THE

HISTORY OF RELIGION.

A RATIONAL ACCOUNT

OF

THE TRUE RELIGION.

BY

JOHN EVELYN,

AUTHOR OF "SYLVA," ETC.

NOW FIRST PUBLISHED,

BY PERMISSION OF W. J. EVELYN, ESQ., M.P.,

FROM THE ORIGINAL MS. IN THE LIBRARY AT WOTTON.

"Be ready always to give an answer to every man, that asketh you a reason of the
hope that is in you, with meekness and fear."-I. PET., iii., 15.

"I am verily persuaded that errors shall not be imputed to them as sin, who use
such measures of industry in finding Truth, as human prudence and ordinary dis-
cretion (their abilities and opportunities, their distractions and hindrances, and all
other things cousidered) shall advise them to."-CHILLINGWORTH.

EDITED, WITH NOTES,

BY THE REVEREND R. M. EVANSON, B.A.,

RECTOR OF LANSOY, MONMOUTHSHIRE.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

LONDON:

HENRY COLBURN, PUBLISHER,

GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.

1850.

F. Shoberi, Jun., Printer to H.R.H. Prince Albert, Rupert Street, Haymarket.

SECTION

CONTENTS

OF

THE SECOND VOLUME.

CHAPTER VIII.

I. Of the True and Supernatural Religion de-

duced from Scripture

II. Of the Patriarchal Antediluvian Religion

III. Of the Postdiluvian Religion, till the Mosaic

PAGE

1

14

23

SECTION

Of the Jewish, Mosaical Law, Ritual and Typical Religion.

I. Of Sacrifices and Holy Seasons

II. Of the Priestly Family and Functions

III. Of the Jewish Sects.-1. Pharisees.-2. Sad-

ducees.-3. Karaans.-4. Essenes.-5. He-

rodians.-6. Samaritans.-7. Zealots

IV. Of the Jewish Discipline and its Austerity

V. Of the Typical Character of the Jewish Reli-

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37

45

52

Of the Christian and Evangelical Religion, typified in the Jewish.

SECTION I. Introduction

65

SECTION II. That the Jewish Dispensation, being but tem-

porary and typical, had its final accomplish-

III. That Jesus Christ was the true Messiah,

proved:-1. By fulfilled Prophecy.—2. By

the Testimony of Miracles.-3. By the Won-

derful Progress of the Gospel.-4. By the

excellency of its Doctrine

IV. Christianity contrasted with other Religions:

1. Superiority over the Pagan Religion.—

2. Philosophic Religion.-3. The Jewish

Religion.-4. The Mahometan.-5. Scep-

ticism considered.-6. Atheism

CHAPTER XI.

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71

91

168

Of the Decadence and Corruption of Religion; the Christian

Religion especially.

SECTION I. Of the Gradual Corruption of Religion, from

the Creation to the giving of the Law, and

II. Of the Decadence of the Christian Religion,

from its institution by Christ and his Apos-

tles to the Sixteenth Century.-1. Heresies

and Sects of the First to the Fifteenth Cen-

III. Heresies and Sects, from the Reformation to

the present time.-1. Of the Sixteenth and

Seventeenth Century

IV. Of the Corruptions of the Romish Church:

1. Holy Scripture not the rule of Faith;

Legends; Image Worship; Relics; Sham

Miracles; Jubilees; Indulgences and Par-

dons; Purgatory; Monastic Orders.-2. Er-

roneous Doctrines of the Church of Rome;

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222

247

Of the Christian Religion, reformed from its Corruptions, and

restored to its Primitive Purity, especially in the Church of

England.

SECTION I. Definition of Church Catholic: 1. Church-

2. Catholic

II. Fundamental Doctrines, or Creed

III. Tenets of the Church of England: 1. Ori-

nal Sin; Free Will; Justification by Faith;

Christ alone our Propitiation; of Sin after

Baptism 2. Confession; Predestination;

Councils; Sacraments; Marriage lawful for

the Clergy; Authority of the Church and

her Orders; Civil Supremacy of the State.-

3. The Church of England contrasted with

the Church of Rome; Conclusion

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333