BACKSLIDING BACKSLIDING against the laws of his country, and a pardon were tendered him on certain terms while under sentence of death, which pardon he madly rejects from disaffection with the terms, it might be said, the man dies, because he rejected the offered pardon, whereas the real ground of his condemnation is his previous crime. The same holds in the case of sinners under the Gospel. Their voluntary rejection of proffered mercy greatly illustrates the deep-rooted depravity of their hearts, and in the same proportion displays the justice of God in their punishment. See Dwight's Theology, vol. ii. serm. 56. Janeway's Letters on the Atonement. Beman on the Atonement. Murdock's Sermon on the Atonement. Review of Murdock in Christian Advocate, vol. v.-B.] ATTRIBUTES OF GOD are the several qualities or perfections of the Divine nature. Some distinguish them into the negative and positive or affirmative. The negative are such as remove from him whatever is imperfect in crea-FESSION, a celebrated confession of faith drawn tures: such are infinity, immutability, immortality &c. The positive are such as assert some perfection in God which is in and of himself, and which in the creatures, in any measure, is from him. This distinction is now mostly discarded. Some distinguish them into absolute and relative: absolute ones are such as agree with the essence of God; as Jehovah, Jah, &c.: relative ones are such as agree with him in time, with some re spect to his creatures, as Creator, Governor, Preserver, Redeemer, &c. But the more commonly received distinction of the attributes of God, is into communicable and incommunicable ones. The communicable ones are those of which there is some resemblance in men; as goodness, holiness, wisdom, &c. the incommunicable ones are such as there is no appearance or shadow of in Then; as independence, immutability, immensity, and eternity. See those different articles in this Work; and Pates, Charnock, Abernethy, and Saurin on the Divine Perfections. sire after riches, attended with extreme diffidence of future events, making a person rob himself of the necessary comforts of life, for fear of dimi nishing his riches. See COVETOUSNESS and MISER AVERSION, hatred, or dislike. Dr. Watts and others oppose aversion to desire. When we look, say they, upon an object as good, it excites desire; but when we look upon an object as evil, it awakens what we call aversion or avoidance. But Lord Kaimes observes that aversion is opposed to affection, and not to desire. We have an affection to one person, we have an aversion to another; the former dispuses us to do good, the latter to do ill. AUDIENTES, an order of catechumens in the primitive Christian church. They were so called from their being admitted to hear sermons and the Scriptures read in the church; but they were not allowed to be present at the prayers. AUGSBURGH, or AUGUSTAN CON. up by Luther and Melancthon on behalf of themselves and other ancient reformers, and prosented in 1550 to the emperor Charles V. at the diet of Augusta, or Augsburgh, in the name of the evangelic body. This confession contains twenty-eight chapters, of which the greatest part is employed in representing with perspicuity and truth the religious opinions of the Protestants, and the rest in pointing out the errors and abuses that occasioned their separation from the church of Rome. The leading doctrines of this confes sion are, the true and essential divinity of the Son of God; his substitution and vicarious sacrifice, and the necessity, freedom, and efficacy of Divine grace. A civil war followed this dict that lasted upwards of twenty years, but which only spread the new opinions, instead of extirpa ting them. AUGUSTINS, a religious order, who ob served the rule of St. Augustin, prescribed them by pope Alexander IV. in 1256. This rule was ATTRITION. The casuists of the church to have all things in common; the rich who enof Rome have made a distinction between a per- ter among them to sell their possessions, and feet and an imperfect contrition. The latter they give them to the poor; to employ the first part call attrition; which is the lowest degree of re- of the morning in labouring with their hands, pentance, or a sorrow for sin arising from a sense and the rest in reading: when they go abroad, to of shame, or any temporal inconvenience attend-go always two in company; never to eat but in ing the commission of it, or merely from fear of their monastery, &c. the punishment due to it, without any resolution AUSTERITY, a state of rigid mortification to sin no more: in consequence of which doc- It is distinguished from severity and rigour thus. trine, they teach that, after a wicked and flagi- Austerity, relates to the manner of living; setious course of life, a man may be reconciled to rerity to the manner of thinking; rigour to the God and his sins forgiven on his death-bed. by manner of punishing. To austerity is opposed confessing them to the priest with this imperfect effeminacy; to severity, relaxation; to rigour, degree of sorrow and repentance. This distinc-clemency. A hermit is austere in his life; a on was settitd by the council of Trent. It casuist severe in his application of religion or might, however, be easily shown that the mere law; a judge rigorous in his sentences. sorrow for sin because of its consequences, and not on account of its evil nature, is no more acceptable to God than hypocrisy itself can be. AVARICE is an immoderate love to and de AUTOCEPHALI BISHOPS. This denomination was given to such bishops in the pri mitive church as were exempted from the juris diction of others. SLANDER. See DETRACTION and B. BACKBITING. slide with the whole bent of their will; as voluntary, when applied to those who, after professing BACKSLIDING, the act of turning from the to know the truth, wilfully turn from it, and live path of duty. It may be considered as partial in the practice of sin; as final, when the mind is when applied to true believers, who do not back-given up to judicial hardness, as in the case of BAPTISM BAPTISM Judas. Partial backsliding must be distinguish- | not, however, essential to salvation; for mere par ed from hypocrisy, as the former may exist where ticipation of sacraments cannot qualify men for there are gracious intentions on the whole; but heaven: many have real grace, and are conse the latter is a studied profession of appearing to quently in a salvable state, before they were bap be what we are not. tized: besides, to suppose it essential is to put it in the place of that which it signifies. The causes of backsliding are the cares of the world; improper connexions; inattention to secret or closet duties; self-conceit and dependence; indulgence; listening to and parleying with temptations. A backsliding state is manifested by indifference to prayer and self-examination; trifling or unprofitable conversation; neglect of public ordinances; shunning the people of God; associating with the world; thinking lightly of sin; neglect of the Bible; and often by gross immorality. The consequences of this awful state are-loss of character; loss of comfort; loss of usefulness; and, as long as any remain in this state, a loss of a well-grounded hope of future happiness. To avoid this state, or recover from it, we should beware of the first appearance of sin; be much in prayer; attend the ordinances; and unite with the people of God. We should consider the awful instances of apostacy, as Saul, Judas, Demas, &c.; the many warnings we have of it, Matt. xxiv. 13. Heb. x. 38. Luke ix. 62; how it grieves the Holy Spirit; and how wretched it makes us; above all things, our dependence should be on God, that we may always be directed by his Spirit, and kept by his power. See APOSTACY. Baptism has been supposed by many learned persons to have had its origin from the Jewish church; in which, they maintain, it was the practice, long before Christ's time, to baptize proselytes or converts to their faith, as part of the ceremony of their admission. "It is strange to me," says Dr. Doddridge, "that any should doubt of this, when it is plain from express passages in the Jewish law, that no Jew who had lived like a Gentile for one day could be restored to the communion of this church without it. Compare Numb. xix. 19 and 20, and many other precepts relating to ceremonial pollutions, in which it may be seen, that the Jews were rendered incapable of appearing before God in the tabernacle or temple, till they were washed either by bathing or sprinkling." Others, however, insist that the Jewish proselyte baptism is not by far so ancient; and that John the Baptist was the first adminis trator of baptism among the Jews. The baptism of John, and that of our Saviour and his apostles, have been supposed to be the same; because they agree, it is said, in their subjects, form, and end. But it must be observed, BANGORIAN CONTROVERSY, so call- that though there be an agreement in some par ed from Bangor, or the bishop thereof. Bishop ticulars, yet there is not in all. The immediate Hoadley, the bishop of that diocese, preaching be-institutor of John's baptism was God the Father, fore George L., asserted the supreme authority of John 1. 33; but the immediate institutor of the Christ, as king in his own kingdom; and that he Christian baptism was Christ, Matt. xxviii. 19. had not delegated his power, like temporal law-John's baptisin was a preparatory rite, referring givers during their absence from their kingdom, the subjects to Christ, who was about to confer to any persons, as his vicegerents or deputies. on them spiritual blessings, Matt. iii. 11. John's This important sermon may be seen reprinted in baptism was confined to the Jews; but the the Liverpool Theological Repository, vol. v. p. Christian was common to Jews and Gentiles, 301. In 1717, he also published his Preservative, Matt. iii. 5. 7. xxviii. 19. It does not appear in which he advanced some positions contrary to that John had any formula of administration; temporal and spiritual tyranny, and in behalf of but the Christian baptism has, viz. "In the the civil and religious liberties of mankind: upon name," &c. The baptism of John was the conwhich he was violently opposed, accused, and per-cluding scene of the legal dispensation, and, in secuted, by the advocates for church power; but fact, part of it; and to be considered as one of he was defended and supported by the civil pow-those "divers washings" among the Jews; for ers, and his abilities and meekness gained him the plaudits of many. BANIANS, a religious sect in the empire of the Mogul, who believe a Metempsychosis; and will therefore eat no living creature, nor kill even noxious animals, but endeavour to release then when in the hands of others. The name Banian is sometimes extended to all the idolators of India, as contradistinguished from the Mahometans. BAPTISM, the ceremony of washing, or the application of water to a person, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, by which he is initiated into the visible church. Baptism exhibits to us the blessings of pardon, salvation through Jesus Christ, union to and communion with him, the out-pouring of the Spirit, regeneration, and sanctification. From baptism results the obligation of repentance, love to Christ, and perpetual devotedness to his praise. Baptism does not constitute a visible subject, but only recognizes one. Ministers only have a right to administer it, and have a negative voice in position to all claims. It is an ordinance binding on all who have been given up to God in it; and to be perpetuated to the end of the world. It is op he did not attempt to make any alteration in the Jewish religion, nor did the persons he baptized cease to be members of the Jewish church on ac count of their baptism: but Christian baptism is the regular entrance into, and is a part of, the evangelical dispensation, Gal. iii. 27. It does not appear from the inspired narrative (however probable from inferential reasoning), that any but John himself was engaged as operator in his hap tism; whereas Christ himself baptized none; but his disciples, by his authority, and in his name. John iv. 2. Baptism has been the subject of long and sharp controversy, both as it respects the subject and the mode. To state all that has been said on both sides would be impossible in a work of this kind. An abstract, however, of the chief arguments think it my duty to present to the reader, in order that he may judge for himself. As to the subject. The ANTIPÆDOBAPTISTS hold the belief that adults only are proper subjects, because Christ's commission to baptize appears to them to restrict this ordinance to such only as BAPTISM are taught, or made disciples; and that, consequently infants, who cannot be thus taught, are to be excluded It does not appear, say they, that the apostles, in executing Christ's commission, ever baptized any but those who were first instructed in the Christian faith, and professed their belief of it. They contend that infants can receive no benefit from it, are not capable of faith and repentance, which are to be considered as pre-requisites. As to the mode. BAPTISM That infants are to be received into the church, and as such baptized, is also inferred from the following passages of Scripture: Gen. xvii. Isa. xliv. 3. Matt xix. 13. Luke ix. 47, 48. Mark ix. 14. Acts ii. 38, 39. Rom. xi. 17, 21. 1 Cor. vii. 14. Though there are no express examples in the New Testament of Christ and his apostles baptizing infants, yet this is no proof that they were excluded. Jesus Christ actually blessed little children; and it would be hard to believe that such received his blessing, and yet were not to be members of the Gospel church. If Christ receiv They observe that the meaning of the word ed them, and would have us receive them in his 6 signifies immersion or dipping only; that name, how can it be reconciled to keep them out John baptized in Jordan; that he chose a place of the visible church? Besides, if children were where there was much water; that Jesus caine not to be baptized, it would have been expressly up out of the water; that Philip and the eunuch forbidden. None of the Jews had any apprehenwent down both into the water. That the terms sion of the rejection of infants, which they must washing, purifying, burying in baptism, so often have had, if infants had been rejected. As whole mentioned in Scripture, allude to this mode; that households were baptized, it is probable there immersion only was the practice of the apostles were children among them. From the year 400 and the first Christians; and that it was only to 1150, no society of men, in all that period of 750 laid aside from the love of novelty, and the cold-years, ever pretended to say it was unlawful to ness of our climate. These positions, they think are so clear from Scripture, and the history of the church, that they stand in need of but little argument to support them. Further, they also insist that all positive institutions depend entirely upon the will and declaration of the institutor, and that, therefore, reasoning by analogy from previous abrogated rites, is to be rejected, and the express command of Christ respecting baptisintom of baptizing infants was received from Christ ought to be our rule. PEDOBAPTISTS. baptize infants; and still nearer the time of cur Saviour, there appears to have been scarcely any one that so much as advised the delay of infant baptism. Irenæus, who lived in the second century, and was well acquainted with Polycarp, who was John's disciple, declares expressly that the church learned from the apostles to baptize children. Origen, in the third century, affirmed that the cus and his apostles. Cyprian, and a council of ministers (held about the year 254), no less than sixtysix in number, unanimously agreed that children The Padobaptists, however, are of a different might be baptized as soon as they were born. opinion. As to the subject, they believe that quali- Ambrose, who wrote about 274 years from the fied adults who have not been baptized before apostles, declares that the baptism of infants had are certainly proper subjects; but, then, they think been the practice of the apostles themselves, and also that infants are not to be excluded. They of the church, till that time. The catholic believe that, as the Abrahamic and the Christian church every where declared, says Chrysostom, Covenants are the same, Gen. xvii. 7. Heb. viii. in the fifth century, that infants should be bap 12; that as children were admitted under the tized; And Augustin affirmed that he never former; and that as baptism is now a seal, sign, heard nor read of any Christian, catholic, or or confirmation of this covenant, infants have as sectarian, but who always held that infants were great a right to it as the children had a right to to be baptized. They further believe, that there the seal of circumcision under the law, Acts i. 39. needed no mention in the New Testament of reRom. iv. 11. That if children are not to be ceiving infants into the church, as it had been baptized because there is no positive command once appointed and never repealed. The dictates for it, for the same reason women should not come of nature, also, in parental feelings; the verdict to the Lord's Supper; we should not keep the of reason in favour of privileges; the evidence in first day of the week, nor attend public worship, favour of children being sharers of the seals of for none of these are expressly commanded; that grace, in common with their parents, for the space if infant bapism had been a human invention, of 4000 years; and especially the language of prohow would it have been so universal in the first phecy, in reference to the children of the Gospel 300 years, and yet no record left when it was in-church, inake it very probable that they were not troduced, nor any dispute or controversy about to be rejected. So far from confining it to adults it? Some bring it to these two ideas: 1. That it must be remembered that there is not a single God did constitute in the Jewish church, the instance recorded in the New Testament in membership of infants, and admitted them to it which the descendants of Christian parents were by a religious ordinance, Gen. xvii. Gal. iii. 14, baptized in adult years. 17. 2. That this right of infants to church membership was never taken away. This being the case, infants must be received, because God has instituted it; and, since infants must be received, it must be either without baptism or with it: but none must be received without baptism, therefore infants must, of necessity, be baptized. Hence, it is clear, that under the Gospel, infants are still continued exactly in the same relation to God and his church, in which they were originally placed under the former dispensation. That infants are not proper subjects for baptisra because they cannot profess faith and repentance, they deny. This objection falls with as much weight upon the institution of circumcision as infant baptism; since they are as capable, or are as fit subjects for the one as the other. It is generally acknowledged, that, if infants die (and a great part of the human race do die in infancy,) they are saved: if this be the case, then, why refuse them the sign in infancy, if they are capable of enjoying the thing signified? "Why," may BAPTISM BAPTISM Dr. Owen, "is it the will of God that unbelievers | the Spirit, pouring must be the mode of adininisshould not be baptized? It is because, not grant-tration; for that is the Scriptural term most ing them the grace he will not grant them the commonly and properly used for the communicasign. If God, therefore, denies the sign to the tion of divine influences. There is no object infant seed of believers, it must be because he de- whatever in all the New Testament so frequently nies them the grace of it; and then all the chil- and so explicitly signified by baptism as these dren of believing parents (upon these principles) divine influences. Matt. iii. 11. Mark i. 8, 10. dying in their infancy, must, without hope, be Luke iii. 16 to 22. John i. 33. Acts i. 5. ii. 38, eternally damned. I do not say that all must be 39. viii. 12, 17. xi. 15, 16. The term sprinkling, so who are not baptized; but all must be so whom also, is made use of in reference to the act of puGod would not have baptized." Something is rifying, Isa. lii. 15. Heb. ix. 13, 14. Ezek. xxxvi. said of baptism, it is observed, that cannot agree 25, and therefore cannot be inapplicable to bapto infants: faith goes before baptism; and, as tismal purification. But it is observed that John none but adults are capable of believing, so no baptized in Jordan: to this it is replied, to infer others are capable of baptism; but it is replied, if always a plunging of the whole body in water infants must not be baptized because something from this word, would, in many instances, be is said of baptism that does not agree to infants, false and absurd: the same Greek preposition Mark xvi. 16, then infants must not be saved, is used when it is said they should be baptized because something is said of salvation that does with fire; while few will assert that they should not agree to infants, Mark xvi. 16. As none be plunged into it. The apostle, speaking of but adults are capable of believing, so, by the ar- Christ, says, he came not (v) by water only, but gument of the Baptists, none but adults are capa-(v) by water and blood. There the same word ble of salvation: for he that believeth not shall be damned. But Christ, it is said, set an example of adult baptism. True; but he was baptized in honour to John's ministry, and to conform himself to what he appointed to his followers; for which last reason he drank of the sacramental cup: but this is rather an argument for the Padobaptists than against them; since it plainly shows, as Doddridge observes, that baptism may be administered to those who are not capable of all the purposes for which it was designed; since Jesus Christ, not being a sinner, could not be capable of that faith and repentance which are said to be necessary to this ordi nance. As to the mode. They believe that the word a signifies to dip or plunge; but that the term Bar, which is only a derivative of BT, and consequently must be somewhat less in its signification, should be invariably used in the New Testament to express plunging, is not so clear. It is therefore doubted whether dipping be the only meaning, and whether Christ absolutely enjoined immersion, and that it is his positive will that no other should be used. As the word BTC is used for the various ablutions among the Jews, such as sprinkling, pouring, &c. Heb. ix. 10; for the custom of washing before meals, and the washing of household furniture, pots, &c.; it is evident from hence that it does not express the manner of doing, whether by immersion or affusion, but only the thing done, that is, washing, or the application of water in one form or other. Dr. Owen observes, that it no where signifies to dip but as denoting a mode of and in order to washing or cleansing; and, according to others, the mode of use is only the ceremonial part of a positive institute; just as in the supper of the Lord, the time of the day, the number and posture of communicants, the quality and quantity of bread and wine, are circumstances not accounted essential by any party of Christians. As to the Hebrew word Tabal, it is considered as a generic term; that its radical, primary, and proper meaning is to tinge, to dye, to wet, or the like: which primary design is effected by different modes of application. If in baptism also there is an expressive emblem of the descending influence of is translated by, and with justice and propriety, for we know no good sense in which we could say he came in water. It has been remarked, that is more than a hundred times, in the New Testament, rendered "at," and in a hundred and fifty others it is translated with. If it be rendered so here, "John baptized at Jordan," or with the water of Jordan, there is no proof from thence that he plunged his disciples in it. It is urged that John's choosing a place where there was much water is a certain proof of immersion. To which it is answered, that as there went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, that by choos ing a place where there were many streams or rivulets, it would be much more expeditiously perform ed by pouring; and that it seems in the nature of things highly improbable that John should have baptized this vast multitude by immersion, to say nothing of the indecency of both sexes being bap tized together. Jesus, it is said, came up out of the water; but this is said to be no proof of his being immersed, as the Greek term az. often signifies from; for instance, "who hath warned you to flee from," not out of, "the wrath to come," with many others which might be mentioned. Again: it is said that Philip and the eunuch went down both into the water. To this it is answered that here is no proof of immersion; for if the expression of their going down into the water necessarily includes dipping, then Philip was dipped as well as the eunuch. The preposition () translated into, often signifies no more than to or unto. See Matt. xv. 21. Rom. x. 10. Acts xxviii. 14. Matt. xvii. 97. iii. 11. So that, from all these circumstances, it cannot be concluded that there was a single person of all the bap tized who went into the water ankle deep. As to the apostle's expression, "buried with him in baptism," they think it has no force; and that it does not allude to any custom of dipping, any more than our baptismal crucifixion and death has any such reference. It is not the sign but the thing signified that is here alluded to. As Christ was Buried, and rose again to a heavenly life, so we by baptism signify that we are cut off from the life of sin, that we may rise again to a new life of faith and love. To conclude this article, it is observed against the BAPTISM BARDESANISTS the mode of immersion, that, as it carries with it [ture the term Baptism is used as referring to the too much of the appearance of a burdensome rite work of the Spirit on the heart, Matt. iii. 11.; also for the Gospel dispensation; that as it is too into the sufferings of Christ, Matt. xx. 22; and to decent for so solemn an ordinance; as it has a so much of the Gospel as John the Baptist taught tendency to agitate the spirits, often rendering the his disciples, Acts xviii. 25. subject unfit for the exercise of proper thoughts BAPTISTS, a denomination of Christians and affections, and, indeed, utterly incapable of who maintain that baptism is to be administered by them; as in many cases the immersion of the body immersion, and not by sprinkling. See BAPTISM. would in all probability be instant death; as in Although there were several Baptists among other situations it would be impracticable for want the Albigenses, Waldenses, and the followers of of a sufficient quantity of water, it cannot be con- Wickliffe, it does not appear that they were formsidered as necessary to the ordinance of baptism. ed into any stability until the time of Menno, See Gale, Robinson, Stennett, Gill, and Booth, about the year 1536. See ANABAPTISTS and on Antipedobaptism; and Wall, Henry, Brad-MENNONITES. About 1644 they began to make bury, Bastwick, Torgood, Addington, Williams, a considerable figure in England, and spread Edwards, Miller, Evans, &c. on the other side. themselves into several separate congregations. BAPTISM OF THE DEAD, a custom They separated from the Independents about the which anciently prevailed among some people in year 1638, and set up for themselves under the Africa, of giving baptism to the dead. The third pastoral care of Mr. Jesse; and, having renounced council of Carthage speaks of it as a thing that their former baptism, they sent over one of their ignorant Christians are fond of: Gregory Na-number to be immersed by one of the Dutch Anazianzen also takes notice of the same superstitious baptists of Amsterdam, that he might be qualified opinion. The practice seems to be grounded on a to baptize his friends in England after the same vain idea, that, when men had neglected to receive manner. baptism in their lifetime, some compensation might be made for this default by receiving it after death. BAPTISM FOR THE DEAD, a practice formerly in use, when a person dying without baptism, another was baptized in his stead; thus supposing that God would accept the baptism of proxy, as though it had been administered to the principal. Chrysostom says, this was practised among the Marcionites with a great deal of ridiculous ceremony, which he thus describes:"After any catechumen was dead, they had a living man under the bed of the deceased: then, coming to the dead man, they asked him whether he would receive baptism: and he making no answer, the other answered for him, and said he would be baptized in his stead; and so they baptized the living for the dead." If it can be proved (as some think it can) that this practice was as early as the days of the apostle Paul, it might The Baptists in America and in the East and probably form a solution of those remarkable West Indies are chiefly Calvinists, and hold ocwords in 1 Cor. xv. 29: "If the dead rise not at casional fellowship with the Particular Baptist all, what shall they do who are baptized for the churches in England. Those in Scotland, having dead? The allusion of the apostle to this prac- imbibed a considerable part of the principles of tice, however, is rejected by some, and especially Messrs. Glass and Sandeman, have no commuby Dr. Doddridge, who thinks it too early: henion with the other. They have liberally conthas paraphrases the passage: "Such are our tributed, however, towards the translation of the views and hopes as Christians, else, if it were not Scriptures into the Bengalee language, which what should they do who are baptized in token some of the Baptist brethren are now accomplishof their embracing the Christian faith, in the room ing in the East. See Rippon's Baptist Register, of the dead, who are just fallen in the cause of vol. i. p. 172-175; Adams's View of Religions, Christ, but are yet supported by a succession of article Baptists; Evans's Sketch of Religious new converts, who immediately offer themselves Denominations. [See APPENDIX, No. 4.] to fill up their places, as ranks of soldiers that BAPTISTERY, the place in which the cere advance to the combat in the room of their commony of baptism is performed. In the ancient panions who have just been slain in their sight?" church, it is said, it was generally a building Lay baptism we find to have been permitted by separate and distinct from the church. It contoth the common prayer-books of king Edward sisted of an ante-room, where the adult persons to and queen Elizabeth, when an infant was in im- be baptized made their confession of faith; and mediate danger of death, and a lawful minister an inner room, where the ceremony of baptism could not be had. This was founded on a mis-was performed. Thus it continued to the sixth taken notion of the impossibility of salvation century, when the baptisteries began to be taken without the sacrament of baptism; but afterwards, into the church. when they came to have clearer notions of the sa- BARDESANISTS, a sect so denominated craments, it was unanimously resolved, in a con- from their leader Bardesanes, a Syrian, of Edessa, vocation held in 1575, that even private baptism in in Mesopotamia, who lived in the second century. a case of necessity was only to be administered by They believed that the actions of men depended a lawful minister. altogether on fate, and that God himself is subject BAPTISM METAPHORICAL, In Scrip-to necessity.-They denied the resurrection of The Baptists subsist under two denominations, viz. the Particular, or Calvinistical, and the General, or Arminian. Their modes of church government and worship are the same as those of the Independents; in the exercise of which they are protected, in common with other dissenters, by the act of toleration. Some of both denominations allow of mixed communion; by which it is understood that those who have not been baptized by immersion, on the profession of their faith, may sit down at the Lord's table with those who have been thus baptized. Others, however, disallow it, supposing that such have not been actually bap tized at all. See FREE COMMUNION. 80, Some of them observe the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath, apprehending the law that enjoined it not to have been repealed by Christ. |