mitted by the sight," when the eyes are anointed; by the hearing, when the ears are anointed; and so of the other senses.

Eph. i. 18. Fellowship, 1 Cor. i. 9. Security, John xv. Felicity, 1 Pet. i. 8. Spirituality, John xv. 8. and, indeed, all the rich communications of spiritual blessings here and hereafter, Col. i. 22. The evidences of union to Christ are, light in the understanding, 1 Pet. ii. 9. Affection to him, John xiv. 21. Frequent communion with him, 1 John i. 3. Delight in his word, ordinances, and people, Psal. xxvii. 4. Psal. cxix. Submission to his will, and conformity to his image. 1 John ii. 5. Dickinson's Letters, let. 17. Flavel's Me

The passage before mentioned from St. James respecting the anointing with oil, has been a source of difficulty to some pious minds; but in order to understand it, it is necessary to observe, that anointing with oil was an ordinance for the miraculous cure of sick persons (Mark vi. 13.) But since those extraordinary gifts are ceased as being no longer necessary for the confirmation of the Gospel, of course there is no warrant now for using that cere-thod of Grace, ser. 2. Polhill on Union. mony. Brown's Compend. b. 5. ch. 1.

UNDERSTANDING, the faculty of perceiving things distinctly; or that power of the mind by which we arrive at a proper idea or judgment of things. See JUDGMENT, MIND, SOUL.

UNION HYPOSTATICAL, is the union of the human nature of Christ with the divine, constituting two natures in one person. Not consubstantially, as the three persons in the Godhead; nor physically, as soul and UNIFORMITY, regularity; a similitude body united in one person; nor mystically or resemblance between the parts of a as is between Christ and believers; but so whole. The word is particularly used for that the manhood subsists in the second one and the same form of public prayers, || person, yet without making confusion, both administration of sacraments, and other making but one person. It was miraculous, rites, &c. of the church of England, pre- Luke i. 34, 35. Complete and real: Christ scribed by the famous stat. 1 Eliz. and 13. took a real human body and soul, and not in 14. Carol. II cap. 4, called the Act of appearance. Inseparable, Heb. vii. 25. Uniformity. For the reasons of this union, see article MEDIATOR.

UNITARIANS, those who confine the glory and attributes of divinity to the Father, and not allowing it to the Son or Holy Spirit. They are the same as the Socinians. See SOCINIANS.

UNITED BRETHREN. See MORAVIANS.

UNITY OF GOD, a term made use of to denote that there is but one God or Selfexistent Being. The unity of God is argued from his necessary existence, self-sufficiency, perfection, independence, and omnipotence; from the unity of design in the works of nature: and from there being no necessity of having more gods than one: but the scriptures set it beyond all doubt, Deut, vi. 4. Psal. lxxxvi. 10. Isa. xliii. 10. Mark xii. 29. John xvii. 3. Rom. iii. 30. 1 Cor. viii 4, 6. 1 Tim. ii. 5. See POLYTHEISM. Abernethy on the Attributes of God, vol. i. ser. 5. Wilkins' Natural Religion, page 113, 114. Howe's Works, vol. Divinity, vol. i. 8vo.

UNION TO CHRIST, that act of divine grace by which we are joined to Christ; and is considered, 1. As virtual, or that which was formed from all eternity, Eph. i. 4.-2. Vital or spiritual, formed in the moment of our regeneration, John xvii. 26. 1 John iv. 13. It is represented in the scripture by the strongest expressions language can admit of, and even compared to the union between the Father and the Son, John xvii. 11, 21, &c. It is also compared to the union of a vine and its branches, John xv. 4, 5. To the union of our food with our bodies, John vi. 56, 57. To the union of the body with the head, Eph. iv 15, 16. To the conjugal union, Eph. v. 23, 30 To the union of a king and his subjects, Matt. xxv. 34, 40. To a building, 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5. Eph. ii 21, 22. It is also represented by an identity or sameness of spirit, 1 Cor vi. 17. By an identity of body, 1 Cor xii 12, 27. By an identity of interest, Matt. xxv 40. John xx. 17. This union must be considered not as a mere mentali. page 72, 73. Gill's union only in comfort or notion; nor a phy-edition, page 183. Ridgely's Divinity, sical union as between the head and the members; nor as an essential union, or union with the Divine nature; but as a mystical union, Eph. v. 32 Honourable union, 1 John iii. 1, 2. Supernatural union, 1 Cor. i. 30. Holy, 1 John iii. 24. Necessary. John xv. 4. Inviolable, Rom. viii. 38, 39. Some state it thus: 1. An union of natures, Heb. ii. 11.-2. Of actions, his obedience being imputed to us, and our sins reckoned to him, 2 Cor. v. 21-3. Of life, Col. iii. 4. -4. Of sentiment, 2 Cor. v. 17-5. Of interest, Matt xxv. 34, &c-6 Of affection, 2 Cor. v. 14.-7. Of residence, John xvii. 24. The advantages of it are knowledge, ||

question 8.

UNIVERSALISTS, those who suppose that, as Christ died for all, so, before he shall have delivered up his mediatorial kingdom to the Father, all shall be brought to a participation of the benefits of his death, in their restoration to holiness and happiness. They teach, that the wicked will receive a punishment apportioned to their crimes; that punishment itself is a mediatorial work, and founded upon mercy; that it is a mean of humbling, subduing, and finally reconciling the sinner to God. They suppose that the words eternal, everlasting, &c. as they sometimes apply to the

At first these religious did not live in community, but abode separately in their The title of Universalists distinguishes father's houses; and their employment was those who embrace the sentiments of Mr. to search for the afflicted, to comfort Relly. See RELLYANISTS. Dr. Joseph them; for the ignorant, to instruct them; Huntingdon was a great advocate also for and for the poor, to relieve them: to visit universal salvation, as may be seen from a the hospitals, and to attend upon the posthumous work of his, entitled, « Calvin- sick; in short, to be always ready to do ism improved; or the Gospel illustrated acts of charity and compassion. In 1544, in a System of real Grace issuing in the pope Paul III. confirmed the institution of Salvation of all Men." This work was an- the Ursulines. Sir Charles Borromeo swered by Mr. Nathan Strong, minister brought some of them from Brescia to Miof Hartford, in Connecticut; in which helan, where they multiplied to the number endeavours to reconcile the doctrine of eternal misery with the infinite benevolence of God.

of four hundred. Pope Gregory XIII. and his successors Sixtus V. and Paul V. granted new privileges to this congregation. In This doctrine of universal salvation, or process of time, the Ursulines, who before restoration, besides being generally acknow-lived separately, began to live in commu

W.

recommended in the precepts and injunc-man manner by the ministers of Rome.
tions of the Divine Author of our holy reli- This persecution was carried on with pecu-
gion. In consequence of this design, they liar marks of rage and enormity in the
complained that the Roman church had years 1655, 1656, and 1696, and seemed to
degenerated under Constantine the Great, portend nothing less than the total extinction
from its primitive purity and sanctity. They of that unhappy nation. The most horrid
denied the supremacy of the Roman pontiff, scenes of violence and bloodshed were exhi-
and maintained that the rulers and minis-bited in this theatre of papal tyranny; and
ters of the church were obliged, by their the few Waldenses that survived were in-
vocation, to imitate the poverty of the apos- debted for their existence and support to
tles, and to procure for themselves a subsis- the intercession made for them by the En-
tence by the work of their hands. They glish and Dutch governments, and also by
considered every Christian as, in a certain the Swiss cantons, who solicited the clemen-
measure, qualified and authorized to instruct, cy of the duke of Savoy on their behalf.
exhort, and confirm the brethren in their WATCHES. See ACOEMETÆ.
Christian course; and demanded the resto- WATCHFULNESS, vigilance, or care
ration of the ancient penitential discipline to avoid surrounding enemies and dangers.
of the church, i. e. the expiation of trans-We are to watch against the insinuations of
gressions by prayer, fasting, and alms, Satan; the allurements of the world; the
which the new invented doctrine of indul- deceitfulness of our hearts; the doctrines of
gences had almost totally abolished.-They the erroneous; and, indeed, against every
at the same time affirmed, that every pious thing that would prove inimical to our best
Christian was qualified and entitled to pre-interests. We are to exercise this duty at
scribe to the penitent the kind or degree of all times, in all places, and under all cir-
satisfaction or expiation that their transgres- cumstances, 1 Cor. xvi. 13. Luke xii. 37.
sions required; that confession made to To watch, is also to wait for and expect:
priests was by no means necessary, since thus we are, 1. To watch the providence of
the humble offender might acknowledge his God.-2. The fulfilment of the prophecies.
sins and testify his repentance to any true-6. God's time for our deliverance from
believer, and might expect from such the
counsel and admonition which his case de-
manded. They maintained, that the power
of delivering sinners from the guilt and pun- WATERLANDIANS, a sect of Ana-
ishment of their offences belonged to God baptists in Holland. They are thus called
alone; and that indulgences, of consequence, in distinction from the Flemingians, or Flan-
were the criminal inventions of sordid ava-drians, and likewise because they consisted
rice. They looked upon the prayers and
other ceremonies that were instituted in be-
half of the dead, as vain, useless, and ab-
surd, and denied the existence of departed
souls in an intermediate state of purification;
affirming, that they were immediately, upon
their separation from the body, received
into heaven, or thrust down to hell. These
and other tenets of a like nature composed
the system of doctrine propagated by the
Waldenses. It is also said, that several of
the Waldenses denied the obligation of in-
fant baptism, and that others rejected water
baptism entirely; but Wall has laboured to
prove that infant baptism was generally
practised among them.

troubles, Ps. cxxx.-4. We are to watch
unto prayer, Eph. vi. 18.-5. For death and
judgment, Mark xiii. 37.

at first of the inhabitants of a district in
North Holland, called Waterland. The
Flemingians were called the fine or rigid
and the Waterlandrians the gross or mode-
rate Anabaptists. The former observe,
with the most religious accuracy and vene-
ration, the ancient doctrine and discipline of
the purer sort of Anabaptists; the latter
depart much more from the primitive sen-
timents and manners of their sect, and ap-
proach nearer to the Protestant churches.
These latter, however, are divided into two
distinct sects, the Waterlanders and the
Frieslanders: but this difference, it is said,
merely respects their place of abode. Nei-
ther party have any bishops, but only pres-
Their rules of practice were extremely byters and deacons. Each congregation is
austere; for they adopted as the model of independent of all foreign jurisdiction, hav-
their moral discipline the sermon of Christ ing its own court of government, composed
on the mount, which they interpreted and of the presbyters and deacons. But, the
explained in the most rigorous and literal supreme power being in the hands of the
manner; and consequently prohibited and people, nothing of importance can be trans-
condemned in their society all wars, and acted without their consent. The presby-
suits of law, and all attempts towards the ters are generally men of learning; and they
acquisition of wealth; the inflicting of capi-have a public professor at Amsterdam for
tal punishments, self-defence, against unjust
violence, and oaths of all kinds.

instructing their youth in the different
branches of erudition, sacred and profane.
During the greatest part of the seven- About 1664, the Waterlanders were split
teenth century, those of them who lived in into the two factions of the Galenists and
the vallies of Piedmont, and who had embra- the Apostoolians.-Galen Abraham Haan,
ced the doctrine, discipline, and worship of doctor of physic and pastor of the Mennon-
the church of Geneva, were oppressed andites at Amsterdam, a man of uncommon
persecuted in the most barbarous and inhu- penetration and eloquence, inclined towards

the Arian and Socinian tenets, and insisted | cessions, walking two by two, with their for the reception of all such in their church shoulders bare, which they whipped till the fellowship as acknowledged the divine au- blood ran down, in order to obtain mercy thority of the scriptures, and led virtuous from God, and appease his indignation lives. He and his followers renounced the against the wickedness of the age. They designation of the Mennonites. They were were then called the Devout; and, having with great zeal opposed by Samuel Apostool, established a superior, he was called Geneanother physician and eminent pastor at ral of the Devotion. Though the primitive Amsterdam, who, with his followers, admit- Whippers were exemplary in point of ted none to their communion but such as morais, yet they were joined by a turbulent professed to believe all the points of doctrine rabble, who were infected with the most ricontained in their public Confession of Faith. diculous and impious opinions: so that the WEDNESDAY, ASH. The first day of emperors and pontiffs thought proper to put Lent, when, in the primitive church noto- an end to this religious frenzy, by declaring rious sinners were put to open penance all devout whipping contrary to the divine thus: they appeared at the church door law, and prejudicial to the soul's eternal bare-footed, and clothed in sackcloth, interest. where, being examined, their discipline was However, this sect revived in Germany proportioned according to their offences; towards the middle of the next century, after which, being brought into the church, and, rambling through many provinces, ncthe bishop singing the seven penitential casioned great disturbances. They, hell, psalms, they prostrated themselves, and among other things, that whipping was of with tears begged absolution; the whole equal virtue with baptism and the other congregation having ashes on their heads, sacraments; that the forgiveness of all sus to signify, that they were both mortal and was to be obtained by it from God without deserved to be burnt to ashes for their sins. the merits of Jesus Christ; that the d WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY, a name law of Christ was soon to be abolished, and given to the synod of divines called by par- that a new law, enjoining the bapusm of liament in the reign of Charles I. for the blood to be administered by whipping, was purpose of settling the government, liturgy, to be substituted in its place: upon which and doctrine of the church of England. They Clement VII. by an injudicious as well as were confined in their debates to such things unrighteous policy, thundered out anathemas as the parliament proposed. Some counties against the Whippers, who were burnt by had two members, and some but one. And the inquisitors in several places; but they because they would seem impartial, and were not easily extirpated. They apgive each party the liberty to speak, they peared again in Thuringia and Lower chose many of the most learned episcopal | Saxony in the fifteenth century, and redivines; but few of them came, because it jected not only the sacraments, but every was not a legal convocation, the king having branch of external worship; and placed declared against it. The divines were men their only hopes of salvation in faith and of eminent learning and godliness, ministe-whipping, to which they added other rial abilities, and fidelity. Many lords and strange doctrines concerning evil spirits. commons were joined with them, to see that Their leader, Conrad Schmidt, and many they did not go beyond their commission. others, were committed to the flames by Six or seven Independents were also added German inquisitors, in and after the year to them, that all sides might be heard. 1414. This assembly first met July 1, 1643, in Henry the Seventh's Chapel. The most remarkable hints concerning their debates are WHITSUNDAY, a solemn festival of to be found in the Life of Dr. Lightfoot, be- the Christian church, observed on the fitfore his works, in folio, and in the Prefacetieth day after Easter, in memory of the to his Remains, in octavo. See also the As-descent of the Holy Ghost upon the ape sembly's Confession of Faith. Neal's Hist.tles in the visible appearance of tary of the Puritans; and article DIRECTORY, cloven tongues, and of those miraculus in this work. There is a publication which powers which were then conferred upon is commonly, but unjustly ascribed to this them. assembly, viz. The Annotations on the Bible. The truth is, the same parliament that called the assembly, employed the authors of that work, and several of them were members of the assembly.

WHITE BRETHREN, See BRETHREN WHITE.

It is called Whitsunday, or White Sunday, because this being one of the stated times for baptism in the ancient church, those who were baptised put on white garments, as types of that spiritual purity they received in baptism. As the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles happened en that day which the Jews called Pentecost. this festival retained the name Pentecost

WHIPPERS, or FLAGELLANTES, a set of wild fanatics, who chastised and disciplined themselves with whips in public. It had its rise in Italy in the year 1260: its author was one Rainer, a hermit, and it was pro-among the Christians. pagated from hence through almost all the WICKEDNESS. See SIN.

countries of Europe. A great number of WICKLIFFITES, the followers of the persons, of all ages, and sexes, made pro-famous John Wickliffe, called "the first re