taken from the first words of their original protest, or confession of faith-Hucnos venimus, &c. During the reign of Charles IX., and on the 24th of August, 1572, happened the massacre of St. Bartholomew, when 70,000 Protestants throughout France were butchered, with circumstances of aggravated cruelty. It began at Paris in the night of the festival of St. Bartholomew, by secret orders from Charles IX., at the instigation of his mother, the Queen Dowager Catherine de Medicis. See Sully's Memoirs, and also a fine description of it in the second canto of Voltaire's "Henriade."

In 1598, Henry IV. passed the famous Edict of Nantz, which secured to his old friends the Protestants the free exercise of their religion. This edict was cruelly revoked by Louis XIV. Their churches were then razed to the ground; their persons insulted by the soldiery, and, after the loss of innumerable lives, 500,000 valuable members of society were driven into exile! In Holland they built several places of worship, and had amongst them some distinguished preachers. Among others were Superville, Dumont, Dubosc, and the eloquent Saurinfive volumes of whose select sermons were translated into our language by the late Mr. Robinson of Cambridge, a sixth by the late Dr. Hunter, and a seventh as well as eighth by Mr. Sutcliff, of the Wesleyan connexion. In one of these sermons Saurin makes the following fine apos-. trophe to the tyrant, Louis XIV., by whom they were driven into exile; it breathes the noble spirit of Christianity" And thou, dreadful Prince, whom I once honoured as my king, and whom I yet respect as a scourge in the hand of Almighty God, thou also shalt have a part in my good wishes! These provinces, which thou threatenest, but which the arm of the Lord protects; this country, which thou fillest with refugees, but fugitives animated with love;, these walls, which contain a thousand martyrs of thy making, but whom religion renders victorious, all these yet resound benedictions in thy favour. God grant the fatal bandage that hides the truth from thy eyes may fall of! May God forget the rivers of blood with which thou hast deluged the earth, and which thy

reign hath caused to be shed! May God blot out of his book the injuries which thou hast done us, and while he rewards the sufferers, may he pardon those who exposed us to suffer! O may God, who hath made thee to us, and to the whole church, a minister of his judgments, make thee a dispenser of his favours, and an administrator of his mercy

יי!

See "An History of the late sufferings of the French Protestants in the South of France," by the Rev. Mark Wilks-and the "History of the Albigenses and Waldenses," with an account of the Christian Church in general, published by Mr. William Jones, written with neatness and accuracy.

About the time of the Revolution, 1688, there were many controversies between the Protestant and Catholic divines. Tillotson and Burnet, two clergymen of the church of England, rendered Ptotestantism great service by their writings; and were, on that account elevated to the bench by King William. There are also two excellent volumes of Sermons against Popery, preached in the early part of the last century, by Dissenting Ministers, at Salter's Hall. Dr. Chandler's Discourse on the Notes or marks of the Church of Rome, to be found in this collection, is deemed a masterly production. Burnet's "History of the reformation," and the "History of his Own Times," published after his death by his son, throw light on the state of religion in the last and preceding centuries among Catholics, Chucrhmen, and Dissenters. The merit of these publications, particularly the latter, is appreciated by Dr. Kippis, under the article Burnet, in the "Biographia Britannica." To these may be added a "Defence of Protestantism," by the late Dr. Sturges, in his answer to the late Dr. Milner, (a Catholic bishop,) who, in his History of Winchester, takes every opportunity of reprobating Protestantism, and of erecting on its ruins the edifice of his own religion. Dr. S. animadverts with a spirit on the calumnies by which his antagonist had endeavoured to blacken the characters of the Reformers; and proves the Protestant religion, by its honourable views of the Divine Being, and by its sacred regard for the rights

of mankind, to be the only true and primitive Christianity, Dr. Milner replied at length to Dr. Sturges, who only noticed it in the preface to the subsequent edition of his own work, content to share the obliquy cast upon him in conjunction with some of the most learned, and pious 'characters that ever adorned the Christian world:

Επι

EPISCOPALIANS; OR, CHURCH OF
ENGLAND.

The Episcopalians, in the modern acceptation of the term, belong more especially to the Church of England, and derive this title from Episcopus, the Latin word for bishop; or, if it be referred to its Greek origin, from En over, and Exoлaw to look, implying, the care and diligence with which bishops are expected to preside over those committed to their guidance and direction.. They insist on the divine origin of their bishops, and other church officers, and on the alliance between church and state. Respecting these subjects, however, Warburton and Hoadley, together with others of the learned amongst them, have different opinions, as they have also on their thirty-nine articles, which were established in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. They are to be found in most Common Prayer-Books; and the Episcopal church in Ameriea has reduced their number to twenty. By some these articles are made to speak the language of Calvinism, and by others have been interpreted in favour of Arminianism. Even lately the controversy was agitated—and the publications of Overton, Kipling, and Daubeny, together with the recent Charge of the Bishop of Winchester, may be consulted on the subject. The doctrines and discipline of the Church of England are nearly connected with the reformation of Luther in Germany, and also with the state of ecclesiastical affairs for a considerable time before that reformation commenced.

Eusebius positively asserts, that Christianity was first introduced into South Britain by the apostles and their disciples; and it is supposed that the Apostle Paul visited

this country, whose zeal, diligence, and fortitude, were abundant. It is also said, that numbers of persons professed the Christian faith here about the year 150; and, according to Usher, there was, in the year 182, a school of learning, to provide the British churches with proper teachers. On this subject of the first introduction of Christianity into this Island, the reader is referred to the first volume of Henry's "History of Great Britain,” and to Dr. Richard's "Cambro-British Biography," where his curiosity will be grattified.

JOHN WICKLIFFE, educated at Oxford in the reign of Edward the Third, was the first person in this country who publicly questioned, and boldly refuted the doctrines of Popery. He left behind him many followers, who were called Wickliffites and Lollards; the latter being a term of reproach taken from the Flemish tongue. In the council of Constance, 1415, the memory and opinions of Wickliffe (who died peaceably at Lutterworth, 1384,) were condemned, and soon after his bones were dug up and burnt, and the ashes thrown into a brook. This impotent rage of his enemies served only to promote the cause of reform which Wickliffe had espoused. "Thus," says Fuller, "this brook conveyed his ashes into Avon, Avon into Severn, Severn into the narrow seas, they into the main ocean; and thus the ashes of Wickliffe are emblem of his doctrine, which now is dispersed all the world over." Some remains of his old pulpit, in which he first uttered his doctrine, are said to be still seen at Lutterworth, and are beheld by strangers with vene

ration.

Nor were the early efforts of this eminent Reformer, WICKLIFFE, usually denominated the morning star of the reformation, in vain.

The CHURCH OF ENGLAND broke off from the Romish church in the time of Henry the Eighth, when (as has been already related) Luther had begun the Reformation in Germany. During the earlier part of his reign, Henry was a bigoted Papist, burnt William Tyndal, (who made one of the first and best English Translations of the New Testament,) and wrote fiercely in defence of the seven sac

raments against Luther, for which the Pope honoured him with the title of Defender of the Faith! This title is retained by the kings of England even to the present day, though they are the avowed enemies of that Faith, by contending for which he acquired that honourable distinction. Henry falling out with the Pope, took the government of ecclesiastical affairs into his own hands; and having reformed many enormous abuses entitled himself Supreme Head of the Church.

"That

When the Reformation in England first took place, efforts were made to promote the reading of the Scriptures among the common people. Among other devices for the purpose, the following curious one was adopted: Bonner, Bishop of London, caused six Bibles to be chained to certain convenient places in St. Paul's church, for all that were so well inclined to resort there; together with a certain admonition to the readers, fastened upon the pillars to which the Bibles were chained, to this tenor :whosoever came there to read, should prepare himself to be edified, and made the better thereby; that he bring with him discretion, honest intent, charity, reverence, and quiet behaviour; that there should no such number meet together there as to make a multitude; that no such exposition be made thereupon but what is declared in the book itself; that it be not read with noise in time of divine service, or that any disputation or contention be used about it; that in case they continued their former misbehaviour, and refused to comply with these directions, the king would be forced against his will to remove the occasion, and take the Bible out of the church."-See Johnson's "Historical Account of the several English Translations of the Bible," and the opposition they met. with from the church of Rome.

The Church of England is governed by the King, who is supreme head; by two archbishops, and by twentyfour bishops. The benefices of the bishops were converted by William the Conqueor into temporal baronies; so that every prelate has a seat and a vote in the House of Peers. Dr. Benjamin Hoadley, however, in a sermon preached from this text, "My kingdom is not of this