alive, because he refused to plead guilty against the dictates of his own conscience. When he came to the place of execution, he fell on his knees, sang portions of psalms, looked steadfastly towards heaven, and repeated these words: Into thy hands, O Lord, do I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O most good and faithful God. When the chain was put about him at the stake, he said, with a smiling countenance, My Lord Jesus Christ was bound with a harder chain than this, for my sake, and why should I be ashamed of this old rusty one? Being desired to abjure, No, says Huss, I never preached any doctrine of an evil tendency; and what I taught with my lips, I seal with my blood. In the midst of flames, he departed in the triumphs of faith.

5th. In the year 1467, in Bohemia a sect of Christian reformers sprang up, who were denominated the Bohemian brethren. They treated the Pope and Cardinals, as Antichrist; and the church of Rome as the whore spoken of in Revelation. They rejected the sacraments of the Romish church, and chose laymen for their ministers. They held the scriptures to be the only rule of faith, and rejected the popish ceremonies in the celebration of mass. They held in abhorrence the worship of saints and images, celibacy, and prayers for the dead. In the year 1535, there was a union concluded between them and the Lutherans; and, afterwards they were united to the Zuinglians, whose opinions after that, they continued to follow.

6th. The Lutherans are those who embrace the opinions of one of the most eminent reformers, Martin Luther. About the year 1512, this bold, intrepid Boanerges, ventured openly to oppose the abominations both in doctrine and practice, which had crept into the church of Rome. He dared protest against the unrighteous decrees of the Popes and his adherents. Hence the name Protestant, was first given. in Germany, to those who adhered to the doctrine of

Luther. The same has also been given to those of the sentiments of Calvin. It has now become a common name, or denomination for all those of the reformed churches. Though the church of Rome was once a light to the world, Luther eventually was led to consider her as spiritual Babylon, and mother of harlots; and the Pope, as Antichrist. He rejected the doctrine of popish supremacy and infallibility; of indulgences, and many other popish tenets. He reduced the number of sacraments to two, viz. baptism and the eucharist: but he did not reject the doctrine of consubstantiation; that is, that the body and blood of Christ, in a mysterious manner, are materially present in the sacrament of the Lord's supper. In this article consists the main difference between the Lutheran and English churches.

7th. About this time the Anabaptists appeared; who maintain, that baptism ought always to be performed by immersion. The Anabaptists of Germany depended much upon certain ideas which they entertained concerning a perfect church establishment, pure in its members, and free from the institutions of human policy. The most prudent part of them considered it possible, by human industry and vigilance, to purify the church; and seing the attempts of Luther to be successful. they hoped that the period had arrived, in which the church was to be restored to this purity. Others, rot satisfied with Luther's plan of reformation, undertook a visionary enterprise, to found a new church entirely spiritual and divine. This sect was soon joi ed by great numbers, whose characters and capacities were very different. At one time, they undertook to propagate their notions by pretended visions and mir eles at another, by force of arms; saying that Christ himself was now to take the reigns of all government into his hands. The Baptists in England and Holland, are to be considered in a different light from the An baptists of Germany. They profess an aversion to all

principles of rebellion and insurrection, and to enthusiastick phrensy and fanaticism. In the year 1521, Munzer was the principal leader of this sect.

8th. The Calvinists are those who embrace the doctrines and sentiments of John Calvin, one of the celebrated reformers of the Christian church, from Romish superstition and doctrinal errours. This name seems to have been given at first to those who embraced not merely the doctrines, but the church government and discipline established at 'Geneva, and to distinguish them from the Lutherans. But since the meeting of the synod of Dort, the name has been chiefly applied to those who embrace his leading views of the gospel, to distinguish them from the Armenians. Calvin considered every church as a separate and independent body, invested with the power of legislation for itself. He acknowledged a real, though spiritual presence of Christ in the eucharist; and he confined the privilege of communion to pious and regenerate believers. The principal doctrines of disagreement between the Armenians and Calvinists are what are called the five points, viz. the doctrines of predestination, particular redemption, total depravity, effectual calling, and the certain perseverance of the saints. Armenius had been educated in the opinions of Calvin; but thinking these doctrines as taught by him, too severe, he dissented from him. The genius, learning, eloquence, and piety of Calvin, rendered him respectable even in the eyes of his enemies.

9th. The church of England is the church established by law, in that kingdom. When and by whom Christianity was first introduced into Britain, cannot, perhaps, be exactly ascertained Popery, however, was established here by Austin, the Monk; and its errours were every where prevalent, until Wickliffe was raised up by divine providence to refute them. The church of England remained in subjection to the Pope, until the time of Henry VIII. who was a

bigoted papist; but, falling out with the Pope about his marriage, he took the government of ecclesiastical affairs into his own hand; and having reformed many abuses, entitled himself supreme head of the church. The thirty-nine articles of this church are Calvinistical; and were passed in a convocation, and confirmed by royal authority, in the year of our Lord 1562. Its government is Episcopal, and the king is the supreme head.

10th. The Baxterians are a sect of Christians, so called from the learned and pious Richard Baxter, who was born in the year 1615. His design was to reconcile Calvin and Arminius, by forming a midway scheme between their religious systems. Baxter, it is said, wrote one hundred and twenty books, and had sixty written against him. He told a friend, that six brothers were converted by the reading his of call to the unconverted; and twenty thousand copies of these were said to have been sold in one year.

11th. The Socinians are a sect so called from Faustus Socinus, who died in Poland, in the year 1604. They maintain that Jesus Christ was a mere man, who had no existence before he was conceived by the Virgin Mary; that the Holy Ghost is no distinct person; but that the Father only is truly and properly God. They own that the name of God is given, in the holy scriptures, to Jesus Christ; but contend, that it is only a deputed title; which, however, invests him with great authority over all created beings. They deny the doctrines of atonement and imputed righteousness, and say, that Christ only preached the truth to mankind; set before them in himself an example of heroick virtue, and sealed his doctrines with his blood. Some of them likewise assert the sleep of the soul; which, they say, becomes insensible at death, and is raised again with the body at the resurrection. Doctor Price, believed in the preexistence of Christ; and likewise, that he was more than a human being. About the year 1550, there

were many Socinians in Poland. Both they and the Unitarians have various notions concerning Christ. Some of them consider him as a mere man, a prophet; others believe in the pre-existence of his soul, as the first and most excellent created intelligent; and some allow that he is a divine person, but not the independent and eternal God. Several of their religious tenets are very different from the principles of the Calvinists.

12th. About the year 1650, the sect called Quakers, took its rise in England; and they soon spread into other countries in Europe, and into the English settlements in North America. Their name was given them by their enemies, and though an epithet of reproach, it seems to be instamped upon them indelibly. George Fox, is supposed to be their first founder; but Penn and Barclay, gave to their principles a more regular form. At first they were called Seekers; but, afterwards, they assumed the appellation of Friends. They do not practise water baptism, nor observe the Lord's supper in the symbols of bread and wine. Their women become publick instructers in religion. In other respects many of them approach near the Socinians in their tenets; but some, acknowledge the doctrine of the Trinity, and the existence of holy and wicked angels.

13th. The Methodists are that denomination of Christians, which was founded in the year 1729, by one Mr. Morgan, and Mr. John Wesley. They were so called from the regularity of their lives. After Mr. Whitfield returned from America, in 1741, he declared his full assent to the doctrines of Calvin. Mr. Wesley, on the contrary, professed the Armenian sentiments. The difference in the tenets of these two great men, eventually caused a separation.

14th. The Presbyterians are so called, because they hold that there is no order established in the church by Christ and his Apostles, superiour to that of presbyters. The term dissenters, is applied to