there be any such thing; because||tises, containing the same docbenevolence is always attended trines, published by him about ten with a pleasure to ourselves, which or twelve years before that period. forms a kind of mental interest. They admit, indeed, that previous So far, however, as we are able to to May, 1773, when the general prefer the good of others to our assembly, by sustaining the king's own, and sacrifice our own com- presentation in favour of Mr. fort for the welfare of any abou: Foote, excluded Mr. Barclay from us, so far it may be said to be dis-succeeding to the church of Fetinterested. See Hutcheson on the tercairn (notwithstandi:.g the alPassions, p. 13-26; Doddridge's most unanimous desire of the paLect. 65; Beattie's Elements of rishioners) the Bereans had not Moral Science, vol. i, p. 244-249; left the established church, or Brown's Second Essay on Shaftes-attempted to erect themselves into bury's Characteristics; and articles a distinct society; but they add, LOVE, and SELF-LOVE. that this was by no means neces

BEREANS, a sect of protestant sary on their part, until by the dissenters from the church of Scot-assembly's decision they were in land, who take their title from and danger of being not only deprived profess to follow the example of of his instructions, but of being the ancient Bereans, in building scattered as sheep without a sheptheir system of faith and practice herd. And they add, that it was upon the scriptures alone, without Mr. Barclay's open and public regard to any human authority avowal, both from the pulpit and whatever. the press, of those peculiar sen

As to the origin of this sect, we timents which now distinguish the find that the Bereans first as- Bereans, that was the first and sembled as a separate society of principal, if not the only cause of christians, in the city of Edin- the opposition set on foot against burgh, in the autumn of 1773, and his settlement in Fettercairn. soon after in the parish of Fetter- The Bereans agree with the great cairn. The opponents of the Be-majority of Christians respecting rean doctrines allege that this new the doctrine of the Trinity, which system of faith would never have they hold as a fundamental article; been heard of, had not Mr. Bar-and they also agree in a great meaclay, the founder of it, been disap-sure with the professed principles pointed of a settlement in the of both our established churches church of Scotland. But the respecting predestination and elecBereans in answer to this charge tion, though they allege that these appeal not only to Mr. Barclay's doctrines are not consistently doctrine, uniformly preached in taught in either church. But they the church of Fettercairn, and differ from the majority of all sects many other places in that neigh-of christians in various other imbourhood, for fourteen years be-portant particulars, such as, 1. Refore that benefice became vacant,specting our knowledge of the but likewise to two different trea- Deity. Upon this subject they VOL. I.

L'

27

say, the majority of professed true, upon the authority of the christians stumble at the very testifier, so, when applied to the threshold of revelation; and, by testimony of God, it signifies preadmitting the doctrine of natural cisely "the belief of his testireligion, natural conscience, natu-mony, and resting upon his veraral notices, &c. not founded upon city alone, without any kind of revelation, or derived from it by collateral support from concurtradition, they give up the cause rence of any other evidence or of christianity at once to the in-testimony whatever." And they fidels; who may justly argue, as insist that, as this faith is the gift Mr. Paine in fact does in his Age of God alone, so the person to of Reason, that there is no occa-whom it is given is as conscious sion for any revelation or word of possessing it as the being to of God, if man can discover his whom God gives life is of being nature and perfections from his alive; and therefore he entertains works alone. But this the Bere- no doubts either of his faith or ans argue is beyond the natural his consequent salvation through powers of human reason; and the merits of Christ, who died and therefore our knowledge of God rose again for that purpose. In is from revelation alone, and that a word, they argue that the gospel without revelation man would would not be, what it is held forth never have entertained an idea of to be, glad tidings of great joy, his existence.-2. With regard to if it did not bring full personfaith in Christ, and assurance of al assurance of eternal salvation salvation through his merits, they to the believer; which assurdiffer from almost all other sects ance, they insist, is the present inwhatsoever. These they reckon fallible privilege and portion of inseparable, or rather the same, every individual believer of the because (say they) "God hath gospel.-3. Consistently with the expressly declared, he that be- above definition of faith, they say lieveth shall be saved; and there-that the sin against the Holy Ghost, fore it is not only absurd but im-which has alarmed and puzzled so pious, and in a manner calling God many in all ages, is nothing else but a liar, for a man to say, I believe unbelief; and that the expressionthe gospel, but have doubts, never-" it shall not be forgiven neither theless, of my own salvation." With in this world, nor that which is to regard to the various distinctions come," means only that a person and definitions that have been given dying in infidelity would not be of different kinds of faith, they ar- forgiven neither under the former gue that there is nothing incompre-dispensation by Moses (the then hensible or obscure in the meaning present dispensation, kingdom, or of this word as used in scripture; government of God) nor under but that as faith, when applied to the gospel dispensation, which, in human testimony, signifies neither respect of the Mosaic, was a kind more nor less than the mere sim-of future world or kingdom to ple belief of that testimony as come.-4. The Bereans interpret

a great part of the Old Testament|| commemorate the Lord's supper prophecies, and in particular the generally once a month; but as whole of the Psalms, excepting the words of the institution fix no such as are merely historical or particular period, they sometimes laudatory, to be typical or pro-celebrate it of ener, and somephetical of Jesus Christ, his suf-times at more distant periods, as ferings, atonement, mediation, and it may suit their general convenikingdom; and they esteem it a ence. They meet every Lord's gross perversion of these psalms day for the purpose of preaching, and prophecies to apply them to praying, and exhorting to love the experiences of private chris-and good works. With regard to tians. In proof of this, they not admission and exclusion of memonly urge the words of the apostle, bers, their method is very simple: that no prophecy is of any private when any person, after hearing the interpretation, but they insist that Berean doctrines, professes his bethe whole of the quotations from lief and assurance of the truths of the ancient prophecies in the New the gospel, and desires to be adTestament, and particularly those mitted into their communion, he from the Psalms, are expressly is cheerfully received upon his applied to Christ. In this opinion profession, whatever may have many other classes of protestants been his former manner of life. agree with them.-5. Of the ab- But if such a one should afterall-superintending sove-wards draw back from his good. reignty of the Almighty, the Be-profession or practice, they first reans entertain the highest idea, as admonish him, and, if that has no well as of the uninterrupted exer-effect, they leave him to himself. tion thereof over all his works, in They do not think that they have heaven, earth, and hell, however any power to deliver a backsliding unsearchable by his creatures. A brother to Satan: that text, and God without election, they argue, other similar passages, such as, or choice in all his works, is a "Whatsoever ye shall bind on God without existence, a mere earth shall be bound in heaven," idol, a non-entity. And to deny &c. they consider as restricted to God's election, purpose, and ex- the apostles and to the inspired press will in all his works, is to testimony alone, and not to be exmake him inferior to ourselves. tended to any church on earth, or

As to their practice and disci- any number of churches or of pline, they consider infant baptism christians, whether decided by as a divine ordinance, instituted a majority of votes, or by unaniin the room of circumcision; and mous voices. Neither do they think it absurd to suppose that in- think themselves authorised, as a fants, who all agree are admissi-christian church, to inquire into ble to the kingdom of God in each other's political opinions, any heaven, should, nevertheless, be more than to examine into each incapable of being admitted into other's notions of philosophy. his visible church on earth. They They both recommend and prag

tise, as christian duties, submission and others an entire change, with to lawful authority; but they do this restriction, that, to those who not think that a man by becoming communicated unworthily, the a christian, or joining their society, elements were changed back is under any obligation by the again.

rules of the gospel to renounce his BERYLLIANS, so called from right of private judgment upon Beryllus, an Arabian, bishop of matters of public or private im- Bozrah, who flourished in the portance. Upon all such subjects third century. He taught that they allow each other to think and Christ did not exist before Mary; act as each may see it his duty but that a spirit issuing from God and they require nothing more of himself, and therefore superior to the members than a uniform and all human souls, as being a portion steady profession of the apostolic of the divine nature, was united faith, and a suitable walk and con- to him at the time of his birth. BETHLEHEMITES, a sect

versation.

It is said that their doctrine has called also Star-bearers, because found converts in various places of they were distinguished by a red Scotland, England, and America; star having five rays, which they and that they have congregations wore on their breast, in memory in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Paisley, of the star which appeared to the Stirling, Crieff, Dundee, Arbroath, wise men. Several authors have Montrose, Fettercairn, Aberdeen, mentioned this order, but none of and other towns in Scotland, as them have told us their origin, well as in London, and various nor where their convents were places in England. situated; if we except Matthew

For farther particulars of the Paris, who says that, in 1457, doctrines of this sect, see the they obtained a settlement in Engworks of Messrs. Barclay, Nicol, land, which was at Cambridge, in Brooksbank, and M'Rea. See also Trumpington Street.

Mr. A. M'Lean's Treatise on the BIBLE, the name applied by Commission, first edition, p. 88, in christians, by way of eminence, to which Mr. Barclay's notion of as- the collection of sacred writings, surance is combated. or the holy scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.

BERENGARIANS, a denomination, in the eleventh century, 1. BIBLE, ancient Divisions and which adhered to the opinions of Order of. After the return of the Berengarius, who asserted that the Jews from the Babylonish captivibread and wine in the Lord's supty, Ezra collected as many copies per are not really and essentially, as he could of the sacred writings, but figuratively changed into the and out of them all prepared a body and blood of Christ. His correct edition, arranging the sefollowers were divided in opinion veral books in their proper order. as to the eucharist. Some allow- These books he divided into three ed them to be changed in effect; parts. 1. The law. 11. The proothers admitted a change in part; phets. 111. The Hagiographia,

i. e. the holy writings. 1. The cribe it to Ezra. The design of law, contains-1, Genesis ;-2, this division was, that one of these Exodus;-3, Leviticus ;--4, Num-sections might be read in their bers;-5, Deuteronomy. 11. The synagogues every sabbath day: writings of the prophets are-1, the number was fifty-four, because Joshua ;-2, Judges, with Ruth;-in their intercalated years, a month 3, Samuel; 4, Kings;-5, Isai- being then added, there were fiftyah;-6, Jeremiah, with his La-four sabbaths: in other years they mentations;-7, Ezekiel ;-8, Da-reduced them to fifty-two, by niel;-9, The twelve minor pro- twice joining together two short phets;-10, Job ;-11, Ezra ;-sections. Till the persecution of 12, Nehemiah;-13, Esther. 111. Antiochus Ephiphanes, they read The Hagiographia consists of--1, only the law; but, the reading of The Psalms;-2, The Proverbs;--it being then prohibited, they sub3, Ecclesiastes:--4, The Song of stituted in the room of it fifty-four Solomon. This division was made sections out of the prophets; and for the sake of reducing the num-when the reading of the law ber of the sacred books to the was restored by the Maccabees, number of the letters in their the section which was read every alphabet, which amount to twenty-sabbath out of the law served for two. Afterwards the Jews reckon- their first lesson, and the section ed twenty-four books in their ca-out of the prophets for their non of scripture; in disposing of second. These sections were diwhich the law stood as in the for-vided into verses; of which divimer divisions, and the prophets sion if Ezra was not the author, were distributed into former and it was introduced not long after latter: the former prophets are him, and seems to have been deJoshua, Judges, Samuel, and signed for the use of the TarguKings; the latter prophets are mists, or Chaldee interpreters; for Isaiah, Jeremiah. Ezekiel, and the after the return of the Jews from twelve minor prophets. And the the Babylonish captivity, when the Hagiographia consists of the Hebrew language ceased to be Psalms, the Proverbs, Job, the their mother tongue, and the ChalSong of Solomon, Ruth, the La-dee grew into use instead of it, the mentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, custom was, that the law should Daniel, Ezra, the Chronicles. be first read in the original Hebrew, Under the name of Ezra they and then interpreted to the people comprehend Nehemiah: this or- in the Chaldee language; for der hath not always been observ-which purpose these shorter seced, but the variations from it are tions were very convenient. of no moment. The five books II. BIBLE, History of. It is of the law are divided into forty-thought that Ezra published the five sections. This division many scriptures in the Chaldee characof the Jews hold to have been ap-ter, for, that language being genepointed by Moses himself; but rally used among the Jews, he others, with more probability, as- thought proper to change the old