CEN T. and it was also enriched with a recommendatory SECT. III. letter composed by Nectarius, patriarch of JePART Irusalem [w]. It appears evidently from this con XVI. fession, that the Greeks differ widely from the votaries of the Roman pontif, whose doctrines they reject and treat with indignation in several places, but it appears, at the same time, that their religious tenets are equally remote from those of other Christian societies. So that whoever peruses this treatise with attention will be fully convinced, how much certain writers are mistaken, who imagine that the obstacles which prevent the union of the Greeks with this or the other Christian Community, are but small and inconsiderable [*]. VII. [w] This Confession was published in 8vo, at Leipsic, with a Latin translation, by Laur. Normannus, in the year 1695. In the preface we are informed, that it had been composed by Nectarius: but this assertion is refuted by Nectarius himself, in a letter which follows immediately the preface. It is also affirmed, both in the Preface and Title-page, that this is the first public edition that has been given of the Greek confession. But this assertion is also false; since it is well known that it was published in Holland in the year 1662, at the expence of Panagiota. The German translation of this confession was published at Francfort and Leipsic, in 4to, in 1727. The learned Jo. Christ. Kocherus has given, with his usual accuracy and erudition, an ample account both of this and the other confessions received among the Greeks, in his Biblio theca Theologie Symbol. p. 45 and 53. and the laborious Dr Hoffman, principal Professor of Divinity at Wittemberg, published at Breslaw, in 1751, a new edition of the Orthodox Confession, with an historical account of it. Those who are desirous of a circumstantial account of the famous Panagiota, to whom this confession is indebted for a considerable part of its credit, and who has rendered to the Greek church in ge. neral the most eminent services, will find it in Cantemir's Histoire de l'Empire Ottoman, tom. iii. p. 149. [*] The learned Fabricius has given, in the tenth volume of his Bibliotheca Græca, p. 441. an exact and ample list of the writers, whom it is proper to consult, in order to the forming a just notion of the state, circumstances, and doctrines of the Greek church. XVI. with the VII. The votaries of Rome have found this to C E NT. be true on many occasions. And the Lutherans Sze T. III. made an experiment of the same kind, when they PART I. presented a fruitless invitation to the Greek The design churches to embrace their doctrine and discipline, of uniting and live with them in religious communion. The the Greeks first steps in this laudable attempt were taken by Protestants Melancthon, who sent to the patriarch of Con-miscarrios. stantinople a copy of the confession of Augsburg, translated into Greek by Paul Dolscius. This present was accompanied with a letter, in which the learned and humane professor of Wittemberg represented the protestant doctrine with the utmost simplicity and faithfulness, hoping that the artless charms of truth might touch the heart of the Grecian prelate. But his hopes were disappointed; for the patriarch did not even deign to send him an answer [y]. After this, the divines of Tubingen renewed, with his successor Jeremiah [z], the correspondence which had been begun by Melanethon. They wrote frequently, during the course of several years [a], to the new patriarch, sent him another copy of the confession of Augsburg, together with a Compend of Theology, composed by Heerbrand, and translated into Greek by Martin Crusius; nor did they leave unemployed any means, which a pious and well conducted zeal could suggest as proper to gain over this prelate to their communion. The fruits, however, of this correspondence were very inconsiderable, and wholly consisted in a few letters from the Greek patriarch, written, indeed, with an amiable spirit [y] Leo Allatius, De perpetua Cousensione Ecclesia Orient. et Occident. lib. iii. cap. viii. Sect. ii. p. 1005. [] The name of the former patriarch was Joseph. In the year 1559, he had sent his Deacon Demetrius to Wittemberg, to inform himself upon the spot of the genius and doctrines of the protestant religion. [a] This correspondence commenced in the year 1576, and ended in 1581. XVI CENT.spirit of benevolence and cordiality; but at the SECT. III, same time in terms which shewed the impossibility PART Lof the union so much desired by the protestants. The mise of the Grecks. The whole strain of these letters discovered in the Greeks an inviolable attachment to the opinions and institutions of their ancestors, and was sufficient to demonstrate the vanity of attempting to dissolve it in the present situation and circumstances of that people [b]. VIII. Nothing, indeed, more deplorable can rable state be conceived than the state of the greatest part of the Greeks, since their subjection to the oppressive yoke of the Turkish emperors. Since that fatal period, almost all learning and science, human and divine, had been extinguished among them. They have neither schools, colleges, nor any of those literary establishments that ennoble human nature, by sowing in the mind the immortal seeds of knowledge and virtue. Those few that surpass the vulgar herd in intellectual acquirements, have derived this advantage from the schools of learning in Sicily or Italy, where the studious Greeks usually repair in quest of knowledge, or from a perusal of the writings of the ancient doctors, and more especially of the theology of St Thomas, which they have translated into their native language [c]. Such, at least, is the notion of the learning of the modern Greeks, that is entertained by all the European [b] All the acts and papers relating to this correspondence were published in one volume at Wittemberg, in the year 1584. See Christ. Matth. Pfaffii Liber de Actis et Scriptis publicis Ecclesia Wittembergicæ, p. 50.-See also Jo. Alb. Fabricii Biblioth. Græcæ, vol. x. p. 517.-Emman. a Schelstrate, Acta Ecclesia Orientalis contra Lutheri bæresin, published at Rome in the year 1739. -Lami Delicie Eruditorum, tom. viii. p. 176. [c] The translator has inserted the note [k] of the original into the following paragraph of the English text, which begins thus: Such, at least, &c. XVI. European Christians, as well Roman Catholics as CE N T. protestants, and it is built upon the clearest evi-SECT. IL dence, and supported by testimonies of every kind. PART I Many of the Greeks deny with obstinacy this inglorious charge, and not only defend their countrymen agaiust the imputation of such gross ignorance, but even go so far as to maintain, that all the liberal arts and sciences are in as flourishing a state in modern Greece, as they were in any period of the history of that nation. Among the writers that exalt the learning of the modern Greeks in such an extraordinary manner, the first place is due to an eminent historian [d], who has taken much pains to demonstrate the error of those who are of a different opinion. For this purpose he has not only composed a list of the learned men that adorned that country in the last century, but also makes mention of an academy founded at Constantinople by a certain Greek, whose name was Manolax, in which all the branches of philosophy, as well as the liberal arts and sciences, are taught with the utmost success and applause, after the manner of the ancient sages of Greece. But all this, though matter of fact, does by no means amount to a satisfactory proof of the point in question. It only proves, what was never doubted by any thinking person, that the populous nation of the Greeks, in which there is such a considerable number of ancient, noble, and opulent families, is not entirely destitute of men of learning and genius. But it does not at all demonstrate, that this nation, considered in general, is at present enriched with science either sacred or profane, or makes any shining figure in the republic of letters. In a nation whien, generally speaking, is sunk in the most barbarous igno rance, [d] See Dem Cantemir, Histoire de l'Empire Ottoman, tom. ii. p. 38. XVI. CENTrance, some men of genius and learning may SECT. II. arise, and shine like meteors in a gloomy firmaPART 1.ment. With respect to the academy founded at The Greek Constantinople, it may be observed, that a literary establishment, so necessary and yet so recent, confirms the judgment that has been almost universaily formed concerning the erudition of the Greeks. Their This ignorance, that reigns among the Greeks, has the most pernicious influence upon their morals. Licentiousness and impiety not only abound among the people, but also dishonour their leaders; and the calamities that arise from this corruption of manners, are deplorably augmented by their endless contentions and divisions. religion is a motley collection of ceremonies, the greatest part of which are either ridiculously trifling, or shockingly absurd. Yet they are much more zealous in retaining and observing these senseless rites, than in maintaining the doctrine, or obeying the precepts, of the religion they profess. Their misery would be extreme, were it not for the support they derive from the Greeks, who perform the functions of physicians and interpreters at the emperor's court; and who, by their opulence and credit, frequently interpose to reconcile the differences, or to ward off the dangers, that so often portend the destruction of their church. IX. The Russians, Georgians, and Mingrelians, church in- adopt the doctrines and ceremonies of the Greek on foreign church; though they are entirely free from the risdiction. jurisdiction and authority of the patriarch of Con stantinople. It is true, indeed, that this prelate had formerly enjoyed the privilege of a spiritual supremacy over the Russians, to whom he sent a bishop whenever a vacancy happened. But, towards the conclusion of this century, this privilege ceased by the following incident. Jeremiah, patriarch |