LATITUDINARIANS

In Eccl. History, a cla of English divines in the reign of Charles 11., opposed alike to the high tenets of the ruling party in the church, and the fanaticism which then distinguished so many of the Di enters. They were of course the objects of much attack; and one of their number. Fowler, Bishop of Gloucester, explained their principles in his treatise entitled *' The Principles and Practice of certain modern Divines of the Church of Enfrland, vulgarly called Latitudinarians, truly represented and defended, by way of Dialogue. 1670." Henry More, and the other Plat on i zing divines of the time, were sometimes comprehended under this appellation. (See Mosheim, vol. v. p. 412., transl., ed. 1790.) The word has been since very generally used to designate those who hold opinions at variance with the more rigid interpretation of Scripture and church traditions, or merely as a term of party vituperation. [s. 654]