ASTONISHMENT, a kind or degree of wonder introduced by surprise. This emotion always relates to things of the highest importance; to things which appear too vast and extensive for the grasp of intellect, rather than to any thing of an intricate nature. The body marks in a striking manner the singular state of the mind under this emotion. The eyes are firmly fixed, without being directed to any particular object; the character of countenance, which was formed by the habitual influence of some predominant affection, is for a time effaced; and a suspension of every other expression, a certain vacuity, strongly notes this state of

mind.

on John ix. 35; Hervey's Theron and || 5. Atheism contradicts itself. Under Aspasio, dialogue 17; Howe's Works, the first of these he thus argues.-"I vol. i. p. 342, 348; Brooks, Burgess, appeal to any man of reason whether Roberts, Baxter, Polhill, and Davye on any thing can be more unreasonable Assurance; Hora Sol. vol. ii. P. 269. than obstinately to impute an effect to ASSURÍTANS, a branch of the Do- chance, which carries in the very face natists, who held that the Son was infe- of it all the arguments and characters rior to the Father, and the Holy Ghost of a wise design and contrivance. Was to the Son. See DONATISTS. ever any considerable work, in which there was required a great variety of parts, and a regular and orderly disposition of those parts, done by chance? Will chance fit means to ends, and that in ten thousand instances, and not fail in any one? How often might a man, after he had jumbled a set of letters in a bag, fling them out upon the ground, before they would fall into an exact poem; yea, or so much as make a good discourse in prose? And may not a little book be as easily made by chance as the great volume of the world? How long might a man be in sprinkling colours upon canvass with a careless hand, before they would happen to make the exact picture of a man? And is a man easier made by chance than his picture? ATHANASIANS, those who profess How long might twenty thousand blind the sentiments held in the Athanasian men, who should be sent out from seveCreed. See CREED. ral remote parts of England, wander ATHEIST, one who denies the ex-up and down before they would all meet istence of God:-this is called specula- upon Salisbury plain, and fall into rank tive atheism. Professing to believe in and file in the exact order of an army? God, and yet acting contrary to this And, yet, this is much more easy to be belief, is called practical atheism. Ab- imagined than how the innumerable surd and irrational as atheism is, it has blind parts of matter should rendezvous had its votaries and martyrs. In the themselves into a world. A man that seventeenth century, Spinosa, a fo- sees Henry the Seventh's chapel at reigner, was its noted defender. Lucilio Westminster might with as good reason Vanini, a native of Naples, also pub- maintain (yea, with much better, conlicly taught atheism in France; and, sidering the vast difference betwixt that being convicted of it at Toulouse, was little structure and the huge fabric of condemned and executed in 1619. It the world) that it was never contrived has been questioned, however, whether or built by any means, but that the any man ever seriously adopted such a stones did by chance grow into those principle. The pretensions to it have curious figures into which they seem been generally founded on pride or af- to have been cut and graven; and that fectation. The open avowal of atheism upon a time (as tales usually begin) the by several of the leading members of materials of that building, the stone, the French convention seems to have mortar, timber, iron, lead, and glass, been an extraordinary moral pheno- happily met together, and very fortumenon. This, however, as we have nately ranged themselves into that deseen, was too vague and uncomfortable licate order in which we see them now, a principle to last long. Archbishop Til- so close compacted, that it must be a lotson justly observes, that speculative very great chance that parts them again. atheism is unreasonable upon five ac- What would the world think of a man counts. 1. Because it gives no tolerable that should advance such an opinion as account of the existence of the world. this, and write a book for it? If they -2. It does not give any reasonable ac- would do him right, they ought to look count of the universal consent of man- upon him as mad; but yet with a little kind in this apprehension, that there is more reason than any man can have to a God.-3. It requires more evidence say, that the world was made by chance, for things than they are capable of or that the first men grew up out of the giving. 4. The atheist pretends to earth as plants do now. For, can any know that which no man can know.-thing be more ridiculous, and against

Some of the principal writers on the existence of a Deity have been Newton, Boyle, Cheyne, Locke, Nieuwentyt, Derham, Bentley, Ray, Cudworth, Samuel and John Clarke, Abernethy, Balguy, Baxter, Fenelon, &c. &c. Tillotson's sermon on the subject, as quoted above, has been considered as one of the best in the English language. See ser. i. vol. 1.

all reason, than to ascribe the produc- || had a mind to make a very illustrious tion of men to the first fruitfulness of display both of his justice and of his the earth, without so much as one in- grace among mankind; on these acstance and experiment, in any age or counts he would not pardon sin without history, to countenance so monstrous a a satisfaction.-5. Man, sinful man, is supposition? The thing is, at first sight, not able to make any satisfaction to God so gross and palpable, that no discourse for his own sins, neither by his labours, about it can make it more apparent. nor by his sufferings, Eph. ii. 1, 8, 9.— And yet, these shameful beggars of prin- 6. Though man be incapable to satisfy ciples give this precarious account of for his own violation of the law, yet God the original of things; assume to them- would not suffer all mankind to perish. selves to be the men of reason, the -7. Because God intended to make a great wits of the world, the only cau- full display of the terrors of his justice, tious and wary persons that hate to be and his divine resentment for the violaimposed upon, that must have convinc- tion of his law, therefore he appointed ing evidence for every thing, and can his own Son to satisfy for the breach of admit of nothing without a clear de- it, by becoming a proper sacrifice of monstration of it." See EXISTENCE OF expiation or atonement, Gal. iii. 10, 13. GOD. -8. The Son of God being immortal, could not sustain all these penalties of the law which man had broken, without taking the mortal nature of man upon him, without assuming flesh and blood, Heb. ii. 13, 14.-9. The Divine Being having received such ample satisfaction for sin by the sufferings of his own Son, can honourably forgive his creature man, who was the transgressor, Rom. iii. 25, 26. Now that this doctrine is ATONEMENT is the satisfying Di- true, will appear, if we consider, 1. vine Justice by Jesus Christ giving him- That an atonement for sin, or an efself a ransom for us, undergoing the fectual method to answer the demands penalty due to our sins, and thereby re- of an offended God, is the first great feasing us from that punishment which blessing guilty man stood in need of, God might justly inflict upon us, Rom. Mic. vi. 6, 7.-2. The very first discov. 11. The Hebrew word signifies co-veries of grace which were made to vering, and intimates that our offences man after his fall implied in them someare, by a proper atonement, covered thing of an atonement for sin, and pointfrom the avenging justice of God. In or-ed to the propitiation Christ has now der to understand the manner wherein made, Gen. iii. 15.-3. The train of ceChrist becomes an atonement, "we remonies which were appointed by God should," says Dr. Watts, "consider the in the Jewish church are plain significafollowing propositions, 1. The great God tions of such an atonement, 2 Cor. iii. having made man, appointed to govern Col. ii. 7, 8, 9. Heb. x.-4. Some of the him by a wise and righteous law, where- prophecies confirm and explain the first in glory and honour, life and immortali- promise, and show that Christ was to ty, are the designed rewards for perfect die as an atoning sacrifice for the sins obedience; but tribulation and wrath, of men, Dan. ix. 24-26. Is. liii.-5. Our pain and death, are the appointed re- Saviour himself taught us the doctrine compense to those who violate this law, of the atonement for sin by his death, Gen. iii. Rom. ii. 6, 16. Rom. i. 32.-2. Matt. xx. 28. John vi. 51. Luke xxii. All mankind have broken this law, 19.-6. The terrors of soul, the conRom. iii. 23. Rom. v. 12.-3. God, in his sternation and inward agonies which infinite wisdom, did not think fit to par- our blessed Lord sustained a little bedon sinful man, without some compen- fore his death, were a sufficient proof sation for his broken law; for, 1. If the that he endured punishments in his soul great Ruler of the world had pardoned which were due to sin, Mark xiv. 33. the sins of men without any satisfaction, Heb. v. 7.-7. This doctrine is declared, then his laws might have seemed not and confirmed, and explained at large, worth the vindicating.-2. Men would by the apostles in their writings, 1 Cor. have been tempted to persist in the re- xv. 3. Eph. i. 7. 1 John ii. 2, &c. &c. bellion, and to repeat their old offences.-8. This was the doctrine that was -3. His forms of government among witnessed to the world by the amazing his creatures might have appeared as gifts of the Holy Ghost, which attended a matter of small importance.-4. God the Gospel. [See the Acts of the Apos

essence of God; as Jehovah, Jah, &c.: relative ones are such as agree with creatures, as Creator, Governor, Preserver, Redeemer, &c. But the more commonly received distinction of the attributes of God, is into communicable and incommunicable ones. The communicable ones are those of which there is some resemblance in men; as goodness, holiness, wisdom, &c.: the incommunicable ones are such as there is no appearance or shadow of in men; as independence, immutability, immensity, and eternity. See those different articles in this work; and Bates, Charnock, Abernethy, and Saurin on the Divine Perfections.

tles.] The inferences and uses to be derived from this doctrine are these: 1. How vain are all the labours and pre-him in time, with some respect to his tences of mankind to seek or hope for any better religion than that which is contained in the Gospel of Christ. It is here alone that we can find the solid and rational principle of reconciliation to an offended God, Heb. iv. 14.-2. How strange and unreasonable is the doctrine of the Popish church, who, while they profess to believe the religion of Christ, yet introduce many other methods of atonement for sin, besides the sufferings of the Son of God. [See above.]-3. Here is a solid foundation, on which the greatest of sinners may hope for acceptance with God, 1 Tim. i. 15.-4. This doctrine should be used as a powerful ATTRITION. The casuists of the motive to excite repentance, Acts v. church of Rome have made a distinc31.-5. We should use this atonement tion between a perfect and an imperfect of Christ as our constant way of access contrition. The latter they call attrito God in all our prayers, Heb. x..19, tion; which is the lowest degree of re22.-6. Also as a divine guard against pentance, or a sorrow for sin arising sin, Rom. vi. 1, 2. 1 Pet. i. 15, 19.-7. from a sense of shame, or any temporal As an argument of prevailing force to inconvenience attending the commission be used in prayer, Rom. viii. 32.-8. As of it, or merely from fear of the punisha spring of love to God, and to his Sonment due to it, without any resolution to Jesus Christ, 1 John iv. 10.-9. As a strong persuasive to that love and pity which we should show on all occasions to our fellow creatures, 1 John iv. 11.10. It should excite patience and holy joy under afflictions and earthly sorrows, Rom. v. 1 to 3.-11. We should consider it as an invitation to the Lord's supper, where Christ is set forth to us in the memorials of his propitiation. 12. As a most effectual defence against the terrors of dying, and as our joyful hope of a blessed resurrection, 1 Cor. xv. 50.-13. Lastly, as a divine allurement to the upper world." See Watt's Sermons, ser. 34, 35, 36, 37; Evans on the Atonement; Dr. Gwen on the Satisfaction of Christ; West's Scripture Doctrine of the Atonement; Hervey's Theron and Apasio, dialogue 3; Dr. Magee's Discourses on the Atonement; Jerram's Letters on ditto.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD are the several qualities or perfections of the Divine nature. Some distinguish them into the negative, and positive or affirmative. The negative are such as remove from him whatever is imperfect in creatures: such are infinity, immutability, immortality, &c. The positive, are such as assert some perfection in God which is in and of himself, and which in the creatures, in any measure, is from him. This distinction is now mostly discarded. Some distinguish them into absolute and relative; absolute ones are such as agree with the

sin no more: in consequence of which doctrine, they teach that, after a wicked and flagitious course of life, a man may be reconciled to God, and his sins forgiven on his death-bed, by confessing them to the priest with this imperfect degree of sorrow and repentance. This distinction was settled by the council of Trent. It might, however, be easily shown that the mere sorrow for sin because of its consequences, and not on account of its evil nature, is no more acceptable to God than hypocrisy itself can be.

AVARICE is an immoderate love to and desire after riches, attended with extreme diffidence of future events, making a person rob himself of the necessary comforts of life, for fear of diminishing his riches. See COVETOUSNESS and MISER.

AVERSION, hatred or dislike.-Dr. Watts and others oppose aversion to desire. When we look, say they, upon an object as good, it excites desire; but when we look upon an object as evil, it awakens what we call aversion or avoidance. But Lord Kaims observes that aversion is opposed to affection, and not to desire. We have an affection to one person; we have an aversion to another: the former disposes us to do good, the latter to do ill.

AUDIENTES, an order of catechumens in the primitive Christian church. They were so called from their being admitted to hear sermons and the Scrip

tures read in the church; but they | AUGUSTINS, a religious order, who were not allowed to be present at the observed the rule of St. Augustin, preprayers. scribed them by pope Alexander IV. in 1256. This rule was to have all things in common; the rich who enter among them to sell their possessions, and give them to the poor; to employ the first part of the morning in labouring with their hands, and the rest in reading: when they go abroad, to go always two in company; never to eat

AUGSBURGH or AUGUSTAN, CONFESSION, a celebrated confession of faith drawn up by Luther and Melancthon on behalf of themselves and other ancient reformers, and presented in 1550 to the emperor Charles V. at the diet of Augusta, or Augsburgh, in the name of the evangelic body. This confession contains twenty-eight chap-but in their monastery, &c. ters, of which the greatest part is employed in representing with perspicuity and truth the religious opinions of the Protestants, and the rest in pointing out the errors and abuses that occasioned their separation from the church of Rome. The leading doctrines of this confession are, the true and essential divinity of the Son of God; his substitution, and vicarious sacrifice; and the necessity, freedom, and efficacy of Divine grace. A civil war followed this diet that lasted upwards of twenty years, but which only spread the new opinions, instead of extirpating them.

AUSTERITY, a state of rigid mortification. It is distinguished from severity and rigour thus: Austerity relates to the manner of living; severity to the manner of thinking; rigour to the manner of punishing. To austerity is opposed effeminacy; to severity, relaxation; to rigour, clemency A hermit is austere in his life; a casuist severe in his application of religion or law; a judge rigorous in his sentences.

AUTOCEPHALI BISHOPS. This denomination was given to such bishops in the primitive church as were exlempted from the jurisdiction of others.

BACKBITING. See DETRACTION and SLANDER.

BACKSLIDING, the act of turning from the path of duty. It may be considered as partial when applied to true believers, who do not backslide with the whole bent of their will; as voluntary, when applied to those who, after professing to know the truth, wilfully turn from it, and live in the practice of sin; as final, when the mind is given up to judicial hardness, as in the case of Judas. Partial backsliding must be distinguished from hypocrisy, as the former may exist where there are gracious intentions on the whole; but the latter is a studied profession of appearing to be what we are not.

B.

|quences of this awful state are-loss of character; loss of comfort; loss of usefulness; and, as long as any remain in this state, a loss of a well-grounded hope of future happiness. To avoid this state, or recover from it, we should beware of the first appearance of sin; be much in prayer; attend the ordinances; and unite with the people of God. We should consider the awful_instances of apostacy, as Saul, Judas, Demas, &c.; the many warnings we have of it, Matt. xxiv. 13. Heb. x. 38. Luke ix. 62.; how it grieves the Holy Spirit; and how wretched it makes us; above all things, our dependence should be on God, that we may always be directed by his Spirit, and kept by his power. See APOSTACY.

The causes of backsliding are-the cares of the world; improper conBANGORIAN CONTROVERSY, nexions; inattention to secret or closet so called from Bangor, or the bishop duties; self-conceit and dependence; thereof. Bishop Hoadley, the bishop of indulgence; listening to and parleying that diocese, preaching before George with temptations. A backsliding state I. asserted the supreme authority of is manifested by indifference to prayer Christ, as king in his own kingdom; and self-examination; trifling or unpro-and that he had not delegated his powfitable conversation; neglect of public er, like temporal lawgivers, during their ordinances; shunning the people of God; absence from their kingdom, to any associating with the world; thinking persons, as his vicegerents or deputies. lightly of si; neglect of the Bible; and This important sermon may be seen often by gross immorality. The conse-reprinted in the Liverpool Theological