SACENT

SACRIFICE

word sacramentum, which signifies an oath, particularly the oath taken by soldiers to be true to their country and general.-The word was adopted by the writers of the Latin church, to denote those ordinances of religion by which Christians came under an obligation of obedience to God, and which obligation, they supposed, was equally sacred with that of an oath. (See Vow.] Of sacraments, in this sense of the word, Protestant churches admit of but two; and it is not easy to conceive how a greater number can be made out from Scripture, if the definition of a sacrament be just which is given by the church of England. By that church, the meaning of the word sacrament is declared to be "an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ himself, as a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof."-According to this defini tion, baptism and the Lord's Supper are certainly

day, and see whether they convey the idea of a day of rest. Do not our servants and our cattle seem to be almost as fully occupied on that day as on any other? And, as if this was not a sufficient infringement of their rights, we contrive by needless entertainments at home, and needless journeys abroad, which are often by choice and inclination reserved for this very day, to take up all the little remaining part of their leisure time. A sabbath day's journey was among the Jews a proverbial expression for a very short one; among us it can have no such meaning affixed to it. That day seems to be considered by too many as set apart, by divine and human authority, for the purpose not of rest, but of its direct opposite, the labour of travelling, thus adding one day more of torment to those generous but wretched animals whose services they hire; and who, being generally strained beyond their strength the other six days of the week, have, of all creatures under heaven, the best and most equitable claim to sus-sacraments, for each consists of an outward and pension of labour on the seventh."

visible sign of what is believed to be an inward These are evils greatly to be lamented; they and spiritual grace; both were ordained by Christ are an insult to God, an injury to ourselves, and himself, and in the reception of each does the an awful example to our servants, our children, Christian solemnly devote himself to the service and our friends. To sanctify this day, we should of his Divine Master. [See BAPTISM, and LORD'S consider it, 1. A day of rest; not, indeed, to ex- SUPPER.] The Romanists, however, add to this clude works of mercy and charity, but a cessation number confirmation, penance, extreme unction, from all labour and care.-2. As a day of remem-ordination, and marriage, holding in all seven brance; of creation, preservation, redemption.- sacraments. [See POPERY.] Numerous, how3. As a day of meditation and prayer, in which ever, as the sacraments of the Romish church are, we should cultivate communion with God, Rev. a sect of Christians sprung up in England, early i. 10.-4. As a day of public worship, Acts xx. in the last century, who increased their number. 7; John xx. 19.-5. As a day of joy, Is. Ivi. 2; The founder of this sect was a Dr. Deacon. Ps. cxviii. 24.-6. As a day of praise, Ps. cxvi. According to these men, every rite, and every 12, 14.-7. As a day of anticipation; looking phrase, in the book called the Apostolical Constiforward to that holy, happy, and eternal sabbath, tutions, were certainly in use among the apostles that remains for the people of God. See Chand-themselves. Still, however, they make a distinc ler's two Sermons on the Sabbath; Wright on the Sabbath; Watts's Holiness of Times and Places; Orton's six Disc. on the Lord's Day; Kennicott's Sermon and Dial. on the Sabbath; Bp. Porteus's Ser. ser. 9. vol. i.; Watts's Ser. ser. 57. vol. i.; S. Palmer's Apology for the Christian Sabbath; Kennicott on the Oblations of Cain and Abel, p. 184, 185.

SABELLIANS, a sect in the third century that embraced the opinions of Sabellius, a philosopher of Egypt, who openly taught that there is but one person in the Godhead.

The Sabellians maintained that the Word and the Holy Spirit are only virtues, emanations, or functions of the Deity; and held that he who is in heaven is the Father of all things; that he descended into the Virgin, became a child, and was born of her as a son; and that, having accomplished the mystery of our salvation, he diffused himself on the apostles in tongues of fire, and was then denominated the Holy Ghost. This they explained by resembling God to the sun; the illuminated virtue or quality of which was the Word, and its warming virtue the Holy Spirit. The Word, they taught, was darted, like a divine ray, to accomplish the work of redemption; and that, being re-ascended to heaven, the influences of the Father were communicated after a like manner to the apostles.

SACOPHORI, a denomination in the fourth century, so called, because they always went clothed in sackcloth, and affected a great deal of austerity and penance.

SACRAMENT is derived from the Latin

tion between the greater and the lesser sacraments. The greater sacraments are only two, baptism and the Lord's Supper. The lesser are no fewer than ten, viz. five belonging to baptis, exorcism, anointing with oil, the white garment, a taste of milk and honey, and anointing with chrism or ointment. The other five are, the sign of the cross, imposition of hands, unction of the sick, holy orders, and matrimony. This sect however, if not extinguished, is supposed to be in its last wane. Its founder published, in 1748, his full, true, and comprehensive view of Chris tianity, in two catechisms, octavo.

SACRAMENTARIANS, a general name given for all such as have held erroneous opinions respecting the Lord's Supper. The term is chiefly applied among Catholics, by way of reproach to the Lutherans, Calvinists, and other Protestants.

SACRIFICE, an offering made to God on an altar, by means of a regular minister; as an acknowledgment of his power, and a payment of homage. Sacrifices (though the term is sometimes used to comprehend all the offerings made to God, or in any way devoted to his service and honour) differ from mere oblations in this, that in a sacrifice there is a real destruction or change of the thing offered; whereas an oblation is only a simple offering or gift, without any such change at all: thus, all sorts of tithes, and first frats, and whatever of men's worldly substance is consecrated to God for the support of his worship and the maintenance of his ministers, are offer ings, or oblations; and these, under the Jewish law, were either of living creatures, or other

SACRIFICE

SACRIFICE

things: but sacrifices, in the more peculiar sense § 2,] that "sacrifices were looked upon as gifts, of the term, were either wholly or in part con- and that the general opinion was, that gifts would sumed by fire. They have, by divines, been have the same effect with God as with man ; divided into bloody and unbloody. Bloody sacri- would appease wrath, conciliate favour with the fices were made of living creatures; unbloody, of Deity, and testify the gratitude and affection of the fruits of the earth. They have also been the sacrificer; and that from this principle prodivided into expiatory, impetratory, and eucha- ceeded expiatory, precatory, and eucharistical ristical. The first kind were offered to obtain offerings. This is all that is pretended from naof God the forgiveness of sins; the second, to tural light to countenance this practice. But, procure some favour; and the third, to express how well soever the comparison may be thought thankfulness for favours already received. Un- to hold between sacrifices and gifts, yet the opider one or other of these heads may all sacrifices nion that sacrifices would prevail with God must be arranged, though we are told that the Egyp-proceed from an observation that gifts had pretians had six hundred and sixty-six different vailed with men; an observation this which Cain kinds; a number surpassing all credibility. Various have been the opinions of the learned concerning the origin of sacrifices. Some suppose that they had their origin in superstition, and were merely the inventions of men; others, that they originated in the natural sentiments of the human heart; others imagine that God, in order to prevent their being offered to idols, introduced them into his service, though he did not approve of them as good in themselves, or as proper rites of worship. "But that animal sacrifices," says a learned author, "were not instituted by man, seems extremely evident from the acknowledged universality of the practice; from the wonderful sameness of the manner in which the whole world offered these sacrifices; and from the expiation which was constantly supposed to be effected by them:

and Abel had little opportunity of making. And if the coats of skin which God directed Adam to make were the remains of sacrifices, sure Adam could not sacrifice from this observation, when there were no subjects in the world upon which he could make these observations." [Kennicott's second Dissert. on the Offerings of Cain and Abel, p. 201, &c.]

But the grand objection to the divine origin of sacrifices is drawn from the Scriptures themselves, particularly the following, [Jer. vii. 22, 23:] "I spake not to your fathers, nor commanded them, at the time that I brought them out of Egypt, concerning the matters of burnt-offerings or sacrifices; but only this very thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people." The ingenious writer above referred to, accounts for this passage "Now human reason, even among the most [p. 153 and 209] by referring to the transaction strenuous opponents of the divine institutions, is at Marah, [Exod. xv. 23, 26,] at which time God allowed to be incapable of pointing out the least spake nothing concerning sacrifices; it certainly natural fitness or congruity between blood and cannot be intended to contradict the whole book atonement; between killing of God's creatures of Leviticus, which is full of such appointments. and the receiving a pardon for the violation of Another learned author, to account for the above, God's laws. This consequence of sacrifices, and other similar passages, observes, "The Jews when properly offered, was the invariable opinion were diligent in performing the external services of of the heathens, but not the whole of their opinion religion; in offering prayers, incense, sacrifices, obin this matter; for they had also a traditionary lations: but these prayers were not offered with belief among them, that these animal sacrifices faith; and their oblations were mademore frequentwere not only expiations, but vicarious commuta-ly to their idols than to the God of their fathers. tions, and substituted satisfactions; and they called the animals so offered [their Txa] the

ransom of their souls.

The Hebrew idiom excludes with a general negative, in a comparative sense, one of two objects opposed to one another, thus: 'I will have mercy, "But if these notions are so remote from, nay, and not sacrifice.' [Hosea vi. 6.] For I spake so contrary to, any lesson that nature teaches, as not to your fathers, nor commanded them, conthey confessedly are, how came the whole world cerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices; but this to practise the rites founded upon them? It is thing I commanded them, saying, Obey my certain that the wisest Heathens, Pythagoras, voice." [Lowth in Isaiah Ixiii. 22, 24.] The Plato, Porphyry, and others, slighted the religion ingenious Dr. Doddridge remarks, that, accordof such sacrifices, and wondered how an institu- ing to the genius of the Hebrew language, one tion so dismal (as it appeared to them,) and so big thing seems to be forbidden, and another comwith absurdity, could diffuse itself through the manded, when the meaning only is, that the latter world.-An advocate for the sufficiency of reason is generally to be preferred to the former. The [Tindall] supposes the absurdity prevailed by de- text before us is a remarkable instance of this; grees; and the priests who shared with their as likewise Joel ii. 13; Matt. vi. 19, 20; John gods, and reserved their best bits for themselves, vi. 27; Luke xii. 4, 5; and Col. iii. 2. And it had the chief hand in this gainful superstition. But it may well be asked who were the priests in the days of Cain and Abel? Or, what gain could this superstition be to them, when the one gave away his fruits, and the other his animal sacrifice, without being at liberty to taste the least part of it? And it is worth remarking, that what this author wittily calls the best bits, and appropriates to the priests, appears to have been the skin of the burnt-offering among the Jews, and the skin and feet among the Heathens."

Dr. Spencer observes [De Leg. Heb. lib. iii.

is evident that Gen. xlv. 8; Exod. xvi. 8; John v. 30; vii. 19, and many other passages, are to be expounded in the same comparative sense. [Paraph. on the New Test., sect. 59.] So that the whole may be resolved into the apopthegm of the wise man, [Prov. xxi. 3:] "To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice." See Kennicott, above referred to; Edwards's History of Redemption, p. 76, note; Outram de Sacrificiis; Warburton's Div. Leg. b. 9. c. 2; Bishop Law's Theory of Rel. p. 50 to 54; Jennings's Jewish Antiq. vol. i. p. 26, 28;

SAMARITANS

SAMARITAN

Fleury's Manners of the Israelites, part iv. ch. 4; | were delivered from the plague of wild beasts, M'Ewen on the Types.

and embraced the law of Moses, with which they mixed a great part of their ancient idolatry. Upon the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, it appears that they had entirely quitted the worship of their idols. But though they were united in religion, they were not so in affection with the Jews; for they employed va

SACRILEGE, the crime of profaning sacred things, or things devoted to God. The ancient church distinguished several sorts of sacrilege. The first was the diverting things appropriated to sacred purposes to other uses.-2. Robbing the graves, or defacing and spoiling the monuments of the dead.-3. Those were considered as sacri-rious calumnies and stratagems to hinder their legious persons who delivered up their Bibles and the sacred utensils of the church to the Pagans, in the time of the Dioclesian persecution. 4. Profaning the sacraments, churches, altars, &c.-5. Molesting or hindering a clergyman in the performance of his office.-6. Depriving men of the use of the Scriptures or the sacraments, particularly the cup in the eucharist. The Romish casuists acknowledge all these but the last.

SADDUCEES, a famous sect among the Jews; so called, it is said, from their founder doc. It began in the time of Antigonus, of Socho, president of the Sanhedrim at Jerusalem, and teacher of the law in the principal divinity school of that city. Antigonus having often, in his lectures, inculcated to his scholars that they ought not to serve God in a servile manner, but only out of filial love and fear, two of his scholars, Sadoc and Baithus, thence inferred that there were no rewards at all after this life; and, therefore, separating from the school of their master, they thought there was no resurrection nor future state, neither angel nor spirit, Matt. xii. 23; Acts xxiii. 8. They seem to agree greatly with the Epicureans; differing however in this, that though they denied a future state, yet they allowed the power of God to create the world; whereas the followers of Epicurus denied it. It is said also, they rejected the Bible, except the Pentateuch; denied predestination; and taught, that God had made man absolute master of all his actions, without assistance to good, or restraint from evil.

SAINT, a person eminent for godliness. The word is generally applied by us to the apostles and other holy persons mentioned in the Scriptures: but the Romanists make its application much more extensive; as, according to them, all who are canonized are made saints of a high degree. See CANONIZATION.

rebuilding the temple of Jerusalem; and when they could not prevail, they erected a temple on Mount Gerizim, in opposition to that of Jerusa lem. [See 2 Kings xvii.; Ezra iv. v. vi.] The Samaritans at present are few in number, but pretend to great strictness in their observation of the law of Moses. They are said to be scattered; some at Damascus, some at Gaza, and some at Grand Cairo, in Egypt.

SAMARITAN PENTATEUCH, the colSa-lection of the five books of Moses, written in Samaritan or Phoenician characters; and, according to some, the ancient Hebrew characters which were in use before the captivity of Babylon. This Pentateuch was unknown in Europe till the seventeenth century, though quoted by Eu sebius, Jerome, &c. Archbishop Usher was the first, or at least among the first, who procured it out of the East, to the number of five or six copies. Pietro della Valle purchased a very neat copy at Damascus, in 1616, for M. de Sansi, then ambassador of France at Constantinople, and afterwards bishop of St. Malo. This book was presented to the Fathers of the Oratory of St. Honoré, where perhaps it is still preserved; and from which father Morinus, in 1632, printed the first Samaritan Pentateuch, which stands in La Jay's Polyglot, but more correctly in Walton's, from three Samaritan manuscripts, which be longed to Usher. The generality of divines hold, that the Samaritan Pentateuch, and that of the Jews, are one and the same work, written in the same language, only in different characters; and that the difference between the two texts is owing to the inadvertency and inaccuracy of transcribers, or to the affectation of the Samaritans, by interpolating what might promote their interests and pretensions; that the two copies were originally the very same, and that the additions were afterwards inserted. And in this respect the Pentateuch of the Jews must be allowed the preference to that of the Samaritans; whereas others prefer the Samaritan, as an original, preserved in the same character and the same condition in which Moses left it. The variations, additions, and transposi tions which are found in the Samaritan Pentateuch, are carefully collected by Hottinger, and SAMARITANS, an ancient sect among the may be seen on confronting the two texts in the Jews, whose origin was in the time of king Reho-last volume of the English Polyglot, or by inspectboam, under whose reign the people of Israel ing Kennicott's edition of the Hebrew Bible, were divided into two distinct kingdoms, that of where the various readings are inserted. Sote Judah and that of Israel. The capital of the of these interpolations serve to illustrate the text. kingdom of Israel was Samaria, whence the others are a kind of paraphrase, expressing st Israelites took the name of Samaritans. Shal-length what was only hinted at in the original; maneser, king of Assyria, having besieged and and others, again, such as favour their preten taken Samaria, carried away all the people cap-sions against the Jews: namely, the putung Ge tives into the remotest parts of his dominions, and filled their place with Babylonians, Cutheans, and other idolaters. These, finding that they were exposed to wild beasts, desired that an Israclitish priest might be sent among them to instruct them in the ancient religion and customs of the land they inhabited. This being granted them, they

SALVATION means the safety or preservation of any thing that has been or is in danger; but it is more particularly used by us to denote our deliverance from sin and hell, and the final enjoyment of God in a future state, through the mediation of Jesus Christ. See articles ATONEMENT, PROPITIATION, RECONCILIATION, REDEMPTION, and SANCTIFICATION.

rizim for Ebal, Besides the Pentateuch in l'he nician characters, there is another in the language which was spoken at the time that Manassch, first high priest of the temple of Gerizim, and son-in-law of Sanballat, governor of Samaria, under the king of Persia, took shelter among the Samaritans. The language of this last is a mix

SANDEMANIANS

ture of Chaldee, Syriac, and Phoenician. It is called the Samaritan version, executed in favour of those who did not understand pure Hebrew; and is a literal translation, expressing the text

word for word.

SANDEMANIANS

foundation of all national establishments, by maintaining that the kingdom of Christ is not of this world, was expelled from the synod by the church of Scotland. His sentiments are fully explained in a tract, published at that time, entitled, "The SANCTIFICATION, that work of God's Testimony of the King of Martyrs," and pregrace by which we are renewed after the image served in the first volume of his works. In conof God, set apart for his service, and enabled to sequence of Mr. Glass's expulsion, his adherents die unto sin and live unto righteousness. It must formed themselves into churches, conformable, in be carefully considered in a twofold light. 1. As their institution and discipline, to what they apan inestimable privilege granted us from God, prehended to be the plan of the first churches 1 Thess. v. 23.-And, 2. As an all-comprehensive recorded in the New Testament. Soon after the duty required of us by his holy word, 1Thess. iv. year 1755, Mr. Robert Sandeman, an elder in 3. It is distinguished from justification thus: one of these churches in Scotland, published a Justification changeth our state in law before God series of letters addressed to Mr. Hervey, occaas Judge; sanctification changeth our heart and sioned by his Theron and Aspasio, in which he life before him as our Father. Justification pre- endeavours to show that his notion of faith is cedes, and sanctification follows, as the fruit and contradictory to the Scripture account of it, and evidence of it. The surety-righteousness of Christ could only serve to lead men, professedly holding imputed is our justifying righteousness; but the the doctrines called Calvinistic, to establish their grace of God implanted is the matter of our sanc- own righteousness upon their frames, feelings, tification. Justification is an act done at once; and acts of faith. In these letters Mr. Sandeman sanctification is a work which is gradual. Justi- attempts to prove that justifying faith is no more fication removes the guilt of sin; sanctification the than a simple belief of the truth, or the divine power of it. Justification delivers us from the testimony passively received by the understandavenging wrath of God; sanctification conforms ing; and that this divine testimony carries in itself us to his image. Yet justification and sanctifica- sufficient ground of hope to every one who betion are inseparably connected in the promise of lieves it, without any thing wrought in us, or done God, Rom. viii. 28 to 30; in the covenant of by us, to give it a particular direction to ourselves. grace, Heb. viii. 10; in the doctrines and pro- Some of the popular preachers, as they were mises of the Gospel, Acts v. 31; and in the ex-called, had taught that it was of the essence of perience of all true believers, 1 Cor. vi. 11. Sanc-faith to believe that Christ is ours; but Mr. Santification is, 1. A divine work, and not to be deman contended, that that which is believed in begun or carried on by the power of man, Tit. iii. true faith is the truth, and what would have been 5.-2. A Progressive work, and not perfected at the truth, though we had never believed it. They once, Prov. iv. 18.-3. An internal work, not dealt largely in calls and invitations to repent and consisting in external profession or bare morality, believe in Christ, in order to forgiveness; but he Psal. li. 6.-4. A necessary work; necessary as rejects the whole of them, maintaining that the to the evidence of our state, the honour of our Gospel contained no offer but that of evidence, characters, the usefulness of our lives, the happi-and that it was merely a record or testimony to ness of our minds, and the internal enjoyment of God's presence in a future world, John iii. 3; Heb. xii. 14. Sanctification evidences itself by, 1. A holy reverence, Neh. v. 15.-2. Earnest regard, Lam. iii. 24.-3. Patient submission, Psal. xxxix. 9. Hence Abp. Usher said of it, "Sanctification is nothing less than for a man to be brought to an entire resignation of his will to the will of God, and to live in the offering up of his soul continually in the flames of love, and as a whole burnt-offering to Christ."-4. Increasing hatred to sin, Psal. cxix. 133.-5. Communion with God, Isa. xxvi. 8.-6. Delight in his word and ordinances, Psal. xxvii. 4.-7. Humility, Job xlii. 5, 6.-8. Prayer, Psal. cix. 4.-9. Holy confidence, Ps. xxvii. 1.-10. Praise, Psal. ciii. 1.11. Uniform obedience, John xv. 8. See Marshall on Sanctification; Dr. Owen on the Holy Spirit; Witsii Economia, lib. iii. c. 12; Brown's Nat. and Rev. Theology, p. 447; Haweis's Sermons, ser. 11, 12, 13; Scougal's Works. See articles HOLINESS, WORKS.

SANCTIONS, DIVINE, are those acts or laws of the Supreme Being which render any thing obligatory. See LAW.

SANDEMANIANS, a sect that originated in Scotland about the year 1728; where it is, at this time, distinguished by the name of Glassites, after its founder, Mr. John Glass, who was a minister of the established church in that kingdom; but being charged with a design of subverting the national covenant, and sapping the

be credited. They had taught that though acceptance with God, which included the forgiveness of sins, was merely on account of the imputed righteousness of Christ, yet that none was accepted of God, nor forgiven, till he repented of his sin, and received Christ as the only Saviour; but he insists that there is acceptance with God through Christ for sinners, while such, or before "any act, exercise, or exertion of their minds whatsoever;" consequently before repentance; and that "a passive belief of this quiets the guilty conscience, begets hope, and so lays the foundation for love." It is by this passive belief of the truth that we, according to Mr. Sandeman, are justified, and that boasting is excluded. If any act, exercise, or exertion of the mind, were necessary to our being accepted of God, he conceives there would be whereof to glory; and justification by faith could not be opposed, as it is in Rom. iv. 4, 6, to justification by works.

The authors to whom Mr. Sandeman refers, under the title of "popular preachers," are Flavel, Boston, Guthrie, the Erskines, &c. whom he has treated with acrimony and contempt. "I would be far," says he, "from refusing even to the popular preachers themselves what they so much grudge to others, the benefit of the one instance of a hardened sinner finding mercy at last; for I know of no sinners more hardened, none greater destroyers of mankind, than they." There have not been wanting writers, however, who have vindicated these ministers from his invectives, and

SATISFACTION

SANDEMANIANS have endeavoured to show that Mr. Sandeman's | Sandeman's Letters on Theron and Aspasio, notion of faith, by excluding all exercise or con-letter 11; Backus's Discourse on Faith and its currence of the will with the Gospel way of sal- Influence, p. 7-30; Adams's View of Religions; vation, confounds the faith of devils with that of Bellamy's Nature and Glory of the Gospel, Christians, and so is calculated to deceive the Lond. edit. notes, p. 65—125; History of Dis. souls of men. It has also been observed, that Church, p. 265, vol. i.; Fuller's Letters on Santhough Mr. Sandeman admits of the acts of faith demanianism. and love as fruits of believing the truth, yet, "all SANHEDRIM, a council or assembly of perhis godliness consisting (as he acknowledges to sons sitting together; the name whereby the Mr. Pike) in love to that which first relieved Jews called the great council of the nation, ashim," it amounts to nothing but self-love. And sembled in an apartment of the temple of Jerusa as self-love is a stranger to all those strong affec-lem, to determine the most important affairs both tions expressed in the cxixth Psalm towards the of church and state. law of God, he cannot admit of them as the language of a good man, but applies the whole psalm to Christ, though the person speaking acknowledges, that "before he was afflicted, he went astray." Others have thought, that from the same principle it were easy to account for the bitterness, pride, and contempt, which distinguish the system; for self-love, say they, is consistent with the greatest aversion to all beings divine or human, excepting so far as they become subservient to us.

SARABAITES, wandering fanatics, or rather impostors, of the fourth century, who, instead of procuring a subsistence by honest industry, travelled through various cities and provinces, and gained a maintenance by fictitious miracles, by selling relics to the multitude, and other frauds of a like nature.

SATAN is a Hebrew word, and signifies an adversary, or enemy, and is commonly applied in Scripture to the devil, or the chief of the fallen angels. "By collecting the passages," says CruThe chief opinion and practices in which this den, "where Satan, or the devil, is mentioned, it sect differs from other Christians, are, their weekly may be observed, that he fell from heaven with administration of the Lord's Supper; their love all his company; that God cast him down from feasts, of which every member is not only allowed thence for the punishment of his pride; that, by but required to partake, and which consist of his envy and malice, sin, death, and all other their dining together at each other's houses in the evils, came into the world; that, by the permisinterval between the morning and afternoon ser- sion of God, he exercises a sort of government in vice. Their kiss of charity used on this occasion the world over his subordinates, over apostate at the admission of a new member, and at other angels like himself; that God makes use of him times when they deem it necessary and proper; to prove good men and chastise bad ones; that their weekly collection before the Lord's Supper, he is a lying spirit in the mouth of false prophets, for the support of the poor, and defraying other seducers, and heretics; that it is he, or some of expenses; mutual exhortation; abstinence from his, that torment or possess men; that inspire blood and things strangled; washing each other's them with evil designs, as he did David, when he feet, when, as a deed of mercy, it might be an ex-suggested to him to number his people; to Judas, pression of love, the precept concerning which, as well as other precepts, they understand literally; community of goods, so far as that every one is to consider all that he has in his possession and power liable to the calls of the poor and the church; and the unlawfulness of laying up treasures upon earth, by setting them apart for any distant, future, and uncertain use. They allow of public and private diversions, so far as they are unconnected with circumstances really sinful; but apprehending a lot to be sacred, disapprove of lotteries, playing at cards, dice, &c.

They maintain a plurality of elders, pastors, or bishops, in each church; and the necessity of the presence of two elders in every act of discipline, and at the administration of the Lord's Supper.

In the choice of these elders, want of learning, and engagement in trade, are no sufficient objection, it qualified according to the instructions given to Timothy and Titus; but second marriages disqualify for the office; and they are ordained by prayer and fasting, imposition of hands, and giving the right hand of fellowship.

In their discipline they are strict and severe, and think themselves obliged to separate from the communion and worship of all such religious societies as appear to them not to profess the simple truth for their only ground of hope, and who do not walk in obedience to it. We shall only add, that in every transaction they esteem unanimity to be absolutely necessary. See GLASSITES. Glass's Testimony of the King of Martyrs;

to betray his Lord and Master; and to Ananias and Sapphira, to conceal the price of their field. That he roves full of rage like a roaring lion, to tempt, to betray, to destroy, and to involve us in guilt and wickedness; that his power and malice are restrained within certain limits, and controlled by the will of God. In a word, that he is an enemy to God and man, and uses his utmost endeavours to rob God of his glory, and men of their souls." See articles ANGEL, DEVIL, TEMP TATION.-More particularly as to the temptations of Satan. 1. He adapts them to our temper and circumstances.-2. He chooses the fittest season to tempt; as youth, age, poverty, prosperity, public devotion, after happy manifestations; or when in a bad frame; after some signal source; when alone, or in the presence of the object; when unemployed and off our guard; in death.-3. He puts on the mask of religious friendship, 2 Cor. xi. 14; Matt. iv. 6; Luke ix. 50; Gen. iii— 4. Manages temptation with the greatest subtilty. He asks but little at first; leaves for a season in order to renew his attack.-5. He leads men to sin with a hope of speedy repentance.-6. He raises suitable instruments, bad habits, relations Gen. iii.; Job ii. 9, 10. Gilpin on Templations; Brooks on Satan's Devices; Bishop Porter's Sermons, vol. ii, p. 63; Burgh's Crito, vol. i. ess. 3; vol. ii. ess. 4; Howe's Works, vol. ii. p. 360; Gurnall's Christian Armour.

SATANIANS, a branch of the Messaltans, who appeared about the year 390. It is said, among other things, that they believed the devil