controversy, and the jarrings of adverse parties, the opinions of the head are often substituted for the virtues of the heart, and thus is practical religion neglected. Fleeing those disputes which damp our devotion, and contract our benevolence, let us cultivate the means by which our faith may be invigorated, our hope enlivened, our charity confirmed, and our affections elevated to the things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right-hand of God! The veil now thrown over this preliminary state, and concealing from our view celestial objects, shall be 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 unprofitable disputation, and so backward to the exercise of brotherly kindness, and of Christian charity. To Almighty God! look down on thine erring creatures. Pity their darkness and imperfection. Direct them into the truth as it is in Jesus. Banish from their hearts the bitterness of censure. Cherish in their minds a spirit of love and moderation towards their fellow Christians. their zeal add knowledge, and to their knowledge charity. Make them humble under the difficulties which adhere to their faith, and patient 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. And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.-Rev. xxii. 12, 13, 14. RECAPITULATORY SCHEDULE, SHEWING THE ORIGIN OF THE NAMES BY WHICH THE CHIEF SECTS ARE DISTINGUISHED. CHRISTIANITY is a Revelation from God by his son Jesus Christconsist of Doctrines, Precepts, Positive Institutions, Rewards, and Punishment; and its Evidences are, Prophecy, Miracles, Internal Character, together with its rapid Propagation, both among Jews and Gentiles. Its Professors hold various opinions, and are thus denominated : 1. According to their opinions rspecting the Person of Christ. TRINITARIANS, from the Latin word Trinitas, which denotes a threefold unity in the Godhead. SABELLIANS, from Sabellius, who lived in the third century, and held a modal, or nominal Trinity. UNITARIANS, from the Latin word unitas, as holding the strict personal unity of God; comprehending the following subdivisions:ARIANS, from Arius, a popular divine of Alexandria, who flourished about the year 315. SOCINIANS, from Faustus Socinus, who died near Cracow, in Poland, about the year 1604. Few, if any Socinians now exist; those who hold the simple humanity of Christ being designated HUMANITARIANS, from the Latin word humanitas. II. According to their opinions respecting the Means and Measure of God's Favour. CALVINISTS, from John Calvin, a Reformer, who flourished at Geneva, about 1540. ARMINIANS, from James Arminius; the disciple of Beza, who flourished about 1600. BAXTERIANS, from Richard Baxter, and eminent Puritan, who died in the year 1691. ANTINOMIANS, compounded of two Greek terms, avte against, and νομαs the moral law. III. According to their opinions respecting Church Government and the Administration of Ceremonies. PAPISTS, from the Latin word for Pope, Papa, signifying a Father, who usually resided at Rome. GREEK CHURCH (chiefly Russian,) from their native language, which is the Greek tongue. PROTESTANTS, from their solemnly protesting against a decree of Charles V. 1529. EPISCOPALIANS, from Episcopus, the Latin term for Bishop, Inspector or Overseer of a Diocese. DISSENTERS, from the Latin word dissentio, to disagree with, or dissent from, any person or body. PRESBYTERIANS, from the Greek Пgeoßuτegos, a word signifying Elder, Senior, or Presbyter. INDEPENDENTS, from the independency of each Church in its discipline or government. BAPTISTS, from the Greek verb Вαлτw, signifying to baptize, dip, or immerse the body in water. PÆDOBAPTISTS, from the Greek words, Iaus and Вanτw, a baptizer of infants, by sprinkling or immersion. SCOTCH CHURCH, or KIRK more usually called, established in Scotland, by means of John Knox, died 1572. SECEDERS, Scotch Dissenters, from the Latin secedo, signifying to withdraw from any body. MISCELLANEOUS SECTS, CALLED QUAKERS, from the agitation, or quaking, with which their first preachers addressed their auditors. METHODISTS, from the methodical strictness of their religious conduct, begun at Oxford. RANTERS, from their loud manner of preaching, praying, singing, &c. JUMPERS, from the act of jumping used in their religious services, chiefly in their Principality. MORAVIANS, from Moravia, the country whence they first arose, a part of Germany. UNIVERSALISTS, from the belief that all men will in a future state be ultimately universally happy. SANDEMANIANS, from Robert Sandeman, a popular writer among them in Scotland. SABBATARIANS, from their observance of the Jewish Sabbath, or seventh day; much reduced. HUTCHINSONIANS, from John Hutchinson, born in Yorkshire, in the year 1674, nearly extinct. MYSTICS, from μvotizos, a Greek word importing a secret, mysterious meaning, found in most sects. SHAKERS, from the act of shaking used in their public worship, and are found in North America. JERKERS, from jerking the head; and BARKERS, from barking like a dog; also in America. SWEDENBORGIANS, from Emanuel Swedenborg, a foreigner, who lived in London during the year 1772. HALDANITES, from the name of two Brothers of fortune and respectability now living in Scotland. FREETHINKING CHRISTIANS, from their free manner of thinking in matters of religion. MILLENARIANS, from the Latin mille, a thousand, the years of Christ's future reign upon earth. A new commandment give I unto you—that ye love one another. BRIEF TABLE Of Events of ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY, from the Birth of Christ down to the present Times, the importance of which can only be ascertained by studying the history of the Christian Church. 1 A. D. 1 JESUS CHRIST born in Judea, now called the Holy Land, the world being four thousand years old. 26 John the Baptist enters on his ministry. 29 Christ is baptized, or immersed, by John the Baptist, in the river Jordan, preparatory to his entering on his ministry. 33 He is crucified under Pontius Pilate, rises from the dead on the third day, and six weeks after ascends up into heaven, with the solemn assurance of his appearing a second time at the end of the world. 35 The miraculous conversion of the apostle Paul. 39 St. Matthew writes his gospel. 44 St. Mark writes his gospel. 52 Council of the apostles at Jerusalem. 62 St. Paul sent in bonds to Rome. 64 The first persecution against the Christians. 66 The Jewish war begins. 67 St. Peter and St. Paul put to death. 70 Jerusalem utterly destroyed by the Romans. 95 The second persecution against the Christians. 99 St. John dies in the 102d year of his age. 102 Pliny the Younger sends Trajan his celebrated account of the Christians. 107 The third persecution against the Christians. 118 The fourth persecution against the Christians. 130 Adrian rebuilds Jerusalem. 135 Conclusion of the Jewish war. 202 The fifth persecution against the Christians. 235 The sixth persecution against the Christians. 250 The seventh persecution against the Christians. 257 The eighth persecution against the Christians. 272 The ninth persecution against the Christians. 303 The tenth persecution against the Christians. After this series of persecutions, Christianity becomes the estab lished religion of the Roman empire, for 311 Constantine was converted to the religion of Christ, and Heathenism is every where abolished. 325 The first general council at Nice. 343 Persecution of the Christians in Persia. 449 The Saxons arrive in Britain, 476 The Western Empire finishes. 480 Ten horns, or kingdoms, founded out of the Romish empire, and subject to the Pope. 496 Clovis baptized, and Christianity embraced in France. A. D. 516 The computing of time by the Christian era introduced by Dio nysius. 597 Augustine the monk arrives in England. 606 Bishop of Rome constituted universal head of the Church. 622 Mahomet establishes his religion. 637 Jerusalem taken by the Saracens. 698 The Picts in England embrace Christianity. 748 Middle Ages, or the Night of Time. 756 The Popes become civil lords in Italy, whence they gradually claimed dominion over all the earth. 800 The German empire founded by Charlemagne. 878 Alfred founds the University of Oxford. 915 The University of Cambridge founded. 1065 Jerusalem taken by the Turks from the Saracens. 1066 The conquest of England under William, Duke of Normandy. 1096 The first crusade to Palestine begun under several Christian princes, to drive the infidels or unbelievers from the Holy Land. 1110 Learning revived at the University of Cambridge. 1147 The second crusade. 1177 Saladin repulsed before Jerusalem. 1178 The Albigenses and Waldenses take their rise. 1189 The kings of England and France go to the Holy Land. 1192 Richard Cœur de Lion defeats Saladin at Ascalon. 1215 MagnaCharta signed by King John. 1233 The inquisition trusted to the Dominicans. 1283 Wales conquered by Edward I. 1369 John Wickliffe began to teach in England. 1414 The council of Constance. 1415 John Huss and Jerome of Prague seized, tried, and burnt for their oinions. 1509 John Calvin born. 1517 Martin Luther writes against indulgences in Germany, which was the origin of the Reformation. 1519 Zuinglius began the Reformation in Switzerland. 1529 A diet at Spires, in Germany; the protesting against which gave rise to the appellation of Protestant. 1533 Henry VIII. withdraws his allegiance from the Pope and proclaims himself supreme head of the Church of England. 1545 The council of Trent begins. 1553 Michael Servetus burnt by the instigation of Calvin, at Geneva, for the denial of the Trinity. 1572 The massacre of Bartholomew at Paris, when upwards of 70,000 Protestants perished. 1582 Pope Gregery introduces the new style. 1588 The destruction of the Spanish armada, whose object was to reestablish Popery throughout England. 1598 Henry IV. passes the edict of Nantz in favour of the Protestants. 1618 The synod of Dort begins. 1621 The civil war with the Hugonots in France. 1649 1659 King Charles beheaded. Oliver Cromwell died. 1660 The restoration of Charles II. 1662 Bartholomew Act, or Act of Uniformity, passed, by which 2000 ministers were ejected from the Church of England. 1685 The revocation of the Edict of Nantz, by which the exercise of the Protestant religion was prohibited in France, |