and perpetually, Jer. x. 6, 7. Rom. xi. 33.-5. This knowledge is peculiar to himself, Mark xiii. 32. Job xxxvi. 4. and not communicable to any creature. -6. It is incomprehensible to us how God knows all things, yet it is evident that he does; for to suppose otherwise is to suppose him an imperfect being, and directly contrary to the revelation he has given of himself, 1 John iii. 20. Job xxviii. 24. Job xxi. 22. See Charnock's Works, vol. i. p. 271; Abernethy's Sermons, vol. i. p. 290, 306; Howe's Works, vol. i. p. 102, 103; Gill's Div. || vol. i. p. 85, oct.

OPHITES. See SERPENTINIANS. OPINION is that judgment which the mind forms of any proposition, for the truth or falsehood of which there is not sufficient evidence to produce absolute belief.

ing that they were in being in the days of Julian, commonly called the apostate, and that this emperor himself consulted them; nay, farther, say they, history makes mention of several laws published by the Christian emperors, Theodosius, Gratian, and Valentinian, to punish persons who interrogated them, even in their days; and that the Epicureans were the first who made a jest of this superstition, and exposed the roguery of its priests to the people.

vour to invalidate, may equally give up the most respectable traditions and relations of every kind.

But on the other side it is observed, 1. That the question, properly stated, is not. Whether oracles became extinct immediately upon the birth of Christ, or from the very moment he was born; but, Whether they fell gradually into disesteem, and ceased as Christ and his Gospel became known to mankind? And that they did so is most certain ORACLE, among the Heathens, was from the concurrent testimonies of the the answer which the gods were sup-fathers, which whoever would endeaposed to give to those who consulted them upon any affair of importance. It is also used for the god who was thought to give the answer, and for 2dly, But did not Julian the apostate the space where it was given. Learn- consult these oracles? We answer in ed men are much divided as to the source the negative: he had, indeed, recourse of these oracles. Some suppose that to magical operations, but it was because they were only the invention of priests; oracles had already ceased; for he bewhile others conceive that there was a wailed the loss of them, and assigned diabolical agency employed in the busi- | pitiful reasons for it; which St. Cyril ness. There are, as one observes, se- has vigorously refuted, saying, that he veral circumstances leading to the for-never could have offered such, but from mer hypothesis: such as the gloomy so- an unwillingness to acknowledge, that, lemnity with which many of them were when the world had received the light of delivered in caves and subterraneous Christ, the dominion of the devil was at caverns the numerous and disagreea- an end. ble ceremonies enjoined, as sometimes sleeping in the skins of beasts, bathing, and expensive sacrifices; the ambiguous and unsatisfactory answers frequently returned: these look very much like the contrivances of artful priests to disguise their villany; the medium of priests, speaking images, vocal groves, &c. seem much to confirm it. On the other hand, if we may credit the relation of ancient writers, either among Heathens or Christians, this hypothesis will hardly account for many of the in- | stances they mention. And since it cannot be proved either impossible or unscriptural, is it not probable that God sometimes permits an intercourse with infernal spirits, with a design, in the end, to turn this and every other circumstance to his own glory?

Respecting the cessation of these oracles, there have been a variety of opinions. It has been generally held, indeed, that oracles ceased at the birth of Jesus Christ: yet some have endeavoured to maintain the contrary, by show

3dly, The Christian emperors do, indeed, seem to condemn the superstition and idolatry of those who were still for consulting oracles; but the edicts of those princes do not prove that oracles actually existed in their times, any more than that they ceased in consequence of their laws. It is certain that they were for the most part extinct before the conversion of Constantine.

4thly, Some Epicureans might make a jest of this superstition; however, the Epicurean philosopher Celsus, in the second century of the church, was for crying up the excellency of several oracles, as appears at large from Origen's seventh book against him.

Among the Jews there were several sorts of real oracles. They had, first, oracles that were delivered viva voce; as when God spake to Moses face to face, and as one friend speaks to another, Numb. xii. 8. Secondly, Prophe tical dreams sent by God; as the dreams which God sent to Joseph, and which foretold his future greatness. Gen. xxvii

ORAL, delivered by the mouth, not written. See TRADITION.

ORATORY, a name given by Christians to certain places of religious wor ship.

5, 6. Thirdly, Visions; as when a pro- could inspire the false prophets, sorcer phet in an ecstacy, being neither proper-ers, and magicians, and make them de ly asleep nor awake, had supernatural liver false oracles. See Vandale and revelations, Gen. xv. 1. Gen. xlvi. 2. Fontenelle's Hist. de Orac; Potter's Fourthly, The oracle of the Urim and Greek Antiquities, vol. i. b. 2. ch. 7; Thummim, which was accompanied Edwards's Hist. of Red. p. 408; Farwith the ephod, or the pectoral worn by mer on Mir. p. 281, 285; Enc. Brit. the high priest, and which God had en- article ORACLE. dued with the gift of foretelling things to come, Numb. xii. 6. Joel. ii. 28. This manner of inquiring of the Lord was often made use of, from Joshua's time to the erection of the temple at Jerusalem. Fifthly, After the building of the temple, they generally consulted the prophets, who were frequent in the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. From Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, who|| are the last of the prophets that have any of their writings remaining, the Jews pretend that God gave them what they call Bathkol, the Daughter of the Voice, which was a supernatural manifestation of the will of God, which was performed either by a strong inspiration or internal voice, or else by a sensible and external voice, which was heard by a number of persons sufficient to bear testimony of it. For example, such was the voice that was heard at the baptism of Jesus Christ, saying, This is my beloved Son, &c. Matt. iii. 17.

The scripture affords us examples likewise of profane oracles. Balaam, at the instigation of his own spirit, and urged on by his avarice, fearing to lose the recompence that he was promised by Balak, king of the Moabites, suggests a diabolical expedient to this prince of making the Israelites fall into idolatry and fornication, (Numb. xxiv. 14. Numb. xxxi. 16.) by which he assures him of a|| certain victory, or at least of considerable advantage against the people of God.

Micaiah, the son of Imlah, a prophet of the Lord, says (1 Kings xxii. 20, &c.) that he saw the Almighty, sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven round about him; and the Lord said, Who shall tempt Ahab, king of Israel, that he may go to war with Ramoth Gilead, and fall in the battle? One answered after one manner, and another in another. At the same time an evil spirit presented himself before the Lord, and said, I will seduce him. And the Lork asked him, How? To which Satan answered, I will go and be a lying spirit in the mouth of his prophets. And the Lord said, Go, and thou shalt prevail. This dialogue clearly proves these two things; first, that the devil could do nothing by his own power; and, secondly, that, with the permission of God, he

In ecclesiastical antiquity, the term Dixon tumangion, houses of prayer, or oratories, is frequently given to churches in general, of which there are innumerable instances in ancient Christian writers. But in some canons the name oratory seems confined to private chapels or places of worship set up for the convenience of private families, yet still depending on the parochial churches, and differing from them in this, that they were only places of prayer, but not for celebrating the communion; for if that were at any time allowed to private families, yet, at least, upon the great and solemn festivals, they were to resort for communion to the parish churches.

Oratory is used among the Romanists for a closet, or little apartment near a bed-chamber, furnished with a little altar, crucifix, &c. for private devotion.

Oratory, Priests of the. There were two congregations of religious, one in Italy, the other in France, which were called by his name.

The Priests of the Oratory in Italy had for their founder, St. Philip de Neri, a native of Florence, who, in the year 1548, founded at Rome the Confraternity of the Holy Trinity. This Society originally consisted of but fifteen poor persons, who assembled in the church of St. Saviour, in campo, every first Sunday in the month, to practise the exercises of piety described by the holy founder. Afterwards their number increasing by the addition of several persons of distinction to the society, St. Philip proceeded to establish a hospital for the reception of poor pilgrims, who, coming to Rome to visit the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul, were obliged, for want of a lodging, to lie in the streets, and at the doors of churches. For this charitable purpose, pope Paul IV. gave to the society the parochial church of St. Benedict, close by which was built a hospital, so large, that in the Jubilee year 1600, it received 444,500 men, and 25,500 women, who came in pilgrimage to Rome.

The Priests of the Oratory in France

were established on the model of those numerous. "The observance of it," says in Italy, and owe their rise to cardinal Dr. Blair," serves to correct that negliBerulle, a native of Champagne, who gence which makes us omit some duties, resolved upon this foundation in order to and that hurry and precipitancy which revive the splendour of the ecclesiastical makes us perform others imperfectly. state, which was greatly sunk through Our attention is thereby directed to its the miseries of the civil wars, the in- proper objects. We follow the straight crease of heresies, and a general cor- path which Providence has pointed o ruption of manners. To this end he as- to us; in the course of which all the dif sembled a community of ecclesiastics, ferent business of life presents itself rein 1611, in the suburb of St. James.gularly to us on every side. Ser. vol. i. They obtained the king's letter patent p. 23. for their establishment; and, in 1613, pope Paul V. approved this congrega-|| tion, under the title of the Oratory of Jesus.

This congregation consisted of two sorts of persons; the one, as it were, incorporated; the other only associates: the former governed the houses of this institute; the latter were only employed in forming themselves to the life and manners of ecclesiastics. And this was the true spirit of this congregation, in which they taught neither human learning nor theology, but only the virtues of the ecclesiastical life.

ORDERS, by way of eminency, or holy orders, denote a character peculiar to ecclesiastics, whereby they are set apart for the ministry. This the Romanists make their sixth sacrament. In no reformed church are there more than three orders, viz. bishops, priests, and deacons. In the Romish church there are seven, exclusive of the episcopate; all which the council of Trent enns to be received and believed on pair of || anathema. They are distinguished into petty or secular orders, and major or sacred orders. Orders, the petty or minor, are four, viz. those of door-keepers, exorcist, reader, and acolyth. Såcred, or major, are deacon, priest, and bishop.

ORDER, method; the established manner of performing a thing. Nothing can be more beautiful in religion and morals than order. The neglect of it ORDERS, RELIGIOUS, are conexposes us to the inroads of vice, and gregations or societies of monasteries often brings upon us the most perplex- living under the same superior, in the ing events. Whether we consider it in same manner, and wearing the same reference to ourselves, our families, or habit. Religious orders may be reduced the church, it is of the greatest impor- to five kinds, viz. monks, canons, knights, tance. As to the first, order should be mendicants, and regular clerks. White attended to as it respects our principles,|| order denotes the order of regular Heb. xiii. 9. James i. 8: our tempers, canons, of St. Augustine. Black order Prov. xvii. 14. Eph. iv. 31; our con- denotes the order of St. Benedict. Orversation, Col. iv. 6; our business, Prov. ders religious military are those instixxii. 29; our time, Ps. xc. 12. Eccl. iii. tuted in defence of the faith, and pri 1; our recreations; and our general vileged to say mass, and who are proconduct, Phil. i. 27. 2 Pet. i. 5, &c.— || hibited marriage, &c. Of this kind are 2. As it regards our families, there the knights of Malta, or of St. John of should be order; as to the economy or Jerusalem. Such also were the knights management of its concerns, Matt. xii. templars, the knights of Calatrave, of 25; as to devotion, and the time of it, St. Lazarus, Teutonic knights, &c. Jos. xxiv. 15; as to the instruction thereof, Eph. vi. 1. Gen. xviii. 19. 2 Tim. i. 5.-3. In respect to the church, order should be observed as to the admission of members, 2 Cor. vi. 15; as to the administration of its ordinances, 1 Cor. xiv. 33, 40; as to the attendance on its worship, Ps. xxvii. 4; as to our behaviour therein, Col. i. 10. Matt. v. 16. To excite us to the practice of this duty, we should consider that God is a God of order, 1 Cor. xiv. 33; his works are all in the exactest order, Eph. i. 11. Psalm. civ. 25. Eccl. iii. 11; heaven is a place of order, Rev. vii. 9. Jesus Christ was a most beautiful example of regularity. The advantages of order are

ORDINANCES OF THE GOSPEL, are institutions of divine authority relating to the worship of God; such as baptism, Matt. xxviii. 19.-2. The Lord's supper, 1 Cor. xi. 24, &c.— 3. Public ministry, or preaching and reading the word, Rom. x. 15. Eph. iv. 13. Mark, xvi. 15.-4. Hearing the Gos pel, Mark, iv. 24. Rom. x. 17.-5. Public prayer, 1 Cor. xvi. 15, 19. Matt, vi. 6. Psal. v. 1, 7.-6. Singing of psalms, Col. iii. 16. Eph. v. 19.-7. Fasting, James iv. 9. Matt. ix. 15. Joel ii. 12.-8. Solemn thanksgiving, Ps. L. 14. 1 Thess. v. 18.-See these different articles; also MEANS OF GRACE.

ORDINATION, the act of confer

nisters. Among the Independents and Baptists, the power of ordination lies in the suffrage of the people. The quali fications of the candidates are first known, tried, and approved by the church. After which trial, the church proceeds to give him a call to be their minister; which he accepting, the public acknowledgment thereof is signified by ordination, the mode of which is so well known, as not to need recital here. Though the Dissenters practice ordination, we find they are not agreed respecting it. Some contend for the power of ordination as belonging to the people; the exercise of which right by them con stitutes a minister, and confers validity on his public ministrations. Others suppose it belongs to those who are already in office. Without pretending to determine the question, we shall here give an outline of the arguments on both sides.

ring holy orders, or of initiating a person into the priesthood by prayer and the laying on of hands. Among the Dissenters, ordination is the public setting apart of a minister to his work, or over the people whose call he has accepted. In the church of England, ordination has always been esteemed the principal prerogative of bishops, and they still retain the function as a mark of their spiritual sovereignty in their diocess. Without ordination no person can receive any benefice, parsonage, vicarage, &c. A person must be twenty-three years of age, or near it, before he can be ordained deacon, or have any share in the ministry; and full twenty-four before he can be ordained priest, and by that means be permitted to administer the holy communion. A bishop, on the ordination of clergymen, is to examine them in the presence of the ministers, who in the ordination of priests, but not According to the former opinion, it is of deacons, assist him at the imposition argued that the word ordain was oriof hands; but this is only done as a mark ginally equal to choose or appoint; so of assent, not because it is thought ne- that if twenty Christians nominated a cessary. In case any crime, as drunken- man to instruct them once, the man was ness, perjury, forgery, &c. is alleged appointed or ordained a preacher for against any one that is to be ordained the time. The essence of ordination either priest or deacon, the bishop ought lies in the voluntary choice and call of to desist from ordaining him. The per- the people, and in the voluntary accepson to be ordained is to bring a testímo-tance of that call by the person chosen nial of his life and doctrine to the bishop, and to give account of his faith in Latin; and both priests and deacons are obliged to subscribe to the thirty-nine articles. In the ancient discipline there was no such thing as a vague and absolute ordination; but every one was to have a church, whereof he was to be ordained clerk or priest. In the twelfth century they grew more remiss, and ordained without any title or benefice. The council of Trent, however, restored the ancient discipline, and appointed that none should be ordained but those who were provided with a benefice; which practice still obtains in England. The times of ordination are the four Sundays immediately following the Ember weeks; being the second Sunday in Lent, Trinity Sunday, and the Sundays following the first Wednesday after September 14 and December 13. These are the stated times; but ordination may take place at any other time, according to the discretion of the bishop, or circumstances of the case. Among Seceders or Dissenters, ordinations vary. In the establishment of Scotland, where there are no bishops, the power of ordination is lodged in the presbytery. Among the Calvinistic Methodists, ordination is performed by the sanction and assistance of their own mi

and called; for this affair must be by mutual consent and agreement, which joins them together as pastor and people. And this is to be done among themselves; and public ordination, so called, is no other than a declaration of that. Election and ordination are spoken of as the same; the latter is expressed and explained by the former. It is said of Christ, that he ordained twelve, Mark iii. 14. that is, he chose them to the office of apostleship, as he himself explains it, John vi. 70. Paul and Barnabas are said to ordain elders in every church (Acts xiv. 23.) or to choose them; that is, they gave orders and directions to every church as to the choice of elders over them: for sometimes persons are said to do that which they give orders and directions for doing; as Moses and Solomon, with respect to building the tabernacle and temple, though done by others; and Moses particularly is said to choose the judges, Exod. xviii. 25. the choice being made under his direction and guidance. The word that is used in Acts xiv. 23. is translated chosen in Cor. ii. 8, 19. where the apostle speaks of a brother, xɛigorovnεis. who was chosen of the churches to travel with us, and is so rendered when ascribed to God, Acts x. 41. This choice and ordination, in primitive times, was made

two ways; by casting lots and giving || to put one in rule, or to give him auvotes, signified by stretching out of thority. Now did this power lodge in hands. Matthias was chosen and or- the people, how happens it that in all dained to be an apostle in the room of the epistles, not a single word is to be Judas by casting lots: that being an ex- found giving them any directions about traordinary office, required an imme- constituting ministers? On the other diate interposition of the Divine Being, hand, in the epistles to Timothy and a lot being nothing more nor less than an Titus, who were persons in office, we appeal to God for the decision of an af- find particular instructions given them fair. But ordinary officers, as elders to lay hands suddenly on no man, to exand pastors of churches, were chosen amine his qualifications before they orand ordained by the votes of the peo- | dain him, and to take care that they ple, expressed by stretching out their commit the office only to faithful men, hands; thus it is said of the apostles, Acts who shall be able to teach others also, xiv. 23. When they had ordained them Titus i. 5. 2.Tim. iv. 14. Acts xiv. 23. elders in every church, xipoTOVNO AVTES, Besides, it is said, the primitive Chrisby taking the suffrages and votes of the tians evidently viewed this matter in the members of the churches, shown by the same light. There is scarcely a single stretching out of their hands, as the ecclesiastical writer that does not exword signifies; and which they direct-pressly mention ordination as the work ed them to, and upon it declared the elders duly elected and ordained.

of the elders, and as being regarded as a distinct thing from the choice of the people, and subsequent to it.

Most of the foregoing remarks apply chiefly to the supposition, that a person cannot be ordained in any other way than as a pastor over a church. But here, also, we find a difference of opinion. On the one side it is said, that there is no Scripture authority whatever for a person being ordained without being chosen or nominated to the

Some, however, on this side of the question, do not go so far as to say, that the essence of ordination lies in the choice of the people, but in the solemn and public separation to office by prayer: still, however, they think that ordination by either bishops, presbyters, or any superior character, cannot be necessary to make a minister or ordain a pastor in any particular church; for Jesus Christ, say they, would never leave the sub-office of a minister by a church. Elders sistence of his churches, or the efficacy of his word and sacraments, to depend on the uninterrupted succession of any office or officer: for then it would be impossible for any church to know whether they ever have had any authentic minister; for we could never be assured that such ordinations had been rightly transmitted through 1700 years. A whole nation might be corrupted, and every bishop and elder therein might have apostatized from the faith, as it was in England in the days of popery. To say, therefore, that the right of ordaining lies in men who are already in office, would drive us to hold the abovementioned untenable position of uninterrupted succession.

On the other side it is observed, that, although Christians have the liberty of choosing their own pastor, yet they have no power or right to confer the office itself. Scripture represents ordination to be the setting apart of a person to the holy ministry, by the authority of Jesus himself acting by the medium of men in office; and this solemn investing act is necessary to his being lawfully accounted a minister of Christ. The original word, Acts vi. 3. is xaraσтnowury, which according to Scapula, and the best writers on the sacred language, signifies

and bishops were ordained in every church, not without any church. To ordain a man originally, says Dr. Campbell, was nothing else but in a solemn manner to assign him a pastoral charge. To give him no charge, and not to ordain him, were perfectly identical. On the other side it is contended, that from these words, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature; and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world," it is evident that missionaries and itinerants must be employed in the important work of the ministry; that, as such cannot be ordained over any particular church, there cannot be the least impropriety in ordaining them for the church universal. Allowing that they have all those talents, gifts, and grace, that constitute a minister in the sight of God, who will dare say they should not be designated by their brethren for the administration of those ordinances Christ has appointed in the church?―Without allowing this, how many thousands would be destitute of these ordinances? Besides, these are the very men whom God in general honours as the first instruments in raising churches, over which stated pastors are afterwards fixed. The separation of