them, every one was accounted accursed who died on a tree. This serves to explain the difficult passage in Rom. ix. 2, where the apostle wishes himself accursed after the manner of Christ; i. e. crucified, if happily he might by such a death save his countrymen. The preposition here made use of is used in the same sense, 2 Tim. i. 3. where it obviously signifies after the manner of.

ACEPHALI, such bishops as were exempt from the discipline and jurisdiction of their ordinary bishop or patriarch. It was also the denomination of certain sects; 1. of those who, in the affair of the council of Ephesus, refused to follow either St. Cyril or John of Antioch; 2. of certain heretics in the fifth century, who, at first, followed Peter Mongus, but afterwards abandoned him, upon his subscribing to the council of Chalcedon, they themselves adhering to the Eutychian heresy; and, 3. of the followers of Severus of Antioch, and of all, in general, who held out against the council of Chalcedon.

gaol-delivery, appointed as often as a competent number of prisoners in the Inquisition are convicted of heresy, either by their own voluntary or extorted confession, or on the evidence of certain witnesses. The process is this:-In the morning they are brought into a great hall, where they have certain habits put on, which they are to wear in the procession, and by which they know their doom. The procession is led up by Dominican friars, after which come the penitents, being all in black coats without sleeves, and barefooted, with a wax candle in their hands. These are followed by the penitents who have narrowly escaped being burnt, who over their black coats have flames painted, with their points turned downwards. Next come the negative and relapsed, who are to be burnt, having flames on their habits pointing upwards. After these come such as profess doctrines contrary to the faith of Rome, who, besides flames pointing upwards, have their picture painted on their breasts, ACOEMETÆ, or ACOMETI, an or- with dogs, serpents, and devils, all opender of monks at Constantinople in the mouthed, about it. Each prisoner is atfifth century, whom the writers of that tended with a familiar of the Inquisition; and the following ages called Axdur; and those to be burnt have also a Jesuit that is, Watchers, because they per on each hand, who are continually formed divine service day and night preaching to them to abjure. After the without intermission. They divided prisoners, comes a troop of familiars on themselves into three classes, who al- horseback; and after them the Inquisiternately succeeded one another, so that tors, and other officers of the court, on they kept up a perpetual course of wor- || mules: last of all, the Inquisitor-general ship. This practice they founded upon on a white horse, led by two men with that passage-" pray without ceasing," black hats and green hats-bands. A scaffold is erected big enough for two or three thousand people; at one end of which are the prisoners, at the other the Inquisitors. After a sermon made up of encomiums of the Inquisition, and invectives against heretics. a priest ascends a desk near the scaffold, and, having taken the abjuration of the penitents, recites the final sentence of those who are to be put to death, and delivers them to the secular arm, earnestly beseeching at the same time the secular power not to touch their blood, or put their lives in danger!!! The prisoners, being thus in the hands of the civil magistrate, are presently loaded with chains, and carried first to the secular gaol, and from thence, in an hour or two, brought before the civil judge; who, after asking in what religion they intend to die, pronounces sentence on such as declare they die in the communion of the church of Rome, that they shall be first strangled, and then burnt to ashes; or such as die in any other faith, that they be burnt alive. Both are immediately carried to the Ribera, the place

1 Thess. v. 17.

ACOLYTHI, or ACOLUTHI, young people who, in the primitive times, aspired to the ministry, and for that purpose continually attended the bishop. In the Romish church, Acolythi were of longer continuance; but their functions were different from those of their first institution. Their business was to light the tapers, carry the candlesticks and the incense pot, and prepare the wine and water. At Rome there were three kinds; 1. those who waited on the pope; 2. those who served in the churches. 3. and others, who, together with the deacons, officiated in other parts of the city.

ACT OF FAITH (Auto da Fe,) in the Romish church, is a solemn day held by the Inquisition for the punishment of heretics, and the absolution of the innocent accused. They usually contrive the Auto to fall on some great festival, that the execution may pass with the more awe; and it is always on a Sunday. The Auto da Fe may be called the last act of the Inquisitorial tragedy: it is a kind of

B

apostles, such as the acts of Abdias, of Peter, of Paul, St. John the Evangelist, St. Andrew, St. Thomas. St. Philip, and St. Matthias; but they have been all proved to be spurious.

of execution, where there are as many stake set up as there are prisoners to be burnt, with a quantity of dry furze about them. The stakes of the professed, that is, such as persist in the heresy, are about four yards high, having a ACTS OF PILATE, a relation sent small board towards the top for the by Pilate to the Emperor Tiberius, conprisoner to be seated on. The negative cerning Jesus Christ, his death, resurand relapsed being first strangled and rection, ascension, and the crimes of burnt, the professed mount their stakes which he was convicted before him It by a ladder, and the Jesuits, after sevewas a custom among the Romans, that ral repeated exhortations to be recon- the pro-consuls and governors of prociled to the church, part with them; vinces should draw up acts or memoirs telling them that they leave them to of what happened in the course of their the devil, who is standing at their elbow, government, and send them to the emto receive their souls, and carry them peror and senate. The genuine acts with him to the flames of hell. On this of Pilate were sent by him to Tiberius, a great shout is raised and the cry is, who reported them to the senate, but Let the dogs' beards be made!" which they were rejected by that assembly, is done by thursting flaming furzes fas- because not immediately addressed to tened to long poles against their faces, them; as is testified by Tertullian, in till their faces are burnt to a coal, which his Apol. cap. 5, and 20, 21. The hereis accompanied with the loudest accla-tics forged acts in imitation of them; mations of joy. At last, fire is set to but both the genuine and the spurious the furze at the bottom of the stake. are now lost. over which the professed are chained so high, that the top of the flame seldom reaches higher than the seat they sit on; so that they rather seem roasted than burnt. There cannot be a more lamentable spectacle: the sufferers continually cry out, while they are able, "Pity, for the love of God!" Yet it is beheld, by all sexes and ages, with transports of joy and satisfaction-() merciful God! is this the benign, humane religion thou hast given to men? Surely not. If such were the genius of Christianity, then it would be no honour to be a Christian. Let us however, rejoice that the time is coming when the demon of Persecution shall be banished out of this our world and the true spirit of benevolence and candour pervade the universe; when none shall hurt or destroy, but the earth be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea! See INQUISITION.

ACTION FOR THE PULPIT.—| See DECLAMATION.

ADAMITES, a sect that sprang up in the second century. Epiphanius tells us, that they were called Adamites, from their pretending to be re-established in the state of innocence, such as Adam was at the moment of his creation, whence they ought to imitate him in going naked. They detested marriage; maintaining that the conjugal union would never have taken place upon earth, had sin been unknown. This obscure and ridiculous sect did not last long. It was, however, revived with additional absurdities in the twelfth century. About the beginning of the fifteenth century, these errors spread in Germany and Bohemia: it found also some partizans in Poland, Holland, and England They assembled in the night; and it is said. one of the fundamental maxims of their society was contained in the following verse:

they believed the presence of Christ's body in the eucharist, though in a manner different from the Romanists.

Jura, perjura, secretum prodere noli. Swear, forswear, and reveal not the secret. ADESSENARIANS, a branch of the ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, one Sacramentarians; so called from the of the sacred books of the New Testa-Latin Adesse, to be present because ment containing the history of the infant church during the space of twenty-nine or thirty years from the ascension of our Lord to the year of Christ 63. It ADIAPHORISTS, a name given in was written by Luke, and addressed to the sixteenth century to the moderate Theophilus, the person to whom the Lutherans who adhered to the sentievangelist had before dedicated his gos-ments of Melancthon; and afterwards pel. The style of this work, which was originally composed in Greek, is much purer than that of the other canonical writers. For the contents of this book we refer the reader to the book itself.

There have been several acts of the

to those who subscribed the interim of Charles V. [See INTERIM.] The word is of Greek origin (adıqogos.) and signifies indifference or lukewarmness

ADMIRATION is that passion of the mind which is excited by the dis

ADO

covery of any great excellence in an object. It has by some writers been used as synonymous with surprise and wonder; but it is evident they are not the same. Surprise refers to something unexpected; wonder, to something great or strange; but admiration includes the idea of high esteem or respect. Thus, we say we admire a man's excellencies but we do not say that we are surprised at them. We wonder at an extraordinary object or event, but we do not always admire it.

11

ADMÓNITION denotes a hint or advice given to another, whereby we reprove him for his fault, or remind him of his duty. Admonition was a part of the discipline much used in the ancient || church: it was the first act or step towards the punishment or expulsion of delinquents. In case of private offences, it was performed according to the evangelical rule, privately; in case of public offence, openly before the church If either of these sufficed for the recovery of the fallen person, all farther proceedings, in a way of censure, ceased; if they did not, recourse was had to excommunication.-Tit. iii. 10. 1 Thess. v. 14. Eph. vi. 4.

Christ in his human nature is the Son of
God, not by nature, but by adoption.

ADOPTION, an act whereby any
person receives another into his family,
owns him for his son, and appoints him
his heir. 2. Spiritual adoption is an act
of God's free grace, whereby we are
received into the number, and have a
right to all the privileges of the sons of
God.-3. Glorious, is that in which the
saints, being raised from the dead are
at the last day solemnly owned to be the
children of God and enter into the full
possession of that inheritance provided
for them, Rom. viii. 19. 23. Adoption is
a word taken from the civil law, and
was much in use among the Romans in
the apostles' time; when it was a cus-
tom for persons who had no children of
their own, and were possessed of an
estate, to prevent its being divided, or
descending to strangers, to make choice
of such who were agreeable to them,
and beloved by them, whom they took
into this political relation of children;
obliging them to take their name upon
them, and to pay respect to them as
though they were their natural parents,
and engaging to deal with them as though
they had been so; and accordingly to
give them a right to their estates, as an
inheritance. This new relation, founded
in a mutual consent, is a bond of affec-
tion; and the privilege arising from
thence is, that he who is in this sense a
father, takes care of and provides for
the person whom he adopts, as though
he were his son by nature; and there-
fore civilians call it an act of legitima-
imitating nature, or supplying the
place of it.

ADONAI, one of the names of the Supreme Being in the Scriptures. The proper meaning of the word is “my Lords," in the plural number; as Adoni is my Lord, in the singular. The Jews, who either out of respect or superstition do not pronounce the name of Jehovah, read Adonai in the room of it, as often as they meet with Jehovah in the Hebrew text. But the ancient Jews weretion, not so scrupulous; nor is there any law which forbids them to pronounce the name of God.

ADONISTS, a party among divines and critics, who maintain that the Hebrew points ordinarily annexed to the consonants of the word Jehovah are not the natural points belonging to that word, nor express the true pronunciation of it; but are the vowel points belonging to the words Adonai and Elohim, applied to the consonants of the ineffable name Jehovah, to warn the readers, that instead of the word Jehovah, which the Jews were forbid to pronounce, and the true pronunciation of which had long been unknown to them. they are always to read Adonai. They are opposed to Jehovists, of whom the principal are Drusius, Capellus, Buxtorf, Alting, and Reland.

ADOPTIANISTS, the followers of Felix of Urgil and Epiland of Toledo who, towards the end of the eighth century, advanced the notion that Jesus

It is easy, then, to conceive the propriety of the term as used by the apostle in reference to this act, though it must be confessed there is some difference between civil and spiritual adoption. Civil adoption was allowed of and provided for the relief and comfort of those who had no children; but in spiritual adoption this reason does not appear.

The Almighty was under no obligation to do this; for he had innumerable spirits whom he had created, besides his own Son, who had all the perfections of the divine nature, who was the object of his delight, and who is styled the heir of all things, Heb. i. 3. When men adopt, it is on account of some excellency in the persons who are adopted; thus Pharaoh's daughter adopted Moses because he was exceeding fair, Acts vii. 20, 21; and Mordecai adopted Esther because she was his uncle's daughter, and exceeding fair, Est. ii, 7: but man has nothing in him

Jer. iii. 19.

that merits this divine act, Ezek. xvi. 5. || apostle, "whether Paul, or Apollos, or In civil adoption, though the name of a Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, son be given, the nature of a son may or things present, or things to come, all not; this relation may not necessarily be are yours, 1 Cor. iii. 22.-3. Divine proattended with any change of disposition tection. "In the fear of the Lord is or temper. But in spiritual adoption we strong confidence, and his children shall are made partakers of the divine na- have a place of refuge," Prov. xiv. 26. ture, and a temper or disposition given || As the master of a family is engaged to us becoming the relationship we bear, defend and secure all under his roof, and committed to his care, so Jesus Christ is engaged to protect and defend his people. They shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings and quiet resting places," Isa xxxii. 18. Heb. i. 14.-4. Unspeakable felicity. They enjoy the most intimate communion with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. They have access to his throne at all times, and under all circumstances. They see divine wisdom regulating every affair, and rendering every thing subservient to their good. Heb. xii. 6—11. The laws, the liberties, the privileges, the relations, the provisions, and the security of this family are all sources of happiness; but especially the presence, the approbation, and the goodness of God, as the governor thereof, afford joy unspeakable and full of glory, 1 Pet. i. 8. Prov. iii. 17. Heb. iv. 16.-5. Eternal glory. some cases, civil adoption might be made null and void, as among the Romans, when against the right of the pontifex, and without the decree of the college; but spiritual adoption, as it is divine as to its origin, so it is perpetual as to its duration. "The Son abideth in the house for ever," John viii. 35. “The inheritance of the saints is incorruptible, undefiled, and never fadeth away," 1 Pet. i. 4.

Much has been said as to the time of adoption. Some place it before regeneration, because it is supposed that we must be in the family before we can be partakers of the blessings of it. But it is difficult to conceive of one before the other for although adoption may seem to precede regeneration in order of nature. yet not of time; they may be dis | tinguished, but cannot be separated. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name," John i. 12. There is no adoption, says the great Charnock without regeneration. "Adoption," says the same author. "is not a mere relation; the privilege and the image of the sons of God go together. A state of adoption is never without a separation from defilement, 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. The new name in adoption is never given till the new creature be formed. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God,' Rom. viii 14. Yet these are to be distinguished. Regeneration, as a physical act, gives us a likeness to God in our nature; adoption, as a legal act, gives us a right to an inheritance. Regeneration makes us formally his sons, by conveying a principle 1 Pet. i. 23; adoption makes us relatively his "Now are we the sons of sons, by conveying a power, Jolin i. 12. God, and it doth not yet appear what By the one we are instated in the di- we shall be: but we know that when he vine affection; by the other we are par-shall appear, we shall be like him, for takers of the divine nature."

|

In

we shall see him as he is," 1 John iii. 2. The privileges of adoption are every In the present state we are as children way great and extensive. 1. It implies at school; but in heaven we shall be as great honour. They have God's name children at home, where we shall alput upon them, and are described as ways behold the face of our heavenly his people, called by his name," 2 Father, for ever celebrating his praises, Chron. vii. 24. Eph iii. 15. They are admiring his perfections, and enjoying no longer slaves to sin and the world; his presence. So shall we be ever but, emancipated from its dreadful bon- || with the Lord." 1 Thess. iv. 17 dage, are raised to dignity and honour, Gal. iv. 7: 1 John iii. 1, 2.-2. Inexhaus- || tible provision and riches. They inherent all things, Rev. xxi. 7. All the blessings of a temporal kind that are for their good shall be given them. Psalm lxxxiv. 11. All the blessings of grace are treasured up in Jesus Christ for them, Eph. i. 3. All the blessings of glory shall be enjoyed by them, Col. i. 27. All things are yours," says the

The evidences of adoption are, 1. Renunciation of all former dependencies. When a child is adopted, he relin|| quishes the object of his pat confidence, and submits himself to the will and pleasure of the adopter; so they who are brought into the family of God, will evidence it by giving up every other object so far as it interferes with the will and glory of their heavenly Father. Ephraim shall say, What have I to

64

ADO

13

do any more with idols?" Hos. xiv. 8. through Jesus Christ. Eph. i. 5. Ap"Other lords have had dominion over plied to believers by the Holy Spirit, us; but by thee only will we make Gal. iv. 6. Rom. viii. 15, 16. A blessing mention of thy name." Is. xxvi. 13. of the greatest importance, 1 John iii. Matt. xiii. 45, 46 Phil. iii. S.-2. Affec-1, and lays us under an inviolable oblition. This may not always apply to gation of submission. Heb. xii. 9; imitacivil adoption, but it always does to spi- tion, Eph. v. 1; and dependence, Matt. vi. 32. See Ridgley's and Gill's Body ritual. The children of God feel a regard for him above every other object. of Div. art. Adoption; Charnock's His own excellency, his unspeakable Work's, vol. ii. p. 32-72; Flavel's goodness to them his promises of future Work's vol ii. p. 601; Brown's System blessings, are all grounds of he strongest of Nat. and Rev. Religion, p. 442; love Whom have I in heaven but Witsii Econ. Fed. p. 165. thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee." Psalm 1xxiii. 25. "Thou art my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in thee." Lam. iii. 24. Luke vii. 47. Ps. xviii. 1.-3. Access to God with a holy boldness. They who|| are children by adoption are supposed to have the same liberty of access as those who are children by nature; so those who are partakers of the blessings of spiritual adoption will prove it by a reverential, yet familiar address to the Father of spirits: they will confess their unworthiness, acknowledge their dependence, and implore the mercy and Because ye are sons, favour of God. God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, FaThrough Jesus ther." Gal. iv. 6. Christ we have access by one Spirit unto the Father." Eph. ii. 18. Having such a privilege, they "come boldly to the throne of grace, that they may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Heb.iv. 16.-4. Obedience. Those who are adopted into a family must obey the laws of that family; so believers prove themselves adopted by their obedience to the word and ordinances of God. "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." John. xv. 14. "Whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abide h in him, ought himself also to walk even as he walked." 1 John ii. 4, 5.-5. Patient yet joyfulexpectation of the inheritance. In civil adoption, indeed, an inheritance is not always certain; but in spiritual "fo them who, by paadoption it is. tient continuance in well doing, seek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life." Rom. ii. 7. "We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal" 2 Cor. iv 18. Rom. vi. 23. Heb. xi. 26, 27. From the consideration of the whole of this doctrine, we may learn that adoption is an act of free grace

ADORATION, the act of rendering divine honours, including in it reverence, or absolute. The word is compounded, esteem and love: this is called supreme, of ad,to," and os, oris. " mouth," and to kiss the hand;" this literally signifies to apply the hand to the mouth, being in the eastern countries, one of the great marks of respect and submistude of adoration, however, we find has sion. See Job xxxi. 26, 27. The attinot been confined to this mode; standing, kneeling, uncovering the head, prostration, bowing, lifting up the eyes to heaven, or sometimes fixing them upon the earth with the body bending forward; sitting with the under parts of the thighs resting on the heels, have all been used, as expressive of veneration and esteem. Whatever be the form, however, it must be remembered that adoration, as an act of worship, is due to God alone, Matt. iv. 10. Acts x. 25, 26. Rev. xix. 10. There is, 2. what may be called adoration human, or paying homage or respect to persons of great rank and dignity. This has been performed by bowing, bending the knee, falling on the face. The practice of adoration may be said to be still subsisting in England, in the ceremony of kissing the king's or queen's hand, and in serving them at table, both being performed kneeling on one knee. There is also, 3. adoration relative, which consists in worship paid to an object as belonging to or representative of another. In this sense the Romanists profess to adore the cross not simply or immediately. but in This is generally, respect of Jesus Christ, whom they suppose to be on it. however, considered by protestants, as coming little short of idolatry. See IDOLATRY.

ADVERSARY, one who sets himself in opposition to another: one of the names of Satan. See SATAN.

ADVERSITY, a state which is opIt stands opposed to prosperiposite to our wishes, and the cause of sorrow ty. See AFFLICTION

ADULTERY, an unlawful commerce