ion with what goes before, supposed by some learned men to relate to the projected union between the English and Gallican churches; and Kiorning, who says in his Dissertation de Consecrationibus Episcoporum Anglorum, that Dr. Wake communicated this project to the divines of Geneva, fell into this mistake, and probably drew Dr. Mosheim after him.

No. XXI.

Extract from Archbishop Wake's Letter to Professor Schurer, of Bern, July, 1718.

DE Angliâ nostrâ te peramanter et sentire et scribere plurimùm gaudeo. Quanquam enim non adeò cæcus sim patriæ meæ amator, ut non plurima hîc videam quæ vel penitùs sublata vel in meliùs mutata quovis pretio vellem, tamen aliqua etiam in hac temporum fæce occurrere, optimis etiam seculis digna, et quæ ipsa primæva ecclesia Christiana probare, ne dicam et laudare, potuisset, et tu æquissimè agnoscis et nos nobis gratulamur.

No. XXII.

To Professor Turretin, July, 1718. Speaking of Bishop Davenant's opinion as agreea

ble to his own.

UTINAM Sic sentiremus omnes, et, fundamentalibus religionis articulis semper salvis, nihil ultra ab aliquo subscribendum requireremus, quod bonorum hominum conscientiis oneri esse potest, certè ecclesiæ utilitatem parùm promovebit. Ut enim de hâc ecclesiarum reformatarum utilitate paucis dicam; primum earum stabilimentum in hoc consistere, ut omnes sese, quantum fieri possit, contra papalem potentiam ac tyrannidem tueantur, nemini credo dubium esse posse. Ut in hunc finem quàm arctissimè inter se uniantur, et in idem corpus coalescant, adeò ut siquid alicui ex iis ecclesiæ damni aut detrimenti à communi hoste fuerit illatum, id ab omnibus tanquam suum haberetur, concedi etiam necesse est.

Ut denique pax et concordia cujuslibet ecclesiæ reformatæ inter suos, ac cum aliis omnibus ejusmodi ecclesiis conserventur; unicuique viro bono, sed præsertim ecclesiarum illarum magistratibus atque ministris, totis viribus enitendum esse, adeò clarè apparet, ut nullâ probatione firmiori indigeat.

Afterwards:

bus, sententiain publicè tueantur illi confessioni quovis modo contrariam. Id solum caveatur, ne multiplicentur hujusmodi subscriptiones absque necessitate; neque stricte nimis inquiratur in privatas hominum eruditorum sententias; modo suis opinionibus frui pacificè velint, et neque docendo, neque disputando, neque scribendo, à publicâ confessione secedere, aut errores suos (si tamen errores revera fuerint) in scandalum cujus-vis, multò magis ecclesiæ aut reipublicæ divulgare.-Habes, vir spectatissime, sententiam meam.

No. XXIII.

Extract from a Letter of Archbishop Wake to Pro fessor Schurer, July, 1719.

Intra

QUE de formulâ Consensûs mihi narras, abundè placent, qui, uti nolim laqueum absque causâ injici conscientiis bonorum atque eruditorum hominum, ita neque fræna laxanda censeo quibuscunque novatoribus ad pacem publicè turbandam, eaque vel scribenda vel docenda, quæ viris piis jure scandalum præbeant, quæque confessioni vestræ olim stabilitæ falsitatis notam injuriâ inurere videantur hos igitur limites si steterint magistratus vestri, neque aliquid amplius & Lausannensibus requirant, nisi ut hoc demùm fine formulæ consensûs subscribant; sperandum est nullum schisma, eâ de causâ, inter vos exoriturum. Pacem publicam tueri, etiam in rebus ad fidem spectantibus, magistratus Christianus et potest et debet. Conscientiis hominum credenda imponere, nisi in rebus claris et perspicuis, et ad salutem omninò necessariis, nec potest, ncc debet. Quod si contra faciat, subditis tamen semper licebit ad apostolorum exemplar, si quidem aliquid falsi, aut incertæ veritatis, iis subscribendum injunxerint, obedire Deo potiùs quàm hominibus.

No. XXIV.

Extracts from Archbishop Wake's Letter to Professor Turretin, in answer to one from him, dated December 1, 1718.

RES Bernensium ecclesiasticas nondum penitus tranquillas esse et doleo et miror; eòque magis, quod hisce temporibus hæ de decretis divinis altercationes ubique ferè alibi ad exitum sint perductæ. Quæ mea sit de iis sententia, nec adhuc cuiquam apertè declaravi, neque, ut deinceps patefaciam, facilè me patiar induci. Hoc apud nos, tum ex mandatis regiis, tum ex Quid in hâc re aliud faciendum restat, nisi diu servatâ (utinam semper servandâ) consueut tuâ et amicorum tuorum auctoritate primò tudine fixum est atque stabilitum, neque à quofacultas vestra theologica, magistratus, minis- quam exquirere quid de his rebus sentiat, modo tri, cives Genevenses, deinde eorum exemplo articulis religionis, publicâ auctoritate constiatque hortatu reliqua etiam fœderis Helvetici || tutis, subscribat; neque in concionibus aut etimembra reformata, omnem lapidem moveant, am disputationibus theologicis, aliquid amplius ut pacem ecclesiis Bernensibus restituant? Ne- || de iis determinare, quam quod illi articuli exque id ego sic fieri vellem, ut non simul et re- presse statuant, et ab omnibus ad ministerii ligionis veritati et doctrinæ puritati consulatur. munus admittendis profitendum requirant. Subscribant ministri, professores, theologi, confessioni vestræ veteri anno* [ editæ:

prohibeantur, sub quâvis-libet pœnâ, ne ullam in concionibus, scriptis, thesibus, prælectioni

*The date of the confession of faith is omitted in the archbishop's letter.

Then follows an historical narrative of the rise, and occasion, and censure of the Lambeth articles; as also of the rise and progress of Arminianism under the reigns of James I. and Charles I., and of the subsiding of all dis

putes of that kind under Charles II.-He then || sapienter inter justos terminos sese continuesubjoins,

runt; neque in necessariis ad fidem nostram de hisce mysteriis stabiliendam deficientes; neque in nonnecessariis determinandis officiosi; unde fortè pro verâ fide errorem, pro pace discor diam, pro fraternâ unione ac charitate divisionem, odia, inimicitias in ecclesiam Christi indu

Et quidem illud imprimis observatu dignum æstimo, quam moderatè, quàm prudenter, in hâc tam difficili disquisitione, optimi illi viri, martyres ac confessores Christi constantissimi, quos Divina Providentia ad reformandam hanc nostram ecclesiam seligere dignatus est, se ges-cere poterant. serunt. Non illi curiositati cujusvis aliquid indulgendum putârunt; non vanis et incertis hominum hypothesibus de decretis divinis alicujus fidem alligare fas esse consuerunt. Sciebant quam inscrutabilia sint consilia Dei, et quanto intervallo omnes nostras cogitationes exuperent. Ideòque non religiosè minùs quàm

Hæc fuit eorum simplicitas verè evangelica; pietate non minùs quàm sapientiâ commendabilis; coque magis suspicienda, ac ferè pro divinâ habenda, quod tot annorum experientiâ reperta sit non solùm optimam fuisse pacis ac concordiæ regulam, verùm etiam unicum contra schismata et divisiones remedium.

HISTORY

OF THE

CHRISTIAN CHURCH

DURING

THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY;

FORMING

CONTINUATION OF DR. MOSHEIM'S WORK.

INTRODUCTION

THE generality of readers, more intent on the consideration of modern affairs than on the contemplation of ancient occurrences, are induced to expect, from historic writers, a much more copious detail of recent than of early transactions. The expectation is natural and reasonable; and it is therefore readily gratified by historians. But, like other rules, this also may be allowed to have an exception. In modern times, the affairs of the church move in a more regular course, and are conducted with far greater tranquillity, than in earlier periods; and hence a narrative of such occurrences may prove less interesting than the ecclesiastical history of many preceding ages, and may consequently require a less minute detail and less frequent reflection.

Dr. Mosheim, in all probability, if he had lived to the close of the eighteenth century, would have given an elaborate and ample sequel to his valuable history;* but the writer who has undertaken to continue that work has neither the leisure nor the inclination to expatiate upon the subject. It would not, perhaps, be very difficult for him to fill volumes with a specification of the religious and ecclesiastical affairs of the last century: but he does not conceive hat such diffusion is necessary, and he hopes that a concise statement, with incidental remarks, will content his readers.

Those who wish for a copious history of the Christian church during that period, must wait for the exertions of some erudite and able divine, who may have time and patience for the accomplishment of the task.

April 3, 1811.

C. COOTE.

* Such a conclusion may be drawn from what he says at the beginning of his sketch of that century: Sæculi, quod vivimus, historia Christiana voluminis, non paginarum paucarum, materies est, suumque inter posteros scriptorem ingenuum et æquum expectat;'-a passage which may be thus translated: The history of the Christian church, during the century in which we live, is the proper subject of a considerable volume, rather than of only a few pages; and it demands from posterity a writer who will pay due attention to it, a liberal impartial, and judicious author.