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mong the Brownists, too, were the famous John Robinson, a part of whose congregation from Leyden, in Holland, made the first permanent settlement in North America; and the laborious Canne, the author of the marginal references to the Bible.

BUCHANITES, a sect of enthusiasts who sprung up in the west of Scotland about 1783, and took their name from a Mrs Buchan, of Glasgow, ho gave herself out to be the woman spoken of in the Revelations; and that all

to heaven without rasting death, as the end of the world was near They never increased much, and the death of their leader within a year or two afterwards, occasioned their dispersion, by putting an end to their hopes of reaching the New Jerusalem without death

BUDNÆANS, a sect in Poland, who disclaimed the worship of Christ,_and run into many wild hypotheses. Budnæus, the founder, was publicly excommunicated in 1584, with all his disciples, but afterwards he was admitted to the communion of the Socinian sect.

BULLS, Popish, are letters called apostolic by the Canonists, strengthened with a leaden seal, and containing in them the decrees and commandments of the pope.

to be baptized. They rejected all forms of prayer, and held that the Lord's prayer was not to be recited as a prayer, being only given for a rule or model whereon all our prayers are to be formed. Their form of church government was nearly as follows. When a church was to be gathered, such as desired to be members of it made a confession of their faith in the presence of each other, and signed a covenant, by which they obliged themselves to walk together in the order of the Gospel. The whole power of admitting and excluding mem-who believed in her should be taken up bers, with the decision of all controversies, was lodged in the brotherhood. Their church officers were chosen from among themselves, and separated to their several officers by fasting, prayer, and imposition of hands. But they did not allow the priesthood to be any distinct order. As the vote of the brethren made a man a minister, so the same power could discharge him from his office, and reduce him to a mere layman again; and as they maintained the bounds of a church to be no greater than what could meet together in one place, and join in one communion, so the power of these officers was prescribed within the same limits.-The minister of one church could not administer the Lord's supper to another, nor baptize the children of any but those BURGHER SECEDERS, a numeof his own society. Any lay brother rous and respectable class of dissenters was allowed the liberty of giving a word from the church of Scotland, who were of exhortation to the people and it was originally connected with the associate usual for some of them after sermon to presbytery; but, some difference of senask questions, and reason upon the doc-timent arising about the lawfulness of trines that had been preached. In a word, every church on their model is a body corporate, having full power to do every thing in themselves, without being accountable to any class, ynod, convocation, or other jurisdiction whatever. The reader will judge how near the Independent churches are allied to this form of government. See INDEPEN DENTS. The laws were executed with great severity on the Brownists; their books were prohibited by queen Elizabeth, their persons imprisoned and some hanged. Brown himself declared on his death-bed that he had been in thirty-two different prisons. in some of which he could not see his hand at noon-day. They were so much persecuted, that they resolved at last to quit the country. Accordingly many retired and settled at Amsterdam, where they formed a church, and chose Mr. Johnson their pastor, and after him Mr. Ainsworth author of the learned Commentary on the Pentateuch Their church flourished near 100 years. A

taken the Burgess oath, a separation ensued in 1739, in consequence of which, those who pleaded for the affirmative obtained the appellation of Burgher, and their opponents that of Antiburgher Seceders. See SECEDERS.

BURIAL, the interment of a deceased person. The rites of burial have been looked upon in all countries as a debt so sacred, that such as neglected to discharge them were thought accursed. Among the Jews, the privilege of burial was denied only to selfmurderers, who were thrown out to putrefy upon the ground. In the Christian church, though good men always desired the privilege of interment, yet they were not, like the heathens, so concerned for their bodies, as to think it any detriment to them if either the barbarity of an enemy, or some other accident, deprived them of this privilege. The primitive church denied the more solemn rites of burial only to unbaptized persons, self-murderers, and excommunicated persons, who conti

nued obstinate and impenitent in a rying-places were forbidden till the manifest contempt of the church's cen-twelfth century. See FUNERAL RITES. sures. The place of burial among the As to burying in churches, we find a Jews was never particularly determined. difference of opinion: some have thought We find they had graves in the town it improper that dead bodies should be and country, upon the highway or gar-interred in the church. Sir Matthew dens, and upon mountains. Among the Hale used to say, that churches were Greeks, the temples were made repo- for the living, and church-yards for the sitories for the dead, in the primitive dead. In the famous Bishop Hall's will ages; yet, in the latter ages, the Greeks we find this passage: after desiring a as well as the Romans buried the dead private funeral, he says, "I do not hold without the cities, and chiefly by the God's house a meet repository for the highways. Among the primitive Chris- dead bodies of the greatest saints." Mr. tians, burying in cities was not allowed Hervey, on the contrary, defends it, for the first three hundred years, nor and supposes that it tends to render our in churches for many ages after; the assemblies more awful; and that, as dead bodies being first deposited in the the bodies of the saints are the Lord's atrium or church yard, and porches and property, they should be reposed in his porticos of the church: hereditary bu- house.

CABBALA, a Hebrew word, signifying tradition it is used for a mysterious kind of science pretended to have been delivered by revelation to the ancient Jews, and transmitted by oral tradition to those of our times; serving for interpretation of the books both of nature and Scripture.

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CABBALISTS, the Jewish doctors who profess the study of the cabbala. They study principally the combination|| of particular words, letters, and numbers; and by this, they say, they see clearly into the sense of Scripture. In their opinion, there is not a word, letter, number, or accent, in the law, without some mystery in it; and they even pretend to discover what is future by this vain study.

Dr. Smith has given us the following description of the Cabbalistic rabbies.

They have employed the above methods of interpretation, which have rendered the Scripture a convenient instrument of subserviency to any purpose which they might choose. Disregarding the continuity of subject, and the harmony of parts, in any Scriptural composition they selected sentences, and broken pieces of sentences, and even single words and detached letters; and these they proposed to the ignorant and abused multitude as the annunciations of truth and authority. To ascertain the native sense of the sacred writers, however momentous and valuable, was no object of their desire. Attention to the just import of words, to the scope of argument, and to the con

nection of parts, was a labour from which they were utterly averse, and which they impiously despised. Instead of such faithful and honest endeavours to know the will of God, they stimulated a sportive fancy, a corrupt and often absurd ingenuity, to the invention of meanings the most remote from the design of the inspired writer, and the most foreign from the dictates of an unsophisticated understanding. No part of the Scriptures was safe from this profanation. The plainest narrative, the most solemn command, the most clear and interesting declaration of doctrine, were made to bend beneath this irreverent violence. History the most true, the most ancient, and the most important in the world, was considered merely as the vehicle of mystic allegory. The rule of faith, and the standard of indissoluble duty, were made flexible and weak as the spider's web, and the commandments of God were rendered void. See Dr. Smith's Sermon on the Apostolic Ministry compared with the Pretensions of spurious Religion and false Philosophy.

CAINITES, a sect who sprung up about the year 130; so called, because they esteemed Cain worthy of the greatest honours. They honoured those who carry in Scripture the most visible marks of reprobation; as the inhabitants of Sodom, Esau, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. They had in particular great veneration for Judas, under the pretence that the death of Christ had saved mankind.

CALIXTINS, a branch of the Hus- || sites in Bohemia and Moravia, in the fifteenth century. The principal point in which they differed from the church of Rome was the use of the chalice (calix) or communicating in both kinds. Calixtins was also a name given to those among the Lutherans who followed the opinions of George Calixtus, a celebrated divine in the seventeenth century, who endeavoured to unite the Romish, Lutheran, and Calvinistic churches, in the bonds of charity and mutual benevolence. He maintained, 1. That the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, by which he meant those elementary principals whence all its truths flow, were preserved pure in all three communions, and were contained in that ancient form of doctrine that is vulgarly known by the name of the apostles' creed-2. That the tenets and opinions which had been constantly received by the ancient doctors, during the first five centuries, were to be considered as of equal truth and authority with the express declarations and doctrines of Scripture.

ly. Some suppose that, as the elect only will be saved, it is to be preached only to them; and, therefore, cannot invite all to come to Christ. But to this it is answered, that an unknown decree can be no rule of action, Deut. xxix. 29. Prov ii. 13; that, as we know not who are the elect, we cannot tell but he may succeed our endeavours by enabling those who are addressed to comply with the call, and believe; that it is the Christian minister's commission to preach the Gospel to every creature, Mark xvi. 15; that the inspired writers never confined themselves to preach to saints only, but reasoned with and persuaded sinners, 2 Cor. v. 11:-and, lastly that a general address to men's consciences has been greatly successful in promoting their conversion. Acts ii. 23, 41. But it has been asked, if none but the elect can believe, and no man has any ability in himself to comply with the call, and as the Almighty knows that none but those to whom he gives grace can be effectually called, of what use is it to insist on a general and external call? To this it is answered, that, by the external call, gross enormous crimes are often avoided; habits of vice have been partly conquered; and much moral good at least has been produced. It is also observed, that though a man cannot convert himself, yet he has a power to do some things that are materially good, though not good in all those circumstances that accompany or flow from regeneration: such were Ahab's humility, 1 Kings, xxi. 29; Nineveh's repentance, Jer. iii. 5; and Herod's hearing of John, Mark vi. 20. On the whole, the design of God in giving this common call in the Gospel is the salvation of his people, the restraining of many from wicked practices and the setting forth of the glorious work of redemption by Jesus Christ. See Gill and Ridgley's Body of Div.; Witsius on the Cov; and Bennet's Essay on the Gospel Dispensation.

CALL, CALLING, generally denotes God's invitation to man to participate the blessings of salvation: it is termed effectual, to distinguish it from that external or common call of the light of nature, but especially of the Gospel, in which men are invited to come to God, but which has no saving effect upon the heart: thus it is said, Many are called, but few chosen." Matt. xxii. 14. Effectual calling has been more particularly defined to be "the work of God's Spirit, whereby, Convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds with the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the Gospel." This may farther be considered as a call from darkness to light, 1 Pet. ii. 9; from bondage to liberty, Gal. ii. 13; from the fellowship of the world to the fellowship of Christ, 1 Cor. i. 9; from misery to happiness, 1 Cor. vii. 15; from sin to holiness, 1 Thess. iv. 7; finally, from all created good to the enjoyment of eternal felicity, 1 Pet. v. 10. It is considered in John Calvin was born at Nogen, in the Scripture as an holy calling, 2 Tim. Picardy, in the year 1509. He first stui. 9; an high calling, Phil. iii. 14; an died the civil law, and was afterwards heavenly calling, Heb. iii. 1; and with-made professor of divinity at Geneva, out repentance, as God will never cast off any who are once drawn to him, Rom. xi. 29.

CALVINISTS, those who embrace the doctrine and sentiments of Calvin, the celebrated reformer of the Christian church from Romish superstition and doctrinal errors.

in the year 1536. His genius, learning, eloquence. and piety, rendered him respectable even in the eyes of his enemies.

It has been a matter of dispute whe- The name of Calvinists seems to have ther the Gospel call should be general, been given at first to those who emi. e. preached to all men indiscriminate-braced not merely the doctrine, but the

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The following statement is taken, principally from the writings of Calvin and the decisions at Dort, compressed in as few words as possible.

1. They maintain that God hath chosen a certain number of the fallen race of Adam in Christ, before the foundation of the world, unto eternal glory, according to his immutable purpose, and of his free grace and love, without the least foresight of faith, good works, or any conditions performed by the creature; and that the rest of mankind he was pleased to pass by, and ordain to dishonour and wrath, for their, sins, to the praise of his vindictive justice.

In proof of this they allege, among many other Scripture passages, the following: "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So, then, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God, that showeth mercy. Thou wilt say, then. Why doth he yet find fault; for who hath resisted his will? Nay, but O man! who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one ves el unto honour and another unto dishonour?Hath God cast away his people whom he foreknew? Wot ye not what the Scripture saith of Elias? Even so at this present time, also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then it is no more of works. What then? Israel hath not

obtained that which he seeketh for, but the election hath obtained it, and the rest are blinded.-Whom he did predestinate, them he also called. We give thanks to God always for you brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed." Eph. i. 4. Rom. ix. xi. 1-6. viii. 29. 30. Thess. ii. 13. Acts xiii 48. They think also that the greate part of these passages, being found in the epistolary writings, after the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, who was promised to guide the apostles into all truth, is an argument in favour of the doctrine.

They do not consider predestination, however, as affecting the agency or accountableness of creatures, or as being to them any rule of conduct. On the contrary, they suppose them to act as freely, and to be as much the proper subjects of calls, warnings, exhortations, promises, and threatenings, as if no decree existed. The connexion in which the doctrine is introduced by the divines at Dort, is to account for one sinner's believing and being saved rather than another? and such, the Calvinists say. is the connection which it occupies in the Scriptures.

With respect to the conditional predestination admitted by the Arminians, they say that an election upon faith or good works foreseen, is not that of the Scriptures; for that election is there made the cause of faith and holiness, and cannot, for this reason, be the effect of them. With regard to predestination to death, they say, if the question be, Wherefore did God decree to punish those who are punished? the answer is, On account of their sins. But if it be, Wherefore did he decree to punish them rather than others? there is no other reason to be assigned, but that so it seemed good in his sight. Eph. i. 3, 4. John, vi. 37. Rom. viii. 29, 30. Acts. xiii. 48. 1 Pet. i. 1. Rom. ix. 15, 16. xi. 5, 6.

2. They maintain that though the death of Christ be a most perfect sacrifice, and satisfaction for sins, of infinite value, abundantly sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole word; and though on this ground the Gospel is to be preached to all mankind indiscriminately; yet it was the will of God that Christ, by the blood of the cross, should efficaciously redeem all those, and those only, who were from eternity elected to salvation, and given to him by the Father.

CAL

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Calvin does not appear to have writ-of good works. He loved the church, ten on this subject as a controversy, and gave himself for it, that he might but his comments on Scripture agree sanctify and cleanse it and present it to with the above statement. The follow- himself, &c.-And they sang a new ing positions are contained in the reso- song, saying, Thou art worthy; for lutions of the synod of Dort, under this thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us head of doctrine:-"The death of the to God by thy blood, out of every kinSon of God is the only and most perfect dred, and tongue, and people, and nasacrifice and satisfaction for sins, of in- tion." John xvii. 2. x. 11, 15. xi. 52. 3. They maintain that mankind are finite value and price, abundantly suf- Tit. ii. 14. Eph. v. 25-27. Rev. v. 9. ficient to expiate the sins of the whole world-The promise of the Gospel is, totally depraved, in consequence of that whosoever believeth in Christ cru- the fall of the first man, who, being cified shall not perish, but have ever their public head, his sin involved the lasting life; which promise, together corruption of all his posterity, and with the command to repent and be which corruption extends over the lieve, ought promiscuously and indis whole soul, and renders it unable to criminately to be published and pro- turn to God, or to do any thing truly posed to all people and individuals, to good, and exposes it to his righteous whom God in his good pleasure sends displeasure, both in this world and that the Gospel. Whereas, many who are which is to come. called by the Gospel do not repent nor believe in Christ, but perish in unbelief; this proceeds not from any defect or insufficiency in the sacrifice of Christ offered on the cross, but from their own fault.-As many as truly believe, and are saved by the death of Christ from their sins, and from destruction, have to ascribe it to the mere favour of God, which he owes to no one, given them in Christ from eternity-For it was the most free counsel, and gracious will and intention of God the Father, that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of his Son should exert itself in all the elect, to give unto them only justifying faith, and by it to conduct them infallibly to salvation; that is, it was the will of God that Christ, by the blood of the cross, whereby he confirmed the new cove nant, should efficaciously redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity elected to salvation, and given to him by the Father."

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In proof of the doctrine, they allege The resolutions of the divines at Dort among others the following Scripture passages: Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should on this head, contain the following give eternal life to as many as thou positions. "Such as man was after the hast given him.-The good shepherd fall, such children did he beget-corgiveth his life for the sheep. I lay ruption by the righteous judgment of down my life for the sheep.-He died God being derived from Adam to his not for that nation only, but that he posterity-not by imitation, but by the might gather together in one the chil-propagation of a vicious nature. Wheredren of God that are scattered abroad. -He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous

fore all men are conceived in sin, and are born the children of wrath, unfit for every good connected with salvation, prone to evil, dead in sins, and the

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