conspicuous figure, I shall endeavour to be more particular.

There are FOUR RELIGIONS in the world; viz. the JEWISH, the CHRISTIAN, the MAHOMETAN, and the PAGAN.

It is allowed that the world contains eight hundred millions of souls; having for their rule of faith, THREE books, which are esteemed as revelations of the divine will. First: Those who receive the SACRED SCRIPTURES. Second: The Mahometans, who receive the KORAN. Third: The Pagans, who have their OWN WRITINGS. One hundred and eighty-three millions only are CHRISTIANS. One hundred and thirty millions are MAHOMETANS. Three millions are JEWS; and most painful is it to say, that the remainder, amounting to four hundred and eighty-seven millions, are PAGANS.

Christianity divides itself into THREE professions. The first in order is,

THE EASTERN CHURCH, by which we understand the GREEK CHURCH.

2nd. The CHURCH OF ROME.

3rd. The PROTESTANT CHURCH.

Among professors of Christianity, there are THREE different opinions concerning church government. EPISCOPALIAN, that which is go

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hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicholaitans, which thing I hate.'

THE CARPOCRATIANS

Began their heresy also in the time of the Evange list John. Their founder was Carpocrates.

They held that faith alone was only necessary for salvation; and that it was unnecessary for those who had this faith, to have good works. They were lovers of magic; men of bad lives, or who indulged themselves in sensual practices; and they taught that Christ was no more than another man.

These followers of Carpocrates appear to have been connected with the church of Pergamos; for, according to the above-mentioned fathers, they joined the idolatrous practice of eating things offered up to idols, as mentioned in the 14th verse of the 2d chapter of the Revelation, with the Christian order of worship. Therefore the Carpocratians, who lived at this time, must necessarily be meant by those who are thus clearly described by the Apostle. In this church also, there were some who held the doctrine of the Nicholaitans, ver. 15.

THE CERINTHIANS AND EBIONITES.

These professors also lived in the time of the Apostle John. The practice of eating things offered to idols, or of offering the sacrifice to the idol and then eating it, had become customary among the followers of Cerinthus, who wished to retain a little of the old idolatry.

Cerinthus lived in the time of the emperor Domitian: his doctrines were much the same as those taught by Nicholas and Carpocrates. They admitted only the gospel of Matthew, and denied the divinity of Christ. Agreeably to the above-mentioned authorities, they belonged to the church of Thyatira, which suffered them to remain with them, through the influence of Jezebel, who seduced them to eat things offered unto idols. Rev. ii. 20. i. e. to join idolatry to Christianity.

From these a number of sects sprang up, varying but little either in doctrine or practice; till the heresy of Sabellius made its appearance at the beginning of the third century.

THE SABELLIANS

They

Taught that there was but one person in the Godhead, and that this was the father. believed that the father suffered, and were account called

on that

PATRIPASSIANS,

Who personified the Father

sence.

or divine es

ANTHROPOMORPHITES.

This is a compound word from the Greek, signifying the form of man. This sect appeared in the early ages of the Christian church. They believed that God was in the form of man, and were on that account called Anthropomorphites.

They were first called Audiani, from Audeus their leader, who lived in the time of the emperor Valentinian, 340 years after Christ.

It would answer no valuable purpose to notice

the little variations of those, who attempted to differ from the generally received doctrine and practice of the church. When this was done, though but of a trifling nature, it was only sanctioned by the name of the inventor, who by it obtained notice; yet all the trifling variations have by some writers been magnified into sects. I therefore pass over these, who, as above observed, varied in so trifling a manner from the Nicholaitans, Carpocratians, Cerinthians, and Ebionites, as not to be worthy of notice; they were individuals lost in the great body of the professors of genuine Christianity.

For the first three hundred years after Christ, or until the time of the famous council of Nice, nothing of importance arose to disturb the unity of the church. Then it was that Arius published his opinions; and a schism being thus made, separation ensued, and new opinions generated different sects. From this period, we must necessarily date the beginning of those distinctions, which have taken place in the church of Christ.

Having said as much as is necessary concerning those sects alluded to in Scripture, and by the

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