before they would happen to make the ex- signifies covering, and intimates that our act picture of a man And is a man easier offences are, by a proper atonement, covermade by chance than his picture? How ed from the avenging justice of God. In long might twenty thousand blind men, who order to understand the manner wherein should be sent out from several remote parts | Christ becomes an atonement, "we should," of England, wander up and down before says Dr. Watts, "consider the following they would all meet upon Salisbury plain, propositions, 1. The great God having made and fall into rank and file in the exact order man, appointed to govern him by a wise of an army? And, yet, this is much more and righteous law, wherein glory and ho easy to be imagined than how the innume-nour, life and immortality, are the designed rable blind parts of matter should rendez- rewards for perfect obedience; but tribulayous themselves into a world. A man that tion and wrath, pain and death, are the apsees Henry the Seventh's chapel at West-pointed recompense to those who violate minster might with as good reason maintain this law, Gen. iii. Rom. ii. 6. 16. Rom. i. 32. (yea, with much better, considering the vast || —2. All mankind have broken this law, difference betwixt that little structure and || Romans iii. 23. Rom. v. 12-3. God, in his the huge fabric of the world) that it was ne- infinite wisdom, did not think fit to pardon ver contrived or built by any means, but sinful man, without some compensation for that the stones did by chance grow into his broken law; for, 1. If the great Ruler those curious figures into which they seem of the world had pardoned the sins of men to have been cut and graven; and that upon without any satisfaction, then his laws might a time (as tales usually begin) the materials have seemed not worth the vindicating.-2 of that building, the stone, mortar, timber, Men would have been tempted to persist in iron, lead, and glass, happily met together, the rebellion, and to repeat their old offences. and very fortunately ranged themselves into -3. His forms of government among his that delicate order in which we see them creatures might have appeared as a matter now, so close compacted, that it must be a of small importance.-4. God had a mind to very great chance that parts them again. make a very illustrious display both of his What would the world think of a man that justice and of his grace among mankind; should advance such an opinion as this, and on these accounts he would not pardon sin write a book for it? If they would do him without a satisfaction.-5. Man, sinful man, right, they ought to look upon him as mad; is not able to make any satisfaction to God but yet with a little more reason than any for his own sins, neither by his labours, nor man can have to say, that the world was by his sufferings, Eph. ii. 1. 8. 9.-6. Though made by chance, or that the first men grew man be incapable to satisfy for his own vioup out of the earth as plants do now. For, lation of the law, yet God would not suffer can any thing be more ridiculous, and against all mankind to perish.-7. Because God inall reason, than to ascribe the production of tended to make a full display of the terrors men to the first fruitfulness of the earth, of his justice, and his divine resentment for without so much as one instance and expe- the violation of his law, therefore he ap riment, in any age or history, to countenance pointed his own Son to satisfy for the breach 90 monstrous a supposition? The thing is, at of it, by becoming a proper sacrifice of exfirst sight, so gross and palpable, that no piation or atonement, Gal. iii. 10. 13-8. discourse about it can make it more appa- The Son of God being immortal, could not rent. And yet, these shameful beggars of sustain all these penalties of the law which principles give this precarious account of the man had broken without taking the mortal original of things; assume to themselves to nature of man upon him, without assuming be the men of reason, the great wits of the flesh and blood, Heb. ii. 13. 14.-9. The Diworld, the only cautious and wary persons vine Being having received such ample satisthat hate to be imposed upon, that must faction for sin by the sufferings of his own have convincing evidence for every thing, Son, can honourably forgive his creature and can admit of nothing without a clear man, who was the transgressor, Rom. iii. 25, demonstration of it." See EXISTENCE OF 26. Now that this doctrine is true, will ap hear if we consider, 1. That an atonement Some of the principal writers on the ex- for sin, or an effectual method to answer istence of a Deity have been Newton, Boyle, the demands of an offended God, is the first Cheyne, Locke, Nieuwentyt, Derham, great blessing guilty man stood in need of, Bentley, Ray, Cudworth, Samuel and John Mic. vi. 6, 7.-2. The very first discoveries Clarke, Abernethy, Balguy, Baxter, Fene- of grace which were made to man. after his lon, &c. &c. Tillotson's sermon on the sub-fall implied in them something of an atoneject, as quoted above, has been considered as one of the best in the English language. See ser. i. vol. 1.

GOD.

ATONEMENT is the satisfying Divine Justice by Jesus Christ giving himself a ransom for us, undergoing the penalty due to our sins, and thereby releasing us from that punishment which God might justly inflict upon us, Rom. v. 11. The Hebrew word

ment for sin, and pointed to the propitiation Christ has now made, Gen. iii. 15.-3. The train of ceremonies which were appointed by God in the Jewish Church are plain significations of such an atonement, 2 Cor. iii. Col. ii. 7, 8, 9. Heb. x-4. Some of the prophecies confirm and explain the first promise, and shew that Christ was to die as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of men, Dan

ix. 24-26. Ís. liii.-5. Our Saviour himself foction in God which is in and of himself, taught us the doctrine of the atonement for and which in the creatures, in any measin by his death, Matt. xx. 28. John vi, 51. sure, is from him. This distinction is now Luke xxii. 19-6. The terrors of soul, the mostly discarded. Some distinguish them consternation and inward agonies which our into absolute and relative: absolute ones are blessed Lord sustained a little before his such as agree with the essence of God; as death, were a sufficient proof that he endured Jehovah, Jah, &c: relative ones are such punishments in his soul which were due to as agree with him in time, with some resin, Mark xiv. 33. Heb. v. 7.-7. This doc-spect to his creatures, as Creator, Governor, trine is declared, and confirmed, and ex- Preserver Redeemer, &c. But the more plained at large, by the apostles in their commonly received distinction of the attriwritings, 1 Cor. xv. 3. Eph. i. 7. 1 John ii. 2.butes of God, is into communicable and in&c. &c.-8. This was the doctrine that was || communicable ones. The communicable witnessed to the world by the amazing gifts ones are those of which there is some reof the Holy Ghost, which attended the Gos- semblance in men; as goodness, holiness, pel. [See the Acts of the Apostles] The wisdom, &c.: the incommunicable ones are inferences and uses to be derived from this such as there is no appearance or shadow of doctrine are these: 1. How vain are all the in men; as independence, immutability, imJabours and pretences of mankind to seek or mensity and eternity. See those different hope for any better religion than that which articles in this work; and Bates, Charnock, is contained in the Gospel of Christ. It is Abernethy, and Saurin on the Divine Perhere alone that we can find the solid and fections. rational principle of reconciliation to an ATTRITION. The casuists of the church offended God, Heb. iv. 14.—2. How strange of Rome have made a distinction between a and unreasonable is the doctrine of the Po-perfect and an imperfect contrition. The latpish church, who, while they profess to be- ter they call attrition; which is the lowest delieve the religion of Christ, yet introducegree of repentance, or a sorrow for sin arising many other methods of atonement for sin, from a sense of shame, or any temporal inbesides the sufferings of the Son of God. convenience attending the commission of it, or [See above.]-3. Here is a solid foundation, merely from fear of the punishment due to on which the greatest of sinners may hope it, without any resolution to sin no more: in for acceptance with God, 1 Tim i. 15.4 consequence of which doctrine, they teach This doctrine should be used as a powerful that, after a wicked and flagitious course of motive to excite repentance, Acts v. 31.-life, a man may be reconciled to God, and 5. We should use this atonement of Christ his sins forgiven on his death-bed, by conas our constant way of access to God in all fessing them to the priest with this imperour prayers, Heb. x. 19. 22-6. Also as a fect degree of sorrow and repentance. This divine guard against sin, Rom. vi. 1, 2. 1 distinction was settled by the council of Trent. Pet. i. 15. 19.-7. As an argument of preIt might, however, be easily shewn that the vailing force to be used in prayer, Rom. viii. 32-8. As a spring of love to God, and to his Son Jesus Christ, 1 John iv. 10-9. As a strong persuasive to that love and pity which we should slew on all occasions to AVARICE is an immediate love to and our fellow creatures, 1 John iv. 11.-10. It desire after riches, attended with extreme should excite patience and holy joy under diffidence of future events, making a person afflictions and earthly sorrows, Rom. v. 1. to|| rob himself of the necessary comforts of life, 3-11 We should consider it as an invita-for fear of diminishing his riches. See tion to the Lord's supper, where Christ is CoVETOUSNESS and MISER. set forth to us in the memorials of his pro- AVERSION, hatred or dislike-Dr. pitiation.-12. As a most effectual defence Watts and others oppose aversion to desire. against the terrors of dying, and as our joy- When we look, say they, upon an object as ful hope of a blessed resurrection, 1 Cor.good, it excites desire but when we look xv. 50-13. Lastly, as a divine allurement upon an object as evil, it awakens what we to the upper world." See Watts' Ser., ser. call aversion or avoidance. But Lord Kaims 34, 35, 36, 37; Evans on the Atonement; observes, that averson is opposed to affecDr. Owen on the Satisfaction of Christ;tion, and not to desire. We have an affecWest's Scrifiture Doctrine of the Atone-tion to one person: we have an' aversion to ment; Hervey's Theron and Aspasia, dial.another: the former disposes us to do good, 3; Dr. Magee's Discourses on the Atone- the latter to do ill. ment; Jerram's Letters on ditto. AUDIENTES, an order of catechumens ATTRIBUTES OF GOD ́are the seve-in the primitive Christian church. They ral qualities or perfections of the Divine nature. Some distinguish_them into the negative, and positive or affirmative. The negative are such as remove from him whatever is imperfect in creatures: such AUGSBURGH, or AUGUSTAN, CONare infinity, immutability, immortality, &c.FESSION, a celebrated confession of faith *The positive are such as assert some per-drawn up by Luther and Melancthon on be

E

mere sorrow for sin because of its consequences and not on account of its evil nature, is no more acceptable to God, than hypocrisy itself can be.

were so called from their being admitted to hear sermons and the scriptures read in the church; but they were not allowed to be present at the prayers.

half of themselves and other ancient re- || rule was, to have all things in common; the formers, and presented in 1550 to the empe- rich who enter among them to sell their ror Charles V. at the diet of Augusta, or possessions, and give them to the poor; to Augsburgh, in the name of the evangelic employ the first part of the morning in labody. This confession contains twenty-eight bouring with their hands, and the rest in chapters, of which the greatest part is em- reading: when they go abroad, to go always ployed in representing with perspicuity and two in company; never to eat but in their truth the religious opinions of the protest- monastery, &c. ants, and the rest in pointing out the errors and abuses that occasioned their separation from the church of Rome. The leading doctrines of this confession are, the true and essential divinity of the Son of God; his substitution, and vicarious sacrifice; and the necessity, freedom, and efficacy of Divine grace. A civil war followed this diet that lasted upwards of twenty years, but which only spread the new opinions, instead of ex-ous in his sentences. tirpating them.

AUGUSTINS, a religious order, who observed the rule of St. Augustin, prescribed them by pope Alexander IV. in 1256. This

BACKBITING. See DETRACTION and SLANDER.

AUSTERITY, a state of rigid mortification. It is distinguished from severity and rigour thus Austerity relates to the manner of living; severity to the manner of thinking; rigour to the manner of punishing To austerity is opposed effeminacy; to severity, relaxation; to rigour, clemency. A hermit is austere in his life; a casuist severe in his application of religion or law; a judge rigor

B.

AUTOCEPHALI BISHOPS. This denomination was given to such bishops in the primitive church as were exempted from the jurisdiction of others.

.

always be directed by his Spirit, and kept by his power. See APOSTACY.

SO

BACKSLIDING, the act of turning from BANGORIAN CONTROVERSY, the path of duty. It may be considered as called from Bangor, or the bishop thereof partial when applied to true believers, who Bishoh Hoadley, the bishop of that diocese, do not backslide with the whole bent of their preaching before George I. asserted the will; as voluntary, when applied to those supreme authority of Christ, as king in his who, after professing to know the truth, wil-own kingdom; and that he had not delefully turn from it, and live in the practice of gated his power, like temporal lawgivers sin; as final, when the mind is given up to during their absence from their kingdom, to judicial hardness, as in the case of Judas any persons, as his vicegerents or deputies. Partial backsliding must be distinguished This important sermon may be seen reprintfrom hypocrisy, as the former may existed in the Liverpool Theological Repository, where there are gracious intentions on the vol. 5. p. 301. In 1717, he also published his whole; but the latter is a studied profession || Preservative, in which he advanced some of appearing to be what we are not. positions contrary to temporal and spiritual The causes of backsliding are—the cares tyranny, and in behalf of the civil and reliof the world improper connexion; inatten-gious liberties of mankind: upon which he tion to secret or closet duties; self-conceit was violently opposed, accused, and perseand dependence; indolence; listening to and cuted, by the advocates for church power: parlying with temptations. A backsliding but he was defended and supported by the state is manifested by indifference to prayer civil powers, and his abilities and meekness and self-examination; trifling or unprofitable gained him the plaudits of many. conversation; neglect of public ordinances; BANIANS, a religious sect in the empire shunning the people of God; associating with of the Mogul, who believe a Metempsythe world; thinking lightly of sin; neglect of chosis; and will therefore eat no living the Bible; and often by gross immorality.creature, nor kill even noxious animals, but The consequences of this awful state are- endeavour to release them when in the loss of character; loss of comfort; loss of hands of others. The name Banian is someusefulness; and as long as any remain in times extended to all the idolaters of India, this state, a loss of a well-grounded hope of as contradistinguished from the Mahomefuture happiness. To avoid this state, or recover from it, we should beware of the BAPTISM, the ceremony of washing, or first appearance of sin; be much in prayer; the application of water to a person, in the attend the ordinances; and unite with the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy people of God. We should consider the Ghost, by which he is initiated into the visiawful instances of apostacy, as Saul, Judas, ble church. Baptism exhibits to us the blessDemas, &c.; the many warnings we have of ings of pardon, salvation through Jesus Christ, it, Matt. xxiv. 13. Heb x. 38. Luke ix. 62;union to and communion with him, the outhow it grieves the Holy Spirit; and how wretched it makes us: above all things, our dependance should be on God, that we may

tial reasoning) that any but John himself was engaged as operator in his baptism; whereas Christ himself baptized none; but his disciples, by his authority, and in his name, John iv. 2. |

perpetual devotedness to his praise. Baptism does not constitute a visible subject, but only recognizes one. Ministers only have a right to administer it: and have a negative voice in opposition to all claims. It is an ordinance binding on all who have been Baptism has been the subject of long and given up to God in it; and to be perpetu- sharp controversy, both as it respects the ated to the end of the world. It is not, how-subject and the mode. To state all that has ever, essential to salvation; for mere par- been said on both sides, would be impossiticipation of sacraments cannot qualify men ble in a work of this kind. An abstract, for heaven many have real grace, conse- however, of the chief arguments I think it quently in a salvable state, before they were my duty to present to the reader, in order baptized besides, to suppose it essential, is that he may judge for himself. to put it in the place of that which it signifies.

As to the subject.

The ANTIPÆDOBAPTISTS hold that

believing adults only are proper subjects, because Christ's commission to baptize appears to them to restrict this ordinance to such only as are taught, or made disciples; and that, consequently, infants, who cannot be thus taught, are to be excluded. It does not appear, say they, that the apostle's, in executing Christ's commission, ever baptized any but those who were first instructed in the Christian faith, and professed their belief of it. They contend that infants can receive no benefit from it, and are not capable of faith and repentance, which are to be considered as pre-requisites.

As to the mode.

Baptism has been supposed by many learned persons to have had its origin from the Jewish church; in which they maintain, it was the practice, long before Christ's time, to baptize proselytes or converts to their faith, as part of the ceremony of their admission." It is strange to me," says Dr. Doddridge, "that any should doubt of this, when it is plain, from express passages in the Jewish law, that no Jew who had lived like a Gentile for one day could be restored to the communion of this church without it. Compare Num. xix. 19, and 20 and many other precepts relating to ceremonial pollutions, in which may be seen, that the Jews were rendered incapable of appearing before God in the tabernacle or temple, till they were washed either by bathing or sprinkling." Others, however, insist that the JewThey observe that the meaning of the ish proselyte baptism is not by far so ancient; word Bar signifies immersion or dipping and that John the Baptist was the first ad-only; that John baptized in Jordan; that he ministrator of baptism among the Jews. The baptism of John, and that of our that Jesus came up out of the water; that chose a place where there was much water; Saviour and his apostles, have been supposed Philip and the Eunuch went down both into to have been the same: because they agree, the water. That the terms washing, purifyit is said, in their subjects, form, and end. But it must be observed, that though there ing, burying in baptism, so often mentioned be an agreement in some particulars, yet mersion only was the practice of the aposin scripture, allude to this mode; that imthere is not in all. The immediate institles and the first Christians; and that it was tutor of John's baptism was God the Father, John i. 33; but the immediate institutor of the Christian baptism was Christ, Matthew xxviii. 19. John's baptism was a preparatory rite, referring the subjects to Christ, who was about to confer on them spiritual blessings, Matt. iii. 11. John's baptism was confined to the Jews; but the Christian was common to Jews and Gentiles, Matt. iii. 5. 7. Matt. xxviii. 19. It does not appear that John had any formula of administration; but the Christian baptism has, viz. "In the name," &c. The baptism of John was the concluding scene of the legal dispensation, and, in fact, part of it; and to be considered as one of those "divers washings" among the Jews; for he did not attempt to make any alteration in the Jewish religion, nor did the persons he baptized cease to be members of the Jewish church on the account of their baptism; but Christian baptism is the regular entrance into, and is a part of the evangelical dispensation, Gal. iii 27. It does not appear from the inspired narrative (however probable from inferen-"

only laid aside from the love of novelty, and the coldness of our climate. These positions, the history of the church, that they stand in they think, are so clear from scripture, and need of but little argument to support them. institutions depend entirely upon the will Farther, they do also insist that all positive therefore, reasoning by analogy from previand declaration of the institutor, and that, ous abrogated rites, is to be rejected, and the express command of Christ respecting baptism ought to be our rule.

PÆDOBAPTISTS.

The Pædobaptists, however, are of a diffe rent opinion. As to the subject, they believe that qualified adults who have not been baptized before, are certainly proper subjects; but, then, they think also that infants are not to be excluded. They believe that, as the Abrahamic and the Christian covenants are the same, Gen. xvii. 7. Heb. viii. 12: that as children were admitted under the former; and that as baptism is now a seal sign, or

confirmation of this covenant, infants have Cyprian, and a council of ministers (held as great a right to it as the children had a about the year 254) no less than sixty-six right to the seal of circumcision under the in number, unanimously agreed that children law, Acts ii. 39. Rom. iv. 11. That if chil- might be baptized as soon as they were born. dren are not to be baptized because there is Ambrose who wrote about 274 years from the no positive command for it, for the same apostles, declare that the baptism of infants reason women should not come to the Lord's had been the practice of the apostles themsupper: we should not keep the first day of selves, and of the church, till that time. The the week, nor attend public worship, for catholic church every where declared, says none of these are expressly commanded; Chrysostom, in the fifth century, that infants that if infant baptism had been a human in- should be baptized; and Augustin affirmed vention, how would it have been so univer- that he never heard nor read of any Chris sal in the first 300 years, and yet no re- tian, catholic, or sectarian, but who always cord left when it was introduced, nor any held that infants were to be baptized. They dispute or controversy about it? Some bring farther believe, that there needed no menit to these two ideas: 1. That God did con- tion in the New Testament of receiving institute in his church the membership of fants into the church, as it had been once infants, and admitted them to it by a reli- appointed and never repealed. The dictates gious ordinance, Gen. xvii. Gal. iii. 14. 17.- of nature, also, in parental feelings; the ver2. That this right of infants to church mem- dict of reason in favour of privileges: the bership was never taken away. This being evidence in favour of children being sharers the case, infants must be received, because of the seals of grace, in common with their God has instituted it: and since infants parents, for the space of 4000 years; and must be received, it must be either without especially the language of prophecy, in rebaptism or with it: but none must be receiv-ference to the children of the Gospel church, ed without baptism, therefore infants must made it very probable that they were not to of necessity be baptized. Hence, it is clear, be rejected. So far from confining it to that, under the Gospel, infants, are still con- adults, it must be remembered that there tinued exactly in the same relation to God is not a single instance recorded in the New and his church, in which they were ori-Testament in which the descendants of Chrisginally placed under the former dispensation.

tian parents were baptized in adult years.

That infants are not proper subjects for That infants are to be received into the baptism, because they cannot profess faith church, and as such baptized, is also inferred and repentance, they deny. This objection from the following passages of Scripture: || falls with as much weight upon the instituGen. xvii. Is. xliv. 3. Matt. xix. 13. Luke tion of circumcision as infant baptism; since ix. 47, 48. Mark ix. 14. Acts ii. 38, 39. Rom. they are as capable, or are as fit subjects for xi. 17. 21. 1 Cor. vii. 14. the one as the other. It is generally acknowThough there are no express examples in ledged, that, if infants die (and a great part the New Testament of Christ and his apos- of the human race do die in infancy,) they tles baptizing infants, yet this is no proof are saved; if this be the case, then, why rethat they were excluded. Jesus Christ ac-fuse them the sign in infancy, if they are tually blessed little children; and it would be hard to believe that such received his blessings, and yet were not to be members of the Gospel church. If Christ received them. and would have us receive them in his name, how can it be reconciled to keep them out of the visible church? Besides, if children were not to be baptized it would have been expressly forbidden. None of the Jews had any apprehension of the rejection of infants, which they must have had, if infants had been rejected. As whole households were baptized, it is probable there were children among them. From the year 400 to 1150, no society of men, in all that period of 750 years, ever pretended to say it was unlawful to baptize infants; and still nearer the time of our Saviour there appears to have been scarcely any one that so much as advised the delay of infant baptism, Irenæus, who lived in the second century, and was well acquainted with Polycarp, who was John's disciple, declares expressly that the church learned from the apostles to baptize children. Origen, in the third century, affirmed that the custom of baptizing infants was received from Christ and his apostles

capable of enjoying the thing signified? "Why," says Dr Owen, "is it the will of God that unbelievers should not be baptized? It is because, not granting them the grace, he will not grant them the sign. If God, therefore, denies the sign to the infant seed of believers, it must be because he denies them the grace of it; and then all the children of believing parents (upon these principles) dying in their infancy, must, without hope, be eternally damned. I do not say that all must be so who are not baptized; but all must be so whom God would not have bap tized." Something is said of baptism, it is observed, that cannot agree to infants: faith goes before baptism; and, as none but adults are capable of believing, so no others are capable of baptism; but it is replied, if infants must not be baptized because something is said of baptism that does not agree to infants, Mark xvi. 16, then infants must not be saved, because something is said of salvation that does not agree to infants, Mark xvi. 16. As none but adults are capable of be lieving, so, by the argument of the Baptists, none but adults are capable of salvation; for he that believeth not shall be damned. But