a term applied to those divines who, in the seventeenth
century, attempted to bring Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and
Independents, into one communion, by compromising the differences
between them. The chief leaders of this party were the great
Chillingworth and John Hales; to whom may be added More, Cudworth, Gale,
Tillotson, and Whitchcot. They were zealously attached to the church of
England, but did not look upon episcopacy as indispensable to the
constitution of the Christian church. Hence they maintained that those
who adopted other forms of government and worship, were not on that
account to be excluded from the communion, or to forfeit the title of
brethren. They reduced the fundamental doctrines of Christianity to a
few points. By this way of proceeding, they endeavoured to show that
neither the Episcopalians, who, generally speaking, were then Arminians,
nor the Presbyterians and Independents, who as generally adopted the
doctrines of Calvin, had any reason to oppose each other with such
animosity and bitterness; since the subjects of their debates were
matters non-essential to salvation, and might be variously explained and
understood without prejudice to their eternal interests. This plan
failing, through the violence of the bishops on one hand, (though
sanctioned by the Lord Chancellor Clarendon,) and by the jealousy of the
more rigid on the other, the name Latitudinarian became a term of
reproach, as implying an indifferency to all religions, and has been
generally so used ever since.
century, attempted to bring Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and
Independents, into one communion, by compromising the differences
between them. The chief leaders of this party were the great
Chillingworth and John Hales; to whom may be added More, Cudworth, Gale,
Tillotson, and Whitchcot. They were zealously attached to the church of
England, but did not look upon episcopacy as indispensable to the
constitution of the Christian church. Hence they maintained that those
who adopted other forms of government and worship, were not on that
account to be excluded from the communion, or to forfeit the title of
brethren. They reduced the fundamental doctrines of Christianity to a
few points. By this way of proceeding, they endeavoured to show that
neither the Episcopalians, who, generally speaking, were then Arminians,
nor the Presbyterians and Independents, who as generally adopted the
doctrines of Calvin, had any reason to oppose each other with such
animosity and bitterness; since the subjects of their debates were
matters non-essential to salvation, and might be variously explained and
understood without prejudice to their eternal interests. This plan
failing, through the violence of the bishops on one hand, (though
sanctioned by the Lord Chancellor Clarendon,) and by the jealousy of the
more rigid on the other, the name Latitudinarian became a term of
reproach, as implying an indifferency to all religions, and has been
generally so used ever since.