ments efteemed him. As a writer in defence of epifcopacy, he muft be confidered in a ftill more elevated point of view. He never fought to establish a lordly prelacy, but only that plain epifcopacy which took place in the primitive times, upon the plan laid down by archbishop Ufher and archbishop Leigh

ton.

The laft view, in which we are to confider him, is as an excellent writer. And here the author of this repeats with chearfulness what a noble lord once told him, that "bifhop Hall was the firft perfon who ever wrote English profe to perfection." It is certain, that he has fomething in his manner of writ

ing different from all the authors we ever yet read. It has been much complained of by people, that they cannot remember what they read. This is partly owing to their own negligence, and partly to the author's manner of writing. But let any perfon read a fingle page in bishop Hall's Contemplations, and if he does not remember one half of it, his memory must be very irretentive. It is an anfpeakable lofs to the public, that his practical works are fo fcarce, that it is difficult to procure them; for furely nothing could be more acceptable to Chriftians of every denomination, than the perufal of them.

A CONTRIBUTOR.

ROM hence arofe numbers of he

Frohes in this century. We fhall

firit take notice of that branch of the Gnofticks of which Manes formed a particular fect, and which prevailed greatly for a long time in Perfia, and throughout all the eaft. This Manes was a Perfian, of the family of the Magi, and inftructed in all the learning of the Magi. He embraced very early the Chriftian Faith, and obtained the dignity of priest in his own country. But when they perceived he had the defign of mixing the philofophy and theology of the Magi his ancestors with the doctrine. and precepts of Chrift, and that, the efforts they had made ufe of to hinder his perfifting in that defigu were fruit

lefs, he was excommunicated. This put him upon founding a new fect. The fteps he took for this purpose expofed his life to various changes, and caufed him at laft to end it in torture. His fect furvived him, and increased in a furprizing manner, and spread itfelf throughout the world.

The doctrine of Manes did not greatly differ in effential and fundamental points from that of the Gnoftics. Both the one and the other took their principles and notions from the eastern schools, which they used and applied in expounding the articles of the Chriftian Faith. Manes had imbibed the fame opinions, but propofed them after the manner of the fchools of the Magi. He eftablifhed two principles, one of which was pure light, which he called God, the other a dark matter, the cause of all evil, and to this he gave a foul, or a principle of life. From the divinity, according to his notions, there proceeded two fpirits, who had part in the divine nature and fub. itance; but who were inferior to God the Son, who dwelt in the fan and

.moon.

moon, and the Holy Spirit, who had air for his habitation. From the fupreme God, there came, or emanated, the Eons, pure fpirits, infinite in number, who did not truly partake of the divine nature, but who, with God at their head, formed the kingdom of light. Manes then faid, that there became a difference between the principles of light, and that of darkness, which occafioned a mixture of a certain part of light with a certain part of darkness, the refult of which was our vifible world. From this mixture, man was formed, compofed of a pre-existent fpirit, and matter, or a body, that had been added to it, and which made his fa perfectly deplorable. He did, however, attribute to God, the creation of the world, and of man; and he added, that the Supreme Being affected with a view of the miferies of human creatures, fent his fon into the world with the appearance of a human body, who, by propofing his doctrine to men, had reminded them of their heavenly origin, and had given them, with his precepts, an example of mortifying the flesh, in order to raise the foul to a fuperior region. This Herefiarch placed the height of Chriftian perfection in defpifing all pleasure, in the contempt of all carnal gratifications, and in the leading an auftere and religious life, by the means of which, his followers were to arrive at Heaven. In order to gain greater authority, Manes wanted to pafs for the Apoftle of Jefus Chrift, faying, that though he came the laft into the world, he was the chief; he pretended to have frequent revelations, endeavouring to perfuade his difciples, that he had been taken up into heaven, and that he had brought from thence the doctrine he taught them. He rejected entirely the Old Teftament, and even the New he mixed and corrupted with his chimerical notions, and likewife added to it a gofpel of his own, and fome apochryphal books.

In the beginning of this century, Noetus of Smyrna, a layman, fpread at Ephefus an heretical doctrine, which was immediately refuted by Hippolytus. He taught that there was but one perfon in the Divinity. About the middle of this age, this fame herefy was renewed by Sabellius, of Ptolemais; and as his name intirely effaced all heretics who were of the fame opinion, fo his doctrine, even to this day, is called Sabellianifm. It confifted in denying all difference between the divinity, in acknowledging one God, and one divine perfon, entirely deftroying the divinity of the Son of God. Sabellius: preceded Paul of Samofate, Photin, and the Socinians.

Paul of Samofate made great poife. He was the bishop of the church of Antioch, in Syria. He was a proud and wicked man, whofe life answered to his character. All the difference between his herefy and that of Sabellius, confifted in that the one attacked the doctrine of the Trinity in general, the other aimed principally at fetting afide the divinity of Chrift, teaching that he was only a mere man' who had no exiftence before his conception, and birth. These erroneous tenets, as well as the wicked life of Paul, were condemned by two general councils held at Antioch, the first in the year 265; the fecond in the years 269 and 270. The last of thefe depofed him, and placed Domnus in

his room.

To these herefies were added many dreadful difputes, which caufed much trouble in the church. The fchifm of the Novatians was the principal. This fect took their names from their founders Novat and Novatian; the first a prieft of the church of Carthage, the other of that of Rome. Novat while he lived at Carthage, fhewed great indulgence to those who committed great crimes, and would, notwithstanding the vehement oppofition of bishop Cyprian, immediately receive them into the

com

communion of the church, without any preceding penance. Novatian fupported the direct contrary at Rome, against Pope Cornelius. Novat, condemned at Carthage, and expelled his own church, came to Rome, met with Novatian, embraced his opinion, which he afterwards defended with as much warmth, as he had formerly done the contrary. Both these herefiarchs were excommunicated at Rome, and formed feparate affemblies, and laid it down for a fundamental tenet, that the church of Chrift ought to be pure and free from every stain ; and that the finner who had once fallen into any offence, could not again become a member of it, though they did not refufe him the hopes of eternal life. The fect of the Novatians had a great number of followers, and lafted for fome centuries. Novatian wrote a great many treatifes, and may be numbered among the ecclefiaftical writers of this century. There are fome writings of his that have been, and even now are, attributed to fome great perfons; the most part of them are loft. This first difference produced another, which arose from the baptifms of hereticks. Novatian re-baptized all thofe who came into his church, though they before had been duly baptized. From hence a queftion was started among the orthodox divines, whe ther heretics, upon their repentance, and reception into the church, fhould not again be baptized.

St. Cyprian, with the churches of Africa, fupported the affirmative. Pope Stephen, at Rome, a proud prelate, was of the contrary opinion: the difpute was carried on with much warmth on both fides; and the bishop of Rome did not fhew on this occafion, either true charity or the love of peace. The firft general council of Nice alone could decide thefe difputes.

[To be continued.]

VOL. II. No. 17.

WESTMINSTER-ABB EY. [Continued from page 256.]`

A DESCRIPTION OF THE MOST MATERIAL MONUMENTS IN THE OPEN PARTS OF THE AB BEY.

'N order to point out these with a

fhall begin at the east end of the south fide of the choir, and pass regularly round the fame to the north cross; from thence to the weft door, and return on the fouth fide to the place from whence we fat out.

On leaving the gate which enclofes the chapels on the fouth fide, the first monument that prefents itfelf is on the right hand, erected to the memory of Robert South, D. D.

This gentleman is reprefented in a cumbent pofture, dreffed in his canonical habit, with his arm refting on a cushion, and his right hand on a death's head. In his left he holds a book, with his finger between the leaves, as if juft clofed from reading, and over his head is a group of cherubs iffuing from a mantling, under which is a long Latin infcription, informing us, that he was fcholar to Dr. Bafby, ftudent at Chrift-church, Oxford, and public orator of that univerfity; that by the patronage of Lord Clarendon, he was made prebendary both of Westminster and Chrift's, and afterwards rector of Iflip, where he rebuilt the parfonagehoufe, and founded and endowed a fchool for the education of poor children. He died July 8, 1716, aged

and whatever advantages mankind fhall reap from thence in time to come, are all principally owing to the wife inftitutions of this great man. He was made master of Weltminsterschool in the year 1640, elected prebend of Westminster, July 5, 1660; treasurer of Wells, Auguft 11, the fame year; and died April 5, 1695.

William Thynne, Efq. This is a very ancient monument of marble and alabafter gilt, on which lies a warrior at full length, reprefenting William Thynne, of Botterville, Efq; who was a polite gentleman, a great traveller, and a brave foldier. In 1546 he was by king Henry VIII. made receiver of the marches, and fought against the Scots at Muffelburgh with undaunted courage. The latter part of his life he spent in retirement and devotion in this church, whither he conftantly repaired morning and evening. He died March 14, 1584.

Sir Thomas Richardfon. This is a large and noble monument of black marble, on which is an effigy in brass of a judge in his robes, with a collar of SS. reprefenting Sir Thomas Richardfon, Knt. who, according to the infcription, was Speaker of the House of Commons in the 21ft and 22d years of king James; chief justice juftice of the Court of Common Pleas ; aud laftly, by king Charles I. made jord

chiet juflice of England.-This is that judge Richardfon, who firft iffued cut an order against the antient cuftom of wakes, and ordered every minister to read it in his church; which the bishop of Bath and Wells oppofing, complaint was made against it in the council-chamber, where the judge was fo feverely reprimanded, that he came out in a rage, faying, he had been almost choked with a pair of lawn fleeves. He died in 1634,aged 66.

Dame Grace Gethin. This monument, which is very lofty, bears the effigy of a young lady, devoutly kneeling, with a book in her right. hand, and the left on her breaft. On each fide is an angel, one holding a crown, the other a chaplet over her head; and on the afcending fides of the pediment are two female figures in a mournful pofture. The whole is fupported by three different coats of family arms, and on the base is an English infcription, fetting forth her honourable defcent from the Nortons of Salop. This lady, who was mar ried to Sir Richard Gethin, of Gethin Grott, in Ireland, was famed for exemplary piety, and wrote a book of devotion, which Mr. Congreve complimented with a poem. She died October 11, 1697, in the 22d year of her age.

[To be continued.]

heavens, that ever came up to fuch a perfection, and that had not fome ftops or fome deviations, and many imperfections? But yet no one was ever fo ftupid as to conclude fuch a machine (though never fo imperfect) was made by any other than fome rational being, fome artist that ad skill enough for fuch a work.

As he in

Cicero argues from his friend Pofidonius's piece of watch-work, that fhewed the motions of the fun, moon, and five erraticks; that if it had been carried among the Scythians or Britons, no man, even in that state of barbarity, would make any doubt, whether it was the workmanship of reafon or no. And is there lefs reafon to imagine thofe motions we have been treating of, to be other than the work of God, which are infinitely more conftant and regular than thofe of man? Or, to use the lastmentioned Stoic's argument, can it be thought that Archimedes was able to do more in imitating the motions of the heavens (in his sphere) than nature in effecting them?

And now to reflect upon the whole, and fo conclude what hath been faid concerning these several motions; we may all along perceive in them fuch' manifest fignals of a divine hand, that they all feem, as it were, to confpire in the demonftration of their infinite Creator and orderer. For befides what, in all probability, is in other parts of the universe, we have a whole fyftem of our own, manifeftly proclaiming the workmanship of its maker. For we have not these vaft and unwieldly maffes of the sun, and its planets, dropt here and there at random, and moving about the great expanfum, in uncertain paths, and at fortuitous rates and measures, .but in the compleatest manner, and according to the strictest rules of order and harmony; fo as to anfwer the great ends of their creation, and the divine providence; to difpatch the noble offices of the feveral globes; to perform the great works of nature in them; to comfort and cherish every thing refiding on them, by thofe uie

ful changes of day and night, and the feveral feasons of the year.

These things are fo evident to the reafon of all men, that Tully might well make his Stoic to alledge this as one of his principal arguments for the proof of a Deity: "The fourth caufe faith he, and that even the chief, is the equality of the motion, and the revolution of the heavens; the diftinction, utility, beauty, and order of the fun, moon, and all the ftars the bare view alone of which things is fufficient to demonftrate them to be no works of chance. As if any one should come into an house, the Gymnafium, or Forum; when he should see the order, manner, and management of every thing, he could never judge thefe things to be done without an efficient, but must imagine there was fome being prefiding over them, and whofe orders they obeyed. So much more in fo great motions, fuch viciffitudes, and the orders of fo many and great things;

:

a man cannot but conclude, that fuch great acts of nature are governed by fome mind, fome intelligent being and in the heavens then, there is neither any chance, nor any temerity, nor error, or vanity: but, on the contrary, there is all order, truth or exactness, reafon and conftancy. And fuch things as are void of these are counterfeit, falfe, and full of error. He therefore that thinks the admirable cœleftial order, and incredible conftancy, on which the confervation and good of all things depend, to be void of a mind, he himfelf deferves to be accounted devoid of a mind. Thus with great force and reafon, Tully's Stoic rightly infers the prefence and concurrence of a Dvine Being and Power from the motions of the heavens: only not being aware who that Being was, he erroneously imagines the heavenly bodies themfelves to have divinity, and puts them therefore into the number of the gods; which error is excellently refuted by Lactantius, in his Inftit. Divin. 1. ii. c. j. &c.

Q.9

PHY.