This denomination was divided into two parties, the Philoponists and the Cononites; but they differed only concerning the doctrine of the resurrection. Philoponus maintained that the form as well as the matter of all bodies was generated and corrupted, and that both therefore were to he restored in the resurrection.* See Cononites, for an account of the tenets of that denomination. TURLUPINS, a denomination which appeared about VA ALENTINIANS, a branch of the Gnostics which sprang up in the second century; so called from their leader Valentinus. Their principles were, generally speaking, the same with the Gnostics, whose name he assumed; yet in many things he entertained opinions peculiar to himself. He placed, for instance, in the pleroma (so the Gnostics called the habitation of the Deity) thirty aions, of which the one half were male, and the other female. To these he added four others, which were of neither sex; viz. Horus, who guarded the borders of the pleroma, Christ, the holy Ghost, and Jesus. The youngest of the aions, the year 1372. Their principal scene was in Savoy and Dauphiny. They taught, that when a man is arrived at a certain state of perfection, he is freed from all subjection to the divine law. They often went naked, and they allowed of no prayer to God but mental. John Dabantonne was the author of this denomination. Some think they were called Turlupins because they usually abode in places exposed to wolves, lupi. They called themselves the Fraternity of the Poor.† called Sophia, (i. e. wisdom) conceived an ardent desire of comprehending the nature of the supreme Being, and by the force of this propensity brought forth a daughter named Achamoth. Achamoth being exiled from the pleroma, fell down into the rude and undigested mass of matter, to which she gave a certain arrangement; and by the assistance of Jesus, produced the Dimiurge, the Lord and Creator of all things. This Demiurge separated the subtle, or animal matter, from that of the grosser, or more terrestrial kind. Out of the former he created the superior world, or the visible heavens; and out of the latter he formed * Mosheim, vol. i. p. 473. Barclay's Dictionary, article Tritheists. † Broughton, vol, ii, p. 474. Dufṛesuoy's Chronological Tables, vol. ii, p.243. the inferior world, or this terraqueous globe. He also made man, in whose composition the subtle, and also the grosser matter were both united, and that in equal portions; but Achamoth, the mother of Demiurge, added to these two substances, of which the human race was formed, a spiritual and celestial substance. The creator of this world, according to Valentinus, arrived by degrees to that pitch of arrogance, that he either imagined himself to be God alone, or at least was desirous that mankind should consider him as such. For this purpose he sent forth prophets to the jewish nation to declare his claim to the honour which is due to the supreme Being, and in this also the other angels who preside over the different parts of the universe immediately set themselves to imitate his ambition. To chastise this lawless arrogance of Demiurge, and to illuminate the minds of rational beings with the knowledge of the true and supreme Deity, Christ appeared upon earth, composed of an animal and spiritual substance, and clothed moreover with an aërial body. This Redeemer passed through the womb of Mary, as the pure water flows through the untainted conduit. Jesus, one of the supreme aions, was substantially united to him when he was baptized by John in the waters of Jordan. The creator of the world, when he perceived the foundations of his empire were shaken by this divine man, caused him to be apprehended and nailed to the cross. But before Christ submitted to this punishment, not only Jesus, the Son of God, but also the rational soul of Christ, ascended up on high; so that only the animal soul and the ethereal body suffered crucifixion. Those who, abandoning the service of false deities, and the worship of the God of the jews, live according to the precepts of Christ, and submit the animal and sensual soul to the discipline of reason shall be truly happy. Their rational and also their sensual soul shall ascend to those glorious seats of bliss which border on the pleroma. And when all the parts of the divine nature, or all souls, are purified thoroughly, and separated from matter, then a raging fire, let loose from its prison, shall spread its flames throughout the universe, and dissolve the frame of this corporeal world.* * The Valentinians and all the various denominations of Gnostics built upon the common foundation of the Gnostic philosophy. The denomination of the Valentinians was divided into many branches.* See Ptole mattes, Secundians, and Heracleonites. VANISTS, so called from Sir Henry Vane, who was appointed governor of New England in the year 1636; and is said to have been at the head of that party in New England who were charged with maintaining Antinomian tenets.† See Antinomians. UBIQUITARIANS, a de nomination which derived their name from their maintaining that the body of Jesus Christ is ubique every where, and in every place. Brentius is said to have first advanced this sentiment about the year 1560. The Ubiquitarians were not quite agreed among themselves; some holding that Jesus Christ, even during his mortal life, was every where, and others dating the ubiquity of his body from the time of his ascension only.t of Christ's murderers. To give an air of plausibility to this sentiment, he invented the following hypothesis: that the period of time which extended from the birth of Christ to the descent of the holy Ghost was a time of deep ignorance and darkness, during which the jews were void of light, and entirely destitute of divine suc cour; and that of consequence the sins and enormities which were committed during this interval were in a great mea sure excusable, and could not merit the severest displays of the divine justice. This denomination strictly adhere to the doctrine and discipline of the primitive Mennonites. The ceremony of washing the feet of strangers, who come within the reach of their hospitality, they esteem a rite of divine institution.§ VERSCHORISTS, a Dutch denomination which derived its name from Jacob Verschoor, a native of Flushing, who published his sentiments in the year 1680. The religious tenets of this denomina tion resemble the Hattemists UCKEWALLISTS, a sect which derives its denomina tion from Uke-Walles, a native of Friesland, who published his sentiments in the year in most points. See Hatte1637. He entertained a fa-mists. vourable opinion of the eternal state of Judas and the rest UNITARIANS, a name given to the Anti-Trinitarians. Mosheim, vol. i. pp. 185--188. + Calamy's Abridgment, vol. i. p. 98. + Broughton's Hist. Dict. vol. ii. p. 481. § Mosheim, vol. v. pp, 48, 49, #Ibid, vol. iv. p. 552. blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords.t The Socinians are also so called. The term is very comprehensive, and is applicable to a great variety of persons, who, notwithstanding, agree in this common principle, that there is no distinction in the divine nature." Those who are commonly called Socinians claim an exclusive right to this title, as holding the unity of God in the strictest sense, to the exclusion of Jesus Christ, and of every other person whatever, from being named or compared with the supreme Father, as equal to him, or any thing but dependent on him, who is the The capital article in the religious system of this denomination is, that Christ was a mere man. But they consider him as the great instrument in the hands of God of reversing all the effects of the fall; as the object of all the prophecies from Moses to his own time; as the great bond of union to virtuous and good men, who, as christians, make one body in a peculiar sense; as introduced into the world without a human father; as having communications with *Mosheim, vol. v. p. 58. [t Mr. Evans however allows that "they have no exclusive claim to it,as the Arians, if not the Trinitarians, are equally strenuous for the divine Unity." Sketch, p. 65, eighth edition.] Dr. Priestley, in his history of the early opinions concerning Christ, calls in question the doctrine of Christ's miraculous conception. He disputes the authenticity of the introductory chapters to Matthew and Luke, because Mark and John do not give the least hint of a miraculous conception; and yet if any part of the history required to be authenticated, it was this. He thinks it is probable that the gospel of St. Matthew was written in hebrew; and as the two first chapters were not in the Ebionite copies of the gospel, he takes it for granted they were not written by Matthew, but prefixed to his gospel afterwards. He supposes that Marcion's copy of Luke's cospel, which begins at the third chapter, was genuine. But admitting that the introductory chapters of Matthew and Luke were written by them, this learned divine supposes that the evidence of the gospel history is exactly similar to that of any other credible bistory depending upon human testimony; and that the scriptures were written without any particular inspiration, by men who wrote according to the best of their knowledge, and who from their circumstances could not be mistaken with respect to the greater facts of which they were proper witnesses; but, like other men, subject to prejudice, might be liable to adopt a hasty and ill grounded opinion concerning things which did not come within the compass of their knowledge. Dr. Priestley says, that though there are but few who disbelieve the miraculous conception, he supposes there have always been some, and those men of learning and character among christians; and that to his certain knowledge the number of such is increasing, and several of them think it a matter of great importance that a doctrine which they regard as a discredit to the christian scheme should be exploded. This learned divine will not admit that Christ was either infallible or impeccable. Those passages of scripture which declare" he knew no sin," &c. he supposes to have the same meaning with 1 John iii. 9, God, and speaking and acting from God in such a manner as no other man ever did, and therefore, having the form of God, and being the Son of God in a manner peculiar to himself; as the mean of spreading divine and saving knowledge to all the world of mankind; as, under God, the head of all things to his church; and as the Lord of life, having power and authority from God to raise the dead, and judge the world at the last day. They suppose that the great object of the whole scheme of revelation was to teach men how to live here so as to be happy hereafter; and that the particular doctrines there taught, as having a connexion with this great object, are those of the unity of God, his universal presence and inspection, his placability to repenting sinners, and the certainty of a life of retribution after death.* Thus this denomination argue against the divinity and pre-existence of Christ:-The scriptures contain the clearest and most express declarations that there is but one God, without ever mentioning any exception in favour of a Tri nity, or guarding us against being led into any mistake by such general and unlimited expressions. Exod. xx. 3: Thou shalt have no other God but me. Deut. vi. 4. Mark xii. 20. 1 Cor. viii. 6. Ephes. iv. 5. It is the uniform language of the sacred books of the old testament, that one God, without any assistant either equal or subordinate to himself, made the world and all things in it, and that this one God continues to direct all the affairs of men. The first book of Moses begins with reciting all the visible parts of the universe as the work and appointment of God. In the ancient prophetic accounts which pre. ceded the birth of Christ he is spoken of as a man, as a human creature highly favoured of God, and gifted with extraordinary powers from him, and nothing more. He was foretold, Gen. xxii. 8, to be of the seed of Abraham. Deut. xviii: A prophet like unto Moses. Psal. cxxvii. 11: Of the family of David, &c. As a man, as a prophet, though of the highest order, the jews constantly and uniformly looked for their Messiah. Christ They suppose that to be a christian implies nothing more than the belief that Christ and his apostles, as well as all preceding prophets, were com missioned by God to teach what they declare they received from him, the most important article of which is the doctrine of a resurrection to immertal life. |