ESTEEM is that high and exalted thought of. and value for any thing which arises from a sense of its own intrinsic worth and excellency. Esteem is higher than simple approbation, which is a decision of the judgment; it is the commencement of affection; it is a degree of love for others, on account of their pleasing qualities, though they should not immediately interest ourselves; by which it is distinguished from gratitude. Our esteem of God manifests without reverence, in bowing the knee ; in prayer and praise; in all the several forms of outward devotion, and in quick resentment of any dishonour done to him. Our high esteem or veneration of any man appears in an humble, respectful behaviour toward him, speaking his praises, imitating his excellencies, and resenting his dishonour. derive no weight or solemnity from human sanctions. Human establishments, || it is said, have been, and are, productive of the greatest evils; for in this case it is requisite to give the preference to some particular system; and as the magistrate is no better judge of religion than others, the chances are as great of his lending his sanction to the false as the true. The thousands that have been persecuted and suffered in consequence of establishments, will always form an argument against them. Under estab-itself in never mentioning his name lishments also, it is said, corruption cannot be avoided. Emolument must be attached to the national church, which may be a strong inducement to its ministers to defend it, be it ever so remote from the truth. Thus, also, error becomes permanent; and that set of opinions which happens to prevail when the establishment is formed, continues, in spite of superior light and improve- ETERNITY, with respect to God, ment, to be handed down, without al- is a duration without beginning or end. teration, from age to age. Hence the As it is the attribute of human nature, disagreement between the public creed it is a duration that has a beginning, but of the church and the private senti- will never have an end. "It is a duraments of its ministers. As to the pro- tion," says a lively writer, "that exvision made for the clergy, this may be cludes all number and computation: done without an establishment, as mat- days, and months, and years, yea, and ter of fact shows in hundreds of in- ages, are lost in it, like drops in the stances. Dissenting ministers, or those | ocean! Millions of millions of years, as who do not hold in establishments, it is many years as there are sands on the observed are not without means of ob- sea-shore, or particles of dust in the taining knowledge; but, on the contrary, globe of the earth, and those multiplied many of them are equal to their bre- to the highest reach of number, all these thren in the establishment for erudition are nothing to eternity. They do not and sound learning. It is not to be disbear the least imaginable proportion to sembled neither, that among those who, in general, cannot agree with human establishments, there are as pious and as useful members of society as others. Finally, though all Christians should pay respect to civil magistrates as such, and all magistrates ought to encourage the church. yet no civil magistrates have any power to establish any particular form of religion, binding upon the consciences of the subject; nor are magistrates even represented in scripture as officers or rulers of the church. Should the reader be desirous of prosecuting this subject farther, he may consult Warburton's Alliance between Church and State; Christie's Essay on Establishments; Paley's Mor Phil v. ii. c. 10; Bishop Law's Theory of Religion; Watts's Civil Power in things sacred,|| third volume of his works; Hall's Li berty of the Press, ec. 5; Mrs. H. More's Hints on forming the Character of a young Princess, vol. ii. p. 350; but especially Ranken and Graham's pieces on the subject; the former for, and the latter against establishments. it ; for these will come to an end, as certainly as a day; but eternity will never, never, never, come to an end! It is a line without end! it is an ocean without a shore! Alas! what shall I say of it! it is an infinite, unknown something, that neither human thought can grasp, nor human language describe!" Orton on Eternity; Shower on ditto: Davis's Sermons, ser. 11; Saurin's Sermons, vol. iii. p. 370. ETERNITY OF GOD is the perpetual continuance of his being, without beginning, end, or succession. That he is without beginning, says Dr Gill, may be proved from, 1. His necessary selfexistence, Exod. iii. 14.-2. From his attributes, several of which are said to be eternal, Rom. i 20. Acts xv. 18. Ps. ciii. 17. Jer. xxxi 3.-3. From his purposes, which are also said to be from eternity, Isa xxv. 1. Eph. ii. 11. Rom. ix 11. Eph. i. 4.-4. From the covenant of grace, which is eternal, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. Mic. v. 2. That he is without end, may be proved from, 1. His spirituality and simpliY city, Rom. i. 23.-2. From his inde-world been eternal.-4. The origin of pendency, Rom. ix. 5.-3. From his the most considerable nations of the immutability, 2 Pet. i. 24, 25. Mal. iii. earth may be traced, i. e. the time when 6. Psal. iii. 26, 27.-4. From his domi- they first inhabited the countries where nion and government, said never to end. they now dwell; and it appears that Jer. x. 10. Psal. x. 16. Dan. iv. 3. most of the western nations came from the east.-5. If the world be eternal, it is hard to account for the tradition of its beginning, which has almost every where prevailed, though under different forms, among both polite and barbarous nations.-6. We have a most ancient and credible history of the beginning of the world. I mean the history of Moses, with which no book in the world, in point of antiquity, can contend. Stillingfleet's Orig. Sacra, p. 15, 106. Winder's Hist. of Knowledge, vol. ii. passim: Pearson on the Creed, p. 58.; Doddridge's Lectures, 1.24; Tillotson's Sermons, ser. 1; Clarke at Boyle's Lectures, p. 22, 23, Dr. Collyer's Scripture Facts, ser. 2. That he is without succession, or any distinctions of time succeeding one to another, as moments, minutes, &c. may be proved from, 1. His existence before such were in being, Isa. xliii. 13.-2. The distinctions and differences of time are together ascribed to him, and not as succeeding one another: he is the same yesterday, to day, and for ever, Heb. xiii. 8. Rev. i. 4.-3. If his duration were successive, or proceeded by moments, days, and vears, then there must have been some first moment, day, and year, when he began to exist, which is incompatible with the idea of his eternity; and, besides, one day would be but one day with him, and not a thousand, contrary to the express language of Scripture, 2 Pet. iii. 8-4 He would not be immense, immutable, and perfect, if this were the case; for he would be older one minute than he was before, which cannot be said of him.-5. His knowledge proves him without successive duration, for he knows all things past, present, and to come: "he sees the present without a medium, the past without recollection, and the future without foresight. To him all truths are but one idea, all places are but one point, and all times but one moment." Gill's Body of Divinity; Paley's Nat. Theol. p. 480; Charnock on the Divine Perfections; Clarke on ditto; Watts's Ontology, chap. iv. ETERNITY OF THE WORLD. It was the opinion of Aristotle and others that the world was eternal. But that the present system of things had a beginning, seems evident, if we consider the following things. 1. We may not only conceive of many possible alterations which might be made in the form of it, but we see it incessantly changing; whereas an eternal being, for as much as it is self-existent, is always the same. -2. We have no credible history of transactions more remote than six thousand years from the present time, for as to the pretence that some nations have made to histories of greater antiquity, as the Egyptians, Chaldeans, Phenicians, Chinese, &c. they are evidently convicted of falsehood in the works referred to at the bottom of this article.-3. We can trace the invention of the most useful arts and sciences; which had probably been carried farther, and invented sooner, had the ETHICS, the doctrine of manners, or the science of moral philosophy. The word is formed from 6s, mores, "manners," by reason the scope or object thereof is to form the manners. See MORALS. ETHNOPHRONES, a sect of heretics in the seventh century, who made a profession of Christianity, but joined thereto all the ceremonies and follies of paganism, as judicial astrology, sortileges, auguries, and other divinations. EVANGELIST, one who publishes glad tidings; a messenger, or preacher of good news. The persons denominated evangelists were next in order to the apostles, and were sent by them not to settle in any particular place, but to travel among the infant churches, and ordain ordinary officers, and finish what the apostles had begun. Of this kind were Philip the deacon, Mark, Silas, &c. Acts xxi. 8. The title of evangelist is more particularly given to the four inspired writers of our Saviour's life. EVANGELICAL, agreeable to the doctrines of Christianity. The term is frequently applied to those who do not rely upon moral duties as to their acceptance with God; but are influenced to action from a sense of the love of God, and depend upon the merits of Christ for their everlasting salvation. EUCHARIST, the sacrament of the Lord's supper. The word properly signifies giving thanks. As to the manner of celebrating the eucharist among the ancient Christians, after the customary oblations were made, the deacon brought water to the bishops and presbyters standing round the table to wash their hands; according to that passage || of the Psalmist, "I will wash my hands in innocency, and so will I compass thy altar, O Lord." Then the deacon cried out aloud, "Mutually embrace and kiss each other;" which being done, the whole congregation prayed for the universal peace and welfare of the church, for the tranquillity and repose of the world, for the prosperity of the age, for wholesome weather, and for all ranks and degrees of men. After this followed mutual salutations of the minister and people; and then the bishop or presbyter, having sanctified the elements by a solemn benediction, broke the bread, and delivered it to the deacon, who distributed it to the communicants, and after that the cup. The sacramental wine was usually diluted or mixed with water. During the time of administration they sang hymns and psalms; and having concluded with prayer and thanksgiving, the people saluted each other with a kiss of peace, and so the assembly_broke up. EUCHITES, or EUCHITA, a sect of ancient heretics, who were first formed into a religious body towards the end of the fourth century, though their doctrine and discipline subsisted in Syria, Egypt, and other eastern countries, before the birth of Christ: they were thus called, because they prayed without ceasing, imagining that prayer alone was sufficient to save them. They were a sort of mystics, who imagined, according to the oriental notion, that two souls resided in man, the one good, and the other evil; and who were zealous in expelling the evil soul or demon, and hastening the return of the good Spirit of God, by contemplation, prayer, and singing of hymns. They also embraced opinions nearly resembling the Manichean doctrine, and which they derived from the tenets of the oriental philosophy. The same denomination was used in the twelfth century to denote certain_fanatics who infested the Greek and Eastern churches, and who were charged with believing a double trinity, rejecting wedlock, abstaining from flesh, treating with contempt the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper, and the various branches of external worship, and placing the essence of religion solely in external prayer; and maintaining the efficacy of perpetual supplications to the Supreme Being for expelling an evil being or genius, which dwelt in the breast of every mortal. This sect is said to have been founded by a person called Lucopetrus, whose chief disciple was named Tychicus. By degress it became a general and invidious appellation for persons of eminent piety and zeal for genuine Christianity, who opposed the vicious practices and insolent tyranny of the priesthood, much in the same manner as the Latins comprehended all the adversaries of the Roman pontiff under the general terms of Albigenses and Waldenses. EUDOXIANS, a sect in the fourth century; so called from their leader Eudoxius, patriarch of Antioch and Constantinople, a great defender of the Arian doctrine. The Eudoxians believed that the Son was created out of nothing; that he had a will distinct and different from that of the Father, &c. They held many other tenets of the Arians and Eunomians. EVIDENCE, is that perception of truth which arises either from the testimony of the senses, or from an induction of reason. The evidences of revelation are divided into internal and external. That is called internal evidence which is drawn from the consideration of those declarations and doctrines which are contained in it; and that is called external, which arises from some other circumstances referring to it, such as predictions concerning it, miracles wrought by those who teach it, its success in the world, &c. See Evidences of Christ, art. CHRISTIANITY. Moral evidence is that which, though it does not exclude a mere abstract possibility of things being otherwise, yet shuts out every reasonable ground of suspecting that they are so. Evidences of Grace are those dispositions and acts which prove a person to be in a converted state; such as an enlightened understanding; love to God and his people; a delight in God's word; worship and dependence on him; spirituality of mind; devotedness of life to the service of God, &c. Secd's Post. Ser. ser. 2. Ditton on the Resurrection; Bellamy on Religion, p. 184. Gambear's Introduction to the Study of Moral Evidence, 163. EVIL is distinguished into natural and moral. Natural evil is whatever destroys or any way disturbs the perfection of natural beings; such as blindness, diseases, death, &c. Moral evil is the disagreement between the actions of a moral agent, and the rule of those actions, whatever it is. Applied to a choice, or acting contrary to the moral or revealed laws of the Deity, it is termed wickedness or sin. Applied to acting contrary to the mere rule of fitness, a fault. See article SIN. EVIL SPEAKING, the using language either reproachful or 'untrue respecting others, and thereby injuring them. It is an express command of Scripture, "To speak evil of no man." Titus iii. 2. James iv. 11. By which, however, we are not to understand that there are no occasions on which we are at liberty to speak of others that which may be considered as evil. 1. Persons in the administration of justice may speak words which in private intercourse would be reproachful.-2. God's ministers may inveigh against vice with sharpness and severity, both privately and publicly, Is. lviii. 1 Tit. i 13.—3. Private persons may reprove others when they commit sin, Lev. xix. 17.-4. Some vehemence of speech may be used in defence of truth, and impugning errors of bad consequence, Jude 3.-5. It may be necessary, upon some emergent occasions, with some heat of language, to express disapprobation of notorious wickedness, Acts viii. 23. Yet in all these the greatest equity, moderation, and candour, should be used; and we should take care, 1. Never to speak in severe terms without reasonable warrant or apparent just cause;-2. Nor beyond measure:3. Nor out of bad principles or wrong ends; for ill will, contempt, revenge, envy, to compass our own ends; from wantonness, or negligence, but from pure charity for the good of those to whom or of whom we speak. This is an evil, however, which greatly abounds, and which is not sufficiently watched against; for it is not when we openly speak evil of others only that we are guilty, but even in speaking what is true we are in danger of speaking evil of others. There is sometimes a malignant pleasure manifested; a studious recollection of every thing that can be brought forward; a delight in hearing any thing spoken against others; a secret rejoicing in knowing that another's fall will be an occasion of our rise. All this is base to an extreme. The impropriety and sinfulness of evil speaking will appear, if we consider, 1. That it is entirely opposite to the whole tenor of the Christian religion.-2. Expressly condemned and prohibited as evil. Ps. Ixiv. 3. James iv. 11.-3. No practice hath more severe punishments denounced against it, 1 Cor. v. 11. 1 Cor. vi. 10.-4. It is an evidence of a weak and distempered mind.-5. It is even indicative of ill-breeding and bad manners.-6. It is the abhorrence of all wise and good men, Ps. xv. 3.-7. It is exceedingly injurious to society, and inconsistent with the relation we bear to each other as Christians, James iii. 6. 8. It is branded with the epithet of folly, Prov. xviii 6, 7.-9. It is perverting the design of speech.-10. It is opposite to the example of Christ, whom we profess to follow. See SLANDER. Barrow's Works, vol. i. ser. 16. Tillotson's Ser. ser. 42. Jack's Ser. on Evil Speaking. EULOGY, eulogia, a term made use of in reference to the consecrated bread. When the Greeks have cut a loaf or piece of bread to consecrate it, they break the rest into little bits, and distribute it among the persons who have not yet communicated, or send it to persons that are absent: and these pieces of bread are what they call eulogies. The word is Greek, wλcy, formed of tu, bene, "well," and λya, dico, "I say, speak;" q. d. benedictum, "blessed." The Latin church has had something like eulogies for a great many ages; and thence arose the use of their holy bread. The name eulogy was likewise given to loaves or cakes brought to church by the faithful to have them blessed. Lastly. the use of the term passed hence to mere presents made to a person without any benediction. EUNOMIANS, a sect in the fourth century. They were a branch of Arians, and took their name from Eunomius, bishop of Cyzicus. Cave, in his Historia Literaria, vol. i. p. 223, gives the following account of their faith. "There is one God, uncreated and without beginning; who has nothing existing before him, for nothing can exist before what is uncreated; nor with him, for what is uncreated must be one; nor in him, for God is a simple and uncompounded being. This one simple and eternal being is God, the creator and ordainer of all things first indeed, and principally of his only begotten Son; and then through him of all other things. For God begat, created, and made the Son only by his direct operation and power, before all things, and every other creature. not producing, however, any being like himself, or imparting any of his own proper substance to the Son! for God is immortal, uniform, indivisible; and therefore cannot communicate any part of his own proper substance to another. He alone is unbegotten; and it is impossible that any other being should be formed of an unbegotten substance. He did not use his own substance in begetting the Son, but his will only; nor did he beget him in the likeness of his substance, but according to his own good pleasure; he then created the Holy Spirit, the first and greatest of all spirits, by his own power, in deed and operation mediately; || even before the union, which was apyet by the immediate power and ope-parently a consequence he drew from ration of the Son. After the Holy the principles of the Platonic philosoSpirit, he created all other things, in heaven and in earth, visible and invisible, corporeal and incorporeal, mediate- || ly by himself, by the power and operation of the Son, &c." The reader will evidently see how near these tenets are to those of Arianism. See ARIANS. EUSEBIANS, a denomination given to the Arians, on account of the favour and countenance which Eusebius, bishop of Cæsarea, showed and procured for them at their first rise. EUSTATHIANS, a name given to the Catholics of Antioch, in the fourth century, on occasion of their refusing to acknowledge any other bishop beside St. Eustathius, deposed by the Arians. EUSTATHIANS, a sect in the fourth century, so denominated from their founder, Eustathius, a monk so foolishly fond of his own profession, that he condemned all other conditions of life. Whether this Eustathius were the same with the bishop of Sabastia, and chief of the Semi-arians, is not easy to determine. He excluded married people from salva. tion; prohibited his followers from praying in their houses, and obliged them to quit all they had, as incompatible with the hopes of heaven. He drew them out of the other assemblies of Christians, to hold secret ones with him, and made them wear a particular habit: he appointed them to fast on Sundays, and taught them that the ordinary fasts of the church were needless after they had attained to a certain degree of purity which he pretended to. He showed great horror for chapels built in honour of martyrs, and the assemblies held therein. He was condemned at the council of Gangra, in Paphlagonia, held between the year 326 and 341. phy, which supposes a pre-existence of souls: accordingly he believed that the soul of Jesus Christ had been united to the Divinity before the incarnation, but then he allowed no distinction of natures in Jesus Christ since his incarnation. This heresy was first condemned in a synod held at Constantinople, by Flavian, in 448; approved by the council of Ephesus, called conventus latronum, in 449; and re-examined and fulminated in the general council of Chalcedon, in 451. The Eutychians were divided into several branches, as the Agnorte, Theodosians, Severians, &c. &c. &c. Eutychians was also the name of a sect, half Arian and half Eunomian, which arose at Constantinople in the fourth century. EXALTATION OF CHRIST consisted in his rising again from the dead on the third day, in ascending up into heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day. See articles RESURRECTION, ASCENSION, INTERCESSION, and JUDGMENT-DAY. EXAMINATION, Self. See SELFEXAMINATION. EXAMPLE, a copy or pattern. In a moral sense, is either taken for a type, instance, or precedent for our admonition, that we may be cautioned against the faults or crimes which others have committed, by the bad consequences which have ensued from them, or example is taken for a pattern for our imitation, or a model for us to copy after. That good examples have a peculiar power above naked precepts to dispose us to the practice of virtue and holiness, may appear by considering, "1. That they most clearly express to us the naEUTUCHÍTES, a denomination in|ture of our duties in their subjects and the third century; so called from the sensible effects. General precepts form Greek TUX, which signifies to live abstract ideas of virtue, but in examwithout pain, or in pleasure. Among ples, virtues are most visible in all their other sentiments, they held that our circumstances.-2. Precepts instruct us souls are placed in our bodies only to in what things are our duty, but examhonour the angels who created them; ples assure us that they are possible. and that we ought to rejoice equally in 3. Examples, by secret and lively incenall events, because to grieve would be tive, urge us to imitation. We are touchto dishonour the angels, their creators. ed in another manner by the visible EUTYCHIANS, ancient heretics, practice of good men, which reproaches who denied the duplicity of natures in our defects, and obliges us to the same Christ; thus denominated from Euty-zeal, which laws, though wise and good, ches, the archimandrite or abbot of a will not effect." monastery, at Constantinople, who began to propagate his opinion about A.D. 448. He did not, however, seem quite steady and consistent in his sentiments; for he appeared to allow of two natures, The life of Jesus Christ forms the most beautiful example the Christian can imitate. Unlike all others, it was absolutely perfect and uniform, and every way accommodated to our present |