Trans. ser. 9: Paley's Mor. Phil.for an immoderate or illegal pursuit of power or honour. See

ch. 5, vol. i.

ALOGIANS, a sect of ancient PRAISE. heretics who denied that Jesus

a

AMEDIANS, a congregation

Christ was the Logos, and conse-of religious in Italy; so called from quently rejected the gospel of St. their professing themselves amanJohn. The word is compounded tes Deum," lovers of God;" or of the privative & and yes; q. d. rather amati Deo, "beloved of without logos, or word. They made God." They wore a gray habit their appearance toward the close and wooden shoes, had no breechof the second century. es, and girt themselves with a cord. ALTAR, a kind of table or They had twenty-eight convents, raised place whereon the ancient and were united by Pope Pius V, sacrifices were offered. 2. The ta-partly with the Cistercian order, ble, in christian churches, where and partly with that of the Soccothe Lord's supper is administered. lanti, or wooden shoe wearers. Altars are, doubtless, of great an- AMEN, a Hebrew word, which, tiquity; some suppose they were when prefixed to an assertion, sigas early as Adam; but there is no nifies assuredly, certainly, or emmention made of them till after the phatically so it is; but when it flood, when Noah built one, and concludes a prayer, so be it, or so offered burnt offerings on it. The let it be, is its manifest import. In Jews had two altars in and about the former case it is assertive, or their temple; 1, the altar of burnt assures of a truth or a fact; and offerings; 2, the altar of incense; is an asseveration, and is, properly some also call the table for shew-translated, verily, John iii, 3. In bread an altar, but improperly, the latter case it is petitionary, Exod. xx, 24, 25. 1st Kings xviii, and, as it were, epitomizes all the 30. Exod. xxv, xxvii, and xxx. requests with which it stands conHeb. ix. nected, Numb. v, 22. Rev. xxii, AMAZEMENT, a term some-20. This emphatical term was times employed to express our not used among the Hebrews by wonder; but it is rather to be con-detached individuals only, but, on sidered as a medium between won-certain occasions, by an assembly der and astonishment. It is mani at large, Deut. xxvii, 14, 26. It festly borrowed from the extensive was adopted, also, in the public and complicated intricacies of a la-worship of the primitive churches, byrinth, in which there are endless as appears by that passage, 1st mazes, without the discovery of a Cor. xiv, 26, and was continued clue. Hence an idea is conveyed of among the christians in following more than simple wonder; the mind times; yea, such was the extreme is lost in wonder. See WONDer. into which many run, that Jerome AMBITION, a desire of excel-informs us, in his time, that, at ling, or at least of being thought to the conclusion of every public excel, our neighbours in any thing.prayer, the united amen of the It is generally used in a bad sense people sounded like the fall of

water, or the noise of thunder.poses; and that many perish thro Nor is the practice of some pro-their own fault. Those who emfessors in our own time to be com-braced this doctrine were called mended, who, with a low, though Universalists; though it is evident audible voice, add their amen to they rendered grace universal in almost every sentence as it pro-words, but partial in reality. See ceeds from the lips of him who is CAMERONItes. praying. As this has a tendency ANABAPTISTS, those who to interrupt the devotion of those maintain that baptism ought always that are near them, and may dis-to be performed by immersion. concert the thoughts of him who The word is compounded of leads the worship, it would be "new," and Balicas, "a Baptist;" better omitted, and a mental amen signifying that those who have been is sufficient. The term, as used baptized in their infancy ought to at the end of our prayers, suggests be baptized anew. It is a word that we should pray with under-which has been indiscriminately standing, faith, fervour, and expec-applied to christians of very differtation. See Mr. Booth's Amen to ent principles and practices. The social Prayers. English and Dutch Baptists do not AMMONIANS. See NEW consider the word as at all applicable to their sect; because those AMSDORFIANS, a sect, in persons whom they baptize they the sixteenth century, who took consider as never having been baptheir name from Amsdorf, their tized before, although they have leader. They maintained that good undergone what they term the works were not only unprofitable, ceremony of sprinkling in their but were obstacles to salvation. infancy.

PLATONICS.

AMYRALDISM, a name giv- The Anabaptists of Germany, en by some writers to the doctrine besides their notions concerning of universal grace, as explained baptism, depended much upon cerand asserted by Amyraldus or tain ideas which they entertained Moses Amyrault, and others, his concerning a perfect church estafollowers, among the reformed inblishment, pure in its members, France, towards the middle of the and free from the institutions of seventeenth century. This doc-human policy. The most prutrine principally consisted of the dent part of them considered it following particulars, viz. that God possible, by human industry and desires the happiness of all men, vigilance, to purify the church; and none are excluded by a divine and, seeing the attempts of Luther decree; that none can obtain salva-to be successful, they hoped that tion without faith in Christ; that the period was arrived in which God refuses to none the power of the church was to be restored to believing, though he does not grant this purity. Others, not satisfied to all his assistance that they may with Luther's plan of reformation, improve this power to saving pur-undertook a more perfect plan, or,

more properly, a visionary enter-velations with which they pretendprise, to found a new church en-ed to have been favoured from tirely spiritual and divine. above; but, when they found that This sect was soon joined by this would not avail, and that the great numbers, whose characters ministry of Luther and other reand capacities were very different. formers was detrimental to their Their progress was rapid; for, in cause, they then madly attempted a very short space of time, their to propagate their sentiments by discourses, visions, and predic-force of arms. Munzer and his tions, excited great commotions associates, in the year 1525, put in a great part of Europe. The themselves at the head of a numermost pernicious faction of allous army, and declared war against those which composed this motley all laws, governments and magismultitude, was that which pretend-trates of every kind, under the chied that the founders of this new merical pretext, that Christ himself and perfect church were under a was now to take the reins of all divine impulse, and were armed government into his hands; but against all opposition by the pow-this seditious crowd was routed er of working miracles. It was this and dispersed by the elector of faction, that, in the year 1521, be-Saxony and other princes, and gan their fanatical work under the Munzer, their leader, put to death. guidance of Munzer, Stubner, Many of his followers, however, Storck, &c. These men taught, survived, and propagated their that, among christians, who had opinions through Germany, Switthe precepts of the gospel to direct zerland, and Holland. In 1533 and the Spirit of God to guide a party of them settled at Munthem, the office of magistracy was ster, under two leaders of the not only unnecessary, but an un-names of Matthias and Bockholdt. lawful encroachment on their spi-Having made themselves masters ritual liberty; that the distinctions of the city, they deposed the maoccasioned by birth, rank, or gistrates, confiscated the estates of wealth, should be abolished; that such as had escaped, and deposited all christians, throwing their pos- the wealth in a public treasury for sessions into one stock, should live common use. They made prepatogether in that state of equality rations for the defence of the city; which becomes members of the invited the Anabaptists in the low same family; that, as neither the countries to assemble at Munster, laws of Nature, nor the precepts which they called Mount Sion, of the New Testament, had pro- that from thence they might rehibited polygamy, they should use duce all the nations of the earth the same liberty as the patriarchs under their dominion. Matthias did in this respect. was soon cut off by the bishop of

They employed, at first, the va-Munster's army, and was succeedrious arts of persuasion, in ordered by Bockholdt, who was proto propagate their doctrines; and claimed, by a special designation related a number of visions and re-of heaven, as the pretended king VOL. I.

E

of Sion, and invested with legisla-grand rule for understanding the tive powers like those of Moses. true sense of scripture. It is eviThe city of Munster, however, dent that the Almighty doth not was taken, after a long siege, and act without a design in the system Bockholdt punished with death. of christianity any more than he

It must be acknowledged that does in the works of Nature. Now the true rise of the insurrections of this design must be uniform; for this period ought not to be attri-as in the system of the universe buted to religious opinions. The every part is proportioned to the first insurgents groaned under se-whole, and made subservient to it, vere oppressions, and took up so in the system of the gospel all arms in defence of their civil liber-the various truths, doctrines, deties; and of these commotions the clarations, precepts, and promises, Anabaptists seemed rather to have must correspond with and tend availed themselves, than to have to the end designed. For instance, been the prime movers. That a supposing the glory of God in the great part was Anabaptists, seems salvation of man by free grace be indisputable; at the same time it the grand design; then whatever appears from history, that a great doctrine, assertion, or hypothesis, part also were Roman catholics, agree not with this, it is to be and a still greater part of those considered as false.-Great care, who had scarcely any religious however, must be taken, in makprinciples at all. Indeed, when we ing use of this method, that the inread of the vast numbers that were quirer previously understand the concerned in these insurrections, whole scheme, and that he harbour of whom it is reported that 100,000 not a predilection only for a part; fell by the sword, it appears rea-without attention to this, we shall sonable to conclude that they were be liable to error. If we come to not all Anabaptists. the scriptures with any precon

more

It is but justice to observe also, ceived opinions, and are that the Baptists in England and desirous to put that sense upon Holland are to be considered in a the text which quadrates with different light from those above our sentiments rather than the mentioned: they profess an equal truth, it becomes then the anaaversion to all principles of rebel-logy of our faith, rather than lion on the one hand, and to en-that of the whole system. This thusiasm on the other. See Ro- was the source of the error of bertson's Hist. of Charles V, Enc. the Jews, in our Savour's time. Brit. vol. i, p. 644; and articles They searched the scriptures; but, BAPTISTS and MENNONITES. such were their favourite opi

ANALOGY OF FAITH, is nions, that they could not, or the proportion that the doctrines would not, discover that the saof the gospel bear to each other, or cred volume testified of Christ. the close connexion between the And the reason was evident, truths of revealed religion, Rom. for their great rule of interprexii, 6. This is considered as a tation was what they might call

the analogy of faith; i. e. the sys-different senses of scripture. The tem of the Phariseean scribes, the nagogical sense is, when the sadoctrine then in vogue, and in the cred text is explained with regard profound veneration of which they to eternal life, the point which had been educated. Perhap christians should have in view; for there is hardly any sect but what example, the rest of the sabbath, has more or less been guilty in in the anagogical sense, signifies this respect. It may, however, the repose of everlasting happiness. be of use to the serious and can- ANATHEMA, imports whatdid inquirer; for, as some texts ever is set apart, separated, or dimay seem to contradict each other,vided; but is most usually meant and difficulties may present them-to express the cutting off of a perselves, by keeping the analogy of son from the communion of faith in view, he will the more ea-the faithful. It was practised in sily resolve those difficulties, and the primitive church against notocollect the true sense of the sa-rious offenders. Several councils cred oracles. What "the apho-also have pronounced anathemas risms of Hippocrates are to a phy-against such as they thought corsician, the axioms in geometry to rupted the purity of the faith. a mathematician, the adjudged Anathema Maranatha, mentioned cases in law to a counsellor, or the by Paul (1st Cor. xiv, 22) imports maxims of war to a general, such that he who loves not the Lord Jeis the analogy of faith to a chris-sus will be accursed at his coming. tian." Of the analogy of religion Anathemà signifies a thing devoted to the constitution and course of to destruction, and Maranatha is nature, we must refer our rea-a Syriac word, signifying the Lord ders to bishop Butler's excellent comes. It is probable in this pastreatise on that subject. sage there is an allusion to the ANACHORETS, or ANCHO- form of the Jews, who, when unRITES, a sort of monks in the pri- able to inflict so great a punishmitive church, who retired from ment as the crime deserved, dethe society of mankind into some voted the culprit to the immediate desert with a view to avoid the vindictive retribution of divine temptations of the world, and to vengeance, both in this life and in be more at leisure for prayer, me- a future state. ditation, &c. Such were Paul, Anthony, and Hilarion, the first founders of monastic life in Egypt

and Palestine.

ANDRONA, a term used for that part in churches which was destined for the men. Anciently, it was the custom for the men and ANAGOGICAL, signifies women to have separate apartmysterious, transporting; and is ments in places of worship, where used to express whatever elevates they performed their devotions the mind, not only to the knowledge asunder, which method is still reof divine things, but of divine things ligiously observed in the Greek in the next life. The word is sel- church. dom used, but with regard to the

ANGEL, a spiritual intelligent