SECT. III.

PART II.

Zuingle and Calvin, is entirely different from CENT. that of all other ecclesiastical communities. Every XVI. other Christian church hath some common centre of union, and its members are connected together by some common bond of doctrine and discipline. But this is far from being the case of the Reformed church [9], whose several branches are neither united

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[9] This, and the following observations, are designed to give the Lutheran church an air of unity, which is not to be found in the Reformed. But there is a real fallacy in this specious representation of things. The Reformed church, when considered in the true extent of the term reformed, comprehends all those religious communities that separated themselves from the church of Rome; and, in this sense, includes the Lutheran church, as well as the others. And even when this epithet is used in opposition to the community founded by Luther, it represents, not a single church, as the Episcopal, Presbyterian, or Independent, but rather a collection of churches; which, though they be invisibly united by a belief and profession of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, yet frequent separate places of worship, and have each a visible centre of external union peculiar to themselves, which is formed by certain peculiarities in their respective rules of public worship and ecclesiastical government*. An attentive examination of the discipline, polity, and worship of the churches of England, Scotland, Holland, and Switzerland, will set this matter in the clearest light. The first of these churches being governed by bishops, and not admitting of the validity of presbyterian ordination, differs from the other three more than any of these differ from each other. There are, however, peculiarities of government and worship that distinguish the church of Holland from that of Scotland. The institutions of deacons, the use of forms for the celebration of the sacraments, an ordinary form of prayer, the observation of the festivals of Christmas, Easter, Ascension day, and Whitsuntide, are established in the Dutch church; and it is well known that the church of Scotland differs from it extremely in these respects.-But after all, to what does the pretended uniformity among the Lutherans amount? are not some of the Lutheran churches governed by bishops, while others are ruled by elders? It shall moreover be shewn, in its proper place, that even in point of doctrine, the Lutheran churches are not so very remarkable for their uniformity.

* See the general sketch of the state of the church in the eighteenth entury, in the sixth volume, paragraph XXI, and note (y).

PART II.

CENT. united by the same system of doctrine, nor by the XVI. same mode of worship, nor yet by the same form SECT. III. of government. It is farther to be observed, that this church does not require from its ministers, either uniformity in their private sentiments, or in their public doctrine, but permits them to explain, in different ways, several doctrines of no small moment, provided that the great and fundamental principles of Christianity, and the prac tical precepts of that divine religion, be maintained in their original purity. This great community, therefore, may be properly considered as an ecclesiastical body composed of several churches, that vary, more or less, from each other in their form and constitution; but which are preserved, however, from anarchy and schisms, by a general spirit of equity and toleration, that runs through the whole system, and renders variety of opinion consistent with fraternal union.

that pro

state of

things,

The causes II. This indeed was not the original state and duced this constitution of the Reformed church, but was the result of a certain combination of events and circumstances, that threw it, by a sort of necessity, into this ambiguous form. The doctors of Switzerland, from whom it derived its origin, and Calvin, who was one of its principal founders, employed all their credit, and exerted their most vigorous efforts, in order to reduce all the churches, which embraced their sentiments, under one rule of faith, and the same form of ecclesiastical government. And although they considered the Lutherans as their brethren, yet they shewed no marks of indulgence to those who openly favoured the opinions of Luther, concerning the Eucharist, the Person of Christ, Predestination, and other matters that were connected with these doctrines nor would they permit the other protestant churches, that embraced their commu. nion, to deviate from their example in this re

spect

XVI. SECT. III.

PART II.

spect. A new scene, however, which was exhi- CENT. bited in Britain, contributed much to enlarge this narrow and contracted system of church communion. For when the violent contest concerning the form of ecclesiastical government, and the nature and number of those rites and ceremonies that were proper to be admitted into the public worship, arose between the abettors of Episcopacy and the Puritans [r], it was judged necessary to extend the borders of the Reformed church, and rank in the class of its true members, even those who departed, in some respects, from the ecclesiastical polity and doctrines established at Geneva. This spirit of toleration and indulgence grew still more forbearing and comprehensive after the famous synod of Dort. For though the sentiments and doctrines of the Arminians were rejected and condemned in that numerous assembly, yet they gained ground privately, and insinuated themselves into the minds of many. church of England, under the reign of Charles I. publicly renounced the opinions of Calvin relating to the Divine Decrees, and made several attempts to model its doctrine and institutions after the laws, tenets, and customs, that were observed by the primitive Christians [s]. On the other hand, several Lutheran congregations in Germany entertained a strong propensity to the doctrines

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The

[r] The Puritans, who inclined to the presbyterian form of church government, of which Knox was one of the earliest abettors in Britain, derived this denomination from their pretending to a purer method of worship than that which had been established by Edward VI. and Queen Elizabeth,

[s] This assertion is equivocal. Many members of the church of England, with archbishop Laud at their head, did, indeed, propagate the doctrines of Arminius, both in their pulpits, and in their writings. But it is not accurate to say, that the Church of England renounced publicly, in that reign, the opinions of Calvin. See this matter farther discussed in the note [m], Cent, XVII. sect. II. p. II. ch. II. paraș graph xx,

29

CENT. doctrines and discipline of the church of Geneva; XVI. though they were restrained from declaring themPART II. selves fully and openly on this head, by their

SECT. III.

apprehensions of forfeiting the privileges they derived from their adherence to the confession of Augsburg. The French refugees also, who had long been accustomed to a moderate way of think ing in religious matters, and whose national turn led them to a certain freedom of inquiry, being dispersed abroad in all parts of the protestant world, rendered themselves so agreeable, by their wit and eloquence, that their example excited a kind of emulation in favour of religious liberty. All these circumstances, accompanied with others, whose influence was less palpable, though equally real, instilled, by degrees, such a spirit of lenity and forbearance into the minds of protestants, that at this day, all Christians, if we except Roman catholics, Socinians, Quakers, and Anabaptists, may claim a place among the members of the Reformed church. It is true, great reluctance was discovered by many against this comprehen, sive scheme of church communion; and, even in the times in which we live, the ancient and less charitable manner of proceeding hath several patrons, who would be glad to see the doctrines and institutions of Calvin universally, adopted and rigorously observed. The number, however, of these rigid doctors is not very great, nor is their influence considerable. And it may be affirmed with truth that, both in point of number and authority, they are much inferior to the friends of moderation, who reduce within a narrow com pass the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, on the belief of which salvation depends, exercise forbearance and fraternal charity towards those who explain certain doctrines in a manner peculiar to themselves, and desire to see the enclosure (ifĮ may use that expression) of the Reformed church rendered

rendered as large and comprehensive as is pos- CENT. sible [s].

XVI. SECT. III.

dation of

church laid

III. The founder of the Reformed church was PART II, Ulrick Zuingle, a native of Switzerland, and an man of uncommon penetration and acuteness, The founaccompanied with an ardent zeal for truth. This the Re great man was for removing out of the churches, forned and abolishing in the ceremonies and appendages by Zuingle. of public worship, many things which Luther was disposed to treat with toleration and indul, gence, such as images, altars, wax-tapers, the form of exorcism, and private confession. He aimed at nothing so much as establishing, in his country, a method and form of divine worship remarkable for its simplicity, and as far remote as could be from every thing that might have the smallest tendency to nourish a spirit of superstition [t]. Nor were these the only circumstances

in

[s] The annals of theology have not as yet been enriched with a full and accurate History of the Reformed Church. This task was indeed undertaken by Scultet, and even carried down so far as his own time, in his Annales Evangelii Renovati; but the greatest part of this work is lost. Theod Hasæus, who proposed to give the Annals of the Reformed Church, was prevented by death from fulfilling his purpose. The famous work of James Basnage, published in two volumes 4to, at Rotterdam, in the year 1725, under the title of Histoire de la religion des Eglises Reformées, instead of giving a regular History of the Reformed Church, is only designed to shew that its peculiar and distinguishing doctrines are not new inventions, but were taught and embraced in the earliest ages of the church. Maimbourg's Histoire du Calvinismi, is remarkable for nothing but the partiality of its author, and the wilful errors with which it abounds.

[t] The design of Zuingle was certainly excellent ; but in the execution of it perhaps he went too far, and consulted rather the dictates of reason than the real exigencies of human nature in its present state. The present union between soul and body, which operate together in the actions of moral agents, even in those that appear the most abstracted and refined, renders it necessary to consult the external senses, as well as the intellectual powers, in the institution of public worship.

Besides,