as monsters of cruelty and iniquity; but modern travellers describe them as harmless and inoffensive, though very superstitious in their devotions. For their antient principles, said to be derived from Zoroaster, see the articles above referred to; but it is difficult to say how far they retain the same principles. From some circumstances it has been supposed, that they (or a part of them) have imbibed some points of Christianity, but little certain is known respecting them.-[Ency. Brit. in Gabres. Hanway's Travels, vol. i. p. 263. Pinkerton's Geogr. Persia, ch. ii.]

GAZARES, a small party, probably of Albigenses, in the 12th century, who, to enjoy their religious liberties, had strayed as far as Gazare, in Dalmatia; but they were found out and condemned by Pope Innocent III.-[Broughton's Dict.]

GENTILES, (the nations) a term which the Jews applied to all but their own nation : so the Greeks called all other nations barbarians.

GENTOOS, a term signifying mankind, assumed by the inhabitants of Hindostan, now called Hindoos, which see.

GEORGIANS. See Iberians. GICHTELIANS, or GICHTELLITES, an obscure sect, the followers of John George Gichtel, who died at Amsterdam, in 1710. He was a great admirer of Jacob Behmen's works, and proposed to his disciples to attain in this life the perfection of another; and to be "like the angels of God, who are neither married nor given in marriage." (Matt. xxii. 30.) Whence they were also called Angelic Brothers.-[Grégoire's Hist. tom. i. pp. 305-307.]

GILBERTINES, an English order of religious, founded by St. Gilbert, of Sempringham, in Lincolnshire, about 1148. He founded a double monastery for the two sexes; the monks observing the rule of St. Augustin, and the nuns that of St. Benedict. At the dissolution of the monasteries, there were about 25 houses of this order in Britain.-[Broughton's Dict.] GLASSITES, the followers of Mr. John Glass, minister of the established church at Tealing, near Dundee, but deprived about 1728, for maintaining the pure spirituality of Christ's kingdom, in opposition to all national establishments, with some other points afterwards taught by Sandeman. He was the father of the Scots Independents, the first seceders from the church of Scotland, as established at the Revolution. He wrote many tracts in defence of his tenets, of which the principal is entitled, "The Testimony of the

Mr. Sandeman, soon after imbibing the same opinions, and being better known in England by his controversy with Mr. Hervey, the followers of both are now generally called Sandemanians, which see. [R. Adam's R. W. vol. iii. p. 170, &c. Ency. Perth. Morison's Th. Dict.]

GNOSIMACHI, the professed enemies to the Gnosis, i. e. the speculative knowledge of Christianity. They rested wholly in practical religion, esteeming it a useless labour to seek for science or mysteries in the bible, in the manner of the Gnostics. (See the next article.)-[Broughton's Dict.]

GNOSTICS, (from Gnosis, knowledge), men of science and wisdom, illuminati; men, who from blending the philosophy of the East, or of Egypt, with the doctrines of the gospel, boast of deeper knowledge in the scriptures and theology than others. It was, therefore, not so properly a distinct sect as a generic term, comprehending all who, forsaking the simplicity of the gospel, pretended to be "wise above what is written;" to explain the New Testament by the dogmas of the philosophers, and to derive from the sacred writings mysteries which never were contained in them.

In this view it must be confessed, that many of the orthodox, even of the fathers, might be ranked among the Gnostics, the illuminati; nor is the term inapplicable (though its use is obsolete) to modern writers, who refine upon the gospel till they destroy its simplicity, which is its beauty; and make a compound of religion and philosophy, by which the gospel is corrupted, and science not improved.

The origin of the Gnostic heresy, as it is called, has been variously attributed; and Dr. Hammond is confident that it was broached by Simon Magus. The system of refining on revealed truth, however, is as old as the old serpent himself, (Gen. iii. 1-5) and was adopted by every "generation of vipers," down to the times of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and even to the present time; but it does not appear to be used as the name of a sect before the 2d century, and then very injudiciously applied. The principal sects to which the term seems applicable are, the Basilideans, Carpocratians, Nicholaitans, and Valentinians, (all which will be found in their proper places in the alphabet); but the following general statement, drawn up by Mrs. Hannah Adams, and chiefly from Dr. Mosheim, but here considerably abridged, may be considered as generally

pretty fair and correct; but applying in different parts of it, with more correctness sometimes to one branch, and sometimes to the other.

This system, as already hinted, was derived from the Oriental and Egyptian philosophy, which in many parts agreed, and both diverged from revealed truth. The pre-existence of the soul-its depravity, and degradation to reside in a material body by way of punishment, had been the doctrine of the east from time immemorial. Not conceiving how evil could arise from the abuse of free-will in moral agents, they attributed good and evil, their conflicts and vicissitudes, to two eternal principles. Good they properly attributed to the supreme Intelligence, the fountain of all good; but to him they dare not attribute evil. Observing in themselves, and in the world around them, the conflict between matter and mind, and the tendency of the former to depress, oppose, and corrupt the latter; and justly conceiving also matter to be foreign to the divine nature, they concluded this to be the centre and source of all evil. Having assumed these principles, they proceeded further, and affirmed that matter was eternal, and derived its present form, not from the will of the supreme God, but from the creating power of some inferior intelligence, (whom they stiled Demiurgus) to whom this world and its inhabitants owed their existence.

In their system it was generally supposed that all intelligences had only one source, viz. the divine mind. And to help out the doctrine concerning the origin of evil, it was imagined, that though the Divine Being himself was essentially and perfectly good, those intelligences, or spirits, who were derived from him, and especially those who were derived from them, were capable of depravation.

The great boast of the Gnostics, was their doctrine concerning the derivation of various intelligences (called aions) from the Supreme mind, which they thought to be done by emanation or efflux: and as those were equally capable of producing other intelligences in the same manner, some male, and others female, there was room for endless combinations. For a farther elucidation of the term aions, see the article Basilideans..

The oriental sages had long expected the arrival of an extraordinary messenger of the Most High, invested with a divine authority, endowed with the most eminent sanctity and wisdom; and peculiarly

appointed to enlighten with the knowledge of the Supreme Being, the darkened minds of miserable mortals. When these philosophers afterwards discovered that Christ and his followers wrought miracles of the most amazing kind, and of the most salutary nature, they were easily induced to connect their fundamental doctrines with Christianity, by supposing him to be the great Messenger expected from above, to deliver men from the power of the malignant genii, (or aions) to whom, according to their doctrine, the world was subjected; and to free their souls from the dominion of corrupt matter. But though they considered him as the Son of the Supreme God, sent from the pleroma, (or habitation of the everlasting Father) they denied his proper deity, and rejected his humanity, upon the supposition that every thing corporeal, is in itself essentially evil. Hence the greater part of the Gnostics denied that Christ was clothed with a real body, or that he really suffered the pains of the cross. They maintained that he came to mortals with no other view than to deprive the aions, or spiritual tyrants of this world, of their influence upon virtuous and heaven-born souls; and, destroying the empire of these wicked spirits, to teach mankind how they might separate the divine mind from the impure body, and render the former worthy of being united to the Father of spirits. It is probable that the apostle Paul, when he censures "endless genealogies and old wives' fables," has reference to this philosophy.

Their persuasion that evil resided in matter, rendered them unfavourable to marriage, and to hold the doctrine of the resurrection of the body in great contempt. They considered it as a mere clog to the immortal soul, and supposed that nothing could be meant by it, but either a moral change in the minds of men, which took place before they died; or the ascent of the soul at death to its proper abode in the superior regions.

As the Gnostics were speculative people, and affected refinement, they did not make much account of public worship, or of any positive institutions; and they are said to have had but little order in their churches. As many of them thought that Christ had not any real body, or proper flesh and blood, it is asserted they used to celebrate the eucharist, not with wine, which represents the blood of Christ, but water only; and of many of them it is doubtful whether they made any use of baptism.

The greater part of this denomination adopted rules of life which were full of austerity, recommending a strict and rigorous abstinence; and prescribed the most severe bodily mortifications, from a notion that they had a happy influence in purifying and enlarging the mind, and in disposing it for the contemplation of celestial things.

The Egyptians differed from the Orientals, and especially the Persians, in some points as to the evil principle, (See Magi) in dividing Jesus Christ into two persons, and allowing him a real body as well as a reasonable soul; and especially, it is said, in greater laxity of morals.[Mosheim's E. H. vol. i. pp. 133-138. Priestley's ditto, vol. i. pp. 51-186.]

GÓMARISTS, the followers of Francis Gomar, a zealous Calvinistic divine, and the chief antagonist of Arminius, his colleague in the university of Leyden. He took a very active part in the Synod of Dordt, so that Gomarists became another name for Calvinists. He afterwards filled the divinity chair at Groningen, where he died 1641.-[Gen. Dict. Mosheim's E. H. vol. v. p. 367.]

GORTONIANS, the followers of Samuel Gorton of New England, about 1643. He was charged with being a Familist and Antinomian, and was banished as a common disturber from Plymouth, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.-[Hutchinson's Hist. of Massachusetts, vol. i. p. 117.Holmes's American Annals, in 1637.]

GOSPELLERS, according to Mr. Grant, a sect of Antinomians, which arose about the time of the Reformation: but we think, with Dr. Johnson, it was rather a term of reproach applied by the Papists to all who advocated the circulation of the scriptures, and the doctrines of the gospel, particularly to the followers of Wickliffe in this country, and so Rowe uses it:

"These Gospellers have had their golden days,

Have trodden down our holy Roman faith." -[Grant's Hist. of the English Church, vol. i. p. 408.-Johnson's Fol. Dict.]

GRÅDMONTAINS, a severe order of Monks, instituted by Stephen de Muret, in the 11th century, at Muret, in the neighbourhood of Grammont, whence its name. His laws enjoined poverty, obedience, and silence. They were interdicted all the comforts of life, and became, in consequence, burdens to themselves and useless to society.[Mosheim's F. H. vol. ii. pp. 532-534. Broughton's Dict. GRAND LAMA, see Lama,

GREEKS-the religion of the ignorant and of the lower classes was paganism in its grossest forms,-they worshipped idols of wood and stone, (see Pagans.) As to their philosophers, the most eminent, as Socrates and some other moral philosophers, may be considered as Deists, who worshipped an "unknown God;" but Aristotle and other speculative philosophers, sunk into a refined Atheism, as already has been repeatedly observed. A general glance at their religion is taken in our introductory Essay, (p. 27); and some discriminating remarks on the different philosophic schools will be found under the names of their various philosophic sects, as Academics, Aristotelians, Cynics, Eclectics, Epicureans, Heracliteans, Ionics, Platonists, Pythagoreans, Sceptics, Stoics, Theosophists, &c.

GREEK CHURCH.

As the gospel

It

spread in the first ages both east and west, the first Christian churches were so denominated. From the languages respectively used in their devotions, they were also called the Greek and Latin (or Roman) churches. For the first seven centuries these churches preserved a friendly communion with each other, notwithstanding they disagreed as to the time of keeping Easter, and some other points. But about the middle of the 8th century, disputes arose, which terminated in a schism, that continues to this day. arose out of a controversy respecting the use of images in the churches. It happened unhappily, that at this time both churches were under prelates equally dogmatical and ambitious. The Patriarch of Constantinople insisted on putting down the use of all images and pictures (see Iconoclastes) not only in his own church, but at Rome also, which the Pope resented with equal violence and asperity. They mutually excommunicated each other; and the Pope of Rome excommunicated not only the Patriarch of Constantinople, but the Emperor also. The controversy respecting images engendered another, no less bitter, respecting the procession of the Holy Ghost both " from the Father and the Son," which the Greeks flatly denied, and charged the Romans with interpolating the word (filioque) into the antient creeds. These controversies occupied the 8th and 9th centuries, after which some intervals of partial peace occurred; but in the eleventh century, the flame broke out afresh, and a total separation took place. At that time, the patriarch Michael Cerularius, who was desirous to be free himself

from the papal authority, published an invective against the Latin church, and accused its members of maintaining various errors. Pope Leo retorted the charge, and sent legates from Rome to Constantinople. The Greek patriarch refused to see them; upon which they excommunicated him and his adherents, publicly, in the church of St. Sophia, A. D. 1054. The Greek patriarch excommunicated those legates, with all their adherents and followers, in a public council; and procured an order of the Emperor for burning the act of excommunication which they had pronounced against the Greeks. Thus the separation was completed, and at this day a very considerable part of the world profess the religion of the Greek, or Eastern church. The Nicene and Athanasian creeds, with the exceptions of the words abovementioned, are the symbols of their faith. The principal points which distinguish the Greek church from the Latin, are as follow: -(1) They maintain that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father only, and not from the Father and Son.-(2) They disown the authority of the Pope, and deny that the church of Rome is the only true catholic church. (3) They do not affect the character of infallibility, and utterly disallow works of supererogation, and indulgences.-(4) They admit of prayers and services for the dead, as an antient and pious custom; and even pray for the remission of their sins: but they will not admit the doctrine of purgatory, nor determine any thing dogmatically, concerning the state of departed souls.(5) In baptism they practise triune immersion (or dip three times); but some, as the Georgians, defer the baptism of their children till they are three, four, or more years of age. (6) The chrism, or baptismal unction, immediately follows baptism. This chrism, solemnly consecrated on Maunday Thursday, is called the unction with ointment, and is a mystery peculiar to the Greek communion, holding the place of confirmation in that of the Roman: it is styled the seal of the gift of the Holy Ghost.-(7) They administer the Lord's supper in both kinds, dipping the bread in the cup of wine, in which a small portion of warm water is also inserted. They give it both to the clergy and laity, and to children, after baptism.-(8) They exclude confirmation and extreme unction out of the number of sacraments; but they use the holy oil, (or euchalaion,) which is not confined to persons in the close of life (like extreme unction), but

is administered, if required, to all sick persons. Three priests at least are required to administer this sacrament, each priest, in his turn, anointing the sick person, and praying for his recovery. (9) They deny auricular confession to be a divine command; but practise confession attended with absolution, and sometimes penance. (10) Though they believe in transubstantiation, (or rather consubstantiation) they do not worship the elements : but (11) They pay a secondary kind of adoration to the Virgin and other saints. (12) They do not admit of images or figures in bas-relief, or embossed work; but use paintings and silver shrines.— (13) They admit matrimony to be a sacrament, and celebrate it with great formality.

(14) Their secular clergy (under the rank of bishops) are allowed to marry once, and laymen twice; but fourth marriages they hold in abomination.(15) They observe a great number of holydays, and keep four fasts in the year more solemn than the rest-of which Good Friday is the chief.

The service of the Greek church is too long and complicated to be particularly described in this work; the greatest part consist in psalms and hymns. Five orders of priesthood belong to the Greek church; viz. bishops, priests, deacons, sub-deacons, and readers; which last includes singers, &c. The Episcopal order is distinguished by the titles of metropolitan, archbishops, and bishops. The head of the Greek church, the Patriarch of Constantinople, is elected by twelve bishops, who reside nearest that famous capital; but the power of confirming this election belongs at present to the Turkish Emperor. This prelate calls councils by his own authority to govern the church, and (with permission of the Emperor) administers justice in civil cases among the members of his communion. The other patriarchs are those of Jerusalem, Antioch, and Alexandria, all nominated by the Patriarch of Constantinople, who enjoys a most extensive jurisdiction. For the administration of ecclesiastical affairs, a synod, convened monthly, is composed of the heads of the church resident in Constantinople. In this assembly, the patriarch of Constantinople presides, with those of Antioch and Jerusalem, and twelve archbishops.

In regard to discipline and worship, the Greek church has the same division of the clergy into regular and secular, the same spiritual jurisdiction of bishops and