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FAITH

ings are of any great utility; and whether they do not in some measure force people to say more than is true, and puff up those with pride who are able to communicate their ideas with facility; but to this it may be answered, 1. That the abuse of a thing is no proof of the evil of it.-2. That the most eminent saints of old did not neglect this practice, Ps. lxvi. 16; Mal, iii. 16.—3. That by a wise and prudent relation of experience, the Christian is led to see that others have participated of the same joys and sorrows with himself; he is excited to love and serve God; and animated to perseverance in duty, by finding that others, of like passions with himself, are zealous, active, and diligent.-4. That the Scriptures seem to enjoin the frequent intercourse

F.

FAITH

of Christians for the purpose of strengthening each other in religious services, Heb. x. 24, 25; Col. iii. 16; Matt. xviii. 20. See CONFERENCE. EXPIATION, a religious act, by which satisfaction or atonement is made for some crime, the guilt removed, and the obligation to punishment cancelled, Lev. xvi. See PROPITIATION. EXPOSITIONS. See COMMENTARIES. EXTORTION, the act or practice of gaining or acquiring any thing by force. Extortioners are included in the list of those who are excluded from the kingdom of heaven. 1 Cor. x. 6.

EXTREME UNCTION, one of the sacraments of the Romish church, the fifth in order, administered to people dangerously sick, by anointing them with holy oil, and praying over them.

FAITH is that assent which we give to a pro-dence, &c., are rather the effects of it, than faith position advanced by another, the truth of which we do not immediately perceive from our own reason and experience; or it is a judgment or assent of the mind, the motive whereof is not any intrinsic evilence, but the authority or testimony of some other who reveals or relates it. The Greek words, translated faith, comes from the verb it, to persuade; the nature of faith being a persuasion and assent of the mind, arising from testimony or evidence.

itself, though inseparably connected with it. Much has been said as to the order or place in which faith stands in the Christian system, some placing it before, others after repentance. Perhaps the following remarks on the subject may be considered as consistent with truth and Scripture: 1. Regeneration is the work of God enlightening the mind, and changing the heart, and in order of time precedes faith.-2. Faith is the consequence of regeneration, and implies the perception of an object. It discerns the evil of sin, the holiness of God, gives credence to the testimony of God in his word, and seems to precede repentance, since we cannot repent of that of which we have no clear perception, or no concern about.-3. Repentance is an after-thought, or sorrowing for sin, the evil nature of which faith 3. Historical faith, is that whereby we assent perceives, and which immediately follows faith.-to the truths of revelation as a kind of certain and 4. Conversion is a turning from sin, which faith infallible record, James ii. 17, or to any fact re-sees, and repentance sorrows for, and seems to corded in history. follow, and to be the end of all the rest.

1. Divine faith, is that founded on the authority of God, or it is that assent which we give to what is revealed by God. The objects of this, therefore, are matters of revelation.

2. Human faith, is that whereby we believe what is told us by men. The objects hereof are matters of human testimony or evidence.

4. The faith of miracles, is the persuasion a person has of his being able, by divine power, to effect a miracle on another, Matt. xvii. 20; 1 Cor. xiii. 2: or another on himself, Acts, xiv. 9. This obtained chiefly in the time of Christ and his apostles.

6. A temporary faith, is an assent to evangelical truths, as both interesting and desirable, but not farther than they are accompanied with temporal advantages; and which is lost when such advantages diminish or are removed, Matt. xi. 24; Luke viii. 13.

6. Faith in respect to futurity, is a moral principle, implying such a conviction of the reality and importance of a future state, as is sufficient to regulate the temper and conduct.

1. Faith in Christ, or saving faith, is that principle wrought in the heart by the Divine Spirit, whereby we are persuaded that Christ is the Messiah; and possess such a desire and expectation of the blessings he has promised in his Gospel, as engages the mind to fix its dependence on him, and subject itself to him in all the ways of holy obedience, and relying solely on his grace for everlasting life. These are the ideas which are generally annexed to the definition of saving faith; but, accurately speaking, faith is an act of the understanding, giving credit to the testimony of the Gospel; and desire, expectation, confi

As to the properties or adjuncts of faith, we may observe, 1. That it is the first and principal grace: it stands first in order, and takes the precedence of other graces, Mark xvi. 16; Heb. xi. 6.-2. It is every way precious and valuable, 1 Pet. ii. 1.-3. It is called in Scripture, one faith; for though there are several sorts of faith, there is but one special or saving faith, Eph. iv. 5.-4. It is also denominated common faith; common to all the regenerate, Tit. i. 4.-5. It is true, real, and unfeigned, Acts viii. 37; Rom. x. 10.-6. It cannot be finally lost as to the grace of it, Phil. i. 6; Luke xxii. 32.-7. It is progressive, Luke xvii. 5; 2 Thess. i. 3.-8. It appropriates and realizes, or, as the apostle says, is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen, Heb. xi. 1.

The evidences or effects of faith, are, 1. Love to Christ, 1 Pet. i. 8; Gal. v. 6.-2. Confidence, Eph. iii. 12.-3. Joy, Rom. v. 11; Phil. i. 25.— 4. Prayer, Heb. iv. 16.-5. Attention to his ordinances, and profit by them, Heb. iv. 2.—6 Zeal in the promotion of his glory, 1 Cor. xv. 58; Gal. vi. 9.-7. Holiness of heart and life, Matt vii. 20; 1 John ii. 3; Acts xv. 9; James ii. 18, 20, 22. See articles ASSURANCE and JUSTIFICA TION, in this work; and Polhill on Precious Faith; Lambert's Sermons, 13, 14, &c.; Scott's Nature and Warrant of Faith; Romaine's Life

ESTABLISHMENTS

EQUIVOCATION, the using a term or expression that has a double meaning. Equivocations are said to be expedients to save telling the truth, and yet without telling a falsity; but if an intention to deceive constitute the essence of a lie, which in general it does, I cannot conceive how it can be done without incurring guilt, as it is certainly an intention to deceive.

ERASTIANS, so called from Erastus, a German divine of the sixteenth century. The pastoral office, according to him, was only persuasive, like a professor of science over his students, without any power of the keys annexed. The Lord's Supper and other ordinances of the Gospel were to be free and open to all. The minister might dissuade the vicious and unqualified from the communion; but might not refuse it, or inflict any kind of censure; the punishment of all offences, either of a civil or religious nature, being referred to the civil magistrate.

ESTABLISHMENTS

civil government, Gen. xlvii. 22. 2 Kings xv. 27, 29. Every one who is at all acquainted with the history of Greece and Rome, knows that religion was altogether blended with the policy of the state. The Koran may be considered as the religious creed and civil code of all the Mahometan tribes. Among the Celts, or the original inhabitants of Europe, the druids were both their priests and their judges, and their judgment was final. Among the Hindoos, the priests and so vereigns are of different tribes or casts, but the priests are superior in rank; and in China, the emperor is sovereign pontiff, and presides in all public acts of religion.

Again; it is said, that, although there is ne form of church government absolutely prescribed in the New Testament, yet from the associating law, on which the Gospel lays so much stress, by the respect for civil government it so earnestly enjoins, and by the practice which followed and ERROR, a mistake of our judgment, giving finally prevailed, Christians cannot be said to disassent to that which is not true. Mr. Locke re-approve, but to favour religious establishments. duces the causes of error to four. 1. Want of Religious establishments, also, it is observed, proofs.-2. Want of ability to use them.-3. Want of will to use them.-4. Wrong measures of probability. In a moral and scriptural sense it signifies sin. See SIN.

are founded in the nature of man, and inter woven with all the constituent principles of human society: the knowledge and profession of Chris tianity cannot be upheld without a clergy; a clergy cannot be supported without a legal provision; and a legal provision for the clergy cannot be con stituted without the preference of one sect of Christians to the rest. An established church most likely to maintain clerical respectability and usefulness, by holding out a suitable encouragement to young men to devote themselves early to the service of the church; and likewise enes them to obtain such knowledge as shali quay them for the important work.

ESSENES, a very ancient sect that was spread abroad through Syria, Egypt, and the neighbouring countries. They maintained that religion consisted wholly in contemplation and silence. Some of them passed their lives in a state of celibacy; others embraced the state of matrimony, which they considered as lawful, when entered into with the sole design of propagating the species, and not to satisfy the demand of lust. Some of them held the possibility of appeasing the Deity by sacrifices, though different They who reason on the contrary side observe, from that of the Jews; and others maintained that the patriarchs sustaining civil as well as that no offering was acceptable to God but that of a ligious offices, is no proof at all that religion was serene and composed mind, addicted to the con- incorporated with the civil government, in the templation of divine things. They looked upon sense above referred to; nor is there the least hint the law of Moses as an allegorical system of spi-of it in the sacred Scriptures. That the case of ritual and mysterious truths; and renounced, in ts explication, all regard to the outward letter.

the Jews can never be considered in point, a they were under a theocracy, and a ceremonial dispensation that was to pass away, and conse quently not designed to be a model for Christ nations. That whatever was the practice of heathens in this respect, this forms no argument in favour of that system which is the very oppo site to paganism. The church of Christ is f spiritual nature, and ought not, yea cannot, in fact, be incorporated with the state without s taining material injury. In the three first and The partisans for religious establishments ob- purest ages of Christianity, the church was a serve, that they have prevailed universally in every stranger to any alliance with temporal powers, age and nation. The ancient patriarchs formed and, so far from needing their aid, religion neve no extensive nor permanent associations but such flourished so much as while they were combined as arose from the relationships of nature. Every to suppress it. As to the support which Chr father governed his own family, and their offspring tianity, when united to civil government, yie submitted to his jurisdiction. He presided in their to the peace and good order of society, it is education and discipline, in their religious wor-served, that this benefit will be derived from ship, and in their general government. His at least, in as great a degree without an est knowledge and experience handed down to them blishment as with it. Religion, if it have any their laws and their customs, both civil and re-power, operates on the conscience of men; and ligious; and his authority enforced them. The resting solely on the belief of invisible realities, offices of prophet, priest, and king, were thus can derive no weight or solemnity from human united in the same patriarch, Gen. xviii. 19. xvii. sanctions. Human establishments, it is s and xxi. xiv. 18. The Jews enjoyed a religious have been, and are, productive of the greated establishment dictated and ordained by God. In evils; for in this case it is requisite to give the turning our attention to the heathen nations, we preference to sorae particular system; and as the shall find the saine incorporation of religious with magistrate is no better judge of religion thas

ESTABLISHMENTS, Religious. By a religious establishment is generally understood such an intimate connexion between religion and civil government as is supposed to secure the best interests and great end of both. This article, like many others, has afforded matter of considerable dispute. In order that the reader may judge for himself, we shall take a view of both sides of the question.

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others, the chances are as great of his lending his sanction to the false as the true. The thousands that have been persecuted and suffered in consequence of establishments, will always form an argument against them. Under establishments also, it is said, corruption cannot be avoided. Emolument must be attached to the national church, which may be a strong inducement to its ministers to defend it, be it ever so remote from the truth. Thus, also, error becomes permanent; and that set of opinions which happens to prevail when the establishment is formed, continnes, in spite of superior light and improvement, to be handed down, without alteration, from age to age. Hence the disagreement between the public creed of the church and the private sentiments of its ministers. As to the provision made for the clergy, this may be done without an establishment, as matter of fact shows in hundreds of instances. Dissenting ministers, or those who do not hold in establishments, it is observed, are not without means of obtaining knowledge; but, on the contrary, many of them are equal to their brethren in the establishment for erudition and sound learning. It is not to be dissembled neither, that among those who, in general, cannot agree with human establishments, there are as pious and useful members of society as others. Finally, though all Christians should pay respect to civil magistrates as such, and all magistrates ought to encourage the church, yet no civil magistrates have any power to establish any particular form of religion binding upon the consciences of the subject; nor are magistrates even represented in the Scriptures as officers or rulers of the That he is without succession, or any distincchurch. Should the reader be desirous of prose- tions of time succeeding one to another, as mocating the subject further, he may consult War-ments, minutes, &c. may be proved from, 1. His barton's Alliance between Church and State; existence before such were in being, Isa. xliii. Christie's Essay on Establishments; Paley's 13.-2. The distinctions and differences of time Mor. Phil. v. ii. c. 10; Bishop Law's Theory are altogether ascribed to him, and not as sucof Religion; Watts's Ciril Power in Things ceeding one another; he is the same yesterday, Sacred, third volume of his work; Hall's Liberty to-day, and for ever, Heb. xiii. 8; Rev. i. 4.—3. of the Press, sec. 5; Conder's Protestant Non-If his duration were successive, or proceeded by conformity; Mrs. H. More's Hints on forming the Character of a Young Princess, vol. ii. p. 359; but especially Ranken and Graham's pieces on the subject; the former for, and the latter against establishments.

and years, yea, and ages, are lost in it, like drops in the ocean! Millions of millions of years, as many years as there are sands on the sea-shore, or particles of dust in the globe of the earth, and those multiplied to the highest reach of number, all these are nothing to eternity. They do not bear the least imaginable proportion to it, for these will come to an end, as certainly as a day; but eternity will never, never, never, come to an end! It is a line without end! it is an ocean without a shore! Alas! what shall I say of it? it is an infinite unknown something, that neither human thought can grasp, nor human language describe!" Orton on Eternity; Shower on do.; Daris's Sermons, ser. 11; Saurin's Sermons, vol. iii. p. 370.

ETERNITY OF GOD is the perpetual continuance of his being, without beginning, end, or succession. That he is without beginning, says Dr. Gill, may be proved from, 1. His necessary self-existence, Exod. iii. 14.-2. From his attributes, several of which are said to be eternal, Rom. i. 20; Acts xv. 18; Ps. ciii. 17; Jer. xxxi. 3.-3. From his purposes, which are also said to be from eternity, Isa. xxv. 1; Eph. iii. 11; Rom. ix. 11; Eph. i. 4.-4. From the covenant of grace, which is eternal, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5; Mic. v. 2.

ESTEEM is that high and exalted thought ef, and value for any thing which arises from a sense of its own intrinsic worth and excellency. Esteem is higher than simple approbation, which is a decision of the judgment; it is the commencement of affection; it is a degree of love for others, en account of their pleasing qualities, though they should not immediately interest ourselves, by which it is distinguished from gratitude. Our esteem of God manifests itself in never mentioning his name without reverence; in bowing the knee; in prayer and praise; in all the several forms of outward devotion, and in quick resentthent of any dishonour done to him. Our high esteem or veneration of any man appears in an humble, respectful behaviour toward him, speaking his praises, imitating his excellencies, and resenting his dishonour.

ETERNITY, with respect to God, is a duration without beginning or end. As it is the atbute of human nature, it is a duration, that as a beginning, but will never have an end. "It Baduration," says a lively writer, "that excludes number and computation: days, and months,

That he is without end, may be proved from, I. His spirituality and simplicity, Rom. i. 23.2. From his independency, Rom. ix. 5.-3. From his immutability, 2 Pet. i. 24, 25; Mal. iii. 6; Ps. iii. 26, 27.-4. From his dominion and government, said never to end, Jer. x. 10; Ps. x. 16; Dan. iv. 3,

moments, days, and years, then there must have been some first moment, day, and year, when he began to exist, which is incompatible with the idea of his eternity; and, besides, one day would be but one day with him, and not a thousand, contrary to the express language of Scripture, 2 Pet. iii. 8.--4. He would not be immense, immutable, and perfect, if this were the case; for he would be older one minute than he was before, which cannot be said of him.---5. His know. ledge proves him without successive duration, for he knows all things past, present, and to come: "he sees the present without a medium, the past without recollection, and the future without foresight. To him all truths are but one idea, all places but one point, and all times but one moment." Gill's Body of Divinity; Paley's Nat. Theol. p. 480; Charnock on the Divine Perfections; Clarke on ditto; Watts's Ontology, chap. 4.

ETERNITY OF THE WORLD. It was the opinion of Aristotle and others, that the world was eternal. But that the present system of things had a beginning, seems evident, if we consider the following things.-1. We may not only conceive of many possible alterations which might be made in the form of it, but we see it incessantly changing; whereas an eternal being, forasmuch as it is self-existent, is always the same,-2. We have no credible history of trans

EUCHARIST

EVIDENCE

actions more remote than six thousand years | men. After this followed mutual salutations of from the present time; for as to the pretence that the minister and people; and then the bishop of some nations have made to histories of greater presbyter, having sanctified the elements by a antiquity, as the Egyptians, Chaldeans, Phæni- solemn benediction, broke the bread, and deliver cians, Chinese, &c., they are evidently convicted ed it to the deacon, who distributed it to the com of falsehood in the works referred to at the bot- municants, and after that the cup. The sacretom of this article.-3. We can trace the inven- mental wine was usually diluted or mixed with tion of the most useful arts and sciences: which water. During the time of administration they had probably been carried further, and invented sang hymns and psalms; and having concluded sooner, had the world been eternal.-4. The with prayer and thanksgiving, the people saluted origin of the most considerable nations of the each other with a kiss of peace, and so the assem earth may be traced, i. e. the time when they first bly broke up. inhabited the countries where they now dwell; and it appears that most of the western nations came from the east.-5. If the world be cternal, it is hard to account for the tradition of its beginning, which has almost every where prevailed, though under different forms, among both polite and barbarous nations.-6. We have a most ancient and credible history of the beginning of the world; I mean the history of Moses, with which no book in the world, in point of antiquity, can contend. Stilling fleet's Orig. Sacra, p. 15, 106; Winder's Hist. of Knowledge, vol. ii. passim; Pearson on the Creed, p. 58; Doddridge's Lectures, lecture 24; Tillotson's Sermons, ser. 1; Clarke at Boyle's Lectures, p. 22, 23; Dr. Collyer's Scripture Facts, ser. 2.

EUCHITES, or EUCRITE, a sect of ancient heretics, who were first formed into a religions body towards the end of the fourth century, though their doctrine and discipline subsisted in Syria, Egypt, and other eastern countries, beicre the birth of Christ: they were thus called because they prayed without ceasing, imagining that prayer alone was sufficient to save them. They were a sort of mystics, who imagined, according to the oriental notion, that two souls resided in man, the one good and the other evil; and who were zealous in expelling the evil soul or demet and hastening the return of the good Spirit of God, by contemplation, prayer, and singing of hymns. They also embraced opinions near resembling the Manichean doctrine, and which they derived from the tenets of the oriental pki

ETHICS, the doctrine of manners, or the science of moral philosophy. The word is form-losophy. The same denomination was used ed from, mores, "manners," by reason the scope or object thereof is to form the manners, See MORALS.

ETHNOPHRONES, a sect of heretics in the seventh century, who made a profession of Christianity, but joined thereto all the ceremonies and follies of paganism, as judicial astrology, sortileges, auguries, and other divinations.

EVANGELIST, one who publishes glad tidings; a messenger or preacher of good news. The persons denominated evangelists were next in order to the apostles, and were sent by them, not to settle in any particular place, but to travel among the infant churches, and ordain ordinary officers, and finish what the apostles had begun. Of this kind were Philip the deacon, Mark, Silas, &c. Acts xxi. 8. The title of evangelist is more particularly given to the four inspired writers of our Saviour's life.

EVANGELICAL, agreeable to the doctrines of Christianity. The term is frequently applied to those who do not rely upon moral duties as to their acceptance with God; but are influenced to action from a sense of the love of God, and depend upon the merits of Christ for their everlasting salvation.

EUCHARIST, the sacrament of the Lord's supper. The word properly signifies giving thanks. As to the manner of celebrating the eucharist among the ancient Christians, after the customary oblations were made, the deacon brought water to the bishops and presbyters standing round the table to wash their hands; according to that passage of the Psalmist, "I will wash my hands in innocency, and so will I compass thy altar, O Lord." Then the deacon cried out aloud, "Mutually embrace and kiss each other;" which being done, the whole congregation prayed for the universal peace and welfare of the church, for the tranquillity and repose of the world, for the prosperity of the age, for wholesome weather, and for all ranks and degrees of

the twelfth century to denote certain fanatics who infested the Greek and Eastern churches, and who were charged with believing a doule Trinity, rejecting wedlock, abstaining from flesh, treating with contempt the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper, and the various branchry of external worship, and placing the essence of religion solely in external prayer; and maintain ing the efficacy of perpetual supplications to the Supreme Being for expelling an evil being t genius, which dwelt in the breast of every ner tal. This sect is said to have been founded by a person called Lucopetrus, whose chief disciple was named Tychickus. By degrees it became a general and invidious appellation for persons of eminent piety, and zeal for genuine Christianity, who opposed the vicious practices and inson tyranny of the priesthood, much in the same manner as the Latins comprehended all the ac versaries of the Roman pontiff under the general terms of Albigenses and Waldenses.

EUDOXIANS, a sect in the fourth century; so called from their leader, Eudoxius, patriarc of Antioch and Constantinople, a great defendet of the Arian doctrine. The Eudoxians believed that the Son was created out of nothing; that be had a will distinct and different from that of the Father, &c. They held many other tenets of the Arians and Eunomians.

EVIDENCE, is that perception of truth which arises either from the testimony of the senses, of from an induction of reason. The evidences of revelation are divided into internal and external That is called internal evidence which is draw from the consideration of those declarations and doctrines which are contained in it; and that is called external, which arises from some other citcumstances referring to it, such as predictions concerning it, miracles wrought by Lose who teach it, its success in the world, &c. See E dences of Christianity, art. CHRISTIANITY

Moral Evidence is that which, though it does

EVIL

not exclude a mere abstract possibility of things being otherwise, yet shuts out every reasonable ground of suspecting that they are so.

Evidences of Grace are those dispositions and acts which prove a person to be in a converted state; such as an enlightened understanding; love to God and his people; a delight in God's word; worship and dependence on him; spirituality of mind; devotedness of life to the service of God, &c. Seed's Post. Ser. ser. 2; Ditton on the Resurrection; Bellamy on Religion, p. 184; Gambear's Introduction to the Study of Moral Evidence, 163.

EUSEBIANS

against it. 1 Cor. v. 11. vi. 10.-4. It is an evidence of a weak and distempered mind.-5. It is even indicative of ill-breeding and bad manners.— 6. It is the abhorrence of all wise and good men. Ps. xv. 3.-7. It is exceedingly injurious to society, and inconsistent with the relations we bear to each other as Christians. James iii. 6.-8. It is branded with the epithet of folly. Prov. xviii. 6, 7. 9. It is perverting the design of speech.10. It is opposite to the example of Christ, whom we profess to follow. See SLANDER. Barrow's Works, vol. i. sec. 16; Tillotson's Ser. sec. 42; Jack's Ser. on Evil Speaking.

EULOGY, eulogia, a term made use of in reference to the consecrated bread. When the Greeks have cut a loaf or piece of bread to consecrate it, they break the rest into little bits, and distribute it among the persons who have not yet communicated, or send it to persons that are absent; and these pieces of bread are what they The word is Greek, ευλογία,

EVIL is distinguished into natural and moral. Natural evil is whatever destroys or any way disturbs the perfection of natural beings; such as blindness, diseases, death, &c. Moral evil is the disagreement between the actions of a moral agent, and the rule of those actions, whatever it Is. Applied to a choice, or acting contrary to the moral or revealed laws of the Deity, it is term-call eulogies. ed wickedness or sin. Applied to acting contrary to the mere rule of fitness, a fault. See article SIN.

EVIL SPEAKING, the using language either reproachful or untrue respecting others, and thereby injuring them. It is an express command of Scripture, "To speak evil of no man," Titus iii. 2; James iv. 11. By which, however, we are not to understand that there are no occasions on which we are & liberty to speak of others that which may be considered as evil. 1. Persons in the administration of justice may speak words which in private intercourse would be reproachful.-2. God's ministers may inveigh against vice with sharpness and severity, both privately and publicly. Is. lviii. 1; Tit. i. 13.3. Private persons may reprove others when they commit sin. Lev. xix. 17.-4. Some vehemence of speech may be used in defence of truth, and impugning errors of bad consequence. Jude 3.5. It may be necessary, upon some emergent occasions, with some heat of language, to express disapprobation of notorious wickedness. Acts viii. 23. Yet in all these the greatest equity, moderation, and candour, should be used; and we should take care, 1. Never to speak in severe terms withput reasonable warrant or apparent just cause; 2. Nor beyond measure;-3. Nor out of bad principles or wrong ends; for ill-will, contempt, revenge, envy, to compass our own ends; from wantonness, or negligence, but from pure charity for the good of those to whom or of whom we speak.

formed of y, bene, 'well,' and λyw, dico, 'I say, speak;' q. d. benedictum, 'blessed.'"

The Latin church has had something like eulogies for a great many ages; and thence arose the use of their holy bread. The name eulogy was likewise given to loaves or cakes brought to church by the faithful to have them blessed. Lastly, the use of the term passed hence to mere presents made to a person without any benediction.

EUNOMIANS, a sect in the fourth century. They were a branch of Arians, and took their name from Eunomius, bishop of Cyzicus. Cave, in his Historia Literaria, vol. i. p. 223, gives the following account of their faith. "There is one God, uncreated and without beginning; who has nothing existing before him, for nothing can exist before what is uncreated; nor with him, for what is uncreated must be one; nor in him, for God is a simple and uncompounded being. This one simple and eternal being is God, the creator and ordainer of all things: first, indeed, and principally of his only begotten Son; and then through him of all other things. For God begat, created, and made the Son only by his direct operation and power, before all things, and every other creature; not producing, however, any being like himself, or imparting any of his own proper substance to the Son; for God is immortal, uniforın, indivisible; and therefore cannot communicate any part of his own proper substance to another. He alone is unbegotten; and it is impossible that any other being should be formed of an unbe gotten substance. He did not use his own substance in begetting the Son, but his will only; nor did he beget him in the likeness of his substance, but according to his own good pleasure; he then created the Holy Spirit, the first and greatest of all spirits, by his own power, in deed and operation mediately; yet by the immediato power and operation of the Son. After the Holy Spirit, he created all other things, in heaven and in earth, visible and invisible, corporeal and incorporeal, mediately by himself, by the power and operation of the Son, &c." The reader will eviThe impropriety and sinfulness of evil speak-dently see how near these tenets are to those of ing will appear, if we consider, 1. That it is en- Arianism. See ARIANS, tirely opposite to the whole tenor of the Christian religion.-2. Expressly condemned and prohibited as evil. Ps. Ixiv. 3; James iv. 11.-3. No practice hath more severe punishments denounced

This is an evil, however, which greatly abounds, and which is not sufficiently watched against; for it is not when we openly speak evil of others only that we are guilty, but even in speaking what is true we are in danger of speaking evil of others. There is sometimes a malignant pleasure manifested; a studious recollection of every thing that can be brought forward; a delight in hearing any thing spoken against others; a secret rejoicing in knowing that another's fall will be an occasion of our rise. All this is base to an extreme.

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EUSEBIANS, a denomination given to the Arians, on account of the favour and countenance which Eusebius, bishop of Caesarea, showed and procured for them at their first rise.

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