them no longer ministers of this church; and do hereby prohibit all ministers of this church to employ them, or any of them, in any ministerial function. And the commission do declare the churches of the said ministers vacant from and after the date of this sentence."

communion of the established church. They now erected themselves into an ecclesiastical court, which they called the Associated Presbytery, and preached occasionally to numbers of the people who joined them in different parts of the country. They also published what they called an Act, Declaration, and Testimony, to the doctrine, worship, government, and discipline of the church of Scotland; and against several instances, as they said, of defection from these, both in former and in the present times. Some time after this, several ministers of the established church join

This sentence being intimated to them, they protested that their ministerial office and relation to their respective charges should be held as valid as if no such sentence had passed; and that they were now obliged to make a secession from the prevailing party in the ecclesiastical courts; and that it shall be lawful and warrantable for themed them, and the Associated Presbytery to preach the Gospel, and discharge every branch of the pastoral office, according to the word of God, and the established principles of the church of Scotland. Mr. Ralph Erskine, minister at Dunfermline, Mr. Thomas Mair, minister at Orwel, Mr. John McLaren, minister at Edinburgh, Mr. John Cur-peared at the bar as a constituted presrie, minister at Kinglassie, Mr. James Wardlaw, minister at Dunfermline, and Mr. Thomas Narin, minister at Abbotshall, protested against the sentence of the commission, and that it should be lawful for them to complain of it to any subsequent general assembly of the church.

now consisted of eight ministers. But the general assembly which met in 1738, finding that the number of Seceders was much increased, ordered the eight ministers to be served with a libel, and to be cited to the next meeting of the assembly, in 1739. They now ap

bytery, and, having formerly declined the assembly's authority, they immediately withdrew. The assembly which met next year, deposed them from the office of the ministry; which, however, they continued to exercise in their respective congregations, who still adhered to them, and erected meetingThe secession properly commenced houses, where they preached till their at this date. And accordingly the eject- death. Mr. James Fisher, the last sured ministers declared in their protest, vivor of them, was by a unanimous that they were laid under the disagreea- call in 1741, translated from Kinclaven ble necessity of seceding, not from the to Glasgow, where he continued in the principles and constitution of the church exercise of his ministry among a nuof Scotland, to which, they said, they merous congregation, respected by all steadfastly adhered, but from the pre- ranks in that large city, and died in sent church-courts, which had thrown 1775, much regretted by his people and them out from ministerial communion. friends. In 1745, the seceding minisThe assembly, however, which met inters were become so numerous, that they May 1734, did so far modify the above were erected into three different pres sentence, that they empowered the sy-byteries under one synod, when a very nod of Perth and Stirling to receive the unprofitable dispute divided them into ejected ministers into the communion of two parties. the church, and restore them to their The burgess oath, in some of the royal respective charges; but with this ex- boroughs of Scotland, contains the folpress direction, "that the said synod lowing clause: "I profess and allow with should not take upon them to judge of my heart the true religion presently prothe legality or formality of the former fessed within this realm, and authorised procedure of the church judicatories in by the laws thereof. I will abide at and relation to this affair, or either approve defend the same to my life's end, reor censure the same." "As this appoint-nouncing the Romish religion called ment neither condemned the act of the preceding assembly, nor the conduct of the commission, the seceding ministers considered it to be rather an act of grace than of justice; and therefore, they said, they could not return to the church-courts upon this ground; and they published to the world the reasons of their refusal, and the terms upon which they were willing to return to the

Papistry." Messrs. Ebenezer and Ralph Erskine, James Fisher, and others, affirmed that this clause was no way contrary to the principles upon which the secession was formed, and that therefore every seceder might lawfully swear it. Messrs. Alexander Moncrief, Thomas Mair, Adam Gib, and others, contended, on the other hand, that the swearing of the above clause was a vir

and profane to be sponsors for their children. Believing that the people have a natural right to choose their own pastors, the settlement of their ministers always proceeds upon a popular election; and the candidate, who is elected by the majority, is ordained among them. Convinced that the charge of souls is a trust of the greatest importance, they carefully watch over the morals of their students, and direct them to such a course of reading and study as they judge most proper to qualify them for the profitable discharge of the

tual renunciation of their testimony; hearers publicly, and visit them from and this controversy was so keenly agi-house to house once every year. They tated, that they split into two different will not give the Lord's supper to those parties, and now meet in different sy- who are ignorant of the principles of nods. Those of them who assert the the Gospel, nor to such as are scandalawfulness of swearing the burgess oath lous and immoral in their lives. They are called Burghers; and the other condemn private baptism; nor will they party, who condemn it, are called Anti-admit those who are grossly ignorant burgher Seceders. Each party claiming to itself the lawful constitution of the Associate Synod, the Antiburghers, after several previous steps, excommunicated the Burghers, on the ground of their sin, and of their contumacy in it. This rupture took place in 1747, since which period no attempts to effect a reunion have been successful. They remain under the jurisdiction of different synods, and hold separate communion, although much of their former hostility has been laid aside. The Antiburghers consider the Burghers as too lax, and not sufficiently steadfast to their testi-pastoral duties. At the ordination of mony. The Burghers, on the other hand, contend that the Antiburghers are too rigid, in that they have introduced new terms of communion into the society. What follows in this article is a far-it; and if any of them teach doctrines ther account of those who are common- contrary to the Scriptures, or the Westly called the Burgher Seceders. As minster Confession of Faith, they are there were among them, from the com- sure of being thrown out of their commencement of their secessions, several munion. By this means, uniformity of students who had been educated at one sentiment is preserved among them; or other of the universities, they ap-nor has any of their ministers, exceptpointed one of their ministers to give lectures in theology, and train up candidates for the ministry.

their ministers, they use a formula of the same kind with that of the established church, which their ministers are bound to subscribe when called to

ing one, been prosecuted for error in doctrine since the commencement of their secession.

Where a congregation is very nu- They believe that the holy Scripmerous, as in Stirling, Dunfermline, and tures are the sole criterion of truth, and Perth, it is formed into a collegiate the only rule to direct mankind to gloricharge, and provided with two minis- fy and enjoy God, the chief and eternal ters. They are erected into six differ- good; and that "the supreme Judge, ent presbyteries, united in one general by which all controversies of religion synod, which commonly meets at Edin- are to be determined, and all the de burgh in May and September. They crees of councils, opinions of ancient have also a synod in Ireland, composed writers, doctrines of men and private of three or four different presbyteries. spirits, are to be examined, and in They are legally tolerated in Ireland; whose sentence we are to rest, can be and government, some years ago, grant-no other but the Holy Spirit speaking ed 500l. per annum, and of late an additional 500l. which, when divided among them, affords to each minister about 201. over and above the stipend which he receives from his hearers. These have, besides, a presbytery in Nova Scotia; and, some years ago, it is said, that the Burgher and the Antiburgher ministers residing in the United States formed a coalition, and joined in a general synod, which they call the Synod of New-York and Pennsylvania. They all preach the doctrines contained in the Westminster Confession of Faith, and Catechisms, as they believe these to be founded on the sacred Scriptures. They catechise their

in the Scriptures." They are fully persuaded, however, that the standards of public authority in the church of Scotland exhibit a just and consistent view of the meaning and design of the holy Scriptures with regard to doctrine, worship, government, and discipline; and they so far differ from the dissenters in England, in that they hold these standards to be not only articles of peace and a test of orthodoxy, but as a bond of union and fellowship. They consider a simple declaration of adherence to the Scriptures as too equivocal a proof of unity in sentiment, because Arians, Socinians, and Armi

nians, make such a confession of their SECT, a collective term, comprefaith, while they retain sentiments which hending all such as follow the doctrines they (the Seceders) apprehend are sub- and opinions of some divine, philosopher, versive of the great doctrines of the &c. The word sect, says Dr. CampGospel. They believe that Jesus Christ bell, (Prelim. Diss.) among the Jews, is the only King and Head of the church, was not in its application entirely coinwhich is his body; that it is his sole pre- cident with the same term as applied rogative to enact laws for the govern- by Christians to the subdivisions subment of his kingdom, which is not of sisting among themselves. We, if I this world; and that the church is not mistake not, invariably use it of those possessed of a legislative, but only of an who form separate communions, and do executive power, to be exercised in ex- not associate with one another in reliplaining and applying to their proper gious worship and ceremonies. Thus, objects and end those laws which Christ we call Papists, Lutherans, Calvinists, hath published in the Scriptures. Those different sects, not so much on account doctrines which they teach relative to of their differences in opinion, as befaith and practice are exhibited at great cause they have established to themlength in an Explanation of the West- selves different fraternities, to which, in minster Assembly's Shorter Catechism, what regards public worship, they conby way of question and answer, in two fine themselves; the several denominavolumes, composed chiefly by Mr. James tions above-mentioned having no interFisher, late of Glasgow, and published community with one another in sacred by desire of their synod. matters. High church and low church we call only parties, because they have not formed separate communions. Great and known differences in opinion, when followed by no external breach in the society, are not considered with us as constituting distinct sects, though their differences in opinion may give rise to mutual aversion. Now, in the Jewish sects (if we except the Samaritans,) there were no separate communities erected. The same temple, and the same synagogues, were attended alike by Pharisees and by Sadducees: nay, there were often of both denominations in the Sanhedrim, and even in the priesthood.-Another difference was also, that the name of the sect was not applied to all the people who adopted the same opinions, but solely to the men of eminence among them who were considered as the leaders of the party.

For these fifty years past, the grounds of their secession, they allege, have been greatly enlarged by the public administrations of the established church, and particularly by the uniform execution of the law respecting patronage, which, they say, has obliged many thousands of private Christians to withdraw from the parish churches, and join their society.

In most of their congregations, they celebrate the Lord's supper twice in the year; and they catechise their young people concerning their knowledge of the principles of religion previously to their admission to that sacrament. When any of them fall into the sin of fornication or adultery, the scandal is regularly purged according to the form of process in the established church; and those of the delinquents who do not submit to adequate censure are publicly declared to be fugitives from discipline, and are expelled the SECUNDIANS, a denomination in society. They never accept a sum of the second century which derived their money as a commutation for the offence. name from Secundus, a disciple of VaThey condemn all clandestine and irre-lentine. He maintained the doctrine of gular marriages; nor will they marry two eternal principles, viz. light and any persons unless they have been pro- darkness, whence arose the good and claimed in the parish church on two evil that are observable in the universe. different Lord's days at least. See VALENTINIANS.

The constitution of the Antiburgher church differs very little from that of the Burghers. The supreme court among them is designated The General Associate Synod, having under its jurisdiction three provincial synods in Scotland and one in Ireland. They, as well as the Burgher Seceders, have a professor of theology, whose lectures every candidate for the office of a preacher is obliged to attend.

SECULAR CLERGY. See CLER

GY.

SEDUCER, one who decoys or draws away another from that which is right.

SEEKERS, a denomination which arose in the year 1645. They derived their name from their maintaining that the true church ministry, Scripture, and ordinances, were lost, for which they were seeking. They taught that the Scriptures were uncertain; that present miracles were necessary to faith; that our ministry is without authority; and

that our worship and ordinances are to the extirpation of vicious, or the imunnecessary or vain. plantation of virtuous habits, that imSELEUCIANS, disciples of Seleu-provement which is owing merely to the cus, a philosopher of Galatia, who, about lapse of time, advancing age, altered the year 380, adopted the sentiments of circumstances, &c.-9. Another geneHermogenes and those of Audæus. Heral and fertile source of self-deception taught, with the Valentinians, that Jesus Christ assumed a body only in appearance. He also maintained that the world was not made by God, but was co-eternal with him; and that the soul was only an animated fire created by the angels; that Christ does not sit at the right hand of the Father in a human body, but that he lodged his body in the sun, according to Ps. xix. 4; and that the pleasures of beatitude consisted in corporeal delight.