on, of their own tenets:

"Molanus," he says, "will not allow retractation to be mentioned.
It may be dispensed with; it will be sufficient, that the parties
acknowledge, the truth, by way of declaration or explanation. To
this, the Symbolical Books, give a clear opening, as appears by the
passages, which have been produced from them, and will appear, by
other passages, which may be produced from them."

If Bossuet was thus considerate, in what regarded faith, it will easily
be supposed, how indulgent his sentiments were, in respect to all, that
merely regarded discipline. A complete confession of faith, being once
obtained from the Lutherans, he was willing, to allow them, if they
required it, communion under both kinds; that their Bishops, should
retain their Sees; and that, where there was no Bishop, and the whole
body of the people, was Protestant, under the care, of a superintendant,
_that_ superintendant, should be consecrated their Bishop; that, where
there was a Catholic Bishop, and a considerable part of the diocese, was
Lutheran, the superintendant, should be consecrated priest, and invested
with rank, and office, that the Lutheran ministers, should be
consecrated priests; that provision should be made for their support;
that such of their bishops, and ministers, as were married, might
retain their wives, and that the consciences of those, who held
possessions of the church, should be quieted, except in respect, to
hospitals, whose possessions he thought, could not conscientiously be
withheld, from the poor objects of their foundations; and that every
other arrangement should be made, by the church and state, which would
be agreeable, to the feelings, and prejudices, of their new brethren.

Such were the advances made by Bossuet; and much discussion on them,
took place, between him, and Leibniz. It continued ten years. They are
very learned, and a scholar will read them with delight; but,
unfortunately, they rather retarded, than promoted, their object. The
real business ended, when Molanus quitted the scene. We shall close this
article, with the following extract from the last letter but one,
written by Bossuet, on the subject. It is addressed to Leibniz, and
bears date the 12th August, 1701, ten years, after his first letter, on
it was written:

"Among the divines of the Confession of Augsburg, I always placed
M. Molanus, in the first rank, as a man, whose learning, candour