to send his disciples, to lead hands of their cruel and mercenary judges. This denomination had separate assemblies. They were first called Cataphrygians, from the place where they had their first principal abode : they were also styled Pepuzians, because Montanus lived in a Phrygian village, called Pe puza.† [MORAVIANS, or THE UNITED BRETHREN. To read the disadvantageous accounts which have been written of these people, and to observe the respect with which they are at present treated by almost every other denomination of christians, must lead us to conclude, either that they have been greatly misrepresented, or that, like other denominations, they have derived advantage even from the reproaches of their adversaries, and have relinquished many things which at some periods of their history were found amongst them: perhaps it may be owing in part to both. By their History, as given by Crantz, they are distinguished into ancient and modern. The former refers to them before the time of their settlement in Upper Lusatia This denomination were but little distinguished from others by their peculiar opinions: they only used greater austerity of manners. + Mosheim's Eccles. Hist. vol. i. pp. 192, 193. Formey's Eecles, Hist. vol. i. p. 48. Priestley's Eccles. Hist, vol, i. p, 254, Ee in 1722, and being joined by COUNT ZINZENDORF; the latter after it. In an address on their behalf to the English privy council in 1715, they are called, The reformed episcopal churches, first settled in Bohemia, and since forced by the persecutions of their enemies to retire into the Greater Po land, and Polish Prussia. In an address also from themselves to the church of England, in the time of Charles the second, they claim to have been "free for almost seven hundred years from the encroachments of the Romish see;" and speak of Huss and Jerom, of Prague, as their famous martyrs, by whose blood the church of Bohemia had been watered and enriched. By the Bohemian church, however, can only be meant the christians who resided in that country; for Mr. Crantz places the beginning of the church of The United Brethren in the year 1457, and represents it as rising out of the scattered remains of the followers of Huss. These people, in order to free themselvès from the impositions of Rome, applied in 1450 for a re-union with the Greek church, of which they had been anciently a part, and their request was cheerfully granted; but on the taking of Constantinople by the Turks, about two years after, which put an end to the Greek empire, this proposed junction came to nothing. After this attempts were made for establishing a more entire reformation, and salutary church-discipline in the nation: but insurmountable difficulties arising, partly from the irresolution and worldly motives of those who should have taken the lead, and partly from the promiscuous character of the people, the friends of reform were at length advised, even by those who refused to act with them, to establish a community among themselves, and to edify one another from the word of God. But as this would expose them in their own country to persecution, they obtained permission to withdraw to a part of the king's domain, on the boundary between Silecia and Moravia, to settle there, and regulate their worship according to their own insight and conscience. In the year above mentioned, 1457, they formed their church fellowship among themselves, calling themselves Unitas Fratrum, or the unity of the brethren; or Fratres Unitatis, the united brethren : `and at the same time bound themselves to a stricter churchdiscipline, resolving to suffer all things for conscience-sake; and instead of defending them selves, as the so-called Hussites had done, by force of arms, to oppose nothing but prayer and reasonable remonstrances to the rage of their enemies. From this period to the reformation they were severely persecuted, but still preserved their unity. A connexion was also formed between them and the Waldenses, who had for many centuries borne witness to the truth. They had several conferences with Luther, Calvin, and other reformers, and some attempts were made for a union. They approved of the Augsburg confession; but not agreeing in discipline, they still continued a distinct body. After various persecutions, distresses, and discouragements, during the seventeenth century, they became in a manner extinct: but about the year 1720, a remarkable awakening took place among the posterity of the brethren in Bohemia; and as no free toleration could be obtained for them in that country, they agreed to emigrate. Christian David, who had been very useful amongst them, applied on their behalf to Nicholas Lewis, Count of Zinzendorf, who granted them permission to settle on his estates in Upper Lusatia. Thither, in 1722, a company of them repaired, and formed the settlement of Herrnhut. Within the first four or five years they had well nigh been broken up by religious dissensions, occasioned, it is said, by parties from among the Lutherans and the Reformed coming to settle with them. At length, by the exertions of Count Zinzendorf, the unity was renewed, and in 1727 rules agreed to, by which divisions might in future be avoided. Count Zinzendorf, who from the first was friendly, now became united to them, and in 1735 was chosen to be their bishop. It is from the settlement of Herrnhut that the brethren date their modern history, and their first engaging in missions to the heathen. With respect to their doctrinal sentiments, they, as before observed, avow the Augsburg confession. In 1784 they published an Exposition of christian doctrine; but which we have not seen. In a Summary of the doctrine of Jesus Christ, published in 1797 for the instruction of their youth, they say nothing on the Trinity, but merely quote passages of scripture which relate to it. Under the article of the holy Spirit however, they say, "He is very God with the Father and the Son." They appear to avoid the doctrine of unconditional elec tion, and profess to believe that "Jesus Christ died for all men, and hath purchased salvation for all."* Yet they say, "We do not become holy by our own power; but it is a work of the Father, Son, and holy Spirit." There is no doctrine on which they seem to dwell with such delight, as that of the cross, or the love of Christ in laying down his life for sinners. This, they say, has been the preaching which the Lord hath mostly blessed to the conversion of the heathen. Perhaps there is no denomination in whom a meek, quiet, and child-like spirit has been more cultivated. In some instances however, it has been thought by other christians to degenerate too much into puerility; and the manner in which they have spoken and written on some subjects has been far from consistent with the rules of chastity. In their behalf it is said, that " some of their converts having previously imbibed extravagant notions, propagated them with zeal among their new friends in a phraseology extremely reprehensible; and that Count Zinzendorf himself sometimes adopted the very improper language of those fanatics, whom he wished to reclaim from their errors to the sober ness of truth; but much of the extravagance and absurdity that has been attributed to the Count is not to be charged to him, but to those persons, who, writing his extempore sermons in short hand, printed and published them without his knowledge or consent. The church of the United Brethren is episcopal, and the order of succession in their bishops is traced with great exactness in their history. But though they consider episcopal ordination as necessary to qualify the servants of the church for their respective functions, yet they allow to their bishops no elevation of rank, or pre-eminent authority; their church having from its first establishment been governed by synods, consisting of deputies from all the congregations, and by other subordinate bodies, which they call conferences. The synods, which are generally held once in seven years, are called together by the elders who were in the former synod appointed to superintend the whole unity. In the first sitting a president is chosen, and these elders. lay down their office, but they do not withdraw from the assembly; for they, together with all the bishops, seniores civiles, or lay elders, and those ministers who have the gene * Crantz's History of the Brethren, section 82, ral care or inspection of several congregations in one province have seats in the synods, without any particular election. The other members are one or more deputies sent by each congregation, and such ministers or missionaries as are particularly called called to attend. Women approved by the congregations are also admitted as hearers, and are called upon to give their advice in what relates to the ministerial labour among their sex; but they have no decisive vote in the synod. The votes of all the other members are equal. In questions of importance, or of which the consequences cannot be foreseen, neither the majority of votes, nor the unanimous consent of all present can decide; but recourse is had to the lot. For this practice the brethren allege the examples of the ancient jews, and of the apostles; the insufficiency of the human understanding, amidst the best and purest intentioirs, to decide for itself in what concerns the administration of Christ's kingdom; and their own confident reliance on the promises that the Lord Jesus will approve himself the head and ruler of his church. The lot is never made use of but after mature deliberation and fervent prayer; nor is any thing submitted to its decision which does not, after being thoroughly weighed, appear to the assembly eligible in itself. In every synod, the inward and outward state of the Unity and the concerns of the congregations and missions are taken into consideration. If errors in doctrine, or deviation in practice have crept in, the synod endeavours to remove them, and by salutary regulations to prevent them for the future. It considers how many bishops are to be consecrated to fill up the vacancies occasioned by death; and every member of the synod gives a vote for such of the clergy as he thinks best qualified. Those who have the majority of votes are taken into the lot, and they who are approved are consecrated accordingly. Towards the conclusion of every synod a kind of executive board is chosen, and called "The elders' conference of the Unity." At present it consists of thirteen elders, and is divided into four committees or departments. (1.) The missions' department, which superintends all the concerns of the missions into heathen countries.-(2.) The helpers' department, which watches over the purity of doctrine, and the moral con |