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ABECEDARIANS, a term of reproach applied to some of the early Anabaptists, who used to speak contemptuously of learning in matters of religion; improperly considering divine teaching as superseding the use of means. Such persons may be found in every age, not excepting our own; and it may be very difficult for an ignorant and illiterate person to estimate the value of learning.-[Bell's Wanderings of Hum. Intellect, p. 95, who quotes Stockman's Lex. and Osiander, Cent. 16. 1. 2.]

ABBOT, the head of an Abbey, or religious house; and ABBESS, the head of a Convent of Nuns.-[Broughton's Dict.]

ABELIANS, or ABELITES, some sectaries mentioned by St. Austin to have existed before his time, in the diocese of Hippo. They paid a superstitious respect to the memory of the first martyr, Abel, whom they consider to have died in celibacy. Some of them, however, did not condemn matrimony, though they renounced its duties, and adopted the children of others to preserve their family and their sect.-[Augustine de Hæres. c. 87. -Bayle's Dictionary.]

ABRAHAMITES, sects of the 8th and 9th centuries, called after their respective leaders. The former, who are said to have adopted the pretended errors of the Paulicians, (which see) were put down by the zeal of the Patriarch Syriacus, in the 9th century. The latter (an order of monks) were suppressed by the Emperor Theophilus, under a charge of idolatrous practices. [Broughton's Dict.-Robinson's ditto.]

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The celebrated M. Grégoire mentions a modern sect under this name, which he says was discovered in Bohemia, in 1782, and consisted of many thousands scattered in the villages of that country. They profess the religion of Abraham before his circumcision, (that is, the patriarchal faith,) though some were circumcised, as being Jews by birth; others were Protestants, and some few, perhaps, Catholics. In a sort of catechism, attributed to them, inserted in the Journal of M. Meusel, they profess to believe in God, in the immortality of the soul, and a future state of rewards and punishments: but they deny the divine legation of Moses, and admit no scriptures but the decalogue and Lord's Prayer; they reject baptism, the Trinity, &c. An Abrahamite, being questioned as to the Son of God, said, "I am the Son of God, whose Spirit resides in me, and by whom I am inspired." It is difficult to make any thing of their inconsistent account. But this confession is strikingly similar to that which Ignatius made before Trajan; and as M. Grégoire acknowledges, they were simple country people, of good moral conduct and wellregulated lives, it is not impossible that they might be some pious descendants of the old Hussites, and more orthodox in heart than in head.

Hitherto they had lived concealed; but were no sooner known than persecuted. The reported liberality of the Emperor Joseph II. probably encouraged them to petition for protection against their enemies. His Majesty went so far as to allow them till the 24th of March, 1783, to

adopt one of the religions he had seen fit to tolerate; namely, the Lutheran, the Reformed, and that of the Greek dissidents; but neither of which altogether suited them. At the end of this period, therefore, they were dragged from their native country, under military escort; some to Transylvania, and others to the Bonnet of Ternerwaer; nor were any suffered to return without abjuring their religion, and turning Catholics.

It is probable, however, that these persons were weak and ignorant enthusiasts; for Dr. John Erskine, on the authority of the same M. Meusel, speaks of both Deists and Arians who were thus transported; and M. Grégoire afterwards informs us, on the authority of a letter from Germany, in 1800, that the Abrahamites, transported by order of the Emperor, had resided chiefly in the town of Pardubitz and its environs; and that they belonged to the sect of Adamites. This, however, may be only a reproach of their enemies, since it is now well known, that formerly, when a sect was pronounced heretical, it was customary to attribute to them a variety of opinions which they never held: indeed, we have seen something very like this in our own age and country. [Grégoire, Hist. des Sectes Rel. tome i. pp. 312-13. Dr. John Erskine's Sketches and Hints of Church Hist. 12mo. vol. ii. No. 12.]

ABRACAS, a mystic term, according to Irenæus and Theodoret, used by Basilides (See Basilidians,) in application to the Prince of the heavens, as having in it the No. 365, which has been thus made out by Spanheim:

heathen Egyptian, and not Christian relics.-Such, however, was most probably the origin of the term, which alluded rather to the philosophical than theological principles of Basilides, though, it must be confessed, they were sadly confounded with each other.-[Lardner's Hist. of Heretics, p. 102, &c.]

ABSOLUTION, in the church of Rome, a sacrament, in which the priests assume a power of forgiving sins. The rite of absolution in the church of England is acknowledged to be declarative only-"Almighty God...... hath given power and commandment to his ministers to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent, the absolution and remission of their sins; He pardoneth," &c.[Broughton's Dict.]

ABSTAINERS, ABSTEMII, ABSTINENTES; sectaries in France and Spain, of the 3d and 4th centuries, and probably descendants of the Encratites, founded by Tatian; at least they adopted many of the same principles. See Encratites. It is possible, however, that it might be only a term of reproach and ridicule of persons who were remarkably abstemious.

ABYSSINIAN CHURCH, a branch of the Coptic Church, in Upper Ethiopia. The Abyssinians, by the most authentic accounts, were converted to the Christian faith about the year 330; when Frumentius, being providentially raised to a high office, under the patronage of the queen of Ethiopia, and ordained bishop of that country by Athanasius, patriarch of Alexandria, established Christianity, built churches, and ordained a regular clergy to officiate in them.

The Abyssinian Christians themselves, indeed, claim a much higher antiquity, having a tradition among them, that the doctrine of Christ was first introduced among them by queen Candace; (Acts viii. 27) or even preached there by the apostles Matthew and Bartholomew; but the former is supported by no collateral evidence, and the latter is in opposition to high authority. Some even, through the queen of Sheba, claim relation to the Israelites, so far back as the reign of Solomon.

The Abyssinian Christians have always received their Abuna, or Patriarch, from Alexandria, whence they sprang, and consequently their creed is Monophysite, or Eutychian; maintaining only in the person of Christ one nature, namely, the divine, in which they considered all the properties of the human nature to be absorbed;

in opposition to the Nestorians, (which see.) The learned Professor Lee, however, considers the difference between these sects as little more than verbal, aggravated and exaggerated by the bitterness of a controversial spirit. "Both," he says, "hold the divinity of our Lord: their disputes respect only the mode of his incarnation." The dissension first arose in the time of the Emperor Marcion, in the 5th century, when the Council of Chalcedon condemned the dogmas of Eutyches and the Monophysite belief. On the rise of this difference, which, according to Mr. Lee, was "ill understood, and much worse explained," the Melchites, (or royalists,) who,following the opinions of the Emperor and his council, ranged themselves under the Patriarch of Constantinople, while the Abyssinians, continuing to receive their Patriarch, or Abuna,from Alexandria, were decided Monophysites. On the power of the Saracens prevailing in the East, all communication being nearly cut off between the eastern and western churches, the Abyssinian church remained unknown in Europe till nearly the close of the 15th century, when John II. of Portugal, accidentally hearing of the existence of such a church, sent to make enquiry, which led to a correspondence between that church and the church of Rome; and Bermudes, a Portuguese, was consecrated, by the Pope, Patriarch of Ethiopia, and the Abyssinians were required to receive the Roman Catholic faith, in return for some military assistance afforded to the Emperor: instead of this, however, the Emperor sent for a new Patriarch from Alexandria, imprisoned Bermudes, and declared the Pope to be a heretic.

About the middle of the 16th century, the Jesuits attempted a mission to Abyssinia, in hopes of reducing it to the Pope's authority; but without success. In 1588 a second mission was attempted, and so far succeeded, as to introduce a system of persecution, which cost many lives, and caused many troubles to the empire. In the following century, however, the Jesuits were all expelled, Abyssinia returned to its antient faith, and nothing more was heard of the church of Abyssinia, till the latter part of the last century. After the expulsion of the Jesuits, all Europeans were interdicted; nor does it appear that any one dared to attempt an entrance, until the celebrated Mr. Bruce, by the report of his medical skill, contrived to introduce himself to that court,

where he even obtained military promotion; and was in such high repute, that it was with great difficulty he obtained leave to return to England.

Encouraged, perhaps, by this circumstance, the Moravian brethren attempted a mission to this country, but in vain. They were compelled to retreat to Grand Cairo, from whence, by leave of the patriarch, they visited the Copts at Behrusser, and formed there a small society; but in 1783 they were driven thence, and compelled to return to Europe.-[Haweis's Church Hist. vol. iii. 172.] More recently, however, the late King of Abyssinia (Itsa Takley Gorges,) addressed a letter to Mr. Salt, the British Consul in Egypt, and requested copies of some parts of both the Old and New Testaments, beautifully transcribed and embellished. Copies of the Psalms, in Ethiopic, as printed by the British and Foreign Bible Society, have been also sent him.-[Missionary Register for 1820, p. 116.]

The government of the Abyssinian church is (like all the eastern churches) episcopal, under an Abuna, or patriarch, who derives his authority from the patriarch of Alexandria. A foreigner is always appointed to this honour; but he is not allowed to interfere in politics. The inferior clergy are appointed by the monarch, and are sometimes allowed to hold a convocation, which is conducted with but little decency or decorum.

What the antient faith of the Abyssinians was, before they were tampered with by the church of Rome, is best learned from the confession of the Emperor Claudius, in 1555.

In this confession it is very observable, that the Abyssinians, as already hinted, claim relation to the Israelites; but are very careful to renounce Judaism.-Claudius thus begins: "In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: One God. This is my faith, and the faith of my fathers, kings of Israel; and the faith of my flock, which is within the precincts of my kingdom.

"We believe in one God; and in his only Son, Jesus Christ, who is his Word and his Power, his Counsel and his Wisdom; who was with him before the world was created. But in the last day he came to us; not, however, that he might leave the throne of his divinity; and was made man of the Holy Spirit, and of the Holy Virgin Mary, and was made perfect man," &c.

Referring to the Sabbath, Claudius says,

"We do not celebrate it as do the Jews, who neither draw water, nor light a fire, nor cook," &c.; "but by administering on that day the holy supper, and having love-feasts thereon.'

"In what relates to circumcision, we do not regard that rite as do the Jews, because we know the words of Paul... Neither circumcision availeth any thing, &c. That which we do, is not done as an observance of the Mosaic laws, but only as a human custom."

For the modern faith of the present Abyssinians, we must recur to a document of recent date, obtained from the governor of Tigré. It was written in Arabic, and, by order of the Ras, immediately translated into Ethiopic: its date answers to our A. D. 1808; and it begins in the following pompous style :

:

"This is the Epistle (or Directory) of the Faith, which Marcos, Patriarch of Alexandria sent to all the Christian Churches of Ethiopia........ Marcos the Patriarch, saith-the 108th from Mark the Evangelist, &c.

"I have sat to consider the whole doctrine of the Schismatics, that destroys the rules of the Councils of Nice, Constantia, and Ephesus," &c. The Patriarch then charges his flock with heresies: "For you are separated into three parties. Some of you maintain, that the nature of the Son was by unction, and believe in three nativities; -1. Eternal Generation. 2. Birth of the Virgin. 3. Consecration, by the anointing of the Holy Spirit; against which he protests. And some of you account the Virgin Mary equal with the Holy Spirit. And who, that hears this Infidel (heathen) belief, feels not his heart torn asunder within him?

"As you have torn asunder the faith which our fathers delivered to us, we will give instruction on it, on the throne of St. Marc, &c.

"This is the Holy Faith in which we believe; We worship one God, Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity; not mixed together in persons; not different in substance." Thus the creed proceeds nearly in the words of that ascribed to St. Athanasius, except that the procession of the Holy Spirit (as in the Greek church) is stated to be from the Father only. Marcus also strongly objects to the idea of the Messiah being anointed by the Holy Spirit; maintaining that term (Messiah) to mean, not anointed, but the Anointer, and contending that Christ himself" anointed his humanity with his divinity; and from

this unction he was called Messiah." As to those that maintain the contrary—“Let them be excommunicated."

He adds, "Let them also be excommunicated who say, that there is in our Lord Jesus Christ two natures and one person;"-it being a doctrine of this church (as I understand it), “That the divine nature in Christ supplied the place of a human soul." The person of the Son, (i. e. his divine person) created to himself from her [the Virgin Mary] a body, and was joined with it in the womb..... This is our faith,. . . . and the portion of every one who believes not in this, shall be with the deniers of the Son," &c.

Such are the obscure dogmas and severe denunciations of the modern church of Abyssinia; and it does not appear that they are more correct in their morals than in their principles. It is hoped, however, that the introduction among them of the Holy Scriptures, which will naturally lead

to

the introduction of Missionaries, may be the means of a most important change. [See Ludolf's Hist. of Ethiopia; Bruce's Travels; Professor Lee's Brief Hist. of the Church of Abyssinia; (4th Appen. to 18th Rep. of the Church Miss. Soc.) and Jowett's Christian Researches, p. 171 et seq.]

ACACIANS, or ACATIANI, the followers of two persons of some eminence in ecclesiastical history. 1. Acacius, bishop of Cæsarea, and the successor of Eusebius, whose life he is said to have written in the fourth century. He was a very voluminous writer, and from the circumstance of his having lost an eye, was called Monophthalarus, (one-eyed.) He was avowedly an Arian, and violently opposed Athanasius. 2. Acacius, patriarch of Constantinople in the 5th century; a great opposer of the papal power, and who recommended and supported a union between the orthodox and the Eutychians, which see. [Cave's Hist. Lit.; Mosheim, ii. 31, 2.]

ACADEMICS, a sect of philosophers who taught in a grove near Athens, which was called the Academy, (as it is generally said) from Hecademus, (or Academus) who gave it to the citizens as a Gymnasium. It was planted with trees, and adorned with statues, &c.; and within this inclosure Plato had a small garden, where he opened a school for his disciples, to whom he taught the principles of moral and political wisdom he had imbibed from Socrates, together with the mathematics and natural philosophy.