A fuccinct and genuine Account of their original and prefent CONSTITUTION, DISCIPLINE, DOCTRINES, WORSHIP, and CEREMONIES: With a general Account of the various Sectaries of lefs Note, fince the firft Eftablishment of Christianity.

Including a general Hiftory of the REFORMATION, and fo much of Civil and Ecclefiaftical History as is connected with, or neceffary to explain and illuftrate the WORK.

TO WHICH IS ADDED,

A DICTIONARY of the principal Religious ORDERS, OFFICES, DAYS, RITES, CUSTOMS, HABITS, and CHARACTERS; the most important TRANSACTIONS of Ecclefiaftical COUNCILS, SYNODS, &c. explaining all fuch ambiguous Words and Phrases as have a proper Connexion with the Subjects of this History.

By an IMPARTIAL HAN D.

THE SECOND EDITION."

LONDON:

Printed for C. HENDERSON, at the Royal Exchange; W. NICOLL, in St. Paul's Church Yard; and J. JOHNSON, oppofite the Monument.

MDCCLXIV.

A fuccinct and genuine Account of their original and present
CONSTITUTION, DISCIPLINE, DOCTRINES, WORSHIP, and
CEREMONIES: With a general Account of the various Sectaries of
lefs Note, fince the firft Eftablishment of Christianity.

Including a general Hiftory of the REFORMATION, and fo much of
Civil and Ecclefiaftical History as is connected with, or neceffary
to explain and illuftrate the WORK.

TO WHICH IS ADDED,

A DICTIONARY of the principal Religious ORDERS, OFFICES, DAYS,
RITES, CUSTOMS, HABITS, and CHARACTERS; the most impor-
tant TRANSACTIONS of Ecclefiaftical COUNCILS, SYNODS, &C.
explaining all fuch ambiguous Words and Phrafes as have a proper
Connexion with the Subjects of this History.

By an IMPARTIAL HAND.

THE SECOND EDITION.'

LONDON:

Printed for C. HENDERSON, at the Royal Exchange; W. NICOLL, in
St. Paul's Church Yard; and J. JOHNSON, oppofite the Monument.

MDCCLXIV.

1

E

THE

PREFACE.

*

O improve the Understanding in any Branch of useful Knowledge, has ever been esteemed a laudable Purfuit; and every Attempt to facilitate the Propagation of Knowledge, in Proportion to the Nature and Importance of the Subject, and the Propriety of the Method, will, it is prefumed, meet with Approbation and Encouragement,

To obtain a Skill in the Sciences is, indeed, the Bufinefs and Profeffion only of a few Men of diftinguished Abilities; but there are many who have Capacity and Leifure to improve and enrich their Minds in various Branches of Knowledge; even the lower Order of Men have particular Callings and Concerns in Life, in which it behoves them to employ their Reason in the Ufe of proper Helps for their Improvement.

The common Duties and Benefits of Society, which interest every Man living, as he is a focial Creature; even our particular and neceffary Relations to a Family, a Neighbourhood, or Government, oblige all Perfons to exercife their reafoning Powers in a Variety of Cafes, before they can come