thedodtrine laid down in 
 the New Teftament. 
 
 The twenty-fixth article afierts that the effi¬ 
 cacy of the facraments taken, received in faith, 
 does not depend on the merits of the perfon who 
 adminifters them. To underftand this article 
 rightly, which does not in the leaft militate 
 againft the Papifts, we muft attend to the follow¬ 
 ing circumftance : About the time of the refor¬ 
 mation, when light was beginning to fpring up 
 in the minds of men, there were feveral people in 
 Europe who embraced very erroneous opinions. 
 Among thele were fome Germans who came over 
 to England, and taught that the facraments were 
 of no avail, nor could the perfon who received 
 them obtain any benefit, unlefs the minifter by 
 whom they were given was a real believer. 
 This was a mod deftrudtive notion; for admit¬ 
 ting it to be true, then there is an end of all di¬ 
 vine inftitutions. When a pious Chriftian goes to 
 receive the facrament, how does he know but 
 the perfon by whom it is adminiltered, is an 
 hypocrite. And is the favour of God to be loft 
 in conlequence ? No : God forbid. It was to 
 oppofe this notion, that the article we are fpeak¬ 
 ing of was written, and it is exprefled in modeft 
 and manly terms. While it regulates the notions 
 of men’s putting any merit or confidence in the 
 perfon who adminifters the facrament, it, at the 
 fame time, enforces the neceflity of ecclefiaftical 
 
 difeipline, 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 difcipline, and points out the duty of minifters 
 in the cleared: manner. This afticle is agreed 
 to by all Proteftancs whatever, but none of 
 their confeffions are exprefied with fo much mo- 
 defty as here, where we do hot meet with a fingle 
 dogmatical expreffion. 
 
 The twenty-feventh article enforces the doc¬ 
 trine of baptifm by water, as a fign of our adop¬ 
 tion into the church, as Ions of God by regene¬ 
 ration. The words of this article are fo clearly 
 and plainly exprelfed, that even a child may un- 
 derftand them as loon as he has learned his cate- 
 chifm. It concludes with enforcing infant bap¬ 
 tifm, not only as ufeful and agreeable to the 
 word of God, but as necefiary. It feems to have 
 been on this principle, that the rubric was in- 
 lerted in the office for the burial of the dead, 
 which prohibits its being read over fuch as died 
 unbaptized. 
 
 The twenty-eighth article treats of the Lord’s 
 fupper, as one of the facraments of the Chrifcian 
 church. It is confidered, in its genuine fenfe, as 
 a fign of that charity which Ihould always dif- 
 tinguifh Chriftian churches. The popifh doc¬ 
 trine of tranfubftantiation was totally abolifhed, . 
 and declared to be contrary to the nature of a 
 facrament. It is added further, confiftent with 
 the fenfe of the facred fcriptures, that as a facra¬ 
 ment is no more than a vifible fign of fomething 
 which it is to point out, fo the bread and wine 
 mull: be received by faith, as emblems of that 
 body which was broken, and that blood which 
 was fhed for finners. 
 
 The twenty-ninth article is a necefiary confe- 
 quence of the preceding one, for it is infepara- 
 bly connedted with it. It declares that no per- 
 lon can obtain any benefit from the partaking of 
 the facrament, except the righteous. The article 
 further exprefles a ftrong caution to thofe who 
 would partake of the facrament, to be on their 
 guard ; to be cautious in examining themfelves, 
 left that which was intended to promote their 
 fpiritual intereft, fhould even leal their condem¬ 
 nation. It is certain, that nothing is more dan¬ 
 gerous than to trifle with and make light of re¬ 
 ligious ordinances. It hardens the mind, and in 
 general the perfon embraces Dcifm. 
 
 The thirtieth article enjoins the receiving the 
 facrament in both kinds! which was the pradtice 
 of the Chriftian church from the death of Chrift 
 even fo late as the tenth century. Nay, it was 
 not then totally denied, for even two hundred 
 years later, w r e find feveral writers Handing up in 
 defence of it. It is certain, that thofe who be¬ 
 lieve in tranfubftantiation, mull confider the 
 blood in the wafer, and were it not for that doc¬ 
 trine which contributes fo much towards enlarg¬ 
 ing and aggrandizing the papal power, probably 
 the Papifts would have granted the facrament in 
 both kinds to the laity at the reformation. 
 
 The thirty-firft article differs a little from the 
 feventeenth, for it affects that Chrift died for the 
 fins of the whole world, both original and actual, 
 which notion was afterwards improved on by 
 James Arminius. This article, as it differs 
 lomewhat from St. Auftin’s notions, fo it is pro¬ 
 bable that our reformers borrowed the fentiment 
 from the fathers of the antient Greek church. It 
 is certain, that this fentiment runs through the 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
 I works of Chryfoftom, Gregory, Nazianzen, Bafil, 
 and many others. And it is generally acknow¬ 
 ledged, that the death of Chrift, as it furpafieS 
 all human comprehenfion, fo it may be of infinite 
 efficacy; but here we leave the reader to judge 
 for himfelf. 
 
 The thirty-fecond article relates to the mar¬ 
 riage of the clergy, and condemns the popifh 
 dodlrine on that fubjedt. It is certain, that no 
 part of the New Teftament enjoins celibacy to 
 the clergy; and, during the firft four centuries, 
 we conftantly find them mentioned as married 
 men. If any lived fingle lives, they did fo from 
 choice, without being obliged thereto by any 
 pofitive command. Celibacy among the clergy 
 began to be encouraged about the fixth century, 
 when the monaftic life became in vogue, but Hill 
 it was not impofed. Nay, fo late as the tenth 
 century, we fifid Dunftan, archbifhop of Canter¬ 
 bury, entering into a violent ftruggle with the 
 fecular clergy, who refufed to put away their 
 wives. This ftruggle continued till the twelfth 
 century, when we find Henry I. of England giv¬ 
 ing countenance to celibacy among the clergy, 
 and the confequence was, they kept their Lm- 
 mers , an old word for proftitutes. 
 
 The thirty-third article relates to the feritence 
 of excommunication, but it is not fo clearly ex- 
 prefied as fome of the others. By the proper 
 judge that hath authority to publifti this fen- 
 tence, is undoubtedly meant the bifhop’s chan¬ 
 cellor, who is generally a layman, at leaft he al¬ 
 ways adts under that charadter. By his authority 
 here mentioned, mult be underftood that autho¬ 
 rity which he derives from common law ; for in 
 the primitive church, and among all other Pro- 
 teftants except in Europe, excommunication is 
 confidered as a fpiritual adbion. 
 
 The thirty-fourth article relates to the tra¬ 
 ditions of the church, and it contains a clear 
 definition of them. The latter part of this ar¬ 
 ticle has been much objedted to, where it gives 
 leave to all national churches to change their rites 
 and ceremonies as often as they pleafe, fo as they 
 be done to edifying. The word edifying has by 
 fome been confidered as too loofe and vague, 
 becaufe the Papifts tell us, that their ridiculous 
 ceremonies are calculated for that purpofe ; but 
 our reformers feem to have had nothing more in 
 view than to eftablifh what was confiftent with 
 the truth, and they looked upon all others as 
 abfurd and unnecefiary. 
 
 The thirty-fifth article eftablifhes the dodtrine 
 that the homilies were to be read. But as thefe 
 venerable difeourfes are but little known in the 
 the prefent age, we fhall take fome notice of 
 them. 
 
 The ignorance of many of the clergy, and 
 the unfettled ftate of the church at the time of 
 the reformation, induced many of the greateft 
 men at that time, to draw up a let of difeourfes, 
 in the form of fermons, on the principal points 
 of the Chriftian religion. One of thofe were to 
 be read every Sunday in the parilh churches, till 
 fuch time as the clergy could learn to compofe 
 fermons for themfelves. This was of great fer- 
 vice to the caufe of truth at the time of the 
 reformation, for thefe homelies, having been 
 drawn up very judicioufly by men of learning 
 
 and 
 
50+ The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 and piety, they prevented the people from re- 
 .lapfing into Popery, and eftablilhed the principles 
 of religion on their minds. 
 
 The thirty-fixth article afferts, the neceffity 
 and utility of epifcopial ordination. This fenti- 
 ment is founded on a notion that there had always 
 been in the church a regular fuccefiion of clergy, 
 from the days of the apoltles ; fome great di¬ 
 vines, however, were at that time of a different 
 opinion, particularly Jewel, bifhop of Salifbury, 
 and Grindal, afterwards archbilhop of Canterbury. 
 Many of the inferior clergy contended that it 
 was fufficient for prelbyters to ordain prefbyters ; 
 and as thefe pretended to promote a purer refor¬ 
 mation than had hitherto taken place in the 
 church, they were called in derifion Puritans. 
 This article is not fo much difapproved of by the 
 Diffenters as fome are apt to imagine, for they 
 allow the validity of Englilh ordinations, altho’ 
 they do not confider it neceffary to impole 
 them; 
 
 The thirty-feventh article eftablilhes the iupre- 
 macyof the civil magiftrate in all things, and 
 over all perfons, whether civil or eccleliaftical, 
 and this has occafi ned much contention. It is j 
 certain, however, it was in fome mealure ne¬ 
 ceffary at the reformation, becaufe the clergy had 
 been long accuftomed to call the pope their head. 
 Some princes, indeed, made a bad ufe of this 
 act, by turning out bifhops whenever they pleTed •, 
 but nothing of that fort has happened for a con- 
 fiderable time. Indeed, it lodges a vail power in 
 the crown, but while that power is not abufed, 
 we ought not to complain. All the power 
 granted"in this article to the king over the clergy 
 is of a civil nature, for he is not permitted to ad- 
 minifter divine ordinances, but merely to pre- 
 lerve the external peace of the church, and pre¬ 
 vent factious clergymen from difturbmg govern¬ 
 ment. 
 
 The thirty-eighth article is levelled againft the 
 German Anabaptifts, who fprung up at that time, 
 many of whom, as we have already mentioned, came 
 over to England. Thefe people afferted, that all 
 Chrillians lhould have their goods in common, 
 and that none lhould be richer than the others. 
 This was owing to a miltaken notion concerning 
 the firft Chriftians in Jerulalem. This was never 
 enjoyed by the Apoftles, for Annanias and Sa- 
 phira were told by Peter, that they might have 
 kept their eftate to themfelves. It is laid, we 
 acknowledge, that they had all things in common; 
 but it is no where laid they were commanded to 
 have.them fo. 
 
 The Chriftians at Jerufalem were warmed with 
 the love of the truth; they loved each other; 
 they had but a very precarious title to their poffef- 
 ftons, while they were hated by the Jews and per¬ 
 fected by the Romans. The afflictions of many 
 of their brethren were great; the Jews confidered 
 them as blafphemers, and the Romans treated 
 them as rebels. It was, therefore, neceffary that 
 they lhould afflft each other ; but when the caufe 
 was removed, the effect naturally cealed. We 
 have a ftrong proof of this in feveral of the 
 apoft. lical epiltles, where the rich are exhort¬ 
 ed to be charitable to the poor; and had there 
 been an equality of property, there would have 
 been no need of this exhortation. 
 
 The thirty-ninth and laft article, relates to a 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
 Chriftian man’s oath. This article, although it 
 does not exprefsly fay fo, feems likewiie to have 
 been levelled againft the Anabaptifts; who, not 
 confidering properly the meaning of our Lord’s 
 words, “ Swear not at all,” declared that all 
 oaths were, in their own nature, finful; whereas, 
 all that Chrift had in view was to put an end to 
 two things, which were then much encouraged by 
 the Pharifces: Firft, the frequency of fwearing 
 in common converlation, when there was no ne- 
 ceflity for it; and, fecondly, lwearing by heaven, 
 by the temple, the altar, the facrifice, and fuch 
 other things as were not objects of divine worlhip. 
 The apoftle, in writing to the Hebrews, explains 
 every doubt concerning this point. God fwore by 
 himfelf, becaufe he could fwear by none greater, 
 that was, that the Meffiah fhould be prieft for 
 ever after the order of Mtlchizedeck. And the 
 fame apoftle adds, that an oath is neceffary to put 
 an end to controverfies among men. If it was 
 not for the folemnity of an oath, there would be 
 an end of civil fociety; for fuch is the ftate of 
 human nature, that although men may fometimes 
 perjure themfelves, yet there is generally a dread 
 on their minds, when they go into a court of juf- 
 tice to fwear. 
 
 Such are the articles of religion in the church 
 of England, ana when we conftder all the cir- 
 cumltances attending the framing of them, we 
 are really led to admire them. Let us but refleft, 
 that the authors of them had been brought up in 
 Popifh fuperftition; were prolcribed and perfecuted 
 by queen Mary ; obliged to take fhelter in foreign 
 countries, where they met with men of different 
 fentiments. And yet thefe men returned and 
 compiled a fyftem of divinity as little liable to 
 exceptions, if not lefs fo, than any other fyItems 
 framed by different Proteftant churches. In pe- 
 rufing the articles it appears, thac in all .rhofe 
 points which have been matter of difpute, and oc- 
 cafioned much controverfy, the Englifh reformers 
 have conduced themfelves with the greaceft mo¬ 
 deration. If a few expreffions may happen to ap¬ 
 pear ambiguous, even the ambiguity gives peace 
 of mind to the lubfcriber, becaufe in confe- 
 quence thereof, he can put what fenfe he pleafes 
 upon them. The church of England allows of no 
 infallibility in human beings, and therefore as her 
 fundamental articles were written by men, fo if 
 any fentiment lhould difpleafe the perfon who 
 comes to fubferibe them, he is at liberty to refrain, 
 fo as he gives up all pretenfions to the temporal 
 emoluments annexed to the fubfeription. 
 
 The next thing in order is the worlhip ufed in 
 the church of England, and here we Ihall firft 
 take notice of the Liturgy, or Common Prayer 
 in genera], and then proceed to confider its dif¬ 
 ferent parts, omitting only the Cacechifm, as 
 that has been fully explained in our account of 
 the articles. For all catechifms are no more than 
 articles of religion, or public confefflons of 
 faith, drawn up in a plain eafy manner, for the 
 ule of youth to be learned at fchool. 
 
 Before the ref rmation, the Liturgy was only 
 in Latin, being a collection of prayers made up 
 partiy of fome arnient forms ufed in the Primitive 
 church, and partly of fome others of a later ori¬ 
 ginal, accommodated to the Romifti religion, at 
 that time the religion of England. But, when 
 the nation in king Henry Vlllth’s time, was dif- 
 
 pofed 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of i 
 pofed to a reformation, it was thought necelfary 
 both to have the fervice in the Engliffi or vulgar 
 tongue, and to corredl' and amend the Liturgy, by 
 purging it of thofe grofs corruptions which had 
 gradually crept into it. 
 
 And, firft, the convocation appointed a com¬ 
 mittee, A. D. 1537, to compofe a book, which 
 was entitled. The Godly and Pious Inftitution of 
 a Chriftian Man, containing a declaration of the 
 Lord’s Prayer, the Ave Maria, the Creed, the 
 1 ’en Commandments, and the Seven Sacraments, 
 &c. This book was again publifhed in 1540, 
 with corrections and alterations, under the title 
 of, A Necelfary Doctrine and Erudition for any 
 Chriftian Man. In the fame year, a committee 
 of bifhops 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 proceffions 
 and litanies to be put into Engliffi, and to be 
 publicly ufed. Afterwards, in 1545, came out 
 the king’s Primer, containing the whole Morn¬ 
 ing and Evening Prayer in Engliffi, not very 
 different from what is in our prefent book of 
 Common Prayer. Thus far the reformation of our 
 Liturgy was carried in the reign of Henry VIII. 
 
 In the year 1548, the firft of king Edward VI. 
 the convocation unanimoufly declared, that the 
 communion ought to be adminiftered in both 
 kinds: whereupon an acft of parliament was 
 made, ordering it to be adminiftered. Then a 
 committee of biffiops, and other learned divines, 
 was appointed, to compofe an uniform order of 
 communion, according to the rules of fcripture, 
 and the ule of the primitive church. The com¬ 
 mittee accordingly met in Windfor-caftle, and 
 drew up fuch a form. This made way for a 
 new commiffion, impowering the fame perfons 
 to finiffi the whole Liturgy, by drawing up pub¬ 
 lic offices for Sundays and holy-days, for bap- 
 tifm, confirmation, matrimony, burial, and other 
 fpecial occafions. 
 
 The committee, appointed to compofe this Li¬ 
 turgy, were : 
 
 1. Thomas Cranmer, archbiffiop of Canter¬ 
 bury. 
 
 2. Thomas Goodrich, biffiop of Ely. 
 
 3. Elenry Holbeck, biffiop of Lincoln. 
 
 4. George Day, biffiop of Chichefter. 
 
 5. John Skip, biffiop of Hereford. 
 
 6. Thomas Thirlby, biffiop of Weftminfter. 
 
 7. Nicholas Ridley, biffiop of Rochefter, and 
 afterwards of London. 
 
 8. Dr. William May, dean of St. Paul’s. 
 
 9. Dr. John Taylor, afterwards biffiop of Lin¬ 
 coln. 
 
 10. Dr. Simon Haynes, dean of Exeter, and 
 mafter of Queen’s Coll. Camb. 
 
 11. Dr. John Redman, dean of Weftminfter, 
 and mafter of Trin. Coll. Camb. 
 
 12. Dr. Richard Cox, dean of Chrift’s Church, 
 Oxon. 
 
 13. Mr. Thomas Robinfon, archdeacon of 
 Leicefter. 
 
 r 
 
 Our excellent Liturgy, thus compiled, was re¬ 
 viled and approved by the archbiffiops, biffiops, 
 and clergy of both the provinces of Canterbury 
 W 43 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
 and York, and then confirmed by the king and 
 three eftates in parliament, A. D. 1549. 
 
 Bur, about the end of the year 1550, excep¬ 
 tions were taken againft forne parts of this book* 
 which were thought to favour too much of fu- 
 perftition. Archbiffiop Cranmer therefore pro- 
 pofed a new review, and, to this end, called in 
 the affiftance of Martin Bucer and Peter Mar¬ 
 tyr, two foreigners, whom he had invited over 
 from the troubles in Germany. Thefe, not un- 
 derftanding the Engliffi tongue, were furnilhed 
 with Latin tranftations of the Liturgy. The 
 principal alterations, occafioned by this fecond 
 review, were; the addition of the Sentences, 
 Exhortation, Confeffion, and Abfolution, at the 
 beginning of the morning and evening fervices, 
 which, in the firft Common Prayer book, be^an 
 with the Lord’s Prayer; the'addition of die 
 Commandments at the beginning of the com¬ 
 munion-office; the removing of lome rites and 
 ceremonies retained in the former book, luch as 
 the ufe of oil in confirmation, the uneftion of 
 the fick, prayers for departed fouls, the invoca¬ 
 tion of the holy ghoft at the confecration of the 
 eucharift, and the prayer of oblation that ufed 
 to follow it ; the omitting the rubric, that or¬ 
 dered water to be mixed with the wine; with 
 leveral other lefs material variations; The ha¬ 
 bits likewife, which were preferibed in the former 
 book, were in this laid afide; and laftly, a ru¬ 
 bric was added at the end of the communion of¬ 
 fice, to explain the reafon of kneeling at the fa- 
 crament. The liturgy, thus revifed and altered, 
 was again confirmed by parliament, A. D. 1551, 
 with this declaration, that the alterations made 
 in it proceeded from curioftty rather than any 
 worthy caufe. But both this, and the former 
 ad in 1548, were repealed in the firft year of 
 queen Mary, as injurious to the Romiffi religion, 
 which ffie was refolved to reftore. 
 
 Upon the acceffion of queen Elizabeth, the 
 ad of repeal was fet afide, and leveral learned 
 divines appointed to make another review of king 
 Edward’s Liturgies. 
 
 Thefe (according to Cambden andStrype) were: 
 
 1. Dr. Matthew Parker, afterwards archbiffiop 
 of Canterbury. 
 
 2. Dr. Richard Cox, afterwards biffiop of 
 Ely. 
 
 3. Dr. May. 
 
 4. Dr. Bill. 
 
 5. Dr. James Pilkington, afterwards bifliop of 
 Durham. 
 
 6. Sir Thomas Smith. 
 
 7. Mr. David Whitehead. 
 
 8. Mr. Edmund Grindal, afterwards archbi¬ 
 ffiop of Canterbury. 
 
 9. Dr. Edwyn Sandys, afterwards archbiffiop 
 of York. 
 
 10. Mr. Edmund Gueft, afterwards biffiop of 
 Rochefter. 
 
 It was debated at firft, which of the two books 
 of king Edward ftiould be received. At length 
 the fecond was pitched upon, and confirmed by 
 parliament, which commanded it to be ufed, 
 “ With one alteration or addition of certain 
 lefl'ons to be ufed on every Sunday in the year, 
 6 M and 
 
5 o 6 The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 and the form of the Litany altered and correfted, 
 and two fentences added in the delivery of the 
 facrament to the communicants, and none other, 
 
 or otherwife.” . . 
 
 The alteration in the Litany here mentioned 
 was the leaving out the deprecation, from the 
 tyranny of the bifhop of Rome, and all his de- 
 teftable enormities, and adding thefe words to 
 the petition for the fovereign, “ Strengthen in 
 the true worfhipping of thee, in nghteoulnefs 
 and holinefsof life.” The two fentences, added 
 in the delivery of the facrament, were ; 1 he 
 
 body of our Lord Jefus Chrift, &c. and the 
 blood of our Lord Jel'us Chrift, &c which 
 were taken out of king Edward s firft book ; 
 whereas, in the fecond book, thele fentences 
 were left out, and in the room of them were 
 ufed, “ Take, eat, or drink this,” with what 
 follows; but now, in queen Elizabeths book, 
 both thele forms were united. . 
 
 f here are l'ome other variations in this booiv 
 from the fecond of king Edward. The firft ru- 
 brie, concerning the fituation of the chancel, 
 and the proper'place for reading divine fervice, 
 was altered ; the habits, enjoined by the firft 
 book of king Edward, and forbid by the iecond, 
 were now reftored ; at the end of the Litany was 
 added a prayer for the fovereign, and another 
 for the clergy. Laftly, the rubric, that was 
 added at thc° end of the communion-office, in 
 king Edward’s k ■. :.d book, againft our Saviour’s 
 corporeal nrefenci n the lacrament, was left out 
 in this. This was Ipne, that the aforeiaid no¬ 
 tion might remain as a fpeculative opinion, not 
 determined; it being the queen’s defign to 
 unite the nation, as near as poffible, in one 
 
 In’this ftate the Liturgy continued, without 
 farther alteration, till the firft year of king 
 James I. when a conference was held at Hamp¬ 
 ton Court, between that prince, with archbilhop 
 Whitgift, and other biffiops and divines, on the 
 one fide, and Dr. Reynolds, with dome other 
 Puritans, on the other : the refult of which was, 
 the adding l’ome forms of thankfgiving at the end 
 of the Litany, and an addition to the catechifm 
 in relation to the facraments. Likewiie, in the 
 rubric at the beginning of the office for private 
 baptifm, the words Lawful Minifter were interred, 
 to prevent midwives and laymen from preium- 
 ing to baptize ; with one or two more fmall al¬ 
 terations. 
 
 But, immediately after the rcftoration, long 
 Charles II. at the requeft of feveral of the Prel- 
 byterian minifters, ilTued out a eommiffion for a 
 a new review of the Liturgy, impowering twelve 
 of the biffiops, and twelve Prefbyterian divines 
 to make inch realonable and necefiary alterations 
 as they ffiould jointly agree upon. Nine coadju¬ 
 tors were added on each fide, to lupply the place 
 of any of the twelve principals, who^ fiiould 
 happen to be ablent. Their names are thefe. 
 
 On the Efijcopalian fidt. 
 
 Principals. 
 
 1. Dr. Frewen, archbilhop of York. 
 
 2. Dr. Shelden, biffiop of London. 
 
 3. Dr. Coufins, biffiop of Durham. 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
 4. Dr. Warner, bifliop of Rochefter. 
 
 5. Dr. King, biffiop of Chichefter. 
 
 6. Dr. Henchman, biffiop of Salifbury. 
 
 7. Dr. Morley, biffiop of Worceftcr. 
 
 8. Dr. Sanderfon, biffiop of Lincoln. 
 
 9. Dr. Laney, biffiop of Peterborough. 
 
 10. Dr. Walton, biffiop of Chefter. 
 
 11. Dr. Stern, biffiop of Carlifie. 
 
 12. Dr. Gauden, biffiop of Exeter. 
 
 Coadjutors. 
 
 1. Dr. Earles, dean of Weftminfter. 
 
 2. Dr. Heylin. 
 
 3. Dr. Hackitt. 
 
 4. Dr. Barwick. 
 
 5. Dr. Gunning. 
 
 6. Dr. Pearfon. 
 
 7. Dr. Pierce. 
 
 8. Dr. Sparrow. 
 
 9. Dr, Thorndike. 
 
 On the Prefbyterian fide. 
 
 Principals. 
 
 1. Dr. Reynolds. 
 
 2. Dr. Tuckney. 
 
 3. Dr. Conant. 
 
 4. Dr. Spurftow. 
 
 5. Dr. Wallis. 
 
 6. Dr. Manton. 
 
 7. Dr. Calamy. 
 
 8. Mr. Baxter. 
 
 9. Mr. Jackfon. 
 
 10. Mr. Cale. 
 
 11. Mr. Clark. 
 
 12. Mr. Newcomen. 
 
 Coadjutors. 
 
 1. Dr. Horton. 
 
 2. Dr. Jacob. 
 
 3. Mr. Bates. 
 
 4. Mr. Rawlinfori, 
 
 5. Mr. Cooper. 
 
 6. Dr. Lightfoot. 
 
 7. Dr. Collins. 
 
 8. Dr. Wood bridge. 
 0. Mr. Drake. 
 
 Thefe commiffioners had feveral meetings at 
 the Savoy, but to very little purpofe ; th; Pref- 
 byterians reviving all the old leruples c^ the 
 Puritans againft the Liturgy, a :.! add ~ ' veral 
 new ones of their own. Baxter ha i thetmur ince 
 to affirm, that our Liturgy was too bad to be 
 mended, and confidently pretended to compofc 
 >ne, ■ hieh he th 
 
 to the biffiops. Upon this the conference broke 
 up, without any thing being done, e> ' pt that 
 fome particular alterations were propefen v the 
 epifcopial divines ; which, the 1 ' y following, 
 were confidered and agreed to by the whole 
 clergy in convocation. The principal of thele 
 alterations were, that leveral lefifons in the Ka- 
 lendar were changed for others more pro¬ 
 per for the days; the prayers for particular occa- 
 fions were disjoined frpm the Litany, and the 
 two prayers to be ufed in the Ember-Weeks, 
 the prayer for th'e parliament, that tor all c 
 diciqns of men, and the general tha; kfgiv.ng, 
 
 were 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 were added. Several of the collects were al¬ 
 tered ; the epiftles and gofpels were taken out of 
 the lad: tranflation of the bible, being read before, 
 according to the old tranflation. The office for 
 baptifm of thofe of riper years, and the forms 
 of prayer tifed at fea, were added. In a word, 
 the whole Liturgy was then brought to the date 
 in which it now dands, and was unanimoufly 
 fubfcribed by both houfes of convocation of both 
 provinces, on Friday, Dec. 20, 1661. And 
 being brought to the houfe of lords the March 
 following, both houfes very readily paffed an aft 
 for its edablifhment; and the earl of Clarendon, 
 then lord Chancellor, was ordered to return the 
 thanks of the lords to the billiops and clergy, 
 for their care and indudry Ihewn in the review of 
 it. 
 
 We fhall fubjoin Dr. Comber’s character of 
 the Liturgy of the Church of England. “ No 
 church was ever bleffed with fo comprehenfive, 
 fo exaCt, and fo inoffenfive a Liturgy, as ours ; 
 which is fo judicioufiy contrived, that the wiled 
 may exercife at once their knowledge and devo¬ 
 tion, and yet fo plain, that the mod ignorant 
 may pray with underdanding; fo full, that no¬ 
 thing is omitted, which ought to be afked in 
 public; and fo particular,"that it comprileth 
 mod things, which we would afk in private ; and 
 yet fo fhort, as not to tire any that have true de¬ 
 votion. Its doCtrine is pure and primitive; its 
 ceremonies fo few and innocent, that mod of 
 the Chridian world agree in them; its method is 
 exadt and natural; its language fignificant and 
 perfpicuous, mod of the words and phrales be¬ 
 ing taken out of the holy fcripturc, and the red 
 are the expreffions of the fird and pured ages. 
 And, in the opinion of the mod impartial and 
 excellent Grotius, who was no member of, nor 
 had any obligation to this church, the Engliffi 
 Liturgy comes fo near the primitive pattern, 
 that none of the reformed churches can compare 
 with it.” 
 
 Again he fays ; " In the prayers a fcholar 
 can difcern clofe logic, pleading rhetoric, pure 
 divinity, and the very marrow of the antient 
 doCtrine and difcipline; and yet all made fo 
 familiar, that the unlearned may fafely fay, 
 Amen.” 
 
 As in the antient church the reader always 
 fpoke a few words to the people before he began 
 the fervice, fo in the church of England, one 
 verfe of the facred fcripture is repeated. There 
 is fomething prail'e worthy in beginning divine 
 worfhip with fome part of facred fcripture, 
 becaufe it is giving preference to infpiration above 
 every thing human. It is really bedowing ho¬ 
 nour on God, and it is well known, that the fen- 
 tences are mod judicioudy collected. They all 
 intimate fomething leading to the confefiion of 
 fins; and thele are followed by the exhortation. 
 The confefiion that follows is exprefied in very 
 driking language, and fuch as is eal'y to be re¬ 
 tained in the memory. 
 
 It has been much controverted by feveral other 
 Protedants, whether a minifter diould pro¬ 
 nounce the abfolution ? But if any perfon reads 
 this form, he will find it is no more than a decla¬ 
 ration that God will pardon fincere penitents. 
 
 It luppofes, that thofe who have on their knees 
 confeffed their fins, are contrite and penitent. 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. S o-) 
 
 which gives them encouragement to hope for 
 mercy. 
 
 It has been objected, that the Lord’s Prayer 
 is two frequently repeated, fo as to make it 
 like a charm; but with refpeCt to the contro- 
 verfy, we fhall not meddle with it, leaving every 
 man at liberty to judge for himfelf. And here 
 it is neceffary to obferve, that every minider in 
 the church of England, may pray extempore 
 before fermon, if he pleafes, only it is reckoned 
 necefiary to conclude it with the Lord’s Prayeri 
 If this was more attended to, it would remove 
 many objections that are condantly made againd 
 formality and repetition. The marquis of Ha¬ 
 lifax, who ferved four fovereigns in thehighed de¬ 
 partments of the date, recommended this practice; 
 and he ufed to fay, that when he knew a mini- 
 der’s life to be pious, and heard him pour out 
 the effufions of his heart before fermon in extem¬ 
 porary prayer, it always affeCted him, and made 
 a lading imprefiion on his mind, by charming 
 him with the love of religion. 
 
 1 he Arians and Socinians make drong objec¬ 
 tions to the greated part of the Common prayer, 
 becaufe it every where affects the unity of the 
 three perfons in the ever bleffed trinity ; but 
 thefe objections have been ably anfwered by many 
 eminent divines, and alfo by laymen, 
 
 Another objection was made to the Litany by 
 the Prefbyterians at the Savoy conference, par¬ 
 ticularly thefe words, “ From fornication and 
 “ other deadly fins, &c.” Now by deadly 
 fin has been generally underdood the Popidl 
 doCtrine of mortal fin, but furely the compilers 
 of the Liturgy never meant fo. This will appeaf 
 the more probable, when we confider that for^ 
 mcation is here called a deadly fin; for what man 
 will affert that fin to be unpardonable? All that 
 feems to be meant is, that as fornication is a 
 breach of an abfolute precept, fo it is dan°-erous 
 in any perfon to commit it as well, as other fins 
 of a fimilar nature. But we think this need not 
 be enlarged on ; we fhall onlv add that it has 
 Been objected, that fome of'the collects have 
 been taken out of the Roinifh mafs bbok. If it 
 is allowed that the collects are good, then the 
 objection falls to the ground ; for it might, with 
 equal propriety, be objected, that we fiiould not 
 be called Chridians, becaufe the Papids call 
 themfelves by that name ; and fo on in thoufands 
 of other indances. Let us keep all they have 
 good among them; and let what is ufelefs be 
 retained by themfelves. Reformation may be car¬ 
 ried too far at fome particular periods. Probably, 
 the fird reformers thought fo, and therefore they 
 left thefe things for a more favourable opportu¬ 
 nity. As for Litanies, we (hall here obferve 
 what many learned men have faid of them. 
 
 In the Chridian fenfe of the word, a Litany 
 is a folemn form of fupplication to God. Eu- 
 febius, fpeaking of Condantine’s cudom of mak¬ 
 ing his folemn addreffes to God in his tent, fays, 
 he endeavoured to render God propitious to him 
 by his Applications and Litanies. And Arca- 
 dius, in one of his laws againd heretics, forbids 
 them to hold profane afiemblies in the city, 
 either by night or by day, to make their Litany. 
 
 At that time, the public prayers, hymns, and 
 pfalmody, were all comprifed under the general 
 name of Litany. Afterwards, the word came to 
 
 fignify 
 
5 oS The RITES and CEREMONIES of i 
 
 fio-nify a peculiar fort of prayers ufed in the 
 church ; concerning the original of which learned 
 men are not agreed. 
 
 At firft, the ufe of Litanies was not hxed to 
 any Rated time, but they were employed only as 
 exigencies required. They were obierved, in mu- 
 tionof the Ninevites, with ardent Explications 
 and fallings, to avert the threatening judgements 
 of fire, earthquakes, inundations, or holtile in- 
 vafions. The days, on which they were ufed, 
 were called Rogation-days. Several of thefe 
 days were appointed by the canons of different 
 councils, till the feventeenth council of Toledo 
 decreed that Litanies lhould be ufed in every 
 month throughout the year. And fo, by degrees, 
 thefe foleinn fupplications came to be uied 
 weekly, on Wednefdays and Fridays, the antient 
 ftationary days in all churches. ^ 
 
 As to the form in which Litanies aie made, 
 namely, in Ihort petitions by the pried, with re- 
 fponles by the people, St. Chrvfoftom derives the 
 cudom from the primitive ages, when the p-ieit 
 began, and uttered by the fpirit, fome things fit 
 to be prayed for, and the people joined the m- 
 terceffions, faying, “ We befeech thee to hear 
 “ us, croud Lord." When the miraculous gifts 
 of the fpirit began to ceafe, they wrote down fe- 
 veral of thele forms, which were the original of 
 our modern Litanies. St. Ambrofe has left us 
 one, agreeing in many things with that of our 
 own church. 
 
 About the year 400, Litanies began to be 
 ufed in proceffions, the people walking barefoot, 
 and repeating them with great devotion. It is 
 pretended, feveral countries were delivered from 
 great calamities by this means. About the year 
 600, Gregory the Grcatj out of all the Litanies 
 extant, compofed the famous feven-fold Litany, 
 by which Rome, it is faid, was delivered from a 
 grievous mortality. This has been a pattern to 
 all the wedern churches fince ; to which ours of 
 the church of England comes nearer than that of 
 the Roman Miffal, in which later popes have in- 
 ferted the invocation of faints, which our re¬ 
 formers judly expunged. Thefe proceffional 
 Litanies having occafioned much fcandal, it was 
 decreed, that the Litanies for the future iliould 
 only be ufed within the walls of the church. 
 
 The days, appointed by the 15th canon of our 
 church, for ufing the Litany, are Wednefdays 
 and Fridays, the antient fading days of the pri¬ 
 mitive church; to which, by the rubric, Sundays 
 are added, as being the days of the greated af- 
 fembly for divine fervice. Before the lad review 
 of the common prayer, the Litany was a diftindt 
 fervice by itlelf, and ufed fome time after the 
 morning prayer was over. At prefent it is made 
 one office with the morning fervice, being or¬ 
 dered to be read after the third colledl for grace, 
 indead of the interceflional prayers in the daily 
 fervice. 
 
 By the fifteenth canon, whenever the Litany 
 is lead, every houlholder dwelling within half a 
 mile of the church, is to come, or fend one at 
 lead of his houlhold, to join with the minider 
 in prayers. 
 
 There is one great advantage to Chriftians in 
 the worfhip ufed by the church of England, and 
 that is the reading of the pfalms and lelfons, and 
 it is furprifing that this lhould not take place in 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 all Proteftant churches. The advantage is not 
 only to thole who cannot read, but it refrelhes 
 the memories of the bed fcholars whatever. 
 Nay, it has been afferted, that were the fcriptures 
 not read in our churches, we would become in a 
 Ihort time fuch barbarians as our ancedors were 
 two thouland years ago. But let us here confider 
 the pradlice of the antient church on this head, 
 and then take notice of our own, that the reader 
 may make the comparifon. 
 
 In the antient church, the reading the fcrip¬ 
 tures was one part of the fervice of the cate¬ 
 chumens, at which all forts of perfons were al¬ 
 lowed to be prefent for indruftion. The leffons 
 were always two at lead, and fometimes three or 
 four. The author of the conditutions fpeaks of 
 four lelfons, two out of Moles and the prophets, 
 and two out of the gofpels and epidles. The 
 church of Rome feems to have been a little An¬ 
 gular in this matter: for, till the time of pope 
 Celedine, about four hundred years after Chrift, 
 they read no leffons out of the Old Tedament, 
 but only out of the New; whereas in all other 
 churches, they read leffons out of both. 
 
 The method of reading the fcriptures feems 
 always to have been governed by fome rule, tho’ 
 this might vary in different churches. St. Au- 
 din tells us, there were fome leffons fo fixed and 
 appropriated to certain times and feafons, that 
 no others might be read in their dead. He par¬ 
 ticularly indances in the fedival of Eader, wheri 
 for four days fuccedively the hidory of Chrid’s 
 refurreclion was read out of the four gofpels. In 
 like manner, on all other feftivals, they read 
 thofe parts of fcripture, which related to the par¬ 
 ticular fedival. 
 
 Particular books of fcripture had their parti¬ 
 cular feafons of the year, in which they were 
 more efpecially read. Thus the Adis of the 
 Apodles was read immediately before the feaft 
 of Pentecod, and in Lent they ufually read the 
 book of Genefis. The book of Job and Jonah 
 were both read in the Padion-week, and the pro¬ 
 phet Hofea was read on the Vigil of our Saviour’s 
 padion. Though we have no complete Ledti- 
 onarium, or Kalendar of Leffons extant, yet we 
 are fure their reading the fcripture was fome way 
 methodized, and brought under rule. The firft 
 Kalendar of this kind is thought to be Hippo- 
 lytus’s Canon Pafchalis, which Scaliger and Go- 
 thofred take to be a rule appointing Leffons for 
 the feftivals. But Bucherius, and others, give 
 another account of it, which leaves the matter 
 uncertain. There is a Ledtionarium under the 
 name of Sr. Jerom; but the bed: critics look 
 upon it as counterfeit. Some time after, there 
 were feveral books of this kind compofed for 
 the ufe of the French churches. It is obferve- 
 able, however, that the leffons were fometimes 
 appointed by the bifhops at diicretion. Ferra- 
 rius gives feveral inftances of this pradlice out 
 of St. Auftin and Chryfologus. 
 
 As to the perfons, whofe office it was to read 
 the leffons, it is probable, that, during the two 
 firft centuries, they were the deacons, or in imi¬ 
 tation of the Jewifh church, fuch as the bilhop 
 ! or prefident for that time appointed. But, in 
 the time of St. Cyprian, it was the peculiar of- 
 
 I fice of the readers, who were become an inferior 
 
 I I order of the clergy. The reader, before he be¬ 
 
 gan. 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c, 
 
 gan to read, was ufed to fay, Pax vobis, Peace 
 be with yon, which was the ufual form of faluta- 
 tion at the entrance of the offices in die church. 
 This cuftom continued till the third council of 
 Carthage made ail order to the contrary, appoint¬ 
 ing that it fhould be laid by fome other minifter. 
 St. Chryfoftom mentions two other cuftoms in- 
 troduftory to the reading and hearing the fcrip- 
 tures. The firft is, the deacon’s enjoining filence 
 and attention before the reader began: The fe- 
 cond, the reader's beginning every leffon with, 
 “ Thus faith the Lord.” 
 
 There is a diftinftion made by fome between 
 the longer and ffiorter leffons, ufed in the an- 
 tient cliurch. The longer leffons are laid to be 
 ufed at the long nofturna! or Antelucan fervice, 
 and the ffiorter at the other canonical hours of 
 prayer. But this diftinftion could have no place 
 till the canonical hours were fettled ; which was 
 not till the fourth or fifth century. It is pro¬ 
 bable, thele ffiorter leffons were no other than 
 the pfalms, or Antiphonal hymns collefted out 
 of the pfalms, for the fervice of the feveral 
 hours of devotion. 
 
 It is obfervable, that, in fome churches, other 
 books were allowed to be read by way of leffons 
 and inftruftions, befides the canonical fcriptures, 
 fuch as the Paffions of the Martyrs on their pro¬ 
 per feftivals, the Homilies of the Fathers, the 
 Epiftles and Trafts of pious men, and the Let¬ 
 ters communicatory of one church to another, 
 with other writings of the like nature. Eufebius 
 tells us, the book called Hermes Pallor was an- 
 tiently read in the church. Dionyfius, bifliop of 
 Corinth, fays, they read Clemens Romanus’s firft 
 epiftle to the Corinthians, and another written 
 by Soter, biffiop of Rome. Sozomen tells us, 
 the Revelations of Peter were rtad once a year, 
 on Good-Friday, in many of the churches of Pa- 
 leftine. Many other inftances are to be met 
 with in ecclefiaftical authors. 
 
 Our own church, in the choice of Leffons, 
 proceeds as follows. For the firft leflon on ordi¬ 
 nary days, ffie direfts, to begin at the beginning 
 of the year with Genefis, and fo to continue on, 
 till all the books of the Old Teftament are read 
 over; only omitting theChronicles (which are for 
 the moft part the fame with the books of Samuel 
 and Kings) and other particular chapters in other 
 books, either for the fame realon, or becaufe 
 they contain genealogies, names of perffins, or 
 places, or other matters lefs profitable for ordi¬ 
 nary hearers. 
 
 The courfe of the firft leffons for Sundays is 
 regulated after a different manner. From Ad¬ 
 vent to Septuagefima Sunday, fome particular 
 chapters of Ifaiah are appointed to be read, be¬ 
 caufe that book contains the cleareft prophecies 
 concerning Chrift. Upon Septuagefima Sunday 
 Genefis is begun, becaufe that book, which treats 
 of the fall of man, and the fcvere judgement 
 of God on the world for fin, bell fuits with a 
 time of penance and mortification. After Genefis 
 follow leleft chapters out of the books of the 
 Old Teftament, as they lie in order; obfervino- 
 that, on feftival Sundays, fuch as Eafter, Whit- 
 iunday, &c. the particular hillory relating to the 
 day is appointed to be read. On the feftivals of 
 the Saints called Saints-days, the church appoints 
 Leffons out of the moral books, fuch as Proverbs, 
 43 
 
 S°9 
 
 Ecclefiaftes, Ecclefiallicus, andWifdom, as con¬ 
 taining excellent precepts and inftruftions for the 
 conduft of life. 
 
 As to the fecond leffons, the church obferves 
 the fame courfe both on Sundays and Week¬ 
 days : reading the Gofpels and Afts of the 
 Apoftles in the morning, and the Epiftles in the 
 evening, in the fame order they Hand in the New- 
 Teftament; excepting on faints-days and holi¬ 
 days, when fuch leffons are appointed, as either 
 explain the myftery, relate the hiftory, or apply 
 the example to us. Thus, by the prudence of* 
 our church, the Old 1 eftament is read over once, 
 and the new thrice in the year, fome particular 
 parts of both, for particular reafons, excepted. 
 
 In treating of the whole public fervice uled 
 in the church of England, we are under the ne- 
 ceffity of taking notice of all the objeftions com¬ 
 monly made to it by all denominations of Chrif- 
 tians. This is the more neceffary, becaufe, by 
 taking thefe things in a proper point of view 
 with candour, it may be the means of fettling 
 fome of our unhappy controverfies, or at leaft 
 making Proteftants love each other as brethren. 
 
 It is well known, that there are holy days or¬ 
 dered to be obferved in the church of England, 
 yet they are not impoled, being left wholly to 
 people's own difcretion. If any of thefe holy 
 days have been ufed to a bad purpofe, the fault 
 does not lay in them, but in the depravity of 
 human nature. Did God become nan for us, 
 and mull we become beads ? An afternoon de¬ 
 bauch will follow very ill after a forenoon’s fer- 
 mon ; and therefore thofe who keep days holy, 
 fhould keep them holy to the Lord. The firft 
 and moll folemn of the times obferved in the 
 church of England is Lent. 
 
 ft he word Lent, in the old Saxon language, 
 fignifies the Spring, and is therefore ufed to de¬ 
 note this holy feafon, which belongs to that part 
 of the year, it being obferved by Chriftians as a 
 time of humiliation before Eafter, the great felli- 
 val of our Saviour's refurreftion. 
 
 The obfervation of this fall is of very great 
 antiquity in the Chriftian church. The Latins 
 call it Quadragefima, which word denotes the 
 number forty ; whence this fall was called Qua- 
 dragefimal, but whether from its being a fail of 
 forty days, or only forty hours, is matter of dif- 
 pute among the learned. They of the Romiffi 
 church, and fome of the Proteftant communion, 
 maintain, that it was always a fall of forty days, 
 and, as fuch, of apoftolical inllitution. Others 
 think it was only of ecclefiaftical inllitution, and 
 it was varioully obferved in different churches, 
 and grew by degrees from a fall of forty hours 
 to a fall of forty days. This latter is the fenti- 
 ment of Morton, biffiop Taylor, du Moulin, 
 Daille, and others. 
 
 The church feems to have Emitted the term of 
 falling to forty days, in regard either to the 
 forty days, in which God drowned the world ; 
 or to the forty days, in which the children of If- 
 rael did penance in the wildernefs ; or to the 
 forty ftripes, wherewith malefaftors were to be 
 correfted ; or, becaufe Mofes failed this number 
 of days, as did Elias the fame fpace of time; or, 
 becaufe the Ninevites were allowed preciiely as 
 many days for repentance ; or, laftly, and moft 
 probably, becaufe our bleffed Saviour him- 
 6 N felf. 
 
j,o The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 felf, when he was pleafed to fad, obferved the 
 fame length of time. For fome, or all, of thc.e 
 reafons, the church tiled this number of days, as 
 the common foiemn number belonging to extra 
 ordinary humiliation. , .. a 
 
 As to the original of this Quadragefimal Fa , 
 learned men are" inclined to believe, it was not 
 initiated by the apoftles, at lead not as any ne- 
 ceffary rule obliging all men to fad forty days , 
 and that for the following reafons: Firft, becaule 
 there is fome probability, that at fird it was only 
 a fad of forty hours, or the time that our Savioui 
 lay in the grave, that is, the Friday and Saturday 
 before Eafter. This appears from Tertullian 
 and Irenaeus, who fpeak of Chridians obierving 
 thole days, in which the bridegroom was taken 
 from them, agreeable to thofe words of our Sa¬ 
 viour i " The days will come that the bride¬ 
 groom fhall be taken from them, and then da l 
 they fad.” However, it mud be confeffed, 
 thefe authors fpeak of more days than two as 
 obferved in many churches, only with this dif¬ 
 ference, that the fird were obferved as more ne- 
 ced'arv, being founded on the words of Chrift 
 himfelf, and the others were at the church’s free 
 liberty and choice, as being purely of ecclefialti- 
 cal inditution. 
 
 Secondly, Becaufe, if this fad was of apolto- 
 lical inditution, it is fcarce accountable how iuch 
 a great variety in point of time fhould immedi¬ 
 ately happen in the obfervation of it; iome 
 churches keeping it only three weeks, lome fix, 
 fome feven, and yet none of them hitting upon 
 the precife number of forty days. It is oblerva- 
 ble however, that they all agreed in calling this 
 fad Quadragefimal, and afligned different realons 
 for this apellation. 
 
 Lent confifted not of above thirty-fix falling- 
 days in any church ; for though lome churches 
 kept it fix weeks, which make forty-two days, 
 yet all Sundays were excepted out of the fad; 
 and then, fix days being lubdudted, there re¬ 
 mained but thirty-fix days of fading. Who firff 
 added Afhwednefday, and the other three days 
 to the beginning ot Lent, in the Roman church 
 to make them completely forty, is not agreed 
 among their own writers. Some fay, it was the 
 work of Gregory the Great; but others aferibt 
 it to Gregory II. who lived about an hundred 
 years after, in the beginning of the VUIth cen- 
 
 tury. . 
 
 The general defign of this inditution is thus 
 fet forthbv St. Chryfodom : “ Why do we fad 
 thefe forty davs ? Many heretofore were uied to 
 come to the communion indevoutly and inconli- 
 derately, efpecially at this time, when Chrift fird 
 gave it to his difciples. Therefore our forefathers, 
 confidering the mifehiefs arifing from fuch care- 
 lefs approaches, meeting together, appointed 
 forty days for fading and prayer, and hearing of 
 fermons, and for holy affemblies ; that all men, 
 in thefe days, being carefully purified by 
 prayer and almfdeeds, and fading, and watch¬ 
 ing, and tears, and confeflion of fins, and 
 other the like exercifes, might come according to 
 their capacity, wich a pure confidence, to the 
 holy table.” . . 
 
 But if we enquire more particularly into the 
 reafons of indituting the Lent-fad, we fhall find 
 them to be thefe following. Fird, The apodles 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 forrow for the lofs of their nnader. For tins rea- 
 fon, the antients obferved thofe two days,, in 
 which our Saviour lay in the grave, with the 
 gfeited drianefs. Secondly, the declenfion ot 
 Chridian piety from its fird and primitive fervour. 
 Thirdly, that the catechumens might prepare 
 themfelves for baptifm, and the penitents for ab- 
 folution ; Eader being one of the fettled times 
 of baptizing the catechumens, and ablolving the 
 penitents. . _.. 
 
 This foiemn fcafon of fading was umverfally 
 obferved by all Chridians, though with a great 
 liberty, and a juft allowance for mens infirmities; 
 and this was in a great meafure left to their own 
 dilcretion. If men were in health, and able to 
 bear it, the rule and cudom was for them to ob- 
 ferve it. On the other hand, bodily infirmity 
 and weaknefs were always admitted as ajud apo¬ 
 logy for their non-obfervance of it. 
 
 The manner of obferving Lent, among thole 
 who were piouflv difpoled to obferve it, was to 
 abdain from all food till evening. Whence it is 
 natural to conclude, that the pretence of keeping 
 Lent only by a change of diet from field to fifh, 
 is but a mock fad, and an innovation utterly 
 unknown to the antients, whofe Lent fad was a 
 dried and rigorous abdinence from all food till the 
 evening. Their refrefhment was only a fupper, and 
 then it was indifferent whether it was flefh, or any 
 other food, provided it was ufed with fobriety and 
 moderation. Buttherewas no general rule about 
 this matter, as appears from the dory, which 
 Sozomen tells of Spiridion, billiopof Trimithus 
 in Cyprus; that a dranger once happening to 
 call upon him in Lent, he, having nothing in 
 his lioufe but a piece of pork, ordered that to be 
 drefled and fet before him ; but the dranger re- 
 fufing to eat flefh, faying he was a Chridian, 
 Spiridion replied, for' that very reafon thou 
 oughted not to refufe it; for the word of God 
 has pronounced all things clean to them that are 
 clean. 
 
 Lent was thought the proper fealon for exer- 
 cifing more abundantly all forts of charity. 
 Thus what they fpared from their own bodies, 
 by abridging them of a meal, was ulually given 
 to the poor. They likewife employed their va- 
 cant hours in vifiting the fick and imprisoned, 
 in entertaining ftrangers, and reconciling dider- 
 ences. The imperial laws forbad all profecution 
 of men in criminal aftions, which might bring 
 them to corporal punifhment and torture, during 
 this whole feafon. Lent was a time of more than 
 ordinary ftrictnefs and devotion j and therefore, 
 in many of the great churches, they had religi¬ 
 ous affemblies for prayer and preaching eveiy 
 day. They had alfo frequent communions at 
 this time, at leaft on every fabbath or Lord s 
 day. All public games and ftage-plays were pro¬ 
 hibited at this fcafon; as alfo the celebration of 
 all feftivals, birth-days and marriages, as unluit- 
 able to the prefent occafion. . 
 
 Thefe were the common rules obferved in 
 keeping the Lent faft, when it was come to the 
 length of forty days. But there was one week, 
 called the Hebdomas magna; or the great week 
 before Eafter, which they obferved with a greater 
 ftridtnefs and folemnity than all the reft. This is 
 ufually called the Paffion-week, becaule it was 
 the week in which our Saviour lufiered. 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 The Chriftians of the Greek church obferve 
 four Lents. The firft commences on the fifteenth 
 of November, or forty days before Chriftmas. 
 The fecond is our Lent, which immediately 
 precedes Eafter. The third begins the week 
 after Whitfunday, and continues till the feftival 
 of St. Peter and St. Paul. The number of days 
 therefore comprized in this Lent is not fettled 
 and determined, for they are more or lefs ac¬ 
 cording as Whitfunday falls fooner or later. 
 Their fourth Lent commences the firft of Auguft, 
 and lafts no longer than rill the fifteenth. Thefe 
 Lents are obferved with great ftriftnefs and au- 
 fterity. On Saturdays and Sundays they indulge 
 themfelves in drinking wine, and ufing oil, which 
 are prohibited on other days. 
 
 Lent was firft commanded to be obferved in 
 England, by Ercombert, feventh king of Kent, 
 before the year 800. No meat was formerly to 
 be eaten in Lent, but by licence, under certain 
 penalties. And butchers were not to kill fieih 
 in Lent, except for the viftualling of Ships, &c. 
 
 The next thing to be taken notice of is, Bap- 
 tifm, the firft facrament in the Chriftian church. 
 As to what manner this is obferved in the church 
 of Rome, we have already taken notice in our 
 accounts of the Popiih ceremonies. We know 
 of but two objeftions that ever have been made 
 to the form of baptiim, as prafrifed in the 
 church of England, but thefe will be taken no¬ 
 tice of afterwards. 
 
 We have already feen, that the church of Eng¬ 
 land defines baptifm to be, not only a fign of 
 profelTion, and mark of difference, whereby 
 Chriftian men are difcerned from others that be 
 not chnftened ; but it is alio a fign of regenera¬ 
 tion, or new birth, whereby, as by an inftrument, 
 they, that receive baptifm rightly, are grafted 
 into the church : The promifes of the forgivenefs 
 of fin, of our adoption to be the Ions of God, 
 by the holy ghoft, are viably figned and fealed, 
 faith is confirmed, and grace increafed, by vir¬ 
 tue of prayer to God. She adds, that the bap¬ 
 tifm of young children is in any wife to be re¬ 
 tained in the church, as moll agreeable with the 
 inftitution of Chrift. 
 
 In the rubrics of her liturgy, fhe prefcribes, 
 that baptifm be adminiftered only on Sundays 
 and holy-days, except in cafes of neceffity. 
 She requires fponfors for infants i for every male 
 child two godfathers and one godmother ; and 
 for every female two godmothers and one god¬ 
 father. We find this provifion made by a con- 
 ftitution of Edmond, archbifhop of Canterbury, 
 A. D. 1236 ; and in a fynod held at Worcefter, 
 A. D. 1240. By the xxixth canon of our church 
 HO parent is to be admitted to anfweras godfather 
 to his own child. 
 
 The form of adminiftering baptifm is too well 
 known to require a particular account to be given 
 of it; and we Ihail only obferve fome of the more 
 material differences between the form, as it flood 
 in the firft liturgy of king Edward, and that 
 in our Common Prayer book at prefent. Firft, 
 in that of king Edward, we meet with a form of 
 exorcifm, founded upon the like praftice of the 
 primitive church, which our reformers left out, 
 when they took a review of the liturgy in the 5th 
 and 6th of that king. It is as follows : 
 
 the CKURCEI of ENGLAND, Sec. 51 1 
 
 Then let the prieft, looking upon the children, 
 fay ; 
 
 I command thee, unclean Ipirit, in the 
 name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
 Holy Ghoft, that thou come out, and depart 
 from thefe infants, whom our Lord Jefus Chrift 
 hath vouchfafed to call to his holy baptifm, to 
 be made members of his body, and of his holy 
 congregation, Therefore, thou curfed fpirit, 
 remember thy fentence, remember thy jud°-c- 
 ment, remember the day to be at hand, wherein 
 thou fhalt burnineverlaftingfire,prepared forthee 
 and thy angels. And prefume not hereafter to 
 exerciie any tyranny towards thefe infants, whom 
 Chrift hath bought with his precious blood, and 
 by this his holy baptiim calleth to be of his 
 flock.” 
 
 The form of confecrating the water did riot 
 make a part of the office, in king Edward’s Li¬ 
 turgy, as it does in the prefent, becaufe thd 
 water in the font was changed, and confecrated 
 but once a month. The form likewife itfclf was 
 fomething different from that we now ufe, and 
 was introduced with a Ihort prayer, that Jefus 
 Chrift, upon whom, when he was baptifed, the 
 holy ghoft: came down in the likenefs of a 
 dove, would fend down the fame holy fpirit, to 
 lanftify the fountain of baptifm ; which prayer 
 was afterwards left out, at the fecond review 
 of it. 
 
 By king Edward’s firft book, the minifter is to 
 dip the child in the water thrice; firft dipping 
 the right fide; fecondly the left; the third time 
 dipping the face toward the font. This three fold 
 immerfion was a very antient practice in the 
 Chriftian church, and u(ed in honour of the holy 
 trinity : Though fome later writers fay it was 
 done to reprefent the death, burial and refurrec- 
 tion of Chrift, together with his three days con¬ 
 tinuance in the grave. Afterwards, the Arians 
 making an ill ufe of it, by perfuading the people 
 that it was ufed to denote, that the three perfons 
 in the trinity, were three diftindt fubftances, the 
 orthodox left it off, and uled only one finale irn- 
 merfion. 
 
 By the firft Common Prayer of King Edward, 
 after the child was baptifed; the godfathers and 
 godmothers were to lay their hands upon it, and 
 the minifter was to put on him the white veft- 
 ment, commonly called the Chryfome, and to 
 fay : “ Take this white vefture, as a token of 
 the innocency, which, by God’s grace, in this 
 holy facrament of baptifm, is given unto thee ; 
 and for a fign whereby thou art admonifhed, fo 
 long as thou liveft, to give thyfelf to innocence 
 of living, that, after this tranfitory life, thou 
 mayeft be partaker of the life everlafting. 
 Amen. As foon as he had pronounced thefe 
 words, he was to anoint the infant on the head, 
 laying, “ Almighty God, the Father of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift, who hath regenerated thee 
 by water and the holy ghoft, and hath given unto 
 thee remifllon of all thy fins; may he vouchfafe to 
 anoint thee with the undtion of his holy Ipirit, 
 and bring thee to the inheritance of everlafting 
 life. Amen.” This was manifeftly done in imita¬ 
 tion of the pradtice of the primitive church. 
 
 The cuftom of lprinkling children, inftead of 
 dipping them in the font, which at firft was al¬ 
 lowed 
 
5 , 4 The RITES and CEREMONIES c 
 
 lowed, in cai'e of the weaknefs, or fickneis of I 
 the infant, has fo far prevailed, that .mmerfion | 
 is at length quite excluded. What principally j 
 tended to confirm the praftice of afiufion, or | 
 fprinkling, was, that feveral of our Lngliffi 
 divines, flying into Germany and Switzerland, 
 during the bloody reign of queen Mary, and re¬ 
 turning home when queen Elizabeth came to the 
 crown, brought back with them a great zeal for 
 the Proteftant churches beyond lea, where they 
 had been fheltered and received; and, having 
 oblerved, that, at Geneva, and iome other places, 
 baptifm was adminiftered by fprinkling, they 
 thou°ht they could not do the church ot Eng¬ 
 land l greater piece of fervice than by intro¬ 
 ducing a praftice diftared by fo great an oracle 
 as Calvin. This, together with the coldnefs of 
 our northern climate, was what contributed to 
 banilh entirely the praftice of dipping infants in 
 the font. 
 
 ‘Lay-baptifin we find to have been permitted 
 by both the common-prayer books of king Ed¬ 
 ward, and that of queen Elizabeth, when an in¬ 
 fant is in immediate danger of death, and a law¬ 
 ful minilter cannot be had. I his was founded 
 upon the miftaken notion of the impoffibility of 
 falvation without the facrament of baptifm ; 
 but afcerwards, when they came to have clearer 
 notions of the facrament, it was unanimoufiy re- 
 folved in a convocation, held in the year 1575, 
 that even private baptifm, in a cafe of ne- 
 cefiity, was only to be adminiftered by a lawful 
 minifter. 
 
 The objeftions made to the office of baptifm 
 are, firft, the ufe of godfathers and godmochers. 
 At the reformation, it was abfolutely necelfary, 
 that there ffiould have been fponfors for infants, 
 left their parents ffiould have brought them up 
 in the Popiffi religion. It was the fame in the 
 primitive church, as has been already taken notice 
 of, to prevent the children from being brought 
 up Heathens. At prefent, when we confider 
 that almoft univerfal depravity of manners, fo 
 prevalent among the people, we are led to wiffi 
 that pious perfons could be found, who would 
 take care to fee the children brought up in the 
 fear of God. On the other hand, when we re- 
 fled: on the condud of thole perfons who fre¬ 
 quently affume the charaders ot fponfors, fuch 
 as drunken fots and giddy girls, who never in¬ 
 tend to pay any regard to the folemn promife 
 they have made as it were before God, and a 
 Chriftian congregation, we are apt to wiffi that 
 none were admitted, but fuch as would do their 
 duty. We know but of one law in the church of 
 England that forbids a father to be fponfor for his 
 own child, but long ufage has given a fandion to 
 the prefent pradice. Let fponfors, however, 
 beware of mocking God, but if they will take 
 that office upon them, let them endeavour, 
 through the Divine affiftance, to difeharge their 
 duty. 
 
 The fecond objedion is, that made to the ufe 
 of the fign of the crofs. We have already ta¬ 
 ken notice, that this was ufed in the primitive 
 church, and lord King thinks it firft began about 
 the middle of the fecond century. After that 
 time, it began to be generally pradifed, but not 
 impofed, fo that people were left at liberty to ufe 
 
 f the CHURCH of ENGLAND, See. 
 
 it or let it alone. Soon after the time of Con- 
 ftantine the Great, it was become fo umverial, 
 that it was confidered as an impofed duty on 
 the clergymen to crofs the children in the lacra- 
 
 ment of baptifm. . 
 
 We find from what we have taken notice ot 
 before, that the ritual for baptifm in the begin¬ 
 ning of the reign of kingEdward, had fomething 
 in it very fuperftitious. As for the making 
 the fign of the crofs there can be no harm in it, 
 unlefTpeople believe that it has fomething m it 
 of a facred nature. Thofe who fubmit to it as 
 the mode ufed in an eftablifhed church, fhould 
 look upon it as an indifferent thing, but thofe 
 who confider it as inconfiftent with the word of 
 God, fhould by no means ufe it. There is, how¬ 
 ever, in this country, but little reafon to com¬ 
 plain, for there is fuch liberty for tender con- 
 lcicnces, that although the minifter cannot dif- 
 penfe with the aft of uniformity, yet any man 
 who is of opinion that baptifm is abfolutely ne- 
 ceffary to infants, may apply to the Diffenters, 
 none of whom ufe the fign of the crofs. 
 
 The next thing to be confidered is confir¬ 
 mation. 
 
 In the primitive times, this was a grand cere¬ 
 mony in the church. It frequently followed im¬ 
 mediately after baptifm, when the party made a 
 folemn promife before the bilhop and all the con¬ 
 gregation prefent, that he would live according 
 to the rules of the gol'pel. He was then admit¬ 
 ted to the communion, afeer the bifnop had 
 prayed for him, and laid his hands on his head. 
 It was abfolutely neceffary, that fuch a declara¬ 
 tion Ihould be made, efpecially as the people 
 were but newly converted from Heathenilm. 
 And the fame circumftance took place here im¬ 
 mediately after the reformation. It was necef¬ 
 fary that the minifters of parilhes fhould know 
 to whom they adminiftered the communion, and 
 therefore it was ordered, that thofe who intended 
 to partake of that holy ordinance, fhould firft 
 be inftrufted in the principles of the Chriftian 
 religion ; for no folemn myftery injoined in the 
 New Teftament mull be trifled with. 
 
 It is therefore appointed both by the canons 
 and by feveral public afts, that-all thofe who are 
 to be confirmed, muft produce a certificate of 
 their knowledge from the minifter of the parifh 
 where they refide. This ordinance is oblerved by 
 the Lutherans, and although not attended to by 
 many Proteftants, yet we fhall have occaljon to 
 point out wherein they have fomething like it. 
 Indeed, we do not know that ever any of the 
 Proteftants fpoke or wrote againft confirmation, 
 but in fome of their writings we find them com¬ 
 plaining of abufes in the ceremony, namely, it is 
 not attended to with that aweful reverence it was 
 in the primitive church. All we can fay on this 
 head is, that our bifhops Ihould confider whether 
 it would not be much better to vifit their pa- 
 rilhes once every year, than once in three years. 
 Bp. Jewel ufed to fay, “ A bilhop Ihould die 
 c< preaching,” and iurely the gates of heaven 
 muft be ready opened for that minifter who leaves 
 this world doing his duty. 
 
 We come next to the Eucharift or facrament 
 of the Lord’s Supper, which in all Chriftian 
 churches makes a part of divine worlhip. This 
 
 facrament. 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. cij 
 
 facrament, as well as that of baptifm, was infti- 
 tuted by Chrift himfelf; and by many divines it 
 has been called Chrift’s lafb legacy to his people. 
 It was conftituted to be kept up in remembrance 
 of him to the end of the world. We are allured 
 by Pliny, in his epiftle to the emperor Trajan, 
 that the Chriftians met on one day in feven, and 
 had a feaft together. This fealt was no other than 
 what we now call the communion. In the be¬ 
 ginning of Chriftianity, the whole church or 
 body of Chriftians met together; and thofe who 
 had been baptized were admitted to the commu¬ 
 nion. But as they began to multiply, a more 
 rigid difcipline was found neceflary, catechu¬ 
 mens, penitents, and all who were found guilty 
 of any fcandalous offences, were debarred from 
 the communion ; the former, till they had been 
 properly inftrudted, and the latter, till they had 
 given fufficient proofs of their amendment. The 
 bilhop always walked his hands before he confe- 
 created the elements, according to the words of 
 the pfalmift, <c I will walh my hands in inno- 
 <f cency, fo will I go to thine altar.” But as thefe 
 things have been treated of at large in our ac¬ 
 count of the primitive church, we lhall there¬ 
 fore only take notice of fome traditions concern¬ 
 ing the efficacy of the eucharift, which we have 
 carefully collected from different hiftorians. Thefe 
 traditions, however, are not related as fadts, but 
 merely as forgeries invented, when the purity of 
 Chriftianity was on the decline. 
 
 Optatus tells us, that fome Donatifts, who, in 
 their mad zeal againft the Catholics, ordered 
 the eucharift which they had confecrated to be 
 thrown to their dogs, but not without an imme¬ 
 diate fign of divine vengeance on them ; for the 
 dogs, inftead of devouring the elements, fell 
 upon their mailers and tore them in pieces. 
 
 Again it is related of St. Laurence, that being 
 extended on a red-hot gridiron in order to fuffer 
 martyrdom, the facramental bread and wine 
 which he had juft before received, rendered him 
 quite infenfible of the force and violence of the 
 fire; and that this furprifing event converted a 
 great many people, who were prelent to fee the 
 execution. 
 
 The adls of St. Stephen relate a remarkable 
 ftory concerning the eucharift, of one Tharficus, 
 an Acolyth, who, as he was carrying home fome 
 of the confecrated elements, met with a company 
 of foldiers, who demanded of him what he was 
 carrying; and upon his refufal to difcover the 
 facred myfteries to thofe infidels, they beat him 
 to death. The ftory adds, that God confirmed his 
 piety* and prudence by a miracle; for the foldiers, 
 though they fearched all over him, could not 
 find what he wiffied to conceal from them. 
 
 Macedonius, bilhop of Conftantinople, in the 
 fourth century, and a great perfecutor of the No- 
 vatians, having long hated fome of thofe poor 
 people, obliged them, againft their will to com¬ 
 municate with him, by forcing open their mouths 
 and thrufting the eucharift down their throats, 
 which to them was the moll infupportable of all 
 puniffiments. 
 
 The hiftorian Sozomen relates, that a certain 
 woman of the Macedonian fedt, being obliged 
 by the threats of her hufband to difiemble an 
 inclination to embrace the Catholic faith, came 
 43 
 
 to church, in order to receive the eucharift, 
 where, inftead of fwallowing the confecrated 
 bread, ffie privately conveyed it away, and put 
 another piece fhe had brought with her into her 
 mouth. But by the judgement of God, when 
 fhe endeavoured to eat it, ffie found it changed, 
 into a Hone, upon which ffie became a fincere 
 convert to the Catholic faith. 
 
 St. Atiftin relates of one Acacious, that he 
 came into the world with his eylids fo clofed, 
 that he could fee nothing, and that his mother, 
 by applying the eucharift to his eyes in the form 
 of a plaifter, brought him prefently to light. 
 
 We are likewife told by St. Auftin, of a young 
 girl, who being poffeffed by the devil, and hav¬ 
 ing continued twenty-eight days without nou- 
 riffiment, was difpofiefTed and perfedtly reftored 
 to health, by partaking of the eucharift. 
 
 We have mentioned thefe things for the behe- 
 fit of our Proteftant readers, who ought to be ori 
 their guard when they read the writings of the 
 antient fathers. And here we may find, that 
 juft after the time of Conftantine the Great, the 
 priefts began to extol the eucharift fo much, that 
 the foundation of the corporeal prefence was 
 laid. The magnifying any thing beyond its 
 proper merits, or the defign for which it was 
 appointed is firft, fuperftition, and then gene¬ 
 rally ends in idolatry. This is always the efFedt 
 of will worffiip, or doing what is not com¬ 
 manded ; and if we can here find fuch a name as 
 that of St. Auftin giving countenance to fuch 
 notions, we need not be much furpriled at find¬ 
 ing the fame in latter writers. 
 
 The compilers of our common-prayer book 
 originally extracted this fervice out of feveral an¬ 
 tient liturgies, as thofe of St. Bafil, St. Ambrofe, 
 and St. Gregory ; but Bucer having found greac 
 fault with it, it therefore went under feveral 
 alterations. The office was originally defigned 
 to be diftindt, and confequently to be ufed at a 
 different time from morning prayer. A cuftom* 
 which biffiop Overall fays was obferved in his 
 time in York and Chichefter ; and he imputes it 
 to the negligence of the minifters, and carelefs- 
 nefs of the people, that they are ever huddled 
 together into one office. 
 
 By the laft rubric after this office, part of it is 
 appointed to be read on every Sunday and holy- 
 day, though there be no communicants ; and the 
 reafon feems to have been, that the church may 
 ffiew her readinefs to adminifter the facrament 
 upon thofe days, and that it is not hers, but the 
 people’s fault, that it is not adminiftered : or it 
 might be fo ordered for the fake of reading the 
 Decalogue, or Ten Commandments, the Colledts, 
 Epiftles, and Gofpels, and the Nicene Creed; 
 together with the Offertory, or fer.tences of fcrip- 
 ture, and the prayer for Chrift’s church. 
 
 As there has been much difpute concerning 
 the propriety of having altars in churches, where 
 there is no facrifice, we find it neceftary to take 
 fome notice of the place where the church of 
 England orders the eucharift to be celebrated* 
 And here it is neceffary that we ffiould firft de- 
 fcribe the progrefs of the primitive church, and 
 then compare it with the pradlice of the reformed. 
 
 This holy table was diftinguiffied, among the 
 primitive Chriftians, by the name of altar; and 
 6 O Mr, 
 
5 1 + The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 Mr. Mede thinks it was ufually fo called for the 
 two firft ages, and that the name table is not to 
 be found in any author of thofe ages now re¬ 
 maining. However, it is certain they did not 
 mean by the altar, what the Jews and Heathens 
 meant, either an altar adorned with images or 
 idols, like thofe of the Heathens, or an altar for 
 bloody facrifices, which was the life of them 
 both among Jews and Gentiles. But for their 
 own myihcal, unbloody facrifice, as they called 
 the eucharift, they always owned they had an 
 altar, which they fcrupled not to term indif¬ 
 ferently by that name. 
 
 The communion-tables, or altars, of the pri¬ 
 mitive Chriftians feem to have been made only 
 of wood, till the time of Conllantine, when done 
 altars were brought in, together with the ftatelinefs. 
 and magnificence of churches. The pontifical 
 fpeaks of filver altars, dedicated by Condantine. 
 And, as the materials, of which altars were 
 made, were changed, fo the form and falhion of 
 them began to be'changed likewife : For whereas, 
 before, they were in the form of tables, they 
 now began to be erefted more like altars, either 
 upon a fingle done, or pillar, in the middle, or 
 upon an edifice erected like a tomb. 
 
 Among the primitive Chridians there never 
 was more than one altar in a church. One bilhop 
 and one altar, is the known aphorifm of Ignatius. 
 Some are of opinion, that, anciently, there was 
 but one altar in a whole city, or diocefe, belong¬ 
 ing to a bilhop; notwithdanding there were 
 many churches. But this is a point involved in 
 too much obfeurity to be eafily determined. 
 
 In fome of the more dately churches, as that 
 of Sanfta Sophia at Conftantinople, the altar was 
 over-fbadowed with a fort of canopy. It was 
 railed in the form of a little turret, upon four 
 pillars, at each corner of the altar. The heads 
 of the pillars were adorned with filver bowls ; the 
 top of it was in the form of a fphere, adorned 
 with graven dowers : Above the fphere dood the 
 crols ; and the feveral arches below, between the 
 pillars, were hung with veils or curtains, which 
 ferved to cover and conceal the whole altar. 
 Sometimes the Holy Ghod was reprelented, in 
 the effigies of a diver dove, hovering over the 
 altar. 
 
 The holy veffels, which they made ufe of to 
 adminider the eucharidin, made another part of 
 the ornaments of the communion-table, or altar. 
 The materials, it is true, were fometimes no bet¬ 
 ter than plain glafs or wood; but, in the more 
 dately churches, they were often of gold or 
 filver. What this holy furniture confided of, 
 we may judge from an inventory of communion- 
 plate, given in to the perfecutors by Paul, bilhop 
 of Cirta. There we find two gold cups, fix 
 filver cups, fix filver water-pots, feven lamps, and 
 fome other things. 
 
 As to the ceremony of bowing towards the 
 altar at their fird entrance into the churches, Mr. 
 Mede thinks there is no plain demondration of 
 it in the antient writers, but fome probability of 
 fuch a cudom derived from the Jews, who ufed 
 to bow themfelves down towards the mercy-feat. 
 It is certain, the Chridians, both of the Greek 
 and oriental churches, have, time out of mind, 
 and without any known beginning thereof, ufed 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
 to bow towards the altar, repeating the words of 
 the publican in the goJpcl, “ God be merciful to 
 “ me a finneras appears by the liturgies of 
 St. Chryfodom and St. Bad, which cudom not 
 being founded on any known decree, or canon 
 of a council, and being agreeable to the pradtice 
 of the Jewifh church, to which the Chridian 
 fucceeded, may therefore fairly be fuppofed to 
 have been derived to them from fome very re¬ 
 mote and antient tradition. 
 
 The communion-table or altar, in the primi¬ 
 tive church, was placed at the upper end, not 
 clofe to the wall, as it is at prefent, but at fome 
 little didance from it; fo that the bilhop’s 
 throne might be behind it, and room enough left 
 in a void fpace to encompafs or go round it. 
 And this is the meaning of Eufebius, who, 
 fpeaking of the church of Paulinus, fays, “ He 
 fet the holy of holies, the altar, in the middle;” 
 not in the middle of the nave, or body of the 
 church, as fome have mifunderdood it; but in 
 the middle of the bema, or fanftuary, at fuch a 
 didance from the upper end, as that the feats of 
 the bilhops and prefbyters might be behind it. 
 Dr. Hammond, and other learned men, think, 
 this pofition of the altar in the Chridian churches 
 was in imitation of the altar in the Jewifh temple, 
 to which the pfalmid alludes in thofe words; 
 ct I will wafh my hands in innocency, and fo 
 ct will I compafs thine altar.” 
 
 At the beginning of the reformation in Eng- 
 land, a difpute arole, whether the communion¬ 
 tables of the altar-fafhion, which had been ufed 
 in Popifh times, and on which mattes had been 
 celebrated, fhould be ftill continued. This occa- 
 fioned a letter from the king and council to all 
 the bifhops, requiring them to pull down the 
 altars j and, when the liturgy was reviewed, in 
 1551, the rubric was altered, and the prieft was 
 diredted to Hand on the north fide, not on the 
 altar as it was before, but of the table. 
 
 In the reign of queen Elizabeth, when the re¬ 
 formation firft received a civil eftablilhment, then 
 it was that our reformers difplayed a confiderable 
 ttiare of moderation. They appointed that the 
 communion-table fhould be either in the church 
 or chancel, but not a word concerning altars. In 
 this manner things continued till the reign of 
 Charles I. when one half of the people ran mad 
 in favour of Puritanifm, and the other half in 
 favour of fuperftition. The love of ceremonies 
 trampled over the love of truth, and oppofition 
 to government was confidered as a virtue. It 
 was at that time, that Dr. Laud caufed the book 
 of Sports to be publifhed, by which people were 
 permitted to play at all forts of games after Di¬ 
 vine fervice on Sundays. This circumftance 
 proved fatal at that time to the church of Eng¬ 
 land, but affliction taught her leaders wifdom. 
 
 In 1634, Laud procured an order, that all 
 thofe tables where the people communicated, 
 fhould be removed from the middle of the 
 church, and placed within rails on the eaft end 
 of the chancel, and this was to be called the altar. 
 It is impottible to deferibe all the confufions that 
 took place on this occafion. The Puritan mi- 
 nifters, by their attedted aufterity, had gained on 
 the minds of the people, who were become as 
 much Haves to them as ever they had been to the 
 
 Popifh 
 
the RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 Popifli priefts. They faid, that to fet up altars 
 was the fame as to fet up Popery, and as fome of 
 the clergy were more forward in this affair than 
 others, fo it occafioned many tumults, fomented 
 by the puritans, and laughed at by the Papifts. 
 
 At Grantham, in Lincolnfhire, the vicar of the 
 parifii procured a piece of painting from one of 
 the remains of an abbey, and had it placed 
 within the altar. All his hearers were Puritans, 
 and the fettingup the painting drove them almoft 
 Hark mad. And here it may be juftly faid in the 
 words of a celebrated author, “ There were fire 
 “ and tow affembled.” The vicar loved cere¬ 
 monies, and the people hated them. A combi¬ 
 nation of the parifhoners went to the church 
 to demolifh the altar, and the vicar to defend it. 
 A (lout battle enfued, in which the vicar, who 
 feems to have been a man of courage, lifted a 
 form upon his (houlder, and knocked down five 
 or fix of the affailants. The clergy who cannot 
 teach people wifdom, (hould drive it into 
 them. 
 
 Here was a fine opportunity for the Papifts to 
 laugh at the fimplicity and weaknefs of Laud, 
 who, to ufe the words of bifhop Burnet, “ Drove 
 “ all things into confufion.” Ward, who wrote 
 a book called England’s Reformation, takes no¬ 
 tice of this, when he fays. 
 
 What mifehiefs did in Kirks arife. 
 
 By fetting tables altar wife ; 
 
 How Grantham’s vicar by the rabble. 
 
 Was bang'd about the communion-table. 
 
 By the aft of uniformity, none is to com¬ 
 municate in public, but at the altar, and they are 
 to receive the elements kneeling. The ceremony 
 of kneeling at the facrament is°obferved by the 
 Lutherans and the church of England, but not 
 by any other Proteftants that we know of. In 
 this country, it has occafioned much contention, 
 and a variety of dilputes. This much is certain, 
 that kneeling at the communion was not ufed in 
 the primitive church till after the time of Con- 
 ftantine the Great. And yet there can be no 
 harm in the ceremony, fo as it is not ufed to fu- 
 perftition. It is certain, that the rubric has 
 cautioned people againft running into fuperfti- 
 tion, and perhaps to the liberal and enlarged in 
 fentiment, it will be much the fame, whether 
 they commemorate the death of their Redeemer 
 kneeling, or Handing. In all things of an indif¬ 
 ferent nature, people Ihould be left to their own 
 diferetion ; for where the confcience is once 
 wounded, there can remain no peace of mind. 
 Laft of all, let us confider that this holy ordi¬ 
 nance is a feaft of charity, and was confidered as 
 filch by the primitive Chriftians. With what o-reat 
 hare then ought we to examine ourfelves, whe¬ 
 ther we have any grudge or malice againft our 
 neighbours, for we ought not to go to the Lord’s 
 table with any befides thofe with whom we could 
 wifh to fit down in heaven. 
 
 Marriage, as in all other Proteftant countries 
 except one, mud in England be performed by a 
 clergyman. That marriage is in the law of na¬ 
 ture a civil inftitution, is known to every hifto- 
 rian, and the fentiment is eftablifhed by all mo¬ 
 dern writers, who have treated of the laws of 
 nature and nations. The Jewiffi marriages were 
 civil contrafts, attended with fome innocent ce- 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. S j S 
 
 remonies, and the bifhops, in the primitive ages 
 of Chriftianity, never meddled with thofe things, 
 their foie care being to prevail on the people °to 
 livean a ftate of chaftity, according to the apofto- 
 lical inftitution, “ Let every man have his own 
 “ wife, and every woman her own hufband.” 
 
 We are not exadly certain as to the time when 
 the Chriftian priefts firft claimed the privilege 
 of marrying the people, all that we know ts, 
 that it was pradtifed before the reign of the em¬ 
 peror Juftinian, who lived in the fixth century. 
 That emperor publifhed an edift, forbidding 
 any perfon to perform the ceremony of marriage 
 except a clergyman. To enforce the clerical 
 power, he made this a principle in the pandedts, 
 and from that time till the time of the reforma¬ 
 tion, it was an object of great emolument to 
 the priefts who performed the ceremony, and 
 to the popes who affumed the power of letting 
 afide marriages whenever they pleafed. 
 
 At the reformation, the Lutherans did not 
 follow the Popifh rule of making a facrament of 
 marriage, but dill they retained many of the 
 ceremonies. In the church of Em-land, it is 
 likewife declared not to be a facrament, but the 
 privilege of performing it is dill confined to the 
 clergy ; and by the marriage adt, 1754, there 
 are feveral reftridtions laid upon this" bond of 
 union, that were unknown before. This adt 
 has defeated its own intention, which was that 
 of preventing young perfons from marrying with¬ 
 out the confent of their parents or guardians. 
 Avarice inlpired the fentiment, and pride fup- 
 ported its operations. By this adt, deftrudtive of 
 the natural rights of the human race, dreadful 
 enormities have been committed. Thofe who 
 found they could not elude the force of it in 
 England, made elopements to Scotland, where 
 they were married without the confent of their 
 parents; and thefe marriages are declared by the 
 court of feffion, the fupreme court of judicature 
 in that part of the ifland, to be legal; and this 
 decifion has been affirmed in the houfe of lords, 
 from whole decree no appeal lies. 
 
 But as rr.oft of thefe matches were, and ftill are 
 concluded in the heat of youthful unguarded 
 paffion, and as the parents frequently withdrew 
 from them what was intended as a marriage Dor- 
 tion, fo poverty creates uneafinefs, brings on a 
 coldnefs between the parties, and they are fel- 
 dom happy. But this is not the worft efted of 
 the ad, it operates (hockingly, and with a 
 baleful influence On the morals of thofe in high 
 life. Young ladies, being forced by their parents 
 to enter into the marriage ftate with perfons 
 who have nothing to recommend them but 
 money, are tempted to engage in unlawful 
 plealures, and to this is owing the vaft number 
 of divorces that have taken place in this country. 
 Indeed, thefe have been multiplied lo much of 
 late years, that the lower clafles of people, copy¬ 
 ing the example of their luperiors, have as 
 it were laughed at all moral obligation, and en¬ 
 deavoured to unhinge the balls ofhumaa fociety. 
 The evil has ipread far and wide, and we (hould 
 not have been lb explicit on it, had it not been 
 learnedly animadverted upon, by fome of the 
 members of both houfes of parliament, who 
 are in theif private and public charaders, an orna¬ 
 ment to human fociety. Methods have beenpro- 
 
 pofed 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
 
 n 
 
 pofed to put a ftop to the growing evil, but they 
 have all met with violent oppofition, and where 
 it will end God only knows. , 
 
 The church of England, though fhe does not 
 confider marriage as a facrament, yet looks upon 
 ft as an inftitution fo facred, that it ought always 
 to be celebrated by an eccleflaftical perton. And 
 by feveral canons of our church, it is declared 
 to be no lei's than proftituting one s daughter 
 to give her in marriage without the bleffing of 
 the prieft. But marriages without this tanftion 
 are not, therefore, null and void, for, though 
 the pofitive law of man ordains marriage to be 
 made by a prieft, that law only makes mar¬ 
 riages, otherwife folemnized, irregular, but does 
 not diffolve them. 
 
 There is no canon, or cuftom of this realm, 
 which prohibits marriages to be folemnized at 
 any time The eccleflaftical courts, it is true, 
 pretend, that a licenfe is neceffary, to impower 
 perfons to marry, during fuch times as are faid 
 to be prohibited, viz. from Advent-Sunday, to 
 the Oftave of the Epiphany inclufive; from 
 Septuagef.ma-Sunday, till the1 Sunday after Eaf- 
 ter inclufive ; and from the firft of the Rogation- 
 days, that is, the Monday before Afcenfion-day, 
 till the day before Trin.ty-Sunday inclufive. 
 Duriiur thefe pretended prohibited times, they 
 allow no perfons to marry by banes only, as at 
 
 other times of the year. 
 
 For better fecurity againft clandeftine mar- 
 riages, the church orders, that all marriages be 
 celebrated in the day time. By the LXIId ca¬ 
 non, they are ordered to be performed in time of 
 divine fervice i but that praftice is now almoft, 
 by univerfal confent, laid abide and difcontmued. 
 The canonical hours for celebrating of matri¬ 
 mony are, from eight to twelve in the forenoon. 
 Formerly it was required, that the bridegroom 
 and bride Ihould be fatting, when they made 
 their matrimonial vow ; by which means they 
 were fecured from being made incapable, by 
 drink, of ailing decently and dilcreetly in fo 
 
 weighty an affair. , - ... , ■ 
 
 The impediments to marriage are fpecified m 
 the toad canon of our church, and are thefe : 
 
 I A preceeding marriage, or contrail, or any 
 controverfy or fuit depending upon the fame. a. 
 Confanguinity or affinity. 3. Mi ant of the con¬ 
 fent of parents or guardians. In Henry Vlllth s 
 time an aft was paffcd, that marriages, folem- 
 niled' and confummated, Ihould Hand good, not- 
 withftanding any precontraft, that had not been 
 conlummated. But this was done only to gra¬ 
 tify the king -, and therefore, in the next reign, 
 this ail was repealed. As to the impediment 
 of confanguinity or affinity, there is a table of 
 prohibited degrees, drawn up by archilhop Bar¬ 
 ker, and fet forth by authority in 1563. 
 
 There is one objeftion that has been made to 
 the ceremony of marriage in the church of Eng- 
 land, and that is the ufe of the ring. Among 
 the antient Heathens the ring was confidered as 
 an emblem of eternity, becaufe a ring has no 
 end. We find feveral inftances of this in antient 
 hiftory, particularly among the Egyptians and 
 it was to pleafe the Heathens that the Chnftian 
 clergy, about the latter end of the fixth cen tury, 
 adopted the ceremony. From that time till the 
 
 reformation, it was kept up; but in the Greek 
 church, the parties in marriage exchange rings 
 with each other, fo that both hufband and wife 
 has one each. At the reformation, it was re¬ 
 tained by the Lutherans, and by the church of 
 England, but all other Proteftant churches ex¬ 
 ploded it. However, as the Englifh Diffenters 
 are all obliged to marry in the church they 
 ufe the ring in common with the others, except 
 the Friends, vulgarly called Quakers, who never 
 make ufe of it. All we have to fay concerning 
 this difpute, is, that we do not think it worth 
 the mentioning, nor a fubjeftof ferious enquiry. 
 If women will have hufbands, no doubt but they 
 will accept of the ring along with the male 
 partner ; for as Mr. Gray fays, 
 
 “ What female heart’s averfe to gold.” 
 
 It puts us in mind of what Cartwright, the 
 Puritan minifter faid, when being afked what ob- 
 jeflions he had to a fquare hat, anfwered, that 
 his head was not fquare. There are fome other 
 religious difputes, which might be terminated in 
 the fame manner. 
 
 We are here obliged to take notice of another 
 objection made by feveral perfons, and that is 
 againft the following words, " With my body, I 
 “ thee worffiip.” This was a dreadful bugbear 
 to fome enthuftafts in the laft century, who did 
 not underftand what the word worftiip pointed 
 out. They imagined that worftiip and divine fer¬ 
 vice were fynonymous terms. Now the fimple 
 meaning of the expreffion is, that as the Chrif- 
 tian dedicates himlelf wholly to God, fo the man 
 who enters into the marriage ftate, Ihould con¬ 
 fider that he is fo connected with his wife, as 
 not to have any thing to do with harlots. 
 
 As marriage is neceffary on many accounts, 
 and as it is one of the ordinances appointed to be 
 obferved in the church, fo it ought to be attended 
 to with great care, nor was it ever defpifed but 
 by libertines. The comforts of focietyj the mu¬ 
 tual affiftance that the one fex Ihould give to the 
 other , the propagation of the human lpecies; the 
 care of bringing up children, and induftry in 
 providing for them, are all included under this 
 name. The debauchee may enjoy a temporary 
 pleafure, attended with a fevere repentance ; the 
 virtuous man who is married, knows the fweets 
 of human life. If he is afflided, he has a help¬ 
 mate to fympathize with himj if he is in a ftate 
 of profperity, then ftie will partake of his com¬ 
 forts. Their children will grow up together as 
 ornaments of human fociety, as faints pre¬ 
 pared for heaven, and on a death-bed it will be 
 their confolation, that they have not lived in vain. 
 We cannot conclude this article better than in 
 the words of Milton, the greateft poet perhaps 
 that ever lived in the world, next to the infpired 
 writers. 
 
 Hail, wedded love! myfterious law ! true fource 
 Of human offspring! foie propriety 
 In paradife, of all things common elfe ! 
 
 By thee adulterous lull was driven from man. 
 Among the beftial herds to range : by thee. 
 Founded in realon, loyal, juft, and pure. 
 Relations dear, and the charities 
 Of father, fon, and brother, firft were known; 
 
 Perpetual 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 Perpetual fountain of domellic l'weets! 
 
 Here love his golden lliafts employs, here lights 
 His conftant lamp, and waves his purple wings: 
 Here reigns and revels ; not in the bought fmile 
 Of harlots, lovelefs, joylefs, unindear’d, 
 
 Cafual fruition ; nor in court-amours. 
 
 Mix’d dance, or wanton malk, or midnight ball, 
 Or lerenade, which the ftarv'd lover fings 
 l'o his proud fair, bell quitted with difdain. 
 
 1 he next thing to be confidered is, the vifita- 
 tion of the fick, a duty which has been attended 
 to among!! all ranks and denominations of Chrif- 
 tians, and it points out a fixed belief of eternity; 
 for what occafion would there be to vifit the fick, 
 if there was not a belief of an aweful change tak- 
 ing place foon afterwards. We know but of 
 one objection that has been made to the office for 
 the vifitation of the fick, and that is, the abfo- 
 lution. Undoubtedly, there are here fome words 
 that might have been more clearly expreifed, fo 
 as to remove all forts of doubt, and to extinguiffi 
 ambiguity; but where is perfeftion to be found 
 in human things ? It appears by the rubric, that 
 the minifter is to pronounce this abfolution in 
 confequence of a firm perfuafion that the fick 
 man is a real penitent; and as he does it by the 
 authority of Chriff, confequently we fhould ima¬ 
 gine that no real Proteftant would confider it in 
 an improper light. We are loth to enter into 
 difputes of that nature ; but this much is certain, 
 that ablolution to fick perfons was very early 
 ufed in the church, even before the time of Con- 
 ftantine the Great; but if it was turned to fu- 
 perftition afterwards, we are not to anfwer for it, 
 being convinced that the church of England 
 gives no encouragement to it, unlefs a few Ample 
 words can be conftrued to that purpofe. 
 
 _ The burial of the dead naturally follows the 
 vifitation of the fick, and the rubric enjoins that 
 it (hall not be ufed for any that die unbaptized 
 or excommunicated, or who have laid violent 
 hands on themfelves. Thefe words of the ru¬ 
 bric have occafioned much controverfy ; for firft 
 it fuppofes, or at lealt infinuates, that thole who 
 die unbaptized cannot be faved. This notion 
 was never embraced in the Chriftian church till 
 the tenth century, when it was eftablilhed into a 
 law by the council of St. John de Lateran. Se¬ 
 condly, as to perfons excommunicated in the 
 church of England, they may be fo for civil of¬ 
 fences, and to deny them Chriftian burial, ac¬ 
 cording to the rites of their own church, is join¬ 
 ing civil and ecclefiaftical jurifdiftion together. 
 Laftly, as to thole who have laid violent hands 
 on themfelves, the general praffice of this coun¬ 
 try has fet afide the barbarity of the rubric. In- 
 quefts generally fet afide common homicides, 
 becaufe it is imagined that none would put an 
 end to their lives, unlefs they were madmen. To 
 delpife life, indicates a privation of judgement, 
 and therefore we generally find that our inquefts 
 return their verdidts Lunacy. However, this is 
 not all, thefentiment arifes according to the fenfe 
 of the rubric, from a belief that thofe who lay 
 violent hands on themfelves can have no time to 
 repent, and confequently are loft for ever. That 
 felf-murder is a horrid crime is not to be de¬ 
 puted, and God forbid that we Ihould (land up 
 44 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 5 t 7 
 
 in defence of it; but then who is to limit Divine 
 omnipotence ? Mr. Clark repeats a ftory, which 
 although perhaps not true, yet it may ferve to 
 point out the fentiments of a charitable Chrif¬ 
 tian. 
 
 A very profane man riding one day on horfe- 
 back,^ fell and was killed in the very aft of fwear- 
 ing. That his foul was gone to hell mod: people 
 believed, and yet a bye-ftander declared he heard, 
 a voice utter the following words : 
 
 Betwixt the faddle and the ground, 
 
 Mercy Was fought, and mercy found. 
 
 We mention this, not as a real fad!, but only 
 to point out what are frequently the fentiments 
 of men on fuch a fubjeft. Great caution ffiould 
 be tiled in forming notions of the ftate of our 
 departed friends. God has ways to govern the 
 exertions of his glorious attributes, with which 
 we are utterly unacquainted, and to acknowledge 
 our ignorance is the fure way to attain to 
 wildom. 
 
 There is, however another objeflion to this 
 ceremony, which has been frequently made by 
 the Di {Tenters, and that arifes from the repeti¬ 
 tion of the words, ft In fure and certain hope 
 “ of refurreflion to eternal life.” By a fure 
 and certain hope can only be meant a well 
 grounded hope, and that is fuch an hope as is 
 founded upon rational principles. Therefore, if 
 there is any ambiguity in the expreffion, it does 
 not feem to arile from fuperftition in our refor¬ 
 mers, but rather from a charitable principle. 
 
 The next ceremony in the church of England 
 is, that of returning thanks to the great G°od of 
 nature and providence, for delivering women in 
 child-birth. This praftice is attended to in one 
 form or other by all the Proteftant churches 
 we know of, whether eftablilhed by law, or Dif- 
 fenters. And can any thing in the world be 
 more juft ? Natural religion points out that we 
 fhould return thanks to God for every favour we 
 teceive from him, and Chriftianity enforces the 
 duty by the mod folemn fanftions. Our grati¬ 
 tude Ihould at leaft be, as far as lays in our power 
 proportioned to the benefits we have received ’ 
 and what lufferings in this life can be compared 
 with thofe of a woman who goes through the 
 pains of child-bearing ? And, if the affliaion is 
 1 ° great, If there is a living mother, and what 
 is ftill more, a living child ? How chearfully 
 ffiould thole concerned, go into the houfe of God, 
 and acknowledge the obligation they are under 
 to him. So far as we know, there has never yet 
 been any exception made to a fingle paffave in 
 this office, by any of our Diffienting brethren It 
 follows the practice of the Jewiffi church, in 
 which they were to offer a turtle-dove, or two 
 young pigeons ; but Chriftianity requires the fa- 
 enfice of the heart. 
 
 The commination, the laft ceremony to be 
 taken notice of, has its rife from a practice in the 
 antient church, when the biffiop, or in his ab- 
 lence, any other lawful minifter, declared, that 
 thofe who had not repented of grofs fins or im¬ 
 moralities, fhould not prefume to come to the 
 Lord’s table. That fuch a praftice exifted in the 
 primitive church, is acknowledged in the rubric 
 to this office. The whole ceremony is plain and 
 ® ^ Ample, 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
 fimple, and the man who is confcious of his guilt, 
 may freely acknowledge himi'elf as curled in the 
 fight of God for the fins he has committed, with¬ 
 out lofing hopes of the Divine favour, which no 
 doubt will be communicated to him in confe- 
 quence of his accepting of falvation, according 
 to the terms offered in the gofpel. 
 
 Such is the public fervice of the church of 
 England, and perhaps, upon a difpaflionate en¬ 
 quiry, it will be found that very few exceptions 
 in the eye of reafon can be made to it. There 
 can be no criticifing, however, in thefe affairs, lo 
 that we muff fpeak with candour, concerning all 
 thole who differ from us. 
 
 The next thing to be confidered in the church 
 of England is, her government, which is different 
 from all other Proteftant churches in the world. 
 She is the fame in her difcipline, and both tliele 
 muft be explained to the reader. 
 
 England is governed in ecclefiaftical matters, 
 by two archbifhops, and twenty-four bifhops, and 
 under thefe, by deans of cathedrals, archdea¬ 
 cons, redtors, and vicars of pariffics; all which 
 muft be properly attended to, efpecially as we 
 muft foon take notice of Calvinifm and the 
 church of Scotland. 
 
 Though bifhops, in the primitive church, 
 were all vcfted with the fame office, yet, as Chrif- 
 tianity increafed, it was found necefiary to en¬ 
 large the epifcopal power; therefore, as before 
 there was commonly a biffiop placed in every 
 great city, fo now, in every metropolis, as the 
 Romans called it, or mother-city, of every pro¬ 
 vince, wherein were courts of civil judicature, 
 there was a metropolitan or archbifhop, who had 
 ecclefiaftical jurifdidtion over all the bifhops of 
 that province. His jurifdidtion confifted in or¬ 
 daining, or ratifying the elections and ordinations 
 of all other bifhops j and once a year he was to 
 fummon them all to a l'ynod, in which he pre- 
 Tided, to enquire into their conduct, to cenfure 
 with fufpenfion, or deprivation, and to hear and 
 determine caufes between contending bifhops. 
 
 Dr. Bingham is of opinion, that archbifhop 
 was originally but another name for patriarch •, 
 though, in procefs of time, their jurifdi&ion be¬ 
 came diftind. 
 
 The firft eftabliffiment of archbifhopricks in 
 England, if we may credit Bede, one of the 
 moft antient writers of the Englifh nation, was 
 in the time of Lucius, Paid to be the firft Chris¬ 
 tian king of England j who, after the conver¬ 
 sion of his fubjedts, eredted three archbifhopricks, 
 at London, York, and LandafF, then called 
 Caerleon. The dignity of archbifhop continued 
 in the fee of London 180 years, till, in the time 
 of the Saxons, it was tranflated to Canterbury, 
 where it has continued ever fince; and York re¬ 
 mains a metropolitical fee to this day. 
 
 Auguftin, the monk, who was Pent by pope 
 Gregory, to convert the Englifh nation, in the 
 reign of Ethelbert, king of Kent, was the firft 
 biffiop of Canterbury; but Theodore, the fixth 
 in fucceffion after him, was the firft archbifhop 
 of that fee. The archbifhops of Canterbury had 
 antiently the primacy not only over England, but 
 Ireland alfo, and all the biffiop of the latter 
 were confecrated by him. He was ftiled by 
 pope Urban II. Alterius Orbis Papa; he had a 
 
 perpetual legantine power annexed to his arch- 
 bilhoprick ; he had fome marks of royalty, fuch 
 as the power of coining money, &c. Since the 
 reformation, he is ftiled Primate and Metropoli¬ 
 tan of all England : archbifhop Cranmer was the 
 firft who bore this title. As to precedency, there 
 have been antient contefts about it, as alio about 
 the oath of canonical obedience, between the 
 two archiepifcopal fees. Some antiquaries will 
 have it, that the archbifhop of York was origi¬ 
 nally primate of the Britiffi church ; for London 
 never was a Roman colony, or the feat of the 
 Roman emperors, as York was, where both Se- 
 verus and Conftantius Chlorus lived and died, 
 and where Conftantine the Great was born ; and 
 from hence they infer, that, where the emperors 
 refided, that was the moft likely place to have 
 pre-eminence above the reft. However it be, in 
 the reign of Henry I. William Corbel, archbi- 
 ffiop of Canterbury, obtained from the pope the 
 charadter of legate, by which he fecured to him- 
 felf a fuperiority over the fee of York, which he 
 vifited jure legationis. But after his death, the 
 conteft ftill continued. For we find, that in the 
 reign of Henry II. a l'ynod being called at Weft- 
 mi niter by the pope’s legate, the archbifhop of 
 Canterbury coming firft, feated himfelf at the 
 right hand of the legate ; but York, coming af¬ 
 terwards, refufed to take the feat on the left 
 hand, and demanded Canterbury’s place; which 
 the latter refuting, York fat down in his lap. 
 This occafioned the fynod to break up in difor- 
 der, and both parties appealing to the pope, the 
 conteft was decided in favour of the fee of 
 Canterbury, which enjoys the precedency to this 
 day. 
 
 The privileges of the archbifhop of Canter¬ 
 bury are, among others, to crown the kings of 
 England ; to have prelates for his officers; as 
 the biffiop of London his provincial dean; the 
 biffiop of Winchefter his chancellor; the biffiop 
 of Lincoln his vice-chancellor; the biffiop of 
 Saliffiury his precentor; the biffiop of Worcefter 
 his chaplain; and the biffiop of Rochefter his 
 crofier-bearer; which laft office, fince the times 
 of Popery, has cealed. He is alfo the firft peer of 
 England, next to the royal family. 
 
 The archbifhop of Canterbury hath the fu- 
 preme government of ecclefiaftical matters, next 
 under the king. Upon the death of any fuf- 
 fragan biffiop, the cuftody of his fee devolves 
 upon the archbifhop; he hath a power of cen- 
 furing any biffiop in his province ; he hath 
 an antient right to prefide in all provin¬ 
 cial councils of his fuffragans, which formerly 
 were held once a year, but have been difcon»- 
 tinued a long time; fo that his power of examin¬ 
 ing things throughout his province is devolved 
 to his courts; of which he holds feveral, as the 
 court of arches, prerogative-court, court of 
 peculiars, &c. and he has the probate of wills. 
 
 As to the archbiffiop of York, he is now ftiled 
 primate and metropolitan of England, and takes 
 place of all peers, except the archbiffiop of Can¬ 
 terbury, and the lord chancellor. He had ori¬ 
 ginally the primacy, not only over twelve Eng- 
 liffi fees, but likewife over all the bifhoprics of 
 Scotland. But Scotland has difowned his prero¬ 
 gative many years fince, and the archbiffioprick it- 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
 felf hath fwallowed up feveral of the fmaller and 
 more inconfiderable bifhopricks 3 fo that the whole 
 province is now reduced to four lees3 Durham, 
 Chefter, Carlifle, and Man. 
 
 Scotland, whilft epifcopacy prevailed in that 
 country, had two archbifhops; viz. of St. An¬ 
 drews and Glafgowj the former of whom was 
 primate of Scotland. 
 
 Wales likewife antiently boafled of an arch- 
 bilhop, whofe fee, as has been oblerved, was 
 eftablifhed at Caerleon 3 and was afterwards 
 tranflated to St. David’s. But the plague rag¬ 
 ing very much in that country, the archiepifco- 
 pal fee was again removed to Doll, in Bretagne 3 
 where this dignity ended. Notwithftanding 
 which, in after ages^ the Britons, or Welfh, 
 commenced an a6tion, on that account, againft 
 the archbifhop of Canterbury, but were call. 
 
 Ireland has four archbifhops 3 of Armagh, 
 Dublin, Cafiil, and Tuam, of whom the arch¬ 
 bifhop of Armagh is primate of all Ireland. 
 
 The earlieft account we have ofBritifh bifhops, 
 is carried up no higher than the council of Arles, 
 affembled by the emperor Conftantine, in the 
 fourth century 3 at which were prefent the bi¬ 
 fhops of London, York, and Caerleon. 
 
 Before the Norman conquefts, bifhops were 
 chofen by the chapters, whether monks or pre¬ 
 bendaries. From the conqueror’s time to the 
 reign of king John, it was the cuftom to chufe 
 bifhops at a public meeting of the bifhops and 
 barons, the king himfelf being prefent at the 
 folemnity, who claimed a right of inverting the 
 bifhops by delivering to them the ring and the 
 paftoral ftaff. It is true, the popes endeavoured 
 to gain the eleftion of bifhops to themfelves; 
 and this occafioned great ftruggles and contefts 
 between the Roman pontiffs and our kings. At 
 length, after various difputes between king John 
 and the pope, the former, by his charter A. D. 
 1215, granted the right of eleftion to the cathe¬ 
 dral churches. A ftatute, in the reign of Henry 
 VIII. fettles the eleftion of bifhops as follows : 
 “ The king, upon the vacancy of the fee, was 
 to fend his Conge d’eflire to the dean and chap¬ 
 ter, or prior and convent, and in cafe they de¬ 
 layed the eleftion above twelve days, the crown 
 was impowered to nominate the perl'on by letters 
 patent. And, after the bifhop thus elected, had 
 taken an oath of fealty to the king, his majefty, 
 by his letters patent under the broad feal, figni- 
 fied the eleftion to the archbifhop, with orders to 
 confirm it, and confecrate the cleft. And laftly, 
 if the perfons afiigned to cleft and confecrate, 
 deferred the performing their refpeftive offices 
 twenty days, they were to incur a praemunire.” 
 But a ftatute of Edward VI. made a change in 
 the manner of elefting bifhops, and transferred 
 the choice wholly from the deans and chapters 
 to the crown. The preamble in the firft place 
 alledges the inconveniences of the former man¬ 
 ner of elefting, from the circumftances of delay 
 and expence : After which it is faid in the pre¬ 
 amble, <c that the faid eleftions are in very deed 
 no eleftions, but only by a writ of conge d’eflire 
 have colours, fhadows, and pretences of eleftion: 
 that they ferve to no purpofe, and feem deroga¬ 
 tory and prejudicial to the king’s prerogative 
 royal, to whom only appertains the collation and 
 gift of all archbilhopricks and bifhopricks, and fuf- 
 
 fragan bifhops, within his highnefs’s dominions/’ 
 This ftatute therefore enafts, that fC for the fu¬ 
 ture no conge d’eflire, fhall be granted, nor any 
 eleftion be made by the dean and chapter, but 
 that the archbifhoprick or bifhoprick fhall be con¬ 
 ferred by the king’s nomination in his letters pa¬ 
 tent.” But this alteration made by the ftatute of 
 king Edv/ard is no longer in force 3 and the cuf¬ 
 tom of fending down the conge d’eflire is 
 reftored. 
 
 Upon the vacancy of a bifhop’s fee, the king 
 grants a licenfe, under the great feal, to the 
 dean and chapter, to eleft the perfon, whom by 
 his letters miffive he hath appointed ; and they 
 are to chufc no other. The dean and chapter, 
 having made their eleftion accordingly, certify 
 it under their common feal to the king, and to 
 the archbifhop of the province, and to the bi¬ 
 fhop thus elefted : then the king gives his royal 
 affent, under the great feal, direfted to the arch¬ 
 bifhop, commanding him to confirm and confe¬ 
 crate the bifhop thus elefted. The archbifhop 
 then fubfcribes his fiat confirmatio, and grants a 
 commifllon to the vicar general to perforin all 
 the afts requifite thereto: who thereupon iflues 
 out a fummons to all perfons, who may objeft to 
 the eleftion, to appear, &c. which citation is af¬ 
 fixed on the door of Bow church. At the time 
 and place appointed, the proftor for the dean 
 and chapter exhibits the royal affent, and the 
 commifiion of the archbifhop, which are both 
 read, and accepted by the vicar general. Then 
 the new bifhop is presented by the profter to the 
 vicar general 3 and, three proclamations being 
 made for the oppofers of the eleftion to appear, 
 and noneappearing, the vicar general confirms, 
 and ratifies the choice of the perfon elefted; 
 who takes the oaths of fupremacy, canonical 
 obedience, and that againft fimony. 
 
 Till this aft of confirmation is performed, the 
 bifhop eleft may be rejected, becaufe there 
 may be reafons affigned why he fhould not be 
 made a bifhop ; which is the reafon of the above 
 mentioned citations, and proclamations. 
 
 After confirmation, the next thing to be done 
 is confecration 3 which the archbifhop performs 
 by the impofition of hands and prayer, according 
 to the form laid down in the Common-Prayer- 
 book. Which done, the bifhop is complete as 
 well in relation to fpiritualities as temporalities. 
 Juft ice Doderidge, in his argument of Evans 
 and Afcue’s cafe, fays, there is a fpiritual mar¬ 
 riage between the bifhop and his church, which 
 is begun by eleftion, contrafted by confirmation, 
 and confummated by confecration. 
 
 A bifhop of England is a peer of the realm, 
 and, as fuch, fits and votes in the houfe of lords. 
 He is a baron in a three-fold manner, viz. 
 Feudal, in regard of the temporalities annexed to 
 his bifhoprick3 by writ, as being fummoned by 
 writ to parliament 3 and by patent and creation. 
 Accordingly he has the precedence of all other 
 barons, and votes as baron and bifhop. But, 
 tho’ their peerage never was denied, it has been 
 contefted, whether the bifhops have a right to 
 vote in criminal matters. This right was difpu- 
 ted as early as the reign of Henry lid, and we 
 find this decifion of the controverfy 3 archbi¬ 
 fhops, bifhops, &c. in like manner as the reft of 
 the barons, ought to be prefent at the judge¬ 
 ments 
 
5 20 The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 ments in the king’s courts until it come to dimi- I 
 nution of members, or to death. T-ie rea on, | 
 which the canonifts give, why bilhops ffiould not ; 
 be prelent in cafes of blood, is, becauie they i 
 contract an irregularity thereby. Yet arch- 
 bilhop Cranmer, being one of the privy-council 
 to Edward Vlth, figned the warrant for the exe¬ 
 cution of Thomas Seymour, lord high admiral 
 of England. And the archbilhop of Canterbury 
 was the fir ft in commiilion at the trial of Ma 
 ry, queen of Scots. And, in the earl of Straf 
 ford’s cafe, in the reign of Charles I ft, when 
 Williams, archbilhop of York, declared his 
 opinion, that the bifhops ought not to be prefent 
 at the paffing of the aft of attainder, it was look- 
 cd upon as betraying a fundamental right of the 
 whole order. At prelent, the bilhops have their 
 vote in the trial and arraignment of a peer ; 
 but, before lenience of death is paffed, they 
 withdraw, and vote by their proxy. 
 
 The jurifdidtion of a bilhop, in England, 
 confifts, in collating to benefices ; granting in- 
 ftitutions on the prelentation of other patrons ; 
 commanding induftion ; taking care of the pro¬ 
 fits of vacant benefices for the uJe of the fuccel- 
 fors ; vifiting his diocefe once in three years ; in 
 fufpending, depriving, degrading, and excom¬ 
 municating ; in granting admimftrations, and 
 taking care of the probate of wills : thele parts 
 of his funflion depend on the ecclefiaftical law. 
 By the common law, he is to certify the judges, 
 touching legitimate and illegitimate births, and 
 marriages. And to his jurildidtion, by the fta- 
 tute law, belongs the licenfing of phyficians, 
 chirurgeons, fchool-mafters; and the uniting 
 fmall parifhes ; which laft privilege is now pecu¬ 
 liar to the bilhop of Norwich. 
 
 The bifhops courts have this privilege above 
 the civil courts, that writs are lffued out irom 
 them in the name of the bilhop himfelf, and not 
 in the king’s name, as in other courts. The 
 judge of the bilhop s court is his chancellor, 
 antiently called Ecclefiae Caufidicus, the Church 
 Lawyer. 
 
 The bilhops of Scotland anciently exercifed 
 their epifcopal funflions wherever they were, 
 there being no diftindt diocefes in that kingdom 
 till the reign of Malcolm Hid, about the year 
 1070. Whilft epifcopacy prevailed in that king¬ 
 dom, the form of church government Hood thus : 
 In every parilh, the cognizance of fome offences 
 belonged to the leffion, a judicature where the 
 minifter prefided ex, officio. But, if the cafe 
 proved too intricate, it was referred to the prelby- 
 tery, a fuperior judicature, confiding of a cer¬ 
 tain number of minifters, between twelve and 
 twenty. The moderator of this affembly was 
 named by the bilhop. Above all, was the con¬ 
 vocation, in which the archbilhop of St Andrews 
 prefided. And, befides thefe, every bilhop, for 
 the caufes of teftaments, 8tc. had his official or 
 commiffary, who was judge of that court with¬ 
 in the diocefe. The bilhops of that kingdom 
 were likewife lords of parliament. 
 
 In the reign of Henry lid, A. D. ii 77 > t ^ ic 
 Scotch bilhops and abbots obliged themfelves 
 by oath to own the archbilhop of York for their 
 metropolitan, and confented that their fucceffors 
 Ihould repair to York for cor.fecration. But, 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
 in the reign of Edward IVth, A. D. 147 L 
 pope made the church of Scotland independent 
 of the fee of York, induced to it by a com¬ 
 plaint of bilhop Graham, that, when England 
 and Scotland were upon terms of hoftility, the 
 Scotch bilhops had no opportunity of having re- 
 courfe to their metropolitan, and bringing ap¬ 
 peals to him. 
 
 The ecclefiaftical government of Ireland hath 
 been from antient time by bilhops, confecrated 
 either by the archbilhop of Canterbury, or by 
 one another. But in the year 1152, as we find 
 in Philip of Flattefbury, “ Chriftianus, bilhop of. 
 Lifmore, legate of ail Ireland, held a famous 
 council at Meath, where were prelent the bi¬ 
 lhops, abbots, princes, dukes, and magiftrates 
 of Ireland ; and there, by authority of the pope, 
 with advice of the cardinals, and content of the 
 bilhops, abbots, and others there met together, 
 four archbilhopricks were eftablifhed in Ireland, 
 Armagh, Dublin, Caflil, and Tuam.” 
 
 The bilhop of the Ifie of Man is a baron of 
 the Ifie. He has this peculiar privilege, that, 
 if any of his tenants be guilty of a capital crime 
 and is to be tried for his life, the bilhop’s ftew- 
 ard may demand him from the lord’s bar, and 
 try him in the bilhop’s court, by a jury of his 
 own tenants; and, in cafe of convidtion, his 
 lands are forfeited to the bifhop. When the bi- 
 (hoprick is vacant, the lord of the ifie nominates a 
 perfon, and prefents him to the king of England 
 for his royal affent, and then to the archbilhop of 
 York to be confecrated. After which he becomes 
 fubjedt to him as his metropolitan. 
 
 The next officer to the'bilhop in precedency, 
 is the dean, who with great propriety may be 
 called the mafter of the cathedral, or prefident 
 of the chapter. His office is juft what the dea¬ 
 con’s was in the antient church, for his duty is 
 to govern every thing of a domeftic nature 
 belonging to the cathedral. He fits as pre- 
 lident among the canons and prebendaries. His 
 name is firft mentioned in all leafes granted by 
 the chapter, and in the king’s writs which are 
 diredted for the eledtion of a bilhop. They are 
 frequently advanced to bilhopricks, or at leal! 
 their office is conlidered as leading to it. 
 
 As there are two foundations of cathedral 
 churches in England, the old and the new, the 
 new eredted by king Henry VIII. fo there are 
 two ways of creating deans. Thofe of the old 
 foundation, as the deans of St. Paul’s, York, &c. 
 are raifed to that dignity, much after the manner 
 of bifhops 1 the king firft fending his warrant, 
 the chapter eledting, and the king confirming 
 the eledtion. Thofe of the new foundation, whofe 
 deaneries were raifed upon the ruins of priories 
 and convents, ltich as the deans of Canterbury, 
 Durham, Ely, Norwich, Winchefter, &c. are 
 donative, and initialled by a Ihorter courfe, 
 namely, by the king’s letters patent, without any 
 eledtion or confirmation. 
 
 There are cathedral churches, which never had 
 a dean, and in which the bilhop is head of the 
 chapter, and in his abfence, the archdeacon : fuch 
 are the cathedrals of St. David and Laniaff. 
 There are alfo deans without a chapter ; fuch as 
 the dean of Battle in Suffcx : and there are deans 
 without a jurifdidtion ; as the dean of the chapel 
 
 royal. 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of the 
 
 royal, &c. A dean, without a chapter, hasaju- 
 rifdi&ion in the ecclefiaftical matters, arifing in 
 the feveral parifhes within his peculiar. Rural 
 deans, who, originally, exercifed jurifdi&ion 
 over deaneries, and afterwards became only the 
 bifhop’s fubftitutes, to grant letters of adminiftra- 
 tion, probate of wills, &c. are now quite laid 
 afide, and their office is loll in that of the arch¬ 
 deacons and chancellors. 
 
 A dean and chapter are the bifhop’s council, 
 to a (Till him in the affairs of religion, and to af- 
 1'ent to every grant, which the biffiop IE all make 
 to bind his fucceffors ; and as a deanery is a fpi- 
 ritual dignity, a man cannot be a dean and pre¬ 
 bendary of the fame church. 
 
 Though ccclefiahical bodies, in cathedrals, are 
 very antient in England, yet it does not appear, 
 that they had any jurifdidtion peculiar to them- 
 felves during the Saxon times. Sir Edward 
 Coke fays, there were chapters, as the bifhop’s 
 council, before they had diftindt poffeffions, and 
 that the bifhops parted with fome of their pof¬ 
 feffions to them, and fo became patrons of the 
 prebends of the church. 
 
 In the reign of king Charles I. a remonllrance 
 was prefented to the parliament, by the Prefby- 
 terian party, fetting forth the great revenues, and 
 the little ufe of deans and chapters. And, the 
 fame year, fo fatal to epifcopacy and the hierar¬ 
 chy, the commons voted, that all deans, deans 
 and chapters, prebendaries, canons, &c. fhould 
 be abolifhed, and their lands employed to the ad¬ 
 vancement of learning and piety. 
 
 The next officer in the church of England is, 
 the archdeacon, and he may be called the bifhop’s 
 vicar, or fubftitute, as he a&s great part of 
 what was the duty of the biffiops formerly and 
 though archdeacons, in thefe laft ages of the 
 church, have ufually been of the order of pref- 
 byters, or priefts, yet antiently they were no more 
 than deacons j as the name imports. But how 
 the archdeacon came by his honour, and after 
 what manner he was inverted, is a matter of lome 
 difpute among learned men. Salmatius, and 
 fome others, are of opinion, that originally he was 
 no more than the fenior deacon. Others think, 
 the dignity was always elective, and in the breaft 
 of the bilhop : and St. Jerome plainly afferts, that 
 the office went not by feniority, but by eleCtion. 
 
 The office of archdeacon was always a place 
 of great honour and reputation; for he was the 
 billiop’s conrtant attendant and affiftant j by 
 which means he commonly gained fuch an in- 
 tereft, as to get himfelf chofen, before the pref- 
 byters, to fucceed the bifhop. His bufinefs was, 
 i. To attend the bilhop at the altar, and to ad- 
 minifter the cup, when the bilhop celebrated the 
 eucharift. He was to order all things relating 
 to the inferior clergy, fuch as to appoint readers, 
 acolythifts, fub-deacons, &c. i. He was to af- 
 fift the bilhop in managing the church revenues, 
 afiigning their feveral portions to the poor, or¬ 
 phans, &c. Upon which account, Prudentius, 
 deferibing the offices of St. Laurence, whom he 
 makes to be archdeacon of Rome, among other 
 things, affigns him the keys of the church’s trea- 
 fure, and the care of difpenfing the oblations of 
 the people : and he introduces the Heathen per- 
 fecutor demanding of him thofe treafures; which 
 44 
 
 CI-IURCfi of ENGLAND, bcc. 521 
 
 he promifmg to do, in a Ihort time brought be¬ 
 fore him the poor, the lame, the blind, and the 
 infirm, telling him, thofe were the riches, which 
 he had in his cuftody. 3. Another part of his 
 office was to affift the bilhop in preaching, and in 
 ordaining the inferior clergy. 4. He was alfo 
 inverted with the power of cenlurirtg deacons, 
 and the inferior clergy, but not prefbyters. 5. As 
 to his jurifdidtion, it will admit of a difpute, 
 whether it originally extended over the whole 
 diocefe, or was confined to the city or mother- 
 church. In the middle ages of the church, 
 there is no queftion but his power extended over 
 the whole diocefe. 6. Valefius obferves, that the 
 archdeacons were likewife called Cor-Epifcopi. 
 This may feem at firft only a corruption of the 
 Chorepifcopus, becaufe, in latter ages, the power 
 of the antient Chorepifcopi dwindled into that 
 of the archdeacons. But when it is confidered, 
 that the deacons antiently were called the bifhop’s 
 eyes, ears, mouth, or heart, it will appear very 
 probable, that the archdeacon was called, by way 
 of eminence, Cor-epilcopi, i. e. the bilhop’s 
 heart. 
 
 How long this office has exifted in England, 
 cannot well be known; but probably long before 
 the Norman conqueft. At prefent there are fixty 
 of them, becaufe fome bifhopricks being large, 
 it is neceffary there fhould be in them more than 
 one. The office is not altogether a finecure, but it 
 is not much unlike it, and fometimes we find the 
 bifhop of a diocefe acting the part of archdeacon 
 in another. It does not prevent them from mold¬ 
 ing other livings, even at prefent, nor is a dilpen- 
 fation neceffary, Some of them have been ad¬ 
 vanced to bifhopricks, without having any other 
 dignity in the church; and at prefent they are to 
 fummon the clergy to meet them at fome parti¬ 
 cular place, where they hear a fermon, and deliver 
 a charge. On thefe occafions, a free gift is be¬ 
 llowed upon the archdeacon, and he makes pre- 
 lentations either to the bifhop or thefpiritual court, 
 of every thing he finds amifs. It is his duty to ex¬ 
 amine candidates for the miniftry. This part of 
 his duty, however, generally devolves on the bi¬ 
 lhop’s chaplains. 
 
 The reCtors and vicars of parifhes are the next 
 to be confidered. The redlors are thofe who 
 have the whole emoluments of the livings with¬ 
 out any deductions. On the other hand, the vicars 
 are fuch as whofe livings were either fubjeft to ca¬ 
 thedrals, or to religious convents. Many of both 
 are prefented by the king, and others by the lords 
 of manors. By the conllitution of the church of 
 England, no clergyman, who is an incumbent, 
 and has the tithes, is obliged to preach more than 
 one fermon on Sunday j but prayers are to be 
 read in the afternoon. This was the reafon why 
 a new order of the clergy took place about the 
 latter end of the reign of queen Elizabeth, and 
 thefe were called Lecturers. Thev were at that 
 time mortly compofed of Puritan minifters, who 
 fcrupled to read the prayers, on account of the 
 ceremonies. They were men of four tempers, 
 full of auflerity, exceffively proud, ™d conti¬ 
 nually abufing fuch of the bifhop: as were fond 
 of the ceremonies. Their followers were among 
 the lower ranks of the people, over whom 
 they exercifed an unlimited power. Many 
 6 0, of 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
 of the ladies, however, were their adherents, and 
 the noblemen, dilaftedted to government, took 
 them into their families as tutors to their chil¬ 
 dren. 
 
 When Dr. Laud was advanced to the fee of 
 Canterbury, he refolved to change many things 
 in the Proteftant church of England, and he be¬ 
 gan with putting an end to the leelurefhsps. No¬ 
 thing could have been more iniquitous, for the 
 people paid for the ledlurer, who was not pro¬ 
 vided for them by law. 
 
 At the refforation, 1660, ledlurelhips were re- 
 ftored, and they have continued on the fame foot¬ 
 ing ever fince. And here it is neceffary to ob- 
 ferve, that as thefe lecturers are paid by the 
 people of the parifh, fo their choice or eledlion 
 falls on the houfekeepers in general. They 
 have no right to demand any thing; but we 
 hope there are few men of piety, whether church¬ 
 men or DilTenters, who will refute them fo fmall a 
 pittance, ei'pecially as they difeharge their duty, 
 trailing in the benevolence of the parifh. 
 
 There is one complaint frequently made by 
 the parilhioners againll the minifters of their 
 parilhes, and that is, that although they pay 
 their lefturers, yet the incumbent can at any 
 time refufe him the pulpit. That the incum¬ 
 bent has a right to do fo by law, cannot be dis¬ 
 puted ; but it has been confidered as extremely 
 hard, by feveral well meaning pious men, that as 
 the law has made no provifion for fermons in 
 the afternoon, fo when the people are willing to 
 pay a preacher, it is rather cruel to hinder 
 them. 
 
 It is undoubtedly the duty of the reftor of 
 every parilh to deny his pulpit to a man of a 
 fcandalous life, whofe charafter has been black¬ 
 ened by the moll enormous crimes; but we 
 really believe, the people feldom, if ever, chufe 
 fuch perfons, but quite the reverfe. Some fmall 
 differences in fentiments (hould not induce the 
 minifter of a parilh to difoblige his people ; for 
 in fuch cafes he will be but little elteemed by 
 them ; and if preachers are not elteemed, their 
 public miniftrations will have but little effete on 
 the hearers. We cannot comprehend every thing, 
 but in all religious difputes, we ought to take 
 care that the people may not be confufed in their 
 notions, becaufe confufion in thefe matters gene¬ 
 rally leads them to Deifm. 
 
 The laft order of the clergy, and fuch as have 
 no benefices annexed to their titles, are the chap¬ 
 lains, and thefe by ftatute, 21 Henry VIII. are 
 to be kept by particular perfons. The aft, how¬ 
 ever, contrails the number in the following man¬ 
 ner ; An archbilhop is allowed to have, eight; 
 a duke, fix; a dutchefs, two, befides the fix her 
 hufband has, and (he has a right to retain two 
 after Ihe is a widow, and although (lie (hould 
 marry again; a marquis is allowed, five; and 
 an earl the fame number; the lord Almoner, 
 two; a vifeount, four; a baron, three; the wi¬ 
 dows of vilcounts and barons, two each ; a bi- 
 fhop, three; the chancellor, fix; chief jultice, 
 one ; clerk of the clolet, two ; mailer of the rolls, 
 two; comptroller of the houfhold, two; dean of 
 the chapel, two ; a knight of the garter, three; 
 fecretary of Hate, two; treafurer of the houle- 
 hold, two; and the wardens of the cinque 
 
 ports, one. By 25 of Henry VIII. every 
 judge of the king’s-bench, and common-pleas, 
 the chief baron of the exchequer, the kind’s 
 attorney and folicitor-general, is permitted to 
 retain one chaplain, who (hall be attendant on his 
 perfon, and may have one benefice without being 
 refident on it. And by ftatute 33 of the fame 
 king, the groom of the dole, the treafurer of the 
 king’s chamber, and the chancellor of the dutchy, 
 are allowed to retain one chaplain each. 
 
 Before we conclude this account of the church 
 of England, it is neceffary we fliould fay a few 
 words concerning the convocation; for altho’that 
 court has never been permitted to do any bufi- 
 nefs during the laft fixty years, yet it dill'meets 
 on the lecond day of every feffion of parliament. 
 It is an affembly of the clergy of England, by 
 their reprefentatives, to confult of ecclefiaftical 
 matters, and confifts, like parliament, of an upper 
 and lower houfe. In the upper-houfe, all the 
 archbilhops and bilhops fit, and in the lower, 
 the inferior clergy, who are reprefented by their 
 prodtors;- confiding of all the deans and arch¬ 
 deacons, of one prodlor for every chapter, and 
 two for the clergy of every diocefe, in all one 
 hundred and forty-three divines, viz. Twenty- 
 two deans, fifty-three archdeacons, twenty-four 
 prebends, and forty-four prodtors of the dio- 
 cefian clergy. The lower-houfe chufes its pro¬ 
 locutor or fpeaker, and prefents him to the arch- 
 bifnops and bilhops of the upper-houfe. His 
 bufinefs is to take care that the members attend, 
 to colledl their debates and votes, and to carry 
 their refolutions to the upper-houfe. 
 
 The lower houfe,of convocation was formerly 
 called together by two diftindt writs. The firft 
 was the parliamentary, or king’s-writ, to the bi- 
 (hops of every diocefe, fummoning them to par¬ 
 liament, with a claufe in it, requiring each 
 chapter to fend one of their body, and the cler¬ 
 gy of each diocefe two prodtors, to reprefent 
 them in parliament; and whence fome have been 
 of opinion, that the clergy fat, together with 
 the laity, in parliament, till the reign of Henry 
 VIII, when they fell under a praemunire, by 
 fubmitting to Cardinal Wolfey’s legatine power, 
 and forfeited their feats there. It is certain, the 
 lower houfe of convocation, in the next reign, 
 apprehended they had a right to fit ill parliament, 
 and therefore petitioned the upper houfe, to in¬ 
 tercede with the king and protedlor, that they 
 might be reftored to the fame. This was again 
 attempted in the latter end of queen Elizabeth’s 
 reign, and in that of king James I ; but dill 
 without fuccefs. 
 
 The fecond writ, by which the clergy were 
 affembled together, was called the provincial 
 writ. By the firft writ, they were a meer (late 
 convention, and not a church fynod; and the 
 intent of their meeting was, to confult about 
 their civil rights, and to grant a portion of their 
 eftates towards the fupport of the government. 
 But, the clergy not looking upon themfelves as 
 obliged to obey this lay-fummons, archbilhop 
 Winchclfea prevailed with king Edward II. to dif¬ 
 eharge them from it : and from that time, when 
 the king iffued his parliamentary writ to the bi¬ 
 lhops, he lent another to tlie archbilhop, to fum- 
 mon all his provincial bilhops to the convoca- 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 tion. This fecond writ was to fecure their obe¬ 
 dience to the former, and to make the affembly 
 more canonical, as meeting by virtue of a fum- 
 mons from their archbilhop. This writ is now 
 ordered by the lord chancellor, and tranfmirted 
 by him to the archbilhop of Canterbury, who 
 ilTues thereupon his mandate to the bilhop of 
 London, as dean of his province. 
 
 The clergy, affembled in convocation, had 
 the power of giving away their own money, and 
 taxing themfelves ; a power, which they conti¬ 
 nued to exercife from the reformation till the 15th 
 year of Charles II; from which time they re¬ 
 ceded from that cuftomary right, and were for that 
 reafon difcharged from two of the four fubfidies 
 given by themfelves, and then in arrear : and it 
 was for this realon, that from the time before- 
 mentioned the redtors and vicars, who were to 
 be taxed for their fpiritual preferments, were al¬ 
 lowed to vote in eleftions for knights of the Ihire, 
 that they might ftill be virtually taxed by them¬ 
 felves. 
 
 The power of the convocation is limited by a 
 llatute of king Henry VIII. They are not to 
 make any canons, or ecclefiaftical laws, without 
 the king’s licenfe, nor, when permitted to make 
 any, can they put them in execution, but under 
 thefe reftridtions. 
 
 1. Such canons mull: not be contrary to the 
 king’s prerogative. 
 
 2. They mull: not contradidl any ftatute, or 
 the common law. 
 
 3. Nor mull they alter any known cuftom of 
 the realm. 
 
 They have the examining and cenfuring all 
 heretical and fchifmatical books, perfons, &c. 
 but theie lies an appeal to the king in chancery, 
 or to his delegates. The clergy in convocation, 
 and their fervants, have the lame privileges as 
 members of parliament. 
 
 The reafon why the convocation is not per¬ 
 mitted to fit, was originally owing to che un¬ 
 happy difputes, that began after the revolution, 
 between the high-churcli party and thofe who 
 favoured moderation. In the latter end of queen 
 Anne’s reign, thefe difputes were not only carried 
 on with an unbecoming heat, but foine of the 
 difputants went almoft ftark mad. Mr. Dodwell 
 wrote a book, to prove that the human foul is 
 mortal, but becomes immortal by baptifm; lb 
 as the ceremony is performed by thofe minillers, 
 who have received epifcopal ordination. This 
 book was levelled againlt the Diffenters, but it 
 was anfwered by the churchmen. Dr. Atterbury 
 attempted to prove that the convocation had a 
 power equal to that of the parliament, but he was 
 learnedly anfwered by Nicholfun, bifhopofCarlifie. 
 And Dr. Sacheverell did not content himfelf with 
 giving all the Diffenters to the devil, lie actually 
 called all thofe of his own brethren hypocrites, 
 who were not equally violent with himfelf. The 
 whole nation was in a flame, the people were 
 driven to a ftate of religious infinity, the Dif¬ 
 fenters had their meetings pulled down, and the 
 moderate pare of the clergy were in danger of 
 fharing the fame fate. This occafioned the mak¬ 
 ing the riot aft, and fuch was the madnefs of the 
 people, that a club of high churchmen in a 
 public-houfe, went to another public-houfe in 
 Salifbury-court, where there was a dub of low- I 
 
 the CHURCEI of ENGLAND, &c. 523 
 
 church, or moderate men, and pulled the houfe 
 down to the ground. For this offence, fome of 
 the rioters fullered death, and of courfe their fa- 
 miJies were ruined. 
 
 The learned Dr. Hoadly reprefented to his 
 majefty George I. that fuch tumults would never 
 ceafe while the convocation was permitted to do 
 bufinefs, becaufe their difputes tended to in¬ 
 flame the minds of the people. Thefe things 
 having been taken into confideration, it was re- 
 folved on in council, that the convocation fhould 
 dill be fummoned to meet, but on the day of 
 their meeting they (hould be adjourned. ' We 
 have been the more explicit concernino- thefe 
 matters, becaufe we could wifh the reader to 
 know as much as poffible. 
 
 The laft thing to be treated of is, the difei- 
 pline of the church of England, or the means by 
 which good order is kept up and delinquents 
 punilhed. 
 
 In all civil eftablifhments of religion, there 
 muff: be a power lodged fomewhere, and in general 
 this is veiled in the clergy, except in the church 
 of England, where the proceedings againft of¬ 
 fenders are carried on, in what is called the bi- 
 ftoos or fpiritual court. The proceedings in 
 thefe courts are carried on by the bifhop’s chan¬ 
 cellor, who is generally a doftor of the civil 
 law; but if he happens to be a clergyman, 
 he gets another to aft for him, who is called his 
 official. Adultery, blafphemy, refuiing to pay 
 tithes, traducing the charafters of their neigh¬ 
 bours, together with many other grofs immo¬ 
 ralities, are cognizable in this court. 
 
 The proceedings begin by citation, which iffue3 
 from the court, and is delivered by an officer, 
 called Aparitor. If the perfon who receives the 
 fummons, treats the order with contempt, then 
 he is liable to be excommunicated, and he 
 can be arrefted for the plantiff’s colts. And even 
 fuppofing he fhould be able to pay the bill of 
 cofts, yet he cannot get admitted into the church 
 again without doing penance. Excommunicated 
 perfons are much in the fame condition as if they 
 had been proferibed. They cannot have their 
 children baptized; they cannot be admitted to 
 the communion; they cannot fue in any atftion 
 in law, io as to obcain property; they cannot be 
 admitted to fwear as evidences in a court of juf- 
 tice; they cannot marry; and, in a word, the len¬ 
 ience is dreadful, for it even denies the excom¬ 
 municated perfon the common rites of Chriftian 
 burial. The proceedings in thefe courts are very 
 expenfive, and it is dangerous to be concerned in 
 them ; but they are calculated to teach people 
 not to offend. r 
 
 The public examination of the children is 
 a neceffary part of the difeipline of the church 
 of England, and it is much to be wifhed that it 
 was more attended to than it is. 
 
 1 he catechifm of the church of England is 
 drawn up, after the primitive manner, by way of 
 queftion and anfwer. Originally it confided of 
 no more than a repetition of the baptifmal vow, ’ 
 the creed, and the Lord’s prayer : but kin« 
 James 1 . ordered the bifhops to add to it a fhort 
 and plain explanation of the facraments ; which 
 was accordingly performed by biffiop Overal, 
 then dean of St. Paul’s, and approved by the 
 reft of the bifhops. 
 
 This 
 
The RITES and CEREMONIES of 
 
 This catechifmisuniverfally allowed to compre- 
 
 ‘in their memory, and yet fo full, that lt “^'■ * 
 all things neceffary to be known and prait.led 
 
 ° r ‘Th”im»‘appointed for catechizing are Sun- 
 , c , n Thnlidavs. By the firft book of king 
 Edward VI. it was not required to be done above 
 
 CC 111 HA -' 1 . 
 
 to the interval of time as too long, 
 wa altered, but expreffed notw.thftanding■ »n in- 
 T o , leaving it to be done as often as 
 
 occasion requires. Indeed, the fifty-ninth canon 
 enioins" very parfon, vicar, or curate, upon every 
 Sunday and Y holiday, to teach and inttruft the 
 youth and ignorant perfons of his panfh, m the 
 catechifm fet forth in the book of Common- 
 Prayer; and that under pain of a fharp reproof 
 for the firft omiffion, fufpenf.on for the fecond, 
 and excommunication for the third. 
 
 In the other parts of the d,fc.pl,ne of the 
 church of England, the mimfter is obliged to 
 vifit the fick, and to baptize fuch children * s 
 in danger of dying without the bene o 
 ceremony. In refufing to perform any of thefe 
 ceremonies, he is liabbe to be inform,td againft 
 in the fpiritual court, and may be iufpended from 
 his living by the bifhop. It is, however, not a 
 very eafy matter to proceed againft clergymen ,n 
 thefe matters, and perhaps the fewer difputes 
 take dace between the mimfters and the pa 
 lionets the better. This fhould always be at¬ 
 tended to, that no offence be taken againft re 
 lmion. Clergymen are not to enjoy any more 
 benefices with cure of fouls than one unlefs 
 they obtain a fecond by a difpenfation from the 
 lord chancellor. However, they may, at the 
 fame time, enjoy finecures in cathedrals. 
 
 The holding pluralities of livings has been 
 much complained of, as inconfiftent with the in- 
 ftitution of the Chriftian church, and much has 
 been written on the lubjeft by Dr. Newton on 
 the one hand, and Mr. Wharton on the other. 
 It is certain, that it was not known till the middle 
 atres of Chriftianity. England is the only Pro¬ 
 liant country where it is permitted, and non- 
 refidence has been a continual bane of conten¬ 
 tion The late Bp. Burnet, in his charge to the 
 clergy of the diocefe of Salilbury, mentioned an 
 expreffion made ufe of by one of the ant.ent 
 fathers, when a young man came to be or- 
 
 the CHURCH of ENGLAND, &c. 
 dained, and who wanted to hold two livings; 
 the good bilhop alked him how he was to dll- 
 charge the duty of both ? He anfwered, he 
 would do the duty of one himtelf, and the other 
 could be done by a fubftitute. “ Yes, aniwered 
 “ the bilhop, you may get the duty done by a 
 cc fubftitute, but you will be damned in perlon. 
 This had fuch an effeft on Mr. Kelley, a pious 
 clergyman, that he gave up one of the two liv¬ 
 ings he enjoyed, and Dr. Burnet had fo much re¬ 
 gard for him on that account, that he made him 
 his archdeacon, in order to fet an example to the 
 reft of his brethren. 
 
 In all thefe matters of difpute, we mail not 
 concern ourlelves; becaufe, where there is fuch a 
 general toleration as we enjoy, there can be but 
 little room to complain. There is not a Protei- 
 tant church in the world, but what will own its 
 imperfedtions. If this was not the cafe, then 
 we might, like the Roman Catholics, pretend to 
 the belief of infallibility, a notion which we ut¬ 
 terly difclaim. 
 
 Upon the whole, no Proteftant church has pro¬ 
 duced greater fcholars, better writers, or more 
 pious Chriftians, than that of England ; ana 
 where the means of grace are to be found, it is 
 our fault if we do not ufe them in a proper man¬ 
 ner. However the rigour of the ecclefiaftical 
 law mav appear to fome, yet the innocent need 
 not be afraid of it; and as for non-refidents in 
 parilhes, if they are culpable of a fault, the 
 people are no loofers in general thereby, becaule 
 they generally find fubftitutes or curates, who 
 perform the duty for the hearers. Thus, where 
 there is no lofs, there fhould be no complaint, 
 and this fhould reconcile us to all thofe circum- 
 ftances, which fometimes create diverfity of opi¬ 
 nions. The members of the church of England 
 live in peace with thole who differ from them 
 in religious fcntiments, leaving every man to 
 worfhip God according to the diftates of his 
 confcience. They are not led away by thole 
 prejudices, which took place in former times ; 
 they confider their Proteftant brethren travelling 
 to heaven as well as themfelves, and therefore 
 they are much to be honoured. Long may true 
 religion flourilh among them ; may their minifters 
 become an ornament to their profeffion, and the 
 people an honour to the golpel; and, to ule the 
 words of the apoftle, “ Let every one who 
 nameth the name of Chrift depart from ini¬ 
 quity. 
 
 Of 
 
( 5 2 5 ) 
 
 The HISTORY of CALVIN IS M. 
 
 T HE next religious profeffion in order 
 among Proteftants, is that of Calvinifm, 
 eftabliffied fir ft at the little Republic of j 
 Geneva, afterwards in feveral of the Cantons of ! 
 Switzerland ; and profefled by almoft one half of : 
 the people in France, before the revocation of 
 the edi< 5 t of Nantz, 1685. In 1560, it wasefta- 
 blifhed in Scotland, as will be mentioned after¬ 
 wards, and it is now the national religion of the 
 Seven United Provinces; and throughout moft 
 of the American provinces this fyftem is pro- 
 fefied. 
 
 In giving an account of this religion, we ftiall 
 be extremely impartial, and fhall point out how 
 far the public profeftion of Calvinifm differs in 
 one place from another, beginning with the life 
 of its illuftrious founder. 
 
 John Calvin was born at SoifTons, a city of 
 France, June 6th, 1509. His father’s name was 
 Gerrard Calvin, who gave his fon a liberal edu¬ 
 cation. 
 
 From the gramrrtar-fchool, he fent him to 
 Paris, and placed him with MaturinUs Corde- 
 rius, a man well efteemed both for probity and 
 learning. 
 
 His father, from the beginning, defigned him 
 for the ftudy of divinity, which he judged him 
 to be much inclined to, being religioufly addidted 
 from his childhood. He procured a benefice of 
 the biffiop for him, in SoifTons, in which place 
 John, before his ordination, preached divers fer- 
 mons to the people. But this purpofe of his 
 was afterwards altered ; for his father, feeing the 
 ftudy of the law was the furer ftep to riches and 
 honour, altered his mind, and his fon, growing 
 into acquaintance with a certain kinfmail of his, 
 was by him inftrufted in the true religion, where¬ 
 upon he applied himfelf to the ftudy of the fa- 
 cred fcriptures, and began to abominate the 
 fuperftitious fervices in the Popifh church. 
 
 Whilft he was employed in thefe ftudies, he 
 negledted not that of divinity, fo that he preached 
 divers fermons in a neighbouring town. But, 
 whilft he was thus bufied, news came to him of 
 his father’s death, which called him back into his 
 own country. Having fettled his affairs there, 
 he went to Paris, being now about twenty-four 
 years old. After a few months ftay at Paris, he 
 grew acquainted with all that profefled the re¬ 
 formed religion ; and amongft the reft, with 
 Stephen Forgeus, a famous merchant, who after¬ 
 wards fealcd the truth with his blood. 
 
 From henceforward, at the earned requeft of 
 all thofe that held their private meetings in Paris, 
 he laid afideall other ftudies, and wholly applied 
 himfelf to that of divinity. At this time Ni¬ 
 cholas Cope was redtor of the univerfity at Paris; 
 who, being to make an oration on All-faints day, 
 at the mitigation of John Calvin, ipake of re¬ 
 ligion more purely and clearly than he ufed to 
 do. This the parliament of Paris was angry at, 
 infomuch that they cited him before them 3 but, 
 44 
 
 as he went, fome of his friends advifed him to 
 take heed of his adverfaries; whereupon he re¬ 
 turned home, and immediately after left France 
 and went to Bafil. 
 
 The officers, fent by the parliament, fearching 
 for Cope, went into Calvin’s houfe, who, by 
 chance, not being at home, they ranlacked his 
 ftudy, and amongft his papers, found many of 
 his friends letters, which had like to have endan¬ 
 gered the lives of many. But it pleafed God to 
 divert that ftorm, by the prudent and pious dili¬ 
 gence of the queen of Navarre, the only filter 
 of king Francis, a woman of admirable wit, 
 and exceedingly tender of the profelTors of the 
 reformed religion. She all'o fent for Mr. Calvin to 
 her court, ufed him very hofpitably, and heard 
 him gladly. But, Mr. Calvin finding Paris too 
 hot for his abode, went to Xantonge, where, fo- 
 journing with a friend, at his requeft, he drew up 
 ffiort admonitions, which were difperfed amongft 
 certain priefts, to be taught to their people, that 
 fo they might, by little and little, be drawn to 
 rearch out the truth. 
 
 About the fame time, obferving that there 
 were many in Trance that knew, and were con¬ 
 vinced of the truth, and ye*- indulged themfelves 
 as if it were enough that they relerved their 
 hearts for Chrift, though they were prefent at the 
 Popifh fervices, he publiffied two elegant epiftles: 
 one, to exhort the flying idolatry ; the other, on 
 the Popiffi priefthood. But whilft he, Calvin, 
 was thus employed, he met with grievous fedi- 
 tions at home. 
 
 The gofpel indeed was entertained, and Po¬ 
 pery abjured in Geneva ; but many were not re¬ 
 formed from the profane and fcandalous courfes 
 which they had learned of the Popifh clergy; 
 and the antient feuds amongft the chief families 
 were not yet laid afide. Thefe, at firft, were 
 gently admonifhed, and, when that prevailed not, 
 more ffiarply reprehended ; and, when yet they 
 continued ftubborn, and the city, by the fadtions 
 of private perfons, was divided into parties, 
 Farrel, Calvin, and Carodus, openly profefled. 
 that they could by no means adminifter the 
 Lord’s lupper to perfons who were at fuch en¬ 
 mity amongft themfelves. 
 
 Upon this occafion, the Syndics, which were 
 chofen for that year at Geneva, who, for the 
 time, are the chief magiftrates, afiembling, the 
 the captains of the feditious perfons fo far pre¬ 
 vailed, that thefe three worthy fervants of Chrift 
 were commanded, within two days, to depart the 
 city. When this decree was brought to Calvin, 
 he faid : cc Truly, if I had ferved men, I fhould 
 have had but an ill reward ; but it is well that I 
 have ferved him who doth always perform to his 
 fervants what he hath once promified.” 
 
 Calvin went to Bafil, and thence to Strafbourg; 
 where, by the defire of the fenate, he was made 
 profefl'or of divinity, which place he difeharged 
 with great applaufe of learned men; and by the 
 6 R confent 
 
5*6 The HISTORY 
 
 content of the fenate, planted the French church 
 there, and icttiea dii'cipline in it. Calvin fettled 
 in another p ace, and a new church was erefted. 
 
 At this time, cardinal Sadolct, a man of great 
 eloquence, feeing the flock deprived of fuch 
 able and vigilant fliepherds, thought it a fit 
 time to enfnare them; for which end he wrote 
 letters, diretfted to his dear friends, as he called 
 them, the fenate, council, and people of Geneva, 
 in which he omitted no arguments, whereby he 
 might perfuade them to return into the bofom of 
 the RomiJfh church. There was no man in 
 Geneva that would undertake to anfwer him ; 
 fo that piobablv thefe letters would have done 
 much mifehief, bur that they were written in a 
 foreign language. But when Calvin had read 
 them; forgetting all the wrongs which had been 
 done him, he returned an anfwer fofpeedily and 
 eloquently, that the cardinal, defpairing of ac- 
 complifhing his end, wholly gave over his de- 
 fign. 
 
 Mr. Calvin continued at Strafbourg to the 
 year 1541. in which the emperor Charles Y. af- 
 fembled two diets, the one at Worms, the other 
 at Ratifbon, for compofing the differences about 
 religion : at both which Mr. Calvin was prefent, 
 to the great advantage of the churches, and 
 where he was molt lovingly entertained by Phi¬ 
 lip Melanfthon, and Gafpar Cruciger. He alfo 
 had much private conference with them about 
 the facrament of the Lord’s lupper, and they 
 could not but approve of his opinion therein. 
 The city of Geneva began to call for Farrell 
 and Calvin 5 but when, by no means, they could 
 recover Farrell, they ufed all their endeavours to 
 procure Calvin ; and for that end, fent ambafta- 
 dors to Strafbourg. The fenate of Strafbouro- 
 were exceedingly unwilling to hearken to it° 
 and Calvin himlelf, abhorring to enter into new 
 troubles, and finding great luccefs attended his 
 miniftry at Strafbourg, did abfolutely refufe to 
 return. Befides, Bucer, and the other paftors, 
 did profefs their great unwillingnefs to part with 
 him. 
 
 But the Genevians ftill prefling hard for him, 
 Bucer at laft thought their requeffs fhould be 
 condefcended to. This falling out juft at the 
 time when Calvin, with Bucer, was going to the 
 diet at Ratifbon, his return was delayed for a 
 time; when they chofe Peter Viret: and, indeed, 
 this made Mr. Calvin far more willing to return, 
 when he faw that he was to have fuch a col¬ 
 league. 
 
 Mr. Calvin went to Geneva, September the 
 1 3th 154L being Angularly welcomed by the 
 people, and efpecially by the fenate, who ac¬ 
 knowledged the wonderful mercy of God to¬ 
 wards them, in reftoring him to them. And 
 wnereas the fenate of Strafbourg had decreed 
 that, after a time, he fhould return to them a°"ain; 
 that of Geneva would never give it over, till 
 they had reverfed that decree, which at laft’ was 
 yielded to by thofe of Strafbourg, yet with this 
 provifo, that the pen (ion, which they had fettled 
 upon him, fhould ftill be continued to him. But 
 Mr. Calvin could never be perfuaded to receive 
 it, caring for nothing lefs than for riches. Mr. 
 Calvin, being thus reftored to his church, and 
 perceiving that the city needed fuch bridles, he 
 
 of CALVINISM. 
 
 profefted that he could not comfortably exercile 
 his miniftry amongft them, except, together with 
 the dodtrine of the gofpel, they would em¬ 
 brace the Prefbyterian government, for the well 
 regulating of the church. Hereupon elders were 
 cholen, and a model of government was drawn 
 up. 
 
 His ordinary labours were thefe : every other 
 fabbath he preached twice ; Monday, Tuefday, 
 Wednefday, he read his divinity leftures : every 
 Thurfday he aflifted in the confiftory for the ec- 
 clefiaftical difeipline. On Fridays he read a lec¬ 
 ture for the clearing hard places of the ferip- 
 tures; anfwered many adverlaries to the truth; 
 wrote many letters to lundry places. So that 
 we have caufe to w'onder how it was poflible for 
 one man to undergo fo many bufineffcs. 
 
 Befides his forementioned labours, he had alfo 
 the charge and bufinefs of a familv, and many 
 foreign employments; for God fo Hefted his 
 miniftry, that from all parts of the Chrillian 
 world, he was fought to, partly for adv ice in mat¬ 
 ters of religion, and partly, to hear him preach : 
 fo that, at the fame time, there was an Italian 
 church, an Englifh church, and aSpanifh church, 
 and the city feemed too little to entertain all that 
 came to it for his fake. 
 
 In 1542, Mr. Calvin met with many afflic¬ 
 tions, feme at home, but efpecially by the fury 
 of the adverlaries of the truth abroad in France 
 and Italy, whence they drove away many profef- 
 fors of the gofpel, for the comfort of whom he 
 laid himfelf out exceedingly, writing many en¬ 
 couraging letters every way, both to thofe that 
 were efcaped, and to thofe that yet remained in 
 the lion’s jaws. 
 
 In 1545, was that abominable and cruel editft 
 which the parliament of Aquitane let forth againft 
 the poor \Valdenfes of Merindol, Cabriers, and 
 thofe parts ; whereby unheard-of cruelties were 
 exerciled, not againft fome few, but againft all 
 of them, without any diftinflion of age or 
 fex. 
 
 Some of thofe that efcaped, flying to Geneva, 
 Calvin was the more afflidfed for them, and care¬ 
 ful of them, becaufe, a little before, he had 
 written copfolatory letters to them, and fent 
 them faithful paftors, and had alfo, where they 
 were in danger before, preferved them by his 
 interceftion to the German princes. 
 
 In 1546, one of the fenators, in a public af- 
 fembly of the people, blamed Calvin as one that 
 taught falfe dodtrine, fuborned, as was luppofed, 
 by two of the college of paftors, both of them 
 being drunkards, and, therefore, fearing the 
 feveritv of the laws. But Mr. Calvin made little 
 account of this. Yet the man who accused him 
 was called before the lenate, and, his caufe be¬ 
 ing heard, was condemned for Hander; and thofe 
 two drunken minifters, who had let him on, were 
 removed out of their places. 
 
 1 he year 1547 proved far worfe ; indeed, that 
 age law not a more cala mtous rime than it 
 was : the churches of Germany feemed to be ut¬ 
 terly lubverted, the Proteftant princes taken, 
 and cities yielding up themJclvcs alter fo great 
 labours ufed, and fj great difficulties palled 
 through, in planting e -ofpel amongft them. 
 With what giaef Mr. edvin was afflidtcd for the 
 
 delegations 
 
The HISTORY 
 
 deflations of the churches, is not eafy to exprefs, 
 efpecially, if we confider that great affedtion 
 ■which he bore to them, though far remote from 
 him, which indeed was no other than if he had 
 fupported them ail upon his fhoulders. Indeed, 
 he was wonderfully grieved when he heard of 
 thole holy men, his worthy friends Philip Me- 
 landthon, Bucer, Peter Martyr, See. in fo 
 great danger, that they feemed nearer death than 
 life. 
 
 In the midft of thefe contentions, the church 
 of Geneva did wonderfully incrcafe and Mr. 
 Calvin was very folicitous to entertain and pro¬ 
 vide for fuch as were banifhed for the name of 
 Chrift. In the year 1550, the church of Chrift 
 enjoyed peace, and then it was decreed in Gene¬ 
 va, that the minifters, not only in their fer- 
 mons, which many neglected, and others heard 
 with fmall profit, but, from houfe to houfe, 
 Ihould divide the city amongft them, and require 
 of every family an account of their faith 5 by 
 which means it is fcarce credible what benefit ac¬ 
 crued to the people. 
 
 At this time a grievous perfecution rifing at 
 Paris, it was a great concern to Mr. Calvin; 
 many being taken when they were aflembled in 
 St. James’s-Street, for the celebration of the 
 Lord’s fupper, being about eighty in number, 
 the reft cfcaping by the benefit of the night ; 
 who, the next morning, were led to priion, 
 loaded with fcorns and reproaches, though 
 fome of them were noble women of good ac¬ 
 count. 
 
 There were alfo fome falfe witnefies furnifhed 
 againft them, when the credulous multitude 
 were too apt to believe; there were, therefore, 
 feven of them brought forth to be burned, 
 amongft whom there was a noble woman, who, 
 with fix others, fhewed admirable patience ; 
 and whereas they were accufed of promifeuous 
 whoredoms at their meetings, a learned man, 
 who had lately been their paftor, eafily confuted 
 thofe lies; and the German princes, interceding 
 in their behalf, which Mr. Calvin procured with 
 admirable celerity, the tempeft was, in a good 
 meafure, blown over. 
 
 A. D. 1559, was famous for the league en¬ 
 tered into between the two molt potent kings of 
 Spain and France, ftrengthened by affinity be¬ 
 twixt them, which was likely to prove fatal to 
 Geneva. In the mean time Calvin, though fick- 
 ly, laboured hard, comforting the afflicted 
 churches; as alfo by his frequent and fervent 
 prayers, craving help of God. Whilft all things 
 were full of terror, the king of France, in the 
 great marriage- lolemnity which was made for the 
 confirmation of the peace, in his running at tilt, 
 received his death wound, and that by the hand 
 of the captain of his guard, by whom, a little 
 before, he had apprehended and imprifoned fe- 
 veral fenators. 
 
 At this time the Bohemians fent two of their 
 brethren to Calvin, to defire his judgement about 
 fome matters of religion, whom he lovingly fa- 
 tisfied, exhorting them alfo that they would enter 
 into a nearer conjunction with other reformed 
 churches. At the fame time alfo, queen Mary 
 being dead, and queen Elizabeth fucceeding, 
 many of the French relying upon her piety and 
 
 of CALVINISM. jif 
 
 humanity* fled for refuge into England, with 
 the confent of that reverend divine Edmund 
 Grindal, bifhop of London ; and craved leave of 
 her, that one might be fent from Geneva, to plant 
 a French church there. 
 
 Towards the latter end of this year* king 
 Francis, of France, died fuddenly, and that irt 
 fuch a juncture of time, when all things feemed 
 defperate. King Charles IX. a child, was fcarce 
 entered on his reign, when, by a herald, letters* 
 fubferibed with his name, were brought to Gene¬ 
 va, wherein he complained that many were fend 
 from thence, who infeCted his kingdom, defiring 
 that they might be prefently called back ; threat¬ 
 ening, that otherwife he would revenge the in¬ 
 jury. 
 
 Calvin, being hereupon fent for by the fenate, 
 anfwered in his own, and in his colleagues names, 
 that, at the requeft of the churches of France, 
 they had exhorted certain men who were found 
 in the faith, and of a holy life, that they Ihould 
 not be wanting to lend their help to their coun¬ 
 try in fo holy a caufe ; and that this they had 
 done, not to difturb the kingdom, but that the 
 people might be taught the gofpel of peace; 
 and, if they were accufed for any thing further 
 than this, they were ready to anfwer their ac- 
 cufers before the king; fo this bufinefs went no 
 further. 
 
 In the year 1562, God gave peace and liberty 
 to the French churches, by a public edi< 5 b of the 
 kings : but not long after the king of Navarre* 
 prefently after the duke of Guife had committed 
 that abominable maflacre at Vafiy, began a civil 
 war, which continued many years after, to the 
 miferable devaluation of France. It cannot be 
 fpoken how much Calvin was afflidted therewith, 
 which fo far increafed his difeafe, that it was 
 eafy to divine, that it would not be long before 
 he would be tranflated to a better life ; yet did 
 he not defift from exhorting and comforting every 
 one, nor from preaching and reading his ordinary 
 lectures. 
 
 In this manner Calvin continued to pradtife 
 the duties of his function, till he funk under a 
 variety of infirmities, and at laft died on the 
 third day of June, 1563, much beloved by the 
 people of Geneva, and much efteemed by all 
 the Proteftant churches. 
 
 His works are numerous, and amongft them 
 is a commentary on the bible, written in ele¬ 
 gant Latin. But thofe which chiefly demand 
 our notice, are, his inftitutions of the Chriftian 
 religion. Calvin had been brought up to the 
 ftudy of the civil law of the Romans, and there¬ 
 fore he confidered, or imagined, that every fei- 
 ence Ihould be reduced to a fyftem. Thus he 
 drew up his famous inftitutions of the Chriftian 
 religion, on the fame plan as that laid down by 
 the emperor Juftinian, and followed by all the 
 Civilians. It is certain, that fyftematical learning 
 gives people a clearer notion of the truth, than 
 any other methods that can be made ufc of; but 
 ftill it is equally certain, that fyftems may be 
 too flavilhly attended to. If fyftems are confi¬ 
 dered as mere matter of fpeculation, and not 
 impofed as abfolutely binding on the confcience, 
 they may be innocent enough; but when 
 they are impofed as the real fenfe of the word of 
 
 God, 
 
5*8 The HISTORY 
 
 God, they fometimes wound the tender confcience, 
 and lay a {tumbling block before the weak and 
 well meaning. 
 
 It is acknowleged by Bp. Burnet, Mr. Brandt, 
 and other writers, that all the Proteftant refor¬ 
 mers embraced the fame notions with St. Auftin, 
 bifhop of Hippo, in Africa. That Luther did 
 fo, appears evident from his commentary on 
 the Epiftle to the Galatians ; and that the Englifh 
 reformers were of the fame opinion, appears from 
 perufingthe thirty-nine articles. Calvin, however, 
 was the firft perfon who reduced the lentiments 
 of St. Auftin into a fyftem, and thofe who will 
 read his works in a difpaftionate manner, will 
 find that he has done juftice to that celebrated 
 father. That Auftin was oppofed by all the 
 Greek fathers in his time, is certain, but this 
 does not concern us at prefcnt. All we have to 
 do, is to point out thofe grand diftinguifhing 
 marks by which the do&rine of St. Auftin is 
 known, and the fyftematical manner, into which 
 it was reduced by Calvin, and, in fome mea- 
 fure, though not in every thing, (till adhered to 
 by thofe people called Calvinifts. 
 
 And, firft, they afifert that God made all 
 things in a ftate of perfection, and entered 
 into a convenant with our firft parents, that 
 they fliould enjoy eternal life, in confequence 
 of their obedience to the law, which he had 
 prefcribed as the rule of their conduCt: That 
 had they continued to obey this law, they 
 would have become immortal as the angels, 
 and death could have had no dominion over 
 them. But fhould they tranfgrefs this law, then 
 they were to be fubjeCt to all the miferies of this 
 life; to death itfelf, both temporal and eternal. 
 That in confequence of our firft parents difobey- 
 ing this command, the Divine malediction was 
 to defcend to all their pofterity, and the earth 
 was to be curfed for their fake. That is, they 
 were not to receive thofe inftantaneous produc¬ 
 tions which the garden of Eden afforded, but 
 they were to labour hard in order to procure a 
 fubfiftance. 
 
 Secondly, that our firft parents did forfeit the 
 the Divine favour, by eating the forbidden fruit, 
 and having been declared guilty by the Almighty 
 Lord God of Providence and Grace, they were 
 excluded from his favour, and all their defcen- 
 dants were involved in the general dreadful 
 calamity. This fall of our firft parents, not 
 only involved us in their guilt, but in the ordi¬ 
 nary way of generation, conveyed to us a na¬ 
 tural propenfity to evil. All the faculties of the 
 human foul were difordered, that glorious fabric 
 which God had ereCted after his own image, was 
 in a manner reduced to a heap of ruins, and man, 
 who had come pure from the hands of his maker, 
 became, by the domineering flavery of his paf- 
 fions, like one of the beafts that perifh. This 
 was the origin of evil (wefpeak in the words of 
 the Calvinifts) and from that dreadful period, 
 there has been little but fin in the world. All 
 the evils that have taken place, have been caui- 
 ed by the fall of man; he has become obnoxious 
 to his maker, and the beafts of the field, over 
 which he was made the univerfal Lord, are now 
 become his enemies; when he fell he was with 
 out hope, becaufe he knew the eternal mandate 
 
 of CALVINISM. 
 
 would hold good, for God is the fountain of 
 truth and cannot lie. 
 
 Thirdly, it was afierted by St. Auftin, and 
 embraced by Calvin, that no man had it in his 
 power to turn to God when he pleafed, but that 
 he mult wait for the operation of efficacious 
 grace. This fentiment has occafioned much 
 controverfy; and although there are fome ex- 
 preffions in the apoftolical epiftles that give 
 countenance to it, yet they ffiould be read with 
 much caution. Our notion of God fhould al¬ 
 ways be founded on the principles of moral recti¬ 
 tude ; but here we are led into an amazing diffi¬ 
 culty, when we come to confider what moral 
 rectitude is. Human nature objects, that it is in- 
 confiftent with the Divine attributes, to exadl 
 obedience from the man who has it not in his 
 power to perform it, and thofe feelings peculiar 
 to men as rational beings, teach them, that 
 the merciful Lord of the univerfe, cannot aft 
 the part of a tyrant. 
 
 On the other hand, it afierted, that God has 
 a right to difpofe of his creatures in what man¬ 
 ner he thinks proper, and that he may exaft 
 obedience without giving any reafon for fo do¬ 
 ing. And here the words of the prophet Ifaiah 
 are brought in to fupport the fentiment. <c My 
 “ ways are not as your ways, nor my thoughts 
 Cf as your thoughts.” It is certain, that omni¬ 
 potence cannot be limited, and it is blafpemy in 
 men to fet bounds to the Divine perfections. Our 
 Lord fays, ct Afk and it ftiall be given you, feek 
 and you ftiall find, knock and it ffiall be opened 
 unto you.” And again the prophet Ifaiah fays, 
 
 “ Let the (inner forfake his ways, and the un¬ 
 righteous man his thoughts, and let him return 
 unto the Lord who will have mercy, and our God 
 who will abundantly pardon.” In thefe, and in 
 many other expreffions in the facred feriptures, 
 there fieems to be no privation of the will im¬ 
 plied. There are, however, objeftions againft: 
 this, in fupport of the original fentiment. 
 
 Thus it is faid, that cc No man can come unto 
 me, except the father which fent me draw him.” 
 In our humble opinion (for we will not dictate 
 to any one) thefe words do not refer to the pri¬ 
 vation of the human will, but they feem to be an 
 allufion to thofe words of the prophet, “ I will 
 allure them into the wildernefs, and there will I 
 (peak comfortably to them.” The alluring 
 goodnefs of God, leads men to repentance ; for 
 what difobedient fon would not obey his father 
 if he was to treat him with tendernefs ? It is faid 
 feveral times in feripture, “ None ever fought 
 God in vain,” and therefore let every one make a 
 proper ufe of thofe powers given them, and then 
 moft certainly God will command his bleffing. 
 
 The next article in the fyftematical plan of 
 Calvinifm, which deferves our notice, is that of 
 predeftination. Like the article concerning the 
 freedom of the human will, it has been much 
 animadverted on, and perhaps little underftood. 
 We cannot, under the prefent head, take notice 
 of it in its utmoft point of view, being obliged 
 to confine ourfclves to the lenfe in which St. 
 Auftin broached it, and how it was retained by 
 Calvin. 
 
 We are certain, that the facred feriptures, 
 both of the Old and New Teftament, give fome 
 
 fort 
 
The HISTORY 
 
 fort of countenance to the doctrine of predefti- 
 nation; but the grand queftion is, does this pre- 
 deftination apply to individuals, or is it only the 
 ordinance of God at large ? It has been con¬ 
 tended that it fhould be taken in the former fenfe, 
 and the fcntiment has been founded and fup- 
 ported on the following principle. 
 
 <c God looking down upon the human race, 
 faw that all mankind would be difobedient to 
 his commands, and therefore he fixed what fhould 
 be their inevitable fate. He ordered it fo, that 
 thefe people fhould never be able to make a pro¬ 
 per ufe of the means of grace, fo as to lead them 
 to eternal happinefs; or at leaf! thefe means 
 fhould not be conveyed to them in an efficacious 
 manner. And yet, at the fame time, it was af- 
 ferted, that the clergy fhould teach the people to 
 comply with the plan laid down in the gofpel, 
 without confidering that at the fame time they 
 were denied the exercife of the freedom of the 
 human will.” Calvin feems to have confider- 
 ed the dodlrine in the following light. 
 
 He believed that God had fixed an eternal 
 purpofe to fave fome part of the human race, 
 and to reject the others; but as that was a fecret 
 which no human being could know, confe- 
 quently it was the duty of minifters to exhort all 
 their people alike. This laft fentiment is much 
 favoured by feveral ejepreffions in the facred lcrip- 
 tures, and particularly in the New Teftament, 
 and probably it is in coni'equence thereof, that 
 fome of the genuine Calviniffs exhort their peo¬ 
 ple to duties, without prying into the divine 
 decrees. That God knows what lhall happen to 
 his creatures in this world, cannot be denied ; 
 but that he lays an impulfe upon their wills, has 
 been difputed. We do not chule to enter into 
 this controverfy, for we are certain, that there is 
 enough in the facred feriptures to give fatisfac- 
 tion to every humble enquirer, and make men 
 wife unto falvation. 
 
 It mull be acknowledged, that the Divine 
 Being lees all that palfcs in the courfe of this life, 
 and has it, as it were all before him, from thebe- 
 ginning of time, till the commencement of eter¬ 
 nity. To deprive God of prefcience, is to rob him 
 of one of his attributes ; but then we may believe 
 that God knows, without faying that he lays a 
 reftraint on our rational powers. Dr. Edwards 
 of New Jerfey has written with great judgement 
 on this fubjedt, and fuch was the effedt of his 
 treatife, that it induced lord Kaimes to alter the 
 fecond edition of his dilcourfes on religion and 
 morality. But no writer we know of ever came 
 up to the learned lord Stair. 
 
 Thar nobleman, who had feen much of the 
 world, and ferved the crown fifty years, in one of 
 his meditations, fays, “ That to believe in the 
 prefcience, or foreknowledge of God, is the fame 
 thing as to believe in predeftination; for it God 
 foreices what will happen and does not change it, 
 then the effect is the fame as if he had appointed 
 it.” And he adds, that there is a comfort in be¬ 
 lieving a dodlrine which lets the omnipotence of 
 God in fuch a grand point of view. <c Did my 
 gracious God (fays his lordffiip) create me and 
 lend me into this world ? Did he bring me under 
 the light, and within the found of the everlalting 
 gofpel ? Did he give me power to embrace that 
 45 
 
 of CALVINISM. 529 
 
 gofpel ? And will he fuffer me to periffi ? No : 
 
 I will fay with Luther, I can truft my foul with 
 God.” 
 
 The next article in Calvinifm, and that which 
 diftinguiffies it from Arminianifm, is parti 
 cular redemption. That is, that Chrift died to 
 fave only a feledt number of the human race. 
 This naturally follows the dodlrine of abfolute 
 predeftinacion ; for if God has appointed that a 
 certain number of the human race lhall be faved, 
 and no others, confequently Chrift could only 
 have died for that number, and the efficacy of his 
 death could not reach any farther. 
 
 The nature of this work leads us into the ne- 
 ceffity of taking, notice of every difputed point 
 in religion; but ftill we could wifh the reader to 
 judge for himfelf. That Calvin taught that 
 there was fuch a thing as particular redemption, 
 cannot be denied ; for this is plain throughout 
 the whole of his inftitutions. And yet this cele¬ 
 brated reformer feems to have thought otherwife 
 at fome times; for in his commentary on the pa¬ 
 rable of the king’s making a marriage feaft for 
 his fon, he fays, that the man who had not the wed¬ 
 ding garment was condemned by the evidence of 
 hisown confidence, becaufe he might have had it if 
 he chofe ; and this may ferve to ffiew, that men 
 had a power to comply with the terms offered in 
 the gofpel. Thus we find how difficult it is to 
 keep to the pofitive words of a fyftem, while the 
 fentiment is difputable. It is certain, that there 
 may be different conclufions drawn from many 
 intricate paffages in feripture, and in all fuch 
 cafes we lhould be humble, without prying into 
 the fecrets of the Almighty. 
 
 Another, and a very important article in St. 
 Auftin’s fyftem, is that of final perfeverance, 
 which was embraced by Calvin. There are many 
 paffages in the facred feriptures, that may be 
 underftood as not only favouring this dodlrine, 
 but even enforcing it. Thus it is faid, <c the path 
 of the juft man is a fluffing light, that Ihineth 
 more and more until the perfect day.” And again, 
 cc Thofe whom he loved, he loved to the end.” 
 Nay, there are many other expreffions ftronger 
 in fupport of the dodlrine than thofe above 
 quoted, and there are others that appear to imply 
 quite the contrary. Thus it is faid, cc let him 
 that ftandeth take heed left he fall.” Many great 
 and pious men have believed, that although God 
 will not forfake his people who love and ferve 
 him, yet they may forfake him, and become ob- 
 jedls of his difplealure. This feems to have 
 been the opinion of the elegant and pious Dr, 
 Watts, when he fays, 
 
 Unfliaken as the facred hill; 
 
 And firm as mountains be; 
 
 Firm as a rock the foul fliall reft. 
 
 That leans, O Lord, on thee ! 
 
 The greateft objedlion made to this dodlrine,; 
 is, that it leads to carnal fecurity, keeping men off 
 that holy caution and ftridt guard which ffiould 
 regulate all their adtions. It is further objedled, 
 that it fills the mind with pride, by teaching peo¬ 
 ple to believe, that themfelves are more worthy 
 of the Divine favour than others. Perhaps there is 
 too much truth in this; for furely we may truft in 
 6 S the 
 
The HISTORY of CALVINISM. 
 
 53° 
 
 the Divine veracity, without running into pre- 
 fumption. 
 
 Mr. Neale, in his account of the death of 
 Oliver Cromwell, has recorded an anecdote, 
 which we fhall confider as true, becaufe it comes 
 from the pen of fuch a candid writer. He tells 
 us, that when Oliver Cromwell lay on his death¬ 
 bed, he was attended by the moft eminent divines 
 of the independent perluafion. Amongft thefe 
 was Dr. Thomas Godwin, then prelident of Mag¬ 
 dalen College, Oxford. This gentleman, whole 
 writings are dull and tedious, feems to have 
 been a great favourite of the protestor's; for 
 Cromwell afked him ferioufly, “ whether there 
 was a falling off from grace.” Godwin Laid there 
 was not; then replied Cromwell, ct I am certain 
 I once had grace.” And in thefe fentiments 
 this man died. 
 
 To conclude, thefe difputed points are exceed¬ 
 ingly dangerous, when handled without caution 
 and moderation; 'cut they have been treated with 
 refpe&bythewifeof all denominations. They have 
 created much confufion, and yet one would ima¬ 
 gine there was no necefiity for any thing of that 
 nature. God has revealed enough for us to know, 
 in order to make us happy, both in time and in 
 eternity, and therefore it is irreverent, as well as 
 indecent and impious in us to enquire into fe- 
 crets, which to know can be of no fervice to us, 
 nor even make us wife unto falvation. 
 
 The wit of the profane, the malice of the 
 fatirical, and the laugh of the debauchee, have 
 been all united to ridicule thofe notions which 
 St. Auftin broached, and Calvin taught. This 
 will appear from an attentive canfideration of the 
 following verfes of Mr. Dryden. 
 
 But here the doctors eagerly difpute, 
 
 Some hold predeftination abfolute : 
 
 Some clerks maintain, that heav’n at firft forefees, 
 And in the virtue of forefight decrees. 
 
 If this be fo, then prefcience binds the will ■, 
 
 And mortals are not free to good or ill j 
 For what he firft forefaw, he muft ordain, 
 
 Or his eternal prefcience may be vain. 
 
 As bad for us if prefcience had not been : 
 
 For firft, or laft, he’s author of the fin. 
 
 And who fays that, let the blafpheming man 
 Say worfe, ev’n of the devil, if he can. 
 
 For how can that eternal pow’r be juft 
 To punilh man, who fins becaufe he muft ? 
 
 Or, how can he reward a virtuous deed, 
 
 Which is not done by us, but firft decreed ? 
 
 I cannot boult this matter to the bran. 
 
 As Bradwardin and holy Auftin can : 
 
 If prefcience can determine aftions fo, 
 
 That we muft do becaufe he did foreknow ? 
 
 Or that foreknowing, yet our choice is free. 
 
 Not forc’d to fin by ftrieft necefiity. 
 
 This ftrift necefiity they fimple call 
 Another fort, there is conditional. 
 
 The firft fo binds the will, that things foreknown, 
 By fpontaneiry, not choice, are done. 
 
 Thus galley-flaves tug willing at their oar, 
 Content to work in profpeft of the fiiore j l 
 But would not work at all if not conftrain’d 
 before. ' 
 
 That other does not liberty reftrain ; 
 
 But man may either ad, or may refrain : 
 
 Heav’n made us agents free to good or ill, 
 
 And forc’d it not, tho’ he forefaw the will. 
 Freedom was firft bellowed on human race. 
 
 And the prefcience only held the lecond place. 
 
 If he could make fuch agents wholly free. 
 
 I’ll not difpute, the point’s too high for me: 
 
 For heav’n’s unfathom’d pow’r what man can 
 found. 
 
 Or put to his omnipotence a bound ? 
 
 Fie made us to his image ■, all agree, T 
 
 That image is the foul, and that muft be, L 
 
 Or not the maker’s image, or be free. \ 
 
 But whether it were better man had been 
 By nature bound to good, not free to fin, 
 
 I wave, for fear of fplitting on a rock. 
 
 Having faid thus much concerning the doc- 
 trinal principles of the Calvinifts, we muft now 
 proceed to their worlhip. All the reformers pre¬ 
 tended to fimplicity, but all did not attain to it. 
 Of this we have a linking inftance in the Luthe¬ 
 rans, who have retained many of the Popilh ce¬ 
 remonies. On the other hand, the church, of 
 England kept in the middle, between the two 
 extremes, while the Calvinifts attempted to ftrip 
 religion of all- thofe gaudy ornaments which it 
 had borrowed from fuperftition. In Geneva, 
 where Calvinifm was firft propagated, in Hol¬ 
 land, in fome of the German provinces, and in¬ 
 deed every where but in England and Scotland, 
 their form and manner of worlhip is the fame. 
 There may, indeed, be fome few differences, but 
 they are of fuch a trifling nature as not to be 
 worthy of notice. At Geneva and in Holland, 
 as well as in all the provinces of Germany, and 
 Switzerland, where Calvinifm is profefled, the 
 fervice is conducted in the following manner. 
 
 The minifter goes into the reading delk, and 
 having told the people to lift up their hearts to 
 God,begins with a fhort prayer, begging for the 
 Divine Prefence to be with them, during the 
 whole of the worlhip. This being over, he 
 reads two or three chapters out of the Old 
 or New Teftament, according to his own difere- 
 tion, and then a pfalm or hymn is fung. 
 
 He then reads the Ten Commandments, 
 which are followed by the Apoftles Creed, and 
 another hymn or pfalm is fung afterwards. And 
 here it is necelfary to obferve, that in moft of the 
 Calviniftical churches abroad, they have organs, 
 together with fome other forts of inftrumental 
 mufic. 
 
 This part of the fervice being over, the mi¬ 
 nifter goes into the pulpit and repeats an extem¬ 
 porary prayer for the whole Hate of mankind in 
 the world, and then a difeourfe follows, which 
 is either a fermon on a particular text, or a para- 
 phrafe of fome paflage in the facred feripture. 
 The fermon being over, another hymn is fung, 
 and after which the congregation are difmified 
 with a blefting. 
 
 With refpedl to the facrament of baptifm, it 
 is as amongft us, adminiftci*ed to their infants, 
 but they do not ufe the fign of the crofs, nor have 
 they any godfathers, or godmothers, every father 
 being obliged to Hand fpor.for for his own child. 
 On which occafion he binds himfelf to fee it 
 brought up in the fear of God. 
 
 In the facrament of the Lord’s fupper, they 
 
The HISTOR? 
 are not confined to any rule with refpeft to the 
 mode of adminiftration, nor have they any al¬ 
 tars. Some of the communicants receive it 
 kneeling, fome fitting, and others ftanding. 
 This allowance granted to tender confciencie's, 
 is much to be commended ; for what may ap¬ 
 pear trifling to one man, may have a mod: formi¬ 
 dable appearance to another. 
 
 The Calvinifts abroad, that is, on the Continent 
 of Europe, likewife obferve feveral holy davs. 
 fuch as Chriftmas, Eafter, Whitfuntide, with 
 fome others ; but they do not pay any fuperfti- 
 tious regard to them. However, we find in the 
 afts of the general afiembly of the church of 
 Scotland t 594 ,fomethingremarkable on thisfub- 
 jeft. King James told the general affembly of 
 the clergy, that “ the people of Geneva kept 
 their Chriftmas and their Pafch ; and pray, laid 
 he, what warrant have they for it ? It is nothing 
 but will-worfhip, and like the fervice of the 
 church of England, it is an ill laid mafs in En- 
 glifh.’’ James, however, changed his fenti- 
 ments afterwards, and became a perfecutor of 
 thofe very people whole piety and religion he 
 had extolled. 
 
 In the difcipline among the Calvinifts, there 
 is fomething that bears a near affinity to the an- 
 tient church. Every congregation has its own 
 minifter, and under him are a certain number of 
 refpeftable perfons, called Elders. Thefe el¬ 
 ders are ordained by the impofition of the hands 
 of the minifter, and their bufinefs is to vifit the 
 lick from houfe to houfe, and to pray with them. 
 
 They are to be men of fair characters, againft 
 whom no complaint has been preferred, and they 
 are to examine, in the abfence of the minifter, 
 all thofe who defire to come to the communion. 
 They are to give notice to the minifters of all 
 fitch perlons as lead fcandalous and immoral 
 lives, that they may be cut off from the congre¬ 
 gation of the faithful. 
 
 I hey are to take care that no part of their 
 own conduit (hall give fuch offence, fo as to 
 bring the gofpel into difrepute; and they are to 
 be at all times ready to affift the minifter with 
 their advice, i his order among the Calvinifts 
 feems to have come in the room of the prefby- 
 ters in the antient church, who were always to 
 affift the bifliop, both by their council and 
 otherwife. Thefe men are not elefted for a time, 
 as churchwardens are in England, but they are 
 ordained for life, and nothing can fet afide the 
 exercife of their office, but fome crimes of a 
 fcandalous nature. 
 
 The next order of officers in the Calviftical 
 churches abroad are deacons, whofe bufinefs it 
 is to vilit the poor, and diftribute as much money 
 as the church allows for that purpole. They are 
 elected by the pe ople and appointed by the mi¬ 
 nifter; they are to carry the elements of bread 
 and wine round to rhe communicants; they are 
 to fee that the widows and orphans are provided 
 for in a proper manner, and that Chriftian pa¬ 
 rents bring up their children in the fear of God. 
 They are to give a faithful account to the mini¬ 
 fter and elders in what manner they have dif- 
 pofeiof the money committed to their care; 
 and they are, by their conduft, to fet an example 
 before all thd'c who belong to the congregation. 
 
 f CALVINISM. rj, 
 
 5 £* 
 
 They are to be extremely caudotis into what 
 company they go, and they are to maintain a 
 confluence void of offence towards God and 
 man. 
 
 f he firff time we hear or read of deacons in 
 the Chriftian church is in Afts vi. and as to 
 their office, it feems to have fucceeded that of the 
 Levites among the Jews, who a.;, t o‘b 
 iters and fervants under the old law. The fol¬ 
 lowing account of rhe ordination of primitive 
 deacons will, no doubt, give fome fatisfnftion r.j 
 our readers. 
 
 The ordination of a deacon, in the r , nit ■ ; 
 church, differed from that of a prelbyter, kerb 
 m the form and manner of it, and alfo in the 
 gifts and powers conferred thereby. The ordi¬ 
 nation of the former might be performed by the 
 bifhop alone, who put up his prayer in general, 
 “ that God would make his face to ftiine upon 
 tnat his fervant, who was then chofen to the of¬ 
 fice of a deacon, and fill him with his holy fpirit 
 and power, as he did Stephen the martyr ; that 
 ne, behaving himfelf acceptably, uniformly, and 
 unblameably in his office, might be thought 
 worthy of an higher degree, fkc.” 
 
 As to the office of deacons, the mod: common 
 and ordinary was, to be attendant on the bifhop 
 of prefbyters in the fcrvice of the altar, to take 
 care of rhe holy table, and all the ornaments 
 and utenfils belonging to it. In the n<xt pi i ... 
 they were to receive the offerings of the people, 
 and to prefent them to the prieft, at the fame 
 time, reciting the names of thole that offered* 
 In fome churches, but not in all, the de icons 
 read the gofpel, both before, and at t> ,om- 
 munion-fervice. At Alexandria, the archdea- 
 con only reads the gofpels, ai in b 
 churches, on high feftivals, the bilhop himfelf; 
 as at Conftantinople, on Rafter-day. ‘but it was 
 fomething more peculiar to the office of deacons, 
 to affift the bifhop and prefbyters in che admir.i- 
 ftration of the eucharift: at which their bufinefs 
 was, to diftribute the dements to the people, 
 who were prefent, and carry them to thole, that 
 were abient. But they were not allowed to con- 
 leciate them at the altar ■, as appears from the 
 tefti monies of Hilary, Jerom, and the author of 
 the conftitutions ; who afllgn as a reafon, that 
 deacons were reckoned no priefts, or but in the 
 lowed: degree. As to the facrament of baptifm, 
 it is evident, they were permitted, in fome 
 cales, to adminifter it folely; as appears from 
 Tertullian, Jerom, and the council of Eliberis. 
 
 Another part of the office of deacons was, to 
 be a fort of monitors and difeftors to the people, 
 in the exercife of their publick devotions in the 
 church. To which purpofe they made ufe of 
 certain known forms of words, to give notice 
 when each part of the fervice beWn. 
 
 The deacons had a power to preach, by 1 : cenie 
 and authority from the biffiop, bht not without 
 it: which was likewife the ca : , . 
 
 the power of reconciling penitents, and < .. .r.;n.o- 
 theni abfolution ; this 
 them only in ca 
 
 neither bifhop nor prelbyter was at !: ■' t.o 
 
 it. It may be reckoned alfo amonv the.; 
 ordinary offices, that they were fomecimes de- 
 puted by the biffiops to be their repre’entatives 
 
 and 
 
The HISTORY of 
 
 3 J - 
 
 and proxies in general councils. But. in pro¬ 
 vincial fynods, they were allowed to give their 
 voice, as well as the preffiyters, in their own 
 
 There are two things more to be obferved 
 concerning the office of deacons, in churcn at- 
 femblies. The firft is, that they had a power to 
 rebuke and chaftif'e thofe, who behaved inde¬ 
 cently in the church. The other is, that, before 
 the inftitution of the inferior orders in the church, 
 fuch as fub-deacons, exorcifts, catechilts, &c. 
 the deacons were employed in performing all the 
 offices, which were afterwards committed to 
 thofe orders. 
 
 But, befides thefe offices, which properly be¬ 
 longed to the fervice of the church, the deacons 
 had employment out of the church. One of 
 thefe was, to be the biffiop's fub-almoner, and 
 to take care of the necefficous, fuch as orphans, 
 widows, virgins, prifoners, and all the poor and 
 fick, who had any title to be maintained out ot 
 the publick revenues of the church. Another 
 of thefe offices was, to enquire into the morals 
 and converfation of the people, and to make 
 their report thereofto the biffiop. Upon this ac¬ 
 count, the deacons were ulually filled the bi¬ 
 ffiop's eyes, and ears, his mouth, his right hand, 
 and his heart; becaufe, by their mmiftry, lie 
 took cognizance of mens aftions, as much as if 
 he himfelf had feen or heard them; and becaufe, 
 by them, he lent orders and direftions to his 
 flock, and by them diftributed to the neceffities 
 of the indigent. 
 
 For this reafon, there being a great variety ot 
 bufinefs attending the office of a deacon, it was 
 ufual to have leveral deacons in the fame church. 
 In fome, they were precifely to the number of 
 feven, in imitation of the firft church of Jeruia- 
 lem. But this rule was not obferved in other 
 churches, the number of deacons being indif¬ 
 ferent, as the bufinefs of each church required. 
 In that of Conftantinople particularly, the num¬ 
 ber was lo great, that we find them limited to an 
 hundred, for the fervice of the great church, and 
 three others only. 
 
 The qualifications, required in deacons, were 
 much the fame as thofe required in biffiops and 
 prefbyters ; except that, in their age, there was 
 fome difference. Deacons might be ordained at 
 twenty five years of age, and not before; 
 whereas biffiops and prefbyters could not be or¬ 
 dained till thirty. 
 
 The ceremony of the ordination of deacons, 
 in the Romiffi church, is briefly this. The can¬ 
 didate proftrates himfelf before thebifliop, who 
 confers on him the holy ghoft, laying his right- 
 hand only on his head, to fignifv, that he does 
 not receive it fo fully as the priert. An Acolyth 
 puts on him the Hole and dalmatica ; after which 
 the biffiop prefents him with the book of the 
 gofpels : the ceremony concludes with the pray¬ 
 ers of the biffiop and people. It is the deacon’s 
 office to incenfe the officiating prieft or prelate ; 
 to lay the corporal on the altar ; to receive the 
 paten or cup from the fub-deacon, and prefent 
 them to the perfon officiating ; to incenfe the 
 choir ; to receive the pix from the officiating 
 prelate, and carry it to the fub-deacon ; and, at 
 the pontifical mafs, when the biffiop gives the 
 
 CALVINISM, 
 bleffing, to put the mitre on his head, and to 
 take off the archbilhop’s pall, and lay it on the 
 altar. 
 
 The Maronites of mount Libanus have two 
 deacons, who are meerly adminiitraiors of the 
 temporalities. Dandini, who calls them d fig- 
 nori diaconi, tells us, they are fecular lords, 
 who govern the people, fet in judgment on all 
 their differences, and treat with the Turks con¬ 
 cerning the taxes, and other matters. 
 
 In England, deacons are not capable of any 
 ecclefiaftical promotion, not fo much as to be ad¬ 
 mitted to a donative; all benefices requiring the 
 incumbent to be in prieft s orders. Vet he may 
 be a chaplain in a family, curate to a beneficed 
 clergyman, or lecturer to a pariffi-church. A 
 man may be ordained deacon at twenty-three 
 years of age, anno currente ; but it is exprefsly 
 provided, that the biffiop ffiall not ordain the 
 fame perfon both a deacon and a prieft in the 
 fame day. The form of ordaining deacons 
 declares, that it is their office to affift the 
 prieft in the diftributing of the holy-com¬ 
 munion ; in which, agreably to the praftice of 
 the antient church, they are confined to the ad- 
 miniftering of the wine to the the commu¬ 
 nicants. 
 
 St. Paul requires, that deacons fhould be 
 chafte, fober, and blamelefs; that they ffiould 
 1 be neither great drinkers, nor given to filthy lu¬ 
 cre ; that they ffiould hold the myftery of faith 
 in a pure confcience ; that they ffiould be well 
 approved, before they are admitted to the mini- 
 ftry; that they ffiould be the hufbands of one 
 wife, and take care of their houles and families. 
 
 The laft thing to be attended to is, their go¬ 
 vernment. In Geneva, and in Holland, they 
 have their prelbyteries and fynods, but no gene¬ 
 ral affemblies as in Scotland. Political ftates are 
 jealous of political difputes, and therefore they 
 take care that the clergy ffiall meet as feldom as 
 poffible together. Had this rule been attended 
 to in the middle ages of Chriftianity, perhaps we 
 ffiould not have had fo many violent difputes as 
 we have at prefent. 
 
 All offences of a common, ordinary nature, are 
 firft confidered by the minilter and the elders, 
 and if the delinquent does not chufe to comply 
 with their decilion, he may appeal to the prefby- 
 tery. If after their decree, he thinks himfelf ag¬ 
 grieved, he may appeal to the fynod, whole fen- 
 tence is binding. But there are no civil penalties 
 inflifted upon the delinquent as in England, for 
 he is only excluded from church communion, and 
 church privileges. 
 
 Such is the nature of the Calviniftical religion, 
 on the continent of Europe, and when it is con- 
 j fidered how nearly we are conne&ed with itspro- 
 feffors, it will naturally point out that we ffiould 
 j confider them as brethren. Did they perlecute to 
 I death Servetus ? The church of England has burnt 
 
 I Proteftants who had been declared Heretics. 
 Are they without epifcopal ordination ! the 
 church of Scotland knows nothing or biffiops. 
 Do they refe£t the ring in marriage ? This 
 does not deferve our notice; for to take up the 
 idea of the ingenious author of a tale in a tub, 
 Peter kept all his gaudy ornaments upon him; 
 Martin ftripped off'a few, but ftill left his cloaths 
 
The H I S T O R 
 
 in a decent manner; but Jack went farther, 
 and pulled off both the lace and the cloaths. It 
 is certain, that the Calviniftical religion, as pro¬ 
 filed on the continent of Europe, affords all the 
 means of grace, and opens the way to eternal 
 
 The 
 
 r E have already, in our account of Cal- 
 vinilm in general, confidered the na¬ 
 ture of thofe fentiments, concerning 
 which there has been fo much difpute. We have 
 Rated the objections made againft them, with the 
 anfwers that have been offered. We have 
 fhewn in the moft candid manner from whence 
 thofe difputed fentiments took their rife, and 
 unwilling to enter into controverfy, we have re¬ 
 ferred them to hiflory. We have confidered the 
 Calvinifts in a general point of view, as particu¬ 
 larly eftablifhed in fome nations in Europe. We 
 flia 11 now confider them as a national church, be¬ 
 gun by infinite wifdom, fupported by Almighty 
 power, regulated by unerring providence, and at 
 prefent one of the glories of the Proteftant 
 world. And here we are forry to obferve, that 
 although the people of England are united under 
 one government with thofe of Scotland, yet 
 there are many of the former utterly ignorant of 
 the religion of the latter. Nothing is more 
 common in England than to call the people of 
 Scotland Diffenters, whereas they have their own 
 church eftablifhed by law. Nay, fo firmly is 
 the church of Scotland eftablifhed, that it cannot 
 be overthrown, unlefs there is a total revolu¬ 
 tion. 
 
 This will appear evident, when we confider in 
 what manner the king of Great Britain fwears to 
 protedl, defend, and lupport that church. The 
 moment the death of the king is made public to 
 his fucceffor, the heir takes his place in council, 
 and it is intimated to him, that he cannot be pro¬ 
 claimed till he has fworn before their lordffiips 
 that he will maintain the church of Scotland as 
 by law eftablifhed. This oath is adminiftered 
 in the Scottifh fafbion, by the king’s holding up 
 his right hand, and folemnly fwearing, that he 
 will do nothing to injure the church of Scotland, 
 but fupport her in ail her rights and privileges. 
 A copy of this oath is recorded in the books of 
 the privy council, and then a meftenger is dif- 
 patched to Edinburgh, who gives it in to the 
 court of fefiion, where it is read, and ordered to 
 be recorded in the lords regifter office. 
 
 Here we find a vaft privilege bellowed on the 
 church of Scotland, beyond that of England; 
 for in England the king does not fwear to main¬ 
 tain the church till his coronation. This privi¬ 
 lege was claimed by the people of Scotland, in 
 that convention of eftates, 1689, which declared 
 45 
 
 HISTORY of the CHURCH of 
 
 A N D. 
 
 the throne vacant, and voted in William and 
 Mary. It was again infilled on by the whole 
 nation of Scotland, at the union 1707. It was 
 claimed, not as a favour, but as a right, and the 
 king of Great Britain can no more difpenfe with 
 it, than he can with any of the fundamental 
 laws of the conflitution. We have been the 
 more explicit on this fubjedt, that our readers 
 may be made acquainted with it, and that they 
 may know every particular ; for, as a celebrated 
 author fays, “ We ffiould not only learn every 
 “ thing, but we fhould learn every thing 
 ct well.” 
 
 We (hall now proceed to confider this church 
 in a manner altogether different from thofe who 
 have gone before us; for we can affert, that the 
 hiflory of this church was never yet properly 
 written, though often attempted. 
 
 In the treating of it, we ffiall lay down the 
 following principles, to diredt us in the narra¬ 
 tive. 
 
 Firft, a general view of the hiflory of that 
 church. 
 
 Secondly, a more particular ftate of it fince 
 the reformation. 
 
 Thirdly, its various forms of worffiip during 
 that period. 
 
 Fourthly, its various forms of confeffions in 
 that time. 
 
 And Laftly, its prefent ftate in dodlrine, wor¬ 
 ffiip, difeipline, and government. 
 
 And firft, with relpedt to a general view of re¬ 
 ligion in Scotland. 
 
 Religion, according to reading, report, and 
 experience, is the firft confideration that attradls 
 a man’s attention in Scotland. But, when we 
 lpeak of religion, we do not mean that propenfity 
 for agitating controverted points of divinity, 
 which has pofTeffed the clergy of moft countries 
 and ages ; but we mean that plan of dodlrine and 
 difeipline, which, in a well regulated ftate, ought 
 to be adapted to the conflitution of the govern¬ 
 ment, without regard to the dreams of bigots, 
 or the talk of enthufiafts. Now it is impoffible 
 to underfland the prefent ftate of religion in 
 Scotland, in the fenfe of the words which we have 
 laid down, without a review of their ecclefiafti- 
 cal conflitution j and by that review we ffiall be 
 enabled to form a pretty clear idea of their an- 
 tient government, not only in their church, but 
 their ftate. 
 
 6 T The 
 
 
 m 
 
CHU R C H of.SCOTLAND. 
 
 534 The HISTORY of the 
 
 The introduction of Chrifiianity into Scotland, 
 was'bv monks, who were without the means of 
 tranfmitting orders of any kind to their luccci- 
 iors, in the manner which the churches or Eng- 
 land and Rome now prelcribe. 1 he name of 
 the perlon who was at their head, was Regulus, 
 faid to be a Greek: They were driven on the coaft 
 of Scotland by accident, and after his death, 
 they of themlclves, el cited and ordained another 
 to prefide in their principal church Kilrimont, 
 now St. Andrews, without applying to the court 
 or church of Rome. That this was the cale, 
 unqueftionablv appears from cite canons ot the 
 council of Calcluitli in England, in the year 816, 
 the fifth of which prohibits any Scotch clergy¬ 
 man from exercifing his funilions in England, 
 becaufe, fay the makers of the canon, it is un¬ 
 certain to us by whom jie is ordained, or if he is 
 ordained at all. In like.,manner, the fixty-fifth 
 of the Capitularia of the French king, is con¬ 
 cerning the Scots who call themfelves bifhops, 
 and ordain certain perfons. without the licence of 
 their fuperiors. 
 
 We know it may be pretended that the Scots 
 fpoken of here were the Irifli, and even the 
 learned have a vulgar notion, that when the 
 word Scots occurs at this time, the Irifh are un- 
 derliood ; and in a few, but a very few, inftances 
 of higher antiquity, we admit the faft to have 
 been fo; but at the rime here-mentioned, there 
 can be no doubt but that the North Britifh Scots 
 were meant. 
 
 That their religion was void of many errors, 
 and juperflitions which then prevailed ; that their 
 manners were.blamelefs, their zeal indefatigable; 
 their piety unaffeXed, and their fubmiflion to 
 their fuperiors, fuch as became good Chriftians 
 'and fubjeXs, could be proved by many unquef- 
 tionable cotemporary authorities, which can have 
 no room here. They went by the name of 
 Cul dues, or Culdees, which is not, as the Scotch 
 hiflorians ignorantly imagine, a contraction of 
 the words Cultoris Dei, but two ancient PiXifh 
 or Celtic words; Cul, a Hood, from whence we 
 have the word Cowl, and Due, Black, becaufe 
 of their wearing black hoods ; 1b that the people 
 of the country diftinguifhed them by that appel¬ 
 lation. 
 
 The plainnefs, virtue, and piety of the Cul¬ 
 dees, gave offencC to the church of Rome, whole 
 corner ftone is founded upon a fucceffion of 
 priefthood, derived from bilhops depending up¬ 
 on the pope 3 and pope Celeftine lent one Pala- 
 dius, with a large train of followers, to prefide 
 over the Scots, about the year 430. Every one 
 knows, what impreflion high pretenfions and 
 great pomp have upon weak minds. Paladius 
 loon formed a party amongft the chief inhabi¬ 
 tants, who received his clergy, and believed in 
 the name of the pope. This occafioned a fchifm; 
 the Culdees were favoured by the PiXifh princes, 
 and the Romanifts by the defendants of the an¬ 
 cient Celts, who had been fettled before the 
 PiXs were, in Scotland ; and to whom the PiXs 
 gave the reproachful term of Scots. This name 
 was then appropriated to many of the northern 
 adventurers, in different parts of Europe ; and, 
 undoubtedly, was derived from the Scyths, the 
 maternal nation of all thole various claimed bar¬ 
 barians, who, at that time, deluged Europe. 
 
 As they were;themfelves Celts, when a part of 
 them landed in Scotland, they naturally fell in 
 with the old Guidels, or the antient Caledonians, 
 who were Celts likewife: and their fingularity 
 of language and manners, loon cemented a 
 friendfhip between them. The PiXs, on the other 
 hand, who had pufhed the Guidels weftward, in 
 the fame manner as the Romans had pufhed the 
 Piffts northward, were the defendants of the 
 Belgic Gauls; and though they were likewife of 
 Celtic original, yet their communications had oc¬ 
 cafioned a great difference in their language and 
 manners from the Guidels, whom' we may-term 
 the Aborigines'-. whereas the Belgic Gauls, the 
 anceffors of the PiXs, had not been fettled in 
 Britain above fourffore years before the invafion 
 of it by Julius Ciefar. As the PiXs, about the 
 time of the landing of the Scots, undoubtedly 
 profeffed Chriftianity, it was eafy for the Culdees 
 to cement a friendlhip with them. The dege¬ 
 neracy of the PiXifh princes, giving the old in¬ 
 habitants vaft advantages, the Culdees l’ometimes 
 buffered great perfections, till Alexander the 
 firft, one of the wifeft and bell of the kings of 
 Scotland, wanting to abolifh all invidious diltinc- 
 tions amongft-his fubjeXs, reftored the Culdees, 
 about the year 1118, to their primitive luftre, 
 though he could not to their fanXity of manners. 
 This was a fevere blow to the interelt of the 
 church of Rome in Scotland ; and flie omitted 
 no praXice to procure an exclufion of theCuldee 
 ordination. They, however, kept their ground, 
 and their chief pallor, who continued to be of 
 their own choice, and to hold his feat at St. An¬ 
 drews, was dignified with the name of Scotorum 
 Epifcopus, biihop of the Scots ; but that deno¬ 
 mination was afterwards changed into Elcop. Al¬ 
 ban, bifhopof Albany. 
 
 David, the brother and fucccffor of Alexander, 
 having great connexions with England, was 
 eaten up with fuperltition, and buffered a Romifh 
 legate to hold councils in the molt foutherly parts 
 of Scotland, and prevailed with Robert, then 
 the chief of the Culdees, to receive a coadjutor 
 from the biihop of Chelter, and to appropriate 
 the revenues of the other Culdees, to defray the 
 cxpence of extravagant buildings at St. Andrew’s, 
 the flupendous remains of which arc frill vifible 
 there. This revived the interelt of the Romanifts 
 in Scotland, and David, finding the Culdees to 
 be too well eftabli£hed for him to think of exter¬ 
 minating them, fought only to perluade them to 
 accept of papal ordinations anti confecrations, 
 which never had as yet been admitted of amongft 
 them. The more fenfible, however, amongft 
 the Culdees, were not to be cither flattered or 
 frightened out of their rights and properties, and 
 continued to make a vigorous oppolition to the 
 Romanifts, though by that time feveral other 
 fees, filled with Popifh bifhops, had been ereXed 
 in Scotland. But the Culdees, who were now 
 only a handful, found it impoffiblc to make 
 head againlt the ambition of the popes, favoured 
 by the weaknefs of their own princes. 
 
 In the year 1250, their light of ordination and 
 confecration came to be queltioned, and the pope 
 appointed the abbot of Dumfermling, and ano¬ 
 ther ecclefiaftic, to fummon the chief Culdce, 
 whom the record does not ftile biihop, but Pre- 
 pofitus, Provoft, to appear before them at the 
 
 church 
 
The HISTORY of the C H 
 ehni-ch of Inverkeithen, to anfwer for the crime 
 ot rebellion againft the fee of Rome, and to en¬ 
 quire whether the Culdees had a ri dit to cele¬ 
 brate d, vine offices. That is, they were to en¬ 
 quire into the right that the Culdees had to con- 
 fer orders, and eelebrare divine ordinances It 
 appears, however, from the fame record, that 
 Adam Malkarwifton, the head of the Culdees, 
 and his brethren, rofufed to fubmit to this tribu¬ 
 nal ; nor do we find any thing decifive was done 
 till the year 1173, when one Wilhart, after re¬ 
 ceiving epdcopal orders at Scoon, was thruft by 
 the pope and the king of Scotland, Alexander 
 the third, upon the Culdees. He was fucceded 
 by rrafer and Lamberton, againft whofe eleva- 
 ' r !° n v S , eCS made a vigorous refiftance ; but 
 their head being ,11 enough advifed to appeal to 
 the ice of Rome ; pope Boniface the eighth, con- 
 firmed Lamberton's clcdlion, and the Culdees, 
 notwithstanding all their ftruggles, were never 
 afterwards permitted to liave any voice in the 
 election of a bifitop of St. Andrews. 
 
 Such of the hiftorians of Scotland, who were 
 really Proteftants, were ignorant of the faffs we 
 have ia.d down in this firort review; and they are 
 ftifled by the Papifts and Popifh Proteftants. 
 
 J he difpure, however, between the Culdees 
 and the.Romanifts had the happy efteft, that the 
 laity, elpecially thofe of the greateft power, of 
 Scotland, never could be reconciled to the latter 1 
 and the papal power had Id's influence with 
 them, than it had amongft any people in Europe, 
 before the time of the reformation: therefore 
 the wifeft of their kings were always lure of being 
 mpported in the frequent and vigorous oppo- 
 fitions they made, not only to the power, but to 
 the vifits of papal agents. 
 
 . The fii ft prince of the Stuart family, who de- 
 viated from that wife policy, was James the fifth, 
 who to a thorough hatred of England, which 
 was his family’s ruling paffion, joined cruelty 
 and bigotry vices till then unknown to the blood 
 ot Stuart; but a milconception of his own and 
 his peoples mterefts with regard'to England 
 ferved materially to pave the wav for the refor- 
 manon His Dowager, who iuccceded him in the 
 adminiftration, a weak bigotted woman, go¬ 
 verning Scotland by French magiftrates, French 
 loldiers, and French councils, rendered the re¬ 
 formation a meafure of neceffity as well as 
 choice. 
 
 The kings of Scotland had always been 
 bounded in their prerogative, not l'o much by 
 the pofitive laws of their country, as by the un¬ 
 limited exercife of power, which the feudal 
 conftitutions gave to the great landholders over 
 their dependents, whom they ftiled their vaffals 
 1 helc great landholders, as we have feen had 
 always hated the Romilh bid,ops, whofe power 
 refted folely upon the regal authority: and 
 Scotland is the only nation in Europe, into 
 
 which the reformation was introduced without 
 
 oppofition from any lay fubjeft. Nay, what is 
 ftill more remarkable, while England and other 
 nations were reforming by flow, imperfeft de¬ 
 grees, the Scots reformed all at once, fo tho¬ 
 roughly, from the errors of' the church of 
 Rome, that all the deviations, that have been 
 hnce made from their original reformation, have 
 been in favour of poperv. 
 
 u R C H of S CO.TLAN D. 5 „ 
 |l But this reformation, glorious as it was in 
 ome refpects, was not without lamentable con- 
 lequences in other. For zeal lighting upon 
 ignorance, and iritereft pompting riot, the 
 whole was a lccne of confufion, and efTe-fled by 
 agents lo totally illiterate, that the Scotch pref- 
 byterian clergy continued long diftinguiflied for 
 their ignorance, and for not having produced 
 one man 0 f learning, or of eminence in letters, 
 i his was the more extraordinary, as tlpey had all 
 the means of erudition in their pofieffion, and 
 their incomes, in general, were not only great¬ 
 er, and lels precarious, than thofe of the fo¬ 
 reign 1 joteftant clergy, who made great fioures 
 in learning ; but than thofe of the Engliffip the 
 .molt learned in the world. 
 
 Many of the Scotch Roman Catholics, at the 
 time of the reformation, made great-figures,in 
 Euiope by their learning, and the reformers fuc- 
 ceeded in their attempts by a conduft and cha- 
 ratter diametrically oppolite. But in this no¬ 
 thing was aftefted, for they were really as igno¬ 
 rant as they appeared, to be ; and bigotry in 
 them, being dcllitute of knowledge, they re- 
 lapfed into the 1110ft dangerous abufes ,of 
 what we may call pradical popery. The 
 churchmen ulurped a power not. only over the 
 confluences, but even the perfons and'eftates, of 
 the laity; their excommunications were at¬ 
 tended, ,f poffible, with worfe confequences 
 than thofe of Rome, for they always inferred the 
 o!s of all property; in many cafes, that of li¬ 
 berty; and in form.-, that of life itfelf. 
 
 The nobility of Scotland, who, till the union tf 
 the two kingdoms, had perhaps the trueft notions 
 pf public liberty of any fet of men in the world, 
 found themfelves, by this frantic conduit of 
 their clergy, .in the cafe of Aflaon. They were 
 ready to be torn to pieces by the very dogs they 
 had lo hounded out upon others, and who fel- 
 dom returned without their prey ; and, to fave 
 themfelves, they were obliged to refimie the 
 fbape of men, which they had for political ends 
 discontinued,.for fome time after the reformation 
 Mean while, the part they had to aft was danger¬ 
 ous ; for tfle ambition of the court, and of^the 
 clergy, though pointed different ways, was 
 equally threatening to public liberty. James the 
 foil, Charles the firft, and Charles the fecond, 
 hated not only the Prefbyterians, but all mode- 
 race Pr°teft an t s , worlethan they did the Papifts ; 
 while the Prdbyterian clergy were ever willing 
 to prefer the mod horrid feenes of civil war to a 
 fubmiffion either to the king or the nobility. 
 
 . I be power of the latter, however, carried it 
 for .a moderate epifcopacy, founded, in a orcat 
 mealure, upon the plan of the Culdees; for we do 
 not find, in general, that their bifhops thought it 
 neceflary to have recourle for their confecrarion, 
 either to Rome or to England. The rmul- 
 nels of,Laud influenced Charles the firft to break 
 this excellent fcheme, by introducing many fop¬ 
 peries into the public worftiip, which the com¬ 
 mon people looked upon as Popifli, and, throw- 
 png,oft all reftraint, they reverted to the extreme 
 from which they had been reclaimed ; for from 
 the year 1640 to the year 1660 the Prefbyterian 
 clergy in Scotland exercifed over the laity a pow¬ 
 er more than Papal, which the nobility for the 
 fake of public liberty, -endangered by the prac- 
 
53 6 The HISTORY of the C 
 
 tices of the court, and attacked by the power of 
 England, were once more obliged to lubmit to, 
 till the reftoration took place. 
 
 Had it not been for this frantic behaviour of 
 the clergy, who had thereby forfeited all e (tee in 
 with the nobility and great landholders of Scot¬ 
 land, the Scots never could have been brought 
 to have received Charles without terms. It 1S 
 true, they made an effort, and l'ent deputies for 
 that purpofe, but they betrayed the people of 
 Scotland, as Monk did thofe of England, and 
 the minifters of Charles ever after alledged, in 
 vindication of their defpotic adminiftration, 
 that their mafter, being reffored without terms, 
 had a right to govern, as’he pleafed, a people, 
 who, having been rebels to his government, now 
 fubfifted only through his clemency. I he Scots 
 were not united among themlelves fo well as to 
 difpute this doitrine, and the odium, into which 
 the clergy had brought themfelves with all the 
 civilized fenfible part of the kingdom, made the 
 aboliton of Prefbyterianifm there go down with¬ 
 out a druggie. 
 
 The earl of Clarendon knew too little of the 
 temper and difpofition of the Scots, and was 
 too much wedded to certain formalities without 
 the effentials of epiicopacy, to make a right ufe 
 of a juniture fo critical for the interefts of his 
 mafter. The epifcopacy which was reftored, 
 was indeed more moderate than that contended 
 for by Laud, for the people were not offended by 
 the ufe of the book of Common-Prayer ; and their 
 public fervice differed very little, if any thing, 
 from that of the Prefbyterians. Many faults, 
 and thole irretrievable, however, were com¬ 
 mitted in the reftoration of epifcopacy in Scot¬ 
 land, which was very different from that in En¬ 
 gland, where many great and eminent confeffors 
 for the caufe of monarchy and loyalty, upon the 
 breaking out of the civil wars, were yet alive, 
 and had a title to the higheft ecclefiaftical pre- 
 ferments. 
 
 In Scotland, excepting a few in the northern 
 parts, the clergy had avowed themfelves to be 
 the enemies of monarchy and epifcopacy ; they 
 had afted accordingly, and Sharp, with fome 
 of the more moderate amongft them, had won 
 the confidence of many of the nobility, by pro- 
 mifing, as one of the deputies from the clergy, 
 to infill upon the continuance, and at the fame 
 time the reftridtion, of Prefbyterianifm in Scot¬ 
 land. But Sharp deceived all his conftituents, 
 and he not only accepted of the primacy of Scot¬ 
 land, but confcnted that he and his brethren 
 Ihould be confecrated in England. 
 
 But neither this Hep, nor the reftoring bifhops 
 to their feats in parliament, could have pro¬ 
 duced any confiderable difaffeftion amongft 
 the Scots, either to epifcopacy or to the family 
 of the Stuarts, had it not been that mod of the 
 men, made choice of for bilhops, were a fet 
 equally profligate and illiterate; and they, who 
 were not, were men bred to books without either 
 inclination or talentsfor public bufinefs, even in 
 their own funftions. The whole epifcopal or¬ 
 der in Scotland was thus expofed to hatred and 
 contempt: To hatred, not only on account of 
 their apoftacy and treachery, but on account of 
 the cruelties they countenanced againft the Pref- 
 
 BURCH of SCOTLAND, 
 byterians ; which were fuch as would have dif- 
 graced the reign of a Nero or Domitian ; and 
 to contempt, on account of their putting them¬ 
 felves upon the fame footing with the old nobi¬ 
 lity, without poffeffing one good quality that 
 could entitle them to notice far lefs to ele¬ 
 vation. 
 
 Mean while, the nobility and the men of fenfe 
 in Scotland loved epifcopacy, though they hated 
 prelacy, but the court could not be brought to 
 disjoin them. This produced a few ill-judged 
 infurreitions in the weft, which were eafily fup- 
 preffed, for the nation in general hated Prefby- 
 tery, and the fuccefs of the government was 
 crowned by feenes of the moft horrid crueltes, 
 abetted and impelled by the prelates. Thofe 
 cruelties were defended by Sir George Macken¬ 
 zie, a great lawyer, and lord advocate or attor¬ 
 ney general for Scotland, but a mere fanatic 
 both in religion and politics. It became now 
 the avowed principle at the council board in En¬ 
 gland, that the king in Scotland was above law, 
 and might govern it, as he actually did, by a 
 military force. The lame doitrine was recom¬ 
 mended to the council board of Scotland, where 
 divifions run fo high, that each party fought to 
 {Lengthen itfelf by an implicit obedience to the 
 will of the court and of the bifhops. 
 
 This was the critical period that effe< 5 ted the 
 revolution under the prince of Orange. The 
 Scots, in general, faw themfelves in a real ftate 
 of flavery under the moft worthlefs and con¬ 
 temptible of men, and this confideration fuper- 
 feded all others. The men of fpirit amongft 
 them applied more early, than the Englifh did, 
 to the prince of Orange; and the confluence 
 was, that the revolution met with lefs difficulty 
 from the Scotch, than it did from the Englifh 
 parliament. 
 
 The crown being fettled, religion came next 
 under debate, and the inclination both of court 
 and parliament was to have continued it upon the 
 fame footing it was on before. But the connec¬ 
 tion, which the prelates knew to lubfift between 
 king William and the enemies rather of their 
 perfons than of their order, made them diftruft his 
 fincerity. They thought that king James might 
 yet retrieve his affairs by the power of France, 
 and by the Highlanders; who, had their gene¬ 
 ral, the Vifcount of Dundee, furvived the de¬ 
 feat which he gave to the government’s troops at 
 Gillicranky, would certainly have changed the 
 face of affairs in Scotland. They conffdered, 
 that if king James fhould be reftored, after their 
 fubmitting to king William, they were to ex- 
 peit no favour; and that fhould he not be re¬ 
 ftored, many of them would be brought to a fe- 
 vere account for their illegal conduit in the laft 
 two reigns. All thefe, and other motives influ¬ 
 enced them to ftand out againft the revolution, 
 and as the neceflity of the juncture could admit 
 of no delay, Prefbytery, but not of that 
 bloody tyrannical kind that was aboliflied at the 
 reftoration, was again reftored by ait of parlia¬ 
 ment in Scotland. 
 
 But the fame cafe happened after the revolu¬ 
 tion, that had happened at the reformation. 
 The few clergymen in Scotland, who by their 
 learning were qualified for their funitions, were 
 
 epifeopifts, 
 
The HISTORY of the C H 
 
 epifcopifts, who influenced by their bilhops, and 
 the prepoffeffions in which they had been edu¬ 
 cated, difclaimed king William’s title to the 
 crown ; and thus the government was obliged to 
 fill up the vacant churches with men, who had 
 nothing to recommend them, but zeal againft 
 the exiled family and the outed clergy. The 
 nation,however, in genera], wasdifcontented with 
 the reftoration of Prelbytery; the epifcopalians 
 formed a ftrong party, the men of the greateft 
 fafhion and intereft in Scotland became their fol¬ 
 lowers, and they of Pre/by ter i an ifrn were thereby 
 fo mortified, that excepting in fome trifling in- 
 fiances, their conduft, ever fince the revolution, 
 has been excellently adapted to that plan of ci¬ 
 vil power which ought to be purfued in a free 
 country : nay, we Ihould be wanting to that fin- 
 cerity we profefs, if we did not give it as our 
 opinion, that the efiablifhed clergy in Scotland 
 have done more than any one fet of men (the 
 legidature excepted) in Britain, to keep the crown 
 in the family of Hanover. 
 
 Mean while, though it may perhaps feem un¬ 
 fair to attribute a virtuous conduft to an interefted 
 motive, we cannot help faying that the very exif- 
 tence of their order depended upon that attach¬ 
 ment, lince nothing is more certain, than that be¬ 
 fore the lafi rebellion in 1745, the nation in gene¬ 
 ral was much more inclined toepifcopacy than to 
 Prefbyterianifm, and it is incredible to believe 
 with what fpirit the former was lupported both 
 amongft the jurant and nonjurant part of their 
 perfuafion. The extinction of the rebellion, 
 however, left the eftablilhed church in trium¬ 
 phant poffeflion of every thing they could claim, 
 but that which they could not recover, we mean 
 the hearts of the people. 
 
 This, we are ahaid, was owing to the dege¬ 
 neracy of difcipline; which mull always happen 
 in any body of men where the individuals are 
 veiled with a parity of power. The Roman fe- 
 nate long held out againit it by means of the cen- 
 forfhip, and private virtue will ward it off for 
 fome time : but it happens unfortunately for the 
 Scotch clergy, that their conftitutional powers 
 are very limited, and their influence was owing 
 to that authority which they had over the minds 
 of the people, prepofieffed with an opinion of 
 their virtue. When that opinion was gone, their 
 authority vanifhed ; and they had nothing but 
 power to truft to. However, we are not to imagine, 
 that there are not in the eftablilhed church of Scot¬ 
 land many divines whofe virtues would do ho¬ 
 nour to any church: butwe are afraid, their num¬ 
 bers are not iufficient to revive the veneration of 
 the people for their order. 
 
 This appeared eminently upon the extinction 
 of the rebellion, when, encouraged by their pu¬ 
 blic fervices, they came to a relolution of apply¬ 
 ing to the legillature for l'ome favours that really 
 feemed very reafonable, but in the opinion of 
 the people pointed towards an augmentation of 
 their own livings. To our knowledge, the mi- 
 niftry was extremely well difpoled towards them : 
 but fo incredible an oppofition arofe to them 
 from people of all ranks in Scotland, that when 
 they were ill enough advifed to pulh the affair into 
 parliament, the miniftry did not think it prudent 
 to fupport them, and the fpirit of oppofition was 
 45 
 
 U R C H of SCOTLAND. S37 
 
 carried fo far againft them, that they loft every 
 reafonable point they aimed at, merely through a 
 prepoffeffion that they intended to aim at what 
 was unreafonable. 
 
 The bounds of this volume will not fuffer us, 
 though we could eaftly enter into a detail of the 
 caufes, why the Scots, a people that formerly- 
 believed in their clergy, hold them nowfo cheap. 
 The want of difcipline, as we obferved before, 
 is the obvious caufe, and that is occafioned, in 
 a great meafure, by a fuperficial education, by 
 which the younger part of the clergy learn juft as 
 much as to have a contempt for all learning that 
 requires pains and application. Thus fome of 
 them commence Deifts, and l'ome Enthufiafts. 
 The abilities, whether natural or acquired, of 
 both are pretty much alike; and the complexion 
 of the man generally determines the walk into 
 which he ftrikes, whether it be'that of enthu- 
 fiafm, or irreligion. The former refigns all free¬ 
 dom of thinking, the latter abufes it: the one 
 carries zeal into bigotry; the other, liberty into 
 licentioufnefs: and, in both, ignorance is the 
 ruling principle. Inftead of ftudying that found 
 philofophy, which reconciles religion to reafon, 
 the one part of them cons over the fhallow ob- 
 fervations of Shaftlbury, the illiterate remarks 
 of Chubb, the falfe reafoning of Collins, and 
 the fecond-hand objedions of Bolingbroke to 
 the Chriftian religion. The other part of them 
 difclaim all what we call human learning, and 
 though not lefs contemptible than the former, 
 yet they are lefs dangerous, as long as the power 
 is fo circumfcribed as it is. 
 
 We are obliged to be the more plain con¬ 
 cerning thefe things, becaufe people in gene¬ 
 ral are apt to believe either too much or too 
 little. Thus if a Scotchman is an enthufiaft in 
 favour ot his church, he will tell you with an 
 unblulhing boldnefs, that their church could ne¬ 
 ver have any errors in it. On the other hand, 
 the libertine, or profane perfon, will tell us, that 
 the clergy in Scotland are all hypocrites, but we 
 fhall take more notice of this afterwards. In 
 other refpeds there are many valuable things in 
 the church of Scotland, buc we muff write of 
 things as they are, without confidenncr what they 
 fhould be. ° 7 
 
 We come now, fecondly, to confider the cir- 
 cumftances of that church in a more inlaro-ed point 
 of view, and likewife from hiftorical evidence 
 to bring every circumftance open to public 
 view. r 
 
 In England, the reformation was gradually 
 carried on ; in Scotland it was fudden. The Ro- 
 milh clergy, knowing that their young queen 
 had been educated in France, they had great 
 hopes of their religion being fupported by her in 
 all its cruelty. This made them attempt to de- 
 fpile the antient nobility, whofe fpirits were too 
 high and too proud to brook the affront, efpe- 
 cially as it came from men of obfeure birth, who 
 had nothing to recommend them befides their 
 church livings. Mr. Knox was invited over from 
 Geneva, where he had refided feveral years as an 
 affiftant to Calvin and Beza. This was in 1558, 
 and the nobility making choice of l'uch a man as 
 Knox, is a llrong proof of their good fenfe. He 
 was a man of a bold, intrepid fpirit, who feared 
 ^ U nothing. 
 
538 The HISTORY of the Cl 
 
 notiiing, and conlequentlv became the happy 
 inftrument in the hand of Providence, of intio- 
 aucing the reformed religion among a rude peo¬ 
 ple. The bigotry of Mary of Guile, the queen- 
 regent, obliged the nobility and gentry to form 
 themielves into focicties for their own prefer- 
 vation, and thefe were called the lords of the 
 congregation. The queen-regent drew up an 
 army in order to give them battle, but finding 
 herfelf too weak, and her men of the fame opi¬ 
 nion with the lords, (he promifed to grant them 
 a tolleration till the parliament Ihould meet. 
 
 Had the queen kept her promife, things might 
 have been conduced in a more moderate manner 
 than they were, but juft about that time (155?) 
 her brothers, the cardinal • and duke of Guile, 
 the avowed enemies of the reformation, planned 
 the league of Cambrav, by which an affociation 
 was entered into to extirpate the Proteftant re¬ 
 ligion. A copy of this was fent over to the 
 queen-regent, who not doubting but fire would 
 be fupported by a train of Papifts, ordered fe- 
 veral clergymen to be burned alive for preaching 
 the Proteftant doftrines. This exafperated the 
 lords of the congregation, who had the whole 
 body of the country people on their fide, and 
 they marched through Fifefhire with Mr. Knox 
 along with them. The queen went eaftward 
 from Stirling-caflle to give them battle; but file 
 was too weak. She then had recourfe to her 
 former practices of amufing them with falfe pro- 
 mifes i but they would not truft her. I hey 
 marched northward to Perth, a town fituated on 
 the river Tay, very near the borders of the High¬ 
 lands. There was a Carthufian convent, where 
 king James I. was murdered, 1436. It is certain, 
 that the reformers had no intention at firft to 
 commit any violence, but provocation drove 
 them almoft mad. 
 
 A few days before they came to Perth, two men 
 had been burned alive, and one woman drowned, 
 for no other crime befides that of eating a capon 
 on a Friday. The people faw what was to be 
 their fate if the clergy were to exercife a coercive 
 authority, not only over their confciences, but 
 alfo over their perfons. It would have been pru¬ 
 dent in the Romifh clergy to have left the town 
 for a few days, efpecially as they knew they were 
 hated by the people; but juft as if they had 
 courted their own deftruftion, one of the priefts 
 ordered the chapel door of the convent to be 
 iet open, and began to lay mal’s. 1 his was con- 
 fidered as an infulc offered to the lords of the 
 congregation, upon which their followers tore 
 the prieft's robes from off him, brought out all 
 the utenfils of the chapel, and made a bonfire of 
 them in the ftreet. The town was now in an 
 uproar, the people were exceedingly exafperated 
 again!! the prieft, and in a few hours the whole 
 convent was levelled to the ground. 
 
 The ariny then marched weftward to Ster¬ 
 ling, near to which they demolilhed the mi¬ 
 tred abbey of Cambus Keneth, and indeed 
 every cathedral and collegiate church, or convent 
 wherever they came, except at Glafgow, where 
 the towns people bore arms and defended their 
 cathedral. The queen-regent took Ihelter in the 
 caftle of Edinburgh, where Ihe died foon after, 
 probably of a broken heart, on being told of the 
 
 U R C II of SCOTLAND, 
 devaftation that had been made among the relics 
 of antient fuperftition. 
 
 From Glafauw the reformers marched eaftward 
 to Edinburgh, and happened juft to come into 
 that city, while the priefts were preparing to be¬ 
 gin a proceffion, in honour of St. Giles the titular 
 faint of the city. 
 
 The priefts went into the high church as it is 
 called, to bring out the image of the faint, but 
 fome unlucky rogue had ftolen it away. Vexed 
 with the difappointment, they borrowed an image 
 from another church, which was carried about in 
 proceffion, and the people called it in derifion, 
 2 'oimgSt. Gills. The procefiion being over, the 
 mob tore the priefts veftments to pieces, mounted 
 St. Giles on the back of a jack als, led him to 
 the Grafs-market, the common place of execu¬ 
 tion, where his faintlhip was tied to a ftake and 
 burnt. 
 
 Juft about this time, when Scotland was in a 
 ftate of confufion without a fovereign, their 
 young queen being then in France along with 
 her hulband Francis II. that monarch was killed 
 in a tournament, and Mary was left a widow, 
 about the nineteenth year of her age. Applica¬ 
 tion was made to her to call a parliament, to 
 fettle difputes concerning religion, and writs 
 were fent over to Scotland for that purpofe, be¬ 
 fore (he herfelf arrived. 
 
 This parliament met at Edinburgh, Auguft 04, 
 i;6o, and bv it the Proteftant religion was efta- 
 blifiied by law, although the queen, who arrived 
 the next year in Scotland, refuled to give her af- 
 fent to it. This a£l, however, was always 
 confidered as the balls of reformation in Scot¬ 
 land, and although another aft paffed in 1567, 
 yet there was fo much ftudied ambiguity, filch 
 vague expreffions, and fuch appearance of du¬ 
 plicity, that thofe of the reformed religion faw 
 through the intended deception, and infilled 
 that the firft ad! Ihould be the fecurity of their 
 religion. 
 
 At the fame time that the parliament met in 
 Auguft 1560, a general affembly of the clergy 
 were luinmoned to meet in the high church of 
 Edinburgh, of which affembly the famous Bu¬ 
 chanan was prefident, tho’ he was no more than a 
 layman. But thefe were violent times, and there 
 was no regularity. This was the firft affembly 
 of the church of Scotland, and its decrees were 
 important. Thirteen of the mitred abbots at¬ 
 tended as members of this affembly, and the reft 
 were formed by fome priefts, who were willing 
 to embrace the reformation, and by fome zealous 
 men, who had commenced preachers without be¬ 
 ing ordained to that office. It was agreed, that 
 they Ihould embrace in fome part the difei- 
 pline of the church of Geneva, but then it was 
 difficult to find out in what manner the external 
 government of the church was to be condufted. 
 itcould not be byprefbyteriesand fynods,becaufe 
 they had not a Sufficient number of minifters, 
 and as for epil'copacy they abhorred it. They 
 took a middle line, for they fent as many minif¬ 
 ters as they had, to the moft capital towns, and 
 in the country parts, they appointed perfons 
 whom they called readers, who were to read 
 the feriptures as often as the people came to 
 church. 
 
 Above 
 
The HISTORY of the C H 
 
 Above thefe they appointed another let of men, 
 who had no ordination at all, and thefe were 
 called fuperintendants. They were but few in 
 number. Spotifwood was appointed to fuperin- 
 tend all thofe counties which lie fouthward of 
 Edinburgh. Winram, who had been formerly 
 fob-prior of the convent of St. Andrews, was 
 appointed fuperintendant of Fife and its neigh¬ 
 bourhood. Mr. Erfkine, a lawyer, was appointed 
 to fuperintend the counties lying north of the 
 Tay, as far as the county of Murray. Mr. Wil- 
 locks, who had been formerly an auguftinemonk, 
 was appointed fuperintendant of Glafgow, and 
 the weftern counties; and Carfewell, a Francif- 
 can friar, was fent to Argyle and the iiles. The 
 duty which thefe fuperintendants were to per¬ 
 form, was of a very important nature. They 
 were to vifit every parilh in their bounds, and 
 they generally preached at leaft twelve times 
 every week. They were to enquire into the con¬ 
 duct of the clergy and the readers, and fee that 
 churches fhould be provided with minifters, as 
 loon as any could be procured. They were to 
 hold fynods for church difcipline, but when the 
 general alfembly met, they were to take their 
 places as ordinary minifters, and to fubmit to 
 church cenfures with thofe of the lower order. 
 Here was a fort of moderate epifcopacy, and an 
 epifcopacy fuitable to the ftate of Scotland in 
 that age. 
 
 The fuperintendants were likewife to prefide 
 at all ordinations of the clergy, which may ferve 
 to Ihew that the Scots at that time did not pay 
 any regard to a Jure Di-uine ; or, in other words, 
 a divine right conferred by orders. Their 
 characters were blamelefs, their labours abun¬ 
 dant, and they were reverenced, while they were 
 beloved by their people. Whenever there was a 
 vacant congregation, they endeavoured, as far as 
 lay in their power to fupply the want of a mi- 
 nifter, and under their nourilhment, as men who 
 willied well to the interefts of Chriftianity, the 
 church of Scotland grew and flourifhcd. The 
 fooner they could provide minifters for va¬ 
 cant churches, their labour decreafed of courfe, 
 and altho’ moft of them were advanced in years, 
 yet they thought no hardfhip too great, fo as 
 they could promote the intereft of their fellow 
 Chriftians. 
 
 Such was the ftate of the church of Scotland 
 till the year 1570, when a new revolution, 
 though of a Ihorc duration, took place, which 
 flowed from avarice, and was maintained by am¬ 
 bition. The Scottifh reformers, like all thofe 
 who undertake to fet up new religions, had 
 made a public declaration of their own difinte- 
 reftednefs, but they foon found that the bene¬ 
 volence of their people was not fufficient to fup- 
 port them. On the other hand, the nobility, 
 embracing fuch a favourable opportunity, laid 
 hold of the greateft part of the church lands, 
 and left the clergy to ftarve. To treat men 
 with inhumanity, who are fet up as the public 
 guides in religious exercifes, is unjuft, cruel, 
 and impious ; and what encouragement could 
 thefe men have to profecute their ftudies, and 
 teach the people, while they were left to ftarve ? 
 The clergy faw their folly, and the nobility tri¬ 
 umphed over their weaknefs. 
 
 U R C H of SCOTLAND, 539 
 
 There was, however, a neceflity of flavin^ 
 appearances, of putting on the garb of the hy- 
 | pocrite when truth was in a manner extinguiihed. 
 A motion was made in one offthe parliaments, 
 that the fuperintendants were beginning to grow 
 old, and therefore it would be much better to 
 appoint bifhops in the different diocefes, but 
 that they ffrould ftill be fubjeeft to a general 
 affembly. Accordingly, fome old friars were 
 appointed to thefe offices, without knowing for 
 what reafon. The nobility, however, had their 
 own interefts in view ; for their deftgn was, that 
 thefe men fhould have the name of bifhops, 
 while they themlelves enjoyed their emolu¬ 
 ments. 
 
 As they had no more than a name, they were 
 called Dukhan bijhops, a term that we muff: ex¬ 
 plain to the reader. The word is Saxon, and 
 figniffes deception. V/hen a calf in Scotland is 
 taken from the cow, in order to be weaned, they 
 drefs an image relembling the young one, which 
 they put under her teats, to make her let go her 
 milk. This image is called Dulchan, becaufe 
 it reprefents what it is not. 
 
 As this form of church government took its 
 rife from unjuftifiable motives, fo it could not 
 be fuppofed that it would laft long. The parity 
 of power in the general affembly gave the mem¬ 
 bers an opportunity of cenluri’ng the bifhops, 
 and Douglas, who had been promoted to the 
 lee of St. Andrews, was degraded. Indeed 
 thele Dukhan bifhops had no power, but they 
 were tools in the hands of a brave but ambitious 
 nobility. They were defpifed by the very per- 
 fons who had fet them up, and they were con¬ 
 fided as time-ferving creatures by the people. 
 Their miniftry was not attended to, and every 
 geneial affembly called them to an account for 
 their conduct. 
 
 During the whole of this period, the king¬ 
 dom of Scotland was, as it were, drenched m 
 blood, owing to their unhappy civil diffentions. 
 Almoft all the inhabitants were Protelfants, and 
 and yet dividing themfelves into two parties, 
 they lupported different interefts. One of the 
 parties took part with their unfortunate queen, 
 who was then a prifoner in England'; and the 
 other fupported the ariftocracy of Scotland. 
 
 The power of the nobility had been ftrenmh- 
 ened by a fucceftion of minorities ; and when we 
 conffder that the king was then no more than an 
 infant, we need not be lurprized to find that the 
 high fpirits of the Scottifh nobility led them to 
 defpife monarchy, and trample upon municipal 
 inftitutions. Ic is certain that they did fo, but 
 that leads us to conffder a more important pe¬ 
 riod of the hiftory of the church of Scotland; 
 which, in fome mealure, gave rife to the prefent 
 form it now enjoys. The event could not be 
 aferibed to a Tingle caufe, it was owing to many. 
 The pride of the nobility, the ignorance of the 
 clergy, the minority of the fovereign, the un¬ 
 fettled ftate of affairs in the nation, the dif- 
 puted points between the contending parties, all 
 confpired towards bringing about an event, 
 which although fmall in its firft appearance, 
 yet was, in the end, great in its confequences. 
 
 I he nobility continued to fupporc the nomi¬ 
 nal bifhops, although they were in general men 
 
 of 
 
54 o The HISTORY of the C H 
 effo pliant tempers that they loft all credit with 
 the lower ranks of the people. The king was 
 an infant, the nobility were employed in cutting 
 each others throats, the clergy were ftarving, 
 and difeipline was negledted ; lci that every thing 
 bid fair to promote an ecclefiaftical reformation 
 in the then Proteftant church of Scotland. 
 
 In the year 1574, Mr. Andrew Mflvill, re¬ 
 turned to Scotland from Geneva, where he had 
 fpent fome years under the tuition of the famous 
 Theodore Beza. If we take the charafter of 
 this man from the episcopalians, it is very ftnk- 
 in" indeed. Mr. Sage fays, " He was a man by 
 nature fierce and fiery, reftlefs and ungovernable. 
 Education in him had not lweetened nature, but 
 nature had foured education, and both thefe 
 confpirinn together, formed a true original; a 
 piece compol'ed of pride and petulance, of ma¬ 
 lice andmifehief; he could make as free with 
 the feepter as with the crozier, and could treat 
 with the fame contempt, the purple and the lawn 
 flceves 
 
 On the other hand, the Prefbyterians in Scot¬ 
 land have reprefented him in a light quite the re¬ 
 verie It is certain, he was a man of iome 
 learning, and as for his attachment to the reli¬ 
 gion of Geneva, it is a fpeculative notion, which 
 muft be left to every one’s own private judge- 
 
 m No fooner had Melvill returned to Scotland, 
 than he was appointed one of the profeffors in 
 the Univerfity of St. Andrews, and mmifter of 
 a parilh. This naturally called him to the ge¬ 
 neral affemblyofthe clergy, where he harangued 
 in favour of the difeipline of Geneva ; which he 
 reprefented as fuperior to all others. It took 
 mightily with the people, but it was oppofed 
 by°the nobility, who, to colour their facrile- 
 gious ufe of the church's money, wanted to re¬ 
 tain the poor Tulchan bifhops. 
 
 The controverfy, however, was carried on full 
 fix years, till at latt the Prelbyterian party car¬ 
 ried it in a general affembly of the clergy held at 
 Dundee 1580. King James VI. of Scotland 
 was then only fourteen years of age, but he took 
 the government upon himfelf. It is certain, he 
 loved the Prefbyterians, and would never have 
 quarreled with them, had not their intolerable 
 infolence forced him to it. They not only pre¬ 
 fumed to dictate to him as a Romifh. confeffor 
 does, but they even abufed him openly in their 
 own churches } and, to ufe the words of Dr. 
 Robertfon, who is himfelf a Prelbyterian mi- 
 nifter, “ The pulpit was difgraced, by being 
 ufed as a vehicle to revile the fovemgn, and ftir 
 up contention among the people.” One Black, 
 preaching in the chapel-royal at Edinburgh, 
 told his fovereign, a kings were the De Us bairns ; 
 that is, all kings were the devil’s children. Ot 
 thefe indecent expreflions Dr. Robertfon ob- 
 ferves, that the preacher deferved the moll fe- 
 vere chaftifement; but the king only banilhed 
 him out of the country, along with fix others. 
 
 The reformed clergy, in all countries, brought 
 along with them intoTerant principles j and thus, 
 when the king of Scotland was petitioned to 
 fupport the Proteftant religion, it was implied 
 that he Ihould extirpate the Roman Catholics, 
 fames feldom went into a church but he was in- 
 lulted j and one time, becaufe he refufed to dif- 
 
 U R C H of SCOTLAND. 
 
 mils his kinfman, the earl of Lenox, from his 
 prefence and banifh him from the country, the 
 clergy ftirred up the people at Edinburgh, who 
 befieged the king in the parliament-houle, cry- 
 in°- out, in the words of the Old Teftamenr, 
 
 “ 'The lword of the Lord and of Gideon, the 
 day Ihall be either theirs or ours.” The king 
 would have been barbaroully torn in pieces, had 
 not the earl of Mar come down from the caftle 
 with a party of foldiers and refeued him. 
 
 This ufage exafperated James fo much againft 
 the Prefbyterians, that he never loved them af¬ 
 terwards. Lie began to abridge then power, 
 and curb their infolence, by giving up all his 
 (hare of the crown lands that had formerly be¬ 
 longed to the bifhops, and appointed thirteen 
 mimftersto aflume that name, but ftill they had 
 no epifcopal ordination. They were not Tulchan 
 bifhops, becaufe they had revenues j but ftill 
 they were without power, and their miniftry was 
 I confined to fingle congregations. Things con¬ 
 tinued going on in this manner till the death of 
 queen Elizabeth, 1603, when James lucceeded 
 to the crown of England. Then it was that this 
 prince refolvcd to introduce the epifcopal form 
 into his antient kingdom of Scotland, but he 
 proceeded with great moderation, always be- 
 ftowing the bifhops lands on iuch men as were 
 moft efteemed for their abilities. 
 
 It does not appear that James ever thought of 
 caufing the Scottifb clergy to be epffcopally or¬ 
 dained till he was perfuaded thereto by Boncratt, 
 archbifhop of Canterbury ; nor indeed did 
 this prince fee the fcheme wholly reduced to 
 praCtice. It is true, three of the Scottifh bi¬ 
 fhops were fentup to London and confeciated, 
 and on their return they confecrated their bre¬ 
 thren ; but moft of the clergy refufed to be 
 re-ordained by them, and ftill kept their 
 churches. 
 
 In 1616 James went down to Scotland and 
 held a general affembly of the clergy at Perth, 
 where, by a fmall majority, he got the following 
 articles declared to be binding on the church of 
 Scotland. 
 
 Lirft, that the crofsfhould be ufed in baptifm. 
 Secondly, that confirmation fhould be ufed. 
 Thirdly, that Chriftmas, Eafter, Whitfunday, 
 and Trinity Sunday fhould be obferved.^ Fourth¬ 
 ly, that the facrament at the Lord’s Supper 
 fhould be received kneeling. And Laftly, that 
 baptifm fhould be adminiftered in private to 
 infants. Thefe are commonly called the five ar¬ 
 ticles of Perth, and they were the fame year 
 confirmned by a fmall majority in the Scottifh 
 parliament, but it gave great offence to the peo¬ 
 ple, and to the majority of the clergy. 
 
 It is perhaps from this period, that we muft 
 date the original of the civil wars. The clergy 
 who hated the ceremonies were very popular; they 
 prayed for two hours together before fermon, and 
 the fermon itfelf was feldom lefs than five hours 
 at a time. This inflamed the paflions of the people, 
 who admired them, becaule they lpent moft of 
 their time in abufing the king and traducing the 
 bifhops. They ingratiated themfelves with the 
 ladies, who are generally the moft eafily caught 
 by the priefts, and they pretended that they fre¬ 
 quently got anfwers to their prayers from heaven. 
 Many of the poor old women who were not ad¬ 
 dicted 
 
The HISTORY of the CHURCH of SCOTLAND. 541 
 
 dialed to enthufiafm were defired to pray, and 
 bring an anfwer to one of the pious ladies. Some 
 of the ladies were women of high rank, and 
 their hufbands, who were no great friends to the 
 bifhops, were eafily brought to join with them. 
 The minifters, during the fummer, had private 
 meetings with their friends, and plans were laid 
 to irritate the people againlt epifcopacy. 
 
 In this manner things went on till 1633, when 
 Charles I. went down to be crowned at Edin¬ 
 burgh, attended by Laud. Lindfey, archbifhop 
 of Glafgow, who came to aflift at the coronation, 
 hated the ceremonies, and Laud thru ft him away 
 from him with contempt, becaufe he was not 
 drefled in the pontifical habits. A parliament 
 was called to enforce the obfervation of the Perth 
 articles, and when the clerk-regiftfir had col¬ 
 lected the votes, he declared that there was a 
 majority againft the motion. The clerk was Se¬ 
 conded by lord Balmerino, the earl of Caftils, and 
 fome other noblemen, which fo much enraged 
 the king, that he demanded the roll of the 
 names, and declared that there was a majority 
 in favour of the bill. Accordingly the a£t paf- 
 fed, and then the king ordered the chancellor to 
 command any perfon who contradicted him to 
 come forward to the bar, and fwear that what 
 Caflills had faid was true. By the law of Scot¬ 
 land, to fay that the king tells a lie, is high-trea- 
 fon, fo that none would venture to do it, and the 
 aCt was recorded. 
 
 Charles returned to England, but left the 
 Prefbyterian minifters in Scotland, meditating a 
 dreadful revenge. They had their meetings in 
 private every fummer, and having heard that a 
 common-prayer-book was to be fent them from 
 England, they difpatched l'ome of their agents to 
 London, to prevail upon their Puritan brethren 
 to fay all they could in favour of the liturgy, for 
 they knew that if ever it fhould be fent toScotland, 
 it would anfwer all they had in view, namely, to 
 extirpate the bifhops, and oblige the king to 
 grant themfelves the emoluments of the church. 
 All their wifhes were gratified; for in 1636, Laud 
 fent down the prayer-book, which was to be read 
 publickly in the churches of Edinburgh, on the 
 Ealter Sunday of the next year, 1637. In the 
 mean time, a great number of the Prefbyterian 
 minifters held a private meeting at Edinburgh, 
 and it was agreed, that one Janet Geddis, a zea¬ 
 lous woman, fhould take her feat near the read¬ 
 ing delk, and knock down the dean if he came 
 to read the book. The chancellor, who at that 
 time was Spotilwood, archbifhop of St. Andrews, 
 the great officers of ftate, the 'judges of the 
 court of feffion, and the magiftrates of Edin¬ 
 burgh all attended in the high church of that 
 city, in order to hear the new fervice book 
 read, which was juft a copy of the Englilh li¬ 
 turgy. 
 
 No fooner had the dean begun the fervice, than 
 Janet Geddis took up the ftool on which fhe fat, 
 and atone ftroke knocked him down in the read¬ 
 ing defk, calling aloud at the fame time, C£ Out, 
 ce fye, you falfe thief, do you fay mafs at my 
 tc lug.” As much as if fhe had faid, <c Go out 
 " for fhame, you falfe thief, do you intend to fay 
 “ mafs in my hearing.” Ward, fpeaking of this 
 tranfa&ion, lays, 
 
 46 
 
 How Janet Geddis, that ffirewd quean. 
 
 Pelted for reading it, the dean. 
 
 The whole congregation was in an uproar; 
 the dean was carried out almoft dead, the biffiop 
 of Edinburgh had his robes torn, and would 
 have been murdered, had not a nobleman pre¬ 
 lent taken him into his coach ; with gr^t dif¬ 
 ficulty the chancellor made his efcape, the judges 
 were infulted, and the prayer-book was burnt by 
 the populace at the Crofs. It was attempted to 
 be read in one more of the churches of Edin¬ 
 burgh, but met with the fame fate. 
 
 The country was now in an uproar, all ranks 
 of people aflembled, and the chancellor Spotif- 
 wood went up to London with an account of thefe 
 things to the king. The king ordered the prayer 
 book to be difeontinued, and fent down to Scot¬ 
 land the duke of Hamilton, to call a general 
 aflembly to be held at Glafgow. In Scotland 
 there are fixty-eight prelbyteries, each of which 
 fends three minifters and two elders to the gene¬ 
 ral aflembly, and the univerfities fend five, fo 
 that the whole number amounts to four hundred 
 and fixty-five. The author of this has perufed 
 the records of that aflembly, and finds that nine 
 out of ten of the minifters, were fuch as had 
 been long difafteCted to epifcopacy, and the el¬ 
 ders were noblemen and gentlemen of high 
 rank, who hated the bifhops. From fuch men, 
 the epifcopal clergy had every thing to fear, and 
 the prclbyterians every thing to hope. They met 
 at Glafgow, and Henderfon, one of the molt 
 learned Prefbyterian minifters, was chofen pre- 
 fident, or, as they call him, moderator. The duke 
 of Hamilton recommended unanimity and mo¬ 
 deration, telling them at the fame time, that the 
 king would grant them every reafonable requeft 
 fo as they did not attempt to injure the efta- 
 blifhed church; but they had higher objects in 
 view, and therefore the firft thing they did was 
 to fummon all the bifhops to aopear before 
 them. 
 
 It was not to be fuppofed that the bifhops 
 would obey fuch an order, and therefore they 
 proceeded to excommunicate the whole of them, 
 declaring, at the fame time, that their order 
 was contradictory to the word of God, and to 
 the conftitution of the church of Scotland. Such 
 proceedings being contrary to law as it then 
 flood, becaufe their proceedings looked with im¬ 
 pudence in the face of feveral aCts of parliament; 
 duke Hamilton came to the aflembly, and in the 
 king’s name diflolved them, declaring that it would 
 be high treafon for them to fit any longer. He 
 might as well have declared it to be high-treafon 
 in them, either to eat or drink, for they had the 
 populace on their fide, whole confciences they 
 domineered over, and whole paflions they could 
 turn to what purpofes they pleafed. 
 
 Accordingly, they continued to fit till they 
 had overturned the whole frame of epifcopacy, 
 and then marched an army into England to fup- 
 port the Puritans, who had the fame views as 
 themfelves. The king was obliged to pacify 
 them, and next year he came to Edinburgh, 
 where he called a parliament, and ratified all 
 their proceedings. But foon after this, the Eng- 
 liffi having taken up arms, the king ereCted the 
 6 X royal 
 
54 2 The H I S T O R Y of the C 
 royal ftandard at Nottingham, and the civil wars 
 begun, of which we fhall at prelent take no iar- 
 ther notice, than that the Scots had an attive 
 hand in them. Their clergy, who difiiked the 
 biftiops, greedily fwallowed their revenues, and 
 reigned like arbitrary tyrants. 
 
 The provocation given by the Scottifh clergy 
 to Oliver Cromwell, was in all refpetts unfuffer- 
 able, and therefore, while they were fitting in 
 their general affembly at Edinburgh 1652, he 
 fent one colonel Cotterel with two regiments of 
 dragoons, whodiiperfed them, and beat therogues 
 march behind them, till they were out of the weft- 
 gate of that city. During the reign of the protestor, 
 they were prohibited from meeting, except in 
 their prefbyteries and fynods, for Cromwell knew 
 how to deal with thofe like himfelf. At the re- 
 ftoration, prefbytery was abolifhed, and efta- 
 blifhed again at the revolution as we have no¬ 
 ticed before j but we muft now proceed to take 
 notice of other particulars relating to this church, 
 which at prefent makes fuch a diftinguifhing 
 figure in the ifland of Great Britain, for the 
 erudition of its clergy, and their faithful dil- 
 charge of their duty. 
 
 We come now in the third place, to confider 
 the various forms of worfhip that have taken 
 place in the church of Scotland, fince the refor¬ 
 mation, down to the prefent time. The revo¬ 
 lutions, indeed, are neither great nor numerous, 
 but ftill they command our attention. It cannot 
 be fuppofed, that in the infant ftate of the re¬ 
 formed church of Scotland, that the form of 
 worfhip could be regular, and yet notwithstand¬ 
 ing this, we find that natural principles, and 
 a regard to fome parts of Divine Revelation, in¬ 
 duced the Scottifh reformers to follow almoft en¬ 
 tirely the antient practices as obferved before the 
 time of the emperor Conftantine the Great. We 
 have a form, in what is commonly called John 
 Knox’s liturgy, but that did not obtain long. It 
 was adapted for the readers, and it died with 
 them. They begun by reading the Lord’s 
 Prayer and the Ten Commandments, with the 
 Creed, and then there was a prayer before i'ermon, 
 which always concluded with the Lord’s-Prayer. 
 This form feems to have continued till 1580, 
 when Prefbytery was eftablifhed, and then things 
 took a different turn. Before that time, there 
 were but few fermons preached in Scotland, for 
 the clergy were fo ignorant, that they knew but 
 little of the facred fcriptures; fome of them 
 were enthufiafts, and others were men who had 
 no learning at all, and a third fort were thofe 
 who had formerly been Romifh priefts. From 
 fuch a medley, little good could have been ex- 
 petted, and the divifions that took place in the 
 country, and which in a manner unhinged the 
 bafis of morality, induced the people to forget 
 all thofe obligations they were under to them- 
 felves, to their neighbours, and to God. The 
 worfhip in that church was performed fometimes 
 in one form, and fometimes in another, and con- 
 fufion in the ftate occafioned confufion in the 
 church. 
 
 When Prefbytery took place in the church of 
 Scotland 1580, although condutted by a parcel of 
 infolent, bigotted, unlearned zealots, who knew 
 nothing of toleration, with refpett to matters of 
 
 PIURCH of SCOTLAND. 
 
 confcience, yet the leaders had the good fenfe to 
 point out an uniform prattice of religious wor¬ 
 fhip. They ordered, that the public fervice of 
 the church fhould be condutted in the following 
 manner: 
 
 While the people were affembling in the 
 church, the reader, or as they call him, the 
 precentor, read two or three chapters out of 
 the Old or New Teftament, and in the choice of 
 thefe, they were left to their own difcretion. The 
 congregation being affembled, the minifter came 
 into the pulpit, and repeated a fhort prayer, af¬ 
 ter which he read the Apoftle’s Creed and the 
 Ten Commandments, but the people made no 
 refponfes. This part of the ceremony being 
 over, the minifter delivered a difcourfe, which 
 had fome relation to the fubjett matter of the 
 fermon that was to follow, and then he prayed 
 for the general ftate of the world and of the na- 
 I tion. The text was then read, and the fermon 
 : preached, after which a pfalm was fung, and a 
 1 prayer followed, the fervice for the time being 
 I concluded by the general bleffmg. It is certain, 
 
 ! that fuch a form of worfhip was very plain and 
 I fimple, and in many refpetts confident with the 
 nature of the antient church, and both the Pref- 
 i byteriansand the Epifcopalians complied with it, 
 without making any objettions till the Weft- 
 minfter affembly 1645. That form of worfhip 
 varied in fome meafure from the other that had 
 gone before but in few things of a material na¬ 
 ture. 
 
 Thefe were times of popularity, when the 
 prejudices of the common people run high, and 
 when the clergy were willing to keep them in 
 good humour. The Scottifh clergy had at that 
 time an unlimitted power over the confciences 
 of their people, and they endeavoured to intro¬ 
 duce an external form of worfhip, which differed 
 no more from the old, than that of a temporary 
 compliance with temporary fuperftition. The 
 clergy of Scotland, however, did not all at once 
 embrace this change in their form of worfhip, 
 but fome of the zealots carried it to the other 
 extreme. Inftead of that rational form of wor¬ 
 fhip which had taken place before, they intro¬ 
 duced many innovations, which even exceeded 
 all thofe laid down in their common directory for 
 public worfhip. It is true, that this innovation 
 was contrived by the general affembly of divines 
 at Weftminfter, and there are many things in it 
 very rational, and confident with the prattice of 
 the primitive church; but ftill many of the 
 preachers did not conform themfelves to it. In 
 all refpetts, and under every occurrence, where 
 the circumftances of the times gave them an op¬ 
 portunity, they varied from the prefcribed form. 
 Thus fome of them ufed the Lord’s-Prayer at the 
 conclufion of their devotions, and others did not. 
 Some of them, inftead of reading the fcriptures, 
 made long diicourfes to their people, and during 
 the whole fpace of time that took place from the 
 death of Charles I. till the reftoration, they 
 never prayed for the civil government, although 
 that duty is injqined in their direttory ; for what 
 man could ever difpute the force of that duty, 
 unlefs he was deprived of reafon. 
 
 The direttory for the church of Scotland is 
 compril'ed in words to the following import, and 
 
 although 
 
The HISTORY of the C H 
 although they do not admit of any forms, yet 
 wefliall find that they have fomething formal. 
 I hat directory is here fet down, and we (hall 
 have occafion to take notice afterwards, how 
 far it was complied with at the revolution, 
 fcnr h ° W ^ ^ attcn ^ ec ^ Co 1,1 c ^ at country at pre- 
 
 When the congregation is to meet for public 
 Tvorfhip, the people, having before prepared 
 their hearts thereunto, ought all to come, and 
 join therein ; not abfenting themfelves from pub¬ 
 lic ordinances, through negligence, or upon pre¬ 
 tence of private meetings. 
 
 . Lct a11 enter tbe afiembly, not irreverently, but 
 in a grave and feemly manner, take their feats or 
 places without adoration, or bowing themfelves 
 towards one place or other. 
 
 The congregation being affembled, the minif- 
 ter, after lolemnly calling them to the worfhip- 
 ping of the great name of God, is to begin with 
 prayer. D 
 
 In all reverence and humility, acknowledging 
 he incomprehenfible greatnefs and majefty of the 
 Lord, in whofe prefence they do then in a fpecial 
 manner appear, and in their own vilenefs and un- 
 worthinefs to approach fo near him ; with their 
 utter inability of themfelves to fo great a work, 
 and humbly beleeching him for pardon, affift- 
 ance, and acceptance in the whole fervice then 
 to be performed; and for a bleffing on that par¬ 
 ticular portion of his word then to be read ; and 
 
 Chrilt C " ame and mediation of Lord Jehus 
 
 Th f P ubllc woribip being begun, the people 
 are wholly to attend upon it; forbearing to read 
 any thing, except what the minifter is then read- 
 lng or citmg ; and abflaining much more from 
 all private whifperings, conferences, falutations, 
 or doing reverence to any perfons prefent or 
 coming ,n ; as alfo from all gating, fieeping, and 
 her undecent behaviour, which may difturb 
 the minifter or people, or hinder themfelves, or 
 others in the lervice of God. 
 
 If any through neceffity be hindered from be- 
 wfL P r? eM at thC be g‘ nnin g. they ought not, 
 
 tliemfdve C r° m K ' nt0 tHe con gtegation, to betake 
 themfelves to their private devotions, but reve¬ 
 rently to compofe themfelves to join with the af- 
 fembly m that ordinance of Gild which is then 
 
 • Read ing of the word in the congregation, be¬ 
 ing part o the public worfhip of God, wherein 
 we acknowledge our dependence upon him, and 
 
 him C< fn? n rh mr and ° ne mcans ran<ai, i cd by 
 him foi the edifying of his people, is to be 
 
 performed by the patters and teachers 
 
 Howbeit, tech as attend the miniftry, may oc¬ 
 casionally both read the word, and exircife their 
 
 bv the I p e “ h ' n S m , the congregation, if allowed 
 oy the Prdbytery thereunto. 
 
 All the canonical books of the Old and New 
 Teftament, but none of thofe which are com¬ 
 monly called Apochrypha, fhall bepublickly read 
 in the vulgar tongue, out of the beft allowed 
 
 de'rftanT’ ^ that a11 hear and un 
 
 How large a portion fhall be read at once is 
 left to the Wlfdom of the minifter; but it is con¬ 
 venient, that ordinarily one chapter of each tef- 
 
 U R C H of SCOTLAND. w 
 
 tament be read at every meeting; and fometimes 
 more, where the chapters are fhort, or the coheH 
 rence of matter requireth it. 
 
 It is requifite, that all the canonical books be 
 read over in order, that the people may be better 
 acquainted with the whole body of the feriptures i 
 and ordinarily, where the reading in either Tef- 
 
 the^xt ° n °" e Lord ’ s - da >'> i* to begin 
 
 We commend alfo the fervent readino- of fuch 
 feriptures, as he that readeth fhall think beft for 
 
 and te 7 h fike hearerSi 35 the b °° k ° fPlal ™ 
 
 When the minifter who readeth, fhall jud^eit 
 neceffary to expound any part of what is read, 
 
 ' h° C ^ e . d ° ne “"'i* the wh ° R chapter or 
 plalm be ended ; and regard is always to be had 
 unto the time, that neither preaching or other 
 ordinances be ftra.ghtened, or rendered tedious; 
 
 pertermalfces. 10 ^ ° bPervcd - ab °ther public 
 
 Befidesthe public reading of the holy feriptures, 
 every perfon that can read, is to be exhorted to 
 read the feriptures privately, and all others that 
 cannot lead, if not difabled by age or otherw'ife, 
 are likewile to be exhorted to learn to read, and 
 to have a bible. 
 
 After reading of the word, and finging of the 
 pfalm, the minifter who is to preach, is to endea- 
 vour to get his own and his hearers hearts to be 
 rightly affedted with their fins, that they may all 
 mourn in fincemy before the Lord, and hun- 
 ger and third after the grace of God in Jd'us 
 r • proceeding to a more full confeffion of 
 im with (name and holy confufion of face ■ and 
 to call upon the Lord to this effeft. 
 
 To acknowledge our great finfulnefs ; firft bv 
 reafon of original fin, which, befides the guile 
 " lakes u s bable to everlafting damnatio°n, is 
 the feed of all other fins, hath depraved and 
 poifoned all the faculties and powers of the foul 
 and body, doth defile our beft adiions, and were it 
 not reftrained, or our hearts renewed by grace 
 would break forth in innumerable tranfgreffions’ 
 and the greateft rebellions again!! the Lord chat 
 
 men ’T b 7 the vileft of the tens of 
 
 men. And next by reafon of aftual fins, our 
 
 aitenffh tH u [ mS °- f ma g' ftrar '-s, of minifters, 
 and of the whole nation, unto which we are many 
 
 ways acceffary. Which fins of ours receive many 
 fearful aggravations, we having broken all the 
 commandments of the holy, Ju ft, and good law 
 of God doing that which is forbidden, ?nd leav¬ 
 ing undone what is enjoined, and that not only 
 out of ignorance and infirmity, but alfo more 
 
 P heckT P nf 7 aS r mfl: thC lighC ° f our minds > 
 own h 1 f r° Ur con i lenccs . a « d motions of his 
 own ho y fpint to the contrary, fo that we haye 
 no clonk for our fins; yea, not only defpifing the 
 riches of God s goodnefs, forbearance and long 
 uffering but Handing out again!! many invita¬ 
 tions, and offers of grace in the gofpel, not en¬ 
 deavouring as we ought, to receive Chrift into 
 our hearts by faith, or to walk worthy of him in 
 our lives. 
 
 To bewail our bhndnefs of mind, hardnefs of 
 heart, unbelief, impenitency, fecurity, lukewarm- 
 nefs, barrennefs, or not endeavouring after mor¬ 
 tification and newnefs of life, nor after the exer- 
 
 cifc 
 
HISTORY of the 
 
 544 The 
 cife of sodlinefs in the power thereof; and that 
 the beft of us have not fo fteadfaftly walked with 
 God. kept our garments fo unlpotted, nor been 
 fo zealous of his glory, and the good of others, 
 as we ought, and to mourn over fuch other fins 
 as the congregation is particularly gui ty o , 
 notwithftanding the manifold and great mercies 
 of our God, the love of Chrift, the light of the 
 <rofpel, and reformation of religion, our own 
 purpofes, promifes, vows, lolemn covenants, and 
 other fpecial obligations to the contrary. 
 
 To acknowledge and confefs, that as we are 
 convinced of our guilt, fo out of a deep ienfe 
 thereof, we judge ourfelves unworthy of the 
 final left benefits, mod worthy of God s fierceft 
 wrath, and of all the curfes of the law and 
 heavieft judgements inflidted upon the molt re¬ 
 bellious tinners; and that he might mod juftly 
 take his kingdom and gofpel from us, plague us 
 with all forts of fpiritual and temporal judge¬ 
 ments in this life, and after caft us into utter 
 darknefs, in the lake that burneth with fire and 
 brimftone, where are weeping and gnaihing ot 
 teeth for evermore. 
 
 Notwithftanding all which, to draw near to 
 the throne of grace, encouraging ourielves with 
 hope of a gracious anlwer of our prayers, in the 
 riches and all fufficiency of that only one obla¬ 
 tion, the fatisfadtion and intercefiion of the 
 Lord Telus Chrift at the right hand of his father, 
 and our father ; and in confidence of the exceed¬ 
 ing meat and precious promiles of mercy and 
 grace in the new covenant, through the fame 
 mediator thereof, to deprecate the heavy wrath 
 and curfe of God, which we are not able to 
 avoid, or bear; and humbly andearneftly to fup- 
 plicate for mercy, in the free and full remifiion 
 of all our fins, and that only for the bitter fuf- 
 ferings and precious merits of that our only Sa¬ 
 viour Jefus Chrift. , 
 
 That the Lord would vouchfafe to fend abroad 
 his love in our hearts by the Holy Ghoft, feal 
 unto us by the fame Ipirit of adoption, the full 
 afiurance of our pardon and reconciliation, com¬ 
 fort all that mourn in Zion, fpeak peace to the 
 wounded and troubled Ipirit, and bind up the 
 broken hearted ; and as for fecure and prefump- 
 tuous finners, that he would open their eyes, 
 convince their confciences, and turn them from 
 dai knefs unto light, and from the power of Satan 
 unro God, that they alfo may receive forgivends 
 of fin, and an inheritage among them that are 
 fanftified by faith in Chrift Jefus. 
 
 With remifiion of fins through the blood of 
 Chrift, to pray for fanttification by his fpirit; 
 the mortification of fin dwelling in, and many 
 times tyrannizing over us, the quickening of our 
 dead fpiritswith the life of God in Chrift, grace 
 to fit and enable us for all duties of convention, 
 and callings towards God and men, ftrength 
 againft temptations, the fanttified ule of blef- 
 fings and crofies, and perfeverance in faith, and 
 obedience unto the end. 
 
 To pray for the propagation of the gofpel and 
 kingdom of Chrift‘to all nations, for the conver- 
 fion of the Jews, the fullnels of the Gentiles, the 
 fall of Anti-chrift, and the haftening of the fe- 
 cond coming of our Lord ; for the deliverance of 
 the diftrefled churches abroad, from the tyranny 
 of the Anti-chriftian faction, and from the cruel 
 
 CHURCH of SCOTLAND. 
 
 opprefiions and blafphemies of the Turk : for the 
 blefiing of God upon all the reformed churches ; 
 efpecially upon the churches and kingdom of 
 England, Scotland, and Ireland, now more ftridl- 
 ly and religioufiy united in the folemn national 
 league and covenant, and for our plantations in 
 the remote parts of the world *. more particulaily, 
 for that church and kingdom whereof we are 
 members, that therein God would eftablifh peace 
 and truth, the purity of all his ordinances, and 
 the power of godlinels ; prevent and remove he- 
 refy, fchifm, profanenefs, fuperftition, fecurity, 
 and unfruitfulnefs under the means of grace, heal 
 all our breaches and divifions, and preferve us 
 from the breach of our folemn covenant. 
 
 To pray for all in authority, efpecially for the 
 king’s majefty, that God would make him rich 
 in blefiings, both in his perfon and government; 
 eftablifh his throne in religion and righteoufnefs, 
 fave him from evil council, and make him a 
 blefied and glorious inftrument for the confer- 
 vation and propagation of the gofpel, for the 
 encouragement and protection of them that do 
 well, the terror of all that do evil, and the great 
 good of the whole church, and of all his king¬ 
 doms ; for the prefervation of the queen, the re¬ 
 ligious education of the prince, and the reft of 
 the royal feed; for the comforting of the afflicted 
 queen of Bohemia, filter to our iovereign, and 
 for the reftitution and eftablifiiment of the illuf- 
 trious prince Charles, eleCtor Palatine of the 
 Rhine, to all his dominions and dignities ; for a 
 blefiing upon the high court of parliament, (when 
 fitting in any of thefe kingdoms refpeCtively) the 
 
 nobility, the fubordinate judges and magiftrates, 
 
 the gentry and all the commonality; for all pa¬ 
 llors and teachers, that God would fill them with 
 his fpirit, make them exemplary holy, fober, juft, 
 peaceable, and gracious in their lives; found, 
 faithful and powerful in their miniftry; and fol¬ 
 low all their labours with abundance of fuccefs 
 and blefiing; and give unto all his people paftors 
 according to his own heart; for the univerfities, 
 and all lchools, and religious feminaries of church 
 and commonwealth, that they may ftourifti more 
 and more in learning and piety; for the particu¬ 
 lar city or congregation, that God would pour 
 out a blefiing upon the miniftry of the word, la- 
 craments and dilcipline, upon the civil govern¬ 
 ment, and all the feveral families and perfons 
 therein ; for mercy to the afflicted under any in¬ 
 ward or outward diftrefs; for feafonable weather 
 and fruitful feafons, as the time require; for 
 averting the judgements that we eithei feel or 
 fear, or are liable unto, as famine, peftilence, 
 the fword, and fuch like. 
 
 And, with confidence of his mercy to his whole 
 church, and the acceptance of our perfons through 
 the merits and mediation of our great high prieft 
 the Lord Jefus, to profefs that it is the defire of 
 our fouls to have fellowfhip with God in the re¬ 
 verent and confcionable ufe of his holy ordinances; 
 and, to that purpofe to pray earneftly 
 grace and effedtual afilftance to the latisfachon 
 of his holy fabbath, the Lord’s day, in all the 
 duties thereof, public and private, both to our¬ 
 felves, and to all other congregations of his 
 people, according to the riches and excellency ot 
 the gofpel this day celebrated and enjoyned. 
 
 And, becaufe we have been unprofitable hear¬ 
 er*; 
 
The HISTORY of the CHURCH of S C O T L A N D. 
 
 ers in times paft, and now cannot of ourfelves 
 receive as we fhould, the deep things of God, 
 the myfteries of Jefus Cnnft, which require a 
 fpiritual difcerning, to pray that the Lord who 
 teacheth to profit, would gracroufly pleafe to 
 pour out the fpirit of grace, together with the 
 outward means thereof, caufingus to attain fuch 
 a meafure of the excellency of the knowledge of 
 Chrifi: Jefus our Lord, and in him ol the things 
 which belong to our peace, that we may account 
 all things but as nothing in comparifon of him: 
 and that we, talhing the firft fruits of the glory 
 that is to be revealed, may long for a more full 
 and pertedt communion with him, that where he 
 is we may be alfo, and enjoy the fulnefs ofthofe 
 joys and pleafures, which are at his right hand 
 for evermore. 
 
 More particularly, that God would in a fpecial 
 manner furnilh his fervanc, now called to dif- 
 pence the bread of life unto his houlhold, with 
 wildom, fidelity, zeal and utterance, that he may 
 divide the word of God aright, to every one his 
 portion in evidence and,demonftration of thefpi- 
 m and power; and that the Lord would circum- 
 cife the ears and hearts of the hearers, to hear, 
 love and receive with meeknefs the ingrafted 
 word, which is able to fave their fouls, make 
 them as good ground to receive in the good feed 
 of the word, and ftrengthen them againft the 
 temptations of fatan, the cares of the world, the 
 hardnefs of their own hearts, and whatfoever elle 
 may hinder their profitable and faving hearino-; 
 that fo Chrifi: may be fo formed in them, and 
 live in them, that all their thoughts may be 
 brought into captivity, to the obedienceof Chrifi, 
 and their hearts eftablilhed in every good word 
 and work for ever. 
 
 We judge this to be a convenient order, in 
 the ordinary public prayers; yet fo, as the mini- 
 fter may defer, as in prudence he fhall think 
 meet, fome part of thefe petitions, till after his 
 fermon, to offer up to God fome of the thankf- 
 givings, hereafter appointed, in his prayer before 
 his fermon. 
 
 Preaching of the word, being the power of 
 God unto falvation, and one of the greateft and 
 moft excellent works belonging to the minifiry 
 of the gol'pel, fiiould be fo performed, that the 
 workman need not be afhamed, but may fave 
 himfelf, and thole that hear him. 
 
 It is prefuppofed, according to the rules for 
 ordination, that the minifter of Chrifi is in fome 
 good meafure gifted for fo weighty a fervice, by 
 his (kill in the oriental languages, and in fuch arts 
 and fciences as are handmaids unto divinity, by 
 his knowledge in the whole body of theology, but 
 moft of all in the holy fcriptures, having his 
 fenfes and heart exercifed in them above” the 
 common fort of believers, and by the illumi¬ 
 nation of God’s Spirit, and other gifts of edifi¬ 
 cation, which, together with reading and ftudy- 
 ing of the word, he ought ftill to leek by prayer, 
 and an humble heart, refolving to admit and re¬ 
 ceive any truth not yet attained, whenever God 
 lhall make it known unto him. All which he is 
 to make ufe of, and approve in his private pre¬ 
 parations, before he deliver in public what he 
 hath provided. 
 
 Ordinarily, the fubjed of his fermon is to be 
 46 
 
 i 45 
 
 fome text of feripture, holding forth fome prin¬ 
 ciple or head of religion ; or fuitable to fome fpe¬ 
 cial occafion emergent; or he may go on in form 
 chapter, pfalm, or book of the feripture, as he 
 lhall fee fit. 
 
 Let the introdudion to his text be brief and 
 perfpicuous, drawn from the text itfelf, or con¬ 
 text, or fome parallel place of general fentence 
 of feripture. 
 
 If the text be long, as in hiftories and parables 
 it fometimes muft be, let him give a brief fum of 
 it: if fhort, a paraphrafe thereof, if neceffary : in 
 both, looking diligently to the l'cope of the texc, 
 and pointing at the chief heads and grounds of 
 dodrine, which he is to raife from it. 
 
 In analyfing and dividing his text, he is to re¬ 
 gard more the order of matter, than of words; and 
 neither to burden the memory of the hearers in 
 the begining, with too many members of divifion, 
 nor to trouble their minds with obfeure terms of 
 art. 
 
 In raifing dodrines from the text, his care 
 ought to be, Firft, that the matter be the truth 
 of God: Secondly, that it be a truth contained 
 in, or grounded on that text, that the hearers 
 may difeern how God teacheth it from thence : 
 T hirdly, that he chiefly infill: upon thofe doc¬ 
 trines which are principally intended, and make 
 moft for the edification of the hearers. 
 
 The dodrine is to be exprelfcd in plain terms; 
 or if any thing in it need explication, it is to be 
 opened, and the confequence alfo from the text 
 cleared. The parallel places of feripture con¬ 
 firming the dodrine, are rather to be plain and 
 pertinent, than many, and, if need be, fomewhat 
 infilled upon, and applied to the purpofein hand. 
 
 The arguments or reafons are to be foiid ; and, 
 as much as may be, convincing. The illuftra- 
 tions of what kind foever, ought to be full of 
 light, and fuch as may convey the truth into the 
 hearers heart with fpiritual delight. 
 
 If any doubt, obvious from feripture, real'on or 
 prejudice of the hearers, feem to arife, it is very 
 requifite to remove it, by reconciling the feemini 
 differences, anfwering the reafons, and difeover- 
 ing and taking away the caufes of prejudice and 
 miftake. Otherwife it is not fit to detain the 
 hearers with propounding or anfwering vain or 
 wicked cavils, which, as they are endlefs, fo the 
 propounding and anfwering of them doth more 
 hinder than promote edification. 
 
 He is not to reft in general dodfrine, although 
 never fo much cleared and confirmed, but to brino- 
 it home to fpecial ufe, by application to his 
 hearers : which albeit it prove a work of great dif¬ 
 ficulty to himfelf, requiring much prudence, zeal 
 and meditation, and to the natural and corrupt 
 man, will be very unpleafant; yet he is to endea¬ 
 vour to perform it in fuch a manner, that his 
 auditors may feel the word of God to be quick 
 and powerful, and a difcerner of the thoughts 
 and intents of the heart; and if that any un¬ 
 believer or ignorant prrfon be prefent, he may 
 have the fecrets of his heart made mamfeft, and 
 give glory to God. 
 
 In the ufe of inftrudlion or information in the 
 knowledge of fome truth, which is a confequence 
 from his dodtrines, he may, when convenient, con¬ 
 firm it by a few firm arguments from the text in 
 6 Y hand. 
 
54-6 
 
 The 
 
 HISTORY of the C H 
 
 hand, and other places of fcripture, or from the 
 nature of that common place of divinity, where¬ 
 of that truth is a branch. 
 
 In confutation of falfe doftrines, he is neither 
 to raife an old herefy from the grave, nor to men¬ 
 tion a blafphemous opinion unneceliarily : But 
 if the peor’e be in danger of an error, he is to 
 confute it foundly, and endeavour to fansfy 
 their judgements and confciences againft all ob- 
 
 ietftions. , . . r r 
 
 In exhorting to duties, he is, as he fees cauie, 
 to teach alfo the means that help to the perform¬ 
 ance of them. i 
 
 In dehortation, reprehenfion, and public ad¬ 
 monition, which require fpecial wifdom.let him, 
 as there fhall be cauie, not only difcover the na¬ 
 ture and nreatnefs of the fin, with the mifery at¬ 
 tending it, but alfo fliew the danger his hearers 
 are in, to be overtaken and furprifed by it, 
 together with the remedies and bell way to avoid 
 
 In applying comfort, whether general againft 
 all temptations, or particularly againft fome Ipe- 
 cial troubles and terrors, he is carefully to anfwer 
 l'uch objections, as a troubled heart and afflicted 
 fpirit may fuggeft to the contrary. 
 
 It is alfo fometimes requifite to give fome notes 
 of trial, which is very profitable, efpeciallv when 
 performed by able and experienced minifters, 
 with circumfpeftion and prudence, and the figns 
 clearly grounded on the holy fcripture, wheieby 
 the hearers may be able to examine themfelves, 
 whether they have attained thofe graces, and per¬ 
 formed thofe duties to which he exhorteth, or be 
 guilty of the fin reprehended, and in danger of 
 The judgements threatened, or are fuch to whom 
 the confolations propounded do belong, that ac¬ 
 cordingly they may be quickened and exciter, to 
 duty, humbled for their wants and fins, affedted 
 with their danger, and (Lengthened with com¬ 
 fort, as their condition upon examination lliall 
 
 require. 
 
 And, as he needeth not always to proiecute 
 every dodtrine which lies in his text, fo is he 
 wifely to make choice of fuch ufes, as by his re- 
 fidence, and converfing with his flock, he findeth 
 mod needful and feafonable : and amongft thefe, 
 fuch as may moft draw their fouls to Chrift, the 
 fountain of light, holinefs and comfort. 
 
 This method is not prefcribed as neceftary for 
 every man, or upon every text; but only re¬ 
 commended as being found by experience to be 
 very much bleffed of God, and very helpful for 
 the peoples underftandtngs and memories. 
 
 But the fervant of Chrift, whatever his me¬ 
 thod be, is to perform his whole miniftry. 
 
 1. Painfully, not doing the work of the Lord 
 negligently. 
 
 2. Plainly, that the meaneft may underftand, 
 delivering tire truth, not in the enticing words of 
 man’s wifdom, but in demonftration of the fpirit 
 and power, left the crols of Chrift fhould be 
 made of none effedt; abftaining alfo tiom an 
 unprofitable ufe of unknown tongues. Arrange 
 phrafes, and cadances of founds and words, fpar- 
 ingly citing fentences of ecclefiaftical, or other 
 human writers, antient or modern, be they never 
 fo elegant. 
 
 2. Faithfully, looking at the honour of Chrift, 
 
 U R C H of SCOTLAND.- 
 
 the converfion, edification, and falvation, of the 
 people, not at his own gain or glory, keeping 
 nothing back which may promote thofe holy 
 ends, giving to every one his own portion, and 
 bearing indifferent refpedt unto all, without 
 neglecting the meaneft, or fparing the greateft 
 in their fins. 
 
 4. Wifely, framing all his doCtrines, exhorta¬ 
 tions, and efpecially his reproofs, in fuch a man¬ 
 ner as may be moft likely to prevail, Ihewing all 
 due refpeft to each man’s perfon and place, and 
 not mixing with it his own paffion or bitternefs. 
 
 5. Gravely, as becometh the word of God, 
 fhunning all luch gefture, voice and expreffions, 
 as may occafion the corruptions of men to de- 
 fpife him and his miniftry. 
 
 6. With loving affe&ion, that the people may- 
 fee all coming from his godly zeal, and hearty 
 defire to do them good. And, 
 
 7. As taught of God, and perluaded in his own 
 heart, that all that he teaches is the truth of 
 Chrift : and walking before his flocks as an ex¬ 
 ample to them in private ; earneftly, both in pri¬ 
 vate and public, recommending his labours to 
 the bleffing of God, and watchfully looking to 
 himfelf and the flock, whereof the Lord hath 
 made him overfeer ; fo lliall the doftrine of truth 
 be preferved uncorrupt, many fouls converted 
 and built up, and himfelf receive manifold com¬ 
 forts of his labours, even in his life, and after¬ 
 ward the crown of glory laid up for him in the 
 world to come. 
 
 Where there are more minifters in a congrega¬ 
 tion than one, and they of different gifcs, each 
 may more fpecially apply himfelf to doClrine or 
 exhortation, according to the gift wherein he moft 
 excelleth, and as they lhall agree between them- 
 1 elves. 
 
 The fermon being ended, the mimfter is 
 To give thanks for the great love of God, in 
 fending his fon Jefus Chrift unto us ; tor the 
 communication of his holy fpirit; for the light 
 and liberty of the glorious gofpel, and the rich and 
 heavenly bleffings revealed therein, as namely, 
 election, vocation, adoption, juftification, fandti- 
 : fication, and hope of glory; for the admiiable 
 goodnels of God, in freeing the land fro m Anti- 
 chriftian darknefs and tyranny, and for all other 
 national deliverances : for the reformation of re¬ 
 ligion; for the covenant; and for many tem¬ 
 poral bleffings. 
 
 To pray for the continuance of the gofpel, and 
 all ordinances thereof, in their purity, power, and 
 liberty. _ , . , c 
 
 To turn the chief and moft ufeful heads ot 
 the fermon, into fome few petitions ; and to pray 
 that it may abide in the heart, and bring forth 
 fruit. _ 
 
 To pray for preparation for death and judge¬ 
 ments, and a watching for the coming of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift. To intreat of God the tor- 
 givenefs of the iniquities of our holy things, and 
 the acceptation ot our fpiritual facrifice, through 
 the merits and mediation of our great high-piielt 
 and Saviour, the Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 
 And becaufe the prayer which Chrift taught 
 his difciples is not only a pattern of prayer, but 
 itfelf a moft comprehensive prayer, we recommend 
 it alfo to be ufed in the prayers of the church. 
 
 And 
 
The HISTORY of the CHURCH of S C O T L A N D 
 
 And whereas at the adminiftration of the fa- 
 craments, the holding public fafts and days of 
 thankfgiving, and other fpecial occafions, which 
 may afford matter of lpecial petitions and thanks¬ 
 givings ; it is requifite to exprefs fome what in 
 our public prayers, as at all times, it is our duty 
 to pray for a bleffing upon the churches, the 
 armies by fea and land, for the defence of the 
 king, parliament and kingdom : Every minifter 
 herein is to apply himfelf in his prayer, before or 
 after his fermon to thofe occafions; but for the 
 manner he is left to his liberty, as God fhall direfl 
 and enable him in piety and wifdom, to dilcharge 
 his duty. 
 
 The prayer ended, let a pfalm be fung if with 
 conveniency it may be done. After which, un- 
 lefs fome other ordinance of Chrift that concern¬ 
 ed the congregation at that time be to follow, 
 let the minifter difmifs the congregation with a 
 folemn blefling. 
 
 Before baptifm, the minifter is to ufe fome 
 words of inftru&ion, touching the inftitution, 
 nature, ufe, and ends of this facrament: Shew¬ 
 ing 
 
 That it is inftituted by our Lord Jcfus Chrift; 
 that it is a leal of the covenant of grace, of our 
 ingrafting into Chrift, and of our union with 
 him, of remiffion of fins, regeneration, adop¬ 
 tion, and life eternal: That the water in bap 
 tifm reprelcnteth and fignifieth, both the blood 
 of Chrift, which taketh away all guilt of fin, 
 original and actual, and the fantftifying virtue of 
 the fpirit of Chrift, againft the dominion of fin, 
 and the corruption of our finful nature : That 
 baptizing or fprinkling and wafhing with water, 
 fignifieth the cleanfing from fin by the blood, 
 and for the merit of Chrift, together with the 
 mortification of fin, and rifing from fin to new¬ 
 ness of life, by virtue of the death and refurrec- 
 tion of Chrift ; that the promife is made to be¬ 
 lievers and their feed, and that the feed and pof- 
 terity of the faithful, born within the church, 
 have by their birth, inlereft in the covenant and 
 right to the feal of it, and to the outward piivi- 
 leges of the church under the gofpel, no lefs 
 then the children of Abraham in the time of the 
 Old Teftament; the covenant of grace, for fub- 
 ftance being the fame ; and the grace of God, 
 and the confolation of believers, more plentiful 
 than before. That the fon of God admitted 
 little children into his prefence, embracing and 
 blefling them, faying, for of fuch is the king¬ 
 dom of God ; that children by baptifm are fo- 
 lemnly received into the bolom of the vifible 
 church, diftinguifhed from the world, and them 
 that are without, and united with believers, and 
 that all who are baptized in the name of Chrift, 
 do renounce, and by their baptifm are bound to 
 fight againft the devil, the world, and the flefh. 
 That they are Chriftians and covenanted holy 
 before baptifm, and therefore are they baptized. 
 That the inward grace and virtue of baptifm is 
 not tied to that very moment of time wherein it 
 is adminiftered, and that the fruit and power 
 thereof, reacheth to the whole courfe of our life; 
 and that outward baptifm is not fo neceftary, 
 that through the want thereof the infant is in 
 danger of damnation, or the parents guilty, if 
 they do not contemn or neglect the oidinarice 
 
 , 547 
 
 | of Chrift, when and where it may be had. 
 In thefe or the like inftrudtions the minifter is 
 to ufe his own liberty, and godly wifdom, as 
 the ignorance or errors in the doftrine of bap¬ 
 tifm, and the edification of the people fhall re¬ 
 quire. 
 
 He is alfo to admonifh all that are pre- 
 fent, r 
 
 I o look back to their baptifm : to repent of 
 their fins againft their covenants with God, to 
 ftir tip their faith, to improve and make the rio-hc 
 ule of their baptifm, and of the covenant 
 fealed thereby betwixt God and their fouls. 
 
 He is to exhort the parent. 
 
 To confider the great mercy of God to him 
 and his child; to bring up the child in the 
 knowledge of the grounds of the Chriftian reli¬ 
 gion, and in the nurture and admonition of the 
 Lord, and to let him know the danger of God’s 
 wrath to himfelf and child, if he be\negligent: 
 requiring his lolemn promife for the performance 
 of his duty. 
 
 This being done, prayer is alfo to be joined with 
 the word of inftitution, for landtifying the water 
 to this fpiritual ufe, and the minifter is to pray to 
 the following effeft : 
 
 That the Lord, who hath not left us as ftran- 
 gers without the covenant of promife, but called 
 us to the privileges of his ordinances, would 
 gracioufiy vouchfafe to fanflify and blefs his own 
 ordinance of baptifm at this time; that he would 
 join the inward baptifm of his fpirit with the 
 outward baptifm of water ; make this baptifm 
 to the infant a feal of adoption, remiffion of fin, 
 regeneration and eternal life, and of all other 
 promiles of the covenant of grace ; that the child 
 may be formed into the likenefs of the. death 
 and refurreftion of Chrift, and that the body of 
 fin being deftroyed in him, he may ferve God in 
 newnefs ot life all his days. 
 
 Then the minifter is to demand the name of 
 the child, which being told him, he is to fa , cal¬ 
 ling the child by his name, 
 
 I baptize thee in the name of the Father, of 
 the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 As he pronounceth thefe words, he is to bap¬ 
 tize the child with water : which for the manner 
 of doing it, is not only lawful but fufficiem, and 
 molt expedient to be, by pouring or fprinkling 
 of the water on the face of the child, without 
 adding any other ceremony. 
 
 This done, he is to give thanks and pray, to 
 this or the like purpofe ; 
 
 Acknowledging with all thankfulnefs that the 
 Lord is true and faithful in keeping covenant and 
 mercy ; that he is good and gracious, not only 
 in that he numbereth us among his faints, but is 
 plealed alfo to beftow upon our children this An¬ 
 gular token and badge of his love in Chrift: 
 chat in his truth and lpecial providence, he dai¬ 
 ly bringeth fome into the bofom of his church, 
 to bepartakers ot ineftimable benefits, purchafed 
 by the blood of his dear fon, for the continuance 
 and increafeof his church. 
 
 And praying, that the Lord would ftill con¬ 
 tinue, and daily confirm more and more this his 
 unfpeakable favour : that he would receive the 
 infant now baptized, and folemnly entered into 
 the houfhold of faith, into his fatherly tuition 
 
 and 
 
d* 
 
 5+ 3 The HISTORY of the C 
 
 and defence, and remember him with the favour 
 that he Iheweth to his people, that if he fhall 
 be taken out of this life in his infancy, the Lord, 
 •who is rich in mercy, would be pleaicd to receive 
 him up into glory and if he live and attain the 
 years of diferetion, that the Lord would fo teach 
 him by his word and fpirir, and make his bap- 
 tifm effectual to him, and lo uphold him by his 
 divine power and grace, that by faith he may 
 prevail againft the devil, the world and the 
 fleih, till in the end he obtain a full and final 
 viaory, and fo be kept by the power of God thro 
 faith unto falvation, through Jelus Chrift our 
 
 L °The communion, or fupper of the Lord, is 
 frequently to be celebrated : But how often, may 
 be.confidered and determined by the mimfters 
 and other church governors of each congreation, 
 as they fhall find molt convenient for the com¬ 
 fort and edification of the people committed to 
 their charge. And when it fhall be admimfeered 
 we judge it convenient to be done after the morn¬ 
 ing fermon. 
 
 The ignorant and the fcandalous are not ht to 
 receive the facrament of the Lord’s lupper. 
 
 Where this facrament cannot with conveniency 
 be frequently adminiftered, it is requifite that 
 public warning be given the fabbath day before 
 the adminiftration thereof; and that either then 
 oronfome day of that week, fomething concern- 
 in<r that ordinance, and the due preparation 
 thereunto, and participation thereof be taught, 
 that by the diligent ufe of all means fanflified of 
 God to that end, both in public and private, 
 all may come better prepared to thac heavenly 
 
 fealL . , 
 
 When the day is come for adminiftration, the 
 minifter having ended his fermon and prayer fhall 
 make a fhort exhortation ; 
 
 Exprefling the ineftimable benefit we have by 
 this facrament; together with the ends and ufe 
 thereof, fetting forth the great neceflity of hav¬ 
 ing our comforts and ftrength renewed thereby, 
 in°this ourpilgrimage and warfare. How necel- 
 fary it is that we come unto it with knowledge, 
 faith, repentance, love, and with hungering 
 and thirfting fouls after Chrift and his benefits: 
 How great the danger to eat and drink unwor- 
 
 111 Next he is in the name of Chrift on the one 
 part, to warn all fuch as are ignorant, fcanda¬ 
 lous! profane, or that live in any fin or offence 
 acainft their knowledge or confidence, that they 
 prefume not to come to that holy table, fhewing 
 them, that he that eateth and drinketh unwor¬ 
 thily, eateth and drinketh judgement unto him- 
 felf; and on the other part, he is in efpecial 
 manner to invite and encourage all that labour 
 under the fenfe of the burden of their fins, and 
 fear of wrath, and defire to reach out unto 
 a greater progrefs in grace, than yet they can 
 attain unto, to come to the Lord’s table, af- 
 i'uring them, in the fame name, of eafe, refrefh- 
 ing and ftrength, to their weak and wearied 
 
 fouls. . . 
 
 After this exhortation, warning and invita- 
 tion, the table being before decently covered and 
 fo conveniently placed, that the communicants 
 may orderly fit about it, or at it 1 the minifter is 
 
 HURCH of SCOTLAND. 
 
 to begin the aftion with fanaifying and blefling 
 the elements of bread and wine fet befoie him, 
 the bread in comely and convenient veffels, fo 
 prepared, that being broken by him and given, 
 it may be diftributed amongft the communicants: 
 The wine alfo in large cups ; having firft in a 
 few words (hewed. That thofe elements other- 
 wife common, are now let apart and fanftified 
 to this holy ufe, by the word of inftitution and 
 prayer. 
 
 Let the words of inftitution be read out of the 
 evangelifts, or out of the firft epiftie of the apoi- 
 tle Paul to the Corinthians, ch. n. ver. 23. 
 
 For I have received of the Lord, &c. to the 27 
 ver. which the minifter may, when he feeth requi¬ 
 fite, explain and apply. 
 
 Let the prayer, thankfgiving, or bleftingor the 
 bread and wine be to this effect ; 
 
 With humble and hearty acknowledgement of 
 the greatnels of our mil'ery, from which neither 
 man nor angel was able to deliver us ; and of our 
 great unworthineis of the leaft of all God s mer¬ 
 cies, to give thanks to God for all his benefits, 
 and efpecially for that great benefit of our re¬ 
 demption, the love of God the Father, the fuf- 
 ferings and merits of the Lord Jefus Chrift, the 
 fon of God, by which we are delivered ; and for 
 all means of grace, the word and facraments ; 
 and for this facrament in particular, by which 
 Chrift and all his benefits are applied and lealed 
 up unto us, which notwithftanding the de¬ 
 nial of them unto others, are in great mercy con¬ 
 tinued unto us, after fo much and long abufe of 
 them all. 
 
 To profefs that there is no other name under 
 heaven, by which we can be faved, but the name 
 of Jefus Chrift, by whom alone we receive li¬ 
 berty and life, have accels to the thione of 
 grace, are admitted to eat and drink at his own 
 table, and are fealed up by his fpiric to an affu- 
 rance of happinefs and everlafting life. 
 
 Earneftly pray to God the father of all mer¬ 
 cies, and God of all confolation, to vouchiafe 
 his gracious prefence, and the eftedtual woiking 
 of his fpirit in us, and lo to fandtify thefe elc- 
 
 mentsbothof bread and wine, and to blcfs his own 
 
 ordinance, that we may receive by faith the body 
 and blood of Jefus Chrift crucified for us, and io 
 to feed upon him, that he may be one with us, 
 and we with him, that he may live in us, and we 
 in him, and to him, who hath loved us, and given 
 himfelf for us. 
 
 Ail which he is to endeavour to perform with 
 fuitable affedtions anfwerable to iuch an holy 
 adtion, and to ftir up the like in the people. 
 
 The elements being now fandtified b.y the woid 
 and prayer, the minifter being at the table, 
 is to take the bread in his hand, and fay 111 
 thefe expreffions, or other the like, ufed by 
 Chrift or his apoftle Upon this occafion. 
 
 According to the holy inftitution,. command 
 and example of our blcffed Saviour Jelus 
 Chrift, I take this bread, and having given 
 thanks, I break it and give it unto you. 1 here 
 the minifter, who is alio himfelf to commuicate, 
 is to break the bread and give it to the commu¬ 
 nicants : Take ye, eat ye, this is the body of 
 Chrift which is broken for you, clo this in re¬ 
 membrance of him. 
 
The HISTORY of the C H 
 
 In like manner, the minifter is to take the cup, 
 and fay in thefe exprellions, or other the like, 
 ufed by Chrift, or the Apoftle, upon the lame oc- 
 cafion j 
 
 According to the inftitution, command, and 
 example of our Lord Jefus Chrift, I take this 
 cup, and give it unto you ; here he giveth it un¬ 
 to the communicants: This cup is the New Tes¬ 
 tament in the blood of Chrift, which is fhed for 
 the remiflion of the fins of many: Drink ye all 
 of it. 
 
 After all have communicated, the minifter may 
 in a few words put them in mind 
 
 Of the grace of God in Jefus Chrift, held forth 
 in this Sacrament, and exhort them to walk wor¬ 
 thy of it. 
 
 The minifter is to give Solemn thanks to God, 
 for his rich mercy and invaluable goodnefs vouch¬ 
 safed to them in that Sacrament, and to intreat 
 for pardon for the effects of the whole Service, 
 and for the gracious aITiStance of his good lpirit, 
 whereby they may be enabled to walk in the 
 Strength of that grace, as becometh thofe who 
 have received So great pledges of Salvation. 
 
 The colledtion for the poor is So to be ordered, 
 that no part of the public worfmp be thereby 
 hindered. 
 
 The Lord’s-day ought to be So remembered 
 before hand, as that all worldly bufinefs of our 
 ordinary callings may be So ordered, and So timely 
 and Seafonably laid afide, as they may not be im¬ 
 pediments to the due fandtifying of the day when 
 it comes. 
 
 The whole day is to be celebrated as holy to 
 the Lord, both in public and private, as being 
 the Chriftian Sabbath. To which end it is re¬ 
 quisite, that there be an holy cefi'ation, or refting 
 all the day, from all unnecefiary labours, and an 
 abftaining, not only from all Sports and paftimes, 
 but alfo from all worldly words and thoughts. 
 
 That the diet on that day be So ordered, as that 
 neither Servants be unneceflarily detained from 
 the public worfhip of God, nor any other perfons 
 hindered from the fandtifying that day. 
 
 That there be private preparation of every 
 perfon or family by prayer for themlelves, and 
 for God’s aftiftance of the minifter, and for a 
 blefling upon his ministry, and by Such holy ex- 
 ercifes, as may further difpofe them to a more 
 comfortable communion with God in his public 
 ordinances. 
 
 That all the people meet timely for public 
 worfhip, that the whole congregation may be pre- 
 fent at the beginning, and with one heart Solemn¬ 
 ly join together in all parts of the public worfhip ; 
 and not depart till after the blefling is pronounced. 
 
 That what time is vacant, between or after the 
 Solemn meeting of the congregation in public, 
 be Spent in reading, meditation, repetition of 
 Sermons, efpecially by calling their families to an 
 account of what they have heard, and catechifing 
 of them, holy conferences, prayer for a blefling 
 upon the public ordinances, Singing of pfalms, 
 viflting the Sick, relieving the poor, and Such 
 like duties of piety, charity, and mercy, account¬ 
 ing the Sabbath a delight. 
 
 Although marriage be no Sacrament, nor pe¬ 
 culiar to the church of God, but common to 
 mankind, and of public intereft in every com¬ 
 mon wealth, yet becaufe Such as marry are to 
 46 
 
 U R C H of SCOTLAN D. £49 
 
 ! marry in the Lord, and have Special need of in¬ 
 i' ftruftion, direftion, and exhortation, from the 
 j word of God at their entering into Such a new 
 j condition, and of the blefling of God upon them 
 therein ; we judge it expedient, that marriage be 
 Solemnized by a lawful minifter of the word, that 
 he may accordingly counfel them, and pray for a 
 ! blefling upon them. 
 
 | Marriage is to be betwixt one man and one 
 I woman only ; and they, Such as are within the 
 
 I d egrees of confanguinity, or affinity, not prohibited 
 
 1 by the word of God. And the parties are to be 
 | of years of discretion, fit to make their own 
 I choice, or upon good grounds to give their mu¬ 
 tual confent. 
 
 Before the Solemnizing of marriage between 
 any perfons, their purpofe of marriage Shall be 
 published by the minifter three Several Sabbath- 
 days in the congregation, at the place or places 
 of their molt uleful and conftant abode respec¬ 
 tively. And of this publication, the minifter, 
 who is to join them in marriage, Shall have Suf¬ 
 ficient testimony, before he proceed to Solemnize 
 the marriage. 
 
 Before that publication of Such their purpofe, 
 if the parties be under age, the confcnt of the 
 parents or others under whoSe power they are, in 
 cafe the parents be dead, is to be made known 
 to the church officers of that congregation to be 
 recorded. 
 
 The like is to be obferved in the proceedings 
 of all others, although of age, whofe parents are 
 living, for their lirft marriage. And in after mar¬ 
 riages of either of thofe parties, they Shall be ex¬ 
 horted not to contract marriage, without firft ac¬ 
 quainting their parents with it, if with conveni- 
 enev it may be done, endeavouring to obtain 
 their confent. 
 
 Parents ought not to force their children to 
 marry without their free confent, nor deny their 
 own confent without juft caufe. 
 
 After the purpofe or contract of marriage hath 
 been thus publiffied, the marriage is not to be 
 long deferred. Therefore the minifter having had 
 convenient warning, and nothing being objected 
 to hinder it, is publicly to Solemnize it in the 
 place appointed by authority for public worfhip, 
 before a competent number of credible witnefles, 
 at Some convenient hour of the day, at any time 
 of the year except on a day of public humilia¬ 
 tion, and we advife that it be not on the Lord’s 
 day. 
 
 And becaufe all relations are faneftified by the 
 word and prayer, the minifter is to pray for a 
 blefling upon them to this effedt : 
 
 Acknowledging our fins whereby we have 
 made ourfelves lefs than the leaftof all the mer¬ 
 cies of God, and provoked him to imbitter all 
 our comforts earneftly in the name of Chrift to 
 intreat the Lord, whofe prefence and favour is 
 the happinefs of every condition, and Sweetens 
 every relation, to be their portion, to own and 
 accept them in Chrift, who are now to be joined 
 in the honourable eftate of marriage, the cove¬ 
 nant of their God. And that as he hath brought 
 them together by his providence, he would Sanc¬ 
 tify them by his Spirit, giving them a new frame 
 of heart, fit for their new eftate; enriching them 
 with all graces, whereby they may perform the 
 duties, enjoy the comforts, undergo the cares, 
 6 Z and 
 
the CHURCH of SCOTLAND. 
 
 550 The HISTORY of 
 and refill the temptations which accompany that 
 condition as becometh Chriftians. 
 
 The prayer being ended, it is proper that 
 the miniller do briefly declare unto them out of 
 the fcripture 
 
 The inflitution, ufe and ends of marriage, 
 with the conjugal duties, which in all faithful- 
 nefs they are to perform each to other, exhort¬ 
 ing them to fludy the holy word of God, that 
 they may learn to live by faith, and to be con¬ 
 tent in the midfl of all marriage cares and trou¬ 
 bles fan£tifying God’s name in a thankful, fober, 
 and holy ufe of all conjugal comforts, praying 
 much with and for one another, watching over, 
 and provoking each other to love, and good 
 works, and to live together as the heirs of the 
 grace of life. 
 
 After folemnly charging of the perfons to be 
 married before that great God, who fearcheth all 
 hearts, and to whom they mufl give a flridl ac¬ 
 count at the laft day, that if either of them 
 know any caufe by precontract or otherwife, why 
 they may not lawfully proceed to marriage; that 
 they now difcover it: The minifler, if no im¬ 
 pediment be acknowledged, fhall caufe, firfl, the 
 man to take the woman by the right hand, fay¬ 
 ing thefe or the like words : 
 
 I N. do take thee N. to be my married wife, 
 and do, in the prefence of God, and before this 
 congregation, promife and covenant to be a 
 loving and faithful hufband unto thee, until 
 God fhall feparate us by death. 
 
 Then the woman fhall take the man by his 
 right hand, and fay thefe words. 
 
 I N. do take thee N. to be my married 
 hufband, and I do in the prefence of God, and 
 before this congregation, promife and covenant 
 to be a loving, faithful, and obedient wife unto 
 thee, until God fhall feparate us by death. 
 
 Then without any further ceremony the mi¬ 
 nifler fhall in the face of the congregation, pro¬ 
 nounce them to be hufband and wife, according 
 to God’s ordinance, and fo conclude the action 
 with prayer to this effeft: 
 
 That the Lord would be pleafed to accompany 
 his own ordinance with his blefling, beleeching 
 him to enrich the perfons now married, as with 
 other pledges of his love, fo particularly with 
 the comforts and fruits of marriage, to the praife 
 of his abundant mercy, in and through Chrifl 
 Jefus. 
 
 Aregifteris to be carefully kept, wherein the 
 names of the parties fo married, with the time 
 of their marriage, are forthwith to be fairly re¬ 
 corded in a book provided for that purpofe, for 
 the perufal of all whom it may concern. 
 
 It is the duty of the minifler, not only to teach 
 the people committed to his charge, in public, 
 but privately, and particularly to admonifh, ex¬ 
 hort, reprove and comfort them, upon all fea- 
 fonable occafions, fo far at his time, flrength, 
 and perfonal fafety will permit. 
 
 He is to admonifh them, in time of health to 
 prepare for death ; and for that purpofe they are 
 often to confer with their minifler about the 
 eftate of their fouls : and in times of ficknefs to 
 defire his advice and help, timely and feafon- 
 ably before their flrength and underllanding fail 
 them. 
 
 limes of ficknefs and affliction, are fpecial 
 
 opportunities put into his hand by God, to mi¬ 
 nifler a word in feafon to weary fouls : becaufe 
 then the confciences of men are, or fhould be 
 more awakened, to bethink themfelves of their 
 fpiritual eflates for eternity ; and fatan alfo takes 
 advantage then, to load them more with fore 
 and heavy temptations. Therefore the minifler 
 being fent for, and repairing to the fick, is to 
 apply himfelf with all tendernefs and love, to 
 adminifter fome fpiritual good to his foul, to this 
 effeCt: 
 
 He may, from the confideration of the pre- 
 fent ficknefs, inflruCl him out of fcripture, that 
 difeafes come not by chance or by diflempers of 
 body only, but by the wife and orderly guidance 
 of the good hand of God to every particular per- 
 fon fmitten by them. And that whether it be 
 laid upon him out of difpleafure for fin, for his 
 correction and amendment, and for trial and ex- 
 ercifes of his graces, or for other fpecial and ex¬ 
 cellent ends, all his fufferings fhall turn to his 
 profit, and work together for his good, if he 
 fincerely labour to make a landlified ufe of God’s 
 vifitation, neither defpifing his chaflening, nor 
 waxing weary of his correction. 
 
 If he fufpedts him of ignorance, he fhall exa¬ 
 mine him in the principles of religion, efpecially 
 touching repentance and faith; and as he feeth 
 caufe, inflrudt him in the nature, ufe, excel¬ 
 lency, and necefiity of thofe graces ; as alfo 
 the covenant of grace, and Chrifl the fon of 
 God, the mediator of it, and concerning remif- 
 fion of fins by faith in him. 
 
 He fliall exhort the fick perfon to examine him¬ 
 felf, to fearch and try his former ways, and his 
 eftate towards God. 
 
 And if the fick perfon fhall declare any fcru- 
 ple, doubt or temptation, that is upon him, in- 
 ftrudlions and refolutions fhall be given to fatisfv 
 and fettle him. 
 
 If it appear that he hath not a due fenfe of his 
 fins, endeavours ought to be ufed to convince 
 him of his fins, of the guilt and defert of them, 
 of the filth and pollution which the 1'oul contracts, 
 by them and of the curfe of the law, and wrath 
 of God due to them ; that he may be truly af¬ 
 fected with, and humbled for them ; and withal 
 to make known the danger of deferring repen¬ 
 tance, and of negledling falvation at any time 
 offered, to awaken his confcience and rouze him 
 out of a ftupid and lecure condition, to appre¬ 
 hend the juftice and wrath of God, before whom 
 none can fland, but he that being loll in himfelf, 
 laycth hold upon Chrifl by faith. 
 
 If he has endeavoured to walk in the ways 
 of holinefs, and to ferve God in uprightnefs, al¬ 
 though not without many failings and infir¬ 
 mities, or if his fpirit be broken with the fenfe 
 of fin, or call down through want of the fenfe of 
 God’s favour, then it will be fit to raife him up, 
 by fetting before him the freenefs and fulnefs of 
 Gods grace, the fufficiency of righteoufnefs in 
 Chrifl, the gracious offers in the gofpel, that all 
 who repent and believe with all their heart in 
 God’s mercy through Chrifl, renouncing their 
 own righteoufnefs, fhall have life and falvation 
 in him. 
 
 It may be alfo ufeful to fhew him, that death 
 hath in it no fpiritual evil to be feared by thofe 
 that are in Chrifl, becaufe fin, the fling of death, 
 
 is 
 
The HISTORY of the C H 
 
 is taken away by Chrift, who hath delivered all 
 that are his from the bondage of the fear of 
 death, triumphed over the grave, given us vic¬ 
 tory, is himfelf entered into glory, to prepare 
 a place for his people : So that neither life nor 
 death lhall be able to feparate them from God’s 
 love in Chrift, in whom fuch are fuch, though 
 now they mull be laid in the duft, to obtain a 
 joyful and glorious refurredtion to eternal 
 life. 
 
 Advice alfo may be given to beware of an 
 ill grounded perfuafton on mercy, or on the 
 goodnefs of his condition for heaven, fo to de¬ 
 claim all merit in himfelf, and to call himfelf 
 wholly upon God for mercy in the foie merits 
 and meditation of Jefus Chrift, who hath en¬ 
 gaged himfelf never to call: off them, who in 
 truth and fincerity come unto him. Care alfo 
 mull be taken, that the Tick perfon be not call 
 down into defpair by fuch a fevere reprefen tation 
 of the wrath of God due to him for his fins, as 
 is not mollified by a feafonable propounding of 
 Chrift and his merit, for a door of hope to every 
 penitent believer. 
 
 When the fick perfon is bell compofed, 
 may be lead difturbed, and other neceffary 
 offices about him leaft hindred, the miniftcr, 
 defired, lhall pray with him, and for him, to this 
 effedt : 
 
 ConfelTing and bewailing of fin original and 
 aftual, the miferable condition of all by nature 
 as being children of wrath, and under the curfe, 
 acknowledging that all difeafes, fickneffes, 
 death, and hell ttfelf, arc the proper iffues and 
 effedls thereof: imploring God’s mercy for the 
 fick perfon through the blood of Chrift, befeech- 
 ing that God would open his eyes, difcover unto 
 him his fins, caufe him to fee himfelf, make 
 known to him the caufe why God fmiteth him, 
 reveal Jefus Chrift to his foul for righteoufnefs 
 and life, give unto him his holy lpirit to create 
 and ftrengthen faith, to lay hold upon Chrift, 
 to work in him comfortable evidence of his love, 
 to arm againft temptations, to take off his 
 heart from the world, to fanflify his prei'ent vi- 
 fitation, to furnilh him with patience and ftreno-th 
 to bear it, and to give him perfeverance in faith 
 to the end: 
 
 That if God lhall pleafe to add to his days, he 
 would vouchfafe to blefs and fandtify all means 
 of his recovery to remove the difeafe, renew 
 his ftrength, and enable him to walk worthy of 
 God, by a faithful remembrance, and diligent 
 oblerving of fuch vows and promiles of holinefs 
 and obedience, as men are apt to make in times 
 of ficknefs, that he may glorify God in the re¬ 
 maining part of his life. 
 
 And if God hath determined to finifh his days 
 by the prei’ent vifitation, he may find fuch evi¬ 
 dence of the pardon of his fins, of his intereft 
 in Chrift, and eternal life by Chrift, as may caufe 
 his inward man to be renewed while his outward 
 man decayeth ; that he may behold death with¬ 
 out fear, call himfelf wholly upon Chrift without 
 doubting, delire to be diffolved and to be with 
 Chrift, and fo receive the end of his faith, the 
 falvation of his foul, through the only merits 
 and intercefiion of the Lord Jefus Chrift, our 
 alone Saviour and all fufficient Redeemer. 
 
 I R C H of S C O T L A N D. 
 
 The minifter lhall admonilh him alfo, as there 
 lhall be caufe, to fet hishoufe in order, thereby 
 to prevent inconvienencies, to take care for the 
 payment of his debts, and to make reftitution of 
 latisfatlion where he hath done any wrono-, to be 
 reconciled to thole with whom he hath°been at 
 vanance, and fully to forgive all men their tref- 
 falles againft him, as he expefts forgivenefs at 
 the hand of God. 
 
 Laftly, the minifter may improve the prefent 
 occafion to exhort thofe about the fick perfon, to 
 conhder their own mortality, to return to the 
 Lord and makepeace with him ; in health to 
 prepare for ficknefs, death, andjudgement, and 
 afl the days of their appointed time, fo to wait 
 until their change come, that when Chrift, who is 
 our life lhall appear, they may appear with him 
 in glory. 
 
 When any perfon departeth this life, let the 
 dead body, upon the day of burial, oe decently 
 attended from the houfe to the place appointed 
 for public burial, and there immediately interred 
 without any ceremony. 
 
 And becaufe the cuftoms of kneeling down 
 and praying by, or towards the dead corps, and 
 other luch ufuages in the place where it lays 
 before it be carried to burial, are fuperftitious ! 
 and for that praying, reading, and finging both 
 m gomg to, and at the grave have been°grofly 
 abufed, are no way beneficial to the dead, 
 and have proved many ways hurtful to the 
 living, therefore let all fuch things be laid 
 a fide. 
 
 Howbeit we judge it very convenient that the 
 Chriftian friends, which accompany the dead bo¬ 
 dy to the place appointed for public burial, do 
 apply themfelves to mediations and conferences 
 iuitable to the occafion ; and that the minifter 
 as upon other occafions, fo at this time, if he be 
 preient, may put them in remembrance of their 
 duty. 
 
 1 hat this (hall not extend to deny any civil re- 
 fpefts or differences at the burial, fuitable to the 
 rank and condition of the party decealed whilfthe 
 was living. 
 
 When fome great and notable judgements are 
 eithei inflifted upon a people or apparently im- 
 minent, or by fome extraordinary provocations 
 notonoufly deferved ; as alfo, when fome fpecial 
 □ Jelling is to be fought and obtained, public fo- 
 lemn fading, which is to continue the whole day 
 is a duty that God expefteth from the nation or 
 people. 
 
 A religious fad requires total abftinence not 
 only from all food, unlefs bodily weaknefs do 
 manifeftly difable from holding out till the fall be 
 ended, in which cafe fomewhatmay be taken yet 
 very fparingly to fupport nature when ready to 
 faint; but alfo from all worldly labour, difeourfes 
 and thoughts, from all bodily delights, al¬ 
 though at other times lawful, rich apparel, or¬ 
 naments and fuch like, during the fall, and much 
 more from what ever is, in the nature, or ufe 
 fcandalous or offenfive ; as garnilh, attire, lafci- 
 vious habits and geftures, and other vanities of 
 either fex, which we recommend to all minifters 
 in their places, diligently and zealoufly to reprove 
 as at other times, fo efpecially at a fall without 
 refpedt of perfons, as here lhall be occafion. 
 
 Before 
 
the CHURCH of SCOTLAND. 
 
 55 2 The H I S T O R Y of 
 
 Before the public meeting, each family and 
 perfon apart, are privately to ufe all religious 
 care; to prepare their hearts to fuch a folemn 
 work, and to be early at the congregation. 
 
 So large a portion of the day, as conveniently 
 may be, is to be fpent in public reading, and 
 preaching of the word, with Tinging of pialms 
 fit to quicken affections fuitable to luch a duty ; 
 but efpecially in prayer to this oi the like 
 
 effect: . . _ , . 
 
 Giving glory to the great majefty of God, the 
 creator, preferver and fupreme ruler of all the 
 world, the better to affedt us thereby with a holy 
 reverence and awe of him. Acknowledging 
 his manifold, great and tender mercies, efpeci¬ 
 ally to the church and nation, the more effectu¬ 
 ally to foften and abafe our hearts before him. 
 Humbly confeffmg of fins of all forts, with 
 their feveral aggravations: JuftifyingGod s righ¬ 
 teous judgements, as being far lels then our tins 
 do deferve ; yet humbly and earneftly imploring 
 his mercy and grace for ourfelves, the church 
 and nation, for our king and all in authority, 
 and for all others for whom we are bound to 
 pray, according as the prefent exigent re¬ 
 quired!, with more fpecial importunity and en¬ 
 largement then at other times. Applying by 
 faith the promifes and goodneis of God for par¬ 
 don, help and deliverance from the evils felt, 
 feared, or deferved, and for obtaining bleffings 
 which we need and expeCt, together with a giving 
 up of ourfelves wholly and for ever unto the 
 Lord. 
 
 In all thefe, the minifters, who are the 
 mouths of the people unto God, ought fo to 
 fpeak from their hearts upon ferious, and through 
 premeditation of them, that both themfelves and 
 the people may be much affected, and even 
 melted thereby : efpecially with forrow for their 
 fins, that it may be indeed a day of deep humi¬ 
 liation and afflicting of the loul. 
 
 Special choice is co be made of fuch fcriptures 
 to be read, and of fuch texts for preaching, as 
 may belt work the hearts of the hearers to the 
 fpecial bu fin els of the day, and mod: dilpofe 
 them to humiliation and repentance ; infilling 
 mod on thofe particulars, which each minifter’s 
 obfervation and experience tell him are moll con¬ 
 ducing to the edification and reformation of that 
 congregation to which he preacheth. 
 
 Before the dole of the public duties, the mi- 
 nifter is in his own and the peoples name, to in¬ 
 gage his and their own hearts co be the Lord’s, 
 with profeffed purpofe and refolution to reform 
 whatever is amifs among them, and more par¬ 
 ticularly fuch fins as they have been more re¬ 
 markably guilty of; and to draw nearer unto 
 God, and to walk more clofely and faithfully 
 with him in new obedience then ever before. 
 
 He is alfo to admoniih the people with all im¬ 
 portunity, that the work of that day doth not 
 end with the publick duties of it, but that they 
 are fo to improve the remainder of the day and 
 o f their whole life, in re-inforcing upon them¬ 
 felves and their families in private, all thofe 
 godly affeCtions and refolutions which they pro¬ 
 feffed in public, as that they may be fettled in 
 their hearts for ever, and themfelves may more 
 fenfibly find that God hath fmelt a lweet favour 
 
 in Chrift for their performances, and is pacified to¬ 
 wards them, by anfwers of grace, in pardoning of 
 fin, inremoving of judgements, in averting or pre¬ 
 venting of plagues, and in conferring of blef¬ 
 fings, fuitable to the conditions and prayers of 
 his people by Jefus Chrift. 
 
 Befide folemn and general fails enjoined by 
 authority, we judge that at other times congre¬ 
 gations may keep days of failing, as divine provi¬ 
 dence fhall adminiller to them fpecial occafions. 
 And alfo that families may do the fame, fo it be 
 not on days wherein the congregation to which 
 they do belong, is to meet for failing or other 
 public duties of woriliip. 
 
 When any fuch day is to be kept, let notice 
 be given of it, and of the ocafion thereof, fome 
 convenient time before, that the people may the 
 better prepare themfelves thereunto. 
 
 The day being come, and the congregation, af¬ 
 ter private preparations, being affembled, the mi- 
 nifteris to begin with a word of exhortation to ftir 
 up the people to this duty for which they are met 
 and with a ihort prayer for God’s afiiftance and 
 bleffing, as at other conventions for public wor- 
 ftiip, according to the particular occafion of their 
 meeting. 
 
 Let him then make fome pithy narration of 
 the deliverance obtained, or mercy received, 
 or of whatever hath occalioned that affembling 
 of the congregation, that all may better under¬ 
 hand it, or be minded of it and more affedted with 
 it. 
 
 And becaufe Tinging of pfalms is of all other 
 the mod proper ordinance for exprefiing of joy 
 and thankfgiving, let fome pertinent pfalm or 
 pfalms be lung for that .purpofe, before or after 
 the reading fome portion of the word, fuitable 
 to the prefent bufinefs. 
 
 Then let the minifter who is to preach, pro¬ 
 ceed to further exhortation and prayer before his 
 lermon, with fpecial reference to the prefent 
 work ;after which let him preach upon fome text 
 of fcripture pertinent to the occafion. 
 
 The fermon ended, let him only pray, as at 
 other times after preaching'isdiredted,with remem¬ 
 brance of the neceffities of the church, king, and 
 date, if before the fermon they were omitted, but 
 inlarge himfelf in due and folemn thankfgiving 
 for former mercies and deliverances, more efpe¬ 
 cially for that which at the prefent calls them to¬ 
 gether to give thanks ; with humble petition 
 tor the continuance and renewing of God’s wont¬ 
 ed mercies, as need (hall be, and for fandtifying 
 grace to make a right ufe thereof. And fo ha¬ 
 ving fung another pfalm fuitable to the mercy, 
 let him difmils the congregation with a bleffing, 
 that they may have fome convenient time for their 
 repaft and refrelhing. 
 
 But the minifter, before their difmiffion, is 
 folemnly to admoniih them, to beware of all ex- 
 cefs and riot, tending to gluttony or drunken- 
 nefs, and much more of thefe fins themfelves, 
 in their eating and refrelhing, and to take care 
 that their mirth and rejoicing be not carnal 
 but fpiritual, which may make God’s praife to 
 be glorious, and themfelves humble and fober; 
 and that both their feeding and rejoicing may 
 render them more cheerful, and inlarged further 
 | to celebrate his praifes in the midft of the con¬ 
 gregation 
 
The 'HISTORY of the C H 
 gregation, when they return unto it, in the re¬ 
 maining part of that day.. 
 
 When the congregation fhall be again affem- 
 bled, the like courfe in praying, reading, preach¬ 
 ing, hnging of pialms, and offering up of more 
 praife and thanklgiving, that is before directed 
 for the morning, is to be renewed and continued 
 fo far as the time will give leave. 
 
 At one or both of the public meetings that 
 day, a colledtion is to be made for the poor, 
 and in the like manner upon the day of public 
 humiliation, that their loins may blefs us, and 
 rejoice the more with us. And the people are to 
 be exhorted at the end of the latter meeting, to 
 fpend the refidue of that day in holy duties, and 
 certifications of Chriftian love and charity one 
 towards another, and of rejoicing more and more 
 in the Lord, as becometh thofe who make the 
 joy of the Lord their ftrength. 
 
 It is the duty of Chriftians to praife God pub- 
 lickly by finging of pialms together in the con¬ 
 gregation, and alfo privately in the family. 
 
 In finging of pfalms, the voice is to be tune¬ 
 able and gravely ordered : But the chief care 
 mud; be, to fing with underftanding, and with 
 grace in the heart, making melody unto the Lord. 
 
 That the whole congregation may join herein, 
 every one that can read is to have a pfalm-book, 
 and all others, not difabled by age or otherwife, 
 are to be exhorted to learn to read. But for the 
 prefent, where many in the congregation cannot 
 read, it is convenient that the minifter, or fome 
 other fit perfon appointed by him, and the other 
 ruling officers, do read the pfalm, line by line, 
 before the finging thereof. 
 
 Thus we have here a complete directory for 
 public worfhip, and when all the circumftances 
 are confidered, an unconcerned perfon will be 
 furprifed that fuch acompofition fhould be drawn 
 up by a body of men, differing in many fenti- 
 ments concerning the externals of religion, but 
 all agreeing in the effentials. At the fame time, 
 it muff; be acknowledged, that this diredtory 
 comes nearer to the primitive form, than any of 
 thofe in the reformed churches abroad ; but this 
 leads us to take notice, in the third place, of 
 their various confeffions of faith from time to 
 time. 
 
 The church of Scotland, at the reformation 
 1560, had no regular confefiion of faith, nor ar¬ 
 ticles of religion, but as to fundamental points, 
 they were like the reft of the Proteftant world. 
 That is, they held all thofe fentiments as genuine, 
 that were embraced by the church of Geneva, 
 and in the church of England, except fo far as 
 the articles of that church relate to church go¬ 
 vernment. 
 
 In 1561, Mr. Knox and fome other divines, 
 drew up a confefiion of faith, which continued 
 to be the uniform ftandard of dodtrine of the 
 church of Scotland, till 1645, and this fyftem, 
 containing forty-three articles, was conftantly 
 fubfcribed both by Epifcopalians and Prefbyte- 
 rians. In all thefe articles, where the fubjedt 
 matter is difputable, the Scottilh reformers have 
 condudted themfelves with great modefty, and 
 much more fo than the Weftminfter divines. In 
 their account of predeftination, they fpeak with 
 the fame moderation as the church of England ; 
 47 
 
 U R C H of SCOTLAND, 55J 
 
 and although the whole is confident with the 
 dodtrine of St. Auftin, yet it is not carried to art 
 extravagant height, nor are dogmatical aflertions 
 made ufe of. 
 
 This fyftem of religion was fo well efteemed, 
 that no fault was found with it by the people of 
 Scotland till the famous Weftminfter aflembly, 
 when fome of the members, who were violent in 
 their tempers and high in their notions, objedted 
 to it as favouring the Arminian fcheme, which 
 was really falfe, there not being one article in it 
 but what every Calvinift might fubfcribe. This 
 antient Proteftant confefiion of faith is but little 
 known in the prefent age, except by thofe who 
 are curious in fearching into fuch matters. It is, 
 however, a noble compofition, and is worthy of 
 thofe men, who, although but little acquainted 
 with human learning, yet had the fear of God, 
 and the love of true religion implanted in their 
 hearts. 
 
 There is one thing very remarkable, namely, 
 that when epifcopacy was eftablifhed 1662, not one 
 word was mentioned concerning a fyftem of arti¬ 
 cles. Perhaps there never was fuch a blunder com¬ 
 mitted before. An eftablilhed church without a 
 fyftem, is like a body without afoul. And yet this 
 want of articles in the epifcopal church of Scot¬ 
 land was never called in queltion till 1682, when 
 the teft adt was propofed, and carried through 
 parliament, by the influence of the duke of York. 
 This infamous adt was exprefied in words to the 
 following purport, or import. Every perfon was 
 to fwear that he would fupport the Proteftant 
 religion as by law eftablifhed. Here was a 
 ftudied ambiguity, calculated to ferve ‘the ends 
 the Roman Catholics had in view; and nothing 
 could have induced the people of Scotland to 
 give their confent to it, had it not been the ter¬ 
 rors they were under of coming once more under 
 the feverity of Prefbyterian dil'cipline. 
 
 The oath was taken by fome of the nobility, 
 but when it was propofed to the earl of Argyle, 
 he afked, what was the religion by law eftablilhed ? 
 The bifhops of Scotland were at that time 
 poor, ignorant, worthlefs men ■, but this quef- 
 ftion put them to what they had never done 
 before, namely, the hlnjh. It was then propofed 
 in council, that a fyftem fhould be fixed on, and 
 after many debates, that of 1561 was made 
 choice of. The Prefbyterians did not objedt fo 
 much to the form of the old confefiion, as they 
 did to its moderation, and as for the Epifcopa¬ 
 lians, many of them treated all forts of religion 
 with contempt. But this was not all: There was 
 an ambiguity in the words of the adt, which 
 feemed to have been ftudied by fome very artful 
 perfon. Thus by the words <c Proteftant reli¬ 
 gion,” it was not faid whether it was epifcopacy, 
 or prelbytery. This feems to have been con¬ 
 trived to irritate all thofe who were of the Pref¬ 
 byterian perfuafion ; but the fnare was laid 
 equally for the virtuous amongft the Epifcopa¬ 
 lians. The adt appointing the reformed religion 
 as the eftablilhmentof Scotland was never figned 
 by queen Mary, and therefore when it was laid, 
 “ by law eftablifhed,” the Papifts had it ftill in 
 their power to infinuate that there was no reli¬ 
 gion but theirs eftablifhed by law. The fenfible 
 part of the Epifcopalians law through the decep- 
 7 A tion. 
 
354 The HISTORY of the C 
 tion, and the oath was rejected by them, while 
 the Prefbyterians treated it with abhorrence. 
 
 The horrid murders that took place in Scot¬ 
 land, in confequence of this a£t, are well known 
 to all thofe who are properly acquainted with the 
 hiftory of that country. But then it ftiould be 
 confidered, that the duke of York was a merci- 
 lels tyrant, and the Scottish bifhops were mean, 
 obfequious wretches. It is true, this fyftem which 
 had been embraced by the church of Scotland 
 under all her forms for at leaft eighty-five years, 
 was acknowledged by the Epifcopalians till the 
 revolution, and by fome of them afterwards^ 
 But this leads us to confider their fecond fyftem, 
 which was framed by the aflembly of divines at 
 Weftminfter, was the formula of dodtrine for the 
 church of Scotland till the reftoration, and has 
 been fo ever ft nee the revolution. 
 
 This fyftem is a compilation of thofe doc¬ 
 trines, which were propagated by St. Auftin, and 
 embraced by moft of the Proteftant reformers. 
 The fentiments are ftriking and the language is 
 engaging. It is divided into thirty-three articles, 
 all of which we ftiall take notice of. 
 
 The firft article relates to the holy feriptures, 
 and points out the neceffity of Divine revela¬ 
 tion, to bring men to a ftate of happinefs, where 
 the light of natural reafon fails. It enumerates 
 all the books of the Old and New Tellament; it 
 difclaims all reliance on church authority, or tra¬ 
 ditions, and allows nothing to be the foundation, 
 or ground work of our faith and obedience, but 
 the truths contained in the facred feriptures. 
 
 The fecond article aflerts the dodtrine of the 
 trinity in unity, a fentiment that moft Chriftians 
 agree in, excepting a few Englifti diftenters. 
 This article is well exprefied, and all the pofi- 
 tions are fupported by luch texts of feripture as 
 are incontradictory. And here it may not be im¬ 
 proper to obferve, that this article of the Chrif- 
 tian faith was never called in queftion till the 
 middle of the fourth century. 
 
 The third article relates to predeftination, and 
 here the notion is carried much higher than it is 
 in the feventeenth article of the church of Eng¬ 
 land. It is certain, there are fome very un¬ 
 guarded expreflions in this article, and others 
 that clearly point out a forced conftrudtion put 
 upon feripture. The greateft fault in this article 
 is, that the aftertions are too pofitive and dogma¬ 
 tical. The perfons who framed them, feem to 
 have looked upon themfelves as infallible, or 
 otherwile they would never have pretended to 
 dictate to their fellow creatures in matters of no 
 manner of importance. 
 
 The fourth article is one of thofe which is ac¬ 
 knowledged by all the inhabitants of the world, 
 unlels they are Atheifts, or Epicureans. This ar¬ 
 ticle afferts, that the world was created by Al¬ 
 mighty power, and that all the three perfons in 
 the ever blefied trinity were concerned in it. 
 
 It is certain, that no objeCt can make itfelf, no 
 being form its own exiftence. There is in this 
 article, a line drawn between natural and re¬ 
 vealed religion, a circumftance too fcldom to be 
 met with in modern fyftems of divinity. 
 
 In a regular courfe, the fifth article relates to 
 providence. Some parts of this article are rather 
 harfli, and many of the expreflions unguarded j 
 but in general there is fomething noble and grand 
 
 HURCH of SCOTLAND, 
 in the whole. God is here acknowledged to be 
 the fovereign Lord of the creation, and confe- 
 quently has a right to difpol'e of his creatures in 
 what manner he pleafes. The article concludes 
 by taking notice, that the fame Providence which 
 takes care of the world, exercifes the fame care 
 over the church of God. 
 
 The fixth article relates to the fall of man, and 
 all the fentiments in this article are exprefied 
 with care and precifion. There are few people 
 in the world who will deny the exiftence of ori¬ 
 ginal corruption ; for common experience points 
 it out. Why ftiould men be fo prone to fin if 
 there is not a contamination in the nature ? Why 
 ftiould all the faculties be corrupted if there 
 was not an original caul'e ? The cafe is plain and 
 obvious, and agrees with the doctrine of the 
 church of England. 
 
 The feventh article relates to the two cove¬ 
 nants, namely, thofe of works and grace. This 
 article afferts, that the covenant of works was 
 a conditional engagement, entered into by the 
 great Jehovah and our firft parents, concerning 
 perfonal obedience. The covenant of grace wat 
 an engagement entered into by God on the one 
 part, andhisfonon the other, to redeem our fallen 
 race. The words in this article are ftiff and af- 
 feCted, and there are fome very ambiguous ex- 
 preftions made ufe of. This, however, is not fo 
 much to be imputed to the framers of the arti¬ 
 cles, as to the tempers of thofe people with whom 
 things were conduced. God in his goodnefs pro¬ 
 motes the interefts of his creatures, and he loves 
 chat all his fubjedts ftiould do the fame. 
 
 The eighth article relates to Chrift, as a me¬ 
 diator between God and man. This is one of the 
 fundamental articles of the Chriftian faith ; for 
 what neceffity could there have been for Chrift's 
 taking our nature upon him, unlefs it was by his 
 mediation to make up that breach which fin had 
 procured. It is through Chrift, as a mediator 
 between offended power and offending Tinners, 
 that we muft look for acceptance. The Papifts’ 
 although they pray to angels and faints, yet allow 
 Chrift to be the Supreme Mediator. Nay, no¬ 
 thing is more common than to hear an Arian 
 mentioning Chrift as a mediator, although at 
 the fame time he attempts to rob him of his 
 glory. 
 
 The ninth article relates to the freedom of the 
 human will, and is much the fame as that in the 
 church of England, only that it is more full and 
 expreffive. It is grounded on all thofe paffamts 
 of facred feripture, which point out the omni- 
 potence of God; but it is certain that many of 
 thefe paffages relate to the general purpofes of 
 God, and not to the condition of individuals. We 
 ftiall not, however, meddle with the controverfy, 
 but leave every reader to judge for himfelf. 
 
 The tenth article follows the ninth of courfe, 
 and relates to effedtual calling, or, as it is com¬ 
 monly expreffed, efficacious grace in bringing 
 men to a lenfe of fin, and a knowledge of the 
 neceffity they are under of being juftified thro’ 
 the imputation of Chrift’s righteoufnefs. 
 
 The chain of principles in this compendium 
 is fo regularly interwoven, that the aftual jufti- 
 fication of a finner follows immediately in the 
 eleventh article after effeftual calling. And here 
 in conformity with all the Proteftant churches at 
 
 the 
 
the reformation, it is aflerted that no man can be 
 juftified before God fo as to be faved eternally, 
 but through the imputation of Chrift’s righ- 
 teoulnefs. Certainly it is the fafeft way for a man 
 to trull: for falvation in the righteoufnefs of Chrilt, 
 rather than in any thing done by himfelf. It is 
 in the words of the old Proverb, “ Erring on 
 “ the fafe fide.” For Purely the man who has a 
 low and humble opinion of himfelf, will be the 
 molt ready to do good works ; fo that if the fen- 
 timents concerning the imputation of Chrift’s 
 righteoufnefs (hould not be true, yet he will be 
 able to obtain falvation on the l'core of his own 
 merits. 
 
 Adoption of courfe follows, by which is meant, 
 finners being adopted or admitted as the children 
 of God, and heirs of his glory. The term is 
 borrowed from the civil law of the Romans, 
 which permitted a man who had no children to 
 make choice of one, whom he called by his own 
 name and left him his eftate. In fuch cafes, no 
 law fuit could be entered into by the collateral 
 relations, the adopted perfon being to enjoy the 
 whole fecure and unmolefted. As this fuppofed 
 aright of pofleflion among the Romans, as well 
 as a right of difpofal, fo adoption in a Chriftian 
 fenfe imports God’s abfolute power and freedom 
 to bellow his mercies, favours, and bleffings 
 wherever he pleafes. 6 
 
 The thirteenth article is concerning fanftifica- 
 tion, which naturally follows adoption. It is 
 certain, that without holinefs or good works, all 
 pretenfions to juftification and adoption are vain. 
 
 It is, however, a mod melancholy confideration, 
 that the mod zealous profelfors of religion are 
 the word of men. The man who is juftified 
 and adopted into the family of God, is holy, 
 humble, meek, charitable, and virtuous; whereas 
 the bold hypocrite who tires heaven with his 
 prayers, and talks to people of his exDeriences, 
 is only ripenng for hell. 
 
 The fourteenth article is concerning faving 
 aith, and here the dodrine of the appropriation 
 has been held forth as a leading principle. It is 
 certain, that this was in general the notion em¬ 
 braced by the reformers throughout Europe, and 
 it follows exadly the dodrine of St. Auftin In 
 the church, before the time of Aullin, faith was 
 confidered as a firm belief that Chrift was what he 
 is reprefented in feripture ; namely, the fecond 
 perfon in the ever blefled trinity, God and man j 
 that he was born of the Virgin Mary, that he 
 fuffered under Pontius Pilate, and that he arofe 
 again and afeended into heaven. To believe 
 this, was all that was required of the antient 
 Chriftians, only that they were to depart from 
 all forts of iniquity. St. Auftin, however, in¬ 
 troduced the notion, that there was a neceflity 
 for the appropriating ad, and in this he has been 
 followed by the reformers. Mr. Hervey defines 
 the appropriating ad in the following words, 
 Chrift is mine, grace is mine, pardon is mine" 
 and why ? becauie I feel landifying operations 
 in my heart. Perhaps Mr. Hervy was right, 
 for furely the man who feels within himfelf an 
 inclination to do good, muft have the grace of 
 God in his heart. By thofe, however, of en¬ 
 larged fentiments, faith has been logically defined 
 in the following words. 
 
 I. Faith is the belief of fomething being true, 
 in confequence of a firm perfuafion that the per- 
 lon who related the fad could not tell a lie. 
 
 i. But God is the author of Divine Revela¬ 
 tion. 
 
 3. Therefore, to believe the Old and New 
 Teftament to be true, is faving faith. 
 
 The fifteenth article is concerning repen¬ 
 tance, which muft always make a part of reli¬ 
 gion, where men believe themfelves to be finners. 
 1 here are no Chriftians that we know, of, who 
 deny the dodrine of repentance, only that fome 
 whom we fhall have occafion to mention after¬ 
 wards, believe that it flows from the freedom of 
 the human will, whereas the article before us af* 
 ferts, that it is effeded by Divine grace. The 
 Arminians fay, that repentance goes before faith, 
 and the Calvinifts infill that it follows after. 
 
 The fixteenth article is concerning good 
 works, which is what may be called an excrefcence. 
 We have already confidered the article on fandi- 
 fication, and in the name of common fenfe, do 
 not good works flowing from faith in Chrift 
 Jefus become fluidification. What is fandifica- 
 tion, is it not the effed of every duty flowing 
 from evangelical principles? The church of 
 England has treated of good works and flindi- 
 fication as one and the fame, and we will freely 
 acknowledge, that to feparate them is little better 
 than inlanity. We muft acknowledge, however 
 that the hypocrite makes ufe of the word fandi- 
 hcation, while the true Chriftian glories in good 
 works without trufting in them. 
 
 The feventeenth article relates to the final per- 
 feverance of the faints, which is one of the orand 
 articles in that fyftem which St.’Auftin taught, 
 and which was reduced into a fyftem by Calvin. 
 
 It is certain, that when we confider the Hate of 
 human nature, the pride of men, and their ill- 
 grounded expedations, this article will appear 
 to us clogged with dangerous conlequences. 
 
 1 hus the perfon who believes he cannot fall from 
 grace, is apt to be fo vain 'in his own conceit 
 as to negled moral duties. Perhaps this is the 
 great eft error in modern religion, and we can al- 
 moil venture to affirm, that it has laid the foun¬ 
 dation for crimes. While men are on their guard 
 God will be with them; while they indulge 
 themfelves in fecurity, they will be in danger 
 The eighteenth article is little more in words 
 than a repetition of the laft. It is on the af- 
 lurance of falvation. Whatever men may believe 
 whatever they may embrace as their own private 
 jentiments, they ought to be extremely cautious 
 now they make them public to others Afk a 
 man whether he is fure of falvation, and perhaps 
 the boldeft profeiTor will decline anfwerino- in 
 the affirmative. 
 
 The nineteenth article relates to the law of 
 God, and this is plain and expreffive. It diftin- 
 guihhes the law of God into different parts, as 
 nrft, that made with, or given to Adam, which 
 has commonly been called the moral law, though 
 with great impropriety. Secondly, the ceremo¬ 
 nial law, by which through facrifices and other 
 fignificant types, the whole gofpel difpenfation 
 was pointed out. Thirdly, the fundamental law 
 of the Romans, which related to the fecurity of 
 civil property, as well as the prelervation of life; 
 
 and 
 
 
 'U»i 
 
 i: 
 
 
556 The HISTORY of the Cl 
 and laftly, the law of Chrift which, comprehends 
 all that is uieful in any of the others. 
 
 The twentieth article is concerning liberty ot 
 confcience, and here we are forry to oblerve 
 that there is a ftudied ambiguity runs through 
 the whole of it. It is remarkable, that above 
 forty years after the reformation, the Protel- 
 tants lliould have retained intolerant principles. 
 To confider this article in a fuperficial light, it 
 would feem that the framers of it had been 
 friends to ecclefiaftical and civil liberty, but a 
 perfon who is acquainted with reafon, cannot be 
 deceived with fuch flimfey pretences. The whole 
 article has been drawn up by a very artful per¬ 
 fon, who feems to have been no ftranger to the 
 fchool of Loyola. 
 
 The twenty-firft article relates to the Chriltian 
 fabbath, or Lord’* day, and it is certain, that 
 this was a duty oblerved by the primitive church, 
 except by fuch as were Qaves to l^athen mai- 
 ters. In this article the fentiments are clearly 
 exprefled, and point out all thofe duties which 
 the fin cere Chriltian fhould pradtife. This much 
 is certain, that if the religious obfervation of 
 the labbath was more attended to then it is, it 
 mio-ht be of great fervice to the world in general. 
 There is fomething that has a heavenly appear¬ 
 ance, in men fetting apart fome of their time 
 for religious duties. One day in feven is obferv- 
 ed by the Mahometans, one by the Jews, and 
 one by the Chriftians. 
 
 Article twenty-lecond relates to oaths or vows, 
 and here the authors have adhered very llridtly 
 to the fcriptural fenfe. It is certain, that the 
 form of fwearing in England does not carry along 
 with it, that folemn dread which fhould be upon 
 the minds of the people. But here the duty is 
 explained in a clear, comprehenfive, expreffive 
 manner. . 
 
 The twenty-third article relating to the civil 
 magiftrate, is very ambiguoufly exprefled. This 
 much is certain, that the framers of the article de¬ 
 livered fentiments which contradicted their own 
 pradtice. They were, at that time, in a ftate of 
 rebellion, and yet they here exprefs themfelves as 
 loyal fubjeCts. 
 
 The twenty-fourth article relates to marriage, 
 and when weconfider every thing in it, we fhall 
 find that it is, in all refpeCts, conflftent with the 
 moral law of nature, and the golpel of Chrift. 
 There are fome ftrong inveCtives againft people 
 defpifing the marriage ftate, and perhaps it would 
 be much better for the people in the prefent age 
 were they to attend more to this fenti- 
 ment. 
 
 The twenty-fifth article relates to the univer- 
 fal church, and this is much the fame in fub- 
 ftance, as the article on that fubjeCt in the church 
 of England. It difclaims all pretenfions to in¬ 
 fallibility, and declares the pope of Rome to be 
 antichrift. It aflerts that Chrift is the head of 
 the church, in oppofiton to all thofe whom they 
 call Eraftians, who give that power to the civil 
 magiftrate. 
 
 The twenty-fixth article concerns the commu¬ 
 nion of faints as united to Jefus Chrift their liv¬ 
 ing head. This is an important article of the 
 Chriftian faith, and in it that doCtrine is clearly 
 exprefled. It is certain, that all believers on 
 
 U R C H of SCOTLAND. 
 
 this earth, may be faid to be in a ftate of com¬ 
 munion, like children of the fame family, and 
 heirs of the fame inheritance. As they all par¬ 
 take of the fame effects of the death of Chrift, 
 and are all to enjoy his prefence for ever, lb there 
 is nothing more neceflary than that they lliould 
 be united. 
 
 The twenty-feventh article relates to the fa- 
 craments, and although the fentiments of the 
 perfon who framed it are the fame with thofe of 
 the church of England, yet the Weftminfter di¬ 
 vines have explained themfelves with greater pre- 
 cifion. Like the church of England, they here 
 declare that there are but two facraments, and 
 that they are only vilible figns of inward inviflble 
 grace. 
 
 Article twenty-eight is on baptifm, and here 
 thele divines have kept in the middle between 
 the two extremes. The article aflerts, that it is 
 a great fin to delay baptifm, and much more lb 
 to delpile it ; but abhorring the Popifh notions, 
 as well as thofe embraced by fome Protellant 
 churches, that it is abfolutely neceflary to ial- 
 vation. 
 
 The twenty-ninth article is on the Lord’s Sup¬ 
 per, and the lame fentiments are retained in it as 
 in the church of England, only that there is no 
 ambiguity, the whole being exprefled in the 
 cleareft manner. 
 
 The thirtieth article relates to church cenfures, 
 which will be taken more notice of when we 
 come to treat of the diicipline of the church of 
 Scotland. 
 
 The thirty-firft article relates to iynods, or 
 councils, and here it is neceflary to remark, that 
 although the Puritans condemned the twentieth 
 article of the church of England, which gives 
 power to the church to appoint rites and cere¬ 
 monies, yet here we find the fame fentiment 
 advanced, and, indeed, in a much more ambi¬ 
 guous manner, than in the church of Eng¬ 
 land. 
 
 The thirty-fecond article relates to the ftate 
 of men after death, and the refurreftion. There 
 are two things neceflary to be attended to in this 
 article: 
 
 The firft of which is, that the framers of it 
 diiclaim the notion that the fouls of people 
 fleep from the time of their death, till the relur- 
 redlion. This notion is at prefent embraced by 
 many of the Englifh Diflenters, who feem to 
 be glutted with liberty and fond of novelty. 
 
 The fecond thing in this article, is the com¬ 
 mon opinion, that the fouls of the righteous go 
 into heaven at death, and the fouls of wicked 
 men into hell. It is very furprizing, that any 
 man who has read Luke xvi. fhould ever run 
 away with fuch an ablurd notion, that human 
 fouls either go to heaven or hell at death. The 
 exprefs words in that chapter aflert, that there 
 are two ftates, one for the righteous, and the 
 other for the wicked. 
 
 The Heathens, as appears from the fixth book 
 of Virgil, thought thus, and Chrift lpeaks of fuch 
 a leparate ftate, as afforded an opportunity for the 
 happy and miferable to fee each other. This was 
 the fenfe of the primitive church; for as Chrift 
 had taken our nature upon him, and as he was 
 not glorified himfelf till he afeended into hea¬ 
 ven. 
 
The HISTORY of the C H 
 ven, confequently our happinefs will not be 
 complete till our bodies and fouls are united. 
 
 The thirty-third and laft article is concerning 
 the general judgement. This is an article of 
 natural religion, and is llrongly enforced by di¬ 
 vine revelation; the natural principle on which 
 it Hands, is the inequality of the diftribution 
 of juftice and mercy in this world. Our notions 
 of God are, that he is juft, and that he will re¬ 
 ward virtue and punifh vice. Now, as vice 
 often reigns triumphant, while virtue is depref- 
 fed, it is confident with the Divine attributes, 
 that God fhould appoint a day for a general re¬ 
 tribution. However, concerning this article. 
 Divine revelation has not left us in the dark ; 
 for Chrift himfelf has allured us, that he will 
 come in glory to give to every one according to 
 his works. And Paul, the great apoftle of the 
 Gentiles, fpeaking on this fubjed in the court 
 of Areopagus, faid, “ Pie hath appointed a day 
 tc in which he will judge the world in righteoul- 
 “ nefs.” Ads xvii. 32. 
 
 Such are the articles contained in that foriYm- 
 lary drawn up by the afiembly of divines at 
 Weftminfter, and at prelent embraced by the 
 church of Scotland. It is certain, that it con¬ 
 tains a complete and methodical iyftem of Aul- 
 rin’s opinions and Calvin’s dodrines. It is 
 equally certain, that there are lentiments in it 
 which were not known in the Chriftian church, 
 till the fourth century. With refped to the 
 civil power, it has a ftudied, or rather a forced 
 ambiguity, but this muft be aferibed to 
 the fpirit and temper of that age when it was 
 compiled. When this fyftem was drawn up, a 
 copy fairly engroffed on vellum, was deposited 
 in the chapel of Henry VII. at Weftminfter, 
 where the members of both houfes gave their 
 alfent to it; for the parliament was at that time 
 without a king. The parliament of Scotland 
 ratified this confefiion 1649, but it was abo- 
 Iifhed at the reftoration. In 1690, it was efta- 
 blifhed as the fundamental articles of religion 
 in the church of Scotland ; and, at prelent, 
 every proftfifor in their univerfities, every pro¬ 
 bationer, and every minifter, previous to his or¬ 
 dination, muft fubferibe it. It is not, however, 
 impofed on the civil magiftrates, nor in Scot¬ 
 land are there any facramental tefts. 
 
 The church of Scotland has two catechifms, 
 both drawn up in the fame manner, only that 
 the one is a compofition to be read, the other is 
 a fimple catechilm to be got by heart. Both 
 thefe catechifms are divided into a more regular 
 plan than any perhaps in the univerie. They 
 confift only of three parts, namely, firft, what the 
 fcriptures teach us to believe concerning God ; 
 fecondly, an account of that duty which God 
 requires of man; and, laftly, an illuftration 
 of all that the churches fhould attend to in this 
 life. 
 
 The fhorter catechifm of the church of Scot¬ 
 land, is one of the moft beautiful compendiums 
 of Calviniftical divinity that ever was written. 
 The fentiments are linking, the language is 
 nervous, though adapted to the meaneft capa¬ 
 cities, and the dodrines are fuch as in general may 
 be fupported by feripture. The queftions are 
 drawn up in fuch an eafy manner, that the 
 47 
 
 R C H of S C O T L A N D. 557 
 
 weakeft capacity may return the anfwers in an 
 eafy manner; and they are fo connected toge¬ 
 ther, that they feem to refemble the links of a 
 chain ; for remove the anfwer to one of the 
 queftions, and you difeompofe the whole. 
 
 Having faid thus much concerning the funda¬ 
 mental articles of their religion, we fhall now en¬ 
 deavour to lay before the reader the prefent ftate 
 of their church in all its different parts. 
 
 And firft, with refped to its government. 
 
 The church of Scotland is at prefent, and has 
 been ever fince the revolution, governed in the 
 following manner: In every parifh there is at 
 leaft one minifter, and fometimes two, but 
 where there are two, they are equal in power; 
 for no individual minifter in the church of Scot¬ 
 land has authority over another. In every pa- 
 rilh, befides the minifter, there are a few reputable 
 men chofen, whom they call elders. The num¬ 
 ber of thefe men are according to the extent of 
 the parifti, and they are folemnly ordained for 
 life. Their bufinefs is to vifit the fick and pray 
 with them in the abfence of the minifter ; to 
 take care that parents bring up their children in 
 a proper manner; to enquire into all ads of im¬ 
 morality, and make a report therof to the kirk 
 fefiion. 
 
 The kirk feftion is compofed of the minifter 
 and thofe elders, and they meet at leaft once 
 every week, and in country places moft common¬ 
 ly on Sundays after the fervice is over. They- 
 enquire into every complaint againft any of 
 the parifhioners, and if it is for fornication or 
 adultery, they inflid the following cenfures upon 
 them. 
 
 There is in every parifti church a feat ereded 
 in a moll confpicuous part, where the offender 
 muft fit three feveral Sundays, and receive as 
 many rebukes from the minifter; but from this 
 fentence the offender may appeal to the prefby- 
 tery, of which we (hall fpeak afterwards. 
 
 The loweft order of officers in the church of 
 .Scotland, are their deacons. Thefe men, like 
 the elders, are in number according to the ex¬ 
 tent of the parifti. They are always reputable 
 houfekeepers, and their duty is to enquire into 
 the ftate of the poor, to adminifter to them the 
 alms of the congregation, but they are not per¬ 
 mitted to fit in any church judicatures. 
 
 The prefbytery is compofed of the minifters 
 of a certain diftrich, which, according to the 
 fituation of the country, may be from ten to fix- 
 teen parifties. From each parifh an elder goes 
 as well as the minifter, and they meet once 
 every fix weeks. They hear all appeals from 
 the church feftion, and they eled minifters to 
 reprefent themfelves in the general afiem- 
 bly. 
 
 An appeal from the prefbytery lies to the 
 fynod, which is compofed of the whole members 
 of three or four prefbyters, and they meet twice 
 in the year, and review the proceedings of the 
 prefbyteries. In both thefe meetings the prefi- 
 dent, or, as they call him, moderator, is always 
 chofen from among the minifters. He propofes 
 the queftions and colleds the votes ; and both 
 in prefbyteries and fynods attorneys are allowed 
 to plead. 
 
 Above all thefe is the general afiembly, which 
 y B properly 
 
$ 5 S The HISTORY of the CHURCH of SCOTLAND. 
 
 properly (peaking, may be called the parliament 
 of the church of Scotland. This council is 
 compoied of three hundred and forty-five mem¬ 
 bers, being minifters and elders, together with 
 commiffioners from the univerfities. They have, 
 ever fince the revolution, met at Edinburgh in 
 the laft week of May ; and the king fends down 
 a commiffioner to reprefent his perfon. When the 
 commiilioner arrives at Edinburgh, he walks in 
 proceflion to the high church, where a fermon is 
 preached by the moderator, or prefident for the 
 laft year. Divine fervice being over, the affem- 
 bly meets in an ayfie belonging to the church, 
 where there Is a throne covered with crimfon 
 velvet. The commiffioner takes his feat on the 
 throne, and three fteps below him is the prefident 
 for the laft year, with the clerk, who is always a 
 minifter, at a table before him. The commif¬ 
 fioner, who is, during his office, ftiled his grace, 
 receives the commiffion from the bag-bearer, 
 and delivers it to the moderator, who reaches it 
 to the clerk. 
 
 The clerk reads the commiffion firft in Latin, 
 and then in Englifh. It is always to the follow¬ 
 ing import. It begins with a declaration of his 
 majefty’s love and regard for the church of Scot¬ 
 land ; an acknowledgement of the favours his 
 family are under to that church ; and this is fol¬ 
 lowed by an exhortation, that they will promote 
 the intereft of virtue and morality, that they will 
 fend able teachers among the poor Highlanders, 
 that they may be brought up in the fear of God 
 as uleful members of fociety. The commiffion 
 being read and recorded, two candidates are 
 named to be moderator, and the majority of 
 votes carries the election. The new moderator 
 then goes up to the chair and conftitutes the af- 
 fembly by prayer. 
 
 As loon as prayer is over, the high commif¬ 
 fioner delivers a fpeech from the throne, con¬ 
 cerning the ftate of the nation, and recom¬ 
 mends to them peace and unanimity, and re¬ 
 joices in having been honoured to reprefent his 
 majefty’s perfon in fuch a learned and reverend 
 affembly. After this he withdraws, and the firft 
 thing done is to draw up an addrefs to his ma- 
 jefty, which is given to the commiffioner, who 
 tranfmits it to the fecretary of ftate. The next 
 thing done by them is to grant a warrant on the 
 exchequer to pay one thoufand pounds towards 
 lupport’.ng the charity lchools in the Highlands, 
 and then they proceed to chufe their committees, 
 which, in general, is the bufinefs of the firft 
 day. 
 
 Next day they enter upon fuch bufinefs as was 
 left unfinifhed the preceding year, and every 
 member has leave to fpeak to the queftion pro- 
 pofed. Council, who muff: all be advocates, are 
 permitted to plead in all matters of dilpute j fo 
 that what a learned author fays is true, namely, 
 that the general affembly of the church of Scot¬ 
 land is the fchool of eloquence. 
 
 The commiffioner may come as often as he 
 pleafes to the affembly, but he muff; not inter¬ 
 fere in their debates, nor has he fo much as a 
 vote. The bufinefs before the affembly is either 
 by appeals or original adtions, which are prole- 
 cuted by lummons. The appeals are of various 
 forts, and fuch as perhaps may have been carried 
 
 f from the kirk leflion through the prelbytery and 
 lynod. 
 
 The original actions are of a more important 
 nature, and for the moft part relate to the fettle- 
 ment of minifters. From the reformation to the 
 year 1649, the patrons of parilhes prefented mi¬ 
 nifters to vacant churches, but from that time, 
 to the reftoration, they were defied by the 
 people. 
 
 From the reftoration to the revolution, the 
 right of patronage returned to its old form, but 
 at the revolution, when prelbytery was eftablilhed 
 1690, the right of patronages was abolifhed. At 
 the union 1707, it was enafted, that the revolu¬ 
 tion lettlement ffiould continue j but the whigs, 
 having by their ambition, pride, and avarice, 
 forfeited all claims to the royal favour, queen 
 Anne, in 1710, changed her miniftry, and made 
 choice of fuch perfons as were then called high 
 churchmen. 
 
 Thefe men hated the church and people of 
 Scotland, not only on account of the fimplicity 
 of their religion, but likewife becaufe they were 
 endeavouring to do all they could towards fup- 
 preffing popery, and bringing the prefent fa¬ 
 mily to the throne. In order, therefore, to pleafe 
 the Jacobite party, and provoke the members of 
 the church of Scotland, a bill was brought into 
 parliament to reftore the right of patronages. 
 Some of the Scottifti members oppofed this bill, 
 well knowing the fatal confequences that would 
 attend it, by provoking the people and difhonour- 
 ing religion. Others, however, had more in- 
 terefted views ; and as for the Englilh members, 
 they gave themfelves no concern about it, fo that 
 the aft paffed with very little oppolition. 
 
 It is impoffible to deferibe the difeontent that 
 took place among all ranks of people in Scot¬ 
 land when this aft took place, and notwithftand- 
 ing it muff: be mentioned to the honour of the 
 Scottifti nobility, that it was many years before 
 they availed themfelves of this privilege. In 
 time, however, they did, and it has occafioned 
 much mifehief. But the conduft of the church 
 of Scotland on thefe occafions, has been really 
 praile worthy. The patron muft prefent the 
 probationer to the Prelbyteries within fix months, 
 and if they find that he is not qualified, they will 
 rejeft him. On the other hand, when they do 
 find him qualified, but at the fame time, likely 
 to be obnoxious to the people, fo as to render 
 his miniftry ineffeftual, they do all they can to 
 perfuade the patron to fend another, who is 
 likely to be more ufefu!. Nay, in fome cafes, 
 the Prelbyteries will remonftrate, and refufe to 
 proceed to the ordination, and this brings many 
 appeals before the general affembly, but from 
 their decifion there is no appeal. 
 
 Befides the general affembly, there is another 
 court, which may be called the privy council of 
 the church of Scotland, becaufe it is compoied 
 of a few deputies, who prepare bufinefs for the 
 next affembly j tho’ they can make no afts of their 
 own, but only draw up papers and enquire whe¬ 
 ther the Prelbyteries have obeyed the orders of the 
 affembly. This court is called the commiffion 
 of the affembly, and meets at Edinburgh as of¬ 
 ten as they pleafe, for they have no fixed times. 
 They confift chiefly of fuch as are moft celebrated 
 
 for 
 
The HISTORY of the C H 
 
 for their learning, wifdom, piety and fuch other 
 qualities as may enable them to difcharge all 
 thofe duties incumbent upon them, as the fathers 
 and guardians of the eltablifhed church. 
 
 The young clergy in Scotland have few tempt¬ 
 ing objefts before them, befides that plealing 
 one, namely, to feek to win the hearts of their 
 people. When the young gentlemen have finilhed 
 their fludies at the univerfity, they are examined 
 by the prelbyters of the bounds where they were 
 born, and it is done in the following manner : 
 
 The candidate having confidered a thefes, or 
 head in divinity, delivers in a critical explana¬ 
 tion of it, and anfwers all the objeftions ufually 
 made againft it. He then delivers in Latin a 
 critical difcourfe on one of the Hebrew pfalms ; 
 after which, on the next day, he delivers a dif¬ 
 courfe in Englifh, in the form of a fermon, both 
 critical and praftical. Thefe examinations take 
 up feveral days, and on the laft of thefe comes 
 the grand queftionary trial, in which every mi¬ 
 nifter has a right to afk what queftions hepleafes; 
 and if fatisfaftory anfwers are given, the younv 
 fludent receives a licence to preach in any church 
 in Scotland to which he may be invited ■ but he 
 is not to adminifter the facraments till he is or¬ 
 dained, nor is he to be ordained till he obtains a 
 pari/h living. 
 
 When a minifter dies, or is removed from one 
 church to another, the prelbytery meet in the 
 bounds where the church is in, and appoint one 
 of themfelves to go and preach once to the peo¬ 
 ple, and he affixes a paper on the church door, 
 declaring it vacant. If no perfon is prefented 
 by the patron in fix months, then the right falls 
 to the prelbytery; but in fuch cafes they always 
 give up their right to the people. When one of 
 thefe probationers is prefented or elefted, he 
 mufl: attend the next meeting of the prelbytery, 
 where he undergoes a fecond examination, and 
 performs the fame exercifes as before. He muft 
 likewife bring a certificate of his moral conduft, 
 and then one of the prelbytery goes with him to 
 the church door, and reads a paper which he fixes 
 up, intimating, that if any perfon can, within 
 forty-two days, mention any thing againfl him, 
 they are to come and prove it, otherwife they 
 will proceed to his ordination. If no objeftion 
 is made, then the prelbytery meet at the parifh 
 church where the probationer is to be ordained. 
 
 One of the minilters preaches a fermon on 
 the nature and duty of the miniftrial office, and 
 another delivers a difcourfe on the neceffity and 
 regularity of ordination. The candidate then 
 repeats his confeffion of faith, which confilts of 
 his notions concerning the chief heads in divi¬ 
 nity. He then declares before them, that he 
 will not deliver any thing that is contrary to the 
 Weftminfter confeffion of faith ; and fubferibes 
 it, as an oath, in a book kept for that purpofe. 
 
 Then one of the minilters prays, and the can¬ 
 didate kneeling down in the middle of the con¬ 
 gregation, all the members of the prelbytery lay 
 their hands upon his head, the moderator ac¬ 
 quainting him, that he is ordained to the work 
 of the miniftry, after which they all give him 
 the right-hand of fellowlhip, as a brother. This j 
 part of the ceremony is followed by the cono-re- I 
 gation ringing an hymn or pfalm, after which I 
 
 U R C H of SCOTLAND. 
 
 the moderator or prefident goes up to the pulpit, 
 and delivers a difcourfe to the new ordained 
 minifter, exhorting him to confider what a charge 
 he has taken upon him ; to be tender and affec¬ 
 tionate to his people, not plaguing and perplex¬ 
 ing them with new doftrines, but inculcating 
 the folid truths of the gofpel ; and, by his own 
 example, to teach them as much as by his doc¬ 
 trine. lo be careful to inftruft the youth; to 
 vifit the aged and infirm ; to be careful of whaC 
 company he keeps, left he Ihould bring a blemilh 
 upon his charafter. He is to confider himfelf 
 as if he was married to his people, that, like 
 an affeftionate father, a tender hufband, or a 
 faithful Ihepherd, to behave, in all lawful things, 
 to every one, that he may bring up his people in 
 the fear and worfhip of God, lo as to prepare 
 them for everlafting happinefs. He is to teach 
 him further, that he is to live in peace and har¬ 
 mony with his brethren the clergy, and pay a 
 proper obedience to all the ordinances of the 
 church. 
 
 On che other hand, he is to exhort the people 
 to confider their paftor as one placed over them 
 by Divine Providence, according to the plan of 
 the gofpel, and that they are to attend to his 
 miniftry as if he had been one fent from God. 
 And this is not a prefumptuous expreflion ; for 
 whatever is done according to what is enjoined in 
 the word of God, may juftly be faid to come 
 from God. 
 
 Thus every minifter under the New Tefta- 
 ment, if regularly ordained, though perhaps in 
 various forms, comes from God; and let his 
 conduft afterwards be ever fo bad, yet this does 
 not affeft the graces, that God will beftow in 
 confequence of his miniftry, to thofe perfons 
 who never imagined him to be an hypocrite. The 
 people are to be told, that it is their duty to re¬ 
 ceive his inftruftions with cordiality, to be meek 
 and humble, not to enter into any difputes with 
 him; but to confider him not only as a man of 
 the fame paffions with themfelves, but likewife 
 as one who is to give an account of his conduft 
 at thejudgement-feat of Chrilt. 
 
 The next thing to be confidered in the church 
 of Scotland is her worfhip ; and we have al¬ 
 ready taken notice that it has varied little fince 
 the reformation till the revolution. Although 
 there were many changes in the government of 
 the church of Scotland from the reformation till 
 the Weftminfter affembly 1645, yet there were 
 no changes in the worfhip till that time ; for the 
 mad attempt to eftablifh the liturgy, was mo¬ 
 mentary in its own nature, but dreadful in its 
 confequences. We have already treated of the 
 manner in which the people of Scotland wor- 
 (liipptd God in public till the revolution, and 
 fince that time no changes of a material nature 
 have taken place ; for although they have not a 
 liturgy, yet it may bejuftly faid of them, that 
 things are done decently and in order. 
 
 The fervice always begins with iinging, and 
 fometimes the minifter reads the pfalm before it 
 is fung ; but in fome congregations it is read by 
 the clerk, whom, according to the antient form, 
 they call the precentor. 
 
 The pfalm being over, the minifter defires the 
 people to join with him in prayer and fupplica- 
 
560 The HISTORY of the CHURCH of SCOTLAND. 
 
 tion. This prayer feldom exceeds ten minutes, 
 which perhaps is as long as any prayer Ihould 
 be, unlefs people would tell God idle tales. 
 
 The prayer being over, the minifter reads 
 part of a chapter, and then makes feveral reflec¬ 
 tions on every verfe. This they call the leCture, 
 and it generally takes up half an hour. This is 
 perhaps the beft method that could have been 
 contrived to inftrqCj people in the Chriftian re¬ 
 ligion, and it is owing to this that the people of 
 Scotland know more of religion than any others 
 in the world. In Scotland, it is common for a 
 young minifter to begin either with a particular 
 book in the facred fcriptures, and fometimes with 
 the whole New Teftament, which he goes over 
 regularly. In general, he meddles no farther 
 with criticifm than is neceflary to illuftrate fuch 
 paflages, and explain fuch things as the people 
 may be unacquainted with. But the practical 
 reflections exceed every thing that can be ima¬ 
 gined in the whole fyftem of the civil eftablifti- 
 ments of religion ; for by thefe, men are taught 
 to know what ufe they fhould make of the fcrip¬ 
 tures, and by carrying home and repeating them 
 to their children, they train them up as it were in 
 the nurfery of grace. 
 
 The leCture being over, two or three verfes of 
 a pfalm are lung, after which the minifter prays 
 a few minutes, and then he begins the fermon, 
 which feldom takes up more than half an hour. 
 Their fermons conflft of, firft, an explication of 
 the context, with the ienfe of the text itfelfj 
 fecondly, a doCtrinal propofition, as drawn from 
 the words themfelves; thirdly, an illuftration of 
 the doCtrine in a few leading general head’s, and 
 then he concludes with a few practical inferences. 
 The fermon being over, the minifter prays for 
 the whole ftate of the world, arid then a few 
 verfes of a pfalm are fung, after which he dif- 
 mifles the people with the common blcfting. 
 This is the fervice during the forenoon, but in 
 the afternoon it is only one half as long, becaufe 
 there is then no leCture. 
 
 In forr.e of the remote parts of the country, 
 where the minifters are more zealous in the dif- 
 charge of their duty than in the great towns, 
 they aftemble the people a third time together, j 
 during the fummer feafon, and recapitulate to 
 them the heads of all that has been declared to 
 them before, in the preceding part of the day. 
 Then the people are enabled to remember almoft 
 every thing they have heard. 
 
 We come next to the adminiftration of the 
 facramcnt of baptifm, which is carried on the 
 fame manner as mentioned in the directory. 
 They have, however, varied a little from the I 
 rules of that compendium, in the adminiftration 
 of the facrament of the Lord’s-Supper. We 
 have already feen how it was to be in the direc¬ 
 tory, but the frequency of its adminiftration, 
 which, by the conftitution of the church of Scot¬ 
 land, was to be only four times in the year, was 
 confidered by many of the more zealous of the 
 clergy, after the revolution, as injurious to their ! 
 order, by taking away forne of the folcmnity, 
 which they looked upon as infeparably connected 
 with the church order. 
 
 During the violent perfecution that took place 
 in Scotland, in the reign of Charles II. the 
 Prelbyterian minifters were moftly proferibed. 
 
 ! and therefore they met on mountains, or in 
 woods, and their fermons confifted of violent in- 
 veCtives againft the civil government and the 
 bifhops. They found that the belt way to in¬ 
 flame thepaflions of the people, was to celebrate 
 the communion as feldom as poflible, and fome- 
 what like the Romifh proceflions, to keep the 
 people, as far as related to their confciences, in 
 a ftate of flavery. 
 
 That antient leaven of fuperftition, was re* 
 tained by thofe minifters who compoled the firft 
 general aflembly of the church of Scotland 
 after the revolution. They were men of little 
 knowledge, four tempers, and a fort of unfeel¬ 
 ing apathy diftinguifhed every part of their con- 
 dud:. They therefore propofed, that the beft 
 means to keep the people in fubjeCtion, was, to 
 make their lolemn occafions as they call them, 
 as frequent as poflible. Accordingly, they 
 laid down a new plan for the adminiftration of 
 the facrament of the Lord’s Supper, which, al¬ 
 though never reduced to a law by any of the 
 aCts of their aflemblies, yet grew into practice, 
 and has been, with very little variations, ad¬ 
 hered to ever fince in Scotland. The method is 
 this : 
 
 Two Sundays before the facrament is to be 
 adminiftreed, the minifter gives notice to thepeo- 
 ple, and the elders of the congregation are to 
 make a report to them concerning the morality 
 of their conduCt, that facred ordinances may 
 not be profained. On the Thurfday before 
 the celebration, five or fix minifters aftemble at 
 the church, and the day is kept as a faft. The in¬ 
 habitants of many of the neighbouring parifhes 
 aftemble, and there are fermons preached, not 
 only in the church, but alfo in a tent in the 
 church-yard, or perhaps in a neighbouring field. 
 It is amazing to think what numbers of people 
 aftemble on thefe occafions, and fometimes, like 
 the proceftions to Lovetto in Italy, they make 
 parties of plealure. 
 
 Friday being a fort of interval, thofe who live 
 in the parilh and near to it, return home to their 
 own houfes, but thofe who perhaps have come 
 fixteen, or twenty, or thirty miles, procure 
 lodgings either in farm houfes or barns; and 
 here, to ufe the words of Mr. Sandiman, they 
 fometimes, on thefe occafions, encreafe the num¬ 
 ber of the human fpecies; for religion will not 
 make people idle. 
 
 On Saturday feveral fermons are preached, 
 both in the church and in the church-yard, 
 where the tent is ereCted, and then they retire 
 till Sunday morning. It is then that the 
 great day begins. The minifter of the parifli 
 goes to the church, and preaches what they call 
 the aCtion fermon, after which he prepares the 
 people for the communion, by debarring all 
 thofe from partaking of it, who know of any 
 immorality in their conduCt, that they have not 
 made fatisfaCtion for to the church. 
 
 A table is covered in the middle ifle of the 
 church, and the minifter having confecrated the 
 elements, the elders carry them round to the 
 people. Previous to the diftribution of the ele- 
 | ments, every perfon who is to communicate, de- 
 ! livers to one of the elders a leaden ticket, which 
 I is a token from the minifter that he has been ex- 
 | amined, and is properly prepared for that holy 
 
 ordinance 
 
the HISTORY of the C H 1 
 
 ordinance. The perfon who has not got this 
 ticket is rejected, and muft immediately depart. 
 As foon as thofe who have filled the firft table, 
 have partaken of the elements, a pl'alm is lung, 
 and they retire to make room for others. And thus 
 it frequently happens that there may be ten, or 
 more, of thefe tables ferved at once. The com¬ 
 municants being all fertfed, there is a fermon 
 preached by the minifter of the parifh, and the 
 congregation are difmified from the church. 
 
 But this is not all: During the whole time this 
 ceremony is carrying on in the church, fermons 
 are preaching in the tent, in the church-yard, or 
 perhaps in an adjacent field. Thefe fermons 
 fometimes ufed to continue till midnight, but at 
 prefent they are much more regular. Monday 
 concludes the ceremony, for on that day two fer¬ 
 mons are preached in the church, and as many in 
 the church-yard, after which the people retire to 
 their own habitations. It is certain, that this 
 looks more like the Popifh proceflions than any 
 thing that bears the name of Chriftianity, and 
 an attempt was made fome years ago to let the 
 pra£tice afide ; but it was all in vain, for popular 
 prejudices ran fo high in favour of it, that luch 
 of the clergy as countenanced the motion, were 
 looked upon as lukewarm, time-lerving wretches, 
 who had no regard for the interefts of religion, 
 and who, in fhort, were deftitute of real piety. 
 
 Education makes apart ofreligion in Scotland, 
 for both in public and private, means are uicd to 
 promote it. Thus the firft thing they learn is 
 the fhorter catechifm, and this they repeat not 
 only at home to their parents, but likewife at 
 lchool, where the mafter prays with them morn¬ 
 ings and evenings. On every Sunday morning 
 before the fervice begins, two boys ftand up in 
 the gallery, and a third in the clerk’s defk. Hina 
 in the defk afks the boy on the left hand the firft 
 queftion in the catechifm, who having anfwered 
 it, he turns to the other on the right, and defires 
 him to prove the anfwer from fcripture, who does 
 it. They have printed catechifms with thefe 
 proofs, and they are obliged to get them carefully 
 by heart. In three Sundays they go over the 
 catechifm in this manner, and then three other 
 boys take their places. 
 
 There is another part of their education that 
 ought to be attended to by every one, who would 
 form a juft notion of the church of Scotland. 
 And that is, that every man and woman fervant, 
 as well as the boys and girls, are obliged to re¬ 
 peat, when they come home, the text, upon 
 which the minifter preached, and luch as begin 
 to grow up, muft, when they come home, repeat 
 the points or heads upon which the minifter 
 preached, and as much more as they can re¬ 
 member. 
 
 Before the family fit down to fupper, the 
 mafter takes his place, and afks the queftions in 
 the catechifm of his children and fervants. That 
 bein^ over, every one is ordered to bring in his 
 bible^ when the mafter in a few words, prays for 
 a blefting on what they are going about to per¬ 
 form. After this they fing a pfalm, and one of 
 the young perfons reads a chapter in the bible ; 
 fometimes two or more are read, and the family 
 worfhip ends by the mafter praying with his 
 people, who all kneel down in a decent and re¬ 
 verend manner. 
 
 47 
 
 U R C H cf SCOTLAND. $ 6t 
 
 Thefe devotions are performed every evening, 
 but the catechifm never is afked on thefe occa- 
 fions, except on Sundays. In many parts of the 
 country, family worfhip is performed in the 
 mornings as well as in the evenings ; and here 
 let us calmly confider whether this does not ex¬ 
 ceed any thing that we read of in other nations. 
 There is another thing which contributes much 
 towards keeping up the life and power of reli¬ 
 gion in Scotland, and that is the conduct of the 
 clergy, who being always with their people, they 
 vifit them from houfe to houfe, pray with them, 
 and exhort them to mind religion, to take care 
 of their families, to be tender to their lervants, 
 and to live peaceably with their neighbours. And 
 all this is done in fuch a particular manner, that 
 they are almoft adored. They never interfere 
 with their people’s innocent amufement, but they 
 do not join with them in fuch things, well know¬ 
 ing, as Mr. Pennant fays, tc The leaft degree of 
 “ levity finks the clerical character into con- 
 {t tempt.” 
 
 In their funerals in Scotland, the people, like 
 thofe in England, bury their dead either in 
 churches, or in church-yards ; and it may be 
 proper to obferve, that at baptifms and mar¬ 
 riages they pay no fees, except a mere trifle to 
 have their names regiftered in the parifh books. 
 This indeed is the pra&ice in all other Proteftant 
 churches, except England, where it is often ex¬ 
 tremely difficult for the couple to get married, 
 or to get their children baptized, becaufe of 
 the exorbitancy of the fees. For funerals, the 
 people in Scotland pay no fees, except for re- 
 giftering the name, and a fmall matter to the 
 grave-digger. 
 
 In their funerals, the clergy never attend, un- 
 lefs invited, and then they neither read prayers, 
 nor do they make a difeourfe at the grave, as is 
 done among the Difienters in England. The 
 corpfe is carried in a plain decent manner to the 
 grave, and interred without any other ceremony 
 befides that of the men juft taking off their 
 hats when the body is let down into the grave. 
 In mod parts of the country, the mourners re¬ 
 turn home to the houfe where their friend died, 
 fpend the evening in eating, drinking and fmoak- 
 ing, and this they call the Dergey, which anfwers 
 to the Dirge among the antient Greeks. At fome 
 of thefe funeral folemnities, the lower order get 
 drunk and quarrel, perhaps about the merits of 
 thedecealed, about religious lentiments, or fome- 
 thing of politics j but this is no more than is 
 common to human nature. 
 
 It has been a cuftom with them, from the molt 
 early ages, to fit up and drink in the room where 
 the deceafed lies, from his death to his interment j 
 and although they are not fo ridiculous as the 
 Irifh in thefe practices, yet there can be no 
 doubt but both were borrowed from their Hea¬ 
 then anceftors. There are but few parts of Scot¬ 
 land where the women are permitted to accom¬ 
 pany the corpfe to the grave ; but if it is in the 
 country parts, they all come to the door when 
 the corpfe is carried out, and ftand in a mournful 
 condition till the bearers have carried it out of 
 fight. They ufed formerly to wrap them in 
 , clean linen, and they are not now reftrainedTro-m 
 that pra&ice, but they have got much into the 
 Englilh fafhion, and the greateft number of them, 
 7 C particularly 
 
562 An ACCOUNT of 
 
 particularly the gentry and people of fafhion, 
 bury in flannel. 
 
 When one of their gentry dies, circular letters, 
 written in the following manner, are lent to the 
 relations of the deceafed, defiring their prefence 
 at the funeral, which is generally complied 
 with. 
 
 "SIR, 
 
 “ Your prefence is defired here on Monday 
 “ next, to accompany the funeral of my late 
 “ fpoufe, M. B. from this to the place of her in- 
 Cf ferment in the church-yard of C. and you will 
 tf oblige your friend and fervant, 
 
 C. B.” 
 
 Saturday, September the nth 1779. 
 
 To Mr. H-y, at L. 
 
 All the other letters differ in nothing more 
 than this, except in the qualities of the per- 
 fons. 
 
 In fome of the market towns in Scotland, 
 when a perfon dies, and is to be buried, the fexton 
 of the parifli goes round with a hand-bell, and 
 repeats the following words : 
 
 “ Dear brethren, I let you to wit that our 
 " neighbour X—y lieth dead at his houfe in 
 cc B. Street, and as he is to be interred to-mor- 
 <c row at two o’clock in the afternoon, your com- 
 “ pany is defired at the funeral.” 
 
 the SECEDBRS. 
 
 Such are the particulars that relate to the 
 church of Scotland. If there are faults in any 
 part of its eftabliffiment, perhaps they are as few 
 as in any other Proteftant church in the world; 
 and to look for perfeftion among men, would be 
 to exped what never happened in the world. It 
 is certain, that errors crept into the Chriftian 
 church long before the death of the apoftles, 
 or why fhould thofe holy men have taken no¬ 
 tice of them in their writings. There is not one 
 of the epifiles but what mentions fome of thefe 
 errors, and when we confider what troubles took 
 place in Scotland at the time of the reformation, 
 and for many years after, it will appear almoft a 
 miracle that their church fhould at prefent be fo 
 well governed as it is. It has all thofe means of 
 grace that can be neceffary, in order to bring 
 men to a ftate of falvation; and if it differs from 
 other churches in fome points of difeipline, it is 
 certain that many of thefe bear more to the pri¬ 
 mitive form. Sir Kenelem Digby, who was ac¬ 
 tually a Roman Catholic, ufed to tell the Lau- 
 dian party, in the reign of Charles I. “ That if 
 ct they wanted to form their church on the mo- 
 cc del of the primitive ages, they muff take the 
 {f example from Scotland.” 
 
 Before we difmifs this article relating to the 
 church of Scotland, we muff take notice of two 
 or three feds of people who have fprung from 
 it, and are at prefent very numerous in that 
 country. 
 
 An ACCOUNT of the S E C E D E R S. 
 
 ^TTE have already mentioned fome of 
 \l\ th ofe mifehiefs which took place in 
 » ▼ Scotland concerning the patronao-e 
 
 ad, but as the people of England are but little 
 acquainted with them, we fhall here lay them 
 before the reader. The nobility and gentry, 
 who had the right of prefentation, did not avail 
 themfelves of thofe emoluments or privileges 
 arifing from the ad, till more than twenty years 
 after it palled. The firft who fet them the ex¬ 
 ample was one from whom it was leaft expeded. 
 This perfon was the great John, duke of Argyle, 
 a nobleman whofe anceftors had been for a long 
 leries of years ftrongly attached to the Prefbyte- 
 rians, and for whofe oppofition tothemeafures car¬ 
 ried on by Charles II. two of his anceftors were 
 publickly beheaded. That duke was, in 1732, 
 ill enough advifed to prefent one Mr. Rannie to 
 the parifh of Mukart, of which he was the pa¬ 
 tron. The prefbytery refufed to ordain him, 
 upon which an appeal was brought before the 
 geneial affembly, and a feled body of their own 
 members was fent to perform the ordination. 
 This exafperated the people fo much, that not 
 above one family would go to the church. 
 
 In the mean time, thofe members of the pref¬ 
 bytery who had refufed to ordain him, were called 
 
 to a fevere account. Four of them were fum- 
 moned before the general affembly, and refufing 
 to acknowledge that they had a< 5 ted in a difobe- 
 dient manner, they were depofed, and their 
 churches declared vacant. The year following, 
 four more of them were depofed 5 and, in gene¬ 
 ral, the country was in a ftate of difcontent. 
 Thofe people who adhered to their difcarded mi- 
 nifters, formed themlclves into focieties, and, at 
 laft it was agreed, that they ftiould fet up a fepa- 
 rate communion from the eftabliihed church. 
 As they had no churches, nor meetings, they 
 preached for fome time in the fields ; and~as their 
 characters were popular, they foon procured a 
 vaft number of followers, elpecially among the 
 lower ranks of the people. 
 
 It is certain that thefe men were not deftitute 
 of abilities, at leaft they were ufeful preachers, 
 according to the Calviniftical fyftem. Some of 
 their printed difeourfes would do honour to cler¬ 
 gymen, who had far greater opportunities of im¬ 
 proving themfelves than ever they had ; but in 
 fome things they were weak, and in others they 
 were proud and bigotted. They had affumed a 
 fournefs of temper inconfiftent with the Chriftian 
 religion, and fomething equally unfeeling with 
 that of a ftoic. They were either weak or vain 
 
 enough 
 
An ACCOUNT o 
 enough to believe, that in confequence of that 
 popularity they had acquired among the people, 
 they could bring about a revolution in the church 
 and (late, in the fame manner as their anceftors 
 of old had done, when they were affifted by the 
 nobility, whom, in their infant years, they had 
 trained up in principles of rebellion. But alas ! 
 the nobility had become their enemies, they 
 faw into their duplicity, and therefore they left 
 them to the whole vengeance of the civil power. 
 
 Here was an infatuation without a legal re¬ 
 medy, and men, who had received the benefit of 
 a liberal education, were weak enough to ima¬ 
 gine, that they could produce efl'efbs without 
 being in pofleffion of thofe caules from which 
 they naturally flow. They had many conlulta- 
 tions with their people, and it was fome time 
 before they could fofm a proper plan in order to 
 reduce their machinations to practice. They 
 hated the Epifcopalians, who were at that time 
 very numerous in Scotland, and they equally ab¬ 
 horred tiie civil power, for not doing what was 
 not in its power, without afbing contrary to law. 
 It was an eafy matter to inflame the paflions of 
 the people, but it was not lb eafy to trample 
 upon a mild, benevolent government. Perhaps 
 an evil fpirit pofiefled them for they went like 
 madmen up and down the country, preaching to 
 their thoufands and ten thoufands. 
 
 It is well known that when the Englifh and 
 Scotch Prelbyterians agreed to oppofe king 
 Charles I. they profefled a great deal of loyalty ; 
 but this loyalty was to be in confequence of the 
 king’s complying with all their demands, and 
 conferring upon them all thofe emoluments 
 which formerly belonged to the bifhops, and 
 other dignified clergy. This induced them to 
 enter into an engagement which they called the 
 folemn league covenant, but the bell title that 
 can be given it is, a bond of rebellion. It was 
 an aflociation to overthrowthe eftablilhed church, 
 and abridge the power of the civil magiftrate ; 
 and yet it was carried on under fuch lpecious 
 pretences of loyalty, that we are apt to imagine 
 that what has been often faid is true, that there 
 were fome Jefuits among them. 
 
 The following is an exadb copy of that fa¬ 
 mous covenant. 
 
 We noblemen, barons, knights, citizens, 
 burgefies, minifters of the gofpel, and com¬ 
 mons of all forts in the kingdoms of Scotland, 
 England and Ireland, by the providence of God, 
 living under one King, and being of one re¬ 
 formed religion, having before our eyes the 
 glory of God, and the advancement of the king¬ 
 dom of our Lord and Saviour Jel'us Chrift, the 
 honour and happinefs of the king’s majefly, and 
 his pofterity, and the true public liberty, lafety 
 and peace of the kingdoms, where every ones 
 private condition is included : And calling to 
 mind the treacherous and bloody plots, confpi- 
 racies, attempts and practices of the enemies of 
 God, again!! the true religion and profeflors 
 thereof in places, efpecially in thefe three king¬ 
 doms, ever fince the reformation of religion, 
 and how much their rage, power and prelump- 
 tion are of late, and at this time increafed and 
 exercifed, whereof the deplorable eftate of the 
 church and kingdom of Ireland, the diftrefled 
 
 the SECEDERS. $63 
 
 eftate of the church and kingdom of England* 
 and the dangerous eftate of the church and king¬ 
 dom of Scotland, are prelent and public tefti- 
 monies. We have now at laft, after other means 
 of Application, remonftrances, proteftations and 
 lufferings, for the prefervation of ourfelves, and 
 our religion, from utter ruin and deftrudtion, ac¬ 
 cording to the commendable pradbice of thefe 
 kingdoms in former times, and the example of 
 God’s people in other nations, after mature de¬ 
 liberation, refolved and determined to enter into 
 a mutual and folemn league and covenant ^ 
 Wherein we all fubicribe, and each one of us 
 for himfelf, with our hands lifted up to the moft 
 high God, do fwear : 
 
 1. T. hat we fhail fincerely, really and con¬ 
 stantly, through the grace of God, endeavour 
 in our feveral places and callings, the preferva¬ 
 tion of the reformed religion in the church of 
 Scotland, in dodbrine, worfhip, dilcipline, and 
 government, againft our common enemies. The 
 reformation of religion in the kingdoms of Eng-^ 
 land and Ireland, in dodtrine, worfhip, difei- 
 pline and government, according to the word of 
 God, and the example of the beft reformed 
 churches j and fhall endeavour to bring the 
 churches of God in the three kingdoms, to the 
 neareft conjunction and uniformity of religion, 
 confeflion of faith, form of church government, 
 directory for worfhip and catechizing, that we 
 and our pofterity after us, may, as brethren, live 
 in faith and love, that the Lord may delight to 
 dwell in the midft of us. 
 
 2 . That we fhail in like manner, without re- 
 Ipedb of perfons, endeavour the extirpation of 
 Popery, prelacy (that is, church-government, 
 by archbifhops, bifhops, their chancellors, and 
 commiflaries, deans, deans and chapters, arch¬ 
 deacons, and all other ecclefiaftical officers de¬ 
 pending on that hierarchy) fuperftition, herefy, 
 Nichifm, prophanenefs, and whatfoever fhail be 
 fopnd to be contrary to found dodbrine and the 
 power of godlinefs, left we partake in other 
 mens fins, and thereby be in danger to receive 
 of their plagues : And that the Lord may be 
 one and his name one in the three kingdoms. 
 
 3. We fhail with the fame fincerity, reality 
 and conftancy in our feveral vocations, endea¬ 
 vour with our eftates and lives, mutually to 
 preferve the rights and privileges of the parlia¬ 
 ment, and the liberties of the kingdoms, and to 
 preferve and defend his majefty’s perlbn and 
 authority, in the prefervation and defence of the 
 true religion and liberties of the kingdoms: 
 That the world may bear witnefs with our con¬ 
 fidences of our loyalty, and that we have r.o 
 thoughts or intentions to diminifh his majefty’s 
 juft power and greatnefs. 
 
 4. We fhail alfo with a faithfulnefs endeavour 
 the difcovery of all fuch as have been or fhail be 
 incendiaries, malignants or evil inftruments by 
 hindering the reformation of religion, dividing 
 the king from his people, or one of the king¬ 
 doms from another, or making any faction or 
 parties amongft the people, contrary to this 
 league and covenant, that they may be brought 
 to public trial, and receive condign punifhment, 
 as the degree of their offences fhail require or 
 deferve, or the fupreme judicatories of both 
 
 kingdoms 
 
An A C C O U N T of 
 kingdoms refpe&ively, or others having power 
 from them for that effetft, (hall judge conve¬ 
 nient. 
 
 5. And whereas the happinefs of a blefied 
 peace between thefe kingdoms, denied in former 
 times to our progenitors, is, by the good provi¬ 
 dence of God, granted unto us, and has been 
 lately concluded, and fettled by both parliaments, 
 we (hall each one of us, according to our place 
 and intereft, endeavour that they may remain 
 conjoyned in a firm peace and union to all pofte- 
 rity, and that juftice may be done upon the wil¬ 
 ful oppofers thereof in manner exprelfed in the 
 precedent article. 
 
 6. We (hall all'o, according to our place and cal¬ 
 lings in this common caufe of religion, liberty 
 and peace of the kingdoms, afilft and defend all 
 thole that enter into this league and covenant, in 
 the maintaining and purfuing thereof, and (hall 
 not fuffer ourfelves dircdtly or indirectly by what- 
 foever combination, perluafion or terror, to be 
 divided and withdrawn from this blefied union 
 and conjunction, whether to make defection to 
 the contrary part, or to give ourfelves up to a 
 detefiable indifferency, or neutrality in this 
 caufe, which fo much concerneth the glory of 
 God, the good of the kingdoms, and honour of 
 the king, but that all the days of our lives zea- 
 loufly and confiantly continue therein, againft 
 all oppofition, and promote the fame according 
 to our power againft all lets and impediments 
 whatfoever; and that what we are not able our¬ 
 felves to fupprels or overcome, we (hall reveal and 
 make known, that it may be timely prevented 
 or removed : All which we (hall do as in the fight 
 of God. 
 
 And becaufe thefe kingdoms are guilty of 
 many fins, and provocations againft God and his 
 fon Jefus Chrift, as is too manifeft by our pre¬ 
 lent diftrefles and dangers, the fruits thereof5 
 We profefs and declare before God and the 
 world, our unfeigned defire to be humbled 
 for our own fins, and for the fins of thefe king¬ 
 doms, efpecially that we have not, as we ought, 
 valued the ineftimable benefit of the gofpel, 
 that we have not laboured for the purity and 
 power thereof, and that we have not endeavour¬ 
 ed to receive Chrift in our hearts, nor to walk 
 worthy of him in our lives, which are the caufes 
 of other fins and tranlgrefiions fo much abound¬ 
 ing amongft us, and our true and unfeigned pur- 
 pole, defire and endeavour for ourfelves, and all 
 others under our power and charge, both in pub¬ 
 lic and in private, in all duties we owe to God 
 and man, to amend our lives, and each one to 
 go before another in the example of a real refor¬ 
 mation ; that the Lord may turn away his wrath 
 and heavy indignation, and eftabliih thefe 
 churches and kingdoms in truth and peace; and 
 this covenant we make in the prefence of al¬ 
 mighty God, the fcarcher of all hearts, with a 
 true intention to perform the fame, as we (hall 
 anlwer at that great day, when the fecrets of all 
 hearts fhall be difclofed ; mod humbly befeech- 
 ing the Lord, to (Lengthen us by his holy fpirit 
 for this end, and to blefs our defires and pro¬ 
 ceedings with l'uch fuccefs, as may be deliver¬ 
 ance and fafety to his people, and encouragement 
 to other Chriftian churches groaning under or in 
 
 the SECEDERS. 
 danger of the yoke of Antichriftian tyranny, to 
 join in the fame, or like alfociation and covenant, 
 to the glory of God, the enlargement of the 
 kingdom of Jefus Chrift, and the peace and 
 tranquillity of Chriftian kingdoms and common 
 wealths. 
 
 It is well known that under that mild govern¬ 
 ment which has taken place fince the revolution, 
 no body of men whatever could have publickly 
 fworn this bond or covenant, without either fub- 
 jedling themfelves to all the penalties inflicfted 
 by the riot a<T, or even to high treafon. There 
 minifters were popular, but they were, at the 
 fame time, crafty. They knew how to accom¬ 
 modate their felf-intereft to the enthufiaftic 
 madnefs of the people’s paflions; and, at the 
 fame time, they had the art to fcreen themfelves 
 from the ("word of the civil magiftrate. Every 
 pretender to high and elevated attainments in 
 religion, is an artful politician ; and it frequently 
 happens that very infignificanf creatures, who 
 have acquired an afcendancy over the confidences 
 of the people, can plan out fchemes that would 
 do honour to the genius of a Machiavel. 
 
 Thus we find that when thefe difcarded mini¬ 
 fters could nor, without making a folemn procef- 
 fion to the place of execution, fwear to obferve 
 the folemn league and covenant, they contrived 
 (to ufie the words of Sandiman) to make an image 
 like it. The fame artful writer fays, that it is 
 as much like the original, as a child ever was like 
 his father. This new covenant is a fort of bond 
 of union among them, that they will do every 
 thing to fupport the church of Scotland, and, 
 as far as lies in their power, endeavour to bring 
 about a reformation. It is certain, that had it 
 been drawn up in the moft learned fchool of the 
 Jefuits, it could not have been more ambiguoufiy 
 exprefied. Thoufands of meanings might be 
 put upon the words, and people of any denomi¬ 
 nation might (wallow it without choaking rhem- 
 felves, as they did, when they took the teft in 
 that country. 
 
 This covenant being thus framed, it was con- 
 fidered as meritorious to fubfcribe it, as if they 
 had depended for falvation upon it. By this 
 time, the weak deluded people had built meet¬ 
 ings with thatched roofs for the artful preachers, 
 who demanded from each of them a fmall fum 
 of money for the benefit of their miniftry. 
 
 The next thing to be done, was to renew the 
 covenant, as they call it; and for this purpofe 
 many thoufands of mad-brained people aftembled 
 at moft of their meetings, where there were ge¬ 
 nerally above a dozen of minifters; for by this 
 time, their numbers were encreafed by fome 
 young probationers having joined them, who 
 could not get places in the eftabliftied church. 
 The popularity of their dil'courfes had a vaft 
 effedt on vulgar minds, and they reigned tri¬ 
 umphant over the confidences of the people. 
 
 It is impoflible to conceive how thefe people 
 fpread themfelves over many parts of Scotland, 
 within a few years. Wherever there was an im¬ 
 proper minifter among thofie of the eftabliih- 
 ment, one of their preachers received an invita¬ 
 tion, and a new meeting was built for him. As 
 only a few of the regular probationers chofie 
 to join them, fo they let up an academy to teach 
 
 a few 
 
An ACCOUNT of 
 
 a few of their fons ; and it may juftly be faid, ! 
 that they knew juft as much of learning as to 
 defpife it. They were utterly unacquainted with 
 hiftory, or any of that fort of knowledge which 
 enlarges the human mind, and makes man an or¬ 
 nament to fociety. They were adtually taught 
 to defpife fuch learning, and perhaps had one of 
 them been feen reading the beft poem in the world, 
 he would either have been excommunicated, or 
 have ftood, as Allen Ramfey fays, 
 
 cc With a hot face before the holy band.” 
 
 The meaning is, he would have been obliged to 
 mountthe black ftool of repentance. As fur reading 
 of plays or novels, tho’ ever fo innocent, it would 
 have been as bad as holding a correfpondence 
 with the devil. They were not permitted to read 
 a book written by a church of England divine ; 
 and as for bifhops, their names were never men¬ 
 tioned but with contempt, and as men who were 
 at war with Chrill Jefus. But if they had not 
 learning, they had zeal, and a large Hi are of af- 
 furance. For any of them to fmile was reckoned 
 indecent, but to laugh was abominable. The 
 more gloomy countenances they put on, the 
 more they were efteemed, and they lung their 
 fermons in a long drawling ftrain. 
 
 Such were the firft preachers whom the Seceders 
 brought up, and we can allure the reader, that the 
 picture here drawn is far from being too highly 
 coloured. They began their miniftry by inlpir- 
 ing the people with a violent hatred to the mi- 
 nifters of the eftablifhed church, fo that in many 
 parts, when the minifters went round to vifit their 
 pari Ikes, thefe people, who had joined the new 
 religion, Ihut their doors upon them. None of 
 them would employ fervants who went to the 
 parilli church, if they could procure any other; 
 but when they were forced to employ fome, they 
 made their lives miferable by difputing concern- 
 'ing religion. 
 
 The next thing to be done, was to prepare the 
 people for fwearing the covenant, and this was 
 laborious work for the minifters indeed. Their 
 houfes could not contain the vaft numbers of 
 people that came to them to be examined con¬ 
 cerning their knowledge of this fon of the fo- 
 lemn league, fo that they were obliged to take 
 them into the meetings. There they explained to 
 them the nature of the oath they were to take, 
 and they pointed out the neceflity they had been 
 under to make a new covenant, as it would have 
 been dangerous in them to fwear the firft till a 
 more favourable opportunity, fo that it was only 
 &. temporary covenant. The whole of the can¬ 
 didates having been examined, fuch as the minif- 
 ter and his elders approved of received tickets, 
 as a certificate of their qualifications, and thefe 
 they were to give back when they came to fwear 
 the covenant. 
 
 The day for this ceremony being fixed, ten or 
 a dozen of their minifters repaired to the place, 
 where there were two tents erefled in the fields, 
 befides the fervice in the congregation within the 
 meeting. After fermon was over in the meeting, 
 there was a vaft deal of formalities, all thofe who 
 had not tickets were commanded to feparate, and 
 hear fermons at the tents. Thefe fermons con¬ 
 fided of indecent and violent invedtives againft 
 4 3 
 
 the S E C E D E R S. 56J 
 
 the eftablifhed church, and forced allegorical 
 conftrudtions of fuch pafiages in the Old Tetta- 
 ment as related to the temporal ftate of the 
 Jews, which had no more to do.with their new- 
 made covenant, than the Alcoran of the Turks, 
 or the man in the moon. 
 
 In the mean time, the names of all the candi¬ 
 dates for fwearing were called over, and they 
 were commanded to hold up their right-hands, 
 which they did after they had delivered their 
 tickets. It happened very unfortunately, for 
 fome of thofe who had been rejected thru ft them- 
 fclves in among the ticket-men and women, fo 
 eager were they to fwear to the fon of the fo- 
 lemn league. Thefe were thruft out, which 
 frequently created much confufion, and kept 
 the ceremony back a confiderable time. How¬ 
 ever, as there were a couple of fermons going 
 forward in the tents, they had no more to do 
 than to repair thither. 
 
 All the malignants, which is a moft dreadful 
 word amongft them, being driven out of the 
 meeting, the minifter held a fcroll in his hand, 
 and read the covenant to them, which being 
 done, he afked the people, who were ftill hold¬ 
 ing up their hands, whether they would lubfcribe 
 it, which they all eagerly did, and afterwards 
 there was a fermon of two or three hours in 
 length, a prayer of about an hour long, and one 
 of the pfalms, that contains the word covenant, 
 was lung. The fubferibed roll was kept in the 
 meeting, and if by any mifehievous accident a 
 fubfcriber went to the parifh church, got a girl 
 with child, was found at a dancing bout, or in 
 an alehoufe, his name was firft erazed out, and 
 then he was excommunicated. Thofe who re¬ 
 tained their attachment to the covenant, were 
 perhaps as fully perfuaded of their own falvation, 
 as a Romilh devotee is when he comes from the 
 confefibr’s chair. 
 
 No perfon was to have his child baptized, nor 
 be admitted to the communion, till he had firft 
 fworn and fubferibed the covenant. It was the 
 teft of their faith as well as their obedience ; and 
 it was the firft queftion afked when thefe people 
 met together, “ Have you taken the covenant ?” 
 The rebellion broke out foon after, and it muft 
 be acknowledged, that thefe people gave many 
 ftriking inftances of their loyalty. Whatever 
 might have been their madnefs in other things, 
 they were no ftrangers to that fort of condudt 
 which would entitle them to the favour of go¬ 
 vernment. They knew what their anceftors had 
 fuffered from the Stuarts, and they had no reafon 
 to expe<ft any mercy had a popifli prince been 
 placed on the throne of Britain. This made 
 them exert themfelves to the utmoft, to keep 
 their people in a ftate of loyalty. Nay, many 
 of them took up arms; and when the city of 
 Glafgow railed a regiment of feven hundred 
 men, one half of thefe were Seceders, who be¬ 
 haved gallantly at the battle of Falkirk, and 
 would certainly have defeated the rebels, had 
 not the dragoons ran- away in a cowardly man¬ 
 ner. 
 
 Such was the condition of thefe people when 
 the rebellion was lupprefied, and then they 
 quarrelled among themfelves. The reafon was 
 this: 
 
 7 D 
 
 One 
 
$66 Of the BURGHERS 
 
 One Campbell, a fiery hot-headed man, pre¬ 
 tended, that no members who were burgefles, or 
 freemen of corporations, Ihould be admitted to 
 take the covenant; becaufe, when thel'e bur¬ 
 gefles take up their freedoms, they fwear to main¬ 
 tain the religion as by law eftablilhed. On the 
 other hand, although their cunning prevented 
 them from fwearing to extirpate the eftablilhed 
 religion, yet they knew it meant fo as foon as a 
 favourable opportunity offered. There was cer¬ 
 tainly fome fenfe and reafon too in what this 
 man faid, and it appears that he had too much 
 honefty to approve of a mental refervation. 
 
 In confequence of this, a divifion took place 
 among them, and the numbers on each fide were 
 nearly equal. Young men who had ferved their 
 apprenticefhips in corporations, were loth to be 
 deprived of their freedoms, nor did they know 
 ■where to feek for a living. In molt of the 
 towns in Scotland, when a young woman marries 
 a non-freeman, fhe can convey the freedom to 
 her hufband, if her father was free.. This, to 
 fome young women, was as good as a marriage 
 portion ; but here was an attempt to fet the whole 
 afide. Both parties thought themfelves under a 
 necefiity of fwearing, but they differed about 
 the mode. The tempers of the minifters were 
 too fiery to be reconciled, and an antipathy 
 againft each other took place, equal to that be¬ 
 tween cats and mice. They confequently divided 
 themfelves into two parties, the one called Burgh¬ 
 ers, and the other Anti-burghers ; both of which 
 we fhall here conflder in their proper places. 
 
 Of the BURGHERS. 
 
 Thofe who were called Burghers, were the 
 molt moderate, but not the molt numerous. 
 They were, however, very fubtle; and the dif- 
 tinftion they made concerning the nature of the 
 two oaths, would have done honour to the fchool 
 of Loyola. 
 
 They afferted, that to fwear to fupport the 
 religion as by law eftablilhed, was to fupport the 
 Prefbyterian religion as it had been eftablilhed 
 by the parliament of Scotland in the year 1640, 
 after the famous Glafgow affembly 1638, and to 
 adhere to the folemn league covenant; but as 
 at the revolution the folemn league had not 
 been recognized or acknowledged, and as the 
 patronage aft had fet afide one of the articles 
 of the union, confequently the then eftablilhed 
 religion was not according to law j fo that when 
 burgefles took the oaths in their corporations to 
 maintain the eftablilhed church, how could they 
 mean the then church of Scotland, which was 
 not legally eftablilhed, but only that which was 
 overthrown at the reftoration. 
 
 The fenfe was neither more nor lefs than this ; 
 they might fwear one thing and mean another. 
 Now it is well known, that all oaths Ihould be 
 expreffed in words free from ambiguity, or a 
 double meaning. The oath that the perfons took 
 who were made free in corporations, was clear. 
 They were to maintain the religion as by law 
 eftablilhed. In the fame manner that the burgher- 
 minifters taught their people to take this oath, a 
 
 and ANTI-BURGHERS 
 
 papift might take it in England. Every Roman 
 Catholic in this country believes, that his reli¬ 
 gion was eftablilhed by law, becaufe it was once 
 fo ; and the Papifts have here the advantage over 
 the Prefbyterians, who are called Burghers. For 
 the Popilh religion was aftually eftablilhed by 
 the confent of parliament, long before the Nor¬ 
 man conqueft; whereas, if we include the fo¬ 
 lemn league and covenant, with the abolition of 
 the rights of patrons to prefent to ecclefiafti- 
 cal benefices, wc fhall find that the Prefbyterian 
 religion, in the manner contended for by the 
 Seceders, was not eftablilhed in Scotland till 
 1649, when there was no king, but only a junto 
 of both houfes of parliament. 
 
 However, the Burghers continued to admit 
 thole to fwear the covenant who had taken the 
 corporation oaths ; and ftill put their own jefiui- 
 tical meaning upon it. They Were followed by 
 luch of the members of corporations, as made 
 choice of them for preachers; and thefe were 
 followed, or imitated, by many who knew no¬ 
 thing of the nature of an oath. The Burghers 
 were moft numerous in the towns, the Anti¬ 
 burghers in the country. But a vaft revolution 
 has taken place in the notions of the Burghers. 
 
 As the others carried things into the wildeft 
 extremes, fo the Burghers inclinded towards 
 moderation. They became gradually more and 
 more fo, and they receded from the mode of 
 impofing their covenant, except to thofe who 
 denied to fwear it, which is now done in private. 
 They think there is no fin in hearing a minifter 
 of the eftablilhed church of Scotland preach, 
 fo as there is no errors in his doftrine; by which 
 is meant, he is a found Calvinift; nay (and 
 wonderful it is to relate) they will aftually go and 
 hear a Methodift preach without being cenfured. 
 
 This will appear the more furprizing, when it 
 is confidered that the late Mr. Whitcfield want¬ 
 ed to cultivate a friendfhip with the Seceders 
 before they fplit into parties, but they would 
 have nothing to do with him, unlefs he would 
 acknowledge himfelf to be a guilty finner, for 
 having been ordained by an anti-chriftian bilhop, 
 namely. Dr. Benfon, bilhop of Gloucefter, and 
 for preaching in the parilh churches of Scotland. 
 At prefent, the numbers of the Burghers are 
 daily dwindling away, and probably they will 
 die with the prefent generation. Heats in reli¬ 
 gion are like fevers in the human body, and the 
 patient is foon killed or cured. 
 
 Of the ANTI-BURGHERS. 
 
 We have already obferved, that the Burghers 
 were more moderate than the Anti-burghers, and 
 we fhall now lay before the reader the difference 
 offpirit that took place between them. 
 
 The firft thing done by the Anti-burghers was, 
 to excommunicate the Burghers, which they did 
 in as folemn a manner as they had formerly 
 l'worn the covenant. One Mr. Ralph Erlkine, 
 a very popular preacher, who was one of the 
 l'econd four depofed by the general affembly, 
 took part with the Burghers, and the greateft 
 part of his congregation adhered to him. This 
 
 man 
 
Of the ANTI- 
 
 man had two tons, both minifters among the 
 Seceders, and they had taken the lame fide with 
 the Anti-burghers. Like their father, they were 
 both popular, and probably, notwithftanding 
 their different fentiments, yet they had a pater¬ 
 nal regard for him. But be that as it will, their 
 brethren, the Anti-burgher minifters, refolved to 
 make the fame trial as the inquifitors do when 
 they fend the neareft relations to apprehend the 
 aecufed perfon, and tells him that he muft con¬ 
 quer nature by grace. 
 
 Thefe two young men were pitched upon to 
 excommunicate their own father. If there was 
 a neceftity for excommunication taking place, it 
 would have been mote decent to have come 
 from the mouth of a ftranger than a fon j but 
 wherever the externals of religion are contended 
 for without the internals, cruelty takes place 
 in the heart. The young minifters were obliged 
 to comply, and feemed chearful when they did 
 fo. The form of thefe excommunications is as 
 follows : 
 
 A day is appointed for a faft, and a tent 
 eredted in the fields, where feveral inflammatory 
 fermons are preached to crouds of poor work¬ 
 ing people, who have left their employments to 
 be witnefs of the folemn fcene. The cafe of 
 thefe people leaving their lawful employments, 
 and fome of them travelling twenty or thirty 
 miles to hear inflammatory difcourfes, which, fo 
 far from being coniiftent with the gofpel, are 
 fufficient to take their minds away from it, leads 
 us to mention the following anecdote by way of 
 digreflion. 
 
 In the memorials of Mr. John Livingfton, a 
 famous minifter in Scotland, during the laft cen¬ 
 tury, there is a Angular relation concerning one 
 Euphan M‘Cullan, in the parifh of Kinneucher, 
 in Fifelhire. It was thus : 
 
 <f Euphan M‘Cullan in the parifh of Kin¬ 
 neucher, a poor woman, but rich in faith. I 
 have heard the lady Culrofs tell the following 
 things of her. That fhe feldom ever prayed 
 but what fhe got a pofitive anfwer. That fhe 
 one time defired her to pray for her in regard of 
 the temporal ftate of her family, and when fhe 
 enquired what anfwer fhe had got, Euphan faid 
 the anfwer was, “ He that provides not for his 
 “ own houfe, has denied the faith.” Whereat 
 the lady faid, c< Now you have killed me, for 
 tc I go to preachings and communions here and 
 there, neglecting the care of my family. Eu¬ 
 phan replied, “ Madam, if you are guilty in 
 that fort, you have realon to be humbled for it; 
 but it was not faid in that fenfe to me, for the 
 Lord faid, “ He that provides not for his own, 
 “ is worfe than an infidel. Will not I provide 
 for her and her houfe, feeing Ihe is mine ?” 
 
 This paffage affords matter of very ferious re¬ 
 flection. The irreverent familiarity in the ad- 
 drefs to the deity, the great God of heaven and 
 earth, is indeed horrible. What is there here 
 but the dregs of Popifh credulity ? How can 
 Proteftants objeCt to the vifions of St. Clara, St. 
 Bridget and St. Terrefla, and yet juftify the vi¬ 
 fions of Euphan M c Cullan. See Lord Hailes’s 
 Remarks, page 255. 
 
 But to return to the fubjeCl : 
 
 After fermon there is a long prayer, and then 
 the preacher, who is to repeat the excommuni- 
 
 BURGHERS; fa 
 
 cation* goes up into the pulpit, and for the moft 
 part orders the hundred and ninth pfalm to be 
 fung, in which fo many dreadful curfes are im¬ 
 precated on the enemies of God. Where they 
 find the enemies of God mentioned, they ap¬ 
 ply it to the enemies of the church under the 
 gofpel; whereas it relates only to thofe Heathen 
 nations who fought againft the Jews. 
 
 The pfalm being ended, the minifter pray3 for 
 a blefting upon the curfe he is going to pro¬ 
 nounce, and then all the people ftanding up* 
 he reads the crime the offender is guilty of, and 
 then fays, “ For thefe and for all other aCts of 
 <c difobedience to the church, I being a minifter 
 <c of Jefus Chrift, and having power and autho- 
 “ rity from him, do, in his name and by his au- 
 cf thority, excommunicate and caft out of the 
 <c true church of God, A. B. and deliver him 
 “ up to fatan to be tormented in the flefh, that 
 “ his foul may be faved in the day of the Lord.” 
 He concludes, by praying that God would ratify, 
 feal, and confirm the fentence he has pro¬ 
 nounced. 
 
 Theie are pretty words, perhaps the reader may 
 fay, to be pronounced by a l'on againft his father. 
 But the molt remarkable thing in the words 
 is, that fatan, the grand adverfary of mankind, 
 is here made a minifter of the gofpel ; he has the 
 excommunicated perfon put under his tuition, 
 and by tormenting his flefh he is to bring him to 
 a fenfe of the dreadful fin of differing with ano¬ 
 ther in opinion. 
 
 It was imagined the Burghers would have re¬ 
 turned the compliment and excommunicated in 
 their turn, but they did not, only that on the ex- 
 communication days they preached in their own 
 churches againft the Anti-burghers. Some may 
 imagine they did this to keep their people toge¬ 
 ther, but whatever might be in that, there was no 
 manner of neceftity for it; becaule at that time 
 they were fo much exafperated againft each other, 
 that they would have continued without fermons 
 a whole year, rather than go into each other's 
 meetings. However, at prefent, the Burghers are 
 as great Latitudinarians as the Methodifts are in 
 England. 
 
 On the other hand, the Anti-burghers ftill con¬ 
 tinue to take the covenant, and, like the Roman 
 Catholics, to hate all thofe who differ from them 
 in opinion. They are as fevere in their difeipline 
 as ever, and not long fince, a poor taylor, who was 
 clerk to one of their meetings, was filenced from 
 finging a Angle ftave, merely becaufe he went 
 one working day into another meeting. 
 
 Sometime ago, a report was made to one of 
 their minifters in Scotland, who is at prefent the 
 chief leader of the party, that two young men 
 of his congregation had been admitted into 
 the fociety of free-mafons. 
 
 The minifter, imagining he had now an op¬ 
 portunity of difclofing to the public all the fe- 
 crets of free-malonry, which frighten fo many 
 people, fent for the young men to his houfe; 
 When they came, they were threatened, under 
 the penalty of church cenfures, that they would 
 reveal to him thefecrets of free-mafonry. Their 
 anfwer was, they could not do it, but if he pleafed 
 they would make him a mafon and then he would 
 know all. 
 
 i Not fo enraged were the Scribes and Pharifees, 
 
 when 
 
5 63 An A C C O U N T of the P R 
 
 when Jefus made them condemn themfelves by 
 their own words, nor fo enraged was the con- 
 ful when Polycarp fet all his torments at de¬ 
 fiance, as the Anti-burgher minifter was when 
 the young men gave him fuch an aniwer. He 
 raged like a madman,-and told them they fhould 
 be excommunicated. He was as good as his word ; 
 but the young men appealed to their fynod, 
 which is the higheft court the Seceders have. 
 This made things worfe, for it occafioned the ex- 
 communication of all the free-malons in Scot¬ 
 land that belonged to them; and all thefe turn¬ 
 ing to the Burghers, who readily admitted them, 
 became a valuable acquifition to the latter. Ma¬ 
 ny other inftances of their fuperftition might be 
 mentioned, but we lhall only relate the follow¬ 
 ing: 
 
 It was the cuftom formerly in Scotland, and is 
 fo dill in many parts, for the women to fan the 
 chaff from the corn before it is ground into 
 meal. This was tedious, but it was an antient 
 cuftom. An ingenious artift made a machine 
 that ftood in the infide of the mill, having flat 
 thin boards to go round by means of a con¬ 
 nection with the wheel. 
 
 A miller near Edinburgh had one of them 
 made, and this man being a Seceder, the lame 
 minifter who had the difpute with the free-ma- 
 fons, happening to call at the miller’s, he looked 
 at the machine. It dilpleafed him much, and he 
 told the miller to take it down, for thole who 
 were fo new fangled as to fet up fuch machines, 
 would in time follow the wolfe in fheep’s cloath- 
 ing, meaning Mr. Whitefield. The miller ftood 
 amazed to think what connection his fanners 
 could have with religion, and refufed to pull them 
 down. Upon that he was excommunicated and 
 went foberly to the Burghers. They have but one 
 meeting in London, and fo wedded are they to 
 their antient opinions and practices, that altho’ 
 they have no more occafion for it than a cart has 
 for the third wheel, yet once every year they mu ft 
 have a minifter fent up to them from Scotland to 
 afilft their own paftor in adminiftering the fa- 
 crament. As none of them in Scotland will be 
 married by the eftablifhed clergy, the ceremony 
 is performed by their own minifters, fo it is gene¬ 
 rally fuppofed that when the minifter comes up 
 from Scotland, he marries fuch as defire it pri¬ 
 vately. It would not be prudent in their own 
 minifter, becaufe he might bring himfelf into 
 trouble, but as the other is to fet off for Scot¬ 
 land, fo he is out of all manner of danger. 
 However, they do not confider that thefe mar¬ 
 riages are illegal, for difputes might arife if a law 
 fuit was depending between one of them, con¬ 
 cerning a will made in favour of one of their 
 children, and the oppofite party, who had been 
 born in legal wedlock. 
 
 Supposing the judges fhould order both par¬ 
 ties to produce a. certificate of the marriage, 
 where would the Anti-burghers be found. 
 The man would then reflect on the injury he 
 had done to the child, and the child himfelf 
 would have caufe to remember it ever after. 
 Some of them go down to Scotland and get 
 married, but thole are few in-number; for the 
 greateft number of them are working men, and 
 few of them can bear the expence. On the 
 
 ESBYTERY of RELIEF. 
 
 other hand, the Burghers are fo regardlefs about 
 thefe things, that they are married in the 
 churches. 
 
 No people in the world have a ftronger hatred 
 to the Methodifts than the Anti-burghers. The 
 minifter had a lcufflle with the Miller, and 
 afterwards wrote a book, wherein he endea¬ 
 voured to prove, firft, that Mr. Whitefield’s 
 doftrine was diabolical. Secondly, that it was 
 a horrid fin for any one to hear him preach. 
 Thirdly, that the juftice of God would overtake 
 him. In this work is the following remarkable 
 pafiage: 
 
 “ As for the gentleman himfelf, while he is 
 Cf under a ruinous delufion, and thereby led out 
 “ into the horrid path we have been deferibing, 
 cc which, befides all its otherdreadful rendancies, 
 <{ is calculated for gathering upon him his own 
 <c blood and the blood of multitudes; thus his 
 <c condition loudly requires the pity of all who 
 cc know him. And I know no way wherein 
 tc to Ihew it, than by avoiding his company, 
 “ that he may be made afliamed of his conduft. 
 tc In this manner it is that we are called to the 
 cc exerci r e of love to his perl'on, and a defire for 
 “ his recovery.” 
 
 Account of the Prelbytery of Relief. 
 
 The third and laft fort of Prefbyteries, who 
 arofe in Scotland in confequence of the patro¬ 
 nage aft, have called themfelves the Prefbytery 
 of relief. 
 
 To underftand this term rightly, it is necef- 
 fary to obferve, that the people in Scotland 
 have, ever fince the reformation, loved thofe doc¬ 
 trines which point out falvation as only to be 
 obtained through the imputation of Chrift’s 
 righteoufnefs. Now it has unfortunately happen¬ 
 ed, that many of the young preachers prefented 
 by the patrons, were of different fentiments ; 
 and fome of them went fo far, as to point out to 
 their hearers all thofe doftrines as true, which 
 commonly go under the name of Arminianilm. 
 This was too good a name for them to aflume, 
 for Arminianilm never denied the imputation of 
 Chrift’s righteoufnefs, only that it allowed there 
 was a freedom in the human will. Whereas, their 
 young preachers in Scotland, often preached 
 whole fermons without mentioning the name of 
 Chrift as a mediator. This was Ihocking to thofe 
 people who had been brought up in the princi¬ 
 ples of their own confefilon of faith and cate- 
 chifms; but they did not chufe to join the Sece¬ 
 ders. 
 
 It was faid, that a club of young divines met 
 at a houfe in Edinburgh, to ridicule the doftrines 
 of Calvin ; and certain it is, that one of them, 
 who was no more than a probationer, and a 
 fchoolmafter, had his licence taken from him, 
 for publifhing a pamphlet on that fubjeft. In 
 anfwer to this pamphlet, one Dr. Weatherfpoon, 
 minifter at Paifley, about fix miles from Glafgow, 
 publifhed aneflay, entitled <£ The Ecclefiaftical 
 Charafteriftics.” In this treatife he endeavoured 
 to prove, that moft of the clergy of Scotland 
 taught nothing but downright Heathenifm, or, 
 
 as 
 
ACCOUNT of the CAMERONI 
 as they call it, morality. For this he was called 
 before the fynod of Glafgow j but having 
 no proof of his being the author, the. cafe was 
 difmified. As Weatherfpoon was continually 
 quarelling with his people, and as they had in- 
 ftituted a^law-fuit againft him for defamation, 
 he went over to America, where he was made 
 prefident of the college of New Jerfey, and is 
 at prefent one of the members of the congrefs. 
 
 However, he did not leave Scotland till he 
 had laid a plan for a fchifm in that church. He 
 collected together as many of the popular clergy 
 who had poor livings as he could, and told 
 them, that if they would leave their churches 
 without joining the Seceders, they would find a 
 powerful affiftance from many of the people. 
 They would build them meetings and their livings 
 would be doubled. 
 
 Accordingly, many left their churches and had 
 fome meetings built for them. It was fome 
 time before they could fix upon what name they 
 fhould afifume, and therefore, as they were-to 
 give relief to thofe people who were plagued by 
 the moral preachers, they took upon theml'elves 
 the name of the Prefbytery of Relief. 
 
 This circumftance did not take place till with¬ 
 in thefe twenty years, but the minifters did not 
 find their account in it. Their moderation was 
 equal to that of the eftabliflied church and to the 
 Burghers, which did not fuit the tempers of the 
 people. There were fome other circumftances 
 much againft them, one of which was, that moft 
 of their meetings were built in populous towns, 
 where none of the moral preachers had been fet¬ 
 tled. The people found nothing new, and there¬ 
 fore many of them returned home to their own 
 churches.. Another circumftance was, that one 
 of them deferted his flock, and fettled at the 
 head of a populous congregation in London, 
 becaufe the falary was four times as much as 
 they could allow him. 
 
 It is certain, the clergy cannot live without 
 money any more than other men, but they ought 
 to examine from what motives they leave a poor 
 for a rich congregation. It is a maxim among 
 the laity, that a clergyman never leaves a rich 
 benefice to go to a fmaller one, and undoubtedly 
 it is in general true, as it is with all other pro- 
 feftions, and yet we have known inftances to the 
 contrary, both among the clergy and laity. How¬ 
 ever, when a body of poor people are indul¬ 
 gent to their paftor, he ought not to leave 
 them. 
 
 But with refpefr to thefe people, or rather to 
 their clergy, they are but few in number, and 
 they hold a fynod once every year. Their form 
 of discipline is weak, and they are only follow¬ 
 ed for their popularity. Like the Seceders, they 
 vifit their people from houfe to houfe, and do all 
 they can to keep them in their intereft. They 
 are induftrious in the difeharge of their paftoral 
 office, but they no have academies, like the Sece¬ 
 ders who are more numerous, for the education of 
 young men for the miniftry. As their reafons 
 for feparating from the church of Scotland were 
 the moft trifling that could be imagined, fo they 
 have not many friends among the better fort of 
 people ; and as they do not deal much in invec¬ 
 tive or abufe, they are confidered as luke-warm 
 by the vulgar. 
 
 48 
 
 ANS, or MOUNTAINEERS. 569 
 Many of them have left their firft principles 
 and are daily returning back to the efta- 
 bliffied church. Some of their preachers have 
 made attempts to join the eftabliflied church 
 I again, and obtain livings, but an everlafting 
 : door is ffiut againft them. In a word, they will 
 I only exift a few years longer, for few men are 
 | fooner bankrupts than thofe who carry on the 
 wholefale trade in religion. When the motives 
 that at firft induced a man to change his religion 
 are once found to be infincere, he is defpifed by 
 all parties, and, in general, converts are but little 
 efteemed. Upon the whole, we (hall conclude 
 this article by obferving, that all thefe parties 
 which have fprung from the eftabliflied church 
 of Scotland, fwear the fame articles of religion, 
 teach their children the fame catechifm, and 
 obferve the fame form of worfliip, fo that there 
 is no difference but in the covenant. 
 
 Account of the Cameronians, or Mountaineers. 
 
 This fetft of religious people did not take 
 th^ir rife from any of the caufes already 
 mentioned. They exifted long before the revo¬ 
 lution. One Mr. Cameron, a Prefbyterian mi- 
 nifter, having made his efcape from the battle 
 of Both well-bridge, 1679, fled towards the 
 fouth, and being followed by about three hun¬ 
 dred men of his own fentiments, they once more 
 renewed the covenant, and began their march, 
 having firft read a proclamation, fetting forth 
 that the king had no right to the throne, becaufe 
 he had taken the covenant, and afterwards or¬ 
 dered it to be burnt by the hands of the common 
 executioner ■, that they were determined to 
 turn out the bifliops, and have them puniflied, 
 as the Amalakites were of old by the divine 
 command ; that they were to reftore the king¬ 
 dom of Chrift in Scotland, and once more to 
 revive it to its antient glory. They meant, that 
 they would overthrow the government both in 
 church and ftate, and put all thofe to death 
 who differed from them in religious fenti¬ 
 ments. 
 
 Thefe mad brained people, who had been 
 driven by oppreffion to defperation, vainly ima¬ 
 gined, that they would be joined by the country 
 people as they went eaftward 3 but alas! inftead 
 of meeting with new reinforcements. Sir John 
 Graham, afterwards lord Dundee, came up with 
 them at a place called Aird’s-Mofs, where they 
 were mad enough to attempt oppofing the 
 king’s forces. They fhot two or three of the 
 dragoons, who had not fo much as fired upon 
 them, and then Sir John ordered his men to at¬ 
 tack them. Cameron, their leader, was killed, 
 with about thirty more, and moft of the others 
 were taken prifoners, and the ringleaders were 
 executed at Edinburgh in a moft barbarous man¬ 
 ner, among whom was one Mr. Hackfton, a 
 young gentleman, who affifted in the murder of 
 Sharp, archbiffiop of St. Andrews. The remain¬ 
 der of the prifoners were fent to the colonies in 
 America. 
 
 From this time till the revolution fome of thefe 
 madmen aflembled on the mountains, from which 
 circumance they were called Mountaineers, and 
 7 E fometimes 
 
; -i> An ACCOUNT of the GLASSITES, 
 
 foiiie times Cameronians. When king James pub¬ 
 lished the indulgence for liberty of confcience, 
 they would not accept of it, but followed one 
 Mr. James Renwick, a young probationer, who 
 was afterwards hanged at Edinburgh a few 
 months before the revolution. 
 
 When the revolution took place, they would 
 not acknowledge it, becaufe the covenant was 
 not reftored, and becaufe king William would 
 not abolifn epifcopacy in England. They con¬ 
 tinued to preach on the mountains for many years 
 after the revolution, although they were at liberty 
 to build meetings. At the union, they abufed 
 government fo much, that fome of them were 
 imprifoned, and others fet in the pillory. One of 
 them being afked in the court of juftice by what 
 authority he abufed government, pulled out his 
 bible from his pocket, and told the judges that it 
 was by the authority of that book which he be¬ 
 lieved their lordfhips had never read. They 
 hated the prefent family on the throne as much 
 as they did the Stuarts, and being a fort of fifth 
 monarchymen, would acknowledge no king but 
 Jefus. Some of the eftablilhed clergy, who had 
 little learning and lefs knowledge, took part with 
 them, and one more impudent than the reft, told 
 his hearers that king George I. had no more right 
 to the crown than a Moor-Cock. 
 
 This man elcaped the vengeance of the civil 
 power, but he was defpifed and excommunicated. 
 He died fome years after at Edinburgh, and al- 
 
 commonly called the SANDEMANIANS. 
 
 ways was called the Moor-Cock . In latter times, 
 thefe people had private meetings in different 
 parts of the fouth of Scotl md, and man r fc?a 1 
 dalous ftories were told concerning them, l'ome 
 of which perhaps were not true. 
 
 Thefe people are much dwindled away, there 
 being but only a handful of them left, but "they 
 ftiU retain their old fentiments. They are Cal- 
 vinifts with refpedt to the terms cf acceptance, 
 but their notions concerning ecclefiaftical and 
 civil power are abominable. They marry their 
 own people, and baptize their children. They 
 have ftill no meetings but in private houlcs, and 
 they difeard all thofe who differ from them. 
 They admit of no toleration, and if they had 
 power, probably they would make a very bad 
 ufe of it. 
 
 They are in general treated with much con¬ 
 tempt, and fometimes they deferve it. Some of 
 their members joined to the Seceders, and for 
 that were lent to the devil, by a warrant of ex- 
 communication. Their meetings are as private 
 in Scotland as thofe of the Roman Catholics, 
 and they are of fuch unfocial tempers, that few 
 fober„ fenfible perfons will keep company with 
 them. Their worlhip is the fame as that ob- 
 ferved in the church of Scotland, but in their 
 fermons they are continually abufing the clergy 
 and the government. They are, however, too 
 infignificant to be brought to punilhmenc for 
 their infolence. 
 
 An ACCOUNT of the GLASSITES, commonly 
 called the SANDEMANIANS. 
 
 f~~fi *\ HESE people did not take their rife in 
 n Scotland, in confequence of the pa- 
 
 aL tronage act, for they difclaim every 
 
 connection with all the eftablilhed churches in the 
 world, but of this we fhall take notice afterwards, 
 when we come to fpeak of their principles. In 
 the mean time, having read all the books pub- 
 1 iHied by them, and converfed with many of their 
 leaders, we fhall lay before the reader a faithful 
 account of them, for although fome perfons who 
 are but little acquainted with hiftory and lefs 
 with divinity, may be difpofed to laugh at their 
 lim-plicity of worlhip and government, yet many 
 good things will be found amongft them. 
 
 In the year 1727, Mr. John Glafs, minifterof 
 a pariih church near Dundee in Scotland, pub- 
 liftied a book, entitled, “ The teftimony of the 
 “ King of Martyrs.” His chief defign in that 
 work was to prove, that as Chrift’s kingdom was 
 not in this world, fo it could no where receive a 
 civil eftablifhment. That it might be perfecuted 
 or tolerated according to the will of princes, but 
 all thofe bearing the name of Chriftian minifters, 
 who accepted of civil emoluments from the 
 Jftate, were unacquainted with the gofpel, and 
 enemies to Chrift’s kingdom. 
 
 Thefe notions alarmed the clergy of Scotland, 
 in the fame manner as Dr. Hoadly’s fermon had 
 alarmed the clergy in England. They did not 
 know what might be the confequence, for had 
 the principle advanced by this man once been 
 eftablilhed, the crown might have feized on their 
 revenues and left them and their families to 
 ftarve. It is certain, that ftatefmen are not al¬ 
 ways the molt pious Chriftians, and there have 
 been times when fuch a favourable circumftance 
 would have been made a bad ufe of. However, 
 this man, although an excellent reafoner, was too 
 obfeure to create much aivifion or defection 
 among his brethren, had not their public judi- 
 cators called him forth from his retirement, and 
 made him conlpicuous on the theatre of the 
 world. 
 
 He was fummoned before the Prelbytery, and 
 made a moft able defence, and becaufe they could 
 not anfwer him, they depofed him. He ap¬ 
 pealed to the fynod, where he defended himfelf 
 ftill more ably, but the clergy were his moft 
 bitter enemies. He was obliged to appeal to the 
 general afiembly, who were very unwilling to 
 lofe a man who was efteemed in his pariih, and 
 an honour to the church. They reverfed the 
 
 decrees 
 
An ACCOUNT of the GLASSITES, commonly called the SANDEMANIANS. 57.1 
 
 decrees of the prefbytery and fynod, reftored 
 Mr. Glafs to his miniftry, and ordered the caufe 
 to be brought on before themfeives in the firft 
 inftance. 
 
 In the mean time, the fober perfons who were 
 members of the afiembly, were willing to let the 
 affair drop ; for as Mr. Glafs’s miniftry was con¬ 
 fined to his own parifb, and as in his general 
 doctrine, he taught nothing inconftftent with the 
 fundamental articles of their own religion, they 
 could not fee any danger in it. To this they 
 added the character of the man, which was fair 
 and refpeftable. 
 
 The affair came on again before the general 
 afiembly, about two years after, and the argu¬ 
 ments took up four days. Some of the mem¬ 
 bers, efpecially the elders, were men of high 
 rank, and amongft thefe was the famous Duncan 
 Forbes, lord advocate of Scotland. Befides the 
 lord advocate, there were feveral other gentle¬ 
 men and noblemen of high rank, members of the 
 afiembly, who pleaded ftrongly in favour of Mr. 
 Glafs. They reprefented that his opinions were 
 only of a fpeculative nature, nor had they any 
 immoral or irreligious tendency. They.infifted 
 further, that to depofe a man of Mr. Glafs’s 
 knowledge and approved virtue, would be to do 
 an injury to the church of Scotland. 
 
 Thefe worthy members were feconded by fome 
 of the mod refpeftable of the clergy, and by all 
 the commifiioners from the univerfities. They 
 laid that they could not fee any hurt in the doc¬ 
 trines taught by Mr. Glafs, for, with refpeft to 
 the grand article, namely, the atonement made 
 by Chrift to reconcile us to his father’s love, he 
 was of the fame fentiments with themfeives. 
 They added, that to proceed in fuch a fummary 
 manner againft him, would be afting inconfiftent 
 with their characters as reprefentatives of the 
 church of Scotland 3 and therefore they begged 
 that every fober member of the afiembly would 
 drop all thoughts of the profecution. 
 
 However, this moderate party was ftrongly 
 oppofed by thofe of more violent tempers, par¬ 
 ticularly, becaufe Mr. Glafs had made an attempt 
 to rob them of their popularity without feeking 
 any to himfelf. Here we may learn that both 
 parties were bad politicians, for men may court 
 popularity while they feem to defpife it, and they 
 may let up themfeives as the idols of the people, 
 while they pretend, or rather affeft, to be cloathed 
 with humility. There are fome lecret fprings of 
 human aftions which the judgement day alone 
 can reveal. 
 
 It is certain, that had the majority of the af- 
 fembly proceeded on principles of moderation, 
 they might have kept a worthy minifter in the 
 church, who was beloved by his people, and 
 efteemed by all who knew him; but the into- 
 lerent principles of fome were fuch, that when 
 the queftion was put, it went againft him by a 
 great majority. Accordingly, he was depofed, 
 and another minifter put in his room. This was 
 much complained of by the people of Scotland 
 in general, but there was no appeal from the aft 
 of the general afiembly. 
 
 In the next general afiembly, a motion was 
 made to reverfe this decree, and the former aft 
 was refcended 3 for it was ordered that Mr. Glafs 
 
 might offer himfelf a candidate for any church 
 that became vacant. This privilege, however, 
 he did not avail himfelf of, for he gathered to¬ 
 gether a few people, and propofed to them a new 
 plan of religion. This plan of religion came, 
 perhaps, as near to the primitive church as any 
 we have mentioned. But this leads us to confi- 
 der the principles upon which this new or rather 
 old religion was condufted. By old religion 
 we mean its affinity with the primitive church, 
 by new religion we confider its revival. 
 
 It is certain, that Mr. Glafs’s notions were 
 not popular, but ftill he procured fome followers. 
 Good fenfe pays no regard to popularity, but 
 vanity courts all. 
 
 The principal heads of that religion laid down 
 by Mr. Glafs were, that 
 
 Fir ft, there can be no civil eftablilhments of 
 religion confiftent with the plan laid down in the 
 gofpel. 
 
 Secondly, that human learning is of no man¬ 
 ner of fervice to Chriftianity, but that every man, 
 let him be ever fo ignorant, may take upon him 
 that office. 
 
 Thirdly, that no Chriftian congregation can 
 be properly conftituted unlcfs there are a plurali¬ 
 ty of minifters. 
 
 Fourthly, that there is not an inftance in the 
 whole of the New Teftament, wherein indivi¬ 
 dual minifters adminiftered'the facrament, with¬ 
 out fome to afiift them. 
 
 Fifthly, that no perfon who calls himfelf a 
 Chriftian can eat blood. 
 
 Sixthly, that in all accufations againft the mo¬ 
 ral charafters of members of the congregation, 
 there was to be no appeal. 
 
 Seventhly, that when the accufed perfon was 
 excommunicated, he was to be hated by all the 
 people with whom he had formerly any connec¬ 
 tion. 
 
 Eighthly, they were, at the time of their ad- 
 mi fiion into the congregation, to declare, that 
 the religion they formerly embraced, was no lefs 
 than hypocrify. 
 
 Ninthly, at the time of their admiffion, they 
 were to kifs all the women and men in the con¬ 
 gregation. 
 
 Tenthly, they were to be obedient to all the 
 orders of the church, and they were not to be 
 abfent without fhewing a very reafonable ex- 
 cufe. 
 
 Laftly, they were not to take part in any po¬ 
 litical difputes, but in all things to be obe¬ 
 dient to the laws of their country, fo as they did 
 not interfere with the diftates of their confidences. 
 They were to attend to the words of Chrift, ren¬ 
 der unto Caefar the things that are Casfar’s, and 
 unto God the things that are God’s. 
 
 Let Crefar’s dues be ever paid. 
 
 To Csefar and his throne j 
 But confidences and fouls were made, 
 
 To be the Lord’s alone. 
 
 Thefe are the fundamental principles laid 
 down by Mr. Glafs, and like the founder of all 
 new religions, he foon found himfelf followed 
 by fome perfons, who, perhaps, were mitigated, 
 thereto by vanity. It is certain, that their reli¬ 
 gion 
 
An ACCOUNT of the GLASSITES, commonly called the SANDEMANIANS. 
 
 gion was not much relifhed by the people of 
 Scotland, and yet there are times and circum- 
 ftances which give a fantftion to every thing. 
 But vve fhall now confider them in a more en¬ 
 larged point of view. We are the more ready 
 to do this, becaufe but few people in England 
 know any thing of thefe people. We fhall 
 therefore go on to give an account of their dilci- 
 pline, do£trine and worffiip, and leave the rea¬ 
 der to draw from it what conclufions he pleafes. 
 In this account it will be found, that nothing 
 has been faid to injure them ; and while wc at¬ 
 tend to hiftory, we hope that no man will con¬ 
 demn us as being guilty of partiality. 
 
 Before we mention the peculiarities of thefe 
 people, we fhall take notice of that grand dif- 
 tinguifhing mark which is little known to the 
 people of our country in general, and exclaimed 
 feverely againft by thole who are the greateft pre¬ 
 tenders to religion. 
 
 Their faith, or general articles concerning the 
 leading principles of religion, are the fame as 
 the moft rigid Calvinifts, except in one point. 
 They believe in eternal election and reprobation, 
 and carry thele notions to a great, and perhaps 
 too great an height. But they deny final perfe- 
 verance, and affert, that no man can tell whe¬ 
 ther he will be faved or not. They look upon 
 what the Calvinifts call the aft of appropriation 
 to be great prefumption arifing from fpiritual 
 pride, and as for the converfion of the Methodifts 
 they call it blafphemy. 
 
 They define faith to be a firm belief of 
 every thing related concerning Chrift, and par¬ 
 ticularly his refurreftion ; and they believe fur¬ 
 ther, that this faith leads men to all forts of good 
 works, but they are not to imagine, that they 
 know themfelves to be the children of God. 
 
 They are to attend to the apoftles words, not 
 to be high-minded, but fear. To be continually 
 on their guard, left they fhould fall into any 
 fnare ; but they are not to make an oftentatious 
 difplay of religion, and as for what the Metho¬ 
 difts call experience, and which is fo called by 
 fome other churches, they are to look upon it as 
 a fure mark of a child of the devil. 
 
 In every congregation, they have a plurality 
 of minifters, whom they call elders, and, in¬ 
 deed, they may have as many' as they pleafe, 
 becaufe they pay them no money. They are 
 tradefmen of all degrees and ranks, and it is 
 matter of faft, that we have heard a chimney- 
 lweeper preach amongft them. 
 
 They have likewife feveral deacons, whofe 
 bufinefs it is to watch over all fecular affairs of 
 the church, and vifit the members from houfe to 
 houfe, to watch as fpies upon their conduft, 
 and above all things to take care to obferve whe¬ 
 ther they keep company with any of the Metho¬ 
 difts, or with fuch of the Diffenters as profels 
 to any fort of experience in the things of God. 
 
 If the wife of an elder or a deacon Ihould die, 
 he may marry again, but he muft no longer 
 be a church officer. This praftice they ground 
 upon the words of St. Paul to Timothy, where 
 he fays, that a biffiop ffiould be the hufband of 
 one wife, and fo of the deacons. Certainly this 
 is one of the moft forced conftruftions that ever 
 was put upon a text, fince the New Teftament 
 
 was written. For certainly the Apoftle can never 
 mean any thing more, than that the minifters of 
 the gofpel fhould have but one wife at a time. 
 As for their appealing to the primitive church, 
 where they tell us, that no mention is ever made 
 of a biffiop or deacon having any more than 
 one wife, it no way applies to their cafe, for the 
 following reafon: 
 
 When a fingle man was ordained a biffiop or 
 deacon in the primitive church, he feldom mar¬ 
 ried afterwards, becaufe compaffion for the fair 
 lex and children he might probably have had, 
 led him to believe he muft foon fuffer a violent 
 death, which frequently happened. He did 
 not defpife marriage, nor did he diftruft God, 
 but he adhered to the exhortation of St. Paul; 
 He that marrieth doth well, but he that marrieth 
 not doth better; and this is certainly the fenfe of 
 the words, which allude to the afflitted ftate of 
 the church at that time. 
 
 Again, when married men were appointed 
 deacons or biffiops, and their wives died, for 
 the fame reafons they feldom married again, 
 though there was no precept to the contrary. 
 Thefe people we are treating of, have had feve¬ 
 ral learned men among them, but none of them 
 feems to have been much acquainted with church 
 hiftory. 
 
 When a perfon defires to be admitted in to their 
 congregation, the deacons, and fometimes the 
 other members, go and converfe with him, not 
 concerning his moral charafter, but merely his 
 faith, and if he makes, life of one unguarded 
 expreffion, he is call out, that is, he is left as 
 one who has too much religion to be admitted 
 amongft them. They are amazingly jealous of 
 all the Methodifts, and all thofe who believe in 
 appropriations, and they would rather wiffi to 
 find the candidate whittling a merry tune, than 
 finging a pfalm. 
 
 When the candidate is approved of, he comes 
 to the meeting, where every member is at liberty 
 to put what queftion he pleafes to him, and then 
 it is put to the vote, whether he fhall be ad¬ 
 mitted or not. This is done by their holding 
 up their hands ; but if one ffiould be of a differ¬ 
 ent opinion when their names are called over, 
 then that man, who is of a different opinion, is 
 excommunicated ; for thefe people admit of no 
 differences in opinion, faying, that this man muft 
 be an unbeliever, otherwife he would not have 
 voted againft the church. 
 
 In examining thefe candidates, there are feve¬ 
 ral curious queftions put to them. And here it 
 is neceffary to obferve, that moft of thofe who 
 have been admitted amongft them, were fuch 
 as believed in the appropriation. It is againft 
 this famous article that they level the whole 
 force of their fpiritual thunders. 
 
 Some of the queftions are as follows: 
 
 Have you ever been at the tabernacle ? And 
 how often ? Have you not been a dabler in re¬ 
 ligion ? Was you ever converted ? Thefe 
 queftions are anfwered in the affirmative ; but 
 here the candidate fays, I imagined lb, though 
 I find all to be delufion. Did not you think 
 yourfelf in the ftraight road to heaven, in con- 
 fequence of your experience work at the taber¬ 
 nacle ? I did fo. And what do you think of this 
 
 experience 
 
An ACCOUNT of the GLASSITES, commonly called the SANDEMANIANS. ep-* 
 
 in the ftreets, or in the fields ; and it is related, 
 that Joab took Abner by the beard and killed 
 
 experience work now ? I look upon it as a de- 
 lufion, and that all thofe who are believers in 
 it are deceived. 
 
 He then proceeds to alk him feveral other 
 queftions, fuch as whether he approves of eatin» 
 of blood, and his anfwer mult be in the negative, 
 or he is rejefted. This notion of theirs is 
 founded on the apoftolical injunction, in 1. Cor. 
 15. but the late lord Barrington in his Mifcel- 
 lanea Sacra, has made it appear, that this injunc¬ 
 tion was never intended to reach any further than 
 the apoftolic age, being only of a temporary na¬ 
 ture, not to offend the Jewifh converts. The 
 Sandemanians, however, alk the queftion; Why 
 then is it joined with fornication ? The reafon 
 (fays lord Barrington) is, that fornication was not 
 reckoned as a fin among the Gentiles, but rather 
 efteemed as a virtue. Nay, to fuch an extrava¬ 
 gant degree was lewdnefs carried, that it aftually 
 became apart of their temple l'ervice. 
 
 1 hey had places in their temples, where the 
 priefts retired in private with their women, and 
 this was reckoned very honourable. It was there¬ 
 fore the more neceffary to caution the Chriftian 
 converts againft this, becaufe they had been fo 
 long accuftomed to fuch praftices. Thus they 
 were to refrain from eating things offered to 
 idols, left it fhould offend their Chriftian brethren; 
 from things ftrangled, and from blood, left it 
 fhould offend the Jews ; and from fornication, 
 not only as a crime forbidden in the gofpel, but 
 likewife as contrary to natural religion. See 
 Barrington’s Mifcellanea Sacra, Vol. if. page 16. 
 
 The laft of the queftions generally propofed 
 to him, is concerning infant baptifm; for they 
 have the fame enmity to the Anabaptifts as to the 
 Methodifts. The reafon they aftign for baptiz¬ 
 ing infants, is, that all the human race are in a 
 paflive ftate, that they can do nothing for them- 
 lelves; and therefore to pretend that people 
 could be qualified for baptifm was to fet up the 
 doftiine of merit. This, however, is a miftake, 
 for the Calvimftical Anabaptifts difclaim any fuch 
 notion; they fay, that as there is not an in- 
 ftance in the New Teftament of a child bein<* 
 baptized, fo it was never commanded in the pri- 
 mitive church, nor were any baptized till they 
 were properly inftrufted. They mention this only 
 as a fpeculative opinion, not as a dogmatical af- 
 fertion. 
 
 When the candidate is approved of, the elders 
 kifs him and then the deacons. After that, 
 the names of the people, both men and women, 
 are called over, and the new admitted member 
 kifles every one, man or woman, old or youn°-, 
 rich or poor. Perhaps our readers may confider 
 that this muft be a very merry ceremony, but we 
 can allure them, that it is conduced with great 
 decorum and decency, being done in the meeting 
 where every perfon is free to come. The kiffing 
 affair being over, he receives an exhortation, and 
 the congregation is difmiffed. 
 
 We muft not leave this part of the fubjeft, 
 without making a few remarks on this ceremony’ 
 of which thefe people are as tenacious as they 
 are of the greateft precepts in the gofpel. 
 
 Throughout the whole hiftorical part of the 
 Old Teftament, we read of the people kiffmcr 
 each other in a way of friendlhip when they met 
 43 
 
 him, while, with his right hand, he plunged a 
 dagger into his heart. There are many parts of 
 Europe where the men kifs each other when they 
 meet, and it has been the praftice of the eaftern 
 nations from the earlieft ages of time. It was 
 the praftice in the Anglo-Saxon times, when the 
 Danes invaded this country, and thefe barbarians 
 ufed frequently to ftab thofe whom they faluted. 
 Prom this horrid pradtice arofe the word ufed in 
 England, when people defiring their neighbours 
 to drink to them, fay, cc I’ll pledge you.” That 
 
 is, you Ihall give me fecurity, or I will take fe- 
 curity of you, that you will not injure me. So 
 far we have confidered it in a civil light, let us 
 now confider it in the fenfe the Sandemanians ufe 
 
 it, namely, as a religions duty. 
 
 They ground their praftice on the words of 
 the Apoftle to the Romans, “ Salute one another 
 “ with a holy kifs,” that is, with a friendly kifs, 
 or a kifs of charity. Now the Apoftle was 
 writing to people who had been formerly Hea¬ 
 thens, but were then converted to the faith in 
 Chrift. As the praftice of kiffing each ocher 
 continued both among the Jews and Gentiles, fo 
 it appears that St. Paul had nothing further in 
 view than to point out to them, that whenever 
 they met and killed each other, it ftrould be done 
 in a charitable, friendly manner. That the ac¬ 
 tion icfelf being an indication of love and friend¬ 
 lhip, fo there fhould be no deceit in the heart. 
 
 d iiat this was what he had in view, will appear 
 the more evident, when we confider, that the 
 Apoftle never fays, kifs each other in your 
 churches, where indeed no falutations took place; 
 for all was compofure and decorum. The moft 
 ignorant perlon knows, that when we meet our 
 friends, we lhake hands as it is commonly called, 
 and therefore the precept itfelf relates to no more 
 than common forms of civility. 
 
 The next thing to be confidered is, in what 
 manner they excommunicate their people ; and 
 we can affure our readers that he muft be a very 
 artful man who is able to live as a member of one 
 of their congregations one Angle year. They pro- 
 fefs to^have all things in common ; and yet when 
 any of their members becomes rather uncom¬ 
 monly free in his demands, they part with him. 
 From this we may learn, that words or profef- 
 fions in religion are one thing, and reality another. 
 
 As their deacons are conftantly on the watch, 
 fo when they find a brother offending, they o-o 
 and tell him of it, and if he freely acknowledges 
 his error, and promifes amendment, then no p’er- 
 l'on is to take any further notice of it. If he 
 perfifts in what he is accufed of, the deacon takes 
 two or three more, and if they can perfuade him, 
 then it goes no farther, nor is it made public to 
 any but themfelves. But if he ftill perfifts in 
 his obftinacy, it is mentioned publickly in the 
 church, and he is fent for, and if he either refules 
 to come, or when he does come, to fatisfy the 
 church that he was not in an error, then the el¬ 
 ders put the vote to the people, whether he fhould 
 not be excommunicated, to which, when they 
 have all given their affent, one of the elders 
 prays that the offender may be delivered over to 
 fatan to be tormented in the flelh, until he is 
 7 F brought 
 
574 An ACCOUNT of the GLASSITES, 
 
 brought again into the church. Upon that, all 
 the congregation turn from him with a fort of 
 fupercilious contempt or dildain, as if he was 
 unworthy of their company, and they are ftridlly 
 commanded, that whenever they meet with him, 
 they will not fpeak to him; they will not wilh 
 him any happinefs, nor will they do any thing 
 whatever to ferve him. They are the molt in¬ 
 veterate enemies in the world to thofe who have 
 been call out of their congregations; and 
 many of their members openly declare, that 
 thofe who were cad out of the church, fnould 
 have no companion fhewn them. This is per¬ 
 haps what may be called religious barbarity, of 
 which there is a little too much in the world. 
 
 It is a maxim with thefe people, that if a mem¬ 
 ber has been once excommunicated, he may be 
 re-admitted upon condition of his repentance, 
 but he mud fird undergo a very fevere penance. 
 They mud come condantly to the meeting, and 
 they mud bear all the feoffs and fcorns of the 
 members, without feeming to be difpleafed. Like 
 the Inquifitors in Spain, and the Seceders in 
 Scotland, he is to conquer nature by grace. And 
 indeed it requires a good deal of grace to bear 
 all the affronts he receives. When he is re-ad- 
 mi tted, he receives a fevere rebuke for his back- 
 fliding from the truth, and a caution to be on his 
 guard for the future. 
 
 If a member is excommunicated a fecond 
 time, he can never be admitted again, and then 
 he generally becomes a Deid, it not worfe. 
 We knew a rich man, who is dill, alive, and 
 was excommunicated the fird time, becaufe he 
 had dropped fome expreffions that feemed to 
 militate againd infant baptifm. He was re-ad¬ 
 mitted, but being loth to part with his money 
 when demands were made upon it, under pre¬ 
 tence of fupplying the wants of the poor, he 
 was again excommunicated, and knowing that 
 no farther favours would be diewn him, he took 
 a room in an ale-houfe, where he preached 
 the Sunday evenings to a rabble, who only 
 laughed at him, and then he gave himfelf up to 
 all manner of debauchery. Nothing was more 
 common than to hear him over his cups, finging 
 the words of the poet : 
 
 I was a fanatical preacher, 
 
 And turn’d up my eyes when I pray’d; 
 
 But my hearers half darv’d their teacher, 
 
 For they believ’d not a word that I faid. 
 
 Another was excommunicated a fecond time, 
 for refuting to play at blindman’s-buff on Sunday 
 after fervice was over, in the meeting, and that 
 man turned fird Antinomian, then Deid, and at 
 lad died, perhaps, (if it is poffible) an Atheid. 
 Such are the effects of people’s dabbling in 
 religion. 
 
 That our readers may underdand what is meant 
 by playing at blindman’s-buff, we mud explain 
 it to him hidorically. 
 
 Mr. James Hervey in 1755, publifhed his 
 Theron and Afpafio, one of the mod agreeable 
 fydems in Calvinifm that ever was written. And 
 it may be faid of this author, that his works 
 have been read and edeemed by Protedants ol 
 all denominations; for whatever might be his 
 particular fentiments concerning difputed points, 
 
 commonly called the SANDEMANIANS. 
 
 yet the beautiful manner of writing, his fine def¬ 
 ections of nature, and, above all, the fervent 
 piety to be found in every line, made his works 
 edeemed by all lovers of true religion. 
 
 However, one Mr. Robert Sandiman, a mer¬ 
 chant at Perth, and one of the people called 
 Glaffites, in Scotland, wrote a book entitled 
 Letters on Theron and Afpafio, wiiich offend¬ 
 ed the Calvinidical Diffenters in London. A 
 correfpondence was entered into between San¬ 
 diman and fome of the Diffenting miniders, and 
 the conlequence was, that Sandiman himfelf 
 came up here and edablifhed a meeting. As the 
 Diffenters generally put on an audere counte¬ 
 nance when they come out of their meetings; 
 and as the Methodids are fond of talking 
 concerning religion, Mr. Sandiman went to the 
 oppofite extreme, and ordered, that his follow¬ 
 ers, on every Sunday after fervice, fhould light 
 the candles, and play at blindman’s bud. The 
 meeting houfe where this was performed was in 
 Beech-Lane, and multitudes of people, from idle 
 curiofity, went to fee it. It became an objeft of 
 ridicule, and they found themlelves under the 
 neceffity of dropping it. It feems to have been 
 done from political motives, to ridicule the 
 four auderity of the Independents, but it did 
 not anfwer the end, for thefe people are the fame 
 as ever. 
 
 That men fhould fet up fuch diverfions in 
 places fet apart for public worfhip, is really ama¬ 
 zing, and we firmly believe, that had it not been 
 for their metaphyfical notions, all the rakes in 
 London would havejoined them, in order to have 
 an opportunity of playing with the women. 
 There was fomethingin the practice like that of 
 the Adamites of old, but for the honour of the 
 Sandemanians this pradtice is now fet afide. 
 
 We come now to their form of worfhip, 
 which is plain and fimple, though not without 
 fome auderities, and other formalities, that have 
 but little connexion with Chridianity. 
 
 On Sunday morning, they meet fo early as 
 nine o’clock, and the elders being leated in a 
 place much refembling a manger, one of them 
 calls upon a particular perlbn in the congrega¬ 
 tion to pray. This perfon is followed by two or 
 three more, who all pray in the fame manner. 
 Then they fing a pfalm, or, as they call it, 
 a religious fong, and one of the deacons 
 prays. After this, a perfon appointed for that 
 purpofe, reads three or four chapters out of both 
 Tedaments ; and fuch is the fuperdition of thefe 
 people, that in their ordinary courfe of reading, 
 they read with the fame pleafure the chapters 
 that-contain nothing but names, as they would 
 any chapter in the New Tedament. 
 
 The reading being over, another fong is 
 fung, and then one of the elders delivers a dil- 
 courl'e to the people. As thefe elders are in ge¬ 
 neral men of no learning, and as all forts of 
 reading are prohibited among thefe people, ex¬ 
 cept the bi'ole, we need not be at a lols to con- 
 fider the complexion of their lermons. They 
 ufe no method, but deliver a difeourfe, which 
 might do as well without a text as with one. It 
 is certain, that as their difcourfes are the efiufions 
 of ignorance and pride, lo they are calculated to 
 keep the people in the fame unhappy date. 
 They mud not exhort the people to any duty, for 
 
 were 
 
AN ACCOUNT of the GLASSITES, commonly called the SANDEMANIANS. 575 
 
 were they to do fo they would be excommunicated 
 The whole contifts of a diflertation on what they 
 call the truth, and it is delivered in fuch a manner, 
 that the mold profound metaphyfician cannot 
 underftand it. Their difcourfes are certainly 
 the lead calculated to promote piety of any in 
 the world, except thole of another led, whom 
 we lhall have occafion to mention afterwards. 
 
 The afternoon fervice is the fame as that of 
 the forenoon, but in the interval of worlhip ano¬ 
 ther ceremony takes place. For this pradice the 
 Sandemanians have been much ridiculed, though 
 from the following inveftigation, it will appear, 
 that there may be weaknefs in it without wicked- 
 nefs. It has, indeed, no concern with the ef- 
 fentialsof religion, but then it mud, or at lead 
 fhould be obferved, that all them who let up new 
 fydems of divinity, pay more regard to the exter¬ 
 nals then the internals. 
 
 We read much in church hidory concerning 
 the love feads or feads of charity of the ancient 
 Chriftians. That they took feme viduals to their 
 churches is certain, and the poor fed at the ex¬ 
 pence of the rich. There was a temporary ne- 
 cedity for this, becaufe many of the Chridian 
 converts were daves, confequently they could 
 not go to the place of meeting without leave of 
 their cruel mafters. Thole who are acquainted 
 with the Roman Hidory, know well, that daves 
 under the Roman government, were daves in¬ 
 deed. It was a great favour, and but feldom 
 granted to thefe poor creatures to attend the 
 Chridian affembly, and when they did fo, there 
 is reafon to believe, that when they returned 
 home no food was allowed them. It was there¬ 
 fore necedary, that thofe who were in affluent cir- 
 cumdances fhould have companion on them, 
 and fupply them with thofe necefiaries, which 
 their cruel maders denied them. 
 
 The practice, therefore, was for the primitive 
 Chridians to carry food along with them to the 
 church, part of which they eat and gave the 
 red to the poor. This feems to have continued 
 till the reign of the emperor Condantine the 
 Great, after which, according to the rules of 
 common fenfe, it ceafed to be in ufe. 
 
 This Ihort fketch we have given of thefe things 
 is, in all probability, confident with the truth j 
 and we can appeal to the greated hidorians in 
 the world, whether one afiertion has been made 
 ufe of, that is not, in one fenfe or other, con¬ 
 firmed by the fird fathers of the Chridian church. 
 It was conddered in this light through the mid¬ 
 dle ages of Chridianity, and in that fenfe it was 
 conddered at the reformation. And this leads 
 us to confider the praflice of the Sandemanians. 
 
 At noon, when divine fervice is over with 
 thofe people, they have a fead in their meeting. 
 On the Saturday before, the deacons go to a ; 
 butcher’s, and buy as much meat as they think 
 will be necedary, and this is drefled in a kitchen 
 adjoining to the meeting. In that kitchen they 
 fead, or, in other words, have a plain dinner 
 with fmall beer. The meat is purchafed at the 
 expence of the rich, and the poor dine gratis. 
 As foon as dinner is over, the different members 
 adjoin to public houfes, where they call for what 
 they pleafe, and then return to the meeting. 
 We lhall make no further animadverdon on 
 this fubjedt, than to declare that it is an idle 
 
 unnecedary ceremony. Thofe antient Chridians 
 were in a continual date of perfecution, thei r 
 love for their brethren was drong, and they did 
 every thing they could to fupply their wants. 
 
 On the other hand, the Sandemanians are not 
 in fuch circumdances ; they enjoy the biddings 
 of a free government j and they are at liberty to 
 go home to their own houfes without molefta- 
 tions. And yet, notwithdanding their ffavilh at¬ 
 tachments to a ridiculous, though temporary in- 
 ditution, has induced them in this, as in mod 
 other things, to make it as fingular, by embra¬ 
 cing the fhadow, like the dog in the fable, when 
 perhaps they lod the fubdance. Thofe who are 
 fond of trides in religion, feldom ever know any 
 thing of the vital parts. The man who loves 
 religion, pays little regard to the exteriors, 
 while he finds that the heart is renewed and the 
 condud changed. 
 
 The Sandemanians are not numerous, either 
 l in England or Scotland, for they have fo many 
 ceremonies, that people are afraid to have any 
 thing to do with them. To this may be added, 
 that they fleece every rich member, in order 
 ! to fupport the poor. The young man in the gof- 
 pel, did not like to fell his pofleffions, and 
 people, who are dealers in religion, are not wil¬ 
 ling to part with their money. When falvation 
 can be obtained without money, there are ge¬ 
 nerally a great number of religious people ; but 
 when money is required, they generally drop off*. 
 Strange that fuch circumftances fhould take 
 place, but what can be ftrange in human nature ? 
 Nothing, indeed, to thofe who are acquainted 
 with it. 
 
 Thefe people, according to the primitive 
 practice, celebrate the communion every Sun¬ 
 day, and it is done in a plain decent manner. We 
 fhall conclude our account of them, which has 
 been delivered in a candid manner, by inferting 
 the following hymn, drawn up in a few verfes, 
 written by one of their preachers on his death 
 bed. 
 
 When to my fight thou God appears. 
 
 I’m filled with fudden fear. 
 
 Thy juftice with uplifted arms, 
 
 O’erwhelms me with defpair. 
 
 The former figns of grace no more. 
 
 Relieve my troubled heart. 
 
 And pall experiences of love. 
 
 Add torture to my fmart. 
 
 What lhall I fay ? My prayers and tears 
 Are impious in thy fight! 
 
 I am remov’d as far from thee 
 As darknefs from the light. 
 
 Is there no room for mercy left ? 
 
 Is grace for ever gone ? 
 
 I’ll mind the years of thy right-hand, 
 
 And wonders thou haft done. 
 
 Flow to be one with fons of men, 
 
 Immanuel did not fcorn ; 
 
 And how from Mary’s virgin womb. 
 
 The holy child was born. 
 
 I’ll mind the greatnefs of that love. 
 
 Which in his breaft did burn. 
 
 When all the wrath of God for fin. 
 
 Upon his foul did turn. 
 
 And did the father’s deareft fon 
 Go mourning to the grave j 
 
 And 
 
j 7 6 Of the D I S 
 
 And did lie die for fin, that grace 
 Might dying finners fave. 
 
 See from the grave the prince of peace. 
 
 In glory bright appears, 
 
 No further proof of hope I’ll feek. 
 
 This quiets all my fears. 
 
 This beam of hope within the cloud. 
 
 Sure token is of grace ; 
 
 S E N T E R S. 
 
 Where wrath did frown, now mercy fmiles 
 In lovely Jefu’s face. 
 
 This fign of grace relieves my heart, 
 
 ’Tis eafe for all my pain, 
 
 I will not blulh to fee my God, 
 
 Becaufe the lamb was (lain. 
 
 Of the D I S 
 
 I N treating of the people called Diffenters 
 in England, we are brought into a large 
 wide extended field. We have prejudices 
 to combat with, we have to do with men of op- 
 pofite fentiments, and yet we think it is in our 
 power to condudt the whole upon the principles 
 of reafon and religion. There are three objefts 
 which are to be in view, 
 
 Firflr, the reafons why the Diffenters left the 
 eftablilhed church. 
 
 Secondly, how far the Diffenters continued in 
 one body. 
 
 Laftly, What is the condition of the Diffen¬ 
 ters at prefent. 
 
 Thel'e muff be brought into one point of view, 
 and they mull be treated hiftorically. For this 
 purpofe we lhall begin with the hiftory of thel'e 
 people; and the reader may be affured, that 
 truth lhall diftate what we fay, and candour lhall 
 dire£t our pen. 
 
 When the reformation took place in England, 
 moft of the Proteftant divines were enemies to 
 the ceremonies, and it was the wilh of all fober 
 ferious perfons that they Ihould be abolilhed. 
 However, the difpolition of queen Elizabeth, 
 was quite to the contrary. This created a great 
 deal of dilturbance ; for thofe who did not ap¬ 
 prove of the eftablilhed religion, became ob¬ 
 noxious to government. Thofe people, who op- 
 poled government, entered into cabals; they 
 had private meetings together, and there were 
 fevere prohibitions iffued out againft them. Still, 
 however, the contagion took deep root, and the 
 more thefe people were oppreffed, the more 
 they encreafed. They were called Puritans be¬ 
 caufe they aimed at a purer reformation ; but the 
 W'orft of all was, they wanted to reform the 
 church without reforming themfelves. 
 
 They were great enemies to all public vices, 
 but at the fame time they fought to aggrandize 
 their own power. They had little ceremony, 
 but much cunning. They ingratiated them- 
 lelves with the ladies, whole padions are eafily 
 played upon, and by a conduit of that nature 
 they procured a fore of temporary fubfiftance. 
 This was the time when ledturelhips were firft 
 eftablilhed, and thus a let of menwere allowed to 
 preach in the churches, without being obliged to 
 comply with the ceremonies. Shocking that the 
 church of England could not procure after¬ 
 noon preachers, but the queen would never allow 
 it. 
 
 S E N T E R S. 
 
 It is in a manner impoffible to deferibe what 
 thefe people, who were in derifion called Puri¬ 
 tans, luffered. They were fined and imprifoned, 
 and fuch as denied the queen’s fupremacy were 
 executed as traitors. Grindall, archbifhop of 
 Canterbury, was a man of great moderation, and 
 did all he could to bring the queen to moderate 
 the rigour of the a£t of uniformity, but fhe was 
 inexorable. The queen inherited the obftinate 
 fpirit of her father, and therefore, when fhe once 
 fixed her mind upon a thing, it was impoffible to 
 turn it. 
 
 Sandys, archbifhop of York, and Horne, bi- 
 fhop of Winchefter, were of the fame moderate 
 fentiments, and fuperior in moderation to all 
 thefe was Jewel, bifhop of Salifbury. Thefe 
 were men whofe names will ever be revered, for 
 their moderation they had been fufferers during 
 the reign of queen Mary, and for their own fafety 
 had fled to Switzerland. There they and many 
 of their brethren were kindly entertained by 
 the famous Bullinger, and they kept up a cor- 
 refpondence with him as long as they lived. In 
 many of the letters that pafied, they profefled a 
 diflike to the ceremonies and habits^ and wiflied 
 that they could be removed. 
 
 From thefe letters, of which Dr. Burnet has 
 given us fome extracts, we learn, that many of 
 the greatefl men at the reformation were Puri¬ 
 tans. That is, they did not think the church 
 properly reformed, and as the queen had it in 
 her power to call a new parliament to fettle thefe 
 difputes, fo nothing was more reafonable than 
 that flie fhould have done it; but the queen 
 didtated to all her parliaments. 
 
 About the year 1568, a fociety of people met 
 together at Rygate in Surry, and having a mi- 
 nifter along with them, they formed themfelves 
 into a congregation, after the model of that at 
 Geneva. They met privately, but Parker, who 
 was archbifhop of Canterbury before Grindal, 
 and who had received many favours from the 
 Proteftants abroad, became a moft violent per- 
 fecutor. Strange, that a man who had been 
 obliged to leave his native country on the fcore 
 of religion, fhould become a cruel perfecutor of 
 Proteftants, who only differed from him in a 
 few trifling matters. 
 
 The truth is, to ufe the words of good Dr. 
 Seeker, our reformers, when they left popery, 
 brought perfecution along with them. They 
 formed all their notions of church government 
 
 on 
 
Of the D I S 
 
 on the theocracy of the Jews, and they vainly 
 and ignorantly imagined, that all people ffiould 
 be of the fame mind. Strange infatuation ! but 
 not more fo than true. 
 
 Whitgift, who fucceeded Grindal, was as vio¬ 
 lent a perfecutor as Parker, and therefore there 
 is no wonder that the Puritans encreafed in num¬ 
 ber almoft every day. By a prefcriptive right, the 
 univerfity of Cambridge has authority to fend 
 out four preachers to any part of England, who 
 may be chofen lecturers, and ferve the duties of 
 their office without a licence from the biffiop. 
 Thefe men made many converts among the 
 clergy, and before Whitgift died, two thirds of 
 the people were Puritans. A fevere adt was 
 made, enforcing the adt of uniformity j prifons 
 were filled with delinquents, and many families 
 were ruined. 
 
 Aylmer, bifhop of London, who had differed 
 under queen Mary, became a moft violent per¬ 
 fecutor of the Puritans, and it is amazing to 
 think what numbers of pamphlets were written 
 in ridicule of this perfecuting biffiop. There is 
 at prefent a large collection of them in the Britiffi 
 Mufeum, and fome of them have very laughable 
 titles. We have really perufed feveral of 
 them, and one of the titles is, 4C Have you any 
 “ more Work for the Cooper.” Alymer was the 
 fon of a cooper in Effiex. 
 
 Another is entitled, “ Foxes and Firebrands,” 
 in allufion to Sampfon and the Foxes. In this 
 pamphlet there is, as in molt of the others, fome- 
 thing inflamatory indeed. It was written by one 
 Bell or Beale (for he is called by both names) 
 and the poignancy of the fatire (trikes to the 
 heart. It was levelled againft the biffiops, par¬ 
 ticularly Whitgift and Alymer ; and Ward, the 
 Papift, having laid hold of a copy of it, played 
 away in his ufual manner upon the Proteftants. 
 
 How Whitgift’s hamper’d by a fell. 
 
 Hot-headed Puritan, call’d Bell; 
 
 How he and biffiops, nine or ten, 
 
 Their grievances tell to the queen ; 
 
 She kindly promifes redrefs, 
 
 But firft comes death to fummons Befs. 
 
 In the other world (he meets with dad. 
 
 Eager to know what news ffie had ; 
 
 After fome thund’ring difcourfes, 
 
 Both vanilh in a cloud of curfes. 
 
 Thus from thefe lines we may find what plea- 
 fure it gives to the Roman Catholics to fee 
 Proteftants deftroy each other ; what Proteftants 
 can condemn the Romiih Inquifition, while he 
 fets up one himfelf. It is certainly true, that a 
 little before the queen died, ffie had formed a 
 {cheme to put every Puritan in the nation to 
 death. She was then in her dotage, and the 
 (fate of her mind on her death-bed was fuch as 
 the moft miferable creature in this world would 
 not wiffi for. 
 
 In the year 1603, James VI. king of Scotland 
 afcended the throne of England by fucceffion, 
 being the great grandfon of Henry VII. by his 
 eldeft daughter the princefs Margaret, married 
 in 1503 to James IV. of Scotland. 
 
 In our account of the church of Scotland, we 
 have already taken notice of the numerous pro- 
 49 
 
 S E N T E R S. 577 
 
 I vocations which James VI. received from the 
 Prelbyterians, and he left his native country with 
 a fixed hatred againft them. With this circum- 
 ftance, however, the Engliffi Puritans feem to 
 have been unacquainted, for they had great hopes 
 of James, and the king willing to (hew his mo¬ 
 deration, as well as to difplay his parts in theo¬ 
 logy, having ordered a conference to be held 
 at Hampton Court 1604, Reynolds, a man of 
 fenfe, with four other divines, attended for 
 the Puritans ; but thefe were to be oppofed by 
 all the biffiops. It muft be acknowledged, that 
 it was indecent in the king’s being prelent, be- 
 caufe it took away the freedom of debate, and 
 his majefty himfelf browbeated the Puritans. 
 
 Indeed, this was only a mock afiembly, for 
 what could the poor Puritans do when they were 
 browbeaten by their fovereign, who ought to have 
 been abl'ent. The Puritans had no more notion 
 of a toleration than the churchmen, but they 
 wanted a difpenfation from the tile of the habits 
 and ceremonies. This, however, the king would 
 not comply with ; for fo grofly had he been in- 
 fulted by the Bcottiffi Prefbyrerian minifters, 
 that he thought there could be no loyalty where 
 there were no bilhops. tc No biffiop, no king,” 
 was a common expreffion with James. 
 
 The Puritans, having loft all iiopes of fuccefs, 
 had recourfe to methods fo artful, that we may 
 conclude, that there are not a more dangerous 
 fet of men in the world than clerical combina- 
 1 tions, who are longing for thole emoluments 
 which their fadtious difpofitions deprive them of, 
 and to which they have no title by merit. 
 
 Their firft fcheme was to ingratiate themfelves 
 with the ladies, and it is well known what power¬ 
 ful influence a popular preacher can, at any time, 
 have upon female minds. They were readily ad¬ 
 mitted into the houfes of the nobility and gentry, 
 and however ftrange it may appear, yet nothing 
 is more true than that poor obfcure preachers 
 actually influenced the elections for members of 
 parliament. To ufe the old faying, “ They 
 moved heaven and earth to get Puritans returned 
 to ferve in parliament,” and as they were em¬ 
 ployed to inftrudt the young noblemen and gentle¬ 
 men, fo they brought them up in principles of 
 rebellion, which at laft overturned the conftitu- 
 tion both in church and ftate. 
 
 From the Hampton-Court conference, till the 
 year 1640, there was not a Angle election for a 
 member of parliament, but what was influ¬ 
 enced by the Puritan minifters. They took a 
 fevere revenge on James, for not complying with 
 their requeft ; for they got their pupils to oppofe 
 all his meafures in parliament, to diftradt his 
 councils, and render him odious to his fub- 
 jedts. 
 
 They had ftudied that fort of eloquence which 
 is calculated to roufe and inflame the paffions; 
 but when we perufe one of their fermons, we find 
 them to be very poor compofitions. There is a 
 critical review of fome of their works written by 
 the late Dr. Doddridge, in manufcript, which the 
 author of this Work has perufed, but where it is 
 now he cannot fay, though perhaps it may be 
 in the Diflenters library. 
 
 At laft, the long wifhed for period arrived, 
 when thofe Puritans were to come out of their 
 7 G places 
 
578 An ACCOUNT of the C AL VI NIS TI C AL PRESBYTERIANS. 
 
 places of concealment, to ftrip off the borrowed i 
 made, and appear in their real colours. T. heir i 
 brethren in Scotland had let them the example, 
 and they joined cordially together, till they over¬ 
 turned epilcopacy in Scotland as well as in Eng¬ 
 land, and on the ruins of the former eftablifhed 
 the Prefbyterian religion, on the ruins of the 
 latter nothing at all; fo from the year 1640 till 
 1660, it may be juftly faid, that England con¬ 
 
 tained almoft all the religions in the world. 
 
 Elaving thus brought the hiftory of the Puri¬ 
 tans down to their fpliting into parties, and 
 fharing the church livings among them, we (hall 
 now treat of every denomination feparately, that 
 the reader may be able to form a proper notion of 
 them. And we fhall begin with that led which 
 is not the moll numerous, yet looks upon itfelf as 
 the molt refpeCtable. 
 
 An ACCOUNT of the 
 
 HP El E Prelbyterians may be divided into 11 
 | the four following claffes ; Firlt, Calvi- 
 JL nilts ; fecondly, Arminians ; thirdly, 
 Arians; and, laftly, Socinians. 
 
 CALVINISTICAL PRESBYTERIANS. 
 
 We have already taken notice of all thofe who 
 are Calvinilts in other parts of the world, and 
 likewife in Scotland, we muff now proceed to 
 confider fuch as come under that name among 
 the Englilh Prelbyterians. They are, indeed, 
 but few in number, but what remains of them 
 are very refpeCtable. Till the latter end of the 
 reign of king William, all the Diffenters were 
 Calvinilts, but now they are divided, as we fhall 
 have occalion to take notice of afterwards. 
 
 The Calvinilts among the Englifh Prelbyte- 
 rians, have, properly Ipeaking, no difeipline at 
 all. They have no prefbyteries, no fynods, but 
 only meetings of their minilters, when and where 
 they pleafe. When a minifter dies, they fend 
 an invitation either to a young Itudent, or to one 
 who is fettled in a fmaller charge, and if they 
 approve of him, they eleCt him as their pallor. 
 Every member of the congregation has a vote, 
 but Itill there is as little freedom in thefe elec¬ 
 tions, as there is for members of parliament; 
 for the rich order the poor to vote in whatever 
 manner they pleafe. 
 
 When the day is fixed for the ordination, a 
 great number of people affemble, and the ce¬ 
 remony is begun with prayer. After that fome 
 fuitable chapters of feripture are read. This is 
 followed by a general prayer for the Hate of the 
 world, and the nations. A pfalm is then lung, 
 and the fermon follows. The lermon is always 
 on the nature of the clerical office, its origin, 
 neceffity and utility. The prefiding minifter 
 after another pfalm has been lung, mounts the 
 pulpit and delivers a difeourfe, which generally 
 turns upon the nature of the paltoral office, but 
 more particularly on the then ftate of the 
 church, the time when it was firlt eftablifhed, 
 its l'ucceffion of minilters, the charader of the 
 lalt, and the fuccefs that attended him in the 
 difeharge of his duty. All this is done in order 
 to ftimulate the other, to abide in the prac- 
 
 PRESBYTERIANS. 
 
 tice of his duty, and the people to revere their 
 pallor. 
 
 The candidate then delivers his confeffion of 
 faith, but he is not obliged to fublcribe any ar¬ 
 ticles whatever. This is exadly the primitive 
 cufrom, and that is the reafon why we have fo 
 many creeds, their being at leaft four hundred 
 extant in the writings of the fathers. 
 
 As thefe young men, v/ho are to be ordained, 
 are in fentiment Calvinilts, lb their confeffions 
 are confiftent therewith. 
 
 After his confeffion is read and approved of 
 by the minilters and people, he kneels down 
 and is ordained by impofition of hands. A 
 pfalm is then lung, and then all the minilters 
 prel'ent give him the right hand of fellowffiip. 
 One of the minilters then goes up into the pul¬ 
 pit, and delivers a charge both to the newly or¬ 
 dained minifter and the people j and this is 
 much in the fame manner as in the church of 
 Scotland, only that the Englilh charges are lel- 
 dom fo much to the purpofe. 
 
 When they admit a member, they are very 
 different from the Sandemanians, and much more 
 fo from Chrift and his apoftles. Chrift came not 
 to call the righteous, but Tinners to repentance ; 
 and the Sandemanians do not chufe, if they can 
 avoid it, to admit any into their communions, 
 but fuch as are of the molt abandoned characters. 
 Chrift came with offers of falvation to a finful 
 world; but it is probable, that the Sandema¬ 
 nians look out for immoral people, that they may 
 have an opportunity of lhewing their power 
 in excommunicating them as foon as poffible. 
 
 The Calvinift Prelbyterians, however, admit 
 none but righteous people among them. Sinners 
 may come and hear, but none but faints can go 
 to the communion. The candidate is examined 
 privately by the minifter and elders, of whom 
 they have generally two or three, and next Sun¬ 
 day after fermon, the minifter tells the congre¬ 
 gation, that fuch a perfon has been examined 
 as to his knowledge in the facred fci iptures, and 
 the Chrrftian religion; that they have enquired 
 into his moral character, and that they now pro- 
 pofe to the church, whether he ffiould not be ad¬ 
 mitted a member. This is put to the vote and 
 generally carried. 
 
 Thefe people mult have a high notion of 
 church feilowlhip, to put themfelvcs to all this 
 
 trouble 
 
An ACCOUNT of the A R M I N 
 
 trouble for almoft nothing. There is no new 
 privilege they can obtain, bt that of going to 
 the communion. They are not like the primi¬ 
 tive Chriftians, who confidered each other as 
 brethren; and they are not like the Friends, vul¬ 
 garly called Quakers, who never fuffer their 
 poor to want. But the Calviniftical Prefbyte- 
 rians, aft with their poor as the univerfity did 
 with Dean Swift, that is, Spralia Gratia, or 
 fpecial grace. It is true, money is colledted 
 for the poor, or at leaft under that pretence; but 
 the foie diftribution of it is left to the difcretion 
 of the minifter, and he gives to whom he 
 pleafes. This is not church fellowthip ; for in 
 all congregations, there Ihould not be one per- 
 fon in want, while the reft of the members are 
 enjoying affluence. 
 
 This is one of the greateft difflonours to reli- 
 gion that ever yet took place in the world. It 
 makes the poor really to doubt the truth of the 
 facred fcriptures, and it brings the rich under 
 the denomination of thofe againft whom Chrift 
 promifed a woe, becaufe of their manifold of¬ 
 fences. This is a melancholy confideration, but 
 we may lee inftances of it every day ; and we 
 know that human bodies, endowed with rational 
 fouls, are fuch compofitions, that no advices, 
 no inftrufhons, no exhortations, will have any 
 force, if charity and companion to the poor are 
 neglefted. 
 
 They tfldom ever proceed againft delinquents, 
 unlefs their crimes are of a glaring nature, and 
 then they excommunicate them ; but not as the 
 Seceders or the Sandemamans do, for they fend 
 them a fummons to attend on fome weekly 
 meeting, where they tell them of the nature of 
 their guilt, and if they promife repentance, or 
 profefs it, they are forgiven. But if they re¬ 
 main obftinate, they give them a written paper, 
 figned by the minifter and elders, intimating, 
 that he is no longer a member. If the offending 
 brother refufes to come to the meeting, they fend 
 
 him notice by a poll; letter. 
 
 In their worffiip, they are not much unlike 
 the primitive Chriftians. They begin with a Ihort 
 prayer, after which, one or more chapters are 
 read, but they make no remarks on them, as 
 they do in Scotland, fo that their people are but 
 very little acquainted with religion. The reading 
 being over, they fing a pfalm, which is followed 
 by the general prayer, and that by another 
 
 pfalm. . 
 
 Then follows the fermon, which is read out ot 
 a manul'cript, which they put within the leaves 
 of their bible. The fermon is feldom much lels 
 than an hour in length, and is generally tedious. 
 When they adminifter the communion, the mi¬ 
 nifter Hands in a fquare pew before the pulpit, 
 and the people come as near to him as pollible. 
 The elders carry the bread and wine to them, 
 after which, an hymn is fung, and the ceremony 
 concludes with prayer. The communion is, for 
 the molt part, adminiftered in the afternoon, 
 after fermon is over ; but for this pradice there is 
 other rule but cuftom. 
 
 In baptizing their children, they are much the 
 fame as in the church of Scotland, for the mini¬ 
 fter performs the ceremony either in their meet¬ 
 ings or at the parents houfes. There are no other 
 
 IAN PRESBYTERIANS. 579 
 particulars relating to them worth mentioning, 
 only that they have leveral academies for the edu¬ 
 cation of their young men for the miniftry. 
 Their preachers are more popular than fome of 
 the other Diffenters, but their number are now 
 very fmall. 
 
 An Account of the Arminian Prelbyterians. 
 
 The Arminian Preibyterians are very nume¬ 
 rous, which leads us to give an account of the 
 people who come under that denomination. 
 
 We have already had occafion, and that fre¬ 
 quently, to mention, that with refped to the terms 
 of acceptance with God, all the reformers were 
 of the fame opinion as St. Auftin. This will 
 appear evident to every one who perufes Luther 
 on the Galatians, Calvin’s inftitution, the thirty- 
 nine articles of religion in the Church of Eng¬ 
 land, and the old Scottilh confeflion of faith. 
 
 It is inconfiftent with the impartiality we have 
 hitherto adhered, to give our own opinions on 
 the fubjed. From the death of the apoftles, 
 there are near one hundred years obfeured, by 
 fomething worfe, if pollible, than Egyptian 
 darknefs. If there were any writings among the 
 Chriftians, they are now loft to us ; and as for the 
 epiftles that go under the name of Ignatius, they 
 are undoubtedly fpurious. 
 
 This, however, is certain, that from the 
 time of Clemens Romanus, down to the time of 
 St. Auftin, all the writings we have are againft 
 him. Whether there were any who held the fame 
 dodrines before, is utterly unknown to us. The 
 argument ftrikes two ways, and, indeed, with 
 equal force. 
 
 Firft, it is remarkable, that although there 
 were many writers before St. Auftin, yet not one 
 of them embraces the fame fentiments with him. 
 Secondly, had his dodrine been new, is it not 
 natural to believe that he would have been pow¬ 
 erfully oppofed. And yet we read of no one 
 perfon who did oppofe him, except the famous 
 Pelagius. In this ftate of uncertainty, we leave 
 the reader tojudge for himfelf, and proceed to 
 lay before the reader, fome account of Arminius 
 himlelf. 
 
 James Arminius was born at ITaerlem, in Hol¬ 
 land, 1580, his father being a very reputable 
 man in that place. From his moft early youth, 
 he difeovered fuch a fweetnefs of temper, that 
 he became the admiration ot all who knew him. 
 About feventeen, having made great progrefs in 
 grammar learning, he was lent to the univerfity 
 of Geneva, where he ftudied divinity, church 
 hiftory, and criticifm. He read over all the 
 Greek fathers, and imbibed their fentiments. 
 When fatigued with ftudy, he walked out into a 
 grove of trees, near the fide ot the lake, which 
 has ever fince been called Arminius’s Walk. 
 
 Flaving taken his degrees, he left the univer- 
 fity with the charader of a pious young gentle¬ 
 man, and an excellent fcholar. Indeed, there 
 can be but little doubts remaining concerning 
 his extenfive knowledge, when at only the age of 
 twenty-five he was appointed, by the States-ge- 
 neral, profetfor of divinity in their univerfity of 
 
 Leyden. 
 
$80 ACCOUNT of the ARMI 
 
 Leyden. He began his leftures with difcourfes 
 on the epiftles to the Romans and Galatians, 
 where it is fuppofed the ftrength of the Calvi- 
 ftical argument lays. 
 
 It was now that Arminius began to teach pub- 
 lickly thofe fentiments which he had long em¬ 
 braced. The force of conviftion from the perufal 
 of the Greek fathers led him to it; and it is an 
 eftablilbed maxim, that what men believe to be 
 true they will teach. 
 
 His fentiments have always been reduced to the 
 following points: 
 
 Firft, that by predeftination is meant, God’s 
 eternal purpole to fend the gofpel to whom he 
 pleafes, and, in that fenfe, he underftood the 
 words, God will have mercy on whom he will 
 have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 
 By hardening people he underftood, that God 
 would withhold from them the bleflings promifed 
 to believers by the promulgation of the gofpel. 
 
 Secondly, he afferted, that in conformity 
 with the Greek church, God had given every 
 man power to turn from fin to righteoufnefs, 
 and, in that fenfe, he underftood thofe words. 
 Ye will not come unto me that ye may have 
 life. And again, all thofe expreffions in the bi- 
 ble, upon which exhortations are founded; for 
 as he laid, what occafion for exhortation to men 
 to perform any duties, if they have not the power 
 to do it. 
 
 Thirdly, that as for the fin of our firft parents 
 it runs along with us, and is implanted, but not 
 imputed, otherwife (faid he) how can it hap¬ 
 pen that fome are fandtified from the womb. 
 
 Fourthly, that the death of Chrift was a fa- 
 crifice fufficient to make an attonement for the 
 fins of the whole world. He gave himfelf a 
 ranfom for all. He did not afierr, that by the 
 death of Chrift all mankind would be faved, be- 
 caufe many of them would not embrace the of¬ 
 fered conditions, but he taught, that the facrifice 
 ltfelf was lufficient to make a complete attone¬ 
 ment. In this he has been followed by the pious 
 and ingenious Dr. Watts, who fays. 
 
 He came to make the blefting flow, 
 
 Far as the curie is found. 
 
 Laftly, in conformity with the antient Greek 
 church, he afferted, that there was no fuch 
 thing as final perfeverance, for men mi°-ht at 
 any time fall off from grace. In this fenfe he 
 underftood the words. Be not high-minded, but 
 fear, and let him who ftandeth take heed left he 
 fall. And again, that parable of Chrift's, where 
 fpeaking of an apoftate, he fays, The laft end of 
 that man lhall be worfe than the firft. And he 
 likewife adverted to all thofe paffao-es where 
 there is an intimation of falling off from grace 
 The apparent novelty of thefe doftrines, at'a 
 time when men’s minds were not properly fet¬ 
 tled concerning religious difputes, becaufe they 
 had not been hitherto contradifled, created 
 much confufion. 
 
 James I. of England, who pretended to have 
 much knowledge in theological controverfies 
 wrote a fevere letter to the States-general, in 
 which he infertcd, that Arminius Ihould be burnt 
 alive. Perhaps this fentence might have been 
 
 HAN PRESBYTERIANS. 
 
 put in execution, had not Arminius died foon 
 after. His fentiments, however, did not die 
 with him; for many learned men in Holland 
 embraced them, among whom was Epifcopius 
 (it Ihould be bilhop) and the famous Grotius, 
 celebrated all over Europe for his treatife on the 
 laws of peace and war. Political interefts took 
 place with polemical difputes, and James I. 
 of England, though a man of learning, like a 
 true pedagogue, influenced the Proteftant 
 princes to call, what is vulgarly called, a Gene¬ 
 ral council. Juft as if the gofpel of Chrift Je- 
 fus, which is lb clearly revealed in the New Tef- 
 tament, could be better illuftrated by a parcel of 
 pnefts with gowns and caffocks. This council 
 or rather fynod (for fo it was called) met at 
 
 Dort, 1617, and there were feveral commiffion- 
 
 ers from ail the Proteftant dates in Europe 
 I hey met in the church of Dort, where we 
 have feen paintings of the moft celebrated 
 among!! them, particularly the famous bilhop 
 Hall. 1 
 
 As the affembly was compofedof partial men, 
 it was no difficult matter to get the opinions of 
 Arminius condemned. Theyweie condemned, 
 and thofe who profefied them were thrown into 
 prifon, among whom was the famous Grotius, 
 who made his efcape, and was afterwards taken 
 into the lervice of Chriftina, queen of Swe- 
 den. 
 
 But notwithftanding all the rigour made ufe of 
 by James, and the other Proteftant princes in 
 Europe, Arminianifm grew and flouriffied. All 
 the Lutherans embraced it; and this much is 
 certain, that at the reftoration of Charles II. in 
 1660, there was not a divine in the eftabliihed 
 church of any note, who did not preach the 
 lame dodtrines. It has for many years become 
 as it were univerfal in the church of England, 
 and it is to be found in many parts of Scotland; 
 but this leads us to conlider in what manner the 
 Englilh Prelbyterians firft embraced it, together 
 with its caufes and confequcnces. 
 
 About the year 1691, juft after the toleration 
 act took place, fome books were publilhed con¬ 
 cerning Antinomian principles ; for before that 
 time, the generality of the Englilh Diffenters 
 were Calvinifts. This provoked one Dr. Wil¬ 
 liams, a man of vaft fortune, fome learning, but 
 no eloquence, to write a book entitled, “ Gof¬ 
 pel 1 ruth Stated. ’ In this work he deviated, 
 from many of his brethren, who, in their writ- 
 mgs, had made falvation an abfolute thing. 
 Whereas, he made it conditional, depending o°n 
 fauh. He faid, that repentance muftcome be- 
 fore faith ; whereas, the Calvinifts had always 
 afferted, that there could be no repentance with¬ 
 out faith. This man was undoubtedly a mode¬ 
 rate Calvinift, or, in other words, a ftridt Arini- 
 man. But from this time a fchifm took place 
 among the Proteftant Diffenters in England. 
 
 ieanied among them inclined to Dr 
 Williams’s notions, and what is rather remark¬ 
 able, they improved upon them. Every year they 
 became more and more loofe in their doftrines, 
 till at laft their fermons were little better than 
 fyftems of Deifm. They feemed, as they ftill 
 do, to take a pleafure in teaching their people 
 jult what they may read in Seneca, or Epictetus, 
 
 without 
 

 ACCOUNT of the ARIAN PRESBYTERIANS. 
 
 without fo much as adhering to any thing in the 
 gofpel. The conlequence has been, that they 
 are forfaken by their people, and left in di ft refs. 
 They have nothing now left them but to preach 
 againft government, and as moft of their hearers 
 are rebels, this procures them a fcanty fubfiftance. 
 The minifters are ftill numerous, but the hearers 
 are few; for their dull tedious difcourfes will not 
 go down with the generality of people. 
 
 They are undoubtedly very impolitic in one part 
 of their conduct; for although they know that 
 it is confiftent with human nature to court popu¬ 
 larity, yet they affeft to defpife it. The conle¬ 
 quence is, they have few hearers left, except 
 fuch as are enemies to the government. Indeed, it 
 may juftly be faid of them, that in order to ftarve 
 themfelves and their families, they have embraced 
 all the fentiments of the Arians and Socinians, 
 and the truths of the gofpel are rather naufeous 
 to them. But we fhall have occadon to mention 
 another fe6t of Diflenters ftill more erroneous 
 than they. In all their public offices thefe people 
 are the fame as thofe we have already defcribed. 
 
 Account of the Arian Prefbyterians. 
 
 We have already, in the courfe of this work, 
 taken notice of the origin of thofe people called 
 Arians, who fprungup at Alexandria, about the 
 middle of the fourth century. Little notice has 
 been taken of them by the writers of the middle 
 ages ; but at the reformation fome perfons ac¬ 
 tually declared themfelves to be of thefe fenti¬ 
 ments. 
 
 This, indeed, is not much to be wondered at, 
 when we confider the unfettled ftate of the 
 times, the agitations into which men’s minds 
 were thrown, by a change from the grofteft lu- 
 perftition to rational religion, and the reli¬ 
 gious difputes which naturally took place in 
 confequence of agitated arguments concerning 
 the word of all fubjedts, namely, polemical di¬ 
 vinity. 
 
 However, after the reformation was eftablifh- 
 ed in thofe nations which embraced it, we find 
 but very little account of the Arians for more 
 than a century. In 1616, two of them were 
 burnt alive at Litchfield, in Staffordfhire, on 
 the abominable adt of Henry IV. and the Puri¬ 
 tans in New-England, burnt about three or 
 four more, during the time of Oliver Crom¬ 
 well. 
 
 Perfecution, during the reign of Charles II. 
 kept the Englilh Dilfenters in one mind ; but 
 no fooner did the revolution take place, and 
 men were allowed that liberty which is the inhe¬ 
 rent right of every rational creature, than they 
 abufed it to licentioufnefs. 
 
 About the year 1720, one Mr. Pearce, a Dif- 
 fenting minifter at Exeter, who had written a 
 learned treatifein defence of his brethren, began 
 to broach fome new dodtrines concerning the 
 trinity, which created much confufion, and 
 many of the minifters, who were very numerous 
 in thole parts, entered into an affociation, to 
 prefer a bill of indidtment againft Mr. Pearce, 
 for denying the dodtrines of the trinity. This 
 was fuch an inftance of madnefs as cannot 
 49 
 
 5 8l 
 
 be paralleled in church hiftory, but to the ever- 
 lafting honour of the grand jury, the bill was 
 returned, Ignoramus. Thefe dodtrines, however, 
 fpread far and wide, and within a few ye rs; 
 many of the Prefoyterians embraced there. , and 
 indeed, it may be added, that thofe ru gft 
 them, who would wifh to fhelter themfelves 
 under the name of Arminians, are now become 
 Arians. 
 
 There are fome things neceftary to be taken 
 notice of in treating of the Arian Prefbyterians, 
 and the rather fo becaufe there were Arians in 
 England fome years before they declared them- 
 ielves to be of thofe fentiments. If a man goes 
 into one of their congregations, unlefs he is of 
 a particular genius, he will not know what th y 
 mean. A friend of the author has heard fome 
 of them, for a whole hour together, hold out the 
 glory of Chrift, and, in the conclufion, declare 
 that he was no more than a created being. 
 
 Their congregations are numerous throughout 
 England, but the hearers are fo few, that they 
 are not able to fupport the minifcer. Their 
 fermons are in general to the ignorant very am¬ 
 biguous, but to thofe who know any thing of 
 Chriftianity, they are worfe than Heathenifm. 
 Moft of their congregations begin to drop oft', 
 and there is no wonder, for thofe who iove 
 the New Teftament, love Jelus Chrift as a fa- 
 viour. But it would feem, that thefe Arian 
 Prelbyterians, in order to fupport their wild ro¬ 
 mantic notions, did every thing in their power 
 to drive their people away from their aflem- 
 bl ies. The author of this has actually heard one 
 or more of their minifters, fpend the whole of 
 their fermons in endeavouring to make it appear, 
 that Chrift was not an objeft of worfhip. That 
 he was a mere man whom God had created, but 
 they, at the fame time, allowed him to be a me¬ 
 diator between God and finners. 
 
 How this can be reconciled to all the accounts 
 we have of the Divine Redeemer, we leave the 
 reader to judge. We may juftly fay, that if 
 Chrift was not God, and one with the father, 
 our faith is vain, and we have believed in vain. 
 Let us only confider, how different from this 
 the fentiments of the moft pious men have been 
 in all ages and nations ; and it was efteemed the 
 peculiar glory of Proteftants, to look upon Chrift 
 as their faviour. 
 
 And here is the very itrength of the argu¬ 
 ment ; for if our fins were committed againft an- 
 infinite being, confequently none but one of an 
 equal nature, could make an attonement for 
 them. 
 
 All the hopes that a finner can have, mult be 
 through the mediation of Chrift, and thofe who 
 defpife that mediation, cannot expect the di¬ 
 vine mercy. All bleftings were firft promifed 
 to Chrift in his human nature, and thefe were 
 to be tranfmitted by him to all his faithful fol¬ 
 lowers. 
 
 Some of the Arian Prefbyterians have com¬ 
 piled a new liturgy, which is, perhaps, the worft 
 compofition that ever was read by men. In the 
 midft of their prayers, we find them denying the 
 divinity of Chrift, and they feem to dwell with 
 pleafure on the fubjedt. But we muft not flop 
 here. Be not furprifed reader. They have ac¬ 
 tually made a new Bible. 
 
 7 H 
 
 One 
 
5 32 ACCOUNT of the S O C I N I 
 
 One of their teachers, celebrated for mang¬ 
 ling the works of fome of the greateft divines, 
 actually took it into his head to collect into one 
 book, all thole texts of fcripture that fnited his 
 purpofr, and recommended unto his people not 
 to read any other. If this was not making a 
 new bible, it will be difficult to fay what 
 is. 
 
 It is obferved by the pious Mr. Henry, that 
 the way of fin is downwards, that is, that as 
 loon as men leave the truth, and the way where 
 they could find reft to their fouls, they continue 
 finking as it were downwards into darknefs and 
 error. Of this the following fpecimen of the 
 errors of the Arian Prefbyterians may fuffice. 
 
 Some of their preachers have boldly afferted, 
 that the foul of man dies with the body, which 
 ffiews, that they are what the Epicureans were 
 among the Heathens, and the Sadduces 
 among the Jews. It is a lamentable truth, 
 that feveral people, in confiequence of reading 
 thofe writings, have given themfelves up to all 
 forts of debauchery. 
 
 Some others of their preachers have alferted, 
 that the foul fieeps from death till the general re- 
 furreftion. This is an antient herefy, for we 
 read of a left of people called Soul Sleepers, 
 who appeared in Egypt, in Syria, before the 
 time of Conftantine the Great. 
 
 There is a third fort, at the head of whom is 
 a divine, famous for his knowledge in politics, 
 who alferts, by eternal puniffiment, is meant, 
 eternal annihilation. They fay, that after the 
 laft judgement is over, and the righteous acquit¬ 
 ted by their Lord, the wicked will be condemned 
 and burnt to allies with the earth. Now thefe 
 people muft be materialifts, for how could the 
 fire burn the foul. 
 
 We have mentioned thefe things, not from 
 motives of ill-nature, but compaffion, and to 
 ffiew that there is no end to error. What man, 
 who has read the writings of thofe Di(Tenters 
 who died about fourfcore years ago, fuch as 
 Bates, Howe, Baxter, and many others, would 
 imagine that they could be fucceeded by men 
 who are greater enemies to the Chriftian religion 
 then the Deifts are, nay, who actually deny one 
 of the leading principles of natural religion, 
 namely, the immortality of the foul. A very 
 intelligent perfon, who is now a Dilfenting mini- 
 fter, once qbferved to us that ever fince the 
 publication of Dr. Williams’s book on Gof- 
 pel Truth, the Engliffi Prefbyterians have been 
 lucceffively plunging as it were into errors j 
 and as they have made a new bible, fo they may, 
 in time, recommend a new God. 
 
 It is, however, melancholy to confider what 
 diftraflion they have driven the people into. 
 Thofe who uled formerly to go regularly to their 
 meetings, and heard the gofpel preached, fel- 
 dom go now to any place of worffiip at all. 
 
 There is, however, this advantage attends 
 them and their miniftrations, namely, that they 
 cannot do much harm, for the largeft meeting 
 they have has only a few hearers. Two of their 
 chief preachers in London, preached away both 
 their congregations, and both the meetings were 
 advertifcd to be let. Moft of their minifters 
 are very needy, and it is but a few years fince the 
 
 AN PRESBYTERIANS. 
 
 Calviniftical Prefbyterians made a colleftion to 
 fupply the wants of one of them. How ftrong 
 muft the hatred thefe men have to the divinity 
 of Chrift be, when they will fuffer all thefe 
 hardfhips, rather than inculcate thole truths that 
 were taught by their anceftors. 
 
 But ftill there are exceptions. About twelve 
 years ago, a noble lord, equally famous for his 
 knowledge in politics and herefy, fixed his eyes 
 upon fuch clergymen, whether Dilfenters, or 
 others, who denied the divinity of Chrift. Of 
 thofe there were three brothers, all Ari'an Prefby- 
 terian minifters. His lordffiip fent one of thefe 
 to ftudy phyfic, and the other two he prelentcd 
 to livings in the church of England. Thus for 
 the fake of livings, the men who denied the di¬ 
 vinity of Chrift, could not only fubfcribe the 
 thirty-nine articles, but even read the Athanafian 
 Creed. 
 
 In all their ceremonies of worffiip, they ob- 
 ferve the fame forms which we have already men¬ 
 tioned, except thofe who read their printed li¬ 
 turgy, but that is only in a few places. Some 
 of them read a prayer in manufcript, and their 
 fermons are all written. They have no difcipline 
 nor government, and in their congregations, the 
 people feem cold and infenfible, while the 
 preacher is delivering his moral harangue, or 
 depreciating the glories of Chrift Jelus. No new 
 members are added, and therefore there will 
 be probably none left after the prefent gene¬ 
 ration. 
 
 We Ihall conclude this article by obferving, 
 that fuch people as belong to them, never inftruft 
 their children in any catechifms, fo that they 
 are ffiockingly ignorant. They do not fo much 
 as know thofe very points by which their religion 
 is diftinguiffied. The cold lifelefs manner in 
 which the minifter preaches, makes them defpife 
 all religion, or at leaft, not to regard any. 
 
 Account of the Socinian Prefbyterians. 
 
 Solomon, the wifeft prince that ever lived in 
 the world, fays, there were four things he could 
 not undqrftand, namely, the way of a ffiip in 
 the fea ; the way of an eagle in the air; the way 
 of the conies on the rocks ; and the way of a 
 man with a maid. But what would that great 
 prince have faid had he lived in our times, to fee 
 luch variety of forms and fentiments in religion 
 as we have amongft us, and all thefe bearing the 
 names ofChriftians and Proteftants. Perhaps he 
 would have faid, as he did on another occalion, 
 “ God hath made man upright, but he hath 
 “ fought out many inventions.” 
 
 There is nothing has contributed more towards 
 the propagation of popery in this country, 
 than the various fefts we are divided into. 
 The firft thing a Romiffi prieft advances in con- 
 verfation with fuch Proteftants as he intends to 
 convert, is our difference in religion. He tells 
 the perfon, that the Roman Catholics are all 
 united, whereas, the Proteftant religion is like a 
 dreadful monfter with a great number of heads. 
 But he does not ftop here. 
 
 He tells him, that one left denies the divinity 
 
 of 
 
ACCOUNT of the SOCINIAN PRESBYTERIANS. 
 
 of Chrift; another that of the holy ghofl: ; 
 a third the immortality of the foul; a fourth the 
 refurredtion of the body; a fifth the eternity of 
 hell torments, &c. &c. &c. 
 
 This is the way they make converts, as they 
 call them; and it is told by themfelves, that 
 within thefe twenty years, they have drawn over 
 to their communion above twenty thoufand Pro- 
 teftants, many of whom were Diflenters. And 
 this is not much to be wondered at, when we 
 confider, what a thing it is for weak minds to be 
 diftra&ed about religious opinions. Thefe poor 
 unfortunate people, no fooner embraced Popery, 
 than they imagined themfelves delivered, as it 
 were, from Egyptian bondage. 
 
 A few years ago, a young Prefbyterian minifter 
 turned Roman Catholic, and was ordained a 
 prieft. He was fo zealous, that he was fent on 
 the mifl'on to Scotland, where he had been 
 brought up, and adtually boalted of his having 
 made fome hundreds of converts. 
 
 A few years ago, a Socinian minifter in ,Lon¬ 
 don, preached away all his congregation; and one 
 of them, a perfon of ienfe and great abilities, j 
 turned Roman Catholic. That man is ftill alive, 
 and boafts that there is feldom a week in which 
 he does not gain l'ome profelites. But to proceed 
 with our fubjedt. 
 
 Fauftus Socinus, from whom thefe people 
 take their name, was a phyfician of fome repute 
 at Sienna, in Italy, about the time of the refor¬ 
 mation. The profligacy of the court, and the 
 corruption of the church of Rome, convinced 
 him, that Chriftianity was not to be found there. 
 And as he had been taught to believe in the 
 unity of the church, fo he imagined that Chrif¬ 
 tianity was not to be found among the Protef- 
 tants, becaufe they were divided into many 
 parties. 
 
 However, as nothing could pleafe him that he 
 faw or heard, he refolved to make a new religion 
 to fuit his own fancy. 
 
 He taught, like the Arians, that to believe in 
 the divinity of Chrift, was to deftroy the unity 
 of the godhead ; adding, that if there were three 
 perfons, there might be three hundred, or any 
 number whatever. Pie faid, that the texts made 
 ufe of to prove the divinity of Chrift, ought to 
 be underftood in a different fenle. 
 
 The Arians admit, that Chrift exifted before 
 the world was created; but the Socinians fay, he 
 had no exiftence till his body was formed in the 
 womb of the virgin. As for the incarnation of 
 Chrift, they think that it is not to be confidered 
 as miraculous ; and they maintain, that it cannot 
 be proved from the facred fcriptures. They fay, 
 that had it been neceffary to believe in the incar¬ 
 nation, the bible would have mentioned it. One 
 would think thefe people had never read the 
 bible, for the incarnation was prophecied in the 
 Old Teftament, and it is related at large in the 
 New. 
 
 About four years ago, a Socinian minifter 
 wrote a pamphlet to prove that the virgin fpoken 
 of in Ifaiah, was not the Virgin Mary, and that 
 the child to be born' was Hezekiah. In anfwer 
 to this, Mr. Sharp wrote a learned trad, and 
 he was leconded by a pious German divine, 
 now r at Hefle-Caffel. One would have thought 
 
 this was fufffcient to have refuted the Socinian, 
 but he had recourle to a method, which had it 
 not been taken notice of, might have foon 
 deprived us of both the Old and New Tcfta- 
 ment. 
 
 Mr. Sharp had obferved, that the very words 
 of the prophet’s relating to Chrift’s incarnation, 
 are, by Matthew the Evangelift, applied to 
 Chrift in chapters I. and II. Upon that theSoci* 
 nian wrote a pamphlet, attempting to prove that 
 thofe two chapters are fpurious, and forged by 
 fome of the antient fathers. 
 
 He was going to have proceeded in the fame 
 manner with the'firft two chapters of St. Luke’s 
 gofpel, but Mr. Sharp anfwered him in luch a 
 mafterly manner, that probably he will be fflent 
 for ever. 
 
 They teach, that man was of his own nature 
 mortal, even before the fall, and was never en¬ 
 dowed with original righteoufnefs, confequently 
 there can be no original fin by the fall of Adam. 
 That we have a power to do good or evil when¬ 
 ever we pleafe. That God knows nothing of 
 what is to happen, even to-morrow. That the 
 caufe of predeftination is not in God, but in man. 
 That God predeftinates no one in particular to 
 be laved. That he might have forgiven fin 
 without Chrift’s death ; for as he is the univerfal 
 Lord, fo he might do with his creatures as 
 he pleafed ; he might give up his right to pu- 
 nifh. 
 
 They add further, that as Chrift was a mortal 
 man, fo it was neceffary that he fhould die; and 
 this, fay they, fhews he was not God, becaufe 
 God cannot die. That the death and all the 
 bufferings of Chrift were for no other purpofe, 
 than to fliew an example for people to imitate. 
 That Chrift made noattonement for fin, nor was 
 his death of any great fervice to mankind. 
 That God hath exalted Chrift in heaven fome- 
 what above the faints, but ftill he is a dependent 
 being. That baptifm is an indifferent thing, and 
 may either be uled or not. That the torments 
 of hell mean no more than that the foul and 
 body fhall be both annihilated. We fhall not 
 mention the dreadful confequences which might 
 be drawn from thefe principles, becaufe it might 
 injure many perfons in the prefent age, whole 
 minds, we hope, are well eftablifhed in the 
 faith. 
 
 They fay that every fort of difeipline is no more 
 than ecclefiaftical policy, and certainly fo it is, 
 but they have none. That pallors are all equal, 
 and to them with the elders belong the govern¬ 
 ment of the church. 
 
 The paftoral fun&ion confifts in preaching, 
 praying, viffting the fick, and adminiftering the 
 Sacraments. They admit of no more facraments 
 than two, namely, Baptifm, and the Lord’s- 
 Supper. 
 
 A facrament, fay they, is an oath, or an 
 engagement to perform fomething; and when 
 they partake of the communion, they fit round 
 a table, like the Calvinifts, there being no dif¬ 
 ference between them in that particular. 
 
 The Socinians are charged with meafuring their 
 faith by the narrow bounds of their reafon. 
 God (fay they) never commanded, that man can 
 believe what cannot be comprehended. That we 
 
 are 
 
584 ACCOUNT of the SOCINIAN PRESBYTERIANS. 
 
 a re created with an underftanding fit to conceive, 
 a nd we fhould reje< 5 t what we cannot compre¬ 
 hend. 
 
 And here we would afk, if any man could ever 
 yet comprehend God. Ci Canft thou by fearching 
 <c (fays Job) find out God, canft thou find out 
 <c the Almighty unto perfection ?” Plato, a Hea¬ 
 then, faid, fpeaking of God, “ Truth is his 
 <e body, and light is his fhadow.” Simonides, 
 a Sicilian philofopher, being afked by his king 
 Dionyfius, what God was, afked fome time to 
 confider of an anfwer, but at lafe returned for 
 anfwer, that the more he confidered, the more he 
 was loft in admiration, at the boundlefs nature of 
 the fubjedt. 
 
 Toland and Tindal, attempting to write in 
 defence of Socinianifm, became profeffed Deifts, 
 and wrote againft the Chriftian religion. 
 
 Mr. Whifton, who was himfelf an Arian, being 
 one day in converfation with Chubb, who was a 
 Socinian, he (Whifton) told him it would not be 
 long before he embraced Deifm, and he did 
 fo. 
 
 It is certain* that thole who rejedt myfteries, 
 muft, at the fame time, rejedt divine revelation; 
 and here we may fay, with a great man, “ Nothing 
 is more reafonable than to believe that to be true 
 which is above reafon; what notion can a man form 
 of the foul, any more than that it is a living adtive 
 principle, which he feels within himfelf, but 
 cannot in any manner comprehend.” 
 
 The Socinians often fpeak very difrefpeftfully 
 of Chrift, particularly in their fermons, and al¬ 
 ways treat of a future ftate, as but very imper¬ 
 fectly revealed. They are apparently happy, that 
 God has not made the golpel difpenfation clearer 
 than it is, and yet they will not believe what is 
 revealed. 
 
 Dr. Blair, an author now alive, and a divine, 
 juftly admired by his brethren, the minifters of 
 the church of Scotland, has made fome fine re¬ 
 marks concerning the notions of the Socinians. 
 
 It plainly appears (fays the Dr.) to be the plan 
 of the deity, in all his difpenfations, to mix light 
 with darknefs, evidence with uncertainty. What¬ 
 ever the reafon of this providence be, the fadt is 
 undeniable. 
 
 God is deferibed in the Old Teftament, as a 
 God that hideth himfelf. Clouds and darknefs 
 are laid to furround him. His way is in the fea 
 and his path in the great waters, his footfteps are 
 not known. Both the works and the ways of 
 God aie full of nayftery. In the ordinary courfe 
 of his government, innumerable events occur, 
 which perplex us to the utmoft. There is a cer¬ 
 tain limit to all our enquiries in religion, beyond 
 
 which, if we attempt to proceed, we are loft in 
 a maze of inextricable difficulties. Even that re¬ 
 velation which affords fuch material inftrudtion 
 to man concerning his duty and his happinefs, 
 leaves many doubts unrefolved. See Blair’s Ser¬ 
 mons, fer. iv. p. 290. 
 
 It is certain, that if men could comprehend 
 every thing revealed ; if they could fee the veil 
 drawn afide, and the myftery of God's moral 
 government unfolded, there would be an amaz¬ 
 ing change, but it would be for the worft. Men 
 would negleft .thofe duties they owe to fociety 
 to their country, their families, and them- 
 felves. Human life would procure no objeds 
 fufficient to roufe the mind to a ftate of aftivity, 
 nor to urge the hand of induftry. Nay, it has 
 been fuppolcd, perhaps with good reafon, that 
 were men to behold the glories of a future ftate 
 they would deprive themfelves of its bleflinn s ’ 
 by rulhing upon their own deftruftion. ° ’ 
 
 It has plealed our God to conceal many things 
 from us, that we may give evidence of our 
 humility and our confidence in him. To fet up 
 reafon as the boundary of our religion, is an at¬ 
 tempt to make ourfelves greater than the glori¬ 
 ous angels in heaven. For the apoftle, fpeakin°- 
 or the work of man’s redemption, fays, “ Which 
 things the angels defire to look into." Which 
 implies, it was then too great for them, and will 
 remain fo till Chrift has finilhed his mediatorial 
 office. 
 
 How different from thefe fentiments are thofe 
 of the humble believer? How often does he ex¬ 
 claim with joy, 
 
 Thy mercies Hill thou doft impart. 
 
 With every added day. 
 
 Above the reft, O give an heart. 
 
 Its tribute ftill to pay. 
 
 Th angelic hoft for ever pure, 
 
 My late return lhall blefs; 
 
 Nor fin nor forrow ever more, 
 
 Confpire againft my reft. 
 
 Thofe falfe fuggeftions, flelh and blood. 
 Did interpole below. 
 
 Shall then be clear’d and underftood. 
 And unmix’d friendlhip flow. 
 
 , -uiv, ouLimans, 
 
 becaufe they are, with relpeft to the Prelbyterian 
 clergy, the moft numerous in England, but many 
 Ot them have not above a dozen of hearers In 
 their worlhip they are the fame as the Arians, and 
 tor the moft part they are very fimilar; they have 
 already preached away moft of their hearers, and 
 probably there will be but few left foon. 
 
 An 
 
( 5^5 ) 
 
 An ACCOUNT of the 
 
 I T is remarkable, that in treating of the 
 different fe6ts among the Proteftant Diffen- 
 ters in England, we generally find them 
 divided and lubdivided into parties. To what 
 can this be owing, fays the unbeliever in Chrift? 
 Can there be any truth in the religion of thofe 
 people, who are daily projecting new fchemes, 
 and changing thefe as often as their capricious 
 humours direCt them ? Here let the Deift not 
 triumph; for we could make it appear, that 
 there are more differences among thofe people, 
 who call themfelves Freethinkers. Thus, To- 
 land, was an enemy to all thofe fentiments that 
 diftinguifti Chriftians from other people in the 
 world. Tindal was of a quite different opinion. 
 Blount denied the immortality of the foul and 
 iliot himfelf. Bolingbroke was a profeffed de¬ 
 bauchee, and faintly attempted to overthrow 
 the Scripture Pliftory. We have only mentioned 
 thefe few inftances, in order to fhew, that there 
 are no people in the world more inconfiftent than 
 the writers among theDeifts, when they ridicule 
 the differences among Proteftants. 
 
 Thefe differences, among Proteftant Diffen- 
 ters, are fo trifling, that they feldom affeCt the 
 effentials of religion; and people ought to bear 
 with each other, and be tenderly obliging, with¬ 
 out affording an opportunity for either the Pa- 
 pifts or Deifts to triumph over their weaknefs. 
 
 The Independents, as they are now in Eng¬ 
 land, may be divided into two fefts, namely, 
 the regulars and the irregulars. The regular 
 Independents, are thofe who have been brought 
 up at their academy, and received as much 
 learning as we fhall have occafion to take notice 
 of afterwards. The irregular Independents confift 
 of the lower ranks of people, who have for 
 fome time attended the preaching of the Me- 
 thodifts, but are feduced away by lome of their 
 friends, who happen to have a greater volubility 
 of fpeech than the others. But of each of thefe 
 in their order. 
 
 Account of the Regular Independents. 
 
 Thefe people were called originally Brown- 
 ifts, from the following circumftance : 
 
 Mr. Robert Brown, a Puritan preacher, in 
 the diocel'e of Norwich, had been much perfe- 
 cuted by the biftiops, and frequently thrown into 
 prifon. 
 
 This Mr. Brown was defcended from an an- 
 tient and honourable family, in the county of 
 Rutland, and nearly related to the great Lord 
 Treafurer Cecil. He received his education in 
 Corpus Chrifti College, in Cambridge, but 
 having conceived early prejudices againft the ce¬ 
 remonies, he went about the country preaching 
 in private houfes. Having had an information 
 lodged againft him in the l^iritual court, he was 
 49 
 
 INDEPENDENTS. 
 
 degraded from his office; and being then d young 
 man, he went and lived fome time privately 
 with his father. 
 
 He could not, however, be reftrained from 
 preaching and inveighing againft the biftiops 
 and the ceremonies. For this he was imprifon- 
 cd no lefs than thirty-two times, and at laft 
 forced to leave the kingdom. Upon this he re¬ 
 tired to Middleburgh in Zeland, with feveral 
 of his followers, where he formed a church upon 
 his own plan of difcipline. This happened in 
 1586, but in three years after, 1589, they fplit 
 into fo many parties, that Brown left them and 
 returned to England, where he renounced his 
 principles. After this, he became redtor of a 
 parifh church in Northamptonlhire, where he 
 lived an idle and diffolute life, and having af- 
 faulted one of his neighbours, he was commit¬ 
 ted to the gaol of Northampton, where he 
 died 1630, in the eighty-firft year of his age. 
 
 The Brownifts held the fame notions with re- 
 fpedt to the terms of acceptance, as the Calvi- 
 nifts, but in their difcipline they were uncom¬ 
 monly rigid. They taught, that every congre¬ 
 gation was a church independent of any other, 
 and this is the reafon why they are called Inde¬ 
 pendents. 
 
 Some of their reafons for feparating from the 
 church of England were, that the laws and the 
 queen’s injunctions, had impofed feveral things 
 that were not commanded in the gofpel. That 
 there were feveral grols errors in the fervice of 
 the church, which were made neceffary for 
 the communion, and impofed accordingly. 
 That if perfecution for the fake of confcience 
 was inconfiftent with Chriftianity, the church of* 
 England could not be a true one. That the 
 conftitution of the hierarchy was too bad to be 
 mended. That the very pillars of it were rot¬ 
 ten,* and that there was a neceflity for a total re¬ 
 formation. 
 
 Thefe people fuffered much, along with the 
 other Puritans, during the reign of queen Eli¬ 
 zabeth, and many fuffered death with remark¬ 
 able conftancy for the principles they profeffed. 
 
 In 1593, the Brownifts were become fo nume¬ 
 rous, that Sir Walter Raleigh declared in par¬ 
 liament, that there were upwards of twenty 
 thoufand of them in the counties of Norfolk and 
 1 Effex, and in the neighbourhood of London. 
 Thofe near London being more numerous than 
 any where elfe, they formed themfelves into a 
 congregation, and chofe a paftor. They had 
 many learned men among them, particularly 
 Ainfworth, whofe expofition of the Pentateuch 
 and the Pfalms, is one of the beft books in the 
 world. But this congregation was foon difperfed, 
 and fifty-fix of the members were lent to pri¬ 
 fon, where fome of them perifhed for want of 
 the neceffaries of life. 
 
 Hereupon, they petitioned the lord treafurer, 
 fetting forth the hardfhips they laboured under, 
 7 I but 
 
586 An ACCOUNT of the 
 
 but their petition was reje£!ed. Thefe perfec¬ 
 tions obliged many of them to go over to Idol- 
 land, where they fet up themfelves in moft of the 
 principal towns. In the reign of James I. the 
 peifecution carried on again!! them was greater 
 than before j but thefe people, although perle- 
 cuted, fplit into parties, and did all they could 
 to injure each other. 
 
 About the year 1610, they afiumed the name 
 of Independents, and one Mr. Robinfon, a 
 learned man among!! them, returned to Eng¬ 
 land, and formed a congregation, which met in 
 the Borough of Southwark, where there is a 
 meeting to this day. It is called Deadman’s 
 Place, becaufe the Diffenters have a burying- 
 ground adjoining to it. 
 
 But this little fociety having been informed 
 again!! by the bifhop’s purfuviant in 1632, forty- 
 two of them were apprehended and thrown into 
 prifon. Some of thefe were admitted to bail, 
 but no favour was to be fliewn to their pallor; 
 upon which he petitioned the king for leave to 
 depart from England, which was granted him. 
 He, with about thirty of his followers, went over 
 to New England ; and Mr. Canne, who wrote 
 the marginal notes on the bible, was chofen 
 pallor in his room. 
 
 Mr. Canne preached in private houfes, but 
 the rage of the perfecution drove him and his fol¬ 
 lowers over to Holland, where they eftabliflied 
 a congregation at Ami!erdam. 
 
 Mr. Howe was their next minifler, who was 
 thrown into prifon, where he died. As oppo- 
 fition is the life of argument, fo perfecution 
 promotes religion, whether true or fall'e. Thefe 
 people encreafed to an amazing number, and 
 although almoft all of them were of dif¬ 
 ferent fentiments, yet they were either called 
 Puritans or Browniils. 
 
 They continued to meet in Deadman’s-Place 
 as ufual j but one Sunday, whilf! they were ce¬ 
 lebrating Divine worlhip, they were lurrounded 
 by the marftial of the King’s-bench, and com¬ 
 mitted to prifon. Next day they were carried 
 before the houfe of lords, and accufed of deny¬ 
 ing the king’s fupremacy in ecclefiaftical mat¬ 
 ters, and with preaching contrary to the ftatute 
 of uniformity. The houfe, however, did not 
 proceed again!! them in a fummary manner, but 
 difmified them with a gentle reprimand. Next 
 day a great many people weiit to fee their meet¬ 
 ing, and were fo pleafed with its fimplicity, that 
 they embraced their notions and became converts. 
 
 Hiftory addrefles itfelf to a period far more 
 diftant than the dreams of wild enthufiafts, or 
 the blafphemies of madmen. She undertakes 
 to hold out truth to public notice, without re¬ 
 gard to fa£!ions, or any attachment to parties. 
 She is to drefs up truth in her native colours, 
 and leave the impartial reader to judge. This 
 is not an eafy matter in the mid!! of contending 
 parties. We are not to be fwayed or biafied by 
 inveterate prejudices, any more than partial at¬ 
 tachments. So juft are the words of the poet. 
 
 So from the time we fir!! begin to know, 
 
 We live and learn and not the wiler grow : 
 
 But he who truth from fallhood would difcern, 
 Muft fir!! difrobe the mind, and all unlearn. 
 
 INDEPENDENTS. 
 
 To difpofiefs the child the mortal lives, 
 
 But death approaches e’er the man arrives. 
 
 Thus truth lies hid, and e’er we can explore 
 The glittering gem, our fleeting life is o’er. 
 
 We have, however, endeavoured to avoid all 
 thele extremes ; we have confulered that all hu¬ 
 man beings are liable to err ; and fenfible of our 
 own weaknefs, we fliall continue our account of 
 thefe people with impartiality and with tender- 
 nefs. 
 
 In the year 1641, when the Puritans began 
 their grand attempt to overturn the government 
 both in church and fcate, many of the Inde¬ 
 pendent minifters returned to England ; and fo. 
 unfettled was the ftate of affairs at that time, 
 that fome of thefe men were chofen minifters 
 of that famous afiembly of divines which met at 
 Weftminfter, and overturned the whole frame of 
 epifcopacy. The Independents were more fa¬ 
 voured than the Prefbyterians ■, and as they had 
 no obje&ion again!! money, they accepted of the 
 grand church livings, while, at the fame time, 
 they were exclaiming again!! clerical power. 
 
 When the Prefbyterians, in 1648, petitioned 
 the parliament again!! the toleration of the Sec¬ 
 taries, which was leconded by the Scots, the In¬ 
 dependents prefented a counter-petition from the 
 city, figned by a great number of hands. The 
 parliament upon this, called upon the Prelbyte- 
 rians to prove their jus divhmn ; and an afiembly 
 of them met for that purpofe but the Inde¬ 
 pendents withdrew, and left them, not chufing 
 to have any hand in the affair. 
 
 The army, at this time, was compofed of In¬ 
 dependents mixed with Anabaptifts, and other 
 fedlaries, who, when they found the Prefbyte¬ 
 rians even in their treaty with the king, infilling 
 upon uniformity, without making the leaft pro- 
 vifion for that liberty of confcience they had 
 been contending for, grew outrageous, and at 
 laft, buried king, parliament, and Prefbytery in 
 the ruins of the conftitution. 
 
 As Oliver Cromwell was an enemy to clerical 
 power, and a friend to univerfal toleration, they 
 were one of his chief fupports during his ufur- 
 pation. They petitioned him for leave to hold a 
 fynod, in order to publifh to the world an uni¬ 
 form confefiion of their faith ; for they were be¬ 
 come very confiderable. Their churches were 
 greatly encreafed both in the city and country, 
 and many rich anti lubftantial people had joined 
 them, but they w r ere not agreed upon any ftand- 
 ard of faith or difeipline, though their brethren 
 in New England had done fo ten years before. 
 The prote&or yielded to their importunity, but 
 did not live to fee the effects of it. 
 
 About a month after the protedlor’s death, a 
 meeting was held in the Savoy between the Pref¬ 
 byterians and the Independents, and they ap¬ 
 pointed a committee to draw up a new confefiion 
 of faith, which differed but little fiom that of 
 the Weftminfter cpnfelTion. At the end of the 
 confefiion is a chapter of difeipline in which d.ey 
 afiert, that every fociety of vifible profeffors 
 agreeing to walk together in the faith and order 
 of the gofpel is a complete church, and has full 
 power within itfelf to eledt and ordain all church 
 officers, to exclude all offenders, and to do all 
 
 other 
 
An ACCOUNT of the 
 
 other afts relating to the edification and well be¬ 
 ing of the church. That all ordinations fhall 
 take place in confequence of the paftors being 
 elefted bp the people ; and they are to be fet 
 apart by lading and prayer, with the impofition 
 of hands; but even without the impofition of 
 hands, they are to be declared duly ordained ; 
 nor (hail any perfon objeft to their being mini- 
 fters of the gofpel; for they confider the aft of 
 ordination as in its own nature, rather indifferent 
 than binding. 
 
 They dif'allow the power of all ftated fynods 
 and prefbyteries, and all forts of conventical 
 churches over particular affemblies, but admit, 
 that in cafes of difficulty or difference relating 
 to order of doftrine, churches may meet toge¬ 
 ther by their meffengers, to give advice, but not 
 to exercife any authority. They fay farther, 
 that churches agreeing in the fundamentals of re¬ 
 ligion, fhould keep up a communion with their 
 brethren. And it is true that the minifters and 
 rich people do fo, but the poor are generally neg- 
 lefted. 
 
 Ac prefent, the Independents have many meet¬ 
 ings in England, but their minifters are for the 
 molt part poor. Indeed this is reafonable ; for 
 if they have no compaffion for thofe in diftrefs, 
 fo it would feem inconfiftent with the diftates 
 of common fenle, that any people fliould ihew 
 compaffion to them. 
 
 They have an academy where their young mi¬ 
 nifters are brought up, but not one of them can 
 be admitted till he has declared that he has been 
 converted. The greateft number of thefe young 
 men are taken from menial employments, and 
 they are firft employed to learn as much Latin as 
 Casfar of Borgio acquired. They then lay hold of a 
 Greek grammar, and acquire as much knowledge 
 of that antient language as to be able to read a 
 chapter in St. John’s gofpel. In Hebrew they go 
 over Robertfon’s edition of the Pfalms, and here 
 their knowledge of languages flops. 
 
 During their leifure hours, a minifter comes 
 to the academy, and delivers them fome leftures 
 on rhetorick and logick, which they are vain 
 enough to call the fine arts. An attempt was 
 made, a few years ago, to introduce amongft 
 them the ftudy of the mathematics, in order’to 
 make them reafoners ; but their govenors could 
 not undertake the making of compaffes, lines 
 and circles, fo that their young minifters have 
 juft as much learning as one would naturally ima¬ 
 gine who attends to the nature of things, and con- 
 liders the conftitution of the Chriftian religion. 
 
 The next thing to be confidered is their eccle- 
 fiaftical polity, if it deferves that name. When 
 • one of their young men has acquitted himfelf fo 
 well as to be made choice of for a church, about 
 half a dozen of the neighbouring minifters af- 
 femble, with a great many of the people. 
 The ordination is condufted in the fame form as 
 among the Prefbyterians, but the confeffion dif¬ 
 fers. 
 
 The following confeffion of faith, delivered 
 by Mr. Thomas Bradbury, in London, July to, 
 1707, is almoft fimilar to all that have been de- 
 delivered fince, and may ferve as a fpecimen. 
 
 “ Forafmuch as, upon thefe occafions, many 
 have taken in hand to fet forth, in order, a de¬ 
 
 claration of thofe things which are mod furel>‘ 
 belived among us : I defire to make the fame 
 good profeffion before many witneffes, and ac¬ 
 cording to my meafure of the gift of Chrift; 
 give a realon of the hope that is in me, with 
 meeknefs and fear, and efpecially at this time, 
 when, by fading and prayer, and laying on of 
 hands, I am to be leparated for the work where- 
 unto the Lord hath called me; tho’I be lefs 
 than the lead of all faints, and not worthy ofthis 
 grace, to preach the unfearchable riches of Chrift. 
 
 Art. I. I therefore declare my belief, that the 
 books of the Old and New Teftamcnt, which 
 are commonly received amongft us, came nor 
 by the will of man, but the holy men of God 
 fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft, 
 and are profitable for doftrine, for reproof, for 
 correction, and inftruftion in righteoufnefs. 
 
 II. This, through grace, I will always adhere 
 to, as the great rule of my faith and miniftry; to 
 this law and teftimony, I profefs to bring every 
 opinion ; this I promife, in a dependap.ee upon 
 him who has the refidue of the fpirit; I apply to 
 thefe feriptures as the bed difcovery God hath 
 made of himfelf in this life ; I here learn what 
 God is, and what he doth. This includes boSi 
 his nature and glorious perfections : it includes 
 both his eternal unity and a trinity of perfons. 
 
 III. I believe that the Lord our God is one 
 Lord, there is none befides him. 
 
 IV. I believe there are three that bear record 
 in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy 
 Ghoft, and that thele three are one. This I 
 would avow as a truth, and humbly adore as a 
 myftery. 
 
 V. i believe that this one God, Father, Son, 
 and Holy Ghoft, is a fpirit. The king eternal, 
 immortal, invifible, from everlafting to ever-* 
 lading, merciful and gracious, long differing, 
 and abundant in goodnefs and truth, but who 
 will take vengeance on his adverfaries, and not at 
 all acquit the wicked. 
 
 VI. I believe that he created all things, and 
 for his plealure they are, and were created; that 
 his government reaches over the whole creation, 
 that his providence extends to all creatures, and 
 their atftions, and that the foreknowledge of 
 God over-rules the corruptions of men. 
 
 VII. I believe that God made a covenant with 
 our firft parents, as the common root of all their 
 poftcrity, and gave them a righteous law, with 
 this eftablifhment, that he that does thefe things 
 /hall live by them j but in the day that he of¬ 
 fended he fhould furely die. 
 
 VIII. I believe that by one man’s difobedience 
 our natures are not only guilty but impure, and 
 that we lie dead in trelpafies and fins. 
 
 IX. I believe that God refolved to glorify him¬ 
 felf by redeeming fome of the loft race; that 
 he did, from all eternity, predeftinate fome to 
 the adoption of children, whofe names are writ¬ 
 ten in heaven ■, that this election was free, and it 
 will have a certain ifiuej that the remnant 
 are faved, according to the election of grace, 
 not for the works which they fhould afterwards 
 do ; but according to his own purpofe and orace 
 before the world began. 
 
 X. I believe that this defign will be efFe&ual 
 to the happinels of all thofe, 
 
 XI. I 
 
j83 An ACCOUNT of the 
 
 XI. I believe that the only method of obtain¬ 
 ing this happintfs was by appointing one media¬ 
 ted between God and man; the man Chntt Je- 
 lus ; living a certain number to him, and letting 
 him forth to be a propitiation, thro' faith in his 
 blood, for the remiffion of lins, that God might 
 
 be juft, and yet the eleft be faved. 
 
 XII. I believe the divinity of our great Lord 
 Redeemer ; that he is over all, God bleffed for 
 evermore ; that he thought it no robberry to be 
 equal with God, but receives a divine homage. 
 
 I believe this word was made flefh, and dwelt 
 
 among us: this is the myftery of godlinefs, great 
 without controveri'y, that God was mamfeft in 
 the flclh. I believe him to be a teacher come 
 from God : that he was made a prieft for ever : 
 that he is the king of faints, of whofe kingdom 
 there (hall be no end. In all chel'e capacities he 
 is head of the church, and the Saviour of the 
 body, appointed to be the heir of all things i 
 but more efpecially lord over them who are given 
 
 to him. , 
 
 XIII- I believe he went about doing good, 
 delighting to do the will of him that fent him, 
 by the which will we are fanCtitjed : that he -was 
 made a curfe lor us, fuffering in both the parts 
 of his human nature: that he was the Meffiah, 
 -who fhould be cut off to finifti tranfgreflion, and 
 Wke an end of fin : that there is no other name 
 given under heaven whereby men can be faved. 
 
 XIV. I believe when he had by himfelf purg¬ 
 ed our fins, he was buried, and lay part of three 
 days and three nights in the belly of the earth. 
 
 XV. I believe that God raifed him to heaven, 
 loofed the pains of death, becaufe it was not 
 poffible he ftould be holden of it. I believe he 
 afeended up on high, is feated on the right hand 
 of God, as the advocate of his people and the 
 judge of the world. 
 
 XVI. I believe that whom he predeftinated, 
 them he alfo called, and whom he has called, 
 them he alfo juftifies freely by his grace. The 
 bleffednefs of this confifts in God’s imputing 
 righteoulnefs without works. I believe that we 
 lay hold on his mercy by faith, and that not of 
 ourlelves, but of the gift of God: that the peo¬ 
 ple of God receive the adoption of Ions, and 
 there is a change in the difpofition of thole who 
 are heirs of the grace of life, owing to free love 
 and to almighty power. I believe that the ran- 
 fomed of the Lord grow in grace, and that he 
 who has begun a good work in them, will per¬ 
 form it unto the day of Jefus Chrift. No man 
 (hall be able to pluck them out of his hands. 
 
 XVII. I believe he is to be worfhipped with 
 reverence and godly fear. I believe that we are 
 to own this Lord in focieties, and that there is a 
 communion with all that in everyplace call upon 
 the name of the Lord Jefus Chrift, both theirs 
 and ours, and that Jefus Chrift will be with them 
 to the end of the world. 
 
 XVIII. I believe he hath given us feveral 
 commands and inftitutions, which we, as Chrif- 
 tians are obliged to perform ; one of which is 
 baptifm in water, in the name of the Father, 
 £nd of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft, taught 
 us all things whatfoever he has commanded, ad- 
 monifning one another in pfalms, hymns, and 
 fpiritual longs. And by eating bread and 
 drinking wine, in remembrance of him, we are 
 
 INDEPENDENTS, 
 to continue ftedfaft in doCtrine and fellowfhip, 
 and in breaking of bread and in prayer. 
 
 XIX. I believe, that in all thele parts of 
 l worfhip, one is our mafter, even Chrift ■, no 
 
 ' man having dominion over our faith and liberty. 
 
 XX. I believe that the Chriftian, at his death, 
 
 ; enters upon two bleffmgs, a complcr purity and 
 : latisfying enjoyment, that the fpirits of juft men 
 1 are made pVrfcCt, fee Chrift and know him, as 
 | themfelves are known ; and that more perfect fe- 
 ! licity which will follow the reluire&ion and uni- 
 
 verial judgment. For, 
 
 XXI. I believe there ftiall be a refurreCtion 
 of the dead, both of the juft and unjuft: that 
 
 I Chrift hath authority to execute judgment, be- 
 ! caufe he is the fon of man : that the angels, who 
 finned, are delivered into the chains of darknefs ; 
 both they and the wicked, who know not God, 
 nor obey the gofpel of his dear Ion fhall go into 
 everlafting punilhment, but the righteous into 
 life eternal. 
 
 The other particulars relating to the regular 
 independents lead us within the veil, obfeurity 
 is enlighted, darknefs to the human eye vanifhes 
 away before our fight, and we can fee them in their 
 native colours. 
 
 Their congregations confift of a minifter, 
 two deacons, and in conjunction with them the 
 whole of the congregation. Thefe form a fore 
 of congregational body, taking upon themfelves 
 the fame power as a general council. The mi¬ 
 nifter is eleCted by the people at large, with this 
 refervation, that they can turn them away when¬ 
 ever they pleale. This is, perhaps, a very ex¬ 
 traordinary way of proceeding, and yet we meet 
 with fomething like it in antient eccleftaftical 
 hiftory. 
 
 In their difeipline, they profefs to be like the 
 primitive Chriftians; that is, they will never 
 publifh the faults of each other until they are ex¬ 
 communicated. This appears to be as ftriCt a piece 
 of hypocrify as ever took place in the world, and 
 we fhall give a fpecimen of it afterwards. 
 
 At prefent, in their form of worfhip, they dif¬ 
 fer a little from the Prefbyterians, but ftill, even 
 in that difference, they are not uniform. In all 
 their meetings they begin with a pfalm, and then 
 follows a prayer. In fome, after the prayer is 
 over, they begin the fermon, which generally lafts 
 an hour; and the minifter mult take great care 
 not to drop one fingle word that looks like an 
 exhortation to duty. The whole fermon has 
 fome refemblance to afyftem of divinity, without 
 the conclufion. In fome of their churches they 
 fing three times during Divine lervice; but, in 
 general, their fermons are the lame, only with, 
 this difference, that fome of the young minifters 
 have boldly ventured to imitate their anceftors, 
 fuch as Bates, Howe, and others. 
 
 It is neceffary to inform the reader concerning 
 this vaft difference in the n ode of preaching, 
 between the prefent Independents and thofe who 
 lived at the time of the revolution. 
 
 In 1708, one Mr. Hufi’ey, a minifter at Cam¬ 
 bridge, publifhed a heavy tedious volume, to 
 fhew that no minifter had a right to make any 
 offers of grace or falvation to finners. This is 
 ; not original Calvimim, but it is an inference, 
 | or conlequence deducible from it ; at leaf! from 
 l that part of it called ablolute predeftinacion. 
 

 An ACCOUNT of the INDEPENDENTS. 
 
 For if God has elected one part of mankind, 
 and reprobated the other, what occafion is there 
 for exhortation, feeing in an has no power to com¬ 
 ply. This is a popular objeXion of the Armini 
 ans, which has already been in ameafure refuted. 
 It is not hereby meant to charge the Independ¬ 
 ents alone with this confequence, as many other 
 feXarifts,and even fome in our eftablifhed church, 
 adopt the lame opinion. If we might be allowed 
 to give our advice on fo important a fubjeX, we 
 fhould rather think the exprefs command of our 
 Lord fhould be more attended to than any of 
 thefe traditions of men ; and if in Ezekiel’s days, 
 the dead bones were commanded to live, why 
 fhould not the fame method be taken under the 
 fuperior brightnefs, and vivifying nature of the 
 gofpel difpenlation. 
 
 There is an apparent inconfiftency in eftablifh- 
 ing the above confequence from a belief in abfo- 
 lute predeftination, among a people who, in 
 general, profefs to have been converted from 
 the ways of fin, under the Methodifts ; for this 
 is the cafe with the modern Independents. It is 
 pretty generally known that exhortation is their 
 fort, and that they had rather forego fyftematic 
 divinity than loofe an opportunity of earned: ex¬ 
 hortation. 
 
 When a man or woman defires to be admitted 
 a member, the minifter and deacons confer with 
 him, and enquire into his character with a ftriX- 
 neis and precilion which does honour to them. 
 If it is found fuch as will bring an honour to reli¬ 
 gion as well as an ornament to their congrega¬ 
 tion, he or fhe is then told to write out an ac¬ 
 count of his Chriftian experience and of the 
 manner of his converfion, 
 
 This account is given to the minifter, who 
 having perilled it, defires the candidate to be at 
 the meeting on the next Lord’s day. When fer- 
 vice is over in the afternoon, the minifter with 
 the deacons and the principal members of the 
 congregation, meet together in a large pew be- 
 foie the clerk s delk, called the table pew, be- 
 caufe it is there they adminifter the Lord’s lupper. 
 
 The candidate is then called upon, and the 
 minifter, pulling the paper out of his pocket, 
 tells the people that he is come to read the 
 Chriftian experience of A. B. The paper is 
 then read, which generally contains, firft a con- 
 feflion of his original and actual tranfgreffions 
 againft God, his deep conviXion of guilt on 
 that account, and his hearty defire of embracing 
 that falvation which is revealed in the gofpel: he 
 then proceeds to relate the method and manner 
 by which Divine grace operated upon his heart; 
 but as this is fo various, we cannot fix any parti¬ 
 cular one, only we believe that the general way 
 which God takes to bring finners to the know¬ 
 ledge of hi ml elf, is through the inftrumentality 
 of the preached word. He then profefies his 
 defire to become a member of that particular 
 church, and afligns his reafon for it, which is 
 generally this, that he cannot any longer con- 
 fcientioufly abftain from obeying the pofitive 
 command of Chrift which is binding upon all 
 Chriftians, viz. the participation of the facra- 
 mentof the Lord's fupper. It is a general rule, 
 not only with the Independents but with moft 
 other feXarifts, not to admit any one to their 
 5 ° 
 
 589 
 
 communion, until they have undergone fome ex¬ 
 amination of this nature. 
 
 As foon as the paper is read, the candidate is 
 defired to retire into the veftry, and while he is 
 there, a confultation is held among the minifter 
 and members of the church; they then deter¬ 
 mine whether in the judgement of charity his 
 experience is genuine, and fuch as will entitle 
 him to church fellowfhip ; added to which, they 
 likewife judge of his charaXer and conduX in 
 the world ; if thefe correfpond with their len- 
 timents of propriety, the candidate is made ac¬ 
 quainted therewith, the minifter gives him 
 the right-hand of fellowfhip, and he is from that 
 moment a member of the church. It is gene¬ 
 rally contrived that the day of admiftion is upon 
 a Lord’s day when the facrament is adminiftered, 
 and then the new admitted member immediately 
 communicates with the church. 
 
 Should the candidate be objected to, either 
 from fome inconfiftency in his moral conduct, or 
 fhould the account of his experience not corref¬ 
 pond with the tenor of gofpel converfion, he is 
 exhorted to continue fome time longer under the 
 ordinances, to be diligent in his attendance on 
 
 Lord’s days, and to be very circumlpeX in his 
 oehaviour. After a l(»no-er nr flmrfpr trial io 
 
 After a lunger or fliorter trial, he is 
 admitted or totally rejected. 
 
 As for the prei'ent ftate of the regular Inde¬ 
 pendents, it rather refembles a Handing pool, 
 whereas formerly it was as a rapid current. They 
 have fome rich people amongft them, and many 
 poor; they confift chiefly of old members and 
 their additional converts are not very numerous 1 
 They are rather in a declining than a profperous 
 ftate: we hope this is not a fign of the decay of 
 religion and virtue in the world, but that people 
 in general fee lefs neceflity than formerly for 
 diffenting from the eftablifhed church ofEngland. 
 
 Irregular Independents. 
 
 It is not from any ill natured prejudice, nor 
 any thing like malevolence that we call thefe peo¬ 
 ple by fuch a name. This would be very unbe¬ 
 coming thofe who are candidates for the public 
 favour; impartiality, alone and nothing lefis can 
 captivate men of reafon, and obtain their good 
 opinion. The author did not rightly know by 
 what name to call t em, till being one day in 
 company with a doctor : n divinity amongft the 
 regular Independents, the reverend doctor laid, 
 “ They are our Irregulars.” The reader muft 
 not be left in the dark, he muft know who 
 thefe people are and w r ho are thofe fid ewers who 
 fupport their min fry. To underftar 1 this 
 rightly, it will be neceffary to obfer hat foon 
 after the eftablifhment of methodifm this 
 country, by thofe firft inftitutors of it, MefTrs. 
 Whitefield and Wefley, many of the preachers 
 in their feparate connexions, thinking they had 
 equal abilities with the reft of their brethren, took 
 meetings and became independent themfelves. 
 Having been rendered popular by their connec¬ 
 tion with one or the other of the above reverend 
 Gentlemen, and fubftituting louc declamation 
 in the place of found reafoning, they foon col- 
 7 K leXed 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
59 o An A C C 0 U N T of the 
 
 le&ed a fufficient number to fill their meeting- 
 houfes. We will not fay that their congregations 
 were the molt refpe&able, they generally con¬ 
 fided of the unlearned and the poor, and not by 
 any means fo reputable as the regular Indepen¬ 
 dent congregations. Their difcipline was much 
 the fame, but many parts of their condu< 5 t dif¬ 
 ferent. 
 
 We have already obferved that the regular In¬ 
 dependents have an education in their academies, 
 but not the belt that can be obtained, flopping 
 vaflly fhort of that erudition which in our opi¬ 
 nion is necefiary to form a Chriftian minifter. But 
 the Irregulars are ftill at a lower ebb, as they are in 
 general ignorant of fyftematic divinity, as well as 
 common education: however their public ha¬ 
 rangues are popular; they tend to inflame the 
 paffions, and fet the affe&ions at work : what 
 wonder if under fuch influences as thefe, the 
 judgement fhould fometimes be mi-fled and the 
 practice be confequently erroneous. It is not 
 our bufinefs to enquire by what motives they are 
 actuated, we fhall leave that to him, before 
 whom all hearts are open, all defires known, and 
 from whom no fecrets are hid j whofe peroga- 
 tive it is to try the reins and fearch the hearts of 
 the children of men. But this much is certain, 
 that they have a great number of followers, and 
 yet they have neither fyftem nor difcipline. 
 Strange that a religion fhould exifl without 
 thefe, and yet it is true. Their terms of com¬ 
 munion are rather uncertain, any perfon of good 
 character, and what they in their feparate con¬ 
 gregations call orthodox principles, may be ad¬ 
 mitted. Men of bufinefs fometimes join them, 
 and it is often proved that they benefit them- 
 felves confiderably, as it is a general maxim 
 with them to encourage thofe of their own com¬ 
 munities ; this is very natural, and we will not 
 blame them for it: l'elf love prevails amongfl 
 mankind in fo eminent a degree, that when we 
 encourage others of the fame opinion, we are 
 only gratifying this predominant principle. 
 
 With reipedt to their manner of preaching, it 
 would require a more able pen to defend it in 
 every particular ; this is a very efiential branch 
 of a minifter’s office, and where it is not pro¬ 
 perly conduced, the effects will be lamentable. 
 Religion itfelfin fuch a congregation will be dif- 
 efteemed at leaft, if not totally negledted. It 
 cannot be expedted that a minifter without learn¬ 
 ing fhould convey much knowledge to the peo¬ 
 ple under his care. Thefe irregular Indepen¬ 
 dents purfue the fame method as the regulars, 
 by taking a text, and from thence preaching a 
 difeourfe, though fome people will have it, that 
 they take leave of their text immediately, and 
 that their difeourfe is as fuitable to any other. 
 The difeourfe is generally unconnected, and not 
 very well calculated to imprefs the minds of the 
 auditory with a becoming reverence and devo¬ 
 tion. If they have little or no education, we 
 may be fure that rhetoric has not been ftudied 
 by them, much lels proper geftures or cadences. 
 They do wifely, circumftanced as they are, to 
 ridicule the art of preaching, and explode all 
 manner of attention to propriety of adlion, or 
 found and judicious reafoning in the pulpit. 
 We are afraiu that the fum total of their harangues 
 amount in general to this, Vox et preterea nihil. 
 
 INDEPENDENTS. 
 
 We are willing to hope and believe, that not- 
 withftanding thefe evident marks of impropriety 
 and indecorum, that they have fome real merit, 
 in being frequently the means of reclaiming the 
 vicious, efpecially among the vulgar; for though 
 they are thus detefled by people who have their 
 eyes open, yet the majority of mankind, who 
 judge of things at firft fight, and take every 
 thing for golpel they hear, are fafeinated by their 
 preaching, which operates by different ways, in 
 fome people, by raffing their minds to an exalted 
 pitch of enthufiafm, and by finking others 
 into defparation. Upon the whole, it is be¬ 
 lieved that fome good is done by them, and that 
 they are a mean ufed by the hand of providence 
 whofe works are altogether marvellous, and who 
 frequently brings good out of apparent evil. 
 
 We would recommend it to the minifters who 
 rank themfelves under this denomination, to act 
 in a compaffionate manner to their hearers, to 
 confider the poor as greater objects of compaf- 
 fion than the rich, tp make the truths of the 
 golpel appear in a more amiable light than they 
 do, to ceafe from declaiming againft other parties 
 and profeffions, evidently better qualified in 
 every point of view, and to make their public 
 differtations more a matter of ftudy. They would 
 then make a proper improvement of the truft 
 committed to their care, and acquire as much 
 honour as would make amends for all their de¬ 
 ficiencies. They would do well to follow the 
 advice and example of the bleflfed Saviour of 
 men. He knew well the falfe hopes and falla¬ 
 cious rcafomngs of the heat t ot man; how prone 
 men were to form themfelves into parties and 
 diftinguifh themfelves by trifling inventions. In 
 the bufinefs of religion and the great concern of 
 fouls, all that is fhort of obedience to God’s 
 commands, and a life of devotednefs to his fer- 
 vice, is nothing but trick and evafion, froth 
 and folly. Confequently if any man build on 
 fuch deceitful grounds, and with fuch flight ma¬ 
 terials, he muft and can expeft no other, than 
 that his houfe fhould fall upon his head, and he 
 periffi in the ruins. 
 
 The irregular Independents have, in general, 
 no proper notions of ecclefiaftical difcipline, nor 
 any idea of fyftems of divinity. They have no re¬ 
 gular plan, every congregation afluming fome 
 particularity. They are truly independent in the 
 ftrifteft fenfe of the word. In the form of their 
 worfhip they are nearly the fame with the regular 
 Independents, only with this difference, they 
 frequently ufe the Lord’s prayer in public, which 
 the others do not. What can be the reafon of 
 the latter difufing it we will not pretend to affert, 
 unlefs it is that their obje&ion to all forms is fo 
 great, that they will not accept of one, even 
 from the mouth of truth itfelf. 
 
 After all that has been laid, we are happy to 
 affirm from our own knowledge, that there are 
 many exceptions amongfc the irregular Indepen¬ 
 dents, both minifters and people. Men of learn¬ 
 ing and abilities, who are actuated by the pureft 
 principles, who ftudy as much as is in their 
 power to render religion a pieafing and delight¬ 
 ful fcience, who are, in one word, an ornament 
 to their profeffion, and whole names will be 
 refpedled, while virtue has any countenance in 
 the world. 
 
 
( 59i ) 
 
 The ANABAPTISTS. 
 
 I N treating of thefe people, we are obliged 
 to take notice of their divifions and fub-di- 
 vifions, for they are even as much divided 
 as the Prefbyerians. They are called Anabap¬ 
 tifts, for their pradlice of baptizing believers 
 only; and they fay, that the mode of baptifm 
 lhould be by immerfion, according to the 
 method ufed by the primitive Chriftians, 
 or, at leaft, during the three firft centuries. 
 Thus they claim an immediate defcent from 
 Chrift and his apoftles, and aflert, that the con- 
 ftitution of their churches is from the authority 
 of Jefus Chrift himfelf, and his immediate fuc- 
 ceflors. 
 
 Some hiftorians, indeed, deduce their origin 
 as a fed from much later times, and affirm, 
 that they firft fprung up in Germany, and fepa- 
 rated themfelves from the Lutherans, becaufe 
 the do&rine of thefe reformers was imperfedt, 
 or not brought to the primitive ftandard; as the 
 proper mode and fubjedt of baptifm, was not 
 allowed by them to be necefiary, in the per¬ 
 formance of the rite. Therefore, they re-bap¬ 
 tized their followers, condemning infant baptifm 
 as unfcriptural, and of no effedt; whence they 
 were called by the reproachful name of Ana- 
 fa apt ifts. 
 
 They infilled on plainnefs of drefs, and fim- 
 plicity in worfhip. They not only exclaimed 
 againft the church and power of Rome, but 
 likewife againft all thofe who oppofed liberty of 
 confcience. It is not at prefent our bufinefs to 
 enter into a polemical argument concerning the 
 time of baptifm. Lord King has made it ap¬ 
 pear, and perhaps to a demonftration, that it 
 never was ufed in any other fenfe than by immer¬ 
 fion, till after the time of Conftantine the Great. 
 One objedtion his lordfhip admits of, and that 
 is, that when people were converted from Pa- 
 ganifm on their death-beds, and defired to be 
 baptized, they were only fprinkled. 
 
 In Germany, Switzerland, Italy and many 
 other parts of Europe, many of the Anabaptifts 
 fuffered martyrdom before the reformation took 
 place: and Dr. Wall the greateft Englifh writer in 
 defence cf infant baptifm, admits, that there were 
 fome thoufands of Anabaptifts in the world be¬ 
 fore the troubles broke out at Munfter, in Ger¬ 
 many. 
 
 It is pretty clear, from the writings of many 
 learned men, that Dr. John Wickliffe, the firft 
 Engliffi reformer, either confidered infant bap¬ 
 tifm as unlawful, or at leaft not necefiary, and 
 he denied that fin was taken away by baptifm. 
 Some of Wickliffe’s followers maintained, that 
 the children of believers are not to be facramen- 
 tally baptized, and that it was impofilble to give 
 children ecclcfiaftical baptifm, faying, they were 
 fufficiently clean and holy, becaufe they were 
 born of holy and Chriftian parents. But to 
 go on with the hiftory of thefe people, as a 
 
 general body before they fplit into fo many' 
 parties. 
 
 Though feveral Anabaptifts were put to death 
 and others banifhed for their opinion, during the 
 reign of Henry VIII. yet they ftill continued 
 to encreafe. Bp. Burnet fays, that at this time, 
 1547, there were many Anabaptifts in feveral 
 parts of England, and they were generally Ger¬ 
 mans, whom the revolutions of that country had 
 driven over. 
 
 Upon Luther’s firft preaching in Germany, 
 
 I there arofe many, who, building upon fome of 
 j his principles, carried things much further than 
 he did. Upon this many of them argued, that 
 I the myfteries of the trinity, Chrift’s incarna¬ 
 tion and fufferings, and the fall of man were phi- 
 lofophical fubtelties, not derived from fcripture 
 nor necefiary to falvation. We fhall have occa- 
 fion to confider thefe points more at large here¬ 
 after. 
 
 They rejected, in particular, infant baptifm, as 
 a duty not enjoined, or fo much as mentioned in 
 I fcripture. Many of them, however, had opi- 
 | nions different from each other, but they all 
 went by the name of Anabaptifts. 
 
 April 12, 1747, there was a complaint brought 
 to the council, that with the flrangers that were 
 come into England, fome of that perfuafion had 
 come over, and were difieminating their errors, 
 by making profely tes, fo a commiffion was or¬ 
 dered, and the archbiffiop of Canterbury, with 
 fome other bifhops and lords of high characters, 
 were appointed by a commiffion under the great 
 feal, to examine and fearch after all thofe people 
 called Anabaptifts, and, indeed, all fuch as did 
 not go to church. 
 
 They were to endeavour to reclaim them, to 
 enjoin them penance, and give them abfolution, 
 or, if they were obftinate, to excommunicate 
 them, and deliver them over to the civil power, 
 to be further proceeded againft, that is, they were 
 to be burnt. In May, the fame year, fome 
 tradefmen of London were brought before thefe 
 commiffioners, and ordered to abjure their for¬ 
 mer opinions, particularly, they were to acknow- 
 ledge, that infant baptifm was a Chriftian facra- 
 ment. 
 
 One of thefe who thus abjured, was com¬ 
 manded to carry a faggot the next Sunday to St. 
 Paul’s, where there would be a fermon fetting 
 forth his herefy. But there was another of thefe 
 extremely obftinate, namely, Joan Bocher, 
 commonly called Joan of Kent. She denied, 
 that Chrift was truely carnate of the virgin, 
 whofe fleffi being finful, he could not take any 
 of it; but the word, by the confent of the in¬ 
 ward man in the virgin, took fieffi of her. There 
 muft have been many more of thefe fentiments 
 at that time ; for how could a poor ignorant 
 woman form notions that would have puzzled 
 the molt learned philofophers to comprehend. 
 
 The 
 
i9 2 The ANA 
 
 The commiflioners took a great deal of pains 
 with this woman, and had many conferences with 
 her, but (he was fo extravagantly connceited of 
 her notions, that Ihe rejefted all they faid with 
 fcorn. Upon this lhe was condemned to fuffer 
 death as an obftinate Heretic. We are forry to 
 fay that this happened in the beginning of a 
 Proteftant reign. The pious young king Ed¬ 
 ward withftood all the folicitations of his council 
 for figning the warrant for her execution, de¬ 
 claring, it was doing in fad; what they had con¬ 
 demned in the church of Rome, and that he 
 would not drive her headlong to the devil. At 
 laft the king was perfuaded by archbifhop Cran- 
 mer, who urged that her crime was an impeach¬ 
 ment of the apoftles creed, and that blafphemers 
 were to be Honed to death, according to the 
 Mofaic difpenfation. The king, overcome 
 by Cranmer’s arguments, put his hand to the 
 bloody warrant, though not without fhedding 
 tears, declaring he would lay all the charge on 
 the archbifhop before God. Accordingly the 
 woman was executed, being burnt alive; and 
 loon afterwards George Van Paris, a Dutchman, 
 was committed to the flames in Smithfield. 
 
 A faithful hiftorian mult neither conceal vir¬ 
 tue nor vice, and the crime of a Proteftant arch- 
 bilhop, mult no more be veiled over than the 
 guilt of a Roman pontiff, or a Spanifli Inqui- 
 Jitor. 
 
 Cranmer’s conduit on this melancholy and 
 remarkable occafion, is a ftriking proof of the 
 corruption of human nature, even in the midft 
 of good actions. The archbifhop, with many 
 other good men, endeavoured to promote the 
 reformation of religion in England, and yet 
 they could not help bringing along with them 
 from the church of Rome, the vileft dregs 
 of practical Popery. This is a matter of very 
 ferious confideration, and fhould teach men to 
 be on their guard, when they change from the 
 practices of a corrupted church. Let them leave 
 all that is bad behind, and bring all that is good 
 along with them. 
 
 The arguments made ufe of by Cranmer, to 
 induce the young king to fign the warrant for 
 the execution of a poor ignorant mad-brained 
 woman, points out to us the fhocking notions 
 and the baleful influence that ignorance of the 
 lacred truths of the New Teftament will always 
 have on the minds of people. He argued from 
 the Molaic law, that the blafphemer was to be 
 Honed to death, and it is very true; but the 
 archbifhop did not fo much as know what was 
 meant by a theocracy. He imagined, that be- 
 caufe God, as the real fovereign of the Jewifh 
 people, permitted them to put blafphemers to 
 death, fo Chriftians were to do the fame. 
 But we pity the man, while we deteft the ac¬ 
 tion. 
 
 ThePapifts rejoice in this aft of cruelty, and 
 retort back perfecution on the Proteftants. 
 Philips, in his life of cardinal Pole, while he is 
 contriving every means to blacken the charafters' 
 of the reformers, takes care not to let this pals 
 unnoticed. However, if we Proteftants have 
 perlecuted, we learned it from the Papifts, nor 
 fhall we attempt to vindicate fuch an unchriftian 
 principle. 
 
 BAPTISTS. 
 
 In the reign of queen Elizabeth, the Ana- 
 baptifts encreafed, and were lubjefted to impri- 
 lonment and banilhment. Some few, as Dr. 
 Fuller obferves, recanted their errors, but two 
 of them were burnt in Smithfield. 
 
 In the reign of James- 1 . among the perfecuted 
 exi’es that fled to Holland were leveral Anabap- 
 tifts, who fet up a church under the paftorfhip of 
 Mr. John Smith, who had been aminifterof the 
 eftablifhed church ; but they were violently op- 
 pofed by the other Puritan exiles, from whom 
 they received much abufe in books written againlt 
 their opinions. In this reign Edward Wightman, 
 a Baptift, of Burton upon Trent, was burnt at 
 Litchfield. He was the laft martyr that fuftered 
 by this cruel ftatute of burning heretics in Eng¬ 
 land. And it may be remarked, that William 
 Sawtre, the firft that fuffered in that manner for 
 his religious opinions, was fuppofed to have de¬ 
 nied infant baptifm ; fo that this feft had the ho¬ 
 nour both to lead the way and bring up the rear 
 of all the martyrs that fullered in England upon 
 the bloody ftatute of Plenry IV. 
 
 In the year 1620, iome Anabaptifts tranf- 
 ported themlelves to New England, where, fora 
 time, they met with very bad treatment from 
 the Independents, who though they had fled 
 from perfecution themfelves, yet perfecuted with 
 great cruelty both the Baptifts and Quakers. 
 Dr. Mather, in his hiftory of New England, has 
 declared, that many of the Baptifts were very- 
 worthy honeft men ; and that Mr. Williams, one 
 of their preachers, being banifhed from Salem, 
 fettled at a place called Providence, where he 
 gathered a church together, and was very in- 
 ftrumental in obtaining a charter for the govern¬ 
 ment of Rhode Ifland, of which he was fre¬ 
 quently chofen governor, and that he did all in 
 his power to convert the Indians in his neigh¬ 
 bourhood. 'He publifhed a treatife on their 
 manners, language, and tempers, and w'hen 
 peace was reftored in New England, the Baptifts 
 lpread themfelves throughout many parts of the 
 continent. 
 
 In 1642, there was a difpute or conference 
 held in the Borough of Southwark, between Dr. 
 Featly and lome Anabaptift preachers, of which 
 the doftor has publifhed an account, but it is 
 fuppofed to be a very partial one ; for from the 
 title page, to the latter end, there is a fpirit of 
 bitternefs runs through it. During the civil 
 wars of the laft century, they encreafed in vaft 
 numbers, and no lefs writers than Dr. Ham¬ 
 mond and Bp. Taylor, fpoke favourably of their 
 fentiments. In 1643, the Baptifts publifhed 
 their confeflion of faith, and in 1646, it was li- 
 * cenfed by order of the parliament. Except in the 
 I articles of baptifm and church government, 
 
 1 this confeflion differed very little from that 
 ! of Weftminfter now eftablifhed in the church 
 j of Scotland. 
 
 However, they were now perfecuted by the 
 Prelbyterians, juft as they had been before by the 
 Epifcopalians. But in March, 1647, a declara¬ 
 tion of the lords and commons, was publifhed in 
 their favour, induced thereto by the great num¬ 
 bers of them, then in the army, and in molt of 
 the corporations in England. 
 
 This declaration has the following words: 
 
 <c The 
 
The • A N A B 
 
 The name of Anabaptil'm hath., indeed, 
 contracted much odium, by reafon of the extra¬ 
 vagant principles and practices of fome of that 
 name in Germany; tending to the difturbance 
 of government and peace of all dates, which 
 opinions and pratices we abhor and deteft; but 
 for their opinion againd the baptifm of infants, 
 it is only a difference about a circumdance of 
 time, in the adminidration of an ordinance, 
 wherein, in former ages, as well as this, learned 
 men have differed both in opinion and prac¬ 
 tice. And although we could wilh that all men 
 would fatisfy themielves, and join with us in 
 our judgement and practice in this point, yet 
 herein we hold it fit, that men fhould be con¬ 
 vinced by the word of God, with great gentle- 
 nefs and reafon, and not driven to any thin 0- by 
 force and violence.” 
 
 The Protedants, however, did not abide lono- 
 in thofe fentiments of moderation ; for the very 
 next year, 1648, they publifhed a cruel ordi¬ 
 nance for the punifhment of blafphemies and 
 herefies, by which every fedt, but the rigid Pref- 
 byterians, were condemned ; and upon this or¬ 
 dinance feveral baptifts were perfecuted, merely 
 for their opinions about baptifm. 
 
 The fhort reft they enjoyed towards the clofe 
 of the ufurpation, was fucceeded by a moft cruel 
 perfecution, during great part of the reign of 
 Charles II. The ftory of Venner, the fifth mo¬ 
 narchy man, is well known, who, at the time 
 of die reftoration, fallied out from a houfe in 
 Coleman-Street, with fome of his hearers, pa¬ 
 rading the ftreets, and knocking down every 
 perfon who came in their way. Their profeffed 
 intention was, to fet king Jefus upon his throne. 
 Thefe infatuated people believed, that the mil- 
 lenium was then to take place, and Chrift was 
 to reign with his people a thoufand years. 
 
 It is certain, that the Anabaptifts had no more 
 concern with this ini'urretion of Venner’s, than 
 they had with the election of a pope of Rome, 
 but the Prefbyterian party at court embraced the 
 opportunity of wreaking their vengeance on the 
 whole body of thofe innocent people. We call 
 them innocent; for where men’s notions do 
 not tend towards difturbing government, or 
 promoting immorality, they may be juftlv 
 efteemed innocent, and not objects of public con¬ 
 fute. 
 
 About four hundred of thefe people were 
 crowded into Newgate, befides many in other pri¬ 
 sons. But at the coronation they were fet ac li¬ 
 berty, by the aft of indemnity. They publiihed 
 a declaration, wherein they teftified their abhor¬ 
 rence of Venner’s infurreftion, and all they beg¬ 
 ged for was, liberty to meet together, to wor- 
 fliip God according to the dictates of their con- 
 fciences. This, however, did not avail them 
 much, for they were continually perfecuted dur¬ 
 ing the whole of that reign. 
 
 John Bunyan, one of their preachers, was 
 confined in prifon eleven years, in Bedford gaol, 
 where he had no other way of procuring a fub- 
 
 A P T I S T S. w 
 
 fiftance, but by knitting of purfes, and in that 
 afflicted ftate he wrote his Pilgrim’s Progrefs, a 
 book that will perhaps be read to the end of the 
 world.* 
 
 The famous bifhop Patrick, author of the 
 commentary on the bible, wrote a book 
 under a fimilar title, which the witty earl 
 of Rochefter ridiculed in the moll fevere 
 manner, when compared with that of Bun- 
 yan’s. 
 
 The Baptifts continued to fuffer much in Eng¬ 
 land, till king James II. publifhed his indul¬ 
 gence, and at laft they were entitled to ail bene¬ 
 fits of the toleration ad, which leads us to con- 
 fider what they have been fince, and what they 
 are at prefent. 
 
 The Anabaptifts are, by their own choice 
 among themfelves, divided into the following 
 dalles, or rather parties : 
 
 Firft, Calvinifts. 
 
 Secondly, Arians. 
 
 Thirdly, Sabatarian Calvinifts, 
 
 Fourthly, Sabatarian Arians. 
 
 We fhall treat of all thefe in their order. 
 
 Of Calviniftical Anabaptifts. 
 
 All the Anabaptifts, from the time of the re¬ 
 formation, till fome time after the revolution, 
 were Calvinifts, but they foon fplit into parties, 
 the common confequence of the abufe of liber¬ 
 ty. Not that we would wifh to abridge the leaft 
 part of the toleration ad, but only to fhew, that 
 the beft things may be made the worft ufe 
 of; and here we would not have it underftood, 
 that we are oppoflng any of thofe parties, but 
 merely giving an hiftorical account of them. 
 
 1 he Calviniftical Anabaptifts are the moft nu¬ 
 merous of their feds, and it arifes from a cir- 
 cumftance that will furprife the reader. 
 
 It is owing to this, that thofe who are 
 beft qualified for delivering their fentiments in 
 public, will become moft popular. It is fo 
 among the Roman Catholics, and in all Protef- 
 tant countries where the fermons are delivered 
 without notes. It is, in a great meafure, owing to 
 the cold indifferent manner in which fermons 
 are lead, that the eftablifhed clergy have become 
 unpopular, and the Diftenting meetings empty. 
 This obfervation was made by Bp. Burnet fo long 
 ago as the year 1692, in one of his charges to 
 his clergy. 
 
 It is an eftablifhed maxim, that no part of 
 human learning is necefiary towards qualifying 
 a man to be a member among the Anabaptifts^ 
 befides that of being able to read the bible, and 
 a few other religious books. 
 
 They have therefore made it a rule, to pick 
 out fuch of their hearers, as are the moft popu¬ 
 lar to harangue the people; and thefe they fend 
 
 
 
 
 I* 
 
5 9+ The A N A B > 
 
 to their country congregations, which are ex¬ 
 tremely numerous. Their high pretentions to 
 piety, their earnetl mannner of addretling them- 
 felves to the paflions of their hearers,^ and 
 their ftritSh attention to the duties of their func¬ 
 tion, bring after them avail number of followers, 
 but chiefly among the lower dalles of the 
 
 people. , , . j 
 
 We muft acknowledge, that they have had a 
 Gill and a Brine and fome others among them. 
 Thefe were like conftellations in a clouded tky, j 
 and fome of their valuable performances have I 
 difpelled the mills of ignorance and infidelity ; J 
 and reconciled many feeming inconfiltencies in 
 the Chriftian fyftem. 
 
 When a man prefents himfelf to be admitted j 
 a preacher among them, he is only alked 
 whether he has been converted by Divine grace, 
 and whether he confiders infant baptifm as ln- 
 confiftent with the word of God. He is like- 
 wife to give his affent to every thing profeffed 
 by this community, which ‘are the doc¬ 
 trines of Calvinifm. To thefe they add fome of j 
 their own, which Calvin never intended. It is 
 not enough for them to allow of eternal reproba¬ 
 tion, but, like the Independents, they draw j 
 that conclufion from it, that exhortations are , 
 unnecefl'ary. Calvin, in feveral of his fermons, fre¬ 
 quently fays, “ O Tinners, we offer you Chrift;” 
 which indeed is no more than the apoflle laid, 
 when he told the Corinthians that he preached j 
 Chrift. But thefe people anfwer to this, that 
 they have no Chrifl to offer. It might not be j 
 improper to afk them, whether preaching tne j 
 gofpel, and preaching Chrift, are not fynonimous , 
 terms ? As all thepromifes in the Old Teftament | 
 were made firft to Chrift, fo they are like an inhe¬ 
 ritance, to defeend to believers in the fame man¬ 
 ner as an eftate defeends to a Ton. If believers 
 are heirs of Chrift, and if the inheritance ltfelf . 
 comes by the golpel, then is not preaching the . 
 gofpel the offering of Chrift to Tinners as a fa- j 
 viour. 
 
 The minifters of this perfuafion take great ; 
 pains in their preaching, to affefl the hearers with j 
 the importance of their do6trines, and ule every j 
 method to roufe the paftions and influence the , 
 heart to high and heavenly purfuits; the attempt j 
 is laudable, and in it we muft wifh them fuccefs. , 
 
 They have fome decorum and order in their ; 
 fermons, which we think would have ftill more 
 effect upon the hearts and lives of their hearers, : 
 did they accuftom themfelves to draw pradtical ( 
 inferences. As the minifters are generally men! 
 of abilities and piety, it is rather to be wondered ; 
 at that they do not only fee the neceffity for this j 
 manner of proceeding, but alfo break throughl 
 that prejudice which has fo long been a barrier I 
 to it. It is remarkable, that all our Saviour’s 
 difeourfes confift of explanations of the law, 
 and are always mixed with exhortations. 
 
 Nine parts out of ten of the apoftolical epi 
 files confift of earneft exhortations to duty, and 
 ftrange that it fhould ever have entered into the 
 heart of man, to negledl fuch an ufeful part of 
 preaching. The moll ftrenuous Calvinimfls in 
 the church of Scotland, who are the Anti-Burgher 
 Seceders, fcldom fpend lefs than one fourth 
 part of their fermons, in the moft fervent exhor¬ 
 tations to duty i for they confider, with the apo- 
 
 A P T I S T S. 
 
 file, that when the foundation has been once laid, 
 they fhould endeavour to raife the fuperftrudlure. 
 
 But here let it be obferved, that we are as well 
 convinced of the neceffity of teaching prin¬ 
 ciples, as any of the Anabaptifts are, but we con¬ 
 fider it as only one part of preaching. We are 
 no more to leave any thing undone, than we are 
 to do what is forbidden. A conftant diredtion 
 on fpeculative opinions may enable men to talk 
 of religion, but inferences drawn from them qua¬ 
 lify them for heaven. 
 
 In their admitting of members, they differ 
 much from the Independents. They do not 
 call upon them to make a difplay of all thole 
 favours which have been fhewn to them by 
 Divine goodnefs; and that in a public manner 
 before the face of a whole congregation. But 
 ftill, they have fomething fimilar to it, and 
 fomething, perhaps, even more public. 
 
 When a perfon defires to be admitted a mem¬ 
 ber into one of their focieties, he is examined 
 ftridlly by the minifter and deacons, as to his 
 knowledge, and a ftridt enquiry is made into his 
 moral character. Chrift received Tinners ; and 
 his apoftles, fo far from making enquiry into 
 the moral charadlers of their new converts, re¬ 
 ceived them as finners, and pointed out their 
 moral duty afterwards. This is only a hint, by 
 the by ; it is not our intention to recommend the 
 diffolute and profane, at lead while they continue 
 fo, as proper members of any church, but the 
 fynagogue of fatan ; we only mean to fa,, that 
 true penitents have a right to the bleffings of the 
 gofpel difpenfation. The benefits of the falvation 
 provided in the gofpel extend to finners, and 
 are calculated only for fuch : the whole need not 
 a phyfician, but thole who are Tick. Chrift came 
 not to call the righteous, but finners to repen¬ 
 tance. 
 
 But we muft not look for primitive purity in 
 religion among any fet of people. I he truth is, 
 the Calviniftical Anabaptifts reft fo much on 
 fpeculative notions, and have fuch an antipathy 
 to the term good Works , that they run into errors 
 in the extreme. This is rather abfurd, becaufe 
 their own notions point out grace irrefiftable. 
 However, there is fuch an inconfiftency in human 
 notions, and'in human adlions, that nothing lefs 
 than the judgement day will clear up. 
 
 However, when the candidate has been examined 
 and approved of, he is ordered to come and be 
 baptized. In the country, this ceremony is fre¬ 
 quently performed in a different manner from 
 that uied in London. One of the Anabaptifts, 
 perhaps more zealous than many of his brethren, 
 told us, that he was plunged in a river in Pem- 
 j brokefhire, in South-Wales, after the ice had 
 been broken to make way for the ceremony. 
 
 It is rather different in London, where the 
 ceremony is performed before a numerous and 
 refpedtable congregation. 
 
 The candidate comes near to a font, or rather 
 a refervoir of water, in the centre of the meeting, 
 having a robe around him to conceal his naked- 
 nefs, and the minifter walks into the water, be- 
 i fore him. The minifter being lip to the middle in 
 the water, the candidate approaches towards him 
 in a very reverend pofture. T. hen the minifter 
 lays him back, and holds him in the water till he 
 repeats thele words: 
 
 “ I baptize 
 
The A N A B 
 
 “ I baptize thee in the name of the Father, 
 ec Son and Holy Ghoft.” 
 
 They then go out of the water together, and 
 a fermon is preached fuitable to the occa- 
 fion. 
 
 The mode of conducing this ceremony is 
 fometimes very folemn j the minifter generally 
 quotes thofe paffages of'fcripture which are fuit¬ 
 able to the purpofe, and which, in his opinion, 
 defend the practice of adult baptifm. It is very 
 certain, that when Chriftianity was firfb promul¬ 
 gated, adults were baptized, and fo were children 
 too, otherwife we fhould not hear of the baptifm 
 of whole houlhoulds. 
 
 With refpetft to difcipline, thefe people have 
 none in particular, but they excommunicate their 
 members in the fame manner as the Independ¬ 
 ents. They make provifion for their poor, and 
 have many colle6tions for that purpofe, yet there 
 is a difcretionary power left in the minifter to 
 give what part of it to whom he pleales. 
 
 In all other refpe&s, they are like the Inde¬ 
 pendents, and differ but little from them, except 
 in the article of baptifm. How far fuch men aft 
 confidently with the rules laid down in the gofpel, 
 is not our bufinefs to enquire. To be cenforious 
 is inconfiftent with that impartiality which fhould 
 at all times diftinguifti the chara< 5 ter of an hifto- 
 rian ; to be remifs in taking notice of fome 
 abufes, would point out a fawning difpofition. 
 Let God be true, and let every man be a liar. 
 
 Of the Arian and Socinian Anabaptifts. 
 
 We have already taken notice of thofe Ana¬ 
 baptifts who are called Calvinifts, we muft now 
 proceed to confider fuch as are of a different de¬ 
 nomination. 
 
 The firft Arian Baptift preacher in England, 
 was Dr. John Gale, who made his firft public 
 appearance about the beginning of this century. 
 1 hat he was a man of fome learning, cannot be 
 denied, and his book, in anfwer to Dr. Wall, 
 difcovers amazing abilities. But, notwithftand- 
 ing all this, he contracted, in his early youth, 
 the mod violent prejudices againft every thing, 
 either in Calvinifm or Arminianifm. The moft 
 part of his fermons, confifted of inveCtives againft 
 the godhead of Chrift, and what was practical, 
 confifted of no more than what a common Hea¬ 
 then would have delivered. No mention of 
 Chrift as a Redeemer, no notice of his offices 
 as a mediator, no enlivening hope of pardon 
 through his merits or acceptance, in confequence 
 of his righteoufnels, but a heavy commentary 
 on the words virtue, good men,’and all fuch 
 other titles as we find mentioned in Heathen 
 authors. 
 
 In confequence of this man’s preaching, a fort 
 of fchifrn took place among the Anabaptifts, but 
 of a very extraordinary nature. 
 
 The clergy encreafed, and the laity decreafed. 
 There is fomething in this, refembling the con- 
 duft of five hundred (hop-keepers fetting up in 
 a city, to fell a new commodity, while, at the 
 fame time, they could not have one hundred 
 cuilomers. It is certain, that no man can live 
 without the common neceifaries of life; for 
 
 felf-prefervation is the firft principle in natural 
 religion. Poverty Ihould be borne with refigna- 
 tion, when it comes as an ordinary difpenfation 
 of Divine Providence; but we are not to court 
 poverty. This much, however, is certain, that 
 thefe men, in confequence of having denied the 
 divinity of Chrift and of the Holy Ghoft, drove 
 the greateft part of their hearers away, fo that 
 their families were left in diftrefs. 
 
 In all difputed points concerning religion, it 
 is belt to err on the fafe fide, that is, it is much 
 better to reft latisfied with a declaration of our 
 own ignorance, than to run into an oppofite ex¬ 
 treme. It is certain, that the doftrine of the 
 trinity is taught both in the Old and New Tef- 
 tament, and it is equally certain, that we are 
 not able to comprehend it. Then in fuch cafes, is 
 it not much better to wait with humility, till 
 God lays open all thefe fecrets to us. 
 
 In all thefe things, acknowledge th’ Almighty 
 
 And where we can't unriddle, learn to truft. 
 
 With refpeato the difciplineofthefeArian Ana¬ 
 baptifts, they have but little, and their meetinss 
 are deferred of hearers. Their difeourfes are Tn 
 general, fuch as an antient Heathen would blufli 
 at. Every thing that (trikes at the root of the 
 fundamentals of Chriftianity, has been adopted 
 by them, and, properly fpeaking, they may be 
 confidered as enemies to Chriftianity. Is it the 
 refurreftion of the body, theyarelure to ftartfome 
 doubts concerning it ? Is it the mediatorial 
 office of Chrift ? It is laughed at with contempt. 
 Is it the falvation through the redemption 
 wrought by Chrift? It is nonfenfe. 
 
 This brings to our remembrance what Sir 
 Matthew Hale fays, namely, that nothing can 
 make the people fo immoral as moral preaching. 
 
 In their ceremonies there are no differences be¬ 
 tween them, and the Calviniftical Anabaptifts, 
 only that the Arians admit any perfon whatever 
 to communicate with them, who only fublcribe 
 towards fupporting their meetings. 
 
 All the minifters of their perfuafions, are fuch as 
 have received a liberal education, fo in that par¬ 
 ticular they differ from many others. But not- 
 withftanding all their learning, they are left to 
 ftarve. Undoubtedly, the hatred thefe men 
 have to Chrift Jelus as a mediator, muft: be very 
 (hocking, when they can fubjefct themfeives 
 to all forts of want, that they may have an op¬ 
 portunity of blafpheming his na ( me. 
 
 There are not many of them at prefent in 
 England ; for this much is certain, that no at¬ 
 tachments to fyftems will ever go down with the 
 people where the doftrine is not popular. They 
 have no rule by which they can proceed in 
 church cenfures ; for as there is no gate to come 
 in, fo there is no oppofition againft their going 
 out. 
 
 In a word, thefe people are, perhaps, as defti- 
 tute of Chriftian knowledge as the Heathens. 
 
 1 heir minifters are enemies to the gofpel, but 
 the people do not fo much as know any thing 
 concerning true religion. However, we (hall have 
 occafion to fpeak of fome fefts more inconfidera- 
 ble than thofe, and fuch as are but little known 
 by the generality of people in the prelent age. 
 
( 59 6 ) 
 
 An 
 
 ACCOUNT of the SAB AT i A R I A N S. 
 
 N treating of theft people, there are two 
 things neceffary to be confidered. 
 
 _ Firft, their general principles ; and, 1e- 
 
 condly, their prefent ftate. 
 
 4s for their principles, we are naturally led 
 to "enquire into the origin and authenticity of 
 what we commonly call the Chnftian labbath. 
 And here the following queftions naturally pre- 
 fent themfelves to us for folution. 
 
 Firft, is it a moral principle, that one day in 
 feven Ihould be kept holy to God ? 
 
 To this it is anfwcred, that it is not moral, 
 nor has it any conne&ion with natural religion. 
 That fome of our time Ihould be fet apart for the 
 worfhip of the Divine being, is beyond all man¬ 
 ner of difpute, but that one day in feven, or in 
 feven hundred Ihould be obferved, natural reli¬ 
 gion does not point out. . 
 
 Secondly, was this a patriarchal inftitution f 
 The anfwer is, it was not, for it took place 
 Iona before. We read, that when God fimlhed 
 the°glorious work of the creation, he refted 
 from his labours, and pronounced the whole to 
 be "ood. This was on he fevenih day, and it 
 is intimated, that the feventh day from that pe¬ 
 riod, Ihould be a time of reft among men. 
 
 It is impoffible, at this diftance of time, to 
 fay in what manner this facred inftitution was 
 attended to in the antideluvian world. Perhaps, 
 nay it is probable, that the negled of this in¬ 
 ftitution, was one of thofe fins, for which the 
 people were deftroved by the deluge. Whether 
 the fabbath, or one day in feven was obferved 
 by the patriarchs, cannot now be known; only 
 thus much is certain, that in all the accounts 
 we have of them, it is not fo much as mentioned, 
 although the narrative is particular in other 
 
 things. . , . , , . , . 
 
 But then it will be enquired in the third place, 
 was the obfervation of one day in feven among 
 the Jews, a ceremonial or a moral inftitution ? 
 The anfwer is, that in fome fenfe it was both ce¬ 
 remonial and moral ; ceremonial fo far as it was 
 connected with the Jewilh law ; moral, as being 
 the effedt of fome Divine revelation. As a cere¬ 
 monial pradice, it took place among the Jews ; 
 and it is well known, that thefe people were fo 
 fuperftitioufly attached to the oblervance of it, 
 that many hundreds of them were maffacred by 
 Antiochus Epiphanes, becaufe they would not 
 fight on that day. 
 
 On the other hand, the moral obligation was 
 quite of a different nature, for it was reafonable 
 that fome time Ihould be fet apart for the worfhip 
 of the Divine Being, and as the Jews believed 
 that the high command came from God, fo they 
 were unde? the moft abfolute and indifputable 
 neceffity to confider it as moral. 
 
 There is a morality in natural religion, which 
 cannot be known unlefs we attend to the ftate 
 of man in this world. But in Divine Revela 
 cion, there is a neceffity of believing, that what 
 
 ever God reveals is moral. If we believe a pre¬ 
 cept inculcated by Divine Revelation, we mull 
 believe it to be moral; for what can be immoral 
 that God preferibes as a duty. In judging of all 
 thefe things, we are to confider, how far the 
 evidence will fupport us through the whole of 
 the argument, and then, if any doubt arifes, we 
 are to draw the line between natural and re¬ 
 vealed religion. 
 
 But this leads us to confider the ftate of the 
 Chriftian fabbath, under the New Teftament dif- 
 penfation. 
 
 With refpedt to the New Teftament difpenfa- 
 tion, here is a grand queftion indeed. It is cer¬ 
 tain, that Chrift came to put an end to all car¬ 
 nal ordinances in the law of Moles. He came 
 not to deftroy any thing moral in that law, but 
 to fulfil in his own perfon, every tiling pointed 
 out by the different types and lhadows. Chrift 
 taught the Jews that the fabbath fliould be kept, 
 but not in the manner they did it; for the Pha- 
 rifees had made it a rule, not fo much as to do 
 good to the afflifted on that day. To convince 
 them of the depravity of their conduft, he afked 
 them, or rather afked their confciences, whether 
 it was lawful to do well on the fabbath day, and 
 then wrought a miracle. 
 
 When Chrift faid, it isfinijh'd, the whole law 
 of carnal ordinances fell to the ground, the 
 veil of the temple was rent, and the partition 
 wall was broken down that leparated the Jews 
 from the Gentiles. What command Chrift 
 gave to his difciples concerning their keeping 
 the day of his refurredlion, cannot now be 
 known. Whether he did fo or not, this much 
 is certain, that his difciples confidered the firft 
 day of the week as coming in the room of tha 
 Jewifh fabbath. 
 
 Thus we read (Adts, xx. 7.) “ And upon the 
 firft day of the week, when the difciples came 
 together to break bread, Paul preached unto 
 them.” 
 
 Now it is not faid, that he called them toge¬ 
 ther, but that he found them met there accord¬ 
 ing to their conftant pradtice. In the Revelation 
 (i. 10.) St. John fays, “ I was in the fpirit on 
 the Lord’s day.” Now, whether Chrift defired 
 them to remember him on that day, or whether 
 they did it in gratitude for the many bleffings he 
 had procured for them, is not certainly known. 
 
 It fieems, however, that many of the Chrif- 
 tians in Galatia kept the Jewilh fabbath, for 
 which they were feverely reprimanded by the 
 apoftle Paul. However, it was the uniform 
 cuftom of the primitive Chriftians, to meet on 
 the firft day of the week, r frequently as they 
 had an opportunity. But this duty could not 
 be impofed, becaufe many of the firft converts 
 were ffaves. 
 
 When the church obtained peace, under the 
 emperor Conftantine, then the firft day of the 
 
 Wl VUllUUIUm' J men ...... .....- j -- 
 
 week was religioufly obferved, as the Chriftian- 
 
 fabbath, 
 
An ACCOUNT of the 
 
 fabbath, and about two hundred years after¬ 
 wards, the emperor Juftinian publifhed an edidt, 
 commanding, that all Chriftians fhould obferve 
 that day, by attending public worfhip in the 
 churches. It has never fince been obferved by 
 the Chriftians as we know of, except thofe 
 whom we are juft going to mention. 
 
 Account of the Calviniftical Sabattarians. 
 
 Thefe people, called Calviniftical Sabattarians, 
 are all Anabaptifts ; tho’ they are not very nu¬ 
 merous, yet they are very rigid in their notions. 
 They fay, that the inftitution of the fabbath is 
 not ceremonial, but moral, becaufe it took place 
 immediately after the creation. They add fur¬ 
 ther, that there muft have been fome traditional 
 account of its being oblerved by the patriarchs, 
 elfe Mofes would never have inferted it into his 
 law. 
 
 It is certain, that many of the rites in the 
 Jewifh law, were obferved by the patriarchs; 
 for it is generally allowed, that Mofes did no 
 more than reduce them to a l'yffem. And if 
 this was the cafe, fay they, why might not the 
 fabbath be obferved by thefe antient fathers. 
 
 There feems not to be much force in this part 
 of the argument, for can we fuppofe that the 
 very men, who were called and inftrudted by our 
 Saviour himfelf, would have kept the refurredtion 
 day inftead of the feventh fabbath. To this we 
 may add, that as God ordered the feventh day 
 of the week to be obferved, in memorv of the 
 creation, and as the work of man’s redemption 
 was the greateft event that ever took place here 
 below, fo it was neceffary that it fhould be 
 commemorated as long as the exiftence of time, 
 till Chrift fhould make his fecond appearance. 
 This is certainly the beft way to confider the 
 fubjedt ; and it is certain, that nothing can be 
 more dangerous, vague and uncertain, than to 
 take difputed points of religion by inference or 
 implication, when, at the fame time, a better 
 proof offered itfelf. 
 
 Now it is certain, that the obfervation of the. 
 firft day of the week as the Chriftian fabbath, 
 hath been uniformly obferved by all thofe who bear 
 that name, except a few; and this is evidence 
 much ftronger than any thing that can be taken 
 by implication. Thus far we think the argument 
 refts in favour of thofe who keep the firft day of 
 the week as the Chriftian fabbath, but we are not 
 to didlate to any one. Men are to be judged by 
 the evidence of their confcience, in conffquence 
 of that degree of knowieege which they have 
 had an opportunity of acquiring. 
 
 Thefe Calviniftical Sabattarians differ in no¬ 
 thing from the Calviniftical Anabaptifts, except 
 in worfhipping God on Saturday. They have 
 very little dilcipline in their churches or meetings, 
 and their fermons are generally void of exhor¬ 
 tations. They are very morofe in their tempers, 
 and in general uncharitable to thofe who differ 
 from them in fentiments. 
 
 When they admit members among them, they 
 are very ftridt in making enquiries into all that 
 can be known concerning all thofe notions they 
 formerly embraced. They likewife enquire in- 
 
 50 
 
 sabbattarianS. $ 97 
 
 to their moral charadters; for although thefe peo¬ 
 ple believe that no moral duties can be of any 
 fervice in the article of religion, yet they like to 
 be moral themfelves and to have moral people 
 among them. 
 
 Their public devotions are the fame as thofe of 
 the Independents and Calviniftical Anabaptifts; 
 and when they excommunicate one of their 
 members, they feldom re-admit him to theft 
 communion. 
 
 They have but few hearers, and thefe are in 
 general fo pliable, that they keep both the 
 Jewifh and Chriftian fabbaths. Here is an in- 
 confiftcncy, not only in fpeculation, but in prac¬ 
 tice ; but what can we look for in human na¬ 
 ture ? It is pofiible, that thefe people will die 
 away with the prefent generation ; for as they 
 were never very numerous, fo they are daily 
 dropping off. They are all millenarians, that is, 
 they believe that Chrift will reign a thoufand 
 years on the earth ; which notion is embraced 
 by many of the other Diffenters. There are no 
 other particulars relating to them worth men¬ 
 tioning, nor do they make much figure at pre¬ 
 fent. 
 
 The Arian Sabbattarians. 
 
 Thefe people are the mo ft pliant of any in the 
 world, for they generally adt in a double capa¬ 
 city. Thus they preach in their own meetings 
 on Saturdays, as the real fabbath, and in other 
 meetings on Sundays, as the Chriftian fabbath. 
 Upon this laft, however, it is probable that they 
 are rather a fort of aftiHants to the Arian Anabap¬ 
 tifts. But let them adt from whatever motives 
 they think proper, yet this much is certain, they 
 are not popular. 
 
 It is remarkable, that whatever popularity may 
 take place among the vulgar, yet when men of 
 knowledge preach the truths of the gofpel in their 
 primitive fimplicity, they are generally followed, 
 and they are obeyed in confequence of their 
 lives being a pradtical comment on their preach¬ 
 ing. On the other hand, when a preacher for- 
 fakes the gofpel of Chrift, and attempts to de¬ 
 prive him of his glory, the people fit with in¬ 
 difference under his cold lifelefs difeourfes, and 
 they drop off one by one, while the poor infa¬ 
 tuated preacher is forlaken. 
 
 We have already feen how this applies to the 
 caufe of the Arians in general, and to none can 
 it be more particularly applied than to the Arian 
 Sabbattarians. If ever they mention the name of 
 Chrift it is with fome mark of reproach, and not 
 with that mark of reverence one would naturally 
 expedt from thofe who would make us believe 
 they were his follower 
 
 But here let us flop a little. Perhaps thefe men 
 arc not Chriftians. They obferve part of the 
 Jewifh law, but theyrejedt the divinity of Chrift. 
 They pretend to a more than ordinary zeal for 
 the lacred feriptures, and yet their fermons are 
 nothing more than dull moral precepts. They 
 have this advantage, however, above the Calvi¬ 
 niftical Sabbattarians, in that they exhort their 
 people to duty. 
 
 It would not be difficult for a man of under- 
 7 M Handing 
 
An ACCOUNT of the FRIENDS, commonly Called QUAKERS. 
 
 59 * , , 
 
 Handing to make a good fermon out of two of 
 theirs ; for the Calviniftical Sabbatarians would 
 furnilh him with fpeculation, and the Arians with 
 
 As thefe men are, in general, neceflitous for the 
 neceffaries of life, and as they are but little re¬ 
 garded by thofe few people who follow them, fo 
 fome of them are obliged either to follow mecha 
 nical employments, or, if they have education, 
 
 to keep fchools. . 
 
 And here we would make an obfervation that 
 perhaps was never before committed to writing, 
 namely, that the At ians, Socimans, and Armi- 
 nians, all lingin their publicworfhip Dr. Watts’s 
 Pfaims Now it is well known that the doctor s 
 imitation of the Pfaims is purely Calviniftical ; 
 and how thefe men who deny the divinity of 
 Chrift and the Floly Ghoft, can fing that in their 
 public worfhip which is totally oppofice to their 
 principles, we are not able to account for. 
 
 To hear a minifter preach a full hour againft 
 all the glories of Chrift’s kingdom, and, at the 
 fame time, order a Pfalm to be fung in public 
 worfhip contradiftory to what he had before ad¬ 
 vanced, is one of the greateft paradoxes in the 
 world. Nay, we will not hefuate to declare, 
 that it is a very ferious matter. For true religion 
 is of an uniform nature: no part of it muft 
 
 clafb or interfere with another; all muft be 
 beautiful, regular and uniform; but how can 
 this be found where there is a total oppofition. 
 
 Thefe people admit their members by im- 
 merfion in riper years, but indeed they make 
 fo few converts, that they do not practice this 
 cermony much. The perfon’to be baptized, has 
 a declaration of his faith drawn up on purpofe 
 for him by the minifter, who reads it to the 
 people that are in the meeting. 
 
 This confeffion has always fomething in it 
 againft: the trinity, and againft all fyftems of 
 divinity; and yet thefe people are the mod fyf- 
 tematical in the world, for every one has a fyftem 
 of his own. 
 
 They have no manner of difcipline, which 
 indeed would be unneceffary; for what great 
 occafion has that fchoolmafter for a rod, whofe 
 fchool contains but few fcholars. In their 
 public worfhip they are like the other Arian Dif- 
 fenters, and they generally feleft a chapter of 
 the Bible to read before fermon. They read 
 their fermons to the people in a dull lifelefs 
 manner, fo that it cannot be fuppofed that they 
 will make much impreffions upon them. Pro¬ 
 bably in a few years they will be totally extinfl; 
 for ar prefent, perhaps, there are not a great 
 number in the nation. 
 
 An ACCOUNT of the FRIENDS, commonly called 
 
 QJU A K E R S. 
 
 I N treating of thefe people in an hiftorical man¬ 
 ner, we are obliged to have recourfe to much 
 tendernefs. That they differ from the gene¬ 
 rality of Proteftants in fome of the capital points 
 of religion cannot be denied, and yet, as Pro- 
 teftant Diffenters, they are included under the 
 defeription of the toleration aft. It is not our 
 bulinefs to enquire whether people of fimilar 
 fentiments had any exiftence in the primitive 
 ao-es of Chriftianlty; perhaps, in fome refpefts, 
 they had not ; but we are to write of them not as 
 ■what they were but what they now are. That 
 they have been treated by feveral writers in a very 
 contemptuous manner is certain; that they did 
 notdeferve fuch treatment is equally certain. 
 
 The appellation Quakers was bellowed upon 
 them as a term of reproach, in confequence of 
 their apparent convuliions which they laboured 
 under when they delivered their difeourfes, be- 
 caufe they imagined they were the effeft of Divine 
 infpiration. 
 
 It is not our bufinefs, at prefent, to enquire 
 whether the fentiments of thefe people are agree¬ 
 able to the gofpel, but this much is certain, that 
 the firft leader of them, as a feparate body, was 
 a man of obfeure birth, who had his firft exiftence 
 in Leicefterlhire, about the year 1624. In fpeak- 
 ing of this man we lhall deliver our own fenti¬ 
 
 ments in an hiftorical manner, and joining thefe to 
 what has been laid by the Friends themfelves, we 
 (hall endeavour to furnilh out a complete narra¬ 
 tive. 
 
 He was defeended of honed and refpefled pa¬ 
 rents, who brought him up in the national reli¬ 
 gion: but from a child he appeared religious, 
 ftill, folid, and obferving, beyond his years, and 
 uncommonly knowing in divine things. He was 
 brought up to hulbandry, and other country bu- 
 finefs, and was particularly inclined to the folitary 
 occupation of a (hepherd ; “ an employment,” 
 fays our author, “ that very well fuited his mind 
 in feveral refpefls, both for its innocency and fo- 
 litude; and was a juft emblem of his after mini- 
 dry and fervice.” In the year 1646, he entirely 
 forfook the national church, in whofe tenets he 
 had been brought up, as before obferved and in 
 1647 he travelled into Derbylhire and Notting- 
 hatnlhire, without any fet purpofe of vifiting par¬ 
 ticular places, but in a folitary manner he walked 
 through feveral towns and villages, which way fo- 
 ever his mind turned. “ He failed much,” 
 fays Sewell, “ and walked often in retired places, 
 with no other companion but his bible.” “ He 
 vifued the mod retired and religious people in 
 thofe parts,” fays Penn, “ and iome there were, 
 Ihort of few, if any, in this nation, who waited 
 
An ACCOUNT of the FRIEN 
 for the confutation of Ifrael night and day ; as Za- 
 charias, Anna, and Simeon, did of old time. 
 1 o thefe he was fent, and thefe he fought out in 
 the neighbouring counties, and among them he 
 fojourncd till his more ample miniftry came upon 
 him. At this time he taught, and was an exam¬ 
 ple of filence, endeavouring to bring them from 
 1 elf-performances ; teftifying of, and turning 
 them to the light of Chrift within them, and en¬ 
 couraging them to wait in patience, and to feel 
 the power of it to ftir in their hearts, that their 
 knowledge and worfhip of God might Hand in 
 the power of an endlefs life, which was to be 
 found in the light, as it was obeyed in the mani- 
 feftation 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 generation 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 difpen- 
 fation, which was not that of the kingdom, but 
 the confummation of the legal, and fore-running of 
 the gofpel-times, the time of the kingdom. Ac¬ 
 cordingly feveral meetings were gathering in thofe 
 parts ; and thus his time was employed for fome 
 years. 
 
 In the year 1652, tc he had a vifitation of the 
 great work of God in the earth, and of the way 
 that he was to go forth, in a public miniftry, to 
 begin it.” He directed his courfe northward, 
 “ and in every place where he came, if not before 
 he came to it, he had his particular exercife and 
 fervice (hewn to him, fo that the Lord was his lea¬ 
 der indeed.” He made great numbers of converts 
 to his opinions, and many pious and good men 
 joined him in his miniftry. Thefe were drawn 
 fortn efpecially to vifit the public aflemblies to re¬ 
 prove, reform, and exhort them ; fometimes in 
 markets, fairs, ftreets, and by the highway-fide, 
 
 “ calling people to repentance, and to return to 
 the Lord, with their hearts as well as their mouths ; 
 directed them to the light of Chrift within them, 
 to fee, examine, and to confider their ways by, and 
 to efchew the evil, and to do the good and accep¬ 
 table will of God.” 
 
 They were not without oppofition in the work 
 they imagined themfelves called to, being often 
 fet in the ftocks, ftoned, beaten, whipped and im- 
 prifoned, tho’, as our author o'oferves, honeft 
 men of good report, that had left wives, children, 
 houfes and lands, to vifit them with a living cad 
 to repentance. But thefe coerceive methods rather 
 forwarded than abated their zeal, and in thofe 
 parts they brought over many profelytes, and 
 amongft them feveral magiftrates, and others of 
 the better fort. They apprehended the Lord had 
 forbidden them to pull off their hats to any one, 
 high or low, and required them to fpeak to the 
 people, without diftinttion, in the language of 
 thou and thee. They fcrupled bidding people 
 good-morrow, or good-night ; nor might they 
 bend the knee to any one, even in fupreme autho¬ 
 rity. Both men and women went in a plain and 
 fimple drefs, different from the fafhion of the 
 times. They neither gave nor accepted any titles 
 of refpebt or honour, nor would they call any man 
 
 >S, commonly called QUAKERS. ^ 
 
 mafter, on earth. Several texts of feripture they 
 quoted in defence of thefe fingularities ; ftich as, 
 Swear not at all. How can ye believe who receive 
 honour one of another, and feek not the honour 
 which comes from God only ? &c. &c. They 
 placed the bafts of religion in an inward light, 
 and an extraordinary impulfe of the holy 
 fpirit. 
 
 In 1654, their firft feparate-meeting in London 
 was held in the houfeof Robert Dring, in Watling 
 ftreer, for by that time they had fpread themfelves 
 into all parts of the kingdom, and had in many 
 places fet up meetings or aflemblies, particularly 
 in Lancafhire and the adjacent parts, but they 
 were ftill expofed to great perfections and trials 
 of every kind. One of them, in a letter to the 
 proteftor, Oliver Cromwell, reprefents, that 
 though there are no penal taws in force obligino- 
 men to comply with the eftablifhed religion,*"yet 
 the Quakers are expofed upon other accounts; 
 they are fined and imprifoned for refufing to take 
 an oath ; for nor paying their tithes; for difturb- 
 ing the public aflemblies, and meeting in the 
 ftreets, and places of public refort; fome of 
 them have been whipped for vagabonds, and for 
 their plain fpeeches to the magistrate. 
 
 Under favour of the then toleration they 
 opened their meetings at the Bull and Mouth 
 in Alderfgate-ftreet, where women, as well as 
 men, were moved to fpeak. Their zeal tranf- 
 ported them to fome extravagances, which laid 
 them ftill more open to the lafli of their enemies, 
 who exercifed various feverities upon them 
 throughout the next reign. Upon the fuppreffion 
 of Venner’s mad infurredtion, the government 
 having publifhed a proclamation, forbidding the 
 Ananaptifts, Quakers, and'Fifth monarchy men, 
 to aflemble or meet together under pretence of 
 worfhipping God, except it be in fome parochial 
 church, chapel, or in private houfes, by confent 
 of the perions there inhabiting, all meetings' in 
 other places, being declared to be unlawful and 
 riotous, &c. &c. the Quakers thought it expedient 
 to addrefs the king thereon, which they did in the 
 following words : 
 
 “ Oh King Charles ! 
 
 “ Our defire is, that thou mayeft live for ever 
 in the fear of God and thy council. We befeech 
 thee and thy council, to read thefe following lines 
 in tender bowels, and companion for our fouls, 
 and for your good. 
 
 “ And this confider, we are about four hun¬ 
 dred imprifoned, in and about this city, of men 
 and women from their families, befides, in the 
 county gaols, about ten hundred, we defire 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.” 
 
 On the 28th of the fame month, they publifh¬ 
 ed the declaration referred to in their addrefs, en¬ 
 titled, “ A declaration from the harmlefs and inno¬ 
 cent people of God called Quakers, againft all 
 fedition, plotters and fighters in the world, for 
 removing the ground of jealoufy and fufpicion, 
 from both magiftrates and people in the kingdom, 
 concerning wars and fightings.” It was prelented 
 
 to 
 
ACCOUNT of the FRIENDS, commonly called QUAKERS. 
 
 600 An 
 
 to the king the 21ft day of the eleventh month, | 
 1660, and he promifed them upon his royal 
 word, that they (hould not fuffer for their opi¬ 
 nions, as long as they lived peaceably ; but 
 his promifes were very little regarded alter- 
 Wards. . . , 
 
 In 1661, they aflumed courage to petition the 
 houfe of lords for a toleration of their religion, 
 and for a difpenfation from taking the oaths, 
 which they held unlawful, not from any difafiec- 
 tion to the government, or a belief that they 
 were lefs obliged by an affirmation, but from a 
 perfuafion that all oaths were unlawful; and that 
 l'wearing upon the mod lolemn occafions was 
 forbidden in the New Teftament. Their petition 
 was rejefted, and inftead of granting them re¬ 
 lief, an aft was palled againft them, the preamble 
 to which fet forth, <e That whereas feveral per- 
 fons have taken up an opinion, that an oath, 
 even before a magiftrate, is unlawful, and con¬ 
 trary to the word of God ; and whereas, under 
 pretence of religious worffiip, the faid perlons 
 do alfemble in great numbers in feveral parts of 
 the kingdom, feparating themfelves from the 
 reft of his majefty’s fubjefts, and the public 
 congregations and ofual places of divine wor- 
 fhip: be it therefore enafted, that if any fuch 
 perlons, after the 24th of March 1661-2, fhall 
 refufe to take an oath when lawfully tendered, or j 
 perfuade others to do it, or maintain in writing 
 or otherwife, the unlawfulnefs of taking an oath; 
 or if they ffiall alfemble for religious worffiip, 
 to the number of five or more, of the age ol 
 fifteen, they ffiall for the firft offence forfeit five 
 pounds; for the fecond, ten pounds ; and for the 
 third ffiall abjure the realm, or be tranfportedto 
 the plantations : and the juftices of peace at their 
 open feffions may hear and finally determine in 
 the afFair.” 
 
 This aft had a moft dreadful effeft upon the 
 Quakers, though it was well known and noto¬ 
 rious thefe conlcientious perfons were fir from 
 fedition or difaffeftion to the government. 
 George Fox, in his addrefs to the king, acquaints 
 him, that three thoufand and fixty-eight of their 
 friends had been imprifoned fince his majefty’s 
 reftoration; that their meetings were daily bro¬ 
 ken up by men with clubs and arms, and their 
 friends thrown into the water, and trampled 
 under foot till the blood gullied out, which gave 
 rife to their meeting in the open ftreets. A re¬ 
 lation was printed, figned by twelve witnefles, 
 which fays, that more than four thoufand 
 two hundred Quakers were imprifoned ; and of 
 them five hundred were in and about London, 
 and the fuburbs; feveral of whom were dead in 
 the goals. 
 
 However, they even gloried in their fuffer- 
 ings, which encreafed every day ; fo that in 1665, 
 and the intermediate years, they were harralfed 
 without example. As they perfifted refolutely 
 to alfemble, openly, at the Bull and Mouth, 
 before-mentioned, the foldiers, and other officers, 
 dragged them from thence to prifon, till New¬ 
 gate was filled with them, and multitudes 
 died of dole confinement, in that and other 
 goals. 
 
 Six hundred of them, fays an account pub- 
 lilhed at this time, were in prifon, merely for 
 
 religion-fake, of whom feveral were baniffied to 
 the plantations. In ffiort, fays Mr. Neale, the 
 Quakers gave luch full employment to the in¬ 
 formers, that they had lefs leifure to attend the 
 meetings of other Dilfenters. 
 
 Yet, under all thefe calamities, they behaved 
 with patience and modefty towards the govern¬ 
 ment, and upon occafion of the Rve-houfe plot, 
 in 1682, thought proper to declare their inno¬ 
 cence of that lliam plot, in an addrefs to the 
 king, wherein, appealing to the fearcher of all 
 hearts, they fay, their principles do not allow 
 I them to take up defenfive arms, much Ids to 
 avenge themfelves for the injures they receive 
 froiTMithers : that they continually pray for the 
 king’s fafety and prefervation ; and therefore 
 rake this occafion humbly to befeech his majefty 
 to compaffionate their fufFering friends, with 
 whom the goals are fo filled, that they want air, 
 to the apparent hazard of their lives, and to the 
 endangering an infeftion in divers places. ^ Be- 
 fides, many houles, fliops, barns and fields are 
 ranfacked, and the goods, corn and cattle lv/ept 
 away, to the difeouraging trade and husbandry, 
 and impoveriffimg great numbers of quiet and 
 induftrious people ; and this for no other caufe, 
 but for the cxercife of a tender confidence in the 
 worffiip of Almighty God, who is fovercign 
 Lord and King of inun’s confidences. 
 
 On the acceffion of James II. they add refled 
 that monarch honeftly and plainly, telling him, 
 we are come to teftify our lorrow for the death 
 of our good friend Charles, and our joy for thy 
 being made our governor. We aie told thou 
 art not of the perfuafion of the church of Eng¬ 
 land, no more than we; therefore we hope thou 
 wilt grant us the fame liberty which thou alloweft 
 thyfelf, which doing, we wiffi thee all manner of 
 happinefs. 
 
 When James, by his difpenfing power, grant¬ 
 ed liberty to the Diflenters, they began to enjoy 
 fome reft from their troubles ; and indeed it was 
 hi°h time, for they were fwelled to an enormous 
 amount. They, the year before this, to them 
 glad releafe, in a petition to James for a cefia- 
 tion of their fufferings, fet forth, that of late 
 i above one thoufand five hundred of their friends, 
 i both men and women, and that now there re- 
 | main one thoufand three hundred and eighty- 
 | three; of which two hundred are women, many 
 | under fentence of praemunire ; and more than 
 three hundred near it, for refufing the oath of 
 allegiance, becaufe they could not fwear. I hree 
 hundred and fifty have died in priion fince the 
 year 1680; in London, the goal of Newgate 
 has been crowded, within this two years, fome- 
 times with near twenty in a room, whereby fe¬ 
 veral have been fuft'oeated, and others, who 
 have been taken out Tick, have dieVr of malig¬ 
 nant fevers within a few days. Great, violences, 
 outrageous diftrefies, and woeful havoek and 
 fipoil, have been made upon people’s goods and 
 eftates, by a company of idle, extravagant and 
 mercilefs informers, by perlecutions on the con¬ 
 venticle-aft, and others ; alio on' qui tarn writs, 
 and on other procefles, for twenty pounds a 
 month, and two thirds of their eftates feizeil for 
 the king. Some had not a bed left to reft on, 
 others had no catcie to dll' the ground, nor corn 
 
An ACCOUNT of the FRIENDS, commonly called QUAKERS. 601 
 
 for feed or bread, nor tools to work with; the 
 faid informers and bailiffs in fome places break¬ 
 ing into houfes, and making great wafte and 
 fpoil, under pretence of ferving the king and the 
 church. Our religious affemblies have been 
 charged at common law with being riotors 
 and difturbers of the public peace, whereby 
 great numbers have been confined in prifon 
 without regard to age, and many confined in 
 holes and dungeons. The feizing for twenty 
 pounds a month has amounted to many thou¬ 
 sands, and leveral who have employed fome 
 hundreds of poor people in manufadtures, are 
 difabled to do any more, by reafon of long 
 imprifonment. They fpare neither widow nor 
 fatherlefs, nor have they fo much as a bed to 
 lie on. The informers are both witneffes and 
 profeciitors, to the ruin of great numbers of fober 
 families ; andjuftices of the peace have been 
 threatened with the forfeiture of one hundred 
 pounds, if they do not iflue out warrants upon 
 their informations. With this petition they 
 prefented a lift of their friends in prifon, in the 
 feveral counties, amounting to four hundred 
 and fixty. 
 
 During the reign of king James II. thefe peo¬ 
 ple were, through the interceffion of their friend 
 Mr. Penn, treated with greater indulgence than 
 ever they had been before. They were now 
 become extremely numerous in many parts of 
 the country, and the fettlement of Pennfylvania 
 taking place loon after, many of them went over 
 to America. There they enjoyed the blelfings 
 of a peaceful government, and cultivated the 
 arts of honeft induftry. 
 
 As the whole colony was the property of Mr. 
 Penn, fo he invited people of all denominations 
 to come and fettle with him. An univerfal 
 liberty of confcience took place ; and in this 
 new colony the natural rights of mankind were, 
 for the firfttime, eftablifhed. 
 
 Thefe Friends are, in the prefent age, a very 
 harmlefs inoffenfive body of people; but of that 
 we fhall take more notice hereafter. By their 
 wife regulations, they not only do honour to 
 themfelves, but they are of vaft fervice to the 
 community ; and here we are led to conlider 
 their tenets, with refpeCt to the grand articles 
 of the Chriftian faith, and their difcipline con¬ 
 cerning church communion. 
 
 They profefs faith in God, by his only begot¬ 
 ten fon Jefus Chrift, as being their light and 
 life, as well as their only way to the father, and 
 a mediator with the father. That God created 
 all things by his fon Jefus Chrift; and that the 
 father, the word and the holy fpirit are one 
 Divine Being, infeparable, one true living and 
 eternal God, blefied for ever. That the word, 
 or fon of man in the fulnefs of time, took our 
 nature upon him, and became a perfect man, 
 according to the flelh ; was miraculoufiy con¬ 
 ceived by the power of the Holy Ghoft, and 
 born of the Virgin Mary ; declared to be the 
 fon of God, according to the fpirit of fandlifica- 
 tion, by the refurredtion from the dead. That 
 in this word was life, and the fame life was the 
 light of men, the life and light within us; and 
 that men are to believe in this light, Chrift 
 Jefus. 
 
 That as man he died for our fins, rofe again, 
 and was raifed up into glory ; he having, by that 
 one great univerfal offering, became a facrifice 
 for peace, atonement, and reconciliation between 
 God and man. That Jefus, who fitteth on the 
 right-hand of the Majefty of Heaven, is our 
 king, high-prieft and prophet, in his church, 
 and by his fpirit alfo maketh interceffion in our 
 hearts. That thegofpel of this grace fhould be 
 preached in the name of the Father, Son, and 
 Holy Ghoft, being one in power, wii’dom and 
 goodnefs in the work of man’s falvation, and 
 that all our prayers are anfwered by the father 
 through the fon. 
 
 That Chrift’s body that was crucified was not 
 the godhead, yet, by the power of God, it was 
 raifed from the dead, changed into a more glo¬ 
 rious condition, and afeended into heaven. 
 
 Firm and living faith in Chrift Jefus the fort 
 of the living God refpedts his being and fulnefs, 
 and alfo his making himfelf known in the foul 
 in every degree of his light, life, fpirit, grace, 
 and truth, the immediate caufe, author, objerft, 
 and ftrength of our living faith ; which light 
 and life of the fon of God, when truly obferved 
 and followed, will bring us to the adoption 
 of fons. 
 
 It is true, we are not to undervalue the holy 
 feriptures, nor flight the preaching of the word, 
 as being outward helps and inftruments in the 
 hand of God for the converfion of finners, nor 
 do we fet them up in oppofition to the light of 
 the fpirit of God or Chrift within ; for his faith¬ 
 ful meffengers are minifters thereof to turn people 
 to the fame fpirit and light within them. 
 
 It is certain, that great is the myftery of 
 godlinefs in itfelf; that God ftiould be mani- 
 fefted in the flelh ; and it is a great and precious 
 myftery of godlinefs and Chriftianity, that Chrift 
 fhould be lpiritually and effectually manifelted 
 in men’s hearts. Chrift is revealed to all true 
 believers, freeing them from the bondage of 
 fin, in their wil'dom, righteoufnefs, fanftifica- 
 tion, and redemption This myftery of godli¬ 
 nefs in its own being and glory, hath been and 
 muft be teftified, preached and believed, where 
 God is pleafed to give commiffion, and prepare 
 people’s hearts for the fame. 
 
 As touching the relurredtion of the dead, we 
 believe as the feripture teftifies, <f that if in 
 “ this life we only have hope, we are of all 
 tc men the molt miferable.” That the foul or 
 fpirit of every man or woman lhall be re¬ 
 fumed in its own diftinCt and proper being, 
 and every foul fhall have its proper body, as 
 God is pleafed to give it. A natural body is 
 fown, afpiritual body is raifed ; and though this 
 corruptible lhall put on incorruption, and this 
 mortal lhall put on immortality, the change 
 lhall be fuch as flelh and blood cannot inherit 
 the kingdom of God, fo we expetft our bodies 
 to be lpiritual in the refurre&ion, and that .'hey 
 lhall far excel what our bodies are at prefent; 
 but how the dead are raifed, or with what body 
 they come, we fubmit to the wifdom and plea- 
 lure of Almighty God ■, for we cannot prefume 
 to determine. 
 
 As to the doeftrine of the final judgement, 
 we believe, that God hath committed all judge - 
 7 N ment 
 
irlf" 
 
 An ACCOUNT of the FRIENDS, commonly called QUAKERS. 
 
 Col 
 
 ment unto his fon Jefus Chrift, and he is ap¬ 
 pointed to be both the judge of quick and dead, 
 and of the dates and end of all mankind. That 
 Jefus Chrift, who hath fo deeply differed, and 
 endured fo many indignities, fhall in the lad 
 and great day manifedly appear in glory, at¬ 
 tended with all his glorious and heavenly hod 
 and retinue, to the terror and amazement of all 
 thofe who have denied him ; but to the glory 
 and triumph of the righteous, the faithful fol¬ 
 lowers and friends of Chrid. It is a righteous 
 thing with God, that they who fuffer with him, 
 Ibould appear with him in glory and dignity, 
 when he (hall appear at lad to judge the world 
 and princes thereof. Whild thofe who now 
 evade and reject tire inward convicdions and 
 judgement of the light, and (hut up the records 
 or books thereof in their own confciences; they 
 fhali'be at lad opened, and every thing judged 
 of the things recorded therein, according to 
 their works. 
 
 Thefe articles are generally approved of by 
 mod of thofe Chridians whom we call orthodox; 
 but as a charge was brought againd the Quakers 
 for having embraced the notions of Socinus, in 
 vindication of thcmfelves they added a few more 
 articles to their creed. Thefe are as follow : 
 
 I . That Jefus of Nazareth, who was born of 
 the Virgin Mary, is the true Meffiah, the Chrid 
 the fon of God, to whom all the prophets are 
 witnefs ; and that we do highly value his death, 
 fufferings, works, offices, and merits, for the 
 redemption of mankind, with his laws, dodtrines 
 and minidry. 
 
 II. That this very Chrid of God, who is the 
 lamb of God that taketlr away all the fins of the 
 world, was (lain, was dead, and is alive for ever 
 in his eternal glory, dominion and power with 
 the father. 
 
 III. That the holy fcriptures are of Divine 
 authority, as being given by the infpiration of 
 God. 
 
 IV. And that magidracy, or civil government, 
 is God’s ordinance, the good ends thereof being 
 for the puniffiment of evil doers, and the praiie 
 of them that do well. 
 
 Thefe articles were added by one George 
 Whitehead, a noted man among them ; and 
 here it may be neceffary to obferve, that thefe 
 people pay very great regard to the fcriptures, 
 and to many other doftrines of thegolbel. 
 
 Batpifm is not praftifed by thefe people. They 
 fay, that it is not outward waffling with water 
 that makes the heart clean, by which men are 
 fitted for heaven. Mr. Barclay, in his apology, 
 endeavours to prove this propofition in the fol¬ 
 lowing manner, viz. “ As there is one Lord, and 
 one faith, fo there is one baptifm, which is not 
 the putting away the filth of the fleffi, but the 
 anlwer of a good confidence before God, by the 
 refurredion of Jefus Chrift. And this baptifm 
 is a pure and fpiritual thing; that is, the baptifm 
 of the fpirit, and by which we are buried witii 
 him ; that being waffled 'and purged from our 
 fins, we may walk in newnefs of fife ; of which 
 the baptilm of John was only a figure, which 
 was commanded for a time, and not to continue 
 
 for ever.” Such are the fentiments of this learned 
 man concerning infant baptifm, or in general all 
 water baptifm whatever. He adds further, that 
 infant baptifm is a mere human invention ; for 
 which neither precept or pradice is to be found 
 in fcripture. 
 
 Concerning the facrament of the Lord's flip¬ 
 per, lie advances, “ that the communion of 
 the body and blood of Chrift is inward and. 
 fpritual, which is the participation of his fleffi 
 and blood, by which the infant man is daily 
 nourifhed in the hearts of thofe in whom Chrift 
 dwells ; of which things the breaking of bread 
 by Chrift with his difciples was a figure, which 
 they even ufed in the church for a time, who 
 had received the lubftance for the canfe of the 
 weak ; even in abftaining from things ftrangled, 
 and from blood ; the waffling of one another’s 
 feet, and the anointing of the fick with oil; all 
 which are commanded with no lefs authority and 
 folemnity than the former ; yet feeing they are 
 only the ffiadows of better things, fo they ceafe 
 in filch as have obtained the fubftance.” 
 
 It is not our bufinefs to enquire whether Mr. 
 Barclay's fentiments be true or not; his apology, 
 however, was foon after its firft publication 
 tranflated into Latin, which even led foreigners 
 to read it; and the author has feen tranffations 
 of it into French, German and Low Dutch. 
 
 Having thus far confidered the principles of the 
 Friends, commonly called Quakers, we (hall 
 proceed to give fome account of the various 
 parts ot their difeipline. 
 
 In 1667, George Fox recommended the fettino- 
 up ofmonthlymeetings throughout the nation, the 
 friends having only had their quarterly meetings. 
 
 “ And the Lord appeared (fays George) unto me, 
 and bid me fee what I muff: do, and how men and 
 womens monthly and quarterly meetings ihould 
 be ordered and eftabiifhed in England, and other 
 nations, and that I Ihould write to them where 
 I came not to do the fame. Accordingly, hav¬ 
 ing recommended the fet-ting up of two monthly 
 meetings in London to take care of God's glory, 
 and to admonilh and exhort fuch as walked dif- 
 orderly, and not according to the truth; then I 
 paffed forth into the counties again, and advifed 
 that monthly meetings (hould be fettled there 
 alfo, for the fame purpofe, which was done ac¬ 
 cording to the gofpel order, in and by the power 
 of God; and in the year 1668, I went over for 
 the fame purpofe to Ireland. From thence I 
 went to Scotland, to Holland, to Barbadoes, and 
 to many parts of America, advifing friends to 
 fettle monthly meetings in thofe countries; all 
 which was accordingly done. 
 
 The good effefts of thefe monthly meetings 
 difeovered themfelves in the reformation that 
 took place among our friends, and they were 
 acknowledged even by thofe who did not join 
 us.” Thefe monthly meetings were more or lefs 
 in number, as the cafe required, in every reipec- 
 tive county ; and three monthly meetings make 
 a quarterly one in each county. Thefe meetings 
 called quarterly, determined every thing too 
 hard for the monthly ones, and prepared mat¬ 
 ters for the general yearly meetings. In all 
 thefe meetings they are equal in power, they 
 have no perfon to prefide over them, becaufe 
 
 they 
 
■b 
 
Aii ACCOUNT of the FRIENDS, commonly called QUAKERS. 60? 
 
 they acknowledge none but Chrift for their head. 
 They have no difputes concerning differences, but 
 endeavour to convince each other in the lpirit 
 of love and meeknefs. In thefe meetings they 
 enquire into all the wants of their brethren. 
 
 In their proceedings againft offenders, they 
 are as follow : He is vifited by fome of the 
 friends, and the fadt he is charged with is laid 
 before him. They labour with much love and 
 zeal to convince his confcience that he has been 
 out of the way of his duty. They keep in view 
 the glory of God, the good of his foul, and the 
 honour of their profeffion. It commonly hap¬ 
 pens, that he isprevailed on to own his fault, and 
 profefs fincere repentance ; and then the thing is 
 never mentioned to him afterwards. 
 
 The monthly meecingchufe fome of the graveft 
 of their friends to vifit fuch as are abfent, to 
 converfe with them, to take care that the poor 
 be provided for, to promote piety, charity, and 
 friendfiiip in families, to take care that the chil¬ 
 dren of the poor be inftrudted, cloathed, and in 
 all things provided for. 
 
 Although they fupply the wants of all their 
 own poor, yet this does not prevent them from 
 being charitable to the poor of other religious de¬ 
 nominations. 
 
 The firft queftions afked by thofe whom we 
 have already mentioned as vifitors, are the fol¬ 
 lowing : 
 
 belong, by a due and open acknowledgement 
 of the offence, and condemnation of themfelves 
 for it, and to get the conlent of their guar¬ 
 dians before they can proceed with the mar¬ 
 riage. 
 
 Secondly, that the parties be of the fame opi¬ 
 nion and judgement in matters of religion, and 
 profeffed members of this fociety. 
 
 Thirdly, that none fhall marry within fuch de¬ 
 grees of conianguinity or affinity, as are forbidden 
 by the law of God. 
 
 fourthly, if either of the parties has given of¬ 
 fence to their friends formerly, by fome adt of 
 fcandal, they are to acknowledge it, which is ge¬ 
 nerally done in writing. 
 
 I. How are miniftering friends in love and 
 unity with one another, and with faithful brethren 
 in their own meetings ? 
 
 II. Do none of them travel abroad in the works 
 of the miniltry, without a certificate from, their 
 own monthly meetings ? 
 
 III. Do they give way to each ether, and to 
 ftrangers ? 
 
 IV. Do none overcharge them Rives with bufi- 
 nefs to the hindrance of their fervice ? 
 
 V. Are they found in their miniltry? 
 
 VI. Do any of them burthen their hearers with 
 words without life ? 
 
 VII. Do they adorn their dodtrine by a fuitable 
 condudt and converfation, as gqod example in all 
 refpedts ? 
 
 The fenfible reader will acknowledge, that thefe 
 are very important qucltions, but their difeipline 
 concerning marriage, merits the attention of 
 Proteftants of all denominations. 
 
 The man and woman prefent themfelves to the 
 men and women at the monthly meetings where 
 they refide, and there deliver their intention of 
 taking each other as hufband and wife, if the 
 faid meeting have no material objections agaimt 
 it. 
 
 The principal conditions of their acceptance, 
 are the following : 
 
 Firfi, it is an eftablifhed rule, that no man pro- 
 pofe marriage to a woman, without the previous 
 conier.t of his own and her parents, or guardians ; 
 and if the unbridled affections of any fliould have 
 precipitated him into a breach of this rule, he is 
 required to remove the offence, as is alfo the wo¬ 
 man, and give fatisfadtion to Rich parents and 
 guardians, and to the meeting to which they 
 
 If no objections are then made, notice 
 of the intended marriage is publifhed in the 
 meetings, where the man or woman refides, or 
 did refide, which muff be done before the mar¬ 
 riage is folemnized, in order that convenient 
 time may be granted for fatisfadtion concern¬ 
 ing their clearances of all fcandal of previous con¬ 
 tract, and every thing elfe. 
 
 The parties are required to give their atten¬ 
 dance a fecond time at the monthly meeting, 
 which is ufually the next enluing, when the 
 parties appointed to make the enquiry, return 
 and give the anfwer, which, if proved fatisfadtory, 
 the parties are at liberty to proceed to the accom- 
 pliffiment of the marriage. 
 
 Thefe marriages are folemnized in the com¬ 
 mon ordinary meetings, which hath had this good 
 effedt, to make public, and Itrongly recommend 
 this decent and comely order to all fober friends. 
 
 Here the man and woman take each other as 
 hufband and wife, and promife, with God’s affil- 
 tance, to be loving and faithful in that relation, 
 till death feparates them. Of all thefe proceed¬ 
 ings, a narrative is kept in the manner of a certifi¬ 
 cate, to which the hufband and wife firft fet their 
 hands, thereby making it their own adt and deed, 
 and fome of the perfons prefent do the fame. 
 
 1 his certificate is afterwards written into the 
 record of the meeting. 
 
 As for fecond marrying they attend to the fol¬ 
 lowing things: 
 
 firft, if the man be a widower, or the woman 
 a widow, and have children by a former hufband 
 or wife, that provifion be previoufly made for fucli 
 children, where it can conveniently be done. 
 
 Secondly, friends fhould not proceed to fecond 
 marriages, till at leaft one year is elapfed from the 
 death of the former wife, or hufband, and the 
 pradlice accordingly has been fuch ; for to do 
 otherwile would look indecent. 
 
 To their general meeting at London, which af- 
 fembles at Whitfuntide, are admitted friends from 
 all the churches they have in the world, to give 
 an account of the ftate of every particular church 
 which from fome parts is done only by writing, 
 and then a general epiftle is fent to all the 
 churches. 
 
 Thefe epiftles, from their general meetings in 
 London, have fomething in them of a very pious 
 and moral tendency, of which we fhall afterwards 
 give a fpecimen. In the mean time, we cannot 
 help obferving, that of all religious denomir.a. :ons, 
 thefe people fuffer more than others. They are 
 
 obliged 
 
An ACCOUNT of the FRIENDS, commonly called QUAKERS. 
 
 604 
 
 obliged to pay all forts of taxes, and yet none of 
 their poor become burthenfome to the parilhes. 
 
 The Papifts have had greater indulgences 
 (hewn them than the Friends, and there are num¬ 
 bers of Papifts in the workhoufes in England. It 
 is true, thofeof the Quakers or Friends, mult be 
 like wife admitted, on condition of their applying 
 for it •, but we cannot fay but it is rather cruel, to 
 make men pay for the fupport of the poor, feeing 
 they fupport all their own, and that in fo decent a 
 manner. 
 
 The following epiftle was written by that great 
 ornament of the literary world. Dr. John Father- 
 gill, at the laft yearly meeting at London, May 
 29 , 1779 - Ic f erve t0 ^ iew w ^at are t ^ ie ^ en ' 
 timents of thofe peaceable people under the pre- 
 fent unhappy circumftances of affairs. 
 
 Dearly beloved friends and brethren. 
 
 In the love ofr God, and the fellowfhip of the 
 gofpel, which we have, with deep thanklulnels of 
 heart, in a good degree experienced to attend us, 
 both in our meetings for worfhip, and thofe for 
 tr an fading the affairs of the church, we affection¬ 
 ately falute you •, with fervent defires that bro¬ 
 therly-love, peace, and concord, may continue 
 and increafe amongft us, and that a tender and 
 Chriftian concern may come upon all, in their 
 refpeCtive ftations, for the maintenance of good 
 order, and the promotion of truth and righteouf- 
 nefs upon earth. 
 
 By accounts received from the feveral quarter¬ 
 ly-meetings in England, and by epiftles from 
 Wales, North-Britain, Ireland, Holland, New- 
 England, New-York, Pennfylvania, New-Jerfey, 
 Maryland, North and South Carolina, and Geor¬ 
 gia, we are informed that love and unity are ge¬ 
 nerally preferved in the churches, to many of 
 which divers have been joined through convince- 
 ment •, and that a confiderable number of well- 
 difpofed youth appears in various parts. 
 
 The fufferings of our brethren in America 
 have been great in many places, efpeciallv in 
 Pennfylvania, the Jerfeys, Long-Ifland, Rhode- 
 Ifland, and Nantucket. Thefe fufferings have 
 principally arifen from that confufion and diftrefs 
 which are infeparable from war, from the laws 
 enaCfed for promoting military fervices, and from 
 aCts inforcing declarations of allegiance to thofe in 
 power. 
 
 The friends who were baniftied from Philadel¬ 
 phia have been permitted to return to their habi¬ 
 tations, excepting two, who died in exile; and 
 fome of thofe who were imprifoned have been fet 
 at liberty. 
 
 It is with fatisfaCtion we underftand, that their 
 meetings for worfhip and ditcipline are duly kept 
 up, and that notwithftanding the difficulties and 
 dangers which furround them, friends attend 
 them with diligence, and many from remote 
 places; their minds are often tendered therein, 
 and united in love one to another, and in deep 
 fympathy with the fufferers amongft them. And 
 it evidently appears, that the turning of the migh¬ 
 ty hand of the Lord upon them hath not been in 
 vain; but that, having learned by the things 
 they have fuffcred, and from the apprehenfion of 
 future probations, they are engaged to wait for 
 that divine help, protection, and fupport, which 
 
 alone can enable them to endure with patience and 
 holy refignation the trials that are permitted to at¬ 
 tend them. 
 
 Our brethren in thofe parts gratefully acknow¬ 
 ledge the kindnefs and regard of friends in Eng¬ 
 land and Ireland, in fo early and liberally contri¬ 
 buting to the relief of their diftreffes. Many 
 from eafy circumltances, have been reduced to 
 o-reat hardfhips and necefiities, but have been 
 meafurably kept in a ftate of contentment: thefe 
 have fhared the benevolence of thole who have 
 been preferved from the like fufferings. It ap¬ 
 pears, that their afflictions, though grievous in 
 divers places, have tended to awaken many to a 
 proper fenfe of their condition, and to increafe a 
 watchfulnefs and care, that they may walk an- 
 fwerable to the mercies received, and faith¬ 
 ful in the teftimonies committed to their charge, 
 againft wars and other antichriftian practices. 
 
 May a deep fympathy with our afflicted bre¬ 
 thren affeCt every mind ; and may we all watch 
 unto prayer, that it may pleafe the Divine Ma- 
 jefty to fhorten the day of their diftrefs. 
 
 The fufferings of friends brought in this year 
 from England and Wales, being chiefly for 
 tithes, and thofe called church-rates, amount 
 to three thoufand, feven hundred and fixty- 
 three pounds; and thofe from Ireland to one 
 thoufand two hundred and fifty-four pounds. 
 
 Inafmuch as we have fufficient ground to be¬ 
 lieve that the true gofpel-miniflry is freely re¬ 
 ceived from the Holy Head and unchangeable 
 High-Prieft of the Chriftian church, and by him 
 commanded to be freely given; we cannot efteem 
 the laws of men, made in the apoftatized ftate 
 of the profelfing churches, as of any force to 
 fuperfede his divine law, or to warrant us to aCfc 
 in violation thereof: we therefore exhort you, 
 brethren, be true and ftedfaft in the faith once 
 delivered to the faints, and deeply fuffered for 
 by divers of the Proteftant martyrs, as well as 
 by our own faithful predeceffors. However any 
 amongft us, to whom blindnefs in part hath hap¬ 
 pened, may fwerve from the law, and from the 
 teftimony, fuffer it not to fall as in the ftreets, 
 through your weaknefs, or the want of vour ex¬ 
 ample ; left for your denial of Chrift before men, 
 he deny you before his Father, and the holy 
 angels. 
 
 Let us alfo remind fuch as may be remifs in 
 attention to the teachings of the grace of God in 
 their own hearts, that the kingdom of Chrift is 
 a peaceable kingdom ; and though his lervants 
 walk in the flefh, they do not war after the flefti. 
 He commands them to love their enemies 3 and 
 many who have followed him in the regenera¬ 
 tion, and abode under his government, have 
 found themfelves reftrained from all wars and 
 fightings ; which are not of the fpirit of the 
 Saviour, but that of the deftroyer of mankind. 
 Believing this, we cannot confidently take any 
 part therein; nor be concerned as owners of 
 armed veffels, in letters of marque, or as pur- 
 chafers of prize goods; neither can we afflft in 
 the fale of them : for whoever amongft us fo 
 confederate with the captors, afford evident to-, 
 kens that they either prefer the gain of a cor¬ 
 rupt intereft to the convi£tions of divine light 
 in their own confciences, or that they are become 
 
 infenfible 
 
ACCOUNT of 
 
 infenfible of them ; both which muft tend to 
 their condemnation. 
 
 Now, dear friends, feeing our time is ever 
 filently upon the wing, and the opportunity af¬ 
 forded us for the important work of preparation 
 daily fhortening ; knowing alfo, that the folemn 
 period advances, wherein every individual, how¬ 
 ever occupied in this tranfient mode of being, 
 muft foon be called hence, and may, in a mo¬ 
 ment unexpected, be broken off from every 
 temporal connection, by that aweful command, 
 tc Give an account of thy ftewardffiip; for thou 
 may eft be no longer fteward Let us be vigi¬ 
 lant, and in earneft fo to improve the precious 
 time allotted us, that when this awakening call 
 approaches, our conlciences may not accufe us 3 
 but our faith may be firm, and an admittance 
 
 the N O N J U R O R S. $05 
 
 granted us into that city which hath foundations, 
 whofe builder and maker is God ! 
 
 <f See that ye walk circumfpeCtly, not as fools, 
 but as wife, redeeming the time, becaufe the 
 days are evil. Peace be to the brethren, and 
 love with faith from God the father, and the 
 Lord Jefus Chrift. Grace be to ail them that 
 love our Lord Jelus Chrift in fincerity.” 
 
 Eph. v. 15.—vi. 23, 
 
 Before we conclude the account of thefe peo¬ 
 ple, it may be neceffary to obferve, that as the 
 Friends, commonly called Quakers, will not 
 take an oath in a court of juftice, fo their affir¬ 
 mation is permitted in all civil affairs ; but they 
 cannot profecute a criminal, becaufe, in our 
 courts of juftice, all evidence muft be upon oath. 
 
 ACCOUNT of the NONJURORS. 
 
 W E have had already Occafion to treat 
 of different fedts of Proteftants, who 
 embraced fentiments arifing from dis¬ 
 puted points in theological fyftems, or meta- 
 phyfical difquifitions. We ftiall now proceed to 
 point out a party whofe religion is founded on 
 politics. 
 
 The Nonjuring religion is, in all refpedts, 
 a political fyftem, and is founded on an oppofi- 
 tion to the revolution fettlement; but this can¬ 
 not be underftood, till we confider it hiftorically. 
 This naturally leads us back to a period before 
 they took their rife. As in religious difputes 
 there ought always to be fome fort of candour 
 mixed with the argument, fo politics fhould be 
 treated with modefty. The grand point in dif- 
 pute between thefe people, and the eftabliffied 
 churches of England and Scotland, depends 
 entirely on the revolution fettlement, but why 
 it fhould be fo, muft be explained to tiie reader. 
 
 The iedtaries in England, who brought king 
 Charles to the fcaffold and the block, had two 
 objedts in view. The firft was to procure the 
 church livings, and the fecond to obtain a.power 
 to domineer over the conlciences of the people. 
 Religion, with them, was confidered in the lame 
 light as it was with pope Alexander VI. and his 
 natural fon Casfar of Borgia. For it is well 
 known, that they overturned the conftitution in 
 church and ftate, and trampled on the ruins of 
 their plundered country. The confequence was, 
 that the two royal brothers were obliged to feek 
 refuge in foreign countries while they were very 
 young. Complaifance to thole who fupported 
 them during a ftate of exile, induced them to 
 embrace the Roman Catholic religion. 
 
 In 1660, Charles returned, and was crowned 
 king of Great Britain, but concealed his religion 
 till his dying day. At the fame time, James re¬ 
 turned along with his brother, a confirmed Pa- 
 
 51 
 
 pift. The Prefbyterians thought to have in¬ 
 gratiated themfelves with the young fovereign, 
 but his father’s fufferings could not be effaced, 
 they funk deep into his mind, and therefore he 
 refolvcd to fet up epifcopacy in England and in 
 Scotland. 
 
 Accordingly, epifcopacy was eftabliffied, both 
 in England and Scotland; and the Prefbyterians, 
 who had been turned out of their churches, were 
 profecuted upon the aft of uniformity. That 
 thefe people, who had trampled on the conftitu¬ 
 tion in a manner unknown before in all the annals 
 of hiftory, deferved a little chaftifement cannon 
 be difputed, but at the fame time it muft be ac¬ 
 knowledged, that the extenfion of the regal 
 power went too far. Many of the people who 
 had fuffered under the cruel and inhuman go¬ 
 vernment of the fedtaries, forgetting the charity 
 they owed to their fellow creatures, and the duty 
 they owed to God, took every opportunity of 
 retaliating. There is no grudge, (fays Mr. 
 Sterne) like a religious one ; for falfe religion 
 always difeovers itfelf in lceking revenge. 
 
 Here was a large field opened for the clergy, 
 who accepted of the civil emoluments, to exert 
 themfelves in perfecting tliofe, who in point of 
 government, differed from them in fentiments. 
 And although the fedtaries, who had overturned 
 the government and murdered their fovereign, 
 had no right to expedt any favours, yet it was 
 the duty of the Epifcopalians to have treated 
 them with lenity. True Chriftianity is known 
 by its peaceable and forbearing difpofition, falfe 
 religion by its underminding arts. 
 
 Never, perhaps, were the Proteftant clergv of 
 England in a more corrupt flate than during the 
 reigr.s of Charles II. and James II. Findmg 
 that they enjoyed the royal favour, and that 
 nothing could give fo much pleafure to the court 
 as the prfecuting of the Diffenters, they exerted 
 7 O themfelves 
 
6o6 A C C O U N T of 
 
 themfelves to the utmoft in that horrid employ¬ 
 ment. In their pulpits, they taught that the 
 king was above law, and that it was the greateft 
 fin in the world to call his authority in queftion. 
 They were ridiculed by the poets, as appears from 
 the following lines: 
 
 Each day unto my flock I taught, 
 
 Kings were by God appointed ; 
 
 And told damnation was their due. 
 
 Who touch’d the Lord’s annointed. 
 
 Pafiive obedience and non-refiftance, were fa¬ 
 vourite topics with them, and they carried thele 
 notions to fuch an extravagant height, that had 
 they not been reftrained by notions of felf-inte- 
 reft, they would have eftablifhed arbitrary pow¬ 
 er. However, the indulgence granted by king 
 James II. 1687, opened their eyes, and they 
 began to feek for their own intereft. 
 
 When the revolution took place, all thofe who 
 held church livings, were commanded to take 
 the oaths of allegiance, but many refufed to do 
 it, among whom was Sancroft, archbiffiop of 
 Canterbury, together with many of the inferior 
 clergy. Thele men were turned out of their 
 livings, and therefore we are obliged to confider 
 them in a two-fold point of view. Firft, as 
 Englifh Nonjurors, and, fecondly, as Scottilh 
 ones. 
 
 Englifh Nonjurors. 
 
 The reign of king William was, in all refpedts, 
 a fyltem of feverity. But this is what generally 
 happens after every revolution. Prejudice ere 
 ates anger, and anger exercifes itfelf in cruelty. 
 Thefe people let up ieparate congregations, and 
 there is no doubt but they imagined, however 
 vainly, that the exiled prince would be reftored 
 to the throne. They taught the do&rine of 
 pafiive obedience and non-refiftance fo long, 
 that they were in a manner afraid, or rather 
 alhamed, to recede from their former profeffions. 
 
 It would have been very well for them, had 
 they confined themfelves to the duties of their 
 office, in teaching the dodtrines of Chriftianity ■, 
 but the moft wretched thing of all was, they 
 fought to dabble in politics. They were con¬ 
 tinually hatching plots againft government, and 
 many perfons fuftered in confequence of their 
 new notions. Had thefe men confidered the na¬ 
 ture of Chriftianity, they would never have adted 
 in this manner, but their notions were carnal, 
 and their views felfiffi. 
 
 Some of them, however, ran into wild extremes 
 and what will ever appear remarkable, they met 
 the Papifts half way on the road. Like fome pa¬ 
 triots in the prefent age, they took pleafure in 
 doing every thing they could to difturb govern¬ 
 ment, and at the fame time, they felt the iron 
 hand of oppofition from the whigs. The whigs, 
 thofe inveterate enemies of all, who oppofed them 
 infearch after places of honour or emoluments, 
 were the moft levere againft the Nonjuriug prin- 
 
 the NONJURORS. 
 
 ciples. They could have borne with any thing, fo 
 as an opportunity prefented itfelf to wfeak their 
 vengeance on the Nonjurors. The real'on is obvi¬ 
 ous. The whigs were feeking for places, the tories 
 were dilcarded. Had the Nonjurors not med¬ 
 dled with the affairs of government in England, 
 they might have lived in peace j but wifdom is 
 not to be conveyed to fools, nor knowledge to 
 men of no underftanding. 
 
 The Englifh Nonjurors became obnoxious to 
 government. On the acceflion of George I. 
 future ages will read, with deteftation, the ac¬ 
 count of cabals that were let up in order to op- 
 pofe government on the one hand, and fupport 
 it on the other. The grand principle upon which 
 thefe people founded their dodtrine was, heredi¬ 
 tary right. How far they could ad confident with 
 the dignity of rational creatures in doing fo 
 muff: be left to the judgement of every man who 
 knows any thing of the hiftory of England. 
 
 Is hereditary fucceffion a principle in our law? 
 The anfwer is in the negative. We ffiall prove 
 it from hiftorical evidence. 
 
 William obtained the crown of England by 
 conqueft. His eldeft fon Robert did not fuc- 
 ceed him, but he was fucceeded by his fecond 
 fon William Rufus, Rufus, dying without ifiue, 
 was fucceeded by his brother Henry I. while 
 Robert, the heir apparent, was ftill alive; and 
 who, for his pretenfions to the crown, had his 
 eyes put out, and died a prifoner at Briftol. 
 
 Stephen fucceeded by force without right, and 
 Henry II. fucceeded on the hereditary line. From 
 that time till the death of Richard II. it went on, 
 when a very remarkable revolution took place. 
 Henry IV. had but a (lender title to the crown, 
 and that crown fat tottering on his head. Soon 
 after the wars commenced between the houfes of 
 York and Lancafter, and, confident with the 
 right of hereditary fucceffion, neither of them 
 had any right to the crown. The Stewarts fuc¬ 
 ceeded in a real hereditary right to the crown of 
 England, but the juftice of the nation pointed 
 out, that they had no right to trample on the 
 liberties of the fubjedts. 
 
 It is much to be lamented, though it is true, 
 that while the Difienters were rioting on the 
 fpoils of their deluded people, the Nonjurors 
 were inventing fchemes for the fubverfion of go¬ 
 vernment. 
 
 The Englifh Nonjurors contrived all things 
 wrong. In plotting againft the government, 
 they involved their hearers in many difficulties, 
 and fome of them were apprehended and executed. 
 This, indeed, is not much to be wondered at; 
 for the Nonjurors were, in thofe times, what 
 mock patriots u;e at prefent in England. All 
 their ceremonies are the fame as thofe of the 
 eftablifhed church, and the difference is only of 
 a political nature. They are, however, dwind¬ 
 ling away, and poflibly there are not above twen¬ 
 ty meetings of them in England. They read 
 the church fervice, but inftead of praying for 
 king George, they pray for the king in general 
 terms ■, but then it muff: be obferved, that no 
 more than five of them are permitted to meet 
 together, exclufive of the minifter and the clerk. 
 That they ffiould fubfift long cannot be expected, 
 that they have fubfifted fo long, is infult to 
 common fenfe. 
 
 Account 
 
ACCOUNT of the 
 
 Account of the Scottifh Nonjurors. 
 
 The Scottifh Nonjurors were more numerous 
 than thofe in England, and, in Tome refpedts, 
 they were more refpedlable. 
 
 The nobility of Scotland had juft notions of 
 public liberty, whether civil or ecclefiaftical; 
 and had the epifcopal party adted with prudence, ] 
 modefty and decency at the revolution, their 
 order would not have been overturned. But 
 quite the reverfe took place. King William 
 was defirous of eftablifhing epifcopacy in Scot¬ 
 land, or rather continuing it upon its former 
 eftablifhment, and moll of the Scottifh nobility 1 
 concurred in that fentiment. However, the 
 epifcopal clergy a6ted juft as they had done fome 
 time before, namely, as if they had laboured 
 under a penal infatuation. 
 
 Dr. Alexander Rofs, a man of fome learning, 
 but high clerical notions, was at that time bifhop 
 of Edinburgh. This man was deputed, by his 
 brethren the Scottifh clergy, to wait on king 
 James, when they heard that the prince of 
 Orange intended landing in England. They 
 offered, that if king James would fupport them 
 and their order, they would Hand by him to the 
 laft. The meaning was, they would affift him 
 in eftablifhing popery and perfecuting the Pref- 
 byterians. 
 
 This, however, was rather the a£l of the bi- 
 fhop's than of the whole body of the clergy, for 
 many of the epifcopal clergy were at that time 
 fhining ornaments to religion in Scotland. Mr. 
 Nairn, Mr. Charters, and Mr. Annan, were 
 menof great moderation, and wrote fome things 
 that will ever do honour to their memory. But 
 to return to Dr. Rofs. 
 
 The bifhop had not got above half way to 
 London, when he heard that the king was fled, 
 and that the prince of Orange had arrived in 
 London. Under fuch circumflances he knew 
 not how to a6t, and therefore wrote to his bre¬ 
 thren in Scotland for their advice. In the mean 
 time he continued his journey to London, where 
 he met with Dr. Hickes, dean of Worcefler, 
 and fome other clergymen, who afterwards made 
 a fhining figure among the Englifh Nonjurors. 
 
 Had Dr. Rofs confidered the interefts of his 
 brethren, he would have in their name, without 
 any authority from them, profelfed loyalty to 
 king William, efpecially as the convention of 
 eftates both in England and Scotland, had voted 
 him and his princefs the crown. 
 
 We have already taken notice of the behaviour 
 of fome of the Scottilh bifhops in our account of 
 the epifcopal church of that nation, namely, that 
 as the Prefbyterians were mad, fo the bifhops 
 perlecuted them not only with unrelenting cruel¬ 
 ty, but actually committed depredations on the 
 liberties of the fubjefts, and the fundamental 
 laws of the conflitution. 
 
 For thefe, and for many other malverfations, 
 they had great reafon to imagine that they would 
 be brought to a fevere account, had their religion 
 been countenanced, and men of virtue and mo¬ 
 deration would have been placed in their room. 
 
 It is true, chat they knew the greateft part of the 
 nation was inclined to fupport the order, while 
 
 NONJURORS. 6o7 
 
 they hated the prelates. Many of the antienc 
 nobility, who above thirty years ago had fufPered 
 under the mercilefs cruelty of the Prefbyterians, 
 were ftill alive, and they dreaded being brought 
 under the fame inquifitorial power. 
 
 It is certain, that the Scottifh nobility, and a 
 vaft majority of the commons, would have fup- 
 ported epifcopacy, had the bifhops taken the 
 oaths to the new government; but the whole 
 number (14) remained obftinate, and above five 
 hundred private miniflers followed their ex¬ 
 ample. 
 
 Under fuch circumflances it was neceflary that 
 there fhould be fome form of religion eflablifhed; 
 and in the midfl of their difputes, the following 
 article was prefented to the convention of eftates 
 at Edinburgh, and was admitted an article in 
 the claim of rights : c< That prelacy, or the fu- 
 periority of any office in the church above pref¬ 
 byters, is and hath been a conftant grievance to 
 this nation, everfince the reformation (they hav¬ 
 ing been rtformed from popery by prefbyters) 
 therefore it ought to be abolifhed.” 
 
 Upon this article being admitted in the claim 
 of rights, epifcopacy was overturned, and pref- 
 bytery eftablifhed. 
 
 As it was on the conftruflion of this article in 
 the claim of rights that the Scottifh Nonjurors 
 always vindicated their conduct in oppofing the 
 government, fo we fhall confider it more particu¬ 
 larly. 
 
 And the firft enquiry is, were the Scots re¬ 
 formed from popery, by perfons folely cloathed 
 with the chara&er of prefbyters ? The anfwei is 
 in the negative. In the firft general aflembly 
 which met at Edinburgh 1560, there were no 
 lei's than thirteen bifhops and mitred abbots, all 
 of whom embraced the reformation, and three 
 of them fecularized. Now the whole aflembly 
 did not confift of above thirty perfons, as appears 
 from their records in the advocate’s library, and 
 about feven of thefe were country gentlemen who 
 had never entered into orders. This brings the 
 number up to twenty, and if to thefe were added 
 William Harlaw, a taylor, and Andrew Scrim- 
 fhaw, a baker, there will only remain eight; four 
 of whom had been popifh priefts, and the other 
 four were zealous preachers, but not clerically 
 ordained. Thus it appears, the church of Scot¬ 
 land was reformed from popery more by the af- 
 fiftance of prelates than of prefbyters. 
 
 Secondly, whatever the charafter of the Scot¬ 
 tifh reformers was, whether of Prefbyterian prin¬ 
 ciples or not, can it be inferred that prefbytery 
 was more efteemed, and epifcopacy an intolera¬ 
 ble grievance, from the reformation to the revo¬ 
 lution ? 
 
 The anfwer is, it was not. For even the re¬ 
 formation was itfelf a fort of moderate epifco¬ 
 pacy, and even prefbytery had not been long 
 eftablifhed, when the infolence, ignorance and 
 hypocrify of the clergy, loft them the aft'edlions 
 of all thofe who had the leaft regard to decency 
 and good order. 
 
 Whatever might have been the condudl of the 
 bifhops in Scotland before the breaking out of 
 the civil wars, this much is certain, that the in¬ 
 ferior clergy were an ornament to their profef- 
 fion. Nay, fuch was the lenity of government, 
 that the Prefbyterian minifters were tolerated in 
 
 their 
 
6oS ACCOUNT of the 
 
 their parifh'es, without being obliged to take in- | 
 ftirution from the bilhop. 
 
 Another circumftance may ferve to mew, that 
 the people of Scotland were not averfe to epii- 
 copacy at that time, nor indeed during the whole 
 of that period alluded to, namely, the anfwer 
 which the doftors of Aberdeen gave to the Prei- 
 byterian minilters who came to defire them to 
 fign the national covenant. They laid, they 
 could not do it without a breach of their oath, 
 to maintain epifcopacy as by law efbabliHied. 
 To this it was anfwered by the Prefbyterians, 
 that there was nothing in the covenant againft 
 epifcopacy, but that they might fwear it without 
 injuring their order. 
 
 Again, when the reftoration took place, the 
 Scottifli nobility and gentry denied to reftrain 
 the power of the Prelbyterian clergy, and what¬ 
 ever violences were committed during the reigns 
 of the two royal brothers, yet this much is cer¬ 
 tain, that epifcopacy, had it been properly con¬ 
 duced, was not then a grievance to the nation. 
 
 The third inquiry fuggefted by this article is, 
 was epifcopacy a grievance when the article was 
 eftablilhed in the claim of rights ? It is anfwered, 
 it was not. So far from being a grievance, it 
 was received by nine-tenths of the people. It is 
 true, there were feveral court-fyeophants who 
 were longing to enjoy the eftates that had been 
 fet apart for the fupport of the bifhops ; and in 
 the weftern counties many of the people were led 
 by fome Prelbyterian minilters, who endea¬ 
 voured to drive all things into a Hate of confu- 
 fion. Thefe men, who had nothing in view 
 befides that of fupporting their interefts, and 
 nourifhing their pride, went all round the coun¬ 
 try endeavouring to influence the elections of 
 members who were to compofe the convention 
 of eftates at Edinburgh. There is no wonder 
 that they fhould be able to procure a majority; 
 for wherever they went, they pulled down the 
 houfes of the epifcopal clergy, turned them and 
 their families out of doors, and ftripped them of 
 every thing that was valuable, fetting fire on 
 what they could not carry away. 
 
 The fourth queftion is, whether, fuppofing 
 the affirmatives included within the parenthefis, 
 would that have been good and fufficient reafon 
 for the abolition of epifcopacy? 
 
 The affirmatives are two, firft, prelacy was an 
 intolerable grievance, and, fecondly, the Scots 
 were reformed from popery by Prefbyters. 
 
 In anfwer to the firft, namely, that it was an 
 intolerable grievance, the fa£l has been already 
 difproved ; but that does not come within the 
 limit of the argument. It is, whether the real 
 exiftence of the grievance can vindicate the con¬ 
 duit of thofe who abolilhed epifcopacy, or, in 
 other words, whether fuch an affertion, included 
 within a parenthefis, could, with any propriety, 
 make an article in the claim of rights? 
 
 The anfwer is obvious. It could not. 
 
 For, firft, was not the Jewifh inftitution under 
 the Mofaic ceconomy, a moft intolerable grie¬ 
 vance to the people, and yet they were obliged 
 to l'ubmit to it, becaufe it was the command of 
 God? Secondly, when the Chriftian religion | 
 
 NONJURORS. 
 
 received a civil eftablifhment, under the em¬ 
 peror Conftantine the Great, the Heathen priefts 
 confidered this as an intolerable grievance ; but 
 that did not invalidate the authenticity of the 
 gofpel. No civil eftablifhment of religion can 
 become an intolerable grievance, unlei's power 
 is either abufed or mifapplied. 
 
 The fecond article within the parenthefis, is, 
 they were reformed from Popery by Prefbyters. 
 The contrary has been already proved ; but we 
 are to fuppole the ailercion to be true, and try 
 its validity by the ftrength of reafon. 
 
 Now it is well known, that in Scotland, the 
 people were converted to the knowledge of 
 Chrift, by the miniftry of fome poor monks, 
 who certainly had no ceremonial ordination at 
 all, for this plain reafon, there was no fuch thing 
 as canonical ordination at that time in the 
 world. Now, can it be inferred from this, that 
 monks not ordained are always to govern the 
 church of Scotland ? Confidcr the abfurdity ; but 
 this is not all. 
 
 Some nations in the eaftern parts have been 
 converted by Jefuits; but is this any reafon 
 that they fhould Hill govern them ? Nay, if we 
 can pay any regard to ecclefiaftical hiftory, we 
 may affirm, that fome people were converted 
 by the miniftry of females ; and for that realon 
 mull the churches in that country, or thofe 
 countries, be now governed by women ; the 
 thought is abfurd, and nothing lels than the dil- 
 traftion of the times could have given counte¬ 
 nance to it, fo as to put it into a public claim, 
 made by the people of Scotland, to have the 
 whole form of their religion changed. 
 
 Thefe arguments are not ours, but thofe of 
 Mr. Sage, the learned author of the Fundamen¬ 
 tal Charter of Prefbyterjt, and who was himfelf a 
 nonjuring minifter. It is certain, that they carry 
 fome fort of conviition aiongwith them ; and it 
 is equally certain, that the poor Nonjurors in 
 Scotland iuffered many cruel hardfhips during 
 the reign of king William, and under the whig 
 miniftry in the beginning of the reign of queen 
 Anne. 
 
 In 1711, an aft palled, by which the Non- 
 juring minilters were permuted to open meet¬ 
 ings, upon condition of their reading the book 
 of Common Prayer; and fome of them com¬ 
 plied with it. But the greateft part retained 
 their antient form of worfhip, which came more 
 near to the primitive plan than any of the Pro- 
 teftant churches whatever. 
 
 However, the gentry were fond of the Eng- 
 lifli ceremonies, and the Nonjuring clergy were 
 willing to comply, in order to procure a jubfift- 
 ence. Thus when the laft rebellion broke out 
 in Scotland, there were above three hundred 
 of their meetings in that country, who all read the 
 book of Common Prayer, only they omitted 
 the name of the king, but prayed for the king 
 in general, by whom they meant the pretender. 
 
 They are now dwindled away, and although 
 there are ftill a great number of Epifcopalians 
 in Scotland, yet they are moftly fuch as are 
 well affeited to government. 
 
 An 
 
(. 6o 9 ) 
 
 An ACCOUNT of 
 MET H C 
 
 T HESE people are the mod numerous 
 at prefenc of any fed that has fprung up 
 fince the revolution. That they have 
 been much traduced is certain, but whether they 
 deferve all the epithets that have been beftowed 
 upon them, the reader may judge for himlelf. 
 Some of their firft founders are (fill alive, and 
 one of them has written the following account 
 of their principles. Dr. Johnfon has juftly ob- 
 ferved, that every man is the belt judge of his 
 own opinions; and therefore we fhall, in compli¬ 
 ance with what the dodor fays, lay before our 
 readers thofe principles which they hold in their 
 own words. 
 
 tc i. The diftinguifhing marks of a Metho¬ 
 dift are not his opinions of any fort. His affent- 
 ing to this or that fcheme of religion, his em¬ 
 bracing any particular fet of notions, his efpouf- 
 ing the judgement of one man or of another, 
 are all quite wide of the point. Whofoever 
 therefore imagines, that a Methodift is a man 
 of fuch or fuch an opinion, is grofly ignorant of 
 the whole affair : he mi (takes the truth totally. 
 We believe indeed, that all fcripture is given 
 by infpiration of God; and herein we are dif- 
 tinguifhed from Jews, Turks, and Infidels. 
 We believe the written word of God to be the 
 only and fufficient rule, both of Chriftian faith 
 and pradtice ; and herein we are fundamentally 
 diftinguifhed from thofe'of the Romifli church. 
 We believe Chrilt to be the eternal Supreme 
 God; and herein we are diftinguifhed from the 
 Socinians and Arians. But as to all opinions 
 which do not (trike the root of Chriftianity, we 
 think and let think. So that whatfoever they 
 are, whether right or wrong, they are no diftin- 
 guiftiing marks of a Methodift. 
 
 2. Neither are words or phrafes of any fort. 
 We do not place our religion, or any part of it, 
 in being attached to any peculiar mode of fpeak- 
 ing, any quaint or uncommon let of expreffions. 
 The molt obvious, eafv, common words, where¬ 
 in our meaning can be conveyed, we prefer be¬ 
 fore others, both on ordinary occalions, and 
 when we fpeak of the things of God. We never 
 therefore willingly or defignedly deviate from 
 the moft ufual way of fpeaking ; unleis when we 
 exp refs fcripture truths in fcripture words (which 
 we prefume no Chriftian will condemn.) Nei¬ 
 ther do we affedt to ufe any particular expreffions 
 of fcripture, more frequently than others, un- 
 lefs they are fuch as are more frequently ufed by 
 theinfpired writers themfelves. So that it is as 
 grols an error, to place the marks of a Metho¬ 
 dift in his words, as in opinions of any fort. 
 
 o Nor do we defire to be diftinguilhed by ac¬ 
 tions, cuftoms or ulages, of an indifferent na¬ 
 ture. Our religion does not lie in doing what 
 God had; not enjoined, or abftaining from what 
 he hath not forbidden. It does not lie in the 
 form of our apparel, in the pofture of our body, 
 or the covering of our heads; nor yet in ab- 
 5i 
 
 the PEOPLE called 
 DISTS. 
 
 ftaining from marriage, nor from meats or drinks, 
 which are all good if received with thanklgiv- 
 ing. Therefore neither will any man who knows 
 whereof he affirms, fix the marks of a Methodift 
 here ; in any adtions or cuftoms purely indiffer¬ 
 ent, undetermined by the word of God. 
 
 4. Nor, laftly, is he to be diftinguilhed by 
 laying the whole ftrefs of religion on. any fingle 
 part of it. If you fay, “Yes, he is; for he 
 thinks we are laved by faith I anfwer, you do 
 not underftand the terms. By falvation he 
 means, holinels of heart and life. And this he 
 affirms to fpring from the faith alone. Can 
 even a nominal Chriftian deny it ? Is this placing 
 a part of religion for the whole ? Do we then 
 make void the law through faith ? God forbid ! 
 Yea, we eftabliffi 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 ufing 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 lefs 
 in any of thefe ; or, it may be in a ic. ap of one 
 of them : like her who fancies herfelf a virtu¬ 
 ous woman, only becaufe (he is not a proftitute; 
 or he who dreams he is an honed man, merely 
 becaufe he does not rob or (leal. May the Lord 
 God of my fathers prelerve me from fuch a poor 
 ftarved religion as this ! Were this the mark of a 
 Methodift, I would fooner chufe to be a fincere 
 Jew, Turk, or Pagan. 
 
 5. What then is the mark ? Who is a Methor 
 dift according to your own account ? I anfwer : 
 A Methodift is one, who has the love of God 
 ffied abroad in his heart, by the Holy Ghoft 
 given unto him : one who loves the Lord his 
 God with all his heart, and with all his foul, 
 and with all his mind, and with all his ftrength. 
 God is the joy of his heart, and the defire of 
 his foul; which is conftantly crying out, 
 <c Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there 
 is none upon earth that I defire befide thee ! My 
 God and my all ! thou art the ftrength 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, fpring- 
 ing up into everlafting life, and overflowing his 
 foul with peace and joy. Perfedt love having 
 now caft out fear, he rejoices evermore. He 
 rejoices in the Lord always, even in God his 
 Saviour : and in the Father, through our Lord 
 Jefus Chrift, by whom he hath now received the 
 attonement. Having found redemption through 
 his blood, the forgivenefs of his fins, he cannot 
 but rejoice, whenever he looks back on the hor¬ 
 rible pit out of which he is delivered, when he 
 fees all his tranlgreffions blotted out as a cloud, 
 and his iniquities as a thick cloud. Fie cannot 
 but rejoice, whenever he looks on the ftate 
 wherein he now is, being juftified freely, and 
 
 7 P * having 
 
610 An A C C O U N T of the 
 
 having peace with God, through our Lord Jefus 
 Chrift. For he that believeth hath the witnefs 
 of this in himfelf: being now the Son of God 
 by faith ; becaufe he is a Son, God hath fent 
 forth the fpirit of his Son into his heart, crying 
 out, Abba, Father ! And the Spirit itlelf bear- 
 eth witnefs with his fpirit, that he is a child of 
 God. He rejoiceth alio, whenever he looks 
 forward in hope of the glory that fhall be re¬ 
 vealed ; yea, this his joy is full, and all his bones 
 cry out, Blelfed be the God and Father of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift, who according to his abun¬ 
 dant mercy hath begotten me again to a living 
 hope of an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, 
 and that fadeth not away, rel'erved in heaven for 
 me. 
 
 7. And he who hath this hope thus full of im¬ 
 mortality in every thing giveth thanks ; as know¬ 
 ing that this (whatfoever it is) is the will of God 
 in Chrift Jefus concerning him. From him 
 therefore he chearfully receives all, faying. 
 Good is the will of the Lord ; and whether the 
 Lord giveth or taketh away, equally blefling the 
 name of the Lord. For he hath learned in what- 
 loever ftate he is, therewith to be content. He 
 knoweth both how to be abafed, and how to 
 abound. Every where and in all things he is in- 
 ftrufted, both to be full and to be hungry, both 
 to abound and fuffer need. Whether in eafe 
 or pain, whether in ficknefs or health, whether 
 in life or death, he giveth thanks from the 
 ground of his heart to him who orders it for 
 good : knowing that as every good gift cometh 
 from above, fo none but good can come from 
 the Father of Light, into whofe hands he has 
 wholly committed his body and foul, as into the 
 hands of a faithful creator. He is therefore 
 careful (anxioufiy or uneafily careful) for no¬ 
 thing ; as having call all his care on him that 
 careth for him, and in all things refting on him, 
 after making his requeft known to him with 
 thankfgiving. 
 
 8. For indeed he prays without ceafing. It 
 is given him always to pray and not to faint. 
 Not that he is always in the houfe of prayer; 
 though he neglefts no opportunity of being there. 
 Neither is he always on his knees, although 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 interceffion for 
 him with groans that cannot be uttered • 
 but at all times the language of his heart 
 is this, “ Thou brightnefs of the eternal 
 glory, unto thee is my mouth, though without 
 a voice, and my filence fpeaketh unto thee ” 
 And this is true prayer, the lifting up the heart 
 to God. This is the eflence 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 lefs interrupted by any 
 perion or thing. In retirement or company, in 
 ieuure, bufinefs, or conversion, his heart is 
 ever with the Lord. Whether he lie down or 
 rile up, God is in all his thoughts; he walks 
 with God continually, having the loving eye of 
 his mind ftill fixed upon him, and every where 
 feeing him that is invifible. 
 
 9. And while he thus always exercifes his love 
 
 called METHODISTS. 
 
 to God, by praying without ceafing, rejoicing 
 evermore, and in every thing giving thanks” 
 this commandment is written in his heart, thac 
 he who loveth God, loves his brother alfo. And 
 he accordingly loves his neighbour as himfelf; 
 he loves every man as his own foul. His heart 
 is full of love to all mankind, to every child of 
 the Father of the fpirits of all flelh. That a 
 man is not perfonally known to him, is no bar 
 to his love : no, nor that he is known to be fuch 
 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 unthank¬ 
 ful : and if it be not in his power to do good to 
 them that hate him, yet he ceafes not to pray 
 for them, though they continue to fpurn his 
 love, and ftill defpitefully ufe him and perlecute 
 him. 
 
 10. For he is pure in heart. The love of 
 God has purified his heart from all revengeful 
 paftions, from envy, malice, and wrath, from 
 every unkind temper or malign affeftion. It 
 hath cleanfed him from pride and haughtinefs of 
 pint, whereof alone cometh contention; and 
 he hath now put on bowels of mercies, kindnefs, 
 htlmblenefs of mind, meeknefs, long fufferino-: 
 lo that he forbears and forgives, if he had”a 
 quarrel againft any, even as God in Chrift hath 
 forgiven him. And indeed all poflible ground 
 for contention, on his part, is utterly cut off; 
 for none can take from him what he defires, fee¬ 
 ing 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 Fuft of the 
 flefli, the luff: of the eye, and the pride of life ; 
 for all his defire is unto God, and to the remem¬ 
 brance of his name. 
 
 11 ■ Agreeable to this his one defire, is the 
 one defire of his life, namely, not to do his own 
 will, but the will of him that fent him. His 
 one intention at all times, and in all things, is, 
 not to pleafe himfelf, but him whom his foul 
 loveth. He has a fingle eye; and becaufe his 
 eye is fingle, his whole body is full of light. 
 Indeed, where the loving eye of the foul is con¬ 
 tinually fixed upon God, there can be no dark- 
 nefs at all, but the whole is light, as when the 
 bright fhining of a candle doth enlighten the 
 houfe. God then reigns alone. All that is in 
 the loul is holinefs to the Lord. There is not a 
 motion in his heart but is according to his will. 
 Every thought that ariles points to°him, and is 
 in obedience to the law of Chrift. 
 
 12. And the tree is known by its fruits; for as 
 he loves God, fo he keeps his commandments ; 
 not only fome, or moft of them, but all, from 
 the leaft to the greateft. He is not content to 
 keep the whole law, and offend in one point, but 
 has m all points a confidence 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 eafy, joyous or grievous to the 
 flelh. He runs the ways of God's command¬ 
 ments, now he hath fet his heart at liberty It 
 is his glory fo to do ; it is his daily crown of re¬ 
 joicing, to do the will of God on earth, as it 
 is done in heaven ; knowing it is the higheft 
 
 privilege 
 
 PEOPLE 
 
An ACCOUNT of the PE O 
 
 privilege of the angels of God, of thofe that 
 excel in ilrength, to fulfil his commandments, 
 and hearken to the voice of his word. 
 
 13. All the commandments of God he accord¬ 
 ingly keeps, and that with all his might; for his 
 obedience is in proportion to his love, the fource 
 from whence it flows; and therefore, loving God 
 with all his heart, he ferves him with all his 
 ftrength. He continually prefents his foul and 
 body a living facrifice, holy, acceptable to God ; 
 entirely and without referve devoting himfelf, 
 all he has, and all he is, to his glory. All the 
 talents he has received he conftantly employs, 
 according to his Mailer’s will; every power and 
 faculty of his foul, every member of his body. 
 Once he yielded them unto fin and the devil, as 
 inftruments of unrighteoufnefs : but now, being 
 alive from the dead, he yields them all, as in¬ 
 ftruments of righteoufnefs, unto God. 
 
 14. By confequence, whatfoever 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 fingle eye) but aftually 
 attains it. His bufinefs and refreihments, as 
 well as his prayers, all ferve to this great end. 
 Whether he fit in his houfe or walk by the way, 
 whether he lie down or rife up, he is promoting 
 in all he fpeaks or does, the one bufinefs of his 
 life : whether he put on his apparel, or labour, 
 or eat and drink, or divert himfelf from too waft¬ 
 ing labour, it all tends to advance the glory of 
 God, by peace and good-will among men. His 
 one invariable rule is this, Whatfoever ye do in 
 word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord 
 Jefus, giving thanks to God and the Father by 
 him. 
 
 ij. Nor do the cuftoms of the world at all 
 hinder his running the race that is fet before him. 
 He knows that vice does not lofe its nature, 
 though it becomes ever fo fafhionable; and re¬ 
 members, that every man is to give an account 
 of himfelf to God. He cannot, therefore, even 
 follow a multitude to do evil. He cannot fare 
 fumptuoufly every day, or make provifion for 
 the flefti to fulfil the lulls thereof. He cannot 
 lay up treafures upon earth, no more than he 
 can take fire into his bofom. He cannot adorn 
 himfelf (on any pretence) with gold or coftly 
 apparel ; he cannot join in, or countenance any 
 diversion which has the lealt tendency to vice of 
 any kind. He cannot Ipeak evil of his neigh¬ 
 bour, no more than he can lie, either for God 
 orman. He cannot utter an unkind word of 
 any one; for love keeps the door of his lips. 
 He cannot ipeak idle words : no corrupt com¬ 
 munication ever comes out of his mouth, as is 
 all that which is not good, to the ufe of edifying, 
 not fit to minifter grace to the hearers. But 
 whatfoever things are pure, whatfoever things 
 are lovely, whatfoever things are juftly of good 
 report, he thinks, and fpea'ks, and adts, adorn¬ 
 ing the dodtrine of our Lord Jefus Chrift in all 
 things. 
 
 16. Laftly, as he has time, he does good un¬ 
 to all men; unto neighbours and ftrano-ers, 
 friends and enemies ; and that in every polfible 
 kind ; not only to their bodies, by feeding the 
 hungry, cloathing the naked, vifiting thofe 
 that are Tick or inprifon; but much more does 
 
 PLE called METHODISTS. 611 
 he labour to do good to their fouls, as of the 
 ability which God giveth : to awaken thofe that 
 ileep in death ; to bring thofe who are awakened 
 to the atoning blood, that, being juftified by 
 faith, they may have peace with God, and to 
 provoke thofe who have peace with God to 
 abound more in love and in good works ; and 
 he is willing to fpend and be fpent herein, even 
 to be offered up on the facrifice and fervice of 
 their faith, fo they may all come unto the mea- 
 fure of the ftature of the fulnefs of Chrift. 
 
 17. Thefe are the principles and pra&ices of 
 our left, thefe are the marks of a true Mechodift. 
 By thefe alone do thofe who are in derifion fo 
 called, defire to be diftinguilhed from other men. 
 If any man fay, “ Why thefe are only the com¬ 
 mon, fundamental principles of Chriftianity!" 
 d hou haft faid: lo I mean; this is the very 
 truch; I know they are no other; and I would 
 co God both thou and all men knew, and walked 
 by the common principles of Chriftianity. The 
 plain, old Chriftianity that I teach, renouncing 
 and detefting all other marks of diftimftion ; and 
 whofoever is what I preach (let him be called 
 what he will, for names change not the nature 
 of things) he is a Chriftian, not in name only, 
 but in heart and in life. He is inwardly and 
 outwardly conformed to the will of God, as re¬ 
 vealed in the written word. He thinks, fpeaks, 
 and lives according to the method laid down in 
 the revelation of Jefus Chrift. His foul is re¬ 
 newed after the image of God, in'righteoufnefs 
 and in all true holinefs, and having the mind 
 that was in Chrift, he fo walks as Chrift alfo 
 walked. 
 
 18. By thefe works, by thefe marks of a living 
 faith, do we labour to diftinguilh ourfelves from 
 the unbelieving world; from all thofe whofe 
 minds and lives are not according to the gofpel 
 of Chrift. But from real Chriftians, of whatfo¬ 
 ever denomination they be, we earneftly defire 
 not to be diftinguilhed at all; nor from any who 
 fmcerely follow after what they know they have 
 not attained. No: whoever doth the will of my 
 father who is in heaven, the fame is my brother, 
 filler, and mother. And I befeech you, bre¬ 
 thren, by the mercies of God, that we be in no 
 wife divided among ourfelves. 
 
 Is thy heart right, as my heart is with thine ? 
 
 I alk no farther queftions. If it be, give me 
 thy hand. For opinions or tenets let us not 
 deftroy the work of God. Doll thou love and 
 ferve God ? It is enough. I give thee the right- 
 hand of fellowlhip. If there can be any confo- 
 lation in Chrift, if any comfort of love, if any 
 fellowlhip of the fpirit, if any bowels of mer¬ 
 cies, let us ftrive together for the faith of the 
 gofpel, walking worthy of the vocation where¬ 
 with we were called, with all lowlinefs and meek- 
 nefs, with long fuffering, forbearing one ano¬ 
 ther with love, endeavouring to keep the unity 
 of the fpirit in the bond of peace. Let us re¬ 
 member there is one body and one fpirit, even 
 as we are called with one hope of our calling, 
 one Lord, one faith, one baptifm, one God and 
 Father of all." 
 
 Such is the character of a Methodill, as drawn 
 up by the reverend Mr. John Welley, who is, 
 perhaps, the oldeft of thefe people now alive. 
 
 His 
 
e ii 
 
 An 
 
 ACCOUNT of the PEOPLE Called METHODISTS. 
 
 Hi . charaaer, both as a preacher and a writer, 
 are lb well known throughout every part o the 
 Britifh dominions, that it is needlefs to enlarge 
 upon either in this place. 
 
 Of the Principles of the Methodifts. 
 
 Although we may have occafion afterwards to 
 treat of fome perfons called Methodifts, who dif¬ 
 fer much from thefollowers of Mr. W efley, yet 
 we confidered it as moft proper to treat ot the 
 latter full, becaule they are the molt antient as 
 well as the molt numerous. 
 
 We fh all, therefore, lay before the reader 
 thole principles which every follower of Mr. 
 Wefley profeffes to hold, in his own words. 
 
 And, fir ft, of juftiftcation by faith. 
 
 “ I believe juitification by faith alone; for i 
 am firmly perfuaded, that every man of the bff- 
 fpring of Adam is very far gone from original 
 righteoufnefs, and is, of his own nature, inclined 
 to evil. That this corruption of our nature in 
 every perfon born into the world, del'erves God’s 
 wrath and damnation. That therefore, if ever 
 we receive the remifiion of our fins, and are ac¬ 
 counted righteous before God, it muft be only 
 for the merits of Chrift, by faith, and not for 
 our own works or defervings of any kind. 
 
 Nay, I am perfuaded, that all works done 
 before juftiftcation, have in them the nature of 
 fin ; and that confequently, till he is justified, a 
 man has no power to do any work, pleating and 
 acceptable to God. 
 
 I believe three things muft go together in our 
 nullification. On God’s part, his great mercy 
 and grace ; upon Chrift’s part, the fatisfaftion 
 of God’s juftice, by the offering his body, and 
 fhedding his blood, and fulfilling the law of God 
 perfectly ; and upon our part, true and living 
 faith in the merits of Jefus Chrift. So that in 
 our juitification there is not only Gods mercy 
 and grace, but his juftice all'o. And lo the 
 grace of God does not fhut out the righteoul- 
 nefs of Chrift in our juitification, but only ihuts 
 out the righteoufneis of man ; that is, the righ¬ 
 teoufnefs of our works ; and therefore the apoftle 
 St. Paul requires nothing on the part of man, 
 but only a true and living faith j yet this faith 
 does not Ihut out repentance, hope, and love, 
 which are joined with faith in every one that is 
 juftified, but it Ihuts them out from the office 
 of juftifying j fo that although they are all pre- 
 fent in him that is juftified, yet they juftify not 
 all together. 
 
 Neither does faith fhut out good works necef- 
 farily to be done afterwards ; but we may not 
 do them to this intent totally to be juftified by 
 doing them. Our juitification comes freely of 
 the mercy of God: for whereas all the world 
 are not able to pay any part tov/ards their ran- 
 fom, it pleafed him, without any of our deferv- 
 ing, to prepare for us Chrift’s body and blood, 
 whereby our ranfom might be paid, his law ful¬ 
 filled and his juftice fatisfied. Chrift therefore is 
 now the righteoufnefs of all them that truly be¬ 
 lieve in him. He for them paid the ranlom 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 obferved, the true fenle of thofe 
 words, “ we are juftified by faith in Chrift only,” 
 is not, that this our own aft, to believe in Chrift, 
 or this our faith which is within us, juftifies us, 
 (for that were to account ourfelves juftified by 
 fome aft or virtue that is .within us ■>) but that 
 although we have faith, hope, and love within 
 us, and do never fo many good works, yet we 
 muft renounce the merit ot all, of faith, hope, 
 love, and all other virtues and good works, 
 which we either have done, ihall do, or can do, 
 as far too weak to procure our juftiftcation : for 
 which therefore we muft truft only in God’s mer¬ 
 cy, and the merits of Chrift. For it is he alone 
 that taketh away our fins. To him alone are we 
 to go for this j forfaking all our virtues, good 
 words, thoughts, and works, and putting our 
 truft in Chrift only. 
 
 In ftriftnefs therefore, neither our faith nor 
 our works juftify us, that is, deferve the remif- 
 fion of our fins: but God himfelf juftifies us, 
 of his own mercy, through the merits of his Son 
 only. Nevertheleis, becaufe by faith we em¬ 
 brace the promile of God’s mercy, and of the 
 remifiion of our fins, therefore the feripture fays, 
 that faith doth juftify, yea, faith without works. 
 And as it is all one to lay, faith without works, 
 and faith alone juftifies us, therefore the an¬ 
 tient fathers from time to time lpeak thus ; Faith 
 alone juftifies us. And becaufe we receive faith 
 through the only merits oi jelus Chrift, and not 
 through the merit of any virtue we have, or 
 work we do ; therefore in that refpeft we re¬ 
 nounce, as it were, again, faith, works, and all 
 other virtues. For our corruption through ori¬ 
 ginal fin is fo great, that all our faith, charity, 
 words, and works, cannot merit or deferve any 
 part of our juftiftcation for us : and therefore 
 we thus fpeak, humbling ourfelves before God 
 and giving Chrift all the glory of our juftifica- 
 tion. But it ffiould alfo be oblerved, what that 
 faith is, whereby we are juftified. Now that 
 faith which brings not forth good works, is not 
 a living faith, "but a dead and deviliffi one. 
 For even the devils believe, “ That Chrift was 
 born of a virgin, that he wrought all kind of 
 miracles, declaring himfelf to be very God; 
 that for our fakes he died and role again, and 
 defeended into heaven, and at the end of the 
 world ffiall come again, to judge the quick and 
 the dead.” This the devils believe, and fo they 
 believe all that is written in the Old and New 
 Teftament; and yet ftill, for all this faith, 
 they are but devils, d hey remain ftill in their 
 damnable eftate, lacking the true Chriftian 
 faith. 
 
 The true Chriftian faith is, not only to be¬ 
 lieve the holy lcriptures and articles of our faith 
 are true, but alio to have a lure truft and confi¬ 
 dence to be faved from everlafting damnation 
 by Chrift, 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 lure truft 
 and confidence in God, that by the merits of 
 Chrift his fins are forgiven, and be reconciled to 
 the favour of God.” 
 
 Of 
 
An 
 
 ACCOUNT of the PEOPLE called METHODISTS. 
 
 Of Chriftian PcrfeClion. 
 
 lt Perhaps the general prejudice againft Chrif¬ 
 tian perfection may chiefly arife from a mifap- 
 prehenfion of the nature of it. We willingly 
 allow, and continually declare, there is no fuch 
 perfection, in this life, as implies a difpenfation 
 from doing good, and attending all the ordi¬ 
 nances of God •, or a freedom from ignorance, 
 miltake, temptation, and a thoufand infirmities 
 neceflarily connected with flelh and blood. 
 
 Firft, we not only allow, but earneftly con¬ 
 tend, as for the faith once delivered to the faints, 
 that there is no fuch perfection in this life, as 
 implies any difpenfation from attending all the 
 ordinances of God, or from doing good unto all 
 men while we have time, though elpecially unto 
 the houfhold of faith. And whofoever they are 
 who have taught otherwife, we are convinced are 
 not taught of God. We dare not receive them, 
 neither bid them good fpeed, left we be partakers 
 of their evil deeds. We believe that not only 
 the babes in Chrilt, who have newly found re¬ 
 demption in his blood, but thole alfo, who are 
 grown up to perfeCl men, unto the meafure of 
 the fulnefs of Chrift, are indifpe.nfibly obliged 
 and that they are obliged thereto is their glory and 
 crown of rejoicing, as oft as they have opportu¬ 
 nity to eat bread and drink wine, in remembrance 
 of him ; to learch the fcriptures by fading, as 
 •well as temperance, to keep their bodies under, 
 and bring them into fubjeCtion •, and above all, 
 to pour out their fouls in prayer, both fecretly and 
 in the great congregation. 
 
 We fecondly believe, and therefore fpeak, and 
 that unto all men, and with much a flu ranee, that 
 there is no fuch perfection in this life, as implies 
 an entire deliverance, either from ignorance or 
 miftake in things not eflential to lalvation, or 
 from manifold temptations, or from numberlefs 
 infirmities, wherewith the corruptible body, more 
 or lefs, prefles down the foul. This is the fame 
 thing which we have fpoken from the beginning 
 if any teach otherwife, they are not of us. We 
 cannot find any ground in feripture to fuppofe, 
 that any inhabitant of an houfe of clay is wholly 
 exempt either from bodily infirmities, or from 
 ignorance of many things •, or to imagine any 
 mere man is incapable of miftake, or of falling 
 into divers temptations: No •, the difciple is 
 not above his mailer, nor the fervant above his 
 Lord. 
 
 It is enough that every one who is perfeCl fhall 
 be as his mailer. But what then, it may be 
 afked, do you mean by one that is perfeCl, or 
 one that is as his mailer? We mean, one in whom 
 is the mind which was in Chrift, and who 
 walketh as he alfo walked ; a man that hath clean 
 hands and a pure heart •, or that is cleanfed from 
 all filthinefs of fiefh and fpirit: one in whom there 
 is no occafion of Humbling, and who accordingly 
 doth not commit fin. To define this a little 
 more particularly, we underftand by that feriptu- 
 ral expreilion a m perfeCl man, one in whom God 
 hath fulfilled his faithful word, “ From all your 
 filthinefs and from all your idols will I cleanfeyou. 
 I will alfo lave you from all your uncleannefles.” 
 52 
 
 We underftand hereby, one whom God hath 
 I ftnClified throughout, even in body, foul, and 
 fpirit: one who walketh in the light, as he is in 
 the light, in whom is no darknefs at all •, the 
 blood of Jefus Chrift his Son having cleanfed him 
 from all fin. 
 
 This man can now teftify to all mankind, I 
 am crucified with Chrift-, neverthelefs I live-, 
 yet not I, but Chrift liveth in me. He is holy, 
 as God who hath called him is holy, both in heart 
 and in all manner of convention. He loveth 
 the Lord his God with all his heart, and fervetli 
 him with all his ftrength. He loveth his neigh¬ 
 bour, every man, as himfelf; yea, as Chrift loved 
 us: them in particular that defpitefully ufe him 
 and perfecute him, becaufe they know not the 
 Son neither the Father. Indeed his foul is all 
 love, filled with bowels of mercies, kindnefs, 
 meeknefs, gentlenefs, long-fuftering. And his 
 life agreeth thereto, full of the work of faith, 
 the patience of hope, the labour of love: and 
 whatfoever he doth either in word or deed, he 
 doth it all in the name, in the love and power of 
 the Lord Jefus. In a word, he doth the will of 
 God on earth, as it is done in heaven. 
 
 This it is to be a perfeCl man, to be fanClified 
 throughout, created anew in Chrift Jefus: even 
 to have a heart lb all-flaming with the love of 
 God, to ufe archbifhop Uiher’s words, as con^ 
 tinually to offer up every thought, word, and 
 work, as a fpiritual facrifice, acceptable unto 
 God through Chrift. In every thought of our 
 hearts, in every word of our tongues, in every 
 work of our hands, to fhew forth his praife, who 
 hath called us out of darknefs, into his marvel¬ 
 lous light! O that both we, and all who feek the 
 Lord Jefus in fincerity, may thus be made perfeCl 
 in one !” 
 
 If there be any thing unfcriptural in thefe words, 
 any thing wild or extravagant, any thing contrary 
 to the analogy of faith, or the experience of adult 
 Chriftians, let them finite me friendly and re¬ 
 prove me; let them impart to me of the clearer 
 light God has given them. How knoweft thou, 
 O man, but thou mayeft gain thy brother ? but 
 he may at length come to the knowledge of 
 the truth ? and thy labour of love, Ihewn 
 forth with meeknefs of wifdom, may not be in 
 vain ? 
 
 Of the Affurances of Juftification. 
 
 “ I believe that converfton, meaning thereby 
 juftification, is an inftantaneous work ; and the 
 moment a man has living faith in Chrift, he is 
 converted or juftified ; which faith he cannot have, 
 without knowing he has it. 
 
 I believe the moment a man is juftified he has 
 peace with God : which he cannot have, without 
 knowing that he has it. 
 
 The firft fenfe of forgivenefs is often mixed 
 with doubt or fear: but the full affurance of faith 
 excludes all doubt and fear, as the very term 
 implies. 
 
 1 believe to be juftified is the fame as to be 
 born of God; and he that is born of God, fin- 
 neth not. Which deliverance from fin he can¬ 
 not have, without knowing that he has it.” 
 
 7 Q- Of 
 
 
 
 SL, 
 
6 1 4 An ACCOUNT of the PEO 
 
 Of the Conditions of Juftification. 
 
 C{ I believe every man is penitent before he is 
 nullified ; he repents, before he believes the gof- 
 pel. But it is never before, and generally long 
 after he is juftified, that Chrift is formed in him ; 
 and that this penitence and contrition is the work 
 of the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 Yet I believe that all this is nothing towards, 
 and has no influence on our juftification. 
 
 Again, I believe that in order to obtain juftifi¬ 
 cation I muft go-ftrait to Chrift, with all my un- 
 godilinefs, and plead nothing elfe 
 
 Yet I believe we fhould not infill upon 
 any thing we do or feel, as if it were neceflarily 
 previous to juftification. No, nor on any thing 
 elfe.” 
 
 Of the EfFeCls of Juftification. 
 
 ff I believe a man may have a ftrong aflurance 
 if he is juftified, and not be able to affirm he is 
 a child of God. 
 
 A man may be fully allured that his fins are 
 forgiven, yet may not be able to tell the day 
 when he received this full alfurance ; becaufe it 
 grew up in him by degrees. 
 
 A man may have a weak faith, at the fame 
 time that he has peace with God, and no unholy 
 defires. 
 
 A man may be juftified, who has not a clean 
 heart, neither the indwelling of the fpirit.” 
 
 To fum up the whole, Mr. Wefley defires not 
 a more confident account of his principles than 
 the following words: 
 
 Cf Our fpiritual ftate fliould be confidered, and 
 diftinclly, undereach of thefe views. 
 
 1. Before juftification ; in which ftate we may 
 be faid to be unable to do any thing acceptable 
 to God: becaufe then we can do nothing but 
 come to Chrift ; which ought not to be confi¬ 
 dered as doing any thing, but as fupplicating, 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 fufficient to bring us 
 to Chrift, though it is not fufficient to carry us 
 any further till we are juftified. 
 
 2. After juftification. The moment a man 
 comes to Chrift by faith, he is juftified, and 
 born again : that is, he is born again in the 
 imperfeCt fenfe, for there are two, if not more, 
 degrees of regeneration ; and he has power over 
 all the ftirrings and motions of fin, but not a 
 total freedom from them. He has Chrift with 
 him, but not Chrift in him. Therefore he hath 
 not yet, in the full and proper fenfe, a new and 
 clean heart, or the indwelling of the fpirit. But 
 being expofed 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 laft and higheft ftate of 
 perfection in this life. For then are the faithful 
 born again in the full and perfeCt fenfe. Then 
 have they the indwelling of the fpirit. Then is 
 there given unto them a new and clean heart, 
 and the ftruggle between the old and new man is 
 over.” 
 
 PLE called METHODISTS. 
 
 Mr. Wefley, in fC An earneft Appeal to Men of 
 Reafon and Religion,” thus further exprefies 
 himfelf in regard to the principles of the Me¬ 
 thod! fts : 
 
 “ Although it is with us a very finall thing* to 
 be judged of you or of man’s judgement, feeing 
 we know God will make our innocency clear as 
 the light, and our juft 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 ffiame, and defiring nothing more, than by 
 manifeftation of the truth to commend our- 
 felves to every man’s confcience in the fight of 
 God. 
 
 We fee, and who does not, the numberlefs 
 follies and naileries of our fellow creatures. We 
 fee on every fide, either men of no religion at 
 all, or men of a lifelefs formal religion. We 
 are grieved at the fight, and fhould greatly re¬ 
 joice, if by any means wc might convince fome, 
 that there is a better religion to be attained, a 
 religion worthy of God that gave it. And this 
 we conceive to be no other than love; the 
 love of God and of all mankind ; the loving 
 God with all our heart, and foul, and ftrength, 
 as having firft loved us, as the fountain of all 
 the good we have received, and of all we ever 
 hope to enjoy ; and the loving every foul which 
 God hath made, every man on earth, as our own 
 foul. 
 
 This love we believe to be the medicine of 
 life, the never failing remedy, for all the evils 
 of a difordered world, for all the miferies and 
 vices of men. Wherever this is, there are vir¬ 
 tue and happinefs going hand-in-hand. There 
 is humblenels of mind, gentlenefs, long-fufter- 
 ing, the whole image of God, and at the fame 
 time a peace that pafieth all underftanding, and 
 joy unfpeakable and full of glory. 
 
 This religion we long to lee eftablifhed in the 
 world a religion of love and joy and peace, having 
 its feat in the heart, in the inmoft foul, but ever 
 fhewing itl'elf, by its fruits, continually fpring- 
 ing forth not only in all innocence, for love work- 
 eth no ill to his neighbour, but in every kind of 
 beneficence, fpreading virtue and happinefs round 
 it. 
 
 This religion have we been following after for 
 many years, as many know if they would tefti- 
 ty ; but all this time, feeking wifdom w r e found 
 it not; we were fpending our ftrength in vain. 
 And being now under full conviction of this, 
 we declare it to all mankind : for we defire not 
 that others fhould wander out of the way, as we 
 have done before them ; but rather that they 
 may profit by our lofs, that they may go, though 
 we did not, having then no man to guide us, the 
 ftraight way to the religion oflove, even by faith. 
 
 Now faith, fuppofing the feripture to be of 
 God, is the demonftrative evidence of things un- 
 ken, the fupernatural evidence of things invifi- 
 ble, not perceivable by eyes of flelh, or by any 
 of our natural fenfes or faculties. Faith is that 
 divine evidence, whereby the fpiritual man dif- 
 cerneth God and the things of God. It is with 
 regard to the fpiritual world, what fenfe is with 
 regard to the natural. It is the fpiritual fituation 
 of every foul that is born of God. 
 
 Perhaps 
 
An ACCOUNT of the PEO 
 
 Perhaps you have not confidered it in this 
 point of view, therefore I will explain it to you 
 a little farther. 
 
 Faith, according to the fcripture account, is 
 the eye of the new-born foul. Hereby every 
 true believer in God, feeth him who is invifible. 
 Hereby, in a more peculiar manner, true life 
 and immortality have been brought to light by the 
 gofpel ; he feeth the light of the glorious gofpcl 
 of God in Chrift Jefus, and beholdeth what man¬ 
 ner of love it is which the father hath beflowed 
 upon us, that we, who are born of the fpirit, 
 Ihould be called the fons of God. 
 
 It is the ear of the foul, whereby a finner hears 
 the voice of the fon of God and lives ; even that 
 voice alone which awakes the dead, and fays, 
 fon thy fins are forgiven thee. 
 
 It is the palate of the foul, if I may be allowed 
 the exprefiion ; for hereby a believer fades the 
 good word, and the powers of the world to 
 come ; and hereby he both tallies and fees that 
 God is gracious and merciful to him as a finner. 
 
 It is the feelingof the foul whereby a believer 
 perceives, through the power of the highed over- 
 Ihadowing him, both the exidence and the pre¬ 
 fence of him, in whom he lives, moves, and has 
 his being; and, indeed, the whole invifible 
 world, the entire fydem of things eternal. And 
 hereby in particular, he feels the love of God 
 Hied abroad in his heart. 
 
 By this faith we are faved from all uneafinefs 
 of mind, from the anguilh of a wounded fpirit, 
 from difcontent, from fear and lorrow of heart, 
 and from that inexpreffible lothnefs and wearinefs 
 both of the world, which we had fo helplefsly 
 laboured under for many years; efpecially when 
 we were out of the hurry of the world, and 
 funk into calm refledtion. In this we find that 
 love of God, and of ail mankind, which we had 
 elfewhere fought in vain. This we know and 
 feel, and therefore cannot but declare faves 
 every one that partakes of it, both from fin and 
 lnilery, from every unhappy aud every melan- 
 holy temper. 
 
 If you alk, “ Why then have not all men this 
 faith ; all at leaft who conceive it to be fo hap¬ 
 py a thing ? Why do they not believe imme¬ 
 diately ? 
 
 We anfwer, according to fcripture, it is the 
 gift of God. No man is able to work it in him- 
 felf. It is the work of omnipotence. It requires 
 no lefs power thus to quicken a dead foul, than 
 to raife a body that lies in the grave. 
 
 It is a new creation; and none can create a foul 
 anew, but he who at firlt created the heavens and 
 the earth. 
 
 May not your own experience teach you this f 
 Can you give yourfelf this faith ? Is it now in 
 your power to fee, or hear, or talte, or feel God ? 
 Have you already, or can you raife in yourfelf 
 fufception of God, or of an invifible world.? 
 
 I luppofe you do not deny that there is an invi¬ 
 fible world ? Now is there any power in your 
 foul, whereby you difcern therein him that 
 created you ? Or can all your wifdom and 
 ftrength open an intercoufe between yourfelf and 
 the world of (pints ? Is it in your power to burft 
 the veil that is on your hearts, and let in the 
 light of eternity ? You know it is not. You 
 
 PLE called METHODISTS. 61$ 
 
 not only do not, but cannot, by your own ftrength. 
 thus believe. The more you labour fo to do. 
 the more you will be convinced, it is the gift of 
 God. 
 
 It is the free gift of God, not on thofe who 
 are worthy of his favour, not on fuch as are 
 previoufiy holv, and fo far to be crowned with 
 all the bldfings of his goodnefs, but on the un¬ 
 godly and unholy ; or on thofe, who till that 
 hour, were fit only for everlafting deftru&ion; 
 thofe in whom was no good thing, and whofe 
 only plea was, God be merciful to me a finner. 
 No merit, no goodnefs in man, precedes the 
 foregoing love of God. His pardoning mercy 
 fuppofes nothing in us but a feene of want, fin 
 and mifery. And to all who fee, feel and own 
 their wants, and their utter unbelief to remove 
 them; God then freely gives faith to remove 
 them, for the fake of him in whom he is well 
 pleafed. 
 
 This is a fhort plain (ketch of the doftrine we 
 teach; Thefe are our fundamental principles; 
 and we fpend our lives in confirming others 
 therein, and in a behaviour fuitable to them.” 
 
 After a great deal of Ihrewd and pertinent 
 reafoning, he goes on to vindicate thofe doftrines 
 in a manner peculiar to himfelf. 
 
 “ Perhaps (fays he) the firft thing that occurs 
 to your mind at prefent, relates to the doftrines 
 which we teach. You have heard that we fay, 
 
 men may live without fin ;” and have you not 
 heard that the feriptures fay the fame ? Does 
 not St. Paul plainly fay, that thofe who 
 believe do not continue in fin ; that they can¬ 
 not live any longer therein ? Rom. vi. 12. Does 
 not St. Peter fay, he that hath buffered in the 
 flefii, hath ccaled from fin ? That he (hould no 
 longer live to the defires of men, but to the 
 will of God. i Peter iv. i, 2. And does not 
 St. John lay more exprefsly, he that committeth 
 fin is of the devil ? For this purpofe, the fon 
 of God was manifefted, that he might deftrov 
 the works of the devil. Whofoever is born of 
 God doth not commit fin ; for his feed remainetli 
 in him, and he cannot commit fin, becaufe he is 
 born of God. 1 John iii. 8. And again, we know 
 that whofoever is born of God fmneth not. 
 ch. v. 18. 
 
 You fee then it is not we that fay this, but 
 the Lord. Thefe are not our words, but his. 
 And who is he that replicth againft God ? Who 
 is able to make God a liar? Surely he will be 
 juftified in his faying, and cleared when he is 
 judged. Can you deny it ? Have you not often 
 felt afecret check when you wascontradiftingthis 
 truth ? And how often have you wifhed what you 
 was taught to deny ? Nay, can you help wifiring 
 for it at this moment ? Do you not now earneftly 
 defire to ceafe from fin, to commit it no more ? 
 Does not your foul pant after this glorious 
 liberty of the fons of God ? And what ftrong 
 reafon have you to expea it? Have you not had 
 a proof of it already ? Do you not remember 
 the time when God firfl: lifted up the light of 
 his countenance upon you? Can it ever be for¬ 
 gotten ? The day when the candle of the Lord 
 firfl: (hone upon your head? You then had 
 power not to commit fin ? You found the apof- 
 tle’s words ftriftlytrue? He that is begotten 
 
 of 
 
An ACCOUNT of the PEOPLE called METHODISTS. 
 
 61 6 
 
 God purifieth himfelf, and that wicked one touch- 
 eth him not. 
 
 But thofe whom you took to be experienced 
 Chriftians, told you this was the only time of 
 your efpoufalsj this could not laft for ever, you 
 mu ft come down the mount, and the like, which 
 Ihocked your faith. 
 
 You looked at men more than God, and fo 
 became weak like another man, whereas, had 
 you then had any to guide you according to the 
 truth of God, had you then believed the dodlrine 
 you now blame, you had never fallen from your 
 iledfaftnefs ; but had found that in this lenfe 
 alfo, the gifts and calling of God, are without 
 repentance. 
 
 Have you another objedlion nearly allied to 
 this, namely, that we preach perfection ? The 
 term you cannot objedt to, becaufe it is Icriptu- 
 ral. 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 Chriftian perfection does not imply 
 an exemption from ignorance, or miftake, or 
 infirmities, or temptations ; but that it does im¬ 
 ply the being fo crucified with Chrift, as to be 
 able to teftify, I live not, but Chrift liveth in 
 me, and hath purified my heart by faith, A6ts 
 xv. 9. It does imply the calling down every 
 high thing that exalteth itfelf againft the know¬ 
 ledge of God, and bringing into captivity every 
 thought to the obedience of Chrift. It does 
 imply the being holy, as he that hath called us 
 is holy in all manner of converfation ; and, in a 
 word, the loving the Lord our God with all 
 our heart, and ferving him with all our ftrength. 
 
 Now, is it pofiible for any who believes the 
 fcripture to deny one title 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 per¬ 
 fection ; a ftate of foul devoutly to be wifhed for, 
 by all who have tafted of the love of God. O 
 pray for it without ceafing ; it is the one thing 
 you want. Come with boldnefs to the throne of 
 grace, and be allured, that when you afk this 
 of God, you fhall have the petition you afk of 
 him. We know indeed, that to man, to the 
 natural man, this is impoflible; but we know 
 alfo, that as no work is impoflible with God, 
 fo all things are poflible to him that believeth. 
 
 For we are faved by faith. But have not you 
 heard this urged as another objection againft us, 
 that we preach falvation by faith alone ? And 
 does not St. Paul do the fame thing ? By grace, 
 faith he, ye are faved through faith. Can any 
 words be more exprefs ? And elfewhere, Be¬ 
 lieve in the Lord Jeius, and thou fhalt be faved. 
 A6ls xvi. 31. 
 
 What we mean by this, if it has not been fuf- 
 ficiently explained already, is, that we are faved 
 from our fins, only by a confidence in the love 
 of God. As foon as we behold what manner of 
 love it is which the Father has bellowed upon us, 
 we love him, as the Apoftle obferves, becaufe 
 he firft loved us; and then is that commandment 
 written in your heart, that he who loveth God 
 loveth his brother alfo ; from which love of God 
 and man, meeknefs, humblenels of mind, and 
 
 all holy tempers fpring. Now thefe are the very 
 effence of falvation, of Chriftian falvation, fal¬ 
 vation from fin ; and from thefe outward falva¬ 
 tion flows, that is, holinefs of life and converfa * 
 tion. Well, and are not thefe things fo ? If you 
 know in whom you have believed, you need no 
 further witnefles. 
 
 But perhaps you doubt, whether that faith 
 whereby we are thus faved, implies l'uch a truft 
 and confidence in God as we defcribe. <c You 
 cannot think faith implies affurance; an aflu- 
 rance of the love of God to our fouls, of his 
 being now reconciled to us, and having for¬ 
 given all our fins.” And this we freely confefs, 
 that if number of voices is to decide the queftion 
 we mull give it up at once; for you have on your 
 fide, not only fome who defiie to be Chriftians 
 in deed, but all nominal Chriftians in every¬ 
 place, and the Romifli church, one and all. 
 Nay, thefe laft are fo vehement in your defence, 
 that, in the famed council of Trent, they have 
 decreed, “ If any man hold truft, confidence, or 
 affurance of pardon, to be effential to faith, let 
 him be accurfed.” 
 
 Thus does that council anathematile the church 
 of England; for Ihe is convict hereof, by her 
 own confefllon. The very words in the homily 
 on falvation are, Cf Even the devils believe, that 
 Chrift was born of a virgin ; that he wrought 
 all kind of miracles, declaring himfelf very 
 God ; that for our fakes he fullered a moft pain¬ 
 ful death, to redeem us from death everlafting. 
 Thefe articles of our faith the devils believe; 
 and fo they believe all that was written in the 
 Old and New Teftament; and yet, for all this 
 faith, they are but devils. They remain ft ill in 
 their damnable eftate, lacking the true Chriftian 
 faith.” 
 
 The right and true Chriftian faith is, not only 
 to believe the holy fcriptures and the articles of 
 our faith are true, but alfo to have a lure truft 
 and confidence to be faved from everlafting dam¬ 
 nation through Chrift; or, as it is exprefied a 
 little after, “ a lure truft and confidence which 
 a man hath in God, that by the merits of Chrift 
 his fins are forgiven, and he reconciled to the fa- 
 vourof God.” 
 
 Indeed the bilhop of Rome faith, cc 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 con- 
 troverfy is at an end. Then hear the church. 
 Faith is a fure truft which a man hath in God, 
 that his fins are forgiven. Or if you are not, 
 whether you hear our church or no, at leaft 
 hear the fcriptures. Hear believing Job declai- 
 ing his faith, I know that my redeemer liveth. 
 Hear Thomas, when having feen he believed, 
 crying out, My Lord and my God. Hear St. 
 Paul clearly defcribing the nature of his faith. 
 The life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of 
 God, who loved me, and gave himfelf for me. 
 Hear, to mention no more, all the believers who 
 were with Paul when he wrote to the Colofiians, 
 bearing witneis. We give thanks unto the Fa¬ 
 ther, who hath delivered us from the power of 
 darknefs, and hath tranflated us into the king¬ 
 dom of his dear Son ; in whom we have redemp¬ 
 tion 
 
An ACCOUNT of* the PEOPLE called METHODISTS. 
 
 tion through his blood, even the forgivenefs of 
 fins. 
 
 But what need have we of diftant witnefTes ? 
 You have a witnefs in your own bread. For am 
 I now (peaking to one that loves God ? How 
 came you then to love him at firft ? Was it not, 
 becaufe you knew that he loved you ? Did you, 
 could you love God at all, till you tailed and 
 faw that he was gracious ? that he was mer¬ 
 ciful to you a finner ? What avails then contro- 
 verfy or ftrife of words ? out of thy own mouth ! 
 You own you had no love to God, till you was 
 fenfible of his to you. And whatever exprefTions 
 any finner who loves God ufes, to denote God’s 
 love to him, you will always, upon examination, 
 find, that they direftly or indiredtly imply for¬ 
 givenefs. Pardoning love is ftill at the root of 
 all. He who was offended is now reconciled. 
 The new fong which God puts in every mouth, 
 is always to that effe6l, O Lord, I will praile 
 thee : though thou wail angry with me, thine 
 anger is turned away. Behold, God is my fal- 
 vation. I will truft and not be afraid ; for the 
 Lord Jehovah is my ilrength and my fong: he 
 is alfo become my falvation. Ifa. xii. i, 2. 
 
 A confidence then in a pardoning God is eifen- 
 tial to true faith. The forgivenefs of fins is one 
 of the firil of thofe unfeen things, whereof faith 
 is the evidence. And if you are fenfible of this, 
 will you quarrel with us concerning an indifferent 
 circumftance of it ? Will you think it an impor¬ 
 tant objection that we aifert, that this faith is 
 ufually given in a moment ? Firil, let me intreat 
 you to read over that authentic account of God’s 
 dealings with men, the A£bs of the Apoilles. 
 In this treatife you will find, how he wrought 
 from the beginning on thofe who received re- 
 miifion of fins by faith. And can you find one 
 of thefe (except perhaps St. Paul) who did not 
 receive it in a moment ? But abundance you find 
 of thofe who did, befides Cornelius and the 
 three thoufand. And to this alfo agrees the ex¬ 
 perience of thofe who now receive the heavenly 
 gift. Three or four exceptions only have I found 
 in the courfe of feveral years. Perhaps you 
 yourfelf may be added to that number, and one 
 or two more whom you have known. But all 
 the reilof thofe, who from time to time among 
 us have believed in the Lord Jefus, were in a 
 moment brought from darknefs to light, and 
 from the power of Satan unto God. 
 
 And why fhould it feem a thing incredible to 
 you, who have known the power of God unto 
 falvation, whether he hath wrought this in your 
 foul or no, for there are diverfities of operations 
 by the fame fpirit, that the dead ihould hear the 
 voice of the Son of God, and in that moment 
 live ? Thus he ufeth to acl, to lhew, that when 
 he willeth, to do is prefent with him. Let there 
 be light, faid God, and there was light. He 
 fpake the word, and it was done. Thus the 
 heavens and the earth were created, and all the 
 hoils of them. And this manner of acting in 
 the prefent cafe, highly fuits both his power and 
 love. There is therefore no hindrance on God’s 
 part; fince, as his majefty is, fo is his mercy : 
 and whatever hindrance there is on the part of 
 man, when God fpeaketh, it is not. Only alk 
 then, O finner, and it fhall be given thee, even 
 52 
 
 6,7 
 
 the faith that brings falvation ; and that without 
 any merit or good work of thine; for it is not 
 of works, left any man fhould boaft. No ; it 
 is of grace, of grace alone for unto him that 
 worketh not, but believeth on him that juftifieth 
 the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for 
 righteoufnefs. 
 
 “ But by talking thus you encourage Tinners.” 
 
 I do encourage them, to repent; and do not 
 you ? Do you not know, how many heap fin 
 upon fin, purely for want of fuch encourage¬ 
 ment ? Becaufe they think “ they can never be 
 forgiven, there is no place for repentance left ?” 
 Does not your heart alfo bleed for them ? What 
 would you think too dear to part with ? What 
 would you not do, what would you not fuffer, 
 to bring one fuch finner 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 bet¬ 
 ter ? Plainly, becaufe you do not love them 
 enough; becaufe you have not that charity, 
 which not only endureth, but at the fame time 
 believeth andhopeth all things.” 
 
 “ You ftill think we are fecretly undermining, 
 if not openly deftroying the church. What do 
 you mean by the church ? A vifible church, as 
 our article defines it, is, a company of faithful, or 
 believing people, believing in the truth. This is 
 the effence of a church ; and the properties 
 thereof are, as they are deferibed in the words 
 that follow, that the pure word of God be preach¬ 
 ed therein, and the facraments duly adminif- 
 tered. Now then, according to this authentic 
 account, what is the church of England? What 
 is it indeed, but the faithful people, the true be¬ 
 lievers of England ? It is true, if thefe are fcat- 
 tered abroad, they come under another confide- 
 ration. But when they are vifibly joined, by 
 afiembling 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 vi¬ 
 fible church of England. 
 
 It were well if this were a little more confider- 
 ed by thofe who fo vehemently cry out. The 
 church! the church ! as thofe of old; The tem¬ 
 ple of the Lord 1 the temple of the Lord 1 not 
 knowing what they (peak, nor whereof they 
 affirm. A provincial or national church, accord¬ 
 ing to our articles, is, the true believers of that 
 province or nation. If thefe are difperfed up 
 and down, they are only a part of the invifible 
 church of Chrift ; but if they are vifibly joined 
 by afiembling together to hear of his word and 
 partake of his (upper, they are then a vifible 
 church, fuch as the church of England, France, 
 or any other. 
 
 This being premifed, I alk, how do we un¬ 
 mine or deftrov the church ? the provincial 
 vifible church of England ? The article men¬ 
 tions three things as efiential to a vifible church : 
 ift. Living faith, without which indeed there 
 can be no church at all, neither vifible nor in¬ 
 vifible ; adly. Preaching, and confequently hear¬ 
 ing, the pure word of God, elfe that faith would 
 languilh and die ; and, 3dly. A due adminiftra- 
 tion of the facraments, the ordinary means 
 7 R whereby 
 
GiS An ACCOUNT of the PEC 
 
 whereby God increafeth faith. Now come clofe 
 to the quedion : in which of thefe points do we 
 undermine or deftroy the church ? 
 
 Do we (hut the door oi faith ? do we lenen 
 the number of believing people in England ? 
 Only remember what faith is, according to our 
 homilies, viz. c< a fure truft and confidence in 
 God, that through the merits of Chrift my fins 
 are forgiven, and I am reconciled to the favour of 
 God,” and we appeal to all mankind, do we 
 deftroy this faith, which is the life and foul of 
 the church ? Is there, in fa£t, lefs of this faith 
 in England than there was before we went forth ? 
 
 I think this is an alfertion which the father of 
 lies himfelf will fcarce dare to utter or main¬ 
 tain. ... 
 
 With regard then to this fil'd point, it is un¬ 
 deniable, we neither undermine nor dedroy the 
 church. The fecond thing is, the preaching 
 and hearing the pure word of God. And do 
 we hinder this ? Do we hinder any minider 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 themfelves ? Or do we leffen 
 the number of thofc that hear the pure word of 
 God ? Are then the hearers thereof, whether read 
 or preached, fewer than they were in times pad ? 
 Are the ufual places of wordiip lefs frequented 
 by means of our preaching ? Wherefoever our 
 lot has been cad for any time, are the churches 
 emptier than they were before ? Surely none that 
 has any regard left either for truth or modedy, 
 will fay, that in this point we are enemies to, or 
 dedroyers of, the church. 
 
 The third thing requifite, if not to the being, 
 at lead, to the well-being of a church, is the 
 due adminidration of the facraments, particu¬ 
 larly that of the Lord’s fupper. And are we, in 
 this refpeid, underminers or dedroyers of the 
 church ? Do we either by our example or ad¬ 
 vice draw men away from the Lord’s table ? 
 Where we have laboured mod, are there the 
 fewed communicants ? How does the fafl dand 
 in London, Briftol, Newcadle ? O that you 
 would no longer diut your eyes againd the broad 
 light, which encompaffes you on every fide! 
 
 I believe you are fenfible by this time, not only 
 how weak this o'ojedtion is, but likewife how 
 eafy it would be, terribly to retort every branch 
 of it upon mod of thofe that make it; whether 
 we fpeak of true living faith, of preaching the 
 pure word of God, or of the due adminidration 
 of the facraments, both of baptifm and the Lord’s 
 fupper. But I lpare you. It fufficeth that our 
 God knoweth, and will make manifed in that 
 day, whether it be by reafon of us or you that 
 men abhor the offering of the Lord. 
 
 Others objedt, <c That we do not obferve the 
 laws of the church, and thereby undermine it.” 
 What laws? The rubrics or canons? In every 
 parifh where I have been curate yet, I have ob¬ 
 ferved the rubrics with a fcrupulous exadtnefs, 
 not for wrath, but for confcience fake : and this, 
 lo far as belongs to an unbeneficed minider, or 
 to a private member of the church, I do now. 
 I will juft mention a few of them, and leave you 
 to confider which of us has obferved or does ob¬ 
 ferve them mod. 
 
 i. Days of fading or abdinence to be ob¬ 
 ferved : 
 
 PLE called MET El ODISTS. 
 
 The forty days of Lent, 
 
 The Ember-days at the four feafons, 
 
 The three rogation days, 
 
 All Fridays in the year, except Chriftmas- 
 
 day. 
 
 i. So many as intend to be partakers of the 
 holy communion, lhall fignify their names to 
 the curate, at lead fome time the day before. 
 
 And if any of thefe be an open and notorious 
 evil liver, the curate (hall advertife him, that in 
 any wife he prefume not to come to the Lord’s 
 table until he hath openly declared himfelf to 
 have truly repented. 
 
 3. Then, after the Nicene creed, the curate 
 fhall declare unto the people what holy-days or 
 fading-days are in the week following to be 
 obferved. 
 
 4. The minider lhall fird receive the commu¬ 
 nion in both kinds himfelf, and then proceed to 
 deliver the fame to the bifiiops, prieds and dea¬ 
 cons, in like manner, if any be prelent, and af¬ 
 ter that, to the people. 
 
 5. In cathedral and collegiate churches, and 
 colleges, where there are many prieds and dea¬ 
 cons, they lhall always receive the communion 
 with the pried, every Sunday at the lead. 
 
 6. The children to be baptized mud be ready 
 at the font, immediately after the lad leffon. 
 
 7. The curates of every parilh lhall warn the 
 people, that, without great neceffity, they pro¬ 
 cure not their children to be baptized at home 
 in their houfes. 
 
 8. The curate of every parifh fliall diligently, 
 upon Sundays and holy-days, after the fecond 
 leffon at evening prayer, openly in the church, 
 inftrudt and examine fo many children as he 
 lhall think convenient in fome part of the Cate- 
 chifm. 
 
 9. Whenfoever the bifhop lhall give notice 
 for children to be brought unto him for their 
 confirmation, the curate of every parilh lhall 
 either bring or fend in writing, with his hand 
 fubferibed thereunto, the names of all fuch per- 
 fons within his parilh as he lhall think fit to be 
 prefented to the bilhop. 
 
 Now the quedion is not, Whether thefe ru¬ 
 brics ought to be obferved, you take this for 
 granted in making the objedtion, but whether 
 in fadt they have been obferved, by you or me, 
 mod ? Many can witnels, I have obferved them 
 pundtually, yea, fometimes at the hazard of my 
 life: and as many, I fear, that you have not ob¬ 
 ferved them at all, and that feveral of them you 
 never pretended to obferve. And is it you that 
 are accufing me, for not obferving the rubrics of 
 the church ? What grimace is this! (i O tell 
 it not in Gath! publilh it not in the dreets of 
 Afkelon !” 
 
 With regard to the canons, I would in the 
 fird place defire you to confider two or three 
 plain quedions. 
 
 id, Have you ever read them over. 
 
 2dly, blow can thefe be called “ the canons 
 of the church of England ?” feeing they were 
 never legally edabliihed by the church, never 
 regularly confirmed in full convocation ? 
 
 3dly, By what right am I required to ob¬ 
 ferve inch canons as were never legally efta- 
 blilhed ? 
 
 And then I will join iffue with you in one 
 
 quedion 
 
An ACCOUNT of the PEO 
 queftion more, viz. Whether you or I have ob- 
 ferved them moft ? 
 
 To infiance only a few. 
 
 Can. 29. No perfon fhall be admitted god¬ 
 father or godmother to any child before the 
 faid perfon hath received the holy communion. 
 
 Can. 59. Every £arfon, vicar, or curate, 
 upon every Sunday and holy-day, before evening 
 prayer, (hall, for half an hour, or more, exa¬ 
 mine and inftrudt the youth, and ignorant per- 
 fons of his parilh. 
 
 Can. 64. Every parfon, vicar, or curate, fliall 
 declare to the people every Sunday, whether 
 there be any holy-days or fafting-days the week 
 following. 
 
 Can. 68. No minifier (hall refufe or delay to 
 chrifien any child that is brought to the church 
 to him on Sundays or holy-days to be chrifien- 
 ed, or to bury any corps that is brought to the 
 church or church-yard. 
 
 N. B. Inability to pay fees does not alter the 
 cafe. 
 
 Can. 75. No ecclefiaftical perfons fhall fpend 
 their.time idly, by day or by night, playing at 
 dice, cards, or tables. 
 
 Now, let the clergyman who has obferved 
 only thefe five canons for one year lafi paft, and 
 who has read overall the canons in his congrega¬ 
 tion, as the king’s ratification firaitly enjoins 
 him to do once every year, let him, I fay, call 
 the firfi Hone at us, for not obferving the canons 
 fo called of the church of England. 
 
 However we cannot be, it is faid, friends to 
 the church, becaufe we do not obey the gover¬ 
 nors of it, and fubmit ourfelves, as at our ordi¬ 
 nation we promifed to do, to all their godly ad¬ 
 monitions and injunctions. I anfwer, 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 teftifying 
 the gofpel of the grace of God, is not a point 
 of an indifferent nature. The miniftry which 
 we have received of the Lord Jefus, 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 do we, in any 
 ways, violate thepromife which each of us made 
 when it was faid unto him, “ Take thou autho¬ 
 rity to preach the word of God, in the name 
 of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy 
 Ghofi.” We then promifed to fubmit, mark 
 the words, to the godly admonitions and injunc¬ 
 tions of our ordinary. But we did not, could 
 not promife to obey fuch injunctions, as we 
 know are contrary to the word of God. 
 
 But why then, fay fome, do ye leave the 
 church ? Leave the church ! what can you 
 mean ? do we leave fo much as the church- 
 walls ? your own eyes tell you we do not. Do 
 we leave the ordinances of the church ? you 
 daily fee and know the contrary. Do we leave 
 the fundamental dodtrine of the church, namely, 
 falvation by faith ? It is our conftant theme in 
 public, in private, in writing, in converfation. Do 
 we leave the praCtice of the church, the ftandard 
 whereof are the ten commandments ? which are 
 fo efi'entially inwrought in her confiitution, as 
 little as you may apprehend it, that whofoever 
 breaks one of the lealt of thefe, is no member 
 of the church of England. I believe you do not 
 
 * LE called MET FI ODISTS. 619 
 care to put the caufe on this iffue. Neither do 
 you mean this, by leaving the church. In truth, 
 
 I cannot conceive what you mean. I doubt you 
 cannot conceive yourfelf. You have retailed a 
 fentence from fome body elle which you no more 
 underfiand than he.” 
 
 Mr. Wefley then takes a retrofpecfiive view of 
 the Hate of religion before the Methodifiical doc¬ 
 trines were preached, and the happy change pro¬ 
 duced 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 
 Hate of religion was, in our nation, a few years 
 lince. In whom did you find the holy tempers 
 that were in Chrifi ? Rowels of mercies, lowli- 
 nefs, meeknefs, gentlenefs, contempt of the 
 world, patience, temperance, long-fuffering ? 
 A burning love to God, rejoicing evermore, 
 and in every thing giving thanks ; and a tender 
 love to all mankind, covering, believing, hop¬ 
 ing, enduring all things ? Perhaps you did not 
 know one fuch man in the world. But how 
 many, that had all unholy tempers ? What vani¬ 
 ty and pride, what Hubbornefs and felf-will, 
 what anger, fretfulnefs, diicon tent, what fuf- 
 picion and refentment, what inordinate affec¬ 
 tions, what irregular paffions, what foolifli and 
 hurtful defires might you find in thofe who were 
 called the befi of men ? in thofe who made the 
 firidlefi profeffion of religion ? and how few did 
 you know who went fo far as the profeffion of 
 religion, who had even the form of godlinefs ? 
 Did you not frequently bewail, wherever your 
 lot was cafi, the general want of even outward 
 religion ? how few were feen at the public wor- 
 ill ip of God? how much fewer at the Lord’s ta¬ 
 ble ? 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 oblerve, outward irreligjon in 
 every place ? Where could you be for one week, 
 without being an eye or an ear witnefs of curf- 
 ing, fwearing, or prophanenefs, of fabbath- 
 breaking or drunkennefs, of quarrelling or 
 brawling, of revenge or obfeenity ? Were thefe 
 things done in a corner ? did not grofs iniquity 
 of all kinds overfpread our land as a flood ? yea, 
 and daily increafe, in fpite of all the oppofltion 
 which the children of God did or could do 
 againff it. 
 
 If you had been then told, that the jealous 
 God would foon arife and maintain his caufe; 
 that he would pour down his fpirit from on high 
 and renew the face of the earth ; that he would 
 fhed abroad his love in the hearts of the out- 
 cafis of men, producing all holy and heavenly 
 tempers, expelling anger, and pride, and evil 
 defire, and all unholy and earthly tempers ; 
 caufing outward religion, the work of faith, the 
 patience of hope, the labour of love, to flourifli 
 and abound ; and wherever it fpread, abolifhing 
 outward irreligion, deflroying all the works of 
 the devil : if you had been told, that this living 
 knowledge of the Lord would in a fhort fpace 
 overfpread our land ; yea daily increafe, in fpite 
 of all the oppofltion which the devil and his 
 children did or could make againfl it: would you 
 not vehemently havedefired to lee that day, that 
 you might blels God and rejoice therein ? 
 
 Behold 
 
An ACCOUNT of the PEOPLE called METHODISTS. 
 
 6 20 
 
 Behold the day of the Lord is come. He is 
 again v : .fiting and redeeming his people. Hav¬ 
 ing eyes, fee ye not ? having ears, do ye not 
 hear ? neither underftand with your hearts ? At 
 this hou&the Lord is rolling-away our reproach. 
 Already his ftandard is fee up. His fpirit is 
 poured £>ut on the outtcafts of men, and his love 
 Ihed abroad in their hearts. Love of all man¬ 
 kind, meeknefs, gentlenefs, humblenefs 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 fpreads, fprings outward religion in all its 
 forms. The houfes of God are filled ; the table 
 of the Lord is thronged on every fide : and 
 thofe who fhew their love of God, fhew they love 
 their neighbour aifo, by being careful to maintain 
 good works, by doing all manner of good, as 
 they have opportunity, to all men. They are 
 likewife careful to abftain from all evil. Curfing, 
 fabbath-breaking, drunkennefs, with all other, 
 however fafhionable, works of the devil, are not 
 once named among them. All this is plain, dt- 
 monftrable fafb. For this is alfo not done in a 
 corner. Now, do you acknowledge the day o 
 your vifitation ? do you bid's God and rejoice 
 therein ? 
 
 What hinders ? Is it this, that men fay all 
 manner of evil of thofe whom God is pleafed t:> 
 ufe as inftrurrients in his works? O ye fools, did 
 ye fuppofe the devil was dead ? or that he would 
 not fight for his kingdom ? and what weapons 
 lnall 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 fay all manner of 
 evil of us; and let them go on deceiving each 
 other, and being deceived ; but ye need not be 
 deceived alfo. Or if you are, if you will be¬ 
 lieve all they fay : be it fo, that we are weak, 
 filly, wicked men ; without fenfe, without learn¬ 
 ing, without even a defire or defign of doing 
 good : yet I infift upon the fad. Chrift is 
 preached, and finners are converted to God. 
 This none but a madman can deny. We are 
 ready to prove it by a cloud of witneffes. Nei¬ 
 ther therefore can the inference be denied, that 
 God is now vifiting his people. O that all men 
 may know in this their day, the things that make 
 for their peace !” 
 
 Mr. Wefley, in his Farther Appeal, thus an- 
 fwers the charge of enthufiafm brought a^ainft 
 the Methodifts : ° 
 
 f£ J a ^ erc J c ^ at till a man receives the Holy 
 Gh ■ , he is without God in the world ; that he 
 cannot know the things of God, unlefs God re¬ 
 veals them unto him by his fpirit; no, nor have 
 even one roly or .heavenly temper, without the 
 inlpiration of the Holy One.” Now fhould one 
 who is confciousto himfelf, that he has experi¬ 
 enced none of thefe things, attempt to confute 
 theie proportions, either from feripture or anti¬ 
 quity, it might prove a difficult talk. What 
 then fhall he do? Why, cry out, « Enthufiafm ! 
 Enthufiafm !” and the work is done. 
 
 L - -- at does he mean by enthufiafm ? Per¬ 
 haps not rung at all: few have any diftind idea 
 of its meaning. Perhaps, ff fomething very 
 bad, or, ‘ f fomething I never experienced and 
 fto not underfband.” Shall I tell you then, what 
 
 1 that fC terrible fomething” is ? I believe, think¬ 
 ing men mean by enthufiafm, a fort of # religious 
 madnefs; a falfe imagination of being infpired 
 by God; and by an enthufiafb, one that fancies 
 himfelf under the influence of the Eloly Ghoff, 
 when in fad he is not. 
 
 Let him prove me guilty of this, who can. I 
 will tell you once more the whole of my belief 
 on thefe heads : and if any man will fhew me, by 
 argument, 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 Ghoft. By nature there is in 
 us no good thing; and there can be none, but 
 fo far as it is wrought in us by that good fpirit. 
 Have we any true knowledge of what is good ? 
 This is not the refult of our natural underftand- 
 ing. The natural man difeerneth not the things 
 of the fpirit > God : fo that we never can dif- 
 cern them, until God reveals them unto us by 
 his fpirit: reveals, that is, unveils, uncovers; 
 gives us to know what we' did not know before. 
 Have wc love ? It is fhed abroad in our hearts, 
 oy the Holy Ghoft which is given unto us.* He 
 mfpires, breathes, infufes into our foul, what of 
 ourfelves we could not have. Does our fpirit 
 
 , - ce in God our Saviour ? It is joy in, or by, 
 the Holy Ghoft. Have we true inward peace ? It 
 is the peace of God, wrought in us by the fame 
 lpint. Faith, peace, joy, love, are all his fruits : 
 and, as we are figuratively faid to fee the light 
 of faith, lo by a like figure of fpeech we are 
 laid 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 exprefs. 
 
 The reafons why in fpeaking of thefe things I 
 ufe thofe terms, infpiration particularly, are, 
 i. Becaufe they are fcriptural. i. Becaufe they 
 are ufed by our church. 3. Becaufe I know none 
 better.^ The word “ Influence of the Holy 
 Ghoft,” which I fuppofe you ufe, is both a far 
 ftronger and a lels natural term than infpiration. 
 It is a far ftronger, even as far as “ flowing into 
 the foul” is a ftronger expreftion than ff breath¬ 
 ing upon it:” and lefs natural; as breathing 
 bears a near relation to fpirit; to which flowing 
 in has only a diftant relation. 
 
 “ But you thought I had meant immediate 
 infpiration.” So I do, or I mean nothing at all. 
 Nor indeed fuch infpiration as is fine mediis. 
 But all infpiration, though by means, is imme¬ 
 diate. Suppofe, for inftance, you are employed 
 in private prayer, and God pours his love into 
 your heart. God then a£ts immediately on your 
 foul : and the love of him which you then ex¬ 
 perience, is as immediately breathed into you 
 by the Holy Ghoft, as if you had lived 1700 
 years ago. Change the term. <f Say, God then 
 affifts you to love him ?” Well, and is not this 
 immediate affiftance ? Say, « His fpirit concurs 
 with yours.” You gain no ground. It is imme¬ 
 diate concurrence or none at all. God a fpirit 
 a£ls upon your fpirit. Make it out any other- 
 wife if you can. 
 
 I cannot conceive how that harmlefs word 
 immediate came to be luch a bugbear in the 
 world : ff Why, I thought you meant fuch in¬ 
 fpiration as the Apoftles had : and fuch a receiv¬ 
 ing the Holy Ghoft as that was at the day of 
 Pentecoft.” 1 do, in part: indeed I do not 
 
 mean, 
 
An ACCOUNT of the PEO 
 
 rhean that Chriftians now receive the Holy Ghoft 
 in order to work miracles; but they do doubtlefs 
 now receive, yea, are filled with the Holy Ghoft, in 
 order to be filled with the fruits of that blefled 
 fpirit. And he infpires into all true believers 
 now, a degree of the fame peace and joy and 
 love, which the Apoftles felt in themfelves on 
 that day, when they were firft filled with the Holy 
 Ghoft. 
 
 I have now confidered the mofl material ob¬ 
 jections I know, which have been lately made 
 again ft the great doctrines I teach. I have pro¬ 
 duced, fo far as in me lay, the ftrength of thofe 
 objections, and then anfwered them, 1 hope, in 
 the fpirit of meeknefs. And now I truft it ap¬ 
 pears, that thefe doCtrines are no other than the 
 doCtrines of Jefus Chrift: that they are all evi¬ 
 dently contained in the word of God, by which 
 alone I defire to ftand or fall; and they are funda¬ 
 mentally the fame with the doCtrines of the church 
 of England, of which I do, and ever did profefs 
 myfelf a member.” 
 
 By thefe extracts the reader will fee the princi¬ 
 ples of thefe honeft, if miftaken people, and will 
 come to fuch conclufion as his reafon and under- 
 ftanding will afford him. It will not be expeCted 
 of me to give my opinion-, it is the bufinefs of an 
 hiftorian to relate faffs, and not to comment upon 
 them, particularly in cafes where religion is the 
 concern* and in which I think, every man has a 
 natural right to follow the determinations of his 
 own judgement: but before I give a brief hilto- 
 ry of their rife, &c. after this recapitulation of 
 their principles and doCtrines, I fhall fet before 
 my readers what they fay in anfvver to one or two 
 of the moft popular objections or calumnies raif- 
 ed againft them the firft of which is, 1,1 That 
 they create divifions in private families.” Their 
 able Apologift thus refutes it, “ Accidentally, 
 we do. For inftance, fuppofe the entire family to 
 have the form ana not the power of godlinefs, or 
 to have neither the form nor the power-, in either 
 cafe, they may in fome fort agree together. But 
 fuppofe, when thefe 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 leading to deftruCbion thefe then will be¬ 
 gin to mourn after God, while the reft remain as 
 they were. Will they not therefore of confequence 
 divide, and form themfelves into feparate parties? 
 Muft it not be fo, in the very nature of things? 
 and how exaCtly does this agree with the words of 
 our Lord ? 
 
 Suppole ye that I came to fend peace upon 
 earth ? I tell you nay : but rather divifion. For 
 from henceforth there fhail be five divided in one 
 houfe, three againft two, and two againft three. 
 The father fhall be divided againft the fon, and 
 the fon againft the father: the mother againft the 
 daughter, and the daughter againft the mother : 
 the mother-in-law againft the daughter-in law, 
 and the daughter-in-law againft the mother-in-law. 
 Luke xii. 51, 52, 53. And the foes of a man, 
 fhall be they of his own houlhold. Matthew x. 
 
 3 . . 
 
 Thus it was from the very beginning. For is 
 it to be fuppofcd, that a Heathen parent would 
 long endure a Chriftian child ? or that a Heathen 
 hufband would agree with a Chriftian wife ? un- 
 52 
 
 PLE called METHODISTS. 621 
 
 lefs either the believing wife could gain her huf- 
 band ; or the unbelieving hufband prevailed on 
 the wife to renounce her way of worfhipping 
 God : at leaft, unlefs ihe would obey him in going 
 no more to thofe focieties or conventicles, as they 
 termed the Chriftian affemblies. 
 
 Do you think now, I have an eye to your cafe ? 
 Doubtlefs 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 conventi¬ 
 cle ? and is it not the duty of wives to obey their 
 hufbands ? and of children to obey their parents? 
 Only fet the cafe feventeen hundred years back, 
 and your own confcience gives you the anfwer. 
 What would St. Paul have laid to one whole huf¬ 
 band forbad her to follow this way any more ? 
 What direffion would our Saviour have given to 
 him, whofe father enjoined him not to hear the 
 the golpel ? His words are extant ftill, u He that 
 loveth father or mother more than me, is not wor¬ 
 thy of me. And he that loveth fon 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 comparifon of me, his father 
 and mother, and wife and children, yea, and his 
 own life, he cannot be my difciple.” Luke xiv. 
 26. 
 
 O, but this is not a parallel cafe; for they were 
 Heathens ; but I am a Chriftian. A Chriftian ! 
 Are you fo ? Do you underftand the word ? Do 
 you know what a Chriftian is ? If you are a Chrif¬ 
 tian, you have the mind that was in Chrift j and 
 you fo walk as he alfo walked. You are holy, as 
 he was holy both in heart and in all manner of con- 
 verfation. Have you then the mind which was in 
 Chrift ? and do you walk as Chrift walked ? are 
 you inwardly and outwardly holy ? I fear, not 
 even outwardly. No ; you live in known fin. 
 Alas ! how then are you a Chriftian ? What, a 
 railer, a Chriftian ? a common fwearer, a Chrif¬ 
 tian ? a fabbath-breaker, a Chriftian ? a drunkard 
 or whoremonger, a Chriftian ? Thou art a Hea¬ 
 then barefaced ? the wrath of God is on thy 
 head, and the curfe of God upon thy back. Thy 
 damnation fiumbereth not. By reafon of fuch 
 Chriftians it is that the holy name of Chrift is blaf- 
 phemed. Such as thou they are, that caufe the 
 very favages in the Indian woods to cry out, 
 “ Chriftian much drunk, Chriftian beat men, 
 Chriftian tell lies, Devil-Chriftian ! me no Chrif¬ 
 tian.” 
 
 It may be obferved above, that the Methodifts 
 do not feparate from the church, nor difpute about 
 the externals or circumftances of religion ; they 
 approve of and adhere to them, all that they 
 learned when they were children, in their Cate- 
 chil'm and Common Prayer book. They were 
 born and bred up in the church of England, and 
 defire to die therein. They always were, and 
 now are, they fay, zealous for the church ; only 
 not with a blind zeal. 
 
 They do not, indeed, lay the ftrefs of their re¬ 
 ligion, on any opinions, right or wrong ; nei¬ 
 ther do they ever begin, or willingly join, in any 
 difpute concerning them. The weight of all re¬ 
 ligion, they apprehend, refts on holinefs of heart 
 and life ; and, confequently, wherever they come, 
 they prefs this with all their might. Flow wide 
 then is their cafe from that cf the Proteftant Dif- 
 7 S fenters 
 

 622 An ACCOUNT of the PE< 
 
 {enters in general ? They avowedly feparated from 
 the church: the Methodifts utterly difavow any 
 fuch defign. They feverely, and almoft continu¬ 
 ally, inveighed againft the doCtrine and difcipline 
 of the church they left: thefe approve both the 
 doctrines and difcipline of our church, and in¬ 
 veigh only againft ungodlinefs and unrighteoul- 
 nefs. They [pent great part of their time and 
 ltrength in contending about externals and cir- 
 cumftantials •, the Methodifts agree with the 
 church of England in both ; fo that having no 
 time to fpend in fuch vain contention, they have 
 their defire in {pending and being fpent, and pro¬ 
 moting plain practical religion. “ I am Tick, 
 fays Mr. Wefley, of opinions: I am weary to 
 bear them : my foul loths this frothy food. Give 
 me folid and fubftantial religion : give me an hum¬ 
 ble, gentle lover of God and man : a man full of 
 mercy and good fruits, without partiality and 
 without hypocrify : a man, laying himfelf out in 
 the work of faith, the patience of hope, the la¬ 
 bour of love. Let my foul be with thefe Chrif- 
 tians, wnerefoever they are, and whatfoever opi¬ 
 nion they are of. Whofoever thus doth the will 
 of my father which is heaven, the fame is my 
 brother, and filter and mother.” 
 
 With regard to the charges of making men 
 idle, and thereby beggaring their families, and of 
 driving men out of their fenfes, Mr. Wefley thus 
 anfwers : “ This objection having been continu¬ 
 ally urged for fome years, I will trace ic from the 
 foundation. Two or three years after my return 
 from America, one Captain Robert Williams of 
 Briftol, made affidavit before the then Mayor of 
 the city, that “ it was a common report in Geor¬ 
 gia, Mr. Wefley took people off from their 
 work, and made them idle, by preaching fo 
 much.” 
 
 The faft flood thus: At my firft coming to 
 Savannah, the generality of the people role at 
 feven or eight in the morning ; and that part of 
 them who were accuftomed to work, ufually 
 worked till fix in the evening. A few of them 
 fometimes worked till feven ; which is the time 
 of fun-fee there at Midfummer. 
 
 I immediately began reading prayers and ex¬ 
 pounding the fecond leffon, both in the morn¬ 
 ing and evening. The morning fervice began at 
 five, and ended at, or before fix : the evening 
 fervice began at feven. Now fuppofing all the 
 grown perfons in the town had been prefent every 
 morning and evening, would this have made 
 them idle ? Would they hereby have had lefs, or 
 confiderably more time for working ? The fame 
 rule I follow now, both at London, Briftol, and 
 Newcaftle-upon-Tyne: concluding the fervice at 
 every place, winter and fummer, before fix in the 
 morning, and not ordinarily beginning to preach 
 till near feven in the evening. 
 
 Now do you, who make this obje&ion, work 
 longer throughout the year, than from fix to fix ? 
 Do you defire that the generality of people fhould? 
 Or, can you count them idle, that work fo long? 
 Some few are indeed accuftomed to work longer. 
 Thefe I advife not to come on week-days : and it 
 is apparent that they take this advice, unlefs on 
 fome rare and extraordinary occafion. But I hope 
 none of you who turn them out of their employ¬ 
 ment, have the confidence to talk of my making 
 
 P L E called METHODISTS. 
 
 them idle ! Do you, as the homely phrafe is, cry 
 
 Wh-firft ? I admire your cunning but not 
 
 your modefty. So far am I from either caufing 
 or encouraging yotlr idlenefs, that an idle perlon, 
 known to be fuch, is not fuffered to remain in any 
 of our focieties *, we drive him out, as we would 
 a thief or a murderer. “ To fhew all poffible 
 diligence,” as well as frugality, is one of our 
 Handing rules : and one, concerning the obferv- 
 ance of which, we continually make the ftri&eft 
 enquiry. 
 
 “ But you drive them out of their fenfes. You 
 make them run mad.” Nay, then they are idle 
 with a vengeance. This objection therefore being 
 of the utmoft' importance, deferves our deepeft 
 confederation. 
 
 And, firft, I grant, it is my earned: defire to 
 drive all the world into what you -probably call 
 madnefs: I mean inward religion, to make them 
 juft as mad as Paul was when he wasfo accounted 
 by Feftus. I grant, fecondly, it is my endea¬ 
 vour to drive all I can into what you may term 
 another fpecies of madnefs, which is ufually pre¬ 
 paratory to this, and which I term repentance or 
 conviction. 
 
 Now, what if your wife, or daughter, or ac¬ 
 quaintance, after hearing one of thefe field- 
 preachers, fhould come and tell you, that they 
 law damnation before them, and beheld with the 
 eye of their mind the horror of hell ? What if 
 they fhould tremble and quake, and be fo taken 
 up, partly with forrow and heavinefs, partly with 
 an earned: defire to be delivered from this danger 
 of hell and damnation, as to weep, to lament, 
 to mourn, and both with words and behaviour to 
 fhew rhemfelves weary of life ? Would you fcruple 
 to fay, that they were ftark mad ? that theie fel¬ 
 lows had driven them out of their fenfes ? and 
 that whatever writer it was, that talked at this 
 rate, he was fitter for Bedlam than any other 
 place ? 
 
 You have overfhot yourfelf now to fome pur- 
 pofe. Thefe are the very words of our own 
 church. You may read them, if you are lo in¬ 
 clined, in the firft part of the homily on falling. 
 And, confequently, what you have peremptorily 
 determined to be mere lunacy and diltraCtion, is 
 that repentance unto life, which, in the judgement 
 both of the church and of St. Paul, is never to be 
 repented of. 
 
 I grant, thirdly, that extraordinary circum- 
 ftances have attended this conviction in fome in- 
 flances. A particular account of thefe I have 
 frequently given. While the word of God was 
 preached, fome perfons have dropped down as 
 dead ; fome have been, as it were, in ftrong 
 convulfions ; fome roared aloud, though not with 
 an articulate voice j and others {poke the anguifh 
 of their fouls. 
 
 This, I fuppofe, you believe to be perfeCt 
 madnefs : but it is eafily accounted for, either on 
 principles of reafon or feripture. 
 
 Firft, on principles of reafon. For how eafy 
 is it to fuppofe, that a ftrong, lively and fudden 
 apprehenlion of the henioufnefs of fin, the wrath 
 of God, and the bitter pains of eternal death, 
 fhould affeCt the bodv as weli as the foul, during 
 the prefent laws of vital union ; fhould intercept 
 or difturb the ordinary circulation, and put na¬ 
 ture 
 
An ACCOUNT of the 
 
 ture out of its courfe. Yea, we may queftion, 
 whether while this pain fubfifts, it be poffible for 
 the mind to be affected in To violent a degree, 
 without fome or other of thele bodily fymptoms 
 following. 
 
 It is likewifeeafy to account for thefe things 
 on principles of fcripture; for when we take a 
 view of them in this light, we are to add to the 
 confideration of natural caufes, the agency of 
 thole fpirits who ftill excel in natural ftrength ; 
 and as far as they have leave from God, will not 
 fail to torment whom they cannot deftroy; to 
 tear thofe that are coming to Chrift. It is all'o 
 remarkable, that there is plain fcripture prece¬ 
 dent, of every fymptom which - has lately ap¬ 
 peared ; fo that we cannot allow even the con¬ 
 viction attended with them to be madnefs, with¬ 
 out giving up both reafon and fcripture. 
 
 1 grant, fourthly, that touches of extrava¬ 
 gance, bordering upon madnefs, may fometimes 
 attend fevere convictions. And this alfo is 
 eal'y to be accounted for, by the prefent ftate of 
 the animal ceconomy. For we know fear or 
 grief, from a temporary caufe, may occafion a 
 fever, and thereby a delirium. 
 
 It is no way ftrange that fome, while under 
 ftrong impreflions of grief or fear, from a fenfe 
 of the wrath of God, Ihould for a feafon forget 
 almoft all things elfe, and fcarce be able to an- 
 fwer a common queftion. That fome Ihould 
 fancy they fee the flames of hell, or the devil and 
 his angels around them ; or that others, for a 
 fpace, Ihould be afraid, like Cain, who faid, 
 “ whofoever meeteth me will flay me.” 
 
 All thefe, and whatever lefs common effects 
 may fometimes accompany this conviction, are 
 eafily known from the natural diftemper of mad¬ 
 nefs, were it only by this one circumftance, that 
 whenever the perfon converted taftcs the pardon¬ 
 ing love of God, they all vanilh away in a mo¬ 
 ment. 
 
 Laftlv, I have feen one inftance, and I pray 
 God I may never fee another, of real lafting 
 madnefs. 
 
 Two or three years fince I took one along with 
 me to Briftol who was under deep convictions, 
 but of as found an underftanding, in all refpeCts, 
 as ever he had been in his life. I went a fhort 
 journey, and when I came to Briftol again, found 
 him really diftraCted. I enquired particularly at 
 what time and place, and in what manner this 
 diforder began. And I believe there are above 
 threefcore witneffes alive (1749) who are ready 
 to teftify the truth of what follows. 
 
 When I went from Briftol, he contracted an 
 acquaintance with fome perfons who were not of 
 the fame judgement with me. He was loon pre¬ 
 judiced againft me. Soon after, when our fo- 
 ciety were met together in Kingiwood-houfe, he 
 began a vehement inveCtive, both againft my per¬ 
 fon and my doCtrine. In the midft of this he 
 was (truck raving mad, and fo he continued till 
 his friends put him into Bedlam ; and, probably, 
 his madnefs was imputed to me. Perhaps there 
 may be many inftances of madnefs proceeding 
 from a variety of caufes that we cannot compre¬ 
 hend. 
 
 Suppofing, for inftance, that a perfon hearing 
 me, is ftrongly convinced that a liar cannot enter 
 
 called METHODISTS. 623 
 
 the kingdom of heaven ; he comes home and 
 relates this to his parents, or friends, and ap¬ 
 pears to be very uneafy. Thefe good Chriftian* 
 are difturbed at this, and afraid he is running 
 mad too. They are refolved helhall never hear 
 any of thofe fellows more, and keep to it in 
 lpite of all his entreaties. 
 
 They will not fuffer him while at home to be 
 i alone, left he Ihould read or pray; and, perhaps, 
 in a little while they will conftrain him, at leaft: 
 by repeated importunities, to do again the very 
 thing for which he was convinced the wrath of 
 God cometh upon the children of difobedience. 
 
 What is the event of this ? 
 
 Sometimes the fpirit of God is quenched, and 
 departs from him. Now you have carried the 
 j point. The man is as ealy as ever, and fins on 
 j without any remorfe. But in other inftances, 
 where thofe convictions fink deep, and the ar¬ 
 rows of the Almighty ltick fall in the foul, you 
 I will drive that perfon into real fettled madnefs, 
 
 | before you can quench the fpirit of God. I am 
 ! afraid there have been feveral inftances of this. 
 
 You have forced the man’s confcience, till he is 
 j ftark mad; but then, pray do not impute the 
 madnefs to me. Had you left him to my direc¬ 
 tion, or rather to the direction of the fpirit 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 conclufion ! 
 
 How frequent this cafe may be, I know not. 
 But doubtlefs molt of thofe who make this ob¬ 
 jection, of our driving men mad, have never 
 met with luch an inftance in their lives. The 
 common cry is occafioned, either by thofe who 
 are convinced of fin, or thofe who are inwardly 
 converted to God; mere madnefs both, as was 
 obferved before, to thofe who are without God 
 in the world. Yet I do not deny but you may 
 have feen one in Bedlam who faid he had followed 
 me. But obferve, a madman’s faying this is no 
 proof of the faCt; nay, and if he really had, it 
 Ihould be farther considered, that his being in 
 Bedlam is no lure proof of his being mad. 
 Witnefs the well-known cafe of Mr. Periam ; 
 and I doubt more fuch are to be found. Yea, it 
 is well if fome have not been fent thither, for no 
 other reafon but becaufe they followed me; their 
 kind relations either concluding, that they mull: 
 be diftraCted before they could do this, or per¬ 
 haps hoping, that Bedlam would make them, 
 mad, if it did not find them fo. 
 
 And itmuft be owned, that a confinement of 
 fuch a fort is as fit to caufe as to cure diftraCtion ; 
 for what feene of diftrefs is to be compared to 
 it ? To be feparated at once from all who are 
 near and dear to you ; to be cut off from all 
 reafonable converfation, to be fecluded from all 
 bufinefs, from all reading, from every innocent 
 entertainment of the mind, which is left to prey 
 wholly upon itfelf, day and night to prone over 
 your misfortunes ; to be fhut up day by day in a 
 gloomy cell, with only the walls to employ your 
 heavy eyes, in the midft cither of melancholy 
 filence, or horrid cries, groans, and laughter in¬ 
 termixed ; to be forced by the main ftrength of 
 thofe “ who laugh at human nature and com¬ 
 panion to take drenches of naufeous, per¬ 
 haps 
 
 PEOPLE 
 
6-4 
 
 An ACCOUNT of the PEOPLE called METHODISTS. 
 
 Here he at length erefted an Orphan-houfe for 
 Door and deferred children ; an inftitution that 
 
 f . . .- - , . j:_ V 
 
 haps torturing medicines, which you know you 
 have no need of now, but know not how foon 
 you may, poffibly by the operation of thefe very 
 drugs on a weak and tender conlhtution. Her 
 is diftrefs ! It is an aftomlhing thing, a fignal 
 proof of the power of God, if any creature who 
 has his fenfes when that confinement begins, does 
 not lofe them before it is at an end . ... , 
 
 How mud it heighten the diftrefs, if fuch a 
 poor wretch, being deeply convinced of fin, 
 and growing worle and worfe, as he piobably 
 will "feeing there is no medicine here for his 
 ficknefs, no fuch phyfician as his cafe requires, 
 be loon placed among the incurables . Can lma- 
 crination itfelf paint fuch a hell upon eaith . 
 where even “ hope never comes, that comes to 
 all !” For what remedy ? If a man of fen!e and 
 humanity fhould happen to vifit that houfe 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 fay, how well any of thefe 
 •will talk in their lucid intervals r” So that a thou- 
 fand to one he would concern himfclr no more 
 about it, but leave the weary to wait for reft 
 in the grave!” , , _ A/T 
 
 The firil public appearance of the Rev. Mr. 
 George White-held, of Pembroke College, Ox¬ 
 ford, who was an ordained clergyman of the 
 church of England, about London,., was in the 
 year 1737, when he and his afifociates preached 
 up and down in the fields to vail multitudes ot 
 people, with an energy that ftruck every one, 
 particularly in Moorfields, on Kennington Com¬ 
 mon, Blackheath, &c. and for fome time they 
 were admitted alfo into the churches to declare 
 their peculiar opinions, till the indolent clergy 
 were roufed by their extraordinary popularity; 
 and the church-wardens fearing damages to their 
 
 pews, &c. they were generally refufed the 
 ufe of the public pulpits. The uncommon fer¬ 
 vour they exprefied, a fimple yet periuafive elo¬ 
 quence, and the mortified and laborious life they 
 led, procured them not only molt numerous au¬ 
 ditors, but their dodlrines fuch a multitude of 
 followers, as aftonifhed the guardians of our 
 church: but whilft they themfelves indolently 
 perfifled in their old rout of flated preaching, 
 Mr. Whitefield, particularly, with a rapid pro- 
 grels, took from them thoulands of their hear¬ 
 ers, efpecially of the lower fort, and brought 
 many more to a fenfe and abhorrence of their 
 vices, and to attend his preaching, who, per¬ 
 haps, had never been at any kind of worfhip 
 before. 
 
 Whilft the clergy raved both in the pulpit and 
 in print againft this novel doctrine, as they ftiled 
 it, and with what juftice may be ieen above, this 
 laborious preacher, delpifing all danger and fa¬ 
 tigue, not only formed focieties in England of 
 his followers, but traverfing, time atter time, 
 immenfe tracks of land and water, profelyted 
 multitudes in all parts of North America, and 
 extended his cares even to the inhabitants of the 
 infant colony of Georgia, where that wile and 
 excellent governor, Mr. Oglethorpe, v-ell know¬ 
 ing an attachment to religious principles, and 
 a life of virtue and felf-dcnial, were fpurs to 
 induftry and ceconomy, received him with open 
 arms, and gave him all manner of afliftance. 
 
 bid fair to be an extraordinary benefit in that 
 country; the moft authentic account of which 
 eftablifhment, by an impartial eye-witnefs, and 
 publifhed in juftice to the Method ills, may be 
 feen in the London Magazine for the year 1745, 
 page 603. 
 
 In thefe Chriftian labours, perilous voyages, 
 and painful journies through the wildernefs of 
 America, he was followed by Mcfl. John and 
 Charles Welley, his faithful and able coadjutors, 
 who with a zeal and conftancy fecond only to 
 thofe which aftuated the primitive Apoftles and 
 difciples of our Saviour, thought no hardlhips 
 infurmountable, no dangers too terrifying in 
 profecuting the work they fuppofed themfelves 
 appointed to. 
 
 Of his own and his brother’s converfion, &c. 
 and of the neceffity of becoming field preachers, 
 Mr. John Welley gives the following account : 
 “ I was ordained deacon in 1725, and prieft 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 ut¬ 
 terly ignorant of the nature and condition of 
 juftification. Sometimes I confounded it with 
 fandlification, particularly when I was in Geor- 
 gia. 
 
 At other times I had fome confufed notions of 
 the forgivenefs of fins: but then I took it for 
 granted, .the time of this muft be, either the 
 hour of death, or the day of judgement. I 
 was equally ignorant of the nature of laving 
 faith ; apprehending it to mean no more, than 
 a “ firm affent to all the propofitions contained 
 in the Old and New Teftament.” As foon as, 
 by the great blefting of God, I had a clear 
 view of thefe things, I began to declare them 
 to others alfo. I believed, and therefore I 
 fpake. Wherever I was now defired to preach, 
 lalvation was my only theme. My conftant 
 fubjedts were, tc Believe in the Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, and thou Ihalt be faved. Him hath 
 God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to 
 <dve repentance and remifiion of fins.” Thefe 
 r explained and inforced with all my might, 
 both in every church where I was afked to 
 preach, and occalionally in the religious focie¬ 
 ties of London and Weftminfter 1 to fome or 
 other of which I was continually prefted to go 
 by the ftewards or other members belonging to 
 them. 
 
 Things were in this pofture, when I was told, 
 “ I muft preach no more in this, and that, and 
 ' another church.” The reafon was ufually added 
 I without referve, “ Becaufe you preach fuch doc¬ 
 trine.” So much the more thofe who could not 
 l hear me there, flocked together when I was at 
 | any of the focieties ; where I fpokc more or lefs, 
 though with much inconvenience, to as many as 
 the room I was in could contain. But after a 
 fhort time, finding thofe rooms could not con¬ 
 tain a tenth part of the people that were earneft 
 to hear, I determined to do the lame thing in 
 England which 1 had often done in a warmer 
 climate; namely, when the houfe would not 
 contain the congregation, to preach in the open 
 air. This I accordingly did, firft at Briftol, 
 
 where 
 
An ACCOUNT of the PEO 
 
 where the fociety-rooms were exceeding fmall, 
 and at Kingfwood, where we had no room at 
 all j afterwards in or near London. And I can¬ 
 not fay I have ever feen a more aweful fight, 
 than when, on Role-Green, or the top of Han- 
 nam-Mount, fome thoulands of people were 
 calmly joined together in folemn waiting upon 
 God, while “ they ftood, and under open air 
 adored the God who made both air, earth, hea¬ 
 ven, and Iky.” And whether they were liftcn- 
 ing to his word, with attention ftill as night, or 
 were lifting up their voice in praile, as the found : 
 of many waters, many a time have I been con- ! 
 {trained to fay in my heart, <c How dreadful is j 
 this place ? This all'o is no other than the houfe 
 of God ! This is the gate of heaven!” 
 
 Be pleafed to obferve, i. That I was forbid¬ 
 den, as by a general confent, to preach in any 
 church, though not by any judicial fentence, for 
 preaching fuch dodlrine. This was the open, 
 avowed caule : there was at that time no other, 
 either real or pretended, i. That I had no de¬ 
 fire ordefign to preach in the open air, till long 
 after this prohibition. 3. That when I did, as 
 it was no matter of choice, fo neither of preme¬ 
 ditation. There was no fcheme at all previoufiy 
 formed, which was to be fupported thereby; 
 nor had l any other end in view than this, to 
 i'ave as many fouls as I could. 4. Field-preach¬ 
 ing was therefore a necefiary expedient, a thing 
 fubmitted to, rather than chofen ; and therefore 
 fubmitted to, becaule I thought preaching, even 
 thus, better than not preaching at all; hr ft, in 
 regard to my own foul; becaufe a difpenfation 
 of the gofpel being committed to me, I did not 
 dare not to preach the gofpel; fecondly, in re¬ 
 gard to the fouls of others, whom I every where 
 faw feeking death in the error of their life.” 
 
 The effects of their preaching are thus de- 
 feribed by the fame hand. “ Juft at this time, 
 when we wanted little of filling up the meal’ures 
 of our iniquities, two or three clergymen of the 
 church of England began vehemently to call 
 finners to repentance. In two or three years they 
 founded the alarm to the utmoft borders of the 
 land. Many thoulands gathered together to hear 
 them ; and in every place where they came, many 
 began to fhew fuch a concern for religion, as 
 they never had done before. 
 
 A ftronger impreflion was made on their minds, 
 of the importance of things eternal, and they 
 had more earned: delires of ferving God, than they 
 had ever had from their earlieft childhood. Thus 
 did God begin to draw them towards himielf, 
 with the cords of love, with the bands of a man. 
 Many of thefe were in a fhort time deeply con¬ 
 vinced of the number and heinoufnefs of their 
 fins. They were all'o made thoroughly fen- 
 fible of thole tempers which are juftly hateful 
 to God and man, and of their utter ignorance 
 of God, and entire inability either to know, 
 love, or ferve him- At the fame time, they 
 faw in the ftrongeft light the infignificance of 
 their outfide religion ; nay, and often confelfed 
 it before God, as the moft abominable hypocri- 
 fy. Thus did they fink deeper and deeper into 
 that repentance which muftever precede faith in 
 the Son of God. And from hence fprings fruits 
 meet for repentance. The drunkard commenced 
 53 
 
 PLE called METHODISTS. 62$ 
 
 l'ober and temperate; the whoremonger abftained 
 from adultery and fornication ; the unjuft from 
 oppreftion and wrong. He that had been ac- 
 cuftomed to curfe and fwear for many years, now 
 Iworeno more. Thefluggard began to work with 
 his own hands, that he might eat his own bread. 
 The miler learned to deal his bread to the hun¬ 
 gry, and to cover the naked with a garment. 
 Indeed the whole form of their lives was changed. 
 They had left oft’ doing evil, and learned to do 
 well. 
 
 But this was not all. Over and above this 
 outward change, they began to experience in¬ 
 ward religion. The love of God was fhed abroad 
 in their hearts, which they continue to this day. 
 They love him, becaufe he firft loved us, and 
 with-held not from us his Son, his only Son : 
 and this love conftrains them to love all mankind, 
 all the children of the Father of heaven and 
 earth, and infpires them with every holy and hea¬ 
 venly temper, the whole mind that was in 
 Chrift. Hence it is that they are no\tf uniform 
 in their behaviour, unblameable in all manner of 
 converlation ; and in whatfoever ftate they are, 
 they have learned therewith to be content: info- 
 much that now they can in every thing give 
 thanks. They more than patiently acquiefce, 
 they rejoice and are exceeding glad, in all God’s 
 difpenfations towards them ; tor 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 repining, 
 murmuring, or diffatisfied, catling all their care 
 upon God, till the hour comes that they fihould 
 drop this covering of earth, and return unto the 
 great Father of fpirits ; then efpecially it is that 
 they rejoice with joy uulpeakable and full of 
 glory. You who credit it not, come and fee.” 
 
 In London, particularly, a great change was 
 loon perceived in the majority of the common 
 people ; an unufual ferioufnefs appeared in their 
 countenances, they refrained from prophane 
 curfing and fwearing, and the alehoufes were 
 deprived of their ul'ual inebriated guefts. Mean 
 time the more abandoned of the canaille, whom 
 no precepts could reach, no future denunciations 
 of punilhment deter from wickednefs, fpared 
 not reproaches, and even frequently proceeded 
 to open inlults and abufes of the preachers, who 
 were as warmly defended by their partifans, fo as 
 often to occafion tumults and riots, that were 
 mutually charged by the Methodifts and their 
 oppofers on each other, and kept the public for 
 years in perpetual difpute and agitation. But, 
 at length, now increafed to a prodigious num¬ 
 ber, they began to form focieties apart, forwor- 
 ftiip in their own way, and to appoint ftewards 
 and other officers for the better regulation and 
 government of thofe focieties; 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 fuburbs. Their founders have in¬ 
 creafed their numbers in Scotland and Ireland 
 alfo, where they purlued their million with the 
 utmoft fuccefs ; and in many places in England, 
 where religion was leldom heard of, they have 
 produced order, humanity, civility, and aferious 
 7 T regard 
 
An ACCOUNT of the PEOPLE called METHODISTS. 
 
 regard to divine things, particularly amongft the 
 colliers of Kingfwood, and the fells about New- 
 caftie. If the reader defires to enter into parti¬ 
 culars with regard to their hiftory, he would do 
 well to perufe the feveral Journals of MelT. 
 Whitefield and Wcfley, as we only propofe here 
 a general view of their rife, &c. Indeed it is a 
 peculiar circumftance, that no (eft, in fo few 
 years, ever became fo numerous, though they 
 have met with mild treatment from the govern¬ 
 ment, and have endured no perfection for their 
 opinions, which has generally helped to increafe, 
 rather th an to dec reafe the followers of anewfydem 
 of doftrines. With regard to the common peo¬ 
 ple, or the mob, who are ever of the national 
 religion, fo far as drinking, fwearing, and riot- 
 ino°for it extends, the appearance of the found¬ 
 er of Methodifm, in the ufual vcftments of 
 clergymen, captivated them, and prevented 
 many diforders that would have arifen, had per- 
 
 fons not diftinguilhed by that reverend garb en¬ 
 deavoured to exhort and inftruft them ; and yet, 
 according to Mr. Welley s account, he himlelf 
 was, once particularly, in great danger oflofmg 
 his life ; and the Merhodifts (ufFwed by thelpoils 
 and ravages of defperate and wicked mobs, in 
 Stafford (hire, in the year 1743, to the amount of 
 fivehundred and four pounds, feventeen (hillings, 
 at the loweft computation, owing to a fhameful 
 connivance, perhaps under-hand encouragement, 
 of thofe who (liould have reftrained or punilhed 
 them for their diabolical exceffes. In fafir, too 
 many of their oppofers merit the character Mr. 
 Wedey has given them. “ I have heard fome 
 affirm, fays he, that the mod bitter enemies to 
 tire prefent work of God were Pharifees. They 
 meant men who had the form of godlineis, but 
 denied the power of it. But I cannot fay fo. 
 The (harped adverfaries thereof, unlefs we might 
 except a few honourable men, whom I may be 
 excufed from naming, were the Jcum of Corn¬ 
 wall, the rabble of Billion and Darlefton, the 
 wild beads of Walfal, and the turnkeys of New¬ 
 gate.” 
 
 In fine, the very enemies of thefe people will 
 fcarce deny that they have greatly contributed to 
 reform and edablifh order and civility amongd 
 the common people ; that they are (I mean the 
 real Methodids; for Prefbyterians, Quakers, and 
 every other feft, have been perfonated as well as 
 they, for intereded or villainous purpofes,) are a 
 peaceable, upright, and praile-worchy fet of 
 people ; that they cannot upon their principles 
 diilrefs, but mud add drength to the hands of 
 government, and that their rife and amazing 
 progrefs have roufed the edabliffied clergy from 
 that lethargy into which they had fallen, and 
 invigorated them to be attendant on the charge 
 to which they were fo folemnly appointed. 
 
 Their favourite doftrines have found their 
 way alfo 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 fpread of Metho¬ 
 difm has certainly contributed to fet people in 
 general upon thinking of matters of the greated 
 moment to them ; and I will venture to affert, 
 from my own observation, that there has been 
 fuch an appearance of ferioufnefs, and l’uch a 
 
 concern for religion, vifible in all ranks of peo¬ 
 ple, fince it has fo much prevailed, as cannot 
 be remembered in any fuch period of time fince 
 the redoration. 
 
 We (hall conclude this head with a brief ac¬ 
 count of their manner of worlhip, church dif- 
 cipline, &c. 
 
 with regard to their manner of worfhip, it is 
 like that of the church of England, fave that 
 they allow themfelves to continue long in extem¬ 
 pore prayer, and that they fing fuch hymns as 
 are approved by the focietv. Indeed they allow 
 of lay-preachers, or differ unlearned men to 
 preach or exhort, in their places of worffiip. 
 “ I am bold to affirm, fays Mr. Wedey, that 
 thefe unlettered men have help from God for 
 that great work, the faving fouls from 
 death ; feeing he hath enabled,, and doth enable 
 them dill, to turn many to righteoufnefs. Thus 
 hath he dedroyed the wifdom of the wife, and 
 brought to nought the underdanding of the 
 prudent. 
 
 When they imagined they had effe&ually fhut 
 the door, and blocked up every paffage, where¬ 
 by any help could come to two or three preach¬ 
 ers, weak in body as well as loul ; who they 
 might reafonably believe would, humanly fpeak- 
 ing, wear themfelves out in a fhort time : when 
 they had gained their point, by fecuring, as they 
 fuppofed, all the men of learning in the nation. 
 He that fitteth in heaven laughed them to fcorn, 
 and came upon them by a way they thought not 
 of. Out of the ftones he railed up thofe who 
 (liould beget children to Abraham. We had no 
 more forefight of this than you. Nay, we had 
 the deepeft prejudices againft it, until we could, 
 not but own, that God gave wifdom from above 
 to thefe unlearned and ignorant men ; fo that 
 the work of the Lord profpered in their hand, 
 and finners were daily converted to God. 
 
 Indeed in the one thing which they profefs to 
 know, they are not ignorant men. I trull there 
 is not one of them who is not able to go through 
 fuch an examination, in lubftantial, praftical, 
 experimental divinity, as few of our candidates 
 for holy orders, even in the univerfity, I fpeak 
 it with forrow and fhamc, and in tender love, 
 are able to do,” 
 
 There have been fome differences amongft 
 the leaders of thefe people, particularly between 
 Mr. Whitefield and Mr. Wedey, relative to the 
 do£trine of reprobation ; but they agree in the 
 terms of acceptance: in fmaller points, each 
 thinks and lets think ; and Mr. Wefley fays he 
 reverences Mr. Whitefield, both as a child of 
 God, and a true minifter of Jefus Chrift. We 
 could wifli all religious difputes had been ma¬ 
 naged with equal candour. 
 
 As to the difcipline of the Methodifts, we 
 cannot give a better account of it, than is con¬ 
 tained in a fmall trad, entitled, The Nature, 
 Defign, and general Rules of the united Socie¬ 
 ties in London, Briflol, Kingfwood, and New- 
 caflle upon Tyne, 7th edit. 1762, which we fhall 
 therefore lay before our readers. 
 
 « 1. In the latter end of the year 1739, eight 
 or ten perfons came to me in London, who ap¬ 
 peared to be deeply convinced of fin, and earn- 
 eftly groaning for redemption. They defired. 
 
An ACCOUNT of the PEO 
 
 as did two or three more the next day, that I 
 would fpend fome time with them in prayer, and 
 advife them how to flee from the wrath to come, 
 which they faw 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 henceforward 
 they did every week, namely, on Thurfday, 
 in the evening. To thefe, and as many more 
 as defired to join with them, for their number 
 increafed daily, I gave thofe advices from time 
 to time which I judged mod needful for them ; 
 and we always concluded our meeting with prayer 
 fuited to their feveral neceflities. 
 
 i. This was the rife of the United Society, 
 firft in London, and then in other places. Such 
 a fociety is no other than “ a company of men 
 having the form and feeking the power of god- 
 linefs, united in order to pray together, to re¬ 
 ceive the word of exhortation, and to watch 
 over one another in love, that they may help 
 each other to work out their falvation.” 
 
 3. That it may the more eafily be difcerned, 
 whether they are indeed working out their fal¬ 
 vation, each focietv is divided into fmaller com¬ 
 panies, called dalles, according to their refpec- 
 tive places of abode. There are about twelve 
 perfons in every clafs, one of whom is ftiled the 
 leader. It is his bufinefs, 1. To fee each per- 
 fon in his clnfs, once a-week at the lead, in or¬ 
 der to enquire how their fouls profper ; to ad¬ 
 vife, reprove, comfort, or exhort, as occafion 
 may require ; to receive-what they are willing 
 to give toward the relief of the poor. 2. To 
 meet the minider and the dewards of the fociety 
 Cii .e a-week, in order to inform the minider of 
 any chat are fick, or of any that walk diforderly 
 and will not be reproved ; to pay to the dewards 
 what they have received of their feveral clafles 
 in the week preceding, and to fhew their ac¬ 
 count of what each perfon has contributed. 
 
 4. There is one only condition previoufly re¬ 
 quired in thole who defire admittance into thefe 
 focieties, fC a dcflre to flee from the wrath to 
 come, to be faved from their fins.” But where- 
 ever this is really fixed in the foul, it will be 
 lliewn by its fruits. It is therefore expected of 
 all who continue therein, that they fnould con¬ 
 tinue to evidence their defire of falvation. 
 
 Fird, By doing no harm, by avoiding evil in 
 every kind, efpecially that which is mod gene¬ 
 rally prattiled : fuch as, 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 felling; drunkennefs, buying 
 or felling fpirituous liquors, or drinking them, 
 unlefs in cafes of extreme neceflity; fighting, 
 quarrelling, brawling; brother going to law 
 with brother; returning evil for evil, or railing 
 for railing; the ufing many words in buying or 
 felling ; the buying or felling uncudomed goods ; 
 the giving or taking things on ufury, that is, 
 unlawful intered; uncharitable or unprofitable 
 converfation, particularly fpeaking evil of ma- 
 gidrates or of miniflers; doing to others as 
 we would not they fhould do unto us ; doing 
 what we know is not for the glory of God, as 
 the putting on of gold and codly apparel; the 
 taking fuch diverfions as cannot be uled in the 
 name of the Lord Jefus ; the finging thofe fongs, 
 
 PLE called METHODISTS. 627 
 
 or reading thofe books, which do not tend to the 
 knowledge or love of God ; foftnefs, and need- 
 lels felf-indulgence ; laying up treafures upon 
 earth ; borrowing without a probability of pay¬ 
 ing, or taking up goods without a probability of 
 paying for them. 
 
 It is expetted of all who continue in thefe 
 focieties, that they fhould continue to evidence 
 their defire of falvation. 
 
 Secondly, By doing good, by being in every 
 kind merciful after their power; as they have 
 opportunity, doing good of every poflible fort, 
 and as is poflible, to all men : to their bodies, 
 of the ability which God giveth, by giving food 
 to the hungry, by cloathing the naked, by vifit- 
 ing or helping them that are fick, or in prifon : 
 to their fouls, by in ft rutting, reproving, or 
 exhorting all we have any intercourfe with; 
 trampling under foot that enthufiaftic dottrine 
 of devils , that “ we are not to do good, unlels 
 our heart be free of itby doing good efpe¬ 
 cially to them that are of the houftiold of faith, or 
 groaning fo to be; employing them preferably 
 to others, buying one of another, helping each 
 other in bufinefs ; and fo much the more, be- 
 caufe the world wil. love its own, and them only ; 
 by all poflible diligence and frugality, that the 
 gofpel be not blamed : by running with patience 
 the race which is let before them, denying them- 
 felves, and taking up their crofs daily ; fubmit- 
 tiiig to bear the reproach of Chrift, to be as the 
 filth and oft-fcouring of the world ; and looking 
 that men fhould fay all manner of evil of them 
 faliely, for their Lord’s fake. 
 
 6. It is expetted of all who defire to continue in 
 thefe focieties, that they fhould fhew forth to their 
 brethren that they defire falvation. 
 
 Thirdly, by attending upon all the ordinances 
 of God ; fuch as the public worfhip ; the mini- 
 ftry of the word either read or expounded; the 
 Supper of the Lord ; family and private prayer; 
 learching, and fafting, or abftinence. 
 
 7. Thefe are the general rules of our focieties, 
 all which we are taught of God to obferve, even 
 in his written word, the only rule, and the 
 fufficient rule, both of our faith and prattice; 
 and all thefe we know his fpirit writes on 
 every truely awakened heart. If there be any 
 among us who obferves them not, who habitually 
 breaks any one of them, let it be madeknown unto 
 them who watch over that foul, as they muft give 
 an account. We will admonifh him of the error 
 of his ways ; we will bear with him for a feafon; 
 but then if he repent not, he hath no more place 
 among us. We have delivered our own fouls. 
 
 The Methodifts, of whom we are ftill fpeak¬ 
 ing in general terms, have in fome places, as in 
 Tottenham-Court-Road, built alms-houfes for 
 their moft deftitute poor; but ftill they have a 
 great many in the common workhoufes. They 
 have alfo, at feveral times, raifed confiderable 
 fums for the relief of foreign Proteftants ; and 
 their works of love during the late war, will evef 
 be remembered to their honour. 
 
 We fhall conclude this general hiftory of the 
 Methodifts with another quotation from Mr. 
 Wefley, in anfwer to the current report of his 
 receiving great emoluments from his fituation, 
 as being at the head of a religious body of 
 people. 
 
 cc 
 
 But 
 

 6i8 ’ An ACCOUNT of the PE< 
 
 “ But, perhaps, you have heard that we re- 1 
 gard no church at all; that gain is the true 
 fpring of all our aftions ; that I, in particular, 
 am well paid for my work, having thirteen thou- 
 fand pounds a year at the Poundery alone, over 
 and above what I have from Briftol, Kingfwood, 
 Newcaftle, and other parts ; and that whoever 
 furvives me, will find I have made a good ufeof 
 my time, for I {hall not die a beggar. 
 
 I freely own, this is one of the bell deviled 
 objeftions which has ever yet been made, be- 
 caufe it not only puts us upon proving a nega¬ 
 tive, which is feldom an eafy tafk, but alio one 
 of fuch a nature as lcarce admits of any demon- 
 ftrative evidence at all. But for fuch proof as 
 the nature of the thing will admit of, I appeal 
 to the manner of mv life from the beginning. 
 
 Ye who have feen it', and not with a friendly eye, 
 for thefe twelve or fourteen years laft paft, or for 
 any part of that time, have you ever leen any 
 thing like the love of gain therein ? Did I not 
 continually remember the words of the Lord 
 Jefus, tf It is more blelTed to give than to re¬ 
 ceive.” Ye of Oxford, do you not know thele 
 things are fo ? What gain did I leek among you ? 
 Of whom did I take any thing? From whom 
 did I covet filver, or gold, or apparel ? To whom 
 did I deny any thing which I had, even to the 
 hour I departed from you ? 
 
 Ye of Epworth and Wroote, among whom I 
 miniftered for nearly the fpace of three years, 
 What gain did I feek among you ? Or of whom 
 did I take or covet any thing ? Ye of Savannah 
 and Fredrica, among whom God afterwards 
 proved me, and fhewed me what was in my heart, 
 what gain did I feek among you ? Of whom did 
 I take any thing ? Or whole food or apparel did 
 I covet, for filver and gold ye had none; not 
 more than I myfelf for months when I was in 
 hunger and nakednefs. Ye yourielves, and the 
 God and father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, know 
 that I lie not.” 
 
 Whatever truth may be in what Mr. WefHey 
 here infinuates, by making appeals in writing, 
 is not our bufinefs to determine; but certainly 
 he took the worfl of all methods to prove a ne¬ 
 gative. A negative can be well fupported by 
 granting one half of the pofuive. 
 
 Thus every Methodift will admit that Mr. 
 Weftley receives confiderable fums annually. 
 Might not he have acknowledged this, and con¬ 
 vinced the public that it was fpent in works of 
 piety and charity. Flad he done fo, he would 
 have proved a negative, though not perhaps to 
 the latisfa&ion of fome ftrift enquirers. 
 
 The giving the clergy, of any denomination, 
 money to bellow upon the poor, is one of thofe 
 weaknefies in human nature, which helped to 
 form, and continues to fupport, popery. If a 
 man is in pofieflion of money, and has a heart 
 capable of parting with fome of it for the ufe of 
 his fellow creatures, he ought, for two reafons, 
 to be the donor himfelf. Firft, becaule he fhould 
 know the perfon whom he relieves; and, fecond- 
 lv, that he may keep himfelf from pride, by 
 concealing his charity as much as poffible 
 
 The author of this work knew a lady ol high 
 rank, and of a charitable difpofition. As is 
 common in fuch cafes, {he was frequently befet 
 
 PLE called METHODISTS, 
 by the clergy, who were conftantly reprefenting 
 to her the Hate of the poor, and begging money 
 for their relief. Her conllant aniwer was, “ I 
 will fpeak to whom I relieve, fend them to 
 me.” 
 
 But to go on with what Mr. Wefley advances 
 further in his defence. 
 
 < c But, it is faid, things are fairly altered 
 now. I cannot complain of wanting any thing; 
 having the yearly income of a bifhop of London, 
 over and above what I gain at other places.” At 
 what other places, my friend? inform yourlelf a 
 little better, and you will find, that both at New¬ 
 caftle, Briftol, and Kingfwood, the only places, 
 befide London, where any collebtion at all is 
 made, the money colledled is both received and 
 expended by the ftewards of thofe feveral locie- 
 ties, and never comes into my hands at all, nei¬ 
 ther firft nor laft. And you, or any who delire 
 it, {hall read over the accounts kept by any of 
 thefe ftewards, and fee with your own eyes, that 
 by all thefe focieties I gain juft as much as you 
 do. 
 
 The cafe in London ftands thus. In Novem¬ 
 ber 1739, two gentlemen, then unknown to me, 
 Mr. Ball and Mr. Watkins, came and defired 
 me once and again, to preach in a place called 
 the Foundery near Moorfields. With much re- 
 ludlance I at length complied. I was loon after 
 preffed to take that place into my own hands. 
 Thofe who were moll earneft therein, lent me 
 the purchafe-money, which was one hundred and 
 fifteen pounds. Mr. Watkins and Mr. Ball then 
 delivered me the names of feveral fubferibers, 
 who offered to pay, fome four, or fix, fome ten 
 {hillings a year towards the re-payment of the 
 purchafe-money, and the putting the buildings 
 into repair. This amounted one year to near 
 two hundred pounds, the lecond to about one 
 hundred and forty, and fo the laft. 
 
 The united fociety begun a little after, whofe 
 weekly contribution, chiefly for the poor, is re¬ 
 ceived and expended by the ftewards, and comes 
 not into my hands at all. But there is alfo a 
 quarterly fubfeription of many of the fociety, 
 which is nearly equal to that above-mentioned. 
 
 The ufes to which thefe lubfcriptions have 
 been hitherto applied, are, firft, the payment 
 of that one hundred and fifteen pounds ; fecond- 
 ly, the repairing, I might almoft fay rebuilding, 
 that vaft, uncouth heap of ruins at the Foundery ; 
 thirdly, the building galleries both for men and 
 women; fourthly, the enlarging the fociety- 
 room to near thrice its firft bignefs. All taxes 
 and occafional expences are likewife defrayed out 
 of this fund. And it has been hitherto fo far 
 from yielding any overplus, that it has never, 
 fufficed for thefe purpofes yet. So far from it, 
 that I am ftill in debt, on thefe accounts, near 
 three hundred pounds, fo much have I hitherto 
 gained by preaching the gofpel ! befides a debt 
 of one hundred and fifty pounds ftill remaining 
 on account of the fchools built at Briftol; and 
 another of above two hundred pounds on account 
 of that now building at Newcaftle. I defire any 
 reafonable man would now fit down and lay 
 thefe things together, and let him fee, whether, 
 allowing me a grain of common fenfe, i{ not of 
 common honefty, he can poflibly conceive, that 
 
 a view 
 
PEOPLE called METHODISTS. 
 
 629 
 
 An ACCOUNT of the 
 
 a view of gain would induce me to a£l in this 
 manner. 
 
 You can never reconcile it with any degree of 
 common fenfe, that a man who wants nothing, 
 who has already all the neceffaries, all the con¬ 
 veniences, nay, and many of the fuperfluities of 
 life, and thefe not only independent of any one, 
 but lefs liable to contingencies than even a gen¬ 
 tleman's freehold eftate, that fuch an one fhould 
 calmly and deliberately throw up his eafe, rnoft 
 of his friends, his reputation, and that way of 
 life which of all others is moll agreeable both to 
 his natural temper and education : that he fhould 
 toil day and night, fpend all his time and ftrength, 
 knowingly deftroy a firm conftitution, and haften 
 into weakncls, pain, dilealeS, death, to gain a 
 debt of fix or feven hundred pounds ! 
 
 But fuppofing the balance on the other fide, 
 let me alk you one plain queftion, “ For what 
 gain, fetting confidence afidc, will you be obliged 
 to aft thus ? to live exadlly as I do ? For what 
 price will you preach, and that with all your 
 might, not in an eafy, indolent, fafhionablc way, 
 eighteen or nineteen times every week ? and this 
 throughout the year. What fhall I give you to 
 travel feven or eight hundred miles, in all wea¬ 
 thers, every two or three months ? For what 
 falarywiil you abftain from all other diverfions, 
 than the doing good and praifing God ? I am 
 millaken if you would not prefer ftrangling to 
 fuch a life as this is, even with thoufands of gold 
 and filver.” 
 
 From what is here advanced by Mr. Wefiey, 
 nothing conclufive can be drawn. In all clif- 
 puted points, we are to hear both parties. We 
 arc not to be led away by the aflertions of an in¬ 
 dividual, nor by all the oppofition made by an 
 adverfary. It is certain, that much abufe has 
 been poured out upon the people called Mecho- 
 difts. That fome part of it might have been, 
 and Hill is true, will appear from the concluding 
 part of this narrative ; that the greateft part is 
 fall'e, will appear to every unprejudiced reader. 
 It fome of the Methodifts are uncircumfpeft, 
 we can only fay, that their religion docs not teach 
 them to be fo. This will appear the more evi¬ 
 dent, if we confider what they themfelves have 
 written concerning their original, and which we 
 fhall deliver in their own words. 
 
 AJhort Hiftory of tbofe Doftrines which are 
 filed Methodifm. 
 
 1. It is not eafy to reckon up the various ac¬ 
 
 counts which have been given of the people called 
 Methodifts: Very many of them as far remote 
 from truth, as that given by the good gentleman 
 in Ireland. “ Methodifts ! Aye, they are the 
 people, who place all religion in wearing lon<» 
 beards." D 
 
 2. Abundance of the miftakes which are cur¬ 
 rent concerning them, have undoubtedly fprun» 
 from this : Men lump together under this Gene¬ 
 ral name many who have no manner of connec¬ 
 tion with each other: And then whatever any of 
 thefe fpeaks or does, is of courfe imputed to 
 all, 
 
 S 3 
 
 3. The following fbort account may prevent 
 perfons of a calm and candid Difpofition front 
 doing this: although men of a warm or preju¬ 
 diced fipiric will do juft as they did before. But 
 let it be obferved, this is not dcfigned for a de¬ 
 fence of the Methodifts, fo called, or any part 
 of them. It is a bare relation of a leries of naked 
 fafts, which alone may remove abundance of 
 mifunderftandings. 
 
 In November 1729, four young gentlemen of 
 Oxford, Mr. John Wefiey, fellow of Lincoln- 
 college, Mr. Charles Wefiey, ftudent of Chrift- 
 church, Mr. Morgan, commoner of Chriftchurch, 
 and Mr. Kirk ham, of Merton College, began to 
 jpcnd fome evenings in a week together, in read¬ 
 ing, chiefly the Greek teftament. The next year, 
 two or three of Mr. John Wefley’s pupils defined 
 the liberty of meeting with them ; and afterwards 
 one of Mr. Charles Wefiev’s pupils. It was in 
 1732 that Mr. Ingham, of Queen’s College, and 
 Mr. Broughton, of Exeter, were added to their 
 number. I o thefe, in April, was joined Mr. 
 Clayton, of Brazen-nofe, with two or three of 
 his pupils. About the fame time Mr. James 
 Hervey was permitted to meet with them, and 
 in 1735 Mr. Whitefield. 
 
 J. 1 he exa£b regularity of their lives, as well 
 as ftudies, occafioned a young gentleman of 
 Chriftchurch to fay, “ Here is a new fet of Me¬ 
 thodifts fprung up Alluding to fome antient 
 phyficians who were fo called. The name was 
 new and quaint: So it took immediately, and 
 the Methodifts were known all over the univer- 
 fity. 
 
 6. They were all zealous members of the 
 church of England, not only tenacious of all 
 her do&rines, fo far as they knew them, but of 
 all her difeipline, to the minuteft circumftance. 
 They were likewife zealous obfervers of all the 
 univerfity-ftatutes, and that for confcience fake. 
 But they obferved neither thefe nor any thinv 
 elfe any further than they conceived it was bound 
 upon them by their own book, the bible; it 
 being their own defire and defign to be down¬ 
 right Bible Chriftians: Taking the Bible, as in¬ 
 terpreted by the primitive church and our own, 
 for their whole and foie rule. 
 
 7. The one charge then advanced againft them 
 was, that they were righteous overmuch ; that 
 they were abundantly too fcrupulous, and too 
 ftnft, carrying things to great extremes. In 
 particular, that they laid too much ftrefs upon 
 the rubrics and canons of the church ; that they 
 infilled too much on oblerving the ftatutes of 
 the univerfity ; and that they took the feriptures 
 in too ftriift and literal a fenfe; fo that if they 
 were right, few indeed would be faved. 
 
 8. In Oftober 1735, Meffrs. John and Charles 
 Wefiey, and Mr. Ingham, left England, with a 
 defign to go and preach to the Indians in Geor¬ 
 gia. But the reft of the gentlemen continued 
 to meet, till one and another was ordained and 
 left the univerfity. By which means, in about 
 two years time, fcarce any of them were left. 
 
 9. In February 1738, Mr. Whitefield went 
 over to Georgia, with a defign to afiill Mr. John 
 Wefiey; but Mr. Wefiey juft then returned to 
 England. Soon after he had a meeting with 
 Melf. Ingham, Stonhoufe, Hall, Hutchins, 
 
 7 U Kinchin, 
 

 6 j0 HISTORY of thofe DOCTRINES which are filled METHOD I 
 
 Kinchen, and a few other clergymen, who all 
 appeared to he of one heart as well as ot one 
 i lodgement, refolvcd to be bible Chriftians at all 
 
 events, and, wherever they were, to preach with 
 
 all their might, plain, old, Bible-Chnftiani y. 
 
 IO Thev were hitherto perfeaiy regular in all 
 things, and zealoudv attached to the church ot 
 England. Meantime they began to be con¬ 
 vinced, that by grace we are laved through 
 faith ; that juftification by faith was the doctrine 
 of the church, as well as of the bible. As loon 
 as they believed, they fpake, falvation by faith 
 bein'* now their handing topic. Indeed, this 
 implTed three things, I. That men are all by na¬ 
 ture dead in fin, and confequently children of 
 wrath. 2. That they are juftified by faith alone. 
 
 3. That faith produces inward and outward 
 holinefs. And thefe points they infilled on, 
 day and night. In a fhort time, they be¬ 
 came popular preachers. The congregations 
 ■were large wherever they preached. The for¬ 
 mer name was then revived. And all thefe gen¬ 
 tlemen, with their followers, were intitled Me- 
 
 thodifts. „ , , . 
 
 T, In March 1741, Mr. Whitefield being 
 
 iM. 
 
 returned to England, entirely feparated from 
 Mr. Wefley and his triends, cc Becaufe they did 
 not hold the decrees.” Here was the firffc 
 breach, which warm men perfuaded Mr. White- 
 field to make, merely for a difference of opi- 
 nion. Thofe indeed who believed Univerfal 
 Redemption, had no delire at all to feparate. 
 But thofe who held Particular Redemption, 
 would not hear of any accommodation, being 
 determined to have no fellowfhip with men that 
 “ were in fo dangerous errors.” So there were 
 now two forts ol Methodifls, fo called; thofe 
 for Particular, and thofe for General, Redemp- 
 
 12. Not many years pafTed, before William 
 Cudworth and James Relly feparated from Mr. 
 Whitefield. Thele were properly Antinomians, 
 abfolute, avowed enemies to the law of God, 
 which they never preached or profeffed to preach, 
 but termed all Legahfts who did. With them, 
 preaching the law was an abomination. They 
 had nothing to do with the law. They would 
 preach Chrift, as they called it; but without one 
 word of holinefs or good works. Yet thefe 
 were ftill denominated Methodifls, although 
 differing from Mr. Whitefield, both in judge¬ 
 ment and praCtice, abundantly more than Mr. 
 Whitefield did from Mr. Wefley. 
 
 13. In the mean time, Mr. Venn and Mr. 
 Romaine began to be fpoken of: And not long 
 after, Mr. Madan and Mr. Berridge, with a few 
 other clergymen, who, although they had no 
 connection" with each other, yet preaching fal¬ 
 vation by faith, and endeavouring to live ac¬ 
 cordingly, to be Bible-Chriflians, were foon in¬ 
 cluded in the general name of Methodifls. 
 And lb indeed were all others who preached fal¬ 
 vation by faith, and appeared more ferious than 
 others. Some of thefe were quite regular in their 
 manner of preaching : Some were quite irregu¬ 
 lar, though not by choice; but neceffity was 
 laid upon them ; they mult preach irregularly, 
 or not at all: And others were between both3 
 regular in mod though not in all particulars. 
 
 14. In 1762, George Bell, and a few other 
 perfons, began to fpeak great words. In the 
 latter end of the year, they foretold, that the 
 world would be at an end on the 28th of Febru¬ 
 ary. Mr. Wefley, with whom they were then 
 connected, withflood them both in public and 
 private. This they would not endure: So, in 
 January and February 1763, they feparated from 
 him, under the care of Mr. Maxfield, one of 
 Mr. Wefley’s preachers. But ftill Mr. Max- 
 field and his adherents, even the wildeft Enthu-* 
 fiafts among them, go under the general name 
 of Methodifls, and fo bring a lcandal upon 
 thofe with whom they have no connection. 
 
 15. At prefent, thofe who remain with Mr. 
 Wefley, are moftly church of England men. 
 They love her articles, her homilies, her liturgy, 
 her difeipline, and unwillingly vary from it in 
 any inftance. Meantime, all who preach among 
 them declare, We are all by nature children of 
 wrath. But by grace vve are laved through 
 faith : Saved both from the guilt and from the 
 
 1 power of fin. They endeavour to live accord¬ 
 ing to what they preach, to be plain, Bible- 
 Chriftians. And they meet together at conve¬ 
 nient times, to encourage one another therein. 
 They tenderly love many that are Calvinifts, 
 though they do not love their opinions. Yea, 
 they love the Antinomians themfelves, but it is 
 with a love of compafiion only, for they hate 
 their doCtrines with a perfeCt hatred ; they ab¬ 
 hor them as they do hell-fire: being convinced 
 nothing can lb effectually deftroy all faith, all 
 holinefs and all good works. 
 
 16. With regard to thefe, Mr. Relly and his 
 adherents, it would not be ftrange, if they 
 fhould grow into reputation. For they will ne¬ 
 ver fhock the world, either by the harlhnefs of 
 their doCtrine, or the Angularity of their beha¬ 
 viour. But let thofe who determine both to 
 preach and live the gofpel, expeCt that men will 
 lay all manner of evil of them. The fervant is 
 not above his mafter, nor the difciple above his 
 Lord. If then they have called the mafter of 
 the houfe Beelzebub, how much more them of 
 his houfhold ? It is their duty indeed, as lieth 
 in them, to live peaceably with all men. But 
 when they labour after peace, they will make 
 themfelves ready for battle. It is their con- 
 ftant endeavour, to pleafe all men, for their good, 
 to edification. But yet they know, it cannot be 
 done. They remember the word of the Apoftle, 
 If I yet pleafe men, I am not the fervant of 
 Chrift. They go on therefore, through honour 
 and dilhonour, through evil report and good re¬ 
 port: Defiring only, that their mafter may 
 lay in that day, tc Servants of God, well 
 done.” 
 
 As thefe people are extremely numerous in 
 in England 3 as there are undoubtedly among 
 them many men of real piety 3 and as Mr. 
 Wefley has declared himfelf to be an Arminian, 
 we mull here take notice of what he lays on that 
 fubjeCt. 
 
 We have already taken notice of the Arminian 
 Prefbyterians, but their notions are not the fame 
 with thofe of Mr. Wefley. Mr. Wefley’s no¬ 
 tions are the fame as thofe taught by Arminius 
 himfelf3 and we muft acknowledge he has de- 
 
HISTORY of thofe DOCTRINES which are ftiled METHODISM. 
 
 fined them in a clear as well as a judicious man 
 ner. 
 
 I. To fay, " This man is an Arminian,” has 
 the fame effeft on many hearers, as to fay, 
 “ This is a mad dog.” It puts them into a 
 fright at once : They run away from him with 
 all fpeed and diligence : And will hardly ftop, 
 unlcfs it be to throw a ftone at the dreadful, and 
 mifchievous animal. 
 
 1. The more unintelligible the word is, the 
 better it anfwers the purpofe. Thofe on whom 
 it is fixt, know not what to do : Not underftand- 
 ing what it means, they cannot tell, what de¬ 
 fence to make, or how ro clear themfelves from 
 the charge. And it is not eafy to remove the 
 prejudice, which others have imbibed, who 
 know no more of it, than that it is, fomething 
 very bad, if not all that is bad ! 
 
 3 - To clear the meaning therefore of this am¬ 
 biguous term, may be of rife to many : To thofe 
 who fo freely pin this name upon others, that 
 they may not fay what they do not underftand : 
 To thofe that hear them, that they may be no 
 longer abufed by men, faying they know not 
 what: And to thofe upon whom tire name is fixt, 
 that they know how to anfwer for themfelves. 
 
 4. It may be necellary to obferve, firft, that 
 many confound Arminians with Arians. But 
 this is entirely a different thing : the one has no 
 refemblance to the other. An Arian is one who 
 denies the godhead of Chrift: We fcarce need 
 fay, the fupreme, eternal godhead; becaufc 
 there can be no God but the fupreme, eternal 
 God, unlefs we will make two Gods, a great 
 God and a little one. Now none have ever more 
 firmly believed, or more ftrongly aflerted the 
 godhead of Chrift, than many of the, fo called, 
 Arminians have done ; yea, and do at this day. 
 Arminianifm therefore, whatever it be, is totally 
 different from Arianifm. 
 
 5 * The rife of the word was this, Jame Har- 
 mens, in Latin, Jacobus Armimus, was firft 
 one of the minifters of Amfterdam, and after¬ 
 wards profeffor of divinity at Leyden. He was 
 educated at Geneva ; but in the year 1591, began 
 to doubt of the principles which he had till then 
 received. And being more and more convinced 
 that they were wrong, when he was veiled with 
 the profefforlhip, he publickly taught what he be¬ 
 lieved the truth, till in the year 1609 he died in 
 peace. But a few years after his death, fome 
 zealous men, with the prince of Orange at their 
 head, furioufiy alfaulted all that held what were 
 called his opinions, and having procured them to 
 be folemnly condemned, in tile famous fynod of 
 Dort, not fo numerous or learned, but full as 
 impartial as the council or fynod of Trent, fome 
 were put to death, fome banifhed, fome impri- 
 foned for life, all turned out of their employ¬ 
 ments, and made incapable of holding any office 
 cither in church orftaTe. 
 
 6. The errors charged upon thefe, ufually 
 termed Arminians, by their opponents are five ; 
 1. That they deny original fin. 2. That they 
 deny juftification by faith. 3. That they deny 
 abfolute predeftination. 4. That they deny the 
 grace of God to be irrefiftible. And 3. That 
 they affirm, a believer may fall from grace. 
 
 With regard to the two firft of thefe charges, 
 
 63 » 
 
 they plead not guilty. They are entirely falfe 
 No man that ever lived, even John Calvin him- 
 felf, even afferted either original fin or juftifica¬ 
 tion by faith, in more ftrong, more clear and ex- 
 prels terms, than Arminius has done. Thefe 
 two points therefore are to be fee out of the quef- 
 tion : In thefe both parties agree. In thisrefpeft 
 tnere is not an hair’s breadth difference between 
 Mr. Wefley and Mr. Whitefield. 
 
 7 • Rut there is an undeniable difference be¬ 
 tween the Calvinifts and Arminians, with regard 
 to the three other queftions. Here they divide • 
 The former believe abfolute, the latter only con¬ 
 ditional predeftination. The Calvinifts hold 
 1. God has abfoiutely decreed, from all eternity’ 
 to lave 1 uch and fuch perl'ons, and no others, and 
 that Chrift died for thefe, and none elfe The 
 Arminians hold, God has decreed from all eter¬ 
 nity, touching all that have the written word 
 tie that believeth, iliall be faved : He that be- 
 iieveth not, lltall be condemned. And in order 
 to this, Chrift died for all, all that were dead in 
 treipaffes and fins : that is, for every child of 
 Adam, fince in Adam all died. 
 
 8 . The Calvinifts hold, fecondly. That the 
 laving grace of God is abfolutelv irrefiftible- 
 T hat no man is any more able to refill it, than 
 to refill the ftroke of lightening. The Arminians 
 hold, that although there may be fome moments 
 wherein the grace of God afts irrefiftibly, yet in 
 general any man may refill, and that to his eter¬ 
 nal ruin, the grace whereby it was the will of 
 God, he fhould have been eternally faved. 
 
 9. The Calvinifts hold, thirdly. That a true 
 
 believer in Chrift, cannot poffibly fall from matce 
 The Arminians hold, that a true believer“ may 
 make ftupwreck of faith and a good confidence- 
 That he may fall, not only foully, but finallv 
 fo as to perilh for ever. ' * 
 
 10. Indeed the two latter points, irrefiftible 
 grace and infallible perfeverance, are the natural 
 conlequence of the former, of the unconditional 
 aecree. For if God has eternally and abfoiutely 
 decreed to fave fuch and fuch perfons, it follows 
 both that they cannot refill his favintr <r r ace elfe 
 they might mil’s of falvation, and thaAhey'can¬ 
 not refill. So that in effieft, the three queftions 
 come into one, “ Is predeftination abfolute or 
 conditional?” The Arminians believe, it is con- 
 ditional: the Calvinifts, that it is abfolute. 
 
 11. Away then with all ambiguity! Away 
 with all expreffions which only puzzle the caufe. 
 Let honeft men fpeak out, and not play with 
 hard words, which they do not underftand. And 
 how can any man know what Arminius held, who 
 has never read one page of his writings ? Let 
 no man bawl againft Arminians, till he knows 
 what the terms mean. And then he will know 
 that Arminians and Calvinifts are juft upon a 
 level. And Arminians have as much right to be 
 angry at Calvinifts, as Calvinifts have to be an¬ 
 gry at Arminians. John Calvin was a pious, 
 learned, fenfible man : And fo was James Bar¬ 
 mens. Many Calvinifts are pious, learned, fen¬ 
 fible men : And fo are many Arminians. Only 
 the former hold abfolute predeftination, the lat¬ 
 ter, conditional. 
 
 12. One word more. Is it not the duty of 
 every Arminian preacher, firft, never in public 
 
 or 
 
HISTORY of thole DOCTRINES which are filled METHODISM 
 
 632 
 
 or in private, to ufe the word Calvinift as a term 
 of reproach; feeing it is neither better nor worle 
 than calling names ? A praftice no more confilt- 
 ent with good fenie, or good iVianners, than it is 
 with Chriftianity. Secondly, To do all that n 
 him lies, to prevent his hearers from doing it, by 
 fhewing them the fin and folly of it? And is it 
 not equally the duty of every Calvinift preacher, 
 Firft never in public 6r in private, in preaching 
 or in converfation, to ufe the word Armiman as 
 a term of reproach ? Secondly, to do all that in 
 him lies to prevent his hearers from doing it, by 
 fhewing them the fin and folly thereof? And that 
 the more earnestly and diligently, if they have 
 been accuftomed fo to do ? Perhaps encouraged 
 therein by his own example! 
 
 The Arminian Methodifts havefeveral different 
 forts of focieties, and likewife charitable infti- 
 tutions, of which we ftiall take notice as they lay 
 in order, according to their feniority. The firft 
 of all thefe was called the Band Society, becaule 
 they entered into it upon promifes and en¬ 
 gagements to abide by a certain number of 
 rules. 
 
 The defign of our meeting, is to obey that 
 command of God, Confcfs your faults one to 
 another, and pray one for another, that you may 
 be healed. 
 
 To this end, we intend, 
 
 1. To meet once a week, at the leaft. 
 
 2. To come punctually at the hour appointed, 
 without fome particular reafon. 
 
 3. To begin, thofe of us who are prefent, 
 exaCtly at the hour, with Tinging or prayer. 
 
 4. To fpeak each of us in order, freely and 
 
 plainly the true ftateof our fouls, with the faults 
 we have committed in thought, word, or deed, 
 and the temptations we have felt fince our laft 
 meeting. . . f r . , 
 
 5. To end every meeting with prayer, fuited 
 to the ftate of each perfon prefent. 
 
 6. To defire fome perfon among us to fpeak 
 his own ftate firft, and then to aft? the reft in 
 order, as many and as fearching queftions as may 
 be, concerning their ftate, fins, and temptations. 
 
 cut to the quick, and fearch your heart to the 
 bottom ? 
 
 11. Is it your defire and defign, to be on this 
 and all other occafions, entirely open, fo as to 
 fpeak every thing that is in your heart without 
 exception, without difguife and without referve ? 
 
 Any of the preceding queftions may be afked 
 as occafion may offer: the five following at 
 every meeting: 
 
 1. What known fins have you committed fince 
 our laft meeting ? 
 
 2. What temptations have you met with ? 
 
 3. How was you delivered ? 
 
 4. What have you thought, faid, or done, of 
 which you doubt whether it be fin or not ? 
 
 5. Have you nothing you defire to keep lecret ? 
 
 You are fuppofed to have the faith that over- 
 
 cometh the world. To you therefore it is not 
 grievous, 
 
 I. Carefully to abftain from doing evil: in 
 particular, 
 
 1. Neither to buy or fell any thing at all on the 
 Lord’s Day. 
 
 2. To tafte no fpirituous liquor, no dram of 
 any kind, unlefs preferibed by a phyfician. 
 
 3. To be at a word, both in buying and fel¬ 
 ling. 
 
 4. To pawn nothing, no, not to fave life. 
 
 Not to mention the fault of any behind his 
 
 back, and to flop thofe fhort that do. 
 
 6. To wear no needlefs ornaments, fuch as 
 rings, ear-rings, necklaces, lace, ruffles. 
 
 7. To ufe no needlefs felf-indulgence, fuch as 
 taking fnufr or tobacco, unlefs preferibed by a 
 phyfician. 
 
 II. Zealoufiy to maintain good works; in par¬ 
 ticular, 
 
 1. To give alms of fuch things as you poffefs, 
 and that to the uttermoft of your power. 
 
 2. To reprove all that fin in your fight, and 
 that in love and meeknefs of wifdom. 
 
 3. To be patterns of diligence and frugality, 
 nf ridf-ripninl. and taking ud the crofs daily. 
 
 Some of the queftions propofed to every one 
 before he is admitted among us, may be to this 
 
 effeft. r . 
 
 1. Have you the forgivenefs of your fins ? 
 
 2. Have you peace with God, through our 
 
 Lord JefusChrift? _ .... 
 
 Have you the witnefs of God’s Spirit with 
 your Spirit, that you are a child of God ? 
 
 4. Is the love of God filed abroad in your 
 
 heart ? . . 
 
 5. Has no fin, inward or outward, dominion 
 
 over you ? 
 
 6. Do you defire to be told of your faults ? 
 
 7. Do you defire to be told of all your faults, 
 and that plain and home ? 
 
 B. Do you defire, that every one of us fhould 
 tell you, from time to time, whatfoever is in his 
 heart concerning you ? 
 
 9. Confidcr ! Do you defire we fhould tell you 
 whatfoever we think', whatfoever we fear, what¬ 
 foever we hear, concerning you ? 
 
 10. Do you defire, that in doing this, we 
 fhould come as clofe as pofhble, that we fhould 
 
 III. Conftantly to attend on all the ordinances 
 of God: in particular, 
 
 1. To be at church, and at the Lord’s table 
 every week and at evey public meeting of the 
 bands, 
 
 2. To attend the miniftry of the word every 
 morning, unlefs diftance, bufinefs, or ficknels 
 prevent. 
 
 3. To ufe private prayer every day, and fa¬ 
 mily prayer, if you are the head of a family, 
 
 4. To read the feripture, and meditate there¬ 
 on, at every vacant hour. Ana, 
 
 5. To obferve, as days of falling or abftinence, 
 all Fridays in the year. 
 
 It is in general a maxim in morals, that there 
 can be no exiftence of religion without know¬ 
 ledge, and knowledge muft be acquired by edu¬ 
 cation, by inftrudtions from thofe advanced in 
 years, and by converfation with the world, By 
 the world, we mean thofe people who have a 
 great deal of human knowledge, and be’. 1 1 nli¬ 
 man nature operating in pra&ice. "We fhall take 
 
An ACCOUNT of the METHODIST SCHOOL, near BRISTOL. 633 
 
 it for granted, that what Mr. Wefley fays con¬ 
 cerning liis own fchools is true ; and, inceed, 
 there can remain little doubt of it, becaufe, as 
 the Methodifts have many enemies, fo if a falfe- 
 hood was advanced in print, it would be no dif- 
 ficult matter to contradift it. 
 
 'The following Account of the Methodilt School 
 near Briftol, is thus related. 
 
 1. Our defign is, with God’s afTifUnce, to 
 train up children in every branch of ufeful learn- 
 in°\ 
 
 2. We teach none but boarders. Thefe are 
 taken in, being between the years of fix and 
 twelve, in order to be taught Reading, Writing, 
 Arithmetic, Englifh, French, Latin, Greek, 
 Hebrew; Hiftory, Geography, Chronology; 
 Rhetoric, Logic, Ethics; Geometry, Algebra, 
 Phyfics ; Mufic. 
 
 3. The fchool contains eight clafiTes : 
 
 In the firft clal's the children read indrudlions 
 for children, and lelfons for children; and begin 
 learning to write. 
 
 In the fecond clafs they read the manners of 
 the anticnt Chrillians, go on in writing, learn 
 the fhort Engliffi grammar, the Ihorc Latin 
 grammar, read Prasleftiones Pueriles; tranflate 
 them into Englifh, and the Inftruftions for Chil¬ 
 dren into Latin ; part of which they tranfcnbe 
 and repeat. 
 
 In the third clafs they read Dr. Cave’s Primi¬ 
 tive Chriftianity, go on in writing, perfedt them- 
 fclves in the Englidi and Latin Grammar ; read 
 Corderii Colloquia Seledla and Hiftorire Seledte; 
 tranllate Hiitoria; SeEda: into Englifh, and 
 Leifons for Children into Latin : Parc of which 
 they tranfcribe and repeat. 
 
 In the fourch clafs they read the Pilgrim’s 
 Progrisfs, per feel themfelves in writing : learn 
 Dilw'orrtv’s arithmetic ; read Caftellio s Kempis 
 and Cornelius Nepos : trandate Caftellio into 
 Englidi, and manners of the antient Chrillians 
 into Latin : tranfcribe and repeat leledt portions 
 of moral and facred poems. 
 
 In the fifth clafs they read the life of Mr. Ha- 
 liburton, perfedt themfelves in arithmetic; read 
 feledl dialogues of Erafmus, Phcedrus and Sal- 
 lull: trandate Erafmus into Englifh, and Primi¬ 
 tive Chriftianity into Latin; tranfcribe and re¬ 
 peat feledl portions of moral and facred poems. 
 
 In the fixth clafs they read the life of Mr. 
 De Renty, and Rennet’s Roman Antiquities : 
 they learn Randal’s geography : read Cedar, fe¬ 
 ledl parts of Terence and Velleius Paterculus : 
 trandate Erafmus into Englidi, and the Life of 
 Mr. Haliburton into Latin : tranfcribe and re¬ 
 peat feledl portions of facred hymns and poems. 
 
 In the feventh clafs they read Mr. Law^s 
 Chriftian perfeSion, and archbifhop Potter's 
 Greek antiquities : They learn Bengelii Intro- 
 dudtio ad Chronologiam, with Marfhall’s Chro¬ 
 nological Tables -. read Tully’s Offices and Vir¬ 
 gil’s jEneid : trandate Bengelius into Englidi, 
 and Mr. Law into Latin: Learn, thofe who 
 have a turn for it, to make verfes, and the fhort 
 Greek Grammar; read the epiftlesof St. John : 
 tranfcribe and repeat feledl portions of Milton. 
 S 3 
 
 In the eighth clafs they read Mr. Law’s Serious 
 Call, and Lewis’s Hebrew Antiquities : They 
 learn to make themes and to declaim: Learn 
 Vodius’s Rhetoric : Read Tully’sTufeuian Quef- 
 tions, and Seledla ex Ovidio, Virgilio, Horatio, 
 Juvenale, Perfio, Martiale : Perfedl themfelves 
 in the Greek Grammar; Read the Gofpels and Six 
 Books of Homer’s Iliad : Trandate Tully into 
 Englidi, and Mr. Law into Latin : Learn the 
 Short Hebrew Grammar, and read Genefis : 
 Tranfcribe and repeat Seledla ex Virgilio, Ho¬ 
 ratio, Juvenale. 
 
 4. It is our particular defire. That all who are 
 educated here, may be brought up in the fear of 
 God: And at the utmoil diftance as from vice 
 in general, fo in particular from idlenefs and effe- 
 minacy. The children therefore of tender pa¬ 
 rents, fo called, (who are indeed offering up 
 their fons and their daughters unto devils) have 
 no bufinefs here; for the rules will not be broken 
 in favour of any perfon whatfoever. Nor is any 
 child received unlefs his parents agree, 1. That 
 he Ihall obferve all the rules of the houfe, and 
 2. That they will not take him from fchool, no, 
 not a day, till they take him for good and all. 
 
 5. The general rules of the houfe are thefe : 
 
 Firft, The children rife at four, winter and 
 
 ' fummer, and fpend the time till five in pi ivate: 
 
 1 Partly in reading, partly in finging, partly in 
 felf-examination or meditation, (if capable of 
 it) and partly in prayer. They at firft ufe a 
 fhort form (which is varied continually) and then 
 pray in their own words. 
 
 Secondly, At five they all meet together. 
 From fix they work till breakfaft. For as 
 we have no play-days (the fchool being taught 
 every day in the year but Sunday) fo neither do 
 we allow any time for play on any day. Fie that 
 plays when he is a child, will play when he 
 is a man. 
 
 On fair days they work, according to their 
 ftrength in the garden ; on rainy days in the 
 houfe. Some of them alfo learn mufic : And 
 fome of the larger will be employed in philofo- 
 phical experiments. But particular care is taken 
 that they never work alone, but always in the 
 prefence of a mailer. 
 
 We have three mailers ; one for teaching read¬ 
 ing, and two for the languages. 
 
 Thirdly, The fchool begins at feven, in which 
 languages are taught till nine, and then writing, 
 &c. till eleven. At eleven the children walk or 
 work. At twelve they dine, and then work or 
 (ing till one. They diet nearly thus ; 
 
 Breakfaft, Milk-porridge and water-grue- 1 , by 
 turns: 
 
 Supper, Bread and butter, or cheefe, and 
 milk bv turns : 
 
 Dinner, Sunday, cold road beef: 
 
 Monday, Haihed meat and apple-dumplins . 
 
 Tuefday, Boiled mutton: 
 
 Wednelday, vegetables and dunsplins : 
 
 Thurfday, boiled mutton or beef: 
 
 Friday, vegetables and dumplins. And fo in 
 Lent: 
 
 Saturday, bacon and greens, apple-dumplms. 
 
 They drink water at meals ; nothing between 
 meals. On Friday, if they chufe it, they fail 
 till three in the afternoon. Experience ffiews, 
 7 X this 
 
An ACCOUNT of the METHODIST SCHOOL, near BRISTOL. 
 
 this is fo far from imparing health, that it 
 greatly conduces to it. 
 
 Fourthly, from one to four languages are 
 taught, and then writing, &rc. till five. At five 
 begins the hour of private prayer. From fix they 
 walk or work till fupper. A little before feven 
 the public fervice begins. At eight they go to 
 bed, the youngeft fir ft. 
 
 Fifthly, They ufed to lodge all in one room, 
 but now in two, in which lamps burn all night. 
 Every child lies by himfelf. A matter lies at 
 each end of the room. All their beds have mat- 
 trafTes on them, not feather-beds. 
 
 Sixthly, on Sunday, at fix they drefs and break- 
 faft 3 at feven, learn hymns or poems 3 at nine, 
 attend the public fervice 3 at twelve, dine and 
 fing 5 at two attend the public fervice, and at 
 four are privately inftrudled. 
 
 6. The method obferved in the fchool is this: 
 
 The Firft Clafs. 
 
 Morn. 7. Read. 10. Write till Eleven. 
 
 Aftern. 1. Read. 4. Write till Five. 
 
 The Second Clafs. 
 
 M. 7. Read The Manners of the Antient Chrif- 
 tians. 
 
 8. Learn the Englifh Grammar: When that 
 is ended, the Latin Grammar. 
 
 10. Learn to write. 
 
 A. 1. Learn to conftrue and parfe Pradeftiones 
 Pueriles. 
 
 4. Tranfiate into Englifh and Latin alter¬ 
 nately. 
 
 The Sixth Clafs. 
 
 M. 7. Read Mr. de Renty’s Life. 
 
 8. Repeat the Grammars. 
 
 9. Learn CaTan afterwards Terence3 then 
 
 Velleius Paterculus. 
 
 10. Learn Geography. 
 
 A. 1. LearnCaefar3 Terence 3 Paterculus. 
 
 3. Read Roman Antiquities. 
 
 4. Tranfiate. 
 
 The Seventh Clafs. 
 
 M. 7. Read Mr. Law’s Chriftian Perfection. 
 M. W. F. Learn the Greek Grammar *. 
 
 and read the Greek Teftament. 
 
 Tu. Th. Sat. Learn Tully 5 afterwards 
 Virgil. 
 
 10. Learn Chronology. 
 
 A. 1. Learn Latin and Greek alternately, as in 
 the Morning. 
 
 3. Read Grecian Antiquities. 
 
 4. Tranfiate and make Verfes alternately. 
 
 The Eighth Clafs. 
 
 M. 7. Read Mr. Law’s Serious Call. 
 
 M. Th. Latin. 
 
 Tu. Frid. Greek. 
 
 W. S. Hebrew: And fo at One in the 
 Afternoons. 
 
 10. Learn Rhetorick. 
 
 A. 3. Read Hebrew Antiquities. 
 
 4. Mond. Thurf. Tranfiate. 
 
 Tuef. Frid. make Verfes. 
 
 Wed. make a Theme. 
 
 Sat. write a Declamation. 
 
 The Third Clafs. 
 
 M. 7. Read Primitive Chriftianity. 
 
 8. Repeat Englifh and Latin Grammar al¬ 
 
 ternately. 
 
 9. Learn Corderius, and when that is end¬ 
 ed, Hiftoria Seledba^. 
 
 10. Write. 
 
 A. 1. Learn Corderius and Hiftoriae Seledta?. 
 
 • 4. Tranfiate. 
 
 All the other clafles fpend Saturday afternoon 
 in arithmetick, and in tranfcribing what they 
 learn on Sunday, and repeat on Monday morn- 
 ing. 
 
 The price for the board and teaching of a 
 child, including his books, pens, ink and paper, 
 is fourteen pounds a year, while he is in the 
 fchool 3 after he has gone through the fchool, 
 twenty, and he is then to find his own books. 
 
 The Fourth Clafs. 
 
 M. 7. Read The Pilgrim’s Progrefs. 
 
 8. Repeat the Grammar. 
 
 9. Learn Caftellio’s Kempis, and when that 
 
 is ended, Cornelius Nepos. 
 
 10. Write and learn Arithmetick. 
 
 A. 1. Learn Kempis and Cornelius Nepos. 
 
 4. Tranfiate. 
 
 The Fifth Clafs. 
 
 M. 7. Read Mr. Haliburton’s Life. 
 
 8. Repeat the Grammars. 
 
 9. Learn Erafmus 3 afterwards Phasdrus 3 
 
 then Salluft. 
 
 10. Learn Arithmetick. 
 
 A. 1. Learn Erafmus, Phtedrus, Salluft. 
 
 4. Tranfiate. 
 
 The following method is to be obferved, by 
 thofe who defign to go through a courfe of aca¬ 
 demical learning. 
 
 FIRST YEAR. 
 
 Read Lowth’s Englifh 
 Grammar. 
 
 Latin 
 
 Greek (~ 
 
 Hebrew > Grammars, 
 
 French j 
 Corn. Nepos, 
 
 Salluft, 
 
 Casfar, 
 
 Tully’s Offices, 
 Terence, 
 
 Phasdrus, 
 iEneid,— 
 
 Spanheim’s Introduc¬ 
 tion on the Ecclefi- 
 aftical Hiftory, 
 Puffendorfs Introduc¬ 
 tion to the Hiftory of 
 Europe, 
 
 Moral and facred Poems 
 Hebrew Pentateuch, 
 with the Notes, 
 Greek Teftament, 
 Matt.—A£ts, with the 
 Notes, 
 
 Xenophon’s Cyrus, 
 
 Dilworth, 
 
An ACCOUNT of the METHODIST SCHOOL, near BRISTOL. 
 
 Dilworth, Randal, Ben- 
 gel. Vofiius, 
 
 Aldrich and Wallis’s 
 Logic, 
 
 Langbain’s Ethics, 
 Hutchinfon on the Paf- 
 fions, 
 
 Homer’s Iliad, 
 
 Bifhop Pearfon on the 
 Creed, 
 
 Ten Volumes of the 
 Chriftian Library, 
 Telemaque. 
 
 Look over the Gram¬ 
 mars, 
 
 Read Veil. Paterculus, 
 Tufculan Queftions, 
 Excerpta, 
 
 Vida; Opera, 
 
 Lufus Weftmonafteri- 
 enfis, 
 
 Chronological Tables, 
 Euclid’s Element, 
 Well’s TraCts, 
 Newton’s Principia, 
 Molhem’s Introduttion 
 to Church Hiftory, 
 
 Ulher’s Annals, 
 Burnet’s Hift. of the 
 Reformation, 
 Spenfer’s Fairy Queen, 
 Hiftorical Books of the 
 Hebrew Bible, 
 
 Greek Tell, ad finem 
 Kurou ’Anabafis, 
 Homer’s Odylfey, 
 Twelve Volumcsof the 
 Chriftian Library, 
 Ramlay’s Cyrus, 
 Racine. 
 
 Look over the Gram¬ 
 mars, 
 
 Livy, 
 
 Suetonius, 
 
 Tully de Finibus, 
 Mufte Anglicante, 
 
 Dr. Burton’s Poemata, 
 Ld. Forbes’ Trails, 
 Abridgment of Hut- 
 chinfon’s Works, 
 Survey of the Wifdomof 
 God in the Creation, 
 Rollin’s Antient Hif¬ 
 
 tory, 
 
 Hume’sHiftoryofEng- 
 
 land, 
 
 Neal's Hiftory of the 
 Puritans, 
 
 Milton’s Poetic Works 
 Hebrew Bible, Job — 
 Canticles, 
 
 Greek Teftament, 
 Plato’s Dialogues, 
 Greek Epigrams, 
 Twelve Volumes of the 
 Chriftian Library, 
 Pafcal, 
 
 Corneille, 
 
 Look over the Gram¬ 
 mars, 
 
 Tacitus, 
 
 Grotii Pliftoria Belgica 
 Tully de Natura 
 Deorum, 
 
 Prsedium Rufticum, 
 Carmina Quadragefi- 
 malia, 
 
 PJiilofophical Tranfac- 
 tions abridged, 
 Watts’s Aftronomy, 
 Compendium Meta- 
 phyficas, 
 
 Watts’s Ontology, 
 Locke’s Eflay, 
 Malebranche, 
 
 Pliftory 
 
 Clarendon’s Pliftory, 
 Neal’s Hiftory of New 
 England, 
 
 Antonio Solis’ 
 of Mexico, 
 Shakefpear, 
 
 Reft of the Plebrew 
 Bible, 
 
 Greek Teftament, 
 Epiibetus, 
 
 Marcus Antoninus, 
 Poets Minores, 
 
 End the Chriftian Li¬ 
 brary, 
 
 La Fauflite de les Vcr- 
 tuefhumaines, Quef- 
 nel fur les Evangiles. 
 
 Whoever carefully goes through this courfe, 
 will be a better fcholar than nine in ten of the 
 graduates at Oxford or Cambridge. 
 
 The only remarks we would make on this 
 plan of education is, that it is far from being 
 a bad one ; but fome of the books are not well 
 chofen, becaufe they clafti with each other in 
 fentiment. It is true, that learning cannnot be 
 
 acquired properly without hearing both fides of 
 the argument; but this would be much better 
 in riper years, than when people are unacquainted 
 with knowledge. 
 
 As for their Love-feafts, we fhall only obferve 
 that fomething pf a fimilar nature was obferved 
 in the primitive times; but that arofe from mo¬ 
 tives of neceftity, when the poor flaves who had 
 been converted to the Chriftian religion, were 
 entertained at the public expence. At prefent 
 there can be no neceftity for any fuch thing, be¬ 
 caufe thofe who feek to relieve the poor, may 
 do it at their own homes. They are very tree 
 in inviting ftrangers to thefe Love-feafts, where 
 they eat a bifeuit or bun, drink a glafs of water, 
 and fing about half a fcore of hymns. The whole 
 expence for buns, water, and hymns, is one (hil¬ 
 ling each perfon; and we are credibly in¬ 
 formed, that five-hundred lhillings are given in 
 one night. 
 
 What becomes of all this money, we fhall not 
 take upon us to fay ; but certain it is, that it is 
 not all given to the poor. And we have reafon to 
 believe, and really know it, that many afligna- 
 tions are made at thefe meetings. 
 
 They have another ceremony which has been 
 much complained of, as coming too near the 
 grolieft dregs of popery ; and that is what they 
 call their watch-nights; in which they fit whole 
 nights, finging hymns in their meetings; of 
 which the following is a fpecimen : 
 
 1. Join all ye ranfom’d fons of grace 
 
 The holy joy prolong, 
 
 And ftiout to the Redeemer’s praife 
 A folemn midnight fong. 
 
 2. Blefting, and thanks, and love, and mightj 
 
 Be to our Jefus given, 
 
 Who turns our darknefs into light. 
 
 Who turns our hell to heaven. 
 
 3. Thither our faithful fouls he leads. 
 
 Thither he bids us rife. 
 
 With crowns of joy upon our heads 
 To meet him in the fides. 
 
 4. To leal the univerfal doom 
 
 The fides he foon fhall bow; 
 
 But if thou muft at midnight come, 
 
 O let us meet thee Now. 
 
 It is true, the primitive Chriftians met in the 
 night, as appears from the famous epiftle written 
 by Pliny, theeonful to the emperor Trajan, about 
 the beginning of the fecond century. But this 
 was owing to perfecution, when they were pro¬ 
 hibited from meeting in the day. The followers 
 of Mr. Wefiey are under no fuch neceftity ; for 
 they are not perfecuted, nor are they excluded 
 from any of the benefits in the toleration a£t. It 
 is very certain, that their fitting up a whole night 
 in their meetings, muft render them incapable of 
 labour next day; and this, inftead of being con¬ 
 fident with religion, is quite contrary to it. For 
 God has ordered every thing fo wifely, that one 
 fhall not clafti with another. 
 
 Thelaft thing to be taken notice of concerning 
 thefe people is, the manner in which they are, 
 or at leaft believe themfelves to be, converted. 
 And yet they are very contradictory in thefe things, 
 1 A 
 
 um; 
 
636 ACCOUNT of the CONVERSION and 
 
 A perfon of high rank (hewed the author the fol¬ 
 lowing epitaph, which he copied from one ot their 
 grave-ftones at Margate. 
 
 01 Here lies A. B. who was fanftified from the 
 womb, and whofe fins were pardoned through 
 the merits of Chrift.” 
 
 Where the epitaph-maker learned his divi¬ 
 nity, we (hall not fay, but furely the abftirdity is 
 unparalleled. A man was fandlified from the 
 the womb, which implies, that he had never been 
 guilty of fin, and yet his fins were pardoned 
 through the merits of Chrift ! 
 
 We could give many inftances of thefe real or 
 imaginary converfions •, but fome of them would 
 rather offend a delicate ear, and others would af¬ 
 ford matter of lamentation to thofe who love 
 Chrift in reality, and rejoice to do his will We 
 (hall, however, infert the account of one written 
 by a father relating to his fon. It is an honour 
 for a man to love his child, but it is a real hap- 
 pinefs to lee him going on in the fear of God 
 through all the afflictions of this life. 
 
 Account of the Converfion and Death of 
 Thomas Hitchens. 
 
 My fon, Thomas Hitchens, was born April 14, 
 1723. He went to fchool till he was about ten 
 years old. From fchool he went to work at the 
 (tamps, indreffingof tin ore, in which employ¬ 
 ment he continued about fix years. Afterwards he 
 wrought in the tin-works underground, till about 
 a year before his death. Then he went to drefs 
 tin-leavings for me, having five or fix boys under 
 him. At the fame time he plowed, fowed, mowed, 
 reaped, and managed my hufbandry *, underftand- 
 ing every thing both as to the tin and the land, 
 fo that we had fcarce one in the neighbourhood 
 like him. 
 
 He was from a child of a very fober and a very 
 fweet behaviour, and remarkably dutiful to his 
 parents. But about nineteen he began to go to 
 revellings and hurlings, and fometimes to be merry 
 with his companions. Of this I now and then 
 told him, but not lharply j for I counted both him 
 and his brother mighty good young men : And 
 was not a little proud, when people told me, “ I 
 had two likely fons, and as ftout men as any in 
 the parifti.” I thought it beft, therefore, to let 
 him have his liberty ; efpecially as I then law no 
 great harm in thefe things. 
 
 But he had done with thefe, from the hour 
 he fir ft heard the Gofpel of the grace of God. 
 He then chofe to fuffer affliction with the people 
 of God, rather than enjoy all the pleafures of fin. 
 He had no fear, in the hotteft of the perfection. 
 While the mob were pulling down the houfe in 
 which we ufed to meet, he ftood at a fmall diftance 
 all the time, being nothing terrified; and encou¬ 
 raged his brother and (aid, “ God will deliver us : 
 Only let us truft in Him.” Nor was he at all 
 moved, when the (bowers of (tones obliged us to 
 (top up all our windows with whole deals. One 
 night we heard a great tumult and noile, as of 
 much people and many cries. And it was told us, 
 they were at the houfe of one of our brethren, 
 
 DEATH of THOMAS HITCHENS. 
 
 who lived about a quarter of a mile off: Thomas 
 did not take time to go the road way, though it 
 was exceeding dark, but ran direCtly through the 
 grounds and over the hedges, till he came to the 
 houfe. 
 
 The mob, hearing the found of feet, ran away, 
 not one being left behind. So, faid Thomas, 
 the feripture is fulfilled, “ One of you (ball chafe 
 a thouland.” As he came into the houfe, the 
 family too, were preparing to run out of it. But 
 he loon convinced them, they had no caufe to fear, 
 and they mightily rejoiced together, and prailed 
 God who had delivered them out of the hands of 
 unreafonable and cruel men. All the windows 
 and doors were dafbed in pieces ; but none of the 
 family hurt at all, notwithftanding the vaft quan¬ 
 tities of (tones which had fallen on all fides of 
 them. One very large (tone they found in the 
 cradle, dole by a little child. But the child was 
 not hurt. So that in all things they faw the hand 
 of God was over them for good. 
 
 About eighteen months ago, while his brother 
 William and he were working in the pit with 
 another man, who cried for help, and Thomas 
 ran toward the place where he was. In running 
 his light went out; but he found the man hy his 
 voice, though not till he was almoli covered in. 
 Before he had cleared him, the earth calved in 
 again, and he was very near covered himfelf. 
 And but that it ftopt, they knew not but in one 
 minute more they mull both have perilbed toge¬ 
 ther. William hearing the node, made up to the 
 place, and in fome time relieved them both. Of 
 this Thomas often made mention, praifing God 
 for his wonderful deliverance. 
 
 Some account of the manner wherein he found 
 peace with God, two or three months after his 
 brother, I lately found in his pocket-book. The 
 fubftance of it was this : 
 
 tc In reading the three firft chapters of St. 
 John, while I was in much trouble and heavinefs 
 of foul, the Lord gave me great comfort: efpe¬ 
 cially from thefe words, “ To as many as believe 
 in his name, to them gave he power to become 
 the fons of God.” But foon after I was ftript of 
 all, and thought God had left me, a final caft- 
 away. Neverthelefs I went into my elefet, and 
 with a heavy heart faid, Lord, I praife thee, that 
 thou haft not given me over unto death. But 
 how (ball I appear before thee ? While I (poke, 
 the Lord anfwered, and applied thefe words, I 
 am thy righteoulnefs; which burft the cords that 
 before kept my fpirit down.” 
 
 He often complained, that when he found 
 great joy, he was in the greateft danger, both of 
 pride and lightnefs : And therefore faid, he had 
 much rather, if it were the will of God, be al¬ 
 ways in a mourning ftate. He likewife found 
 great temptation to pride when he was moft bleft 
 in fpeaking to the people. And this was the main 
 reafon of his not ftirring up the gift of God 
 which was in him. 
 
 He frequently repeated thofe words of St. Paul, 
 “ It is good for a man not to touch a woman : ” 
 And thofe of Job, <l I have made my covenant 
 with my eyes ; why then fhould I think upon a 
 maid ? ” He was very jealous over himfelf when he 
 was in company with thofe of a different fex. And 
 if no man befides himfelf was there, he generally 
 quitted the company as loon as he could. 
 
 In 
 
ACCOUNT of the CONVERSION and DEATH of THOMAS HITCHENS. 6,7 
 
 In the latter part of his life he was much grown 
 in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jefus 
 Chrift. He fometimes law, as he laid, anger or 
 pride in himfelf; but they had no power : Nei¬ 
 ther had they love or defire of any creature ; they 
 were all in fubje&ion under his feet: he was more 
 and more dead to all earthly things, and filled 
 with the fire of God’s love. The work of God 
 had a deeper root in his heart, and he was more 
 fettled and eftablifhed in the grace of God. 
 
 After his brother’s death, he declared he could 
 not reft through the earneftnefs of his defire to 
 follow him. However, in the mean time, he put 
 in practice what Samuel fpoke of, namely, meeting 
 all the family once a week. lie reproved me and 
 his mother in feveral things; but we could not 
 reprove him in any. I could not convince him 
 or Samuel of fin, for two years or more. 
 
 On Wednefday, September 10, in the evening 
 he found himfelf out of order: He went to bed 
 fomething earlier than ul'ual, and foon appeared 
 to be in a high fever. But his confidence in God 
 was (till the fame, and all his words, both that 
 night and the next day, convinced all who came 
 near him, that the peace of God continually ruled 
 in his heart. 
 
 On Thurfday evening, between nine and ten, 
 his lifters fitting by him, he laid, “ Lord, fliall I 
 call, and wilt Thou not anfwer ? No •, It cannot 
 be. Thou haft promifed, every one that afks in 
 faith fliall receive.” Then he began praying for 
 his father and mother ; for his brothers and filters, 
 and in particular for her that fat by him. “ O 
 my God, marry her to thyfelf. Make her all glo¬ 
 rious within. Give her an undivided heart.” He 
 then prayed for himfelf. “ Now come, O my 
 God, and fan&ify me wholly. Prels me cloler to 
 thyfelf. Thou knoweft, this is all my defire. 
 Give me power to declare thy wonderous works 
 before I go hence. “ O Death, where is thy 
 fting ? O grave, where is thy vidtory i ” 
 
 As Mary Bifvinecame to the bedfide, he looked 
 on her and laid, “ Now I am free. Now my 
 heart is at liberty. I will praife my God as long 
 as I have breath.” After fpeaking much to the 
 fame effect, he lay ftill a l'mall time, and then 
 broke out into exceeding loud, vehement prayer, 
 his voice being quite altered and every fentence 
 pronounced with uncommon emphafis. He prayed 
 firft for all eftates and conditions of men; that 
 the church of Chrift might fpread over all nations; 
 that ten thoufand times ten thoufand might be 
 converted to God, and all the people of the 
 earth praife him. Then he prayed for all the mi- 
 nifters of :he gofpel, from the greateft even to the 
 leaft : elpecially for thofe whom God had lately 
 employed to leek and lave thofe that were loft in 
 Cornwall. Afterwards he prayed for John Trem- 
 bath that he might live to the glory of God, who 
 had brought him back from the gates of death, 
 and might be a means of laving many fouls from 
 the bitter pains of eternal death. Lie then prayed 
 for the fociety , O Lord, unite them as the heart 
 of one man. O Lord give them eyes to fee 
 whereinloever they have departed from Thee. O 
 take from them the fpirit of unthankfulnefs, and 
 fuffer them not to bite or devour one another. 
 Heal thou their backfiidings and fpread over them 
 the banner of thy love 1 ” 
 
 54 
 
 With prayer there was continual praife inter- 
 mixt. Sometimes he was bleffing God for what 
 he had done, then praying, “ O my God, 
 finifh thy work and take me into thy kingdom. 
 Is this the day, O my God, that I Ihall kifs my 
 
 brother in Paradife ? -O Lord, the angels 
 
 have already praifed Thee at my converfion. Is 
 this the day that I fhall praife Thee with them ? 
 Yes, O my God, I am now going to join them, 
 to fing praifes to thee for ever. ” 
 
 Then he prayed with great earneftnefs for Mary 
 Bifvine and his own filter, both whom he had in 
 the beginning of the evening defired to ftay with 
 him till he was in eternity, that they might never 
 grow weary or faint in their minds, that God 
 would fend down the fpirit of fantftification into 
 their hearts, and give them refigned wills to bear 
 whatever his providence Ihould lay upon them: 
 Adding, They Ihall run and not be weary. I 
 know we Ihall meet together, and fing praifes 
 unto him that fitteth on the throne, and to the 
 Lamb for ever and ever.” 
 
 He went on, “ O how good is God to me, that 
 he hath given me a tongue to praife him! A 
 little while, yet a little while, and I Ihall praife 
 him in heaven ! O the goodnels of God, that I a 
 worm of the earth, fliall ftand there, upon Mount 
 Sion, with the three hundred forty and four thou¬ 
 fand, which have wafhed their robes and made 
 them white in the blood of the Lamb! Here is a 
 privilege; here is a wonder; that I am made a 
 ion of God ! I am a fon of God and a joint-heir 
 with Chrift, and I ihall foon be where I fliall be¬ 
 hold him for ever; I, even I, who have been a 
 backflider from God ! But he has healed my back- 
 Hidings and loved me freely.” 
 
 Soon after he laid, “ I love thee, O my God, 
 thou knoweft that I love thee, becaufe thou haft 
 firft loved me. O what manner of love is this, 
 that God ihould ftoop to love me! And he is 
 coming to carry me home. O! I fee, thou- 
 fands and ten thoufands of angels ! Do you not 
 lee them ? O brother Trembath, do you not fee 
 what a glorious place I am going to ? I am going 
 to join with angels and arch-angels, and with all 
 the company of heaven. I am going to reign 
 with God, among ten thoufands of his faints, and 
 to baik in the beams of his love for ever.” 
 
 Then looking on Mary Bifvine he faid, “ Can’t 
 you fee Jefus Chrift coming, with an innumerable 
 company of angels, and the golden banner dis¬ 
 played ! They are coming to carry me to the bo- 
 fom of my God. Open their eyes O God, that 
 they may fee them. O what a good God have I 
 ferved ! I am fandtified, foul, body and fpirit. 1 
 am whiter than fnow. I am wafhed in the blood 
 of my redeemer. Why, I am all God. My 
 heart is full of God ! O let them who hear me 
 now, praife thee for ever and ever.” 
 
 “ And yet I have been unfaithful to my God. 
 For he gave me a gift, but I improved it not. I 
 thought I was not worthy to ftand in the highways 
 and call finners to repentance. But, O God, thou 
 haft forgiven me this alfo, and I will preach thee 
 now as long as I have breath.” 
 
 He ceafed not thus praying and praifing for an 
 hour. His parents then coming in, early on Fri¬ 
 day morning, he faid, “ O my mother, you will 
 not weep to fee me going to fuch a loving God. 
 
 7 X My 
 
6 3 8 A C C O U N T of the 
 
 My father and mother will not be backfliders. 
 No; I know that God loves them, and that we 
 fhall all meet together in heaven, to praife him 
 to all eternity.” Then looking on his brother, 
 ahout twelve years old, he faid, “Standoff, for 
 fear you catch the diftemper: For I fear you are 
 not prepared to die. You have played away the 
 grace of God. The harveft may come, before 
 you are renewed in the image of God, and then 
 how will you appear? Cry mightily to God. 
 Strive with all your might. Call upon him, and 
 God will hear.” 
 
 He then faid, “ Right my feet, that I may lie 
 ftraight, torefign my breath. When I am dead, 
 do you fing me all the way, fing my body to the 
 grave, lay me by my brother, and at the fame 
 time my fpirit fhall be joined to his, and to ten 
 thoufand times ten thoufand of angels and fpirits, 
 finging praifes to God and the Lamb for ever.” 
 
 Having fpoken till he had no breath left, he 
 paufed; and in afhort time began again, “ Hear 
 now the words of a dying man, a living wonder, 
 a Chriftian triumphing over death ! O what a 
 God do the Chriftians lerve ! What a God I have 
 
 ANTINOMIANS. 
 
 ] lerved ! Praife him with me for ever. Behold 
 j the immenfe goodnefs of our God. O that all 
 ■ the world knew our God ! He has now made my 
 heart free, that I may praife him, and I cannot 
 Hop while I have breath. Go, tell all the world 
 of this. O bretheren ! What a good God do 
 1 we ferve ! Be not afraid to tell it abroad ! Go, 
 
 | fhew it to all people, that they may come and 
 ferve him too.” 
 
 When he ftopt fpeaking, the oppreffion on 
 his breafl returned. This he took notice of, and 
 i laid, “ While I am praifing God, my heart is 
 free; but when I ceafe, I feel this load again. 
 But I may well bear this ; for this is all the hell 
 I fhall have.” Then he broke out, 
 
 “ See a foul efcape to blifs, 
 
 “ Keep the Chriftian Feflival!” 
 
 cc He hath wafhed me, and I am whiter than 
 fnow. God is mine and I am God’s. I fhall 
 foon be with him.” Thus he continued, till he 
 could fpeak no more. 
 
 ACCOUNT of the 
 
 T HIS fe£t is fo named from two Greek 
 words, which mean contrary to the 
 law ; fignifying a contradidtion between 
 two laws, and between two articles of the fame 
 law. 
 
 The firll whom we read of was one John Agri¬ 
 cola, who lived about the middle of the four¬ 
 teenth century, and who taught that the law is 
 no way necelTary under the gofpel: that good 
 works do not promote our falvation, nor ill ones 
 hinder it. That repentance is not to be preached 
 from the ten commandments, but only from the 
 gofpel; or, in other words, he was for carrying 
 gofpel liberty above all moral redtitude, and for 
 flighting the motives of virtue as infufficient to 
 further falvation. 
 
 They were not, however, in England till af¬ 
 ter the reformation, and there were few of them 
 till the time of the civil wars in the laft century. 
 Some of the Scottifh Prefbyterians wrote againft 
 them, and Rutherfoord in particular was for 
 having them all hanged. Rutherfoord was 
 learnedly anfwered by feveral clergymen, among 
 whom were the following: 
 
 Tobias Crifp, D. D. who died in the year 
 1641. He was a good preacher, and a good 
 man ; was firft zealoufiy attached to the princi¬ 
 ples of Arminianifm, but changing his opinions, 
 ran into the contrary extreme of Antinomianifm. 
 The publiffier of his works fays, “That his life 
 was fo innocent and free from all evil, fo zealous 
 and fervent in all good, that it feemed to be de- 
 figned as a practical confutation of the llander 
 of thofewho would infinuate, that his dodtrine 
 tended to licentioufnefs.” He was pofiefled of 
 
 ANTINOMIANS. 
 
 a very large eftate, with which he did a great 
 deal of good. 
 
 Mr. John Saltmarlh, of Magdalen College, 
 a man of a fine adtive fancy, fays Neale, no con¬ 
 temptible poet, and a good preacher, and chap¬ 
 lain in the parliament-army. The manner of 
 his death, as related by Rufhworth, was very 
 extraordinary. December 4, 1637, being at his 
 houfe at Ilford, in EfTex, he told his wife that he 
 had been in a trance, and received a mefiage from 
 God, which he muft immediately deliver to the 
 army. He went that night to London, and next 
 day to Windfor. Being come to the council of 
 officers, he told them, that the Lord had left 
 them ; that he would not profper their confulta- 
 tions, but deftroy them by divifions among them- 
 felves, becaufe they had fought to deftroy the 
 people of God, thofe who had ftood by them in 
 the greateft difficulties. He then went to the 
 general, and without moving his hat, told him, 
 that God was highly difpleafed with him for 
 committing of faints to prifon. The like mef- 
 fage he delivered to Cromwell, and required 
 him to take effectual mealures for the enlarge¬ 
 ment 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, that he had now done his errand, 
 and muft leave them, never to fee them any 
 more. After which he went to London, and 
 took leave of his friends there, telling them his 
 work was done, and def?ring fome of them to 
 be careful of his wife. Thurfday, December 9, 
 he returned to Ilford, in perfect health; next 
 day he told his wife, that he had now finiffied 
 
 his 
 
ACCOUNT of the 
 
 work, and mud go to his father. Saturday 
 morning, December n, he was taken fpeechlefs, 
 and about four in the afternoon he died. 
 
 It is certain, that in the two volumes of fer- 
 mons publifhed by Dr. Crifp’s executors, and to 
 which notes have been added by the late Dr. 
 Gill, there are many things very exceptionable. 
 
 It does not fatisfy him to fay, that Chrift’s fuf- 
 ferings were for the guilty, but he boldly afferts, 
 that he was even fin itl'elf; a fentiment we know 
 not what to make of. It is true, the Apoftle 
 fays, He hath made him to be fin for us ; but in 
 another place the Apoftle explains what he means 
 by thefe words ; for he fays, ct He fuffered, the 
 juft: for the unjuft.” Thus had Chrift been fin 
 itl'elf, how could he have made an attonement 
 for it ? The words mean no more than imputa¬ 
 tion, or a vicarous facrifice, by which Chrift 
 was the fubftitute in the room of finners. 
 
 With refpedt to the writings of Saltmarfh, they 
 are very engaging at firft fight, but upon afober 
 review, the force of the argument wears off. 
 
 As the Antinomians were never very numerous, fo 
 there are but few particulars relating to them 
 worthy of notice till the prefent age. In the 
 time of the civil wars, the churches were filled 
 with preachers of many different denominations ; 
 fome of whom were Antinomians ; but from 
 that time till the rife of Methodifm, about forty 
 years ago, they were not much heard of in Eng¬ 
 land. Perhaps there were not two meetings ; but 
 we fliall now proceed to point out what they then 
 believed ; and, lecondly, what they are at prefent. 
 
 They believed, that the whole work of man’s 
 falvation was accomplifhed by Jefus Chriff, on 
 the crofs. That Chrift’s blood and our fins 
 went away together. That then ail our fins 
 were taken away by Chrifl:, and blotted out for 
 ever. That nothing elle befide faith is required 
 in order to juftification and falvation. That 
 there is but one duty, which is that of believ¬ 
 ing i one muff do nothing, but quietly attend 
 the voice of the Lord. The gates of heaven are 
 fhutupon workers and open to believers. If we 
 do nothing for heaven, we do as much as God 
 requires. To believe certainly that Chrift fuf¬ 
 fered death for us, is enough ; we want no more. 
 We are juft.ified by our fubmitting in our judge¬ 
 ments to the truth of God’s grace in Chrift 
 Jefus. It is not neceffary that a man do any 
 works that he may be juftified and faved. God 
 doth not require thee to do any thing that thou 
 mayeft be faved or juftified. The law lets thee 
 to work; but the gofpel binds thee to do nothing 
 at all. Nay, the works are not only not re¬ 
 quired, but forbidden. God forbids us to work 
 for juftification ; and when the apoftle Paul 
 preffeth 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 ftep, to give 
 away one farthing, to eat, or omit one morfel. 
 For what did our Lord do with the law ? Fie 
 abolifhed it. That a fpiritual man beho’deth 
 juftifying grace in believing, without his obedi¬ 
 ence to commands for external worfhip and good 
 works. Col. ii. 20. That outward things do 
 nothing avail to falvation. If love to God, and 
 love to our neighbour, and relieving the poor, • 
 
 ANTINOMIANS. 639 
 
 be altogether unprofitable and unavoidable, ei¬ 
 ther to juftification or falvation ; then thefe out¬ 
 ward works, in fubmitting to outward ordi¬ 
 nances, viz. the ordinances of Chrift, are much 
 lefs available. Thofe perfons bring in the molt 
 dangerous kind of popery, and pervert the gof¬ 
 pel of Chrift, who perfuade men, that if they 
 do not fubmit to the ordinances of the Lord 
 Jefus, he will not confefs them before his father. 
 
 It is better not to pradlife them on thefe gofpel 
 deftroying principles, to the ruining ofour fouls, 
 
 A believer has no inherent righteoufnefs : God 
 will fave us to the utmoft without any righteouf¬ 
 nefs orholinels of our own. To look for inhe- ‘ 
 rent righteoufnefs is to deny the lpirit, and tram¬ 
 ple under foot the blood of the covenant. But 
 believers have not any inherent righteoufnefs in 
 them. Our righteoufnefs is nothing but the im¬ 
 putation of the righteoufnefs of Chrift. A be¬ 
 liever has no holinefs in himfelf, but in Chrifl: 
 only. The trials of the fpirit, commonly called 
 fandlification, fuch as love, gentlenefs, long 
 fuffering, goodnefs, meeknefs, temperance, nei¬ 
 ther make us holy before God, nor in our own 
 confciences, that is, we are not made good or 
 holy by any inward qualities or difpofitions ; but 
 being made pure and holy in our confciences, 
 by believing in Chrift, we bear forth inwardly 
 and outwardly the fruits of holinefs. A believer 
 does not increafe in holinefs as he increafes in 
 the love of God and man. The very moment 
 he is juftified, he is wholly fandtified, and he is 
 neither more nor lefs holy from that hour to the 
 day of his death. Entire juftification, and en¬ 
 tire fandlification, are in the fame inftant, and 
 neither of them is, therefore, capable of increafe 
 ordecreafe. We are to grow in grace, but not 
 in holinefs. The moment we are juftified, we 
 are as pure in heart as ever we fliall be. A new 
 born babe is as pure in heart as a father in Chrift; 
 there is no difference. 
 
 In addition to this colledlive detail of the 
 principles of the Antinomians, we fhall give 
 our readers the fubftance of a letter received from 
 one of them, which, perhaps, is a more perfedt 
 view of the principles of the fedl, and of many 
 popular preachers, who yet do not feparate from 
 the church, or the fedts with which they are 
 united, on that account. 
 
 “ This I have had occafion to obferve, that 
 no fooner does a perfon believe and profefs fal¬ 
 vation alone by Chrift, without works of righ¬ 
 teoufnefs, as done by him, but immediately 
 upon his embracing fuch a profeffion, he fhall be 
 branded with the name of an Antinomian, tho’ 
 he fhould be at the fame time, notwithftanding 
 his change of profeffion, as to his behaviour and 
 deportment in life, as unblameable as the ftrict- 
 eft legalift 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 fo accounted, to whom 
 the charge does not juftly belong; becaufe they 
 difown 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 pradticeof all fuch 
 good works as are neceffary for good govern¬ 
 ment and ceconomy in fociety. They own the 
 reafonablenefs and neceffity of thefe, but that 
 
6 4 o ACCOUNT of the 
 
 they do not make up or conditute any part of 
 that kingdom which is fpiritual, and is not of 
 this world. As I am far from thinking that the 
 religion of Jefus confids merely in externals, nei¬ 
 ther^ do I think that an intricate fydem of doc¬ 
 trines, luch as are fuperior to a common under- 
 danding, is in the lead neceflary, but rather pre¬ 
 judicial to thofe who would be edified by what 
 they profefs. There feems to me to be two very 
 efltmtial points abfolutely neceflary, namely, the 
 knowledge of ourfelves, of the true date of hu¬ 
 man nature, and the knowledge of falvation, in 
 and through the promifed Mefliah or Redeemer ; 
 or, in other words, that Jefus is the Ion of God, 
 that he died for our fins and rofe again for our 
 judification, agreeable to theferipture tedimony; 
 that man is a finner, reafon and revelation afford 
 us the mod ample proof: from whence it is 
 likewife evident, that he dands conviCted in his 
 bed doings and performances by the law of his 
 maker, which fpiritual and divine command¬ 
 ment entails condemnation on all who hope for 
 mercy and acceptance by a partial and imperfeCl 
 obedience. As oppofites tend to illudrate, fo 
 does an acquaintance with ourfelves, with the 
 frailty and infirmity of our nature, ferve to il¬ 
 ludrate the beauty and extent of divine 
 grace, as manifed in the perfon of Chrid our 
 Saviour. To fpeak with candour and impartia¬ 
 lity for myfelf, without reference to any perfon 
 or party whatever. As a Chridian, I acknow¬ 
 ledge Chrid as the only foundation of my hope 
 towards God, my acceptance with him, and re¬ 
 joicing in him: I red all my concerns for time 
 and eternity with him, as my wifdom to guide 
 me through all the mazes of life : I fee mercy 
 confident with judice, 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 Chrid 
 Jefus : the harmony and confidency of the facred 
 pages I likewife fee in him, of whom Mofes and 
 the prophets fpake, every precept fulfilled by 
 him, every threatening endured by him, and 
 every promifed blefiing I lay claim unto, as my 
 lawful inheritance, in and through him, my 
 glorious and exalted head. In confequence of 
 this relation between Chrid, as the head, and the 
 church, his members, unfpeakably great and 
 extenfive are the privileges which they have a 
 claim unto, and yet with reverence they acknow¬ 
 ledge the pre-eminence of their head in all 
 things. The name of Jefus, a Saviour, is to 
 me a found more driking, more excellent, more 
 harmonious, than the mod melodious notes from 
 the bed tuned indruments. The whole creation, 
 in its vad extent and variety, is to me as fo many 
 driking figures of that confummate beauty and 
 perfection, which dwells in his adorable perfon ; 
 every amiable character by which he dands dif- 
 tinguilhed, is to me full fraught with indruCtion, 
 admiration, and confolation : he is precious and 
 honourable in my edeem, and the language of 
 the Apodle is with me very familiar; that is, 
 <c I count all things but lofs for the excellency of 
 the knowledge of Chrid Jefus my Lord, &c.” 
 Whiie I hear of various founds from the various 
 fedaries, as having learned to didinguifh the 
 
 antinomians. 
 
 voice of the true fiiepherd, I know that never 
 varies. I fee no danger of running into error, 
 while I have recourfe to, and gather all my fup- 
 plies from him, as the fountain of truth itl'elf. 
 Thus I go on in dependence upon and intercourfe 
 with my Lord and Saviour, as, having aglimple 
 of his glory, I fometimes contemplate the plea- 
 fures that mud neceffarily refult from a happy 
 and immortal exidence. Till that period lLall 
 commence, my prevailing prayer and duplica¬ 
 tion is, that he would teach me in all things by 
 his influence and fpirit, that, under a fenfe of 
 my own infufficiency, I may rely upon his ful- 
 nefs; that, with a becoming gratitude of foul, 
 I may acknowledge every indance of his good- 
 nels in all the dilpenfations of his providence and 
 grace j that I may have a continued fenfe of his 
 prefence, which contains the fulnefs ot joy ; the 
 views of his reconciled countenance, which makes 
 life pleafant, and gives a true relifh for every 
 rational enjoyment, in forming a jud edimation 
 of perfons and things ; imploring in all fubmif- 
 fion to the divine will, fo as to be able to judify 
 him in the whole of his dealings towards the 
 children of men. But perhaps you may fay, 
 what is all this, without the external or practi¬ 
 cal part ? I anfwer, as the lefler mud of confe¬ 
 quence be fubfervient to the greater ; fo, where 
 the religion of Jefus has its proper influence on 
 the mind, every thing that is commendable and 
 praife-worthy, every thing becoming a reafonable 
 man, becoming a Chridian, will be the natural 
 produCt, as much as good fruit is the natural 
 produCt from a good tree.” 
 
 Perhaps perfons acquainted with the princi¬ 
 ples of the modern Antinomians will be furprifed 
 at fome things in this letter, and the vein of 
 Chridian charity that is vifible in it. In Ihort, 
 the writer feems not to be willing to be called 
 by that name. 
 
 With refpeCt to the prefent date of the Anti¬ 
 nomians, they are much on the decline. God 
 j has implanted fomething in human nature that 
 ! teaches even the Heathens to diudder at the 
 thoughts of a religion, which does not inculcate 
 morality. Why did Chrid do good here below, 
 unlefs it was to Ihew us an example, as well as 
 to make an attonement for our fins ? Why did 
 | Chrid teach his followers to do good, and at the 
 fame time point out to them the nature and 
 necefiity of holinefs, if it was not to make a part 
 of his religion. All the apodolical epidles are 
 full of injunctions of that nature. 
 
 Religion has been defined by that great divine 
 Mr. Clement Ellias, in his Scripture Catechift, to 
 be a dedication of the whole man to the will of 
 God. Now, furely Chrid never came into this 
 world to edablifh a fydem of licentioufr.efs, and 
 licentioufnefs it mud be, unlefs the lub; Ct mat¬ 
 ter is bordered by fanCtions. The fanCtions of all 
 religions are obligations to duty j and the word 
 duty implies three things, namely, our duty to 
 God, to our neighbour, and to ourfelves. Our 
 duty to God, implies our attendance upon all 
 fuch divine ordinances as are prd'cribed in his 
 word. To befincereand keepourl Ives pure from 
 all manner of pollution, and to wean ourfelves 
 as much as pofiible from the world. Our duty 
 
 to 
 
ACCOUNT of thofe PEOPLE who are called CALVINISTICAL METHODISTS. 641 
 
 to our neighbour confifts in doing them all the 
 good offices we can, confiftent with the nature 
 of our confciences ; and, laftly, our duty to our- 
 fclvcs confifts in attending to thofe two above- 
 mentioned, becaufe the more we do lo, the more 
 we promote our own temporal and eternal in¬ 
 terests. 
 
 All thefe things are, however, defpifed by the 
 Antinomians, and they teach, that men may fin 
 as much as they pleafe ; becaufe however God 
 may hate ffn, yet he takes pleafure in forgiving 
 it. This fentiment will, perhaps, appear dread¬ 
 ful to thofe who have any idea of the Divine per¬ 
 fections, of the Slate of human nature, and the 
 Chrillian dilpenfation. Thofe who name the 
 name of Chrift, Ihould depart from iniquity; 
 but what encouragement can there be for virtue, 
 or moral duties, while people are taught to be¬ 
 lieve, that they are altogether unneceifary. 
 
 So far as we know, thefe people have not above 
 two or three meetings in England, but confiftent 
 with the nature of their practices, and indeed 
 the practices of all thofe who believe in fucli fen- 
 timents, they difcufs their religion in public 
 houfes. 
 
 As morality is an unneceffary thing, and as ho- 
 iinefs, fay they, can be no evidence of faith, lo 
 fome of them meet in a room in a public houl'e every 
 Sunday evening, having before them that much 
 defpifed book the Bible. Each member pays 
 for a pot of beer, which is drank by the com¬ 
 pany in a Social manner. Then a text of the 
 facred fcripture is read, and every one in his turn 
 is called to deliver his opinion concerning it. A 
 great deal of jargon with no meaning enfues. 
 
 and every thing is faid that can poffibly be 
 thought of againft holinels or good works. The 
 facred fcriptures are debafed to the worft of 
 purpofes, namely, to fet open the flood-gates of 
 profanenefs j and youth are corrupted under the 
 proftituted name of religion. 
 
 A few fooliSh, weak and infignificant perfons 
 attend thefe meetings ; and we may venture to 
 affirm, that it is the worft thing they can do. 
 They do all they can to pervert the fcriptures, 
 and to trample under foot every Divine infticu- 
 tion. Self-intereft may teach or induce them to 
 mind their duty in this world, but as for eter¬ 
 nity, they are fo unconcerned about it, that thofe 
 aweful thoughts which generally affeCt the minds 
 of Chriftians, make no impreftion on them. 
 
 We are forry to conclude this article with de¬ 
 claring, from the beft information, that all the 
 Antinomians in England, were originally what 
 we commonly call Irregular Methodifts. The 
 warmth of the imagination often mifleads the 
 judgement, and induces men to take that to be 
 true, which afterwards they find to be falfe. The 
 knavifh tricks pratftifed by men who pretend to 
 a fuperior rank in piety, prejudice weak minds 
 againft religion, and lead them into all forts of 
 absurdities. Conftantine the Great ufed to fay, 
 that if he faw a bifhop guilty of an irregularity, 
 he would conceal it, left it Should give offence 
 to thofe who were weak. Happy, if thofe who 
 pretend to fuperior knowledge in religion, would 
 attend to this maxim ; but this naturally leads us 
 to take notice of another led not yet fully 
 defcribed. 
 
 ACCOUNT of thofe PEOPLE who are commonly 
 called CALVINISTICAL METHODISTS. 
 
 T ; H E R E was nothing more neceflary 
 than that thefe people Ihould follow after 
 
 _ the Antinomians, for the two following 
 
 reafons. 
 
 The Arminian Methodifts have aded upon a 
 plan which we fhall not call confiftent, though 
 it is plaufible. On the other hand, the Antino¬ 
 mians have ran into a wide extreme, and fet up 
 a fyftem of licentioulhefs. 
 
 We have already Seen that the Arminian Me¬ 
 thodifts make faith the condition of Salvation; 
 that is, that every perfon who believes the gof- 
 pel as revealed in the New Teftament, and prac¬ 
 tises the duties enjoined, will be Saved. On the 
 other hand, we have confidered the Antinomi¬ 
 ans as overthrowing all the fandions by which 
 religion is bounded, and trampling upon the 
 rights of human Society. Between thefe two ex¬ 
 tremes, we have feen the Calviniftical Diflenters, 
 Screwing things up to an ungovernable height, 
 trampling on the right of private judgement, 
 and establishing Sentiments of a very difputed 
 nature, with a dogmatical certainty. 
 
 54 
 
 Whether the Arminians, the Calvinifts, and the 
 Antinomians, are in fome things mistaken, is not 
 a matter of proper enquiry in this work; but 
 certain it is, the Methodiftical Calvinifts have 
 interwoven with their fyftem Something from 
 Arminius, and Something from Calvin. They 
 were to abide by all the high points in difputed 
 theology, but they were to draw from them what 
 concluffons they pleafed, and they thought pro¬ 
 per to fteer Such a courfe as Should take in thofe 
 of different Sentiments. 
 
 At the head of thefe Methodiftical Calvinifts 
 was the late celebrated and reverend Mr. George 
 Whitefield, He was, in all refpeds, an original. 
 He had, perhaps, never his fellow in England, 
 or indeed in the world. From what motives he 
 a&ed we Shall not fay, for to his own mafter 
 he ftandeth or falleth. We have read thofe let¬ 
 ters which give an account of his converfion, 
 but whatever may be contained in them, we Shall 
 draw no harlh concluffons. To preach, to write, 
 and to live, are all different things. Preaching 
 may nourilh our pride, in confequence of public 
 7 Z popularity ; 
 
g 4 » ACCOUNT of the PEOPLE who are 
 
 popularity; writing accounts of God's deal¬ 
 ing with us, may caufe us to be eifeemed as 
 famts of God, while we have no intereft in his 
 favour, and confequently do not live a life cor- 
 refponding with the holy gofpel of Jefus Chiift, 
 who requires fincerity in all our actions. But all 
 
 thefe things we have nothing to do with, on the pre- 
 
 fent occafion, nor do we think them at all ap¬ 
 plicable to Mr. Whitefield, whom we believe to 
 have been an eminent fervant of God, and a 
 happy inftrument in his hand of turning many 
 from the evil of their ways. 
 
 Mr. Whitefield had been early connected with 
 Mr. Welley, but they feparated their, interefts, 
 on account of a difference in fentiments ; Mr. 
 Whitefield holding faft the Calviniftical doc- 
 rines, while Mr. V^efiey embraced the Arminian 
 fyftem, and propagated his notions with the 
 greateft affiduity. 
 
 Notwithftanding, at the deceafe of Mr. White- 
 field, in confequence of an agreement made be¬ 
 tween themfelves, that the furvivor fhould preach 
 the other’s funeral fermon, Mr. Wefley delivered 
 a difcourle to his memory, at Tottenham-court 
 chapel, before a very crowded auditory. Ad¬ 
 joining to this chapel they have a burying 
 ground, which has been properly confecrated, and 
 where every office is obferved in the moft regu¬ 
 lar manner. 
 
 Confiderable colledtions are made at this part 
 of the town, and at the Tabernacle near Moor- 
 fields ; the expences of carrying them on being 
 very great, but the furplus is always employed 
 in fending out minifters to various parts of the 
 kingdom, and the refidue divided amongft the 
 poor and neceffitous. 
 
 The followers of Mr. Whitefield are, in fome 
 of their pradtices, much the fame as the adhe¬ 
 rents of Mr. Wefley. They have alfo their 
 love feafts, and preaching thrice on fabbath-day, 
 befides fervice at two or three times in the 
 week. 
 
 The executors of Mr. Whitefield have the di¬ 
 rection of thofe two very large places of wor- 
 fhip in the neighbourhood of London, which we 
 have already mentioned, and where vaft num¬ 
 bers of people attend the miniftrations of thole 
 who occafionally officiate. 
 
 Thele people have alfo a great number of 
 other meetings, but fo far as we know, they 
 have no dated preachers, but admit all thofe 
 who offer their fervices. 
 
 As they have been always partronized by the 
 Countefs of Huntingdon, fo that lady has 
 caufed feveral chapels to be eredted for them in 
 the mod populous towns in England. Here 
 however it is neceflary to obferve, that in thofe 
 chapels of Lady Huntingdon, the fervice of 
 the church of England is ufed; fo that none are 
 admitted, but fuch as have received canonical 
 ordination. In fome of thofe chapels, clergymen 
 preach who have been brought up in the uni- 
 verfity ; but in general, they are fuch as have 
 received a private education. To make up 
 fome of the deficiencies in the want of preachers, 
 Ladv Huntingdon has edablifhed an academy in 
 Soum Wales, where young men are brought up, 
 
 called CALVINISTICAL METHODISTS. 
 
 and when they have acquired the rudiments of 
 learning, thefe young gentlemen get into orders; 
 we are not certain how much this pradtice is 
 approved of by many learned men in the • 
 church, who are of the fame fentiments with 
 her ladyfhip. 
 
 A little learning with much reading, a good 
 memory, and a found judgment, might eafily 
 qualify a man to be a good preacher, and a very 
 ufeful paftor. If thefe young men really ferve 
 God ; if they are what they call themfelves, re¬ 
 generated perfons, then they will, by all means, 
 teach their people equally by their examples as 
 by their preaching ; it it makes an impreflion on 
 their hearts, they will be afraid to give any 
 offence, fo as to have the gofpel blamed. 
 
 It is certain that the rules laid down by Mr. 
 Wefley, for the regulation of his focieties, have 
 more the appearanceofprimitiveChriftianity, than 
 thofe of Mr. Whitefield. Why the latter did not 
 ftrike into the fame line, we know not, but not¬ 
 withftanding, the Whitefield, or rather the Cal¬ 
 viniftical Methodift preachers are more popular 
 than Mr. Wefley’s Arminian ones. 
 
 Their public fervice in their meetings has 
 little difference, and indeed the chief diftindlion 
 confifts in their hymns. The Calvinifts ufe a 
 fet of hymns for themfelves, calculated accor¬ 
 ding to the doctrines they maintain ; but Mr. 
 Wefley has hymns for all occafions whatfoever. 
 There is generally much heat among new con¬ 
 verts j and thus it happened, that fome years 
 ago perfons, were employed to ling hymns in lup- 
 port of each other’s doctrines. 
 
 We have an inftance of a fimilar nature in 
 ecclefiaftical hiftory : 
 
 When Chryfoftom was bifhop of Conftanti- 
 nople, he wrote hymns in defence of the trinity 
 in unity, and employed feveral to fing them 
 about the ftreets. TheArians did the lame in 
 favour of their opinions and it frequently hap¬ 
 pened that when two of thefe hymn-fingers met, 
 a battle enfued, a circumftance that might have 
 been reafonably expedled. 
 
 In their private families, the Methodifts 
 are all, more or lefs, very fond of finging of 
 hymns. It was firft propofed by their leaders 
 as ufeful, to take place of the common fongs 
 which are profanely lung, many of which contain 
 much obfcenity. In this refpedl the defign of 
 the Methodifts feems to have arifen from pious 
 motives ; but then we fliould attend to what 
 our Saviour fays, “ never to call our pearls be¬ 
 fore fwine.” 
 
 Thus it too frequently happens, that as ob- 
 fcene ballads inflame the palfions of youth, fo 
 the frequently finging of hymns, cfpecially in 
 the prefence of a promilcuous company, takes 
 off the force of religion, defeats its own inten¬ 
 tion, and without defign opens the mouths of 
 blafphemers. 
 
 We know but little of any public charities 
 eftablifhed by thefe people, except a few 
 alms-houfes in Tottenham-Court-Road. As for 
 fentiments concerning church government, they 
 are profefled Latitudinarians. They look upon 
 i all forms of church government in the fame point 
 
 tion, 
 
An ACCOUNT of the P E O P L E called MORAV 
 
 of view, which is as much as to fay, that they 
 look upon them as not of Divine inftitution. In 
 this they are not Angular; for Mr. Hooker, 
 bilhop Stillingfleet, and archbilhop Leighton, 
 were all of the fame opinion, 
 
 It is certain, that we ought not to contend 
 much about the externals of religion, fo as we 
 
 IANS. 643 
 
 can only attend to the internals; but notwith- 
 ftanding, there ought to be a form of church Go¬ 
 vernment, according to the original plan. Bur 
 we fhall conclude this article with one obferva- 
 tion, namely, “ That loole notions concerning 
 the externals of religion, lead to loofe praftices 
 in the internals.” 
 
 
 An ACCOUNT of thofe PROTES TA NTS 
 who are called MORAVIANS, 
 
 I T is well known that every denomination of 
 Chriftians in the world pretend, that their 
 doctrine, worlhip, difcipline and govern¬ 
 ment, comes neareft to the primitive plan. And 
 here it is neceffary to obferve, that the few lights 
 we have todireft us for upwards of one hundred 
 years after the death of the Apollles, have ren¬ 
 dered things very confufed; for we may be al- 
 moft certain, that the rites and ceremonies ufed 
 in the third century, were, for the moll part, 
 human inventions. 
 
 That the Moravians Ihould pretend to the 
 fame high original, is not to be doubted ; and 
 we find them doing fo, and they call themfelves 
 by the name of United Brethren. 
 
 Count Nicholas Lewis Zinzendorf, prince of 
 the German empire, gave rife to this fed. He 
 was born 1700, andiniy2i, when he came of age, 
 he began to put in praftice a fcheme he had for¬ 
 med fome years before when he was very young. 
 
 He was joined by feveral perfons, who were of 
 
 his own way of thinking, and lettled at Ber- 
 tholfdorf in Upper Lufatia, an eftate which he 
 had purchafed, giving the curacy to a ftudent 
 of the fame fentiments with himfelf. 
 
 Bertholfdorf foon came to be known for this 
 fort of piety. News thereof were brought to 
 Moravia, by a carpenter named Chriftian David, 
 who had been before in thac country. He em¬ 
 braced every opportunity of inftilling his fenti¬ 
 ments into the minds of the people, with a dif- 
 tafte for the fuperftitions of the church of Rome, 
 and an inclination to the Proteftant religion. 
 
 Having engaged two or three of thefe profe- 
 lytes to leave their native country, with their fa¬ 
 milies, count Zinzendorf received them kindly 
 at Beltholfdorf. They were diredled to build an 
 houfe in a wood, about half a league from that 
 village, 1b that on Sc. Martin’s Day 1722, thefe 
 people held their firft meeting there’. It is faid, 
 that they forefaw that God would kindle a light 
 in this place that Ihould enlighten all the coun¬ 
 try. Chriftian David was fo fure of the future 
 growth of this fettlement, that he divided the 
 fpot of ground round it into quarters, and marked 
 out in what directions the ftreecs were to run. 
 
 The event has not contradicted his prognofti- 
 cation. A good many people from Moravia and 
 elfewhere, to Ihelter themfelves under the pro¬ 
 tection of count Zinzendorf, flocked to this new 
 fettlement, and built houfes, and the count him- 
 ielr fixed his refidence there. In a few years it 
 became a confiderable village, having an orphan- 
 houfe, and other public buildings. Thirty-four 
 houfes were built there in the year 1728, and in 
 1 73 ° the number of its inhabitants amounted to 
 hx hundred. An adjacent hill, called The Huth- 
 Berg, gave occafion to thefe colonifts to call 
 their place Huth-dez-Heman, and afterwards 
 Hern-Huth, which may be interpreted the guard 
 or proteClion of the Lord, and from this the 
 whole feCt has taken its name. 
 
 The Hernhuters foon eftablilhed among them- 
 ielves a fort of difcipline, which clofely°unites 
 them to each other, divides them into different 
 claffes, purs them under an entire dependence 
 on their fuperiors, and confines them to cuftoms, 
 exercifes ot devotions, and to the obfcrvin°- of 
 different forts of little rules .which, in feme 
 reipefts, may be called a proper bond of 
 union. 
 
 The difference of age and fex, and the fitua- 
 tion their members are in with relped to matri¬ 
 mony, conftitute thefe different claffes. There 
 are claffes of married men, married women, wi¬ 
 dowers, widows, maids, batchelors, and children. 
 Each has its diredlor chofen by its members. 
 The fame employments the men have amono- 
 themfelves, are alfo among .the women, which 
 are exercifed by perfons of their own fex. 
 
 Every member is daily vifited by one of his 
 clafs, who gives him exhortation, and takes care 
 of the aftual ftate of his foul, whereof he makes 
 a leport to the elders. Frequently particular af- 
 iemblies are held in each clafs, and general ones 
 by the whole l'ociety. The overfeers, or leaders, 
 have alfo their private meetings, to inftrutf: one 
 another concerning the guidance of fouls. The 
 members of each clals are lub-divided into peo¬ 
 ple that are unconverted, or, as they call it, 
 dead, the awakened, the ignorant, willing dif- 
 ciples, and dilciples that have made a progrefs. 
 
 Proper 
 
 
 
644 An ACCOUNT of the P E 
 
 Proper progrefs in fpiritual things is given to 
 each of thefe fub-divifions ; but above all, great 
 care is taken of thole that are fpiritually dead. 
 
 They pay great attention to the inftru&ion of 
 youth. Befides thofe that have the care of or¬ 
 phans, there are others intruded with the edu¬ 
 cation of other children. Count Zinzendoi f s 
 zeal fometimes carried him fo far, as to take 
 children to his own houfe to inftruft them, and 
 thefe amounted in number to twenty; whereof 
 nine or ten dept in his bed-chamber. There are 
 afiemblies held of little children, who are not 
 in a condition to walk, and thefe are carried thi¬ 
 ther. Hymns are fung in thefe meetings, and 
 prayers made, fuitable to the capacity of thefe 
 infant hearers. 
 
 The elder, co-elder, and vice-elder, iuper.- 
 intend all the claffes. There are likewife in¬ 
 formers by office, l'ome of them known, lome 
 of them kept fecret, befides a great many other 
 employments and tities, the detail of which 
 would be too long and too tedious here. 
 
 A great part of their worlhip confifts in Ting¬ 
 ing. They pretend that children in particular 
 are inltrufted in their religion by hymns. Count 
 Zinzendorf relates a very extraordinary thing in 
 his Natural Refle&ions, viz. “ that the chanters 
 of the f'ociety mult have received a particular and 
 almoft inimitable gift of God : for when they 
 are obliged to fing at the head of the congrega¬ 
 tion, their longs are always a connefied repetition 
 of thofe matters that had been preached juft be¬ 
 fore.” 
 
 At all hours, whether day or night, fome per- 
 fons, of both fexes, are appointed by rotation to 
 pray for thefociety. And what is moft remark¬ 
 able, thefe 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 fociety is declining, their devotion is revived, 
 by celebrating Agapes or love-feafts. 
 
 The calling of lots is much pra&ifed among 
 them. They make ufe of it to learn the will of 
 the Lord. 
 
 The elders have the foie right of making 
 matches. No promife of marriage is of any va¬ 
 lidity without their confent. The maids devote 
 themfelves to the Saviour, not that their intent 
 is never to marry, but to marry only fuch aper- 
 fon, with rei'pefi: to whom God fhall have made 
 known to them with certainty, that he is rege¬ 
 nerated, inftrufled in the importance of the con¬ 
 jugal ftace, and appointed by the divine dire&or 
 to enter into that ftate. 
 
 All is extraordinary at Herrnhut. The moft 
 ftubborn difeafes vanilh there without help : very 
 rarely one dies there of a fever. But it is com¬ 
 mon to die there of a cold, defluxion, or luch 
 like other (light indifpolition. Thefe are at leaft 
 things count Zinzerdorf affirms in a writing, 
 dated January 24, 1732, and prefented to the 
 miniftry of the court of Drefden. 
 
 We do not find that the Herrnhuters to the 
 year 1729, pretended to be any thing more than 
 members of the Lutheran church at Bertholfdorl. 
 Indeed, they were all of them either born among 
 Lutherans, or converted from popery to the faith 
 
 O P L E called M O R AI IANS. 
 
 of the Auglburg confeffion ; and if lome amongft 
 them entertained ideas of Calvinifm, count Zin- 
 zendorf took care to cure them of it. But from 
 this time the Herrnhuters, undoubtedly with a 
 view to let their fociety off to better advantage, 
 would pal’s for a fprig of thofe Bohemian and 
 Moravian brethren, who, a long time before 
 Luther, lived feparated from the Romiftt church, 
 and who in the time of the reformation entered 
 into brotherly correfpondence with the two great 
 Proteftant focieties, but without uniting with 
 either of them. And count Zinzendorf has fince 
 that time ever talked in this ftrain. He pretends, 
 that thefe brethren originally were of the Greek 
 church, and in procefs of time had united with 
 the Waldenles, who derived their original from 
 the Latin church. 
 
 He bellows the greateft encomiums on this 
 Moravian church, fo much renowned informer 
 times, eclipied and forgot afterwards, and at 
 length, if credit may be given him, revived un- 
 der his aufpices at Herrnhut. He gives her the 
 moft pompous titles; as, The Church of the 
 Crofs, The Church of the Lamb, The Church 
 of the Blood and Wounds, The Theocracy, A 
 People whereunto never was feen the like, They 
 are the hundred forty-four thoufand l'ervants of 
 God marked on their foreheads, whereof St. 
 John makes mention in his Revelation. 
 
 This defeent would, withour doubt, do do- 
 nour to Herrnhutifm, but there is a necefity of 
 proving it firft. Let us examine whether't ever 
 has yet been proved ? So far from it, that even 
 fetting a fide the do&rine of the Herrmuters, 
 which openly contradifis this vain-glorious pre- 
 tenfion, it has been acknowledged and proved 
 by one of their own bifnops, that the ancient 
 Moravian brethren mixed with the reformed in 
 Poland, and that not one of thofe that profeffed 
 their do&rine remained in Bohemia and Mora¬ 
 via, where it has been entirely extirpated ever 
 fince the year 1620. The Moravians, who re¬ 
 tired to Herrnhut, and who are the moft incon- 
 fiderable part of the inhabitants of that village, 
 have nothing common with the antient Bohe¬ 
 mian and Moravian brethren. They are Roman 
 Catholics converted to the Proteftant religion, 
 as the Herrnhuters themfelves acknowledge. 
 
 As the Herrnhut fociety was begun upon the 
 eftate of count Zinzendorf, under his protec¬ 
 tion, by his care and benefa&ions, and accord¬ 
 ing to his ideas and views, it was but natural he 
 Ihoiild have a very great authority over it. And 
 fo it happens ; he has always been the foul, the 
 oracle, and the primum mobile of it. He tells 
 us himfelf that he has always been at the head of 
 his left, both in temporals and fpirituals, and 
 his difciples fay the fame. Though titles could 
 add nothing to his authority, yet he has not dis¬ 
 dained them. Lie has even made alterations in 
 them at different times. From the year 1726, 
 he was called the Truftee or Guardian of the 
 Brethren, which happened in a lingular manner, 
 as he tells us himfelf. 
 
 Chriftian David, the carpenter, of whom 
 mention has been made, being once in the count’s 
 apartment to talk with him, all on a iudden gave 
 him this title ; which afterwards was confirmed 
 by the unanimous confent of the lbcietv. In 
 
 the 
 
U N T 
 
 the month of March 1730, he refigned this dig¬ 
 nity. In September 1732, the fociety preffed 
 him to take it upon him, delivering to him an 
 appointment or call for that purpofe, in form of 
 an aft, figned by the brethren and fillers that 
 were of the privy council ot the fociety. At 
 that time he refufed to comply, but granted 
 their requeft fome months after, upon a new 
 appointment, dated January 26, 1733. 
 
 In 1737, count Zinzendorf, who, from the 
 age of leventeen, had believed he had a call 
 from providence to an ecclefiaftical (late or con¬ 
 dition in life, and who had already publickly 
 preached in fome of the Lutheran churches, got 
 himfelf confecrated billiop of his feft. From 
 that time, according to the cuftom of bifhops, 
 he made ufe of his Chriftian name, and that of 
 his fee, viz. Ludovicus Moravienfis. The pre¬ 
 late of this new-fafhioned creation, neverthelefs 
 did not fuffer himfelf to be dazzled by the luftre 
 of his mitre. He tells us himfelf, that he had 
 very little forwardnefs to make a figure as a 
 bilhop ; and in the third general fynod of Herrn- 
 hutifm, held in Gotha in 1740, he laid down 
 his epilcopal dignity ; which however had made 
 no change with refpeft to his office of truflee or 
 guardian of the brethren. It appears at lead, 
 that he was Hill veiled with it in 1742, becaufe 
 at that time the brethren difeharged him from 
 it. But this was only done with a view to give 
 him a much more honourable title, viz. that of 
 minifter plenipotentiary and ceconomid, with 
 a power to nominate a fucceffor, and an exprefs 
 claufe, that nothing fhouid be done or concluded 
 without his confent. He did not accept this 
 new promotion till towards the dole of the fol¬ 
 lowing year. Lately we fee him ftile himfelf 
 Lord Advocate of the Unitas Fratrum. 
 
 Count Zinzendorf has very early been about 
 extending his feft. He has fent his fellow-la¬ 
 bourers throughout the world. He himfelf has 
 been over all Europe, and at lead twice in Ame¬ 
 rica. From the year 1733, a new f° c i ct y has 
 been let up in Greenland ; and before the end of 
 the preceding year the mifilonaries of Herrnhut- 
 ifm had already paffed the line. The fociety 
 poffeffes Bethlehem in Pennfylvania: and has a 
 fettlemen: amongd the Hottentots. China is 
 entered into its plan. But it has no where made 
 better conqueds than in the Britifh European 
 dominions, in the United Provinces, and in 
 Wctteravia ; in the lad province, however, where 
 their views were dilcovered, they have again lod 
 ground. They have alfo been turned out of the 
 Danifii dominions, where they had made a let- 
 tlemenr. 
 
 A difeipline fo much overburdened as that of 
 Herrnhutifm, could not very well take place but 
 in a fmall fociety ; and we find, that in propor¬ 
 tion as this feft came to lpread abroad, it was 
 thought neceffary to forego, in fome mealure, 
 the rigour of its rule, in order to accommodate 
 the inditution to the tade, humour, and ideas of 
 the new profelytes. This gave rife to the modi¬ 
 fications, forms, and different ufages now in 
 being among thefe feftaries. Count Zinzen¬ 
 dorf calls them tropes, types, and at this very 
 time there are three of them, viz. the Moravian 
 trope or type, which is the mod ancient; the [ 
 54 
 
 called MORA 
 
 Lutheran, which appears to him the mod falu- 
 tary to the children of God; and the reformed 
 or Calvinid trope, for which he alfo has a great 
 regard, and whereof Mr. de Watteville, his fon- 
 in law, was defied bifnopin 1743. We cannot 
 exactly fay wherein the above three modifications 
 differ from each other : thele are fecrets probably 
 known by the adepts alone. 
 
 Thus much they have thought fit to acquaint 
 the public with, that the Bohemian confedion is 
 received by the fird trope, the confedion of Augf- 
 burg by the lecond, 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 Augfburg 
 confedion ; however, it is pretended, that this 
 has made no confufion among thefe feveral mo¬ 
 difications. 
 
 Condefcenfion being what has given rife to 
 thefe tropes. Count Zinzendorf, from the fame 
 motive, thews'a general inclination to all Chrif¬ 
 tian communions. He would have wrote to the 
 pope, had he known what title to give him. Fie 
 has even been perfecuted for having maintained, 
 that the pope was not the Antichrid. He has 
 fent a deputation to the patriarch of Condanti- 
 nople, which has been very well received. Fie 
 fhews a great attachment to Lutheranilm, wherof 
 he condantly pretends himfelf to be a member* 
 He boads of being a minider of that church, 
 and affirms, in fpite of all that can be faid to 
 the contrary, that he and his brethren believe no 
 other doftrine than what is taught by that com¬ 
 munion. Fie is of late become more favourable 
 to Calvinifm, than he was in the beginning. It 
 was in his power, fays he, to have rooted it out 
 from among the brethren j he however declined 
 it. Although, according to him, the taking of 
 oaths is not prohibited ■, yet the fociety, where- 
 ever it fettles, is known to be averfe to them, 
 and that probably out of complailance to the 
 Mennonids or Anabaptids. He declares in ge¬ 
 neral, that whoever embraces Herrnhutifm need 
 not change his religion. Such advances as thefe 
 cannot but infinitely facilitate the propagation 
 of the feci, which already boads of decimating 
 all nations, and pretends it has a right to all the 
 children of God, of whatever perfuafion they 
 be.. 
 
 Though count Zinzendorf tells us, that he 
 has fometimes met with refidance from the bre¬ 
 thren, and that they have contradifled him ; yet 
 it appears in general, that they have ffiewed great 
 docility both for him and thofe he has been 
 pleafed to make partakers of his authority. Sub- 
 miffion to the will of thefuperiors of the fociety 
 is a very effential article of his fydem. 
 
 He teaches, in his fermons to the fynod of 
 Zeid, that God obeys the voice of his fervants, 
 that is to fay, of the brethren j but that it is re¬ 
 quired, that firll of all they agree with their 
 friends, that they aft in concert with their chief. 
 The traflablenels which he preferibes them mud 
 go fo far as to fuffer themfelves to be led dep by 
 Hep, like little children, by men whom he calls 
 miniders of the Holy Ghod, and of the church, 
 reprefenting them as being fo many living images 
 of our bleffed Saviour. The irkfomenefs of 
 thus obeying without reierve is great it mud be 
 A owned 5 
 
 
646 An A C C O U N T of the PE 
 
 owned ; but then it is much alleviated by the 
 notion that is inftilled into them, that their fu- 
 periors receive from Chrift himfelf the orders 
 that are given. This the count inculcates 
 among his flock with equal care and afliduity. 
 Every thing is done by the Saviour’s injunftion ; 
 “ Jefus will have it lb, the Lamb commands 
 it:" this is the ftile of the minifters of the fo- 
 ciety. According to them, the Saviour gives 
 his orders on the very moment they are to be 
 executed. He will not fuffer that thofe who are 
 to obey them have time to confider. “ Thus 
 bufinefs is done quickly, all at once; and, as it 
 ■were, in poll hafte.” Thefe are the count's 
 own expreflions, who looks upon this method of 
 the Saviour, as a condefcenfion he has for his 
 children, with whofe weaknefs he is not unac¬ 
 quainted. He knows, adds he, for inftance, 
 how it is with a maid, when (he is appriled (he 
 is to marry : therefore he doth not willingly let 
 perfons know theirdellination much before-hand. 
 
 The lending of miflionaries, according to this 
 fed, is a bufinels in which the Saviour is parti¬ 
 cularly concerned. Count Zinzendorf informs 
 us minutely what the Saviour prefcribes in this 
 matter. For inftance, fome of the fociety ear- 
 neftly defiring that thofe of their brethren, who 
 had been pitched upon to be fent away, fhould 
 be difpatched a day lboner than the Saviour had 
 appointed: the count oppofed this motion with 
 lo much fteadinefs, that it was dropped. It was 
 to no purpofe they objefted, that the captains, 
 who were to take them on board at Rotterdam, 
 would pay no regard to the day appointed by 
 the Saviour: he refolutely anfwered, “■ They 
 will do it; or if not, our miflionaries will come, 
 in another manner, to the place for which they 
 are deftined." This example of the count’s 
 boldnefs will appear lefs aftonilhing, when we at¬ 
 tend to what he tells us further, viz. that he has 
 found by experience, that the brethren, when the 
 Saviour direded them in their travels, have per¬ 
 formed amazing things, things which no art, no 
 human precaution ever could attain to. He him¬ 
 felf has once, without human afliftance, made a 
 voyage in eleven weeks, which another Herrn- 
 huter could not compals in lefs than fixty-fix, 
 becaufe he was in the hands of men. “ The 
 Saviour, continues this great apoftle, in a pro¬ 
 phetical drain, in his jjd fermon, preached at 
 Zeilt, protects his people in a quite wonderful 
 manner. My wilhes and defires are, that I could 
 bring it to pafs, that we could have a couple of 
 lhips, no matter of what bulk, that belonged 
 folely to the fociety, and which the maritime 
 powers might not lufpedl of carrying on a trade, 
 or being employed in lmuggling : which may be 
 poflible to obtain, and depends only on a fa¬ 
 vourable moment: then we (hould fee wonders. 
 For, at prefent, our affairs are too much blended 
 with the bufinels of men, with their intereft and 
 views; this makes a great alteration, and cannot 
 but have, fome way or other, an influence over 
 the brethren. But were it once to become the 
 Saviour’s bufinefs alone, then he would let us 
 lee wonders on the lea. He would not only 
 caufe us to make voyages with great fwiftnefs, 
 but to land where never any body landed. A 
 temped would be fufficient to bring us to the 
 
 O P L E called MORAVIANS. 
 
 intended place. In cafe leave was denied us to 
 enter a port, we Ihould be conveyed into fome 
 inacceflible bay, at fome miles diftance from the 
 port, where we might land, and no body could 
 find fault with it, becaufe it would appear, that 
 we were arrived there by llrefs of weather. This 
 would cod nothing to the Saviour, it would be 
 a play to his angels.” 
 
 Count Zinzendorf tells us himfelf, that the 
 commiffion of the fociety was never calculated 
 for a general converfion of the Heathen ; that 
 the time of this great event is not as yet come; 
 but that the fociety being an ele&ion, a chofen 
 people, it mud have the firftlings or firft-fruits, 
 here and there among the Heathen. 
 
 The little number the brethren have hitherto 
 converted to the Chriltian faith, is but a com¬ 
 fort, which the Saviour has granted them to 
 make them amends for their labours, and they 
 believe themi'elvcs well rewarded for their toil, 
 if in two hundred vovages they make but one 
 hundred converts. He allb tells us, that the 
 Herrnhuters, in order to acquire the firftlings of 
 Paganifm, chufe to look out for them amongft 
 thofe Heathens, that have had the lead or no 
 communication at all with the pretenders to 
 Chriftianity, rather than among the lad. 
 
 As the brethren have always a great number 
 of labourers on the roads, oftentimes among 
 thefe their chief himfelf with his family and re¬ 
 tinue ; and as, befides, their undertakings, and 
 the acquifitions they make, require confiderable 
 expence, it is neceflary they Ihould have what is 
 called the finew of all great fchemes, money. 
 Thus we find they have betimes eftablilhed a 
 fund called by them the Lamb’s or the Saviour’s 
 cheft, which is become very confiderable by the 
 contributions and donations of the profelytes of 
 Herrnhutifm, and its favourers. From the be¬ 
 ginning, two brethren were trufted with it; of 
 whom, one kept the cheft, and the other the 
 key; but count Zinzendorf has always had the 
 principal diredtion over it. This addition of 
 temporal concerns mull infallibly have crulhed 
 him under its weight, he being already fo much 
 taken up with the fpiritual ones of the fociety, 
 had he not found in the countefs, his fpoufe, a 
 proper afliftant to fhare his fatigues with him. 
 In a manufeript hiftory of the fociety, whereof 
 the count gives us fome abftrafts in the appendix 
 of his Natural Reflexions, it is faid, that his 
 lady, during a time of twenty-fix years, has fo 
 well hufbanded the fcanty funds of the fociety, 
 that nothing was ever wanting, either in his fa¬ 
 mily, or amongft the brotherhood, though there 
 had been a neceflity of furnilhing from thence 
 above one million of crowns for fundry under¬ 
 takings. Upon the whole, it is well known, 
 that whoever defires to be received as a brother, 
 is not welcome among them, unlefs he contri¬ 
 butes to the cheft. The count fays himfelf, 
 “ That the oeconomifts of the fociety may lay t^i 
 a young rich man. Either give us all thou hall, 
 or get thee gone; give us all thou haft, or thou 
 canft not be with us." 
 
 We have already hinted at the rapid progrefs 
 made by Herrnhutifm. Here follows another 
 curious detail, which count Zinzendorf himfelf 
 gives us in his Natural Reflexions, &c. wrote in 
 
 the 
 
An ACCOUNT of the P E < 
 
 years 1748 and 1749- This will [hew, if credit 
 may be given to what he fays, what fituation the 
 feft was in at that time. The fociety, fays he, 
 had aim oft a thoufand labourers difperfed all 
 over the world. This number, however, was 
 not yet fuflicicnt; for, in proportion as they 
 worked, the harveft increafed. Twenty-four 
 nations had been awakened from their fpiritual 
 drowfinds, by the care of thefe apoftles. “ We 
 preach, fays he, to an innumerable number of 
 fouls in fourteen languages, amongft whom, with¬ 
 out reckoning thofe that do not belong to the 
 Protellant religion, nor the Jews and Heathens, 
 there are at leaft twenty thoufand people that 
 were not born Lutherans, whom we neverthelefs 
 convert tothe Augfburgconfeflion, and indeed we 
 cannot recommend to them a better conftitution, 
 than the church of the brethren. We have, adds 
 he, ninety-eight eftabliftiments. amongft which 
 are caftles that have 20, 50, or 90 apartments.” 
 The miftionaries of the Herrnhuters do not go 
 and preach in every place, where their miniftry is 
 required. On the twenty-eighth of February, 
 1748, they had received above one hundred and 
 feventy invitations, only from Eafterof the fore¬ 
 going year, with regard to which they had not 
 as yet taken any refolution. In the mean while 
 they are not idle; in the year 1740, they had 
 already made two hundred voyages by fea. As 
 to the progrefs the feft has made abroad for thefe 
 three years paft, I fhall not venture to fpeak of, 
 as we have not fuftkient materials for the pur- 
 pofe ; but as for the fuccefs they have met with 
 in thefe kingdoms, and are daily making, every 
 body is an eye witnefs of. It is to be fuppofed, 
 that their fuccefs from the year 1749, mult fur- 
 pafsthat of the two years above-mentioned.” 
 
 Since the publication of the above account, 
 the Moravians have not, perhaps, increafed, as 
 the writings of Mr. Rimius, and the narrative of 
 Andrew Frey, have done them great differvice 
 with the fober part of mankind. They were 
 eftablifhed here, in England, by an aft palled 
 in June 1749, and are in confiderable numbers 
 in this kingdom and its plantations, as well as in 
 Ireland and Scotland. The public have yet felt 
 no inconveniency from their admiflion and tole¬ 
 ration, nor are likely to feel any, as they are, in 
 general, an induftrious fet of people. 
 
 We come now to the tenets of Herrnhutifm. As 
 long as Herrnhut belonged to the church at 
 Bertholfdorf, the fociety was held in great efteem, 
 and not at all fufpefted to differ from the con- 
 fefiion of Augftuirg. This was the reafon, for 
 which the theological faculty at Tubingen, did 
 not fcruple to grant them thofe teftimonials, to 
 which count Zinzendorf has fince that time al¬ 
 ways referred himfelf, to prove the foundnels of 
 his doftrine. We do not know, nor is it material 
 to enquire, whether count Zinzendorf began to 
 broach his new doftrine, immediately upon the 
 beginning of the firft eftablilhment of the fociety 
 at Herrnhut; it feems more likely, that as he 
 enlarged his plan, he enlarged his notions all'o. 
 Thus much is certain, that it is no eafy matter 
 to come at the tenets of this feft, on account of 
 the great obfeurity affefted by their teachers. 
 They feem tomake it their ftudy, to fpeak and 
 write that they may not be underftood. It is a rule 
 
 PLE called MORAVIANS. 647 
 
 among them, to fpeak to thofe, that are not 
 initiated into the myfteries of the theology 
 of blood and wounds, that is to fay, their own 
 theology, in a manner, that they may not be 
 able to tell again any thing of what they have 
 heard. They aft, fays count Zinzendorf him¬ 
 felf, in the fame manner as one would do, who, 
 to catch people that are too curious, writes in a 
 character they are not able to decypher. They 
 fucceed wonderfully in this kind of ftile. Some¬ 
 times they are quite unintelligible. At other 
 times they begin to exprefs themfelves clearly, 
 but on a iudden become too obfeure to be under¬ 
 ftood. They are feldom entirely clear, and ne¬ 
 verthelefs [hew often too great a clearnefs. For, 
 indeed, thofe things that efcape them, and are 
 eafy to be underftood, do no honour either to 
 theirjudgement or underftanding. The reader 
 will be convinced of it by the fpecimens we are 
 going to lay before him. We [hall take a great 
 number of them from count Zinzendorf’s theo¬ 
 logical opinions, and his fermons preached in 
 America, and at Zeift in the province of Utrecht. 
 Thefe laft, to the number of fifty-fix, were de¬ 
 livered to the fynod of the brethren, held at the 
 laft mentioned place in 1746, and are printed 
 and publiftied by the fociety in one volume. 
 The count has not put his name to it; for> ac¬ 
 cording to a letter, inferted in Siegfried’s befehei- 
 dene Beleuchtung, direfted by him to all kings, 
 eleftors, princes, &c. he has left off long ago, 
 to put his name to his writings. But it is im- 
 poflible to read thefe fermons, without perceiv¬ 
 ing him to be the author; befides this, he de¬ 
 clares himfelf very clearly in the preface, where 
 he fays, that the bufinels of the author of thefe 
 fermons, is to exercife the office of fyndic of the 
 fvnods, to fuperintend the records, to adminii- 
 ter the liturgy, to prepare matters and propofe 
 them. We the more willingly make ule of thefe 
 fermons, as they have been preached for the in- 
 ftruftion of feveral fellow-labourers, Englifh and 
 Dutch, lately received among the feft, and fince 
 the preacher propofes there to himfelf, to put 
 into a better light certain central ideas, by which 
 one ought to regulate one’s aftions, words and 
 thoughts. If it be poffible, to meet any where 
 with the tenets of Flerrnhutifm, it muft be in 
 them. 
 
 We begin with the idea this feft has of the 
 feripture. Though count Zinzendorf doth not, 
 as yet, think proper to difown the feripture; 
 yet the indifferent manner, in which he gives his 
 opinion of it, fhews what he aims at. He fays 
 in a fermon preached at Philadelphia, that the 
 ftile of the feripture is fometimes like that of a 
 carpenter, fometimes like that of a filfierman, 
 or of a toll-gatherer. Chrift himfelf had fpoke 
 very meanly, and ufed many a phrafe becoming 
 a peafant, which is now looked upon to imply 
 lomethingof quite a different nature, fince we 
 are unacquainted with the manner o[ fpeaking 
 ufed by the journeymen at Nazareth. He pre- 
 feribes a method to his miftionaries, how to deal 
 with the comptrollers of the feripture, by whom 
 he means thofe that defire proofs of every doc¬ 
 trine out of the feripture, viz. that they ought 
 to prove all fuch things by the defefts or imper- 
 feftions of thefe writings, which thofe comp¬ 
 trollers 
 
6 4 S An ACCOUNT of the PE 
 
 trollers pretend to make good by the perfection 
 and infallibility of the fcripture. The reading 
 of the fcripture appears to him to be more dan¬ 
 gerous than ufeful to the fociety. 
 
 According to count Zinzendorf, the doctrine 
 that God the Father is our Creator, the Son our 
 Redeemer, and the Holy Ghoft our Sanctifier, 
 is a falfe doctrine, and one of the capital errors 
 that reign in Chriftendom. Creation and fanc- 
 tification ought not to be afcribed to the Father 
 and Holy Ghoft. To avoid idolatry, people 
 ought to be taken from the Father anci Holy 
 Ghoft, and conducted to Chrift, with whom 
 am'ienvs never dreamt 
 of a Trinity ; whoever adores the Father and the 
 Holy Ghoft, differs nut from a fervant of Jupiter, 
 Mercury, Apollo, or of any great hero to whom 
 the ancients gave the title of God. Our great 
 dodtor appears fo pofirive of the orthodoxy of 
 his new opinion, that he calls the theology re¬ 
 ceived among Chriftians, a dry one, and good 
 for nothing elfe than to amufe dogs and fwine, 
 unbelievers and atheifts, invented by the devil, 
 and that fuch as teach it are Satan’s profeffors. 
 Satan has thought within himfelf, lays he, “ Men 
 fhall not come to fee the Father,” that is the 
 true Father, who is the Saviour, according to 
 Count Zinzendorf: fC I’ll conduct them round 
 about the Saviour, I’ll reprefent to them a phan¬ 
 tom of a Father, and they fhall think, as the 
 Jews formerly did, that this is their God ; thus 
 the Saviour fhall not get them. By this means. 
 I’ll keep them in my power, whilft they think 
 within themfelves they are very wife. The mif- 
 take among Chriftians, adds he, arifes 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 Ghoft is called by the Herrnhuters, 
 the eternal wife of God, the mother of Chrift, 
 the mother of the faithful, the mother of the 
 church. Count Zinzendorf, in the fixth part of 
 his Natural Reflexions, gives a long detail to 
 juftify this change he makes in the common 
 theology. He looks upon it as important and 
 neceffary ; complaining much, that, fince the 
 reformation, people are in grofs ignorance con¬ 
 cerning the perfon of the Holy Ghoft, and that 
 the divines in this article commit a very palpable 
 omiftion. lie adds, that fuch as cannot com¬ 
 prehend the myftery of the Trinity in the man¬ 
 ner he explains it, want undoubtedly uprightnefs 
 of heart more than underftanding. 
 
 Thus it appears, that the fon is chiefly the 
 object of the Herrnhuters worfhip. Though 
 count Zinzendorf in plain words calls him the 
 carpenter Jefus, having taken along with him, 
 into his glory, the poor figure he made in this 
 world, yet the molt tender names are given him. 
 He is called their Lamb, their little Lamb, their 
 little Jefus. They make his name of the femi¬ 
 nine gender, calling him their mother, their 
 mamma Jefus. The creation, redemption, and 
 fandtification is the work of Chrift, but the Fa¬ 
 ther and Holy Ghoft minifter to him in all of 
 them, which is the identical word they ufe in 
 exprefling themfelves on this head. <f Whoever 
 believes in Chrift, though he knows nothing 
 
 ) P L E called MORAVIANS. 
 
 more of the Godhead, will be faved. The 
 apoftles, to avoid idolatry, had not baptifed in 
 the name of the Father, the Son and Holy 
 Ghoft, but in Chrift’s name only. God had 
 darted his Son as a flafh of lightning, and the 
 Son by his incarnation had made a parer, hefis in 
 the Godhead. What in common life is called a 
 grandfather, a father-in-law, fuch was tiie Fa¬ 
 ther of our Lord Jelus Chrift. The Son had 
 taken it as a favour, that he was allowed to be¬ 
 come man and go out of the Godhead. Chrift 
 had not conquered as God, but as a man, with 
 the fame ftrength we conquer. God had a Lifted 
 him, and he affifts us alfo. Chrift had not had 
 the leaft power more than we have. He had laid 
 afide 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 Chrift 
 received in his fide is extolled above all the reft. 
 This is “ their favourite wound, the very dear 
 little holy opening, the precious and thou fan d 
 times pretty little fide.” They kifs this wound, 
 they kifs thefpear that made it, and would kifs the 
 foldier whofe hand had conduced thefpearj they 
 thankhimfor it. It is in thisopeningthat thefaith- 
 ful repofes himfelf; there he breathes, there he 
 Ipoi ts, there helaysdown, fometimes length-wife, 
 lometimescrofswife: there is his country, his houfe, 
 his hall, his little bed, his little cable : thereheeats, 
 there he drinks, there he lives, there he praiies 
 the dear little Lamb. 
 
 The Herrnhuters have this diftinguifhing cha¬ 
 racter of fanaticilm, that they reject reafon, rea- 
 foning and philofophy. The children of God 
 do not inftruct themfelves out of books. To 
 demonftrate religion, to make it as evident as 
 four times four are fixteen, is an ufelefs and fu- 
 perfluous labour. Faith does not require the 
 leaft demonftration. It is brought forth in the 
 heart by the Holy Ghoft. The children of God 
 believe, becaule they find pleafure in believing. 
 Neverthelefs this faith produced without realon- 
 ir.g, ferves them inftcad of all other things. 
 No other commandment fhould be preached°to 
 men, than that of believing. This is count 
 Zinzendorf’s dodtrine. 
 
 Regeneration comes of itfelf, without our be¬ 
 ing required to do any thing towards it. It is a 
 capital truth, fays our Moravian bifhop, that 
 fuch as have not received grace, that are not yet 
 children of God, that have not yet a feelino- of 
 their reconciliation, that do not know yet upon 
 what terms they are with their Creator and Sa¬ 
 viour, ought not to be engaged to prepare them¬ 
 felves for it by any action, good works, good refo- 
 lutions. They muft be told, that all that has been 
 believed hitherto to be a preparation for coming 
 to God, is rather an hindrance to their falvation. 
 Regeneration is brought about fuddenly, all at 
 once. One moment is fufficient to make us free 
 to receive grace, to be transformed to the image 
 of the little Lamb. 
 
 A perfon regenerated enjoys great liberty. 
 Fie doth what the Saviour gives him an inclina- 
 to do, and what he has no inclination for, he is 
 not obliged to do. He doth what the Saviour 
 makes him do, for he is the mafter, in whofe 
 power it is to make laws and to repeal them j 
 
 who 
 
An ACCOUNT of the PEOP 
 
 who at all times can change the oeconomy or fal- 
 vation; make criminal what was virtuous, and 
 virtuous what was criminal. 
 
 It is wrong to fay that a regenerated perfon 
 doth any thing: properly fpeaking they do no¬ 
 thing. It is the Saviour thac adts for them. Fie 
 is with refpedl to the Saviour as a child, whole 
 hand one guides, yet who believes it is himfelf 
 that works, and rejoices at it. 
 
 On the great day of judgment, the Herrnhuters 
 will not be placed on the Saviour’s left-hand 
 among thofe'that are goats; this is to be underftood 
 of courfe. Nor will they be amongft thofe called 
 the fheep on the right-hand of the judgment-feat, 
 a place of honour they look upon too mean to be 
 afligned them. Count Zinzendorf tells us, that 
 the words, “ Holy angels, coming with the Sa¬ 
 viour in his glpry,” denote the faints coming along 
 with him, and that the Herrnhuters will be thofe 
 faints that accompany him. Fie adds, that fuch 
 as do not die Herrnhuters, will have mercy on 
 that day, provided they think favourably upon 
 their dying bed of thofe belonging to that 
 fedt. 
 
 The circumcifion of the Saviour has, according 
 to them, ierved to Ihew of what lex he was. It 
 has likewife reftored to honour that part of the 
 human body, which as a confequence of Adam’s 
 fall, was become a difgrace to it; infomuch, that 
 it is at prefent the molt noble, and the molt re- 
 fpedlable part of a man’s body. The filters are 
 exhorted never to think of it, but with fentiments 
 of the molt profound veneration. They are even 
 thought to make a fcruple of refpedting men for 
 any other reafon. The organ of generation of 
 the other fex is no lefs honourable. It has been 
 fandtified by the birth of the Saviour. We abate of 
 the ftrength of our author’s expreflions whillt we 
 abridge him, for fear of offending the modelty of 
 our readers. 
 
 All the fouls are of the feminine fex. There 
 are only animee , and no antmi, fays the Moravian 
 bifhop with great elegance. To think that there 
 are male fouls, would be, according to this pro¬ 
 found divine, the greateft folly, a chimera, which 
 ought not to enter the thoughts of a Chriftian, 
 were he even in the midft of an high fever. All 
 that is of the male quality, and was adapted to 
 our body, is detached from it as foon as it is in¬ 
 terred. It belongs not to its natural and primitive 
 ftate : it is an addition made to it afterwards : it 
 is the feal of the office, which the male fex is in- 
 trufted with. For, our fex is an employment, 
 an office. Jefus is the fpoule of all the filters, 
 and the hufbands, in the molt proper fenfe, are 
 his procurators, his agents, in every refpedt like 
 thofe ambaffadors in antient times, who, on mar¬ 
 rying a princefs in the name of their matter, put 
 a booted leg in the wedding-bed. A hulband is 
 alfo properly no more than a chamberlain of his 
 wife; his office is but for a time, and ad interim. 
 Flovvever, the titles which the count gives him 
 are not lefs glorious: he is Vice-Chrift, Vice- 
 God. The fitters are conducted to Jefus by the 
 miniftry of their hufbands, who thus are their 
 faviours in this world. When therefore a mar¬ 
 riage is made, what is the reafon of it ? Becaufe 
 there was a fitter, who ttiould be brought to the 
 true fpoufe by the mediation of fuch a procurator. 
 55 
 
 L E called MORA V 1 A N S. 649 
 
 Count Zinzendorf, in a conference on this fub- 
 jedt, held at Oly with the Seventh-day men, made 
 ufe of the following expreffions, which, to avoid 
 fcandal as much as pofliole, we fhall foften a 
 little: “ Chnft, in his perfon, is not only efpoufed, 
 but even wedded to every believer.” 
 
 From w,hat has been faid, two confequences 
 naturally refult, which have not efcaped the count. 
 The one is, that whoever knows himfelf to be a 
 man, ought to acknowledge the dignity that is in 
 him, and honour the choice that has been made of 
 his perfon. The other, that marriage is the moft 
 precious depofitum the Saviour has intrufted with 
 his church •, that is to fay, without doubt, to the 
 fociety of Herrnhuters, and the moft important 
 mvltery to which he has given them the key. 
 Confidering this, we cannot at all be furprifed at 
 being told, that they look upon all that are mar¬ 
 ried out of their fociety to live in fornication and 
 adultery. 
 
 The male fex confifts of married men, unmar¬ 
 ried men, and widowers. According to their ori¬ 
 ginal plan, all that had patted thetwenty-firft year, 
 ttiould be married. After thefe years, fay they, 
 the ftate of marriage is a brutifh ftate, a ftate of 
 madnefs, where no one knoweth himfelf. 
 
 Bcfides this divifion of men into thefe clafles, 
 there is another more general one, by which they 
 are diftinguifhed into two choirs ; one inftrudts the 
 married people of both fexes, and the other the 
 unmarried ones. Zinzendorf was very ttridt in 
 his difeiphne •, and indeed he feems to have had 
 all that aufterity which conftitutes the founder of 
 a fedt. In this he differed much from Chrift; for 
 our Saviour not only went about, doing good, 
 but he never refufed to eat or drink with men, 
 although of moft profane charadters. 
 
 Such are the outlines of the hiftory of thefe 
 people ; but we fhall confider them in a more 
 extenfive point of view, after briefly ftating fome 
 of their opinions, as drawn up by Mr. Wefley; 
 and then, from their own writings, we fhall fee 
 whether his aflertions are true or falle. 
 
 “ They believe and teach, fays Mr. Wefley, 
 that Chrift has done all that was necefiary for the 
 falvation of mankind ; that confequently we are 
 to do nothing, as neceflary to falvation, but fin- 
 cerely to believe in him •, that there is but one 
 command and one duty now, namely, to believe 
 in Chrift ; that Chrift has taken away all other 
 commands and duties, having wholly aboli ned 
 the law ; that the believer is therefore free from 
 the law, and is not obliged thereby to do or omit 
 any thing, it being inconfiftent with his liberty, 
 to do any thing as commanded. That there is no 
 fuch things as degrees in faith or weak faith, fince 
 he has no faith who has any doutt or fear. That 
 we are fandtified wholly the moment we are jufti- 
 fied, and neither more nor lefs holy to the day of 
 our death ; entire fandtification and entire juftifica- 
 tion being in one and the fame intereft. That a 
 believer is never fandtified or holy in himfelf, but 
 in Chrift only. He has no holinefs in himfelf at 
 all, all his holinefs being imputed, not inherent. 
 That a man may feel peace which pafieth allun- 
 derftanding, may rejoice with joy unlpeakable and 
 full of glory, and have the love of God and of 
 all mankind, with dominion over all fin; and 
 yet all this may be only nature, animal lpirits, or 
 8 B the 
 
650 HISTORY of the MISSIONS 
 
 the force of imagination. That if a man regards 
 prayer, or teaching the fcriptures, is commonly 
 as matters of duty 3 if he judges himfelf obliged 
 to do thefe things, oris troubled when he does 
 them not, he is in bondage, he has no faith at 
 all, but is feeking lalvation by the works of the 
 law. That, therefore, till we believe, we ought 
 not to pray, iearch the lcriptures, or communi¬ 
 cate. 
 
 We leave the reader to form what notion he 
 pleafes of thefe fentiments, which border near 
 upon the Antinomian fcheme 3 but then he mult 
 hear what they have to fay for themfelves, which 
 we fhall relate with the ftrideft impartiality, 
 after we have given the hiftory of their millions. 
 
 Hiftory of the Millions of the United Brethren, 
 as given by themfelves. 
 
 The firft million fent out by the United Bre¬ 
 thren was to the Illand of St. T homas, the oc- 
 calion of which was as follows. A negro hav¬ 
 ing come to vilit Herrnhut in Germany, v/hcre 
 thefe people were fettled, he told the brethren 
 that his mother, a negro woman, who lived in 
 that illand, would be glad to hear of the Savi¬ 
 our. 
 
 This ftirred up a defire in fome to go thither, 
 and Leonard Dobee, afterwards a Moravian bi- 
 fhop, refolved for the fake of thefe poor Hea¬ 
 thens, even to become a Dave himfelf, if he could 
 find no other means of preaching the gofpel to 
 the Negroes. He went to St. Thomas’s in the 
 year 1732, and began to declare to them the 
 word of revelation. 
 
 He was followed by others, and the teftimony 
 of the death of the Lord of life and glory, for 
 the fins of the world, began to operate upon the 
 hearts of the poor negroes. In 1736, the firft 
 of three negroes who had embraced the gofpel, 
 was baptized, and then a fortofoppolition arofe. 
 
 The white people, from fome falfe principles, 
 hindered the conversion of the negroes to Chril- 
 tianity. The mifiionaries, and thole negroes 
 who came to them to hear the gofpel, wereobliged 
 to endure and luffer much. The late count Zin- 
 zendorf, whofe zeal for the happinefs of his fel¬ 
 low creatures, and particularly of the Heathens, 
 could not be reftrained by any difficulties, ar¬ 
 rived in the illand of St. Thomas in the year 
 1739. He found fome of the mifiionaries in 
 prifonj but, upon his requeft, the governor fet 
 them at liberty. From that time the gofpel has 
 been preached there uninterruptedly, although 
 the negroes have, ever fince then, undergone 
 many hardffiips, and borne many afflictions for 
 the fake of the gofpel. 
 
 The miniftrv of the Brethren of St. Thomas, 
 and the two adjoining ifiands of St. Crux and St. 
 Jan, has been crowned with great luccefs, lb 
 that many thoufands of poor benighted negroes 
 have been enlightened, and have believed in the 
 name of the Lord Jefus, and been brought to 
 the enjoyment of the bleffings purchafed by his 
 blood. 
 
 Thefe negroes are alfo a proof that a genuine 
 reformation in principles and practice is always 
 
 f the UNITED BRETHREN. 
 
 infeparable from true convidion, and the pro¬ 
 prietors of the eftates acknowledge this to be the 
 fruit of the gofpel 3 that their Oaves, fince they 
 have believed in Jefus, are become faithful, obe¬ 
 dient, and diligent 3 yea, the magiftrates them¬ 
 felves have more than once declared, that the 
 baptized nations are a greater lecurity to them 
 than their forts. The brethren have built cha¬ 
 pels for the negroes for Divine worfflip in each 
 of the three Daniffl ifiands, and the number of 
 negroes, who are now under the care of the 
 brethren, amount to about fix thoufand. Many 
 of thefe poor creatures are very pious, and when 
 they die, it is generally in a triumphant manner, 
 fruiting for falvation in the merits of Chrift. 
 
 In the year 1754, fome gentlemen of confider- 
 able pofifeffions in Jamaica, being much con¬ 
 cerned for the falvation of the fouls of their 
 poor negroes, defired that a million might be 
 eltablifhed in that illand, which was agreed to ; 
 and they, with a zeal that is uncommon in this 
 age, made the million in the beginning to be at¬ 
 tended with great fuccels. This million has been 
 the only one begun by us, that met with encou¬ 
 ragement in the beginning. It was foon feen 
 that the Holy Ghofi: had prepared the hearts of 
 many of the negroes to receive the gofpel, and 
 fome fruits appeared quickly. But though the 
 difficulties from without were not of fuch a na¬ 
 ture as to obftrud the labours of the brethren, as 
 was apparently the cafe in other places, yet in a 
 few years, the feed which had fprung up, feemed 
 to wither and die away. But thefe laft years, 
 there has been a mofi: blefled revival, and the 
 word has been preached at feveral places in the 
 illand with fuch fuccels, that there are now feve¬ 
 ral congregations of baptized negroes, who adorn 
 the dodrine of God our Saviour. 
 
 In the illand of Antigua a million has alfo 
 been eltablifhed fince the year 1756. Though 
 the progrefs of the gofpel has not been fo rapid, 
 nor the effeds fo Unking here as in Jamaica; yet 
 many negroes have received the word of atone¬ 
 ment with joy, and are become partakers of the 
 redemption in the blood of Chrift. The bre¬ 
 thren have a houfe and chapel at St. John’s, 
 where, according to our lateft accounts, many 
 negroes attend the preaching conftantly. The 
 brethren preach alfo to the negroes on the feveral 
 plantations. 
 
 The laft million fent to the Caribbee Ifiands 
 was to Barbadoes. The negroes on this illand 
 were often the fubjed of the thoughts and prayers 
 of many of the brethren 3 but when the way 
 and manner of eftablilhing a million there was 
 taken into confideration, we faw difficulties 
 which feemed infurmountable. Alter making an 
 attempt which did not anfwer, in the year 1765, 
 a brother in England refolved to go thither, to 
 attempt to bring the negroes to the knowledge 
 of the truth. He was joined loon by another 
 brother from America. Thefe mifiionaries found 
 favour in the eyes of fome of the gentlemen ol 
 the illand, and many negroes Ihewed a defire to 
 hear the glad tidings of redemption from fin by 
 the blood of Chrift. The work of the Holy 
 Ghofi: was foon apparent. The mifiionaries were 
 enabled to purchafe a fpot of ground, to fit up 
 a dwelling for themfelves, and a hall in which 
 
HISTORY of the MISSIONS of the UNITED BRETHREN. 651 
 
 the negroes could meet. Many fruits already 
 appear, and fome negroes have been baptized. 
 
 Befides thefe illands on which millions are 
 eftablilhed, the brethren have vifited feveral 
 others; and as the negroes, who have received 
 the faith, are often either fo.d or tranfported to 
 eftates of their mailers on other illands, they 
 have brought the glad tidings of great joy to the 
 negroes there ; and we have reafon to believe, 
 that they prove a good favour, even where there 
 are no eftablilhed millions. 
 
 We will now turn our eyes to Afia, though we 
 cannot give you fo joyful an account from that 
 quarter of the globe, as you have above from 
 America. 
 
 In the year 1759, with the concurrence of the 
 court of Denmark and the Afiatic Company at 
 Copenhagen, a colony of brethren went to Tran- 
 quebar, in the neighbourhood of which they 
 formed a fettlement, with a view to a million 
 among the Indians on the coaft of Coromondel, 
 and particularly to eftablifh a fettlement on the 
 Nicobar illands. At length, in the year 1768, 
 they accomplilhed what they had almoft given 
 up as impracticable, viz. the eftablifhment of a 
 fmall colony in the Nicobar illands. The In¬ 
 dians received them kindly, gave them land to 
 five on, and by the laft accounts we have reafon 
 to believe, that as our brethren learn the lan¬ 
 guage, thefe poor Indians will reap the blelTings 
 of the golpel. Of the fix who went the firft 
 time to thefe illands, two departed this life very 
 foon. 
 
 Some brethren have alfo gone to Ceylon at 
 two different times, to try, if poffible, to bring 
 the gofpel among the Cyngalefc; but they could 
 not obtain their aim, though their abode there 
 was not entirely without fruit. 
 
 In the year 1747, two brethren went to Perfia, 
 with the view of finding the followers of the 
 antient Magi or Gauri ; but they could not ob¬ 
 tain their aim, on account of the troubles of the 
 war, which raged there at that time. 
 
 The ernprefs of Ruffia having granted the 
 brethren fome land in the kingdom of Aftracan, 
 on the banks of the Wolga, a colony is now 
 eftablilhed there, and we are not without good 
 hopes, that God will blefs and enable them to 
 bring the gofpel among the Heathens who are on 
 the borders of that country, and who already 
 fhew a particular affeiftion for them. 
 
 Thus in Alia a beginning is made, and we can¬ 
 not but hope, that our Lord, who has opened 
 the door, will grant us to fee the fame happy 
 effeifts as are evident in fo many other places. 
 
 The fruits of the travail of Chrift’s foul upon 
 the natives of this quarter of the globe, are feen 
 in the greateft numbers among the negroes in the 
 American illands, who came from the coaft of 
 Guinea, and other parts of Africa. Even as 
 early as in the year 1737, two brethren went to 
 Guinea, to preach the gofpel to the negroes 
 there ; but one of them departing this life foon 
 after their arrival, no farther attempt was made i 
 to eftablilli a miffion on the coaft of Guinea till 
 the year 1767, when at the delire of the African 
 Company at Copenhagen, and after an agree¬ 
 ment had been made by the laid company, and 
 confirmed by his DaniiTi majefty, five brethren 
 went thither in one of the company’s fhips. 
 
 But very foon after their arrival three of them, 
 among the reft the chief miffionary, were taken 
 off by a malignant fever. The remaining two 
 fpent fome time in a fickly ftate at the Danilh 
 fort ; but laft year three brethren more went to 
 them, attended by another to aftift them in fet¬ 
 tling in their proper habitation. One, of the 
 three who went laft, departed this life foon after 
 his arrival. 
 
 The Danifti governor prefented the brethren 
 to the king of Achem, who received them into 
 his friendlhip, and gave them leave to fettle in 
 any part of his territories wherever they might 
 chule. Thereupon they fought out a proper 
 place, where, by the laft accounts, they we:e 
 employed in building a houfe, in order to enter 
 upon the work of the miffion. 
 
 An attempt has alfo been made to bring the 
 gofpel among the Hottentots at the Cape of Good 
 Hope. Our brethren lived five years among 
 them, begun a fchool for the children, and 
 baptized alfo feven adult Hottentots. But cer¬ 
 tain circumftances interfering, this miffion could 
 not be continued. 
 
 I could alfo give you an account of fome 
 other attempts of the brethren towards the fur¬ 
 therance of the kingdom of Jefus in Africa, but 
 as they do not properly belong to the clafs of 
 millions among the Heathens, I Ihall only- 
 name two to you. 
 
 One of thefe attempts has the Copta in Egypt 
 and Abyffina for its fpecial object; and three 
 brethren are now refident at Cairo in Egypt, for 
 that purpofe. 
 
 The aim of the other was dire&ed to the fal- 
 vation of the poor Chriftian Haves in Algiers. 
 Our brother Richter went thither in the year 
 1740, where he, while preaching to the Haves 
 fick of the plague, got the fame diforder, which 
 proved the means of his diffolution. Another 
 brother ftayed there from the year 1744 to 1748, 
 ferving, and preaching to the Haves. 
 
 I will not take up more of your time in relat¬ 
 ing many other important and linking incidents 
 attending our millions. But I cannot conclude 
 this part of my narrative without mentioning our 
 prefent attempts to form a miffion on the coaft: 
 of Labrador, among the favage Efquimaux. 
 
 In the year 1752, fome merchants in London 
 fitted out a Hiip for that coaft, and they had the 
 good intention of affilling the brethren to form 
 a miffion among the Indians there. Accordingly 
 four miffionaries went with this fhip, and took 
 the frame of, and materials for a houfe with 
 them, intending to ftay in that country, and to 
 dwell among the Indians. They arrived fafely 
 upon the coaft, and the miffionaries erefled their 
 houfe on a convenient lpot. The Hi ip failing 
 farther northwards, with a view to trade, fome 
 Efquimaux came on board, and appeared very 
 kind and loving; but at length enticed the 
 mate, who was a brother, and fome others away 
 from the fhip, under the pretence of trade, and 
 then murdered them. 
 
 After thofe on board had waited fome days in 
 vain for the return of their companions, they 
 failed back to the place where the four brethren 
 had built their houfe, and from thence to Europe. 
 The four miffionaries were obliged to return 
 with the Hiip, to help to work her ; though fome 
 
65 2 HISTORY of the MISSION 5 
 
 of them left Labrador with great reluctance, not- 
 withftanding the imminent danger to which they 
 would be expofed by their flaying alone among 
 the cruel lavages, The lame veffel iailed thither 
 again next year, and the bodies of thole who had 
 been murdered were found : but that was all they 
 obtained by this voyage. 
 
 Still the Efquimaux were objefts of our fpecial 
 attention ; and in the year 1764, a Brother, who 
 had been in Greenland, and had learned the 
 Greenlandifh language, being impelled in his own 
 mind to go among the Efquimaux, went with the 
 bleffing of the congregation to Newfoundland, 
 and from thence to Terra Labrador, where he, 
 after furmounting many difficulties, got a fight of 
 the Efquimaux. It was a great joy to him, and 
 no lefs a furprize to them, that they could under- 
 ftand each other. By this means it was dilco- 
 vered, that the fuppofition of our brethren in 
 Greenland, that the Efquimaux and Greenlanders 
 were originally the fame nation, was matter of fa£t; 
 and thus a friendly intercourfe commenced be¬ 
 tween the Brethren and Efquimaux. 
 
 In the year 1765, the fame brother, with three 
 others, went again to Newfoundland and to the 
 coaft of Labrador, being encouraged thereto by 
 the worthy governor of Newfoundland, commo¬ 
 dore Pallifer, by the Board of Trade and Planta¬ 
 tions, and by the Lords of the Admiralty. Two 
 of them went from Newfoundland in a fmall vef- 
 fel, to reconnoitre the coaft, but to little purpofe. 
 But the chief confequence of this voyage was, 
 that at length the Efquimaux came clown to Cha¬ 
 teau bay, and our Brethren had frequent oppor¬ 
 tunities to fpeak with them of their Creator and 
 Redeemer. There was alfo a peace and treaty 
 concluded between the Efquimaux and the Eng- 
 liffi, and the former promiled that they would be 
 obedient to his majefty king George. &c. By 
 this interval the Brethren and the Efquimaux be¬ 
 came better acquainted, and the latter invited the 
 former to come and live among them. 
 
 As it was the wiffi of the brethren to be a blef- 
 fing to this nation, and to refide among them, fo 
 we could not but defire to have it in our power 
 to form a fettlement among ihofe heathens, and to 
 have fuch a parcel of land, that the Efquimaux 
 who fought their falvation, might dwell there to¬ 
 gether unmolefted. Application being made to 
 government for a grant of land, we met with all the 
 encouragement we could wiffi ; but the execution 
 of the grant was delayed till the year 1769. 
 
 In the mean time a company of Efquimaux 
 coming in the year 1768 to Chateau bay, began 
 again their old practices of murdering and deal¬ 
 ing. Thefe were attacked by a party of Engliffi, 
 and feveral were killed on the fpot, and fome 
 taken prifoners and brought to Newfoundland. 
 But a woman, and her fon about fix years old, and 
 a boy of about thirteen or fourteen years old, were 
 brought to England. This boy was given by 
 governor Pallifer to the Brethren’s Society for the 
 furtherance of the gofpel. The woman and her 
 fon were treated with great kindnefs, and her royal 
 highnefs the princefs dowager of Wales, the duke 
 of Glouceder, and fundry perfons of didindlion 
 took notice of her and loaded her with prefents. 
 She was fent back with her fon in the year 1769, 
 by the officer with whom ffie came to England. 
 The above-mentioned boy, whofe name was Kar- 
 
 of the UNITED BRETHREN. 
 
 pik, lived fome time with us in Chelfea, and wai 
 a real pleafure to all t'nofc who law him. He 
 was lively, docile, and of quick natural parts ; 
 and though he had fometimes fits of fullennels 
 and obftinacy, yet in general he was very good 
 natured. Pie was in June 1769 lent to our fet¬ 
 tlement at P’ulneck in Yorkffiire, under the care 
 of one of the four brethren who had made the 
 voyage to Labrador in 1765, and who could fpeak 
 Greenlandiffi. 
 
 Karpik was taught there to read and write, and 
 made a good proficiency. His kind guardian 
 fpoke much with him of the miferable ftate of an 
 unreconciled finner, and of the love of his Cre¬ 
 ator. His heart was touched and often affedted, 
 and he would at lad begin to afk queftions upon 
 thefe heads himfclf. At length he was taken ill 
 with the fmall pox. The miffionary, finding 
 that he really was a proper objedl, baptized him 
 on his fick bed, in the prefence of as many as the 
 room where he lay could conveniently hold; and 
 the baptifm was performed in the Efquimaux lan¬ 
 guage ; foon after he, as the firft fruit of this la¬ 
 vage nation, departed with joy, calling upon the 
 name of the Lord. We felt pain on account of 
 this lofs; for we loved the youth, and hoped, that 
 he would in time prove of real fervice to his na¬ 
 tion. 
 
 Every thing touching the intended fettlement be- 
 ing agreed upon, fome Brethren in London refol- 
 ved to form a company, and fit out a ffiip to carry 
 the miffionaries to the coaft of Labrador in order 
 to vifit the Efquimaux, to fix upon the land on 
 which a future fettlement ffiould be made, and 
 to prepare every thing in the beft manner they 
 could for that purpofe. Accordingly a ffiip was 
 bought, and fitted out and failed in May 1770.. 
 Three Brethren went as miffionaries, and leveral 
 accompanied them as affiftants. Our Lord’s pro¬ 
 vidence procured us a captain fit for the purpofe. 
 This voyage has been crowned with luccefs ; they 
 have been preferved from great danger, and have 
 been favourably received by the Efquimaux. 
 The miffionaries have preached the gofpel often 
 to them in large and fmall companies, and they 
 have reafon to hope, not without effect. Thus 
 far the Lord has gracioufiy helped 11s. 
 
 Now we are preparing to form a fettlement 
 among them, and as the Efquimaux are noted for 
 their thieving, treacherous and cruel difpofttion, 
 we truft in the Lord, that he will protedt our Bre¬ 
 thren, when they live among them, and help us 
 alfo with regard to the confiderable expences this 
 expedition will be attended with. Havingalready 
 greatly exceeded the bounds of this narrative we 
 will not dwell upon other attempts of the Brethren 
 which are now in hand, but proceed to the quefti- 
 on; By what means are the Brethren enabled to 
 fupport fuch very large undertakings ? 
 
 Our millions among the heathens have been fur¬ 
 thered and fupported with great zeal and concern 
 of heart by the late couut Zinzendorf, from their 
 very beginning, to his entering into the joy of his 
 Lord. At firft the millions were but few, and 
 the expences required for their fupport did 
 not amount to very confiderable films. But as 
 the millions became more numerous from time to 
 time, fome members of the congregation, and 
 other friends, found themfelves moved to take 
 ffiare in, and promote, by voluntary contributions. 
 
HISTORY of the MISSIONS of the UNITED BRETHREN. 6cj 
 
 the furtheranc e of the gofpel; and this they did 
 either by aflifting the Brethren’s millions in gene¬ 
 ral, or one or another minion in particular. 
 
 As thefe millions continually grew more and 
 more numerous and confiderable, God has caufed 
 this kind affiftance alfo to encreale. Yet now 
 and then, particularly when new eftablilhments 
 were formed, the Brethren who were appointed 
 to provide for the millions, have been obliged to 
 borrow money for the purchafe of as much land 
 as was needful, for the building of dwellings for 
 the milTionaries, &c. till they were enabled to 
 pay it off again, as it came in. But that every 
 thing relating to the millions might be tranfadted 
 in a fuitable and orderly manner, fenfible and 
 faithful men are chofen from time to time, at the 
 l'ynods of the Unity, who are appointed deputies 
 to manage the diaconate of the millions. They 
 have the general care of the external affairs of 
 the millions in all parts of the world they re¬ 
 ceive the voluntary contributions from the Bre¬ 
 thren’s congregations and from other friends ; 
 for the millions have no other funds than thofe 
 contributions ; they do their utmoft to defray 
 the neceffary expences by this means, and they 
 keep regular accounts of the receipts and dif- 
 burfements. The diaconate of the millions have 
 not only the care of providing for the mifliona- 
 ries on their voyages and journeys by land and 
 fea; of fupporting them, as far as lies in their 
 power, when they are among the heathens ; but 
 alfo of providing for their children in thefchools 
 appointed for the education of our children in 
 Europe or America, and alfo for the widows of 
 fuch who depart this life in the labour among the 
 heathens. 
 
 The Brethren who at prefent are employed in 
 providing for the millions in general, have an ar¬ 
 duous talk ; they ferve joyfully the work of God 
 among the heathens without any lalary, and their 
 only recompence is, that they are employed in 
 fuch an important caufe of our Lord, and that 
 they aflift in the propagation of the gofpel. 
 
 It would be impofiible for thefe Brethren to 
 provide all that is required for the fupport of 
 the millions, if on the one hand the Lord had 
 not enkindled a zeal in our congregations, and 
 in the hearts of the members thereof, and of 
 thofe friends out of our circle, who wilh to fee 
 the kingdom of God come, and who have been 
 informed of the circumftances of our millions, 
 to take lhare in, and to lend real aflillance to 
 this work of God, fo that the poorell are willing 
 to throw in their mites : and if, on the other 
 hand, our miflionaries and their afliftants among 
 the heathens, did not make it their concern to be 
 as frugal as poflible. The miflionaries, as much 
 as their occupation in preaching the gofpel, and 
 taking care of the fouls of the poor heathens 
 will permit, do their utmoft to earn their own 
 bread by their own hands, and thus to make the 
 care of thofe employed in providing what is ne¬ 
 ceffary for the millions as ealy as poflible to them. 
 This is more particularly the cafe in l'ome places, 
 as in St. Thomas, where our Brethren have been 
 able, through the regulations they have made, 
 to provide for their maintenance almoft entirely; 
 fo that now commonly nothing falls upon the 
 diaconate of the millions, except the journeys 
 
 55 
 
 and Voyages thither and back again, and fuch 
 extraordinary expences, as building of cha¬ 
 pels, &c. 
 
 In the year 1742 fome Brethren, who live in 
 London, formed themfelves into a fociety, by 
 the name of the Brethren’s Society for the fur¬ 
 therance of the gofpel, with a view to aflift in 
 this bleffed work, to which they were the more 
 encouraged, as a great part of the miflionaries 
 who pafs and repafs, naturally go by the way of 
 London. This little Society in the beginning 
 did more than they themfelves, at firft, could 
 have expected. It was however for feveral years 
 in a declining ftate. But, about two years ago, 
 the old members of the fociety formed them¬ 
 felves anew into a body, to which they added 
 feveral others. Since then they have continued 
 in a ftate of bleffed adlivity, and been enabled, 
 by their own voluntary contributions, by gifts 
 from friends out of our circle, and by two fmall 
 legacies, to lend real affiftance to the miflionaries 
 who have paffed through London, and among 
 the reft they have defrayed the whole of the pal- 
 fage of the miflionaries who went this year to the 
 coafl of Labrador ; and they hope, by the blef- 
 fing of the Lord, to lend confiderable aflillance 
 to the eftablilhment of the miflion-fettlement on 
 that coaft next Ipring. 
 
 Thus they afford a great aflillance to the gene¬ 
 ral diaconate of the millions. You have a more 
 full account of this fociety for the furtherance 
 of the gofpel, in a letter from J. H. to a friend, 
 publilhed in the year 1768. 
 
 I cannot conclude without obferving, that as 
 there is no fixed falary fettled upon any miffionary, 
 nor any profpedtof their ever gaining the leaft pecu¬ 
 niary advantage by their enteringinto this lervice, 
 nothingbut the love of Chrift canconftrain them 
 to engage in this work} and their only reward is, 
 when they fee the heathens, overcome by divine 
 Grace, bowing their knees unto, and joining 
 already here below in praifing the Lamb that 
 was flain, who has loved us and walked us from 
 our fins in his own blood.” 
 
 Notwithftanding all the regulations made, as 
 above related, we are often in pain that it is not 
 in our power to give more effectual affiftance to 
 thofe who in the fervice of our Lord, among 
 the heathens, venture their lives and carry their 
 fouls in their hands, and to render their arduous 
 woik more eafy to them. 
 
 Thus, my dear friend, I have given you a 
 brief, though a much longer account, than I in¬ 
 tended. 
 
 He who has bought the fouls of men with his 
 own blood, and who “ Ihall have the heathen 
 for his inheritance, and the uttermoft parts of 
 the earth for his poffefiion,” be praifed for what 
 he has done by means of the Brethren } and I 
 am perfuaded that all thofe who love the Lord 
 Jefus Chrift, and wilh for the happinefs 
 of their fellow-creatures, will join in prayer, 
 that the Lord of the harvell may continue to 
 blels and profper this important work, until 
 <c the knowledge of the Lord covereth the 
 earth, even as the waters cover the fea.” 
 
 The Efquimaux, who are the inhabitants of 
 the coaft of Labrador, have been hitherto known 
 under no charadler but that of thieves, murderers, 
 8 C and 
 
654 HIS T O RY of the MISSIONS of 
 
 and favages ; but the brethren of the miffion 
 found them much deficient from what they had 
 been reprefented. They found they were the 
 fame with thofe in Greenland, from the fimilarity 
 of their language, and the affinity of their cui- 
 toms. Many brethren offered thcmfelves to en¬ 
 ter upon this arduous undertaking, though they 
 were not ignorant of the dangers that attended 
 it. Out of thefe, three married couple, one 
 widower, arid feven lingle men were fixed upon 
 to begin this fettlement. The names of them 
 were as follow : 
 
 Jens Haven, who was the firft brother that 
 went in fearch of the Efquimaux, felt that even 
 before he went to Greenland, an impulfe to carry 
 to this favage nation the gofpel of their redemp¬ 
 tion ; and undifmayed by the many difficulties 
 and dangers which he had met with, and might 
 ftill have to encounter, he went with his wife in j 
 this company. 
 
 The next was Chriflian Laerfen Drahent, an 
 old miffionary, who had ferved the Lord twelve 
 years among the Greenlanders, waited as a wi¬ 
 dower many years, with earneft defire that the 
 door might be opened to the Efquimaux, and 
 that he might end his days in the miniftry of the 
 gofpel among them. He accordingly let fail 
 the third time for the coaff of Labrador. 
 
 The third was Chriftopher Braafin, a phyfician 
 and furgeon, who was ftirred up in his vifit to 
 Greenland; he devoted himfelf to the fervice of 
 the Lord, and amongft thefe favages went thither 
 with his wife. 
 
 Next to him was John Shneder, bom in Mo¬ 
 ravia, who had been alfo feveral years an affiftant 
 to the million in Greenland, but afterwards waited 
 a confiderable time in America, till the door 
 fhould be opened to the Efquimaux; but at 
 length he obtained his wifh to have his wife along 
 with him to Labrador. 
 
 Jofeph Needier was another valuable and 
 pious affiftant, who had been many years in 
 Greenland; and along with him was Stephen 
 Senfon, who had for fome time the care of the 
 million. To thefe were added, four other bre¬ 
 thren, who were all unmarried, but who did 
 every thing in their power to promote the gofpel 
 amongft the Heathens. 
 
 Thefe came altogether from their different ha¬ 
 bitations, to Lindfey-houfe in Chelfea ; and their 
 fimplicity, indefatigable zeal, and elevatednefs 
 of thought, were an edification to all thofe who 
 converfed with them. 
 
 At the requeft of fome of the brethren, it was 
 refolved upon to fend out more miffionaries to 
 convert the Heathens, and to collett among 
 themlelves fumsjufficient for that purpofe. As 
 it was neceffary that the miffionaries fhould be 
 provided with every thing that was wanting, 
 therefore the materials of ahoufe were formed at 
 Chelfea, and conftru&ed in fuch a manner, that 
 the whole could be eafily taken in pieces, and as 
 eafily formed together. This was done in order 
 to accommodate them when they arrived at a 
 diftant fhoie, where they might be in want of 
 the common neceffaries of life. Bricks, mortar, 
 boards, fhingles, caft-iron ftoves, and all necef¬ 
 fary furniture, was provided for them, partly 
 here, and partly in Newfoundland. And as they 
 
 the UNITED BRETHREN. 
 
 had but very little hopes of procuring their fub- 
 (iftance by hulbandry or fifthng, therefore a quan¬ 
 tity of fuitable provifions, for a year at leaft, and 
 cloaks proper for that inhofpitable climate were 
 fent with them. Though what was provided was 
 fcantv, yet they received it with great thankful- 
 nels ; and their joy in hopes of being a bleffing 
 to the Efquimaux, made them luperior to all the 
 difficulties and inconveniences. 
 
 Government fhewed a kind attention to their 
 fafety ; and Mr. Byron, who fucceeded Sir Hugh 
 Pallifer in the government of Newfoundland and 
 Labrador, was fo good as to iffue a proclamation, 
 forbidding every one to moleft the brethren in 
 their fettlement, or to give them any difturbance 
 whatever. The owners, who had refolved to 
 purchafe a fhip merely for this million, had in 
 the preceding years fuftained a confiderable lofs, 
 and yet they determined to purchafe a larger 
 fhip, for the carrying the brethren to Labrador, 
 they being paid by the brethren’s l'ociety for pro¬ 
 pagating the gofpel. 
 
 Every thing being prepared for the voyage, 
 they were at a l'olemn meeting at the Brethren’s 
 chapel, in Fetter-Lane, London, onMay 5, 1771, 
 recommended in a fincere and aftedting prayer, 
 to the gracious protection and keeping of our 
 father in heaven, and to the grace and prefence 
 of the Lord Jelus Chrift, and to the kind gui¬ 
 dance of the Holy Ghoft. On the 8th of the 
 fame month, they went on board the fhip, with 
 confident andjoyful hearts, and arrived after a 
 tedious and troublefome voyage, at St. John’s 
 in Newfoundland, on the firft of July. 
 
 They met here with much kindnefs from fome 
 of the inhabitants; and having foon compleated 
 their ftores, failed on the 7th for Labrador. 
 
 This laft part of their voyage was ftill more 
 difficult and dangerous. They were often obliged, 
 on account of ftorms, to run into bays between 
 numberlefs illands and funken rocks, with which 
 this coaft abounds. They were often environed 
 with great mountains of ice and ice-fields, which 
 were terrible to the very mariners : but the Lord 
 helped them out of all the dangers with which 
 they were encompaffed, and gave them the joy 
 to fee, meet and fpeak, at fundry times, with, 
 fome of the Efquimaux. As foon as the Indians 
 heard that they were brethren who would dwell 
 among them, and that Jens Ingoak, little Jens, 
 fo they called brother Elaven, was there, they ex- 
 preffed much joy, and were very ready to ferve 
 them, by giving them directions how to find the 
 harbour which they had chofen the foregoing 
 year. They call anchor in the defired haven on 
 the 9th of Auguft. And their firft bufinefs was 
 to return thanks and praifes to the Lord, whole 
 help they had fo often experienced. 
 
 They went on Ihore the next day, being the 
 1 oth of Auguft, to take a nearer view of the 
 ground, and to fix upon the fpot on which they 
 would ereCt their houfe. One of the texts ap¬ 
 pointed for that day in all the Brethren’s congre¬ 
 gations was particularly exprtffive and encourag¬ 
 ing. It was, 
 
 “ Thou lhalt bring them in, and plant them 
 “ in die mountain of thine inheritance, in the 
 <c place, O Lord, which thou haft made for 
 
 (c thee 
 
a»c. 
 
 HISTORY of the MISSIONS 
 
 “ thee to dwell in, in the fanfluary which thine 
 “ hands have eftablifhed.” Exod. xv. 16. To 
 which was added the colleCl, 
 
 « We furely are a work of thine own hand, 
 
 “ Thy fouls, on whom thou’ft deign’d thy 
 ££ blood to fpend, 
 
 “ By thy holy fpkit to thee direCled, 
 
 “ A cov’nant people, by free grace, elected 
 
 £t To endlefs blifs.” 
 
 They immediately fet about ereCting their 
 Houle, in doled it with palifades, and were fo 
 far ready, on the 22d of September, that they 
 could enter into it and lodge in two rooms ; and 
 the worthy captain, who had, with his crew, 
 given them all poflible afliftance, could let fail 
 for England on the 24th of September. 
 
 The'place which the brethren have chofen for 
 their habitation upon the main land, is fo fitu- 
 ated, that both the Nunenguak tribe, who dwell 
 on the iflands between them and the open fea, 
 and the Elquimaux, who ul'ually go from the 
 fouth to the north and back again, pafs by it; 
 and thus they have an opportunity to hear the 
 gofpel there. 
 
 Brother Drachart began direCtly to preach the 
 gofpel of reconciliation to the favages, while the 
 reft of the brethren were employed in building: 
 Their fituation was critical, it was, as one of 
 them writes, as if each with one of his hands 
 wrought in the work, and with the other held a 
 weapon ; for it was neceffary for them to ufe all 
 precaution, and to be conftantly upon their guard 
 againft the attempts of a nation, to whom Heal¬ 
 ing and murdering were become, through habit, 
 a fecond nature. But, prailed be God, who 
 preferved them with fuch a powerful arm, and 
 who turned the hearts of the Efquimaux to fuch 
 friendftiip towards the brethren, that there was 
 no occalion to make ufe of any kind of weapons 
 againft them. The brethren foon difcovered a 
 very confiderable difference between the conduCt 
 of thefe favages now, and when they firft law 
 them. Formerly they were bold and impudent, 
 and looked upon the Europeans as upon dogs, 
 giving them the appellation, Kabluners, that is, 
 Barbarians, but called themfelves Innuit, which 
 fignifies Men. Now, they expreffed their defire 
 to hear the good news, and Ihewed, of their own 
 accord, that they had no fecret murdering knives 
 concealed in their fleeves, nor bovvs and arrows, 
 nor darts hid in their kajaks, fmall boats, lharp 
 at both ends, the ribs are made of wood ; thefe 
 are covered altogether with feal fkin, in the 
 middle is a hole, into which the man thrufts his 
 legs, and the lower part of his body, and fits 
 with his legs extended. Thefe boats hold but 
 one man, who makes ufe of a paddle, and can 
 get very fpeedily forward. 
 
 They began to prove by faCls, that their ufual 
 addrefs to the brethren, when they firft met them, 
 Ikingutegekpogut, we are friends, was truth, 
 and flowed from their hearts. The brethren 
 therefore conclude the journal which they fent to 
 Europe with thefe words, “ We have reafon to 
 « thank our Lord for preferving us hitherto 
 « beyond all our expectation, and all our bre- 
 « thren and Afters and friends, who hear this, 
 “ will praife the Lord with us.” 
 
 of the UNITED BRETHREN. 655 
 
 The owners refolved to fend the fhip again in 
 thefpringof 1772; but as their former lofs was 
 confiderably encreafed by the laft voyage, they 
 determined to fend her to fiih upon the banks of 
 Newfoundland, before fhe failed to Labrador 
 with the provifions fent for the brethren’s ufe this 
 year. 
 
 The fhip ftaid longer out than was expeCled, 
 and did not return to London until December. 
 This delay gave us as much concern, and we 
 were not without painful apprehenfions •, but our 
 good brethren in Nain had reafon to have more 
 frighful and anxious thoughts on account of the 
 Ihip’s remaining fo long ablent from them. 
 
 After the departure of the ftiip in the forego¬ 
 ing year, they had enough to do to finifh their 
 houfe, and to fecure themfelves againft the cold, 
 which is much more intenfe there than in Green¬ 
 land, although their houfe is almoft fcven de¬ 
 grees more to the fouth than our lettlement in 
 that country. The ice does not thaw, fo as to 
 clear the harbour, till towards the end of June. 
 
 Though they did all in their power to obtain 
 frefh provifions by hunting, fowling, and filhing, 
 
 | vet they got but a very fmall quantity, having 
 fhot but two rein-deers, and about an hundred 
 ruypers, a bird a little bigger than a partridge. 
 This was certainly but a fmall pittance for fuch a 
 large family. 
 
 As the fhip, after having concluded the fifh- 
 ing on the Banks, had a very flow paffage to 
 Labrador by reafon of contrary winds and much 
 ice, and did not reach Unity-harbour until the 
 end of October, the brethren beg. r o give up 
 all hopes of her arrival, and of their getting any 
 provifions this year. They had but two pieces 
 of flefh meat left, and very little of other pro¬ 
 vifions, and had the difmal profpeCt of ftarving 
 for want of the neceflaries of life. They there¬ 
 fore fought out and gathered all the red and 
 black berries under the hills, dried them, and 
 laid them carefully by. From the Efquimaux 
 they could expeCt little or no affiftance, notwith- 
 ftanding the good will feveral of them teftified; 
 for thefe poor improvident favages fuffer often 
 themfelves fo great want, that fome, almoft every 
 year, die through hunger. 
 
 Thus fituated, their diftrefs was turned into 
 the greater joy, when the fhip at laft, contrary 
 to their expectations, appeared in Unity-harbour 
 on the 28th of October. In their letters they 
 exprefs themfelves on this occafion thus : 
 
 “ Had you feen the joy that reigned among 
 “ us, when we heard that the fhip was arrived, 
 ££ you would certainly never forget it j for we 
 £C had given her up, and had devoted ourfelves 
 ££ to the moft extreme degree of poverty. I can- 
 “ not fay that a dejeCted fpirit ruled among us 
 « before; but we were refolved to furrender 
 ££ ourfelves up to all circumftances, hoping and 
 ££ trufting that he who has fent us hither, who 
 ££ has counted our hairs, and without whofe per- 
 cf miffion none of them could fall to the ground, 
 ££ would prelerve us.” In another letter it is 
 remarked: 
 
 ££ The fhip’s flaying away fo long had two ef- 
 ££ feCls; firft, it convinced us that nothing was 
 ££ impoffible to the Lord, and that he can com- 
 C£ mand the feas that they fhould remain open, 
 £f that, though fo late in the year, the fhip could 
 
 £C come 
 
 t 
 
g 5 6 HISTORY of the MISSIONS of the UNITED BRETHREN. 
 
 " come hither. Secondly, it made ns more 
 “ thankful for the provifion fent to us.” 
 
 Touching the main object of their fettlement, 
 one of them writes as follows: 
 
 <f The word of the crofs, and of the great 
 <c atoning facrifice, has been, at every opportu- 
 tc nity, yea without cefTation, preached by us 
 ef unto the Efquimaux. Brother Drachart has 
 cc particularly fhewn great faithfulnefs herein ; 
 tf for he fcarcely ever fpeaks with them of any 
 <f thing elle. They hear it, and for tl;e greateft 
 <c part wonder at it. Sometimes they will not 
 “ hear, go away from him, and begin to laugh ; 
 “ but he is ftill patient, and goes on in hope. 
 tf We difeover, however, joyful traces in fome, 
 ** that the word of the crofs, which can even 
 fC melt rocks, does not return without leaving 
 “ fome effedts on one or another of them. May 
 “ our Saviour grant that it may foon take deep 
 (i root in their hearts !” 
 
 Notwithstanding the exceftlve cold in winter, 
 fomeof the miftionaries ventured to go over the ice ! 
 and fnow on a vifit, and to preach the gofpel to ■ 
 the Efquimaux in their winter houfes, which are 
 built of pieces of fnow. 
 
 The manner of forming thefe houfes is this : 
 they chufe a large drift of fnow, dig an oval hole 
 in it as large as they want the houfe. They then 
 cut out pieces of fnow of three feet long, two 
 feet broad, and one foot thick; with thefe they 
 arch over this hole. Inftead of a window, they 
 cut a hole in the arch, and fix in a flab of ice, 
 which gives tolerable light. They dig a long 
 crooked low entry through the fnow to the dwel¬ 
 ling, and ufe a flab of frozen fnow for the door. 
 They leave an elevation of about twenty inches 
 in the midfl of the houfe, on which they lay 
 fkins and fleep. 
 
 The milfionaries were not only received and 
 lodged in a very friendly manner by the Efqui¬ 
 maux, but they were conftantly vifited by num¬ 
 bers of them as foon as they could drive from 
 their habitations on the ifiand, to the Brethren’s 
 dwelling, over the frozen fea, on fledges drawn 
 by dogs. And as foon as the ice was gone, the 
 vifics were ftill more numerous. 
 
 Thefe fledges are fometimes drawn by four 
 teen, by twenty, yea, they have feen twenty- 
 eight dogs before fuch a fledge. They run all 
 abreaft. 1 heir harnefs is all bound together in 
 a thick thong, which, paffing through a ftrong 
 ring, is faftened to a fledge. The driver alfo 
 binds all the reins together; his whip has a han¬ 
 dle of about ten inches or a foot long, but the 
 lafti is from twenty to twenty-four feet in length, 
 and he can govern his dogs tolerably expertly. 
 Thefe poor dogs are all half ftarved ; they fre¬ 
 quently eat their harnefs, and are then beaten 
 moft unmercifully. 
 
 The Efquimaux can go much more conveni¬ 
 ently from place to place in their kajaks and wo¬ 
 men’s boats, when the water is open, than on 
 their (ledges over the ice, and are not Co much 
 expolcd to the cold. This is the reafon of the 
 vifits being more numerous in fummer than in 
 winter. 
 
 The confidence of the favages to the Erethren, 
 had increafed in iuch a manner, that they afked 
 their advice in all their circumftances, A par¬ 
 
 ticular inftance of their confidence and attention 
 to the Brethren had occurred this year. There 
 arofe fuch a quarrel between fome of the Lfqui- 
 maux of Nunenguak and Arbartnk, that the 
 latter threatened to murder the former. Thofe 
 of Nunenguak therefore fled to the Brethren, 
 and defired their protection. The Brethren 
 would not difappoint their good confidence, but 
 promifed to prated them, upon condition that 
 they would concur with them in endeavouring 
 to make peace between them and their enemies! 
 Not long after, one of their enemies, who was 
 rel'olved upon murder, came alfo upon the Bre¬ 
 thren’s land. By the defire of thefe Efquimaux, 
 who complained of this man, and who were ten 
 in number, among whom was Tugluina, the 
 hulband of the well-known woman Mikak,’ and 
 his brother Seguliak, a meeting was appointed 
 between him and them, in the prefence of the 
 Brethren. 
 
 •*•*■'•* me uincr, deli¬ 
 vered their teftimonies againft the accufed, and 
 he defended himfelf as well as he could ; bus 
 they puflied him fo hard, that at length he bevan 
 to weep. Then brother Drachart began to (hew 
 unto them, that God would, by this opportu¬ 
 nity, convince them of their wretched condition 
 and bring them into another and happier way of 
 thinking. He afked the accufed, whether he 
 was forry for his wicked murdering thoughts and 
 intentions ? whether he would lay them afide 
 and would for the future love his countrymen as 
 his brethren? and fome more fuch queftions 
 As he anfwered all thefe queftions in the affirma! 
 tive, and not without emotion, he then addrel- 
 fed the accufers, and afked them whether they 
 would forgive all that had paired, make peace 
 and would alio for the future love him as their 
 countryman ? Nine of them expreffed their rea- 
 dmefs to forgive him, but one would not gi ve 
 an anfwer Brother Drachart took this man 
 alide into his chamber, and alked him why he 
 would not forgive ? At firft he replied, that he 
 did not believe that the accufed meant honeftly 
 what he lpoke with his lips. Drachart repre- 
 fented unto him, that God could change the 
 hearts; that he himfelf had fuch a bad heart 
 that God muft change it, why then would he 
 not forgive his countryman ? Through this con 
 verlation he became fo tender, that he declared 
 his willingnefs to lay afide all enmity. He wenc 
 back into the aftembly with Drachart, and pub 
 lickly declared his readinefs to foraive Thus 
 peace was not only eftablilhed among them, but 
 the Efquimaux reiolved among themfelves that 
 when any differences fliould for the future’ariie 
 or evil reports be fpread of each other, they 
 would go direftly to the Brethren, beg to have 
 luch another meeting, and make up their d : ft'e 
 rences amicably. Thus the Lord approved his 
 1 f rva " ts n t0 tlle favages as peace-makers, and 
 thereby (Lengthened their faith, that he would 
 in his good time, open their hearts and ears’ 
 that they may become obedient to the faith. 
 
 With this hope, and with an emboldened 
 mind, they concluded the firft year of their abode 
 among thefe lavages; and by the accounts re¬ 
 ceived of their prefervation and chearful perl'e- 
 verance in the work of the Lord, the congrega- 
 
 tions 
 
HISTORY of the MISSIONS of the UNITED BRETHREN. 657 
 
 tions of the Brethren were filled with praife and 
 thankfgiving. 
 
 We cannot help mentioning, that filler Haven 
 was delivered of a fon, who was baptifed in the 
 Efquimauxlanguage, and called John-Benjamin. 
 TheEfquimaux were exceedingfond of this child. 
 Another filter was delivered, but the child was 
 Hill-born. 
 
 But with a view to come more to the affiftance 
 of the million by council and deed, both in their 
 internal and external affairs, the Brethren to 
 whom the fynod has committed the government 
 of the churches, refolved to fend one of their 
 members to Labrador in the fpring of 1773. 
 For this purpofethey pitched upon the Rev. Paul 
 E. Layritz ; and notwithftanding his age being 
 then lixty-fix, he declared with chearfulnefs his 
 readinefs to undertake this difficult and danger¬ 
 ous voyage. His wife all'o determined to go 
 with him, to be a comfort and pleafure to the 
 three fillers at Nain. 
 
 They refolved to go on board a Ihip that was 
 to fail for Newfoundland, and either to Hay on 
 board while they were fifhing, or to wait at St. 
 John’s till the Ihip ffiould return from the banks, 
 and then embark for Labrador. 
 
 The owners of the ihip were again lofers, and 
 therefore under the neceffity of making an ad¬ 
 dition of fifty pounds to every hundred of the 
 original Hock, to enable them to fit out the Ihip 
 for the next voyage. However, they ventured 
 to refolve upon the purchafe of a l'mall veffel, 
 which ffiould carry brother and filler Layritz, and 
 brother Beck to Labrador, as foon as the ice 
 would permit. 
 
 Brother Beck was the eldcil fon of John Beck, 
 the oldell miffionary to Greenland, but was edu¬ 
 cated from his feventh year in Germany, and 
 fome years ago was fent back to be thoroughly 
 inftrudted in the Greenland language by his fa¬ 
 ther j and thus he was properly qualified to be 
 employed among the Efquimaux. 
 
 They arrived l'afe and well in the harbour of St. 
 John’s on May 5th, and much kindnefs was ffiewn 
 to them by Mr. Burnet, at that time judge of 
 the Vice-admiralty court, to whom the worthy 
 governor Shuldham had recommended Mr. Lay¬ 
 ritz, as alfo by feveral other worthy gentlemen. 
 In all thefe undertakings they met with great 
 fuccefs, and it may be juftly faid, that the gofpcl 
 flouriffied under their preaching. 
 
 After Capt. Mugford and brother John Hill 
 had purchafed and fitted out a fmall Hoop, bro¬ 
 ther Layritz and his company embarked, on the 
 22d of May, on board this little fioop, from 
 twenty-five to thirty tons burthen, called the 
 George, commanded by Mr. Wilfon, and failed 
 for Labrador : but after failing three days, they 
 were llopt by a field of ice, which extended be¬ 
 yond the bounds of their fight, and were obliged 
 to run with a contrary wind, and in a llorm, into 
 the bay Notre-Dame. 
 
 Eight days after, they ventured, in company 
 with another fioop from Fogo, to fail through 
 the broken pieces of ice, but were under the 
 neceffity of returning to the bay, and got back 
 to their former place with great danger. At 
 length they let forward on their voyage, failing 
 fiowly along the coall ; and on the 24th of June 
 
 55 
 
 they made thfc fouthern coall of Labrador, and 
 the next day got fight of the firft Efquimaux in 
 eight kajaksj Thefe, upon being called to, in 
 the manner and words ufual in Greenland, foon 
 came on board, behaved friendly, and were very- 
 attentive while fome Greenland verfes were fung, 
 concerning'the redemption by our Saviour. They 
 invited the Brethren to vifit them on Camp ifiand, 
 where they had pitched their tents. The fioop 
 accordingly failed thither ; and although thefe 
 Efquimaux, who dwell to the fouth, and are 
 called Arbartoks, are of the worlt kind, yet they 
 received their vifit in a very friendly manner, 
 about fifty old and young Indians heard the gof- 
 pel, which brother Layritz preached to them in 
 their wooden tents,and brother Beck interpreted; 
 they liftened with eager attention, and promifed 
 to vifit the Brethren in Nain, and to hear more 
 of thefe good words. Some days after, fome of 
 their countrymen, about two hundred in num¬ 
 ber, in fix ffiallops, met the little (loop on the 
 coall, furrounded her, and behaved fo peaceably, 
 that they did not look like the former thieving 
 and murdering Efquimaux. They all knew of 
 the Brethren in Nain, and fome related that they 
 had fiept there laft winter, and that they had 
 heard there, from brother Drachart, the very 
 fame good words which brother Layritz now 
 told them. 
 
 At length they reached the latitude of Nain, 
 after having efcaped many dangers, and particu¬ 
 larly one on the 15th of July, when they run 
 upon a ffioal, and were obliged to unload the 
 veffel upon an ifiand that lay near them ; and 
 thus, through the grace of God, they got off 
 without damage. Here they were at a lofs, not 
 knowing how to lleer fafely through the illands 
 and rocks which extend far into the fea before 
 Unity-harbour; but they got fight of an Efqui¬ 
 maux woman’s boat, the owner of which offered 
 to pilate them through Byron’s-road to Nain. 
 
 What they call a woman’s boat, is a large boat, 
 the ribs of which are made of wood, but the 
 whole is covered with feal Ikin. One of thefe 
 boats will hold a whole family, with their uten- 
 fils, and a great number of dogs* They are 
 always rowed by the women, and therefore called 
 women’s boats. 
 
 Thus they arrived fafe and well in Unity-har¬ 
 bour on July 25th, and were received with the 
 greater joy, which the Brethren and Sifters ex- 
 preffed by floods of tears, as their vifit was 
 quite unexpected, and particularly becaufe a fil¬ 
 ter was come to them. The very Efquimaux, 
 who to the number of two hundred had pitched 
 twenty-one tents on the ftrand, were full of joy. 
 Eighteen kajaks came to meet the fioop as flie run 
 into the harbour, and were hung to the fioop on 
 the right and on the left,and the Efquimaux came 
 on board to welcome the vifitors. When they 
 landed, they were furrounded by two hundred 
 young and old, and elcorted by them to the 
 houfe of the miffionaries with every token of joy. 
 
 At the numerous vifits of the Efquimaux, of 
 whom thirty-fix tents full had been there at once 
 in the beginning of July, the miffionaries were 
 ufed to vifit them every morning in their tents,, 
 and to enquire, whether they had kept what they 
 had heard in an honeft and good Jieart ? Towards 
 V D evening 
 
65S HISTORY of the 
 
 evening they had always a meeting with 
 ESquimaux, to which they were called by the 
 found of a bell. In thefe meetings, firft a verle 
 out of the Greenland .Hymn-Book, was given 
 out and fung, which many of them retain, both 
 is to the words and tune, fo that they can join 
 very well in finging them. After this the golpel 
 was preached to them in a concife manner. 
 Sometimes they were afked, whether they under¬ 
 stood what they had heard ? and upon their defiring 
 it, it was farther explained to them. The Esqui¬ 
 maux themfelves often afked for a mor£ particu¬ 
 lar explanation. In the firft meeting, at which 
 brother Layritz was prefent, he delivered a fhort 
 difcourfe which brother Drachart interpreted : 
 Then one of the moft diftinguifhed heads of a 
 family, for there are no national chiefs or heads 
 either among the Greenlanders or Elquimaux. 
 They are all equals, though Some Angekoks, 
 who are cunning, and have bodily ftrength, 
 have fome influence upon their countrymen, but 
 not as chief or head. The head of a family, who 
 has naturally an authority over his family, ftood 
 up, and anfwered in the name of the reft, that they 
 were not only very thankful to the Brethren that 
 they came unto them, dwelt among them, and 
 told them fuch good words, but he added, cf we 
 will give our hearts to the Saviour,” whom they 
 call Anaurfifok, <c we will believe in, and love 
 him.” 
 
 They alfo declared the fame, lome days after, 
 in the prefence of lieutenant Curtis, who had 
 been fent by the governor in a king’s lchooner, 
 to fee how the Brethren went on, and at the fame 
 time to Survey the coaft. 
 
 Upon this occafion, about thirty of the heads 
 of families were aflembled. Mr. Curtis deiired 
 brother Drachart to inform them, that his excel- 
 lencv the governor had given orders to acquaint 
 them, that they mult leave oft'dealing and mur¬ 
 dering ; for whofoever Should be found guilty of 
 thefe crimes, for the future, muft be punifhed 
 with death. Further, they Should go no more 
 to the South under pretence of getting wood for 
 their bows and arrows; but if they were under a 
 neceflity to go thither, they Should not do it with¬ 
 out taking with them a certificate from the Bre¬ 
 thren. Hereupon they replied, It is right that 
 a thief and murderer be punifhed with death, 
 for he delerves it; but Since they had heard the 
 gofpel of Jelus, they had no more ftolen or mur¬ 
 dered, and they would, for the future, do fo no 
 more. They had not been at the South thefe 
 three years, Since they, the Nunenguaks, had 
 heard the governor’s proclamation ; and if any 
 of them fhould be obliged ro go to the South, 
 they would bring a letter from their Brethren, 
 meaning the mifiionaries. Mr. Curtis allured 
 them of the love of the king and of the governor, 
 and they exprefied their thankfulnefs in a very 
 hearty and friendly manner. 
 
 This teftimony muft, agreeable to the truth, 
 be given to them, that they became from time 
 to time more attached to, and more confident 
 towards the Brethren. When they go from Nain 
 to,the iflands or the Sea, they commit the goods 
 they moft value to the Brethren to keep for them; 
 yea, they often leave their wives and children 
 under the infpe&ion and care of the Brethren 
 
 until they return. On this account the Brethren 
 refolved to build a ftore-houfe for them, in which 
 they can lay up Such provisions as they can pro¬ 
 cure and Spare in Summer, that So they may be 
 able to dwell with the mifiionaries in winter, and 
 to hear the word of God daily and richly. 
 
 It cannot be Said as yet with certainty that they 
 are converted, and therefore the miflionaries will 
 not baptize any, till they find Souls who are truly 
 awakened by the Holy Ghoft, and are indeed 
 earnestly concerned and defirous to obtain grace, 
 through the redemption by the blood of Chrift. 
 It muft however be owned, that the preaching of 
 the gofpel unto them has not been in vain. The 
 greateft part of thofe who dwell around the mis¬ 
 sionaries, are often much aftefted at what they 
 hear of the Saviour of Sinners, and have a re- 
 fpedt and awe for the name of Jefus. But it is 
 very hard to convince them of their finfulnefs 
 and corruption ; for although they were formerly 
 the moft abjeft fiaves of their brutal paflions, 
 and committed all manner of fleflily fins, theft 
 and murder, yet they know how to excufe them¬ 
 felves with all kind of Subterfuges as well as the 
 Europeans. 
 
 The liars comfort themfelves and make ufeof 
 the plea, that they are no thieves ; the thieves 
 that they are no murderers ; and the murderers 
 that they are not as bad as the Kablunets. And 
 although they have Some notion that there is a 
 great Lord, who created heaven and earth, yet 
 they have no kind of Divine worShip among them, 
 or any way of paying devotion to this Creator. 
 
 They Seem to be alfo without any fenfe of con¬ 
 demnation, and are always very expert at Stifling 
 remorfe of conlcience. But Since they have 
 heard the gofpel, they begin to See and acknow¬ 
 ledge the heinoufnefs of fin, alfo to confefs that 
 they are Sinners, and many feel the neceflity of 
 having a Saviour. The Divine efficacy of the 
 gofpel has approved itfelf unto them. The ex¬ 
 ample of the mifiionaries and their afliftants, and 
 their walk conformable to the gofpel, is a con¬ 
 firmation of what is preached unto them, and 
 attended with the pleafing effedt, that the Esqui¬ 
 maux inftead of being as formerly, like a herd 
 of wild boars on the foreft, appear now, as bro¬ 
 ther Drachart expreSSes it, <c like a flock of Sheep 
 round about the Brethren.” 
 
 Formerly, no European would have ventured 
 himfelf alone with the ESquimaux, or have Spent 
 a night with them, on any consideration : but 
 now the miflionaries vifit them in their winter ha¬ 
 bitations at a considerable diftance from Nain, 
 Sleep among them many nights Succeflively, 
 preach there the gofpel to them, reprove them 
 on account of their HeatheniSh cuftoms, and 
 even flop the mouths of their Angekoks, or pre¬ 
 tended conjurers, ordering them to be Silent, in 
 the midftof their incantations. 
 
 Nothing can be Said to all this, but, This is 
 the Lord’s doing ! For the poor ESquimaux are 
 So bewitched with the fable of TongarSuk, the 
 evil Spirit, and their Torngaks, or familiar Spi¬ 
 rits, that they undertake nothing without con¬ 
 sulting them, and are terribly afraid of them. 
 They .have among them even women, called 
 Illifeitfoks, who pretend to have fuch a Spirit, 
 that make a kind of rumbling noil'e in their bo¬ 
 dies, 
 
 MISSIONS of the UNITED BRETHREN, 
 the 
 
H I S T O RT of the MISSIONS 
 dies, which noifethefe women afterwards explain, 
 and that is looked upon as a predi&ion. They 
 are fo attached to thefe old fables and deceits, 
 that it is very difficult to turn them from them. 
 They would gladly keep their Torngaks, and at 
 the lame time believe in our Saviour. The An- 
 gekoks obferve, that by preaching of the gofpel, 
 their craft is in danger of being entirely ruined, 
 and therefore ufe all their cunning and influence 
 that the poor Efquimaux may not become be¬ 
 lievers. 
 
 All this makes the following example, which 
 occurred in the foregoing year, the more re¬ 
 markable : 
 
 A man, whofe name was Annauke, departed 
 this life, calling upon the name of the Lord Jefus. 
 The Brethren faw him the firft time, four years 
 before, at Chateau-bay, when the peace was made 
 by governor Pallifer with the Efquimaux. He 
 then had all the appearance of a thief and mur¬ 
 derer ; but in the following years, heard the gof¬ 
 pel frequently, and experienced the power there¬ 
 of in a remarkable manner, fo that his features 
 were foftened, and from a bear he became a 
 lamb. He pitched his tent in Nain, flayed 
 there, in the year 1772, till autumn, and in No¬ 
 vember removed to his winter-houfe, which was 
 at a confiderable diftance from the Brethren. He 
 came fometime after from thence, and that on 
 foot, to Nain, merely to hear the golpel. 
 
 Towards the end of the year and the begin¬ 
 ning of January it is not poffible, either for the 
 Europeans or Efquimaux, to pafs or repafs, as 
 there are then commonly the greateft falls of 
 fnow, the ice firft fets in, but is not paffable on 
 the fea. Therefore the Brethren heard nothing 
 more of Annauke till brother John Schneider 
 vifited the Efquimaux in their winter-houfes, and 
 Annauke’s wife came herfelf in February to the 
 Brethren in Nain. Then the Brethren heard that 
 Annauke fell lick in December ; and it was loon 
 evident that his end approached. The Efqui¬ 
 maux are fo extremely afraid of death, that they 
 are (hocked and terrified to hear even the name 
 of a dead perfon mentioned. But Annauke 
 turned to our Saviour, and declared that he did 
 not chufe to flay any longer in the world, but 
 would go unto him. His wife, Niviarfina, when 
 (he obferved that his end approached, began, 
 according to the cuftom of the Efq’uimauxf to 
 howl and cry, and afked him, “ O, my dear 
 “ hufband, wilt thou leave me and thy two 
 “ children ?” The dying Annauke anfwered, 
 
 “ Weep not, I go to the Saviour, who loves 
 “ mankind lb much.” 
 
 This was the more ftriking, as he had no 
 Chriftian at hand to inftrudt him, nor none near 
 him whom he might be defirous to pleafe, by 
 fpeaking of Jefus, and exprelfing his reliance 
 upon and love to him. And what was dill a 
 more clear proof that this was the effeft of a 
 real work of the Holy Ghoft in his heart, was, 
 that he, as the Angekok, who lived in the fame 
 place, related to Brother Drachart with difplea- 
 fure, would not have an Angekok to come to 
 him in his ficknefs, although the Efquimaux, as 
 foon as they fall lick, fend diredtly for the An¬ 
 gekok, who afts -the phyfician, making ufe of 
 certain.Ipells over the fick for their recovery. 
 
 of the UNITED BRETHREN. 6$ 9 
 Yea, Annauke, fmee his death, is commonly 
 deferibed by the Efquimaux themfelves, as the 
 man whom the Saviour took to himfelf. The 
 miffionaries, therefore, by all what they before 
 had feen and heard of this man, and by the man¬ 
 ner of his departure out of this life, can juftly 
 look upon him as the firftling in that country, 
 upon whom our Saviour certainly fulfilled his 
 word, “ Him that cometh to me, I will in no 
 wife caft out." 
 
 The above inftance gave the Brethren more 
 courage to form a clafs of catechumens of fome 
 in whofe hearts there appeared evident i-aces of 
 the work of the Holy Ghoft. In this clals they 
 are to be more particularly mftructed in the ways 
 of God. 
 
 Tiie Brethren have alfo refolved to erect a 
 proper church for the Efquimaux, in which the 
 gofpel may be preached to fomehundreds atonce, 
 as the room in which they have preached in their 
 houfe is much too fmall. 
 
 Certain it is, that the miffionaries and their 
 affiftants lead a moft difficult, inconvenient, and, 
 to flefli and blood, uncomfortable life in this 
 rough and inhofpitable climate. The cold is, as 
 has been already mentioned, and as the thermo¬ 
 meter proves, much more intenfe than in Green¬ 
 land. And although they burn in their large 
 (loves of caft-iron great quantities of wood, by 
 day and night, yec the windows and walls are all 
 the winter covered with ice, and the bed cloaths 
 freeze to the wall. Rum freezes in the air like 
 water; and reeftified fpirits, in the coldeft wea¬ 
 ther, foon become chick like oil. The thermo¬ 
 meter is commonly from December to April 
 feventy degrees below the freezing point. The 
 fea freezes fo far out, between the ifiands, that 
 they cannot get a fight of open water from De¬ 
 cember to June. Some of the Brethren ven¬ 
 tured to go in February to the Efquimaux about 
 forty miles diftant from Nain, but they endured 
 the moft extreme hardlbips from the cold. 
 
 Though wrapped up in' furs, yec their eye lids 
 froze in luch a manner together, that they were 
 obliged continually to pull the ice from them, 
 and to keep their eyes open with their fingers. 
 One of them returned with a pain in his fide ; 
 another with his hand frozen and fwelled like a 
 bladder ; and it was a mercy of the Lord whom 
 they ferve, that they were cured. The Efqui¬ 
 maux, who live chiefly on blubber, and who have 
 probably fatter and more oily blood, can cer¬ 
 tainly endure the cold better than the Europeans ; 
 but there are however inftances that the Efqui¬ 
 maux themfelves are frozen to death in winter; 
 The few fiiminer months are, on the other hand, 
 fo much the hotter, the thermometer rifing to 
 the eighty-fixth degree: but then they are 
 plagued with an amazing fwarm of malignant 
 mulketoes, which fling fo violently, that they 
 often return home with fwelled faces. 
 
 1 here can be no expectations of any thing 
 like agriculture, fo as to produce grain ; this is 
 evidenc from the trials already made. Some 
 fmall gardens which the Brethren have laid out 
 and cultivated, produce fome fallad, turnips, 
 hardy cabbages and radiihes, but potatoes freeze 
 when they have (hot up no higher than about 
 half a foot. 
 
H I S T O RY of the MISSIONS of the UNITED BRETHREN. 
 
 660 
 
 By hunting and fiihing they have hitherto been | 
 able to procure but very little provision, becaule 
 their fituation upon the continent is not at all 
 favourable thereto. Beftdes, the great number 
 of Efquimaux dogs, that mull feek their own 
 
 maintenance, prevent the fuccefs they might 
 have in catching fifli, as thel'e half-llarved dogs, 
 at low water, run into the nets, tear out and 
 devour the fifli, and moreover tear the nets to 
 
 1,1 Thus the Brethren mult be fupported chiefly 
 by the provifion fent to them annually from Eu¬ 
 rope, l'uch as flour, fait meat, rice, peas and 
 barlev, and are heartily thankful, partly, that 
 friends are always found who contribute theie- 
 unto, and partly that they can earn fomethmg 
 by the work of their hands to lighten in fome 
 ineafure the expence of fupporting themlelves. 
 They begun laft year to build boats for the r.lqui- 
 maux, and to make fundry implements for their 
 work, and utenfils for their houfes, and receive 
 in payment whalebone and blubber, which they 
 fend hither towards their expences. 
 
 Bv building boats we have reafon to hope that 
 one great advantage will be obtained, namely, 
 that the Efquimaux will be delivered from the 
 temptation of going to the fouth to Heal boats. 
 And by the implements and utenfils made 101 
 them by the Brethren, they will be from time to 
 time more enabled to get and increale what is 
 neceflary for their own lupport. 
 
 Though, by thefe means, the outward fitu¬ 
 ation of thefe poor favages may be greatly 
 improved and rendered more humane, yet it 
 is certainly of incomparably greater impor¬ 
 tance, that they be brought to Jefus Chrift by 
 the preaching of the gofpel ; that they be lanc- 
 tified by die true faith in him; and thereby, with 
 greater certainty, be civilized and made moral 
 human creatures. 
 
 It: is this confideration that enables the miffio- 
 naries and their afiiftants, notwithftanding their 
 mod difficult fituation outwardly, to hold out 
 with chearfulnefs and full of faith, in that call 
 which the Lord has given them, until the Efqui¬ 
 maux, in this remote part of the earth, (hall lee 
 the falvation of God. Brother Layritz, on his 
 fafe arrival here with his wife on the 28th of 
 Oftober, allured us, as an eyewitnefs, that this 
 was the difpofition of thofe Brethren and Sillers. 
 
 They had this laft year, 1774, by means of 
 a Hoop, an opportunity of vifiting fix habita¬ 
 tions of the Efquimaux which lie farther north ; 
 they were received in a friendly and confident 
 manner, and moll preffingly entreated by the 
 poor lavages, many of whom had never feen an 
 European before, to come and dwell among 
 them, and to bring them the good words of their 
 Creator and Saviour. 
 
 Is the acquiring wealth and fortunes, which 
 laft not for ever, but pafs away, allowed, every 
 where, to be a fufficient motive for long voyages 
 and the enduring great hardlhips ? furely it is a 
 more noble motive, yea, it is of infinitely 
 oreater ufe, if confidered merely in a rational 
 point of view, to endure hardlhips, even the 
 greateft, if fouls, who are however our fellow 
 creatures, are thereby laved from death, brought 
 into a Hate of peace and happinefs, and obtain 
 
 a well grounded hope of a blefled immortality. 
 The love of Chrift, who, though he thought it 
 no robbery to be equal with God, made himfclf 
 of no reputation, took upon him the form of 
 a lervant, fubmitted to be defpifed andrejefted, 
 and became obedient unto death, yea, to the 
 death of the fhameful crol's, to redeem us, mull 
 certainly impel the hearts of the miflionaries, 
 (Emulate their zeal, and make them willing to 
 perlevere with patience in the midll of all, even 
 the greateft hardlhips. 
 
 Blefled be the name of the Lord, who has not 
 permitted the labour and trouble of our Brethren 
 among the heathens to be in vain. We have now 
 had many years experience, that our gracious 
 Lord has crowned the Ample preaching of the 
 gofpel of his incarnation, l'ufferings and death, 
 with blefting, has owned it in grace, and thereby 
 the eyes of the heathens have been opened, and 
 they have been turned from darknefs to light, 
 and from the power of fatan to the living God. 
 What the moll juft and excellent moral precepts 
 cannot effeft, what all the power of philolophy 
 cannot produce, what all the eloquence and argu¬ 
 ments of men cannot accomplilh, is done by 
 the word of reconciliation through the blood of 
 Chrift. Of this the heathens, who have received 
 the faith, are a living and inconteftible proof. 
 
 To profelyte men from one fuperllition to 
 another, from one fpeculative iyftem to another, 
 or from one left or outward form of worfhip to 
 another, whether by arguments, or outward 
 pomp, or by any other methods, is indeed no 
 bufinefs, for the fake of which our miflionaries 
 would give themfelves fo much trouble and un¬ 
 dergo fuch difficulties. But to be inftruments 
 to direfil and bring fouls to him, in whom the 
 Gentiles (hall trult, and to whom every knee 
 ihall bow, of things in heaven and things on 
 earth, and things under the earth, it is well 
 worth while to venture life and limb to effeft 
 this. For it is indubitable, that when men, 
 though ever fo wild and favage by nature, are 
 brought to the knowledge of falvation in Chrift 
 Jefus, by the Holy Ghoft, they will of courfe 
 become good and ufeful fubjefls, and benevolent 
 fellow citizens of the world. 
 
 Rules and Articles for the Government of the 
 Churches of the United Brethren. 
 
 Some of thefe articles are fo plain and inoffen- 
 ftve, that little need be faid concerning them. 
 
 Art. I. This fociety is not formed id oppo- 
 fition to any other of the like nature, nor is it 
 to interfere with the charities of any fociety what- 
 ever. 
 
 II. This fociety is to confift of members of the 
 Brethren’s Church, and is properly eftablillied 
 here in London, where they will regularly meet; 
 yet members may alfo be cholen, who relide in 
 other places of the Britilh dominions or ell'e- 
 where, 
 
 III. But befides the aforefaid members ol the 
 fociety, perlons who are not of the Brethren s 
 
 Church, 
 
661 
 
 RT I C L E S and R U L E S of the UNITED BRETHREN. 
 
 Church, but are friends and well-withers of the 
 furtherance of the gofpel among the Heathens, 
 may be chofen as honorary members ot this lo- 
 ciety t to whom, from time to time, accounts will 
 be communicated of the work of our Lord among 
 the Heathens through the Brethren s millions -, 
 and fuch honorary members may be admitted oc- 
 caftonally to the meetings of the iociety. 
 
 There is fomething in tliis article, at firft light, 
 glaringly engaging. It feems to promife a large 
 fliare of charity ; and yet, if we attend to it 
 ftriftly, we (hall find that it contains both oftenta- 
 tion and meannefs. Oftentation, in holding it 
 forth as an honour to be admitted into their Iociety; 
 and meannefs, in looking for lublcriptions to iup- 
 port their caufe. 
 
 IV. The defign of this fociety being to atiitt 
 thole miflionaries and their lielpers, whom to: 
 direftors of the mitTions of the brethren s Church 
 may fend to the Heathens in different parts of the 
 world, we will not confine our afliftance of rhole 
 miflionaries to gifts and contributions only, but 
 it will be our great pleaiure to promote this ami¬ 
 able work with our belt ferviccs, in all relpebts, 
 by entertaining them during their abode in Eng¬ 
 land, and alio fupplying them with all neccffanes 
 for their paffage to the places of their deftination, 
 ana during their refidence at thole places. 
 
 V. Although our chief aim is to further the 
 gofpel, and affift the miflionaries in the Britifh do¬ 
 minions in America, and other parts of the 
 world, yet we a alio d< lirous to give all poflible 
 aid to the Brethren’s millions among the Heathens 
 in other countries. 
 
 VI. And whereas the United Brethren, tor 
 many years fucceflively, have appointed deputies, 
 and committed unto them the tare of the Hea¬ 
 then miflions and the management ot the contri¬ 
 butions, which, for the unavoidable expences at¬ 
 tending this work of God, are given freely, from 
 time to time, by the Brethren’s congregations and 
 by others •, we will therefore aft in conneftion and 
 fellowlhip with thefe deputies ; on which account 
 our fecretary and other brethren of the commit 
 tee are to cultivate a conftant correi'pondence with 
 them, that we may be intormed of the otcafions 
 requiring our afliltance, and be ready to afiift. 
 
 VII. And whereas the aforefaid deputies of the 
 Brethren’s Church have always a correfponding 
 acrenr, who refides in London, to execute their 
 commiffions, we will always be ready to give him 
 all the afliftance we can therein. 
 
 VIII. Every one of us is willing tp add his 
 mite to thofe free gifts made at dated times, in 
 the Brethren’s congregations, for the fervice of 
 the miflions among the Heathens. But befides 
 this, a box (hall be placed in the room where we 
 meet, into which every member of the fociety may 
 put at any time what he thinks proper ; all which 
 is to be employed for the ufe of the laid miflions. 
 The committee is to take an exadl account of this 
 money as well as what may come in by way of 
 donation, legacy, or otherwife, and alfo how it is 
 expended ; and this account is to be laid before 
 the fociety once in three months. 
 
 It is remarkable, that the gofpel was propagated 
 at firft without the afliftance of power, money, 
 or, indeed, any encouragement from men. And 
 yet the tender plant grew, and fpread far and 
 
 56 
 
 wide. Whereas, in modern times, thoufands and 
 ten thoufands of pounds, are collefted to propa 
 gate the gofpel, and yet few converts are made. 
 For this there muft be fome reafon, but whatever 
 we may imagine it to be, we fltall leave the reader 
 to form his own judgement. 
 
 IX. If this fociety, or one or more members 
 thereof, (hould be appointed truftees of any lands, 
 for a feitlement among the Heathens ; in that cafe 
 we engage to be faithful to our truft, and not 
 claim for ourlelves, at any time, what lhal! be 
 fettled upon us in truft. 
 
 X. The ordinary meeting of the fociety to be 
 once a month, at a time and place to be deter¬ 
 mined upon by the fociety, and as loon as can 
 conveniently be after the day, on which accounts 
 of the progrels of the g fpel, efpecially among 
 the Heathens, are ufualiy read in the Brethren’s 
 chapel. 
 
 XI. The fociety is to chufe a committee, con¬ 
 fiding of fix members, a fecretary and one or two 
 lervants ; one of the committee is to be appointed 
 treafiurer; and all the ordained mimtters of the 
 Brethren’s Church prefent in London, are to be 
 looked upon as members of the committee and 
 each of them to have a vote. 
 
 XII. The members of the committee are to aft 
 as deputies of the fociety, and are to meet once a 
 week, or as often as may be thought needful for 
 the dilpatch of bufinels, and four of the com¬ 
 mittee are impowered to do bufinefs. 
 
 XIII. The committee may call an extraordi¬ 
 nary meeting of the fociety, when bulineis re¬ 
 quires. 
 
 XIV. The commiitee is impowered, upon any 
 emergency, to borrow in the name of the Iociety, 
 or contract debts of any fum not exceeding fifty 
 pounds. 
 
 We cannot approve of thefe money affairs in 
 religion. There is lbme reafon to imagine, that 
 the paflions of men, influenced bv corrupt nature, 
 have too much effeft on modern religion. We 
 are convinced, that God once gave his blefling on 
 means of a different nature ; and hiltory tells us, 
 that as the fame means have not been ufed fince 
 the time of the emperor Conftantine the Great, 
 lb the lame ends have not been found. 
 
 XV. At the firft meeting of the fociety in 
 every year, the fix members of the committee, the 
 fecretary and the fervants are either to be continued 
 in their offices, or others elefted in their places. 
 
 This article has been copied from one of thofe 
 belonging to a benefit fociety. ft here officers are 
 very rich and greatly efteemed. otherwife they 
 would not be eagerly fought after. All officers 
 court pride, and human paflions will be as much 
 gratified in a club of common mechanics, as in the 
 firft lord of the treafury, or the high chancellor 
 of England. The reafon is plain, learning and 
 knowledge, improved by virtue and adorned by 
 piety, lift the charafter, as it were, above every 
 tiding human. 
 
 XVI. Upon the deceafe or removal of any 
 member of the committee, or any other incident 
 requiring a new choice, the committee is to pro- 
 pole fuch perfort or perfons to the fociety whom 
 they think proper for the office. 
 
 XVII. Such perfons ought to be members of 
 the Brethren’s congregation, of a good capacity 
 
 8 E and 
 
662 A RT I C L E S and RULES of 
 
 and a good character among the Brethren as 
 well as amo/ig their fellow fubjedls. 
 
 XVIII. Perfbns propofed by the committee 
 to the Society, for members of the committee, 
 are to be cholep by the majority of the members 
 of the fociety prefent. 
 
 XIX. Whenever any new member or mem¬ 
 bers are to be propofed to the fociety, the com¬ 
 mittee is firft to confider whether fuch perfon or 
 perfons may be of ufe to the the fociety in car¬ 
 rying on the above-mentioned purpofes: And if 
 the perfons propofed by the committee are ap¬ 
 proved of by the unanimous choice of the fo¬ 
 ciety, by ballot, then fuch perfon or perfons are 
 to be admitted members. 
 
 XX. But if, on the ballot, there rtiould be any 
 negative to the choice of the perfon propofed, 
 the member or members objecting, are to men¬ 
 tion his or their objedtion to fome member of 
 the committee, when the cafe is to be recon- 
 fidered ; and if the objedtion can be removed, 
 to the fatisfadtion of the objedtor, fuch perfon 
 or perfons may be propofed a fecond time to the 
 fociety ; and if no new negative appears upon 
 the ballot, he or they are to be then admitted 
 members. 
 
 XXI. No member of the fociety is to acquaint 
 any one, either of his being propofed or choien 
 a member of the fociety, for this is to be done 
 by the fecretary, or fome other member of 
 the committee appointed for it, as circumftances 
 require. 
 
 XXII. No perfon once admitted into this fo¬ 
 ciety is to be removed out of it, but after ma¬ 
 ture confideration of the committee, and with 
 the confent of the majority of the fociety ; and 
 a perfon thus removed, not to be re-admitted 
 but by ballot. 
 
 XXIII. When any new members are admit¬ 
 ted, the rules of the fociety are to be read to 
 them, and each new member is to fubferibe 
 them. 
 
 XXIV. The fociety may form new articles, 
 which are conliftent with ths tenor of the above 
 articles and the well-being of'the fociety, as cir¬ 
 cumftances may hereafter require. 
 
 XXV. The above rules are not to be altered 
 but on mature deliberation, and in a meeting of 
 the fociety, and by majority of votes ; and pre¬ 
 vious to any alteration a month’s notice fhall be 
 given, exprefling the nature and defign of the 
 alteration propofed to be made. 
 
 Upon the whole, thefe articles are of a very 
 carnal nature. They point out much of worldly 
 wifdom, but little of that which is from above. 
 We could wilh there was nothing human in reli¬ 
 gion but juft the common outward means, and we 
 fincerely believe, that the real fervants of God 
 are frequently to be among thofe who are re¬ 
 puted to have no religion at all. 
 
 Account of all thofe Societies which the United 
 Brethren have in different -parts of the world. 
 
 It is very remarkable, that thefe people, al¬ 
 though not much known in England, yet are 
 extremely numerous. Of this we ftiall have 
 
 the UNITED BRETHREN. 
 
 occafion to take notice afterwards, fo as to endea¬ 
 vour to account for that fecrecy, which prevails 
 among them. 
 
 The places where the congregations of the 
 Brethren are at prefent fettled, are of different 
 kinds, and many of thefe congregations are not 
 very numerous. Some have been fettled by the 
 Brethren on fpots which were not at all inhabited 
 before, merely with this intent, that only mem¬ 
 bers of the congregation Ihould dwell there, and 
 that they might be entirely unmixed with others. 
 Thefe places are called in the ftridteft fenle 
 Congregation-places ; for example, Herrnhuth, 
 Gnadenfrey, Fulneck, Bethlehem, Salem, Sa- 
 repta, &c. 
 
 Farther, the Brethren have built their place 
 of worlhip and the dwelling-houfes of the mem¬ 
 bers of the congregation, contiguous to fome 
 towns and villages inhabited by other people, yet 
 in fuch a manner, that their buildings Hand to¬ 
 gether on one fpot, or in the fame ftr’eet, and 
 are, as much as circumftances will admit, fome 
 more and fome lefs leparated from the reft of the 
 public or private buildings of the town or vil¬ 
 lage. Thefe are called in a more extenfive fenfe 
 Congregation-places ; fuch as Neufalze, Neu- 
 wied, Ochkbrook, &c. 
 
 Again, there are other congregations of the 
 Brethren, the members of which do not dwell 
 together, but are fcattered in the cities, or 
 towns, or in the country round about; they how¬ 
 ever alienable in the fame place of worfhip, and 
 their regulations arefuited to their circumftances. 
 Thefe are called City and Country Congrega¬ 
 tions, for inftance, London, Amfterdam, Phi¬ 
 ladelphia, &c. 
 
 The fame diftindlion is to be made with regard 
 to the millions of the Brethren among the Hea¬ 
 thens. Some of the congregations, gathered 
 together by the gofpel from the Heathens, dwell 
 together in one place j for inftance, New Herrn¬ 
 huth and Lichtenfels in Greenland, at Langen- 
 toutenunk, that is, the city of peace, in North 
 America; alfo at Sharon on the Samarica in Su¬ 
 rinam. Thefe may be properly called Town- 
 Congregations of the converted Heathens. Others 
 of the Heathens, who have been brought to 
 Chriftby the miniftry of the Brethren, live dif- 
 perled, as the negroes in the Weit-India iflands, 
 and the Indians on the Corentyn in Surinam ; 
 but they come to the preaching and to partake 
 of the facraments, to the church or meeting- 
 houfe, which the miflionaries have built near 
 their own dwellings : Thefe may be called in 
 the moft proper fenfe, Million-Settlements. By 
 this defeription every reader will be able to de¬ 
 termine, to which of thefe clafles each congrega¬ 
 tion or million of the Brethren belongs. Now 
 they lhall be mentioned according to the coun¬ 
 tries and governments under which they dwell. 
 
 i. In the empire of Germany, and firft under 
 the eledtor of Saxony. 
 
 Herrnhuth in Upper Lufatia, on the high road 
 between Lebau and Zittau, upon the manor of 
 Berthelfdorf, lately the domain of count Zinzen- 
 dorf, and now of baronefs de Wattewille. This 
 place was begun in the year 1722, and this con¬ 
 gregation 
 
ACCOUNT of all the SOCIETIES of the UNITED BRETHREN. 663 
 
 gregation received afterwards a confirmation of 
 its orders and regulations from government. 
 
 Niefky alfoin Upper Lufatia, upon the manor 
 of Trebus, twelve miles from Goerlitz. This 
 place was begun in the year 1742, by exiles from 
 Bohemia. Here is at prefent the Predagogium 
 of the Unity of the Brethren. 
 
 Klein Welke, alfo in Upper Lufatia, about 
 three miles from Budiflin on the road to Berlin, 
 was begun in 1756, and is built very near the 
 old village of the fame name. Moft of the 
 members of this congregation are of the Vandal 
 nation. 
 
 At Barby, in the county of the fame name, 
 twenty-four miles from Magdeburg, a congre¬ 
 gation of the Brethren has been gathered ever 
 fince the year 1748, after the government had 
 given the palace and bailiwick to count Henry 
 the 28th Reuls, and others on a leafe, and had 
 granted the chapel of the palace to the congre¬ 
 gation of the Brethren for their Divine wor- 
 fliip. The theological feminary of the Unity 
 is in this place j in this feminary or college, flu- 
 dents are prepared for future fervice among 
 Chriflians or Heathens. 
 
 Gnadau, on the electoral domain Doeben, fix 
 miles from Barby, and eighteen from Magde¬ 
 burg. In the year 1765, the government gave 
 the palace of Barby, with its appurtenances, 
 and the domain Doeben, to count Henry the 
 25th Reufs, upon a perpetual leafe, with a view 
 that alettlement might be made here, after the 
 manner of the Brethren’s Congregation-Places ; 
 whereupon a beginning was made to build fuch 
 a place in the year 1767, not far from Doeben. 
 
 2. Under the government of the king of 
 Pruffia. 
 
 Gnadenberg, in the principality of Jauer in 
 Silefia, on the manor called Grofs Kraufche, 
 three miles from Bunzlau, was begun in the year 
 1743, after having received a fpecial royal grant 
 for it. 
 
 Gnadenfrey, in the principality of Schweidniz 
 in Silefia, about nine miles from Reichenbach, 
 on the manor of Oberpeilau, was alfo begun in 
 the year 1743. This congregation is at prefent 
 the largefl of the Brethren’s congregations in 
 Silefia. 
 
 Neufalz, is a new built place which the Bre¬ 
 thren began to ere 61 in 1745, near the town of 
 Neuf'alze on the Oder. This lettlement of the 
 Brethren was, by order of the king, laid out in 
 a regular manner in the year 1744, and was in 
 a very flouriffiing condition before thelaft war in 
 Silefia. But in the year 1749 it was plundered 
 in a cruel manner and totally reduced to afhes. 
 The lofs the Brethren fuflained hereby in worldly 
 goods was great, but all the Brethren and fillers, 
 lying-in women, the fick and children, efcaped 
 from the flames, and after many and various dif¬ 
 ficulties, they arrived in the neighbouring con¬ 
 gregations, in Silefia and Upper Lufatia, fafe 
 and well. In 1763, the rebuilding of this place 
 was taken in hand by the defire of government, 
 and a congregation of the Brethren has been 
 again fettled there fince that time. 
 
 Thefe Silefian congregations have their own 
 bifhop, who refides in Silefia. 
 
 In Berlin, a Bohemian congregation of the 
 Brethren, adhering to the Auguitin confeflion, 
 has been gathered together ever fince the year 
 1744, and they declared their fentiments .before 
 a royal commiflion in the year 1747. They 
 have a public Congregation-Houle, in which 
 they have Divine worfhipagreeable to the con- 
 flitution of the Brethren’s congregation. 
 
 Alfo in RixdorfF, three miles from Berlin, in 
 the year 1737, a congregation of the Brethren 
 of the Bohemian nation were collected, and 
 have built a Congregation-Houfe and place for 
 Divine worlhip. The congregation here was 
 plundered in a very fevere manner in the year 
 1760, but at the fame time experienced from 
 the hands of God a gracious prefervation of their 
 perfons. 
 
 At Norden in Eafl-Friefland is alfo a congre¬ 
 gation of the Brethren. They have a public 
 place of worfhip, and enjoy undiflurbed liberty. 
 This congregation was begun under the govern¬ 
 ment of the lafl prince of Eafl-Friefland. 
 
 3. Under the government of the duke of 
 
 Saxe-Gotha. 
 
 NeudietendorfF, fifteen miles from Gotha and 
 fix from Erfuth. In the year 1742, a confider- 
 able number of the Brethren of the Lutheran 
 tropos came together here. After many difficul¬ 
 ties they have been in a more profperous (late 
 fince the year 1753, and received in 1764 a grant 
 from the government. Since then the congre¬ 
 gation has increafed confiderably in the number 
 of their members and in their buildings. 
 
 4. Under the government of Count Reufs. 
 
 Eberfdorf in Voigtland. There has been in 
 this place fince the end of the former century, 
 an Ecclefiola, a pious fociety, which increafed 
 from time to time, and after many viciffitudes, 
 they fought in the year 1745 to eflablifh an en¬ 
 tire union with the congregations of the Bre¬ 
 thren. Thus it came to pafs, that a regular 
 congregation of the Brethren was eflabliffied 
 there ; a piece of land was ceded to them by 
 the reigning count, that they might enlarge their 
 lettlement, and an a6t in favour of the evange¬ 
 lical Brethren’s congregation was iflued in the 
 year 1761. 
 
 5. Under the government of the Count of 
 
 Neuwied. 
 
 At Neuwied, a congregation of French re¬ 
 formed Brethren and Sillers, who emigrated 
 from Herrnhaag, was begun. The reigning 
 count gave them a grant of the neceflary pri¬ 
 vileges in the year 1751, and renewed the laid 
 grant in a more ample manner in the year 1756. 
 The brethren were put in pofleffion of a fquare 
 of the city, for the ufe of the congregation, 
 to eredl on it their place of worfhip and Con¬ 
 gregation-Houfe, and other neceflary buildings 
 for the choirs and families ; and fince then a 
 pretty numerous congregation is collected here. 
 The greatell part of the congregation-members 
 are French reformed, yet as feveral Germans 
 moved thither from time to time. Divine wor¬ 
 lhip 
 
I 
 
 664 ACCOUNT of all the SOCIETIE 
 lhip is performed there in both thefe languages 
 alternately. 
 
 6. In the United Provinces. 
 
 In Zeyft, in the Province of Utrecht, a be¬ 
 ginning was made in 1748 to build a congrega¬ 
 tion-place in two fquares between the palace and 
 
 the village. The congregation has built in the 
 year 1768, a new Congregation-houfe and place 
 of worfhip, and enjoy compleat church-liberty 
 under the government of the ftates ol Utiecht. , 
 The preaching of the gofpel here, both in the 
 German and Dutch languages, is attended by 
 many from other places. 
 
 In Amllerdam there has been a congregation 
 of the Brethren ever fince the year 1738. They 
 have had a place of worfhip there thele many 
 years pall, and live quiet and undifturbed. 
 
 In Haerlem is alfo a fmail congregation of the 
 Brethren, who have alfo a public worfhip. 
 
 The United Brethren have alio leveral mif- 
 fions in the province of Surinam in South Ame¬ 
 rica, they are the following : 
 
 In Paramaribo is a fmail Houfe-Congregation, 
 who dwell there to receive the miffionarics from 
 Europe, to forward them to their polls among 
 the heathens, and to provide them with necelfa- 
 ries. They have a houfe of their own, and 
 maintain themlelves, as the Brethren feek to 
 do every where, with the work of their hands. 
 
 In Sharon on the Saramica, is a congregation 
 gathered out of the Arrawack nation. It was 
 begun in the year 1757, and confuted of fome 
 baptized Indians, who were obliged to fly from 
 the rebellious negroes in Berbice. 1 he lame 
 was the cafe with Hope, on the river Corentyn 
 on the borders of Berbice ; here the Indians, 
 who live fcattered on their Caffabi plantations, 
 are miniftered unto in the gofpel, by fome mif- 
 fionaries. 
 
 In Quama, not far from the head of the river 
 Saramica, the Brethren have a miffion among the 
 free negroes ever fince the year 1765* I his is, 
 as may be eafily conceived, one of the mod toil - 
 fome and moft difficult millions, but has how¬ 
 ever brought forth joyous fruit, as a negroe 
 captain Arabini is become a believer in the Lord 
 Jefus, is baptized, and walks worthy of the 
 gofpel. 
 
 ) 7. Under the Government of Great Britain 
 there are, in Europe, in North America, and in 
 the Weft-India Elands, fundry congregations 
 and miffions of the Brethren. 
 
 In London there has been a congregation of 
 the Brethren ever fince the year 1742. They 
 have a chapel in Nevil’s court, Fetter-lane, and 
 another in Chelfea; near the laft is their bury - 
 ing-ground. There is divine fervice in both of 
 thefe chapels every Sunday. 
 
 At Bedford is likewife a congregation of the 
 Brethren j they have built at one end of the 
 town, fince the year 1741, a chapel, a congre¬ 
 gation-houfe, and houfes for the Angle brethren 
 and fingle fillers. The congregation itfelf was 
 fettled here according to the conftitution of the 
 Brethren in the year 1744. To this congrega- 
 
 S of the UNITED BRET PI REN. 
 
 tion belong the Brethren’s chapels and focieties 
 at Northampton, Rifely, &c. where the gofpel 
 is preached by the Brethren. 
 
 At Ockbrook, five miles from Derby, there 
 has been a congregation of the Brethren ever 
 fince the year 1750. Since then they have eredted 
 on a lmall eftate, bought for that purpofe near 
 the village, a chapel, a fingle brethren’s and a 
 fingle filters’ houfe, and fome other dwelling- 
 houfes. 
 
 Fulneck near Pudfey, and fix miles from 
 Leeds in Yorkffiire, is a congregation-places, 
 built particularly for that purpofe. The begin¬ 
 ning of the buildings was made in the year 1744, 
 and in the following years the congregation- 
 houfe, in which is the chapel,called Grace-hall, as 
 alfo houfes for the fingle brethren, fingle filters, 
 and widows, were built. Here are alfo the ceco- 
 nomies or fchools, in which the children of la¬ 
 bourers, who cannot take care of their children 
 on account of the duties of their offices, are 
 educated. 
 
 The four following congregations are under 
 the infpedtion and direction of the elder’s confe¬ 
 rence of Fulneck, viz. 
 
 Pudfey, to which the members of the con¬ 
 gregation and focieties in the neighbourhood of 
 Leeds and Bradford belong. 
 
 Wyke, to which thole who dwell in the places 
 near Hallifax belong. 
 
 Mirfield, to which thofein the neighbourhood 
 of Huddersfield and Wakefield belong. 
 
 Little Gummerfal; but thefe four congrega¬ 
 tions have their own labours and chapels, in 
 which meetings are kept on Sundays and in the 
 week days. 
 
 At Duckenfield, a village in Cheffiire, about 
 eight miles from Manchefter, is alfo a congre¬ 
 gation of the Brethren : they have a new chapel 
 and two choir-houfcs, one for the fingle brethren 
 and one for the fingle fillers. 
 
 At Leominfter in Herefordffiire, there has 
 been a congregation of the Brethren ever fince 
 the year 1759; they have their own chapel. 
 
 At Haverfordweft in Pcmbrokelhire, South 
 Wales, a congregation of the Brethren was alfo 
 collected in the fame year. 
 
 At Briftol, in the year 1755, a number of the 
 members of the fociety was formed in a congre¬ 
 gation. They have a new built chapel in the 
 parilh of St. James. To this congregation be¬ 
 longs the congregations in Kinglwood, which 
 lies about four miles from Briftol, and has a 
 chapel; and in Bath, a city well known on ac^- 
 count of its waters, there is a new built chapel 
 and a congregation ever fince the year 1765. 
 
 At Tetherton in Wiltlhire there has been a 
 congregation of the Brethren ever fince the year 
 I 1748. But as fome members of the congrega- 
 I tion came to live near the chapel, they called 
 j their proper premifes Lamb’s-acre. The Brec 
 thren's chapel in Malmlbury belongs to this 
 
 I congregation. 
 
 Befides thefe congregations the Unity Bre¬ 
 thren have chapels in leveral parts or England, 
 where their mini Iters preach the gofpel with 
 bleffing, for inftance, at Apperly in Gloucefter- 
 ffiire, Frome in Somerletfhire, Plymouth in 
 Devonlhire, as alic at Air and Irwin in Scotland. 
 
 In 
 
 
ACCOUNT of the SOCIETIES of the UNITED BRETHREN. 665 
 
 In Ireland are the following congregations of 
 the Brethren. 
 
 In Dublin, the capital of the kingdom* fince 
 the year 1750, they have two chapels at each 
 fide of the river Liffy, which runs through the 
 city, one in Great Booter-lane, the other in 
 StafFord-ftreet. 
 
 Upon the townland Ballikennedy in the county 
 of Antrim, the brethren have begun to build a 
 new congregation-place, which is called Grace- 
 hill. Befide the congregation-houfe, in which 
 is the chapel and two choir-houfes, feveral other 
 private houfes are built and inhabited. 
 
 Ballymaguigan, in the county of Derry, on 
 the well fide of the famous Lough-neagh, is 
 alfo a new built congregation-place, to which 
 belongs a chapel of the fociety at Lifnamara, 
 where a congregation of the Brethren, was lettled 
 in the year 1759. 
 
 Ballonderry, on the eaft fide of the aforefaid 
 Lough-neagh : here has been a congregation of 
 the Brethren ever fince the year 1755. To this 
 congregation belongs the little congregation at 
 Kilwarlin; the latter has alfo its own chapel. 
 
 At Drumargan, about four,miles from Armagh, 
 has been a Brethren’s congregation ever fince the 
 year 1759. And finally, 
 
 At Coothill, twenty-fix miles from Armagh, 
 a congregation of the Brethren was collected 
 in the year 1765. 
 
 In America, and fir ft, in the province of Penn- 
 filvania, are the following congregations of the 
 Brethren. 
 
 Bethlehem, the chief congregation-place of 
 the Brethren in North America, in the county of 
 Northampton, fifty miles from Philadelphia, on 
 a branch of the river Deleware, which has re¬ 
 tained the Indian name Lechai, or Lechi. The 
 latitude of this place has been taken at fundry 
 times and found to be 40 deg. 37. min. N. L. 
 This place was begun in the year 1741, at a time 
 when few Europeans were in this diftrid: : a con- 
 fiderable number of mifiionaries have been fent 
 from this congregation among the heathens. 
 
 At Nazareth, nine miles north of Bethlehem; 
 a large building called Nazareth-hall has been 
 ereded> in which is the chapel, where the con¬ 
 gregation of the Brethren dwelling in their 
 feveral habitations about Chriftianfbrun andGna- 
 denthal, meet and have divine fervice on Sun¬ 
 days and holidays. In Nazareth-hall is alfo the 
 Paedagogium of the Unity in America. In the 
 year 1771 the Brethren began to build a new 
 congregation-place near the hall. 
 
 Litiz, a new congregation-place in the county 
 of Lancafter, feventy miles from Philadelphia. 
 The building of this place was begun in the 
 year 1757, and there are now, befides the chapel 
 and congregation-houfe, choir-houfes for the 
 fingle brethren, and fingle fillers, and a good 
 many houfes for families. 
 
 At Lancafter, the county town of that name, 
 there has been a congregation of the Brethren 
 ever lince the year 1746. The congregation 
 here has a church, a congregation-houfe, and a 
 burying-ground in the town. 
 
 In York-town, or, as it is fometimes called, 
 York on the Cadoras, twenty-four miles from 
 Litiz, there has been a congregation of the Bre- 
 5 6 
 
 threnever fince the year 1755, who have built a 
 congregation-houfe, as alfo in 
 
 Mount-joy, formerly called Donnegal, lixteen 
 miles from Litiz. In the townlhip of Bethel, 
 twelve miles from Mount joy, near the blue 
 mountains, a congregation of the brethren was 
 fettled in the year 1755, ^ ut ' n t * ie ^ war they 
 were obliged to fly from the cruelties of the fa^ 
 vage Indians, but after the conclufion of the 
 peace they gathered again together around their 
 congregation-houfe. 
 
 At Hebron in the townlhip of Libanon, fixteen 
 miles from Litiz, formerly called Quittope-hill,- 
 a beginning has been made of a congregation- 
 place ever fince the year 1757, near the congre¬ 
 gation houfe, as alfo. 
 
 At Emmaus in the townlhip of Salilbury, for¬ 
 merly called Maguntiky, eight miles from Beth¬ 
 lehem. The Indian war proved an occafion, 
 that thofe who had belonged to this congregation 
 fince the year 1742, and who lived fcattered up 
 and down, drew together, and erefted habita¬ 
 tions near their congregation-houfe. 
 
 In Heidelberg in the county of Berks, twen¬ 
 ty-four miles from Litiz, there has been a con¬ 
 gregation of the Brethren ever fince the year 
 U43- 
 
 Shoenek not far from Nazareth was eredted as 
 a congregation-place in the year 1757. The 
 members of the congregation who live on their 
 plantations beyond the limits of the land belong¬ 
 ing to Nazareth attend divine fervice there. 
 
 In Gnadenhuetten on the Mahoni, there was 
 formerly a confiderable fettlement of the Bre¬ 
 thren, but it was deftroyed by the Indians in the 
 year 1755, but a congregation of the Brethren 
 now gathers again together there* 
 
 In the city of Philadelphia there has been a 
 congregation of the Brethren, ever fince the 
 year 1741, of the Englilh, and another of the 
 German nation ; but in time they united, and 
 became one congregation. However divine fer¬ 
 vice is performed in both languages alternately. 
 They have a church, a congregation-houfe, and 
 burying ground. 
 
 In the province of New Jerfey at Oldman’s 
 Creek, thirty miles below Philadelphia, there 
 has been a congregation ever fince the year 1765. 
 And in Greenland, thirty miles from Bethlehem, 
 is a new fettlement of the Brethren, which was 
 laid out in the year 1771. 
 
 In the province of New York, and in the 
 capital of the province, there has been a congre¬ 
 gation of the Brethren, ever fince the year 1741, 
 which has a church, a congregation-houfe and 
 alfo a burying ground in the city. 
 
 In Dutchels county, an hundred miles from 
 New York, upon the -borders of New England 
 is Sichem, a fmall Brethren’s congregation ever 
 fince the year 1753. 
 
 In the province of Rhode Ifland at Newport, 
 there has been a congregation of the Brethren 
 ever fince the year 1758, which has anew chapei 
 and burying ground in the town. 
 
 In the province of Maryland, fix miles from 
 Fredrick’s town and one mile from the river 
 Manakofy, there has been a congregation of the 
 Brethren ever fince the year 1757. They have 
 alfo a chapel at Carol’s manor, twelve Englifla 
 8 F miles 
 
§66 ACCOUNT of the SOCIETIE 
 
 miles from thence, in which the gofpel is preached 
 by the Brethren to a company of Englilh people. 
 
 In the province of North Carolina, on the 
 lands of Wachovia, are three congregations of 
 the Brethren. 
 
 Salem, the chief place in the centre of the 
 land : the Brethren began to build this place in 
 the year 1766. , . , , _ , 
 
 Bethabara, the firfl: place which the Brethren 
 began to build in Wachovia, in the year 1753 • 
 it lies fix miles north of Salem. 
 
 Bethany, nine miles north of Salem ; the 
 building of this place was begun in 1760. 
 
 Befides thefe, there are two places in Wa¬ 
 chovia, Friedland, five miles fouth-eaft of Salem, 
 and Friedberg, eight miles fouth of Salem, where 
 the gofpel is alfo preached by the Brethren. 
 
 The United Brethren have alfo eftabliflied, in 
 the Englilh dominions, feveral miffions among 
 the Heathens with bleffed effefts. From thefe 
 millions has arifen, 
 
 An Indian congregation in North America, 
 which was gathered in Chekomekok, and was 
 compofed of JVIahikanders and ^Umpanos. As 
 this congregation was (ituated at different places 
 from time to time, it is neceffary to prevent a 
 mifunderftanding, as if different congregations 
 were at thofe different places, to deicribe their 
 removals fomewhat more particularly. When 
 the above-mentioned Indian congregation were 
 driven from Chekomekok in 1746, the greateft 
 part of them went to Bethlehem, where many 
 new converts from the Delaware nation joined 
 them. From thence they went, in 1748, to the 
 Mahoni, and built Gnadenhutten, twenty-five 
 miles to the north of Bethlehem ; and in 1754 
 they built a new place on the Lecha, a mile from 
 Old Gnadenhutten, and called it New Gnaden¬ 
 hutten : but as this place was deftroyed by the 
 favage Indians in 1755, they fled to Bethlehem. 
 Part of them built in 1757, a new place called 
 Nam: another part removed behind the Blue 
 Mountains, and built habitations upon a fpot 
 purchafed by the Brethren, on the rivulet Weck- 
 quetank, twenty miles from Nazareth. But upon 
 the breaking out of a new Indian war, in the 
 year 1763, they were, though entirely innocent, 
 fufpefted by fome white people of being fecretly 
 connected with their favage countrymen. 
 
 By thefe fufpicions they were brought into the 
 greateft danger, fo that their lives were not fe- 
 cure, but were taken under the protection of 
 government, and brought to Philadelphia, and 
 firft placed on Province Ifland, and then lodged 
 in the barracks of the city. After the conclu- 
 fion of the peace, they were fent by the gover¬ 
 nor and aflcmbly up into the Indian country 
 upon the Sufquehannah, at the mouth of the 
 creek Wikilufing. Here they built a village, 
 and called it Friedenfhuetten. This proved a 
 means that many Indians believed on the Lord 
 Jefus Chrift, and part of them fettled at this 
 place, and part of them fettled at a place thirty 
 miles farther up the Sufquehannah, called 
 Tfchechfchequamk. But when, in the year 1768, 
 the fix nations fold a large diftrid to the Englilh, 
 in which lay alfo Friedenfhuetten, the Indian 
 congregation could flay there no longer. They 
 accordingly forfook their new and fine built vil- 
 
 S of the UNITED BRETHREN. 
 
 lage, which confilted of thirty-nine good houfes, 
 and ten huts, and departed from thence in the 
 month of June 1772, being upwards of two hun¬ 
 dred, to fettle beyond the Ohio on the Mulkin- 
 gum river, between Lake Erie and the Ohio. 
 According to the lafb accounts, they arrived 
 there fafe, and have laid out a new place, called 
 Welkiktupp^k, that is> Schoenbrunn, a beautiful 
 fpring. 
 
 Another Indian congregation of the Brethren 
 had colle&ed themfelves through the miniftry of 
 the mifiionary David Zeifberger, in the Indian 
 town Gofcgoiching, not far from Venango, two 
 days journey above Pitfburg. Thefe removed, 
 in 1771, to the Beaver Creek, which falls into 
 the Ohio, a days journey below Pitfburg, and 
 built for themfelves a village, called Langentou- 
 tenunk, or city of peace. 
 
 On the ifland of Jamaica, belonging to Great 
 Britain, a million was begun in the year 1754, 
 and foon was branched out into feveral millions, 
 on account of the diftance of the places from 
 one to another j in each of thefe places the gof¬ 
 pel is preached to the poor negro flaves in the 
 Englilh language, and they are embodied into 
 the Chriftian church by holy baptifm. The 
 places where thefe millions are fettled are, at pre¬ 
 lent, fix in number, viz. Carmel, Bogue, Mefo- 
 potamia, Elim, Eden, and Ifland. 
 
 On the ifland of Antigua the Brethren began 
 a million among the negros in the town of St.John, 
 in the year 1756. They have not only a church 
 for the negroes in the town, but they preach with 
 blefiing on fundry plantations out of the city. 
 
 On the ifland of Barbadoes the Brethren have 
 a negro church a few miles from Bridge-town, 
 but preach as in Antigua, upon feveral planta¬ 
 tions. This million was begun in the year 1767. 
 
 Laltly, the Brethren made a mifiion-fettlement 
 under the Britilh government in Efquimaux bay, 
 on the coaft of Labrador, in the year 1771, with 
 a view to bring the glad tidings of the incarna¬ 
 tion of God, and of his meritorious life and fuf- 
 ferings, to the Efquimaux. The place where 
 they have fettled and built a houfe is called Nain, 
 and lies in the 57 deg. N. lat. 
 
 VII. Under the Danifli Government. 
 
 By royal refcript dated December the 10th, 
 1771, leave was granted to the evangelical Bre¬ 
 thren, adhering to the unaltered Auguftin con- 
 feflion, to eftablilh a congregation-place of the 
 Brethren in the duchy of Slefwick, and at the 
 fame time was granted to the millions of the 
 Brethren in the Danifli dominions out of Europe 
 all neceffary church liberty, and other immuni¬ 
 ties. According to this grant, a new place of 
 the Brethren is laid out and begun on the late 
 royal domain Tyftruphoff, in the bailiwick of 
 Haderfleben, and this place is called Chriftian’s 
 Field. 
 
 New Herrnhuth, upon the Weft-Indian ifland 
 of St. Thomas, is the oldeft million of the Bre¬ 
 thren among the Heathens. The firfl: million- 
 aries went thither fo early as in the year 1732. 
 The number of the negroes who are miniftered 
 unto by the Brethren with the word and facra- 
 ment, is fo greatly encreafed, and their dwellings 
 
 fo 
 
ACCOUNT of the SOCIETIES 
 
 fo diftant from the negro church in New Herrn- 
 huth, that the Brethren have built, 
 
 In Niefky, formerly called Crumbay, a new 
 negroe church, as alfo dwellings for the miffion- 
 aries. The baptized negroes and catechumens 
 are divided, as the nature of their fituation re¬ 
 quired, into thefe two congregations, and each ne¬ 
 groe belongs to that congregation which is neared 
 to his habitation. 
 
 Friedenfthal in St. Croix near to Baffin, or 
 the town and haven. At this miftion-eftablifh- 
 ment the brethren built afpacious negroe church 
 and dwelling-houfe in 1753. But there were 
 miffionaries of the brethren on this ifland twenty 
 years before the church was built. Here alfo, 
 as in St. Thomas, the negroe congregation in- 
 creafed fo much, that it was needful to divide 
 it into two congregations: 
 
 Therefore a new negroe church and dwelling 
 for the miffionaries was built in 1771; on the weft 
 end of the ifland near Chriftianftadt and called 
 Friedenfberg. This gave occafion to a new 
 awakening among the negroes. 
 
 In St. Jan the miffion-iettlement of the bre¬ 
 thren is called Bethany. As St. Thomas and St. 
 Jan lie but a league diftant from each other, the 
 million in St. Jan was taken care of by the bre¬ 
 thren in St. Thomas. But as the negroes ear- 
 neftly requefted, that a miffionary might refide 
 there conftantly, a proper negroe church and a 
 a dwelling-houfe were built there in the year 
 }7 S 3 - Since then the number of the baptized 
 is greatly increafed. 
 
 New Herrnhuth in Greenland on Baal’s River, 
 in the fixty-fourth degree north latitude, is the 
 firft congregation of the Brethren in Greenland. 
 This million of the Brethren was begun as early 
 as the year 1733. 
 
 Lichtenfels, one hundred miles fouth of New- 
 Herrnhuth on the Fifher Fiorte, is the other 
 congregation of the Brethren in Greenland, and 
 was begun in the year 1758. A full account of 
 thefe two congregations of the Brethren in 
 Greenland is to be found in Crantz’s Hift of 
 Greenland, Odlavo, publifhed in German in 
 1765. 
 
 In the Brethren’s Garden near Tranquebar in 
 the Eaft Indies is a fettlement of the Brethren 
 lince the year 1760, from whence they take care 
 of the million among the heathens upon the Ni¬ 
 cobar Illands. 
 
 The million at Nancaweri, one of the Nicobar 
 illands, was begun in the year 1768. The mif¬ 
 fionaries wait there with great patience till our 
 Saviour lliall open the ears and hearts of the hea¬ 
 then for the gofpel. 
 
 9. In the Ruffian Empire. 
 
 A congregation of the brethren was eftablifh- 
 ed at Sarepta in the kingdom of Aftrachan in 
 the year 1765. The moft gracious permiffion 
 was given by an Imperial Ukale to the United 
 Brethren to come inro the empire and to enjoy 
 a compleat liberty of confcience, and of exer- 
 cifing their religion agreeable to their own 
 church-conftitution and difcipline. They chofe 
 for their fettlement a piece of land twenty-four 
 miles below Czarizin on the rivulet Sarpa, which 
 
 of the UNITED BRETHREN. 66 y 
 
 runs into the Wolga, and lince then have erected 
 not only dwelling-houfes for families, but alfo a 
 Tingle brethren’s and Tingle filter’s houfe> and in 
 the year 1772 a congregation houfe and a cha¬ 
 pel 
 
 In St. Peterlburg alfo the emprefs of Ruffia, 
 in the year 1766, made a prefent of a large houle 
 to the Brethren to perform divine fervice in 
 according to their rites. Since then the Brethren 
 preach in it every Sunday. 
 
 X. Laftly, it is not to be palled overr in li- 
 lence, that there are alio five Brethren in Africa, 
 at Grand Cairo in Egypt, with a view to ierve 
 the Copts with the golpel, and if our Lord 
 pleafes, to go in time to Abyffinia. 
 
 The Prefent State of the United Brethren. 
 
 The whole of thofe congregations whom we 
 have now mentioned, call themfelves United 
 Brethren, or Affiociated Brethren, and proteftants 
 adhering to the Auguftin confeffion. They are 
 however, diftinguifhed by different appellations, 
 and are claffed in different ranks. All thofe who 
 are of the Bohemian church, are called the an- 
 tient Brethren, and take place of the others. 
 Profelytes or converts are generally admitted 
 into this fociety after they have been in the 
 others ; tor there are fome myfteries in this, con¬ 
 cealed from the other focieties. 
 
 It is probable that they borrow this practice 
 from the Chriftians who lived about the latter 
 end of the fourth century. For at that time the 
 heathens who were candidates to be admitted 
 into the church, flood at the door till all 
 thole called Believers, palled by ; then the hea- 
 thens were admitted to hear the fermon, and 
 were examined as to their knowledge; but were 
 obliged to retire, before the Believers went to 
 the communion. This praflice did great hurt 
 to the caufe of Chriftianity ; for the heathens 
 faid that they the Chriftians met to commit un¬ 
 natural practices. This will be always the cafe, 
 where there are fecrets, while the different fexes 
 meet together. Let us only confider the ridi¬ 
 culous ftories that have been told concerning the 
 Free-mafons, and perhaps all of them are falle. 
 It has alfo happened that the noilurnal meetings 
 of the Methodifts have induced people to accufe 
 them of what perhaps they never were guilty ; 
 but then there ought to be no fecrets in religion. 
 Am I to anlwer at the judgment-feat of Chrilt 
 for all my aftions, before angels and men ; and 
 fhall I be afhamed or afraid to be feen in my re¬ 
 gions duties here below ; we fhould not only 
 avoid doing evil, but we fhouJd avoid feemina 
 to do fo. 
 
 It is certain that although thefe United Bre¬ 
 thren pretend to follow the confeffions fet forth 
 by Luther, yet they have embraced a variety of 
 other fentiments. As the Arians fpend moft of 
 their time in the pulpit, in degrading the glories 
 of the Lord Jefus Chrift, fo thefe people called 
 United Brethren forget ail that honour due to 
 God the Father and the Holy Ghoft, under pre¬ 
 tence of extolling the Saviour. All extremes 
 are connected with infarjity 5 and therefore thofe 
 
 who 
 
The P RESENT S TA T E of the UNITED BRETHREN. 
 
 668 
 
 who would underftand true religion, io as to I 
 reap any benefit by it, mud learn that God is 
 not to be found in the tormenting fire, or the 
 raging whirlwind, but in the ftill lmall voice of i 
 a holy life. 
 
 Every congregation among the United Bre¬ 
 thren has its peculiar paftors ; they are, in fome | 
 meal u re diftindl, from each other, and yet they 
 are at the fame time united. And thus to pre¬ 
 serve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, 
 they have fynods, which meet at different times 
 to regulate all their external affairs. The mem¬ 
 bers of thefe fynods have free liberty to declare 
 their lentiments with freedom, upon whatever 
 Subject comes before them. Thole who do not 
 chufe to fpeak, may deliver their opinions in 
 writing ; but the votes are always ballotted with 
 the greateft care. 
 
 As this is a religion that admits both fexes into 
 offices, fo a great number of females generally 
 attend. There may be many reafons for this 
 befides natural inclinations, but we fhall take 
 no notice of them. Perhaps they are as inno¬ 
 cent as the quakers are reputed to be, and we . 
 hope they are fo. 
 
 When any thing of a dubious nature is pro- 
 pofed concerning a difputed point in fcripture, 
 and the members of the fynod cannot agree con¬ 
 cerning the difcufiion of it, then they caff: lots. 
 The calling of lots is of great antiquity; but 
 how far fuch a practice can be juttified accord¬ 
 ing to the Chriftian inftitution, the reader may 
 judge. 
 
 In the reft of their difeipline they have fome- 
 thing like the Sandemanians, for as there is a great 
 deal of wafliing of feet, fo their conduct is very fe- 
 vere to thole whom they excommunicate. They 
 refemble the Methodifts in finging a number 
 of hymns, and they are fo much attached to this 
 practice, that their children are afked queftions 
 in verfe lung by the elders, and anfwered by the 
 young ones in the fame manner. 
 
 As for their keeping many things fecret,we fhall 
 not judge them ftridtly, being willing to think 
 charitably of all men; but this much is certain, 
 that it cannot be done in conformity with the 
 primitive church. The primitive Chriftians 
 were obliged to meet in private in the night, to 
 avoid the fury of the Heathens, but here thefe 
 people called Brethren enjoy a free toleration. 
 Whether they lock the doors of their meetings 
 during any part of their worfhip, we know not; 
 but if they do, they are guilty of a breach of 
 the toleration ad!. 
 
 We could wifli that all things were free and 
 open, that there might be no concealment; for 
 Wherever things of a religious nature are con¬ 
 
 cealed in private, fufpicions arife, and fcandal 
 is thrown upon men, who, perhaps, may be to¬ 
 tally innocent. 
 
 From the whole account we have given of 
 them, we have learned but little concerning the 
 method of treating their poor members. We 
 have already feen, that there are feveral focieties 
 of Chriftians in the Proteftant world, who take 
 no care of their poor ; and where popery is 
 eftablifhed, all charitable donations are given 
 to the monks. The Sandemanians pretend to 
 take great care of their poor; but when they 
 think it too troublefome to lupport them, they 
 have an eafy method of parting. 
 
 The Friends really take care of their poor, 
 whether old or young; and although thefe peo¬ 
 ple are often treated with much contempt, yet 
 they are, in the great article of unaffected cha¬ 
 rity, the molt refpedtable in the world. 
 
 “ True religion and undefiled before God, is 
 this, to vifit the fatherlels children and widows, 
 and to keep ourfelves unfpotted from the world.” 
 
 No man will believe that perfon’s religion to 
 be genuine, whole heart is not open to the wants 
 of his fellow creatures, as well as to his bre¬ 
 thren in his own profeffion. The primitive Chrif¬ 
 tians were charitable to their perfecutors, which 
 was copying, in all refpedts, the character of 
 their divine redeemer; who created bread to 
 feed the hungry ; who went about doing good. 
 
 As for the United Brethren, called Mora¬ 
 vians, it appears they colled! great fums of mo¬ 
 ney, but we believe the greateft part of it, ac¬ 
 cording to their own accounts, is expended in 
 miffions among the Heathens. The Jefuits 
 have done the fame, and little fuccels has at¬ 
 tended either. Perhaps the Divine Providence 
 frowns upon thofe practices, which are not un¬ 
 dertaken in his way, and refufes to confer fuch 
 upon them, becauie they look for the praifeofmen. 
 But we will not dwell upon thefe things. God 
 Almighty fuffers many tranfadlions to take place 
 in this lower world, which our bewildered and 
 circumfcribedunderftandings cannot account for. 
 Perhaps there are many things in the works of Pro¬ 
 vidence, which we look on as evil, but which in 
 the end may be attended with the moft beneficial 
 confequences. It is likewife not improbable, 
 (nay, we believe it to be true) that many per¬ 
 sons in their religious characters have been 
 grofty mifreprefented, by thofe who know little 
 or nothing concerning them. It was fo with the 
 primitive Chriftians, it is certainly fo with fome 
 of the modern fedts. We fhall therefore take 
 leave of the Moravian Brethren, and proceed to 
 another fed!. 
 
 Account 
 
( 66g ) 
 
 ACCOUNT of the MUGGLETONIANS. 
 
 I N that fertile age for the propagation of new 
 religions, 1657, the people ot this country, 
 efpecially the lower ranks of them, not only 
 turned preachers, but likewife prophets. Some 
 pretended to foretel future events ; others faid 
 they were apoftles rifen from the dead ; while a 
 third fort had the affurance to afi'ert, that they 
 were fome of thofe perfons who had been prophe- 
 fied of in the book of Revelation. 
 
 . Among thefe were Lodovicus Muggleton, a 
 journeyman taylor, in Rolemary-lane, and Wil 
 liam Reeves, a cobler, in the fame place. Thefe 
 two men meeting together, at a public-houfe in 
 the minories, preceded a newfcheme of religion, 
 in order to impole on the people. 
 
 They knew that the religionifts who had 
 gone before rhem, had not eatried their pre- 
 tenfrons high enough, and therefore they gave out 
 that they were the two witnefles prophelied of in 
 the book ot Revelation, who were to appear be¬ 
 fore the end of the world. They held forth to 
 the mifguided multitude on Tower-hill, and on 
 all the places of eminence near the ciry. 
 They were followed by a vaft number of people, 
 which gave fo much offence to the Prcfbyterians 
 and Independents, that they procured an order 
 from Oliver Cromwell to have them punifhed. 
 
 Oliver, it is well known, was never an enemy to 
 toleration, and therefore, all that he would gran 
 was, thatthefe madmen ihould be whipped through 
 the principal ifreets of the city. The culprTts 
 bore their punilhment with that llubborn fortitude 
 which ever diftinguilhes enthufiaftic and ignorant 
 characters. 
 
 As perfecution is the life of religion, fo thele 
 men were more followed by mad people than ever. 
 It was found in vain to perfecute them any lono-er• 
 and it may be juftly faid of them, that they turned 
 the brains ot one quarter ot the vulgar people in 
 London. They publilhed four volumes in 4 to, 
 which the author of this work has perufed. 
 
 When we confider the nature of tilde compo- 
 fitions, and the characters of the men to whom 
 they are aferibed, we are led to believe, that like 
 Mahomet of old, they had fome afnllancc. Pro¬ 
 bably iome of the other feCtarifts drew them up, 
 with the foie view of having it in their power to 
 wreak their vengeance on thefe men ; for amono 
 all interefted preachers, there is the fame anti¬ 
 pathy as between cats and mice. 
 
 When the rdloration took place, the Mugo-le- 
 tomans were frequently difperled by the guards, 
 and many of them put into prilon. It was the 
 great misfortune ol thefe people, that althouoh 
 they pretended to the fpirit of prophecy, yet they 
 could not foretel what was to happen to them- 
 felves. JLilt like the fortune-tellers of the pre¬ 
 lent age, who, although they pretend to help peo¬ 
 ple to ftolen goods, and tell a girl who is to be 
 her hulband, yet they cannot forelee when a con- 
 ftable will come to take them into cultodv. 
 
 56 
 
 However, they went on with their fanaticifm 
 and continued making profelvtes till after the revo¬ 
 lution took place, and then they Hieltered them- 
 felves under the toleration aft. But they had 
 powerful enemies to contend with. The Prel'- 
 byterians hated them, becaufe they treated their 
 poor mean clerical characters with contempt: and 
 i he Independents did all they could to injure them 
 and traduce their characters, becaufe they led 
 away many filly old women, whofe credulity and 
 pockets often furniflied them with a dinner. 
 
 And yet thefe people grew the more ; and their 
 leaders, in order to keep them to themfelves, de¬ 
 claimed againlt the vices of the Prefbyterians, and 
 the pretenfions of the Independents. They told 
 them, that they were all impoltors, and wretches 
 who lived on the fruits of the people's honeft in- 
 duftry. There might have been fome truth in 
 this, but we have fome reafon to believe, 
 chat the Muggleconian teachers were as meacenary 
 as thole whom they oppofed. Oppofition in dif- 
 ptit s concerning religion, may Ihift the outward 
 character of the man, but it cannot change his 
 nature. We may add further, that in all pole¬ 
 mical dif utes concerning the exteriors of religion, 
 the means are changed -, but the end held in view 
 is the fame. 
 
 And that end is neither lels nor more, than to 
 triumph over the credulity of the people; to 
 procure emoluments at their expence; to triumph 
 over their ignorance, and to reprefent themfelves 
 under the characters of faints,'while, in reality 
 ^7 , are like devils. This was the cafe with the 
 I harifees of old, and it will remain to the end of 
 the world, as long as falfe religion is known, and 
 while there is an hypocrite on earth. 
 
 At prefent we muff compare the Muggletonians 
 to thole paflionate loves, who, after being cloyed 
 with enjoyment, become as cold as the aged and 
 infirm At firft they were fired with unbridled zeal 
 ot religion, inflamed with fuperflition; but they 
 gradually cooled, and are now a let ofjolly fellows 
 who drink their pot and fmoak their tobacco. 
 
 There is one thing, however, relating to them 
 that mult not b.: forgotten. 
 
 When their firft apoftles found themfelves draw¬ 
 ing towards their end, they did the very lime 
 almoft that Mahomet had done before. They 
 called their people together, and told them, they 
 would come again on earth to vifit them; but they 
 did not, like the Arabian impoftor, fix the time, 
 which undoubtedly was a matter ftroke of policy. 
 
 I heir followers, in the prefent age, ftill retain 
 that notion ; and they believe, that thefe two 
 apoftles, or witnefles, will meet them when they 
 are affembled together. They meet in the even¬ 
 ings of Sundays, at obfeure public-houfes in the 
 out-parts of London, and converfe about thofe of 
 their feCt who have gone before them. They have 
 very little lerious dilcourfe, but are extremely free, 
 fometimes going home drunk. 
 
 8 G 
 
 It 
 
ACCOUNT of the MYSTICS. 
 
 67O 
 
 In docs not appear that ever they had any [ 
 public places of worfhip, for their firlt founders ^ 
 preached any where. I hole Muggletonians of i 
 the prelent age make no account of either faith , 
 or duty ; unlefs it can be called faith to believe j 
 in the coming of their founders. It is a fort of j 
 faith indeed, but it is not that which Chriftians | 
 are taught to believe. Their conduct in treating | 
 religion in fuch an irreverent manner, has had 
 very pernicious effects on the morals of the peo- j 
 pie. It has induced many of them to become ; 
 Deifts and practical Athejfts ; and we have , 
 known feveral perfons, who, from Methodifts 
 commenced Muggletonians, and at laft repofed j 
 themfelves quietly in the bofom of the church of 
 Rome. Thefe converted Muggletonians are em¬ 
 ployed by the priefts to pervert as many Protef- 
 tants as they can, and they generally have but too 
 abundant fuccefs. 
 
 The origin of the Muggletonians exhibits to us 
 a melancholy picture of thole times, when Eng¬ 
 land was without government cither in church or 
 Hate. The people were not content with hearing 
 the Prcfbyterians, Independents, Anabaptifts, 
 &c. &c. who fhared the church livings among 
 themfelves, but they even encouraged taylors, 
 coblcrs, tinkers, and all forts of low vulgar me¬ 
 chanics to mount their {tools and chairs in the 
 ftreetsand ondunghills. Nay, they collected money 
 for the preachers, which anlwered their end much 
 better than their trades. As the conduit qf the 
 
 minifters in the churches had induced them to 
 lend a helping hand to carry on ihe work of re¬ 
 formation, fo when the reftoration took place, 
 both the eftabliftied clergy and the court, let loole 
 their fury upon all lefts indifcrirninateJ;,. 
 
 Some of the Muggletonians were thrown into 
 prifon, and others were put in the Hocks, where 
 they continued preaching to the people. Some 
 of them were tranfported to the colonies in Ame¬ 
 rica; but as the Prefbyterians had great power 
 there, they harrafled them from one province to 
 another, till death relieved them from their hard- 
 fhjps. 
 
 The intelligent reader will be able to aftign a 
 reafon for their continuance in this age, when all 
 religions are taught, but very few duties per¬ 
 formed. 
 
 The laH thing we {hall take notice of concern¬ 
 ing thefe people, is, that it is a melancholy con- 
 fideration that men (hould live in the world with¬ 
 out enjoying the ftnalleft {hare of fenfe arifing from 
 religion : That inHead of looking forward to the 
 blefled hope of immortality, they believe in no¬ 
 thing but the refurreftion of two impoHors. To 
 this we may add, that there muH ft ill be a con- 
 fiderable number of thele people in different parts 
 of England; for only a few years ago a new edi¬ 
 tion in three volumes quarto was printed, of the 
 rhapfodies of Muggleton and Reeves, and had 
 there not been people to pUFchate them, they 
 would not have been printed. 
 
 ACCOUNT of 
 
 W E have left our account of thefe fmaller 
 fefts, till the concluding part of this 
 work, becaufe they were never (to ufe 
 a military phrafe) properly embodied. 
 
 So far as we know, the firft myftic writer was 
 St. Auftin, bifhop of Hippo, in Africa; but 
 this celebrated father did not difient from the 
 religion as eftabliftied in the empire. It is true, 
 he collefted together a confiderable number of 
 young men, who lived with him in cloifters ad¬ 
 joining to his church, and he taught them thofe 
 notions that are to be found in his confeflions. 
 
 Soon after his death, we hear of nothing but 
 ignorance, occafioned by the inundations ot the 
 barbarians ; and the firft myftic writer that lived 
 after him, feems to have been Bede, an Anglo- 
 Saxon monk, who lived in the abbey of Tinmouth 
 in Northumberland. 
 
 The next myftic writer we meet with is St. 
 Bernard, who flourifbed about the eleventh cen¬ 
 tury, and was employed by the pope to preach 
 up the crufades. In latter times, we meet with 
 Kcmpis, Bona, and Drexilius, in all of whofe 
 writings there are many fine things. But we mult 
 now confider them as a general feft; and ftrange 
 as it may appear, a woman was chiefly concerned 
 in the inftitution of them. 
 
 the MYSTICS. 
 
 Madam Bourignon, a French lady, and a Ro¬ 
 man Catholic, fome time before the revocation of 
 the edift of Nantz, 11685) publilhed feveral pieces 
 on Divine love, fpiritual mindednefs, the eleva¬ 
 tion of the foul to Chrift; the looking above all 
 earthly things; to reject, or at leaft confider, the 
 externals of religion as mere trifles, and to retire 
 within themfelves for the purpoles of contem¬ 
 plation. 
 
 As the popilh religion conftfts chiefly in cere¬ 
 monies, fo the French clergy were greatly alarmed, 
 and Madam Bourignon, not knowing what mil- 
 chief they might do her, left her native country, 
 and retired to Flolland. 
 
 In the mean time, the fed had fpread far and 
 wide, and the great Fenelon, archbilhop of 
 Cambray, wrote a book, entitled, the maxims of 
 the Saints, in which he attempted to vindicate 
 many of thofe fentiments protcilcd by Madam 
 Bourignon. The Catholic clergy were alarmed, 
 and notice was fent to the pope. 
 
 After two years confultation, the pope with his 
 cardinals, condemned the book, and the arch¬ 
 bilhop acquiefced in the cenlure. It does noc 
 feem, however, that he relinquifhed his opinions; 
 for in his pofthumous works, he left a vindica- 
 ! tion of what he had written before. 
 
 The 
 
6;i 
 
 ACCOUNT of the F R 
 
 The profelytes to Madam Bourignon’s opinions 
 encreaied daily, and Tome of them came over to 
 England. They did not let up feparate congre¬ 
 gations, but they publiftied a confiderable number 
 of books, by which they difteminated their fenti- 
 ments all over the kingdom. They ran into wild 
 extravagancies, and although at firft they were 
 very inoffenfive, yet in the end they became molt 
 mylterious indeed. 
 
 As all violent diforders in the human body ei¬ 
 ther kill or cure, fo violences in religion have the 
 Jame tendency. This was the calc with the 
 Myftics, who, by the ir violent attachment 
 things above realon, loft what real'on they 
 had. Their fucceifors, however, have become 
 more fober, and feveral great men both in the 
 church of England and among the Diflenters, 
 have embraced their opinions. 
 
 Among thele were the late pious Mr. Law, and 
 the amiable Mrs. Rowe. The writings, however, j 
 ’fef thefe celebrated perfons, are far from being 1 
 contemptible. They contain the moft elevated 1 
 flights of fancy and exalted thoughts of the Di- ! 
 vine goodnefs. 
 
 We fhall conclude this article with obferving, 
 that whoever would devote themfelves to the ftudy 
 of religion, fliould take a little practical religion 
 along with them. We are fuch a competition of 
 flelh and fpirit, that nothing lei's than human 
 means can promote Divine inftitutions. 
 
 If men would think loberly and look into their 
 own hearts, they would not be led into fuch extra¬ 
 vagancies, as they generally are. In the prefent 
 age, miftakes are to be iound in many of our lefts, 
 and the greateft part of them have been owing to 
 the multiplicity of hymns. Of thefe we fhall juft 
 give a fpecimen, and leave the reader to judge for 
 himielf. We could give ftronger fpecimens, but 
 think the following will be fuflicient. 
 
 ENCH PROP H'E T S. 
 
 Jefus, God of our falvation. 
 
 Give us eyes thyfelf to fee. 
 
 Waiting for the confolation. 
 
 Longing to believe on thee : 
 
 Now vouchfafe the facred power. 
 
 Now the faith divine impart i 
 Meet us in this folemn hour. 
 
 Shine in every drooping heart. 
 
 Anna-like within the temple, 
 
 Simeon-like we meekly ftay, 
 
 Daily with thy faints aflemble. 
 
 Nightly for thy coming pray: 
 
 While our fouls are bow’d before theej 
 While we humbly fue for grace, 
 
 Come, thy people’s light and glory, 
 
 Shew to all thy heavenly face. 
 
 If to us thy facred fpirit 
 
 Hath the future grace reveal’d, 
 
 Let us by thy righteous merit 
 Now receive our pardon feal’d : 
 
 To eternal life appointed, 
 
 Let us thy falvation fee. 
 
 Now behold the Lord’s anointed, 
 
 Now obtain our heaven in thee* 
 
 Upon the whole, the Myftics, who at prefenC 
 feem to have hearts inclining towards piety, but 
 very eonfufed heads, with minds fufceptible of 
 ferious impreftions of religion, by neglefting 
 the ufe of reafon they run into a vail number of 
 abfurdities. By imagining thcmfelves to oe 
 wrought upon by fuperior and fupernatural in¬ 
 fluences, they negleft the ufe of Divine revela¬ 
 tion. They embrace the fhadow for the fubftance, 
 and although we would not call them criminal, 
 yet we are certain that they are miftaken. 
 
 ACCOUNT of the FRENCH PROPHETS. 
 
 A LTHOUGH, fo far as we able to learn, 
 there are none of thefe people now in 
 London, nor in any part of Britain, yet 
 they made no fmall figure about the beginning 
 of the prefent century. Their origin was as 
 follows. 
 
 After the revocation of the edift of Nantz, 
 1685, not lefs than fifteen hundred thoufand 
 Proteftants left France, and fettled in Proteftant 
 countries. Thefe men, who were for the moft 
 part very ingenious artifts, carried the manufac¬ 
 tures of France along with them. Many of thefe 
 Proteftants brought the filk trade along with 
 them to England, and they received all that 
 encouragement which is due toperfecuted merit. 
 The eleftor of Brandenburgh, grandfather to 
 the prefent king of Pruflia, invited fome thou¬ 
 sands of them to fettle in his dominions; and 
 
 the kings of Denmark and Sweden, who had 
 their own intereft in a better light, than the Gallic 
 monarch, afligned them places to refide in. 
 
 This therefore weakened the trade of France, 
 by leflening her power, in depriving the country 
 of its moft uleful inhabitants, Here was a noble 
 opportunity for the French miniftry to revive the 
 intereft and honour of their country by putting an 
 end to the iron hand of opprefiive power, by re- 
 ftoring the lubjefts to their natural rights and 
 privileges. Here however bigotry got the better 
 of felf-intereft, and the love of fuperftition tri¬ 
 umphed over all thofe duties which men owe to 
 their fellow fubjefts. 
 
 An edift pafled, that every man who fliould 
 be found making his efcape out of France, 
 fliould be condemned to the gallies for life, and 
 fome thoufands of thefe people were apprehended 
 
 and 
 
672 ACCOUNT of the F 
 
 and Iuffered the prefcribed punilhment. The 
 violence of the perfecution raged with the greateft 
 feverity in the South of France ; which induced 
 the people who had no opportunity of making 
 their efcape, to take Ihelter in thofe barren 
 mountains called the Cevennes. T. here they 
 Iuffered many hardfhips, which naturally filled 
 their minds with notions altogether fuperftrtious. 
 Fixing carnal fenfes on the mod reputable provi¬ 
 dential paffages in the old teftament, they begun 
 to imagine they were divinely infpired, and 
 aflumed the name of Prophets : Pretending, at 
 the fame time, to that lacred character which 
 ought always to be treated-with refpedt. 
 
 Neceffity furnilhed thefe people with an op¬ 
 portunity of making their efcape to Geneva, 
 where they were kindly received, and furnilhed 
 with money to carry them to Holland, by the 
 way of the Rhine. 
 
 From Holland, a whole cargo of thefe enthu- 
 fialts came over to London, and they began to 
 fhew their importance in a very remarkable man¬ 
 ner indeed. They laboured at the ends of the 
 mod remarkable and mod confpicuous dreets in 
 London, declaiming againd popery, and con¬ 
 demning with the bittered violence, the whole 
 frame of the church of England. They denoun¬ 
 ced the fevered judgments on queen Anne for 
 not extirpating all the papids in Europe ; and 
 they prophefied that within a few months Eng¬ 
 land would be dedroyed. 
 
 On this fubjeft of religious madnefs, Voltaire 
 contrary to his ufual way of writing, has a very 
 jud remark. <c Queen Anne, fays this author, 
 was well known to have a drong attachment to 
 the church of England ; and although a little 
 iuperdition might be found in her conduct, yet 
 die did notchufe to have her favourite church 
 ridiculed. She therefore ordered her attorney 
 general, fir Thomas Parker, to proceed againd 
 thefe enthufiads in a fummary manner. Accor¬ 
 dingly they were ordered to be whipped round 
 St. Paul’s church yard; and at every lafh they 
 received, they prophefied a curie againd her 
 majedy, and againd the nation. But this conduct 
 had not the defired effedt, for they had daily gieat 
 numbers of converts, fo that for fome time Lon¬ 
 don was little better than in a date of con- 
 fufion. 
 
 It was not, however, fufficient for them to 
 make converts in London, they fent miffionaries 
 as far as Scotland. Here one Cunningham, a 
 common mechanic, preached in the dreets of 
 Edinburgh, to a tumultuous mob; and the 
 Prefbyterian miniders began to imagine, that 
 the French Prophets were devils indeed. They 
 were afraid they fhould lead away their people 
 from their churches, and bring their minidry 
 into contempt. 
 
 The magidrates of Edinburgh adted more 
 prudently, for they caufed Cunningham, and 
 about a dozen of his followers to be apprehended 
 and committed to prifon, and like the Muggle- 
 tonians, they were fo ignorant of future events, 
 that they did not know what was to happen to 
 themfelves. During his confinement, Cunning¬ 
 ham wrote a book full of rhapfodies, bordering 
 on blafphemy, pronouncing a thoufand curfes 
 on Scotland; but the magidracy took no further 
 
 RENCH PROPHETS. 
 
 notice of it, then to order him to be whipped 
 through the city. 
 
 For fome time after Cunningham had been 
 releafed from his imprifonment, his followers 
 attempted to diffeminate their fentiments in the 
 different towns in Scotland, but the Prefbyterian 
 miniders,formed a plan to have them all knocked 
 on the head. It is certain, that enthufiafm 
 will carry men to great lengths, even in a bad 
 caufe ; but the French Prophets in Scotland had 
 not fortitude diffident to fubmit with patience 
 to be maffacred; according to the plan laid down 
 by l’ome zealous Prefbyterian miniders. They 
 had lei's zeal and more prudence than one would 
 have expected from men, who, in all other re- 
 fpedts, were darkened in their underdandings. 
 
 Stimulated by motives of felf-prefervation 
 from the fury of the enraged Prdbyterians in 
 Scotland, they wifely eroded the Tweed, and 
 joined their friends in London. It does not appear 
 that, properly fpeaking, they had any meetings; 
 for in their opinion, temples built with hands 
 were places too profane for them to exhibit in. 
 They had tents erefted in the fields leading 
 towards Iflington, when ’’ey harangued every¬ 
 day to a promifeuous 0.altitude. This created 
 many didurbances, and frequently led the Mid- 
 dlefex judices from their bottle to fee them fet 
 it the docks. Sympathy for the fufferers ope¬ 
 rated on the minds of the vulgar, and their bold 
 pretenfions to the fpirit of prophecy, induced 
 the ignorant to confider them as divinely infpired. 
 In proof of this, we fhall mention the following 
 fa£t, related to the author by an eminent furgeon 
 now alive, and who enjoys two confiderable places 
 in public hofpitals. 
 
 One of thefe madmen having afferted, that in 
 proof of his Divine million, he would die on a 
 particular day, and on the third day he would 
 rife from the dead ,- a wag prefent, laid him a 
 wager on the drength of his prophecy. The 
 Prophet, who knew not in what manner the 
 materia medica operated, refolved to try the ex¬ 
 periment, and the day was fixed. In the mean 
 time the enthufiad went to the father of the gen¬ 
 tleman already mentioned, who kept an apothe¬ 
 cary’s ffiop in Old-dreet. Fie alked for as much 
 opium as would make him lleep one night. Hav¬ 
 ing obtained that, he bought twice as much, 
 vainly imagining that if one third part of the 
 quantity would make him fieep one night, con- 
 fequently the remainder would make him deep 
 two nights more, after whi h he would arife from 
 the dead, and give a convincing proof of his 
 miffion. 
 
 Accordingly he fwallowed the three dofes of 
 opium, and his friends, who had been let into 
 the fecret of his defign, and who were as igno¬ 
 rant as himfelf, had him interred in the burying 
 ground belonging to the pari lb church of Crip- 
 plegate, fituated in White-Crofs-Street The 
 fraternity of Prophets continued finging hymns 
 round the grave till the expiration of the three 
 days, and the people in the neighbourhood were 
 driven to fuch a date of expedtation, that they 
 negledted their lawful employments to behold 
 this miraculous ever t. 
 
 At lalt the appointed time arrived ; thou finds 
 and ten thoufands of fools attended, and the 
 
 grave 
 
ACCOUNT of the MILLENARIANS. 673 
 
 grave was opened; but alas! inftead of the 
 Prophet’s making his appearance in the land of 
 the living, the coroner iffued his warrant for a 
 jury to befummoned, to enquire in what man¬ 
 ner he came by his death. The verdifi: was found 
 felf-murder, and he was buried with a (lake 
 drove through his body in the crofs-way near 
 Dog-houfe bar. 
 
 This was a mod: fatal ftroke to the French Pro¬ 
 phets ; their credit funk into contempt, and 
 they foon after dwindled away. Indeed, for fome 
 time, the London priibns were filled with them; 
 and the pillories exhibited fcenes of amazement 
 
 for the idle and the profligate. Some of them 
 were tranfported to America, but they were foon 
 driven out of that country, becaufe both the 
 Prefbyterians and Independents threatened to 
 have them brought to punifhment. It is very 
 probable this would have taken place,had not the 
 civil governors taken part with thefe unhappy 
 enthufiafts, and fent them again to England. 
 
 It feems that about this time, they began to 
 cool in their zeal, and they dwindled away 
 infuch a gradual manner, that no remains of 
 them are left. 
 
 ACCOUNT of the FIFTH MONARCHY MEN, 
 
 commonly called MILLENARIANS. 
 
 I T is probable that many of our readers never 
 heard of this fed, and therefore it is pro¬ 
 per we Ihould fay fomething concerning 
 them, efpecially as they are not only of great 
 antiquity, but are likewife numerous in the pre- 
 fent age. It is true, they are not conlidered as 
 one body of people, becaufe they are fcattered 
 through the different denominations of Protef- 
 tants, and fome of the fame fentiments have 
 often been found among the Roman Catholics. 
 
 It is not our bufinefs here to enter into that 
 fort of controverfy which might diflrad the 
 minds of our readers ; but we could fay a thou- 
 fand things concerning the condudt of the coun¬ 
 cil of Nice, which, in the year 325, fettled the 
 canon of the facred fcripture. Mr. Toiandhas 
 afierted, that if the council of Nice had a right 
 to determine what was the canon of the facred 
 fcripture, they muft have been divinely in- 
 fpired ; for all the living witnefies and writers 
 had been dead many years before the oldeft 
 member of that aflfenToly was born. 
 
 Now it is well known, that even the council 
 of Nice rejeded fome of thofe books which we 
 now confider as canonical. And this has given 
 rife to a queltion, viz. whether if the fcriptures 
 acknowledged to be canonical by the council of 
 Nice, were written by Divine infpiration ? And, 
 fecondly, whether Divine infpiration Ihould 
 guide the hand of every tranfcriber ? 
 
 We fhall not enter into the nature of this con¬ 
 troverfy ; the learned are well acquainted with 
 it, and we know the weak cannot bear it. There 
 are fubjeds which particular perfons may dif- 
 courfe on, but we muft not make them known 
 indilcriminately. 
 
 This leads us to confider the origin and pro- 
 grefs of thefe people called Millenarians. The 
 Apocalypfe, or the book which we now call the 
 Revelation of St. John the Divine, was not re¬ 
 
 57 
 
 cognized in the church as canonical, till the 
 end of the fifth century. It is certain, there are 
 fome expreffions in that book which bear ftrong 
 marks of a Divine original; but it is upon a 
 particular expreffion that the dodrine of the 
 Millenarians has been founded. 
 
 The paffage alluded to is in Revelation xx. 
 (C And I faw an angel come down from heaven, 
 having the key of the bottomlefs pit, and a‘greac 
 chain in his hand. 
 
 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old fer- 
 pent, which is the devil and fatan, and bound 
 him a thoufand years, 
 
 And call him into the bottomlefs pit, and 
 (hut him up, and fet a feal upon him, that he 
 Ihould deceive the nations no more, till the 
 thoufand years Ihould be fulfilled j and after that, 
 he muft be loofed a little feafon. 
 
 And I faw thrones, and they fat upon them, 
 and judgement was given unto them : and I faw 
 the fouls of them that were beheaded for the 
 witnefs of Jefus, and for the word of God, and 
 which had not worfhipped the bead, nor his 
 image, neither had received his mark upon their 
 foreheads, or in their hands ; and they lived and 
 reigned with Chrift a thoufand years. 
 
 But the reft of the dead lived not again until 
 the thoufand years were finilhed. This is the firft 
 relurre&'ion. 
 
 Blefled and holy is he that hath part in the firft 
 relurredtion : on fuch the fecond death hath no 
 power, but they Ihall be priefts of God, and of 
 Chrift, and Ihall reign v/ith him a thpufand 
 years. 
 
 And when the thoufand years are expired, 
 Satan Ihall be loofed out of his prifon, 
 
 And fhall go out to deceive the nations, which 
 are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and 
 Magog, to gather them together to battle : the 
 number of whom is as the land of the fea. 
 
 8 H 
 
 And 
 
6/4 ACCOUNT of the 
 
 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, 
 and compafied the camp of the faints about, and 
 the beloved city : and fire came down from God 
 out of heaven and devoured them. 
 
 And the devil that deceived them, was caft 
 into the lake of fire and brimftone, where the 
 beaft and the falfe prophets are, and fhall be tor¬ 
 mented day and night for ever and ever.’' 
 
 Now. it is very probable, that thefie expref- 
 fions are rather figurative than otherwife; for 
 days are often mentioned as years in feripture ; 
 and it is faid, that a thoufand years are in the 
 fight of God but as one day. However, it will 
 appear that fome of the antient Chriftians, who 
 never faw the book called the Apocalypfe, or 
 Revelation, believed the fame fentiment con¬ 
 tained in the above pafiage. The firft of thefe 
 was Ireneus, an author whofe goodnels of heart 
 was far fuperior to the clearnefs of his head. 
 The notion itfelf was carnal, but it was eafily 
 embraced and greedily fwallowed by the weak 
 Chriftians in thole early ages. 
 
 But with refpett to what had been advanced; 
 by Ireneus, it was trifling to the notions broach¬ 
 ed by Origin. That father, celebrated for his 
 learning, became equally celebrated, or rather 
 defpifed, for his preaching doftrines unknown 
 to the Chriftian church before his time. Origin 
 had learning without knowledge, and piety with¬ 
 out prudence. He was acquainted with human 
 wifdom j he loved that which was divine; but 
 his paflions were too ftrong to be brought under 
 proper reftraints. 
 
 A little learning is a dangerous thing, 
 
 Drink deep, or tafte not the pierian Spring ; 
 There ftiallow draughts intoxicate the brain. 
 
 But drinking largely fobers us again. 
 
 However, it became an eftablifhed notion 
 among the primitive churches, that Chrift, at 
 his fecond coming, was to reign with his faints 
 on earth a thoufand years; and then the whole 
 plan of redemption was to be completed. We 
 are not certain how far this fentiment operated 
 in the middle ages of Chriftianity; but we are 
 certain that it was received loon after the refor¬ 
 mation from popery. We ftiall therefore pro¬ 
 ceed to confider in what manner thefe fentiments 
 were propagated, who the perlons were who 
 embraced them, and by whom they are counte¬ 
 nanced in the prefent age. This leads us into 
 thehiftory of the civil wars, an age when new 
 religions grew up as fall; as mulhrooms do from 
 their beds, and who vanilh away like Jonah’s 
 gourd. 
 
 When the civil wars broke our, the views and 
 defigns of the Puritans were difeovered both by 
 the churchmen, whom they oppofed, and by the 
 Republican party, who countenanced them. 
 They had before that time been confidered under 
 the general name of Puritans, as men who 
 fought for a purer reformation than had taken 
 place in the reign of queen Elizabeth. To pro¬ 
 mote the deftruftion of church and ftate, they 
 concealed their real fentiments; but no fooner 
 had they got into the polfeffion of the church 
 livings, than they pulled off the made, and, like 
 Pandora’s box, as many religions flew out as 
 were fuffictent to have darkened the air. 
 
 M 1 LLENARIANS. 
 
 Among fome of thefe Pfudo reformers were a 
 great number of Fifth Monarchy Men, or Mil- 
 lenarians ; and fo fond were they of this notion 
 that they excommunicated their hearers who re- 
 fufed to be of the fame fentiment with themfelves. 
 Many books were written on the belief of Chrift’s 
 coming to reign with his faints a thoufand years 
 on earth, and it was confidered as much an ar¬ 
 ticle of religion as the exigence of God, or the 
 incarnation of Chrift. 
 
 Some of thofe men who taught this notion 
 were, in other refpe&s, confiderable in the 
 literary world; but whenever new religions 
 are broached by men of learning, they mult not 
 expedt to find it wholly engroffed by themfelves. 
 
 They will find competitors to enter the lifts 
 with them, and it will frequently happen, as it 
 too often does in the phyfical world, that the 
 quacks will have more followers and greater fees, 
 than thofe who have been regularly bred to the 
 profeffion. 
 
 This was the very cafe with the Fifth Mo¬ 
 narchy Men in England ; for no fooner had they 
 publifhed their lentiments and procured a con¬ 
 fiderable number of followers, whofe imagina¬ 
 tions they wrought up into a ftate of confufion, 
 than many of their hearers turned preachers, and 
 taught for themfelves. It might have been fup- 
 pofed, that a perfon of fuch a cool difpofition as 
 Oliver Cromwell certainly was, would have done 
 fomething towards fupprefiing thefe people ; but 
 then it muft be confidered that the Indepen¬ 
 dents, whom he always efteemed, fupported his 
 government. Now he could not, with pro¬ 
 priety, have attacked the fpawn of his own 
 party, without giving them offence; and as mere 
 nominal preachers have no mercy, confequently 
 he might have been, for fuch an aftion, deprived 
 of his life and his dignity. 
 
 The more fober part of the Millenarians, or 
 Fifth Monarchy Men, only believed that Chrift 
 would reign a thoufand years before the general 
 refurredtion ; but the madmen, who fprung up 
 under them, carried the notion much higher. 
 They were not content to wait till Chrift’s fecond 
 coming; they had fixed a time for letting the 
 crown on his head. Of this the following is a 
 remarkable inftance. 
 
 In 1660, and on the very day on which kino 
 Charles II. was crowned, a confiderable number 
 of thefe madmen met in Coleman-ftreet in Lon¬ 
 don, where they were headed by one Venner, a 
 fiery ignorant preacher. In the'morning, he de¬ 
 livered a difeourfe to them, in which he told 
 them, that the day was come when Chrift was 
 to afeend his throne. Elaving fired their ima¬ 
 ginations with the higheft raptures ofenthufiafm, 
 and finding them ready to obey him in every 
 thing, he ordered them to Tally forth into the 
 ftreets, and kill every perfon who refufed tojoin 
 with them. 
 
 This was readily complied with, and thefe in¬ 
 fatuated men made a more than dreadful havock 
 the flreets. The guards were brought to dif- 
 perfe them, and feveral of them were killed. A 
 confiderable number were taken into cuftody, 
 among whom was Venner, the ringleader, who 
 with nine of his deluded followers, were executed 
 in different parts of the citv. 
 
 1 his inftance of madnefs affordered a pretence 
 
 for 
 
ACCOUNT of the H 
 
 for the corrupted court to wreak its vengeance 
 upon the whole bodyof Nonconformifts, although 
 it is certain, that they had no concern in it. What¬ 
 ever might have been the fentiments of many of 
 the Diffenters at that time, this much is certain, 
 that they never intended to aft in the fame man¬ 
 ner as Venner. They kept their opinions to 
 themfelves, but Venner reduced them to prac¬ 
 tice. This was a dreadful Itroke to the Fifth 
 Monarchy Men, and from that time they have 
 made no great figure in England. 
 
 UTCH 1 NSONIANS. 
 
 At prel'ent they are confined to writers, and 
 there is now in the church of England a learned 
 bifhopwho has embraced the fentiment concern¬ 
 ing the Millenarians. We acknowledge the fen¬ 
 timent to be of a difputable nature, but (till we 
 think it too carnal to make a part of the Chrif- 
 tian religion. However, we fliall leave every¬ 
 one to his own opinion, without pretending to 
 judge of things above our comprehenfion. 
 
 ACCOUNT of the HUTCHINSON IANS. 
 
 T H E further we proceed in our accounts 
 of lefts and parties in religion, the 
 more the curiofity of our readers mult 
 be ftimulated, becaufe we are of opinion, that 
 many of them were feldom heard of before. 
 However, that they either exift, or did exift, we 
 can make appear. 
 
 To underltand the nature of this feft, we mult 
 confider, that about the time of the reformation, 
 or at lead foon after it, there were fome feint at¬ 
 tempts made to improve the ftudy of the Hebrew 
 language. Laudable as a proposal of this nature 
 might have been, yet it might have been en¬ 
 tangled with a variety of difficulties, had not the 
 attempts made to fupprefs the enquiry defeated 
 its own intention. 
 
 All the Hebrew manufcripts were written with¬ 
 out the points, or vowels, and thele points or 
 vowels were, at the fame time, ufed by the 
 Jews. The grand queftion was, whether the Lie- 
 brew language was to be read with the Mafore- 
 tic points, or whether the letters Aleph, He, Vau , 
 Jody and Gnaw, ffiould be fubftituted in place 
 of the common vowels. Thele different me¬ 
 thods of reading created much confufion ; and 
 the Jews, by the ufe of the points, had fixed a 
 fenfe upon the fcripture, which had never been 
 known before. 
 
 Our firft reformers had learned the Hebrew 
 according to the Jewiffi method, by the ufe of 
 the Maforetic points ; and as thele points put a 
 Avrong conftruftion on the fenfe of the fcripture, 
 confequently the Deifts took the advantage, 
 while the Jews triumphed over the weaknefs of 
 the Chriftians. In particular it was objefted by 
 the Deifts, that the Mofaic account of the 
 creation was, in all relpefts, inconfiflent with 
 the principles of natural philofophy, according 
 to the experiments that had been made in latter 
 ages. Here the intereffs of Divine revelation 
 were concerned, and therefore it was either ne- 
 ceffary, that we ffiould acknowledge that Mofes 
 never taught a fyftem of philofophy, or that he 
 was not divinely infpired ; becaufe he concealed 
 from us thole things which can be eafily known j 
 
 by common experience, at lead: by the ufe of 
 modern philofophy, which has been for fome 
 time reduced to a fyftem. 
 
 This naturally leads us to the inveltigation of 
 the feft of whom we are now treating. 
 
 John LIutchinfon was the fon of a farmer in 
 Yorkffiire, and as his father’s foie defign was to 
 bring him up to be a land-fteward to fome no¬ 
 bleman, he lent him to lchool to be educated in 
 thole rules of mechanical fcience which natu¬ 
 rally lead thereto. When he had compleated 
 himfelf in menfuration, and the other practical 
 parts of the fciences, he returned from fchool to 
 his father, and at that time the following cir- 
 cumftance took place. 
 
 In the village where Mr. Hutchinfon’s father 
 lived, a ftranger unknown to any perfon in the 
 country, came to afk for lodgings, and old Mr. 
 Hutchinfon took him into his houfe. It was 
 never known who this ftranger was, but after he 
 had been about three Aveeks in his new lodgings, 
 he told Mr. Hutchinfon, he would for his board 
 and lodging teach his fon the languages. 
 
 The father embraced the propolal, and in 
 the compafs of four years our youno - ftudent was 
 enabled to go through not only the Roman and 
 Greek claffics, but likewife to make a confider- 
 able figure in the Hebrew. The education of 
 the young man being completed, the ftranger 
 left the place, and never was heard of afterwards* 
 There are circumftances of this nature to be 
 found in hiftory, and reafons may be affignedfor 
 them, which none but the intelligent can an- 
 fwer. 
 
 kurniffied with all the learning of the fchools, 
 though diffeminated thro’ the channel of a pri¬ 
 vate education, Mr. Hutchinfon made an amaz¬ 
 ing progrefs in the ftudy of the antient writers, 
 and between all of them he run fuch a parallel, 
 as to point out the difference between the Mofaic 
 ceconomy, and the mythology of the Greeks. 
 To the knowledge of languages he added that 
 of philofophy, and by comparing the antient 
 with the modern fyftems, he formed thofe no¬ 
 tions which have made no inconfiderable figure 
 
676 ACCOUNT of the H U 
 
 in this nation. By inconfiderable, we mean, 
 that fome celebrated perlons, who fhall be men¬ 
 tioned afterwards, have embraced them. 
 
 Mr. Hutchinfon, being as it were at ledure 
 in the enjoyment of a finecure place, unde) the 
 duke of Somerfet, mailer of the horle, began 
 to compare the antient and modern philoiophy, 
 and found that he could not find the truth in 
 either. He examined the "Hebrew Language 
 with o-reat care, and from his enquiry, publifhed 
 a book under the title of Mojes Principia , which 
 he laid down as the ground work of all his other 
 ccmpofitions. 
 
 The defign of this work is to prove that 
 Moles laid down a perfect fyftem of philofophy; 
 that the 1 acred leriptures of the Old ieflament 
 had never been rightly tranllated; that Moles 
 never taught any thing contrary to the planatery 
 lyftem, but really eftablifhed it; and whereas 
 Sir Ilaac Newton inftituted the-notion of theie 
 being a vacuum in nature, he oppofed it by a(- 
 ferting there was a plenum. That all heavenly 
 bodies went round the fun by a fort of comprel- 
 fure. 
 
 With r el peel to the terms of acceptance with 
 God, he averted, that they were clearly revealed 
 by Mofes and the prophets; but he ilrongly op¬ 
 pofed the imputation of Chrift’s righteoufnefs. 
 He leaned more to the Arminian than the Cal- 
 viniftical fide of the Queftion ; but his notions 
 were a mixture of both. 
 
 From thefe fentiments a new fed was formed, 
 which has continued ever fince. There are many 
 learned men of this opinion, and three Hebrew 
 Lexicons have been publifhed to fupport all his 
 fentiments. The Hutchinfonian writers are 
 more fevere againft their antagomfts, than the 
 Papifts are againft the Proteftants. There is a 
 certain harfhnefs of exprefiron uled by them, that 
 does not become the mild doctrines of the gof- 
 pel. We know but of one fingle exception to 
 this general charge, and that is, in the lord 
 prefident Forbes. That learned gentleman has 
 drelfed the Hutchinfonians in the moll amiable 
 charaders indeed. While he illu ft rates the prin¬ 
 ciples laid down by Hutchinfon, he vindicates, 
 at the fame time, all the great truths of the 
 Chriftian religion, and fupports divine revela¬ 
 tion upon principles little attended to by Chrif¬ 
 tian divines and utterly unanfwerable by the 
 Deifts. It is certain, that his works have been 
 of more fervice in promoting the caule of religion 
 and virtue, than one half of the books in the 
 prefent age. 
 
 At prelent, the Hutchinfonians are rather a 
 fentimental than collective body of people; they 
 ate to be found among almoft all denominations 
 of Proteftants, and the notion itfelf has been 
 the means of reviving the ftudy of the Hebrew 
 language. It has ftimulated many perlons to en¬ 
 quire into the facred oracles, and notwithllanding 
 the levity of the prefent age, yet we are cer¬ 
 tain, that there are more perfons in Britain at 
 prefent acquainted with the oriental lan¬ 
 guages than ever were known at one time, fince 
 the reformation. 
 
 As for places of worfhip, properly fpeaking, 
 they have none ; for thole of the lower fort who 
 refide in London, meet, like the Muggletoni- 
 
 TCHINSONIANS. 
 ans, in public houfes. We have been prefent at 
 one of thefe meetings, in a club-room up Hairs, 
 at a noted public houfe in the Strand. The 
 members confifted, for the molt parr, of difearded 
 Methodifts, Independents, and Sandemanians ; 
 but we could not find one perfon that had made 
 choice of this fcheme till he had been ex¬ 
 pelled out of another. And this leads us to 
 confider the vaft impropriety in the condudl of 
 our modern Calviniftical Difienters, in excom¬ 
 municating their members. 
 
 The aCtion is weak, foolilh, and wicked. It 
 is weak, becaufe they turn out from among them 
 thofe who have it in their power to expofe fome 
 things that will not bear a proper lcrutiny. 
 
 ! It is foolifh, becaufe they turn away thof§ 
 i who contributed towards fupporting their minii- 
 i ters in a ftate of idlenels. And, iaftly, it 
 i is wicked, becaufe no fooner have they difeard- 
 ! ed one of their members, than they do all in 
 their power to promote his ruin. Here is a com¬ 
 plication of guilt, attended with many aggra¬ 
 vating circumftances. Some of them know them- 
 felves to be very irregular, and why then fhould 
 they hunt down thofe who only go halves with 
 them in a courle of practical impiety ? 
 
 This conduCl of fome Difienters has been at¬ 
 tended with two confequences : Firft, it has 
 made the difearded members form fchemes of 
 : new religions ; and then finding nothing but 
 ! knavery wherever they joined themfelves, they 
 have commenced either papifts or deifts. 
 
 At prefent, when the Hutchinfonians meet in 
 their public afiemblies, one of them reads, and 
 i another explains a pafiage of feriprure as well as 
 he can ; then a third prays ; and when they have 
 1 drank a little porter they are difmifled. 
 
 Having already taken notice that mod of our 
 new religions are formed of the excommunicated 
 members of other focieties; we muft now de¬ 
 clare thefe members were once celebrated for 
 their high attainments in piety and divine expe¬ 
 rience. They were celebrated for traducing the 
 words morality, or good works. Grace, expe¬ 
 rience, the ftate of their fouls, and fuch like 
 exprefiions, made the whole of their converfation; 
 but let them be once difearded, they treat with 
 contempt all their boafted experiences, and when 
 they are tired with dabbling in religion, they 
 give themfelves up to all manner of prolanenels. 
 There are but few inftances where it is otherwife, 
 and where that does happen, it fhould bealcrib- 
 ed more to a gracious Providence, than to any 
 thing elfe. This fhould caution young people 
 to be upon their guard againft the force of temp- 
 ! tation, which will be lure to afiault them if they 
 are not ferious in the matter of religion. If 
 they can overcome the temptation, it will be to 
 their everlafting honour ; of which we fhall give 
 a fingle inftance, wifhing we had it in our power 
 to produce many more. 
 
 About fixteen years ago, a perfon of an ex¬ 
 traordinary turn, had read almoft every 
 book that he could lay hold of; and what was 
 ftill more remarkable, he remembered almoft 
 every thing he read. Inftrudted in his early 
 youth in the principles of Chriftianity, he had 
 j always the higheft value for every thing of a 
 I ferious nature. Brought up a Difienter, and, in 
 
 lentiment, 
 
 i 
 
ACCOUNT of the QU I E T I S T S. 
 
 fentiment a Calvinift j he entered into commu¬ 
 nion with the Independents. He had not been 
 long among them when he began to point out to 
 their leaders the necefiity they were under of re¬ 
 forming many abufes ; and, among other things, 
 that of providing for the poor. This was ftrongly 
 oppofed, and one of their minifters obferved, 
 that as they paid the poor’s rates, fo the parifties 
 ought to take Care of thofe who were in want. 
 
 Another propofal was made by this perfon in 
 the meeting, which met with the fame fate as the 
 former. It was, that the minifters fhould keep a 
 lift of the names of his people, their places of 
 abode, and their circumftances j and that they 
 fhould intimate upon their removal, what places 
 they went to. That the minifter fhould vifit every 
 perfon, at leaft four times in the year, to enquire 
 into his circumftances, and to invite fuch as were 
 poor, to come to the meeting, and in a tender 
 and an affectionate manner, be relieved by their 
 brethren. 
 
 This was a dreadful propofal, and every means 
 were thought of, to get rid of this troublefome 
 gueft. The worft of all was, he had done rather 
 more good than any of them, fo that it was diffi¬ 
 cult to fix the charge, fo as to get him excom¬ 
 municated. They had frequent confultations con¬ 
 cerning thefe matters during the compafs of fix 
 months-, and at laft, two favourable opportunities 
 prefented themfelves. 
 
 London was at this time in an uproar, concern¬ 
 ing the playing at blindman’s-buff, and this ob¬ 
 noxious Independent went frequently to fee their 
 madnefs. As he was always free in his conver¬ 
 sation, and fometimes imprudently fatirical, he 
 
 frequently ridiculed his brethren * fo that he was 
 reputed to be a Sandimanian. The next plea 
 againft him was, that in confequence of having a 
 large family, moft of whom had been long confi¬ 
 ned to fick beds, he had been under the necefiity 
 of contracting feme debts. A peremptory de¬ 
 mand of payment was made upon him, at a time 
 when it was -well known it was not in his power 
 to comply, and thus the affair was brought to a 
 conclufion. The offender was ordered to make 
 his appearance before the congregation but as 
 he made it a fixed rule never to go where his tem¬ 
 per might be ruffied, and well knowing what was 
 plotting againft him, he was immediately excom¬ 
 municated. 
 
 As for this mean exercife of clerical power, 
 the man would have made no account of it, but 
 no fooner were they got quit of him, than they 
 went about wherever he was known, and traduced 
 his charaCler in fuch a manner, that he was left 
 with his family in diftrefs. But notwithftanding 
 that more than heathenifh cruelty, yet this man 
 never defpifed true religion. He gave up all 
 connection with religious focieties, and minded 
 only religion itfelf. He confidered religion as a 
 living principle, which muft be reduced to aCtions, 
 and, traduced as a heathen, he went on in an uni¬ 
 form courfe of duty. 
 
 As what has been here advanced is the moft 
 folemn matter of faCt, fo it is hoped it will have 
 a proper effeCt, and teach people, in the words of 
 the apoftle, to be well grounded in their own 
 minds, before they change their religious fen- 
 timents. 
 
 ACCOUNT of the Q^UIETISTS. 
 
 O F all the lefts we have hitherto treated 
 of, this bears the neared; refemblance to 
 that of the Myftics, only that this feft 
 has been long confined to the Roman Catholic 
 church, whereas the Myftics joined the Proteftants. 
 
 The founder of this feft was one Michael de 
 Molinos, a Romilh prieft, and a man of fome 
 learning, who lived in France, and afterwards in 
 Italy, towards the latter end of the fixth century. 
 
 ft he name is taken from an abfolute ftate of 
 reft and inaftion, which the foul is fuppofed to be 
 in, when arrived ac the ftate of perfeftion. This 
 ftate of perfeftion is called by them the itiaBive 
 life. 
 
 To arrive atthis, a man is fil'd to pafs through 
 the progreffive way, that is, through a long courfe 
 of uniform obedience, impofed by the Tar of 
 hell. Hence he is to proceed into the illuminative 
 way before he arrives at perfeftion. He muft 
 go through combats and violent pains, that is, not 
 only the ui'ual bufinefs of the foul, and the com¬ 
 mon privations of grace, but alio infernal pains. 
 
 57 
 
 He muft believe himfelf to be damned, and 
 the perfuafion that he is fo, muft, if he lives, be 
 upon him feveral years. 
 
 Sc. Francis de Salis, a Jefuit, fays, the Quietifts 
 are fo fully perfuaded of this, that they will not 
 fuffer any body to convince them to the contrary. 
 And indeed it is neediefs to make the experimenr, 
 for enthufiafts are feldom convinced, even by the 
 moft rational arguments that can be made ufe of, 
 but remain obftinate to the laft. They fhut their 
 eyes againft the truth. 
 
 Thefe men believe that they fhall be amply 
 repaid for ali their lufferings, by the embraces of 
 God, which they imagine will raife them Co a 
 ftate equal to their maker. 
 
 Their fentiments concerning God, are wonder¬ 
 fully pure and dilinterefted. They fay the y love 
 him for himfelf, on account of his own perfeftion, 
 independently of any rewards or puniftimments 
 The foul, fays he, acquiefces in the will of God. 
 even at the time when he precipitates it into hell. 
 Nay, inftead of begging mercy on this occafion ; 
 
 ® - one 
 
C C O U N T of the O U I E T I S T S. 
 
 one of them, whofe name was B. Angelo de Fo- 
 Ijrry, cried out, “ Hafte Lord to call me into 
 hell, do not delay if thou haft abandoned me ; 
 but hafte my deftruftion and call me into the 
 abyfs”. 
 
 At length the foul, after long enduring many 
 fufferings, enters into reft or quietude. Here it 
 is wholly employed in contemplating its God. 
 It afts no more, thinks no more, defires no more 
 but lies perfeftly open and at large, to receive 
 the grace of God, who, by means thereof, 
 draws it where it will and as it will. 
 
 In this date it has no occafion for prayers, 
 or hymns, or vows : becaufe, where the fpirit 
 labours, and the mouth is open, the foul is 
 the weak and impotent. The foul of the fpirit 
 is as it were laid in the bofom, and between the 
 arms of God ; where, without the making 
 motion or exerting any aftion, it waits and re¬ 
 ceives the Divine grace. It then becomes hap¬ 
 py, quitting the exiftence it had before. It is 
 now changed, it is transformed, and, as it were, 
 funk and fwallowed up in the Divine being, in 
 lo much, as not to know its being diftinguifhed 
 from God himfelf. 
 
 Bifhop Burnet gives the following account of 
 the Quietifts, or Molinifts, in one of his letters 
 from Rome. 
 
 “ The new method of Molinos doth fomuch 
 prevail in Naples, that it is believed he hath 
 above twenty thoui'and followers in this city; 
 and fince this hath made fome noife in the 
 world, and yet is generally but little underftood, 
 
 I will give you fome account of him : He is a 
 Spanifh prieft that leems to be but an ordinary 
 divine, and is certainly a very ill reafoner when 
 he undertakes to prove his opinion : He hath 
 writ a book, which is entitled il Guida Spirituale, 
 or. The Spiritual Guide, which is a (Fort abftraft 
 of the Myftical divinity ; the fubftance of the 
 whole is reduced to this, that in our prayers 
 and other devotions, the beft methods are to 
 retire the mind from ail grofs images, and fo to 
 form an aft of faith, and thereby to prefent our- 
 felves before God : and then to fink into a filence 
 and cefiation of new a6ts, and to let God aft 
 upon us, and fo to follow his conduft: This 
 way he prefers to the multiplication of many new 
 acts, and different forms of devotion, and he 
 makes finall account of corporal aufterities, 
 and reduces all the exercifes of religion to this 
 fimplicity of mind. 
 
 He thinks this is not only to be propofed to 
 fuch as live in religious houfes, but even to fe- 
 cular perfons, and by this he hath propofed a 
 great reformation of mens minds and manners : 
 he hath many priefts in Italy, but chiefly in 
 Naples, that dilpofe thofe who confefs them¬ 
 felves to them, to follow his methods. The 
 Jefuits have fet themfelves much againft this 
 conduft, as forefeeing that it may much weaken 
 the empire that fuperftition hath over the minds 
 of the people, that it may make religion be¬ 
 come a more plain and fimple thing, and may 
 alfo open a door to enthuliafms : they alfo pre¬ 
 tend that his conduft is faftious and feditious, 
 that this may breed a fchifm in the church. And 
 becaufe he faith, in fome places of his book, 
 that the mind may rife up to fuch a fimplicity 
 in its afts, that it may rile in fome of its devo¬ 
 
 tions to God immediately, without contetnplat- 
 ing the humanity of Chrift, they have accufed 
 him, as intending to lay afide the doftrine of 
 Chrift’s humanity, though it is plain that lie 
 fpeaks only of the purity of fome fingle afts : 
 Upon all thofe heads they have fet themfelves 
 much againft Molinos ; and they have alfo pre¬ 
 tended that fome of his dilciples, have infufed 
 it into their penitents, that they may go and 
 communicate as they find themfelves dilpofed 
 without going firft to confefiion, which they 
 thought weakened much the yoke, by which 
 the priefts fubdue the conl'ciences of the people 
 to their conduft: yet he was much fupported 
 both in the kingdom of Naples and Sicily ; he 
 hath alfo many friends and followers at Rome. 
 So the Jefuits, as a provincial of the order af- 
 fured me, finding they could not ruin him by 
 their own force, got a great king that is now ex¬ 
 tremely in the interefts of their order to inter- 
 pofe, and to reprefent to the pope the danger of 
 fuch innovations. 
 
 It is certain the pope underftands the matter 
 very little, and that he is poflefled with a great 
 opinion of Moiino’s fanftity ; yet upon the 
 complaints of fome cardinals, that leconded 
 the zeal of that king, he and fome of his 
 followers were put in the Inquifition, where 
 they have been now for fome months, but (till 
 they are well ufed, which is believed to flow from 
 the good opinion that the pope hath on him, 
 who faith Hill, that though he may err, yet he 
 is certainly a good man : Upon this imprifon- 
 ment Pafquin laid a pleafant thing in one week, 
 one man had been condemned to the gallies for 
 fomewhat he had faid, another had been hanged 
 for fomewhat he had writ, and Molinos was put 
 in prifon, whofe doftrine confided chiefly in this, 
 that men ought to bring their minds to a ftate 
 of inward quietnefs, from which the name of 
 Quietifts was given to all his followers: The Paf- 
 quinade upon all this, was. If we fpeak we are 
 fent to the gallies, if we write we are hanged, 
 if we ftand quiet we are put up in the Inquifi¬ 
 tion, what muft we do then ? Yet his followers 
 at Naples are not daunted, but they believe he 
 will come ouc of this trial viftonous." 
 
 Some years after the cardinals had condemned 
 1 the opinions of Molinos, moft of them were 
 driven out of Italy ; but this perfecution cauled 
 them to encrcafe rather than dccreafe. Some of the 
 popilh clergy became converts to their opinions, 
 which induced the famous Boffuet, bilhop of 
 Meaux, to write againft them. They might, 
 indeed, have fuffered much in France, but the 
 clergy were too much engaged in perfecuting 
 the Proteftants. However, no looner was that 
 perfecution over, than the priefts, who are fel- 
 dom found idle while any one oppofes them, let 
 loofe all their fury upon their own brethren the 
 Molinifts; for however mad thefe Molinifts 
 might have been in their fpeculative notions, yet 
 they never denied the papal lupremacy, nor did 
 they refrain from any of the rites and ceremonies 
 of the church of Rome. They fet up no fepa- 
 rate form of worlhip ; they made no fchifm in 
 that church; but the Roman Catholics punifii 
 people as well for their thoughts, as for their 
 words or aftions. 
 
 Some of thefe Quietifts fled into Holland, 
 
 where 
 
ACCOUNT of the 
 
 where they published feveral books, but they 
 jftill attended the Romifh chapels in that coun¬ 
 try ; for we do not find that any of them ever 
 embraced the Proteftant religion. 
 
 But notwithftanding all this, the Romanifts 
 never confidered them as found in the faith, nor 
 did they always agree among themfelves, l'o that 
 it would be impoffible to form a fyftem of their 
 fpeculative notions, without running into a va¬ 
 riety of wild, abfurd contradictions. 
 
 Many of thefe Quietilts went up into Ger¬ 
 many, where they were perlecuted with as much 
 violence by the Lutheran clergy as they had 
 been formerly by the Romifh priefts. The pul¬ 
 pits thundered out againft them; the learned 
 wrote books and drew up long lilts of their here- 
 fies ; and then gave them by derifion the name 
 of Pietifts, and their religion Pietifm. 
 
 Thefe people are taxed in general as being in¬ 
 different to all the exteriors of religion, and in 
 Germany defpifing the fymbolical books of the 
 Lutherans. Their notions concerning the tri¬ 
 nity* are laid not to be orthodox, and they look 
 upon creation and providence as an inundation 
 from the Deity. They are acculed of being 
 Millenarians ; of pretending that all religion 
 con fills in the contemplation of God ; that in 
 this ftate the foul is no ways guilty of the offences 
 committed by the body ; and that all aCtions are 
 neceffary, good or bad. 
 
 Jacob Bohcm, a native of Poland, having 
 read fome of the books written by the Quietilts, 
 refolved to turn author himfelf. He was by 
 trade a flioemaker, but he had acquired fome 
 knowledge in reading cabbaliftical and chymical 
 books. His mind was well turned for enthu¬ 
 fiafm and fanaticil'm ; he bragged of vifions and 
 dreams, which he difplayed in matters of divinity 
 and philofophy ; all which he pretended to clear 
 up in a book intitled, “The Grand Myftery,” 
 ■which is a theological, chemical comment on 
 Genefis, wrote in the German language. This 
 being printed, made a vaft number of enchufiafts. 
 
 It is likely that this fhoemaker, notwithftand¬ 
 ing the fuperior genius he pretended to, did not 
 well underltand his own meaning. For he is al¬ 
 ways abfurd and often ambiguous, like one who 
 has but confuled notions of the fubjeCt. His 
 
 Q^U I E T I S T S. 6 79 
 
 followers endeavoured to clear up his notions, 
 by fu’oftituting fome of their own. Thus, for 
 inftance, they owned a perfect unity in the Di¬ 
 vine effence ; and yet they imagined, it con¬ 
 tained a three-fold principle of all things. Thus 
 fire was God; the light of the fire, the knowledge 
 and wifdom of God, the fon of God ; and the 
 Holy Ghoft, is the unity by which the light en¬ 
 lightens. This opinion was embraced by many 
 of the antient Heretics, as well as by fome of the 
 Heathen philofophers; for according to this 
 lyftem, God and the whole world is but one 
 complete being. They have many other wild 
 notions, and there are many perfons in the world 
 who read their raptures of enthufiafm. 
 
 It docs not appear, that there are any of them 
 among the Roman Catholics in the prefent age; 
 but vaft numbers of fefts have iprung from them 
 in Germany ; for almoft every town or city has 
 its meeting for them. They have no forms of 
 worfhip, but in that particular pretty much re- 
 femble the Quakers. Indeed, it would be un- 
 neceffary for them to have forms of worfhip, 
 feeing they never pray but when they imagine 
 themfelves to be divinely inlpired. It is the 
 fame in their fermons, which are always rhap- 
 fodies of wild nonfenfe communicated as it were 
 by madmen. 
 
 Although in fome things they bear a near re- 
 femblance to the Myftics, yet thofe of the latter 
 perfuafion whom we have now in England, are 
 far from being l'o extravagant as thefe. It is cer¬ 
 tain, however, that the Englifh Myftics have 
 given encouragement to the printing of fome of 
 Jacob Bohem’s books, but what fuccefs they have 
 had we know not. 
 
 Thus we have given the beft account we could 
 procure of the Quietilts, which is extracted from 
 impartial hiftories written of them; and here it 
 appears, that a fyftem of enthufiafm, confiding 
 of dreams and vifions, has been embraced by a 
 great number of Proteftants, even after the Ro¬ 
 man Catholics, who broached it, had returned 
 back to the bofom of their holy mother church. 
 Enthufiafm will be always lure to gain a great 
 number of followers, butreafon and good fenfe, 
 we are lorry to fay, feldom make many converts. 
 
 ' It is with peculiar fntisfadlion we here obferve, that in Middleton's Nensj and Complete Dielionary of Arts and Sciences, the 
 do&rine of the Trinity is defined in the moll clear, oithodox and fcriptural manner we ever remember feeing it in any work of 
 the kind. On which account we moll cordially recommend this New Publication, as well to the mechanic and fcholar, as 
 to ftudious chriilians of every dais. It is alfo calculated to convey a variety of ufeful knowledge, as it comprizes, in two 
 large volumes only, a great number of interefting articles and neceffary improvements on former performances of the nature. 
 
 The title of this ufeful publication runs thus: The New Complete DICTIONARY of ARTS and SCIENCES; 
 Or, An Univerfal Syftem of Ufeful Knowledge. By the Rev. EraJ'mus Middleton, and Others. In two Volumes, Folio, Price 
 neatly bound, 2I. 10s. Sold by Alex. Hogg, No. 16, Pater-Nojler Row, London. Embellifhed with a great variety of Cop¬ 
 per-plates, reprefenting upwards of a thoufand exafl figures in the various branches of the Arts and Sciences. 
 
 To accommodate fuch as may not chufe to purchafe this Dictionary completely bound, it is divided into So weekly num¬ 
 bers, which may be had by one or two at a time, price 6d. each, including all the Elegant engravings, which are executed 
 by themoll eminent Artifts. 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
 ACCOUNT 
 
( 6So ) 
 
 A CCOUNT of the 
 
 W E have already taken notice of fomc 
 antient Heretics who were called 
 t * Adamites, and who were fuch abomi¬ 
 nable wretches, that they met naked in their af- 
 femblies, and committed the molt indecent lal- 
 civious aftions. This brought much trouble to 
 the Chriftians, who becaufe they alfo met in the 
 nights, were all included under the gene¬ 
 ral ctnfure. But the left we are now going to 
 treat of, were very different ; for their notions 
 were purely of a fpeculative nature. 
 
 About the middle of the laft century, one Py- 
 rerius, a foreign Proteftant, wrote a book in 
 which he attempted to prove, that there were 
 men in the world long before Adam ; that when 
 he was created, there were many thousands of 
 people on this habitable world, and that God s 
 making the world at that time was merely an al¬ 
 legory. He faid, that Eve’s being called the 
 mother of all living, implied no more than that 
 ■the whole race of the ele< 5 t fhould defcend^ from 
 her. That as Seth was but the third ion of 
 Adam, it could not with propriety be laid, that 
 men fhould call upon the name of the Lord when 
 he was born. Thefe words, tf Calling on the 
 name of the Lord,” mean no more than that 
 men began at that time to call upon God by ano¬ 
 ther name than that by which he was known 
 before. To this he adds, the account of Cain’s 
 marrying a wife in the land of Nod, and this he 
 advances as a proof, that there were many fami¬ 
 lies at that time in the world. 
 
 To thefe arguments, which have been made 
 life of by many Deiftical writers, it may be rea- 
 fonably luppofcd, that as the birth of Seth 
 was not till many years after the fall, fo there can 
 remain little doubt but Adam had many cnildren 
 in that time. But of thefe things we lhall take 
 particular notice afterwards, when we have ftated 
 more at large the hiftory and the fentiments of 
 thefe people. 
 
 In the mean time, as the Pre-Adamites made fome 
 noife in Germany, the people of England fent for 
 copies of the book written by Pyrerius •, and as 
 they were daily broaching new religions in this 
 countrv, fo they made one of this. It might be 
 faid of the fedts in this country at that time, that, 
 like Noah’s dove, they could find no reft for the 
 foies of their feet-, that is, their various changes 
 from one form of religion to another, had gra¬ 
 dually difordered their minds, and the frame of 
 moral duty was every day finking into a ftate of 
 weaknefs. This made them lay hold of every 
 new fchcme of religion that prefented itfclf, but 
 the more they fought to enjoy reft, the lefs they 
 could find. They were, in l'ome fenfe, like the 
 antient Athenians, who, having let up altars to all 
 the gods they could hear of, and not being able 
 to find a new one, erected an altar in one of their 
 public places, with this infcription, “ To the 
 unknown God.” 
 
 P R E-A DAMITES. 
 
 Several books were written, to prove the doc¬ 
 trines advanced by Pyrerius, and many converts 
 were made to his opinions. Some of thefe Eng- 
 lifh Pre-Adamites had been Prefbyterians, others 
 Anabaptifts, but all of them belonged to the 
 fedts. 
 
 They continued to increale till the reftoration, 
 but wonderful as it may feem, it does not appear, 
 that even in thofe unfettled times, when every 
 blockhead mounted the pulpit, that any of them 
 obtained church livings. Perhaps there were 
 none vacant, or, which is more probable, Oliver 
 Cromwell did not chule to give encouragement 
 to any new lefts who would oppofe the Indepen¬ 
 dents. 
 
 At the reftoration they were included under the 
 general name of Difienters, and fome of them 
 luffered the fame hardfhips with all the other re¬ 
 ligious fe< 5 taries. 
 
 Having laid thus much concerning their origin 
 and progrefs, we fhall now proceed to confider 
 the remainder of their fedts at large ; and here 
 we are forry to fay, that it moft commonly hap¬ 
 pens, that thofe who undertake explaining the fa- 
 cred fcriptures, without underftanding them, gene¬ 
 rally run into errors. There are two things to 
 be attended to in reading the facred fcriptures, 
 which muft not be forgotten by thofe who would 
 reap any advantage from them. 
 
 Firft, that there are many things in them above 
 human comprehenfion, which lo far from weaken¬ 
 ing their authority, ferves only to confirm it. For 
 if men cannot always underftand the fecret things 
 of nature, how fiiall they comprehend the hidden 
 myfterities of God. 
 
 Secondly, there is fufficiency in them to make 
 us wife unto lalvation, and this is what we fhould. 
 give proper attention to. 
 
 Sin and death according to this fyftern, was long 
 before Adam-, but they did not live and reign 
 over all mankind. Sin and death were dead, they 
 had no fting. This is, fay they, exprefled by 
 St. Paul in thefe words, il Until the law, lin was 
 in the world, but fin is not imputed where there 
 is no law.” And by confequencc, death had no 
 power over mankind. But the fame apoftle fays, 
 “ By one man, fin entered into the world, and 
 death by fin, and fo death palled upon all men.” 
 However, to maintain this very Orange and una- 
 countable fyftern, they are obliged to admit, that 
 before Adam, men lived like beads. 
 
 The election of the Jews is a confequence of 
 the fame fyftern, for it began at Adam who is their 
 father, God is alfo the father of the Jews, having 
 efpoufed their church to himfelf. tie is iikewife 
 their mother * for the Gentiles are only adopted 
 children, as being Pre-Adamites. The fcripture 
 calls them only men or children of men ; and 
 fometimes they are compared to unclean beafts 
 whereas the Jews are faid to be the children of 
 God, as having been made of a more perfeift 
 
 nature. 
 

 The Adam ite s feized 
 
 //n<//afir/// fn/i>-/tfj/vt/it /u //< a/- ^rnj//"////m./? 
 
 7 //<'///f.I t 
 
 /.•/// 
 
 
 ij 
 

ACCOUNT of the PR E-A DAMITES. 
 
 nature, than the other nations whom he had 
 created. 
 
 This diftindtion was very flattering, in regard to 
 the Jews, who were thus raifed to a fuperior 
 order of men. The whole has the appearance of 
 a wild romance, and yet they attempt to prove 
 
 it. 
 
 In order to this, he compares the firft chapter 
 of Genefis, where it is faid God creates man by 
 his word, with the fecond, wherein Adam is in¬ 
 troduced as the work of God’s own hands. 
 
 Again, the forty-feventh pfalm joined to the 
 forty-ninth, in which the Gentiles are exprefsly 
 called the fons of the earth ; and this they believe 
 to be an evident proof, that God created two 
 forts of men ; the Jews then being made of a 
 finer mould, had all the real'on on their fide not to 
 be inquifitive about the other nations, who drew 
 their origin from the Pre-Adamites. This was 
 not an effedt of their pride, but a felf-confciouf- 
 nefs of their own dignity. They were by this 
 fecond creation to live eternally, whilft the Pre- 
 Adamites and their pofterity were doomed to 
 death, as a natural confequence of the corrupta- 
 biiity of the matter of Which they were compofed. 
 Moreover, the Jewifli genealogies are clearly 
 traced from Adam their firft father ; whereas, in 
 the pedigrees of the Gentiles, no order is kept, 
 no knowledge is preferved of their origin. 
 
 From thefe proofs, as they call them, drawn 
 from the fcriptures, they proceed to others out of 
 the Jewilh Rabbins. 
 
 Adam, fay the Rabbins, had a tutor named 
 Sambofcer, and who could this be but a Pre-Adam¬ 
 ite ? 
 
 Cain having killed his brother Abel, was afraid 
 left he fhould kill himlelf. He became captain 
 of a band of robbers, who were they ? He 
 married, yet Adam had no daughter. What wife 
 could he get ? He built a town ; What architects, 
 mafons, carpenters, and other workmen did he 
 employ ? The anfwer to all thefe queftions is, in 
 one, Pre-Adamites. They add further, that the 
 Egyptian and Chinefe chronologies, reach many 
 thoufand years backward before Adam was creat¬ 
 ed; and the people who lived then, muft have been 
 Pre-Adamites. It is certain, that the Mahome¬ 
 tans believe, there were Pre-Adamites, and they 
 have actually given us the names of fome of them. 
 The Pre-Adamites believe further, that there was 
 to be two Meftiahs; one of whom is come, but 
 there is another in time to be lent to the Jews. 
 
 Thefe are all the particulars we have been able 
 to colleCt concerning this extraordinary feCt; and 
 the notion feems to have been collected in part 
 from all the herefies that ever yet fprung up in 
 the world. It is furprizing that fuch men Ihould 
 call themfelves Chriftians ; for all Chriftians, let 
 their notions in other refpeCts be ever lb invidious, 
 ltill profels to believe the bible. 
 
 Now, had no notice been taken of the creation 
 and fall of man, except in the Old Teftament, 
 there might have been l'ome reafon to doubt; but 
 throughout the New Teftament the Mofaic ac¬ 
 count of the fall is frequently referred to, and con- 
 fidered as the fundamental article upon which the 
 neceflity for Chrift’s making an attonement is 
 built. As for Cain’s marrying a wife while Adam 
 had no children, is but a filly objection ; becaufe 
 57 
 
 68i 
 
 | this event might have happened above one hun 
 j dred years after the creation of the world, and 
 ; certainly Adam might have had many daughters 
 in that time. 
 
 Their notion that men lived like beafts before 
 Adam was created, they have taken from the 
 Pagan mythology, as appears from many of thofe 
 poets; but what will men not do when left to 
 the indulgence of their own corrupt fancies ? 
 
 I he truth does not give them farisfaClion, they 
 feck out ft r lomething new, and then they are lefs 
 fatisfied than before. They add one fiction to 
 another, till their religion, if it deferves that 
 name, would put an Heathen to the blufh. It is 
 even mere ridiculous than that of bommono-Co- 
 dom in the Eaft-Indies, cr any of thofe we have 
 treated of in other parts of the world 
 
 We fhal! conclude this article in the words of 
 the late learned lord-prefident Forbes, in his ex¬ 
 cellent thoughts on religion, where he fupports 
 the Mofaic hiftory with a ftrength of argument 
 not known before. 
 
 “ The thing Mofes begins with, is the creation 
 of the heavens and the earth by the Deity ; which 
 ! though true to the conviCtion of all mankind, no 
 antient wife-men ever found out. Here is no ridi¬ 
 culous theogonia, no eternal chaos, no fortuitous 
 concourfe of atoms ; but a fair and a true decla¬ 
 ration, “ In the beginning God created the hea¬ 
 vens and the earth.” 
 
 Fie further takes notice of the inftitution of the 
 fabbath; which, though the antients obferved, 
 they knew not the realon, or occafion of. 
 
 The declaration of this undifcovered truth gives 
 ftrong prepoffeftion in favour of the reft. 
 
 The next important thing is, that man fell from 
 a ftate of innocence. This, as has been faid, 
 every living man muft find to be true, upon exa¬ 
 mination ; and yet none of the wife, whole works 
 have come to us, ever thought of it: nothin^ 
 more certain, nothing more important to be at¬ 
 tended to ; nothing lefs known : but this Mofes 
 diftinCbly relates as the caufe, or at leaft the occa¬ 
 fion, of every thing that followed. 
 
 The third thing he marks is, the confufion, and 
 defperate ftate, in which man was upon the fall; 
 aftiamed of his fault, without hope in the mercy 
 of God, and therefore ftudious to hide himfelf 
 from him. This, the fall being true, muft ne- 
 ceffarily be true too; and therefore we readily be¬ 
 lieve Mofes. 
 
 The fourth thing he relates is, that God re¬ 
 vealed his purpole of mercy to mankind, and 
 thereby delivered them from dread, defpair, and 
 confufion. The words, in which Mofes relates 
 the promife of mercy, are, that “ the feed of the 
 woman fhall bruife the head of the ferpent,” 
 and “ the feed of the ferpent fhall bruife his 
 heel.” 
 
 Thefe words, which are all that is faid, do not, 
 it is true, fay that this “ feed of the woman” 
 fiiould be facrificed ; though “ bruifing the heel” 
 looks mighty like the fuftering of the lower and 
 leaft noble part of that feed ; nor do they fay that 
 facrifice, and the obfervances of the law, were then 
 inftituted : but it appears plainly, that, foon after, 
 Cain and Abel offered, and that at a ftated or ap¬ 
 pointed time; it appears Noah facrificed, and 
 that, in his days, man was commanded to abftain 
 8 K from 
 
ACCOUNT of the LABADIS T S 
 
 bSa 
 
 from eating blood, as a thingfacred ; ^appears 
 
 the patriarchs did fo, without any P re « dent > 
 
 inftitution, or commandment recorded an 
 
 that their facrifices were refpefted by the Deity 
 and it appears that all the nations 0 > 
 
 who fprung from the firft parents praft.fed facn- 
 fice with nearly the fame rites : wherefore,u may 
 fairly be concluded, that facrihce, and the rites 
 thereto belonging, were inft.tuted upon the firft 
 promulgation of the evangel,urn, the tidings of 
 mercy, Ind from that inftitution were tranimitted 
 to all mankind ; and it would imply an abfur- 
 dity to fuppofe, that this emblematical, comme¬ 
 morative obfervance was inftituted without man s 
 knowing the realbn and meaning of it. 
 
 We know by hiftory, without the help of Mo- 
 fes, that all mankind facrificed in hope of mercy; 
 from reafon we difcover, that thofe hopes muft 
 have been founded on revelation, and that facri- 
 fice, which of itfelf could figmfy nothing, muft 
 have been no more than a memorial, by mftitu- 
 tion ■ and now from Moles we learn, that thofe 
 hopes were aftally founded on explicit revelation 
 bv the God of nature ; and that facnfice, which 
 the fame God fays in itfelf figmfies nothing was 
 praftifed, juft after, by the favorites of the 
 Deity, and acceptable by him; and that he 
 gave a new model of that inftitution, correfting 
 
 abufes, in the wildernefs. 
 
 We learn, next, from Mofes, that God was 
 pleafed at different times to appear to, and con- 
 verfe with men, Adam, Enoch, Noah ; and that 
 
 neverthelefs, men corrupted themfelves fo mon- 
 
 ftroufly, an early inftance whereof is Cain s 
 killing his brother Abel, that the Deity brought 
 on a flood, which deftroyed the whole earth, 
 and with it all men, except Noah and his fa- 
 
 m This flood all antient nations have confuted 
 traditions about; and though exuviae, (till re¬ 
 maining near the furface of the earth, give very 
 
 ftrong evidence of it, yet there » no fenfib d 
 account of it, from the antients; which ftrongly 
 raifes the credit and authority of Mofes s wri- 
 
 By the direftion to take .to the ark a greater 
 number of clean than of unclean beafts and by- 
 Noah’s praftice, immediately after the flood, of 
 facrificing of every clean bead: and bird, it is 
 evident the diftinftion of clean and unclean docs 
 not depend, originally on the law of Mofes, but 
 has its origin before the flood, probably at the 
 
 firft publication of grace to Adam. 
 
 As the flood deftroyed all the corrupted, and 
 to Noah and his family was a demonftration of the 
 power of, and obedience due to, the Deity, this 
 threat event was a total extirpation of all faile 
 religion ; and, humanly lpeaking, it was to be 
 hoped the faith and religious lervice of men 
 
 would have continued long pure. 
 
 But that was not the cafe : for, as Adam s ion 
 Cain finned early, fo did Noah's Ion Ham •, he 
 merited to be pronounced accurfed of his ‘ at h er > 
 foon after the deliverance from the flood. And 
 before the memory of that dreadful judgment 
 was loft, men meditated the letting up a falte 
 religion and fervice to the heavens at Babel; 
 which the Deity difappointed, by confounding 
 and dividing their imaginations, fo that they 
 feparated and difperfed at that time. 
 
 Such were the fentiments of this great man, 
 and whoever reads his account of the crea¬ 
 tion of the world, will ceafe to rejeft the Mo- 
 faic hiftory. It is the misfortune of all our 
 Deifts, and framers of new religions, that they 
 fet up their own reafon in oppofition to Divine 
 revelation. And they feal their argument with 
 a fixed refolution not to pay any regard to what 
 is propofed to them, fo that they are left to the 
 wickednefs of their own hearts, and juitly tor- 
 faken by their maker. 
 
 ACCOUNT of the 
 
 L ABADIE had been brought up a Jefuit in 
 France, then became a Proteftant, and was 
 made a minifter at Middleburgh, in Zea¬ 
 land. He was eloquent, but not very learned; 
 which defeft was fupplied by art and cunning. 
 His dilpute againftWolfogue,minifter atUtrecht, 
 on account of his treatife concerning the inter¬ 
 pretation of fcripture, (hews him to have been 
 contentious and even feditious. His behaviour 
 in that quarrel was unfair and deceitful; io th.it 
 his enemies were not quite in the wiong, when 
 they defcribed him as an haughty, proud, 
 felt-conceited, ftubborn hypocrite. 
 
 a 
 
 LABADISTS. 
 
 Yet he had admirers, who praifed his humi¬ 
 lity, and modeft carriage, and undertook his 
 defence wit: fo much warmth, highly approving 
 his projett of reforming even the grand Calvi- 
 niftical reformers of the United Provinces, that 
 a fchifm had like to have enfued in the church 
 of Middleburgh. Put his cefign failed, not¬ 
 withstanding ail the endeavours ot his friends. 
 He was aepcfed from his miniftry by fhe iynod 
 of Dort, in May, i66q> ' av r ing belore that been 
 fufpended from his function by the fynod ot 
 Norde. 
 
 The 
 
ACCOUNT of the 
 
 The fentence of his depofition fays, ” That 
 from his firft coming into Holland, he defigned 
 to reform the church, and maintained that this 
 was to be brought about by a reparation, and 
 fetting up a new church of the eledt;” which he 
 actually began at Middleburgh, and in other 
 places. He taught that whoever could, or 
 thought fit, (hould have free liberty to fpeak in 
 their affemblies, on whatever text was pro- 
 pofed. 
 
 <c God has been pleafed to hear at laft the 
 prayers, tears, and groans of his little ones, 
 and opened a way to a happy reparation. This 
 reparation has been and now is very advantage¬ 
 ous to us, fince we are about three hundred well 
 choren members in our afiembly all el eft, and 
 breathing a true Chiiftian fpirit. 
 
 We give thanks to God, who hath choren us, 
 all or one heart and foul, unanimous in fpeaking 
 openly all truths, remedying all abufos, in doc¬ 
 trine, in adminiftering the racraments, and in 
 morals, with a full intention to reform ourfelves 
 according to the model of the primitive Chrif- 
 tians. We meet twice a day, morning and 
 evening, and thrice on Sundays. 
 
 We do not preach in pulpits, but all fit on 
 benches, without any difference between the 
 rich and the poor, excepting that the bailors, 
 elders, or thofe who fpeak, fit on a bench made 
 like the reft, but fomewhat higher, in order to 
 be feen and heard. Modefty, union, humility, 
 zeal and piety, are fuch amongft us, that we 
 daily give God due praifes for the eftablilhment 
 of our church. We have feveral doctors and 
 eminent perfons, humble, fervent and pious. 
 
 No abufe is tolerated, no excefs allowed in 
 drefs, ornaments and vanities; nor are the trades 
 fubfervient to them encouraged. Our lives are 
 marked in every point by the rule and ftandard 
 of the gofpel and apoftolical dodtrine, being 
 firmly refolved to become a living reprefentation 
 of the primitive church, in our belief and prac¬ 
 tice. 
 
 Many are aftonilhed, but many are drawn in 
 from other places; for God has almoft every 
 where admitted fome to us, and to our fpirits. 
 
 Even this day, being the firft of the year 1669, 
 we met before day-light to explain the fixth and 
 feventh verfes of the fifth chapter of the firft 
 epiftle to the Corinthians, and are fully bent on 
 calling away the old leaven.” 
 
 Notwithftanding the oppofition which Laba- 
 die met with, yet there were feveral perfons of 
 note who embraced his dodtrines, and joined 
 themfelves to his party. Some of whom were 
 expelled France. 
 
 Labadie and Madam Bourignon were contem¬ 
 poraries, but their fpirits did not unite. Laba¬ 
 die was not Spiritual enough to be her colleague, 
 and too ftubborn to become her difciple. Both 
 were of an artful, troublefome temper, and 
 therefore it was impofiible that they Ihould 
 agree together. The enlightened woman def- 
 pifed the regenerated man. 
 
 At laft Labadie died at Alena, 1674, in the 
 arms of his beloved Schurman, and left Peter 
 Yvon to fucceed him, who brought the Laba- 
 difts together at Wiwert in Frielland, a manor 
 belonging to the family of Somerdyke. He 
 
 L A B A D I S T S. 683 
 
 had before fpread his fanaticifm from kiddle- 
 burgh to Amfterdam, and he had likewife a 
 fettlement near Ulkrahift, where he fet up a 
 printing-houfe. From thence he went through 
 Weftphalia, and at laft to Hamburgh. Every 
 where he made profelytes of both fexes, till one 
 Anthony de la Margue publilhed his reafons for 
 leaving his fedt, which although it threw them 
 into difrepute by the difcovery then made, yet 
 they are not extindl, for fome of them are 
 ftill to be found in Frielland and Groningen. 
 
 Thefe Labadifts were always by the Dutch 
 confidered as a fort of Quakers ; but although 
 they may refemble them in fome things, yet in 
 others there is a vaft difference. We do not 
 know that there were ever any of thefe Laba¬ 
 difts in England, and the reafon feems to be, 
 their notions were not known during the civil 
 wars, when the foil for new and unheard of reli¬ 
 gions was fo rich, that every dodtrine, however 
 abfurd, was embraced as loon as taught. 
 
 Connedted with the Labadifts, were two fmall 
 fedts, formed by Voet, a great lawyer, and Coc- 
 ceius, a celebrated divine. At firft, they agreed 
 in moll things with the Labadifts, but at laft 
 they quarrelled concerning a whimfical method 
 of explaining the fcripture. Cocceius pretended 
 to teach the people to preach without ftudy or 
 labour; which ftraflge things are always taking 
 with the vulgar, and they think them lublime, 
 for want of underftanding them; and look upon 
 them as deep myfteries, becaufe they are ob~ 
 fcure. 
 
 This lingular method is reduced to the follow¬ 
 ing heads : 
 
 Firft, the periodical changes of the church. 
 Of the New Teftament, which they find in 
 every text. 
 
 Secondly, the types and figures without end 
 or meafure, drawn from the antient hiftory and 
 worlhip. 
 
 Thirdly, an everlafting affedlation of apply¬ 
 ing to Chrift and the gofpel. 
 
 Fourthly, difcovering modern events in the 
 antient prophecies. 
 
 Laftly, the numberlefs and exaggerated dif- 
 tindlions, betwixt the faithful under the Mo- 
 faical dilpenfation and Chriftianity. 
 
 The explanation of thefe types and figures 
 always ferves to amufe the vulgar, whereas mora¬ 
 lity and found divinity frequently prove tire- 
 fome. After all, we are not to condemn one 
 fide or the other, only that we mull, according 
 to the defign of this work, take notice, that 
 the followers of Cocceius maintain that the com¬ 
 mand given to the Jews to keep one day in feven 
 for reft, is part of the ceremonial law, from the 
 obfervance of which Chrift has freed us. That 
 Chrift will reign temporally on earth, after the 
 deftrudtion of Anti-chrift, and that the Jews are 
 to be converted at that time. 
 
 One of the chief tenets of thefe people, is to 
 banifh morality from their fermons, which they 
 look upon as unfeafonable. For as St. Paul 
 often mentions, that the law is abolifhed, and 
 its oppofition to the gofpel; fo they pretend, 
 
 that 
 
684 A C C O U N T of th 
 
 that preaching op duty and obedience, the juf- 
 tice of God and his rights, the awe in which we 
 ought to Hand of him and his judgements, 
 which are relative to the law, is the fame as 
 giving a new law to the lpirit of flavery, by 
 reproaches and threatenings contrary to the 
 go 1 pel, which breathes only fweetnefs and 
 grace. 
 
 They fay, that Chrift dying for us has not 
 only taken upon him the punilhment due to our 
 fins, but our very fins themfelves, and draw 
 from thence confequences againft the necelfity of 
 repentance. 
 
 To conclude our account of this fecft, we mult 
 obferve, that many of the antient Heathens and 
 the primitive Heretics, were fuch ; nay, they are 
 to be found among the Heathens in the Eaft- 
 Indies, and among the Mahometans. All thefe 
 novelties take their rife from an unfettlednels of 
 mind, from a vain defire to be wifer than God has 
 ordained j and in this people copy exadtly after 
 the conduct of their firft parents, who, to fat if¬ 
 fy their curiofity, eat the forbidden fruit, and fo 
 involved themfelves and their whole pofterity in 
 ruin. 
 
 From the beginning, a rational being, un¬ 
 aided by learning, and the experience of former 
 ages, could eafily difcern the hand of an intel¬ 
 ligent, wife, powerful, and very bountiful cre¬ 
 ator, in the whole and in every part of the fa¬ 
 bric of this fyftem that fell under his ken ■, and 
 could as eafily difcover his own obligations to, 
 and his dependence on that being. And accord¬ 
 ingly we fee, by the earlieft accounts of time 
 that have come to our hands, all mankind, full 
 of a perfuafion of their dependence, full of re¬ 
 verence to the deity, foliciting his favour and 
 protection by prayer, by ceremonies, by facri- 
 fices, fometimes human, nay of their firft-born; 
 and imputing all their favourable or crofs inci¬ 
 dents, that happened to them, to the good-will 
 or difpleafure of the fovereign being, whom it 
 was their chief ftudy to pleafe. 
 
 It is true, that the notions they generally en¬ 
 tertained of the deity were imperfeCt, as well as 
 their manner of ferving him corrupted; circum- 
 ftances that can eafily be accounted for from the 
 weaknefs and perverfenefs of thofe who took the 
 lead in directing their religious opinions and 
 
 L A B A D I S T S. 
 
 practices. But ftill it is undeniably true, that 
 the grofs of mankind were lerious in their be¬ 
 lief of the exigence of a deity, of their depen- 
 dance on him, and of the occafion they had for 
 his protection and favour. 
 
 To this general difpofition of mankind it was 
 in part owing, that the gofpel, upon its firft 
 publication, made fo rapid and fo furprizing 
 progrefs'. No man at that time doubted of the 
 exiftence of a deity, or of man’s dependance on 
 him. It was eafy to fatisfv every one who ad¬ 
 mitted thefe propofitions, that mankind, by the 
 corruption into which they had fallen, Food 
 mightily in need of fome interceflor, fome mean 
 by which they might be faved from the weight 
 of their fins. And it is no marvel, that evidence 
 given to men fo convinced, that falvation might 
 be had through Jefus, Ihould be received with 
 gladnefs. 
 
 And accordingly we fee, that, in a trifle of 
 time, the herd of mankind, in defiance of all 
 difeouragements, and of the mod fevere perfe¬ 
 ctions from power, greedily embraced and 
 profefied this faith ; and continued ftedfaftly in 
 the profeflion of it, notwithftanding the mon- 
 ftrous abfurdities with which the teachers of that 
 faith loaded it, and the more monftrous and 
 fhocking lives and manners of the teachers j 
 until of late years, that what ought to have 
 been improved into a blefiing to mankind, has 
 unfortunately turned out to their deftru&ion. 
 
 In the period juft mentioned, wicked and 
 voluptuous men purfued wicked and voluptuous 
 courfes; and many grofs villanies and abufes 
 were daily committed by profligate men, which 
 the degenerate condition of mankind produced. 
 But ftill thefe wickednefles were difguifed, dif- 
 owned, or fome how fought to be atoned for. 
 The villain difiembled at leaft, and was forced 
 to wear a cloak of hypocrify. No man 
 dreamed of profefiing openly, that he denied the 
 being of a God, or his dependence on, and be¬ 
 ing accountable to him. And, if any one was 
 indeed fo foolifh, as well as impious, as to en¬ 
 tertain fuch a notion, which by the bye is with 
 us a queftion, there was no temptation for ut¬ 
 tering it; becaufe there was no chance that any¬ 
 one Ihould concur in fupporting fuch an opinion. 
 
 ACCOUNT 
 
( 68 * ) 
 
 Account of thofe who are called in H OLLAND, 
 
 COLLEGIANTERS, and RHYNSBURGHERS. 
 
 T HESE people have been fettled at 
 Rhynlburgh above one hundred years, 
 and they meet twice in every year. 
 
 This is known in the country, for they feldom 
 hold their affemblies in public ; and it is not 
 much to be wondered at, that foreigners fhould 
 hardly be able to know their names. The fol¬ 
 lowing account, huwever, is authentic, as the 
 author fays he had been for feveral years one of 
 the chief members of their fociety. 
 
 We mud firft take notice, that they are much 
 miftaken who take it for granted, that the Col- 
 legianters and Rhynfburghers are the fame, but 
 to clear up this matter, we mud put them in 
 mind, that the Collegianters owe their name to 
 the manner in which their fmall focieties were 
 firft formed. The nature of thefe religious meet¬ 
 ings cannot be better deferibed, than by compa¬ 
 ring them to the friendly focieties, which we call 
 clubs. They have likewife fome refemblance to 
 the mydical fchools, which we have already 
 mentioned in our account of thofe people; but 
 we fhall call them clubs. 
 
 In thefe clubs, therefore, every tnan may, 
 and has a right to fpeak concerning whatever 
 religion he may outwardly profefs, what fydem 
 foever he may follow, and this he may do, let 
 his notions be ever fo much out of the common 
 way of thinking. But this is only granted on 
 condition that he allows the feriptures to be di¬ 
 vinely infpired. Whether churchmen or laymen, 
 every one explains what text he thinks proper, 
 and may utter freely whatever he thinks concern¬ 
 ing religion, either in general, or in regard to 
 any particulat feet. Women are not allowed the 
 fame privilege as among quakers ; for they mud 
 hold their peace, and, indeed, thefe clubs do 
 not pretend to have any thing to do with the 
 fpirit or with its impulfes. 
 
 When any one of the club fpeaks, he pre¬ 
 tends that it is the effeft of his meditations on 
 the facred feriptures, or of his own ingenious 
 difeoveries. Nor is the club to be kept under 
 fubjeftion by any onedoftor, or by three or four, 
 who, in mod other affemblies, keep all the 
 difeourfe to themfelves. 
 
 Befides the club at Rhynlburgh, where they 
 are mod numerous, there are many others 
 in feveral towns and villages in Holland, at 
 Amderdam, Rotterdam, Haerlem, Groningen, 
 Lewardin, and many others. As to the villages, 
 the mod noted club meets at Sardan, and is re¬ 
 markable for being compofed of members who 
 belong to various lefts. For, left our readers 
 fhould forget it, we muft once more put them 
 in mind, that in thofe clubs only one effential 
 58 
 
 point is agreed on, the divine infpiratian of the 
 leripture. They are at full liberty to explain it 
 in what manner they pleafe, and to build any 
 fydem they think proper upon it. 
 
 Their public exercife begins by reading a 
 pfalm in profe and Tinging one in verfe. Then 
 a prayer is repeated, which, being ended, the 
 text appointed for the Chriftian entertainment is 
 read. The Brethren prefent are then invited to 
 make ufe of the freedom granted in thofe clubs, 
 in dating fuch objections, in making what re¬ 
 marks, or giving what admonitions and exhorta¬ 
 tions they pleafe. If no one rifes to fpeak, then 
 thofe, who were appointed to handle that fub- 
 jeft, rife and fpeak to it; for left the club fhould 
 feparate without any difeourfe, two are always 
 appointed to fpeak ; when they have done, ftlence 
 is kept for a confiderable time, then any one may 
 make what obfervation he pleafes, to what has 
 been faid. The whole ceremony concludes with 
 a fuitable application and prayer. 
 
 No regifter is kept of the names of the mem¬ 
 bers belonging to the club, and in reality they 
 are compofed of people borrowed from all lefts, 
 in order to meet every Sunday and Wednefday. 
 If the divine authority of holy writ is owned, 
 none of them are to be called Heretics; juft like 
 the feftaries in England, who all acknowledge 
 the authority of the facred feriptures, and yet 
 in their explications, all differ from each other. 
 
 Thefe clubs were began about the year 1619, 
 and owe their beginning to the fpirit of perle- 
 cution, which then raged in Holland, and drove 
 many of the people, as it always does, into the 
 wildeft extremes. Three brothers, of the name 
 of Codde, all Arminians, were the firft founders 
 of thefe clubs; one of them was a profeffor of 
 Hebrew, and the others were plain hufbandmen. 
 They were well verfed in the feriptures which they 
 had carefully ftudied. 
 
 Arminianifm was then at a low ebb, both be- 
 caufe it had been condemed at the fynod of Dort, 
 and likewife upon political accounts, fo that 
 when any of that profeffion were difeovered, they 
 were treated as the enemies of God and fociety. 
 The Arminian minifters were forbid preachino- 
 under the fevered penalties. Many of them 
 were banifhed, and others were thrown into pri- 
 fon. Many of them had their goods feized, and 
 rewards were offered for apprehending their per- 
 fons, while their wives and children were left 
 unprovided for. All this was occafioned by 
 the cruel afts of the Calviniftical fynod of 
 Dort, which had no more right to decide on fuch 
 things than the man in the moon. 
 
 The firft of thefe clubs was eftablifhed at 
 8 L Wormand 
 
ACCOUNT of the COLLEGIANTERS and rhynsburghep.s. 
 
 Wormandj a village where one of the Vander- 
 Code’s lived. A great number of Arminians, 
 who could not then meet openly, nor, indeed 
 privately, for fear of being cad into prifon, 
 were overjoyed, at meeting with this oppor¬ 
 tunity of aflembling together as friends, under 
 the name of a focietv very common in that 
 country, and in which religion is never luppofed 
 to be concerned. 
 
 When the heat of perfecution abated, feveral 
 of the Arminian clergy returned into their own 
 country, and offered their fervices as paftors, 
 but were told by Vander-Code, that their new 
 inftitution being on the model prefcribed by St. 
 Paul, did not admit of paftors. 
 
 This club was foon removed to Rhynlburgh, 
 where it increafed conflderably, and was joined 
 by two famous paftors belonging to the Armi¬ 
 nians. Several other places in Holland followed 
 this example, and had alfo their clubs, which at 
 flrft were frequently difturbed by the civil power, 
 but at laft connived at. 
 
 This is the beft account we could get of thefe 
 clubs, though others pretend that they are of an 
 older date, "though ellablifhed on the fame plan, 
 Governed by the fame rules, and grounded on 
 the fame expreftions of St. Paul. This dif- 
 pute may be ended by owning that the oldeft of 
 thefe clubs were made up of Baptifts, and 
 fame other fedtaries, and that after all, luch 
 meetings may be held during all perfections, as 
 has always been the cafe, and probably always 
 will be. 
 
 But thefe clubs were not confined to flolland. 
 Grindal, archbifhop of Canterbury, in the reign 
 of queen Elizabeth, gave great encouragement 
 to them. Of thefe we lhall fay a few words by 
 way of digreffion. 
 
 The time of their meeting was once a month, 
 fometimes twice, only churchmen were allowed 
 to fpeak, the lubjedt, and the perfons who were 
 to handle it, were appointed before-hand. The 
 youngeft of thofe preachers began, and the 
 others followed according to their age, fo that the 
 oldeft preached laft, recapitulated what the others 
 laid, commended what delerved it, and cenl'ured 
 faults with mildnefs. 
 
 Their whole difeourfe was in order to com¬ 
 pare the text in hand with others, to fettle its 
 True and genuine fenl'e to the lacred writers aim, 
 the exadt confirmation of the words, the various 
 tranflations, the conlequences that flowed from 
 them, and to expol'e the falle glofies of Heretics 
 and quibling dodtors, who turn the meaning of 
 the facred feriptures to any lenfe they think pro¬ 
 per. 
 
 But let us now return to the Dutch clubs. 
 
 They made an open profeftion of toleration fo 
 far, that in 1677 and in 1680, moft of thofe 
 clubs in Llolland, contributed largely to the en¬ 
 riching and endowing at Amfterdam, the col¬ 
 lege of Orange, which is founded alfo for the 
 maintenance of orphans, not only of their own 
 fedt, but of others, and the fame has been done 
 in other places of Holland. A glorious effedt 
 of that humane difpofition which ought to influ¬ 
 ence men, notwithstanding all the difpu.tes about 
 religion. 
 
 As for the Rhynfburghers, they are compofed 
 
 of people of many different opinions, who from 
 all parts meet at Rhynfburgh, as they did in 
 former times at Jerulalem. They aflemble only 
 twice a year, namely, at Whitfuntide, and on 
 the laft Sunday in Auguft, to partake of the 
 Lord’s-Supper; and whoever leads a regular 
 couri'e of life according to the feripture precepts, 
 may be admitted, whatever opinion he may 
 otherwife have, even about the nature and efience 
 of the facrament. 
 
 The evening before the communion, they are 
 to fpend in felf-examination, in reviewing their 
 hearts and lives. Two difeourfes are preached 
 before they receive, the firft on the Lord’s 
 Supper in general, and the fecond on the death 
 of Thrift in particular. They Hkewife explain 
 their motives for meeting together in that vil¬ 
 lage, to unite themfelves as Chriftians and bre¬ 
 thren, without diftindtion of parties, without 
 declaring theml'clves, fome for Paul and 
 fome for Apollos, as the Jews celebrated their 
 aflembiies in their temples together, not mind¬ 
 ing thedilputes between the Pharifees and Sad- 
 duces. They deplore the evils which flow from 
 fchifms. “ Is it not much better, fay they, to 
 admit every Chriftian, who believes the lcrip- 
 tures, and endeavours to live up to its rules ac¬ 
 cording to the law of Chrift, we therefore in¬ 
 vite them all to take the communion with us, 
 without minding the odious appellations with 
 which they are befpattered, and without giving 
 any room in our fouls to that gall of bitternefs, 
 which moft men look upon as a proof of their 
 zeal for the dodlrineof Chrift.” 
 
 Thefe, and luch difeourfes being ended, they 
 perform the communion fervice in the fame man¬ 
 ner as the Calvinifts. The alms colledled from 
 the faithful, are depoflted in the hands of the 
 fexton of that village, who gives a receipt, and 
 diftributes it to the poor of Rhynfburgh. This 
 folemnity is concluded with a thankfgiving ler- 
 mon, juft in the fame manner as among the Cal¬ 
 vinifts. 
 
 Next morning they take leave of one another, 
 with mutual exhortations to perleverance in the 
 true religion and faithful lervice of God. All 
 may fpeak, teach or adminifter the lacraments, 
 yet their functions are generally performed by 
 men who are prepared for it, and appointed 
 thereto. 
 
 Next to the Lord’s-Supper, the only remark¬ 
 able ceremony obferved by them, is their bap- 
 tifm, of which one of their own members gives 
 the following account. The candidate makes 
 publickly his profeftion of faith on a Saturday 
 in the morning, before an aftembly of the peo¬ 
 ple held for that purpofe. A difcourle is deli* 
 vered on the nature and excellency of baptilm. 
 The minifter and candidate go together to a 
 pond behind a houfe belonging to the fe6t, 
 which, on fome occafions, is ufed as a lodging 
 houfe for travellers who have no money to pay 
 for refting at the inns. In that pond the cate¬ 
 chumen is baptized by immerfton ; if he is a 
 man he has a waiftcoat and drawers ; if a wo¬ 
 man, a boddice and petticoat, with leads at the 
 bottom, for the fake of decency, which is ra¬ 
 ther neceflary than otherwife. 
 
 The minifter, in the fame drefs as the men 
 
 wear. 
 
ACCOUNT of the P O 
 
 wear, is alfo in the water and plunges them in it, 
 pronouncing, at the lame time, the form ufed 
 by molt Chriftian congregations. This being 
 over, they put on their cloaths, go back to the 
 meeting, and hear an exhortation to perfeverance, 
 in complying with the precepts of Chrift. A 
 pfalm is fung, and the whole concludes with 
 prayer. 
 
 Thefe are the mod fingular cultoms obferved 
 by thofe people, who in Holland are called Col- 
 legianters and Rhynlburghers. Some have af- 
 ferted, that thefe lefts are much diminifhed, but 
 this is only in the outward appearance ; for all 
 our modern feftaries have learned to diffemble 
 better than their anceltors, and that this difguife 
 makes fome over credulous, but devoutly in- 
 
 LISH BRETHREN, 6 S? 
 
 dined people flatter themfelves with the hopes 
 that herefy and libertinifm lofe ground. But 
 probably they are mod in the right, who think 
 that the religion of Mammon does get a fupe- 
 riority over all. We mud, however, fuf- 
 pend our judgement, anddefire that the mace 
 of God may be granted to all mankind, “This 
 fhould be the pious with of every Chriftian who 
 deflresthe falvation of the human race, without 
 fpending his time in contentious controverfy, 
 which can never minifter to edifying. Talking 
 of religion is one thing, obeying its'rules in fin- 
 cerity is another. Let this mind therefore be in 
 us, which was alfo in Chrift Jefus, and let us 
 be followers of him as dear children. 
 
 ACCOUNT of the POLISH BRETHREN. 
 
 F ~~B ^ H E S E people are a fort of Unitarians, 
 | and in other points of their doftrines 
 
 iL they may be ranged among the Soci- 
 
 nians ; for they come the neared to them of any 
 fed whatever. They are called Polifli, becaul'e 
 they took their rile ir. Poland, although at pre- 
 fent they have churches in many parts of Eu¬ 
 rope. 
 
 They affert, that the doftrine of the trinity 
 deltroys the unity of the godhead, and the fim- 
 plicity of the Supreme Being, adding, that if 
 there are three perfons, there may be three hun¬ 
 dred ; and thus a perfeft fyftem of Polithe- 
 ifm, or a plurality of Gods, is eftablilhed. They 
 pretend, likewife, that the texts made ufe of in 
 i'upport of the trinity, ought to be underftood 
 in another fenfe. Thus, when Chrift fays, I 
 and the father are one, they lay it means no more 
 than that they had oneobjeft in view in the plan 
 of man’s redemption. 
 
 As for the incarnation of Chrift and his two 
 natures, they believe that doftrine to be ufeleis 
 to mankind, and maintain that it cannot be 
 proved by fcripture. For, fay they, had it been 
 neceflary for obtaing eternal happinefs to believe 
 the myftery of the incarnation, the bible would 
 have mentioned it as clearly and diftinftly as the 
 other truths we are obliged to profefs openly. 
 But we mull not dwell too long on fuch dange¬ 
 rous blafphemies. They fay that God does not 
 know before-hand what will happen to men, and 
 that the caufe of predeftination is not in God but 
 in man. 
 
 Chrift’s body was mortal, and therefore it was 
 neceflary that he Ihould fuffcr death in common 
 ■with the reft of mankind; for like the Arians 
 and Socinians, they will not acknowledge his 
 divinity. 
 
 In the preamble of their difcipline, they give 
 
 a deflation of the Chriftian religion; it is, thev 
 fay, a rational worlhip, God being the eternal 
 reafon, can require nothing unreafonable or ab- 
 lurd, paid to God through Jefus Chrift, there be¬ 
 ing no other name by which men are faved, in 
 fpirit to exclude ceremonies, and in truth to re¬ 
 ject the types and fhadows of the mofaical law, 
 with the hope of an immortal life, becaufe fuch 
 a worthip muft infnare us with a ftudy of trull in. 
 God’s goodnefs tnd expeftation of immortality, 
 in confideration of our faithful compliance with 
 it 
 
 But for this end two things are required; 
 firft, to admit no doftrine but that of the goipel, 
 and to own no other teacher but Chrift. The 
 other to raife no building, but upon the founda¬ 
 tion of Chriftianity, that is, the true doftrine of 
 Chrift, who is, and ought to be, the theme of all 
 thofe who profefs it. Chrift being gone to 
 heaven, it became neceflary that in his abfence 
 this doftrine Ihould be preferved, and the faith¬ 
 ful governed by wife, pious and learned per¬ 
 fons, who Ihould not be the mailers, fathers, or 
 princes of the church ; for there is one only 
 father and fovereign, which is God ; one only 
 mailer which is Chrift; but they take up the de- 
 pofit of faith, and deliver it to others as they 
 received it. Our dependence is not on them but 
 on Chrift; we do not obey them but Chrift. 
 
 1 hey ought not to exalt themfelves above 
 others, nor ought the faithful to prefer the one to 
 the other, out of a bias or prejudice, in favour 
 of a particular perfon, to the detriment and in¬ 
 jury offered to another. Such behaviour would 
 be a pernicious occafion of ambition in the 
 church. Obey thofe who are fet over you, that 
 is, Ihew them due refpeft, as being the difpen- 
 fers of truth. Submit to this fame doftrine 
 they preach, as from Chrift. In a word, the 
 
 church 
 
6*58 A C C O U N T of the P 
 
 church is a monarchy, and Chrift is its only , 
 
 monarch. , , , , 
 
 One of their writers divides the whole church | 
 into fix different parts, of which four are to take 
 care of the ecclefiaftical policy. 
 
 I. Patrons, or Proteftors of the church. 
 
 II. The Pallors. 
 
 III. The Elders. 
 
 IV. The Deacons. 
 
 The lad mentioned and the patrons, are to 
 provide for the bodily wants; the paftors and 
 ciders are to take care of the fpiricual wants. 
 
 We (hall call thofe patrons or proteftors of 
 churches, who either build them oi keep 
 them in decent repair at their own expence. 
 Whether they are the firft founders or only carry 
 on the work by others. Thofe alfo who pro¬ 
 vide a maintenance for the paftors or elders, 
 or raife charitable contributions for the poor 
 belonging to a particular chuFch, are confidered 
 as props of the church. We deteft anarchy as 
 the root of great evils, hut we do not allow any 
 to ulurp the Supreme authority, which belongs 
 only to Chrift. 
 
 The proteftors and paftors mull, or ought 
 mutually, to fupport and pay a deference to each 
 other, and all unanimoufly conient, with joint 
 endeavours, to promote the glory of God, and 
 the caufe of religion. Paftors are the minifters 
 of Chrift, and dilpenfers of the myfteries of 
 God. They hold the rudder of the ecclefiaftical 
 commonwealth, and watch for the lafety of the 
 church, along with the elders, and the other 
 members of the confiftory. The paftors are all 
 equal; their age and labour may draw refpedt and 
 veneration, but do not give them any arbitrary 
 authority. The young ones muft pay great re¬ 
 gard to thofe advanced in years ; but they ought 
 not to take occafion from thence to behave haugh¬ 
 tily to their younger brethren. Age and expe¬ 
 rience muft have l'ome weight, when it promotes 
 the intereft of the church, but the advice of the 
 younger muft not be defpifed, when by com¬ 
 mon confent their counfels are found both profit¬ 
 able and adapted to the ftate of the brethren. 
 
 Such is the account that thefe people give of 
 themfelves ; and were their dodtrines equal to 
 their difcipline, we fhould not have much reafon 
 to find fault with them. But to hear the name 
 of Chrift fo often mentioned with terms of re- 
 fpedt, by thofe very men who mock at his media¬ 
 torial office, and deipile all lus glories, we 
 are led to lay with the pfalmift. All men are 
 liars. 
 
 Their elders are defcribed as perfons of known 
 probity, and great experience, who are jointly 
 commiffioned to govern the church. Age and 
 riches are not confidered in that choice, but 
 virtue and abilities. The functions of deacons 
 are well known; they are the treafurers ot their 
 refpedtive churches, and are to give an exadt 
 account ofwhat they receive for the maintenance 
 of widows, orphans, and other poor. 
 
 Thefe are the duties of the four orders, who 
 govern the policy of their churches. 
 
 The chufing or ordaining of paftors belongs to 
 the fynod or affembly, who meet by authority of 
 
 OLISH BRET H R E N. 
 
 their church, in order to examine reprefentatives 
 on this important occafion. Elders and deacons 
 are chofen in the lame manner. A good life and a 
 lblid judgment, are the chief qualities required 
 in elders, preferably to learning. Their piety is 
 a tacit condemnation of vice, and hinders its 
 progrefs. A folid underftanding helps them in 
 giving advice, and compofing differences. Dea¬ 
 cons likewife may perform their duties without 
 learning. Good fcnfe and a good confidence, 
 with tried fidelity, are the only neceflary difpofi- 
 tions to that office. 
 
 When a pallor has a call, his elcflion and 
 ordination, is performed in the following man¬ 
 ner. 
 
 Whether this be done in a general convoca¬ 
 tion of the faithful, or in private and before a 
 lmall affembly, prayers and a fermon, with 
 pfalms, are requifite, as in the Sunday’s office. 
 They begin with Tinging and prayer; the faithful 
 are warned and dil'pofed by an exhortation, to the 
 ceremony. The fermon is always concerning 
 the duties of a pallor, which being ended, three 
 paftors rife from their feats, and go to the perfon 
 who is to be ordained, and who at that time is 
 kneeling. They lay their hands upon him, and 
 hold them on his head till prayers are ended. 
 Thefe prayers being finilbed, and the ordained 
 perlon llill kneeling, one of the three paftors de- 
 fires the faithful topray for him. Then all kneel, 
 and conclude the ceremony with Tinging a pfalm 
 luitable to the occafion. 
 
 The fermon includes the mutual duties of paf¬ 
 tors and elders, with thofe fubfifting between 
 them and their flocks. The union that fhould 
 be found among them, which is not to be a 
 blind obedience, or llavifh, the paftors ruling 
 like fathers with patience. That they prefer 
 the intereft and welfare of the flock to all other 
 confiderations, ferving the church with joy and 
 freedom, not as mercenary hired fervants, but 
 giving good examples in order to enforce their 
 inftrudftions, and avoiding to be concerned in 
 temporal affairs, and worldly cafes, left their 
 more effential duties Ihould be neglefted. 
 
 Paftoral fundlions confift in preaching, ad- 
 ! miniftering the facrament, vifiting the fick, ex¬ 
 horting and praying for the faithful. Preaching 
 is one of the chief parts of their difcipline. 
 Prayers and pfalms, which are faid and fung be¬ 
 fore and after lermon, raifes their hearts to the 
 moft elevated pitch of devotion, and inflame their 
 minds with devout zeal. The inllrudlions are 
 to be, 
 
 Firft, without any ftiew of erudition, wholly 
 tending to edification. 
 
 Secondly, without difputes, and nothing to 
 be mentio’ned in them but what is neceflary to 
 lalvation. 
 
 Thirdly, without eloquence, or any orna¬ 
 ment by flowers of fpeech, or any choice or fine 
 expreffions. 
 
 Fourthly, without confufion, clear and me¬ 
 thodical, the arguments conclufive, earnellly 
 moving Tinners to repentance. 
 
 Lallly, without enlarging much on particular 
 topics. 
 
 All their notions concerning divine things 
 are very loole and carnal, and it may be juflly 
 
 laid 
 
of DEISM. 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 faid of them, that they have no more than the 
 outfide of religion. 
 
 As they deny all fort of myfteries in religion, 
 fo they make very little ufe of the bible but to 
 fuit their purpofe. 
 
 In celebrating the facrament of the Lord’s 
 Supper, they are plain and (imple. They fit 
 round a table covered with a linen cloth, on 
 which is placed fome bread, cut into fmall 
 pieces, and an empty chalice, into which the 
 deacon pours fome wine j ail this is decently co¬ 
 vered till the hour of communion fervice. 
 
 The paftor (lands at the table, and having ad- 
 miniftered the communion to the others, he then 
 takes it himfelf fitting. Exhortation, prayer, 
 and finging of pfalms accompany this ceremony, 
 which ends with a general blefiing. 
 
 They reject infant baptifm, nor will they ad¬ 
 mit any to that facrament, till they have made 
 a profeflionof their faith. When they meet for 
 that purpofe, the paftor explains the effeCts, ex¬ 
 cellencies, and dignity of baptifm ; makes an 
 exhortation to the candidates, and defires that 
 God will baptize them with his holy fpirit. 
 When all the people prefent have laid Amen, 
 the pallor goes inm the water, and thofe who 
 are to be baptized, go in likewile and kneel. 
 The minifter then fays, “ I baptize thee with 
 water, in the name of the Father, of the Son, 
 and of the Holy Ghoft; and may the Lord Jel'us 
 baptize thee with his holy fpirit.” While he 
 pronounces thele words, he puts one hand on the 
 head, and another on the chin of the perfons to 
 be baptized, and dips them. He then comes 
 out of the water, and a pfalm is fung, and the 
 whole concludes with prayer. 
 
 In the funerals of the Polifh Brethren, the 
 following ceremonies are obferved. The re¬ 
 lations of the deceafed are left to their choice, 
 to bury either in church-yards, or any where 
 elfe j for they confider that as an indifferent 
 thing. 
 
 The body of the deceafed is placed in its cof¬ 
 fin, at the door, or in the ground-room of the 
 houfc, till the time of burial. The paftor then 
 begins a pfalm, and fings it with the faithful pre- 
 
 689 
 
 fent. He then preaches a fermon, to comfort 
 the relations for their lofs, and to exhort them 
 to reflect on the uncertainty and fhort duration 
 of human life. Then prayers are faid, but not 
 for the deceafed, for they never pray for the 
 dead. All this being over, the affembly go out* 
 and the paftor, ftanding at the door, takes leave 
 of the company in the name of the deceafed. 
 Before the body is put into the ground, another 
 exhortation is made, accompanied with a fhort 
 encomium on the virtues of the deceafed, which 
 is generally a piece of fulfome flattery. The ce¬ 
 remony is concluded by eating and drinking. 
 Wine is given in plenty to thofe who honour 
 the funeral with their prefence, to drown forrow, 
 as is the cuftom of all the northern countries, 
 and as it was with many nations of old. 
 
 From what has been faid of thefe people, it 
 appears plainly, that they are a compound of 
 Arianifm and Socinianifm. There is no doubt 
 but they think they do God good fervice, by 
 inventing a new fcheme of religion ; nor is there 
 lefs doubt but that they look with the moft fo- 
 vereign contempt, on all^thofe who differ from 
 them in fentiment. We have our Saviour’s au¬ 
 thority to affert, that many fhall fay unto him, 
 Lord, Lord, have we not caft Qut devils in thy 
 name, and in thy name done wonderful things ; 
 but he will fay unto them, depart from me, I 
 know you not, ye workers of iniquity. It would 
 be happy for mankind, were they to attend more 
 to the fpirit and power of religion than to the 
 externals. But human nature has been the fame 
 in all ages, and will be the fame to the laft. 
 
 We fhall conclude with one remark, which 
 we do not remember ever to have heard made, 
 and that is, that the numerous fe< 5 ts to be met 
 with, all profeffing Chriftianity, and yet all in 
 one thing or other, differing concerning its moft 
 important articles, are a proof of its authenticity-. 
 Were there no 1 eal coin in the world, there would 
 be none counterfeited ; and had not Chriftianity 
 been a Divine inftitution, we fhould not have 
 found fo many men, from motives of intereft or 
 pride, fetting up new imitations of the genuine 
 original. 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 B Y Deifts, is meant, thofe who acknow- 
 ledge the being of one God, but deny 
 ' all fupernatural revelation. 
 
 We fhall confider them in a two-fold light; 
 firft, as to their principles in general; and, 
 fecondly, their prefent ftate in Europe. 
 
 The generality ofmankind know no difference 
 between Deifts and Atheifts, yet they are widely 
 different ; not to lay it is hard, even next to an 
 impoffibility, that there fhould be anv real Athe- 
 58 
 
 of DEISM. 
 
 ifts. The exiftence of a fupreme Being is fo evi¬ 
 dently proved, the diftinguifhing characters of 
 good and evil, and their confequences are fo 
 deeply engraved in the confcience of every man, 
 that they cannot entirely throw off the notion of 
 a God. Accordingly, we find that the moft 
 unpolifhed and barbarous nations have always 
 entertained fome belief of a godhead, and can¬ 
 not be looked upon as Atheifts. The fame mull 
 be faid of the Chinefe, of the inhabitants of Ja- 
 8 M pan,- 
 
6 9 o HISTORY 
 
 pan, and of all idolators : for though 1 ertullian 
 fays truly that there is no God, if he is not one •, 
 yet it does not follow that all thole who worlhip- 
 ped more than one, thought that there was 
 none. 
 
 Atheifm then is a chimera, but Deifm is not 
 fo ; to own the being of one God, to worfhip him, 
 yet foas to embrace, out of policy, what religion 
 ioever is moft in vogue, and favoured by the go¬ 
 vernment, is as natural to the general bent of man¬ 
 kind, as to live under that government as long as 
 our affairs require it, or our inclination leads us. 
 As for thofe, if there be any fuch, whofe princi¬ 
 ples are deftruftive of public fociety, they might 
 be thought to go beyond Deiim •, but either they 
 are not ferious in their lawlefs fchemes, which if 
 fuccefsful, would prove their own ruin, as well as 
 of the reft of mankind ; or rather they aft againft 
 their own knowledge, to acquire an empty repu¬ 
 tation of fenlelels wit. 
 
 On the other fide, both in civil and ecclefiafti- 
 cal focieties, feveral are accufed of Deifm, who 
 are no ways guilty of it •, and the more they com¬ 
 plain of fuch ufage, all their proteftations ferve 
 only to ftrengthen the prejudice conceived againft 
 them. Thus an indifterency as to the various 
 opinions which divide chriltendom, too extenfive 
 a toleration of all fefts, perfuafions of divers kinds, 
 fuch as thole of the Baptifts, Socinians, Re- 
 monftrants, &c. Even too much freedom in cen- 
 luring the faults of churchmen, and the quibbles 
 of the fchools, are looked upon as the worft fort 
 of Deifm by fiery zealots, or over-lcrupulous 
 Chriftians. 
 
 But the feft we are now giving an account of, 
 is of a mixt Deifm, as is evident by their tenets. 
 The founders of it, were Pontian of Hattem, and 
 another Dutchman named Woutelaer, who, they 
 fay, added fome of their own notions to the fyftem 
 of Spinofa, and interlarded the whole with fome 
 myftical opinions of the Pietifts. This feft of 
 Hattem ftill meets, but with fo much privacy, 
 that no one is admitted to their afiemblies, unlels 
 he can give evident proofs of his being a trufty 
 member of their fociety. This precaution is ne- 
 ceflary to avoid the grievous penalties inflifted 
 upon them by an edift of the ftates of Holland 
 and Weft-Friefiand, which orders, that they 
 Ihall be banifhed or caft into prilon, and feverely 
 punilhed as enemies to virtue, to divine worfhip, 
 and difturbers of the public peace •, that their 
 books fhall be fupprefied, and the authors, prin¬ 
 ters and publifhers proceeded againft as direfted 
 in the edift about Spinofiim. 
 
 Our curious readers may find a full account of 
 Baruch or Benedift Spinola in Bayle’s Dictionary, 
 to which may be added his life, publilhed by Max¬ 
 imilian Lucas, one of his dilcipies •, he was born 
 at Amfterdam, fon of a Portuguefe Jew : His 
 bold explications of fcripture occafioned his being 
 excommunicated, and caft out of the lynagogue •, 
 to avoid their perfections, after they had ob¬ 
 tained his banifnment, he retired to Rhynfburgh, 
 then to Voorburgh, and laftly to the Hague, where 
 he died. Lucas praifes much his morals, as to 
 his forgiving injuries, outward neatnels, and dil- 
 intereftedneis. 
 
 He feems likewife, by a converfation which 
 Lucas relates, to have been of opinion, that Goa 
 
 of DEISM. 
 
 had a body, and that there are no fubftanccs 
 merely fpiritual. 
 
 Pontian of Hattem had been a minifter of 
 Zealand, in the foggy air of which country he 
 invented the fyftem afterwards publifhed by his 
 difciple Woatelaer, who lived at Arnfterdam be¬ 
 yond the age of thirty-four, and vented his doc¬ 
 trine whilft he fold linen. In the clandeftine af- 
 femblies which he held, he entertained his au¬ 
 dience with the following unintelligible paradoxes. 
 
 1. Every criminal thought, word, or aftion, is 
 the effeft of fin •, fin is a privation of God, of 
 foul, of life, it is the death of the foul ; who¬ 
 ever is forry for a bad thought or defire, is not 
 forry that he is a finner, but that his lins are dif- 
 covered, and that God has made him know the 
 ftate in which he is. 
 
 2. Owning criminal thoughts, words, or ac¬ 
 tions, is not a confeflion of fins; on the contrary, 
 ic is a denial of being a finner, fince it is a denial 
 of being dead ; for to be dead and to be a finner is 
 one and the fame thing. 
 
 3. All finners are equally dead, being all 
 equally finners •, fin may fliew itfelf in one more 
 than another ; but it is eflential to man, whoever 
 is a finner this da., fhall not be more fo tomor¬ 
 row : the aftion of man is not to be called fin, 
 that appellation belongs only to his ftate of death. 
 
 4. Aftions therefore do not make the finner ; 
 but they are fins only, becaufe he was a {inner 
 firft fin is the death of man, the aftions are only 
 his corruption, fuch corruption as maniiefts itlelf 
 when bodies are naturally dead. 
 
 5. Works, good or bad, do not change a man •, 
 they only fhew whether he be good or bad, as 
 fruits change not the tree. 
 
 6* God is immutable, and fuffers no change in 
 regard to us, not even by vut moft criminal ac¬ 
 tions. “ Lie is not angry at man becaule he has 
 finned, but man finned becaufe God was angry 
 with him.” Satan lays, “ Man has finned, let 
 him be punilhed.” God fays, “ Man is a finner, 
 that is, he is dead, I muft raife him to life.” No 
 man can be pleafing to God, till after his renun¬ 
 ciation. 
 
 7. From thence he concludes, that they who 
 condemn their brethren are like the devil, and 
 thofe who are merciful to them refemble God. 
 Man is dead by fin, aftions which are bad are the 
 corruption flowing efl'entially from death : to be 
 angry at bad aftions is as extravagant, as to be 
 angry at a dead corpfe for Linking. 
 
 8. He calls Chrift Peacemaker. It is foolifh to 
 enquire what faith a man pr.fefles *, there is but 
 one faith. “ Whoever thinks himl'elf juft is quiet, 
 he refts, and works no more •, his repole is the 
 effeft of his faith. Thofe who do not - njoy reft, 
 and go on with works, and do not think them- 
 felves juft yet, but endeavour it, thole divide 
 themfelves into fefts, as Catholics, Mennonites, 
 Socinians, Arminians, &c. they even belong to 
 religions entirely oppofite to ChriPiianicy, as Ju- 
 dail'm, Mahometanilm, and Paganifm ; yet all 
 thefe divifions make no difference among them ; 
 
 ! they are all alike, fays Hattem, they condemn 
 | Chrift, crucify him over again, and make him a 
 j liar and an impoftor.” 
 
 ] 9. Three perl'ons are one God, who denies one, 
 
 denies 
 
HISTORY 
 
 denies all three. Jews, Mahometans, and Soci- 
 nians deny the Ton, who is the fecond perfon of 
 the trinity •, therefore they rejedt God, therefore 
 they are Atheifts. Catholics, Mennonites and 
 Arminians are Atheifts, fays Hattem, becaufe 
 they are not at reft in quiet, but take pains to give 
 God glory, and to do his will. 
 
 10. God alone can do his own will, man wor- 
 fhips him and does his will only paflively, by re¬ 
 ceiving his impreftions, See. Then all religion is 
 only paftive. 
 
 11. Whoever pretends to any other but this 
 paftive religion is an Atheift, by calling the will 
 of God any other will but that of the creator. 
 
 12. All thofe who believe that God has within 
 himlelf a law which men are required by God and 
 obliged to fulfil, are Atheifts and Idolators ; be¬ 
 caufe all religion con filling in this being paftive, 
 it muft be a wild and vain imagination, to pretend 
 that religious worfhip confifts in obeying laws, 
 fuppoled to flow from God. 
 
 13. Then he concludes no one can believe in 
 God, unlefs he is infenfible, immoveable, and has 
 no defires. 
 
 14. They have no faith in God, who are dif- 
 pleafed at any thing that happens; who are not 
 latisfied either with their own condudl, or that of 
 others ; who think they can do more, be more 
 holy and happy, and enjoy a more defirable ftate. 
 
 15. So that whoever defires to be any thing elfe 
 than what he is, does not believe in God, even 
 though he fhould wifh a lick perfon to recover, 
 or a drunkard to leave off drunkennefs : cenfures 
 and punifhments, repentance, defires and endea¬ 
 vours of amendment are ufelefs; men by fuch 
 fentiments refill the will of God, and become in¬ 
 flexible to it, and confequently are without true 
 faith and Atheifts. 
 
 16. This indifference ought, according to Hat¬ 
 tem, to make a true faithful equally fat sfied whe¬ 
 ther virtue or vice is predominant in himfelf or 
 others ; paftivenefs and quiet will be his only vir¬ 
 tues, thefe will keep him even from knowing 
 evil, and render him pleafing to God the creator, 
 whom by the firft article of the creed we are to 
 believe. 
 
 17. The adlions of men are their fruits, and 
 are l'uch as thofe who do them : good fruits can¬ 
 not be expedled from bad trees, men are eftentially 
 bad; it is therefore a wicked oppofition to the 
 will of God, to require good fruits, good adlions, 
 from men. 
 
 18. The fon is the word of God and his wif- 
 dom, our prophet and dodlor, &c. all theexprel- 
 fions of feripture teach us, that believing in him 
 confifts in receiving his teftimony as infallible. 
 Now the tellimony of the Son of God is that the 
 will of God is not in precepts, that our aftions 
 are not the obedience we owe him: we obey by 
 faith, and the will of God is his eternal decree. 
 We are neither better nor worfe by our adlions. 
 
 19. The corruption of man is according to 
 God’s will, man is naturally dead, naturally 
 wicked, naturally damned, Sec. yet our works 
 are the works of the fon of God, by which we 
 know we are finners, dead, without foul, without 
 God, in a word perfedl atheifts, &c. 
 
 20. But a true Faithful is not forry for his fins, 
 he owns them, humbles himfelf in the fight of 
 
 of DEISM. 691 
 
 God, acknowledges that he is dead, and that as 
 luch he can only fpread infedlion, (commit fins) 
 and this is all the repentance and confeflion requi¬ 
 red . So fays Hattem, and adds “ That no one 
 believes in the Son of God, but owns that he 
 rejedls the divinity ; to own a God is to deny that 
 one is dead.” Who can underftand this nonfenfe ? 
 and what dreadful confequences flow from fuch 
 principles ? 
 
 21. The love of God and our neighbour does 
 not conftft in actions. This would be a denial of 
 God’s juftice ; and prove only as a difguile of our 
 hating the Supreme Being. 
 
 22. The love of God confifts in faith, and that 
 is fhewed by being pleafed with the puniftiments 
 he inflifls, and thofe are our bad adlions. Proba¬ 
 bly Hattem himfelf did not underftand his own 
 expreffions. 
 
 23. The Faithful alone are filled, glad, and 
 content, Sec. All is the work of God, therefore 
 every thing pleafes them : they are always perfedl, 
 becaufe they are fuch as God thought fir, they 
 fhould be. Their works are their punifhment, 
 they own it and thus are juftified : they alone are 
 the regenerate children of God, his heirs, and 
 are intimately united to him by the molt tender 
 affedlion ; which Hattem and moft Myftics exprefs 
 after the model of Solomon’s Canticle by the 
 moft endearing words employed in love affairs. 
 
 Thefe are the chief tenets of Hattem, a ftrange 
 jumble of Quietifm and other herefies, with 
 which, no doubt, our readers are fufficiently 
 tired : Thefe fecflaries were accufed of Atheifm 
 and libertinifm, and no wonder •, they fuppofed 
 every body elfe to be Atheifts, and by reta¬ 
 liation the lame was obje6led to them: again, it 
 was reported that they enlilled men in the devil’s 
 name, and made them fwallow, in a glafs of wine, 
 a paper with the word devil wrote upon it; that 
 their teachers were wizards, and ufed conju¬ 
 rations , which calumnies, if we believe this 
 their apologift, had the defired fuccefs in redu¬ 
 cing the Hattemites to fly their country, or to ab- 
 fcond. We muft not omit letting our readers 
 know that Pontian of Hattem had frequented the 
 Cocceian fchools. 
 
 Some pretended wits who have lately renewed 
 in Holland the fyftem of the foul of the world, 
 and the eternity of both, might with juftice be rec¬ 
 koned Spinofifts and Deifts more than Hattem. 
 One of them indeed pretends to be far from a 
 Spinofift, by eftabliftiing feme difference betwixt 
 God and nature. The lame writer maintains alfo, 
 that the Trinity is only three modifications of the 
 fupreme Being ; that extention is eflential to God, 
 and is the fecond perfon ; that creation is from all 
 eternity. Sec. Fie and fome others, namely one 
 Deurhof, have had fome followers, and held, as 
 they do ftill, fome aflemblies, in a very private 
 manner, to avoid the perfecutions which the ma- 
 giftrates might make againft them. 
 
 The antient and modern wits have always endea¬ 
 voured to bring into contempt the religions fettled 
 in every country •, but never thought fit to break 
 fociety upon that account with the reft of man¬ 
 kind. And after all their arguments, have been 
 forced at laft to own the neceftity of fome religion, 
 not only to keep men in awe, and out of Far, 
 but becaufe they were convinced of the being of 
 
 a God 
 
6 9 2 HISTORY 
 
 a God by dint of demonftration ; when forced fo 
 far, they have denied revelation, yet could not 
 avoid acknowledging that God might reveal him- 
 ielf by fome means or other, that being lo much 
 above our reach of underflanding, his autho¬ 
 rity muft overcome all objections ; thus thefe 
 libertines, Delfts, pretended wits, with their bold 
 inquiries, are reduced to own the weaknels of 
 their boafted reafonings, and to humble them- 
 felves under the powerful hand of God. 
 
 They ought likewife to be reckoned Deilts, who 
 believe that all religions are equally agreeable to 
 God, provided they are not oppofite to the laws 
 of nature. God they lay loves variety in religious 
 worfhip •, but if he has revealed any religion, 
 that only can be agreeable which lie has prelcribed; 
 and how can man know, without revelation, 
 what exterior worlhip is acceptable to the lupreme 
 Being ? They alfo mult be deemed Deilts, who, 
 as foland and Woolfton, under pretence of 
 crying down luperftition, have attacked religion 
 itfelf, as being loaded with ancient errors, antient 
 frauds, antient lies, which by length of time 
 .have been taken for truths, and which the old 
 heathenifh Romans highly prized-, and I wifh, lays 
 Toland, I might not be forced to lay that Chril- 
 tians do likewTl'e. Superilition is no doubt a great 
 evil, fables and {lories have brought religion into 
 dilrepute, and cannot be countenanced by any 
 rational man, unlels actuated by avarice, ambition, 
 ignorance, or an over-credulous fear : We mult 
 then conclude, that a truly religious man renders 
 to God what is due to him, fubmits himfelf, and 
 the whole extent of reafon, to his infallible word ; 
 adores him in fpirit and truth loves him, with¬ 
 out fervile fear, out of gratitude, and duty •, ex- 
 peCts all good from his bountiful hand ; delpifes 
 the terrors of death and rejeCts all fall'e notions 
 of an inexorable fate. 
 
 We come now to confider the prefent Rate of 
 Deifm in Europe, with its caules and confe- 
 quences. 
 
 In Italy almoft all the learned are Deifts, except 
 the clergy, whofe interelt it is to be otherwile. 
 The Italian Deilts are however arrant hypocrites, 
 for they conceal their real fentiments while at 
 home, and go regularly to confeflion and mafs. 
 However, when any of them come into Protel- 
 tant countries, they pull off the malk, and con¬ 
 demn the whole of Chriftianity. 
 
 In France they are more numerous than in 
 Italy, and many of them have written confider- 
 able works, but then it mult be remembered, that 
 they get their works printed in Holland. There 
 is not, that we know of, one polite French author 
 in the prelent age but is a Deilt -, and we are lorry 
 to add, that the word of their books are tranflated 
 into our language, and many of them have been 
 recommended by a noble lord, more celebrated 
 for what is vulgarly called wit, than for either 
 
 of DEISM. 
 
 virtue or pieiy. Some of thefe books have been 
 brought into our fchools, and the youth of both 
 fexes have greedily drank the deadly poil'on. 
 What is here faid, the author knows to be true ; 
 for going one day to vifit a young perfon to whom 
 he was guardian, he heard the dancing-mafter re¬ 
 commend fome of thefe deiftical books. Fired 
 with indignation, he threatened to take the perfon 
 under his care, together with five more, away from 
 the fchool, which had fuch a good efibCt, that the 
 books never made their appearance. 
 
 As for the caules which promote Deifm in Ro¬ 
 man Catholic countries, we fhall now confider 
 them, becaufe they differ much from what is at¬ 
 tended with the fame effedts among Proteftants. 
 And here we are extremely happy in being affilted 
 by the German traveller Keyfler. 
 
 Every one knows, lays Mr. Keyfler, that no 
 books in defence of the Proteftant religion, are 
 permitted to be fold in Roman Catholic countries. 
 Now asthele men of learning read the Bmle* in 
 the original, and as they are well acquainted with 
 the fathers and church hiltory, fo they are con¬ 
 vinced that the Rorn fh church at prefect, has no 
 connection with what it was at the time of the 
 emperor Conftamine the Great. Under thefe cir- 
 cumltances they have no Proteftants to converfe 
 with, nor have they an opportunity of perilling 
 luch elaborate treadles as have been written againft: 
 the pope and church of Rome. 
 
 Thus left in the dark, the poifon finks deep into 
 their minds-, their prejudices become ft'org, and 
 although they dare not openly mock the priefts 
 and their trumpery, yet they lecretly dclpile them, 
 and in their writings let loole againft them all the 
 effufions of wit, and the virulence of latire. In 
 vain are thefe m m referred :o the writings of Pro¬ 
 teftants, when they come into countries where 
 they can be procured. Thefe prejudices have 
 funk too deep, they fhut the eyes of their under- 
 ftanding, and unfortunately it happens, that moft 
 of our controverfial writings are not the moft en¬ 
 gaging. This is undoubtedly much to be la¬ 
 mented, but we have many things to lament that 
 cannot eafily be remedied. Such are the caufes 
 which promote Deifm in the Roman Catholic 
 countries, and let us now fee what are the effects. 
 
 A difregard for Divine revelation firft leads to 
 a fettled levity of temper, and that levity gradually 
 carries on the perfon to pay but little regard to 
 moral duties, although they profefs themielves to 
 be profeftors of natural religion. They loath 
 every thing that is lerious, becaufe they have 
 found the Romifh priefts to be erroneous. They 
 have not that ftrength of mind to confider that 
 the truth is not loft, though many impoftors have 
 done all in their power to darken it. Devotion is 
 confidered with them as a trifle, and their condudt, 
 as well as their converfation, poifons the rifing 
 generation. 
 
 * In this place we muft beg leave to recommend to our readers a Work lately publilhed, which we believe to be the moft 
 literal and correct tranflation of the Holy Scriptures now extant. We have extracted the following general account cf it from 
 the title-page, &c. and heartily recommend the Work itfelf to every Chriftian family : 
 
 FAMILY BIBLE; The cheapeft ever offered to the Public : Elegantly printed in a large folio volume, embellished with 
 capital engravings, efteemed the moft uniform and elegant let of Copper-plates ever given with a Work of the kind, price 
 il. 16s. handfomely bound: 
 
 The BISHOPS’ BIBLE; 
 
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 Let 
 
HISTORY 
 
 Let us now confider the (late of Deifm in our 
 country, with its caufes and confequences. 
 
 The firft Deiftical writer that ever appeared in 
 England, was lord Herbert of Cherbury, a great 
 ftatefman, and brother to the pious George Her¬ 
 bert, author of the Divine Poems. This learned 
 nobleman, in his early youth, contracted the molt 
 inveterate prejudices againft the Chriftian reli¬ 
 gion, and the caufe feems to have been the fol¬ 
 lowing. When his lordfhipwas a young man at 
 the univerfity of Oxford, he faw many melan¬ 
 choly inftances of the abufe of clerical power, in 
 the biffiops of the eftablifhed church perfecuting 
 the Puritans.. He knew that this was contrary 
 to the fpirit of th.e gofpel, and here was the rock 
 upon which he fplit. Had he confidered things 
 in a calm, difpaffionate manner, he would have 
 been led to believe that the unworthy conduct 
 of corrupt priefts fttouId never injure the caufe of 
 Chriftianity; on the contrary, it leems rather to 
 eftabliffi it, for if there was no tru:h in Chrifti- 
 anity, why fo many impoltors from time to time, 
 attempting to impole, under that facred name, 
 upon mankind ? 
 
 Elis lentiments, however, took the wrong bias, 
 and he confidered the whole of Chriftianity as a 
 cheat, and yet this nobleman was one of the 
 moft arrant enthufiafts in the world. 
 
 The next deiftical writer was the famousHobbs 
 of Malmefbury, who oppofed Chriftianity in 
 confequence of having read fome treatifes written 
 on abfolute predeftination. He faid, that if God 
 had appointed all things, confcquently mankind 
 laboured under an invincible neceffity In this 
 inftance, perhaps, Hobbs was not a fool, at leaft 
 he adted confident with the nature of the 
 principles laid down by the Predeftinarians j and 
 we will venture to affirm, that no man can be¬ 
 lieve that dodtrine, without admitting of a ne¬ 
 ceffity. And if a neceffity is once admitted, 
 then there is an end of all exhortation, becaufe 
 the freedom of the human will is deftroyed. 
 
 But the moft ftriking cafe we ffiall mention 
 is that of lord Bolingbroke, and we may venture 
 to affirm, that it applies to almoft all the cafes 
 in Deifm during the prefent age. 
 
 Bolingbroke had been brought up in the houfe 
 of his grandfather, ftr Henry St. John, who 
 was lord keeper of the great feal under Oliver 
 Cromwell. The young man was of a lively dif- 
 pofition, but there were feldom lefs than thirty 
 diffenting minifters at his grandfather’s table 
 every day. 
 
 The young man faw into the duplicity of fome 
 of thefe, he became tired of their infignificant 
 exhortations and more than mock prayers. Ele 
 imagined that the Prefbyterian minifters vifited 
 his grandfather with no other view befides that 
 of filling their pockets and their bellies, while 
 their poor at home were not confidered. And is 
 this Chriftianity faid he? then let me be a Hea¬ 
 then. We are forry to fay that his lordfhip was as 
 good as his word ; for he had no fooner corn- 
 pleated his ftudies, than he undertook to pub- 
 lifti a work in order to prove the falfity of the 
 Molaical hiftory. It is certain, that his lordffiip’s 
 treatife on that fubjedt is one of the moft feeble 
 in argument that ever yet was attempted. That 
 celebrated deift Voltaire, with all his errors, was 
 J8 
 
 of DEISM, 6 g j 
 
 fenftble of what is here advanced, and therefore 
 in his philofophy of hiftory he has recourfe to 
 another way of argument. 
 
 Bolingbroke was grofs in his attacks, merely 
 becaufe he had detected ome hypocritical mi¬ 
 nifters ; but Voltaire was fly and artful, be¬ 
 caufe he knew that the only way to undermine the 
 Chriftian fyftem was to adt in a double, concealed 
 manner. This naturally leads us to confider the 
 concluding part of the argument, by pointing 
 out thofe modern pradtices which promote Deifm 
 in the prefent age. 
 
 It may feem perhaps ftrange to thofe who have 
 not given themfelves much trouble to think, 
 that men, who have had the advantages of a li¬ 
 beral education, who have inveftigated every 
 part of civil and ecclefiaftical hiftory, who know 
 the tempers and difpofitions of men, who are 
 not in the leaft unacquainted with thofe evi¬ 
 dences which fupport divine revelation ; we fay, 
 it may feem ftrange, that fuefi men fhould rejedt 
 the Chriftian lyftem. But there are caufes, 
 which although little underftood, yet teally 
 exift. 
 
 And firft, the condudt of many of our clergy 
 contributes towards promoting Deifm. The cold 
 and indifferent manner in which they perform their 
 duty, the little regard they pay to the paftorai 
 care, and above all, their avaricious difpofitions 
 open the mouths of blafphemers, and induce 
 them boldly to tell the clergy, that if they were 
 not impoftors, they would adt in the fame manner 
 as they taught. 
 
 Again, in the fecond place, the wicked lives 
 of thofe who make pretenfions to high attain¬ 
 ments in religion, l'erve much towards the pro¬ 
 moting of Deifm. The Deifts have learned 
 what is afferted in the New Teftament, namely, 
 that every Chriftian is a new creature. Now as 
 thefe high pretenders to religion are fo far from 
 being better in their conversation than they were 
 before they affumed this new charadter, confe- 
 quently they tell them that their religion is no 
 more than a fyftem of impofition ; for, fay they, 
 unlefs religion ferves to make us better than we 
 were before, where is the neceffity for a change ? 
 Here the Deifts do not confider that all mere pre¬ 
 tenders to religious attainments, have no religion 
 at all; whereas, the life of the real Chriftian is 
 hid with Chrift in God. They ffiould confider 
 the tendency of religion, and not the condudt 
 of its corrupt profeffors. Let them fay, is 
 it of divine original ? then let me embrace it, 
 although I ffiall be obliged to fit down in this 
 world with hypocrites, and be ranked among 
 many thoufands of thofe, who, profeffing the 
 name of Chrift, would put him to death were 
 he to come in the fleffi a fecond time, as the 
 Jews of old did. 
 
 Thirdly, as there is not a fingle crime that 
 can difgrace human nature, but has been com¬ 
 mitted by thofe men who ate called religious, 
 fo our poor, unthinking, young gentlemen, who 
 have received a good education, look upon the 
 whole Chriftian religion as a cheat. The confe¬ 
 quences flowing from all thefe baneful principles 
 are many, but we ffiall only take notice of a 
 few. 
 
 Firft, as men are led to confider religion with 
 8 N contempt 
 
694 
 
 H i 
 
 STORY 
 
 contempt, fo they pay little regard to moral du¬ 
 ties; and we have thoufands of Deifts amonglt 
 us, who know not the meaning of the word. 
 To defpife religion is no new thing, for ever 
 fince man loft his original righteoufnels, he has 
 had a ftronger delire to evil than to good. 
 Strange contradiction in human nature, to pre¬ 
 fer mifery to happinefs; for men to let their 
 own knowledge up as fuperior to that of God 
 
 A l'econd confequence is, that men neglett, m 
 general, all thole duties they owe to their fami¬ 
 lies; why Ihould a man labour in this world who 
 has no hopes in death. The believer looks upon 
 himfelf as an accountable being ; the Debt, 
 notwithftanding his pretenfions to a belief of a 
 future Hate of rewards and punifhments, dies 
 without hope ; not giving himfelf an opportunity 
 to enquire, or time to confider things in a pro¬ 
 per manner. l"Ie forms his notions of Chnfti- 
 anity not from the religion itfelf, but from the 
 wicked lives of corrupt profeffors. 
 
 A lerious enquirer after truth would never 
 feek for information but at the fountain head. 
 He would go to the facred Scriptures; and 
 having examined the evidences which fupport 
 them, he would reft fatisfted, and leave falfe 
 profeffors to anfwer to God. Vv e lhall conclude 
 this article concerning the Deifts, in the words 
 of the late pious and learned lord prefident 
 Forbes, a gentleman who faw deeply into hu¬ 
 man nature, and who defeated the Deifts with 
 weapons they were unacquainted with. 
 
 “ Atheifm, Deifm, and the whole train of opi¬ 
 nions that attend what is commonly called Free- 
 thinking, Row from a fettled difbeiief and con¬ 
 tempt of revelation. 
 
 This belief is, in a great meafure, owing to 
 the wantsof a fair and unprejudiced examination 
 of the numerous and various proofs and evi¬ 
 dences, that fupport the truth and authority of 
 the fcriptures. 
 
 But it is chiefly grounded on a firm perfuafion, 
 that human underftanding is a fufficient guide to 
 man, and the teft and meafure of all matters of 
 belief; fo that we are at liberty, nay indeed 
 bound, to rejeft whatever does not anfwer thole 
 notions, which, by what we call reafoning, we 
 have fixed. 
 
 That modern difcoveries, the fruit of genius 
 and application only, have fixed and determined 
 to a certainty the laws and caufes of the princi¬ 
 pal operations, and phenomena of nature, which 
 were wholly unknown to the antients, and mil- 
 taken by the authors of the books which are 
 received as revelation. 
 
 That therefore thefe books, fo far as they 
 accounts of nature, contrary to experience, 
 demonftration refulting from it, are falfe 
 cnniecuentlv can. in no other 
 
 give 
 
 and 
 
 and 
 
 
 — o tv,- 
 
 infallible. 
 
 That the fcriptures relate a greac many mar¬ 
 vellous, improbable, nay incredible tranfaftions, 
 which do not feem to be diredled to any purpofe, 
 fuited to fovereign wifdom and gcrodnefs ; and 
 to contain a world of inftitucions, laws, obfer- 
 vances, and ceremonies, which to Freethinkers 
 appear abl’urd, frivolous, and ridiculous; un¬ 
 worthy the fuppofed author, and improper to 
 attain the propofed end. 
 
 of D £ I S M. 
 
 When any apparent miftake in natural philo- 
 foph) is objefled to the fcriptures, the anfwer 
 commonly given is, in my opinion, ftronger than 
 the objection, according to the views of the dif- 
 putants on either fide ; that thefe things, being 
 incidental only, are fpoken ad captum humanum, 
 and accommodated to theunderftandingsof thofe, 
 to whom they were only delivered ; though, 1 
 confefs, it would be a much more comfortable 
 anfwer, if it could be laid, and proved, that the 
 things objected to are true. 
 
 When Freethinkers ground themfelves upon 
 any improbable, or, as they will call it, incredi 
 ble or abfurd relation, there is no anfwering 
 them without bringing together, and laying be¬ 
 fore them, the whole evidence that ferves for 
 fupporting revelation ; which, when poifed in 
 the fcale againft all objections of this kind that 
 ever have been made, in my opinion, may cer¬ 
 tainly outweigh them ; but, the misfortune is, 
 the objection glares, can be taken in by a very 
 moderate capacity, and requires no learning, 
 and but little attention to comprehend it; where¬ 
 as, without long ftudy, great learning, dole at¬ 
 tention, and a difpaflionate and unprejudiced ex¬ 
 amination, the evidence for revelation cannot be 
 collected and weighed. Whoever therefore lets 
 in the ftrength of the objection, and, for want 
 of learning or attention, not to fpeak of natural 
 prejudices, either cannot, or will not give him¬ 
 felf the trouble to colled and weigh the proofs 
 on the other fide, muft necefiarily give it againft 
 revelation, and fortify himfelf in his incredulity. 
 
 And to this it is owing that all thole, who, in 
 this indolent and luxurious age, pretend to po- 
 litenefs, and aim at knowledge, and the reputa¬ 
 tion of underftanding and fcience, without any 
 interruption to their pleafures or purfuits, take 
 up with objections againft revelation, without 
 the painful examination of the evidence that 
 fupports it, look down with contempt on be¬ 
 lievers, as a parcel of prejudiced enthufiafts, and 
 inlift themfelves with Freethinkers, as the ho- 
 nefteft, wifeft fet of men living. 
 
 And when men, carried by pleafures, or funk 
 in indolence, fettle once upon thefe notions, every 
 inftitution, ordinance, or ceremony, appointed 
 in lcripture, for which Chriftians cannot, or do 
 not, affign an adequate ufe or end, becomes frelh 
 matter of objection, and tends to rivet and con¬ 
 firm infidelity. 
 
 This facility of receiving and taking up with 
 objections, and the criminal indolence and neg- 
 leCt of thofe who do not give themfelves the 
 trouble to examine, with due care, the merits 
 of the anfwer, has been long complained of, 
 
 I and lamented by all who wilh well to mankind, 
 
 I but hitherto in vain : fomething more than ar- 
 I gument muft intervene to cool them in the pur- 
 fuic of pleafures, to roufe their attention to their 
 real intereft, and to determine them to fearch 
 with care and induftry, before they will let in fo 
 much as a fufpicion that their objections are ill- 
 founded ; or thofe objections muft be over¬ 
 thrown by fome other and fhorter mean than 
 the complicated evidence for the authority ot 
 revelation, elfe the objeCtors will never give 
 themfelves the trouble to difcover their mif- 
 takes." 
 
ACCOUNT of the P 
 
 To what has been here advanced concerning 
 the Deifts, we muft add, that they have for 
 fome years had a chapel at Mary-le-Bone, 
 where we can only fay, that the difcourfes deli¬ 
 vered are far below Heathenifm. We take up 
 
 HILADELPH 1 ANS. 695 
 
 I the writings of a Seneca ard an Epiftetus, &c. 
 j with pleafure, and we can find no fault with 
 them becaufe they knew no better, but we 
 lament to find men living under the gofpel ad¬ 
 vancing notions fubverfive of it. 
 
 ACCOUNT of the P 
 
 T , HERE is not in the whole world, either \ 
 a trade or a profelTion, whether civil or I 
 religious, but engrofiers will be found : 
 among them. We have popular phyficians, po¬ 
 pular lawyers, and popular divines, all of whom j 
 may be confidered as engrofiers. But here we 
 have an inftance of one fingle feft engrofilng, 
 as it were, to itfelf a title claimed in common 
 by all the reft. 
 
 Philadelphians fignify Lovers of the Bre¬ 
 thren ; and it is well known, that all lefts what¬ 
 ever love their brethren, if we may believe them- 
 i'elves ; nay, tl)ey all acknowledge it is a duty to 
 do fo, although we know that very few of them 
 pay any regard to it, unlefs they are rich; then I 
 indeed they have many friends, but to ufe the 
 words of the wife man, “The poor is abhorred 
 of his neighbour.” However, let us proceed 
 with this new religion. 
 
 The Philadelphians took their rife only a few 
 years ago, having at their head a dilaffefted 
 clergyman of the church of England. Their 
 form of worlhip refembles that of the Diflen- 
 ters in general ; but as for their preaching, it is 
 perhaps the moft extraordinary thing in the 
 world. But of that we Iball take notice after¬ 
 wards. 
 
 In the mean time, we have made ourfelves 
 perfectly acquainted with every thing belonging 
 to thele people ; and fo far are they from being 
 what they call themfelves, namely, Lovers of 
 the Brethren, that, properly fpeaking, they have 
 no brethren at all. This will appear the more 
 evident, when it is confidered, that they are not 
 incorporated into one body, as moft of the other 
 lefts are. Their congregation confifts of all 
 thole who pleale to come, let them be of any 
 denomination whatever. Indeed, there is one 
 thing conftantly expefted, and that is, that they 
 would bring lame money along with them for 
 the fupport of the preacher. And here it is 
 necefiary to obferve, that among all the fefts in 
 this nation, we know of none who preach gratis, 
 except the Friends and the Sandimanians. All 
 others muft have money, otherwife they can have 
 no accommodation. Nothing is more common 
 than to hear fome of our modern feftaries con¬ 
 demn the conduft of Simon Magus, for offering 
 money for the Lloly Ghoft, and yet we never 
 find that they refufe to take money when they 
 
 HILADELPHIANS. 
 
 adminifter their fpiritual confolations; nay, they 
 frequently demand money, and that in a too 
 peremptory manner. 
 
 All the money collefted at the Philadelphi¬ 
 an meeting is given to the minifter, who agrees 
 to pay the rent out of it; but he generally in- 
 finuates himfelf fo far into the good graces of 
 his hearers, that they pay it for him. 
 
 They have no church difcipline, which indeed 
 would be altogether unneceftary, efpecially where 
 there is not a church; for thele Philadelphians 
 are not a church ; they are not a body collective, 
 but their meeting is open to all comers. The 
 people do not lo much as know one another, 
 and the minifter is fo fenfible of this, that he fre¬ 
 quently advertiles his fermons in the public 
 papers. The novelty of the name leads many 
 people to the place; who generally return as 
 uninformed as they went. 
 
 When they firft made their appearance, we 
 were led to believe that they had chofen their 
 name from the common meaning of the word, 
 namely, that they lived in love and friendfhip 
 together, as all Chriftians are commanded to do. 
 But no fuch thing was intended, for the minif¬ 
 ter is, withrefpeft to church government, aLati- 
 tudinarian, that is, he does not defire to have 
 any connexion with church fellowfhip, but to 
 range at large, fubmitting to any form that his 
 people may chufe to prefcribe. 
 
 This indeed is too much the charafteriftic of 
 many modern fefts. It difcovers no fmall fhare 
 of worldly wil'dom, for when people enter into 
 couneftions, as all churches Ihould do, then it 
 is generally expefted that they walk by fome 
 rule and mind prefcribed duties. And among 
 thefe, what could be more important than that of 
 providing for the poor. Now, in order to avoid 
 this very difagreeable and very troublefome duty, 
 nothing can better fuit the purpofe than to preach 
 at large, without being concerned with any 
 church whatever; for if the people will not come 
 to hear them, and give them money, they can 
 keep their fermons to themfelves. 
 
 We come now to confider their manner of 
 preaching, and previous thereto, we muft alk 
 our readers a few queftions j for we have fome 
 reafon to believe, that we have more forts of 
 readers than one. 
 
 And now good reader, if you are a Ro¬ 
 man 
 
696 ACCOUNT of the P H 
 
 man Gatholic, there can remain no manner of 
 doubt but you have read Dr. Chaloner s Catho¬ 
 lic Chriftian inftrudtcd. If you are a Lutheran, 
 you muft have read Dr. Rambach’s treatile on 
 the fufferings of Chrift. If you are a church of 
 England man, you muft have read Haywood 
 and Atterfole ; and, if a Difienter, Keach and 
 Mather undoubtedly grace your library. Thefe 
 are admirable writings in their own way, and we 
 are certain they have their admirers. But now 
 reader, we will lead thee within the veil, and 
 fhew things unknown to thee before. 
 
 The preacher of the Philadelphian meeting, 
 not content with what has been advanced by the 
 writers already mentioned, has improved the 
 notions of all thole who have gone before him. 
 The fundamental principles upon which his re¬ 
 ligion is founded, are the following. 
 
 Firft, that there was an oral tradition, or un¬ 
 written law from the fall of man to the days of 
 Mofes ; and that this unwritten law was what the 
 patriarchs adhered to. 
 
 Secondly, that the delivery of the law to 
 Mofes, was nothing but a re-publication of the 
 old oral law, and that there was no difference 
 between the lervice of the tabernacle and the 
 worfhip performed by the patriarchs. 
 
 Laftly, that there were fo many myfteries con¬ 
 tained under the Levitical ceremonies, that if 
 people would carefully attend to them, they 
 would find every thing in the gofpel concealed 
 under them. Thus for inftance, the crofting 
 the Red-fea, points out converfion ; the journey 
 through the wildernefs, human life ; the crofting 
 of Jordan, death ; and taking pofteflion of the 
 holy land, everlafting happinefs. But thefe are 
 trifles to what we are going to relate. 
 
 The Philadelphian minifter fees wonders in 
 the founding of the rams horns, in the new 
 moons, in all the walkings of the priefts, in 
 the turtle doves and young pigeons, in clean and 
 unclean beafts, and a thoufand other things too 
 numerous to mention. This allegorical inter¬ 
 pretation of fcripture has however a ftrong effedt 
 on the inteftedts of weak people. And here it 
 is furprifing to confider, in what manner we poor 
 bewildered creatures form our notions of religion 
 on many occafions. 
 
 Thus we are not content with common expla¬ 
 nations of the obvious fenfe of fcripture, but 
 we muft have recourie to far-fetched allegories 
 and hidden myfteries. However, the ceremonies 
 were in part a type of the gofpel, yet divine 
 wifdom had fomething elfe in view, in prefcri- 
 bingthem ; namely, to keep the Jews a diftindi 
 people from the Heathens around them. Nay, in 
 fome cafes there was a phyfical neceflity in it. 
 
 ILADELPHIANS. 
 
 Such was the ftate of the country, fuch was the 
 efiedt of the climate, that had they been per¬ 
 mitted to eat fwine’s flefh, it might have proved 
 fatal and prejudicial to their health. 
 
 It was the fame with blood, which they were 
 prohibited from eating, becaufe it filled the body 
 with corrupt particles. Some of the types in¬ 
 deed were fignificant; but we are of opinion 
 that a fingle allufion to them, in a fermon occafi- 
 onally, is enough. To dwell hall an hour or an 
 hour upon them, is to prevent the preacher from 
 making practical improvements. It leads the 
 people into all that wildnefs which is calculated 
 to feduce their minds from the truth, and makes 
 them believe they fee wonders where none ever 
 exifted. 
 
 It is allowed, that in private meditation, al¬ 
 legory is delightful, and it may even ferve to 
 kindle devotion in the heart; but thofe things 
 fhould be kept within proper bounds. 'I here are 
 many thingsthat we may know, that ought not to 
 be made public. We ought to be extremely cau¬ 
 tious in all things of that nature, and therefore 
 let our words be few. 
 
 We fhall conclude our account of thefe people 
 by obferving, that as they are not properly a 
 community, fo there is reafon to believe, they 
 will die away with the prefent generation. We 
 have, in the courfe of this work, faid fo much 
 concerning new religions, that we fhall not here 
 re-aflume the fubjedt. If a general toleration of 
 all religious fentiments has encreafedin this coun¬ 
 try the number of new religions, we muft ac¬ 
 knowledge that thefe new religions have loon 
 fallen into decay. And here we cannot help 
 remembering the words of the wife dodtor 
 Gamalial; “ Let all new religions alone ; for if 
 they are of men, they will vanilh away to no¬ 
 thing ; but if they are of God, they will flourifti 
 and be eftablifhed.” 
 
 When the toleration adt firft took place, there 
 were but few fedts among the Diflenters in Eng¬ 
 land, but they encreafed amazingly foon after. 
 The reafon is obvious. Before the revolution they 
 had no opportunity of planning lchemes for new 
 religions ; but no fooner did that defirable event 
 take place, than they all fet up for themfelves 
 on fcparate foundations. And yet although 
 fome of thefe were greedily embraced at firft, 
 yet many of them are now funk into oblivion, 
 and probably more will foon follow their ex¬ 
 ample. This much is certain, that the people 
 of the prefent age have become, as it were, tired 
 of new religions. They have made experiments, 
 and they have cut their fingers. In other words, 
 they have been miffed, and they are determined 
 to be on their guard for the future. 
 
 ACCOUNT 
 
Account 
 
 who are 
 
 of A Bohemian Brethren, 
 commonly called GYPSIES. 
 
 P'TS ^HIS fort of people being the dregs and 
 H fink of all nations, our readers may 
 JL wonder to fee them placed among fana- 
 ticks and enthufiafts : yet we are obliged to give 
 an account of them, by reafon of their origin, 
 which has fome remarkable particulars in it. We 
 give them the appellation of Bohemians, but the 
 Germans call them Zigenners, from which the 
 Italians name them Cingares. Borel informs us, 
 that Boem, in the old language of the Gauls, 
 fignifies bewitched, which feems to agree with 
 the notion of common people, that they can 
 foretel what is to happen, difcover hidden things, 
 and are well verfed in witchcraft. They go from 
 place to place, having no fixed abode, as the 
 antient Germans did, and, in the North, the 
 Druidefies, the Sybils, the Voles and Fairies, fo 
 often mentioned by the old Gauls. Their firft 
 rife leems owing to the remains of the Druids, 
 who were brought into fo much contempt by 
 Chriftianity, that having loll: all credit and power 
 in the towns and cities, they were obliged to 
 dwell in caves, and to wander about the country. 
 Beggars and vagrants are apt to afibciate toge¬ 
 ther, which renders it probable, that others from 
 Africa and A,fia may have joined themfelves to 
 thofe Druids ; for inllance, the Kaulits of Per- 
 lia, who, like our Bohemians, run about the 
 country, live in folitary places, and have no 
 religion or public worfhip, or rules, or any laws : 
 They fwarm over all Perfia, and from thence 
 fpread fouthward to Arabia and Egypt, north¬ 
 ward to Tartary, and more diftant places. Ac¬ 
 cordingly they are called Gypfies, upon the fame 
 account for which the Saxons call them Tartars. 
 Our over-credulous anceftors vainly imagined, 
 that thofe Gypfies or Bohemians were fo many 
 ipies for the Turks, and that in order to expiate 
 for the crimes which they had committed in their 
 own country, they were condemned to Ileal from 
 and rob the Chriilians. A rare penance ! We 
 have performed fuch another, though in a nobler 
 and more heroical manner, by taking the crofs, 
 and making war againft thofe Infidels. But our 
 opinion, that the Bohemians come from the 
 fouthern parts of Afia and Africa, which our 
 forefathers did not diltinguifh from Egypt, be¬ 
 fore the way of going to the Fall-Indies by the 
 Cape of Good Elope was found out, is grounded 
 on the teiiimony of one of the moll antient au¬ 
 thors who wrote concerning them. He relates, 
 “ that in 1433, the Ciganes, who pretended 
 they were Egyptians, came into Germany; ” and 
 according to another writer cited by Pafquier, 
 they likewile came into France much about the 
 59 
 
 fame time. The flory is fomewhat curious 
 “ They were, fays that author, by extraction, of 
 the lower Egypt ; and having abjured the Chrif- 
 tian faith, were drove from their native country, 
 became miferable, and an abomination to all 
 mankind : the then emperor rejected them alfo, 
 as other Chriftian powers had done, and told 
 them they fliould go to the holy father at Rome. 
 They went, confelfed their fins, and he enjoined 
 them to go and travel about the world, doing 
 penance, not lying in a bed, &c. This they 
 performed for five years before they came to Pa¬ 
 ris ; the chief of them arrived there on the fe- 
 venteenth of Auguft 1427, the reft on the day 
 of the decollation of St. John.” The fame wri¬ 
 ter fays, that the ears of all of them were bored 
 through, and had a ring, fometimes two, at 
 each ear ; their complexion was very black, and 
 their hair frizzled ; the women alfo very black 
 and ugly, and their hair like a horfe’s tail. The 
 habit of thefe women was of old coarfe flax ; 
 fome of them were witches, and looked into 
 peoples hands to tell them their fortunes. In a 
 word, thefe Egyptians, banifhed apoftates, def- 
 pil'ed by all mankind, and condemned by the 
 pope to a wandering life, bear a vaft refemblance 
 to our Bohemians. After all, the faid author 
 cited by Pafquier fays, the pope did excommuni¬ 
 cate them, and all thofe who had their fortunes 
 told to them, and that from Paris they went to 
 Potoife, on Lady-Jay in September, 1428. 
 
 We are inclined to trace the origin of the Bo¬ 
 hemians dill higher than thofe Egyptians, the 
 antient Druids, the Kaulits of Perfia, or the 
 Uxians of Armenia: Why may they not owe 
 their rife to the Meflalanians, wandering and dif- 
 perfed in Thracia, Bulgaria, &c. who were mif- 
 taken for feClaries and Heretics of divers kinds, 
 under the name of Manichteans, and upon whom 
 the compilers of Eleretical catalogues have li¬ 
 berally bellowed a great number of odious appel¬ 
 lations ; by which, in procefs of time, they be¬ 
 came more black and hateful to orthodox Chrif- 
 tians, than the very devils in hell. The Mefia- 
 lians are fuppoled to have had their begin¬ 
 ning under the reign of the emperor Con- 
 ftantius : They were but few at firft, their num¬ 
 ber increafed gradually, and when they were 
 taken notice of, as the writers of the fourth age 
 charged them with mod of the Manichaean prin¬ 
 ciples, they were reckoned amongft thofe Here¬ 
 tics. The firft penal laws againft Schematics 
 and Eleretics were enabled at that time, and put 
 in execution againft the Meftalians, who being 
 profecuted, from Pagans and idolators, as they 
 2 O were 
 
 W: 
 
.g g ACCOUNT of the BOHEMIAN 
 
 were thought to he rather than Chriftians, be¬ 
 came mod: orthodox Chriftians out of fear or 
 
 felf-intereft. , 
 
 As the Meffalians are mentioned here only as 
 bearing fome refemblance to the Bohemians, 
 we (hall only relate what may evidence their con¬ 
 formity of fentiments and praftice They did 
 not work, and lived by the alms which they re¬ 
 ceived, to imitate die apoftles whom Chi lit had 
 forbid having any poffeffion. This conllant idle- 
 nel's, their voluntary poverty, their contempt 
 of all the conveniencics of life, and ol all go 
 verntnent, could not but lead them by degrees 
 into a total negleft of dilcipline, and of all 
 laws : This occafioned great crimes and diforders 
 in their fociety ; and among the fin'tere Mcilali- 
 ans, many others crept in who minded nothing 
 lefs than their prayers. They were therefore 
 accufed both of living together without obler- 
 vine- any order, any rule, or even the molt com¬ 
 mon decency, and of being true Cynics, who 
 after wandering all day in the fields, met at night, 
 
 alter wanucinig an . 
 
 and lav in the fame place, without any regard to 
 ave, fex, &c. The orthodox moreover charged 
 them v . i. liritaining that we ought always to 
 follow the dictates of nature, to eat, to drink, 
 to calc one’s felf when it requires it, and that no 
 fall is to be obferved, but when neceffary tor the 
 prefervation or recovery of health Bences al. 
 this, the orthodox of thofe days reproached -hem 
 with their meetings and nocturnal teafts, in which 
 the Pagans had heretofore taxed the Chriftians, 
 and which have fince been laid to the charge of 
 other modern Heretics, to render them more 
 
 odious to the Roman Catholics. 
 
 We find in Italy, about the clofe of the thir¬ 
 teenth century, fome Fraticelli, who were alfo 
 called Bizoqui, that is, bigots or dow-nilh, upon 
 account of their unpolilhed way of life, or be- 
 caufe they pretended to a greater and more re¬ 
 fined devotion. The other name of Fratricelli, 
 that is, little brothers, either was given them 
 becaufe the firft of them were monks, or rather 
 it is the fame as the name of Adelphian, which 
 was beftowed upon the Meffalians: We fliall 
 fcon fee that there was fome conformity of fen¬ 
 timents betwixt them : Their chief doctois were 
 Pietro Maurato and Pietro di Foffombrone : but 
 an apoftate monk from the convent of Pongi- 
 ltipi, was their ringleader ; at lead it is fo re¬ 
 ported. Be that as it will, thefe Fraticelli wan¬ 
 dered about the countrv like the Meffalians, to 
 avoid the perfecutions railed agamft them, upGn 
 account of their lewd life, and of the errois 
 which they held, the neceffarv confequence where¬ 
 of was their (hocking diforderly behaviour. Both 
 the Fraticelli and Meffalians pretended that all 
 goods ought to be in common, and condemned 
 living by "the work of ones hands. They denied 
 all obedience to magiftrates, allowed a plurality 
 of wives, ar.d thofe to be in common : to which 
 the Grecian and Italian orthodox added the hei¬ 
 nous imputation of holding their meetings in the 
 nrnht, to be more at liberty to commit all forts 
 of°crimes. We have informed our readers that 
 fome ringleaders of the fanatical Baptifts, and 
 feveral of"their followers, were guilty of thofe 
 three capital errors : which may ferve both as an 
 indirect proof that the Fraticelli and Meffalians 
 
 __ BRETHREN. 
 
 probably might not be accufed without fome 
 grounds ; and, by confequence, as a juftification 
 of the feverities ufed againft them. But, after 
 all, it muft be owned, that fome particular per- 
 fons might live and die in that feCt, without 
 bein°- acquainted with the bad principles of their 
 evil tendency, as but too many do even amongft 
 the orthodox ; and though Herefies ought to be 
 detefted, certainly the inveterate hatred againft 
 the perfons is highly to be avoided. 
 
 But to return to our Meffalians of Greece and H 
 of the Eaft, and to our Italian Fraticelli : If 
 there were amongft them fo many profeffed liber¬ 
 tines, as the hillorians and ccntrovertifts of thofe 
 times mention, ignorance, joined to the perfe¬ 
 ctions raifed againft them, may have been the 
 occafion of their actually putting in execution all 
 the enormities of their falfe dodtrine. A young 
 perfon, for inllance, commits a crime, and by 
 that infamous adtion lofes his reputation ; he is 
 defpifed, abandoned by every one ; fo out of 
 defpair runs headlong into ruin and mifery. 
 Tliis example needs no further comment. 
 
 We muft likewife take notice here, that both 
 antient and modern controvertifts have often 
 reprelented feCts and heretical fyftems as more 
 dangerous than they appear to have really been. 
 Some may pretend to excufe this fault under 
 colour of an unbounded zeal againft Merely; 
 but zeal ought not to be bitter, or to deftroy 
 charity ; and whilft a fiery and fubtile controver- 
 tift inveighs too harftily againft the venom of an 
 erroneous opinion, he often does more mifehief 
 to public fociety, than the very perfon who had 
 taken it up without much confideration, and pro¬ 
 bably might as eafily have dropped it, if pride 
 and ftiame had not, fuch is human frailty! 
 prompted him to maintain it with obftinacy. 
 This fame falfe zeal has often made the faid wri¬ 
 ters tax one and the laid left with maintaining 
 inconfiftent and evidently contradictory opinions; 
 it cannot be denied that iniquity belies itfelf; 
 feripture fays it, and we daily experience it. But 
 that fo many inconfiftent propofitions (hould io 
 often be juftly charged upon one and the fame 
 fed, is not very much to be credited. The au¬ 
 thors of thofe imputations have been fenfible of 
 this defeCt in the accounts by them given ; and 
 inftead of owning honeftly their miitake, have 
 invented new names of derifion and contempt, 
 to upbraid the feds which they had accufed 
 wrongfully of fuch palpable contradictions Thus 
 the Manichaeans, the Meffalians, &c. were cal¬ 
 led by a name which in Greek fignifies a mixture 
 of all forts : Thus the Albigenles, the Walden- 
 fes, the Lutherans and Calvinifts, have been 
 nicknamed, the fink and dregs of all prior He¬ 
 retics. 
 
 The name of Adelphians, beftowed on tks_ 
 Meffalians, was taken from Adelphius, one of 
 their teachers : Flavian, patriarch of Antioch, 
 having with great art enveigled him to dilcovcr 
 the moft feerct articles of the doCtrine which he 
 held and taught, obtained that he Ihould be 
 banifbedfrom Syria. 
 
 But to conclude our account of thofe feCta- 
 ries ; by wandering about, they in procels of 
 time went further and further from the place of 
 their origin. The perfecutions they fuffered, 
 
 and 
 
I 
 
 fen STORY of the BRETHREN 
 
 and ill treatment theyreceivedfrom theCatholics, 
 as we have faid before, had as great a fhare in 
 banifhing them from cities and great towns, and 
 rendering them odious, as their erroneous opi¬ 
 nions and wicked life. As they fpread, fo did 
 their dodtrine ; and it is highly probable, that 
 in Europe as well as in Afia, they met many li¬ 
 bertines who gladly afiociated themfelves with 
 them, upon account of the idle and lazy life, fo 
 much recommended by that fedt. Tares foon 
 grow amongft the good corn, and the common peo¬ 
 ple, who are apt to form their judgment not from 
 particular inftances but general conclufions, eafily 
 miftook the good corn for tares. Thus they fet¬ 
 tled in Greece, in Thracia, Bulgaria, Tranfil- 
 vania, Hungary, and at lalt in Bohemia. In all 
 the countries where the Sclavonian language is 
 underftood, the Meflalians took, or their ene¬ 
 mies in derifion, gave them, the name of Bogo¬ 
 miles. 
 
 Their abode in Bulgaria and the neighbour¬ 
 ing countries, has rendered the word Bulgare 
 odious throughout Europe, chiefly in France 
 
 of the ROSY-CROSS. 
 
 and Italy. It may likewife be prefumed, that 
 they went from Bulgaria and Hungary into Bo¬ 
 hemia, at a time when the Bohemians began to 
 rebel againft the church, and upon that account 
 the orthodox took the Bohemians to be the fame 
 as the Bogomiles or Meflalians. This being alfo 
 a critical time for the church of Chrift, and many 
 beggars and miferable wretches taking part in 
 tliefe divifions, all were blended under the fame 
 denomination. Thus at laft the name of Bohe¬ 
 mians is univerfally given to vagrants and run¬ 
 aways, who have no fettled notions, laws or reli¬ 
 gion, who in well-governed kingdoms are banifhed 
 from all cities or towns, and dwell in caves and 
 folitary places, and live only by begging or deal¬ 
 ing. If the romantic dories, mentioned in the 
 public gazettes concerning fome of thofe Bohe¬ 
 mians, who within a few years have made inroads 
 through high and low Germany, were of any 
 authority or to be credited, the proofs of cou¬ 
 rage which they are laid to give, mud appear 
 very lingular and Arrange. 
 
 HISTORY of the BRETHREN of thd 
 
 ROSY-CROSS. 
 
 T HIS fociety took its rife in Germany. 
 
 About the year 1394, a young man, who 
 from five years old had been brought 
 up in a convent, became acquainted at the age 
 of flxteen with fome magicians, learned their art, 
 travelled into the Ead as far as Arabia, where 
 the doftors of that country taught him wonder¬ 
 ful fecrets, and foretold him he Jhould be the 
 author of a general reformation. From Arabia 
 he went into Barbary, and from thence to Spain, 
 where he frequented the Moors and Jews who 
 were verfed in the Cabala. He there pretended 
 to begin his reformation ; but being banilhed 
 from Spain, he came back into his native coun¬ 
 try Germany, and died in the year 1484, being 
 one hundred and fix years old. His body was 
 not buried, but only depofited in a grotto. Fate 
 or fome oracle had ordered that the corps fhould 
 remain in that date one hundred and twenty 
 years ; in confequence of which decree, it was 
 not found out till 1604. 
 
 A German chronicle of the Roficrufians relates 
 this difeovery as follows : A Roficrufian being 
 probably more cunning than his brethren, took 
 notice of a done with a nail in it : He took out 
 the done, and found the grotto in which was de¬ 
 pofited the body of their founder, with this in- 
 feription, te At the end of one hundred and 
 twenty years I lhall be manifeded.” Over the 
 monument, after thefe four letters A. C. R. C. 
 
 |J tliefe words were written, « In my life-time I 
 | have cholen this compendium of the world for 
 my tomb,” and feveral hieroglyphical figures 
 I about them. The body held in i'ts hand a book 
 in gold letters, which contained the praifes of 
 the founder, and gave an account of the vaft 
 treafures he had found, and of his dying without 
 ficknefs or pain when aged above ar. hundred. 
 
 This difeovery occafioned the eftablilhment of 
 the Brethren of the Rofy-Crofs ; and in 1615, 
 a German printed and publilhed their apology 
 and profellion of faith. 
 
 Ac firft the number of the Brethren was four 
 only, then eight; but it increafed very much 
 afterwards. They were to remain in a ftate of 
 celibacy, and to make themfelves known to the 
 world by no other name than the Enlightened of 
 the Rofy-Crofs. Their laws and rules forbad 
 them to receive any reward for praftifmg phyfic, 
 and ordered them to doit out of charity; to do 
 good to all mankind; to apply themfelves rowif- 
 dom and piety; to reform the religious worfhip, 
 by retrenching all fuperfluous ceremonies; to 
 maintain fteadily all the principles of the confra¬ 
 ternity, which was to fubfift to the end of the 
 world. Their chief cuftoms and opinions were, 
 to drefs according to the fafhion of the country in 
 which they lived; to be prefent atleaft once a year 
 at their meetings, or to give a good reafon for 
 abfenting; to wear conftantly the charafier or 
 
 impreffion 
 
7 oo HISTORY of the BRETH 
 
 impreltion of the Rofy-Crofs, a? a token of the ' 
 Brotherhood ; to look upon themfelves as ap¬ 
 pointed to reform all things, and as having the 
 whole and foie right to all the gifts of nature, 
 upon that account. They were to declare open y, 
 that the pope was Antichrift, and that a time 
 would come when they Ihould pull down his 
 triple crown. They rejefted and condemned the 
 doftrines of the pope and of Mahomet, calling 
 the one and the other blalphemies oi the bait 
 and Weft: they owned but two facraments, ana 
 admitted only the ceremonies of the primitive 
 church They called their lociety the Confrater¬ 
 nity of the Holy Ghoft. They pretended to a 
 rjohtof naming their lucceffors, and bequeath¬ 
 ing to them all their privileges and virtues, as 
 beTng their reprefentatives ; to know by revela¬ 
 tion thofe who were worthy to be admitted as 
 
 members of their lociety i to keep the devil in a 
 
 ftate of fubieSion, and to dilcover hidden trea- 
 lures. They moreover laid, that their confra¬ 
 ternity could not be dettroyed, becaule God 
 always oppoftd an impenetrable cloud to fcreen 
 them from their enemies. Neither hunger 
 thirft, ficknefs, or any other infirmity, could 
 hurt them; if any brother died, his burying- 
 place and their aflemblies were to be kept fecret 
 for one hundred and twenty years. They be- 
 lieved as a fundamental article of their faith, 
 that if the feft failed, it might be renewed at 
 the founder's monument or tomb. They brag¬ 
 ged of having invented a new language, by 
 which they could deferibe the nature of every 
 being ; yet they did not make ufe of ipeeches or 
 parables; they avoided being thought the inven¬ 
 tors of novelties, and the account they gave of 
 their wonderful performances, was not to be 
 deemed either imprudent, foolifh, malicious, or 
 deceitful. But their bare word mult be taken, 
 and thefe enlightened Brethren very much relem- 
 ble quacks and alchymifts in this point, as they 
 did in their jargons and their boafted myfterious 
 Sciences : Accordingly they were all inftrufted, 
 and had their education in Arabian or German 
 fchools. 
 
 Moreover, the Roficrufians faid, that another 
 fun which borrowed its light from the fun of this 
 world, enlightened the grotto in which their 
 founder was depofited, and lerved to dilcover all 
 the wonders ot the laid grotto, fome of which 
 were engraved on a copper-plate placed upon 
 an altar: where, for initance, four figures are 
 to be feen, with thefe four infcriptions, “ Never 
 empty. The yoke of the law. The liberty of the 
 gofpel, The glory of God." We ihall not 
 omit other ftrange things, which deferve and 
 require the learned comments of fome alchymifts 
 or vifionarv cabalifts ; leveral of which have pro- 
 mifed as the Brethren of the Rofv-Crols, to re¬ 
 pair the breaches and delefts of the world ; as if 
 nature was fubjeef to decay, or the divine provi¬ 
 dence, by which it is governed, could pofiibly 
 be fo far weakened, as to luffer its own work to 
 be deftroyed. They likewife flatter themfelves 
 that they fhall be able to reftore the primitive 
 ftrengih of conftfeution, aud innocency of lite 
 in mankind ; plenty and community of goods, 
 the univerfal knowledge ol the fciences, and the 
 general agreement of all nations, in an unity 
 
 REN of the ROSY-CROSS. 
 
 of the gofpel, in unity of religion, and holinefs 
 
 of life. _ , .. 
 
 Morhofmentions a diminutive feet, or a Imall 
 fwarm of the Roficrufians, co which he gives 
 the name of Collegium Rofianum, or fociety of 
 Rofav, who was a viiionary fanatic, and endea¬ 
 voured to fettle that Confraternity in Savoy, near 
 Dauphine about the year 1630. Their number 
 was not to exceed three ; one Mornius tried all 
 poffible ways of being admitted for a fourth, but 
 was rejefted, and could only obtain the favour of 
 being reckoned as a fervant. This fmall fociety 
 was entrufted with three important fecrets, per¬ 
 petual motion; the art of changing metals; and 
 an univerfal phyfic. 
 
 What can be thought of fuch a fociety, which 
 is fuppofed perfedt in itfelf, adorned with uni¬ 
 verfal knowledge, poffeffed of all worldly trea- 
 fures, exempt from all human infirmities; yet 
 no more feen than if it had been compofed of 
 pure fpirits : all we can fay is, that it bears a great 
 refemolance to, and deferves to be ranked 
 among fairy-tales. We muft own neverthelefs, 
 that the common people are delighted, and love 
 to entertain themfelves with fuch fooleries. So 
 the world is like to be for ever peftered with 
 quacks and fools. 
 
 The Roficrufians were much talked of in 
 France in the firft fifteen or twenty years of the 
 laft age, and feveral who pretended to be of 
 that fociety, were call into prifon. The foolilh 
 credulity of the people was railed by the follow¬ 
 ing bill pofted up in all public places; “ We 
 who are deputies from the Roficrufians, and 
 dwell vifibly or invifibly in this town, by the 
 grace of the moft High—fhew and teach, with¬ 
 out books or notes, to lpeak all the languages of 
 the country where we pleale to live, to deliver 
 our fellow-creatures from deadly error.” In 
 1613, a Roficrufian of Barbary, named Muley- 
 Ibu-Hamet, with a handful of men, having 
 overcome the king of Fez and Morocco, was, they 
 faid, to conquer Spain. Some pretended En¬ 
 lightened Brethren appeared then in Spain, but 
 werefoon quelled by the Inquilition. 
 
 Much about that time, the pretended Enligh¬ 
 tened Brethren, before mentioned, occafioned 
 fome tumults in Spain, as the Roficrufians had 
 done ; and we muft not omit giving our readers 
 fome account of them. The Angularity of their 
 notions, fome points in which they either did, 
 or other people were refolved to believe they did 
 aerree with the Roficrufians, made them be el- 
 teemed one and the fame fedt. Neither ihall 
 we pretend to multiply parties and divifions, but 
 rank thefe Enlightened Brethren amongft the 
 moft dangerous kind of contemplative men, 
 and the moft wicked Quietifts ; if what is repor¬ 
 ted of them be true, that they believed that 
 when the mind is wholly abforbed in prayer, and 
 intimately united to God, it does not become 
 guilty of any of the crimes committed in that 
 ftate by the body. They moreover held, that 
 the facraments were ufelefs, &c. that all good 
 works were fupplied by raifing the heart to God. 
 The Inquifition taxed them with maintaining 
 feventy-lix erroneous opinions ; and this is not 
 to be wondered ar, fince that tribunal is known 
 I to be very nice, and to require an extraordinary 
 
 exadtnels 
 
ACCOUNT of the Modern 
 
 exaftnefs in religious matters. Thefe enligh¬ 
 tened Brethren made their appearance about the 
 end of the lixteenth age : but the Inquifition | 
 put an early flop to the progrefs of their fanati- | 
 cifm. They fhewed themfelves again in the , 
 neighbourhood of Seville, in the beginning of 
 the feventeenth age, at which period of time 
 they were efteemed to be Roficrufians. 
 
 The Low Countries, and Picardy, produced 
 likewife, about 1525, fome fuch enlightened 
 Brethren as thofe of Spain. A taylor named 
 Quintin, and one Copin of much the fame trade, 
 were the ringleaders of the enlightened Flemifti 1 
 
 ANTI-TRINITARIANS. yet 
 
 men ; for in thofe days, every man was thought 
 qualified to preach. They are accufed of hold¬ 
 ing, that intention alone makes fin, that the 
 fpirit of God partakes of all the aftions of men, 
 and that innocency of life confifts only in being 
 calm andeafy, without giving way to any doubts 
 or fcruples. This intention, which alone makes 
 the fin, does not differ very widely from the 
 mind intimately united to God, whilft the body 
 wallows in crimes. What dreadful confequences 
 might not follow from fuch doftrine, in a Rate 
 governed by fanatics fo united to God, and Jo 
 perfectly weaned from matter. 
 
 ACCOUNT of the Modern 
 
 ■W' £ yE have already taken notice of the An- 
 fe /%/ ti-trinitarians in the primitive times of 
 V v Chriftianity ; and likewife of thofe 
 among the Proteftant Diffenters. We (hall now 
 proceed to give an account of another fet of 
 Arlans, which have fprung up in the prefent 
 age ; nay indeed, not many years ago. It is 
 well known that this vaft fpecies of Ariamfm, 
 Socinianifm and Deifm, has induced many of the 
 clergy to feek to be excuied from fubfcribing to 
 the thirty-nine articles. This was, perhaps, one 
 of the molt extraordinary efforts of madnefs 
 that ever took place ; for how could thofe men 
 expect to enjoy pecuniary emoluments from the 
 church, while they refilled to comply with her 
 commands. They knew that every civil efta- 
 blilhment of religion has its fyftem, which mult 
 be fubfcribed by its members, particularly the 
 clergy. This is done in order to preferve uni¬ 
 formity, that they may all preach the fame doc¬ 
 trine, and not broach new opinions. 
 
 Had thefe men laboured under any fcruple of 
 confcience, they would have left their livings, 
 and either joined the Prefbyterians, or fet up 
 feparate meetings. But no luch event took 
 place ; for they went and took pofi'efTion of their 
 livings. It is true we have two or three excep¬ 
 tions ; particularly in the conduit of a clergy¬ 
 man in the north of England, who refigned his 
 living, and was received in London by thofe 
 who longed for fomething out of the common 
 way. 
 
 This was a happy event to our Arian, for 
 although, in order' to point out his difinterefted- 
 nefs, he boafted that he had left a benefice worth 
 three hundred a year, from motives of confcience; 
 yet he had no objcftion to accept of double that 
 lum from thofe who followed him in London. 
 
 A nobleman of a very popular character, be¬ 
 came one of this preacher’s firlt hearers in Lon¬ 
 don, and his example was followed by feveral 
 perfons of confiderable rank. As our preacher 
 had been brought up to read prayers,'and conic • 
 quently could not pray without book, and as the 
 
 59 
 
 RI 
 
 ANTI-TRINITA ANS. 
 
 Common Prayer-book of the Church of England 
 every where afferts the divinity of our Lord Jelus 
 Chrifir, fo he could not with propriety make any 
 ufeofit, as it would have condemned his own 
 principles. 
 
 To remedy this defeft, he fet to work and 
 compiled a liturgy, partly out of the Common 
 Prayer book, and partly from his own invention. 
 This liturgy fuits all the purpofes for which it 
 was intended ■, for it is made according to the 
 fentiments of the Arians and Socinians. 
 
 Great care has been taken by the compiler to 
 convince his hearers, that he does not believe in 
 the doftrine of the trinity. In fome of his col- 
 lefts, he bleffies God for fending his fon into the 
 world to lave finners ; but it may be afked, 
 what does he mean by falvation here ? The an- 
 fwer is neither lefs nor more than that Jefus, as 
 a created being, came to fhew us a good exam¬ 
 ple both in his life and fufferings. 
 
 That he did fo is certain, but furely this could 
 never conftitute a mediatorial office. A medi¬ 
 ator is one who Hands between the offender and 
 offended, to reconcile the difference that has 
 taken place. Now, according to the whole fcrip- 
 ture account, Chrift was to execute thefe offices 
 for finners. 
 
 Firfr, he was to be unto them a prophet, to 
 convince them of fin, and point out to them the 
 whole will and purpofe of God. 
 
 becondly, in order to reftore the honour of a 
 broken law, and reconcile finners to God, he was 
 to luffer what no created being could fuffer, 
 namely, the whole wrath of God for fin. This 
 is called his prieftly office, and it was for this 
 reafon that he took upon him a human body, 
 and a rational foul. 
 
 Thirdly, as a king, and fupreme head of his 
 church, he was, by the power of his fpirit, to 
 fubdue the wills and paffions of his people; he 
 was to make them a willing people in the day 
 of his power ; he was not only to rule over them, 
 but he was to rule in their hearts, by the Holy 
 Ghoft. To renew their nature, to fill their minds 
 8 P with 
 
^oi ACCOUNT of the Modern ANTI-TRINITARIANS. 
 
 with a defire to do good to their fellow creatures, 
 to be cloathed with humility, and to go on from 
 one degree of perfedlion to anorher, till luch 
 time as they arrive before the Lord in glory. 
 
 Now, what has been here advanced concerning 
 Chrift’s offices, could not have been performed 
 by a human being. Parc of the prophetical of¬ 
 fice might, indeed, have been performed ; buc no 
 mortal could have executed that of the prieft, 
 or the king. What human being could endure 
 the whole wrath of God in his body and foul, for 
 the fins of a guilty world. It was utterly impof- 
 fible for any perfon lefs than God, to make an 
 attonement. If fin Was committed againft an 
 infinite being, then it mult be a power equally 
 great that could fatisfy Divine juftice. 
 
 Buc according to the notions of the modern 
 Anti-trinitarians, there was no neceffity for fuch 
 an attonement, nor did Chrift come to do any 
 thing more than to fhew us a good example, and 
 to inftrudl us in the way of duty. Why, the 
 apoftle Paul could have done this, and fo could 
 the other apoftles; for we are certain they taught 
 the fame dodlrines as were caught by our faviour, 
 and fo far as we know, every one of them lealed 
 his teftimony with his blood, except St. John 
 the Evangelift. 
 
 Thefe Anti-trinitarians are compofed of per- 
 fons who have no knowledge, in general, con¬ 
 cerning religion. Many of them are in very 
 elevated ftations in life ; and they have of late 
 built a grand meeting for their preacher, with 
 an elegant houfe for his refidence. And here we 
 would obferve, that any man who can ftrike out 
 fomething new, is generally fure of fuccefs. 
 This will, in all refpedls, apply to the cafe of 
 religion; and for the honour of our Anti-trinita¬ 
 rian adventurer, he is endeavouring to make 
 hay while the fun Ihines. 
 
 Thus, befides a confiderable fubfeription from 
 his hearers, he has as much provifion, of the bell 
 fort, fent him in from different parts of the 
 country every week, as would fupport feveral 
 families. There are no poor belonging to his 
 meeting, for charity and new religions feldom 
 have much connexion together. This we know 
 to be true, and much more, though wc would 
 not be thought too cenforious. 
 
 Before we conclude this account, we would 
 willingly make one obfervation, and the rather, 
 becaufe it is new. And that is, that in mod cafes 
 in religion, the vulgar enthufiailic preacher, 
 draws after him the greateft number of followers.’ 
 But thefe are among the lower ranks of the 
 people. 
 
 However, let not the great and the learned, in 
 this inftance, triumph over the weak and the 
 ignorant. The great can find as much pleafure in 
 running after a man who is feeding every oppor¬ 
 tunity in his power to traduce the gofpel of 
 Chrift, as the vulgar can in running after the 
 ignorant teacher, who does not fo much as 
 underftand what he is fpeakino- of. 
 
 Many are carried away with a notion 
 that they are the defied children of God 
 and therefore look with contempt on the 
 reft of mankind. On the other hand, the luke¬ 
 warm in religion, who follow the preacher who 
 defpiles the glories of Chrift, will not acicnow- 
 
 
 
 *-> - 1 lujjunatuidl; 
 
 In this manner they ftifle the agonizing pains of 
 a guilty confcience, and live as if there was not 
 a God to whom they are to be accountable. 
 
 If thefe men were to confider the following 
 fentiments of a great author, itmightput them 
 co the blufh. 
 
 “ The w °rds trinity and perfons are terms not 
 to be met with in the facred book, and yet to 
 thofe terms, and the application of them, the 
 revolt againft the doflrine is chiefly owing! 
 
 What the feripture acquaints us with, Ts this 
 andnomore : That itcharadlerifes the Father,who 
 is the avenger of wrong, and rewarder of right, 
 God ; that what it charadlerifes the Son, B the 
 Word, the creator of the world, the redeemer 
 of mankind, fent for thatpurpofe by the Father 
 13 God ; that the Holy Spirit, the correfpondenc 
 with, and comforter of the fpirits of men, is 
 God ; and that neverthelefs the Deity, the lclf 
 exiftent Being, is but One. That thefe matters 
 are lo, the feripture exprefsly declares ; and the 
 manner in which it expreffes the laft propofitio.o 
 Deut. vi. 4. is worth attending to. Our tran- 
 fiators render it, Hear, O Ifrael, the Lord our 
 God IS our Lord. The original fays, Jehovah 
 our God is one lclf-exiftent Being ; for fo the 
 word mandated Lord dignifies. Now, what is 
 there in our knowledge, in our conceptions, or 
 in our realon, that can qualify us to determine 
 the modus of the exiftence, or of the aftion of 
 the invifible Deity ? That we have no fort of 
 idea of the fubftance of that foul which adts in 
 us, or of the manner of its exiftence or addons 
 is an agreed point: what impudence then muft 
 it be in us, to pretend to determine, from our 
 conceptions, or rather inability to conceive, the 
 condition, or manner of exiftence and adtina 0 f 
 the lupreme Being, the ieaft of whofe worksite 
 in very deed beyond our comprehenfion ? 
 
 The antients, lefs refined than we, difputed 
 about the figure and form of the Deity ; and 
 knowing none more perfedt or noble, as they 
 apprehended, than that of man, bellowed upon 
 the Deity a human lhape and figure. The im¬ 
 propriety of this grofs imagination we fee ■ as 
 we perceive, that the ideas of extenfion, lhape 
 and figure, are not applicable to fpirit, accord¬ 
 ing to the notions which we have of it. But 
 though we have not eyes to difeover the fubftance 
 or properties of fpirit, does it certainly follow 
 that they have nothing in them analogous to 
 lhape or figure, no properties by which they can 
 be dilcerned, and diftinguilhed the one 'from 
 the other, by God, or even by other fpiritual 
 beings, to whom he may have given eyes and 
 underftanding fit to perceive what we cannot ? 
 And is it not, on the other hand, clear, thajr 
 there may befomewhat analogous to figure, fome 
 particular modus of exiftence of the Deity o r 
 which our want of ideas will not permit us to 
 form any notion ? 
 
 Had nature produced to our view fuch living 
 creatures as wild fidtion can prefent to our fancy 
 compofed of three or more diftindl bodies, abfo- 
 lutelyfep.rated from each other, without any 
 bodily connexion, but actuated by one and the 
 lame principle, moving by one will, adlinvwith 
 one conlenc, each affedled by the accidents that 
 
 touch 
 
ACCOUNT of the Modern 
 
 touch either, the one wounded by the blow that 
 wounds the other, and all dying by the killing 
 of one; welhould have had no diftinft concep¬ 
 tion of what the fcripture reprefents concerning 
 the Deity. But then, habituated to the fight of 
 fuch an extraordinary creation as has been men- 
 
 ANTI-TRINITARIANS. yoj 
 
 tioned, the fcripture-doftrine would ceafe to be 
 fo Ihdcking as it is to our wife men : and yet, 
 from their knowledge of the machinery of na¬ 
 ture, they will hardly take upon them to fay, 
 that the Deity could not have created fuch an 
 animal as has been feigned.” 
 
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 JOY in HEAVEN, 
 
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 and 
 
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 the CREED of DEVILS; Two Sermons preached in London, 1775, 
 
 -XI.— 
 
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 and POLITICAL MODERATION Recommended; 
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 _XII.- 
 
 moral 
 
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 By the Rev. JOSEPH WORTHINGTON, L.L.D. Late of Queen’s-College, Cambridge. 
 -XV.-— 
 
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 A NEW SYSTEM of SACRED GENEALOG Y, 
 
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 and preached by the Rev. Will. Toy Young, Curate of the faid Parifh ; with a Dedication to the Author of Pietas Oxonienfts. 
 h By A L U M N U S. 
 
 * * The above Remarks will be found highly intereftir.g to the Religious World in general, particularly to thofe refilling 
 in Birmingham, and its vicinity. 
 
 -XVII.- 
 
 The NONCONFORMIS T’s M E M O R I A L. 
 
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 Principles, Sufferings and Printed Works, with the Heads of a great Number of thofe Divines. 
 
 Originally Written by Dr. C A L A M Y. 
 
 Now abridged and correded, and the Author’s Additions inferted, with many other Particulars, and new Anecdotes, 
 
 By SAMUEL PALMER. 
 
 To which is prefixed. An Introdudion, containing a brief Hiftory of the Times in which they lived, and the Grounds of 
 their Nonconformity. 
 
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 price Six-pence each, ’till the Whole is completed. 
 
 -XVITT.- 
 
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 tical, on feveral of the Pfalms. III. Ledures on various Subjeds. And IV. Letters on feveral Occafions. The Whole care¬ 
 fully correded and revifed, with a recommendatory Preface and complete Index. 
 
 By the Rev. HENRY FOSTER, A. M. 
 
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 The above Work being comprized in 24 Weekly Numbers, any Perfon may be lerved with one or more at a Time, Price 
 Six-pence each. 
 
 1 1NDE X-» 
 
I N 
 
 E X 
 
 T O 
 
 Dr. HURD’s Religious Rites and Ceremonies. 
 
 A BBESS, form of her eleaion - 
 
 - rules of her order - 
 
 --- her robes - 
 
 Abbeys, Diflolution of 
 
 Abeldein Heretics - 
 
 Abrahamites 
 
 -remarks on them - 
 
 Adamites, Heretics, fo called 
 
 Agag, religion of ^ - 
 
 - their notions of the Supreme Being 
 
 --- their confufed notions of religion 
 
 ■-grols fuperftitions -- 
 
 Agnoits, Heretics, fo called -• 
 
 Agricola, John, account of —- 
 
 Albigenfis, account of - 
 
 - their principles - 
 
 --- reflections -- 
 
 Alcoran, abridgement of -* 
 
 Aloguins, feCt of. Heretics - 
 
 Amazons, religion of - 
 
 - grofs Idolators —*—* 
 
 - reflections - 
 
 Anabaptifts, their origin - 
 
 - numerous in former times — 
 
 --- feverely punifhed - 
 
 ■ ■ - they are driven to Holland — 
 
 - cruelly perfecuted — 
 
 Anabaptifts, Galviniftical, their origin 
 
 -the mod numerous among the Anabaptifts 
 
 --they declaim againft human learning 
 
 - their notions - 
 
 - they ufe no exhortations to duty — 
 
 —-fome members admitted by baptifm 
 
 - their form of baptifm - 
 
 - their prelent ftate - 
 
 _their origin and progrefs —■ 
 
 - their practices - 
 
 --oppofed to Heathens - 
 
 -reflections on them - 
 
 Andalufla, (new) religion of — 
 
 -grofs Idolators — 
 
 __method of healing the fick —• 
 
 - marriage ceremonies —• 
 
 __ funeral ceremonies 
 
 - reflections 
 
 Angolitcs, antient Heretics — 
 
 Angola, religion of 
 
 - their idols 
 
 - different feds 
 
 - they worlhip the devil —• 
 
 -their high prieft 
 
 Anti-burghers, why fo called 
 
 .- their rigid notions 1 
 
 _ they excommunicated the burghers 
 
 59 
 
 Page. 
 
 . 2 33 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 49 1 
 127 
 210 
 ibid. 
 127 
 
 4°5 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 1 33 
 638 
 258 
 ibid. 
 260 
 322 
 133 
 
 435 
 ibid. 
 
 43 6 
 59'‘ 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 59 2 
 
 ibid. 
 
 .593 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 .594 
 ibid. 
 ibid. 
 
 595 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 +63 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 464 
 ibid. 
 
 465 
 1 33 
 
 .335 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 386 
 
 387 
 56b 
 567 
 
 ibid. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Anti-burghers, form of their excommunication 567 
 
 - fome ftriking events concerning them ibid. & 568 
 
 - remarks on their marriages —■ 
 
 Anorr.eans, Heretics, fo called — 
 
 Antichrift, account of —• 
 
 Antinomians, account of —* 
 
 - their origin —• 
 
 -their principles —' 
 
 - their prefent ftate — 
 
 - reflections on them — 
 
 Apelleans, antient Heretics — 
 
 Appollinarians, Heretics, fo called 
 Arabians, account of their religion - 
 
 - their defcent — 
 
 - their idolatrous notions — 
 
 - their moral principles — 
 
 - their temples — 
 
 - reflections — 
 
 Aracan, religion of — 
 
 - their icJols 
 
 - their temples — 
 
 - their priefts — 
 
 -nuptial ceremonies — 
 
 - funeral ceremonies — 
 
 Archbifhops, their origin — 
 
 - privileges in England — 
 
 -- how chofen 
 
 - their rank 
 
 Archdeacons, account of — 
 
 Ardra, religion of 
 
 - grofs Idolators — 
 
 _ their notions concerning fouls *— 
 
 - worlhip the devil — 
 
 _ marriage ceremonies — 
 
 - their debaucheries — 
 
 - funeral ceremonies — 
 
 Armenia, religion of “ . 
 
 _ early converted to the Chriltian raitn 
 
 _ had many flourilhing churches 
 
 - their practices. 
 
 - account of their monks 
 
 Arminius, James, account of 
 Afem, religion of 
 
 - marriage ceremonies 
 
 - facrifices 
 
 - their gods — 
 
 - their altars 
 
 - ftrange ceremonies — 
 
 - funeral rites 
 
 Alh-wednefday, how obferved 
 Afkew, Robert, raifes an infurreCbon 
 
 - executed at Hull 
 
 Aflyrians, their religion — 
 
 - worlhip the fun 
 
 8 Q_ 
 
 568 
 129 
 
 234 
 
 638 
 ibid. 
 
 639 
 
 640 
 
 641 
 
 133 
 
 134 
 
 43 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 44 
 ibid. 
 
 7? 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 7. 1 
 ibid. 
 . 5*8 
 ibid. 
 
 5 r 9 
 
 ibid. 
 
 120 
 
 379 
 ' ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 3 S 9 
 
 ibid. 
 
 . .48 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 49 
 
 • ibid. 
 579 
 7° 
 
 7 1 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 72 
 216 
 
 492 
 
 493 
 
 3. 2 
 ibid. 
 
 Aflyrians 
 
A {Tyrians, their marriages 
 
 - reflections on 
 
 Atheifm, account of 
 
 Ava, religion of — 
 
 ■- {hocking funeral ceremonies 
 
 Auguftins, their origin 
 
 Baal-Berith, an idol *— 
 
 Baal-Zephon, an idol — 
 
 Babylonians, their religion — 
 
 - worfhippers of Bell — 
 
 ^their idolatry defcribed — 
 
 - their funeral folemnities — 
 
 - deftruction of their religion — 
 
 - reflections — — 
 
 Bacon, lord, a remark of — 
 
 Banians, account of — — 
 
 Bainham, James, account of — 
 
 Barton, Elizabeth, her pretended vifions 
 -—— executed — — 
 
 Baptifm, account of — — 
 
 Baptifm, Romi(h — — 
 
 »—— ftrange rites of — — 
 
 Baflilidians, Heretics fo called — 
 
 Bells, their origin — — 
 
 Becket, Thomas, account of — 
 
 Benin, religion of — — 
 
 - their aufterities, — 
 
 their myfteries — — 
 
 • their notions concerning regeneration 
 
 -- ftrange form of initiation — 
 
 - methods of detecting criminals — 
 
 Bible, tranflated by Tindal, — 
 
 Bibles, Englilh, to be read — 
 
 Bigot, Sir Thomas, executed — 
 
 Bifhops, account of — — 
 
 Bifnagar, religion of — — 
 
 - their ceremonies — — 
 
 manner of vifiting the fick — 
 
 - funeral ceremonies — — 
 
 - reflections — — 
 
 Blair, Dr. a faying of — — 
 
 Blafphemies, inftances of — 
 
 Bolleyn, Anne, her marriage — 
 
 Bonner, his infolence to the pope — 
 
 Bons Fieux, a Popifh order — 
 
 Bourignon, madam, account of — 
 
 Brafilians, their religion — — 
 
 _they worlhip the devil — 
 
 .- their feftivals — — 
 
 - their priefts — — 
 
 .- their notions of the immortality of the foul 
 
 - reflections — — 
 
 Brown, Robert, account of — 
 
 Brownifts, why fo called — — 
 
 Bruma, account of him — — 
 
 Burghers, why fo called — — 
 
 California, inhabitants of, their unnatural crimes 
 —— funeral folemnities — — 
 
 -- reflections — — — 
 
 Calvin* John, his life — — 
 
 Calviniim, account of — — 
 
 - articles of this religion — 
 
 -- remarks on thel'e articles — 
 
 - their worfhip — — 
 
 --— of their holy days — — 
 
 - of their difeipline — — 
 
 —'— their church officers —• —• 
 
 - - of their ordinations •— — 
 
 - its prefent Itate — — 
 
 Cambodia, religion of — — 
 
 - their notions of the devil — 
 
 - their funeral folemnities — ; 
 
 - reflections — — •' 
 
 Cameronians, why fo called — 
 
 - their origin — — 
 
 - their madnefs — — 
 
 - their leader killed — — 
 
 - they aflemble on the mountains — 
 
 - their political conduCt — 
 
 - their prefent date — — 
 
 Canada, religion of — — 
 
 - their notions concerning the creation 
 
 - their notions of the deluge — 
 
 -- marriage ceremonies — 
 
 — - their magicians — — 
 
 -reflections — -— 
 
 Car.aanites, their religion — — 
 
 - deiltical objections anfwered — 
 
 - their progrefs to idolatry gradual — 
 
 - their idols — — — 
 
 - their horrid barbarities — — 
 
 Canaries, religion of — — — 
 
 - their antient cuftoms — — 
 
 - embalm their dead — — 
 
 - reflections — — — 
 
 Canon, a god of Japan — — — 
 
 Caribbee, iilands of, religion ot — 
 
 - their priefts — — 
 
 - methods of vifiting the fick — 
 
 - their fafts — — — 
 
 - ceremonies in making war — 
 
 - ufe poifoned arrows — — 
 
 - marriage ceremonies — 
 
 - funeral folemnities — — 
 
 Caprocratians, antient heretics — 
 
 Capuchins, a Popifh order — 
 
 Camaladolites, a Popifh order - — 
 
 Carnate, religion of its inhabitants — 
 
 - their fuperltion — — 
 
 - their aufterities — — 
 
 their lacrifices — — 
 
 - offer up living children . — 
 
 Carthaginians, &c. their religion 1 
 
 - grofs idolators — 
 
 - offer human facrifices — 
 
 - reflections on them — 
 
 Carthufians, a Romiih order — 
 
 - how founded — 
 
 Ceremonies, Popifh, at confirmation — 
 
 at the eucharilt — 
 
 origin of that ceremony — 
 
 fuperftitions in adminiftring it 
 of penance — 
 
 reflections — — 
 
 of extreme unCtion — 
 
 of marriage — * 
 
 - epneerning orders •— — —» 
 
 Cefareans, account of — — 
 
 Page 
 
 454 
 ibid. 
 
 455 
 
 . 5 2 .5 
 ibid. 
 
 52 * 
 
 ibid. 
 
 53 ° 
 
 5 . 3 * 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 53 * 
 
 ibid. 
 
 86 
 
 ibid. 
 
 *7 
 
 ibid. 
 
 560 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 57 « 
 
 ibrd. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 450 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 452 
 
 45.3 
 
 40 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 41 
 4^7 
 41# 
 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 102 
 429 
 43 * 
 . 43 - 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 433 
 T 34 
 180 
 17b 
 66 
 . 6 7 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid 
 28 
 ibid. 
 
 . 2 9 
 ibid. 
 
I N D 
 
 Page 
 
 Ceylon, people of, their form of vifiting the Tick 97 
 
 —- funeral ceremonies — — ibid. 
 
 Circaflians, their religion — — 50 
 
 - their ridiculous ceremonies — ibid. 
 
 - their funeral ceremonies — ibid. 
 
 - reflections — — ibid. 
 
 Chaplains, account of — — 522 
 
 Chenofti, an idol — — — 41 
 
 Childbed, thankfgiving for delivery from 517 
 
 Ghirrefe, their religion — — 58 
 
 -- moral rules — — — 59 
 
 .- myftical ones — — ibid. 
 
 - regulations concerning magiftrates ibid. 
 
 - their guardian gods — — ibid. 
 
 - of their philofophy — — 60 
 
 '- their various fec'ts — — ibid. 
 
 - all acknowledge a Supreme Being — 61 
 
 . governors of cities offering the facrifices ibid. 
 
 - their facrifices defcribed — ibid. 
 
 their notions concerning the immortality of the 
 foul — — — 62 
 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 64 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 65 
 
 ibid. 
 62 
 
 - manner of celebrating the new-year 
 
 - manner of building their temples 
 
 ;- all their idols placed on altars 
 
 - the cloyftcrs inhabited by monks 
 
 - tricks practiced by their quacks 
 
 - their marriage ceremonies - 
 
 - funeral ceremonies — - 
 
 —-— reflexions on the whole — 
 
 -- vagabonds, account of — 
 
 Chim-Hoam, an idol — 
 
 Chines, the name of many idols 
 ChrilVianity, its origin — 
 
 *- fituation of the world at the time of Chrift’s appear¬ 
 ance — — — ibid. 
 
 •i- its praCtice in the primitive times — 
 
 — —■ reflections — —• 
 
 Ciftertians, a Romifh order — — 
 
 Cluniac, monks of — — 
 
 Cochin-China, &c. religion of — 
 
 - grofs idolators —■ —- 
 
 - their image worfhip — — 
 
 - their temples — — — 
 
 - different fects — — — 
 
 Collegianters, their religion — — 
 
 - lingular cuftoms — — — 
 
 Collorites, a Popifh tfrder — — 
 
 Combat, Angle, its origin — — 
 
 Comber, Dr. his account of the Common-Prayer 
 Commination, what 
 
 59 
 
 ibid. 
 
 °9 
 
 110 
 126 
 
 1 77 
 176 
 
 8 5 
 ibid. 
 
 86 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 685 
 
 686 
 
 Confirmation, account of — — 
 
 Confucius, account of — — 
 
 Congo, reli/ion of — — _ 
 
 • - their fuperftitions — 
 
 .- pretentions to magic — 
 
 - their idols — — _ 
 
 - they worfhip fnakes — _ 
 
 Confonians, antient Heretics — 
 
 Convocation, account of — — 
 
 Copti, religion of — — 
 
 - their notions concerning the Trinity 
 
 -form of worfhip — — 
 
 • - of the communion — — 
 
 - of baptifm — —. 
 
 - have images — — 
 
 - ignorance of their priefts — 
 
 - ridiculous ceremonies — 
 
 - marriage ceremonies — — 
 
 - their funeial folemnities — 
 
 Corea, religion of — — 
 
 -- their fuperftition — 
 
 - cruel treatment of their women 
 
 - funeral ceremonies — — 
 
 Cornwall, great rebellion there — 
 
 Cranmer, archbifhop, pronounces the fentence of^di 
 
 vorce — _ 4 8 9 
 
 - endeavours to promote the reformation 
 
 Crifp, Dr. account of him — 
 
 Cromwell, Thomas, made viiitor-general 
 
 99 
 
 5°7 
 
 5 1 1 
 
 5 12 
 60 
 
 . 3*4 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 385 
 
 *34 
 
 322 
 
 296 
 
 ibid. 
 
 .W 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 299 
 
 ibid. 
 
 2CO 
 
 ibid. 
 
 108 
 
 109 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 497 
 
 ibid. 
 
 638 
 
 493 
 
 Page 
 
 49 + 
 
 175 
 
 408 
 
 ibid. 
 
 4° 9 
 
 ibid. 
 
 Cromwell, Thomas, his character — 
 
 Crofiers, a Popifh order — 
 
 Cuma, &c. religion of -- 
 
 - grofs idolators — 
 
 - their polygamy .— 
 
 - their funeral ceremonies —■ 
 
 D. 
 
 Daibok, a Japanefe idol — — 10 
 
 ! Daikothia, a Japanefe idol — ibic 
 
 Darcey, lord, behe ded «— — 49 
 
 Darien, religion of — — 46 
 
 - their priefts — — 46 
 
 - their manner of healing the fick — ibic 
 
 - marriage ceremonies — 46 
 
 - funeral folemnities — — ibic 
 
 - icfleXions — — — ibic 
 
 De Argens, account of — — 22 
 
 Decan, religion of — — 6 
 
 - their pagods or temples — 6 
 
 — : — their dreadful aufterities — ibic 
 
 - methods ufed to ftupify themfelves ibic 
 
 - offer human facrifices — ibic 
 
 - their feftivals — — 6 
 
 - their mafic - :- ibic 
 
 - marriage ceremonies ibic 
 
 - abominable practices ibic 
 
 - reflexions 6 
 
 Deifm, its origin -; - 68 
 
 - principles -- - 69 
 
 — : — chief writers - —i — - 69 
 
 - its caufes ibic 
 
 - its confequcnces - 69 
 
 Dimafles, an order of nuns - - 17 
 
 Diodorus, a quotation from - 2 
 
 Diflenters, Englifh, their origin - 58 
 
 -their im political conduX ibic 
 
 - how divided ibic 
 
 - greatly on the decline ibic 
 
 Difcipline, that of the church of England confulcred 52 
 
 Dominicans, a Popifh order - J5 
 
 Donatifts, Heretics ig 
 
 Drauchants, account of - - 65 
 
 Druids, their religion --- -- 3 
 
 -- their antiquity ibid 
 
 - their principles -; -- ibid 
 
 - their antient form of worfhip > - ibid 
 
 - offered human facrifices 3 
 
 - their regard for the mifletoe -- ibid 
 
 - their funeral rites —-— - ibid 
 
 - refleXions, &c. ibid 
 
 E. 
 
 Ebionites, antient Heretics -- —— jg( 
 
 Edward VI. born 4^ 
 
 Egyptians, antient, their religion 2- 
 
 -* ffate before Jofeph - ibid 
 
 - rank of their priefts -- 2 
 
 - their notions concerning the ftate of departei 
 
 fouls - - i ibid 
 
 - their grofs idolatry - ibid 
 
 - their funeral ceremonies 2( 
 
 - their notions concerning the refurreXion of tin 
 
 *- refleXions - -- ibic! 
 
 Elizabeth, queen, her charaXer 49c 
 
 England, church of, her origin - 4 8f 
 
 - cherifhed by Edward VI. - 
 
 -- perfecuted by queen Mary 49c 
 
 - eftablifiled by queen Elizabeth - ibid* 
 
 - her articles, with remarks 50c 
 
 - her worfhip - -, 
 
 —•— her firft liturgy, by whom compiled 50* 
 
 - her preferit liturgy - ibid’ 
 
 -- its revifal - -.• 506 
 
 - remarks on it - -- 
 
 - of the canons - -- 
 
 - choice of leflons - 50c 
 
 - her fafts - -* ibid' 
 
 ■—— her order for baptifm - 51 j 
 
 England 
 
I 
 
 N 
 
 D 
 
 Page | 
 
 England, church of, difference between the prefent form 
 oFbaptifm, and that in king Edward s reign511 
 
 - form of confirmation “ 
 
 _ fome things remarkable concerning the Lord s 
 
 fupper — — 
 
 —— form of adminiftring it 
 
 - troubles concerning fome ceremonies 
 
 - order for marriage, with remarks 
 
 - vifitation of the lick ' 
 
 - burial of the dead, with remarks 
 
 - churching oi women 
 
 - the commination * 
 
 - her government " 
 
 - difcipline — ; — 
 
 - remarks on — ' 
 
 Ethiopia, &c. religion of “ 
 
 ._ early converted to the Chriftian faith 
 
 - their notions --- "* 
 
 - deny the papal fupremacy ‘ 
 
 - their ceremonies partly Jewilh, and partly Chnf- 
 
 tian -- 
 
 ibid. 
 513 
 5 1 5 
 ibid. 
 
 5*7 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 5*8 
 
 523 
 
 5 2 4 
 45 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 - their monks - 
 
 - rejeCl idols — 
 
 - obferve circumcifion 
 
 - their various ceremonies 
 
 Eucharift, account of - ' 
 
 Eudifts, a Popifh order -“ 
 
 Exmouth, a miracle there - 
 
 - reflections - 
 
 F. 
 
 Fertjevaud, a Popifh order 
 
 Filles de Dieu, an order of nuns -' 
 
 Fiflier, bilhop, fent to the 1 ower 
 
 Foe, a Chinefe idol - 
 
 Foreigners, learned arrive in England 
 
 Floridians, their religion - 
 
 -— worfhip the devil - 
 
 - fome of them worlhip the fun - 
 
 - adoration of the fun - 
 
 -their temples ' 
 
 - their priefts - 
 
 -their barbarities - - 
 
 - ceremonies in war - 
 
 - marriage ceremonies - 
 
 - reflections -- - 
 
 Francifcans, their origin - 
 
 French prophets, their origin - 
 
 - they arrive in England -- 
 
 - their madnefs — 
 
 Fuiilants, a Popifh order - 
 
 G. 
 
 Gale, Dr. account of - 
 
 Gaures, their religion - - 
 
 - their antiquity - - 
 
 - their notions concerning the creation 
 
 - worlhip the lire, looking to the fun - 
 
 - believe in guardian angels — 
 
 - their festivals — 
 
 - their devotees - - 
 
 - rejeCt circumcifion - - 
 
 -manner of confirmation - 
 
 -- funeral ceremonies - 
 
 -— reflections - - 
 
 Georgia religion, account of —— 
 
 - ridiculous notions - 
 
 - their marriage ceremonies — 
 
 ■- their feftivals — 
 
 - funeral rites - - - 
 
 Gilbertines,, a Popifh order - 
 
 Gncltics, antient heretics - 
 
 Goa, cruelties praCtifed there - 
 
 God, definition of - - 
 
 Golcondo, religion of - 
 
 - their origin - - 
 
 - have their altars in groves - 
 
 - their auflerities — 
 
 -their veneration for the Ganges 
 
 46 
 
 410 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 5*2 
 
 *73 
 
 22b 
 
 ibid. 
 
 171 
 170 
 490 
 58 
 497 
 422 
 ibid. 
 .42 3 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 425 
 
 ibid. 
 
 426 
 ibid. 
 
 427 
 
 428 
 
 If, 
 
 672 
 
 ibid. 
 
 595 
 
 365 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 366 
 
 3 6 7 
 
 368 
 ibid. 
 
 369 
 
 ibid. 
 
 370 
 ibid. 
 
 50 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid 
 
 *7° 
 
 129 
 
 240 
 
 109 
 
 66 
 
 ibid. 
 
 67 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 £ X. 
 
 Golcondo, their feftivals - 
 
 -- form of admitting their prielts 
 
 - marriage eeremonies —— 
 
 - funeral eremomes - 
 
 Grand Mountaineers, a Popifh order 
 
 Greeks, their religion - 
 
 - origin of it - —: 
 
 - feparate from the Latins - 
 
 - their tenets - - 
 
 - remarks on them - 
 
 - manner of crofting themfdves 
 
 - mifreprelented by the Jefuits 
 
 - ceremonies in Paftion-week 
 
 - their notions of a future ftate 
 
 - their difcipline —*— j 
 
 - their patriarchs - 
 
 - poverty of their clergy — 
 
 - their monks - - 
 
 - different orders - 
 
 - their nuns —*—- - 
 
 - their fafts - - 
 
 - church officers -- 
 
 - their lynods -- 
 
 - reflections -- — 
 
 - their worfhip - 
 
 - their liturgies - 
 
 - ceremonies in divine fervice 
 
 - their form of communion — 
 
 - their prayers for the dead 
 
 - manner of confecrating churches 
 
 - form of their churches — 
 
 - manner of confecrating altars 
 
 - their particular fafts — 
 
 - manner of canonizing their faints 
 
 - form of baptifm - 
 
 - form of confefiion - 
 
 - their excommunication — 
 
 - their exorcifm - 
 
 - their marriages - 
 
 - heathenifh cuftoms -- 
 
 - of extreme unCtion - 
 
 - their funeral ceremonies — 
 
 - general reflections - 
 
 Grey, lady Jane, account of her — 
 
 Guaguas, religion of - 
 
 - their facrifices - - 
 
 - method of treating their flaves 
 
 - their fuperftitions - 
 
 Guinea, religion of - — 
 
 - grofs idolators - 
 
 - have many titular idols - 
 
 - their form of worfhip - 
 
 - their fuperftitions - 
 
 - their priefts - 
 
 - their manner of fwearing - 
 
 - marriage ceremonies — 
 
 - adultery, how punifhed — 
 
 _ funeral ceremonies —• —• 
 
 - reflections • — 
 
 H. 
 
 Hackfton, Mr. account of — 
 
 Hale, Sir Matthew, a faying of — 
 
 Hanway, Mr. his account of Babylon 
 Henry VIII. his character — 
 
 Henry, Matthew, a remark of — 
 
 Herelies, account of — — 
 
 Hifpaniola, religion of - 
 
 -grofs idolators —• — 
 
 - offered human facrifices — 
 
 - their priefts - - 
 
 - their notions concerning the creation 
 
 - worfhipthe fun - 
 
 - reflections - - 
 
 Hitchens, Thomas, account of - 
 
 Homer, a quotation from - 
 
 Hudfon’s-Bay, religion of - 
 
 - tljeir ceremonies - 
 
 Page 
 
 68 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 69 
 
 172 
 
 261 
 ibid. 
 
 262 
 262 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 264 
 ibid. 
 
 265 
 
 266 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 267 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 268 
 
 269 
 
 270 
 ibid 
 
 271 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 273 
 
 274 
 
 275 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 - 276 
 ibid. 
 
 277 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 278 
 
 279 
 ibid. 
 
 280 
 282 
 498 
 
 393 
 
 ibid. 
 
 394 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 373 
 .374 
 ibid,. 
 
 .375 
 
 ibid. 
 
 . 37 ? 
 
 ibid. 
 
 .377 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 37 s 
 
 569 
 
 595 
 
 3 6 
 
 406 
 
 582 
 
 126 
 
 .457 
 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 .458 
 i >id. 
 ibid. 
 636 
 29 
 428 
 ibid. 
 Hudfon’s 
 
I N D 
 
 Page 
 
 Hudfon’s Bay, people of, how they fmoke the fun 429 
 
 - funeral ceremonies — — ibid. 
 
 - entertainments for the dead — ibid. 
 
 - reflections — — ibid. 
 
 Humilitate, an order of monks — 172 
 
 Hufley, lord, beheaded — — 493 
 
 Hutchinfon, John, account of — 675 
 
 Hutchinfonians, their origin — ibid. 
 
 •- their notions — — 
 
 - their prefent ftate — — ibid. 
 
 - remarks on them — — ibid. 
 
 I. 
 
 Jackire, a Japanefe idol *— — 
 
 fames I. his opinion of the church of Scotland 
 
 - conduit to the Scot’s clergy — 
 
 - indecently treated by the Prefbyterians 
 
 - refeued by the earl of Mar —• 
 
 - his prudence in the choice of biftiops 
 
 - holds a parliament at Edinburgh 
 
 - publifties the Perth articles — 
 
 - his government oppofed by the Prefby 
 
 - the confequence •— 
 
 Januarius, St. account of — 
 
 Jagas, religion of — — 
 
 - their priefts — — 
 
 - their fuperftitions — 
 
 - their various cultoms — 
 
 - marriage ceremonies 
 
 - funeral ceremonies — 
 
 Japan, religion of — — 
 
 - their notions of a Supreme Being 
 
 - have a plurality of idols — 
 
 — their notions concerning fouls 
 
 - their moral principles - 
 
 - their religion emblematical 
 
 ■- their feftivals — — 
 
 - their penance — — 
 
 - their prayers — — 
 
 - their theivifti practices — 
 
 - marriage ceremonies — 
 
 - funeral ceremonies — 
 
 Jeffo, religion of - -- 
 
 - their fuperftitions — — 
 
 - their barbarities — - 
 
 Jefuits, their origin — — 
 
 -numerous and learned — 
 
 - rules of their order — 
 
 -- their millions — _ 
 
 Jews, their religion — — 
 
 - their creed — — 
 
 - their fynagogues — 
 
 - their rabbies — — 
 
 - their taled — — 
 
 - their tiffitin — 
 
 - their morning hymns — 
 
 -- their fong at entering the fynagogue 
 
 - when the reader goes into the defk 
 
 - various ceremonies in worfhip 
 
 - how the law is carried from the altar 
 
 -their manner of walking out of the fy: 
 
 -- form of confefllon .—. 
 
 - their ecclefiaftical cenfures — 
 
 ■- their form of excommunication 
 
 - their refpeCt for the fabbath 
 
 —— their loyalty — - 
 
 • - their fuperftitions — 
 
 - their feaft of expiation — 
 
 -- feaft of the palfover — 
 
 • - feaft of pentecoft — 
 
 - feaft of tabernacles — — 
 
 *—— feftival of the law ■- 
 
 - feaft of lights - — 
 
 - form of admitting profelytes 
 
 - manner of educating their children 
 
 - ceremonies of their marriages — 
 
 • - of their divorces —*— 
 
 — ■ — vifitation of the fick - 
 
 6q 
 
 102 
 540 
 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 ibid, 
 terians 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 205 
 
 387 
 
 ibid. 
 
 389 
 
 ibid. 
 
 390 
 
 39 1 
 
 ICO 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 103 
 
 104 
 
 105 
 ic6 
 
 ibid. 
 
 107 
 ibid. 
 
 108 
 
 109 
 ibid. 
 
 165 
 
 166 
 
 167 
 169 
 
 »5 
 
 16 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 . }7 
 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 nagogue ibid. 
 
 18 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 . J 9 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 20 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 21 
 
 E X. 
 
 Jews, their funeral rites and ceremonies 
 
 - reflections — 
 
 Independents, account of 
 
 - their general chara&cr — 
 
 Independents, regular, their origin — 
 
 - are driven from England — 
 
 - fettle in Zealand — — 
 
 - hated by the Prefbyterians — 
 
 - careffed by Oliver Cromwell — 
 
 - their time-ferving flattery — 
 
 - their form of government — 
 
 -r- ftate of learning among them — 
 
 - their principles - - 
 
 - their practices — — 
 
 - form of admitting members — 
 
 - their prefent ftate — - 
 
 Independents, irregular, their origin —. 
 
 - their minifters not regularly educated 
 
 - their general conduct — 
 
 - their manner of preaching — 
 
 - their provifion for the poor - 
 
 -their prefent ftate — — 
 
 Inquifition, hiftory of, — — 
 
 - its foundation laid in prieftcraft - 
 
 - its power in the middle ages — 
 
 - never admitted in France or in England 
 
 - form of proceeding - - 
 
 - method of torture - - 
 
 - executions -- -- 
 
 - particular inftances of cruelty 
 
 - reflections on it — - 
 
 Jovians, Heretics - - 
 
 Jubilee, account of -- ——. 
 
 - debaucheries during that feafon - 
 
 K. 
 
 Keipler, an obfervation of his -- 
 
 Kclbites, religion of - 
 
 - their minifters - - 
 
 - their notions of the Trinity -- 
 
 Kct, Robert, a tanner, raifesa rebellion 
 
 - he and his brother hanged - 
 
 Knox, John, account of -. - 
 
 L. 
 
 Labadie, account of him - - 
 
 Labadifts, their origin - - 
 
 - their notions - — 
 
 - their prefent ftate — — 
 
 - remarks concerning them — 
 
 Lambert, account of — _ 
 
 Laos, See. religion of — _ 
 
 - their notions of heaven — 
 
 - have fome traditions concerning Chrift 
 
 - very fuperftitious — _ 
 
 - their priefts — — _ 
 
 - praCtife polygamy - - 
 
 - believe in witchcraft - 
 
 - their priefts arrant impoftors - 
 
 - reflections — — — 
 
 Lapland, religion of — — 
 
 - their idols — — — 
 
 - their priefts, or impoftors — 
 
 - their facriflees — — 
 
 - their notions concerning futurity 
 
 - their fuperftitions — -- 
 
 -their notions concerning the climes 
 
 - their manner of fwearing - 
 
 - their funeral ceremonies — 
 
 - reflections — — — 
 
 La Plata, religion of — — — 
 
 - their priefts — — 
 
 - marriage ceremonies — 
 
 - reflections —. —, 
 
 LeCturelbips, their origin -- 
 
 Lee, arcJibilhop, his traitorous conduCF — 
 
 - raifes a rebellion -.- 
 
 Lent, fall of, explained - - 
 
 8 R 
 
 243 
 
 Page 
 
 22 
 
 ibid. 
 
 585 
 
 ibid. 
 
 .535 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 556 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 557 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 588 
 
 589 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 590 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 235 
 23 b 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 237 
 
 239 
 
 240 
 Sc feq. 
 
 254 
 
 140 
 
 205 
 
 207 
 
 482 
 
 306 
 
 3°7 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 497 
 
 538 
 
 682 
 
 683 
 ibid. 
 
 684 
 ibid. 
 294 
 
 80 
 ibid. 
 
 81 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 82 
 ibid. 
 
 .*59 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 360 
 
 361 
 
 362 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 .43 s 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 439 
 518 
 - 492 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ‘r r 5 ° 9 
 
 Lcuofis, 
 
■ I 
 
 I 
 
 b 
 
 Leflons, how chofen - 
 
 Litanies, origin of — 
 
 Lollards, why fo called 
 Luther, account of — 
 
 Lutherans, their religion 
 
 - where profefl'ed -- 
 
 - confeflion of faith ' ““ 
 
 - ceremonies — 
 
 - retain confeflion 
 
 _ form of confecrating their churches 
 
 - reflections - 
 
 _ church governmenment •— 
 
 --fuperftitions - 
 
 .- their priefts — 
 
 - their liturgy - 
 
 - form of communion — 
 
 - form of confeflion — 
 
 - form of baptifm — 
 
 - form of confirmation — 
 
 - marriage ceremonies 
 
 - their funeral folemnities — 
 
 M. 
 
 Madagafcar, religion of 
 
 - all Pagans — —_ 
 
 - their notions of God and the devil 
 
 - their traditions — 
 
 - their feafts and fafts — 
 
 - their facrifices — — 
 
 - admit of circumciflion — - 
 
 - manner of treating women in labour 
 
 - adultery, how punifhed — 
 
 - expofe their children — - 
 
 - funeral folemnities — 
 
 - form of fwearing — 
 
 - reflections — — 
 
 Magi, account of — — 
 
 Mahomet, his life — — 
 
 Mahometans, religion of — — 
 
 - manner of receiving converts 
 
 .- manner of adopting children — 
 
 ■ - marriage ceremonies — 
 
 .- funeral folemnities — 
 
 ■ - not uniform in thefe particulars 
 
 - their fe&s — — 
 
 ■ - local extent — — 
 
 -- their monks — — 
 
 - their feitivals — — 
 
 - their fafts — — 
 
 - their manner of preaching — 
 
 - reflections — — 
 
 - their pilgrimages — — 
 
 - their fuperftitions — 
 
 Manichees, Heretics - 
 
 Marriage, its origin — — 
 
 - its nature — - 
 
 - among the Heathens — 
 
 - among the Jews — 
 
 - among Chriftians — 
 
 Maronites, account of — 
 
 • - their origin — — 
 
 - their clergy — — 
 
 - their hofpitality — 
 
 - their mafs — ~ 
 
 —- their fafts — *— 
 
 - their confeflions —* 
 
 - their notions — 
 
 - funeral ceremonies — 
 
 Maflcallians, Heretics — 
 
 Medes, religion of, ■— 
 
 Melvile, Andrew, account of him 
 Mendicants, account of — 
 
 Menatholites, Heretics — 
 
 Methodifts, account of them — 
 
 • - their principles — 
 
 - their notions concerning juftifiation 
 
 - of chriftian perfection — 
 
 - of the aflurance ofjuftification 
 
 - of the conditions ofjuftification 
 
 - of the effects of juftification 
 
 - their notions of national churches 
 
 4J3 
 
 ibid, 
 
 ibid. 
 
 4 r 4 
 
 ibid. 
 
 4 J 4 
 
 ibid. 
 
 i IS. 
 
 . 3.4,7 
 ibid. 
 348 
 ibid. 
 
 — ibid. 
 
 - "201 
 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 — 302 
 
 — ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 E X. 
 
 Methodifts, their fafting — 
 
 - of the canons — — 
 
 - of infpiration — — 
 
 - of their converfions —• 
 
 - of their fchools — — 
 
 Methodifts, Calviniftical — —■ 
 
 - difference between them and the Arminians 
 
 - their praiftices — — 
 
 - of their hymns — — 
 
 - reflections on them — — 
 
 Mexicans, their religion — — 
 
 - their temples — — 
 
 - their facrifices — — 
 
 - horrid barbarities — — 
 
 - their feftivals — — 
 
 - marriage ceremonies — — 
 
 - funeral folemnities — — 
 
 Millenarians, their origin — — 
 
 - their conduct during the civil wars 
 
 - their progrefs — — 
 
 - prefent ftate — — 
 
 Militians, Heretics — — 
 
 Modern Anti-trinitarians, — 
 
 Mogul empire, religion of — — 
 
 - notions concerning heaven — 
 
 - ftrange aufterities — — 
 
 - notions of hell — — 
 
 - method of building their pagods or temples 
 
 - methods of difcovering theft — 
 
 - their feftivals — — 
 
 - their learning — — 
 
 - their different feCts — — 
 
 - reflections on Eaft India fettlements 
 
 Molinos, account of — — 
 
 Molucca iflands, religion of — 
 
 - their ceremonies — — 
 
 -their ftupidity — — 
 
 - their fuperftition — — 
 
 - marriage ceremonies — — 
 
 - funeral ceremonies — — 
 
 - form of electing their princes — 
 
 - manner of declaring war — 
 
 - their drefs — — 
 
 - compared with other idolators — 
 
 I Monaftic life, its origin — — 
 
 - form of admiflion — — 
 
 - had originally no revenues — 
 
 Mono Motapa, religion of •— 
 
 - grofs idolators — — 
 
 - worfhip their princes — 
 
 - flaves to fuperftition — 
 
 - marriage ceremonies — — 
 
 - funeral folemnitias — •— 
 
 - their oaths — — 
 
 Moravians, their origin - 
 
 - their difcipline - - 
 
 - their zeal — — t >44 
 
 - their miffioners — — 646 
 
 -their notions of the Trinity — 648 
 
 - their notions of the human foul — 649 
 
 ■- their clafles — — — ibid. 
 
 - their hiftory — — 65° 
 
 - their miniftry among the Efquimaux Indians 652 
 
 -- names of their miflionaries — 654 
 
 -encouraged by the civil power — ibid. 
 
 - diftrefled at fea — — 655 
 
 - their method of converting the Efquimaux 656 
 
 - rules for church government — 660 
 
 - number of their focieties — 662 
 
 - their prefent ftate 667 
 
 More, fir Thomas, fent to the Tower — 490 
 
 Moles, his law —• — 7 
 
 - diftindtion of pcrfons ibid. 
 
 -jurifdidtion of judges — — ibid. 
 
 - of flaves — — 
 
 - of marriage * — — 
 
 - of vows —■ — 9 
 
 - of the military power — ibid. 
 
 - of man’s dominion over the creatures 10 
 
 - of fafety — — ibid. 
 
 Mofes, 
 
 403 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 4°4 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 645 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 1 
 
I N 
 
 Mofes, his law of fucceflion —- 
 
 - of ufury — — 
 
 - of compenfation — — 
 
 - of depofits — — 
 
 - of pledges — — 
 
 - of fale — — 
 
 - of fervants •— 
 
 - of theft —* — 
 
 - of damages — '— 
 
 - of cafualties arifing from beads —* 
 
 -- of removing land-marks — 
 
 - of injury — — 
 
 - of murder — — 
 
 - of manftealing — — 
 
 - of adultery — — 
 
 - of incontinency and baftardy — 
 
 - of rapes — '— 
 
 - of witnefs bearing — 
 
 -of punifhments — 
 
 - their various feXs — 
 
 - reflections — 
 
 Muggletonians, their origin —- 
 
 - their wild notions —• 
 
 - their prefent date — 
 
 Mufgrave, account of — — 
 
 Myftics, their origin —' 
 
 - their progrefs — — 
 
 - their notions • — 
 
 N. 
 
 Nazarenes, Heretics, fo called * 
 
 Nedorians, Heretics, fo called - 
 
 Nicolatians, Heretics, fo called -* 
 
 Nigritics, religion of - 
 
 - grofs Idolators -- 
 
 — — their worfhip — — 
 
 - marriage ceremonies — 1 
 
 - funeral ceremonies — 
 
 -barbarous ceremonies — 
 
 Nonjurors, their origin - 
 
 - their political notions 
 
 Nonjurors, in England — 
 
 - feverely treated by king William 
 
 - they confpire againd the government 
 
 Nonjurors, in Scotland — 
 
 - their origin —• * 
 
 --- favours fhewn them by queen Anne 
 
 •- their vad numbers before the rebellion 
 
 - now on the decline —- 
 
 Norfolk, duke of, executes martial law 
 
 Novatians, Heretics - 
 
 Nuns, form of their taking the veil - 
 
 - reafons for taking the veil - 
 
 O. 
 
 Olivet, mount, congregation of - 
 
 Ophites, Heretics - 
 
 Ordeal, its origin - 
 
 - its confequences 
 
 Orders, religious, of the Romifh church 
 
 - their origin - 
 
 - fimple at fird * 
 
 - their hatred to each other 
 
 ._ their importance in a civil light * 
 
 - their inutility in that light 
 
 __their efFeXs in a religious light - 
 
 __benevolent friends to the poor 
 
 . . - agriculture dourifhed under them, and the 
 "" were happy — — . 
 
 _ they taught the children of the poor gratis 
 
 Ordination in the church of Rome — 
 
 —— thetonfur - 
 
 ._ manner of cutting the hair -- 
 
 - door keepers -- 
 
 .- readers 
 
 - exorcids 
 
 - acolytes -- 
 
 -. lub-deacons - - 
 
 .- deacons —‘ 
 
 D 
 
 E 
 
 X. 
 
 Page. 
 
 10 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 11 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 12 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 *3 
 
 14 - 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 15 
 
 ibid. 
 
 669 
 ibid. 
 
 670 
 
 493 
 
 670 
 ibid. 
 
 671 
 
 1.37 
 139 
 127 
 37i 
 .3.7 2 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 373 
 
 605 
 ibid. 
 
 606 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 607 
 ibid. 
 
 608 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 492 
 
 138 
 
 2 33 
 
 2 34 
 
 174 
 
 138 
 
 . .99 
 ibid. 
 
 *53 
 
 .*54 
 
 ibid. 
 
 159 
 
 180 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 181 
 poor 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 221 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 222 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 Ordination of priefls 
 
 - bifhops —— 
 
 - ceremonies when advanced 
 
 Originifts, Heretics 
 Oroonoko, religion of - 
 
 - their fuperllitions 
 
 - marriage ceremonies 
 
 - funeral folemnities 
 
 - reflexions — 
 
 P. 
 
 Par, Catherine, account of - 
 
 Patkul, account of - 
 
 Patriarchs, their religion - 
 
 - their temples - 
 
 - their facrifices - 
 
 - for what end appointed - 
 
 - refleXions -- 
 
 Pearce, Mr. account of - 
 
 Pelagians, Heretics - 
 
 Perfians, &c. the antient, their religion 
 
 - its origin - 
 
 - its connexion with the civil power 
 
 - worfhipped the fun and the fire 
 
 - had a plurality of gods - 
 
 - refleXions concerning them — 
 
 Perth, articles of - 
 
 Peru, religion of - 
 
 - worlhippers of the fun - 
 
 - their facrifices - 
 
 - their temples - 
 
 - their images - 
 
 - pompous ftruXures — 
 
 - their feftivals - 
 
 - their fafts - 
 
 _ their fuperftitions - 
 
 _ marriage ceremonies - 
 
 - education of children - 
 
 Peto, a prieft at Greenwich, his infolence 
 
 Philadelphians, religion of - 
 
 _ their principles - 
 
 - refleXions - 
 
 Philippine iflands, religion of 
 
 - form of worfhip - 
 
 - manner of circumcifion 
 
 _ Haves to fuperftition - 
 
 - their funeral folemnities — 
 
 - have no temples - 
 
 _ worfhip the devil - 
 
 Philippines, an order of nuns 
 
 Plutarch, a quotation from - 
 
 Polifh Brethren, their religion —- 
 
 - ftrange notions - 
 
 - their paftors - 
 
 - manner of preaching - 
 
 _ funeral ceremonies - 
 
 - remarks - 
 
 Pole, Cardinal, account of - 
 
 Popes, form of their eleXion - 
 
 Prayer-book, account of -- 
 
 Pre-Adamites, their origin - 
 
 - fettle in England - 
 
 - their notions -- 
 
 _ neither Jews nor Chriftians — 
 
 . . remarks concerning them — 
 
 Premonftatenfes, a Romifh order 
 Prefbyterians, Calviniftical — 
 
 - very numerous •— 
 
 —:— their ordinations —• 
 
 _ form of admitting members 
 
 _ compared with other SeXarifts 
 
 - of their poor — 
 
 - feldom excommunicate their people 
 
 - their worfhip — 
 
 - of their fermons — 
 
 _ form of adminiftring the communion 
 
 Prefbyterians, Arminian — 
 
 - their fentiments — 
 
 __ condemned by the fynod of Dort 
 
 vii 
 
 Page 
 
 222 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid- 
 
 132 
 
 .434 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 435 
 
 495 
 482 
 
 . . 5 
 ibid. 
 6 
 
 . . 7 
 ibid. 
 581 
 *38 
 .. .37 
 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 38 
 
 39 
 540 
 .439 
 ibid. 
 
 .441 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 442 
 
 .443 
 ibid. 
 
 444 
 
 448 
 
 449 
 490 
 695 
 69.6 
 
 ibid. 
 88 
 s, 
 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 . .9° 
 ibid. 
 165 
 29 
 
 687 
 ibid. 
 
 688 
 ibid. 
 689 
 ibid. 
 
 495 
 181 
 
 504 
 
 680 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 681 
 
 682 
 164 
 
 .57,8 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 .579 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 579 
 
 580 
 ibid. 
 
 Prefbyterians 
 
I 
 
 Prelbyterians, perfecuted in Holland 
 
 __ their rife in England 
 
 '_their prefent ftate 
 
 Prelbyterians, Arian 
 
 -- their origin mU 
 
 _ have a new liturgy 
 
 — a new bible 
 
 __ their time-ferving principles 
 
 Prelbyterians, Socinian 
 
 - their origin 
 
 ___ ft range notions 
 
 _ blafphemers 
 
 Proteftants, their origin 
 
 __ how fupported 
 
 __ caufes promoting it 
 
 its progrefs 
 
 N 
 
 __ ftate of morals at that time ' 
 
 Providence, nuns of 
 
 _ how governed ‘ 
 
 Pruftia, king of, his creed- 
 - remarks on it 
 
 Q: 
 
 Quakers, abftraft of their hiftory 
 
 __ why called' Quakers —' 
 
 _ their firft meeting in London 
 
 _ feverity ufed againft them 1 
 
 - their addrels to king Charles il. 
 
 _ petition the houfe ot lords ‘. 
 
 _ ft x hundred of them in prifon it one time 
 
 __ their peaceable behaviour ‘ 
 
 _ their doctrinal notions 
 
 - their meetings 
 
 _ their monthly marriages — 
 
 - yearly meetings 
 
 _ yearly epiftles, fpecimen of one 
 
 Quantc-cong, a Chinefe idol 
 
 --reflections on^ 
 
 Quietifts, their origin 
 
 _ their ftrange notions 
 
 - their progrefs 
 
 -prefent ftate 
 
 Quiteve, religion of that country 
 
 _ their barbarous practices 
 
 - funeral rites - 
 
 - reflections ‘ 
 
 Quonion, a houlhold goddefs 
 
 R. 
 
 Raleigh, Sir Walter, an expreffion of - 
 
 Ram, an idol — 
 
 Reading, fuperftitions in its abbey 
 
 Revellns, a popilh order 
 
 Rectories, account of 
 
 Reformation, confidered 
 
 Relieion, 39 articles of 
 
 Relief, prelbytery of, its origin “• 
 
 fupported by the diffaffeCted mimfters 
 
 .__ their manner ot proceeding 
 
 - their covetoufnefs ' 
 
 _ they lofe the favour of the people 
 
 ._ their prefent ftate 
 
 Renwich, James, account of 
 
 Page 
 
 580 
 ibid. 
 
 581 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 582 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 465 
 
 466 
 ibid. 
 
 467 
 
 475 
 
 164 
 
 ibid. 
 
 486 
 
 ibid. 
 
 598 
 
 ibid. 
 
 .599 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 600 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 601 
 
 602 
 
 603 
 ibid. 
 
 604 
 
 . 59 
 ibid. 
 
 677 
 ibid. 
 
 678 
 
 679 
 
 4°5 
 
 406 
 
 ibid. 
 
 408 
 
 6 3 
 
 535 
 
 59 
 
 493 
 
 161 
 
 521 
 
 538 
 
 \oo 
 
 568 
 
 .569 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 57° 
 
 14 
 
 X. 
 
 Ricaut, Sir Paul, his account of the Greek church 262 
 
 Rome, church of, her remitting of fins - 
 
 - their focieties - 
 
 - their feafts - - 
 
 - ridiculous proeefiions - 
 
 - remarkable legends - 
 
 Ruflia, church of -- 
 
 - lchifmatical Greeks - 
 
 - their priefts - 
 
 - the laity Haves to the priefts -- 
 
 - their monks - 
 
 - their nuns - 
 
 - form of their churches - 
 
 - have no organs nor images, except painted 
 
 - regard for their church yards 
 
 - their notion of the Trinity - 
 
 - their public worlhip - 
 
 - manner of receiving the communion 
 
 - give the communion to babes 
 
 - their fafts - - 
 
 - their marriages - 
 
 - reflections - - 
 
 -- funeral folemnities - 
 
 Rutrem, a Pagan deity - 
 
 S. 
 
 Sabbathens, Heretics - 
 
 Sabbatarians, their origion - 
 
 •- their notions inveftigated - 
 
 - how divided - 
 
 Sabbatarians, Calviniftical - 
 
 - no difeipline in their churches 
 
 - morofe in their tempers - 
 
 - form of admitting members —— 
 
 - their notions concerning the refurrettion 
 
 Sabbatarians, who deny the Trinity 
 
 - their Latitudinarian notions - 
 
 - critical remarks upon them - 
 
 - their form of baptifm - 
 
 - have no difeipline - 
 
 Sabellians, Heretics —— 
 
 Saltmarch, John, account of - 
 
 Sadler, Sir Ralph, account of - 
 
 Sandemanians, account of them - 
 
 - their origin - 
 
 - proceedings againft them - 
 
 - their principles - 
 
 - their form of church government 
 
 - their manner of admitting members 
 
 - their notions concerning baptifm 
 
 _ their manner of killing 
 
 Rome, church of, her ceremonies 
 
 _ curious ones in the Vatican 
 
 - of the mafs - 
 
 - particular mafles 
 
 __ folemn mafs by the pope - 
 
 - for the dead _ 
 
 - devotion paid to the crofs 
 
 -- grofs fuperftitions ■ 
 
 _ remarkable ceremonies 
 
 _ form of beatification - 
 
 - remarkable anecdotes 
 
 - veneration for relics 
 
 - form of tranflating them 
 
 _ blood of martyrs, the moft remarkable 
 
 __ fuperftitious ceremonies at jubilees 
 
 181 
 
 185 
 
 187 
 
 188 
 
 190 
 
 19 1 
 
 192 
 
 J 93 
 194 
 201 
 ibid. 
 204 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 206 
 
 their form of excommunication ibid. 
 
 _ (hocking effe&s of their excommunications 
 
 - their devotees - - - 
 
 - their worftiip - 
 
 - their love feafts -- 
 
 - their prefenj ftate - 
 
 Sandys, archbilhop, his moderation 
 Saxony, divine fervice how performed there 
 Scotland, church of 
 - its origin 
 
 - its culdees, who they were 
 
 - its reformation from Popery 
 
 - innovations in that church 
 
 - ftruggle between Epifcopacy and Prelbytery 
 
 - infolence of fome Prelbyterians 
 
 - averfion to the liturgy 
 
 -its worftiip 
 
 -its directory 
 
 -its form of preaching 
 
 -its form of baptifm —- 
 
 - its form for the Lord’s Supper 
 
 -its order of marriage 
 
 _its order for vifitation of the lick 
 
 -its confeffion of faith before the reiormation 
 
 -its confeffion of faith afterwards 
 
 -its catechifms 
 
 Page 
 
 207 
 
 208 
 
 209 
 
 214 
 
 217 
 
 219 
 
 282 
 
 ibid; 
 
 284 * 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 285 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid 
 
 286 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 288 
 
 289 
 54 
 
 L39 
 
 596 
 
 ibid. 
 
 .597 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 .597 
 
 ibid. 
 
 598 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 *39 
 
 638 
 
 495 
 
 5.7° 
 
 ibid. 
 
 . 57/ 
 ibid. 
 
 .5.79 
 
 ibid. 
 
 .573 
 
 ibid. 
 
 &57+ 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 its government 
 its kirk feffions 
 
 .575 
 ibid. 
 576 
 48 
 583 
 
 ibi£ 
 
 ibid! 
 536 
 
 540 
 
 541 
 
 542 
 
 543 
 545 
 
 547 
 
 548 
 
 549 
 
 550 
 
 553 
 
 554 
 .557 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 Scotland, 
 
I 
 
 N 
 
 Scotland, church of, its prelbyteries 
 
 - its fynods - — 
 
 - its general aflemblies - 
 
 - form of prefenting to livings 
 
 - form of ordination - 
 
 - form of conducting the Lord’s Supper 
 
 - remarks on this form - 
 
 - their education — — 
 
 - their funerals — — 
 
 - reflections on this church - 
 
 Scriptures, how ufed in the antient church 
 Seceders, origin of — — 
 
 —*— characters of their firfl promoters 
 
 - their diflikc to the Epilcopalians 
 
 - their great caution — — 
 
 - they make a new Covenant — 
 
 - their great popularity — 
 
 — : — they eftablifh an academy — 
 
 - flute of learning among them — 
 
 - their manner of fwearing the covenant 
 
 - their bigotry — — 
 
 - they fplit into parties - 
 
 Seymour, lady Jane, comes to court 
 
 Siam, kingdom of, its religion - 
 
 ——- their priefls — — 
 
 - notions concerning Sommonondom 
 
 - their temples — — 
 
 - their falls — — 
 
 - their notions of God — 
 
 - form of admitting their priefls 
 
 -- 1 their nuns — —- 
 
 - of their oaths in civil caufes — 
 
 - their notions concerning elephants 
 
 - their marriage cremonies -— 
 
 -adultry, how punilhed — 
 
 -funeral ceremonies — 
 
 - their notions concerning fpirits 
 
 Sick, vifitation of — 
 
 Simonieans, Heretics — — 
 
 Sin, deadly, meaning of — 
 
 Smollett, Dr. cenfured - 
 
 Sofola, religion of — — 
 
 - grofs idolltor^ — — 
 
 - marriage cerejnonies — 
 
 -- funeral folemnities — 
 
 - reflections — — 
 
 Socotora, religion of — — 
 
 - their worfhip — — 
 
 - their temples — — 
 
 - ridiculous cufloms — 
 
 - marriage ceremonies — 
 
 - funeral folemnities — 
 
 - they obferve eircumcifion — 
 
 i- reflections — — 
 
 Socinus, account of — 
 
 Stair, lord, his notions — 
 
 St. John, Chriflians of — 
 
 .- their origin — — 
 
 —— form of baptifm —• — 
 
 - their notions of futurity — 
 
 - their priefls — — 
 
 - their feftivals — — 
 
 - marriage ceremonies — 
 
 Stocklefly, hilltop of London., account of 
 St. Saviour, order of — — 
 
 St. Thomas, Chriflians of — 
 
 - their traditions** — — 
 
 -their principles — — 
 
 -— their fafts — — 
 
 - oppofed by the Portuguefe — 
 
 - feme of their tenets vindicated 
 
 - their own account of themlelves 
 
 Syrians, their religion explained — 
 
 —- their idols vindicated by the poets 
 
 - their traditions concerning the patria 
 
 ham — — — 
 
 T. 
 
 Taehonites, Heretics -- - 
 
 Tartary, religion ot - - 
 
 -different I'cCls - - 
 
 -their facrifices - -- 
 
 -ridiculous ceremonies, - 
 
 60 
 
 D 
 
 Page 557 
 ibid. 
 
 .5.58 
 
 ibid. 
 
 559 
 
 560 
 
 5 61 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 562 
 508 
 
 562 
 ibid. 
 
 5 6 3 
 ibid. 
 
 564 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 . 5. 6 5 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 566 
 
 495 
 
 76 
 
 ibid. 
 
 . 77 
 ibid. 
 
 78 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 79 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 80 
 517 
 1 39 
 504 
 359 
 408 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 410 
 ibid. 
 
 411 
 ibid, 
 ibid, 
 ibid. 
 
 412 
 ibid. 
 
 588 
 
 5 2 9 
 
 308 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 3°9 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 3°9 
 
 489 
 
 j6i 
 
 290 
 
 ibid. 
 
 22 
 
 ^93 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 295 
 
 4 1 
 ibid. 
 A bra- 
 43 
 
 *39 
 
 350 
 
 35° 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 E X. ix 
 
 Tartary, religion of their lamas Page 315 
 
 -conjecture concerning their original ibid. 
 
 -their notions of the Divine Being 352 
 
 -their feftivals - - ibid. 
 
 -different feCts deferibed - ibid 
 
 -- their priefls - - ibid. 
 
 -their devotions - 355 
 
 -marriage ceremonies - 357 
 
 -funeral ceremonies - ibid. 
 
 -reflections ■ — - 35? 
 
 Temples, their origin - - 162 
 
 Termer, a Japanefe deity - 100 
 
 Theatines, a popilh order -- 163 
 
 Tilby, Thomas, raifes an army — 423 
 
 Tindal, account of - - 538 
 
 Tococka, religion of - 405 
 
 -their notions concerning the new moon 406 
 
 -fuperftitious rites — — ibid. 
 
 Toland, account of - - 538 
 
 Tonquinefe, religion of 82 
 
 -their idols -, —— 83 
 
 -a remarkable ftory concerning them ibid. 
 
 -their temples -— - ibid. 
 
 -their feftivals - ibid. 
 
 -their witches ibid. 
 
 -manner of viflting the fick — ibid. 
 
 -their fuperftitions - ibid. 
 
 -marriage ceremonies — — 84 
 
 - funeral ceremonies - ibid. 
 
 -funeral ceremonies of their kings ibid. 
 
 -- reflections 8 £ 
 
 Trinitarians, account of — — 163 
 
 Tulchans, bilhops, who 539 
 
 V. 
 
 Valentinians, Heretics 130 
 
 Vicars, account of them — — 521 
 
 -by whom prefented ibid. 
 
 -their duty ibid. 
 
 Virginia, religion of 455 
 
 -- originally grofs idolators ibid. 
 
 -worfhip the fun ibid. 
 
 -fuperftitions 456 
 
 -their funeral folemnities 457 
 
 Vixnue, a heathen deity — —52 
 
 - his birth and .education ibid. 
 
 - under what forms worfhipped — ibid. 
 
 -his firfl metamorphofis ibid. 
 
 -his fecond metamorphofis — ibid. 
 
 -whimfical account of him ibid. 
 
 -engages an adder with an hundred heads ibid. 
 
 -his third metamorphofis — — ibid. 
 
 -difparity between him and his brethren ibid. 
 
 -finds Rutrem’s head — — ibid. 
 
 -transforms himfelf into the form of a hog ibid. 
 
 -aflumes the forms of a man and a woman 53 
 
 -conceives a friendfhip for a mighty giant ibid. 
 
 -tares the giant in pieces —• — ibid. 
 
 -transforms himfelf into a queen — ibid. 
 
 -impofes on another giant — ibid. 
 
 -aflumes the form of a man — ibid. 
 
 -fubdues a great number of tyrants ibid. 
 
 -marches with an army of apes againft the giants ibid. 
 
 -aflumes the fhape of a black man — ibid. 
 
 -his ftrange adventures ibid. 
 
 -his adventures with fome women — 54 
 
 -ridiculous traditions concerning him ibid. 
 
 W. 
 
 Waldenfes, religion of — — 2S7 
 
 -their principles — — ibid. 
 
 -falfly accufed — — ibid. 
 
 -arrive in England 258 
 
 Waldo, account of — — 257 
 
 Welley, John, his appeal - 620 
 
 Wickliffe, Dr. account of — — 258 
 
 Whippets, a Romifh order - 175 
 
 Whifton, account of — — 584 
 
 Whitefield, George, account of - 642 
 
 Wotherfpoon, Dr. his character — 568 
 
 Z. 
 
 Zacheans, Heretics, account of them — 140 
 
 Zinzindorf, Count, account of him — 643 
 
 Zoroafter, account of him - 38 
 
 -his religion - - ibid. 
 
 8 S 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
c * ) 
 
 C O N T 
 
 T S 
 
 OF THE 
 
 G E N E R 
 
 A L 
 
 HEADS. 
 
 Page 
 
 I. rr~\ H E Patriarchal religion, and that of 
 
 I the Antient Jews, 
 
 II. Of the Modern Jews, — 
 
 III. The religion of the Egyptians, 
 
 IV. The religion of the Carthaginians 
 Tyrians, 
 
 5 
 
 *5 
 
 24 
 
 and 
 
 28 
 
 3 ° 
 
 3 2 
 
 34 
 
 V. The religion of the Druids, 
 
 VI. The religion of the Affyrians, 
 
 VII. The religion of the Babylonians, 
 
 VIII. The Religion of the Antient Medes and 
 
 Perfians — — 37 
 
 IX. The religion of the Antient Canaannites, 
 
 Syrians, Arabians, &c. — 40 
 
 X. The religion in Ethiopia and other Nations 
 
 adjoining, - 45 
 
 XI. The religion of the Armenians, Georgians, 
 
 and Circaffians, - 48 
 
 XII. The religions in the Mogul empire, 51 
 
 XIII. The religion of the Chinefe, 58 
 
 XIV. The religion of the inhabitants of Car- 
 
 nate, Golcondo, Bifnager and Decan. 66 
 
 XV. The religion of the people of Aiem, Ava, 
 
 and Arcana, - 7 ° 
 
 XVI, The religion of Pegu, — 73 
 
 XVII. The religion of Siam, — 76 
 
 XVIII. The religion of Laos, — 81 
 
 XIX. The religion of the Tonquinele, 82 
 
 XX. The religion of Cochin-China, Combo- 
 
 dia, Sze. -- 85 
 
 XXI. The religion of the Phillipine iflands, 88 
 
 XXII. Religion of the Molucca iflands, &c. 91 
 
 XXIII. The religion of Ceylon, 94 
 
 XXIV. The religion of Japan, 100 
 
 XXV. The religion of Corea and JefTo, 108 
 
 XXVI. The Chriftian religion, — 111 
 
 XXVII. Account of the Herefics, 126 
 
 XXVIII. The commencement and progrefs of 
 
 Popery, -7— 143 
 
 XXIX. The religious orders in the church of 
 
 Rome, -- - 153 
 
 XXX. Rites and ceremonies in the church of 
 
 Rome, - - 181 
 
 XXXI. Particular ceremonies in the Vatican, 185 
 
 Page 
 
 XXXII. Ceretrkonies of the Mafs, 187 
 
 XXXIII. Epifcopal Mafs, -- i 89 
 
 XXXIV. Mafs celebrated by the pope, 190 
 
 XXXV. Mafles for the dead, - 191 
 
 XXXVI. Devotions paid to the crofs, 192 
 XXXVII. Other ceremonies in the church of 
 
 Rome, - - 194 
 
 XXXVIII. Particular ceremonies in the Romifh 
 
 church, -- 199 
 
 XXXIX. Religious focieties in the church of 
 
 Rome, -- 209 
 
 XL. Feafts in the Roman calendar 214 
 
 XLI. The facraments of the church of Rome 222 
 XL 1 I. Hiftory of the inquifition, Sec. 235 
 XLIII. Hiftory of the Waldenfes and Albi- 
 
 genfes - - 256 
 
 XLIV. Account of the Greek church 261 
 XLV. Difcipline of the Greek church, 265 
 XLVI. Worfhip of the Greek church, 270 
 
 XLVII. Of Greek marriages, - 27$ 
 
 XLVIII. Of extreme unction, - 279 
 
 XLIX. Funeral ceremonies, - 280 
 
 L. The church of Ruffia, - 283 
 
 LI. Funeral ceremonies of the Ruffians, 289 
 
 LIT The Greeks of St. Thomas, — 290 
 
 LIII. Of the Copti, — — 296 
 
 L 1 V. Of The Maronites, - 301 
 
 LV. Chriftians of St. John, Sec. 306 
 
 LVI. Religion of the Mahometans, Sec. 311 
 LVII. Alcoran of Mahomet, — 322 
 
 LV 1 II. Ceremonies of the Mahometans, 339 
 LIX. The religion of Tartary, — 350 
 
 LX. Religion of Lapland, 352 
 
 LXI. The religion of the Gaures, 365 
 
 LXII. Of the religion of Africa, — 371 
 
 LXIII. Of the religion of Nigeria, ibid. 
 
 LXIV, The religion of the inhabitants of the 
 
 coafl of Guinea, 373 
 
 LXV. The religion of the natives of Benin, 
 
 &c. - -* 379 
 
 I XVI. The religion of Congo, Angola, Sec. 384 
 LXVII. Religion of the Guaguas, See. 393 
 
 LXVIII. The religion of Carraria, 395 
 
 LXIX. The 
 
T 
 
 C O N T 
 Page 
 
 LXIX. The religion of the people of Mono 
 
 Motapa, - --- 4°3 
 
 LXX. The religion of the inhabitants of Agag, 
 Tococka, and Quiteve, — 405 
 
 LXXI. The religion of the natives of So- 
 
 fola, - --- 408 
 
 LXXII. The religion of the people of Cuma, 
 
 &c. - - ibid - 
 
 LXXIII. The religion of the Ethiopians and 
 
 Gauls, --- 4°9 
 
 LXXIV. The religion of the lflanders of Soco- 
 
 tora, - ■ * 4 10 
 
 LXXV. The religion of the idanders of Mada- 
 
 gafcar, - ■- 4 12 
 
 LXXVI. The religion of the Canaries, 417 
 LXXVII. The religion of the favage Ameri¬ 
 cans, - 1 - 4*8 
 
 LXXVI1I. Religion of the Floridans, 4“ 
 
 LXXIX. Religion of the favages of Hudfon's 
 
 Bay, 4-8 
 
 LXXX. The religion of the Caribbee idands 429 
 LXXXI. The religion of the favages of O100- 
 noko, &c. ■ ' 434 
 
 LXXXII. The religion of the people who in¬ 
 habit near the river Amazon, 433 
 
 LXXXII1. The religion of the Bralilians, 437 
 LXXX1V. The religion of the people who in¬ 
 habit near the river La Plata, 438 
 
 LXXXV. Religion of the Peruvians, 439 
 
 LXXXVI. Religion of Canada, 45° 
 
 LXXXVII. Religion of California, &c. 433 
 
 LXXXVUI. Religion of the Virginians, 455 
 LXXXIX. Religion of Hifpaniola, 457 
 
 XC. Religion of Mexico, — 459 
 
 XCI. Religion of Darien, — 461 
 
 XC1I. Religion of New Andaluda, 463 
 
 XCIII. Introduftion to the hiftory of the Pro- 
 teftant religion, — 4^5 
 
 XCIV. Religion of the Lutherans, 
 
 XCV. The church of England, 
 
 E N 
 
 S, 
 
 488 
 
 XCVl. Hiftory of Calvinifm, 525 
 
 XCVII. The church of Scotland, 533 
 
 XCVIil. The Burghers, — j66 
 
 XCIX. The Anti-Burghers, - ibid. 
 
 C. Account of the Probytery of Relief, 56S 
 Cl. Account of the Cameronians, 569 
 
 CII. The Glafiitcs, or Sandemanians, 570 
 
 CIII. Of the Diffenters, 57^ 
 
 CIV. Account of the Prefbyterians, 57S 
 
 CV. The Armenian Prefbyterians, 579 
 
 CVI. The Arian Prefbyterians, — 58 1 
 
 CVII. The Socinian Prefbyterians, 582 
 
 CVIII. Account of the Independents, &c. 585 
 CIX. Regular Independents, — ibid. 
 
 CX. Irregular Independents, — 589 
 
 CXI. The Baptifts, 59 l 
 
 CXII. Calviniftical Baptifts, — 593 
 
 CXIII. The Arian and Socinian Baptifts, 595 • 
 
 CXIV. The Sabbatarians, 59^ 
 
 CXV. Account of the Quakers, — 598 
 
 CXVI. The Methodifts, -- 609 
 
 CXVII. The Antinomians, 630 
 
 CXVIII. Calviniftical Methodifts, 641 
 
 CXIX. The Moravians, 643 
 
 CXX. The Muggletonians, - <169 
 
 CXXI. The Myftics, 679 
 
 CXXII. The French Prophets, — 671 
 
 CXXIII. The Millenarians, - 673 
 
 CXXIV. Hutchinfonians, -- 675 
 
 CXXV. The Quietifts, 677 
 
 CXXVI. Pre-Adamites, - 680 
 
 CXXVII. Labadifts, 682 
 
 CXXVIII. The Rhynefburghers, 685 
 
 CXXIX. Polifh brethren, - 687 
 
 CXXX. Of Deifm, — — 689 
 
 CXXXI. The Philadelphians, — 695 
 
 CXXXII. Bohemian brethren, — 697 
 
 CXXXIII. The brethren of the Rofey-Crofs, 699 
 CXXXIV. The Anti-Trinitarians, 701 
 
 DIRECTIONS 
 
 am:: 
 
( iii ) 
 
 DIRECTIONS to the Book-binder for placing the Copper-plats; of Dr. HLRD •• rtigrtM Rites 
 
 Ceremonies of All Nations. 
 
 No. 
 
 <; TTRontifpiece to face the Title Page 
 
 '•\r - - ' 1 ’ 
 
 2 3 - 
 
 24 - 
 
 25 - 
 
 No. 
 
 3 2, 
 
 Feaft'of tabernacles Page 19 
 
 Ceremonies of adoration paid to the ido 
 Buddu, in the ifland of Ceylon go * 
 
 A Japanefe preacher harranguing the people 
 aflembled to worfhip their tutelar idol 104 < 
 The pope opening the holy gate, a grahd cere¬ 
 mony of the Romifh church 206* 
 
 Nuptial ceremonies of the Portuguefe Jews 20- to. 
 Proftitutes of Naples, who having become peni¬ 
 tents in the church of Rome, are making a 
 public proceftion* 2^ 
 
 Marriage ceremonies obferved by the Indians 
 of Panama 9 . 3 1 
 
 A Japanefe temple, in which the prieft is 
 forming the nuptial ceremonies 107 
 
 Ceremonies in chriftening obferved by the Ruf¬ 
 fians of the Greek church 285 
 
 The ceremony of divorce, as practifed by the 
 natives of Canada, in North America 252^ 
 Thebenedi&ion, or blelfing of the nuptial bed, 
 a ceremony of the Roman Catholics 271 
 Religious ceremonies pradiifed in Guinea 37^: 
 Mode of baptifm praclifed at Rhincburgh in 
 Germany _ 4^4 
 
 Various poftures and ceremonies ufed by the 
 Turks in prayer 34 ^ 
 
 Amida, a deity of Japan, with the manner in 
 which his votaries drown themfelves 100 
 An Indian woman burning herfelf on the death 
 of her hufband 69 
 
 A cuftoffi formerly obferved by the Lutherans 
 in North Holland at Whitfuntide 481 
 
 One of the forms in which Amida is wor- 
 lhipped by the people of Japan and Tarta¬ 
 ry.-The image of Confucius, with the 
 
 futangs, &c. 
 
 An aflembly of Quakers at Amfterdam, 602" 
 Baptifm of the Lutherans at Auglburgh in 
 Germany, 43 > 
 
 The Jubilee proclaimed in St. Peter’s church 
 at Rome, 206 
 
 Religious penance obferved by the antient 
 Jews, ‘ . . 
 
 Rtmarkable ceremony of the Banians in giv¬ 
 ing a child its name, 74 
 
 An image worshipped by the Chingulais, as 
 the deity who prefides over wifdom. Sc c. 354 
 The Jewifh manner of holding up the law in 
 the fight of the people 17 
 
 Marriage ceren\ony of the Proteftants at 
 Amfterdam, 486 
 
 The pope giving Beads, Medals and Agnus 
 DePs to the pilgrims who kifs his feet 199 
 , The Pafibver of the Portuguefe Jews, 19 
 The pope with the crofs, See. makes his en¬ 
 trance into the Pdjrta Sancla, finging the 
 Te Deum, 206 
 
 . Public proceftion of the Flagellants of Spain, 
 Italy and France, 175 
 
 . The fearch for the leavened bread, & r c. a do- 
 meftic ceremony in the Jewilh religion, 19 
 The pope deputing three cardinals to open the 
 gates of St. John of Lateran, St. Maria 
 Major and St. Paul at Rome, 1S4 
 
 Celebration of the Canadians grand facrifice 
 to Quichi Manitou, , 451 
 
 The Baptifmal ceremonies of the Gaure-, Par- 
 fis, or Guebres in Perlia, 369 
 
 35 ' 
 
 5 S. 
 
 Inftde view of the pagod of Kamaetfma, 104 
 Guariau priefts celebrating the nuptial cere¬ 
 monies of their principal people, 369 
 
 The Adamites feized and taken into cuftod^, 
 by the guards at AmfteNnm, 
 
 The high prieft of the Gaures performing 
 
 their ritual fervice before the fire-Head* 
 
 of different Gaurian priefts, with their mi- 
 tres'on and their mouths covered, 367 
 
 Inlide View of the celebrated Pagud of the 
 monkies of Japan, 104. 
 
 The pope granting to the Milcha, the Corn- 
 millions of guards of the S ah it a Porta, 206 
 Ceremonies ufed by the people of Pegu at their 
 kings funerals, 75 
 
 A Chinefe idol called Quante-cong, which they 
 fay reprefents their iirft emperor, 69 
 
 A lick perfon prefented to Ixora, an Indian 
 deity, for health, 69 
 
 Celebration of the day of forgivenefs by the 
 Jews in Germany, 19 
 
 The Guebres of Perfia holding a dog to the 
 mouth of an expiring man, whole foul, 
 (they fay) is received by that animal, 370 
 Jewilh ceremony of founding the horn on 
 new years day, 18 
 
 The pope at the clofe of the Jubilee placing 
 the firft ftone in order to Ihut up the Holy- 
 gate, 206 
 
 The funeral ceremony of the Guebres, 370 
 Various ceremonies and cuftoms in the Ealt- 
 Jndies, when a woman has obtained leave 
 to bury herfelf, 55 
 
 A marriage as celebrated amongft the Lap¬ 
 landers, 363 
 
 Natives of the Caribbec I(lands feafting on 
 human flelh; 432 
 
 A very remarkable form under which Ixora, 
 
 is worlhipped in the Eaft Indies.-The 
 
 idol Bruma, or Brama, another Indian 
 objedt of religious adoration-The Hea¬ 
 
 then god Quenevadi, fon of Ixora, 53 
 A method whereby the men of Guinea, oblige 
 their wives to purge themfelves from the 
 accufation of adultery, 377 
 
 Infide view of a goal in the Inquifition, (hew¬ 
 ing the feveral methods of torture and cru¬ 
 elty in prefence of the inquifitor, See. -* 
 
 Proceftion of the Auto de Ee, for the burn¬ 
 ing of Heretics, 236 
 
 , A king of Florida confulting his magians pre¬ 
 vious to his going to battle, 426 
 
 . jNumbo Jumbo, an Indian idol, of a monf- 
 trous lize and appearance, before whom the 
 king of the country is fummoned by the 
 people to pay homage, 455 
 
 Begging devotees who ftroll through China 
 and extort alms, by ufingvarious aufterities, 
 which have great influence on the people, 62 
 Habits of Efquimaux Indians, natives of Hud- 
 Ion's Bay, among whom the United Brethren 
 have fent miflionaries and formed l’ettle- 
 ments, 658 
 
 Ceremony of treading on the Crucifix and 
 other images at the beginning of the year 
 in Nagafaki,the imperial city of Japan, 103 
 A feftival in honour of Confucius, a Chinefe 
 philofopher, 62 
 
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