thing upon a person for what it is not, as when falsehood is made to pass for truth. See HYPOCRISY.

DECEPTION, SELF. See SELFDECEPTION.

DECLAMATION, a speech made in public in the tone and manner of an oration,uniting the expression of action to the propriety of pronunciation, in order to give the sentiment its full impression on the mind. It is used also in a derogatory sense; as when it is said, such a speech was mere declamation, it implies that it was deficient in point of reasoning, or had more sound than sense.

DECLAMATION OF THE PULPIT. "The dignity and sanctity of the place, and the importance of the subject, require the preacher to exert the utmost powers of his voice, to produce a pronunciation that is perfectly distinct and harmonious, and that he observe a deportment and action which is expressive and graceful. The preacher should not roar like a common crier, and rend the ear with a voice like thunder; for such kind of declamation is not only without meaning and without persuasion, but

of darkness; the hour in which he overthrew dominions and thrones, led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men; then it was that the foundation of every pagan temple shook; the statue of every false god tottered on its base; the priest fled from his falling shrine, and the heathen oracles became dumb for ever!-This was the hour when our Lord erected that spiritual kingdom which is never to end. His enemies imagined that in this hour they had successfully accomplished their plan for his destruction; but how little did they know that the Almighty was at that moment setting him as a king on the hill of Sion! How little did they know that their badges of mock royalty were at that moment converted into the signals of absolute dominion, and the instruments of irresistible power! The reed which they put into his hands became a rod of iron, with which he was to break in pieces his enemies; a sceptre with which he was to rule the universe in righteousness. The cross, which they thought was to stigmatize him with infamy, became the ensign of his renown. Instead of being the re-highly incongruous with the meek and proach of his followers, it was to be their boast, and their glory. The cross was to shine on palaces and churches throughout the earth. It was to be assumed as the distinction of the most powerful monarchs, and to wave in the banner of victorious armies, when the memory of Herod and Pilate should be accursed; when Jerusalem should be reduced to ashes, and the Jews be vagabonds over all the world." See ATONEMENT; Pearson and Barrow on the Creed; Owen's Death of Death in the Death of Christ; Charnock's Works, vol. ii. on the Necessity, Voluntariness, &c. of the Death of Christ.

DECALOGUE, the ten commandments given by God to Moses.

The ten commandments were engraved by God on two tables of stone. The Jews, by way of eminence, call these commandments the ten words, from whence they had afterwards the name of decalogue; but they joined the first and second into one, and divided the last into two. They understand that against stealing to relate to the stealing of men, or kidnapping; alleging, that the stealing one another's goods or property is forbidden in the last commandment. The church of Rome has struck the second commandment quite out of the decalogue; and, to make their number complete, has split the tenth into two. The reason is obvious.

DECEIT consists in passing any

gentle spirit of the Gospel. He should likewise take particular care to avoid a monotony; his voice should rise from the beginning, as it were, by degrees, and its greatest strength should be exerted in the application. Each inflexion of the voice should be adapted to the phrase and to the meaning of the words; and each remarkable expression should have its peculiar inflexion. The dogmatic requires a plain uniform tone of voice only, and the menaces of God's word demand a greater force than its promises and rewards; but the latter should not be pronounced in the soft tone of a flute, nor the former with the loud sound of a trumpet. The voice

should still retain its natural tone in all its various inflexions Happy is that preacher who has a voice that is at once strong, flexible, and harmonious. An air of complacency and benevolence, as well as devotion, should be constantly visible in the countenance of the preacher; but every appearance of affectation must be carefully avoided; for nothing is so disgustful to an audience as even the semblance of dissimulation. Eyes constantly rolling, turned towards heaven, and streaming with tears, rather denote a hypocrite than a man possessed of the real spirit of religion, and who feels the true import of what he preaches. An air of affected devotion infallibly destroys the efficacy of all that the preacher can say, however just

reformed churches, and particularly in the church of England; and to this, we may add, that it was maintained by a great number of divines in the last two centuries.

and important it may be. On the other hand, he must avoid every appearance of mirth or raillery or of that cold unfeeling manner which is so apt to freeze the heart of his hearers. The body should in general be erect, and in a na- As to the nature of these decrees, it tural and easy attitude. The perpetual must be observed that they are not the movement or contortion of the body has result of deliberation, or the Almighty's a ridiculous effect in the pulpit, and debating matters within himself, reamakes the figure of a preacher and a soning in his own mind about the expeharlequin too similar; on the other diency or inexpediency of things, as hand, he ought not to remain constantly creatures do; nor are they merely ideas upright and motionless like a speaking of things future, but settled determinastatue. The motions of the hands give a tions founded on his sovereign will and strong expression to a discourse; but pleasure, Isa. xl. 14. They are to be they should be decent, grave, noble, considered as eternal: this is evident; and expressive. The preacher who is for if God be eternal, consequently his incessantly in action, who is perpetually purposes must be of equal duration with clasping his hands, or who menaces with himself: to suppose otherwise, would a clenched fist, or counts his arguments be to suppose that there was a time on his fingers will only excite mirth when he was undetermined and mutaamong his auditory. In a word, decla- ble; whereas no new determinations or mation is an art that the sacred orator after thoughts can arise in his mind, should study with assiduity. The design Job xxiii. 13, 14.-2. They are free, of a sermon is to convinee, to affect, and without any compulsion, and not exto persuade. The voice, the counte-cited by any motive out of himself, Rom. nance, and the action, which are to pro-ix. 15.-3. They are infinitely wise, disduce the triple effect, are therefore objects to which, the preacher should par ticularly apply himself" See SERMON. DECREES OF GOD are his settled purposes, whereby he foreordains whatsoever comes to pass, Dan. iv. 24. Acts xv. 18. Eph. i. 11. This doctrine is the subject of one of the most perplexing controversies that has occurred among mankind; it is not, however, as some think, a novel doctrine. The opinion, that whatever occurs in the world at large, or in the lot of private individuals, is the result of a previous and unalterable arrangement by that Supreme Power which presides over Nature, has always been held by many of the vulgar, and has been believed by speculative men. The ancient stoics, Zeno and Chrysippus, whom the Jewish Essenes seem to have followed, asserted the existence of a Deity, that, acting wisely but necessarily, contrived the general system of the world; from which. by a series of causes, whatever is now done in it unavoidably results. Mahomet introduced into his Koran the doctrine of absolute predestination of the course of This doctrine should teach us, 1. Adhuman affairs. He represented life and miration. "He is the rock, his work is death, prosperity and adversity, and perfect, for all his ways are judgment; every even that befalls a man in this a God of truth, and without iniquity; wold, as the result of a previous deter-just and right is he." Deut. xxxii. 4. mination of the one God who rules over 2. Reverence. "Who would not fear all. Augustine and the whole of the thee, O King of nations? for to thee earliest reformers, but especially Cal-doth it appertain," Jer. x. 7.-3. Huvin, favoured this doctrine. It was ge-mility, "O the depth of the riches, both nerally asserted, and publicly owned, of the wisdom and knowledge of God! in most of the confessions of faith of the-how unsearchable are his judgments,

playing his glory, and promoting the general good, Rom. xi. 33.-4. They are immutable, for this is the result of his being infinitely perfect; for if there were the least change in God's understanding, it would be an instance of imperfection, Mal. iii. 6.-5. They are extensive or universal, relating to all creatures and things in heaven, earth, and hell, Eph. i. 11. Prov. xvi. 4.-6. They are secret, or at least cannot be known till he be pleased to discover them. It is therefore presumption for any to attempt to enter into or judge of his secret purpose, or to decide upon what he has not revealed, Deut. xxix. 29. Nor is an unknown or supposed decree at any time to be the rule of our conduct. His revealed will alone must be considered as the rule by which we are to judge of the event of things, as well as of our conduct at large, Rom. xi. 34.-7. Lastly, they are effectual; for as he is infinitely wise to plan, so he is infinitely powerful to perform: his counsel shall stand, und he will do all his pleasure, Isa. xlvi. 10.

and his ways past finding out!" Rom. xi. 33.-4. Submission. "For he doeth according to his will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?" Dan. iv. 35.-5. Desire for heaven. "What I do, thou kno« est not now; but thou shalt know hereafter," John xiii. 7. See NECESSITY, PREDESTINA-ed to the University of Oxford: so that

and the precarious arguments generally || writer of any note that appeared in this advanced in proof thereof, the best and country was Herbert, baron of Chersurest way is to return to the simplicity bury. He lived and wrote in the seof nature, and the belief of one God; venteenth century. His book De Veriwhich is the only truth agreed to by all tate was first published at Paris in 1624. nations. They complain, that the free- This, together with his book De Causis dom of thinking and reasoning is op- Errorum, and his treatise De Religione pressed under the yoke of religion, and Laici, were afterwards published in Lonthat the minds of men are tyrannized don. His celebrated work De Religione over, by the necessity imposed on them Gentilium was published at Amsterdam of believing inconceivable mysteries; in 1663 in 4to., and in 1700 in 8vo.; and and contend that nothing should be re- an English translation of it was publishquired to be assented to or believed but ed at London in 1705. As he was one what their reason clearly conceives. of the first that formed deism into a The distinguishing character of modern system, and asserted the sufficiency, deists is, that they discard all pretences universality, and absolute perfection of to revelation as the effects of imposture natural religion, with a view to discard all or enthusiasm. They profess a regard extraordinary revelation as useless and for natural religion, though they are far needless, we shall subjoin the five funfrom being agreed in their notions con- damental articles of this universal relicerning it. gion. They are these : 1. There is one They are classed by some of their own supreme God -2. That he is chiefly to writers into mortal and immortal de- be worshipped.-3. That piety and virists; the latter acknowledging a future tue are the principal part of his worstate; and the former denying it, or re- ship.-4. That we must repent of our presenting it as very uncertain. Dr. sins; and if we do so, God will pardon Clarke distinguishes four sorts of deists. them.-5. That there are rewards for 1. Those who pretend to believe the good men and punishments for bad men, existence of an eternal, infinite inde- both here and hereafter. A number of pendent, intelligent Being, who made advocates have appeared in the same the world, without concerning himself cause; and however they may have in the government of it,-2. Those who differed among themselves, they have believe the being and natural provi- been agreed in their attempts of invalidence of God, but deny the difference dating the evidence and authority of diof actions as morally good or evil, re- vine revelation. We might mention solving it into the arbitrary constitution | Hobbes, Blount, Toland, Collins, Woolof human laws; and therefore they sup- ston, Tindall, Morgan, Chubb, lord Bopose that God takes no notice of them. lingbroke, Hume, Gibbon, Paine, and With respect to both these classes, he some add lord Shaftesbury to the numobserves that their opinions can con- ber. Among foreigners Voltaire, Roussistently terminate in nothing but down- seau, Condorcet, and many other celeright atheism.-3. Those who, having brated French authors, have rendered right apprehensions concerning the na- themselves conspicuous by their deistiture, attributes, and all-governing pro-cal writings. "But," as one observes, vidence of God, seem also to have some notion of his moral perfections; though they consider them as transcendent, and such in nature and degree, that we can form no true judgment, nor argue with any certainty concerning them: but they deny the immortality of human souls. alleging that men perish at death, and that the present life is the whole of human existence.-4. Those who believe the existence, perfections, and providence of God, the obligations of natural religion, and a state of future retribution, on the evidence of the light of Nature, without a divine revelation; such as these, he says, are the only true deists: but their principles, he apprehends, should lead them to embrace Christianity; and therefore he concludes that there is now no consistent scheme of deism in the world. The first deistical

"the friends of Christianity have no reason to regret the free and unreserved discussion which their religion has undergone. Objections have been stated and urged in their full force, and as fully answered, arguments and raillery have been repelled: and the controversy between Christians and deists has called forth a great numberof excellent writers, who have illustrated both the doctrines and evidences of Christianity in a manner that will ever reflect honour on their names, and be of lasting service to the cause of genuine religion, and the best interests of mankind." See articles CHRISTIANITY. INFIDELITY, INSPIRATioN, and SCRIPTURE, in this work. Leland's View of Deistical writers; | Sermons at Boyle's Lecture; Halyburton's Natural Religion insufficient; Leslie's Short Method with the Deists;

earth: unless perhaps they had been retained there by a miracle; in that case, Moses, no doubt, would have related the miracle, as he did that of the waters of the Red Sea, &c. It may also be observed, that in regions far remote from the Euphrates and Tigris, viz. Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, England, &c. there are frequently found

DELUGE, the flood which overflowed and destroyed the earth. This flood makes one of the most considera-in places many scores of leagues from ble epochas in chronology. Its history is given by Moses, Gen. vi. and vii. Its time is fixed by the best chronologers to the year from the creation 1656, answering to the year before Christ 2293. From this flood, the state of the world is divided into diluvian and antediluvian.

Men who have not paid that regard to sacred history as it deserves, have cavilled at the account given of an universal deluge. Their objections principally turn upon three points: 1. The want of any direct history of that event by the profane writers of antiquity.-2 The apparent impossibility of accounting for the quantity of water necessary to overflow the whole earth to such a depth as it is said to have been.-And, 3. There appearing no necessity for an universal deluge, as the same end might have been accomplished by a partial

one.

the sea, and even in the tops of high mountains, whole trees sunk deep under ground, as also teeth and bones of animals, fishes entire, sea shells, ears of corn, &c. petrified; which the best naturalists are agreed could never have come there but by the deluge. That the Greeks and western nations had some knowledge of the flood, has never been denied ; and the Mussulmen, Chinese, and Americans, have traditions of the deluge. The ingenious Mr. Bryant, in his Mythology, has pretty clearly proved that the deluge, so far from being unknown to the heathen world at large, is in reality conspicuous throughout every one of their acts of religious worship. In India, also, Sir William Jones has discovered, that in the oldest mythological books of that country, there is such an account of the deluge, as corresponds sufficiently with that of Moses.

To the above arguments we oppose Various have been the conjectures of the plain declarations of Scripture. God learned men as to the natural causes of declared to Noah that he was resolved || the deluge. Some have supposed that to destroy every thing that had breath || a quantity of water was created on purunder heaven, or had life on the earth, pose, and at a proper time annihilated by a flood of waters; such was the by Divine power. Dr. Burnet supposes threatening, such was the execution. the primitive earth to have been no The waters, Moses assures us, covered more than a crust investing the water the whole earth, buried all the moun-contained in the ocean; and in the centains; every thing perished therein that tral abyss which he and others suppose had life, excepting Noah and those with to exist in the bowels of the earth at him in the ark. Can an universal de- the time of the flood, this outward crust luge be more clearly expressed? If the broke in a thousand pieces, and sunk deluge had only been partial, there had down among the water, which thus been no necessity to spend an hundred spouted up in vast cataracts, and overyears in the building of an ark, and flowed the whole surface. Others, supshutting up all sorts of animals therein, posing a sufficient fund of water in the in order to re-stock the world: they sea or abyss, think that the shifting of had been easily and readily brought the earth's centre of gravity drew after from those parts of the world not over-it the water out of the channel, and flowed into those that were; at least, all the birds never would have been destroyed, as Moses says they were, so long as they had wings to bear them to those parts where the flood did not reach If the waters had only overflowed the neighbourhood of the Euphrates and the Tigris, they could not be fifteen cubits above the highest mountains; there was no rising hat height but they must spread themselves, by the laws of gravity, over the rest of the

overwhelmed the several parts of the earth successively. Others ascribe it to the shock of a comet, and Mr. King supposes it to arise from subter aneous fires bursting forth with great violence under the sea. But are not most, if not all these hypotheses quite arbitrary, and without foundation from the words of Moses? It is, perhaps, in vain to attempt accounting for this event by natural causes, it being altogether miraculous and supernatural, as a punishment to