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A 
 
 SKETCH 
 
 OF Till 
 
 DENOMINATIONS 
 
 of Tin: 
 
 CHRISTIAN WORLD; 
 
 ACCOMPANIED WITH 
 
 A PERSU WVETO RELIGIOUS MODEB \TIo\f. 
 To which is prefixed an Account of 
 
 Atheism, Deism, Theophilanthropism, Judaism, 
 MaJtometanism} and Christianity, 
 
 ADAPTED TO THE PRESENT TIMES. 
 
 BY 
 
 JOHN EVANS, A. M. 
 
 Master of a Seminary for a limited Number of Pupils, 
 PULLIN'S ROW, ISLINGTON. 
 
 WITH MATERIAL CORRECTIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS. 
 
 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 
 
 PAVJ . 
 
 ioncoit : 
 
 Printed by J. CUXDEE, Ivy-Lane, 
 TOR U. CROSBY AND CO. ST A TION ERS'-CO U RT, 
 
 PAT! i:\osTLR-iunv. 
 
 1813. 
 
 [Price 7s." Common Edition^. C>d.J 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 1 HAT the Author is gratified by the 
 repeated editions of this little work, on 
 which he has bestowed many a laborious 
 hour, it would be affectation in him to 
 deny — and he flatters himself that the cir- 
 culation of Twenty Thousand copies, (the 
 number which has issued from the press) 
 must contribute in some degree to ex- 
 tend the empire of religious knowledge 
 and Christian charity. In the present im- 
 pression he has attended carefully to re- 
 cent communications, and where indivi- 
 duals have sent confused and contradictory 
 accounts of their own party, he has endea- 
 voured to adjust their claims with impar- 
 tiality. To obtain in all instances just in- 
 formation, is a task of almost insuperable 
 a 2 
 
 Library of David King. 
 Leavitt&Co. May 21 1-34 
 
IV PREFACE. 
 
 difficulty. In many cases prejudice, pas- 
 sion and interest, have multiplied religious 
 differences to a degree, which excites both 
 his grief and astonishment. But he is per- 
 suaded that could the professors of Chris- 
 tianity be once brought to listen candidly 
 to each other's opinions — they would not 
 only be the less likely to be led away by 
 the clamours of bigotry, but they would 
 become more thoroughly disposed to keep 
 the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace — 
 
 Fountain of Being ! teach them to devote 
 To thee each purpose, action, word and thought j 
 Thy grace their hope- -thy love their only boast, 
 Be all distinctions in— the Christian lost ! 
 
 Hannah More. 
 
 The Author has now, for the first time, 
 added Biographical Illustrations of the 
 Frontispiece, which he trusts will prove 
 acceptable to young readers, who cannot 
 be supposed to be better acquainted with 
 the principal characters, than with the 
 leading opinions of the religious commu- 
 nity. And some information however short, 
 was thought to be interesting — of persons, 
 
PREFACE. V 
 
 ■who, on account of their talents, learning 
 and piety, have in a manner, given la 
 to the several districts of Christendom. 
 The likeness of Penn also has been 
 changed with the view of obtainin ; 
 a stronger resemblance of the original. 
 Nor would it be improper just to men- 
 tion, that the Recapitulatory Tabic at 
 the end of the work, which appeared in a 
 former edition, is restored somewhat en- 
 larged, at the request of respectable indivi- 
 duals, who finding that it assisted the re- 
 collection, have thought it favourable to 
 improvement. 
 
 From a friend who has lately left Paris, 
 the Author learns that the Sketch is trans- 
 lated into the French and German lan- 
 guages, under the superintendence of 
 Messrs. Vos and Co. celebrated book- 
 sellers at Leipsic. May its increasing cir- 
 culation prove the means of diffusing a spi- 
 rit of free enquiry — and of promoting the 
 exercise of true liberality. " There is a 
 somewhat" says that able Defender of 
 Revealed Religion, the present Bishop of 
 a 3 
 
v i PREFACE. 
 
 LandafF, t{ in our common faith, in which 
 all are agreed, and that somewhat is in 
 my opinion a circumstance of such ineffa. 
 ble importance, that I will never refuse the 
 right hand of fellowship, to him who ac- 
 knowledges its truth — never think or speak 
 of him with disrespect, nor with true 
 pharisaical pride, esteem myself to be 
 more orthodox, more acceptable to my Re- 
 deemer than he is, and that somewhat is 
 Eternat Life, the gift of God through 
 Jesus Christ !" 
 
 And Mr. Jay of Bath, in his excellent 
 Sermons just published, remarks that "the 
 readiest way in the world to thin heaven, 
 and replenish the regions of hell, is to call 
 in the spirit of bigotry. This will imme- 
 diately arraign and condemn, and execute 
 all that do not bow down and worship the 
 image of our idolatry. Possessing exclu- 
 sive prerogatives ; it rejects every other 
 claim — " Stand by, I am sounder than 
 thou. The temple of the Lord, the tem- 
 ple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are 
 we !" How many of the dead has this in- 
 
PREFACE. vii 
 
 tolerance sentenced to eternal misery, who 
 will shine like stars in the kingdom of our 
 Father ! — how many living characters does 
 it not reprobate as enemies to the cross of 
 Christ, who are placing in it all their glory ! 
 No wonder, if under the influence of this 
 consuming zeal, we form lessening views of 
 the number of the saved. I only am left 
 — yes, they are few indeed if none belong 
 to them, who do not belong to your party 
 — that do not see with your eyes — that do 
 not believe election with you, or universal 
 redemption with you — that do not worship 
 under a steeple with you, or in a meet- 
 ing with you — that are not dipped with 
 you, or sprinkled with you ! But hereafter 
 we shall find that the righteous were not 
 so circumscribed ; when we shall see — 
 many coming from the east, and from the 
 west, from the north, and from the south, 
 to sit dozen with Abraham, Isaac, and Ja- 
 cob, in the kingdom of heaven /" Were 
 these truly evangelical sentiments more 
 prevalent among professors of every de- 
 a 4 
 
VIM PREFACE. 
 
 scription, the ravages of infidelity would 
 cease — Christians themselves become more 
 united, and rapid advances would be thus 
 making towards their moral and religious 
 improvement. 
 
 In this imperfect state to see just alike, 
 with respect to the doctrines of revelation, 
 is impossible ; though surely it is in the 
 power of every individual, acknowledging 
 the divinity of the Saviour's mission, to 
 cherish the kind and charitable disposition, 
 for which he was eminently distinguished. 
 Indeed, by the cultivation of this temper 
 alone, we shall most effectually diffuse the 
 triumphs of genuine Christianity. 
 
 But the author having already fully 
 stated the origin, nature, and design of this 
 little publication in his Explanatory Dedi- 
 cation^ will only add — that it is a most 
 animating consideration, that notwith- 
 standing the jarrings and contentions of par- 
 ties, for their several opinions and modes 
 of worship, which the subsequent pages 
 attempt to pourtray, the Gospel of Jesus 
 
PREFACE. IX 
 
 Christ undcbased by the prejudices, and 
 uncontrouled by the passions of frail hu- 
 manity, operates like the great powers of 
 nature, with a silent but irresistible ener- 
 gy for the renovation of mankind. 
 
 Pullin's Row, Islington, 
 March 14, 1803. 
 
THE 
 
 FRONTISPIECE 
 
 BIOGRAPHIC ALLY ILIA 1 STRATI D. 
 
 JOHN WICKLIFFE was born in the North of 
 England about the year 1324, and educated at 
 Oxford. He was the first person in this country 
 who openly condemned the errors and corrup- 
 tions of Popery. The Monks at the University 
 excited his indignation ; but the Pope taking 
 their part against him, he was obliged to give 
 way and withdraw into the country. His 
 place of retirement was Lutterworth in Leicester- 
 shire, of which living he had for some time 
 been in possession, and where part of his pulpit 
 may be seen standing at this day. Here he con- 
 tinued his opposition to the Romish Church with 
 equal steadiness ; and, had he not been patro- 
 nized by the Duke of Lancaster, he must have 
 fallen a victim to his fidelity. He died peace- 
 ably in his bed at Lutterworth, in 1384, leaving 
 
 behind him many followers. The chief of his 
 5 
 
Xll 
 
 works is entitled Trialogus, being a dialogue 
 with three speakers — Truth, a Lie, and Wisdom! 
 He wrote several things both in Latin and 
 English, but this is almost the only work which 
 was printed. Agreeable to a decree of the 
 Council of Constance, held in 1416, his bones 
 were dug up and burnt, his books forbidden, and 
 his memory branded with the most opprobrious 
 heresy. But these empty fulminations served 
 only to promote the glorious cause which 
 Wicklifre espoused ; and hence he has obtained that 
 honourable title, the Morning star of the Refor- 
 mation I On this account it is, that his head 
 stands first among the Portraits prefixed to this 
 publication. 
 
 Martin Luther, born 1483, at Isleben, a 
 town of Saxony, in Germany. After passing 
 through the usual stages of education at one of 
 their Universities, he entered the order of the 
 Augustinian Monks. His learning was consi- 
 derable, and his spirit unconquerable, Indul- 
 gences being sold by Leo the Xth in order to ob- 
 tain . money for the building of St. Peter's at 
 Rome, Luther set his face against a measure so 
 truly inimical to the interests of virtue and piety. 
 An alarm therefore being sounded — the Romish 
 Church was shaken to its foundation, and 
 these agitations terminated in the Reformation* 
 But the Reformer would probably have perished 
 
Mil 
 
 in his attempt, had not some of the German 
 Princes (particularly Frederic ol ( ) taken 
 
 him under their protection. After having written 
 many books, and exerted himself on various 
 occasions with a wonderful intrepidity, Luther 
 died in the year 1546, lamented by his followers, 
 and revered by the Protestant world. His tem- 
 per, it must be confessed, was violent, but the 
 times seem to have required such a disposition. 
 He, indeed, appears to have been raised up by 
 providence for that stupendous work which he 
 so nobly accomplished. 
 
 John Calvin was born at Noyon in Picardy 
 1509; he received his education at Paris and 
 other places where different branches of literature 
 were taught with celebrity. Discovering early 
 marks of piety, his Father designed him for the 
 church, and accordingly he was soon presented 
 to a living near Noyon, the place of his nativity. 
 He, however, conceiving a dislike to the corrup- 
 tions of Popery, quitted the Church, and turned 
 his attention to the law. Visiting Paris, he made 
 himself known to those who had privately em- 
 braced the Reformation. But a persecution aris- 
 ing against the Reformers he went to Basil, 
 where he published his famous work, Institu- 
 tions of the Christian religion, which spread 
 abroad his fame, though it is said he was then 
 desirous of living in obscurity. Not long after 
 
XIV 
 
 this he became Minister and Professor of Divinity 
 at Geneva, In this department he acquitted 
 himself with extraordinary ability, and was in- 
 defatigable in promoting the Reformation. He 
 died in the year 1564, continuing to discharge 
 the duties of his station to the last, with his 
 usual fidelity. However great and even good 
 he may be pronounced by his followers who are 
 numerous, his burning Servetus, a Spanish Phy- 
 sician for writing against the doctrine of the 
 Trinity, leaves an indelible stain on his me- 
 mory. 
 
 Richard Baxter was born at Rowton in 
 Shropshire 1615, and falling into the hands of 
 ignorant schoolmasters, he enjoyed not the ad- 
 vantage of a regular education. Taking orders 
 of the Bishop of Winchester, he became Minister 
 of Kidderminster, where an uncommon degree 
 of success attended his ministry, but the Civil 
 Wars which broke out soon after his settlement 
 at this place, sadly interrupted his labours. Upon 
 the restoration of Charles the Second, he refused 
 the Bishopric of Worcester, asking indeed for 
 no favour but that of remaining at his beloved 
 Kidderminster, which was denied him. Upon 
 the fatal Bartholomew act, he was silenced, with 
 a large number of Clergy, for refusing to conform 
 on certain conditions to the Church of England. 
 From this period, to the time of his decease 
 
XV 
 
 he suffered the most vexatious prosecutions, 
 on account of his religious opinions, with a firm- 
 ness Which did honour to his piety- lie was 
 even tried before that barbarian Jc/fcncs who 
 condemned him to a long and tedious imprison- 
 ment. His publications were astonishingly nu- 
 merous, for his Practical Works make four vo- 
 lumes in folio. Bishop Burnet says, that " he was 
 his whole life long a man of great zeal and much 
 simplicity." 
 
 William Penn was born in London, L644; 
 he was the son of Admiral Penn, who was great- 
 ly offended witli him for joining the Quakers ; 
 but, previous to his death, he became recon- 
 ciled to him. He suffered much on account 
 of his religious sentiments, and adhered to them 
 with uncommon stedfastness. His famous book, 
 No Cross, no Crown was written by him, during 
 his confinement in the Tower of London. He 
 lived great part of his time in Sussex and ac- 
 companied George Fox, and Robert Barclay, on 
 amission to Holland and Germany. In 168 1, 
 Charles the second, in lieu of arrears due to his 
 father, granted him a province in North Ame- 
 rica, since called after him Pennsylvania. Thi- 
 ther he went, and having made the necessary 
 improvements, gave just and wise laws to his 
 new settlement. To his honour be it parti- 
 cularly noticed, that in his legislative code, the 
 
XVi 
 
 sacred rights of conscience were left free and 
 unfettered. In 1718 he died near Beaconsfield 
 of a gradual decay, occasioned by apoplectic fits. 
 His works are comprised in six volumes octavo, 
 and are in high esteem with the society to which 
 he belongs ; the first volume contains his Bio- 
 graphy. 
 
 George Whitfield (founder of die Calvinist 
 Methodists) was born, 1714, at Glocester, where 
 he received the usual school education, ami 
 then became Tutor of Pembroke College, Ox- 
 ford. Having been ordained at the age of 21, 
 he applied most indefatigably to the duties of the 
 ministry. The churches being shut against him 
 he preached to immense multitudes in the open 
 fields ; for which he was fitted by his powerful 
 and impressive elocution. He, however built 
 two large places of worship in the metropolis 
 for himself and followers, the Tabernacle, Moor- 
 fields; and the Chapel, Tottenham Court Road. 
 Such was his zeal and activity, that he several 
 times visited the continent of America, where 
 he closed his eyes in the year 1770, not far from 
 Boston, in New England. His works, in several 
 octavo volumes, are made up of sermons and 
 letters, but it was not from the press, but from 
 the pulpit, that this wonderful man shone ; thence 
 lie made on his numerous followers the most 
 extraordinary impressions. 
 
XVII 
 
 John Wesley (Founder of the Arminian 
 Methodists) was horn at Epworth, 1703, educat- 
 ed at the Charter House, and in 171G elected to 
 Christ Church, Oxford. He, however, in 1726, 
 was chosen fellow of Lincoln College where the 
 first methodist society was instituted. Like his 
 associate, Mr. "Whitfield, being excluded the 
 churches, lie preached in the open air, and fre- 
 quently visited America, as well as the West India 
 Islands, where also he has many followers. He 
 built a handsome Chapei in the City Road, op- 
 posite to Bunhill Fields : and in the ground ad- 
 joining to the Chapel he lies interred under a 
 neat tomb, with an inscription of some length, 
 to his memory. He died at an advanced age, 
 *o 1791, deeply regretted by his extensive con- 
 nections. His works are said to amount to thirty- 
 two Octavo volumes, but it maybe just mentioned 
 that his productions are chiefly compilations, 
 which he thought were peculiarly favourable to 
 the diffusion of knowledge among mankind. 
 
 Elhanan Winchester (a popular preacher 
 of the doctrine of the universal restoration) was 
 born at Brooklyn, Massachusets, North Ame- 
 rica, 1751, but did not enjoy the advantages of 
 an academical education. He was first of all a mi- 
 nister among the Calvinistic Baptists, by whom he 
 was much carressed, till he embraced the univer- 
 sal doctrine, when he stood as it were alone, and 
 b 
 
XVlll 
 
 preached it with astonishing success. He came 
 over to England about the year 1787, where he 
 published a Series of lectures on the Prophecies 
 remaining to be fulfilled, which he afterwards 
 published. This indeed, and his Dialogues on 
 Restoration, are his principal publications. In 
 the year 1794 he quitted England, where he had 
 laboured with great [ assiduity and left behind 
 him a numerous congregation meeting in Parlia- 
 ment-court Bishopsgate Street which is still in a 
 flourishing condition. He died at Hartford, in 
 New England 1797, where suitable tokens of 
 respect were paid to his memory. 
 
PREFATORY DEDICATION* 
 
 TO THE FIFTH EDITION. 
 
 JOHN BRENT, Esq. Blackkath. 
 
 DEAR SIR, 
 
 J\S a memorial of your friendship and patron- 
 age, I take the liberty of dedicating to you, 
 this Sketch of the Denominations of the Chris- 
 tian World. When its first outlines were laid 
 before you, you were pleased not only to sanc- 
 tion them with your approbation, but also to 
 suggest many improvements. To other respect- 
 able friends, both among the clergy and laity, 
 
 * The author and proprietor of the SkctJi, return thanks to 
 the Rev. Erasmus Middleton for the readiness with which he 
 consented to their taking likenesses for the Frontispiece, from 
 his Biographica Evangdica, a work of information, and well 
 known to the public. 
 
 b2 
 
XX 
 
 I profess myself under similar obligations; and 
 am here proud of thus publicly rendering them 
 my grateful acknowledgments. 
 
 With respect to the present edition, now 
 called for by an indulgent public, it has (incom- 
 pliance with the request of most of my readers) 
 received considerable additions and improvements. 
 Articles of some length are newly inserted, such 
 as the Theophilanthropists, Lutherans, New 
 Methodist- Connection, Jumpers, Sec. ; a few of 
 the old ones have been re-written, such as the 
 Baptists, Methodists, Universalists, &c. : and 
 to the other denominations, particularly the 
 Quakers and Millenarians, there have been ac- 
 cessions of matter, either explanatory of their 
 tenets, or illustrative of their history. Notwith- 
 standing my special aim at accuracy, yet in so 
 miscellaneous a publication, it is almost impossi- 
 ble not to have fallen into mistakes. It is, how- 
 ever, sincerely hoped that they may prove of a 
 trivial nature ; for I have no interest to promote 
 but that of truth, and truth does not require that 
 the sentiments of any one man, or of any one 
 body of men should be misrepresented. 
 
 5 
 
XXI 
 
 It may, nevertheless, be proper, Sir, througii 
 the medium of this address, again to remind 
 the reader, that this Account of the Christian 
 World (though now so much enlarged) is still 
 professedly a Sketch ; and that therefore an 
 elaborate delineation must not be expected. I e 
 is intended, by its brevity, for the rising genera- 
 tion ; more especially for the youth under my 
 tuition, and for the young people who attend my 
 public ministry. Accordingly in drawing up the 
 work, I never imagined mvself bound, like the 
 ecclesiastical historian, to record every fact con- 
 nected with the rise and progress of sects, or to 
 pourtray minutely the shades of difference by 
 which they are distinguished. I rather consi- 
 dered myself as occupying the province of the 
 natural historian, who, when classing together 
 the different kinds of the human race, attempts 
 not to delineate every variation of feature, but 
 holds up those more prominent traits of physiog- 
 nomy, which are impressed on mankind through- 
 out the several regions of the globe ! 
 
 The purport of this little volume, Sir, is to 
 inspire religious denominations with more re- 
 l»3 
 
XXII 
 
 spectful sentiments of each other, and to lead 
 them to study the benevolent ends, for which the 
 Gospel of Jesus Christ was promulgated. Being 
 a firm believer in the truth, and a fervent admirer 
 of the excellence of the Christian religion, I 
 would fain remove any one obstacle which im- 
 pedes its progress, or diminishes its efficacy, 
 where it is already known. Should, therefore, 
 this manual bring only two Christians of differ- 
 ent denominations to a more just knowledge of 
 each other's tenets, and prove the means of in- 
 clining them the more cheerfully to exercise to- 
 wards one another, that charity which thinketh 
 no evil, it will afford me more real satisfaction 
 than the publication of a work of the most 
 pompous nature. It is observed by the late cele- 
 brated Edmund Burke, who possessed no incon- 
 siderable knowledge of human nature, that " In 
 all persuasions, the bigots are persecutors ; the 
 men of a cool and reasonable piety, are favourers 
 of toleration; because bigots not taking the 
 pains to be acquainted with the grounds of their 
 adversaries'' tenets, conceive them to be so ab- 
 surd and monstrous, that no man of sense can 
 
XX111 
 
 give into them in good earnest. For which 
 reason, they are convinced, that some oblique 
 bad motives induces them to pretend to the belief 
 of such doctrines, and to the maintaining them 
 with obstinacy. This is a very general prin- 
 ciple in all religious differences, and it is the 
 corner-stone of all persecution." The Em- 
 peror Charles the 5th, also, we are told, retired 
 at the close of life to a monastery, and there, 
 says Dr. Robertson, " he was particularly cu- 
 rious with regard to the construction of clocks 
 and watches, and having found, after repeated 
 trials, that he could not bring any two of them 
 to go exactly alike, he reflected, it is said, with 
 a mixture of surprise as well as regret, on his 
 own folly, in having bestowed so much time and 
 labour, in the more vain attempt of bringing 
 mankind to a precise uniformity of sentiment 
 concerning the intricate and mysterious doctrines 
 of religion!" 
 
 The infamous falsehoods, Sir, which have been 
 propagated by sects concerning one another's 
 tenets, in almost every age of the church, are 
 incompatible with Glory to God in the highest— 
 
XXIV 
 
 on earth peace — good-will towards men. No- 
 thing tends more to arrest the progress of true 
 religion, than the implacable spirit of bigotry. 
 Its ignorance and its folly are written in cha- 
 racters of blood. Wollaston, the learned au- 
 thor of the Religion of Nature Delineated, 
 once asked a bigot " how many sects he thought 
 there might be in the world ?" " Why" says 
 he, " I can make no judgment — I never con- 
 sidered the question." " Do you think," said 
 Wollaston, " there may be a hundred ?" " O, 
 yes, at least," cried the bigot. " Why then," 
 replied the philosopher, " it is ninety -nine to 
 one that you are in the wrong /" This anecdote 
 is introduced for the purpose of generating that 
 modesty of temper, which forms one of the love- 
 liest ornaments of Christianity. William Penn 
 has, in a letter to Archbishop Tillotson, these 
 memorable words — " I abhor two principles 
 in religion, and pity them that own them. The 
 first is obedience upon authority, without con- 
 viction ; and the other, destroying them that 
 differ from me, for God's sake. Such a religion 
 is without judgment though not without teeth— 
 
xxv 
 union is best if right— else charity:" And as 
 Idooker said — " The time will come, when a 
 few words spoken with meekness and humility, 
 and love, shall he more acceptable than volumes 
 of controversy, which commonly destroy cha- 
 rity, the very best part of true religion." 
 Of the terms Prejudice, Bigotry, Candour, and 
 Liberality, Dr. Aikin, in his Letters to his Son, 
 gives this happy exemplification. " When Jesus 
 preached, Prejudice cried, Can any good thing 
 come out oj Nazareth?' — Crucify, crucify 
 him ! exclaimed Bigotry. — Why what nil 
 hath he done ? remonstrated Candour. And 
 Liberality drew from his words this infer- 
 ence — In every nation, lie that fear eth God, 
 and worketh righteousness, is accepted with 
 him:' 
 
 Upon my first sitting down, Sir, to this work, 
 a closer inspection of the discordant materials, 
 of which the Christian world stands composed, 
 almost detened me from proceeding to its exe- 
 cution. I, however, relied on the candour of 
 (he public, and was not disappointed. The most 
 
XXVI 
 
 respectable literary journals of the day, were 
 pleased to sanction my attempt with their appro- 
 bation. Socrates used to say, that the statuary 
 found his figure in the block of marble, and 
 striking off with, his chissel the superfluous parts, 
 the form presented itself gradually to view! In 
 imitation of the sculptor, have I here endeavoured 
 to divest the several denominations of the extra- 
 neous matter which had been attached to them, 
 either through ignorance or malignity ; thus 
 holding them up to the eye of my reader, in their 
 just and regular proportions ! Mine, therefore, 
 has been an humble, though laborious province ; 
 but the concurrence expressed by the wise and 
 good, even from among the most opposite sects, 
 has proved an abundant reward* To use the 
 words of Gilbert West, a most worthy member 
 of the church of England — Blessed are the 
 peace-makers for they shall be called the 
 children of God. An appellation infinitely 
 more honourable than that of pastor, bishop, 
 archbishop, patriarch, cardinal, or pope; and 
 attended with a recompense infinitely surpassing 
 
XXV11 
 
 the richest revenues of the highest ecclesiastical 
 dignity." Cyprian, likewise a pious father of 
 die church, ranks a contentions Christian among 
 the twelve absurdities, to which the Life of man 
 is exposed. 
 
 Indeed, Sir, the flattering reception of this 
 little work, by denominations of every de- 
 scription, cannot fail of affording me satisfac- 
 tion. This circumstance, in conjunction with 
 the extent of its circulation, (many thousand 
 copies having been sold) has raised pleasing sen- 
 sations in my breast. For it inclines me to hope, 
 that the execrable spirit of bigotry is abating 
 among all parties, and that the professors of 
 Jesus are becoming more intent on the great 
 essentials of Christianity. The probationary con- 
 dition in which we are placed, powerfully incul- 
 cates such a conduct. It was a saying of the 
 pious Richard Baxter, recorded by himself, in the 
 History of his own Times — " While we wran- 
 gle here in the dark, we arc dying and passing 
 to that world which will decide all our contro- 
 versies, and the safest passage thither, is by 
 ■peaceable holiness ;" 
 
XXVlll 
 
 Hence jarring sectaries may learn 
 
 Their real interest to discern, 
 
 Thar brother should not war with brother. 
 
 And worry and devour each other j 
 
 Shunning division here below, 
 
 That each in charity may grow, 
 
 Till join'd in Christian fellowship and love, 
 
 The church on earth shall meet the church above I 
 
 COWPEB.* 
 
 Since the first appearance of the Sketch, lei- 
 sure, Sir, has been found, to lay before the pub- 
 lic the Sequel, being the second and concluding 
 part of this work. There it is largely shewn, 
 both in a preliminary Essay, and in the numerous 
 Extracts, that moderation is the genuine off- 
 spring of Christianity. To avoid the imputation 
 of partiality, the authorities amounting in num- 
 ber to near one hundred, are taken from divines 
 of the Church of England — of the Kirk of 
 Scotland, and from among the Protestant Dis- 
 senters. The drawing up of this latter woik, 
 
 * The author embraces this opportunity of recommending 
 Exercises of Piety for the Use of Enlightened and Virtuous Chris- 
 tians, by G. J. Zolikofre ; translated from the French edition, 
 by the Bev. James Manning, of Exeter. The work, to which 
 the tranlator has done justice, may be pronounced a truly va- 
 luable present to the rising generation. 
 
(a second edition o£ which is just published) was 
 with mc a favourite object, anil no small pains 
 were bestowed upon it. The Sketch and Sequel 
 complete my design on the subject. May the 
 effort be attended with a divine blessing ! 
 
 I am, however, aware Sir, that for the same 
 reason that die passionate charge the mild and 
 unassuming with a want of spirit, zealots are 
 reproaching the advocates of moderation with a 
 propensity to indifference. But this is an ini- 
 quitous charge, since it is known, that liberal 
 characters have been distinguished for their zeal, 
 in support of what appeared to them to be the 
 interests of truth. That the candid have fallen 
 into lukewarmness, and that the zealous have 
 been betrayed into persecution, cannot be de- 
 nied ; but surely no man in his senses, will, on 
 that account, seriously maintain that candour and 
 indifference, zeal and persecution, are insepa- 
 rably connected. Against a spirit of indifference, 
 I here solemnly protest, nor indeed will any 
 person accuse me of such an intention, who 
 has attentively read my Address to the General 
 Baptists on the Revival of Religion amongst 
 
XXX 
 
 them. While with our blessed Saviour, Chris- 
 tians are exhorted to love one another; soon 
 the other hand with the apostle Paul, are they 
 loudly called upon to contend earnestly (but 
 not intemperately) for the faith once delivered 
 to the saints. 
 
 Dr. Prideaux (a learned clergyman of the 
 church of England) in his Life of Mahomet, 
 speaking of the dissentions of the sixth century, 
 remarks — " Christians having drawn the ab- 
 strusest niceties into controversy, did thereby so 
 destroy peace, love, and charity among them- 
 selves, that they lost the ivhole substance of re- 
 ligion, and in a manner drove Christianity quite 
 out of the world ; so that the Saracens, taking 
 advantage of the weakness of power and distrac- 
 ions of councils, which those divisions had 
 caused, soon over-ran with terrible devastation, 
 all the Eastern provinces of the Roman empire ; 
 turned every where their churches into mosques, 
 and forced on them the abominable imposture of 
 Mahometanism." From this lamentable fact, 
 Sir; Christians ought to learn an instructive les- 
 on. In an age like the present, when Atheists 
 
XXXI 
 
 and Deists arc botli in this country and upon the 
 Continent, assailing on every side the venerable 
 fabric of our religion, its professors ceasing to 
 lay an undue stress on their private dijjerences 
 of opinion, should concentrate their scattered 
 forces, and inspired with kindness towards each 
 other, oppose with one heart and with one soul, 
 
 the COMMON ENEMY ! 
 
 The biographer of Bishop Burnet tells us, that 
 when making his Tour on the Continent, this 
 great and good prelate, " there became acquaint- 
 ed with the leading men of the different persua- 
 sions tolerated in that country, particularly Cal- 
 vinists, Arminians, Lutherans, Baptists, Brownists, 
 Papists, and Unitarians, amongst each of which, 
 he used frequently to declare he met with men of 
 such unfeigned piety and virtue, that he became 
 fixed in a strong principle of universal charity." 
 Would to God ! that an example in every respect 
 so illustrious, were devoutly imitated by the pro- 
 fessors of Christianity. The good effects of 
 such a conduct, would be instantaneously dis- 
 cerned. The sincere and hearty co-operation of 
 Christians of every denomination, in the great 
 
XXXll 
 
 <:ause of virtue and piety, would essentially pro- 
 mote the best interests of mankind. 
 
 Nor will you, my dear Sir, blame me for thus 
 venturing publicly to express the gratification I 
 feel in the publication of both Sketch and 
 Sequel at Philadelphia in America. This exten- 
 sion of their sphere of usefulness will, I trust, 
 prove the humble means of aiding in some small 
 degree the cause of Christian liberality amongst 
 our transatlantic brethren. The period is ap*- 
 proaching, when the jealousies and distinctions 
 of party in every quarter of the globe, shall be 
 lost in the diffusion of pure and unadulterated 
 Christianity ! In the present awful crisis of infi- 
 delity and lukewarmness, Christians are apt to 
 be borne down by a spirit of despondency. But 
 the energies of their faith ought by no means to 
 be exhausted. Over the attacks of its enemies, 
 and over the infirmities of its friends, the religion 
 of Jesus shall obtain a complete triumph. The 
 clay of small things must not be despised. Dis- 
 pensations the most dark, and events the most 
 unpromising are rendered subservient to the pur- 
 poses of the divine government. The rays of 
 
tfxxin 
 revealed truth which have hitherto only beamed 
 upon us through the clouds of our ignorance and 
 prejudices, are nevertheless destined to light up 
 the radiance of a more perfect day ! then, to 
 adopt the energetic language of ancient prophecy 
 — The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the 
 leopard lie down with the kid, and Ike calf, and 
 the young lion and the fat ling together, and 
 a little child shall lead them. The lion shall 
 eat straw like the ox, and the suckling child 
 shall play on the hole of the asp, and the 
 weaned child shall put his hand on the cock- 
 atrice den. they shall not hurt nor de- 
 stroy (saith the Lord) in all my holy 
 
 MOUNTAIN. 
 
 In the mean time, may the God of Peace 
 allay the animosities, and meliorate the temper of 
 the Christian world ! Thus will the wretched 
 remains of bigotry, which are still to be found in 
 some unhappy individuals of every party, be gra- 
 dually lessened, and finally destroyed. The glo- 
 rious Gospel of the blessed God, wants not any 
 adventitious aid to extend its empire over the 
 human heart. It is of itself sufficient (under 
 the blessing of Heaven) to purify our affections, 
 
xxxiv 
 and to prepare us for our certain and speedy re- 
 moval into ETERNITY. 
 
 That you, my dear Sir, and your worthy fa- 
 mily, to whom I am indebted for the first pupils 
 with which I was entrusted,* may enjoy every 
 possible blessing ; and that all my readers (to 
 use the words of my excellent friend, the Rev. 
 H. Worthington, on a public occasion) may 
 be " candid, yet firm — enquirers, yet believers 
 — pious, yet liberal" is the wish and prayer of 
 Your's, with great esteem, 
 
 JOHN EVANS. 
 
 Pullin's Ttow, Islington, 
 April 8th, 1801. 
 
 ... ■>. 
 * The two sons of Samuel Brent, Esq. of Greenland Dock, 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 PACK 
 
 Atheists 2 
 
 Deists 7 
 
 Thcophilanthropists 16 
 
 Judaism _ 21 
 
 Chinese Religion 'J8 
 
 Christianity 29 
 
 Mahometan! sm 1 1 
 
 CHRISTIAN SECTS. 
 
 Trinitarians 4<J 
 
 Athanasians 47 
 
 Sabellians 53 
 
 Arians 55 
 
 Necessarians 60 
 
 Materialists 61 
 
 Socinians ib. 
 
 Calvinists 68 
 
 Sublapsarians a nd Supralapsarians 72 
 
 Arminians 74 
 
 Baxtcrians 78 
 
 Antinomians 80 
 
 Papists 84 
 
 Greek, or Russian Church 90 
 
 Protestants 97 
 
 Lutherans 110 
 
 Hugonots 113 
 
 Episcopalians, or Church of England 115 
 
 Dissenters 127 
 
 5 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGfi 
 
 Kirk of Scotland 132 
 
 Seceders - ----------- 134 
 
 English Presbyterians ----- - - - 138 
 
 Independents - - - - ------ 139 
 
 Broivn.sts --.- 140 
 
 Paedobaptists ----------- ib. 
 
 Baptists General and Particular ----- 142 
 
 Quakers ----- -------- 154 
 
 Methodists - - - 167 
 
 New Methodists 175 
 
 Jumpers ------------ 178 
 
 Universalists ----- ------ 183 
 
 Rellyan Universalists - 191 
 
 Destructionists ----------- 195 
 
 Sabbatarians ------.---- 197 
 
 Moravians ------------ 200 
 
 Sandemanians --------- _- 202 
 
 Hutchinsonians ---------- 206 
 
 Dunkers ---- 207 
 
 Shakers 208 
 
 New American Sect 209 
 
 Mystics 210 
 
 Swedenborgians - ---------211 
 
 Millenarians ---- 217 
 
 Reflections on the Whole 225 
 
 Recapitulatory Table - - 262 
 
A 
 
 sketch: 
 
 SCc. He. 
 
 The great lesson which every sect, and every individual of every mi, ought 
 to learn from the historj of the Chun h, is Moderation. v\ ant of genuine 
 Moderation towards those who differ from us in religious opinions seems to 
 be the most unaccountable thing in the world. 
 
 ■/, Riihop of "Landaff. 
 
 T. 
 
 HE' Christian world is divded into denomi- 
 nations, each of which is discriminated by senti- 
 ments peculiar to itself. To delineate the na- 
 ture, point out the foundation, and appreciate the 
 tendency of every individual opinion, would 
 be an endless task. My only design is briefly to 
 enumerate the leading tenets of the several parties 
 which attract our notice, and to make this variety 
 of religious opinions a ground for the exercise of 
 moderation, together with the improvement of 
 other Christian graces. The moderation here re- 
 commended lies at an equal distance between an 
 indifference to truth and the merciless spirit of 
 uncharitableness. It is a virtue much talked of, 
 little understood, and less practised. 
 
ATHEISTS. 
 
 But before we delineate the tenets of the seve- 
 ral parties, we shall just notice the Atheist and 
 Deist, two descriptions of persons frequently con- 
 founded together, and also give a general outline 
 of Theophilanthropism and Mahometanism, of 
 Judaism and Christianity. These topics will 
 form a proper introduction to an account of 
 the Sects and Denominations of the Religious 
 World. 
 
 ATHEISTS. 
 
 THE Atheist does not believe in the existence 
 of a God. He attributes surrounding nature and 
 all its astonishing phenomena to chance, or a 
 fortuitous concourse of atoms. Plato distin- 
 guishes three sorts of Atheists ; such as deny ab- 
 solutely that there are any Gods, others who 
 allow the existence of the Gods, but deny that 
 they concern themselves with human affairs, and 
 so disbelieve a Providence ; and lastly, such as 
 believe in the Gods and a Providence, but think 
 that they are very easily appeased, and remit the 
 greatest crimes for the smallest supplication. 
 The first of these, however, are the only true 
 Atheists, in the strict and proper sense of the 
 word. The name of Atheist is composed of two 
 Greek terms, « and Qsos, signifying without God, 
 
a mnisTs. 
 
 and in this sense the appellation occurs in th 
 New Testament, Kphcs. ii. 12. Without God in 
 the world. It is to he hoped that dn<< 
 Atheists are few. Some persons indeed, ques- 
 tion the reality of such a character, and others 
 insist, that pretensions to Atheism have then ori- 
 gin in pride, or are adopted as a cloak for licen- 
 tiousness. In the seventeenth century, Spinosa, a 
 foreigner, was its noted defender ; and Lucili'j 
 Vanini, an Italian, of eccentric character, was 
 burnt, 1619, at Toulouse, for his Atheistical te- 
 nets. Being pressed to make public acknow- 
 ledgment of his crime, and to ask pardon of God, 
 the king, and justice, he boldly replied, that he 
 did not believe there was a God ; that he nevei 
 offended the king: and as for justice, he wished 
 it to the devil. He confessed that he was one 
 of the twelve who parted in company from 
 Naples, to spread their doctrines in all parts of 
 Europe. The poor man, however, ought not 
 to have been put to death; confinement is the 
 best remedy for insanity. Lord Bacon, in his 
 Essays justly remarks, that " A little philosophy 
 inclineth man's mind to Atheism, but depth in 
 philosophy bringeth men's minds about to reli- 
 gion ; for while the mind of man looketh upon 
 second causes scattered, it may rest in them and 
 go no farther : but when it beholdeth :hc chain 
 B 2 
 
ATHEISTS. 
 
 of them confederated and linked together, it must 
 needs fly to Providence and Deity," 
 
 Archbishop Tillotson, speaking of Atheism, 
 says, " For some ages before the reformation, 
 Atheism was confined to Italy, and had its chief 
 residence at Rome. All the mention that is of 
 it in the history of those times, the Papists them- 
 selves give us, in the lives of their own popes 
 and cardinals, excepting two or three small phi- 
 losophers, that were retainers to that court. So 
 that their atheistical humour amongst christians 
 was the spawn of the gross superstition and cor- 
 rupt manners of the Romish church and court. 
 And, indeed, nothing is more natural than for 
 extremes in religion to beget one another, like 
 the vibrations of a pendulum, which the more 
 violently you swing in one way, the farther it 
 will return the other. But in this last age 
 Atheism has travelled over the Alps and infected 
 France, and now of late it hath crossed the seas 
 and invaded our nation, and hath prevailed to 
 amazement !" 
 
 The sermons preached at Boyle's lecture — the 
 discourses of Abernethy on the Divine Attributes, 
 and the treatises of Dr. Balguy are an infallible 
 antidote against Atheistical tenets. This last 
 writer thus forcibly expresses himself on the 
 subject : — 
 
ATHEISTS. 
 
 " Of all the false doctrines and foolish (.pi- 
 nions which ever infested the mind of man, no- 
 tiling can possihly equal that of Atheism, which 
 is such a monstrous contradiction to all evi 
 dence, to all the powers of understanding, and 
 the dictates of common sense, that it may be 
 well questioned whether any man can really fall 
 into it by a deliberate use of his judgment. All 
 nature so clearly points out, and so loudly pro- 
 claims a Creator of infinite power, wisdom, and 
 goodness, that whoever hears not its voice and 
 sees not its proofs, may well bethought wilfully 
 deaf and obstinately blind. If it be evident, self- 
 evident, to every man of thought, that there can 
 be no effect without a cause, what shall we say 
 of that manifold combination of effects, that se- 
 ries of operations, that system of wonders, which 
 fill the universe ; which present themselves to 
 all our perceptions, and strike our minds and our 
 senses on every side ! Every faculty, every object 
 of every faculty, demonstrates a Deity. The 
 meanest insect we can see, the minutest and most 
 contemptible weed we can tread upon, is really 
 sufficient to confound Atheism, and baffle all 
 its pretensions. How much more that astonish- 
 ing variety and multiplicity of God's works with 
 which we are continually surrounded ! Let any 
 man survey the face of the earth, or lift up his 
 B 3 
 
ATHEISTS. 
 
 eyes to the firmament ; let him consider the na- 
 ture and instinct of brute animals, and afterwards 
 look into the operations of his own mind : will 
 he presume to say or suppose that all the objects 
 he meets with are nothing more than the result 
 of unaccountable accident and blind chance ? 
 Can he possibly conceive that such wonderful 
 order should spring out of confusion ; or that 
 such perfect beauty should be ever formed by 
 the fortuitous operations of unconscious, unactive 
 particles of matter ? As well, nay better, and 
 more easily, might he suppose, that an earthquake 
 might happen to build towns and cities ; or the 
 materials carried down by a flood fit themselves 
 up without hands into a regular fleet. For what 
 are towns, cities, or fleets, in comparison of the 
 vast and amazing fabric of the universe ! In 
 short, Atheism offers such violence to all our 
 faculties, that it seems scarce credible it should 
 ever really find any footing in human under- 
 standing." 
 
 The arguments for the being of a God are dis- 
 tributed by the learned into two kinds : 1 st. Ar- 
 guments a priori, or those taken from the neces- 
 sity of the divine existence ; 2d. Arguments a 
 posteriori, or those taken from the works of na- 
 ture. Of the latter species of proof the above 
 quotation from Dr. Balguy is a fine illustration. 
 
DEISTS. 
 
 On the former see the great Dr. Clarke's Essay 
 
 on the Being of a God, which has been deemed 
 a master-piece on the subject. The readei is 
 also ret erred to Dr. Paley's incomparable work 
 
 on Natural Theology t ]ust published. 
 
 Newton, Boyle, Maclaurin, Ray, Derham, 
 Locke, and other philosophers, distinguished for 
 the profundity of their researches, and the extent 
 of their erudition, are to be enrolled amongst the 
 principal advocates for the existence and superin- 
 tendance of a Deity.* 
 
 DEISTS. 
 
 THE Deists believe in a God, but reject a writ- 
 ten revelation from him. They are extravagant 
 
 * On this subject the celebrated Lord Chesterfield made the 
 following remarkable declaration; and no man can suppose 
 his understanding to have been clouded with religious preju- 
 dices. " I have read some of Seed's sermons, and like them 
 very well. But I have neither read nor intend to read those 
 which arc meant to prove the existence of God ; because it 
 seems to me too great a disparagement of that reason which he 
 has given us to require any other proofs of his existence than 
 those which the whole and every part of the creation afford 
 us. If I believe my own existence, I must believe his : it 
 cannot be proved a priori as some have idly attempted to do, 
 and cannot be doubted of a posteriori, Cato says very justly — 
 ; ' And that he is, all nature cries aloud." Elegant Epistles. 
 B 4 
 
DEISTS. 
 
 in their encomiums on natural religion, though 
 they differ much respecting its nature, extent, 
 obligation, and importance. Dr. Clarke, in his 
 famous treatise against Deism, divides them 
 into four classes, according to the less or greater 
 number of articles comprised in their creed. 
 " The jirst are such as pretend to believe the ex- 
 istence of an eternal, infinite, independent, intel- 
 ligent Being, and who to avoid the name of Epicu- 
 rean Atheists teach also that this supreme Being 
 made the world, though at the same time they 
 agree with the Epicureans in this, that they fancy 
 God does not at all concern himself in the govern- 
 ment of the world; nor has any regard to, or care 
 of, what is done therein, agreeably to the reason- 
 ing of Lucretius, the Epicurean poet — 
 
 For vvhatsoe'er's divine must live at peace, 
 
 In undisturb'd and everlasting ease ; 
 
 Nor care for us, from fears and dangers free, 
 
 Sufficient to his own felicity. 
 
 Nought here below, nought in our pow'r it needs, 
 
 Ne'er smiles at good, nor frowns at wicked deeds. 
 
 The second sort of Deists are those who be- 
 lieve not only the Being but also the providence 
 of God with respect to the natural world, but 
 who not allowing any difference between moral 
 oood and evil, deny that God takes any notice 
 

 of the morally good or evil actions of men, th 
 things depending as they imagine, arbi- 
 
 trary constitution of human laws. 
 
 A third sort of Deists there arc, who having 
 right apprehensions concerning the natural at- 
 tributes of God and his all-governing Providence, 
 and some notion of his moral perfections also, 
 yet being prejudiced against the notion of the 
 immortality of the soul, believe that men perish 
 entirely at death, and that one generation shall 
 perpetually succeed another, without any further 
 restoration or renovation of things. 
 
 A fourth and the last sort of Deists arc such 
 as believe the existence of a Supreme Being, 
 together with his Providence in the government 
 of the world, also all the obligations of natural 
 religion, but so far only as these things are dis- 
 coverable by the light of nature alone, without 
 believing any divine revelation." These, the 
 learned author observes, are the only true Deists ; 
 but as the principles of these men w-ould naturally 
 lead them to embrace the Christian revelation, 
 he concludes there is now no consistent scheme 
 of Deism in the world. Dr. Clarke then adds 
 these pertinent observations, mingled with a just 
 severity. " The Heathen philosophers, those 
 few of them who taught and lived up to the ob- 
 ligations of natural religion, had indeed a con- 
 
iO DEISTS. 
 
 sistent scheme of Deism as far as it went. But 
 the cause is not so now ; the same scheme is not 
 any longer consistent with its own principles, it 
 does not now lead men to believe and embrace 
 revelation, as it then taught them to hope for it. 
 Deists in our days, who reject revelation when 
 offered to them, are not such men as Socrates 
 and Cicero were, but under pretence of Deism, 
 it is plain they are generally ridiculers of all that 
 is truly excellent in natural religion itself. Their 
 trivial and vain cavils, their mocking and ridi- 
 culing without and before examination, their 
 directing the whole stress of objections against 
 particular customs, or particular and perhaps un- 
 certain opinions or explications of opinions, with- 
 out at all considering the main body of religion, 
 their loose, vain, and frothy discourses, and, 
 above all their vicious and immoral lives shew 
 plainly and undeniably that they are not real 
 Deists but mere Atheists, and consequently not 
 capable to judge of the truth of Christianity." But 
 the present Deists are of two sorts only, those 
 who believe, and those who disbelieve in a future 
 state. If a T heist be different from a Deist, it 
 is that he has not had revelation proposed to him, 
 and follows therefore the pure light of nature.* 
 
 * Paganism is the corruption of natural religion, and is little 
 else than the worship of idols and false gods. These were 
 
DEISTS. I 1 
 
 The term Deist tomes from the- Latin word 
 DtUt, a God ; and is applied to the rcjc< ins of 
 revelation, because the existence of a God is the 
 principal article of their belief. The name was 
 first assumed by a number of gentlemen in France 
 and Italy, who were willing to cover their oppo- 
 sition to the Christian revelation by a more ho- 
 nourable name than that of Atheists. Viret, a 
 divine of eminence among the first reformers, ap- 
 pears to have been the first author who expressly 
 mentions them j for in the Epistle Dedicatory 
 prefixed to the second volume of his Instruction 
 Chreticnne, published in 156:3, he speaks of some 
 persons at that time who called themselves by a 
 new name, that of Deists. Deists are also often 
 called Infidels, (from the Latin word infidclis) 
 on account of their want of faith or belief in the 
 
 cither men, as Jupiter, Hercules, Bacchus, &c. or fictitious per- 
 sons, as Victory, Fame, Fever, &c. or beasts as in Egypt, cro- 
 codiles, cats, &c or finally inanimate things, as onions, fire, 
 water, &c. Upon the propagation of Christianity, Paganism 
 gradually declined. Julian the apostate made an ineffectual 
 attempt to revive it, and it is now degenerated into gross and 
 disgustful idolatry. Such especially was it found to be in the 
 South Sea Islands, lately discovered by that unfortunate navi- 
 gator Captain Cook.. Curious specimens of tbe Pagan idols 
 may be seen both in the Leverian and British Museums. When 
 I saw them there--thc worshippers of such hideous deformity, 
 excited my commiseration. 
 
J 2 DEISTS. 
 
 Christian Religion. Some indeed have censured 
 the application of the term infidelity to unbe- 
 lievers, contending that in our language it is used 
 solely in a particular sense, implying the want of 
 conjugal fidelity . 
 
 Lord Herbert, of Cherbury, was the first 
 Deist who excited public notice in this 
 country. Dr. Brown's recent edition of Ice- 
 land's View of the Deistical Writers, together 
 with many other valuable treatises, afford infor- 
 mation concerning their principles, and contain 
 a complete refutation of their objections against 
 revealed religion. Mr. Belsham has thus well 
 assigned the principal causes of modern infidelity 
 in his reply to Mr. Wilberforce. " 1 . The first 
 and chief is an unwillingness to submit to the 
 restraints of religion, and the dread of a future life, 
 which leads men to overlook evidence, and to 
 magnify objections. 2. The palpable absurdi- 
 ties of creeds generally professed by Christians, 
 which men of sense having confounded with 
 the genuine doctrines of revelation, they have re- 
 jected the whole at once, and without enquiry. 
 3. Impatience and unwillingness to persevere in 
 the laborious task of weighing arguments and 
 examining objections. 4. Fashion has biassed 
 the minds of some young persons of virtuous 
 characters and competent knowledge to resist 
 
DEIS I | ; 
 
 revelation, in order to avoid the imputati* 
 
 Angularity, and to escape the ridicule of tl 
 with whom thev desire to associate. 5. Pride 
 that they might at ail easy rate attain the cha- 
 racter of philosophers ami superiority to vulgar 
 prejudice. 6. Dwelling upon difficulties only 
 from which the most rational system is not ex- 
 empt, and by which the most candid, inquisitive, 
 and virtuous minds are sometimes entangled. 
 The mass of mankind, who never think at all, 
 hut who admit without hesitation, " all that the 
 nurse and that the priest have taught," can never 
 become sceptics. Of course the whole class of 
 unbelievers consists of persons who have thought 
 more or less upon the subject, and as persons of 
 sense seldom discard at once all the principles 
 in which they have been educated, it is not won- 
 ful that many who begin with the highest or- 
 thodoxy pass through different stages of their 
 creed, dropping an article or two every step 
 their progress, till at last weary of their labour, 
 and not knowing where to fix, they reject it al- 
 together. This to a superficial and timid ob- 
 server, appears to be an objection to freedom of 
 enquiry, for no person beginning to enquire, can 
 or ought to sav where he will stop. But the 
 sincere friend to truth will not be discouraged. 
 For without enquiry truth cannot be ascertal 
 
14 DEISTS. 
 
 and if the Christian religion shrinks from close 
 examination in this bold and inquisitive age, it 
 must and it ought to fall. But of this issue I 
 have not the smallest apprehension. Genuine 
 Christianity can well bear the fiery trial through 
 which it is now passing, and while the dross and 
 the rubbish are consumed, the pure gold will 
 remain uninjured, and will come forth from the 
 furnace with encreased lustre." 
 
 Indeed the objections which some Deists have 
 made to revelation, affect not so much the reli- 
 gion of Jesus Christ, laid down in the New 
 Testament, as certain absurd doctrines and ridi- 
 culous practices which have been added to it by 
 the weakness and wickedness of mankind. Re- 
 iterated accusations therefore of unfairness have 
 been brought against the generality of deistical 
 writers ; and with this palpable injustice Boling- 
 broke, Voltaire, and Thomas Paine stand par- 
 ticularly charged. Paine's Age of Reason has 
 been ably answered by many writers, especially 
 by the present Bishop of Landaff, in his masterly 
 performance, entitled An Apology for the Bible. 
 
 The rejecters of Revelation (before they 
 thoughtlessly calumniate it) would do well to 
 consider what they are able to give us in its stead, 
 better calculated to alleviate the distresses, and 
 bind up the bleeding heart of humanity. 
 
DEISTS. I 
 
 Dr. Beattic, in the eloquent conclusion of hia 
 Essay on the Immutability of Truth, speaking of 
 Sceptics and Deists, very justly remarks j — " Ca- 
 ressed by those who call themselves the great, 
 
 engrossed by the formalities and fopperies oi life, 
 intoxicated with vanity, pampered with adulation, 
 dissipated in the tumult of business, or amidst the 
 vicissitudes of folly, they perhaps have little need 
 and little relish for the consolations of religion. 
 But let them know, that in the solitary scenes of 
 life there is many a honest and tender heart 
 pining with incurable anguish, pierced with the 
 sharpest sting of disappointment, bereft of friends, 
 chilled with poverty, racked with disease, scourg- 
 ed by the oppressor, whom nothing but trust in 
 Providence, and the hope of a future retribution, 
 could preserve from the agonies of despair. And 
 do they with sacrilegious hands attempt to violate 
 this last refuge of the miserable, and to rob them 
 of the only comfort that had survived the ravages 
 of misfortune, malice, and tyranny ! Did it ever 
 happen that the influence of their tenets disturbed 
 the tranquillity of virtuous retirement, deepened 
 the gloom of human distress, or aggravated the 
 horrors of the grave ? Ye traitors to human kind, 
 ye murderers of the human soul, how can ye 
 answer for it to your own hearts ? Surely every 
 .spark of your generosity is extinguished for ever, 
 
\6 THEOPHILANTROPISTS. 
 
 \ithis consideration do not awaken in you the 
 keenest remorse." Some admirable strictures on 
 the nature and prevalence of modern Deism, are 
 contained in the present Bishop of London's 
 Charge to the Clergy for the Year 1794. 
 
 THEOPHILANTHROPISTS. 
 
 Theophilanthropists, a kind of Deists, arisen in 
 France during the revolution. Mr. Thomas 
 Paine figured amongst them for some time, and 
 even delivered a discourse before them on the 
 principles, &;c. of this system, which was after- 
 wards established. Since the return of Popery 
 under Bonaparte, they are said to be nearly annihi- 
 lated. At least they by no means attract so much 
 of the public attention. The name by which 
 they stand distinguished, is a compound term, 
 derived from the Greek, and intimates that 
 they profess to adore God and love their fellow- 
 creatures. Their common principle is a belief 
 in the existence, perfections, and providence of 
 God, and in the doctrine of a future life, and 
 whose rule of morals is love to God and good- 
 will to men. Dr. John Walker, a medical gen- 
 tleman, author of the Universal Gazetteer, pub- 
 
THEOPHILANTHROPISTS. 11 
 
 lished the manual of the sect, from which a few 
 paiticulars shall he extracted. 
 
 "The temple, the most worthy of the divinity, 
 in the eyes of the ThcopJiilanthropish, is the 
 universe. Abandoned sometimes under the vault 
 of heaven to the contemplation of the beauties 
 of nature, they render its author the homage of 
 adoration and gratitude. They nevertheless 
 have temples erected by the hands of men, in 
 which it is more commodious for them to as- 
 semble to listen to lessons concerning his wis- 
 dom. Certain moral inscriptions, a simple altar 
 on which they deposit as a sign of gratitude for 
 the benefits of the Creator such flowers or fruits 
 as the seasons afford, a tribune of the lectures 
 and discourses, form the whole of the ornaments 
 of their temples. 
 
 The first inscription placed above the altar, 
 recalls to remembrance the two religious dogmas, 
 which are the foundation of their moral. 
 
 First Inscription. 
 
 We believe in the existence of a God, in the 
 immortality of the soul. 
 
 Second Inscription. 
 Worship God, cherish your kind, render your- 
 selves useful to your country. 
 c 
 
THEOPHILANTHROPISTS. 
 
 Third Inscription. 
 
 Good is every thing which tends to the pre- 
 servation or the perfection of man. 
 
 Evil is every thing which tends to destroy or 
 deteriorate him. 
 
 Fourth Inscription. 
 
 Children honour your fathers and mothers. 
 Obey them with affection. Comfort their old 
 age. 
 
 Fathers and mothers, instruct your children. 
 
 Fifth Inscription. 
 
 Wives regard in your husbands the chiefs of 
 your houses. 
 
 Husbands love your wives, and render your- 
 selves reciprocally happy. 
 
 The assembly sits to hear lessons or discourses 
 on morality, principles of religion, of bene- 
 volence, and of universal salvation, principles 
 equally remote from the severity of stoicism, 
 and Epicurean indolence. These lectures and 
 discourses are diversified by hymns. Their 
 assemblies are holden on the first day of the 
 week, and on the decades." Mr. Belsham, in his 
 answer to Mr. Wilberforce, speaking of this new 
 French sect of Deists, remarks—" Its professed 
 
THEOPH1LAN1 IiRol'ls is. | -• 
 
 principles co m prehend the essence of the Chris- 
 tian religion, but not admitting the resurrection of 
 
 Christ, the rhcophiluuthropisls deprive them- 
 selves of the only solid ground on which to huihl 
 the hope of a future existence*" 
 
 The concluding part of the manual <>\ the 
 Theophilanthropists being still further explana- 
 tory of their tenets and conduct, shall he here in- 
 troduced. — " If any one ask you what is the 
 origin ot your religion and of your worship, you 
 can answer him thus : — Open the most ancient 
 books which are known, seek there what was 
 the religion, what the worship of the first human 
 beings of which history has preserved the re- 
 membrance. There you will see that their re- 
 ligion was what we now call natural religion, 
 because it has for its principle even the Author of 
 nature. It is he that has engraven it in the 
 heart of the first human beings, in ours, in that 
 of all the inhabitants of the earth : this religion 
 which consists in worshipping God and cherish- 
 ing our kind, is what we express by one single 
 word, that of Tlicophilanthropy. Thus our re- 
 ligion is that of our first parents ; it is yours ; it 
 is ours; it is the universal religion. As to our 
 worship, it is also that of our first fathers. See 
 even in the most ancient writings, that the exterior 
 signs by which they rendered their homage to 
 
 c 2 
 
20 THEOPHILANTHROPISTS. 
 
 the Creator, were of great simplicity. They 
 dressed for him an altar of earth, they offered 
 him, in sign of their gratitude and of their sub- 
 mission, some of the productions which they held 
 of his liberal hand. The fathers exhorted their 
 children to virtue ; they all encouraged one ano- 
 ther under the auspices of the Divinity to the 
 accomplishment of their duties. This simple 
 worship, the sages of all nations have not ceased 
 to profess, and they have transmitted it down to 
 us without interruption. 
 
 If they yet ask you of whom you hold your 
 mission, answer we hold it of God himself, who 
 in living us two arms, to aid our kind, has also 
 given us intelligence to mutually enlighten us 
 and the love of good to bring us together to vir- 
 tue ; of God who has given experience and wis- 
 dom to the aged to guide the young, and authority 
 to fathers to conduct their children. 
 
 If thev are not struck with the force of these 
 reasons, do not farther discuss the subject, and do 
 not engage yourself in controversies, which tend 
 to diminish the love of our neighbours. Our 
 principles are the eternal truth, they will subsist, 
 whatever individuals may support or attack them, 
 and the efforts of the wicked will not even pre- 
 vail against them. Rest firmly attached to them 
 without attaching or defending any religious sys- 
 tem, and remember that similar discussions have 
 
JUDAISM. 
 
 never produced good, and that they have < 
 tinged the earth with the blood of men. Lei us 
 lay aside systems, anil apply ourselves to doing 
 good. It is the only road to happiness." 
 
 The Christian reader will admire the practical 
 tendency of this new species of Deism, but 
 lament the defects by which it stands charac- 
 terized. It wants the broad basis of revelation, 
 Which would give permanency to its doctrines, 
 and energy to its precepts, beside the glorious 
 discoveries of immortality ! It was hoped at one 
 time that the profession of this system in France 
 would have prepared the way for the reception 
 of pure Christianity. 
 
 JUDAISM. 
 
 Judaism is the religious doctrines and rites of 
 the Jews, who are the descendants of Abraham, 
 a person of eminence, chosen by God, soon after 
 the flood, to preserve the doctrine of the Divine 
 Unity among the idolatrous nations of the earth. 
 A complete system of Judaism is contained in the 
 five books of Moses, their great law-giver, who 
 was raised up to deliver them from theil bondage 
 in Egypt, and to conduct them to the possessin 
 c °, 
 
22 JUDAISM. 
 
 of Canaan, the promised land. The Jewish 
 occonomy is so much directed to temporal re- 
 wards and punishments, that it has been ques- 
 tioned whether the Jews had any knowledge of a 
 future state. This opinion has been defended 
 with vast eruditionby Warburton, in his Divine 
 Legation of Moses \ but it has been controverted 
 by Dr. Sykes, and other authors of respectability 
 The principal sects among the Jews, in the time 
 of our Saviour, were the Pharisees, who placed 
 religion in external ceremony — the Sadduces, 
 who were remarkable for their incredulity ; and 
 the Essenes, who were distinguished by an 
 austere sanctity. Some accounts of these sects 
 will be found in the last volume of Prideaux's 
 Connection, in Harwood's Introduction to the 
 Study of the New Testament, and in Marsh's 
 improved edition of Michaelis. 
 
 The Pharisees and Sadduces are frequently 
 mentioned in the New Testament ; and an ac- 
 quaintance with their principles and practices 
 serves to illustrate many passages in the sacred 
 history. At present the Jews have two sects, 
 the Caraites, who admit no rule of religion but 
 the law of Moses ; and the Rabbinists, who 
 add to the laws the traditions of the Talmud. 
 The dispersion of the Jews took place upon the 
 destruction of Jerusalem by Titus the Roman 
 
JUDA] 
 
 Emperor, A. D. 70. The expectation o( ■ Mr,. 
 siah is the distinguishing feature of their religious 
 system. The word Messiah signifies one 
 
 anointed, or installed into an office by unction. 
 The Jews used to anoint their kings, high priests, 
 and sometimes prophets, at their entering upon 
 office- Thus Saul, David, Solomon, and [oath, 
 kings of Judah, received the royal unction. Thus 
 also Aaron and his sons received the sacerdotal, 
 and Elisha, the disciple of Elijah, the prophetic 
 unction. 
 
 Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the 
 Messiah, in whom all the Jewish prophecies are 
 accomplished. The Jews, infatuated with the 
 idea of a temporal Messiah, who is to sub- 
 due the world, still wait for his appearance 
 According to Buxtorf, (a professor of Hebrew, 
 and celebrated for rabbinical learning) some of 
 the modern rabbins believe that the Messiah is 
 already come, but that he will not manifest him. 
 self on account of the sins of the Jtws. Others 
 however have had recourse to the hypothesis of 
 two Messiahs, who are to succeed each other — ■ 
 one in a state of humiliation and suffering — the 
 other in a state of glory, magnificence, and 
 power. Be it however remembered, that in the 
 New Testament Jesus Christ assures us in the 
 most explicit terms that he is the Messiah. In 
 
 c 4 
 
2t JUDAISM. 
 
 John iv. 25, the Samaritan woman says to Jesus, 
 / know that Mcssias comeik which is called 
 Christ : when he is come, he will tell us all 
 things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak to 
 thee am He. According to the prediction of 
 Jesus Christ, several impostors would assume 
 the title of Messiah ; and accordingly such 
 persons have appeared. An history of " False 
 Messiahs'* has been written by a Dutchman. 
 Barcochab was the first, who appeared in the 
 time of Adrian ; the second, in 1666, was Sab- 
 bethai Levi, who turned Mahometan ; and the 
 last was Rabbi Mordecai, who was talked of in 
 1682. 
 
 The Talmud is a collection of the doctrines 
 and morality of the Jews. They have two works 
 that bear this name ; the first is called the Tal- 
 mud of Jerusalem ; and the other the Talmud of 
 Babylon. The former is shorter and more ob- 
 scure than that of Babylon, but is of an older 
 date. The Talmud compiled at Babylon the 
 Jews prefer to that of Jerusalem, as it is clearer 
 and more extensive. 
 
 The Jewish ceconomy was certainly typi- 
 cal of the Christian dispensation in many im- 
 portant respects, but these types and antitypes 
 have been wretchedly abused. A curious in- 
 tance of this kind occurred about the time of 
 
[UfcAISM. 
 
 the reformation. LeCIcrc has recorded it ; and 
 the perusal of it must create a smile. The story 
 is this: two eminent Protestants, a Lutheran 
 
 anil a Calvinist had been wrangling a consider- 
 able time about the precedency of their patriarchs, 
 
 without any seeming advantage ; when the one 
 took it into his head to make Luther the antitype 
 of Aaron, seeing he was the first who had set 
 up and lighted the grand candlestick of the re- 
 formation, in the tabernacle. The other not 
 being able to disprove the fact, had recourse to 
 the same typical reasoning, and affirmed that if 
 Luther was Aaron's antitype, upon that score 
 Calvin was much more so, since it is manifest 
 that if he had not taken 'the snuffers in his hand 
 and snuffed the lamps, the candlestick would 
 have given so dim a light, that few people would 
 have been the better for it ! 
 
 The most remarkable periods in the history of 
 the Jews are the call of Abraham, the giving of 
 the law by Moses, their establishment in Canaan 
 under Joshua, the building of the Temple by 
 Solomon, the division of the tribes, their ean- 
 tivity in Babylon, their return under Zerubba- 
 bel, and the destruction of their city and temple 
 by the Lmperor Titus. Their books of the 
 Old Testament are the most ancient and authen- 
 tic records extant. Vox further information res 
 pecting Judaism, many publications mav be 
 
26 JUDAISM. 
 
 consulted. See the wi kings of Josephus, their 
 famous historian, of which there are several 
 translations in our language— Dr. Jenning's two 
 volumes of Jewish antiquities, Dr. Shaw's phi- 
 losophy of Judaism, and Levi's Ceremonies of 
 the Jewish religion. 
 
 I shall conclude this article of the Jews, with 
 remarking that the indefatigable Dr. Priest- 
 ley addressed them some years ago with spirit, 
 and Mr. Levi, a learned Jew, has replied. An 
 excellent Address, however, to the Jews, has re- 
 cently come from the same pen, dated Nor- 
 thumberland, America, October 1, 1799. It con- 
 cludes in the following pointed manner : "I 
 formerly took the liberty=to address you, and had 
 the happiness to find you were satisfied that I 
 wrote from the purest motives, and a sincere re- 
 spect and good-will to your nation. Having 
 then advanced all that I thought necessary for 
 the purpose, I shall not repeat it here. But I 
 cannot help observing, that though one of your 
 nation, a person whom I well know and respect, 
 replied to me, he did not undertake to refute my 
 principal argument, viz. that from Historical 
 Evidence. He did not pretend to point out any 
 defect in the arguments that I advanced, for Jesus 
 having wrought real miracles, for his having 
 died, and 'having risen from the dead. And it 
 the gospel history of those facts he true, what- 
 
JUDAISM. 27 
 
 ever may be objected to Christianity on other 
 accounts, the divine mission will he unquestion- 
 able. God would never have suffered any per- 
 son pretending to come from him, to impose 
 upon your nation and the whole world in so C\ 
 gious a manner as Jesus must have done, if he 
 had been an impostor. Would God have raised 
 an impostor to life, after a public execution ? And 
 yet in my discourse on that subject, I have shewn 
 that this one fact has the most convincing evi- 
 dence that any fact of the kind could possibly 
 have. If you attentively consider the character 
 of Jesus, his great simplicity, his piety, his bene- 
 volence, and every other virtue, you must he 
 satisfied that he was incapable of imposture. 
 Compare his character and conduct with that of 
 Mahomet, or any other known impostor, and 
 this argument of the internal kind must strike 
 vou in a forcible manner. Besides how was it 
 possible for such a religion as the Christian, 
 preached by persons in low stations, without the 
 advantage of a learned education, to have esta- 
 blished itself in the world, opposed as it was bv 
 every obstacle that could be thrown in its wav, 
 if it had not been supported by truth and the 
 God of truth ? The belief of your nation in 
 general, has answered an important purpose in 
 the plan of Divine Providence, as nothing else 
 could have given so much satisfaction, thai Ch 
 
28 CHINESE RELIGION. 
 
 tianity received no aid from civil government, 
 and that the books of your scriptures are genuine 
 writings, not imposed on the world by Chris- 
 tians. But this great end being now completely 
 answered by the continuance of your incredulity 
 for such a length of time, I hope the time is ap- 
 proaching, when, as the apostle says, Rom. xi. 26. 
 All Israel will be saved, an event which will be 
 followed by the conversion of the Gentiles in 
 general. Your restoration cannot fail to con- 
 vince the world of the truth of your religion ; 
 and in those circumstances, your conversion to 
 Christianity cannot fail to draw after it that of 
 the whole world !" In the Spectator, No. 495, 
 Addison has given a paper on the history of the 
 Jews, written with his accustomed ingenuity and 
 piety. 
 
 CHINESE RELIGION. 
 
 THE Chinese religion is involved in great mys- 
 tery. Father Amiot, after the most assiduous re- 
 searches on the subject, comes to this conclusion : 
 " the Chinese (says he) area distinct people, who 
 have still preserved the characteristic marks of 
 their first origin ; a people whose primitive doc- 
 trine will be found, by those who take the trou- 
 
CHRISTIANITY. 29 
 
 ble of investigating it thoroughly, to agree in us 
 essential parts with the doctrine oi the chosen 
 people, before Moses, by the command of God 
 
 himself, had consigned the explanation of it to 
 the sacred records; a people, in a word, whose 
 traditional knowledge, when freed from whatever 
 the ignorance or the superstition of later ages has 
 added to it, may be traced back from age to age, 
 and from epocha to epocha, without interruption, 
 for the space of four thousand years, even to the 
 renewal of the human race by the grandson of 
 Noah." The King, or canonical book of the 
 Chinese, everywhere inculcates the belief of a 
 Supreme Being, the author and preserver of all 
 things. Their great philosopher Confucius lived 
 about five hundred years before our Saviour's 
 birth, and to this day each town has a place con- 
 secrated to his memory. See the late Sir George 
 Staunton s Embassy, where much information 
 is given respecting their religion. Amongst other 
 particulars, it is mentioned, that the Chinesehzve 
 no religious establishment. 
 
 CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 CHRISTIANITY(to which Judaism was intro- 
 ductory) is the last and more perfect dispensation 
 of revealed religion with which God hath favour- 
 ed the human race. It was instituted by Jfsus 
 
30 CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 Christ, the Son of God who made his appear- 
 ance in Judea near two thousand years ago. He 
 was born at Bethlehem, brought up at Nazareth, 
 and crucified at Jerusalem. His lineage, birth, 
 life, death, and sufferings, were minutely predict- 
 ed by a succession of the Jewish prophets, and 
 his religion is now spread over a considerable 
 portion of the globe. The evidences of the chris- 
 tian religion are comprised under historical testi- 
 mony, prophecies, miracles, the internal evidence 
 of its doctrines and precepts, and the rapidity of 
 its first propagation among the Jews and the Gen- 
 tiles. — Though thinking christians have in every 
 age differed widely respecting some of the doc- 
 trines of this religion, yet they are fully agreed 
 in the divinity of its origin, and in the benevo- 
 lence of its tendency. 
 
 Brief representations of the christian religion, 
 shall be transcribed both from the writings of 
 churchmen and dissenters, well deserving of at- 
 tention. 
 
 Bishop Gibson, in his second pastoral letter, 
 observes — " it will appear that the several deno- 
 minations of christians agree both in the substance 
 of religion and in the necessary enforcements of 
 the practice of it: that the world and all things 
 in it were created by God, and are under the di- 
 rection and government of his all-powerful hand 
 and all-seeing eye ; that there is an essential dif- 
 
( HRISTIANITY. | I 
 
 taviuc between good and evil, virtue and vice; 
 that there will be a state of future rewards and 
 punishments, according to our behaviour in this 
 life ; that Christ was a teaeher sent from God, 
 
 and th.it his apostles were divinely inspired; that 
 all christians are hound to declare and profess 
 themselves to be his disciples ; that not only the 
 exercise of the several virtues, but also a belief 
 in Christ is necessary, in order to their obtaining 
 the pardon of sin, the favor of God, and eternal 
 life ; that the worship of God is to be performed 
 chiefly by the heart m prayers, praises, and thanks- 
 givings; and as to all other points, that they are 
 bound to live by the rules which Christ and his 
 apostles have left them in the holy scriptures. 
 Here then is a fixed, certain, and uniform rule 
 of faith and practice, containing all the most 
 necessary points of religion, established by a di- 
 vine sanction, embraced as such by 'ALL denomi- 
 nations of Christians, and in itself abundantly 
 sufficient to preserve the knowledge and practice 
 of religion in the world*" 
 
 * Some curious particulars respecting the religion of the 
 Hindoos in the East Indies, communicated in the Asiatic Re- 
 searches, seem to indicate that it is a corruption of the Chris* 
 rian religion. How far the resemblance holds, the reader of 
 the Asiatic Researches must form his own judgment. That 
 celebrated work was published under the inspection of the 
 late Sir VV. Jones The reader should also consult Maui 
 
32 CHRISTIANITY 
 
 Dr. Sherlock (who succeeded Dr. Gibson as 
 Bishop of London) expresses himself much to the 
 same purpose in the first volume of his sermons. 
 Observing that the books of the New Testament 
 may be considered either as historical, as doctri- 
 nal, or as controversial, and some as a mixture 
 of the two last, he thus proceeds : — " by the 
 doctrinal I understand those matters of faith and 
 rules of duty which do not regard this or that par- 
 ticular faith, but were intended for the use of the 
 world, and are to continue to the end of it. And 
 if there be a clear law, and clearly expressed in 
 the world, this is the law. Can words more 
 clearly express the honor and worship we are to 
 pay to God, or can more familiar expressions be 
 given in this case than are to be found in the gos- 
 pel ? Is not idolatry clearlv condemned in the 
 gospel ? Is there any thing relating to divine wor- 
 ship that we yet want instructing in ? Are not the 
 duties likewise which we owe to each other made 
 evident and plain ; and can there be any dispute 
 about them, except what arises from lust, or ava- 
 rice, or other self-interest ? As to the peculiar 
 benefits of the gospel, are they not declared with- 
 
 Jndian Antiquities, in which performance the author discovers 
 a profound acquaintance with oriental literature. Some singu- 
 lar specimens, of Egyptian Antiquities are just deposited in 
 the British Museum, which may still further illustrate the reli- 
 gion of the Eastern nations of the world. 
 
( llRISTIANI'I \ ■ 
 
 out obscurity? Can you read the gospel, ami 
 doubt whether Christ died for you r Whether 
 God will grant pardon to the penitent, or his as- 
 sistance to those who ask it, whether he will re- 
 ward all such in glory who continue the faithful 
 disciples of his Son? What other revelation do 
 we zvant or can we desire, in these great and 
 weighty concerns ; or what is there wanting to 
 make up a complete system of religion ?" 
 
 The immortal Locke also observes — " Who- 
 ever would attain to a true knowledge of the 
 Christian religion, in the full and just extent of 
 it, let him study the holy scriptures, especially 
 the New Testament, wherein are contained the 
 words of eternal life. It has God for its author, 
 Salvation for its end, and truth, without any 
 mixture of error, for its matter." Even Rous- 
 seau, confessed himself struck with the majesty 
 of the scriptures, the purity of the gospel, and the 
 character of Jesus Christ. See Gerard's Disser- 
 tations on the Internal evidence of Christianity, 
 and also Dr. Craig's Life of Christ, written with 
 great good sense and simplicity. 
 
 Many of the serious friends of Christianity are 
 alarmed at the progress of Atheism and Deism, 
 both at home and abroad. But let not the friends 
 of truth be discouraged. That revealed (as well 
 as natural) religion is encumbered with difficul- 
 ties, has never been denied ; and this trait with 
 
 D 
 
34 CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 a considerate mind will be construed into a 
 presumptive proof of its authenticity. " It 
 would be a miracle (says Dr. Watson, the present 
 Bishop of Landaff) greater than any we are in- 
 structed to believe, if there remained no difficul- 
 ties; if a being with but five scanty inlets of 
 knowledge, separated but yesterday from his mo- 
 ther earth, and to-day sinking again into her bo- 
 som, could fathom the depths of the wisdom and 
 knowledge of Him, which is, which was, and 
 which is to come — the Lord God Almighty, to 
 whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever ! 
 We live in a dissolute but enlightened age ; the 
 restraints of our religion are ill suited to the pro- 
 fligacy of our manners ; and men are soon in- 
 duced to believe that system to be false which 
 they wish to find so : that knowledge, moreover, 
 which spurns with contempt the illusions of fa- 
 naticism, and the tyranny of superstition, is often 
 "unhappily misemployed in magnifying every lit- 
 tle difficulty attending the proof of the truth of 
 Christianity, into an irrefragable argument of its 
 falsehood. The Christian religion has nothing 
 to apprehend from the strictest investigation of 
 the most learned of its adversaries ; it suffers 
 only from the misconceptions of sciolists and 
 silly pretenders to superior wisdom : a little learn- 
 ing is far more dangerous to the faith of those 
 who possess it than ignorance itself. Some I 
 
CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 know affect to believe, that as the restoration of 
 
 letters were ruinous to the Romish religion, so 
 the further cultivation of them will be subversive 
 of Christianity itself : of this there is no danger. 
 It may be subversive of the reliqucs of the church 
 of Rome, by which other churches are still pol- 
 luted ; of persecutions, of anathemas, of ecclesi- 
 astical domination over God's heritage, of all the 
 silly out-works which the pride, the superstition, 
 and the knavery of mankind have erected around 
 the citadel of our faith ; but the citadel itself is 
 founded on a rock, the gates of hell cannot pre- 
 vail against it — its master-builder is God; its 
 beauty will be found ineffable, and its strength 
 impregnable, when it shall be freed from the frip- 
 pery or human ornaments, and cleared from the 
 rubbish of human bulwarks." * 
 
 The excellent Dr. Doddridge also thus happily 
 expresses himself on the subject. " The cause 
 of Christianity has greatly gained by debate, and 
 the gospel comes like fine gold out of the fur- 
 nace, which the more it is tried the more it is 
 approved. I own the defenders of the gospel 
 
 * Tliis prelate lias published two Sermoni in defence of 
 Revealed Re/tgion, together with some I 'A worthy ol 
 
 perusal. His discourse before the London Hospital, May, 
 I <",'. contains a popular illustration of the evidences of Chris- 
 tianity. 
 
 D2 
 
36 CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 have appeared with very different degrees of 
 ability for the work, nor could it be otherwise 
 amongst such numbers of them ; but on the 
 whole, though the patrons of infidelity have 
 been masters of some wit, humour, and address, 
 as well as of a moderate share of learning, and 
 generally of much more than a moderate share 
 of assurance, yet so great is the force of truth, 
 that (unless we may except those writers, who 
 have unhappily called for the aid of the civil 
 magistrate in the controversy) I cannot recollect 
 that I have seen any defence of the gospel, which 
 has not on the whole been sufficient to establish 
 it, notwithstanding all the sophistical arguments 
 of its most subtle antagonists. This is an obser- 
 vation which is continually gaining new strength, 
 as new assaults are made upon the gospel. And I 
 cannot forbear saying, that as if it were by a kind 
 of judicial infatuation, some who have dis- 
 tinguished themselves in the wretched cause of 
 infidelity, have been permitted to fall into such 
 gross misrepresentations, such senseless incon- 
 sistencies, and such palpable falsehoods, and in a 
 word, into such various and malignant super- 
 fluity of naughtiness, that to a wise and pious 
 mind, they must appear like those venomous 
 creatures, which are said to carry an antidote in 
 their bowels against their own poison. A virtu- 
 ous and well-bred Deist must turn away from 
 
CHRISTIANITY. 1 
 
 some pieces of this kind with scorn and abhor* 
 rence, and a Christian might almost be tempted 
 to wish that the books, with all their scandals 
 about them, might be transmitted to posterity, 
 lest when they come to live, like the writings of 
 some of the ancient heathens, only in those of 
 their learned and pious answerers, it should hardly 
 be credited that ever the enemies of the gospel 
 in such an enlightened age, should be capable of 
 so much impiety and folly." 
 
 From this paragraph, it would seemingly ap- 
 pear that good Dr. Doddridge had witli a kind of 
 prophetical sagacity, anticipated the publication 
 of the Age of Reason, which by its boldness 
 excited alarm ; but which, on account of its mis- 
 representations and scurrility, may be ranked 
 amongst the lowest of the deistical productions. 
 
 Finally, to use the words of the ingenious 
 Mr. Clarke, in his answer to the question, Why 
 arc you a Christian? — " Not because I was 
 born in a Christian country, and educated in 
 Christian principles ; not because I find the 
 illustrious Bacon, Boyle, Locke, Clarke, and 
 Newton among the professors and defenders of 
 Christianity ; nor merely because the system it- 
 self is so admirably calculated to mend and exalt 
 human nature, but because the evidence accom- 
 panying the gospel has convinced me of its truth. 
 The secondary cause assigned by unbelievers do 
 d 3 
 
38 CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 not, in my judgment, account for the rise, pro- 
 gress, and early triumphs of the Christian reli- 
 gion. Upon the principles of scepticism, I 
 perceive an effect without an adequate cause. I 
 therefore stand acquitted to my own reason, tho' 
 I continue to believe and profess the religion of 
 Jesus Christ. Arguing from effects to causes, I 
 think I have philosophy on my side. And re- 
 duced to a choice of difficulties, I encounter not 
 so many in admitting the miracles ascribed to 
 the Saviour, as in the arbitrary suppositions and 
 conjectures of his enemies. 
 
 "That there once existed'such a person as Jesus 
 Christ ; that he appeared in Judea in the reign of 
 Tiberius ; that he taught a system of morals supe- 
 rior to any inculcated in the Jewish schools ; that 
 he was crucified at Jerusalem ; and that Pontius 
 Pilate was the Roman governor, by whose sen- 
 tence he was condemned and executed, are facts 
 which no one can reasonably call in question. 
 The most inveterate Deists admit them without 
 difficulty. And, indeed, to dispute these facts, 
 would be giving the lie to all history. As well 
 might we deny the existence of Cicero as of a 
 person by the name of Jesus Christ. And with 
 equal propriety might we call in question the ora- 
 tions of the former as the discourses of the latter. 
 We are morally certain that the one entertained 
 the Romans with his eloquence, and that the 
 
CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 other enlightened the Jews with his wisdom. But 
 it is unnecessary to labour these points, because 
 they are generally conceded. They who affe< i 
 to despise the Evangelists and Apostles, profess 
 to reverence Tacitus, Suetonius, and Pliny. And 
 these eminent Romans bear testimony to several 
 particulars which relate to the person of Jesus 
 Christ, his influence as the founder of a sect, and 
 his crucifixion. From a deference to human au- 
 thority, all therefore acknowledge that the Chris- 
 tian religion derived its name from Jesus Christ. 
 And many are so just to its merits, as to admit 
 that he taught better than Confucius, and practised 
 better than Socrates or Plato. But I confess my 
 creed embraces many more articles. I believe 
 that Jesus Christ was not only a teacher of virtue, 
 but that he had a special commission to teach. 
 I believe that his doctrines are not the works of 
 human reason, but of divine communication to 
 mankind. I believe that he was authorized by 
 God to proclaim forgiveness to the penitent, and 
 to reveal a state of immortal glory and blessed- 
 ness to those who fear God and work righte- 
 ousness. I believe, in short, the whole Evan- 
 gelical history, and of consequence the divine 
 original of Christianity, and the sacred autho- 
 rity of the gospel. Others may reject these 
 things as the fictions of humour, art, or policy ; 
 but I assent to them from a full conviction of 
 d 4 
 
40 CHISTIANITY. 
 
 their truth. The objections of infidelity have 
 often shocked my feelings, but have never yet 
 shaken my faith. 
 
 " To come then to the question — Why are 
 you a Christian ? I answer, because the 
 Christian Religion carries with it internal 
 marks of its truth ; because not only without the 
 aid, but in opposition to the civil authority, in 
 opposition to the wit, the argument, and insolence 
 of its enemies, it made its way, and gained an 
 establishment in the world ; because it exhibited 
 the accomplishment of some prophecies, and 
 presents others, which have been since fulfilled ; 
 and because its author displayed an example, and 
 performed works, which bespeak not merely a 
 superior, but a divine character. Upon these se- 
 \era\facts, I ground my belief as a Christian, 
 And till the evidence on which they rest, can be 
 invalidated by counter-evidence, I must retain 
 my principles and my profession.'' 
 
 These extracts from Sherlock, Gibson, Locke, 
 Watson, Doddridge, and Clarke have been here 
 selected, because they serve to illustrate in a few 
 words both the nature and evidences of Christi- 
 anity. Thus says an ingenious writer, the Reve- 
 rend Robert Hall, of Cambridge — " When at the 
 distance of more than half a century Christianity 
 was assaulted by a Woolston, a Tindal, and a 
 Morgan, it was ably supported both by clergy- 
 
CHRISTIAN' !TY. -M 
 
 men of the established church aud writers amo 
 
 Protestant Dissenters; the labours of a Cla rke 
 and a Butler were associated with those of a 
 Doddridge, a Le!and t *ni3i a Lardner, with such 
 equal reputation and success, as to make it evident 
 
 that the intrinsic excellence of religion needs 
 not the aid of external appendages, that with or 
 without a dowry her charms are of equal force u 
 fix and engage the heart." 
 
 It would, however, be as useless as it is im- 
 possible, to refer the reader to all the principal 
 treatises which have been written at different pe- 
 riods for the defence and illustration of the Chris- 
 tian religion. But a few ought to be mentioned 
 injustice to the subject ; and those alone shall 
 be specified which are the easiest of access. The 
 student may therefore consult Lardner' s Credi- 
 bility s Watson's Theological Tracts, Priestley's 
 Institutes of Natural and revealed Religion, 
 Butler's Analogy, and Paley's masterly View 
 of the Evidences of Christianity. For the use 
 of private Christians, take Doddridge's Three 
 Sermons on the Evidences of the Christian Reli- 
 gion, Plain Reasons for being a Christian, and 
 an answer to the question, Why are you a Chris- 
 tian, by an American Divine, but reprinted in. 
 this Country. Nor can it be improper here to 
 mention a small piece just published by Mr- 
 Richard Allchin, of Maidstone, entitled J Tanii- 
 
42 MAHOMETAN ISM, 
 
 liar Address to young Persons on the Truth 
 and Importance of Christianity. The substance 
 of Volumes is comprised within about thirty pages 
 — drawn up with neatness and simplicity. And 
 solemnly doth it concern both ministers and pa- 
 rents, as they are accountable at the tribunal of 
 Heaven, to furnish the rising generation 
 with religious principles, which, by operating on 
 the springs of human conduct, will insure their 
 temporal and eternal felicity. 
 
 MAHOMETANISM. 
 
 MAHOMETANISM is the religion of Maho- 
 met, who was born in 57 1 , at Mecca, a city of Ara- 
 bia, and died at Medina 63 1. His system is a com- 
 pound of Paganism, Judaism, and Christianity ; 
 and the Alcoran, which is their Bible, is held in 
 great reverence. It is replete with absurd repre- 
 sentations, and is supposed to be written by a 
 Jew, The most eloquent passage is allowed to 
 be the following, where God is introduced, bid- 
 ding the waters of the deluge to cease. " Earth 
 swallow up the waters: heaven draw up those 
 thou hast poured out: immediately the waters re- 
 treated, the command of God was obeyed, the 
 ark rested on the mountains, and these words 
 were heard— rwe to the wicked /" Lust, ambi- 
 
M \" -Ml rANISM. 
 
 lion, andcruelty, arc the most prominent traits 
 in Mahomet's conduct ; and Voltaire has written 
 a fine tragedy on this subject. The great doc* 
 trine of the Alcoran is the unity of God, which 
 together with the mission of Christ Is strongly 
 insisted upon by the prophet. Indeed he per- 
 suaded his followers that he was the Paraclete or 
 comforter which Christ had promised his disciples. 
 In this respect the Mahometan religion constitutes 
 a powerful collateral proof of the truth of Chris- 
 tianity. Nor has this circumstance suggested to 
 me by a worthy friend, been sufficiently consi- 
 dered by christians. Thus we may extract good 
 from evil, and it is our duty to avail ourselves of 
 every thing which tends to augment the eviden- 
 ces of our holy religion. Dean Prideaux hath 
 largely proved, in his letter to the Deists of the 
 Present Age, that there are seven marks of an 
 imposture, that these all belong to Mahometan- 
 ism, and that not one of them can be charged on 
 Christianity. See Sale's Alcoran, Pridcaux's Life 
 of Mahomet, Dr. White's Sermons at the Bamp- 
 ton Lecture, and Dr.Toulmin's excellent Disser- 
 tations on the internal Evidence of Christianity, 
 and on the Character of Christ compared with 
 that of other founders of religion or philosophy. 
 Mr. Gibbon in his Roman History, gives the 
 following curious specimen of Mahometan divi- 
 nity ; for the Prophet propagated his religion by 
 
44 MAKOMETANISM. 
 
 force of arms : — " The sword (saith Mahomet) is 
 the key of heaven and of hell ; a drop of blood 
 shed in the cause of God, or a night spent in arms, 
 is of more avail than two months ot fasting or 
 prayer. Whosoever falls in battle, his sins are 
 forgiven at the day of judgment ; his wounds shall 
 be replendent as vermilion, and odoriferous as 
 musk, the loss of his limbs shall be supplied by 
 the wings of angels and cherubims." 
 
 " I never wondered (says an ingenious author) 
 that the attempts of Mahomet to establish his 
 religion were crowned with success. When I 
 peruse the Koran, and examine the materials of 
 which it is composed; when I observe how much 
 the work is indebted to the Jewish and Christian 
 revelations ; when I survey the particular part 
 which Mahomet or his agents supplied ; when I 
 see with how much art the whole is accommo- 
 dated to the opinions and habits of the Jews, 
 Christians, and Pagans ; when I consider what 
 indigencies it grants, and what future scenes it 
 unfolds ; when I advert to the peculiar circum- 
 stances of the times, when its author formed the 
 vast design of assuming the royal and prophetic 
 character ; and more than all, when I contem- 
 plate the reformer at the head of a conquering 
 army, the Koran in one hand, and in the other a 
 sword, I cannot be surprised at the civil and re- 
 ligious revolution, which has immortalized his 
 
MAIIOMI-TANISM. 43 
 
 name. With his advantages, how could he tail 
 of success ? Every thing favoured the entu prize. 
 The nations beheld a military apostle. And they 
 who were unconvinced by his arguments, trem- 
 bled at his sword."* 
 
 Having given this preliminary account of 
 Atheism, Deism, Theophilanthropism, Ju- 
 daism, Christianity, and Mahometanism, we 
 now proceed to the denominations of the 
 Christian world. In the first ages of Christianity 
 there were various sects which have long ago 
 .sunk into oblivion, and whose names theretore 
 exist onlv in the pages of ecclesiastical history. 
 It is not our purpose even to glance at these an- 
 cient sects, but only briefly to notice those which 
 in the present day attract our attention. The 
 most distinguished may be included under the 
 following arrangement : — Opinions respecting 
 the person of Christ ; respecting the means and 
 measure of God's favor ; and respecting Church 
 Government and the administration of ceremo- 
 nies. 
 
 * Mahometanism distributes itself into two general par?% 
 Faith, and Practice— the former containing six branches — 
 belief in God ; in his angels ; in his scriptures j in his pro- 
 phets; in the resurrection and final judgment; in the di- 
 vine decrees— the latter relating to prayer with washings— 
 alms—fasting— Pilgrimage to Mecca, and circumcision. 
 
46 TRINITARIANS. 
 
 I. 
 
 OPINIONS RESPECTING THE PERSON OF CHRIST. 
 
 JESUS Christ being the medium by which the 
 Deity hath imparted a knowledge of his will to 
 mankind, the person of Christ has been eagerly 
 investigated, and the nature of God rendered the 
 subject of rude and unhallowed controversy. 
 This has filled the religious world withviolent 
 contentions, nor are they likely to be brought 
 speedily to a termination. In the mean time, it 
 would become us to discuss this topic with great 
 modesty and humility. It is, however, my pre- 
 sent province to state the existing opinions re- 
 specting this abstruse subject ; it shall be done 
 in a few words, and I hope with a degree of 
 accuracy. 
 
 TRINITARIANS. 
 
 THE Trinitarian believes the doctrine of a 
 Trinity, by which is generally understood, that 
 there are three distinct persons in one undivided 
 Godhead — the Father, the Son, and the Holy 
 Ghost. The word Trinity is not to be found in 
 the Bible, but is a scholastic term, derived from 
 the Latin word Trinitas, denoting a three-fold 
 
ATII AN ASIAN'S. -J7 
 
 unity. Calvin himself reprobates the term, as 
 being barbarous, and of human invention. The 
 
 most learned writers entertain such various and 
 contradictory sentiments respecting this mystery, 
 that it is difficult to know to whom the term 
 Trinitarian is justly applicable. Waterland, 
 Howe, Sherlock, Pearson, Burnet, Beveridge, 
 Wallis, and Watts, have each of them separate 
 opinions on this subject. Dr. Priestley, however, 
 thinks Trinitarians reducible to two classes ; those 
 who believe that there is no proper divinity in 
 Christ, beside that of the Father ; and the class of 
 Tritheists, who maintain that there are three 
 equal and distinct Gods. 
 
 ATHANASIANS. 
 
 NEARLY allied to this latter class are the Atha- 
 nasians, a name derived from Athanasius, a father 
 of the Christian church, who lived in the fourth 
 century. The creed, which bears his name in 
 the Common Prayer Book, is not ot his compo- 
 sition ; and so little attached was Archbishop 
 Tillotson to it, that in writing to Dr. Burnet the 
 historian, he says. " I wish we were well rid of 
 it." The episcopal church in America has 
 rejected it. — Were the account of the doctrine of 
 the Trinity contained in this creed ever so just 
 
48 ATH AN ASIANS. 
 
 anil satisfactory, yet its damnatory clauses are 
 highly exceptionable, and have given great of- 
 fence to some of the more sensible and worthy 
 members of the established church. On this 
 subject, Dr. Prettyman, in his Elements, speaks 
 with candour and moderation — " Great objection 
 has been made to the clauses of this creed, which 
 denounce eternal damnation against those who 
 do not believe the Catholic faith, as here stated ; 
 and it certainly is to be lamented, that assertions 
 of so peremptory a nature, unexplained and un- 
 qualified, should have been used in any human 
 composition." The prelate then endeavours to 
 account for the introduction of such clauses in- 
 to the creed ; and then adds — " We know that 
 different persons have deduced different and even 
 opposite doctrines from the words of Scripture, 
 and consequently there must be many errors 
 among Christians ; but since the gospel, no 
 where inform us, what degree of error will ex- 
 clude from eternal happiness — I am ready to 
 acknowledge that in my judgment, notwith- 
 standing the authority of former times, our church 
 would have acted more wisely and more consist- 
 ently with the general principles of mildness and 
 toleration, if it had not adopted the damnatory 
 clauses of the Athanasian creed ! Though I 
 firmly believe, that the doctrines of this creed, 
 are all founded in Scriptuie, I cannot but conceive 
 
ATIIAMASIANS. 4U 
 
 it to be both unnecessary and presumptuous to 
 say, that tl except everyone do keep tliem whole 
 and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish ever- 
 lastingly." 
 
 Mr. BroughtOU, in his valuable Dictionary 
 of all Religions, under the article Trinity, has 
 the following explanatory paragraph, which may 
 assist the reader on this most abstruse subject. 
 " The doctrine of the TRINITY, as professed in 
 the Christian church, is briefly this : that there is 
 one god in three distinct persons, father, 
 son, and holy ghost ; person signifying here 
 the same as, essence, with a particular manner of 
 subsistence, which the Greek fathers called hy- 
 postasis^ taking it for the incommunicable pro- 
 perty that makes a person. The Father, Son, and 
 Holy Ghost, are believed to be tiiree distinct per- 
 sons in the divine nature ; because the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, in speaking of these three, so distinguish 
 them from one another, as we use in common 
 speech to distinguish three several persons. 
 There are many instances to this purpose, par- 
 ticularly the form of administering the sacrament 
 of baptism, which runs, in the name of the Fa- 
 ther, the Son, and the Holy Ghost ; and that 
 solemn benediction with which Sr. Paul con- 
 cludes his second epistle to the Corinthians : 
 The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, &c. And 
 
50 ATHANASIANS. 
 
 the three Witnesses in heaven, mentioned by 
 St. John.* 
 
 " Each of these three persons is affirmed to 
 be God, because the names, properties, and ope- 
 rations of God, are in the Holy Scriptures attri- 
 buted to each of them. The divinity of the 
 Father is out of the question. That of the Son, 
 is proved from the following texts, among many 
 others : St. John says, The word was God ; 
 St. Paul, that God was manifested in the flesh-, 
 that Christ is over all, God blessed for ever. 
 Eternity is attributed to ihe Son : The Son hath 
 life in himself. Perfection of knowledge — As the 
 Father knowtth me, so know I the Father. The 
 Creation of all things — All things were made by 
 him, and without him was not any thing made 
 that was made. And we are commanded to 
 honour the Son as we honour the Father. 
 The divinity of the Holy Ghost rests upon the 
 following proofs, among others — Lying to the 
 Holy Ghost is called lying to God. Because 
 Christians are the temples of the Holy Ghost, 
 they are said to be the temples of God. His 
 teaching all things, his guiding into all truth, 
 his telling things to come, his searching all 
 
 * This passage has for some time been deemed an interpo- 
 lation, and Dr. FreUyman fives it up in his Elements ofThcclogy, 
 
ATI! ANASIANS. 51 
 
 things, even the deep things <>/ God, otic, are 
 allcdgcd as plain characters ofhis divinity. Re- 
 sides he is joined with God the Father, as an ob- 
 ject of faith and worship in baptism and the 
 apostolical benediction. This doctrine is called 
 a mystery, because we are not able to compre- 
 hend the particular manner of existence ot the 
 three persons in the divine Nature." Dr. Jere- 
 miah Taylor remarks with great piety, that M He 
 who goes about to speak of the mystery of the 
 Trinity, and does it by words and names of man's 
 invention, talking of essences and existences, hy- 
 postases and personalities, priorities in co-cqunli- 
 ties, and unity in pluralities, may amuse himself 
 and build a tabernacle in his head, and talk some- 
 thing he knows not what ; but the good man, 
 who feels the power of the Father, and to whom 
 the Son is become wisdom, sanctification, and 
 redemption, in whose heart the love of the Spirit 
 of God is shed abroad ; this man, though he 
 understands nothing of what is unintelligible, yet 
 he alone truly understands the Christian doctrine 
 of the Trinity." 
 
 It were well, if before we made up our mind 
 on this intricate article of faith, we were care- 
 fully to read Dr. Watts's Essay on the Import- 
 ance of any Human Schemes to explain the 
 Doctrine of the Trinity. This essay shews, first 
 that no such scheme of explication is necessary 
 E 2 
 
52 ATHANAS1ANS. 
 
 to salvation ; secondly, that it may yet be of great 
 use to the Christian church ; and, thirdly, that 
 all such explications ought to be proposed with 
 modesty to the world, and never imposed on the 
 conscience. 
 
 Bishop Burnet tells us, that before the refor- 
 mation it was usual in England to have pictures 
 of the Trinity. God the Father was generally 
 represented in the shape of an old man with a 
 triple crown, and rays about his head ! The Son, 
 in another part of the picture looked like a young 
 man, with a single crown on his head, and a ra- 
 diant countenance. The blessed Virgin was 
 between them, in a sitting posture ; and the Holy 
 Ghost, under the appearance of a dove, spread 
 his wings over her. This picture, he tells us, is 
 still to be seen in a prayer-book printed in the 
 year 1526, according to the ceremonial of Salis- 
 bury. Skippon also tells us, there is at Padua a 
 representation of the Trinity, being the figure of 
 an old man with three faces and three beards. 
 How contrary are these absurd representations 
 of the Deity to the sublime declaration of our 
 Saviour. John iv. 24. " God is a spirit, and they 
 " that worship him must worship him in spirit 
 " and in truth." 
 
JABELLIAN8. 
 
 SABELLIANS. 
 
 Till*' Sabellian reduces the three persons in the 
 Trinity to three characters or relations. This 
 lias been called by some a modal Trinity, and 
 the persons who hold it Modalists. Sabcllius, 
 the founder of the sect, espoused the doctrine in 
 the third century. Of his tenets, the accounts 
 are various. Some say, he taught that the Fa- 
 ther, Son, and Holy Spirit, were one subsistence, 
 and one person, with three names ; and that in 
 the Old Testament the Deity delivered the law 
 as Father, in the new Testament dwelt among 
 men as the Son, and descended on the Apostles 
 as the Holy Spirit. This opinion gains ground 
 in the principality of Wales. M The Sabellians 
 (says Mr. Broughton) make the Word and the 
 Holy Spirit to be only virtues, emanations, or 
 functions of the Deity. They held, that he who 
 in heaven is the Father of all things, descended 
 into the Virgin, became a child, and was born of 
 her as a Son, and that having accomplished the 
 mystery of our salvation, he diffused himself on 
 the Apostles in tongues of fire, and was then de- 
 nominated the Holy Ghost. They resembled 
 God to the sun, the illuminative virtue or qua- 
 lity whereof was the Word, and its warming- 
 virtue the Holy Spirit. The word they taught 
 E 3 
 
54 SABELLIANS. 
 
 was darted like a divine ray, to accomplish the 
 work of redemption ; and that being re-ascended 
 to heaven, as the ray returns to its source, the 
 warmth of the Father was communicated after a 
 like manner to the apostles. Such was the lan- 
 guage of Sabellians.' > 
 
 Between the system of Sabellianism, and what 
 is termed the Indwelling scheme, there appears 
 to be a great resemblance, if it be not precisely 
 the same, differently explained. The Indwelling 
 scheme is chiefly founded on that passage in the 
 New Testament, where the apostle, speaking of 
 Christ, says — " In him dwelleth all the fulness 
 of the Godhead bodily." Dr. Watts, towards 
 the close of his life, became a Sabellian, and 
 wrote several pieces in defence of it.* His senti- 
 ments on the Trinity appear to have been, that 
 " the Godhead, the Deity itself, personally dis- 
 tinguished as the Father, was united to the man 
 Christ Jesus, in consequence of which union or 
 indwelling of the Godhead, he became properly 
 
 * See Dr. Watts's last thoughts on the Trinity, in a pamphlet 
 just republished by the Reverend Gabriel Watts of Frome. It 
 was printed by the Doctor in the year 1745, three years only 
 before his death. It is on this account highly valuable, and 
 ought injustice to that great and good man, to have been in- 
 serted in the recent edition of his works. From this piece it 
 incontrovertibly appears that Dr. Watts had wholly discarded 
 the common notion of the Trinity. 
 

 God." Mr. Palmer, in 1 1 Is useful edition of 
 Johnson's Life of Watts, observes that Dr. 
 
 Watts conceived this union to have subsisted be- 
 fore the Saviour's appearance in the flesh, and 
 that the human soul of Christ existed with the 
 Father from before the foundation of the world '< 
 on which ground he maintains the real descent 
 of Christ from heaven to earth, and the whole 
 scene of his humiliation, which he thought in- 
 compatible with the common opinion concerning 
 him. Dr. Doddridge is supposed to have been 
 of these sentiments, and also Mr. Benjamin Faw- 
 cet, of Kidderminster, who published a valuable 
 piece, entitled Candid Reflections concerning 
 the Doctrine of the Trinity. 
 
 ARIANS. 
 
 THE Arian derives his name from Arius, a 
 Presbyter of Alexandria, who flourished about 
 the year 3 1 5, and the propagation of whose doc- 
 trine occasioned the famous council of Nice, as- 
 sembled by Constantine, in the year 325. Arius 
 owned Christ to be God in a subordinate sense? 
 and considered his death to be a propitiation for 
 sin. The Arians acknowledge that the Son was 
 the word, though they deny its being eternal ; 
 contending, that it had only been created prior 
 to all other beings. Christ, say they, had nothing 
 E 4 
 
56 ARIANS. 
 
 of man in him, except, the flesh, with which the 
 Logos, or word, spoken of hy the apostle John, 
 was united, which supplied the rest. The 
 Arians, though they deny that Christ is the eter- 
 nal God, yet they contend against the Socinians 
 for his pre -existence. His pre-existence they 
 found on the two following passages, among 
 many others : — Before Abraham was, I am. 
 And the prayer of Jesus — Glorify me with that 
 glory which 1 had with thee before the world 
 began. These and other texts of a similar kind, 
 are in their opinion, irrefragable proofs that 
 Christ did actually exist in another state before 
 he was born of the Virgin Mary in the Land of 
 Judea. This matter has been argued by vari- 
 ous writers; and names of the first character 
 have distinguished themselves in the Arian con- 
 troversy. It has also been strongly urged by the 
 advocates of Arianism, that the pre-existent dig- 
 nity of Christ, accounts for that sple?idid ap- 
 paratus of prophecies and miracles, with which 
 the mission of the Messiah was attended. In 
 modern times, the term Arian is indiscriminately 
 applied to those who consider Jesus simply sub- 
 ordinate to the Father. Some of them believe 
 Christ to have been the creator of the world ; 
 hut they all maintain that he existed previous 
 to his incarnation, though in his pre-existent 
 
ARIAN9. 
 
 state they assign him different degrees of dignity, 
 Hence the appellation High and Low .Irian. 
 r lhat valuable practical writei Mr. Job Orton, 
 
 though he never published any thing explicitly 
 on the Trinity, is generally supposed, during the 
 latter peiiod of his life, to have entertained these 
 sentiments of the person of Christ. lie used to 
 recommend the two following tracts, as having 
 given him the most satisfaction on the subject — 
 A Sober and Charitable Disquisition on the 
 Importance of the Docti inc of the Trinity, by 
 Simon Brown ; and An Essay towards a De- 
 monstration of the Scripture Trinity, by Dr. 
 Scott : a new edition of which has been just 
 published by the venerable Mr. Samuel Goadby. 
 Of the system of Arianism, Dr. Clarke, in 
 his Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity, Mr. 
 Henry Taylor (lor many years Vicar of Ports- 
 mouth) in the learned work, entitled, Ben Mor- 
 decai's Apology, Mr. Tomkins, in his Media- 
 tor, and Mr. Hopkins, in his Appeal to the Com- 
 mon Sense of all Christian People, have been 
 deemed the most able advocates. Mr. Whiston, 
 the famous astronomer and translator of Josephus, 
 revived this controversy in the beginning of the 
 last century. Soon after, Dr. Clarke pub- 
 lished his celebrated treatise, entitled, the Scrip- 
 ture Doctrine of the Trinity, which was disap- 
 
58 ARIANS. 
 
 proved of by the convocation, and answered by 
 Dr. Waterland, who had been charged with 
 verging towards Tritheism. Erasmus, (says the 
 Encyclopaedia Britannica) " seemed to have 
 aimed in some measure to restore Arianism at 
 the beginning of the 16th century, in his Com- 
 mentaries on the New Testament. Accordingly 
 he was reproached by his adversaries with Arian 
 interpretations and glosses, Arian tenets, &c. 
 To which he made little answer, save that there 
 was no heresy more thoroughly extinct than that 
 of the Arians. But Erasmus is known to have 
 been exceedingly timid in his disposition, and 
 confessed in one of his letters to a friend, that he 
 possesed not the spirit of a martyr. Of the truth 
 of this declaration, there were many proofs. 
 
 Dr. Price, in his sermons on the Christian 
 doctrine, has taken great pains in explaining and 
 defending the principles of Arianism. He states 
 at large the nature of the doctrine, and enume- 
 rates the advantages arising from it in the expli- 
 cation of the Scriptures. To these discourses, 
 the reader is referred, and whatever he may think 
 of the argument urged in favour of that system, 
 he must admire the truly Christian spirit with 
 which they are written. 
 
 The history of the Arian controversy, in 
 modern times, may be found in a pamphlet, en- 
 titled, " An account of all the considerable 
 
ARIANS. 5y 
 
 Books and Pamphlets that have been OTOte on 
 cither side, in the controversy concerning the 
 Trinity, from the year 1712; in which is also 
 contained an Account of the Pamphlets written 
 this last year on each side by the Dissenters, to 
 the end of the year 1719: published at London, 
 1720." 
 
 Thomas Emlyn, a pious and learned divine, 
 should be mentioned here, since he has been ren- 
 dered memorable for his sufferings in the cause 
 of Arianism. He was a dissenting minister in 
 Dublin, and there solely persecuted on account 
 of his religious sentiments. He rejected the 
 common notion of the Trinity, but rlrmlv main- 
 tained the pre-cxistence of Christ. He died in 
 London, 1741, and his works were published by 
 his son, an eminent counsellor, in three volumes : 
 to which are prefixed memoirs of the author. 
 
 Some few Arians, and most of the present So- 
 cinians add to their creed the doctrines of Ne- 
 cessity, Materialism, and Universal Restoration, 
 though these tenets are by no means peculiar to 
 them. Towards the close of this Sketch will be 
 found an explanation of Universal Restoration : 
 and some little account shall be here (riven of 
 
 a 
 
 Necessity and Materialism. 
 
60 NECESSARIANS. 
 
 NECESSARIANS. 
 
 THE doctrine of Necessity regards the origin 
 of human actions, and the specific mode of the di- 
 vine government. Much controversy has there 
 been on this abstruse subject. Collins, Priestley, 
 Palmer, Price, Gregory, and Crombie, are au- 
 thors who are distinguished in the controversy. 
 The opponents ot Necessity strenuously maintain, 
 that it destroys all virtue and vice ; whilst its ad- 
 vocates declare it to be the most consistent mode 
 of explaining the divine government. It is not 
 for us to determine, on so profound a subject, 
 where the truth lies; and it is remarkable, that 
 the perplexity of the theme seems to have ha- 
 rassed angelic minds, according to the represen- 
 tation of the great Milton — 
 
 Others apart, sat on a hill retir'd, 
 In thoughts more elevate, and rcason'd high, 
 Of Providence, fore-knowledge, will, and fate ; 
 Fix'd fate, free-will, fore-knowledge, absolute, 
 And found no end — in wandering mazes lost ! 
 
 To short-sighted mortals, therefore, with all their 
 boasted wisdom, the subject must appear dark, 
 and in many respects unfathomable. The solu- 
 tion of such difficulties ought to be referred to 
 a more enlightened sphere ot being ! Dr. Watts, 
 indeed, thinks it probable that it will constitute 
 one of the sublime employments of the blessed in 
 the heavenly world. 
 
M ITER] \ LISTS — Si i 
 
 MATERIALISTS. 
 
 THE doctrine of I r aterialism respects the na- 
 ture of the human" soul, and the peculiar mode of 
 its existence. All materialists deny an interme- 
 diate state of consciousness between d< ath and the 
 
 resurrection. Drs. Price and Priestley had a 
 friendly correspondence on this article; and 
 though Dr. Price was no materialist, yet he did 
 not hold with an intermediate state. Those who 
 deny the existence of an intermediate state, are 
 often called Soul-sleepers. See Archdeacon 
 Blackburn's Historical view of this Contro- 
 versy, and Dr. Law's Appendix to his Theology 
 of Natural and Revealed Religion. The Light 
 of Nature Pursued, by Edward Search, Esq. is 
 a very curious work relating to this subject. It 
 contains ingenious illustrations : the author's real 
 name was Tucker ; he died in 1775. 
 
 Had not Necessity and Materialism been more 
 of a philosophical than of a theological nature, 
 they should have received a minuter explication. 
 
 SOCINIANS. 
 
 THE Soanian takes his name from Faustus 
 Socinus, who died in Poland 160 k There were 
 
62 SOCINIANS. 
 
 two who bore the name Socinus, uncle and ne- 
 phew, and both disseminated the same doctrine. 
 The Socinian asserts, that Christ had no exist- 
 ence until born of the Virgin Mary ; and that, 
 being a man like ourselves, though endowed with 
 a large portion of the divine wisdom, the only 
 objects of his mission were to teach the efficacy 
 of repentance without an atonement, as a medium 
 of the divine favour— to exhibit an example for 
 our imitation — to seal his doctrine with his blood 
 — and, in his resurrection from the dead, to indi- 
 cate the certainty of our resurrection at the last 
 day. The simple humanity of Christ, which 
 forms a principal article of their creed, is founded 
 on passages of Scripture, where the Messiah is 
 spoken of as a man, particularly the following : 
 2 Acts xxii. Ye men of Israel hear these words* 
 Jesus of Nazareth a man, approved of God 
 among you, &c. — 17 Acts xxxi. Because he 
 hath appointed a day in the which he will 
 judge the world in righteousness by that man, 
 whom he hath ordained, &c. — 1 Tim. ii. v. 
 There is one God and one Mediator between God 
 and men, the Man Christ Jesus — At the same 
 time it must be acknowledged that neither the 
 Trinitarian, nor Sabellian, nor Arian deny his hu- 
 manity ; though they do not hold it in that ex- 
 clusive and simple sense of the word, for which 
 the Socinian contends. On this account it is, 
 
SOCINIANS. 
 
 that the Socinians have received on some occa- 
 sions, the appellation of Humanitarians, 
 
 Between ancient and modern Socinians, how- 
 ever, a considerable difference obtains. The mi- 
 raculous conception, and the worship of Christ, 
 both allowed by Socinus, are rejected by most of 
 the modern Socinians. Dr. Priestley distinguished 
 himself in a controversy on this subject with 
 Dr. Horsely, the present Bishop of St. Asaph. 
 Dr. Priestley had published his two principal 
 theological works ; the one to prove the first 
 Christians Unitarians, entitled, The History of 
 Early Opinions ; the other to account for the 
 origin and spread of what is commonly called the 
 orthodox doctrine, entitled, A History of the 
 Corruptions of Christianity. On one or both of 
 these publications, the Bishop severely animad- 
 verted ; and to these animadversions Dr. Priestley 
 made several spirited replies. It is difficult to 
 trace the origin of the Socinian controversy. 
 John Campanus is said to be the first of the re- 
 formers who distinguished himself on this side of 
 the question. Next Michael Servetus, a Spanish 
 physician, whom Calvin persecuted even to 
 death ; for in the year 1553 he was committed to 
 the flames, by persons who had themselves just 
 escaped the fangs of the Romish church, and who 
 at least had nominally erected the standard of re- 
 ligious liberty. " It is impossible (says Dr. 
 
G-\- SOCINIANS. 
 
 Maclaine) to justify the conduct of Calvin in the 
 case of Servetus, whose death will be an indelible 
 reproach upon the character of that eminent ve- 
 foimer. The only thing that can be alledged, 
 not to deface, but to diminish his crime is, that 
 it was no easy matter for him to divest himself 
 at once of that persecuting spirit which had been 
 so long nourished and strengthened by the Popish 
 religion, in which he was educated. It was a 
 remaining portion of the spirit of popery in the 
 breast of Calvin, that kindled his unchristian zeal 
 against the wretched Servetus." See the Life of 
 Servetus, where the tragedy is detailed with 
 all its circumstances of brutality. Having 
 mentioned the persecution of Servetus by Cal- 
 vin, truth, on the other hand, requires it to be 
 mentioned that Socinus has been accused of per- 
 secuting one Francis David, who, on account of 
 his rejecting the worship of Christ, was cast into 
 prison, where he died. The persecuting spirit, 
 discoverable in some of the reformers, diminishes 
 the respectability of their characters, and the only 
 apology that can be made for them is, what has 
 been already mentioned, that the nature and 
 foundation of religious liberty were not then fully 
 understood. 
 
 The Socinians flourished greatly in Poland 
 about the year 1551 ; and J. Siemienius, Palatine 
 of Podolia, built purposely for their use the city 
 
SOCINIANS. 65 
 
 of Racow. A famous catechism was published 
 
 by them, called the Racovian Catechism; and 
 their most able writers are known among the 
 learned by the title of the Polones Fratres, or 
 Polonian Brethren. " Their writings were (says 
 Dr. Machine) republished together in tiie year 
 1656, in one great collection, consisting of six 
 volumes in folio, under the title of Bibliotheca 
 Fratrtim. There are, indeed, in this collection, 
 many pieces wanting, which were composed by 
 the most eminent leaders of the sect ; but what 
 is there published is nevertheless sufficient to 
 give the attentive reader a clear idea of the doc- 
 trine of the Socinians, and of the nature of their 
 institution, as a religious community." An in- 
 teresting account of these several authors, will be 
 found in Dr. Toulmin's Life of Socinus. 
 
 But the Socinians have appropriated to them- 
 selves the appellation of Unitarians; and by 
 this name they are now more generally distin- 
 guished. Though to this appellation they have 
 no exclusive claim, yet it is somewhat more cor- 
 rectly descriptive of their religious tenets than 
 that of Socinians, since they renounce many of 
 the opinions of Socinus. The Arians, if not the 
 Trinitarians, are equally strenuous for the divine 
 Unity. See Lindsey's Historical View of UnU 
 tatianism, Dr. Toulmin's Life of Socinus, Hop- 
 ton Hayne's Scripture Account of the Attributes 
 
 F 
 
66 SOCINIANS. 
 
 and Worship of God, and of the Character and 
 Offices of Jesus Christ, and Mr. Belsham's 
 Answer to Mr. Wilberforce, where the modern 
 Socinian tenets are stated and defended with abi- 
 lity. 
 
 The Trinitarians, Arians, and Socinians, have 
 also differed greatly respecting the personality 
 of the Holy Spirit. Much has been said on both 
 sides of this intricate and controversial question. 
 Dr. Lardner's Letter on the Logos may be con- 
 sulted, and also Mr. Marsom's little piece, en- 
 titled, the Impersonality of the Holy Ghost, 
 published in 1787. In Doddridge's Lectures 
 much irnformation is given respecting this and 
 almost every other article of the Christian faith. 
 Dr. Kippis, not long before his death, published 
 an edition of this valuable work, with consider- 
 able additions and improvements. The private 
 Christian as well as the theological student, will 
 derive an extensive knowledge from the attentive 
 perusal of it. 
 
 A note added to this publication by Dr. Kippis, 
 and applicable to this first division of religious 
 opinions, is of so excellent a nature, that I am 
 tempted to transcribe it. " When it is consi- 
 dered, how extremely difficult many questions in 
 themselves are, and what different conclusions 
 have been drawn concerning them by men of 
 the profoundest knowledge and deepest reflec- 
 
OPINIONS ON GOD'S FAVOR. C>"i 
 
 tion, there is a modest scepticism, which it will 
 become young students to preserve, till time shall 
 have given them the opportunity of wider enquiry 
 and larger observation. This remark would not 
 have been made, if instances had not occurred of 
 youth who have eagerly, and even arrogantly 
 adopted an hypothesis on one side or the other, 
 without sufficiently exercising that patience ot 
 thinking, and that slow progress of examination' 
 which are likely to be the most favourable to the 
 acquisition of truth.'* 
 
 II. 
 
 OPINIONS RESPECTING THE MEANS AND MEA- 
 SURE of god's FAVOR. 
 
 HAVING ascertained the person of Christ — 
 whether he be the eternal God — or an Angel 
 possessing an existence previous to his being born 
 of the Virgin Mary — or a mere Man, under the 
 guidance of inspiration — Christians next proceed 
 to consider the extent of the blessings of the 
 gospel, and the manner in which they have been 
 conveyed to us. This circumstance also, has 
 been the source of endless contentions. Peace 
 and charity have been not unfrequently lost in the 
 discussion of the subject. Even the methodists 
 themselves split into two great parties concerning 
 F 2 
 
68 CALVINISTS. 
 
 it and the controversy between their respective 
 leaders has scarcely subsided. We shall attempt 
 the delineation of this class of opinions with 
 brevity. 
 
 CALVINISTS. 
 
 THE Calvinist adheres to the doctrines which 
 Calvin taught in Geneva, about 1540, where he 
 was professor of Divinity. The tenets of Cal- 
 vinism are predestination, original sin, particular 
 redemption, irresistible grace, and the perse- 
 verance of the saints. These, in the learned 
 world, are termed the jive points ; and frequent 
 have been the controversies agitated respecting 
 them. As the Calvinists differ among themselves 
 in the explication of these tenets, it would be dif- 
 ficult to give a specific account of them. Gene- 
 rally speaking, however, they comprehend the 
 following propositions : 1st. That God has chosen 
 a certain number in Christ to everlasting glory 
 before the foundation of the world, according to 
 his immutable purpose, and of his free grace and 
 love, without the least fore-sight of faith, good 
 works, or any conditions performed by the crea- 
 ture ; and that the rest of mankind he was pleased 
 to pass by, and ordain them to dishonor and 
 wrath for their sin?, to the praise of his vindic- 
 
CALVINISTS. 69 
 
 dive justice. ( 2dly. That Jesus Christ by his 
 death and sufferings, made an atonement only 
 for the sins of the elect. 3dly. That mankind 
 are totally depraved in consequence of the fall ; 
 and, by virtue of Adam's being their public head, 
 the guilt of his sin was imputed, and a corrupt 
 nature conveyed to all his posterity, from which 
 proceed all actual transgressions ; and that by sin 
 we are made subject to death, and all miseries 
 temporal, spiritual, and eternal. 4thly. That all 
 whom God has predestinated to life he is pleased 
 in his appointed time effectually to call by his 
 word and Spirit out of that state of sin and death 
 in which they are by nature to grace and salva- 
 tion by Jesus Christ. And, ^thly. That those 
 whom God has effectually called and sanctified 
 by his spirit shall never finally fall from a state of 
 grace. Some have supposed that the Trinity 
 was one of the five points ; but this is a mis- 
 take, since both the Calvinists and Arminians, 
 who formed the synod of Dort (where this 
 phrase, Jive points, originated) were on the ar- 
 ticle of the Trinity generally agreed. The most 
 prominent feature of this system is the election 
 of some, and reprobation of others, from all 
 eternity. 
 
 The Calvinists found their sentiments of elec- 
 tion on the expression of the Saviour, respecting 
 his having chosen his disciples out of the world ; 
 f 3 
 
70 CALVINISTS. 
 
 and more particularly on certain terms used by 
 the apostle Paul, in his Epistle to the Romans. 
 To the Epistolary writers, indeed, they more 
 frequently refer than to any other part of the 
 New Testament. The chief advantage of this 
 system, in the opinion of its advocates is, to pro- 
 duce in us a most reverential awe when we look 
 up to God, and the projoundest humility when 
 we look down upon ourselves. 
 
 To the Calvinists also belongs more particu- 
 larly the doctrine of an atonement, or that Christ, 
 by his death, made satisfaction to the divine jus- 
 tice for the elect, appeasing the anger of the Di- 
 vine Being, and effecting on his part a recon- 
 ciliation. Thus Jesus Christ had the sin of the 
 elect laid upon him ; and in this sense, Luther 
 said that Jesus Christ was the greatest sinner 
 in the world ! ! ! The sentiment is fully ex- 
 pressed by Dr. Watts in these lines — 
 
 Rich were the drops of Jesu's blood 
 
 That calm'd \\\s frowning face, 
 That sprinkled o'er the burning throne, 
 
 And tu: n'd the wrath to grace ! 
 
 The manner also in which other Calvinistic 
 writers have expressed themselves on the death 
 of Christ may be seen by consulting the Univer- 
 sal Theological Magazine, for November 1802, 
 where Mr. R. Wright, of Wisbeach, has col- 
 
CALVIttlSTS. 71 
 
 lected together passages illustrative of the subject. 
 This doctrine, however, is strongly reprobated 
 by some of their divines, who consider the death of 
 Christ (with the Ai ians and Sabellians) as simply 
 a medium through which God has been pleased to 
 exercise mercy towards the penitent. Hence it has 
 been remarked that God is represented as recon- 
 ciling by the death of Christ not himself to man 
 but man to himself. God was in Christ reconciling 
 the world to himself not imputing their tres- 
 passes unto them. 2 Cor. v. 19. See Mr. Ful- 
 ler's publication, entitled, The Calvinistic and 
 Socinian Si/stems compared, which has been 
 admired by some of the Calvinists, and condemned 
 by others of them, as not coming up to the full 
 standard of orthodoxy.* 
 
 * Having referred to this publication, it may be proper to 
 observe, that it treats of the Calvinistic system, and endea- 
 vours to defend it from the absurdities and impieties with 
 which it has been charged in the writings of the modern Soci- 
 nians. Accordingly Dr. Toulmin and Mr. Kentish have 
 come forward and bestowed upon it some animadversions, 
 to which their antagonist has replied. Dr. Priestley and 
 Mr. Belsham, indeed, against whom Mr. F's criticisms are 
 chiefly directed, have treated it in a different manner. The 
 former has not deemed it worthy of notice ; the latter men- 
 tions it in his reply to Mr. Wilberforcc, with great contempt, 
 He there remarks, that the amount of its boasted argument is 
 this — " We Calvinists being much Letter Christians than you 
 Socinians, our doctrines must be true !" So veiy different and 
 F 4 
 
12 SUBLAPSARIANS AND SUPRALAPSARIANS. 
 
 But to ascertain the real sentiment of this body 
 of Christians, recourse should be had to the As- 
 sembly's Catechism, which is taught their chil- 
 dren, and may therefore be supposed to contain 
 a just account of their religious opinions. 
 
 SUBLAPSARIANS 
 
 AND 
 
 SUPRALAPSARIANS. 
 
 AMONG the refinements of Calvinism are to be 
 ranked the distinctions of the Sub laps avians and 
 Supralapsarians. The Sublapsarians assert, that 
 God had only permitted the first man to fall into 
 transgression, without absolutely pre-determin- 
 ing his fall: whereas the Supralapsarians main- 
 tain that God had from all eternity decreed the 
 transgressions of Adam, in such a manner that 
 our first parents, could not possibly avoid this 
 fatal event. Dr. Doddridge in his Lectures, has 
 thus stated these abstruse distinctions — " The 
 Supralapsarian and Sublapsarian schemes agree 
 in asserting the doctrine of predestination, but 
 
 even contradictory are the estimates made of mere controver- 
 sial publications. Dr. Toulmin published a second and enlarged 
 edition of his piece against it, so that the dispute between 
 them is at present far from being decided. In this as in most 
 similar cases, each party boasts of victory. 
 
BOB L APS AR I ANS SU I»R A T- A PS A R I A NS . fjj 
 
 with this difference, that the formei mppo 
 
 that God intended to glorify his justice in the 
 condemnation of some, as well as his mercy in 
 the salvation of others, and for that purpose de- 
 creed that Adam should necessarily fall, and hy 
 that fall bring himself and all his offspring into 
 a state of everlasting condemnation : the latter 
 scheme supposes that the decree of predestination 
 regards man as fallen by an abuse of that freedom 
 which Adam had, into a state in which all were 
 to be left to necessary and unavoidable ruin, who 
 were not exempted from it by predestination." 
 Recent divines, who have gone to the height of 
 Supralapsarians, are Mr. Brine and Dr. Gill. 
 Were any thing more necessary to eludicate this 
 curious subject, it might be added — that the term 
 Supralapsarians is derived from two Latin w T ords, 
 Supra above, and lapsus the fall ; and the 
 term Sublapsarians, from Sub below or after, 
 and lapsus the fall. 
 
 Calvin, in his Institutes, states and defends at 
 large, the principles of the system. It is written 
 in elegant Latin, is dedicated to Francis the First, 
 King of France, and the dedication has been ad- 
 mired for its boldness and magnanimity. 
 
 For a defence of Calvinism, see Edwards on 
 the Will, Brine's Tracts, Dr. Gill's Cause of 
 God and Truth, and Toplady's Historic Proof 
 of the Calvinism of the Church of England. 
 
*\\ ARMINIANS. 
 
 ARMINIANS. 
 
 THE Arminian favours the tenets of Arminius, 
 the disciple of Beza, and latterly an eminent pro- 
 fessor of divinity at Leyden, who flourished about 
 the year 1600. Thinking the doctrine of Calvin 
 with regard to free-will, predestination, and 
 grace, directly contrary to the mild and amiable 
 perfections of the Deity, he began to express his 
 doubts concerning them in the year 1591 ; and 
 upon further enquiry, adopted sentiments more 
 nearly resembling those of the Lutherans than of 
 the Calvinists. After his appointment to the 
 theological chair at Leyden, he thought it his 
 duty to avow and vindicate the principles which 
 he had embraced ; and the freedom with which 
 he published and defended them, exposed him to 
 the resentment of those that adhered to the theo- 
 logical system of Geneva. The controversy 
 thus begun in the life-time of Arminius, ended 
 not with his death, and for a long time roused 
 the violence of contending passions.* His tenets 
 include the five following propositions: 1st. 
 
 * Arminius's motto was a remarkable one " A good cqh- 
 scUtkc is a Jiaradiii." 
 
ARMINIANS. 75 
 
 That God has not fixed the future state of man- 
 kind by an absolute unconditional decree; but 
 determined from all eternity, to bestow salvation 
 on those whom he foresaw would persevere to 
 the end in their faith in Jesus Christ, and to in- 
 flict punishment on those who should continue 
 in their unbelief, and resist to the end his divine 
 assistance. 2ndly. That Jesus Christ by his 
 death and sufferings, made an atonement for the 
 sins of all mankind in general, and of every indi- 
 vidual in particular ; that however none but those 
 who believe in him can be partakers of this di- 
 vine benefit. 3<lly. That mankind are not totally 
 depraved, and that depravity docs not come upon 
 them by virtue of Adam's being their public head, 
 but that mortality and natural evil only are the 
 direct consequences of his sin to posterity. 4thly. 
 That there is no such thing as irresistible grace, 
 in the conversion of sinners. And, .5thly. That 
 those who are united to Christ by faith, may fall 
 from their faith, and forfeit finally their state of 
 grace. Thus the followers of Arminius believe 
 that God, having an equal regard for all his crea- 
 tures, sent his Son to die, for the sins of the whole. 
 world ; that men have the power of doing the 
 will of God, otherwise they are not the proper 
 subjects of approbation and condemnation ; and 
 that, in the present imperfect state, believers, if 
 not particularly vigilant, may, through the force of 
 
76 ARMINIANS. 
 
 temptation, fall from grace, and sink into final 
 perdition. The Arminians found their sentiments 
 on the expressions of our saviour respecting his 
 willingness to save all that come unto him ; es- 
 pecially on his prayer over Jerusalem — his 
 Sermon on the mount, and above all on his 
 delineation of the process of the last day, where 
 the salvation of men is not said to have been pro- 
 cured by any decree, but because they had done 
 the will of' their Father, who is in heaven. This 
 last argument they deem decisive ; because it can- 
 not be supposed that Jesus, in the account of the 
 judgment day, would have deceived them. They 
 also say, the terms in the Romans respecting 
 election, are applicable only to the state of the 
 Jews as a body, without a reference to the re- 
 ligious condition of individuals, either in the pre- 
 sent or future world. 
 
 Whitby, the celebrated commentator, and who 
 was originally a Calvinist, has written a large 
 and elaborate defence of Arminianism ; and the 
 reader should consult Dr. Taylor's Key to the 
 Epistle to the Romans, which has been much 
 admired on the subject. Since the days of Laud 
 (who was Archbishop of Canterbury in the reign 
 of Charles the First) by far the majority of the 
 English clergy have taken this side of the ques- 
 tion. Bishop Burnet has given a full account 
 
ARMINIA . 77 
 
 of the opinions of this sect, in his Exposition of 
 the Seventeenth Article. 
 
 In the last century disputes ran very high in 
 Holland between the Calvinists and the Armi- 
 nians. On each side considerable talents and 
 learning were displayed ; but some shamefully 
 called in the interference of the civil power, and 
 thus terminated a controversy, which for some 
 years had agitated the religious world. For this 
 purpose the famous synod of Doit was held, 
 16 IS, and a curious account of its proceedings 
 may be seen in the series of letters written by the 
 ever-memorable John Hales, who was present 
 on the occasion. This synod was succeeded by 
 a severe and scandalous persecution of the Armi- 
 nians. The respectable Barnevelt lost his head 
 on a scaffold, and the learned Grotius, condemn- 
 ed to perpetual imprisonment, fled and took, 
 refuge in France. The storm, however, some 
 time after abated, and Episcopius, an Arminian 
 minister, opened a seminary in Amsterdam, 
 which produced some able divines and excellent 
 scholars. 
 
 The principal Arminian writers are Episcopius, 
 Vorstius, Grotius, Limborch, Le Clcrc, Wet- 
 stein, not to mention many others of modern 
 times, "particularly Mr. John Wesley in his Ar- 
 minian Magazine , and Mr. Fellowes in his Belt- 
 
BAXTERIANS; 
 
 gion without Ca?it, and in his elegant work, en- 
 titled, Christian Philosophy, 
 
 The Arminians are sometimes called the Re- 
 monstrants, because they, in 1C11, presented a 
 remonstrance to the States General, wherein 
 they pathetically state their grievances, and pray 
 for relief. See an interesting work, entitled, 
 An Abridgment of Gerrand Brandt's History 
 of the Reformation in the Low Countries, 
 2 vols. 8vo. 
 
 BAXTERIANS. 
 
 THE Baxterian strikes into a middle path, be- 
 tween Arminianism and Calvinism, and thus en- 
 deavours to unite both schemes. With the Cal- 
 vinist, he professes to believe that a certain num- 
 ber, determined upon in the divine councils, will 
 be infallibly saved ; and with the Arminian he 
 joins in rejecting the doctrine of reprobation as 
 absurd and impious ; admits that Christ, in a 
 certain sense, died for all, and supposes that such 
 a portion of grace is allotted to every man, as 
 renders it his own fault if he does not attain to 
 eternal life. This conciliatory system was espoused 
 by the famous non-conformist Richard Baxter, 
 who lived in the last century, and who was 
 equally celebrated for the acuteness of his con- 
 
r.AXTERIAN's. 79 
 
 trovcrsial talents, and the utility of his practical 
 writings. Hence came the term Baxterians, 
 
 among whom are generally ranked both Watts 
 and Doddridge. In the seale of religious senti- 
 ment, Baxtcrianism seems to be with respect to 
 the subject of the divine favor, what A nanism is 
 with respect to the person of Christ. It appears 
 to have been considered by some pious persons 
 as a safe middle way between two extremes. 
 Baxter was an extraordinary character in the re- 
 ligious world. He wrote about 120 books, and 
 had above 60 written against him. Though he 
 was a very metaphysical genius, and conse- 
 quently sometimes made a distinction without a 
 difference, yet the great object of most of his pro- 
 ductions was peace and amity. Accordingly his 
 religious system was formed not to inflame the 
 passions and widen the breaches, but to heal those 
 wounds of the Christian Church, under which 
 she had long languished.*. 
 
 * For the particular detail given ofthe Calvinistic and Armi- 
 nian sentiments, sec a brief but useful history of the Chris- 
 tian church, in 2 vols, by Dr. Gregory. The best and amplest 
 ecclesiastical history is Mosheim's, in 6 vols, translated from 
 the Latin into English by Dr. Maclainc, of the Hnguc, who 
 has enriched it with many valuable notes, 
 
so 
 
 ANTINOMIANS. 
 
 ANTINOMIANS. 
 
 THE Antinomian derives his name from two 
 Greek words, Anti, against, and Nomos, a law; 
 his favorite tenet being, that the law is not a rule 
 of life to believers. It is not easy to ascertain 
 what he means by this position. But he seems 
 to carry the doctrine of the imputed righteous- 
 ness of Christ, and of salvation by faith without 
 works, to such lengths as to injure, if not wholly 
 destroy, the very obligation to moral obedience. 
 Antinomianism may be traced to the period of 
 the reformation, and its founder was John Agri- 
 cola, originally a disciple of Luther. The Pa- 
 pists, in their disputes with the Protestants of 
 that day, carried the merit of good works to an 
 extravagant length ; and this induced some of 
 their opponents to run into the opposite extreme. 
 This sect (says the Encyclopaedia) sprung up in 
 England, during the protectorate of Oliver Crom- 
 well, and extended their system of libertinism 
 much farther than Agricola, the disciple of Lu- 
 ther. Some of their teachers expressly main- 
 tained, that as the elect cannot fall from grace, 
 nor forfeit the divine favour, the wicked actions 
 they commit are not really sinful, nor are to be 
 considered as instances of their violation of the 
 
ANTINOM1 HI 
 
 divine law, and consequently they have i, 
 sion cither to confess their sins or to break them 
 oft' by repentance. According to them it is one 
 of the essential and distinctive characters of the 
 elect, that they cannot do any thing displeasing 
 to God, or prohibited by the law. Luther, Ru- 
 therford, Sedgwick, Gataker, Witsius, Bull, 
 Williams, 6cc have written refutations ; whilst 
 Crisp, Richardson, Saltmarch, put forth defences 
 of the'Antinomians ; Wisgandus wrote " A 
 Comparison between ancient and modern Anti- 
 nomians." The late Rev. Mr. Fletcher, Vicar of 
 Madeley, in Shropshire, published Four Checks to 
 Antinomianism, which have been much read, and 
 greatly admired. 
 
 The term Antinomian has been frequently 
 fixed on persons by way of reproach ; and there- 
 fore many who have been branded with this 
 name have repelled the charge. There are many 
 Antinomians, indeed, of a singular cast in Ger- 
 many, and other parts of the continent; they 
 condemn the moral law as a rule of life, and yet 
 profess a strict regard for the interests of practical 
 religion. Many persons, however, who repro- 
 bate the system of John Calvin, pronounce An- 
 tinomianism to be nothing more than Calvinisih 
 run to seed. Speculative sentiments of any kind 
 ought not to be carried to a degree which might 
 endanger even in appearance the sacred cause oi 
 morality. G 
 
82 CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 
 
 III. 
 
 OPINIONS RESPECTING CHURCH GOVERNMENT, 
 
 AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 CEREMONIES. 
 
 " THE extent of Christianity in the world, or 
 all those several kingdoms and countries where 
 the Christian religion is professed and embraced 
 (says Mr. Martin in his Philological Library) 
 are, taken together, called Christendom) and 
 this consists of many (some more general, some 
 more particular, &c.) different religious societies, 
 which are called churches. A Christian church 
 is a society or congregation of men and women, 
 who are called out from the vicious world by the 
 preaching of the gospel, and are regulated in all 
 the parts of their ritual discipline and articles of 
 faith by the plain rules and prescriptions of the 
 New Testament,' and whose lives are correspond- 
 ent to their holy professions. The ministers of 
 the Christian church, in its primitive state, were 
 extraordinary or ordinary. The Extraordinary 
 were chiefly three: 1. Apostles, who were 
 delegated by Christ with power and commission 
 to preach the gospel, and work miracles in con- 
 firmation thereof among all nations. 2. Pro- 
 phets, who were not such as simply foretold 
 things, but those to whom God was pleased to 
 
CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 
 
 reveal his more secret counsels and designs, and 
 who related and preached the same to men. 
 3. Evangthst&i such as were assistants to the 
 apostles in preaching the gospel, anil were en- 
 dued with many extraordinary gifts of the Holy 
 Spirit, as of languages and interpretations, &c. 
 But since the establishment of Christianity in the 
 world, these extraordinary offices have ceased. 
 The ordinary ministers of the Christian church 
 are principally three: 1. A Bishop, who had 
 the oversight of the flock or church of Christ : 
 to him pertained the preaching of the word, and 
 due regulation of the church in faith and manners 
 And this rule and precedence of the Bishop is 
 called Episcopacy. 2. Presbyters or Elders, 
 or Priests ; these were such as preached the 
 word, and administered the sacraments, and per- 
 formed all the other sacred functions of the 
 ministry, under the inspection of the Bishop. 
 But it is a controversy, whether the scripture 
 doth not intend the same person or officer by the 
 appellations Bishop and Presbyter. The powei 
 of the Presbyter is called Presbytery. 3. Dea- 
 cons ; these were such as officiate in that parr 
 of the Christian ministry which related to the 
 poor, and their business was to take the collec- 
 tions of money made in the church, and to dis- 
 tribute it to the necessities of the poor, and other 
 sacred uses. And their office, piopeilv speaking, 
 G 2 
 
84" PAPISTS. 
 
 is called the Ministry or Deaconship. These 
 officers are perpetual in the Christian church." 
 
 After this introductory explanation of the 
 
 Christian church, 1 proceed to the Opinions re- 
 specting church government and the administra- 
 tion of ceremonies. 
 
 PAPISTS. 
 
 THE Papists are so denominated from their 
 leading tenet — the infallibility and supremacy of 
 the Pope (in the Latin, Papa, signifying father,) 
 which they strenuously maintain. By the infal- 
 libility of the Pope, is understood, that the Pope 
 cannot err in ecclesiastical matters ; and by his 
 supremacy is meant his authority over all the 
 churches, and sometimes over all the princes of 
 the earth. This enormous power has been for 
 some time diminished, and the Roman Catholics 
 at present are much divided on the subject. Some 
 allow the Pope's infallibility and supremacy in 
 their full extent ; others acknowledge them in part; 
 and a third wholly reject them. The late Father 
 O'Leary's Tracts also may be consulted, who 
 had a dispute on Popery with the Reverend John 
 Wesley. They also profess to believe, 1. In 
 seven sacraments — baptism, confirmation, the 
 cucharist, penance, extreme unction, or the 
 
PAPISTS. 85 
 
 anointing the sick in the prospect of death, ord 
 and matrimony. With respect to the Kucha- 
 rist, or Lord's Supper, they hold the doctrine 
 of transubstantiadoH, or that the bread and wine 
 arc changed into the body and blood of Christ ; 
 the paying divine worship to the host, or conse- 
 crated wafer, and the allowing communion only 
 in one kind, viz. bread to the laity. 2. In works 
 of supererogation, or that the good works of saints 
 are meritorious enough to supply the deficiency 
 of others. 3. In the celibacy, or single life of the 
 clergy. 4. In the use of images and sacred 
 relics. The charge of worshipping Images 
 has been brought against them, and though it 
 may prevail among the lower classes, yet the 
 more intelligent disown every thing of the 
 kind. And, 5. In the celebration of divine ser- 
 vice in an unknown tongue. Many, however, 
 of the adherents of Popery, in the present day, 
 reject some of the above tenets : and more espe- 
 cially renouncing the supremacy of the Pope, 
 distinguish themselves by the name of Catholics, 
 and sometimes of Catholic Dissenters. The pub- 
 lications of the late Dr. Geddes, on this subject, 
 are worthy of attention. He was a liberal and 
 learned priest among this class of the Roman Ca- 
 tholics, and was for several years engaged in a 
 translation of the Bible under the patronage of 
 Lord Petre. Among the Roman Catholics there 
 are to be found several monastic orders, such as the 
 g 3 
 
$6 PAPISTS. 
 
 Augustines, the Benedictines, the Carmelites, the 
 Dominicans, the Franciscans, &c. and also a 
 variecy of sects, such as the Jesuits, the Janse- 
 nits, the Molinists, and others, some of whom 
 were sects of celebrity. The ingenious Pascal, 
 in his Provincial Letters aimed an effective blow 
 at the order of the Jesuits, and it was abolished 
 in France in 1762, on the supposition that they 
 adopted practices which was inimical to the 
 welfare of their country. 
 
 In the council of Trent, held 1549, the tenets 
 of the Papists were reduced into one compact 
 standard, and the summary of Popery, exhibited 
 in Pope Pius's creed, contains the substance of 
 the decrees and canons of this council. The 
 creed is divided into twenty-four articles. The 
 first twelve are expressed in the very words of 
 the creed called the Nicenc ; and the remaining 
 twelve are new articles, truly Romish. See 
 Burrough's View of Popery, taken from the 
 Creed of Pope Pius the iVth, 1735. Father 
 Paul, of Venice, has immortalized himself by a 
 faithful history of the council of Trent; and 
 though himself a Papist, yet he has exposed with 
 freedom the intrigues by which this council was 
 conducted. Bellarmine, an acute Jesuit, and 
 Bossuet, the Bishop of Meaux, are the two most 
 celebrated defenders of Popery. They had also 
 amongst them several eloquent preachers ; and 
 the sermons of Massilon, Bourdaloue, and Fie- 
 
PAPISTS. 87 
 
 chicr, are esteemed models of pulpit eloquence. 
 In this country several penal laws were in force 
 against the Roman Catholics ; but most of them 
 were repealed in the course of the present reign. 
 It was an opposition to the repeal of these 1 
 that occasioned the disgraceful riots, which broke 
 out during the month of June, 1780, and threat- 
 ened the destruction of the metropolis ! 
 
 It is remarkable that the Papists have had 
 amongst them a Pope, who used to he denominat- 
 ed a Protestant Pope. His name was Ganganelli, 
 and he is known to the world under the title of 
 Clement the 14th. His liberality appeared in 
 his actions, and it was his common saying, " We 
 too often lay aside charity to maintain faith, 
 without reflecting that if it is not allowed to 
 tolerate men, it is forbidden to hate and perse- 
 cute those who have unfortunately embraced it." 
 He died in 1775, not without suspicion of poison. 
 Such a character must be pronounced an honour 
 to the Romish church, and it is to be hoped that 
 there are many individuals of this description to 
 be found in her communion. As to his letters, 
 which for the liberality of their sentiments and the 
 elegance of their diction have been much admired, 
 many entertain doubts of their authenticity. 
 Archbishop Fenelon also was distinguished both 
 for his benevolence and piety. 
 
 Here the account of Popery should have end- 
 g 4 
 
83 PAPISTS. 
 
 ed, had not their doctrine of Indulgences de- 
 served particular explanation. The history and 
 form of these indulgences are given us by that 
 eminent historian Dr. Robertson, in his History 
 of Charles the Fifth, and are here transcribed. 
 " According to the doctrine of the Romish 
 church, all the good works of the saints, over and 
 above those which were necessary towards their 
 own justification, are deposited together, with 
 the infinite merits of Jesus Christ, in one inex- 
 haustible treasury. The keys of this were com- 
 mitted to St. Peter, and to his successors the 
 Popes, who may open it at pleasure, and by 
 transferring a portion of this superabundant merit 
 to any particular person for a sum of money, 
 may convey to him either the pardon of his own 
 sins, or a release for any one in whom he is in- 
 terested, from the pains of purgatory ; which 
 indulgences were first invented in the eleventh 
 century, by Urban the Second, as a recompense 
 for those who went in person upon the meritori- 
 ous enterprize (commonly called the Crusades) 
 of conquering the holy land. They were after- 
 wards granted to those who hired a soldier for 
 that purpose ; and in process of time were be- 
 stowed on such as gave money for accomplishing 
 any pious work enjoined by the Pope. Julius 
 the Second had bestowed indulgences on all who 
 contributed towards building the church of St. 
 
T.s\ 
 
 Peter at Rome: and as Leo the Tenth was car- 
 lying on that magnificent and extensive fabric, 
 his grant was founded on the same pretence." 
 I be following is the form of these indulgences: 
 
 '* May our Lord Jesus Christ have mercy upon 
 thee, and absolve thee by the merits of his most 
 holy passion. And I, by the authority, of 
 his blessed apostles Peter and Paul, and of the 
 most holy Pope, granted and committed to me 
 in these parts, do absolve thee, first, from all ec- 
 clesiastical censures, in whatever manner they 
 have been incurred, anil then from all thy sins, 
 transgressions, and excesses, how enormous so- 
 ever they be, even from such as aic reserved for 
 the cognizance of the holy see, and, as far as 
 the keys of the holy church extend, I remit to 
 ycu all punishment which you deserve in purga- 
 tory on their account ; and I restore you to the 
 holy sacraments of the church, to the unity of 
 the faithful, and to that innocence and purity 
 which you possessed at baptism, so that when 
 you die the gates of punishment shall be shut, 
 and the gates of the paradise of delight shall be 
 opened ; and if you shall not die at present, this 
 grace shall remain in full force when you are at 
 the point of death. In the name of the Father, 
 arid of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." 
 
 This was the form of absolution used by Tet- 
 zel, a Dominican friar, who in the sixteenth 
 
90 GREEK, OR RUSSIAN CHURCH. 
 
 century, was appointed to sell these indulgences 
 in Germany, which eventually brought about the 
 reformation. 
 
 This article shall conclude with the mention 
 of a curious tract on Popery, lately published, 
 entitled, " A Modest Apology for the Roman 
 Catholics of Great Britain, addressed to all 
 moderate Protestants, particularly to the Mem- 
 bers of both Houses of Parliament." This 
 piece came from the pen of the late Dr. Geddes, 
 already mentioned, and is written with his usual 
 learning and ingenuity. It is, indeed, a most sin- 
 gular performance, and well worthy attention. 
 
 GREEK, or RUSSIAN CHURCH. 
 
 THE Greek, or Russian Church, which now 
 spreads itself over the eastern parts of Europe, is 
 very ancient, and bears a considerable resem- 
 blance to the Church of Rome. Denying, how- 
 ever, the infallibility and supremacy of the Pope, 
 they are in communion with the Patriarch of 
 Constantinople. Amongst other articles of be- 
 lief, they are distinguished for these three ; 
 1. The rejection of images. 2. The doctrine of 
 consubstantiation, or the union of the body of 
 Christ with the sacramental element. 3. The 
 administration of baptism, by immeising the 
 whole body in water. 
 
creek, or RU8SIAW church. 91 
 
 The Russian, or Greek church equals the Latin 
 church in the number of ceremonies and supersti- 
 tious customs ; some of which arc thus described 
 in Chantrcau's Travels into Russsia: — " At the 
 beginning of the year, the king's day is a singular 
 festival, which the Russians call the benediction 
 of waters. On the Neva, then frozen, there is 
 raised for the ceremony a kind of temple, of an 
 octagonal figure, on the top of which is a St. 
 John the Baptist, and the inside is decorated with 
 pictures, representing the baptism of Jesus, his 
 transfiguration, and some other parts of his life. 
 There your attention is drawn to an enormous 
 Holy Ghost, appearing to descend from heaven, 
 a decoration common to all the Greek churches, 
 which introduces the Holy Ghost every where. 
 In the middle of the sanctuary is a square place, 
 where the broken ice leaves a communication 
 with the waters running below, and the rest is 
 ornamented with rich tapestry. Around this 
 temple there is erected a kind of gallery, which 
 communicates with one of the windows of the 
 imperial palace, at which the empress and her 
 family come out to attend the ceremony, which 
 begins as soon as the regiment of guards have 
 taken post on the river. Then the archbishop, 
 at the sound of the bells, and of the artillery of 
 the fortress, comes out of the palace, and walks 
 in procession, with all his clergy, to the little 
 temple we have just mentioned. When arrived 
 
i)2 GREEK, OR RUSSIAN CHURCH. 
 
 at the place where the ice is broken, he descends, 
 by means of a ladder, to the side of the water. 
 There he dips his cross three or four times, after- 
 wards says some prayers, an orison to the great 
 St. Nicholas, and the waters are then thought 
 blessed. The prelate sprinkles the water on the 
 company around him, and on the colours of all 
 the regiments that happen to beat St. Petersburg. 
 After this benediction, the archbishop retires. 
 Then the people crowd towards the hole, by 
 which this prelate has blessed the waters. They 
 drink of them with a holy avidity. Notwith- 
 standing the cold, the mothers plunge their in- 
 fants, and the old men their heads, into them. 
 Every body makes it a duty to carry away some 
 for the purification of their houses, and curing 
 certain distempers, against which the good Rus- 
 sians pretend this holy water is a powerful speci- 
 fic. While every one proceeds to this useful 
 provision, four popes, who are at the four cor- 
 ners of the sanctuary, sing a kind of litany, in 
 which thev rehearse all the titles of the empress, 
 and to which the people answer by these words, 
 Pameloi-Bog — May God take pity on her. 
 
 " The Russians have a great number of ab- 
 stinencies, or fasts, and among the rest four 
 lents. 
 
 " The Greek priests have much more rever- 
 ence and meditation in their way of going through 
 
GREEK, (Ml RUSS1 . - | n. 
 
 divine service, than the Latin priests j and the 
 discipline oi theii (lunch directs, that when once 
 a priest is at the altar, lie must not remove from 
 it during the time he ought to stand then*, what- 
 ever may happen to him. lor instance : we are 
 told, that the prelate Gabriel, at present metro- 
 politan of Novogorod, and Archimandrite to St. 
 Alexander Neuki, being one day engaged in 
 saying mass at St. Petersburg, the house conti- 
 guous to the church took fire, and the flames 
 reaching the steeple, Gabriel was warned of the 
 danger he was in, and yet he stirred not, even 
 although he was told asecond time, that the bells 
 would not be long in bruising him to atoms. As 
 the cries of the multitude, conjuring him to re- 
 move from certain death, made no impression on 
 him, one of his relations leaped towards the altar, 
 and tore him from it. Scarcely was he twenty 
 paces from it, when the steeple fell in with a 
 great crash upon the sanctuary." 
 
 Efforts have been made to join the Greek to 
 the reformed church ; but hitherto they have 
 failed of success. The Rev. Dr. John King pub- 
 lished an account of the doctrine, worship, and 
 discipline of the Greek Church in Russia. There 
 are several curious particulars to be found in the 
 Russian Catechism, composed by the Czar, and 
 which was published in London, 1725 ; in Ro- 
 binson's Ecclesiastical Researches, and in a 
 
91 GREEK, OR RUSSIAN CHURCH. 
 
 work not long ago published, entitled, Secret 
 Memoirs of the Court of Petersburg. 
 
 That the reader may form some judgment of 
 the present state of the Greek church, the last- 
 mentioned work, presents us with the following 
 recent fact, translated from the Imperial Gazette, 
 of Petersburg : 
 
 " Petersburg, 17 Dec. 1798. 
 
 " In 1796, a coffin was found at the convent 
 of Sumovin, in the city of Trotma, in the eparchy 
 of Volgoda, containing a corpse, in the habit of 
 a monk. It had been interred in 1568, yet was 
 in a state of perfect preservation, as were also the 
 garments. From the letters embroidered on 
 them, it was found to be the body oi the most 
 memorable Feodose Sumorin, founder and su- 
 perior of the convent, and who had been ac- 
 knowledged as a saint during his life, for the 
 miracles he had performed." It is then stated, 
 that the directing synod had made a very humble 
 report on this occasion to his Imperial Majesty. 
 After which follows the Emperor's ukase or pro- 
 clamation. 
 
 " We Paul, &c. having been certified by a 
 special report of the most holy synod, of the dis- 
 covery that has been made in the convent of 
 Spasso-Sumovin, of the miraculous remains of 
 the most venerable Feodose, which miraculous 
 remains distinguish themselves by the happy 
 
CREEK, OR RUSSIAN CHURCH. 93 
 
 cure of all those who have recourse to them 
 with entire confidence : we take the discovery 
 of these holy remains as a visible sign> that the 
 Lord has cast his most gracious eye in the most 
 distinguished manner on our reign. For this 
 reason, we offer our fervent prayers and our gra- 
 titude to the supreme Dispenser of all things, 
 and charge our most holy synod to announce this 
 memorable discovery thoughout all our empire, 
 according to the forms prescrihed by the holy 
 church, and by the holy fathers, &c. The 28th 
 September, 1198." 
 
 The following anecdote, however, from the 
 same work, and on the subject, almost exceed-. 
 credibility ; — " I knew a Russian princess, who, 
 had always a large silver crucifix following her, 
 in a separate carriage, and which she usually 
 placed in her bed-chamber. When any thing 
 fortunate had happened to her in the course of 
 the day, and she was satisfied with her admirers, 
 she had lighted candles placed about the crucifix, 
 and said to it in a familial - style — " See, now, 
 as you have been very good to day, you shall 
 be treated well — you shall have candles all night 
 — I will love you — I will pray to you." If on 
 the contrary, any thing occurred to vex this lady, 
 she had the candles put out, forbid the servants 
 to pay any homage to the poor image, and loaded 
 it with reproaches and revilings ! ! " — The an- 
 
96 PROTESTANTS. 
 
 thor closes the chapter with this sensible para- 
 graph— •>" I shall not particularize all the super- 
 stitions with which such a religion, if it deserves 
 that name, must necessarily inspire an ignorant 
 and enslaved people. It seems the present policy 
 to thicken the clouds of errors, which the genius 
 of Peter, the humanity of Elizabeth, and the 
 philosophy of Catharine, sought in some degree 
 to attenuate. While we pity the state of de- 
 gradation under which a great people crouches, 
 we should do justice to the enlightened Russians, 
 by whom it is lamented, but they are chained by 
 prejudices, as the giant Gulliver, by the Lillipu- 
 tians ; his bonds were weak and imperceptible as 
 his enemies were minute, but every one of his 
 hairs were separately fastened to the ground, and 
 he was unable to raise his head." 
 
 In addition to the books already mentioned, I 
 shall close this article of the Greek Church, with 
 recommending Mr. Tooke's History of Russia, 
 which may be satisfactorily consulted on this as 
 well as on other subjects ; it is replete with in- 
 formation. 
 
PROTESTANTS. 
 
 PROTESTANTS. 
 
 I NDERthc appellation of Protestants, we in- 
 clude all who dissent from Popery, in whatever 
 country they reside, or into whatever sects they 
 have been since distributed. Abroad they are 
 divided into two sorts —the Lutherans, who ad- 
 here to Luther's tenets ; and the Reformed, who 
 follow the discipline of Geneva. They were 
 called Protestants, because, in 1529, they pro- 
 tested against a decree of the Emperor Charles 
 the Fifth, and declared, that they appealed to a 
 general council. At present this vast class com- 
 prehends those whom Papists used contemptu- 
 ously to style Hugotwts in France ; the Refugees 
 in Holland, who fled thither upon the revocation 
 of the Edict of Nantz, 1685 ; the Presbyterians 
 in Scotland ; the Episcopalians and Noncon- 
 formists in England ; together with a numerous 
 body of Christians in America. 
 
 As the Protestants originated at the reforma- 
 tion 1 , it will be proper to give a brief account of 
 this illustrious period of ecclesiastical history. 
 
98 PROTESTANTS, 
 
 THE REFORMATION IN GERMANY. 
 
 FOR the three first centuries the religion of 
 Jesus Christ stood on its own basis, was rapidly- 
 propagated among Jews and Gentiles 3 and suf- 
 fered very severe persecutions from the Roman 
 emperors. On the commencement of the fourth 
 century, Constantine became a convert to Chris- 
 tianity, and incorporated it with the state. " It 
 was not till the fifth, or near the sixth century, 
 that the Bishop of Rome arrogantly assumed an 
 illegal supremacy over his fellow pastors, and in 
 process of time aimed at a secular government 
 of princes as well as subjects. Though several 
 emperors embraced and defended Christianity, 
 yet the gradual decay of the Roman empire was a 
 serious impediment to the rising preachers of the 
 newly established religion. Those accomplish- 
 ments which adorned the conquests of the Ro- 
 mans, and the perfection of science, which had 
 dignified their state, in such an extent, were gra- 
 dually swept away by the barbarous nations 
 which defeated them, and the close of the sixth 
 century could not trace a vestige of that exalted 
 nation's government or its laws. Between four 
 and five hundred years was the glorious luminary 
 of the gospel eclipsed by the dismal return ofig- 
 
PROTT-STANTS. 
 
 norancc and of superstition.* To these dark 
 ages (as they arc by some justly termed, and by 
 others, called the night of time) arc to be attri- 
 buted the doctrine of indulgences, partial ab- 
 solution, transubstantiation, the creation and wor- 
 ship of saints, purgatory, monastic seclusion, &c. 
 So swift was the extinction of knowledge, and 
 
 * The Crusades commonly called the holy wars, were expe- 
 ditions undertaken by the Papists to drive the Turks from 
 Palestine, or the land of Judca, and thus to rescue the holy 
 sepulchre out of the hands of Infidels. There were eight of 
 these crusades, the first in the year 1096, the last in 1270, as- 
 sisted by Prince Edward, afterwards Edward I. King of En- 
 gland. The number of lives lost in these Quixotic expedi- 
 tions, is incredible ; and it will remain to future ages a matter 
 of astonishment, how enthusiasm and superstition could so 
 completely infatuate the human mind. An account of the 
 Crusades is given in Robertson's Charles the Fifth, and in 
 Hume's History of England. 
 
 The Inquisition was a tribunal erected by the Popes for the 
 examination and punishment of heretics. It was founded in 
 the twelfth century by Father Dominic and his followers, who 
 were sent by Pope Innocent the Third to inquire into the num- 
 ber and quality of heretics, and then to send an account to 
 Rome. Hence they were termed Inquisitors, and their court 
 the Inquisition. This infernal court was established in all Italy 
 and the dominions of Spain, except Naples and the Low 
 Countries. Its cruelties were shocking beyond description ; 
 and were only one half of the bloody talc true, yet even then 
 there is sufficient to freeze you with horror ! Sec Dr. Chand- 
 ler's History of the Inquisifon, which is full of interesting 
 information on the subject. 
 
 II 2 
 
100 PROTESTANTS. 
 
 its revival so impeded, that persons of the greatest 
 eminence in point of station could scarcely read 
 or write. The clergy themselves, who engros- 
 sed what little science was remaining, could 
 scarcely translate the liturgy ; and, when ordain- 
 ed, were expressly obliged to affirm, that they 
 could read the Gospels and Epistles, and explain 
 them. 
 
 "The reformation was effected in the six- 
 teenth century, by the pious labours and unwea- 
 ried studies of those bright characters, Erasmus, 
 Luther, Huss, Jerome of Prague, Mc. and as it 
 should seem the particular act of Providence to 
 facilitate their labours, and extend their influence, 
 we find but half a century before the days of 
 Luther the science of printing was discovered, 
 and not long before. that of the making of paper. 
 
 " This indefatigable reformer, having the way 
 somewhat cleared for him by Erasmus, had the 
 happiness to discover a copy of the Bible in the 
 neglected library of his monastery. From so 
 valuable a discovery the talents and application of 
 tin's great man were called forth into more than 
 ordinary exercise ; and he quickly drew aside the 
 veil which had concealed the rooted errors and 
 abominations of the priesthood, and exposed the 
 craft and artifice which had deluded the disciples, 
 and disgraced the doctrine o( the cross. Unawed 
 by persecution, he proceeded coolly to examine 
 
PROTESTANTS. 101 
 
 lOtO the several pretensions and inventions of the 
 church of Rome, and overthrew them. He as- 
 serted and proved, that monastic retirement, if 
 not contrary to, was no where required by the 
 
 laws of God ; and proposed to the Klcctor of 
 Saxony, by whose permission he reformed the 
 several churches within his dominions, to expel 
 all abbots and monks, and to convert the con- 
 vents of mendicant friars into public schools and 
 hospitals. He proceeded to expose all the ab- 
 surdities and superstitions of the Romish church, 
 and had the satisfaction to see his cause prevail." 
 Birch's Consilia. 
 
 Dr. Robertson also observes — " It was from 
 causes seemingly fortuitous, and from a source 
 very inconsiderable, that all the mighty effects of 
 the reformation flowed. Leo the Tenth, when 
 raised to the papal throne, found the revenues of 
 the church exhausted by the vast projects of his 
 two ambitious predecessors, Alexander the Sixth, 
 and Julius the Second. His own temper natu- 
 rally liberal and enterprizing, rendered him in- 
 capable of that severe and patient economy which 
 the situation of his finances required. On the 
 contrary his schemes for aggrandizing the family 
 of the Medici, his love of splendor, his taste for 
 pleasure, and his magnificence in rewarding men 
 of genius, involved him daily in new expenses ; 
 in order to provide a fund for which, he tried 
 H 3 
 
102 PROTESTANTS. 
 
 every device that the fertile invention of priests 
 had fallen upon to drain the credulous multi- 
 tude. Among others, he had recourse to a sale 
 of indulgences. The right of promulgating these 
 indulgences in Germany, together with a share in 
 the profits arising from the sale of them, was 
 granted to Albert, Elector of Mentz, and Arch- 
 bishop of Magdeburg, who, as his chief agent 
 for retailing them in Saxony, employed Tetzel, 
 a Dominican friar, of licentious morals, but of 
 an active spirit, and remarkable for his noisy and 
 popular eloquence. He, assisted by the monks 
 of his order, executed the commission with great 
 zeal and success, but with little discretion or de- 
 cency; and though by magnifying excessively 
 the benefit of their indulgences, and disposing of 
 them at a very low price, they carried on for 
 some time an extensive and lucrative traffic 
 among the credulous multitude : the extravagance 
 of their assertions, as well as the irregularities in 
 their conduct, came at last to give general offence. 
 The princes and nobles were irritated at seeing 
 their vassals drained of so much wealth, in order 
 *o replenish the treasury of a profuse pontiff. 
 Men of pietv regretted the delusion of the people, 
 who, being taught to rely for the pardon of their 
 sins on the indulgences which they purchased, 
 did not think it incumbent on them either to 
 abound in faith or to practise holiness. Even the 
 
I' ROT I.ST A NTS. 103 
 
 most unthinking were shocked at the scandalous 
 behaviour of Tetzel and his associates, who often 
 squandered in drunkenness, gaming and k>w de- 
 bauchery, those sums which were piously be- 
 stowed, in hopes of obtaining eternal happiness, 
 and all began to wish that some check were given 
 to this commerce, no less detrimental to society, 
 than destructive to religion. 
 
 " The corrupt state of the church prior to the 
 reformation, is acknowledged by an author who 
 was both abundantly able to judge concerning 
 this matter, and who was not over forward to 
 confess it. — u For some years (says Bellarmine) 
 before the Lutheran and Calvinistic heresies were 
 published, there was not, as contemporary au- 
 thors testify, any severity in ecclesiastical judi- 
 catories, any discipline with regard to morals, any 
 knowledge of sacred literature, and reverence for 
 divine things ; there was not almost any religion 
 remaining." — Such a remarkable conlession made 
 by the avowed champion of Popery, should not 
 pass unnoticed by Protestants ; and before the 
 enemies of Protestantism inveigh against the re- 
 formation, let them consider its absolute neces- 
 sity, and contemplate the innumerable advantages 
 with which it was attended. 
 
 A symbolical representation of the reforma- 
 tion was exhibited before Charles the Vth and his 
 brother Ferdinand, at Augsburgh, in 1530, at the 
 H 4 
 
104- PROTESTANTS. 
 
 time when the Lutherans presented their confession 
 of faith to that assembly. As the princes were at 
 table, a company of persons offered to act a small 
 comedy for the entertainment of the company. 
 They were ordered to begin ; and first entered a 
 man in the dress of a doctor, who brought a large 
 quantity of small wood, of straight and crooked 
 billets, and laid it on the middle of the hearth, 
 and retired. On his back was written Reuchlin. 
 When this actor went off, another entered appa- 
 relled also like a doctor, who attempted to make 
 faggots of the wood, and to fit the crooked to the 
 straight ; but having laboured long to no purpose, 
 he went away out of humour, and shaking his 
 head. On his back appeared the name of Eras- 
 onus. A third dressed like an Augustinian monk, 
 came in with a chaffing-dish full of fire, gathered 
 up the crooked wood, clapped it on the fire, and 
 blew it till he made it burn, and went away ; 
 having upon his frock the name of Luther. 
 A fourth entered dressed like an Emperor, who 
 seeing the crooked wood all on fire, seemed 
 much concerned, and to put it out, drew his 
 sword, and poked the fire with it,which only made 
 it burn the brisker. On his back was written 
 Charles the Vth. Lastly, a fifth entered in his 
 pontifical habit and triple crown, who seemed 
 extremely surprised to see the crooked billets all 
 on fire, and by his countenance and attitude be- 
 
PROTKSTANTS. 10") 
 
 trayed excessive grief. Then looking about on 
 every side to see if lie could find any water lo 
 extinguish the flame, he casts his eyes on two 
 bottles in a corner of the room, one of which 
 was full of oil and the other of water, and in his 
 hurry he unfortunately seized the oil, and poured 
 it on the fire, which unfortunately made it blaze 
 so violently, that lie was forced to walk off. On 
 his back was written Leo the Xth." 
 
 The reader, who is acquainted with the history 
 of the reformation, will perceive the propriety 
 of the lively representations here given of those 
 several characters who were the principal actors 
 in bringing about that memorable event. 
 
 Chillingwortii, addressing himself to a 
 Romish writer, speaks of the religion of Pro- 
 testants in the following terms, worthy to be in- 
 scribed in letters of gold. — " Know then, Sir, 
 that when I say the religion of Protestants is in 
 prudence to be preferred before your's ; as on the 
 one side I do not understand by your religion the 
 doctrine of Bellarmine or Baronius, or any other 
 private man amongst you, nor the doctrine of the 
 Sorbonne, or of the Jesuits, or of the Domini- 
 cans, or of any other particular company among 
 you, but that wherein you all agree, or profess 
 to agree, The Doctrine of the Council of 
 Trent : So accordingly on the other side, by thr 
 religion of Protestants I do not understand tire 
 
106 PROTESTANTS. 
 
 doctrine of Luther or Calvin, or Melancthon 
 nor the confession of Augsburg, or Geneva, nor 
 ihe Catechism of Heidelberg nor the articles 
 cf the church of England — no, nor the har- 
 mony of Protestant confessions', but that wherein 
 they all agree, and which they all subscribe with 
 a greater harmony, as a perfect rule of faith and 
 action, that is, THE BIBLE. The Bible, I 
 say, the Bible only, is the religion of Protestants. 
 Whatsoever else they believe besides it, and the 
 plain, irrefragable, indubitable consequences of it, 
 well may they hold it as a matter of opinion ; but 
 as a matter of faith and religion, neither can they 
 with coherence to their own grounds believe it 
 themselves, nor require belief of it of others, 
 without most high and most schismatical pre- 
 sumption. I, for my part, after a long, and (as 
 I verily believe and hope) impartial search of the 
 true way to eternal happiness, do profess plainly, 
 that I cannot find any rest for the sole of my foot, 
 but upon this rock only. I see plainly, and 
 with my own eyes, that there are Popes against 
 Popes, and councils against councils ; some fa- 
 thers against other fathers, the same fathets against 
 themselves; a consent of fathers of one age 
 against a consent of fathers of another age ; tra- 
 ditive interpretations of scripture are pretended, 
 but there arc few or none to be found : no tradi- 
 tion but that of scripture can derive itself from 
 
PR0T1 107 
 
 the fountain, but may be plainly proved either to 
 have been brought in, in such an age after Christ t 
 or that in such an age it was not in. In a word, 
 there is no sufficient certainty but of scripture 
 only for any considering man to build upon. 
 This, therefore, and this only, I have reason to 
 believe. This I will profess : according to this, 
 I will live; and for this, if there be occasion, I 
 will not only willingly, but even gladly lose my 
 life, though I should be sorry that Christians 
 should take it from me. 
 
 " Propose me any thing out of the book, and 
 require whether I believe or no, and seem it 
 never so incomprehensible to human reason, I 
 will subscribe it with hand and heart, as knowing 
 no demonstration can be stronger than this, God 
 hath said so, therefore it is true. In other 
 things I will take no man's liberty of judging 
 from him ; neither shall any one take mine from 
 me. I will think no man the worse man, nor 
 the worse Christian ; I will love no man the 
 less, for differing in opinion from me. And 
 what measure I mete to others, I expect from 
 them again. I am fully assured that God does 
 not, and therefore men ought not, to require any 
 more of any man than this — " To believe the 
 scripture to be God's word; to endeavour to 
 find the true sense of it, and to live according 
 
10S PROTESTANTS. 
 
 frit."* Chillingworth's Works, fol. edit. 1742. 
 It may be proper to add, that Chillingworth 
 was a learned divine of the Church of England, 
 and lived in the reign of Charles the First. In 
 
 * Our English translation of the Bible was made in the time 
 and by the appointment of James the First- According to 
 Fuller, the list of the translators amounts to forty-seven. This 
 number was arranged under six divisions, and several parcels 
 of the Bible assigned them. Every one of the company was 
 to translate the whole parcel, then they were to compare these 
 together, and when any company had finished their part they 
 were to communicate it to the other companies, so that no- 
 thing should pass without general consent. The names of the 
 persons and places where they met together, with the portions 
 of scripture assigned each company, are to be found in John- 
 ions Historical Account of the several Translations of the Bible. 
 These good and learned men entered on their work in the 
 spring, 1607, and three years elapsed before the translation 
 was finished. 
 
 From the mutability of language, the variation of customs, 
 and the progress of knowledge, several passages in the Bible 
 require to be newly translated, or to be materially corrected. 
 Hence,, in the present age, when biblical literature has been 
 assiduously cultivated, different parts of the sacred volume 
 have been translated by able hands. The substituting a 
 new translation of the Bible in the room of the one now in 
 common use, has been much debated. Dr. Knox, in his in- 
 genious essays, together with others, argues against it, whilst 
 Dr. Ncwcome, the late Lord Primate of Ireland, the late 
 Dr. Geddes,of the Catholic persuasion, and the late Rev. Gil- 
 bert Wakefield, contended strenuously for it. The correction 
 of several passages, hotvever, would deprive Deists of many 
 
VROTEST.W'T*. 109 
 
 this earlier part of life he embraced the Romish 
 religion; but having found, aftei the most im- 
 partial investigation, that it was false and incon- 
 clusive, he returned to the communion of the 
 church of England, and vindicated the Protestant 
 religion, in a work entitled, The Religion of 
 Protestants a Safe Way to Salvation. Many cu- 
 rious particulars respecting Popery will be found 
 in The Romish Ecclesiastical History of Late 
 Years, by Richard Steele, Esq. in Geddes's 
 Tracts, and in Bowyer's History of the Popes. 
 
 Before we quit the subject of the REFORMATION 
 it may not be improper to add a short account of 
 the Luthetans. It has been already said, that 
 the Protestants were at first divided into the Lu- 
 therans, who adhere to Luther's teneis and the 
 Reformed, who follow the doctrine and discipline 
 
 of their objections, prevent Christians from being misled into 
 some absurd opinions, and be the means of making the scrip- 
 tures more intelligible, and consequently more beneficial to 
 the world. 
 
 Dr. Alexander Gcddes, at his decease, had got as far as the 
 Psalms in the translation of the Old Testament. Dr. New- 
 come and Mr. Wakefield, published entire translations of 
 the New Testament, of singular merit and ability. The Rev. 
 Edmund Butcher also has laid before the public a Family 
 Bible, in which many of the errors of the common translation 
 are corrected, and notes added by way of illustration, whilst 
 the text broken down into daily lessons, is happily adapted to 
 the purposes of family devotion. 
 
110 LUTHERANS. 
 
 of Geneva. In other words, Luther was at the 
 head of one party ; Calvin, the chief of the other. 
 The tenets of the latter have heen specified ; those 
 of the former, therefore, are the present subject 
 of enquiry. 
 
 LUTHERANS. 
 
 THE Lutherans, of all Protestants, are those 
 who differ least from the Romish church, as they 
 affirm that the body and blood of Christ are ma- 
 terially present in the sacrament of the Lord's 
 Supper, though in an incomprehensible manner ; 
 they likewise represent some religious rites and 
 institutions, as the use of images in churches, the 
 distinguishing vestments of the clergy, the pri- 
 vate confession of sins, the use of wafers in the 
 administration of the Lord's Supper, the form of 
 exorcism in the celebration of baptism, and other 
 ceremonies of the like nature as tolerable, and 
 some of them useful. The Lutherans maintain 
 with regard to the divine decrees, that they re- 
 spect the salvation or misery of men, in conse- 
 quence of a previous knowledge of their senti- 
 ments and characters, and not as free and uncon- 
 ditional, and as founded on the mere will of God, 
 which is the tenet of the Calvinists. Towards 
 the close of the last century, the Lutherans 
 
LUTHERANS. Ill 
 
 began to entertain a greater liberality of sentiment 
 
 than they had before adopted, though in many 
 places they persevered longer in severe and des- 
 potic principles than other Protestant churches. 
 Their public teachers now enjoy an unbounded 
 liberty of dissenting from the decisions of those 
 symbols of creeds, which were once deemed al- 
 most infallible rules of faith and practice, and of 
 declaring their dissent in the manner they judge 
 most expedient. Mosheim attributes this change 
 in their sentiments to the maxim which they ge- 
 nerally adopted, that Christians were accountable 
 to God alone, for their religious opinions ; and 
 that no individual could be justly punished by 
 the magistrate for his erroneous opinions, while 
 he conducted himself like a virtuous and obedient 
 subject, and made no attempts to disturb the peace 
 and order of civil society. 
 
 It may be just added, that Luther's opinion 
 respecting the sacrament, is termed Consubstan- 
 tiation, and it was that the partakers of the Lord's 
 Supper, received along' with the bread and wine 
 the real body and blood of Christ. And this, says 
 Dr. Mosheim, in their judgment was a mystery, 
 which thev did not pretend to explain. But his 
 translator, Dr. Machine, justly remarks, " That 
 Luther was not so modest as Dr. Mosheim here 
 represents him. He pretended to explain this 
 doctrine oi the real presence, absurd and contra- 
 
112 LUTHERANS, 
 
 dictory as it is, and uttered much senseless jargon 
 on the subject. As in a red-hot iron, said he, 
 two distinct substances, viz. iron and Jive are 
 united, so is the body of Christ joined with the 
 bread in the eucharist. I mention this miserable 
 comparison, to shew into what absurdities the 
 towering pride of system, will often betray men 
 of deep sense and true genius." 
 
 Such is the account given of the Lutherans 
 in a respectable work, and it appears to be found- 
 ed in truth. I shall only remark, that according 
 to the above sketch, Luther differed considerably 
 from Calvin, respecting election and reprobation, 
 and as to the principle, that Christians are ac- 
 countable to God alone, for their religious opini- 
 ons, it is a sentiment worthy of a great and ele- 
 vated mind. It is the corner-stone on which the 
 reformation has been raised. It is the only true 
 foundation of religious improvement, and where- 
 ever it is sincerely embraced, will check every 
 degree of uncharitableness and persecution, and 
 forward the blessed reign of love and charity 
 amongst the professors of Christianity.* 
 
 * Tn Szv(f:h well known Tale of a Tub, he satirises the Church 
 of Rome under the appellation of Peter, whose keys for an ad- 
 mission into heaven are supposed to be in their possession — 
 the Church of England under the name of Martin, because 
 its reformation originated with Martin Luther — and the Dis- 
 senters under the name of Jack, on account of the principles of 
 John Calvin being so prevalent amongst them. 
 
IIUGONOTS. 1 1 
 
 IIUGONOTS. 
 
 THE appellation Hugonots, was given to the 
 French Protestants in 1561. The term is (by 
 some) supposed to be derived from a gate in 
 Touts, called Hugon, where they first assembled. 
 According to others, the name is taken from the 
 first words of their original protest or confession 
 of faith — Hue nos venimus, &c. During the 
 reign of Charles the Ninth, and on the 21th of 
 August, 1572, happened the massacre of Bartho- 
 lomew, when 10,000 Protestants throughout 
 France were butchered, with circumstances of 
 aggravated cruelty. It began at Paris in the 
 night of the festival of Bartholomew, by secret 
 orders from Charles the Ninth, at the instigation 
 of his mother, the Queen Dowager Catherine de 
 Medicis. See Sully's Memoirs, and also a fine 
 description of it in the second canto of Voltaire's 
 Henriade. 
 
 In 1598, Henry the Fourth passed the famous 
 Edict of NantZy which secured to his old friends 
 the.Protestants the free exercise of their religion. 
 This edict was revoked by Lewis the Fourteenth. 
 Their churches were then erased to the ground; 
 their persons insulted by the soldiery, and, after 
 the loss of innumerable lives, 50,000 valuable 
 I 
 
114 HUGONOTS. 
 
 members of society were driven into exile ! In 
 Holland they built several places of worship, and 
 had amongst them some distinguished preachers. 
 Among other were Superville, Dumont, Dubosc, 
 and the eloquent Saurin, five volumes of whose 
 select sermons were translated into our language 
 bv the late Mr. Robinson of Cambridge. In one 
 of these sermons Saurin makes the following fine 
 apostrophe to that tyrant, Lewis the Fourteenth, 
 by whom thev were driven into exile — " And 
 thou, dreadful prince, whom I once honoured as 
 my king, and whom I yet respect as a scourge in 
 Arc hand of Almighty God, thou also shalt have 
 a part in my good wishes ! These provinces, 
 which thou threatenest, but which the arm of the 
 Lord protects ; this country, which thou fillest 
 with refugees, but fugitives animated with love ; 
 these walls, which contain a thousand martyrs of 
 thy making, but whom religion renders victo- 
 rious, all these yet resound benedictions in thy 
 favour. God grant the fatal bandage that hides 
 the truth from thy eyes may fall off! May God 
 forget tile rivers of blood with which thou hast 
 deluged the earth, and which thy reign hath 
 caused to be shed ! May God blot out of his book 
 the injuries which thou hath done us, and while 
 he rewards the sufferers, may he pardon those 
 who expose)] us to suffer ! O may God, who 
 ha'h made thee to us, and to the whole church, 
 
IIUGONOTS. I I 5 
 
 a minister of his judgments, make thee a dis- 
 penser of his favours, and administrator of his 
 mercy !" Another volume of Saurin's Ser- 
 mons was translated hy the late Dr. Henry. 
 Hunter. 
 
 Ahout the time of the revolution, lfiSS, there 
 -were many controversies between the Protestant 
 and the Popish divines. Tillotson and Burnet, two 
 clergymen of the church of England, rendered 
 Protestantism great service hy their writings ; and 
 were, on that account, elevated to the Bench hy 
 King William of immortal memory. There are 
 also two excellent volumes of Sermons against 
 Popery, preached in the early part of last cen- 
 tury, by various dissenting ministers, at Salter's 
 HalL See also a sermon by the Rev. Robert 
 Winter, entitled, " Reflections on the present 
 State of Popery ," delivered at Salter's Hall, No- 
 vember, 1800; from the perusal of which, the 
 reader will find much satisfaction. Burnet's 
 History of the Reformation, and The History 
 of his Own Times, published after his death by 
 his son, are two works which throw much light 
 on the state of religion in the last and preceding 
 centuries among Papists, Churchmen, and Dis- 
 senters. The merit of these publications, parti- 
 cularly the latter, is judiciously appreciated by 
 Dr. Kippis, under the article Burnet, m the Bu- 
 graphia BriLuinica. To these may now be 
 
116 EPISCOPALIANS. 
 
 added, an excellent Defence of Protestantism t 
 by Dr. Sturges, in his answer to Mr. Milner, 
 who in his History of Winchester, takes every 
 opportunity of reprobating the Protestant reli- 
 gion, and of erecting on its ruins his beloved 
 edifice of Popery. Dr. S. shews the rise, pro- 
 gress, and tendency of the Romish religion ; 
 animadverts with spirit on the calumnies by 
 which his antagonist had endeavoured to blacken 
 the characters of the reformers : and finally, he 
 proves the Protestant religion by its views of the 
 Divine Being, and by its regard for the rights of 
 mankind, to be the only true and primitive 
 Christianity. 
 
 EPISCOPALIANS ; 
 
 OR, 
 
 CHURCH OF ENGLAND. 
 
 THE Episcopalians, in the modern acceptation 
 of the term, belong more especially to the Church 
 of England, and derive this title from Episcopus, 
 the Latin word for bishop ; or if it be referred to 
 its Greek origin from Scopeo to look, Epi over, 
 implying the care and diligence with which bi- 
 shops are expected to preside over those com- 
 mitted to their guidance and direction. They 
 insist on the divine origin of their bishops, and 
 
KPISCOPALIANS. Ill 
 
 other church officers, and on the alliance between 
 church and state. Respecting these subjects, 
 however, Warburton and Hoadley, together with 
 others of the learned amongst them, have different 
 opinions, as they have also on their thirty-nine 
 articles ; which were established in the reign of 
 Queen Elizabeth. They are to be found in most 
 Common Prayer Books; and the Episcopal 
 church in America has reduced their number to 
 twenty. By some, these articles are made to 
 speak the language of Calvinism, and by others 
 have been interpreted in favour of Arminianism. 
 Even at this time the controversy is agitated — 
 and the publications of Overton and Kipling may 
 be consulted on the subject. The doctrines and 
 discipline of the Church of England are nearly 
 connected with the reformation of Luther in 
 Germany, and also with the state of ecclesiasti- 
 cal affairs for a considerable time before that re- 
 formation commenced. 
 
 Eusebius, positively, asserts, that Christianity 
 was first introduced into South Britain by the 
 apostles and their disciples ; and it is supposed 
 that the apostle Paul visited this country, whose 
 zeal, diligence, and fortitude, were abundant. 
 It is also said, that numbers of persons professed 
 the Christian faith hereabout the year 150 ; and 
 according to Usher, there was in the year 182, 
 a school of learning, to provide the British 
 I 3 
 
118 WICKLIFFFITES AND LOLLARDS.' 
 
 churches with proper teachers. On the subject 
 of the first introduction of Christianity into this 
 island, the reader is referred to the first volume 
 of Henry' 's History of Great Britain, where his 
 curiosity will be gratified. 
 
 John Wickliffe, educated at Oxford, in the 
 reign of Edward the Third, was the first person 
 in this country who publicly questioned, and 
 boldly refuted the doctrines of Popery. Ho left 
 behind him many followers, who were called 
 Wickliffites and Lollards-, the latter being a 
 term of reproach taken from the Flemish tongue. 
 In the council of Constance, 1415, the memory 
 and opinions of Wickliffe (who died peaceably at 
 Lutterworth, 1384,) were condemned, and soon 
 after his bones were dug up and burnt. This im- 
 potent rage of his enemies served only to pro- 
 mote the cause of reform which Wickliffe had 
 espoused. It is with a view to the subsequent 
 extension of his doctrine that the judicious Rapin 
 observes — " His ashes were thrown into the 
 brook which runs through the town of Lutter- 
 worth, the brook conveyed the ashes to the Se- 
 vern, and the Severn to the Sea !" 
 
 The Church of England broke off from th 
 Romish church in the time of Henry the Eighth, 
 when (as has been already related) Luther had be- 
 gan the reformation in Germany. In earlier life, 
 and during the earlier part of his reign, Henry was 
 
WICKLIFMTES AND LOLLARDS. j 1 <) 
 _ 
 
 a bigotted Papist, burnt William Tyndal, who 
 made one of the first and best English translation, 
 of the New Testament, and wrote tiercel v in de- 
 fence of the seven sacraments, against Luther, 
 for which the Pope honoured him with the title 
 D^'-jndcr of the Faith! This title is retained 
 by the kings of England even to the present duv, 
 though they are the avowed enemies of those 
 opinions, by contending for which he acquired 
 that honourable distinction. Henry, falling out 
 with the Pope, took the government of ecclesias- 
 tical affairs into his own hands j and, having re- 
 formed many enormous abuses, entitled himself 
 Supreme Head of the Church. 
 
 When the reformation in England first took 
 place, great efforts were made to promote the 
 reading of the scriptures among the common peo- 
 ple. Among other devices for the purpose, the 
 following curious one was adopted. Bonner, 
 Bishop of London, caused six Bibles to be chained 
 to certain convenient places in St. Paul's church, 
 for all that were so well inclined to resort there ; 
 together with a certain admonition to the readers 
 fastened upon the pillars to which the Bibles 
 were chained, to this tenor — " That whosoever 
 came there to read should prepare himself to be 
 edified, and made the better thereby ; that lie 
 bring with him discretion, honest intent, charity, 
 reverence, and quiet behavioui ; that there should 
 i 4 
 
120 WICKLIFFITES AND LOLLARDS. 
 
 no such number meet together there as to make 
 a multitude ; that no such exposition be made 
 thereupon but what is declared in the book it- 
 self; that it be not read with noise in time of 
 divine service, or that any disputation or conten- 
 tion be used about it ; that in case they continued 
 their former misbehaviour, and refused to comply 
 with these directions, the king would be forced 
 against his will to remove the occasion, and take 
 the Bible out of the church." — See Johnson's 
 Historical account of the several English Trans- 
 lations of the Bible, and the opposition they met 
 with from the Church of Rome, 
 
 The Church of England is governed by the 
 king, who is the supreme head ; by two arch- 
 bishops, and by twenty-four bishops. The bene- 
 fices of the bishops were converted by William 
 the Conqueror into temporal baronies; so that 
 every prelate has a seat and vote in the House of 
 Peers. Dr. Benjamin Hoadley, however, in a 
 sermon preached from this text, my kingdom is 
 not of this world, insisted that the clergy had no 
 pretensions to temporal jurisdiction, which gave 
 rise to various publications, termed by way of 
 eminence the Bangorian Controversy, for Hoad- 
 ley was then Bishop of Bangor.* There is a 
 
 * The memory of this eminent prelate has been insulted by 
 Mr. Milner in his History of Winchester ; but Mr. Hoadley Ashe 
 and Dr, Slurges have amply vindicated it. 
 
CHURCH OF ENGLAND. 121 
 
 bishop of Sodorand Man, who has no scat in the 
 I louse of Peers ; and a late prelate of this see 
 was the amiable and learned Dr. Wilson. Since 
 the death of the pedantic and intolerant Archhi- 
 shop Laud, men of moderate principles have been 
 raised to the see of Canterbury, and this hath 
 tended not a little to the tranquillity of church 
 and state. The established church of Ireland is 
 the same as the church of England, and is go- 
 verned by four archbishops and eighteen bishops. 
 Since the union of Ireland with Great Britain, 
 four only of these spiritual Lords sit in the House 
 of Lords, assembled at Westminster. 
 
 In the course of the last century disputes 
 arose among the English clergy respecting the 
 propriety of subscribing to any human formulary 
 of religious sentiments. An application for its 
 removal was made to Parliament in 1772, by the 
 petitioning clergy, and received, as it deserved, 
 the most public discussion in the House o( Com- 
 mons. The third edition of Archdeacon Black- 
 burn's excellent Confessional, was published 
 1770, two years previous to the presentation of 
 this clerical petition, when the long controversy 
 in consequence of the work, was closed, and in- 
 deed introductory to the application to Parliament 
 pending, by which the controversy was renewed. 
 Mr* Dyer's Treatise against subscription, ap- 
 pealed many years afterwards. Some respect- 
 
JUftf CHURCH OF ENGLAND. 
 
 m ' ... • ■■ ■ ' -- ' ■ mix-** - 
 
 able clergymen were so impressed with die im- 
 propriety of subscription, that they resigned their 
 livings, and published reasons for their conduct. 
 Among these, the names of Robertson, Jebb, 
 Matty, Lindsey, and Disney, will be long re- 
 membered. Several others, indeed, resigned pre- 
 ferments held by the same tenure for similar rea- 
 sons, without giving such reasons to the public, 
 as Mr. Tyrwhitt, Mr. Wakefield, &c. and it has 
 been said that many more reluctantly continue 
 in their conformity, under the contest between 
 their convictions and their inability from various- 
 causes to extricate themselves, but who will never 
 repeat their subscriptions. The Rev. T. Lindsey, 
 however, withdrew from the church, because he 
 objected to the trinity ; professing to worship the 
 Father only as the one true God, to the exclu- 
 sion of Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit, as 
 objects of worship. See " The Book of Common 
 Prayer Reformed" used at Essex Street Chapel ; 
 a new edition of which has been just published. 
 
 Attempts have been made to amend the arti- 
 cles, the liturgy, and some things which related 
 to the internal government of the church of 
 England. Dr. Watson, the present Bishop of 
 Landaff wrote a Letter to the Archbishop of 
 Canterbury, in the year 1781, in which he ar- 
 gues for the propriety of a more equal distribu- 
 
CHURCH OP ENGLAND. I 23 
 
 tion of salary among the different orders of the 
 clergy. But this plan, projected by the worthy 
 prelate, together with the preceding proposals 
 for reform by the authors of the Eree and Can- 
 did Disyuisi/ious, and the Appeal to Reason and 
 Candor, have been suffered to sink into oblivion. 
 The church of England has produced a succession 
 of eminent men. Among its ornaments are to 
 be reckoned Usher, Hall, Taylor, St Ming fleet, 
 Cudworth, Wilkins, Tillotson, Cumberland, 
 Barrow, Burnet, Pearson, Hammond, Whitby, 
 Clarke, Hoadley, Jortin, Seeker, Home, Lowth 
 and Warburton. In the Appendix to Mosheim's 
 Ecclesiastical History, will be found a circum- 
 stantial account of the correspondence carried on 
 in the year 1718, between Dr. Win, Wake, 
 Archbishop of Canterbury, and certain doctors 
 of the Sorbonne of Paris, relative to a project of 
 union between the English and Gallican churches. 
 Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity — Pearson on 
 the Creed, Burnet on the Thirty-nine Articles, 
 and Bishop Prettyman's Elements of Theology* 
 are deemed the best defences of Episcopacy. 
 In Scotland, and other parts, since the revolu- 
 
 * Mr. William Friend, the celebrated mathematician, late of 
 Cambridge, published a series of letter to this prelate by wa| 
 of reply to certain passages in bb Elements of Theology. 
 
124 CHURCH OF ENGLAND. 
 
 tion, there existed a species of Episcopalians 
 called Non-jurors, because being inflexibly at- 
 tached to the Stuarts, who were then driven 
 from the throne, they refused to take the oath of 
 allegiance to the Brunswick family. On the 
 decease, however, of the Pretender, whom the 
 Non-jurors stiled Prince Charles, and who died 
 at Rome, 1788, they complied with the requisi- 
 tion of Government, and now the distinction is 
 abolished. 
 
 The reformation in England, begun under the 
 auspices of Henry the Eighth, was greatly check- 
 ed by Mary, who proceeded like a female fury to 
 re-establish Popery. In her sanguinary reign 
 were burnt one archbishop, four bishops, twenty- 
 one divines, eight gentlemen, one hundred and 
 eighty. four artificers, and one hundred husband- 
 men, servants, and labourers ; twenty-six wives, 
 twenty widows, and nine virgins, two boys, and 
 two infants! ! ! On the death of Mary, 1558, 
 Elizabeth ascended the throne, repealed the 
 laws which had been established in favour of 
 Popery, and restored her supremacy. In these 
 matters she wonderfully succeeded, since of 9,400 
 beneficed clergymen, about 120 only refused to 
 comply with the reformation. The establish- 
 ment of Protestantism in England underwent 
 various fluctuations till the glorious revolution 
 under William, in 1638, placed it on a firm and 
 
( MURCH OF ENG1 AND. I 2 ~> 
 
 1 — _ 
 
 permanent foundation. The family of the Stuarts 
 were bitter enemies to the civil and religioui 
 
 liberties of their subjects, and violently attached 
 to Popery, Dr. Goldsmith tells us, in his history 
 of England, that James the Second, in endeavor- 
 ing to convert his subjects to the Popish religion, 
 descended so low as Colonel Kirke. But that 
 daring and unprincipled soldier assured his ma- 
 jesty that he was pre-engaged, for that if ever he 
 did change his religion, he had promised the 
 Emperor of Morocco, when quartered at Tan- 
 gier, to turn Mahometan ! 
 
 Mr. Gisborne, in his excellent Familiar Survey 
 of the Christian Religion, has the following re- 
 marks on church government: — " In every com- 
 munity or body of men, civil or ecclesiastical, 
 some species of government is requisite for the 
 good of the whole. Otherwise all is irre- 
 gularity, and interminable confusion. How 
 then in any particular country is the Christian 
 church to be governed? " Every separate con- 
 gregation," answers the independent, " is a 
 sovereign church amenable to no extrinsic juris- 
 diction, and entitled to no jurisdiction over 
 other churches." " That mode of government,'' 
 replies the Presbyterian, " is calculated to de- 
 stroy union, co-operation, and concord among 
 Christians. All congregations within the same, 
 which agree in doctrine, ought to be under the 
 
126 CHURCH OF ENGLAND. 
 
 general superintendence of a representative as- 
 sembly composed of their ministers and dele- 
 gates." " Such a representative assembly," 
 returns the Episcopalian, " wants vigour and 
 dispatch, and is perpetually open to tumult and 
 partiality, and faction. Divide the country into 
 dioceses, and station a bishop in each, armed 
 with sufficient authority, and restrained by ade- 
 quate laws, from abusing it. Such was the apos- 
 tolic government of the church — such, perhaps," 
 he adds, M was the government enjoined on suc- 
 ceeding ages." •' Away," cries the Papist, with 
 these treasonable discussions. The Pope, the 
 successor of St. Peter, is by divine right the only 
 source of ecclesiastical power, the universal mo- 
 narch of the universal church." 
 
 Writing as I am to Protestants, I may pass by 
 the claim of the successor of St. Peter. But the 
 concluding words of the Episcopalian are of 
 prime importance. If Christ or his apostles 
 enjoined the uniform adoption of Episcopacy, 
 the question is decided. Did Christ then or his 
 apostles deliver or indirectly convey such an in- 
 junction? This topic has been greatly contro- 
 verted. The fact appears to be this — that our 
 Saviour did not pronounce upon the subject ; 
 that the apostles uniformly established a bishop 
 in every district, as soon as the church in that 
 district became numerous, and thus clearly evinced 
 
DISSIINTERS. i 21 
 
 their judgment as to the form of ecclesiastical 
 government, most advantageous at least in those 
 divsi.) Christianity ; but that they left no com- 
 maiul, which rendered Episcopacy universally in- 
 dispensihle in future times, if other forms should 
 evidently promise, through local opinions and 
 circumstances, greater benefit to religion. Such 
 is the general sentiment of the present church of 
 England on the subject." Bishop Prettvman has 
 expressed himself much after the same manner 
 in his Elements of Theology* 
 
 DISSENTERS. 
 
 Dissenters from the church of England made 
 their first appearance in Queen Elizabeth's time, 
 when, on account of the extraordinary purity 
 which they proposed in religious worship and 
 conduct, they were reproached with the name of 
 Puritans. They were greatly increased by the 
 act of uniformity, which took place on ttartho- 
 
 * As the established church in Ireland is the same with that 
 of England— so are also the Dissenters of much the same com- 
 paction. Tiic Papists, indeed, are very numerous there — 
 as are likewise the Presbyterians in the North of Ireland. 
 Aberneihy, who wrote on the Jttttihutei and Duchal, who 
 wrote on the Internal EvUcnces of Christianity were ministers 
 of eminence amongst them. 
 
128 DISSENTERS. 
 
 lomew-day 1662, in the reign of Charles the 
 Second. By this act 2,000 ministers were ohliged 
 to quit the established church, refusing to con- 
 form to certain conditions, whence they were 
 called Non-conformists. An instructive and en- 
 tertaining account of the lives, literature, and 
 piety of these good men, is to be found in Palmer's 
 Nonconformist's Memorial, of which work, there 
 is a new and improved edition just published in 
 three volumes. Their descendants are known by 
 the name of Protestant Dissenters, and rank un- 
 der the three respectable denominations of Pres- 
 byterians, Independents, and Baptists. 
 
 Of the origin and progress of the Dissenters, a 
 full account is contained in Neat's History of 
 the Puritans,* an improved edition of which 
 work has been published by Dr. Toulmin of 
 Taunton, who has accompanied it with notes, in 
 which are obviated the objections which have 
 been made to it by Grey, Maddox, Warbur- 
 ton, and others. Here the historian traces, step 
 by step, the differences which originally occasi- 
 
 * It is remarkable, that little notice is taken in this work. 
 oUokn Bunyan, the celebrated author of the Pilgrim's Progress ; 
 he was twelve years in Bedford Goal, and therefore deserves 
 to have been particularly mentioned, were it only for his suf- 
 ferings as a Protestant Dissenter. But Crosby, in his History of 
 the Vapists, accuses Neal of not having treated the Baptists in 
 that work with impartiality. 
 
DISSENTERS. 129 
 
 oncd the separation, and an affecting narrati\ 
 given of the sufferings which our forcfatlu is v. 
 doomed to undergo in the cause of religious li- 
 bel ty. A brief history of the Puritans also was 
 published in 1772, of which the author, the 
 Rev. J. Cornish, lias given an enlarged :md 
 pleasing edition. The principles on which the 
 Dissenters separate from the church of England 
 are the same with those on which she separates 
 herself from the church of Rome. They may he 
 summarily comprehended in these three ; 1. The 
 right of private judgment. 2. Liberty of Con- 
 science. And, 3. The perfection of scripture as 
 a Christian's only rule of faith and practice. 
 
 The late pious and learned Dr. Taylor of Nor- 
 wich, thus expressed himself concerning the 
 principles and worship of the Dissenters — "The 
 principles and worship of Dissenters are not 
 formed upon such slight foundation as the un- 
 learned and thoughtless may imagine. They 
 were thoroughly considered and judiciously re- 
 duced to the standard of scripture and the writ- 
 ings of antiquity, by a great number of men of 
 learning and integrity. I mean the Bartholomexe- 
 divines, or the ministers ejected in the year 1662, 
 men prepared to lose all, and to suffer martyrdom 
 itself, and who actually resigned their livings 
 (which with most of them were, under God, all 
 that they and their families had to subsist upon) 
 K 
 
130 DISSENTERS. 
 
 rather than sin against God and desert the cause 
 of civil and religious liberty, which together with 
 serious religion would, I am persuaded, have sunk 
 to a very low ebb in the nation, had it not been 
 for the bold and noble stand these worthies made 
 against imposition upon conscience, prophaneness, 
 and arbitrary power. They had the best educa- 
 tion England could afford, most of them were 
 excellent scholars, judicious divines, pious, faith- 
 ful, and laborious ministers, of great zeal for God 
 and religion, undaunted and courageous in their 
 master's work, standing close to their people in 
 the worst of times, diligent in their studies, solid, 
 affectionate, powerful, awakening preachers, 
 aiming at the advancement of real vital religion 
 in the hearts and lives of men, which it cannot 
 be denied, flourished greatly wherever they could 
 influence. Particularly they were men of great 
 devotion and eminent abilities in prayer, uttering 
 as God enabled them from the abundance of their 
 hearts and affections ; men of divine eloquence in 
 pleading at the throne of grace, raising and melt- 
 ing the affections of their hearers, and being hap- 
 pily instrumental in transfusing into their souls 
 the same spirit and heavenly gift. And this was 
 the ground of all their other qualifications, they 
 were excellent men, because excellent, instant, 
 and fervent in prayer. Such were the/atkers and 
 first formers of the Dissenting interest. Let 
 
DISSFNTFRS. i ; 1 
 
 mv soul be for ever with the souls cf these 
 men." 
 
 The Test Act excludes Dissenters fiom filling 
 public offices, except they take the sacrament at 
 the established church, which some think cannot 
 be consistently clone by any conscientious Dis- 
 senter. Hence loud complaints have been raised 
 respecting this exclusion, since, as members of 
 the civil community, they are entitled to all the 
 common privileges of that community. The 
 Test Aet was originally levelled against the Ro- 
 man Catholics. The Dissenters have made se- 
 veral unsuccessful applications for its repeal. The 
 question was warmly agitated in the House of 
 Commons, 1787, and on each side numerous 
 publications issued from the press. The chief 
 argument urged for the continuance of the Test 
 Act is the safety of the established church. The 
 principal arguments alledged for its repeal are, 
 that it is a prostitution of the Lord's Supper, 
 and that to withhold civil rights on account of 
 religious opinions, is a species of persecution. 
 
 The Dissenters, as a body, have not been un- 
 fruitful of great and learned men. Among their 
 ornaments are to be ranked Baxter, Bates, Howe, 
 Owen, Williams, Neal, Henry, Stcnnet, Evans, 
 Gale, Foster, Leland, Grosvenor, Watts, Lardner, 
 Abernethy, Doddridge, Grove, Chandler, Gill, 
 Orton, Furncaux, Farmer, Towgood, Robinson, 
 K 2 
 
132 KIRK OF SCOTLAND. 
 
 and Price. Though (as enemies have suggested) 
 it may happen that among Dissenters sufficient 
 encouragement is not given in certain cases to 
 men of talents and integrity, yet among their 
 more liberal denominations, it must be confessed 
 that a dissenting minister may, unawed by a 
 conclave of cardinals — a bench of bishops — or a 
 board of ministers — exercise in its fullest extent 
 the i ights of private judgment, which is the 
 pride and pleasure of the human mind. In Pierce's 
 Vindication of the Dissenters, Towgood's Let- 
 ters to White, and Palmer's Protestant Dissen- 
 ters's Catechism, are stated the grounds upon 
 which their dissent from the established church 
 is founded. 
 
 KIRK OF SCOTLAND. 
 
 THE members of the Kirk of Scotland are 
 strictly speaking, the only Presbyterians in 
 Great Britain. Their mode of ecclesiastical go- 
 vernment was brought thither from Geneva by 
 John Knox, the celebrated Scotch reformer, and 
 who has been stiled the apostle of Scotland, for 
 the same reason that Luther was called the apostle 
 of Germany. 
 
 Contrary to the Episcopalians, the Presbyte- 
 rians maintain that the church should be governed 
 
KIRK OF SCOTLAND 133 
 
 by Presbyteries, Synods, and general Assemblies. 
 Tbe title Presbyterian comes from tbe Gi 
 word I'rcsfnitcros, which signifies senior or elder. 
 In the Kirk of Scotland there arc fifteen synods 
 and sixty-nine presbyteries. Their articles are 
 Calvinistic, and their general assembly is held 
 annually in the month of May at Edinburgh. 
 Dreadful scenes took place in Scotland previous 
 to the establishment of Presbyterianism in its 
 present form at the revolution, and its confirma- 
 tion in 1706, by the act of union between the two 
 kingdoms. During the commonwealth, Pres- 
 byterianism was the established religion, but on 
 the restoration Episcopacy was introduced in its 
 room. So averse, however, were the Scotch to 
 the Episcopalians, and so harsh were the mea- 
 sures of the Episcopalian party, that the whole 
 country was thrown into confusion. Leighton 
 the most pious and moderate prelate amongst 
 them, disgusted with the proceedings of his bre- 
 thren, resigned his bishopric, and told the king, 
 " He would not have a hand in such oppressive 
 measures, were he sure to plant the Christian re- 
 ligion in an infidel country by them ; much less 
 when they tended only to alter the form of 
 church government. " On the other hand, Sharp, 
 Archbishop of St. Andrew's, adopted violent 
 measures, which terminated in his death. For 
 in 1679, nine ruffians stopped his coach near St- 
 K 3 
 
13 J. SECEDERS. 
 
 Andrew's, assassinated him, and left his body 
 covered with thirty-two wounds. On the mo- 
 nument of this unfortunate prelate, in one of the 
 churches of St. Andrew's, I have seen an exact 
 representation in elegant sculpture of this tragi- 
 cal event. 
 
 It was in these troubled times that the Presby- 
 terians drew up their famous solemn league and 
 covenant, whereby they bound themselves to ef- 
 fect the extirpation of episcopacy. The Scotch 
 church, however, is now considerably improved 
 in sentiment and liberality, and some of their 
 clergy stand foremost in the several departments 
 of literature. Robertson, Henry, Leechman, 
 Blacklock, Gerard, Campbell, Blair, and Hun- 
 ter, all recently deceased, are among its principal 
 ornaments. In a selection of sermons, entitled the 
 Scotch Preacher, will be found a pleasing speci- 
 men of the pulpit compositions of the Scotch 
 clergy, delivered on particular occasions. 
 
 SECEDERS. 
 
 DISSENTERS from the Kirk or Church of 
 Scotland, call themselves Seceders ; for as the term 
 Dissenter comes from the Latin word, dissentio, 
 to differ, so the appellation Seccder is derived 
 from another Latin word secedo, to separate or 
 
SECEDERS. I | 
 
 to withdraw from any body of men with which 
 WC may have been united. The Scceders are 
 rigid CalvinistS, rather austere in their manners, 
 and in their discipline. Through a difference as 
 to civil matters they are broken down into 
 Burghers and Anti-burghers. Of these two 
 classes the latter are the most confined in their 
 sentiments, and associate therefore the least with 
 any other body of Christians. The Scceders 
 originated under two brothers, Ralph and Ebe- 
 nezer Erskine, about the year 17'30. It is wor- 
 thy of observation, that the Rev. George White- 
 field, in one of his visits to Scotland, was so- 
 lemnly reprobated by the Seceders, because he 
 refused to confine his itinerant labour* wholly to 
 them. The reason assigned for this monopoliza- 
 tion was, that they were exclusively God's 
 people ! Mr. Whitefield smartly replied, that 
 they had therefore the less need of his services, 
 for his aim was to turn sinners from the error 
 and wickedness of their ways by preaching 
 among them, glad tidings of great joy ! 
 
 There is also a species of Dissenters from the 
 church of Scotland called Relief, whose only dif- 
 ference from the Kirk is, the choosing of their 
 own pastors. They are respectable as to numbers 
 an I ability. 
 
 The reformation in Scotland, like that in Eng- 
 land and Germany, struggled with a bug series 
 K 4 
 
36 SECEDERS. 
 
 of opposition, and was at length gloriously tri- 
 umphant. Dr. Gilbert Stewart, therefore, closes 
 his History of the Reformation in North Bri- 
 tain with the following animated reflections : 
 
 " From the order and the laws of our nature 
 it perpetually happens that advantages are mixed 
 with misfortune. The conflicts which led to a 
 purer religion, while they excite under one aspect 
 the liveliest transports of joy, create in another a 
 mournful sentiment of sympathy and compassion. 
 Amidst the felicities which were obtained, and 
 the trophies which were won, we deplore the 
 melancholy ravages of the passions, and weep 
 over the ruins of ancient magnificence. But 
 ■while the contentions and the ferments of men, 
 even in the road to improvements and excellence, 
 are ever destined to be polluted with mischief 
 and blood , a tribute of the highest panegyric 
 and praise is yet justly to be paid to the actors in 
 the reformation. They gave way to the move- 
 ments of a liberal and a resolute spirit. They 
 taught the rulers of nations that the obedience of 
 the subject is the child of justice, and that men 
 must be governed by their opinions and their 
 reason. This magnanimity is illustrated by great 
 and conspicuous exploits, which at the same time 
 that they awaken admiration, are an example to 
 support and animate virtue in the hour of trial 
 uiid peril. The existence of civil liberty was 
 
'IRS. ] ;7 
 
 deeply connected with the doctrines for which 
 they contended and fought. While they treated 
 With scorn an abject and cruel superstition, and 
 lifted and suhlimcd the dignity of man, by call- 
 ing his attention to a simpler and a wiser theo- 
 logy, they were strenuous to give a permanent 
 security to the polilical constitution of their 
 state. The happiest and the best interests of 
 society were the objects for which they buckled 
 on their armour, and to wish and to act for their 
 duration and stability, are perhaps the most im- 
 portant employments of patriotism and public 
 affection. The reformation may suffer fluctua- 
 tion in its forms, but, for the good and the pro- 
 sperity of mankind, it is to be hoped that it is 
 never to yield and to submit to the errors and the 
 superstitions it overwhelmed. " 
 
 Having mentioned that the church of Scotland 
 is composed of a General Assembly — Synods and 
 Presbyteries— to these must be added the Kirk 
 Sessions— made up of the Pastor, Ruling Elders, 
 and Deacons ; though the business of the last is 
 to attend to the temporalities of the church. Nor 
 ought it to be forgotten that both classes of the 
 Seceders and the Relief Body, including about 
 three hundred ministers are strict Presbyterians, 
 notwithstanding their secession, or dissent from 
 the Scotch Establishment. 
 
138 ENGLISH PRESBYTERIANS. 
 
 ENGLISH PRESBYTERIANS. 
 
 BUT the appellation Presbyterian is in Eng- 
 land appropriated to a large denomination of Dis- 
 senters, who have no attachment to the Scotch 
 mode of church government, any more than to 
 Episcopacy amongst us, and therefore to this 
 body of Christians the term Presbyterian in its 
 original sense is improperly applied. How this 
 misapplication came to pass cannot be easily de- 
 termined, but it has occasioned many wrong 
 notions, and should therefore be rectified. Eng- 
 lish Presbyterians as they are called, adopt the 
 same mode of church government with the In- 
 dependents, which is the next sect to be men- 
 tioned. Their chief difference from the Inde- 
 pendents is, that they are less attached to Cal- 
 vinism, and consequently admit a greater latitude 
 of religious sentiment. 
 
 Dr. Doddridge in his Lectures has this para- 
 graph on the subject, which may serve still fur- 
 ther for its illustration. " Those who hold every 
 pastor to be as a bishop or overseer of his own 
 congregation, so that no other person or body of 
 men have by divine institution a power to exer- 
 cise any superior or pastoral office in it, may, 
 properly speaking, be called (so far at least) con- 
 gregational ; and it is by a vulgar mistake that 
 
INDEPENDENTS. 1 VJ 
 
 any such arc called Presbyterians, for the Pres- 
 byterian discipline is exercised by synods and 
 assemblies t subordinate to eacli other, and all of 
 them subject to the authority of what is com- 
 monly called a General Assembly ." This mode 
 of church government is to be found in Scotland, 
 and has been already detailed under a former 
 article in this work. 
 
 INDEPENDENTS. 
 
 THE Independents, or Congregationalists, 
 deny not only the subordination of the clergy, 
 but also all dependency on other assemblies. 
 Every congregation (say they) has in itself what 
 is necessary for its own government, and is not 
 subject to other churches or to their deputies. 
 Thus this independency of one church with re- 
 spect to another has given rise to the appellation 
 Independents; though this mode of church go- 
 vernment is adopted by the Dissenters in general. 
 The Independents have been improperly con- 
 founded with the Brownists, for though they 
 may have originally sprung from them, they ex- 
 cel them in the moderation of their sentiments, 
 and in the order of their discipline. The first 
 Independent or Congregational Church in Eng- 
 land was established by a Mr. Jacob, in the year 
 
140 BROWNISTS — P.£DOBAPTlSTS. 
 
 1616; though a Mr. Robinson appears to have 
 been the founder of this sect. 
 
 BROWNISTS. 
 
 THE Broxvnists, which have been just menti- 
 oned, were the followers of Robert Brown, a 
 clergyman of the church of England, who lived 
 about 1600. He inveighed against the ceremo- 
 nies and discipline of the church, separated him- 
 self from her communion, and afterwards return- 
 ed into her bosom. He appears to have been a 
 persecuted man, of violent passions. He died in 
 Northampton goal, 1630, after boasting that he 
 had been committed to thirty-two prisons, in 
 some of which he could not see his hand at noon 
 day ! 
 
 P.EDOBAPTISTS. 
 
 BEFORE we proceed to the Baptists, it will be 
 necessary just to remark, that all persons who 
 baptize infants, are denominated P&dobaptists, 
 from the Greek word, Pais, which signifies child 
 or infant, and Bap to to baptize. Of course 
 the Established Church, the Presbyterians both 
 in Scotland and England, together with the In- 
 dependents are all P<edobaptists ; that is, bap- 
 
(BAPTISTS. 1 i-I 
 
 tizers of infants or children. Their reasons fur 
 tin's practice are to be found in Wall, Towgood, 
 Addington, Williams, Horsey, and others, who 
 have expressly written on the subject with learn- 
 ing and ingenuity. They rest their arguments 
 principally on the following circumstances : 
 That baptism has succeeded instead of the lite 
 of circumcision j that households, probably (say 
 they) including children, were baptized ; that 
 Jesus shewed an affectionate regard for children ; 
 and finally, that it is the means of impressing the 
 minds of parents with a sense of the duties which 
 they owe their offspring, upon the right discharge 
 of which depend the welfare and happiness of the 
 rising generation. Persons, therefore, engage 
 themselves as sponsors in the Established Church, 
 who promise that they will take care of the mo- 
 rals of the children , among other sects the pa- 
 rents are made answerable, who indeed are the 
 most proper persons to undertake the arduous 
 task, and to see it duly accomplished. Dr. Priest- 
 ley has just published a Letter to an Antipado- 
 baptist, in which he endeavours to prove the Bap- 
 tism of Infants, from the testimony of the Fa- 
 thers — he indeed thus places it upon mere human 
 authority. These preliminary remarks were ne- 
 cessary to render a sketch of the Baptists the 
 more intelligible. We shall therefore proceed 
 to that denomination. 
 
H2 BAPTISTS, 
 
 BAPTISTS 
 
 GENERAL AND PARTICULAR. 
 
 THE Baptists are distinguished from other 
 denominations respecting the mode and subject 
 of baptism. They contend that this ordinance 
 should be administered by immersion only, which 
 indeed is enjoined, though not practised, by the 
 church of England. They also assert, that it 
 should be administered to those alone who pro- 
 fess their belief in the Christian religion, and 
 their determination of regulating their lives by its 
 precepts. Some of the learned, however, sup- 
 pose that the controversy is not so properly 
 whether infants or adults should be baptized, as 
 whether the rite should be administered on the 
 profession of our own faith, or that of another's 
 faith. See Letters addressed to Bishop Hoadley, 
 by the late Mr. Foot, a General Baptist at Bristol. 
 
 The Baptists are divided into the General, 
 who are Arminians, and into the Particular, 
 who are Calvinists. Some of both classes allow 
 mixed communion, by which is understood, that 
 those who have not been baptized by immersion 
 on the profession of their faith (but in their in- 
 fancy, which they themselves deem valid) may 
 sit down at the Lord's table along with those 
 who have been thus baptized. This has given 
 
: ITS. I ! 5 
 
 rise to sonic little controversy on the subject. 
 Mr. Killing worth and Mr. Abraham Booth have 
 written against free communion, hut John Bun- 
 yan, Dr. James Foster, Mr. Charles Bulkcly, Mr. 
 John Wiche, for many years a respectable Ge- 
 neral Baptist minister, at Maidstone, and Mr. 
 Robinson, of Cambridge, have strenuously con- 
 tended for it. It is deeply to be regretted that 
 such disputes should ever have arisen, since they 
 have contributed in no small degree to injure the 
 repose, and retard the prosperity of the Christian 
 Church. An excellent Address to the Opposers 
 of Free Communion, written by the late vener- 
 able Micaijah Towgood, will be found at the end 
 of his Life, by Mr. James Manning, well worth 
 attention. 
 
 The General Baptists have, in some of their 
 churches, three distinct orders separately ordain- 
 ed — Messengers, Elders, and Deacons; and 
 their General Assembly when a minister 
 preaches, and the affairs of the churches are taken 
 into consideration, is held annually in War- 
 ship Street, London, on the Tuesday in the 
 Whitsun Week ; it used to be on the Wednesday, 
 but is changed for the convenience of ministers, 
 who attend it from the country. They have thus 
 met together for upwards of a century. Dr. 
 John Gale, a very learned General Baptist, had a 
 famous controversy, in the beginning of the last 
 
144 ADULT BAPTISM. 
 
 century, with Dr. Wall, who defended the prac- 
 tice of baptizing infants. But there has been a 
 more recent controversy on the subject, between 
 Mr. Abraham Booth, and Dr. Williams. The 
 appellation Anabaptist, which comes from two 
 Greek words, and signifies to re-baptize, is some- 
 times applied to this denomination of Christians. 
 But this is an unjust accusation brought against 
 them by their adversaries, and being deemed a 
 term of reproach, ought to be wholly laid aside. 
 See Dr. Rippon's Baptist Register, now pub- 
 lished under the title of the Baptist Magazine. 
 The late Mr. Robinson published a very valuable 
 work entitled, The History of Baptism. 
 
 ADULT BAPTISM. 
 
 The administration of baptism to adults by 
 immersion, has been the subject of so much 
 ridicule and misrepresentation, that an account 
 of.it, taken from Mr. Robinson's History of 
 Baptism, shall be inserted for the information of 
 the serious reader. " The English and most 
 foreign Baptists consider a personal profession of 
 faith, and an immersion in water, essential to 
 baptism. The profession of faith is generally 
 made before the church at a church meeting. 
 Some have a creed, and expect the candidate to 
 assent to it, and to give a circumstantial account 
 
ADULT BAPTISM. 
 
 of his conversion. Others only require a person 
 to profess himself a Christian. The former gene- 
 rally consider baptism as an ordinance, which ini- 
 tiates persons into a particular church ; and they 
 say, without breach of Christian liberty, they have 
 a right to expect an agreement in articles of 
 faith in their own societies. The latter only 
 think baptism initiates into a profession of the 
 Christian religion in general, and therefore say 
 they have no right to require an assent to our 
 creed of such as do not purpose to join our 
 churches. They quote the baptism of the Eu- 
 nuch, in the 8th of Acts, in proof. There are 
 some who have no public faith, and who both 
 administer baptism and admit to church member- 
 ship any who profess themselves Christians. 
 They administer baptism in their own baptiste- 
 ries, and in public waters," 
 
 " Not many years ago at Whittlesford, seven 
 miles from Cambridge, forty-eight persons were 
 baptized in that ford of the river from which the 
 village takes its name. At ten o'clock of a very 
 fine morning in May, about 1500 people of dif- 
 ferent ranks assembled together. At half past 
 ten in the forenoon, the late Dr. Andiew Gif- 
 ford, Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, Sub- 
 librarian of the British Museum, and teacher of 
 a Baptist congregation in Eagle Street, London, 
 ascended a moveable pulpit in a large open Court- 
 is 
 
146 ADULT BAPTISM. 
 
 yard, near the river, and adjoining to the house 
 of the Lord of the manor. Round him stood the 
 congregation ; people on horseback, in coaches 
 and in carts, formed the outside semicircle; 
 many other persons sitting in the rooms of the 
 house, the sashes being open, all were uncovered, 
 and there was a profound silence. The doctor 
 first gave out a hymn, which the congregation 
 sung. Then he prayed. Prayer ended, he took 
 out a New Testament, and read his text — 1 in* 
 deed baptize you with water unto repentance. 
 He observed, that the force of the preposition 
 had escaped the notice of the translators, and 
 that the true reading was — I indeed baptize or 
 dip you in water at or upon repentance ; which 
 sense he confirmed by the 4ist verse of the 12th 
 of Matthew, and other passages. Then he spoke 
 as most Baptists do on these occasions, con- 
 cerning the nature, subject, mode, and end of 
 this ordinance. He closed, by contrasting the 
 doctrine of infant sprinkling with that of be- 
 liever's baptism, which being a part of Christian 
 obedience, was supported by divine promises, on 
 the accomplishment of which, all good men might 
 depend. After sermon, he read another hymn 
 and prayed, and then came down. Then the 
 candidates for baptism retired, to prepare them- 
 selves. 
 About half an hour after, the administrator, 
 
ADl'I.T RAPT I'M. I I" 
 
 who that clay was a nephew of the doctor's, and 
 admirably 1 qualified for the work, in a long black 
 
 gown of fine baize, without a hat, with a small 
 New Testament in his hand, came down to the 
 river side, accompanied by several Baptist mi- 
 nisters and deacons of their churches, and the 
 persons to be baptized. The men came first, 
 two and two, without hats, and dressed as usual, 
 except that instead of coats, each had on a long 
 white baize gown, tied round the waist with a 
 sash. Such as had no hair, wore white cotton 
 or linen caps. The women followed the men, 
 two and two, all dressed neat, clean, and plain, 
 and their gowns white linen or dimity. It was 
 said, the garments had knobs of lead at bottom, 
 to make them sink. Each had a long light silk 
 cloak hanging loosely over her shoulder, a broad 
 ribband tied over her gown beneath the breast, 
 and a hat on her head. They all ranged them- 
 selves around the administrator at the water side. 
 A great number of spectators stood on the banks 
 of the river on both sides ; some had climbed and 
 sat on the trees, many sat on horseback and in 
 carriages, and all behaved with a decent serious- 
 ness, which did honour to the good sense and the 
 good manners of the assembly, as well as to the 
 free constitution of this country. First, the ad- 
 ministrator read an hymn, which the people 
 sung. Then he read that portion of scripture 
 l 2 
 
148 ADULT BAPTISM. 
 
 which is read in the Greek church on the same 
 occasion, the history of the baptism of the Eu- 
 nuch, beginning at the 23d verse, and ending 
 with the 39th. About ten minutes he stood 
 expounding the verses, and then taking one of 
 the men by the hand, he led him into the water, 
 saying as he went, See here is water, what doth 
 hinder ? If thou believest with all thine heart* 
 thou may est be baptized. When he came to a 
 sufficient depth, he stopped, and with the utmost 
 composure placing himself on the left hand of 
 the man, his face being towards the man's 
 shoulder, he put his right hand between his 
 shoulders behind, gathering into it a little of the 
 gown for hold : the ringers of the left hand he 
 thrusted under the sash before, and the man put- 
 ing his two thumbs into that hand, he locked 
 all together, by closing his hand. Then he 
 deliberately said, / baptize thee in the name oj 
 the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
 Ghost : and while he uttered these words stand- 
 ing wide, he gently leaned him backward, and 
 dipped him once. As soon as he had raised him, 
 a person in a boat fastened there for the purpose, 
 took hold of the man's hand, wiped his face 
 with a napkin, and led him a few steps to another 
 attendant, who then gave his arm, walked with 
 him to the house, and assisted him to dress. 
 There were many such in waiting, who like the 
 
ADULT BAPTISM. ! I' 
 
 primitive susceptors, assisted during the whole 
 service. The rest or the men followed the first, 
 and were baptized in like manner. After them 
 the women were baptized. A female friend took 
 off at the water side the hat and cloak. A dea- 
 con of the church led one to the administrator, 
 and another from him ; and a woman at the 
 waterside took each as she came out of the river, 
 and conducted her to the apartment in the house, 
 where they dressed themselves. When all were 
 baptized, the administrator coming up out of the 
 river, and standing at the side, gave a short ex- 
 hortation on the honour and the pleasure of 
 obedience to divine commands, and then with 
 the usual benediction dismissed the assembly. 
 About half an hour after, the men newly bap- 
 tized, having dressed themselves, went from their 
 room into a large hall in the house, where they 
 were presently joined by the women, who came 
 from their apartments to the same place Then 
 they sent a messenger to the administrator, who 
 was dressing in his apartment, to inform him 
 they waited for him. He presently came, and 
 first prayed for a few minutes, and then closed 
 the whole by a short discourse on the blessings 
 of civil and religious liberty, the sufficiency of 
 Scripture, the pleasures of a good conscience, the 
 importance of a holy life, and the prospect of a 
 ^ 3 
 
150 ADULT BAPTISM. 
 
 blessed immortality. This they call a public 
 baptism.'' 
 
 A more private baptism takes place after a 
 similar manner in baptisteries, which are in 
 or near the places of worship ; thus every con- 
 venience is afforded for the purpose. This, in- 
 deed is now the most common way of adminis- 
 tering the ordinance among the Baptists, either 
 with the attendance of friends or in the presence 
 of the congregation. Such is baptism by im- 
 mersion, and thus conducted, it must be pro- 
 nounced significant in its nature, and impressive 
 in its tendency. It is however, to be wished, 
 that the rite was on every occasion administered 
 with equal solemnity. 
 
 The propriety of the exclusive appellation of 
 the term Baptists to those who baptize adults 
 by immersion, has been questioned. Hence 
 they are by many stiled Anti-pcedobaptists, 
 merely as opposing the validity of infant bap- 
 tism. An account of the manner in which in- 
 fant baptism is administered, should have been 
 added, were it not so well known by its general 
 practice, both in the Established Church and 
 among Dissenters. 
 
 The three denominations of Protestant Dis- 
 senters have seminaries of their own, where 
 young men designed for the Christian ministry, 
 
DISSENTING ACADEMIES. 151 
 
 arc educated. Among the Presbyterians arc to 
 be reckoned the academics at Manchester, and 
 Cacrmarthen, in South Wales ; besides six exhi- 
 bitions granted by Dr. Daniel Williams, to 
 English Presbyterian students, to be educated at 
 Glasgow. Among the independents aie to be 
 mentioned the academics at Wymondley House 
 near Hitchin, Homerton, Wrexham, and Hox- 
 ton. The academy at Wymondley House was 
 originally under the care of Dr. Philip Doddridge 
 at Northampton — upon his decease it was con- 
 signed over to Dr. Ashwoi th, at Daventry ; but 
 was afterwards removed to Northampton, where 
 the Rev. John Horsey superintended it for many 
 years in a manner which did credit to his talents 
 and piety. There is also an academy of Lady Hun- 
 tingdon's, formerly atTrevecka, now at Cheshunt. 
 The Baptists have two exhibitions for students 
 to be educated at one of the universities in 
 Scotland, given them by Dr. Ward, of Gresham 
 College, the author of The System of Oratory * 
 
 * As the author of this little work stands indebted to the 
 Exhibition of Dr. John Ward, he wishes to pay a grateful tri- 
 bute of respect to his memory. He was the son of a Dissent- 
 ing minister, and born about 1679, in London. He kept an 
 academy for many years in Tenter Alley, Moorfields. In 
 37^0, he was chosen professor for Rhetoric in Gresham Col- 
 lege, where his System of O/atonj was delivered. In 1?'2.3, 
 during the Presidency of Sir Isaac Newton, he was elected 
 L 4 
 
J 52 DISSENTING ACADEMIES. 
 
 There is likewise an academy at Bristol, generally 
 known by the name of The Bristol Education 
 Society, over which the late Dr. Caleb Evans 
 and his venerable father, the Rev. Hugh 
 Evans, A. M. presided for many years with great 
 respectability. A similar institution, though 
 upon a much smaller scale, has been formed 
 among the General Baptists, which it is to be 
 hoped will meet with due encouragement. They 
 could formerly boast of a Gale, a Foster, a Bur- 
 roughs, a Foot, a Noble, and a Bulkely. A 
 learned education lays the foundation for a re- 
 spectable Christian ministry. In Dr. Kippis's 
 Life of Dr. Doddridge, prefixed to the seventh 
 edition of his Family Expositor, will be found 
 an account of the general mode of education for 
 ministers among the Dissenters. 
 
 Mr. Palmer, in his Nonconformist' 's Memorial 
 speaking of Dr. Daniel Williams, says — ** He 
 gave the bulk of his estate to charitable uses, as 
 excellent in their nature as they were various in 
 
 Fellow of the Royal Society : and in 1752, chosen one of its 
 Vice-Presidents, in which office he continued till his death, 
 which happened at Grcsham College, October, 17, 1758, in 
 the eightieth year of his age. He published many learned 
 works ; and is allowed by all who knew him, to have been a 
 character in which were united a diffusive benevolence and 
 a rational piety. 
 
DISSENTING LIBRARY. 155 
 
 their kinds, and as much calculated for the glory 
 of God, and the good of mankind, as any that 
 have ever been known. Me left his library for 
 public use, and ordered a convenient place to be 
 purchased or erected, in which the hooks might 
 be properly disposed of, and left an annuity for 
 a librarian. A commodious house was accord, 
 ingly erected in Redcross-street, Cripplegate, 
 where his collection of books is not only properly 
 preserved, but has been gradually receiving large 
 additions. This is also the place in which the 
 body of the dissenting ministers meet to transact 
 their business, and is a kind of repository for 
 paintings of Nonconformist ministers, for MSS. 
 and other matters of curiosity and utility.'* The 
 building itself belongs to the Presbyterians, but 
 it is by the trustees handsomely devoted to the 
 use of the dissenters in general. The library, 
 since its original endowment, has been augment- 
 ed by the donations of liberal-minded persons, 
 and its increase depend* upon their zeal : no part 
 of the founder's estate being appropriated for the 
 purpose. Were every dissenting author to send 
 thither a copy of his publications (a measure that 
 has been recommended and ought to be adopted) 
 the collection would soon receive a considerable 
 augmentation, and of course increase not only in 
 extent hut also in respectability. A second edi- 
 tion of the catalogue, in one volume, octavo, has 
 
154 SION COLLEGE. 
 
 been lately published, with the rules respecting 
 the use of it, prefixed. 
 
 Near to this spot also stands Sion College, 
 founded by Dr. Thomas White, and of which a 
 particular account is given in Northouck's His- 
 tory of London,. Here the London clergy meet 
 to transact their affairs, and it is enriched with an 
 extensive library, and ample endowments. The 
 building having been lately repaired, has the ap- 
 pearance of great respectability. 
 
 TO the foregoing systematical distribution of 
 the several denominations, shall be added a few 
 sects, which cannot be classed with propriety 
 under any of the three general divisions which 
 have been adopted. 
 
 QUAKERS. 
 
 THE Quakers appeared in England about the 
 year 1650. Their origin will be best given in 
 their own words ; — " The beginning of the se- 
 venteenth century is known to have been a time 
 of great dissention in England respecting religion. 
 Many pious persons had been disatisfied with the 
 settlement of the Church of England in the reign 
 
QUAKERS. 155 
 
 of Queen Elizabeth. Various societies of Dis- 
 senters had accordingly arisen ; some of whom 
 evinced their sincerity by grievous sufferings under 
 the intolerance of those who governed church 
 affairs.- But these societies, notwithstanding 
 their honest zeal, seemed to have stopped short 
 in their progress towards a complete reforma- 
 tion ;t and, degenerating into formality, to have 
 left their most enlightened members still to la- 
 ment the want of something more instructive 
 and consolatory to the soul, than the most rigorous 
 observance of their ordinances had ever produced. 
 Thus dissatisfied and disconsolate, they were 
 ready to follow any teacher who seemed able to 
 direct them to that light and peace of which they 
 felt the need. Many such in succession engaged 
 their attention ; until finding the insufficiency of 
 them all, they withdrew from the communion of 
 every visible church, and dwelt retired, and atten- 
 tive to the inward state of their own minds : 
 often deeply distressed for the want of that true 
 knowledge of God, which they saw to be neces- 
 sary for salvation, and for which, according to 
 their ability, they fervently prayed. These sin- 
 cere breathings of spirit being answered by the 
 extension of some degree of heavenly consola- 
 
 * Sevvell, p. 5, 6. Ed. 1722. f Pcnn, vol. 5. p. 811, tit 
 Ed. 1782. 
 
156 QUAKERS. 
 
 tion, they became convinced, that as the heart of 
 man is the scene of the tempter's attacks, it must 
 also be that of the Redeemer's victory. With 
 renewed fervency, therefore, they sought his 
 appearance in their minds ; and thus being re- 
 newedly furnished with his saving light and help, 
 they not only became instructed in the things 
 pertaining to their own salvation, but they disco- 
 vered many practices in the world, which have 
 a shew of religion, to be nevertheless the effect 
 of the unsubjected will of man, and inconsistent 
 with the genuine simplicity of the truth. 
 
 George Fox* was one of the first of our 
 Friends who were imprisoned. He was confined 
 at Nottingham in the year 1649, for having pub- 
 licly opposed a preacher, who had asserted that 
 the more sure word of prophecy, mentioned 
 2 Pet. i. 19. was the Scripture ; George Fox de- 
 claring that it was the Holy Spirit ; and in the 
 following year, being brought before two justices 
 in Derbyshire, one of them, scoffing at G. Fox, 
 for having bidden him, and those about him, 
 tremble at the word of the Lord, gave to our pre- 
 decessors the name of Quakers;^ Jan appella- 
 
 * Bcsse's Sufferings of the People called Quakers, ch. 6. & 
 29, et passim, 
 t Bees. Suff. 29. + Sevvell, 35. 
 
QUAK 157 
 
 tion which soon became and hath remained otW 
 most usual denomination ; but they themselves 
 adopted, and have transmitted to us, the endearing 
 appellation or" Friends." 
 
 It is diflicult to give a specific statement of 
 their tenets j but they may be found in a well- 
 written Apology by Robert Barclay, a learned 
 Quaker, who died in Scotland, 1690. George 
 Fox, the founder of this sect, was born 1 624. 
 He exhibited few articles of faith, and insisted 
 mostly on morality, mutual charity, and the love 
 of God. The religion and worship he recom- 
 mended were simple and without ceremonies. 
 To wait in profound silence for the influence of 
 the Spirit, was one of the chief points he incul- 
 cated. <« The tenor of his doctrine,'' says John 
 Gough, " when he found himself concerned to 
 instruct others, was to wean men from systems, 
 
 * See A Summary of the History, Doctrines, and Discipline of 
 Friends, written at the Desire of the Meeting for Sufferings in Lou- 
 don. This pamphlet is just republished at the end of a cu- 
 rious work, entitled, A Refutation of some of the most Modern 
 Misrepresentations of the Society of Friends, commonly called Quaker *, 
 with a Life of James Nay 'or. By Joseph Gurney Bcvan. Dr. 
 Toulmin, in his new edition of Ntal's History of the Puritans, 
 has taken great pains to give the public just ideas of the 
 Quakers; it does honour to his impartiality. See als-j Dr» A. 
 Rees's valuable and improved edition of Chamber's Encyclo- 
 paedia on the subject. 
 
]5S QUAKERS. 
 
 ceremonies, and the outside of religion, in every 
 form, and to lead them to an acquaintance with 
 themselves, by a most solicitous attention to what 
 passed in their own minds ; to direct them to a 
 principle of their own hearts, which, if duly at- 
 tended to, would introduce rectitude of mind, 
 simplicity of manners, a life and conversation 
 adorned with every Christian virtue.* 
 
 The Quakers have places of worship, where 
 they regularly assemble on the first day of the 
 week, though sometimes without vocal prayer, or 
 any religious exhortation. They reject the cele- 
 bration of water baptism and the Lord's Supper 
 as outward ordinances, have no distinct order of 
 ministers, though their speakers are under certain 
 regulations — and being firm opposers of the Cal- 
 vinistic doctrines of Election and Reprobation 
 are advocates of the Arminian system of doctrine, 
 
 * ' Drawing his doctrine from the pure source of religious 
 ' truth the New Testament, and the conviction of his own 
 € mind, ahstracted from the comments of men — He asserted 
 y the freedom of man in the liberty of the gospel, against the 
 ' tyranny of custom, and against the combined powers ol se- 
 1 vere persecution, the greatest contempt and keenest ridi- 
 ' culc. Unshaken and undismayed he persevered in dissemi- 
 ' nating principles and practices conducive to the present 
 ' and everlasting well-being of mankind with great honesty, 
 * simplicity, and success. (<i) 
 
 (*) Gough's History of the Quakers, Vol. I. p. 56. 
 
QUAK. 159 
 
 so far at least as respects the universal love of 
 God to man, in order to his salvation. 
 
 Their internal government is much admired ; 
 their own poor arc supported without parochial 
 aid, and their industry and sobriety aic deserving 
 of imitation. They also reprobate the destruc- 
 tive practice of war, the infamous traffic of slaves, 
 and profess their abhorrence of religious persecu- 
 tion. Refusing to pay tithes, as an anticliristian 
 imposition, they suffer the loss of their goods 
 and of their liberty, rather than comply with 
 the demand, and their losses are emphatically 
 termed by them sufferings. Many have endur- 
 ed long imprisonments on that account. As the 
 Quakers object to all oaths, as having been prohi- 
 bited by Christ, when he said, swear not at all : 
 thus their affirmation is permitted in all civil, 
 but not in criminal cases. In the tyrannical 
 reign of the Stuarts, the Friends suffered in com- 
 mon with the Puritans, the severest persecution. 
 Even the famous William Perm was tried at the 
 Old Bailey; and his defence on the trial, an ac- 
 count of which is to be found in his works, is 
 highly honourable to his legal knowledge, forti- 
 tude, and integrity. 
 
 With regard to the resurrection of the body, 
 they have deemed it more safe not to determine 
 how or when we shall be raised, yet they have 
 
160 QUAKERS. 
 
 a firm belief in a resurrection of the dead, and in 
 a future state of retribution. 
 
 Sewell, in his History of the Society, expresses 
 himself decidedly in behalf of a resurrection, but 
 without determining the mode in which infinite 
 wisdom may preserve a consciousness of iden- 
 tity in another stage of our existence ; and Bar- 
 clay, in his confession and catechism, used only 
 the words of scripture on the subject, without ex- 
 pressing the manner in which he understood 
 them. The same remark applies to Barclay's 
 account of the divinity of Christ ; but it seems, 
 that William Penn was more explicit on the 
 subject ; and no writer of acknowledged reputa- 
 tion among them, has admitted any distinction of 
 persons in the Deity. In Penn's Sandy Founda- 
 tion Shaken, he speaks with freedom against 
 many doctrines which are held in general estima- 
 tion. The title of the book speaks for itself, and 
 shall be transcribed — " The Sandy Foundation 
 Shaken, or those so generally believed and ap- 
 plauded doctrines, of one God subsisting in three 
 distinct and separate persons ; the impossibility of 
 God's pardoning sin without a plenary satisfac- 
 tion ; the qualification of impure persons by an 
 imputative righteousness, refuted from the autho- 
 rity of scripture testimonies and right reason.' 
 See a' learned defence of this work by Richard 
 
QUAKERS. I .,{ 
 
 Ciarridge, published in bis posthumous works, 
 
 in I ". 
 
 It appears that Mr. Penn having in this work 
 
 repudiated the leading doctrines of Calvinism, a 
 violent outcry was raised against him. He there- 
 fore vindicated himself in a pamphlet, called In- 
 nceency with her Open Fan', in which he says — 
 44 As for my being a Sociniun, I must confess I 
 have read of one Socinus, of (what they call) a 
 noble family in Scne, Italy, who about the vear 
 l 571, being a young man, voluntarily did abandon 
 the glories, pleasures, and honours of the Great 
 Duke of Tuscany's court at Florence (that noted 
 place for all worldly delicacies) and became a 
 perpetual exile for his conscience, whose parts, 
 wisdom, gravity, and just behaviour, made him 
 the most famous with the Polonian and Transyl- 
 vanian churches ; but I was never baptized into 
 his name, and therefore deny that reproachful 
 epithet, and if in any thing I acknowledge the 
 verity of his doctrine, it is for the truth's sake of 
 which, in many things, he had a clearer prospect 
 than most of his contemporaries ; but not therefore 
 a Socinian any more than a son of the English 
 church, whilst esteemed a Quaker, because 1 
 justify many of her principles since the Refor- 
 mation against the Roman church." But we 
 will add another paragraph, where Mr. Penn's 
 
 M 
 
162 QUAKERS. 
 
 principles are epitomised. " And to shut up my 
 apology for religious matters, that all may see 
 the simplicity, scripture doctrine, and phrase of 
 my faith, in the most important matters of eternal 
 life, I shall here subjoin a short confession. 
 
 " I sincerely own and unfeignedly believe (by 
 virtue of the sound knowledge and experience 
 received from the gift of that holy unction and 
 divine grace inspired from on high) in one holy, 
 just, merciful, almighty, and eternal God, who is 
 the Father of all things; that appeared to the 
 holy patriarchs and prophets of old, at sundry 
 times and in divers manners — and in one Lord 
 Jesus Christ the everlasting Wisdom, divine 
 Power, true Light, only Saviour, and Preserver 
 of all ; the same one holy, just, merciful, al- 
 mighty, and eternal God, who in the fullness of 
 time took and was manifest in the flesh, at which 
 time he preached (and his disciples after him) 
 the everlasting gospel of repentance, and promise 
 of remission of sins, and eternal life to all that 
 heard and obeyed, who said, he that is with you 
 (in the flesh) shall be in you (by the spirit) ; and 
 though he left them (as to the flesh) yet not com- 
 fortless, for he would come to them again (in the 
 spirit) for a little while, and they should not see 
 him (as to the flesh) ; again, a little while, and 
 they should see him (in the spirit) ; for the Lord 
 
()! AKERS. 1 (> . 
 
 (Jesus Christ) is that spirit, a manifestation 
 
 whereof is given to every one, to profit with all 
 — in which //"/'/ Spit it, I believe, as the same 
 almighty and eternal God, who, as in those times, 
 he ended all shadows, and became the infallible 
 guide to them that walked therein, by which 
 they were adopted heirs and co-heirs of glory ; 
 so am I a living witness, that the same holv, just, 
 merciful, almighty, and eternal God, is now, as 
 then (after this tedious night of idolatry, supersti- 
 tion, and human inventions, that hath overspread 
 the world) gloriously manifested, to discover and 
 save from all iniquity, and to conduct unto the 
 holy land of pure and endless peace; in a word, 
 to tabernacle in men. And I also firmly believe, 
 that without repenting and forsaking of past sins, 
 and walking in obedience to the heavenly voice, 
 which would guide into all truth, and establish 
 there, remission and eternal life, can never be 
 obtained ; but unto them that fear his name and 
 keep his commandments, they, and they only, 
 shall have a right to the tree of life, for whose 
 name's sake, I have been made willing to relin- 
 quish and forsake all the vain fashions, enticino- 
 pleasures, alluring honours, and glittering glories 
 of this transitory world, and readily to accept the 
 portion of a fool from this deriding generation, 
 and become a man of sorrow, and a perpetual re- 
 proach to my familiars ; yea, and with the greatest 
 
 M 2 
 
i 6-i QUAKERS. 
 
 cheerfulness, can obsignate and confirm (with 
 no less seal, than the loss of whatsoevei this doat- 
 ing world accounts dear) this faithful confession ; 
 having my eye fixed upon a more enduring sub- 
 stance and lasting inheritance, and being most 
 infallibly assured, that when time shall be no 
 more, I shall (if faithful hereunto) possess the 
 mansions of eternal life, and be received into his 
 everlasting habitation of rest and glory." 
 
 This is an explicit declaration of the princi- 
 ples of Quakerism ; — taken from the works of 
 William Penn ; because of all their writings, he 
 is in general the most perspicuous, and as to his 
 character, he possesses the highest respectability. 
 
 Indeed, there seems to be a much greater uni- 
 formity in their dress than in their opinions, tho' 
 it is probable that the generality of them adhere 
 to the fundamental doctrines of the gospel. As 
 a proof of the diversity of opinion amongst them, 
 we may refer to the late proceedings of the so- 
 ciety against Hannah Barnard, a celebrated 
 speaker from Hudson, New York, in North Ame- 
 rica. For her opinion concerning the Jewish 
 Wars, Trinity, Miraculous Conception, &c. she 
 has been silenced. See an Appeal to the Friends, 
 in three parts, on which, however, some animad- 
 versions have been publiihed by Vindex and others 
 — see also some Tracts relating to the controversy 
 

 between Hannah Barrtard and the Society of 
 Friends.* 
 
 There arc seven yearly meetings among them, 
 by each of which all rules and advices arc formed 
 for the general government of the society in the 
 country, where they are respectively established. 
 And no Mcmher of the Society is precluded from 
 attending, or partaking in the deliberations of 
 these assemblies, which arc nevertheless sti icily 
 speaking constituted of representatives, by regular 
 appointment from each quarterly meeting. The 
 following are the seven yearly meetings : 1 . Lon- 
 don, to which come representatives from Ire- 
 land ; 2. New England; 3. New York; 4. 
 Pennsylvania and New Jersey ; 5. Maryland. 
 6. Virginia; 7. The Carolinas and Georgia. 
 The form and colour of their clothes, together 
 with their peculiar modes of salutation, have been 
 thought to savour of affectation, though they 
 certainly exhibit a striking contrast to the gaudy 
 frippery and artificial courtesy of modern times. 
 
 * The Author has omitted a Note in the last edition, expres- 
 sive of his concern for the proceedings of the Society, against 
 Hannah Barnard, .because it has subjected him to the impu- 
 tation of partiality. But he thinks it incumbent on him to 
 declare that he still continues as much as ever the enemy of 
 intolerance, under whatever form it may please to impose itself 
 on the religious world. 
 
 M 3 
 
166 QUAKERS. 
 
 Voltaire, in his Letters on the English Nation, 
 has some curious remarks on the Quakers ; hut in 
 certain particulars they justly deem themselves ca- 
 lumniated by that satirical writer. At Ackworth 
 they have a respectable school, to which (a great 
 and good man) Dr. Fothergill left legacies, and 
 where about one hundred and eighty boys and 
 one hundred and twenty girls are educated. To- 
 wards the close of the sixteenth century, William 
 Penn, who founded Pennsylvania, introduced and 
 established alargeand flourishing colony of them 
 in America. His treaty with the Indians on that 
 occasion, has formed an admirable subject for 
 the pencil, and reflects immortal honour on his 
 memory. 
 
 In addition to the Treatises mentioned, written 
 by the Friends — the reader is referred to the Re- 
 corder, by William Matthews of Bath 5 and to a 
 Pamphlet lately published by John Hancock, of 
 Lilburne, Ireland. 
 
 Lhave thus endeavoured to state at some length 
 the doctrines and views of Quakerism, because 
 its advocates have been subjected to gross mis- 
 representations. Many have said they are a 
 species of Deists, 'exalting their natural light 
 above the scripture, which some of them have 
 called a dead letter — others have deemed them a 
 kind of Enthusiasts, violently enslaved by their 
 impulses and feelings— whilst a third class have 
 4 
 
METHOD! lol 
 
 considered them, notwithstanding their pn I 
 
 6ions respecting the spirit, as vorlJ/v-mitirfcd, 
 eagerly intent on the acquisition of property, and 
 thus commanding the good things of tin's present 
 world. Persons, who entertain any of these 
 opinions concerning them, will perceive from the 
 above account, that though their sentiments are 
 very peculiar, as are also their manners, yet we 
 have every reason to suppose them sincere in 
 their professions, and upon the whole, steadily 
 governed by the prospects of another world. Al- 
 lowances ought to be made for human imfii mity. 
 Nor must we expect, from man more than it is 
 in his power to perform. Every individual of 
 every sect, has an indubitable right to form his 
 own opinions on religious subjects. And let 
 him freely indulge those opinions which (however 
 absurd in the eyes of others) may to him appear 
 consonant to truth ; whilst he holds sacred the 
 peace and happiness of society. 
 
 METHODISTS, 
 
 BOTH CALVINISTIC AND ARMINIAN. 
 
 THE Methodists in this country form a large 
 part of the community. In the year 1729, they 
 sprang up at Oxford, under Mr. Morgan (who 
 soon after died) and Mr. John Wesley. In the 
 
 M A 
 
1 68 METHODISTS. 
 
 month of November, of that year, the latter being 
 then fellow of Lincoln College, began to spend 
 some evenings in reading the Greek New Testa- 
 ment along with Charles Wesley, student, Mr. 
 Morgan, commoner, of Christ Church, and Mr. 
 Kirkman, of Merton College. Next year, two 
 or three of the pupils of Mr. John Wesley, and 
 one pupil of Mr. Charles Wesley, obtained leave 
 to attend these meetings. Two years after, they 
 were joined by Mr. Ingham, of Queen's College, 
 Mr. Broughton, of Exeter, and Mr. James Her- 
 vey ; and in 1735, they were joined by the cele- 
 brated Mr. Whitfield, then in his eighteenth year. 
 They soon obtained the name of Methodists, from 
 the exact regularity of their lives ; which gave 
 occasion to a young gentleman, of Christ Church, 
 to say — " Here is a new sect of Methodists sprung 
 up !" alluding to a sect of ancient Physicians, 
 who practised medicine by method or regular 
 rules, in opposition to quackery or empiricism. 
 Thus was the term Methodist originally applied 
 to this body of Christians, on account of the 
 methodical strictness of their lives ; but is indeed 
 now, by some, indiscriminately appropriated to 
 every individual who manifests a more than ordi- 
 nary concern for the salvation of mankind. 
 
 These heads differing soon afterwards in religious 
 sentiment, their iespective followers distributed 
 themselves into two parties ; the one under Mr. 
 4 
 
method: I • 
 
 George Whitfield* the ochei under Mi. John and 
 
 Charles Wedev. Kducated at ( )xlord, these leaders 
 
 still continued to. profess an attachment to the arti- 
 cles ami liturgy or' the Established chinch, though 
 they more commonly adopted the mode ot wor- 
 ship which prevails among the Disscntcis. Upon 
 their being excluded from the pulpits in manv 
 churches, they took to preaching in the fields ; 
 and from the novelty of the thing, in conjunct ioa 
 with the fervour of their exertions, they were 
 attended by some thousands of people] In their 
 public labours, Mr* Whitfield having a most so- 
 norous voice, was remarkable for an engaging 
 and powerful eloquence ; whilst Mr. John Wes- 
 ley, being less under the influence of his passions, 
 possessed both in writing and preaching, a per- 
 spicuous and commanding simplicity. Even their 
 enemies, confess that they contributed in several 
 places to reform the lower classes of the commu- 
 nity. The Cvlhcrs at Kingswood, near Bristol, 
 and the Tinners in Cornwall, were greatly bene- 
 fitted by their exertions. In consequence of their 
 attention to the religion of Jesus, by the instru- 
 mentality of these preachers, many of them rose 
 to a degree of respectability, and became valuable 
 members of society. The followers of Mr. 
 Wesley are Arminians, though some of his 
 preachers incline to Baxter ianism. The fol- 
 
nO METHODISTS. 
 
 lowers of Mr. Whitfield are Calvinists, and were 
 warmly patronized bv the late Countess Dowager 
 of Huntingdon, to whom Mr. W. was chaplain, 
 and who was a lady of great benevolence and 
 piety. Lady Erskine (a near relation of the cele- 
 brated Counsellor of that name) has taken her 
 situation, and is said to he equally attentive to 
 the concerns of this part of the religious commu- 
 nity. With respect to the splitting of the Me- 
 thodists into Calvinists and Ai minians, it happened 
 so far back as the year 1741 ; the former being 
 for particular, and the latter for universal re- 
 demption. After numbers of the Methodists va- 
 rious sentiments have been given— but no ac- 
 count has ever yet reached me which bore the 
 marks of accuracy. 
 
 Both Mr. Wesley and Mr. Whitfield were 
 indefatigable in promoting their own views of 
 the Christian religion, notwithstanding all the 
 reproaches with which they were stigmatized. 
 It is well known, that for this purpose they went 
 over several times to America. Mr. Whitfield, 
 indeed, established an Orphan House in Georgia, 
 for which he made large collections in this coun- 
 try, and which was since converted into a college 
 for the education of voung men, designed chiefly 
 for the ministry. To this paragraph, the Ameri- 
 can editor of the Sketch has added — " It has 
 
METHODISTS. 171 
 
 been lately burnt, and the whole of the benefice 
 
 added CO it, is in possession of the State. A just 
 judgment for purchasing slaves to support a cha- 
 ritable institution !" 
 
 In America, the Methodists were extremely 
 useful, riding 'JO or SO miles in the course of the 
 dav, and preaching twice or thrice to consider- 
 able congregations. The account of their labours 
 by Mr. Hampson, in his memoirs of Mr. Wesley, 
 is interesting and impressive. " Their excur- 
 sions (says he) through immense forests, abound- 
 ing in trees of all soits and sizes, were often 
 highly romantic. Innumerable rivers and falls 
 of water ; vistas opening to the view, in contrast 
 with the uncultivated wild ; deer now shooting 
 across the road, and now scouring through tin- 
 woods, while the eye was frequently relieved by 
 the appearance of orchards and plantations, and 
 the houses of gentlemen and farmers peeping 
 through the trees, formed a scenery so various 
 and picturesque, as to produce a variety of re- 
 flections, and present, we will not say to a philo- 
 sophic eve, but to the mind of every reasonable 
 creature, the most sublime and agreeable images. 
 Their worship partook of the general simplicity. 
 It was frequently conducted in the open air. The 
 woods resounded to the voice of the preacher, or 
 to the singing of the numerous congregation, 
 whilst the horses fastened to the trees, formed p. 
 
Ml METHODISTS. 
 
 singular addition to the solemnity. It was, in- 
 deed, a striking picture, and might naturally im- 
 press the mind with a retrospect of the antedilu- 
 vian days, when the hills and vallies re-echoed 
 the patriarchal devotions, and a Seth or an Enoch, 
 in the shadow of a projecting rock, or beneaih 
 the foliage of some venerable oak, delivered his 
 primeval lectures, and was a preacher of righte- 
 ousness to the people /" 
 
 The distinguishing principles of Methodism 
 are salvation by faith in Jesus Christ ; per- 
 ceptihle, and in some cases instantaneous con- 
 version ; and an assurance of reconciliation to 
 God, with which they say, the new birth, or 
 being born again, is inseparably attended. On 
 these doctrines they lay the utmost stress ; and 
 information respecting these topics, will be found 
 •in Dr. Haweis's History of the Church of Christ, 
 recently published.* Several persons have writ- 
 ten the Life of Mr. Wesley ; there is one by 
 Mr. Hampson, another by Dr. Whitehead, and 
 a third by Dr. Coke and Mr. Moore. Mr. Whit- 
 field's life was drawn up by the late Dr. Gillies, 
 of Glasgow. Mr. Wesley and Mr. Whitfield 
 both published an account of their itinerant la- 
 bours in this kingdom and in America. These 
 
 * This work, it is to be regretted, is deficient in references 
 'o authorities, the soul and substance of history. 
 
mi iih.n; 173 
 
 Sketches are entitled Journals, and serve gi 
 to illustrate the principles and progress of Me- 
 thodism. To conclude this article of the Ale- 
 thodists, in the words of Mr. Hampson, in his 
 Memoirs of Mr. Wesley— " If they possess not 
 much knowledge, which however we do not 
 know to be the case, il is at least certain they 
 are not deficient in zeal, and without any pas- 
 sionate desire to imitate their example, we may 
 at least commend their endeavours for the ge- 
 neral good. Every good man will contemplate 
 with pleasure, the operation of the spirit of re- 
 formation, whether foreign or domestic, and will 
 rejoice in every attempt to propagate Christianity 
 in the barbarous parts of the world; an attempt, 
 which if in any tolerable degree successful, will 
 do infinitely more for their civilization and hap- 
 piness, than all the united energies of the philo- 
 sophical infidels ; those boasted benefactors of 
 mankind." 
 
 Dr. Priestley published a curious volume of 
 Mr. Wesley's Letters, just after his decease, pre- 
 faced with a sensible Address to the Methodists ; 
 where, after having freely expostulated with 
 them respecting their peculiarities, he gives them 
 great credit for their zeal and unwearied activity. 
 The Methodists have recently found an eloquent 
 advocate in William Wilbei force, Esq, M. P, 
 
17 4 METHODISTS. 
 
 who pleads their cause at some length, in his 
 Treatise on Vital Christianity* 
 
 Before this article relative to the Methodists is 
 closed, it may be proper just to add that a com- 
 munication has been made me, respecting the Re- 
 vival Meetings among the Wc»leyan Methodists, 
 where certain persons, under the influence of a 
 religious phrenzy, occasion by their groanings 
 and vociferations, an uncommon degree of tu- 
 mult and confusion. The more sensible, how- 
 ever, of the Methodists reprobate these disgrace- 
 ful scenes. At Nottingham I witnessed them 
 with astonishment. It is fervently to be wished 
 that such fanaticism will not continue long, and 
 that some persons of respectability among them 
 will interfere, so as to put an end to practices, 
 which cannot fail to strengthen the hands of in- 
 fidelity, and afford matter of grief to all the 
 friends of real and substantial piety. 
 
 * This work, has been ably animadverted upon by the Rev. 
 T. Belsham, in a Series of Letters to the author, in which most 
 of its positions are controverted. And with respect to the ar- 
 ticle of Hereditary Depravity, for which Mr. W. zealously con- 
 tends. .See an ingenious apology for Human Nature, by the late 
 vencrabie and learned Charles Bulkeley. 
 
NEW METHOD1 
 
 NEW METHODISTS. 
 
 * THE Ntw Methodist Coni 
 
 tmong the followers of Mr. Wesley, separatee! 
 irom the original Methodists in 1791. The 
 grounds of this separation, they declare to be 
 chutck government, and not doctrines, as af- 
 firmed by some of their opponents. They ob- 
 ject to the old Methodists, for having formed a 
 hierarchy or priestly corporation ; and say that 
 m so doing, they have robbed the people of those 
 privileges, that as members or a Christian church 
 they are entitled to by reason and sciipturc. 
 The new Methodists have therefore attempted 
 to establish every part of their church govern- 
 ment on popular principles, and profess to have 
 united as much as possible the ministers and the 
 people in every department of it. This is quite- 
 contrary to the original government of the Me- 
 thodists which in the most important cases, is 
 confined only to the ministers. This, indeed, 
 appears most plainly, when their conference or 
 yearly meeting is considered ; for in this meeting, 
 no person, who is not a travelling preacher, has 
 ever been suffered to enter as a member of it, 
 and, indeed, this is the point to which the 
 
 * This article was sem to the editor by a correspondent at 
 
 Nottingham, and is inserted with a few alterations 
 
 ©missions. 
 
176 NEW MKTH0 DINTS. 
 
 preachers have always stedfastly adhered with the 
 utmost firmness and resolution, and on which 
 the division at present entirely rests. They are 
 also upbraided by the New Methodists, for having 
 abused the power they have assumed ; a great 
 many of these abuses, the new Methodists have 
 formerly protested against, which are enumerated 
 in various publications, and particularly in the 
 Preface to the Life of one of their deceased 
 friends, Mr. Alexander Kilham. Hence these 
 New Methodists have been sometimes denomi. 
 natcd Kilhamites. 
 
 Though these are the points on which the di- 
 vision seems principally to have rested, yet there 
 are several other things that have contributed to 
 it. It is frequently easy to foresee and to calcu- 
 late the future changes in society, that the lapse 
 of time will produce; and in no instance is this 
 observation better warranted than in this division, 
 which most persons have long expected. The 
 old attachment of the Methodists to the Esta- 
 blished Church, which originated in Mr. Wesley, 
 and was cherished by him and many of the 
 preachers by all possible means, and also the dis- 
 like to these sentiments in many others of the 
 preachers, and of the societies, were never failing 
 subjects of contention. As all parties are dis- 
 tinguished in their contests by some badge or 
 discriminating circumstance, so here the receiv- 
 
NEW METHODISTS. 177 
 
 in>? or not receiving the Lord's Supper, in the 
 Established Church, was long considered a 
 criterion of methodistical zeal or disaffection. 
 Thus the rupture that had been long foreseen by 
 intelligent persons, and for which the minds of 
 the Methodists had been undesignedly prepared, 
 became inevitable when Mr. Wesley's influence 
 no longer interfered. Soon after Mr. Wesley's 
 death, man}- tilings had a tendency to displease 
 the societies, and bring forward the division. 
 Many petitions having been sent by the societies 
 to the preachers, requesting to have the Lord's 
 Supper administered to them In their own cha- 
 pels, the people had the mortification to rind that 
 this question was decided by lot, and not by the 
 use of reason and serious discussion ! 
 
 The ne:o Methodists profess to proceed upon 
 liberal, open, and ingenuous principles, in the 
 construction of their plan of church government, 
 and their ultimate decision in all disputed matters, 
 is in their popular annual assembly, chosen bv 
 certain rules from among the preachers and 
 societies. These professions are at least general 
 and libel al ; but as this sect lias yet continued 
 for only a short season, little can be said of it at 
 present. It becomes matter of curious conjecture 
 and speculation, how far the leading persons 
 among them, will act agreeably to their present 
 liberal professions. If they should become 
 
 N 
 
H8 JUMPERS. 
 
 firmly established in power and influence, and 
 have the opportunity of acting otherwise ; they 
 have at least the advantage of the example of 
 their late brethren, and of Dr. Priestley's remarks 
 upon them. Speaking of the leading men 
 among the Methodists, the Doctor says — " Find- 
 ing themselves by degrees at the head of a large 
 body of people, and in considerable power and 
 influence, they must not have been men, if they 
 had not felt the love of power gratified in such 
 a situation ; and they must have been more than 
 men, if their subsequent conduct had not been 
 influenced by it." A shrewd hint, that Dr. P. 
 thought the Methodists had been too remiss in 
 their attention to their liberties, which they ought 
 to convey doxvn entire and unmutilated to pos~ 
 terity. 
 
 JUMPERS. 
 
 —ORIGINALLY this singular practice of 
 jumping during the time allotted for religious 
 worship and instruction, was confined to the peo- 
 ple called Methodists in Wales, the followers of 
 Harris, Rowland, Williams, and others. The 
 practice began in the western part of the country 
 about the year 1760. It was soon after defended 
 
JUMPERS, 179 
 
 by Mr. William Williams (the Welch poet, as 
 he is sometimes styled) in a pamphlet, which was 
 patronized by the abettors o£ jumping ill religious 
 assemblies, and viewed by the seniors and the 
 grave with disapprobation. However, in the 
 course of a few years, the advocates of groaning 
 and loud talking, as well as loud singing, repeat- 
 ing the same line or stanza over and over thirty 
 or forty times, became more numerous, and were 
 found among some of the other denominations 
 in the principality, and continue to this day. Se- 
 veral of the more zealous itinerant preachers in 
 Wales recommended the people to cry out Go- 
 goniant (the Welch word for glory) Amen> &c. 
 &c. to put themselves in violent agitations ; and 
 finally, to jump until they were quite exhausted, 
 so as often to be obliged to fall down on the floor 
 or the field where this kind of worship was held. 
 If any thing in the profession of religion, that is 
 absurd and unreasonable, were to surprize us, it 
 would be the censure that was cast upon those 
 who gently attempted to stem this tide, which 
 threatened the destruction of true religion as a 
 reasonable service. Where the essence of true 
 religion is placed in customs and usages which 
 have no tendency to sanctify the several powers 
 through the medium of the understanding, we 
 ought not to be surprized, when we contemplate 
 instances of extravagance and apostacy. Human 
 
 N 2 
 
180 JUMPERS. 
 
 nature, in general, is not capable of such exer- 
 tions for any length of time, and when the spirits 
 become exhausted, and the heat kindled by sym- 
 pathy is subsided, the unhappy persons sink into 
 themselves, and seek for support in intoxication. 
 It is not to be doubted but there are many sincere 
 and pious persons to be found among this class of 
 people — men who think they are doing God's 
 service, whilst they are the victims of fanaticism. 
 These are objects of compassion, and doubtless 
 wili find it in God. But it is certain, from in- 
 contestible facts, that a number of persons have 
 attached themselves to those religious societies, 
 who place a very disproportioned stress on the 
 practice of jumping, from suspicious motives. 
 The theory and practice of such a religion are 
 easily understood ; for the man who possesses an 
 unblushing confidence, and the greatest degree of 
 muscular energy, is likely to excel in bodily 
 exercise. Upon the whole, it is probable, as 
 such an exercise has no countenance in reason or 
 revelation, chat it has been, and is still productive 
 of more evil than good. Many of the ministers, 
 who have been foremost in encouraging jumping, 
 seemed to have nothing in view but the gratifica- 
 tion of their vanity, inflaming the passions of the 
 multitude by extravagant representations of the 
 character of the Deity — the condition of man — 
 and design of the Saviour's mission. The minis- 
 
JUMPERS. I 3 I 
 
 tor that wishes not to Study to sh.-v him If of 
 God, lias only lb favour jumping wilh its ap- 
 pendages ; lor as reason is out of the question, in 
 such a religion, he can he under no fear of shock- 
 ing it. It is some consolation to real religion, to 
 add, that this practice is on the decline, as the 
 more sober or conscientious, who were at first at 
 a loss to judge where this practice might cany 
 them, have seen its pernicious tendency. 
 
 Such is the account of the Jumpers, which, 
 with a few alterations, has been transmitted me 
 by a respectable minister, who frequently visits 
 the principality. It is to be hoped, that the ex- 
 ercise of common sense will in time recover them 
 from these extravagant ecstasies, which pain the 
 rational friends of revelation, and yield matter 
 of exultation to the advocates of infidelity. 
 
 About the year 1735, I myself happened very 
 accidentally to be present at a meeting, which 
 terminated in jumping. It was held in the open 
 air, on a Sunday evening, near Newport, in 
 Monmouthshire. The preacher was one of Lady 
 Huntingdon's students, who concluded h*s ser- 
 mon with the recommendation of jumping ; and 
 to allow him the praise of consistency, he got 
 down from the chair on which he stood, and 
 jumped along with them. The arguments he 
 adduced for this purpose were, that David danced 
 before the ark — that the babe leaped in the womb 
 N 3 
 
182 JUMPERS. 
 
 of Elizabeth — and that the man whose lameness 
 was removed, leaped and praised God for the 
 mercy which he had received. He expatiated 
 on these topics with uncommon fervency, and 
 then drew the inference, that they ought to shew 
 similar expressions of joy, for the blessings 
 which Jesus Christ had put into their possession. 
 He then gave an empassioned sketch of the suf- 
 ferings of the Saviour, and hereby roused the 
 passions of a few around him into a state of vio- 
 lent agitation. About nine men and seven women, 
 for some little time, rocked to and fro, groaned 
 aloud, and then jumped with a kind of frantic 
 fury. Some of the audience flew in all directions ; 
 others gazed on in silent amazement! They all 
 gradually dispersed, except the jumpers, who 
 continued their exertions from eight in the even- 
 ing to near eleven at night. I saw the conclusion 
 of it : they at last kneeled down in a circle, hold- 
 ing each other by the hand, while one of them 
 prayed with great fervor, and then all rising up 
 from off their knees, departed. But previous to 
 their dispersion, they wildly pointed up towards 
 the sky, and reminded one another that they should 
 soon meet there, and be never again separated ! 
 I quitted the spot with astonishment. Such dis- 
 orderlv scenes cannot be of any service to the 
 deluded individuals, nor prove beneficial to so- 
 cietv. Whatever credit we may and ought to 
 
UNIVERSALISTS. 183 
 
 allow this class ot Christians for good intentions, 
 it is impossible not to speak of the practice itself, 
 Without adopting terms of unqualified disappio- 
 
 bation. The reader is referred to Bingley'&and 
 £van*3 Tour through Il'alcs, where (as many 
 particulars are detailed respecting the Jumpers) 
 his curiosity will receive a still farther gratifica- 
 tion. It pains the author of the present work, 
 that he had it not in his power to give a more fa- 
 vourable account of them. The decline of so 
 unbecoming a practice will, it is to be hoped, be 
 soon followed by its utter extinction. 
 
 UNIVERSALISTS. 
 
 THE Universalists, properly so called, are 
 those who believe, that as Christ died for all, 
 so, before he shall have delivered up his media- 
 torial kingdom to the Father, all shall be brought 
 to a participation of the benefits of his death, 
 in their restoration to holiness and happiness. 
 Their scheme includes a reconciliation of the 
 tenets of Calvinism and Arminianism, by uniting 
 the leading doctrines of both, as far as they 
 are found in the scriptures : from which union 
 they think the sentiment of universal restoration 
 naturally flows. 
 
 Thus they reason — " The Arminian proves 
 N 1- 
 
181 UNIVERSALISTS. 
 
 from scripture, that God is love ; that he is good 
 to all ; that his tender mercy is over all his 
 works ; that he gave his son for the world ; that 
 Christ died for the world, even for the whole 
 world ; and that God will have all men to be 
 saved." 
 
 " The Calvinist proves also from scripture, 
 that God is without variableness or shadow of 
 turning; that his love, like himself alters not ; 
 that the death of Christ will be efficacious to- 
 wards all for whom it was intended ; that God 
 will perform all his pleasure, and that his council 
 shall stand. The union of these scriptural prin- 
 ciples, is the final restoration of all men. 
 
 " Taking the principles of the Calvinists and 
 Arminians separately, we find the former teach- 
 ing, or at least inferring, that God doth not love 
 all ; but that he made the greater part of men to 
 be endless monuments of his wrath — The latter- 
 declaring the love of God to all ; but admitting 
 his final failure of restoring the greater part. 
 The God of the former is great in power and 
 wisdom, but deficient in goodness, and caprici- 
 ous in his conduct : who that views the charac- 
 ter can sincerely love it ? The God of the latter, 
 is exceeding good ; but deficient in power and 
 wisdom : who can trust such a being ? If, there- 
 fore, both Calvinists and Arminians love and 
 trust the Deity, it is not under the character 
 
UNIVERSALIS!**. IS5 
 
 which their several systems ascribe to him ; hut 
 they are constrained to hide the imperfections 
 which their views cast upon him, and boast oi ■ 
 God, of whose highest glory, their several 
 schemes will not admit." 
 
 The Universalists teach the doctrine of elec- 
 tion ; but not in the exclusive Calvinistic sense 
 of it ; they suppose that God has chosen some, 
 for the good of all ; and that his final purpose 
 towards all, is intimated by his calling his elect 
 the first born and the first fruits of his creatures, 
 which, say they, implies other branches of his 
 family, and a future in-gathering of the harvest of 
 mankind. 
 
 They teach also that the righteous shall have 
 part in the first resurrection, shall be blessed and 
 happy, and be made priests and kings to God and 
 to Christ in the millennial kingdom, and that 
 over them the second death shall have no power ; 
 that the wicked will receive a punishment appor- 
 tioned to their crimes, that punishment itself is a 
 mediatorial work, and founded upon mercy, con- 
 sequently, that it is a means of humbling, subdu- 
 ing, and finally reconciling the sinner to God. . 
 
 They add, that the words rendered crcrlasiing, 
 eternal, for evert and for ever and ever, in the 
 scriptures, are frequently used to express the du- 
 ration of things that have ended, or must end 
 and if it is contended, that these words arc some- 
 
J 86 UNIVERSALISTS. 
 
 times used to express proper eternity, they 
 answer, that then, the subject with which the 
 words are connected, must determine the sense 
 of them ; and as there is nothing in the nature of 
 future punishment which can be rendered as a 
 reason why it should be endless, they infer that 
 the above words ought always to be taken in a 
 limited sense, when connected with the infliction 
 of misery. 
 
 The Universalists have to contend on the one 
 hand with such as hold with the eternity of future 
 misery, and on the other with those who teach 
 that destruction or extinction of being, will 
 be the final state of the wicked. In answer to 
 the latter, they say, " That before we admit that 
 God is under the necessity of striking any of his 
 rational creatures out of being, we ought to 
 pause and enquire 
 
 " Whether such an act is consistent with the 
 scriptural character of Deity, as possessed of all 
 possible wisdom, goodness, and power ? 
 
 " Whether it would not contradict many parts 
 of scripture ; such, for instance, as speak of the 
 restitution of all things — the gathering together 
 of all things in Christ — the reconciliation of all 
 things to the Father, by the blood of the cross — 
 the destruction of death, &c." These texts, 
 they think, are opposed equally to endless misery, 
 and to final destruction. 
 
UNIVEUSAI.ISTS; I 81 
 
 ff Whether those who Will be finally destroyed, 
 arc not in a worse state through the mediation 
 of Christ, than they would have been without it ? 
 This question is founded on a position of the 
 friends of destruction ; viz. that extinction of 
 being, without a resurrection, would have been 
 the only punishment of sin, if Christ had not be- 
 come the resurrection and the life to men. Con- 
 sequently, the resurrection and future punishment 
 spring from the system of mediation ; but, they 
 ask, is the justification to life, which came upon 
 all men in Christ Jesus, nothing more than a re- 
 surrection to endless death to millions ? 
 
 ■i Whether the word, destruction, will war- 
 rant such a conclusion ? It is evident that de- 
 struction is often used in scripture to signify a 
 cessation of present existence only, without any 
 contradiction of the promises that relate to a 
 future universal resurrection. They think, there- 
 fore, that they ought to admit an universal re- 
 storation of men, notwithstanding the future 
 destruction which is threatened to sinners :* be- 
 cause, say they, the scripture teach both." 
 
 They also think the doctrine of destruction, in 
 the above acceptation of it, includes two consi- 
 derable difficulties. The scriptures uniformly 
 
 * See Vidler's Notes on Winchester's Dialogues on the 
 Restoration, fourth edition, p. I7fi. 
 
188 UN'IVERSALISTS. 
 
 teach degrees of punishment, according to trans- 
 gression ; but does extinction of being admit of 
 this r Can the greatest of sinners be more effectu- 
 ally destroyed than the least ? — Again, we are 
 taught that, however dark any part of the divine 
 conduct may appear in the present state, yet jus- 
 tice will be clear and decisive in its operations 
 hereafter; but the doctrine of destruction (in their 
 judgment) does not admit of this, for what is the 
 surprizing difference betwixt the moral character 
 of the worst good main, and the best bad man, 
 that the portion of the one should be endless life, 
 and that of the other endless death ? 
 
 They suppose the universal doctrine to be most 
 consonant to the perfections of the Deity — most 
 worthy of the character of Christ, as the media- 
 tor ; and that the scriptures cannot be made con- 
 sistent with themselves, upon any other plan. 
 They teach that ardent love to God, peace, meek- 
 ness, candour, and universal love to men, are the 
 natural result of their views. 
 
 This doctrine is not new. Origen a Christian 
 father, who lived in the third century, wrote in 
 favour of it . St. Augustine, of Hippo, mentions 
 some divines in his day, whom he calls the mer- 
 ciful doctors, who held it. The German Bap- 
 tists, many oi' them, even before the reformation, 
 propagated it. The people called Tunkers, in 
 America, descended from the German Baptists, 
 
UNIVERSALISTS. [X ( J 
 
 mostly hold it. The Mcnonites, in Holland, 
 have king held it. In England, about the latter 
 end of the seventeenth century, Dr. Rust, Bishop 
 of Droroore, in Ireland, published A Letter of 
 Resolutions concerning Origan, and the chief 
 of his opinions, in which it has been thought lie 
 favoured the Universal Doctrine, which Origen 
 held. And Mr. Jeremiah White wrote his book 
 in favour of the same sentiment soon afterwards. 
 The Chevalier Ramsay, in his elaborate work of 
 the Philosophical principles of Natural and Re- 
 vealed Religion espouses it. Archbishop Til- 
 lotson,in one of his sermons, supposes future pu- 
 nishment to be of limited duration, as does Dr. 
 Burnet, master of the Charter House, in his book 
 on the state of the dead. 
 
 But the writers of late years, who have treated 
 upon the subject most fully, are Dr. Newton, 
 Bishop of Bristol, in his Dissertations ; Mr. 
 Stonehouse, Rector of Islington : Dr. Chauncy, 
 of Boston, in America ; Dr. Hartley, in his pro- 
 found work on man ; Mr. Purves, of Edinburgh ; 
 Mr. Elhanan Winchester, in his Dialogues on 
 Universal Restoration (a new edition of which, 
 with explanatory notes, has been recently pub- 
 lished) and Mr. William Vidler. See the Uni- 
 versalisfs Miscellany now entitled the Theo- 
 logical Magazine (a monthly publication of me- 
 rit) containing many valuable papers, for and 
 
190 UNIVERSALISTS. 
 
 againt Universal Restoration, where the contro- 
 versy on the subject between Mr. Vidler and 
 Mr. Fuller, will be found. But Mr. Fuller's 
 Letters'have been since printed separately, and Mr. 
 Yidler's Letters to Mr. Fuller, on the Universal 
 Restoration, with a statement of facts attending 
 that controversy, and some strictures on Scruta- 
 tor's Review, are also just published. The Rev. 
 Mr. Browne, a clergyman of the church of 
 England, has written an excellent essay on the 
 subject. Mr. R. Wright, of Wisbeach, has also 
 written a tract called, The Eternity of Hell* 
 Torments Indefensible, in reply to Dr. Ryland. 
 The late Mr. N. Scarlett likewise published a 
 new translation of the Testament, in which the 
 Greek term aiov in the singular and plural, is 
 rendered age and ages ; and in his Appendix pro- 
 posed that its derivative aionotv should be rendered 
 age-lasting, instead of everlasting and eternal. 
 
 For still further information the reader is re- 
 ferred to a work just published, entitled An Essay 
 on the Duration of a Future State of Punishments 
 and Rewards, by John Simpson, who has written 
 several excellent pieces, for the illustration of 
 Christianity. 
 
RELLYAN UNIVERSALIS!"*. 101 
 
 RELLYAN UNIVERSALISTS. 
 
 AMONG the professors of Universal Salva- 
 tion, which have appeared in the last centuiy, is 
 to be ranked a Mr. James Relly, who first 
 commenced the ministerial character, in con- 
 nection with the late Mr. George Whitfield, and 
 in the same sentiments as are generally maintain- 
 ed at the Tabernacle — he was considered and re- 
 ceived with great popularity. Upon a change of 
 his views, he encountered considerable reproach, 
 and of course was soon pronounced an enemy to 
 godliness, &c. — It appears that he became con- 
 vinced of the union of mankind to God, in the 
 person of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 
 And upon this persuasion he preached a finished 
 salvation, called by the Apostle Jude, •• The Com- 
 mon Salvation.'' — The relation and unity of the 
 first and second Adam unto God, the author and 
 fountain of all things, was the foundation of those 
 sentiments he continued to maintain during his 
 life ; and he was followed by a considerable num- 
 ber of persons who were convinced of the pro- 
 priety of his views. — Since his death, his senti- 
 ments have been retained by such who were at- 
 tached to them in sincerity, and although time 
 has necessarily removed a considerable part to the 
 world of spirits, a branch of the survivors still meet 
 
192 RELLYAN UNIVERSALISTS. 
 
 at the Chapel in Windmill-street, Finsbury- 
 square, where there are different brethren who 
 speak. — They are not observers of ordinances, 
 such as water baptism and the sacrament— pro- 
 fessing to believe in only one baptism, — which 
 they call an Immersion of the mind or conscience 
 into truth ; by the teaching of the spirit of God — 
 and by the same spirit they are enabled to feed on 
 Christ as the Bread of life, professing that in, and 
 with Jesus, they possess all things. They incul- 
 cate and maintain good works for necessary pur- 
 poses, but contend that the principal and only 
 works which ought to be attended to, is the doing 
 real good without religious ostentation ;— that to 
 relieve the miseries and distresses of mankind, ac- 
 cording to our ability, is doing more real good than 
 the superstitious observance of religious ceremo- 
 nies—in general they appear to believe that there 
 will be a resurrection to life, and a resurrection 
 to condemnation — that believers only, will be 
 among the former, who as first fruits, and kings 
 and priests will have part in the first resurrection, 
 and shall reign with Christ in his kingdom of the 
 millennium ; that unbelievers who are after 
 raised, must wait the manifestation of the Saviour 
 of the world— under that condemnation of con- 
 science, which a mind in darkness and wrath must 
 necessarily feel : — that believers, called kings 
 and priests will be made the medium of commu- 
 
RELLYAN UNIVKRSAUSTS. 193 
 
 nication to their condemned brethren — and, like 
 Joseph to his brethren — though he spoke roughly 
 to them, in reality overflowed with affection and 
 tenderness; that ultimately — every knee shall bow 
 — and every tongue confess, that in the Lord 
 they have righteousness and strength — and thus 
 every enemy shall be subdued to the kingdom 
 and glory of the great Mediator. 
 
 A Mr. Murray, belonging to this society, emi- 
 grated to America previous to or about the time 
 of the war — He preached the same sentiments 
 at Boston and elsewhere, and was appointed 
 chaplain to General Washington. There are a 
 considerable number of adherents at Boston, 
 Philadelphia, and other parts. Mr. Relly pub- 
 lished several works — the principal of which 
 were " Union" — " The Trial of Spirits" — 
 " Christian Liberty"— " One Baptism"—" The 
 Salt of the Sacrifice" — "Antichrist Resisted" 
 — " Letters on Universal Salvation" — " The 
 Cherubimical Mystery" — " Hymns, Sec. &"c. 
 His followers now meet at the Chapel in Wind- 
 mill-street, Finsbury-square, Sunday mornings 
 and evenings. Messrs. Rait, Coward, Jeffreys 
 &c. speak from time to time, and Mr. Coward 
 has published two little treatises — entitled "Deism 
 traced to its Source," and "The Comparison; 
 or, the Gospel preached of God to the Patriarchs," 
 compared with the gospel preached in the prc- 
 o 
 
194 RELLYAN UNIVERSALISTS. 
 
 sent day. There are also some of those same 
 sentiments in other parts of the kingdom and par- 
 ticularly at and in the vicinity of Plymouth Dock, 
 and Plymouth, in Devonshire.* 
 
 The writers, who have of late particularly 
 animadverted upon the doctrine of Universal Res- 
 toration are, in America, President Edwards and 
 his son, Dr. Edwards ; and in England, Mr. Dan. 
 Taylor, Mr. Fisher, and Mr. Andrew Fuller. t 
 
 Mr. Broughton, at the close of his Disserta- 
 tions on Futurity (shocked at the idea of eternal 
 punishment in every case) proposes the follow- 
 
 * Such is the account of the followers of Mr. Relly sent me 
 by a respectable member amongst them, .to whom I have ta- 
 ken the liberty of applying the title of Rellyan Universalists, 
 merely by way of distinction. The term Antlnomian has been 
 bestowed upon them ; but as it conveys a degree of reproach 
 it is here avoided. Indeed, believing that Christ has made 
 iatisfaction for the sins of all mankind, they are of opinion that 
 no future punishment attaches to unbelievers, except that 
 condemnatory suspence, which they feel after death, till the 
 manifestation of the Saviour ! This sentiment most probably 
 has subjected them to the imputation of Antinomianism — and 
 hence it has been remarked that they are the only consistent 
 Satisfactionists in the world. For sins once atoned for, can- 
 not be the subject of punishment. 
 
 -r- For most of the above account of the Universalists, pre- 
 ceding that of the Rellyan Universalists, the author is indebted 
 to a popular minister of that persuasion; and the next para- 
 graph but one was sent by a gentleman who espouses the doc- 
 trine of destruction. 
 
DESTRUCTIONISTS. 195 
 
 ing hypothesis — " That the spirit of God had 
 made choice of an ambiguous term ativios 
 acknowledged on both sides, sometimes t j be an 
 eternal, and sometimes only a temporal v duration, 
 
 with the wise view, that men might live in fear of 
 
 everlasting punishment ; because, it is possible, 
 
 it may be everlasting ; and at the same tim . 
 God be at liberty (if I may so speak) without 
 impeachment of his faithfulness and truth, to in- 
 flict either finite or infinite punishment, as his 
 divine wisdom, power, and goodness shall direct." 
 He, however, only suggests this scheme with an 
 amiable and becoming modesty. 
 
 DESTRUCTIONISTS. 
 
 BETWEEN the system of restoration and the 
 system of endless misery, a middle hypothesis of 
 the final destruction of the wicked (after hav- 
 ing suffered the punishment due to their crimes) 
 has been adopted more particularly by Dr. John 
 Taylor of Norwich ; Rev. Mr. Bourne, of Bir- 
 mingham ; and Mr. John Marsom, in two small 
 volumes, of which there has been a second edi- 
 tion with additions. They say that the scripture 
 positively asserts this doctrine of destruction ; 
 that the nature of future punishment (which the 
 o 2 
 
196 DESTRUCTIONISTS. 
 
 scripture terms death) determines the meaning 
 of the words everlasting, eternal, for ever, &c. 
 as denoting endless duration ; because no law 
 ever did or can inflict the punishment of death for 
 a limited period ; that the punishment cannot be 
 corrective, because no man was ever put to 
 death, either to convince his judgment or to re- 
 form his conduct ; that if the wicked receive a 
 punishment apportioned to their crimes, their 
 deliverance is neither to be attributed to the mercy 
 of God, nor the mediation of Jesus Christ, but is 
 an act of absolute justice ; and finally, that the 
 mediatorial kingdom of Jesus Christ will never 
 be delivered up, since the scripture asserts, that of 
 his kingdom there shall be no aid. Those who 
 maintain these sentiments respecting the destruc- 
 tion of the wicked, are accused of espousing the 
 doctrine of annihilation-, but this accusation 
 they repel, alledging, that philosophically speak- 
 ing, there can be no annihilation, and that de- 
 struction is the express phrase used in the New 
 Testament. Of this sentiment there have been 
 many advocates distinguished for their erudition 
 and piety. 
 
SABBATARIANS. 
 
 SABBATARIANS. 
 
 THE Sabbatarians area body of Christian! 
 who keep the seventh day as the Sabbath, and 
 
 arc to he found principally, it not wholly, among 
 the Baptists. The common reasons why Chris- 
 tians observe the first day of the week as the 
 Sabbath are, that on this day Christ rose from 
 the dead ; that the apostles assembled, preached, 
 and administered the Lord's Supper, and it has 
 been kept by the church for several ages, if not 
 from the time when Christianity was originally 
 promulgated. The Sabbatarians, however, think 
 these reasons unsatisfactory, and assert that the 
 change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the 
 first day of the week, was effected by Constan- 
 tine, upon his conversion to the Christian religion. 
 The three following propositions contain a sum- 
 mary of their principles as to this article of the 
 Sabbath, by which they stand distinguished. 
 1st, That God hath required the observation of 
 the seventh, or last day of every week, to be ob- 
 served by mankind universally for the weekly sab- 
 bath. 2dly, That this command of God is peipe- 
 tually binding on man till time shall be no more; 
 and 3dly, That this sacred rest of the seventh day 
 sabbath is not (by divine authority) changed from 
 the seventh and last to the first day of the week, or 
 o 3 
 
19S SABBATARIANS. 
 
 that the scripture cloth no where require the obser- 
 vation of any other day of the week for the week- 
 ly sabbath, but the seventh clay only. There are 
 two congregations of the Sabbatarians in London, 
 one among the General Baptists meeting in 
 Mill yard, Goodman's Fields, the other among 
 the Particular Baptists meeting in Red-Cross- 
 street, Cripplegate. There are also a few to 
 be found in different parts of the kingdom, 
 
 Mr. Morse informs us that there are many 
 Sabbatarians in America. " Some (says hej in 
 Rhode Island observe the Jewish or Saturday sab- 
 bath, from a persuasion that it was one of the 
 ten commandments, which they plead are all in 
 their nature moral, and were never abrogated in 
 the New Testament. Though, on the contrary, 
 others of them believe it originated at the time of 
 the creation, in the command given to Adam, 
 by the Creator himself." See Genesis, chap. ii. 3 
 " At New Jersey also there are three congrega- 
 tions of the Seventh Day Baptists ; and at 
 Ephrata, in Pennsylvania, there is one congre- 
 gation of them, called Tunkers. There are like- 
 wise a few Baptists who keep the seventh day as 
 holy time, who are the remains of the Keithean 
 or Quaker Baptists." 
 
 This tenet has given rise to various controver- 
 sies, and writers of considerable ability have ap- 
 peared on both sides of the question. Mr, Cornth- 
 
SABBATARIAN8. |««<> 
 
 waite, a respectable minister among them, about 
 the year 1 7 to, published several tracts in support 
 of it, which ought to he consulted by those who 
 wish to obtain satisfaction on the subject. The 
 
 reader should also have recourse to Dr. Chand- 
 ler's two discourses on the Sabbath, Mr, Amner'i 
 
 Dissertation on the Weekly Festival of the 
 Christian Church, and Dr. Kennicott's Sermon 
 
 and Dialogue on the Sabbath, the Rev. S. Pal- 
 mer's publication on the Nature mid Obligation 
 of tlie Christian Sabbath, and Kstlin's apology 
 for the Sabbath — all of which are worthy of atten- 
 tion. But whatever controversy may have been 
 agitated on this subject, certain it is, that there 
 were no particular day set apart for the purpose of 
 devotion (for which some in the present day con- 
 tend) our knowledge of human nature authorises 
 us to say, that virtue and religion would be either 
 greatly debilitated or finally lost from among 
 mankind. 
 
 The Sabbatarians hold in common with other 
 Christians, the distinguishing doctrines of Chris- 
 tianity, and though much reduced in number, 
 deserve a distinct mention in this miscellany, on 
 account of their integrity and respectability.* 
 
 * Most of the above particulars respecting the Sabbatarians 
 were communicated to the author by some worthy individuals 
 of that persuasion. 
 
 04 
 
200 MORAVIANS. 
 
 MORAVIANS. 
 
 The Moravians are supposed to have arisen 
 under Nicholas Lewis, Count of Zinzendorf, a 
 German nobleman, who died 176O. They were 
 also called Hernhuters, from Hernkuth, the 
 name of the village where they were first settled. 
 The followers of Count Zinzendorf are called 
 Moravians, because the first Converts to his sys- 
 tem were some Moravian families. The society 
 themselves however assert, that they are de- 
 scended from the old Moravian and Bohemian 
 Brethren, who existed as a distinct sect sixty 
 years prior to the reformation. They also stile 
 themselves Unitas Fratrum, or the United 
 Brethren ; and, in general, profess to adhere to 
 the Augsburgh confession of faith. When the 
 first reformers were assembled at Augsburgh in 
 Germany, the Protestant Princes employed Me- 
 lancthon, a divine of great learning and modera- 
 tion, to draw up a confession of their faith, ex- 
 pressed in terms as little offensive to the Roman 
 Catholics as a regard for truth would permit. 
 And this creed, from the place where it was pre- 
 sented, is called the Confession of Augsburgh. 
 It is not easy to unravel the leading tenets of the 
 Moravians. Opinions and practices have been 
 attributed to them of an exceptionable nature, 
 
M OR AVI V 201 
 
 which the more sensible of them totally disavow. 
 
 They direct their worship to Jesus Christ; arc 
 much attached to instrumental ns well as vocal 
 music in their religious services ; and discover a 
 great predilection lor forming themselves into 
 classes, according to sex, age, and character. 
 Their founder not only discovered li is zeal in 
 travelling in person over Europe, but has taken 
 special care to send missionaries into almost every 
 part of the known world. They revive their de- 
 votion hy celebrating agapas, or love feasts, and 
 the casting of lots is used amongst them to know 
 the will or' the Lord. The sole right of con- 
 tracting marriage lies with the elders. In Mr. 
 La Trobe's edition of Spangenburgh's exposition 
 of Christian doctrine, their principles are detailed 
 to a considerable length. There is a large com- 
 munity of them at a village near Leeds, which 
 excites the curiosity of the traveller ; and they 
 have places of worship in various parts of the 
 kingdom. Mr. Rimius published his candid nar- 
 rative of this people, and Bishop Lavington (who 
 wrote also against the Methodists) replied, in 
 17,55, in his Moravians compared and detected. 
 Mr. Weld, in his Travels through the United 
 States, gives a curious account of a Settlement 
 of Moravians at Bethlehem, honourable to their 
 virtue and piety. 
 
 Dr. Paley, in his Evidences of Christianity, 
 
202 SANDEMANIANS. 
 
 pays the following compliment to the religious 
 practices of the Moravians and Methodists ; he 
 is speaking of the first Christians — " After men 
 became Christians, much of their time was spent 
 in prayer and devotion in religious meetings — in 
 celebrating the eucharist — in conferences-— in ex- 
 hortations-— in preaching— in an affectionate in- 
 tercourse with one another, and correspondence 
 with other societies. Perhaps their mode of life 
 in its form and habit, was not very unlike the 
 Unitas Fratrum, or of modern Methodists" 
 Be it, however, the desire of every body of 
 Christians not only thus to imitate the primitive 
 disciples in their outward conduct, but to aspire 
 after the peaceableness of their tempers, and the 
 purity of their lives. 
 
 SANDEMANIANS. 
 
 Sandemanians,* a modern sect, that origin- 
 ated in Scotland about the year 1728 ; where i c 
 is, at this time, distinguished by the name of 
 Glassites. after its founder, Mr. John Glas, who 
 was a minister of the established church in that 
 kingdom, but being charged with a design of 
 subverting the national covenant, and sapping the 
 
 * The author has been favoured with this entire account of 
 the Sandemanians by a gentleman of respectability, who be. 
 longs to that body of Christ: 
 
 tians. 
 
SANDKM WIANS. 205 
 
 Foundation of all national establishments, by 
 maintaining that the kingdom of Christ is not of 
 
 this world, was expelled l>v the synod from tin 
 church of Scotland. I lis sentiments are fully 
 explained in a tract published at that time, enti- 
 tled, " The Testimony of the King of Martyrs," 
 and preserved in the first volume of his works. 
 In consequence of Mr. Glas's expulsion, his ad- 
 herents formed themselves into churches, con- 
 formable in their institution and discipline, to 
 what they apprehended to be the plan of the first 
 churches recorded in the New Testament. Soon 
 after the year 17,55, Mr. Robert Sandeman, an 
 elder in one of these churches in Scotland, pub- 
 lished a scries of letters addressed to Mr. Hervey, 
 occasioned by his Theron and Aspasio, in which 
 he endeavours to shew, that his notion of faith is 
 contradictory to the scripture account of it, and 
 could only serve to lead mei^ professedly holding 
 the doctrines called Calvinistic, to establish their 
 own righteousness upon their frames, feelings, 
 and acts of faith. In these letters Mr. San lemao 
 attempts to prove that faith is neither more nor 
 less than a simple assent to the divine testimony 
 concerning Jesus Christ, delivered for tiie of- 
 fences of men, and raised again for their justifi- 
 cation, as recorded in the New Testament. He 
 also maintains that the word faith or belief, is 
 constantly used by the apostles to signify what 
 is denoted by it in common discourse, viz. a per- 
 
204- SANDEMANIANS. 
 
 suasion of the truth of any proposition, and that 
 there is no difference between believing any 
 common testimony and believing the apostolic 
 testimony, except that which results from the 
 testimony itself, and the divine authority on 
 which it rests. This led the way to a contro- 
 versy among those who are called Calvinists> 
 concerning the nature of justifying faith, and 
 those who adopted Mr. Sandeman's notion of 
 it, and they who are denominated Sandemanians, 
 formed themselves into church order, in strict 
 fellowship with the churches of Scotland, but 
 holding no kind of communion with other 
 churches. Mr. Sandeman died 1772, in America. 
 The chief opinion and practices in which this 
 sect differs from other Christians, are, their 
 weekly administration of the Lord's Supper; their 
 love feasts, of which every member is not only 
 allowed, but required to partake, and which con- 
 sist of their dining together at each other's houses 
 in the interval between the morning and after- 
 noon service — their kiss of charity used on this 
 occasion, at the admission of a new member, and 
 at other times when they deem it necessary and 
 proper ; their weekly collection before the Lord's 
 Supper, for the support of the poor and defraying 
 other expences ; mutual exhortation ; abstinence 
 from blood and things strangled ; washing each 
 other's feet, when, as a deed of mercy, it might 
 
BANDEMANIANS. 
 
 be an expression of love; the precept concerning 
 which, as well as other precepts, they understand 
 
 literally — community of goods, so far as that 
 every one is to consider all that he has in his pos- 
 session and power liable to the calls of the poor 
 and the church, and the unlawfulness of laying 
 up treasures upon earth, by setting them apart for 
 any distant, future, and uncertain use. They 
 allow of public and private diversions so far as 
 they are not connected with circumstances really 
 sinful : but apprehending a lot to be sacred, dis- 
 approve of lotteries, playing at cards, dice, &c. 
 
 They maintain a plurality of elders, pastors, 
 or bishops, in each church, and the necessity of 
 the presence of two elders, in every act of dis- 
 cipline, and at the administration of the Lord's 
 Supper. 
 
 In the choice of these elders, want of learning 
 and engagement in trade are no sufficient objec- 
 tions, if qualified according to the instructions 
 given to Timothy and Titus ; but second mar- 
 riages disqualify for the office ; and they are 
 ordained by prayer and fasting, imposition of 
 hands, and giving the right hand of fellowship. 
 
 In their discipline they are strict and severe, 
 and think themselves obliged to separate from the 
 communion and worship of all such religious 
 societies, as appear to them not to profess the 
 simple truth for their only ground of hope, and 
 
206 HUTCHINSONIANS. 
 
 who do not walk in obedience to it. We shall 
 only add, that in every transaction they esteem 
 unanimity to be absolutely necessary. 
 
 HUTCHINSONIANS. 
 
 Hutchinsonians, the followers of John 
 Hutchinson, born, in Yorkshire, 1674, and who 
 in the early part of life served the Duke of 
 Somerset, in the capacity of a steward. The 
 Hebrew scriptures, he says, comprise a perfect 
 system of natural philosophy, theology, and reli- 
 gion. In opposition to Dr. Woodward's Na- 
 tural History of the Earth, Mr. Hutchinson, in 
 1724, published the first part of his curious book, 
 called, Moses's Principia. Its second part was 
 presented to the public in 1727, which contains, 
 as he apprehends, the principles of the scripture 
 philosophy, which are a plenum and the air. So 
 high an opinion did he entertain of the Hebrew 
 language, that he thought the Almighty must 
 have employed it to communicate every species 
 of knowledge, and that accordingly every species 
 of knowledge is to be found in the Old Testa- 
 ment. Of his mode of philosophising the fol- 
 lowing specimen is brought forward to the reader's 
 attention. " The air (he supposes) exists in 
 three conditions, fire, light, and spirit, the two 
 latter are the finer and grosser parts of the air 
 
DUNKERS. 1 
 
 in motion : from the earth to the sun, the air 
 is finer and finer till it becomes pure light near 
 the confines of the sun, and fire in the orb of 
 the sun, or solar focus, From the earth towards 
 the circumference ol this system, in which he 
 includes the fixed Stars, the air becomes grosser 
 and grosser till it becomes stagnant, in which 
 condition it is at the utmost verge of this system, 
 from whence fin his opinion) the expression of 
 outer darkness^ and blackness of darkness, 
 used in the New Testament, seems to be taken." 
 The followers of Mr. Hutchinson are nume- 
 rous, and among others the Rev. Mr. Romaine, 
 Lord Duncan Forbes of Culloden, and the late 
 amiable Dr. Home, Bishop of Norwich, who 
 published an Abstract of Mr. Hutchinson's 
 writings. They have never formed themselves 
 into any distinct church or society. 
 
 The Dunkers and Shakers are two sects pe- 
 culiar to America. 
 
 DUNKERS. 
 
 THE Dunkers (or Tunkers) arose about lT2t, 
 and formed themselves into a kind of common- 
 wealth, mostly in Pennsylvania. They baptize 
 by immersion, dress like the Dominican ! 
 
208 SHAKERS. 
 
 never shave head nor beard, have different apart- 
 ments for the sexes, live chiefly on roots and ve- 
 getables, except at their love-feasts, when they 
 eat only mutton. It is said that no bed is allowed 
 them but in case of sickness, for in their separate 
 cells they have a bench to lie upon, and a block 
 of wood for their pillow. Their principal tenet 
 is the mortification of the body, and they deny 
 the eternity of future punishment. They are 
 commonly called the harmless Dunkers. 
 
 SHAKERS. 
 
 THE Shakers, instituted in 1774, are the 
 followers of Anna Leese, whom they style the 
 elect Lady, and the Mother of all the Elect. 
 They say she is the woman mentioned in the 
 twelfth chapter of the Revelations, can speak 
 seventy-two tongues, and converses with the dead* 
 Their enthusiasm is vented in jumping, dancing, 
 and violent exertions of the body, which bringing 
 on shaking, they are termed Shakers. This 
 dancing, they say, denotes their victory over 
 sin. Their most favourite exercise is turnino 
 
 o 
 
 round for an hour or two, which, in their opinion, 
 shews the great power of God. See a curious 
 account of the Shakers in the first volume of the 
 Duke de la Rochefoucault's Travels through 
 America. 
 
 2 
 
KF.W AMERICAN SECT. 
 
 NEW AMERICAN SECT. 
 
 The American editor of this work, has added 
 the following article. 
 
 " Many of those who lately migrated from 
 WALES to America, have adopted the following 
 articles as their religious constitution; 1. The 
 conventions shall he called the Christi an Church' 
 
 " 2. It shall never be called by another name, or 
 be distinguished by the particular tenets of any 
 man or set of men. 
 
 ** 3. Jesus Christ is the only head — believers 
 in him the onlj/ members— and the New Testa- 
 ment the only rule of the fraternity. 
 
 " 4. In mental matters, each member shall 
 enjoy his own sentiments, and freely discuss every 
 subject : but in discipline, a strict conformity 
 with the precepts of Christ, is required. 
 
 M 5. Every distinct society belonging to this 
 association, shall have the same power of ad- 
 mitting its members, electing its officers, and in 
 case of mal-conduct, of impeaching them. 
 
 M 6. Delegates from the different congrega- 
 tions, shall meet from time to time, at an ap- 
 pointed place, to consult the welfare and advance- 
 ment of the general interest. 
 
 "7. At every meeting for religious worship 
 collections shall be made for the poor, and the 
 P 
 
210 MYSTICS. 
 
 promulgation of the gospel among the Hea- 
 thens." 
 
 This plan, which has many traits to recom- 
 mend it, originated chiefly with the Rev M. J. 
 Rees, who a few years ago emigrated from Wales, 
 and has distinguished himself in America, by his 
 talents and activity. 
 
 As to the other sects in the United States, they 
 are much the same as on this side of the Atlantic 
 For an account of them, the reader may consult 
 Morse's American Geography; and Winterbo- 
 t horn's History of America. 
 
 MYSTICS. 
 
 THE Mystics are those who profess a pure and 
 sublime devotion, with a disinterested love of 
 God, free from all selfish considerations. Passive 
 contemplation is a state of perfection to which 
 they aspire. Of this description there have been 
 many singular characters, especially Madam 
 Guyon, a French lady, who made a great noise 
 in the religious world. Fenelon, the amiable 
 Archbishop of Cambray, favoured the sentiments 
 of this female devotee, for which he was repri- 
 manded by the Pope, and to whose animadver- 
 sions he ??iost dutifully assented contrary to the 
 convictions of his own mind. It is not uncom- 
 
SWFDENBOKOIAXS. 211 
 
 mon far the Mystics to allegorise certain pa - 
 sages of scripture, at the same time, not denying 
 the literal sense, as having an allusion to the in- 
 ward experience of bclicveis. Thus, according 
 to them, the word Jerusalem, which is the name 
 of the capital of Juilea, signifies allegorically the 
 church militant ; morally, a heliever ; and myste- 
 riously heaven. That fine passage also in Genesis, 
 " Let there be light, and there was light," which 
 is, according to the letter, corporeal light, signi- 
 fies allegorically, the Messiah; morally, grace, 
 and mysteriously, beatitude, or the light of glory. 
 Mysticism is not confined to any particular pro- 
 fession ot Christianity, but is to be understood as 
 generally applied to those who dwell upon the 
 inward operations of the mind (such as the 
 Quakers, &c.) laying little or no stress on the 
 outward ceremonies of religion.-' 
 
 SWEDENBORGIANS. 
 
 THE Swedenborgians are the followers of 
 Emanuel Swedenborg, a Swedish nobleman, who 
 
 * The two following sects are occasionally mentioned .n 
 conversation, and the author has been asked by young people 
 more than once tor an explanation of them. A short account 
 therefore is here subjoined. 
 
 The Fifth Monarchy Men were a set of enthusiasts in the 
 
 time of Cromwell, who expected the luddtn appearance of 
 
 1- 2 
 
2\2 swedenborgians 
 
 died in London, 1772, He professed himself to 
 be the founder (under the Lord) of the New Je- 
 rusalem Church, alluding to the New Jerusalem 
 spoken of in the Book of the Revelation of St. 
 John. His tenets, although peculiarly distinct 
 irom every other system of divinity in Christen- 
 dom, are nevertheless drawn from the Holy 
 Scriptures, and supported by numberless quota- 
 tions from them. He asserts, that in the year 
 1743, the Lord manifested himself to him in a 
 
 Christ to establish on earth a new monarchy, or kingdom. In 
 consequence of this allusion some of them aimed at the sub- 
 version of all human government. In ancient history we read 
 of four great monarchies, the Assyrian, the Persian, the 
 Grecian, and the Roman: and these men believing that this 
 new spiritual kingdom of Christ was to be the fifth, came to 
 bear the name by which they are distinguished. See Burnet's 
 History of his own Times, where the reader will find a parti- 
 cular account of them. The Muggletoniam were the followers 
 of Ludovic Muggleton, a journeyman taylor, who with his com- 
 panion Reeves (a person of equal obscurity) set up for great 
 Projihets, in the turbulent times of Cromwell. They pretended 
 to absolve or condemn whom they pleased, and gave out that 
 they were the two last witnesses spoken of in the Revelations 
 who were to appear previous to the final destruction of the 
 world. Dr. Gregory, in his Ecclesiastical History remarks, 
 that the Muggletonians, Uchreivallists, Labbadiits, Venchorhtiy 
 &c.who derive their name from their respective founders were 
 mere ephemeral productions. Indeed they just appeared and 
 then passed away. 
 
SWEDF.NP.ORGIANS, 213 
 
 personal appearance ; and at the same time 
 opened his spiritual eyes, so that he was enahlcd 
 constantly to see and converse with spirits and 
 angels.* From that time he hegan to print and 
 publish various wonderful things, which, lie says, 
 were revealed to him, relating to heaven and 
 hell, tile state of men after death, the worship 
 of God, the spiritual sense of the scriptures, the 
 various earths in the universe, and their inhabi- 
 tants, with many other extraordinary particulars, 
 the knowledge of which was, perhaps, never pre- 
 tended to by any other writer, before or since 
 his time. He denies a Trinity of persons in the 
 Godhead, but contends for a divine Trinity in 
 
 * Baron Swcdenborg, in his treatise concerning heaven and 
 ltd!, and of the wonderful things therein, as heard and seen by 
 him, makes the following declaration. " As often as I con- 
 versed with angels face to face, it was in their habitations, 
 which are like to our houses on earth, but far more beautiful, 
 and magnificent, having rooms, chambers, and apartments in 
 great variety, as also spacious courts belonging to them, toge- 
 ther with the gardens, parterres of flowers, fields, &c. where 
 the angels arc formed into societies. They dwell in conti- 
 guous habitations, disposed after the manner of our cities 
 in streets, walks, and squares. I have had the privilege to 
 walk through them, to examine all round about me, and to 
 enter their houses, and this when 1 was lully awake, having 
 my inward eyes opened." A similar description is given of 
 heaven itself, but the reader is referred to the treatise whence 
 this curious extract is taken. 
 
 P 3 
 
214- SWEDENBORGIANS. 
 
 the single person of Jesus Christ alone, consist* 
 ng of a Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, just like 
 the human Trinity in every individual man, of 
 soul, body, and proceeding operation : and he 
 asserts, that as the latter Trinity constitutes one 
 man, so the former Trinity constitutes one Jeho- 
 vah God, who is at once the Creator, Redeemer, 
 and Regenerator. On this and other subjects, 
 Dr. Priestley addressed letters to the members of 
 the New Jerusalem Church, to which several 
 replies were made, and particularly one by Mr. 
 R. Hindmarsh, a printer. 
 
 Baron Swedenborg further maintains that the 
 sacred scripture contains three distinct senses, 
 called celestial, spiritual, and natural, which 
 are united by correspondencies ; and that in each 
 sense it is divine truth, accommodated respect- 
 tively to the angels of the three heavens, and also 
 to men on earth. This science of correspond- 
 encies (it is said) had been lost for some thou- 
 sands of years, viz. ever since the time of Job, 
 but is now revived by Emanuel Swedenborg, 
 who uses it as a key to the spiritual or internal 
 sense of the sacred scripture, every page of which, 
 he says, is written by correspondencies, that is, 
 by such things in the natural world as correspond 
 unto and signify things in the spiritual world. 
 He denies the doctrine of atonement, or vicarious 
 sacrifice, together with the doctrines of piedest^- 
 
SWKDENBORCIAN'S. 215 
 
 nation, unconditional election, justification by 
 faith alone, the resurrection of the material hotly, 
 &c. and in opposition thereto maintains, that man 
 is possessed of free-will in spiritual things ; that 
 salvation is not attainable without repentance, 
 that is, abstaining from evils because they arc 
 sins against God, and living a life of charity and 
 faith, according to the commandments ; that man, 
 immediately on his decease, rises again in a spiri- 
 tual body, which was inclosed in his material body, 
 and that in this spiritual body he lives as a man 
 to eternity, either in heaven or in hell, according 
 to the quality of his past life. 
 
 It is further maintained by Baron Swedenborg 
 and his followers, that all those passages in the 
 sacred scripture, generally supposed to signify the 
 destruction of the world by fire, &c. commonly 
 called the last judgment, must be understood ac- 
 cording to the above-mentioned science of cor- 
 respondencies, which teaches, that by the end of 
 the world, or consummation of the age, is not 
 signified the destruction of the world, but the 
 destruction or end of the present Christian 
 church, both among Roman Catholics and Pro- 
 testants of every description or denomination ; 
 and that the last judgment actually took place 
 in the spiritual world in the year 1757 ; from 
 which aera is dated the second advent of the 
 Lord, and the commencement of a new Christian 
 r 4- 
 
2\6 SWEDENBORGIANS. 
 
 church, which, they say, is meant by the new 
 heaven and new earth in the Revleation, and the 
 New Jerusalem thence descending. 
 
 Such are the general outlines of Baron Swe- 
 denborg's principal doctrines, collected from his 
 voluminous writings. His followers are nume- 
 rous in England, Germany, Sweden, &c. and 
 also in America. They use a liturgy, and in- 
 strumental, as well as vocal music, in their public 
 worship.* Mr. Proud, formerly a General Bap- 
 tist minister, is at present the most popular 
 preacher amongst them. He used to officiate at 
 their Chapel in Hatton Garden, but now preaches 
 m the vicinity of St. James's Square. Their minis- 
 ters have a particular dress both for praying and 
 preaching, so that they may be said to study va- 
 riety. 
 
 We shall close our list of Denominations 
 with an account of that discriminating article of 
 belief, which refers to the final triumphs of 
 Christianity . Its advocates are not indeed a 
 sect distinct from others, but their tenet prevails 
 in a less or greater degree throughout almost 
 every department of the religious world. 
 
 * Almost the whole of the above account was sent to the 
 author for insertion by a gentleman of that denomination. 
 
MILLENARIANS. 217 
 
 MILLENARIANS. 
 
 THE MlLLENARIANS arc those who believe 
 
 that Christ will reign personally On earth for a 
 
 thousand years, and their name, taken from the 
 Latin, mille, a thousand, has a direct allusion to 
 the duration of this spiritual empire. " The 
 
 doctrine of the Millenium, or a future paradisaical 
 state of the earth, (says a monthly reviewer) is 
 not of Christian hut of Jewish origin. The 
 tradition is attributed to Elijah, which fixes the 
 duration of the world in its present imperfect 
 condition to six thousand years, and announces 
 the approach of a sabbath of a thousand years of 
 universal peace and plenty, to be ushered in by 
 the glorious advent of the Messiah. This idea 
 may be traced in the epistle of Barnabas, and in 
 the opinions of Papias, who knew of no written 
 testimony in its behalf. It was adopted by the 
 author of the Revelations, by Justin Martyr, by 
 Jracnus, and by a long succession of the fathers 
 As the theory is animated and consolatory, and, 
 when divested of cabalistic numbers and allego- 
 rical decorations, probable even in the eye of 
 philosophy, it will no doubt always retain a 
 number of adherents."* 
 
 * It is somewhat remarkable, that Dkuidism, the religion of 
 
 the first inhabitants of this island, had a particular rclcrcr.ee to 
 
218 MILLENARIANS. 
 
 But as the Millenium has of late attracted 
 the attention of the public we shall enter into a 
 short detail of it. 
 
 Mr. Joseph Mede, Dr. Gill, Bishop Newton, 
 and Mr. Winchester, contend for the personal 
 reign of Christ on earth. To use that prelate's 
 own words, in his Dissertations on the Prophe- 
 cies — " When these great events shall come to 
 pass, of which we collect from the prophecies 
 this to be the proper order ; the Protestant wit- 
 nesses shall be greatly exalted, and the 1260 
 years of their prophecy ing in sackcloth, and of 
 the tyranny of the beast, shall end together ; the 
 conversion and restoration of the Jews succeed ; 
 then follows the ruin of the Othman empire ; 
 and then the total destruction of Rome and of 
 Antichrist. When these great events, I say, 
 shall come to pass, then shall the kingdom of 
 Christ commence, or the reign of the saints upon 
 earth. So Daniel expressly informs us, that the 
 
 the progressive melioration of the human species. A notion 
 of a Millenium seems to have hecn familiar to their minds, and 
 therefore forms a striking coincidence with Christianity. The 
 tenets of Druhl. : sm (which also include the doctrine of uni- 
 versal restoration) are far from being extinct in the principa- 
 lity. See a curious and interesting sketch of the system of 
 Druhlism, in some very ingenious Poems, by Edward Williams, 
 the IVeUh Bard } in two volumes. 
 
MII.I FA'AKI A\S. 219 
 
 kingdom of Christ and the saints will be i n i 
 upon the ruins of the kingdom of Antichrist, 7, 
 26,27. But the judgment shall sit, and tlinj 
 shall take away his dominion to consume and 
 to destroy it unto the end •" und the kingdom 
 and dominion, and the greatness of the. king* 
 dom under the whole heaven, shall be given to 
 the people of the saints of the most High, 
 whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and 
 all dominion shall serve and obey him. So 
 likewise St. John saith, that upon the final de- 
 struction of the beast and the false prophet, 
 Rev. xx. Satan is bound for a thousand years ; 
 and I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and 
 judgment was given unto them; and I saw the 
 souls of them that were beheaded for the witness 
 of Jesus Christ and for the word of God ; which 
 had not worshipped the beast, neither his image ; 
 neither has received his mark upon their fore- 
 heads or in their hands, and they lived and 
 reigned with Christ a thousand years. But 
 the rest of the dead lived not again until the 
 thousand years were finished. This is the first 
 resurrection. It is, I conceive, to these great 
 events the fall of Antichrist, the re-establishment 
 of the Jews, and the beginning of the glorious 
 MILLENIUM, that the three different dates in 
 Daniel of 1260 years, 1290 years and 1335 
 years, are to be referred. And as Daniel saith, 
 
220 MILLENARIANS. 
 
 xii. 12. Blessed is he that waiteth and cometk 
 the 1.335 years. So St. John saith, xx. 6. Bles- 
 sed and holy is he that hath part in the first re- 
 surrection. Blessed and happy indeed will be 
 this period and it is very observable, that the 
 martyrs and confessors of Jesus, in Papist as well 
 as Pagan times, will be raised to partake of this 
 felicity. Then shall all those gracious promises 
 in the Old Testament be fulfilled— of the am- 
 plitude and extent — of the peace and prosperity — 
 of the glory and happiness of the church in the 
 latter days. Then in the full sense of the words, 
 Rev. xi. 15. Shall the kingdoms of this world 
 become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his 
 Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever. 
 According to tradition,* these thousand years of 
 the reign of Christ and the saints, will be the 
 seventh Millenary of the world ; for as God 
 created the world in six days, and rested on the 
 seventh, so the world, it is argued, will continue 
 six thousand years, and the seventh thousand will 
 be the great Sabbatism or holy rest to the peo- 
 ple of God. One day, 2 Pet. iii. 8. being zuith 
 the Lord, as a thousand years and a thousand 
 years as one day. According to tradition too, 
 these thousand years of the reign of Christ and 
 
 * See Bumct's Theory. 
 
MILLENAR] 
 
 the saints, arc the great day of judgment, in the 
 mohiing or beginning vrhereof, ihall be the 
 coming of Christ in flaming fire, and the parti- 
 cular judgment of Antichrist and the first re- 
 surrection; and in the evening ox conclusion 
 whereof, shall be the GENERAL RESURRECTION 
 or the dead, small and great; and they shall 
 be judged every man according to their works.* 
 This is a just representation of the Millenium, 
 according to the common opinion entertained of 
 it, that Christ will reign personally on earth 
 during the period of one thousand years ! But 
 Dr. Whitby, in a Dissertation on the subject; 
 Dr. Priestley, in his Institutes of Religion, and 
 the author of the Illustrations of Prophecy, 
 contend against the literal interpretation of the 
 Millenium, both as to its nature and its duration. 
 On such a topic, however, we cannot suggest 
 our opinions with too great a degree of Modesty. 
 
 * Mr. Winchester, in his Lectures on the Prophecies, freely 
 indulges his imagination on this curious subject. He suggests, 
 that the large rivers in America arc all on the eastern side, 
 that the Jews may waft themselves the more easily down to 
 the Atlantic, and then across that vast ocean to the Holy Land, 
 that Christ will appear at the equinoxes (either March or Sep- 
 tember) when the days and nights are equal all over the 
 globe ; and finally, that the hody of Chr'.st will be luminous, 
 and being suspended in the air over the equator, for twenty- 
 four hours, wdl be seen with circumstances of peculiar glory, 
 from pole to pole, by all the inhabitants of the world 
 
222 MILLENARIANS. 
 
 Dr. Priestley (entertaining an exacted idea of 
 the advantages to which our nature may be des- 
 tined) treats the limitation of the duration of the 
 world to seven thousand years, as a Rabbinical 
 fable ; and intimates that the thousand years may 
 be interpreted prophetically ; then every day 
 would signify a year, and the Millenium last 
 for three hundred and sixty -five thousand years ! 
 Again he supposes that there will be no resur- 
 rection of any individuals till the general resur- 
 rection ; and that the Millenium implies only the 
 revival of religion. This opinion is indeed to 
 be found in his Institutes, published many years 
 ago, but latterly he has inclined to the personal 
 reign of Christ. See his Farewell Sermon, 
 preached at Hackney, previous to his emigration 
 to America. The same conjecture as to its du- 
 ration is thrown out by the author of the Illus- 
 trations of Prophecy ; but he contends that in 
 the period commonly called the Millenium, a 
 melioration cf the human race will gradually take 
 place, by natural means, throughout the world. 
 For his reasons, we refer to the work itself, 
 where will be found an animated sketch of that 
 period, when an end shall be put to many of the 
 crimes and calamities now prevalent in the 
 globe ! 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Bicheno, of Newbury, likewise, 
 has in his late publications thrown out some 
 
MII.LEN'ARIANS. 223 
 
 curious particulars respecting the Millenium ; 
 
 and though the reader may not agree with him 
 in many things, yet he will applaud his ingenuity. 
 Nor will it be an unacceptable piece of informa- 
 tion, when we add that the late Mr. Nathaniel 
 Scarlett, at the time of his decease was preparing 
 for the press a curious piece on the Millenium, 
 entitl d the Millcnial Age which was to contain 
 all the passages of scripture relating to the sub- 
 ject — accompanied with several admirably exe- 
 cuted plates, by way of illustration. Hut his death, 
 it is to be feared, will prevent its publication. 
 
 This final article of the Millenium, shall be 
 closed with one observation. However the MiU 
 lenarians may differ among themselves respect- 
 ing the nature of this great event, it is agreed on 
 all hands, that such a revolution will be effected 
 in the latter days, by which vice and its attendant 
 misery shall be banished from the earth ; thus 
 completely forgetting all those dissentions and 
 animosities by which the religious world has 
 been agitated, and terminating the grand drama 
 of universal affairs with universal FELICITY.* 
 
 * The professors of Christianity have instituted Societies for 
 the advancement of religion. There arc four which deserve 
 to be mentioned : 1. The Society for promoting Christian hnon;- 
 hdgc, which erects charity schools in England and Wales, and 
 distributes Bibles, Common Prayer Books, and religious tracts 
 
224 MILLEMARIAMS, 
 
 THESE are the divisions of human opinions, 
 which characterize the more popular departments 
 of the religious world. I have endeavoured to 
 delineate them with accuracy and brevity. Each 
 system boasts of admirers, and professes to have 
 its peculiar arguments and tendencies. . To a 
 thoughtful mind they exhibit a melancholy pic- 
 ture of the human understanding, misguided 
 through passion, and warped with prejudice. In 
 drawing out the motley catalogue, several cur- 
 sory reflections arose in my mind. A few only, 
 such as may operate as a persuasive to religious 
 moderation, and tend only to the improvement of 
 other Christian graces, shall be submitted to the 
 reader's attention. 
 
 2. The Incorporated Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in 
 Foreign Parts, which takes care that the West India islands 
 and the British colonics in North America are provided with 
 episcopal clergymen and schoolmasters ; 3. A Society in Scot- 
 land far propagating Christian Knowledge, designed to banish 
 ignorance and profaneness from the Highlands and Western 
 Islands : and, 4. A Society established in Ireland called The In- 
 corporated Society in Dublin for promoting English Protestant 
 Working Schools. 
 
 Mr. Daniel Neal, about 60 years ago, estimated the number 
 of Dissenters in England at one hundred and fifty thousand 
 families ; but since this period it is believed that they have 
 declined. At present the proportion of Nonconformists to the 
 Members of the Church of England is supposed to be as one to 
 five ; and it is singular that the same proportion holds between 
 the Episcopalians and Roman Catholics in Ireiand. 
 
( 225 ) 
 
 REFLECTIONS.* 
 
 I pny God to give all his miniittn and fleepfe marc and more 
 of the Spirit of JYiidvm and ot ftrv , and of sound mind, and 
 to remove far from vis those mutual , cities 
 
 which hinder our acting with that unanimity which is ne- 
 cessary to the successful carrying on of our common warfare 
 against IheenmUi of Christianity. 
 
 Doddridge's Rise and ProgreU of Religion. 
 
 1. SINCE the best and wisest of mankind 
 thus differ on the speculative tenets of religion, 
 let us modestly estimate the extent of the human 
 faculties. 
 
 * As the author has in the Sequel to this Sketch, brought 
 together the testimonies of Divines of the church of England, 
 the Kirk, of Scotland, and from amongst the Dissenters, in 
 behalf of candor and charity, so with these reflections, he has, in 
 this edition, interwoven the sentiments of some of the most 
 distinguished of the Laity on the subject. The declarations 
 of De Thou, Lord Li/ft/eton, Lord Chatham^ Locke, ManfleU, and 
 Washington arc entitled to particular attention. See an Humble 
 Attempt to promote the Union and Peace among Christians, by 
 inculcating the principles of Christiaii Liberty. Hy R.Wright, 
 of Wisbeaoh. It is a work of sterling merit, and happily cal- 
 culated to promote the valuable purpose for which it has been 
 written and published. 
 
 Q 
 
1226 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 A modest estimate of the human faculties is an 
 irresistible inducement to moderation. After la- 
 borious investigations, probably with equal de- 
 grees of knowledge and of integrity, men arrive 
 at opposite conclusions. This is a, necessary 
 consequence of present imperfection. Human 
 reason, weak and fallible, soars with feeble, and 
 often with ineffectual wing, into the regions of 
 speculation. Let none affirm that this mode of 
 argument begets an indifference to the acquisition 
 and propagation of religious truth. To declare 
 that all tenets are alike, is an affront to the human 
 understanding. The chilling hesitation of scep- 
 ticism, the forbidding sternness of bigotry, and 
 the delirious fever of enthusiasm, are equally ab- 
 horrent from the genius of true Christianity. 
 Truth being the conformity of our conceptions 
 to the nature of things, we should be fearful lest 
 our conceptions be tinctured .with error. Phi- 
 losophers suppose that the senses convey the most 
 determinate species of information ; yet these 
 senses, notwithstanding their singular acuteness, 
 are not endued with an instinctive infallibility. 
 How much greater cause have we to mistrust 
 the exercise of our rational powers, which often 
 from early infancy are beset with prejudices ! 
 
 Our reason, however, proves of essential use 
 to us, in ascertaining the nature of truths and 
 the degrees of evidence with which they are se- 
 
REFLECTIONS. 227 
 
 resally attended. This necessarily induces a 
 modesty of temper, which may be fitly pro- 
 nounced the groundwork of chanty. Richard 
 Baxter t revered for his good sense as well as 
 fervent piety, has these remarkable expressions 
 on the subject — H I am not so foolish as to pre- 
 tend my certainty to be greater than it is, merely 
 because it is a dishonour to be less certain ; nor 
 will I by shame be kept from confessing those 
 infirmities which those have as much as I, who 
 hypocritically reproach me with them. My cer- 
 tainty that I am a man, is before my certainty 
 that there is a God ; my certainty that there is a 
 God, is greater than my certainty that he re- 
 quireth love and holiness of his creature; my 
 certainty of this, is greater than my certainty of 
 the life of reward and punishment hereafter ; my 
 certainty of that, is greater than my certainty of 
 the endless duration of it, and of the immortality 
 of individual souls ; my certainty of the Deity, 
 is greater than my certainty of the Christian 
 faith ; my certainty of the Christian faith in its 
 essentials, is greater than my certainty of the 
 petfection and infallibility of all the holy scrip- 
 tures ; my certainty of that is greater than my 
 certainty of the meaning of many particular texts, 
 and so of the truth of many particular doctrines, 
 or of the canonicalness of some certain books. 
 So that 2S you see by what gradations my under - 
 q2 
 
223 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 standing doth proceed, so also that my certainty 
 differ eth as the evidence differ. And they that 
 have attained to a greater perfection and a higher 
 degree of certainty than I, should pity me, and 
 produce their evidence to help me." It were to 
 be wished that this accurate statement of the 
 nature and degrees of belief were duly impressed 
 on the mind of every Christian ; to the want of 
 it must be ascribed the prevalence of an ignorant 
 and besotted bigotry. 
 
 Reason, though imperfect, is the noblest gift 
 of God, and upon no pretence whatever must it 
 be decried. It distinguishes man from the beasts 
 of the field— constitutes his resemblance to the 
 Deity, and elevates him to the superiority he pos- 
 sesses over this lower creation. By Deists it is 
 extolled, to the prejudice of revelation ; and by 
 Enthusiasts depreciated, that they might the 
 more effectually impose on their votaries the ab- 
 surdities of their systems, Yet, strange incon- 
 sistency ! even these enthusiasts condescend to 
 employ this calumniated faculty in pointing out 
 the conformity of their tenets to scripture, and 
 in fabricating evidence for their support. But 
 beware of speaking lightly of reason, which is 
 emphatically denominated the eye of the soul! 
 Every opprobrious epithet with which the 
 thoughtless or the designing dare to stigmatize it, 
 vilifies the Creator. Circumscribed, indeed, are 
 
Rl i i.ncnoxs. 
 
 its operations, and fallible arc its decisions, 
 it is incompetent to investigate certain suh 
 which our boundless curiosity may essay to pene- 
 trate, is universally acknowledged. Its extension! 
 therefore, beyond its l boundaries, 
 
 proved an ample source of error. Mr. Colliber % 
 in many respects an ingenious writer, imagines 
 in bis treatise, entitled, The Knowledge of God, 
 that the Deity must have some form, and inti- 
 mates it may probably be spherical ! ! In. 
 it lias generated an endless list of paradoxes, 
 and given birth to those monstrous systems of 
 metaphysical theology, which arc the plague of 
 wise men, and the idol of fools. Upon many 
 religious topics, which have tried and tortured 
 our understandings, the sacred writings are re- 
 spectfully silent. Where they cease to inform us 
 we should drop our enquiries ; except we claim 
 superior degrees of information, and proudly 
 deem ourselves more competent to decide on these 
 intricate subjects. 
 
 The primitive Christians, in some of then- 
 councils, elevated the New Testament on a 
 throne — thus intimating their concern, that by 
 that volume alone their disputes should be finally 
 determined. Their great president, De Thou re- 
 marks "that the sword of the word of God ought 
 to be the sole weapon — and those who are no 
 longer to be compelled should be quietlv attachcj 
 q3 
 
1230 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 by moderate considerations and amicable discus- 
 sions." 
 
 2. The diversity of religious opinions implies 
 no reflection upon the sufficiency of scripture to 
 instruct us in matters of faith and practice, and 
 should not, therefore, be made a pretence for un- 
 charitableness. 
 
 Controversies are frequently agitated concern- 
 ing words rather than things. This is to be 
 ascribed chiefly to the ambiguity of language, 
 which has been a fertile source of ecclesiastical 
 animosities. But there is not in the world, such 
 a multitude of opinions as superficial observers 
 may imagine. A common gazer at the starry 
 firmament conceives the stars to be innumerable : 
 but the astronomer knows their number to be 
 limited — nay, to be much smaller than a vulgar 
 eye would apprehend. On the subjects of reli- 
 gion, many men dream rather than think — im- 
 agine rather than believe. Were the intellect of 
 every individual awake, and preserved in vigor- 
 ous exercise, similarity of sentiment would be 
 much more prevalent. But mankind will not 
 think, and hence thinking has been deemed 
 " one of the least exerted privileges of cultivated 
 humanity." It unfortunately happens that the 
 idle flights indulged by enthusiasts — the burden- 
 some rites revered by the superstitious — and the 
 corrupt maxims adopted by worldly-minded pro- 
 
REFLECTIONS. 231 
 
 fessors, arc charged on the scriptures of truth. 
 Whereas the inspired volume is fraught with ra- 
 tional doctrines — equitable precepts— and imma- 
 culate rules of conduct. Fanciful accommoda- 
 tions — distorted passages — false translations — and 
 forced analogies, have been the despicable means 
 employed to debase and corrupt the Christian 
 doctrine. A calm and impartial investigation of 
 the word of God, raises in our minds conceptions 
 worthy the perfections of Deity — suitable to the 
 circumstances of mankind, and adapted to purify 
 and exalt our nature : 
 
 Religion's lustre is by native innocence, 
 
 Divinely pure ?nd simple from all arts ; 
 
 You daub and dress her like a common mistress — 
 
 The harlot of your fancies! and by adding 
 
 palsc beauties, which she wants not, make the world 
 
 Suspect her angel face is foul beneath, 
 
 And will not bear all lights! 
 
 The papists deprive their laity of the use of 
 scripture, by restraining its use, and denying its 
 sufficiency. The same reason also was assigned 
 to vindicate the necessity of an infallible head to 
 dictate in religious matters. Notwithstanding 
 these artful devices to produce unanimity of sen- 
 timent, they were not more in profession of it 
 than the Protestants. The discordant sects, which 
 at different periods sprang up in the bosom, 
 and disturbed the tranquillity of the Catholic 
 q 4 
 
C32 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 church, are demonstrative proofs that they failed 
 to attain the desired ohject. Pretences, there- 
 fore, however j goodly, should be rejected if they 
 tend to invalidate the insufficiency, or disparage 
 the excellence of holy writ, Least of all should 
 diversity of sentiment be alledged, for it does not 
 originate in the scriptures themselves, hut in the 
 imbecility of the understanding — in the freedom 
 of the will — in the pride of passion — and in the 
 inveteracy of prejudice. Deists, nevertheless, who 
 are expert in observing what may be construed 
 into an objection against revealed religion, de- 
 claim loudly on the plausible topic. On account 
 of the diversity of sentiment which obtains, they 
 charge the Bible with being defective in a species 
 of intelligence it never pretended to communicate. 
 Unincumbered with human additions, and un- 
 contaminated with foreign mixtures, it furnishes 
 the believer with that information which illu- 
 minates the understanding— meliorates the temper 
 — invigorates the moral feelings and improves 
 the heart. All scripture given by inspiration, 
 is profitable for doctrine, for reproof for cor- 
 rection, for instruction in righteousness, that 
 the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly fur '- 
 nishcd upon all good works. " Heaven and 
 Hell are not more distant (says Lord Lyttleton) 
 than the benevolent spirit of the Gospel and the 
 malignant spirit of party. The most impious wars 
 
KM I l CTIONS. 
 
 made 'ail- ( ailed ' i '■; wars. 1 le who h 
 another man for Dot being a christian is him 
 nol a christian. Christianity breathes love and 
 peace and good-will to men.' 
 
 3. Let not any one presume to exempt himself 
 from an attention to religion, because some of 
 its tenets seem involved in difficulties. 
 
 Upon articles which promote the felicity, and 
 secure the salvation of mankind, the scripture is 
 clear and decisive. The curiosity of the inqui- 
 sitive, and the restlessness of the ingenious, have 
 involved some subjects of theological disquisition 
 in considerable obscurity. Dr. Paley, speaking 
 of the disputes which distract the religious world, 
 happily remarks " that the rent has not reached 
 the foundation." Incontrovertible are the facts 
 upon which the fabric of natural and revealed 
 religion is reared ; and the gates of dell shall 
 not prevail against it! He who seriously and 
 dispassionately searches the scriptures, must con- 
 fess that they teach, in explicit terms, that God 
 rules over all — that man is fallen from his prime- 
 val rectitude — that the Messiah shed his blood for 
 his restoration — and that in a future state rewaids 
 await the righteous, and punishments will be 
 inflicted on the wicked. 
 
 From the preceding sketch of the different 
 opinions of Christians, it appears that controver- 
 sies have been chiefly agitated concerning the 
 
234 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 person of Christ — the subject of the divine 
 favour — and the article of church government. 
 But what was the specific matter of disputation ? 
 Not whether Christ has actually appeared on 
 earth to introduce a new dispensation ; nor whe- 
 ther God is disposed to shew grace or favour 
 towards fallen man ; nor whether the professors 
 of religion ought to submit themselves to certain 
 regulations, or church government, for mutual 
 benefit. These are truths revered by every de- 
 nomination, and the only point of contention has 
 been, what particular views are to be entertained 
 of these interesting facts. The Trinitarian, the 
 Arian, and the Socinian, equally acknowledge 
 the divinity of Christ's mission, or that he was 
 the Messiah predicted by the ancient prophets ; 
 and the chief point of dispute is, whether this 
 Messiah be a man highly inspired — or one of 
 the angelic order — or a being possessed of the 
 attributes of Deity. The Calvinist, the Armi* 
 nian, and the Baxterian also, each of them firmly 
 believes that the grace of God hath appeared, 
 and differ only respecting the wideness of its 
 extent, and the mode of its communication. Si- 
 milar observations might be transferred to the 
 subject of church government, and the administra- 
 tion of ceremonies. But sufficient has been 
 said to shew that the differences subsisting be- 
 
I 1 IONS. 
 
 tween Christians do not affect the truth of Chris- 
 tianity, nor hazard the salvation of mankind. 
 
 Faint indeed is the light thrown by revelation 
 on certain subjects. Yet no lover of righteous- 
 ness need distress himself, whether he he mistaken 
 in leading a lite of virtue and piety. Practical 
 religion lies within a narrow compass. The say- 
 ings of Christ embrace almost every part of 
 human conduct, though his disciples have been 
 lamentably deficient in paying them the attention 
 due to their importance. Jesus Christ assures us, 
 that to love the Lord our God with all our 
 hearts, is the first and great eonunandment—- 
 and that the seeond is like unto it— to love our 
 neighbour as ourselves. They entertain mis- 
 taken views of the glorious gospel, who consider 
 it inimical to the prosperity of the human race. 
 Descending from a God of love, and presented 
 to us by his only begotten Son — every mind 
 should have opened for its reception. Wrangling 
 should have been prevented by the clearness of 
 its fundamental doctrines, hesitation about obedi- 
 ence precluded by the justice of its precepts, and 
 the beauty of its examples should have captivated 
 the most indifferent hearts. 
 
 The perplexity in which some religious tenets 
 are involved, instead of alienating us from the 
 practice of righteousness, should quicken our en- 
 
236 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 tjuiries after truth. Indeed, upon a serious and 
 intelligent individual, it produces this beneficial 
 effect. Having in his eye the scripture as the 
 only standard, he is the more alive to free enquiry, 
 when he contemplates the diversity of religious 
 systems ; and more accurately scrutinizes their 
 nature, examines their foundation, and ascertains 
 their tendencies. This mode of arriving at truth, 
 is attended with sterling advantages. Our know- 
 ledge is enlarged — our candour established— and 
 our belief founded on the firm basis of convic- 
 tion. Such a believer reflects an honour upon 
 the denomination with which he connects himself. 
 For feeling sensibly the difficulties of religious 
 investigation, he presumes not to charge with 
 heresy those of his fellow Christians who differ 
 from him ; nor is he such a stranger to the per- 
 fections of the Deity, and to the benign spirit of 
 his religion, as to consign them over to the re- 
 gions of future misery. Of Mr. Gouge, an emi- 
 nent Nonconformist minister, it is thus honour- 
 ably recorded by the great and good Archbishop 
 Tillotson. — " He allowed others to differ from 
 him even in opinions that were very dear to him, 
 and provided men did but fear God, and work 
 ■righteousness, he loved them heartily, how dis- 
 tant soever from him in judgment about things 
 less necessary : in all which he is very worthy to 
 be a pattern to men of all persuasions. And 
 
REFLECTIONS. 23*7 
 
 Lord Chatham has observed—*' It is said that 
 religious sects have done great mischief, when 
 they were not kept under restraint, but history 
 affords no proof that sects have ever been mis- 
 chievous, when they were not oppressed and 
 I . uted by the ruling church." 
 • 4 . Let us Teflect with pleasure in how many 
 important articles of belief all Christians are 
 agiced. 
 
 Respecting the origin of evil, the nature of the 
 human scud, the existence of an intermediate 
 state, and the duration of future punishment, to- 
 gether with points of a similar kind, opinions 
 have been, and in this imperfect state will ever 
 continue to be different. But on articles of faith, 
 far more interesting fn themselves and far more 
 conducive to our welfare, are not all Christians 
 united? We all believe in the perfections and 
 government of one God — in the degradation of 
 human nature through transgression — in the 
 vast utility of the life, death, and sufferings of 
 Jesus Christ — in the assurance of the divine aid 
 
 in the necessity of exercising repentance, 
 
 and of cultivating holiness — in a resurrection from 
 the dead — and in a future state of rewards and 
 punishment. Cheerfully would I enter into a 
 minute illustration of this important part of the 
 subject ; but the devout and intelligent Dr. Price 
 lias ablv discussed it in his first sermon on the 
 
238 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 Christian Doctrine, to which discourse I refer the 
 render, and recommend it to his repeated and 
 impartial perusal. Many Christians are more an- 
 xious to know wherein their brethren differ from 
 them, than wherein they are agreed. This be- 
 trays an unhappy propensity to division, and 
 bears an unfavourable aspect on mutual forbear- 
 ance, one of the highest embellishments of the 
 Christian character. An enlightened zeal is per- 
 fectly compatible with religious moderation, which 
 is more particularly opposed to the furious spirit 
 ©f uncharitableness, the gangrene of genuine 
 Christianity. From the shy and distant deportment 
 of men of different persuasions towards each other, 
 a stranger to them all, would with difficulty be 
 brought to believe that they looked up to the 
 same God — confided in the same Saviour — and 
 were bending their steps towards the same state 
 of future happiness. To me, often has the Chris- 
 tian world had the appearance of a subdued 
 country, portioned out into innumerable districts, 
 through the pride and ambition of its conquerors, 
 and each district occupied in retarding each other's 
 prosperity. Alas ! what would the Prince of 
 Peace say, were he to descend and sojourn among 
 us ? Would he not reprove our unhallowed 
 warmth — upbraid us with our divisions — chide 
 our unsocial tempers-— and exhort to amity and 
 concord ? " This antipathy to your fellow Chris- 
 
REFLECTIONS. 
 
 tians," would be say, " is not the effect of my 
 religion, but proceeds from the want of it. My 
 doctrines, precepts, and example, have an oppo- 
 site tendency. Had you learned of vie you 
 
 would have never uttered against your brethren 
 terms of reproach, nor lifted up the arm of per- 
 secution. The new commandment I ga?e unto 
 vou was— That you lore one another" 
 
 The ingenious Mr. Seed (a clergyman) ob- 
 serves, " Our own particular darling tenets, by 
 which we are distinguished from the bulk of 
 Christians, we look upon as our private inclo- 
 sures, our private walks, in which we have pro- 
 perty exclusive of others and which we take care 
 to cultivate, beautify, and fence in against all 
 invaders. To the received notions, however im- 
 portant, we arc more indifferent, as the common 
 field and public walks, which lie open to every 
 body." Were the professors of the Gospel once 
 fully sensible how they coincide on the funda- 
 mental facts of natural and revealed religion, they 
 would cherish with each other a more friendly 
 intercourse, unite more cordially to propagate 
 icligion both at home and abroad, and superior 
 degrees of success would crown their combined 
 exertions for the purpose. Much is it regretted 
 that disputes have generally been agitated con- 
 cerning unessential points, and with an acrimony 
 diametrically opposite to the Gospel of Jesus 
 Christ. That controversy is in itself inn 
 
.{0 REFLECTION'S. 
 
 to truth, no intelligent individual will insinuate. 
 When conducted with ability and candor, light 
 has been struck out, errors have been rectified, 
 and information, on interesting subjects, has been 
 communicated to the public. But alas ! contro_ 
 versy lias been perverted to evil purposes. To 
 many who have engaged in theological discussion^ 
 victory, not truth, appears to have been the ob- 
 ject of pursuit. Seduced by unworthy motives, 
 they swerved from the line of conduct prescribed 
 by an apostle, and contended boisterously rather 
 than earnestly for the faith once delivered to 
 the saints. Fiery controversialists, hurriedaway 
 by impetuousness of temper, or exasperated by 
 the opposition of an acute and pertinacious adver- 
 sary, have disgraced the polemic page by oppro- 
 brious terms and ungenerous insinuations. Thus 
 are infidels furnished with an additional objection 
 to revealed religion — the investigation of interest- 
 ing truth terminates in mutual reproaches ; and 
 Christians of different sentiments, driven still 
 farther from each other, are the less fitted to 
 associate together in the common mansions of 
 the blest. To this pernicious mode of agitating 
 disputes, there are, however, exceptions; and in- 
 stances of this kind might be adduced. In the defence 
 of Christianity, and in the support of its particular 
 doctrines, writers have stood forth whose temper 
 and liberality breathe the genuine spirit of the 
 Christian Religion. Doddridge's Letters to the 
 
RI.I I.FCTIONS. '2 1-1 
 
 Author of Christianity not founded in argument. 
 Bishop Watson's reply to Gibbon, and Camp- 
 bell's answer to Hume On Miracles, arc admira- 
 ble examples of the candor with whieh religious 
 controversies should be invariably Conducted. In 
 an age enlightened like the present, this concili- 
 ating spirit was to be expected ; and wc indulge 
 the pleasing hope, that times still more auspicious 
 to truth are approaching, when the amicable dis- 
 cussion of every doctrine supposed to be contain- 
 ed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, shall obtain an 
 universal prevalence : 
 
 Seize upon truth where'er 'tis found, 
 Among your friends — among your foes, 
 
 On Christian or on Heathen ground, 
 The flower's divine where'er it grows; 
 Neglect the prickles and assume the rose ! 
 
 Watts. 
 
 ** No way whatsoever," says the immortal 
 Locke, " that I shall walk in against the dictates 
 of my conscience, will ever bring me to the 
 mansions of the blessed. I may grow rich 
 by an art that I take no delight in — I may 
 be cured of some disease by remedies I have no 
 faith in, but I cannot be saved by a religion that 
 I distrust, and a worship that I abhor. It is in 
 vain for an unbeliever to take up the outward 
 shadow of another man's profession; faith only, 
 
 R 
 
242 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 and inward sincerity are the things that procure 
 acceptance with God." 
 
 Truth, indeed, moral and divine, flourishes, 
 only in the soil of freedom. There it shoots up 
 and sheds its fruit for the healing of the nations. 
 Civil and religious liberty are two of the greatest 
 earthly blessings which heaven can bestow on 
 man. Thrice happy are the people who expe- 
 rience the benefits of good government, unbur- 
 dened by the impositions of oppression, and who 
 enjoy, the sweets of liberty, unembittered by the 
 curse of anarchy and of licentiousness i 
 
 5. We should allow to others the same right 
 of private judgment in religious matters, which 
 we claim and exercise ourselves. 
 
 It is replied — " We forbid not the sober use of 
 this privilege." But who can estimate the so- 
 briety of another man's speculations ? and by 
 reprobating the opinions which a serious brother 
 may happen to entertain in consequence of free 
 investigation, we tacitly condemn that operation 
 of his mind which induced him to take up such 
 tenets. This is the spirit of Popery in disguise. 
 Cautiously exercising his reason, and devoutly 
 examining the sacred records, let every man be 
 fully persuaded in Ins own mind: This was 
 the judicious advice of Paul to the primitive 
 Christians, and no substantial reason has been, or 
 
REFLECTIONS. <2 13 
 
 ever will be given foi its being abandoned. For 
 a Protestant, who demands and exercises the right 
 of private judgment, to deny it his brother, is an 
 unpardonable inconsistency. It is also an act of 
 injustice, and, therefore, contrary to reason, con- 
 demned hy revelation, and prejudicial to the best 
 interests of mankind. He who insults your per- 
 son, steals your property, or injures your reputa- 
 tion, subjects himself to the punishment which 
 the law denounces against such offences. What 
 then can we think of the man who attempts to 
 rob you of the right of private judgment? — a 
 jewel of inestimable price — a blessing of the first 
 magnitude ! Were we once to relinquish think- 
 ing for ourselves, and indolently to acquiesce in 
 the representations of others, our understandings 
 might soon groan beneath the absurdities of other 
 men's creeds, and our attention be distracted by 
 the perplexed nature of our religious services. 
 Hitherto, persons have never been wanting un- 
 reasonable enough to impose on their brethren 
 articles of faith. The late Mr. Robinson, of 
 Cambridge, an avowed foe to ecclesiastical tyran- 
 ny, has traced its sources with his usual acuteness, 
 and pronounces them to be power — law — pation- 
 a g C — office — the abuse of learning, and mistaken 
 pietv. These pretences for domination over con- 
 science are plausible, and by their speciousness 
 millions have been deceived. But explain to a 
 R 2 
 
2\\ REFLECTIONS. 
 
 man of common sense the nature and foundation 
 of religious liberty, and the infatuation ceases. 
 He must perceive that the Father of spirits hath 
 authorized no man to dictate to another what he 
 is to believe — much less to impose his dogmas 
 under pain of eternal punishment : 
 
 Let Csesar's dues be ever paid, 
 
 To Caesar and his throne ; 
 But consciences and souh were made, 
 
 To be the Lord's alone. 
 
 Watts. 
 
 To use the language of the illustrious Wash- 
 ington — u It affords edifying prospects indeed to 
 see Christians of different denominations., dwell 
 together in more charity, and conduct themselves 
 in respect to each other with a more Christian- 
 like spirit, than ever they have done in any former 
 age!" 
 
 Why even of yourselves judge ye not what 
 is right ? was the energetic language in which 
 Christ reproached the Pharisees ; and prove all 
 things was Paul's manly exhortation to the church 
 at Thessalonica. These passages alone prove, 
 beyond the possibility of dispute, that bolh 
 Christ and Paul were distinguished patrons of 
 free enquiry. Free enquirv, even in its fullest 
 extent, has been found serviceable to the interests 
 of religion. Hereby error ceases to be perpc- 
 
TIF.FI ECTION'S. 21") 
 
 ttiated, and truth emerges from those shad- 
 darkness with which she has been industriously 
 enveloped by the artful and the designing. Sur- 
 vey the page or" ecclesiastical history — mark the 
 intervals of languor when the right of private 
 judgment lay dormant — then was the church of 
 Christ debilitated and pestered with an heteroge- 
 neous mass of errors. Excellently is it remarked 
 in a periodical publication — " No man can write 
 down truth. Inquiry is to truth what friction is 
 to the diamond. It proves its hardness — adds to 
 its lustre — and excites new admiration." The 
 ablest advocates for Christianity confess, that by 
 the attacks of its enemies provoking examination 
 it has been benefited rather than injured. To in- 
 fidel writers we are indebted for Butler's profound 
 Analogy— Law's Theory of Natural and Re- 
 vealed Religion— Campbell's Dissertations on 
 Miracles — Newton's work on the Prophecies — 
 Watson's Apology for the Bible — and other per- 
 formances, which reflect as much honour on the 
 names of their respective authors, as they have 
 rendered service to the glorious cause they 
 espoused. " Every species of Intolerance," says 
 Archdeacon Paley, " which enjoins suppression 
 and silence, and every species of persecution 
 which enforces such injunctions, is averse to the 
 progress of truth, forasmuch as it causes that to 
 \)C fixed by one set of men at one time, which is 
 R 3 
 
246 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 much better, and with much more probability 
 of success, left to the independent and progressive 
 enquiries of separate individuals. Truth results 
 from discussion and from controversy, is inves- 
 tigated by the labour and researches of private 
 persons ; whatever therefore prohibits these, ob- 
 structs that industry and that liberty, which it is 
 the common interest of mankind to promote." 
 
 " 6. Let us be careful to treat those who differ 
 from us with kindness. 
 
 Believing those who differ from us to be the 
 disciples of error, they have a powerful claim on 
 our compassion. And as a further incentive to a 
 lenient conduct, it should be remembered — that 
 we differ from them just as much as they do 
 from us. By either party, therefore, no anathe- 
 mas should be hurled, and a proneness to persecu- 
 tion should be instantly eradicated. The Quakers, 
 in their address to James the Second, on his ac_ 
 cession, told him, that they understood he was no 
 more of the established religion than themselves : 
 " We therefore hope (say they) that thou wile 
 allow us that liberty which thou takest thyself." 
 The terms schism and heresy are in the mouths 
 of many, and it is no unfrequent case to find that 
 those who use them most, least understand thei r 
 real import. Dr. Campbell (who lately favoured 
 the public with an excellent translation of the 
 Four Gospels) thus concludes a learned disserta- 
 
REFLECT In -M7 
 
 tion on the subject: " No person (says lie) who 
 in the spirit of candour and charity adheres to 
 that which, to the best of his judgment is right, 
 though in this opinion he should be mistaken, is 
 in the scriptural sense either schismatic or he* 
 relic ; and he, on the contrary, whatever sect he 
 belongs to, is more entitled to those odious ap- 
 pellations who is most apt to throw the imputa- 
 tion upon others." Would to God, that this 
 observation, made by a great and good man, were 
 engraven on the memory of every individual in 
 Christendom !* 
 
 Upon the advantages arising from Christian 
 moderation we might largely expatiate, and to 
 detail the evils which have flown from an unen- 
 lightened and furious zeal, would be to stain my 
 page with blood. The incomparable Bishop 
 Hall, in the last century, wrote a treatise on mo- 
 deration, and has discussed the subject with that 
 
 * Having had the honour of attending the lectures both of 
 Dr. Campbell and Dr. Gerard, at Aberdeen, in the year 1790, 
 the author takes this opportunity of expressing his obligation 
 for the instruction received on many important topics; and 
 particularly for that admirable spirit of candor, which induced 
 them fairly to state opposite opinions, and never to discover 
 Uie least trait of that uncharitableness, which is the disgrace 
 of Christianity. The Spanish proverb says, " To parents— tq 
 teachers— and to God, all sufficient, we cannot indulge too great 
 a degree of gratituda." 
 
 R 4 
 
248 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 eloquence and ability which are peculiar to all his 
 writings. But this great and good man, towards 
 the close of the same treatise, forgetting the 
 principles which he had been forcibly inculcating, 
 devotes one solitary page to the execrable cause 
 of intolerance. This page he concludes with 
 these remarkable expressions — '* Master Calvin 
 did well approve himself to God's church, in 
 bringing Servetus to the stake at Geneva." 
 Blessed Jesus ! how art thou wounded in the 
 house of thy friends ! After this deplorable in- 
 stance of human inconsistency, should not the 
 most eminent of thy followers beware, lest, by 
 indulging even in the slightest degree a spirit of 
 intolerance, they be insensibly led either to adopt 
 or applaud practices which, under the specious 
 mask of an holy zeal, outrage the very first prin- 
 ciples of humanity ? To love our own parti) 
 only, is (to use the words of the excellent Dod- 
 dridge) nothing else than self-love reflected. The 
 most zealous partizans, therefore, are revelling in 
 self -gratification. 
 
 Christians, indeed, of almost every denomina- 
 tion, appear at times to have forgotten, that 
 harshness widens rather than closes the breaches 
 which previous diversity of sentiment may have 
 occasioned. Coercive measures reach not the 
 mind, and the issuing edicts to extort assent to 
 speculative tenets, is the bombast of civil autho- 
 
REFLECTIONS. 
 
 litv. Truth resta on i But what hai 
 
 evidence to do with exertions of power, imple- 
 ments of torture, ami icenei of devastation ? 
 From the commencement of the fourth century, 
 
 down to that illustrious aria of the reformation, 
 wide and unmolested was the empire of ignorance 
 
 and of superstition over the human mind. At 
 Rome, for a series of ages,, the chair of infallibility 
 
 was tilled hy a succession of intolerant and domi- 
 neering Pontiffs. Complicated systems of cruelty 
 were industriously devised and inhumanly prac- 
 tised, for the support and defence of their most 
 holy faith. Out of that once respectable capital 
 of the world, the demon of persecution rushed 
 forth, brandished his torch, and deluged the 
 church of Christ with the blood of her martyrs. 
 Impatient for the destruction of the human .race, 
 he flew into different regions of the earth, framed 
 racks, fixed stakes, erected gibbets, and, like a 
 pestilence, scattered around him consternation 
 and death ! Shall the mild and evangelical genius 
 of Protestantism countenance a temper which 
 incites to such execrable deeds, and exultinglv 
 enrolls the names of the perpetrators in the calen- 
 dar of the saints ? In this twilight state of being, 
 to expostulate is our province, to inveigh and 
 persecute is forbidden. The glorious Gospel of 
 the blessed God prohibits rash accusations, cruel 
 surmises, and malignant anathemas. Had an in- 
 
250 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 violable regard been paid to the golden rule, Do 
 unto others as ye would they should do unto you, 
 intolerance would never have reared its ensan- 
 guined crest to affright the children of men. Ye 
 know not what manner of spirit ye are of— was 
 our Saviour's pertinent reprimand to the disciples, 
 who, in the plenitude of their zeal, would have 
 called down fire from heaven to consume the de- 
 luded Samaritans. Too often does a portion of 
 this accursed spirit reign in the breasts of Pro- 
 testants. Hence censures are poured forth, ha- 
 treds are engendered, and a preparation for heaven 
 is retarded. Instead, therefore, of presumptuously- 
 usurping the seat of judgment, which the Al- 
 mighty has exclusively reserved to himself, and of 
 impiously aiming to become the dispensers of the 
 divine vengeance, let us wait the issue of all 
 things, in deep and reverential silence. A wise 
 and a good God will solemnly decide the business, 
 when he judges the world in righteousness ! 
 
 7. Let us not repine because perfect unanimity 
 of religious sentiment is unattainable in this pre- 
 sent state. 
 
 A repining spirit is the source of ill temper 
 towards those who dissent from us ; but it seems 
 to be the intention of the Divine Being, that we 
 should think differently concerning certain points 
 of faith and practice. Variety marks the works 
 of God. It is impressed throughout the circum- 
 
REFLECTIONS. ' l 
 
 ference of the natural, the animal, and the intel- 
 lectual world. Above us, we behold thedazzling 
 
 brightness of the sun, the pale splendour of the 
 moon, the mild twinkling of the suns, and I 
 variegated colours which adorn the firmameni 
 
 heaven ! Around us, the surface of the earth is 
 diversified into a thousand beautiful forms, and in 
 the animal, the vegetable, and the fossil king- 
 doms, no two individual productions are perfectly 
 alike ! Within us, upon the slightest examina- 
 tion, we discern our minds stamped with an ori- 
 ginal peculiarity. From senseless idiotism, up to 
 the piercing sagacity of Newton, how numerous 
 are the gradations of intellect ! Minds are of vari- 
 ous sizes. Their capacities, habits, and views are 
 never in strict conformity with each other. In 
 some degree, therefore diversity of opinion flows 
 from the very structure of our understanding. 
 To fall out with this branch of the dispensations 
 of God is to arraign his wisdom. Doubtless he 
 might have shed upon us such a superior degree 
 of light that we should have seen as with one 
 eye, and have been altogether of one mind. 
 But the Supreme Being has otherwise ordered it ; 
 and with becoming resignation let us acquiesce 
 in the propriety of the appointment. " if it must 
 be with us (says good Bishop Hall) as with two 
 famous rivers in the East, that they run three- 
 score miles together in one channel, with then 
 5 
 
252 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 waters divided in very colour from each other, 
 yet let it he (as it is with them) without noise, 
 without violence." And in modern times Lord 
 Mansfield, that luminary of the law declares that, 
 " There is nothing certainly more unreasonable* 
 more inconsistent with the rights of human na- 
 ture, more contrary to the spirit and precepts of 
 the Christian religion, more iniquitous and unjust, 
 more impolitic than Persecution ! It is against 
 natural religion, revealed religion, and sound 
 policy !'* 
 
 Innumerable and unavailable have been the 
 attempts made in the successive ages of the church 
 to produce unanimity of sentiment. For this 
 purpose legislatures have decreed various acts, 
 poured forth torrents of human blood, and per- 
 petrated deeds at which humanity sickens, shud- 
 ders, and turns away with disgust. Francis the 
 First, King of France, used to declare, " that it 
 he thought the blood in his arm was tainted with 
 the Lutheran heresy, he would have it cut off, 
 and that he would not spare even his own chil- 
 dren, if they entertained sentiments contrary to 
 the Catholic Church." Pride in one person, 
 passion in a second, prejudice in a third, and in a 
 fourth investigation, generates difference of opi- 
 nion. Should diversity be deemed an evil, it is 
 incumbent on rational beings, and congenial with 
 the dignity of the Christian profession, to im- 
 
REFLECTIONS; 
 
 prove it to valuable purposes. It is an indispu- 
 table feet, that different denominations have, in 
 every ape of the church, kept a jealous eye over 
 each other ; and hereby the scriptures, the com- 
 mon standard to which they appealed for the 
 truth of their respective tenets, have been pre- 
 served in greater purity. It may also be added, 
 that diversity "of opinion quickens the enquiries 
 after truth, and gives scope for the exercise of 
 charity, which in one passage of the sacred 
 writings is pronounced superior to faith and 
 hope, and in another passage termed the bond of 
 perfectness. Much improvement have good 
 men extracted fiom the common evils of life, by 
 these evils giving rise to graces and virtues which 
 otherwise, perhaps, would have had no existence ; 
 or, at least, would have been faintly called forth 
 into action. To perceive the justice of this ob- 
 servation, it is not necessary that we be profound 
 contemplators ofhuman affairs. 
 
 Under the accumulated difficulties of faith and 
 practice, by which we are embarrassed in this 
 sublunary state of imperfection, we should medi- 
 tate on the doctrine of a providence, which ad- 
 ministers the richest consolation. The dominion 
 exercised by the Supreme. Being over the works 
 of his hands, is neither partial as to its objects, 
 narrow in its extent, nor transitory in its duration. 
 Unlike earthly monarchs, who expire in their 
 
254 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 turn, and who are successively borne into the 
 tombs of their ancestors, the King of Saints 
 Ivotth and reigneth for ever and ever I Evils, 
 indeed, have entered the world, and still continue 
 to distress it. But these evils have not crept into 
 the system unknown to its great Author ; and 
 the attributes of Deity ensure their extirpation. 
 Our rejoicing is — the Lord God omnipotent 
 reigneth ! Glorious, therefore, must be the ter- 
 mination of the divine dispensations. The au- 
 gust period is predicted in sacred writ, and lies 
 concealed in the womb of time. Distant may 
 be its arrival, but its blessings once realized, will 
 compensate the exercise of your faith, and the 
 trial of your patience : 
 
 " One part, one little part, we dimly scan, 
 Thro' the dark medium of life's fev'rish dream : 
 Yet dare arraign the whole stupendous plan, 
 If but that little part incongruous seem ; 
 Nor is that part perhaps what mortals deem : 
 Oft from apparent ills our blessings rise — 
 O ! then renounce that impious self-esteem, 
 That aims to trace the secrets of the skies ; 
 For thou art but of dust, .be humble and be wisei" 
 
 Beattie. 
 
 The Dissertations of Dr. Price (especially that 
 on Providence) are deserving of attention. An 
 elegant little work, also, entitled, Intimations 
 and Evidences of a future State, by T- Watson, 
 
REF1 ECTIONS. 
 
 cannot fail of imparting consolation to th 
 
 mind. 
 
 Finally — penetrated with a sense of the imper- 
 fection of this present life, let us he exceedingly 
 cautious how we form our religious sentiments, 
 watch unremittingly over our tempers and con- 
 duct, and aspire to that better world, where pure 
 and unadulterated truth shall be disclosed to 
 our view ! 
 
 Of all the subjects presented to the human 
 mind, religion claims the first and the greatest 
 attention. If there be a God, a Providence, a 
 Saviour, and a Future State of Retribution, 
 these weighty truths ought to be pressing upon 
 our mini's, and presiding over our conduct. To 
 familiarize ourselves with their evidences, to lay 
 open our souls to their energy, and promote, by 
 every honourable method, their spread and esta- 
 blishment among mankind, should be our noblest 
 ambition. Zeal is an elevated and an useful pas- 
 sion. It is forcibly and repeatedly enjoined in 
 the sacred writings. It forms the leading trait of 
 excellence in the best and most enlightened cha- 
 racters. Indeed, an individual can scarcely be 
 pronounced truly good, except he possesses a 
 portion of this celestial fire. But let us be ex- 
 ceedingly careful that our warmth he temperate 
 and regular. Zeal, confined within the limits 
 prescribed by reason and scripture, is attended 
 
:S6 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 with the most blessed consequences. Loosened 
 from these restraints, like the devouring confla- 
 gration, it involves in one undistinguishable ruin 
 the victims of its fury, and triumphs in the deso- 
 lation it has effected. How different is the Chris- 
 tian, influenced by a zeal purely evangelical, 
 from the monster, who is cither swoln with the 
 venom of uncharitableness, or pregnant with 
 persecution for conscience sake ! " Mistake me 
 not (says good Richard Baxter) I do not slight 
 orthodoxy, nor jeer at the name ; but only dis- 
 close the pretences of devilish zeal in pious or 
 seemingly pious men. The slanders of some of 
 these, and the bitter, opprobrious speeches of 
 others, have more effectually done the Devil's 
 service, under the name of orthodoxy and zea| 
 for truth, than the malignant scorners of godli- 
 ness." The pious Matthew Henry declares, 
 t hat of all the Christian graces zeal is most 
 apt to turn sour. And Dr. Doddridge in his 
 Family Expositor, has this remark — " Wisely 
 did Christ silence the suspicious praises of an 
 unclean spirit ; and vain is all the hope, which 
 men build merely on those orthodox professions 
 of the most important truths, in which Satan 
 himself could vie with them." May these obser- 
 vations be remembered by zealots of every de- 
 scription ! 
 
 Indeed, the light and darkness now blended 
 
Ell I LECTIONS. .'"7 
 
 together, instead of generating a spirit of scepti- 
 cism, or precipitating us into acts of violence, 
 should impel us to look, for the nciv heavens and 
 tke new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness, 
 ir/iat ye know not now, ye shall know hereaf- 
 ter — was our Saviour's kind declaration to his 
 disciples, respecting an event which occurred 
 whilst he continued to sojourn amongst them. 
 It is, therefore, reasonable to believe that we 
 shall not remain ignorant of matters of superior 
 importance, when the proper period of commu- 
 nicating higher degrees of information arrives. 
 We may, however, be assured, that the Spirit 
 of God guides all good men into necessary 
 truth. This is a sentiment in which the wisest 
 of mankind concur ; and upon which learned 
 divines, after their most penetrative researches, 
 are obliged ultimately to rest. A venerable and 
 distinguished Christian father pronounced the 
 greatest heresy to be a wicked life. Devoutly is 
 it wished that those who are clamorous about 
 speculative tenets, would level their artillery more 
 against the violation of the preceptive part of our 
 religion. 
 
 The eloquent Saurin pointedly exclaims 
 
 " Why are not ecclesiastical bodies as rigid and 
 severe against heresies of practice as they are 
 against heresies of speculation ? Certainly there 
 are heresies in morality as well as in theology, 
 s 
 
258 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 Councils and synods reduce the doctrines of faith 
 to certain propositional points, and thunder ana- 
 themas against all who refuse to subscribe them. 
 They say, cursed be he who doth not believe the 
 divinity of Christ ; cursed be he who doth not 
 believe hypostatical union, and the mystery of 
 the cross ; cursed be he who denies the inward 
 operations of grace, and the irresistible efficacy 
 of the Spirit. I wish they would make a few 
 canons against moral heresies. How many are 
 thereof this kind among our people!" These 
 observations made by the intelligent Saurin, re- 
 specting the refugee Protestants in Holland, are 
 pregnant with instruction, and are applicable to 
 the Protestants in our times. Their anathemas 
 are directed more against error than against 
 unrighteousness. Whereas, vice is the more 
 formidable enemy to the welfare of mankind* 
 To the word of God, therefore, let us have con- 
 stant recourse, and thence derive the doctrine 
 which is according to godliness, pure as the light 
 ot heaven and refreshing as the dew of the morn- 
 ing ! The Gospel of Jesus Christ, justly under- 
 stood and cordially believed, enlightens the mind 
 ^ — calms the troubled conscience— rectifies de- 
 praved propensities — and introduces us into the 
 habitation of the spirits of just men made 
 ■perfect. 
 
 . But, alas ! mankind, instead of ascertaining 
 
 5 
 
RF.FI FCTIONS. 
 
 what is truth, and how it can best exert its in- 
 fluence over the several departments of conduct, 
 are occupied in schemes of interested ambition, 
 or sunk into criminal indifference. Upon death 
 they seldom bestow a serious thought. Though 
 awful in its nature, frequent in its recurrence, and 
 alarming in its consequences, it leaves on their 
 minds no permanent impression. Without emotion 
 they behold their fellow-creatures snatched from 
 off the busy theatre of action, and driven, one after 
 another, either by disease or accident, into the 
 house appointed for all living ! Upon the de- 
 cease indeed, of relatives and friends, they heave 
 a sigh, utter an exclamation, shed a tear, but 
 clothing themselves in the mournful garments 
 of sorrow, the tragedy is quickly over. Re- 
 assuming their former views, and laying their 
 minds open afresh to the dominion of their 
 passions, they return with an insatiable avidity 
 to the occupations and amusements of life. 
 Thus proceeds the general tenor of their exist- 
 ence on earth, till they also are swept awav 
 into the silent receptacles of the dead. But why 
 are men thus forgetful of their original destina- 
 tion ? Whv lose sight of the end for which their 
 benevolent Creator breathed into their nostrils 
 the breath of life f Why not be making diligent 
 preparation for the hour of dissolution, which 
 closes the scene of their activity, and terminates 
 their state of trial ? 
 
 s 2 
 
260 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 Pilgrims and sojourners on earth, we are 
 hastening to an eternal world, and a few more 
 fleeting years will place even the youngest of us 
 before the trihunal of Heaven. Whether we 
 can abide the awful scrutiny which shall be in- 
 stituted at the last great day, " for which all 
 other days were made," is a question of infinite 
 importance, and most intimately concerns ra- 
 tional and accountable creatures. Amidst the 
 din of controversy, and the jarrings of adverse 
 parties, the opinions of the head are often substi- 
 tuted for the virtues of the heart, and thus is 
 practical religion most deplorably neglected. 
 Fleeing therefore, those pernicious disputes, 
 which damp our devotion, and contract our be- 
 nevolence, let us assiduously cultivate the means 
 by which our faith may be invigorated, our hope 
 enlivened, our charity confirmed, and our affec- 
 tions elevated to the things which are above 
 where Christ sitleth at the right hand of 
 God! The veil now thrown over this preli- 
 minary state, and concealing from our view 
 celestial objects, shall be speedily removed. Then 
 bidding an adieu to prejudices which darken the 
 understanding, irritate the temper, and deform 
 the spirit, we shall embrace each other with 
 perfect love, and shall be astonished at ourselves 
 for having been on earth so addicted to unprofit- 
 able disputations, and so backward to the exercise 
 of biotheily kindness, and of Christian charity. 
 
REFLECTIONS. 
 
 Almighty God ! look down on thine erring 
 creatures. I* i t y their darkness and imperfection. 
 
 Direct them into the truth as it is in Jesus. 
 Banish from theii hearts the bitterness of cen- 
 sure. Cherish in their minds :i spirit of mode- 
 ration and love towards their fello.v Christians. 
 To their zeal add knowledge, and to their 
 knowledge charity. Make them patient and 
 humble under the difficulties which adhere to 
 their faith, and under the perplexities which 
 accompany their practice. Guide them by thy 
 counsel, and, through the mediation of thy Son 
 Jesus Christ, receive them into thy kingdom 
 and glory. — Amen. 
 
 The Work shall conclude with a Recapitulatory 
 Table, drawn up with the view of impressing its 
 contents on the minds of the Rising Generation. 
 
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BY 
 
 JOHN EVANS, A. M. 
 
 1. An Address to the General Baptists. Se- 
 
 cond Edition . 
 
 2. Juvenile Pieces, for the Youth of both Sexes. 
 
 Third Edition. 
 
 3. Sequel to the Sketch, with a Portrait of the 
 
 Author. Second Edition. 
 
 4. Sermon, on the Death of Mrs. Pine, Maid- 
 
 stone. Second Edition. 
 
 5. Sermon, on the Death of the Rev. Charles 
 
 Bulkley. Second Edition. 
 
 6. Attempt to Account for the Infidelity of 
 
 Edward Gibbon, Esq. 
 
 7. Reflections on a View of London from off 
 
 the Monument. 
 
 8. Sermon, on the Decease of Drs. Kippis, 
 
 Stennet, and Harris. 
 
 9. An Essay, on the Education of Youth. Se- 
 
 cond Edition. 
 
 10. Sermon, on the Peace, preached at Worship- 
 
 street, June, 1802. 
 
 1 1 . Epitome of Geography, on a new plan, 
 
 for the Use of Schools. Second Edition. 
 
 12. Excursions through England and Wales — 
 
 written with a View to the Improvement 
 of the Rising Generation. 
 
 Ber ridge's Chearful Piety; or, Religion with- 
 out Gloom; with a Portrait; new edition i8mo. 
 6x1. stitched, or Is. bound. 
 
 Romaine's Triumph of Faith ; i2mo. Portrait 
 
 3s. 6d. 
 
 Works complete, 8 vols. 8vo. boards, 
 
 2l. 8s. 
 
 Owen on Justification, abridged by Burder, 
 as. 6d. boards. 
 

 
 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES 
 
 
 
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