into banishment, and punished some of them with death. Their cause was espoused by another Donatus, called the Great, the principal bishop of that sect, who, with numbers of his followers, was exiled by order of Constans. Many of them were punished with great severity.-Sce CIRCUMCELLIONES. However, after the accession of Julian to the throne in 362, they were permitted to return, and restored to their former liberty. Gratian published several edicts against them, and in 377 deprived them of their churches, and prohibited all their assemblies. But, notwithstanding the severities they suffered, it appears that they had a very considerable number of churches towards the close of this century; but at this time they began to decline on account of a schism among themselves, occasioned by the election of two bishops in the room of Parmenian, the successor of Donatus: one party elected Frimian, and were called Primianists; and another, Maximinian, and were called Maximinianists. Their decline was also precipitated by the zealous opposition of St. Augustine, and by the violent measures which were pursued against them by order of the emperor Honorius, at the solicitation of two councils held at Carthage, the one in 404, and the other in 411. Many of them were fined, their bishops were banished, and some put to death. This sect revived and multiplied under the protection of the Vandals, who invaded Africa in 427, and took possession of this province; but it sunk again under new severities, when their empire was overturned, in 534. Ne 7 zer, and to engage him, by the most seducing promises of opulence and glory, to carry on the cheat. Jetzer was persuaded, or at least appear ed to be so. But the Dominicans suspecting that he was not entirely gained over, resolved to poison him; but his constitution was so vigorous, that, though they gave him poison five several times, he was not destroyed by it. One day they sent him a loaf prepared with some spices, which growing green in a day or two, he threw a piece of it to a wolf's whelps that were in the monastery, and it killed them immediately. At another time they poisoned the host, or consecrated wafer; but, as he vomited it up soon after he had swallowed it, he escaped once more. In short, there were no means of securing him, which the most detestable impiety and barbarity could invent, that they did not put in practice; till finding, at last, an opportunity of getting out of the convent, he threw himself into the hands of the magistrates, to whom he made a full discovery of this infernal plot. The affair being brought to Rome, commissaries were sent from thence to examine the matter; and the whole cheat being fully proved, the four friars were solemnly degraded from their priesthood, and were burnt alive on the last day of May, 1509. Jetzer died some time after at Constance, having poisoned himself, as was believed by some. Had his life been taken away before he had found an opportunity of making the discovery already mentioned, this execrable and horrid plot, which in many of its circumstances was conducted with art, would have been handed down to posterity as a stupen-vertheless, they remained in a separate body till dous miracle. The Dominicans were perpetually employed in stigmatising with the name of heresy numbers of learned and pious men; in encroaching upon the rights and properties of others, to augment their possessions; and in laying the most iniquitous snares and stratagems, for the destruction of their adversaries. They were the principal counsellors by whose instigation and advice Leo X. was determined to the public condemnation of Luther. The papal see never had more active and useful abettors than this order, and that of the Jesuits. his the close of this century, when Gregory, the Roman pontiff, used various methods for suppressing them: his zeal succeeded, and there are few traces to be found of the Donatists after this period. They were distinguished by other appellations, as Circumcelliones, Montenses or Mountaineers, Campetes, Rupites, &c. They held three councils, that of Cita in. Numidia, and two at Carthage. The Donatists, it is said, held that baptism conferred out of the church, that is, out of their sect, was null; and accordingly they re-baptized those who joined their party from other churches, they also re-ordained their ministers. Donatus seems likewise to have embraced the doctrine of the Arians; though St. Augustine affirms that the Donatists in this point kept clear of the errors of their leader. DOMINION OF GOD, is his absolute right to, and authority over, all his creatures, to do with them as he pleases. It is distinguished from his power thus: his dominion is a right of making what he pleases, and possessing what he makes, and of disposing of what he possesses; whereas DORT, Synod of; a national Synod, sumponder is an ability to make what he has a moned by authority of the States-General, the proright to create, to hold what he possesses, and to vinces of Holland, Utrecht and Overyssel exexecute what he has purposed or resolved. cepted, and held at Dort, 1618. The most DONATISTS, ancient schismatics, in Afri- eminent divines of the United Provinces, and ca, so denominated from their leader, Donatus. deputies from the churches of England, Scotland, They had their origin in the year 311, when, in Switzerland, Bremen, Hessia, and the Palatinate, the room of Mensurius, who died in that year, on assembled on this occasion, in order to decide the his return to Rome, Cecilian was elected bishop controversy between the Calvinists and Armiof Carthage, and consecrated, without the con- nians. The synod had hardly commenced its currence of the Numidian bishops, by those of deliberations before a dispute on the mode of proAfrica alone, whom the people refused to acknow-ceeding drove the Arminian party from the aslege, and to whom they opposed Majorinus, who accordingly was ordained by Donatus bishop of Case Nigre. They were condemned in a council held at Rome, two years after their separation; and afterwards in another at Arles, the year following; and again at Milan, before Constantine the Great, in 316, who deprived them of their churches, and sent their seditious bishops sembly. The Arminians insisted upon beginning with a refutation of the Calvinistic doctrines, especially that of reprobation; whilst the synod determined, that, as the remonstrants were ac cused of departing from the reformed faith, they ought first to justify themselves by a scriptural proof of their own opinions. All means to persuade the Arminians to submit to this procedure DEPRECATORY DESTRUCTIONISTS Greek church is deprecative, thus expressedMay God absolve you; whereas in the Latin church it is declarative-I absolre you. DESCENT of Christ into Hell. See HELL DESERTION, a term made use of to denote an unhappy state of mind, occasioned by the sen sible influences of the divine favour being with drawn. Some of the best men in all ages have suffered a temporary suspension of divine enjoy. ments, Job xxix. 2; Ps. li; Isa. xlix. 14; Lam iii. 1; Isa. i. 10. the rest of the earth; unless perhaps they had been retained there by a miracle; in that case, Moses, no doubt, would have related the miracle, as he did that of the waters of the Red Sea, &c. It may also be observed, that in regions far remote from the Euphrates and Tigris, viz. Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, England, &c. there are frequently found, m places many scores of leagues from the sea, and even in the tops of high mountains, whole trees sunk deep under ground, as The causes of this must not be also teeth and bones of animals, fishes entire, sea shells, cars of corn, &c. petrified; which the best attributed to the Almighty, since he is always the naturalists are agreed could never have come same, but must arise from ourselves, Neglect of there but by the deluge. That the Greeks and duty, improper views of Providence, self-conwestern nations had some knowledge of the flood, fidence, a worldly spirit, lukewarmness of mind, has never been denied; and the Mussulmen, inattention to the means of grace, or open trans Chinese, and Americans, have traditions of the gression, may be considered as leading to this deluge. The ingenious Mr. Bryant, in his My-state. As all things, however, are under the thology, has pretty clearly proved that the deluge, divine controul, so even desertion, or, as it is so far from being unknown to the heathen world sometimes expressed in Scripture, "the hidings at large, is in reality conspicuous throughout every of God's face," may be useful to excite humility one of their acts of religious worship. In India, also, Sir William Jones has discovered, that in the oldest mythological books of that country, there is such an account of the deluge as corresponds sufficiently with that of Moses. exercise faith and patience, detach us from the world, prompt to more vigorous action, bring us to look more to God as the fountain of happiness, conform us to his word, and increase our desires for that state of blessedness which is to come, Hervey's Ther. and Asp. dial. xix.; Wall's Medit. on Job, xxiii. 3; Lambert's Ser, vol. i. ser. 16; Flarel's Works, vol. i. p. 167. folio. Various have been the conjectures of learned men as to the natural causes of the deluge. Some have supposed that a quantity of water was DESIRE is an eagerness to obtain or enjoy created on purpose, and at a proper time anni-hilated by Divine power. Dr. Burnet supposes an object which we suppose to be good. Those the primitive earth to have been no more than a desires, says Dr. Watts, that arise without any crust investing the water contained in the ocean; express ideas of the goodness or agreeableness of and in the central abyss, which he and others their object to the mind beforehand, such as hunsuppose to exist in the bowels of the earth at the ger, thirst, &c., are called appetites. These time of the flood, this outward crust broke in a which arise from our perception or opinion of en thousand pieces, and sunk down among the water, object as good or agreeable, are most propert which thus spouted up in vast cataracts and over-called passions. Sometimes both these are unite flowed the whole surface. Others, supposing a If our desire to do or receive good be not violent, sufficient fund of water in the sea or abyss, think it is called a simple inclination or propensit that the shifting of the earth's centre of gravity When it rises high, it is termed longing: whe drew after it the water out of the channel, and our desires set our active powers at work to obtain overwhelmed the several parts of the earth suc- the very same good, or the same sort of go cessively. Others ascribe it to the shock of a which another desires, it is called emulati comet; and Mr. King supposes it to arise from Desire of pleasures of sense, is called sensually; subterraneous fires bursting forth with great vio-of honour, is called ambition; of riches, coretow But are not most, if not allness. The objects of a good man's desires are lence under the sea. these hypotheses quite arbitrary, and without that God may be glorified, his sins forgiven as foundation from the words of Moses? It is, per-subdued, his affections enlivened and placed o haps, in vain to attempt accounting for this event God as the supreme object of love, his afilictis by natural causes, it being altogether miraculous sanctified, and his life devoted to the service Prov. xi. 23; Ps. cv. 19. and supernatural, as a punishment to men for the God. DESPAIR, loss of hope; that state of mir corruption then in the world. Let us be satisfied with the sources which Moses gives us, namely, in which a person loses his confidence in the de the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the vine mercy. windows of heaven opened; that is, the waters rushed out from the hidden abyss of the bowels of the earth, and the clouds poured down their rain incessantly. Let it suffice us to know, that all the elements are under God's power; that he can do with them as he pleases, and frequently in ways we are ignorant of, in order to accomplish ais own purposes. The principal writers on this subject have been Woodyard, Cockburn, Bryant, Burnet, Whison, Stilling fleet, King, Catcott, Tyller, and Worthington. DEPRAVITY, corruption, a change from perfection to imperfection. See FALL, SIN. DEPRECATORY, a term applied to the manner of performing some ceremonies in the form of prayer. The form of absolution in the Some of the best antidotes against despair, sa one, may be taken from the consideration, 1 the nature of God, his goodness, mercy, &c. 2. The testimony of God: he hath said, he de sireth not the death of the sinner.-3. From the works of God: he hath given his son to die4. From his promises, Heb. xiii. 5.-5. From command: he hath commanded us to confide his mercy.-6. From his expostulations, &c. Baxter on Religious Melancholy; Claude's Essays, p. 388, Robinson's Edit.; Gisbor Sermon on Religious Despondency. DESTRUCTIONISTS, those who believe that the final punishment threatened in the G pel to the wicked and impenitent consists an eternal preservation in misery and torment, in a total extinction of being; and that the DESTRUCTIONISTS tence of annihilation shall be executed with more or less torment, preceding or attending the final period, in proportion to the greater or less guilt of the criminal. DESTRUCTIONISTS bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire, and is destroyed; as the useless chaff, when separated from the good grain, is set on fire, and, if the fire be not quenched, is consumed: so, he thinks, it plainly appears, that the intended to signify the degree or duration of torment, but the absolute certainty of destruction, beyond all possibility of recovery. So the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are said to have suffered the vengeance of an eternal fire, that is, they were so effectually consumed, or destroyed, that they could never be rebuilt; the phrase, eternal fire, signifying the irrevocable destruction of those cities, not the degree or duration of the misery of the inhabitants who perished. The name assumed by this denomination, like those of many others, takes for granted the ques-image of unquenchable or everlasting fire is not tion in dispute, viz. that the Scripture word destruction means annihilation: in strict propriety of speech, they should be called Annihilationists. The doctrine is largely maintained in the sermons of Mr. Samuel Bourn, of Birmingham; it was held, also, by Mr J. N. Scott; Mr. John Taylor, of Norwich; Mr. Marsom, and many others. The images of the worm that dieth not, and the fire that is not quenched, used in Mark ix. 43, are set in opposition to entering into life, and intended to denote a period of life and existence. Our Saviour expressly assigns different degrees of future misery, in proportion to men's respective degree of guilt, Luke xii. 47, 48. But if all wicked men shall suffer torments without end, how can any of them be said to suffer but a few stripes? All degrees and distinctions of punishment seem swallowed up in the notion of neverending or infinite misery. In defence of the system, Mr. Bourn argues as follows:-There are many passages of Scripture in which the ultimate punishment to which wicked men shall be adjudged is defined, in the most precise and intelligible terms, to be an everlasting destruction from the power of God, which is equally able to destroy as to preserve. So when our Saviour is fortifying the minds of his disciples against the power of men, by an awe of the far greater power of God, and the punishment of his justice, he expresseth himself thus: Fear not them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do; fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Here he plainly proposes the destruction of the soul (not its end-| less pain and misery) as the ultimate object of the divine displeasure, and the greatest object of our fear. And when he says, These shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal, it appears evident that by that eternal punishment which is set in opposition tory of his power, eternal life, is not meant any kind of life, however miserable, but the same which the apostle expresses by everlasting destruction from the presence and power of the Lord. The very term, death, is most frequently made use of to signify the end of wicked men in another world, or the final effect of divine justice in their punishment. The wages of sin (saith the apostle) is death; but eternal life is the gift of God, through Christ Jesus our Lord. See also Rom. viii, 6. Finally, death and eternal destruction, or annihilation, is properly styled in the New Testament an everlasting punishment, as it is irrevocable and unalterable for ever; and it is most strictly and literally styled, an everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the gio Dr. Edwards, in his answer to Dr. Chauncey, on the salvation of all men, says that this scheme was provisionally retained by Dr. C.; i. e. in case the scheme of universal salvation should fail him; and therefore Dr. E., in his examination of that work, appropriates a chapter to the consideration of it. Among other reasonings against it are the following: 1. The different degrees of punishment which the wicked will suffer according to their works, proves that it does not consist in annihilation, which admits of no degrees. To inngine that by the term death is meant an eternal life, though in a condition of extreme misery, seems, according to him, to be confound- 2. If it be said that the punishment of the ing all propriety and meaning of words. Death, wicked, though it will end in annihilation, yet when applied to the end of wicked men in a fu- shall be preceded by torment, and that this will ture state, he says, properly denotes a total ex-be of different degrees, according to the degrees tinction of life and being. It may contribute, he of sin; it may be replied, this is making it to be ads, to fix this meaning, if we observe that the compounded partly of torment, and partly of annistate to which temporal death reduces men is hilation. The latter also appears to be but a usually termed by our Saviour and his apostles, small part of future punishment, for that alone sleep; because from this death the soul shall be will be inflicted on the least sinner, and on account raised to life again: but from the other, which is of the least sin; and that all punishment which fully and properly death, and of which the former will be inflicted on any person above that which is is but an image or shadow, there is no recovery; due to the least sin, is to consist in torment, Nay, it is an eternal death, an everlasting destruction if we can form any idea in the present state of from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of what would be dreadful or desirable in another, instead of its being any punishment to be anni hilated after a long series of torment, it must be a deliverance, to which the sinner would look for ward with anxious desire, And is it credible that this was the termination of torment that our Lord held up to his disciples as an object of dread? Can this be the destruction of body and soul in hell? Is it credible that everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, should constitute only a part, and a small part, of future punishment; and such too his power. He next proceeds to the figures by which the eternal punishment of wicked men is described, and finds them perfectly agreeing to establish the Same doctrine. One figure or comparison, often used, is that of combustible materials thrown into a fire, which will consequently be entirely consame, if the fire be not quenched. Depart from meye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. The meaning is, a total, irrevocable destruction, as the tree that DETRACTION DEUTEROCANONICAL as, after a series of torment, must, next to being all kinds of persons, qualities, and actions, but made happy, be the most acceptable thing that detraction especially respects worthy persons, could befal them? Can this be the object threat-good qualities, and laudale actions, the reputa ened by such language, as recompensing tribula- tion of which it aimeth to destroy. It is a faul tion, and taking vengeance in flaming fire? 2 opposed to candour. Thess. i. Is it possible that God should threaten them with putting an end to their miseries? Moreover, this destruction is not described as the conclusion of a succession of torments, but as taking place immediately after the last judgment. When Christ shall come to be glorified in his saints, then shall the wicked be destroyed. Nothing can be more incongruous with the spirit of the Gospel, the example of Christ, the command of God, and the love of mankind, than a spirit of detraction; and yet there are many who never seem happy but when they are enployed in this work; they feed and live upon the supposed infirmities of others; they allow excel lence to none; they depreciate every thing that is praiseworthy; and, possessed of no good themselves, they think all others are like them. "0! 3. Everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, cannot mean annihilation, for that would be no exertion of divine power, but merely the suspen-my soul, come thou not into their secret; unto sion of it; for let the upholding power of God be withheld for one moment, and the whole creation would sink into nothing. 4. The punishment of wicked men will be the same as that of wicked angels, Matt. xxv. 41. Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. But the punishment of wicked angels consists not in annihilation, but torment. Such is their present punishment in a degree, and such in a greater degree will be their punishment hereafter. They are "cast down to hell;" they "believe and tremble" they are reserved in chains under darkness, to the judgment of the great day; they cried, saying, What have we to do with thee? Art thou come to torment us before our time ?" Could the devils but persuade themselves they should be annihilated, they would believe and be at ease rather than tremble. 6. The happiness of the righteous does not consist in eternal being, but eternal well-being; and as the punishment of the wicked stands every where opposed to it, it must consist, not in the loss of being, but of well-being, and in suffering the contrary. their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united." DEVIL, Aos, calumniator, or slanderer; a fallen angel, especially the chief of them. He is called Abaddon in Hebrew, Apollyon in Greek, that is, destroyer.-Angel of the bottom less pit, Rev. ix. 11.-Prince of the world, Joha xii. 31.-Prince of darkness, Eph. vi, 12-A roaring lion, and an adversary, 1st Pet. v. 8-4 sinner from the beginning, 1 John iii. 8.-Beel zebub, Matt. xii. 24.-Accuser, Rev. xii. 10Belial, 2 Cor. vi. 15.-Deceiver, Rev. xx. 10.Dragon, Rev. xii. 3.-Liar, John viii. 44.-Le viathan, Isa. xxvii. 1-Murderer, John vii. 44.Serpent, Isa. xxvii. 1.-Satan, Job ii. 6-Tor mentor, Matt. xviii. 34.-The God of this work, 2 Cor. iv. 4. See SATAN. DEVOTEE, in the primary sense of the word, means a person wholly given up to acts picty and devotion; but it is usually understood, in a bad sense, to denote a bigot, or superstitious person. 5. The Scriptures explain their own meaning in the use of such terms as death, destruction, &c. The second death is expressly said to con- DEVOTION, a religious and fervent exer sist in being cast into the lake of fire and brim-cise of some public act of religion, or a tenger stone; and as having a part in that lake, Rev. and disposition of the mind rightly affected w xx. 14; xxi. 8; which does not describe anni- such exercises, It is also taken for certain rehilation, nor can it be made to consist with it. gious practices which a person makes it a rule to The phrase cut him asunder, Matt. xxiv. 51, is discharge regularly. Wherever the vital and as strong as those of death or destruction; yet unadulterated spirit of Christian devotion p that is made to consist of having their portion vails, its inmediate objects will be to adore the with hypocrites, where shall be weeping and perfections of God; to entertain with reveren gnashing of teeth. and complacence the various intimations of his pleasure, especially those contained in holy wh to acknowledge our absolute dependence on an infinite obligations to him; to confess and lanea the disorders of our nature, and the transgressio of our lives; to implore his grace and my through Jesus Christ; to intercede for our tre thren of mankind; to pray for the propagation and establishment of truth, righteousness, al peace, on earth; in fine, to long for a more e tire conformity to the will of God, and to breathe after the everlasting enjoyment of his friendshi The effects of such a spirit habitually cherishe and feelingly expressed before him, must sure) be important and happy. Among these may e DETRACTION, in the native importance reckoned a profound humility in the sight of the word, signifies the withdrawing or taking God, a high veneration for his presence anlatt off from a thing; and as it is applied to the repu-butes, an ardent zeal for his worship and hon tation, it denotes the impairing or lessening a a constant imitation of our Saviour's divine es man in point of fame, rendering him less valued and esteemed by others. Dr. Barrow observes (Works, vol. i. ser. 19,) that it differs from slander, which involves an imputation of falsehood; from reviling, which includes bitter and foul language; and from censuring, which is of a more general purport, extending indifferently to The great Dr. Watts may be considered, in some measure, a destructionist; since it was his opinion that the children of ungodly parents who die in infancy are annihilated. See ANNIHILATION, HELL; Bourn's Sermons; Dr. Edwards on the salvation of all men strictly examined; Adams's View of Religion; M'Alla on Univer salism. ample, a diffusive charity for men of all densit nations, a generous and unwearied self-demala total resignation to Providence, an increas esteem for the Gospel, with clearer and fira: hopes of that immortal life which it has brought to light" DEUTEROCANONICAL, in the schol DIET theology, an appellation given to certain books of holy Scripture, which were added to the canon after the rest, either by reason they were not written till after the compilation of the canon, or by reason of some dispute as to their canonicity. The word is Greek, being compounded of ♪EUTEpos, second; and κανονικός, canonical. DIET' examine some memorials relating to the confes sion of faith; but, the commissioners not agree. ing together, the emperor named three divines, who drew the design of this famous interim, so well known in Germany and elsewhere. See INTERIM.-4. The diet of Augsburgh, in 1550. In this assembly, the emperor complained that the The Jews, it is certain, acknowledged several interim was not observed, and demanded that all books in their canon, which were put there later should submit to the council, which they were than the rest. They say that, under Esdras, a going to renew at Trent; which submission was great assembly of their doctors, which they call, resolved upon by a plurality of votes.-5. The by way of eminence, the great synagogue, made diet of Nuremberg, in 1523. Here pope Adrian the collection of the sacred books which we now VIth's nuncio demanded the execution of Leo have in the Hebrew Old Testament; and they Xth's bull, and Charles Vth's edict against Luagree that they put books therein which had not ther. But the assembly drew up a list of griev been so before the Babylonish captivity: such as ances, which were reduced to a hundred artithose of Daniel, Ezekiel, Haggai, &c.; and those cles, some whereof aimed at the destruction of of Esdras and Nehemiah. And the Romish the pope's authority, and the discipline of the Rochurch has since added others to the canon, that mish church; however, they consented that the were not, and could not be, in the canon of the Lutherans should be commanded not to write Jews, by reason some of them were not composed against the Roman Catholics.-6. The diet of till after: such as the book of Ecclesiasticus, with Nuremburgh, in 1524. In this assembly, the several of the apocryphal books, as the Macca- Lutherans having the advantage, it was decreed bees, Wisdom, &c. Others were added still later, that the pope should call a council in Germany; by reason their canonicity had not been yet ex- but that, in the mean time, an assembly should amined: and till such examen and judgment they be held at Spire, to determine what was to be bemight be set aside at pleasure. But since that lieved and practised; but Charles V. prohibited church has pronounced as to the canonicity of the holding this assembly.-7. The diet of Rathose books, there is no more room now for her tisbon, in 1541, was held for re-uniting the Promembers to doubt of them, than there was for the testants with the Roman Catholics. The emJews to doubt of those of the canon of Esdras. peror named three Roman Catholics and three And the deuterocanonical books are with them Protestant divines, to agree upon articles. The as canonical as the proto-canonical; the only dif- Roman Catholics were, Julius Phlug, John ference between them consisting in this, that the Gropper, and John Eckius; the Protestants were canonicity of the one was not generally known, Philip Melancthon, Martin Bucer, and John examined, and settled, as soon as that of the Pistorius; but after a whole month's consultaothers. The deuterocanonical books in the motion, they could agree upon no more than five or dern canon are, the book of Esther, either the six articles: which the emperor consented the whole, or at least the seven last chapters thereof; Protestants should retain, forbidding them to the epistle to the Hebrews; that of James, and solicit any body to change the ancient religion.that of Jude; the second of St. Peter, and the 8. The diet of Ratisbon, in 1546, decreed that second and third of St. John, and the Revelation. the council of Trent was to be followed, which The deuterocanonical parts of books are, the was opposed by the Protestant deputies: and this hymn of the three children; the prayer of Aza- caused a war against them.-9. The diet of Rarah; the histories of Susannah, of Bel and the tisbon, in 1557, demanded a conference between Dragon; the last chapter of St. Mark; the some famous doctors of both parties; which conbloody sweat; and the appearance of the angel, ference was held at Worms, in September, berelated in St. Luke, chap. xxii. and the history tween twelve Roman Catholic and twelve Lutheof the adulterous woman in St. John, chap. viii. ran divines; but was soon dissolved by the Lutherans being divided among themselves.-10. The DIET, an assembly of the states of Germany. diet of Spire, in 1526. In this assembly (wherein We shall only take notice, in this place, of the presided the arch-duke Ferdinand) the duke of more remarkable of those which have been held Saxony and the landgrave of Hesse demanded on the affairs of religion. 1. The diet of Augs- the free exercise of the Lutheran religion: upon burgh, in the year 1530, was assembled to re- which it was decreed, that the emperor should be unite the princes of the empire, in relation to desired to call a general, or national council in some religious matters. The emperor himself Germany within a year; and that, in the mean presided in this assembly with the greatest mag-time, every one should have liberty of conscience, nificence imaginable. The elector of Saxony, 11. The diet of Spire, in 1529, decreed, that in followed by several princes, presented the confes the countries which had embraced the new relision of faith, called the Confession of Augsburgh. gion, it should be lawful to continue in it till The emperor ended the diet with a decree, that the next council; but that no Roman Catholic no alteration should be made in the doctrines and should be allowed to turn Lutheran. Against ceremonies of the Romish church till the council this decree six Lutheran princes, viz. the elector should order it otherwise.-2. The diet of Augs- of Saxony, the marquess of Brandenburg, the burgh, in 1547, was held on account of the elec-two dukes of Lunenburg, the landgrave of Hesse, tors being divided concerning the decisions of the and the prince of Anhalt, with the deputies of Council of Trent. The emperor demanded that fourteen imperial towns, protested in writing; the management of that affair should be referred from which solemn protestation came the famous to him; and it was resolved, that every one should name of Protestants, which the Lutherans preconform to the decisions of the council.-3. The sently after took.-12. The diet of Worms, ir diet of Augsburgh, in 1548, was assembled to 1521. In this assembly, Luther, being charg See CANON. |