upheld, unbiassed enquiry after truth prevented, and a number of bugbears placed in the road to improvement, to deter the weak and timid from proceeding in it.

The misapplication of the terms orthodoxy and heresy have banefully operated, by keeping alive prejudice, bigotry and party spirit, in producing uncharitableness and disaffection in the family of Christ.

Christians, of all parties, should studiously promote liberality of sentiment, and the love of the brethren; for love to each other is the distinguishing mark of the disciples of Jesus, and charity is the bond of perfectness. To stigmatize virtuous and good men with the name of heretics, violates the precepts of Christ, breaks the royal law of love, exposes religion to contempt, and is a gross misapplication of language: yet this has long been the practice of many christians. Men of unquestionable virtue and integrity have been basely calumniated with the charge of heresy, and the stigma on their names repeated by a succession of writers.Persons of little information, when they read or hear of heretics, associate with the word the idea of something opposite to the gospel, something wicked and profane; hence they conclude

those to whom the opprobious name is given to be bad characters, and that it is dangerous to pay any attention to their opinions and reasonings. It is high time for the world to be disabused as to the arbitrary, invidious and unjust use made of the terms heretic and heresy. The unlearned ought to be informed that, at one time or other, the charge of heresy has been brought against christians of all parties, generally against those who have differed from the prevailing party, and frequently against the best of men. All that can safely be concluded from the common application of the term heretic is, that those to whom it is applied are the minority, that their opinions are unpopular, and that, their opponents are uncharitable enough to give them a bad name. It was not for any immoral conduct, for any violation of the laws of either God or man, that Dr. Servetus was charged with heresy and burnt to death; but simply for his religious opinions. His being persecuted and slain, merely on this account, involves no degradation of character in the eyes of impartial men, implies no criminality in the sufferer, and ought to leave no stain on his name. A' distinction ought ever to be made between reputed heresy and real culpability. Before what are called heretical opinions can be proved

criminal it should be shown that it is criminal for men to judge for themselves and express their own thoughts on religious subjects.

αιρέσεως,

The reputed orthodox Jews charged the great apostle of the gentiles with heresy, on account of his professing and promulgating the gospel. He confessed that after the way which they called heresy so worshipped he the God of his fathers. Acts 24, 14. The Jews at Rome said to him, As concerning this argos, heresy, the heresy of christianity, we know that every where it is spoken against. After finding the great apostle Paul among reputed heretics, and christianity itself among reputed heresies, we need not wonder at finding the former term applied to good men, and the latter to doctrines of truth. Nor can any reputed orthodox christians be more confident of the truth of their opinions, than the reputed orthodox Jews were of the truth of theirs, in the days of Christ and his apostles. Such confidence is no sufficient ground to despise and condemn others.

A bare glance at history, and a reference to some few circumstances which have occurred in modern times, will be sufficient to establish the truth of the position which stands at the head of this section.

The late Mr. R. Robinson observes that there existed a large body of Dissenters, from the first establishment of the church in the fourth, down to the thirteenth century. They were' says he named Messalians and Euchites, the one a hebrew, the other a greek name, and both signifying a people that pray, for they placed religion not in speculation, but in devotion and piety. Euchite among the greeks was a general name for a dissenter, as Waldensian. was in the Latin church, and as Nonconformist is in England.' The Euchites or Dissenters, it seems, were divided into many branches, and are described in ecclesiastical history under va rious names, as particular circumstances, at different times, and in different countries, occasioned them to be denominated. The reputed orthodox party branded them all with the name of heretics. Either through mistake or design they misrepresented their doctrines. Blinded. by prejudice and filled with animosity they blackened their characters. Determined at all events to support their own system they frequently excited princes to persecute them.Such was the conduct, for a series of ages, of those who voted themselves the true church, and made their own dogmas identical with the gospel, towards their dissenting brethren, whom

they denominated heretics, merely because they would not receive their opinions as articles of faith, and bow to their authority in matters of religion.

The same writer says of the Euchites, "They are generally taxed with great crimes: but is it credible that vicious characters could do what they did, or suffer what they suffered? Why were they not punished for these crimes, and not burnt for their opinions? The truth is, they would not be governed in religion by any thing except their own convictions.' Dr. Mosheim says that The accounts which have been given of them, are not in all respects to be depended upon: and there are several circumstances which render it extremely probable, that 'many persons of eminent piety, and zeal for genuine christianity, were confounded by the Greeks with these enthusiasts, and ranked in the list of heretics, merely on account of their opposing the vicious practices, and the insolent tyranny of the priesthood, and their treating with derision that motley spectacle of superstition that was supported by public authority.'

For several ages the church was divided into two great parties, who violently opposed each other. The Arians and Trinitarians. These alternately persecuted and were persecuted.